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You are here: Home / We’re #10!

We’re #10!

by John Cole|  November 1, 20104:37 pm| 248 Comments

This post is in: Blogospheric Navel-Gazing

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According to Investors.Com, that is.

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Reader Interactions

248Comments

  1. 1.

    beltane

    November 1, 2010 at 4:40 pm

    You just wanted us to see that picture.

  2. 2.

    Capri

    November 1, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    Maybe #10 on investors.com, but always #1 in our hearts.

  3. 3.

    Bulworth

    November 1, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    Tunch should be pleased.

  4. 4.

    Zifnab

    November 1, 2010 at 4:43 pm

    /braces for flood of new visitors

    All hands on deck! Lurkers ahoy!
    I hope those server upgrades were worth their weight.

  5. 5.

    Sue

    November 1, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    Did I read that correctly? You’re #10 out of 10 preselected blogs?
    Yay for you! I think.

  6. 6.

    serge

    November 1, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    That’s great, John. Congrats. I like the opposing snaps of Jane Hamsher and She Who Must Not Be Named. I’d pay money to see that fight…

  7. 7.

    Maude

    November 1, 2010 at 4:45 pm

    BJ should be # 1.
    They left out Booman, Steve Benan, Kevin Drum and others that are far better than that tawdry list.

  8. 8.

    david mizner

    November 1, 2010 at 4:45 pm

    That’s where I rank you as well.

  9. 9.

    Mary G

    November 1, 2010 at 4:46 pm

    @Zifnab: This.
    The trolls will be coming out of the woodwork.

    The list seems a little forced, like a dinner party, left/right, left/right, etc.

  10. 10.

    thomas Levenson

    November 1, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    With a bullet!

    Oh wait. No. That’s for the other side of the spectrum, right?

    (Run, in terror, as the ghost of Charlton Heston rises on this eve of dios de los muertos to school me for my presumption.)

  11. 11.

    Quaker in a Basement

    November 1, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    Cap’n Ed is number two. Huh. Huhhuh.

  12. 12.

    John Cole

    November 1, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    @Maude: Steve Benen is consistently, imho, the best blog out there. I have no idea why he does not get more credit. He’s just that good.

  13. 13.

    El Cid

    November 1, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    My comments were key in achieving this victory.

  14. 14.

    Chat Noir

    November 1, 2010 at 4:48 pm

    Yay! I quote and link to B-J all the time. Can this rating be one of the reasons there’s been so many gawd-awful trolls lately?

    Good job, John Cole!

  15. 15.

    monkeyboy

    November 1, 2010 at 4:50 pm

    FTA:

    But which are the “best”?
    __
    This reporter asked research firms Hitwise, ComScore and Nielsen to rate 10 pre-selected blogs. The sites were subjectively chosen. The research firms’ rankings were based on their objective methods of counting traffic at Web sites.

    So the best of 10 preselected blogs is the one with the most traffic?

    John, didn’t you say you were going Galt for a few day just a few hours ago?

  16. 16.

    david mizner

    November 1, 2010 at 4:50 pm

    @Maude:

    Well, if we’re going to take a list like this seriously….Greenwald?

    Whatever you think of him, he belongs on any blogospheric top ten.

  17. 17.

    licensed to kill time

    November 1, 2010 at 4:51 pm

    Balloon Juice is Numero Uno in my book for sheer fun readability and the best Commentariat in the blogosphere.

    Benen’s always my next stop.

  18. 18.

    Chat Noir

    November 1, 2010 at 4:51 pm

    @John Cole: Amen. Balloon Juice and the Political Animal are the two blogs I read faithfully every day, and Benen doesn’t even post pet pics.

  19. 19.

    Maude

    November 1, 2010 at 4:52 pm

    @John Cole:
    When I first got online, his was the first blog I read.
    He puts a lot of work into his writing and finding information.
    I found you from a link about Russert.
    Addicted ever since.

  20. 20.

    Roger Moore

    November 1, 2010 at 4:52 pm

    We ought to be #1 in snark.

  21. 21.

    jl

    November 1, 2010 at 4:54 pm

    But how does Balloon Juice rate among the ‘sports/food/cooking/gardening/pets/drinking/music/whining about random stuff’ blogs?

    And if Mr. Cole was not such a misanthrope and would be willing to schmooze a little bit, there would be some dish on the blog, like the others. But we have:

    “10) Balloon-Juice.com. The site was founded in 2002 by John Cole, a former Republican whose site is now identified as liberal.”

    How exciting that sounds.

  22. 22.

    General Stuck

    November 1, 2010 at 4:57 pm

    I thought we were centrist sockpuppets, you know, republican light, peasants to our progressive overlords and great traitors to the libtard cause. So confusing it all is.

  23. 23.

    John PM

    November 1, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    Congratulations?

    It is odd that the list contains five “conservative” and five “liberal blogs.” Clearly the rankings have nothing to do with how accurate/truthful the blogs are.

  24. 24.

    Maude

    November 1, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    @david mizner:
    Ooh, sorry I forgot him. When he was free, I read him.
    When I emailed him, usually about tech stuff, he was always replied and was so sweet and nice. I have a lot of respect for him. I don’t agree with him all the time, but he makes a huge effort.
    All the blog writers have such a commitment and put so much effort into their front pages.
    The obligation of owning a blog and writing every day is like having a pack of wild dogs doing the potty dance every morning.

  25. 25.

    matoko_chan

    November 1, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    Captain Stupid was #2? no one reads him…they go for AllahP.

    and….blogs! talk-radio for humans that can read!

    @Cole…..i thot u wer takin an emo break?

  26. 26.

    Poopyman

    November 1, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    Damn! I had 5:45 as the time that Cole would de-lurk. Off by over an hour!

  27. 27.

    Nylund

    November 1, 2010 at 5:00 pm

    This is the only blog where I read every entry every day. Nice insights always mixed with good humor and cute pets. It can’t be beat.

    Funny that both women they show, right, and left, probably hate John equally.

    But we love ya buddy, so no worries.

  28. 28.

    Cris

    November 1, 2010 at 5:01 pm

    My primary beef with that list is the presence of TPM. Not because I disagree that it’s required reading, but because I consider it a class of its own — one that actually performs independent investigative journalism. I mean, Marshall actually talks to primary sources — can we say the same about Hindrocket, or DougJ for that matter?

    Also, too: three hours, 34 minutes.

  29. 29.

    Poopyman

    November 1, 2010 at 5:02 pm

    @El Cid:

    My comments were key in achieving this victory.

    What’d we win? Does Cole get a toaster or something?

  30. 30.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 5:02 pm

    When is Pack of Jackals magazine rating blogs?

    Our ratings are really high there.

    Agree with others on Benen. He’s the best. He does more solid reporting and opining than a whole WaPo cocktail party full of asskissing asskissers.

    I except Ezra and Greg Sargent from that crowd. Those two are good.

  31. 31.

    Ash Can

    November 1, 2010 at 5:03 pm

    You all know I love this joint, but…pre-selected by Investor’s Business Daily? The cheapest and tawdriest of the supermarket tabloids of the business world? Nice to hear about the hit counts, but make of the context what you will.

  32. 32.

    Poopyman

    November 1, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    ATTENTION ALL NEW READERS:

    To welcome you to Balloon Juice, please click on the “Pet Calendar” icon in the upper right of the frame. A minimum purchase of two is required for continued enjoyment of this blog.

    Thank you very much.

  33. 33.

    Quicksand

    November 1, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    Well, I rank investors.com #1 in unflattering looks up Malkin’s nostrils, among pages I have viewed today.

  34. 34.

    Redshirt

    November 1, 2010 at 5:06 pm

    You know what kinds of trolls will come via IBD? Galtian Supertrolls, of course. Prepare the outer walls for attack!

  35. 35.

    jharp

    November 1, 2010 at 5:06 pm

    I think you did good. Congrats.

    It still befuddles my fucking brain how michelle malkin and powerline are even remotely considered serious.

    My top blogs in no particular order would be digby, steve benen, kevin drum, juan cole.

    And americablog and thinkprogress.

    Righties is a tie for last. The Gateway Dumbshit, Jim Hoft, is so fucked up that I stop every now again to witness crazy. Ace has plenty of stupid. Ditto townhall.

  36. 36.

    Ross Hershberger

    November 1, 2010 at 5:06 pm

    4 hours to the minute.

    It’s nice to know that a cranky, idiosyncratic personal blog can be influential.
    Being a cranky, idiosyncratic person hasn’t worked that well for me.

  37. 37.

    Polish the Guillotines

    November 1, 2010 at 5:07 pm

    Congratulations. I’m sure what gave BJ the edge over #11 is the awesome array of clever commenter handles.

  38. 38.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    I bet Treacher was steamed that his lord and master Satan’s Tucker Carlson’s blog didn’t get on the list.

    Keep fuckin’ that chicken, Jim.

  39. 39.

    DougJ

    November 1, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    @Cris:

    You think I don’t talk to primary sources? You think I don’t talk to primary sources????

  40. 40.

    david mizner

    November 1, 2010 at 5:09 pm

    @Maude:

    I’m partial to bloggers who participate in their comment threads. Cole does. So does Greenwald. DIgby, for example, doesn’t.

  41. 41.

    DougJ

    November 1, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    @John Cole:

    Agreed. Also, it’s low ego. That’s what makes it the best for me.

  42. 42.

    slag

    November 1, 2010 at 5:14 pm

    You’re #1 in my book, JC, but you did notice that Michelle Malkin was on that list? You’re not going to start stalking people’s countertops now, are you? Because, really, there are only so many places left on the internet worth visiting.

  43. 43.

    schrodinger's cat

    November 1, 2010 at 5:15 pm

    @jl: Tunch does not approve of schmoozing. If his minions schmooze, who will pay attention to the needs of the lord and master?

  44. 44.

    jl

    November 1, 2010 at 5:16 pm

    @DougJ: Well, I for one, always thought your did talk to primary sources, at least for your booze posts.

  45. 45.

    Cris

    November 1, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    @DougJ: I forgot to count WaPo chats.

  46. 46.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    Hate to rain on the party here, but Lady Smudge appears to be missing. A plumber came to the apt today to fix something while I was at work. She hasn’t come out in 20 minutes I’ve been home, and I have looked everywhere.

    I don’t even begin to know what to do now.

    ETA: I did call the landlord’s office to make sure plumber didn’t let her out, but haven’t heard back from them yet. Searched around and called outside in the immediate vicinity.

  47. 47.

    jl

    November 1, 2010 at 5:19 pm

    I feel bad about not congratulating Cole and the other front posters.

    But, Investor’s Business Daily? dotcom?

    Is congratulations appropriate or desired? Please inform asap.

    Or, whatever. Congratulations.

    When’s the party? Free drinks, right?

  48. 48.

    DougJ

    November 1, 2010 at 5:19 pm

    @Cris:

    There you go.

    @jl:

    Yes, that is true.

  49. 49.

    Laura W.

    November 1, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    @Poopyman:

    Come over here. I’m gonna kiss you.

    BIG Thanks to everyone who bought when the calendar launched last weekend! As it turned out, a big chunk of the money got into the pot before October closed so Charlie’s Angels will see some of it late December (I think/hope?) October may even beat out the store’s grand opening month last February by a small amount. Very exciting. But November is gonna be even more exciting because, you know, a bunch of you have pets in there and don’t even know it yet!!

    Go here to see all twelve pages crammed full of over 600 darling faces.

  50. 50.

    BR

    November 1, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    I’d like to contribute something that’s really what makes this site great:

    Daily Otter.

  51. 51.

    Svensker

    November 1, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    Does this mean the Stillers (and the Jets) will win next week? Yay!

  52. 52.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    @jl: Free drinks party or free drinks tour bus party?

    Cole Express, powered by brown liquor.

  53. 53.

    licensed to kill time

    November 1, 2010 at 5:24 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Probably the best immediate thing you can do is put out a saucer of tuna or whatever her favorite treat is. If a stranger barged into her space today, she might be freaked out and hiding somewhere. Maybe the tuna smell will lure her out. I hope she comes back quickly!

  54. 54.

    schrodinger's cat

    November 1, 2010 at 5:25 pm

    @DougJ: What happened ? Were you demoted? I noticed that you are no longer the business and economics editor.

  55. 55.

    Maude

    November 1, 2010 at 5:25 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:
    She’ll come back. I had a girl cat that would get out a lot. She always came back.
    Once, I had her in the car sans carry case and I got out to get coffee. I came back to the car and she was nowhere inside.
    Several hours later, I saw this black paw stretch out from underneath the driver’s seat.

  56. 56.

    gbear

    November 1, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    @Chat Noir:

    Benen doesn’t even post pet pics.

    He rarely posts pictures, which makes him the most safe-to-sneak-at-work blog, along with being the most informative. I agree with John that Benen has the best site around.

  57. 57.

    Svensker

    November 1, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Oh no. Fingers crossed for you. Keep us posted.

  58. 58.

    jl

    November 1, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    “tour bus party?”

    I thought that went without saying.

    Edit: Need to schedule a party for when Balloon Juice gets the best Otterblog award.

  59. 59.

    Redshirt

    November 1, 2010 at 5:28 pm

    @jl: Bust out the Bud Light Lime Dry Ice! It’s party time!

  60. 60.

    El Tiburon

    November 1, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    What about that old adage, something about the “company you keep”?

    I mean, Michelle Malkin? Powerline? Red State?

    In that the aforementioned are highly-regarded by the right, then congrats are in order.

    Toss in FDL and DKos for the haters here and BJ seems a bit out of place on that list.

    Factor in LGF, all but TPM, DKos, C&L and TPM are or were right-leaning blogs, or 60% of that list.

    Otherwise, no doubt, BJ belongs in the discussion for prominent blogs. And snark. And continued threats to go Galt.

  61. 61.

    Chat Noir

    November 1, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: My cats have the ability to hide in the weirdest and smallest places. There have been numerous occasions when I couldn’t find one of my cats and I was sure I looked in all the possible places and I was freaking out because I couldn’t find them. Then, I looked in a spot they normally didn’t frequent and there was the missing cat! They are usually hiding in plain sight and give me a look like, “What? I was here the whole time. You just didn’t look.”

    Please let us know when you find her. She likely didn’t go far.

  62. 62.

    BR

    November 1, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    @Chat Noir:

    Same happened to me. I freaked out but a friend found her in a hole under our dishwasher. She wouldn’t come out for a day.

    Our trick was to just wait and make sure we made noise with her Greenies bag periodically so if she was ready she’d come out.

  63. 63.

    Dennis SGMM

    November 1, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    In keeping with this blog’s newly acquired status I feel that it’s fucking incumbent on all of us to moderate our motherfucking language.

  64. 64.

    gogol's wife

    November 1, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I hope she’s just hiding where you can’t find her (they are really good at that). If she was scared by the plumber she probably didn’t venture out while he was there, so the chances that she went out are smaller than that she’s somewhere in the house.

    The evening of the day we got a sewer line put in, we couldn’t find one of our cats. It turned out she had been hiding in the basement (we usually keep the door shut so she can’t go down), even though they had had the trap door open all afternoon and she had several hours to run out if she’d wanted to.

    Fingers crossed.

  65. 65.

    You Don't Say

    November 1, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    I hope the ad revenues start rolling in!

  66. 66.

    jl

    November 1, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    @El Tiburon: The list was preselected using the subjective standards of some distinguished member(s) on the Investor’s Business Daily staffl.

    So, the company blogs keep on that list is IBD’s problem, not anyone elses’. IMHO.

    Edit: Where are the trolls? We were promised giant planet killing megahyper trolls! Cough ’em up!

  67. 67.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    UPDATE: She has been found! I am about to spit nails at the plumber though. She was in a space behind the bathtub in the wall! He must have unscrewed the covering, and then screwed it back later without checking to see if there was a cat inside! Fuck!

  68. 68.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 5:35 pm

    @Dennis SGMM: Agreed.

    I wanted to moon the lurkers from RedState and Malkin’s House of Dumbass, but I just don’t feel like taking any pictures of my butt and posting them.

    So, lurkers, you’ll just have to use your imagination.

  69. 69.

    gogol's wife

    November 1, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I’m so glad. But I’m kind of chuckling at the image of Lady Smudge exploring the space behind the wall when the plumber wasn’t looking.

  70. 70.

    Chat Noir

    November 1, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: Phew! I’m so glad you found her.

  71. 71.

    slag

    November 1, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    @schrodinger’s cat: DougJ got too many facts correct, which means he just couldn’t cut it as Business and Economics Editor of such a prestigious media outlet.

  72. 72.

    jwb

    November 1, 2010 at 5:37 pm

    @Mary G: Mostly a dinner party from hell with that list.

  73. 73.

    Maude

    November 1, 2010 at 5:37 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:
    Good. Damn plumber.

  74. 74.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 5:39 pm

    I could not believe that. I heard a couple of weak meows and thought she might be under the bed, but no way for her to get there. Kept thinking: surely she wouldn’t be in the tub access area, it’s sealed with four screws.

    Luckily she didn’t get caught in the wall space anywhere. GRRRRR.

  75. 75.

    licensed to kill time

    November 1, 2010 at 5:40 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    That is totally creepy. I’d make a joke about the plumber screwing the puss^y but I doubt you’re in a laughing mood!

  76. 76.

    db

    November 1, 2010 at 5:40 pm

    It would have been awesome if they had a photo of John Cole sandwiched between those two women.

  77. 77.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: Moral of the story.

    Always check the plumber’s crack.

  78. 78.

    Svensker

    November 1, 2010 at 5:44 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    You mean she was actually walled up? How Poe-ish. Eeek. Glad you found her and all is well.

  79. 79.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    @BGinCHI: @licensed to kill time:
    chuckling. Still shaking off panic that had set in, and anger about her being trapped in there.

  80. 80.

    Josie

    November 1, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: omg – I am so glad you found her. Checking that space was really good thinking. Hiding in a newly found small space is such a cat thing to do.

  81. 81.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    November 1, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    @Polish the Guillotines:

    Damn straight!

    Congrats John, your stint as a new voice for bloggers on faux nooz is coming up fast! ;)

    Ubetcha! Also. Too.

  82. 82.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 5:46 pm

    @Svensker:
    Yes. The screws were all in tight. I doubted it at first because I could barely pull the board away a tiny bit. After I unscrewed the top screws, I saw her peering out at me and then I unscrewed the rest and let her come out, took a minute for her to stick her head out.

    ETA: I am very glad she didn’t get out the front door, because even though there are stairs in the hallway, the downstairs weather door doesn’t have a latch. She could have pushed it open like nothing and been gone for a while. whew.

    But that tiny meow was so small it took me a few listens to get where it was coming from.

  83. 83.

    meh

    November 1, 2010 at 5:48 pm

    fucking dougj will now be twice as insufferable.

  84. 84.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: Seriously, glad the critter is ok.

    That’s scary shit.

  85. 85.

    ThatLeftTurnInABQ

    November 1, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    @Polish the Guillotines:

    Congratulations. I’m sure what gave BJ the edge over #11 is the awesome array of clever commenter handles.

    Nah. #11 is based in New Jersey. I heard that they fucked up their paperwork on the application.

  86. 86.

    dmsilev

    November 1, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: Yikes.

    When I was growing up, we had something similar happen to a kitten. Not a plumber, though. Somehow, she managed to find a hole in the wall somewhere. My parents were woken up by muffled meows which appeared to be coming from the wall. Once they convinced themselves that that was what it was, out came the hammer. My dad had to knock two or three holes in the plaster before the kitty was within arms reach.

    dms

  87. 87.

    Ross Hershberger

    November 1, 2010 at 5:52 pm

    Jeebus. It’s walkies time. Cue the pandemonium. He rests up all day for this explosion of noise and motion.
    Speaking of pets and tubs.

  88. 88.

    Chat Noir

    November 1, 2010 at 5:52 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: I know the feeling of pure relief. So glad you found her so quickly. A picture of her after her in-wall adventure would be greatly appreciated. She has a fan base here, ya know.

  89. 89.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 5:52 pm

    To the topic at hand, that list is bullshit. No explanation whatsoever for why those 10 were chosen. And no mention of pets, naked mopping, or Obot ranting. WTF?

  90. 90.

    Anne Laurie

    November 1, 2010 at 5:53 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: Oh, thank heavens! The ‘hidden bathroom access hatch’ was going to be my first suggestion — cats find the dark spaces inside the walls irresistable. Don’t be too hard on the plumber, it’s possible he never even saw Lady Smudge, if she hid when the landlord let him in (probably), she could’ve bolted into through that panel when he wasn’t watching & then been too scared to let him know she was there when he screwed the cover back on.

    I seriously damaged a postcollege friendship, many years ago, when my beloved cat disappeared while Friend, I, Friend’s Boyfriend, and two cats were moving into a new rental together. Since Boyfriend had been loudly averse to sharing his space with felines, I assumed he’d “accidentally” let Asmo escape while we were bringing stuff in. It was almost three days before Asmo crawled out from a fist-sized hole behind the bathroom sink… to use the litter box. And if I hadn’t been in the bathroom at the time, I don’t know that he wouldn’t have crawled right back into the wall, the little fiend!

    You might want to put up some kind of “Do Not Let the Cat Out” sign next time you’re expecting the landlord to let someone in, so they’ll know in advance to be more careful.

  91. 91.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 5:53 pm

    @dmsilev:
    Thankfully, I didn’t have to use one, but I do have a hammer that would have been used if the occasion called for it.

  92. 92.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    @Anne Laurie:
    Great suggestion for a sign. Maybe there could be one in the BJ store.

  93. 93.

    Paris

    November 1, 2010 at 5:56 pm

    In the new economy, you don’t need to make money to be fabulously wealthy – just look at Facebook. JC could be an imaginary rich person, on paper.

  94. 94.

    Countme?

    November 1, 2010 at 5:57 pm

    Congratulations, John.

    As others have noted, if I found my name on a congratulatory list that contained Michelle Malkin’s name, I’d find a new list.

    But, Christ …. the absurdity of bloggers or media satirists like Stewart being considered or considering themselves as those who keep mainstream journalism accountable in some way is … what? …. horseshit.

    If mainstream journalists are more accountable now than they were 30 or 40 years ago, measure it for me. We have a 24-hour news cycle of howling, blithering, meaningless crap. We have an electorate of angry fucktards electing shitheads even dumber than the fucktards. We have dysfunctional government at every level and the more it accounts for its dysfunctionality, the more dysfunctional the electorate wants to make it. And if it is functional, that piece of news of nowhere to be found.

    The more Stewart/Colbert et al satirize journalism, the more journalism looks like satire. The more bloggers report their version of the factual truth, the harder the factual truth is to locate.

    Nobody knows anything. Lies are facts now, and the bigger the fucking lie the more proud and electable the liar becomes.

    Paddy Chayefsky prophesied in “Network” what’s happened since 1975, not that journalism was ever perfect, natch.

    The Faye Dunaway character in “Network” put Howard Beale on the air. Sybil the Soothsayer took over. Then the Dunaway character and the suits had Beale shot to salvage the ratings for the bottom line. All that has happened since in journalism is the camera has moved ever closer to get the best shot of Howard Beale’s dead carcass.

    Look, it’s dead. Doesn’t that piss you off? It makes me mad as hell! Ad infinitum.

    Beale taught us all to go to the window and shout “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Take “what anymore? When the hell is someone going to shoot us to salvage the ratings?

    And that’s all we’ve done. And that has become the news — mad as people interviewing other mad as hell people about nothing but their fucking anger.

    Nothing is better, let alone accountable.

    Still, if “mad as hell” is the benchmark, John Cole’s pretty good at it.

    Ah, fuck it!

  95. 95.

    Anne Laurie

    November 1, 2010 at 5:59 pm

    @dmsilev: __

    My dad had to knock two or three holes in the plaster before the kitty was within arms reach.

    He got off lightly. I knew someone who had to have their furnace professionally dismantled after their kitten crawled into an open flue and couldn’t find its way out again. Cats take their exploration mandate very seriously… or maybe it’s the “keep the humans anxious & poor” mandate? Hmmm, much as I love them, most cats probably would vote the Republican ticket…

  96. 96.

    jeffreyw

    November 1, 2010 at 5:59 pm

    Yay! Mz Smudge is back!

    You guys–always with the plumber jokes.

  97. 97.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 6:01 pm

    @Anne Laurie:
    I do believe cats are the true libertarians. Definitely wouldn’t take shit from McArglebargle or Rand.

  98. 98.

    schrodinger's cat

    November 1, 2010 at 6:01 pm

    @Anne Laurie: Voting is for hairless monkehs, cats prefer imperialism, with them as the ruling monarch, of course.

  99. 99.

    change

    November 1, 2010 at 6:04 pm

    Twenty-Four hours until the beginning of the end for Obama…

  100. 100.

    Keith G

    November 1, 2010 at 6:07 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Fuck, Damn!

    But I am so happy for you. I know how heart stopping an out of touch kitty can be.

  101. 101.

    Anne Laurie

    November 1, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    As to the topic of this post, I’m kinda assuming that IBD told their researchers “Pick the five conservative blogs and the five liberal blogs with the most hits, after subtracting those with generally NSFW content”. The writer specifically exempted blogs “tied to mainstream media outlets or foundations”, and Steve Benen posts under the Washington Monthly masthead, which explains why he (and probably Tom Scocca & no doubt other worthy candidates) weren’t included.

  102. 102.

    schrodinger's cat

    November 1, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: I am glad you found her. Poor thing, must have been a scary experience. Bet she gets extra tuna in the special china!

  103. 103.

    Library Grape

    November 1, 2010 at 6:10 pm

    a top 10 political blog list without sully in it? what gives?

    also, too, i though their writeup of BJ was super-trite.

    wait a minute. i just realized this was an article on insane business daily. ( ! ! ! )

    they are nucking futs over there! (e.g., https://balloon-juice.com/2009/08/10/a-brief-history-of-fail/ )

  104. 104.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 6:11 pm

    Clearly what John Cole now needs to do is sign Randy Moss off waivers. Our offense will have even more Tunchdowns!

  105. 105.

    El Tiburon

    November 1, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I do believe cats are the true libertarians.

    Double-Ha!

    My cats are the biggest welfare queens ever. All they do is sit around and wait for me to put food and water into their bowls. I even have to cart their poo out.

  106. 106.

    gwangung

    November 1, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    OT: This “person who matters” isn’t going Galt.

  107. 107.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 6:15 pm

    @morzer: Insert additional “dropping the ball” on politics joke here.

  108. 108.

    JGabriel

    November 1, 2010 at 6:17 pm

    El Tiburon:

    arguingwithsignposts:

    I do believe cats are the true libertarians.

    Double-Ha!
    __
    My cats are the biggest welfare queens ever. All they do is sit around and wait for me to put food and water into their bowls.

    Which is all paid for, not be the gov’t, but by the sweat of someone else’s brow, not theirs.

    So, libertarians after all.

    .

  109. 109.

    gwangung

    November 1, 2010 at 6:18 pm

    Sorry, folks, but I’m gonna post quotes from a contrarian rich guy:

    On wasting money in public education: “Every rich person in Seattle sends their kids to (private) schools that cost about $20,000 per child. They have absolutely, completely made up their minds that $20,000 is about the amount you should spend to give your child a world-class education. If you are thinking about creating increasing returns and you are determined to do it, asserting that the $9,800 we are currently spending (per child in public education) is ludicrous. It is wasteful? What do you want to cut it to? You can win if you invest. If $20,000 is the right number for my kids, why shouldn’t we spend $25,000 on the poor kids.”

  110. 110.

    gwangung

    November 1, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    “Show me one place that has cheaped out to success. I mean Silicon Valley is in Silicon Valley because of Stanford. If cheaping out were the way, then Silicon Valley would be in fucking South Dakota. It would. Find me one tiny counter example on Earth. You show me great prosperity, and I’ll show you great investment. It is this completely naive view that we can somehow cheap out to prosperity. You can’t. It has never been done. Invest, aggressively and strategically. And over invest. Error on the side of over investment. What’s the worst that can happen? Maybe you waste a few bucks. But if you can create one of those virtuous cycles, if you can create the moral educational equivalent of a hurricane, my God. Nobody can stop you.”

  111. 111.

    SiubhanDuinne

    November 1, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: Oh god, I love Lady Smudge, aws. I’m sure she’s fine — remember a few weeks ago when Tunch got out and returned the next day looking a bit sheepish? Cats are smart and clever, and she’ll take good care of herself, but I know you’re worried sick right now. We’ve all been there. Thinking good thoughts to you and Her Smudgeness, and keep reporting in.

  112. 112.

    gwangung

    November 1, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    And another quote:

    On being a contrarian: “The problem with being comfortable in running against the grain is that there is a very fine line between being a brilliant entrepreneur and being a complete sociopath. This is what criminals do too. They run against the grain and do awful things…. I’ve told some people that (Jeff) Bezos calls me a high functioning contrarian. I think it is a great way to characterize my personality. The problem is if you are a low functioning contrarian you are in prison. And there is a very fine line.”

  113. 113.

    SiubhanDuinne

    November 1, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: Ah! Saw your update after I posted @SiubhanDuinne:

    Relieved! And yeah, I’d be spitting mad at the plumber, too. (It wasn’t Joe the Plumber by any chance . . . . ?)

    Welcome back, Lady Smudge. Ask your guy for some extra tuna and scritches.

  114. 114.

    Martin

    November 1, 2010 at 6:23 pm

    @dmsilev: That happened to the people that previously owned our house. According to the story, the neighbors cat got onto the 2nd floor roof, climbed in one of the eve vents, walked along the attic and then fell down into one of the walls of the master bedroom closet. They were out of town for the weekend and came home to a VERY PISSED OFF CAT screaming from within the walls of the house. In there hours, two days, nobody is quite sure.

    Because of how the walls come together they couldn’t exactly figure out where the cat was, so a handyman punched a bunch of holes between the studs until the sound got louder. No sooner than they got a hole open big enough that the cat raced out, attacked everyone in the house with full claws including their dog, and just ran bonkers all over the place until they could convince it to run outside through an open door. A few days later it came home looking fairly calm but it would never come near our property again.

    We learned that in response to ‘Why are the bedroom closet walls a completely different color than anything else in the house? Who goes out of their way to pick colors and paint a fucking closet?’

    The cat’s owner who came to help with the extraction still has the scars from the escape.

  115. 115.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    November 1, 2010 at 6:25 pm

    Somebody’s operating a blog called Balloon hyphen Juice and using your name. You ought to sue.

  116. 116.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 6:25 pm

    @gwangung: I like this.

    Can someone please tell me why GOPers never use the word “investment” when they are talking economy?

  117. 117.

    JGabriel

    November 1, 2010 at 6:29 pm

    Nick Hanauer via gwangung:

    Show me one place that has cheaped out to success. I mean Silicon Valley is in Silicon Valley because of Stanford. If cheaping out were the way, then Silicon Valley would be in fucking South Dakota.

    To be fair, Gateway started in the Dakotas.

    Although, I’m not entirely sure whether that data point undercuts or supports Hanauer’s assertion.

    .

  118. 118.

    jwb

    November 1, 2010 at 6:29 pm

    @gwangung: Man, that guy is one shrill dude. He clearly does not belong to the Very Serious People. Maybe he wants to take some of his money, buy a network, and offer counter programming to Fox.

  119. 119.

    Martin

    November 1, 2010 at 6:29 pm

    @gwangung: He’s got it right. Economic growth comes from spending your wealth. If you’re sitting on a mountain of cash, it means you’re too fucking stupid or lazy to find a good use for it. In that case, we might as well tax it and put it to some use.

    wealth == wasted economic growth

  120. 120.

    gwangung

    November 1, 2010 at 6:31 pm

    @BGinCHI: Because those dinks don’t know the first thing about economics. Private investment don’t mean squat unless there’s also public investment in educational and social infrastructure. See Silicon Valley and Boston; the areas of biggest economic growth is around good to great universities.

    (And Nick Hanauer is one of the mega-rich that started off from family money. At least nine figure net worth).

  121. 121.

    JGabriel

    November 1, 2010 at 6:31 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    Can someone please tell me why GOPers never use the word “investment” when they are talking economy?

    Because investments are what profit me, and sociaIist handouts are what profit thee — you commie!

    .

  122. 122.

    demkat620

    November 1, 2010 at 6:32 pm

    @Maude: I came here during the Schiavo affair. And I have never left.

    John was still borderline at that point. But we’ve grown on him. :) Love this place. Congrats John, Tunch, Lily and Rosie!

  123. 123.

    Violet

    November 1, 2010 at 6:32 pm

    Congrats John Cole and the rest of the B-J community! We’re number 10! Proud to be a part of it.

    @arguingwithsignposts: So glad you found her. How scary.

  124. 124.

    change

    November 1, 2010 at 6:33 pm

    “Investment” is just Democrat code for higher taxes and more spending.

  125. 125.

    Bnut

    November 1, 2010 at 6:33 pm

    My sister’s cat got caught in the neighbor’s chimney. It was bricked over at the bottom, so we had to rig up a bucket to lower through the top and hope the cat got in and then stayed in during his 40 foot ride up the thing. I hated that damn cat, so of course the rescue was a success.

  126. 126.

    gwangung

    November 1, 2010 at 6:35 pm

    “Investment” is just Democrat code for higher taxes and more spending.

    Also known as Silicon Valley and VC start up hubs.

  127. 127.

    Emerald

    November 1, 2010 at 6:36 pm

    Congrats!

    After tomorrow’s debacle (I’m pessimistic) I think I’ll be spending more time here than on DKos.

    Tell ya why, John & Co, I’m not here more: the DKos engine is much better.

    There you can reply directly to other comments and see the whole thread. You also can go to your own page and see if anyone has answered you.

    I don’t care about the recs and such, but a better ability to reply to comments and get some real dialogues going would, I think, bump this site up even higher.

    Any thoughts on changing the engine?

    Because you really do have the best folks here!

  128. 128.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 6:36 pm

    @gwangung:

    I fear that comrade change doesn’t know the difference between his start up hub and his ass. Which is why he trolls here for pennies rather than being a Master of the Universe.

  129. 129.

    change

    November 1, 2010 at 6:36 pm

    @gwangung:

    It’s not a coincidence that Silicon Valley really took off during the Reagan administration.

  130. 130.

    El Cid

    November 1, 2010 at 6:37 pm

    It doesn’t make any sense for a government to invest in things which might help out in the future because the future is not now.

  131. 131.

    WereBear

    November 1, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: She might be hiding. Cats are really really good at hiding. If she’s not the kind who loves to meet strange men, that could be it.

  132. 132.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    @change: See, there’s exactly what I mean.

    From this shitheal it’s not snark. I think the right really doesn’t understand fundamentals.

    Or, to put it differently: they like to enjoy the fruits of investment and collective action, but they just don’t want to bear any responsibility or take any risks.

  133. 133.

    El Cid

    November 1, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    @change: I know, right? Why didn’t everyone have PC’s in the 1970s? Jimmy Carter and ACORN, that’s why.

  134. 134.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    @Emerald:

    The rec list is one of the necessary evils at DKos. It tends to get taken over by over-excited or mediocre diaries, but it’s one of the competitive elements that gets people in the door, so to speak. That said, far too many comment threads there tend to devolve into name-calling and howls of “Troll” “Am not” etc.

  135. 135.

    change

    November 1, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    Low marginal tax rates and de-regulation made the growth and success of firms like Intel, Apple, and Microsoft possible.

  136. 136.

    change

    November 1, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    Low marginal tax rates and de-regulation made the growth and success of firms like Intel, Apple, and Microsoft possible.

  137. 137.

    Martin

    November 1, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    @JGabriel: Actually, they started in Iowa and then moved to SD. They later moved to La Jolla, which is where UC San Diego is, then to Irvine, which is where UC Irvine is. Ultimately, it proved the rule.

  138. 138.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    @Emerald:
    FWIW, John could use the Disqus comment engine, which would thread replies, and I’m sure there’s a wordpress plugin that would do so as well. But honestly, that DKos comment system doesn’t do it for me when you get four or five levels deep on a reply thread and it’s all meta meta “fuck you with your hide rate” stuff.

  139. 139.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    @change: If you post that three times you can return to Kansas where you belong.

  140. 140.

    JGabriel

    November 1, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    Congrats, John Cole!

    I think.

    I mean, the article itself is pretty reasonable, but it’s published by Investors Business Daily, who are completely whack. So, I’ve got kind of mixed feelings about this…

    .

  141. 141.

    WereBear

    November 1, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: She called you and you rescued her!

    I’m sure you made a big fuss. They love that, too.

  142. 142.

    jl

    November 1, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    That is our troll? What a rip off.

    I thought we were going to get galaxy devouring giga trolls from HHHHEEEELLLLLLL.

    BJ needs a new item in the store: My blog won a blog award and all I got was this lousy troll.

  143. 143.

    JGabriel

    November 1, 2010 at 6:43 pm

    Martin:

    Actually, they started in Iowa and then moved to SD.

    Thanks for the correction, Martin. I did not know that about Gateway starting in Iowa, I always thought it SD.

    .

  144. 144.

    jl

    November 1, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: glad you found your cat. Poor thing must have been scared. Cats can pull of that kind of trick with surprising ease.

  145. 145.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    @jl: Plus it’s not even a new troll.

    Used trolls can be so unreliable.

  146. 146.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    @change:

    Low marginal tax rates and de-regulation made the growth and success of firms like Intel, Apple, and Microsoft possible.

    Man, you are an idiot.
    Apple: founded 1976. Top marginal tax rate: 70 percent.
    Intel: founded 1968. Top marginal tax rate: 75.25 percent.
    MS: founded 1985. Top marginal tax rate: 50 percent.
    Link

    You really need to clap louder, troll.

  147. 147.

    Martin

    November 1, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    @change: Um, I know more about what led to the success of those companies than anyone I’ve ever met. They all pay among the highest corporate taxes in the US and did throughout their greatest growth periods. They’re also in the most heavily regulated states in the US, and have remained there even though they could easily afford to move operations elsewhere.

    There are significant strategic opportunities where they are located. Opportunities that they cannot buy elsewhere. The day you see one of those companies move their headquarters into cheaper states is the day you should short their stock.

  148. 148.

    El Cid

    November 1, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    The government had nothing to do with the development of computers or the internet. Reagan never wasted any money funding anything which had spinoff developments in either field. It was all low taxes and deregulation.

  149. 149.

    JPL

    November 1, 2010 at 6:46 pm

    Congratulations John on the ranking. My TV will be off tomorrow and Wednesday due to pundit bloviating and this site will be the only place I check for updates.

    @arguingwithsignposts: I’m so happy that you found Smudge.

  150. 150.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    Apologies for the salon link, but oops:

    http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/11/01/bill_maher_on_muslims/index.html

    Countdown till Maher goes all Dennis Miller: 3, 2, 1….

  151. 151.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    @JPL:
    thanks, and you might want to tune your tv into the indecision ’10 live broadcast on comedy central – at least it might be funny in an intentional way.

  152. 152.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    I suspect our troll is surplus stock from the Carly Fiorina failathon. Most likely it has red eyes and white wool and doesn’t print worth a damn.

  153. 153.

    Ross Hershberger

    November 1, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Thank you for getting to that first. And nice summary.

    It’s not a coincidence that Silicon Valley really took off during the Reagan administration.

    I’ll take this one.
    Bubbles and the GOP go together because the only ones who actually make money in an irrational market are those who move it from place to place.

  154. 154.

    change

    November 1, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I said “success and growth”. Not “founding”.

    They didn’t REALLY take off until taxes were low in the later Reagan administration, and during the Republican balanced budgets of the ’90s.

  155. 155.

    Martin

    November 1, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    @JGabriel: I’ve got some family connections with Gateway stemming from when they were in Iowa, so that’s a front-of-the-brain bit of knowledge for me.

  156. 156.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 6:50 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    Is there a vaccine against Maheritis?

  157. 157.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 6:51 pm

    @change:

    during the Republican balanced budgets of the ‘90s.

    hahahahaha.

    C’mon, dude. see the ball, connect with the ball.

    ETA: if you honestly believe fucking Apple was thinking about marginal rates and deregulation when developing the Macintosh, OS X, iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad, I can’t help you. I suggest brain surgery – perhaps a transplant.

  158. 158.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 6:53 pm

    @morzer: Besides vodka? Not that I know of.

    But that’s my answer to everything, so I can’t be trusted.

  159. 159.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 6:54 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: (said with a Brooklyn Jewish accent) “Change had no concept of the cello; at times he was blowing into it.”

  160. 160.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 6:54 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    Well, it’s traditional folk medicine and doesn’t require a needle.

    Sounds worth a shot.

    Ba-doom-tish!

  161. 161.

    Felanius Kootea (formerly Salt and freshly ground black people)

    November 1, 2010 at 6:54 pm

    Congratulations John. I think. Seeing Michelle Malkin’s face at the site you linked to gave me the willies.

  162. 162.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 6:55 pm

    @morzer:
    The vaccine is moar Balloon Juice!

  163. 163.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 6:55 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    You should see what change does when confronted with a flushable toilet!

  164. 164.

    dmsilev

    November 1, 2010 at 6:55 pm

    @change:

    Low marginal tax rates and de-regulation made the growth and success of firms like Intel, Apple, and Microsoft possible.

    Founded in 1968, 1976, and 1975 respectively. By 1980, Intel was one of the biggest semiconductor companies around, Apple was a major player in the nascent personal computer industry. Microsoft’s rise came with the selection of MS-DOS for the PC, circa 1981 or so.

    Yes, *clearly* due to Ronald Reagan’s ineffable presence as President.

    Sheesh.

    dms

  165. 165.

    Jay

    November 1, 2010 at 6:55 pm

    I love this website, but I am not at all a fan of Investor’s Business Daily. As TBogg once wrote, “It is the Wall Street Journal for those who need ‘Marmaduke’ explained to them.”

  166. 166.

    Martin

    November 1, 2010 at 6:55 pm

    @change: Reagan had fuckall to do with Silicon Valley growing. It was 100% a function of when technology hit certain key points. Apple’s emergence coincided with when semiconductors were more powerful than the calculators that HP was making and could be applied to more general purpose problems. Microsofts emergence coincided with the next leap in technology that allowed for more abstracted software and reliable removable storage. Apple’s re-emergence coincided when very lower power semiconductors and display technology allowed for highly portable computing.

    Taxes didn’t have a fucking thing to do with any of it. And they’ve been important enough milestones that billions of dollars were dumped into them – money that would have been dumped in even if it needed to be borrowed. Apple spent 3 years developing the iPhone in one of the most expensive labor and tax markets in the country. How the fuck did government policy help or hinder that in any way?

  167. 167.

    wasabi gasp

    November 1, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    The devil has rated my banana nut muffins heavenly.

  168. 168.

    Lolis

    November 1, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    Is this change’s new full-time job? In that case, more power to you. It is hard out there for a wingnut.

  169. 169.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 6:57 pm

    I’m surprised change hasn’t told us to bookmark anything yet. is that you, pancake?

  170. 170.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    While we’re on the subject of Reagan and how he didn’t do half of what the right thinks he did (to be generous).

    The guy did engineer selling weapons to Iran to fund a right-wing group intent on toppling an elected government in a sovereign nation.

    Just think about that.

    If Obama sold weapons to Iran to fund the actual coming of Christ, he’d be the greatest monster in American political history.

    Amazing what the GOP can get away with. It’s mind-blowing.

  171. 171.

    The Other Chuck

    November 1, 2010 at 7:02 pm

    pls to not feed trolls kthxbai

  172. 172.

    Suck It Up!

    November 1, 2010 at 7:02 pm

    Wait? Think Progress doesn’t count?

  173. 173.

    El Cid

    November 1, 2010 at 7:03 pm

    If it hadn’t been for lower taxes and a ‘balanced budget’ (balanced in the sense of the correct priorities, not balanced in the old fashioned sense of taking in something like what you spend) under Reagan, Apple computers could never have come out with the Apple II in 1977, nor could Jobs and Wozniak have been invited to check out Xerox’s Alto in their Palo Alto center in 1979 nor begun work on Apple’s Lisa in 1978, nor could Apple have had a monstrously successful IPO in December of 1980. In fact it was Ronald Reagan himself who developed the MacIntosh.

  174. 174.

    El Cid

    November 1, 2010 at 7:05 pm

    @dmsilev: Intel suspected that Ronald Reagan would soon be President given his 1976 campaign, and therefore had the freedom to be successful by 1980.

  175. 175.

    Bnut

    November 1, 2010 at 7:07 pm

    @BGinCHI:
    When Ollie North visited my base on my last deployment, I had to explain to everyone in my platoon and later a very pissed off LtCol that I refuse to shake hands with someone who lied to Congress about selling weapons and funding revolutions.

  176. 176.

    mikefromArlington

    November 1, 2010 at 7:09 pm

    “John Cole, a former Republican.”

    Not everyone’s perfect. :)

  177. 177.

    jl

    November 1, 2010 at 7:09 pm

    Burt wait, what they did they just pick ten blogs and then rate them? And Balloon Juice was… number ten?

    Are we supposed to congratulate Cole, or express our sympathies, or are we supposed to snark?

    Cole trolls his own blog, but when we need him, where is he? Probabaly trying to get tix for exclusive theatrical performances at Mitchell Brothers, for his trip.

    If Balloon Juice is going to run with the big boyz like DKos, we need to receive orders from the Great Powder Blue Satan.

  178. 178.

    dmsilev

    November 1, 2010 at 7:09 pm

    @El Cid: No, that’s not right. Clearly, 2010 Intel has developed time travel, and they’ve sent a Terminator back to 1976 to kill Sarah Connor explain supply-side economics to the Intel executives of the time. What, you think it’s a coincidence that Ahnold is leaving the governorship right now? No. Soon, he’ll be reprogrammed and sent on his way.

    dms

  179. 179.

    sven

    November 1, 2010 at 7:09 pm

    the Republican balanced budgets of the ‘90s

    ‘change’ can’t be for real. Internet rule 27(4)(b) clearly states that any individual faux-trolling must admit the gambit when correctly identified by another contributor to the thread. A game is only fun if we all play by the rules.

  180. 180.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 7:10 pm

    Great.

    Now we’re short and stupid:

    http://blogs.plos.org/retort/2010/11/01/height-health-care-and-i-q/

  181. 181.

    sven

    November 1, 2010 at 7:11 pm

    @El Cid: What is the opposite of ‘going Galt’?

  182. 182.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 7:12 pm

    @Bnut: I wonder what is on the longlist of nefarious actions committed by Oliver North.

    What a disgrace.

  183. 183.

    General Stuck

    November 1, 2010 at 7:12 pm

    Sarah Serendipity goes megaton on Politico’s sorry ass.

    Palin also mocked Politico’s use of anonymous sources, saying, “I suppose I could play their immature, unprofessional, waste-of-time game, too, by claiming these reporters and politicos are homophobe, child molesting, tax evading, anti-dentite, puppy-kicking, chain smoking porn producers…really, they are…

    “anti-dentite” Haven’t googled this, and don’t think I will, but am stealing it to confound the trolls here on bj. Sounds like somebody didn’t brush their teeths.

    You big anti dentite pro lefter

    fairly catchy, dontcha think.

  184. 184.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    November 1, 2010 at 7:13 pm

    @El Cid: Look, if the Sumerians hadn’t invented ink 7000 years ago, then how the hell would the Earth have been created 6000 years ago? No one would have gotten the memo!

  185. 185.

    Ash Can

    November 1, 2010 at 7:14 pm

    @The Other Chuck: Actually, this troll-feeding has resulted in an interesting little summary of the history of Silicon Valley, so I can’t complain.

  186. 186.

    El Cid

    November 1, 2010 at 7:14 pm

    @sven: Arriving Tlag?

  187. 187.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    @General Stuck: Isn’t there a Seinfeld where they call someone an anti-dentite in a satire of anti-Semitism?

  188. 188.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    @The Grand Panjandrum:

    Any second now we shall discover that Ronaldus Magnus invented cuneiform.

  189. 189.

    General Stuck

    November 1, 2010 at 7:16 pm

    @BGinCHI:

    Got me? and I don’t see Palin as a Seinfeld fan, but nothing surprises these days.

  190. 190.

    WereBear

    November 1, 2010 at 7:16 pm

    @General Stuck: Criminy, antidentite is from Seinfeld.

    It’s someone with a deep seated prejudice against dentists.

    Next you’ll be saying they should have their own schools!

  191. 191.

    Bnut

    November 1, 2010 at 7:16 pm

    @BGinCHI:
    Yada, Yada Yada!

  192. 192.

    stuckinred

    November 1, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    RIP Maurice Lucas.

  193. 193.

    El Cid

    November 1, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    @The Grand Panjandrum: Sumerian prophesies heralded the arrival one day of a God-King who would lower taxes, cut regulations, and bring Morning to Ur, and that this would by more generations into the future that all of Sumeria had oxen, and thus they had the Freedom to develop civilization within the Tigris-Euphrates.

  194. 194.

    General Stuck

    November 1, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    @WereBear:

    On the other hand, maybe Sarah could get into a show about nothing. scratches head.

  195. 195.

    dmsilev

    November 1, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    @General Stuck:

    “anti-dentite” Haven’t googled this, and don’t think I will, but am stealing it to confound the trolls here on bj. Sounds like somebody didn’t brush their teeths.

    Hell, I’ll Google it…

    …first hit is Wikipedia, which says it was a term used (invented?) in a Seinfeld episode.

    dms

  196. 196.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 7:20 pm

    Sarah Palin is passionately anti-dendrite. She just can’t spell worth a damn.

  197. 197.

    stuckinred

    November 1, 2010 at 7:21 pm

    @Bnut: Good for you.

  198. 198.

    jacy

    November 1, 2010 at 7:22 pm

    @General Stuck:

    It looks like somebody opened her word-salad-a-day calendar a few months early.

  199. 199.

    Polish the Guillotines

    November 1, 2010 at 7:24 pm

    @General Stuck:

    “anti-dentite”

    Seinfeld reference.

    @Ash Can: I always loved Triumph Of the Nerds. It’s a solid history with a good sense of humor.

  200. 200.

    Calouste

    November 1, 2010 at 7:24 pm

    @General Stuck:

    Can’t say that Rove was far out when he said that Palin didn’t have the gravitas to be President.

  201. 201.

    General Stuck

    November 1, 2010 at 7:24 pm

    @morzer:

    so she hates brain cells, now it all makes nonsense.

  202. 202.

    El Cid

    November 1, 2010 at 7:24 pm

    @morzer: No, but it was his deregulaton of the Mesopotamian accounting industry which gave scribes the freedom to invent cuneiform.

  203. 203.

    TCG

    November 1, 2010 at 7:26 pm

    Congrats for coming in at 10!

  204. 204.

    stuckinred

    November 1, 2010 at 7:27 pm

    David Hackworth on Ollie

    LET ME TRY to describe Oliver North in a few fast bursts. He’s a jackass. He is so preposterous that there is a temptation to laugh at him. He’s smarmy, a flatter, a brownnoser. He’s also a twisted impostor, a drugstore Marine with an apparent compulsion to bullshit just about all the time. But while he tries to fool people with his fantasies, he is also very easy to fool. He boasts that he was an can-do guy when he was in the White House, but the record spells no-can-do. North did terible damage to the U.S. until he was caught. One thread runs through his performance–getting conned. The Iranians conned him, the contras conned him, the crooked arms dealers conned him and even Manuel Antonio Noriega conned him.

  205. 205.

    gbear

    November 1, 2010 at 7:27 pm

    Hey change, I love your video.

  206. 206.

    General Stuck

    November 1, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    @Calouste:

    calling the press “child molesters” would make even Nixon blush, I suspect. She might could be president of the gamma quadrant someday. someday.

  207. 207.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 7:30 pm

    @gbear: That’s fucking genius.

    So full of win.

  208. 208.

    change

    November 1, 2010 at 7:33 pm

    @gbear:

    You still watch cartoons, child? Why don’t you go to bed and let the adults talk politics, you can play some video games tomorrow.

  209. 209.

    gbear

    November 1, 2010 at 7:34 pm

    @change: Christ, you are lame.

  210. 210.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 7:35 pm

    @change:

    How’s the cello going, changey?

  211. 211.

    TaMara (BHF)

    November 1, 2010 at 7:35 pm

    Just the tonic for my day. B-J at #10 in some bogus poll. Lady Smudge lost and found. Lots of snark, some great cat-in-the-wall stories, and one really lame troll. Just another day of hot air and ill-informed banter.

  212. 212.

    change

    November 1, 2010 at 7:36 pm

    @gbear:

    Perhaps when you grow up and are more mature you can discuss politics with the adults. Until then, run a long and watch your cartoons.

  213. 213.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 7:36 pm

    @gbear:

    Well, you have to remember that change spends long hours rogering himself with an enormous leek, so it’s not really surprising that he walks funny.

  214. 214.

    WereBear

    November 1, 2010 at 7:36 pm

    A win is a win. Congrats to John for being a 10!

    At least he can tell his Mom that.

  215. 215.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 7:37 pm

    @TaMara (BHF):

    Don’t forget the vitriolic jackals!

  216. 216.

    freelancer

    November 1, 2010 at 7:39 pm

    Way to show solidarity with Tim Watley, you fucking idiot.

  217. 217.

    General Stuck

    November 1, 2010 at 7:39 pm

    @change:

    and let the adults talk politics

    Adults?

    hahahahahahahhahahhahhahhahhhhaaaa

    Silly wingnut, everyone knows there are no adults in politics.

  218. 218.

    General Stuck

    November 1, 2010 at 7:41 pm

    A win is a win.

    not always. once i thought i won a lottery, but ended up in the Army instead.

  219. 219.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 7:41 pm

    @freelancer: Hate the Drake.

  220. 220.

    bemused

    November 1, 2010 at 7:42 pm

    Ironic name, change. He is so easily repudiated, he must be getting paid and per response.

  221. 221.

    gwangung

    November 1, 2010 at 7:42 pm

    You still watch cartoons, child?

    Only kids think “cartoons” are beneath them. Y’all need to grow up.

    BETTER.

    TROLLS.

    PLEASE!!!!!

  222. 222.

    BGinCHI

    November 1, 2010 at 7:42 pm

    @morzer: I’m trying to decide whether my Welsh friends will think this leek thing is funny.

    Probably come down to how many pints we’ve had.

  223. 223.

    General Stuck

    November 1, 2010 at 7:44 pm

    Change is Makewi, or Scarlett, if you will.

  224. 224.

    MikeJ

    November 1, 2010 at 7:44 pm

    What bizarre methodology. Preselect some number of blogs (how many?) then average their traffic ratings.

    If traffic is such an important determinant, then why notjust go through the top 1000 sites on each of their three lists and toss out everything non political, then average those traffic ratings. Yes, you still have somebody deciding what’s apolitical blog and what isn’t, but at least they aren’t pre selecting and it’s easier to see that it’s just ratings.

  225. 225.

    gwangung

    November 1, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    @General Stuck: Hm. You give it too much credit. Makewi would be insulted.

  226. 226.

    4tehlulz

    November 1, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    Until then, run a long and watch your cartoons.

    Okay.

  227. 227.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 7:47 pm

    @General Stuck:

    Plus ca change, plus c’est meme troll.

  228. 228.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 7:52 pm

    Could someone fill me in on the enormous leek rogering? I missed that thread, but have seen it several times since then. Is change a l33kophile? Is he/she the l33kobear?

  229. 229.

    Annie

    November 1, 2010 at 7:53 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Thank God! While I am truly proud of JC for this blog, and the entire awesome team, I admit that I scrolled rapidly down the comments waiting to hear about her return.

    Poor Lady Smudge. Bad day. Lots of love and tuna and love and tuna. And, hopefully she will give us another of her back leg shots — the FU to the plumber.

  230. 230.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 7:53 pm

    @gwangung:
    agreed, too lowbrow for makeweewee. i stick with pancake.

  231. 231.

    morzer

    November 1, 2010 at 7:53 pm

    Change, I had no idea that the start of your political career was on the internet:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE0TWjn3yFQ&feature=related

  232. 232.

    jwb

    November 1, 2010 at 7:57 pm

    @morzer: Hey, now we’re getting into the spirit! But seriously, where’s the Trollbegone(TM) when you need it?

  233. 233.

    sven

    November 1, 2010 at 7:58 pm

    @gbear: This is still my favorite text to speech video. The deadpan delivery really works for some conversations.

  234. 234.

    jwb

    November 1, 2010 at 7:59 pm

    @gwangung: I agree. Makewi is extremely irritating but at least has a functioning brain.

  235. 235.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 7:59 pm

    @gwangung:

    BETTER.
    TROLLS.
    PLEASE!!

    We smack down the trolls we have, not the trolls we wish we had. Ahh, where have you gone, Michael Gass? A blog turns its lonely eyes to you…

  236. 236.

    Bnut

    November 1, 2010 at 8:00 pm

    @stuckinred:
    Now Hackworth, there’s a fucking soldier. And citizen.

  237. 237.

    something fabulous

    November 1, 2010 at 8:00 pm

    @wasabi gasp: Ooooh, banana nut muffins.

  238. 238.

    FlipYrWhig

    November 1, 2010 at 8:13 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: The helicopters weren’t laughing.

  239. 239.

    Ash Can

    November 1, 2010 at 8:22 pm

    This is pretty hilarious: Change says something ludicrous, said idiocy gets roundly debunked by people who very obviously know far more about the subject than change does, then change reappears to…throw around puerile ad hominems. I detect a pattern here — when change starts calling people “child” or some variation thereof, the white flag is waving.

  240. 240.

    kdaug

    November 1, 2010 at 8:37 pm

    @Bnut: Agreed. Col. Hackworth railed against the “perfumed princes” in command until the last dying breath.

    RIP, Col. We need more like you.

  241. 241.

    SiubhanDuinne

    November 1, 2010 at 9:03 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts #230:

    Wait, what? I thought makeweewee and pancake and change were *all* the same troll. Can’t tell the fuckin players without a fuckin program any more.

    @aws #235: I was *just* trying to remember his name! Michael Gassbagg, to be sure. Helicopters, credenzas . . . . good times, good times. But I never thought of him as a troll. Full-blown batshit crazy? Fo’ sure! But not a full-blown batshit crazy *troll*

    The way I can tell, Michael Gass never so much as mentioned his favorite kind of pie. Whereas change, pancake and makewee can’t shut about about pastry crusts, filling, lattice tops and 3.14.

  242. 242.

    arguingwithsignposts

    November 1, 2010 at 9:09 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:
    Yes, Michael Gass was too good for the pie. Almost the Sine Qua Non of trollery.

  243. 243.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    November 1, 2010 at 9:21 pm

    @morzer:

    Cello? I keep hearing about how change is still rogering away at it with that leek. If they are indeed taking up the cello at the same time I would have to say that is some talent for multitasking. The fact that they would be doing both while running around with their head up their ass would truly be impressive!

    Ok, hilarious.

  244. 244.

    Tsulagi

    November 1, 2010 at 9:46 pm

    @Bnut: When I was at Quantico for a bit in the late 90s Marines there wouldn’t have shook North’s hand either. Most thought he was a dilettante and a political hack. Really pissed the hell out of them he lied to Congress under oath while wearing a Marine uniform.

  245. 245.

    Cain

    November 1, 2010 at 10:26 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I don’t even begin to know what to do now.

    As a person who lost his cat 3 weeks ago today, I feel for you, more than you can ever know. My face gets still screwed up in sadness, especially with all the rain. I miss my buddy and companion.

    I hope you find her! Crossing my fingers for luck!

    cain

  246. 246.

    Cain

    November 1, 2010 at 10:28 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    UPDATE: She has been found! I am about to spit nails at the plumber though. She was in a space behind the bathtub in the wall! He must have unscrewed the covering, and then screwed it back later without checking to see if there was a cat inside! Fuck!

    Doh! Yay!!

    cain

  247. 247.

    asiangrrlMN

    November 1, 2010 at 10:59 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts: Holy shit. I take this to mean that Lady Smudge was missing for a bit. Glad you found her!

    @Cain: Aw. I am so sorry that Kit Kat has not returned. My heart goes out to you and your loved ones.

    Cole, congrats. However, MM1 is #2? Ugh. I agree with everyone who says Benen should be on the list. I would also put TNC on it, but that’s just because I get so engrossed in his posts and the comments left over there.

  248. 248.

    Andy K

    November 2, 2010 at 5:01 am

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Yeah, definitely TNC, too. IMO, he seems to put more of himself out there than anyone. He’s uniquely insightful.

    And WOOHOO! I post on #6 (okay, not often, and mostly just music) and love hanging out, reading and commenting at #10!

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