Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Second rate reporter says what?

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Republicans can’t even be trusted with their own money.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

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

T R E 4 5 O N

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

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

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

In after Baud. Damn.

Come on, man.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

The revolution will be supervised.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

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

Thanks for reminding me that Van Jones needs to be slapped.

I really should read my own blog.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

No Justins, No Peace

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

“woke” is the new caravan.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

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Reader Interactions

177Comments

  1. 1.

    JenJen

    Glad you’re not dying, Cole. Really hope you’re feeling better soon.

    In other news, not certain if anyone’s tipped to this in the last few days, but Matt Taibbi’s story about how David Gergen mistook him for Matt Bai during that testy post-midterms Round Table in Rolling Stone Magazine is freaking hilarious.

    ETA: If you haven’t yet read that Rolling Stone Roundtable, allow me to highlight my favorite moment in order to entice you to get through the whole thing:

    Gergen: There’s no question that Sarah Palin has gained more from this as a Republican kingmaker. But I imagine there’s going to be a search for someone else to serve as the bridge-builder I mentioned earlier. To me, the leading possibility, if he can overcome the brand-name problem, is Jeb Bush. Two years ago, you would have said, “Impossible.” Today, quite possible. He’s a much more viable candidate today than he was two years ago, and he’s one of the few people I know who could bridge the various factions within the party and hold people together. So I’m putting my money on Jeb Bush as a potential star who might emerge and unite the party.
    __
    Taibbi: Whew. I was already depressed this morning, but thinking about another Bush as the better-case scenario in an either/or political future makes me want to douse myself with kerosene and jump into a blast furnace.

  3. 3.

    kindness

    You make it sound like the readers here are more needy than your critters.

    Honestly, I’m sure it’s true for some.

  5. 5.

    lacp

    I think they’re all in an earlier thread deciding who the Democracts should run for President in 2012.

  7. 7.

    jeffreyw

    I’ve been having Mifi fun–the Verizon personal “hot spot”. Be your own ISP! The Verizon store called today, the demo unit was available and I ran in and snagged it, will keep it for a week.

  9. 9.

    meh

    its EmoPants Day over taxcuts. Everyone is in hiding from Matako for fear of being called a cudlip for being unable to recite chapter and verse from altered carbon.

  12. 12.

    pragmatism

    i have been doing my part to debunk the myth of the tax fairy in the corporate office break room. good times. we are to the point where people are saying that the deficit is teh worstest thing evah, except right now its ok to not care about it. again, good times.

  18. 18.

    BGinCHI

    It was scary being alone like that.

    I felt like McCauley Caulkin, but without the residual guilt for stuff I might or might not have done with Michael Jackson.

  24. 24.

    Linda Featheringill

    I’m glad I stayed away today if everyone is getting all excited over everything. Don’t think I could tolerate that today.

    I went to the doc a couple of days ago and I’m not dying any faster than I was several months ago. I am getting shorter though. What does the universe do with the height we donate through the decades?

  26. 26.

    John O

    @freelancer:

    LOL. Bad day with The Man. Our corporate overlords screwed me yet again, so perhaps I’m a bit emo. However, I’m of a mind to fight, “[I’ll] be getting a letter from Legal,” so I know they’re going to engage, and I’m absolutely right, unless someone out here has found an antidote for death they’re not letting on to.

  32. 32.

    cyntax

    @gnomedad:

    Particularly when it didn’t involve a Stillers game or WoW. Wait, when is DA 2 coming out–February? I predict some galtiness on the threads that week…

  33. 33.

    Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther

    @Linda Featheringill: It has been my experience that in the American experience, one need never scrape up the insanity — it’s always all around us, just for the taking!

    (Also, I come from Israel where there was x2 the insanity, and x1,000,000 the forest fires, so I’m good with less insanity for the mo!)

  34. 34.

    mr. whipple

    What does the universe do with the height we donate through the decades

    That’s what’s making global warming. So quit shrinking, mkay?

  35. 35.

    Mike Goetz

    I love this list of suggested primary challengers to Obama from this weekend’s WashPo:

    “Sens. Russ Feingold, Bernie Sanders, Barbara Mikulski or Al Franken; Reps. Joe Sestak, Maxine Waters, Raul Grijalva, Alan Grayson, Barbara Lee, Dennis Kucinich, Lois Capps, Jim Moran and Lynn Woolsey. Others include Jim McGovern, Marcy Kaptur, Jim McDermott or John Conyers. We should also consider popular figures outside of government. How about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.? Why not Rachel Maddow, Bill Moyers, Susan Sarandon or the Rev. James Forbes?”

    I can’t believe Obama isn’t taking this challenge seriously!

  36. 36.

    R-Jud

    That’s nice that you’re not dying, Cole.

    I found out my brother narrowly avoided death in a car crash he was in this weekend (this is the downside of living 5 time zones from your family; they keep shit from you). He was in the middle seat in a small taxi, and his face hit the divider when the cab hit another car going about 65 mph.

    His brain is fine; his face will be permanently fucked up.
    ETA: I did the only thing I could practically do. I made sure he was capable of eating, and then I sent him Tastykakes.

  37. 37.

    BGinCHI

    @Mike Goetz: Sarandon VS Palin.

    I’d pay to see that.

    And John Conyers? Wow, feel the excitement sweep through America’s youth with that one.

  38. 38.

    kdaug

    BREAKING: The news that the world has ended is, apparently, unverifiable. This is a breaking story, and we’re checking with our sources for confirmation, but for right now, we can say that the world has not, repeat NOT, apparently ended.

    Update at 11.

  39. 39.

    Fuck! A Duck

    R-Jud: Better that than the reverse.

    Unless he’s a model, then dain bramage would go unnoticed!

  40. 40.

    paradox

    I thought there was a site rebuild this weekend, I was sure I read John was taking the rest of the weekend off and it would happen Sunday.

    Oh well. Dementia, wazzup?

  42. 42.

    suzanne

    What a coincidence. I returned from the perinatologist’s office, where I learned that I am still pregnant.

    Come on, TAX DEDUCTION!

  44. 44.

    Hal

    @Mike Goetz

    I love this list of suggested primary challengers to Obama from this weekend’s WashPo:

    Read Huffpo or DKOS when these people’s names are mentioned. People literally catch the vapors at the mere mention of a Rachel Maddow Presidency. BTW, I love Rachel, but she would nerver, ever run, and would not be able to win in the general election.

  45. 45.

    catclub

    Any thoughts on Jeff Merkley’s filibuster rules to be proposed for implementation in 2011?

    They sound really good. Would there be 50 democrats to vote for them? (I already know the Lieberman is out, he is also not a democrat.)

    No, a link would be too much effort. Try Thinkprogress from this weekend.

  48. 48.

    suzanne

    I’d also just like to mention that I have a fresh box of Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s, and you don’t.

    ***nomz***

  49. 49.

    Suffern ACE

    @Mike Goetz: Gosh, that is an interesting list. I like most of those people, but after the experience of the current administration, and Kerry and Gore, I am NOT going to vote for another Senator, current or former, in a Presidential primary. Congressman either. Media Personality, fat chance. Outside the current occupant, I would vote for Rod Blagojevich before Alan Grayson.

    Or Tunch or Stephen Harper would have a better chance of winning my vote, and I don’t think either of those would survive constitutional scrutiny.

  52. 52.

    Tattoosydney

    @Chyron HR:

    JFK

    The problem is that if the Dems put up Zombie JFK, the other side will wheel out Reagan, and then we’re all fucked.

  53. 53.

    suzanne

    @Suffern ACE:

    Or Tunch or Stephen Harper would have a better chance of winning my vote, and I don’t think either of those would survive constitutional scrutiny.

    John, where’s Tunch’s birth certificate?

  54. 54.

    Linda Featheringill

    @catclub:

    Any thoughts on Jeff Merkley’s filibuster rules to be proposed for implementation in 2011?

    They looked pretty good to me. I’d like to hear from someone who is familiar with the actual workings of the Senate.

  56. 56.

    D-Chance.

    So, could someone please summarize that long-ass Greenwald thread into something 140 characters or less? No one has time for 600+ comments, or a crazed TLDR “front pager” (damn, Cole, you must be hard up for help around here)…

  58. 58.

    Punchy

    Source: President presents Dem leaders with proposal to extend Bush tax cuts two years and jobless benefits 13 months

    Two years? Wow. What rhymes with “capitulation”?

  60. 60.

    Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther

    @R-Jud: Oh my God that is just terrible! I mean, the not-dying part is good, but other than that! I hope he heals well and that the “fucked up” isn’t too fucked up.

    I have often lived many, many time zones from my family and that has never once stopped anyone from telling me stuff I could do nothing about. I’m now beginning to wonder if they love me enough.

  62. 62.

    Keith G

    Where is everyone? I can’t believe you were left alone for 4 hours.

    We just stayed here waiting for you, like good cudlips.

  64. 64.

    Suck It Up!

    @catclub:

    Any thoughts on Jeff Merkley’s filibuster rules to be proposed for implementation in 2011?

    This would be a good discussion thread.

  65. 65.

    Captain Haddock

    As an ex-smoker, which I think you are as well, there is little more scary than a trip to the ENT.

  69. 69.

    Allan

    Where is everyone?

    Being lectured by Glennbots about how it’s not hypocritical to defend Glenn’s awesome body of work from attack on the basis of something stupid/evil he tweeted one time, when much of said work is based on the premise that other peoples’ written words and comments are deeply revealing incontrovertible evidence of their stupid/evil nature.

  71. 71.

    Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther

    Oh hey it occurs to me that I usually use/abuse the Open Threads to blog flog. So perhaps I shall.

    I was away in Israel for two weeks — a place where, it should be noted, they do have the internet, but from which I have a very hard time focusing on American culture/politics & so I pretty much abandoned my regular blog commenting rounds (sorry John Cole and Balloon Juice! I hope you didn’t miss me too badly!).

    Anyhoo, while there I blogged about how much the place enrages me http://emilylhauserinmyhead.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/words-2/as well as about how much I love it http://emilylhauserinmyhead.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/on-misery-and-love/ (this is the entry to which DougJ linked on Friday – thank you again, so much, DougJ!).

    (I also blogged about the fires both literal and metaphorical, but I will leave those links in a second comment, so as not to frighten WordPress with all my linky linky-ness!)

  72. 72.

    R-Jud

    @Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther:

    I hope he heals well and that the “fucked up” isn’t too fucked up.

    Thanks, me too. He is a cute guy and was already angsty about losing his hair. This will either make him more nervous about his appearance or propel him into “who the fuck cares” category.

    I have often lived many, many time zones from my family and that has never once stopped anyone from telling me stuff I could do nothing about. I’m now beginning to wonder if they love me enough.

    Ha! Seriously, though, they’re bad. My mother, especially, worries about making me worry. I just like to be told stuff so I can send a card and/or Tastykakes. In April, one of my uncles passed away, and I wasn’t informed until after the funeral. This probably made me look like an uncaring POS when I finally did send a card to my aunt and cousins.

  80. 80.

    Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther

    @R-Jud:

    My mother, especially, worries about making me worry.

    “Dear Mom, When you don’t tell me until after the funeral, I still feel sad, and my aunts and cousins think that you didn’t raise me right. Let’s find a happy medium on the not-making-me-worry front!”

    Oh, moms. God love them/us all!

  81. 81.

    El Tiburon

    I think we done run off ABL and ED. Dogs and cats were fornicating.

    Hamsher called for Obama’s impeachment. Greenwald called some little old granny Dr. Mengele.

    It has been a mess up in here.

  87. 87.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    I’m not dying.

    For perspective, keep in mind that good health is the slowest rate at which one dies.

  88. 88.

    jwb

    So spousal unit called the cable company to cancel today, and they were certainly desperate to keep us. They cut the bill to a third the current cost.

  90. 90.

    soonergrunt

    I spent the day dealing with the Veterans’ Administration.
    Not fun. Not fun at all, and it’s only the beginning of the crap I’m going to have to put up with for the next several months as I go through the claims process. Thank Me, that I kept copies of every single piece of paper I ever got from the Army, including my medical records. It will only suck a lot, and not completely.
    On another note, ABL’s thread is at 631. Let’s all jump over there and push it past 700, just because.

  91. 91.

    suzanne

    @jwb: Seriously. She just gets her panties in such a wad by the fact that I’m not astounded by her brilliance that I JUST. CANNOT. STOP. It’s so funny. Especially when she called me fat.

  92. 92.

    R-Jud

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    It’s like Cudlip Mountain; people just can’t quit her.

    I prefer “Gone With The Cudlip”: You know, with its famous closing line:

    frankly, my dear, i don’t give a damn

  94. 94.

    Allan

    @soonergrunt:

    On another note, ABL’s thread is at 631. Let’s all jump over there and push it past 700, just because.

    Really, no. It’s too late for me, I’m in it to the end. But spare yourself, it’s a biohazard dump and a monumental IQ point-sucking wankfest, and only those of you who remain uncontaminated by it have any chance of carrying on the fight.

  98. 98.

    soonergrunt

    @Allan: I’m not suggesting anyone actually read the thread. Just go in there, post something, and get out before your suit loses containment.

  99. 99.

    R-Jud

    @Bella Q:

    I’ve been making Nantucket Cranberry Pie,

    This is relevant to my interests. And, more importantly, the ingredients idling in my pantry. Pls to report back.

  101. 101.

    BGinCHI

    What’s up with Chuck Schumer having all the fucking backbone all of a sudden over tax cuts. He’s getting all pointy fingers at the GOP and now saying let them all expire.

    He needs to drop an F bomb on national tv.

  103. 103.

    Ajay

    Good to know that you are ok. You are just in time to get Bush tax cuts for some more time after Dems ask Rs if its ok to do so.

  105. 105.

    cyntax

    @soonergrunt:

    631? That’s like a Sadly,No! thread. And something tells me it hasn’t gotten any funnier than when I checked it 6 hours ago.

    Oh, and good luck with the VA–I’m not even sure I know where my DD-214 is these days.

  108. 108.

    Suck It Up!

    @BGinCHI:

    He needs to drop an F bomb on national tv.

    It would be fun but it seems like Senate Dems are trying to push a message or trying to push back and I don’t want the F word to distract from all of that.

  109. 109.

    Seebach

    So Assange is apparently going to turn himself in in Sweden. Why can’t the democrats have this courage?

  111. 111.

    ThatLeftTurnInABQ

    @R-Jud:
    A true classic that.
    I have to give a shout out to The Treasure of the Sierra Vaca and the line:

    “Cudlips? We ain’t got no cudlips. We don’t need no cudlips! I don’t have to show you any stinkin’ cudlips!”

  113. 113.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    @Punchy:

    What rhymes with “capitulation”?

    I was torn between “Middle Class” and “Jobless Benefits.”

  114. 114.

    BGinCHI

    @Suck It Up!: You’re probably right.

    Next Sunday it would be a full hour of Schumer on MTP with Gregory sitting on the edge of his chair asking the Senator is using the F word means that he’s running for President.

  115. 115.

    Ruckus

    @soonergrunt:
    Is this just a regular app, filing to get your bennies?
    I’m going to try for mine and have heard that it’s a pita and that you usually get rejected once or twice before being accepted. But who knows there is always a lot of folk lore involved in dealing with the government.

  118. 118.

    Suck It Up!

    tentative tax deal:

    The White House and GOP reached an agreement in principle today to extend all the Bush tax cuts for two years, TPM has confirmed.

    In exchange, the GOP has agreed to the Kyl-Lincoln estate tax compromise: raising the estate tax on estates larger than $5 million to 35 percent for two years and continuing to exempt smaller estates. The GOP has also agreed to a temporary stimulative payroll tax cut: instead of extending the making-work-pay tax credit in the stimulus bill, they’ve reportedly tentatively agreed to a one-year, two percent reduction in the payroll tax. Lastly, the Republicans have agreed to a extend unemployment benefits retroactively from December through the end of 2011 — 13 months altogether.

    Now its up to Dems in Congress.

    via TPM

  121. 121.

    Maude

    @soonergrunt:
    The last time I checked it, it was around 300 or so and I had to have a lie down after.
    Good on you for keeping documents. I have all my documentation (not military) should I ever need it.
    Hope you are feeling okay and still taking it a bit easy.

  124. 124.

    BGinCHI

    Anyone want to game out what happens next if this whole tax compromise goes down because DEMS don’t vote for it?

    A chilly winter ahead.

  132. 132.

    jwb

    @BGinCHI: “Anyone want to game out what happens next if this whole tax compromise goes down because DEMS don’t vote for it?”
    We’ll end up with just the Bush tax cuts?

  134. 134.

    marcopolo

    Anyone think the Dems, given another two years, can figure out how to decouple the tax cut for income up to $250K from the tax cut over that amount? Amazing how knowing for a decade that a politically charged item is coming down the pike leaves an entire political party caught pants down. Hell, at this point I kinda hope the House Dems just say no and let both the cuts expire. Except they would just come back up after the Rethugs take control.

  137. 137.

    soonergrunt

    @Ruckus: Well, I’ve gotten some great help from a guy here in Oklahoma who works for the state government department of Veterans’ Affairs. He’s really made it easy, but it is still a royal pain in the ass.
    You have specifically request your outpatient medical records, as well as inpatient medical records by year range and treatment facility.
    This is a little bit easier for me since I have copies of everything, but the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis told me that they didn’t have any medical records on me at all, not even an intake physical, so I am expecting to get completely denied the first time around. We’re not even waiting for the denial. We’ve already started filling out the paperwork to appeal.
    The center is at:
    https://vetrecs.archives.gov/VeteranRequest/home.asp
    Good luck, brother!

  138. 138.

    Seebach

    Two years? So the tax debate will come up again in time for the presidential election? WONDERFULLY GREAT IDEA BEST EVER

  140. 140.

    John O

    Chuck Todd is telling me that the WH has cut a deal to extend the Bush cuts for 2 years.

    Count me as someone who is a little disappointed by Obama.

  142. 142.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @freelancer: The real questions regarding cudlips are these: Are the helicopters laughing? and Have any cudlips emailed their credenzas?

  144. 144.

    marcopolo

    @BGinCHI: It comes back after the Rs take control in the House (since that is where it would be torpedoed) and in the Senate there are enough (see the recent “group of 14” and I cannot really think of an appropriate adjective for them) “serious” Dems who will go ahead and vote with the R house for the sake of vomitous bipartisanship.

  145. 145.

    stuckinred

    @Ruckus: At VAntage Point, the official blog of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, that same old way of communicating (or not communicating) goes out the window. Here, VA employees will provide Veterans with a wealth of information. We will talk about things you might not have been aware of and we’ll break down and explain processes which might have bewildered you. But it doesn’t end there. If you’re a student on the GI Bill, a Vietnam Vet, a VA employee, the spouse of a VA patient, or anything else, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute. We’ve opened the comments section of each of our front-page posts and we have a special section for “Guest Posts” where you can submit your own writing for publication.

    For us at VA, this is just a start. It’s the beginning of a new relationship between the Department and those we serve—where we strive to get the right information to the right Veteran at the right time. And we hope you’ll join us in making it happen.

    I am not vouching for this but Alex Horton, Army of Dude is on the staff and he’s and Iraq 11b20 vet.

  146. 146.

    Jay in Oregon

    @Seebach:

    It’s times like this that I thank God that the Republicans are as overtly partisan and assholish as they are, otherwise there would be like 4 Democrats in the entire government.

  148. 148.

    AhabTRuler

    So the deal is one year of UI and one year of 2% reduction in payroll tax in exchange for two years of tax cuts for the wealthy AND two years of a reduced estate tax rate (plus raising the deduction to $5 mil? Hellofa family farm, there)?

    Tell me that we’re not getting hosed in this deal.

  151. 151.

    Ross Hershberger

    We’re fine left alone for 4 hours. I have no idea who peed on the rug. No idea at all.

  152. 152.

    Maude

    @stuckinred:
    I read Army of Dude before he came home. I was glad when he posted that he had arrived home.

    @AhabTRuler:
    On some left blogs, The Tax Cuts Are Permanent
    Obama Has Sold Us Out, Primary Him He Caved
    etc.
    I want the UI extension because there are people who will lose the roof over their heads come January without it.

  154. 154.

    FlipYrWhig

    @BGinCHI:

    Anyone want to game out what happens next if this whole tax compromise goes down because DEMS don’t vote for it?

    I think it’d be interesting. If I were Obama, I’d sit back and say, “OK, show me what you got,” and let Senate Dems do their best to come up with a better plan. If they somehow do manage to come up with a better plan, and it gets 60 votes, victory! If they don’t, but they push it forward anyway, well, the heat’s on them for the next election. But if there’s no deal and the tax rates reset, then the new House will push a broad-based tax cut package with permanent changes. If the Senate Dems still don’t like that, they can continue to block it. Then Obama can come in and offer this deal again.

    I have no issue with Senate Democrats deciding that Obama isn’t doing what they want — as long as they can come up with an alternative that’s better. Let ’em senator their bony asses off.

  157. 157.

    FlipYrWhig

    I’m trying to figure out what the advantage is of punting the income-up-to-$250K cuts for two years rather than making them permanent. I guess if the true progressive position is to let them all expire, you’re closer to that position by having all of them extended temporarily.

  158. 158.

    debbie

    @JenJen:

    I’m reading Taibbi’s Griftopia and some of his characterizations are laugh-out-loud funny. I can’t imagine where he gets some of his images from.

  159. 159.

    icebear

    @Linda Featheringill: the key word here is ‘EARLY’!!! My dad, long-term drinker/smoker, then ex-smoker, ex-drinker for ten years, ignored the little lump in his neck for 2 years, and had a long and horrid death from head/neck cancer in his 70s – don’t ignore the lump and you might live 10 years more.

    But if you are younger than 40, or have children of teenage or later, tell yourself (them) no, no, no – don’t do that smoking thing – and keep your drinking at a boring level (or at least compensate for outrageous and enjoyable binges with long periods of drinking juice, and water, and things like that …)

  160. 160.

    marcopolo

    @FlipYrWhig: Except it will be the “progessive” Dems in the House that cause the compromise to fail not the Dems in the Senate. There are enough capitulationist Dems in the Senate to pass the Obama crapramise with the Rs.

  161. 161.

    marcopolo

    @FlipYrWhig: There is no advantage, except it is something the Rs insisted on. It would be better for the Dems to decouple the two tax cuts but the Rs wont allow that because then it would be much harder to get the higher income cut through. Thus we get the “bipartisan” temporary extension of both for 2 years.

  162. 162.

    Steeplejack

    I note for the record that Chuck is not on tonight–preëmpted by The Sing-Off–so the faithful will have to make other plans.

    I am experiencing the all too rare feeling of actually looking forward to the Monday night football game. Jets-Patriots, both 9-2 and tied at the top of their division. Should be a good game.

    And RIP Don Meredith. “Turn out the lights, the party’s over.” They should have a good tribute to him tonight.

  163. 163.

    2liberal

    @Punchy:

    Gobi or Sahara?

    Ouch. I am usually a spelling nazi too. Ok. Desserts? is that right? He will get his? How about that? Anyway I predict a Patriots victory and I hope they run it up just to piss off Easterbrook.

  164. 164.

    Bella Q

    @R-Jud: Yum. Recipe at the link in my previous post. Do not skimp on the sugar – it seems like an awful lot – for the berries; they are tart. I divided the (generous) 2/3 cup and put 1/3 cup over the berries, then added the chopped pecans, then sprinkled the remaining 1/3 over both. Do not panic if that batter is too thick to pour; simply drop and smooth, and it will bake up fine. Easy and tasty.

  165. 165.

    Ruckus

    @soonergrunt: @stuckinred:

    Ask and yea shall receive. Thanks. This is lots more great info than I ever expected.
    stuckinred, that blog looks great, already bookmarked.
    soonergrunt, they need to know where I was treated, with dates and all?

  166. 166.

    FlipYrWhig

    @marcopolo:

    It would be better for the Dems to decouple the two tax cuts but the Rs wont allow that because then it would be much harder to get the higher income cut through.

    Except that there are also Senate Dems who don’t support decoupling, some out of principle, some out of venality, and some out of electoral skittishness.

    @marcopolo: A deal like this isn’t going to get overwhelming support, though. If Harkin and Menendez really feel about it the way they were talking last week, let ’em block it and hash out something better. A small number of senators can create a substantial amount of havoc, if they want to.

    Anyway, I actually kind of like the idea of House and/or Senate Democrats balking, because I like it when the legislature plays its constitutional role instead of just rubber-stamping what the executive wants. I just don’t know if they can actually come up with something better, or are willing to take the heat for something worse.

  167. 167.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    “I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a cudlip of the world.”

    “And so, my fellow Cudlips, ask not what your country can do for cudlips; ask what cudlips can do for your country.”

    “I only regret that I have but one cudlip to lose for my country.”

    It just works.

  168. 168.

    Blackfrancis

    For the love of “Chuck!”

    Eugene-Springfield, meet Captain Awesome.

    Not that the former Douglas Allen Smith Jr. is a newcomer to Lane County.

    He was born here in 1983. He graduated from Willamette High School in 2002.

    But he officially became Captain Awesome only last month, when a Lane County Circuit Court judge approved his name change petition.

    And his new first name is no title, he made clear in a recent interview.

    “Hi! I’m Captain,” he said, making this story even more fun to write. Journalists refer to subjects by last name only on second and subsequent references. So, that’s Awesome!

    Any reader who — like Awesome — watches the television show “Chuck” will not be surprised to know how he chose his new moniker. It was, indeed, inspired by a character on the NBC action/drama series: Dr. Devon “Captain Awesome” Woodcomb.

    http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/updates/25594703-55/awesome-captain-douglas-judge-county.csp

  169. 169.

    soonergrunt

    @Odie Hugh Manatee: I think it should become the semiofficial title for BJ community members. DK has the “Kossacks,” firedoglake has “firepups” or “firebaggers,” depending on the mood of the caller, Instacracker has “nobody” since he doesn’t allow commenters, CAAFlog has “the people who read and post at CAAFlog,” and now, we can have “the Cudlips!”

  170. 170.

    soonergrunt

    @Ruckus: They need the year the treatment took place and the installation where the facility was located. Better if you have the actual name of the hospital, but the installation will do. They search the entire year, so they don’t need the specific dates.
    Note that you can make multiple requests, so for example if you can’t remember whether you had that brain tumor the size and shape of a head of cauliflower removed in 1992 or 1993, you could make requests for 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 each individually, just to be safe.

  172. 172.

    soonergrunt

    @Ruckus: Well, the records available at the site I linked would be military. If you had medical treatment in a civilian facility on Uncle Sam’s dime, then the military facility that arranged the treatment would be the one you would ask for, but you should probably contact the civilian facility yourself as well.

  173. 173.

    master c

    Oh but you know who is dying? Elizabeth Edwards.
    Ann Althouse is incensed that EE has not apologized to us for the lie that was John Edwards…..really.

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