Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It could be worse. Vance could have said “post-menopausal sows.” Waiting for that audiotape to surface.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

This blog will pay for itself.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Republicans in disarray!

Republicans don’t trust women.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

There are consequences to being an arrogant, sullen prick.

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

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

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

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

He imagines himself as The Big Bad, Who Is Universally Feared… instead of The Big Jagoff, Who Is Universally Mocked.

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

Washington Post’s Catch and Kill, not noticeably better than the Enquirer’s.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

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101Comments

  2. 2.

    David Brooks (not that one) is a richard skull.

    Still at work: off to orchestra rehearsal when I’ve finished this sandwich. It just never stops.

  4. 4.

    Gravenstone

    Listening to Rachel outline highlights of the official ethics committee report against former Sen. Ensign. Dude is in a whole world of shit. And maybe, just maybe he’ll take Sen. Coburn down with him since it appears the latter was complicit with the financial shenanigans of the cover up/buy out.

  8. 8.

    currants

    @PeakVT: hmm…maybe sort of in the same way you can never know if you’re successful at making your mind blank…

  11. 11.

    lamh34

    I’m watching “Maid in Manhattan” with Jenny from the Block and Natasha Richardson (LIam Neeson’s deceased wife). Not my favorite J-Lo movie, I like “The Wedding Planner” better. But at least in this one she actually plays a Latina instead of an Italian or Mediterranean or whatever. Still, I ain’t got nothing else to do.

  13. 13.

    Gus

    My dogs chased a couple of rabbits out of the yard today. I went to check out the spot they were hanging out, and sure enough there was a nest with four baby bunnies. Last year the mutts devastated a similar bunny nest. I had mixed emotions. I felt bad for the bunnies but good for my garden. Anyway, does anyone have any recommendations to keep my dogs from murdering precious baby bunnies? If I give them the run of the back yard, there will be carnage.

  14. 14.

    hilts

    @gogol’s wife:

    The NY Times forgot to include a link to some lame-ass violin music so that readers could fully appreciate the cross that Cheri Daniels has to bear.

  15. 15.

    PanAmerican

    Say what?

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stopped maintaining the old levee several years ago and it has been steadily deteriorating over time, leaving huge hunks of concrete dangling, that could fall at anytime. The rising water has also hastened the old levee deteriorating because the force of the waves repeatedly hits and washes away the actual dirt making up the old levee.

  17. 17.

    Amanda in the South Bay

    I’m freezing sitting under the A/C at a coffee shop wrestling with setting up MySql for a programming assignment. I think its definitely merlot time when I get home in a couple of hours. Oh, and phone interview for an internship tomorrow!

  18. 18.

    cathyx

    I feel quite confident in saying that nothing much will happen to Ensign. We need to look forward, not backward, as you know.

  19. 19.

    Art

    We got a nice down pour in the late afternoon. The moisture proved to be the straw that broke one of my Bradford Pear trees. That sucker split in two…I knew it was going to happen.

    We bought this house 12 years ago, and the former owners added the two pear trees for “curb appeal.” I wanted to take them out as saplings knowing they were junk, but the Mrs. just loved them so.

    Three hours after the fall, I have a pile of brush and a decent stack of wood seasoning for the fire pit. Four of my neighbors came out immediately and helped. The split took out a phone line (owner cut the cord and is totally cellular now), and in the process, pulled down a vertical gutter drain.

    Bought a twelve pack, we all drank a few, and then went back to our lives. Going to smoke a couple of pork shoulders to share with the neighbors tomorrow as a thank you. Nothing beats a good WV neighbor.

    Here’s to hoping the rental company has a chipper available tomorrow and I don’t get called in to substitute teach.

    Cheers y’all.

  20. 20.

    lamh34

    So I’ve been espousing the virtues of “Bridesmaids” for at least 2 weeks now, ever since I saw a pre-screening of the movie last month. Well tomorrow the movie will be released for wide consumption. I’ll just re-iterate what I said before.

    Ya’ll should def go see “Bridesmaids” it’s basically a rom-com disguised as a “R-rated” comedy. It’s in the same vein as “40 year old version”. It’s about a woman who’s best friend gets engaged and asks her to be the Maid of Honor and hilarity ensues.

    Here’s the synopsis: “Picked as her best friend’s maid of honor, lovelorn and broke Annie (Wiig) looks to bluff her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals with an oddball group of bridesmaids. ”

    I saw “Bridesmaids” at an early screening. I’m NOT one for silly humor, I’m more of a Brit humor type of girl, but I laughed my azz off during the screening, and so this the whole audience. There was so many laugh lines, that I actually missed some dialogue. It was that funny.

    So if u and the girls wanna go out or u just are tired of seeing kid-safe comedies, then “Bridesmaids” may be the movie for you.

    Bridesmaids- Official Trailer

    Bridesmaids- Official Trailer #2

  21. 21.

    gogol's wife

    @lamh34:

    Yes, putting Princess Beatrice’s fascinator on OBL wouldn’t be too funny. But how can he describe it as a wide-brimmed hat?

  23. 23.

    01jack

    @Gus: Ordinarily you can cover the bunny nest with something like a laundry basket with a brick on top. Remove it at night; momma only comes to visit and nurse the babies after dark.

    Don’t know if this will work if the dogs are big or persistent.

  24. 24.

    Benjamin Cisco

    Rachel Maddow just DESTROYED Orrin Hatch.
    __
    On a sane planet, there would be nothing left of the man but a smoking hole in the ground due to the force of his own shame blasting him to atoms. Alas, we must deal with the planet we have, not the planet we wish we had.

  25. 25.

    PeakVT

    @PanAmerican: From the photo, it looks like a second parallel levee was built behind the old one. That was probably easier than trying to figure out what parts of the old one were still good.

  26. 26.

    martha

    Rachel just eviscerated Orin Hatch about his support of the US oil cartel. What a thing of beauty to witness.

  27. 27.

    eemom

    I’m just sitting on the couch with the dogs watching NCIS and not thinking.

    kind of disappointing that a post like this was unaccompanied by a photo of outstretched Cole legs wearing flip flops.

  28. 28.

    tofubo

    biden’s out after one term right ??

    if obama puts feingold as the vp pick, i might actually vote for him for president this time

  30. 30.

    MikeJ

    @lamh34:

    I’m NOT one for silly humor, I’m more of a Brit humor type of girl

    These two clauses makes no sense together. Brit humour is much, much, much sillier than American. Not as dumb though.

  34. 34.

    lamh34

    @MikeJ: yeah brit humor just seems smarter, but maybe what I mean is I’m not much for so-called “gross-out” humor.

  36. 36.

    martha

    @MikeJ: We’ll likely vote for him for Governor when we recall Scott Walker and go part way toward dissolving Fitzwalkerstan.

  40. 40.

    scav

    Well, there are all sorts of Brit humor, including some daft gross stuff (what is it with them and farts?) but there is still a lot based on very fast and deft word-play — the sort of stuff we had in the fast-talking dame type comedies.

  41. 41.

    WereBear

    I am excitedly awaiting my Millionth Cat Blog Hit.

    …

    Sometime tomorrow, if my projections hold.

    …
    Well, it’s exciting. What can I tell you.

  42. 42.

    martha

    @MikeJ: Umm, yes I did vote for Russ. Don’t be an ass. The Kochs and the Ron Johnson’s father in law bought him a senate seat. We know. We know.

  43. 43.

    lamh34

    Well damn, I’m watching another movie I’ve seen too many damn times. Damn you Disney, you snared me again. Now I’m watching Disney’s “The Princess and The Frog”. I can’t help it, I really like the movie. Besides, I’m from NOLA, and the “Shadowman” character reminds me of my dearly, deaparted Uncle Warren…a voodoo hustler extrodinaire…lol.

    Dr Facillier (Shadowman) – Friends on the Other Side

  46. 46.

    mclaren

    Since NCIS is one of the best shows on TV, you could hardly do better.

    MEDIUM was the other really great show and it’s just been cancelled. CHUCK has now been axed. STARGATE: UNIVERSE, as depressing and as dsytopian was it turned out, nonetheless had its moments…and that’s been cancelled.

    SANCTUARY went down the tubes in the third season and probably won’t get renewed.

    So what’s left?

    Nothing but FRINGE. Which is pretty much nothing.

  47. 47.

    Nutella

    @hilts:

    From the NYT puff piece:

    As the first lady of Indiana, Mrs. Daniels, 61, has promoted literacy, health and fitness programs.

    Promoted health?? Just like her oh-so-principled hubby.

  49. 49.

    Gravenstone

    @martha: Haters gotta hate, and assholes gotta be assholes. Maybe he’ll get pimp slapped by reality some day soon.

  50. 50.

    Nutella

    @Gravenstone:

    I like these quotes from the Ensign report:

    “Sen. Ensign told Ms. Hampton that he wanted to marry her while they attended the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington,” the report revealed.

    The report said that the adviser called the senator and told him: “I know exactly where you are. I know exactly what you are doing. Put your pants on and go home.”

    Didn’t see anything about wet-suits though.

    Quotes from AP.

  51. 51.

    Poopyman

    @Art: Save a couple of bolts of the trunk. Even though the tree is brittle, the wood is a lot like “real” pear. A dream to turn. Great for file handles and chisel handles and whatever. You have a lathe, of course.

    I just got home from the local high school’s spring choral concert. I don’t have kids in HS (no kids at all, actually), but I always enjoy going to see what they can do. There were a lot of solos this year, some not so good, some better. One girl sang Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” just soooo good …. It’s the kind of gem that keeps me going back.

  52. 52.

    Amir_Khalid

    @lamh34:

    I really liked The Princess and The Frog too. It’s a damn shame it didn’t get anywhere near the box office numbers it deserved.

  53. 53.

    Southern Beale

    Hey guess what kids: Tea Party Review Online is looking for writers, bloggers and “even photographers”! This is an opportunity just ripe for tinkering. We simply can’t let this pass.

    What do they want? Anything!

    We’re open to almost any submissions — so long as they’re interesting, pertinent and newsworthy to the Tea Party community.

    And I’m sorry I had to laugh at their blogging standards:

    Please send in a Word document, either attached or cut and pasted into body of email.
    Use single space between sentences and double space between paragraphs.
    Keep word counts between 300 and 700.
    Important: Use only one space after period!
    Photos appreciated; head shot optional. Send a brief bio with your submission.

    I’m sure the evil geniuses here can come up with an interesting story or two … How about:

    “Tricorn hats: dry clean or no?”
    “Spell-Checking Your Protest Sign.”

    Anything else?

  55. 55.

    Poopyman

    @WereBear: I’ll be sure to do my part. What will I win?

    Someday AL will get my story about Spanky, our Supervisor Cat.

  56. 56.

    mai naem

    Reading this post initially, I thought it said “Stoning here” and I am thinking to myself ‘oy vey, he really is stoned tonight if he’s saying “stoning here” instead of “stoned here.” Yeah, I think I need to get mah eyes checked out.

  57. 57.

    lamh34

    @Amir_Khalid: yeah, it did deserve more of a chance than it got. but I think it sold pretty well on DVD. All my lil cousins love it too, they liek that it’s in NOLA and Princess Tiana reminds them of themselves.

    It is def my fav Princess of the “Disney Princesses”.

  58. 58.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @mclaren:

    So what’s left?

    Game of Thrones is pretty awesome if you like to watch a naked Emilia Clarke doing softcore porn.

  60. 60.

    Poopyman

    Am I the only one that loves to mess with prepositional phrases?

    Storming here, so I’m just sitting on the couch with the dogs watching NCIS and not thinking.

    Why are the dogs watching NCIS? And don’t dogs pretty much always not think?

  61. 61.

    JCT

    @Gravenstone: Taking down Coburn would be spectacular. Can’t wait to hear him try to explain all of this away.

    @Amanda in the South Bay: Good luck with the interview! My daughter applied for a few and just got the good news about one of them last week. She is stoked.

  65. 65.

    Mnemosyne

    @Amir_Khalid:
    @lamh34:

    If it’s any consolation, pretty much the entire domestic marketing team at Disney got fired after The Princess and the Frog did so (relatively) poorly. The merchandise sold like crazy though, and still is. Turns out there was a lot of pent-up demand for a black Disney princess. :-p

  66. 66.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    @Poopyman: Yes, I like doing that, too, though I wasn’t paying enough attention tonight. Good catch.

  67. 67.

    Cacti

    My fellow BJ-ers,

    Your good thoughts/prayers to your deity of choice/positive energy etc., are requested for my Grandma this evening.

    She fell and broke her scapula today.

    91 years young and a Roosevelt Democrat for all her days.

  68. 68.

    Art

    @Poopyman: Wow, I did not know that /johnnycarson.

    Envious of you enjoying a good local performance. My son is in the high school band and jazz band…missed their performance tonight due to the tree split. He didn’t seem to mind…he loved driving to the event as he just earned his license. Got to go out and hang with the older kids after their performance. I shouldn’t feel bad, we’ve been there for each and every performance (except some ratings and All State attempts).

    I still feel kinda empty.

    The Mrs. had out of town corporate guests in today. She didn’t even offer to help me or attend the band concert. She’s still out drinking and dancing.

  69. 69.

    srv

    @mclaren: I’ve had to look for old stuff, somebody here recommended Intelligence. Two seasons on Netflix instant.

    For the audiophile crowd, the new Oppo Digital BDP-95 is sweet. A bit bright, but just turned it on.

  70. 70.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @cbear:

    I wasn’t sure what to expect when the series first started, but my little direwolf sat up and took notice when she hit the screen.

    Hah.

  74. 74.

    suzanne

    @Poopyman:

    One girl sang Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” just soooo good ….

    I’ve declared a ten-year moratorium on that song. It’s so amazingly beautiful, but it’s everywhere, and I don’t want it to lose its power. I figure if we all take a ten-year break, it’ll sound fresh again.

    I might go to bed early tonight. Turns out pulling 50-hour weeks with a teething four-month-old leaves one pretty damn sleep-deprived.

    It’s a good thing she’s cute.

  75. 75.

    MikeJ

    @Gravenstone: Hey, I’m not the asshole here. It’s Wisconsin that elected the union buster. If you think the Kochs bought the election it just means you hold actual voters in contempt.

  77. 77.

    Poopyman

    @suzanne:

    I’ve declared a ten-year moratorium on that song. It’s so amazingly beautiful, but it’s everywhere, and I don’t want it to lose its power.

    Really? That’s like the second time I’ve heard it. Guess I’m just not listening in the -right- wrong places. I could hear it again.

  78. 78.

    MikeJ

    @suzanne: I’m convinced that had Jeff Buckley not died so many other sucker mc’s wouldn’t have tried to do Hallelujah. He started the modern renaissance of the song and his absence made everybody think they could step in and be as cool as he.

  79. 79.

    MikeJ

    @Omnes Omnibus: I just think it’s moronic to whine that St Russ (who is the most overrated Dem in recent memory) should be on the ticket when he can’t win in a tiny farm state.

    Demanding that a loser be VP before you’ll vote for the guy that passed health care reform and killed bin Laden is about as stupid as you can get.

  84. 84.

    Joseph Nobles

    Something not to think about: how Planned Parenthood was going to benefit from the upcoming health care reform, since 97% of what they do is women’s health care apart from abortions, and so it had to be destroyed.

    I’m in downtown Bryan, Texas with my parents for the impending graduation of my brother with a BS magna cum laude in Forestry. Yeah, he’s magna cum laude, but he’ll never make any money, either! Win-win. Since they’re upstairs asleep in the room, I’m down in the bar getting drunk on Syrah and not thinking about things.

  86. 86.

    MikeJ

    @Omnes Omnibus: Meh. It’s irrelevant that it’s a bit bigger than Alabama. If he can’t get the people that know him to vote for him, putting him on a national ticket would be stupid.

  88. 88.

    Mark S.

    Some guy is outraged–outraged!–that Serena Williams put up a picture on her Twitter in her bra and panties. Apparently, some guy got arrested a week ago for stalking Serena so this was irresponsible or something on Serena’s part.

    There are plenty of shitty sportswriters for every sport, but I have yet to find an even halfway competent one that covers tennis.

  89. 89.

    MikeJ

    @Suffern ACE: You don’t see anybody suggesting that Kasten run for veep do you? He’s probably better than anybody the GOP has, but he’s a loser. He lost. He didn’t win.

    Wisconsin is a Republican state. It’s run by union busters who hate everything America stands for. They’re in power there because that’s who the people of Wisconsin wanted. replacing a winning veep with a loser from a republican state doesn’t make much sense.

    Feingold is already on record as an Obama supporter. The few people who bother to vote that care what he says should already be on board.

  91. 91.

    dww44

    @Benjamin Cisco: Yes, she did destroy him, and with a beaming smile on her face the whole time. GOP’ers cannot deal with her. She’s always fair, she’s always polite, she’s always positive, and she knows her stuff.

    P.S. Have long been perplexed by his friendship with Teddy Kennedy. They say politics,in this case the club that is the U S Senate, can make strange bedfellows. Everytime he opens his mouth, I just want to scream at my TeeVee.

  92. 92.

    General Stuck

    Finally made my little day trip down to the Chiracahua National Park and mountains. Beautiful day, but dummy me didn’t check to see that the place is largely on fire and I couldn’t get into the park. About a gazillion firefighters from all over. A beautiful area though, and one of the most isolated and desolate, though gorgeous place I’ve ever been in the US, Except for the firefighters there now.

    Took four pics, though not all that great ones, one of Charlie, for those interested. Just click “older” to see all four.

  97. 97.

    WaterGirl

    @WereBear: Wow! That really is exciting. Big congratulations.

    Wanted to do my part, so I went to the blog. Found out about Dream Treats, though I have no idea where to find them, and I am about to read about how to tell if your cat is upset. That’s perfect timing for me because my kitty who always sits in my lap a lot in the evening suddenly stopped doing that about 3 days ago. Maybe she is upset with me?

    Quick note for your webmaster: (Yes, i know that’s you.) When I clicked on see my LATEST CAT ADVICE it took me to a screen that was nearly identical to the one I had just left. Seems like maybe the intention was to be taken directly to the article about how to tell if the cat is upset?

  99. 99.

    Steeplejack

    Testing, testing . . .

    Did this do what I thought it would?

    ETA: No. No, it did not.

  100. 100.

    David Brooks (not that one) is a richardhead.

    @Svensker: Bit late now (as in: I couldn’t reply last night b/c I was in rehearsal and BJ seemed to be down when I got home), but timpani / percussion principal. Which is great, because I barely have to practice, give myself the easy stuff, and just listen to music from the inside. But the next concert is “Oscar Night Pops” :-P, which means I’m crazy busy. As in “you want us to find a marimba for just four bars in just one score?” That’s “Up”, for the record.

    Seriously, if you want to play in an orchestra, Just Do It. The US, that nation without art and without culture, is just teeming with community orchestras and if you play an instrument at almost any level of ability, you can probably find one to suit. Four or five concerts a year, weekly rehearsals in a convenient school, that sort of commitment. As I used to tell high-school kids, you won’t be playing football or basketball when you’re 64, but you will probably still be able to play your violin.

    And JLo is an annoyingly good actress.

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