Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

Putin dreamed of ending NATO, and now it’s Finnish-ed.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Optimism opens the door to great things.

Bad news for Ron DeSantis is great news for America.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

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

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

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

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

I did not have this on my fuck 2022 bingo card.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

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

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

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

Tick tock motherfuckers!

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Rum, sodomy….

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Bored today, so I’m just reading more fun stuff Rick Perry said.

[I]n a little-noticed passage in his first book, “On My Honor,” an encomium on the Boy Scouts published in 2008, Perry also drew a parallel between homosexuality and alcoholism. “Even if an alcoholic is powerless over alcohol once it enters his body, he still makes a choice to drink,” he wrote. “And, even if someone is attracted to a person of the same sex, he or she still makes a choice to engage in sexual activity with someone of the same gender.”

In “On My Honor,” Perry also punted on the exact origins of homosexuality. He wrote that he is “no expert on the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate,” but that gays should simply choose abstinence. Perry’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment on whether he maintains this view.

I can’t wait to hear Bobo and David Gergen tell us all about how serious this cat is. This could be the most presidential election ever.

Reader Interactions

176Comments

  1. 1.

    cleek

    to complete the trifecta, how does he feel about sado-masochism ?

    (FF spell-check corrects this to “soda-masochism”)

  2. 2.

    Paul in KY

    Pretty sad that someone who would think that a person who has no control over what makes them wet would then think that person should have to experience abstinence-for-life, due to it making that person feel icky.

    Edit: I bet Perry is all for lashing people, so there’s that.

  3. 3.

    Culture of Truth

    Perry: “fr’instance, y’all is real thirsty, and there’s this real tall, dark, delicious drink, and it’s got a great body, and mouth feel, and you know it’s wrong, but dang you jus want a little taste…”

  4. 4.

    Villago Delenda Est

    Also demonstrates little actual knowledge of how alcoholism develops.

    It’s not as simple as “just say no”, no matter what Nancy Reagan may have told Rick via Family Ties.

  5. 5.

    aimai

    Why like alcoholism? Why not like drinking wine which, in moderation (like all things) is a positive blessing? Even if you really thought that homosexuality was a choice, and even a bad choice *for your brand of christian* why on earth would you advocate total abstinence for everyone who doesn’t belong to your sect? What’s next? Are the Southern Baptists going to go all Prohibition on Dancing?

    aimai

  6. 6.

    BGinCHI

    Amazing he didn’t make the connection:

    “First you take a little drink, and it’s good. Then before you know it you got a dude’s dick in your mouth.”

  8. 8.

    BGinCHI

    @aimai: If Romney gets elected only criminals will have cards.

    But they will not only be able to play basketball, they’ll be really good at it.

  9. 9.

    wenchacha

    Rick Perry is indeed “no expert.”

    That never stops Right-wing nutters from opining on everything under the Sun, as it slowly revolves around the Earth.

  10. 10.

    jeffreyw

    FF spell-check corrects this to “soda-masochism”

    Hey, don’t make fun of those poor souls. Soda shooting out of the nose is funny, yeah, but will no one think of the keyboards?

  11. 11.

    RandyH

    @BGinCHI:

    “First you take a little drink, and it’s good. Then before you know it you got a dude’s dick in your mouth.”

    WIN!

    So, SO True.

  12. 12.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @wenchacha:

    That never stops Right-wing nutters from opining on everything under the Sun, as it slowly revolves around the Earth.

    I see what you did there.

  13. 13.

    danimal

    @aimai. You reminded me of the old joke about Southern Baptists (in a prior life, I attended a SBC college).
    Why don’t Southern Baptists have sex standing up?
    Because it can lead to dancing.
    Southern Baptists already oppose dancing…ever see Footloose?

  14. 14.

    Samara Morgan

    I can’t wait to hear Bobo and David Gergen tell us all about how serious this cat is. This could be the most presidential election ever.

    they will lurve him up.
    hes another cowboy cat with a sixgun….aka a sociopath.

    be sure and watch the VMAs..i think Foster the People might win.
    theres a seachange coming….
    :)

  16. 16.

    Paul in KY

    @aimai: Because Paul (the ex-Jewish one) said bad things about some Romans in Romans.

    Also there is something in Leviticus, I think.

  17. 17.

    RosiesDad

    @BGinCHI:

    “First you take a little drink, and it’s good. Then before you know it you got a dude’s dick in your mouth.”

    Laughing so hard I spit my soda [-masochism] all over my keyboard.

  18. 18.

    Comrade Dread

    I think the decline to comment part is the best.

    It’s saying, “I have moral convictions which I felt so strongly about I put them into a book… unless it will hurt my presidential campaign and then I won’t bother to defend my convictions.”

  22. 22.

    dmsilev

    Point of order: Some sources state that the proper form of the quotation is “Rum, buggery, and the lash”.

    Google, normally the arbiter of such things, returns roughly the same number of hits for each, so I guess we’ll never know…

  23. 23.

    jl

    My conclusion from the analysis of alcoholism is that Perry = Aristotle. We need this man.

    /snark

  24. 24.

    Carnacki

    So Rick Parry chose to be straight and wasn’t born this way? Interesting and explains a lot about why he triggers so many gaydars.

  25. 25.

    cleek

    TPM says Perry now has a double-digit lead over Mittens.

    but… based on what ? he hasn’t been in any debates yet, right? he hasn’t given any prime time speeches, right? what are they basing this opinion on… his hair?

  28. 28.

    dmsilev

    @cleek: I’m pretty sure it’s new-toy syndrome. Hopefully, within a week the GOP electorate will be spending more time playing with the box that their brand new Perry came in, along with whining for a Tickle me Palin.

  29. 29.

    RandyH

    @Carnacki:

    Rick pArry doesn’t trigger my Gaydar at all. Not one bit. His overbearing Marlboro-manliness triggers my ewwww sensation. The guy gives me the creeps.

  30. 30.

    Hal

    Perry’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment on whether he maintains this view.

    He wrote the book in 2008. He has never indicated any other opinions, so why wouldn’t he still believe this?

  34. 34.

    RandyH

    @Hal:

    Do you honestly think this guy can write – a whole book?

    I doubt he could even stay attentive if someone attempted to read him a book. Dude’s a fucking moron.

    Ghostwriters can really ruin your career if you don’t actually read the book they wrote on your behalf. And I doubt that Rick pArry can read.

  36. 36.

    Stooleo

    So if I extrapolate this to Rick Santorum, you’d wake up with the dogs dick in your mouth.

  37. 37.

    Tonybrown74

    @BGinCHI:

    “First you take a little drink, and it’s good. Then before you know it you got a dude’s dick in your mouth.”

    Internet has been won for the day! Everyone can go home now.

  39. 39.

    scav

    @Stooleo: hell, we include mittens into the menage-á-n, and we’re with a dog on the roof of a moving car and things are really getting kinky.

  40. 40.

    RandyH

    @BGinCHI:

    “First you take a little drink, and it’s good. Then before you know it you got a dude’s dick in your mouth.”

    I hereby nominate that to be one of the little blurb-links at the top of the blog. That is so awesome. Best quote in some time – since the dildos and wet-suits stuff, anyway.

  41. 41.

    John Puma

    May we assume that in one or, perhaps, both of Perry’s books he has told the detailed story of his “conscious choice” of heterosexuality?

  42. 42.

    dmsilev

    @Paul in KY: I know, but I’m referring back to the original source, Winston Churchill’s description of the “best traditions” of the Royal Navy.

  43. 43.

    Zifnab

    In “On My Honor,” Perry also punted on the exact origins of homosexuality. He wrote that he is “no expert on the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate,” but that gays should simply choose abstinence.

    In a sane world, every libertarian would turn his back on Perry on those words alone. “The government says you’re not allowed to f-ck” seems like a big freak’n slap-in-the-face to any small government conservative.

  45. 45.

    Origuy

    @Arclite: So the Jewish Jerry Falwell thinks that G-d sent the earthquake because of toleration of homosexuality? Vanuatu gets 5.0+ quakes almost monthly. What sort of abominations are going on there? Mixing linen with wool?

  46. 46.

    Thoughtcrime

    @BGinCHI:

    “First you take a little drink, and it’s good. Then before you know it you got a dude’s dick in your mouth.”

    And is your deliverance through the backdoor if you’re drinking Moonshine?

  49. 49.

    BGinCHI

    No way Molly Ivins stays in Heaven if this guy gets nominated.

    She’s gonna be back to haunt his ass for sure.

  51. 51.

    Silver Owl

    A lot of people are wishing today’s conservative man would practice abstinence. They are showing to be defective mentally and emotionally. Not to mention lacking character on nearly every level. lol

  52. 52.

    Bulworth

    I can’t wait to hear Bobo and David Gergen tell us all about how serious this cat is.

    Perry will bring bipartisanship back to DC. Meaning all passing legislation will consist of the entire Republican caucus plus “Democrat” Heath Schuler.

  53. 53.

    Brachiator

    Even if an alcoholic is powerless over alcohol once it enters his body, he still makes a choice to drink,” he wrote. “And, even if someone is attracted to a person of the same sex, he or she still makes a choice to engage in sexual activity with someone of the same gender.”
    __
    He wrote that he is “no expert on the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate,” but that gays should simply choose abstinence.

    Isn’t this in sync with current Catholic doctrine?

    Every human being is called to receive a gift of divine sonship, to become a child of God by grace. However, to receive this gift, we must reject sin, including homosexual behavior—that is, acts intended to arouse or stimulate a sexual response regarding a person of the same sex. The Catholic Church teaches that such acts are always violations of divine and natural law.
    __
    Homosexual desires, however, are not in themselves sinful. People are subject to a wide variety of sinful desires over which they have little direct control, but these do not become sinful until a person acts upon them, either by acting out the desire or by encouraging the desire and deliberately engaging in fantasies about acting it out. People tempted by homosexual desires, like people tempted by improper heterosexual desires, are not sinning until they act upon those desires in some manner.

    I don;t like Perry, and I certainly do not agree with him.

    But clearly his views here share much in common with conservative theology of many faiths.

  55. 55.

    Xecky Gilchrist

    gays should simply choose abstinence

    “Simply choose” is one of those red flag phrases that lets you know you’re dealing with an ideologue – I usually hear it from libertarians explaining that if consumers are unhappy with a completely unregulated business, they will simply choose to vote with their dollars, etc.

  60. 60.

    Makewi

    This is totally different than Obama’s wink-nudge take on homosexuality. Totally different.

    Because Obama is a Democrat.

  62. 62.

    scav

    @BGinCHI:

    Yes, Republicans are pro-choice, as long as it’s a predetermined choice that fits a moralistic framework and there are no alternatives.

    Just as teh devout are always intent on taking away the free will over our actions that their god supposedly gave everyone.

  63. 63.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    @Origuy:

    So the Jewish Jerry Falwell thinks that G-d sent the earthquake because of toleration of homosexuality? Vanuatu gets 5.0+ quakes almost monthly. What sort of abominations are going on there? Mixing linen with wool?

    We’ve had two little earthquakes in the San Francisco area in the last half-day. Does G-d make them proportional to the amount of homosexing going on? And, if so, does that mean we’re less gay (b/c much smaller quakes) than Mineral County, VA, or does it mean we’re twice as gay because we get more of them?

    Or would that require Malkin Math to solve?

  64. 64.

    shortstop

    Even if a person was born bone fucking stupid, he still makes the choice to advertise it to the entire world via a national political campaign.

    I’m torn between thinking that Romney (shouldn’t but) will be a tougher opponent for Obama and not believing that this cartoon character from Texas — stop sending us your gubernatorial refuse! Please! We’re asking nicely! — is the leading candidate for a major party’s nominee for president of the United States of America.

  67. 67.

    RandyH

    @shortstop:

    Perry is Obama’s dream opponent. Romney, on the other hand, could give him a serious run for his money in a general election.

  68. 68.

    ed drone

    @shortstop:

    Even if a person was born bone fucking stupid, he still makes the choice to advertise it to the entire world via a national political campaign.

    So, you’d recommend abstinence, would you? Can’t say as I’d disagree.

    Ed

  72. 72.

    shortstop

    @RandyH: That’s what I just said. Perhaps unclearly, so let me try again:

    1. Romney will be a much tougher opponent — the only one, in fact, who will give Obama a run.
    2. Knowing #1 is true, I’m still appalled at the notion that Perry, who will not be competitive in a national election and thus would presumably be Dems’ preference as an opponent, has even made it to the running as a major-party nominee. This, even more than Palin, even more than Bachmann, speaks to the depth of our degradation. At some point this shit stopped being funny.

  73. 73.

    b-psycho

    “Even if an alcoholic is powerless over alcohol once it enters his body, he still makes a choice to drink,” he wrote. “And, even if someone is attracted to a person of the same sex, he or she still makes a choice to engage in sexual activity with someone of the same gender.”

    And unless the alcoholic insists on driving and causes a car accident or the gay person forces your head towards their crotch at gunpoint their choice has sweet fuck all to do with you. So leave them alone.

  75. 75.

    cat48

    Mittens is being flattened by Goodhair in the PPPoll & Gallup, too. If Mittens has any charm or political gamesmanship, now would be the time to use it on old white people b/c they loves them some Perry!

  79. 79.

    Tonybrown74

    @RandyH:

    Oh my. He really does know how to “Take it like a man” doesn’t he? That’s a foot-long dog, by the way.

    Look, Ma! No teeth!

  81. 81.

    Hal

    @RandyH:

    Perry is Obama’s dream opponent. Romney, on the other hand, could give him a serious run for his money in a general election.

    Up to this point, Romney seems to me to be a very weak front runner, hence Perry’s sprinting ahead in the admittedly way too early polls. Plus, there’s still the unanswered Mormon question (will Evangelicals vote for a Mormon?), and Romney’s RHINO reputation among many conservatives.

    All of which is to say, I’m not so sure he’s much of a candidate at all, and seems to be a media fixation more than an actual strong competitor. After his hideous “Corporations are people too, my friend” comment, he should be on his way to the dust bin.

  85. 85.

    Hal

    @cat48:

    Mittens is being flattened by Goodhair in the PPPoll & Gallup, too. If Mittens has any charm or political gamesmanship, now would be the time to use it on old white people b/c they loves them some Perry!

    One other point this comment reminds me of; Romney’s strategy, if you can call it that, has been up to this point to lay low, largely based on the assumption he would be in competition with a bunch of lackluster candidates like Pawlenty, Newt, and Huntsman, or that he would be up against fire breathers like Palin, Bachmann and Santorum.

    If your strongest move out of the gate is to lie low and hope everyone remembers you when the smoke clears, you can’t be that much of a competitor.

  88. 88.

    RandyH

    @Hal:

    I agree with your points but John McCain’s campaign was dead at this point in the last round. And he struggled through. Then all Republicans fell in line behind him as they always do. He then gave Obama some serious competition for a while.

    I think what may have killed McCain was his not knowing just how many homes he owns. Then he “suspended his campaign” and bailed on Letterman (big mistake – HUGE) to fix the economy…

    Romney’s got a similar problem right now where he, as an “unemployed guy,” is bulldozing his 3,000 SqFt multi-million dollar California home to build an 11,000 SqFt multi-million dollar home in its place.

  89. 89.

    Dennis SGMM

    If Obama can’t figure out how to goose the economy and get numbers of people back to work at least six months before the election then his ideal opponent will be a cheese sandwich. Granted, a Republican cheese sandwich would still get 40% of the vote but Obama should be able to convince the rest of the voters that he’d outperform the sandwich.

  90. 90.

    Violet

    @Hal:

    If your strongest move out of the gate is to lie low and hope everyone remembers you when the smoke clears, you can’t be that much of a competitor.

    When all your other competitors are crazy people shooting at each other, the best decision may be to lie low and be able to stand up when the smoke clears. Not that that’s necessarily what Romney is doing, or that he’s not crazy, but it’s not always a bad strategy.

  92. 92.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @RandyH:

    I think what may have killed McCain was his not knowing just how many homes he owns. Then he “suspended his campaign” and bailed on Letterman (big mistake – HUGE) to fix the economy…

    I don’t think the entire Letterman thing gets enough attention, after all, the Village just doesn’t want to acknowledge what that represented.

    If McCain had been honest with Letterman (Katie Couric offered me an interview, and there’s a time conflict with you, I’ve got to go with Katie, sorry, can I take a rain check?) it would not have been the big deal it was.

    Instead, McCain lied to Letterman, and then Letterman exposed the lie in real time and was able to mock McCain (“can I call you a cab to JFK, John?”) incessantly for doing so.

    Millions saw this, and drew the conclusion that McCain is not just a liar, but a really stupid liar.

  93. 93.

    jibeaux

    This analogy would seem to suggest that Rick Perry thinks it’s o.k. to be gay in moderation. Socially gay. Just stay in control of your gay.

  94. 94.

    Dollared

    @RandyH: Perry will not make mistakes. He is very, very good at his role. And he will get the full whitewash from the national media.

    Nothing prevents the MSM from declaring Obama Toast because of the economy, then trumpeting the Texas Miracle, then declaring that Perry wins the “have a beer with him” beauty contest. And that much whitewash and love could give him the winner halo by June.

    It’s exactly how Reagan went from “crazy, dangerous right-winger,” to Our Next President, between March and July 1980.

    Perry really does scare me much more than Mittens.

  95. 95.

    JGabriel

    Irene. Crikey.

    Those bright yellow areas in the linked map (GFS 60hr @ 2am Sunday night, 1280×1024) are literally off the chart; i.e. it’s at the top of the chart , which means there’s no telling how much higher above 9″ the rainfall will be.

    .

  96. 96.

    Uncle Clarence Thomas

    .
    .
    @Mark S.:

    I’m sure you have plenty of links to Obama advocating abstinence for gay people.

    No, no, and no. You’re thinking of abstinence of getting gay married – Mr. Obama, who has in the past opposed same-sex marriage, has said his views are “evolving.” Totally different. Because President Obama is a Democrat, you see.
    .
    .

  98. 98.

    DFH no.6

    @Makewi:

    This is totally different than Obama’s wink-nudge take on homosexuality. Totally different.

    Yeah, because Obama’s take on homosexuality is objectively the same as Perry’s and, as with racism, it’s the Lieberals who are the real homophobes.

    You really are a tiresomely dumb-as-fuck asshole-troll, aren’t you?

    And here we were with a pleasantly-diverting and amusing little comment thread – from BGinCHI’s hilarious “…before you know it you got a dude’s dick in your mouth” to wenchacha’s Sun revolving around the earth to RandyH’s well-considered doubts that Perry could actually read, let alone write, “his” books and even to matoko-c’s OT segue shout-out to a truly excellent new band (Foster the People) – but then we get your shitstain stinking things up.

    Why don’t you go away and play with the goobers at Redstate or somewhere whose worldview is as fucked-up as yours?

    What the hell motivates smug-asshole rightwing trolls to be trolls? Never mind – I don’t really want to know what makes rightwingers brains squirm like toads. But squirm they most certainly do.

  99. 99.

    JGabriel

    @Uncle Clarence Thomas:

    Mr. Obama, who has in the past opposed same-sex marriage, has said his views are “evolving.” Totally different. Because President Obama is a Democrat, you see.

    Actually, it’s totally different because, unlike Perry, Obama believes in evolution.

    .

  100. 100.

    Makewi

    @DFH no.6:

    Oh, you poor baby. Did I totally interrupt all the jokes where the punchline amounts to “he’s gay”. That shit is funny right there.

  101. 101.

    Chyron HR

    @Uncle Clarence Thomas:

    Remember, kids, you can’t be a true progressive unless you agree with everything that right-wing trolls say. Now say 50 Hail Hamshers and pray for forgiveness, you Obotomized Obots.

  102. 102.

    RandyH

    @Dollared:

    Good points. But will it work? The media tried to make 2008 about Rudy! and Hillary! FAIL. FAIL. FAIL.

    And whose stomach doesn’t turn from George Dubya Bush indigestion whenever they hear Perry speak? Really. I need some Prilosec quick.

  103. 103.

    rikryah

    and this book, is what 3 years old?

    but, I guess it’s ok to disavow what you put your name to only 9 months ago…..3 years ago…..

    if you’re a White Republican.

  104. 104.

    Violet

    @JGabriel:
    I hope people in NYC, Long Island, NJ along the coast, etc. are paying attention. The last model runs have shifted west somewhat and Irene seems to have slowed down a tad while she undergoes eyewall replacement. None of that is good news for those areas. If the current EURO model verifies, it could be an utter disaster for those areas. The region hasn’t had a strong hurricane in decades. Obviously it’s still days out, but it could be an ugly weekend.

  106. 106.

    Samara Morgan

    dont be bored DougJ.
    here you can read some good stuff in the new wikileaks data dump.

    heres something good.

    wikileaks WikiLeaks
    Vatican acknowledges sexual abuse of nuns by priests is.gd/4ZfMFN #wlfind

    heres something glenn greenwald found

    ggreenwald Glenn Greenwald
    WIkiLeaks cable, 2009: McCain & Lieberman heap praise on Gadaffi – McCain promises to help Gadaffi get US weapons: is.gd/6DbRVx

    send any finds to #wlfind

    wikileaks WikiLeaks
    Global internet community joins in political treasure hunt through US diplomatic cables icerocket.com/search?tab=twi…

    its a treasure hunt!

  108. 108.

    Uncle Clarence Thomas

    .
    .
    @Chyron HR:

    Remember, kids, you can’t be a true progressive unless you agree with everything that right-wing trolls say. Now say 50 Hail Hamshers and pray for forgiveness, you Obotomized Obots.

    Your lying misrepresentations do not result simply from a lack of brainpower, poltroon. Please do not have your organ grinder leave you alone again.
    .
    .

  110. 110.

    Violet

    @wrb:
    Yeah, it definitely goes as far north as Maine, but by then the water is colder and the interaction with land should lessen Irene’s intensity a bit. No guarantees, though. Things could be bad in Cape Cod, RI, etc.

    The models shifted eastward enough last night that NC looks a little safer than it did, but people living anywhere that is still in the NHC cone need to be paying attention and plan accordingly.

    New England does get hit by hurricanes but it has been decades since the last time a big one hit. I don’t think most people have any idea how bad it can be.

  112. 112.

    The Main Gauche of Mild Reason

    @dmsilev:

    It’s actually well established that Churchill never made the “Rum, sodomy, and the lash” quip about naval tradition (he apparently denied it at some point). It’s probably an apocryphal variant on the old saying that sailors are “wine women and song” onshore and “rum, bum, and concertina” at sea.

  113. 113.

    Samara Morgan

    INCOMING!

    wikileaks WikiLeaks
    Stay tuned for an important announcement.
    5 minutes ago

  114. 114.

    JGabriel

    @Violet:

    I hope people in NYC, Long Island, NJ along the coast, etc. are paying attention.

    Well, I’m a New Yorker and I’m paying attention. I’m sure I’m not the only one, though there’s really not much any of us can do except sit it out, or decide to get out of the city for the weekend.

    I’m keeping an eye on it in case it gets dire enough to consider visiting Pennsyltucky before Christmas — i.e., pretty fucking dire.

    .

  115. 115.

    Violet

    @Stooleo:
    What the hell. And they’re basically charging $20 for the shirts. It says on the front page:

    Support our work for $65 per year, and get:
    ‘Original Firebagger’ T-Shirt and stickers

    But if you click the “Join us” button, you get options for:

    Friends – $45 per year
    Benefactors – $120 per year
    Gosprey Circle – $1,000 per year

    What the hell is a Gosprey Circle? Anyway, according to those levels, you don’t get the t-shirt unless you join at the Benefactors level. But wait! There’s a special link where you can get the t-shirt for $65, but you only get the Friends membership level. That means they’re charging $20 for their stupid Firebagger t-shirt.

  116. 116.

    chopper

    @JGabriel:

    as a new yorker, i’m watching irene like crazy. unfortunately the new model runs are predicting west movement of the highs in bermuda and texas, and thus a westerly track for irene. a few of the high-value models are calling for her to hit long island as a decent CAT 2. with the pressure of a CAT 3, and probably a big-ass surge.

    certainly my weekend vacay in cape may is off, now i have to plan for bugging out sometime friday.

  117. 117.

    Violet

    @JGabriel:
    Well you can stock up on water and food. Things could get pretty ugly in NYC if the city flooded badly and the power was out for an extended period.

  118. 118.

    scav

    Query. I’ve forgotten my favored Hurricane sites — well, other than Jeff Masters at Wunderground. Which are you lot going to? Thanks.

  119. 119.

    Violet

    @chopper:
    That would be the nightmare scenario. I really hope it doesn’t happen. I’ve seen the models you’re talking about…

  121. 121.

    Tom Q

    @Hal: This is why my point of comparison for Romney has always been Ed Muskie. The argument for Muskie was, Well, nobody DISlikes him. Came time to vote, turned out not enough people LIKED him, either.

  122. 122.

    wrb

    Speaking of Churchill , will Irene be Obama’s Coventry?

    Based on secret intelligence that he concealed from the regular Americans in her path, he fled Washington ahead of the storm.

  124. 124.

    JGabriel

    @chopper: Which models are those? I’ve been watching the GFS. The NAM doesn’t see that far in advance. I haven’t checked the Euro or anything else yet, mainly because I like the java loop models NOAA provides.

    Frankly, the GFS is bad enough.

    .

  125. 125.

    Stefan

    If your strongest move out of the gate is to lie low and hope everyone remembers you when the smoke clears, you can’t be that much of a competitor.

    Oh, I don’t know. It works for me in the bars at closing time.

  126. 126.

    Dennis SGMM

    @chopper:

    Oh, shit. I wish you the best. Losing power for an extended period is bad anywhere. In a densely populated area it would be a nightmare. Considering that NYC isn’t exactly rich in areas for the water to soak in, even the rain that’s dumped when a good-sized hurricane comes ashore could create hazards.

  130. 130.

    shortstop

    @scav: “Favorite hurricane sites”? Aren’t you my neighbor? We haven’t had one on Lake Michigan for, like, decades.

  131. 131.

    RandyH

    @Makewi:

    Good thing he’ll be gone soon.

    Don’t count on it. He’ll likely be around another 4 years, regardless of what you think of him because there is no SANE opponent out there who could possibly become the Republican nominee.

  134. 134.

    JGabriel

    @Dennis SGMM:

    Considering that NYC isn’t exactly rich in areas for the water to soak in …

    Whadday mean? We have the FDR Drive. All the water goes there whenever we have a rainstorm.

    .

  135. 135.

    Svensker

    @Violet:

    Hub and the kid just went back to NJ/NY for a quick visit through the weekend. Ugh. I hate worrying, especially when I’m not there to use my superpowers to protect everyone.

    Fingers crossed for all.

  136. 136.

    scav

    @shortstop: Well, it’s not a batten-down the personal hatches type interest, I just like big storms and stalking them digitally. Seeing one blow up on Lake Mich would be rather a shock.

  137. 137.

    JPL

    @Violet: Well I have a wonderful calendar and coasters thanks to Balloon Juice. Yeah I know we only help rescue animals but still that’s important.
    Are we doing another calendar?

    edit..just in case someone doesn’t realize I’m teasing ..I think what John is doing for rescues is great. I’d gladly send in a few dollars for him but that’s not what he wants.

  138. 138.

    shortstop

    @scav: Uh huh, I suspected you were a violent-weather junkie. Living with one for lo, these 20 years, I can spot y’all a mile off!

  139. 139.

    Midnight Marauder

    @Makewi:

    I’m sure you have plenty of links to Obama advocating abstinence for gay people.

    So you’re saying that Obama is secretly gay? On the downlow as it were? Interesting.

    I remember when you at least tried in your attempts at tomfuckery. This shit right here is just abysmal.

  140. 140.

    scav

    @shortstop: Well, I don’t do sports and there’s all the techie modelling detail, massive datasets and geography to go with the other big wave blowy things down stuff. I’ve got the usgs earthquakes site practically memorized as well.

    ETA: FInk, I really wish I could remember that site I had that explicitly compared all the hurricane model tracks on the same map.

  143. 143.

    Jay C

    @shortstop:

    “Violent-weather junkie?” Heh. I guess once the hurricane strikes – somewhere – and it gets into your body (or computer) – you can’t help but make that choice to glue yourself to the Weather Channel (as long as the satellite signal holds up)….

    Anyway, we’re way up here in the Scenic Berkshires, so most of the bad forecasts for Sunday top out (or have done so far) as “heavy rain and wind” – not much of an Apocalypse, given the, what, a week’s notice? But still: best to stock up on the basics (cat food, rum and DVDs) just in case. Though frankly, the City would probably be a better choice: Gotham’s infrastructure is pretty damn sturdy, and one can always get take-out Chinese come Hell or (as likely) high water.

  144. 144.

    boatboy_srq

    @dmsilev:

    whining for a Tickle me Palin

    I SO did not need that visual just now.

    *reaches for the brain bleach.

    —————————–

    Seriously, though, given how fond Perry is of The Lash – or at least lethal injections – it’s surprising how opposed he is to the rest of that little litany. Makes you wonder how much of a drinking sodomite he might be under all that hair.

    Isn’t there a campaign on right now to find the men/boys he’s had while in Austin? Maybe we should be looking at the bars and liquor stores he’s frequented as well.

  145. 145.

    Makewi

    @RandyH:

    We only need someone who can balance a checkbook – seeing as that is a job too difficult for the current spender-in-chief.

  146. 146.

    aimai

    @Makewi:

    Look, Makewi–what’s your position on homosexuality? That’s the question. Obama’s is that he is probably opposed to it on religious grounds, but increasingly feels that the federal government should be neutral and get out of the legislating other people’s sex biz. Perry’s is the opposite: he is opposed to the federal government legislating all kinds of things, but for personal religious reasons he is sure that an exception should be made for gayness and gays should a) abstain and b) be prevented from forming life long partnerships by government action. Those are two completely different points of view on homosexuality, gay sex, and the state. They couldn’t be more opposed to one another.

    If your point is that Perry is “no worse” than Obama you are flat out wrong. But if that is your point–ok then, which of those two positions most accurately reflects your own?

    aimai

  147. 147.

    shortstop

    @Jay C: I ought to clarify that my violent-weather junkie assuredly does not take pleasure in or make light of others’ wind- and precipitation-related misfortune. Like scav, he’s just fascinated by the technical and statistical stuff.

  148. 148.

    Makewi

    @Midnight Marauder:

    Perhaps, but not as abysmal as pretending you can spend your way out of debt. Or that you can be pro gay rights while at the same time using gay as a slur. Or pretending that the process of reconciliation between the biblical notion of homosexual sex as sin and loving your neighbor as yourself is something that is mock worthy.

  149. 149.

    Violet

    @Jay C:

    I guess once the hurricane strikes – somewhere – and it gets into your body (or computer) – you can’t help but make that choice to glue yourself to the Weather Channel (as long as the satellite signal holds up)….

    Weather Channel is lame. Real weather junkies usually go elsewhere for their info, although the tropical update when they do go to the NHC can be somewhat informative.

  151. 151.

    Makewi

    @aimai:

    …he is opposed to the federal government legislating all kinds of things, but for personal religious reasons he is sure that an exception should be made for gayness

    I’m going to want a cite on that.

  152. 152.

    scav

    @aimai: Makewii doesn’t have a position other than Obama and the rest of us are evil and wrong and dull and polka-dotted and don’t properly admire his trollfu and innate superiority. It can be distinguished from derf in that it whines less about what John fails to post and from loca_chan by the absence of cud and wikileaks: Makewii leaks wee, it’s on the tin. We really could work up a field guide to trolls with defining characteristics by now.

  153. 153.

    aimai

    You want a cite for the fact that the entire Republican line up is pro DOMA, DADT, and opposed in every way to the legalization of gay marriage? That’s like asking for a cite to the fact that the sun rises in the east. Mark S. was right–you have less intellect, and far less moral integrity, than the average cut price dining room set.

    Oh, forgot to say “fuck off and die” especially for that craptacular piece of amoral reasoning about “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Its not mockworthy and no one but Christians makes any kind of mockery of it. Consider yourself mocked for trying to equate your party’s rampant homophobia with Christian love.

    aimai

  154. 154.

    'Niques

    Regarding Irene … I’m in Florida, and usually go to weatherchannel dot com for satellites and updates.

  155. 155.

    TenguPhule

    “First you take a little drink, and it’s good. Then before you know it you’re got a dude’s dick in your mouth.” sitting on another dude’s lap.”

    Perry is so an uke.

  156. 156.

    Makewi

    @aimai:

    You could have just said I don’t have a cite, but I choose to believe it because of the caricature of conservatives that I cling to like my life depends on it. But instead you decided to pretend that your very existence entitles you to some moral high ground. Hero.

  157. 157.

    Mark S.

    @Makewi:

    Here ya go:

    Indeed to not pass the federal marriage amendment would impinge on Texas, and other states not to have marriage forced upon us by these activist judges and special interest groups. Our constitution was designed to respect states including the amendment process. That is one of the beauties and why I talk about in my book “Fed Up” that we need as a nation to get back to really respecting our constitution and the tenth amendment in particular which allows the states to impede against each other, whether it is on taxes or regulations or litigation and create the economic environment.

    As always, the real victims are the states full of homophobes.

  158. 158.

    TenguPhule

    I’m going to want a cite on that.

    This would be Perry’s “Amendment banning Gay Marriage” which everyone knows about unless they’ve been braindead for the last three months……oh right, its piss boy.

  159. 159.

    gwangung

    Perhaps, but not as abysmal as pretending you can spend your way out of debt.

    Given that this has actually happened in reality, I would say “abysmal” is not the right term to use.

    Try harder. Original thought works better than knee-jerk thinking. You’re being a lazy-ass twit. Again.

  160. 160.

    Makewi

    @Mark S.:

    He’s also said it’s a state’s rights issue and that New York’s decision to allow gay marriage was “fine with me”. So I guess his position is “evolving”.

  161. 161.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Makewi:

    Well, given that he was handed gazillions in debt by his spendthrift, warmongering, deserting predecessor, who intentionally cut revenues in order to pay off his cronies, I’d say he’s not doing that bad.

  163. 163.

    Makewi

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    I know you would say that. But you don’t exactly have a firm grip on reality and your views aren’t exactly mainstream. I do appreciate your, and Obama’s, insistence on the “It’s not my fault” school of leadership and your absolute refusal to understand that spending has skyrocketed under Obama. It’s gotten so bad in fact that attempts to compare this level of spending with that under Bush, even with the wars, just marks you as a no nothing dead-ender.

  164. 164.

    Jay C

    @shortstop:

    Dude(or Dudette): no intent to insinuate anything untoward in the VWJ attraction: like you, I’m more fascinated by the technological advances that let us contemplate and prepare for these weather events so far in advance (Jeez, it’s only Wednesday, and we get a heads-up about possible “hurricane effects on Sunday”??) – vs. the, what, two days vague cautions for the Great Hurricane of 1938 , or the 19th-Century storms that (AFA the locals were concerned) sprang out of nowhere on a few hours – via plummeting barometer – warning?

  166. 166.

    RandyH

    @Makewi:

    We only need someone who can balance a checkbook – seeing as that is a job too difficult for the current spender-in-chief.

    You mean Orange-Julep? Mr. Boner is responsible for the congressional body who authorizes spending. Ask him about it. Maybe we should fire him. I suspect the “American People,” he’s so proud of speaking on behalf of, WILL do that come election day 2012… because he has no idea who he thinks he’s speaking for.

    Go away, Troll.

  168. 168.

    shortstop

    @Violet: True, but let’s not write off the pleasure potential of seeing that Jim Cantore idiot standing around getting seriously rained, hailed and otherwise blown on.

  173. 173.

    chopper

    @JGabriel:

    GFS and GFDL both are shooting for a mid-LI hit. the HWRF is IIRC calling it landing on the eastern end. NOGAPS is a joke half the time.

  175. 175.

    Brachiator

    @Lojasmo:

    Nobody said conservative theologies of many faiths are not as full of shit as perry ks

    Damn, people are thick headed. Perry’s views here may be close to what is moderate mainstream conservative religious thought. You can dismiss and mock it all you want, and here I agree with you.

    But if you look at it from the point of view of numbers, and cold hard political analysis, Perry is not only appealing to a broad range of conservatives, but he is also separating himself from the most obnoxious of the “The Deity hates f^gs” crowd.

  176. 176.

    niknik

    @Makewi:

    OK, Bye

    And say hello to the pie filter, douche-nozzle!

    Is it so much to ask for a better quality of troll? Dissenting opinion is really only interesting if it’s grounded in reality.

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