Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

It’s time for the GOP to dust off that post-2012 autopsy, completely ignore it, and light the party on fire again.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Americans barely caring about Afghanistan is so last month.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

A Senator Walker would also be an insult to reason, rationality, and decency.

T R E 4 5 O N

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

The words do not have to be perfect.

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

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

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

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131Comments

  4. 4.

    Amir Khalid

    Some news from Kuala Lumpur: George Walker Bush and BFF Tony Blair have been convicted of war crimes at a symbolic tribunal held here this week. Next in the dock are Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. I know, it’s a token gesture, and its prime mover is our former PM Dr Mahathir, no angel himself when it comes to human rights. But a symbolic trial is still more than this lot will ever face in a real court.

  6. 6.

    pluege

    we can all be thankful the obama/boehner select committee to destroy America failed in its mission, at least for now.

  8. 8.

    debit

    I’m just getting some laundry done before I have to head out to help my mom. And since none of the local stations seem to play it any longer, I downloaded Alice’s Restaurant from itunes and have it ready to go for the drive. We don’t have very many family traditions, but that’s one my daughter insists on.

  10. 10.

    SiubhanDuinne

    What a sweet video!

    I’m in Canada, arrived at my cousins’ last night, and was expecting today to be just another Thursday. But to my surprise and delight, we’re having a full turkeylicious dinner this evening!

    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone. Try not to drop the turkey on the kitchen floor. Try to keep from killing your bigoted in-laws. And by all means, eat yourself into a stupor.

  12. 12.

    Poopyman

    Right about now is dinner time in Afghanistan, so I’m expecting Obama and/or Biden to show up serving the troops.

    Some annual traditions I’d prefer to see eliminated.

  15. 15.

    4jkb4ia

    EW has directed me to watch 45 minutes of Sheldon Whitehouse, and I could listen to him all day, so things are looking up. “Regulation by suggestion” :)

  17. 17.

    Yoüf

    Pie dilemma. Choose four: sour cream cheesecake, pecan pie, apple pie, coconut cream pie, pumpkin pie.

    Strangely, my wife seems allergic to the peacemaking plan of five pies for six people. My line of thinking is to make six (or more) and scrap the turkey. What pie is missing?

  18. 18.

    gogol's wife

    Happy Thanksgiving everyone. For us it’s lunch at the assisted-living center with Auntie, then goose at a friend’s house. I’m bringing the pecan pie.

  19. 19.

    Steeplejack

    @Yoüf:

    Mincemeat pie is missing. Of your four, I would ditch the coconut cream. I like it, but it always reminds me that I would rather be eating banana cream pie or chocolate cream pie.

  21. 21.

    jeffreyw

    Two cranberry sauces chilling in the fridge. A giblet dressing and a sausage dressing are ready for the oven. Mushroom soup made, I’ll be deep frying some onions to go with the from scratch green bean casserole. Garlic smashed potatoes cooked in cream and butter, sweet potatoes roasted with pineapple chunks are working. Turducken roll thawed and ready to roast. A pound of giblets and hearts boiled soft and ready, eight quarts of stock ready to go from the turkey we cooked two days ago. Wild rice stuffing working.. Pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and Reddi-Whip! Assorted dinner rolls and breads. Homemade butter!

  22. 22.

    debit

    @ mistermix: And thank you for that vid. I watched it a second time, just for the amazing music and wound up buying a couple albums on itunes.

  24. 24.

    Steeplejack

    I have nothing to do. Going to my brother’s house in a couple of hours for the big event. Feels a little strange to be idle, because in years past I have been a host or significant contributor.

    Ah! For some reason this reminds me that I need to make sure my camera is charged up, because I want to take a lot of pictures. No one ever does, for some reason, and I love the little Lumix I got for my birthday last winter. Might even try shooting some video, which I haven’t done yet.

  25. 25.

    Arm The Homeless

    @jeffreyw: Dialectical Question: In my family we always used the term “smashed potatoes” to be a funny twist on the ‘correct’ phrasing. Have you always used the phrase as an analog, or did you just make a decision at some point to substitute it?

    /pedantic

    EDIT: After further googling, there is an entire distinction I was not aware of. I swear to God(s) that I thought potatoes were mashed!

  27. 27.

    S. cerevisiae

    @jeffreyw: I hope you got some real wild rice, not that paddy rice crap that most people think is “wild” rice. Protip – look for the real stuff at powwows in the Great Lakes region, and some of the MN tribes sell it online. The real stuff is grayish brown and thicker-grained than the hard black paddy rice – that junk is like trying to chew gravel.

  28. 28.

    debbie

    My plan is to so aggravate my Republican family members that they lose their appetites and I take home plenty of the deserts I’ve made, pumpkin pie and tiramisu icebox cake.

  29. 29.

    superluminar

    @Amir Khalid
    Don’t you think the involvement of Dr Mahathir is going to condemn the whole enterprise to the status of a lead balloon? I just can’t see it getting positive PR given his history. Sadly.

  30. 30.

    Yoüf

    Ditto Steeplejack’s sentiments about banana cream pie in lieu of coconut cream. Mother-in-law feels that banana cream lacks the proper attributes as a ‘canvas’ for her annual ‘turkey portrait’ done in food coloring and coconut on top of a coconut cream pie (don’t ask).

    I tell her that great artists are able to express themselves on a variety of media equally well. She remains unconvinced. Molecular analysis may be essential to solve this quandary?

  31. 31.

    Josie

    I have much to be thankful for this fall. My daughter-in-law is handling Thanksgiving this year. My meager contribution (pie dough) was done yesterday, so I can be lazy today. Aaannd, I have a job (insert happy dance here). To be sure, it is part time, but every dollar helps. I will be working at the local nature preserve teaching school children (mostly third graders at first) about the wonders of our local flora and fauna. This is really fun, since I am in deep South Texas and we have species that are found no where else in the U.S. The other great thing about it is that my co-workers do not shun me for my age but value me for my many years of teaching experience, I feel truly blessed.

  32. 32.

    befuggled

    I’m in Toronto so I have to work today, but you’re missing cherry pie. Or as I call it, the king of pies. This is obviously a matter of preference, but in my family we’d have three or four fruit pies selected and be deciding whether or not to add a pumpkin pie or a banana cream pie.

    Another, non-fruit option is a chocolate pie. My mother-in-law makes a good one when we go to her house at Christmas (and a great cherry pie). Unfortunately between me, my brother, my brother-in-law and type two diabetes, she probably won’t be making any pies this year.

  33. 33.

    Arm The Homeless

    @Yoüf: I would advise a compromise. Ditch the pie-crust and add a little warm baileys and ‘nillas to that and call it a night. It’s like Nyquil

  36. 36.

    Josie

    @Soonergrunt: Thanks. It will probably never be full time, since the city doesn’t want to pay insurance and benefits. I have teacher retirement, however, plus the insurance from that, so I will be ok now. They will give me as many hours as they can short of the required 40 for full time.

  38. 38.

    Steeplejack

    @Yoüf:

    Mother-in-law feels that banana cream lacks the proper attributes as a ‘canvas’ for her annual ‘turkey portrait’ done in food coloring and coconut on top of a coconut cream pie (don’t ask).

    WTF?! I don’t see how the “cream” topping would be that different on either one. Man, she must have some exacting aesthetic. Does she let anyone actually eat the pie? Because that would spoil the portrait.

  39. 39.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)

    I’m traveling to Chicago to meet my family, who is coming from Ann Arbor and State College. My mother said the hell with all of that time in the kitchen, so she just leaves town and then makes someone else do the cooking.

    Of course, I’m going Amtrak, and the train that was supposed to get me there at 3:55 is now estimated to arrive at Union Station at 7:49.

    Next time, I’m telling my mother to shove the advice and just driving.

  40. 40.

    Cheryl from Maryland

    On the pie front, I’d like to mention the important contribution my sister-in-law made to pie. When making a pecan pie or key lime pie with a crumb crust, add a layer of melted dark chocolate before adding the filling. She generally used either Nestle’s mini-chips or shaved chocolate.

  41. 41.

    arguingwithsignposts

    Attn, black Friday shoppers: Stay away from sharp objects.

    And Neiman Marcus sold out of pewter-color Ferraris (luggage set matching the interior included) at $395,000 each within 50 minutes of making 10 of them available through its “fantasy” holiday catalog late last month.

  43. 43.

    Jennifer

    I talked with my friend of 45 years yesterday, whose mother was the southern cook par excellence in our neighborhood, and she said she and her mom are going to Golden Corral for dinner. Said her husband had taken the kids on a trip to LA so neither of them thought it was worth the bother of cooking all day. I remember one time when I had to dine alone in NYC on Thanksgiving, going to the Hard Rock Cafe for T-day dinner…I was in NYC for an AIA student convention (allegedly) and hadn’t signed up for any programs, thinking I could buy a separate ticket for the T-day dinner. Not so. So all my friends go off to eat together, and I’m all alone. Couldn’t even talk to my parents on the phone because they had gone on a trip to London. The Cafe was a fairly new joint at that time, and virtually deserted on Thanksgiving. The waitress cottoned to my accent, I think, and went in the back and told the manager that there was this pitiful hick girl having dinner all alone, obviously quite far from home…he comes out to the table, welcomes me, and tells me that “all drinks are on the house.” The food was decent, but that’s about all I can say, because I got really hammered. When I met back up with my classmates back at the hotel, they were really pissed – they said the food at their dinner SUCKED and there were no drinks. So it turned out to be a decent Thanksgiving after all.

  44. 44.

    Yoüf

    Two AA members, one egg allergy, one gluten intolerance.

    The Baily’s option is sounding better and better!

    (Naturally, cherry pie was made first and WITHOUT question…)

  45. 45.

    Cassidy

    No Thanksgiving dinner for us today. Got a new job this week, but the downside is I get to work the holiday. We’re moving it to Saturday.

  48. 48.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    @Yoüf: Nantucket Cranberry Pie. It’s been a hit for everyone I’ve shared the recipe with. I use a whole bag of cranberries, measuring them so I can adjust the sugar (you need 1/3 cup of sugar per cup of cranberries) and I often grate some orange zest to add with the nuts. Speaking of, I must go start mine to take to my evil aunt’s later.

    @Raven: Happy fishing stuckinred!

  49. 49.

    Yoüf

    @Steeplejack:
    “Exacting aesthetic” would be one way of putting it. Respect for creativity surely explains why her ‘work of art’ generally languishes in the fridge for days.

    +2 for tip on melted chocolate base layer between crust and filling!

  50. 50.

    Soonergrunt

    @Jennifer: That’s a great story! It’s always best when you find out later on just how much better it was than the plans you would have made worked out.

  51. 51.

    Amir Khalid

    @superluminar:
    Yeah, Dr M’s always been a prickly old git, mostly with his rivals in his own party, but also when it comes to Teh Ebil West. And his own record on human rights here — he spent two decades as PM systematically undermining the checks and balances on his power in that office — makes him something of a hypocrite when he presumes to criticize the likes of George Bush.

    But it’s not so much a matter of Dr M’s involvement tainting the tribunal. It was a symbolic exercise anyway. (Here’s a PDF of its findings.) There was a similar symbolic trial of Nixon in the 1970s over the Vietnam war. Nothing was ever likely to happen to Nixon because of that tribunal, and of course nothing did. Ditto with George and Tony, and with Don and Dick.

  52. 52.

    HRA

    Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

    I made apple, pumpkin and chocolate pie. I recommend chocolate pie since almost everyone will go for it. We do have one diabetic in the family and I used splenda in the apple pies which are his favorite. I have used them for cookies as well and it does not change the taste or the texture.

  53. 53.

    WereBear

    @middlewest: LOL!

    This year only the two humans (four cats) so it’s a wee turkey breast, only supposed to take 2 hours, max. Breast side down… didn’t brine it… we’ll see what happens.

    Getting chopping help with the Waldorf salad; Mr WereBear is the Wizard of Sharp Blades.

    Safety first.

  55. 55.

    superluminar

    @Amir Khalid
    Ok that all sounds pretty much as I’d expect it to (but TWO DECADES?!! This dude’s the South Asian Burlusconi or something!) But I worry over the optics given how other human rights inquests have been dismissed as unserious by our MSM betters over the last few years.

  59. 59.

    schrodinger's cat

    @WereBear: Do you have any suggestions for putting kittehs on a diet. My Tunch like kitteh has becoming quite tubby and I am concerned. I don’t free feed them. The other cat is slim and trim.

  61. 61.

    Phylllis

    We’re headed back to Columbus after riding up to Warm Springs State Park and picking up a couple of goodies at the Calloway Gardens Country Store. Expected at the family dinner around 1-ish. Delivered the wine we were responsible for yesterday. Rather enjoying my no-toil Thanksgiving.

  62. 62.

    Joel

    Had some unreal stomach virus, causing 12 hours of constant vomiting and cancelling our thanksgiving plans for fear of contagion. Just the wife and I, planning on roasting a chicken and probably cooking some squash and the like. Might be ambitious, though. After sustaining on gatorade and whitebread, I tried some milk tea last night and I’m still feeling it this morning.

  63. 63.

    sullyVan

    I just want to “Piss and Moan” about coming down to South Texas for the Winter.
    Don’t.
    The “Red Tide” has totally Fuck’d Up the place if you came down for the Beach. Hell, even if you came to Fish. There’s a line of “Dead Shit” about 5 foot wide that stretches the entire coast. Yeah…it smells GREAT. And the Fuk’n “Red Tide” just started again, so Fuck, more dead Fish.
    Plus, these Fuk’s are “Crazy” down here. You will not get 1 minutes peace at any time. If ever any-one bought into the “Shop till You Drop” propaganda, it was Texans.
    There is NO taking it EASY.
    Its 100 MPH the whole time. Driving. Shopping. Relaxing(Supposed, I haven’t seen it.)
    Got to get somewhere in the shortest amount of time. They go 90 miles per hour across the causeways. I guess they figure with no shoulders= no Cops.
    And they don’t know a Fuk’n thing.
    OWS, no idea. Egypt, no idea. Europe imploding, no idea.
    But,”Floyd’s Barbecue will be open on T-Giving”.
    I watched some of the Republican Bull-Shit Debates, was amazed at Rick Perry and his total lack of command on ANY subject. I know how he was elected…..it was by TEXANS.
    Oh, by the way I’m from Colorado, so the bias was built in.

  64. 64.

    schrodinger's cat

    @Joel: Try ginger tea, ginger is very soothing for an upset stomach and so is yogurt especially if it has live cultures.

  65. 65.

    Schlemizel

    @AlladinsLamp:

    I held my nose & am sort of glad. I have lived in Minneapolis for the last 20 years, done a lot of charity work & never heard of “Sisters Camelot”. Went to their web site & they sure don’t make it easy to find out where there next benefit dinner is.

    I had to open a twitter account to follow them in order to, maybe, find out where they will be. Really a PiTA as far as I am concerned. But it looks like they are doing good work, shame they are hiding their light in a bushel.

  67. 67.

    Violet

    @Joel:
    The stomach virus is going around. I had it a few weeks ago – it was awful. I’m so sorry you got it now. I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday and one of the nurses was talking about it having gone around their offices a few weeks ago. Hopefully you’re on the mend now.

  68. 68.

    Origuy

    Cool video. At 2:02, he’s driving on the left side of the road going to Monument Valley. Not surprised to see it was made in the UK

    Does everyone know about Map Crunch? It brings up random Street View locations. You can filter to a single country or let it pick from anywhere Google has been. Lots of scenes of empty fields and ugly blocks of flats, but you find some gems.

  69. 69.

    Amir Khalid

    @superluminar:
    No, Dr M’s not a Berlusconi. He doesn’t party hearty, and he behaves with much more decorum; there’s never been a whisper of scandal in his personnel life, and definitely no “bungs-bunga”. (Of course, nobody really believes Dr M’s sons got to be billionaire businessmen all by themselves.) The Asian pol closest to media mogul and AC Milan owner Silvio is Thai media mogul (and one-time Manchester City owner) Thaksin Shinawatra.

    However, Dr M does have the mother of all chips on his shoulder, and was quick to use his elbows when keeping hold of power. In 22 years as PM (1981-2003) he had four deputy PMs. No 1 (Musa Hitam) and No 3 (Anwar Ibrahim) were ambitious up and comers who might have been bold, visionary PMs in their own right; No 2 was an inept but harmless has-been, and No 4 was the wuss who eventually succeeded him. Our current, sixth PM Najib Abdul Razak is an aristocrat from Pahang state, the son of the second PM and nephew of the third.

    On these soon-forgotten symbolic trials, I agree 100%. The only trial that would really matter, that could really out the fear of God into Cheney and his ilk, would be one at The Hague. As they say on The X-Files, the Syndicate will do everything to protect itself against that.

  70. 70.

    Soonergrunt

    @sullyVan: Yup. If you qualify for the “Native” bumbersticker, then you ought to just the “fuck Texas” bumpersticker as part of the package.
    I can’t wait for a decent chance to move back home to Colorado. I was born in Glenwood Springs.

  71. 71.

    Canuckistani Tom

    That was a beautiful video. Goes Google Earth now have a ‘drive’ feature? (Loads all the streetview images between A & B, and play them in order)

  73. 73.

    Lawnguylander

    @debit

    In our family my father puts Alice’s Restaurant on at half time of the first football game of the day. Other than The Brother, who is always enthusiastic about hearing it, the rest of us could do without it but we pretend we still love it. I guess the Old Gray Fellow has particularly happy memories of us all singing along in the station wagon on trips to Sunnyside and Jersey and we figure it would break his heart if we didn’t buy in.

  74. 74.

    debbie

    Josie:

    The other great thing about it is that my co-workers do not shun me for my age but value me for my many years of teaching experience.

    That is definitely great. As a 58-year-old-reemployed-after-almost-2-years-of-looking, I’m feeling pretty shunned. I don’t remember doing this kind of thing to oldsters back in the day.

  75. 75.

    Amanda in the South Bay

    My big Thanksgiving plans are actually tomorrow-going to a big get together with friends for a traditional meal and socializing. Probably gonna have pizza with my partner today, very low key.

  76. 76.

    Mnemosyne

    @Joel:

    Watch out with dairy, especially the higher fat ones — it can be tough on a recovering digestive system. Basically, it’s boring food for you for the next few days. SC’s suggestion of yogurt with live cultures is probably your best dairy option since it will help out your native gut flora.

  77. 77.

    suzanne

    I am so embarrassed by riches that it’s impossible for me to list them all. So I’m going to do my best to hold space in my heart for all those who are having a hard time this year for whatever reason. Lots of love to everyone, and thanks to John for this “place”, which would be my favorite bar if it was possible to serve martinis wirelessly. I hope everyone has a great holiday with loved ones, human, canine, feline, etc.

  78. 78.

    Josie

    @debbie: It’s interesting that you mentioned 2 years of looking. That is how long it took me to land this job. It’s as though they see the birth date and immediately file the application in drawer thirteen. Be patient with your co-workers and sooner or later they will figure out that your age translates to wisdom and will hopefully come around. If not, it’s their loss.

  79. 79.

    gelfling545

    @schrodinger’s cat: You may have to feed them separately. My sister had the same situation with her 2 dogs. They each got their allotment of food every am and, while the dachshund stayed slim the pug ballooned out of proportion to the amount of food/activity. Turns our Sadie (the pug) was eating most of Milo’s (the dachshund)food along with hers. Separating them at meal time fixed the problem.

  80. 80.

    debit

    @Lawnguylander: Oh sure, make me doubt my daughter’s love for this and ruin my holiday. (I kid.) I know she loves it, since she’s the one who requested it. And on the way home, we shall listen to Warhorses of Letters.

  81. 81.

    harlana

    @Violet: yay, i have that bug – i’m stuck here, unable to be with my family – but it’s ok, i’ll just visit them another time soon – no way i would be up for stuffing myself today, blegh!

  82. 82.

    harlana

    also, i really don’t feel like going out but i am out of tuna, but if i have to crawl on my hands and knees . . . well, those of you who have cats, you know the rest, the alternative is NOT pretty

  84. 84.

    nancydarling

    @jeffreyw: You did not give us your address so we can show up to eat. Do you use Karo in your pecan pie? Several years ago I started using cane syrup which I order from a place in Georgia (no HFCS). I also have added Kentucky bourbon and chocolate for stupendous results. I’m interested in your cranberry sauce recipes. Canned sauce is verboten in my house unless my brother is a guest. Here is my favorite from experimenting over the years. I have been accused of lacing it with meth as people can’t stop coming back for more.

    http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cranberry-citrus-relish

    I just have to bring the wine this year as I am going to the neighbors later.

  85. 85.

    Josie

    @xian: Are you kidding? Since I am old, my snark meter doesn’t always work properly. I’ve had to put it on every application I’ve filled out. Also, I suspect they can tell by the social security number.

  86. 86.

    sullyVan

    @Soonergrunt: I was from Colorado Springs, until it became “CrazyTown”. Now I say I’m from Manitou Springs, which was more relaxed any-who.
    Can’t claim “Native”, came back in ’74.
    Man, it was sure nice back then. “You kids get off my Lawn”
    I know now why ALL the Oldies look back fondly. I don’t think its just because of change, but the way it changes. Too “Bad” usually. I guess if I was a religious person it would be Fuk’n heaven on Earth.
    Colorado Springs is a “Rat-Hole” now.
    Glenwood is still nice though, except for the traffic to Aspen.
    I don’t know the whole “Valley” is kinda Fuct because of Traffic.
    Lived in Edwards, Eagle, Eagle-Vail, all you hear is Traffic bouncing off the canyon walls.
    Even in the “Back-Country its Jets flying over.
    Gotta try Alaska, I guess. True “Hermit” country.

  87. 87.

    Judas Escargot

    My birthday falls on today.

    I get to celebrate by driving us all to three separate houses over the course of the day (at least it’s sunny and not particularly cold). But at least I got Rocksmith for my birthday (which I’ll interpret as implicit sanction for a low-grade midlife crisis, at least for the weekend).

    Happy tday, all.

  88. 88.

    nancydarling

    Hooray for Cassidy! Josie also too!The day is arbitrary—you can celebrate any day you like.

    Sooner, I thought you said OK was OK. Don’t blame you for longing for Colorado. Even though I have deep familial roots in OK, I wouldn’t want to live there.

    Did any one see the Don Young of AK hissy fit in a committee meeting? No surprise that congress is held in such contempt by the American people. His tantrum and VERY bad manners starts just after the 30 minute mark. The whole hour is instructive.

    http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Drillingi

  89. 89.

    jeffreyw

    @nancydarling: Store bought pie, sorry. It had a no sugar added sticker on it is the only reason we have any pecan pie at all. Bare bones cranberry sauce, one with Splenda and water, the other with juice and zest of an orange and Splenda. Mrs J has had a slice of the pie, I have yet to try it. 45 minutes until time to plate the goodies!

  90. 90.

    Yutsano

    @Cassidy: Last year it was just me and my cat on Thanksgiving since I was still in on-the-job training and the day after could not be used as a holiday. It will make Saturday that much sweeter being employed for it though. I’m glad things are stabilizing for you, I was honestly worried.

    Also too: Mom is in the kitchen going nuts and two border collies are insisting I not leave bed yet.

  91. 91.

    Elizabelle

    @middlewest:

    For a second, I thought I accidentally put everyone on the pie filter.

    Funny.

    I am grateful to have Balloon Juice to look in on. A community of snarksters and smart observers. Would be going nuts without it.

    Happy Thanksgiving to all, wherever this day finds you, and with whatever pie in your future.

  92. 92.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    @Judas Escargot: Happy Birthday.

    @Yutsano: Border collies must be obeyed, as you know. Unless you enjoy nipped heels, LOL.

    Happy Turkey Day to all, and a lovely Thursday to our non-US juicers.

  95. 95.

    Tom Hilton

    My Thanksgiving cooking ordeal is Saturday, for Second Thanksgiving. First Thanksgiving we’re going over to a friend’s house, so all I have to make is derve (smoked herring spread) and cranberry relish (1 lb. fresh cranberries, 1 apple, 1 orange, 1 cup sugar; put the fruit through a hand grinder & add the sugar. My late mom’s recipe, and everybody who’s ever tried it loves the heck out of it).

    That streetview video makes me tear up every time I watch it. I’m a sap.

  96. 96.

    MonkeyBoy

    My WtF dish for this year: deep fried tempuraed okra. It helps if people have been drinking and need appetizers before everything else is ready.

  97. 97.

    Yutsano

    @MonkeyBoy:

    My WtF dish for this year: deep fried tempuraed okra.

    I’m in! Do you have to coat the okra in cornstarch first to keep the muselage from soaking into the breading?

  99. 99.

    schrodinger's cat

    @Yutsano: The best way to fry okra is to cut it in slices, like you would a cucumber and then fry it till crisp, all it needs then is some kosher salt sprinkled on it with a dash of lime. The okra has to be fresh though not frozen.

  102. 102.

    Joel

    @Violet: Got it through a friends kids, we think. Had us on intravenous fluid because my wife didn’t want to drink, and water couldn’t get down through my stomach.

  105. 105.

    Citizen_X

    @sullyVan: Sucks about the red tide, but if you’re going to be there all winter, there are literally dozens of parks and wildlife refuges in south Texas, showcasing the astounding biodiversity of the area. (See comment by Josie above.) Plus (if you’re at South Padre), you can drive, hell, bike, hell, walk to the end of the beach development/beginning of the dunes, and then it’s a hundred miles of undeveloped barrier island. Plus, there’s a whole different country a short drive away.

    Or, you can stew in your condo all winter. Your choice.

  107. 107.

    Nutella

    Nice video. I like the bit with the robot beating on the mouse with his fist. I know the feeling. (Why can’t API documentation document all of the methods??)

  108. 108.

    CaseyL

    That is the sweetest vid. I love how the other machines and robots all participate to make the experience extra special, and the music lends an extra poignant note.

    Very light duty today: Having T-day dinner at the neighbor’s house, just them and me, and my contribution is a cherry-oatmeal crisp desert which takes about an hour to make.

    A friend of mine has decided to participate in Black Friday this year: he intends to be at the mall for the Midnight Madness. He never goes in for that sort of thing; probably sees it in the light of an anthropological exercise (as well as a way to get a great deal on e-gadgets). It should be very amusing to hear his report. I don’t know if he’ll be horrified by mobs coming to blows over the last on-sale laptop, or if he’ll get caught up in the hunter-gatherer mania and have a kick-ass time grabbing the last on-sale laptop.

    Today’s bit of thankfulness: I have a job interview next week, for a position I’m really excited about. Wish me luck!

  111. 111.

    BGinCHI

    Big happy holiday to all you B-J jackals.

    A light lunch and then down the lakefront path on the cross bike. Bit of exercise before I eat and drink like a pig later.

    And remember: you get to choose your friends, but not your family.

  112. 112.

    Yutsano

    @CaseyL:

    Today’s bit of thankfulness: I have a job interview next week, for a position I’m really excited about. Wish me luck!

    LUCK!!

    And if they don’t hire you they’re idiots. :)

  113. 113.

    schrodinger's cat

    @WereBear (itouch): I tried feeding them Innovo, they were not particularly fond of it. Right now I am feeding them a mix of Purina one and Friskies dry food about 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup friskies wet food per cat.

  115. 115.

    noodler

    I am thankful for family and friends, old and new, or, new-old friends, and my two sons and my health and happiness. While I am deployed overseas this Thanksgiving, I look forward to being around those closest to me soon. But man, syria may just get in the way of my christmas too!

  116. 116.

    Mnemosyne

    @schrodinger’s cat:

    Try Blue Buffalo Wilderness — my cats love it. They’re much pickier about their wet food than their dry food, though. I had to cut out all wheat gluten because it was making Keaton puke.

  117. 117.

    debbie

    xian:

    They don’t need your birth date to age you. A great resumé will take care of that task. Amazing that experience has become such a threat.

    The most blatant discriminatory behavior I ever saw in my job search was the way I was treated by an HR outsourcer –t and the interviewer was just about my age!

  118. 118.

    Lojasmo

    @sullyVan:

    Springs area (especially manitou) would have been amazing a hundred years ago. Of course the same applies to most of North America, if not a native.

    ETA: or a black person. Second edit: or a woman.

  120. 120.

    sullyVan

    @sullyVan: Also too, I’m from Colorado, ever been? All else (States) pale by comparison, except California, but its FULL CaalliFornians.
    Some states are truly fly-over country, Texas is in the TOP 5.
    You come to Texas for Work(Sic), or the Coast.
    South Padre blows, its for tourists, and College Kids to get their drunk on. The Beach is NICE, but NOT Dog friendly. Yeah, I’m one of those, my Dog goes everywhere I do. Not much point owning one otherwise, IMO.
    “Padre Island National Park” is what, I think, you are referring too.
    There you do get 60 MILES of beach-front, down to South Padre. Actually you can’t because of the something Channel cut.
    I said I was “Pissin and Moan’n”, please don’t get upset if “You’re” a Texan. We all “Pray” for you. With Perry and all.
    How about the other inane points in my post?
    Spoke the truth?
    Austin, is not Texas.

  121. 121.

    sullyVan

    @Ruckus: Thats a remake dude.
    The first time was supposedly in Canada, I believe.
    Must have had some some ‘Hits” though, to redo.
    I liked it the first time, reminded me of the “Carlin” rant.
    They got the Liffey behind Him this time, Haa!

  124. 124.

    sullyVan

    @Lojasmo: I agree. But its still “Nice” compared to most places people live, really nice from what I’ve seen.
    Oh man, not that shit.

  125. 125.

    karen marie

    @schrodinger’s cat: When my vet told me that Our Gracie had to lose three pounds to get down to a fighting weight of 10, she recommended simply switching her from an all-you-can-eat dry food diet to one can of wet food a day, split between breakfast and dinner. It worked wonderfully well except for the part where the cat was waking me up at 6 am because she was HOOOOONGRY! She did lose at least two pounds but then she figured out she could supplement her snacking by eating the dog’s food. She’s definitely a little thinner than she was but not a lot.

    In sum, the wet food diet works but only if the cat doesn’t have access to dog food.

  127. 127.

    cat48

    @Kittehs to the rescue:

    Sullivan means Conservative in the true sense, not in the GOP distorted, “social values” sense. Obama does tend to perserve traditional values and he appears to live his personal life in the traditional sense. That doesn’t mean he can’t be liberal or progressive at the same time. His “Dreams” book perfectly describes this when he talks about “no sudden moves” when he’s dealing with white folks. I feel sorry for no one who felt he was a flaming liberal of some sort. His two books clearly indicated he was a moderate liberal.

  128. 128.

    sullyVan

    @Ruckus: Yeah, he lays it out there. Not slammin, just saying.

    Plus its my own thread NOW.
    EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT.

    Everyone go give a buck to “Back to Pottersville”.
    Especially “Suzanne”, since she’s loaded.

  129. 129.

    burnspbesq

    Since there are only three of us, we’re going out for dinner. That way, there aren’t any leftovers. :-)

    Just rewound last night’s Duke – Kansas game. Just as good the second time.

    Might go to the games in Anaheim tomorrow. Or might catch some HS football playoff action. There are other places like Florida and Texas that are delusional about the quality of their HS football, but SoCal has the most elite athletes.

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