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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Sunday Evening Open Thread: Idle Curiosity

Sunday Evening Open Thread: Idle Curiosity

by Anne Laurie|  May 6, 20125:35 pm| 112 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Republican Stupidity, Assholes

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(Nick Anderson via GoComics.com)
__

So Betty has covered this already, but I’m still curious, although not curious enough to wade back through a week’s worth of wingnuttery. Does Eric the RedState’s latest Squidcloud of Butthurt…

Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Several media outlets have run stories about a rumored gathering of conservative bloggers, writers, and others last week. You can find pictures on Facebook. You can find a list of names. The words “off the record” seemingly have little value. Much of the information came from invitees…

While I do not claim to be a traditional journalist or reporter, many of the traditional rules of the media have always applied to blogs since I started and even now as I and others move on to television and radio. Off the record means off the record. If some breach the trust, others should not….

Here now nine years after I started blogging, let me tell you something I have noticed. The people who are the loudest haphazard voices and bitterest voices among the longest serving crop of bloggers on left and right are the ones who never grew up. They hold proudly to the standards and cavalier attitude many of us possessed when we first got started and are angry when they see their peers doing more and having more influence and impact than they are. They wonder why they don’t get invited to meetings, conventions, and the like when others do and instead of realizing it is them, they conclude everyone else is selling out…

… indicate that the Romney campaign actually failed to invite the proud Leader of the Red State Strike Farce (mailers of rock salt to Maine Senators) to their not-very-“secret” blogger conclave? Surely box coffee and bulk donuts can’t be that expensive for a campaign sitting on a warchest of UNLIMITED CORPORATE DOLLARS!, although it would be in line with established MBA vulture capitalist best practice to have eyeballed Infinite Erick’s mighty corpus and chosen to cheap out…

Or is Erickson just desperate to hoard his hard-acquired Credibility Capital, and trying to warn his less fortunate fellow Wingnut Welfare recipients against using the N-word in public… prematurely?

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112Comments

  1. 1.

    Brachiator

    May 6, 2012 at 5:40 pm

    Or is Erickson just desperate to hoard his hard-acquired Credibility Capital

    Yes.

    Meanwhile “The Avengers” grossed $200 million over the weekend, more than all the other movies in the top ten, combined.

  2. 2.

    r€nato

    May 6, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    didja notice the shiv that Bryan Fischer – the guy who demanded Richard Grinell’s head – has planted in Mitt’s back?

    “If Mitt Romney can be pushed around, intimidated, coerced, coopted by a conservative radio talk show host in Middle America, then how is he going to stand up to the Chinese? How is he going to stand up to Putin?”

    Of course, right-wing pols have been caving to Rush Limbaugh for years but that’s different…

  3. 3.

    jeffreyw

    May 6, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    Thread needs moar bacon!

  4. 4.

    BGinCHI

    May 6, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    Anne, you could have also gone with “ass clown’s ass cloud” of butt hurt.

    The one thing you can say about wingnut welfare is at least it pays these fucks to savage each other without running out of money to do so.

  5. 5.

    gene108

    May 6, 2012 at 5:52 pm

    @Brachiator:

    Meanwhile “The Avengers” grossed $200 million over the weekend, more than all the other movies in the top ten, combined.

    Not surprised. Good flick. Theater was packed, when I saw it Friday night.

    Apparently there are some scenes in the credits, which I missed because we got up and left as soon as the credits started rolling, so I may see it again, if I have time.

  6. 6.

    Ben Cisco

    May 6, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    @gene108: Never leave a Marvel movie before the end credits are done. They always drop a hook in there.

  7. 7.

    Ben Cisco

    May 6, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    Squidcloud of Butthurt…

    Made of 100% pure WIN.

    In fact, I submit that we dub him “Sir Squidcloud of Butthurt.”

  8. 8.

    Joseph Nobles

    May 6, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    @r€nato: I read that differently. That’s just Fischer expressing the argument. He then provides cover by saying Mitt wanted to fire him along.

  9. 9.

    MattF

    May 6, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    @r€nato: Gosh. But why, exactly, is Fischer pointing this out? In any event, this comment does suggest that Mitt could have just said ‘No’ to Fischer’s demands and would have earned some respect from both right and left.

  10. 10.

    David Koch

    May 6, 2012 at 6:04 pm

    The Avengers” grossed $200 million over the weekend,

    Who knew an Emma Peel flick would be so popular

  11. 11.

    kuvasz

    May 6, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    Being blamed for incivility by that oozing carbuncle of a human being is akin to being called ugly by a pig.

  12. 12.

    jl

    May 6, 2012 at 6:10 pm

    Mmmmm…. box coffee and bulk donuts….

    I can disappear that stuff real quick. Can I get an invite to one of these wingnut conclaves? The crazy talk won’t bother me, I will be out in the hallway loading up on the caffeine and carbs.

    As for the cartoon, I say full speed ahead on claiming credit for success against Al Qaeda. And I am saying that as a person who has very grave doubts about some of the methods, and grave doubts about Obama civil liberties policies.

    But, the alternative would be worse, and there would be no leverage, zero, none at all with the GOP for people on the right side of the issue. (Edit: if you even started a public campaign about it, they might put you on some list) So, no choice in my mind but support Obama and Democrats until the election.

    And, the radio commenter Dave Ross had a piece on the local radio station contrasting the current concern with Democrats claiming credit for doing things that the he man GOPpers could seem to get done with what went on during he Bush II regime.

    One clip made my blood boil, from GW Bush: “The part of FDR and Truman has become the party of cut and run.”

    Incompetent cowardly jingos have been calling the Democrats traitors and weaklings for decades. Time for some payback, and I hope Obama does not back off.

  13. 13.

    Linda Featheringill

    May 6, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    Regarding the cartoon up front:

    I think that the Righties may be screaming about something that doesn’t both other folks. Even their political ad [why is obama taking all the credit] probably doesn’t do what they wanted it to. There is a message all right:

    “If you try to hurt the U.S., Obama will send out his evil minions, who will hunt you down and kill your ass. Then he will boast about it and smirk. So don’t mess with the U.S.”

    And that is bad how?

  14. 14.

    gaz

    May 6, 2012 at 6:15 pm

    @Linda Featheringill:

    And that is bad how?

    Duh. Because a DFH librul nazi soshulist is doing it, and STFU that’s why!11eleven1

  15. 15.

    MikeJ

    May 6, 2012 at 6:16 pm

    @efgoldman: It wouldn’t have earned him any respect from the right but the taunts wouldn’t have been about how weak he is.

  16. 16.

    MattF

    May 6, 2012 at 6:16 pm

    @efgoldman: Well, I’ll withdraw that, ‘respect’ is not the right word, I agree. It’s hard to find the words for Romney’s… echoing empty space where most people have something.

  17. 17.

    General Stuck

    May 6, 2012 at 6:24 pm

    http://news.yahoo.com/congressional-intel-chairs-taliban-stronger-202043525–abc-news-politics.html

    “I think we both say that what we found is the Taliban is stronger,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

    Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, agreed with her assessment.

    WTF is wrong with Sen Feinstein? She can be such a tool sometimes, it boggles the mind. And who you gonna believe, a pair of preening elected congresscritters, or the freaking military itself.

    Despite a Pentagon report just released that found that the Taliban is holding steady in Pakistan but slowly degrading in Afghanistan, both lawmakers said they are concerned that radicals trained in Pakistan could re-emerge as a new generation of fighters even if the current Afghan insurgency were to burn itself out.

    Like every other westerner, these two bozos don’t have a clue the inner pol workings of this 12 century country, who have been producing ‘new generation’ fighters for centuries. It is a tribal feudal society, and they will go on fighting till they take a break, and then do it all over again. Time to go, bamboos, hit the trail like a Buffalo Turd. If it starts to become an exporter of international terrorism again, then we can deal with that if it happens.

  18. 18.

    MattF

    May 6, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    @efgoldman: Yeah, maybe Scrooge McDuck with a Daddy problem.

  19. 19.

    jl

    May 6, 2012 at 6:27 pm

    @jl:
    Sorry, meant to type”

    “…the radio commenter Dave Ross had a piece on the local radio station contrasting the current concern with Democrats claiming credit for doing things that the he man GOPpers could NOT seem to get done with what went on during he Bush II regime. ”

    but I guess people could figure it out.

    My argument with people about the current GOP and foreign policy can be boiled down to “they invaded the WRONG country and could not get the guy who did 9/11”. The GOP cannot be trusted until every single one of the people who served during that time or has made any excuses for them at all are out of political life, out of active role in party. QED. They deserve complete political destruction just for that. The did then, they do now, and they will continue to deserve until every one who was involved and all apologists are out of public life.

  20. 20.

    General Stuck

    May 6, 2012 at 6:27 pm

    I don’t know what is wrong with above link, but will try a last time to make it

  21. 21.

    jl

    May 6, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    @General Stuck:

    She can be such a tool sometimes,

    Edit: forgot to work in ‘corrupt’. Sadly, probably the best CA can do for one of its Senators for time being. Time she retired, but I think she will run again.

  22. 22.

    Spaghetti Lee

    May 6, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    Hey, you leave my homeboy Scrooge McDuck outta this. I think the Sadlies got it right when comes to comparing Romney to fictional characters: http://www.sadlyno.com/archives/36928.html

  23. 23.

    PurpleGirl

    May 6, 2012 at 6:32 pm

    @efgoldman: Wrong Avengers. This movie is about the Marvel group of superheroes, not the British crimefighting team with Mrs. Peel. (But agree that Diana Rigg is still hawt.)

  24. 24.

    General Stuck

    May 6, 2012 at 6:35 pm

    @efgoldman:

    Yes, and I was just the other day watching a Vietnam documentary on how they came to that conclusion. After the battles of Ia Drang in 1965, where we lost circa 250 KIA, with the NVA having lost 3000 in that battle. All of it to secure no ground, but gave the brass, including Westmoreland the big idea that we could win by attrition, so the slaughter went on another 10 years, and we lost with 58,000 more KIA and a couple million Vietnamese. Some people never learn stuff from repeating mistakes of the past.

  25. 25.

    PurpleGirl

    May 6, 2012 at 6:41 pm

    @efgoldman: Sorry. I should have replied to him then.

  26. 26.

    Maude

    May 6, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    @efgoldman:
    The Repubs still say that Saddam is dead and that’s what made it worth it. Of course, they were sitting in their comfy chairs and the US soldiers weren’t, but hey, that’s minor.

  27. 27.

    mb

    May 6, 2012 at 6:48 pm

    When the story about Romney meeting with the rightards came out the other day, I remember noting that Eric^2 (or perhaps it was redstate) was not on the list and assumed it was because he’d been pretty vociferously anti-Romney during the primary.

  28. 28.

    Beauzeaux

    May 6, 2012 at 6:50 pm

    @David Koch:
    Lord, I’m 70 years old this month and even I might totter out to the local cinema if the Diana Rigg of the 1960s was about.

  29. 29.

    Beauzeaux

    May 6, 2012 at 6:51 pm

    @Beauzeaux:

  30. 30.

    Beauzeaux

    May 6, 2012 at 6:51 pm

    @Beauzeaux:

  31. 31.

    MTiffany

    May 6, 2012 at 7:00 pm

    While I do not claim to be a traditional journalist or reporter, many of the traditional rules of the media have always applied to blogs…

    STFU, Whitey McLiar.

  32. 32.

    Omnes Omnibus

    May 6, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    @efgoldman: The Ralph Fiennes/Uma Thurman Avengers flick was horrible. Abysmal. Awful. I mean, it sucked. Bad.

  33. 33.

    gene108

    May 6, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    @Maude:

    The Repubs still say that Saddam is dead and that’s what made it worth it.

    What they’re saying was Saddam was given a fair trial, before his execution. Saddam’s execution wasn’t an extra-judicial summary execution that was carried out against Osama, therefore it is somehow more justifiable or better or whatever.

    @General Stuck:

    WTF is wrong with Sen Feinstein? She can be such a tool sometimes, it boggles the mind.

    Military contracts are big business for California. It’d hurt the state’s economy for military spending to drop down to some level that reflects the actual low level of threats the U.S. faces militarily.

  34. 34.

    The Dangerman

    May 6, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    @jeffreyw:

    Thread needs moar bacon!

    My body hardened just from that photo (my ARTERIES; damn, this crowd has a filthy mind).

  35. 35.

    Ben Franklin

    May 6, 2012 at 7:22 pm

    As I’ve grown up online… mmmmmmppppffff…

  36. 36.

    jl

    May 6, 2012 at 7:23 pm

    @jeffreyw: I missed that food pROn pic. Beautiful pic, and the treatment sounds delicious.

    If only it warn’t bacon.

    I was forced fed so much fried eggs and bacon for breakfastn as a kid, I do not like either any more.

    Maybe in another life.

    I am noting down all the stuff you put on it though, sounds delicious. Except for all that damn bacon underneath.

  37. 37.

    Nellcote

    May 6, 2012 at 7:32 pm

    @jl:

    Time she retired, but I think she will run again.

    She’s up for re-election this year. Orly Taintz is running on the gooper side.

  38. 38.

    Lojasmo

    May 6, 2012 at 7:32 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    I don’t understand how they fucked it up so badly.

  39. 39.

    danimal

    May 6, 2012 at 7:37 pm

    @Nellcote: I’m really considering voting for Orly in the primary. It would be absolutely awesome to see her as the GOP opponent in November.

  40. 40.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 6, 2012 at 7:41 pm

    @jl: I am not much of bacon fan either, too greasy for me. All I can taste is the fat. You know what goes really with eggs? Pastrami. This is what I do, spray a single serving baking dish with canola oil spray, one slice of pastrami, beat one egg and pour on the pastrami, bake in a toaster oven for about 10 min, toast bread in the toaster oven for the last 2 to 3 min. Hot breakfast ready, without standing next to a hot stove worth less 5 min of effort.

  41. 41.

    Mark S.

    May 6, 2012 at 7:47 pm

    John McCain was absolutely killing it on This Week. His advice to Romney on selecting a veep:

    The absolute, most important aspect is, if something happened to him, would that person be well qualified to take that place? I happen to believe that was the primary factor in my decision in 2008. And I know it will be Mitt’s.

    The fact that he was able to say that with a straight face is testament to what a gifted comedian he is. When asked about some of the potential picks, he let fly this zinger:

    I’m very happy to say, we’ve got a very deep bench

    If he ever goes on tour, I am definitely buying a ticket.

  42. 42.

    Alison

    May 6, 2012 at 7:51 pm

    Hey peoples, I got one copy of The Poisonwood Bible left to bestow (see here for deets: https://balloon-juice.com/2012/05/05/open-thread-1309/#comment-3233178). Come on, one of you jerks wants it, right? And I mean “jerks” as a compliment, I promise :)

  43. 43.

    Yutsano

    May 6, 2012 at 7:54 pm

    @schrodinger’s cat: Sounds like you’d enjoy doing that but with prosciutto or serrano ham instead of bacon. Even Canadian bacon is a good swap out there too. Lotsa good porcine lower fat options.

  44. 44.

    Raven

    May 6, 2012 at 7:57 pm

    Anyone watched “Sherlock”? Is it good? Is it chronological or can you pick it up where it starts tonight?

  45. 45.

    jeffreyw

    May 6, 2012 at 7:58 pm

    @schrodinger’s cat: You know who else liked pastrami?

  46. 46.

    jeffreyw

    May 6, 2012 at 7:59 pm

    @schrodinger’s cat: You know who else liked pastrami?

  47. 47.

    Raven

    May 6, 2012 at 8:02 pm

    @jeffreyw: is there an echo in here?

  48. 48.

    Brachiator

    May 6, 2012 at 8:03 pm

    @Raven:

    Anyone watched “Sherlock”? Is it good? Is it chronological or can you pick it up where it starts tonight?

    It’s the second season, but each season only consists of a view episodes. If you are familiar with the stories, you should have no problem. In this universe, we have been introduced to Mycroft and Moriarty.

    And this first episode? Two words.

    Irene Adler.

  49. 49.

    tratclif

    May 6, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    @Raven: Sherlock is good to excellent depending on episode. I don’t think you’ll miss much by just jumping into the second season. And you’ll be up on what the Cool Kids are watching :)

  50. 50.

    Raven

    May 6, 2012 at 8:05 pm

    @Brachiator: Yea and they are playing the season one episode one after the premier of season two tonight.

  51. 51.

    MikeJ

    May 6, 2012 at 8:11 pm

    @tratclif: The cool kids watched it the first time it was on back in January (or 2010 for the first series.)

  52. 52.

    gogol's wife

    May 6, 2012 at 8:12 pm

    @Raven:

    It’s really good. If you feel lost at certain points it’s because it’s very fast and witty, not because you missed the first season. There’s one episode I’ve watched three times and I still feel as if I’m missing some of the jokes. I like that feeling!

  53. 53.

    jl

    May 6, 2012 at 8:12 pm

    @Nellcote: OK, I guess I need the get the nose clip out and vote for DiFi again.

  54. 54.

    Raven

    May 6, 2012 at 8:13 pm

    @gogol’s wife: We struggled with some of Prime Suspect because of the deep accents and our lousy hearing.

  55. 55.

    gogol's wife

    May 6, 2012 at 8:14 pm

    @Raven:

    Me too, but that’s not the problem here. It’s pretty much the Queen’s English, but very saturated with clues and repartee. Unlike Prime Suspect, it doesn’t really matter much if you miss a few clues. It’s still enjoyable.

  56. 56.

    jl

    May 6, 2012 at 8:15 pm

    @schrodinger’s cat:
    Eggs plus pastrami. Sounds good. I will try it.

    @jeffreyw:
    Ok, now we are talking. Thanks.

  57. 57.

    MikeJ

    May 6, 2012 at 8:15 pm

    @gogol’s wife:

    I still feel as if I’m missing some of the jokes.

    Are they showing Hound tonight? Non-spoiler joke hint for Americans: “dogging” is britslang for sex in public where others watch.

  58. 58.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    May 6, 2012 at 8:16 pm

    @Yutsano:

    Canadian bacon is the closest I can get to English bacon. I miss English bacon like you would not believe, not only the bacon, but the rest of the pig that has been turned into bacon, the Gammon steaks, the bacon ribs, there is NOTHING like a rack of bacon ribs. Bacon over here is what we in the UK call “streaky bacon” and no one will eat it as it is so full of fat.

  59. 59.

    Brachiator

    May 6, 2012 at 8:16 pm

    @David Koch:

    Who knew an Emma Peel flick would be so popular

    Redoing it in 3D made all the difference.

    Also, the scenes where Peel transforms into the Hulk.

  60. 60.

    gogol's wife

    May 6, 2012 at 8:16 pm

    @MikeJ:

    I think tonight is Scandal in Belgravia, but I’m not sure.

  61. 61.

    Mark S.

    May 6, 2012 at 8:17 pm

    @MikeJ:

    I’m kind of embarrassed I knew that.

  62. 62.

    Left Coast Tom

    May 6, 2012 at 8:17 pm

    @Nellcote:

    She’s up for re-election this year. Orly Taintz is running on the gooper side.

    I received my sample ballot a few days ago (the primary is now ‘top two go to the general regardless of party’). There are 24 names on it under US Senate. The GOP-endorsed candidate (out of about 14 generally unemployable goopers) is someone named Elizabeth Emken, whom I had to google because I’ve never heard of her in my life. She’s run for office once before, in the CA-11 (McNerney – D) R primary, where she finished fourth out of four.

    Compare that against Orly’s “name recognition”, and let that marinate for a while. Apparently the GOP decided to give it a miss this year.

  63. 63.

    MikeJ

    May 6, 2012 at 8:20 pm

    @Mark S.: I thought you looked familiar.

  64. 64.

    Left Coast Tom

    May 6, 2012 at 8:23 pm

    Curiously, there’s one gooper on the sample ballot who’s not “unemployable”, Greg Conlon, who if memory serves was formerly an appointed PUC member, but has never held elected office. I say “curiously”, because the GOP decided to endorse someone else.

  65. 65.

    Baud

    May 6, 2012 at 8:24 pm

    @Left Coast Tom: Glad to hear the DSCC won’t have to waste money on that race.

  66. 66.

    EIGRP

    May 6, 2012 at 8:25 pm

    @Brachiator:

    Meanwhile “The Avengers” grossed $200 million over the weekend, more than all the other movies in the top ten, combined.

    One of my nephews (13) said “The Avengers” was the BEST MOVIE EVER!

    That’s probably why it hit $200m.

  67. 67.

    jl

    May 6, 2012 at 8:28 pm

    @Left Coast Tom:

    Thanks. I just checked that myself. I knew the new CA open primary applied to state legislative races, was not sure about Congress. Looks like it does.

    Maybe CA will not have to deal with GOPper in the general at all! That is very unlikely unfortunately for statewide office, but one can dream.

    It would be interesting if DiFi had to run against a sane candidate.

    So, turns out I will have to think about the CA Senate race after all. Looks like fun.

    Edit: the CA 2012 Senate slate looks so crowded, maybe a Libertarian or Peace and Freedom candidate can get through. Or maybe two Democrats.

    I’m dreaming, probably.

  68. 68.

    jl

    May 6, 2012 at 8:33 pm

    You can see the party slates for CA Senate 2012 at Wikipedia.

    United States Senate election in California, 2012
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_California,_2012

    Edit: meant to type ‘the CA 2012 GOP Senate slate’ above.

  69. 69.

    Brachiator

    May 6, 2012 at 8:43 pm

    @EIGRP:

    One of my nephews (13) said “The Avengers” was the BEST MOVIE EVER

    Great! Everyone should have a movie, a song, some piece of art that absolutely hits them where they live, that transforms all the molecules in their body and puts them back together again.

    That said, the box office reports indicate that the first weekend audience was a pretty diverse crowd.

  70. 70.

    Anne Laurie

    May 6, 2012 at 8:43 pm

    @mb:

    When the story about Romney meeting with the rightards came out the other day, I remember noting that Eric^2 (or perhaps it was redstate) was not on the list and assumed it was because he’d been pretty vociferously anti-Romney during the primary.

    “Vociferously anti-Romney“, as in “Erick voted for a guy who’d already quit the race rather than give Romney his Georgia primary vote”. Even now, the best I’m seen him manage is “We need to bring out the True Conservative(tm) vote to defeat That Man in the White House”. But I thought Romney’s natural pandering instincts, or those of his staff, might overcome the personal animosity.

    If we can only witness a public battle between Erick ‘Strike Farce’ Erickson and Eric ‘Etch-A-Sketch’ Fehrnstrom, I will be a happy Democratic voter. Imagine an enraged domestic barrow (neutered before puberty) pig under assault by a wire-haired miniature dachshund — all flesh wounds & spittle & high-pitched screaming from both contestants.

  71. 71.

    Raven

    May 6, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    @Brachiator: You mean like Spartacus or Shane?

  72. 72.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    May 6, 2012 at 8:55 pm

    The righties are pissed because Al Qaida hasn’t avenged Osama’s death with some spectacular Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer styled terror act in America, No taking out of the Sears Tower, Golden Gate Bridge or Cowboys stadium in a middle of a Cowboys monday night game, so the can blame the president, for not protecting the country from terrorists (J.T Ready and George Zimmerman excepted).

  73. 73.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 6, 2012 at 8:56 pm

    @jeffreyw: Wait, I know the answer, begins with an H and ends in an r, Homer, of course!

    ETA: For those who don’t know, Homer is jw’s white kitteh with a black tail. Looks like a younger, slimmer version of Tunch.

  74. 74.

    Michael Bersin

    May 6, 2012 at 8:59 pm

    Representative Vicky Hartzler (republican, MO-4) continues her string of right wingnut truthiness at a town hall in Versailles, Missouri on Friday:

    ….and this president has done more executive orders than any other president, although it is, has been a tool that’s been used by every president since George Washington….

    Not even close. According to the National Archives to May 2, 2012 that’s 118 by President Obama, 290 by George W. Bush, 363 by Bill Clinton, 165 by George H. W. Bush, 380 by Ronald Reagan, 319 by Jimmy Carter, 168 by Gerald Ford, 345 by Richard Nixon, 323 by Lyndon Johnson, 213 by John Kennedy, 481 by Dwight Eisenhower, 893 by Harry Truman, 3,466 by FDR, and 995 by Herbert Hoover.

  75. 75.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 6, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    @jeffreyw: Wait, I know the answer, begins with an H and ends in an r, Homer, of course!

    ETA: For those who don’t know, Homer is jw’s white kitteh with a black tail. Looks like a younger, slimmer version of Tunch. Same cattitude, without the floofiness.

  76. 76.

    Brachiator

    May 6, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    @Raven:

    You mean like Spartacus or Shane?

    Yep. I took a film class taught by a critic who named one of his kids Shane.

    For me, the book would be Great Expectations. The album, Astral Weeks. The movies, Children of Paradise and The Samurai Trilogy.

    As always, your mileage may vary.

  77. 77.

    jl

    May 6, 2012 at 9:01 pm

    @Anne Laurie:

    ‘ “Erick voted for a guy who’d already quit the race rather than give Romney his Georgia primary vote”. Even now, the best I’m seen him manage is “We need to bring out the True Conservative™ vote to defeat That Man in the White House”. But I thought Romney’s natural pandering instincts, or those of his staff, might overcome the personal animosity. ‘

    Emphasis added.

    I like it. Bodes well for the general election.
    I hope Romney & Co. keep up that winning attitude.

    Edit: I remember now the advice of one Willie Brown on holding grudges against whoever can help you with the next battle: Don’t. And his diagnosis of those who do not follow his maxim: Loser.

  78. 78.

    Raven

    May 6, 2012 at 9:08 pm

    @Brachiator: I was just trying to find the Foxes Wedding clip from Kurosawa’s Dreams!

  79. 79.

    Left Coast Tom

    May 6, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    @jl: Looking over my sample ballot, I’m thinking there’s a decent chance we really could be looking at Di-Fi vs. Orly Taitz in November.

  80. 80.

    Mark S.

    May 6, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    What a catty post by Son of Erick. I’m surprised he didn’t accuse all bloggers who don’t have TV gigs of eating cheetos and living in their mothers’ basements.

    And why was Mitt’s greet and grope off the record, anyway? I mean, not the things he said, the very existence of the meeting was apparently supposed to be a big secret. Politicians have been meeting with bloggers for close to a decade.

  81. 81.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    May 6, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    @Michael Bersin:

    You see this is what pisses me off. They are never called on it. This morning on MHP there was a Republican strategist who said that “small businesses are already suffering because of Obamacare” How? The mandate doesn’t come in until 2014, and yet MHP FAILED (sorry girlfriend but you did) to ask her HOW businesses were suffering because of Obamacare” she was able to spout her bullshit unchecked. It just pisses me off.

  82. 82.

    Omnes Omnibus

    May 6, 2012 at 9:10 pm

    @Brachiator: The woman. Excellent

  83. 83.

    Baud

    May 6, 2012 at 9:12 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt: I like MHP, but what few times I’ve caught her show, it’s been like what you described. I’ve been disappointed so far.

  84. 84.

    tam1MI

    May 6, 2012 at 9:20 pm

    Curiously, there’s one gooper on the sample ballot who’s not “unemployable”, Greg Conlon, who if memory serves was formerly an appointed PUC member, but has never held elected office. I say “curiously”, because the GOP decided to endorse someone else.

    Why should the GOP bother putting up a serious candidate when they’ve got DiFi to do their dirty work for them?

  85. 85.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    May 6, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    @Baud: Yeah, she asked the right question following that segment saying “but it appears to me that if citizens are required to have health insurance then it is going to help small businesses because any employee coming in will already have a policy and therefore the employer doesn’t have to worry about it”. It was a great point, but she allowed the Repub spokesperson to go off on a tangent that had nothing to do with the individual mandate and again say that “small businesses are suffering because of Obamacare” I just do not understand how these people are allowed to go on TV and just out and out lie.

    ETA – I think that Rachel would have called her ass on this, but I think that she is the only host who would have.

  86. 86.

    andy

    May 6, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    I dedicate my sunday night polenta to Son of Erik’s distress. I don’t know which is more delicious, my dinner or all the wingnut butthurt coming out of Mitten’s stupid meeting.

  87. 87.

    lamh35

    May 6, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    Evening ya’ll.

    DAMNNNNNN!!! The Avengers estimated to make 200.3 Million dollars by the end of the weekend for the biggest opening weekend EVER in North America!!!! Its on tap to make 1 billion probably by the end of the month. Ya’ll need to see this movie, it’s that good.

    http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/05/06/box-office-report-avengers/

  88. 88.

    Baud

    May 6, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    @Litlebritdifrnt:

    I think that Rachel would have called her ass on this

    Chris Hayes would have also. Ed would never have someone like that on his show. I’m not sure about the others.

  89. 89.

    David Koch

    May 6, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    ahahahahhahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahah

    CNN is saying the election of a socialist in France and the rejection of austerity is ……… wait for it…. good news for Romney.

    their stated logic is that since Obama was friendly with Sarkozy that his loss reflects on Obama.

    I guess when Ted Turner gave up ownership, they lobotomized the whole place.

  90. 90.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    May 6, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    @Baud: Yeah, you are right, Chris would more than likely have done that. Ed, meh, he wouldn’t allow a right wing bullshit artist on the show to begin with.

  91. 91.

    amk

    May 6, 2012 at 9:30 pm

    @General Stuck: Hey, those military dollars aren’t going to print by themselves. Gotta sell fear and corrupt dems are no different than corrupt rethugs.

  92. 92.

    Baud

    May 6, 2012 at 9:31 pm

    @David Koch: Good thing you’re the only person who watches CNN on Sunday night.

  93. 93.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    May 6, 2012 at 9:32 pm

    @David Koch:

    Yeah so an “anti” austerity socialist gets elected in France, virtually every City council in Britain up for grabs goes to Labour booting the conservative out of office, and that is somehow good news for RMoney? George Bush played nice with Tony Blair because he had to. Seems to me that the world is looking at these “austerity” governments and telling them to get the f**k out of office.

  94. 94.

    mai naem

    May 6, 2012 at 9:35 pm

    I believe DiFi’s hubby makes his money off the military industrial complex so I think she’s got kind of makes out good to keep the military industrial complex going strong.

  95. 95.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 6, 2012 at 9:37 pm

    @amk: Hey amk, how have you been? I meant to ask you a question are the funeral rites among Tamil Brahmins very drawn out, they have been practically have some ceremonies or the other everyday, since this Friday, also 2 to 3 days after the actual funeral, which was last Saturday. There is something tonight (morning in India) tomorrow and again on Tuesday (13th day). I have heard about 13th and the funeral, but never heard of all these intervening rituals.

  96. 96.

    Brachiator

    May 6, 2012 at 9:44 pm

    @David Koch:

    their stated logic is that since Obama was friendly with Sarkozy that his loss reflects on Obama.

    I was waiting for this and wrote about it in another thread. These goons are nothing if not predictable.

  97. 97.

    Gex

    May 6, 2012 at 9:46 pm

    @efgoldman: We have our first ever mime commenter. Neat.

  98. 98.

    amk

    May 6, 2012 at 10:01 pm

    @schrodinger’s cat: Different caste groups have different rites. Brahmins are very orthodox and their rites tend to be monotonous and stretched out and difficult to understand even for other Indians.

  99. 99.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 6, 2012 at 10:06 pm

    @amk: I spoke to MIL this morning and she hasn’t left the house since the funeral, not even to run errands. She is uber traditional, and judgmental. Like I said on another thread, Tambram version of Dana Carvey’s church lady.

  100. 100.

    amk

    May 6, 2012 at 10:14 pm

    @schrodinger’s cat: The bigger question is, what now ? The hindu tradition sez it’s the son’s responsibility to care of the parents. Hope you are ready for it. :)

  101. 101.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 6, 2012 at 10:23 pm

    @amk: Oh noes, runs and hides under the bed, seriously though, she doesn’t want to leave Bombay, all her siblings there. She has her own house (apartment) and is very involved in her homeowner’s association equivalent, I think she is the secretary or something.

  102. 102.

    amk

    May 6, 2012 at 10:33 pm

    @schrodinger’s cat: Good, works out well for everybody. :)

  103. 103.

    Frankensteinbeck

    May 6, 2012 at 10:40 pm

    @Brachiator:
    I love this game! Favorite movie, Wall-E. Favorite book series, the Miss Bianca books by Margery Sharp. Favorite TV series, Rozen Maiden. Favorite album… hmmm. Either Aquarium or The Open Door, I think.

  104. 104.

    sharl

    May 6, 2012 at 11:14 pm

    @David Koch:

    I guess when Ted Turner gave up ownership [of CNN], they lobotomized the whole place.

    Pretty much; as has been noted elsewhere, new ownership at CNN eventually decided they wanted some of that wingnut moola Fox was bringing in. Easier said than done, as CNN discovered; when you’re not bringing anything new to the table, pretty hard to out-fox Fox by simply being a faux Fox, or, something. Certainly doesn’t help that the typical wingnut is a creature of habit, so even if CNN successfully offered ‘New Wingnut Media’, there’s no reason to think that the average Fox viewer would jump ship.

    Ted Turner ain’t ever been happy about ceding control of CNN. According to his account, an increasingly compromised regulatory system – compliments of a compromised/corrupted Congress – forced his hand.

  105. 105.

    danielx

    May 6, 2012 at 11:17 pm

    Hospitals are exhausting, even when getting someone out.

  106. 106.

    gene108

    May 7, 2012 at 4:54 am

    @sharl:

    Also, too CNN is part of the liberal MSM to any self-respecting conservative, therefore they have know chance of getting Fox News viewers.

  107. 107.

    gene108

    May 7, 2012 at 5:16 am

    @schrodinger’s cat:

    You’re pretty much in mourning and not doing anything until the 13th day ceremony is over.

    Then you start trying to get your life back together.

    General rule is you don’t do any significant/auspicious religious ceremonies for one year after a family member dies.

    After the first year is over and every death anniversary* after that the oldest son has the responsibility to preform the shraddam ceremony for his father.

    *Death anniversaries and such are figured using the Tamil calendar. Correlations between Tamil dates and Gregorian dates can be found on-line at various websites.

    Tambram

    Never heard that before…cute…

  108. 108.

    the fugitive uterus

    May 7, 2012 at 6:42 am

    “Squidcloud of Butthurt” – this is why i keep coming back

  109. 109.

    harlana

    May 7, 2012 at 6:45 am

    Emma Peel transforming into the Hulk? I don’t think I wanna see that. I looooved the old Avengers, Diana Rigg only, thank you very much.

  110. 110.

    A Humble Lurker

    May 7, 2012 at 7:30 am

    @lamh35:
    Joss Whedon, man. Joss Whedon.

  111. 111.

    The Other Chuck

    May 7, 2012 at 12:52 pm

    Is Avengers followable if you haven’t seen a single one of the the movies featuring its individual superheroes?

  112. 112.

    James Hulsey

    May 7, 2012 at 4:22 pm

    @Brachiator: You would have also seen how the Series 1 cliffhanger was “resolved.”

    I won’t give it away.

    I just have two words to say about this whole series, including the latest episode/movie.

    Awe. Some.

    One interesting aspect is the importance of texting, and how texting is incorporated into the plot. Doyle’s Holmes was well-acquainted with the latest technology of his time, and so is this one, but he prefers texting, because it avoids that messy interpersonal communication that gets in the way of his work.

    Benedict Cumberbatch (how’s that for a name!) has created a Sherlock that is part Sheldon Cooper and part Severus Snape, with a wee bit of Tom Baker’s Doctor Who thrown in for flavor.

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