Never done an open thread. Figured it was time!
That’s Monday evening, here in Lafayette, Indiana. Might seem a little premature to talk about summer storms, but then summer comes early these days. I suspect I’ll spend a lot of time on that roof this summer.
Incidentally, I’m looking for a little summer work. If anybody knows anything telecommuting-wise, or in the western-central Indiana area, including in Indianapolis, drop me an email.
Mustang Bobby
We just went through a real turd-floater here in Miami. The rainy season is upon us.
lamh35
Speaking of Indiana, seems Lugar is out as Senator. Will this make the seat an easy pickup for Dems with a good candidate? What happens if Lugar runs as Indpendent,
Freddie deBoer
The real glory for me is that we get the Chicago baseball teams games here. Few things better for casual watching/background noise.
PeakVT
Amendment One is winning with 3% counted.
lamh35
on the topic of storms, as a Katrina survivor I take any mention of super storms with a grain of salt.
Does Indiana have levees?
Splitting Image
I doubt Indiana will be an easy pickup, but it is a possible one. We’ll have to see what the Democratic candidate has got.
Amendment 1 looks close, but the Yes guys are winning.
jeffreyw
Me so horny.
Freddie deBoer
Such a strange mix here. We had Occupy people outside the courthouse every weekend for months, and not just kids from the college, either. Good local lefty paper, too. But the mayor was able to squash a gay bar by getting signatures from most every downtown business.
David Koch
Lugar gone = No more Dick
JPL
@David Koch: We’ll always have Dick…
Origuy
@lamh35: Indiana has a few levees, in the southwestern part, around the Wabash River. Lots of rivers and streams that flood from time to time. Nothing like Katrina, of course, but the White River, which runs through Indianapolis flooded last year.
I grew up in Bloomington. Summer storms were usually just entertainment, but we were on higher ground.
cathyx
@jeffreyw: You are one kinky guy.
Hill Dweller
@PeakVT: I voted against it, and rallied every one I knew to do the same.
NC is a changing state. There are liberal havens like the Triangle(Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill), Asheville and parts of Charlotte. But get out of the metropolitan areas, and it is just as conservative as any other southern state.
The bigots might win this battle, but they are going to lose the war.
jharp
My daughter goes to Purdue and Lafayette, Indiana is a great town.
Freddie deBoer
@jharp: Boiler Up!
David Koch
gay marriage is getting reamed in north carolina
BGinCHI
My home town!!
OK, across the river and out in the county, but close.
Tearing up over here….
mainmati
@lamh35: Since this is IN, “easy Democratic pickup” would seem to be an oxymoron. More likely safely Tea Party.
jeffreyw
Cat with dill.
BGinCHI
Freddie, me, Mrs. BG, and Xavi will be down for the Fiddlers’ Gathering in June.
http://dcwi.com/fiddlers/
We come down every year for that. It’s quite a hoot(enanny).
Alison
Freddie, I have a very insignificant question for you: Why do you not capitalize your post titles? It means nothing in the long run, but since you’ve been posting more lately, I keep noticing it and like the crankypants I am, can’t stop wondering…
BGinCHI
@Alison: ee cummings purity pledge, silly.
Freddie deBoer
@Alison: Uh, hmmm, let me come up with a good reason. I’m using APA style?
MikeJ
@Freddie deBoer: Even in APA style the initial word should be capped.
Heliopause
I’ll give you a dollar if you explain Finnegan’s Wake to me.
debg
Kevin Drum’s post against the Chronicle firing Schaefer Riley is not good, Freddie. His readers are taking him to task pretty furiously. Drum cited NICK GILLESPIE of all people (yes, I’m yelling because it makes me angry) but not you. Go give him a piece of your mind and a link to your posts on the subject.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/05/perils-criticizing-black-studies
Freddie deBoer
@MikeJ: My shift key is broken.
Freddie deBoer
@debg: Well, now I’m trying to fight back a stroke. I’ll let it marinate for a bit and get something up.
Alison
@Freddie deBoer: I NO BELIEVE YOU. There are capital letters in your posts. But it’s okay. We all have our quirks. I have probably way more than you. I just felt like asking :)
debg
@Freddie deBoer: Remember that Drum’s readers are yelling at him, a lot. Not much comfort, maybe, but some is better than none!
In case I didn’t say so before, I did love your posts on this whole CHE debacle.
Ohio Mom
Indiana doesn’t have levees but it does sometimes have tornadoes. And early summer is a peak time for them.
joes527
Wow.
This is exceptionally stupid even for Dick Morris. (and that’s saying quite a fucking lot)
jharp
@Freddie deBoer:
We should hook up some time.
As you know fall is wonderful in the Midwest. And Big Ten football. And Ross Ade is a very cool old stadium. I usually take in at least one game.
And you too, BGinCHI.
I have explored most of the surrounding area. Fascinated by the countryside and the farms and the native American history of the area.
danielx
@cathyx:
Hey, you’re saying that like it’s a bad thing. That don’t make him a bad person….okay, guilty of bad taste maybe.
@lamh35:
There are some levees, mostly along White River in various locations and along the Wabash in the southwest (as noted) and in the north central part of the state as well – you can see them for a mile in either direction from US 31. Periodic flooding where there aren’t any levees and in some cases where there are, like if somebody accidentlyonpurpose leaves floodgates shut in Broad Ripple* that are supposed to be open during hard rains. Little local political hooha going on that topic.
*Local nightclub/hipster enclave, more drunk people per square block than anywhere else in the city – after 10 pm anyway.
No superstorms like hurricanes, although…There are intense thunderstorms and a shit ton of tornadoes, and both seem (to me at least) to be getting worse of late, more intense and more frequent. Have had my roof replaced twice due to hail damage, once when the roof was only a couple of years old. Was a bad outbreak a few weeks ago down in the south part of the state which killed some people and trashed a high school among other things. The less said about blizzards the better – actually the less said about winter in Indiana the better. Two words: cold and wet.
John of Indiana
Freddie, Howdy neighbour! (I live near Badger Grove)
I thought Sunday’s offering from Thor had more to recommend it.
Grover Gardner
The dog is, like, “Dude, seriously, close the window, this is dangerous!” :-)
Nutella
For your amusement: an image from my Twitter feed.
Dr. Squid
Looks like you’re across the street from Columbian Park on the opposite side of the park from the old tiny baseball stadium where the Leopards played.
BGinCHI
@Dr. Squid: I was thinking it was a smaller park in town somewhere. But you could be right. Great, now I’m thinking about the treat at the Frozen Custard.
You know what I mean if you’re a native.
I also miss the big slide with the burlap bags…..
Liz
@Dr. Squid: Centennial park. ;-)
PurpleGirl
Cute doggie. What’s his/her name?