Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

The real work of an opposition party is to hold the people in power accountable.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

So very ready.

The low info voters probably won’t even notice or remember by their next lap around the goldfish bowl.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

Shut up, hissy kitty!

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

I don’t recall signing up for living in a dystopian sci-fi novel.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

This fight is for everything.

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

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

The way to stop violence is to stop manufacturing the hatred that fuels it.

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

This chaos was totally avoidable.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Consistently wrong since 2002

Nothing worth doing is easy.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

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

We can show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

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Reader Interactions

84Comments

  1. 1.

    JCT

    Sweet Lily! You two look comfy.

    I miss my beagles, but my sweet rescued kittehs are almost as naughty so at least it feels like home.

    Just 3 more weeks and I am “sprung” from this &^*%(^& trailer! Hooray.

  2. 2.

    Yutsano

    I’ll just uhh leave you two alone.

    (says the man with two border collies on his bed.)

    EDIT: Oh and LILYPUPPEH!!

  5. 5.

    piratedan

    since my Dad has been gone for over a decade now and my own boys think a Calendar should only be examined at the first of the month when the new swimsuit is on display, I went ahead and treated myself to a bit of Amazon self indulgence that finally arrived today. So, I’m sitting in the office tonight (post the U of A CWS victory woohoo) being serenaded by Basher himself and a difficult to procure (albeit at a reasonable price) CD version of Pinker and Prouder than Previous (which was ranked as one of the worst 500 albums of all time by Rolling Stone, which means that even folks that like music can have an off day) and hearing personal faves Geisha Girl, Wishing Well and Big Big Love back to back to be followed by the Best of Karla Bonoff and Jerry Reed and maybe later I’ll pop in a disc of Cowboy Bebop Remix and catch an episode of Spike, Jet, Faye and Edd (and Ein) bring the unfortunate to justice, sort of.

  6. 6.

    Bnut

    Anyone here who has worked back of house at a restaurant not read Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential is missing out.

  8. 8.

    Punchy

    Looks like you fat-fingered the camera shot. Scalia believes thats covered by the 1st Amendy, but is pissed the Obama Admin wont enforce the precedent that you take another, better pic….

  9. 9.

    TaMara (BHF)

    Lilly! So nice to see.

    My kitties are really suffering from the heat. If I broke down and got an air conditioner for the two weeks of the year we need it, it would be because of them.

    Had a surreal day. One of my guys at work was in a motorcycle accident last night, in the hospital, with is SO, leaving 4 kids without a parent. The other guys I work with scrambled to make sure the kids are taken care of. How awesome is that? I just bought some groceries (oh and rearranged our entire work week for everyone).

    Sometimes people don’t suck.

  11. 11.

    Valdivia

    @Bnut:

    When they were filming Top Chef here in DC I saw him a couple of times hanging out at the bar of Eric Ripert’s restaurant. He seems in person just like he is on No Reservations. Can’t help but like the guy. I tried my best not to behave like a fan-girl. My date didn’t approve.

  13. 13.

    John - A Motley Moose

    I’ve been enjoying Longmire even though it is pretty predictable and formulaic. The other problem I have with it is the murder of the week format for a rural community that would normally have no more than one murder every few years. Hell, the whole state of Wyoming only has about ten murders per year.

  16. 16.

    Violet

    I love these photos! Lily sure knows her favorite spot in the house. Does she like watching TV? Does she have a favorite show?

  17. 17.

    Alison

    IN THE CONTINUING SAGA OF MY GRANDPA AND HIS INTERNAL ORGANS, since I’m sure you all are dying to know, :P

    So they did that ultrasound yesterday, and for reasons not yet explained clearly, they decided against doing laparoscopic surgery to just remove the gall stones, and instead opened him up and yanked out the whole gallbladder and, I don’t know, played hacky-sack? (What *do* they do with removed organs? Or maybe I don’t want to know…yeah, I don’t.)

    So that happened today, then they doped him up and he’s basically been asleep since, and will be in the hospital for another couple days. But it sounds like it all went smoothly.

    Which was good, since we also heard this morning that my dad’s aunt passed away. He wasn’t close with her, and I don’t think I ever met her, or maybe once many years ago…but sheesh. What a day.

  18. 18.

    sfinny

    Have a digital camera, Nikon Coolpix, that had an unfortunate drowning in a chicken soup. Tried drying it out in some rice (saw it on a blog) and it worked for a while. Now it won’t open, the lens won’t expand, and the screen just says “lens error”. Is it toast? Any comments are appreciated.

  19. 19.

    Violet

    @tam: I got it too. I thought I’d accidentally clicked on something. Is it showing up for other people?

  20. 20.

    Violet

    @Alison: Glad your grandpa came through the surgery okay. Sorry about your dad’s aunt. Is that your grandpa’s sister or the other side of the family?

  21. 21.

    Valdivia

    @Alison:

    so glad to hear he is doing ok. Having them in the hospital can be such a stressful thing even after surgery. When my dad was just in the hospital he was such a terror the ICU nurses they had to tie him to the bed because he constantly wanted to go on a walkabout when he was connected to all the machines including something in his head. They left him go after two days. :)

    Oh and sorry about your Aunt. Sounds like you need a drink!

    @sfinny: sorry to ask: how does a camera drown in chicken soup? I unfortunately have no words of wisdom on how to fix it.

  22. 22.

    burnspbesq

    @sfinny:

    If you buy a new one, the Confidence Fairy will take time off from gang-banging the Invisible Bond Vigilantes, put in an appearance, and everyone in Lower Krugmandia will live happily ever after.

    You know you want to. It’s your patriotic duty as a Krugmandian.

  23. 23.

    Steve in DC

    @sfinny:

    The lens is gunked up, dipshits do this all the time at my office (soda + camera with automatic lens shutter = problems). Get your hands on some ammonia based clear and a cloth. Soak up the ammonia and drizzle a bit into the stuck parts and keep pushing the button to turn it on or open the shutter. Keeping doing this over and over.

    Fair warning though depending on how gunked up it is you might be at this for weeks before it’s fully clean and up to speed. It’s a pain, but will save you the cost of another camera.

  24. 24.

    trollhattan

    @burnspbesq:

    Cool. What I’d really love would be an Alison Krauss-Robert Plant live record. I missed the tour and bet it was really something.

  26. 26.

    sfinny

    @Valdivia: Well I feel a bit strange explaining a stupid event when there are obviously more important issues (Tamara’s motorcycle guy and Alison’s grandfather) but I wrongfully placed a container of soup in the same tote bag with my camera. Leaking occurred.

  27. 27.

    Greyjoy

    I’d just like to thank whoever it was that posted last week about how they spread a head of roasted garlic on their homemade pizza crust. When I read that, I thought it sounded awesome and couldn’t wait to try it. And lo, it WAS awesome. Made my plain ol’ cheese pizza taste like a mouthful of happiness. I and my dragon breath salute you, user whose name I can’t remember!

  29. 29.

    Steve in DC

    @sfinny:

    again ammonia and a cloth, you should be good. I’ve had to do this several times when people got cola into our cameras at work because of birthday parties. Our front desk person is a moron and decided she needed to take pictures of EVERYTHING, and busted up all my cameras with a mix of cola and cake frosting.

    All it takes is the slightest crusted anything on the shutter and the stupid things won’t open. It takes forever to get out though.

    I wouldn’t scrap it yet, if the shutter or lens isn’t moving, that will cause the error. All it takes is the smallest amount of dried gunk in there and the camera will error out. It’s a massive fucking pain to clean though.

  30. 30.

    burnspbesq

    @trollhattan:

    I looked in the archives of Mountain Stage, Woodsongs, and Austin City Limits and didn’t find anything. Doesn’t mean there aren’t any bootleg board tapes out there, but my search-fu is insufficient for that task.

  31. 31.

    The Dangerman

    Kinda looks like you’re using the cat to block out the sun; when you have lemons, etc.

    ETA: Alison, good on your GP; it’s best they took the whole thing. With my Dad, they missed a stone and sent him home, which, well, the details don’t need to be shared. Bottom line, be gone with it and be done.

  32. 32.

    BGinCHI

    If you go to WGN radio right now, you can hear my colleague Ryan Poll talk about his new book on small town America with Milt Rosenberg on his show. Pretty cool. Smart dude, Poll: small town America is a construction used to advance a kind of values that are also constructed to advance a certain political agenda.

  33. 33.

    burnspbesq

    @burnspbesq:

    ETA: There are some clips from a 2008 “Later with Jools Holland” show on YouTube. Audio isn’t very good. Way too much tubby bass.

  34. 34.

    Valdivia

    @sfinny:

    This has happened to many of us. I am always not closing my water bottles the right way and make a mess of my purse. It is a miracle that my phone is still alive, mostly probably because I carry it in my back pocket.

  36. 36.

    Alison

    @Violet: Other side. The Grandpa is my mom’s dad. My dad’s parents are both passed on. Everyone is getting old! I don’t like it!

    @Valdivia: Thanks. And I don’t drink, but if I did, I probably would! LOLsob

  38. 38.

    Alison

    @The Dangerman: Yeah, we figured they thought “Eh might as well”, and also that perhaps the stones were too many or too big or whatever. And since you don’t need the darn thing…

    The only downside is obviously it’s harder to recover from being cut open, but definitely would prefer him not having to come back for the same thing!

  40. 40.

    MikeJ

    Finally watching The Newsroom. The setup scene was pretty awful, but it got better after that.

    “I’m affable!”

  41. 41.

    BGinCHI

    @burnspbesq: Don’t they have until the end of the day tomorrow to sort out their dismissal of the president?

    I need to read up on what’s going on in detail.

    Did McDonnell appoint a bunch of whackos or were they already there?

  43. 43.

    trollhattan

    @burnspbesq:

    “Raising Sand” is an album I simply can’t hear too often; there’s more nuance packed into the performances than can be unwrapped in just a few listenings. Adding that I think the Union Station Live album is a masterpiece (esp. in SACD) and I’ve got some…expectations here.

    Also, too, Tunch’s haunch is uberhaunchy.

  44. 44.

    jl

    Thanks for pet pic. Looks like Lily likes the show.

    @Valdivia:
    Until a day or so ago, I thought you some kind of rough and tumble union shop steward dude or somebody like that. So I had this picture of a hairy dude walking around with a purse for a second, and chuckled.

    But, I’m not complaining.

    You just can’t tell what is what among the BJ crowd.

    For a long time I thought Raven was a lady. Until the old miltary pics got shown around a few weeks ago.

    Edit: Raven here now? Probably would say somethnig unladylike.

  45. 45.

    BGinCHI

    @MikeJ: We just watched it too. I liked it except for its rehash of The American President (give a good speech and everything will change!).

    The news story itself is what might bail the show out. Hard work on news?

    Revolutionary!

  46. 46.

    Valdivia

    @BGinCHI:

    I will check it out.

    WTSO is like a gold mine! I got the sancerre and the white burgundy for my dad who only drinks white and I got the spanish wine and an italian red they had on last week that seemed unusual. They offer so many good things, I really can’t thank you enough for the rec. :)

  47. 47.

    BGinCHI

    @jl: Raven is a total lady. I can’t think of any dude who is more of a lady than the Classic City Madman.

  50. 50.

    burnspbesq

    @trollhattan:

    My can’t-get-enough record is “The Telluride Sessions” by Strength in Numbers. Finally found it on vinyl a few weeks ago. Sounds way, way better than the CD.

  51. 51.

    Valdivia

    @jl:

    biggest ever grin. I actually love the idea that you thought I was a rough and tumble union shop guy. Was it my swearing like a sailor? :D

    I am the girliest of girls I must confess. Must have been that very latin upbringing.

    @BGinCHI: pay? what is this pay you speak of?

  52. 52.

    jl

    @BGinCHI: OK, thanks, if Raven sees that, you will take the hit.

    I owe you.

    Problem is, I am so absent minded, I can never remember who said what, so sometimes I am in an exchange with a commenter, and suddenly think ‘Is that the BJ maniac who called me an idiot yesterday? Huh… oh well.. whatever.”

    Except the t****s, they stick in my mind.

  54. 54.

    jl

    @jl:

    Well, you might still be still rough and a union shop steward.

    Ok, I have to go. Just saw the pet pics and gave my obligatory pet pic thnx.

    Some make sure to tell Raven I thought he was a fine old refined lady for awhile.

  55. 55.

    BGinCHI

    @jl: Raven loves me. No worries. Plus he’s a sweet guy.

    That’s probably a good overall description of this place: hard barkers, not biters.

    If you have to bite, you’re out of ideas (and weapons).

  56. 56.

    jl

    @MattR:

    Yeah, IMHO, Coles owes pet, garden and food pics, after posting a pic of that grisly chewed up wallet.

    NO pic of Rosie since then. I think she is innocent, and a pic will reveal the truth.

  60. 60.

    Steve in DC

    @Valdivia:

    As a former sailor I don’t think most people know just how much of an art form vulgarity is for the Navy. Unless you’ve seen a Chief or Captain blow his gasket and go on a ten min tirade involving every racial, sexual, cultural “don’t go there”, all the four letter words, toss in something about necro-bestial-anal-rape-richard Nixon mask and then swap into another language you truly don’t know what swearing like a sailor actually consists of.

    youtube.com/watch?v=X_d4j3UlZ18&feature=related

    Cartman is getting in the proper mood.

  61. 61.

    Valdivia

    @BGinCHI:

    so so true! just trying not to sound too greedy ;)

    did you get any good buys from wtso?

    @Steve in DC: I am sure I am nowhere near that. But in spanish, my mother tongue, I don’t even come close to saying anything ‘bad’ just can’t but in English it seems to be no problem at all. I guess it’s a matter of what sounds to me like swearing a lot.

  62. 62.

    BGinCHI

    @Valdivia: Just got a cotes du rhone and a Bierzo delivered today. I’d avoid the Bordeaux and all the pre-2007 CA cabs. Watch for the more unusual stuff. White Burgundy is a good pick if the price is right. And Sancerre as well (oh so good with shrimp or oysters).

    Passed on that OR pinot but felt guilty….

    Will keep my eyes open for you.

  64. 64.

    Jager

    I have a friend who lives in Columbia, SC. He has had a white carpenter and a black electrician working on a house remodel. He has come to the conclusion there is no difference between a white “Bubba” and a black one.

    1. Blue collar and earn about the same money.
    2. Both drive pickups, equal distribution between Ford, Chevy.
    3. Both have questionable hygiene
    4. Wear work jeans and Carhart work clothes topped with baseball hats.
    5. Both favor Redwing boots
    6.Live in small ranch houses or on a piece of land with a double wide trailer.
    7. They eat ribs, chicken, pulled pork and drink whiskey chased with beer.
    8. Their wives are over weight and they both have fathered too many kids
    9. They are belligerent at their kid’s sports games and both love football.
    10. Both still play softball.
    11. They diverge musically except they both like R&B, Motown, Ray Charles and the Allman Brothers.
    12. They both hate Mexicans.

    Both are gun owners and hunters and each one has a pistol in their pickup. As Eric says, the only true difference is the brand of their trucks. And they won’t enter a Walmart, they nap while their “old ladies” shop.Now if they’d just vote their interests!

  65. 65.

    Valdivia

    @BGinCHI:

    Thank you. I was tempted by that Pinot too but decided to wait until I can try some of the stuff I got, with this flu I have been staying away from alcohol. Did you ever try their ‘deliver at later date’ option? Sounds like a good deal to get what is on offer and not have so many cases of wine as to pass for some blackmarket dealer!

    and yes I too am off for the night. G’night.

  66. 66.

    Steve in DC

    @Valdivia:

    I’m sure, it just always cracks me up “swear like a sailor” is a phrase that not many people actually know what a good and proper Navy tirade is. It’s truly an art form, to anybody outside of the Navy it’s a mind bending experience. N-bombs and Jew cracks are just the start of it, you’ve got to nail every race along the way. And that’s before you get into “cock smoking ass goblins” territory. You should hit bestiality and probably insinuate people coat their dick in peanut butter and have the dog lick it off before moving onto prostate masturbation. From there it’s on to midget porn and assertions about peoples mothers and catholic priests.

    Usually done at the top of your lungs and possibly hurling objects at people.

    You have to train yourself out of it when you leave. I’ve hurt myself at work moving servers and gone off, not knowning what I was saying only to have people stare at me slack jawed.

    In the Navy, nobody takes that shit seriously, in the civilian world they freak.

  67. 67.

    burnspbesq

    Fuck. I didn’t get nearly enough accomplished today. Tomorrow and Wednesday are going to suck.

    Night, y’all.

  68. 68.

    Steve in DC

    @Jager:

    Oh boy… what’s to say they aren’t “voting their interests”? This is where progressives fuck up. Clinton deregulated Wall Street and signed off on NAFTA, Obama is more of the same here. The Republicans are the party of the 1% but the Democrats are the party of the 5%.

    The difference is the Republicans give fly over types sloppy rehtorical blow jobs and don’t assault their way of life and values constantly. Democrats write them off as dumb hicks and laugh their asses off at them constantly.

    If I’m going to be fucked over economically no matter how I vote I’ll chose the guy who represents a group that doesn’t hate my guts, think all gun owners are stupid, laugh at NASCAR and country music, and kisses my religions ass. Because at least that’s something.

    Sure, you have to be a millionare for the Republicans to care about you, but since Clinton the Democrats haven’t given a fuck about you if you aren’t making over 100k and in a major metropolitan area.

    There is a chance to fix this, and there is a certain governor of Montana that would be amazing in office. Though 20 bucks says “socially liberal, fiscally conservative, let’s all get along have the gays marry, cut taxes and cut social security” Coumo gets the nod… in which case… that’s not in their interest either.

  70. 70.

    Jager

    @Steve in DC:

    E’s point is the two “Bubbas” have more in common than they have differences. Both guys have Mexicans who work with them, actually for them. Of course, their Mexicans are “good” ones. I’d guess they really don’t give a shit about gay marriage, but I’ll ask E. He’s remodeling a 150 plus year old farm house and they’ll be working on it for most of the summer. He sits in the shade after work and drinks beer with them most days. I’d bet they aren’t interested in cuts in SS and Medicare,either.

  73. 73.

    karen marie

    @sfinny: Costco had a deal a couple months ago — 2 Coolpix cameras for $120. My brother and I split a pair, but we’re both pretty careful to keep the camera away from soup and other delicious/not-delicious liquids.

  76. 76.

    ruemara

    I’ve had some good news. The ex may be closing in on an interview at a good company with a real job. I’ve had zero luck getting him to even acknowledge he may have depression that is not situational, meanwhile he fails at being …anyone I can even have a friendship with, but, if he’s employed it gives a certain stability that I think will help. I’m torn between thinking good thoughts and trying not to think about it at all, just let it happen. keeping my fingers and toes crossed for him.

    Now, can I get a job that pays me what I earned in 1999? That would be nice.

  77. 77.

    Hill Dweller

    @David Koch: Stewart showed the clip of a genius on CNBC calling the decision a big defeat for Obama.

    It is virtually impossible to overstate just how bad the MSM has become in the last 30 or so years.

  78. 78.

    freelancer

    For everyone who loved or loathed The Newsroom, or found themselves liking it, but rolling their eyes at moments (ME.), here is an awesome Sorkin Supercut.

    I’m a huge Sports Night and West Wing fan, the only thing missing from this that I saw is the mention of “Alberto Fedrigotti”.

  80. 80.

    Amir Khalid

    Why is David Brooks, of all people, writing about Bruce Springsteen?

    Anyway, the column isn’t about how Springsteen has so much international appeal despite his intense focus on his native blue-collar New Jersey milieu. It’s really about this cool new word Bobo just learned: “paracosm”.

  84. 84.

    asiangrrlMN

    TUNCHIEEEEEEEE! There’s my handsome boy. What are you doing to tire him out so, Cole?!? Oh, and Yutsano is on the couch for not alerting me. Harrumph.

    Lily is a sweetie-pie, too.

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