Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

“But what about the lurkers?”

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

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

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

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Republicans don’t lie to be believed, they lie to be repeated.

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

The arc of the moral universe does not bend itself. it is up to us to bend it.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

The real work of an opposition party is to oppose.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Let there be snark.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

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Off to observe a Gangnam style flash mob.

What are you all up to?

Update. It’s amazing the way music, even silly things like the Gangnam style video, brings people together. I have only one good friend in my department, someone I never though I’d be friends with since she is a vegan hippie, but we bonded over our love of old soul music and R&B. She couldn’t make it but wanted me to check out the Gangam style flash mob students were having. On my campus, a lot of the East Asian students went to high-school back at home, and I don’t see them socializing with the other students that much. But at this thing, everyone was mixed together.

Reader Interactions

92Comments

  6. 6.

    Poopyman

    Working, more or less.

    And I have no idea what a Gangnam flash mob is. And it occurs to me that I’m not really interested in finding out what it is anyway. My brain’s too full today, I guess.

  7. 7.

    ranchandsyrup

    On a conference call thinking about which non-lethal tools and weapons I can use to escape this building. So far I’m up to a potato launcher, a grappling hook and some rope and a flying squirrel suit.

  8. 8.

    Villago Delenda Est

    Wondering what OvenMitt will do to top today’s outrage.

    The popcorn, it’s selling like hotcakes.

  11. 11.

    MikeJ

    Sifting through disaster girl memes and seeing which ones can repurposed to smirking Mitt walking away.

  12. 12.

    raven

    =

    Caught a few minutes of Hannity and Ollie. They are flipping out about an open mic that “caught” reporters colluding to actually ASK Mitt questions in the presser!

  14. 14.

    dr. bloor

    As the Great Orange Satan noted, Mittstake is likely to lose, and the only play left on his clipboard is the Hail Mary. This is going to get even more disconnected from reality and rage-driven before he’s done.

    I love the smell of narcissists self-immolating. It smells like…victory.

  16. 16.

    quannlace

    Cutting back my basil plants to make some tasty pesto, looks like they’re starting to go to seed.
    ********
    Oh, and waiting for the next bone-headed move from Romney, Preice et al.

  18. 18.

    ? Martin

    Caught a few minutes of Hannity and Ollie. They are flipping out about an open mic that “caught” reporters colluding to actually ASK Mitt questions in the presser!

    They were going to ambush him at the press conference he called! How underhanded!

  20. 20.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist and Fact Checker

    Wondering what a Gangham style flash mob is, but not caring enough to google.

    @Nellcote: and not being even a little surprised by this.

  21. 21.

    Culture of Truth

    A federal judge has made permanent her preliminary injunction against the NDAA for 2012, finding the provision allowing for detention of citizens and permanent residents taken into custody in the U.S. on suspicion of providing substantial support to people engaged in hostilities against the U.S. to be unconstitutional.

  23. 23.

    ThatLeftTurnInABQ

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    Wondering what OvenMitt will do to top today’s outrage.

    __
    He could announce that his response to the embassy attacks was due to his “having been brainwashed” and blame the hired help.

  24. 24.

    Schlemizel

    I’m so old I have no fing idea what the heck Gangnam is. Its a word all over the Intertubes the last few days and apparently being made fun of by all the cool kids bit I have no idea.

    Thats how you know you are no longer hip. The entire fad passes to meme and point of derision and you have no clue.

  25. 25.

    JasonF

    @Nom de Plume:

    Oh, just watching a presidential candidate completely blow his campaign. You know, the usual.

    Apparently, that’s the thing to do when you’re running against Obama for the White House and September comes around. Pick a crisis and use it as a soapbox to demonstrate that you have no flipping clue. Any minute now, I expect Romney to announce that he’s suspending his campaign.

  29. 29.

    Jay in Oregon

    @JasonF:

    Any minute now, I expect Romney to announce that he’s suspending his campaign.

    …to head to Libya to take charge of the situation?

  30. 30.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    I am beginning to suspect after Romney loses in November he will declare himself president anyway and try to move into the White House.

  31. 31.

    quannlace

    Wondering what a Gangham style flash mob is,

    At first I read it as ‘Gingham.’ and I thought, ‘Everybody’s gonna come dressed like Little House On The Prairie?’

  36. 36.

    burnspbesq

    In case you’re too old-school for Gangnam and missed it when it aired live earlier today, the Los Lobos live-in-studio performance of “Kiko” in its entirety is archived at kcrw.com.

    Go play on DougJ’s lawn, you rotten kids.

  37. 37.

    Josie

    Gangnam is a district in Seoul, South Korea. The music video is making fun of the hip people who live and party there. I know this because I have a son who is in the music business and he played the video for me last month and said it was going viral all over the world. If not for my kids, I would know nothing about the modern world.

  38. 38.

    Randy P

    I’ve been in on a “random act of culture” flash mob (600 people bursting out in the “Hallelujah Chorus” in the middle of a department store).

    I’m guessing whatever Gangnam is, it’s different from that.

  39. 39.

    tBone

    I’m enjoying Romney flailing around incoherently, like a supercomputer caught in a logic trap devised by James T. Kirk. I hope the final meltdown involves sparks, smoke billowing out of his ears, and the smell of melted wiring.

  40. 40.

    Rich (in Name Only) in Reno

    Gadding around the web, reading about Slick Willard’s latest foot-in-mouth outbreak and eagerly awaiting Charles P. Pierce’s evening post, regretting I sent a letter to the editor of our local paper which they’re going to publish, because now I’m on their 90 days between letters list again, and it was the one I sent in reply to some birther nonsense, not the ones calling out Marc Thiessen over his BS 9/11 Op-Ed in the WSJ or Mitt flip-flopping three times on his “Repeal Obamacare” pledge, and waiting till 5 PM to go over to my Folk’s place in Sparks to watch Kruk and Kuip call the Giants/Rockies game (series is tied at a game apiece.)

  41. 41.

    Nellcote

    John Kyle weighs in:

    “It’s like the judge telling the woman who got raped, ‘You asked for it because of the way you dressed.’ OK? That’s the same thing. ‘Well America, you should be the ones to apologize, you should have known this would happen, you should have done — what I don’t know — but it’s your fault that it happened.’ You know, for a member of our State Department to put out a statement like that, it had to be cleared by somebody. They don’t just do that in the spur of the moment.”

  43. 43.

    Hill Dweller

    @quannlace:

    At first I read it as ‘Gingham.’ and I thought, ‘Everybody’s gonna come dressed like Little House On The Prairie?’

    ‘Gingham’ always reminds me of the Bill Hicks bit about our foreign policy.

  45. 45.

    PurpleGirl

    From Time magazine Newsfeed:

    Gangnam style (n.): a manner associated with lavish lifestyles in Seoul’s Gangnam district. This definition is adapted from an Urban Dictionary entry–an increasingly popular entry since South Korean rapper PSY released a cheeky music video celebrating “Gangnam style.” In it, he does a signature “horse-riding dance,” which has made “K-pop”–Korean pop music–the toast of trend-watchers. This week Britney Spears even got in on the equine action … which was as weird as it sounds, and a great deal more charming.

    Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/09/12/wednesday-words-gangnam-style-geek-speak-and-more/#ixzz26IJzeHsH

  46. 46.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Nellcote:

    They don’t just do that in the spur of the moment.

    Actually, it appears that’s exactly what was done, in an effort to calm the crowd that was threatening to storm the embassy.

    But of course, John Kyl is as well informed about what was actually going on at the time as OvenMitt was.

    So there you go, right there. Fire, then aim.

  48. 48.

    FlipYrWhig

    It’s amazing the way music, even silly things like the Gangnam style video, brings people together.

    Likewise, it has been noted that music makes the bourgeoisie and the rebel.

  50. 50.

    jgaugust

    Anyone else catch the little blurb on TPM earlier today that CBS is reporting Mitt is not receiving national security updates and briefings like normal opposition presidential candidates? I found that particularly poignant on the day in which he put his foot so far down his own throat it is coming out his ass.

  52. 52.

    trollhattan

    @tBone:
    Yup, or triggered by Spock saying to primary Willard, “I love you.” then turning to nominee Willard “But, I hate you.”

    “Illogical, illogical…exterminate! Exterminate!”

    From RomneyTron12 to Dalek in two easy steps.

  58. 58.

    steve

    Content aside, does anybody else find the way MSNBC.com performs in their browser to be just shitty? I’m using Firefox, and MSNBC takes forever to load, doesn’t navigate right for several seconds, etc. It’s by far the most deflicted website I visit.

  60. 60.

    Nunca el Jefe

    Funny timing. Just arrived in Seoul last night and am staying in a hotel in Gangnam. The taxi driver played the video for me on the way from the airport. On his dash mounted Galaxy pad. Awesome. Seriously.

  62. 62.

    tBone

    @trollhattan:

    Yup, or triggered by Spock saying to primary Willard, “I love you.” then turning to nominee Willard “But, I hate you.”

    I dunno. I think the metal bra and go-go boots would clash with the magic underwear.

  63. 63.

    trollhattan

    @ranchandsyrup:
    Yup, but it’s a drought year so the ‘vette comes on the lawn for its washin’.

    True story: the morning after the very first night in our new house, I went outside to see that my new neighbors across the street had parked their Camero on the front lawn. That family provided “entertainment” for the next decade, until loan default and eviction (well before the market collapse, I’ll add).

  64. 64.

    Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism

    ABC national news just showed the photos of the demonstrators with the apology signs.

  66. 66.

    pragmatism

    Ha! I totally know what you mean. I lived in Oceanside CA for a couple of years. It’s a “working man” and military city (in fact the harbor is called the Working Man’s Harbor). The city is low budget. No animal control so there were random pit bulls crusing around from time to time. But it’s a beach town and people just go with it. Lawns are just non-paved driveways. Muscle cars, 4 wheelers, RV’s, boats, you name it. I’ll take some pictures the next time I head up there. That is entertainment indeed.

  67. 67.

    Anoniminous

    Wrote 18 pages of a technical and marketing White Paper today. Have an absolute drop-deadline of Friday.

    Now I’m shivering in the corner of my office gibbering, drooling, and sucking my toes. Occasionally I burst out into techno-babble before collapsing back in a pile of goo.

  68. 68.

    JGabriel

    DougJ @ Top:

    Off to observe a Gangnam style flash mob.

    Ah, yes. I remember the summer of 1984, dancing at parties to When Doves Cry*, and getting drunk to Unsatisfied.

    (*Hollywood Mon Amour version, Prince apparently doesn’t permit any of his songs to be uploaded to YouTube.)

    .

  69. 69.

    Rich (in Name Only) in Reno

    @ranchandsyrup: Yeah, the Reno Gazette Journal is another fine member of the Gannet Family of Newspapers, which has absorbed more local dailies than the Borg Collective has planetary systems, so news-wise everything except the local section is USA Today pabulum. But, for us old dudes who ply the dying art of expressing our opinions in pulp in 200 words or less, it’s the only game in town.

    Their editor in charge of letters likes to play table tennis with the section, alternating between delusional FOX fed wingnuts and we of the reality-based community. As Reno is chock full of angry, semi-literate wing-nuts who still haven’t gotten over Harry Reid’s drubbing of Sharron “Lemonade” Angle, writing rebuttals would be a full time job were it not for the RGJ’s “90 days between letters” rule (not kept religiously.) So, I find I share a hobby with Associate Supreme Court Justice Scalia; that of writing daily letters to the editor which I never actually send.

    As for Kruk and Kuip, we are indeed blessed to have them doing our games; watching the FOX and ESPN broadcasts is torture, even with the occasional Jon Miller appearance. I’ve tried turning off the TV sound and listening to the radio, but the radio is live time while the TV has a delay, apparently they still fear wardrobe malfunctions or something, and it’s too disconcerting to hear “It high, it’s deep, it’s…outta here!” several seconds before you see the pitch.

  71. 71.

    Darkrose

    @Rich (in Name Only) in Reno: I like Kruk and Kuip, but I adore Jon Miller and Dave “David B.” Flemming. Even now that we have cable–which we got primarily for Giants games–my wife and I still listen to a lot of the games just to hear them.

    I do hate the way the Gameday feed from MLB is frequently two pitches ahead of the radio broadcast, though.

    And wow, am I nervous tonight. Last year if anyone had told me I’d be dreading a Timmy start, I’d have laughed. Bizarro World.

  72. 72.

    Joel

    @Schlemizel: Gangnam is a district in Seoul.

    Gangnam style is a parody of K-pop released by essentially the Korean Weird Al Yankovic. The video is so absurd that it’s become an internet phenomenon. But it doesn’t beat Yatta! in my book.

  73. 73.

    red dog

    Just watched a gangnam flashmob video…a bunch of kids who can’t dance trying to so to background noise. Yeah, I’m a grumpy old fart.

  74. 74.

    Paula

    @The Ancient Randonneur:

    People in Libya obviously can do whatever they feel like, but this display is making me feel depressed.

    “Big dumb Americans must be soothed so they don’t invade us.”

    Not that it’s inaccurate.

  76. 76.

    pragmatism

    @Rich (in Name Only) in Reno: True enough regarding Reno. The RGJ was awful at journalism before being awful at journalism was “profitable”. I grew up there and I check their site from time to time. The commenters there are a sight to behold.

    I get the Padres games. Dick Enberg and Mark Grant. Enberg reminds me of when I was a kid watching NFL games that he did. I get to hear Vin Scully too, but that means I have to listen to the Dodgers play so its a push.

  77. 77.

    Sad_Dem

    Here in Los Angeles the news has covered some college-kid life guards in the suburb of El Monte who got fired for making a gungnam video at the pool facility where they worked (in their off time, in their lifeguard suits). It’s on HuffPo if you feel like contaminating your browser.

  78. 78.

    Mnemosyne

    @Paula:

    Well, sort of — Stevens was apparently pretty instrumental in the recent Libyan revolution and helped the Libyans organize themselves so they could beat Gaddafi. He had been working in the Middle East for the US Foreign Service since 1991.

    He wasn’t a stranger to the people of Benghazi, and they would be shocked and horrified at his murder for its own sake, not because they fear US retaliation.

  79. 79.

    burnspbesq

    @pragmatism:

    At least you don’t have to listen to Howie Rose.

    In contrast, the Mets TV broadcasts are fabulous, especially when they have both Hernandez and Darling in the booth. More insight than you can process.

  81. 81.

    Mnemosyne

    @Sad_Dem:

    I heard that story and wondered if they misheard the title the same way I first did, as “Condom Style.” And then were too embarrassed to back down after their freakout.

    Also, too, the only reason I know about this video is because one of my nephews is 19. Otherwise I would be as clueless as the rest of the middle-aged people.

  82. 82.

    Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason

    @Darkrose: I will never forgive Orioles owner Peter Angelos for running Jon Miller out of town because he wasn’t enough of a “homer” in his broadcasts.

    That was within a year or two of letting go of the best general manager (Pat Gillick) and manager (Davey Johnson) they’d had in years.

  83. 83.

    Paula

    @Maude: Is it? I’m just being honest. If that’s offensive, then I apologize.

    But I was greeted this morning by Ashleigh Banfield speaking to a reporter who covers the Pentagon about the attack in Libya. She yapped about a “power vaccuum” in Libya and wondered what kind of a security presence we have in the region. And the reporter had to remind her that 1) Libya’s had a provisional government in place and that 2) no American troops actually set foot inside Libya during the revolution and 3)that it would take a long time before Libya’s democracy stabilized.

    This is what passes for mainstream reporting: something bad happens, ergo, American troops go in.

    (And then you’ve got folks who think that anything less than cowboy kickin-ass revenge is going to doom Barack Obama in the election for being soft on terrorism.)

  86. 86.

    Mnemosyne

    @Paula:

    This is what passes for mainstream reporting: something bad happens, ergo, American troops go in.

    And you assumed that those people in Libya were watching Ashleigh Banfield and had no idea that the American ambassador who was killed had helped save their city during the revolution, so they ran out into the street with signs so the US wouldn’t bomb them?

    Yes, there probably will be some stupid commentary along the lines of, “See, they’re expressing that they’re sorry so we don’t retaliate.” That’s no excuse for perpetuating the stupid.

  87. 87.

    AA+ Bonds

    Gangnam Style (the video) is very class conscious in its humor and I wish there was less huuu huuu foreigners are funny in how it’s being received, PSY is like most K-pop, he is way smarter than his lyrics

  88. 88.

    Paula

    @Mnemosyne:

    I was mostly expressing apprehension about American ignorance and tendency to fuck up when it comes to counter-terrorism in the ME. It’s been noted by many in the international community before me, I’m sure. Especially since this is all occurring in an election year, when everyone wants to posture.

    It’s true that I’m not being very charitable to my fellow Americans. Yes, I’m still bitter about the various wars and wary about drones. (No, I don’t want to argue about drones, as I prefer them to invasions.) I’m not exactly sure where you’re getting me blaming Libyans.

  89. 89.

    AA+ Bonds

    From most of the stuff I read about Gangnam Style a lot of Americans, even the people making their own versions, believe that the video is supposed to be deadly serious which is just mind boggling

    A comment on YouTube at least compared the Noh Hong-cheol scene to suddenly having Will Arnett and Portia de Rossi doing the chicken taunt in a music video which is right I think

  90. 90.

    JustAnotherBob

    @Schlemizel:

    I’m so old I have no fing idea what the heck Gangnam is. Its a word all over the Intertubes the last few days and apparently being made fun of by all the cool kids bit I have no idea.
    Thats how you know you are no longer hip. The entire fad passes to meme and point of derision and you have no clue.

    Google it and watch a video.

    That will make you glad that you’re too old to have to get caught up in stuff like that any longer.

  91. 91.

    Mnemosyne

    @Paula:

    It was the part where you assumed the Libyans held their demonstration because, “Big dumb Americans must be soothed so they don’t invade us” and not because they knew who Chris Stevens was and were sad he was murdered.

    Not everything is about us.

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