Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

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

Let’s finish the job.

Infrastructure week. at last.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

“Squeaker” McCarthy

People are complicated. Love is not.

Second rate reporter says what?

Consistently wrong since 2002

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

In my day, never was longer.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

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131Comments

  5. 5.

    Kevin

    Hope your Dad is recovering well from the recent mishap. I’m sure the gathering of the Coles will be splendiferous.

  6. 6.

    Downpuppy

    All the white people stories I’ve heard this year got me wondering. Is there a way to raise conciousness of people who live in bubbles?

    Short of blowing up their bubbles & landing them on the street with $3 & a case of TB, anyhow.

  7. 7.

    Southern Beale

    Another responsible gun owner kills his own kid by accident:

    MERCER, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say a 7-year-old boy was shot to death when a gun accidentally went off as his father was getting into his truck outside a western Pennsylvania gun store.
    __
    The boy was shot Saturday morning at Twigs Reloading Den in East Lackawannock Township, 60 miles north of Pittsburgh. Store owner Leonard Mohney says it happened in the parking lot.
    __
    The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the boy was shot when his father’s handgun went off as the man got into the truck while holding the gun.
    __
    Police say 44-year-old Joseph V. Loughrey told them he had emptied the magazine but didn’t realize a bullet was still in the chamber. Seven-year-old Craig Allen Loughrey was shot in the chest and died at the scene.

    Our idiot Lt. Gov. is bound and determined to get a “guns in parking lots” bill through the legislature, even though business owners don’t want it. But the NRA says not allowing guns in parking lots “prevents people from diving to work armed.” And I’m thinking, unless you’re commuting from a war zone, why the fuck do you need to commute to work armed?

  10. 10.

    JS

    That was a really comfortable 15 minutes the CBS director showed the poor Army QB crying as the clock ran out.. and the handshakes after the game.. and the postgame on-field interviews.. and while both alma maters were played.

    I fully expect Dan Marino to be following the poor kid to breakfast in the morning.

    Also, too: Go Navy!

  16. 16.

    RobertDSC-PowerMac 466

    Staying home, eating Red Vines, and reading Alex Berenson’s The Secret Soldier. I have to do laundry in the morning.

  22. 22.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    May the King Of Battle visit his grace to all you Swabbies, WAIT TIL NEXT YEAR!!!! GO ARMY!!!

  24. 24.

    handsmile

    That’s sure some gallows-humor unintended irony in the juxtaposition of comments #7, #8, and #9.

  27. 27.

    raven

    I never gave a shit about any fucking West Point dickheads, the one I had over me in Korea was a goddam idiot that tried to get us killed running down a riverbed at night chasing “infiltrators”. My old man was a Navy mustang, enlisted in WWII and commissioned for the Korean war. He hated the Academy shit heads as well. The idea that the troops give a shit who wins that game is not my experience. FTA!

  28. 28.

    Publius39

    @raven:

    The idea that the troops give a shit who wins that game is not my experience.

    Marine vet checking in to co-sign this statement. I’m surprised that anyone still watches those boring games.

  32. 32.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    Was watching Coriolanus on Netflix, A Shakespeare play set to modern times, about an A-hole Roman general who switches sides in a war, Ralph Finnes and Gerald Butler star in it. My favorite Shakespeare movie is Titus with Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange.

  34. 34.

    raven

    @Publius39: Army vet here but my birthday is Nov 10 and I went in that day in 66 on my 17th. They were going down the line of draftees “Army, Marines, Army, Marines. . ‘ I’m sure you know the Marines did NOT like draftees!

  35. 35.

    Mike G

    Study: Fox News viewers have average IQ of 80

    http://underthemountainbunker.com/2012/12/08/study-fox-news-viewers-have-an-iq-thats-20-points-lower-than-the-u-s-national-average/

    Lead researcher, P. Nichols, explains, “Less intelligent animals rely on instinct when confronted by something which they do not understand. This is an ancient survival reaction all animals, including humans, exhibit. It’s a very simple phenomenon, really; think about a dog being afraid of a vacuum cleaner. He doesn’t know what a vacuum is or if it may harm him, so he becomes agitated and barks at it. Less intelligent humans do the same thing. Concepts that are too complex for them to understand, may frighten or anger them.” He continues, “Fox News’ content is presented at an elementary school level and plays directly into the fears of the less educated and less intelligent.”

  36. 36.

    Alison

    So, help me out, BJ hive mind. Am I – as a REAL PROGRESSIVE – supposed to be all pearl-clutchy and pissed off that Obama is taking corporate donations for the inauguration? And if I’m not, does that make me an Obot?

    I mean…I’m having a devil of a time dredging up any fucks to give about it…

  38. 38.

    cathyx

    @Alison: What if they started calling it the ‘Coors Light, American Express, Inauguration’? Would you have a problem then?

  39. 39.

    JPL

    @Alison: Since there are stipulations to the donations, I think not. Personally I like it since us common folk don’t have to pay for it.

  44. 44.

    Publius39

    @raven: That’s ironic that your share the same birthday with the Corps. Just wanted to say as an Iraq vet, my hat goes off to you. I’m going to have a drink in your honor. You Vietnam vets are tough as nails.

  45. 45.

    Alison

    @JPL: Right? And as the administration said, they don’t want to go back to their donor bases so soon after asking us for money a zillion times during the campaign. And if they did? I have this sneaking suspicion people would be up in arms about *that*, too…

  46. 46.

    BGinCHI

    @Mr Stagger Lee: And rightfully so: no doubt the most underrated Shax on film. And also a really terrific play. It’s first play I teach in my tragedies class and it kills. Second week of January if you all want to enroll.

    Branagh’s HV is great too though.

    Have you seen Michael Almereyda’s Hamlet? Even though Ethan Hawke is in it it’s very good. Keep an open mind.

  51. 51.

    David Koch

    Can’t believe supposed atheist John Cole is attending a Xmas party instead of a Free Bradley Manning vigil.

    What a phony.

  52. 52.

    JPL

    @Baud: I had read that the donations could not come from companies with pending bills but i’m googling to find out more info. I’ll get back to you.

  53. 53.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Publius39:

    Someone at AFN looked at the demographics of who was interested in what as far as football was concerned, and officers tended to be more interested in college ball, while the enlisted were more into professional.

    The theory being that as officers are mostly college graduates, they’ve got alma maters to follow.

  54. 54.

    sylvan

    @Alison:

    I was just wondering what all the firebaggers had gotten up to.

    If it’s any consolation, I will fully support Hillary when the time comes.

  57. 57.

    David Koch

    @BGinCHI:

    You can be outraged when he fucks over working people for corporate interests.

    But working class whites (“Archie Bunker”) voted for Mittens while educated professionals (“Meathead”) voted for Black Metrosexual Abe Lincoln.

    If working class whites won’t vote for their economic interests, then why should anyone else care about their self defeating plight?

  58. 58.

    JPL

    @Baud: When the decision was first announced the inaugural committee wanted to make sure that companies weren’t buying access. I remember that article being on nbc.com but now all I can find is dozen of articles saying Obama bad even though Bush did similar funding

  59. 59.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    Mine is Much Ado About Nothing, Branaugh and Emma Thompson are just absolutely stellar in it, (although I have to admit that I could quite happily listen to either of them read the phone book). Emma’s “I would eat his heart in the marketplace” speech is one for the ages. I have to admit that I was very disappointed in “As You Like It”.

  61. 61.

    Maude

    @JPL:
    It’s good to have companies donate money for the inauguration. It takes the burden off the taxpayers. If there’s an inauguration website, they will prolly list the donors.
    It wouldn’t matter what Obama does. People who call him a corporatist and all that should be paying attention to see if he’s going to get rid of SS and Medicare, because they just know he will.

  62. 62.

    eemom

    In an increasingly rare but nonetheless impressive instance of the WaPo not sucking, this very well written and interesting piece by Gene Weingarten in the Sunday mag about the Jeffrey MacDonald case, recently reopened yet again.

    Amongst its other virtues, it includes a hilarious cameo appearance by fellow Joe McGinniss biographee Sarah Palin.

  64. 64.

    eemom

    @BGinCHI:

    I love that place.

    Same here. Sadly only been there once, living as I do on the wrong coast — but omg, the place is magical.

    My visit was in October 1999 and on the same trip I experienced my one and only earthquake. The next day I went back to JT, climbed to the top of a pile of rocks and suddenly recalled there were these things called “aftershocks”….

  65. 65.

    Yutsano

    @Litlebritdifrnt:

    Emma’s “I would eat his heart in the marketplace” speech is one for the ages.

    I wonder if that was before or after she found out Kenneth was schtupping on her.

  67. 67.

    Thor Heyerdahl

    Got a slow cooker of New Orleans Red Beans cooking.
    Just finished cooking up a pot of Chestnut Risotto with Butternut Squash.
    Gonna put on a pot roast in the next half-hour.

    Why yes I am cooking up meals for the next 10 days…how did you guess :)

  68. 68.

    Felonius Monk

    Cole says:

    Heading to a Christmas party at the parents house, so I figured I better put up a thread to occupy you deviants.

    What the hell is this? He opens up a thread and then takes off for Mom & Dad’s to eat, drink and be merry, but did he leave any refreshments here for us. Of course not.

    Come on, Cole. Where’s the cheese balls and the chips? Where’s the beer and the good stuff? Some host. And where’s the entertainment? A movie perhaps?

    Maybe we should call you “Scrooge” Cole.

  69. 69.

    Yutsano

    @Thor Heyerdahl: Dude…I just tasted chestnut arancini in my mouth…and I have arborio rice in my house right now. I’m of a mind to drive up north just to kick you. :)

  71. 71.

    Baud

    @JPL:

    Donating to an inaugural celebration seems like a pretty weak way to buy access. Maybe a good way to advertise, but that’s about it.

  72. 72.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @Yutsano:

    Was that the case? I was always under the impression that they just “grew apart” as they say. I am not a hollywood follower, and for the most part could give a shit when hollywood couples split up but I have to say that when Ken and Em split I was absolutely devastated, second only to when Dawn French and Lenny Henry split up, although I do hear that they might have got back together.

  73. 73.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    @Litlebritdifrnt: @BGinCHI: I think Hamlet is still on the OnDemand channel I will check that out. I liked Much Ado, Emma Thompson is a great actress, I like her work. I wonder why hasn’t anyone done Julius Caesar yet? I liked that play. Oh one warning about Titus(which is based on the play,Titus Andronicus) this film is not you high school version of Shakespeare, and it is wickedly fun, other good actors in it includes Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Harry Lennox, and Alan Cumming.

  74. 74.

    LeftCoastTom

    @Southern Beale:

    The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the boy was shot when his father’s handgun went off as the man got into the truck while holding the gun.

    And how is this statement of facts distinguished from a crime?

  76. 76.

    BGinCHI

    @eemom: I’m always expecting to feel something out there but it never happens.

    Why is CA so selfish?

    Seriously, one of the best things is sitting around a fire late into the night there. Kangaroo mice…coyotes…night sounds…stars. If you live in a big city you have to do that kind of thing once in a while to keep things real.

  82. 82.

    PurpleGirl

    @efgoldman: I owned a Ruger .22 rifle for target shooting. And I checked the damned thing for a chambered round, even when I hadn’t fired the rifle in months. I regularly took it out and checked it. (It had a tubular magazine on the underside of the barrel.)

  84. 84.

    SatanicPanic

    @BGinCHI: That’s a great one too. I’ve only spent a little amount of time in Colorado, and never been east of there, so I’m sure there’s a ton I’m missing out on. I’d probably recommend Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion above Joshua Tree, but something about that place is really special.

  85. 85.

    BGinCHI

    Since this is an open thread, just wanted to say that I watched “Marathon Man” the other night (Netflix, streaming), and holy shit has that film held up well.

    Anyone else seen it lately?

    I was really impressed by it. It’s still really suspenseful and chilling. Olivier is fabulous. And there is a scene with Roy Scheider getting attacked in a hotel that ought to be more of a classic.

    If you haven’t seen it, do so.

  86. 86.

    Maude

    @BGinCHI:
    Some roads in the western national parks are closed due to snow. They had a storm at Yellowstone.
    Glad Bush’s buddies didn’t get their grubby hands on the public lands.

  87. 87.

    burnspbesq

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    I remember seeing a film of Julius Caesar with Brando in it when I was in high school.

    For me, the best film of a Shakespeare tragedy is Richard III with Sir Ian McKellen.

  88. 88.

    BGinCHI

    @SatanicPanic: I’ve never been to the Badlands but want to do that. Maybe a drive some summer soon as the lad gets old enough for longer car trips.

    Zion is really nice. And I love the Sierras generally. And the OR coast. And the underrated Sonoma coast. And Paso Robles and those golden hills.

  89. 89.

    BGinCHI

    @burnspbesq: The opening scene of that RIII is terrific. McKellan in the loo: perfect.

    What do you think of the Chelsea fans blaming Rafa for the changes there? Classy?

  90. 90.

    Yutsano

    @BGinCHI: I have to admit one of the greatest thrills in my life was hugging a joshua tree. Which you can actually do if you’re careful. I loved getting out in that place, though it was at daytime.

    Fun fact: if you ever see a desert tortoise, have a strawberry handy. They LOVE strawberries!

  93. 93.

    BGinCHI

    @Yutsano:

    Fun fact: if you ever see a desert tortoise, have a strawberry handy. They LOVE strawberries!

    Is this a parable?

    Wait I know this one! Don’t shit where you eat.

  98. 98.

    Mike G

    @Southern Beale:

    why the fuck do you need to commute to work armed?

    Believe it or not, there’s a “home carry” movement — that having a gun in your residence is not sufficient because you can’t depend on having a few seconds to retrieve it when the ShariaMooslimTerrists do a home invasion. So the only possible solution is you must carry a loaded sidearm at all times inside your own house.

    I can’t imagine exactly how gun-fetishism can get more stupid, but I’m sure someone will soon enough.

  101. 101.

    mai naem

    @SatanicPanic: Joshua Tree is a very nice park but not the best national park in the USA. Yosemite’s pretty spectacular. Grand Canyon is awesome. And while I haven’t been there the Smoky Mtn Park pictures look spectacular. Same goes for Denali and, Zion in Utah. Los Padres and Redwood National Park and I think there’s another one on Hgy 1 right below Monterey in the Big Sur area.

  104. 104.

    suzanne

    The kid’s ninth birthday party is in the bag. Both my husband’s and my company’s respective parties are over. And yet there are just more December obligations ahead of me. I am exhausted and I hate this time of year.

    My birthday is in January and all I want to do is sleep through it.

  105. 105.

    Mike G

    @mai naem:

    Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Zion, Yellowstone and Grand Teton are great. Bryce Canyon in Utah is also on my Best list.
    And try to see Glacier National Park while it still has some glaciers.

  107. 107.

    gogol's wife

    @BGinCHI:

    Oh, I love that Hamlet. I was shocked one day to find out that my students don’t know who Ethan Hawke is. I tried to jog their memories by citing that film, but was met by blank stares.

    It still wasn’t as bad as the day I realized my class had never heard of Greta Garbo.

  108. 108.

    suzanne

    @gogol’s wife: dude. This week, I realized that my kid had never herd of Princess Diana. I felt about five hundred years old.

    On the Shakespeare movies topic, I adored the Fischburne/Branagh version of “Othello”.

  110. 110.

    gogol's wife

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    The Almereyda Hamlet is wittily updated (I usually hate that kind of thing), with Ophelia as a mopey Columbia student (or is it NYU? haven’t seen it in a while). Liev Schreiber and Sam Shepard are great in it.

    As said above, Julius Caesar was done with Marlon Brando and I think James Mason.

  111. 111.

    eemom

    @BGinCHI:

    Is it safe?

    Quite right, an excellent film. Olivier and Hoffman both outstanding.

    The scene of Olivier the Nazi walking down Diamond District is up there in the bestest movie scenes evah, imho.

  113. 113.

    redshirt

    @SatanicPanic: Joshua Tree is awesome, but not nearly the best NP. There’s so many incredible ones. Grand Canyon, hi-yo!

    And for the East Coasters, Acadia will always be number 1 in my heart.

    Also – does it take everyone else 4 hours to cook a big dinner? I’ve tried analyzing my performance and can’t see any obvious areas where I could make up any big time. But damn, so much work for a great meal, but still a meal that’s over in 30 minutes.

    Then the dishes! Yay!

  114. 114.

    eemom

    @suzanne:

    My kids’ birthdays are November 29 and December 3. For years and years, it was two kids’ parties right after each other and then Christmas 3 weeks later.

    They’ve outgrown the parties, but I’m old enough now so that even Christmas on its own is too fucking exhausting.

  116. 116.

    Maude

    @gogol’s wife:
    If you can find old black and white photos of Greta Garbo and show them, they won’t forget her.
    When she got off the boat, she didn’t look anything like she did later in the movies. She did age well.

  117. 117.

    Southern Beale

    So, Prometheus was awful. Glad I didn’t pay to see it in the theater.

    I never watch Law & Order SVU, ever. But I just found out that tonight’s episode has been banned in Nashville. The local affiliate is showing a “Juice & Lose” infomercial instead.

    So I’m assuming there’s some sexytime that’s just too much for our delicate fee-fees to handle, yes?

    I hate it when the local TV stations decide what is appropriate for me to watch. Fuckers.

  121. 121.

    Maude

    @Wag:
    There are a lot of NPs. Too many to list. Every one of them is wonderful. There are also the state parks. We’re fortunate that Teddy Roosevelt set this is motion. Just in time too. Those lands would have been ruined for their natural resources.
    He helped get rid of the feathers on hats because birds were killed for this.

  124. 124.

    suzanne

    @eemom: My kids’ birthdays are December 16 and 21. My wedding anniversary is the 12th. I get exhausted just thinking about December.

    So this year, I also decided that the holiday season would be even better if I took one of my licensing exams on the 22nd and got a root canal before the New Year.

    I am a moron.

  125. 125.

    redshirt

    @Maude: Is TR America’s best President? Top 3?

    Throw in Franklin and man. What an incredibly positive impact the Roosevelt family had on America and the world.

  126. 126.

    SatanicPanic

    @mai naem: That’s Pfeiffer Big Sur state park. Beautiful area. I wasn’t serious about JT being the best, though I admit it’s my personal favorite, just wanted to see what other people had to say.

  128. 128.

    Yutsano

    @mainmati: I got Dawgs to consider too. With a hat tip to Plubius as well. :)

    @Thor Heyerdahl: Arancini is a great use for leftover risotto. Which totally makes sense for a traditionally* poor country like Italy.

    *After the Renaissance anyway. They were some hella wealthy buggers back in those days.

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