Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Second rate reporter says what?

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

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

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

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

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

No one could have predicted…

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

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

People are complicated. Love is not.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Everybody saw this coming.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

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150Comments

  3. 3.

    Alison

    Hey, do we have any folks in the BJ community with knowledge of our tax laws? Federal and I suppose also CA laws, but either/or would be good, too. I would reeeeally love not to have to call the IRS and wait on hold until Kingdom come.

  6. 6.

    Hawes

    I don’t want to be a killjoy, but the one of the Rays player snatching a ball out of the air before it hits a reporter? I think that’s staged.

  9. 9.

    eemom

    Cold as a mofo and snowing in teh nation’s capital.

    One sick teenager in bed upstairs, 1×3 — boys, age 14 — downstairs. About to call Giant and order all their remaining stock.

  13. 13.

    MikeJ

    @redshirt: Some of those (the baseballer talking to the reporter) are faked. That one was for a commercial. Many of them like kicking a soccer ball into a frisbee is pretty low risk.

  18. 18.

    redshirt

    Perspective! Right now it’s 9 degrees and I’m all like “yeah, warming up!”. Cuz it’s true. Also, the forecast is for a 43 degree day next week, and I’m wicked excited. For 43 degrees!

  22. 22.

    Randy P

    I have always had a fondness for circus acrobats, so when I get a chance to see Cirque de Soleil it’s like I’ve died and gone to heaven. The whole show is stupid human tricks like these, really imaginative use of equipment, amazingly beautiful and all of it seems impossible.

  23. 23.

    ruemara

    5 dozen cookies for charity. I hope they are enjoyed. I have an article to finish on the perfect ecumenical feast for March and other than working of all the cookie ‘testing’, I’m thinking doing some voiceover work and prepping for another animation.

  24. 24.

    redshirt

    Parkour, specifically. I assume there’s classes one can take these days, but how do you start practicing something like that on the streets? Broken bones surely await.

  27. 27.

    Violet

    @redshirt: If you live in France, where Parkour originated, you don’t worry about medical care. Maybe that makes the parkour folks a little bolder.

  28. 28.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    This weekend? It’s been planned and changed 5 times this week. Not going to Mexico, Kokomo or Knoxville. Guess I’ll be at home cleaning the aquarium and reorganizing the basement.

    I’ve been wanting to comment that the concealed firearm** carry fans remind me of the Loud Pipes Save Lives boosters among motorcyclists* They reserve the right to frighten, annoy and disturb the people around them in order to feel marginally safer themselves.

    *I have over 50K miles logged on motorcycles
    **And I’ve owned and enjoyed firearms.

  30. 30.

    Alison

    @Baud: LOL, well…I’ll trust but verify maybe.

    So, I’m currently on SSDI, and in 2012 that was the sole source of my income. I got a form from the SSA with my total payments and a little worksheet to see if the income taxable. It says to take half your total amount, and if you’re single like me, and that half is less than $25,000, it’s not taxable. Well, mine is way less (in fact, the whole amount was less, lolsob).

    But my question is – even though none of my income is taxable, do I still need to file anything with the IRS/Franchise Tax Board (in CA)? Like, just a form saying “I owe you nothing and you owe me nothing”? Or if you have no taxable income can you skip filing anything altogether?

  32. 32.

    gogol's wife

    I got all excited today because Gawker said Shirley Temple was on Twitter. But I’ve looked at the tweets and I’m not sure it’s really her. HuffPo says her people haven’t responded to requests to authenticate it. I hope it’s true — 84-year-old child star is technologically advanced.

  39. 39.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    I like to thank which one of you, who recommended, the TV series Outrageous Fortune. I have enjoyed that show and hope that Netflix will show more episodes. Saw For Greater Glory starring Andy Garcia, about the Chistero War in Mexico, a bit of a Catholic Propaganda piece but it I liked it anyway.

  41. 41.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    @Violet:

    Why do “Loud Pipes Save Lives”? I don’t get it–is it supposed to let other people know the loud motorcycle is there?

    That’s what they say. Broadcast your presence to three city blocks and you’ll be safer. The interruption to everyone else’s daily life is their problem.
    A couple of problems with this:
    1) the noise is directed mostly at people directly behind, who can already see you.
    2) Noise pisses people off and angry humans often do unpredictable or emotional things, to the detriment of order and safety.

  43. 43.

    Jerzy Russian

    @redshirt:

    How does one first learn such a skill? Surely, there’s not a lot of room for error.

    My thoughts exactly. Once you know how to do 6 flips on your bike after riding off a cliff, I can see how you could land safely. How many trials of executing 5.5 flips were there before the skill was perfected?

  44. 44.

    Baud

    @Alison:

    Well, shit. Now I feel responsible for keeping you out of jail. Try here for guidance. I think it depends on your total income, not necessarily how much tax you owe.

    ETA: Oh. And, fyi, you cannot — repeat, CANNOT — claim your pets as dependents.

  45. 45.

    srv

    @Alison: Technically, I don’t think you have to file Federal, but CA is a bit whiney when they don’t see a return. I never filed for 2007 (but paid all my taxes), and still get a letter from them every year.

    The Feds are actually happy to take any overage and run with it, so usually less bothersome unless Underreporter (salary/1099 reconciliation by computer) spits something out.

    Here’s the rules per FTB:
    https://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/fileRtn/

    But it’s worth the price of a post-stamp usually to make their computers happy.

  47. 47.

    Alison

    @Baud: Hm, well that’s weird. That thing tells me my income is taxable and I do need to file. But the form I got says it isn’t and I don’t.

    Motherfucker.

    Maybe I’ll tag along with my parents on their next visit to their tax person and mooch a little advice.

  48. 48.

    dexwood

    “Hold my beer, and watch this.”
    .
    Damn, what you got there is a million dollar bumper sticker.

  52. 52.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    @Raven:

    Pretty entertaining. A video of my rides over the years could be sold as a sleep aid. Pinto, LeCar, GLC, Golf, Rabbit, Scirocco, 200SX, another 200SX,

    ZZZZZzzzzz…..

  53. 53.

    Baud

    @Alison:

    Maybe you should just move to that new Citadel commune in Idaho and then you wouldn’t have to pay the IRS anything.

  58. 58.

    realbtl

    @Raven:
    Damn, if I had $30-40k sitting around I would love one of the Isetta 300s. I learned to drive in one of those.

  62. 62.

    Violet

    @RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist: Yeah, it’s always hard to tell where that noise is coming from–especially if you’re in an urban area where the sound echoes. And yes, it just ticks people off. I always end up thinking that people who have loud pipes on their motorcycles are compensating for lacks elsewhere.

  63. 63.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    @srv: My Scirocco was tragically un-souped. We stripped the nice wheels off of it for the Golf and traded the rest for a new cylinder head for the Rabbit.

  70. 70.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    Did you ever drive an AMC Gremlin? I would love to see one of those again before I die. Ugly car but cool logo.

    YES! My high school girlfriend and later first wife was given a red one for her 16th B-day.

    It was terrible.

    ETA: I have driven or owned all of the really terrible cars: Chevette, Pinto, LeCar, Citation, etc.

  71. 71.

    Mike E

    It never got above 27° here and it did nothing but rain and sleet.

    Shit’s fucked up and bullshit.

  77. 77.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    This Gremlin developed a one-way front seat. The driver’s door only opened from the outside and the passenger door only opened from the inside.

  86. 86.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    @efgoldman:

    My mother-in-law owned a Gremlin also too, when I met mrs efgoldman in 1976.

    My current MIL just turned 80, drives a teal blue Camaro and owns a bar. The G6 just didn’t have enough ballz.

  87. 87.

    Higgs Boson's Mate

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    There’s a bit of demand for the Gremlin these days. You can drop a Chevy crate motor into one and have yourself a 12 second drag machine for cheap.

  90. 90.

    Violet

    @efgoldman: Family friends had a Pacer. I loved that car. Looked like a bubble. They used to fit their family of seven into it to go to church. Yes, seven people and the youngest was about twelve.

  92. 92.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    @Higgs Boson’s Mate:

    There’s a bit of demand for the Gremlin these days. You can drop a Chevy crate motor into one and have yourself a 12 second drag machine for cheap.

    Cheap plus all of your self respect.
    It was a good design that was made like crap. I blame Mitt’s dad.

  98. 98.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    On the car thing: wait until you see the new Caddy variant of the Chevy Volt. This is cool. I saw the engineering prototypes being made and was really impressed.

  102. 102.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    Lavender Gremlin, now that is an image from the 1970′s, complete with some Jim Croce music.(or some Seals and Croft)

    They made a ‘denim’ Levis version. I’ll just let you imagine that rather than linking to a photo that might make someone queasy.

  104. 104.

    ruemara

    @Raven:Meh, I careth not. If I didn’t want people to look, I wouldn’t put shite on the internet. But I do thank you for the information. That is one of my assistants, the other is Man Ray the dog. Who is less floofy, but they are both walking mountains of fur and tongues.

    Cannot believe some of you are fond of gremlins. When it’s all about the 1960’s MiniCooper.

  105. 105.

    Alison

    @schrodinger’s cat: Well sure, but I was still not clear about it, which is why I wanted to ask around. They may have a lot of information but they still manage to make things just murky enough that you never feel satisfied you know what to do.

  106. 106.

    Raven

    @ruemara: No prob, me too but some folks aren’t aware that you can limit access.

    Davis huh, my brother went to Sac State and McGeorge.

  108. 108.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @ruemara: Minis are cool. Gremlins suck – I just have a fondish memory of my aunt’s Grem because it gave me mobility…. My parents had a thought that I might a bit reckless and seldom gave me Volvo keys.

  111. 111.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    I learned to drive in a Fiat 128. Bring that thing back and the teen birth rate would drop like McDonald’s stock after an E-Coli outbreak.

  115. 115.

    Yutsano

    Oh and I know this is way late in the thread but I PASSED!! I am now officially an instructor for the IRS. My condo in Hell just got a mortgage. :)

  117. 117.

    Raven

    @RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist: My first marriage we flew to LA and picked up me ex’s best friends Fiat 124 sports coupe and drove it from there to San Fran and back to Illinois. It didn’t have cruise but it had a manual throttle control and we buried that mofo across Utah!

  120. 120.

    Alison

    @Maude: The worksheet itself was super simple, actually. It’s just that it doesn’t tell you what to do next if your income isn’t taxable. Not that I saw, at least.

  122. 122.

    RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist

    Been up for 18 hours. Cheers until tomorrow.

    And congrats, Yutsano. Well done.

  128. 128.

    Mnemosyne

    Chilly, rainy day in So Cal, with more to come tomorrow. G and I are hoping this weather system passes and we get nice weather for his mom’s visit in a couple of weeks.

    @Yutsano:

    Congratulations! Just in time for you to answer all of our tax season questions, too. ;-)

  129. 129.

    Anne Laurie

    @Yutsano: Congratulations!

    As the parochial-school nuns always said, if you do end up in Hell at least you’ll have plenty of old friends to talk with.

  130. 130.

    freelancer

    I went out for a bit and had happy hour drinks with friends. It was nice.

    Came home and because I apparently am a glutton for self-punishment, checked the Madison, WI news again. I feel sick to my stomach and my heart is breaking for my family.

  131. 131.

    Anne Laurie

    @henrythefifth:

    Some of that is so CGI, it’s ridiculous and obvious. Just so you know.

    If you don’t think idiots have seriously injured themselves attempting to replicate CGI stunts IRL, you don’t remember what teenage males are like in groups. And that’s even without the aid of alcohol or other intoxicants. Testosterone is one helluva drug, apparently.

  132. 132.

    Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason

    @RossInDetroit, Rational Subjectivist:

    all of the really terrible cars: Chevette, Pinto, LeCar, Citation, etc.

    Wow, that’s a pretty impressive lineup! I learned to drive on a Nash Metropolitan, but since then it’s been a little more classy: Bugeye Sprite, 66 Mustang, Alfa Duetto, TR-3, Datsun 510, Miata, Jetta. And to be honest, now it’s my Mom’s Mercury Sable if I actually want to arrive at my destination.

  134. 134.

    The Sailor

    @Raven: “Because the brain dead fucking public knows you are there! ”

    You have a basic fail. open headers still point backwards.
    The people behind you aren’t the problem.

    I can’t believe asshole bikers still use this excuse.

    It’s just like those assholes who have bass thumpers in their cars, except asshole bikers try to make an excuse out of just liking loud sounds that annoy other people.

    Until you have some science, you are just annoying.

  135. 135.

    Origuy

    My sister had a Pacer for a while. With all that glass, the thing heated up like a greenhouse in the sun.

    Alison, if you apply for a loan in the next couple of years, they will probably ask for a copy of your 1040. Might be worth filing it just to have the paperwork.

  136. 136.

    Anne Laurie

    @freelancer:

    Came home and because I apparently am a glutton for self-punishment, checked the Madison, WI news again. I feel sick to my stomach and my heart is breaking for my family.

    Care to explain?

  137. 137.

    freelancer

    @Anne Laurie:

    Sorry, I mentioned it in an earlier thread, but I suppose clarity is in order.

    My cousin Adrian recently was admitted to the hospital for a ruptured appendix. After surgery he became septic, developed pneumonia, and has been slowly recovering, just being discharged yesterday.

    Today news broke that the woman that he had been seeing over the last few months was killed in Madison, Wi. She was my cousin Jen’s best friend and they had met through her ETA: a long time ago, but only recently over the summer becoming re-aquainted.

    I had started an online fundraiser (through a site that Gex had linked to for Kate) to help him with his bills, but this is a punch to the gut and I don’t know what to do or say to him.

    She came down to Phoenix last month and we watched the Big 10 Championship at a bar in Tempe, where she cheered on the Badgers as they routed my Huskers, but it was a very fun night and she was just a great person to be around.

  141. 141.

    freelancer

    @Anne Laurie:
    @Yutsano:

    Thanks. I’m trying to wrap my head around it and I only met her twice. My cousins are just devastated. Jen texted me back and said, it just wasn’t real to her yet. I wish there was more I could do. I mean, I started the fundraiser so that he could be able to recover without having to worry about how much the bills would cost. He makes only a little more than what I make, and I wanted to give him peace of mind. That’s kind of out the window now, as he knows that Jenny was planning on flying down today or tomorrow to stay with him, but she’s gone.

    No one saw this coming and there’s nothing anyone can do. It’s one of those, sometimes life gives you a full house, and sometimes life funnels dogshit into your mouth and there’s nothing anybody can do but say “Hey, so sorry. We love you.”

  142. 142.

    freelancer

    @ruemara:

    I’m so sorry. Ain’t nothing to say, just be there for him. I wish I could do something for your cousin. Beyond just good wishes.

    Thanks again for your kind thoughts. He lives and teaches in Page, AZ. It’s 5 hours from me, so it’s been difficult finding time to get up to see him for me. That’s one of the main reasons I started the giveforward page. I am hesitant to use my presence here to bleg, especially since when causes are mentioned here, they are urgent, or usually life threatening, or a way for the community to help out one another (See Gex or one of the many awesome Rescue Blegs).

    But if Juicers feel so inclined, here’s the page. You’d be helping out a really awesome human being through what could arguably be the hardest time in his life so far.

  146. 146.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @freelancer: The first I saw of it was after I read your post happy hour post on this thread. I looked up Madison news and saw the murder-suicide. I figured that must have been it. As far as I know, I do not have any connection to her in a six degrees way. I just fucking hate this shit. My marriage broke up. She called it; I recognized that it was real. We moved on. I don’t understand how people could…. Fuck it. You don’t either. I am sorry; the situation just sucks.

  148. 148.

    Ruckus

    @freelancer:
    My post at 158 seems way way inappropriate right now.
    That’s a pretty big load to have to deal with, I hope I’m not out of line in suggesting your cousin may be helped by counseling.
    I really don’t have any more words.

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