Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

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

If rights aren’t universal, they are privilege, not rights.

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

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

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

The Giant Orange Man Baby is having a bad day.

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

I desperately hope that, yet again, i am wrong.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

A tremendous foreign policy asset… to all of our adversaries.

Also, are you sure you want people to rate your comments?

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

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

If ‘weird’ was the finish line, they ran through the tape and kept running.

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

Dear legacy media: you are not here to influence outcomes and policies you find desirable.

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

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Mid afternoon open thread

Mid afternoon open thread

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Not much going on around here.  The weather isn’t currently trying to kill us.

PFC Manning’s Court-Martial is in recess till next week.

HPV infections in girls have fallen by half since the introduction of the Gardasil vaccine.

The US is about to begin direct peace talks with the Afghan Taliban.

The trailer for ‘Anchorman 2‘ has been released.

More than 56 thousand tons of debris have been removed from the Moore, OK disaster zone.   Driving around here, that’s hard to tell.

And here are pictures of my dog:

mydog1 mydog2

Reader Interactions

90Comments

  2. 2.

    Cassidy

    Saw a dog yesterday who’s owner had died their mane pink and shaved the rest of them, like that. Some sort of medium sized curly haired dog. It was special to say the least.

  3. 3.

    Brother Machine Gun of Desirable Mindfulness (fka AWS)

    Cute dog.

    Just saw the Anchorman 2 trailer and it made me wince and laugh at the same time.

  5. 5.

    West of the Rockies

    Is that a Havanese? We have one (a rescue dog named Sebastian) — he’s small but has a deep, fierce bark. The story we were told is that this breed was associated with pre-revolution Cuba; with the overthrow, almost the entire dog stock was destroyed, as they were so closely associated with the former government. A handful were smuggled out to America and bred with a line from Spain.

  10. 10.

    Violet

    @Soonergrunt: My neck of the woods is probably just about as hot and I see people walking their big dogs with tons of fur in the heat of summer. The dogs look so miserable. I wish their owners would trim their dogs for the summer. It’s so hot for them.

  11. 11.

    Brother Machine Gun of Desirable Mindfulness (fka AWS)

    @Violet: Shows how much I know. Which one is she? The cringe scene I mentioned was when Ron Burgundy was at the home of the African-American family.

  12. 12.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    @Violet: I thought she was great in Paul. I haven’t watched anything else with her, though.

  13. 13.

    Trollhattan

    Puppeh needs an “I survived the 2013 Moorenado” tshirt. Seems rather unconcerned by the recent brush with oblivion.

  18. 18.

    Violet

    @Belafon (formerly anonevent): She was a big star on SNL for several years. Every time I saw one of her skits she seemed to be playing a variation on the same character–misfit, annoying, look-at-me. I don’t get why she’s considered so funny. I find her repetitive and tiresome.

    I didn’t see Bridesmaids, so maybe she was great in that. I have avoided seeing it because I don’t like her and figure she’d ruin the otherwise funny movie. I’ve caught her in a few films and in all of them she seems to have a variation on that same character. The small clip on the Anchorman 2 trailer looks exactly the same to me. Ugh.

    @MikeJ: Yeah, I get that. He does a lot of variations on the same character. He doesn’t bug me like she does, though. And I saw him in one serious film where he played and writer and was pretty good. Very different from his usual work.

  20. 20.

    max

    The US is about to begin direct peace talks with the Afghan Taliban.

    Ah. About time. What will be the deal though? Will the US demand a bunch of stuff besides ‘keep Al Qaeda off your territory’?

    And here are pictures of my dog:

    Cute! Flea problem must be hell though.

    max
    [‘My short-hair dachshunds are in the throes of the summer itchathon.’]

  22. 22.

    Brother Machine Gun of Desirable Mindfulness (fka AWS)

    @Violet: Ahh, yeah, there wasn’t that much of her there, so I’m assuming a Steve Carrell love interest, but I can’t see her being a huge part of the plot. Could be wrong there.

  23. 23.

    Soonergrunt

    @max: I’m sure that a “keep Al Queda out” provision will be discussed. And we use Frontline for fleas and ticks (and I dust the lawn for same)

  26. 26.

    raven

    Sweet pupster. Got through the colonoscopy and must say, do it when your time comes.

  27. 27.

    Violet

    @Old Dan and Little Ann: This seems to be the general opinion of her. I just don’t get it at all. In my household if she’s on the screen, we fast forward or change the channel. I think she’s tremendously unfunny.

  29. 29.

    Paul in KY

    Just returned from Bonnaroo 2013. Great time, generally great weather. Saw Paul McCartney (best set of weekend, among headliners, although Tom Petty & Heartbreakers also rocked hard).

    For non-headliners, I really liked The Lumineers, Of Monsters and Men, Portugal. The Man, Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers, and this little ole band from Burnsphesq-land: Delta Rae. If you have not seen Delta Rae live, you need to. They are totally badass.

    Also saw fine sets from ZZ Top, Gov’t Mule, Billy Idol, The Rubens, Passion Pit, Cults, David Byrne & St. Vincent (only played 4 Heads songs & only 1 of them ‘Life During Wartime’ was one of the ones people really wanted to hear, but that’s David), Deap Vally, Calexico, The XX, Empire of the Sun and some more I can’t remember right now.

    If you are a music fan, and can camp, you owe it to yourself to go to Bonnaroo at least once.

  30. 30.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    @Violet: In Paul, she plays a woman who was raised by a strict, religious father. When she runs off with Paul (the alien) and the two guys he finds when escaping the government, Paul fills her brain with evolution and all sorts of other stuff about the universe. Because she’s no longer tied to her dad’s teachings, she spends a good portion of the movie learning how to swear.

  31. 31.

    Soonergrunt

    @bill d: It’s long enough that she can catch it when she chases it. Hell, for that reason alone we may need to trim it, just so that she’ll keep running in circles.

  32. 32.

    raven

    @Violet: Yea, 5 removed polyps and the MD is confident they are cool. I was worried because I hurled a ton last night. I got some more go go juice and drank it and everything was cool. I really think the low fiber diet for the 3 day lead up helped.

  33. 33.

    Botsplainer, fka Todd

    talkingpointsmemo.com/news/autopsy-on-gop-social-issues-is-grossly-overstated-say-gop-lawmakers.php?…

    Many Republicans in Congress and elsewhere think the party’s establishment erred in concluding the GOP must embrace “comprehensive immigration reform” to attract Hispanic voters. And they dismiss the notion that Republicans should soft-pedal their opposition to abortion, a subject on which they say public opinion is moving their way.

    “There’s been a misleading thought as to what happened after the last election cycle,” said Rep. John Fleming, R-La.

    “Most Americans do not support amnesty, especially without securing the borders,” he said, regarding the idea of citizenship for those here illegally. As for abortion, Fleming said, there’s growing public concern about second-trimester abortions, “so we’re actually gaining ground.”

    Translation from Teabaggerish: “None of the people we post with at Free Republic have any issues with social conservatism, nor do any of our leading intellectual bloggers like Hoft, Althouse, Derbyshire, McArdle or Rubin think that the GOP has an ideology problem.”

  34. 34.

    Soonergrunt

    @raven: Colon-rectal cancer runs in my family. I’ve already had one. Not fun, but better than the alternative.

  38. 38.

    Violet

    @raven: I did see that your stomach didn’t tolerate the pre-scope drink. Glad that didn’t keep you from getting it. Glad they got the polyps out of there and everything is okay. Modern medicine is amazing, isn’t it?

  40. 40.

    Botsplainer, fka Todd

    @raven:

    Yea, 5 removed polyps and the MD is confident they are cool. I was worried because I hurled a ton last night. I got some more go go juice and drank it and everything was cool. I really think the low fiber diet for the 3 day lead up helped.

    Just view it as a weight loss assist.

  41. 41.

    thoughtcrime

    GOP death wish? From a reader at TPM on the House abortion bill:

    You see, to my friends, many of whom are in their 30’s and plan on soon starting a family, this wasn’t a political ploy, it was a bill that threatened their very lives. I think most women, and probably most men too, have known someone who needed a late-term abortion due to a severe fetal defect. The thought of having this happen is bad enough, it’s an expectant mother’s worst nightmare, but then being forced against your will to carry a fetus that you know will die to term? That’s the cruelest of torture. Can you imagine going out everyday and having people excitedly asking you whether it’s a boy or a girl, when the baby’s due, etc., when the baby you’re carrying is fated to die? That’s what the Republicans want for every woman in this country, and that makes them monsters.

    The Republicans are officially on record as wanting to torment and torture women (I won’t even get into the lack of a health exception for women, or the rape language…). My friends, many of whom are socially conservative, will never vote for the GOP. I just don’t think Boehner understands the long-term damage he’s doing to his party. How can you win elections when you’re on a regular basis voting against the health and well-being of 50% of the electorate?

    editors.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/06/the_gops_new_abortion_bill.php?ref=fpblg

  42. 42.

    Botsplainer, fka Todd

    @Violet:

    I do wonder sometimes whether a spicier diet helps keep polyps away. My family history has no colorectal cancers, but does make up for it with coronary events.

  43. 43.

    J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford

    HPV infections in girls have fallen by half since the introduction of the Gardasil vaccine.

    This is because no dude wants to have sex with a retarded girl…amirite Congresswoman Bachmann?

  46. 46.

    JCJ

    That statistic about the incidence of HPV falling is good news. My partners and I have treated a fair number of HPV related cancers of the oropharynx (usually base of tongue) recently. That is tough treatment to put someone through. It is curable, but the side effects can be tough and some of them are permanent like dry mouth and taste changes.

  48. 48.

    Botsplainer, fka Todd

    @thoughtcrime:

    Can you imagine going out everyday and having people excitedly asking you whether it’s a boy or a girl, when the baby’s due, etc., when the baby you’re carrying is fated to die? That’s what the Republicans want for every woman in this country, and that makes them monsters.

    Inevitably, they’ll grin, make the concerned face and say something about “God’s Plan”. Then they’ll say that you are “in their prayers” as if the gesture is meaningful.

    I’ve been hearing “have a blessed day” a lot lately among low level service providers. I’ve been tempted to scream “fuck you and that psychopathic mental toddler of a fake deity you worship, too” – this phrase of “I’ll pray for you” pisses me off just as much.

  50. 50.

    Violet

    @Botsplainer, fka Todd: I don’t know about the spicier diet. Has that ever been studied? I generally think the standard American diet is crap and we cause a lot of problems for ourselves with it.

    My personal feeling, although it’s only a guess, is that everyone’s got some genetic weaknesses and if our bodies are stressed, that’s where the weakness shows up. So someone may live a very similar life to you–eat the same things, be exposed to similar toxins, etc., but they get colon problems and you get heart problems. Both your bodies are stressed by whatever you are doing or exposed to, but your weak areas are the first to show it.

  52. 52.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    @Violet: The biggest reason to endorse the move is Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Jason Bateman. Jane Lynch is funny as well.

  54. 54.

    Violet

    @Belafon (formerly anonevent): Yeah, all those folks are great. I would like to watch it, but not sure I can stand more than about sixty seconds of Kristen Wiig. Honestly, she ruins everything for me so much that I’ll not watch something I want to see simply because she’s in it. That’s why I’ve yet to see “Bridesmaids.”

  57. 57.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    @JCJ: We switched pediatricians a few years ago because he refused to consider giving it to my sons. Not only for their benefits, but for their future spouses.

  58. 58.

    MikeJ

    BTW, did anybody see the stupid opinion the other day in Salinas v. Texas?

    If the cops have read you Miranda, they can’t go into court and use the fact that you refused to speak as “evidence” of your guilt. If the cops have NOT read you your rights, and you refuse to speak, and you don’t explicitly state that you’re exercising your rights, they can.

  61. 61.

    muddy

    @Botsplainer, fka Todd:

    I’ve been hearing “have a blessed day” a lot lately among low level service providers

    When people say things like that to me I say, “No thank you!” They get really mixed up because I am saying a polite phrase and smiling. They don’t know what to say next and just retire in confusion.

  62. 62.

    quannlace

    “There’s been a misleading thought as to what happened after the last election cycle,” said Rep. John Fleming, R-La.”
    *****

    Translation: (With fingers firmly stuck in ears)
    “La-la-la, I can’t hear you”

  63. 63.

    quannlace

    ““have a blessed day”
    *********
    Blessed be’ I thought that’s what modern-day witches said.

  64. 64.

    ET

    That is a handsome pooch. Looks like there was a recent trip to the groomer cause pooch is looking extra fluffy.

  65. 65.

    Berial

    White colored dogs like poodles always look like they’ve been crying to me, because of the streaks around the eyes..

  66. 66.

    pacem appellant

    @Soonergrunt: I was going to ask whether she was a Bichon or a Maltese. And now I know. When my daughter is nine, she’ll pick out the same breed, I just know it.

  67. 67.

    furklempt

    @Violet:

    You are actually NOT supposed to shave double-coated dogs in the summer, as it is believed their dual coat provides them some measure of insulation. And many vets will tell you its pointless and possibly detrimental to shave any dog– it doesn’t aid in cooling them, as they don’t sweat, but it does leave them more vulnerable to sunburn, heat stroke, and bug bites.

  68. 68.

    Gex

    The HPV thing is awesome and also pisses me off, thinking about how the religious right fights those vaccines. HPV caused Kate’s cancer and it caused my cancer. Yet the brave old men on the right have no trouble condemning girls to cancer so they can impress their God. Funny how so many of their policies come with higher mortality rates for women and yet they can’t understand why people think they are waging a war.

    @furklempt: That is exactly what I was told about my American Eskimo. They said not to shave him and that he burns really easily.

  69. 69.

    Villago Delenda Est

    HPV infections in girls have fallen by half since the introduction of the Gardasil vaccine.

    ZOMG, sluts are not being punished. Cue Rush Limbaugh in tears at the thought.

  70. 70.

    TG Chicago

    @furklempt: I don’t follow. The idea is that the coat traps in the dog’s body heat, right? So shaving allows that heat to dissipate. Sweating strikes me as irrelevant. It’s more like the reason you don’t leave a dog in a car when it’s hot.

    That said, if you’ve got a link, I’m absolutely open to being wrong.

  71. 71.

    scuffletuffle

    @Gex: Dogs shed heat by panting. Shade and plenty of cool water are all they need in the heat. Of course, some also enjoy a handy water feature as well.

  72. 72.

    pacem appellant

    I’m back in my home town and about ready to head downtown to join in tonight’s Netroots Nation 2013 festivities. Any BJers going to be there?

  73. 73.

    kindness

    HPV incidence is down.

    Does that mean this the thread we can slut shame women for having gotten immunized? I’m looking forward to that food fight.

  74. 74.

    furklempt

    @TG Chicago:

    No, you don’t leave dogs in the car because temperatures inside the car on a 90degree day can reach 120degrees inside of 20 minutes.

    Dogs do not cool themselves via their skin–humans do, of course, which is why it’s hard for us to wrap our minds around the notion that it couldn’t possibly be anything *but* cooler to be naked as possible. A well-groomed dog will get just as much airflow through their coat as will a shaved dog, however they will have the added protection of their guard coat to protect them from the sun.

    Since dogs cool themselves via panting, the covered vs. uncovered state of their skin is irrelevant.

    The dual coat doesn’t work to “hold heat in” it works to *regulate* temperature by allowing air to flow freely through the under coat while the outer coat shelters it from sun/rain/snow. This link does a pretty good job of explaining it:

    Here’s another from the Animal Dermatology Clinic:

    A naked dog just experiences the sun beating down on it with no protection, which is why over heating can be a concern.

    This one (a vet clinic) explains why you shouldn’t ever shave a double coat, regardless of weather:

    I admittedly had to look for those links, because this is advice I’ve received, unsolicited, from each vet my collie mix has seen (as well as from groomers, and friend who is a vet tech)

  75. 75.

    furklempt

    @TG Chicago:

    I have actually gathered links and responded, but I’ve been . . . Moderated *psycho stabbing noise*

    Hopefully it will be along shortly, but the gist of it was that the coat doesn’t trap heat it, it allows for airflow that *regulates* the temperature in both heat and cold, while also providing protection from the sun.

  77. 77.

    kindness

    Violet. Get your butt to anywhere and watch Paul. Saw it in the theater and have bought the BlueRay. Fine fun all the way around. Kristen Wiig is really good in it so hold your nose & watch the movie and laugh out loud a lot.

  78. 78.

    Soonergrunt

    @furklempt: cleared. Future reference, more than three links will cause moderation for link spamming. The “reply” function generates a link so it takes up one of the slots.
    Thanks for the information.

  79. 79.

    Violet

    @Violet: I did say “trim” not “shave” for the big dogs. My friend who has a big dog says her vet and groomer have told her to trim the dog’s fur for summer. The dog isn’t shaved, but some of the stray coat is a little neater. He does seem a bit more comfortable after it’s done, so I have gone by that barometer–what the dog seems to like.

    At some point, when it’s 100 degrees and 90% humidity, the dog isn’t going to be comfortable outside. People aren’t. Dogs won’t be. The big dogs with the heavy coats look miserable walking during that heat. Never understand why their people take them out then. Maybe an unfortunate schedule that means that’s the only time they can walk.

  81. 81.

    TG Chicago

    @furklempt: Thanks for the info. It looks like it’s inconclusive about whether it cools the dogs or not, but there may be other reasons why it’s unwise to shave.

    Years ago, we had a mutt that appeared to be half German Shepherd / half Husky. We would often get her shaved during the summer, but not to the skin — just giving her a “buzz cut”, maybe an inch long. She didn’t appear to have any trouble growing her coat back and seemed to be cooler. Of course that’s anecdotal and untested — we didn’t actually take measurements!

    Anyway, definitely good food for thought. I’m not entirely convinced, but if our dog was still with us, I’d absolutely do more research before shaving again.

  82. 82.

    Violet

    @Elie: It’s still sore. I saw a therapist first thing Monday morning and he worked it over. I’m icing, taking ibuprofen, and I have stretches and foam rolling to do. It’s taped with kinesio tape, which made a big difference–as soon as they taped it I could stand on it. It’s definitely better, but it’s still when I get up from sitting and takes awhile to loosen up. I go back tomorrow for more treatment.

    I swear by the people I’m seeing for treatment. They’ve fixed injuries that other people said would take weeks and had people back running and doing their regular activities within a few visits. They have helped me personally in the past with some injuries. It’s definitely better than it was, but I think I tore it and then re-injured it on Sunday before I saw them, so I think it’s going to take longer than I expected.

    Thanks for checking on me!

  83. 83.

    Elie

    @Violet:

    Yeah, it sometimes takes a while, but its good you have a reliable practitioner.

    I’ve not tried the kinesio tape yet —

  84. 84.

    PurpleGirl

    What an adorable furball you have there. Her tail is so majestic. A little trim to the length would keep it a bit neater while still full. How old is she?

  86. 86.

    PurpleGirl

    @Yatsuno: Will the new kitteh be a rescue? If from a shelter, which one? Have you heard of Purrfect Pals? One of their volunteers hosts that kitten cam Poopyman and I have written about.

  87. 87.

    Ruckus

    @thoughtcrime:
    I don’t care what or who you worship…. or not. I mind a whole bunch when you attempt to make me part of it.
    I don’t need any thoughts from anyone else that I’d be better off if only I worshiped, although it is always proffered as whatever religion they belong to. My belief or lack thereof is none of your fucking concern and my wishing not to be reminded that some people can’t make it through life without a dose of authority, humility and hypocrisy warrants giving them a reminder when they try to force their bullshit upon me.

  89. 89.

    Paul in KY

    @kindness: More police presence outside than last 2 years. On drive down from KY, saw at least 4 vehicles pulled over on side with all their stuff being removed from car. Once on grounds, no police. Had no problems at all inside (with police).

    Did have a camelbak with about $160.00 bucks worth of stuff (camera, flashlight, extra battery) stolen from my campsite. Still had a great time, though.

  90. 90.

    Paul in KY

    @Violet: Dogs are cold weather animals. Some live now in climates they would never live in, while wild. If you live in Houston & have a long hair dog, I think you should trim in Summer (IMO).

    Cats, on other hand, come from hot climates & tolerate heat much better (plus they sweat, although they don’t have as many sweat glands as we do).

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