Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

I have other things to bitch about but those will have to wait.

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

The press swings at every pitch, we don’t have to.

The rest of the comments were smacking Boebert like she was a piñata.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

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

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

“A king is only a king if we bow down.” – Rev. William Barber

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

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

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

Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

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

Marge, god is saying you’re stupid.

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

Innocent people do not delay justice.

“I was told there would be no fact checking.”

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

You are here: Home / Absent Friends / RIP / RIP, General Stuck

RIP, General Stuck

by | 239 Comments

This post is in: 

Stuck’s pastor has confirmed that it was indeed Stuck who died:

Mr. Cole,

I can confirm to you that Steve Arnold Martin passed away after a brief lung illness in a nursing home in New Mexico. I held a memorial service on behalf of the family on June 29th. There were pictures of his dog and hummingbirds at his service. Family members were able to secure a new home for Charlie.

May God bless all who mourn his passing,
Pastor Kevin Collins

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Reader Interactions

239Comments

  2. 2.

    Drunken hausfrau

    Thank you, John, for the confirmation. Good to know Charlie has a new home, even with the sad news.

  3. 3.

    Valdivia

    Thank you John and all who cared to find out what had happened to him and let us know. He is missed and will be fondly remembered.

  4. 4.

    JenJen

    Thanks, John. I’ll visit Woodside in Middletown next week to pay my respects. I’m happy to learn that Charlie has found a home, I certainly would’ve taken him in.

    Rest in peace, Stuck. How sad.

  5. 5.

    Donut

    I called him a jerk many time for accusing me of Firebaggery. But I often agreed with shit he said. RIP. Happy to hear his pup has a home.

  6. 6.

    Mnemosyne

    I guess it’s better to have confirmation than to wonder but … shit. At least we know Charlie is taken care of.

  9. 9.

    Tokyokie

    Sorry for the confirmation, but it wasn’t unexpected. Glad Charlie has a new home. (As I am glad the spousal unit will almost certainly outlive me, thus ensuring continued care for Marvin and the other kittehs.)

  11. 11.

    JPL

    Thank you John. Stuck shared enough of the information, that the obit on Legacy had to be him or a twin brother.
    I’m glad that Charlie found a new home.

  12. 12.

    Anya

    I think blogs like this one changed the meaning of who is considered an acquaintance, and the experience of grieving. It’s weird to mourn for someone you’ve never met, but I really feel sad about General Stuck’s death.

    May he rest in peace! I hope his last days on this earth were pain free and that he was surrounded by loved ones, including Charlie.

  15. 15.

    trollhattan

    Very sorry to hear. It sounds as though he had good folks around to ease his final journey.

  17. 17.

    Baud

    Closure is good.

    Here’s to you, Stuck. You’ll be missed.

    Happy to hear about Charlie.

  18. 18.

    Sibling Nonspecific Firearm of Random Adjective Followed by a Noun That Describes a Mental State (fka AWS)

    I knew, but I didn’t want to know. RIP General, you old fucker.

    p.s., as someone whose life was saved by this community, you have my permission to hunt my ass down if i stop hanging out.

  19. 19.

    SiubhanDuinne

    What we all feared, and most of us already knew in our bones. I will miss the General. I’m glad Charlie has a home.

    John, thank you for taking the time and trouble to get confirmation. I doubt many blog owners would have been so diligent on behalf of one of their numerous commenters.

  20. 20.

    Amir Khalid

    Sad news. But at least we know for sure that General Stuck has passed away, and that Charlie’s gone to a good home. May the General rest in peace.

  21. 21.

    eemom

    He was a good man, and if there is a better place I’m sure he’s in it.

    Miss you, General.

  23. 23.

    gogol's wife

    @trollhattan:

    Yes, I find it comforting that the pictures of Charlie and the hummingbirds were there at the service. That means people in his life (not just us pixels) cared.

  24. 24.

    aimai

    I’m very sorry to hear this. I mixed it up with the General plenty but he was a good person. He will be missed.

  26. 26.

    eemom

    @Anya:

    It’s weird to mourn for someone you’ve never met, but I really feel sad about General Stuck’s death.

    Same here. And I’ve been certain of this since I first saw the obit, but I’m crying now.

    The General was really a friend to me at this crazy ass place…and I don’t give a shit who sneers at that particular concept of friendship.

  27. 27.

    JenJen

    And Stuck, I’ll be toasting to you every time our beloved Bengals win this season. I’m hoping for 16 drinks and then some.

  28. 28.

    Poopyman

    Most BJers will fade away unnoticed. It’s a tribute to Stuck that many of you made an effort to find him, especially John who did the leg work.

    Thanks for the good times, General. See ya one of these days – just not real soon.

  31. 31.

    burnspbesq

    One imagines Stuck in Heaven having it out with Steve Gilliard.

    RIP, old friend.

  34. 34.

    ruemara

    Aww, damn. RIP, Stuck. I never said it, but I found you to be fun, grumbly codger and I liked your pictures. Bless you on your way and may you reach your haven.

  35. 35.

    The Moar You Know

    We’re all headed to the same place, some of us just get there ahead of others.

    RIP, Stuck. You were not willing to just sit there and take it. I admire that.

    ETA: others have said it but I will as well; thanks to John and everyone else for doing the digging on this.

  36. 36.

    A Ghost To Most

    Thank you, John. Stuck now belongs to the ages. He often spoke my thoughts better than I could.

  37. 37.

    Kay

    I’m so sorry. I really liked him. We were “debate buddies” on health care, often on the same side: pass the damn bill. He never gave up on passage. He said it would pass, and it did. He knew a LOT about the US Senate, their bewildering rules and such.
    I think it’s okay and good you did this, John, because Stuck liked you. I think he would be okay with you looking for him. It went both ways.

  40. 40.

    Emerald

    Alas, although we already knew it.

    I’m so glad Charlie has a home. May his new owners adore him as much as Stuck did, if that’s possible.

    And I’m so glad to hear about the pics of Charlie and the hummers.

    General Stuck will always be with us in the archives on this blog. I’m in the process of looking back. I’m just starting 2006 and haven’t found him yet, but I know he’s here.

    But damn, I miss him.

  41. 41.

    dww44

    I have and will miss him and his comments at BJ. He added a lot to the conversation and didn’t suffer fools gladly, either. Could someone provide a link to the obit? Am sure that was done on earlier threads, but I’m sure some of us still haven’t seen it.

  43. 43.

    dance around in your bones

    It’s really nice that you spent so much time finding out what happened with General Stuck and it looks like you did some fine detective work, John Cole. It’s interesting to imagine your conversation with the pastor – ” He had a cute little dog, and liked to take pictures of hummingbirds …….”

    Adios, General. Maybe in some fashion you have been aware of the interest and concern and number of comments about your fate. I hope you are surprised and somewhat pleased.

  46. 46.

    WereBear

    @Yatsuno: What a lovely idea. Very appropriate.

    I don’t see any reason to skimp on the number of people who miss us when we move to a different plane.

    I will miss him, and his dog Charlie, and his hummingbird photos, and his “general” outlook.

    As I often said, in agreement:

    I salute you, General!

  48. 48.

    NickT

    Thanks for doing this, John. It can’t have been easy.

    I doubt the General is being particularly peaceful in the afterlife, given his splendidly pugnacious disposition, but he certainly fought the good fight and deserves whatever rest he allows himself.

  49. 49.

    MomSense

    Thanks, John for doing this.

    I am relieved to hear that Charlie is being cared for.

    @eemom:

    The General was really a friend to me at this crazy ass place…and I don’t give a shit who sneers at that particular concept of friendship.

    No sneering from me. I feel the same way.

    I always look forward to the hummingbird visits to my little garden but this year it will be bittersweet.

  50. 50.

    Johannes

    Thanks for verifying Cole; you’re a good guy. Gladtoknow Charlie landed ok.

    RIP Genral; always glad to have his input even when I disagreed.

    @eemom: No sneering here, either. Friends is friends however one meets ’em.

  51. 51.

    NickT

    @MomSense:

    If you hear a hummingbird cussing out a troll, you’ll know that reincarnation really does work and that Stuck is back.

  52. 52.

    Emerald

    @MomSense: Yes, whenever I see hummingbirds I will think of General Stuck.

    Really, he was the reason I started reading this blog several times a day. It’s one of the best blogs anyway, but it was his commentary that drew me here.

  53. 53.

    Nina-the-first

    RIP mon General, you really gave so much, to this community, IRL, to Charlie, so much life. And you truly kept it… just real

  54. 54.

    Dee Loralei

    I’m saddened by this as well. RIP Stuck.

    Thanks John. And I’m so happy for Charlie.

  56. 56.

    Anya

    @eemom: I think I was in denial. I thought he just decided to do other things with his time. But I should have known since he was a prolific commentator here and at TNC’s place.

    John, thanks for caring enough to look for him. You’re a good man, John Cole!

  60. 60.

    pamelabrown53

    @dance around in your bones:
    Thank you, John Cole for your extra diligence in finding the truth about General Stuck.

    As a dedicated lurker, sometimes poster, I must say that I’m experiencing a sense of loss.

    Condolences to his family and hopefully this thread can be a comfort to them: he left a wider imprint and he is missed.

  62. 62.

    Antonius

    Taps

    The day is done
    Gone the sun
    From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky,
    All is well,
    Safely rest.
    God is nigh.

    Thanks for finding out John. Really good of you.

  63. 63.

    jenn

    Damn. Both good and sad to get the confirmation. Glad to hear that Charlie has a good home, though. I’ll raise a glass this evening.

  65. 65.

    eemom

    If there’s one thing I’m absolutely certain of, it’s that he would be very, very pleased to see this thread, and all the comments over the last few days from the people who cared about him. And at John’s follow up work.

    As for the other comments…..well, he wouldn’t be surprised.

  68. 68.

    'Niques

    From a constant reader/occasional poster, I have to say I’ll miss the General. Gravitated to his posts often. RIP.

  69. 69.

    Steeplejack

    RIP, Stuck.

    One of my favorite Stuckisms:

    Cheer up, the good news is, while the body falls apart, the mind is set free, unless you get dementia, then it is really set free. So many things you thought were important or stuff you missed out on, all that shit fades away to, I exist, therefore I yam.

  72. 72.

    Betty Cracker

    Damn, I am sorry for the confirmation. Re-posting this poem in his honor:

    Humming-bird by D.H.Lawrence

    I can imagine, in some otherworld
    Primeval-dumb, far back
    In that most awful stillness, that gasped and hummed,
    Humming-birds raced down the avenues.

    Before anything had a soul,
    While life was a heave of matter, half inanimate,
    This little bit chirped off in brilliance
    And went whizzing through the slow, vast, succulent stems.

    I believe there were no flowers then,
    In the world where humming-birds flashed ahead of creation
    I believe he pierced the slow vegetable veins with his long beak.

    Probably he was big
    As mosses, and little lizards, they say, were once big.
    Probably he was a jabbing, terrifying monster.

    We look at him through the wrong end of the telescope of time,
    Luckily for us.

    Rest in peace.

  73. 73.

    Jeff Spender

    Thanks for the follow-up work, John. I don’t comment here often, and unfortunately my commentary is often useless, but I do enjoy reading the input from the people here.

    Stuck will be missed.

  74. 74.

    Elizabelle

    Knew this was coming. Doesn’t make it easier, but appreciate JC’s checking in and also knowing that Charlie’s safe and sound.

    Been doing teh Google for General Stuck comments: a few:

    Everything I’m reading about this SOTU by Obama, is it will be pure populist mainstream democratic party red meat. So I don’t doubt he will mention it. As well as a lot of other rank liberalism that should give the well scrubbed wingnuts a fresh case of galloping vapors. Obama unchained, it’s on the queue for tonight. Set against a backdrop of Ted Nugent and government shutdown. And ‘You lie”. What a country.

    this later in a thread after dissing Wyoming:

    Another term that works is ‘red neck’. Lived in Bozeman a while and spent a lot of time in and around Cody Wy, and the difference between MT and Wy was night and day. They call themselves the Cowboy State, but all I ever saw were crude red necks. Alabama on the high plains.

    And General Stuck had a lot of comments about 2012 vote proving US not listening so much to the MSM any more in this thread (Same Sad Song, from March ’13):

    I thought we won the election, in spite of Adelson et al…. wasting large sums of money on pipe dreams. Our media is fucked up and beholden to whatever it is that allows republican scripts to get a better reading, but this past election should be a testament that money can’t buy elections so easily. You need good candidates and a message of inclusion rather than exclusion. And something other than ideas that have failed in practice for governing by the right.

    This was good news, and did surprise me some. We even won the overall popular vote for House seats. Therefore, I don’t think it is off the wall to conclude that the public isn’t necessarily listening to the msm, like in the past. And that alternate forms of receiving information had some sway.

    We really need to do a General Stuck greatest hits thread. Stuck aka SAM was highly entertaining and on the money, more often than not.

  78. 78.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    RIP, General.

    @eemom:

    As for the other comments…..well, he wouldn’t be surprised.

    Nope, he wouldn’t.

  79. 79.

    A Humble Lurker

    He’d been here since I started reading this blog years ago, and was always a joy to read. Glad at least to know. RIP Stuck.

  80. 80.

    Sibling Nonspecific Firearm of Random Adjective Followed by a Noun That Describes a Mental State (fka AWS)

    i won’t say who this thread is missing, as it might jinx it.

  81. 81.

    YellowJournalism

    Goodbye, Stuck. You are missed.

    I think I’ll set up a hummingbird feeder in my yard this year.

  82. 82.

    Stillwater

    Stuck was always entertaining, irascible, charged up, and indefatigable in defending his views. A good writer and clear thinker when he wanted to be but amusing in any event. He had personality. His passing makes me sad.

  84. 84.

    Nina-the-first

    @eemom: Stuck was one of the extroverted posters here who made introverted non-posters (like me) feel like part of the community–I can almost hear, “go ahead, don’t be shy, say something”–and yes, he often did post for me.

    So for the General: Hummingbird by BB King.

  86. 86.

    Elizabelle

    General Stuck, on learning Sarah and Bristol Palin were trademarking their names:

    One small step for grifting, one giant leap toward Peak Wingnut

    and later:

    Bristle is dumb as dirt, but Sarah has shown some cunning in seeing an opening to promote herself and taking it for monetary gain. It will be interesting to see if her celebrity with idiots and fickle press jackals, goes to her head and she runs for president. She will crash hard then, and it would take some kind of narcissist to take that step after Tucson. If she just maintains bullshitting the tea tard rubes, I figure her star won’t come crashing down for the time being and she can set herself as a sort of Rasputin for crazy people.

    a Rasputin for crazy people.

    We have lost a great talent.

  87. 87.

    Luna Sea

    RIP, Sir. Thank you for enriching so many lives in so many ways, even those that did not know you in person. Damn fine hummingbirds.

    This place is so amazing, full of really good people. Thank you, John Cole for creating it and taking such good care of it.

  88. 88.

    RobertDSC-PowerMac G5 Dual

    RIP. May the Infinite guide you on the next stage of your journey, Stuck.

  89. 89.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    RIP, Stuck. His relatively quick passing at such a young age is a reminder to all of us to cherish those who we have while they are still living. It’s touching that he gets to spend the rest of his time on earth in the state with his beloved Browns.

  90. 90.

    dance around in your bones

    @Jeff Spender:

    Thanks for the follow-up work, John. I don’t comment here often, and unfortunately my commentary is often useless, but I do enjoy reading the input from the people here.

    Oh, I don’t think your commentary is useless. That Eulogy From a Physicist you posted moved me a lot. I copied it and am going to paste it here again:

    Aaron Freeman’s “Eulogy from a Physicist.”

    You want a physicist to speak at your funeral. You want the physicist to talk to your grieving family about the conservation of energy, so they will understand that your energy has not died. You want the physicist to remind your sobbing mother about the first law of thermodynamics; that no energy gets created in the universe, and none is destroyed. You want your mother to know that all your energy, every vibration, every Btu of heat, every wave of every particle that was her beloved child remains with her in this world. You want the physicist to tell your weeping father that amid energies of the cosmos, you gave as good as you got.

    And at one point you’d hope that the physicist would step down from the pulpit and walk to your brokenhearted spouse there in the pew and tell him that all the photons that ever bounced off your face, all the particles whose paths were interrupted by your smile, by the touch of your hair, hundreds of trillions of particles, have raced off like children, their ways forever changed by you. And as your widow rocks in the arms of a loving family, may the physicist let her know that all the photons that bounced from you were gathered in the particle detectors that are her eyes, that those photons created within her constellations of electromagnetically charged neurons whose energy will go on forever.

    And the physicist will remind the congregation of how much of all our energy is given off as heat. There may be a few fanning themselves with their programs as he says it. And he will tell them that the warmth that flowed through you in life is still here, still part of all that we are, even as we who mourn continue the heat of our own lives.

    And you’ll want the physicist to explain to those who loved you that they need not have faith; indeed, they should not have faith. Let them know that they can measure, that scientists have measured precisely the conservation of energy and found it accurate, verifiable and consistent across space and time. You can hope your family will examine the evidence and satisfy themselves that the science is sound and that they’ll be comforted to know your energy’s still around. According to the law of the conservation of energy, not a bit of you is gone; you’re just less orderly. Amen.

    I especially love the last line. So, thank you and keep posting!

  91. 91.

    eemom

    @Elizabelle:

    Thank you for finding those, and I agree, a fine way to honor the General’s memory would be for all of us to search out more.

    His political analysis and wit were indeed razor sharp — so much so that I — even I — was not only willing to overlook the occasional grammatical or spelling lapse, I even found them…..endearing.

  92. 92.

    lojasmo

    If I remember correctly, I followed GS here from the 538 blog during, or shortly after the Franken-Coleman recount shens.

    One of the smartest, sharpest, snarkiest fuckers I’ve ever seen online. I miss him.

    RIP, General.

  96. 96.

    Dissatisfied Customer

    It’s a death in the family. Thank you, John, for the detective work. That was as noble as it was kind.

  97. 97.

    getsmartin

    I corresponded with him a bit a couple of years ago about Hummingbird photography, New Mexico (where I once lived) and the Mississippi Gulf Coast (where I now live – and he lived twenty or so years ago).

    What a great guy. He’ll be missed.

    “Thus think of all this fleeting world: a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream, a flash of lightning in a summer cloud, a flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.”
    -The Diamond Sutra

  100. 100.

    Eric

    An authentic an consistent voice. A reliable voice to get the spirits moving. Farewell friend.

    Fuck the fucking yankees

  102. 102.

    Mnemosyne

    @Yatsuno:

    An Irish wake is the best kind. One of the regulars here (can’t remember who and too lazy to look) described it as having a drink, talking about what a saint the deceased was, having another couple of drinks, talking about what a complete and utter gobshite he was, having another couple of drinks, talking about what a saint he was ….

    Sounds like the perfect way to remember the General.

  105. 105.

    Elizabelle

    From October 2012, coincidentally the first day Gallup had Romney ahead (in their dreams) …

    General Stuck:

    Eternal republican over reach. It is our best weapon and we usually don’t have to move a muscle to deploy it, as the nutters are always helpful that way.

    … once the wingnut latches onto a tasty bone with a stench of rabid bigotry, they just can’t let go. The echo chamber between their ears tells them that everyone hears the same wind rushing through that empty space. I’ve never seen it this bad, with a near psychotic break from reality throughout the right wing realm. Obama is the worst person in the world and EVERYONE KNOWS IT. So he can’t possibly be reelected. And it spreads out from there in concentric circles of blissful ignorance.

    We often envy the republican discipline for messaging. But when the message is shit and you don’t know when to stop, that is nothing to envy.

  106. 106.

    dance around in your bones

    @jenn: I figured some folks had missed it, and it was too good not to share again. Thanks, Jeff!

  108. 108.

    KRK

    Thanks, John.

    RIP, Stuck. Your presence has been missed already, now it’s knowing that you’ll never be back.

  109. 109.

    Ruckus

    @eemom:
    The General was really a friend to me at this crazy ass place…and I don’t give a shit who sneers at that particular concept of friendship.

    I can not say I interacted with him much but he always brought his A game to the show and I enjoyed that. You rarely know anyone completely and internet friendships usually leave even more gaps in our knowledge about them but the General seemed to be the real deal. He didn’t make enough trips around the sun but he did seem to enjoy those that he did.
    The world will miss him, this small one especially.

  110. 110.

    MissMimi

    Another longtime lurker emerging from the wings…this blog and the comments here show how real relationships can develop among people who never “meet”. This is a real community and thanks to John Cole for hosting it, even those of us who peer in through the windows.
    RIP, General Stuck. I’m raising my rather early shiraz to you.

  111. 111.

    maya

    A stool by the Balloon Juice hearth sits vacant,
    Left aside with the most gentle care,
    Before the descending shadows of darkness,
    A squadron of hummingbirds flit through the air.

    Adios, General Stuck.

  113. 113.

    Chat Noir

    Thank you for finding out about General Stuck, John. I enjoyed reading his comments and I liked how he sparred verbally with other commenters. So glad Charlie was able to get a new home. RIP, Stuck.

  114. 114.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    I have nothing original to add, but I will miss his rock-steady pointedness.

    Blessed be.

  115. 115.

    MomSense

    He reminded me of a friend of mine who was older than Stuck and who also served in the military. He was the Obot’s Obot and it wasn’t that he agreed with every thing the President said or did just that he had lived a while and had seen some things and felt that President Obama and the diverse coalition who elected him were a bright spot in our history.

    Anyway, I will miss General Stuck and hearing about Charlie.

    @NickT — oh please don’t tell me I need to worry about trolls in my garden?! That is a troll free zone! Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and sleepy cats only!

  118. 118.

    mai naem

    I’m really sad. I pretty much knew the obit was his but I was kind of in denial. I’m glad for Charlie. The thought of Charlie lonely at an animal shelter just makes me feel ill. Stuck was a really good writer and while there’s many who are very prolific posters, there’s only a small percentage who are actually good. RIP Stuck. Maybe you’ll meet Beckham up there and you can take him for walks.

  119. 119.

    Librarian

    RIP, General. When I saw him going by General Winfield Stuck, I pictured him in a Civil War uniform.

  121. 121.

    Josie

    The General may have been sharp when disagreeing with someone, but he was warm and welcoming to newcomers and lurkers. I miss him and am grateful to you, John, for following up on him and Charlie.

  122. 122.

    eemom

    @Elizabelle:

    Zactly. Little tidbits like

    Eternal republican over reach. It is our best weapon and we usually don’t have to move a muscle to deploy it

    The echo chamber between their ears tells them that everyone hears the same wind rushing through that empty space.

    And it spreads out from there in concentric circles of blissful ignorance.

    Mastery of phrasing that outshines so many of the stale and overrated hacks endlessly quoted on the FP.

  123. 123.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    Stuck actually started commenting as Nightjar (which is a weird type of bird) in 2006. After he became more notorious, he changed his handle to Stuck In The Funhouse. Sometime thereafter, he shortened it to Stuck and then added the “General” when Balloon Juice went through it’s martial phase.

    In fact, while many of you may remember him as Obama’s #1 Fan, he was here for some time before “there was an Obama.” During this time, his passion seemed to be the Israeli/Palestine threads, wherein he would lobby as hard as he could for the Israelis.

  125. 125.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    Thanks for checking John. Everything seemed to fit but I was hoping that it wasn’t him.

    Rest in peace Stuck.

  126. 126.

    Anne Laurie

    Rest — or, more likely, cavort — in peace, General Stuck.

    Thanks again, John, not least for setting our fears about Charlie to rest.

    They say the good die young, because for some people it’s “too soon” no matter how many birthdays they’ve accumulated…

  127. 127.

    cbear

    Stuck and I went back a long time here, both as friends and adversaries, and he was always worthy of both titles.

    Peace.

  128. 128.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Just Some Fuckhead: thanks for the backstory. Even those of us who feel like we’re long timers now know that there’s a lot we missed before we ever showed up, some of it probably truly legendary.

  129. 129.

    janeform

    @eemom: Absolutely. I always looked forward to reading the General’s posts and have missed him. I’m shedding some tears for a talented and good man. Peace to you General Stuck. Thank you John for giving us confirmation and for this place.

  130. 130.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @FlipYrWhig: Before the Obot-Firebagger nonsense, the regular weekly big blow up here was the Israeli-Palestinian threads.

  131. 131.

    Munira

    I enjoyed his posts, too, even though I don’t post much myself. He was a unique voice and I did feel like I knew him. He will be missed, but I’m glad to know what’s happened and that his little dog is being taken care of.

  132. 132.

    TEL

    Another lurker who enjoyed the General’s comments. I’m glad that Charlie is taken care of. Thanks for doing the legwork and finding that out for us, Cole.

    RIP, General.

  133. 133.

    Elie

    Deepest respects to your memory, Stuck and thanks John so much for confirming this… I am definitely feeling the loss but am feeling great about this community that he also cared about and in which he wholeheartedly participated. Best always to him and best to all of you for your positive energy and interest in life….

  135. 135.

    FlipYrWhig

    I did a quick Google for threads on which Stuck and I both appeared. I found this post from Stuck on 12/1/2010, in the context of one of those long drawn-out wrangles over Obama being bad at negotiating:

    Me and Mr. Whig will still be here when youze all decide to return to planet earth.

    Sniffle.

  137. 137.

    Kristine

    I am sorry. Sympathies to his family, both here and offline.

    I’m glad Charlie has a new home.

    Thanks to John and others who kept digging for information.

  138. 138.

    Stillwater

    @FlipYrWhig: I wonder if the “stuck” name was adopted when he went into the nursing home. I don’t remember “nightjar”. Predates me, I guess.

    I do remember one crazy thread where Stuck was challenging someone to a fight – like a real fist fight – and the proposal was to meet halfway between NM and where that commenter was located. For some reason I think it was JSF he wanted to put a beat down on. Is that right?

  139. 139.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    @Eric: That’s an outstanding way to describe Stuck; thanks.

    I had a beer and watched the Reds win last night in his memory. He was a mensch and I miss him. I’ll stop by his resting spot next week to pay respects. Echoing eemom, I found the occasional error endearing rather than irritating. I miss him.

    Anyone have a handy link to hummer pix of his? There’s something in my eye.

  140. 140.

    Villago Delenda Est

    John, thank you for your diligence in confirming what was suspected. Sad news, but good to know Charlie has a new home.

    The General will of course be missed, but hardly forgotten. It may be some consolation for his family to know how many share in their loss.

  141. 141.

    phoebes-in-santa fe

    @burnspbesq: Dear lord, I was just thinking of Gilliard today. He wrote a hell of blog; brilliant in history and politics. I remember when Obama won in 2008 I thought how much Gilliard would have savored that moment of a black guy in the White House.

    Gilliard’s blog is really what I measure political blogs against. Cole’s is very good, but the knowledge and the writing skills Gilliard displayed was unsurpassed.

    Does anyone know where his “community” went after his death?

  145. 145.

    Linda M

    Thanks, John Cole, for following up with this. I take so much for granted and just expect life to go on without much thought. I will be giving my loved ones extra hugs tonight. RIP Stuck.

  146. 146.

    piratedan

    all I can say is to hope that I will be as well thought of as Stuck is when I go toes up. RIP Stuck hope that you’re pleasantly surprised on how you impacted so many people.

  147. 147.

    Jay

    Thinking of the legwork John did here, and reading these comments, I’m reminded of Ayelet Waldman’s essay on how the comment section of her old blog saved her from suicide.

    Have some good food, hug your animals, and think of the good things y’all have done for each other.

  148. 148.

    Stillwater

    @Just Some Fuckhead: Isn’t thymezone a Nick? Man, it’s been away so long I can’t remember.

    Thanks for the correction, tho. One of my favorite Stuck moments was a thread where you said one of the funniest things I’ve ever read on the webs, I’ll see if I can track it down.

    Here it is: Poor Stuck, desperately trying to keep order in the middle of a comment revolution..

    That pretty much captured what was happening in that thread. And captures what Stuck was all about, actually.

  151. 151.

    CaseyL

    Very sad to get confirmation; but thank you, John, for taking the time and trouble to find out for sure. Many thanks also to SIA who tracked down the obit, and everyone else who went looking.

    Goodbye, General.

    He was wonderful fun to read and agree with, and also sharp, brain-exercising fun to argue with. I’ll miss him.

    Very glad to hear Charlie found a new home. I hope they appreciate him properly :)

  152. 152.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @Stillwater: Thymezone actually went through handles like a heroin addict goes through needles. Suddenly, there would be this awesome new presence on the blog and I’d email Laura and say, “I love that new guy!” and she’d always say, “It’s Thymezone again, you fool.” And then I’d grumble and go back to hating him.

  154. 154.

    Jewish Steel

    @Stillwater: That is pretty funny.

    Like I mentioned*, 60 seems awfully young.

    Scottish proverb: You’re a long time deid.

    *on an earlier thread

  155. 155.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @Stillwater: I don’t think he was doing it to conceal his identity. He just liked clever or funny handles. I changed mine once for a long period of time because the “fuckhead” legend was getting too hard to live up to and I just wanted to be free to snark or opine.

  157. 157.

    BarbCat

    Thank you for finding confirmation of the worst. It is too bad he had not just gotten sick of us. Glad his wishes and feeling for creatures are respected. RIP Stuck.

  158. 158.

    El Tiburon

    Perhaps some of you more ‘regular’ regulars could enlighten us less-frequent regulars on Stuck. I of course was familar with him here and am sure I had some discourse back and forth.

    But perhaps a Balloon Juice obit dedicated to the General would be in order. And maybe a few of you dedicated BJers’ could link to some of his more (in)famous comments?

    Although I tend to butt heads with many of you, at times like this I do get a bit teary eyed and do fill like I am somewhat part of the community here.

  159. 159.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @JPL: She’s doing fine. She started back to college to get her Masters and got serious with a gentleman friend.

  161. 161.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    Adios, Stuck. From here on out, the Wildcats drain every three and never get put on probation.

  162. 162.

    geg6

    RIP Stuck. We didn’t always agree but he was a good man and I respected him. Damn, this sucks. Never thought I’d be so upset about a guy I only knew virtually. But I am. And I ‘m glad Charlie is okay. As really worried about him. Safe travels, if there are any such things, dear Stuck.

  163. 163.

    Liquid

    On this beautiful saturday in Seattle I pour one out for Stuck and for absent friends. Slainte.

  164. 164.

    SIA

    Here’s a link to his blog. Probably it’s already been posted, but I can’t read all the comments right now. It’s weird how I feel somewhat embarrassed to say my heart hurts, but it does. I just always felt a link with the General Stuck. (I believe he was also Comrade Stuck at one time)..

    Anyway, here’s his blog. Look for the girls on trampolines thread amidst all the politics and some really lovely music.

    And here’s something he wrote that I posted last night that I really love.

    But there are moments I have with sir Charles that are not covered by that theory of interaction with pets. It is personal and really nothing more than we are fast friends in this realm of flesh and blood, without conditions, spinning madly together upon the mortal coil of planet earth.

  165. 165.

    Fluke bucket

    My favorite memory is when Just Some Fuckhead referred to Charlie as “yer purse dog” while they were sparring about something and made Stuck so god damn mad you could tell he was stammering as he typed. It was a Balloon-Juice classic for me.

  167. 167.

    handy

    Damn. That sucks.

    Stuck could get a little wound up when some of the regulars here (you know who you are) would needle him, and he wrote at times like he was little too enamored with his own words.

    But he was one of the good guys.

    RIP General.

  169. 169.

    El Cid

    My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. May they be well and share his memories.

  172. 172.

    Kathleen

    RIP, General Stuck. I am a relative newcomer to BJ as reader/comment poster andI never interacted with him here in comments, but I’ve enjoyed reading the archived comments in this thread.

    My condolences to his family and to his friends here on BJ. Thank you, John, for getting closure.

  173. 173.

    John S.

    @Just Some Fuckhead:

    Indeed. And before that, it was the battle on any topic between the liberals and the conservatives that used to stink up the joint before Cole’s conversion.

    Sometimes, I miss the likes of Darrell and TallDave. They were highly entertaining, and Stuck would have enjoyed batting them around.

  176. 176.

    gogol's wife

    @SIA:

    Thank you. I was trying to describe Charlie to my husband, and that is the perfect picture.

    I think I was trying to prepare him for the fact that we were going to have to adopt Charlie if no one else did.

  177. 177.

    SIA

    @JPL: I used to visit his blog occasionally to say hi, and he always responded. The last time when you, Emerald, jgabriel and I left comments and he didn’t answer, I knew something was wrong.

  179. 179.

    RoonieRoo

    Thank you for verifying John. I’ve been reading and waiting to hear for sure. This just makes me very sad. I am relieved that Charlie has someone caring for him.

  181. 181.

    SIA

    @gogol’s wife: I was going to drive to NM to get him, regardless of the three dogs and two cats already present! I do wish we knew more about who has Charlie, but trusting they will love him as much as Stuck did.

    Also, I want to mention Annie, who thankfully provided his full name on one of the “where is Stuck” posts.

  182. 182.

    pat

    And let’s not forget to hope that Charlie will get over what must be grief and a sense of abandonment.

  185. 185.

    eemom

    @SIA:

    Also, I want to mention Annie, who thankfully provided his full name on one of the “where is Stuck” posts.

    Exactly, that’s what enabled a few of us to start on the trail in the first place back in May….though there was some, um, controversy about it at the time.

    I think Annie was his co-blogger.

    Thanks most especially to you for finding the obit.

  186. 186.

    gelfling545

    This site is one of the few at which I care to read the comments. Some I read if I have the time, some I pass by quickly but a few I will always stop to read. His were among the must read comments for me, whether I agreed or not, as he was willing to argue fiercely for his beliefs and prepared to do so intelligently -a rare combination anywhere – yet did not suffer fools gladly. It was a privilege to make his acquaintance in this strange world of the internet.

  187. 187.

    angler

    Stuck, often found him irritating, and regarded him as one of the reasons to read the BJ comment threads. RIP.

  188. 188.

    MJ

    Wow! First of all, I’d like to thanks Jhn for doing all of the legwork and providing us with a little bit of closure.

    I’m so sorry to hear that General Stuck is really gone. I’m gonna miss that big old sourpuss. Like eemom and MomSense, I really considered him to be a friend and I sincerely mourn his loss.

    I’m a bit more verklempt about this than I thought I’d be, so I’ll write more later when I am a bit more coherent. But for now, I’d like to raise my glass tonight and pour a little out for my buddy, General Stuck who was the King of the Obots, Defender of Lurkers and Chief “Firebagger” Slayer (no offense). In other words, I’m going to miss that lovable old bastard and his presence here on Balloon-Juice.

    Best,

    MJ

  189. 189.

    the Conster

    This makes me ineffably sad. He was a big presence in every thread and now he’ll never be here again. If I had been with him at the end I would have made sure he had his plastic unicorn, clutched tightly to him to ward off the firebagger trolls whom he fought valiantly in thread after thread. RIP General.

  190. 190.

    Angela

    General Stuck was a favorite commenter of mine. I will miss him at this blog, and I am glad to hear Charlie has a home. The tributes are awesome, and the re-posted comments are much more endearing then I expected them to be.

    RIP Stuck.

    And thanks Cole and others who solved the puzzle of his disappearance from the interwebs.

  192. 192.

    Stillwater

    @eemom: Even given all that, it’s pretty uncool to dig past a person’s pseudonym to reveal their identity. If Stuck wanted people to know his real name, he’d have posted under that nym.

  195. 195.

    Elie

    @pat:

    Dogs and cats are pretty much here and now. Yes, they grieve but they are able to take in good treatment and people here and now — even as they may always love their special person from the past… at least that is what I think…

  196. 196.

    Spaghetti Lee

    RIP, General. I don’t remember a lot of the classic Stuck moments, but I’d love the suggestion some people have of putting together a tribute thread with links to great threads/comments.

  198. 198.

    satby

    I’m incredibly sad to have this confirmed, and grateful that Charlie is rehomed. And grateful too, for John and this wonderfully dsyfunctional community he built. Stuck must have had a tough last few years health-wise to go so young so I hope he’s resting peacefully now.

  199. 199.

    Mary G

    I have only bookmarked one blog comment on my browser ever, and it was Stuck’s at the time of the big House hearing on contraception having no women to testify. I was so discouraged and depressed about having to fight all these battles over and over and ready to throw in the towel, but he got me all charged up again:

    But as a cynical male, these things happen as a vital part of maintaining those long since battles won, imo. The culture wars take eternal vigilance, and sometimes out in the open re fighting the same fight, to remind people of what we are dealing with in this country, a puritan ethic of male control over women folk that goes back a long ways, and is kept alive by a significant number of citizens and their surrogates. We got the best of the best presnit to pound back the slippery nails to that coffin of ghosts past of unequal treatment, and the fact that our bodies and their natural functions, are sacrosanct and not part of the body politic. They belong to us, and us only.

    That got me all fired up again and I sent a donation to Planned Parenthood.

    I told him how much it meant to me, must have been in a later post because I can’t find it, and he answered “Blush.” So glad that I did that now.

    You meant a lot to a lot of people, General. RIP.

  202. 202.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    I wonder if their is a best of General Stuck to enjoy some of his postings.
    Happy Trails Amigo!

  203. 203.

    JCT

    Thanks for seeing this through, John.

    I first started reading this blog in late 2007 and one of the first threads I waded into had General Stuck right in the middle swinging away.

    I’m glad he made it to hospice and had a good end. And that Charlie is OK.

    RIP, Stuck

  204. 204.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    Someone you’ve never met, but on the internet you have argued with, agreed with, laughed with, laughed at, been angry because he’s laughed at you, disappears off the internet, and after a month of searching, you find out he’s passed away. So, what do you do? You mourn a friend.

  207. 207.

    Schlemizel

    Its funny how much you can get to know someone online and think of them as part of your circle of friends even though you really don’t know all that much about them. This is a good place & he was good people

  208. 208.

    TaMara (BHF)

    And with that news, I’m incredibly sad. RIP. No matter how great Charlie’s new home, he will miss you I’m sure, as we all will.

  209. 209.

    Mnemosyne

    @Stillwater:

    Not necessarily. I prefer to post under a pseudonym because of possible consequences IRL (job, conservative family, etc.), but if God forbid I died, I wouldn’t have any problem with my real name being associated with my nym because I would no longer have to worry about those consequences. YMMV, of course.

  212. 212.

    Comrade Mary

    Oh, no. RIP, Stuck. I hope his friends and family were able to get together and remember him properly. (I’ve been to too many family funerals in the past couple of years. They don’t get easier. )

    And I’m glad to hear that Charlie is in a good home.

  213. 213.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    Our second cat was a large bushy ginger that was killed by a neighbor’s van. He refused to drive slowly down on our small residential road. He rolled down his window and said “I’m sorry about that.” I said, “Keep driving like that and you’re sure to get a kid one day.” We moved shortly thereafter.

  214. 214.

    Suzanne

    Oh Lord. Stuck was one of the many reasons I love this blog….rough and tumble, with a heart of gold. He will be missed, and thanks again to John for making such a wonderful community here. It is an honor to have my life touched by so many good people. Very glad to know that Charlie is OK.

  221. 221.

    The Very Reverend Crimson Fire of Compassion

    General Stuck is now commenting where the moderator has REAL authoriteh!

  225. 225.

    roshan

    Bye, General Stuck. I can’t believe we have lost so many people and pets, we were so fond of, in the recent days and months. Reading this blog without them won’t be the same ever. I might be a complete random stranger but this blog has been a home to me through my worst times and I won’t ever forget that.

  227. 227.

    c u n d gulag

    How sad…

    We miss you, General!

    You will be missed.

    And that says something.

  229. 229.

    WaterGIrl

    Oh, Stuck. I knew you were gone, but confirmation hurts. I hope Charlie was with you at the end.

    I was away yesterday. I was sickened to hear about Trayvon this morning so I headed right to Balloon Juice, only to learn about you and Tunch in the span of about 30 seconds. Shitty day doesn’t begin to cover it.

    Goodbye Stuck. You made your mark, which is all any of us can really hope for.

  230. 230.

    asiangrrlMN

    Oh my god. I can’t believe it. I read this in Betty’s front page, and I had to click the link immediately. Oh, General Stuck. You’ve always been one of my favorite BJers, and I always smiled when you shared your pics of Charlie or when we had a snarky exchange. We spent many late nights walking the BJ beat, didn’t we? I’m so very sorry to his family. He shall be missed.

    RIP Stuck.

  235. 235.

    Brachiator

    What sad news on top of sad news on a bad week.

    RIP, General.

    My deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.

    And the comments here are a sweet tribute to him.

  237. 237.

    Original Lee

    Thanks for verifying what we were afraid was true, John.

    RIP, General Stuck. You have always had my respect.

  238. 238.

    priscianusjr

    General Stuck was one of my very favorite commentators here. I had no idea who he was, but now it is confirmed that he was like the rest of of us, mortal. I have missed his trenchant comments and will continue to. May he rest in peace.

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