Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

The real work of an opposition party is to oppose.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

We can show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

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

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

I am pretty sure these ‘journalists’ were not always such a bootlicking sycophants.

Just because you believe it, that does not make it true.

Let the trolls come, and then ignore them. that’s the worst thing you can do to a troll.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Jesus watching the most hateful people claiming to be his followers

Come on, man.

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Open Thread

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For the record, my votes for this year:

Royksopp – Running To The Sea {Ft. Susanne Sundfor}
David Bowie – Where Are We Now?
Dan Sultan – Under Your Skin
Gesaffelstein – Nameless
Green Velvet – Bigger Than Prince
Haerts – All The Days
The Juan Maclean – Feel Like Movin’
Rudimental – Waiting All Night {Ft. Ella Eyre}
Simone & Girlfunkle – Secret
Trentemoller – Never Stop Running {Ft. Jonny Pierce}

24 hours to go.

Reader Interactions

99Comments

  6. 6.

    Gex

    Man, I am a hurting unit. Made it through the anniversary okay. Only to find out that I suddenly have job insecurity because my company might get bought out. And I’m still dealing with my own body’s attempts to have cervical cancer. It’s too fucking much.

    I guess at least I am learning that I am stronger than I ever thought I was. I could stand to live in suspense about such things.

  9. 9.

    Steeplejack

    DVR Alert

    The rarely shown (on TV) quirky French thriller Diva (1981) is on Sundance at 1:45 a.m. EST tonight (i.e., early Saturday morning). Worth checking out. Trailer here.

    And it’s preceded at 11:30 p.m. EST by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, if you can still stand to watch Jim Carrey in anything. Might be better off with Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid and Bill Murray in Kingpin at 9:00.

  12. 12.

    NotMax

    Several here were pooh-poohing (undeservedly, IMHO) the movie Charly not too long ago.

    Noticed it is airing on TCM at 3:45 a.m. (Eastern) on Feb. 1 for those who want to check it out.

  18. 18.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @efgoldman: She probably asked for it to be deleted. I think we are around the one year anniversary of her loss. So, good thoughts for her.

  20. 20.

    Sarah, Proud and Tall

    @efgoldman:

    Ah. That’s what I get for not refreshing the page when I get out of the shower. I’ll just say that Gex appears to be fine, but it’s been a crap of a week. I’ll let her post more details if she wants.

    I’m not sure why her post is in the moderation queue. Gex – let me know if you want me to rescue that post.

  22. 22.

    lamh36

    So, Grammys this Sunday, but can’t miss Sherlock at 9pm (CST) so I’ll be DVR’ing it during Sherlock.

    So for anyone who cares… Are you looking forward to any performers (here is a link to announced performers: http://www.grammy.com/news/madonna-to-perform-on-56th-grammys)

    Any presenters you looking forward too?

    Here is a list of the current nominees…http://www.grammy.com/nominees

    What are the biggest snubs in your book and what was the biggest good surprise?

  26. 26.

    the Conster

    @Steeplejack:

    Diva is amazing. My husband was in the stereo business when that came out and the kid’s Nagra was the hook for us to see it and record it. It’s beautiful and still looks current – the bad guy and his 1981 transistor ear bud looks like everyone everywhere now, and the set decoration is still way way cool. Plus, opera. All in French. Wonderful, creative, original movie.

  32. 32.

    NotMax

    @the Conster

    Cute bit in an old movie whose name escapes me at the moment –

    Audience is watching an opera scene in a movie. Pan in on a middle-aged gent who clearly has no liking for opera.

    He taps the woman in the seat in front of him on the shoulder and whispers “Madam, would you mind please putting your hat on?”

  35. 35.

    NotMax

    @raven

    There’s a story about a concert which Eartha Kitt cut short, scolding the audience that they were too stupid to understand or appreciate her music, and walking off the stage.

  37. 37.

    Calming Influence

    @Baud: No need to be uncertain – visit Rapture Ready! The Rapture Index is what you want to check daily so you’re not taken by surprise.

    (Also, if you’re in need of a good throw-away email account for trolling wingnut websites, you can’t go too far wrong with Jesus Answers.com)

  38. 38.

    CaseyL

    @Steeplejack: Diva! I saw that movie ages and ages ago – possibly when it first came out? – and loved it so much. Can’t watch it tonight, because I’m going out… maybe I can find it at Scarecrow and rent it.

  41. 41.

    PsiFighter37

    Got out of work pretty damn late tonight. That said, we got our list of prospective intern resumes to review from my college…shocked at a) how few applied, and b) how unimpressed I was overall with the quality of the candidates. I work in finance, so I’m not terribly surprised given how the past several years have been, but there’s no way the industry will improve unless there are capable candidates to come into the industry.

    Oh well. I’m going to sip on this Sam Adams Double Agent IPL and stop thinking about it.

    PF37 +1

  44. 44.

    Mnemosyne (iPhone)

    I remember watching “Diva” in high school French class and liking it, though I can’t tell you what it wa about since that was almost 30-cough years ago.

    I did something I hardly ever do today — I bought a chocolate bar from a kid selling them on the street (they do it to finance sports and club activities). He just looked so lonely sitting there. Plus it was Godiva sea salt chocolate.

  45. 45.

    Yatsuno

    I don’t do much in music threads usually, but I will say this: If “Let It Go” does not win Best Oscar, I will probably start a nuclear meltdown.

    @Mnemosyne (iPhone):

    Plus it was Godiva sea salt chocolate.

    It drives me nuts that they make kids do shit like that. Having said that, fundraising chocolate has taken a step up in the world.

  51. 51.

    gwangung

    @Yatsuno:

    I don’t do much in music threads usually, but I will say this: If “Let It Go” does not win Best Oscar, I will probably start a nuclear meltdown.

    Agreed…although it’s tempered by the knowledge that I’ll be hearing for the next 20 years in karaoke bars across the country….

    (which makes me glad I hang with a musical theatre crowd….)

  54. 54.

    NotMax

    @Mnemosyne

    Aware of your discomfort with the Fred Astaire in blackface dancing with his shadows number.

    Thought you might, however, enjoy an inspiration for that scene (besides the obvious one of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson).

  55. 55.

    Steeplejack

    @raven:

    Haven’t got around to it yet, but it’s in the queue. A friend said the first episode makes it look interesting.

  57. 57.

    the Conster

    @raven:

    YES! Wow, who knew that when Matthew McConaughey lost so much weight he found his inner psycho. Woody Harrelson as the typical (?) family guy playing it all straight. Great show. I’m so needy for a Breaking Bad replacement, and this will do. It’s Top of the Lake meets True Blood but Florida and no vampires.

  60. 60.

    Steeplejack

    @trollhattan:

    I rarely do the “extras” for just that reason. I have heard director’s commentaries that actually made me like a movie less.

  62. 62.

    raven

    @the Conster: We’re hammering away at BB, I like it but it ain’t no Wire. The one African American detective in True Detective was Brother Mouzone in the Wire.

  67. 67.

    raven

    @Calming Influence:

    “Due to its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, it is not surprising that Turmeric is now being used as an effective natural remedy for Arthritis pain. Therefore, taking 500mg to 1000mg Turmeric capsules three times per day may provide significant relief from osteoarthritis pain. “

  72. 72.

    burnspbesq

    Best of 2013? Three stand head and shoulders above the rest.

    Jason Isbell, “Southeastern.”
    Wayne Shorter Quartet, “Without a Net.”
    Dunedin Consort and Players, John Butt cond., “The Passion According to St. John.”

  73. 73.

    muddy

    I had a wonderful experience with turmeric lately. I made carrot soup with medicinal amounts of turmeric and some ginger. When I went to brush my teeth later that evening, I was spitting out all kinds of yellow. I wondered if it had stained my teeth.

    I’m past due for the dentist and had that fuzzy teeth feeling, but after I brushed this off my teeth felt as slick inside as though I’d had a cleaning. And stayed that way. Possibly I invented a new toothpaste?

    It stained the hell out of my counter though.

  74. 74.

    Yatsuno

    @gwangung: If they can’t hit the high E-flat order another drink. Otherwise your ears will not survive.

    (I’m a tenor. If I can’t hit that I’m either completely verschnickered or sick beyond belief.)

    @Comrade Mary: Or more Indian food. Nigella has a Keralan fish curry that looks divine and also uses lots of turmeric.

  75. 75.

    Comrade Mary

    @Yatsuno: Oh, I INHALE Indian food. I could happily live in a vat of Indian food for the rest of my life, as long as i could exit every now and then for some pot stickers.

  76. 76.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Sarah, Proud and Tall: Probably way late, but I’ve made pickled peaches. Sound odd, but they are a good accompaniment to glazed ham, to offset the salty sweetness. I also preserve peaches in brandy – you end up basically with peach brandy, and brandy-infused peaches, which are great on good-quality vanilla ice cream.

    I live about a mile and a half from a peach orchard.

  77. 77.

    NotMax

    @muddy

    It stained the hell out of my counter though.

    No idea if it will also work for that, but does wonders getting rid of those bluish copper stains and also rust stains in sinks and assorted plumbing fixtures.

    Hie thee to a good hardware establishment and find a powdered cleanser type product called Zud. (They also make a cream paste, if you can’t find the powder.)

    Make a thick paste with some of the powder and water, spread on the stain and let it sit for couple of hours or even overnight, then lightly scrub.

    Fair warning: if you have a septic tank or cesspool, the oxalic acid in Zud will kill some of the necessary bacteria in those, so caution advised in those cases so as to not wash it down the drain.

  78. 78.

    Sarah, Proud and Tall

    @Gin & Tonic:

    Not too late. I’ve made pickled apples (just sliced up in hot vinegar and honey, then bottled) and they were lovely – sweet and crunchy – and apple brandy the same way as your peaches.

    Do you treat your peaches before you pickle them or just stick them in a jar with the vinegar?

  79. 79.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Sarah, Proud and Tall: I just peel and section them, no other “treatment”, then use a vinegar-sugar solution with a good pickling spice mixture. I process the jars in a boiling water bath like any other hot-pack pickles, and they keep for years. I’ll spice them more than a bread-and-butter pickle.

    If you can get apricots as well, they pair well with rhubarb for jam.

  81. 81.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Sarah, Proud and Tall: I still have a bit of contraband booze that is the run-off from preserving Romanian sour cherries in near grain alcohol level Romanian moonshine. Apparently one eats the cherries on ice cream or whatever. The booze ends up about the consistency of well chilled vodka, tastes like boozed up cherries, and kicks like David Beckham in his prime.

  83. 83.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Yatsuno: I am a bit concerned that your relationship with Ms Lawson may be a little, I mean, well, dash it, worrisome.*

    ETA: Yes, I have been reading Wodehouse recently. Why do you ask?

  86. 86.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Gin & Tonic: No, it’s vişinata (pronounced veesh-EE-na-ta).

    ETA: The “iak” ending seems to be Slavic to me. Probably a term for the same thing in another EE country.

  87. 87.

    Yatsuno

    @Omnes Omnibus: My obsessions are my obsessions and are usually mostly harmless. However, if I were to meet her, my dissolution inti a puddle of goo would become legend.

  90. 90.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Omnes Omnibus: It is Slavic. The sour cherries in alcohol are widespread around eastern Europe.

    This stuff is best when it’s in a dusty bottle, made by somebody’s grandfather in the basement. Or so I’ve heard.

  91. 91.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Gin & Tonic: Romania isn’t a Slavic country. The majority of the population speaks a Romance language and the largest minorities speak Hungarian or German.

    And the best stuff is currently put in plastic water bottles. Of varying sizes. I have about 2/3 of a 1/2 liter bottle of this stuff and about the same amount of palinca.

  93. 93.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Omnes Omnibus: Those -iak suffixes are interesting. I’ve seen them in last names: Ignasiak, Damaziak, Augustyniak, that sort of thing. Anyone know if it’s ethnically or regionally specific?

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