Just watching a shitty movie with Shawn and Christian (Pompeii) and playing World of Tanks.
Actually thinking about the fact that we (and every time I say we, I think of my Drill Sgt. responding to a “What are we going to do?” question with “What’s this ‘we’ shit. You got a mouse in your pocket?“) on this blog need to seriously get our ass in gear regarding the 2014 election. We need to pick good Dems in tight races who we need to work for and fund raise and get some boots on the ground.
So, who are the vulnerable Dems we can help, and who are the Dems in an election where they have a chance at picking up a seat? Throw your suggestions in the comments and we will set up an ActBlue account for say 5-10 races we think are critical. And this time, when I say we, I mean we, and not the mouse in my pocket.
MikeBoyScout
Alison Lundergan Grimes
Satchel
Jeff Merkley (D) just finished his first term as Oregon’s junior senator and he has been an excellent and consistent voice for progressive values. He is being challenged by Monica Wehby (R), who seems to have a lot of support both inside and outside of Oregon and is expected to give Merkley a tough fight — some polls even have her ahead.
guachi
Montana senate. open races there are always very close.
jl
I think the Senate has highest priority. Then the Senate, And after that, the Senate. Then after that, state governors.
But, Senate!
So am with MikeBoyScout on Grimes, if she is close to McConnell.
TPM says Nunn in Georgia is neck and neck with potential GOP nominees.
Rasmussen Poll: Michelle Nunn Leads GOP Runoff Opponents
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rasmussen-poll-michelle-nunn-jack-kingston-david-perdue-runoff
jl
Is ‘mouse in your pocket’ slang for something? If not, pics of Cole’s cute pet mouse would be nice. If so, never mind.
Ben
Second the Grimes and Merkley nominations.
Other Senate candidates: Mark Begich (AK), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Mark Udall (CO), Gary Peters (MI), Brian Schatz (HI)
Gov candidates: Charlie Crist (FL), Ed Fitzgerald (OH), Mike Michaud (ME), Mary Burke (WI), John Hickenlooper (CO)
House candidates: Gwen Graham (FL-02), Andrew Romanoff (CO-06), Domenic Recchia (NY-11), Ami Bera (CA-07), Staci Appel (IA-03)
Violet
Kay Hagan in NC needs some help I think. What about Begich in Alaska?
rikyrah
@Satchel:
You mean the stalker woman?
rikyrah
Grimes does not impress me. How you gonna have a state Obamacare program that cuts the uninsured in your state by 40% and your ass isn’t running on that all day, everyday. Her stupid ass better wake up and clobber the Turtle on it everyday.
max
“What’s this ‘we’ shit. You got a mouse in your pocket?“
I would ask if you had a jar of mustard in your pocket, of course.
We need to pick good Dems in tight races who we need to work for and fund raise and get some boots on the ground.
I believe Anne Laurie already did this. You maybe wanna ask for her list.
Mostly, at the moment, I have a list of people I am most definitely NOT helping (which includes Nick Ruiz who was running in John Mica’s district as a progressive, and then up and switched districts and started running against Alan Grayson … from the right, apparently. I unsub’ed that motherfuckers email list to get him the fuck out of my mail box and he added me back in on his list which requires you email him personally to unsub. So fuck him.).
I think maybe John Conyers could use a few bucks – but he made it back onto the primary ballot (yay!).
Sheehan doesn’t need any help – because Scott Brown is as popular as the Edsel up there. Merkley’s a good guy.
max
[‘I bet Pryor could use some help.’]
TheOtherHank
If it’s not too personal, what’s your screen name in World of Tanks? I love that game and would be hugely entertained to see you show up in a game.
– TheOtherHank
? Martin
I know this is possibly the wrong attitude, but we’ve finally got California going the right way (aside from the too-often criminals we elect as Dems) and I want to keep dumping energy into keeping it that way. California is big enough and influential enough, that if we can erase the damage done by the GOP, we’ll yank the country in our direction whether they want it or not. We have ⅓ of the nations abortion providers and are relaxing abortion laws. We have a cap and trade market and next year oil and nat gas extractors will need to buy carbon offsets for everything they extract. We’ve got transgender bathroom rights in schools and mandates to teach about influential gay figures. We’re like Cleeks law in reverse – they oppose all Democratic ideas, we implement everything they hate.
So, I want to drive the GOP from the state.
dww44
@jl: I’m already working in the Nunn campaign. If she wins, we take back Max Cleland’s seat that Saxby laid claim to in 2002, mostly by denigrating Cleland’s Vietnam service. We’re gonna be working on getting voters registered (no easy task in this first out of the block strict voter id state) while Perdue and Kingston duke it out for a couple of months. Hope they come out of the runoff all bloodied and weakened in voter’s eyes
wmd
Indiana 9th Congressional district has changed hands a lot in the past decade. I have no information about the Democratic challenger Bill Bailey, but there really is no way he could be worse than Todd Young the first term Republican incumbent.
He’s got an Act Blue page.
? Martin
@efgoldman:
You realize that Wehby is a republican, right? Or did I totally misunderstand the angle of your comment?
Ronnie Pudding
Throw done money at Feinstein. Build a war chest for the future.
Cambridge Springs
Throw a few bucks towards Feinstein. Build up a war chest for the future.
Sandia Blanca
Wendy Davis for Texas governor.
hoosierspud
Joe Pakootas is the CEO of the Colville tribal business with a great record of fixing problems. His opponent is Cathy McMorris Rogers, GOP leadership bimbo (WA-9). The face of Republican women, she has voted against every pro-woman piece of legislation since she has been in Congress,
Alison
Okay, I don’t know if “What’s this ‘we’ shit. You got a mouse in your pocket?” is yours or from a movie or something but I am totally using that. I LOLed.
Also, I add my voice for Grimes and Nunn, especially Grimes. Won’t it just be sweet as hell to see ol Mitch tossed out on his ass by a young Democrat ladyperson?
TaMara (BHF)
I’ve committed to working on Mark Udall’s campaign because Corey Gardner is my current congress critter and I don’t have an expansive enough vocabulary to describe how awful he is…not just as a congressman. No way in hell will I stand by and allow him to be my Senator.
Kay
I like the Wisconsin governor candidate, Mary Burke. If you’re from Wisconsin please feel free to tell me why I shouldn’t like her, she’ll never win, etc. :)
It’s a twofer, because you can knock out Scott Walker before the 2016 GOP primary, plus, knock out Scott Walker is a worthy goal all by itself.
She’s “surging”, supposedly, which is a little over the top, but she is coming close to Mr. Walker.
These GOP governors are just horrible, and they’re all going to be presidential candidates unless they lose in 2014, in which case they’ll probably run for President anyway.
Alison
@? Martin: If that’s the wrong attitude, I don’t want to be right. I’d love to see the state GOP added to the endangered species list :)
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
I’m getting e-mail every 3 hours or so from the DSCC saying that the World Will End unless I send them money because KARL ROVE is spending Lots of Money!!!111.
They, and the DCCC also have a 3x match (Today Only!!!111). That sounds great, but the fine print is that the DSCC (and DCCC) isn’t usually raising money to support specific candidates but for their own uses (which obviously includes supporting candidates in some cases).
I’ve been supporting several candidates, off and on, but it still seems early to me. Wendy Davis, Grimes, Nunn, and the DCCC Red-to-Blue candidates https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/red-to-blue have received a little from me in the last month or so.
Yes, holding the Senate is vital. But being strategic about supporting candidates is important as well. Even if a candidate has a long-shot at winning an important seat, supporting the underdog can be important – it makes the Teabaggers spend more to support their guy.
Money’s important, but being willing to support sensible policies and meeting with people is important too.
My $0.02.
Cheers,
Scott.
Alison
@efgoldman: She likely will not win, but Leticia Van de Putte, running for Lieutenant Governor there, has a much better one and is also really awesome.
PhoenixRising
@rikyrah: You bin ta Kentucky?
I axe you this because when my family integrated a Wal-Mart, we could have used the support.
And in seriousness: Grimes could knock off McConnell, and her staff is familiar with the problematic racial dynamics of…well..Kentucky. Which has 98% to do with your understandable perception, from outside the Commonwealth, that Grimes isn’t running on Obamacare all day every day.
Folks know that Steve Beschear (D) is the reason they can see a doctor now when last year they wasn’t. Grimes is rolling in that. Just not on national channels.
Satchel
@rikyrah @efgoldman The stalking thing doesn’t seem to be getting a lot of traction. Certainly didn’t stop her winning the primary. And she is being lavishly funded by super PACs: http://koin.com/2014/05/11/super-pacs-spend-big-oregon-gop-senate-primary/
trollhattan
@Ben:
Yup, they’re going to spend a metric shitton of cash contending Bera’s seat. Would love to see a concerted effort to pry out McClintock, who can’t be bothered to live in his district, but it’s probably too safe.
Kay
@PhoenixRising:
I think it was brave of her to take him on seriously. I can’t imagine how vicious he’ll get confronted with possibly losing that job. I’m glad she’s plugged into the Democratic Party (from her family, right?) because she is going to need it.
trollhattan
@efgoldman: Her opponent is a vile bag of puss in human form, which probably cinches it for him. “Abortion Barbie. ” Bless their hearts.
Yatsuno
@Kay: Another thing: she has won a statewide election in Kentucky before. Democrats are perfectly capable of winning there if they play their campaigns exactly right. And so far hers has been just about damn near perfect. I have a feeling in the end she’ll shred the Turtle.
NotMax
@Aison
No offense intended but, really, if you’ve never heard that ancient expression before, it leads one to surmise you’ve led quite the cloistered life.
Another variation (perhaps a bit non-PC today, even though the punchline to a bloody good joke) is “What you mean ‘we,’ Kemosabe?”
SectionH
@? Martin: Excellent goal. Wanna figure out how to deal with [spits] Issa [spits] for a start?
TaMara (BHF)
OT: I’m a little afraid to go to bed. We’re under a flash flood warning. I’m in no danger, but last time it rained this much, I woke up to my town being under water. But Al Gore is fat and climate change is a liberal conspiracy.
Yatsuno
@SectionH: Will never happen. Because Fresno.
rikyrah
@Satchel:
I might dismiss the stalking stuff, except for there are TWO men with the same story about her.
She is a stalker.
Kay
@Yatsuno:
I don’t know a thing about Kentucky but I was shocked she was even competitive. Not based on her, but on him. Here I was thinking he was invulnerable or perhaps people were too afraid to get rid of him. He always struck me as a completely political operator, someone who would enjoy running some kind of horrible smear operation.
rikyrah
Think about State Senator Nina Turner of Ohio, who is running for Secretary of State for Ohio.
rikyrah
Wendy Davis as an investment in the future of Texas.
liberal
@? Martin: you also still have Prop 13.
Higgs Boson's Mate
@rikyrah:
Good call! Bad things happen to elections when there’s a Republican in that office.
Kay
@rikyrah:
My husband loves her. He was so impressed with her when he met her. As you well know, it’s going to hinge on AA turnout in the three C’s, because her jerk opponent is the personal favorite in rural areas in the north, which is where he’s from. He’ll get huge margins there in 6 counties but luckily there aren’t that many people in those counties.
They’ll do a “coordinated campaign” for the state Dem offices which really helps because then people can just vote a straight Dem ticket without the individual candidates spending a lot of time in places where there aren’t any votes for Democrats. I’m going next Tuesday to a planning meeting so if I have time I’ll write about it here.
SectionH
@Yatsuno:
@PhoenixRising:
She knows Kentucky politics from her mother’s milk. Best chance we’ve had in a long time.
@Kay: I’m quite sure she knows how vicious he can get.
Mr S is damn well keeping his voter reg in Kentucky for at least this time.
piratedan
I almost hate even saying it, but our blue dogs in AZ can always use the help. It never seems to fail that the Koch brothers and the other forces working for the axis of personal wealth are frequently arrayed against anybody who isn’t a rootin’ tootin’ quick draw son-of-a-gun owner down here, but if you’re talking bang for your buck, then the AZ races featuring Ron Barber and Kristin Sinema warrant some examination. Both of them had very close races last year with Sinema benefiting from a Libertarian candidate that gave her just enough of a plurality to squeak by. Barber is always on the hit list (or rather the district is) because this is Giffords’ seat and as such, it holds a certain symbolism for the Teahadis. Do I wish that the candidates were better Democrats? yes, yes I do, but are they significantly better than their opponents? yes, yes they certainly are.
Just as an aside, these areas were the first ones to get those Obamacare isn’t working ads and they started the campaign against Barber, well it essentially runs non-stop 24/7 down here because there’s so much GOP grift being spent down here.
SectionH
@Yatsuno: Uh, ok. I was about to ask what Fresno had to do with [spits] Darryl Issa [spits] but I figured out that my response time to all comments on BJ is v-e-r-y–s-l-o-w.
So, yeah. Fresno. Also too, North County Inland here. Not just the Is*a creature, but the insidious Hunter Jr. (Apparently most ppl in Escondido haven’t figured out that he is Not his Father. Srsly.)
So, yeah. I do Like the idea, but I think the best we can do is containment.
Yatsuno
@SectionH: I just spent nine days there. Soooo needed to get the fuck out when I left. Oh need to check on the open seat here, although the jungle primary hasn’t happened yet.
Anne Laurie
@Alison:
I first ran across that colorful phrase some thirty years ago in an Alison Lurie novel, so I assume it’s fair use under Creative Commons yadayadayada.
Yatsuno
Interesing little write up from the local fishwrap. It’s possible the huge number of Republicans could let two Dems face off in the general. That could be quite entertaining although they’d only be there one term.
Alison
@NotMax: Um, I wouldn’t say cloistered. Maybe it’s a regional thing? I’ve heard many variations on the “what do you mean we” idea, but not the mouse.
SectionH
@Yatsuno: You mean in Fresno?!!? So sorry.
Anne Laurie
Lots of excellent suggestions here, but I’m gonna second the nominations for Ron Barber in AZ and Wendy Davis. Like people keep saying, we Dems need to support the downticket races — not just because grassroots, important as they are, but because those longshot local challenges are where the people behind the candidates learn to GOTV. Repubs spent the years after Goldwater, and again after Clinton, building their campaign-professional bench from the school board level on up; we need to do the same.
? Martin
@efgoldman: Yes, I would then agree that Merkley probably doesn’t need any help. Now you comment make sense. Sorry about that.
? Martin
@SectionH: Obama lost that district by 4.5 points. A strong dem and a concerted national effort can take him out. I suspect Issa will help matters along by having loftier ambitions.
ruemara
My personal rule is “Anyone over a fucking Republican”. I don’t care if I don’t raid, have to live off tofu and pureed veggies because I have no time to cook- I will be doing phone work for OFA. For anyone. ALL OF THEM CHARLIE. because I can’t take a republican majority in any way,shape or form in a single corner of America.
dp
My idiot senator, Mary Landrieu, can use all the help she can get. The only useful thing she does is to vote for Harry Reid for Majority Leader, but that’s a big deal.
? Martin
@dp: That’s pretty much the only vote we need from 50-60.
Redshift
I’m supporting and will be working for John Foust who’s running in VA-10 to replace the retiring Frank Wolf. I have several good friends who have worked for him while he’s been on the county board, and he’s a really good guy. He’s running against the odious Barbara Comstock (professional ratfvcker in the Clinton years, among other things, and hasn’t improved with age.)
The district stretches from the wealthier inner suburbs (McLean) out to the WV border, but the bulk of the population is in Democratic-leaning areas. We can win this.
sacrablue
I will be volunteering for Ami Bera again after the primaries. He is strongly pro-choice. His republican opponent (whoever that will be) will have huge backing from the RCCC and the chamber of commerce. I know Ami has some money behind him but an Act Blue page couldn’t hurt.
jl
@? Martin:
@Alison:
Alison, I don’t want you hanging around that Martin kid any more. He’s a bad influence, and his attitude is very very wrong. We should all be devoted to our two party system and talk about driving one of the major parties from a major (actually, THE major state, but that’s another issue), is wrong.
Luckily the CA GOP seems to want to march itself into the sea, and it is OK to enjoy the show. Nothing wrong with that.
I certainly enjoy listening to the GOP political consultants who infest the CA news radio channels around the time of every big state GOP meeting that the party needs to rebuild, and their great minds are forming a plan to reform themselves so that they can appeal to the middle again.
Then over the next couple of days you hear clips of frothing lunacy from the meeting, and the party lurches further into reactionary insanity. I very rarely hear any GOPer legislator on the news. Just Conway the minority leader of the Assembly. I figure she has told her collection of maniacs that she’ll put out a contract on them if they spout their nasty swill over the media, or something. Conway can feign moderation very well.
SectionH
@? Martin: if you mean Issa’s district, show me the strong Dem. I so wish, but sorry, it’s not gonna happen this decade at least. The latest Gerrymandering took care of any little hope. I’d love it if he tried to run for something else, though. All that GOP money spent on the car thief, not going elsewhere.
jl
@efgoldman: I think all, or almost all, of voting in Oregon is by mail now, and majority of votes were cast before Wehby’s stalking issues really hit the news. So, hard to tell from the primary results how much it hurt her support. But I thenk Merkley should have high priority if Wehby is close in the polls.
I guess I am with Martin, and I have regional as well as state pride, so it would nice to keep the Pacifiic Coast Senate delegation unstained with bounders.
Nice to get two Democratic Senators from Nevada too. My NV contacts assured me that, though they were voting for the Dem, Heller would not be a jackass if he won. But look at the guy now.
jl
@Yatsuno:
” Will never happen. Because Fresno. ”
I assume you mean ‘Because Fresno, the state of mind’, since Issa represents northern coast of San Diego county. Basically, he represents areas north and south of Camp Pendleton.
Sorry you’re visit to Fresno left scares. I will have you know that the Chafee Zoo in Roeding Park is one of the finest mid-size zoos in the country, and has won many awards. Roeding Park itself has many fine attractions, and I remember as a small child that the pink popcorn candy bricks sold at the amusement rides were of the highest quality. They have fine arts and theater district in the Tower District. The arts and theater are a bit hard to detect between the strip malls and shopping centers, but it is there.
Like many of your higher caliber Central Valley towns, world famous attractions are available within a mere 50 to 100 miles drive.
So. There.
Edit: Also, if you wish the most wonderful and perfect quiet and solitude, you can always seek the refuge of Fresno’s central business district. Like any wilderness trip, however, some education about dealing with the native fauna is advised.
Peej
I’m with Kay. Time to put a serious hurting on Scott Walker.
piratedan
@Anne Laurie: yah, I know the link goes to politico and just read and enjoy the comments, they’re chock full of respect and appreciation for what Barber and his family lived through during that day that Giffords was assaulted, NOT. While the respected opposition has every right to vote the way that they do, the vibe I get is that they’d just as soon make sure that anyone who disagrees with them never gets to vote again. I know that Barber is far from perfect (and time allowing, I’ll work for him again) but while he may stray to try and get some political coverage against the usual crap that the R’s roll out, he’ll be there when needed and that’s the nature of the beast when you look at the cash dumped into the airwaves here against him. Every night during the news and the most popular times for the shows in syndication you can catch anywhere from two to three anti-Barber ads a night. They want this seat badly and they’ll say anything to get it.
J.Ty
Life is still disturbingly OK. I’ve still got some new letters after my name and a solid other mister J.Ty and… I can’t decide if my motto coming out of all this will be something I saw on the sidewalk–“Never forget you are unstoppable”–or a horrible pun I thought of, “Remember the May!”
Yatsuno
@jl: I may take you up on that advice, as there is a real possibility of me going back as an instructor next time instead of a student. I got the notice of a higher-up who wants to nudge me into doing more peer training. I readily agreed. So yeah, I have the feeling I will get to know Fresno a LOT better. I have a friend stationed at Lemoore, so it’s not all terrible. Not THAT kind of a friend, but still he’s awesome.
Betty Cracker
Whomever emerges from the FL Dem primary to take on Governor Voldemort will have my sofa cushion change, bumper sticker real estate and door-knocking efforts. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named must become He-Who-Has-No-Job. Charlie Crist will likely be the man.
O/T: Anyone checking out the meteor shower, currently in progress? Mostly a bust so far from where I sit.
raven
@Betty Cracker: I got up and set up my camera on the back porch. Nuthiing so far. I woke up at one, fell back asleep and dreamed I was with some buddies. In the dream I went out and the shower was rockin. I went back in and got everyone up, set up the camera in the house and, when we went back out, it was raining like hell!
Higgs Boson's Mate
@Betty Cracker:
The Marine Layer arrived slightly before the meteor shower so… It’s cool; Mary G and I will enjoy nice, moderate temperatures tomorrow.
raven
? Martin
@liberal: We’re working on Prop 13. If we can strengthen the supermajority, they can make bigger moves on it. They’ve already worked out one deal to unfuck it a little around the edges:
It’s a very tiny thing, but if it goes and the world doesn’t end, they can close the next one, etc. Prop 13 is the 3rd rail out here. It’s going to be slow going, but this is the first correction to it in decades.
And this should be a good cycle for us out here. Tim Donnelly winning the GOP nom will have about the same effect as if Orly Taitz won. Jerry will troll the shit out of Donnelly on immigration. The budget is improving rapidly. Brown has high approval ratings and is making smart political decisions. Unemployment is dropping quickly. The wildcard is the drought but I don’t think Brown will take a hit from that.
The GOP reps out here are worried. Donnelly will make immigration a headline issue here. If latinos turn out, they’re in even more trouble than usual.
raven
Dark Sky Map I could get in the car and drive about 10 miles. . .
raven
Tips for shooting a meteor shower.
NotMax
@J. Ty
Common assumption is that “Remember the Maine” was the entire slogan. Time’s passage has conveniently managed to hide the second half of what was the popularized meme of that period.
“Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain.”
raven
I wish I was on some island in the pacific.
J.Ty
@NotMax: “To hell with spay” would go against my whole “fix your pets” thing heh
raven
Fuck it.
Nick
I’m really looking forward to the conventions.
Speakers for Team Dem: Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Obama, Biden, Gore, Kerry (maybe, technically the Sec of State isn’t allowed to speak at a convention, but a lot can happen), and Carter if he feels like it. Then we’ll have the up and comers like the Castro boys, Wendy Davis, and Elizabeth Warren, and some other Governors and Reps.
Speakers for Team Rep: Bush 2? No. Bush 1, if he’s healthy? I doubt it. Cheney? Heck no. Palin? No. Dan Quayle? HAHAHAHA. Romeny? No.
McCain will speak. Ryan might speak if he’s the nominee, but if he’s not the nominee, none of the other potentials can stand him. Maybe Cliven Bundy and some Fox News hosts.
The Republican nomination will be a clown funeral.
NotMax
@raven
Okay, he’s gone back inside. Cue the meteors!
(Oops, did I say that out loud?)
Not even bothering going out, as the reports from a couple of weeks ago predicted an anemic show.
Comrade Mary
Clear skies in Toronto, some visible stars, but no meteors to speak of. Damn.
Steeplejack
@Anne Laurie:
My dad used it on us kids back in the ’60s. I don’t know if it originated in the military, but military types are great curators of snark, insult and swearing.
NotMax
Double heh.
Suspected Mr. Cole had employed the mouse phrase at least once previously on the blog.
Steeplejack
@Betty Cracker:
When I first heard about it I thought I would, but I haven’t. It’s relatively clear outside, but I have terrible light pollution in my corner of NoVa. My building is within half a mile of a shopping center with significant overnight lighting (parking lot). Actually, this reminds me that I don’t even see very many stars on “clear” nights. So, yeah, fail.
Steeplejack
@Betty Cracker:
Welcome to the night shift, by the way. Little Boots is not around, so let me do the honors. (Heh, even semi-appropriate for the topic.)
J.Ty
@Steeplejack: Some day I’ll live in not San Francisco, where I understand the night sky is visible.
Elizabelle
@Steeplejack:
Hello, NoVA pal.
Didn’t see any meteors a few minutes ago, but about to walk up to the baseball field and see if that helps. WaPost readers complaining the storm was a bust. At least we got clear skies and lotsa stars.
Allegedly we can see meteors until dawn…. It’s the “once in a lifetime” buzz that amuses me. Like someone won’t discover another comet tail in a few years. Things happening all the time.
I am hearing that these meteors are slow as rascal scooters.
Steeplejack
@J.Ty
I spent some formative years (8th-10th grades) in remote west Texas and did a lot of Boy Scout camping. The night sky was amazing. Also had a memorable drive one night from Hoover Dam to Las Vegas back in the ’80s. I don’t know which was more memorable: the stars in the sky or coming over a rise and seeing neon Las Vegas laid out in the valley below. Oh, yeah, to the tune of “Peaceful Easy Feeling” on the radio.
max
When I first heard about it I thought I would, but I haven’t. It’s relatively clear outside, but I have terrible light pollution in my corner of NoVa. My building is within half a mile of a shopping center with significant overnight lighting (parking lot). Actually, this reminds me that I don’t even see very many stars on “clear” nights. So, yeah, fail.
I’ve been out there off and on for 3 and a half hours and I’ve seen two traces of what might have been very small meteors. Nothing else. I spent the time twiddling my camera to get good star field shots and finally got it to where I liked the results and I didn’t see much of anything. Mars was very bright.
I suppose I could send a starfield picture to Queen Anne. Maybe she’d post it.
max
[‘It’s was a bust. Just like that goddamned eclipse.’]
Steeplejack
@Elizabelle:
I’m between Eden Center and Seven Corners in Falls Church, so I’ve got a lot of light pollution.
J.Ty
@Steeplejack: I grew up in Colorado and was a Boy Scout until the whole gay thing kicked in.
I fucking love the stars in the desert.
Anyway, I’m consoling myself by re-reading Song Of Myself.
I’m frankly surprised this isn’t the humanist bible.
max
I spent some formative years (8th-10th grades) in remote west Texas and did a lot of Boy Scout camping. The night sky was amazing.
I spent most of my years in Texas ;) and my favorite time was camped out in the winter in Grayson county when the moon was new (and thus gone) and seeing the Milky Way. Specifically seeing the Milky Way cast shadows. That was pretty awesome.
Driving east on 20 before dawn one time, I did get to see the double of Mercury and Venus rising very brightly before the sun came up. That was pretty cool too.
max
[‘Never seen a good comet though.’]
Elizabelle
Light pollution, yeah, but a better chance of securing some delicious Asian food.
None of my neighbors were out craning their necks. I’m cozy in the house, but thinking I should wander out again just in case …
PS: I was psyched about TCM’s movies this month, but missed just about all of them. Go Aussies. Flicks will be back …
Steeplejack
@max:
Yeah, don’t get me started on the eclipse. I usually have a really good view of the moon’s transit out my bedroom window. I saw one little early snippet of the eclipse, then the cloud cover dropped in and I got zip the rest of the night. Grr.
Steeplejack
@Elizabelle:
Oh, hell, yeah. I still have not eaten at all the Vietnamese places at Eden Center, although I have tried. And over at Seven Corners there is Fortune (excellent Chinese) and Bangkok Golden, which is great Thai but seems to be undergoing some kind of peaceful Laotian uprising. I just got basil beef from there the other night. I hadn’t been there in a while, and when I ordered the woman said, “What? Basil beef? Oh, from the Thai menu.” WTF.
BillinGlendaleCA
“The Meteor” didn’t arrive here tonight, but I did try out this app that came with my camera. It does star tracks. This was only for a half hour and there’s lots of light pollution here in the Jewel City(including the chopper that flew over with his bright light aimed at the ground).
Star Trace
Steeplejack
@max:
Grayson County? That’s practically the big city, although it does have some dark corners. I was way out in Val Verde County, outside Del Rio. My father was stationed at Laughlin AFB. Two streets over from my house the subdivision ended, and then it was nothing but scrub desert for three or four miles to the perimeter fence.
max
@BillinGlendaleCA: Star Trace
Very nice.
Here you go: Lots of Stars, No Meteors.
max
[‘Tired.’]
max
@Steeplejack: Grayson County? That’s practically the big city, although it does have some dark corners.
It was a lot darker in the time period I’m talking about which would be 1980ish or so.
I was way out in Val Verde County, outside Del Rio. My father was stationed at Laughlin AFB. Two streets over from my house the subdivision ended, and then it was nothing but scrub desert for three or four miles to the perimeter fence.
Yeah, you’re talking down in the Valley. (I don’t think I’ve ever been to Del Rio – El Paso, Uvalde, Laredo, yeah.) The real hard dark is out there by Alpine and whatnot.
max
[‘Where ever you go, it’s two lanes of asphalt and some yellow lines.’]
Steeplejack
I never should have gone to YouTube for “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” Had to play that eight or ten times, and then I had to look up “Bitter Creek.”
I am falling into my classic pattern of going for stuff from the same period or stuff that these songs remind me of, e.g., America’s “Donkey Jaw.”
I’ll close—I hope to God—with “A Horse with No
NeilName.” Maybe it’s a good time to pack it in and go to bed.Steeplejack
Yeah, no. David Crosby, “Cowboy Movie.”
Or maybe “Tamalpais High.”
Steeplejack
More guys with handlebar mustaches: the Byrds, “Ballad of Easy Rider.”
Steeplejack
Or muttonchops. The Youngbloods, “Sunlight.”
Jeez, it’s actually going to be sunlight here within the hour. I must retire to my crypt and take the drowsy but patient housecat with me.
Mustang Bobby
I agree with all the Senate sentiments, but in states like Florida without a senate seat up, we need to get rid of the class of 2010 governors: Walker of Wisconsin, Snyder of Michigan, Kasich of Ohio, and of course, the Dick-With-Ears here, Rick Scott.
Steeplejack
@max:
Used to have to drive to San Antonio for the orthodontist: Brackettville, Uvalde, Sabinal, Castroville, etc. My favorite was Hondo, which had a big sign on the edge of town that said, “This is God’s country—don’t drive through it like hell!” You know, civic-minded.
ETA: Two-lane road, 70-80 mph in the big Olds Delta 88. Yee-haw.
Betty Cracker
@Steeplejack: Ha, hadn’t thought of that song in ages. The best night sky I’ve ever seen is in the Middle Keys. You can see the Milky Way.
Steeplejack (tablet)
@Betty Cracker:
I forgot about the ocean. I’ve seen some spectacular skies off Perdido Key on the Redneck Riviera. Also on Okinawa when I was in high school.
contract3d
Charlie Crist (FL Gov) – I used to say he was the best (small d) democratic governor Florida ever had, and that was back when he was, technically, a Republican!
I believe he’ll fix voter access issues (early voting, ID laws, etc) as soon as humanly possible, and in time to affect 2016.
It’s just who he is – what he’s about.
Hawes
Dannel Malloy in CT could use some love.
Hillary Rettig
Paul Clements in MI-6. He’s terrific and a victory against Odious Fred Upton would be the bomb and totally freak out the right.
https://balloon-juice.com/2013/11/21/i-may-have-to-go-and-help-her-with-gotv/
http://clementsforcongress.com/
satby
@Hillary Rettig: second that!
Mustang Bobby
@contract3d: I also hope Charlie Crist would take the Medicare expansion if it’s not too late, although the legislature will probably override it. I don’t have much hope that he’ll come out for same-sex marriage; that would be skating a little too close to home for him…
SammyV
Second (or third, or whatever) Alison Lundergan Grimes. I live in Louisville so it’s especially important to me.
GregB
Don’t spend much energy on Jeanne Shaheen in NH. She’s going to mop the floor with the ex-Cosmo model.
He’s still trying to convince the gun lobby that he’s not a mortal enemy.
Ramalama
@efgoldman:
I recall that day perfectly — there was icy wet snow that day, a shitty day to be outside. Plus Martha Coakley’s own bad campaigning. Plus – I learned later from a politico friend of mine – the Obama camp had not supported her at all (when apparently told her they would). She made up for it by being a fantastic attorney general. Brown has not learned his lesson.
PaulW
EVERY DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE NEEDS OUR VOTE. NEEDS OUR TURNOUT.
Turnout is key. Always has been.
We have a Medicare Fraud running the state of Florida because 50,000 or so Democrats failed to turn up to vote in 2010. We have 4.8 million registered Dems in Florida compared to 4 million or so Republicans: only 2.5 million showed up to vote. There’s 2.3 million Democrats in Florida who ought to be ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES for refusing to stop Scott.
Voter turnout in the non-Presidential elections drops below 50 percent. DROPS BELOW. That’s sickening. We should be making every effort to get every vote counted. We need to be making every effort to get people to early voting, to absentee ballot if they’re that busy they can’t make it during work hours… Damn us all if we get another round of low turnout and Republican wins…
PaulW
@contract3d:
Crist’s been campaigning on the Medicaid expansion and how Scott isn’t moving on getting the legislature to get it done (missed it during the regular session but Scott could always call a special session to approve Medicaid funding or a state-level alternative plan so it won’t be so… Obama-ish. And guess what, he’s not moving a muscle…).
Medicaid’s a major issue here in Florida: there’s a lot of poor elderly and special needs families in dire straits, and a lot of nursing homes and advanced health care facilities, who can use that money to improve care across the board…
J R in WV
@max:
Put that Ruiz butt on your blocked email address list, or just tell your email it’s always spam! Then you don’t have to delete them yourself. Or you could respond often, until he sends you some postpaid envelopes, which you can return with rocks inside and a hostile note about people who change districts to attack a good Democrat,
Janeform
Pam Byrnes MI-7. She’s challenging incumbent Tim Walberg, a true RWNJ who’s been put in the NRCC’s incumbent protection program. The seat is very gettable for the dems.
jake the snake
@MikeBoyScout:
Grimes. She may not be that exciting a candidate for progressives, but she will be a hell of a lot better than Mitch.
Here in Kentucky she will have to at least sound like a Blue Dog. Ads have been running all through the primary season
linking her to Obama and his “liberal agenda”, She can run against Mitch, but here in Kentucky she will have to distance
herself as much as possible from Democratic establishment. Beshear is reasonably popular, so he won’t be a liability.
J R in WV
@Anne Laurie:
I agree about Ron Barber, he called me once to ask for help – our tiny ranchette in AZ is in the district that was Gabby Giffords and that Ron now represents. He’s a good guy, also shot in the attack in Tucson that killed so many and injured Gabby so badly.
Here in W Va we have a race between current Rep Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito, (daughter of convicted felon Arch Moore, former Gov of WV and congressman back in the day) and Natalie Tennant, current Sec of State and a good Democrat. I’ve contributed to her a little already, also to Ron Barber and Alison Grimes in KY.
Ms Moore Capito sometimes trots her felon Dad out at campaign events in the north end of the state where he remains popular in spite of pleading guilty to a slew of corruption charges. He also weaseled out of corruption charges before they finally got him with a wired fellow corrupt businessman meeting in a limo at the abandoned municipal incinerator.
I plan to do volunteer phone work for Nunn in GA, and Natalie here in WV, as well as contribute.
J R in WV
@max:.
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Don’t forget you have to be in the dark for 20-30 minutes to get your eyes dark-adapted. It helps to have a red light to get situated outside as red light doesn’t affect your dark adapted vision.
Navy ships running at night are very strange as all the white lights are off and the whole ship is lit with red night lights. Warships are strange to begin with, lit with red it’s surreal in every way. You get great night seeing of stars and etc with a really dark sky and adapted eyes.
Mnemosyne
@J R in WV:
Did you ever see the “Mythbusters” Pirate Special? They had them wear an eyepatch over one eye for (I think) a couple of hours and damned if it didn’t preserve the night vision in that one eye and make it possible for them to see their way through a darkened obstacle course. It was pretty amazing.
MikeBoyScout
Jason Ritchie (D)
vs.
Dave Reichert
WA 8th