Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

75% of people clapping liked the show!

We will not go back.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Hey hey, RFK, how many kids did you kill today?

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

I’m starting to think Jesus may have made a mistake saving people with no questions asked.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

Sometimes the world just tells you your cat is here.

Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls 2 years from now.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

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

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

You are here: Home / Music / Finger Popping 24 Hour Shopping

Reader Interactions

102Comments

  1. 1.

    the Conster

    Speaking of rapture, is anyone watching The Leftovers? I’m not sure if I should keep with it. It’s trying hard to say something, but can’t figure out if I care enough to find out – not exactly a ringing endorsement. It has its moments. There are some good throw away lines, like “I get the Pope, but Gary Busey?” regarding who disappears.

    ETA: It seems to want to explore post-religious America, which could be interesting.

  6. 6.

    Keith G

    If music is going to be front- paged today, Harry Nilsson’s Let the Good Times Roll would be a much better choice. that would be something upbeat and inviting hope.

    I think I’m nearing my limit of bad news and secondary issues presented in order to inspire outrage.

  7. 7.

    Corner Stone

    @BGinCHI: You don’t want to take a sweet little baby to Norway! For cripes sake, that’s like a sockalist hellhole on steroids!

  13. 13.

    scav

    @BGinCHI: My sister lived in Norway. Enjoyed it but suggest you make personal allowances for bringing along massive quantities of spices, especially foreign ones, if you are in the way inclined. A home loan is handy if you intend restaurant eating out (even for pizza), but the opportunities du sport are endless and she was in Olso.

  15. 15.

    kindness

    Damn, I can name a few folk I wish got raptured. A bunch in fact. Funny thing is that in many of those cases it would make both their worlds and mine better.

  16. 16.

    R-Jud

    @BGinCHI: A good friend of mine moved over to Trondheim last year after marrying her Norwegian sweetie. She loves it, all the mountains and snow and northern lights and etc., but says that it is quite expensive compared to the UK.

    She moans loudest about haircuts, clothing, and food– particularly for things like candy and sweets. She fancied a Snickers one day until she realized it was going to cost her about £3.

  17. 17.

    WaterGurl

    @the Conster: I watched the first episode, then deleted from my TiVo season pass. Too dark for me. But interesting. Just noting wresting enough to make up for the brutal darkness.

  19. 19.

    Corner Stone

    @R-Jud:

    She fancied a Snickers one day until she realized it was going to cost her about £3.

    That’s how they fund all that sockalist health care. They price people out of the market for satisfaction!

  20. 20.

    divF

    @BGinCHI: I visited there once with a colleague about a decade ago. One experience brought home the fact that it is a *small* country, population-wise. We were at a professional meeting, then stayed for a long weekend of touristing. We started in Bergen, where we went to a concert on Saturday night, then took the train from Bergen to Oslo on Sunday (highly recommended). On Monday we went to the Viking museum in Oslo (also recommended), where someone (a local by his accent) walked up to us and asked, “didn’t I see you at the concert in Bergen on Saturday” ? (He had noticed in both places the very distinctive cast my colleague had on her arm).

  21. 21.

    Amir Khalid

    @Corner Stone:
    No, no, no. They price junk food so that you think twice about having a chocolate bar or a sugary soft drink. It’s the Scandinavian nanny state at work, forcing people to make healthy choices and taking away their liberty, ah tells ya!

  22. 22.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    John McCain retroactively semi-flip-flops on a minor issue

    “Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said Thursday that he probably would have hesitated to send U.S. troops into Iraq if he had been elected President in 2000….
    “I think I would have (voted the same way), but I think I would have challenged the evidence with greater scrutiny, McCain explained, as quoted by CNN. “I think that with my background with the military and knowledge of national security with these issues that I hope that I would have been able to see through the evidence that was presented at the time.”
    The Arizona Republican added that he trusted the credibility of former Secretary of State Colin Powell at the time, although he now says evidence presented by the George W. Bush administration to justify invading Iraq was “flimsy.”
    “But it’s obvious now, in retrospect, that Saddam Hussein – although he had used weapons of mass destruction – did not have the inventory that we seem to have evidence of,” he said, as quoted by CNN. “Which now looking back on it, with the benefit of hindsight, (the evidence) was very flimsy.”

    If he had been elected President, his background and knowledge would have kicked in, or something, and as President he still would have voted in the Senate to go to war. I remember Bob Graham, who I goes isn’t a War Hero, pleading with his colleagues to read the full classified National Intelligence Estimate on WMD that convinced him to vote against the war. Googling to make sure I had the title of that document right, I find that six senators actually did so.

  23. 23.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    “Which now looking back on it, with the benefit of hindsight, (the evidence) was very flimsy.”

    If you didn’t have your head up your ass back then (pretty much the same way your head was up your ass in 2008 when you picked Snowbilly Snooki to be your running mate) you would have noticed that calling the evidence “pretty flimsy” was several orders of magnitude too generous.

    You stupid plane crashing twit.

    Lesson learned here is ALWAYS do the opposite of what Bill Kristol advises. ALWAYS.

  24. 24.

    Corner Stone

    Whatever you do, do *not* walk outside anywhere in the sprawling metro area of Greater Houston.
    The words, uck, ick and ugh come strongly to mind.

  25. 25.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: and furthermore, the old coot’s Freudian slip is showing again. He thinks he’s President

    But McCain said his comments weren’t intended to be a critique of the Bush administration.
    “I’m not blaming President George W. Bush,” he said. “It’s not for me to critique my predecessors, especially those that I lost to.”

    Your “predecessor”, Senior Senator Gampy McPalin, is Barry Goldwater.

  26. 26.

    raven

    If you´re ever in Houston, well, you better do the right;
    You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all
    Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down.
    The next thing you know, boy, Oh! You´re prison bound.

  27. 27.

    StringOnAStick

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Yeah, I saw that little “I would have done it better” attempt from McCain; I about spit out my coffee. John I-want-to-bomb-everybody McCain thinks now that he probably wouldn’t have invaded Iraq if he’d been president. What, did he just now get around to reading the relevant documents?

  28. 28.

    TG Chicago

    Have the wingers decided how the downed airliner is Obama’s fault? Or at least how it shows that he’s weak and feckless? I’m sure they’re working feverishly to come up with some sort of silliness.

    I saw on No More Mister Nice Blog that some folks have said that Obama’s first statement wasn’t as awesome as Reagan’s (needless to say!) after the Korean airliner went down. But that’s gotta be just the start. Surely they can come up with some sort of impeachable offense from this.

    (with apologies for taking political shots over a true tragedy)

  29. 29.

    Amir Khalid

    A few sehr interessante posts from the BBC’s MH17 liveblog:

    15:59:”The shooting down of the Malaysian airliner may be a war crime under the Geneva Convention,” Dr James Summers, Director of the Centre for International Law and Human Rights at Lancaster University, tells the BBC.

    “Malaysia could be entitled to bring the state responsible for the shooting down of the airliner, or providing the missiles to do so, before the International Court of Justice,” he said.

    16:29:Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin speaking at the UN Security Council: “We put all blame on the Ukraine government.

    16:34: Nick Bryant BBC News, New York: Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin blamed the Ukrainian government for exacerbating the crisis and shelling civilians. He didn’t answer any of the specific allegations put by the British and Americans that the plane was shot by Russian-supplied hardware. What this really was was a blanket condemnation of the actions of the Ukrainian government.

  30. 30.

    balconesfault

    Funny – Rapture came on the radio a couple weeks ago while I was driving with my 24 year old son (who is actually a big Blondie fan, thanks to me having given him a casette with Parallel Lines a decade ago.

    He hated it.

    OK, not completely hated – but he had no respect for the song at all. He does get strident over things, as 24 year olds are wont to do.

    Saw Debbie Harry on some show lately. She’s aged ungracefully. OTOH, saw Terri Nunn (of Berlin) at a concert last year – and she is still (a) super hot, and (b) really sells it during her show. Took my 21 year old daughter who hadn’t really heard her before, and she absolutely loved the performance. If Berlin comes through town, I highly recommend.

  32. 32.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @TG Chicago:

    Surely they can come up with some sort of impeachable offense from this.

    Doesn’t “Presidentin’ while blah” pretty much cover anything he does?

  35. 35.

    Ruviana

    @BGinCHI: Good luck! A colleague of mine did dissertation research in Norway and got some of her funding from Fulbright. Make of that what you will.

  36. 36.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Calling for “credible” international investigation. Lookin’ at you, Russia.

  37. 37.

    balconesfault

    Been arguing with an old RW friend over facebook – he of course does blame the missles for Obama not getting involved and leading enough or something.

    Me? If there’s ever a time where “leading from behind” is the right decision, it’s here. Putin is quickly making himself a paraiah. Even Ann Coulter might quit fantasizing about him.

  38. 38.

    cleek

    @TG Chicago:
    besides the Reagan thing, they’re also blaming it on Hillary and Obama’s “reset” because it enabled Putin somehow. and then there are the clowns who think that he should be in the WH “dealing with this” somehow, instead of doing anything else. Ace Of Spades is very mad that Obama had lunch yesterday.

  39. 39.

    BGinCHI

    Thanks all for the comments.

    Yeah, it’s expensive there, since they have such a high standard of living and lots of oil money. But the opportunity to spend time in another country, especially a European one, is too good to pass up.

  42. 42.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @cleek: Ace of Spades’ head would look infinitely better on a pike than it does on his shoulders.

  46. 46.

    JPL

    @BGinCHI: My son spent several months in Denmark and loved it. He’s a consultant and has spent time in the Netherlands and Belgium also. In Denmark, at least, he raved about their healthy diets and life styles.

    Enjoy!

  47. 47.

    lurker dean

    @the Conster: I’m on the fence as well, it’s so scattered it’s difficult to care about any of it. For me it doesn’t help that Damon Lindelof is involved, who I still hate from “Lost,” lol.

  48. 48.

    TG Chicago

    @cleek:

    Ace Of Spades is very mad that Obama had lunch yesterday.

    There we go! That’s the stuff I was looking for!

  49. 49.

    StringOnAStick

    @BGinCHI: I had a good friend who lived many years in Tromso; great in the summer, depressing as hell in the winter since Tromso is inside the Arctic Circle and there is an extended period of no sun each winter. The town has a fully lighted and very well maintained winter recreation area, including a nice cross country ski track because the government is willing to spend money to make life better in tougher locations (all locations, actually). Food and especially alcohol is quite expensive, but the outdoor lifestyle is very, very nice with some gorgeous areas to visit. The social safety net is completely amazing, even if you aren’t a citizen. By all means, go!!!

    My husband and I have said a few times that we should have immigrated to Norway before we got too old to be considered. Family considerations kept us here.

  50. 50.

    MomSense

    @BGinCHI:

    Not everything is expensive. Lots of things are free–like great museums and beautiful parks. I used to take in the opera every chance I got–$15 for good seats.

    You can jump on the “ski train” in Oslo and go to Frognesetern –lots of hiking, skiing, and then a meal of reindeer stew and hot chocolate at the end of the day. I think the train is only about $3 – $5 and such a gorgeous ride.

    Restaurants are expensive in Oslo but they are expensive in NY and Boston too.

  51. 51.

    BGinCHI

    @StringOnAStick: I like that they have such a good winter sports attitude. Going to x country ski for sure. Will solve expensive booze problem by shopping runs across the border. Apparently that’s how the locals deal with it.

  53. 53.

    BGinCHI

    @MomSense: Thanks! I love trains and will ride them just to ride them. That sounds amazing.

    I have the feeling I’m going to have to buy one of those parkas with fur around the hood like I had when I was 10.

  55. 55.

    scav

    @BGinCHI: Oh, anything hitting international duty-free zone is quite the party, if my shorter, further west experiences are true. The night x-country skiing is one thing that sounded entrancing. Her partner was part of the group that would go out and place the essentially luminaria along the trail.

  56. 56.

    pamelabrown53

    @JPL: I’ve been to both countries and would jump at a chance to live in either one for a limited amount of time. However, if I had to choose one, it would be Denmark.

  57. 57.

    MomSense

    @BGinCHI:

    Hi Hi!

    I can’t wait to hear about you taking the trains! Just that little trip of about 30 minutes is so gorgeous! Deep ravines with the tallest trees you’ve ever seen. Storybook houses with steep roof lines and covered in grass nestled in the side of the mountain. Looking out at Oslo harbor and seeing how gorgeous it is.

    Then the train itself is full of little kids in bright colors with sleds!!

    You can buy some really cool Norwegian sweaters and woolens. Very finely knit and super warm. I bought the wool there and made some of my own. I wore lots of layers not fur, but I tend to be too warm always.

    Bill Clinton went to Norway on a Fulbright. He spent a lot of time apparently at Pascal’s pastry shop not far from the US Embassy and the Royal Palace. On a visit as President he kept the King and Queen waiting when he stopped the motorcade to go in and do some sampling.

    Ok, I’m making myself miss Norway. I’ll have to get back there somehow!

  58. 58.

    srv

    U.S. Capitol Police arrested a press secretary for Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.) on Friday after he attempted to bring a 9mm handgun into the Cannon House Office Building.

    At 9:15 a.m., police arrested Ryan Shucard on the felony charge of carrying a pistol without a license, according to Lieutenant Kimberly Schneider. The Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun and magazine were discovered during “administrative search required for entry into the building.”

    Wait a second. You mean we can’t take guns into the Capital?

    What is the NRA going to do about this?

  59. 59.

    pamelabrown53

    @BGinCHI: I’m so thrilled for you. How long will you be in Norway? Agree with @MomSense: re: the train trip. Can’t wait to to hear about your exploits, it’s a chance for a bit of vicarious living. BTW, what do you estimate your monthly living expenses to be?

  60. 60.

    srv

    AbbVie Inc. and Shire Plc’s $54.8 billion (32 billion pound) deal will make AbbVie the largest U.S. company to move its legal address abroad to lower its taxes as U.S. lawmakers seek ways to curb the transactions.

    The acquisition comes in a record period of pharmaceutical deals. It will allow North Chicago, Illinois-based AbbVie to move its legal residence, though not its operations, to the U.K., lowering it’s tax rate in 2016 to 13 percent from 22 percent. Shire’s drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and rare diseases will diversify AbbVie’s portfolio, dominated by the rheumatoid arthritis medicine Humira.

    When will you liberals learn.

  61. 61.

    scav

    @BGinCHI: my other effort is in moderation for a side-trip, but one of the most entrancing things I remember is that my sisters partner was in charge of setting up the luminaria lights for some night x-contry skiing. Imagine The candles in that part of the world.

  63. 63.

    balconesfault

    Shire’s drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and rare diseases will diversify AbbVie’s portfolio, dominated by the rheumatoid arthritis medicine Humira.

    Can we just dissolve their patents?

  64. 64.

    Belafon

    @srv: Learn what? How to pass a tax bill that lowers taxes on most corporations, doesn’t allow companies like GE to get away with paying no taxes, raises taxes on the wealthy to cover the difference, and returns our tax system to a more progressive one? Let me know when we can do that, because all that would pass right now is that every company gets a 9% tax reduction, which would just return more to the major companies that get tax refunds.

    What’s great about that company doing that is they will no longer be considered an American company, and can lose access to some government money.

  65. 65.

    TG Chicago

    @SatanicPanic: You’re missing out! You’ve got “Feel the Heartbeat” by Treacherous Three, “That’s the Joint” by Fearless Four, “Jazzy Sensation” by Afrika Bambaataa… plus legendary rap battles such as Busy Bee vs Kool Moe Dee and Cold Crush Brothers vs Fantastic Five.

    There was probably better stuff in 82 and 83, but 81 wasn’t too shabby.

  66. 66.

    Dr. Dave

    @BGinCHI:

    Is this a research Fulbright or a teacher exchange? Former colleague did a teacher exchange and loved it enough that I was emboldened to apply as well. Instead of Norway, spouse and I ended up in London with our 2.5-year-old twins and had a great time, so don’t let the naysayers scare you about traveling with little ones–those sockalist (does FYWP still see that word as a spam trigger?) countries have great services for families with small kids.

    Good luck with the application.

  67. 67.

    Ruckus

    @BGinCHI:
    Spent some time in Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway decades ago and was very impressed. Wouldn’t mind moving there, if they’d have me and if I could afford it. And I hate living in snow. Have a friend moving back to Switzerland in a month or so and he is very jazzed as well. But he grew up there so that may be some of it.
    Good luck and enjoy.

  68. 68.

    WaterGirl

    @BGinCHI: Your recent comments sound like you know you will be getting this. Is that the case? Or did you fill out an application, but you don’t know if you got it? Sorry if I’m being dense.

  69. 69.

    Josie

    @Belafon: This. I was thinking earlier that Putin would make a very good Republican, particularly one in the House of Representatives.

  70. 70.

    Belafon

    @Belafon: Just had another thought as well: The CEO of any corporation that works in the US must pay the taxes of the headquarters of the company.

  72. 72.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Belafon: @srv: Learn what?

    Something about President Howard Kucinader, or something, I’m guessing.

  73. 73.

    Mike in NC

    Our May trip to the Baltic didn’t include Norway, but did include Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. An Englishman on our flight to London cautioned us on the price of alcohol in Scandinavian restaurants: roughly $10 for a beer, $15 for a glass of wine, and $20 for a cocktail. Apparently the idea is to discourage drinking and driving. Locals told us they just stay at home and drink.

  74. 74.

    Keith G

    @JPL:

    Why even open it up for questions, when the room is filled with idiots.

    Because no matter who the president is or what the makeup or quality of the press corps is, we need to set and continue the expectation that the chief executive of this country has to answer questions in public.

    Besides if a person who is president cannot deal with a room full of idiots, then maybe that person should find less challenging work.

  75. 75.

    SatanicPanic

    @TG Chicago: The music is good, I just thinking the rapping is cheesy. Then again, take my opinion with a grain of salt, I was listening to Gucci Mane before I started checking out your suggestions

  77. 77.

    Trollhattan

    @Dr. Dave:

    (does FYWP still see that word as a spam trigger?)

    Containing, as it does, a boner pill, good old rock-em sock-em sockalism shall be immer verboten!

    Saint Ronaldus be praised.

  78. 78.

    scav

    @Trollhattan: I hear the lutefisk is more an descendant oddity. Sister said pulled out the gravlox as the foodstuff du choix to freak the foreigner out with. I’m now dying for herrings. Julbord!

  80. 80.

    BGinCHI

    @pamelabrown53: If we get the award (or awards) we would leave in about a year since they are for the academic year 2015-2016. So it will be a while until it all comes together.

    I’m not at all sure about expenses yet. That part of crunching the numbers will come when and if we go.

  82. 82.

    Trollhattan

    @scav:
    Holy cow, gravlox and akvavit FTW. (Procede with caution.)

    Next door, they apparently still indulge in Surströmming. How, I do no know. “The dish is normally eaten outside.”

  83. 83.

    BGinCHI

    @Dr. Dave: Thanks Dave.

    My wife is doing research/teaching and I’m applying for a teaching award. It’s one in which you travel all over the country giving presentations on US literature, history, and culture. Only one like it in the world.

    We would have applied to the UK (we both specialize in English Lit primarily) but the competition and hassle is just too much given everything else we have going on. We wanted something more low-key.

    Thanks for the info. Our kid will love it.

  85. 85.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Keith G: Well, given that Obama has been dealing with a House full of idiots for some time now, he certainly is qualified on that count.

  86. 86.

    BGinCHI

    @WaterGirl: App is due Aug. 1. Then you wait a long time to find out (final decisions are around April). Then it would be for academic year 2015-2016. So if we get it we would leave about a year from now.

    Just curious about people’s experiences from around here….

  89. 89.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @srv:

    Wait a second. You mean we can’t take guns into the Capital?

    What is the NRA going to do about this?

    Seriously. It’s not like the Capitol is NRA Headquarters, which also has a thing about bringing firearms into it.

  90. 90.

    scav

    @raven: after a quick look, I’m not sure. Given the general dumpling-based genetics I carry about the planet, it’s likely, only they got lost in the shuffle. Massive bowl of fresh from the sea shrimp placed before you in Oslo, all other details tend to fade to the background.

    ETA: and for Aquavit? Linie.

  91. 91.

    raven

    @scav: As you saw these were spud dumplings but the ham and nasty butter broth were what I recall. I haven’t had ham in over 20 year but now and then I make chicken and dumplings.

  92. 92.

    kc

    @balconesfault:

    Saw Debbie Harry on some show lately. She’s aged ungracefully.

    Whatever the hell that means.

    ETA: Just saw this: “OTOH, saw Terri Nunn (of Berlin) at a concert last year – and she is still (a) super hot”

    So that’s what it means. Staying super hot.

  93. 93.

    scav

    @raven: Well, my bad ham in sloppy sauce baseline was firmly established by my very own mother early on so at best there would have been the blinking neuron for well-look-it’s-universally-awful lit.

  95. 95.

    TG Chicago

    @SatanicPanic: That’s a fair point. But check out Kool Moe Dee’s rapping in the Busy Bee battle. When you contrast it to Busy Bee’s party rapping, you can see the trail he was blazing.

  96. 96.

    kc

    @Paul in KY:

    @kc: Debbie must be in her mid 60s by now. I bet she’s still the shit.

    She is. I get kind of sick of people saying this or that female celebrity is not “aging gracefully.”

    If they get plastic surgery and it’s not perfect: “Not aging gracefully.” (See Kim Novak)

    If they don’t get any plastic surgery and they look their age: “Not aging gracefully.” (See Brigitte Bardot)

    If they’re lucky enough to maintain relative conventional hotness without having plastic surgery (or they have really good, subtle plastic surgery), THEN people say “She’s aging gracefully.” (See Helen Mirren)

  97. 97.

    Corner Stone

    @kc:

    (See Helen Mirren)

    I’d like to see Helen Mirren. Anyone have her number?
    And it better not end in 5309.

  98. 98.

    Mnemosyne

    @kc:

    Harry looks pretty good here (from the Guardian), particularly for someone who’s going to be 70 next year. Yes, she has a bit of a vacant look in that photo, but look at any picture of her — that’s her schtick.

    Susan Sarandon is someone who has been very smart with plastic surgery, but I also suspect that, like most redheads, she learned early on to stay out of the sun and not even bother to try and tan, which avoids a lot of the sun damage that Novak (for example) probably had and was trying to correct.

  99. 99.

    Mnemosyne

    @kc:

    Also, let’s face it, people are only going to say “aging gracefully” or “not aging gracefully” about women who were sexpots back in their younger days. Nobody cares if, say, Kathy Bates is “aging gracefully” even though she is, particularly for someone who’s already battled cancer twice.

Comments are closed.