Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

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

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

Take your GOP plan out of the witness protection program.

American History and Black History Cannot Be Separated

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

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

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

I was promised a recession.

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Another Open Thread

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Happy MLK Day!

Spent an hour this morning watching Thurston Howl the First and his sister Lovey squirm, and it was maybe the best hour I’ve spent in ages. They are in the awkward trying to walk phase, and are stumbling around like a bunch of Irish drunks on St. Patty’s Day. Couple sideways steps forward, fall. Coouple awkward lurches forward, face plant. They are really a lot more vocal than they were yesterday, too.

Mama is doing quite well, and ate 2/3 of a big can of dog food. She hadn’t been eating much, my sister said, so when she basically chased me into the kitchen this morning, on a hunch I gave her a ton of food, and she ate it all up. I put a bowl of dry food in her room so she can nibble as necessary.

More pet pics coming soon.

Reader Interactions

85Comments

  2. 2.

    chrisH

    Listened to the tail end of an Intelligence Squared debate on NPR last night. Am I the only one who finds these things almost universally awful and a net negative towards understanding?

  3. 3.

    NCSteve

    Oh, dude. You’re so keeping those gogies. Just accept it now and save yourself the trauma of the abortive attempt to give them up for adoption.

  4. 4.

    Hal

    Ah MLK day, or as I like to call it; white people on social media reminding black people of the real message of MLK, which would not include Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, or Eric Garner, to name a few.

  6. 6.

    Amir Khalid

    Will there be video? The Juicitariat turns its wee-baby-puppy-starved eyes to you.

    I seen Big Eyes today. Christoph Waltz hasn’t quite got the hang of sounding American — in moments of high emotion, his Walter Keane acquires a European accent I can’t quite place — but damn, that was the funniest courtroom scene I’ve ever seen in a movie. I wonder how closely Tim Burton stuck to the actual trial.

  7. 7.

    TaMara (BHF)

    The suggestion I’ve heard, and you may already be doing this, is to feed lactating dogs puppy food for the extra protein/nutrients.

    I await video and/or lots of pictures to brighten my Monday blues. Thanx in advance.

  10. 10.

    Pogonip

    @shelley: If they’re trying to walk, they should be. I noticed Lovey’s eyes were open in the picture; couldn’t tell with Thurston. Either they were partway open or Cole’s crappy photography created a serendipitous light-and-shadow effect.

    Thurston already has a nickname ( Thurston Howl), so he’s staying. Mom’s staying because she’s old and sick and no one will want her. Lovey’s the question mark.

  11. 11.

    rikyrah

    Why Martin Luther King would support Pres. Obama’s Tax on Super-Rich

    By Juan Cole | Jan. 19, 2015 |

    In one of his last speeches, at Grosse Point, MI., the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., laid out his next campaign, the one he died pursuing. It was not about civil rights for minorities but economic rights for “the other America” (the title of a book by Michael Harrington that influence Pres. Johnson to launch the war on poverty).

    King said at Grosse Point:

    “…I want to use as a title for my lecture tonight, “The Other America.” And I use this title because there are literally two Americas. Every city in our country ha s this kind of dualism, this schizophrenia, split at so many parts, and so every city ends up being two cities rather than one. There are two Americas. One America is beautiful for situation. In this America, millions of people have the milk of prosperity and the honey of equality flowing before them. This America is the habitat of millions of people who have food and material necessities for their bodies, culture and education for their minds, freedom and human dignity for their spirits. In this America children grow up in the sunlight of opportunity.

    But there is another America. This other America has a daily ugliness about it that transforms the buoyancy of hope into the fatigue of despair. In this other America, thousands and thousands of people, men in particular walk the streets in search for jobs that do not exist. In this other America, millions of people are forced to live in vermin-filled, distressing housing conditions where they do not have the privilege of having wall-to-wall carpeting, but all too often, they end up with wall-to-wall rats and roaches. Almost forty percent of the Negro families of America live in sub-standard housing conditions

    In this other America, thousands of young people are deprived of an opportunity to get an adequate education. Every year thousands finish high school reading at a seventh, eighth and sometimes ninth grade level. Not because they’re dumb, not because they don’t have the native intelligence, but because the schools are so inadequate, so over-crowded, so devoid of quality, so segregated if you will, that the best in these minds can never come out. Probably the most critical problem in the other America is the economic problem. There are so many other people in the other America who can never make ends meet because their incomes are far too low if they have incomes, and their jobs ar e so devoid of quality. And so in this other America, unemployment is a reality and under-employment is a reality.

    http://www.juancole.com/2015/01/martin-support-obamas.html

  12. 12.

    Mike in NC

    Local paper celebrated MLK Day with two front page articles. The first detailed actions by numerous South Carolina legislators to block same-sex marriage in that state by any means possible short of shooting people (maybe). The second covered a Tea Party convention featuring the likes of Ted Cruz and Ben Carson. Santorum and Trump are scheduled to show up today to toss red meat to the meatheads.

  13. 13.

    shelley

    My dog was a shelter rescue. Poor thing, it took her a couple of days to learn that the kitchen is the best room in the house. But just a couple days.

  16. 16.

    c u n d gulag

    I think I love you, John Cole!

    Er… uhm … In a totally manly-man, not-at-all, gay kind of way, of course!!!

  17. 17.

    Pogonip

    John’s description of the pups reminded me of my son learning to walk. 2 steps holding on to sofa…look pleased…let go of sofa…one more step…wobble…sit down suddenly…look confused.

    And promenade.

  20. 20.

    SuperHrefna

    Those puppies are adorable and hearing how Ginger’s little family is doing cheers me up enormously. I agree with TaMara about feeding her puppy food to build her up ( if her system can stand it, sometimes it’s a mistake to give too much richness all at once to someone who has been starved). Where did Devon find her? Was she rescued from a puppy mill? She’s absolutely adorable. Her puppies are too, of course, but I am so looking forward to photos of Ginger a couple of months from now all filled out, confident in the love of Casa Cole and groomed to the nines. Maybe with a bit of bling on her collar too, her namesake would approve.

    I’m celebrating MLK day by being very thankful for the day off – I usually spend Mondays sorting food at the food bank, but I’m not feeling physically up to it after a dental implant last week. Since the food bank is closed for the holiday I’m very grateful I don’t have to wrestle between my conscience and my sense of self preservation about showing up today.

  21. 21.

    Pogonip

    @Amir Khalid: Thanks to my misspent childhood, and a mother who raised oodles of poodles, I have puppy video firmly lodged in the windmills of my mind, but a pupdate would be nice!

  22. 22.

    Amir Khalid

    I saw this about Fox bringing back The X-Files for a mini-series, to tie up the loose ends from the Conspiracy. The network is in negotiations with Carter, Anderson and Duchovny regarding availability for a shoot.

    I wonder how they would go about putting Mulder and Scully back in the game. I remember from the second movie that she was adamant about never wanting to go back there.

  23. 23.

    BGinCHI

    At first I thought this was an allegory of Cole’s current situation. I could not work out who was who and then I remembered he was fostering some pups.

    So relieved.

  25. 25.

    Belafon

    @rikyrah:

    In this other America, thousands of young people are deprived of an opportunity to get an adequate education. Every year thousands finish high school reading at a seventh, eighth and sometimes ninth grade level. Not because they’re dumb, not because they don’t have the native intelligence, but because the schools are so inadequate, so over-crowded, so devoid of quality, so segregated if you will, that the best in these minds can never come out. Probably the most critical problem in the other America is the economic problem. There are so many other people in the other America who can never make ends meet because their incomes are far too low if they have incomes, and their jobs ar e so devoid of quality. And so in this other America, unemployment is a reality and under-employment is a reality.

    And somehow, poor whites will think – and hate – that he’s only talking about blacks, while the rich will think – and fear – that he’s talking about all poor Americans.

  26. 26.

    Pogonip

    @Roger Moore: Probably most people don’t. Banks, government, some contractors, libraries, that’s about it. Seek organized employment, and, if you’re lucky enough to find it, try to get your union to negotiate you some minor holidays off, if they aten’t working on it already.

  31. 31.

    Violet

    Thurston Howl the First. Love it! Can’t wait for more pics. And some of Ginger too. And because the other piglets might feel left out, how about a few of Rosie, Lily and Steve. How are they taking to the new additions? Wait until the puppies start being really rambunctious. Chaos!

    I second the suggestion that Ginger needs some bling on her collar. Her namesake would want it that way.

  32. 32.

    Roger Moore

    @Pogonip:
    We actually get a fairly generous vacation allotment: 4 weeks paid vacation, 6 specified holidays, and 3 “personal” holidays that we can use for any legal, religious, cultural, or personal holiday that isn’t already covered. It’s just that the 6 specified holidays are limited to the big ones, so we would have to spend a personal holiday day to take MLK day off.

  34. 34.

    Pogonip

    @Roger Moore: Some companies give your birthday off. I always thought that was a nice touch.

    The government could save money if it either moved Thanksgiving to Friday or designated the day after Thanksgiving a Federal holiday, like they do with Christmas if it falls on a Thursday. As it is, there’s always either some divorced guy estranged from his kids who refuses to use his own leave for Thanksgiving, or some control-freak stupidvisor who insists her department Must Be Staffed Because Customers, so buildings end up getting heated and lit for 2 or 3 people.

  35. 35.

    Amir Khalid

    @Lee:
    I wasn’t referring to Gillian Anderson. I was talking about a scene in The X-Files: I Want To Believe which lays out Scully’s internal conflict. Having persuaded Mulder to take on a case as a consultant to the FBI because he’s bored and restless at home, she’s reluctant when he asks her to join him on it. She doesn’t want to follow him again into the darkness that has cost them so much professionally and personally, including their son whom she gave up for adoption back in season 9.

  39. 39.

    p.a.

    Since it’s an open thread:

    j. Frank Deford’s great line, on NPR, on Boston’s bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2024: “It’s like bidding to host an epidemic.” He bases that on the fact that most Olympic cities end up bleeding money and spending far more than they ever thought.

    Stop the Insanity!

  43. 43.

    Lymie

    We used to add a couple of table spoons of low fat cottage cheese to high quality dry food – canned food was usually so rich it gave the mom the runs.

  45. 45.

    catclub

    @shelley:

    Are their eyes open yet? Probably not.

    Wasn’t it here that someone told about kittens (found in a wall) that were extremely loud until their ears opened?

  47. 47.

    WereBear

    I’ve gone back and looked up past posts (thank you Purple Girl and the other kind commenter whose name I’ve forgotten to point me at Friday evening) so I can be up to speed on the Rescue Situation.

    Sick as can be with the crud going around. Don’t think I’ll make the corporate shindig tonight.

  48. 48.

    Violet

    @WereBear: Hope you feel better. Stay home and take care of yourself. You’ll recover faster if you do and no one wants the crud you’ll no doubt pass around if you go.

  50. 50.

    dedc79

    Republicans just needed a few days back in control of Congress to drive Obama’s approval back up to 50%.

    The Democrats are truly fortunate that the Republicans are a bunch of unlikeable and incompetent morons.

  51. 51.

    srv

    Fifty-nine percent of Republicans say they want the former Massachusetts governor to run and only about a quarter, 26 percent, say they do not, according to the CBS News survey.

    Where is your ActBlue For Romney, people. These chickens aren’t going to fuck themselves.

  52. 52.

    Manyakitty

    @WereBear: Take it easy and feel better soon! I caught some awful plague back in early September and I didn’t get rid of the residual cough until the end of December. Kicked my butt good.

  53. 53.

    Violet

    @WereBear: Sick days are for exactly what you’re describing. You’re sick. Stay home and get better faster and and don’t spread it to your coworkers. Hopefully everyone appreciates that!

  56. 56.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    … and even John McCain says, “Jesus, this delusional fucknut would need anti-psychotic drugs to get over himself”

    Dinesh D’SouzaVerified account
    ‏@ DineshDSouza
    AN INTERESTING PARALLEL: MLK was targeted by J. Edgar Hoover, an unsavory character; I was targeted by the equally unsavory B. Hussein Obama

  57. 57.

    Violet

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Wow. That is some weapons grade crazy.

    Edit: And even if you didn’t know who any of those people were, you’d know that Dinesh D’Souza is a wingnut because of his obvious victim complex. It’s a characteristic of modern day “conservatives.”

  58. 58.

    Howard Beale IV

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    @ DineshDSouza
    AN INTERESTING PARALLEL: MLK was targeted by J. Edgar Hoover, an unsavory character; I was targeted by the equally unsavory B. Hussein Obama

    Oh how wrong you are, you hypocritical convicted felon. Just look into the mirror and see who the person was who did the real damage to your life. Obama doesn’t have the time to deal with pond scum like you,

  62. 62.

    Hal

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: ten points to D’souza for emphasizing the HUSSEIN!!! BTW, I thought if you plead guilty you had to admit your crime in open court. Douche’a’s argument seems to be that yes he’s guilty, but if it weren’t for Obama he wouldn’t have been charged?

  64. 64.

    gene108

    @dedc79:

    Interesting set of poll results at the link.

    Looks like people are giving the Republicans a chance, because they are not convinced Democrats can do enough to help them economically.

  65. 65.

    Kay

    I thought this was a nice tribute from a different angle, Sec of Labor Thomas Perez:

    Central to King’s philosophy was the idea that men and women of all races deserve the dignity of work, the right to earn more than poverty wages. And he knew that goal was not attainable without full-throated worker voice.

  66. 66.

    lamh36

    I like to remember that first and foremost Dr King was a family man, flawed, but still. Whatever issues I have with the King children, I do think our nation hasn’t been as kind to them as maybe we should have. I read somewhere that Harry Belafonte said his greatest regret is that the movement didn’t do more to help and aid and comfort the King children…

    Dr King, Coretta and the kids
    https://twitter.com/psddluva4evah/status/557225002890563584

  67. 67.

    shelley

    I’m sure Cole’s mentioned it before, but do they know/suspect what dog breeds are blended in those puppies?

  69. 69.

    sharl

    @shelley: From here:

    Got off the phone with the puppy pusher (AKA my damned sister) and according to her, the father of the two pups is a JRT/Blue Heeler mix. The mom is a poodle.

  70. 70.

    Gindy51

    @Amir Khalid: She’s busy with the Hannibal series and so much sexier in it too!
    Mother Ginger is eating more because she feels so safe t your house. You may end up with her as a permanent resident if you aren’t careful!

  71. 71.

    Roger Moore

    @Hal:

    Douche’a’s argument seems to be that yes he’s guilty, but if it weren’t for Obama he wouldn’t have been charged?

    I think his basic point is closer to “Blah, blah, blah Obama is evil.” If you’re willing to accept that premise, than you’ll also accept that everything bad that’s happened to D’Sousa is somehow Obama’s fault without any of the intermediate logical steps that would justify classifying it as an argument.

  72. 72.

    Violet

    @Gindy51: Ginger must be so relieved to be in a safe place, especially since she has puppies. That this safe place comes with loving people, a warm comfy bed and as much food and water as she could possibly want is probably a dream come true. You’re a good man, John Cole.

  73. 73.

    Kay

    @Roger Moore:

    He’s probably embarrassed that he somehow managed to violate federal campaign finance law. You really have to be an absolute moron to screw up the use of “conduits” blatantly and sloppily enough to trigger oversight :)

  75. 75.

    sharl

    @Kay: I dunno… I doubt that D’Souza and embarrassment – or shame – have ever made one another’s acquaintance. In fact, I think that is the case for a lot of big names in politics, media and business, where shamelessness seems to be a key component to getting ahead. Except that – other than the shamelessness – D’Souza ain’t just very good at all that (though his pitch for the “flip tree” was kinda, errr…, something, though…)

  76. 76.

    Daffodil's Mom

    I’m not so sure about feeding Ginger puppy food, precisely bc of the protein. I could be wrong but used to be, puppies were not to be fed high protein food bc it would stimulate too-rapid bone growth and that could help cause dysplasia. Ergo, the better puppy food actually was supposed to not have very high protein levels. This was a while back so maybe things have changed, but I’d check with a vet to be sure.

    You are a mensch, John Cole. Our hearts go out to you, and we’re sure pulling for Ginger.

  78. 78.

    Kay

    @sharl:

    I bet he likes to think of himself as ultra-savvy, though, and he can’t even do “conduits” properly in our joke of a campaign finance regulation system!

    Didn’t Michele Bachmann also someone manage to run afoul of it? That’s two!

    That’s the category he’s in. .

  79. 79.

    Mnemosyne

    @Gindy51:

    When Cole talks about Ginger, I feel like Felix Bressart talking to Jimmy Stewart in The Shop Around the Corner when Stewart is starting to think about getting married:

    Stewart: How much does it cost for you and Mrs. Pirovich to live? I mean, leaving out the children?
    Bressart: Why fool yourself?

  80. 80.

    dance around in your bones

    @John O: You’re a good man, John Cole

    And a good man is hard to find. ;)

    Y’all know I had to go to there…..

  82. 82.

    JR in WV

    Nothing cuter than Mom and her Puppies.

    Well, except for Mom and her kettehs, right?

    But D’nouche at the “Guilty, Your Honor!” hearing, that’s pretty swell, if totally different. I wish, wish, wish there could have been video of that. We could watch it together and have BBQ and a beer while we giggle.

    But seriously, Juicetariats, these puppies and their Ginger are really cute. REALLY CUTE! I’m loving me some puppies. We mostly adopt dogs grown up enough to be toilet trained. Which gets you past the step in it at 4am nasties, but you do miss a lot of Gosh That’s Cute!

    So thanks to John Cole for providing some more Innertubes Cuteness!

  83. 83.

    SWMBO

    I thought this was a nice place. A real, full service blog. NEEDS MOAR PIGLET PICS! Love you JC. And love the piglets too.

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