National Puppy Day was on March 23. I didn’t know about it, and I’m not sure it’s necessary because every day is Puppy Day. But to belatedly honor that overlooked day of observance, here’s a throwback picture in which my Patsy Marie was a puppy and Daisy Mayhem had no gray on the muzzle:
Maybe John will come along with pictures of current puppies. Or maybe not. Please feel free to discuss whatever.
jl
Thanks for cute pet pix.
What is Lady Cracker’s take on Tevor Noah? She will be getting reliable nightly news analysis from him soon.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
Baby Boxer! Thank you Mrs. Cracker.
D58826
Obama trolling the wing nuts again
Betty Cracker
@jl: I don’t know anything about him except that he’s cute as a button. I used to be a regular Daily Show viewer, but I haven’t seen it in ages; all I see is clips other people post.
donnah
Such sweet mugs! Our “puppy” will turn 14 next month, a shelter adoptee we named Wendy. She’s still quite a good dog, but her vision and hearing are weakening, not to mention her hips. She made the Balloon Juice calendar in a previous year.
kindness
Oh please don’t start in with more bagging the new TDS headliner.
Some times liberals DO whine as much as conservatives.
Mike J
@D58826: It’s unfair that Obama can get stupid people to act stupid.
Germy Shoemangler
@D58826: He can’t be serious! Criticizing Obama’s trips?
As White House Chief of Staff, Sununu reportedly took personal trips, for skiing and other purposes, and classified them as official, for purposes such as conservation or promoting the Thousand Points of Light. The Washington Post wrote that Sununu’s jets “took him to fat-cat Republican fund-raisers, ski lodges, golf resorts and even his dentist in Boston.” Sununu had paid the government only $892 for his more than $615,000 worth of military jet travel. Sununu said that his use of the jets was necessary because he had to be near a telephone at all times for reasons of national security. Sununu became the subject of much late-night television humor over the incident. Sununu worsened the situation shortly afterwards when, after leaking rumors of financial difficulties in his family, he traveled to a rare stamp auction at Christie’s auction house in New York City from Washington in a government limousine, spending $5,000 on rare stamps. Sununu then sent the car and driver back to Washington unoccupied while he returned on a corporate jet. In the course of one week, 45 newspapers ran editorials on Sununu, nearly all of them critical of his actions. Sununu resigned his White House post on December 4, 1991.
Peale
So has anyone ever ended up with say 5 liters of wine and booze on a trip and declared it? I’m trying to figure out how much longer I will be in customs proving that five liters isn’t enough for me to start a business with.
Mike J
@Peale: Pay the 3% duty and go home.
ThresherK
In Troy, NY at Brown’s Taproom. The picture on their website was an oatmeal stout, and I was powerless to resist.
Looking forward to UConn v. Dayton, and hope that Dayton doesn’t pull a Michigan State tonite. (They both hit the Elite Eight seeded #7.)
Schlemazel
@kindness:
Has there been, ‘bagging’? I missed it I guess, what’s the problem? He’ll just be like Carson, Leno and Letterman, reading jokes written for him by a team of writers. It was pretty obvious when Oliver subed that the patter really didn’t change much.
The standup bits I have heard from the new guy are pretty good so I can’t imagine he will make a muck up of it.
JPL
@Germy Shoemangler: IOKIYR That’s the type of thing that guarantees you a job on Fox news and entertainment channel.
Mike in NC
Sununu — an Arab! — had the gall to rail against Obama during the 2008 campaign, saying among other things that he “didn’t understand our culture”. The media, of course, gave him a complete pass.
Elizabelle
Sweet boxer faces.
Germy Shoemangler
File under the law of unintended consequences:
The New Jersey man Governor Christie told to “sit down and shut up” when he complained about the state’s Superstorm Sandy response is now running for state Assembly as the “voice” of local families.
James Keady said he is confident he has more than 100 signatures on nominating petitions due on Monday to get on the ballot for the Democratic primary in June to represent Ocean County’s 30th Legislative District.
Betty Cracker
@ThresherK: Mmmmm, oatmeal stout!
Amir Khalid
@D58826:
Yes, Mr Sununu, the birther issue should have died a long time ago. Indeed, it would never have arisen in the first place, but for those on the hard right, who were desperate for any argument at all against Obama’s presidential campaign.
President Obama’s trip to Kenya is just a trip to Kenya. It’s part of his job to visit countries on America’s behalf. If the sort of people who willingly spread lies about his origins are going to chatter and comment about it, is that his fault? Should he desist from doing his job so as not to incite them? Besides, those who despise this president can take comfort that in less than two years, he’ll be gone.
Germy Shoemangler
@ThresherK: Is that the place real close to the river? If so, I was there many years ago and enjoyed a refreshing tall glass of mead.
Tree With Water
1:58 PM PST For the first time in years (that I’ve noticed, anyway) the air force has created an exhaust cross in the sky above Sonoma county.
ThresherK
@Germy Shoemangler: I think it’s about 10 feet uphill from a sign reading “River crested here in 1913”, and every street name is watery. Canal, Water, River, etc.
jl
@Amir Khalid: Accusing Obama of ‘inciting’ birthers by planning a trip to Kenya is one of the dumbest and silliest things i can think of. Outside racist RWNJ it will have all the legs of an amoeba. Or actually hurt them by revealing them for what they are: racist nutcases.
But, on other hand, fine with me if they spend their time this way. They just cannot let Obama go. From a political standpoint, fine, let them complain about vacations in Hawaii (a suspiciously un-American and foreign place), and Kenya, and whatever.
Maybe this is a sign that the HRC Benghemailzzgateiiii!!! is turning out to be a dud.
MattF
@D58826: My recollection is that Sununu generally took it for granted that he was always the smartest person in the room. Now, when you’re dealing with wingnuts, that may be a valid rule-of-thumb. but it does leave one vulnerable to ridicule, particularly if you’re not quite as smart as you think you are.
Elizabelle
Just checked out the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse website; see what’s up for $2.00 Monday and Tuesday movies.
And there’s a bright string of red SOLD OUTS for end of next week.
Trevor Noah. 7 appearances, next Thursday to Saturday. Gone gone. What a coup for the Drafthouse.
I had no idea who he was when I woke up this morning.
Of course, last week, how many of us had ever heard of Germanwings …
Roger Moore
@Germy Shoemangler:
Republicans are immune to irony.
Germy Shoemangler
Here’s my comment from the previous thread; ideas for future threads:
Worst job/boss or best job/boss
Worst neighbor/best neighbor
Things RWNJ’s say
Contractor horrorstories
Landlord experiences (good or bad)
Germy Shoemangler
@Roger Moore: If I’d been forced to resign because of improper trips, I wouldn’t even say the word “trips” when criticizing Obama or anyone else.
Roger Moore
@Germy Shoemangler:
That’s because you possess shame, a conscience, and all kinds of other things that Republicans are required to have surgically removed before they’re allowed to advance very far up the party ladder.
Jacks mom
My new grandson is doing very well. They got home from the hospital yesterday and thankfully my son works for people that expect new fathers to take some time off.
Life is good and so is my puppy so the pessimist in me is waiting for a crisis to arise ;)
trollhattan
Since Arkansas is getting today’s Wingnut Spotlight, here’s another nugget.
“You got you a photo release signed by that puppy?”
Via TOP
Tree With Water
@Amir Khalid: Sunnunu was once described as one of those people who let you know their IQ number within 5 minutes of first meeting them. I’d be willing to bet the bright old bigot didn’t have a problem the times the dipshit Gipper was feted in Ireland.
Botsplainer
Holy shitcakes, but this is funny – the Indianapolis GOP mayor is setting up a direct challenge to the wingnut law, practically begging the injunctive suit.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/gop-indianapolis-mayor-defies-pence-bans-discrimination-by-christian-businesses-receiving-city-funds/
Not only is this division between the business and Confederate wings of the GOP a welcome happenstance, Raw Story managed to put up an article that isn’t headlined something stupid like “John Oliver slams”, “Cenk Uygur points out”, “Russell Brand smacks” or “Jon Stewart calls out”….
BillinGlendaleCA
@Tree With Water:
So he’s related to Charles C. Johnson?
ETA: Not to be confused with LGF’s Charles Johnson.
danielx
As is not unusual, Today’s Win For The Intertubes comes from Charles Pierce, regarding Mike Pence’s performance on This Week:
Good Lord, how many times a day do they have to water this guy?
That’s a question for which many of Pence’s constituents would like an answer, Mr. Pierce. As noted, it may not only have been the worst performance ever by a pol on This Week, it may have been the worst performance by a human being on live television – ever. Remember, now, it wasn’t but a short time ago that Pence was being semi-seriously discussed as a potential presidential candidate. After Shrub it’s certainly a given that one doesn’t have to be a genius to become president nor yet to be re-elected, but one would reasonable assurance that a given candidate does in fact have a pulse and can fog a mirror.
danielx
@Botsplainer:
Between the Final Four, Pence, the mayor and a probable (highly anticipated!) visit by Scott Walker this coming weekend to support the basketball team of the state university he’s busily trying to eviscerate, there’s going to be comedy gold hereabouts in the next few days.
Arclite
What the hell is going on in Missouri? Another Republican shot himself.
catclub
@Arclite: I noticed that also.
In the spirit of future threads, I would be interested in compare/contrast the Saudi willingness to stop ISIS (almost nil)with its willingness to bomb – and presumably invade – Yemen to put the hurt on Shia rebels there. Also the willingness ot the entire Arab world (plus Pakistan!) to bomb those Shia rebels while not being able to put up any forces to stop ISIS.
delk
Wilco just cancelled their Indiana show.
raven
I shot this today. Raven has been gone over 6 years and the only time Bohdi howls is when he hears Raven on video.
Cervantes
@Mike in NC:
And born in Havana.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
You mean specifically ground forces? Cause IIRC the UAE, Qatar and Jordan (and Kuwait?) are all taking part in the air campaign in Syria, and I think Egypt has launched air raids against ISIS-leaning camps in Libya. I saw someone once say if ISIS acts within the borders of the Kingdom, we’ll see the Saudis react, but I don’t know if that was anyone who knew what the hell they were talking about. It’s tough to know who to trust in this. Lawrence O’Donnell of EvenTheLiberal has had one guy appear a few times whose bio most prominently features the Weekly Standard. That does not inspire confidence when he calls for US boots.
On a related note, I remember CNN’s terror expert, Peter Bergen?, used to say it was important to understand al Qaeda as a movement rather than an organization (and of course no one did). I think the same is true of ISIS/L/Daesh. I think the way we (meaning, the MSM and war-mongering and sincerely fearful pols) talk about these groups is effectively doing PR for them, making them sound bigger and more organized than they are.
satby
@raven: awww, poor Bohdi!
ETA: I assume he misses his buddy
SiubhanDuinne
@Botsplainer:
Ha! He was just on Al Sharpton’s MSNBC program and was doing some serious ass-kicking there as well.
Violet
Your pups are adorable. Those looks on their little faces. Awww…
SiubhanDuinne
@danielx:
Can’t he just be given a Lifetime Achievement Award and open up the field for some other talented Intertubers?
raven
@satby: Don’t really know. He certainly helped keep the little guys spirits up while he fought cancer but he clearly liked being the only dog and is very jealous of Lil Bit.
SiubhanDuinne
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Yup, Peter Bergen. I heard him speak at a North American security conference several years ago (academic conference, not government, IIRC).
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Bergen
SiubhanDuinne
@raven:
The Bodhi (Bohdi? never sure of spelling) was quite possibly the single cutest little puppy I’ve ever seen.* You’ve posted his “first day” photo a few times and, even though I’m more of a cat person than a dog person, I always just melt.
* Betty Cracker’s pups are in there, of course. Okay, Thurston and Lovey, too. Okay, actually, all Balloon Juice puppies ever anywhere. Okay, just forget I even said anything.
Violet
@raven: Awww…poor Bodhi. Misses his friend. I guess he recognizes Raven’s howl?
burnspbesq
@ThresherK:
For God’s sake, why (says the Union grad)?
bemused
One of our dogs just had the vet extract a 3″ long twig from a nostril. The vet, two assistants and I all gasped in a holy crap way when we saw what came out.
raven
@SiubhanDuinne: I’ve always spelled it wrong.
Gin & Tonic
@SiubhanDuinne: Hey, completely OT, but you may enjoy this. The director of the Novosibirsk Opera was canned because the Russian Orthodox diocese there objected to his staging of Tannhauser (sorry, won’t search for umlaut here.) Putin’s spox: “This interpretation of Wagner was disliked by a great number of people and insulted the feelings of believers, which we should not permit. I think that we have no right to stage works that insult a part of our population and insult their feelings”
scav
@Gin & Tonic: PutINdiana INtolerance INcontext.
Cervantes
@Gin & Tonic:
Here you go: ¨
SiubhanDuinne
@Gin & Tonic:
Fascinating, thanks.
First I chuckled. Then I remembered the protests last fall at the Met over The Death of Klinghoffer. Sigh.
ThresherK
@burnspbesq: College town food before the Big Game. I’ve had a soft spot for Troy since we went to NYSTI in 06.
Pogonip
Every day is, or should be, National Puppy Day! Likewise National Kitten Day.
mdblanche
I’m just going to leave this excerpt from Elizabeth Warren’s interview with WBUR here and see how many minds it can blow.
Gin & Tonic
@Cervantes: I will be forever in your debt.
Gin & Tonic
@SiubhanDuinne: Well, sure. But neither Peter Gelb nor James Levine has been sacked, and AFAIK, President Obama has not weighed in on the topic.
Tree With Water
My political instincts are severely tested on occasion. It doesn’t happen often, because I’m not a politically trusting type of guy. But I guess I am today, because Charles Pierce at Esquire.com just informed me that:
“Warren announced that she would support Chuck Schumer to replace Harry Reid as Minority Leader of the Senate”.
Then it’s OK with me, if she says so. But I hope Elizabeth knows what she’s doing.
SiubhanDuinne
More news from Indiana:
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/03/30/3639736/purvi-patel-sentencing/
The update says she has been sentenced to 41 years, and is appealing.
SiubhanDuinne
@Gin & Tonic:
Quite true. But the mindset is similar.
Cervantes
@Gin & Tonic:
Oh, you’re welcome.
Just don’t spend it all in one place.
Tommy
@Tree With Water: I think at times you have to tow the company line. Best I can tell Schumer is against almost everything Warren stands for. You know Wall Street. You can not always swim upstream. I guess sometimes you just have to fall in line.
Elizabelle
I don’t understand why Dick Durbin got passed over. Wasn’t he kind of next in line?
I’m not feeling the Schumerlove, myself.
SiubhanDuinne
@Tommy:
Senator Professor Elizabeth Warren may not be the eleventy-dimensional chess player that Barack Obama is, but I think she is able to strategize in more than three dimensions. If she is supporting Schumer, however unlikely and counterintuitive that seems to most of us, I am going to assume she has her reasons. They may look weak in the near term, but I do trust her long-range instincts.
Tommy
@Elizabelle: I wonder the same thing. He is the Minority Whip. I live in Illinois and voted for the guy multiple times. Seems like he should be next in line.
NotMax
@Tommy
For future reference, toe the line, not tow.
ThresherK
Dayton hanging tough and UConn’s defense giving up too many easy looks at the 3. Coach ain’t gonna like that. The professional b’cast is only over radio-radio, not on my newfangled device.
And 1080 WTIC can be received on my fillings, it’s soooo clear channel. Why did I leave my crystal set home?
David Koch
this UCONN – Dayton game on ESPN is a barnburner
NotMax
@SiubhanDuinne
My impression from afar is that she has a cordial and productive history with him and likely feels she will be able to prompt his stand in certain areas as well as have enough clout to minimize egregiously lopsided decision making.
Baud
@SiubhanDuinne:
Nah. Elizabeth Warren is worse than Scott Brown. She sold us out!
Gin & Tonic
@NotMax: You can tow a line, too.
SiubhanDuinne
@NotMax:
Hope so. It’s never going to be Pure enough for some, but my sense of Warren is that she is very clear on her ideology but is also pragmatic enough that she’s not blinded by her beliefs.
@Baud:
Just can’t trust those pointy-headed Ivy League eggheads!
ThresherK
@David Koch: Dayton has 37 pts in 16 mins. That is remarkable.
Tree With Water
@Tommy: I am but flotsam on that stream, always have been, always will be. Still, as Warren and her like minded colleagues represent the front line in the war against the party of American fascism, I’m grateful for all their efforts; reserving the right at all times, of course, to cut ties with them as I see fit, for my own good reasons. I did en masse to quite a number of prominent congressional democrats in March of 2003. I’ll never forgive the bastards with throwing in with that enemy in a matter of war and peace. Goddamn ’em all.. Like I said, I just hope Warren knows what she’s doing.
MomSense
@raven:
Aw Bodhi performing an awesome tribute to his friend Raven.
We had good news today about Korra’s mom. Her heartworm treatments went well and when she is a little stronger she will go to a really nice forever home on an island off Portland. I still remember the last time I saw her. I was holding her pup in my arms and she jumped up on me and gave me such a tough look like “don’t screw up or you’ll have to deal with me”.
Elizabelle
Your evening cocktail bubbly: from Washington Monthly’s Political Animal blog:
Andrew Sullivan apparently told Jeff Greenfield and his audience at a 92nd Street Y appearance in NYC last night that he had to give up blogging, lest it kill him. Also that he’s not aware of any other blog out there, doing what used to do.
Prompting WaMonthly’s Ed Kilgore to ask his readers: is that so? “Is news-cycle blogging an endangered species?”
First response he got, from WMLIII:
Where indeed.
Gin & Tonic
@ThresherK: The bar I am in just switched every screen to the Blackhawks game. Assholes.
ThresherK
@Gin & Tonic: Every screen? Pikers.
And I have been the guy asking some barkeep in the pre-broadband era, “Do you have the channel which carries the Grey Cup”?
Dayton has 4 points in 6 mins in the 2d half. Much more like the Connecticut D I’ve seen.
Gin & Tonic
@ThresherK: They switched one after I asked.
ThresherK
@Gin & Tonic: Now they’re in time-out and I swear one of these days a coach will just say to whomever at ESPN (or CBS), “Leave me alone. I’m trynna coach a game!”
When did that become acceptable to bother a coach like that?
WaterGirl
@raven: Oh my gosh, the sorrow in that howl is heart wrenching.
WaterGirl
@SiubhanDuinne: Who knows what happened, but 41 years is appalling.
Gin & Tonic
@ThresherK: I guess I’m ready for the hockey game now.
ThresherK
@Gin & Tonic: Glad my wife is only watching at home. She’d be a bundle of nerves.
Gin & Tonic
@ThresherK: Why? 21 points and under two minutes doesn’t make for much suspense.
Mnemosyne (tablet)
G found out today that that the VP who laid him off was demoted back down to branch manager. So that was a pleasant bit of schadenfreude for his day.
Roger Moore
@Mnemosyne (tablet):
How is his job search going?
Mnemosyne (tablet)
@Roger Moore:
Slowly. He’s seriously considering a career change to information science (aka library science) but we’re not sure what the steps to that would look like or what he would do for work while going to school. He’s leaning towards looking for something in medical records because it sort of relates to his interests and would be a steady job for going back to school. UCLA is the only local school that has an ALA-certified MLS program, but other places (like University of Illinois) have respected mostly online programs. So, lots of decisions still to be made.
Cliff in NH
@raven:
My doggie got up from napping and tried to crawl in my lap as she licked me all over after hearing that, sorrow is universal in dog speak I guess.
Gvg
@Tommy: It was in an earlier thread a couple of days ago I think that Durbin didn’t want it. he wanted to stay where he is. I didn’t see an official link, but it seemed to make sense.
David Koch
–