Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

Trumpflation is an intolerable hardship for every American, and it’s Trump’s fault.

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

They want us to be overwhelmed and exhausted. Focus. Resist. Oppose.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

the 10% who apparently lack object permanence

You cannot love your country only when you win.

White supremacy is terrorism.

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Bark louder, little dog.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Come on, man.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

It’s the corruption, stupid.

Keep the Immigrants and deport the fascists!

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

“Perhaps I should have considered other options.” (head-desk)

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Wednesday Mid-Day Open Thread

Wednesday Mid-Day Open Thread

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Because I am a pop culture-addled American fool, when I saw this priceless ancient artifact in a museum awhile back, my first thought was, “It’s Donkey from Shrek!”

photo (10)

It’s the mouth, I think.

The sun is peeping through the clouds for a change. During the summer months here in Florida, I consider the sun my mortal enemy, but I can’t say I’m not glad to see it today after a week of near-constant rain.

The worse part of the downpours — worse than the people and dogs tracking mud all through the house, the disgruntled hens, the frogs everywhere, the drenched yard sucking the shoes off my feet — is the bumper crop of mosquitoes. They’re bad enough all the time, but this visitation is about the worst I’ve ever seen. A cloud of the whiny, blood-sucking bastards engulfed me when I sprinted to the mailbox and back, nearly necessitating a blood transfusion.

Please feel free to complain about the things that are making your life a living hell today or discuss whatever. Open thread.

Reader Interactions

136Comments

  3. 3.

    Peale

    Jet lag. Hate it. Also, I think I would rather live in a hotel than in my house. For the past week, I haven’t had to open my car door and someone would enter my room while I was out and refresh the fruit, flowers and leave bowls of water with rose petals in them so my room was alway very fresh scented. I think I want that every day. I’m beginning to look at my condo as an endless todo list.

  4. 4.

    rikyrah

    an educated populace?
    can’t have that.

    President Obama ✔ @POTUS

    We could eliminate tuition at every public college and university in America with the $80 billion we spend each year on incarcerations.

  5. 5.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Avoiding the 95+ degrees in the 70+% humidity. You know how it is. Supposed to get a break the next couple days. Can’t wait.

  6. 6.

    lamh36

    My lil sister has been having contractions since 7am and she’s at the hospital now with my other crazy sister who drove her!

    So, thiis might be it!! My new baby niece Zöe Tamara could be coming today or tmrw!!

  7. 7.

    oldster

    It’s not just the mouth–it’s the whole stance and posture.
    That donkey is one spunky, cocky, attitudinal donkey. It’s a smart-mouth, back-talking donkey, and that’s built into the curve of its spine and the placement of its hooves.

    Somebody knew how to shape clay to express character. That’s some good work.

  8. 8.

    MattF

    We’ve all heard from the frothing-at-the-mouth right about ISIS, but what do people who have some knowledge and experience have to say? Seriously, I really haven’t seen anything analytical, or even sorta informative. Here’s an NYRB article about ISIS (by ‘anonymous’) that suggests, unhappily, that the answer is no one really understands why ISIS has been so successful.

  9. 9.

    srv

    I forgot to buy caviar on Monday, which may necessitate another 3 block walk back to the market. Which goes by the hip new coffee shop which has those nice truffles.

    Which isn’t all bad, but the hordes of hipsters one must overcome in this 75 degree heat. Maybe I should just call Uber.

    @MattF: You could read raven’s favorite blogger, Pat Lang. Ex-DIA and SF crew (back when SF meant Green Berets and not ‘operators’) there talks about ISIS all time. John deleted him from the rolls because he hates white southerners.

  10. 10.

    gvg

    Unfairly to my benefit, mosquitos are not attracted to me and rarely bite me. I have seen them fly right past me to land on my sister or parents. I rarely even notice them and it annoys my friends and family I am sure. Raising a child is a revelation. Now I have to assume they are there even when I don’t notice any and spray the children ahead of time. Biting yellow flies when we were camping chased my sister and ignored me. We left early.

    We have bat house up but no bats so far.

  11. 11.

    rikyrah

    July 28, 2015
    Top GOP fundraiser calls on Sen. Mark Kirk to step down. Then takes it back.
    Comments Email Print

    GREG HINZ ON POLITICS

    One of the Illinois GOP’s premiere fundraisers has called on U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., to abandon his re-election race, saying it likely is unwinnable. The statement is spurring a flurry of phone calls and activity among worried Republicans.

    In a development that could help determine which party will control the U.S. Senate after the 2016 elections, veteran GOP fundraiser Ron Gidwitz said in an interview today that though Kirk is “a patriot and an accomplished public servant,” he will be hobbled by a series of recent verbal gaffes that have undermined public confidence in his ability to serve.

    “His misstatements put him and the Illinois Republican Party in too much of a defensive position” in what remains a predominantly Democratic state, Gidwitz told me in a phone interview. “I do not believe he will be a U.S. senator in 2017 and, as top of the ticket, he could cause collateral damage (to other Republican candidates). I call on him to step aside and allow other Republicans to seek his seat.”

    After I called Kirk’s office for a response, Gidwitz called me back and said he’d like to “retract” the statement. “I’m having second thoughts.” But he confirmed that “I said it. I said it thoughtfully,” and he acknowledged he’d received “quite a number” of high-level phone calls in just an hour. “I don’t want to take the heat I’ll get.”

    Kirk, who suffered a severe stroke four years ago, had little response. His spokesman Kevin Artl said only that Kirk and Gidwitz have had a cool relationship in recent years.

    Gidwitz was remarkably candid. But what he said today only echoes what some other Republican leaders are saying in private after Kirk in recent weeks referred to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., as “a bro’ with no ho”; said President Barack Obama wants “to get nukes to Iran”; and questioned at a Senate hearing whether a federal financial unit is acting like the Chinese intelligence service and collecting information on members of the U.S. Supreme Court.

    “Kirk has always had a big mouth,” said one major party backer in Illinois who asked to remain anonymous, referring to an episode six years ago when Kirk exaggerated his service as a military intelligence officer. “But it’s gotten worse.”

    chicagobusiness.com/article/20150728/BLOGS02/150729808/gop-fundraiser-gidwitz-calls-on-mark-kirk-to-…

  13. 13.

    Politically Lost

    Just told I probably have Lyme disease and have started treatment. The reason I went to the Doctor in the first place? Fucking persistent joint pain that started in an elbow….almost a year ago. Felt like tennis elbow but worse and more persistent. Now just about all major joints are involved. Four office visits and six sets of blood tests later…tick cooties.

    Funny thing is, I’m actually happy that it very may well be Lyme. Because if it’s not, it’s probably some kind of horrible autoimmune disease.

  14. 14.

    White Trash Liberal

    Bernbaggers are infesting Wonkette HRC threads. I haz a sad.

    Clinton promises cake in stump speech.

    BERNIE PROMISES CAKE AND ICE CREAM!! HILLARY IS JUST LYING ANYWAY.

    Ugh. Months of this shit to go.

  18. 18.

    Gin & Tonic

    @gvg: I know someone who spent hundreds building a large and elaborate bat house, in a perfect location, on a property known to have bats. They have ignored the opportunity for years now.

  21. 21.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Politically Lost: Strongly recommend you be thoroughly tested for other tick-borne diseases. Not every lab is qualified, and it is easy to get more than one disease from one bite (he said from bitter experience.)

  22. 22.

    Scamp Dog

    So what’s the actual provenance of the donkey? I’m guessing Chinese, but I’m not terribly confident of that.

  23. 23.

    Linda Featheringill

    @Politically Lost:
    You will probably think I’m crazy but going mostly gluten free helped my joint pain a lot. I used to take a lot of over the counter pain killers but now I don’t take any on most days.

    Go ahead with the Lyme treatment, of course.

    I’m not a doctor. This is only a serving suggestion.

  25. 25.

    Germy Shoemangler

    The Obama Democrats

    I wonder how many of the National Review’s readers thought it was an unaltered photo?

    National Review, a periodical that Fox News viewers think of as the magazine their literate friends read, published this cover in 2012 showing Obama supporters waving blue signs that said “ABORTION.” The signs originally said “FORWARD” before they were altered.

  26. 26.

    shell

    Thats one jaunty looking horsie (donkey?)
    **************
    you know what they say about a wet hen…
    *************
    Finally updated my Mac OS, mainly so I could upgrade my browser. Since then all kinds of interesting little bloopers popping up.
    *************
    Supposed to be the three H’s here in New Jersey as well. No fan of the heat, but I do wish the Weather guys would stop going on as if its a big shocker that it gets hot in Summer.

  28. 28.

    Brachiator

    @lamh36:

    So, thiis might be it!! My new baby niece Zöe Tamara could be coming today or tmrw!!

    Pre-emptive Congratulations! Hope everything goes well.

  29. 29.

    piratedan

    will be in the SF Area next week, any chance/thought of an impromptu Juicer get together? Would have to be during the week and a locale that a non-native could find/park at…

  30. 30.

    Linda Featheringill

    Complaints:

    Philly is hellishly hot and humid. Yuck!

    Also, since I retired from paid employment and have moved on to being housekeeper for this zoo of strange humans, I feel like I’m overworked and underpaid.

    But I do have time to paint now. So there’s that.

  31. 31.

    Scamp Dog

    @rikyrah: Yes, but the purpose of government is to do things to people, not forpeople. The only legitimate public purposes are law enforcement (controlling and incarcerating the lower orders) and war making (keeping unruly foreigners in line). Well, channelling money to your well-connected pals as well, but that’s a topic for quiet rooms.

    /movement conservative

  33. 33.

    Linda Featheringill

    Just read on DK that Scott Walker came to Philly and CUT IN LINE to order a cheese steak with AMERICAN CHEESE and NO ONIONS.

    I haven’t lived in this area for very long but even I know that was rude and stupid. LOL.

  34. 34.

    jharp

    Chiggers have been making my life unpleasant.

    Amazing the damage they can do. It is like poison ivy that you can’t see and is capable and does attack you. Even for the next couple of days after you come indoors.

    That, and I got 2 deer ticks on me Saturday. That makes 6 this season.

  35. 35.

    Politically Lost

    @Gin & Tonic: It’s not a 100 percent certain that it is Lyme, it “may be a form of Lyme” whatever the fuck that means.

    @Linda Featheringill: Gluten, It’s the new Al Qaeda!

    I’ll try anything because it feels like my joints are being slowly pried apart with a claw hammer.

  42. 42.

    shell

    Chiggers have been making my life unpleasant.

    Ugh, happy to say I’ve missed those. Are they more in the Southern states?

  43. 43.

    the Conster

    @MattF:

    ISIS strikes me as cosplay with real blood. I haven’t read of any reports where middle aged people end up disappearing into ISIS, just young folks of gamer age and temperament.

  45. 45.

    low-tech cyclist

    Our plane lands in Tampa in 4 days. So even if the rain stops, we should expect to sink into the yard as we’re getting eaten alive by mosquitos, huh? Sounds wonderful. Think I’ll stay indoors all of next week.

  46. 46.

    Brachiator

    @MattF:

    Seriously, I really haven’t seen anything analytical, or even sorta informative. Here’s an NYRB article about ISIS (by ‘anonymous’) that suggests, unhappily, that the answer is no one really understands why ISIS has been so successful.

    Thanks very much for this. The footnotes link to earlier NYR articles about ISIS. They all look good. I read part of the July 9 essay. Recommended.

    If this link from an article in the Atlantic is still good, this might also be illuminating

    theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

  48. 48.

    gogol's wife

    @Betty Cracker:

    A young woman I know who works three jobs (personal trainer, waitress, waitress) is on her little vacation in Florida right now, so I’m hoping the weather gets nicer for her.

  49. 49.

    trollhattan

    @MattF:

    You should hear the theme song.

    Know winery owners hoo put owl boxes in the vineyards, and they’re actually occupied and a big help controlling mice and gophers. Less distractable/demanding than cats and tons more awesome.

    Also, too, 106-108 predicted today, with extra ozone, so am not amenable to weather griping.

  50. 50.

    Politically Lost

    @Linda Featheringill:

    Naw, not crazy. My county in the great dry NorCal eliminated plastic bags at stores and make you pay 10 cents for a paper bag to encourage the use of reusable bags. So, bags have become huge swag gifts from all the local businesses. So, my wife got a bag from a local bakery that had, “Gluten, the new Al Qaeda” on it.

    I was serious about trying anything, cuz this shit sucks.

  51. 51.

    low-tech cyclist

    @lamh36:

    My new baby niece Zöe Tamara could be coming today or tmrw!!

    So you’re saying that Tamara could get here today, huh?

  52. 52.

    Amir Khalid

    @Linda Featheringill:
    TPM reports he also finished only half of his sandwich, then inconsiderately left his trash on the table. This Scott Walker chap might be, how shall I put this, somewhat lacking in the common touch.

    Or perhaps he was deeply moved by the signs that people were greeting him with.

  57. 57.

    shell

    This Scott Walker chap might be, how shall I put this, somewhat lacking in the common touch.

    Remember when Paul Ryan was running for VP…that bizarre soup kitchen incident? He showed up out of nowhere, and started washing the clean dishes, for a photo-op.

  62. 62.

    Germy Shoemangler

    I remember the Kliban cartoon “The Birth of Advertising” with a bunch of ad execs being pooped out of a horse’s ass.

    Two of the execs are shaking hands.

  65. 65.

    trollhattan

    @Politically Lost:
    Here’s hoping it’s an accurate diagnosis and still treatable. If so, you’re going to get your life back (per folks I know who’ve had Lyme). Nasty bidnez.

    I’ve taken to ordering “extra gluten” just because. “May I have theirs?” Back when we were using our bread maker lots, adding a bit of high-gluten flour really added chewiness to the bread. Also like mochi in certain Japanese items. Nope, never had a reaction to the stuff even though I was allergic to wheat as a kiddo.

    Will make allowances for Stone Brewing’s gluten-free IPA, which is damn good, gluten or no gluten.

  66. 66.

    Eric S.

    @srv:

    I forgot to buy caviar on Monday, which may necessitate another 3 block walk back to the market. Which goes by the hip new coffee shop which has those nice truffles.

    Which isn’t all bad, but the hordes of hipsters one must overcome in this 75 degree heat. Maybe I should just call Uber.

    I can’t tell if this is the firstest of first world problems or snark because we were invited to complain.

  69. 69.

    lamh36

    My sister is live texting the visit…lol

    Contractions 7 minutes apart she’s only 2 centimeters dilated this may be a false alarm

  70. 70.

    the Conster

    Murder indictment in Cincy

    Deters says Tensing should never have been a cop. The murder was senseless. Oy.

  71. 71.

    trollhattan

    @Germy Shoemangler:
    In a similar vein was the rabbit on the shop counter alongside a sign next to the droppings: “Raisins, 5 cents.”

    And who can forget “Section of a cylinder, section of a Cohen”?

  73. 73.

    Paul in KY

    @gvg: I’m the same way. Mosquitos rarely bite me, even when I’m in a swarm of them. Those that do, I try to kill immediately.

  76. 76.

    Germy Shoemangler

    @trollhattan:

    In a similar vein was the rabbit on the shop counter alongside a sign next to the droppings: “Raisins, 5 cents.”

    I remember that one! I think the title was “marketing”

  78. 78.

    Patricia Kayden

    @White Trash Liberal: Yes. It’s not normal for a civilized, developed country to tolerate people dying in jail for petty crimes. There should be outrage and demands for changes.

  80. 80.

    Another Holocene Human

    @Politically Lost:

    I’ll try anything because it feels like my joints are being slowly pried apart with a claw hammer.

    Some people also have a joint pain syndrome from eating solanaceous crops, which include potato, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers. You might as well try an elimination for a week and see.

    (Note–I am not one of them. But I am sensitive enough to solanaceous plant poisons that I have to go on potato sabbaticals or cut all the outsides off. The USDA regulates solenin (the one that makes you puke) levels in potatoes but even in USDA potatoes there is a small concentration near the skin, which of course can get a lot worse if you store them improperly. Thankfully, delicious eggplants don’t bother my system at all. To be clear, solanaceous crops produce a range of different toxins and concentrations vary by cultivar and plant part.)

  82. 82.

    Germy Shoemangler

    @trollhattan:

    Every day is a Kliban day.

    Agreed.

    One thing I noticed about Kliban: he certainly spawned a ton of imitators. There’s one cartoonist who appears in the New Yorker magazine who is a carbon copy of Kliban, but without being humorous.

    I remember the first time I saw Far Side, I knew Larson was inspired by Kliban. But Larson at least was funny, unlike many of the Kliban imitators.

  83. 83.

    Another Holocene Human

    @low-tech cyclist: There’s nothing outdoors in Tampa anyway, except for Ybor City. IDK about the current flood-rain-mess but I’ve never had a problem with skeeters there either.

  85. 85.

    boatboy_srq

    I’ll take the mosquitoes over the “love bugs” that were (supposedly) engineered to eradicate the mosquitoes – and didn’t. And still swarm badly enough to turn your grill and bumper black and orange and require nasty solvents to remove.

  86. 86.

    The Moar You Know

    John deleted him from the rolls because he hates white southerners.

    @srv: John deleted him at mine and raven’s urging because Pat decided to go full-on master race after Trayvon Martin. Saddest fucking thing I have ever seen. Pat’s not a stupid man and he knows the Mideast better than anyone I’ve ever read, but he just went totally off the rails.

    We’ve all heard from the frothing-at-the-mouth right about ISIS, but what do people who have some knowledge and experience have to say? Seriously, I really haven’t seen anything analytical, or even sorta informative. Here’s an NYRB article about ISIS (by ‘anonymous’) that suggests, unhappily, that the answer is no one really understands why ISIS has been so successful.

    @MattF: The story behind their “success” is twofold and pretty easy:

    1. they’re “fighting” people who have no interest whatsoever in fighting back. They just run or hide. No mystery there, any dumbass would be “successful” under the same circumstances. I suspect against a real military they’d get obliterated.

    2. Our media has been working overtime to give them a huge reputation boost that’s totally unwarranted. Still, we do need our Emmanuel Goldstein, do we not? Without an enemy we’d have to take a good long look at what our own nation has become, and NOBODY in power wants that.

    They are reasonably OK with social media, but most 20-year olds in this country are far better. Someone is selling them a lot of GoPro cameras, which helps with making things look good.

  88. 88.

    Another Holocene Human

    @trollhattan:

    Will make allowances for Stone Brewing’s gluten-free IPA, which is damn good, gluten or no gluten.

    I wonder if this is better than Omission. Omission tasted good but gave me a stomach ache. :(

  89. 89.

    MomSense

    One of the cars is kaput. In the summer I commute by bike to work but I have to find some wheels before the end of August. I hate looking for cars.

  90. 90.

    boatboy_srq

    @rikyrah: I read that as “All 16 GOP candidates will qualify for the 5 pm undercard or the 9mm main Aug 6 debate.” And I thought, “What an appropriate way to winnow down the field.”

  91. 91.

    Another Holocene Human

    @Patricia Kayden: This isn’t a civilized country. Remember, people who live in cities aren’t “Real Murrrrca”.

    Also, people will get used to anything. If you try to talk about medical care in jail or prisons legions of assholes will come along screaming that it’s not fair for prisoners to get medical care.

  92. 92.

    Another Holocene Human

    @boatboy_srq: So, I looked into it and love bugs apparently proliferate in thatch.

    All that green green grass along the highway … yeah … that.

  93. 93.

    boatboy_srq

    @low-tech cyclist: It’s Tampa. In August. Indoors is what you do – except for the beach (which is actually in Clearwater or St. Pete or Bradenton or Sarasota), and the beach only 7-10 am and 4-7 pm.

  94. 94.

    Tommy

    @MomSense: Good luck. I drive an older car. A ’99 VW Passat, Only got 34,000 miles on it. Like new. I use a bike a ton. Well most days. Look to a VW. They last.

  95. 95.

    Amir Khalid

    @boatboy_srq:
    At this stage of the presidential election cycle, Fox shouldn’t be splitting the debate into main and under-card events. That amounts to seeding the race.

  96. 96.

    jharp

    @shell:

    Southern states and the Midwest are the chigger hotspots.

    And hot days and moisture bring them out.

    And it is not uncommon to get several hundred bites.

  99. 99.

    divF

    @efgoldman:

    It turns out that it is a touch warm here (about 75 degrees, in fact). No one is complaining though, especially this week’s visitors from Detroit and Saudi Arabia.

  102. 102.

    boatboy_srq

    @MomSense: Is CPO an option? Thoroughly inspected, as good or better warranty than new, depreciation already factored in. RE: Tommy’s line: the VW dealers in Saco and in Waterville used to be worth talking to.

  107. 107.

    Ab_Normal

    @Linda Featheringill: Counterpoint: I completely removed gluten from my diet, and all it did was stop celiac from starving me to death. I still have the joint pains. :D I’m a bit jealous of the folks for whom that was the miracle fix. On the other hand, no longer starving to death…

  110. 110.

    satby

    @MattF: Bats eat their weight in flying bugs each night. And their favorite bug is the mosquito. We covet bats around here, and it takes a long time to lure them into a bat house. Trying to decide where to put mine up right now, bats are picky.

  112. 112.

    PaulW

    question: our library is trying to restart a book discussion group for the fall (our coordinator had to deal with personal issues). Thing was, our turnouts had been dwindling before, and a prior attempt a few months before summer didn’t get any turnouts.

    I’m thinking our library should look at 1) doing the book club on Saturdays around lunchtime to make them snack-able gatherings, 2) try to mix up the type of books we read so that they’re not all “serious” literature stuff that bores 90 percent of people (like, for example, trying to mix in some Pratchett Discworld and maybe a mystery writer).

    Also, we try to get paperback-available books so people can buy an owned copy (we discount them with help from our Friends group). So “Go Set a Watchman” is tempting but unless it’s in paperback before September we’re not able to open with that. We do have a few ideas on which books to use otherwise.

    Would Saturday lunch-time book clubs be a smart move for us?

  114. 114.

    boatboy_srq

    @catclub: ’07 A4 driver here (VAG product, B7 platform, which was newer/better than the B5 the ’99 Passats were on). 135K miles and running like a champ, and I hear from other ACNA members of 200K miles with no problems. My clan has been a VeeWee family since ’68 or so: from experience they’ll run for half of forever. VW seems well past the 60/40 diamond/lump’o’coal ratio of the ’70s (3 in 5 last forever; the other 2 should be returned within 6 months).

  115. 115.

    boatboy_srq

    @PaulW: Damn. Almost had my “Nellie the Elephant” earworm taken care of, and you go and do that…

  116. 116.

    PaulW

    @Linda Featheringill:

    Just read on DK that Scott Walker came to Philly and CUT IN LINE to order a cheese steak with AMERICAN CHEESE and NO ONIONS.

    That alone should disqualify him for national office. Why the hell didn’t he bring samples of his own state’s CHEDDAR?! He has betrayed his own state’s raison d’etre.

  118. 118.

    boatboy_srq

    @PaulW: What is it about the Teahadis that they have no taste and no manners? (Said seriously, though the snark potential if actually said by the GOP Old Guard is pretty high).

  119. 119.

    lamh36

    Why did that reporter just ask #SamDubose’s mother if she could forgive the officer?! Why r we, but no one else, called 1st to forgiveness?!

  120. 120.

    catclub

    @boatboy_srq: Much better evidence than Tommy’s.

    But then I thought of my 91 Subaru, in 2000 it had 165k and was running like a champ. Then the transmission totally died.
    The next transmission also gave us almost 150k miles before we sold the car.

    My present cars are too young to judge as lasting forever, but very good on lasting so far. Only Freon for the 2006 one.

  121. 121.

    MomSense

    @Tommy: @boatboy_srq: @Paul in KY:

    CPO is definitely an option and I’m hoping that there will be some good deals as the new model year comes out. I have one Toyota and one Subaru and really like both. The last VW I owned was a 74 super beetle but I would be willing to see what has changed since then. ;)

  122. 122.

    Paul in KY

    @MomSense: I generally buy used. Find one that’s been kept up fine & is about 4 years old. You will get a big price discount then. If you own a home & are paying mortgage interest to point where you itemize, get a home improvement loan for the car, so you can deduct the interest.

    Best of luck whatever you do!

  123. 123.

    trollhattan

    @boatboy_srq:
    B7 A4Q Avant 2.0L family here. Body and drivetrain solid like bull (believe they finally fixed those cam-follower and coil pack issues along the line). Certain interior plastic bits are the QA/QC exception–my older Saab’s are mucho better. But holy hell is that car great in rain (and how exactly would I know that in California?)

  125. 125.

    Betty Cracker

    @boatboy_srq: I prefer the beach AFTER 7 PM. It’s lovely at night, cooler, less crowded, and sometimes you see those awesome glowing jellyfish!

    @MomSense: I drove a Beetle for 10 years until I had to trade it in for something bigger so I could haul my olds around more comfortably. (They complained that riding in the Beetle was like “sitting in a bucket.” Hmmph!) Anyhoo, it was extremely reliable and surprisingly roomy for tall folks, and also fun to drive. I’d buy another Beetle in a heartbeat.

    @Germy Shoemangler: How so?

  126. 126.

    Germy Shoemangler

    @Betty Cracker:

    How so?

    He is doing a nationwide conversation livestream:

    washingtonpost.com/politics/bernie-sanders-says-july-29-is-the-most-important-day-of-his-campaign/20…

    On that Wednesday night, six months before the Iowa caucus, Sanders will livestream his case for the presidency to more than 1,500 simultaneous gatherings planned in bars, coffee shops and living rooms nationwide. The candidate’s address will be followed by an organizational meeting for anyone who wants to stay online and discuss joining his campaign.


    I’ve heard Bernie fans say he is making history today. I honestly don’t know if this is true.

  127. 127.

    Germy Shoemangler

    The Post article says “bars, coffee shops and living rooms” but in my area it will be shown in an Armory and an Arts Center.

  128. 128.

    MomSense

    @Betty Cracker:

    Hopefully they figured out the defrost/heat since 1974. I used to have to pull over and scrape the inside of my windshield!

    There are a couple of local sources of bio diesel near me so that could be another reason to pick a VW.

  129. 129.

    Sondra

    I have 3 large Nepenthes growing at the entrance to my garden and being carnivorous, they do a good job of keeping the mosquitos down a bit.

    They are commonly called “Pitcher Plants” and you can buy them from your local nurseries or on line. They are a little bit unusual in their growing habits, but they grow like mad when you give them a drink of coffee now and then.

  130. 130.

    bluefoot

    @PaulW: I think mixing up the book types is a good idea. Who decides on the books? Can you ask for requests from library patrons (maybe a suggestion sheet at the circulation desk?) to get an idea of what people are interested in?

    If your library is anything like my local library, Saturday is a good idea. Also Thursday nights, for some reason.

  131. 131.

    Germy Shoemangler

    @Sondra:

    but they grow like mad when you give them a drink of coffee now and then.

    At first I read it as “growl like mad” which frightened me.

  133. 133.

    I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet

    On my wife’s recent visit to the Bay area, a colleague took her to see the live donkey that was the inspiration for the donkey played by Eddie Murphy in Shrek – Perry at Barron Park in Palo Alto.

    “He’s got such short legs!”

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  134. 134.

    boatboy_srq

    @MomSense: WOW are you in for a shock. MUCH better build quality, MUCH better fuel economy, quieter, more comfortable…. you name it. The New(est) Beetle is a treat but the entire range is worth a good hard look.

    @MomSense: Defrost is amazing on the new ones. DEFINITELY well sorted out. Part of that comes from converting from air to water cooling and from RWD to FWD/AWD. Defogging, defrosting, de-icing, all good. Plus (h/t efg) ice-cold AC when that’s needed.

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