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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

‘Museums aren’t America’s attic for its racist shit.’

It’s easier to kill a dangerous animal than a man who just happens to have different thoughts/values than one’s own.

There is no compromise when it comes to body autonomy. You either have it or you don’t.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

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

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

I’m just a talker, trying to find a channel!

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

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

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

Pelosi: “He either is stupid, or he thinks the rest of us are.” Why not both?

He imagines himself as The Big Bad, Who Is Universally Feared… instead of The Big Jagoff, Who Is Universally Mocked.

In short, I come down firmly on all sides of the issue.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

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

Somebody needs to explain to DeSantis that nobody needs to do anything to make him look bad.

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You are here: Home / Some Days

Some Days

by John Cole|  November 3, 20151:15 am| 116 Comments

This post is in: I Hate All of You

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I just want to reach through the monitor and either choke or smack you. Mebbe both.

Give the site a few days to get tweaked. Give the site a few days for you all to get used to the changes. Quit bitching about the comments which have not been overhauled yet.

And Tommy will work on the whiteness which is apparently killing thousands of olds across the nation.

And one last thing, for those of you trotting out the “why should I install something just to read this website,” the reason I mentioned f.lux was NOT just so you could read this website. In fact, no where in the mother fucking VOX FUCKING EXPLAINER did it even mention this fucking website. I mentioned it because f.lux really makes everything better, which you would know if you had read the fucking link that most decidedly did not mention BALLOON JUICE.

So maybe untwist your knickers, install it, and try it. Of course, that would require you to give yourself some time to adjust. It might require you to tinker with the settings so that the nighttime settings are where you want them. Maybe even install it during daylight hours, and then have it gradually change at sunset as IT IS FUCKING DESIGNED to do, instead of having it go from blazing white to the new color with such speed that it causes you to spit up your dentures and fire off a caustic comment that amounts to IT’S DIFFERENT FUCK THAT.

computer-head-slam

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Previous Post: «Out of fucks to give I’d Like to Introduce President Don’t Give a Fuck
Next Post: Late Night Open Thread: The RNC’s Never-Ending Debate Dumpster Fire »

Reader Interactions

116Comments

  1. 1.

    Mnemosyne (tablet)

    November 3, 2015 at 1:23 am

    You forgot Johnny.

  2. 2.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    November 3, 2015 at 1:26 am

    IT’S DIFFERENT FUCK THAT.

    I agree with Cole! The old site was better!

    and it was better when we had only had three networks, and whatever happened UHF!

  3. 3.

    ronp

    November 3, 2015 at 1:26 am

    I like the redesign. Also if you use Ubuntu, redshift does the same thing as f.lux. It’s in the Software Center or at http://jonls.dk/redshift/

  4. 4.

    Ripley

    November 3, 2015 at 1:27 am

    So this is the site redesign complaint thread then? Your post was a bit vague.

  5. 5.

    amk

    November 3, 2015 at 1:28 am

    you really oughta learn from the kenyan muslin usurper about how not to give fucks any more.

  6. 6.

    Ripley

    November 3, 2015 at 1:29 am

    So this is the site redesign complaint thread then? Your post was a bit vague…

  7. 7.

    Mnemosyne (tablet)

    November 3, 2015 at 1:29 am

    FWIW, I think the arrows in the middle of the page that let you go from post to post are a solid hit. Even the icons on them are growing on me.

  8. 8.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym

    November 3, 2015 at 1:34 am

    I only have one serious complaint, which is that we really need to have numbered comments, but hopefully that will arive when you work on the comments.

  9. 9.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2015 at 1:35 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I miss the rabbit ears that you put the foil on, cable is the work of Satan.

  10. 10.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2015 at 1:36 am

    @Mnemosyne (tablet): I’m really liking them as well.

  11. 11.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    November 3, 2015 at 1:36 am

    what the new site needs is UserID numbers and a list of FAQs, to give blogfights some order and hierarchy and rules! Rules, dammit!

    I would like to request UID# 0001. And a red swing line stapler.

  12. 12.

    seaboogie

    November 3, 2015 at 1:39 am

    Thank you John, and I agree with all that you’ve said. Is it possible that some of Juicetariat is a big a bunch of WATB such as the GOP candidates are re: the debates, and MSM? Your post re: f.lux was a great reminder to install it on my newer computer as I had it on the last, but forgot what the app was. I dig the closing GIF on the post too.

    Overall, I really like the new version of the site, and it is very much what I had hoped for – even as it is a work in progress. Also, I don’t mind all of the white – it’s like a Westin “Heavenly Bed”, albeit with a pea or two still under the stack of mattresses.

    Also, since I don’t follow twitter because I want to max out my attention span, I appreciate your feed in the right hand column.

    Sweet dreams…

  13. 13.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2015 at 1:43 am

    @seaboogie: I agree with all you said. I feel for Tommy though all the rancor the past 24 hours.

  14. 14.

    Mandalay

    November 3, 2015 at 1:46 am

    which you would know if you had read the fucking link

    This place went into a meltdown of raw hatred when ABL linked her OPs to her web site.

    For some folks here drowning kittens is far more acceptable than being asked to click a link.

  15. 15.

    Goblue72

    November 3, 2015 at 1:49 am

    White is the new Black.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/simply-white-is-the-2016-color-of-the-year-huh/2015/10/07/014c44d8-6d00-11e5-aa5b-f78a98956699_story.html

  16. 16.

    seaboogie

    November 3, 2015 at 1:49 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    I feel for Tommy though all the rancor the past 24 hours.

    Tough stuff for a member of the community – but this is professional, and he has put up with plenty that is personal without obvious wounds or rancor on general posts of his. ‘Tis an unruly bunch, hereabouts….

    ETA: I really fucking dig how quotes appear now – both fancy AND schmancy!

  17. 17.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2015 at 1:50 am

    @Goblue72: I sure wasn’t popular here last night, or today.

  18. 18.

    Goblue72

    November 3, 2015 at 1:50 am

    Also too – I am repeatedly getting 404 errors while using Firefox (on a Mac). I have to hit back on the browser to get to any page on the site. Anyone else getting this problem?

  19. 19.

    joel hanes

    November 3, 2015 at 1:51 am

    About half my issues with the front page were solved by the simple expedient of adding ‘blog’ to the end of the bookmarked URL.

    If Tommy has much experience releasing user-facing software to a large user community, he’s used to the kind of brouhaha that accompanies any forced change to people’s set habits. Like most skin-toughening experiences, it’s not really enjoyable, but one eventually learns to expect and live with it.

  20. 20.

    eemom

    November 3, 2015 at 1:51 am

    Yay, Cole hates us!

    NOW, it’s home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YohXc9x6cUU

  21. 21.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2015 at 1:52 am

    @seaboogie: I’ve been there, though with one or two folk doing the yelling.

  22. 22.

    ruemara

    November 3, 2015 at 1:53 am

    One, I like the new site. Very Twitter Bootstrap 3.0. Two, I like white, but it’s very tiring on the eyes in general. Perhaps a nice #F8F8F8
    (248,248,248)? Three, fuck you very much. It seems to be a de rigueur sort of thing around here.

  23. 23.

    joel hanes

    November 3, 2015 at 1:54 am

    @Goblue72:

    404 errors while using Firefox (on a Mac)

    Firefox on Mac here too, but I haven’t seen any 404 problems.

  24. 24.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2015 at 1:55 am

    @eemom: I’m a relative newcomer on this site, I’ve only been here 5 years, and he’s hated us as long as I’ve been here.

  25. 25.

    NotMax

    November 3, 2015 at 1:55 am

    Tried f.lux several years ago (2010, IIRC), thank you very much. Didn’t care for what it did at all. Never had suffered protracted eyestrain until it was operating,. Once it was excised from the machine, eyestrain disappeared and has never since returned.YMMV.

    Frankly, the sheer volume of “blinded by the light” comments ought to be sufficient to raise a red flag.

    BTW, something as yet unmentioned about the new design is that when one brings up the Categories table, several are below the fold and thus not visible at all (appears that Sports is the last listing in my view). Reducing the font size of all the categories will resolve that.

  26. 26.

    seaboogie

    November 3, 2015 at 2:00 am

    Prolly should post this in the site feedback post a while back, but I CANNOT FIND MY PONY ANYWHERE!!!111 WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THAT – WHERE IS THE PONY BUTTON???///

    Also, the PONY button is too light to see unless I scroll over it – WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?

  27. 27.

    amk

    November 3, 2015 at 2:01 am

    for those bitching concerned about font size and type, firefox lets you choose both via Options. ctrl+ is the quickest way to enbiggen the present font.

  28. 28.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2015 at 2:05 am

    @seaboogie: Wait, you got a pony? Why didn’t I get a pony?

  29. 29.

    NotMax

    November 3, 2015 at 2:07 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA

    Haven’t read through each and every thread, but rancor is something haven’t particularly seen.

    I feel for Tommy

    Not I. It comes with the territory. He’s being paid to do a job, and a part of that job is testing, tweaking, fixing and considering and responding to input (some of which comes from those who helped fund the cost). As the long-time professional he asserts to be, am confident he is cognizant enough to not take the criticism personally.

  30. 30.

    seaboogie

    November 3, 2015 at 2:08 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA: My pony SUCKS! It is too short, and my feet are dragging on the ground. Be glad that you didn’t get a shitty roll-out pony – they are the worst!

  31. 31.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2015 at 2:11 am

    @NotMax: I’ve been in Tommy’s position, so I feel for him. Some of the comments were unreasonable and showed that folk didn’t read either the posts or prior comments.

  32. 32.

    NotMax

    November 3, 2015 at 2:13 am

    @seaboogie

    Mine came pre-named Bold.

    And is blue.

    What a rip-off. :)

  33. 33.

    seaboogie

    November 3, 2015 at 2:15 am

    @NotMax: Be careful what we wish for, I guess….

  34. 34.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    November 3, 2015 at 2:15 am

    @seaboogie: I CANNOT FIND MY PONY ANYWHERE!!!111 WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THAT – WHERE IS THE PONY BUTTON???///

    This pony-less new blog is the Obama of blogs, and I am DISAPPOINTED! If this blog had any balls, it would be a fine, eye-relaxing shade of beige.

  35. 35.

    amk

    November 3, 2015 at 2:16 am

    kkklown car to spread teh crazy in israel

  36. 36.

    seaboogie

    November 3, 2015 at 2:18 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    If this blog had any balls, it would be a fine, eye-relaxing shade of beige.

    It actually is, if you’ve installed f.lux. My pony is plenty disappointing, and yet not a gelding….

  37. 37.

    Mary G

    November 3, 2015 at 2:19 am

    I’ve been waiting for a good, old-fashioned JGC rage rant against the Juicers, and this one didn’t disappoint. Thanks, John.

    Tommy is probably dealing with a lot of back-end FYWP problems we don’t know about, so hang in there Tommy.

  38. 38.

    NotMax

    November 3, 2015 at 2:19 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist

    The balls are there but a very light gray on off-white, so difficult to see.

  39. 39.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    November 3, 2015 at 2:21 am

    @Mary G:

    Tommy is probably dealing with a lot of back-end FYWP problems we don’t know about, so hang in there Tommy.

    I hope it’s a pony.

  40. 40.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    November 3, 2015 at 2:23 am

    @seaboogie: We had sixty votes! We shouldn’t need a fucking f.lux.!

    @amk: Oy. I looked at the board of the group sponsoring the event, and the only name I recognize is Ed Meese, which is enough, I think.

    That’s the second time in recent years that Ed Meese has surprised me by still being alive.

  41. 41.

    seaboogie

    November 3, 2015 at 2:28 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    We had sixty votes! We shouldn’t need a fucking f.lux.!

    I think you need 270 to win.

  42. 42.

    Brachiator

    November 3, 2015 at 2:57 am

    I appreciate the changes and the tweaking. I use a PC, a Chromebook and a Nexus 7 tablet to visit the site, and for the most part, the experience has been uniform. I haven’t had a ton of time to check things out in great detail, so I haven’t had a lot to gripe about.

    I see a little thing here about fonts and Firefox.

    When the dust settles, some pointers on options might be helpful. And if this was available in the old version, hey I’m an idiot for not ever seeing it.

    Cheers

  43. 43.

    Aleta

    November 3, 2015 at 3:27 am

    @NotMax: Since professionalism is expected of T, since it is a job, the input and feedback should be professionally done too. I think inviting feedback from anyone, not just donors, was generous, esp since it required more work time. (Got a feeling that at least some of that time is volunteered, too. Maybe a lot of it. ) In return Cole and T asked for specific kinds of feedback without repeats. The lack of professionalism was all on the commenter side, and not so much awareness about wasting time of those doing the job.

  44. 44.

    Pie Happens (opiejeanne)

    November 3, 2015 at 3:44 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA: This just happened in the last day? And Tommy is the designer? Tommy, as in Illinois Tommy? That’s nice of him.
    I came in tonight and wondered if I was on the right page until I saw that John hates all of us, so I felt right at home. (I don’t understand why John is so opposed to replies right below the comment they are replying to. They make the conversations easier to follow.)

  45. 45.

    Ziggurat

    November 3, 2015 at 3:48 am

    Cole’s rage keeps me warm on cold November nights.

  46. 46.

    Pie Happens (opiejeanne)

    November 3, 2015 at 3:50 am

    @NotMax: It seemed a bit bright, but I have a button on my laptop that allows me to dim the screen a bit, so I did. It’s only too bright because I’m playing on my computer in the dark, when I’m supposed to be sleeping.

  47. 47.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 3, 2015 at 3:55 am

    f.lux ruins pr0n. But you can still disable it :)

  48. 48.

    Oatler.

    November 3, 2015 at 3:56 am

    @Ziggurat: Yeah, his fuckety-fucks are the comforting flames of the Old Hearth.

  49. 49.

    Anne Laurie

    November 3, 2015 at 4:01 am

    @Major Major Major Major: Off-topic, but I’m happy to see you commenting among us again!

    (Pl excuse if you’ve been chipping in during daylight hours, when I’m off-line.)

  50. 50.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 3, 2015 at 4:07 am

    @Anne Laurie: aw thanks. New meds seem to be working, marriage is back on track, therapy is… annoying as hell, fuck CBT but it’s the only kind I’ve tried that works, boyfriend just bought me a nice silver necklace, going to Tel Aviv in a few weeks with the husband if anybody has any tips…

    I’m writing again… Things feel good.

  51. 51.

    Amir Khalid

    November 3, 2015 at 4:28 am

    It’s Balloon Juice tradition to gripe about site updates, I gather. You weren’t actually expecting anything different from this bunch of ingrates, were you?

  52. 52.

    M. Bouffant

    November 3, 2015 at 4:41 am

    @Pie Happens (opiejeanne): I suspect those likely to be irked & type crap would be more easily irked if rude replies were directly below their precious comments.

    And it can get messy. (‘Specially now, w/ all the white space. [DUCKS,RUNS])

  53. 53.

    Starfish

    November 3, 2015 at 5:32 am

    This blog has been too white for years. Why are people complaining about it now?

    Also, the site looks better on the phone than it does on a desktop.

  54. 54.

    Central Planning

    November 3, 2015 at 5:36 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA:

    Wait, you got a pony? Why didn’t I get a pony?

    I don’t think you met Pioneer status when you donated for the redesign.

  55. 55.

    Central Planning

    November 3, 2015 at 5:40 am

    @Aleta:

    The lack of professionalism was all on the commenter side, and not so much awareness about wasting time of those doing the job.

    I thought many of the suggestions about the redesign were people just trying to be funny.

    I get the same comments from my wife every time I update her iPhone. “Why did you change it?” “I liked it the old way!” “Why did Apple do that?” “Where did the icon go?” I ignore them and about 48 hours later everything is back to normal.

  56. 56.

    mclaren

    November 3, 2015 at 5:42 am

    Fuck you, Cole.
    First I’ve said this. But there it is.
    You got conned.
    You got ripped off.
    It’s typical IT bullshit: a bunch of ignorant incompetent assholes come in, charge you a ton ‘o bucks to screw things up so they don’t work right, then charge even _more_ to fix it up kind-of sort-of in a half-assed way so things almost work, but not as well as they used to.
    You should have left the goddamn site the way it was. The IT clowns took you for a pile of cash, and, in typical modern IT fashion, left a trail of wreckage in their wake which then gets waved out of existence with a bunch of pissy snarking about “how users don’t appreciate how hard it is to code” and “user interfaces should be designed by professionals.”
    Fuck ’em. The site worked fine, now they fucked it up, and it will only get worse.
    If you had half the balls you should have, you’d ask for your money back and tell the clowns to put it back the way it was. Instead, everyone will convince themselves that by spray-painting this turd gold, they’ve converted it to 24K bullion, just the way the ignorant incompetent IT assholes who gave us that shit sandwich misnamed Windows 8 managed to convince an amazing percentage of users that it was really thrilling and cutting-edge to only be able to have one goddamn window onscreen at a time.

  57. 57.

    Richard mayhew

    November 3, 2015 at 5:59 am

    @Starfish: all blogs matter

  58. 58.

    RSA

    November 3, 2015 at 6:29 am

    @Aleta:

    The lack of professionalism was all on the commenter side, and not so much awareness about wasting time of those doing the job.

    BJ commenters aren’t expected to be professionals (Jeb! shills aside). This is the nature of usability testing: you deal with people as they are, not as you would like them to be. For better or worse, people who build interactive systems have to get used to it.

    Me, I think there are some usability flaws in the redesign, but maybe I’m wrong. I don’t have access to the same data that John and Tommy do.

  59. 59.

    BruceFromOhio

    November 3, 2015 at 6:42 am

    FWIW, I like the new site. Balloon guy will simply have to wait.

  60. 60.

    Another Holocene Human

    November 3, 2015 at 6:45 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA: a small child works better than foil

    until they get bored

  61. 61.

    PigInZen

    November 3, 2015 at 6:45 am

    /me complained about whiteness
    check
    /me complains about Grumpy Old Man Cole’s suggestion to install software to read his site
    check
    /me waits for Cole to take the trollbait
    check

    MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

    John, this site is so much better when you’re grumpy and ranting. I’m sure all the regular readers will agree on this. So consider that we did you a favor by pissing you off with our complaints. We’re rewarding your loyal readers!

    Also +1 for throwing in the comment about the olds re: whiteness. The irony was thick.

    BTW what’s up with this shitty commenting system?

  62. 62.

    Another Holocene Human

    November 3, 2015 at 6:47 am

    @joel hanes: A truly disruptive blog change would not result in all of the same posters being around on day 2. So there’s that.

  63. 63.

    Mike E

    November 3, 2015 at 7:01 am

    I installed the android version of f.lux and now I’m seeing red…I guess we are all John Cole naow!

  64. 64.

    Rob

    November 3, 2015 at 7:08 am

    @Goblue72:

    Also too – I am repeatedly getting 404 errors while using Firefox (on a Mac). I have to hit back on the browser to get to any page on the site. Anyone else getting this problem?

    Not me, not yet at any rate.

  65. 65.

    Lee

    November 3, 2015 at 7:09 am

    Couple of things to note:

    1) I like the redesign. Most of us that like the redesign are silent while the nattering naysayers are having a meltdown.

    2) Websites use white. Get the &@*$&) over it or install f.lux.

  66. 66.

    Germy Shoemangler

    November 3, 2015 at 7:22 am

    I’m just grateful this place didn’t become white text on a black background, like classicshowbiz.blogspot.com

    And I’m grateful I don’t get a full screen pop-up that screams ULTIMATE SEX GUIDE like Esquire does to Charles Pierce.

  67. 67.

    Keith G

    November 3, 2015 at 7:28 am

    @mclaren: Parody? Performance art? Or are you just experiencing bath salts withdrawal?

    Wanker.

  68. 68.

    grishaxxx

    November 3, 2015 at 7:41 am

    Thanx for the f.lux referral – it is great! I had known nothing about it before, and my eyes will bless you.
    EVERY site overhaul I have EVER seen sends some people into conniptions – they should get over it and move on, and they usually do, but, shit, by now….!
    Your Team Tom has done a fabulous job, IMO – great to just have the single sidebar, for example – and I loved the old Tunch Gaze there….:-)
    Hope Thurston gave your slipper back.

  69. 69.

    p.a.

    November 3, 2015 at 8:07 am

    I was told there’d be ponies. For everyone.

  70. 70.

    greennotGreen

    November 3, 2015 at 8:14 am

    Usually developers want to know what platform and OS is showing the problem a user is reporting. I have a widescreen largish monitor, and I’m running Win 10. I wonder if the size of the monitor and the fact that it’s widescreen makes the white a problem that it wouldn’t be on a smaller or narrower screen. I checked out the site on my iPad in a dimly lit room, and it was easier to look at, but the auto-dimming is something I usually don’t like on the iPad.

    Someone mentioned the arrows in the middle of the page that allow one to move through posts. I hadn’t even seen them because they are light grey against white. Please just add some sidebars in a color (obviously not either orange or powder blue because those belong to Satan,) give us a rundown of the new features (when they’re all ready,) and call it good.

    Thank you.

  71. 71.

    Paul in KY

    November 3, 2015 at 8:15 am

    Would like to see comments numbered. Probably already mentioned by various snarling jackals.

  72. 72.

    Betty Cracker

    November 3, 2015 at 8:22 am

    @Germy Shoemangler:

    And I’m grateful I don’t get a full screen pop-up that screams ULTIMATE SEX GUIDE like Esquire does to Charles Pierce.

    The Esquire UX sucks big green gators! Incredibly intrusive and overbearing. If they’re not trying to hawk ultimate sex guides, they’re attempting to sell me wingtips. They’re lucky to have a writer of Pierce’s caliber; otherwise, they’d have been stricken from my bookmarks long ago for their relentless hucksterism.

  73. 73.

    debit

    November 3, 2015 at 8:22 am

    Cole, the redesign is ugly and I don’t like it. Maybe the changes are better on your side and have advantages I can’t see. That’s great for you, but sucks for me. Maybe I’ll get used to it, maybe you’ll tweak it enough so I will like it, maybe I’ll just wander away. It happens. But, Jesus fucking Christ, stop screaming at us for not liking this. Grow a thicker skin or leave the internets.

  74. 74.

    Cervantes

    November 3, 2015 at 8:23 am

    @Betty Cracker:

    Wait. People still use bookmarks?

  75. 75.

    Mike E

    November 3, 2015 at 8:28 am

    @debit: He won’t read these comments… you should email him directly, in all-caps, he loves that!

  76. 76.

    Cervantes

    November 3, 2015 at 8:28 am

    @Richard mayhew:

    Mischievous.

    Could have been more so (“Blog lives matter”?), but still …

  77. 77.

    The Golux

    November 3, 2015 at 8:29 am

    A few things:

    As was suggested in another thread, the link for comments should be at the bottom of the post, or duplicated there. It’s really just a variant of “Read more”, after all.

    And speaking of “Read more”, when I clicked that link on the old site, it brought up the entire post scrolled to the spot where the abbreviated text ended. Now it’s scrolled to the top, and I have to hunt to find the remainder. Krugman’s site has the same failing, so you’re in good company.

    Finally, I think there should be a link to the site upgrade suggestion post on the home page until the uproar subsides. That is, I’m not sure I’m making these suggestions in the correct post.

  78. 78.

    Betty Cracker

    November 3, 2015 at 8:31 am

    @Cervantes: Not paper strips stuck in printed books; clicky things that transport users from site to site!

  79. 79.

    debit

    November 3, 2015 at 8:37 am

    @Mike E: Yeah, I know. I’ve held my tongue until now, but after Cole’s “Tell us what you think of the changes!” followed by multiple “Stop telling us what you think about the changes, you fucking bunch of ungrateful shit weasels!” I had to vent.

  80. 80.

    danielx

    November 3, 2015 at 8:43 am

    Ah yes, there’s the John Cole whose appearance (so to speak) I’ve been awaiting since the new release came out. Calm and reason can only take you so far in dealing with the BJ commentariat. Then it’s down to “No, wait, I like the horse you rode in on just fine….”

  81. 81.

    gvg

    November 3, 2015 at 8:45 am

    Hmm, on my phone samsung rugby pro the site looks good and on ipad 3 (pre air) it looked even better with grey around messages and good use of screen space. font on phone always small, not unusually so. I hold it a few inches from my face and all is well. On both I cannot see the back and forth buttons on the side nor the down to bottom button.
    Back at work on a mac using firefox EST 31.8.0 The screen is still mostly white, not as white as first few hours of rollout but pretty white. Since the ipad at home last night was so pleasantly tinted I was hoping the big computer version would be too but suspected it wouldn’t because even as I was noticing the ipad had shades other people were saying their ipad was having problems.
    I hope this is informative to the people working and not complainy. I am reluctant to adjust for my personal taste too much before the redesign is “done”. don’t want to be constantly adjusting after each tweak.

  82. 82.

    PurpleGirl

    November 3, 2015 at 8:49 am

    I usually don’t like .gifs because they distract my attention. But the little man in front of the computer, banging away until he bleeds to death, seems appropriate to Cole’s rant and placed, as it is, at the end of the rant I don’t have to keep seeing it.

  83. 83.

    sharl

    November 3, 2015 at 8:49 am

    Hahaha. JGC, that rant is filled with win.

  84. 84.

    father pussbucket

    November 3, 2015 at 8:51 am

    There’s the Cole we know and love.

    Seriously, thank you for your dedication to this blog, and not just the “maintenance” aspects. Also +1 for f.lux.

  85. 85.

    debit

    November 3, 2015 at 8:58 am

    You know what? While I’m venting I’ll just add that I was pissed at the smugly self satisfied “I’m an old, I don’t like change, wah!” link that appeared with the first roll out. Implying that anyone who doesn’t like this is just too old and stupid to appreciate the genius of tiny fonts and vast spaces of glaring white is a sure fire way to win over the haters. Whoever thought of that particular bit of brilliance should know that my initial reaction was a burning desire to find them and deliver a hard punch right to the throat.

    There. I’m done.

  86. 86.

    Cervantes

    November 3, 2015 at 9:01 am

    @Betty Cracker:

    Thanks. Your writing being as good as it usually is, it was perfectly clear which bookmarks you meant!

    What startled me — for a mere moment! — was the notion that people still use browser bookmarks deep into this age of Google and “auto-complete” and what-not, where, after visiting, say, Pierce once or twice, all I have to do is type “esq [return]” into the URL box to be whisked away to his lair again. I think the last time I tried to “maintain” a list of browser bookmarks by hand was in the late-90s, and even then it felt like a needless chore!

    And by the way, I do still use (far more frequently) the paper-slip bookmarks one puts in books!

  87. 87.

    PurpleGirl

    November 3, 2015 at 9:06 am

    @Cervantes: I use browser bookmarks all the time because there are too many sites I want to be able to go to but won’t remember what the URL is — or even a part of the URL.

  88. 88.

    grishaxxx

    November 3, 2015 at 9:08 am

    @father pussbucket:
    righty oh!

    just for stats, I’m Win 7, 17″ display.

  89. 89.

    Cervantes

    November 3, 2015 at 9:08 am

    @debit:

    I was pissed at the smugly self satisfied “I’m an old, I don’t like change, wah!” link that appeared with the first roll out. Implying that anyone who doesn’t like this is just too old and stupid to appreciate the genius of tiny fonts and vast spaces of glaring white is a sure fire way to win over the haters.

    Venting is fine — but do calm down eventually!

    My perspective: I’m approximately seventeen times older than dirt and the “old” joke (so to speak) bothered me not at all. The initially-too-small type was a drag but it was soon fixed. And I like the extra white space, and I even like the extra-bright-white space. There are still some things I don’t like — but so what?

  90. 90.

    Cervantes

    November 3, 2015 at 9:12 am

    @PurpleGirl:

    Yes, I can see how that would make sense, thanks.

  91. 91.

    EZSmirkzz

    November 3, 2015 at 9:16 am

    Needs more cowbells. Just sayin’.

  92. 92.

    Mike E

    November 3, 2015 at 9:22 am

    @debit: Just go JRT on his ass…it’s an outcome he can grok.

    These “arrows” being talked about… I’m gonna call them “mustard”

  93. 93.

    dww44

    November 3, 2015 at 9:34 am

    @debit: I too remain a non-converted lover of the old blog. But I am getting used to everything being redesigned NOT to accommodate those who have access to desktop pc’s only, as we are an ever shrinking minority. Oddly, those redesigns have accelerated in the last few months, but this one is closer to home and discomfits me the most. I remain skeptical of downloading programs that correct one problem and leave me with others that I am not tech savvy enough to know how to correct.

  94. 94.

    cmorenc

    November 3, 2015 at 9:37 am

    @RSA:

    Me, I think there are some usability flaws in the redesign

    In terms of abstract imagery, the new site design is, well…more aesthetic, but from a reader standpoint, it’s much less easily usable, and your blog is primarily to be read, not gazed at like an art exhibit. That’s what all the negative feedback about white is about – that isn’t fixed at all by installing f.lux (which I did). In short, this is simply not good graphic design for the intended purpose.

  95. 95.

    different-church-lady

    November 3, 2015 at 9:43 am

    @Mnemosyne (tablet):

    Even the icons on them are growing on me.

    The doctor can give you penicillin for that.

  96. 96.

    different-church-lady

    November 3, 2015 at 9:44 am

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I don’t care what you say, the “Don’t be a dick” rule is NEVER going to fly here.

  97. 97.

    different-church-lady

    November 3, 2015 at 9:47 am

    @Mary G:

    back-end FYWP problems

    Is that a buzz-tech-speak way of saying WordPress is a pain in the ass?

  98. 98.

    PlanetPundit (used to be Sir Laffs-a-Lot)

    November 3, 2015 at 9:48 am

    I like the new design. I think you and your fellow FPs are destined for some profane spaghetti flying sainthood for putting up with the petulant commentators who are a delight to asociate with. ONE proof og life pic of Steve would smooth over many rifts. :)

  99. 99.

    different-church-lady

    November 3, 2015 at 9:49 am

    @Amir Khalid:

    It’s Balloon Juice tradition to gripe about site updates everything…

    OK, so the strike-thru gags will still work, and that’s really all I care about.

  100. 100.

    different-church-lady

    November 3, 2015 at 9:52 am

    @mclaren: Wait a minute… ALL of your posts have been parody snark all along? You’ve been doing the greatest Poe’s Law punking of a website ever? It’s so obvious now!

  101. 101.

    Betty Cracker

    November 3, 2015 at 9:55 am

    @Cervantes: I take a hybrid approach, typing in the first few letters for sites I visit less frequently but establishing bookmarks (that appear under the URL in Chrome) for one-click access to sites I visit many times a day. Works for me!

  102. 102.

    different-church-lady

    November 3, 2015 at 9:56 am

    And Tommy will work on the whiteness…

    Self-realization is the first step!

  103. 103.

    different-church-lady

    November 3, 2015 at 9:58 am

    So, take a bunch of known assholes, solicit their opinions, and then complain when they act like assholes. Sounds like it would totally turn out differently than it would.

  104. 104.

    danielx

    November 3, 2015 at 10:08 am

    Almost forgot – I want a pony, too.

  105. 105.

    different-church-lady

    November 3, 2015 at 10:13 am

    a caustic comment that amounts to IT’S DIFFERENT FUCK THAT.

    You’re missing the subtext here, which is, “Please leave it exactly the way it was the last time I told you I hated it.”

  106. 106.

    Mnemosyne (tablet)

    November 3, 2015 at 10:22 am

    @different-church-lady:

    The various cillins are the one thing I’m allergic to — they did that massive allergy testing on me where they stick your arms with a dozen tiny needles and mold was the only thing that got a hit.

  107. 107.

    Bobby Thomson

    November 3, 2015 at 10:38 am

    You have to jail break an iPhone to install flux.

  108. 108.

    Bobby Thomson

    November 3, 2015 at 10:41 am

    @cmorenc: I don’t understand the people who think this is more aesthetic. I guess if you’re one of those people who insists that walls be beige or ivory.

  109. 109.

    The Other Chuck

    November 3, 2015 at 10:42 am

    Buttons on the comment editor are still invisible until rolled over, generally still pretty ugly, and there’s still no JS for this most basic function of validating required entries. Work on the damn comment form, it’s where most of your content comes from after all.

  110. 110.

    Bobby Thomson

    November 3, 2015 at 10:43 am

    @debit: preach.

  111. 111.

    Cervantes

    November 3, 2015 at 11:09 am

    @The Other Chuck:

    Buttons on the comment editor are still invisible until rolled over

    Not to mention trying to do that on a touch-screen …

  112. 112.

    Howlin Wolfe

    November 3, 2015 at 11:10 am

    John, I LIKE the new look, honest! Please don’t hurt me!

  113. 113.

    redshirt

    November 3, 2015 at 11:19 am

    @Aleta:

    The lack of professionalism was all on the commenter side, and not so much awareness about wasting time of those doing the job.

    As a professional commenter, I am outraged at this accusation!

  114. 114.

    Pogonip

    November 3, 2015 at 11:22 am

    @Ripley: Every thread is the site redesign complaint thread. And if you’re really upset, send Cole an e-mail. HE PREFERS ALL CAPS.

  115. 115.

    satby

    November 3, 2015 at 1:30 pm

    My internet went down this morning so I couldn’t post this, here it is now:
    NotMax: Me neither. Most of the comments have been fairly mild and nothing a professional hasn’t heard a million times during a rollout.
    And for all of you assuming that some of us don’t “like change”, well,
    fuck you very much. I did “change” in IT as a profession. I adjusted to
    the new site in 2 minutes, and without needing to watch a video. My eyesight is 20/20. I didn’t adjust to what was a degraded user experience and I pointed that out. To blame the users for pointing out what it to them a less pleasurable (bordering on painful) experience is kind of jerky. Your blog and all that, but the reason it’s a big, often cited blog is your user base.
    Several of your users are tech people and we know the difference between good and bad changes, and needed and unneeded user pain. The days of the techies announcing “because I say so” actually were over in the early oughts.

  116. 116.

    Aleta

    November 3, 2015 at 3:23 pm

    @redshirt: And you are a highly skilled and dedicated professional !
    @RSA: You’re right, and I didn’t write that well. (IPad in the dark, no copy and paste, picking out letters one at a time from my insomnia….)

    Apologies for any implication that in general commenters are supposed to be ‘professional’ or up to some kind of par. The comments in themselves were fun, typical of the normal blog, nothing wrong with them, not a big deal.

    I was trying to respond only to the idea that someone delivering the first version of a job in progress (while fielding comments + working on bugs at the same time) should also be expected to handle feedback outside the bounds of what was invited and useful, but get no empathy because “it’s a job”. This does happen a lot in the real world, sure.

    But I wanted to counter the assumption that if it’s a job and a person is professional, he has to suck up whatever feedback is thrown at him. On a job that is well run, considerate of its workers, and gets accurate results fast, I believe that whoever provides the feedback and input has equal responsibility to help with efficient problem solving. T and Cole put limits on what kind of input was needed, and asked commenters to follow a kind of “format” so as not to waste time.

    So if we claim that “this is a job” “he’s a professional” and that we hired him by donating, then in an ideal world we the employers need to provide useful feedback that doesn’t waste the time or spirits of the workers. Just an idea in contrast to a different idea that is maybe more prevalent nowadays.

    Excuse my wordiness, fuzziness. A weird few days; probably shouldn’t comment so much right now. In the last week I stayed a night in the ER and 2 days in hospital (it turned out OK despite misdiagnosis), then heard that my older sister died a month ago, a very fast cancer she told no one about, and today I got a wicked bad virus. So feeling super weird.

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