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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Marge, god is saying you’re stupid.

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

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Bogus polls are all they’ve got left. Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls a year from now.

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

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

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

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

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

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

The willow is too close to the house.

In my day, never was longer.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Maybe you would prefer that we take Joelle’s side in ALL CAPS?

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

We’ll be taking my thoughts and prayers to the ballot box.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

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You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / Friday Morning Open Thread: The Day After

Friday Morning Open Thread: The Day After

by Anne Laurie|  November 27, 20155:02 am| 120 Comments

This post is in: Cat Blogging, Open Threads, Pet Rescue

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miri kits bathroom 26 nov

From cat-rescuer and kitten-wrangler Marc:

Kittens and bathrooms… kinda like this.

Please note the hot pink ball under the toilet. I’m sure that was what caused this mess.

***********
It always seemed to me that bathrooms were one of the few human inventions cats approved of, whole-heartedly. “A whole room dedicated to sanitation and personal grooming! Now if we could just train them to use their nice hygienic tongues, instead of stinky rags and chemicals… “

Apart from cleaning up after yesterday’s festivities, what’s on the agenda?

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Previous Post: « Turkey Evening Open Thread
Next Post: Creepy »

Reader Interactions

120Comments

  1. 1.

    rikyrah

    November 27, 2015 at 5:04 am

    Good Morning Everyone:)

  2. 2.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    November 27, 2015 at 5:06 am

    Just going to bed (PST) for a few hours. Still experiencing some timey-wimey distortions.

  3. 3.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 5:11 am

    Whew, I survived.

  4. 4.

    emma

    November 27, 2015 at 5:17 am

    My sister talked me into Black Friday. It’s the craft shop and we’re stopping at a nice bakery for croissants and coffee. Passed one of the big malls on the way. Ugh. No.

  5. 5.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 6:13 am

    @rikyrah: :-)

  6. 6.

    ixnay

    November 27, 2015 at 6:38 am

    Kittens are the only known excuse for toilet paper lying down the back rather than toward the front. (Ducks and runs away from the toilet paper discussion!)

  7. 7.

    Satby

    November 27, 2015 at 6:48 am

    Pouring rain here, still in the 50s but dropping to 30 throughout the next 24 hours, which means miserable icy roads and my car doors frozen shut. I’m thinking of begging off a two hour trip each way to see friends tomorrow. Given all the car trouble, I just don’t feel comfortable going that far. I hate to disappoint her though.

  8. 8.

    JPL

    November 27, 2015 at 6:49 am

    Marc’s life will never be the same. His pictures continue to amuse me.

  9. 9.

    Satby

    November 27, 2015 at 6:53 am

    Marc, have any more been adopted?

  10. 10.

    JPL

    November 27, 2015 at 7:00 am

    @Satby: How was your turkey?

  11. 11.

    Satby

    November 27, 2015 at 7:07 am

    @JPL: It was good, thanks. I opted out of doing the thing where you take the backbone out and just went bird and drip pan underneath. It helped that it was a beautiful 60 degree day. The girls made a corn pudding thing in the crock pot, I did stuffing in another one, and we opted out of salad after all. I never saw them eat so much, so it was a success. Then we went to the beach to walk some of it off, too cloudy for a sunset viewing though.

  12. 12.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    November 27, 2015 at 7:13 am

    One of my sisters has a deaf white cat who lives in a bathroom. She fights the other 2 cats so she stays upstairs in ‘her’ room. Perfectly happy in her bed on the clothes hamper.

  13. 13.

    WereBear

    November 27, 2015 at 7:16 am

    @Satby: Can you skype with her instead? That sounds like dangerous conditions.

  14. 14.

    bystander

    November 27, 2015 at 7:16 am

    I really don’t get Black Friday. Why waste time, energy and possibly your physical well being for cheaper electronics? PS, get off my lawn.

    I’m guessing Marc’s kittens are working on routines to perform during Baud’s campaign. Actually, this looks to be a rehearsal of a procession of kittens waving banners in the convention hall.

  15. 15.

    WereBear

    November 27, 2015 at 7:31 am

    @bystander: Some people consider shopping their sport, and this is their Super Bowl.

  16. 16.

    Phylllis

    November 27, 2015 at 7:42 am

    Good morning all. Already warm here, with a high of mid-70’s predicted. College hand egg on the tube today, so hubby will have some entertainment. Just pulled the trigger on the Samsung Tab 3 Lite for me, so my Black Friday shopping is complete. Other than that, a lazy day on tap.

  17. 17.

    Hal

    November 27, 2015 at 7:43 am

    Extremely irritated the hospital I work at has it’s outpatient clinics open today. We have a whopping 13 patients scheduled so I’m expecting a really slow day.

  18. 18.

    raven

    November 27, 2015 at 7:46 am

    It’s a bit warm and humid and still a stiff wind from the east down at the beach. Fishing will be a challenge!

  19. 19.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    November 27, 2015 at 7:50 am

    I’m going to invent a device to hook up to my car. It will turn the backup lights on and off at random while I’m shopping. Park in a desirable spot on a busy shopping day and contribute to the average blood pressure level in the parking lot!

  20. 20.

    Baud

    November 27, 2015 at 7:50 am

    @bystander:

    Online shopping makes it easy. Got a new laptop yesterday.

    Marc’s kittens are actually in training to be a new special ops force that my administration will deploy to take on ISIS — Kitten Team 6: Herding cats and taking names.

  21. 21.

    Satby

    November 27, 2015 at 8:03 am

    @WereBear: I just emailed her and begged off for tomorrow. It’s supposed to get sunny but cold, but I just don’t want to go that far on my tires, that so far are holding up fine, but I don’t want to tempt fate.
    We can reschedule.

  22. 22.

    p.a.

    November 27, 2015 at 8:05 am

    @Baud: But they can still appear at your campaign events out-of-uniform, correct?

  23. 23.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    November 27, 2015 at 8:07 am

    Yesterday was a lot of driving and logistical challenges but I managed to get food and family members across the state to have dinner with Grandma at her assisted living facility. She’s 98 1/2 years old and recovering from a triple break in a hip bone. Coming along amazingly well according to her doctors, and showing no signs of slowing down. Still a hoot to be around and very grateful for family.
    So I have that to be thankful for and it’s plenty.

  24. 24.

    Baud

    November 27, 2015 at 8:09 am

    @p.a.:

    Plain clothes security team. Need protection against all the haters.

  25. 25.

    Satby

    November 27, 2015 at 8:09 am

    I told the girls that there was no way we (I) would go near a retail establishment today, so the one who loves to shop announced she had done her Black Friday shopping last night. She loves the concept, because they don’t have that in Bahrain. The other girl has very limited funds, so I suspect she was relieved I wasn’t going to drag them shopping.

  26. 26.

    Satby

    November 27, 2015 at 8:10 am

    @Ultraviolet Thunder: Good for grandma, and what a great thing for your family!

  27. 27.

    Baud

    November 27, 2015 at 8:10 am

    @Ultraviolet Thunder:

    Damn. She’s tough. If that happened to me today, I’d be a self-pity whimper machine.

  28. 28.

    NotMax

    November 27, 2015 at 8:14 am

    @Baud

    Which laptop did you settle on? Still the HP?

  29. 29.

    Satby

    November 27, 2015 at 8:14 am

    As a substitute excursion, I think we’ll go here

  30. 30.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    November 27, 2015 at 8:15 am

    @Baud:

    Damn. She’s tough. If that happened to me today, I’d be a self-pity whimper machine.

    We were all sure the broken hip was the beginning of the end but she fooled us. Pretty amazing recovery.
    She’s still deaf as a gunnery sergeant.
    Sample dialogue with cousin Jim, a Physical Therapist:

    JIM: “GRANDMA, MY COLLEAGUE LETICIA WILL DO YOUR PHYSICAL THERAPY. CALL HER LETTIE”
    GRANDMA “I didn’t understand you”
    JIM: “YOUR PHYSICAL THERAPIST IS MY FRIEND LETTIE”
    GRANDMA: (puzzled look)….. “Lefty?”

  31. 31.

    leeleeFL

    November 27, 2015 at 8:17 am

    @Baud: Thanks! There is now now oatmeal on my tv screen. You have my vote, Baud!

  32. 32.

    Baud

    November 27, 2015 at 8:18 am

    @NotMax:

    No. I got a Dell from the MS Store. It has the HD screen, which was my #1 priority because I’m tired of looking at low res screen. The other specs aren’t as good as the HP I was looking at, but the Dell was only $400. Couldn’t justify spending the extra dough in better specs that I’ll probably never take advantage of.

  33. 33.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 8:22 am

    @Ultraviolet Thunder: She will move on when she decides it’s time to move on. Here’s to hoping that time is a little ways further sown the road.

  34. 34.

    debbie

    November 27, 2015 at 8:24 am

    @Satby:

    I’m glad your turkey turned out well. Except for the actual meal, my family’s Thanksgiving was spent outside in surprisingly warm, sunny Ohio. Very weird for around here.

  35. 35.

    PurpleGirl

    November 27, 2015 at 8:27 am

    @Hal: Well, there are times when I’m extremely annoyed that the clinic I go to is closed… such as on Election Day. I called them to make an appointment. Nope the clinic is closed, I have to call back the next day. Why was it closed on Election Day?

  36. 36.

    Scapegoat

    November 27, 2015 at 8:40 am

    Been lurking here for the past four years or so and wanted to give thanks to you all and Cole for preserving my sanity and restoring a bit of faith in humanity.

    In the process of moving back to one of the more enjoyable cities in the States — Pittsburgh! — after eight years in a venal Republican breeding ground.

    My wife (pregnant with male spawn due to arrive in Feb — our first and we’re, ahem, “older”) is thrilled to return home. Great meal at the stunning Grand Concourse (converted train station) last night with SIL.

    Life feels pretty good right now, and, in part, I have you jackals to thank.

  37. 37.

    Zinsky

    November 27, 2015 at 8:45 am

    Big feast is today. Got a pre-emptive workout in this morning – 45 minutes on the elliptical. So, I’m good for the carbo loading! Weather is 30 degrees, calm and sunny here in Minnesota, so a gorgeous November day shaping up. Peace to all!

  38. 38.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 8:50 am

    @Scapegoat: We screwed up again. Sigh…. well, you might as well join the party now.

  39. 39.

    gogol's wife

    November 27, 2015 at 8:56 am

    @Scapegoat:

    Welcome aboard! As Tommy’s much-maligned rubric says, “Feel free to contribute!”

  40. 40.

    PurpleGirl

    November 27, 2015 at 8:58 am

    You know which piece of Thanksgiving Day story-telling we here at BJ forgot… The Thanksgiving Day Song and skit from The Adams Family movie. Thanks to Barbara O’Brien at The Mahablog for posting it.

  41. 41.

    benw

    November 27, 2015 at 8:59 am

    Leftover apple cobbler with whipped cream for breakfast after eating myself into a coma last night? Damn the torpedoes!

  42. 42.

    p.a.

    November 27, 2015 at 9:01 am

    @Scapegoat: Been through some stuff 2012-ish and despite this place’s self-image as heavy on the misanthrope side of the spectrum it did help. A lot.

  43. 43.

    bemused

    November 27, 2015 at 9:08 am

    @Ultraviolet Thunder:

    Love those tough oldies. Inspiring.

    otoh, read a story about senior ladies, late 80’s to 90’s, who happily played mahjong for minor money at their condo clubhouse when a troublemaker resident called the cops on them. There’s always a jealous crank who lives for spoiling other people’s harmless fun.

  44. 44.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 9:18 am

    @bemused: Worse thing about that story is the complete overreaction by the ‘community center’. The cops only said “You can’t advertise for gambling.” not that there couldn’t be any gambling, and the center stopped all the nickel dime games. So now they have to go elsewhere.

  45. 45.

    Amir Khalid

    November 27, 2015 at 9:19 am

    @bemused:
    That’s the flip side of Schadenfreude: There’s always someone who can’t stand to see others’ happiness.

  46. 46.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    November 27, 2015 at 9:20 am

    The only thing that went wrong for me on Thanksgiving was I drove 180 miles across the state without my wallet. Discovered it when the gas tank hit empty. Oops. Luckily I had passengers and my dad pitched in a twenny to fill the tank.
    56 years old and my dad bought me gas because I screwed up.

  47. 47.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 9:24 am

    @Ultraviolet Thunder: At least you didn’t run out of gas with a broken leg and your father had to hump it for a mile with a gas can, as my 28 yr old son did to me a few months back.

  48. 48.

    Scapegoat

    November 27, 2015 at 9:25 am

    As Tommy’s much-maligned rubric says, “Feel free to contribute!”

    Should be modified to: “Feel free to be maligned!”

  49. 49.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    November 27, 2015 at 9:26 am

    @bemused:
    My grandma is the ringleader of a group lobbying for more say over the menu in the senior care center dining room. The food is plentiful, and very good. They just want to be able to vote on what they like.
    We explained that they develop the menus under stringent nutritional constraints and have very little leeway in what they serve. She seemed not to understand. After 76 years of being near deaf I’m sure that’s very convenient at times.

  50. 50.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 9:28 am

    @Scapegoat: Wait your turn!

  51. 51.

    Germy

    November 27, 2015 at 9:29 am

    Boiler’s flooded. Radiators gurgle and drip when the heat comes on. Luckily, we have heat, but loud BANGING from the radiators.

    Back in September a furnace specialist drained the boiler; ran a hose into the backyard to get all the water out. He had cleaned the furnace, and when he turned it on, water started pouring out of an upstairs radiator valve. So he drained the boiler. I told him it always happens.

    His explanation was “it’s condensation returning from the radiators” but I somehow doubt it. There’s a mechanism that regulates water flow, and I think it’s too generous. He checked it and said it was okay, but the next day the water level on the glass indicator rose over the halfway mark.

    I don’t think it’s condensation. I shouldn’t have to drain this fucking boiler every other day.

    Time for a second opinion…

  52. 52.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    November 27, 2015 at 9:30 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    At least you didn’t run out of gas with a broken leg and your father had to hump it for a mile with a gas can, as my 28 yr old son did to me a few months back.

    Well, that’s awful. I was only a little humiliated. Dad has always been the designated driver in the family but his vehicle is in the shop so I volunteered. After this tactical screwup maybe he’ll give me another chance in a decade.

  53. 53.

    Germy

    November 27, 2015 at 9:31 am

    I just made a long comment, took me a long time to write, got eaten.

    fuck it, i’m outta here.

  54. 54.

    Scapegoat

    November 27, 2015 at 9:32 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Years ago, a ne’er do well I share a boxcar with found y’inz and carved a cryptic symbol on your gate. That may be why so many hungry misfits drop by seeking shelter and handouts.

    Not sure Tommy’s new coat of paint covered up the mark entirely though.

  55. 55.

    Zinsky

    November 27, 2015 at 9:35 am

    @Scapegoat: Great to hear that something good comes out of this pit of vipers, Scapegoat!

  56. 56.

    Phylllis

    November 27, 2015 at 9:38 am

    @Scapegoat: I spent a week in Pittsburgh last November for a training and it’s a city I could definitely consider relocating to.

  57. 57.

    bemused

    November 27, 2015 at 9:40 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Seems to be a happy ending and all is resolved after the condo board said they had to “lay low” and wait for dust to settle. The ladies can continue to enjoy themselves while the troublemaker will shed a few bitter tears while no doubt plotting more mischief for those who have the audacity to be happy.

    @Amir Khalid:

    I have visited elderly family members at various senior citizen residences/apt buildings and some buildings have seating communal areas at entrance. It’s nice to see residents there visiting with each other but there are always one or two busybodies who spend a lot of time there with the primary intention to snoop and spy on everyone according to my family members.

  58. 58.

    Scapegoat

    November 27, 2015 at 9:43 am

    @p.a.:

    Agreed.

    The date sounds right. Your office must have been down the hall from mine.

    As Mario Andretti once declared, “Whata isa behinda , isa noa concerna!”

  59. 59.

    Glidwrith

    November 27, 2015 at 9:44 am

    @rikyrah: Good Morning! May I mention I love that bright greeting from you each day? It’s like an affirmation that, yes, it will be a good day!

  60. 60.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 9:50 am

    @Ultraviolet Thunder: The bad thing was it was the 3rd or 4th time he’d run out of gas in that truck (1st time I bailed him out, tho). I told him “Anyone can run out of gas once, but 3 times???” The truly ridiculous moment tho was when he took the gas can out of the back of the truck and started hobbling down the street on his crutches.

    “What are you doing???!!?!?!??” said I.

  61. 61.

    WereBear

    November 27, 2015 at 9:52 am

    @Satby: I applaud your sensible decision! We should listen to our Instincts when we can.

  62. 62.

    gogol's wife

    November 27, 2015 at 9:54 am

    @Germy:

    What if Tolstoy had given up so easily?

  63. 63.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 9:56 am

    @Scapegoat:

    That may be why so many hungry misfits drop by seeking shelter and handouts.

    Properly composted, they make excellent fertilizer.

  64. 64.

    Scapegoat

    November 27, 2015 at 9:59 am

    @Phylllis:

    Good-hearted, genuine people who speak their mind. Smart new Dem mayor, too.

    Vibrant culture (foundation funding is second(?) highest in U.S.), technology-forward, low crime rate, lovely terrain with easy outdoor access, and housing is ultra-cheap.

    And crazily, it’s becoming a leading “foodie” city for new restaurateurs. 20 years ago, one could count the decent places for grub on one hand.

  65. 65.

    Botsplainer

    November 27, 2015 at 10:00 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    So you have the male version of my middle daughter.

  66. 66.

    Botsplainer

    November 27, 2015 at 10:02 am

    @Scapegoat:

    Yeah, but that Primanti sandwich needs to lose the fries and go to a savory (as opposed to sweet) slaw.

  67. 67.

    ruemara

    November 27, 2015 at 10:04 am

    Morning, all. Hope everyone is recovering nicely from the day of indulgence 2015. My mission today is to dispose of 10 cupcakes and 4 sweet rolls. Plus hit the gym and my diet targets hard. I also seem to have a coffee date. Very glad to avoid shopping and I hope you all do the same.

  68. 68.

    WereBear

    November 27, 2015 at 10:04 am

    Had a lovely time yesterday, lingered with friends after the buffet, crashing today. Good to rest and have no pressing obligations.

  69. 69.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 10:06 am

    @Botsplainer: We should get them together… On 2nd thought, never mind.

  70. 70.

    Botsplainer

    November 27, 2015 at 10:10 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I’m guessing that it would be “don’t cross the streams” bad (cf Ghostbusters) and would bring about the heat death of the universe through the critical mass of procrastination and inertia.

  71. 71.

    Scapegoat

    November 27, 2015 at 10:12 am

    @Botsplainer:

    Heathen!

    In the 80’s, Primanti’s was a smoke-filled all-night dive, serving truckers who brought in produce to The Strip. Wild place.

    Sad to see it gentrified, but no fries and savory slaw?!?! That is simply a bridge too far!

  72. 72.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    November 27, 2015 at 10:16 am

    Our coconut fiber door mat at the back door today sports a large, deep circular burn.
    Asked about that, Frau Thunder replied “Never mind.”
    Should I worry?

  73. 73.

    Tenar Darell

    November 27, 2015 at 10:26 am

    @Ultraviolet Thunder: She sounds awesome; what a fount of stories she must be. Also, LOL, because that is every conversation I have with my father lately! Started dropping an octave simply to get some conversation; I just pretend I have a cold. At least no confusion of the v/b/p sounds with a fake cold, though it does kinda hurt after a while.

  74. 74.

    Amir Khalid

    November 27, 2015 at 10:34 am

    @Ultraviolet Thunder:
    Unless Frau Thunder is carrying around a large, round and very hot object, while giving you, Herr Thunder, some long thoughtful looks, there’s probably nothing to worry about. Probably.

  75. 75.

    Redshift

    November 27, 2015 at 10:36 am

    Had a nice Thanksgiving with my family yesterday, and went to a hockey game with my siblings and niece the night before. (New family tradition in the past few years!)

    Today I’m “working” from home so I don’t have to burn a vacation day (and Ms. Redshift is working today.) There’s actually something I didn’t quite finish on Wednesday, but after that, I’m pretty sure no one else is working, so I’ll just do stuff around the house and check my work email occasionally.

  76. 76.

    OzarkHillbilly

    November 27, 2015 at 10:36 am

    @Ultraviolet Thunder: When my wife says, “Never mind.” I always interpret that as “I don’t want to know.”

  77. 77.

    Scout211

    November 27, 2015 at 10:38 am

    We had a nice T-day with our middle child and her family yesterday. We drove over the river and through the woods . . . and it was definitely worth it.

    Today will be spent hoping that the Hawkeyes don’t get upset by the Cornhuskers. My BFF here in California for over 30 years grew up in Nebraska. We agreed to a communications blackout over this game.

    Go Hawkeyes!

  78. 78.

    mikej

    November 27, 2015 at 10:54 am

    No entry fee at Mt Rainier or Olympic national parks. Celebrate green Friday.

  79. 79.

    FlyingToaster

    November 27, 2015 at 11:01 am

    @Scapegoat: Don’t sweat being older. I was a 46-year-old primipara, and nowhere near the oldest mom at my ob/gyn’s practice.

    Welcome aboard!

  80. 80.

    Steeplejack

    November 27, 2015 at 11:04 am

    I was looking through the New York Times this morning and happened to see Maureen Dowd’s piece from yesterday, “King Kevin Versus Queen Cersei,” which she outsourced to her RWNJ brother Kevin. It is a fascinating/horrifying look into the Republican mind.

    While liberals and the mainstream media may regard the myriad Republican presidential candidates as a “house of crazies,” I see an embarrassment of riches. It is the ultimate irony that the Republican field blows the Democrats away on one of their favorite topics—diversity.

    Here’s how I see the Republican contest and the Democratic coronation:

    Donald Trump: With all his bombast and incivility, Trump has joyfully debunked political correctness for the complete fraud that it is. With his talent for making debate ratings soar, he has allowed all the other candidates to be seen and heard at celestial levels unreachable without him. He has touched a nerve because people are fed up with liberal groups being offended at every slight, real or imagined. [. . .]

    Ben Carson: Not since Eisenhower has a complete novice politician been so legitimate a contender. Can he avoid the traps set for him by the media? He presents intriguing possibilities as part of the ticket, forcing African-Americans to choose between him and the wife of the man Toni Morrison called our “first black president.”

    Marco Rubio: Young, whip smart and self-assured, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of foreign affairs and is a stunning contrast to Hillary Clinton both in generation and vision. Wait until he starts delivering his speeches in Spanish.

    Ted Cruz: The Hispanic heir apparent to Barry Goldwater had the best moment in the third debate, calling out an obscure cable TV host looking for his 10 minutes of fame.

    Jeb Bush: I like the Bushes, all of them. Jeb would have been the perfect Republican candidate from 1988 to 2000. In this age of instant gratification, his wonkish grasp of policy does not move the needle. Too bad.

    Chris Christie: Trump with better manners. A certain pick for attorney general if this gig does not work out.

    [. . .]

    Clinton: She’s seeking the highest office in the land even though 60 percent of the country does not trust her and her emails are currently under FBI review for potential national security breaches.

    Bernie Sanders: His proposals for free health care, free college and expanded Social Security have a price tag of $18 trillion with no way to pay for it. Not even a candidate for budget director.

    O’Malley: Does anyone know his reason for running?

    The next president will have to deal with a severely weakened hand, at home and abroad. The bill for “leading from behind” has come due. After the Radical Islam (dare I say thy name?) attack on France, the president who called ISIS “contained” was left to issue his familiar disclaimer that Islam is a religion of peace.

    [. . .]

    Our enemies do not fear us, and authority at home is being questioned by a disgraceful campaign since Ferguson to undermine the police. I am the son of a policeman, and a police officer is killed in the line of duty every 60 hours. The thin blue line is the only thing that separates our society from anarchy. There will be awful shootings by police officers like the one in Chicago, but these are exceptions. My dad told me that any job where you can legally carry a gun will occasionally draw the wrong type of person. Police officers certainly do not deserve to see the media turning criminals into celebrated victims. The next time you see a police officer, say thank you.

    So, ask yourself three questions: Do you want a president who refuses to name the enemy? Who do you want to appoint the next three Supreme Court justices? And who will protect the homeland and honor the Constitution? Then pray that you got it right.

    Bonus: Brother Kevin’s picture accompanies the piece, and he looks exactly as you would expect.

    This piece made me feel sorry for Maureen Dowd (for about five seconds).

  81. 81.

    a different chris

    November 27, 2015 at 11:07 am

    Take a single sheet of plain 8-1/2×11 paper and lay it on the floor. Instant cat bed. They will fight over who’s turn it is to sleep on the paper.

  82. 82.

    Amir Khalid

    November 27, 2015 at 11:14 am

    @Steeplejack:
    If MoDo’s bro is typical of his ilk, they don’t have much connection to reality.

    Chris Christie: Trump with better manners.

    In what universe? In this one, Chris Christie is just Trump with less money.

  83. 83.

    JMG

    November 27, 2015 at 11:23 am

    The trucks just came by, so Thanksgiving is officially over. In my neighborhood, the normal trash-recycling pickup day is Thursday, but of course it was moved back a day for the holiday. Given the nature of said holiday, this is both convenient and essential.

  84. 84.

    Steeplejack

    November 27, 2015 at 11:25 am

    @Steeplejack:

    I was curious about Kevin Dowd’s statement that “a police officer is killed in the line of duty every 60 hours.”

    That would be 146 over the course of a year. I got on the Google and did some searching, and the best I could find was this Wikipedia note for 2014:

    The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 127 deaths in the line of duty. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counted 126 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers killed. The preliminary count from the FBI is that 51 law enforcement officers were “feloniously” killed in the line of duty in 2014, and an additional 44 died in accidents (total: 95).

    I went to the Officer Down Memorial Page and looked at their tally for 2015. They list 114 “line of duty” deaths so far this year. Their list includes such things as heart attacks, falls and “9/11 related illness.” The number of officers listed for death by assault, gunfire (non-accidental), “struck by vehicle,” “vehicle pursuit” and vehicular assault—all the categories that seem to indicate “malice aforethought”—is 52. If you add in “automobile accident,” the total comes to 80.

    So it seems like Kevin Dowd is stretching a point (to put it charitably), especially given his phrasing and context: “a police officer is killed in the line of duty every 60 hours” (instead of, say, “a police officer dies in the line of duty every 60 hours”).

  85. 85.

    Redshift

    November 27, 2015 at 11:29 am

    @Steeplejack: A rote recitation of talking points as unimaginative as any troll that shows up here.

    I would love to have this guy asked on live TV to name one example of Rubio’s “encyclopedic knowledge of foreign affairs.”

  86. 86.

    Steeplejack

    November 27, 2015 at 11:31 am

    @JMG:

    In my neighborhood, the normal trash-recycling pickup day is Thursday, but of course it was moved back a day for the holiday. Given the nature of said holiday, this is both convenient and essential.

    Ha! I had a multi-comment saga yesterday about the trash and recycling trucks coming through my brother’s neighborhood on Thanksgiving day (in Henderson, NV).

  87. 87.

    Yutsano

    November 27, 2015 at 11:32 am

    @mikej: It would be nice to go, but as the federal holiday does not extend into Friday and someone has to be at the office, here I am. At least it will be pretty much dead since everyone THINKS we’re closed. My only fear is getting someone who is a really tough case and having to pull in the acting manager for a horrid conference call. But I can handle almost everything that comes in the door.

    And I’m not even going to pretend to work today.

  88. 88.

    Steeplejack

    November 27, 2015 at 11:32 am

    Front-pager alert! Help, I have a comment in moderation.

  89. 89.

    Mike J

    November 27, 2015 at 11:32 am

    @Redshift: And tell us more about these traps set by the media for Carson.

  90. 90.

    JPL

    November 27, 2015 at 11:34 am

    @Steeplejack: The trash people came yesterday to my house also.
    The workers voted on it. Pickup takes about half the time because people forget or are out of town and they get Friday off instead. They wanted the three day weekend.

  91. 91.

    Steeplejack

    November 27, 2015 at 11:36 am

    @mikej:

    Is mikej the same as Mike J?

  92. 92.

    Steeplejack

    November 27, 2015 at 11:38 am

    @JPL:

    Well, that’s all right, then. I don’t know what the deal is here.

  93. 93.

    Brachiator

    November 27, 2015 at 11:38 am

    @Baud:

    No. I got a Dell from the MS Store. It has the HD screen, which was my #1 priority because I’m tired of looking at low res screen.

    You are probably OK, but you may want to make sure that your new Dell is not vulnerable to a significant security issue.

    On some machines, Dell installed a hidden utility to help with support and other issues, but it allows the possibility of a easy takeover by malicious activity. This is a root certificate vulnerability.

    Curiously, supposedly an easy way to bypass the vulnerability is to use Firefox as your browser, and not to use IE or Chrome.

    ETA: recent news stories about a second vulnerability that has been found on some machines. Note that this does not involve all Dell machines.

  94. 94.

    Steeplejack

    November 27, 2015 at 11:45 am

    Repeating my comment that went to moderation:

    I was curious about Kevin Dowd’s statement that “a police officer is killed in the line of duty every 60 hours.”

    That would be 146 over the course of a year. I got on the Google and did some searching, and the best I could find was this Wikipedia note for 2014:

    The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 127 deaths in the line of duty. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counted 126 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers killed. The preliminary count from the FBI is that 51 law enforcement officers were “feloniously” killed in the line of duty in 2014, and an additional 44 died in accidents (total: 95).

    I went to the Officer Down Memorial Page and looked at their tally for 2015. They list 114 “line of duty” deaths so far this year. Their list includes such things as heart attacks, falls and “9/11 related illness.” The number of officers listed for death by assault, gunfire (non-accidental), “struck by vehicle,” “vehicle pursuit” and vehicular assault—all the categories that seem to indicate “malice aforethought”—is 52. If you add in “automobile accident,” the total comes to 80.

    So it seems like Kevin Dowd is stretching a point (to put it charitably), especially given his phrasing and context: “a police officer is killed in the line of duty every 60 hours” (instead of, say, “a police officer dies in the line of duty every 60 hours”).

  95. 95.

    rikyrah

    November 27, 2015 at 11:45 am

    GOP rider would boost party spending
    Mitch McConnell plans to slip campaign cash rider in omnibus spending bill.
    11/25/15 05:59 PM EST

    Senate Republicans plan to insert a provision into a must-pass government funding bill that would vastly expand the amount of cash that political parties could spend on candidates, multiple sources tell POLITICO.

    The provision, which sources say is one of a few campaign-finance related riders being discussed in closed-door negotiations over a $1.15 trillion omnibus spending package, would eliminate caps on the amount of cash that parties may spend in coordination with their candidates.

    http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/congress-campaign-finance-cash-rider-216220#ixzz3shJ158Sz

  96. 96.

    Mike J

    November 27, 2015 at 11:46 am

    @Steeplejack: Was on my android.

  97. 97.

    rikyrah

    November 27, 2015 at 11:48 am

    Why did authorities say Laquan McDonald lunged at Chicago police officers?
    November 26

    After a Chicago police officer shot and killed 17-year-old Laquan McDonald last year, the initial information reported in local media outlets was fairly limited: A teenager armed with a knife he would not drop was shot and killed while approaching or lunging toward officers, police said. That was the story reported by the Chicago Tribune as well as the local NBC, ABC and CBS affiliates.

    These outlets cited Pat Camden, who was acting as a spokesman for the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police and offered a description of what officers encountered. Camden told reporters that McDonald had lunged at police with a knife before the gunfire and said the teenager posed “a very serious threat to the officers.” The police department also released a statement the day after the shooting saying that McDonald “refused to comply with orders to drop the knife and continued to approach the officers.”

    However, graphic video footage of the shooting released on Tuesday evening — several hours after prosecutors said that Officer Jason Van Dyke had been charged with first-degree murder — showed that the teenager was veering away from the officers, and that Van Dyke opened fire within seconds of arriving. An attorney for Van Dyke has said the officer feared for his life and for the lives of the other officers.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/11/25/why-did-authorities-say-laquan-mcdonald-lunged-at-chicago-police-officers/?postshare=5681448488924786&tid=ss_tw

  98. 98.

    Zinsky

    November 27, 2015 at 11:50 am

    I would never order a Dell computer again on-line. Ordered one a few years ago and have battled with it ever since. Apple at least sells equipment that work.

  99. 99.

    Brachiator

    November 27, 2015 at 11:54 am

    Recovering from Turkey Day, I have a lot of errands to run. I will probably try to fit a movie in over the weekend, most likely the well-reviewed “Creed.” I was just reading the AV Club review of “Victor Frankenstein,” which sounds like an ill-conceived revisionist hoot. Apparently, they try to turn Daniel Radcliffe’s Igor into Frankenstein’s reliable Number 2.

    Radcliffe can’t really do much of anything with his blandly likable version of Igor, who spends most of the movie either throwing switches (i.e., the character’s usual job) or weakly protesting Frankenstein’s lack of professional ethics.

    Igor doesn’t have much of a hump in this one either.

  100. 100.

    Mike J

    November 27, 2015 at 11:58 am

    @Brachiator:

    Igor doesn’t have much of a hump in this one either.

    They couldn’t afford Hermione?

  101. 101.

    Villago Delenda Est

    November 27, 2015 at 11:59 am

    What’s on the agenda? Ignoring the annual Black Friday mindless consumerist wallow.

    Hard to believe that the species that composed symphonies and sonnets has reduced itself to this. But, as they say, there it is.

  102. 102.

    Hal

    November 27, 2015 at 12:00 pm

    @Steeplejack:

    He presents intriguing possibilities as part of the ticket, forcing African-Americans to choose between him and the wife of the man Toni Morrison called our “first black president.”

    Old white conservatives are really clueless when it comes to the black vote. AA voter have no desire to vote for Ben Carson because Carson like every other black conservative has to reinforce white conservatives opinions that black people are dependent on Dems for hand outs and freebies. Carson isn’t going to appeal to most black voters and Republicans will never understand why.

  103. 103.

    Villago Delenda Est

    November 27, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    @Steeplejack: Kevin Dowd is a flat out liar, as are all right wing shits. They are the people Orwell was writing about.

  104. 104.

    Yutsano

    November 27, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    @Mike J: I have to admit making Emma Watson Igor would be a stroke of brilliance.

  105. 105.

    Villago Delenda Est

    November 27, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    @Yutsano: When I was in the Army, the Friday after Thanksgiving was traditionally a “training holiday” by default. Except for that one year I was deployed to Baumholder for training over Thanksgiving and the day after. When you’re deployed to one of the four Maneuver Training Areas in Germany, holidays (not even legal Federal holidays) are not an issue when scheduling means its your unit’s turn. However, after the rotation is completed, you usually get several additional training holidays in compensation.

  106. 106.

    Nate Dawg

    November 27, 2015 at 12:07 pm

    My 13yo pup is dealing with end stage renal disease, so I took her with me to thanksgiving so she could have some fun and good food (no protein though). She’s outlived vet’s warnings of imminent death by about 11 years, so who knows. Does seem to be slowing down lately but what 13yo (dog) doesn’t?

  107. 107.

    Brachiator

    November 27, 2015 at 12:11 pm

    @Mike J:

    They couldn’t afford Hermione?

    They couldn’t even afford Ron Weasley, and he is pretty cheap.

    Jessica Brown Findlay plays what the AV Club calls the “uselessly decorative female lead.” She was loved by many viewers as the vibrant Lady Sybil in “Downton Abbey,” but seems sadly stuck in mediocre movie roles since trying for an American breakout.

  108. 108.

    Brachiator

    November 27, 2015 at 12:28 pm

    @Steeplejack:

    I was looking through the New York Times this morning and happened to see Maureen Dowd’s piece from yesterday

    What an odd piece of nonsense. Any chance that this was meant as satire? Some of it does seem to reflect the Republican voter mindset, especially love for the “plain talking” Trump.

    OTOH, I enjoyed part of a conversation I overheard during lunch on Monday. A couple of guys at the next table were talking about refugees. One guy referred to people as “yes, but” hypocrites. For example, a business owner he knows who came from the Middle East.

    So, “Yes, I escaped from misery and brutality, but America can’t afford to let the Syrian refugees in,” or “Yes, my people fled the potato famine and were fortunate to get here, but times are different now.”

  109. 109.

    Suzanne

    November 27, 2015 at 12:47 pm

    @Scapegoat: Well, hallooo, and welcome! I don’t overshare. Not even a little.

  110. 110.

    Mnemosyne (tablet)

    November 27, 2015 at 12:56 pm

    I appear to have had too many FODMAPs in my Thanksgiving meal, because I woke up at 3:30 am with very unpleasant symptoms. Ugh. I may not be opting outside today after all.

  111. 111.

    Pogonip

    November 27, 2015 at 1:08 pm

    @a different chris: Or a shoe box lid. Whoever wins the argument will get to try to squeeze into the lid. The winner will have to make do with the box. Unless they decide to see if they can fit in the box together.

  112. 112.

    J R in WV

    November 27, 2015 at 1:10 pm

    @Steeplejack:

    So you are saying that in his single opportunity to use a fact, Mr Dowd lied to the whole world about that easily checked fact? Say it ISN’T SO!

    One of the defining characteristics of right-wing nut-job-dom is picking out a Right Wing characteristic and claiming it is representative of liberal/progressive people – like “people are fed up with liberal groups being offended at every slight, real or imagined.” So it is liberal groups that proclaim that plain red coffee cups constitute a war on Xmas? It is liberal groups that proclaim a war on police officers because people want bad cops to murder fewer people who are unarmed and going about their business?

    And if Rubio makes speeches in Spanish, he will be called ineligible for the office of President as a foreigner.

    Trump, crude and boorish, or plain Nazi for calling on his “fans” to beat people who are in favor of bad cops not killing people out of hand?

    This Dowd guy is plain old crazy, and stupid to boot for putting his CrayCray on public view. People can read it slowly, and see how little it has to do with reality. He might as well get a shopping cart full of trash and run for mayor of the trash dump.

    Edit to spel corec, uh, more better.

  113. 113.

    catclub

    November 27, 2015 at 1:20 pm

    @Zinsky: Our IT guy orders dells all the time and install linux on them.

  114. 114.

    opiejeanne

    November 27, 2015 at 1:21 pm

    @Pogonip: We are exploring the same idea with two adult cats: can they both fit into a 2200 sf house without injury.
    We have observed that the supposed “truce at the watering hole between predator and prey” is a myth, by watching the two of them try to be the only one who gets to drink the water from the tub faucet.

  115. 115.

    J R in WV

    November 27, 2015 at 1:27 pm

    On a more fun topic:

    Big annual T-giving fest next door, huge wonderful turkey, deep brown gravy with rich flavor, cranberry chutney a big hit.

    Friends from Pittsburgh came down, one young man we knew as a child now has children – he brought them down so we could see 4-y-o meet very young puppy about his size for the first time. Much slobber by both parties!

    Everyone liberal, no RWNJ hostility what so ever! One friend had old bottle of wonderful culturally derived clear beverage, hurray. Much food, talk, laughter, old times remembered. Absent friends, tiny tear for Parents of young men.

    Got home, 1.2 mile slow drive on one lane farm road, sat around for an hour or two to unwind, slept til nearly 11. Going to make smoked turkey on rye sandwiches for a late lunch soon.

    Door and windows open again today, Weather-Underground reports that our neighborhood is 69.6 degrees, partly cloudy. And by rule, that rounds to 70 degrees the Friday after Thanksgiving.

    Many years ago (1950s?) Dad gave Mom a fur stole for Xmas. We walked next door to grandparents for Xmas dinner… and it was almost too warm outdoors for Mom to wear her new stole! So weird outer ranges of temps are nothing new. I’m sure there were rare warm days during the ice ages… just not enough to melt the ice!

    I even hope the RWNJs have a nice holiday weekend, and that they stay away from their liberal friends and relatives so we can have a nice weekend too.

    Happy Holiday weekend, all!

  116. 116.

    Steeplejack

    November 27, 2015 at 1:39 pm

    @opiejeanne:

    I got this ceramic fountain for my (solo) cat, and a friend got one for her clutter of cats. Despite the price, in both cases it turned out to be well worth it. For cats who drive you nuts with their demands for like running water, it is a godsend.

  117. 117.

    FortGeek

    November 27, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    @OzarkHillbilly: Last time I ran out of gas, I had _just_ passed a convenience store–like, 50 feet past it. But my car’s so quiet that I didn’t notice the engine was dead until I’d gone about 100 feet…down a hill.

    Dumbass me, I tried cranking it a few times, reached the bottom of the hill, and was now more than half a mile from the station. Got a ride from two guys who’d already made the long walk themselves and ended up slightly uphill from me.

  118. 118.

    Villago Delenda Est

    November 27, 2015 at 4:28 pm

    @efgoldman: It’s more likely he can find a water bottle, somewhere, through sheer instinct.

  119. 119.

    Marc

    November 27, 2015 at 4:58 pm

    @Satby: Ohana went home with my Sister and Brother-In-Law today. Rusty went to his furever home a couple of weeks ago. Tigger, Flynn, and Sylk remain, and Miri are still being catered to at my condo.

  120. 120.

    CatHaorEverywhere

    November 27, 2015 at 5:09 pm

    If you turn the toilet paper roll so it rolls down the back, the kitties can’t unroll it in such a satisfying way. Mine still occasionally gnaw the edge of the roll in annoyance, but it’s much less to clean up.

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