Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

We can show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires.

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

Giving up is unforgivable.

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

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

“In the future, this lab will be a museum. do not touch it.”

You cannot love your country only when you win.

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

You’re just a puppy masquerading as an old coot.

The revolution will be supervised.

Dumb motherfuckers cannot understand a consequence that most 4 year olds have fully sorted out.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

They don’t have outfits that big. nor codpieces that small.

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

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190Comments

  3. 3.

    Steve in the ATL

    Clearly the shirt and the dog breed are deal breakers without even having to consider his personal character and position on the issues

  8. 8.

    Ruckus

    @lamh36:
    Think how hard it will be to follow this man in office. I don’t care who you are, you’d have to step up your game.

  11. 11.

    Ruckus

    Is Grayson better than any republican? I’d think so and I think he’s proved to be less than…..
    satisfactory.

  13. 13.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Only because we’re close to the top of a fresh open thread:

    Don’t know how I managed to get through very nearly the entire day without remembering this, BUT:

    On this date in 1993, in the midst of one of the worst snowstorms Atlanta (and the entire East Coast) had ever seen, I had a mild heart attack, which resulted in a balloon angioplasty, and — much more to the point — was the moment I quit smoking forever. I’ve never been tempted to resume the habit, not for an instant (although I subsequently, for many years, had dreams of smoking)..

    Eight years later, to the day (14 March 2001), while I didn’t actually have a heart attack, I was close enough that I underwent quadruple bypass surgery. Since then, fifteen years on, I feel physically fine and my cardiologist seems pretty happy.

    I’m trying to make a conscious effort to be more grateful for all the wonderfulness in my life. I am exceptionally grateful to be alive and healthy.

    Just thought I’d share :-)

  14. 14.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    I got my camera back today with the hot mirror removed, the last 3 pictures in this album were taken with the modified camera with IR filters. This is so much fun!

  24. 24.

    NotMax

    Easiest caption contest ever. Per the rabbit woman from Roger & Me:

    “Pets or meat?”

  25. 25.

    Villago Delenda Est

    “Me and my two assistants here are ready and able to seize the means of production and bring true power to the workers!”

  27. 27.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Iowa Old Lady:

    Hasn’t happened yet — in fact, it’s still more than a year away (I will turn 75 in August 2017). I have ruled out some things, just because they require many many hours of training at vast sums of money per hour, but I may well hire a hot-air balloon for a couple of hours, or do something physical that doesn’t actually require great, ya know, physicality.

  32. 32.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @SiubhanDuinne: Well, that’s certainly an upbeat change from the usual doom and gloom of the GOP Klown Kar’s inevitable plunge into the Grand Canyon.

  34. 34.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    Florida has gone to the dogs.

    PublicPolicyPolling ‏@ppppolls Mar 1

    Grayson:

    16% Favorable
    31% Unfavorable

  36. 36.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @debbie:

    Your reason was far more sensible. My (Canadian) aunt quit not too long after that, once carton prices in Canada came close to $50. She had smoked for well over half a century, but ultimately couldn’t justify that kind of expenditure. Cheapness will out!!

  38. 38.

    Aleta

    @SiubhanDuinne: I don’t know how you do it, but you bring extra light and fun into the living room when I read any of your comments. So glad I have been exposed to this thing you bring. Thank you for being in my life in this way that’s hard to describe.

  41. 41.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Aleta:

    Wow, thank you! That is so heartwarming. I don’t even know, but whatever it is, I’m glad to oblige.

    (You do realise, don’t you, that I’m going to be all self-conscious and toe-scuffling from now on whenever I post a comment?)

  43. 43.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @efgoldman: I think the other guy’s a pretty blue doggy recent Republican. Not much of a choice, at least on the surface. Maybe this guy will be the John Cole of the House.

    I add my voice to those celebrating the continued presence of @SiubhanDuinne: amongst us.

  45. 45.

    Shana

    @lamh36: Whitehouse.gov has a couple of videos up, first one is Michelle introducing four Hamilton cast members prior to a workshop with a bunch of high school students, second one is Barak introducing several cast members who perform the opening song and “Not Throwing Away My Shot.”

    Also, Encores is doing “1776” the first weekend of April and had a conversation with the composer of “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” the director of Encores’ “1776” and Javier Munoz and Betsy Struxness from “Hamilton” that you can go look at here: thegreenspace.org.

    Hubby and I are seeing “Hamilton” on April 2nd and “1776” on April 3rd. I can’t wait.

  47. 47.

    msdc

    @efgoldman: Patrick Murphy is a conservadem, but at least he knocked Allen West out of Congress. Grayson’s biggest accomplishment was knocking himself out of Congress.

  49. 49.

    Felonius Monk

    @SiubhanDuinne: That’s a lot to go thru. Glad you are here and in good health. Keep on keepin’ on.

    ETA: You are beating me to that 75 mark by a couple of months.

  50. 50.

    Rosali

    @efgoldman:
    I liked Alan Grayson until I found out he was a complete asshole during his divorce proceedings. I’m for Murphy now and don’t know what I’ll do if Grayson is on the ballot.

  51. 51.

    Anne Laurie

    @Steve in the ATL: Criticize Greyson’s fashion choices, if you must, but beware what you say about little foo-foo dogs. Two of the frontpagers (MisterMix and Soonergrunt) live with MaltesesBichons, and the Blogmaster’s beloved Lily is at least part Chihuahua.

    (Says the frontpager who lives with two Papillon rescues and a Papillon-mix rescue.)

  52. 52.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Felonius Monk:

    That’s a lot to go thru.

    All in a day’s work.

    Glad you are here and in good health.

    Thanks!

    Keep on keepin’ on.

    That’s the Master Plan.

    You are beating me to that 75 mark by a couple of months.

    I was always competitive that way.

  55. 55.

    Mary

    @gogol’s wife: After a lot of wine and peer pressure I broke down this weekend and bought two tickets for a matinee in September. Spent a goodly portion of my tax refund to do so. And now I’ve learned that Christopher Jackson was just cast in a CBS pilot. I’m really hoping that doesn’t mean that he’s leaving the show before October, because I will be really upset if that’s the case.

  56. 56.

    Eric S.

    @SiubhanDuinne: Congrats on your anniversary. I can’t directly relate but I’ve had a lot of friends quit and I’ve seen joe hard is been for them. It is a true accomplishment.

  63. 63.

    Mary

    @gogol’s wife: StubHub. I don’t think there’s any way to do it through the website. It’s booked out for like a year. If you look on StubHub, be prepared for some serious sticker shock.

  65. 65.

    SteveinSC

    I will be sending money to Grayson. His performance against the Republicans about their “Don’t get sick and if you do, die quickly” health plan, is like Lincoln about Grant: He fights!

    And I’ll pay for that.

  69. 69.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Shana:

    Hubby and I are seeing “Hamilton” on April 2nd and “1776” on April 3rd. I can’t wait.

    Is it too soon to officially hate you, or should we wait a couple of weeks?

    (Seriously — that is incredibly wonderful. Congratulations on snagging the tickets. Hope you and hub have a great time at both!)

  72. 72.

    Ruckus

    @SiubhanDuinne:
    Congrats.
    As a fellow HA victim, I know what kind of a wake up call it is. It only goes one of two ways, it’s life changing or life ending. But it also seems, strangely to be somewhat liberating as well. It’s a club you didn’t want to join of course but one that focuses things in a way few can without this level of personal event. Cancer can do the same thing but seems to be far more difficult to get through, as there can be so much unknown.
    Anyway just some thoughts on this, glad you are here with us to discuss the state of the union and more importantly, pets.

  77. 77.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Aleta:

    @SiubhanDuinne: I don’t know how you do it, but you bring extra light and fun into the living room when I read any of your comments. So glad I have been exposed to this thing you bring. Thank you for being in my life in this way that’s hard to describe.

    She’s even better in real life–she smells like a combination of poutine and Timbits

  88. 88.

    Ruckus

    @Major Major Major Major:
    I recall someone posting just recently that they weren’t alive when Bill Clinton took office. Wasn’t you was it? The age range around here astounds me. We aren’t a bunch of old fogies, although some days we sound like it – get off my fucking lawn – which I no longer have one of!

  89. 89.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Ruckus:

    Congratulations to you, and to everyone here who has been through one of those “wake-up calls.” It’s funny, I rarely think about it day to day (maybe I should), but looking back on the last 15 years (and the last 23), I can see how my life has altered in big ways and small.

    Glad we are all here, for ourselves and for each other!

  90. 90.

    Betty Cracker

    @SiubhanDuinne: Glad you’re with us! I’m coming up on my four-year quit anniversary. Had to think about it to remember how long ago it was since I didn’t have anything so dramatic as a heart attack to mark the date!

  94. 94.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Betty Cracker:

    I didn’t have anything so dramatic as a heart attack to mark the date!

    As the punchline of one of my favourite jokes goes: “You bettah off!!”

  96. 96.

    raven

    @SiubhanDuinne: I’m at 40 years since I broke my back, spent 2 months in Grady and another 9 in a full plaster body cast. It goes down as one of the best things that ever happened to me. If I hadn’t gotten hurt I might never have gone back to school.

  101. 101.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    OT: Is there a T? I think Twitter Nixon’s alter-ego is a playwright. I think I would like to see a play that he wrought.

    Richard M. Nixon ‏@ dick_nixon 17m17 minutes ago
    If this ever happened, Schumer would bleed Christie so slow and public that a veal would take pity on him.
    –Maddie Hanna @ maddiehanna
    –Christie describes background as US attorney: “I’m convinced that’s exactly the kind of attorney general Donald Trump is going to appoint”

    Maybe a delightful musical about the Nixon White House, he could put it together with that fellow who did the Hamilton that seems quite popular.

  103. 103.

    Prescott Cactus

    Caption:
    ” The divorce went thru and all I got two dogs and this shirt. Can you believe it, this shirt? “

  105. 105.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @raven:

    It’s kind of amazing how some things that seem just terrible and dire at the time turn out, in retrospect, to be life-changing in very positive ways! Glad your terrible experience became the foundation for the great life you have lived ever since.

  107. 107.

    Ruckus

    @Prescott Cactus:
    I think he got that shirt from Goodwill after the divorce. Anyway it looks like something that should have been donated to the less fortunate.

  109. 109.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @raven:

    (I was trying to remember how long it’s been since I worked at Grady, wondering if we were there at the same time, but no, it has been 52-53 years now for me. I worked in Personnel for a few months, when the entire hospital — wards, operating rooms, and the entire staff — was racially segregated. So weird and hurtful and unnecessary.)

  112. 112.

    seaboogie

    Jeezus, Betty – the only thing that I can stand in that photo is the palm trees in the background. And it’s not the dogs’ fault – I’m sure they are perfectly fine canine beings.

  113. 113.

    Steve in the ATL

    @SteveinSC:

    I will be sending money to Grayson. His performance against the Republicans about their “Don’t get sick and if you do, die quickly” health plan, is like Lincoln about Grant: He fights!

    And I’ll pay for that.

    For all his many, many flaws, he is a topnotch bomb thrower, and this Congress deserves more of those. Is Cynthia McKinney available too?

  114. 114.

    Ruckus

    @efgoldman:
    Didn’t say there weren’t old fogies among the group as a whole. Just that we weren’t all in that group. And thanks for leaving me out of it!

  117. 117.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Ruckus:

    The age range around here astounds me.

    It astounds me too. I know I am not the oldest poster, quite, though I’m probably in the Top Ten; and I think we have one or two at least who are barely out of their teens.

    When I first came to Balloon Juice, sometime in 2006 or -07, I recall that there was a random question about the ages of regular commenters and lurkers. Now that a decade has passed, it might be fun for one of the front-pagers to pose the same question to the current crop, and maybe one of our statistics whizzes could chart out the responses.

  118. 118.

    frosty fka Bro Shotgun etc etc

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I am exceptionally grateful to be alive and healthy.

    Alive and healthy is no small thing – too often taken for granted. I’m glad you’re here to comment as well.

  119. 119.

    seaboogie

    @efgoldman:

    Unlike you, I have some respect for my elders.

    Aren’t your elders, like – ummm…dead? (she said shifting the onion on her belt to the other side…)

  121. 121.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @MomSense:

    Thanks so much. “Vicious little community” resonates — I am about to embark on an orgy of reading (and reading about) Dorothy Parker, so it is most apt.

  123. 123.

    Prescott Cactus

    @Ruckus:

    I think he got that shirt from Goodwill after the divorce. Anyway it looks like something that should have been donated to the less fortunate.

    I’m thinking thrift shop in a retirement community. I am the voice of experience on this.

  124. 124.

    Felonius Monk

    Grayson may be an ass (and let’s face it, only an ass would permit another human being to see that picture *) but he is a Democrat ass. If he makes the lives of Republicans in the House miserable, then good for our side. I don’t think Murphy gets under the Repubs skin at all.

    *(unless his ex-wife released the photo as revenge porn.)

  132. 132.

    Prescott Cactus

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    it might be fun for one of the front-pagers to pose the same question to the current crop, and maybe one of our statistics whizzes could chart out the responses.

    Your wisdom and sage words are enough for me to spill the beans.

    2nd half of my 50’s

  133. 133.

    I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet

    “Come join us here in the beautiful, peaceful, fun-loving, Cayman Islands.”

    :-/

    Dunno if the Times story is correct, but I got a bad vibe about him shortly after he was elected to the House the first time.

    BooMan isn’t a fan.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  139. 139.

    schrodinger's cat

    In honor of raven and SiubhanDuinne and everyone who tries to overcome life’s struggles and live.

    Jeete Hai Chal from Neerja. The Maha mrityanjaya mantra at the start and end gives me goosebumps. Quick and dirty translation: Ticket to immortality: Use your life doing good deeds, be like a fruit.

    Kehta yeh pal
    Says this moment

    Khudse nikal

    Get out of yourself

    Jeete hai chal

    Let’s live

    Video link

  140. 140.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @NotMax:

    I do prefer Glass of the two, but I’m very find of NiC.

    @The Lodger:

    Samuel makes me think of beer, and I’m not a beer drinker. Although I saw an absolutely gorgeous advertising poster for the entire range of SA beers and ales, just a photo of filled mugs lined up going from the palest to the darkest. It’s on the wall at Conley’s in Watertown, MA, and I’m trying to figure out how I can distract everyone’s attention and steal it when I’m there next month.

  141. 141.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @satby:

    Thanks, Satby! One of the best things in my life has been discovering Balloon Juice and getting to know you and all the other denizens of this dive. Hope you are on the road to recovery from your bout of flu or winter crud or whatever has ailed you.

  142. 142.

    Prescott Cactus

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I am about to embark on an orgy of reading (and reading about) Dorothy Parker, so it is most apt.

    Post 13
    I’m trying to make a conscious effort to be more grateful for all the wonderfulness in my life. I am exceptionally grateful to be alive and healthy.

    SiubhanDuinne,
    Since you are a reader and trying to be more grateful for your own health I will suggest a personally ground shaking book about a 36 year old Stanford neurosurgeon who gets diagnosed with lung cancer. Excellently written by himself and leaves you with wanting to “Smell the roses” every single day. Life changing book for me.
    PC

  144. 144.

    NotMax

    @SiubhanDuinne

    Yeah, there’s a sterility to Adams’ music that I find distasteful.

    A bit strange that it translates to another situation so well, but this piece from a Glass-scored opera works like gangbusters as music while driving on the highway.

  145. 145.

    Mai.naem.mobile

    @SiubhanDuinne: I’m really glad for you. You should be proud of yourself. I have a friend who had a bypass about 7 yrs ago and had a heart attack before that and still hasn’t managed to quit permanently.

  147. 147.

    NotMax

    @satby

    Watched a few more episodes from the second season of Gran Hotel. Pleased they are utilizing the character of Lady, finally, as something more than window dressing.

    And agent Hernando is such a dimbulb.

  150. 150.

    scav

    There’s some of Adam’s A Flowering Tree that I remember as astonishing, and I’m usually a hard sell for modern music or opera. Maybe I’ll need to have another go at the CD, see if I’ve grown into more of it.

  153. 153.

    NotMax

    @efgoldman

    Any second year composition student could write essentially the same thing.

    In which case I might well be a fan of that second year composition student.

    À chacun son goût

  157. 157.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @efgoldman:

    Any second year composition student could write essentially the same thing.

    But they didn’t, and don’t. This is like saying your five-year-old nephew could draw Picasso’s “Bouquet of Peace” or “Dove Flying.” Glass, and Picasso, had both an innate and a well-trained knowledge of the “bones” of a work that underlies its surface simplicity.

    My, I’m looking forward to our next dinner conversation!

  158. 158.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @The Lodger:

    Well, if I’m unsuccessful in swiping it off the pub wall, I can at least take a picture of it, which I’ll be glad to share.

  162. 162.

    satby

    @NotMax: The one perk of this awful bug I have is that I binge watched because I had no energy to do much else but sleep when somebody didn’t need me for something. And I just finished the whole thing last night. There were a few weak spots, but on the whole really enjoyable, and some twists you don’t really see coming in season 3. Enjoy!

  165. 165.

    Prescott Cactus

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Can you provide author and/or title so I can order it? Thanks!

    Pardon me for having a box of rocks for brains tonight (Perhaps more often).

    When Breath Becomes Air
    Book by Paul Kalanithi

  168. 168.

    O. Felix Culpa

    @efgoldman: I happen to like Philip Glass, especially his solo piano music. But my favorite contemporary composer is Arvo Pärt. His Spiegel im Spiegel is one of the most beautiful, haunting pieces of music I’ve ever heard.

    Back on topic, I have a floofy dog too. A little rescue Maltese who, with a puppy cut, looks more winsome than effete.

  171. 171.

    NotMax

    @NotMax

    Shall add that no matter how many episodes under the belt, grow no less impressed with the visual montage that runs with the opening credits.

  172. 172.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    I think we here at BJ should throw all of our weight behind John Fetterman in Pennsylvania. Me personally would go to PA to do some GOTV for that guy, who’s a labor guy, mayor, roll up your sleeves Democrat. He could use our money more than pure white Independent Bernie.

  175. 175.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @O. Felix Culpa:

    Donkey-bray overture,
    Bartholdy-Mendelssohn
    Dreamt of weird midsummer
    Couplings he’d seen.
    “O felix culpa!” he
    Shouted ecstatically.
    (Give him a break:
    He was just seventeen.)

  179. 179.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @O. Felix Culpa:

    But my favorite contemporary composer is Arvo Pärt. His Spiegel im Spiegel is one of the most beautiful, haunting pieces of music I’ve ever heard.

    Oh yes.

  180. 180.

    frosty fka Bro Shotgun etc etc

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    … notice the things that I am grateful for …

    For me it’s hot showers. The Kings of France in Versailles didn’t have that luxury. For most of human history there was no such thing. Most of the 7 billion on the planet now don’t have access to one. We’re living in a world with running water and water heaters. Luxury! and we take it for granted.

  181. 181.

    Ruckus

    @Prescott Cactus:
    I’m thinking thrift shop in a retirement community. I am the voice of experience on this.

    Very soon following in your footsteps. 2-3 yrs. Hopefully. Already have easily over 50 yrs of working life. Sometimes things have limits.

  184. 184.

    Ruckus

    @Prescott Cactus:
    Second half of 50s?
    As I said over 50 yr working. I started drawing a paycheck 55 yrs ago. I was young. Had a paper route/mowed lawns before that.

  189. 189.

    Larry St. Pierre

    Can I use this photo in another app? I use the caption contest app called TinnBin and would like to post this there

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