Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The problem people have with Biden’s age is the color of the VPs skin.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Please don’t feed the bears.

Republicans don’t trust women.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

Joe Biden can go out like FDR, not by dying in office, but by crushing the fascists.

I have other things to bitch about but those will have to wait.

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

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

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

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

I also would like a pony to improve my balloon juice experience.

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

When we show up, we win.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

T R E 4 5 O N

At some point, the ability to learn is a factor of character, not IQ.

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

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

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Reader Interactions

43Comments

  1. 1.

    RaflW

    I’m gonna try and turn this machine off so I can get some sleep. Snowboarding awaits in the morning!

  4. 4.

    divF

    I just got done watching the Golden State Warriors win over the Knicks. Up until this year, I never had any interest in basketball. I found the rules to be obscure, and watching a bunch of big guys run around in skivvies pounding each other did nothing for me. But I got hooked on the Warriors, and now I can’t not watch. All the things that have been said about them, balletic moves, intelligence, coordination – they are all true. And Curry is a one-in-a-generation phenomenon.

  8. 8.

    redshirt

    @divF: It’s all true. It might be the most perfect sport.

    The problem, at least in the NBA, is the referees. They can and will call different games from night to night, almost universally favoring the home team unless the road team is very popular. Like the Warriors are now.

  10. 10.

    Suzanne

    Tired, emotionally and physically. Took Spawn on Monday to a child psychologist, who quickly honed in on her anxiety and cutting and recommends Dialectical Behavioral a Therapy. Of course, not in network, so must satisfy a $3K deductible this year before I can bill for anything, and then it’s only 50/50. Called ex-Mr. Suzanne, who cursed at me and hung up when I suggested that his daughter’s mental health care was a higher priority than his other bills. Spawn is still totally fraught with anxiety and avoidance behaviors. I cannot seem to help her. Read her texts—turns out her best male friend is binging and purging in addition to cutting and smoking. I don’t know if I should let her see him anymore. MIL is freaking out about her inheritance and causing family drama. I am exhausted.

  11. 11.

    divF

    @redshirt: I am a long-time baseball fan, so I am hardened to the vagaries of inconsistent officiating. Baseball umpires are getting better, though.

  13. 13.

    redshirt

    @divF: Baseball umpiring and refereeing seems remarkably better with the advent of their video grading system.

    Makes sense, right? If what you do and say can be watched repeatedly, and you know this, well, you’re going to be more careful of what you say and do. If you’re smart. Which is not everyone.

  17. 17.

    NotMax

    @divF

    You’re likely already familiar with the venerable description of the three flavors of umpires.

    Type 1: “There are balls and there are strikes, and I calls ’em like I sees ’em.”

    Type 2: “There are balls and there are strikes, and I calls ’em like they are.”

    Type 3: “There are balls and there are strikes, but they ain’t neither ’til I says so.”

  18. 18.

    divF

    @redshirt: Video recording and electronic reconstruction of strike zones, plus pressure from MLB have improved things a lot, it’s true.

    According to what I’ve been hearing in the game commentary, part of the problem in basketball is that if the referees called all of the fouls they could according to the rules, the game would grind to a halt. Plus not all the illegal acts, particularly off the ball, are seen – the game moves too fast.

  19. 19.

    Davebo

    @redshirt:

    But the upcoming Warriors Spurs game on Saturday is going to be epic. I’ll watch and I don’t root for either team.

    61-6 versus 57-10 is pretty historical.

  20. 20.

    redshirt

    @Suzanne: I have no expertise whatsoever so please take everything I say with a giant rock of salt.

    But you need to connect with your daughter, at a prime level. You were once connected that way, you remember, and so does she, even if you both currently deny it.

    She doesn’t know who she is anymore, even if she’s real or what’s real or what the fuck is reality, anyway? Or something like that. You don’t have to understand, just accept and deal. Time is precious and life is a gift we’ve all been given, but it only lasts for so long.

    Sorry if this is trite or presumptuous.

  21. 21.

    divF

    @NotMax:

    I think 2 + 3 are predominant now. The grossly idiosyncratic strike zones are largely a thing of the past.

    But you still don’t give any overt backtalk to an umpire, if you want to stay in the game. One of my favorite moments in playoff baseball was when Roger Clemens got ejected from the 1990 ALCS against Oakland for “arguing balls and strikes”. They replayed his actions on the mound, no sound, so you could read his lips, and the four- and twelve-letter words were enough to have Terry Cooney throw him out.

  23. 23.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Suzanne: Are you near a research hospital? I’ve found them to be good referral services for DBT and stuff. And I’m presuming you’ve asked the insurance company if there are CBT/DBT providers nearby that *are* in network? Out of network providers are notoriously loathe to recommend things that aren’t themselves.

    Just my two cents…

  24. 24.

    NotMax

    @divF

    idiosyncratic strike zones

    Wasn’t it Bill Veeck who once sent a uniformed little person up to the plate to bat?

  25. 25.

    redshirt

    @efgoldman: My indelible memory of St. Pat’s in Boston is going to the O’BRIENS in Jamaica Pond way back and while almost in the door (there was a brief wait), noting the particular color and consistency of the green flavored puke soaking up in layers of sawdust that had been lain in abundance around the external base of the building. It was of a color and texture I’d never seen before or since. Like an oatmeal rainbow, but even somehow more magical.

  26. 26.

    Peale

    What else is going on.

    A very culturally significant novel from China is finally getting a translation. Not saying that gay erotic novels from the internet are on the shortlist of cultural touchstones for world literature. But given the propensity of the Chinese to try to erase things, I’m glad there’s recognition that the novel is worth translating.

    It also hearkens back to a time (1998!!) when officials didn’t quite yet know what to do about the Internet. It was smaller, but probably freer. Last month, China for all intents and purposes put a lid on a small industry of home-grown, gay-themed and yaoi web series, which can be seen outside of China but no longer inside.
    A few years ago cracked down on the illegal publican of gay romances. They also issued a warning about watching Korean dramas. But with 440 hits for a series (probably 40-50 million viewers), good luck putting sad stickers on everyone’s record.

  27. 27.

    piratedan

    @Suzanne: well… as a parent who’s waged some of these battles…. everyone is different and has different touchstones. Some things to key on….

    1) what makes her laugh… or even, what used to make her laugh? Share those events, memories with her, offer to make more of them. Be it watching bad TV or making necklaces…

    2) tell her that you love her and of how much she means to you, trite, but sometimes, we all just want to know that we’re loved, more or less unconditionally.

    3) listen unconditionally. This is the one I have the most trouble with, because I want to keep interrupting, caveating and end up taking over the conversation. Sometimes, you have to let them unload (if they’re willing) and allow them to be heard.

    hoping that didn’t come off as if it was on the inside of a Hallmark card….

    Hope that she can find some balance and in doing so, help you restore your own.

  29. 29.

    divF

    @efgoldman:
    I’ll grant you, Joe West is a PITA, but my recollection is that he calls a pretty consistent game behind the plate, at least in recent years.

    My favorite umpire from the late 80’s was Steve Palermo. New England guy, kept himself in shape, and called a great game behind the plate. His career was cut short when he got shot in the spinal cord trying to break up a mugging outside a restaurant in 1991. Since then he’s been supervisor of umpires for MLB.

  30. 30.

    Steeplejack

    @Suzanne:

    So sorry to hear that. Family trouble is the worst trouble. My thoughts are with you.

    For what little it’s worth, I think DBT has a pretty good rep. Depends on who’s administering it, of course.

    Maybe a stupid suggestion, but do you think you could (or would want to) get the spawn to try meditation? Not as a cure, by any means, but just as a thing to disrupt the crazy thinking for a few moments.

  31. 31.

    cckids

    @Suzanne: I’m sorry for your troubles. My middle child started having suicidal thoughts at 7 years old. (not something I’d ever thought possible) There were several fraught years, but he’s 23 now, graduating in August & is a wonderful man. Sending you good thoughts, wishes for strength & peace.

  32. 32.

    Adam L Silverman

    @redshirt: No, I have two dogs, they both have bellies. They were both waiting patiently to be rubbed. I’m now up because the strap on my CPAP mask just started to come apart and since its not fixable, I had to go to Amazon and order a new one. Just got this one in JAN and, unfortunately, I can’t return it because that expired in February.

    End of rant. Good night all.

  33. 33.

    Felonious Monk

    @efgoldman: I am with you on the boiled dinner. Not my favorite, but I do eat it if I have to. But I do love a good corned beef sandwich

    Had a so so Reuben today. Corned beef was good, but the kraut was too bland and the Russian dressing was awful. I don’t understand why they can’t make tasty Russian dressing. It is so easy.

  34. 34.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Suzanne: Find a female martial arts instructor that does martial arts training as a form of physical rehabilitation. If you let me know what area you’re in, I’ll see if we have one of our aikido dojos there. I know of a number of people, male and female, that have benefited from it. Some were trauma survivors, some just had emotional issues to work through.

  35. 35.

    divF

    @efgoldman:

    The Clemens ejection is on youtube – it doesn’t show him losing it as badly as you recalled post-ejection. It does show the camera shot of him yelling at the umpire from the pitcher’s mound, without the sound.

    I love the 1975 Yaz incident – a real “dropping the mic” moment.

  37. 37.

    Eric U.

    the officials are the reason I no longer watch the NBA. There was a gambling scandal involving an official throwing a large number of games after I stopped watching, and really, I doubt much has changed. Sorta confused why people like it, when their team isn’t one of the top teams and isn’t playing at home they are bound to get screwed.

  39. 39.

    Glidwrith

    @Adam L Silverman: Sorry to keep you awake, but you said down thread that Putin was funding Neo-Nazis in the EU and seccessionists here in Texas. Links to sources please?

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