Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

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

I did not have this on my fuck 2022 bingo card.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

Let’s finish the job.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

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

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

This fight is for everything.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

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

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

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

Republicans in disarray!

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

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Open Thread

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Very exciting things happening soon- Walter is going to my groomer and they are going to give him a makeover.

There will be pictures!

Oh, and this guy mentioned in the LA Times sounds familiar:

Indeed, two of our most assiduous Obamacare-trackers, Richard Mayhew of Balloon-juice.com and Charles Gaba of ACASignups.net, put the lie to Aetna’s poor mouthing as it applies to one state it’s departing, Pennsylvania. In both 2014 and 2015, they show, Aetna turned a profit on its ACA exchange business in that state— $6.4 million on $60 million in premiums in 2014, net of claims and administrative expenses, and $13.6 million profit on $71.4 million in premiums in 2015. The figures come from Aetna’s rate filings with the state, in which the company also says it expects to record a profit of 3.9% there in 2017.

I’d like to think I put the ass in assiduous.

I don’t even know what that means, but I found myself typing it anyway! It’s a good day! It’s sunny. Coffee! Groomers! WOOO!

Reader Interactions

62Comments

  4. 4.

    CaseyL

    Gotta get the glamor makeover before the big road trip.

    Can’t wait to see Walter’s new look!

  7. 7.

    Jeffro

    Btw the #MrBrexit comments on Twitter are priceless this morning…truly, The Performance Artist Formerly Known as Trump is the gift that keeps on giving.

  10. 10.

    Olivia

    Congratulatons Mr.Mayhew. I have been hoping someone out there was paying attention to your terrific posts.

  11. 11.

    kindness

    Richard deserves all the praises he is getting. Yea I saw Richard’s BJ piece from yesterday linked to at several sites. Thanks Richard. Good to show the world we aren’t all crazy here in the good ole US of A.

  12. 12.

    CONGRATULATIONS!

    I have a damn good groomer I’ve taken several of the guide dogs to. They always come out of there looking so proud and confident. I’m really glad you saved Walter, John. So much awful shit in this world, anything we can do to make even a little bit of it better is worth doing, and you did. And do.

  14. 14.

    JCJ

    @dr. bloor:

    Dang it. I like to read this blog while wearing pajamas and eating Cheetos. If they class the place up too much I might have to put on clean underwear!

  16. 16.

    Just One More Canuck

    For John, there’s a story in the Times-Colonist (Victoria BC – my home town) about a cat named Baby who took on a group of pit bulls being walked – injured one of the dogs and one of the walkers. If I can figure out how to link without going into moderation, I will do so below. Otherwise google ‘times colonist cat’

    There’s something very familiar about that cat, both in looks and attitude

  18. 18.

    Josie

    Congratulations, John, on creating such a classy blog and on being such a friend to animals and youngsters. I know your Mom is proud – I surely would be.

  21. 21.

    Richard Mayhew

    @dr. bloor: That is actually the most impressive thing about Balloon Juice — there are a lot of very smart people here and it does not descend into one-up-manship nor faculty Senate politics… Somehow the community has been cultivated to allow for people to run their own way with their own thing and it works very nicely. See Tom, See Adam for the best examples.

  22. 22.

    Mary G

    Yay! Walter pictures coming! It’s his two-week rescue anniversary (yes, I know that is the wrong word, but I have no idea what is) and he is going to be transformed like Cinderella after the wand has been waved.

    @Just One More Canuck: That is funny. The pit bull owners are all offended that the vicious cat is allowed to run free to continue its reign of terror and the arthritic 16 – year-old cat sleeps through the follow-up interview.

  27. 27.

    Poopyman

    @Richard Mayhew: I don’t see why not. Besides you and Levenson (eta: and Adam!) , that’s Cole’s one enduring contribution to American letters, such as it is.

  33. 33.

    J.

    Glad that Richard Mayhew is getting props. He is providing an invaluable service — and I am grateful for his posts on Balloon-Juice.com. (The Aetna story really pissed me off. Glad their scheming was exposed, though I doubt it will do anything, at least in terms of helping the people they supposedly serve.)

  36. 36.

    Origuy

    @TaMara (HFG): The dog walker had seven pit bulls and couldn’t control them enough to keep them off the cat owner’s property. Unless they’re sled dogs, how can anyone handle seven dogs of any breed?

  37. 37.

    catclub

    @Mary G:

    The pit bull owners are all offended that the vicious cat is allowed to run free

    and they should be. The pitbulls were on leash and not aggressive towards the cat at all. Just like if they were golden retrievers

  40. 40.

    Betsy

    And in other healthcare news .. how did everyone’s (well, three other commenters) colonoscopies go this week?

    No, Cole, *we* put the “ass” in “assiduous” …

  42. 42.

    Aleta

    Walter will feel wonderful after his grooming ! Image of him comes to mind sporting a bowler with a nice brim, maybe a silver tip cane. Anyway, go Walter!

  44. 44.

    NorthLeft12

    Looks like this mystery has been unravelled.http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-swimmer-robbery-1.3726339

    I am still gobsmacked over why anyone would be stupid enough to fabricate a story like this. Embarrassment over damaging a door? But then they did the right thing and paid for the damage. SMH.I know a lot of the media have been piling on the Brazilians and how the Olympics have gone, but this story is just nuts. Kudos to the Brazilian police for their detective work in getting to the truth.

  45. 45.

    CONGRATULATIONS!

    In pet blogging, my dear friend Squeaky Thing, veteran of BJ pet calendars passed away today at the untimely age of 10. His pancreas became severely inflamed and caused a catastrophic series of failures that just got worse. He will be missed.

    @The Red Pen: Sigh. I am sorry. Not fair to get taken at what is, for a cat, an early age. He looks adorable. I am terribly, terribly sorry.

  48. 48.

    Lurker

    @The Red Pen:

    So, so sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is always a heart-wrenching experience. Unfortunately, their time on earth with us is limited. Having had a few pets die on me over the past 30 years, I can totally empathize with you.

  50. 50.

    raven

    From Denham Pet Resc

    WE DID IT!!! Because of each and every one of you, we raised our goal of $100,000 and will be receiving the full $100,000 in matching funds from Petco Foundation. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone. You are miracle workers and proof of the incredible generosity of people toward animals and communities in need. We love you all, and you are now forever a part of this shelter and its family.

    ue:

  53. 53.

    raven

    @TaMara (HFG): We had a cat around the corner called “Watch Cat”. Dude would come off the porch and attack dogs. The woman even had a likeness of the cat painted on her mailbox.

  55. 55.

    Chat Noir

    @The Red Pen: I am so sorry for your loss! I know the feeling — my two beloved cats, Natalie and Sherman (littermates), passed away in 2014 three months apart, both from complications from pancreatitis. Natalie was 14 and Sherman had just turned 15. I still have two kitty-shaped holes in my heart but I wouldn’t change anything in the world for having them for as long as I did.

    Condolences.

  57. 57.

    grrljock

    Rant time: I struck up a conversation with a newly minted US citizen, in part curious about the experience. Of course the conversation soon headed to voting, where she said that “DNC rigged” the primary so that there are 2.5 million uncounted ballot. And apparently there was such fascism in action during the Dem Convention in Philly, leaving some people on the brink of suicidal despair. Though for me the most laughable statement was “Bernie opened people’s eyes”.

    So, what is it with people and conspiracy theories? I understand taking comfort in these stories when you live in a place without free press and access to facts or other perspectives. But here? She did say she spent about 20 hours on social media learning the issues, so there’s that.

  60. 60.

    Barb2

    Cats can be amazing. My all time favorite hero cat managed to save her human with video proof. A neighbor’s dog attacked a boy riding his tricycle in his own yard. Cat rushed out and jumped on the dog and then chased th dog. Wjhole thing was caught on video (home surveillance). Boom cat attacks dog. Good cat.

    Chihuahuas have also rushed in with sneak attacks – it’s not the size. Sometimes small size is an advantage.

    3 pound chihuahua attacks 50 pound dog who was attacking chihuahua’s cat. Big dog runs away. Best buddies Chi and cat not hurt. I was the eye witness, they had everything under control.

    Same neighborhood a cat beat up any dog who tried to take a short cut through cat’s territory. “Your mean cat beat up my dog”. I watched dogs walk by that yard on high alert for that cat.

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