Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

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

You can’t love your country only when you win.

Second rate reporter says what?

It’s a doggy dog world.

The Supreme Court is corrupt. Democrats must win in November and force court reform.

Ron DeSantis, the grand wizard, oops, governor of FL.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

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

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

If marriage is the equivalent of selling yourself into slavery, women with self respect should reject the offer.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

If you’re looking for someone who’s young and athletic, go watch a fucking movie.

Everything is totally normal and fine!!!

Consistently wrong since 2002

People are weird.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

Every one of the “Roberts Six” lied to get on the court.

No Justins, No Peace

American History and Black History can not be separated.

You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Hail to the Hairpiece / Sunday Morning Open Thread: Appreciate Them While You Can

Sunday Morning Open Thread: Appreciate Them While You Can

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What’s on the agenda as we prepare for Countdown Week?

***********
Speaking of appreciating greatness, even Lord Shortfinger’s Repub ‘teammates’ are noticing that attacking Rep. Lewis might just have been counter-productive… and the decent people are not letting it go:

Reader Interactions

216Comments

  2. 2.

    fuckwit

    Morning.

    I saw a story about new NSA exec orders allowing them to share their data with FBI/CIA/etc which the Obama admin pushed through on schedule, and will take effect right before Troll takes office.

    At first I was worried about civil liberties, but now I’m kind of hopeful that this kind of information sharing will expose more dirt on Troll, and possibly prosecutable dirt.

  3. 3.

    rikyrah

    John Lewis is a National Treasure. It was amusing, watching GOPers on TV trying to clutch the pearls. One on CNN even went so far as to say,

    “What would the Democrats do if the legitimacy of Barack Obama had been questioned?”

    ????

    The CNN anchor, to her credit, was like, what the phuck do you think birtherism, which the President elect shoveled FOR YEARS, was about?

  4. 4.

    fuckwit

    I vaguely remember the Honorable Barbara Lee catching massive blasts of abuse for voting against the Iraq war, and many pearls were clutched and fainting couches procured in media-land. She stood her ground, and she was right.

    Lewis is right too. And this is by far neither his first fight or his most difficult one.

    I somehow doubt after getting his head bashed in by racist cops in Selma, that he gives even one shit about Troll, or the media and totebaggers and their pearls,

  5. 5.

    rikyrah

    Just a suggestion for AL:
    Maybe you can include the tweet from the Atlanta Journal Constitution asking constituents of John Lewis to send in pictures of where they live, in response to Cheeto Benito saying that Lewis’s district was a hellhole.

  8. 8.

    Aleta

    In 2011 Maine’s gov had only been in office a week when he made a calculated display of his racism by dissing MLK Day, and then went out of his way to insult the NAACP. His team tried to spin it as his appealing ‘plainspeaking’ (which they made into his political brand just as was done for Tr early on).

    This reminds me of that, Tr sending a message as a reward to juice up his hate base. The insult to the National Guard officer in charge of the inaug also seems calculated as a racial insult. I could be wrong but yeah, I think he is playing to his human Don John’s.

  10. 10.

    Aleta

    I doubt Tr cares that much about nat’l security and ‘keeping the peace.’ He’ll be the happiest in his life if he gets to give orders to the military to take the streets during protests. Or ordering military responses to a labelled ter. attack.

  11. 11.

    ThresherK

    @Aleta: I’m up early and didn’t sleep.well, so that’s the only excuse I have to momentarily think you were referring to “TR” (Teddy Roosevelt).

    Also,all the Roosevelts are on my mind because my wife missed the Natl Parks pass thing by 12 days when we went to Hyde Park.

  12. 12.

    low-tech cyclist

    @ThresherK:

    Also if you are 62, you can get a lifetime pass for Natl Parks and many other Natl sites, for $20.

    Got mine last year! Normally I don’t pay much attention to my birthdays, but because of that, turning 62 was kind of a big deal!

  13. 13.

    Quinerly

    @ThresherK:
    Not quite old enough for that $20 deal but getting an Annual pass for upcoming, big driving trip with Poco, the traveling dog. Countdown mode for launch from St. Louis to Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, Zion,Grand Staircase Escalante, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches! Beyond excited! 6 weeks on the road! A lot of national monuments in between!

  15. 15.

    HeartlandLiberal

    This has probably already been pointed out, but it is worth repeating. I think all here who read this blog are familiar with the 27 percent rule, sparrow on a curtain rod portion of the American people? Well, from vox.com, this report. Note the statistics.

    According to the US Elections Project’s count so far, only about 56.9 percent of the voting-eligible population cast a ballot on Election Day. That means 43.1 percent of people eligible to vote just didn’t. (The voter turnout rate will increase over the next few days as the final votes are tallied.)

    It also means that Hillary Clinton, based on the latest estimates, got a little more than 27 percent of the voting-eligible population’s vote, while Trump got just 27 percent. (Trump won the Electoral College but may have lost the popular vote.) So a little more than a quarter of the voting-eligible population chose the next president.

    What more needs to be said? We have reached peak 27 percent.

  16. 16.

    NotMax

    Actually heard a designated spokesliar say, on camera, that Trump was not singling out or addressing Lewis directly.

    When it was raining integrity these people were standing outside holding a sieve.

  17. 17.

    Baud

    On #MLKDay, you can visit all national parks, wildlife refuges & public lands for free. RT to spread the word!

    Jesus. Trumpn hasn’t been sworn in yet, and the Russians have already taken over our national parks.

    @rikyrah: Morning.

  19. 19.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    Something has been bugging me about Trump – something distinctly abnormal (I know, I know, but this is a different one).

    He appears to have no actual joy in anything other than viewing his reflection in the mirror. No actual hobbies or interests seem to bring him genuine pleasure. He doesn’t seem to be an actual sports fan; while knowing some athletes, those relations appear to be superficial and intended to promote image. He golfs, and while I understand that he’s not bad, that was a skill gained over time and probably a metric fuckton of coaching – it appears not to be a joy, but once again, a way to measure his dick. His family relationships are bizarre, and appear to exude no warmth – his affection for Ivanka doesn’t seem so much warm as it appears lecherous, given his body language and her awkwardness. He likes being seen in tuxedoes and celeb events and expensive clubs and restaurants, but isn’t a “foodie”. He isn’t well read, nor does he appear to travel for the adventure or experience. He serves no one. His stated charitable interests (if he bothered to follow through on any of them and wasn’t grifting off of donated funds) are all over the map – there is no focus. So many of his business interests are unfocused as well – Trump Steaks, Trump Vodka, Trump Wines, Trump Air, Trump University – I ask “why?”

    With other wealthy men, there is a focus. Bill Gates had a laser like focus on his company and his charitable work is also similarly focused around broad themes, plus, he has a stable family and some balance. Richard Branson cornered the market on adventure. Zuckerberg seems to stay in good shape and is generally fairly quiet, he seems about as normal as some tech dork can be. George Soros wants everybody to participate and vote, and seems to be a good egg. Even the Kochs have a life focus – ruining everybody who isn’t named Koch and enriching their pretty solid portfolio of energy and manufacturing entities – but at least it is a focus.

    Not Trump. Unfocused. Undisciplined. No joy.

    He seems to be the movie plot poor man’s idea of what a rich man’s life would be like if he was zapped into a rich man’s body – aimlessly consuming and surrounding himself in gilt furniture while having no idea what to do next to enjoy life.

    Meanwhile, conservatism celebrates a guy like him, yet tends to reject a Gates or a Buffett or a Branson.

  26. 26.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Quinerly: Nice. When I went to Petrified Forest/Painted Desert I asked about permits for multi day hikes. The man looked at me like I had ostriches coming out of my ears. “You don’t need no stinking permits!” I asked about trails. “We don’t have no stinking trails!” Literally, go where ever you want, stay where ever you want, for as long as you want.

    Enjoy.

  27. 27.

    Quinerly

    @bystander:
    Yes, no problems. There are some restrictions about some trails in each park. We are staying in a dog friendly hotel/trading post in Cameron,AZ (Grand Canyon)last week in Feb. That way we can drive the South Rim on our own. (North Rim closed) We can make the stops on our own at the overlooks, leash required. Shuttles start 3/1. None of the lodges in the parks allow dogs. We travel a lot so the back of the Ford Escape is set up as a giant traveling dog bed. We are staying a week in Kabab, UT after we leave the Grand Canyon. Anybody live there/near there and want to meet for coffee,etc? Also, several nights in Bluff,UT for the Monument Valley portion of the trip. Anybody in or near that village of 300?❤

  29. 29.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @MomSense:

    He’s dumb as a fucking post, but being born to money has obscured that. His persona is one that could only come about from a combination of stupidity, emotional/social disorders and the kind of money that would enable a stupid, pathologically selfish and narcissistic son to surround himself with “yes” men and enablers who constantly reassure him on his brilliance.

    Had Fred Trump been an average man, Donald would have gotten the shit kicked out of him in high school enough times to dampen the pride and would have gone on to the lucrative career of “buy here pay here” car sales.

  30. 30.

    ThresherK

    @Quinerly: Wow! Sounds wonderful and I’m totes jelly (/youth vernacular).

    My only trip to any of the Western parks was XC skiing in Yellowstone, and I’ve been extolling people to visit it in winter ever since.

  31. 31.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Vo Ban Tam, a Viet Cong veteran, remembers the first time he crossed paths with John Kerry on the banks on the Bay Hap river, a day that ended in bloodshed.

    Almost half century later, the Mekong delta shrimp farmer, now 70, has locked eyes with the US secretary of state as they warmly grasped hands in mutual respect.

    I wonder where the not so swift “Boat Veterans for Truth” are now?

  32. 32.

    Quinerly

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    I, too, read that about the Petrified Forest. Very dog friendly on those trails. Kinda shocked me. We are staying the night in the dog friendly Wig Wam Motel (Holbrook)…concrete tee pees built in the 1930’s. Move on to Winslow for my birthday treat to myself…the dog friendly FDR room at the La Posada (an old Fred Harvey Hotel)…dinner at The Turquoise Room and birthday pictures at “Standing on the Corner Park.” Our friend, Red, will be looking after my kitties in Soulard for the 6 weeks we are gone.❤

  35. 35.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @amk:

    That is his sole focus – image.

    He isn’t even focused on great experiences or surroundings – look at his tacky taste in furnishing, look at his restaurant menus and food preferences. It is all about the show.

    Hell, even those creepy cheesecake photos he posed Ivanka for when she was a middle teen tell you something – those were deliberate, and were supposed to support his mental self image if always being with an attractive young woman.*

    *I noticed in a recent side photo, though, that she is taking on the beginnings of the Trump wattle, which she’s going to need to address.

  38. 38.

    Quinerly

    @ThresherK:
    For the last 6 Februarys,I have rented a house for the month in Santa Fe. Used it as a base to explore NM. This year we (Poco and I…he was consulted?) decided to mix it up a bit. Three nights with friends in Cerrillos, NM, two nights in Abiquiu, NM, and a week in Albuquerque before we start heading to AZ and Utah. Since it’s just the dog and me (single, 55 year old woman),I tend to research these trips for about 6 months. ? Love meeting friends and making connections along the way. Pipe in if anyone is on my route. I’m particularly excited about the back roads I’m taking through Hopi Lands after I leave Winslow and head to the Grand Canyon.❤

  39. 39.

    satby

    @Raven: yeah, mission accomplished for the Swift Boat liars. And they were perfectly aware they were lying too. We’ve been in the grip of false news for way longer than just the last few years.

  43. 43.

    trnc

    @fuckwit: Everyone keeps saying this election and transition are full of firsts. No reason we can’t start to rethink some of our positions on things that might create headaches for the PESO.

  44. 44.

    Quinerly

    @satby:
    I seem to recall. Think he/she lives near Santa Fe. Maybe Gallisteo? That’s actually near Cerrillos/Madrid. I know someone who comments regularly lives near there. Just can’t recall the nym.

  48. 48.

    Zinsky

    Trump and his reptilian father have had long histories of racist actions and comments. Let’s use MLK Day to remind everyone what a disgusting, perverted lying racist that the rubes elected. Not. Normal.

  49. 49.

    Elizabelle

    @Quinerly: Was going to recommend La Posada. Very dog friendly. My pup was allowed to hang out while I lunched in the Martini Bar a few years ago.

    I recommend two nights there, with the superb food and art. An affordable luxury. Read a book. Watch some trains. Drink the rich Turquoise Room coffee. (High test; watch out.)

  52. 52.

    Quinerly

    @satby:
    I like to do these big trips off season. Good deals (the place in Cameron we are staying for the Grand Canyon portion) is almost 1/2 price with rates changing 3/1. Plus don’t have to worry about the heat for 70lb Poco. He’s getting some age on him and loves to snuggle down in his traveling bed.

  54. 54.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Quinerly: My little sis was a teacher in Sanders AZ until she got brain cancer (she beat it) Went there for a week with my sons and little brother, then brought her and her hubby back. I told her I wanted to see someplace on the map (a NP) and someplace off the map (something only a local would know) Could have gone to Grand Canyon for a day but I knew that would be nowhere near long enough and figured I’d be back some day. Saw PF/PR (spent a day hiking in the desert), Canyon de Chelly (which is beyond cool), and Black Creek canyon which is a 200′ deep gash in a juniper covered plateau one could not find if you didn’t have a satellite. That place was so beautiful and completely empty of people not related to me. 20 years later and I still haven’t seen the Grand Canyon.

    I am hoping I can see Red this Saturday when I go up for the March. I tried calling her a while back and we spoke briefly, I was supposed to call her back and it didn’t happen due to coicumstances I was a victim of.

  56. 56.

    Quinerly

    @satby:
    It looks like a hoot. It was part of a chain and the ones in Holbrook are some of the last ones. Check out the Wiki page. I think the claim to recent fame for the one in Holbrook is Oprah stayed there a few years back.

  61. 61.

    Quinerly

    @Barbara:
    I’m stoked. Worry a bit about weather but the trade offs for the dog being in car are worth it…plus less tourists. Poco has a heating pad. We are also sleeping in the car nights in Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Goblin Valley State Park (I’m totally enchanted by the name), and Canyonlands. Sleeping bag…plus I suspect Poco, the traveling dog, will snuggle in.

  62. 62.

    Quinerly

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    I’m saving Canyon de Chelly for another trip. Couldn’t pull dog friendly sleeping accommodations together. Nothing was within my budget and the campgrounds near by, quite frankly, looked scary for car camping…read about packs of feral dogs. Will you hit the Venice to catch Red? She started a mosaic bathroom project here and has been in and out. (I just got back from NC and she looked after the kitties while I was gone). Bathroom project will be underway while I’m out west.

  63. 63.

    Quinerly

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    @54…I have a group of friends getting together for the March here in St. Louis. Want to hook up with our group? Think we are doing an early breakfast at South City Diner.

  64. 64.

    Waldo

    Some people are calling this an unforced error on Trump’s part. Can’t argue with the error part, but there’s definitely something compelling him to keep sh1tting himself in public like this.

  65. 65.

    Quinerly

    @Barbara:
    Love La Fonda. I always have lunch there my first day in Santa Fe. I like to think it sets the tone for my entire stay. Actually, reading “Over the Edge: Fred Harvey at the Grand Canyon and in the Great SW” as part of my research for this trip. He actually started in St. Louis but little is made of him here.

  66. 66.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas:

    Fred Palmer is an unlikely dissident. As a senior vice president of Peabody Energy, he worked the corridors of power on behalf of the world’s largest coal company. Now his former employer is in bankruptcy and Palmer feels betrayed — not by the legal system or any of the bureaucrats he used to lobby, but by Peabody’s own management.

    Palmer retired in 2014 after running Peabody’s government relations for 13 years. The stock he accumulated during those years would be worthless under a reorganization plan that Peabody submitted last month. He also benefits from a supplemental pension plan that Peabody wants to cancel, making him an unsecured creditor.

    I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, but my schaden is being severely freudened. These c0cksuckers have been doing this to working folks for decades and I’d lay 100-1 odds that Fred thought he was immune. Well, guess what Fred? You’re nothing but an investment that isn’t paying dividends anymore. You’re trash to be thrown out along with all the rest.

  67. 67.

    Quinerly

    @Elizabelle:
    We picked out the FDR room at La Posada..one night is all I can afford. The menus look great for The Turquoise Room. When I made my reservation in October for February, the girl was funny…She said, “Just one for dinner?” I told her yes, there were no problems, that it would be my birthday and I always travel alone with my dig on my birthday. She said she would make a note of that and they would have something special for me. Perks of traveling alone and in off season. Plus self serving statements on my part when making reservations.?

  68. 68.

    debbie

    @rikyrah:

    Remember how they insisted Roberts’ flubbing of the oath of office was sufficient to kick Obama out of office? The best thing about the next four years will be watching the GOP’s fight for legitimacy. (A battle lost before it even began.)

  69. 69.

    Kay

    John Lewis has information we don’t have, and he wasn’t the only member of the House who left that briefing shocked and horrified. If I were betting on which person has the appropriate take on what happened, Donald Trump or John Lewis, I’d take Lewis in a minute.

  71. 71.

    Quinerly

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    March is at 9, right? We were thinking around 7:30 for breakfast, I think. All in the planning stage. I’ll catch you on a morning thread this week with timing.

  72. 72.

    debbie

    @Quinerly:

    Lucky, lucky you! I have to content myself with buying an Ansel Adams calendar every year. The photos, even if I’ve seen them many, many times, are awesome.

  74. 74.

    Shalimar

    Trump visit to Smithsonian African American History Museum on MLK day is canceled.

    His advisors must have had the same dream that I had: the statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. falls over on Trump and crushes him to death.

  76. 76.

    Wag

    @Quinerly:

    Sounds like Colorado is on your route home. As huge a fan of the National Parks in red state Utah as I am, I hope that blue state Colorado gets some of your money as well. Great Sand Dunes NP, Black Canyon NP, Colorado NM, Dinosaur NP, and the queen of them all, Rocky Mountain NP, are all worth a visit as well.

  77. 77.

    debbie

    @Kay:

    Whatever was shared, it was enough to get the Republican head of the intelligence committee (Burr?) to agree to investigate the integrity of the election. Since he’d refused to go beyond a general investigation of hacking, the information must have been incendiary.

  82. 82.

    scottinnj

    @sukabi:

    Apparently there was a dumpster fire of a project in Atlanta – a Trump project.
    President-elect Donald Trump took to Twitter on Saturday with a pair of tweets slamming the Atlanta district represented by Rep. John Lewis as a “crime infested” are that is in “horrible shape and falling apart.”

    But it wasn’t so long ago that the New York Republican aimed to build a $300 million pair of high-rises in the heart of Lewis’ district. The once-planned Trump Towers project at 15th and West Peachtree streets in Midtown was announced with great fanfare, with Trump promising the glossy towers would leave a signature imprint on Midtown’s skyline.

    “It’s a great location in a great city,” he said in an August 2006 interview introducing the project. “I’ve loved Atlanta for years.”

    Like so many other ambitious projects, this one fizzled out during the Great Recession, and the 2.5 acre tract ended up in foreclosure.

    http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2017/01/15/that-time-trump-pitched-a-high-rise-in-john-lewis-district/

  83. 83.

    Kay

    @debbie:

    Well, I don’t know what it was but I’d wait to find out before judging John Lewis. He wasn’t the only one.

    People like Trump drive me crazy and I’ve encountered more than a few. Donald Trump has a bad reputation. There’s a reason for that. He lies a lot and he behaves like a spoiled toddler. John Lewis has a good reputation. There’s a reason for that, too. He’s earned it. Trump is angry that he doesn’t have credibility that he hasn’t earned.

    The idea that I’m supposed to judge each thing each person says in isolation is just wrong. That’s what “character” and “earning a good reputation” get you- they get you believed. I don’t have the information. Therefore, I’m faced with believing one of these two men. I then have to go to character and reputation and that’s easy- one has it and the other doesn’t.

  84. 84.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Shalimar: He hates Black people (except for a few lackeys) so why is he making a show of visiting the African American museum which condemns racists like him? Do Confederate sympathizers and KKK members not have museums which would welcome him?

    P.S. Talking about Black lackeys, I’m still in shock that Steve Harvey met with Trump on Friday. Apparently Trump has asked Harvey to help Dr. Carson with inner cities. What the hell qualifications does Harvey have to do that?

  85. 85.

    MomSense

    @debbie:

    Except Burr’s plan for the investigation is to keep all info and hearings secret. I think Burr is trying to cover up what went down.

  86. 86.

    Quinerly

    @Wag:
    I hit I 70 after leaving Arches/Moab and drive through CO. At that point it will be around 3/18 and I will have been away from home (St. Louis) since 2/8. CO exploration is for another trip, unfortunately. Trip was planned in July,well before the election. I’m thinking for safety’s sake I might need to remove my 5 very Liberal and very beloved bumper stickers for AZ and UTAH.

  87. 87.

    Peale

    @Kay: John Lewis has hung out with more Congressmen and Power Brokers over the years that their odd sexual proclivities probably don’t bother him much. golden showers and sex with prostitites isn’t what’s troubling, that’s for sure.

  88. 88.

    debbie

    @Kay:

    Living in NYC, I came across many guys like Trump. They never listen to you; they’re too busy determining and processing your reaction to what they’ve just said. It’s like talking to a wall.

    As to Trump’s inability to laugh, just watch Letterman’s interviews with him. He knows exactly where Letterman is heading with his line of questioning, and you can just about see the wheels spinning as he tries to figure out how to react.

  90. 90.

    Quinerly

    @debbie:
    Thanks for the kind words. I know it sounds weird to most but I love traveling our country alone with my dog. Meet people along the way who end up being lifelong friends. But do everything at my own weird, well thought through pace.

  91. 91.

    Betty Cracker

    There’s a trickle that may grow into a wave of Democrats announcing their intent to boycott the installation of Sunkist Stalin, led mostly by nonwhite and West Coast Dems. I hope it grows. There will be DINOs like Manchin who’ll break ranks, of course. But if the majority of Dem lawmakers refuse to participate in this charade, that’ll set the proper tone for the upcoming battle. John Lewis has another revolution in him.

  92. 92.

    SFAW

    @NickM:

    I don’t know how this was so overlooked.

    And what do you think would have happened, if it had NOT been overlooked? Oh, you think the electorate is rational?

    You know the old aphorism about a (male) politician being “found with a live boy or a dead girl”? Wouldn’t matter to the people who voted for it.

    Being caught in flagrante with Ivanka? “He’s just a loving father, who has a very close relationship with his daughter.”
    Strangling an eight-year-old boy on primetime TV? “Well, that kid must have done something REALLY bad!”

    And so on.

  93. 93.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Quinerly:

    I’m thinking for safety’s sake I might need to remove my 5 very Liberal and very beloved bumper stickers for AZ and UTAH.

    Nah. Plenty of liberals in both states and by then you will be well justified in pointing and laughing at anyone panhandling with their Trump hat held out.

  95. 95.

    Kay

    @Peale:

    I just hope we know more before the midterms. The worst part to me wasn’t the Russian government aiding Trump, it was the Russian government aiding GOP House candidates. Trump could be a one off or a fluke. House Republicans looks like a plan.

    There’s 3 branches of government. That’s two compromised and because federal judges are appointed it’s effectively all 3. We deserve to know more about this. It’s information we need and we need it relatively quickly.

    I’d actually like to see the focus of an investigation move off Trump and onto what happened in House races. The GOP candidates must have know this information about their opponents was coming out. Where did they think it was coming from? Did they know at the time?

  96. 96.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @NickM: @zhena gogolia:

    No laughter, no common bits of joy. No desire to connect or to help people improve their lives. He’s the ultimate Ayn Rand superhero.

    This isn’t just a condition – it is crippling pathology obscured by wealth.

    And conservatives elevated it.

    Berlusconi liked money, stuff and girls because he liked girls. It tripped him up, but I think he was really led by his dick as opposed to pathology. Trump doesn’t like girls so much as he likes the idea of having beautiful girls around to enhance his image. I’m trying to think of previous figures in history with this sort of personality, none of them good. Ceaucescu, the Kims (North Korean, not Kardashian). Caligula. Wilhelm.

  97. 97.

    JPL

    @Betty Cracker: He just tweeted that the democrats are just mad that the Obama democrats voted for him. Also cars must be made in the US. Are Rolls made in the US? hmmm I think that’s what he owns.

  99. 99.

    Wag

    @Quinerly:

    More for AZ than for UT. Most Mormons are pretty nice. Except around grand staircase and around blanding, so yeah, maybe you should remove those stickers…

  100. 100.

    SFAW

    @Kay:

    Although it’s a bit wordy, I can see

    “There are plenty of reasons why John Lewis has an excellent reputation.
    There are even more reasons why [TEFA]* has a terrible reputation”

    becoming a meme.

    *I refuse to grant that motherfucker the consideration/honor of using his name. Fuck ‘im.

  101. 101.

    geg6

    @debbie:

    That’s by Rick Sebak, a Pittsburgh film maker. He does wonderful films about Pittsburgh history and places for our local PBS station, WQED. Fred Rogers was one of his mentors and champions. His Pittsburgh history series is wonderful.

  102. 102.

    Quinerly

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    Ok, when my tires are slashed overnight as I sleep in my room at “The Recapture Lodge” in the village of Bluff,Utah (pop 300), I’ll remember your brave words. My favorite of my stickers is “The last time we mixed religion and politics, people got burned at the stake.”

  104. 104.

    Waldo

    @MomSense: I think at this point it’s less about covering up than covering ass. I suspect they know the sh1t is about to hit the fan — and more important, that we will all soon know what they knew and when. Burr ends up looking better launching a bipartisan investigation than he does ignoring a scandal that is going to break anyway.

  105. 105.

    Betty Cracker

    @debbie: I’m pretty sure they did attend, even though they were seething and plotting sabotage all the while. From what I understand, it would be unprecedented for a large group of lawmakers to refuse to attend. Well, this situation — the ascension of a deranged demagogue with the assistance of a hostile foreign power — is unprecedented and calls for a proportional response, IMO.

  106. 106.

    Barbara

    @JPL: Does he know that cars (and any other complex product) are made from constituent parts that come from all over the world?

  107. 107.

    debbie

    All of tonight’s 60 Minutes will be devoted to Obama. Assuming my television listings aren’t lying to me.

  108. 108.

    debbie

    @geg6:

    I recognize that name. He’s also done shows on best breakfasts, ice cream, etc. I can’t watch them because I get too hungry.

  109. 109.

    Quinerly

    @Wag:
    Blanding is near Bluff, where I’m staying at “The Recapture Lodge” (there’s some sort of famous Mormon story behind the name.) I’m really thinking the stickers should go. Don’t want the car vandalized in the middle of nowhere. Bluff does look like a sweet little village, though.

  111. 111.

    JPL

    @Barbara: No but neither does who ever is in charge of his phone. There was no mention of burning cities. The real donald trump would at least tweet about that failure Alec Baldwin, who belongs in jail.

  112. 112.

    Kay

    @SFAW:

    It drives me crazy how we’re supposed to take this legalistic view. People rely on reputation all the time, every day. They couldn’t function if they had to judge each claim and decision in isolation apart from prior experience. That’s what you get when you behave as Lewis does- that’s the reward. It has value, this thing he’s earned. He can call on it when he needs it. Donald Trump doesn’t have it so he can’t.

  113. 113.

    Kay

    @SFAW:

    I keep hearing Mr. Khan “you have sacrificed nothing”. I haven’t sacrificed anything either, but I’m not running around attacking people who have. These are basic character attributes and norms of behavior that Donald Trump just doesn’t have. It would be one thing if he didn’t have them and shut the hell up about it, but he can’t even do that. He’s insisting he get something he hasn’t earned. He can’t have it.

  120. 120.

    Quinerly

    @Wag:
    I actually had that place listed in my notes. The lodge owners seem really nice. They were very interested in the fact that I was traveling alone with a dog (Poco) named after a band they had heard of and liked. Also, wanted to let me know everything closes early so if I’m arriving after 7pm eat before I get to town or they could have a warm meal for me. Staying there 4 nights.

  121. 121.

    Elizabelle

    @rikyrah: I love your expression “receipts collected.” You’ve used it a lot.

    Does it have a backstory?

    And, yeah, the American public has a longer memory than our spiffy “objective” press, who spin out the “narratives.”

  124. 124.

    rikyrah

    @Kay: there is a tweet where Maxine Waters saying that Comey was not worth a damn. Her voice, the tone of her voice, her facial expression, and corresponding hand gestures….

    I wanna know what he said in that meeting with the Democrats.

  125. 125.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Quinerly:

    when my tires are slashed overnight

    Heh. I never removed my Obama bumper stickers from my vehicles. After the election I was getting gas at a station in Bourbon and a couple passing thru commented that I must be very brave having it on my truck (I guess they could tell I live out here). After the bullshit in Rosebud I put “Black Lives Matter” on my truck. A guy at Walmart started to warn me that this was the wrong place to express such a sentiment, realized I live here and said, “Never mind.” (I actually expected to lose some glass over that, but I never did) First thing I did post election was put “Got Vaseline?” on the back. Nobody has ever said a word to me.

    I also have “Matthew 6: 5-6” on the back. I’ve had lot’s of people ask me what it means (especially those who know my atheism) and I always reply, “If you don’t know, the message is not for you.” The Evangelicals for whom the message is directed at, they never say a word. Hell, it’s their holy book. What can they say?

    Matthew 6:5-6
    5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
    6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

  127. 127.

    SFAW

    @Elizabelle:

    I’ve used it enough, and translated it enough, and you’re here enough, that I thought it was — although not as omnipresent as Shitgibbon — at least a known thing. Obviously I was wrong, my apologies.

    TEFA = That Evil Fucking Asshole
    [I had considered “TELFA” by adding “Lying” to the mix, but I didn’t want to get in trouble with Kendall/Tyco/Covidien]

  129. 129.

    geg6

    @debbie:

    He does those to sell to PBS stations nationally so that he can pay to do the Pittsburgh History Series, which makes money here but doesn’t have the interest nationally. The Pittsburgh shows are very, very good and I love them. I have the DVDs of several favorites and framed autographed posters from my two favorites, Holy Pittsburgh, about the beautiful ethnic churches here (some no longer in existence) and The Strip Show about the city’s Strip District.

  130. 130.

    pluky

    @debbie: At some point the Republicans realized that it is in their interest to be aware of what the Russian’s have on Trump before (not if) it becomes public.

  131. 131.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Kay:

    I haven’t sacrificed anything either,

    Yes you have Kay, in fact most people have. But some have sacrificed more than others, and still others have had to sacrifice more than any person should ever have to.

    Trump is in that very tiny minority who has never had to.

  134. 134.

    rikyrah

    @Elizabelle:
    We have the late Whitney Houston to thank for it.
    During her infamous interview with Diane Sawyer where she denies being a crackhead,she got belligerent…

    “I’m paying for crack….where are the receipts?”

    The obviousness of her lying about it….a meme was born that lasts to this day.

  140. 140.

    Gvg

    @Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: Actually Trump does seem to have a hobby. Collecting pictures of himself on the covers of magazines. Interviews with him going back to the 70’s have background shots of his walls of pictures. It sometimes gets pointed out that he may have more than one copy of the same cover presumably if there aren’t enough to cover the wall. It’s also been noticed that not all of the headlines or stories are flattering. Some are quite unflattering, but he puts them up anyway.
    I have the impression he has more than one of these walls in multiple offices but I am not sure. It’s definitely something he has done for a long time.
    Obviously it’s narcissistic, but it also reminds me of children who want attention and don’t care if it’s good or bad. I don’t have a name for the hobby but President sure has potential for getting stories. We are going to have to talk about him but I wish magazines would put up other pictures like people impacted, instead of his picture since he seems to want that so bad.

  142. 142.

    Josie

    I was just skimming the posts at DKos and saw this one suggesting an interesting way to support John Lewis’ contention that our president elect is not legitimate.

  143. 143.

    mai naem mobile

    I don’t know what people are doing here but my plan is to avoid all coverage of the inauguration. Period. Not even sure I’ll go onto anything beyond BJ. Anyhow, as a PSA, if others are doing that don’t forget to cancel your dvr recordings because they count whether you watch or not. I was going to cancel Colbert and Joy Reids show over next weekend,Seth Meyers and the Daily Show on Fri and Mon. I only record LOD on MSNBC anymore anyway but Lumpy only understands ratings as do the TV execs.

  144. 144.

    SFAW

    @Gvg:

    Interviews with him going back to the 70’s have background shots of his walls of pictures.

    What about the painting of him with Jesus, with Jesus’s arm around him (or whatever it was)?

    Oh, wait, isn’t that his HUD secretary? You know, that world-reclowned expert whose main qualification is that he’s blah? What was his name again? I’m sure it will come to me. Dr. NPD Carson, was it?

  145. 145.

    AliceBlue

    I found out yesterday that John Lewis will be speaking at my little alma mater–LaGrange College in LaGrange, GA–on January 26. I’ll be there!

  146. 146.

    evodevo

    @OzarkHillbilly: Yes. This. It also shuts up my fundie co-workers. Amazing that having you quote their holy book back at them is the ultimate show-stopper. I also quote the “no divorce, ever” verse, too (Matt.19:9). That one is quite effective, in that ALL of them have been divorced at least once, while little me, the atheist, is still married to the first husband….LOL

  148. 148.

    Elizabelle

    @mai naem mobile: I think January 20th should be Pets of Balloon Juice Day. Roll out a fresh pet every 90 minutes or so.

    Orange tabbies? Come on down. Orange grifters? We could not be less interested.

  149. 149.

    SFAW

    @evodevo:

    while little me, the atheist, is still married to the first husband

    You may believe that, but your “marriage” is illegitimate, because you are not married “in the eyes of God.”

    That goes for me, too, by the way. Of course, were others to refer to my kids as “those little bastards,” it might get tense.

  150. 150.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Elizabelle: I seem to be particularly fond of Matthew. The Bible has long been on my “to-read” list, but as of now I just know a few cites and I will never know it like the Evangelicals do. I keep my mother’s bible, not sure why. I’m pretty sure atheism infected her before she died.

  151. 151.

    debbie

    @evodevo:

    Amazing that having you quote their holy book back at them is the ultimate show-stopper.

    Similarly, my Hassidic-converted nephew grits his teeth whenever I quote Hillel the Elder (thanks, satsby!) at him: What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary.

  153. 153.

    Doug R

    @Quinerly: Williams is a little over an hour drive from the south rim. It has a lot of cheap motels from its Route 66 heyday, or at least it did 22 years ago.

  154. 154.

    Kay

    I wonder if Trump will get pushback from the anti-environmental part of his agenda. College educated Republicans here are ashamed of the GOP position on that. They like to think of themselves as lovers of the outdoors. It’s so funny what gets to them- they’re bitter and ungenerous as hell about poor kids getting health care but start talking about ground water contamination and they get very broad-minded, fast. I wonder if it’s just property value. They all backed megafarms until they realized no one was buying a piece of ground downwind of one. They can hire private security and use private schools but they can’t buy groundwater or air that’s over or under property they own.

  155. 155.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @evodevo: I was accosted by an Evangelical in front of the STL Planned Parenthood once. She came up to me and asked if I had been saved then without waiting for a reply said, “Jesus Christ said…” I cut her off saying, “Jesus said a lot of things, but he never said he was Christ.”

    Shut her up more thoroughly than a gag.

  156. 156.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @SFAW: Which God? I was married in the eyes of Janus, who “is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, doorways, passages, and endings.”

  157. 157.

    glory b

    @geg6: I love them too! “Wylie Avenue Days” (August Wilson’s turf) FTW!

    Seriously though, I know this was done with Chris Moore, who also works for the local PBS station. I’m feeling like it might give some clues for how black folks may have to deal with the next four years.

  158. 158.

    Quinerly

    @Doug R:
    I looked into Williams but was taken with this place in Cameron since I’m coming in that way from Tuba City. It’s a 100 year old trading post with restaurant and hotel near the Desert View entrance (South East entrance). People were really nice when I called to chat about dog policy and if they thought I would be ok on those back roads out of Winslow through Hopi Lands. I know some tribal lands/pueblos aren’t really dog friendly re traveling dogs…even when out on a leash for a pee stop. They were very helpful. It worked out to $79 a night with AARP discount and dog fee.

  161. 161.

    Quinerly

    @piratedan:
    Thanks for the tip! Just bookmarked the website. Looks awesome. Any restaurant suggestions? I’m a bit of a foodie on these trips. Need a dinner suggestion for Holbrook. Don’t do chains.

  162. 162.

    Suzanne

    @Quinerly: There’s a skyspace by James Turrell in northern AZ, too. A different kind of experience than the others you’ve listed, but worthwhile.

  163. 163.

    Elizabelle

    @Quinerly: There’s a pretty good steakhouse very close to the Wigwam. Has cowboy silhouettes and Western scenes painted on the building.

    Have stayed at the Wigwam. It’s cozy. Plus, dinosaur statues in town. And some very good cafes with good coffee. Joe and Aggie’s came highly recommended. Did not blow me away, but the essence of local.

  164. 164.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    @Gvg:

    I comfort myself in the absolute knowledge that if some of us survive his presidency, his name will be more of an epithet or something scatological.

    Think Vidkun Quisling, Benedict Arnold territory.

    Maybe when we have to eliminate beside a broken road as we shamble along in search of food, we can call it “taking a Trump”.

    History will NOT be kind.

  166. 166.

    Patricia Kayden

    @rikyrah: That’s exactly what I said to Hubby when he called me to gloat about Harvey’s meeting with Trump. The Black women who made him famous aren’t going to be okaying with him fraternizing with an anti-Black, sexist bigot. He’s going to learn that really fast.

  167. 167.

    Mike J

    @Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes:

    Even the Kochs have a life focus – ruining everybody who isn’t named Koch and enriching their pretty solid portfolio of energy and manufacturing entities – but at least it is a focus.

    One of them was involved in America’s Cup racing back when they still used real boats. Of course he tried to cheat at that too, but you did know he was interested in something that wasn’t him.

  169. 169.

    HeleninEire

    @JPL: OK the “who belongs in jail” made me spit my drink. Cuz it’s so spot on. Its funny cuz it’s true!!

  170. 170.

    piratedan

    @Quinerly: Mesa Restaurant on the drag outside of town had a solid menu and the food was good. Not diner stuff, Was in Holbrook not too long ago thanks to the local community college sponsored bike ride through the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest National Park. Spouse rode, I spent money at Jim Gray’s :-) It’s quite pretty up there but be prepared, Northern Arizona still gets plenty of winter and I 40 can be subject to white-outs if the weather gets bad. IMO, Meteor Crater is also worth a visit, yes it’s touristy, but nothing like additional humbling perspectives in scope like seeing a preserved hole in the ground that lists just how tenuous our grasp on this planet can be :-)

  173. 173.

    ThresherK

    @Elizabelle: I gave up the Catholic church as a teen and even I remember that “don’t brag about your praying, do it in private” bit.

    Hey, if it sticks with an agnostic like me, I figure it to be one of the better Bible passages.

  174. 174.

    Elizabelle

    @Quinerly: yes, thats the name, but the recent reviews warn away from the steakhouse. Quirky decor, but expensive and bad food. I think it was the only thing open when we rolled into town a few years ago.

    Joe and Aggie’s is open until 9 pm. Closed Sundays.

  175. 175.

    Dog Mom

    @Patricia Kayden @rikyrah – I’m guessing he was pulled in to be the Television Ready frontman to make up for Carson’s ‘low energy’.

  177. 177.

    Quinerly

    @piratedan:
    Yep on the weather. I have traveled Northern NM in February for years. Dicey times in Raton, NM and around Chama, NM one year. Just take it slow and easy in the 4 wheel drive Escape. Beautiful snowfall at sunrise last year at Shiprock…only person for miles. I’ll be cutting out of Winslow heading north on those back roads to Tuba City and eventually Cameron AZ on 2/23. Fingers crossed and have back up plans. Have the crater on my list. Thanks for the Mesa Restaurant suggestion.

  178. 178.

    StringOnAStick

    @Quinerly: I’m from the same general area and gone to many of the places on your list, and at the same time of year as you are going (excellent choice on timing!). Just keep in touch with the local weather forecasts; one of the coldest nights I’ve spent outside was in Canyonlands. On a clear sky night the radiant heat loss leads to temperature swings that can be stunning. So nice during the day, and bone chilling at night. Not always; the watchword is “highly variable”.

  179. 179.

    Ella in New Mexico

    @Barbara: I’m waaay down south from Q’s trip-like five hours one way.

    New Mexico is chock full of beautiful places, almost all of which are pet friendly. White Sands National Monument is Doggie Heaven, should anyone get a chance to head this way.

  180. 180.

    Quinerly

    @StringOnAStick:
    The sleeping in the car at Canyonlands has me on alert. Sleeping bag in car rated for 0 degrees plus snuggly Poco the dog. I’m there night of 3/16 after I leave Bluff. Fingers crossed.

  181. 181.

    J R in WV

    @Quinerly:

    Strongly recommend Chaco Canyon National Historic Monument, it’s a shallow, wide canyon with near vertical walls, multiple large stone city/cathedral structures with hundreds of rooms, giant Kivas and ritual burials of holy shamans buried with literaly tens of thousands of pieces of turquiose. Archeological wonderland. One “Pueblo Bonito” is kept somewhat restored, others have been excavated, explored, and reburied to protect them from weathering.

    It’s south of Farmington NM and not near anything. There is a campground, and a dirt road access that takes an hour or more to drive as it’s a little rough. We spent a long day there, but you could spend a week without running out of places to see and trails to walk. There is literally a ceremonial stairway cut in the stone wall of the canyon, and long straight “roads” cut on the mesas above the canyon. Much not understood or only hypothesized about the “cities” with hundreds of rooms which they now think had only a few dozen permanent residents, as there were only a handful of cooking hearths.

    Now scientists are leaning towards this whole valley being ceremonial in nature, like an Anasazi “vatican city” of sorts.

  182. 182.

    StringOnAStick

    @Quinerly: Sadly, I must agree on removing the stickers. You’re a woman traveling alone and some of the people who will take great offense at those stickers are (1) not rational about it plus hopped up on hate, and (2) armed. I did years of fieldwork as a geologist in these and similar areas, and not giving them an opening to instantly hate you is a very good idea.

  183. 183.

    Quinerly

    @Ella in New Mexico:
    Did White Sands with Poco on his first trip out there in 2015. (Had to put Leo, the original traveling dog, to sleep the first week of the 2014 trip..unknown tumor on his spleen that ruptured in Santa Fe). Poco loved White Sands. We also spent 3 nights in Cloudcroft, NM for the village’s Mardi Gras celebration. I think we were the only out of towners and did make the local news. Love your state. I feel like I have made friends all over it.?

  184. 184.

    Quinerly

    @StringOnAStick:
    I’m definitely leaning that way. I wish there was something out there I could just cover them with. It’s not so much AZ and Utah. It’s getting through Oklahoma going (Motel 6 in Elk City) and Kansas coming back. Thanks for the “vote.”

  185. 185.

    Suzanne

    So I just read that Jennifer Holliday backed out of performing at the inaugurination, but that Tiffany Trump will perform “I’m Like A Bird” instead. Anyone else seeing this?

    These people are grifters that put the Palins to shame.

  187. 187.

    J R in WV

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    My parents were always skeptics, Dad and atheist and Mom an agnostic most of their lives. As Mom proceeded to die from COPD from Pall Mall cigs, she got more and more an atheist, and secretly confessed to me that she had stopped voting Republican when the Rs became anti-abortion, which was a deal breaker for her. S she canceled out Dad’s vote for years “But don’t you tell him!”

    After Mom died, Dad’s strict skeptical atheism began to wane towards agnosticism, because he missed Mom so much, and hoped a little to join her in some kind of afterlife, perhaps. They were both good people, worked hard to help others all their lives, and move their community forward in many ways.

    But I thought their shifts as they neared death were interesting.

    And Matthew 6:5-6 is one of my favorite verses too. I should get a sticker for that. Hypocrisy gives me a burn, and the evangelicals are so full of that. Prosperity Gospel, too, as if Jesus wanted everyone to be rich…!

  188. 188.

    Yarrow

    @Suzanne: I googled it but it mostly looks like non-news sites. Does she even sing? If it’s true, I hope whoever owns the rights to the song charges them a fortune for her to be able to sing it.

    By accident I saw a few minutes of Entertainment Tonight on Friday night. There was a piece on the inauguration performers and at that time Jennifer Holliday was still singing. They had an upbeat, excited look at “all the big names” that were performing–Lee Greenwood, 3 Doors Down, Toby Keith, Jennifer Holliday, Jackie, Evancho, The Rockettes, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was kind of jarring because of that group, only Toby Keith and Jennifer Holliday could arguably be considered “big names ” And including The Mormon Tabernacle Choir just cracked me up. How many times have they been mentioned on a show that makes their coin promoting the Kardashians and other tabloid trash? I hope they’re loving that.

  190. 190.

    Quinerly

    @J R in WV:
    Chaco is on the list for another trip (along with Bisti/De na zi) I keep trying to fit it in but I’m thinking a Fall trip, with perhaps a companion. Loved 4 Corners area last year in February but didn’t allow myself enough time. If anyone ever wants an off the beaten path experience, take back roads from Shiprock south, through Gallup and wind up in El Morro/Ramah, NM. There’s a cool campground with cabins and a wonderful restaurant called “Ancient Way Cafe.” High end, gourmet food on the weekends cooked by the boys from Zuni Mountain Sanctuary. There’s a wolf sanctuary near by in the village of Candy Kitchen, NM. Google and check out Zuni Mt Sanctuary (interesting history…commune) and Ancient Way Cafe. What a gem in the middle of nowhere.

  191. 191.

    Yarrow

    @Quinerly: I’d say remove the stickers. It’ll give you a chance to put on new ones once you’re home. If you want to cover them maybe you could pick up some bumper stickers along the way. Kind of a reminder of where you’ve been on your trip.

  195. 195.

    geg6

    @glory b:

    Fences, too. And I sure hope people pick up the book Hidden Figures, which gives a more thorough treatment of Jim Crow and sexism than the wonderful film can or does. We need to see how to fight back, not just in large demonstrations or with celebrity spokespeople, but in our lives every day. And understand that this is an old fight. The shitgibbon is simply the newest iteration of the oldest problem in this nation: racist, bigoted, sexist white male authoritarians. The fight goes on and the dream never dies. We must always keep that in mind.

  196. 196.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @J R in WV: My father was a believer till his last coherent thought. It was hard listening to him pray for Jesus to come and take him. Ma…. Ma always had a strong streak of independent thinking in her. She was born a Southern Baptist, converted to Catholicism when she married Pop, and over the years she slowly drifted away. At the end, I asked her if she wanted a priest for last rites, and she very firmly answered, “No.” I don’t know she had embraced atheism, but I do know she had ejected the middleman from her relationship to whatever God she may have favored.

  197. 197.

    SFAW

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:

    I think living out Penthouse letters to the editor is Trump’s focus in life.

    “Dear Penthouse –
    I never thought it would happen to me, but I need to tell you about the time Russia and the Republicans stole the election for me and I became President-elect*! It all started when I was talking to my girlfriend, Ivanka (not her real name!) while she was taking a bath …

    blah blah blah
    blah blah blah
    blah blah blah

    “Anyway, to make a long story short, now I get to fuck the country — except for the billionaires like me, and BELIEVE ME, I’m a billionaire! For reals! — every single day! It’s like a dream come true!

    “I’m wondering if any other readers have had similar experiences. (Well, except for hanging out with Ivanka when she’s taking a bath, of course.)

    “Sincerely,
    The Smartest Guy in the World (Believe me!)”

  198. 198.

    J R in WV

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Oh, man, that had to be hard to be there listening to that.

    Your Mom sounds like my Dad, just didn’t need that middleman at all. My Mom had no truck with the whole scene, life was wonderful for her, she didn’t need anything else extra.

    WV is kind of BibleBelt, but you will see guys waiting in their truck outside the church for services to be over, to drive Mom or wife back home after. So more variation than lots of places. Not many MegaChurches, very little Prosperity Gospel.

    Funny story, good friend, Vet Dr, college professor in epidemiology, joined local Episcopal church, got the call, went to theological seminary, ordained a priest, doing very well, really hard work when you do it right.

    She was flying somewhere, and got seated beside an evangelical preacher, so there was some shop talk. The whole system is so different. She’s an employee of the Episcopal Diocese, health care insurance, salary, pension, supervision, duties, it’s a job with a church to run. The evangelical preacher asks her “So, what’s you take?” as in “how much of the Sunday collection is yours” to take home. She was astounded! I was not.

    No respect for that. Plenty for her, doing a hard job.

  199. 199.

    SgrAstar

    @Quinerly: As a regular visitor to NM, you’ve prolly been to the Valles Caldera National Preserve…if not, I strongly recommend it. One of the most beautiful places in the world. Your trip sounds so fun!

  200. 200.

    Ella in New Mexico

    @Quinerly: my oldest spent a few years after graduating from college in temp jobs doing wildlife research for various universities, non-profits and Federal agencies all over the “Red West”. Rural places in Arizona, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Colorado. His last few years have been spent in the field in super conservative areas of New Mexico.

    The locals knew he was doing “green” stuff. A few times he was in his 12 year-old Toyota Corolla hippie-car covered in pro-environment and liberal bumper stickers. After hed get to his base destination he usually drove a Forest Service or rental truck, and had a badge identifying his organization hanging around his neck. Clipboard and recoding devices in hand, he had to use the free wifi in local coffee shops or libraries to upload his reports.

    When he could have him for the job, his friendly little Corgi-rescue he found in a remote area of the Rossevelt National Park was always at his side as his ambassador. He’s a pretty friendly, calm and unassuming person, enjoyed getting to know the locals and exploring the communities he visited so he was always striking up conversations about their experiences.

    He never encountered a threatening or intimidating local ever. Worst he ever got were a couple of some sarcastic comments, but otherwise people were polite, helpful, respectful and friendly.

    Don’t worry about those bumper stickers. ?

  201. 201.

    gene108

    @J R in WV:

    There is literally a ceremonial stairway cut in the stone wall of the canyon,

    More like a ladder. The “stairs” have almost a 90 degree incline, from what I recall.

  202. 202.

    Quinerly

    @Ella in New Mexico:
    My only fear is the car would be vandalized while in a remote location. Same car, same stickers for years on my NM rambles and never a problem. We are living in such strange times right now. I just drove to and from my birth state of NC. More Confederate Battle Flags than when I made the trip in September. I don’t think I saw a single bumper sticker on the total 2000 mile plus trip except for Confederate flags and Trump stickers. Did have a guy start to berate me at a gas stop in Kentucky. I just opened the door and Poco jumped out. The jerk shut up mid sentence.

  204. 204.

    Quinerly

    @Origuy:
    Mesa Verde is on the list for another trip. I’m thinking an extended one month stay 4 Corners area with Chaco, Bisti, Canyon de Chelly…a Fall trip probably. I tried to fit Canyon de Chelly and Mesa Verde on this trip but it came down to weather, $, and doggie accommodations. Loved the 2 days I had in the 4 Corners area last January. Definitely going back.

  205. 205.

    Yarrow

    @Quinerly: Wanted to add that in general I don’t think having those bumper stickers would be too big of a deal even in the areas you’re going. But we are in turbulent times and you are departing shorting after the inauguration of Trump. We don’t really know what will happen so not drawing too much attention to yourself in an area away from home and when you’ll be on your own is probably not a bad idea. If you choose to leave them on, keep all that in mind and an eye on the news for anything that might impact your trip or the people around you.

  208. 208.

    SgrAstar

    @Quinerly: I fully agree with String on a Stick’s views about the bumper stickers. I live in Salt Lake and have plenty of experience with Red Utah. The antipathy for any kind of liberal is off the charts. As has been said here, these people are angry, and they’re armed.

  209. 209.

    hovercraft

    The depth of rot in this person will never be fully revealed, like “peak wing nut” it is bottomless. My mother asked yesterday why they are able to stop him from going after Michelle, and to some extent Obama since the election, but he can’t be stopped from going after this man. John Lewis is universally acknowledged as a hero, at least publicly. I’m sure that Bannon and many of the economically anxious people who voted for the shitgibbon, privately still think that MLK and John Lewis were racial agitators, but in public they all now pretend to have always been his biggest fans. There are moments when they cannot help themselves, like the people @lahm posted about, where they’ve changed MLK day to something less black.

    It’s eating him alive that John Lewis is more admired and respected than he will ever be. He may have 45 after his name, but as many of his 44 predecessors have shown, that is no guarantee of acclaim, right now he is fighting to ensure he does not end up on top of the list for worst ever, and that’s before he is even sworn in.

  210. 210.

    Quinerly

    @SgrAstar:
    Thanks. Staying a week in Kanab. Looks like an interesting town. Been there? Thoughts? I got a better deal on a rental that was dog friendly than anything I could find in St. George.

  211. 211.

    Cowgirl in the Sandi

    @Quinerly:

    Also near Farmingham, and not near anything is Bisti Badlands – an amazing wilderness full of strange land forms and very few people (6 the day we were there). Fabulous hiking and awesome in the true sense of the word. We stayed in Farmingham at Mom & Pop’s RV park a couple years ago when we took a 2 year trip around the country in our Airstream. New Mexico was amazing!!

    The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is a 45,000-acre wilderness area located in San Juan County in the U.S. state of New Mexico.
    New Mexico Bisti Badlands/

  212. 212.

    Ella in New Mexico

    @Quinerly: The places you’ve listed as destinations are pretty used to having people from all over traveling thru, and there’s more of a live-and-let-live attitude in most of the more touristedareas out here, for the most part (The Bundy shit was a total anomaly).

    While I do agree with others that the timing of your trip so close to the Trump transition might mean a few people are more touchy than usual, I doubt it’ll be much of a deal at all. Don’t worry, enjoy your road trip!!

  214. 214.

    Ella in New Mexico

    @SgrAstar: Really? I’ve always found SL’ers to be pretty nice. Maybe being a visitor is different than living and working alongside people-they let their hair down more.

  216. 216.

    NMgal

    @Quinerly: If you’re in for a fall trip to Chaco, consider going for the equinox. They let you in early so you can see the sunrise alignment at Casa Rinconada. But make campground reservations in advance, as going for the equinoxes and solstices has become quite a thing. Also if you’re there on a night when there is a “star party,” it’s well worth going — rich person has sited a very nice telescope there that you can look through, and the outdoor lecture beforehand (usually by the venerable Ranger G. B. Cornucopia) is great.

    Chaco Canyon is one of the most fascinating places I’ve ever been. Spent a week there a few years ago doing every major hike. Highly recommended.

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