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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Wednesday Evening Open Thread: “I Don’t Try to Predict the Future, I Try to Prevent It” (R. Bradbury)

Wednesday Evening Open Thread: “I Don’t Try to Predict the Future, I Try to Prevent It” (R. Bradbury)

by Anne Laurie|  January 18, 20176:55 pm| 48 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Republican Venality, All we want is life beyond the thunderdome, Bitter Despair is the New Black

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Yep. pic.twitter.com/pPzKY5Wvhr

— Clarahhj (@clarahjorth) December 19, 2016


.

So many falling anvils, so few anvil-rated shelters — and that’s just in my small personal circle.

I’m stockpiling non-inauguration-related stories for Friday, in the cynical expectation that they’ll be preempted by breaking news.

***********

Apart from the slow-rolling tshit tsunami, what’s on the agenda for the evening?

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Previous Post: « Don’t Know Much About History
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Reader Interactions

48Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    January 18, 2017 at 6:57 pm

    tshit tsunami,

    Is that the Russian spelling?

  2. 2.

    Major Major Major Major

    January 18, 2017 at 6:58 pm

    I’m stockpiling non-inauguration-related stories for Friday, in the cynical expectation that they’ll be preempted by breaking news.

    I’ll be here reading the running commentary by whoever decides to watch, myself.

  3. 3.

    Baud

    January 18, 2017 at 7:01 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Preview of commentary

    I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.

  4. 4.

    Yarrow

    January 18, 2017 at 7:05 pm

    Some things to look forward to:

    No tweets about "Intelligence" from The Don since word leaked of IC task force on his ass since the spring.

    Talk about ruining the party.
    — John Schindler (@20committee) January 18, 2017

    Also, when full Trump+RIS story comes out, FBI, esp NYFO, has a scandal on its hands that'll make Whitey Bulger look like a routine error.— John Schindler (@20committee) January 18, 2017

  5. 5.

    Major Major Major Major

    January 18, 2017 at 7:07 pm

    @efgoldman:

    That’s what all the sports and high-numbered cable channels are for.

    …providing running commentary on the inauguration?

  6. 6.

    p.a.

    January 18, 2017 at 7:08 pm

    tRump’s strongest supporters disappointed: rain precludes the torchlight parade. Hard to find brown raingear. Sad!

    John Lewis misspoke: he’s never missed a majority president’s inauguration.

  7. 7.

    NotMax

    January 18, 2017 at 7:09 pm

    May smash the Guinness book record for most flags per square foot simultaneously displayed.

  8. 8.

    OzarkHillbilly

    January 18, 2017 at 7:12 pm

    Dinner. The wife i cooking tonite because today I had to do plumbing.

  9. 9.

    OzarkHillbilly

    January 18, 2017 at 7:15 pm

    @NotMax: More flags than ticket holders?

  10. 10.

    Feebog

    January 18, 2017 at 7:18 pm

    Since we are out here on the left coast, plan on sleeping in, going out to breakfast, then taking the Mrs. to a movie of her choice. Not going tp watch Cheeto Benito get sworn in, although I may leave the TV on some obscure channel to do my part in driving down the ratings.

  11. 11.

    Yarrow

    January 18, 2017 at 7:19 pm

    @NotMax: Russian flags? Soviet?

  12. 12.

    Mike in NC

    January 18, 2017 at 7:20 pm

    @p.a.: Just over a year ago we toured the remains of the Nuremberg stadium in the rain, so I have a feeling for what will be happening in DC on Friday.

  13. 13.

    Hal

    January 18, 2017 at 7:21 pm

    Facebook friends once again complaining about how stupid it is to protest Trump. That’s not going to change the election results!

    People voted for a flaming back of dog shit and now they’re pissed everyone doesn’t love the idea of a rancid turd running the country.

  14. 14.

    Mnemosyne

    January 18, 2017 at 7:23 pm

    @Yarrow:

    Man, I hope that second tweet is true. So, so much.

    Also, you will be happy to know that you successfully shamed me into buying a pink thermal t-shirt to wear to Disneyland on Saturday. (Thermal because, just like DC, we’re expecting rain on Saturday.)

  15. 15.

    JordanRules

    January 18, 2017 at 7:24 pm

    I don’t know what I’m doing Friday, but I know what I won’t be doing. Maybe I’ll start Happy Hour super early.

    Nice, funny take from Elle on NFLTG Rep Waters. Hilarious! I love her, she reminds me so much of one of my aunties.

  16. 16.

    Truegster

    January 18, 2017 at 7:24 pm

    I helped crash W Bush’s Inauguration in D.C. it was awesome. We were shoulder to shoulder and when some Bushite would say something positive about him, even in a whisper, we would all loudly mock whatever they said as a crowd. It was like a million Bush hecklers in an outdoor bar, proudly making fun of anyone there showing him any respect at all. I just can’t watch this one, but I would love to crash it in person.

  17. 17.

    sloan

    January 18, 2017 at 7:26 pm

    Inauguration game!

    Who will be the first wingnut to wildly inflate the attendance number, complete with fake photos?

    My guess is Gateway Pundit.

    Bonus points if he uses a pic from Obama’s inauguration.

  18. 18.

    Mary G

    January 18, 2017 at 7:29 pm

    @sloan: Uday or Qusay will probably show a music festival in Hungary or something.

  19. 19.

    hedgehog mobile

    January 18, 2017 at 7:29 pm

    I’ll be at work but the Trumpette in my office will make sure there’s a TV on in one of the conference rooms. Fortunately I can avoid it. Also plan to wear black.

  20. 20.

    chopper

    January 18, 2017 at 7:32 pm

    @sloan:

    I’m surprised people aren’t already passing pics of O’s inauguration off as trump’s, two days before it happens.

  21. 21.

    Major Major Major Major

    January 18, 2017 at 7:33 pm

    @sloan: Hoft does seem likely, yes.

  22. 22.

    Chip Daniels

    January 18, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    I’m changing my Facebook pic to an upside down flag for the day.

  23. 23.

    Baud

    January 18, 2017 at 7:35 pm

    @sloan: It’ll be funny how the weather will change from rain to sun and back.

  24. 24.

    sab

    January 18, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    @Baud: There ain’t no Russian spelling cuz they don’t use our alphabet.

  25. 25.

    Yarrow

    January 18, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Good for you! A little subtle protesting is a good thing. I hope it helps keep you warm.

    Thought you’d appreciate these tweets:

    Devine (EDITED: WILMER's strategist) helped elect Putin puppet Yanukovych…who defeated rival aided by Axelrod (Obama campaign guru) @ChristinLuvsSno pic.twitter.com/fU57RelQVh— Adam Khan (@Khanoisseur) January 18, 2017

    Manafort and Devine backed Yanukovych, Axelrod backed Tymoshenko-get the pattern? @sassyteapot63 @ChristinLuvsSno https://t.co/ZegGwWXzyg— Adam Khan (@Khanoisseur) January 18, 2017

  26. 26.

    JustRuss

    January 18, 2017 at 7:38 pm

    I just picked up an awesome ugly sweater. I think Friday will be the perfect occasion for its debut.

  27. 27.

    Yarrow

    January 18, 2017 at 7:38 pm

    Okay that went to moderation. Editing:
    @Mnemosyne: Good for you! A little subtle protesting is a good thing. I hope it helps keep you warm.

    Thought you’d appreciate these tweets:

    Devine (EDITED: WILMER's strategist) helped elect Putin puppet Yanukovych…who defeated rival aided by Axelrod (Obama campaign guru) @ChristinLuvsSno pic.twitter.com/fU57RelQVh— Adam Khan (@Khanoisseur) January 18, 2017

    Next one in next comment.

  28. 28.

    Sab

    January 18, 2017 at 7:39 pm

    Not meaning to snark at Baud, who I do revere.

  29. 29.

    Yarrow

    January 18, 2017 at 7:39 pm

    And the follow up:

    Manafort and Devine backed Yanukovych, Axelrod backed Tymoshenko-get the pattern? @sassyteapot63 @ChristinLuvsSno https://t.co/ZegGwWXzyg— Adam Khan (@Khanoisseur) January 18, 2017

  30. 30.

    Major Major Major Major

    January 18, 2017 at 7:39 pm

    @Baud: Well, nobody really knows how weather works.

  31. 31.

    Mnemosyne

    January 18, 2017 at 7:40 pm

    @hedgehog mobile:

    Technically, I’ll be wearing black — that’s what color my Hillary t-shirt is. It’s the “pantsuit spectrum” one, so it should be subtle enough not to get me thrown out of Disneyland for making a political statement.

    (Since Orange County went for Hillary by a majority, I doubt any employees would throw me out on their own, but I don’t want them to have to do it because a Trump whiner throws a public tantrum and demands it.)

  32. 32.

    JustRuss

    January 18, 2017 at 7:40 pm

    @sab:

    There ain’t no Russian spelling cuz they don’t use our alphabet.

    Oh yes, “your” alphabet. For now, comrade. /putin

  33. 33.

    Baud

    January 18, 2017 at 7:40 pm

    @Sab:

    не беспокойся

  34. 34.

    Patricia Kayden

    January 18, 2017 at 7:40 pm

    @Hal: Your FB friends are going to have many fits then because there will be scores of anti-Trump protests for years to come. He is historically unpopular and will become even moreso after January 20th. His unfavorability ratings are already comparable to those of George W. Bush in 2008.

    Did your FB friends think that the vast majority of Americans who did not vote for Trump were going to just sit around twiddling our thumbs? The Tea Baggers certainly wasted no time in (unsuccessfully) trying to tear down President Obama.

  35. 35.

    hovercraft

    January 18, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    @Major Major Major Major:
    I will donate to the therapy fund ( alcohol or traditional therapy) for those who make this sacrifice. Nothing can induce me to watch, I will check in on BJ, and other safe places, to see how the dark ages were ushered back into this world.

  36. 36.

    SiubhanDuinne

    January 18, 2017 at 7:47 pm

    @hedgehog mobile:

    Also plan to wear black.

    Oh yeah. Head to toe.

  37. 37.

    Yarrow

    January 18, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    @hovercraft: I will not watch either. Going to be playing soothing music and working. I’ll check in to see if there’s been some kind of coup or other excitement. If that happened I might turn on the TV.

  38. 38.

    Jay Noble

    January 18, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    Wouldn’t it be great if immediately after the swearing-in, a nice FBI, or capitol policeman stepped forward and served him with subpoenas for all the various shenanigans he’s pulled?? Remember FISA handed out at least one warrant. Warrants lead to arrest and subpoenas don’t they? :-) Heck, Throw in an IRS agent while we’re at it.

  39. 39.

    Roger Moore

    January 18, 2017 at 7:50 pm

    @sloan:

    Who will be the first wingnut to wildly inflate the attendance number, complete with fake photos?

    Who will have the worst fake photos? I predict at least one wingnut will reuse photos from 8 years ago and forget that the weather was different.

  40. 40.

    Yoda Dog Democrat

    January 18, 2017 at 7:52 pm

    @Hal: No what is fucking stupid beyond comprehension is voting for someone who makes fun of disabled people, brags about his dick size in a presidential debate and tweets out his stupid fucking feelings about the fucking Twilight films at 3am in the morning.

    He is openly anti-american FFS. Who the fuck are these people and when, exactly, is it ok for me to protest according to them?!
    /rant

  41. 41.

    Yarrow

    January 18, 2017 at 7:52 pm

    @Roger Moore: Maybe they’ll photoshop in the rain. Also, the dumb move where they copy/paste the crowd over and over.

  42. 42.

    Mnemosyne

    January 18, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    @Chip Daniels:

    You should probably have the Wikipedia article handy that explains it’s a distress signal so you’re ready to counter the people who will claim it’s, like, totally disrespectful and proves you hate America.

  43. 43.

    M. Bouffant

    January 18, 2017 at 8:28 pm

    @efgoldman: There’s a picture of a Volkswagen/Porsche plant w/ the same missing symbol space on the wall of the factory.

  44. 44.

    Raoul

    January 18, 2017 at 9:27 pm

    what’s on the agenda for the evening?

    Well, I’m coughing and restless in the DT Philly Marriott, hoping I can get a better night’s sleep tonight than last (or the night before that, which was at home but also sucked). Traveling sick really, really sucks, though I did attend about 85% of the day’s conference content.

    If any BJers are at Creating Change, uhh, I’m not really sure how I’d know, but I can look back at this thread (if anyone else is still visiting it).

    Surrfel. Cough. Snort. … Second thought, you’d be nuts to be near me.

  45. 45.

    sloan

    January 18, 2017 at 9:29 pm

    @Roger Moore: Ha ha ha, yes! We were there and the first thing anyone who went mentions about that day is how it was SO DAMN COLD. Because omg it was cold. And you’re just sitting there for 6 hours freezing your butt off waiting for everything to happen.

  46. 46.

    Another Scott

    January 18, 2017 at 11:26 pm

    @sloan: You weren’t stuck in the Purple Tunnel of Doom, I guess? Those people must have been so upset. :-(

    Cheers,
    Scott.
    (Who watched it at home, but who had a friend with tickets.)

  47. 47.

    workworkwork

    January 19, 2017 at 8:50 am

    @Major Major Major Major: My wife and I are disconnecting from current events as much as possible on Friday. We’ll be watching movies and catching up on TV shows we missed.

  48. 48.

    Chris

    January 19, 2017 at 9:32 am

    @Hal:

    Facebook friends once again complaining about how stupid it is to protest Trump. That’s not going to change the election results!

    No more than stupid than voting for Trump. That’s not going to make America great again.

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