• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.

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

America is going up in flames. The NYTimes fawns over MAGA celebrities. No longer a real newspaper.

75% of people clapping liked the show!

I’m starting to think Jesus may have made a mistake saving people with no questions asked.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

There is no compromise when it comes to body autonomy. You either have it or you do not.

American history and black history cannot be separated.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

Welcome to day five of every-bit-as-bad-as-you-thought-it-would-be.

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

They are not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

Republicans in disarray!

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

The “burn-it-down” people are good with that until they become part of the kindling.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

A norm that restrains only one side really is not a norm – it is a trap.

Mobile Menu

  • Seattle Meet-up Post
  • 2025 Activism
  • Targeted Political Fundraising
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • 2025 Activism
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • Targeted Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Dolt 45 / Saturday Morning Open Thread: Happy Anticipation

Saturday Morning Open Thread: Happy Anticipation

by Anne Laurie|  October 28, 20176:09 am| 249 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Faunasphere, Open Threads, Republicans in Disarray!, Russiagate, Daydream Believers

FacebookTweetEmail

"Elephants stomping giant pumpkins and loving it" <- pumpkins get that big?!?! pic.twitter.com/wumTORiqUU

— Fluff Society (@FluffSociety) October 19, 2017


.

Apart from looking forward to new relevations, what’s on the agenda for the day?

***********

Top Trump loyalists — Stone, Gorka, Hannity — all melting down on Twitter

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 28, 2017

The best thing about when they announce an indictment target is going to be when Trump instantly ruins their defense on Twitter.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) October 28, 2017

I've been crunching numbers on scenarios and the one I like the best – not saying it is most likely – is conflict charges on Sessions.

— Al Giordano (@AlGiordano) October 28, 2017

I think the press and Comey assumed Clinton would win and were screwed, but I think Trump people assumed he'd lose and are screwed more.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) October 28, 2017

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Further Russiagate Open Thread: A Caution from Kindly Uncle Ben…
Next Post: College Football Open Thread »

Reader Interactions

249Comments

  1. 1.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    October 28, 2017 at 6:22 am

    I’m spending all weekend stocking up on popcorn before shortages hit during the week.

  2. 2.

    mike in dc

    October 28, 2017 at 6:23 am

    The list of all possible indictees is pretty extensive. The highest value targets below the giant orange numbskull are likely Sessions and Kushner. But if DJT is implicated in collusion/conspiracy, then it’s likely that Manafort, Flynn and others know enough to hang him.

  3. 3.

    rikyrah

    October 28, 2017 at 6:27 am

    Good Morning,Everyone ???

  4. 4.

    p.a.

    October 28, 2017 at 6:31 am

    Good morning. Trying to keep an even keel: I remember waiting for Fitzmas…

  5. 5.

    Betty Cracker

    October 28, 2017 at 6:40 am

    Wow, Legum wasn’t kidding about the overnight Trump-minion Twitter meltdown! If they know what’s good for them, Kelly and Ivanka will each have hold of a tiny thumb all weekend.

    I’ll stick to what I said last night: IMO, KFC and McDonald’s have a better chance of ending our Trump nightmare than Mueller. But I can easily envision Trump overreacting so wildly to a special counsel development that he blows his own administration up.

  6. 6.

    MomSense

    October 28, 2017 at 6:41 am

    I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. Has twitler started twooping yet?

  7. 7.

    rikyrah

    October 28, 2017 at 6:42 am

    @MomSense:
    We are waiting for Dolt45

  8. 8.

    raven

    October 28, 2017 at 6:42 am

    @Betty Cracker: Anything else going on today?

  9. 9.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 6:42 am

    World’s Largest Pumpkin 2017: Is This 2,222-Pound Gourd From Belgium Enough to Break the Record?

    A 1 ton + pumpkin. Jus sayin.

  10. 10.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    October 28, 2017 at 6:43 am

    @mike in dc: For a perjury charge for Sessions, I think they’d need a referral from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

  11. 11.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    October 28, 2017 at 6:45 am

    @Betty Cracker:

    he blows his own administration up.

    As long as that’s the only thing he blows up, I’m good.

  12. 12.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    October 28, 2017 at 6:45 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: That’ll make a whole lot of pumpkin pies.

  13. 13.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    October 28, 2017 at 6:48 am

    Jon Cooper‏ @joncoopertweets

    ???My prediction is @PaulManafort, @GenFlynn, @jaredkushner, @DonaldJTrumpJr and @realDonaldTrump will ALL be indicted in Mueller’s probe.

    2:07 PM – 23 Oct 2017

    1,183 replies 3,038 retweets 8,313 likes

    This was posted on Monday. He’s a Dem insider, mostly in finance. While he posts some snarky tweets, he has posted info that later comes to light.

    Then on Wednesday, CNN’s national security expert Juliette Kayyern said, “I think it is safe to say that before Thanksgiving … something’s going to drop with Mueller.” As someone who used to serve in Homeland Security, she is measured and reserved, but she has also posted info on the investigation that later comes to light

    There was another person, with long Washington contacts, who is careful about what he posts, who also stated during the week that indictments are near (only I can’t find his tweet, right now).

    When I came across this traffic, it told me that there is significant chatter on the grapevine. Then Drumpft/Fox launched their desperate kamikaze attacks on Mueller and Clinton and it all points to something big.

  14. 14.

    Betty Cracker

    October 28, 2017 at 6:52 am

    @raven: Only a football game that’s likely to have a depressing outcome, from my perspective. ;-)

  15. 15.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 6:52 am

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Or feed a whole lot of pigs.

  16. 16.

    raven

    October 28, 2017 at 6:53 am

    @Betty Cracker: You KNOW how paranoid we are around here.

    “14 Previous Georgia teams have been undefeated when they played Florida. Those teams compiled an 11-2-1 record against the Gators. However, the two losses were suffered by the two most recent undefeated Georgia teams to face Florida. The Gators took a 14-10 victory over 7-0 Georgia in 2005 and a 20-13 victory over 8-0 Georgia in 2002. In both cases, the Bulldogs rebounded to win the SEC championship. This year’s Georgia team has a 7-0 record heading into Saturday’s game against Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.”

  17. 17.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 6:55 am

    @Betty Cracker: I feel the same way, and my alma mater plays Kentucky!

  18. 18.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 6:57 am

    @Betty Cracker: More depressing than a Mizzou football game?

  19. 19.

    MomSense

    October 28, 2017 at 7:02 am

    The Roger Stone and Sean Hannity twitter meltdowns were delicious. Wonder how many in trump’s circle were furiously googling obstruction of justice last night.

  20. 20.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 7:05 am

    Hoping that this is good news about the beginning of (hopefully) an end to the Traitor in Chief.
    I was supposed to be selling at the Farmer’s market this morning, but after getting up at 4:30, loading four totes of product, and hanging out for an hour, I didn’t get in via the lottery. So I am home and pissed off about all that, mainly because all sorts of new people have shown up to sell baked goods (every farmers market needs 10 bakery outlets selling the exact same stuff, right?) for the Christmas season.

    Why yes, I am a bit bitter, I worked 6 days a week all summer to secure a place during this season. Didn’t get a lease either, though they promised I would in January. When it won’t matter.

  21. 21.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 7:07 am

    And keeping good thoughts for ef, hoping we hear today he’s doing better.

  22. 22.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 7:08 am

    @satby: That must be so frustrating…

  23. 23.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    October 28, 2017 at 7:08 am

    Jake Tapper @jaketapper

    Boy it’s almost as if some people knew this was coming so they tried to pour chum in the water to make it dank and murky

    1,282 replies 11,182 retweets 33,505 likes

    Someone inside the Justice Dept is tipping off Drumpf of secret grand jury proceedings. So much rot.

  24. 24.

    Raven

    October 28, 2017 at 7:13 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: they have a shot against U Conn

  25. 25.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 7:16 am

    @rikyrah: Good morning.

  26. 26.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    October 28, 2017 at 7:17 am

    See P Aytch‏ @CadiChieftain 9:10 PM

    My phone is blowing the fuck UP.

    0 replies 0 retweets 2 likes

    wine-stained lens‏ @winestainedlens

    There’s a big flatscreen in our sub lobby that’s always tuned to @CNN A crowd has already gathered.

    7 replies 20 retweets 137 likes

    As Biden would say, this is a big fucking deal

  27. 27.

    mike in dc

    October 28, 2017 at 7:18 am

    Which would be the best “shocker” indictment–Mike Pence, or Ivanka?

  28. 28.

    Betty Cracker

    October 28, 2017 at 7:18 am

    @raven: I’m surprised the Gators are only a two-touchdown underdog, TBH. We truly suck this year. I’m expecting an embarrassing blow-out.

  29. 29.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 7:18 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Thanks, Jake. Maybe you can advise your media buddies not to fall for it this time.

  30. 30.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 7:20 am

    @eclare: it was. A lot of vendors who have been there all summer didn’t get it because of new people who just showed up in the last 2-3 weeks. I’m not going to obsess, but I also am not going to waste my time on Saturdays anymore until after January. I can still sell there during the week. But I was kind of counting on a good day today ?

  31. 31.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 7:22 am

    @Baud: I know, right?

    @rikyrah: Good morning ?

  32. 32.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 7:23 am

    @satby: Personal connections to get spots?

  33. 33.

    Raven

    October 28, 2017 at 7:25 am

    @Betty Cracker: I sorta like Shark guy but this is weird

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Calling his actions uncharacteristic, Florida coach Jim McElwain said Wednesday he was wrong to bring up death threats that “happened in the past.”

    McElwain provided some insight into the threats while expressing remorse for the firestorm he caused and all those it affected.

    “It’s just something that came up and obviously was on my mind,” he said following practice. “It doesn’t make it right. It doesn’t make it right to air that laundry.”

  34. 34.

    Lapassionara

    October 28, 2017 at 7:32 am

    @p.a.: same here. I am leery of the leaked information, and wondering who benefits from it.

    The good news for me is that I am not in the US, so I am not as engrossed in the horror stories unfolding.

  35. 35.

    PPCLI

    October 28, 2017 at 7:32 am

    I have a question I hope somebody here can answer, concerning the empty Uranium 1 “scandal”. Even after the sale is concluded, the administration retains the authority to require that Uranium 1 sell the rights if it is judged to be a matter of national security, isn’t that so?

    If so, then The first question that should be asked to any Republican who brings up the so-called “scandal “ is: “if this is such a serious matter, is the Trump administration going to require uranium one to sell back the mining rights?” And if the answer is no-as it surely will be-the next question should be “why not?”

    This puts me in mind of the scene from Breaker Morant, where Morant’s successor Is accusing Morant of unethical practices. The brilliant defense attorney’s has the good sense to ask him “Did you discontinue the practice?” “Well, no…”

  36. 36.

    Betty Cracker

    October 28, 2017 at 7:35 am

    @Raven: I thought it was kind of whiny. All public figures get death threats from Twitter crackpots! I like McElwain, though, and I hope he gets a chance to rebuild the team. I believe he is capable.

  37. 37.

    NotMax

    October 28, 2017 at 7:37 am

    FYI.

    Bangladesh is planning to introduce voluntary sterilisation in its overcrowded Rohingya camps, where nearly a million refugees are fighting for space, after efforts to encourage birth control failed.
    [snip]
    Bhattacharjee said large families were the norm in the camps, where some parents had up to 19 children and many Rohingya men have more than one wife.

    District family planning authorities have launched a drive to provide contraception, but say they have so far managed to distribute just 549 packets of condoms among the refugees, who are reluctant to use them.

    They have asked the government to approve a plan to launch vasectomies for Rohingya men and tubectomies for women, Bhattacharjee told AFP.
    [snip]
    Bangladesh has for years run a successful domestic sterilization program, offering 2,300 taka ($28) and a traditional lungi garment to each man who agrees to undergo the procedure.

    Every month 250 people undergo sterilization in the border town of Cox’s Bazar.

    But performing the permanent procedure on non-Bangladeshi nationals requires final approval from a committee headed by the health minister.

    The idea is particularly contentious given the sensitivity of the issue in Myanmar. The widespread perception that the Rohingya population is mushrooming is a key source of the tensions that have spiralled in recent months. Source

  38. 38.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 7:37 am

    @eclare: they do a tiered priority lottery for vendors without leases: farm produce first, food next, then everything else. So by the time all the new cookie bakers got booths, the spaces were all gone.
    They were in the process of throwing one out as I was leaving though, they hadn’t labelled the cookies with the ingredients. Pure amateur hour, that violates laws. Hell, I put my ingredients on my soap and no one is ingesting that.

  39. 39.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 7:37 am

    On Tuesday AM I got up and noticed that our cat (Miss Kitty Stormborn, the Unburnt, Breaker of Chains and Killer of Copperheads) stopped eating and began acting wholly un-Miss Kitty (not coming to complain “Where’s my food???!!???” when I feed the dog, not laying on my desk when I am reading the AM news, not laying on top of Mama OHB’s knitting when Mama OHB is knitting, not getting underneath our feet when we are on the stairs, not complaining about anything ever least of all at 2 AM, but instead being quiet as a mouse and hiding in darkened corners) By Wednesday eve she still wasn’t eating and was still hiding so we decided I would take her to the vet on Thursday. An hour and a half before the appt I started looking for her, and.could.not.find.her. Anywhere. Tore the house apart looking in every nook and cranny I could find. No Miss Kitty. Called her over and over. No response. Not surprising, she barely tolerates my existence even tho I’m the one who feeds her. It’s like she has a grudge against me. Probably does. I’m the one who always takes her to the vet. Anyway, she really does favor my wife. I figured when the Mrs got home she’d be able to find her, if she was still alive.

    Sure enough when she got home my wife starts calling and Miss Kitty answers from a corner of my wife’s closet (where I had looked) buried underneath several items of stuff (that I had not dug deep enuf into) So I went outside and got the dog crate and brought it into the house, lined it with a blanket and covered it with a couple drop cloths and we put her in there for the night with some soft food and water and a small litter box (not gonna have to search for her again!). She ate a little bit (!!!!!) and curled up in a corner and not a peep was heard from her again. When I got up yestermorn she was still alive and again ate a little soft food (!!!!!) and disappeared into the darkest corner of the crate. During the day (appt @ 4:30) I would come into the house every now and again and she might peep a little but most times not and if I checked on her she would just listlessly look up at me.

    Put her into her kitty carrier and she complained the whole way as usual, giving me glares of contemptuous rage. At the vet, nonstop complaining. With the vet, completely normal Miss Kitty behavior with constant complaining and threatening “I know where you sleep” glares directed my way as the vet puts her thru the usual indignities. Diagnosis? A little weight loss but otherwise all normal. Maybe she ate something that disagreed with her. A shot of antibiotics, some pills to enhance her appetite and we were homeward bound with with constant threats against my person all the way home.

    Get home and all is normal again (at present snuggled up in bed with Mama and the Woofmeister). I think she just needed a reminder of why she loathes me so.

  40. 40.

    geg6

    October 28, 2017 at 7:40 am

    So glad I stocked up on wine yesterday. I have a feeling I’ll need it to tamp down the anticipation. If it’s really good news, I still have the bottle of champagne I had bought to celebrate the first female POTUS.

  41. 41.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 7:41 am

    @Raven: Yeah. Against anyone in the SEC? Only in hell.

  42. 42.

    MomSense

    October 28, 2017 at 7:45 am

    @satby:

    Yes, thinking of ef to the g and his family.

  43. 43.

    NotMax

    October 28, 2017 at 7:45 am

    Disgusting is far too mild a word.

    Braden Matejka survived a bullet to the head in the Las Vegas massacre. Then, the death threats started coming.

    “You are a lying piece of shit and I hope someone truly shoots you in the head,” a commenter wrote to Matejka on Facebook, one week after a gunman killed 58 people and injured hundreds more. “Your soul is disgusting and dark! You will pay for the consequences!” said another. A Facebook meme quickly spread with a photo of him after the shooting, captioned: “I’m a lying cunt!”

    The 30-year-old victim – who narrowly escaped death in the worst mass shooting in modern US history – has faced a torrent of online abuse and harassment, forcing him to shut down his social media accounts and disappear from the internet. The bullying, taunting and graphic threats have also spread to his family and friends.
    [snip]
    Conspiracy theorists – some of whom claim that the government staged the shooting on 1 October or that the tragedy was a hoax – have targeted survivors and victims’ loved ones, spamming every social media platform with misinformation and abuse. On Facebook and YouTube in particular, users have published viral posts and videos calling people like Braden “crisis actors”, alleging they were hired to pose as victims. Source

  44. 44.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 7:47 am

    @satby: That’s awful, they should have some sort of rule for no more than three types of food booths, so only three bakeries.

  45. 45.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 7:52 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: They are our feline overlords…although my current one is fairly benevolent.

  46. 46.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 7:53 am

    @satby: A couple weeks of having to sell their foodstuffs at half price just so they don’t have to bring it back home because there is too much competition should thin their ranks.

  47. 47.

    Cheryl Rofer

    October 28, 2017 at 7:54 am

    @PPCLI: Here’s an article on the process. Not sure if it answers your question.

  48. 48.

    MomSense

    October 28, 2017 at 7:54 am

    @satby:

    I’m sorry. Is it not possible for that market to expand? Are there any natural food markets you could go to and sell your products? At our market and co-op they let new vendors set up a table to build a client base. One dollop of your moisture cream and you would gain a customer. The other thing that is popular is baby products. Sell two packs of soaps and creams. One unscented for baby and Mom/Dad picks the scent s/he likes.

  49. 49.

    evap

    October 28, 2017 at 7:56 am

    I’m with p.a. I remember Fitzmas and how excited we are were to find out who was going down. In the end it was a big meh-burger. So I’m trying not to get my hopes up.

  50. 50.

    NotMax

    October 28, 2017 at 7:56 am

    On a more uplifting note –

    An 85-year-old Canadian woman who survived the Hiroshima atomic bombing and will jointly accept this year’s Nobel Peace Prize is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to show his leadership and humanity by signing onto a UN accord to ban nuclear weapons. Source

  51. 51.

    Ohio Mom

    October 28, 2017 at 7:59 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: What do you even do with something like that once you get your blue ribbon? Chop it up with a chain saw? Isn’t it going to stink to high heaven once it starts disintegrating?

    It is a victimless crime but people sure do spend a lot of effort on ridiculous things.

  52. 52.

    Cheryl Rofer

    October 28, 2017 at 7:59 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Wednesday I picked up a decaying piece of bubble wrap in the yard when I was out with the cats. It shed tiny fragments once I got it into the house, but I quickly vacuumed them up, or so I thought. Thursday, Zooey barfed a bunch of them up. It looked like his digestive system had segregated them in the same way it does hairballs, and he’s been fine since. I did another cleanup and found a few more fragments. Cats are weird.

  53. 53.

    bemused

    October 28, 2017 at 8:00 am

    Re: the trump loyalist meltdowns including trump himself, such fragile little snowflakes, aren’t they?
    Birds of a feather.

  54. 54.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    October 28, 2017 at 8:02 am

    I think the press and Comey assumed Clinton would win and were screwed, but I think Trump people assumed he’d lose and are screwed more.

    It does seem the way with how the conservative like to fantasies Clinton is president.

  55. 55.

    Immanentize

    October 28, 2017 at 8:02 am

    @satby: Satby,. That sucks. Do they allow food sellers to sell stuff other than food? A mixed use booth? Could you bake some cookies and also sell soap?

  56. 56.

    germy

    October 28, 2017 at 8:03 am

    These twitter replies to shannity are priceless.

    Guess;Mueller and Media working hand in hand. Media to be tipped off. Mueller was FBI Director Who knew of Russian crimes before Uranium one— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) October 28, 2017

  57. 57.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 8:04 am

    @Ohio Mom: They, quite literally, feed it to the pigs.

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    Cats are weird.

    To say the least, but you know what’s weirder? Owners of cats.

  58. 58.

    Chyron HR

    October 28, 2017 at 8:06 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    See P Aytch‏ @CadiChieftain 9:10 PM
    My phone is blowing the fuck UP.
    0 replies 0 retweets 2 likes

    That’s why I only buy Apple.

  59. 59.

    Immanentize

    October 28, 2017 at 8:08 am

    I admit I have no excitement for the indictments. If it is a normal prosecution strategy, Mueller will first have to indict some lower rung losers to increase pressure up. And why did Boente suddenly decide to step down? Compromised? Caught leaking? Couldn’t stand the unethical stink anymore?
    At heart this will be a finance/money laundering prosecutions. So even foreign national might be the first to be indicted.

    There are too many moving pieces that I cannot be excited as it is like trying to guess who the Yankees manager will be in seven years.

  60. 60.

    Steeplejack

    October 28, 2017 at 8:08 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    Memorable Johnny Carson line: “I’m just stocking up before the hoarders get here.”

  61. 61.

    Barbara

    October 28, 2017 at 8:09 am

    @satby: Well that’s frustrating. As a customer I would be frustrated because I don’t buy baked goods at these markets unless they are unusual and even then not often, but I do look out for potential gifts of soap and small items. Our soap vendor gets so many orders he has to stop taking them by December 1.

  62. 62.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 8:11 am

    Tricia Campbell McAvoy, 67, has sunk her life savings into repairing her house in Brick, New Jersey, a town riven by waterways near the coast, about 60 miles south of New York City. Sandy brought 3ft of water into her house, forcing McAvoy and her son to flee in a truck and her husband to be rescued by kayak.

    McAvoy planted a sign reading “looters will be shot and thrown into the river” outside her house and set about trying to make it habitable again. But a series of misfortunes, bureaucratic dawdling by local, state and federal officials and a botched elevation of the house by a rogue contractor mean she still lives with her 100-year-old father in his small, box-filled apartment. Her husband passed away shortly after the storm.

    “The storm is the easy part – restoring your home and your life is the challenge,” she said, surveying the detritus inside a house that has been unhabitable since 2012. McAvoy has had two stokes, takes around a dozen pills a day and, like Willis, doesn’t like returning to her wrecked home. She shakes and weeps as she surveys it.

    “Life was good before this,” she said. “I had a beautiful life, I had a husband. So many people around here have become sick and died because of the stress of this storm.”

    Brick’s wealthier neighbor of the east, the town of Mantoloking, is attempting to make nature bend to its will. Sandy caused damage to almost every one of the 524 houses in the seaside town, perched on a narrow barrier island that has a bay on one side and the Atlantic on the other. Around 60 homes were utterly destroyed.

    In order to get flood insurance and to avoid a similar fate, multi-million dollar homes have been elevated by up to 14ft. Visitors have to scan upwards to find vertiginous front doors. Diggers are working to mould sand dredged from the seabed into protective beach dunes that will reach 22ft. To the south, in Seaside Heights, a rollercoaster that was washed out into the sea by Sandy has a gleaming new replacement, also placed on a short pier overhanging the waves.

    “We are at risk, there’s no doubt about it, but people hope they will lift their home and survive it, for now,” said Lance White, president of New Jersey’s Mantoloking council. “People here love the ocean, they love the beach. This is where they want to stay. But at some point we will be underwater.”

    2 sides of the same flood coin. Those with money, and those just trying to hang on.

  63. 63.

    PPCLI

    October 28, 2017 at 8:12 am

    @Cheryl Rofer: Thanks! I saw that article, and came away with a strong impression that the administration retains the authority to unfold the deal, but there was some unclarity in my mind.

  64. 64.

    Comrade Nimrod Humperdink

    October 28, 2017 at 8:16 am

    I confess to being a little excited. I can’t get too hopeful because the post-Watergate track record on this sort of stuff is abysmal, but a little piece of me holds out hope that this time at least SOME of the crooks will in fact go to jail.

  65. 65.

    Barbara

    October 28, 2017 at 8:17 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: When the rich catch a cold the poor get pneumonia.

  66. 66.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 8:30 am

    I think it’s Flynn. I still can’t believe these crooks won chanting “lock her up”.

  67. 67.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 8:35 am

    When I found out I was pregnant again, I was happy. I wanted another child. But that happiness was wound with worry from the beginning: I was anxious about whether I could manage two children, about whether or not I would be able to be a good parent to both my children equally, whether the thick love I felt for my daughter would blanket my other child as well. And I was dreading pregnancy, the weeks of daily migraines, of random aches and pains.

    As the months progressed, I developed gestational diabetes, and agonised over the prospect of another premature birth. I wanted my second child to have the time in the womb my first didn’t. I wanted to give the second the safety and time my body failed to give the first. I also underwent an entire battery of tests for genetic abnormalities. A bonus of one of the tests was that I would learn the sex of the child I was carrying. When the nurse called to deliver my test results, I was nervous. When she told me I was having a boy, my stomach turned to stone inside me and sank. “Oh God,” I thought, “I’m going to bear a black boy into the world.” I faked joy to the white nurse and dropped the phone after the call ended. Then I cried.

    I cried because the first thing I thought of when the nurse told me I would have a son was my dead brother. He died 17 years ago this year, but his leaving feels as fresh as if he were killed just a month ago by a drunk driver who would never be charged. Fresh as my grief, which walks with me like one of my children. It is ever-present, silent-footed. Sometimes, it surprises me. Like when I realise part of me is still waiting for my brother to return. Or when I realise how fiercely I ache to see him again, to see his dark eyes and his thin mouth and his even shoulders, to feel his rough palms or his buttery scalp or his downy cheeks. To hear him speak and laugh.

    I looked at the phone on the floor and thought of the little boy swimming inside me and of the young men I know from my small community in DeLisle, Mississippi, who have died young. There are so many. Many are from my extended family. They drown or are shot or run over by cars. Too many, one after another. A cousin here, a great-grandfather there. Some died before they were even old enough legally to buy alcohol. Some died before they could even vote. The pain of their absence walks with their loved ones beneath the humid Mississippi sky, the bowing pines, the reaching oak. We walk hand in hand in the American South: phantom children, ghostly siblings, spectre friends.

    As the months passed, I couldn’t sleep. I lay awake at nights, worrying over the world I was bearing my son into. A procession of dead black men circled my bed. Philando Castile was shot and killed while his girlfriend and daughter were in the car. Alton Sterling was killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the police who shot him were never held accountable for his murder, for shooting and killing the man who smiles in blurry pictures, for letting him bleed out in front of a convenience store. Eric Garner choked against the press of the forearm at his throat. “I can’t breathe,” he said. “I can’t breathe.”

    My son had never taken a breath, and I was already mourning him.

    -Jesmyn Ward

    If you read nothing else today, read this.

  68. 68.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 8:38 am

    Neera Tanden ??‏Verified account
    So clearly target is in crosshairs, alerted Trumpsville, right wing media & Trump engineered mass diversion &main stream media fell for it.

    They have to do something about this- I don’t know what you do- an editorial meeting, some kind of seminar? They have to stop doing this as a profession. It’s harmful. It does real damage.

  69. 69.

    Steeplejack

    October 28, 2017 at 8:41 am

    @Immanentize:

    Former DOJ spokesman Matthew Miller said on one of the MSNBC shows last night that he thought Boente was forced out. Boente supposedly had been talking to someone just a few days ago about how much he liked his job.

  70. 70.

    Comrade Nimrod Humperdink

    October 28, 2017 at 8:43 am

    @Kay: It’d require a change in incentives. Right now they operate more or less like an elementary school recess soccer game: everyone chases the ball. And it gets clicks/reads, whatever. Either that will have to become less profitable, or the penalties for getting it wrong will have to be amped up.

  71. 71.

    Honus

    October 28, 2017 at 8:49 am

    @Betty Cracker: yeah, because death threats to a coach, his wife and children, and teenage players by middle aged southern men OVER A DAMN FOOTBALL GAME are such an insignificant thing.

    And McIlwaine even said “they knew what they signed up for”

  72. 72.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 8:50 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Powerful, thanks.

  73. 73.

    gene108

    October 28, 2017 at 8:50 am

    @NotMax:

    introduce voluntary sterilisation in its overcrowded Rohingya camps, where nearly a million refugees are fighting for space, after efforts to encourage birth control failed.

    We freaked the fuck out as a country over 50,000 kids seeking refuge here a couple of years ago.

    If a million refugees showed up in our country, we would do something very drastic, such as invade the country they are fleeing from and impose a new order, or stick them in internment camps splitting up families, or so militarize our border no one can cross.

  74. 74.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 8:52 am

    @Comrade Nimrod Humperdink:

    There’s always a “first person” so it can be traced- in this instance it would be the individual who first recycled the “news” that Democrats were among the serial funders of the dossier because that was deliberately recycled at a specific time. Identifiable individuals start these things- it’s not a mystery. Ask that person why they are performing this other duty – this misdirection- in the course of their employment.

  75. 75.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 8:54 am

    @Kay: I hope Hillary visits them in prison.

  76. 76.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 8:56 am

    Surprise surprise surprise!

    POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. • The NAIA has agreed to move its Division II men’s basketball tournament from a private Missouri college because of the school’s stance on the national anthem.

    The Springfield News-Leader reports that the College of the Ozarks asked for the tournament to be moved because the NAIA had refused its request to require players to stand during the national anthem and would not plan a forum to discuss the issue before the tournament began.

    The Christian school announced in September that its athletes would walk away from any contest if the opposing team didn’t stand for the national anthem or disrespected the American flag.

    College President Jerry Davis said Friday that NAIA officials stated they didn’t want the college to host the tournament early next year if it wasn’t comfortable doing so. The NAIA thanked the college for being a host for 18 years, but said peaceful protest was an “indisputable right.”

    (that is the whole of the story, link provided just so people won’t think I’m making it up)

  77. 77.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 8:58 am

    @gene108:

    It’s funny how once the politically motivated demonization dies down the story completely and utterly disappears. Toledo has a Syrian community so took refugees. Not a word about them after Trump used them as political fodder, which I hope means they’re acclimating and doing okay. If people can just bear up for a week or two and stick to their position defending refugees the circus moves on to some other target.

  78. 78.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 9:01 am

    @Kay: I’m still waiting to die from Ebola.

  79. 79.

    gene108

    October 28, 2017 at 9:03 am

    @Kay: @Comrade Nimrod Humperdink:

    I think until proven otherwise, I just assume 90% of the MSM are Republican tools, who gladly want to slag Democrats.

    Whitewater, Hillary’s e-mails, Obama’s birth certificate, etc., it doesn’t matter what the right-wing fever swamp dredges up, the MSM has been dutifully passing it in without question, and time and time again these stories turn out false or not as damning as initial speculation makes them out to be.

    Since this has been going in for 25 years, at least, I just assume they are all in on the con and approve of it.

  80. 80.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:03 am

    @Baud:

    Flynn is really bad. Manafort is horrible but he’s a lobbyist and political consultant. Flynn was a general and he only retired in 2014. WTF buddy? He was like some undercover grifter while on the payroll. God knows how long he’s been running his private revolution from inside.

  81. 81.

    Immanentize

    October 28, 2017 at 9:03 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Of course the Christian College had to take this principled position. Y’know Jesus was such a Roman Patriot. Always saluting the legions, etc. “Blessed are the flag waivers and yellow ribbon car drivers.”. It’s right there in the Book of Adolf.

    ETA Maybe the College should have just been upfront about their motives: “We hate getting our asses kicked every year at home by teams with black players….”

  82. 82.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 9:06 am

    @gene108: Right. After they elected Trump, I’ve run out of any patience I might have had left. But what do we do about it given that we know too many of our potential voters but into it?

  83. 83.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:07 am

    @Baud:

    My middle son was at a bar in Toledo and a reporter came in to ask them about refugees. He’s not much of a talker so he didn’t join in but they took it as a joke. One of his co-workers said “the problem in Toledo is bedbugs- can you do anything about the bedbugs?” and then they all got off topic and related their bedbug experiences. This interview did not make the news.

  84. 84.

    Another Scott

    October 28, 2017 at 9:08 am

    @p.a.: Yeah, these things move slowly.

    Presumably Manafort will be first. After all, the FBI raided his home in the early morning in August. I don’t recall similar news about raids on Uday and Qusay and Javanka’s, etc., homes.

    Patience, everyone. We have to keep our eyes on the ball – Winning in Virginia and New Jersey, fighting their horrible budget and tax plans, fighting for DACA, getting real and effective federal policies and money to fight the opiate/opioid crisis, keeping Donnie from starting wars with DPRK and Iran, and all the rest.

    We shouldn’t get distracted by Mueller – he’s going to do what he needs to do on his own timeline.

    (And now on to read the rest of the comments…)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  85. 85.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 9:08 am

    @Kay: I don’t want to take bets on who is worse than whom?

  86. 86.

    Comrade Nimrod Humperdink

    October 28, 2017 at 9:08 am

    @Kay: It’s also been reported/speculated that Flynn offered to deal and Mueller’s team told him they didn’t need anything from him. Heh. You can assume what you want from that.

  87. 87.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 9:10 am

    @gene108: What are we going to do when Florida goes under?

  88. 88.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 9:14 am

    @Kay: If only they had linked bedbugs to Obama…

  89. 89.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:14 am

    @Comrade Nimrod Humperdink:

    Flynn’s like a cartoon character loose cannon. Kidnappings, executions- Jesus. What an ego. This delusional individual thinks it’s his SOLO job to run a secret foreign policy. Maybe we need to check these people earlier in their careers.

  90. 90.

    aimai

    October 28, 2017 at 9:15 am

    @rikyrah: so happy to see a smiling face!

  91. 91.

    Another Scott

    October 28, 2017 at 9:15 am

    @satby: Bummer. :-(

    We’re going on a short vacation that includes some day hiking through the Shenandoahs. When we get back, I’ll be sure to visit your Etsy store – it’s been a while!

    Hang in there. :-)

    Have a good weekend, everyone.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  92. 92.

    BigMouth

    October 28, 2017 at 9:16 am

    Good morning all! Anyone else playing the new Mario game this weekend?

  93. 93.

    mike in dc

    October 28, 2017 at 9:19 am

    Probably close to even money it’s Manafort. I think the NY AG will follow suit, to box him in. I also think that some of the charges will be from before Manafort became affiliated with the campaign. In theory, Trump could pardon Manafort for, say, money laundering or other crimes completely unrelated to working for the campaign–but why? It would just make it blatantly obvious that the pardon was to keep him from cooperating with the investigation. At least with charges directly related to the campaign, Trump could bloviate about it being a witch hunt etc. No such angle for shady deals that predated Trump’s candidacy. And, of course, state charges would mean that Manafort couldn’t be saved by a presidential pardon.
    It could also be multiple indictees–Manafort, Flynn, Page, Stone, Sater and a bunch of lower tier guys we’ve never heard of.

  94. 94.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    October 28, 2017 at 9:19 am

    @NotMax:

    An 85-year-old Canadian woman who survived the Hiroshima atomic bombing and will jointly accept this year’s Nobel Peace Prize

    Bernie Woulda Won

  95. 95.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 9:19 am

    @Immanentize:

    Y’know Jesus was such a Roman Patriot.

    Obligatory: “What have the Romans ever done for us?”

  96. 96.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    October 28, 2017 at 9:20 am

    @NotMax: It certainly makes one wonder about the Russians interface in the election; how much of it was really the result of what the Russians were doing and how much was just the bat shit crazy paranoia out there?

  97. 97.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:20 am

    @Baud:

    I love to think about all the rejected bar interviews where they wanted to bitch about red light cameras or potholes instead of the Story O The Day. Toledo prides itself on not caring about anything- the city motto could be “that’s not a big deal” – they sort of kill hysterical stories in the crib.

  98. 98.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:22 am

    @BigMouth:

    I have such fond memories of the Mario music when my kids were little. I hope it’s the same.

  99. 99.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 9:22 am

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques: The hacked emails wouldn’t have amounted to anything if there weren’t media and voters willing to buy into the conspiracy theory.

  100. 100.

    gene108

    October 28, 2017 at 9:26 am

    @Baud:

    I don’t know. We need our own media outlets, but that costs money and liberals don’t hav that kind of cash lying around.

  101. 101.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 9:26 am

    OK, this opioid crises has gotten out of hand now: Puppy nearly dies after ingesting fentanyl

    ETA cute puppy video at the link

  102. 102.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:27 am

    @Baud:

    It’s discouraging because none of that has been “fixed”. It will happen again. I was foolish enough to think that some basic sense of fairness would make them stop and say “we only have stolen emails from one side so maybe stop covering them as proof of the unique mendacity of Hillary Clinton” but that didn’t happen.

    I’m personally convinced the Bernistas were used by the Trump campaign and/or Trump Russia. That won’t be fixed either because they’d rather fucking die than admit it. This could easily replay in 2020. Same script. THAT is hard to deal with.

  103. 103.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 9:28 am

    @Kay: Agree on all points.

  104. 104.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 9:34 am

    The trend of ever later first freezes appears to have started around 1980, according to data from 700 weather stations across the US going back to 1895 and compiled by Ken Kunkel, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information.

    Kunkel compared the first freeze from each of the 700 stations to the station’s average for the 20th Century. Some parts of the country experience earlier or later freezes every year, but on average freezes are coming later.
    The average first freeze over the last 10 years, from 2007 to 2016, is a week later than the average from 1971 to 1980. This year, about 40% of the Lower 48 states have had a freeze as of 23 October, compared to 65% in a normal year, according to Jeff Masters, meteorology director of the private service Weather Underground.

    In Ottawa, Illinois, the average first freeze for the 20th century was 15 October. The normal from 1981 to 2010 based on NOAA computer simulations was 19 October. Since 2010, the average first freeze is on 26 October. Last year, the first freeze in Ottawa came on 12 November.

    Clever them Chinese, their hoax has even fooled 700 weather stations.

  105. 105.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:35 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    We have a grandmother who is being prosecuted because her grandson climbed up to get her pain patches from on top of the refrigerator and died after putting one on. There has to be an underlying offense, and in this case it’s misdemeanor child endangering which is a real stretch because the child was 12 and that’s (generally) the age where kids don’t have to be supervised constantly. It’s not in the code but it’s this agreed-upon age where they can be on a longer leash. She may beat it.

  106. 106.

    dimmsdale

    October 28, 2017 at 9:37 am

    @Kay: Of all the mountains of horrible damage the Rs have done to the republic, that will have to be remedied when/if decent, sane people get back into power, THIS has got to be close to the top of the mountain: and like the Comrade says, it’s going to require a change of incentives–perhaps by government (we USED to have a functioning FCC, in this regard, before it was encouraged to ‘deregulate’ itself out of existence) in the form of re-tightening anti-monopoly regulations, and possibly restoring the equal-time provision. it’s a heavy lift, though. I heartily wish the Democrats as a party had a position on that, but as with most other burning social issues, they have lukewarm oatmeal to say about it.

  107. 107.

    oldgold

    October 28, 2017 at 9:39 am

    These indictment(s) seem to be coming early in the process.

    In complex criminal proceedings such as this the true bills usually come late and in mass.

    My best guess as to what is going on, made admittedly on the scant information currently available, is that the Special Prosecutor’s team has run into a coordinated stonewall of silence. The early indictment(s) are meant to breach this stonewall by encouraging someone to flip.

  108. 108.

    CarolDuhart

    October 28, 2017 at 9:40 am

    @gene108: Depends of your definition of “media”. Radio stations can be bought for under a million. There is also “Free Speech TV”. Producing a syndicated show or podcast is a modest expenditure. And liberals are already doing these things-is an alternative like that exists near you, throw money at them-subscribe to their podcasts, buy from their sponsors, go to their shows.

  109. 109.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:40 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I think it’s excessive. 12 year olds are left alone all the time and putting things on top of the refrigerator to keep them away from kids is standard practice. If she had it in a bathroom medicine cabinet it would be easier to get.

  110. 110.

    gene108

    October 28, 2017 at 9:42 am

    @Kay:

    This could easily replay in 2020.

    Why wait that long? I fully expect 2018 to see an infestation of Russian-bots shilling for various Republican candidates in close races.

  111. 111.

    rikyrah

    October 28, 2017 at 9:43 am

    @Kay:
    Did you read that someone is questioning Woolsey?

  112. 112.

    Ruviana

    October 28, 2017 at 9:44 am

    @Cheryl Rofer: My vet says cats are from Mars. Seems as readonable as any other explanation.

  113. 113.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 9:45 am

    @Kay: That is just sad.

  114. 114.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:47 am

    @dimmsdale:

    I think it’s a nightmare to regulate. This is one where “industry standards” could come into play- voluntary agreed-upon rules of the road. That works in other fields. The leaked email coverage was unfair because it was treated as if the Clinton campaign were the only campaign sending messages, which is bullshit. They deliberately made it seem more covert and malicious than it was. There was NOTHING unusual or untoward about those emails. Standard. That’s one of the areas where the Bernista’s really got played. No one saw the Sanders campaign emails. They’re comparing something to nothing.

  115. 115.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:50 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    They go crazy with these things. We’re still recovering from their insane campaign to turn every juvenile delinquent into a sex offender. They never learn, either. Each new panic incites an over-reaction and the cure becomes worse than the disease.

  116. 116.

    Elizabelle

    October 28, 2017 at 9:51 am

    @Kay: That’s a great idea.

    Wingnut Bait Patient Zero.

    Out that person, or persons, and the MSM unit that picks up the wingnut whine and inserts it into the mainstream.

    And then shame them. Hey media, why are you helping to circulate fake news?

    Circulate a list of the big media wingnut megaphones, that some people might not recognize as wingnut enablers. With what they are peddling.

    It’s happening with sexual abusers.

    Make media, especially cable, step up their game.

  117. 117.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 9:53 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    They’re right now ramping up over-reaction to sex trafficking. There is sex trafficking. It’s a problem. But. Not everyone is a sex trafficker and not every runaway is being trafficked, but the worst panics are when the Left and the Right join hands and sex trafficking is one of those. Religious conservatives have adopted it too, which will just make it more nuts.

  118. 118.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 9:53 am

    @Kay: It is excessive. 12 yr olds know better, they have some agency. I remember as a teen, sneaking into the old man’s liquor cabinet because I knew where the key was and, -hey, get this- I was a teenager. I knew it was wrong, that’s why I was sneaking.

  119. 119.

    Elizabelle

    October 28, 2017 at 9:54 am

    @Kay: Hell, we haven’t ever seen St. Bernard’s tax returns.

    They did get played.

    Count me in, in hoping Tad Devine gets smeared and stomped (and stopped) but good by the Mueller team.

  120. 120.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 10:00 am

    @Elizabelle:

    Part of the reason the Right latched onto Clinton as a sex trafficker is that was already an issue that the Right had latched onto, especially the religious Right. That goes back to Bush and Gonzales. Sex trafficking is their issue, sex trafficking is bad, so they were ripe for Hillary Clinton is a sex trafficker stories.

    We had a case here where this insane posse from a fundie church decided this grown woman had been sex trafficked as a child because she was a South American immigrant and they cooked up this fucking crazy connection between her and a child who went missing in Wisconsin. They had a whole set of youtube videos promoting this theory and they were raising money on it. It took the magistrate months to sort it out as bullshit. That poor woman. She just got caught in this Right wing conspiracy theory.

  121. 121.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 10:00 am

    @Kay: And we have parents being charged for neglect and child endangerment because they let their kids go to the playground by themselves. I remember going to the local mom and pop grocery store by myself…. When I was 5-6 yrs old.

  122. 122.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 10:01 am

    @dimmsdale:

    . I heartily wish the Democrats as a party had a position on that, but as with most other burning social issues, they have lukewarm oatmeal to say about it.

    Reminds of Redditors who hate the FCC right now because they are deregulating net neutrality rules but, aside from a few brave souls, can’t bring themselves to blame the GOP and instead blame the government.

  123. 123.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 10:02 am

    @Elizabelle:

    Just to be clear, I don’t think it’s actionable or illegal what happened with the Berners. I think they heard what they wanted to hear and were used as tools, but not in a planned way. They were volunteers, in other words. They willingly joined the chorus.

  124. 124.

    Uncle Ebeneezer

    October 28, 2017 at 10:02 am

    @Baud: Yup. Russia didn’t create Clinton Derangement Syndrome or the division on the Left that CDS helped spawn. Russia just noticed it (how could you not?) and took advantage of it.

  125. 125.

    gene108

    October 28, 2017 at 10:03 am

    @Kay:

    The leaked email coverage was unfair because it was treated as if the Clinton campaign were the only campaign sending messages, which is bullshit. They deliberately made it seem more covert and malicious than it was. There was NOTHING unusual or untoward about those emails. Standard. That’s one of the areas where the Bernista’s really got played. No one saw the Sanders campaign emails. They’re comparing something to nothing.

    It is worse than comparing something to nothing. Someone breaks into your house’ steals your stuff and all people talk about is what bad taste you have, now that your stolen goods are being shown all over town.

    The DNC and Podesta are victims, but it was just treated as everything’s fair in politics and war.

  126. 126.

    stinger

    October 28, 2017 at 10:04 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: Argh. Glad she’s on the mend!

  127. 127.

    germy

    October 28, 2017 at 10:05 am

    Note the absurd horror of there being SO MANY shady conspirators within Trump's camp that we can't predict with confidence who was charged— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) October 28, 2017

  128. 128.

    Suzanne

    October 28, 2017 at 10:05 am

    Pissed as FUCK. I rented a dress from Rent the Runway for this charity event that I have to go to as part of chasing a HUUUUUGE project……and they fucked up (more precisely, they said FedEx fucked up) and can’t get it to me in time. So now I have to go SHOPPING, at the last minute, and I fucking hate shopping. And Mr. Suzanne snored all fucking night and I HATE EVERYONE.

  129. 129.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 10:08 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I struggled with that when mine were younger because I think it’s gone overboard and they’re crippling these kids by not letting them do anything by themselves. It’s important to my values that they be functioning and independent – that’s one of the central things I’m teaching them, so I stuck with it but I know it was talked about. I’m not driving a 10 year old to a Boy Scout meeting that is 3 blocks away. I want him to get there by himself. I want him to learn he can do things.

    I loved that as a child- I remember the day I discovered freedom on a bike. I value that. It’s worth SOME risk. Not reckless but reasonable.

  130. 130.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 10:09 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: I am so glad she’s better!

  131. 131.

    lurker dean

    October 28, 2017 at 10:09 am

    saw this vid of trumpers getting arrested on twitter, it’s pretty f-ing epic:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Uy0Uznw4E

    yeah, it’s way too much to hope for, but a person can dream, lol.

    eta: the music is perfect

  132. 132.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 10:12 am

    @stinger: Yep, now curled up under my desk putting the claws into my feet whenever one gets too close, just to let me know that if she wanted she really could filet them, so I better watch myself.

  133. 133.

    Another Scott

    October 28, 2017 at 10:13 am

    @gene108: Yup. Kinda funny how “private messages stolen and published on a foreign web site known to be a tool of Putin” and “leaks” became synonymous, amirite?!?!

    “Leaks” are only bad if Donnie doesn’t like them.

    Grr…

    Do you also suppose that Julian (like St. Edward) is going to run to Vlad’s loving embrace when he’s finally kicked out of Ecuador’s embassy in London? It would seem (to me) to be his backup plan…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  134. 134.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    October 28, 2017 at 10:17 am

    @Another Scott:

    I gain a great deal of pleasure thinking about crowds shouting “lock him up” at Michael Flynn.

  135. 135.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 10:17 am

    @MomSense: cool idea, thanks! No worries though, I already have replaced several Saturdays at the market with holiday bazaars.
    @OzarkHillbilly: yep!

    Thanks everyone, I was just venting! It’s fine. But I would have slept in (until 6 am, luxury ?) if I had known.

  136. 136.

    chris

    October 28, 2017 at 10:19 am

    Madly cleaning hovel so the cat feeder isn’t too grossed out on Monday. The spiders have had a very good year and I have been slack about keeping after them. Some of the cobwebs have cobwebs.
    Tomorrow Bert and I will take the ferry to New Brunswick and Monday (border services willing!) I’ll be in Maine on my way to visit my aunt. The weather for Monday looks frightful but now I’m a little more concerned about the approaching political storm. Think I’ll leave my Fuck Trump! t-shirt at home, wouldn’t want to excite some economically anxious and armed citizen.

  137. 137.

    Another Scott

    October 28, 2017 at 10:21 am

    @lurker dean: Excellent! :-) Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  138. 138.

    tobie

    October 28, 2017 at 10:21 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I don’t want to start a flame war but I came across a really interesting article from the primaries about sexism and ginning up the hate against HRC that speaks to your comment. Susan Bordo is a new name for me. Maybe others here know her.

  139. 139.

    germy

    October 28, 2017 at 10:22 am

    a window into their minds: “The Clinton Administration” – I sometimes wonder if they really wanted her to win so they could spend four or eight years hounding her. Instead of having to defend this shitshow.

    Lewandowski: "The speculation is so insane right now. What we should be focusing on is the continued lies of the Clinton administration." pic.twitter.com/QgdZkNhmBo— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 28, 2017

  140. 140.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 10:24 am

    @gene108: That is a great analogy…need to file that away.

  141. 141.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 10:26 am

    @Another Scott: enjoy your trip, sounds lovely!

  142. 142.

    Baud

    October 28, 2017 at 10:26 am

    If Trump wants my support, he’ll figure out a way to stop the mobile site from being hijacked by fake ads.

  143. 143.

    O. Felix Culpa

    October 28, 2017 at 10:27 am

    @germy:

    “The Clinton Administration”

    One of their ilk referred to Clinton’s “shadow government” recently. I wonder if in their heart of shriveled hearts, they know the current maladministration is illegitimate, along with HRC looming so large in their fevered imaginations they just. can’t. let. go.

  144. 144.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 10:27 am

    @Suzanne: That sucks, I hate shopping too…I once had to buy a new outfit for a party with about 12 hours notice thanks to an ex-spouse washing my outfit on hot…

  145. 145.

    bemused

    October 28, 2017 at 10:29 am

    @lurker dean:

    Love this. If only….

  146. 146.

    tobie

    October 28, 2017 at 10:30 am

    @lurker dean: The video made my day!

  147. 147.

    Suzanne

    October 28, 2017 at 10:33 am

    @germy:

    I sometimes wonder if they really wanted her to win so they could spend four or eight years hounding her. Instead of having to defend this shitshow.

    Yes.
    Governance is HARD, y’all! Chaffetz resigned because he just wanted to make HRC’s life miserable. They don’t actually want to DO STUFF.

  148. 148.

    Suzanne

    October 28, 2017 at 10:35 am

    @eclare: That is the kind of rank-ass stupidity I cannot abide. Read the labels.

    It sometimes astonishes me that we let men out of the house.

  149. 149.

    zhena gogolia

    October 28, 2017 at 10:36 am

    @lurker dean:

    EXCELLENT!

  150. 150.

    SoupCatcher

    October 28, 2017 at 10:36 am

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:

    Jake Tapper @jaketapper

    Boy it’s almost as if some people knew this was coming so they tried to pour chum in the water to make it dank and murky

    1,282 replies 11,182 retweets 33,505 likes

    Boy it’s almost as if some people knew this was coming so they showed me a bucket full of chum and I brought out my scoop.

    There. I fixed it for Tapper.

  151. 151.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 10:36 am

    @Suzanne: Hahaha…and he worked in the medical profession!

  152. 152.

    mai naem mobile

    October 28, 2017 at 10:39 am

    @Suzanne: when u helped my niece look for her prom stuff because she waited last minute we found Scottsdale Fashion Square had the most stuff . Nordstrom had the most stuff but jeezus they were expensive .

  153. 153.

    Elizabelle

    October 28, 2017 at 10:39 am

    @Suzanne: Ack. Sorry to hear.

    At least you are rocking comfortable formal shoes.

    Since your expectations are so low, hoping it turns out way better than you are expecting, and that you like the dress you are forced to purchase. Maybe you can find one you can dress down to wear a few more times.

    Good luck. Coffee up!

  154. 154.

    lurker dean

    October 28, 2017 at 10:42 am

    @tobie: me too, I can’t stop watching it and dreaming…

  155. 155.

    ThresherK

    October 28, 2017 at 10:42 am

    @lurker dean: What is the video source? (We’re a “basic cable + whatever DVDs the library has” home.)

  156. 156.

    Lurking Canadian

    October 28, 2017 at 10:43 am

    @Suzanne: Good luck with project, shopping and gala.

    The snoring seems to be the hardest problem to solve.

  157. 157.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 10:44 am

    @Kay:

    I remember the day I discovered freedom on a bike. I value that. It’s worth SOME risk. Not reckless but reasonable.

    Yep. I took my sons on their first float trip when they were 6 and 3. They had had grown up with rivers and creeks as a big part of their lives and knew the rules of the water. Rule #1: Always wear a life jacket. I have a picture from the back of the canoe where I’m paddling, of the canoe loaded to the gunwales with gear, and those 2 small boys sharing the front with our 90# lab. They had freedom on the river to run and play and do what ever they felt like. Within just a couple years they were paddling their own canoe by themselves.

  158. 158.

    SiubhanDuinne

    October 28, 2017 at 10:52 am

    @tobie:

    She wrote an excellent (albeit infuriating and depressing) book called The Destruction of Hillary Clinton. I think it would be better known but came out not too long before HRC’s own memoir was published.

  159. 159.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 10:52 am

    @eclare: @Suzanne: My ex wife put my high dollar, tailored, “dry clean only” suit in the washing machine. I haven’t had a suit since.

  160. 160.

    dimmsdale

    October 28, 2017 at 10:53 am

    @Kay: I absolutely agree that regulation would be a nightmare, but as long as “news / infotainment” is as profitable as it is, I don’t see an incentive for any sort of industry-wide voluntary agreement that would harm their balance sheets an iota. (once upon a time, and maybe you remember this, TV networks were required to run a percentage of their broadcast day as public-affairs programming, which the “news” came under, as a CONDITION of maintaining their broadcast licenses–and the FCC was much less of a rubber-stamp in terms of automatic license renewal, too.) We can’t bring those days back, perhaps, but an FCC with teeth and an incentive to regulate in the public interest would be nice. I don’t see that as all THAT pie-in-the-sky, but maybe I’m wrong.

  161. 161.

    Elizabelle

    October 28, 2017 at 10:54 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: We had so much freedom to roam when I grew up (60s, early 70s.) Of course, some of that was from living on a series of military bases. But not always.

    I think more “eyes on the street” back then. And respect for eyes on the street. Late 70s to 80s and 90s, suburban daytime streets were deserted, because the moms were at work too. Weirdly, I now see more stay at home moms in our old neighborhood than before.

  162. 162.

    lurker dean

    October 28, 2017 at 10:54 am

    @ThresherK: not sure what you mean? The underlying video that the faces were pasted on is reminiscent of the show “law and order” but that’s just a guess..

  163. 163.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 10:58 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    There’s a lot of adult signaling around it- in a way that makes me suspicious.

    They aren’t reading a book while their kids play at the park- they’re teaching them how to dig in a sandbox, which means they win parent of the day. It’s always a little over the top- like they’re directing this not to their kid but to the other parents- “I will now make sure you don’t shovel incorrectly” – it’s this weird adult oneupmanship. There’s a gender element too- my husband and I agree on the independence value but he got a lot less shit about it than I did. He had that low bar, where people are like “I saw him balancing the baby on the swing- it’s great he plays with them!” :)

  164. 164.

    dexwood

    October 28, 2017 at 10:58 am

    My Saturday is shaping up nicely. I just made the last mortgage payment on my house. Freedom! Feels great. Plus, a guy will be here soon to measure windows which are all going to be replaced. Champagne later for Mrs. dexwood and me. On the other hand, Traitor Trump still lives and breathes.

  165. 165.

    Lurking Canadian

    October 28, 2017 at 11:01 am

    @Kay: Male privilege is a real thing, but really stands out in child-rearing. Dad takes kid to McDonald’s: isn’t that nice he has time for his children! Mom takes kid to McDonald’s: what, the lazy slattern couldn’t have packed a nutritious lunch?

  166. 166.

    Another Scott

    October 28, 2017 at 11:03 am

    @lurker dean: I thought it was from something like The Wire, but I’ve never seen the show, so I dunno. Probably something later – there weren’t Maseratis with LED headlights in The Wire. The orange and teal coloring makes it look like it was from a recent movie, also too. But it certainly doesn’t look like L&O to me – too arty and too much FBI stuff.

    That’s my theory anyway! :-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  167. 167.

    Elizabelle

    October 28, 2017 at 11:06 am

    @dexwood: Congratulations!

  168. 168.

    NotMax

    October 28, 2017 at 11:08 am

    @dexwood

    made the last mortgage payment on my house

    That is a BFD. Congrats.

  169. 169.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 11:13 am

    @dexwood: Congratulations! And new windows, nice!

  170. 170.

    SoupCatcher

    October 28, 2017 at 11:13 am

    @ThresherK:

    What is the video source?

    It’s from the season one finale for a Netflix-only show: Daredevil.

    I would love to take credit for recognizing it, as I had previously seen that episode and it was familiar, but couldn’t place it. The youTube page had the info.

  171. 171.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    October 28, 2017 at 11:15 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: That’s a hostile action.

  172. 172.

    Irony Abounds

    October 28, 2017 at 11:16 am

    @Lurking Canadian: C’mon, get your facts straight. Dad takes kids to Buffalo Wild Wings on Sundays so he can watch football and the kids’ screams get lost amongst all the noise.

  173. 173.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 11:16 am

    @Kay: @Kay: @Lurking Canadian: Oh yeah, I got lots of “He’s such a good parent” looks and comments. Also got some… “other” looks and comments.

  174. 174.

    dexwood

    October 28, 2017 at 11:17 am

    Thanks all… gotta run, window guy just pulled into the driveway.

  175. 175.

    ThresherK

    October 28, 2017 at 11:20 am

    @lurker dean: That is what I mean. L&O doesn’t have so many scenes with FBI folk and I didn’t recognize the actors.

    @SoupCatcher: Cool, thanks. And a bit of Yahoogle points to the Daredevil comic as source.

  176. 176.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    October 28, 2017 at 11:20 am

    @dexwood: Congratulations!

  177. 177.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 11:20 am

    @Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady): It was a sign.

  178. 178.

    lurker dean

    October 28, 2017 at 11:23 am

    @Another Scott: that makes sense, I dont really watch L&O but figured that since there have been a million episodes it was possible lol. I see soupcatcher id’d it as daredevil.

  179. 179.

    gene108

    October 28, 2017 at 11:25 am

    @dimmsdale:

    We can’t bring those days back, perhaps, but an FCC with teeth and an incentive to regulate in the public interest would be nice.

    But how do you regulate the 1000 channels, plus streaming services, plus social media, plus old fashioned blogs?

    Second issue is the content is not coming via the air, which is a public good, but through cable laid down by private companies. And Republicans are hell bent on treating these cables as private property, where anyone streaming content on them has to pay extra for their content to get through.

    I wish we could go back to an era of trust worthy media, but I think we cannot regulate our way there. The media has to make editorial decisions about what to emphasize, knowing there is a cross-section of the audience that will reject what they publish as “liberal media bias” and focus on those, who want to trust their media but can’t because the content seems to be framed to chase right-wingers.

  180. 180.

    Barbara

    October 28, 2017 at 11:25 am

    @satby: What is your Etsy name? I tried to find organic soaps and there are a lot!

  181. 181.

    Another Scott

    October 28, 2017 at 11:27 am

    @Barbara: Click on the blue “handle” in her comments. It takes you straight to her store. :-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  182. 182.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 28, 2017 at 11:28 am

    @Barbara: Click on her name on her posts. It takes you to her Etsy shop.

  183. 183.

    Amir Khalid

    October 28, 2017 at 11:28 am

    @O. Felix Culpa:
    They need a Democratic scapegoat for the fuckups of this Republican administration, so that when their low-information voter base gets angry about said fuckups, it will at the next election punish Democrats and reward Republicans. Who better than Hillary, whom they’ve spent decades teaching their base to hate?

    The Republicans aren’t doing it to cover for Trump. They never wanted Trump to win. He doesn’t love them; never did, never will. They’re a flag of convenience for him, same as the Democratic party is for Bernie. He barged onto the stage in 2016 and humiliated their biggest names to win the nomination. He treats the party leadership with contempt. He wouldn’t hesitate to shiv the party for the greater glory and profit of Donald Trump. The long-term goal here is to dissociate themselves from him

  184. 184.

    Steeplejack

    October 28, 2017 at 11:28 am

    @Barbara:

    Click on her nym!

  185. 185.

    tobie

    October 28, 2017 at 11:29 am

    @SiubhanDuinne: I think I’ll check the book out of the library. Judging by the title, it will burn to read it but probably necessary to be prepared for what could happen to the next female Democratic candidate for President.

  186. 186.

    Immanentize

    October 28, 2017 at 11:36 am

    @OzarkHillbilly: from your previous comments, not the first or the worst….

    I have completely co-opted your comment that “she only told the truth in service of a lie.”

  187. 187.

    zhena gogolia

    October 28, 2017 at 11:36 am

    @ThresherK:

    I think the FBI signs are photoshopped on. That said, it doesn’t look much like L&O to me. But it’s so cool! It cheers me up inordinately.

    Although yes, I understand how dangerous irrational exuberance can be.

  188. 188.

    germy

    October 28, 2017 at 11:37 am

    @Amir Khalid: This is some of the best investigative work I’ve seen:

    https://twitter.com/SethAbramson

  189. 189.

    zhena gogolia

    October 28, 2017 at 11:37 am

    @SoupCatcher:

    Oh, thanks.

  190. 190.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 11:38 am

    @Lurking Canadian:

    It was risk-taking. He could take more risk than I could without disapproval.

  191. 191.

    Barbara

    October 28, 2017 at 11:39 am

    @Steeplejack: Got it. Thanks!

  192. 192.

    Another Scott

    October 28, 2017 at 11:41 am

    @germy: Thanks for the pointer.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  193. 193.

    Corner Stone

    October 28, 2017 at 11:42 am

    @Barbara: The nym is the thing!

  194. 194.

    Kay

    October 28, 2017 at 11:46 am

    Here’s the least-surprising scandal in Ohio:

    Woman in Legislative Service Commission: Former Sen. Cliff Hite implored her for sex

    He resigned when it started a coupla weeks ago and gave this clearly lying statement where he said it was just flirting but every single person I talked to said “there’s more or they wouldn’t have gotten rid of him so fast”.

    My only interaction was I went to a fundraiser for a battered women’s shelter and he was the MC/ honored guest and there was also a band from Chicago (black musicians) and he made a Muslim joke about Obama and then said he was kidding and turned around to shake the lead musician’s hand – a middle aged man, a pro, really good- and the musician just looked at him- he wouldn’t shake his hand.

  195. 195.

    eclare

    October 28, 2017 at 11:48 am

    @Kay: I shouldn’t have to keep saying this, what the fuck is wrong with these people?

  196. 196.

    Steve in the ATL

    October 28, 2017 at 11:49 am

    @Betty Cracker: could be much worse–you could be Florida State!

  197. 197.

    Corner Stone

    October 28, 2017 at 11:51 am

    Ahhh, Joy Reid and Stephanie Ruhle is the way to start off my day. Now where’s that pesky Nicolle Wallace?

  198. 198.

    Corner Stone

    October 28, 2017 at 11:55 am

    WTH? Anyone else seen anything like this?
    Puerto Rico’s Government Just Admitted 911 People Died After The Hurricane — Of “Natural Causes”
    “The 911 bodies were never physically examined by a medical examiner to determine if they should be included in the official death toll. ”

    Buzzfeed link

  199. 199.

    stinger

    October 28, 2017 at 11:57 am

    @dexwood: Congrats!

  200. 200.

    Another Scott

    October 28, 2017 at 12:00 pm

    @eclare: Too many men cannot conceive of women being their own people who have their own lives. Instead, they think that women (or other men) are perquisites of having money, or fame, or power – or simply having an inflated ego.

    They’re broken.

    Here’s hoping that the reaction to Weinstein (and that guy in Ohio, and the scandals at Uber, and all the rest) isn’t temporary, and instead leads to real change in attitudes and actions.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  201. 201.

    Texasboyshaun

    October 28, 2017 at 12:01 pm

    Catch up on some studying, and then taking a friend to work later tonight. We’ll also have my great-nephew and great-niece for a few hours. This is going to be a good day :)

  202. 202.

    Bob h

    October 28, 2017 at 12:06 pm

    I’m a little worried what Saturday Night will bring, given Boente departure and Rosenstein and Pompeo spouting “interference didn’t matter” meme.

  203. 203.

    Jeffro

    October 28, 2017 at 12:06 pm

    @dexwood: Congrats on making that last mortgage payment!

  204. 204.

    debbie

    October 28, 2017 at 12:08 pm

    @dexwood:

    Nice! Will you be burning your Deed?

  205. 205.

    debbie

    October 28, 2017 at 12:10 pm

    @Kay:

    Hite is everything that is ugly about Ohio.

  206. 206.

    Another Scott

    October 28, 2017 at 12:13 pm

    @debbie: I sure hope not!! Burning the mortgage note, maybe. But not the deed. ;-)

    (We didn’t burn ours, but we do need to clean out our filing cabinet one of these days…)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  207. 207.

    Jeffro

    October 28, 2017 at 12:17 pm

    @Bob h: Unfortunately, with Pompeo and Wray in place, with a compliant Republican Congress, and with the ‘puke funnel’ ready to blast GOP talking points out to a both-sides-mentality media…the whole gang could decide to try and brass it out as ‘partisan warfare’, ‘collusion’s not illegal’, and ‘Hillary did far worse’ (kind of like they’ve been doing).

  208. 208.

    dexwood

    October 28, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    @debbie:
    Nope, but definitely burning some weed. Gotta go again. Thanks again.

  209. 209.

    trollhattan

    October 28, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    @Kay:
    Flynn’s RNC speech was one of the most chilling pieces of political theatre I have seen.

  210. 210.

    trollhattan

    October 28, 2017 at 12:28 pm

    @O. Felix Culpa:
    Clinton? How about we investigate the Roosevelt Administration–you pick the Roosevelt.

    These folks have lost any semblance of sanity.

  211. 211.

    Suzanne

    October 28, 2017 at 12:33 pm

    I am really—REALLY—hoping that the first arrests are Ivanka and Jared.

    I might have a spontaneous orgasm watching that perp walk.

  212. 212.

    Doug R

    October 28, 2017 at 12:34 pm

    @Kay: Bernie’s campaign was used by RUSSIA/trump. Kind of the perfect patsy, don’t you think? Even Bernie’s ego was just big enough to get played. His campaign had that perfect balance of protectionism, misogyny, sexism/mommy issues, with subtle tones of racism coupled with socialism with no plan to pay for it.

  213. 213.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 12:37 pm

    @dexwood: congratulations! New Windows are wonderful, I replaced the leaky old ones in my former house in Chicago and cut my hearing bill in half!

  214. 214.

    Doug R

    October 28, 2017 at 12:37 pm

    @Kay: Doesn’t a 12 year have enough body mass to withstand the medication in a pain patch? Was it Reye’s syndrome?
    Maybe a lawsuit or recall of the patches?

  215. 215.

    trollhattan

    October 28, 2017 at 12:40 pm

    @Suzanne:
    I prefer your realm of the possible to my own. Trump mob has obliterated the last shred of hope I may have once held.

  216. 216.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 12:40 pm

    @Barbara: sorry, stepped away And came back to see Scott and Ozark and Corner and Steep had all answered!

    You guys sure have my back, thanks!

  217. 217.

    Ruckus

    October 28, 2017 at 12:45 pm

    @Kay:
    Of course a kid could be like me and be given a 1 mile limit to ride my bike. I used to ride 20 miles away to a drag strip to watch the cars. I was 12. It did help teach me to be independent though. And that arbitrary limits were just that. Not sure if it was good for me or not. But I’m still here.

  218. 218.

    tobie

    October 28, 2017 at 12:46 pm

    @Jeffro: I don’t know enough about Wray to have an opinion on him…yet. That Trump appointed him, though, is a huge black mark. Mike Pompeo at CIA is scary, though. He’s a rank partisan who will put party first every time, even if it means flushing the country down the toilet.

  219. 219.

    Suzanne

    October 28, 2017 at 12:47 pm

    @trollhattan: I don’t actually think it will happen. I’m not a good enough person to get to watch Javanka be humiliated and imprisoned.

    God. I get moist just typing that.

  220. 220.

    Snarki, child of Loki

    October 28, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    @Betty Cracker: “IMO, KFC and McDonald’s have a better chance of ending our Trump nightmare than Mueller.”

    Help us, Col. Sanders, you’re our only hope!

  221. 221.

    Mike in Pasadena

    October 28, 2017 at 12:58 pm

    @satby: I have the opposite problem. I rely on a nearby Farmers Market for fruit and vegetables. The unseasonably hot temps have reduced the customers because so many people prefer to shop in air conditioned supermarkets. Weaklings. Some sellers/vendors have stopped coming because business is down. On the whole, what I buy from the Farmers Market costs a little more, but the quality is much higher than supermarket offerings. Except the oranges I buy are not first qulity in appearance, but they have been the best tasting in years and cost seventy percent less than what you pay for prettier fruit in the supers. Good luck. I hope you don’t have to give up selling at your Farmers market.

  222. 222.

    Ruckus

    October 28, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    @Another Scott:
    They won’t wake up, catch up or anything else up. These are people who only look inward. Everything is about them because that’s all they see, it’s all they ever have been taught. I wonder if it has to do with being better rounded learning wise, not too protected as kids and allowed to make decisions as kids (they learned both rewards and consequences). A lot of kids go into the adult world without those benefits and limits.

  223. 223.

    West of the Rockies (been a while)

    October 28, 2017 at 1:03 pm

    @lurker dean:

    Love that video, LD! Thank you. I’ve already forwarded it to several people.

  224. 224.

    Sister Golden Bear

    October 28, 2017 at 1:15 pm

    Do pumpkins get that big? Why yes they do!

    https://www.google.com/amp/abcnews.go.com/amp/Lifestyle/teacher-squashes-competition-1910-pound-pumpkin-half-moon/story%3fid=42723690

  225. 225.

    m.j.

    October 28, 2017 at 1:18 pm

    The bottom of the thread is a good place for a pessimist.

    I was very excited when Scalia kicked.

    I hate disappointment.

  226. 226.

    catclub

    October 28, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    @Corner Stone: wow. That’s a lot.

  227. 227.

    Villago Delenda Est

    October 28, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    @Another Scott: MI6 will greet him as he exits. FSB has lost an asset the instant Julian leaves his hidey hole.

  228. 228.

    Elizabelle

    October 28, 2017 at 1:36 pm

    @tobie: Pompeo is a problem, but am sure he’s no match for The Agency’s bureaucracy. They can slow walk and oppose him, if they’re appalled at his obstruction.

    @Villago Delenda Est: What’s FSB?

  229. 229.

    rikyrah

    October 28, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:
    Used to be called the KGB

  230. 230.

    rikyrah

    October 28, 2017 at 2:34 pm

    @dexwood:
    Awesome ??

  231. 231.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    October 28, 2017 at 2:36 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:
    Didn’t I hear something about Russia announcing arms aid to Ecuador or something? Somehow I don’t Ecuador is going to voluntarily give Assmunch up. And doesn’t Russia’s gunky shit violate the Monroe Doctrine (if that’s still officials policy)?

  232. 232.

    HeleninEire

    October 28, 2017 at 2:45 pm

    @Suzanne: I am way late to the party here but I hope you see this.

    “It sometimes astonishes me that we let men out of the house.” is one of the best phrases every written on Balloon Juice ever.

    I can’t stop laughing.

  233. 233.

    Ruckus

    October 28, 2017 at 2:55 pm

    @HeleninEire:
    It more astonishes me that men are let in the house in the first place.

  234. 234.

    HeleninEire

    October 28, 2017 at 2:59 pm

    @Ruckus: oh so glad you are here. Was just thinking about how I can thank you for your kind words the other night.

    And good luck to you. Please keep the faith and keep us informed.

  235. 235.

    Anonymous At Work

    October 28, 2017 at 2:59 pm

    @Comrade Nimrod Humperdink: The issue was that Flynn was only willing to give so much and it was everything that they already knew. I think the target is actually Flynn’s son, who has his own issues. Flynn’s son in jail, or Flynn rolls on Trump and Pence.

  236. 236.

    dimmsdale

    October 28, 2017 at 3:08 pm

    @gene108: I’m not as sure as you are that we can’t regulate media in a meaningful way (which I think is what you were saying), but I’m not convinced that regulation is the only tool in the drawer either. None of the other major democracies (that I’m aware of, anyway) have the Fox News Puke Funnel problem, or the Sinclair Broadcasting Puke Funnel problem, and I’m not knowledgeable enough to discuss how they keep their airwaves and cable channels (and their viewers’ minds) free of that crap. I don’t care that cable providers “own” their equipment, that doesn’t get them a mulligan from providing responsible material for the public–the object would be to ensure fair and open dialogue and DEBATE, rather than a unified, 24/7 chorus of Hillary email newsickles (a word I think I just made up). Like I say, there may be a lot of ways to get that to happen besides (or in addition to) responsible regulation. I wish this were one of the items being discussed on a national level in the context of “Okay, so we win back the presidency. THEN what? Plans & goals please!!”

  237. 237.

    Frankensteinbeck

    October 28, 2017 at 3:20 pm

    @Kay:
    The religious nuts STARTED it, in the 80s, so they could get public approval to have absolute control over their children. It worked. Standards for responsible child rearing now are abusively overcontrolling.

  238. 238.

    gbbalto

    October 28, 2017 at 3:46 pm

    @dexwood: Congratulations! It’s such a load off your back.

  239. 239.

    Elizabelle

    October 28, 2017 at 3:46 pm

    @dimmsdale: Let’s discuss this issue more here. Because the fake news is as bad as gerrymandering in effect. Maybe worse.

  240. 240.

    gbbalto

    October 28, 2017 at 3:52 pm

    @Corner Stone: I would like to see some stats – out of several million, x number would have died without the hurricane. I’d like to see the comparison. That said, I expect that there are a lot of people who died because they couldn’t get prompt treatment/adequate dialysis/oxygen/etc. whose deaths won’t be properly attributed.
    ETA; to the hurricane.

  241. 241.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 3:56 pm

    @Elizabelle: I think the propaganda of fake news is worse. Gerrymandering is bad but can be occasionally overcome with GOTV. How do you unwash a brain?

  242. 242.

    Elizabelle

    October 28, 2017 at 4:02 pm

    @satby: Agreed. It’s my next big issue.

  243. 243.

    satby

    October 28, 2017 at 4:04 pm

    @Ruckus: by default I was not a helicopter parent, though I wasn’t inclined to be anyway. My belief that kids need more freedom than is now considered normal worked out well with the fact I was a solo parent anyway. My adult kids have both thanked me for setting the limits I did as well as letting them learn some of their own by experience. Without really meaning to, I managed to balance the two ok.

  244. 244.

    Corner Stone

    October 28, 2017 at 4:27 pm

    @gbbalto: According to the story, we may never know what the “natural” rate would have been because they aren’t even inspecting the bodies, just disposing of them.
    By that I mean, a hurricane is a stressful event, obviously. So that could have naturally pushed some number of people to their limit – even without interference or incompetence. But the almost thousand bodies (so far)* they aren’t even examining and just calling natural seems like it’s a little high, IMO.

    *IMO we’re going to see 4K or 5K dead before this is over.

  245. 245.

    gbbalto

    October 28, 2017 at 4:33 pm

    @Corner Stone: Well, there should be stats for the “normal” death rate to make that comparison. I do agree with you on the stress and the incompetence.
    ETA: I agree that we may never see the accurate figure for deaths that should be attributed to the hurricane and the incompetent response.
    ETA: I assume there are some pre-hurricane stats on the death rate in PR – I guess I should start looking!

  246. 246.

    dimmsdale

    October 28, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    @Elizabelle: Agreed. Personally I think our modern media, especially the cable news outlets, are precisely in a similar position to a candy maker targeting kids with candy that has an addictive property to it. The addictive property, in the case of cable news, is supplied by the adrenaline rush of anger and outrage that the news outlets stoke, with stories deliberately constructed to provoke that reaction, and simultaneously reassure viewers that they’re right to be upset, because the viewers’ values are the RIGHT ones, and that the station is “your” ally in fighting the good fight. It all takes place on a biochemical / neurological level as WELL as on a metaphorical level and (slightly) on a rational level. As such, cable news could be construed as a public mental health menace–fostering an addiction to a culture of self-righteousness based on lies. (god, I hope I don’t sound too much like a crank; but I have spent some time around substance abuse, and there’s almost always a biochemical component to it.) Anyhow, yeah, To Be Continued!

  247. 247.

    Ruckus

    October 28, 2017 at 5:59 pm

    @satby:
    Isn’t life just a balancing act in the first place? How much is too much, how much is too little? And that works in most things. Are ice cream and potato chips OK? Well not by the 1/2 gallon or the supersized bag…… or both. We all have limits in our lives, look at Betty Cracker’s post of this afternoon. It’s obvious that a lot of people, men especially, have little or no idea of limits. We used to talk about courtesy but that was how we talked, which included not talking about those issues/acts that referenced power. Our culture (which is not the worst in any way, shape or form) has looked the other way most of the time that people with power (men) have done something that used power but didn’t upset the power side of the gender class. IOW if you did pretty much anything that used power over women, it was OK, as long as you didn’t openly talk about it. With social media that silence is a lot less quiet, as it should be. We do have laws but they are at best unevenly enforced. But it is changing, slowly, much too slowly of course. And yet men and women actually do like each other and have mutual hopes, likes and dislikes, needs and desires. How we as a society figure out how to grow the hell up is the hard part. It’s that limits thing again.

  248. 248.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 28, 2017 at 11:51 pm

    @gbbalto: Something like the Lancet study of the Iraq war.

  249. 249.

    Another Scott

    October 30, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    @Another Scott: Heh. Do I get a prize?

    ;-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

On The Road - beckya57 - Copper Canyon, Mexico, April 2025
Image by beckya57 (7/31/25)

World Central Kitchen

Donate

Recent Comments

  • Eolirin on Wednesday Night Open Thread (Jul 9, 2025 @ 9:22pm)
  • AlaskaReader on War for Ukraine Day 1,231: Wednesday is a Repeat of Tuesday and Thursday Will Likely Be a Repeat of Wednesday (Jul 9, 2025 @ 9:22pm)
  • Scout211 on Wednesday Night Open Thread (Jul 9, 2025 @ 9:21pm)
  • Trollhattan on Wednesday Night Open Thread (Jul 9, 2025 @ 9:19pm)
  • Martin on Open Thread: Good for Rep. Jeffries (Jul 9, 2025 @ 9:19pm)

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
No Kings Protests June 14 2025

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)
Fix Nyms with Apostrophes

Social Media

Balloon Juice
WaterGirl
TaMara
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
DougJ NYT Pitchbot
mistermix

Keeping Track

Legal Challenges (Lawfare)
Republicans Fleeing Town Halls (TPM)
21 Letters (to Borrow or Steal)
Search Donations from a Brand

Feeling Defeated?  If We Give Up, It's Game Over

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!