Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

Trumpflation is an intolerable hardship for every American, and it’s Trump’s fault.

“But what about the lurkers?”

No one could have predicted…

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

75% of people clapping liked the show!

Michigan is a great lesson for Dems everywhere: when you have power…use it!

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

The words do not have to be perfect.

All hail the time of the bunny!

Oppose, oppose, oppose. do not congratulate. this is not business as usual.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

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

Lick the third rail, it tastes like chocolate!

You are here: Home / Balloon Juice / Readership Capture / Friday Night Open Thread

Friday Night Open Thread

by | 93 Comments

This post is in: 

It’s a rainy, windy, generally crappy night tonight, and I am sitting here with long time commenter and friend of the blog Genine, and we are watching a bit of Netflix:

She went on vacation from her abode on the left coast (Oakland) to visit family in Philly, and was heading to Cleveland to visit a friend and her plans fell through, so she is just hanging here for a few days while she awaits her flight back to civilization. In other words, she does not in fact have the world’s worst fucking travel agent. Thurston is infatuated with her and she has been informed she will, like all visitors, be given a complimentary dog to sleep with during her stay.

Tomorrow we are heading to a meet the candidates luncheon, where we will listen to Kendra, Ihlenfeld, and Joe Manchin, all of whom will be hopefully representing WV. Other than I am not sure what to do- maybe we’ll hit a movie or something.

Steve is trying to make up his mind about Genine:

As you can see, he has the lasers set to stun.

Reader Interactions

93Comments

  2. 2.

    guachi

    HAHAHAHA!!!

    Those cat eyes look like they’ve been drawn poorly in MS Paint.

    Also, I got a Facebook Message about 30 minutes ago from someone I don’t know but he and I have a mutual Facebook friend.

    His message read:

    I don’t know who you are, but as long as you keep calling out Marino for his bullshit you’re ok with me. Can I contribute to your political campaign?

    Everything I learned, I learned from BJ. Thanks to all of you!

  3. 3.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Gods damn, that is one absolutely frightening and downright terrifying supremely beautiful cat you got there.

  4. 4.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    What are you watching on Netflix? I’m halfway through Hill House, and I’m torn between the good scary stuff and the overwrought script and acting

  8. 8.

    NotMax

    @Major Major Major Major

    Slacker.

    :)

    You’re probably aware of it but just in case, don’t fall prey to “oh, I’ll remember what’s what and what’s where once I get there.” Label every box. No exceptions.

  10. 10.

    debbie

    Someone on t.v. just told me that Richard Cordray will harvest my money and leave Ohio barren. These ads could not be sillier.

  12. 12.

    FlyingToaster

    I took WarriorGirl to Fish Fun and Fright (the New England Aquarium’s Halloween party), which was fun, including a 15 minute interlude where we just sat and watched the frolicking fur seals.

    Gearing up for a horrid day tomorrow: Music School in the dregs of a Pacific Hurricane ( 3000 miles later, it still sucks), HerrDoktor then takes her to Aikido and a haircut, then we all trek off to our friends for a lasagna dinner.

    Basically “on” from 9am to, oh, 11pm. Long fucking day.

  13. 13.

    NotMax

    @NotMax

    Addendum.

    NotMax, who moved to Hawaii from New York 35 years ago and still has some boxes squirreled away which have yet to be unpacked.

  14. 14.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    LOL, why do cats have such flat heads? Actually dogs have them too. On second thought, a lot of animals have them.

  17. 17.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @Major Major Major Major:
    I liked Elementary and I watched it until the 4th season and then I lost interest for no particular reason. I’ve always thought it’s done a really good job and been pretty progressive. A black mark on Elementary would be the racial profiling episodes and the show never treated it as such.

  20. 20.

    Kayla Rudbek

    Stupid tea party people had a booth at the American Intellectual Property Law Association conference, of all the places to show up. WTF was AIPLA thinking letting them have a booth? (The standard joke in the IP law community is that the far left doesn’t believe in property, and that the far right doesn’t believe in Intellectuals). I’ve NEVER seen this before and I hope that I never see it again.

  26. 26.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    Sounds like fun! Have you two crazy kids taken in the fall foliage yet?

    When I visit, we can do genealogy and can some stuff from the garden.

  27. 27.

    sfinny

    I had the weekend planned out perfectly: drive to White Plains and vote, then drive to Yonkers and run some errands for my sister-in-law who is in the hospital. Ask my neighbor if she wants to do brunch on Sunday at a local restaurant.

    Then I got the robo call from the village, the email from Verizon, the weather channel alert, that a nor’easter is heading our way with heavy rain, winds, flooding. Guess I need to rethink the plan.

  28. 28.

    Emerald

    I’ve been watching Travelers–just starting episode 12 in season 1. Really enjoying it. Good sci-fi with suspense, and they’re not mucking it up with romance (welll, a little bit, but it all fits into the sci-fi premise).

  31. 31.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    John Harwood @ JohnJHarwood
    the two parties are not the same

    their behavior and values are not the same

    their respect for facts and reason and honesty is not the same

    compare Barack Obama and Donald Trump

    it’s plain as day

    a million “both sides do it” claims can’t make them the same because they’re not

  32. 32.

    NotMax

    @Emerald

    Season 3 (exclusive to Netflix) supposed to show up before the end of the year but nothing 100% definite yet so far as a date (Travelers not included in the initial list of November offerings).

  34. 34.

    Mnemosyne

    The first day of my writing conference was good but I am SO FUCKING TIRED right now. Two nights in a row of less than 6 hours of sleep really fucks me up now that I’m middle-aged.

  35. 35.

    gene108

    @debbie:

    Someone on t.v. just told me that Richard Cordray will harvest my money and leave Ohio barren. These ads could not be sillier.

    At least he’s not harvesting your organs to create an alien-human hybrid. Progress?

  36. 36.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @Mnemosyne:
    3-4 hours of sleep a night 3 days in a row fucks me up too and I’m half your age. How was the conference?

  38. 38.

    NotMax

    @Major Major Major Major

    Yeah, they got tangled up somewhat in taking themselves too seriously. Avoiding spoilers, will say they didn’t jump the shark but did bounce up and down on it for a while there. Still and all, a watchable diversion.

  39. 39.

    NotMax

    @Mike in DC

    Right this minute am grinning while watching the lead character in Rake speak on the floor of the Australian Senate while wearing a headless zebra costume.

  40. 40.

    Gretchen

    I love the idea of being given a complimentary dog to sleep with for the duration of the stay. Makes me want to come visit.

  41. 41.

    Bess

    Mexico has offered temporary work permits to migrants who register for asylum, as a big caravan of Central American migrants makes its way through the country toward the US.

    The plan also envisages temporary ID cards, medical care and schooling.

    But to qualify, migrants must remain in Mexico’s southern Chiapas and Oaxaca states.

    BBC

    Potentially removing an opportunity for Trump to flex someone else’s muscles right before the election.

    No dramatic confrontation at the border.

  42. 42.

    Cacti

    I know I can’t be the only one who’s hoping against hope that the Dems don’t try to take the high road on Trump radicalizing a terrorist at his rallies. No #NotAllTrumpVoters bullshit. Point a finger and say “Trump made this happen!”.

    Tie that shit around the GOP’s neck like an anchor and shove them off into the abyss.

    Play to win.

  45. 45.

    Steeplejack

    @Mnemosyne:

    I dusted off my Nook the other day and realized that I have read hardly any books since Trump was elected. It’s been all Internet froth and politics. Ugh. I realized that I was a book behind on Lee Child’s Reacher novels (with a new one coming November 5) and two books behind on Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch novels (and another one of those coming on Tuesday!).

    So I read Reacher #22 (The Midnight Line) and am about halfway through Bosch #19 (The Wrong Side of Goodbye), so I’m catching up.

    All of which is to say that your mention of Robert Crais reminded me of a problem I have with crime fiction series in general, i.e., if I binge-read a group of novels in a series and take a break, or if I just forget to check periodically for the next book in a series I follow, I tend to “lose my place.” Plot elements kind of run together; book titles really do.

    Crais is a perfect example: I read all, or almost all, of the Elvis Cole novels in a short period of time a few years ago. I liked them but felt sort of overstuffed, so I took a break. Now, when I think about going back to them, I don’t have a good idea of which book to start with. The Nook is helpful with some series, because I can see which was the last title I bought, but some I read in paperback and can’t refer back to.

    Anyway, no point, really, just needed to vent a bit. Maybe I’ll take another run at figuring out where I left off with Elvis Cole.

  47. 47.

    Steeplejack

    @NotMax:

    I do have an older friend who jokes that at some point she’ll need only three or four books because she’ll forget each one by the time it comes up in the rotation again.

  48. 48.

    janesays

    Anybody watching the longest World Series game in the history of baseball right now? 15 innings, going on six hours of play.

  49. 49.

    ruemara

    Hi, Genine! It looks like a fun time is being had by all. Is this the start of JC’s new career as a BJ BnB? I like it. Niche market but dependably good people.

    I am recuperating from spending a day I should’ve been home sick being at work, sick. How sick am I? I started this comment 3 hours ago and forgot to hit send.

  50. 50.

    Steeplejack

    @janesays:

    Yes, I just made a pointless comment in that thread downstairs that someone needs to win this game. I don’t care who! I just want to go to bed, but I need closure.

  54. 54.

    OldDave

    East coast. Can’t say I’m watching. More listening while inspecting the inside of my eyelids.

  57. 57.

    Mary G

    @janesays: I wanted to cry when that ball was foul, because I am sick of this game, but I have sunk 6 hours into it. I am tired and can’t imagine how any of you East Coasters are still awake.

  58. 58.

    James E Powell

    @janesays:

    Anybody watching the longest World Series game in the history of baseball right now? 15 innings, going on six hours of play.

    I’m watching, gloomily anticipating doom for the Dodgers every inning.

  68. 68.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    I just checked the game status one last time, and a commenter on that page had written, “This game is why I believe in euthanasia.”

  71. 71.

    JCJ

    @SoupCatcher:
    Is there any amount of Joe Buck that is non-toxic?

    I remember a sign at a game one year stating the best thing about being at the game was that you could see it without having to listen to Joe Buck.

  73. 73.

    SoupCatcher

    @JCJ:
    If the TV broadcast wasn’t seconds behind the radio, I’d mute the tube, but it’s too disconcerting.

  76. 76.

    Mary G

    They’ve played the equivalent of two whole games now. We may see nonpitchers pitching if it goes much longer.

  77. 77.

    Ninedragonspot

    In the middle of my opera tour to Shanxi, China – 9 operas in 7 days. All but one of the shows are outside, which is fine during the day but freezing (literally) at night. Morning operas start at 10 am, evening operas begin around 6 or 7. Each performance 3-4 hours long with no intermission. The troupe I’ve spent the most time watching so far has been kind of average, but has 2-3 excellent singers who make it worthwhile. Will hear better troupes in the countryside tomorrow and Monday. All but one performance is in the little-known, but very exciting and lyrical Shanxi Jinju 山西晉劇 style.

    Being a middle-aged white dude, the performers onstage spend nearly as much time staring at me as I do them. Keeps my attention from wandering!

  78. 78.

    SoupCatcher

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:
    We were in town a couple of weeks ago, on the day of the Dodgers game 163, and got stuck in the pre game crowd in line at The Pantry. Went out to Manhattan Beach and hit Phillippe’s on the way home for their birthday celebration, and caught the crowd coming down the hill after the game.

    Nice double play.

  81. 81.

    SoupCatcher

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:
    Done.

    eta The birthday celebration was fun. They had period entertainers working the line: flapper, jazz quartet, barbershop group, etc. After the game, that behind-the-back peanut thrower from Dodger Stadium came doiwn and was throwing to the line.

  86. 86.

    Mary G

    Good. Happy the Dodgers will at worst not get skunked, but hoping they can pull out the series.

  88. 88.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Mary G: i haven’t been since the urban hike with Madame and the kid in February. It’s a bit of a shorter trip for us than y’all down south(though we took the train that day).

    ETA: Phillippe’s is much better than Cole’s.

  90. 90.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Bess:

    Potentially removing an opportunity for Trump to flex someone else’s muscles right before the election.

    Which election, the 2020 election? ‘Cause that caravan ain’t gettin’ here any time soon.

  92. 92.

    J R in WV

    @Bess:

    Mexico has offered temporary work permits to migrants who register for asylum, as a big caravan of Central American migrants makes its way through the country toward the US.

    The plan also envisages temporary ID cards, medical care and schooling.

    But to qualify, migrants must remain in Mexico’s southern Chiapas and Oaxaca states.

    BBC

    Potentially removing an opportunity for Trump to flex someone else’s muscles right before the election.

    No dramatic confrontation at the border.

    So right next door, Mexico is creating an adult response to an ongoing refugee tragedy in part created by our own not-so-adult government; a great and mature example of foreign affairs and proper handling of a refugee event.

    Any hope our own government will formulate any kind of adult response? Nope!!!

    [ Thanks for bringing this to our attention! MSM won’t go there at all! ]

Comments are closed.