Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

A Senator Walker would also be an insult to reason, rationality, and decency.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President.

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

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

Everybody saw this coming.

Second rate reporter says what?

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

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

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

T R E 4 5 O N

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

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

You are here: Home / Sunday Afternoon Non Football Related Open Thread

Reader Interactions

77Comments

  5. 5.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    Sorry friends I am loyal to the AFC (except the Steelers or the Seahawks) yes I have to shower afterwards and take decontamination pills. Forgive me.

  6. 6.

    JPL

    John, Strep takes at least three days to before you start to feel human again. Take care.

    This year we had our game day snacks at one and now everyone is at their own home to watch or not watch. I have to say that the wings I made were outstanding. I did two trays, one par-boiled and one from serious eats which never fails except this time. The baking powder trick does not work. This is the recipe I used.

    wings

    I also used the buffalo wing sauce she recommended and it was good.

  7. 7.

    Duane

    Robert Gurley wins MVP. He’s a winner, and played all his life for this. Destiny. Still time to place a bet!

  9. 9.

    HeleninEire

    Copied from 2 threads ago:

    Here’s my contribution to the Superbowl. I haven’t a clue. Never did.

    But oh Holy Hell. England beat Ireland in the 6 nations rugby last night? WTF? Ireland had been the champs for years. And they were the favorite last night.

    Perhaps I should go back and cheer them on. Except for the fecking fact that they’re OUT.

    Gotta say I’m so glad I wasn’t in an Irish pub last night!!

  11. 11.

    JPL

    @Mr Stagger Lee: My sons are still holding a grudge because of the Falcons loss. It was better to do game day snacks early and then part our ways. One son called the Brady dynasty the same as the Yankees. Little does he know it would take a hell of a lot more wins to reach that.

  13. 13.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    Just watched the Rosa Parks episode of the new Doctor Who season (I am treating myself to a mini binge) I have to say it it the most brilliant episode ever filmed. A White Supremasist from the future comes back to try and stop Rosa getting on the bus. The Doctor and her gang do everything in their power to make sure she does. It is just brilliant.

  15. 15.

    Aleta

    It’s worse to be forced to hide your anti-patriotsism if you go to anyone’s house or local’s restaurant in this town tonight. An older neighbor and wife have been baking cakes and pies all day for their Superbowl party. They said they’d bring some over for us before it starts, and we will have to accept and eat the delicious cakes while stifling the truth we cannot speak of in our hearts.

  20. 20.

    raven

    @Duane: Both teams have Georgia running backs. Tood is great and so is Sony Michele. His folks came from Haiti and he’s a really good person.

  21. 21.

    germy

    We have only antenna TV, so we’ll be watching America’s Got Talent.

    It’s a strange show. They try to give the impression that the performers have spent their lives sitting in their rooms and then decided suddenly to step onstage for the first time, but in reality the great majority of contestants are already active in show business, or at least have performed on many other “Got Talent” shows.

    They call it “America’s Got Talent” but many of the contestants are from other countries, as are the judges.

    There was a comedian with tourettes who had good material, and a singing dog who got a standing ovation.

  22. 22.

    Mary G

    @NotMax: I finally gave in and cut the landline and got a moderately intelligent phone, and that was one of the first things I did, turned off all the notifications.

  23. 23.

    Martin

    @JPL: The thing that makes me a bit more okay with the Pats (I only root for them for my mom) is that most of their best players didn’t come to them through big contracts. Brady was a 6th round draft pick. Edelman was a 7th round draft pick. The Pats dynasty is really built around players that nobody else saw much value in – and I find that kind of cool. There’s a little island of misfit toys aspect to the team. Brady was the guy nobody thought would ever be a starting QB, let alone make it to a Superbowl.

    That’s not how the Yankees operate, or GSW or most other sports dynasties.

  24. 24.

    SFAW

    J-E-T-S! Jets! JETS! JETS!!!!!!!!

    Now, please excuse me while I go drown my sorrows in guac and chili.

  26. 26.

    germy

    @NotMax: The magician was good. I like some of the acts.

    It’s a cheesy show but addicting, and preferable (to wife and I) to sportsball.

  28. 28.

    sukabi

    feel so shitty every time I so much as get an alert I have received a text or email I mutter “Go fuck yourself.”

    So just another day.

    Feel better John. ? ?.

  29. 29.

    JPL

    @Martin: Will you explain to my younger son the part that he should like them for his mom. haha He actually liked them until they beat Atlanta.

    truthfully I’m just glad that trump didn’t come to town. He just casts such a negative shadow where ever he is. ick

  32. 32.

    NotMax

    @germy

    If your television accepts an HDMI connection, you might consider getting a Roku box. One time modest purchase price, easy set up, no subscription fees for the service. Opens up a world of options (many, many of which are no cost) in addition to antenna TV.

  35. 35.

    JPL

    @germy: Earlier when I had folks over one of my sons played checkers on ROKU with the teen next door. It’s not just about watching tv. I like Netflix and that’s why I have it.

  36. 36.

    NotMax

    @Duane

    Title of it escapes me, but do recall a scene from a particularly cheesy Italian sword and sandal flick in which Zeus thundered, “Send in the Titans!”

    Out trotted a group of late middle-aged, balding and obviously overweight what I suspect were ex-soccer players, huffing and puffing in their sweat-stained tunics. Primo giggle inducing scene.

  37. 37.

    NotMax

    @JPL

    Yeah, options such as that and also music channels. Even for those without Netflix or Amazon Prime it is a nice option for those times when you just want to curl up and watch a movie, on your schedule and at your own pace.

  38. 38.

    laura koerber

    Strep is terrible. I got strep annually throughout highschool and once had it in conjunction with mono and another time with laryngitis. Did you know that people can be carriers for it? I think my sister was a carrier because she never got it. Anyway I am sorry that you are so miserable!

  42. 42.

    ThresherK

    Here in CT I go between “keep the locals happy” and “they’re too smug for their britches”.

    Every Brady SB has gone down to the wire, so I’m expecting that.

    I simply want a game not decided by some stupid calls or non-calls. (Pats dbs, I’m looking at.you.)

  46. 46.

    hueyplong

    @HinTN: I’m guessing Stagger Lee is saying that the Seahawks are an exception to his root for the AFC rule, as in, he’ll root for the Seahawks no matter who they played.

    I wouldn’t. But I think that’s what he meant.

  47. 47.

    James E Powell

    Seems like quite a few football comments for a suppose-ably non-football thread.

    Somebody at the NFL is making not a huge but something of a statement. The notables out there for the coin toss are Rev Dr Bernice A King, Congressman John Lewis, and Ambassador Andrew Young.

  49. 49.

    Aleta

    @raven: Damn, it’s a dark chocolate cream pie and a tres leches con coco.

    How can anything survive
    When these Pats fans tear you in two?
    What a town without pity can do.

    (My partner just said “You’re telling the blog we hate the Patriots? You’ll be destroyed!” That’s the level of paranoia we live within here.)

  50. 50.

    JPL

    @Duane: Yoast coached locally and moved back to retire here. He probably wears a maga hat, at least that’s my speculation.
    and btw .. just f,k on the interception

  51. 51.

    Chloe

    Thanks to the Muppets, every time someone introduces Gladys Knight, I think “Me too, it’s too hot during the day.”

  52. 52.

    opiejeanne

    @Jharp: It’s 33 here and snowing since 12:30 PST. I know a lot of you are really sick of snow and cold weather but this is our first snow this winter, and it’s starting to stick, and the trees look so pretty like silver lace, and we’re excited. We don’t have to go out in it, which is part of why we’re happy because it’s also really windy. Supposed to snow until about 7am tomorrow.
    GO RAMS!

  53. 53.

    Aleta

    And we just got disinvited to my cousin’s house with the big TV for the game, right before leaving. Now what.

  54. 54.

    Fair Economist

    @Litlebritdifrnt: Yes, I really liked the Rosa Parks Dr. Who episode too. And it made the point about how far we have come in only 60 years, even if there is still a long way to go.

  55. 55.

    Fair Economist

    @Jharp:

    It is 64 degrees in Indianapolis today.

    One week ago it was 11 degrees below zero.

    Welcome to climate change. There is worse to come as the polar jet continues to slow.

  60. 60.

    donnah

    My hubby and I went to a dinner party with friends last night, and our hostess is gluten-intolerant, so I baked a flourless chocolate cake. I found the recipe on line, get this, at the King Arthur Flour website. There’s no flour in the recipe, so that struck me as funny.

    It was delicious, shamefully rich and dense, and very easy to make. It’s definitely not calorie or fat free, but it was a lovely indulgence. I would bake it again in the future.

  63. 63.

    opiejeanne

    @donnah: Betty Crocker makes a really great gluten-free chocolate cake mix, but flourless chocolate cakes are really decadent and wonderful, especially if paired with a raspberry sauce to cut the richness a bit.

  64. 64.

    Cermet

    Unless both teams lose – tie maybe? Not interested in the bowl; rather, more interested in how the american Taliban are destroying this country in the name of white, male, privilege. Just like the Muslim Taliban (except, we don’t identify them as white – which they are but that isn’t the point here.) Yes, the point – believe it or not, many things are going very good in the world: health improvements, the poorest of the poor have seen their lot improve, girls and woman in many parts of the world are now getting better educations compared to times past, population is stabilizing (growth rate is slowing), and people are starting to become more tolerate in many areas of the world. Yet AGW is getting worse and that tread will not just stop these wonderful changes, but will reverse them. That is the real enemy – people like repugs/amerikan Taliban that are doing all in their power to prevent us from dealing with the greatest threat this world is currently facing. These are the real enemy of all human-kind.

  66. 66.

    WaterGirl

    @donnah: They sell a lot more than just flour, so it’s not as crazy as it seems, but yeah, it is funny.

    I need to bake a birthday cake this week, maybe I’ll try that one.

  67. 67.

    jimmiraybob

    From the heart of STL I say, “Fuck the Rams.” But fuck the Patriots more. No, upon further review, fuck the Rams more. Fuck it. Are there injuries yet? is Kroenke still standing?

  68. 68.

    Gelfling 545

    @Litlebritdifrnt: I thought it was an excellent episode and was glad to see that they were able to do it without taking anything away from her independence and courage. It must have been rather tricky to get the right tone. So many ways they could have got it wrong.

  69. 69.

    namekarB

    Well so much for this being a NON football thread. American Gladiators in a modern circus arena

  70. 70.

    narya

    Finally half-watching 24 hours of Daytona, after a feast of venison, wild turkey, and butternut squash risotto.

    John, it’ll sting, but I gargle with a combo of apple cider vinegar, a bit of salt, a little cayenne, and as much water as you need. It hurts, but it also really works well for me and creates an environment that the bacteria do not like.

  71. 71.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @HeleninEire:

    Except for the fecking fact that they’re OUT.

    Ireland plays Scotland on Saturday. It’s only the first round of the round robin portion of the tournament. Get a grip.

  72. 72.

    J R in WV

    My favorite cake is Black Forest Chocolate.

    It has sour cherries and cherry brandy AND whipped cream in the layers of a really good chocolate cake.

    And now it’s raining more her ein the high desert — really odd, tho people say it always rains at least once during the Tucson Gem ad Mineral show, which runs from around 1/31 to the end of the third weekend of Feb… this year until the 17th.

    Odd. I’ve seen the summer monsoon rains, but rarely rain in the winter. Although the first year we were working to build the house, we had temps below zero and sleet and snow interfering with the construction work.

    ETA remove a SB related comment…

  73. 73.

    J R in WV

    So went out to bring in some firewood for the nightly winter fire.

    I’ll fire up the SB feed, and build a fire later, the house is OK for now, nearly 70 in the kitchen, not quite as warm in the larger bedroom where the wood stove is.

    I spent last night in Tucson in order to have a long dinner with an old friend from NYC who was in Tucson on business, my hotel room had a Kiva-style fireplace, an older adobe style hotel we really like, so the cabin in the mountains was untended last night… no big deal, the cabin was untended for 3 years and did OK all on its own.

  74. 74.

    Ben Cisco

    No football for me. Watching “The Girl In The Spider’s Web.” Damn this is some brutal stuff.

  75. 75.

    CZanne

    Update, regarding Brooke Pack, in Savannah. The visitation is open, and will be Tuesday evening from 6-9 pm at Strickland Mortuary, in Pooler, GA. The memorial will be the next day, at 1 pm, same place. She will be cremated, so no procession. The family would rather not have flowers, and request that people find ways to play games with those they love – video games, RPGs, board and table games: she loved them all. (This is my plug for Munchkin) – because so often we forget to play.

    They also have a GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/support-for-the-pack-family It will mostly help support them while they survive what’s coming, and for therapy.

  76. 76.

    Inspectrix

    I’m dreading the awkward-for-me game talk at work tomorrow here in Boston. I have no love for Brady, Pats, or football in general. It’s miracle I ever gave Friday Night Lights the chance it deserved.

    Just started Russian Doll series one night after watching Groundhog Day. Fun juxtaposition. Bill Murray/Phil’s workplace harassment style and the bemused reaction of the other characters doesn’t age well.

  77. 77.

    Aleta

    @CZanne: Thanks for letting us know. Condolences to you and Brooke’s family. I’m so sorry.

    This is from a letter my niece sent all of us in 2016. (She died about 6 weeks ago, after cancer treatments since 2013.)

    —————————
    Dear Family,

    I came across this quote today from Mary Oliver’s “In Blackwater Woods:”

    “To live in this world, you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.”

    love, A.

    ————————-

Comments are closed.