Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It’s a new day. Light all those Biden polls of young people on fire and throw away the ashes.

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

People really shouldn’t expect the government to help after they watched the GOP drown it in a bathtub.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Fight them, without becoming them!

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

We’ll be taking my thoughts and prayers to the ballot box.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

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

Republicans: “Abortion is murder but you can take a bus to get one.” Easy peasy.

Pelosi: “He either is stupid, or he thinks the rest of us are.” Why not both?

…and a burning sense of injustice to juice the soul.

Trump’s legal defense is going to be a dumpster fire inside a clown car on a derailing train.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Israel is using food as a weapon of war. Unforgivable.

Nikki Haley, who can’t acknowledge ‘slavery’, is a pathetic shill.

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

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Reader Interactions

249Comments

  4. 4.

    Immanentize

    @chopper:
    There is the Warren clustefuck.
    At least on the Dem side.
    Then there is the existential clustefuck numbering 666 on the Republican side.

  11. 11.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    you don’t fuck with the Noonz, man, dude’s got a mind like a Texas Instruments calculator and a tongue like razor

    Manu Raju @ mkraju
    We tried to ask Devin Nunes, the ranking Republican, whether he voted to release the transcripts. “You guys are an embarrassment to yourselves,” he snorted as he walked onto an elevator.

    Boom!

  13. 13.

    RedDirtGirl

    I’ll use this shiny new thread to reiterate my interest in coordinating a NYC gathering sometime in the next month or so. Let’s welcome M4 and celebrate the return of HeleninEire…

  14. 14.

    Immanentize

    There are thesis
    There are anti-thesis.
    Sometimes there is synthesis.
    Also too there is “fuck you, I know best, eat shit DIAF.”
    One of these things is not like the other.

  19. 19.

    JoeyJoeJoe

    Here’s a bit of random trivia: In 1984, Ronald Reagan’s two best congressional districts in the county were the north Dallas 32nd (which was the 3rd at the time) and the western Houston 7th, and Democrats took both from the GOP in November

  21. 21.

    geg6

    @Baud:

    Gotta agree. I’m kinda sad because I was having an interesting conversation. Shit was being flung around at other points on the thread, but I’ve seen worse here.

  22. 22.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    That’s one of my favourite things they do, making themselves comfortable (and invisible, and unfindable) for hours on end behind a shelf of books, and managing it without disturbing a single volume.

    Of course, they’re also perfectly capable of pulling the “all cats are assholes” thing and knocking a dozen books on the floor.

  25. 25.

    Immanentize

    @Yarrow: She’s been around a bunch. Mid-afternoon, some evening, not so much in the mornings. I liked when she was in Eire and would join us in the mornings.

  26. 26.

    FlyingToaster

    @Cheryl Rofer: HerrDoktor is having a molar extracted that evening (yes, the joy of marriage between soulless technocrats is that one of them spends Valentines’ evening in Dental Surgery while the other one deals with the 11-year-old violinist and her angst about Bach — and also school homework).

  27. 27.

    joel hanes

    @NotMax:

    like Doritos: “Don’t worry, they’ll make more/”

    The only kind I liked was the yellow-bag original unflavored.
    They were my favorite corn chip.
    No store near me has carried them in years.
    An Amazon search shows me that they make a “lightly salted” version, but I’ve never seen that in a store.

    First world problem.

  28. 28.

    chris

    Best thing I’ve seen today. A man and his condor

    The man in the video saved the life of the condor who fell from the nest as a young chick. The man took care of the bird until he was able to return & live in the wild- but apparently the bird hasn't forgotten his Good Samaritan- & he flies back and visits him every now & then? pic.twitter.com/4KClpQBw3l— Angie Karan Ⓥ ?? (@angie_karan) 5 February 2019

  29. 29.

    John Cole

    I didn’t want to fucking deal with it. Several people I like a great deal and respect a lot (Rue, Lamh, and others) were very upset in that thread. I’m cranky. I closed it. The end.

  32. 32.

    Immanentize

    @FlyingToaster: Well, at least you managed the production of the 11 year old. No slacking technocrats!

    PS I am in awe of children with musical talent. The Immp had no stomach for practice. Sad because math kids can be great music kids and versa vice.

  37. 37.

    NotMax

    @Immanentize

    Wasn’t there some sort of robotics competition very recently in New Hampshire? Did Immp attend (or maybe it was only for Granite Staters)?

  40. 40.

    chopper

    @zhena gogolia:

    i dunno. if the thread is going in a direction the FPer doesn’t like and he or she wants to do something drastic, i’d prefer comments be closed vs just yanking the whole thing like adam did when people rightfully pointed out that dr. ronny jackson is a piece of human garbage.

  41. 41.

    Spanky

    @Immanentize: I was awesome at math (still not too bad), but sucked as a trumpet player in school. Then about a minute after I graduated something clicked and I started picking up a variety of instruments. Haven’t touched any in over 20 years now, though.

    Half-seriously thinking about taking trumpet lessons after I retire this spring, just to be complete with the whole thing.

    Anyway, a long way to come around to say that Immp may still find the music in him.

  42. 42.

    chopper

    @Immanentize:

    there seemed to be a too-high level of white-ass people telling POC that they ‘just need to deal with it’ for the greater good. i was worrying the whole thing would go all-the-way off the rails after a bit.

  43. 43.

    Mary G

    Not news but Mitch McConnell is a garbage human being:

    As I’ve said time and time again: Mindless obstruction is unacceptable. The only way this divided Congress will be able to choose greatness and deliver significant legislation is by focusing on — as President Trump put it — “cooperation, compromise, and the common good.”— Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) February 6, 2019

  44. 44.

    poleaxedbyboatwork

    @Immanentize:

    Best of intentions was the way I took it. Ain’t gonna cauterize the wound, necessarily, but sometimes a reset to a new venue will afford a moment of pause and reflection that’s helpful (and ideally, temper white-hot emotions).

    Fresh sheets can’t never hurt (‘cept in the manifold instances in which I stupidly post onto long-dead threads, which is often, but, will say, one, it’s my fault for not checking, and two, loves me some Anne Laurie, but she’s a late-night sprinter who’s hard to keep up with).

  45. 45.

    NotMax

    @Immanentize

    Down to only one roll of chocolate-only Necco wafers brought back from NY; waiting for that proverbial special occasion. Also brought a couple of sleeves of Charms – which I didn’t even realize were still being made – to have as sucking (in the better sense) candies should a sore throat strike, along with the usual throat-soothing small stash of Crown Royal sour cherry drops, Reed’s root beer drops and some licorice pastilles.

  47. 47.

    jacy

    I’m waiting for word that my custody motion has been filed. (I singed it Monday). I’m feeling a panic attack about it. The ex sent a message tonight that he’s enrolling the kid in the Catholic school he wants him to go to, and I haven’t been able to tell him that he’s been accepted to the magnet school he wants, because I wanted to file the motion for custody modification before he found out so he couldn’t do something underhanded to mess with his acceptance. No word from the lawyer yet that it’s been filed, and I had too much anxiety to call and check, so I went and hid in bed for six hours, which I now feel guilty about because I didn’t accomplish anything. Which is making the anxiety worse. And it’s so fucking hot here I had to turn on the air conditioning, which should not happen in February. argh

  49. 49.

    FlyingToaster

    @Immanentize: Her best academic subject is math. So yes, it maps, but it requires that the kid have some passion for music. We lucked out; HerrDoktor came from a family of singers, and I come from a family of instrumentalists. WarriorGirl can do both; she just finished learning the 1st and 3rd movements of Vivaldi’s Concerto in A Minor, and is (as of this evening) starting to learn the “Bach Doubles”: the 2nd part of Bach’s Concerto for two violins in D Minor.

    And a week from Friday she’s one of the (singing) soloists at the school concert.

    She’s already a better musician than either of her parents, and we don’t completely suck.

  53. 53.

    Gvg

    @John Cole: you’re right, some of our regulars were getting really upset. I am really sorry for them and want them to feel ok. I have learned a lot from them but I am not done yet.
    I also noticed some new names saying things that really stirred things up over and over and am getting pretty mad about that.

  54. 54.

    CatFacts

    I’m sure someone has already posted it, but Paul Erickson got himself indicted for wire fraud.

  55. 55.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Gvg: I also noticed some new names saying things that really stirred things up over and over and am getting pretty mad about that

    amazing how a certain topic draws new nyms with strong opinions, ain’t it?

  56. 56.

    Immanentize

    @NotMax: Yes, NH had their state championship competition. But, Immp hung up his robotics, uh, programming fingers? this year because he was the youngest on the team and after winning the world championship, and everyone else heading to college last year, he didn’t want to start again with the new and much younger cohort.

    Plus, physics is really challenging! He needed more time for his classes. Of course now that he has been accepted into college, he really is over high school.

  57. 57.

    Mary G

    @jacy: Sometimes hiding in bed is good for you. Stop thinking of it as a bad thing and think of it as self-care. You have a huge load on your shoulders right now, trying to take care of your child, and we are behind you.

  64. 64.

    zhena gogolia

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Sasha was named after my Russian goddaughter and Masha rhymed.

    I have only the most innocent connections to Russia. For one thing, I’m not an elected official!

  65. 65.

    Immanentize

    @NotMax: I grew up not far from the Fair Play candy Company in Binghamton, NY. Mary Jane’s, Squirrels, and (my favorite) BB Bats!

  68. 68.

    Immanentize

    @chopper: no, not right now. NECCO was bought by a company that finished raiding it then sold the candy recipes and names to different companies. The hearts and wafers are supposed to appear by next year.

    But what about the SkyBar?!

  71. 71.

    trollhattan

    @chris:
    That is completely excellent! Only condors I’ve seen up close–and perhaps at all–were at the SD Zoo. Completely changes one’s perception of the meaning of “large.” That thing can fly?

  73. 73.

    mad citizen

    @trollhattan: “due to fiber optic work taking place in the area,” that would not be PG&E’s fault, though? Mismarked lines or bad contractors…

    Not excusing them for all the other incidents–I’m in the midwest and follow them through trade press.

  77. 77.

    trnc

    @eemom: I started writing a comment intended to calm the fury a bit, stopped and thought about it a bit, wrote some more, rinse, repeat finally hit the post button, and WHAM! Thread closed.

    It’s a shame. My last sentence would have brought peace and bliss to all jackals and healed an entire country. Not ours, probably, but, you know, somewhere.

  78. 78.

    Immanentize

    @Gvg:

    also noticed some new names saying things that really stirred things up over and over and am getting pretty mad about that.

    This

  84. 84.

    raven

    Ya’ll just can’t respect the blogowners wish can you?

    Here is a shiny new thread that is for discussing anything other than the Virginia clusterfuck.

  86. 86.

    Immanentize

    @rikyrah: what I love about the lover of Butina’s Indictments is that they are coming from a completely different US Attorney office — South Dakota! Mueller has spread this far and wide.

  91. 91.

    zhena gogolia

    @Steve in the ATL:

    Sasha is the nickname for both Aleksandr (male) and Aleksandra (female). Shura can also be a male or a female nickname, as can Zhenya (for Evgenii or Evgeniia). Misha can only be a male name (Mikhail), despite Mischa Barton. And Nikita is only a male name, despite a love song by Elton John (or maybe that’s intentional) and La Femme Nikita. And much as I love the Obamas, Sasha is not a nickname for Natasha. Natasha is a nickname for Nataliia and has no relation to the name Sasha.

  92. 92.

    Immanentize

    @raven: I think discussing the thread about the forbidden topic is different from discussing the forbidden topic? Or something? It’s meta.

  93. 93.

    delk

    I went swimming at the local park district pool for the first time this afternoon. Adult swim 2:30 to 3:45. Only six other swimmers and you can watch dogs playing in the park while you swim! Last neighborhood park district only had an outdoor pool. Can’t wait for a snowy day.

  95. 95.

    CarolDuhart2

    @FlyingToaster: Not even a crappy Valentine between you two? Candy is doubtless out this year (unless you can find something freezable for later). But anyway, good luck to Herr Doctor and hopes for a painfree operation..

  96. 96.

    Immanentize

    @chopper:
    Which makes me very happy. Seems so appropriate somehow. It is such an immigrant town. I just picture rows and rows of banana BB Bats, marching in formation, lining up to protect the mosque.

  99. 99.

    Immanentize

    @trollhattan: That would be, but sadly it’s Butina’s boyfriend who was indicted in SD. Trying him in the Corn Palace would be coals to Newcastle.

  101. 101.

    eemom

    @raven:

    Discussing the thread that discussed the Virginia clusterfuck is not the same as discussing the Virginia clusterfuck.

    ‘sides, who dares not respect the BlogLord who has the power to smite us with a click of his mouse?

  106. 106.

    Martin

    I don’t want to discuss the Virginia clusterfuck or the thread about the Virginia clusterfuck, but I want to say that I too adore and respect Ruemara and lamh36 and others, and appreciate and value their presence here.

  110. 110.

    raven

    @delk: Yup, I spent a good number of years working in the Urbana Park District and I don’t think they are called that many other places besides Illinois.

  113. 113.

    NotMax

    @delk

    Speaking of pools, saw this one a long while back on the Amazing Hotels series on Netflix.

    Merely looking at it gives me vertigo. Impossible to pay me enough to swim in it.

  115. 115.

    Immanentize

    @WaterGirl: I loved the cinnamon NECCO wafers. I would look for rolls with the most white ones. But chocolate was clearly a favorite all told as NECCO put out all Choco wafer rolls. Which NotMax is not sharing with us, it seems.

  116. 116.

    FlyingToaster

    @Immanentize: Thank you.

    This week, it’s all good. The weeks when it takes her 3 hours to write a fucking paragraph, not so much.

    OTOH, you’ve go Immp admitted to college, so, (other than paying for it), you’ve got that hot mess off your plate.

  117. 117.

    CarolDuhart2

    Looking at the whole Russia/Trump thing-is everybody on the Right involved in this? Is there a person of note who didn’t take part in it at all besides the Never Trumpers? It doesn’t have to be for noble purposes, just a sense of self-preservation or independence would be sufficient. At this rate, in order to have a non-corrupt right, Democrats will have to be like those plays where actors have to play dual roles. Split in two, and be both Democrats and Republicans so there can be at least some competition.

    And all for the crassest, least competent President in my lifetime. If he was as charismatic, intelligent and popular as Obama, at least one could excuse the self-immolation.
    But this guy?

  118. 118.

    Steeplejack

    @Mary G:

    Figures. I belatedly realized it would probably get a lot of likes from MAGAts banging on the button like lab rats trying to get a food pellet.

  119. 119.

    WaterGirl

    @Mary G: I loved the tweet from Christine Pelosi, I believe it was, saying she recognized that clap from when she was a teenager. So apparently that was no accident.

    Just makes me love it even more.

    edit: when Nancy Pelosi is named Person of the Year, that photo will be on the cover.

  120. 120.

    schrodingers_cat

    A beautiful Sufi composition shot in one of Old Delhi’s oldest dargahs (tombs of Sufi saints) to end your day. Composed by A R Rahman, written by Irshad Kamil and sung by Mohit Chauhan
    Kun faya kun
    ETA: Apparently, Aurangzeb’s sister, who had fallen out of favor and didn’t get along with her brother used to worship there.

  125. 125.

    Immanentize

    @FlyingToaster:
    Soon you will experience it. There are three stages to going to college:
    You apply
    You get accepted
    You GO.

    Stage three is in our future and likely to be the most painful (at least for me!) even though stage one really was brutal.

  126. 126.

    WaterGirl

    @jacy: You got through a really stressful way, and that’s not nothing. I’m sorry you have to keep going through this with your -ex.

  128. 128.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @jacy:

    I’m waiting for word that my custody motion has been filed. (I singed it Monday).

    Did you use a cheap Bic lighter, the flame of a sanctified beeswax candle, or a good reliable wooden kitchen match? \\

    On a totally different topic: would you ever consider creating a painting based on a quotation or snippet of poetry? I have two or three in mind and would love to know if that’s the kind of commission that might appeal to you. If you want to talk specifics and prices offline, feel free to email me: SiubhanDuinne (at) gmail (dot) com.

    Utterly no rush and no pressure. I know you have a lot on your plate.

  130. 130.

    FlyingToaster

    @CarolDuhart2: We’ve never been big on celebrating “Hallmark” holidays. We usually only decorate for Chinese New Year* (missed this time, even though it’s WG’s year of the Pig), and I think there might be some valentine cookie cutters somewhere here.

    WG and I are flying out two days later to visit my increasingly addled mom in sunny Flahridah.

    *No, we’re not Chinese; we just like fireworks.

  131. 131.

    BruceFromOhio

    It is raining and has been raining and will continue raining and tomorrow it will be 50F outside and that’s just so wrong in so many ways and Gaia help us we are nigh and truly fucked.

    And that’s just the weather.

  133. 133.

    Gelfling 545

    @Mary G: My cat’s reading skills need inprovement. ?
    Seriously though, this is a good thing. They do it with dogs too in a lot of places.

  135. 135.

    raven

    @Immanentize: I had a buddy in the Nam who was a Cornell grad and he said he could get me in any college or university I wanted to attend on the strength of my GED. He wanted me to go to Cornell but Illinois had free tuition for vets and my dad had gone there when he came home from WW2 so that’s what I did. My “go” took nine years but I finally did graduate!

  136. 136.

    James E Powell

    I just want to say that I love you all and looking at today’s threads I have to say again how glad I am that I do not watch cable news.

    But moving on. I am assuming that, given the quality of our party’s leadership in the house, the various soon to be started or restarted investigations have all been coordinated. Do we want them all at once? Which one or ones should go first? What do we think the priorities should be?

  138. 138.

    Gravenstone

    @CarolDuhart2: Don’t presume that Never Trumpers aren’t also somehow involved. As long as there is money to be made, many of them will find a way to get their hands in somehow.

  141. 141.

    Immanentize

    @NotMax:
    I know!! Some things just gotta stay as they are.

    I lived not too far from the NECCO factory when I was in laws chill in Boston and between that plant and Schrafft’s, sometimes on a late spring morning the whole world smelled like childhood.

  145. 145.

    Immanentize

    @Gin & Tonic:
    Closed — and that plant is for sale. They say that everything was taken out of the building so efficiently (and sold) that the only thing left was the sweet smell.

  147. 147.

    WaterGirl

    @Immanentize: I saw that about NotMax. Hoarding is not cool, NotMax. :: side eye ::

    I don’t recall the cinnamon. Was it part of the regular roll?

  148. 148.

    raven

    @NotMax: Vets could get $100 short term loans so I’d get one, buy an LB, sell 12 lids, pay back the loan and have the rest fo da head.

  152. 152.

    CarolDuhart2

    @Gravenstone: Well, given the Right-Wing industrial complex, I wouldn’t be surprised. And some of the participants will need help in untangling things when all is done and won’t trust anyone but a fellow rightie. And some may just become libertarian or independents just to keep clean of the steamroller to come. Think of SteveSchmidt. He’s willing to hire out to a doomed campaign just to have a paycheck of sorts. Where else is he going to work?

  154. 154.

    sukabi

    @CarolDuhart2: I think why so many Rs seem to be caught up in the Russia investigation is that decades ago the Rs decided that a little fraud here and there wasn’t a bad thing…think of Tom Delays “charities”. He ended up teaching classes to his fellow Rs on how to set them up and “fundraise” ….which naturally leads to a bit more fraud, cuz damn the money’s good. Before you know it you’re ass deep in a criminal conspiracy and someone’s got pictures.

    And some are just crooks.

    indicted for a decades-long fraud.

    According to Daily Beast reporter Betsy Woodruff, political operative Paul Erickson was indicted by a grand jury in South Dakota Wednesday on wire fraud and money laundering.
    …
    The alleged criminal scheme used a chain of assisted living homes named Compass Care from 1996 to 2018. He also allegedly defrauded investors using a company named Investing with Dignity. It purported to be in the business of developing a wheelchair that allowed people to go to the bathroom without being lifted out of the wheelchair,” Woodruff cited.

  155. 155.

    jacy

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Ooh, I would love to. A lot of times I do that sort of thing to amuse myself (or to calm myself down). I will email you, as soon as I have a calm space.

    I have thought about actually singeing some things. And don’t think I haven’t said some incantations. And I have dolls with pins in them for the ex. I also have deadly nightshade blooming in my office dooryard, but I’m trying to ignore it.

  159. 159.

    Immanentize

    @raven: And even then, they couldn’t keep you away from a University….

    Cornell is kinda mean, competitive and cold. My oldest brother got a scholarship to the state college (Aggie) side of Cornell. He was in ROTC in 72. There were burnings and beatings. He quit ROTC. He discovered beer. Dropped out. Beautiful part of the world, but it is not a friendly spot. You made the right choice, I think.

  161. 161.

    BruceFromOhio

    @poleaxedbyboatwork:

    Fresh sheets can’t never hurt (‘cept in the manifold instances in which I stupidly post onto long-dead threads, which is often, but, will say, one, it’s my fault for not checking, and two, loves me some Anne Laurie, but she’s a late-night sprinter who’s hard to keep up with).

    Do you write or post anywhere else? You got the turn of a phrase like Cole.

  163. 163.

    Jay Noble

    Hey, big Blue California – Nebraska has had nothing but Public Utilities since the 20’s. Not perfect but we’ve never had an Enron or PG&E scandal.
    Hey States who’ve been dealing with ratfcking lame duck legislatures – Nebraska doesn’t have them.
    Unicameral legislature convenes in January for 90- and 60-working day sessions alternating years. 90-day is budget year.
    A special session could be called but is limited to one topic.
    Bills can only address a single subject.
    Senators are term-limited to 2 consecutive 4-year terms. Then can (and have) come back after sitting out a term.
    Does not issue bonds except for Roads, Water projects and Education paid for out of operating revenues.
    State debt total limited to $100,000.

    Nebraska is a red state, but can’t decide whether it’s Commie Red or GOP Red.

  165. 165.

    Steve in the ATL

    So Klobuchar, the “nice” candidate in contrast to all the Democratic mean girls, is now unver attack. MSM says she can’t find a campaign chair because she has a host of treating staff terribly.

    I guess us all liberals will just have to vote for trump in 2020.

  170. 170.

    jacy

    @Immanentize:

    It’s actually a Devil’s Trumpet (or Angel’s Trumpet, depending on where you’re from, I guess) and it has the most gorgeous huge orange bell-shaped flowers, about 8 inches long. We didn’t know what it was, so we looked it up and it warned to prune it wearing gloves so you didn’t accidentally poison yourself. Funny, because it’s usually me who kills the plants….

  173. 173.

    Zinsky

    I sure wish Mueller would drop his report soon. We need to take this orange-haired, serial sexual assaulting pig down soon or I will go crazy.

  177. 177.

    Immanentize

    @NotMax: yes. I am a big Hawthorne fan. Beautiful but poisonous.

    ETA why hasn’t Netflix or someone done a series of Hawthorne stories? It would be very popular.

  178. 178.

    Jeffro

    @Mary G:

    “The only way this divided Congress will be able to choose greatness and deliver significant legislation is by focusing on — as President Trump put it — “cooperation, compromise, and the common good.”— Leader McConnell

    They’re pretty good at mouthing the words and helping the media stick to ‘both sides’, but whew, this is a different age. Too many other sources making sure that folks know what these slimeballs actually DO when it comes time to vote, disavow the Mango Menace, etc. You can run (well, not really, as a Turtle) McConnell, but you can’t hide from your enabling BS just by dropping even more BS

  180. 180.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    This story is just….

    Cindy McCain claimed she thwarted human trafficking at Sky Harbor, police say she didn’t
    PHOENIX, AZ (3TV/CBS 5)– Cindy McCain was heard in a radio interview on KTAR Mac & Gaydos claiming she stopped a human trafficking incident at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, but Arizona’s Family has debunked that claim.
    “I came in from a trip I’d been on and I spotted—it looked odd—it was a woman of a different ethnicity than the child, this little toddler she had, and something didn’t click with me,” McCain said in the radio interview. “I went over to the police and told them what I saw, and they went over and questioned her, and, by God, she was trafficking that kid.”
    McCain went on to say that she discovered the woman was waiting for the man who bought the child to arrive from his flight.
    Phoenix police said Wednesday that while officers did respond to the Jan. 30 call, at McCain’s request, they were able to determine “there was no evidence of criminal conduct or child endangerment.”

    Cindy McCain thought it was “odd” to see a parent and child of a “different ethnicity”. Cindy McCain has a daughter who was adopted from Bangladesh….

  182. 182.

    Martin

    @Jay Noble:

    Hey, big Blue California – Nebraska has had nothing but Public Utilities since the 20’s. Not perfect but we’ve never had an Enron or PG&E scandal.

    Well, fair point on PG&E. But Enron affected both public and private utilities here. It resulted from the legislature deregulating the wholesale market but regulating the price on the retail market. Enron used that opportunity to artificially constrain supply from outside CA, pushing the wholesale rate higher than the retail rate. That was a regulatory failure, not a privatization one, at least in CA.

  185. 185.

    poleaxedbyboatwork

    @raven:

    And I *still* can’t keep up.

    Need to sez cuz it’s evergreen: Appreciate the good work you do, Anne Laurie. We are the welcome beneficiaries of your night-owlness. You deliver cogent, timely, pithy commentary that is trenchant in real-time. That ain’t easy to do, and thank you.

  189. 189.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @jacy:
    Anxiety attacks are THE WORST. If you filed it and have a lawyer, it’ll be filed and you don’t have to worry about that, but I know logic is not really how these things work. Avoid the argument threads, and BJ may help. If… dang it, there are so many ‘if’s to an anxiety attack, but it sounds from your responses like the gentle distraction of calm conversation is helping. And no, don’t blame yourself. Anxiety attacks hurt and there’s no shame in not being an invulnerable robot.

    I am fascinated by the sound of revenge dolls. Okay, I just love dolls. If they’re real, I’d love to see photos.

    I got a small press publisher for Rag Doll’s Guide To Here And There, and it looks like the press will be interested in all my books I can’t get to the Big Six. When I get the rights back, I’ll be trying to get the Supervillain series and Wild Children to agents.

  190. 190.

    Ruckus

    @CarolDuhart2:
    They aren’t doing it for him. They are doing all this for themselves. They are in this up to the other end of their assholes. Which, as they have their heads up their asses means they are in it deep and they know it. They didn’t go to russia innocently, and/or take money from russia unknowingly. They did it for the power, they did it for the reward and they know that none of it is good. They didn’t care, because that’s who they are. They know they have to stick together and that the first to break and talk will make this house of cards tumble and burst into flame. Russia didn’t just buy a few, they bought the lot and it was cheap. They may have even bought the whole lot because it was so cheap. And easy. And for most of the ring leaders I think this has been going on for some time, another reason they are going all in, they really have no choice.

  192. 192.

    mapaghimagsik

    Well, I’m sorry I missed the very righteous rant below. But still…

    Here I am at murdercorp, where we have annual survey of the employees about management at large. This happened several months ago, but was lots in the antiquity and litigation until someone said, “Hey, look at this fuckin’ survey” where most management was set. on. fire.

    In most years, this would not matter. Silly plebes, lets to lexical analysis to figure out who wrote what, but mostly, we in management will nod sagely and mouth some platitudes, and move on.

    Not today, Satin!

    Oh no. Today, the shellacking that management got has caught upper management and HRs attention. Even managers are not immune from the potential of layoff and this survey paints very little in a good light.

    Which lead to my manager, almost weeping, telling us we were all horrible people (spoiler alert, we are, or haven’t been the most model employees recently, but most of us get over it) And threatening to quit because he got a poor review, even if that review was not just abut them, but about the entire management chain. You don’t expect senior management to accept the blame, do you? Oh no, there’s downpunching to be done. And punching down we do. Punch. Punch. Punch. If the manager had stuck to regular old performance issues, that would have been fine, but sadly, they were not that in control, and let slip about specific metrics in our lovely survey. Okay, so retaliation it is.

    Its a shame. What we do is valuable. Our team isn’t that bad, except for the person who really, really, wanted to leave and murdercorp’s bankruptcy left them stuck with us. His disappointment get the best of him and he continually rolls his eyes and whines. This normally works, but not when said manager’s job might be on the line. Oh no, we’re now a bunch of children that he refuses to parent.

    Not to mention the dark threat of just try, *try* to go to HR! See where that lands you!

    If this debacle wasn’t costing people their lives, this would be funny. We have an obligation to serve, and for some reason, the concept of dead bodies that we might not be entirely legally responsible for, but perhaps contributed to has me up nights wondering how to do it better. I know there’s a few like me, but not enough. Most are worried about their bonsues, and have started the rallying cry of ‘fake news’.

    Honestly, not sure where this goes. Not sure I’ll have a job in the near future. My field of fucks is empty. I keep my resume up to date, talk to recruiters, and maybe consider hiring a professional. Still, I reflect on how I could guide my team better, and, since I have no more fucks to give, will try fixing any damaged relationships as a thought experiment and as a desire to be better to my fellow human, rather than some sort of desperate lunge to save my job.

    I’m still luckier than most. My career is hot, even if younger people look at my grey hair and decide I don’t know how to create cloud solutions (hint: I do). I still love what I do, and wish I could do more of it at a place where people can take security seriously but not fanatically. Oh well.

  193. 193.

    jacy

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    It’s the not knowing what’s going to happen that is making me anxious. I don’t know if he’s going to fight it or not. As soon as I can tell him, I can gauge his response. But I literally have no idea whether he will just give up immediately or take it all the way. I have some sense of a good eventual outcome, but the waiting is getting to me. (And my significant other is occupied with his kids right now, he’s usually the one who calms me down. He’s great with anxiety.) I find if I can occupy my mind somehow it gets better.

    Than’s great about the books — you are the best writer I know personally. (And I know a buncha writers, so that’s not faint praise.) I love your books and you deserve all the success in the world. (I still have all the notes when we went back and forth on Wild Children and Mary — they’re such marvelous books.) I will maintain good thoughts on the book front — and I’ll make you some voodoo dolls if necessary……

  194. 194.

    Ruckus

    @BruceFromOhio:
    It was 37 in LA this morning when I rode to work. A balmy morning it was. I think the high was in the mid 50s and it was sunny all day. Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler. May have to break out the winter gloves.

  195. 195.

    Jay Noble

    @Martin: Enron still wouldn’t have happened here. Public means from the plants to the outlet with a couple of exceptions of places near the borders. It’s annoying in one aspect that while we are surrounded by wind turbines, that power is going to Colorado. Our PPDs haven’t moved quickly enough but its coming

  196. 196.

    mapaghimagsik

    @Jay Noble:

    Sadly, the question becomes *which* PG&E scandal? There are many. Of course, California isn’t prepared for the ratfucking to come, where people simple bleed the company dry and leave behind an unmanageable husk.

  198. 198.

    NotMax

    @germy

    Don’t remember the exact wording from El Ministerio del Tiempo on Netflix, so will liberally paraphrase.

    Hitler after his meeting with Franco: “I’d rather sh*t in my pants and then eat them than ever deal with that idiot again.”

  205. 205.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @jacy:
    If you ever want electronic copies of my books, by the way, say the word. You were one of the big people who helped me get this far, and a friend besides.

    I do know the ‘not knowing how he’ll respond.’ There is no predicting an asshole in a relationship, because their reaction will be based on emotions you’re not close enough to see process rather than, you know, reason. You’ve got this. As for distractions, fortunately when not in political disagreement mode, the people here are super sweet and love to talk.

    Do you watch cartoons? Because I could also recommend some for distractions. She Ra was great.

  206. 206.

    jurassicpork

    Our sole revenue stream just suddenly dried up and we’re looking at having to flee our apartment with nowhere else to go and living out of our van. The details are here, unvarnished and without exaggeration. And we desperately need help more than you know.

  207. 207.

    Bumper

    @jacy: that sounds so stressful. I hope it all works out for you and your child. If I remember from before, your kids weren’t too fond of the idea of living with dad. Hopefully they can have a say if they are old enough. I spent part of the day curled up with stress too. But in my case it isn’t going to work out and we’re only hoping that it doesn’t get worse.

  208. 208.

    rikyrah

    @Immanentize:
    It will be hard, Imma.
    Are you going to drive Little Imma to college? I guess that I am old-fashioned.. I still remember my parents driving me…us going through the States, paying all those tolls…. I remember my mother helping me unpack..my father sitting on the steps, waiting for my mother to come down…the last dinner we had together, because they were going to leave early the next morning. ????

    I don’t get parents that buy their kids a plane ticket and say goodbye at the airport. Sorry, I just don’t.

  209. 209.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    @Immanentize: Late to the party (quelle surprise), but isn’t it all rather meta here? Especially the later in the day it gets?

  213. 213.

    chopper

    @raven:

    niiiiice. use that lingo on kids these days and they have no idea. “what’s a lid”? “a sawbuck? what’s that?”

  214. 214.

    Jay

    @rikyrah:

    “The indictment alleges, according to the Justice Department press release, that between 1996 and 2018 Erickson “knowingly and unlawfully devised a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money from many victims by means of false and fraudulent pretense, representations, and promises.” The charges are not related to Butina’s case or the broader investigation of Russian influence in the 2016 election.”

    https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.yahoo.com/amphtml/gma/republican-operative-paul-erickson-indicted-wire-fraud-money-024011294–abc-news-topstories.html

  215. 215.

    different-church-lady

    @NotMax:

    Several years ago tried one roll of the Necco tropical flavors wafers. Review: Avoid them.

    Shall’t be hard: NECCO has been reduced to an intellectual property at this point.

  217. 217.

    West of the Rockies

    Totally OT, but slow motion photography (the Chantix commercial) does not make Ray Liotta any less creepy.

  219. 219.

    Bumper

    Also, just got home and have not read thread below. But want Ruemara and Lamh to know that I love reading your comments and appreciate your insights. I have learned so much from you. Lamh, I really love your travel comments – your enthusiasm is contagious!- and your family posts – wish I had as close a family as yours.

  221. 221.

    delk

    @rikyrah: I have no idea. Always been park district to me all the way back to Sherman Park on 52nd. I worked one summer for the park district. Precinct captain got me the job.

  222. 222.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Jon Levine @ LevineJonathan
    Democratic Socialists of America respond to Trump #SOTU … by attacking Nancy Pelosi
    “Nancy Pelosi clapping at Trump’s remark about socialism … is peak capitalism. The American people will not stand for it.”

  223. 223.

    AnonyMuslim

    @Steve in the ATL:

    I saw a few tweets about this around the New Year. I was wondering when it would come down the pipe. I would like to know the specifics.

    Also, I screwed up a name on my first comment, sorry about that.

  224. 224.

    Yutsano

    @FlyingToaster:

    She’s already a better musician than either of her parents, and we don’t completely suck.

    I know this feel. My nephew is already showing he can hold a pitch while singing. He just turned two. He’s gonna be 20 times the singer I was. And I don’t suck in the singing department.

  227. 227.

    hitchhiker

    @CarolDuhart2:

    Well said.

    I saw a straightforward explanation for the Russia mess this morning on twitter. Goes like this: trump wanted some $$ and help getting his building-boner erected in Moscow, so he made a promise to drop sanctions in exchange, if he got elected, and he was happy to accept help in getting elected. Everything that happened after that was the result of people in all directions of the compass & within & without the USA realizing that (a) he was for sale, and (b) there was a shit ton of money to be made if Russian style corruption was going to be allowed.

    Flynn, Junior, Stone, all the Russians, Manafort, Gates, all the Ukrainians, all the Saudis, Kushner, Cohen, Nunes, the NRA — basically all the spun-off investigations that we’ve been witnessing and wondering about are the fruit of that rotten tree.

    It’s all about the rivers of money that would flow — that plus Putin’s desire to avenge himself on HRC for her supposed role in encouraging demonstrations against him, and his goal of destabilizing the west so that opportunities to grab more power would open up for him.

    trump may or may not be smart enough to have figured out that he committed the original sin that got this shit show rolling, but it doesn’t matter, because that’s what he did, and it’s always been what Putin has on him. (There was probably a Soviet-style mindfuck of inserting false information into the Steele Dossier along the way, just to keep people from seeing what was actually happening.)

    The thievery that’s been rampant since before the inauguration is why they all keep lying. It’s not so much that they all “colluded” as it is that they each saw their chance to grab some loot and jumped, later realizing that there might be laws against their particular bit, given that Russian money and influence is the common thread.

    They’re mostly just stupid people whose money and/or status has always protected them. The message they took from escaping the law all these years was the wrong one. They thought they were smartly staying just inside the law, when in fact there was never a serious attempt to uncover and prosecute their wrongs.

    Now there is.

  228. 228.

    jacy

    @Bumper:

    The 18-year-old is living with me and in his second semester at LSU. It’s just the 13-year-old who is still up in the air. He desperately wants to go to school here (he got accepted to one of the top magnet programs in the state). The facts are on my side with the change in schools, but his father has been known to pull some underhanded stuff with his lawyer so I’m nervous. I’m trying to get this sorted so I can go back to worrying about the other stuff. Stress/anxiety is the worst — I hope you find some peace with what you’re dealing with.

  229. 229.

    Aleta

    The Hill

    Officials in the city of Sandusky, Ohio, have decided that the city will no longer observe Columbus Day as a holiday, switching it for Election Day.

    City commissioners made the change at a recent meeting, according to the Sandusky Register.

    The new rule, which takes effect this year, will give workers in all municipal offices the day off on Election Day, typically the first Tuesday in November.

    “What better way to celebrate the value of our employees and citizens than by removing barriers for them to participate in the greatest of American innovations, our democracy,” the city government wrote on Facebook.

    City Manager Eric Wobser told the Sandusky Register that the swap is to encourage city employees to vote, as well as in response to the controversies surrounding Columbus Day.

    A number of cities have stopped observing Columbus Day or begun marking “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” instead, citing Christopher Columbus and other European explorers’ treatment of Native Americans.

    Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has advocated for making the change nationally. And a November survey from Hill.TV and HarrisX polling company found that a majority of respondents favor making Election Day a federal holiday.

  230. 230.

    jacy

    @Frankensteinbeck:

    I need to read all your new books! (I just have to find more time for reading.)

    I’ve been occupying myself with Netflix/Hulu/Amazon. The last two days I binged Kingdom (Medieval Korean Zombie series). It was really good, but ended on a cliffhanger, which was frustrating. For some reason, horror movies calm me down. I’ve also been listening to the podcast Welcome to Night Vale, which is kind of horror, but it seems to put me to sleep.

  232. 232.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @NotMax:

    Hitler after his meeting with Franco: “I’d rather sh*t in my pants and then eat them than ever deal with that idiot again.”

    So, I guess Spain wasn’t going to join the Axis? LOL.

    It’s not like Mussolini was any less of a bumbling buffoon, but Hitler worked with him. And honestly, Hitler, who’s the real idiot? The guy who’s regime survived into the 1970s? Or the guy who’s regime was brutally torn down in a war a mere 12 years after it was established?

  234. 234.

    J R in WV

    @NotMax:

    Speaking of pools…

    Holy Cow, he said, fervently!!!!

    I thought I was over a youthful fear of heights, after working over the side of my ship in the USN, but that’s really different, and 480 feet higher!!

  237. 237.

    J R in WV

    @jurassicpork:

    Our sole revenue stream just suddenly dried up and we’re looking at having to flee our apartment with nowhere else to go and living out of our van. The details are here…

    Except there are no details “here” about anything related to how you wind in again needing help. What “income stream” can suddenly “dry up” on a person?

  238. 238.

    Achrachno

    @jacy: Just don’t eat it and you should be fine. No effects from simple contact, though the leaves and seeds are loaded with “interesting” defensive compounds. It’s Brugmansia, from S America — shrubby vision of the widespread herb genus Datura.

  239. 239.

    Aleta

    Dr. Mack, an astrophysicist, was asked for a quote by a writer at the WaPo. (He’s not a a science writer. The editor is the Pop Culture editor.) She said no.

    He cobbled together an inaccurate comment out of context to suit his story w/o asking her, no fact check. The mistake matters for her rep and possible tenure etc. She asked for a retraction and removal of her quote. The writer and editor altered it (by adding where the writer got the quote) but they refuse to retract.

    Meanwhile the original story with the biggest error is now running on other sites. (The alteration isn’t OK either.) She’s trying to get a retraction. If anyone feels like reading it, and perhaps asking the WaPo/ writer /editor to retract, this has their TW links and link to the story: https://twitter.com/AstroKatie/status/1092848192411107332

    Katie Mack‏ @AstroKatie

    Last week, I declined to give a comment to a journalist about a story he was writing about another astrophysicist. Today, a quote from me appeared in his story—drastically mischaracterized, and taken out of context from another source.

    I won’t link to the article. But in general, if you see an article quoting someone as having told a different outlet something, it’s a good idea to click through to the source of the quote and see what they actually said, and in what context.

    As a side note: based on what the journalist told me when I asked him his angle on the piece, I had a feeling he might mischaracterize anything I told him, which is why I decided not to comment. What I did NOT expect was that he’d also mischaracterize things I told someone else.

    Anyway, if you see an article claiming that I suggested another astrophysicist was “trolling for publicity,” please ignore it. The claim is completely false, presumably intended to stir up trouble, at the expense of myself, my colleague, and the readers.
    I really think it should go without saying that not being able to get exactly the quote you want doesn’t give you license to re-interpret someone else’s words in whatever way suits your own purpose. And I think when you’re corrected on your misinterpretation, you should retract.

    An update: the @washingtonpost editor @zpincusroth has refused to take me out of @aviselk’s misleading story, opting instead to just reword the reference to my quote. Meanwhile, the original wrong language has been reprinted in @nzherald, @chicagotribune, who knows where else.

    I’m glad some correction was made to the @washingtonpost version (and very grateful to those who have helped make that happen) but I’m appalled that the original story ran at all, and was up for so long, twisting my words, and is STILL damaging my reputation via other outlets.

    Several people have commented to me that they saw my “quote” and thought it was very uncharacteristic language for me to use. I’m sure many many more just read the story and accepted it.

    And now I’ve just seen an article in @EpochTimes, reposted in @news_ntd, that basically just cribs from the @washingtonpost piece and claims that I “suggested it was all a publicity stunt in bad faith,” which is equally wrong/libelous. Sometimes I hate the new media landscape.

    To give some context for why this is such a big deal: I’m a pre-tenure professor. Part of tenure is getting anonymous letters from senior profs you don’t work with. So a publication making me look petty and unprofessional toward a senior prof could seriously damage my career.

  242. 242.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    @Steve in the ATL: You hate me. Though Greg Cook would be amused.
    I have a funny story about meeting him, but I’ll spare everyone. This time.

  249. 249.

    Sebastian

    @Jay Noble:

    Not to diss on your homestate but you have just a bit more people than San Diego and California is the fifth or sixth largest economy in the world, gateway to Asia, and the technology and cultural nexus of the world. That’s a bit more complex to manage, you know?

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