Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

President Musk and Trump are both poorly raised, coddled 8 year old boys.

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

“A king is only a king if we bow down.” – Rev. William Barber

Second rate reporter says what?

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

In my day, never was longer.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

We can show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

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

The revolution will be supervised.

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Fight them, without becoming them!

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

One way or another, he’s a liar.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

You are here: Home / John Cole Presents "This Fucking Old House" / Wednesday Night Open Thread

Wednesday Night Open Thread

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Sitting on the front porch waiting for the storms. It has been raining on and off this afternoon, but none of the promised thunderstorms (or as some of the locals call them “gulley wershers”) Saw an ENORMOUS turkey vulture today on the way out of town:

These buzzards are always big but this one was ginormous.

Dad is doing well, although having muscle spasms, which the doctor says is normal. That’s it from here.

ITMFA.

Reader Interactions

51Comments

  1. 1.

    Patricia Kayden

    That first photo is gorgeous. Looks like a postcard. It has been hot as hell in Southern Maryland so I welcome any rain.

  2. 2.

    SiubhanDuinne

    At first I thought the silhouette of the hanging plant in the middle was a close-up of some kind of wicked nasty bug.

    No worries, all serene. Glad dad is on the mend. Some hospitals have thingies that they can wrap around the legs to keep muscle spasms under control. You might want to ask.

  3. 3.

    Nicole

    I love, love, love turkey vultures.

    Rained in NYC this evening, but the day was pretty pleasant. Ran errands, going by rollerblade for the first time in ages, because I was too impatient to walk and too cheap to take the subway. I used to ride them everywhere- to and from work, to meet friends, absolutely everywhere. Rode them about 30 blocks today and realized I am not as bold on wheels now as I was in my 20s.

  4. 4.

    geg6

    Glad your dad is recovering nicely.

    We’ve been inundated here. Two days of storms and massive downpours plus several actual tornadoes (none that were all that bad, thank FSM) have hit Beaver County hard. Half the county has flooding, whether near waterways or flash floods. Many of the main traffic arteries are closed. They say we’ll have one more day of this. Hopefully, tomorrow’s weather isn’t quite as severe. These downpours are crazy. Several inches per hour when they’re really going. We’re going to need a month to dry out.

  7. 7.

    jk

    Biden being Biden again

    Felicia Sonmez @feliciasonmez
    Washington Post national political reporter.
    In a somewhat odd moment at tonight’s AFT town hall, Biden tells a 10-year-old girl, “I’ll bet you’re as bright as you are good-looking.” He takes her over to the assembled reporters, then stands behind her and puts his hands on her shoulders while he’s talking.

    https://twitter.com/feliciasonmez/status/1133505331416453121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1133715165063651328&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fyc%2Fhtml%2Fembed-iframe-min.2d7621e2.html

    I second Elie Mystal’s reaction:

    Every time this happens (and, newsflash, it’s gonna keep happening) we’re going to have to debate if Joe is creepy or just clueless. And whether we’re being aware or oversensitive. So, wherever you come down, spare me your “electability” arguments, because they are trash.

    https://twitter.com/ElieNYC/status/1133586871248986112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1133586871248986112&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yahoo.com%2Flifestyle%2Fjoe-biden-tells-10-old-170200859.html

  8. 8.

    Patricia Kayden

    @jk: I get that he’s from a different generation where that kind of talk and touching was okay but he has got to get with the times. Not good.

  9. 9.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I wrote a big long post about turkey vultures, but when I went to edit it, it got eated.

  10. 10.

    HRA

    I have had muscle spasms since the days of yore when I was active in sports and cheer leading. Gatorade on the diagnosis of lack of electrolytes by my doctor helps me. They can be very painful.
    Sending best wishes to your Dad on his recovery.

  12. 12.

    jk

    @Patricia Kayden:

    Uncle Joe can’t help himself. He’s been getting an avalanche of great coverage by the press because of his poll numbers and yet he still pulls this damn nonsense. That video he released in which he said he got it was pure unadulterated bullshit. He’s never gotten it and he never will.

  15. 15.

    Eunicecycle

    @Mary G: He has a very compelling story. I know he is a long shot against Graham, but seems like a great candidate!

  17. 17.

    Dan B

    @geg6: Sorry about the flooding. It may be a new, but not constant, normal. The warming Arctic is messing up the Jet Stream. It’s been locked in a crazy pattern – far south of SoCal in the west, zooming north across the plains and ending north of Michigan and New England. This produces cool weather in the west and hot in the SE US. The collision in the middle is severe weather.

    If we lose more ice in the Arctic it will get more extreme even into winter. Normal weather may be for the history books.

  18. 18.

    karensky

    Love your front porch and the view from it. Hot and swampy here in PHilly. Now a pleasant 70F. Went to a rally for gun control on the Art Museum steps. Very moving speakers. Guns and death – wtf.

  19. 19.

    Gin & Tonic

    I am not an ice hockey fan, although I know some among the jackaltariat are (including our esteemed host,) but it makes me sad that our friend efg is not around to watch his beloved Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals.

    He’d probably curse me out for this maudlin post.

  20. 20.

    dexwood

    @jk:

    Every time this happens (and, newsflash, it’s gonna keep happening) we’re going to have to debate if Joe is creepy or just clueless.
    He’s both. Go home, Joe.

  21. 21.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    I think you may have the coolest yard in WV. Thanks for sharing it, including the friendly turkey vulture!

  22. 22.

    Gin & Tonic

    @dexwood: Joe is Joe, and that behavior is probably deeply ingrained. What concerns me more, which I said the other day, is that he doesn’t have anybody on staff with the awareness to say “cut that shit out, it’s 2019” and the gravitas to make Joe listen.

  23. 23.

    Nicole

    @geg6: I’m sorry about the flooding, too. I go spend a week at my stepmom’s in South Central PA next month to clear out her basement- last summer/fall was so wet that her dehumidifiers couldn’t keep up and every wood surface down there is covered in mold. We’re going to try to throw out as much as we can, but some of the pieces we want to save. I researched, and read that you can put mold-covered things in the sunlight for a couple of days to kill the spores and then wash them clean, but I’m starting to fear she’s not going to get two days of sunshine in a row ever again. I fear this is the new normal for PA.

  24. 24.

    dexwood

    @Gin & Tonic:
    I get that Joe is Joe. If he wasn’t such a clueless old school guy he wouldn’t need a staff person to tell him to cut that shit out. And, I’d bet staffers have already told him to knock it off, but he doesn’t listen because he’s creepy, clueless, and privileged.

  26. 26.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    I’m glad to hear that your Dad is mending and hope his pain is as little as possible. Remember, if he gets really grumpy then he’s healing just fine! ;)

    I know that I’d be really grumpy, that’s for sure.

  27. 27.

    Cameron

    @jk: Maybe Joey Fingers took that old Captain Kangaroo song to heart; you know, “busy hands are happy hands.”

  29. 29.

    Cameron

    @karensky: Great location. Independence Hall/Constitution Center may have more symbolism, but Art Museum is a better venue.

  30. 30.

    Jackie

    @dexwood: I’m a hugger. But, I’m also a female. Mom, grandma, sister. I hug my family. I hug my friends. I hug co-workers and clients. And, strangers – depending on the circumstances. Do I get a pass for being a woman? Or does everyone have to learn to keep their hands in their pockets?

  35. 35.

    dexwood

    @Jackie:
    Hey, I’m a hugger, too, but not with strangers and not with children who aren’t family members unless they are the kids of friends who know and trust me. More importantly, I’m not a public figure used to being given a pass just because I’m some privileged, powerful person. I suspect that’s true for you. There is a difference and Joe should know better.

  36. 36.

    Steve in the ATL

    We had a half dozen turkey vultures hang out for a while on our deck a couple of years ago. They were freaking huge and ugly and scary (no offense, @Nicole). Even our 100-pound golden retriever wanted no part of them. Squirrels? Sure, he’ll take them on. A gang of turkey vultures? Suddenly he’s a chihuahua.

  37. 37.

    TomatoQueen

    Attn: huggers: Keep your hands to yourself, from those of us who cannot abide being touched, and this includes lots of different sorts of folks for lots of different reasons, starting with kids. No free passes and no rationalizations, either. I like your approach, dexwood. Also too, I wonder why the hell Dr Biden, Jill, can’t be recruited by staff to get Joe to stop it. Yet, she strikes me as being so remote and removed from everything that if it’s not directly on her radar it makes no difference to her.

  38. 38.

    Jackie

    @dexwood: Sadly, no. I’m a very impulsive hugger. Hug first, think second. I get where people are coming from, but, I also understand where Joe is coming from. He’s trying, I’m sure. But, he’s being retrained from what’s always been a natural response. It’s sad that this day and age a handshake needs to replace a hug.?

  40. 40.

    jk

    @mrmoshpotato:

    Can they vote for Warren or Harris and cast a negative vote for Wilmer?

    I’d be fine with that. I look forward to the day when Biden and Sanders have both been eliminated from this race.

    @TomatoQueen:

    Attn: huggers: Keep your hands to yourself, from those of us who cannot abide being touched, and this includes lots of different sorts of folks for lots of different reasons, starting with kids. No free passes and no rationalizations, either.

    Great rule of thumb. I don’t understand the mindset of handsy/huggy individuals.

  43. 43.

    Jay

    @jk:

    I’m a hugger, but you need to read the cues, and know what is and isn’t appropriate.

    It’s all about reading subtle signals through body language, but that requires paying attention to the other person.

  45. 45.

    Steve in the ATL

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: you’re lucky I’m brain dead after spending the last ten hours writing an ironically-named brief, so I don’t have my usual B- game with retorts!

    On the plus side, ten hours of work equals forty hours of billing….

  50. 50.

    Jay

    @Jackie:

    I also give back rubs, muscle massage, face stress relief and migraine treatment.

    In a workspace it could be wildly inappropriate, except on how you manage consent.

    I always had co-workers popping into my workspace for stress relief, even when I worked construction.

    There’s a lot of emotional/therapeutic benifits to the human touch, but like many things, it must be consentual and defined.

  51. 51.

    CaseyL

    @karensky: @Cameron: I adore the Philly Art Museum! Not only are the collections amazing, but the building itself is beautiful beyond words. Great place for a rally!

    And, oh, John. I love that photo. What a sweet, charming street you live on. Is it a subdivision, or was at one time? Asking because the houses are all very similar. Adorably similar, not cookie cutter similar.

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