Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

A fool as well as an oath-breaker.

Sadly, media malpractice has become standard practice.

They don’t have outfits that big. nor codpieces that small.

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

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

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

If you thought you’d already seen people saying the stupidest things possible on the internet, prepare yourselves.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

Celebrate the fucking wins.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

The revolution will be supervised.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Washington Post Catch and Kill, not noticeably better than the Enquirer’s.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

If you voted for Trump, you don’t get to speak about ethics, morals, or rule of law.

I don’t recall signing up for living in a dystopian sci-fi novel.

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

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

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

You are here: Home / Organizing & Resistance / Don't Agonize - Organize / Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Readership Capture

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Readership Capture

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Vanity Fair:

… Obama announced his intention to tackle the issue earlier this year, combining his Organizing for America organization with former Attorney General Eric Holder’s redistricting efforts to create the organization All On The Line, which describes itself as a “national campaign to restore fairness to our democracy and ensure every American has an equal say in our government” by fighting against gerrymandering and advocating for fair maps nationwide. On Monday, Obama went one step further by announcing Redistricting U, a new extension of All On The Line which will provide free, in-person training for redistricting activists…

… While All On The Line’s activism will take place nationwide, the organization says that its efforts will particularly be targeting Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin…

 

Viola Davis is set to portray Michelle Obama in First Ladies, a one-hour White House drama that has been put on fast-track development at Showtime with a three-script commitment. Davis will executive produce the project, which hails from writer Aaron Cooley (novels Four Seats: A Thriller of the Supreme Court, The Guns of Ridgewood), Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions, Cathy Schulman’s Welle Entertainment (Otherhood), Jeff Gaspin’s Gaspin Media (LA’s Finest) and Brad Kaplan (The Intruder). Showtime and Lionsgate TV co-produce…

Davis stars in How to Get Away with Murder, which begins its sixth and final season this fall on ABC. She and Tennon most recently executive produced with Steph Curry the documentary Emanuel, about the mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015. JuVee’s Davis and Tennon also are executive producing Fast Color, a TV series based on the 2018 sci-fi film, for Amazon.


 
And to follow up on Cole’s latest post, Bret Stephens is now getting pigbladdered by The Best:

Reader Interactions

131Comments

  2. 2.

    OzarkHillbilly

    I had no idea bedbugs were white crystals with legs. I’ll give Stephens this much, he certainly allowed for some lightness in what is is an otherwise dreary news morning.

  7. 7.

    Raven

    @Baud: You know there is much talk about sitting being worse than smoking and all that shit. I’ve been chained to a chair for 15 years and I’m hoping that is going to change most rickey tic

  10. 10.

    Brachiator

    I am loving this bit of satire I recently ran across:

    Trump Orders Americans To Stop Eating Chinese Food

    After already ordering US Companies to stop working with China as part of his escalating trade war, President Trump has hit on the idea of punishing the PROC further by demanding United States citizens give up egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken.

    “I hereby order all Americans to eat McDonalds and KFC instead.”

    Worried fans of Korean BBQ were assured they were safe from any future bans – especially if they made sure it was done in the northern style – while sushi afficionados are closely watching developments.

    “But as for General Tso’s it’s a big NO!”

    Constitutional lawyers have already suggested this is a wild overreach by the White House.

    “Just as there is an implicit right to privacy in the Constitution, there is also one to Peking Duck or whatever you prefer from that cuisine.”

    The President further added that any Jews eating Chinese on Christmas Day are disloyal. Jewish leaders were outraged that one of their precious rituals was attacked in this way.

    “We were going to demand an investigation into why we as a group were singled out until we realized – Trump!”

    Meanwhile extreme leftists said they approve of Trump’s action in this case, despite being bitterly opposed to him most of the time.

    “This wretched cultural appropriation whereby young white males air drum Led Zeppelin with chopsticks will finally be stopped.”

    breakingburgh.com/trump-orders-americans-to-stop-eating-chinese-food/

  15. 15.

    satby

    @rikyrah: Good morning ?

    @Raven: I believe it. Once I started working from home my weight went up and stamina went down. 20 years of that at an average 50+ hours a week and it’s been hard to start working my way back to better fitness. Being in my mid-60s probably isn’t helping either. I need to restart a walking program or something.

  16. 16.

    Raven

    @satby: the research is saying that the exercise doesn’t counteract the negative effects. I walk a couple of miles in the morning, swim every other day and I’m still putting on weight. We’re hitting south beach 1 the day after I retire and plan to kick ya the activity and limit computer time.

  19. 19.

    rikyrah

    Been concerned about the portrayal of Forever FLOTUS ? ? in entertainment. Having Viola Davis portray her, means that all others after will have to come correct ??

  22. 22.

    Amir Khalid

    @Baud:
    Well, dmsilev, who’s in academia himself and knows a bit about these things, assured me that the provost will just delete Stephens’ email and go back to sleep.

  25. 25.

    Amir Khalid

    I can’t imagine a better casting choice than Viola Davis as Michelle Obama. The other day, I saw some idiot’s comment on a YouTube video that said Davis was ugly. That photo of her is an unanswerable refutation of that claim.

  28. 28.

    Betty Cracker

    It’s good to see PBO joining AG Holder’s anti-gerrymandering cause and the combined organization’s focus on state-by-state voter mobilization to counteract gerrymandering’s anti-democratic effects. The SCOTUS Republicans made it clear they aren’t going to address the issue. It’s up to people on the ground, and it will be an uphill battle.

  30. 30.

    NotMax

    Real odd duck of a show stumbled upon on Prime, season 1 only for free. British series from the 90s, Hamish Macbeth. Some breathtaking Scottish countryside on occasion. Only the most tenuous connections to the books about the police detective.

    And a big yahoo for Prime making the engrossing Australian series Wild Boys available. Stoked to watch it yet again, this time on the a big screen TV set as the lush cinematography is first rate.

  32. 32.

    Sister Golden Bear

    Good evening from Thailand. I’m here for a revision to fix some things that didn’t quite heal right from my last visit.

    Good news: I got a peek after this afternoon’s surgery and things look much better.

    Bad news: I’m stuck here for two weeks without a lot to do. Chonburi is definitely not on the typical tourist path, and I’m suppose to not walk much for the moment.

    Good news: I can finally participate in some of the day-time threads.

  34. 34.

    satby

    @NotMax: Good, I need new things. Started to watch a wacky British series, The Flowers, but it’s not grabbing me yet, a bit too dark. I went back to Boston Legal and Good Place reruns. These days I crave light comedy.

  36. 36.

    Spanky

    @Raven: It will, but I’m currently in PT for my back because I took “rickey tic” too literally. Be smarter than me.

    Walking is good! Something I made a point of doing in my last months on the job, but I really should have been strengthening my core. And according to my PT, been stretching my hips. She tells me she sees high school students with back issues from sitting too much. Smh.

  38. 38.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Amir Khalid: Viola Davis is also a graduate of one of the poorest high schools (in terms of per-pupil funding) in the state of Rhode Island, and through her donations has pretty much singlehandedly kept its theater program alive.

  39. 39.

    NotMax

    @satby

    Yeah, gave up on that one early on. While it sounds as if it doesn’t make much sense, that show tried both too hard and too little.

  42. 42.

    Amir Khalid

    @Sister Golden Bear:
    Glad to hear the good news about the surgery. Now you have time to just chill, and join the BJ fray any time you please. (Athough those may be two contradictory activities, come to think of it.)

  43. 43.

    Kay

    Anti-gerrymandering efforts are popular:

    In 2018, five states — Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Utah — passed ballot initiatives to reduce gerrymandering, which will take effect when the next round of redistricting begins in 2021.

    HOW DID CITIZEN-LED REDISTRICTING INITIATIVES FARE IN THE MID-TERMS?
    The answer: very well.

  44. 44.

    J R in WV

    @Amir Khalid:

    I can’t imagine a better casting choice than Viola Davis as Michelle Obama. The other day, I saw some idiot’s comment on a YouTube video that said Davis was ugly. That photo of her is an unanswerable refutation of that claim.

    Also irrefutable proof that the commenter is a stone cold racist, who actually believes Michelle isn’t beautiful, as no black woman could be beautiful. They are so… doomed to be so wrong all their lives from their irrational racism.

    That’s a major part of why they’re usually part of the underclass, struggling to maintain their job, family, life. Irrational hate puts a big hole in your thought processes, to the detriment of your whole life.

  45. 45.

    patrick II

    If he’s outraged by someone saying bedbug on the internet — he should try reading the comments at FOX news at any of either of the Obama stories to read something that should really outrage him. Seriously, there’s more racist stuff than even Republican representatives send each other when they are just joking about Obama wearing a bone thru his nose.

  47. 47.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @satby: @Gin & Tonic:

    Thanks. In comparison to the first round, it’s very minor surgery. Essentially it was all external nipping and tucking. It was an hour on the table, in-patient under local anesthetic. Mostly it was related to having a bit too much tissue leftover — Dr. Suporn intentionally leaves as much as he can, just in case there’s tissue necrosis, which happens sometimes. It’s a lot easier to remove excess tissue than have to do a skin graft if there’s too little.

    @Baud:

    I hope that’s included in the initial price.

    It is, although one has to pay the airfare and hotel bills. Oddly enough, I don’t know of too many other SRS surgeons who explicitly offer a free revision.

    @Amir Khalid: True enough.

  50. 50.

    Baud

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    It seems as if the Republicans are always trying to undo ballot measures. I’ll never understand why they don’t get punished by it by the voters who approved the measures in the first place.

  51. 51.

    HalfAssedHomesteader

    Re Stephens: Mark my word, “bedbugs feed on human blood, ergo antisemitism” will be the argument.

  52. 52.

    Sab

    @Raven: A friend gave me a ten pound lump of frozen walleye. He and my husband want me to cook it this week. Obviously the full ten pounds is too much for three people.

    Do you have any suggestions, other than next time don’t freeze it in one big lump. Should I saw off a smaller chunk? Attack it with a chisel?

  53. 53.

    Kay

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Right. Ohio’s was this giant battle. Republicans knew a very strong version was going to pass so they jumped in with fake offers of compromise, so they know they’re vulnerable to referendum. I think the intent was to muddy the water and make it seem too complex for voters to grasp. But- the activists have done a good job presenting it to people- the pitch is voters should pick their representatives instead of representatives picking their voters.
    Scott Walker leads the (national) opposition to the Obama/Holder group. The DeVos family alone gave 500k of the 3 million conservatives spent to try to beat it in Michigan. They know they’ll lose with a fairer map.

  54. 54.

    Betty

    Good morning, all. Checking in with an update. Tropical Storm Dorian has not become a hurricane and is passing over St. Lucia after drenching Barbados. We in Dominica are seeing stormy weather but nothing serious. Looks like we have all made it through this one, but it is early yet. Another 6 weeks at least.

  55. 55.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Baud: They just tried, again, to make Misery a Right to Work (for less) state. They knew they would lose if they put it up in the higher turnout November election so they stuck it on the August primary ballot. They lost anyway by a 2 to 1 margin. Again.

    And in November they all got re-elected. Again. Because god, guns and guts, or something.

    We also legalized medical marijuana including the legal right to grow your own. I can’t believe they haven’t tried to undo that 2nd part yet.

  56. 56.

    rikyrah

    ???

    “It’s particularly rich that Republicans are claiming that [Michigan’s redistricting] commission discriminates on the basis of partisan affiliation,” said @mcpli, a redistricting expert at @BrennanCenter.

    “Actually, that’s what gerrymandering does.” t.co/DhuBpVPQvd

    — Flippable (@flippable_org) August 26, 2019

  58. 58.

    Amir Khalid

    @Sab:
    I am tempted to suggest braining your friend with the 10lb chunk of frozen fish. Then you could cook the fish any way you like, and feed it to the police detectives who come to investigate his murder. (h/t Roald Dahl.)

  60. 60.

    rikyrah

    I want one??

    Barbie’s Inspiring Women series features “courageous women who took risks, changed rules and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before.” The latest in its lineup will be civil rights leader Rosa Parks. t.co/f9cT09lyOr

    — Mother Jones (@MotherJones) August 27, 2019

  66. 66.

    rikyrah

    ????

    Butch Kimmerling opposed a gay man adopting a child in his foster care based on “moral grounds”. Later he admitted that he had molested the child in question about once every 3 to 4 weeks over 4 years. Now he’s admitted to molesting even more children.
    t.co/vNLmsC8b6y

    — chris evans (@notcapnamerica) August 26, 2019

  68. 68.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Kay:

    Republicans knew a very strong version was going to pass so they jumped in with fake offers of compromise

    They did the same with medical marijuana here. There were 3 versions on the ballot. One was an almost excellent constitutional amendment, the 2nd was a bid for corporate monopoly of the industry, and the 3rd was just a genuine rat fuck of taxation for conservative causes. If one read closely it was easy to tell which was superior but most people walk into the polling booth having no idea what is on the ballot and just plan to figure it out once they get there. Seeing as a close read of ballot measures and constitutional amendments is not to be expected on election day, I feared the worst, which was that all 3 would pass (one could vote for all 3) in which case it would go to the courts to sort it all out, and take 10 years to do so. Much to my surprise, Missouri voters passed the good one and sent the other 2 to oblivion.

  73. 73.

    rikyrah

    Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) Tweeted:
    No agency is more dysfunctional than the Federal Election Commission, despite the efforts of people like @EllenLWeintraub and former commissioner @AnnMRavel to make it work to enforce campaign laws. Now a resignation means it is entirely powerless. Blame Trump & #MoscowMitch

    Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) Tweeted:
    Corruption and kakistocracy combined; no nominees at all through the entire Trump presidency; the commissioners there are all past their terms and are acting. The Republicans on the FEC have all united to block enforcement of the laws. Now only 3 sit, w 4 needed to do anything

    Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) Tweeted:
    #MoscowMitch would like to keep it that way through 2020, so he can brazenly act in defiance of laws and regulations. Trump is delighted to comply. This is outrageous, unethical, immoral, shameless and totally corrupt. twitter.com/NormOrnstein/status/1166095185530490880?s=17

  74. 74.

    raven

    @Sab: You can really do anything with that big of a piece but do thaw it slowly in the fridge over a couple of days. I’d grill what I could eat and smoke the rest.

  75. 75.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Sab: It’s a dirty job but if somebody has to make the sacrifice of eating walleye, I’m the man for the job. Always willing to help out.

  79. 79.

    rikyrah

    Awe ?????

    Our neighbor added a spot in his fence so his dog can say hi to us and this is what my pictures will consist of from now on. pic.twitter.com/lJKb0xaHDi

    — Julie Weatherbee (@juliewbee) August 26, 2019

  80. 80.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @raven:

    A vacuum packer is great but they are pricey and you need to use them a lot to get your moneys worth.

    We have gotten our money’s worth out of ours many times over.

  85. 85.

    Baud

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    And in November they all got re-elected. Again. Because god, guns and guts, or something.

    I guess white Missourians understand they have to pick their poison and Democrats are just too much hemlock to swallow.

  86. 86.

    Kay

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    They did the same with medical marijuana here.

    I’m sort of a contrarian on this issue. I think there’s a lot of bad actors and cynical people involved in the various initiatives and liberals are being naive with the blanket cheerleading they do. I basically stopped talking to the activists. You’re not allowed to raise any questions about this without them insisting nothing bad could ever come out of it and there will be no unintended consequences and if you question it all you are a supporter of the war on drugs. I just flat-out don’t believe there is such a thing as a free ride. There are pluses and minuses.

  87. 87.

    bemused

    @patrick II:

    Truth! Rightwingers think it’s funny to hurl the most immature, vile, cruel slurs towards liberals and their right to “free” speech. They dish it out but can’t take the most mild criticism. Gigantic mewling babies.

  88. 88.

    Aleta

    Dr. Jacquelyn Gill @JacquelynGill
    I encourage Bret Stephens to come to my lab, meet my students, talk to us for a few minutes, and then tell me to my face that my climate advocacy isn’t based on science. That would take some genuine courage and intellectual integrity on his part. I promise to be courteous.

    (I’ve made this offer to many climate dismissive politicians, authors, thinkers, etc. I’ve never had someone take me up on it. ??‍♀️)

  92. 92.

    Gin & Tonic

    Since morning threads often have a carpentry component, here’s my question: My deck is basically in four sections, on different levels (basically at 6″ steps.) It’s decked with nominal 4″-wide PT. In the next month or two I will have to remove the decking on half of the largest section, as it’s too close to the chimney, which needs to be rebuilt, and the masons need room to work. I won’t get the decking off without damaging it, as it’s over 20 years old. Trouble is, nobody seems to sell 4″ decking anymore. It’s all 6″. If I rip up and replace that whole section, then it will look stupid with the rest being 4″. I don’t feel like resurfacing the whole thing. Does anyone know of a source of 4″ – I’d pay to have it shipped, but nobody stocks it locally or even can commit to getting it.

  93. 93.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Kay:

    I just flat-out don’t believe there is such a thing as a free ride.

    Say WHAT???? But butbutbutbut my Republican Representative told me my air and water would be clean, jobs as far as the eye could see, and my golden paved streets would be safe to walk on if I gave the rich and corporations a huge tax cut!

  96. 96.

    Gelfling 545

    @Raven: From my experience in retirement, the first couple of weeks feel like vacation. Then the next few feel a bit confusing until you get used to the idea. Of course for me as a retired teacher things got a bit complex at the end of August when I kept having having momentary panics about not having anything prepared for the school year. Even now since I live near a school I get a minute of worry this time of year when things are gearing up. Then there’s this feeling of profound relief.

  100. 100.

    Spanky

    @Gelfling 545: Truth. I have been laid off a couple of times in the course of my career as a federal contractor, so right now, five months into retirement, I’m still feeling echoes of that “really need to find the next job” urge.

  101. 101.

    JPL

    @raven: I have a small hand held that does the trick for me. Since I like to sous vide, I have eyed the larger machine, but still can’t justify the cost.

  102. 102.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Gin & Tonic:

    It’s decked with nominal 4″-wide PT.

    Go to a lumber yard, by the 6 ” and pay them to rip it down to 4″. Get a trim router and round off the upper corner of the ripped edge. Not cheap but probably cheaper than most other alternatives.

  103. 103.

    rikyrah

    “Hard head makes a soft behind”
    – –Ancient African American proverb

    Maine’s loss is Canada’s gain as China goes north for U.S. lobsters.
    “They picked winners, and they picked losers, and they picked me a loser,” Nadeau said. “There is no market that’s going to replace China.” t.co/5vdrFlkDRR

    — Michael Tackett (@tackettdc) August 27, 2019

  104. 104.

    J R in WV

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    We also legalized medical marijuana including the legal right to grow your own. I can’t believe they haven’t tried to undo that 2nd part yet.

    I believe the current strategy is to make the regulatory structure so complicated that no one can actually grow cannabis without being in violation of several regs, and hence a criminal drug manufacturer.

  106. 106.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Damn, every time I look at this picture my eyes say it’s a painting.

    Giant egrets scavenge for any scraps of tiny dagaa fish left behind by the women who dry and sell the fish. Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake is of critical ecological importance. In 2018, the governor of Kisumu County in Kenya, professor Anyang’ Nyong’o, stated that if radical action were not taken, within 50 years, the lake would be killed by pollution dumped there by humans

  109. 109.

    Immanentize

    @Gin & Tonic: @OzarkHillbilly:
    Couldn’t you go with 4″ wide mahogany decking which, after six months, will grey out to look nearly like weathered PT (not so green). Whatever you put on there is never going to completely match….

    I can’t believe I am suggesting you should do anything to try and match PT for decking.

  112. 112.

    Immanentize

    @Gin & Tonic: Your deck(s) must be huge! My home Depot has 1×4 PT which is only slightly thicker than decking (which is 5/8). If it is multi-level would the 1/4 inch difference really matter?

  117. 117.

    Immanentize

    @Immanentize: I got that backwards, of course, the decking is slightly thicker that the 1xs. But I guess if you have steps about, that might add a complexity. Just do what Ozark says and I will shut up.

  118. 118.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Immanentize:

    1×4 PT which is only slightly thicker than decking (which is 5/8).

    5/8??? Decking is 1″ and you need the 1″ to span the 24″ centers of your joists. 1x4s @ 3/4″ would not span 16″ centers without noticeable sag with every step and threat of breaking. (3/4″ work for plywood or OSB on 16″ centers because it’s 4 feet wide by 8 feet long, not 3.5 inches wide)

    And to be honest I’m a little leery of 1″ by 3.5″ on 24″ centers.

  122. 122.

    Kathleen

    @Betty Cracker: The latest Mother Jones has excellent article about AG Holder and what he and his group have been working on. I have no link as I am on phone and I’m part Luddite.

  126. 126.

    dnfree

    @OzarkHillbilly: And in Illinois (mostly run by Democrats currently), voters keep signing petitions that SHOULD get fair redistricting on the ballot, and yet it never appears because of some flaw or the other in the petition process.

  128. 128.

    J R in WV

    @Gelfling 545:

    From my experience in retirement, the first couple of weeks feel like vacation.

    I was vastly fortunate to be able to retire pretty early… in 2008, so 11 years ago. Every day still feels like the first day of a long vacation.

    If you’re doing a whole section of the deck, G&T, I would just use decking that’s available locally. You might inquire about TREX decking, which is a high-strength plastic faux wood, and doesn’t wear from sun and rain — it isn’t cheap, but once you cost out ripping 6″ down to 4″ it might be close.

  130. 130.

    Shana

    @raven: I have a FoodSaver brand that I like. I routinely make chicken stock and freeze it in 2 cup portions. I also go to a kosher supermarket every couple of months since it’s about an hour away from home and get family-size packages of meat that I break down into smaller, usable amounts and freeze those. I also bought a package of resealable bags that I store cheese in so it doesn’t get all moldy between uses.

    Kind of like my husband deciding to buy a tux many years ago: once you have it you find ways to use it. For example he always wears it on the day his firm fetes the office support staff. They bring in a nice lunch for everyone and he acts as a waiter wearing his tux.

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