Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

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

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

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

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

This really is a full service blog.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Happy indictment week to all who celebrate!

After roe, women are no longer free.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

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

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

He really is that stupid.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

Second rate reporter says what?

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Reader Interactions

143Comments

  3. 3.

    Central Planning

    We just got a new vehicle because our minivan got totalled, and it comes with a 6 month or 2GB free in-vehicle WiFi.

    I just set it up and made the SSID “Any Democrat 2020”. Hopefully that will get somebody’s attention

  4. 4.

    eclare

    My kitty spent most of the day trapped in the basement. There is an open panel in the bathroom closet that lets her down there, and I mistakenly left that door open. The basement door has always been sticky, today it was completely stuck.

    After multiple tries with a screwdriver and hammer and WD40, no dice. She finally figured out the cavalry wasn’t coming, and she emerged from the bathroom closet after pathetically mewing at me all day. Of course, no thank yous for trying.

    Steve is magnificent.

  6. 6.

    Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)

    I hate this new website! Is it up and running yet? I don’t know if I’ve seen it. This looks the same! Why can’t I see the new, awful changes I hate? Fake news! If there’s anything different about it that I haven’t picked up on, it sucks! If the changes aren’t public yet, then I hate them anyway! They all suck! Nobody ever listens to me!

  11. 11.

    Mary G

    Republicans who were in yesterday’s meltdown meeting leaking about how he’s 100% worse than he was and generals were very upset with him. Nice try, but put your name on it, or it doesn’t count. You suck for staying as he breaks up. Go to Schiff or blow the whistle..

    A Republican source inside the Trump-Pelosi meeting described attendees as “shaken” and “shell-shocked” by the President’s demeanor. “He is not in control of himself. It is all yelling and screaming.” —@jamiegangel reports pic.twitter.com/OMxR0o7sTX— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) October 17, 2019

    Also, Steve is easy to photograph, because he’s always asleep.

  12. 12.

    realbtl

    I don’t post much but you folks were so kind when my old girl Sioux passed a few months ago that I will pass on some info on my other Weim rescue Jada, a perfect example of breeding gone wrong. She was bred as a show dog and got all the weird genes in one pkg. It took 3 months before she would let met pet her. She is easing into her role as one and only dog pretty well, spending more time with me rather than in the other room. One on one she wants to be a big floppy lab but just can’t quite do it w/o scaring herself.

    Dogs, thanks for the support.
    And yes I have been here since the Stormy/BIRDZILLA days. I kinda miss BIRDZILLA.

  15. 15.

    Another Scott

    Fuzzy green kitty monster.

    ObOpenThread – Twitter:

    Rep. Don Beyer Verified account @RepDonBeyer

    Rep. Don Beyer Retweeted Albio Sires

    Our letter seeking an Inspector General investigation of Sec. Elaine Chao, led by @RepSires:

    “..serving as the Secretary of Transportation and using that role to prioritize project grant applications in her husband’s home state of Kentucky is evidence of a conflict of interest.”

    Rep. Don Beyer added, Albio Sires Verified account @RepSires

    Today, along with 14 of my colleagues, I sent a letter to the Department of Transportation Inspector General, asking for an investigation into conflicts of interest at the DOT.

    5:56 PM – 17 Oct 2019

    I’ve been very, very impressed with Beyer. He’s very good, and I’m glad he’s my rep.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  16. 16.

    NotMax

    Shall likely repeat this in a future open thread but wanted to mention it before I forget.

    On Thursday, tech hawk Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced a sweeping new data privacy bill aimed at forcing tech platforms to mind their own business and face tough penalties if they fail to meet new privacy and security standards.

    Wyden’s “Mind Your Own Business Act” is the official version of a draft bill he circulated around to other members and consumer groups late last year. The legislation would empower the Federal Trade Commission with new authorities to fine tech companies that violate user privacy and bolster the agency with more resources to better regulate the industry in the future.
    [snip]
    FTC Chairman Joe Simons has pleaded with Congress to empower the Commission with new authorities to fine companies for first-time privacy violations. Wyden’s bill would do just that, and also make it a crime for senior executives of tech companies to knowingly lie to the agency in regards to privacy.
    [snip]
    Wyden’s bill would institute a federal Do Not Track requirement, giving users the option to opt out of data tracking that’s used to target ads. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter would also be required to offer “privacy-protecting” versions of their products for a fee. Interestingly, Wyden’s measure would extend the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program for low-income people to use to obtain these privacy-focused versions of products so “privacy does not become a luxury good,” as his office put it. Source

  18. 18.

    jl

    @Mary G: What are they going to do when Trump proves via public confession on the WH lawn that he is B.D. Cooper and the guy who paid they guys who knew the guys who put Jimmy Hoffa on ice?

    Surely the Secret Service will do anything and everything to keep Trump away from Fifth Avenue

  19. 19.

    Immanentize

    @eclare:
    My credo:
    If it doesn’t move and should? WD40.
    If it moves and shouldn’t? Duct Tape.

    This works for people as well.

  21. 21.

    Mnemosyne

    I’m back on the wagon with Weight Watchers. Blech. I know it works for me but I’m annoyed I let it get to this point.

  22. 22.

    Immanentize

    @realbtl:
    I still am sorry for your loss, but your poor pupppy left without a four foot buddy. You too, but that made me sad and want to send you powerful hug-like vibes.

  26. 26.

    RAVEN

    @eclare: @eclare:

    D-40 is a fantastic product that can be used to displace moisture and lubricate moving pieces throughout your home, garage, or workshop. But one place where you should not use WD-40 is a squeaky door hinge, as the lubricant can attract dirt and dust, and may eventually cause the hinge pin to turn black.

  30. 30.

    lahke

    Is that picture of Steve current? Because my mostly Maine Coon kitty was shaved down at the same time and is now way floofier.

  34. 34.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Daniel Dale @ ddale8
    20m20 minutes ago
    Trump says that foreign leaders, including “dictators” who don’t like to go by the title dictator, always tell him, “Sir, congratulations, sir, on what you’ve done.” That story usually has only one Sir.

    Daniel Dale @ ddale8
    Trump with some of his most aggressive words about unmasking the federally protected whistleblower: “Who is the whistleblower? Who is the whistleblower? We have to know! Is the whistleblower a spy?”

  36. 36.

    Immanentize

    @Raven: Yes! I have a grease gun but quit that in home stuff. White litheum — stick and can. It doesn’t seem to gather crud like plain grease.

  37. 37.

    zhena gogolia

    We just saw Downton Abbey (or Downton Abby as it said on the marquee in our dumb little town). It’s a camp classic! I loved every minute of it.

    It was good to have a Cheeto Benito-free couple of hours.

  38. 38.

    Aleta

    No power, no heat. Would love to have a big warm sleeping cat beside me, but instead I have a stealth surprise attack (SSA) cat. This building is not well-prepared for losing electricity. I have a a camp stove and three inflatable solar lights. Bright enough when inflated. Tonight I found that the SSA cat has been wrestling two of them— they have his signature tiny claw indentations on their sides and don’t hold air anymore. I think he associates them with the bugs they attract when they’re lit. (He’s a dedicated entomologist, the type who must pursue and eat what he studies.) So, I’m down to one decent solar light that I have to hide from him at all times.

  49. 49.

    NotMax

    @Aleta

    For future reference,this doohickey is great as lighting during outages. Only caveat is that one must remember to charge it up maybe every two months. Often on sale, too.

    Effusive thanks after blackouts from those I’ve given it to as a gift.

  50. 50.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    The Republic is collapsing and Rachel Maddow is spending half her show with… Andrew Yang?

  53. 53.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Daniel Dale @ ddale8
    Trump after bashing Hunter Biden’s China business dealings after flying there on Air Force Two: Can you imagine if Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump or Ivanka Trump? (He trails off.)

    Trump on the Bidens: “You-know-what and pillage. It’s the R-word. You-know-what and pillage. You know what word I’m talking about, right? I don’t want to use it ’cause they’ll say it’s a horrible word that Trump used.” No evidence Joe Biden ever profited from his son’s dealings.

  54. 54.

    Aleta

    @eclare: Right now, midcoast Maine. I usually don’t mind it, but things like candles, matches, oil lamp, wood stove are foolishly missing from the bldg. I’m in. It’s old and uninsulated (the difference between inside and outside is one board) with lots of large windows…. it was lots of fun til the heat pump went out. : )

  56. 56.

    dmsilev

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    Did you see Trump’s claim that Louis Gohmert is really smart?

    ‘Trumpian’, adj., describing a level of stupidity compared to which Louis Gohmert appears to be smart.

  62. 62.

    NotMax

    Landlady’s garage door opener gave up the ghost on Monday. I’ve been on call all week to open or close her garage door manually as needed. Thankfully the appointment to have a new unit installed is tomorrow.

  64. 64.

    Immanentize

    My son is obsessed with espresso. Gotta go and calm him down about 500 buck espresso machines. “But Dad, there are 15,000 dollar ones!”
    Damn.

  65. 65.

    Aleta

    @NotMax: Thanks! I’ve given the solar lights I have as gifts too. I was very impressed with them until the cat identified their perfect size and resistance as rolling punching body kick bags. He’s good at finding trouble and weak spots in very useful things that I thought were working well.

  68. 68.

    Mary G

    Trump says it was good to let the Turks attack the Kurds. "Sometimes you have to let them fight like two kids,” he tells rally in Dallas. “Then you pull them apart."— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) October 18, 2019

    $Not.EvenHuman

  70. 70.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Immanentize: He’s not wrong, you know. And if he’s spending another year in the old domicile, a nice La Marzocco will only set you back about five large, and will certainly make him very happy.

  74. 74.

    CaseyL

    Steve has a new superpower: he changes his coloring to blend in with the surrounding furniture.

    Sleeping animals are so lovely. Cats in particular just seem to melt into whatever they’re sleeping on. Including, especially, laps.

  77. 77.

    Mary G

    Hell hath frozen over:

    If it comes to Trump vs. Warren, the only plausible choice is Warren. Over the past month Trump has given us fresh reminders of the exceptional ways he corrupts American life. You’re either part of removing that corruption or you are not. https://t.co/hL25UfEJmL

    — David Brooks (@nytdavidbrooks) October 18, 2019

  79. 79.

    Another Scott

    Twitter:

    GetOverHat @Popehat

    Getting older and losing your memory is terrible.

    For several minutes I could not recall whether it was Underdog or Hong Kong Phooey who kept amphetamines in a hollow watch.

    6:21 PM – 17 Oct 2019

    I know!!

    Cheers,
    Scott.
    (“Who is pretty sure it was Underdog.”)

  81. 81.

    Barbara

    @Immanentize: I have read that it is a mistake to buy a high volume machine for personal use. They are faster not better and they require a lot of maintenance. However, most of the mid-range espresso makers require you to now use cartridges. So you have to go up enough in price to still get the real thing.

  83. 83.

    Barbara

    @Mary G: JFC. That is obscene. Like war is a cartoon where the combatants rematerialize after a bomb goes off or they fall over the edge of a cliff.

  93. 93.

    frosty

    @schrodingers_cat: I saw your request for a one volume book on US history. I’m not sure if it can be covered in one volume. If you’re willing to read more than one, the best single volume I’ve read on the US Civil War is McPherson’s Battle Cry of Freedom. The runup in the 1850s is eerily similar to the last decade.

  95. 95.

    RedDirtGirl

    @Aleta: I just flew up to Mount Desert Island to visit family. Not cold yet, but awful dark. Luckily my sister has a lot of flashlights around!

  97. 97.

    Mary G

    Seriously inappropriate:

    "I’m not just an overrated general. I’m the most overrated general," Mattis says. "I'm honored to be considered that by Donald Trump because he also called Meryl Streep an overrated actress. So I guess I'm the Meryl Streep of generals, and frankly that sounds pretty good to me." pic.twitter.com/Hzpe5lUeje— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 18, 2019

    I’m with them:

    Stand up. Speak out. Fewer jokes. More patriotism.— Paulette Feeney (@PauletteParis1) October 18, 2019

  98. 98.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Mary G: I think every R Senator and more than half the House caucus would vastly prefer President Pence to trump, if they thought they could get rid of him without blowback

    Jesse Lehrich @ JesseLehrich
    GOP Rep. Francis Rooney not ruling out impeachment after Mulvaney’s confession:

    “I remember too many people saying, ‘Oh, this is a witch hunt against Richard Nixon,’ and come to find out it wasn’t a witch hunt.”

  100. 100.

    Matt McIrvin

    @dexwood: I’ve been watching a lot of videos on restoring old computer and audio equipment and arcade machines, and a theme that comes up a lot is that WD-40 turns into a gluey substance after several years.

  102. 102.

    lamh36

    ‘Sup BJ!

    Alright…another test down. No more test until the Monday before Paris! So now I can finish up my Paris planning!!! Woo woo!!

    Current Paris itinerary…

    Day 1 arrival…maybe hop on hop off while we wait on check in since we arrive EARLY.

    Day 2 Louvre and exploring

    Day 3 Versailles and exploring

    Day 4/5…nothing “scheduled” or pre-bought…guess explore an shop?

    Day 6 is my birthday. Early morning/brunch tour for Eiffel Tower, night time dinner cruise on Seine

    Day 7…fly back to the states.

    I guess we’ll do some Champ Elysses “shopping” and the Arc de Triomph on days 4/5?

  104. 104.

    lamh36

    @lamh36: Also too… Sorry guys, deleted tha last comment by mistake

    it’s that time again to decide how much money should I exchange if any? It’s a 6 day trip, and I’d like to use my CC only at legit places, so if I can pay Euros, I will. How much should I get?

    My friend said I should get like 100 euros and use my CC for everything else.

    I was thinking that that might be a good idea. I’ve been reading alot of stuff that talked about how bad pickpocketing is out there. So having less cash might be a good way to not draw attention to my wallet and such..hnnm

  108. 108.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Mary G: Nah. She’s saying it was wrong but hasnt said anything about impeachment from what I could see.

    It’s just dipping her toes into water of responsibility.

  111. 111.

    Mary G

    Just kill me now:

    Secretary Mattis lets loose “I earned my spurs on the battlefield; Donald Trump earned his spurs from the doctor”.— Martha Raddatz (@MarthaRaddatz) October 18, 2019

    He’s at some kind of white tail dinner where he’s supposed to be funny?

  112. 112.

    eclare

    @lamh36: There is some cathedral on one of the islands in the Seine that has beautiful stained glass. Dates back to around 1400, at least. I can”t remember the name, but you should be able to google. Enjoy!

  118. 118.

    Barbara

    @lamh36: Oh gosh, lucky you. You will likely need some diversion for day 1 because your hotel might not be ready for check in. Hanging out in a cafe for a while works, but also consider the Musee du Moyen-Age, the Musee Rodin, if not still closed for renovation, or Sainte Chappelle. Were it me I would go to Chartres or Fontainebleau for the day trip — both easy train trips — but you can’t really go wrong.

  123. 123.

    Matt McIrvin

    @frosty: *Is* WD-40 good for anything? I get the impression it can be good for removing caked-on gunk from things, as long as you somehow get the WD-40 off afterward.

  124. 124.

    frosty

    @lamh36: Days 4/5 find a sidewalk cafe. We lucked out to be staying near the Place de la Contrescarpe, probably one of dozens like it, with a fountain in the middle of a sort of roundabout ringed with cafes. Left Bank, near the Sorbonne.

    Other than that, you’re hitting the high spots.

    ETA Congrats on the tests!!
    ETA ETA On our trip to London/Normandy/Paris and our most recent one to Quebec, we didn’t have much cash. I’d say take $100 just so you can get something to eat when you arrive jetlagged after an overnight flight. ‘Cause that’s what we needed to do.

  128. 128.

    JR

    @Matt McIrvin: If you don’t need penetration there are far better lubricants. But for things that you can’t take apart (like a car door) you’d be hard pressed to find something better.

  129. 129.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @lamh36: if it’s reopened, the Musee Carnavalet (history of Paris) is worth a visit, and the neighborhood around it (the Marais/place des Vosges) makes for a great walking tour. On a clear day, Montmartre/Sacre-Coeur or the Tour Montparnasse, for the view (opposite ends of the city). I much prefer Montparnasse as a neighborhood for exploring

  130. 130.

    Barbara

    @eclare: On a sunny day Sainte Chappelle is amazing, as is Chartres. I like the museum of the middle ages because it is built on the ruins of the Roman setlement and has a well curated display of the best of pre-renaissance art. It is in a nice neighborhood as well, near the Sorbonne.

  131. 131.

    mrmoshpotato

    @NotMax: I’d say so. I’ve only seen El Topo and Santa Sangre, and that was some time ago. Lynch and Cronenberg crossed my mind while watching this. It’s no Scanners, but still weird.

  132. 132.

    Matt McIrvin

    @eclare: I remember thinking Sainte-Chapelle was more beautiful inside than Notre Dame when I was there. It was originally built to house the relics that were eventually moved to Notre Dame (and saved from the recent fire).

  135. 135.

    Barbara

    @Matt McIrvin: Sainte Chappelle is like standing inside a faceted gemstone, at least on a sunny day.

    I was disappointed by Musee D’Orsay, but everyone should go once, especially if they like impressionist art.

  136. 136.

    Mnemosyne

    @lamh36:

    Rick Steves always says that a money belt or neck wallet that you wear under your clothes is the best idea, because it’s a lot harder for pickpockets to get to.

  137. 137.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Barbara: @lamh36: I love the Musee d’Orsay, but then I do love the impressionists and earlier 19th cent art. Especially at this time of year when it’s less crowded. The Louvre is overwhelming to me, even the maps are overwhelming. Make a plan beforehand if you can. The Musee Rodin is another one that’s best on a sunny day, since the garden is the best part.

  140. 140.

    Ruckus

    @mrmoshpotato:
    Empty except for the smell of a rotten dumpster behind a cheap diner the day before trash pickup. Nothing else, just that smell of rotting everything.

  141. 141.

    Ruckus

    @JR:
    There are a number of spray lubes that are better. However WD is relatively cheap and works great as a lube for machining certain plastics. And has enough solvent base to clean, which is why it works to unstick stuff. DuPont makes better ones though but WD is available pretty much anywhere.

  142. 142.

    NotMax

    @Ruckus

    No recollection of who the comedian was who coined the term but have long used his/her description of an agglomeration of pernicious smells as “zoo dust.”

  143. 143.

    Aleta

    @RedDirtGirl The wind has started up again here. Mt. Desert is across the water from me. The landscape is so beautiful and wild right now (when daylight comes). Nice to think of you nearby.

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