Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Take your GOP plan out of the witness protection program.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

The words do not have to be perfect.

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

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

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

I wonder if trump will be tried as an adult.

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

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

So many bastards, so little time.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

It’s all just conspiracy shit beamed down from the mothership.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

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

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Reader Interactions

265Comments

  2. 2.

    TheOtherHank

    My idiot neighbor is having a no-masking outdoor party that probably comes in under the no more than 50 people rule. A super-spreader event on my street!

  6. 6.

    JanieM

    How’s the fall color around there? Where I live, we had a summer of drought and a very cold September, so the color hasn’t been spectacular, and now it’s mostly gone. (Central Maine.) My brother says it’s at peak in northeastern Ohio right now.

    One week until Halloween, 10 days til the election, two weeks til DST ends. Sigh.

    Today was youth hunting day. Not a season I particularly look forward to for any reason whatsoever.

  7. 7.

    Chetan Murthy

    @John Cole: Crikey, that’s *brilliant*!  So much better than playing Electric Hellfire Club at “11”.  I gotta remember that, if I ever end up with hellish neighbors (knock wood) again.

  8. 8.

    Geoduck

    What? Your friends offered you a chance to go party with them and you turned them down, don’t expect us to take the slack.

    Oh OK, fine. A bunch of people in Pence’s office have tested positive for COVID.

  17. 17.

    Chetan Murthy

    @NotMax: I remember when I was told that, too.  And yet, it’s not actually true.  Everybody with two working neurons is bored, in East Bumfuck, TX.

  19. 19.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    How are all of your pets doing? Also, sorry about your car and house getting TP’d; it’s hard to believe grown adults would do that dumb stuff, especially during a pandemic

  20. 20.

    WaterGirl

    I just heard a crash in the other room.  The kitty tree that is taller than I am fell over and broke my glass Christmas tree.  I cut my finger as I was picking up the pieces.  Kitty tree is back in position, so I guess all’s well that ends well.

  24. 24.

    Geoduck

    @WaterGirl: A “bunch” might be an exaggeration, but the current count, according to a tweet from an ABC reporter, is his Chief of Staff and at least two others in his close vicinity.

  26. 26.

    sdhays

    Apparently Mike Dense’ Chief of Staff and Senior Political Advisor have tested positive for the COVID. Dense is negative….for now.

  30. 30.

    danielx

    Wish I had video: there are few things more amusing than watching a large full grown cat up on his toes and doing the arched-back kitten dance.

    ETA: don’t know how to describe it except “up on his toes”.

  31. 31.

    Another Scott

    @sdhays: And he’s not quarantining because rules are for little people.  And he’s jealous of Donnie being the world-champion SuperSpreader and wants to catch up.

    Grr….

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  33. 33.

    Chetan Murthy

    @BruceFromOhio: Oh, yes!  John, you haven’t been regaling us with pics of Lily, stories of Thurston’s fuckery, and your fear of what Steve has in store for you while you’re asleep.  Really, falling down on the job you are.

  35. 35.

    JanieM

    @dww44:

    @CaseyL:

    Yes, they do give the kids a head start. And I should be more precise, it was “Youth Deer Day” — I tend to forget that there are other seasons, because deer is the big one.

    Kids get the Saturday before the Saturday when adults start; the adults start on the last Saturday in October. The last day of deer season is the Saturday after T-day. No hunting on Sundays. Around where I live, you wear some blaze orange if you’re hanging out outdoors this coming month.

    ETA: I didn’t actually type “youth-hunting day”…. ;-

    ETA2: But nor did I invent the usage.

  36. 36.

    Shakti

    For relaxation I’m listening to the World Series.
    I’m listening rather than watching because my eye condition that makes me look like Anthony DeMartino is flaring up. Bless those sound engineers!

  37. 37.

    Chacal Charles Calthrop

    My chinese wuxia soap opera the Untamed is now on Amazon Prime for free, and I am re-watching it.

    So anybody who skipped it because it was on Netflix and you were surviving the coronapocalyse in isolation by watching what’s free on Amazon Prime, now you can watch it there.

    Also Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is on Amazon Prime.

  38. 38.

    mmolleur

    Watching World Series, waiting for SNL (hoping it won’t be too boring/stupid this week). Also doom scrolling on Twitter because I guess I have PTSD from 2016 and I’m terrified that I’ll wake up in a country where McConnell is still Majority Leader. Your house looked lovely in the pictures you posted the other day.

  39. 39.

    James E Powell

    I’m assuming everyone who really cares already knows, but what the hell?

    Springsteen released a new album, Letter to You, yesterday. It’s a masterpiece.

    There is a “making of” movie on Apple TV that is a treasure. It’s about playing songs, being in a band, the people in the band. I don’t have words to describe the range & intensity of emotions provoked. I called a guy who a drummer in one band I was in and the sound man for another.

    If you care or are curious about these things, you must see that movie.

  40. 40.

    Winston

    I’m so bored. I created a spreadsheet to record all activities. s/s/s, dishes, laundry, vitamins, expenses (how much, to whom, new balance, deposits) and extended it for six months (then nine). When I get the mail, grocery delivery, doctors appts, open a pack of cigars, take out the trash, etc. I spend as much time making entries as I do the things I’m doing. Which ain’t much and I sleep a lot.

  42. 42.

    VFX Lurker

    Hulu adapted Marvel Comics’ SON OF SATAN 70’s character into a fun, creepy little show called HELSTROM. I finished watching it this week and loved the cast and characters. ?

    I’ve also written 737 Postcards to Voters since September 1st of this year. Will try to write a few more this weekend.

  43. 43.

    Benw

    Took the family on a “weekend vacay” before everything goes to hell, in Greenwich CT. Had a fantastic day hiking around Mianus River State Park, checking out Old Greenwich, swimming in the hotel pool (we only go in when its deserted), watching  Tech get shellacked by BC (that part was less fantastic), Ethiopian for dinner and ice cream, then more swimming. Tomorrow we’ll hit the Audubon Center, maybe check out Laddin’s Rock, and do some sightseeing before heading home.

  44. 44.

    RaflW

    Mike Pence’s new closing argument:

    I’m having a Covid outbreak in my Vice Presidential office, so I’m outta here, gotta go campaign!
    Via NYT

    At least three top advisers to Vice President Mike Pence have tested positive for the coronavirus in the last few days, people briefed on the matter said, raising fresh questions about the safety protocols at the White House, where masks are not routinely worn.

    Devin O’Malley, a spokesman for Mr. Pence, who leads the White House coronavirus task force, said that the vice president’s chief of staff, Marc Short, had tested positive. A person briefed on the diagnosis said it was received on Saturday.

    “Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence both tested negative for Covid-19 today, and remain in good health,” Mr. O’Malley said. “While Vice President Pence is considered a close contact with Mr. Short, in consultation with the White House Medical Unit, the vice president will maintain his schedule in accordance with the C.D.C. guidelines for essential personnel.”

    …Two people briefed on the matter said that the White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, had sought to keep news of the outbreak from becoming public.

    Yeah, that last sentence.

  48. 48.

    sdhays

    @Another Scott: I just found out that a friend who contracted the virus a month or two ago has complications which caused him to go the ER a week or two ago. It turned out it was bronchitis, but he was having so much trouble breathing, he didn’t know. He still gets winded easily. Oh, and he’s only in his late 30’s. He doesn’t know where he got it, but I have to believe that he got it at work since he works with Trumpers.

    My parents are thinking to come out for the first time since February to see their 1.5 year old grandson, and I’m starting to worry that we should have done this back in August. November seems to be shaping up to be a fucking disaster.

  51. 51.

    laura

    I’m going to the farmers market in the morning and will be making minestrone soup for dinner. Friends brought us a gallon of unfiltered pear cider and I’m going to figure out how many things I can use it in. Anything to keep busy and minimize the worry.

  52. 52.

    CaseyL

    Very Bored Person/Blog Host: How is your family?  What are they all up to?  Has your Dad fully recovered?

    I get together with friends, usually by phone, and find I have little to talk to them about because, like everyone else, I’m not up to much these days.  The weekly grocery run is my Big Adventure, woo hoo.

    If Biden gets elected (pleasepleaseplease) then we have a decent chance to resume a somewhat normal existence once an effective vaccine is found.

    If Trump wins… I have images of people across the country walking down the streets past piles of corpses.

  53. 53.

    Narya

    @James E Powell: ooooohhhh longtime Bruce fan here. Will acquire ASAP. Saw him on Colbert

    dinner: seared venison, roasted squash, braised leeks, farro, pan from venison deglazed w wine, mushrooms, a little butter

    Dessert: whole grain oatmeal cookies w dates & cranberries—hacked a recipe & they’re awesome

  54. 54.

    dmsilev

    @RaflW: From one of the hate rallies today,

    That’s all I hear about now. Turn on TV, ‘Covid, Covid, Covid Covid Covid.’ A plane goes down, 500 people dead, they don’t talk about it. ‘Covid Covid Covid Covid.’ By the way, on November 4th, you won’t hear about it anymore … ‘please don’t go and vote, Covid!

  56. 56.

    JoyceH

    I’ve started watching New Tricks on Prime. Ran on BBC for years, but those short seasons the Brits have. Retired cops solving cold cases. The cops are amusingly eccentric and the accents are comprehensible to American ears.

  60. 60.

    jl

    Wasn’t Cole going to occupied turning his house into fortress, so he could keep covi-19 and the resulting zombie apocalypse at bay?

    Well, I guess he’s finished already.

    My helpful talk is that Cole should go play with his pets and be happy. And yes, Rosie scowling and growling at you is just her way of trying to cheer you up, she just has different tastes.

  61. 61.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @sdhays:

    I just found out that a friend who contracted the virus a month or two ago has complications which caused him to go the ER a week or two ago. It turned out it was bronchitis, but he was having so much trouble breathing, he didn’t know. He still gets winded easily. Oh, and he’s only in his late 30’s.

    It’s just the flu! //

  64. 64.

    frosty

    No more of the harvest to can? Shucks. Pick up the guitar, that’s something you can work on all your life and still not be satisfied. :-)

    Or read every comment in Balloon Juice. That will suck up all your spare time.

  66. 66.

    Kay

    @dmsilev:

    I think we know now though why he’s been ranting about covid all day – he knew they couldn’t hide the VP’s office news.
    Mike DeWine sounds grim. He’s basically pleading with people at this point, like he knows they won’t do enough to prevent spread and he’s preparing them for the worst.

  67. 67.

    jl

    @John Cole: 
    ” Put a computer speaker in the window, turn it all the way up, and go to pornhub. ”

    I misunderstood this. I thought Cole was doing that for himself because he was bored. But, this is one of the techniques to keep the zombie apocalypse at bay.

    You learn so many handy-dandy household protips on this blog.

  70. 70.

    Subsole

    Well, it has been a hell of a month during a hell of a year.
    Just lost my job of over 10 years. The presidential race is tightening and I am getting some bad flashes back to election night 2016.

    On the bright side, now that those gormless fucking pricks have repaid my dedication, I am free to devote myself full time to continuing my education, which I will be doing. This will involve moving from the lonesome prairie to the DFW area. So I am excited as hell about that, for a number of reasons. Feels a little weird going back to school at 40, but I always enjoyed learning, so I am looking forward to it.

    Currently listening to a surprisingly good audiobook version of Alien, because why not?

    On another note, thank you so very, very much for running this little corner of the ‘net. Can always come here for a laugh or a rant or some very informative writing. There’s even banter.

  72. 72.

    Starfish

    Yesterday, after a week with the Giuliani story and the Toobin story, there were people on  this blog arguing for pants as if they do not understand that this blog is built on naked mopping by a blog host who prefers shorts and overalls.

  75. 75.

    dmsilev

    @Kay: That’s part of it, but I think he really believes that’s it’s unfair that COVID is causing him to lose. That it’s his fault for cocking up the response is of course inconceivable.

  77. 77.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Crashman06: Rhe Yakuza games are all nuts. Theres a RPG one coming out soon. and there was a side story just called “judgment” that plays like a bad 80s PI show and it’s kind of amazing.

  78. 78.

    frosty

    @Winston: I’m not quite that obsessive, but ever since I retired I decided I should do at least 4 hours of something productive (not B-J, not the news, not ADLs) every day,  and I’m tracking that like I used to track project hours as a consulting engineer. Today I had 3 1/2 hrs of canvassing and a 1 hr bike ride. Woohoo, I hit it!!!!

    (Probably up to 8 hrs of B-J Time Sink though)

  80. 80.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Subsole:

    Sorry you lost your job. At least you have an opportunity to go back to school. As for the presidential race tightening, somebody posted this CNN article on another thread today: What Republican internal polling can actually tell us

    Former Vice President Joe Biden has held a steadfast lead in high quality nonpartisan public polling. Still, some conservatives and President Donald Trump claim the polls are off. Trump himself has said he is up in key swing states.

    There’s no reason to believe Trump. An examination of publicly released internal Republican and conservative group polling reveals they’re also showing Trump clearly underperforming his 2016 showing.

  83. 83.

    FlyingToaster

    @Starfish: 

    this blog is built on naked mopping by a blog host who prefers shorts and overalls.

    I can guaran-fucking-tee you that the Blogfather is wearing pants (which might well be overalls or shorts) when he’s on Zoom.

    It helps that he’s neither a psycopath nor an utter asshat.

    The situation with the mustard speaks to a fundamental misalignment with the universe, and obviously, the willow is still too damn close to the blog.

  85. 85.

    frosty

    @Kay: Good to see you here. I was late to the Doom’n’Gloom (TM) thread and I wanted to pass on my thanks for your on-the-ground comments. I’m always happy to see your nym!

  87. 87.

    PeakVT

    …the vice president will maintain his schedule in accordance with the C.D.C. guidelines for essential personnel.

    Isn’t the only essential job of the Veep to not get sick and die?

    It’s morons all the way down to the bitter end with this administration.

  88. 88.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @MisterForkbeard:

    side story just called “judgment” that plays like a bad 80s PI show and it’s kind of amazing.

    You better not be talking about Magnum PI //

  90. 90.

    Gvg

    Today is the first day of my staycation. We’re slow at work and won’t be later. So I spent most of the day sowing seed trays for the fall winter growing season, about 15 trays. I started the lettuce and broccoli last weekend, 4 trays. In Florida a bunch of things don’t grow in the summer. Pest got a lot of my veggies this summer but anybody wanting something easy try green beans, pole beans. I seeded them Valentine’s Day and I think they are done now. As an experiment my mother suggested I try for a second crop, so I planted those Last weekend too. I like beans, but I had to give away a lot this summer. I just couldn’t after awhile.
    I find it soothing to plant. I still have more but I ran out of trays. In the spring I had to start them in batches. It’s also time to start ordering.

  91. 91.

    frosty

    @Subsole: Feels a little weird going back to school at 40, but I always enjoyed learning, so I am looking forward to it.

    I went back for my second MS at 36, finished at 44. It was a bit weird, with the kids. One shining moment, though, when my excellent (although martinet) hydrology prof barked “You’re late” when I walked in after the class started. I calmly said “The Parkway was jammed this morning” and sat down. That shit works on a 19-year old, but it doesn’t work 20 years later.

  92. 92.

    Kay

    @dmsilev:

    Maggie Haberman
    @maggieNYT
    ·50m
    Two people briefed on the matter said that the White House chief-of-staff, Mark Meadows, sought to keep the information about the VP office outbreak from becoming public

    They’re such bad people. Every time they’re faced with tell the truth or lie they choose “lie”, even when it no longer matters. I feel badly only for the people who have to pick up after them and might get infected by them. No one demanded these people do all this to defend Donald Trump. They had options.

  94. 94.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Subsole:

    No problem and I understand. I feel the same sometimes. I was worried about the high GOP turnout for early in-person voting in FL, but then I later thought, since this was the first day of statewide early voting in FL, wouldn’t it make some sense to see that surge?

  97. 97.

    mad citizen

    Dense did a rally in my hometown yesterday then came to Indy to vote. Probably spreading the virus the whole time like his king wannabe.

    Why aren’t their superspreader events THE story continuously? It is F-ing crazy.

  100. 100.

    RaflW

    @jl: That feels very “Omega Man”, a movie I’m pretty sure I was too young to watch when I saw it.

    Such is childhood with an older brother.

  101. 101.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @frosty: I started law school at 29 after having been an army officer.  Traditional scare the 1L tactics did really work in me.  Also, come the first semester exams, i was able to go in saying “I have studied as much as I can.  If I am a C student here, I am a C student,” while the 22 year olds freaked out.  It was a change from being one of the youngest students in my class from kindergarten through undergrad.

  102. 102.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Kay:

    I’m mad that the WH Medical Unit apparently went along with the lies. These people are medical professionals; they’re only ruining the public image of doctors and nurses. Nursing in particular ranks very highly as a trusted profession with the public. Crap like this threatens to undermine that trust

  103. 103.

    Jay

    Ultimate Karen,

    I just got a citizen app notification. I heard the dispatch call. “Thousands of Black people gathering, the complainant doesn’t know why they’re there.”I checked the comments and the map. It’s a voting line. I truly hate this world. ??‍♀️— mary swagdalene (@CandyCornball) October 24, 2020

  105. 105.

    jl

    Just listened to the hatchet job Lou Dobbs did on Graham yesterday. Why? Graham just delivered that prized reactionary justice to the Senate floor in record time, and in such a vile disgraceful way that Trump and McConnell must have really enjoyed the show.

    Any chance Harrison is doing so well in SC, that the Trumpster want to disengage from Graham? Not sure why, no way Harrison could swing SC to Biden, is there? I don’t think so.

  109. 109.

    Kay

    @frosty:

    Thanks. I’m waiting up for my youngest. He’s out with his former girlfriend, now friend. I’m impressed they made this transition with so little anguish and drama. I don’t “get” people like that. WHERE is the rage and denunciations?  They’re obviously very shallow.

  112. 112.

    frosty

    @Subsole:  Civil Engineering / Water Resources. University of Maryland. I went to Harvey Mudd for the BS, got a MS in Urban Planning from Hopkins, and the UM degree was the one that taught me something worthwhile, Go figure.

    ETA: I really enjoyed the classes and learning new stuff. I had a Remote Sensing class and there were only four of us in the class, at a school with 30,000 students! That remains one of the top two or three favorite classes in all of my academics

  117. 117.

    Kay

    @jl:

    Any chance Harrison is doing so well in SC, that the Trumpster want to disengage from Graham? Not sure why, no way Harrison could swing SC to Biden, is there? I don’t think so.

    I don’t get it either. Too, Trump did some of it. Today he said some bullshit about how he can’t “help” certain senators. They’re up to something.

  124. 124.

    Kay

    @Martin:

    “There are a couple senators I can’t really get involved in. I just can’t do it. You lose your soul if you do. I can’t help some of them. I don’t want to …

    WTF is this about? Putting aside his “soul” (ahem) he’s distancing himself from THEM?

  125. 125.

    Bill Arnold

    @RaflW:

    the vice president will maintain his schedule in accordance with the C.D.C. guidelines for essential personnel.”

    One thing to look for will be whether Pence wears a mask when interacting with others (for source control since he’s possibly asymptomatic and a rapidtest might not show an early active infection). If he does, following CDC guidelines, good. However, Trump has made lack of mask wearing a loyalty test, and Pence is a RW idiot (literally), so there will be tensions between proper behavior and the pathological behavior expected by The Orange Crime Boss and his henchpeople and followers.

  126. 126.

    jl

    @Kay:
    Trump’s razor rule might apply. There is no sense to it. IF chances high that Graham will go down, and Trump hates losers, then Trump will hate on them, even if hating them does him no good and may do him harm. Trumpsters dumping on Graham in the last week won’t help his chances.

  128. 128.

    frosty

    @Kay: LOL, definitely. I have no idea where my sons (25 and 29) are with GFs. I hope things work out but it’s none of my business. My parents never inquired and I don’t either.

    The older one visited one of my cousins awhile back and I got some dish: “He’s got a lot of friends who are girls but no girlfriends.”

    We had them late in life so I’m not pining for grandkids, either, and I don’t get on them about that.

  129. 129.

    Redshift

    There’s a guy I still follow on Twitter to keep a small tendril on the pulse of wingnuttia. He’s not even an acquaintance, just someone I connected with because he was buying a ticket I was selling once. He’s not as openly awful as most conservatives, but he retweets or makes references to a lot of wingnut stuff.

    The latest outrage he forwarded was about the police raiding an illegal oversize Orthodox gathering in NYC. It specifically mentioned “on private property” because apparently it’s a police state of you can’t endanger the community from your own place, and of course religion should be a get-out-of-rules-free card.

    This was a mild one. I periodically consider unfollowing him because the things he obviously believes make me feel ill, but I figure I probably should know.

  130. 130.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Kay: His bubble only covers himself.  He thinks he is going to win, but they are going to lose.  He doesn’t want their loser stink on him.

  131. 131.

    jl

    @Kay: Forgot to say, there are some responses to your question about death certificates and dying ‘with’ versus ‘from’ nonsense at the bottom of the (?, or a) previous thread.

    Edit: if you need to make yourself sleepy there is a link to the CDC handbook for filling out death certificates.

  132. 132.

    Kay

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    i like him too- he’s scrappy.

    They all got snowed by that sanctimonious phony of a judge. In one of the thousands of questions she refused to answer she used the word “golly”. I’m already sick of hearing about her kids and I like kids.

  134. 134.

    TS (the original)

    @NotMax:

    As I used to tell my daughter “If  you are bored I have plenty of chores to keep you busy”

    Bored was/is not a word in our home.

  136. 136.

    Subsole

    @frosty: Too cool. I assume urban planning is city layout?

    Is it a broad kitchen-sink kind of thing? Or are there specializations attached? Like, do you go in and get a specific cert in, say, mass-transit? Or do they teach you how to design everything from traffic and power grids to sewer systems? Because I bet learning that stuff is just awesome.

  137. 137.

    jl

    @Kay: OK, I think I know the answer to that one. In Trump’s mind heart and soul, any association with anyone who ever loses anything for any reason is akin to losing one’s soul.

    There, yeah, I said it, I said it, I ain’t taking it back.

  140. 140.

    Subsole

    @dmsilev: Ok, with that last line, is he trying in his oafish way to suggest that it’s all a big hoax? Like, is he saying we’re milking a virus that will almost certainly kill more Americans than at least three major wars combinec the same way he and his party milked migrant caravans?

    Is that what he’s doing?

  141. 141.

    Kay

    @jl:

    He was talking to donors so I thought maybe it’s “don’t give anything to them- they lost-give it all to me”

    Or maybe that plus “I have to win because Democrats will have both chambers and you might have to pay taxes without me to protect you” – they always try that when they’re losing, how we need “balance”

  144. 144.

    Redshift

    Apparently Trump has also been saying lately that Republicans are likely to lose the Senate, and if they do it will be because they didn’t support him enough. (Yeah, wtf, but he’s incapable of conceiving that he’s the albatross.) But that doesn’t seem to fit Graham, so loser stink does seem like a more likely explanation.

  151. 151.

    jl

    @Redshift: Trump may also be totally out of control and completely decompensating because growing knowledge he’ll almost surely lose.

    Someone may have explained to him that McConnell cutting him lose is bad, a lot of people who can make a difference in the election results owe as much allegiance to McConnell as they do to Trump.

    Trump may just be lashing out, having a tantrum because he thinks ‘If only Graham had slavishly supported me MORE!’ And flunkies like Dobbs ran to lap up the vomit and spit it out to the public asap, maybe they’d get a bedtime snack.

    More I think about it, it is a known very firmly unknown and unknowable.

  153. 153.

    Subsole

    @Gretchen: Gonna shoot for radiology. If not that, respiratory. If not that, lab or surgical tech.

    So, basically photography. Just with a really, really awesome camera.

  154. 154.

    frosty

    @Subsole:  City layout doesn’t really exist any more, except for small-scale site design at the subdivision level. The big ones I’m familiar with are Reston VA and Columbia MD back in the 60s. Plus all the slum clearances in big cities earlier. Two places that did a good job were Toronto and Arlington VA (where I worked for awhile). As the new rail transit systems came in they managed to focus the development at the stations.

    Is it a broad kitchen-sink kind of thing? Or are there specializations attached? Like, do you go in and get a specific cert in, say, mass-transit? Or do they teach you how to design everything from traffic and power grids to sewer systems? Because I bet learning that stuff is just awesome.

    No specific certs that I know of. Mass transit generally gets planned by the transit agencies: WMATA, SEPTA, MARTA, MTA. Plans have to be submitted to the feds for funding. Baltimore did a horrible job at this and DC was very good, hence their better network.
    Traffic is planned by state and local engineers. There’s some interesting modeling based on population and destination projections, all of which can be thrown off by private development.
    Water, and sewer are planned by local engineers, either County or water/sewer authorities.
    Power grids are planned by … who knows?
    My classes were in a lot of these subspecialties, including environmental planning, transit, population, air pollution, built environment, housing, etc.

    Overall, an interesting degree, a lot of fun stuff to learn, but it wasn’t really great for getting a job. But maybe that was just graduating during Reagan’s recession when planning of all kinds got shit on.

    ETA: They didn’t teach design. Most of the infrastructure you described gets designed by one or another branch of Civil Engineers. Hence my second MS.

  156. 156.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Subsole:

    Yes, nursing. It also angers me to hear nut job conservatives say they don’t trust medical professionals. It will be interesting to see this coming year’s Gallup poll rankings of professions. I doubt there are enough of them to affect it, but it still sucks

  157. 157.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):  I think she’s discovered that voting against Barrett will only hurt her and so threw her ‘principles’ to the wind.

    Basically: Republicans will hate her for it. Democrats won’t really care – they already dislike her in general. But really, voting for/against Barrett just isn’t moving voters much right now. Everyone just assumes that Republicans are going to be awful and accept it.

  158. 158.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Subsole: Missing mustard.  Subarus in fields.  More pantlessness.  If naked mopping was new to you, perhaps you need to take it slowly.

  159. 159.

    Kay

    Maggie Haberman
    @maggieNYT
    ·22m
    UPDATE: The total of aides around Pence in the coronavirus outbreak is up to FIVE people. Short, Obst and 3 additional VP office staff, per ppl briefed

    The health dept in DC should shut that place down. Just wrap it in yellow tape.

  160. 160.

    Subsole

    @Kay: What. A. Dick.

    After all the bowing and scraping Lindsey did for him, he gets this…

    Then again, Trump does have a pattern of sadistically screwing over people in his debt, even when he really, REALLY should know better. So no grand plan, just the inner seething assholishness momentarily peeping through the outer asshole facade.

    I swear, he’s gonna be the patient that tries to punch the nurse who administers his pain meds.

  161. 161.

    Repatriated

    @Subsole:

    Ok, with that last line, is he trying in his oafish way to suggest that it’s all a big hoax? Like, is he saying we’re milking a virus that will almost certainly kill more Americans than at least three major wars combinec the same way he and his party milked migrant caravans?

    Is that what he’s doing?

    They know how they hyped up Ebola in ’14 against Obama. He thinks (to the extent he thinks) that the same thing is being done to him with CoVID-19.

  162. 162.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Kay:

    “Golly Gee, Senator, I can’t answer whether I would rule the 20th and 21st centuries unconstitutional in the abstract.”

  164. 164.

    TS (the original)

    @RaflW:

    While Vice President Pence is considered a close contact with Mr. Short,

    14 days quarantine recommended. I guess trump’s sycophants at the CDC dreamed up the exemption for  essential personnel. Doesn’t exist in my part of the world.

  165. 165.

    Repatriated

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): I can’t imagine why Murkowski flip floped. It’s not like McConnell didn’t already have enough votes to confirm

    Perhaps he had to revoke one of the “golden tickets” (to vote against the nom without being the deciding vote) either due to CoVID-19 or just in the AZ Special (Kelly replacing McSally as soon as it’s confirmed rather than after the lame duck) or both.

  166. 166.

    jl

    @Repatriated: Probably that Trump says whatever pleases the crowd. I don’t know how people fall for his pathetic schtick. It’s hideously bad open mic night stand up patter.

    Trump A/B tests his way through lines that might work, that he can pass off as a joke if it doesn’t go over well, and then he pitches as his real message whatever gets a good response at that very moment.

    I  can’t watch much of it, but a minute or two is enough to see what he is doing, especially since that is all he does at his rallies. You see the same schtick over and over again.

  168. 168.

    Kay

    @Subsole:

    just the inner seething assholishness

    He’s a bad person but in some ways the senate bootlickers are worse. They know what he is.

  169. 169.

    Repatriated

    @jl: Probably that Trump says whatever pleases the crowd. I don’t know how people fall for his pathetic schtick. It’s hideously bad open mic night stand up patter.

    Trump A/B tests his way through lines that might work, that he can pass off as a joke if it doesn’t go over well, and then say whatever gets a good response.

    Likely true. That said, it wouldn’t “sell” if people didn’t remember the sudden end of the Ebola hype (which ended half a year before the actual epidemic did…)

    They just can’t admit that’s what happened, and that to them it’s all a game of “gotcha” politics (that they’re on the losing end of this time), rather than a public health crisis.

    ‘Rona don’t check no voter ID.

  170. 170.

    jl

    @Repatriated: Either covid-19 is a hoax or its the new black death and his bold action saved millions and millions of lives. I’ve heard him say both at rallies.

  171. 171.

    Subsole

    @frosty: That all sounds like it would be great fun to learn, just on the theory side.

    We really do take so much for granted, just living in a developed civilization with millennia of hard-won wisdom at our fingertips.

    Morst pernicious thing Reagan did was tell us all we could have it for free.

  173. 173.

    Another Scott

    @Repatriated:  Supposedly that’s why he pushed Wall so much – the crowds went wild for it. He didn’t much care otherwise. But he thinks that since it’s popular at his rallies then everyone loves it.

    He’s pathological.

    Grr…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  174. 174.

    Achrachno

    @Subsole: 
    I’m OK with this since it’ll help Harrison’s chances of becoming a senator. I can imagine 100s or 1000s of Trump supporters abandoning Graham after their dear leader has condemned him. That may be enough!

    I’m becoming irrationally exuberant about the election, aren’t I?

  175. 175.

    mrmoshpotato

    ZergNet is still garbage.  Umm….fucking this fucking pandemic and all of the Rethuglican bastards who denied us a President Hillary Clinton.  I’m so ready for a President Biden.  And I’m so fucking tired.

  176. 176.

    Subsole

    @Leslie: And people say American ingenuity is dead.

    Seriously though, given how much of the alt-right movement seems to be rooted in sexual hangups, the Mistress may well be on to something…

  177. 177.

    Gvg

    @Subsole: garden. I live in Florida. This time of year is great outside. It’s weird to hear others online talk about the season spending and snow coming. I have lived here almost all my life and don’t have experience with other climates.

  178. 178.

    TS (the original)

    @Kay:

    Today he said some bullshit about how he can’t “help” certain senators. They’re up to something.

    I’ll go with the obvious. They think some of the senators – including Graham – are going to lose & are telling their voters it’s ok to vote for trump, without voting for the GOP senator.

    I doubt they would lose SC but it could get closer if Jaime Harrison is in the lead.

  180. 180.

    Repatriated

    @jl

    Either covid-19 is a hoax or its the new black death and his bold action saved millions and millions of lives. I’ve heard him say both at rallies.

    But the reason the “it’s a hoax that will go away after the election” resonates is persistent vague memories that another terrifying disease apparently did just that. The difference is that Ebola never got a foothold in the US (well-managed) so the media could (and did) ignore it once the politicized hype went away.  I can’t imagine the horror of a Trump Admin response to Ebola…

    I’m highlighting it because they’re basing it on their own experience without saying so — because they can’t say it. Otherwise, they’d have to own the differences (well-contained outbreak vs. failed containment).

  181. 181.

    Subsole

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Ugh. Yeah, shame on you, busting your ass and getting a nursing degree and being proid of it! ?

    What options do the WH medical  personnel have, realistically?? If the doc makes a bad call can a nurse like, overrule them?

  182. 182.

    The Enderville Phantom

    Last weekend for the corn maze, pumpkin pick-ups for carving, etc. I may have to work more this next week as others are taking time off for various reasons. Freezing temperatures. Possible rain later in the week. I’d like to venture out to the hills to check something before the snows, storms of winter arrive. If I get a chance.

  183. 183.

    Redshift

    @Subsole:

    After all the bowing and scraping Lindsey did for him, he gets this… 

    Lindsey should have noticed that loyalty only goes one direction with Trump (like Bush but worse.)

  185. 185.

    Poe Larity

    Twitter Emo Cole is just not as entertaining as Blogger Emo Cole was.

    Perhaps Twitter is so exhausting he needs lots of nappy time.

  186. 186.

    Repatriated

    @TS (the original):

    I’ll go with the obvious. They think some of the senators – including Graham – are going to lose & are telling their voters it’s ok to vote for trump, without voting for the GOP senator.

    I doubt they would lose SC but it could get closer if Jaime Harrison is in the lead.

    Or it’s retaliation for McConnell and Co. privately acknowledging that Trump’s going to lose and cutting his caucus loose to oppose Trump to save their own hides (good luck with that!)

    Which might be linked to Collins and Murkowski having their golden tickets to vote against Coney Barrett revoked.  McConnell may fear other contests need them more…

  187. 187.

    The Moar You Know

    It’s weird to hear others online talk about the season spending and snow coming. I have lived here almost all my life and don’t have experience with other climates.

    @Gvg:   I’m from San Diego and it’s the same deal.  It’s either the time of year where it is 70 and overcast, or 74 degrees and sunny, or in the 80s and somewhat humid.  That’s all we have.  The last time it snowed where I live was in 1968.

    I was just over a year old.

  188. 188.

    Subsole

    @Achrachno: Dunno man. One day I’m up, the next I’m a wreck.

    One foot in front of the other at this point.

    Would be really sweet to see a sweep, and not just because the worshippers of MAGAG need to go. We have genuinely great candidates this year. Would be sweet to see them work.

    I mean, imagine – government by them what gives a shit, FOR them what gives a shit. It’d make me giddy too…

  189. 189.

    TS (the original)

    @Repatriated:

    People are not going to stop getting covid-19 or dying from same on November 4. All the wishing in the world by trump will not make it so.

    Biden will start documenting/discussing/planning his process to combat the virus on November 4 (if he isn’t already doing same). It will be in the news way past the demise of trump.

  190. 190.

    West of the Rockies

    @Subsole: 

    Ah, so Graham gets the Sessions treatment then… nice.

    I hope, btw, that we’ve now heard the last of Sessions. He seems pretty aged to run for senator again in 6 years.

  191. 191.

    jl

    @Repatriated: Why no love for the Central and North American Zika virus outbreak of 2015 to 2017? Most of that was during President Biden’s (and Obama, whoever that was) time.

    The GOPers in Congress tried their best to turn that into a covid-19 style disaster all the way from Central America into the southeastern US.

    Zika has threatened at times to be a serous worldwide pandemic, even though limited to tropical and humid subtropical regions.

  192. 192.

    Repatriated

    @TS (the original):

    People are not going to stop getting covid-19 or dying from same on November 4. All the wishing in the world by trump will not make it so.

    Biden will start documenting/discussing/planning his process to combat the virus on November 4 (if he isn’t already doing same). It will be in the news way past the demise of trump.

    Absolutely.

  193. 193.

    Subsole

    @Gvg: Nice. Here in west TX you experience ALL the seasons- and not necessarily in order. Sometimes you get to experience them twice! :D

    You pretty much stick to veggies, or do you grow other stuff?

  195. 195.

    gwangung

    @Repatriated: 

    Yeah, well the evidence sure as hell didn’t match the charges with ebola.

    There are still gonna be 220K+ dead from covid and an additional 100K dead above average come mid November.

  197. 197.

    Repatriated

    @jl:

    Why no love for the Central and North American Zika virus outbreak of 2015 to 2017? Most of that was in Obama’s and President Biden’s time.

    The GOPers in Congress tried their best to turn that into a covid-19 style disaster all the way from Central America into the southeastern US.

    Zika has threatened at times to be a covid-19 event, even though limited to tropical and humid subtropical regions.

    Same concept, but not quite as effectively hyped during the Obama years, and from what I can tell, studiously ignored since Trump. It could indeed become a real threat.

  198. 198.

    jl

    @Repatriated:

    ” Which might be linked to Collins and Murkowski having their golden tickets to vote against Coney Barrett revoked.  McConnell may fear other contests need them more… ”

    Wha huh? Has Collins said anything? Or maybe she doesn’t have to since her supposed statement of concern and disapproval was a standard Collins flim flam waffle weasel.

    But if other senators up for re-election need to ticket more than Collins does, things must look very ‘interesting’ from McConnell’s point of view.

  200. 200.

    patrick II

    @Kay: 

    I think he wants to fire Lindsay for the same reason he talks of firing Barr and Wray — they were all in positions to pull a Comey and for him and turn the election around (in Trump’s mind) by indicting and or arresting Hillary and Obama. At this point, he knows he is going to lose. The funny thing is in his rigidly compartmentalized mind he hasn’t come to full awareness yet — just the “get even” parts.

  203. 203.

    Repatriated

    @gwangung:

    Yeah, well the evidence sure as hell didn’t match the charges with ebola.

    There are still gonna be 220K+ dead from covid and an additional 100K dead above average come mid November.

    And deaths spiking by (and through) the end of the month, and nothing done about it until January at the earliest.

  204. 204.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Repatriated:

    Or it’s retaliation for McConnell and Co. privately acknowledging that Trump’s going to lose and cutting his caucus loose to oppose Trump to save their own hides (good luck with that!) 

    “We all hated Dump these four years!  Seriously!”

    Democratic voters: “Time to beat these fuckers with every atrocious bill they voted on!”

  205. 205.

    jl

    @Repatriated: After outbreaks in SE, and a real possibility an major epidemic wave could go through that region, IIRC, Congress finally spat out enough money for some real control efforts. And, we got a handle on it.

    Sounds like good material for Trumpsters, an example of a previous hoax perpetrated on the American people by sinister mind and body control public health villains, and Soros, and Borat, and who knows else… and President Biden.

  206. 206.

    Repatriated

    @jl: Whew! Misread the headline — Collins is still a “no”.

    My bad.  De-escalating the panic a bit now.  Thanks!

  207. 207.

    jl

    @Repatriated: Thanks. She’s a ‘no’ but if you read carefully, only before the election. Will be interesting to watch developments if the confirmation is delayed for some reason.

  208. 208.

    Geoduck

    @Repatriated:  I think a Shiatgibbon Ebola response would have been.. slightly less horrible, if only because pretty much everyone has been thoroughly conditioned to “Ebola = horrible scary death” levels.

  209. 209.

    Repatriated

    @jl:

    After outbreaks in SE, and a real possibility an major epidemic wave could go through that region, IIRC, Congress finally spat out enough money for some real control efforts. And, we got a handle on it.

    Sounds like good material for Trumpsters, an example of a previous hoax perpetrated on the American people by sinister mind and body control public health villians, and Soros, and Borat, and who knows else… and President Biden.

    Relived to hear it was actually contained, rather than just slipping under the radar.

  211. 211.

    West of the Rockies

    @Subsole:

    Lil’ fella is 73 years old.

    Hey, have Sessions and Dobby the house elf ever been photographed together?  Cuz I’m wondering if maybe they’re the same person/house elf.

  213. 213.

    Repatriated

    @Geoduck:

    I think a Shiatgibbon Ebola response would have been.. slightly less horrible, if only because pretty much everyone has been thoroughly conditioned to “Ebola = horrible scary death” levels.

    Now, yes. If he’d been in charge in 2014, or if we were having Ebola now instead of CoVID-19  without the experience of 2014?

    “Very few people bleed to death from every orifice.  It’ll go away, like a miracle.”

  214. 214.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Jeff Greenfield@greenfield64 1h
    I know that great baseball has got our attention, but the Manchester Union-Leader has endorsed Joe Biden for President. You read that right. The MANCHESTER UNION-LEADER HAS ENDORSED JOE BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT.

    I think the first time I heard of the Manchester Union-Leader was when the endorsed Pat Buchanan against Poppy Bush in the ’92 R primary

  216. 216.

    jl

    @Repatriated:  There have been scary and dangerous outbreaks of Zika every 5 to10 years for decades all around the world. As long as we don’t understand the transmission mechanisms that create an epidemic wave in mosquito populations, there will be more… dum dum DUUMMMM! and a merry bwa ha ha to everyone!

    What is so dangerous about Trumpsters shitting on WHO and public health is that there are dozens of outbreaks of dangerous, and often mysterious and emerging infectious diseases every year. Outbreaks of hemorrhagic viral diseases like Ebola spurt up every few years around the world.

    I don’t know about pandemic, but national and continental epidemics were common before… well, what? Public health and modern disease control we’ve developed over the last 100 years. But, Trump wants to go back to the good old days when men were strong and that solved all problems.

  217. 217.

    Jinchi

    @Geoduck: A bunch of people in Pence’s office have tested positive for COVID.

    Well, as head of the coronavirus task force he is on the frontlines. I’m sure they’re all good people, sacrificing to keep the rest of America safe.

  218. 218.

    jl

    @Jinchi: There will be desperate efforts to keep that under wraps over the next week.

    Edit: or maybe a political ad portraying Pence as the brave epidemic control expert working tirelessly in the midst of death, in the WH, until the threat is quashed!

  220. 220.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): I’m not OO and you never annoy me, in part because I have a 17-year-old son and three younger brothers and my threshold is really, really high, but – and I say this with motherly love: sweetheart, just care less. Just be you. You’re fine.

  222. 222.

    jl

    For 2020 SC is one of the states that is getting mail votes ready to count before election day. So, if SC can get enough returns out on election day, and Graham goes down, or looks like in serious danger in a very close election, don’t want that loser stink rubbing off on Trump for  parts further west. Man, Graham defeated or in serious jeopardy on election night would make big headlines. Bad for moral.

    So many possible explanations for Trump dumping on Graham and other vulnerable GOP Senators.

  223. 223.

    Repatriated

    @jl: Silly, you don’t need to patch the hole in the roof when it’s not raining!  Besides, boldly throwing a tarp up onto the roof fixed it.  (Don’t ask why the bedroom door’s been boarded up.)

  225. 225.

    NotMax

    @jl

    Trump wants to go back to the good old days

    When men were men, women were women and diseases were real diseases.

    //

  228. 228.

    Jinchi

    @jl: For 2020 SC is one of the states that is getting mail votes ready to count before election day.

    I imagine that worries Lindsay, since the official Republican standard now is that the result of the election must be known by midnight of election day. It’s possible they won’t have enough time to count all the votes cast on November 3rd and only the mail in ballots will count.

  229. 229.

    mrmoshpotato

    ? Dinosaur Train!  Dinosaur Train!  Gonna riiiiiiiiiide ride ride ride the Dinosaur Train!?

  232. 232.

    Ninedragonspot

    @mrmoshpotato:  Very dissonant classical music!

    Nowadays I would probably resort to Chinese opera – something particularly full-throated, like Jinju of Shanxi province.

  233. 233.

    JaySinWA

    @jl: 

    However, Trump’s closest adviser at a Fox brand may be Fox Business host Lou Dobbs, who frequently espoused similar views on immigration and trade before Trump ever ran for president.

    Dobbs has been “involved with some of the administration’s more sensitive discussions,” according to The Daily Beast. Trump has even put Dobbs on speakerphone at multiple Oval Office meetings so the host could weigh in on policy, according to the report, which added that Trump would occasionally “cut off an official so the Fox Business host can jump in.”

    Salon article about Fox and Trump
    The Dobbs dunk on Graham could have started with Dobbs or T himself, but probably wasn’t out of the blue.

  236. 236.

    Ruckus

    We are working on a rush project for some sort of tester for COVID that talks to an app on your phone and sends the results of a self test it runs to a lab and you get at least a basic test result back very soon. I have no idea if this works or how accurate or how soon it might be out, we are only doing some of the very basic project work, for a big customer. I worked extra this week and will probably for the next 3 or 4 weeks.

  238. 238.

    rikyrah

    My cable is broken. I am working seven days a week, so I don’t have the time to take off and wait for the Direct TV guy to fix it?

  239. 239.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    this lady’s words on voting will inspire you. It’s the voice of history. It’s the voice of America

    Faith Salie @Faith_Salie · 6h
    Today I had the honor to escorting my 104.5 year-old friend Ruth to vote.

    She was born before women had the right to vote.

    Her 1st vote was for FDR.

    Her dad died of the flu during the pandemic of 1918, when she was 2.

    This is her voting story today.

  240. 240.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    Conked out about 9:00 and woke up fresh as a daisy about an hour ago. My “sleep hygiene” is totally shot, but at least I got five hours of pretty good sleep. Thank goodness for the Interwebs.

  242. 242.

    bjacques

    My nickname for Mark Meadows is Lord Hee Haw, along with Axis Kayleigh, and both of them trying to keep the Pence COVID cluster under wraps before the election confirms it.

  244. 244.

    Ruckus

    @rikyrah: 
    This won’t make you feel better. But.
    Have been watching Ewan McGregor’s Long Way up episodes on Apple TV and have seen a number of Direct TV antennas as they ride through South American cities. Seems strange to me, even if it shouldn’t, but it still seemed a bit weird.

  246. 246.

    Martin

    @Kay: He’s terrified of being a loser. He’s not willing to risk his ‘reputation’ for anyone. I’m guessing that whatever he’s blackmailing Graham with will come out if he loses.

  250. 250.

    J R in WV

    @frosty: 

    I’m not quite that obsessive, but ever since I retired I decided I should do at least 4 hours of something productive (not B-J, not the news, not ADLs) every day, and I’m tracking that like I used to track project hours as a consulting engineer.

    Since I retired back in 2008 my career has been taking care of cats/dogs/wife, Balloon Juice, elections, cooking, and trying to keep the house from falling down before we die — wife frequently promises to only leave the hollow feet first on a slab.

    The past 4 years pretty much dedicated to B-J though.

  251. 251.

    J R in WV

    @Subsole:

    Yep. Had never heard it [the naked mopping event horizon] until now.

    Dare I ask what other tales of glory (and startled bathroom acrobatics) I am missing out on???

    Have you heard about the Subaru wrecked in the nearby farmer’s field? That was amusing, too.

  253. 253.

    Geminid

    @JaySinWA: back before Graham went all in for trump, he was one of the “moderate conservatives” like Flake, Rubio and Corker, who were despised as “RINO” by the harder right. Even Mark Sanford (SC-1), who co-founded the Freedom Caucus, would be successfully primaried by a more extreme right winger, because he knocked trump’s rhetoric. (Sanford’s challenger lost that seat, which had been republican for decades.) People like Dobbs are revving up that republican intra-party fight again.               Of couse, a lot of people believe Graham is a homosexual. Which makes him the perfect scapegoat.

  257. 257.

    Bruce K

    Just threw a comment into Murkowski’s tweet announcing she’s voting for Barrett. Simple question: “What qualifications does Barrett have that Judge Merrick Garland lacked?”

    Some yahoo answered: “President and Senate of the same party. Get over it.”

    They’re going to keep trying again and again to destroy America and replace it with Gilead, aren’t they? And their justification is reduced to “we have the power and there’s nothing you can do about it, so die already.”

    I hope Biden realizes there’s no negotiating with them, no bargaining with them, no deals to be made with them. Either the GOP dies or America dies.

  258. 258.

    frosty

    @J R in WV: The past 4 years pretty much dedicated to B-J though.

    Based on the frequency of comments by a number of our valued commenters, I expect that’s the case for many of us.

    And yes, B-J is a lifeline for insomnia.

  259. 259.

    WaterGirl

    @Starfish: I think John doesn’t love us like he loved some of us way back then.  He never banters with any of us like he did with LauraW or JenJen.

    Speaking of which, where is everybody?  There used to be a Jen, a JenJen and a Too Many Jens.

    I wish all the old people would come back.

  260. 260.

    WaterGirl

    @Bill Arnold:

    “While Vice President Pence is considered a close contact with Mr. Short, in consultation with the White House Medical Unit, the vice president will maintain his schedule in accordance with the C.D.C. guidelines for essential personnel.”

    Another carefully worded statement.  “In consultations with the White House Medical Unit” means he consulted with them.  “In accordance with CDC guidelines for essential personnel” means that he didn’t care what he said because apparently “essential personnel” don’t have to follow the regular safety rules.

  263. 263.

    Another Scott

    Wired:

    Stone’s smile and easy laugh may be her most recognizable traits, but her determination reveals itself quickly, too. Her bum knee has been keeping her from doing her preferred workouts—everything from wall stands to the rowing machine is now off limits—so she settles for modified lifts and grinds away on upper-body machines. (“Now is the time to get Michelle Obama arms.”) After years playing competitive tennis in her youth, Stone, now 29, is more used to knee surgeries than she would like. Moving her focus to Olympic lifting and hiking during her twenties didn’t help. Last year she even summited Mount Kilimanjaro.

    Stone is a prominent researcher on Google’s Project Zero bug hunting team, which finds critical software flaws and vulnerabilities—mostly in other companies’ products. But her journey through the ranks of the security research community hasn’t always been easy, and has galvanized her to speak openly, often on Twitter, about the need to make the tech and engineering industries more inclusive.

    “When you see that you’re physically strong, that translates to so many other mental aspects,” she says. “I think it helped me in situations like my first job [at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory] where I was in lots of rooms with many men from the military. I was like, OK, I can do pushups. I can deadlift 305 pounds.”

    Excellent.

    (via nycsouthpaw)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  265. 265.

    brantl

    @Subsole:  Sorry to hear that bud, and I can sympathize, I have had 6 jobs in the last 5 years. Just started the 5th, and the last one wasn’t let go, just laid off for a month before finding this one, where they were out of good parts, for production.

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