Archives for 2020

Wednesday Morning Open Thread: Running Down Our Resistance

by Anne Laurie| February 19, 20207:02 am| 142 Comments

This post is in: Election 2020, Hail to the Hairpiece, Open Threads, Republican Venality, Warren for President 2020

(Tom Toles via GoComcis.com)
.

And there’s another damned debate tonight, because one of the cranky old men involved threw a tantrum about not getting enough TV time in 2016, so now we all get an introduction to a different cranky old man that nobody likes except the people he’s already bought (including a lot of ‘journalists’ who’ll drop their… objectivity for anyone who offers them free food & a novelty tour).

I’m only gonna watch second-hand, via twitter & your comments, because there’s only so much blood-pressure medication can do. Be sure to let me know if Cranky Old Man #1 shows signs of having another infarction, or if Cranky Old Man #2 tries to order his security personnel to remove one or more of the other debaters.

My only sure bet is that one or both of them will wag a finger at Elizabeth Warren, probably at the encouragement of the moderators. Fortunately, I have faith in my favorite Senator…

DRAG HIM, LIZ https://t.co/7FMWWeeUw8

— Elizabeth Spiers (@espiers) February 18, 2020

Hate to disagree with @DrJasonJohnson, but if Warren goes at Bloomberg tomorrow night, it’s not a “suicide mission.” It’s a return to her fundamental political identity and the most basic theme of her career. It’s not Christie v. Rubio at all.

— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) February 19, 2020

A lot going on here. https://t.co/MaCSxi0wLi pic.twitter.com/StfoPNEqqE

— Matt Pearce ?? (@mattdpearce) February 19, 2020

Something to watch for tomorrow night: Bloomberg’s mental sharpness. Like Sanders, he’s 78 years old (Biden is 77), so it’s a legit concern w all three

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) February 19, 2020

If Hillary Clinton had a heart attack 4 years ago and said this, CNN would have run non stop panels featuring Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Oz and a magic wall that only showed various searches of WebMD. https://t.co/kbg5Ps8HKl

— Lily Adams (@adamslily) February 19, 2020

Most unpopular qualities for a prez candidate in the new NBC/WSJ poll (combined reservations + very uncomfortable):

Socialist: 67%
Heart attack in past year: 57%
75+: 53%
Self-funder: 41%
Under 40: 40%
Gay/lesbian: 27%
Woman: 14%

Feb 14-17, RVs, MOE +/- 3.3%

— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) February 18, 2020

There are still so many candidates and SO MANY PRIMARIES LEFT. 2 of the whitest states in the union have voted and we’re ready to call it for either of the guys that won(?) or the guy buying all the ads?

If we claim we want to “save democracy” we have to let it actually happen??‍♀️

— brittany packnett cunningham (@MsPackyetti) February 16, 2020

Wednesday Morning Open Thread: Running Down Our ResistancePost + Comments (142)

On The Road – ?BillinGlendaleCA – Mooning LA.

by Alain Chamot (1971-2020)| February 19, 20205:00 am| 21 Comments

This post is in: On The Road, Photo Blogging

Good morning everyone,

Once again, we’re blessed with a Wednesday contribution from Bill! Wahoo!

January’s full Moon presented a perfect opportunity to capture a rare event, the full Moon rising behind Mt. San Antonio with downtown LA in the foreground. So I fired up the Prius and headed to Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area. Since the park technically closes at sunset, I parked on one of the local streets next to the park and walked up the hill. I set up my tripod on a ridge a bit south of where most of the photographers were as to not jostle for a view among the crowd. I arrived early enough to catch the Sun’s last rays reflecting off the buildings in downtown and the snow on the San Gabriels. As the Sun’s light began to fade the lights on the buildings in downtown LA began to come alive. The full Moon rose right over Mt. San Antonio as my planning app(Photopills) predicted, lighting up the remaining snow on the mountains. Enough wispy clouds were present to be lit up by the Moon as it climbed into the sky.

On The Road – ?BillinGlendaleCA – Mooning LA.Post + Comments (21)

On The Road - ?BillinGlendaleCA - Mooning LA. 5

Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, Los Angeles, CAJanuary 10, 2020

The snowcapped San Gabriel mountains glow in pink behind downtown LA as the sun sets into the Pacific.

COVID-19 Coronavirus Update – Tuesday / Wednesday

by Anne Laurie| February 19, 20204:39 am| 7 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19, Healthcare, Open Threads

#COVID19: The death toll from the outbreak has topped 2000.
China reported 136 new deaths on Feb. 18, bringing their deaths to 2004. Three other deaths were previously reported outside of China.
New cases rose by 1749, bringing the total reported cases in China to 74,185. pic.twitter.com/iPjlOKqrJQ

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) February 19, 2020

#Coronavirus latest:
-China death toll tops 2,000
-Over 14,000 discharged in China⁰
-Total infected globally rises over 75,000
-South Korea reports 10 more cases
-Japan to release cruise ship passengershttps://t.co/83LAP50xJU

— Bloomberg (@business) February 19, 2020

This is based on data from over 40,000 patients. #SARSCoV2 #coronavirus causes mild #COVID19 disease in over 80% of patients. Mortality is low ~2%. This is welcome news in terms of the long-term impact of the virus. https://t.co/Fo319klfQs

— Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) February 18, 2020

So, #Trump said #COVID19 would "go away in April" when China gets hotter.
Nope.
"Sustained transmission & rapid growth of cases are possible over a range of humidity conditions…changes in weather alone will not lead to declines in case counts."https://t.co/5MiTkm2oTU

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) February 19, 2020

Will the #coronavirus #COVID19 outbreak become a deadly pandemic that sweeps the world?

That's the key question. To answer that, we need answers to these two questions first.

An update on what we know about CFR & R0: https://t.co/McWL2Jg8vk

cc @maiamajumder @C_Althaus

— Julia Belluz (@juliaoftoronto) February 18, 2020

Researchers in Germany presented evidence that people who have the new coronavirus can infect others even when they have no symptoms. Their findings indicated that people may be spreading the disease before they know they are sick. https://t.co/YkDd0ZYPpj

— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 19, 2020

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Respite Open Thread: S-M-R-A-T, Smart

by Anne Laurie| February 18, 202010:00 pm| 121 Comments

This post is in: Nature & Respite, All Too Normal

Hello today a woman got huffy with me because she didn’t know sabertooth cats were extinct and expected the museum to have a live one on display

— Addison Peacock (@Addison_Peacock) February 15, 2020

We had to give a guest their $ back because the "Dinosaurs Alive" exhibit didn't have any live dinosaurs. I feel your pain.

— Heather D (@becomingcliche) February 15, 2020

Which, to be fair pales in comparison to the hundred or so people who asked me if the artifacts "were the real ones from the movie".

No. They are the real ones from the ship.

"The ship in the movie." ?????

— PurpleBlinkfox (@purpleblinkfox) February 16, 2020

They were quite polite about it, but I work in a Norwegian archeological museum, and some guests asked if the Vikings were in some sort of reservation these days.

— Espen Svendsen (@EpsenSvendsen) February 16, 2020

I was manning the public phone line at a science center on the day of the solar eclipse in 2017. A man called to complain that the eclipse hadn’t been as good as the one in 1979

Me: I’m sorry sir, did you call to complain about…. the sun?

Him: Well, you ARE a science museum.

— mica (the mineral) low (@micathemineral) February 16, 2020

I read a terrible review of a highly acclaimed conservation facility. Mad bc the giraffes were walking around freely doing giraffe stuff and didn't come to their vehicle. One suggestion was to remove the trees so the giraffes would be hungry & come to the car

— OtterBeALaw (@OttersTacos) February 16, 2020

I once visited the Sherlock Holmes museum in London and a lady asked if they had moved the furniture around or if they had kept it like Holmes's.
The lady from the museum replied (50% nice 50% blasée) that they displayed it based on the time because "he was fictional, you know"

— Sayv'reen (@Sev___) February 16, 2020

I once had a woman ask me to lie to her children and tell them the human remains in our exhibition were fake bc she didn't want them to be upset.

I refused, obviously.

She told me I was scarring her children. ???????

— Lilja Kupua (@KoloheLilja) February 16, 2020

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Respite Open Thread: S-M-R-A-T, SmartPost + Comments (121)

The Winner Is- Padron Peppers

by John Cole| February 18, 20206:58 pm| 50 Comments

This post is in: Garden Chats

I read all your suggestions, and I think I am going to go with Padron Peppers as my new crop this year.

Also, if I have the cash, I am going to get around to putting in the paw paws.

The Winner Is- Padron PeppersPost + Comments (50)

The Disappearing Of Elizabeth Warren

by Cheryl Rofer| February 18, 20206:14 pm| 134 Comments

This post is in: Domestic Politics, The War On Women

New NBC poll shows Sanders in the lead, with a four-way tie for second place.

https://twitter.com/Politidope/status/1229899483791659013

But let’s see how they tweet it.

Hypothetical matchups for just the states of AZ, CO, FL, ME, MI, MN, NV, NH, NC, PA, WI (combined):

Biden 52%, Trump 44%
Sanders 49%, Trump 48%
Bloomberg 48%, Trump 46%
Klob 48%, Trump 47%
Buttigieg 47%, Trump, 47%
— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) February 18, 2020

Someone missing, no? And do they shorten the men’s names to Bloo or Butt? I think not.

Jeez, NBC. Do better.

The Disappearing Of Elizabeth WarrenPost + Comments (134)

Chet Murthy on Thursday Morning Open Thread (Apr 23, 2026 @ 9:10am)

Chet Murthy on Thursday Morning Open Thread (Apr 23, 2026 @ 9:08am)

prostratedragon on Thursday Morning Open Thread (Apr 23, 2026 @ 9:08am)

Suzanne on Thursday Morning Open Thread (Apr 23, 2026 @ 9:07am)

Sandia Blanca on BAGNAROK Open Thread: Elon Musk’s IPO Bag Gets Even Lumpier (Apr 23, 2026 @ 9:07am)

In after Baud. Damn.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Too little, too late, ftfnyt. fuck all the way off.

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

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

When you’re in more danger from the IDF than from Russian shelling, that’s really bad.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Consistently wrong since 2002

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

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

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

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

Fucking consultants! (of the political variety)

Most of you should go to bed and try to be better Jackals in the morning.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

The current Supreme Court is a dangerous, rogue court.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

Everybody saw this coming.

Trumpflation is an intolerable hardship for every American, and it’s Trump’s fault.

Tide comes in. Tide goes out. You can’t explain that.