First. Who is this? You get 3 guesses and the first two don’t count. Someone is not a baby anymore!
Second. (in no particular order)
Next Thursday on 4/28 is the first performance of Mustang Bobby‘s “The Sugar Ridge Rag”. You can see it live in person or online. Tickets available. Hopefully Mustang Bobby will get the bat signal and will tell us more about this in the comments.
Third. We have another Ukraine auction coming on on Sunday – Joey Maloney is auctioning some of his glass pieces. I will put up a PREVIEW of the items that are listed for auction at 5pm today. The post will contain links to his recent Artists in Our Midst post and to his gallery. He is willing to put most of his pieces up for auction – so if you see something you like in the Artists post or if you see something you like on his gallery site – add a comment telling us which piece you like, and that can likely be added to the auction. But please do that today or tomorrow because he won’t be around on Sunday for the auction!
Fourth. The Join the Fight Social Media Initiative is looking for BJ peeps (or their kids) who are willing to make super-short phone videos for TikTok. We can tell you what we want you to say or do in the video, or we can share our 6 Focus areas and you clever BJ peeps can come up with the message yourself! We’ll have a dropbox area (like we have for the calendar pet pics) so we don’t even have to know who you are. (Unless you use your name or your nym to upload the photos. If you have a dropbox account, just log out of dropbox before uploading if you don’t want us to know who you are.) Speaking of clever, even Baud can make some clever 15 or 30 second videos and we’ll still never know who he really is!
Fifth. Reminder that on Sunday on Medium Cool we have author John Lingan, with us for a live Q & A post. He is the author of Creedence Clearwater Revival, A Song for Everyone.
Last, but not least. We have another Angel Match for the boots-on-the-ground Michigan group! Balloon Juice Angel #6 has offered $500 and will match any donation up to $50 for donation comments in the post, but with a special caveat. We are at $18,400 right now, and we would LOVE to get to $20,000 today. They have started the hiring process, and they can add the 4th fellowship position as soon as we hit $20k. (Reminder: we are funding 5 fellowships at $5,000 each.) So when the thermometer reaches $20,000 – no matter how we get there – this match will be complete.
Totally open thread!
Promote the Vote Michigan 2022
At $20,000 we can fund a 4th fellowship!
zhena gogolia
Little Psi Fighter, so cute!
oldster
Beautiful quilt, beautiful kid.
This is what life on earth should look like. Not the hell that the Russians have imposed on Ukraine.
Freedom must be better armed than tyranny. A lesson that democracies need to remember, lest they need to be reminded.
Joy in FL
$50 from me : )
Thank you, matching angel : )
WaterGirl
@Joy in FL: Thank you
This batch of Angels all insisted on being anonymous, but I can say that this one said I could identify him as an Old, Bald Fat, White Guy who is not John Cole.
Sure Lurkalot
Adorable kiddo, beautiful quilt and warm feelings about PsiFighter’s (and everyone else who participated in the lively online bidding) compassion and generosity.
Omnes Omnibus
This too. https://twitter.com/nadaelmikashfi/status/1517495805489422337?s=12
WaterGirl
@Sure Lurkalot: Amazing that we have raised $40,000 for Ukraine, with $5,000 that was auction-related. I think it’s great that we have another auction coming up on Sunday.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: I don’t understand the reference to 12-3. What am I missing?
edit: duh. There must have been a shortage on commas in Madison.
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl: The TERF conference is from 12-3. The idea of the protest is to be there first.
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl: Is it Steve in the WTF?
lowtechcyclist
@WaterGirl:
From noon to 3pm?
ETA: Beaten to it by Omnes, of course.
The way things are these days, it’s not unreasonable to start seeing juxtapositions of numbers as codes for something or other. What a weird timeline we’re in.
lowtechcyclist
Just tossed in $50 for Promote the Vote. Let’s get that fourth fellowship funded!
ETA: Seeing that quilt enjoyed like that is a very happy thing.
Baud
@WaterGirl:
The TERFs are from the town of 12-3, Wisconsin. Home of the Fightin’ Niners!
H.E.Wolf
Three cheers for Anonymous Angel #6! This place is amazing.
banditqueen
Thank you WaterGirl and Angel: $5.00–for Michigan, the USA, & the little lady on the quilt.
trollhattan
A wow moment from NASA: solar eclipse filmed from the Martian surface by Perseverance.
Baud
@trollhattan:
That’s cool.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: @lowtechcyclist: Duh. I suppose the missing comma is the result of supply chain issues in Madison.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus:
Thanks for the laugh. Nicely done!
WaterGirl
@lowtechcyclist: Thank you for your contribution to get the 4th fellowship funded ASAP. I love the idea that people from 4 disenfranchised groups could be on the ground in MI in just a couple of weeks.
Hard to go wrong with a beautiful hand-made quilt and your very own bag of Annie’s cheddar bunnies.
WaterGirl
@Baud: hahahahaha
@banditqueen: Thank you!
Anyway
Cute! Thank for sharing.
WaterGirl
I haven’t watched the video clip yet, but the tweet with it was great:
WaterGirl
… comes back 3 minutes later. okay, that was good enough to post the whole tweet.
does anyone know where that recording came from?The New York Times.Amazing. They were seriously talking about the 25th amendment on Jan 10, 2021. And now they can’t get enough of T****.
VeniceRiley
Playing with matches is fun!
Order #AB219766183
$50.00
WaterGirl
@VeniceRiley: Thank you so much!
UncleEbeneezer
@Omnes Omnibus: Related:
So they are against upgrading the TSA machines so they no longer flag transgender people in the body scanners because of gender presentation. Like… their bigotry is so strong they’ll deny literally making machines smarter to purposefully inconvenience trans people more.
https://twitter.com/ErinInTheMorn/status/1517547144546291718
West of the Rockies
We have so many nice, decent, talented people here! Thank you, John, and all the FPers for your exemplary work every, every day.
Cute urchin on the Ukraine quilt!
Steeplejack
In for $50. ?
thruppence
Okay, another $50. Thanks to our union for getting a newer, fairer (more fair?) contract
oatler
POTPOURRI Read the Women’s Section people!
piratedan
should we have a thread on the MTG hearings?
from what I am gleaning… it’s not going well for her.
Jackie
@piratedan: The judge ruled she’s a hostile witness – surprise!
piratedan
@Jackie: lost count of the number of times she’s already perjured herself……
trollhattan
@Jackie: Hostile to the English language, just for starters.
Jackie
@piratedan: I don’t hold much hope she’ll be disqualified from running for office; Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger gets to decide on whether Greene should be disqualified.
piratedan
@Jackie: true, but for use as a cudgel to explain who these people are and to use it just like GOP does, it’s priceless. In a way, I hope he does allow her on the ballot, it just further illustrates that they refuse to hold themselves accountable even when its shown that they will lie under oath in order to stay in power, I mean hey, she attempted to overthrow the government, sorry there’s no lines that the GOP will honor in regards to what is acceptable.
WaterGirl
@Steeplejack: @thruppence:
Thank you! Thank you!
If one more person had donated, I would sound like President Biden: thank you, thank you, thank you :-)
JeanneT
$25 more for Promote the Vote.
WaterGirl
@piratedan: This is an open thread; we can talk about it here.
WaterGirl
@piratedan: Somebody catch me up on the Marge hearings, please. :-)
WaterGirl
@JeanneT: Thank you so much!
WaterGirl
I hope Marge is having a no good, horrible, terrible day.
Benw
@WaterGirl: and that she moves to Australia (sorry, Aussies)
Jackie
@piratedan: He’s damned either way. I hope if it’s proven beyond doubt, he has the moral courage to disqualify her.
WaterGirl
@Benw: Are we expecting a result from this hearing today?
Steeplejack
@piratedan:
Jennifer Taub is live-tweeting it in a usefully connected thread. Starts here. Other tweeters seem to be making random, unconnected comments.
Jackie
@WaterGirl: She “can’t remember,” and back talks A LOT. She’s trying hard to keep a smile on to look sincere, but she just looks insincere and smarmy.
piratedan
@WaterGirl: from what I am gathering via twitter feeds, the prosecution brings up statements that she made regarding supporting the overthrow of the nation…. MTG then claims to not remember said statements, then said statements with the video and audio clips of her making those very statements are then read into the record.
stuff like that.. to the lay person looks damning as hell, but since this is “the law”, there’s always the possibility that it may be “Montoyed” with a “you keep using these words but they may not mean what you think they mean”. Would allow any of our jurisprudence inclined jackals to split those legal hares/hairs, as it were
dexwood
@Jackie: I fear Marjorie Terrorist Greene will skate on this and come back stronger and bolder than ever. I truly hope I’m wrong.
Jackie
@dexwood: She’ll replace McCarthy as Leader.
Mrs Ragbag
In for $50.
WaterGirl
@Jackie: If she can’t recall “liking” tweets promoting or condoning violence, perhaps she can recall the consequences she dished out for that bad behavior – to whoever might have had handling her social media account!
dexwood
@Jackie: Another nightmare added to the list.
WaterGirl
@Mrs Ragbag: thank you so much!
MazeDancer
Greene is doing the legalese, Trumpian “I can’t recall”. Her safest bet.
She was arrogant, smirky, and combative in the bit I saw. Like she knew this judge is in the bag and she could fund raise off of every evasive answer.
She was wearing a very simple, plain dress, sleeveless, of course. In a nice pale blue that actually helped her coloring and toned down her hair. And a gold cross, which, so far, has not burst into flames.
WaterGirl
@MazeDancer: Yet.
Steeplejack
@MazeDancer:
The hearing is being shown on C-SPAN, but I have not personally checked that.
Embra
In for $50 ’cause it’s so nifty.
Benw
@WaterGirl: I dunno!
WaterGirl
@Embra: thank you!!!
Caphilldcne
$50 for Michigan. Go Blue!
cain
It is a happy day today – my divorce papers was signed by the judge – ending an almost 2 year struggle to get this thing done. We actually already did all the legal stuff, but we had to get the courts to recognize it and that was the struggle. Never do online divorce stuff people – not worth it.
Today I’m also applying for a marriage license – I got married last year (it’s on youtube if anybody wants to see it, send me a PM – it is a modified more woman friendly hindu wedding) but it wasn’t official cuz I was not divorced officially. So by next wednesday everything will be complete!
I had the ex and her partner over the other day, just 2 couples having a lot of fun. So happy that we were able to split but still maintain our love and friendship for each other even though we both have different partners.
WaterGirl
@Caphilldcne: Michigan thanks you!
WaterGirl
@cain: That’s really nice, a happy ending, even if non-traditional!
Happy for all of you, really!
Another Scott
@MazeDancer: Yeah, she’s shameless. Not responsible for anything at all on her FB page. She has no idea how anything appeared there, and stayed there for 15 months, or got taken down. It’s a mystery!
C-Span.org has a live feed.
Grr…,
Scott.
Brachiator
@cain:
Sounds like quite a struggle and quite an adventure.
Congratulations and best wishes.
Old School
@cain: Congrats and Best Wishes!
laura
@cain: sometimes the best part of a failed relationship is how it prepares you for subsequent relationships. Your ability to maintain a civil and warm relationship with a prior partner is a gift, a joy and shows real character- of all four of you. Best wishes in your marriage.
Steve in the ATL
@Omnes Omnibus: why how dare you, and suh! Ah demand, ah say, ah demand satisfaction!
Yutsano
@cain: *ahem*
MAZEL TOV YA CRAZY KIDS!!!
Yutsano
@Steve in the ATL: Senator Kennedy! Is that you? ?
Ruckus ??
@Steve in the ATL:
I tried several lines about satisfaction and can’t seem to come up with anything……..
WaterGirl
Marge does indeed appear to be having a very bad day. Consequences, at least in this moment. This makes me happy.
cain
@WaterGirl: It’s the same with her ex – pretty much all one big extended family. My wife’s kids love it – they got more people to love them. :D
WaterGirl
@cain: Everybody wins.
NotMax
Open thread?
Square in the slap forehead, why didn’t I find these doodads years ago category.
USB ports on front of the PC tower and also on the power strip face upwards vertically. Now dust, grit, whatever which can collect inside ports not in permanent use is banished.
cain
@laura: It truly is a gift. I’ve been blessed with attracting the best of people. I’m in good with all my ex gfs too. :-)
If there is one thing I learned about my 6 years of separation is that women are AMAZING. The traumas they go through, the injustice – my heart breaks for them. Yet, their resilience inspires me.
It’s also help me understand what my ex-wife went through with me. I’m a much better person now than I was.
cain
Thank you everyone – I will update next wednesday when you can congratulate me on my marriage. :-)
WaterGirl
I am not impressed with Marge’s lawyer. Attorneys, what say you? You are surely a better judge of that than I am.
cain
@WaterGirl: When Marge has a bad day, we all win. To quote you earlier. :D
cain
@Brachiator: Indeed – it was. But all in the past now :D
trollhattan
@WaterGirl: She smart enough to realize it? Have my doubts.
WaterGirl
@trollhattan: I am willing to have her be surprised by consequences! As long as there are consequences.
Gravenstone
@WaterGirl: Well, that only describes a good quarter of the posters here…
WaterGirl
@Gravenstone: Yeah, I figured I wasn’t giving much away!
Ruckus ??
@WaterGirl:
What if you are only 3 out of 4?
WaterGirl
@Ruckus ??: Then you’re no angel! Or at least you’re not this one. :-)
Ruckus ??
@WaterGirl:
Then you’re no angel!
Hell, I knew that going in….
Raoul Paste
The MTG hearing sounds like a Saturday Night Live skit that writes itself. Cold open
debbie
@Raoul Paste:
“I would never do that.” Oh, please.
debbie
@cain:
It’s all about the journey. Congratulations!
WaterGirl
@Raoul Paste: No kidding.
Marge: I have never said that about Nancy Pelosi.
Attorney: Can we roll the tape?
Marge: Oh, wait! I didn’t mean what I just said.
If she was this bad after witness prep, I can only imagine how bad she was before prep.
trollhattan
@Raoul Paste: A lot of Tina Fey’s Palin bits were verbatim quotes, done so effectively the written portion (“I can see Russia from my porch”) are taken as actual quotes now.
Ken
Kevin McCarthy has the same problem. It’s like they picked up the idea that this can work from 1984, but don’t realize they need a Ministry of Truth destroying all evidence that contradicts the party’s story.
Sure Lurkalot
I haven’t watched any of Mange’s testimony save a couple of vids in tweets and her smug grins after denying remembering anything she’s said for months on end are particularly maddening. I’m hoping that in the slow drip of revelations, there is a flood of physical and indisputable evidence of her complicity.
There go two miscreants
In for $100.
trollhattan
I see London, I see France…
debbie
@trollhattan:
Oh, good grief. He can’t even wear a bra right.
Ken
@trollhattan: The usual deflection technique is to blame this on his political enemies, in the hopes that people won’t ask “and how did they get you into that costume?”
MisterForkbeard
@debbie: To be fair, most dudes his age can’t take them off properly, let alone put one on. :)
WaterGirl
@There go two miscreants: Oh, thank you!
WaterGirl
$70 to go on this Angel match #6!
Another Scott
TGIF, and it was a pretty good day.
Michigan is exceedingly important for the path of the country.
Added $350. Let’s get it done.
Thanks WG and everyone for your efforts.
Cheers,
Scott.
WaterGirl
@Another Scott: Wow, Scott, thank you so much!
WaterGirl
Balloon Juice Angel #6 is about to add his $500 match to the thermometer.
Right now it’s at $19,255. With his $500, we’ll be at $19,755. Just $245 more and we’ll have our 4th fellowship ready for hiring.
Thanks everybody, you are amazing. I really think we are going to make a difference in this cycle with our strategic efforts. Fingers crossed.
WaterGirl
Angel match #6 has been added, and we are at $19,830!
Just $170 more and we’ll be at the magic $20,000!
edit: On Monday, we will start the last match we have in our pocket – Angel match #7 for $1,000!
Leslie
I will keep a lookout on Monday, then, so I can get that sweet sweet match money.
WaterGirl
@Leslie: Great to hear!
We are now at the magic $20,000! Just $5,000 to go.
We’ll be up with a new angel match on Monday