Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

“In the future, this lab will be a museum. do not touch it.”

Bark louder, little dog.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

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

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

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

The real work of an opposition party is to hold the people in power accountable.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

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

Trump’s cabinet: like a magic 8 ball that only gives wrong answers.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

At some point, the ability to learn is a factor of character, not IQ.

American history and black history cannot be separated.

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

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!

Giving up is unforgivable.

Dumb motherfuckers cannot understand a consequence that most 4 year olds have fully sorted out.

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

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

After dobbs, women are no longer free.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Tuesday Midday Open Thread

Tuesday Midday Open Thread

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This post is in: 

It’s a start.

Also, I live with a panther, a baby bobcat and a lion. Here’s Zander, my house lion, contemplating not killing me, if proper treats are offered.

Tuesday Mid-Morning Open Thread

This is a totally open thread. What’s everyone up to this afternoon?

Reader Interactions

171Comments

  2. 2.

    Manyakitty

    Zander is so handsome 😻

    Slogging through work for now, then my big plan is to plant an aronia tree that arrived the other day (while it was snowing.)

    Also, as we sold the old trailer that held my container garden, I need to figure out my next move. Raised beds? Tables? Who knows?

  3. 3.

    MattF

    Finish first pass of taxes. One more sub-category of income to go. But, um, maybe… tomorrow.

  4. 4.

    Quantum man

    Trump has not been indicted yet. Not holding my breath. He will not be indicted today (happy to be wrong).

  8. 8.

    Trivia Man

    Glad to see it being made a public issue. Democrats are on the right side of abortion – morally and politically.

    I went to a live show for Pod Save America in Madison on Saturday, Judge Janet was interviewed on stage and made some good points. In particular, she was careful to say “I can’t promise anything” but indicated some prior cases that she believes were decided wrongly. The biggest news to me was that Wisconsin Right To Life (sic) stated “Judge Kelly has pledged to keep abortion illegal.” Sure sounds like a promise to me.

    She also joked, “You spell Kelly with 2 L’s… is that for two losses?” (He was appointed to a seat on the court by Scott Walker then lost when he tried to win it in his own right.)

  9. 9.

    Betty Cracker

    Some friends started a Trump indictment pool. Not sure what day and time block to choose. Kinda leaning toward 2 PM Wednesday.

  10. 10.

    aaron

    It’s yet another ‘Orange Clown has not been indicted’ Day.
    Like an un-birthday. except for a fascist.

  11. 11.

    Math Guy

    Lying down with an ice pack on my lower back. One of our cats is trying to find a way to lie on my back as well while avoiding the ice pack. This is what I am reduced to for the next 20 minutes.

  12. 12.

    Trivia Man

    A new German word for y’all:
    Stubentiger
    Parlor tiger, aka house cat.

    Ich liebe meine Stubentiger!

  13. 13.

    Alison Rose

    @Betty Cracker: I’d aim earlier in the day. Wouldn’t it be fun to catch video of him getting the news just after the crack of dawn, before he’s had a chance to slap on the bronzer?

    I’ll pick 8am Eastern tomorrow. Don’t let me down, Bragg!

  14. 14.

    coin operated

    Gotta admit…I love seeing TFG melt down over the looming indictment(s).

    Make him afraid some more Bragg. I shouldn’t enjoy this, but I find the pleasure impossible to suppress.

  15. 15.

    Scout211

    What’s everyone up to this afternoon?

    It’s still morning on the west coast. We are all preparing for the full impact of the 12th atmospheric river today.  It’s going to be another long day. ☹️
    CNN

    California state emergency officials are positioning crews across several counties to brace for more damaging floods as another atmospheric river is set to slam storm-fatigued California Tuesday, threatening to whip up hurricane force winds and deluge the state with more rain and snow.

    “Now’s the time to make sure you and your family are prepared,” the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services tweetedMonday. “Gather supplies for a go-bag, prep for a power outage and if told by officials to evacuate, don’t wait!”

    In southern California’s San Bernardino County, residents in the mountains were asked to limit travel as much as possible and maintain at least a two-week supply of food, water, medication and fuel ahead of the rapidly strengthening storm’s arrival.

    Swift-water rescue teams, hand crews and bulldozers are stationed in counties throughout the state.

    “This is going to be yet another challenging event – probably not an extreme storm individually by historical standards – but once again, another significant event that, on top of everything that has come before, it’s going to cause some major problems,” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said in a video.

    The state has already seen at least 11 atmospheric rivers this winter season that ravaged communities, displaced residents and prompted emergency declarations as floodwater inundated neighborhoods, swelled rivers, damaged roads and sent mud and rocks sliding down hills.

  16. 16.

    Kelly

    Does anybody else have trouble remembering it’s pronounced uhn-dite-muhnt not in-dikt-muhnt?

  18. 18.

    Old School

    It’s great that Wisconsin Democrats/Evers are introducing this bill, but with the legislature firmly controlled by Republicans, this bill will unfortunately go nowhere.

    The best hope for Wisconsin at this point is for liberals to take control of the state supreme court next month, so that a ruling as to which abortion standards currently apply can be in the pro-choice favor.

  19. 19.

    Quiltingfool

    Got my knee replaced a week ago today…so glad that’s done!  I have been steadily improving, feel more confident getting around.  I had to figure out how to overcome “mind fear.”  The knee hurts like a bastard getting up and down, and you think you’re ripping the knee apart, but it’s all in your head.  My PT guy emphasized that the joint is just fine and unless you fall on it, you’re okay.

    Mr. Wonderful went back to work – he works out of town, so I’m by myself!  Well, my niece lives next door and she is my chauffeur and helper, so I’m really not alone…I am managing quite well.

    I am having a problem with quilt withdrawal.  Not been in my sewing room for a week and I’m starting to get very restless and irritable.  I think I’m about ready to see how I do in there.  The cat keeps dashing in there every time I lumber by on my way to the bathroom and I have to keep telling her, “Not yet!”

    I have to say I liked physical therapy.  I used to do strength training and I enjoyed it – physically and mentally.  This was like that – I focused on breathing and muscle movements and nothing else – and it was so mentally refreshing!  I’m wanting to get back to a gym once I get this knee sorted out.  Plus I’m making a list of all the things I’ve not been able to do so I can start doing them again.  So looking forward to that!

  21. 21.

    Mornington Crescent

    I noticed last night that Zelenskyy’s TV series Servant of the People is on Netflix.  Does anybody here know how long it’s been there?

  24. 24.

    Quiltingfool

    @Math Guy: My cat seems to want to walk on my knee incision…ouch.  I yelled at her and I think it hurt her feelings for about 2 seconds.  She really likes to get on the bed with me when I’m doing exercises, she thinks we’re going to play…

  26. 26.

    Math Guy

    So, I am heartened to hear about more pushback against the Dobbs decision and efforts to secure abortion rights – nay, healthcare rights – for women; and I remain hopeful that those responsible for J6 are held accountable by the justice system; and perhaps recent events in the financial sector will motivate legislators to impose some reasonable regulation and oversight; while all of that, and more, needs to be done for the sake of a just society, I still cannot help but feel that none of that will matter if we don’t prioritize dealing with the causes and consequences of climate change. You may disagree and that is fine – I’m just saying this is where my head is at.

  27. 27.

    bbleh

    @Quantum man: @schrodingers_cat: @Betty Cracker: @Alison Rose: @coin operated: @WaterGirl: oooohhhhwwww I want him to be indiiiicted!  I want him to be indicted right nowwwww!

    Read somewhere that Manhattan DA issues indictments Mondays and Wednesdays, so there’s some chance of tomorrow, but I’d put money on early next week.  They only just heard from the last witness yesterday, and then there’s the formalities, and the final paperwork, and the final editing, and and and.

    And no, unless he tries to flee or something, he won’t be arrested.  He’ll surrender voluntarily and be arraigned.  The only real question there is whether they let him do it via video.

    I want a copy of the mugshot.

  28. 28.

    Kelly

    @Scout211: Beautiful sunshiny day here in Oregon. Big decision, go for a nice walk this afternoon or make my first kayak run of the year? Leaning towards a walk. Kayaking with my drysuit on rain doesn’t matter.

  31. 31.

    Old School

    @Mornington Crescent:

    Since March 16, 2022:

    Servant of the People, the satirical series that launched Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s political career, is once again available to be viewed in the U.S. on Netflix.

    The streamer, which originally had the series as part of its library from 2017 to 2021, says that the show is back on the service as of today.

  33. 33.

    TaMara

    @Manyakitty:

    @WaterGirl: Vegetable garden – everything but the corn. Tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, etc.  Used much less water than my raised beds do. And if I needed to be away, I actually put them in one of the many wading pools (ducks!) I have and added enough water for them to be safe while I was away.

  34. 34.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Kelly:

    Does anybody else have trouble remembering it’s pronounced uhn-dite-muhnt not in-dikt-muhnt?

    Showing my age obviously, but I heard it often enough during Watergate that I’m not likely to forget.  And the dictionary says it’s pronounced ‘in-dīt-mənt’ iow short ‘i’ in the first syllable.

  35. 35.

    Kelly

    @Quiltingfool: Our cat Martin always carefully steps around us in bed while cat Phoebe always walks right up us from our feet to a chest. They both see yoga as a family event.

  40. 40.

    Alison Rose

    @Mornington Crescent: It’s especially wild because compared to how he looks now, he’s like a FETUS in the show. Such a young face, and way less jacked than he’s gotten these days.

    One of the funniest bits that occurs a few times is when he’s trying to get the attention of a room full of people, but no one will listen to him and they keep talking amongst themselves, so he yells out things like “putin has been deposed!” or “putin is dead!” and then suddenly everyone shuts up and looks at him.

  45. 45.

    Manyakitty

    @TaMara: lol, I learned that the hard way about my composite barrel halves. Must remember to punch holes in the bottom before I completely refill them. 😬

  50. 50.

    JoyceH

    @bbleh: ​
     

    oooohhhhwwww I want him to be indiiiicted! I want him to be indicted right nowwwww!

    Same! And does anyone know what’s going on in Georgia? The special grand jury has wrapped up and the last I heard a regular grand jury that could hand down indictments formed or was going to form on March 1 – is it doing anything yet? Could they be working away at the election issue and the press not be aware of it? That’s going to be the biggie – until Jack Smith finally makes his move. I want to see LOTS of indictments come out of Georgia!

  51. 51.

    HeleninEire

    @bbleh: Unfortunately it looks like we won’t get a mugshot. The picture is taken by the NYPD and they do not, as a matter of policy, release them. In fact the Police Commissioner just issued a warning to the department that it had better not leak.

  52. 52.

    Brachiator

    @Scout211:

    It’s still morning on the west coast. We are all preparing for the full impact of the 12th atmospheric river today.  It’s going to be another long day.

    It’s been raining steadily all morning. I generally like the rain, but this continued raining (even with some breaks) is somewhat oppressive. I am glad that I don’t have to go out much, and worry about the areas that have endured damage because of the rain.

    But it is interesting to note the reservoirs that are full now. I wonder some what summer may be like.

  55. 55.

    Geminid

    @Baud: Martin had an unpleasant experience on a nighttime thread several weeks ago. He ran into a lot of pushback over his opinion of a Harry Potter video game, got frustrated, and said he’d see us in a few weeks.

    This is one more reason I’m glad I don’t play video games. They’re trouble, with a capital T.

  59. 59.

    CaseyL

    @Manyakitty: Depending on how much space you have, and how many plants, you might consider going… vertical.

    These have an internal watering system: you fill the central bin and the water trickles out evenly to everyone.

    I’ve had my eye on them, and may take the plunge and get some since I’d like to grow more salad greens, but have very limited space.

    @TaMara: Have you ever used a vertical planter?

  60. 60.

    Alison Rose

    @Geminid: If someone’s gonna throw a tantrum over people pushing back on transphobia, they can go off and do that by themselves.

    (Not saying he was being transphobic, but when you’re talking HP, that’s the issue at play.)

  63. 63.

    Manyakitty

    @CaseyL: also super tempted by those, but haven’t tried one yet. I have decent success with Earthboxes, which also include a watering system.

  64. 64.

    Betty Cracker

    @HeleninEire: Although I’d love to see Trump’s mugshot because it would represent the humiliation of an odious crook whom I’ve despised since I first became aware of his existence decades ago, I support the NYPD policy of NOT releasing mugshots.

    Our county sheriff’s office does release them, and the crappy local paper splashes them all over their printed pages and website, which I find kind of gross. I mean, some of the pictured people either won’t be charged or will be charged and found not guilty. I understand why law enforcement needs a photo record, but allowing the public to gawk seems punitive to me.

  66. 66.

    bbleh

    @HeleninEire: @Betty Cracker: Can you IMAGINE how much somebody’s gonna get paid for it?  And it’s NY — too many people with too much access.  I’d say the only question is how fast it’ll leak.

    We could start a pool on that too!

  67. 67.

    bbleh

    @JoyceH: And in between GA and Smith, the NY AG needs to file her civil suit.  There’s a certain grand progress to that: first a city, then a county, then a state, and then the Feds.

  68. 68.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @bbleh: @Quantum man:

    It is believed that the grand jury meets Mondays, Wednesdays and possibly Thursday. They’ve been so good at guarding the grand jury secrecy that even that is not known for sure. So if they didn’t stay around to indict on Monday after Costello’s testimony, they may very well do it tomorrow.

    But even when / if they do, we won’t know if the process works as it’s supposed to. The indictment will be sealed. The DA won’t announce it. We’ll know based on the color of the smoke from Mar-a-Lago, i.e. based on what that guy who is incapable of telling the truth about anything chooses to blab on social media.

    Wasn’t there a report of police erecting crowd-control barriers at 100 Centre Street? That’s being taken as a sign of something I gather.

    The source I trust most on this stuff is Karen Friedman-Agnifilo of the Meidas Touch channel, who spent 30  years as the #2 in the Manhattan DA’s office, so she’s passingly familiar with how they do things.​

    I think I also heard a report last night that all NYPD police had been ordered to be in uniform today, and that was thought to be significant relative to the indictment. I’m not sure what is supposed to be inferred from that, though.

  70. 70.

    JoyceH

    @bbleh: ​
     

    And in between GA and Smith, the NY AG needs to file her civil suit. There’s a certain grand progress to that: first a city, then a county, then a state, and then the Feds.

    I want to see the fake electors indicted, every last one of them. You can’t convince me that a single one of them didn’t know that what they were doing was out of bounds.

  74. 74.

    Ksmiami

    @Math Guy: I don’t know how to do it, but we all need to push for removing /undoing everything Trump put in place esp judges. Sorry, criminal traitors should not be allowed to keep the spoils of their time in office. It’s my goal to create an undoing project for everything Trump

  76. 76.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    What’s everyone up to this afternoon?

    I’m doing tasks my editor asked me to do before I go to South America for three weeks. It’s bad timing. My glassmaker book comes out on May 6. I’m supposed to be finding podcasts, independent bookstores, stuff like that.

  77. 77.

    karen marie

    I slept late, lept out of bed in happy anticipation, and … bupkis.

    I WAS PROMISED A PERP WALK!

  78. 78.

    Elizabelle

    @Geminid:  I really, really like Martin, and hope he comes back sooner rather than later.

    Come back, Martin!  You iz missed.

  80. 80.

    MomSense

    Heading back home today.  Just took a lovely walk with my dad to the coffee shop and back.  I went in a shop to buy some gifts and when I came out he was sitting on a bench under a tree reading.

  81. 81.

    Shana

    Checking in with my oncologist after finishing lumpectomies, radiation and 6 weeks so far on Anastrozole. So far no side effects and everyone up to now has said my cancer is probably gone. Then dinner and theater with Hubby and older daughter. Seeing Pacific Overtures after a long weekend in NYC when we saw Leopoldstadt, Sweeney Todd, and Dear World. It’s a very theater intensive week. Feeling good and lucky.

  82. 82.

    Anonymous At Work

    Russia-related Question:

    Which is better:
    Balcony sky-diving club, or
    Acute Windowitis?

  84. 84.

    Mai Naem mobile

    I wonder if TFG is going to stroke out or have a heart attack  when he gets booked. These meltdowns can’t be good for his heart. His blood pressure’s got to be sky high. I wonder if we’re going to see his mugshot in those lists of mugshots they LE depts release every week. The ones where you see the people with the crazy tattoos, crazy hair, crazy eyes…

  85. 85.

    Shana

    @Quiltingfool: My SIL had both knees done at once several years ago, and except for the immediate (first couple of weeks) aftermath has not regretted it.

  87. 87.

    FelonyGovt

    @Betty Cracker: Yeah, we have to remember that in our zeal to see TFG answer for ALL his crimes, we can’t wish for across-the-board law enforcement or criminal justice practices that are too often used to abuse POC, young protestors, etc. Unfortunately, they’re not going to make an exception just for him, just because we so desperately wish to see him publicly humiliated.

  89. 89.

    FelonyGovt

    @Shana: Good for you! It’s a wonderful day when your oncologist “fires” you. Wishing for that for you very soon!

  94. 94.

    CaseyL

    @Shana: Congratulations!  Here’s to being cancer-free!

    All those shows in one week reminds me of going to Ashland OR for the Shakespeare Festival, and seeing as many plays as humanly possible in a one-week period. I would have the strangest dreams, where all the plays tried to combine with one another.

  96. 96.

    Another Scott

    Amazon is killing off DPReview.

    Unfortunate, but not totally unexpected. Bezos got Amazon into a lot of stuff in his time, and them retrenching some probably makes sense. It’s an opportunity for other photography review sites, so might be good overall.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  98. 98.

    JAFD

    @Quiltingfool: ​
     Good to know your new knee’s working well (if you have a celebration, would it be ‘a party of the first part’ ?) and that you’re keeping up with the physical therapy. My sympathies with the quilting – just got my workbench back up earlier this month, feel more together when I sit down and Actually Do Something.

  101. 101.

    Roger Moore

    @Trivia Man:

    I agree, passage is very unlikely. But my position has always been to get them on the record. Make them own it.

    I agree with this, but with Republicans in charge of the legislature that’s hard to do.  They can just refuse to schedule it so nobody is forced to take a vote.  Most bills die in committee, and they can make sure that happens to anything they don’t want to vote against publicly.

  103. 103.

    geg6

    @Shana: ​
     
    My John also had both knees done at the same time several years ago and thinks it was one of the best decisions of his entire 75 years. He also said that, compared to the two shoulder surgeries he’s had, it was a cakewalk. He was back at work and driving in 5 weeks. Shoulder surgery is a bear, apparently.

  105. 105.

    bbleh

    @geg6: SO many lawsuits and potential indictments!  I certainly hope his lawyers are giving him a volume discount!*

    *hahaha joke they’ll never get paid

  106. 106.

    Geminid

    @NetheadJay: All I know is that it was at night, and I think on a weekend.

    Personally though, I think the discussion is best filed away and forgotten. But I’m not a very judgemental person anyway, at least not about this sort of thing.

  107. 107.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Quiltingfool:

    I had to figure out how to overcome “mind fear.”  The knee hurts like a bastard getting up and down, and you think you’re ripping the knee apart, but it’s all in your head.  My PT guy emphasized that the joint is just fine and unless you fall on it, you’re okay.

    My orthopedic surgeon gave me a whole spiel about the painful leg-extension exercises he had me do, that I needed to understand that in this particular case it would help and not harm me to force a motion past the point of pain. It’s hard to get used to.

    I think some of what you’re doing is deliberately ripping up scar tissue that would otherwise form in the wrong places and inhibit motion.

  108. 108.

    Another Scott

    Heather Cox Richardson’s March 20 Substack update:

    And what is most astonishing about all of today’s sordid news is that, so far, nothing has happened. If and when it does, it’s going to be quite a ride.

    Make it so.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  112. 112.

    Geminid

    @Elizabelle: I like Martin too, even though I disagree with most everything he says. He is a good observer.

    I’m just glad Carlo has returned to the Ukraine threads. I was a afraid I had helped run him off a couple weeks ago. I thought I was giving him constructive advice! But I admit my delivery was on the vehement side.

  116. 116.

    Betty Cracker

    The mister and I have been mostly vegetarians since the first of the year. I’m learning to cook meatless dishes that are decidedly outside my wheelhouse, which has been interesting and has yielded mixed results — including some dishes that took a great deal of time and effort that went straight into the garbage. I’ve also used various fake meat products in familiar recipes. I find most of those work well enough if it’s a sauce and/or spice-heavy recipe, but as a standalone item, i.e., fake breakfast sausages, etc., they kind of suck. (This will all go out the window next time I’m at a restaurant that has shrimp!)

  117. 117.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @Baud: I think the discussion is best filed away and forgotten

    What discussion?

    This one.

    Martin had an unpleasant experience on a nighttime thread several weeks ago. He ran into a lot of pushback over his opinion of a Harry Potter video game, got frustrated, and said he’d see us in a few weeks.

    Glad to provide a service I’m sure you didn’t want.

  119. 119.

    Elizabelle

    @Geminid: I think interacting w people (we hope and presume) on the internet teaches one to have a thicker skin than one might “in real life.”

    Telling yourself “what do I care what some rando in a comment thread thinks?”  can be restorative.

  122. 122.

    Betty Cracker

    @Geminid: The Ukraine comment threads have a vibe that is distinctly different than the rest of the blog’s. Not sure exactly why that is.

  123. 123.

    Maxim

    @CaseyL:

    All those shows in one week reminds me of going to Ashland OR for the Shakespeare Festival, and seeing as many plays as humanly possible in a one-week period.

    Ah, fond memories.

    Zander the house lion is beautiful.

  124. 124.

    Barbara

    @Betty Cracker: My daughter is a vegan and has been living with us going on two years now.  I agree on the “fake” or “impossible” meat — okay in things like Chili, but less so when it has to stand alone in the dish.  Various things I have learned:

    • You can adapt recipes for things like teriyaki chicken to tofu by using the same sauces and/or marinades and cooking tofu in the air fryer (so much better results — just spray with a little oil first) and combining it all for a few minutes of sauteeing before serving.
    • The revelation for me has been vegan lasagne and even vegan mac & cheese, where cheese is made from various proportions of cashews, lemon juice and nutritional yeast (depending on desired thickness).  I like my favorite vegan recipes better than the “real thing.”
    • Lentils cook fast and are incredibly versatile, but especially in soup.
    • Sweet potatoes (casserole, soups, even salads) are an overlooked food.
    • Pesto — super easy for a quick vegetarian meal especially if you make big quantities and freeze it.  I don’t add cheese, and you can use walnuts in place of pine nuts with different combinations of vegetables and basil.
  125. 125.

    Wyatt Salamanca

    Does any other pundit affiliated with the Democratic party bring home the stupid more consistently than Van Jones?

    CNN commentator Van Jones suggested that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg should hold back on indicting Donald Trump until the former president is charged for his more serious wrongdoings.

    “History is not going to judge Donald Trump based on Stormy Daniels. It’s going to judge him based on the election, it’s going to judge him based on the coup attempt, the insurrection. I think if I were Alvin, I would wait for Georgia to go first. You have the president calling in, trying to change the election. That seems to me the thing to start with, not this.”

    https://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnns-van-jones-calls-for-alvin-bragg-to-stand-down-on-trump-indictment-doesnt-seem-like-the-right-way-to-go/

    Sure, I’d love to see Trump get convicted for inciting the Jan. 6th insurrection, but sometimes you just have to take what you can get and I wish Van Jones could try to be less of a goddamn moron.

  127. 127.

    Layer8Problem

    @Alison Rose, @Manyakitty, @Mornington Crescent:
    Way, way late for this but I’ll give two thumbs up for Zelenskyy’s show. Sometimes slapstick, sometimes sitcom, but it’s the product of an intelligent comedic actor with his writers, all with a sense of humor and who love their country. The interplay between Zelenskyy’s president and his corrupt prime minister is hysterical, as is Zelenskyy’s old school friend turned foreign minister and his executive assistant, who is the actual brains of their partnership, particularly when running interference for the greater good of Ukraine with the very important IMF guy: “Otto …”, “… Adelweinsteiner.”

    All with the heartbreak seeing the portrayal of a country which, though corrupt, is peaceful at the time.

  128. 128.

    JoyceH

    @Wyatt Salamanca:

    Sure, I’d love to see Trump get convicted for inciting the Jan. 6th insurrection, but sometimes you just have to take what you can get

    All they ever got Al Capone on was income tax evasion – but he still wound up in Alcatraz.

  131. 131.

    zhena gogolia

    @Betty Cracker: Blood and mindless destruction and atrocities have a way of doing that. I’m glad to have a place where people are able to vent about it, although sometimes it gets too much for me too.

  133. 133.

    Barbara

    @Wyatt Salamanca: But why?  Alvin Bragg has no idea (or at least no in-depth idea) of what Trump could be prosecuted for in Georgia and his mission is to uphold the laws of New York.  Sometimes a prosecutor will hold off prosecuting to let another jurisdiction go first, but that’s usually where the indictment has already been filed or is imminent.  For instance, if you kidnap someone in one jurisdiction and murder them in another, the state that could prosecute you for kidnapping might let the murder trial go forward first.

    So much of what gets said by pundits is obviously just made up to say something.  It’s so tedious.

  136. 136.

    CaseyL

    @Betty Cracker: I’ve flirted with vegetarianism (even went vegan for a few months some years ago), and in my opinion/experience, it’s better to embrace non-meat sources of protein rather than try fake meat substitutes.  The flavor and texture are never right, and all they do is make you think about what the “real thing” tastes like.

    (I’m not a fan of the Beyond Beef and similar products: they are very highly processed, with is unhealthy.  They also did gross things to my digestive tract.)

    I’m not a vegetarian anymore, but have other reasons for getting into more of a “whole foods” diet (the concept, not the grocery chain), and have so far really enjoyed making lentil-kale and bean-mushroom soups.

  138. 138.

    Layer8Problem

    @zhena gogolia:  I remember, and it truly does hurt.  For me it’s the astonishment of watching someone with a fine comedic turn show up in Adam’s report in olive green with a steely resolve.

  139. 139.

    Another Scott

    The Volatile Mermaid
    @[email protected]

    Just so we’re clear here, Florida wants to ban children from discussing their periods but also wants student athletes to report their periods, in case you were still unclear about how fucking dumb these people are.

    Consistency doesn’t matter, of course. They want to break government, break the commonweal, break social progress, by making people afraid and by punching down.

    (via Teri_Kanefield)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  141. 141.

    stinger

    @Shana: sounds like you and I are in almost exactly the same space! Congratulations to you on what sounds like success!

  142. 142.

    Barbara

    @Another Scott: A lot of girls I knew in high school would rather drop out of sports (indeed, they might rather drop dead) than disclose the details of their menses to anyone at all, including their mothers.

    I can’t fathom the reason for requiring such reporting, ever, under any circumstances, not for a high school team.

  143. 143.

    Mousebumples

    Late to the thread, but on the Wisconsin theme, please consider writing postcards, if you have the time and resources. 📫

    I’m not sure if WaterGirl is still looking for donations to subsidize stamps for some Indivisible groups, but I’m sure she could chime in (or reply to an email).

    And we have another music/postcarding post tonight at 745pm eastern (blog time)/645pm central time. Hope to see some of you there!

  145. 145.

    Betty

    @JoyceH: I read the DA is looking at RICO charges which may be slowing down the process. Georgia is about to enact legislation allowing the state to remove DAs who “misbehave”. Let’s hope that doesn’t come into play here but seems related.

  146. 146.

    trollhattan

    @Betty Cracker: IMO the it’s-not-meat industry’s big shortcoming is envisioning that most meat-eating people eat it in the form of burgers. Not me, and I’d like to see them expand their offerings from that particular model. The fake burgers taste and feel like salty, smoked tapioca to me.

    My favorite not-meat in the role of meat is the nutty disk in a good falafel, something that is evidently hard to do because most falafels fall well short. But a good one is heaven.

    Good luck! I’m lobbying to see less boneless, skinless chicken breast at home myself–why take something good and remove the flavor bits? Le sigh.

  148. 148.

    Anyway

    @Betty Cracker:

    Check out

    Linda McCartney on Tour: Over 200 Meat-Free Dishes from Around the World

    I’m not a vegetarian but like vegetables and grains and not a fan of fake meat (and fungi). I made a number of things from this cookbook and enjoyed them. She has another meat-free cookbook as well.

    ETA: I got mine from the library – (many years ago)

  149. 149.

    Jackie

    @bbleh: Speaking of mug shots… TFG will also be fingerprinted and swabbed for DNA.

    Question: can E Jean Carroll request TFG’s DNA results to compare with the sperm on the coat she was wearing when TFG “allegedly” raped her?

  150. 150.

    Geminid

    @trollhattan: People sure do go for the boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and thay pay a premium for them. I attribute this to the fear of fat that is so prevalent.

    I think it’s great. All the more chicken thighs for me! I’ll throw a package of four in an iron pot, add potatoes and slowcook them stove top. Mm, mmh!

  151. 151.

    Paul in KY

    @PBK: The hook nosed goblins running banks (as opposed to Mr. Tolkien’s ‘goblins’ (which is just the human speech way of saying ‘Orcs’) which generally just want to kill and/or enslave you and also maybe eat you) are quite Anti-Semitic (IMO).

  152. 152.

    Brachiator

    @geg6:

    “Somewhat oppressive”…this cracks me up.  You people wouldn’t survive a single season here in PA.

    I’ve lived in areas with worse weather. Context and expectation make a difference.

  154. 154.

    Roger Moore

    @Betty Cracker:

    My general feeling is that it’s better to find dishes that were vegetarian from the start rather than trying to adapt meat-dependent dishes into vegetarian ones.  It’s not actually that hard to find dishes that were always vegetarian and that you like.  The bigger issue is figuring out how to make a balanced diet from them.

  155. 155.

    Roger Moore

    @Barbara: ​
     

    I can’t fathom the reason for requiring such reporting, ever, under any circumstances, not for a high school team.

    There are still plenty of reactionaries who think girls shouldn’t be involved in sports in the first place, so discouraging girls from participating is a win in their book.

  156. 156.

    Roger Moore

    @trollhattan:

    IMO the it’s-not-meat industry’s big shortcoming is envisioning that most meat-eating people eat it in the form of burgers. Not me, and I’d like to see them expand their offerings from that particular model.

    I don’t think that’s it at all.  They aren’t selling burgers and sausage because they think that’s what people are most interested in.  I’m sure they would love to sell fake steaks- after all, steak sells for a lot more per pound than ground beef- but they just can’t do it.  Their fake meat products can’t come close to replicating the texture of intact meat, so they’re left trying to replicate kinds of meat whose structure has already been completely broken down.

  157. 157.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Roger Moore: Yep that’s what I do. It is possible to have a healthy diet from 100% plant sources and some dairy but it is not easy. It is a lot more work than when you include some animal protein.

    I think veg+ fish+ diary is doable. And that’s how we used to eat in India. Mumbai is on the Arabian sea so seafood was plentiful. but seafood is expensive so that puts it out of reach of many

    We did eat meat and/or chicken may be once a week.

  158. 158.

    Roger Moore

    @schrodingers_cat:

    The more kinds of food you remove from your diet, the harder it is to keep it balanced.  Lots of cultures treat some animals as forbidden, and this isn’t a problem at all.  Being vegetarian is harder, but it’s not too hard.  It’s actually quite difficult to make a diet that’s strictly vegan and still really healthy, and until the advent of synthetic vitamins (especially B12) it was very difficult indeed.

  161. 161.

    Maxim

    @Roger Moore: Ethically and environmentally, I’d love to be vegan, or even vegetarian, but it’s tough. I can’t eat fungi, or cultured or fermented foods, so most non-meat sources of abundant protein are off-limits for me. And my body does not respond well to a mostly-carbs diet.

  162. 162.

    eclare

    @Geminid:   Same here!  Chicken thighs for me!  And of course at Thanksgiving, all of my relatives go for the bland, dry white meat, so more dark for me.

    A while back I read that yes, dark meat has more fat, but it also has more vitamins and minerals.  That is all the justification I need.

  164. 164.

    Roger Moore

    @Maxim:

    I totally understand.  I’m not a vegetarian myself, though I am trying to eat less meat.  That said, meat is probably more valuable as a source of micronutrients than protein.  People don’t actually need that much protein, and they can get all they need from seeds (grains, legumes, and nuts).  Meanwhile, vegetarians need to be careful about sources of calcium, iron, and some vitamins (like B12).

  165. 165.

    Geminid

     

    @Roger Moore: I like tofu, but I don’t cook it much any more. It flavors well with sesame oil and soy sauce.

    I used to help a guy make tofu, in 200 pound batches. It’s an interesting process. He used the standard soybeans. You can make tofu with any bean though; I expect sombody somewhere is making boutique tofu with lima beans or black beans.

  166. 166.

    kalakal

    @Matt McIrvin:

    I think some of what you’re doing is deliberately ripping up scar tissue that would otherwise form in the wrong places and inhibit motion.

    That’s exactly what you’re doing. Scar tissue isn’t very elastic so you don’t want huge great lumps of it forming around the joint. They really, really want you to bend that knee in the first few weeks espescially. It saves a lot of grief down the line.

    Mrs kalakal got issued with a kind of weird excercise bike. You didn’t sit on it, you sat in front of it. To begin with it rotated the wheel for her, later it was pedal against increasing resistance. Seemed to work very well

  167. 167.

    StringOnAStick

    @West of the Rockies: The Shakespeare festival in Ashland is trying to rise from the ashes, literally.  So many of the staff and administration lived in Talent, a cheaper town outside of Ashland that two years ago was devastated by wildfire with lots of houses lost.  Between Covid and that fire, it’s amazing the festival still exists at all.  So far I only see 5 plays being staged this season.

  168. 168.

    J R in WV

    @Shana: ​

    Checking in with my oncologist… So far no side effects and everyone up to now has said my cancer is probably gone.

    So glad to hear your great news.

    I spent a couple of hours at the local Cancer Center where I will be treated for introductory counseling to prepare me for what seems to be brutal chemo for my bladder cancer. If I tolerate the chemo well enough, it will be followed by removal of my bladder, prostate and all the plumbing below my kidneys…

    I’m trying to remain positive, but it is hard. There doesn’t seem to be any new treatment, so I’m set for the chemo, followed by the surgery, which they tell me yields a 50% chance of success. My dogs are very affectionate, and when I take to the bed, they cuddle up with me. Boy is 80 lbs, little sister is 65 lbs, both warm and cozy! So wonderful…

  169. 169.

    J R in WV

    @Roger Moore: ​

    My general feeling is that it’s better to find dishes that were vegetarian from the start rather than trying to adapt meat-dependent dishes into vegetarian ones.

    I have a great vegetarian cookbook called the Moosewood … OK, there are a bunch of Moosewood cookbooks. My experience is the one we have is great!

  170. 170.

    PBK

    @J R in WV: A friend of mine went through the same cancer and treatments and has been cancer free for just over five years.  I will hope for an equally good outcome for you.

    People in the “infrastructure week” thread upstairs were just asking about you.

  171. 171.

    strange visitor (from another planet)

    @Geminid: oh FFS. he got “in trouble” because of his opinions on JEWS.

    …and whether or not the guys with the big noses who own and run the ONLY bank in her world and want the blood of fucking CHILDREN are an anti-semitic trope.

    i mean, come the fuck on. try to keep up.

    lolol…eta, today i got some new steeltoes, swapped out the laces and started breaking them in. new style, the first time in appx 21 years.

    eta-eata- II geminid, i apologize, i see at the very end you did recognize how corrosive the blatant anti-semitism was.

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