Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.

If you voted for Trump, you don’t get to speak about ethics, morals, or rule of law.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

If ‘weird’ was the finish line, they ran through the tape and kept running.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

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

Rupert, come get your orange boy, you petrified old dinosaur turd.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

I would try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.

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

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

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

Someone should tell Republicans that violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, or possibly the first.

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

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Squishable Open Thread

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I posted a photo of this year’s butter lamb in comments in yesterday’s morning open thread and on Twitter, but here it is again since people have asked and it looks like we could use a fresh thread:

Sunday Morning Open Thread: Happy Easter! 1

It didn’t get its own thread yesterday because I was short on time. This year, we actually attended the family Easter dinner instead of dropping the lamb off and skedaddling back home as we’ve done since 2020. By the time dinner was over, only the head was left!

As I mentioned in the morning thread today, the normies at our Easter dinner trashed DeSantis! These folks are my husband’s snowbird family and family friends, not my Trumpy Florida relatives, who still love Trump and DeSantis. But the dinner guests included people I’d classify as small-c conservatives, and they all now believe DeSantis is a far-right loon.

It’s anecdata that confirms a growing feeling: DeSantis has bent so far to the right to impress the MAGA dopes that he’s lost the middle, perhaps irretrievably. Make of it what you will, but I found it encouraging.

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

128Comments

  4. 4.

    Almost Retired

    I hope you’re right about DeSantis.  Loved it that my Governor made a quick trip last week to New College to needle the bastard.

  10. 10.

    Old School

    By the time dinner was over, only the head was left!

    Only the head?  No one bit off the ears first?

    Oh wait, that’s chocolate bunnies.

  11. 11.

    MattF

    I think DeSantis’ back-and-forth oscillation on the war in Ukraine shows that he is completely unprincipled. Not a good look.

  12. 12.

    UncleEbeneezer

    Some loser on Twitter wrote a post shaming/criticizing a thirsty pic that Halle Berry posted on Instagram, saying she’s too old and should be hanging out with her grandkids.  Dude’s getting dragged hard, and rightfully so, lol!

  14. 14.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @UncleEbeneezer: She looks great and personally I love the idea that people should be able to have their naked image out there without being disparaged for it or suffering professional consequences.

  16. 16.

    C Stars

    Oh gosh, funny. I dip in and out of here and had heard about the butter lamb but DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS A BUTTER LAMB. As in, I thought it was a real lamb you cooked with butter. So then when you mentioned saving its head in your fridge I was thinking about some kind of Eraserhead monstrosity sitting there in your refrigerator and I was thinking “Well, it takes all types…”

    So, very glad to know it’s just a cute little lamb made out of butter.

  19. 19.

    Dan B

    @Suzanne:  Rep. Dan Crenshaw R-Rx w/eyepatch was on TikTok stating he was going to throw out all his Bud Light because it’s pro-trans.  Fridge had zero Bud Light so he drank the beer he had which was an inbev brand.  Inbev owns Budweiser.  Ha Ha!

  23. 23.

    Suzanne

    @UncleEbeneezer: I am always amused by the physical attractiveness level of the kinds of dudes who make statements like this. Like, dude, I bet you’re so gross you haven’t been touched by a willing participant in years, if ever.

  27. 27.

    opiejeanne

    @Old School: How to Eat a Chocolate Bunny was a student-written essay that was in our English textbook when I was in HS. Did you read that too?

  28. 28.

    Betty Cracker

    @C Stars: Hahaha! I’d never heard of butter lambs until I met my spouse in the 1990s and also thought at first it had something to do with formerly alive lambs! I was also relieved when it turned out to be a butter sculpture.

  32. 32.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @Almost Retired: Governor Newsom in California.  He seems to enjoy tormenting Ronnie.

    Doesn’t technically reach my standards of professional behavior; but turnabout being fair play; please proceed, Governor.

  33. 33.

    opiejeanne

    @Almost Retired: Good. I don’t live in California now, but I remember wondering what kind of governor he’d be. After a couple of minor missteps, I think he’s done pretty well, and him twitting de Santis is just icing on the cake.

  35. 35.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @The Kropenhagen Interpretation: As a Sex Positive, Feminist who stands with Black Women, all I can say is that I fully support Ms. Berry sharing this and as many other stunning photos as she sees fit, lol.

    And that dude needs to delete is MFing account for that slander!

  36. 36.

    Dangerman

    No butter lambs yesterday, but one helluva Peep show. No singles or 5ers spent on the experience.

  37. 37.

    PaulB

    I dunno… that lamb looks like it might be trans or non-binary or gender-fluid. You’re trying to groom the young ‘uns, aren’t you?

  38. 38.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @UncleEbeneezer: I’ll grant you all that. But I don’t care if we were talking about a hundred something year old Vivian Vance, if she were alive today.

    It’s her body. She can share if she wants. Mind your goddamned business.

  40. 40.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @Princess Leia: Awesome. He was elected to represent his district. He was cast out for doing that, he should go back and continue nonetheless.

  44. 44.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @UncleEbeneezer: Now let’s get some Jane Fonda. Rrrrawwwr

    I’ve met a photographer online putting together portfolios of body positive nudes. The focus was on larger bodies, but that kind of work applied artistically to the elderly could be a revelation.

  46. 46.

    Cameron

    Sassy Boots thrills the blood-drinking knuckle-walkers, but he can perform retail politics about as well as Ben Stein performs Shakespeare.

  47. 47.

    sab

    Haven’t read the thread. Just read  the earilier on when you wanted his head on a pike in  your fridge.

    I will never mess with you again!

  53. 53.

    Another Scott

    Phys.org:

    When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March of 2020, Northwestern University political scientist James Druckman was exchanging emails with a small group of social scientists from Harvard, Northeastern and Rutgers about how they were navigating COVID’s impact on their work and lives. When California became the first state to lockdown, they decided to collectively embark on a state- and federal-level survey and make data available to the public on a range of topics such as mask-wearing, remote learning, vaccinating and voting by mail.

    “We knew there would be national surveys that policymakers and the media would be looking to, and we felt those surveys would be incomplete because there would be important differences across states, both in how people were reacting to what an individual state was doing and then just individual state cultures,” Druckman said.

    The colleagues found a vendor to distribute the survey within all 50 states and the District of Columbia and received a Rapid Response grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Within a few short weeks, they were able to launch the first survey. They published their first survey report on national and state COVID-19 data on April 30, 2020, under the name the COVID States Project.

    […]

    What concerns you the most about the data?

    We’re in a situation where the country, the political system and the health system are under a lot of stress. And it’s unfortunate, because I think, when COVID first hit, some of us including myself, had this sliver of hope that it could bring the country together, because we were all facing the threat of this disease.

    In looking at the data trends, one big thing to which I keep coming back is gun purchases. People often buy guns because of feeling diffuse threat—that is threat that they cannot pin down to specific causes. The combination of health, political, racial and economic threat manifested in some sense in gun buying. An estimated 4.5% of guns on the street today were bought after COVID hit, which is an enormous number of guns if you think about the timeframe (Report #37).

    […]

    (Emphasis added.)

    The monsters screaming about exploding crime rates are directly helping the gun lobby. Cynical me thinks that it is intentional.

    Much more at the link.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  55. 55.

    kindness

    @opiejeanne: Couple mis-steps?  I only recall the French Laundry dinner he had about 6 months into the pandemic shut down.  The thing is, Newsome’s staff called the French Laundry and they said sure come on down, we’re open.  Which was true, they were open.  Maybe shouldn’t have been but…. and then the press had a field day with it.

    I love the guy myself.  He’ll be on the national stage one day.  I’ll vote for him then too.

  58. 58.

    Ramona

    Your butter lamb is beautiful! I laughed in surprise and pleasure when I saw this picture! I had assumed that when you said “butter lamb”, you meant lamb cooked to such tenderness, it melted in your mouth like butter…

  63. 63.

    Ohio Mom

    I just saw that Al Jaffee, of MAD fold-in fame, has died. He was102.

    I’d say it was the end of an era but he retired and MAD stoped publishing new material several years ago. But definitely a reminder that that era is over.

  65. 65.

    Montanareddog

    I was reading an article about the latest Clarence Thomas kerfuffle today and it mentioned that Harlan Crow’s yacht is called Michaela Rose, and a light bulb flashed in my aging brain. So I contacted one of my oldest friends, who now lives in Barcelona. He crewed luxury yachts for 10 years or so after our university days and he confirmed today that he did work on the Michaela Rose for a few years. Long enough to circumnavigate the globe a couple of times. As well as cruising the Med and the Caribbean in their respective seasons.

    Thomas was never a guest during his time, though Bush the Elder was (who was gracious and tipped well). As for Crow, no juicy gossip. Just a bit odd, liked his JD and a stereotypical rich Texas Republican.

  66. 66.

    Skepticat

    @MattF: I think DeSantis’ back-and-forth oscillation on the war in Ukraine shows that he is completely unprincipled.

    Is that the only thing that gave you a hint? And unprincipled may be an overly generous assessment.

  69. 69.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @MattF: The principles are drive to power and the willingness to trample over any “unimportant” group of people he needs to pursue that end.

  71. 71.

    sab

    Betty Cracker will make us kill that sweet lamb, even though its head is already in the fridge.

    ETA American here. Howling wirh laughter altough a tiny critter survived you sociopaths. Cheerio.

  72. 72.

    Geminid

    @MattF: I thought DeSantis’s original statement about Ukraine was imprudent. The war appears deadlocked right now, but that could change in a month when Ukraine will likely go on offense. Republican naysayers could end up on the wrong side of public opinion if Ukraine has battlefield success. Maybe someone pointed this out to DeSantis; in any event, he walked it back.

    Aside from questions of principles, etc., it was one of several misteps that make me think DeSantis is not ready for this run. I think he’s too far in to pull out now, though.

  73. 73.

    WereBear

    I knew it was the head of a lamb made of butter but if I opened a freezer and saw it in there staring at me through the freezer bag…

  76. 76.

    JoyceH

    Nashville City Council meeting covered on national TV. And Justin Jones has returned to the legislature, at the head of an enormous crowd.

    Meanwhile, FAFO, Speaker Sexton. The fellow who spearheaded the temper tantrum that expelled two legislators for violating The Rules appears to not actually reside in his district, but somewhere in the Nashville area. And since he draws non-resident per diem when the legislature is in session, there appears to also be a pretty hefty financial fraud going on.

    https://popular.info/p/where-does-the-tennessee-house-speaker

  77. 77.

    Citizen Alan

    Okay, I am kind of freaking out here. I was just offered the Fresno job. The only downside (other than, you know, Fresno) is the guy who I will be working for will only be in that job for 6 years, so I’m debating whether to move 3000 miles to “the conservative rural part of California” without knowing if I’ll be unemployed again in 2029 at the age of 60. OTOH, it gets me out of Mississippi. Give me your wisdom, Jackals!

  78. 78.

    Steeplejack

    @Citizen Alan:

    Get the fuck out of Mississippi and away from your toxic family

    ETA: Worst-case scenario, you will establish a foothold in the Golden State and have six years to plan your next move (if necessary).

  79. 79.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @Ramona:

    I had assumed that when you said “butter lamb”, you meant lamb cooked to such tenderness, it melted in your mouth like butter…

    One of the Indian restaurants near me does both a butter lamb (as well as butter chicken) and a lamb tikka masala. Forget to get it yesterday.

  80. 80.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @WereBear:

    I knew it was the head of a lamb made of butter but if I opened a freezer and saw it in there staring at me through the freezer bag…

    Or worse yet, you wake up to discover a lamb’s head made of butter in your bed.

  81. 81.

    sab

    Well my little lamb is asleep after major surgery.  Everyone says she should be fine but she isn’t quite. Pisses me off and I blame all of you who have been lying to me.

    Welcome to my world.

  82. 82.

    cain

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    I’m going to br-enter the UK in a few days! So perhaps I will be able to try an authentic chicken tikka masala.  I did have it the last time I was in London but dunno if that was any better than what I had in the U.S. (honestly, i just think the dish is unhealthy)

  83. 83.

    cain

    @Citizen Alan: Get the fuck out of Mississippi – I mean, sure it’s a conservative rural part of California – but once your there – I bet you can find plenty of other opportunities after a few years. If anything it’ll be safer than being in Miss..

  89. 89.

    Leto

    @Citizen Alan: here’s my pearl: you should’ve fully packed an hour ago. Fresno is infinitely better than Mississippi. At the end of the six years, if you need to move them make that decision then. You’ll be in a better state (physically/mentally) to facilitate that transition. If there’s one thing I miss about the military, it’s the moving. Always someplace new, always something interesting. Sending good vibes your way.

  91. 91.

    Scout211

    @Citizen Alan:

    Move to California. I have family in Fresno and it really isn’t that bad. It’s a mid-sized city in the middle of the valley but it has an airport with some major carriers and it is big enough for entertainment and restaurants.  It’s close to the mountains and not far from the coast.

    My son, his family,  his in-laws and all of his friends are Democrats and live in Fresno.   It’s not all Republican and conservative.  It’s not mostly liberal like the Bay Area but it’s far from conservative Mississippi and it’s in California!

    Take the leap.  The first year in any major move is stressful but I do think California will be full of potential for you, unlike Mississippi.

  94. 94.

    WaterGirl

    @Citizen Alan: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good!

    Pack up and get going!  SERIOUSLY

    And big congratulations on getting the job!

    You might take the perfect job in the perfect location with the perfect boss and then one day your wonderful boss leaves or you have a psycho office mate or your awesome boss gets a shitty boss about him, and everything changes.

  96. 96.

    cmorenc

    @Skepticat:

    On the contrary, DeSantis is a highly principled man His principles are;

    1) Me me me me!

    2) Fuck you if you cross or disagree with me me me!

    3) Especially FU if you act woke around my sheep.

  97. 97.

    Another Scott

    @Citizen Alan: Six years is a long time.  A lot can happen in that period of time.

    Are you waiting for any other offers?  Would the other offers be better?

    There are a lot of benefits to living in California (state government not trying to kill half the population is at the top of the list; not having to worry about hurricanes is near the top).

    You would get good experience that could enable you to have a leg up if you decide to move on.

    Think very hard about taking it, IMHO.

    Good luck, and congratulations!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  98. 98.

    Ksmiami

    @Citizen Alan: Actually Fresno has a lot more diversity than you think and there’s a university there. Plus you’re really close to Shaver and Huntington lakes and China peak. Go for it

  100. 100.

    Citizen Alan

    @Another Scott:

    TBH, the only job for which I have applied (but not even been offered an interview yet) which I would prefer over the Fresno gig is with a Judge in Newark. I would rather have that because (a) I could live in NYC and (b) she is younger and will be on the bench longer before her term ends. But another part of me feels like it is almost hubristic to hold out for an interview when I have a job offer in hand.

  103. 103.

    Citizen Alan

    So here’s another question for Fresno-knowledgeable people. I have until the 24th to decide, and I am thinking of just flying out to Fresno next week to check the place out. Would two days be enough time to get a feel for what Fresno is going to be like? Or should I make it three?

  104. 104.

    Citizen Alan

    @Baud: I would not feel remotely comfortable in doing that. I can think of a dozen ways that could bite me on the ass. :)

  105. 105.

    Baud

    @Citizen Alan:

    Then I would not hold out for that possibility in making your decision.  It’s tough to pass up an opportunity for something better, but it’s too speculative 

  106. 106.

    kalakal

    @cain: There are lots of really good Indian resteraunts in the UK. There are great ones all over, espescially Birmingham, Leeds, and Bradford. You can get a good example of almost any type of food in London

    Enjoy yourself

  108. 108.

    Kay

    The lamb is cute Betty. His big horsey head looks like the lambs I saw in a childrens book, I think-  one I read more than once. It’s vaguely familiar.

  112. 112.

    Jackie

    @Citizen Alan: The saying: A bird in the hand…

    Take the job!!! Getting away from the poison is goal #1.  If it turns out you don’t like CA, you can still job hunt😊

  113. 113.

    Ruckus

    @Citizen Alan:

    I’d do 3 days. You can see all of it in one day but you have to get the feel of it, to see if you want to live there, if it’s better than where you live now. I’d bet it is.

    I had a job for 11 years in that I traveled all around the country and lived in OH. I’ve seen a lot of this country and some parts are really very nice. To look at. But the other 63 yrs of my life I’ve lived in CA. I’ve lived north of SF Bay for a few years and I’ve lived in SoCal for the rest of it. I’m not planning to move to another state unless forced. At gun point.

  115. 115.

    EarthWindFire

    @Citizen Alan: A lot can happen in six years. The Newark job hasn’t even come through with an interview. GTFO of Mississippi like you wanted. If you take the leap of faith, the net will appear.

  116. 116.

    WaterGirl

    @Baud:

    Can you call the Newark judge to check on the status of your application?  Tell her you have another offer.

    The smartest response yet!

    edit: and now I see your reply – not remotely comfortable doing that.

    So I’m with Baud again.

    Then I would not hold out for that possibility in making your decision.  It’s tough to pass up an opportunity for something better, but it’s too speculative .

  118. 118.

    Chris T.

    @Ruckus:

    I’d do 3 days. You can see all of it in one day but you have to get the feel of it, to see if you want to live there, if it’s better than where you live now. I’d bet it is.

    Plus, this gives you time to look for housing.

  120. 120.

    Scout211

    @Citizen Alan: Here’s a guide from visitcalifornia.com

    Visit California – Fresno

    I’m familiar with Fresno but deciding whether to spend two or three days there would depend on what you want to see and do. Is there anyone you know there who could give you a tour and pointers for housing, etc?

  124. 124.

    Ruckus

    @Scout211:

    As I’ve said here before I was born in LA, in the first half of the last century and I’ve lived in other states and traveled extensively around this country for work in a professional sport. Once when the clerk ran my Hertz card so I could pick up the car she said “You are in the top 5% of Hertz renters!” I’ve traveled extensively around this country, 47 states. Haven’t been to Alaska, North or South Dakota. My take is that there are a lot of nice places to travel to and visit. And some you can tell are not for you in a very short time. Others you could live in if you had a reasonable reason to be there. Others still you could tell you might live in one part but not another. And others you don’t want to live in, even if you are getting paid to.

    If he is going to live there, 3 days is nothing. And even if he has little to do, it’s a good idea to look around, get at least slightly acclimated, find a couple restaurants, grocery stores, a place to live, etc.

  125. 125.

    Timill

    @Citizen Alan: “Stand not upon the order of your going, but go at once.”

    If the Newark job turns up, you can talk to both to get improvements*. If not, you have a job that’s not in Mississippi.

    *I got a 50% increase in pay like that once.

  126. 126.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    Or worse yet, you wake up to discover a lamb’s head made of butter in your bed. 

    With a note – “Sorry.  Even making just the horse’s head out of butter looked like too much work.”

  127. 127.

    AlaskaReader

    @Geminid: What DeSantis gets up to simply can’t ever be considered ‘missteps’…

    DeSantis cannot be granted the benefit of doubt.

    That’s the same kind of folly that gave us Trump.

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