Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

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

Republicans in disarray!

Motown is Joe-Town!

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.”

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

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

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

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

I’m more Christian than these people and I’m an atheist.

Bad people in a position to do bad things will do bad things because they are bad people. End of story.

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

“In the future, this lab will be a museum. don’t touch it.”

There is one struggling party in US right now, and it’s not the Democrats.

The gop is a fucking disgrace.

In my day, never was longer.

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

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Sunday Afternoon Open Thread

Sunday Afternoon Open Thread

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Maybe it’s the heat, but I haven’t felt much like working this week, mostly just not in the mood. Yesterday afternoon I said fuck it, if I’m not going to get anything done I’m really gonna take the day off, got into my PJs, turned on the TV for the first time in 4 or 5 weeks, and snuggled with my guys on the daybed.

Unfortunately,  “sorry, I just didn’t feel like working this week” would probably not go over well with my clients, so I need to get myself in gear and spend most of today working.

But I can share a couple of photos on an open thread, at least!   You guys have mostly seen Tucker and Henry, so I’ll share these here before I get hit with some equal time lawsuit brought for the kitties by some low-life attorney whose standards won’t allow him to represent the former guy.  Hey, even attorneys gotta eat, am I right?

For kitty siblings, the two of them look nothing alike!

This is Miss Willow in her serious pose.  Maybe she was doing her best imitation of the bunny behind her on the table?

Here’s Mr. Bear on the porch.

The glass is supposed to be in the middle of the top of the cabinet.  But on the last day before the heat wave started, I had a friend over for some porch time with sour cherry mojitos, so I added the place mat so it wouldn’t be a big deal if we spilled while mixing and pouring.  Anyway, Mr. Bear has claimed that spot as his own, so of course the placemat stays.  In this house, we know what’s important.

Mr. Bear looks kind of raggedy in this photo, but who wants to brush the cat you’re hot and sticky?  I think we have one good day coming up this week, so I will brush him and then you can see how beautiful Mr. Bear really is.

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

100Comments

  1. 1.

    Delk

    And now, thunderstorms for the Pride Parade. Which religious asshole is going to claim their prayers made it happen?

  4. 4.

    MattF

    J. Michael Luttig, an iconic conservative judge, writes what he thinks about the Republican Party (gift link). The headline says it’s not too late, but the essay itself refutes that. Notable that there is not a hint of bothsides-ism. It’s the Republican Party that’s failed, period.

  5. 5.

    JoyceH

    I saw on the news last night that the US intel community had information in MAY that the Wagner guy (too lazy to look up how to spell his name) was planning some sort of move against Moscow. And I wondered – if Trump were president, would he have warned Putin?

  7. 7.

    Sister Golden Bear

    Much as I wish I’d been able to attend SF Pride this weekend, I’m still not fully over the post-Covid symptoms, so I’m staying home and resting. <sad face>

  9. 9.

    TaMara

    Those are two beautiful kittehs.

    I’m with you on work. I’m going to put in several hours this week to make up for slacking the last couple of weeks. One of my clients is out of the country and his place was burglarized. So now I’m no only doing my own insurance claims, I’m working on his. Hopefully I don’t mix up any of the paperwork. I don’t think I need a heavy-duty safe in my office. LOL

    Also, I may do an adoption post later on today – I know of two Great Dane brothers who are 1/2 siblings to Trixie that need to be rehomed because of a life change issue for their people.  They are gorgeous.

  10. 10.

    trollhattan

    We have a doggie house guest and her ID tag reads

    “Oh shit…
    “I’m lost!”
    And the reverse says something about stopping mommy from ugly crying, and a phone #.
    I cracked up.

  11. 11.

    Redshift

    @JoyceH:

    And I wondered – if Trump were president, would he have warned Putin?

    Absolutely. (Unless the intel analysts managed to file it under “not important enough for POTUS” until it was over.)

  14. 14.

    Mel

    Willow has such a serene expression! She’s beautiful! And, wow! what a gorgeous floofy coat Mr. Bear has. Snuggles and scritches to both of those sweet kitties’

  23. 23.

    Scout211

    I do feel for all of you who are suffering under sweltering temps.  Not only is it miserable, but it’s expensive to run the A/C.  I hope you all get a reprieve soon.

    We have been having the coolest June weather that I can ever remember in my 40++++ years living here in NorCal. It’s been a nice mea culpa gift from Mother Nature, who was super mean to us this winter.

    Alas, the mild temps will come to an end next weekend when we finally will have several days of 100+ temps. But I will continue to enjoy the mild temps until then. 

  24. 24.

    Alison Rose

    For kitty siblings, the two of them look nothing alike!

    Cats will often look nothing like their siblings or parents, which is super interesting to me. I got a kitten for my 5th birthday who was a tuxedo cat, and she had three kittens (because I guess back then they didn’t automatically spay cats before adopting them out, and my mom didn’t realize they could get pregnant super young): one was a regular tortoiseshell, one was a dilute tortoiseshell, and one was solid white.

  26. 26.

    Josie

    @Scout211: ​
     Our weather has been rather different this year in Houston. We had cooler temps much later than usual–through May and then were suddenly slammed with severe thunderstorms for a week or two followed by 100 degree temps much earlier than our usual August sauna. We are in the middle of a heat wave that they say will last into next week and possibly beyond. I just hope the grid can hold up.

  28. 28.

    Omnes Omnibus

    It is 15 degrees cooler in Madison than it was yesterday.  I am going to go for a bike ride, and I think it will be far more pleasant than yesterday’s ride.

  30. 30.

    sab

    In my house, none of my four cats would tolerate that bunny still lying on that table behind them. It would be on the floor.

  31. 31.

    WaterGirl

    @eclare: This is a WaterGirl original recipe, I made it up on the fly in May of 2021 and it’s been our go-to drink ever since.

    4 ounces fresh-squeezed lime
    4 ounces white rum (I use Mount Gay or Flor de Cana)
    3/4 cup + of sour cherries (frozen works fine, fresh would be even better)
    1/4 cup superfine sugar (aka baker’s sugar)

    (I use my stick blender to mix the first 4 ingredients.)

    Chill in the refrigerator or freezer.

    fill glass with ice cubes (crushed ice is even better if you have it)
    fresh mint leaves for muddling with ice in each glass
    add a baby spoonful of baker’s sugar on the ice
    pour in the lime-rum-cherry-sugar mixture
    add club soda to taste in each glass when serving

  32. 32.

    Ruckus

    @MattF:

    IANAL but to me Luttig is correct that this is not just a nudge too far. This is outright, what I call basic, prime, law breaking. By that I mean this is law that tells us the very basics, the foundation of our law and structure. And the conservative side is willing to shit all over it for power. Why is because they have gone very, very close to the edge of the cliff of constitutional destruction. And very possibly they are cartoonishly over that cliff, running in the air for all they are worth. They can’t stop now but they should have some time ago because there is an entire conservative ideal gamed towards a non constitutional, no holds barred takeover of the country. I’m pretty sure it is formed from a monitory desire but the power side of it seems appealing to them as well. The basic of our countries concept that we are all equal is in no way appealing to them because it costs them something. Something from the hate/bigotry side, that people of a darker shade of skin have the same rights as they do. Something from the monetary side that they have the right to be rich with as low as zero input into the cost of running the government. Something from the gender side, the statement that “All men are created equal,” seems to be a sore spot for the money grubbers. These 3 points give them the concept that they should be in charge and that how they get there is unimportant, regardless that all 3 of these concepts are bullshit and against the concepts this country was founded upon. I believe their ideals are founded in the Federalist Society.

  34. 34.

    RandomMonster

    @JoyceH: And I wondered – if Trump were president, would he have warned Putin?

    Well, in this alternate reality second Trump term, he would would not have supported Ukraine and would at this moment be dismantling NATO. The war in Ukraine would already be over.

  35. 35.

    WaterGirl

    @sab: That little bunny is one of my favorite things, so if they knock the bunny off, I will be exceedingly unhappy because it is exceedingly breakable.

    It’s got some weight to it, so they couldn’t just swipe it off like they love to do with pens and other stuff.  Fingers super crossed.

  36. 36.

    Jackie

    @Alison Rose: Many litters have multiple “daddys” – especially as the in-heat female is fertile for five or six days. So unless momma cat has dominant genes…

  37. 37.

    WaterGirl

    @eclare: I cheat on the 3/4 cup of cherries, which is why I added the plus sign – it’s really more like 1 even cup.  But if I say 1 cup, I will cheat and make it heaping (which I did one time) and that was too much cherry. :-)

  38. 38.

    trollhattan

    @Scout211: Just in time for July 4.

    Sure has been nice; though, if it were really like this all the time then EVERYONE would move here. One solid heatwave snaps them back to reality. Some smoke too? We can do that.

    Drought, drought, flood, drought, drought, drought, flood is testing my nerves TBH.

  39. 39.

    Bupalos

    @JoyceH: it’s likely that putin did know. That situation is simply more complicated than our ideas about modern states alows us to process very well.

  40. 40.

    Glidwrith

    My kids rescued a kitten this past Wednesday. Solid black, underweight (1.3 lbs at 6-7 weeks, 8 oz was food he ate in twelve hours), but healthily.

    I wouldn’t have chosen to become a three beastie household, but the new addition is named Nox.

  43. 43.

    Bupalos

    @RandomMonster: That’s one conjecture. I don’t think it’s particularly plausible that Trump could unilaterally shut off the U.S. tap. And near impossible that states like Poland wouldn’t provide enough assistance to keep Ukraine’s opposition to its own liquidation viable.

  44. 44.

    MomSense

    I do not understand people who set off fireworks.  I was walking my grand dog in the park and some jerk started setting off fireworks.  At that point the dog decided to turn and go home as fast as possible.  Poor thing was so scared.  He really needs to go out and pee but he is refusing.

  47. 47.

    eclare

    @MomSense:

    I don’t get it either, but unfortunately people here in Memphis love them.  Not as much as in my former neighborhood, thank goodness.  I still remember being shocked at how blackened my street was after some holiday, Halloween?

    Poor granddog!

  49. 49.

    Elizabelle

    @MattF:  Reading that now, thanks.  Of course, the FTF NY Times has not opened it up for reader comments, and I would value those as well.  I think Judge Luttig is well respected, particularly after testifying before the Mueller (??) investigation.  (Maybe it was J6.  Anyway, he showed courage.)

    Amusing to me that the FTF NY Times has changed its online logo, which shows on open tabs.  It is yellow.  Apropos, I think.

    (It now resembles Kitchn’s logo.  Was wondering, why do I have all these recipes up on the screen??)

  51. 51.

    sab

    @MomSense: My GSD used to be oblivious to firecrackers  and such sounds until some turd tossed a firecracker right at her ear. We hoped that we could find him later in a dark alley so that she could eat him but it never happened.  She was always a bit gunshy after that.

  52. 52.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Delk: Did it literally rain on your parade?  Did the storms move through quickly?  I’m seeing orange over southwestern Michigan right now.

    ETA – question answered.

  54. 54.

    James E Powell

    @Elizabelle:

    Judge Luttig apparently didn’t get the memo from Erick Erickson that it is up to “the left” to keep Republicans from nominating Trump. And Erickson’s not the only one who believes that. Somebody said we Democrats ought to vote for DeSantis in Republican primaries.

  56. 56.

    SWMBO

    @MomSense:

     
    My father-in-law was murdered at his business. His dog was there through the entire thing. The rest of her life she was terrified of fireworks and thunderstorms. I was walking the dogs one night (I thought before they would start) and someone set off some firecrackers. I had my cell on me and called my husband to come get her. He brought a towel and wrapped her in it so she couldn’t see/hear as much and got her home. Every holiday with fireworks after that, she stayed home while the rest of the pack walked.

    https://theoatmeal.com/comics/4th_of_july_dog

  59. 59.

    StringOnAStick

    @Sister Golden Bear: It took me a solid two months after Covid until my energy returned and I wasn’t constantly hacking when exerting myself on a bike.  It takes some time and pushing it seems to make it take longer, so you are wise to take it easy.

  62. 62.

    raven

    @SWMBO: It’s so weird that, after how Artie was tortured and shot, she’s oblivious to gunfire and fireworks but the slightest noise behind her terrifies her. We are considering a university vet school  behavioral medicine visit but it is $630 for a one to two hour session and $300 for two zoom follow-ups.

  64. 64.

    WaterGirl

    @mrmoshpotato: You are right about that!  And he seems to want be out on the porch in the heat.  It seems crazy to me!  Miss Willow only wants to be out on the porch after dark if it cools off.

    No accounting for tastes!

  65. 65.

    mrmoshpotato

    @eclare:

    WTF? I’ll have whatever she’s been smoking. 

    Not sure that’s a good idea. :)

    Whatever she’s on is really really stupid.

  67. 67.

    Dan B

    @SWMBO:  Terrible for your FIL and his dog.  We used to have terrible fireworks around here – lots of Asian and Latine families but the kids have grown so it’s much quieter.  Thankfully.

  68. 68.

    WaterGirl

    @raven: May the people who did that to her reap what they sow.  $1k is a lot of money, but if you can afford it, I’m sure you’ll do it in a heartbeat.

    If you guys can’t afford it, you know where we are. :-)

  69. 69.

    Hungry Joe

    Yesterday: Angels 25, Rockies 1. The box score is a jaw-dropper. Just try to look at the Rockies’ pitcher stats without wincing.

    ”We were aggressive.” — Angels manager Phil Nevin.

    ”It’s one game.” — Rockies manager Bud Black

  71. 71.

    raven

    @WaterGirl: We started with a trainer and she is so impressed with how smart and affectionate Artie is. She knows a local vet who is very good with behavioral issues so we’re probably going to pursue that. She recommended a different brand of CBD treats and they seem to make her more mellow at the dog park.  I pulled up this morning and there was a couple with two unfamiliar dogs and an infant and I just took Artie to the other end of the park.

  73. 73.

    gene108

    @JoyceH:

    And I wondered – if Trump were president, would he have warned Putin?

    If Trump were president, we would not have provided any aid to Ukraine. Even when Congress authorized sending Javelin anti-tank missiles, Trump refused to comply, as long as possible.

    There’d have been no need for Wagner to March on Moscow, because Ukraine would not have been supplied with enough weapons, ammunition, etc. to hold Russia off as long as they have.

  81. 81.

    Calouste

    @Jackie: Talk about putting up the bat-signal to hackers that you haven’t got the slightest clue about security….

  83. 83.

    Scout211

    @gene108: Fixed it for you

    If Trump were president, we would not have provided any aid to Ukraine without Trump personally getting something in return like made-up dirt on Hillary/Biden/Hunter etc., etc., etc.

  85. 85.

    Ruckus

    @sab:

    Could be something like what happened to me. Was standing near a loud noise, a nitromethane explosion. Had my head turned 90 degrees to this and now I have single frequency tinnitus on that side 24/7/365. It doesn’t keep me awake but it is always there, same volume. It’s only been about 20 or so years now and no I’m still not used to it. Not that I have any choice mind you.

    My point is that I know what it is, and I know why it’s there, your dog would only know that something like this is happening to them, something that made their life different than it was, seconds ago.

  87. 87.

    NotMax

    @WaterGirl

    Easy to transmute table sugar into caster (superfine/baker’s/bar) sugar at home. Put regular granulated sugar into a food processor, blender or coffee grinder and process quickly into a finer granulated state.

  88. 88.

    mrmoshpotato

    Tomi Lahren
    @TomiLahren
    Is it too much to ask for all of the communists and freaks to remain in/go to NY, California and the Pacific Northwest?

    Y’all can do your explicit pride crap, take as many vaccine boosters as you want, worship Satan. Whatever you wanna do. But can you leave the rest of us alone? We’re tired.

    I hear Russia’s nice, Tonka DeLorean.

    ETA – not reading more, but it’s funny that her bigoted ass forgot Chicago.  BOOGA BOOGA CHICAGO!

  95. 95.

    Another Scott

    Meanwhile, …

    We officially have the first “Russians requesting airstrikes via telegram” of the counteroffensive https://t.co/MxOaldvUhb

    — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 25, 2023

    Just amazing. Carrier pigeons are probably next.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  96. 96.

    Princess

    @WaterGirl: Our sour cherry tree is going nuts this year, so I made it with fresh cherries this evening and it was deeeeeelicious! Thank you!!!

  100. 100.

    Ruckus

    @raven:

    It was a nitro powered motorcycle engine. I was standing on the right side, the throttle man was kneeling between me and the bike and the starter had the car starter that plugged in the crank by the handle with the switch to start it. The fuel return line was down in the fuel, it was supposed to be at the top of the tank but because it wasn’t and this bike used nitromethane as it’s fuel, and it had filled  cylinder #4 full of nitro, the second the starter button was pressed the cylinder compressed the nitro and it blew up rather spectacularly. No shrapnel, everything was contained but every piece of engine was broken/bent/useless and the blast went right over the head of the guy I was standing behind and right into my ear. I’ve had hearing tests and my hearing is fine except at 3k hertz, which is where it drops to zero and I have an unchanging tinnitus. Every damn second of every damn minute of every damn hour, of every damn day. For over 2 decades now. And yes it is still annoying, every damn second of every damn minute of every damn hour, of every damn day.

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