Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

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

If you thought you’d already seen people saying the stupidest things possible on the internet, prepare yourselves.

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

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

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

Everybody saw this coming.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Be a wild strawberry.

Come on, man.

Let the trolls come, and then ignore them. that’s the worst thing you can do to a troll.

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Dear elected officials: Trump is temporary, dishonor is forever.

People are complicated. Love is not.

“A king is only a king if we bow down.” – Rev. William Barber

Keep the Immigrants and deport the fascists!

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

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

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

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

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Idalia heading to Florida

Reader Interactions

118Comments

  5. 5.

    Yutsano

    A rare Richard Mayhew weekend post! I really hope everyone does stay safe. And hey maybe your governor will be out of the state and will drag asking the feds in! That’ll pwn the libz good!

  10. 10.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Baud: Ah! Haven’t yet looked at a map. I just saw eastern Gulf Coast and assumed Betty C. might be vulnerable. Good to know the butter lambs are safe.

  11. 11.

    Tom Levenson

    I hope for a highly localized and focused landfall…at Mar A Lago.

    And yeah, I know, wrong coast/body of water. A boy can dream.

  14. 14.

    kalakal

    Currently on the edge of The Cone of Doom. ETA tuesdayish. State of Emergency issued. Deep Joy. At the moment looks like people further north around the Big Bend are at X marks the spot

  15. 15.

    Anonymous at Work

    Doesn’t take much to alter course and hit Gulf Stream headed east.  I’m on alert for free vacation time evacuating and working remotely.

  16. 16.

    WaterGirl

    @kalakal: How is it that I have never heard of a tropical depression before, and now I am hearing the term twice in less than 5 minutes.

    Is that the fancy term for pre-hurricane?

  18. 18.

    kalakal

    @WaterGirl: it goes roughly

    a) nasty patch of weather
    b) Invest 9xL ( L for AtLantic ) – stormwatchers are keeping an eye on it
    c) Tropical depression – starting to get organised, circular wind pattern of thunderstorms, sustained winds below 39 mph – this is the point the computer models kick in
    d) Tropical ( named) Storm – more organised still, sustained winds between 39 and 74 mph
    e) Category 1 hurricane

  19. 19.

    tobie

    What is the Eastern Gulf Coast? I think of the Gulf Coast as the west of Florida so the name feels like an oxymoron.

  20. 20.

    Jackie

    @Tom Levenson: Speaking of MAL, TIFG is bragging about winning some golf tournament – w/o cheating! – says the cheater.

    I can’t help but hope when he’s whining to the FOUR judges about needing delays because he needs MORE TIME, at LEAST ONE judge – if not all – suggests if he has time to golf almost daily then surely he has time to prepare for court appearances and trials.

  21. 21.

    Shalimar

    @WaterGirl: Tropical depressions are circular wind movements up to 39 miles per hour.  Tropical storms are 39-74 mph.  You don’t hear about tropical depressions because no one worries about them.  They’re just bad weather, same as any other reasonably serious thunderstorm anywhere.

  22. 22.

    Scout211

    @WaterGirl: Is that the fancy term for pre-hurricane?

    I’d say more scientific than fancy, but yeah, we can go with fancy.  🤣

    The stages reverse as the storm downgrades.

    NHC

    A tropical cyclone is a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has a closed low-level circulation. Tropical cyclones rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. They are classified as follows:

    • Tropical Depression: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 38 mph (33 knots) or less.

    • Tropical Storm: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph (34 to 63 knots).

    • Hurricane: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 knots) or higher. In the western North Pacific, hurricanes are called typhoons; similar storms in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean are called cyclones.

    • Major Hurricane: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 111 mph (96 knots) or higher, corresponding to a Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

  23. 23.

    Shalimar

    @Jackie: The tournament Trump says he won is at Bedminster.   He claims to have won tournaments at all of his clubs even though he never plays at the same time as any of other competitors.  He “plays” within a week or two of when they do and gives himself the best score.

    I’m pretty sure Bedminster is the tournament he wins every year because they don’t actually have a competition.   It’s just him.

  24. 24.

    S Cerevisiae

    @WaterGirl: It’s a term us whether geeks know well, I follow the tropical storms every year. That’s one of the things that made me livid about TFG, I saw that Maria was going to hit Puerto Rico as a major 3 days before landfall, we could have had a lot of equipment, food, and water pre-staged on the island but he ignored it because the island is full of  “those people “…

    grrrrrrr! Fucking sociopaths…

  25. 25.

    Scout211

    As Hilary moved north and caused wind, storms and rain to the northern part of the state, the news kept calling it a “subtropical cyclone”. That was a new one to me, particularly in the northern hemisphere.

  28. 28.

    Trivia Man

    @Shalimar: I would love someone to ask him to his face, “How come you never allow your golf games to be filmed?”

    Hecklers following him around with signs “CHEATS AT GOLF”

    I think that would get under his skin faster than “small hands”… call him “known golf cheat TIFG” or “alleged golf expert”

  29. 29.

    Scout211

    And for all you pedants,

    If this eventually becomes a tropical storm and does so ahead of any other areas, the next name on the list is “Idalia,” pronounced ee-DAL-ya. Link

  30. 30.

    Shalimar

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: The hilarious thing is he said he shot a 67 to win this year.  At 77 years old.  6-time PGA Player of the Year Tom Watson is four years younger and he isn’t shooting 67 anymore.  It’s more laughable than weighing 215 pounds.

  31. 31.

    Alison Rose

    @tobie: Well, the Gulf Coast goes from Florida up past Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and then down Texas. So I presume the Eastern Gulf Coast is the Florida part, and the Texas part would be called the Western Gulf Coast?

  36. 36.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Alison Rose: ​
     

    I hate weather :(

    Does there have to be weather? “After all it’s more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be.” – the Whether Man in The Phantom Tollbooth

  38. 38.

    WaterGirl

    @Shalimar:

    He “plays” within a week or two of when they do and gives himself the best score.

    Oh my god, that’s embarrassing!  That’s more humiliating than playing with the other players and getting the lowest score on record.

    How does he not see that?  He lives in his own special world in his head.

  40. 40.

    frosty

    @Alison Rose: ​ I hate weather :(

    Spoken like a Californian!

    Not like Baltimore and a dozen other places I’ve heard this: “If you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes.”

  41. 41.

    JMG

    @Shalimar: I can only speak to seeing Trump play golf 20 years ago in a pro-amateur event before a PGA tournament in suburban Boston. Then he actually had a good game, not pro level, but solid high-level amateur. Like I said, that was 20 years ago. He was probably a lot closer to 215 pounds back then. For a person with his vanity, the decline of his golf game with advancing age, which happens to everyone, was too much to bear, so we get these ludicrous claims.

  43. 43.

    Bill Arnold

    @Tom Levenson:

    I hope for a highly localized and focused landfall…at Mar A Lago.

    Dorian’s forecast cone was centered on Mar A Lago for a couple of forecast cycles. POTUS Trump did not like that. (Dorian inspired the sharpie incident.)
    (Got my wrist slapped about that. True!)
    The general area votes Democratic.

  44. 44.

    kalakal

    @Alison Rose: I think it’s all based relative to the sea rather than the land. If you take the middle of the Gulf itself as your starting point Florida is due East, Louisiana is due North, Mexico is due West hence the coast names

    Florida is great for useless directions. In Pinellas County where I live streets constantly change names. In 30 miles US 19 has 12 different names

  45. 45.

    Shalimar

    @JMG: Trump plays golf several times a week.  I am sure he is still excellent for his age.  The problem is the same as when they photoshop Trump’s head on Rocky’s body: Even Stallone doesn’t look like that anymore.  Trump’s self-image is still in his prime 30-40 years ago, and he wants everyone else to treat him that way.

  47. 47.

    Alison Rose

    @frosty: Oh, that adage is common here, too. But yeah, like…”weather” around here most often means “drought” or “fire” or “as hot as if you were on fire”. And I hate it all.

  48. 48.

    Alison Rose

    LOL watching a clip of Michael Cohen on MSNBC, and Ali Velshi asked him if he knows Rudy well, and Cohen says “Unfortunately, yes.” I know Cohen is also a grifter in his own way and a famehog, but he can be amusing too.

  50. 50.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Jackie:

    @Shalimar:

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    Several years ago, early in the TIFG presidency, a guy named Richard Reilly wrote a surprisingly (to me!) readable book called Commander in Cheat. It documented the numerous, blatant ways TFG cheats at — has always cheated at — golf, and extrapolates from those well-sourced anecdotes that the then-POTUS was more than likely to cheat at, oh, I dunno, elections and his wives and his taxes and such-like shit.

    I have no idea if it’s even still in print, but I expect one could pick it up for a buck or so at a second-hand bookstore.

  52. 52.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Alison Rose:

    I saw that clip a short while ago. Yeah, I know, I know, but I really can’t help liking Michael Cohen. I find him somehow very earnest and appealing.

  55. 55.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Alison Rose:

    Oh, that adage is common here, too. But yeah, like…”weather” around here most often means “drought” or “fire” or “as hot as if you were on fire”. And I hate it all. 

    LMAO! 🤗

  56. 56.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Alison Rose:

    Cohen says “Unfortunately, yes.” I know Cohen is also a grifter in his own way and a famehog, but he can be amusing too.

    Sums up how I feel about him, something of a guilty pleasure.

    Though there was a rumor last week or so that he was planning a run for Congress? Somebody needs to shut that down for him

  57. 57.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Shalimar: Did you see the original Bleat? (quote tweet here) he preemptively wards off the accusations of cheating he knows are coming by saying he is watched the whole time by Secret Service agents.

    Screaming into the wind: How to people see this pathetic old clown as a tough and powerful man?

  60. 60.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Ron Filipkowski @RonFilipkowski 1h

    Just in case anyone questions whether Trump legit shot a 67 today to win another Club Championship, he gives out the cell number of his witness if anyone wants to verify it.

  66. 66.

    Juju

    @WaterGirl: it’s because you live in the Midwest. I never paid attention to weather beyond snow and tornadoes when I lived in your region when I was a child. I live east coast NC and I’m very much aware of tropical depressions and storms and hurricanes. People tend to pay attention to what affects them.

  67. 67.

    Timill

    @lowtechcyclist:

     

    Due to a strike by the weather forecaster’s union, Local 30.06 and Falling, there is officially no weather today. However, some of them are crossing the picket lines. Therefore our forecast is for scattered weather over the greater Hoople area.

    (As best I remember Peter Schickele’s routine)

  71. 71.

    Sure Lurkalot

    @WaterGirl: I told you midwesterners we were sending relief from Colorado and I’m glad it made it. Lovely 70’s here today but over 50% humidity which is high for this high mountain desert.

  73. 73.

    Adam L Silverman

    @cope: I just double checked it, you are correct. Supposed to go tropical storm then cat 1 then back to tropical storm before landfall,

  80. 80.

    Jackie

    TIFG’s codefendants may have no choice but to flip. They can’t afford not to! They’re facing six figure attorney fees and TIFG isn’t helping any of them. Being a skinflint will ultimately be his downfall – at least in Fulton County, GA!

    ““Over a dozen of former President Trump’s close allies face growing legal bills when he’s least able to help — and they’re turning to desperate measures to raise money for their fights,” Axios reports.”

    ““Trump’s co-defendants in the Fulton County case each need legal teams that could cost well into the six figures.””

    “Said Cornell Law School adjunct professor Randy Zelin: “I don’t see anyone’s fee less than $250,000-500,000 unless they strike a plea deal with prosecutors.””

  81. 81.

    Jackie

    @wjca: If Cohen runs, he’ll have to primary Jerry Nadler (D) – unless Nadler’s planning to retire. Which, at least publicly, he hasn’t announced.

  82. 82.

    smith

    @Jackie: Kind of funny to see how our two-tier system of justice turns around and bites people who’ve spent their political lives trying to preserve impunity for the rich. I guess it turns out they aren’t among the privileged after all.

  83. 83.

    cope

    @Adam L Silverman: With the caveat that, while computer models have been getting more accurate in terms of storm paths, correctly predicting the strength of storms has been much more difficult.

  84. 84.

    Sure Lurkalot

    Today was the first cool day without rain in a couple of weeks so I finally got some miles in on the bicycle. I was really getting tired of my basement workouts.

  87. 87.

    Jackie

    @smith:

    7.1 million.

    Political is reporting that’s the amount TIFG’s PAC has raised since his mugshot was posted online Thurs night.

    His codefendants are sharpening their knives…

  88. 88.

    Geminid

    @Jackie: Even if Rep. Nadler retires, there will be other strong Democratic contenders for that seat. I expect Michael Cohen will do about as well as Bill DeBlasio did last year in the race that Dan Goldman won. DeBlasio did so poorly that people hardly noticed when he dropped out.

  90. 90.

    kalakal

    @cope: yep. For what they’re worth at this point the track models are in pretty good agreement while the intensity varies from 40 to 110kts. Take out the outliers and they’re coming it at cat 1 ( just)

  94. 94.

    Jackie

    @Geminid: If Nadler retires, I have no problem with Cohen if he decides to run. As you said, he’ll probably not do well against other primary challengers.

    (There’s a tiny bit of immature gleefulness in me, though, at the thought of Cohen winning the seat in the General while TIFG is crushed by Biden!🤭)

  95. 95.

    Alison Rose

    @Jackie:

    (There’s a tiny bit of immature gleefulness in me, though, at the thought of Cohen winning the seat in the General while TIFG is crushed by Biden!🤭)

    Oh man. That would be glorious.

  96. 96.

    Geminid

    @Jackie: Unless he runs into health problems Nadler will probably run. He’ll have a good chance of being in the majority in the next Congress and I think he will look forward to chairing the Judiciary Committee again.

  98. 98.

    CatFacts

    If anyone wants to go deeper into why the NHC thinks the tropical storm will go somewhere in Florida and why they aren’t sure exactly how strong it will get yet, Levi Cowan’s video at http://www.tropicaltidbits.com explains it nicely.

  99. 99.

    Jackie

    @Scout211: President Biden has already sent his condolences to the FL families who are grieving from their losses from yet another Hate Motivated killing.

    Has anyone heard from the governor in hiding from Florida yet?

  100. 100.

    raven

    We’re on the Outer Banks until Tuesday and the miserable heat in Georgia is expected to break. . .probably because of this storm.  Here’s Artie on the beach, fishing had been difficult. The surf is pounding and it’s really hard to “hold the bottom”.

  104. 104.

    frosty

    @WaterGirl: Never heard of a Tropical Depression? Spoken like someone who doesn’t live on a coast. Well, a seacoast, the Great Lakes count as a coast.

  108. 108.

    raven

    @Jackie: She’s pretty funny. She loves lying in the sun even when it’s really hot. We actually left her for an entire 90 minutes while we went to dinner and she seemingly barked like made the whole time!

  109. 109.

    zhena gogolia

    I had totally forgotten about the song “White Bird” by It’s a Beautiful Day. I just read in the NYT that the leader of the band died, so that prompted me to listen to it. It’s great.

  110. 110.

    A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)

    @kalakal: The same thing is true in older cities where different streets end up merging eventually, but still keep their separate names. I find this exotic, coming from California, where El Camino Real runs 600 miles from San Diego to Sonoma.  It was originally the road between the different missions back in the Spanish days.

  115. 115.

    Gvg

    @WaterGirl: you live a long ways away inland. I have been hearings about them most months of the year for decades. Most Florida weather except winter storms, including regular rain start from tropical depressions. Also most warm and cool fronts.

  117. 117.

    RaflW

    @Alison Rose: FWIW the googz say the western Gulf Coast is from the Rio grande south down to Veracruz, MX.

    If so, then the Central Gulf Coast is Texas, LA, MS and probably even AL. And the Eastern Gulf is FL down to Key West.

    I think I’ve seen areas like South Padre or even up to Corpus Christie called the Western Gulf. I doubt there’s a definitive consensus.

    Anyway, I hope FL doesn’t have to discover what a shitty emergency ‘manager’ Gov. Rhonda is. 🤞🏽 (fingers crossed, if that’s not clear)

  118. 118.

    wjca

    @Mike in NC:

    Who’s not heading to Florida? Ron DeSaster!

    It’s the Ted Cruz approach.  But with bonus points because as governor he’s actually responsible for doing something.  (Cruz, after all, was merely a US Senator, not a Texas official.)

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