Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Chutkan laughs. Lauro sits back down.

People really shouldn’t expect the government to help after they watched the GOP drown it in a bathtub.

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

The Supreme Court is corrupt. Democrats must win in November and force court reform.

It’s a doggy dog world.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

No Justins, No Peace

Another missed opportunity for Jamie Dimon to just shut the fuck up.

‘Museums aren’t America’s attic for its racist shit.’

We won’t go back.

ha ha ha! Nice try weird people.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

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

Democrats are back in array!

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

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

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

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

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Balloon Juice – It’s That Time Again

Balloon Juice – It’s That Time Again

by | 103 Comments

This post is in: ,

Balloon Juice went ad-free over 2 years ago, and I hope you guys still appreciate that as much as I do!

It’s been quite awhile since we’ve had one of these posts, but it’s time, because we have on-going expenses.   Web hosting is monthly, and it’s not cheap.  Other expenses are annual (dropbox, design software for the calendar and postcards, Balloon Juice email addresses, Zoom, etc.)

And we like to keep the safety net so Cole doesn’t have to worry about the “what-ifs” of surprise expenses in a no-ads world.

If you donate, I promise that not one penny of what you donate will be used to supply Henry with a never-ending supply of furry friends to snuggle with.  Pinky swear!

Balloon Juice Is Still Ad-Free

How can you help?  (But only if you can afford it!)

°If you have signed up for a monthly donation but you’re in a different financial position than you were when you signed up, please feel free to cancel your monthly donation, with our thanks for having supported the site.

°If you keep thinking you’ll set up a monthly donation, but haven’t gotten around to it, or if the timing is right for increasing your donation, this would be a great time to do it.

°  If you have a monthly donation set up through PayPal, please consider switching that to Patreon. Patreon takes taxes off the top before the funds go into John’s account, so there are no surprises at tax time.

°  Make a one-time donation to the Safety Net. It turns out that having the safety net has already been helpful, as John gets clobbered with the tax bill for the the donations that come through PayPal, etc. Before you ask me exactly how much the tax bill was, I do not know the actual amount and Cole hates to talk about money, so I am not going to press him on that.

° If you want to send a one-time check for expenses or for the safety net, send me an email message I will send you Cole’s address.  (P.O.box)

You can donate to the safety net with Patreon, Venmo, Zelle, and paper check.  And even PayPal if that’s your only option, but please mark it as personal / gift and not payment for services.

Big thanks to everyone who helps keep Balloon Juice going!

I’ll post this again in the morning for the early birds.

If you have any questions, let me know!

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Reader Interactions

103Comments

  3. 3.

    TriassicSands

    If you donate, I promise that not one penny of what you donate will be used to supply Henry with a never-ending supply of furry friends to snuggle with.  — WaterGirl

    I was about to donate a million bucks, but then, when I found out it wasn’t going entirely to Henry and his furry friends, I changed my mind.

  5. 5.

    Gene Flanders

    I tried to give a one time payment  and it’s not an option. I also tried to donate without becoming a member.

  6. 6.

    Dangerman

    Ok, I recognize this is an infantile complaint as 2024 goes; but, for the love of decency, unless you have the body of a gymnast, when gassing up at Costco, have your gas cap on the same side as the pump. Please.

    I recognize Costco has extra long hoses. I fully appreciate extra long hoses serve a useful purpose. But with a long  line and I’m trying to exit quickly, having a body in my way (opposite side of pump) is problematic. I just got so close to a woman I almost thought I’d have to propose marriage.

    /pet peeve.

  12. 12.

    WaterGirl

    I just finished Ashes to Ashes, and I thought I had my next show lined up – for treadmill walking – and suddenly I discover that I don’t.

    Any gripping drama, without subtitles, that anyone might recommend?

  14. 14.

    BeautifulPlumage

    Thanks for the reminder. I stopped all of my payments last April but now can resume them again. Zelle monthly payment via my credit union. Super easy to set up.

    Thanks to everyone who’s able to support this site!

  16. 16.

    Almost Retired

    OK I’m not good with math or taxes or dog toys.  Let’s say I have $100 to throw in.  In theory.  Is it best to split it up as 12 monthly donations thru Patreon?  A single paper check?  A PayPal donation grossed up to cover fees?  WWJD ( with the J being John).

    Also my very weird phone autocorrect kept correcting “donations” to “dianetics.”  My phone is a Scientologist.

  19. 19.

    AJ of the Mustard Search and Rescue Team

    @WaterGirl: If not more!

    Thanks for all you do, WG. Am in a job hunt so hopefully I’ll be in a position to support before too long, inshallah.

  21. 21.

    Barbara

    @WaterGirl: ​I’ve been watching an Irish drama re a rural police officer called Single-handed. Circa 2010 but good dramatically without being lurid or having undue violence. (Acorn) I also liked Steeltown, which someone here recommended.

  28. 28.

    Another Scott

    I’ve been donating with PayPal for a while.

    A few weeks/months ago I was trying to set up some new things (for other sites) with Patreon and it was giving me all kinds of grief.  I’d like those hours back.  :-/

    I just started another monthly Patreon donation for Balloon-Juice Intergalactic Industries and was pleasantly surprised that it went through instantly.  Amazing!!

    (Starts March 1 – let us know if immediate needs come up.)

    Thanks JC, WaterGirl, and everyone.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  30. 30.

    Mousebumples

    @Dangerman: My Costco has plenty of space between rows, and it always seems that the only open pumps are for the “wrong” side of the car. So I happily go to those and get in and out quickly. My Costco is newish (maybe 5-7 years old), and I’m sure there’s some variance in setups.

    TL;DR – I appreciate the long gas hoses at Costco so I can fill up more quickly on either side.

    I’ll send some cash over via Venmo. I’d ask for an address for a check, but I meant to do this a few months ago and got sidetracked and forgot. So i need something with immediate and less steps, lol

    ETA and sent. Great to see that pic of Lily again. 💗

  32. 32.

    NotMax

    @WaterGirl

    Repeating from various earlier threads.

    In the mood for something along the lines of intense that doesn’t require a commitment to a whole string of episodes? Could do worse than the (English language) Falcón on Freevee via Prime.

    The English language dubbing of (both on Netflix) the better than the titles hint at dramedies He’s Expecting and Marry My Dead Body is quite tolerable.

    Also give another shout out for the long-running Murdoch Mysteries</em (Acorn, Freevee, Hoopla, Hulu).

  33. 33.

    AndyG

    I am outraged that Venmo will no longer let me add a note for the payment that includes the words “hookers and blow”.

     

    Karen would like to see the manager.

  37. 37.

    Percysowner

    Thanks for the info on Patreon vs Paypal. I was on Paypal but switched to Patreon when you went over there because I support a lot of people on Patreon. I was a little worried that the Patreon fees were more than Paypal. I guess I did a good thing, so I’m glad.

    I threw in a little extra via Zelle for the safety net.
    ​

  38. 38.

    Spanky

    Have been using Paypal. Started up Patreon. Once I see Patreon is working I might take down the Paypal. Or not.

  39. 39.

    WaterGirl

    @AJ of the Mustard Search and Rescue Team:  We’ve all been there at one time or another!

    I hope something comes through for you soon.  And don’t worry about trying to sign up to donate when you get the new gig, I’m sure you’ll have some catching up to do on other things.

    Knowing you value BJ enough to want to support the blog is enough!

  46. 46.

    WaterGirl

    @Another Scott:

    …it was giving me all kinds of grief.  I’d like those hours back.  :-/

    Been there, done that,  though not with Patreon.  Yes, we should be able to bill businesses for our time when something is their fault.

    Thanks giving Patreon another chance for BJ.

  50. 50.

    Redshift

    I checked Patreon, and found that the credit card I’d set up had expired. (I don’t remember getting a reminder from them.) I re-upped and increased my amount a bit.

  51. 51.

    WaterGirl

    @AndyG:

    I am outraged that Venmo will no longer let me add a note for the payment that includes the words “hookers and blow”.

    That’s so rude!  I don’t blame Karen on this one. :-)

  59. 59.

    Steve in the ATL

    @WaterGirl: spy shows.

    On a lighter note, Resident Alien (starring the always awesome Alan Tudyk, though a young Muslim girl steals so many scenes) and Futureman.

  60. 60.

    dexwood

    @Steeplejack:  I have recommended Ken Bruen’s Jack Taylor series a few times here at BJ in recent years. As is usually, not always the case, the books are better, though I did like the filmed versions. Taylor is a deeply flawed anti-hero, but compelling. 

  62. 62.

    Mousebumples

    @WaterGirl: Lily? The dog bed is the same as the ones that Lily and Steve were in, but that’s my little Henry.

    The photo on John’s Venmo account is very much Lily. But yes, that’s Henry in the post. Both very lovable doggos.

  67. 67.

    Jackie

    O/T: Most Republicans aren’t aware of TIFG’s various legal issues:

    There is an assumption, probably particularly among those who cover the news and those who read it, that Donald Trump’s legal travails are common knowledge. We talk about things like the potential effects of a Trump conviction on the 2024 presidential election with the assumption that this would be an event that rose to the nation’s consciousness, triggering a response from both his supporters and detractors.

    snip

    Polling released by CNN on Thursday shows that only a quarter of voters seek out news about the campaign; a third pay little to no attention at all.

    As it turns out, even major developments often fly under the average American’s radar. New polling conducted by YouGov shows that only a bit over half of the country on average is aware of the various legal challenges Trump faces. And among those Republicans on whose political support he depends? Consistently, only a minority say they are aware of his lawsuits and charges.

    snip

    The one that was familiar to the most people was the federal classified-documents case that is moving forward in Florida; 6 in 10 Americans said they were aware of that case. The one that had the least awareness was the civil suit in New York in which a judge determined that he’d fraudulently inflated the value of his assets. Just under 50 percent of Americans knew about that.

    But the pattern among Republicans is clear. At most, 45 percent of Republicans said they knew about legal issues: specifically, the documents case and his being found liable for assaulting the writer E. Jean Carroll. Only a quarter knew about the value-inflation suit, and only 4 in 10 knew about the criminal charges in Manhattan related to the hush money payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels.
    On average, only 4 in 10 Republicans said they were aware of the real legal issues. On average, Democrats were more than 30 points more likely to say that they were.
    More at the gift link: https://wapo.st/49kDEAl

    Normie Dems are better informed about TIFG’s legal issues, but that’s not saying a lot.
    Remember TIFG bragging about “loving the poorly educated”? Hopefully as his trial dates get closer, normies will start paying more attention to who’s running for President!🤦🏼‍♀️

  69. 69.

    dexwood

    @dexwood:  Edit window closed. Further, the tv series blends individual books in the series per episode, that is to say, two books become one. Additionally, the filmed versions do not do justice to Bruen’s often poetic use of language.

  72. 72.

    WaterGirl

    @dexwood: They did that with some of the Jesse Stone books that were made into 2-hour movies for TV.

    It’s fine if you haven’t read the books first, but it’s very confusing until you figure out that they have merged two stories!

  73. 73.

    WaterGirl

    @Jackie: I sent 2 people Cole’s P.O. Box address before I realized that he’s not in WV to pick up the checks!

    So I am waiting to hear back from him on where he wants the checks sent.

    I should have thought of that earlier!

    edit:  If you haven’t already, can you send me email so I can reply with the address as soon as I know which address to send?

  74. 74.

    Jackie

    @Dangerman: I have a small suv and use either gas hose as available, plus we have a middle lane between both pump lanes. You’d have to deliberately aim at me to hit me lol

  80. 80.

    WaterGirl

    @Just Visiting: No suggested amount.  To donate or not to donate, and how much, is totally up to each person.

    Some folks can afford more, some less, some not at all.  Whatever anyone chooses, it’s all good.

    Thanks for asking.

  81. 81.

    NotMax

    WaterGirl

    If wish to learn while you burn (calories), shall note that Impossible Peace, covering the years between the world wars, has returned to Prime (via Freevee this time). Riveting series.

  85. 85.

    Steeplejack

    @dexwood:

    I think I read one or two of the books—I definitely need to keep a log of what I’ve read, especially with series crime novels—but the TV show is very well done. Good writing, and Iain Glen is suitably craggy and charismatic.

  86. 86.

    Steeplejack

    @WaterGirl:

    I thought the Jesse Stone movies were very well done. I read all the books long before the series, so the blending wasn’t a problem for me.

    Looks like all of the movies are on Amazon  Prime.

  88. 88.

    Pete Downunder

    @WaterGirl: Good day from Downunder. I still have a US bank account and they will send a check if instructed. If you would send me an email with a payee and mailing address I’ll happily contribute to the contingency fund. Please note it usually takes a week or two from my instruction until the check is received. Thanks.

  89. 89.

    frosty

    i’ll donate to the safety net as soon as I get s secure wifi connection. I don’t know what I’d do without this site to read every morning.

  90. 90.

    A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)

    Hi WG,

    Not sure how to send you an email (no links on the right that I can see), so can you send me John’s address for a paper check, please?  Thanks!

    P.S. Can you see my email attached to this post?

  93. 93.

    Steve in the ATL

    @frosty: seriously—this Delta WiFi blows like the Pineapple Express.  DON’T THEY KNOW I’M PLATINUM?!  Also, my waitress in the sky (hi, Paul Westerberg!) is a total slacker.  I should be on my third wine by now, not my second.

  96. 96.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    I tossed fitty in the kitty via Paypal/gift for now and will follow up with another fitty soon!

  99. 99.

    Ivan X

    @Steve in the ATL: You write the same kind of things I do two drinks in while flying. Also, Delta blows, I don’t know why everyone loves them so much. Not like the others are better.

  103. 103.

    WaterGirl

    I am closing comments on this post because I am about to put up a similar post for the daytime peeps.

    I think I caught all the people who asked me to send them John’s address, including Jackie and Quinerly on this post.

    So if you asked for Cole’s address, please look for an email with his P.O. box address. If you don’t have that, please add a comment to the (nearly identical) post I am about to put up.

    Or send me email, that works, too!

    Thanks, everybody!

Comments are closed.