Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

She burned that motherfucker down, and I am so here for it. Thank you, Caroline Kennedy.

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

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

Oh FFS you might as well trust a 6-year-old with a flamethrower.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Republicans don’t lie to be believed, they lie to be repeated.

If you cannot answer whether trump lost the 2020 election, you are unfit for office.

Petty moves from a petty man.

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

… gradually, and then suddenly.

How stupid are these people?

The arc of the moral universe doesn’t bend itself. it’s up to us.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

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

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

“Loving your country does not mean lying about it’s history.”

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Hey Lurkers!

Hey Lurkers!

by | 126 Comments

This post is in: 

looking in a large storefront window with reflections in the glass and a sign that says “Come in, We’re Open"

It’s way past time for another thread for all the lurkers out there.  I don’t think we’ve had one for months!

You guys may already know this, but when you post your first comment, it goes into moderation, and sometimes it takes a while for one of us to see it and free your comment so it shows up for everyone.  Once it’s released from moderation, it goes into the comments with the time-stamp for when you first submitted it, so then most people probably never see it.  So it’s not surprising that first comments often don’t get replied to.

So here’s a special open thread where we can keep a particular eye out for first comments that go into moderation.

A few of you who poked your heads up on previous lurker threads have turned into commenters, but don’t let that scare the rest of you away!

I think it’s especially awesome to see lurkers joining in on the Ukraine raffles, meetups, Balloon Juice zooms, fundraising, and even Balloon Juice angels.  We don’t know your names, but you guys rock.

In any case, it’s lurker appreciation day here on Balloon Juice!  Welcome, all.

Totally open thread.

Reader Interactions

126Comments

  8. 8.

    Unabogie

    I’m a lapsed lurker. I post here once in a great while, mostly to check in on the dogs and cats. You people are ok too, just not as good as the animals ;-)

  10. 10.

    BellaPea

    I’m trying to comment more often so I won’t qualify as a “lurker.” I love the dog and cat posts too. I recently adopted my Mom’s cat, a calico named Callie, and we are getting used to having a kitty after our last cat passed in February. My Mom is unfortunately showing signs of dementia, and I just did not feel like she needed to be taking care of a pet. We are glad we took Callie in, she is beautiful and very sweet.

  13. 13.

    WaterGirl

    @BellaPea:  Very sorry to hear about your mom.

    Is this your dog?  Someone had written to be twice asking about the Favorite Dogs & Cats series.

    Favorite Dogs & Cats
    I had uploaded the photo to the Media Library but then lost track of the message it had come with.

  14. 14.

    Robin

    I’m a several times a day reader but I think I’ve only commented once or twice, if that…definitely a lurker

  15. 15.

    kmax

    Just saying hi.  Can’t remember when I last commented.  It’s been a while.

    Scanned the blog in a free moment.  I generally read every post and as many comments as I can squeeze into a day.

    Now it’s off to pick up some gardening stuff.

  17. 17.

    Quadrillipede

    While I was on vacation, I had an interesting idea for a side project, so now I’m back at work and trying to put 3-4 hours into that on the evenings, I’m at risk of re-lurking, if that’s a word…

  19. 19.

    J_A

    Like Robin at @14 above, I read the blog several times a day but only comment about things I know something about.

    Thank you all for the fine work. It’s rare to find such a useful and pleasant place to be around.

  26. 26.

    Poe Larity

    There is a diner across from a car rental that I use. When not filled with tourists, I’ll get breakfast there.

    Apparently during covid I made some impression, so whenever I walk in like today they make a big deal and put me in what used to be my quiet, corner lurker booth. The overhead light used to always be burnt out and now it has a 200 watt bulb so I feel like I’m on a broadway stage.

  27. 27.

    Nunc Pro Tunc

    Thank you.

    It’s a legal term meaning “now for then.”

    It’s used to reflect that there was a mistake made in the past that needs to be corrected in the present, but once it’s corrected, it’s going to be treated as if the mistake never had been made.

  28. 28.

    WaterGirl

    @Poe Larity: You might have been their only customer. :-)  or showed some appreciation.

    I gave a $100 bill to my UPS guy at the beginning of the pandemic. I imagine that knowing someone appreciated the recognition that they were allowing some of us to stay home meant more to him than the $100

    I’m still pissed that “essential workers” were basically considered “expendable workers”.  If they are essential, treat them like they are.

  30. 30.

    gkoutnik

    I’m a 99% pure lurker, commenting maybe once or twice a year when I’m lucky enough to hop on when a thread is live and I have something to say.  I have read BJ every day for probably ten years; I count on the thoughtful analysis and expert opinions (and colorful writing!  Looking at you Betty!) in the posts and comments.  And I think I can depend on the BJ community to gather around the kinds of funding initiatives that make a difference, so most of my non-local political contributions are through BJ.

    I did a blog for two years during COVID – “The New World,” speculations on what would be different ‘after’ the pandemic.  I depended on AL’s daily COVID post to point me at interesting articles to follow up on.  Thanks again, AL!

    Thanks all – this is a great place.

  34. 34.

    w3ski

    Greetings all. I am a long-time lurker. I do comment once in a great while, like now, but it’s too hard for my feeble mind and fingers to scroll for replies. Sorry if that seems rude?  Love the site and read it every day. A special fan of Ukraine news but currently that is hard to read since it is mostly bad.  I’m retired and 70 years old. My longtime wife and I live in CA. Gold Country at about 2600 feet (some snow, not often) and love our privacy out here in the woods.  My very best to all the people who write here, Mr. Cole especially.

    w3ski

  38. 38.

    PaulB

    I can’t really call myself a lurker, since I’ve been posting here off and on since 2007, but I don’t post much these days, as usually by the time I get to a thread, I find that anything I would want to say has already been said, and almost always said better than I would. There’s only so many times you can write, “What they said….” before you start feeling a bit foolish.

    But, hey, WG recently liked my link to Pete Buttigieg’s comments on late-term abortion enough to elevate it to her main post on that thread, so I feel validated. :-)

    While I’m here, WG, do check out the Media Matters Project 2025 overview link I provided in the previous post, as I think it’s a good starting point for any deep dive you want to do on that topic.

    [Back to lurking, and vacation planning. Cascade Loop, here I come.]

  40. 40.

    gkoutnik

    Watergirl: “Were you correct about any of your predictions about the new world after Covid?”

    I was tremendously disappointed.  Here’s me, signing off in my last post:

    I wanted to live in the “possibility of other worlds.”  I wanted the massive pandemic’s disruption to wake us all up and move us forward into a new set of possibilities, where we were more able to see each other, treat each other kindly and fairly, help each other, and all benefit from “working together for the common good.”  I had hoped we would come out the other side of the pandemic and say, “Wow!  We don’t want to go through that again!  Let’s see how we can use the world’s massive resources to make life safer and more enriching for everyone.”

    Or something like that.  But it didn’t happen, not even something vaguely like that.  Oh, things changed all right.  We’re now more divided and bitter, entrenched and intractable, and as a society, we’re less likely to work for the common good than we were two and a half years ago.  You’ve been there.  You’ve watched it happen.  You know it’s true.

    So there is, I guess, a new world.  It’s a world in which those who were able to benefit and profit by the “disasters and emergencies” have consolidated those gains and become even wealthier, while those who have felt the power of those calamities are left in ruins, or, at best, left without a single lesson learned.

    In America, the pandemic is not over, but it might as well be.  We have learned nothing, and are in the process of setting our clocks back 50 years.  Living in America continues to mean tolerating child murder, living without adequate healthcare, aiding and abetting historic income inequality, and elevating those who live by hypocrisy.  Here’s the new world:  An America where over one million Americans died, and nothing changed.

    I’m not usually that cynical, but it really hurt.  We had a chance.

  41. 41.

    Greg T

    Hi all! I probably(?) won’t need the moderation help because I think I’ve posted two or three times total previously. I read nearly every day for years now, but like PaulB says, almost always someone has already said what I’d say, and done a better job of it.

  42. 42.

    Lurker#42

    Been a lurker since Cole was a Republican. I read at least once a day although I disappeared during most of the Obama years because job. Y’all are smarter than me, so generally anything I want to say is said more eloquently than I’d ever be able to communicate, and I’m shy. Closer to the end of things than the beginning. I’m glad balloon-juice is still here.

  43. 43.

    Ole Lurky

    Yeah I’ve been reading balloon juice since the early teens but I never have much to add that isn’t said better by Betty or some others commenter round here…

    but I send my love to you all telepathically with great frequency..

  45. 45.

    Chat Noir

    I only post occasionally but I never miss a thread. Been mostly lurking since mid-2008.

  47. 47.

    WaterGirl

    @gkoutnik: I teared up reading that.  Must have been even more sad to write it.

    Maybe we’ll get another bite at the apple if Biden wins and we get the House and the Senate.  That’s what I have to focus on so I don’t despair.

    If we work at it, I think that can happen.

  50. 50.

    Sorryforlaughing

    @gkoutnik: Unfortunately, you nailed it.

    Uh, hi, everybody! Too shy to talk much here but this is still my favorite online watering hole. If you’re on Bluesky I’m also “sorryforlaughing” there.

  51. 51.

    KM in NS

    Hi everyone! I’m also a 99% lurker. By the time I get to threads they’re either dead or someone has said what I wanted to say.

  52. 52.

    Tony Jay

    Good Afternoon, Lurkers and proto-Commentators. Been a rubbish day for sports, but BJ is always my first port of call for a cheerful pick-me-up.

  54. 54.

    WaterGirl

    @KM in NS: People love replies to their comments!  Otherwise they wonder if anyone read them or if everyone disagreed or thought what they wrote was dumb.

    Replies can be the gateway drug to commenting. :-)

  56. 56.

    Salty Sam

    @gkoutnik:    Were you correct about any of your predictions about the new world after Covid?”…

    … I was tremendously disappointed.

    Former “semi-regular commenter now returned to lurker status” here-  just want to express my admiration for that final blog post you wrote, and for that matter, the whole idea behind “A New World”.   My sentiments about it are very close to yours, although I still have the long view that things will eventually improve.  “Long arc of the universe” and all that…

  57. 57.

    KM in NS

    I recently returned from the Red State of my birth, and the comments from a few days ago about towns in KS (?) and TX looking worn out resonated with me, and also applies to my former Red state. I made the comment to my husband about how even the formerly best neighborhoods ( where the doctors live) looked shabby and sad.

     

    ETA: edited for clarity

  59. 59.

    Memory Pallas

    Hello all,I have been reading the site for decades and I am a semi-lurker. When I post a comment, it starts a 5 minute countdown until the post appears “retroactively” in the scroll. Is there a point at which commenters graduate up to posting in real time? if so, what does it require?​

  60. 60.

    Lurker#42

    @WaterGirl:

    Tnx. I think that was the first lurker comment of mine anyone ever replied to. Not sure what nyms I used before, that’s how often I comment.

  61. 61.

    Lydia Reeder

    Hi everyone, lurker here. First time posting! I spend lots of time here reading the wonderful posts while procrastinating. I’m an author, so procrastination comes naturally. I used to design elearning for the medical field, but suddenly got published later in life. Whoo hoo!

  64. 64.

    Steeplejack

    @Memory Pallas:

    I think your comments are appearing in real time and you’re seeing the five-minute edit window, during which you can make changes to your comment. Once that window closes, you can’t make any more changes. But (I believe) the comment has been visible to eveyrone the whole time. That’s why you occasionally see people say, “I replied to your comment but didn’t see your later edit.”

    WaterGirl can correct me if I’m wrong about this.

    ETA: Like right now I’m seeing this comment as #63 on my phone, in the five-minute window, even though I wrote it on my computer.

  65. 65.

    Tony Jay

    @Steeplejack:

    I scored a ticket to Anfield on Thursday and saw us piss away a 14 month home-turf unbeaten streak 0-3 to Atalanta. So today I resolved to ignore the match completely and spare everyone my jinx.

    Took the boy to a D&D Session in the town centre, popped out for a pint and walked past a pub at the exact second Palace scored.

    Ho hum. There’s still hope, but not much. I’m sure that even if Manchester Cheaty screw up their unexpected lead they’ll be handed enough dubious penalties and the licence to commit unpunished fouls to drag them over the line. Those all expenses paid ‘working’ trips to the Gulf only go to the ‘very best’ referees, after all.

  66. 66.

    Another Scott

    Thanks for speaking up, everyone. Welcome aboard.

    Commenting is always good, even if it’s in agreement, not least because lively threads have more participation by others who might bring a different perspective or a pithy summation that can be used elsewhere.

    “Did you catch what Baud / OO / Stevein / MM / Cole / Betty C said yesterday??”

    ;-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  69. 69.

    Nancy

    I started reading during the build up to Dubys’s Iraq adventure.

    There were a few bloggers who seemed sane and reasonable and against the war. Then there was Cole. I’m still reading., occasionally commenting after the rest of you have moved on. So I’m not an actual lurker, just unread.

    May I recommend Patreon to fellow semi-lurkers if you want to support the place silently? I can afford $5.00/month to keep Balloon-Juice ad-free and available during the crazy that seems like it will never end. No pressure from me; it took me years to think of that.

  70. 70.

    WaterGirl

    @Memory Pallas:  Hi there!  Glad you asked.

    What you are seeing is the 5-minute edit window.   You have 5 minutes to fix your typos or your grammar or add the part of the comment that you meant to include, etc.

    Everyone can see your comment during that 5 minutes.

    Unless you see a message that says you are in “moderation”.

  72. 72.

    WaterGirl

    @Lydia Reeder: Congratulations!

    You should think about doing a post for our Authors in Our Midst series.  If you’re not familiar, you can click the link below and see what some other authors have done for their posts.

    Authors in Our Midst

    Send me email if you want to do one.  Send the email to my nym at balloon-juice.com

  74. 74.

    BeautifulPlumage

    Hi all! I’m wondering if Ben from Spokane is on here now? We met last month at a diner outside of Renton and you’re up on the Dems in Spokane. Since Cathy McMorris Rogers is not running again, is this a seat Dems can win?

  76. 76.

    Amy Shields

    Hi.  I’m a lurker from the Sarah Palin days.  Been with you ever since.  So thanks for your take on this interesting time we are living in.  I’ve enjoyed you all, but especially John Cole!

  77. 77.

    BeautifulPlumage

    @Nancy: ​
      good point…I started contributing a few years ago then took a break. I’m back to supporting the site because I find it to be a sane corner of the net. I’m also a public radio listener so supporting a no-ad site is important to me.

    (Remember when BJ tried ads? Ugh & double ugh!)

  80. 80.

    SleepyMonster

    Uhh, yeah I’ve been here lurking for… a long time. Mother Jones to Kevin Drum’s Blog to Baloon Juice pipeline. Commenting to say that while I agree it doesn’t appear to be as common a response as any of us would wish, Covid19 did at least make me wake up and look around. Try to start participating, donating… being something other than a lurker to the whole damn political process. That and moving from SoCal to Ohio has been bloody weird, y’all. Do those things have aught to do with each other? Feels like they do, heh.

  81. 81.

    Gemina13

    Longtime lurker, somewhat lapsed.  Hello, everybody – hope your Sunday’s going well.

  84. 84.

    EntroPi

    The last time I commented was (I think) when our dog was diagnosed with Addison’s on New Years.
    After that night on an IV in the hospital , and getting her first shot and pills, she was right back to her old self.
    As long as we get her monthly bloodwork and shot, and the prednisone every morning she should be fine.  She is now a very expensive dog.  ;)

    Biggest issue, besides this being the first Addison’s our vet has ever seen, is that if the prednisone is too high, she loses bladder control when she falls asleep. We are lucky to have a large washing machine, and now have a collection of waterproof blankets.

  87. 87.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Tony Jay:

    Been a rubbish day for sports

    Sure as hell has, now back to lurking on the thread about lurkers who all they do is lurk.

  89. 89.

    WaterGirl

    @EntroPi: I think I remember that.  Pretty sure we were all pretty encouraging after our respective experience with dogs with Addison’s disease.  Am I remembering that correctly?

    I’ll see your expensive pup and raise you one Henry.  I feel you. :-)

  91. 91.

    Miki

    @EntroPi: Glad to hear your dog is doing well. My Tucker (rescue standard poodle) had his Addison’s crash when he was 1. It took some time, but we eventually got his meds dosing perfect – a tiny bit of pred every morning, and a low dose of the shot (I bought at cost + 10%, and administered at home). We did blood work for sodium and potassium every month for about six months, then only at his annual exams once he was well managed. He lived until age 12 without any issues with his Addison’s (cancer finally took him).

  93. 93.

    EntroPi

    @Miki: my sister researches dog genetics (although primarily possible links to personality and behaviour), and noted the irony that a good part of the reason to get a Goldendoodle is to avoid the genetic issues retrievers often have.
    We got lucky.
    I’m sorry for your loss, but glad to hear about the good long life.

  96. 96.

    Dman

    Hi all, do not comment much at all but the site is a daily read.

     

    On another note, anyone seen Goku lately? I remember when they first dipped their toes into commenting but haven’t seen in awhile

  97. 97.

    azlib

    I do not post a lot, but I read you folks every day. Things are getting interesting here in AZ as you all know.

  99. 99.

    LightCastle

    Heya.

     

    I may have come out on one of these threads years ago. Been reading on and off for quite some time.

  100. 100.

    frosty

    @Dman: I haven’t seen Goku in a month or so at least? I miss his comments and non-geriatric perspective. Hope he’s OK.

  104. 104.

    Pennsylvanian

    I read daily and comment occasionally, but this blog is a sanity lifeline. Real discussion, real lives and making a real difference. Plus ya’ll are hilarious, even when there is pie in the air. And there is fairly good grammar and punctuation on the whole. I’m anal that way.

    And animals. And cooking. And canning. For me this is a top 2 blog, so there’s that.

    Thanks to all, welcome lurkers and tip your servers!

  105. 105.

    vertalio

    Oh, he**, why not. Long time, first time.

    I read you every day, among few others, and have to thank you for updates on so many things…the Covid page has been essential reading,, now Ukraine, too, Cole’s missives from deep ‘Murrica; all of it. A bastion of sanity, y’all are.

    Now let’s kick The Former Guy to the curb, for good.

  106. 106.

    Pennsylvanian

    @vertalio: I’m usually the one with the last comment after everyone moved on to a new thread, so here to say welcome! I saw a commenter above who said they came through to Mother Jone-Kevin Drum- BJ pipeline. Mine was probably a Kevin Drum-DKos-BJ admiration society back when we used to agree to disagree.

    Welcome!

  107. 107.

    KateP

    Lurker for a long time, comment occasionally. I love the commentary here and all of the pet posts. I feel like my people are here.

  110. 110.

    WaterGirl

    @Pennsylvanian: I even come back the next day in case there are some comments even after I think the thread is dead.

    That way lurkers can get those comments approved, so if / when they are moved to make a comment in another thread, it will show up right away.

  113. 113.

    seefleur

    Been lurking for years -still doing a small monthly donation to keep Cole in mustard. But lately have not jumped into the fray due to losing one parent to dementia and having the other parent go dementia-ballistic (in pre-retirement life they were a gerontologist, and now the  most common complaint – aside from accusing their kids of stealing from them – is that they had NO IDEA how awful getting old would be). As such, haven’t commented much, but definitely try to catch up on at least a weekly basis with all the info and shenanigans and malarky that happen on this site. Bless you all for helping to keep me relatively sane – and for all the weird shit that I learn from you all!!

  114. 114.

    WaterGirl

    @seefleur: Oh, yikes.  That sounds rough.  It’s hard to lose a parent, but you are kind of losing two.  I’m sure the irony is lost on  the former gerontologist.

    Nice to see you here.  You could post the occasional comment, if only so people could see your nym and say how nice it is to see you.  It’s a nice reminder that you are missed and appreciated.

  117. 117.

    seefleur

    @WaterGirl: Thank you! Just knowing that the BJ jackals roam free and remain vocal makes things better! You all (even to some extent Little Boots) have been part of my background music of life for may years – and I hope that continues for many more!

    Also, when the orange menace is reduced to either prison or being off this mortal plain, perhaps regional meetups could take place in order to celebrate? I have a bottle of very nice champagne set aside for such an event.

  118. 118.

    Gemina13

    @WaterGirl: Thank you!  It’s a pleasure.  :)

    Have to admit, life has been a bitch lately.  New job, cyberattack catastrophes, massive amounts of overtime, and now my SO is possibly facing the loss of his job due to a corporate buyout.  Heigh-ho, fun times.  ::rolls eyes::

    As a former inhabitant of Hell’s Half-Acre, aka Phoenix, AZ, I’ve been reading Cole’s missives from Tempe with interest.  I don’t miss it and never will, but occasionally Cole has written something that makes me laugh or smile and think, “I remember that so well . . .”

  119. 119.

    Pennsylvanian

    @zhena gogolia: High praise! Thank you.

    I speak the truth. Just the sliver of lurkers here who find the same touchstone as I do for sanity, humanity and hilarity, gives me hope. And that is something from someone who has come to believe that no matter how bad things are, they can always get worse.

    Thank you, jackals!

  120. 120.

    baquist

    HI!

    I’ve had a few comments posted, but multiple times a day lurker here.  I adore this site and people!

  121. 121.

    Kingomars

    Im a wallflower IRL as well as online. Ive been reading BJ. for many years and have never commented before but would like to chime in at some time.

Comments are closed.