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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

It’s all just conspiracy shit beamed down from the mothership.

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

The real work of an opposition party is to oppose.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

Republicans do not trust women.

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

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

Celebrate the fucking wins.

Washington Post Catch and Kill, not noticeably better than the Enquirer’s.

Trump should be leading, not lying.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

With all due respect and assumptions of good faith, please fuck off into the sun.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

Giving up is unforgivable.

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

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You are here: Home / John Cole Presents "This Fucking Old House" / Sunday Night Open Thread

Sunday Night Open Thread

by John Cole|  September 1, 20249:06 pm| 97 Comments

This post is in: John Cole Presents "This Fucking Old House"

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Another long day- five hours on the tractor cutting fields, then I went home and showered, hopped in the grocery getter and traveled across four counties delivering boxes of signs and stuff to various county HQ’s and contacts. I am pooped.

Rosie is doing fine, still hiding and not happy about things, but we are getting there.

I wish I had more to say but I am too tired. Happy Labor Day tomorrow if I forget.

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Reader Interactions

97Comments

  1. 1.

    Ben Cisco

    September 1, 2024 at 9:09 pm

    Rest well, friend Cole. Enjoy your downtime.

  2. 2.

    Suzanne

    September 1, 2024 at 9:14 pm

    Glad to hear Rosie is okay!

    I went to Fleet Feet and they scanned my goofy-ass feet. Ordered some new shoes. The saleswoman was lovely and incredibly helpful, but when she recommended that I replace my shoes every 300 miles, I did laugh out loud.

  3. 3.

    BR

    September 1, 2024 at 9:16 pm

    To support Gen Z / Millennial candidates, who may be best positioned to turn out younger voters, I made an ActBlue fundraiser after going through the hundreds and hundreds of candidates for state senate and house/assembly, running in the 7 main swing states.

    Here’s the fundraiser and the list:

    https://secure.actblue.com/donate/youngswingdemcandidates

    I’d really like everyone’s feedback — if you know of a candidate that isn’t on here, let me know. If there’s someone who shouldn’t be on the list, let me know.

  4. 4.

    CatRadio

    September 1, 2024 at 9:22 pm

    Long time lurker, blue moon commentator. Just stopping by to thank everyone who is stepping in and stepping up. No hyperbole to say democracy is on the line. I’m in a deep red part of Florida, but I will do what I can to help come October. Carry on!

  5. 5.

    Yarrow

    September 1, 2024 at 9:29 pm

    @Suzanne:  Yay! Glad it worked out for you. If you like the shoes buy a second pair. Then in six months to a year start looking online for them on clearance and buy a couple more. Then you’ll be set for awhile.

    Replacing them every 300 miles. Ha. Does anyone who isn’t either a professional runner or who has a shoe sponsorship deal do that?

  6. 6.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    September 1, 2024 at 9:30 pm

    @CatRadio:

    Thanks for saying something.  Yeah, it sucks to live in blood red areas of a state.  Hang in there.

  7. 7.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    September 1, 2024 at 9:35 pm

    @Yarrow:

    Every store like Fleet Feet will say that “every 300 mile” routine.  I ran ultras with a couple of world-class guys back in St Louis and even they didn’t do that.

    So much depends on the shoe.  500 miles is decent enough but dumbass ultra runners like me push them until our feet tell us “please swap out shoes”, which if they’re good, can be 750-1000 miles.  But I always run a couple of hundred miles more than I should on shoes.

    I could get away with that as little as 3 years ago but now as I age, my feet aren’t nearly as forgiving, meaning the plantar fasciitis flares up and refuses to go away as fast after switching to new shoes.

  8. 8.

    rikyrah

    September 1, 2024 at 9:37 pm

    You continue to be good people, Cole.🤗🤗🤗

  9. 9.

    Devove

    September 1, 2024 at 9:38 pm

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GWZ25AaWwAAFuHv?format=jpg&name=900×900

    hope this is real.  Harris 52%.  Trump 46%

  10. 10.

    Suzanne

    September 1, 2024 at 9:41 pm

    @Yarrow: I think I wore the last pair for probably close to 2000 miles. Had worn the sole away entirely in spots and was about a third of the way through the foamy part. What can I say, I’m frugal.

    I buy the socks at Costco.

  11. 11.

    Suzanne

    September 1, 2024 at 9:45 pm

    Also…… my left foot is flatter than my right? WTF?!

  12. 12.

    Jeffro

    September 1, 2024 at 9:52 pm

    @Suzanne: well…stop standing mostly on that left foot when you’re standing around then, Suzanne!  You’re just flattening it worse, probably.   ;)

    (j/k I have no idea what does that, or what any of this might be about)

    Good day here and good week ahead it looks like…let’s just have MORE RAIN in Central VA plz folks!

  13. 13.

    Jackie

    September 1, 2024 at 9:55 pm

    @Suzanne:

    but when she recommended that I replace my shoes every 300 miles

    Can’t you just rotate them? 🤔

  14. 14.

    Prescott Cactus

    September 1, 2024 at 9:59 pm

    300 miles . . . Every 5 or 6 years doesn’t sound outrageous.

  15. 15.

    Another Scott

    September 1, 2024 at 10:03 pm

    @BR: It’s a good idea.  Thanks for putting it together.

    67 recipients is a lot, and I’m sure there are many more out there who can use every dollar of support they can get.  But some candidates send out thank-you letters or post cards for every donation they receive, and it might be a wash or even cost them money if they get a net $1 donation from such a list.  :-/  I don’t know the solution, other than encouraging such candidates to use e-mail instead!  :-)

    Thanks again.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  16. 16.

    Eolirin

    September 1, 2024 at 10:03 pm

    @Devove: I want us to be up by 10. I want us to win Florida and put Texas close enough to knock out Cruz.

    But I don’t think I’m going to get what I want.

  17. 17.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    September 1, 2024 at 10:05 pm

    @Prescott Cactus:

    Heh heh, my 7-week training profile for a 50K is around 320 miles.

    Which is nothing.  Molly Siedel, the American woman who won the bronze in 2021 Olympics, would run 120 miles a *week*.  Decades ago when I was training at a much higher level, I’d run 72 miles a week.  All you do is run, eat, sleep…and talk about running when you’re awake.

    I’ve seen 3 marriages  break up because one partner got bit by the ultra bug.  Or running 8-12 marathons in a year.

  18. 18.

    sdhays

    September 1, 2024 at 10:05 pm

    @Prescott Cactus: Suzanne has mentioned running several miles every day, so 300 miles might not get her much past one month.

    ETA: Maybe not even a month.

  19. 19.

    Ohio Mom

    September 1, 2024 at 10:13 pm

    @Suzanne: There is a Fleet Feet in my neighborhood where I buy running shoes to walk in — I don’t run but also have wonky feet and like the extra support and cushioning.

    All the sales people are friendly and helpful and knowledgible and I always come out with something that works for my size 5 feet. But the constant attempts to upsell me are annoying.

  20. 20.

    Suzanne

    September 1, 2024 at 10:14 pm

    @sdhays: 300 miles is about 2 months for me at the moment. There is no way I can afford to replace shoes that often. Shit’s expensive, yo!

    But I have really noticed some discomfort in the top of both feet in the last week, so it is time.

  21. 21.

    BR

    September 1, 2024 at 10:15 pm

    @Another Scott: ​

    Good point — I guess folks can customize the amounts they send to target the swing states they’re most interested in? I do hope campaigns no longer send physical postcards as thank you notes, because like you say that’s pretty wasteful.

  22. 22.

    cat radio

    September 1, 2024 at 10:16 pm

    @comrade scotts agenda of rage: Proud to do so (on the sly). Look forward to being loud and proud!!!!

  23. 23.

    zhena gogolia

    September 1, 2024 at 10:17 pm

    @comrade scotts agenda of rage: I think it was a joke.

  24. 24.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    September 1, 2024 at 10:18 pm

    @zhena gogolia:

    I actually did pick up on that. ;)

  25. 25.

    Yarrow

    September 1, 2024 at 10:19 pm

    @comrade scotts agenda of rage:  I also struggled with plantar fasciitis. In case my experience might be helpful, here it is. I did all the things usually advised – stretched, got fitted orthotics, had an injection, never went barefoot, wore special shoes, etc. Wouldn’t go away. Then I had a change of life circumstance and stopped stretching for a bit. It went away. Got back to stretching and boom it was back. Overstretching made it worse for me.

    Several years later I had an injury and had a fascia manipulation treatment. I got to know the practitioner and mentioned my plantar fasciitis to him. He said in his experience it’s very often a messed up calf that causes it. As part of my treatment he worked on my calf. In between treatments I did foam rolling and specific stretches. My plantar fasciitis has not come back. If I feel it twinge a bit I focus on foam rolling my calf muscles and that takes care of it.

    May not work for everyone but it sure did for me. I wasted a lot of money and time on my foot when my calf was the problem all along.

  26. 26.

    Suzanne

    September 1, 2024 at 10:19 pm

    @BR: OMG direct mail makes me crazy. I struggle to imagine that it works at all. The amount of wasted paper, wasted gas, wasted human power…… it makes me bonkers to think about it. And when I get any, it goes directly into the recycling.

  27. 27.

    BR

    September 1, 2024 at 10:21 pm

    @Suzanne:

    I *think* campaigns have moved on from direct mail, but I don’t know. I’m in California but I’ve donated to house candidates in swing states and haven’t received any mail.

  28. 28.

    CaseyL

    September 1, 2024 at 10:21 pm

    Today I finally heard back from the Feline Hyperthyroid Treatment Center! They’re ready to schedule Oscar for his I-131 treatment.

    The problem is, my car is in limbo at the moment (fender bender). I have a car I can use, but it belongs to a friend and I don’t want to drive it all the way to Tacoma, where the main treatment center is. Happily, Oscar can be treated at the Shoreline center, which is considerably closer to where I live, and I feel okay driving the borrowed car that far.

    So I need to take the old boy in for updated lab work, and then in early October he gets his thyroid zapped. And he has to stay at the center for a few days – not to recover, because the procedure is a simple one, but because he’ll be radioactive for a while. This tickles my sense of the absurd.

  29. 29.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    September 1, 2024 at 10:22 pm

    @Yarrow:

    Thanks for the story.

    I’ve typically never stretched, thus, that’s the first thing I’ve been doing lately but even then, I’m the poster child for Not Overstretching, so I don’t think it’s that.

    But the calf angle is interesting because I have chronic cramping in those.  Could you share a link or describe the foam rolling on your calves and the specific stretches?  I can give that a shot with no danger of over stretching. ;)

  30. 30.

    BR

    September 1, 2024 at 10:22 pm

    @Another Scott: ​

    Ok, not sure I can afford it but I just donated $20 to each of the young candidates on my list. I welcome any matches :)

  31. 31.

    Ohio Mom

    September 1, 2024 at 10:26 pm

    It’s been a tough couple of weeks for me. An old friend died of a stroke after having a series of small ones over the past few years. She was only 68. We hadn’t been especially close in recent years but in ways were like family, we’d shared so much history.

    Another friend, one who was close to the two of us, the friend who would understand the most what this death means to me — we were all in the same crowd in our twenties — has had some cognitive decline and it’s taken a big dive in the last few months. As in, I’m pretty sure she’s already forgotten about the other one’s death.

    I think I need a root canal and the brace the PT gave me for my carpel tunnel-like symptoms is only working part-way.

    Oh well. Things could be better but I’m well aware they could be worse.

  32. 32.

    Suzanne

    September 1, 2024 at 10:27 pm

    @Yarrow: Stretching is my absolute favorite physical activity. I don’t get “runner’s high”, but I swear stretching releases….. some happy chemical. I’m soooooo close to my middle split!

  33. 33.

    Suzanne

    September 1, 2024 at 10:30 pm

    @Ohio Mom: Oh man, I’m sorry.

  34. 34.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    September 1, 2024 at 10:31 pm

    @CaseyL:

    Good thoughts for Oscar!  We’ve had 2 cats get the thyroid treatment over the years to include our current, old kitteh.

    Unlike so many over-the-top (and horribly expensive) treatments that vets “offer”, this one typically achieves the desired, long-term results.

    Give Oscar (we had an Oscar decades ago) scritcheeez for me!

    @Ohio Mom:
    So sorry to hear that. I’m not sure what’s worse, having somebody go suddenly or watch a decline. Oh wait, they’re equally bad/sad in different ways. Again, positive waves in your direction.

  35. 35.

    Ohio Mom

    September 1, 2024 at 10:32 pm

    @Suzanne: Thanks. I subscribe to the bad-things-come-in-threes theory. As soon as the dentist confirms the need for a root canal next week, I’m considering that number three and done.

  36. 36.

    KrackenJack

    September 1, 2024 at 10:33 pm

    @BR: ​
     Obviously a lot of work went into this. Are there additional criteria beyond being young? Competitive race and or underfunded?

  37. 37.

    Mousebumples

    September 1, 2024 at 10:33 pm

    @BR: general feedback – could use some WI – SD candidates. Maybe Jodi Habush-Sinykin? Her redrawn district lines are lean blue vs solid red, but I know we’ve supported her before.

    Otherwise, I’d suggest WI-03 (House race) and/or WI-01, if you’re dreaming. (extra hoping for WI-08 since it’s an open seat of a Trumper vs a female ob-gyn, but might be too steep a gerrymander)

    Thanks

    Eta – no idea how old the Dem candidates are in these races, so they may not fit your other criteria. But lots of super up/down ballot potential in Wisconsin this year with new state legislative maps.

  38. 38.

    Marleedog

    September 1, 2024 at 10:35 pm

    @Eolirin:

    But I don’t think I’m going to get what I want.

    But if you try sometimes

    you’ll get what you need.

  39. 39.

    Mousebumples

    September 1, 2024 at 10:35 pm

    @CatRadio: thanks for doing what you can, too! I can’t speak for others, but I don’t react well to hopelessness, so I gotta do something.

  40. 40.

    Suzanne

    September 1, 2024 at 10:35 pm

    @CaseyL: What happened to your kitty?! I must have missed your updates.

    I didn’t even know they could zap a thyroid in a cat. Whoa.

  41. 41.

    eclare

    September 1, 2024 at 10:35 pm

    @CaseyL:

    Why am I suddenly picturing the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man with a kitty head?

    Good luck to you and Oscar!

  42. 42.

    eclare

    September 1, 2024 at 10:38 pm

    @Ohio Mom:

    I am so sorry about your friends, it hurts when your world shrinks out of your control.

  43. 43.

    Chet Murthy

    September 1, 2024 at 10:40 pm

    @BR: Obviously a lot of work went into this list.  I would wonder though: if you had to pick the top -ten- bang-for-the-buck candidates, which would they be? And why?  How about top 15?  top 20?  I ask b/c back in 2018 I donated to basically every swing-state House, Senate, and gubernatorial race in the country.  I think there were, like, 120 swing-state House races, so my contribution was cut many, many ways.  And I don’t know that many of those races were useful targets for my money, b/c, well, I’m certainly not a good judge.  If I had infinite money, I guess it wouldn’t matter, but since I don’t, I worry that I’m wasting my money sending it to some places.  Sarah Gideon comes to mind.

  44. 44.

    Ishiyama

    September 1, 2024 at 10:41 pm

    I see we are talking about running, and shoes therefor. Running has been a life-long thing for me, although I never trained for a race. But it’s essential for maintaining my health, even more so as I age. I belong to the slow and solitary kind. I was wearing Mizuno Waveriders for the past ten years or so, but I got some Asic trainers this time. I had to re-train my right foot because it became misaligned due to wearing my worn-out Waveriders too much.

  45. 45.

    wjca

    September 1, 2024 at 10:41 pm

    @Suzanne: Also…… my left foot is flatter than my right? WTF?!

    The reality is that nobody is entirely symmetrical.  We like to think we are.**  But even without different stresses thru life, it just ain’t so.  The only question is whether your particular asymmetries impact you enough that you notice.

    ** Obscure factoid:  Different culture, different races, all have different ideals of beauty.  (And whatever the male equivalent word is.)  But one thing seems to be universal: everybody values symmetry.  If your features are noticably asymmetric (raises hand), you will never be accounted really good looking.

  46. 46.

    CaseyL

    September 1, 2024 at 10:42 pm

    @Ohio Mom: ​

    That’s a lot of horribleness in a short period of time. My heart goes out to you. (I believe in the “bad things happen in 3s” as well. Makes things interesting when Bad Thing No. 2 happens, and I work myself into a state wondering what the third thing will be.)

    @comrade scotts agenda of rage: ​
    Thank you! They sent the Consent to me just now, and one of the risks they want me to be aware of is heart failure. “This hardly ever happens!” is… probably, hopefully, more reassuring than it sounds.

  47. 47.

    BR

    September 1, 2024 at 10:42 pm

    @KrackenJack:

    Yeah, here’s how I did it:

    1. I went to Ballotpedia, opened all state senate and state house/assembly races in AZ, GA, MI, NC, NV, PA, WI.

    2. I looked at all Dems who had an opponent, and where there was at least some level of competition in the district (so closer than 70/30 or so).

    3. I searched for info on each of those Dem candidates, and tried to figure out how old they are and make sure they are (roughly) Gen Z or Millennial.

    4. For those who were left, I looked to see that they had a campaign website or other signs of an active campaign, just to be sure that they might actually do something with donations.

  48. 48.

    BR

    September 1, 2024 at 10:43 pm

    @Mousebumples:

    Excellent, thanks. I will check them out right now.

  49. 49.

    BR

    September 1, 2024 at 10:45 pm

    @Chet Murthy: ​

    That’s a good question, and honestly I’m not sure I know who among these candidates is the best. I tried to whittle the list down to only those who are in a semi-competitive race and seem to be actively campaigning, but beyond that I don’t really have on-the-ground knowledge of these races.

  50. 50.

    Jacel

    September 1, 2024 at 10:51 pm

    @BR: I recall some decades ago that the Republicans had an established direct mail operation that dwarfed the Democrats of the time (which included 2004, accounting for the disappointment of that year). Perhaps vast DARK MONEY has been routed in to those channels-with-a-past-track-record and they are recklessly spending the hell out of it (and keeping at least their usual cut).

  51. 51.

    karen marie

    September 1, 2024 at 10:55 pm

    @Yarrow: I had that at one point. So painful! I got some bubble shoes (slip-ons) from Amazon that I put on when getting out of bed and first walking around. A couple weeks of that and it went away.

  52. 52.

    Sure Lurkalot

    September 1, 2024 at 10:58 pm

    @Yarrow: My walking buddy has a similar story. She was getting various treatments for plantar fasciitis and Morton’s Neuroma and nothing helped until some therapist deep tissue massaged her calf.

    I’ve started foam rolling this year for various ailments and on the regular. I find it very effective but I still stretch a lot as well. I don’t know if I’ve ever overstretched!?!

  53. 53.

    H.E.Wolf

    September 1, 2024 at 11:02 pm

    @comrade scotts agenda of rage: ​ Could you share a link or describe the foam rolling on your calves and the specific stretches? I can give that a shot with no danger of over stretching. ;)

     NOTE: This comes with a “your mileage may vary” and a “check with your local pro” (fitness person or doctor) advisory.

    Loosening up your calves with a foam roller:
    1. A soft roller is ideal. No pain = much more gain.
    2. Lie on your back with your legs straight(ish) out in front of you, and place the roller under your calves, so that the ends stick out on either side of you.
    3. Bend and straighten your knees a little bit. Your calf muscles will move a few inches back and forth on the roller.
    4. If you want a bit more intensity, cross one ankle over the other.
    5. You can turn your legs a little to the left or right on the roller, to reach the sides of the calf muscle.
    6. Do this on the thickest part of the calf, and also a few inches down (near the base of the calf muscle).
    7. No need to overdo. 6-10 bends at a time is plenty.

  54. 54.

    Jackie

    September 1, 2024 at 11:04 pm

    @CaseyL:

    he’ll be radioactive for a while. This tickles my sense of the absurd.

    About 25 yrs ago my dad had to go to the Seattle VA for radiation seeding in his prostate due to prostate cancer. His gurney had a big radioactive sign on it as he was transported. My dad made sure to tell everyone he “was from Hanford!” The automatic recoiling was hysterically priceless! 😂

    Thanks for bringing back a family joke!😊

    The young grandkiddos and family cats weren’t allowed to sit on his lap for three days afterwards.

  55. 55.

    Yarrow

    September 1, 2024 at 11:09 pm

    @comrade scotts agenda of rage:  Sure. First you need to get a foam roller. They’re available an any sports store and probably even places like WalMart. My gym has them. I prefer the ones that are 3 ft. long. Gives you more rolling space. But shorter ones are okay.

    For doing your calves, I was taught to put one calf over the other one to apply pressure. This page has some instructions and the video of the guy for “inner calf” is pretty much what I’m talking about. Except he isn’t really rolling. I was taught to roll up and down on the calf to smooth out the muscle. And you can kind of roll around on it. Go on all sides of the calf.

    Of course once you foam roll your calves, then you’ll want to do IT band, quads, hips and glutes, etc. There are good videos and other resources on those.

    For stretching, there’s the basic wall lean (one foot back at a time). The other specific one was also against the wall but stand a bit closer, one foot forward, one back. For the one back, bend the knee and lean into the wall. It stretches lower down the muscle than the basic wall lean. My practitioner discoursed the “drop the heel off the stairs” stretch. Too much danger of overstretching.

    Hope all that makes sense. Let me know if you have questions.

  56. 56.

    Yarrow

    September 1, 2024 at 11:13 pm

    @Ohio Mom: Very sorry for your loss. You can’t make new old friends so losing one is a big hole in your history, even if you weren’t close in recent years.

    I also subscribe to the “things come in threes” theory. I hope your tooth issue is number three and you’re done.

  57. 57.

    Marleedog

    September 1, 2024 at 11:14 pm

    The Wharton’s Stretch Book is an excellent guide. Father and son, physical therapist and competitive runner.  Goes through every part of your body from your fingers to your toes. It is called active isolated stretching.

  58. 58.

    Another Scott

    September 1, 2024 at 11:15 pm

    Meanwhile, …

    Mueller, She Wrote

    @MuellerSheWrote

    3h

    And I’m telling you, the fact that RFK Jr is being forced to be on the NC ballot could make the difference. When he’s on the ballot, it hurts Donald.

    [ replying to:]

    Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦

    @cmclymer

    3h

    Trump can’t win without North Carolina. There are several plausible paths, but he needs North Carolina for all of them. If he loses NC, it’s over. That simple.

    Sep 1, 2024 · 11:35 PM UTC

    Make it so!

    Forward!!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  59. 59.

    normal liberal

    September 1, 2024 at 11:16 pm

    @Ohio Mom: I’m so sorry to hear about the friend you lost, and the one who may no longer remember.
    About the root canal – I unexpectedly found myself having one a couple of years ago, and after hearing horror stories from my father ages ago, I was kind of terrified. It was pricey, but other than that, a complete nothingburger. Kind of weird-usually with dental appointments one can follow the cryptic chat between the dentist and the nurse, but not with this. Plenty of chit-chat, but they might as well have been speaking Martian for all the sense it made. It was also eerily quiet. I did have to get a follow-up course of antibiotics, but that was it.

  60. 60.

    BR

    September 1, 2024 at 11:17 pm

    @Another Scott: ​

    I’ve been of the mind that NC is the key — if we win it, that’s the ballgame. Good that little things like this might help at the margins.

  61. 61.

    Marleedog

    September 1, 2024 at 11:19 pm

    It helps that that the Republican candidate for governor is batshit insane

  62. 62.

    frosty

    September 1, 2024 at 11:20 pm

    @Suzanne: 300 miles? Back in HS running track and X-country, probably 3 miles a day, 100 days, that’s a new pair every semester!!?!??

    Since we ran in Jack Purcells or running shoes that were basically flats, we weren’t wearing out any cushioning in 300 miles. I probably got a new pair every year because my feet were still growing.

  63. 63.

    Another Scott

    September 1, 2024 at 11:20 pm

    @Ohio Mom: I’m very sorry you’re going through all that.  Losing friends is painful.  :-(  Remember the good times.

    And good luck with your chomper.  :-)

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  64. 64.

    Another Scott

    September 1, 2024 at 11:22 pm

    @BR: 👍

    I donated some to your list.  Fingers crossed!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  65. 65.

    lamh47

    September 1, 2024 at 11:27 pm

    Been in NOLA since yesterday evening.  Hanging with my mom and my nephew Noah.

    Mom’s def slower than she was pre-stroke, but it’s more that she refuses to acknowledge that the stroke has made her slower and more easily winded.  So it’s been just alot of me trying to say “mom enough” without being too authoritative about it and gettin her ire up…sigh.

    Otherwise, I’ve been binge-watching S1-S3 of Only Murders In The Building.  Why da heck has no one told me how damn good and addictive this show is/was (just kidding, I decided to watch it cause so many people said it was a great show).

    Now I’ve got to decide if I’m gonna wait to binge the entire S4 or watch it week to week.  Who am I kidding…I’ll wait for the binge.  It’s def a great show, but def not something I NEED to watch weekly.  Good news is no worries about any spoilers on the socials.

  66. 66.

    HumboldtBlue

    September 1, 2024 at 11:27 pm

    Gold Star widow and Marine veteran Kait Wyatt calls out Donald Trump’s “inappropriate” photo op at Arlington National Cemetery this week, which occurred four years after Trump pulled off a similar stunt near her husband’s grave. “Arlington National Cemetery is a visible reminder of the dead who made this country possible… It shouldn’t have to be explained that this is not an opportunity for a photo op,” she tells Velshi. She also calls out Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, a former marine, for not standing up to Trump. “I’m demanding accountability from Corporal Vance on how this egregious trespassing on sacred ground, how it can be worth your integrity to work for a man like that.”

  67. 67.

    BR

    September 1, 2024 at 11:30 pm

    @Another Scott:

    Great! I will keep digging around for candidates to add…

  68. 68.

    eclare

    September 1, 2024 at 11:36 pm

    @lamh47:

    I’m waiting to binge season four of OMITB!  My thoughts on the seasons:  season one was very good, season two was just good (the plot went in too many directions), and season three was wow!  Who knew Paul Rudd was so talented?

  69. 69.

    prostratedragon

    September 1, 2024 at 11:41 pm

    From WETA in 2014, “The Story of Arlington National Cemetery”

    That man is abominable.

  70. 70.

    Jackie

    September 1, 2024 at 11:52 pm

    I swear Margaret Sullivan is a BJ lurker!

    Margaret Sullivan skewers the New York Times saying “its politics coverage often seems broken and clueless — or even blatantly pro-Trump. There’s so much of this false-balance nonsense in the Times that there’s a Twitter (X) account devoted to mocking it, called New York Times Pitchbot.”

    “Sometimes, sadly, it’s hard to tell the difference between the satire and the reality.”

    The actual link when clicked is titled: 

    “An ugly case of ‘false balance’ in the New York Times”

  71. 71.

    lamh47

    September 1, 2024 at 11:52 pm

    @eclare: Right!

    S1 NL was a standout revelation.  S2 I did enjoy, but S3 with MS and PR…OMG…legendary!!

  72. 72.

    HumboldtBlue

    September 2, 2024 at 12:01 am

    Just because it’s tonight… Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly

    Phils take three of four from the Cobb County Crackers, weekend filled with sport. I could have awoken at 430 am Saturday morning to watch the Premier League and then watched college football, US Open, and baseball until midnight. Did seven to midnight instead.

  73. 73.

    West of the Rockies

    September 2, 2024 at 12:02 am

    @Suzanne:

    I buy Merrill trail running shoes.  They’re pretty sturdy, but maybe I’m recommending a mountain bike for people who like road racing. (I’m a casual trail runner.)

  74. 74.

    lamh47

    September 2, 2024 at 12:02 am

    @eclare: UGH!!!!

    And I just literally watched the finale of S3!!!  Now I’m like DAMNIT!!! I gotta way another 2 monthe before my binge!!!!

    NOOOOOO!!!

  75. 75.

    West of the Rockies

    September 2, 2024 at 12:09 am

    @lamh47:

    Have you watched Poker Face? Only one season so far, but it was fun.

  76. 76.

    Jean

    September 2, 2024 at 12:11 am

    @Yarrow: Yes, it’s the calf!  When I was in PT for something else, my therapists recommended seeing a massage therapist that most everyone at the gym saw.  He is great and did say that plantar fasciitis is caused in the calf, and that’s where the therapy is done.  In my case, it was gone in two treatments.

  77. 77.

    Poe Larity

    September 2, 2024 at 12:16 am

    Apparently modern snooty chocolates are Heavy Metal laden. I was on a plane this summer and a nice demon in the demon tube offered me a chocolate, explained all that, but said this chocolate was fully unleaded. I don’t remember the brand name.

    Anyone know a chocolate that won’t kill me? Thx.

  78. 78.

    Chet Murthy

    September 2, 2024 at 12:20 am

    @Poe Larity: Intriguing and troubling.  I read a bit and it seems that the cacao plant naturally uptakes cadmium.  But why is cacao grown on land contaminated with lead&cadmium?  It seems like one might grow the beans on land that’s safe ?  Don’t understand.

  79. 79.

    Soprano2

    September 2, 2024 at 12:29 am

    @comrade scotts agenda of rage: I had plantar fascitis in 2019. The only thing I did religiously was wear braces on my feet when I slept. I got a good pair of braces, and it took around a year, but I got rid of it and it hasn’t come back. I also heard that it could be a calf problem, but I was never disciplined enough to stretch or roll them enough to fix it. I never had injections, though.

  80. 80.

    Ohio Mom

    September 2, 2024 at 12:33 am

    @Chet Murthy:
    from Google: Cadmium is naturally present in soil due to volcanic activity, forest fires, and weathering of rocks, and cacao trees absorb it through their roots. This means that chocolate can contain cadmium even before any farming or manufacturing processes take place…
    …Cacao trees are bio-accumulators, meaning they absorb more from the soil than some other plants.

    Thanks everyone for the sympathetic and encouraging words. It helped and will continue to help as I think back on your words of wisdom.

  81. 81.

    JanieM

    September 2, 2024 at 12:41 am

    @Poe Larity:

    Summary of testing for heavy metals.

    While we’re at it (and speaking as a lover of chocolate), slave-free chocolate.

  82. 82.

    HumboldtBlue

    September 2, 2024 at 12:47 am

    Seeing as though it’s a Sunday night dance party, let’s bring the Chuck Taylor’s into view, Madam Vice President may be Oakland, but her shoes scream Philly.

    Maze: Featuring Frankie Beverly. Back in Stride Again.

  83. 83.

    2liberal

    September 2, 2024 at 1:02 am

    Cole: is running that tractor your summer job?

  84. 84.

    rikyrah

    September 2, 2024 at 1:47 am

    @lamh47:

    Glad that you got to spend time with your mother this weekend🤗

  85. 85.

    rikyrah

    September 2, 2024 at 1:47 am

     

    Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) posted at 7:28 PM on Sun, Sep 01, 2024:
    In 2012, ABC News had Obama up one over Romney at this same point in election cycle.  Today Harris is up six in ABC News poll.
    (https://x.com/matthewjdowd/status/1830402445580632427?s=02)

  86. 86.

    rikyrah

    September 2, 2024 at 1:50 am

     

    The Uncultured Black (@camarawilliams) posted at 6:27 PM on Sun, Sep 01, 2024:
    I want Black people to repeat after me….We already have “Hate Crime” Bills

    1. The 1968 Civil Rights Act

    2. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of (2009)

    3. Emmett Till Antilynching Act (2022)

    All of these bills were written by Democrats.
    (https://x.com/camarawilliams/status/1830386908221837783?s=02)

  87. 87.

    rikyrah

    September 2, 2024 at 1:50 am

     

    The Uncultured Black (@camarawilliams) posted at 9:06 PM on Wed, Aug 28, 2024:
    Black barbershop political repellent spray.
    1. Are you registered to vote?
    2. Who’s your state rep?
    3. Who’s your state senator?
    4. Who’s your county and/or city commissioner?
    5. Who’s your Congress person?

    Answer these 5 Q’s and then we can discuss Kamala polices.
    (https://x.com/camarawilliams/status/1828977588003320007?t=AcKXI_rH_XHxp8psLbxIUg&s=03)

  88. 88.

    rikyrah

    September 2, 2024 at 1:52 am

     

    Drew Comments (@sjs856) posted at 5:04 PM on Sun, Sep 01, 2024:
    There’s no such thing as an Anti-Asian Hate Crimes bill. Black people, please stop. People laughin at you when you say that. The Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act is for ANYBODY who is a victim of a hate crime because of Covid-19 or related matter (PPE, vax status etc), not just Asians.
    (https://x.com/sjs856/status/1830366227824595391?s=02)

  89. 89.

    frosty

    September 2, 2024 at 2:30 am

    @lamh47: ​I watched season 1 then dropped it but now that I’ve seen all the guest stars I’ll have to get back. I’m with you, wait for the season to end and binge it.

    This season: Eugene Levy! I loved Schitt’s Creek. He’s bringing me back to Only Murders.

  90. 90.

    KrackenJack

    September 2, 2024 at 2:39 am

    @BR: Thanks. That’s a solid methodology. It’s especially difficult given the limited info on low-profile races.

  91. 91.

    R-Jud

    September 2, 2024 at 3:36 am

    @Suzanne: ​
      I replace my running shoes every six months because I’m paranoid about wearing down the tread – I once twisted the shit out of my knee running on worn-smooth shoes on a wet day.

    Plus, I’m 5’10” and generally between 160-170 lbs, so my shoes wear out quite quickly when I’m doing my usual 35-40 miles per week.

    I’m just coming back after a month off due to COVID, though, so happy to get 15+ miles per week at the moment.

  92. 92.

    Barry

    September 2, 2024 at 6:52 am

    @comrade scotts agenda of rage: “I could get away with that as little as 3 years ago but now as I age, my feet aren’t nearly as forgiving, meaning the plantar fasciitis flares up and refuses to go away as fast after switching to new shoes.”

     

    Would each par of shoes give you more miles if you had  two pair and rotated them daily?

  93. 93.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    September 2, 2024 at 7:27 am

    @H.E.Wolf:

    Thank you!  I have an Amazon “high density foam roller” which is hard which I bought for something else several years back.  Might start with that although soft roller sounds better.

    Now looking at videos.  You’d think after all these years of running at the level I do, I’d know more about this…but I’ve been lucky in not having to know more about this…until lately.

  94. 94.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    September 2, 2024 at 7:29 am

    @Yarrow:

    Thank you as well!  Between you and HE Wolf, I’ve got enough to go on.

  95. 95.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    September 2, 2024 at 7:34 am

    @Barry:

    Would each par of shoes give you more miles if you had two pair and rotated them daily?

    Yeah they would.  I’ve done the two-pair-rotation approach during training cycles when I’d be running 60-70 miles per week but didn’t feel the need during those times when I’m just running my base mileage.

  96. 96.

    MomSense

    September 2, 2024 at 8:00 am

    @Suzanne:

    When I was dancing my pointe shoes lasted one week of classes or one performance.  Then you can sort of use the too soft shoes to build up strength but you have to be careful. There is also the reality that foot health is not a factor.  Being on your toes is never good for your feet.

  97. 97.

    CaseyL

    September 2, 2024 at 12:11 pm

    @Suzanne: This is a dead thread, so you probably won’t see my reply, but I’ll try anyway:

    Nothing happened to Oscar except age (he’s 16).  He developed hyperthyroidism – an overactive thyroid, due to a tumor – which is not unusual in older cats.

    The prescribed medication hasn’t brought his thyroid levels down enough, so the next step is to zap the thyroid with a radioactive isotope I-131. It’s supposed to kill any abnormal tissue and leave normal thyroid tissue alone.

    Depending on how much normal thyroid remains, Oscar might develop hypothyroidism, which is the opposite of hyperthyroidism:  not enough thyroid enzyme.  He need a different medication to being his thyroid levels UP.

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