Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“Perhaps I should have considered other options.” (head-desk)

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

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

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

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

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

I swear, each month of 2025 will have its own history degree.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

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

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

The only way through is to slog through the muck one step at at time.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

“But what about the lurkers?”

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

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

Peak wingnut was a lie.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

You are here: Home / Climate Change / How about that weather? / Wednesday Evening Open Thread: Category Three Is Quite Bad Enough

Wednesday Evening Open Thread: Category Three Is Quite Bad Enough

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114Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    The @WhiteHouse is launching a Reddit account. The goal: keeping the public informed on Hurricane Helen/Milton response, recovery & preparedness.

     

    They will also be sharing info on state-based sub-Reddits, & larger sub-Reddits like r/politics, where they can correct misinfo

    uh oh.

    Servers at Russian troll farms are going to overheat.

  3. 3.

    bbleh

    OMG is that cat pic fer realz?  That is … too perfect.  (“Must … not … make … purr joke …”)

  6. 6.

    rikyrah

    Once upon a time, that Reddit account would have been a Twitter account.

    But, since Apartheid Clyde bought it, it has gone to crap and can’t be trusted.

  9. 9.

    Gloria DryGarden

    Thanks for these links; I keep checking on any news about Milton. Absolutely fabulous that the White House has set up a communication Reddit to clarify what’s going on, and what is false. I have no experience with reddit, but I’ll have to learn.

  11. 11.

    TBone

    In other feel-good news, Charlie Kirk is freaking out over the lack of enthusiasm among conservative Christians about voting in the upcoming election: “I hope they enjoy the gulags.”

    I hope his disproportionate face head explodes when we win.  Not linking, it’s on threads Right Wing Watch.

  12. 12.

    Hungry Joe

    The Padres are going to finish off the Dodgers tonight — and I’ll be there: Some friends are season-ticket holders, and they snagged a playoff-game ticket for me. No idea where the seats are, but look for guy in wearing a Padres hat. I’ll wave.

  13. 13.

    Baud

    @TBone:

    Nice to hear about them freaking out for a change.

    Liberal gulags are actually pretty nice. You get free health care.

  14. 14.

    suzanne

    My fam got out of Sarasota, THX FSM!

    Currently sitting in the international terminal at JFK, waiting to board. Already mailed in my ballot!

  17. 17.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @Gloria DryGarden: It’s not as good as a potential storm surge at well-constructed hurricane -proof Mara Lago palace…

    But just in case, I do hope he’s taken his remaining boxes of documents  out from that locked closet they didn’t search (wtf, and it still sticks in my brain like a mental splinter) and that he’s put them higher up, I mean on the second or third floor. (Not higher up to the folks he aspires to impress)

  18. 18.

    Chet Murthy

    @suzanne: maybe you’re satisfied with taco trucks.  I’m still holding out for the fully automated luxury gay space communism.

  20. 20.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @TBone: they can stay home. Good. Thoughts and prayers.

    I truly would love them not to vote. Admit defeat in advance. (Surrender Dorothy)

  21. 21.

    dmsilev

    @TBone: FEMA had to cut the reeducation camp budget. It’s down to day camp with arts and crafts and the occasional field trip.

  22. 22.

    Jackie

    @Hungry Joe:

    No idea where the seats are, but look for guy in wearing a Padres hat. I’ll wave.

    Don’t forget your green balloon! And…. GO PADRES!!!

  31. 31.

    MagdaInBlack

    Listening Hal Sparks listen to Vance weasel word a total non-answer to a question about high capacity weapons as Hal calls him a total tit for his bs.  How Vance can use so many words to say absolutely nothing is just stunning sometimes.

  33. 33.

    Jackie

    I absolutely LOVED Biden’s ripping into TCFG and MTG for spewing atrocities regarding Hurricanes Helene and Milton! He’s the NFLTOG POTUS!♥️

    Anyone know if FAUX covered it?🤞🏻

  35. 35.

    Ken

    @HumboldtBlue: “Weaving,” huh? I suppose Trump doesn’t call it “sundowning” because he’s white and those laws don’t apply to him, and “decompensation” because he gets the biggest compensation package ever.

  39. 39.

    BR

    Podcast Hosts Laugh in Trump’s Face as He Struggles to Defend Rambling

    Donald Trump absolutely flailed during an appearance on a podcast where the hosts openly mocked the former president for his bullshit answers.

    During an hour-and-a-half-long interview on Flagrant, a comedy podcast hosted by stand-up comedians Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh, Trump spoke so incoherently that the hosts started to laugh at the Republican presidential nominee.

    https://newrepublic.com/post/186982/donald-trump-struggles-defend-rambling-podcast

  40. 40.

    Gloria DryGarden

    FSM: looked it up

    Field service management

    Flying spaghetti monster

    Finite state machine ( a math concept thingy, who knew? Some potential here, to play with words and the concept, find some metaphors and layers of meaning)

    Female seeks male

    First two are almost the same thing, no?

    I’m in a silly state, up all night, sleep all day, it’s been weeks, months, and I keep trying to reset to normal hours, but it hasn’t worked yet. The acupuncturist tells me that early morning late night time is the time of grief/ lungs, which makes sense.

    I wake up groggy. And anxious about the hurricane.

  41. 41.

    Geminid

    @TBone: I thought Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point outfit had a GOTV operation. He should be talking about turning out Evangelicals instead of badmouthing them.

    But I suspect Kirk’s running a GATM effort, as in Grab All The Money.

  42. 42.

    TBone

    @suzanne: it’s terrible in central PA too.  Our town taco truck folded up shop and hasn’t been back 😭

    When I first discovered them here every Tuesday in a parking lot a few years ago, I danced around and hollered with joy, causing mirth to spread out into passing traffic.

    No, Baud, that wasn’t the reason they left 😆

  46. 46.

    TBone

    @Geminid: I didn’t see the rest of his show or podcast or whateverthefuck it is he thinks he’s doing, so possibly he returned to his senses and stopped threatening his people.  And then his pig sprouted wings and flew away 😆

    GATM it is!

  47. 47.

    suzanne

    @TBone: Having spent so many years in Phoenix and Tucson, I got so spoiled by having easy access to almost every kind of Mexican food I wanted.

  48. 48.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @suzanne: Can I have my yurt/ hippy garden/ fire circle drumming and storytelling hang out place? We can be next to the abortion clinic, some of us older Ladies are healers and herbalists, happy to help.

  49. 49.

    TBone

    @Baud: hubby’s Medicare continuously puts my (admittedly also free) ACA insurance plan to shame!

    You are correct, sir!

  50. 50.

    A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)

    @Jackie: My husband is a Padres fan (grew up in SD) and I heard all about the epic game on Sunday, and the triumph last night. Go Padres!

  52. 52.

    mrmoshpotato

    @BR: Did they also ask “What the fuck is wrong with you, you incoherent, stupid, racist, fascist shitatain?”

  53. 53.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @TBone: If you can make to Pittsburgh, the #Calgorithm convoy of taco trucks is on its way for Saturday’s game against Pitt. However, as mandated by the People’s Republic of Berzerkely only vegan tofu tacos will be available.

  55. 55.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @Baud: i surmised as much. I’m happy to read about alternative religion and imagined deities. Very pleasing.

  58. 58.

    TBone

    @suzanne: we had Kennett Square – not merely the Mushroom Capitol of the World, it also sports all the best authentic Mexican food!  I dearly, dearly miss it.

  59. 59.

    Chet Murthy

    @Gloria DryGarden: I don’t know what that Wikipedia page says, but the FSM is the Deity of Atheists.  His Paraphernalia is a colander, IIUC preferably metal not plastic, to be worn at all times, esp. for DMV photos.

    ETA: and I must demur.  He is exactly as imagined as the Great Sky Father.

  60. 60.

    Mousebumples

    I’ve finished writing the messaging on my 300 Postcards to Swing States for Wisconsin, and I’m starting the addressing and stamping tonight.

    Loved Kamala calling into the Weather Channel before!

  63. 63.

    TBone

    Ooh now I want to share a favorite meme of a goat with head and horns sticking into the car window:

    Have you heard the Good News about our Lord and Savior Pan?

  64. 64.

    Bupalos

    Just to put a pin in how trash we are at understanding and fighting right-wing post-truth populists – as far as national media coverage, Trump has gone dark. No one asks him to go on record as this situation develops…not that he would if he was asked. He retains maximum flexibility to exploit whatever the outcome of this storm turns out to be. It may be that it comes in under expectations (the last wobble to the east, which should spare the most densely populated and vulnerable geography makes this likely) or it could exceed expectations. Whatever happens, Trump is left in a position to make hay.

    When people say he’s just stupid, this is how you know that isn’t the whole story. An unskilled post-truth right-wing populist would stake out a position and make a bet. Which Trump made the mistake of doing with covid. A more skilled one knows there is no reason to do that, that the asset here is retaining the flexibility to exploit this storm in whatever direction proves profitable after the fact. A stupid opposition fails to notice that Trump is essentially gathering strength right now, by being left alone and retaining flexibility. He won’t say anything now, and will be saying “I told you so” in 48 hours. He may be saying “I told you not to listen to the corrupt authorities being hysterical and trying to trick you” or he may be saying “I told you things were going to be much worse than the corrupt authorities said, they don’t care about you…”

    Apologies to anyone facing the reality of this storm. It is potentially offensive to be talking about the politics of this now. But post-truth right-wing populism makes everything dirty.

  65. 65.

    M31

    @TBone: lol as the child of a hippy mom my experience made me say “tofu made by Asians is delicious, tofu made by hippies is gross”

    I’m sure it’s better these days, but I’m still sticking with the Asians

  67. 67.

    TBone

    @M31: me too!  I fell in love with my new dentist today, an Asian with a heavy accent.  SO adorable, funny, smart, witty, and handsome!  Don’t tell hubby 🤭

  69. 69.

    Chacal Charles Calthrop

    @Bupalos: I wish this mattered, but in 2016, Trump insisted that he’d told everyone that the Iraq war was a bad idea, in spite of video evidence that he’d cheered it on at the time and no evidence that he’d ever criticized it anytime before he ran for President.

  71. 71.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @Bupalos: A stupid opposition fails to notice that Trump is essentially gathering strength right now, by being left alone and retaining flexibility.

    This is horrible to contemplate. If you’re right, I hope there’s a plan to counter it.

    Swear words 400-510!

  72. 72.

    suzanne

    @TBone: Last time I was in Kennett Square….. there was no authentic Mexican food to be found. I think there just isn’t a critical mass in PA yet. The parts of the country that used to be Mexico have it everywhere.

  73. 73.

    lowtechcyclist

    @suzanne:

    My fam got out of Sarasota, THX FSM!

    Glad to hear it! Sarasota and Bradenton are gonna get clobbered, from the looks of it.  And I pray that there isn’t a single soul still on Longboat Key.

    Currently sitting in the international terminal at JFK, waiting to board. Already mailed in my ballot!

    Happy travels to you and Mr. Suzanne, and a big thumbs-up for having already voted!  I just got an email yesterday confirming that my ballot has been received.

  74. 74.

    Bupalos

    @Chacal Charles Calthrop: Oh yes he’ll do it regardless. The point is to understand he’s going to do it, and gather ammunition yourself for the fight. Because the effectiveness of that maneuver in the end depends on what ammunition you have to fight it.

    That he made the mistake of essentially ridiculing covid at the start, instead of throwing out 5 different potential conflicting explanations and narratives (like Putin would have) is probably why he’s not president right now.

  76. 76.

    Scout211

    Tornadoes are all over the state ahead of the main part of Milton, many on the Eastern part of the state.  Florida has broken a record for tornado warnings for the state today.  

    NBC   At least 20 homes have been damaged in St. Lucie, Florida, after multiple tornadoes touched down in the area, said Erick Gill, a county spokesperson. Shelters are open, and rescue crews have been dispatched.

     

    Multiple people were injured today after an apparent tornado tore through a community north of Miami, a village official said.
    Jim Barnes, village manager of Wellington, said by phone that he did not know how many people were injured or how many buildings were damaged.

    X video of the tornado in Wellington

    ETA:

    Hurricane  Milton induced a massive tornado outbreak across Florida on Wednesday ahead of its landfall. Among the places to be struck by a tornado was Wellington, Florida, a city of 66,000 that sits 15 miles directly west of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

  78. 78.

    What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?

    @TBone: I walked by a fake grave headstone in someone’s yard yesterday that said “Here lies Amadeus Mozart, decomposing” Thought that was cute.

  79. 79.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @Scout211: I was thinking about these tornadoes in Florida today. In the Midwest one goes to a basement, but I hardly think basements would be a safe place in a flood zone. Scary and intense.

  80. 80.

    suzanne

    @lowtechcyclist: Yeah, Sarasota is going to just get nailed. They downsized last year to a single-story house, because they’re both getting older and my uncle’s health is failing. And it’s a little further away from the water than the last one. So fingers crossed that they have a house to go back to. They’re not at the age/condition when it’s easy to bounce back.

  81. 81.

    Chet Murthy

    @Scout211: that sits 15 miles directly west of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate

    First COVID, now that tornado.  They had ONE JOB.  ONE JOB!

  83. 83.

    Gloria DryGarden

    Chet Murthy

    you have added to my delight about this deity for atheists. It has a poetic silliness and charm that makes me bubble with mirth.

    And, linguistically, it’s also handy to have a reference point. This way, everyone has their own “case manager”, even atheists.

     

    It’s going to be my new way to make happy vibrations, when I need to stop thinking about all the concerning stuff.

    That and delight over handsome witty actors or dentists that other people find and have crushes on, in their daily lives. Yummy.

    I will now visualize FSM wearing his/ her metal colander. Oh! Yummy again. Oops.

  84. 84.

    Nukular Biskits

    Good evenin’, y’all.  I see you kiddos have been having fun.

    It’s bad form to have a hurricane party if you’re not in the middle of hurricane.

    All joking aside, hoping for the best down there in FL.

  92. 92.

    TBone

    @suzanne: oh noes!  I have friends in nearby West Grove and used to go to a little roadside (kind of a back road) stand with a window they served through.  Dang it!  Gone, gone, gone, I been gone too long 🎶 gone gone gone too long!  The restaurants were a result of the population of mushroom farm helpers.

    I had a lot of authentic Mexican in Galveston long ago too.

  96. 96.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @frosty: i was thinking that, that you would not want a basement with such a high water table. Doesn’t that mean you do need deep stabilizing pillars, though? I don’t know anything about construction.

    These tornadoes, floods and hurricanes are rather pulling at the heart strings. So many people affected.

    I guess I’m just saying, there nowhere to go, and it breaks my heart.

  97. 97.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @dww44: it’s what I thought.

    There’s no where to go. And tornadoes are somewhat terrifying. I can’t imagine how people are feeling, there.

  99. 99.

    SpaceUnit

    I’m watching the live reporting of the storm on WFLA.  A correspondent just said that transformers were blowing out left and right.  That really surprised me.

     

    I mean, sure, I figured the ones on the left would blow out.  But not on the right.

  100. 100.

    geg6

    @suzanne:

    It’s true that it’s not easy to find good Mexican in the city in my experience but there is a very good taco truck here in Beaver County, a Mexican place at our mall that serves typical Mexican fare that is run by Mexican immigrants and they have great salsa and refried beans and a higher end place in Beaver that does all kinds of Mexican and Central American foods.  It’s excellent.  I’ve been to Mexico, Belize, Texas and California and all of these places stand up to places I went to when abroad.  Our Hispanic population has been growing here.  Probably because jobs are plenty and the cost of living is much lower than in Allegheny County.

  101. 101.

    Tony G

    @HumboldtBlue: Damn.  It’s not just DeSantis.  Florida has been “governed” by grifters and buffoons for generations.  The state of Florida is, in effect, a big swamp that’s been paved over, and it has been predictably hit by hurricanes every single year in late summer/early autumn for millennia.  Yet, the state has been “developed” for decades as if hurricanes don’t exist.  Generations of mismanagement that costs people lives.

  102. 102.

    karen marie

    @TBone:   It must be nice for Taylor to be a real billionaire, unlike Donald Trump who is so poor he can only run a gofundme grift.

  103. 103.

    Lily

    From The Appeal, nonprofit news org whose “journalism exposes the harms of a criminal legal system entrenched in centuries of systemic racism.”

    More than 20,000 people are incarcerated in Florida jails and prisons located in counties subject to evacuation orders. Many officials are refusing to evacuate them.

    The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it is not evacuating the county’s Central Jail, despite the fact that it sits roughly one mile from Tampa Bay.
    Storm surges in that county could reach as high as 10 to 15 feet.

    Across the bay in Pinellas County, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri publicly stated he will not evacuate his main jail, which sits in Clearwater roughly a mile and a half from the coastline.

    The Appeal has identified two facilities for children that are in areas under mandatory evacuation orders—Palmetto Youth Academy and Deep Creek Academy. The state’s Department of Juvenile Justice did not confirm that it plans to evacuate those campuses.

    I get that they don’t publicly communicate  prisoner moves beforehand. But by leaving it to the discretion of officials,  mandatory doesn’t mean mandatory for incarcerated people.   Inc.  ones who haven’t been tried yet.

    If Fla doesn’t have the $ or method or space or political will to accomplish this, it’s especially criminal to locate a prison in any zone with previously designated evacuation routes (= a known flood/hazard zone).  (& new frequency of extreme weather all over means that’s not enough.)  When private prison officials and states are protected from liability or prosecution, they don’t value lives or families in making decisions.

  108. 108.

    karen marie

    @HumboldtBlue:   OMFG.  I skipped around and listened to pieces of it.  Did you know he got shot in the ear?

    No one has ever seen a medical report.

    “Everyone loves the China tariff.”  Yeah, sure.  Go ask random people on the street – hell, go ask Trump cult members – what the “China tariff” is.  They won’t know.

    I cannot wait until January 21st, or whatever the date is for Harris’s inauguration.  I only hope I survive till then.

  109. 109.

    a thousand flouncing lurkers (was fidelio)

    @suzanne: If you’ve got a dairy as part of the facilities, the chapel could become self-supporting, if you’ve got enough nanny goats.

  110. 110.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Scout211: ​
     

    Among the places to be struck by a tornado was Wellington, Florida, a city of 66,000 that sits 15 miles directly west of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

    So close, but yet so far.

  111. 111.

    suzanne

    @Gloria DryGarden:

    i was thinking that, that you would not want a basement with such a high water table. Doesn’t that mean you do need deep stabilizing pillars, though? I don’t know anything about construction 

    Naw. Houses will have a slab-on-grade foundation. Larger commercial buildings will get caissons (basically a large underground column that they drill out) or mat foundations.

    I was looking up the improved framing hardware that they use for wood-frame houses. 12-gauge metal. Still doesn’t look strong enough to me.

  112. 112.

    Tony G

    @TBone: Taylor Swift is an actual billionaire who sometimes donates some of her money.  Unlike a certain phony billionaire who I could name.

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