Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Radicalized white males who support Trump are pitching a tent in the abyss.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Those who are easily outraged are easily manipulated.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

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

A norm that restrains only one side really is not a norm – it is a trap.

Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Museums are not America’s attic for its racist shit.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

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

American history and black history cannot be separated.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Not all heroes wear capes.

Come on, man.

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On The Road – Albatrossity – Photo Walkabout August 2024 – 5

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It’s Albatrossity Monday! We have 3 days of the amazing aurora in PA from last Thursday, and then we head to Florida.

Big thanks to swiftfox for sending in a lovely series, but if you’ve been procrastinating, please send in your posts!

On The Road - Albatrossity - Photo Walkabout August 2024 – 5 12

Albatrossity

I have a few more images from my August excursion to Arizona and back; ten today and probably less than that next week. Then we will start on the September/October images from my trip to California and back. Buckle up!

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On The Road - Albatrossity - Photo Walkabout August 2024 – 5 9
Ash Canyon Bird SanctuaryAugust 24, 2024

I spent another morning at the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, and got some images of birds that I had not photographed the previous day. One was this Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria), a gorgeous male, who was patiently waiting his turn at a feeder occupied by a couple of rotund White-winged Doves. Click here for larger image.

‘Every Accusation A Confession’ Open Thread: Trump & Musk, Dirty Birds Of A Filthy Feather

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Thing is… either or both of these grifters, they walk in soaking wet and say it’s raining, you check out the window before grabbing an umbrella. They lie to everyone, including themselves, and Don’t worry I’m good for it, soon as I find my wallet is among their favorite lies.

Yet Puck alum Teddy ‘I Am Mazed By the Smell of Money’ Schliefer *and* Maggie ‘Mar-A-Lago Court Dwarf’ Haberman get a joint hosannah in the FTFNYTimes — “Musk Is Going All In to Elect Trump” [gift link]:

In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, the richest man in the world has involved himself in the U.S. election in a manner unparalleled in modern history.

Elon Musk, seen over the weekend jumping for joy alongside former President Donald J. Trump at a rally in Butler, Pa., is now talking to the Republican candidate multiple times a week.

He has effectively moved his base of operations to Pennsylvania, the place that he has recently told confidants he believes is the linchpin to Mr. Trump’s re-election.

He has relentlessly promoted Mr. Trump’s candidacy to his 201 million followers on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter that he bought for $44 billion and has used to spread conspiracy theories about the Democratic Party and to insult its candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Above all, he is personally steering the actions of a super PAC that he has funded with tens of millions of dollars to turn out the vote for Mr. Trump, not just in Pennsylvania but across the country. He has even proposed taking a campaign bus tour across Pennsylvania and knocking on doors himself, in part to see how his money is being used…

These days, in private conversations, Mr. Musk is obsessive, almost manic, about the stakes of the election and the need for Mr. Trump to win. He praises Mr. Trump’s courage under fire — he endorsed him on the night of the assassination attempt in Butler — and talks about how funny he is. One person who spoke recently to Mr. Musk recalled him saying, without any hint of irony, “I love Trump.”…

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We’re Not Dumb Enough to Listen to the Trash Talk, Right? Right?

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Steady as she goes, BJ peeps. Steady as she goes.

Something like 3/4 of the polls that dropped this week are Republic trash polls, meant to direct the conversation, not to report accurately.  Ignore them.

Are we really going to let a bullshit article from Politico (but I repeat myself) make us worry or panic about the state of the race?  Ignore them.

Bullshit stories in the FTFNYT?  Ignore them.

We’re gonna get nervous because of something Saturday Night Live put in their Cold Open?  Ignore that.

It’s the political equivalent of trash talk, and we are idiots if we listen to it.  We’re even bigger idiots if we let it distract us from doing the work.  Because that’s their goal.

Fear is contagious.  Don’t spread it.

Have you voted?

Have you talked to all your friends and neighbors about voting?

Have you volunteered somewhere?

Written a postcard?  Phone banked?  Texted?  Donated?  Made food and brought it to a local campaign office?

Encouraged someone else?  Talked someone else off the ledge?  Offered someone a ride to the polls?

Just like in sports, don’t listen to the trash talk.  Play your game.

3 weeks out is not the time for hand-wringing.  It’s the time for working even harder.

We have 3 weeks to play our game.  Uncertainty sucks.  We just have to be smarter than they are, not get distracted, and do the work.

Where is Al Giordano when you need him?  He would kick our chicken-little-ing behinds.

And where is Steeplejack when we need him?  He would have found one of Al’s great rants for me in a heartbeat.

Open thread.

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War for Ukraine Day 963: Russia Has Murdered 9 More Ukrainian POWs

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A painting by Ukrainian artis NEIVANMADE. The background is white. In the center, which is black with blood red bordering, is an hourglass. Inside the hourglass is a Ukrainian Azovstal POW painted in blood red. He is shirtless. His arms are upward along the outer edges of the upper half of the hourglass forming a saltire cross. He is chained with steel gray chains shackled to his wrists. Above his head, in grey, is written "Ruzzian Captivity." below his torso in the lower half of the hourglass, written in gray, is "Kills." To the left of the hourglass "He Saved Others" is painted in gray. To the right of the hourglass "But He Can't Save Himself" is painted in gray.

(Image by NEIVANMADE)

A quick housekeeping note: We are still safe and sound in the hotel. My friend was able to make it over and check out my house this morning. It is intact, no apparent damage inside or out. So that’s good. The power is still out and TECO is still indicating that the power will be restored on/by 17 OCT. That said, around 6 PM I checked the outage map and the neighborhoods immediately to my east and northeast were out. I just checked again and it is showing power is restored. Which is encouraging. But by all reports there’s very little gasoline, the grocery stores have been running off of generators to be open, but are running out of food, and far too many are channeling their internal Floriduh! man and woman. We’ll sit tight here until the power is back on. Especially as I can telework from here.

I’m still quite fried, so I’m just going to run down the basics so I can rack out.

Also, TaMara has informed me that a number of you indicated in the comments to the shower post for John and Joelle that you come to Balloon Juice for these war update posts. Thank you all for the kind words, you are all most welcome.

Russia murdered nine more Ukrainian POWs today.

I’ve seen the pictures and the video. You DO NOT NEED to go and look for them or at them. Just note and remember that Russia has committed another war crime, has once again violated the Law of Armed Combat, and the Geneva Convention.

The Prosecutor General of Ukraine’s office has already opened an investigation. I’m not linking as the announcement includes one of the pictures I’ve told you you don’t need to see.

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.

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Sunday Night Open Thread

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Everyone has gone home after homecoming, and I, for one, am relieved. I am peopled the fuck out. My house is a smoking ruins, I am exhausted, and I think I have fulfilled my socializing for at least the next few months.

I still have not had time to read all of the comments and everything from you all for the surprise Wedding Shower Tamara and you all threw for us, and thank all of you and I swear I will get to them. I haven’t even told Joelle yet that a bunch of weirdos on the internet sent us over 2 grand for a wedding in our 50’s. But thank you. Right now I need to get some work done because tomorrow morning we are heading to Ohio to take Joelle’s mom to a doctor’s appointment and then out to lunch. But I swear I will read them and get back to you.

Re; Politics- I did a quick survey of my social media and the headlines and it feels like a lot of the people I follow are freaking the fuck out and I can’t tell if they are just being neurotic as usual or if there was some raft of bad news. I’m too busy to think much about it right now, but it does feel like this was freakout weekend for a lot of Dems. Especially a lot of “black people and latinos” stuff.

I’ll holler at you tomorrow.

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Medium Cool – Baseball!

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Medium Cool is a weekly series related to popular culture, mostly film, TV, and books, with some music and games thrown in.  We hope it’s a welcome break from the anger, hate, and idiocy we see almost daily from the other side in the political sphere.

Arguments welcomed, opinions respected, fools un-suffered.  We’re here every Sunday at 7 pm.

Tonight on Medium Cool, let’s talk baseball!

It’s part of our culture.  Is it still America’s favorite pastime?

Baseball movies.

Baseball memories.

Baseball rivalries.

Baseball divisions.

The first pitch.

World Series.

Little League.

Baseball anything.

Who’s gonna throw out he first pitch comment?

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Big Week Coming for Us for North Carolina! (Open Thread)

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Tonight or tomorrow we will be kicking off our big push with a post to complete our North Carolina fundraising.

So why not check out Kamala’s rally today in North Carolina?

Early voting starts on Thursday in North Carolina, so let’s try to get our funds in their hands by then, shall we?

Ballot curing can start as soon as early voting starts on Thursday!

We have new Angel matches for all three:

  • NC Black Alliance
  • North Carolina Asian Americas Together
  • NC Candidates

Matching up to $250 per person per thermometer.  To be matched, tell us about your donation in the comments or in an email to WaterGirl.

Open thread.

Update: to make it easy for you…

Still an open thread!

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