I don’t want to talk about politics for the obvious reasons and if you don’t know why I am hopping mad tonight, bless your heart and don’t read the fucking news you sweet summer child. In lieu of a post, here is Steve sitting on my head because it is 50 degrees outside and raining and everyone is cold:
I love that cat so much.
Wombat Probability Cloud
Yep, take your comfort where you can get it.
J. Arthur Crank
From that angle, it is harder to tell which is larger: your melon or the cat.
It likewise kind of cold and rainy in San Diego right now. The high was in the 50s, which is pretty cold for us.
Jay
Make Cabbage Roll Soup.
Pet Steve.
Pennsylvanian
I wish I was a cat.
Baud
@Pennsylvanian:
You’re obviously not this guy.
CaseyL
Good to see Steve getting some lovin’! Also, it looks like his lion cut is growing out.
Spring is peeking around the corner here. Weather getting steadily warmer – though not, this being Seattle, any less rainy.
My amaryllis – the “baby” that spawned off the original amaryllis that a friend gave me nine years (!) ago – sent out what I thought was just another leaf, but it’s actually a flower bud. Amaryllis flowers are these huge trumpet-shaped things, just gorgeous.
laura
Strong Big Cat Daddy vibes rolling off this post.
Salty Sam
My younger son recently lost his best friend, Joey Catt, who was Steve’s doppelgänger. I hesitated to send him a link to this post, but I’m glad I did. His response was to quote your last line, “I love that cat so much.” and added “I do too!”
ETA- he included 😭😭😭
and 😍😍😍
rikyrah
Those are cute pictures, Cole🤗
Trivia Man
@Pennsylvanian: I wish i was JOHN’s cat
Baud
@Trivia Man:
If you ask nicely, he might shave your ass as if you were his cat.
BellyCat
So much news to deplore, but Schumer folding is most likely the leading cause of distress? (JFC…)
J. Arthur Crank
@Baud: Who among us couldn’t use a good ass shave?
Hungry Joe
@J. Arthur Crank: Our spoiled San Diego cat, Phoebe, gets pissy when it rains — like, it’s our fault. Willow the Dog, our lab mix, didn’t see rain till she was about eight months old; she trotted right out into a semi-downpour, so unfazed it was like she was unaware.
Currently 51 degrees. Must walk Willow. They’ll probability find my frozen corpse in the morning.
Baud
A little pick me up
eclare
@Baud:
Classic. Always good for a laugh.
eclare
@Salty Sam:
Oh so sorry.
OCD
He seems pretty fond of you, too.
Socolofi
So… an honest question.
I think the decision from Shumer & co boils down to:
– Not vote for cloture, cause a shutdown, let Elon go to town and hope that a government shutdown is a big enough stink that the GOP gives them something;
– Vote for cloture (or don’t filibuster in the first place), let the government stay open until September, go to the mat on the proposals then.
First, I don’t see that Jeffries nor Shumer are fighting the right fight; this is more of a brawl and both of them seem to want to play within the rules. So yeah, I totally get that even if fighting was a losing effort, it’s still better to fight rather than bend the knee. See: Ukraine and Canada.
But the Vulcan in me says: Trump and Musk are gonna do what they’re gonna do anyway, and while the CR isn’t clean, it’s not seeping with enough poison to give a great reason to go to the mat to oppose. Shutting down the government causes a lot of extra harm, and given how surprising Musk has been vs what people thought, maybe don’t give him an opportunity to be even more horrible. Plus this country appears to have the long-term memory of Dory, so a shutdown now doesn’t matter in 15 months.
The GOP could cause a shutdown if they felt like it easily (simply don’t pass a budget, or put in some poison pills, whatever), but they clearly don’t want to be blamed, nor give the Democrats a cause worth fighting for. Some some distasteful, but not totally deadly, things in the CR that don’t quite make the news. And see just how much fight is in the Senate. It’s an effectively evil political move.
So, I’m left with… I dunno if I can say Shumer’s call is the wrong one. It doesn’t let Musk wipe out the government via a speed run, and given recent court wins, makes all the firings still owned by the GOP. I’d bet on Trump fucking everything up, and going to the mat in September will likely be retained more by an electorate that starts voting 9mo later than now.
Still feels spineless though. May be right, but feels spineless.
Omnes Omnibus
@Socolofi: It’s isn’t just that people disagree with Schumer’s decision. It’s that he seems to have gone about it in the worst way possible. The House Dem leadership is basically saying he lied to them. He certainly hung vulnerable legislators out to dry.
Socolofi
@Omnes Omnibus: How so (very curious on the who / how / what here)?
Omnes Omnibus
@Socolofi: From the thread below: talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/black-thursday-in-the-democratic-senate-an-explainer
Madeleine
Thanks for the Steve on your head pics. So much needed tonight. Tomorrow morning at 9 I’ll be standing outside Schumer’s and Gillibrand’s offices.
TBone
Dropkick Murphys versus MAGA: a wager
youtu.be/TBs3EyKGVL0
mvr
FWIW, it isn’t over until it is over and at least Josh Marshall is floating the thought that it isn’t over yet. Apparently the rules are such as to buy us some time.
I don’t have a senator to contact. But if you do, do it.
sab
@Omnes Omnibus: You are the B J voice of common sense and moderation… And even you sound distrurbed.
Most of this is DC stuff. Dems doing the usual circular firing squad. I get upset but normies out in my part of the world are not even aware it is happening.
But Shumer seems to have misled his caucus or abruptly changed his mind. Not a good look in leadership.
I am just going to sit tight and hope.
I don’t like government shutdowns because actual government workers doing their jobs don’t work and don’t get don’t get paid. And Musk has thinned those ranks to dangerously low levels.
But that was an important leverage point. Except that Republicans in office don’t seem to care about shutdowns either, even when their own staff gets sent home.
There isn’t a good option here, so I have no intention of getting riled up against my party because one Senator in New York (not tne most functional part of our national party) made one bad choice instead of another bad choice. There were no good choices. But lying or misleading or changing his mind and hanging all of the House side out to dry seems suboptimal.
OT I went to bed early hoping dog would get me up for lunar eclipse, because her aging bladder always gets us up in the middle of the night. Instead she got me up an hour early because I sent us to bed an hour early. So much for planning.
Jay
For any ‘Mercans, not understanding Canadians response to Tariffs, , (can’t spell Tariffs with out the FFS).
We gather as a People.
When Gordon Downey was diagnosed with inoperable, untreatable brain cancer, what did he and the Tragically Hip, a band that has defined Canada do,…………….
They went on tour.
The Tragically Hip didn’t sing pop songs, they sang Canadian History songs, the Dark Stuff.
Wheat Kings is not about Prairie Farmers, it’s about a grave injustice and wrongful conviction.
Their last concert was broadcast live, and free, across Canada.
15 million gathered in public spaces, bars, night clubs, civic squares, to watch. Many more watched at home.
Gord’s voice was a bit ragged, listen to the “Hip” if it seems off, but it was a huge tour, $25 dollar tickets, all across Canada vs. $1500 for Taylor Swift. Podunk towns too.
youtube.com/watch?v=ghLk-BhT-P8
He is the 2nd Gordon in the “I am Canadian” reboot,
youtube.com/watch?v=j3f62vABoN4
This is Canada. Yes, we are f’n pissed and betrayed.
TBone
@Jay: the old joke about living upstairs over a meth lab comes to mind. On behalf of the sane, I am sorry.
(we are the meth lab in case that wasn’t clear)
Jay
@TBone:
It’s clear, we know where the fentanyl goes, who imports it, who buys it. We also know where are the guns the gangs buy come from.
We are, how do they put it, collateral damage.
sab
@Jay: One of USA’s huge historical luxuries is two big neighbors on the borders who have chosen to be polite and friendly while wary (they know our history.)
Only an ignorant sociopath with a low IQ, a lifelong personality disorder, and now dementia would decide to make the bad choices he has made.
But a majority of our voters either voted for him or chose to stay home.
My half of America is just reeling. WTF!!
ETA And then I go to work everyday and people seem oblivious.
ETA Aside from having Canadians in the family, my two stepsons are very likely to lose their good jobs if this stupid unnecessary trade war keeps on.
Jay
@sab:
Fuck Daylight Savings Plan.
and the pedants who chime in.
sab
@Jay: I need cataract surgery so I shouldn’t drive after dark. But this month it is before dark. Mornings I am feeling my way past a middle school and a high school in the dark on my way to work. With kids waiting for buses or walking in the dark.
So that rich snowbirds can golf later in the day.
Jay
@sab:
Live in the Lower Rainland.
What’s sunlight and daylight like?
Our sky ratings are depressed grey, unmotivated grey, and suicide grey, and there are 17 of them on the Weather Channel.
sab
OT: So far the lunar eclipse has been very cool. Clear skies and okay weather in Ohio, which is unusual in Spring. We have good weather and my sister in California has rain. Go figure.
And the dog that got me up an hour early is annoyed that I didn’t go back to bed with her.
Husband and I have been bickering about Covid shot boosters. I have been saying we are old so we need a booster. He has been saying no since it is the same shot not an updated version so no.
Then CVS marketing called us and said the CDC says we need updates. So off we went (yay!) No reaction effects so far, but I might use that as an excuse to be late for work since I am up watching the eclipse.
sab
@Jay: I am not seeing any of the bloodmoon stuff the press was going on about.
Just a bright clear pale yellow full moon being eclipsed. Just a sliver showing now. Stars and a few planets also visible even in town here.
Jay
@sab:
Glad that you got your shots.
Have you had your MMR checked?
sab
@Jay: I have. And I am so old I had measles, mumps and rubella as a child.
I still hate strawberries and orange juice because my mom gave me those as comfort food when I had mumps, and it wasn’t comfortable at all.
ETA I had the full swelling of the face mumps. My siblings just had headaches.
Jay
@sab:
We here are still in an “atmospheric rainstorm” “event” so I can’t even see the towers across from me, let alone moons and stars.
Jay
@sab:
Yeh, we are old.
sab
@Jay: Keep safe. Spring is nearly here so rain should be a good thing.
NotMax
@Jay
Make that venerable.
sab
@NotMax: Like Bede. Do we all have to write histories now?
sab
Deleted silly duplicate comment.
The 2 a.m. wordpress glitch was a bit late.
TBone
For once, insomnia pays a dividend. The full blood moon in a crystal clear sky. Almost completely bloody right now, just a tiny sliver of bright on top.
Jay
20 years and some ago,
The Tragically Hip,
youtube.com/watch?v=u-WAWFc9B3Y
sab
@TBone: In Ohio ours wasn’t bloody at all. Just pale yellow. I wonder why the difference?
More pollution here so lower standards? More pollution there with you? Who knows. Interesting the diference. My sister in sunny San Diego saw none of it because rain.
sab
@Jay: Can’t see Youtube anymore.
sab
Seeing the moon come out of eclipse I see the reddish blood moon effect now.
Whole thing was interesting. Glad the dog got me up to watch. She stayed snug in bed.
TBone
@sab: is it a timing thing or a pollution thing is anyone’s guess at this hour. I am clueless even after reading several articles. It could be either or – apparently some people in Florida saw a faux blood moon earlier this week because of wildfire smoke.
Jay
@sab:
Lyrics
I could make you scared, if you want me toI’m not prepared, but if I have toHe said, I can make you scared, it’s kind of what I doIf you’re prepared, here’s what I propose to do
You’re in Russia and more than a million works of artAre whisked out to the woodsWhen the Nazis find the whole place darkThey’ll think God’s left the museum for good
I can make you scared, if that’s what I doIf you’re prepared, and if I have toIf I make you scared, and you pay me toThat’s the deal, now here’s what I can do for you
Now there’s a focus group that can proveThis is all nothing but cold calculation
Tests have shown that suspicious are hostileTheir lives need not be shortenedTruth be told, they can live a long, long whileTickled to death by their importance
If you can make me scared, if that’s what you doIf I’m unclear, can I get out of this thing with me and youIf you feel scared, and a bit confusedI got to say, this sounds a little beyond anything I’m used to
There’s a precious few that can prove at the rootThis is all nothing but cold calculation
Clearly entranced, you’re leaving back nowDefanged destroyer limps into the bayDown at the beach it’s attracting quite a crowdAs kids wade through the blood out to it to play
Okay, you made me scared, you did what you set out to doAnd I’m not prepared, you really had me going there for a minute or twoHe said, you made me scared too, I wasn’t sure I was getting throughI got to goIt’s been a pleasure doing business with yo
Sorry for the AI
sab
@sab: Ohio. I say that like I live in the whole state, but I just live in a one pleasant quarter. The rest of the state is nuts and Dixie. Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton might as well be different states. Totally different climate, climactically and politically
ETA Urban (big city) Cincinnati might be okay. I am at the other corner of the state so I don’t know. Cincy’s suburbs are vastly more crazy than ours in NE Ohio.
John Revolta
Moon’s really gorgeous. It’s gonna be in totality for another ten minutes or so, check it out if you can!
sab
@John Revolta: I don’t remember having seen such a red eclipse. I didn’t see it as the eclipse started, but in the eclipse and as it comes out the red is starkly apparent.
John Revolta
@sab: Yeah, they don’t really “turn to blood” until totality starts.
This is one of the nicest ones I’ve seen and it’s a real nice night
lowtechcyclist
Down here in southern Maryland, I was up during the night but the entire sky was clouded over. So no eclipse for me.
HinTN
@TBone: That’s what we saw here. It.Was.A.Gorgeous.Night
Sherparick1
@Pennsylvanian:
You and me both.
Sherparick1
@TBone:
I saw it half-way through the eclipse, but then the clouds rolled in.
Dman
@Jay:
Gordon Downie
as a fellow wetcoaster I vividly remember dancing with my wife in the living room of our neighbors that night. The whole block gathered to take it all in.
We got to see the Hip 5 times my Favorite being Another Roadside Attraction in 1993 SEABIRD ISLAND (Midnight Oil also played)
Paul in KY
Please give that big guy a scritch for me, John!