Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

You’re just a puppy masquerading as an old coot.

It’s a good piece. click on over. but then come back!!

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

If ‘weird’ was the finish line, they ran through the tape and kept running.

Oppose, oppose, oppose. do not congratulate. this is not business as usual.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Come on, man.

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

Our messy unity will be our strength.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

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

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

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

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

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

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

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

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

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

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

Saturday Afternoon Open Thread

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Yesterday afternoon at around 4:30 I lay down to take a nap. I didn’t wake up until 7pm to the sound of screaming cats wanting their very late dinner. Fed ’em, chugged a glass of water, stood over the sink for a second and pondered, and went right back to bed until this morning. It was glorious.

Honestly I could do it again, I think. I think I have been carrying a low grade chest cold since I got back, and this shit weather is not helping. Low 60’s, wet, overcast, breezy. And everything is damp. It’s like living in a chest cold factory.

Instead, though, I think I am going to sit back and have a very slow evening and watch Bosch Legacy. I loved Bosch, so this should be right up my alley.

I watched some of Trump at West Point and that was horrifying. I felt like George Bush when he whispered “That was some weird shit” to Hillary Clinton after they witnessed his first inaugural. Just crazy shit.

Reader Interactions

136Comments

  2. 2.

    David_C

    Just made some chicken soup, John. I only go as far west as Charles Town, WV to deliver soup, though. Glad you got sleep.

  3. 3.

    JoyceH

    John, have you taken a COVID test? I got it last year and it wasn’t a bad case, felt like a cold, but I sure slept a lot!

  4. 4.

    Gin & Tonic

    One of the things you will find as you get older, is that sleeping for 12, 14, 16 hours at a stretch is physically impossible.

  6. 6.

    Suzanne

    I’ve been experiencing just insane allergy symptoms for the last couple of weeks. Everything is blooming.

  7. 7.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I saw a couple of clips of the West Point speech on the MeidasTouch channel earlier. Horrifying is right! Rambling on about trophy wives and something about Gary Player (probably something to do with his being a South African white man, though that’s speculation on my part). I’m pretty sure our legacy media betters will just let it slide without comment.

  9. 9.

    zhena gogolia

    We had our reception for alumni and graduating seniors today. So many wonderful people. Everyone full of anxiety and uneasiness because people handed the country over to — well, you know the rest.

  10. 10.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    I’ve spent years saying “I never thought I’d live to see the day…”

    For a while, it was about good things but anymore?

    Hair Furor at West Point is one of those moments.

    @David_C:

    A Charles Town reference!

  13. 13.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    Here in VA on vacation for the next week in Williamsburg. The weather forecast isn’t as nice I’d like (some rain a few days) but otherwise should be nice temps. Looking forward to Busch Gardens in particular

    Have to say, I was impressed with some of the political ads the Dems running for statewide office have on TV. All about being fighters, protecting Social Security, Medicare, and standing up to Trump

  14. 14.

    Jeffro

    I watched some of Trump at West Point and that was horrifying.

    I didn’t watch it but have read the reports and yeah.

    Fully prepared to throw it in the MAGAts’ faces from now ’til the end of time.  First the memecoin bribe payoff dinner, now this.  It’s worth reminding them that they’re following him ALL the way down the spiral…

  15. 15.

    Nukular Biskits

    Grass cut. Weed/feed down in the front yard & sprinklers running.  Stupid showers never materialized except for a few minutes mid-day.  DAMN TRUMP’S NWS!!!!!

    Taking Ms. Biskits out for dinner tonight so y’all don’t do anything Cole would do.

    Until then, I’ll rest for a bit, comment occasionally, then go get my shower.

  17. 17.

    persistentillusion

    @Raven:

    Living in Chicagoland for years, I’ve been to many 500s.  This tops them all, the commentary is exactly spot on.  Never this many puns in Indy commentary though.

  18. 18.

    Matt McIrvin

    Spent the day with my family at Lake Compounce, an amusement park in Connecticut. Rode their 1920s classic wooden coaster Wildcat with my daughter– this was once regarded as one of the most awful, roughest roller coasters in the world, but a recent overhaul has it running like a dream and we had a great time.

    Also checked out their gigantic mountainside coaster Boulder Dash, which I had a terrible ride on a few years ago–it’s a work in progress, with parts of it now running great and others still jackhammering. The track on the first drop has been reworked with steel track, but other bits seem to have been redone in wood, which I like to see. Good times.

  20. 20.

    oldster

    Here in Upstate NY — think Buffalo, not Westchester — we are stuck in the same rain system. Rain for weeks now, it seems. The oldstress was just commenting that it is hard to believe that it is not raining like this all around the globe, and always has been.

    It’s my favorite time of year, with the longer days and warmer temps. But this spring, we are stuck in rainy 40s.

    At least the plant life is loving it. I look at our back yard and think, “lotta carbon sequestration happening!”

  24. 24.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @Matt McIrvin:

    That sounds like it was a great time!

    My father and I had an absolutely horrible experience when we rode the now torn down Green Lantern: First Flight ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain back in 2016. The staff didn’t balance the car right with all of the passengers and we got tossed around repeatedly in our restraints. It was physically painful

  28. 28.

    zhena gogolia

    Michael Roemer RIP. Director of great films Nothing but a Man and The Plot against Harry.

  30. 30.

    Raven

    @persistentillusion: I was born in Urbana and lived in Villa Park until 66. Went back to Urbana after the Army for 18 years and never went to the 500 or the Derby. On the other hand when I was at Ft Knox we’d go to Nap Town to see the cop man!

  31. 31.

    cain

    @eclare:

    I’ve been taking cannabis gummies. I stay up late, and then eat like 1/4th of a gummy and I sleep well and don’t get up at all till 6;30am feeling decent

  34. 34.

    Raven

    @cain: I did 1/4 and woke up in the middle of the night like I was shot out of a 105! I got a medical card here in Georgia but I think I’m done. 33 years of sobriety has a downside!

  35. 35.

    eclare

    @cain:

    Illegal here, and the only reason I care about that is that I could lose my CPA license if I were charged.  I worked too hard for that damn thing to risk it.  Once I’m retired, all bets are off.

    Surprisingly, or not, the mild sedative is the same one that my vet prescribed for my dog with separation anxiety.  I told my Dr that, he failed to see the humor that I did.

  37. 37.

    zhena gogolia

    @Raven: This is definitely not an option for me.

    Strangely, unlike Drumpf term 1, I’ve been sleeping 7 hours straight, no problem. Maybe because I stopped all news sources other than BJ.

  38. 38.

    frosty

    @Raven: Yeah, me too. Six hours is a good night’s sleep. Then I read all these articles about you need a minimum of eight to stave off dementia and it’s like, fuck it.

    Ms F and I average out to eight each. Does that count?

  42. 42.

    sab

    @eclare: I let mine lapse because what with eldercare it was too expensive and pointless to maintain. My area was tax, and the summer courses were pointless because Congress morons re-wrote everything ( their lobbyists did)  the next Fall. So year end tax planning and next tax season  we had paid a lot for out of date information.

    I do feel a big twinge every year because I worked so hard for that CPA. And I would love to be a paid tax preparer still. But not worth it.

  43. 43.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Van Buren: We also rode their silly shooting-gallery dark ride “Ghost Hunt” 3 times, which I imagine would have a lot of 5th-grader appeal. I broke 100,000 points.

    Crowds were light, since it was a cool day with some intermittent rain and the water park isn’t open yet. Their reversing launched ride, Phobia Phear Coaster, was basically a walk-on.

  44. 44.

    frosty

    @Nukular Biskits: ​Until then, I’ll rest for a bit, comment occasionally, then go get my shower.

    That’s a busy evening you have planned!​​
    ETA: Oh I reread it, you had an afternoon of yard work. Never mind!​

  47. 47.

    Nukular Biskits

    @frosty:

    Damn! You updated it before I could reply because I was having to repeatedly refresh to get the stupid comment box to work.

    I was going to say, “Yeah, I’m about to strip a gear here …”

    You’d probably have to have grown up around rednecks to get that.

  50. 50.

    NeenerNeener

    @eclare: I am so screwed. My nights are a series of 30 to 90 minute naps interrupted by leg cramps and/or trips to the loo. I haven’t slept a full night since about 2005.

  51. 51.

    Another Scott

    Meanwhile, …

    I’m Sorry I Don’t Have A Plane To Give Hat
    ‪@kenwhite.bsky.social‬

    New York Times: Chinese women have small fingers

    Just mentioned this to Kid3 and she demonstrated that one of her fingers at least is not small

    Seriously, though? This is like 19th century shit

    ‪Julia Carrie Wong‬
    ‪@joolia.bsky.social‬
    10h

    like I dunno maybe if you are going to state something weird and racial about half the population of a country of 1.4 billion people you should have… a (?) source ? ??

    What does China offer that the United States doesn’t?

    Small hands, a massive, seasonal work force and millions of engineers.

    Young Chinese women have small fingers, and that has made them a valuable contributor to iPhone production because they are more nimble at installing screws and other miniature parts in the small device, supply chain experts said. In a recent analysis the company did to explore the feasibility of moving production to the United States, the company determined that it couldn’t find people with those skills in the United States, said two people familiar with the analysis who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

    May 24, 2025 at 5:09 PM

    The oh so serious FTFNYT providing another clear example of their “judgement”.

    Grr…

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  52. 52.

    Baud

    @Another Scott:

    In a recent analysis the company did to explore the feasibility of moving production to the United States,

     

    I seriously question whether any such study exists.

  53. 53.

    eclare

    @sab:

    Yeah my area of practice is corporate tax, but that has dried up so I hope to make a career change.  But 80 hours of CPE every two years is a lot.

    Bonus:  I got randomly selected for a CPE audit.  I have the 80 hours, but you are supposed to have at least twenty per year, and I don’t have that.  We’ll see how bad I get dinged.

  54. 54.

    Nukular Biskits

    @frosty:

    You usually would hear that said when someone would comment on one or more guys just sitting around doing nothing (usually towards the end of the work week) lying (humorously) they were hard at work.

    “About to strip a gear” references a gearbox so overworked it’s about to strip the teeth off one more more gears.

    Sorry if that explanation isn’t as humorous as the actual usage usually is … I be tired!

  56. 56.

    eclare

    @NeenerNeener:

    Do you have a dr you can talk to about that?  Or a nurse?  That sounds awful.  And FYI one of the most effective forms of torture is sleep deprivation, it’s no joke.

  57. 57.

    Another Scott

    @Baud: Yeah, Martin makes a pretty convincing case that it would take a very long time to duplicate the various supply chains that feed the “cheap” manufacturing in China and the Far East.  It’s not lack of tiny fingers.

    (I think it could be done if we set our minds to it, myself – e.g. the Defense Production Act is a pretty big carrot and a bigger stick – but it assumes sensible government policies that are stable for 5-10-20 years and that seems to be unlikely at present.)

    Thanks.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  60. 60.

    frosty

    @Nukular Biskits: Got it. Said sarcastically about a guy doing nothing: “He’s working so hard that he’s about to strip a gear.”

    Having lunched at least one transmission I got the gear reference OK.

  62. 62.

    Ohio Mom

    @Raven: That was discombobulating. I always thought there was just one Weiner Mobile and that I’d seen it twice — most recently, last December on a day trip to Louisville, Kentucky.

    I think this is how little kids feel when they keep running into Santas who are clearly not the same person.

  63. 63.

    Repatriated

    Small hands?

    Should be in broadcasting then.

    “Wee paws, for station identification.”

  67. 67.

    NeenerNeener

    @eclare: I live in an area of Virginia that’s pretty much a medical wasteland, and being on Medicare makes the doctors even less interested in figuring out what’s wrong. Some of this may be my Multiple Sclerosis progressing, but there’s only one doctor in this area who specializes and he covers a 50 mile radius so it’s hard to get appointments. Some more of it may be living in a new house on a concrete slab, which is really hard on the legs at my age. And the more I hydrate the more trips to the loo….

  68. 68.

    Another Scott

    @Jay: The Chicken Tax has been in place since 1964:

    The Chicken Tax is a 25 percent tariff on light trucks (and originally on potato starch, dextrin, and brandy) imposed in 1964 by the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson in response to tariffs placed by France and West Germany on importation of U.S. chicken.[1] The period from 1961 to 1964[2] of tensions and negotiations surrounding the issue was known as the “Chicken War”, taking place at the height of Cold War politics.[3]

    Eventually, the tariffs on potato starch, dextrin, and brandy were lifted,[4] but since 1964 this form of protectionism has remained in place to give US domestic automakers an advantage over imported competitors.[5] Though concern remains about its repeal,[6][7] a 2003 Cato Institute study called the tariff “a policy in search of a rationale.”[4]

    As an unintended consequence, several importers of light trucks have circumvented the tariff via loopholes, known as tariff engineering. For example, Ford, which was one of the main beneficiaries of the tax, also evaded it by manufacturing first-generation Transit Connect light trucks for the US market in Turkey; these Transits were fitted-out as passenger vehicles, which allowed Ford to evade the Chicken Tax when the vehicles passed customs in the US. The Transits were stripped pre-sale of their rear seats and seat belts.[1] Similarly, to import cargo vans built in Germany, Mercedes-Benz disassembled fully-completed vehicles and shipped the components to “a small kit assembly building” in South Carolina, where they were reassembled.[8] The resulting vehicles emerged as locally manufactured, free from the tariff. Several such loopholes were subsequently closed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Light trucks manufactured in Mexico and Canada, such as the Ram series of trucks manufactured in Saltillo, Mexico, and Canadian-built Chevrolet truck models, are not subject to the tax under the North American Free Trade Agreement,[9] and from July 1, 2020, the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement.

    […]

    Of course 47 is doing his best to break his own USMCA agreements.

    Pickup trucks are (just about) the only thing that keeps the US auto industry in business, and they’ve been cash cows for 60+ years because of the Chicken Tax.

    US consumers will put up with a lot, especially if they don’t know about other options…

    I have no idea what an iPhone 29 would look like. I’m just saying that the US Government has a lot of power to shape the markets here, and that includes spending mountains of money building up domestic industry. One could easily argue that Intel became the powerhouse that it was for so long because of DoD investment in the VHSIC program.

    FWIW.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  69. 69.

    schrodingers_cat

    @dnfree:  I should have added probably. Many of the people who were behind the uncommitted movement lead by Tlaib’s sister have given interviews stating how happy they were with the election outcome.

  70. 70.

    sab

    @eclare: There is a lot of seasonal work because the field isn’t structured so you can bring up young tax accountants. Nothing for them to do in the summer so they all quit. So a lot of old accountants hang on doing tax prep.

    My firm keeps hiring promising youngsters who move on elsewhere, mostly to bank trust departments.

    The three old women they hired are still here fifteen years later. The kids are all long gone.

  72. 72.

    sab

    @sab: My firm used to update their Reuters accounting guide series, but that got too expensive. I used to do the CPE work and tests at the back. Those were good and not too expensive.

  74. 74.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Gin & Tonic: ​
     

    One of the things you will find as you get older, is that sleeping for 12, 14, 16 hours at a stretch is physically impossible.

    Hell, even in my misspent youth, sleeping 12+ hours involved having been up all night the night before.

    Nowadays, if I can put together two stretches of 3+ hours each in the same night, that’s a big win. I’m gonna talk with my primary about seeing a sleep specialist.

  75. 75.

    dnfree

    @schrodingers_cat: I find this….
    George Clooney’s wife of 11 years could find herself barred from entering the United States in the future because of her work with the International Criminal Court, according to a report.
    Amal Clooney, a British human rights lawyer, has reportedly given legal advice to the court in a war crimes case against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the war in Gaza, according to the Financial Times.
    Per the Financial Times, the U.K. Foreign Office reportedly recently warned lawyers, including Amal Clooney, giving legal advice to the International Criminal Court that they could face sanctions due to a February executive order President Donald Trump signed.
    The executive order claims the court “engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.  The ICC has, without a legitimate basis, asserted jurisdiction over and opened preliminary investigations concerning personnel of the United States and certain of its allies, including Israel, and has further abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.”

    ….The executive order goes on to say, “The United States will impose tangible and significant consequences on those responsible for the ICC’s transgressions, some of which may include the blocking of property and assets, as well as the suspension of entry into the United States of ICC officials, employees, and agents, as well as their immediate family members.”

  77. 77.

    NeenerNeener

    @sab: It wasn’t bad, though, either. I’ve tried that, potassium pills and magnesium gummies, baclofen and methocarbamol. Nothing has been a slam dunk, and getting the doctor(s) to automatically refill the prescriptions for baclofen and/or methocarbamol has been a surprising struggle. Usually they’re big believers in “Better living through chemistry”.

  79. 79.

    dnfree

    @sab: I think one article listed a few more homes!  Apparently they are in New York currently because George Clooney is in a play.

  80. 80.

    mvr

    Since this is an open thread.  You can still comment on the president’s proposal to gut the civil service at:
    https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/23/2025-06904/improving-performance-accountability-and-responsiveness-in-the-civil-service?utm_source=chanda&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=urgent-take-action-to-protect-public-services#open-comment​
     

    There are some suggested things to say at:
    https://news.chanda.science/archive/urgent-take-action-to-protect-public-services/

  81. 81.

    NeenerNeener

    @sab: It wasn’t a bad suggestion, though, either. I’ve tried that, potassium pills with magnesium gummies, baclofen, and methocarbamol,  and nothing has been a slam dunk. Plus, the doctors here have been reluctant to prescribe the muscle relaxers on a refill basis.

  83. 83.

    Ealbert

    My mother in law, some 30 years ago went through a program to help older women find work. She got a job at a company called Micro Switch where she and a whole bunch of other older ladies put in tiny screws with some kind of powered screwdriver. And no, my mother in law did NOT have tiny hands. She was an older lady with arthritis in her hands. This story is bunk.

  84. 84.

    NeenerNeener

    @sab: So my first 2 attempts to answer vanished. Let’s try this one more time.

    It’s not a bad suggestion, and that was the first thing I tried. In addition, I’ve tried potassium pills and magnesium gummies, baclofen, and methocarbamol. Nothing has been a slam dunk. And the doctors here have been reluctant to prescribe the muscle relaxers, especially on a refillable basis.

    My sister keeps bugging me to be tested for sleep apnea, too.

  85. 85.

    Mr. Bemused Senior

    @eclare: And FYI one of the most effective forms of torture is sleep deprivation, it’s no joke.

    When our kids were babies Bemused Senior and I used to say we were being trained to resist interrogation.

  86. 86.

    schrodingers_cat

    @dnfree: Well, George Clooney had no business leading the pile-on on Joe Biden, who was our best strategic bet to keep the presidency. These are the fruits of his advocacy in pushing Joe Biden out.

  87. 87.

    eclare

    @NeenerNeener:

    Gotcha.  Of course I have no idea how MS might affect sleep.  It’s too hard to see drs in so much of this country.  I’m so sorry.

    As others have mentioned, are gummies legal there?

  93. 93.

    NeenerNeener

    @eclare: They might be; there’s a store right in front of the Walmart nearest to my house. But I may need a prescription for that, too. Can’t hurt to ask, though, if/when I see the neuro again.

  94. 94.

    Another Scott

    Meanwhile, … BlueVirginia.US:

    NORFOLK, Va. — Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger today joined local leaders and Hampton Roads community members to lay out her plan as the next Governor of Virginia to make Virginia more affordable, particularly by lowering healthcare and prescription drug costs.

    Alongside community members at BROTHERS restaurant in Norfolk, Spanberger outlined the policy priorities her administration will focus on to make the Commonwealth more affordable for Virginia families. Earlier this week, Spanberger announced her healthcare affordability agenda to save Virginians money by cracking down on bad actors who inflate the cost of Virginians’ prescription drugs, improving access to affordable healthcare options in Virginia’s rural and underserved communities, and making sure no Virginian goes bankrupt because of a medical emergency.

    “Ever since I launched my campaign for Governor, the number-one priority I hear is that we have to make Virginia more affordable for everyone. And that includes here in Hampton Roads,” said Spanberger during the event. “Earlier this week, I announced a straightforward agenda to make healthcare and prescription drugs more affordable. And in the coming weeks, I will continue to lay out my agenda to lower costs for Virginia families.”

    Spanberger continued, “That’s what Hampton Roads deserves from their next Governor — someone who not only talks about problems, but someone who endeavors to fix them.”

    […]

    She’s expected to win in November against Winsome Earle-Sears (the current RWNJ Lt. Gov.) – one poll has Spanberger up by 17 points – but we cannot take anything for granted.

    As Geminid often states, Spanberger is a formidable and skilled politician. She’s almost certainly more conservative than my ideal, but she’s probably a very good match for the state and that’s what matters when it comes to winning here.

    It will be interesting to see how this message plays throughout the campaign, how she tweaks it, and who else runs with it during the midterms next year.

    Forward!!

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  98. 98.

    Another Scott

    @Jay: OTOH, look at Robert Pershing Wadlow:

    The largest hands ever, though, still belong to Robert Pershing Wadlow (USA, 1918–40), the tallest man ever, whose hands measured 32.3 cm (12.75 in) from the wrist to the tip of his middle finger.

    Big dude.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  103. 103.

    Jackie

    @eclare: I meant to mention that earlier… waiting for a WaterGirl appearance. Mike in Oly took a beautiful, truly tranquil pic. I exhaled and physically mellowed just looking at it. I can only imagine what it was like viewing it in person! Thanks for showcasing it, WaterGirl!

  106. 106.

    Professor Bigfoot

    @mrmoshpotato: Prosperity; the Great Khan is clearly prosperous, and his people— his Horde— seem to be doing quite well under his rule.

    All hail the Great Khan!

    (tongue only slightly in cheek, Governor Pritzker looks like the real deal— got me considering joining the Nomadic Warriors, no lie)

  107. 107.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Another Scott: It’s so strange to read this in juxtaposition with the people I’m reading on Mastodon who are basically saying we’re all going to be rounded into death camps.

    I’m going to dispute one point of what that Never-Trumper was saying the other day: the most dramatic doom predictions are coming from people not in the US. Brits and Australians. They’re not saying *they’re* headed for the gas chamber, they’re telling me *I* am headed for the gas chamber. I don’t know, maybe they’re right.

  109. 109.

    sab

    @NeenerNeener: MS is a whole different ball game. Beyond my amateur information, most of which would be wrong for you.

    My stepdaughter’s mom had MS. Also my dad’s nurse’s son.

    Medicine is so much better than when Sarah’s mom had it. They could do nothing then.

    .

  110. 110.

    Ruckus

    @zhena gogolia:

    Maybe that’s what helps me as well. No news isn’t good news but then it isn’t bad news either.

    I get a good 8 hrs most nights although on rare occasions I have a hard time falling asleep, but then that’s been my sleeping habit for literally decades.

  111. 111.

    Trivia Man

    @Ohio Mom: once a year, when they named the new hot doggers, all of them would park in front of our building. I think the most ever was 8 + a mini version + a peanut mobile running on peanut oil.

    We had lots of weenie whistles to give away. Apparently those were a huge fad in the 50’s.

    Bonus: who can sing the second verse?

  112. 112.

    sab

    Why the fuck are neighbors setting off fireworks. Oh yes, federal holiday two days away. Could you possibly let my dog and cats sleep in peace for two nights more?  Of course not. You are MAGA.

  117. 117.

    PatD

     

    @Princess: even the “progressives” love Pritzker. Far above the rest of the field at this point which now includes Rahm Emanuel. What a disaster his candidacy would be… failing upwards ever since his exit from the House.

  118. 118.

    Professor Bigfoot

    @Princess: He seems to be subtly leaning into the “Great Khan” thing, tongue *firmly* planted in cheek— I like what he says, and I really just like the guy.

    (I saw a list of Pritzker stuff— libraries, research facilities, museums and well, their existence says a LOT about the Pritzker family, and all of it very good)

  119. 119.

    Geminid

    @Another Scott: I got that “formidable politician” label from former Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling. He characterized Spanberger for Bearing Drift in August of 2023, after she gave Democrats a heads-up that she would run for Governor and they had an open seat to defend in 2024. Bolling wrote:

        Spanberger is a formidible politician, and I don’t think the Republican bench has anyone who can compete with her.

    Bolling could know; he won eight of eight of his races, including two statewide. If Virginia Republicans had held a primary instead of a caucus/convention process in 2013, I’m pretty sure Bolling would have won the race for Governor that year.

    As it turned out, Terry McAuliffe barely beat culture warrior Ken Cuccinelli, who would have lost to Bolling in a primary.

    I thought that and Dave Brat beating Eric Cantor in the VA07 primary the following year marked a downward inflection point for Virginia Republicans. Spanberger beat Brat in 2018, and now I expect she will be Virginia’s first female Governor ever.

  127. 127.

    persistentillusion

    @sab: I am with you.  My poor dog has been under the bed for 4 hours.  I wish hemorrhoids upon their ears.

  128. 128.

    Gvg

    @NeenerNeener: I was sent by my doctor to have a sleep study and the results kind of scared me. My oxygen was dropping to 75 and I was having breathing stop, I think it was 37 times that night before they switched me to trying the cpap machine half way through the night. Many people have trouble adjusting but I fell asleep right away and woke up feeling better than I had in a while. Then I had to bug them to get the results official and a prescription. I have now had the mask and matching 9 nights and feel my energy coming back. I am getting things done after work instead of just collapsing, and I feel rested in the morning. It’s a bit better each day.

    if you remember, when Covid was happening, they told us to call the doctor if our oxygen readings were below 90%. Reading up 88% is bad and 84% requires intervention. 75% is severe. And I have no idea how long I had it but I have been complaining about being tired for several years. It’s part of why I was seeing a weight loss doctor.

    There are lots of warnings that many people have trouble adjusting, but I have been running into real people who love their’s and talk it up.

  130. 130.

    Soprano2

    @eclare: We’re getting the same. We’ve had at least 5″ at my house since Wednesday, with more to come tonight and tomorrow, and next week. One good thing about it is that business at the bar is good tonight because people didn’t go to the lake or the river.

  131. 131.

    Kayla Rudbek

    @Professor Bigfoot: I think that I saw some artwork of Pope Leo giving Pritzker the Great Khan his blessing (probably over on Bluesky) like a medieval pope blessing the cavalry

  132. 132.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @Soprano2: I have a friend in your town. I’d like to send her to your bar. Is it ok to ask the name of your business?

    Do you have karaoke there? ( just guessing, because your nym is soprano2, so I expect you actually sing)

  133. 133.

    Chris T.

    @MagdaInBlack:

    Paragraph 20 something of the nyt article I skimmed did mention he rambled at times.

    He could just go “blibble ziggery sasquatch covfefe, the big beautiful bill is eating the dogs” for the entire speech and the FTFNYT would have a headline “Trump addresses crowd” with subhead “talks about budget bill”.

  135. 135.

    NeenerNeener

    @Gvg: They mentioned that they found nasal polyps on one of my MRIs a few years back, but nobody recommended CPAP back then. I’ll have to bring it up the next time I see my GP.

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