Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Those who are easily outraged are easily manipulated.

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

Second rate reporter says what?

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

Let the trolls come, and then ignore them. that’s the worst thing you can do to a troll.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

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

Michigan is a great lesson for Dems everywhere: when you have power…use it!

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

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

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

The press swings at every pitch, we don’t have to.

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

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

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

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

Tuesday Night Open Thread

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This post is in: 

Ozzie Osbourne died, and for whatever reason, I am far sadder about his passing than I would ever have predicted. Maybe because even if you don’t like him or Black Sabbath, there is no denying that it is foundational. It is to Heavy Metal what It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is to rap.

Earlier, I was listening to Paranoid and the weirdest fucking thing happened- all of a sudden I was 14, stoned, chewing mail pouch with braces in between swigs of mickey’s big mouths, with long hair and a grungy battleworn levi’s jean jacket on. I would give anything to be that age again. Just so fucking carefree you could almost float away. Too bad I didn’t know it at the time.

***

I wish I was as good at ANYTHING as Bari Weiss is at grifting.

Bari Weiss is seeking a valuation of more than $200mn for The Free Press amid talks over the sale of her “anti-woke” media start-up.

Weiss has met with David Ellison, the incoming owner of CBS News, over a potential deal to sell the three-year-old business, according to several people familiar with the matter.

And you know what? She’ll get that 200 million. She’ll get it and more. Meanwhile we can’t get the Democrats to fund a fucking podcast.

***

I saw another dreadful headline about Gaza earlier. It’s kind of crazy we live in a world where the lead story every night isn’t the slow starvation of an entire population in gaza and it barely even makes headlines now and life just keeps going on like this is normal. And for Americans, we’re aiding and abetting it. It’s surreal. But then again, there really isn’t much we can do. Our last real shout at having an impact went out the window on election day.

***

I know I am going to sleep easier tonight knowing that no transgender paralympians will be competing in the next Olympics.

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee has pledged to follow a Trump administration order banning transgender athletes in an update to its athlete safety policy – falling in line with other groups that have banned transgender individuals from sports competition.

Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order was issued in February. The New York Times was first to report the change.

The USOPC athlete safety policy, which does not directly reference the word “transgender” in the 27-page document, now features an ambiguously worded paragraph referring to Trump’s executive order from February.

Republicans are just so fucking weird. The shit they have as priorities just never cease to astonish and appall me.

***

It was a lovely day here- got to be a bit hot but there was no humidity, and those days are rare around these here parts. In fact, I just read a story the other day (or was it this morning or last week- I have a very fraught relationship with time anymore) that this was the most humid summer to date since 1994. Which I believe. It has also been one of the wettest I can recall in a long time. I am so glad I did not plant a vegetable garden because all of my tomatoes would have molded or got soft spots because we have just too much rain this year. And last year was a drought!

I’m off to watch some more of that Untamed series which is neither challenging or threatening but still entertaining enough to watch while reading, so there’s that. It’s a fine show but no one is gonna win an Emmy for anything involving this show, and that’s ok.

Reader Interactions

134Comments

  5. 5.

    SiubhanDuinne

    O/T: I know this may seem trivial in light of the awfulness all around us, but I am nearly incandescent with rage to learn that Congressional Republicans plan to name the Kennedy Center opera house after Melania Trump. Just makes me want to throw up.

  6. 6.

    Baud

    Meanwhile we can’t get the Democrats to fund a fucking podcast.

    I’m sorry to hear the Dems didn’t agree to fund Personality Crisis. At least you tried.

  9. 9.

    Jerry

    Normally, the death of old rock n rollers do not elicit more than a “aw man, I loved his/her music!” But man, the death of Ozzy is really getting to me. KEXP in Seattle has been playing nothing but Sabbath/Ozzy songs since 2:30 PM EDT and they’re still going strong here at 8:15 PM EDT. It’s a fitting tribute to such a titan of rock n roll/metal. And yes, Black Sabbath invented heavy metal as it’s known today. They are the founders much like that debut Ramones album is founding record of punk rock as we know it popular culture.

  11. 11.

    Jackie

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I am nearly incandescent with rage to learn that Congressional Republicans plan to name the Kennedy Center opera house after Melania Trump. Just makes me want to throw up.

    I hear ya. At least galas with FFOTUS and the 3rd “Lady” attending and accepting MAGA applause won’t be covered by PBS…

  12. 12.

    zhena gogolia

    @SiubhanDuinne: For some reason, these ridiculous insults, like paving over the Rose Garden, make me so sick. It’s visceral — I know much, much worse things are happening, but these are like a kick in the teeth.

  13. 13.

    The Audacity of Krope

    @Baud: Trump: “We hit $1.99 a gallon today in 5 different states.”

    The State of Delusion, the State of Misinformation, the State of Grandeur, the State of the Past, and the State of Hoping and Wishing.

  14. 14.

    different-church-lady

    @Baud: It’s like we’re duct-taped to the chair and the dog is saying, “This is fine” while he flees the room.

  16. 16.

    laura

    Man, every morning, driving the vw to high school, with my $1.00 per day gas money, and my 8-trac stereo system. I can’t even hear a Black Sabbath song to this day without inserting the Ka-Thunk of the trac change mid song.

    Roadie Brother the Elder worked the final show segment for the band he works for and it was both a very long work day and they flew out hours before Ozzy took the stage. Also, sweet leaf, heh heh heh….

  19. 19.

    JoyceH

    @zhena gogolia: I hear ya. Today listening to Trump’s insane ranting, my thought was, “Guys, can you please 25th this lunatic before he gilds the Resolute Desk?”

  20. 20.

    Scout211

    CNN KFile has published more photos of Trump and Epstein at various gatherings together.  One was Epstein entering Trump and Marla’s wedding and another was Trump with young Ivanka and Eric at a cafe opening in 1993.  Yes, even young Ivanka and Eric had a relationship with Epstein.  Who knew?

    At the moment, you can read the article and see the pics without the subscription wall but I’m not sure how long that will last.

  21. 21.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @zhena gogolia:

    Yes, that’s exactly my reaction. Same with the various Smithsonian venues.

    I wonder if the ever-so-transphobic/anti-drag queen Trumps have even the faintest idea of how much gender-bending there is in opera.

  26. 26.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @JoyceH:

    He interrupted himself to riff for fully two or three minutes about how “this very room” used to be so boring and ugly under all his predecessors until he rescued dozens of presidential portraits (each, of course, in a curly gold frame) from “the Vault.” Also, something something about the Declaration of Independence.

  30. 30.

    prostratedragon

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    In … um … recognition of the newly renamed “First Lady Melania Trump Opera House,” I propose a performance of the opera L’incorazione di Poppea. From a synposis:

    [I]ts prologue immediately explains that it is not a drama that promotes the triumph of virtue. Poppaea is portrayed as cynically plotting to become empress of Rome by manipulating the emperor Nero into marrying her, and her machinations include the execution of Seneca the Younger, who opposes her plans, which are successful at the end of the drama.

    That happy ending is celebrated thus:
    “Pur ti miro, pur ti godo (I gaze at you, I possess you)”

    One gets the feeling that Monteverdi was not a touch of acid.

  31. 31.

    dmsilev

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Also, something something about the Declaration of Independence.

    Let me guess: The complete Epstein file is written on the back, in invisible ink.

  32. 32.

    HeleninEire

    I was shocked by Ozzie’s death which is weird because we should be shocked that he got to 76.

    All I know about him is his reality TV show. And that his daughter Kelly is a MAJOR asshole nepo-baby.

    I can not name any of his songs. My sister said “Oh no..Crazy Train” and she sent me a link to it. Yeah, no clue.

  33. 33.

    JoyceH

    @SiubhanDuinne: ​
     

    He picked those portraits based on how ornate and shiny the frames are – which is how James K. Polk winds up in the Oval Office.

  34. 34.

    Suzanne

    @zhena gogolia: The pettiness makes them extra-bad. I felt similarly when I heard about how FOTUS mandated a return to plastic straws. Such a small thing, and yet just utterly evil and stupid.

    Theres a lot of terrible news coming out of Gaza. The bombing of the last Catholic Church this week…. indefensible.

  35. 35.

    Noskilz

    Ozzy Ozzbourne was remarkable figure on the musical and pop-cultural landscape, and he will be missed. He was such a constant that it seemed like he’d be around forever despite his best efforts to the contrary.

    The Gaza situation is just so damned depressing. I recently saw this post on bluesky claiming that some of the more extreme members of the Knesset are really keen on the Gaza Riviera idea. I have no idea how this crisis will end, but no place good seems certain.

  38. 38.

    frosty

    @zhena gogolia: ​
     I had friends who were huge Black Sabbath fans so I went with them to a concert in 1971. Sabbath opened for Grand Funk Railroad. My ears rang for a day and a half.

  39. 39.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @prostratedragon:

    Empress Poppæa was a piece of work. It’s not an opera I know well, though. I’ve listened to recordings a couple of times, that’s all. It’s no Les Miz or Phantom, that’s for sure //.

    But I think your suggestion is inspired.

  40. 40.

    M31

    @prostratedragon: oh yeah, Poppea, the opera where everyone is a creep

    and everyone knew that not too long after the coronation, Nero kicks Poppea in the (pregnant) belly and kills her

    good times

  41. 41.

    MagdaInBlack

    @Baud: yeah, I just watched that…..interesting….

    I don’t think the issue is any list. The issue is, um..visual evidence.

    “Irresponsible not to speculate” fits nicely here, I think

  45. 45.

    brendancalling

    I discovered Ozzy and metal in 6th grade, which led me to Black Sabbath, which is why I play bass.

    The grief is a slow burn. I’m in central PA and out of weed, but when I get home tomorrow I’m getting high AF and putting on so much Ozzy. I’m getting more bummer by the minute.

  49. 49.

    MagdaInBlack

    @brendancalling: I will share that “Iron Man” always (and still does) gave me the creeps. This delighted my husband no end, so he developed a pretty passable Iron Man voice just to annoy me.

  54. 54.

    Danielx

    @JoyceH:

    I believe he replaced the Resolute desk after one of Elon Musk’s spawn spit on it or pissed on it or something.

  58. 58.

    JoyceH

    AND the Kennedy Rose Garden ripped up to be replaced by the Trump Concrete Slab? Which Trump justifies by explaining the ground was difficult for ‘ladies’ shoes’. Um – better idea would be to get away from women wearing 1940s era stilettos to the White House.

  60. 60.

    JCJ

    @SiubhanDuinne: I think it was Mnemosyne who posted that if someone mentioned online that they thought Malaria was classy she would send a link to her nude modeling pictures.  Perhaps people should print those up and put them on and around the building to show who the building was named after.

  65. 65.

    The Audacity of Krope

    @JCJ: Uh, uh, uh. Let’s not disparage nude modeling, which is a fine profession. Melania isn’t nude modeling’s fault.

  67. 67.

    hitchhiker

    Just dd the usual house/yard puttering while listening to that entire Hunter Biden interview. He’s got a whole lot more tales to tell, is my impression. That, and he really loves his dad.

    Also, his comments about his drug/booze abuse are 100% clear thinking. No self-pity, no grandiosity, utter contempt for those who are still trying to shame him into a relapse, and grace for everyone else. (Not Jake Tapper, lol. Hunter’s got that dude’s number.)

    I feel qualified to comment on his recovery, btw, having spent all of my 73 years subject to alcoholism, at first other people’s and later my own, and intimately witnessed many, many efforts at recovery. I know what it looks like.

    He’s much wiser and more educated than I understood, and I have some hope that in the end he’ll get some justice for all the ruthlessness that came his way.

  70. 70.

    The Audacity of Krope

    @Anyway: can’t be expected to know Take me out to the ballpark!!

    ISWYD

    @Shalimar: Melania was perfectly fine as a nude model. That is not where her life went off-track.

    Facts.

  71. 71.

    Librettist

    Paranoid is foundational and a fine example of his vocal melody skills.

    Never bothered with the reality show, but his travel show with son Jack was pretty good. Watching him get lost listening to a master tape of Randy Rhoads laying down Crazy Train, I don’t think he ever really recovered from that idiocy.

  72. 72.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Danielx:

    I believe he replaced the Resolute desk after one of Elon Musk’s spawn spit on it or pissed on it or something. 

    Or dropped trow and shit on it, having Musk as a father and all.

  74. 74.

    Jackie

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    Heh. I wonder if Melania would have the “honor” to be buried next to the ex-wife at his golf course in NJ

    Don’t forget Marla… although she’s often forgotten. Until now – what with old photos of Epstein attending FFOTUS and Marla’s wedding! LOL

  76. 76.

    The Audacity of Krope

    @M31: Deliberate red herring. Her husband was really born in Kenya. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

  79. 79.

    dww44

    @SiubhanDuinne: it was buried in the big appropriations bill passed out of committee where all republicans and one Dem voted for it. But hey since Johnson sent the House home for 5 weeks maybe sanity might prevail.  But prolly not. This GOP Congress is totally supine.

  80. 80.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Danielx:

    If memory serves, I believe the precious little tyke adorably picked his nose and then winsomely wiped his snot on the desk.

  84. 84.

    mario

    is anyone else having a problem with the bj rss feed? I use feedly and it hasn’t worked in some time.

  86. 86.

    Librettist

    heavy metal and mullets it’s how we were raised, Maiden and Priest were the gods that we praised…

    Fuck that noise. Not going back to fourteen for anything.

  89. 89.

    different-church-lady

    Y’all talking about the scary older kids who were old enough to have cars.

  91. 91.

    Another Scott

    @mario: It’s been mentioned here a few times, off and on, over the last few months.

    I think someone said a different RSS reader still works, but I could be wrong about that.

    Maybe let WaterGirl know?

    HTH a little.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  92. 92.

    Rusty

    I saw Ozzy in high school in the early 80’s.  One of my best friends was a huge Ozzy/Black Sabbath fan, so when he played near is a whole group of us went.  As best I remember it was a good show.  I even had a couple of BS and Ozzy records. It all brings back driving around in the rusty beater  70’s cars we could afford, listening to Ozzy being blasted out of cheap tape decks and  speakers we mounted in the rear deck and doors, while drinking the cheapest beer available that wasn’t generic. (We had standards!)   He isn’t someone I’ve deliberately listened to in a very long time, but I feel sad at his passing.

  93. 93.

    Redshift

    @Danielx:

    I believe he replaced the Resolute desk after one of Elon Musk’s spawn spit on it or pissed on it or something.

    That was the story that was going around at first, but apparently he just had it taken out and cleaned.

    (It’s called the Resolute desk because it’s made from timbers from HMS Resolute, so a new one wouldn’t be the Resolute desk.)

  96. 96.

    Geminid

    @Noskilz: That claim you saw on Bluesky is well-founded. The more extreme Knesset members favor far worse. They’re all part of Benjamin Netanyahu’s rotten coalition too.

    Netanyahu knew they were toxic when he formed this government in December of 2022. But he was desperate to fix his criminal cases and the extremist parties led by Smotrich and Ben-Gvir were willing to help.

  99. 99.

    Melancholy Jaques

    Does anyone think that Bondi is going to offer Maxwell a deal of some kind in exchange for Maxwell exonerating Trump?

  101. 101.

    Scout211

    @Melancholy Jaques: Does anyone think that Bondi is going to offer Maxwell a deal of some kind in exchange for Maxwell exonerating Trump?

    Magic eight ball says, “highly likely.”

    But even if that doesn’t happen, since Bondi is sending Todd Blanche to interview Maxwell, we know that Trump will be protected. 

  102. 102.

    opiejeanne

    I’m glad John is enjoying Untamed. We thought it was a waste of time, a total waste of Sam Neill, and a miserable story all around. Badly directed or written, not sure which, maybe both, and too many characters to deal with that were not important to the story but got lines and screen time. You suffer through every character’s misery just to get to an ending that is not in any way redeeming. Ugh

    Also, they made Yosemite seem claustrophobic.

  103. 103.

    WTFGhost

    @Baud: Well, as a shaman, I can say that I don’t expect the blog itself to become a fetch, but if it did, would we know that we’re looking at the apparition of a *blog*, and would it help foretell the doom to come?

  104. 104.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    @laura:

    Hah!  Finally, somebody who remembers the “ka-thunk” of a track change mid song.  For years, I’d play an 8-track version of something, then the digital version so people could hear the difference.

    I said in an earlier thread, I bought “We Sold Our Soul For Rock And Roll” on 8-track around 1978, still have it, it still plays.

    I remember being in line for Tull tickets at CU-Boulder in 1980 talking to some guy and saying I liked “Black Sabbath”.  His response: A poor man’s Led Zeppelin. I hope he subsequently led an unhappy life.

  105. 105.

    prostratedragon

    Bondi has a lot on her plate, what with showing those NJ judges whatfor:

    Bondi announces the removal of the top career prosecutor in the NJ US Attorney’s Office because she was chosen by the district judges to replace Alina Habba.

    “Politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position, replacing Alina with the First Assistant,” Bondi posted on social media. “This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers.”

  108. 108.

    Scout211

    @prostratedragon: I saw that earlier today and scratched my head trying to figure out what those “core” presidential powers were that Bondi was screeching about.  Are they different than say, arm presidential powers, or leg presidential powers?

    I just cannot with that woman.

  109. 109.

    Soapdish

    More “War Pigs”, “Never Say Die”, “Johnny Blade”, and “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, please.

  110. 110.

    Soapdish

    (Also, I’m super glad Ozzy got the send-off he deserved at the show a couple of weeks ago, but it would have been nice if there had been at least a nod to Ronnie James Dio)

  111. 111.

    Jackie

    @Melancholy Jaques:

    Does anyone think that Bondi is going to offer Maxwell a deal of some kind in exchange for Maxwell exonerating Trump?

    Yes. BUT my fantasy is that Maxwell pulls a double cross, and while under oath spills all the beans about FFOTUS raping young teens, and they ALL resembled Ivanka.

  112. 112.

    TS

    @prostratedragon:

    Judges appointed by trump are not politically motivated??? trump’s administration has taken over the SCOTUS & are now working on removing any states’ rights that interfere with their right to rule.

  113. 113.

    Mr. Bemused Senior

    @Baud: I wonder how much Balloon Juice would fetch.

    One of the criteria venture capitalists apply when evaluating a business plan is the “gift test.” That is, would anyone want this product if you gave it away for free?

    Just sayin’

    [ETA I’m a supporter]

  114. 114.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    @opiejeanne:

    Oh god I hate that song.

    I was never a big fan of his post-Sabbath work.  Loved seeing him shine thru the subsequent years but from a music standpoint, there were a couple of songs that were really good like “No More Tears” and “Mama I’m Coming Home” but for the most part, I wasn’t grabbed.

  115. 115.

    ruckus

    John

    Republicans are just so fucking weird. The shit they have as priorities just never cease to astonish and appall me.

    That’s because current day conservatives, at least the hardcore ones, do not want a democracy. They want a government that ONLY recognizes them as a legit political party and everyone else as subordinate  to them. What they want to conserve is the law of power, not the law of a democracy. They want a world that hasn’t existed in a very long time, at least in any relatively free country.  Today, even many monarchies are rather free countries, they just have kings/queens rather than KINGS/QUEENS or elected top level leaders. Hardcore conservatives seem to want a world in which even they would very likely not like, because even their freedom would be very limited to non existent, and very much not a democracy.

  116. 116.

    ruckus

    @frosty:

    Hopefully you will never have an ear with constant tinnitus. It is less fun than it sounds – no pun intended.

  121. 121.

    SpaceUnit

    @NotMax:

    The Flintstones had a turntable with a bird who’s beak was the stylus.

    The bird would look up and say something like “It’s a living!”

  125. 125.

    frosty

    @ruckus: ​
     Too late, I already have semi-constant tinnitus and have had for decades. The semi- is because it’s there but I’m not paying attention to it. It’s not so bad that it drives me crazy fortunately.

    The audiologist convinced me to get hearing aids a couple of years ago. I hear the high frequencies in the white noise now* but I can’t say it’s helped to listen to a conversation in a restaurant.

    *Walking on dead leaves is LOUD!

  127. 127.

    RaflW

    For whatever reason, when War Pigs came on the satellite radio a week ago Monday, I stayed tuned and listened to the whole song. It’d probably been two decades since I’d heard it. I was never much of a fan, but in the right mood or moment, Black Sabbath could be some perfect hard rock. And the message of that song. Dang. 1970 was a tumultuous time, and yet here we are again with
    “…hatred to mankind
    Poisoning their brainwashed minds…

    Politicians hide themselves away
    They only started the war
    Why should they go out to fight?
    They leave that role to the poor, yeah”

  128. 128.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Something that just struck me that really weird about these pictures of Trump and teenage girls we’ve been seeing; the focus of picture is on Trump, not the girl.  It’s not “she’s special to me” like a normal, its’ “Aren’t you jealous your aren’t me right now?”.

  129. 129.

    ruckus

    @frosty:

    Have constant tinnitus in one ear and rather low hearing, only wear a hearing aid in that side. Other side is 100%. Without the hearing aid the tinnitus gets worse. And with it sometimes the tinnitus almost goes away. Can’t count on it though. Aww the joy of getting old.

    Oh well, I’ve met people who needed hearing aids at a young age. At least I’ve gone decades without one.

  130. 130.

    ruckus

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques:

    That’s part of his “charm.”

    And yes I agree saying he has any charm is bullshiting. He’s like a car that catches on fire on the freeway during rush hour so even if you can pull over you still will likely lose everything because the fire department can’t get to you as fast as is very likely necessary.

  131. 131.

    Paul in KY

    @Baud: He has flagrantly lied so so much and gotten away with it that I think he just loves putting out a whopper and seeing how many of his idiots believe it.

  132. 132.

    Paul in KY

    @MagdaInBlack: My 8 year old son loves Iron Man. We sing it with original lyrics and then we make up our own lyrics. Most of which involve farting.

  133. 133.

    Paul in KY

    @M. Bouffant: We used to drink some stuff called Drewerys and also Phieffer and good ole Iron City

    There also was this stuff called Sterling, but I wouldn’t drink it. It had some kind of weird solventlike aftertaste.

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