Deciding on supper, whether to go out or cook something. There’s some bok choi in the crisper and some pot stickers in the freezer, so that could be supper.
I’ve been talking to an online friend who has decided that the idiots on the right will burn this country down, there is no hope, etc. and now I’m exhausted. Maybe I need to find something to do that involves food, away from the computer.
2.
JPL
The rain passed through earlier today and now the temperature is dropping. It’s 33 and suppose to drop another 12 degrees.
Will Obama issue an executive order the same day that the grand jury announces whether or not there will be charges against Wilson? What would CNN and Fox do, if that happened?
The marriage license obtained Monday by the Associated Press was issued 7 November for the 80-year-old Manson and Afton Elaine Burton, who left her Midwestern home nine years ago and moved to Corcoran, California, the site of the prison, to be near Manson. She maintains several websites advocating for Manson’s innocence.
The license does not specify a wedding date and indicates the couple has 90 days to get married or they will have to reapply.
The couple, if wed, will not be allowed conjugal visits. That will have to wait until at least his first opportunity for parole. In 2027.
4.
JPL
@opiejeanne: I still haven’t watched season two of Orange is the new Black, the next couple of days might be good for streaming.
My job interview got postponed, I had to talk G down from quitting his job today, and my broken toe still hurts. Otherwise, not a terrible first day back in the office after my vacation. Trying to figure out what to do for dinner since I don’t want to buy a huge amount of food prior to our new fridge is being delivered on Saturday.
6.
henqiguai
Rain. And cold, with dropping temperatures; d@mmit. And I’m the one who doesn’t like being hot (except in that hip kind’a way, which I’m sure y’all all agree I am).
7.
Trollhattan
This is what mountaintop coal mining looks like, over time. Evidently our buddies at Patriot Coal Company would like to make this mine in West Virginia even bigger, thank you, because they liked doing that first bit very much. (The coal-wash chemicals should already be available in some river.)
I can’t tell if this is the rightwing’s last gasp, aided and abetted by gazillionaires and corporate-owned media chasing controversy, or if it’s a resurgence on the right.
It is depressing.
Step away from cable news and the blogs. Read a good book; get some exercise. Cook something.
YES THIS. For those of us (which is many people here, I’m sure) who are kinda 24/7 on news, it can be a good reminder that you don’t actually need to know everything that’s going on at every moment. When shit is really awful or depressing or maddening, some days I just say “no fucking more”, don’t turn on MSNBC, avoid news as much as I can, and just read or watch HGTV or whatever. It doesn’t make you a bad person to ignore the news for a while, if doing so is better for your own mental state.
Haven’t been around here as much as usual lately. I’m probably just post election tired, have work to do, and I’m probably seeing other blogs. But in case this hasn’t been posted here yet, here is a song for Shia.
Again, I apologize for not being around, not for any damage my taste may cause.
13.
OzarkHillbilly
Snow, ice, and 11 degrees tonight. I am not yet ready for this sh!t. But the wood stove is workin’ and I gotta make something for dinner tonite. Tomorrow, I make chili, crackers, and something with apples in it (Granny Smiths were cheap). And do some wiring too.
Her particular despair was over the move past anti-abortion to anti-contraceptives that a noisy group of nutjobs has taken up as their battle cry: women back to the kitchen! Because they don’t remember any trouble when women stayed home to raise the kids in the 50s.
I don’t think these guys will get any traction but it’s depressing to even read about them any more.
All four known sexual incidents followed a common pattern. Each time a seal chased, captured and mounted the penguin. The seal then attempted copulation several times, lasting about five minutes each, with periods of rest in between.
Male and female penguins mate via an opening called a cloaca, and the seals are thought to have actually penetrated the penguins in some of the acts, which were caught on film by Haddad.
In three of the four recorded incidents the seal let the penguin go. But on one of the more recent occasions, the seal killed and ate the penguin after trying to mate with it.
18.
PsiFighter37
@Suffern ACE: I’m pretty disillusioned by politics post-election. When you have two brothers worth $100 billion and big companies that control ALEC and decimate us at the state legislative level, I don’t feel like there’s anything that can really be done.
It feels pretty hopeless, frankly. I don’t think Hillary Clinton is a given in 2016 either – I think the GOP strategy is to so demoralize the base that they don’t bother turning out because they don’t think things will change. I will always vote, but I just don’t really know / feel if anything can really be done to right the ship anytime soon.
19.
opiejeanne
@Mike J: He’ll be 93. I wouldn’t let him out even then, but just imagine the nuptial night finally realized.
Ok, sorry for that image. Where’s the brain bleach?
It’s hopeless as long as we let it be hopeless, as we have politely done for far too long. We should learn from the GOP. They turn their voters out, they fight tooth and nail – and they recognize that even less sexy races like school board races matter. Nothing stops us from matching them at their own game except learned helplessness and a desire among some parts of our coalition not to stain their delicate souls with the rough-and-tumble sordidness of politics.
I even stay away from this blog, and others, from time to time, because they’re all “look what the idiot Republicans are doing” and it’s an electronic asshole delivery system, if you ask me.
Happy to be blissfully ignorant of a lot of the poutrage. But I like the folks here.
24.
opiejeanne
@BGinCHI: Thanks. And you’re right, The Wire is only on DVD. Rats.
I left Facebook back in the day for that reason. Too many jerks being jerks and making the world a sadder place. There’s only so much asshole punching one can do in a day without wanting to just lie down and sleep forever.
26.
Amir Khalid
@PsiFighter37:
She’s not dumb, I think, but irrationally obsessed. You’d have to be to believe in Manson’s innocence, let alone to want to marry him.
I haven’t been here much recently because of the wailing and gnashing of teeth after the election, my wailing and the gnashing of my own teeth. Holed up in a cabin in the mountains for two weeks, with wifi but other things to interest me. Read a lot of murder mysteries.
This blog is almost more about cats and food and gardening than politics these days, maybe 55/45, so I can avoid the worst of the asshole Wurlitzer.
28.
PsiFighter37
@Morzer: That is all sorts of weird. Really wonder what is causing the seals to do that – not enough females in the seal population?!
I put it down to Republican encephalitis. The more I learn about the world of nature, the more I think that it is far weirder and more diverse than we’ve ever imagined. We keep trying to put it into neat little moral boxes – and nature just busts out of them every time.
32.
JPL
@opiejeanne: Did you see Happy Valley? For a BBC, it was quite violent but the acting was terrific and the story compelling.
33.
PurpleGirl
@Elizabelle: If you like cats and kittens, find a kitten cam to watch. (I need to check back and find out if Dorothy has begun birthing her kittens yet.)
Bride kind of admitted she’s marrying because she’d be privy to more legal and other dealings as a spouse.
35.
BGinCHI
@JPL: Liked that too. Hope we get a new season of that soon.
36.
Amir Khalid
@Morzer:
You should ask Dita Von Teese about that.
37.
opiejeanne
@Morzer: Facebook has been a major source of irritation in recent weeks. I’ve already blocked a lot of people who irritate me for various reasons, some of them family and some of the reasons are political. I’ve also taken a long step back and avoided it for a couple of weeks at a time.
Now that my youngest isn’t traveling the world (for a while) I can stop visiting Facebook. Five years ago when she took off for Forn Parts she wanted a way to keep in touch. She quit the company when they started insisting that they needed her in Cairo for 10 days; she’s living with us temporarily while she hunts for a job and a place to live. And her boyfriend is living with us too, but he just started a job today, so they may be moving out in a couple of weeks. I told them to wait until January, for stability, but my ulterior motive is help putting up Christmas decorations on the house.
@JPL: No, haven’t seen Happy Valley. Right now we are working our way through season 2 of “Endeavor”.
Am re-reading Louise Penny’s “Inspector Gamache” series. Read aloud to my husband as he drove from Seattle to California two weeks ago, and again on the trip back. He hadn’t read these yet.
I just finished a really, really bad murder mystery today. The kind where you’re thinking “don’t you dare!” to the author and laughing at how preposterous the plot while skimming the final pages. Vowing you are done with that author. (And I was, for years, but got curious if she’d improved. Nope.)
Successful murder series can be golden goose egg killers.
Not Patricia Cornwell, but it’s the Patricia Cornwell curse.
41.
opiejeanne
@PsiFighter37: Aren’t you the guy who took off time from work to volunteer in another state during the 2012 election? You, or whoever it was, inspired us to do something similar next year, to help get people registered and if need be, get them the required ID well in advance of the 2016 elections. Then offering to drive people to the polls in 2016.
Washington votes by mail and registration is easy. Oregon has a similar system and also votes by mail, and the Tea Partiers have started trying to claim massive voter fraud there but almost everyone else just laughs.
I have to thank you for posting the bbc future link to the Debunker’s Handbook. My son needed a topic for a psychology paper due next week so I suggested he read the article you posted. He has gone on to read the articles, handbook, and the studies referenced in the articles.
Thanks again.
43.
Violet
It’s cold. I’m working on my final project for my course. Having leftover roast chicken, leftover make-ahead mashed potatoes, and some roast vegetables for dinner.
Hoping to save some of my vegetable plants. The tomatoes and peppers are covered and I have plastic containers of water under them to keep them warmer. It’s supposed to be back to 80 by the weekend, so if I can just get them through the next couple of days they should be okay.
44.
ultraviolet thunder
Drove from Detroit to Pittsburgh this morning in very unpleasant weather. Low of 15 here tonight. Driving back to Detroit tomorrow. If the roads are crappy first thing in the am I’m going to sit tight until rush hour is over. The desk will still be there when I get to the office.
45.
Pogonip
It’s cold and snowy here and it’s too early!
My mom’s going to a nursing home; she falls over without warning and we can’t watch her every minute–the last time she had a concussion. We’re hoping she won’t find it too boring as she sleeps most of the time anyway. We were hoping to keep her at home as she is not aggressive and doesn’t wander but it’s just not safe. So we’re sort of relieved and sort of disappointed.
46.
Mary G
I have read a ton of books and listened to audiobooks, and trying to get into something on Netflix. I am itching to get home, where no one wakes me up at 5:30 to take my thyroid pill. I only have to take it 30 minutes before breakfast, which is at a bad enough time of 7:30, but shift change for the nurses is 7:00, so I have to wake up in the dark.
No, but I have seen dance around in your bones talking up a storm about her latest booty raid.
Nice win for your Patriots, by the way. I am guessing you have a bit more of a spring in your step today.
48.
JPL
@opiejeanne: Still LIfe was made into a movie with Nathaniel Parker. Because I loved the series, and even though it received poor reviews, I bought the dvd from Amazon. It was awful!
I’ve been hate-reading Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs series. I liked the first few, but now I’m like, Does every book have to revolve around WWI? There were no other events, ever?
Ruth Rendell’s latest, The Girl Next Door, was quite good. I was afraid she had totally lost her touch, not blaming her too much since she’s in her 80s. The whole book is about being old. She makes it interesting.
52.
Violet
@Mary G: Hi, Mary G! Good to see you. Sorry you’re still in the rehab facility. I hope things are improving.
53.
different-church-lady
@efgoldman: Remember back in week 4 when I told you not to panic? Remember?
This story reminds me of those toads I’ve read about that will attempt to mate with darn near anything about the size of the female toad, including a scientist’s finger. Although the toads do not eat the finger after the relationship doesn’t work out.
56.
PurpleGirl
@gogol’s wife: No, I never heard from the woman who had the kitty.
57.
opiejeanne
@Elizabelle: Yes, had to give up Patricia Cornwell because her books became so damned depressing, not to mention trying to one-up her previous grossness and gagability with every book.
Louis Penny is Canadian, her books are set in Quebec, her main character is Quebecois but most of the rest of the characters are “English” and the books are written in English. The murders are brutal but that brutality is not the centerpiece. The characters are warm and human and Detective Chief Inspector Gamache of the Surete` is a kind man, exactly who you want to deal with if you are involved in a murder in any way. The setting for most of the stories is a little place called Three Pines which is difficult to find, you almost have to find it accidentally, like Brigadoon. The road in is not paved and the town doesn’t appear on any map but it is a perfect little place with a village green, a pond, charming stone cottages, a small group of shops, a bakery, a grocer, a bookstore, and a bistro. Oh, and a B and B.
And a crabby old woman named Ruth whose favorite thing to say to people is “Fuck off!” She’s hilarious.
I hate that too. Toward the end Robert Parker had something similar in the Spenser novels, where he spent more time describing what he was cooking than any mystery.
Had an hour long night dive. Had some big assed curious tarpon, crab, lobster, bunches of eels, shrimp, multiple fish and…bioluminescence, which I’d never seen before.
That was awesome!
8 am boat dive in the morning, shore dive in the afternoon. I’ll do four, maybe five tomorrow, and a dawn dive Wednesday.
Walked past a TV where Jeopardy was on with nobody watching, paused to catch a question where the clue had Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten and Vienna, and none of the three contestants came up with the name of the film.
66.
Pogonip
P. S. did anyone besides Helen and I read Revival? I’ve noticed a pattern in the reviews–those who liked his Kennedy-assassination story didn’t like Revival and vice versa. I liked the beginning and end of 11/22/63 but didn’t like the hero–he was too perfect–and didn’t like the long boring stretch in the middle where he follows Oswald around. But I’m always up for some Cthulhu mythos so I fit the pattern. The only problem was at the shocking revelation at the end of Revival, which King feels was the most horrifying thing he’s ever written, I immediately thought “I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords” (the only possible remark under the circumstances) and then began giggling madly, which I am sure was not the reaction he wished to provoke. Sorry about that, Uncle Stevie.
In September Bohdi broke a couple of teeth on the marrow bones I had been giving him. The vet had to extract them and, while he was knocked out, she cleaned his teeth, The bill was $500+ and we were happy we had health insurance on the knucklehead. Then the company denied all but $40 because they said the cleaning was not covered, accidents only. I asked my vet to write them and give her justification. They reconsidered and sent us a nice check today. Great news as we pack our gear for the beach!!
I would watch Nathaniel Parker in a dramatization of the phone book. He’s coming to New York in Wolf Hall as Henry VIII, which ALMOST makes me want to buy tickets to sit through a 5-hour show. Almost.
I haven’t read this and probably won’t, but you’re reminding me of my reaction to Pet Sematary. There was a scene early on where I just shivered and thought, this is the scariest novel I’ve ever read. But soon after that I was just laughing. It was ridiculous.
72.
Gin & Tonic
@Omnes Omnibus: Two of the three contestants were women, so that joke doesn’t work.
73.
Elizabelle
@efgoldman: That’s not a novel. That’s scriptwriting.
74.
Omnes Omnibus
@Gin & Tonic: I’ll just be over in the corner, pouting.
75.
Jacks mom
Had Monday’s with Marley (my 4 year old granddaughter). I pick her up from her preschool at 11 on Mondays and I can’t tell you how much it helps with my depression concerning the direction I see this country going. And then I think about what her future might look like.
You’ve hit upon my favorite film genre, post-WWII bombed-out cities with neat actors doing something in the foreground. Berlin Express and The Man Between were on TCM last week. There’s also Decision at Dawn, A Foreign Affair, and a few more. There’s one with Montgomery Clift the name of which escapes me now. But of course The Third Man takes the palm. Just for the music alone.
77.
Amir Khalid
@Omnes Omnibus:
I’ve often wondered why so many bestselling pop-fiction writers (the Stephenie Meyerses and Dan Browns and E.L. Jameses and Stieg Larssons etc. of this world) suck so badly at the most basic part of their craft: writing prose. Are their publishers just putting out unedited manuscripts?
78.
Pogonip
@gogol’s wife: What was the early scene that scared you? I quite liked Pet Sematary myself–nothing like watching a nice onrushing train wreck. (It’s Kingland, for God’s sake –don’t move your family to Maine! ANYWHERE but Maine!)
79.
Ruckus
@Amir Khalid:
An acquaintance of a friend on FB was discussing that he didn’t see how Manson could be guilty, he wasn’t even on the premises when the murders happened. Several people tried to explain it to him but it was a lost cause.
@gogol’s wife: Even though Still Pines was awful, if he does another Louise Penny book, I’ll waste another twenty dollars.
84.
burnspbesq
Hey Ms. Cracker,
Got any suggestions for things to do in and around Lake Wales? Will be at Mom & Dad’s all next week, and may need some ways to escapte from time to time.
Orlando is not a viable option; been there and done that several times with nieces and nephews over the years.
85.
PsiFighter37
@opiejeanne: I did a ton back in the day. I did go to Ohio on my own dime the weekend before the election to do GOTV in Dayton, but that’s nothing compared to what I did in college – GOTV and phonebanking for Kerry, 10 straight weekends of canvassing + GOTV for Patrick Murphy in 2006, and spending a supremely frigid first week of 2008 canvassing for Obama in New Hampshire (my feet froze the first 15 minutes I was outside in the zero-degree snow-covered neighborhoods of Nashua).
It’s a lot different with a job that takes up a lot of time now, but it’s so disheartening. And what’s even worse is that nobody around me has as good a sense of politics and just spouts toxic conventional wisdom as truth – crap like ‘if the GOP wins the Senate, there’s chance of something getting done!’. I live in one of the most Democratic states in the country (NYC), and it’s filled with corrupt Democrats like Andrew Cuomo who, for some reason, want the State Senate to be the last place the state GOP bothers holding any power.
I’m getting to the point where I don’t know if we can make a difference anymore. When there are enough rich assholes out there who can afford to blow $4-5 billion on a fucking midterm election, it’s cause for despair. I think Kansas was the most pathetic of all – the results from Brownback destroying the state’s finances are abjectly clear, and yet he still got reelected anyways.
86.
Omnes Omnibus
@gogol’s wife: You can actually add A Hard Days Night to the list.
87.
GHayduke (formerly lojasmo)
70 degrees when we left Los Angeles. Six below windchill in MN.
When I was in film school, the professor pointed out that the opening shots of A Foreign Affair are a gigantic “fuck you!” to Hitler from Billy Wilder — they mimic the opening shots of Triumph of the Will, but instead of revealing the thousand-year Reich, they reveal the ruins of Berlin.
89.
Gin & Tonic
Budapest is looking like Kiev did a year ago. Photos here. Sorry, text in Russian, but you can just look at the pictures.
90.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@efgoldman: I used to read the books even though I never could stand Kay Scarpetta. When I mentioned it to a friend (who had a brief career as an author) he told me he did the same thing with the Alex Delaware books. So it’s apparently not terribly uncommon.
But i now have to little time to read Cornwell, since as you note all the characters seem to hate one another. I did like Lucy though. For gore, I’d rather read Kathy Reichs, who has pleasant (mostly) characters and can actually write.
I’m a few chapters into “The Black House,” by Peter May. First volume of a planned trilogy of police procedurals set on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebredies. So far, so good.
And if all else fails, you can always go back and re-read Tony Hillerman.
96.
Mary G
@Violet:Thanks! I get out Saturday and am counting the hours, maybe even the minutes. Tomorrow I can start putting 50% weight on the ankle. Hope it doesn’t hurt to much. I haven’t had a pain pill in ten days.
We had a visiting speaker and when we went out to dinner he turned out to be Bob in Portland, even though he left Russia about 35 years ago. It’s so bizarre. You don’t know where anyone stands any more.
98.
Iowa Old Lady
@Amir Khalid: I’d guess that if a writer is well-known and selling up a storm, the editing is indeed less rigorous. First, why should the editor spend the time and effort if it’s not needed to make the book sell? Second, if a writer’s a best-seller, the editor-writer power balance shifts a little.
Even as a scholar, I found that once I became well-known, editors didn’t push me as hard. I thought my work suffered as a result.
99.
PurpleGirl
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): I like Kathy Reichs too. I’m not up-to-date with her series right now because I’m trying to read more Outlander (Diana Gabaldon) before the TV shows starts again in April.
ETA: Each of the Outlander books is like 600-700 pages.
Did you see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s comment on the Outlander audiobooks?
By the way, my current audiobook is Outlander. I don’t know why I waited so long to get to this series, it’s fabulous. I’m on the second book, and it’s super entertaining, although really, did anybody else notice that there’s really a lot of inappropriately timed sex in strange locations? Those two must really love each other – that or they’re loaded all the time, which, actually isn’t that far off of possible. There’s a lot of brandy and ale.
106.
Amir Khalid
@gogol’s wife:
You met the Bob in Portland? Poor you.
107.
Gin & Tonic
@Amir Khalid: I *think* she was speaking metaphorically.
Another mystery series I liked that was unfortunately cut short by the death of the author was Kate Ross’s Julian Kestrel series — here’s the first book. They were Regency mysteries, which isn’t that common.
My favorite is probably the third book, Whom The Gods Love. The last book seems a little rushed but unfortunately she was trying to finish it before cancer finished her.
@Gin & Tonic:
I’m sure she was. But meeting even an approximation of our friend in Portland would still spoil anyone’s dinner, n’est-ce pas?
115.
NotMax
Just now poured first cup of coffee for the day after awaking about twenty minutes ago. And don’t feel even a smidgen of guilt about having slept through the bulk of the day.
Actually needed to catch up on sleep, as for at least the last ten days have been occupying a first class seat on the Insomnia Express.
Getting old is an unending carnival of revelations.
“You see pictures of tanks. But you don’t know where those tanks are, do you? How do you know?”
119.
Morzer
Has Cole given up on the Steelers after their defeat by *snicker* the Jets? I thought for sure there’d be a venting thread and a terrible towel waving over the Fortress Of Ultimate Grumpiness.
120.
Mike E
@Gin & Tonic: Here’s what my Google translate came up with:
“Today is a day of rallies and demonstrations! In Prague held a rally against the incumbent president Russophile Zeman and Budapest over ten thousand Hungarians came to the parliament building, demanding Prime Minister Viktor Orban to explain to the people, for whatever reason, he did not so dismissed the head of the Tax Ildiko species, which recently banned from entering the US due over corruption allegations.
“By the way, a week ago, the Hungarians had already gathered on the warning rally demanding to dismiss disgraced the whole world officials and requested the intervention of the EU. Meanwhile, the head of the tax service of Hungary, which is in the “black list” of the United States, still occupies his post and the people decided to make himself mired in corruption officials “out.”
“Currently at the entrance of the parliament building there scuffle between activists and police, people are trying to break into the parliament building. And, what about the lustration Peter pulled the brakes and shoves Yaremko where not getting maggots Yanukovych? Well, well, eat away, as much in the EU’s pace.”
I didn’t see it that way. It’s harsh country, and an inexperienced cop, male or female, can absolutely get up shit creek without a paddle. If Hillerman had lived, I would have expected Manuelito to evolve into someone more like Molly, the female cop in the Jesse Stone books.
Google translate thought the person’s last name was actually the word “vid,” which it translated as “species.” I was going to translate the whole thing correctly, but you can’t improve on perfection.
ETA: Or maybe that’s first name, since the Hungarians do it backwards.
I haven’t seen the excerpt. Link, maybe, possibly?
Mind you, we live in an age when “NFL baby” is now picking games by falling over on Dave Dameshek’s couch in the direction of one of two symbols of the teams in question. I am starting to believe that the meteor is holding off because it doesn’t see why we deserve a break from our own inanity as a species.
the people decided to make himself mired in corruption officials “out.”
I believe the operative phrase is “mired in corruption.”
“eat away” comes from a typo in the original for “we’ll go far.” I am laughing until the tears have come to my eyes.
136.
BGinCHI
@raven: Yeah, it’s crazy violent. But probably reflects that world pretty well.
137.
Pogonip
@gogol’s wife: The poor slob. Should’ve known better than to attend a college in Maine.
Also on matters literary, the newest Uncle John, “Uncle John’s Canoramic Bathroom Reader,” is out. I am going to go wallow in trivia as this is my last evening alone for a while. See you later.
@efgoldman: When we toured the Budapest opera house in 2010, I noticed the photographs of prominent artists on the walls placed the last name before the first name, sort of like the Japanese do.
@Mike E: Had to go check on the Czechs, who seem to be waving red cards at Zeman over being too close to Moscow. That somehow seems deeply Czech, as does protesting (essentially in favor of the revolution) at a memorial ceremony for the Velvet Revolution.
I’ve often wondered why so many bestselling pop-fiction writers (the Stephenie Meyerses and Dan Browns and E.L. Jameses and Stieg Larssons etc. of this world) suck so badly at the most basic part of their craft: writing prose. Are their publishers just putting out unedited manuscripts?
Thirty years ago, I wrote an (sf fanzine) essay with the rallying cry “Put the lead back in the blue pencils!” Even then, genre writing was beginning to suffer from bloat because — I heard this anecdote from the editor in question, so I believe it — when asked what kind of sf novels he preferred, one reader replied, “Trilogies.”
The wordbloat has spread; now even “romance” novels have to be 400 pages long, and those of us who grew up seeing Harlequin or Mills & Boone paperbacks on the supermarket spinners will remember anything over 180 pages would be ruthlessly reduced. Because, just like SuperSize meals and warehouse stores, Bigger Is Always Better?
I think the Name-Brand-itis, at least, is kinda aspirational. People read Dan Brown or Stephenie Meyers to “get away” from the mundane parts of their lives (even us highly evolved types have to commute on public transport & wait in line for appointments), but also to see how other people experience the world. Readers of best-sellers don’t want to imagine what rich, powerful people might be wearing/ driving/ eating, they want the brands spelled out so they can connect them to the advertisements (aka, ‘reality shows’) they’ve seen on tv. A person driving a Lexus is a rich, discerning person — all the ads say so — and therefore a character who drives a Lexus has their status marked. And I suspect it works both ways: Editors want books to sell in bulk, and books that promote the proper name brands have been a kind of “native advertising” for the best brands since middle-class patrons started buying library subscriptions, I think.
154.
Bob In Portland
@Gin & Tonic: The US, in its neverending campaign to control Central Asian oil, has been going after eastern European countries that agreed to allow the South Stream in their territories.
One would be very foolish to think that the US isn’t trying to undermine Russia’s partners and allies.
By the way, the Ukies are shelling schoolchildren around Donetsk. Ah, freedom!
By the way, the Ukies are shelling schoolchildren around Donetsk.
So, are they twirling their mustaches and cackling maniacally as they do it or it is being ordered by a man in a pale jumpsuit who is petting a persian cat?
158.
Elizabelle
@Howard Beale IV: And congratulations to you and Miss Dorothy.
Pictures, once the kitten event has concluded.
159.
Deecarda
@opiejeanne:
I’ve been binge reading an author I enjoyed in the 90’s, Linda Barnes. Protagonist is a PI/cabbie in Boston. On par with V I Warshawski & Kinsey Millhone.
160.
Deecarda
@Cluttered Mind: Congratulations, what did you name your son?
161.
Goblue72
@BGinCHI: ditto Peaky Blinders. Love Sam Neill’s character.
162.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@efgoldman: Do you know Sharyn McCrumb? Her Ballad novels are wonderful – among my favorites, and Bimbos of the Death Sun is based on her former husband’s forays into fantasy fandom. Or so my author (briefly) friend tells me. He was on an author’s panel with her 10+ years ago.
163.
Diane Cardamone
@Anne Laurie:
Hmmm, literary product placement, I wonder if the authors profit from that?
(And the books are very dated now that geeks have taken over the world convention centers, but I was an sf fanzine fans when Bimbos of the Death Star and Zombies of the Gene Pool were written, and they are — alas — correct for their period.)
Not exactly mysteries, but if you like McCrumb, have you read any Tawni O’Dell?
His daughter has written a new book, same characters, terrain, cultural issues, etc. She did a good job with it, I enjoyed it.
We have visited Navajo nation in NE Arizona and NW New Mexico, amazing geology, monument valley, ancient pueblo ruins, history, cultural artifacts, really enjoyed it both times.
Hillerman was a gift, I’m hoping his daughter is as well.
The Navajo are a fascinating people, successful as a nation so far. One of the reasons Arizona is worth visiting.
@scav: 22 years ago I was in Prague when Vaclav Havel announced he had dissolved his government and nullified the constitution over Slovakia’s secession. The Czechs seemed to be pretty okay with it all.
Until they cut out his tongue. Then I had to leave. My husband’s made of stronger stuff – he’ watching the rest of season two while I’m here in the next room.
186.
opiejeanne
@efgoldman: He wrote several more books in the series before he died. His girlfriend is hanging onto them while trying to get a deal from a publisher.
187.
opiejeanne
@burnspbesq: Currently waiting for the next Craig Johnson “Longmire” book.
188.
Pogonip
@Anne Laurie: Dan Brown gets away with it because Americans are so ignorant they do not know the history of the religion 70+% of them practice. (You would be amazed at the number of Americans I’ve encountered who think “Martin Luther” was that civil rights guy murdered in Memphis in the late ’60’s, and I encountered one who went to a very expensive college who was surprised to find out Vatican II took place in the 1960’s, not the 1860’s.). How the others get away with it, I don’t know, but it may be because their audience is so ignorant. Ignorant people are not likely to recognize good writing.
I doubt either the authors or the editors profit directly. But if the editors know that mentioning brand names draws readers, they’ll encourage writers to include “more specific details — it lends veracity”, and writers/agents certainly talk to other writers about what makes editors happy (“nothing attracts Mr. X’s attention like a well-dropped brand”)…
190.
Pogonip
I think the 1% keep Americans ignorant deliberately. People who know the history of the 19th and 20th centuries aren’t likely to decide they don’t need labor unions and laws against usury and monopoly.
At least post an honest summary of your latest conspiracy theory rather than trying to con people into looking. You Russian Neo-Nazis are so pathetically predictable.
192.
ruemara
I had my reading desires murdered in cold blood by picking up an omnibus of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series through my library’s digital edition section. It was unrelentingly awful. Can’t believe she wrote 8 of those. I don’t think I finished the first quarter. But I have a reader request for a good looking new graphic novel, so I can’t wait.
Thanks for the recco. I will be on that momentarily.
196.
dww44
@PsiFighter37: I know this is late and there’s nothing I can do to make the Democratic elites and leaders come up with a plan to make us feel better, but you shoulda watched the Lawrence O’Donnell show tonight. He had this great spiel about how the recent election actually was the death knell for the GOP. Written by a Conservative Texas GOP/er no less. Really made me feel better;less depressed, though I too have walked away from cable news and my newspaper lots since the election:
I like the idea. But I’ve liked it for half a dozen years now and the GOP keeps lurches forward and wrecking the human lives that get under its claws. I’ll be delighted to attend the funeral and piss into the monster’s open grave, but until I see the invitation, I am not going to get too many hopes up.
199.
dww44
@Morzer: You are right, but that piece tonight was a breath of fresh air after so many replays of the conservative rage machine all over MSNBC. And also tonight there was Chris Hays’ replay of Gov.Jay Nixon’s press interview (on radio) and his altogether tortured and hem-hawing response to a question about who was in charge in Ferguson, given that he’s already called up the National Guard. That man doesn’t have the backbone of a jelly fish. Sadly he epitomizes the squeamishness of elected Democrats.
Did you hear that Jon Tester will be heading up the DSCC? While I like him, I’m afeared this bodes more centrist Democratic candidates;just so what we need more of!
I have to confess to you, just between the two of us, that I know some very fine jellyfish and they find it deeply wounding to be compared to Democrats in the spinal possession area.
I was just saying on the drones thread that I wish we could see more discussion on here from the front-pagers and local organizers of how we can pull the Democratic party into shape for the future. Just drifting along the way we have isn’t going to cut it and putting our energy and intelligence into yelling at each other online doesn’t seem likely to achieve much.
I was just saying on the drones thread that I wish we could see more discussion on here from the front-pagers and local organizers of how we can pull the Democratic party into shape for the future.
My $0.02 — we can’t do doodly-squat about it collectively on the blog, aside for raising money for Democratic candidates in national / nationalized races, which we already do. The real action is in our respective local communities, and I think a lot of us are already involved in local politics in whatever measure suits our individual means and talents, and those who aren’t should get involved toot sweet. That’s the only thing that’s going to make a real difference.
@Betty Cracker: Here’s my plan to build a new and stronger grass roots effort in my red state. Communicate with the state party leader and tell him we should begin now to continue the work of Stacey Abrams and the New Georgia Project to register all these unregistered citizens in this state. Give ourselves enough time to insure that their registrations gets duly processed and become part of the voter rolls.. Educate these new voters about why it matters that they vote
. That’s what I plan on doing and telling party chair that he needs to go out and get candidates like Nunn and Carter. While both ran great campaigns, I think Carter might stand a chance against Mr. Nonentity Isakson in two years. Carter speaks a true populist message.
205.
Bob In Portland
@gogol’s wife: Not sure what the reference is to “Bob In Portland” and a visiting speaker was, but it wasn’t me. The only public speaking I’ve done recently is a toast at my daughter’s wedding. I’ve never been to Russia. Or Texas.
Hope you are enjoying the Nazi regime in Ukraine.
206.
Bob In Portland
@Morzer: Wait. You don’t read the links. You confuse definitions ( Russian neo-Nazi?). Is that misinformation for yourself or for others’ benefit? It certainly has nothing to do with the truth of anything. I’m not Russian, have never been there, have no connection with Russia. Just like I was against the Vietnam War in the 60s and was not Vietnamese or working for them.
I’m against Nazis. That’s why I have repeatedly referred the dear readers here to The Nation’s interview with Russ Bellant which documents the seventy-year history of the US and Ukrainian fascists. The quality of the people that the State Department supports there.
So, Morzer, you have further diminished the distance between yourself and the right-wing noise machine. How proud your loved ones must be of you. A fascist yourself.
207.
dance around in your bones
My landlady (really nice woman) heard me singing Imagine in the middle of the night -( I couldn’t sleep and was listening to music and I can’t
keep my big mouth shut :)
We talked about John getting murdered (which STILL pisses me off) and she said something about when it’s yer time to go….ya go.
BUT – HE didn’t choose the time. That’s fucked up – I mean, if he had checked out during his “Lost Weekend” or whatever, it would be more understandable.
What a great person he was. (Now I’ll go read all the comments and see how many other people said the exact same thing as me!!! haha!)
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opiejeanne
Deciding on supper, whether to go out or cook something. There’s some bok choi in the crisper and some pot stickers in the freezer, so that could be supper.
I’ve been talking to an online friend who has decided that the idiots on the right will burn this country down, there is no hope, etc. and now I’m exhausted. Maybe I need to find something to do that involves food, away from the computer.
JPL
The rain passed through earlier today and now the temperature is dropping. It’s 33 and suppose to drop another 12 degrees.
Will Obama issue an executive order the same day that the grand jury announces whether or not there will be charges against Wilson? What would CNN and Fox do, if that happened?
Elizabelle
In romantic news: from The Guardian:
The couple, if wed, will not be allowed conjugal visits. That will have to wait until at least his first opportunity for parole. In 2027.
JPL
@opiejeanne: I still haven’t watched season two of Orange is the new Black, the next couple of days might be good for streaming.
Mnemosyne
My job interview got postponed, I had to talk G down from quitting his job today, and my broken toe still hurts. Otherwise, not a terrible first day back in the office after my vacation. Trying to figure out what to do for dinner since I don’t want to buy a huge amount of food prior to our new fridge is being delivered on Saturday.
henqiguai
Rain. And cold, with dropping temperatures; d@mmit. And I’m the one who doesn’t like being hot (except in that hip kind’a way, which I’m sure y’all all agree I am).
Trollhattan
This is what mountaintop coal mining looks like, over time. Evidently our buddies at Patriot Coal Company would like to make this mine in West Virginia even bigger, thank you, because they liked doing that first bit very much. (The coal-wash chemicals should already be available in some river.)
Elizabelle
@opiejeanne:
I can’t tell if this is the rightwing’s last gasp, aided and abetted by gazillionaires and corporate-owned media chasing controversy, or if it’s a resurgence on the right.
It is depressing.
Step away from cable news and the blogs. Read a good book; get some exercise. Cook something.
BGinCHI
It’s cold as a well digger’s ass here.
Cold.
Really cold.
And windy.
Alison
@Elizabelle:
YES THIS. For those of us (which is many people here, I’m sure) who are kinda 24/7 on news, it can be a good reminder that you don’t actually need to know everything that’s going on at every moment. When shit is really awful or depressing or maddening, some days I just say “no fucking more”, don’t turn on MSNBC, avoid news as much as I can, and just read or watch HGTV or whatever. It doesn’t make you a bad person to ignore the news for a while, if doing so is better for your own mental state.
PsiFighter37
@Elizabelle: Damn she dumb.
That’s really all I have to say about that…
Suffern ACE
Haven’t been around here as much as usual lately. I’m probably just post election tired, have work to do, and I’m probably seeing other blogs. But in case this hasn’t been posted here yet, here is a song for Shia.
Again, I apologize for not being around, not for any damage my taste may cause.
OzarkHillbilly
Snow, ice, and 11 degrees tonight. I am not yet ready for this sh!t. But the wood stove is workin’ and I gotta make something for dinner tonite. Tomorrow, I make chili, crackers, and something with apples in it (Granny Smiths were cheap). And do some wiring too.
opiejeanne
@Elizabelle: Good advice.
Her particular despair was over the move past anti-abortion to anti-contraceptives that a noisy group of nutjobs has taken up as their battle cry: women back to the kitchen! Because they don’t remember any trouble when women stayed home to raise the kids in the 50s.
I don’t think these guys will get any traction but it’s depressing to even read about them any more.
Mike J
@Elizabelle:
Next paroile hearing in ’27. His last hearing was in ’12.
opiejeanne
@JPL: I’m not sure how that would help. I haven’t been watching it.
What has helped are the Masterpiece Mysteries; murder most foul seems to calm me down a lot and help me sleep.
Want to watch The Wire. Off to check if it’s on Netflix.
Morzer
Republican behavior observed in seal population:
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141117-why-seals-have-sex-with-penguins
PsiFighter37
@Suffern ACE: I’m pretty disillusioned by politics post-election. When you have two brothers worth $100 billion and big companies that control ALEC and decimate us at the state legislative level, I don’t feel like there’s anything that can really be done.
It feels pretty hopeless, frankly. I don’t think Hillary Clinton is a given in 2016 either – I think the GOP strategy is to so demoralize the base that they don’t bother turning out because they don’t think things will change. I will always vote, but I just don’t really know / feel if anything can really be done to right the ship anytime soon.
opiejeanne
@Mike J: He’ll be 93. I wouldn’t let him out even then, but just imagine the nuptial night finally realized.
Ok, sorry for that image. Where’s the brain bleach?
BGinCHI
@opiejeanne: Don’t think it is.
HIGHLY recommend “Peaky Blinders.”
Like the Wire but set in post WWI England. You’ll see.
Gin & Tonic
Still on the warm side of the front, but got 1.85″ of rain, according to the gauge.
Morzer
@PsiFighter37:
It’s hopeless as long as we let it be hopeless, as we have politely done for far too long. We should learn from the GOP. They turn their voters out, they fight tooth and nail – and they recognize that even less sexy races like school board races matter. Nothing stops us from matching them at their own game except learned helplessness and a desire among some parts of our coalition not to stain their delicate souls with the rough-and-tumble sordidness of politics.
Elizabelle
@opiejeanne:
I even stay away from this blog, and others, from time to time, because they’re all “look what the idiot Republicans are doing” and it’s an electronic asshole delivery system, if you ask me.
Happy to be blissfully ignorant of a lot of the poutrage. But I like the folks here.
opiejeanne
@BGinCHI: Thanks. And you’re right, The Wire is only on DVD. Rats.
Morzer
@opiejeanne:
I left Facebook back in the day for that reason. Too many jerks being jerks and making the world a sadder place. There’s only so much asshole punching one can do in a day without wanting to just lie down and sleep forever.
Amir Khalid
@PsiFighter37:
She’s not dumb, I think, but irrationally obsessed. You’d have to be to believe in Manson’s innocence, let alone to want to marry him.
opiejeanne
@Elizabelle:
I haven’t been here much recently because of the wailing and gnashing of teeth after the election, my wailing and the gnashing of my own teeth. Holed up in a cabin in the mountains for two weeks, with wifi but other things to interest me. Read a lot of murder mysteries.
This blog is almost more about cats and food and gardening than politics these days, maybe 55/45, so I can avoid the worst of the asshole Wurlitzer.
PsiFighter37
@Morzer: That is all sorts of weird. Really wonder what is causing the seals to do that – not enough females in the seal population?!
Morzer
@Amir Khalid:
This is one of the relatively few cases in which I am prepared to say that a relationship with Marilyn Manson would be preferrable.
West of the Cascades
@efgoldman: Somehow, I doubt Charles Manson will be granted parole at his next hearing.
Morzer
@PsiFighter37:
I put it down to Republican encephalitis. The more I learn about the world of nature, the more I think that it is far weirder and more diverse than we’ve ever imagined. We keep trying to put it into neat little moral boxes – and nature just busts out of them every time.
JPL
@opiejeanne: Did you see Happy Valley? For a BBC, it was quite violent but the acting was terrific and the story compelling.
PurpleGirl
@Elizabelle: If you like cats and kittens, find a kitten cam to watch. (I need to check back and find out if Dorothy has begun birthing her kittens yet.)
Elizabelle
@efgoldman:
Another reason to live, hmmm?
Bride kind of admitted she’s marrying because she’d be privy to more legal and other dealings as a spouse.
BGinCHI
@JPL: Liked that too. Hope we get a new season of that soon.
Amir Khalid
@Morzer:
You should ask Dita Von Teese about that.
opiejeanne
@Morzer: Facebook has been a major source of irritation in recent weeks. I’ve already blocked a lot of people who irritate me for various reasons, some of them family and some of the reasons are political. I’ve also taken a long step back and avoided it for a couple of weeks at a time.
Now that my youngest isn’t traveling the world (for a while) I can stop visiting Facebook. Five years ago when she took off for Forn Parts she wanted a way to keep in touch. She quit the company when they started insisting that they needed her in Cairo for 10 days; she’s living with us temporarily while she hunts for a job and a place to live. And her boyfriend is living with us too, but he just started a job today, so they may be moving out in a couple of weeks. I told them to wait until January, for stability, but my ulterior motive is help putting up Christmas decorations on the house.
gogol's wife
@PurpleGirl:
Did you adopt that cute kitty a while back?
opiejeanne
@JPL: No, haven’t seen Happy Valley. Right now we are working our way through season 2 of “Endeavor”.
Am re-reading Louise Penny’s “Inspector Gamache” series. Read aloud to my husband as he drove from Seattle to California two weeks ago, and again on the trip back. He hadn’t read these yet.
Elizabelle
@opiejeanne:
I just finished a really, really bad murder mystery today. The kind where you’re thinking “don’t you dare!” to the author and laughing at how preposterous the plot while skimming the final pages. Vowing you are done with that author. (And I was, for years, but got curious if she’d improved. Nope.)
Successful murder series can be golden goose egg killers.
Not Patricia Cornwell, but it’s the Patricia Cornwell curse.
opiejeanne
@PsiFighter37: Aren’t you the guy who took off time from work to volunteer in another state during the 2012 election? You, or whoever it was, inspired us to do something similar next year, to help get people registered and if need be, get them the required ID well in advance of the 2016 elections. Then offering to drive people to the polls in 2016.
Washington votes by mail and registration is easy. Oregon has a similar system and also votes by mail, and the Tea Partiers have started trying to claim massive voter fraud there but almost everyone else just laughs.
MomSense
@Amir Khalid:
I have to thank you for posting the bbc future link to the Debunker’s Handbook. My son needed a topic for a psychology paper due next week so I suggested he read the article you posted. He has gone on to read the articles, handbook, and the studies referenced in the articles.
Thanks again.
Violet
It’s cold. I’m working on my final project for my course. Having leftover roast chicken, leftover make-ahead mashed potatoes, and some roast vegetables for dinner.
Hoping to save some of my vegetable plants. The tomatoes and peppers are covered and I have plastic containers of water under them to keep them warmer. It’s supposed to be back to 80 by the weekend, so if I can just get them through the next couple of days they should be okay.
ultraviolet thunder
Drove from Detroit to Pittsburgh this morning in very unpleasant weather. Low of 15 here tonight. Driving back to Detroit tomorrow. If the roads are crappy first thing in the am I’m going to sit tight until rush hour is over. The desk will still be there when I get to the office.
Pogonip
It’s cold and snowy here and it’s too early!
My mom’s going to a nursing home; she falls over without warning and we can’t watch her every minute–the last time she had a concussion. We’re hoping she won’t find it too boring as she sleeps most of the time anyway. We were hoping to keep her at home as she is not aggressive and doesn’t wander but it’s just not safe. So we’re sort of relieved and sort of disappointed.
Mary G
I have read a ton of books and listened to audiobooks, and trying to get into something on Netflix. I am itching to get home, where no one wakes me up at 5:30 to take my thyroid pill. I only have to take it 30 minutes before breakfast, which is at a bad enough time of 7:30, but shift change for the nurses is 7:00, so I have to wake up in the dark.
Morzer
@efgoldman:
No, but I have seen dance around in your bones talking up a storm about her latest booty raid.
Nice win for your Patriots, by the way. I am guessing you have a bit more of a spring in your step today.
JPL
@opiejeanne: Still LIfe was made into a movie with Nathaniel Parker. Because I loved the series, and even though it received poor reviews, I bought the dvd from Amazon. It was awful!
Mnemosyne
@Elizabelle:
I’ve been hate-reading Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs series. I liked the first few, but now I’m like, Does every book have to revolve around WWI? There were no other events, ever?
different-church-lady
@Elizabelle: Old Charlie’s still got it!
gogol's wife
Ruth Rendell’s latest, The Girl Next Door, was quite good. I was afraid she had totally lost her touch, not blaming her too much since she’s in her 80s. The whole book is about being old. She makes it interesting.
Violet
@Mary G: Hi, Mary G! Good to see you. Sorry you’re still in the rehab facility. I hope things are improving.
different-church-lady
@efgoldman: Remember back in week 4 when I told you not to panic? Remember?
Amir Khalid
@MomSense:
I’m delighted to learn I was of help.
Pogonip
@efgoldman: Hee Hee Hee Hee.
This story reminds me of those toads I’ve read about that will attempt to mate with darn near anything about the size of the female toad, including a scientist’s finger. Although the toads do not eat the finger after the relationship doesn’t work out.
PurpleGirl
@gogol’s wife: No, I never heard from the woman who had the kitty.
opiejeanne
@Elizabelle: Yes, had to give up Patricia Cornwell because her books became so damned depressing, not to mention trying to one-up her previous grossness and gagability with every book.
Louis Penny is Canadian, her books are set in Quebec, her main character is Quebecois but most of the rest of the characters are “English” and the books are written in English. The murders are brutal but that brutality is not the centerpiece. The characters are warm and human and Detective Chief Inspector Gamache of the Surete` is a kind man, exactly who you want to deal with if you are involved in a murder in any way. The setting for most of the stories is a little place called Three Pines which is difficult to find, you almost have to find it accidentally, like Brigadoon. The road in is not paved and the town doesn’t appear on any map but it is a perfect little place with a village green, a pond, charming stone cottages, a small group of shops, a bakery, a grocer, a bookstore, and a bistro. Oh, and a B and B.
And a crabby old woman named Ruth whose favorite thing to say to people is “Fuck off!” She’s hilarious.
gogol's wife
@PurpleGirl:
Oh, that’s too bad. I wonder what happened.
Iowa Old Lady
@opiejeanne: I really enjoyed those books, with Ruth as my favorite character.
I’m dodging political news and reading The Art of Fielding. Good book.
opiejeanne
@JPL:
Oh man, that is disappointing.
I saw the news about it last year and didn’t realize it was available on DVD already. Rats.
gogol's wife
@efgoldman:
I hate that too. Toward the end Robert Parker had something similar in the Spenser novels, where he spent more time describing what he was cooking than any mystery.
Howard Beale IV
@PurpleGirl: Not yet.
Botsplainer
Had an hour long night dive. Had some big assed curious tarpon, crab, lobster, bunches of eels, shrimp, multiple fish and…bioluminescence, which I’d never seen before.
That was awesome!
8 am boat dive in the morning, shore dive in the afternoon. I’ll do four, maybe five tomorrow, and a dawn dive Wednesday.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: Reading Stieg Larsson?
Gin & Tonic
Walked past a TV where Jeopardy was on with nobody watching, paused to catch a question where the clue had Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten and Vienna, and none of the three contestants came up with the name of the film.
Pogonip
P. S. did anyone besides Helen and I read Revival? I’ve noticed a pattern in the reviews–those who liked his Kennedy-assassination story didn’t like Revival and vice versa. I liked the beginning and end of 11/22/63 but didn’t like the hero–he was too perfect–and didn’t like the long boring stretch in the middle where he follows Oswald around. But I’m always up for some Cthulhu mythos so I fit the pattern. The only problem was at the shocking revelation at the end of Revival, which King feels was the most horrifying thing he’s ever written, I immediately thought “I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords” (the only possible remark under the circumstances) and then began giggling madly, which I am sure was not the reaction he wished to provoke. Sorry about that, Uncle Stevie.
Omnes Omnibus
@Gin & Tonic: Not even the third man?
raven
In September Bohdi broke a couple of teeth on the marrow bones I had been giving him. The vet had to extract them and, while he was knocked out, she cleaned his teeth, The bill was $500+ and we were happy we had health insurance on the knucklehead. Then the company denied all but $40 because they said the cleaning was not covered, accidents only. I asked my vet to write them and give her justification. They reconsidered and sent us a nice check today. Great news as we pack our gear for the beach!!
gogol's wife
@JPL:
I would watch Nathaniel Parker in a dramatization of the phone book. He’s coming to New York in Wolf Hall as Henry VIII, which ALMOST makes me want to buy tickets to sit through a 5-hour show. Almost.
raven
@BGinCHI: We could do without the razor blades but it is pretty good.
gogol's wife
@Pogonip:
I haven’t read this and probably won’t, but you’re reminding me of my reaction to Pet Sematary. There was a scene early on where I just shivered and thought, this is the scariest novel I’ve ever read. But soon after that I was just laughing. It was ridiculous.
Gin & Tonic
@Omnes Omnibus: Two of the three contestants were women, so that joke doesn’t work.
Elizabelle
@efgoldman: That’s not a novel. That’s scriptwriting.
Omnes Omnibus
@Gin & Tonic: I’ll just be over in the corner, pouting.
Jacks mom
Had Monday’s with Marley (my 4 year old granddaughter). I pick her up from her preschool at 11 on Mondays and I can’t tell you how much it helps with my depression concerning the direction I see this country going. And then I think about what her future might look like.
gogol's wife
@Omnes Omnibus:
It was a good joke anyway.
You’ve hit upon my favorite film genre, post-WWII bombed-out cities with neat actors doing something in the foreground. Berlin Express and The Man Between were on TCM last week. There’s also Decision at Dawn, A Foreign Affair, and a few more. There’s one with Montgomery Clift the name of which escapes me now. But of course The Third Man takes the palm. Just for the music alone.
Amir Khalid
@Omnes Omnibus:
I’ve often wondered why so many bestselling pop-fiction writers (the Stephenie Meyerses and Dan Browns and E.L. Jameses and Stieg Larssons etc. of this world) suck so badly at the most basic part of their craft: writing prose. Are their publishers just putting out unedited manuscripts?
Pogonip
@gogol’s wife: What was the early scene that scared you? I quite liked Pet Sematary myself–nothing like watching a nice onrushing train wreck. (It’s Kingland, for God’s sake –don’t move your family to Maine! ANYWHERE but Maine!)
Ruckus
@Amir Khalid:
An acquaintance of a friend on FB was discussing that he didn’t see how Manson could be guilty, he wasn’t even on the premises when the murders happened. Several people tried to explain it to him but it was a lost cause.
gogol's wife
@Pogonip:
The jogger.
Howard Beale IV
@PurpleGirl: Dorothy’s contractions are coming closer-still no kittehs yet.
raven
@Ruckus: Look out now. . . .!
JPL
@gogol’s wife: Even though Still Pines was awful, if he does another Louise Penny book, I’ll waste another twenty dollars.
burnspbesq
Hey Ms. Cracker,
Got any suggestions for things to do in and around Lake Wales? Will be at Mom & Dad’s all next week, and may need some ways to escapte from time to time.
Orlando is not a viable option; been there and done that several times with nieces and nephews over the years.
PsiFighter37
@opiejeanne: I did a ton back in the day. I did go to Ohio on my own dime the weekend before the election to do GOTV in Dayton, but that’s nothing compared to what I did in college – GOTV and phonebanking for Kerry, 10 straight weekends of canvassing + GOTV for Patrick Murphy in 2006, and spending a supremely frigid first week of 2008 canvassing for Obama in New Hampshire (my feet froze the first 15 minutes I was outside in the zero-degree snow-covered neighborhoods of Nashua).
It’s a lot different with a job that takes up a lot of time now, but it’s so disheartening. And what’s even worse is that nobody around me has as good a sense of politics and just spouts toxic conventional wisdom as truth – crap like ‘if the GOP wins the Senate, there’s chance of something getting done!’. I live in one of the most Democratic states in the country (NYC), and it’s filled with corrupt Democrats like Andrew Cuomo who, for some reason, want the State Senate to be the last place the state GOP bothers holding any power.
I’m getting to the point where I don’t know if we can make a difference anymore. When there are enough rich assholes out there who can afford to blow $4-5 billion on a fucking midterm election, it’s cause for despair. I think Kansas was the most pathetic of all – the results from Brownback destroying the state’s finances are abjectly clear, and yet he still got reelected anyways.
Omnes Omnibus
@gogol’s wife: You can actually add A Hard Days Night to the list.
GHayduke (formerly lojasmo)
70 degrees when we left Los Angeles. Six below windchill in MN.
Mnemosyne
@gogol’s wife:
When I was in film school, the professor pointed out that the opening shots of A Foreign Affair are a gigantic “fuck you!” to Hitler from Billy Wilder — they mimic the opening shots of Triumph of the Will, but instead of revealing the thousand-year Reich, they reveal the ruins of Berlin.
Gin & Tonic
Budapest is looking like Kiev did a year ago. Photos here. Sorry, text in Russian, but you can just look at the pictures.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@efgoldman: I used to read the books even though I never could stand Kay Scarpetta. When I mentioned it to a friend (who had a brief career as an author) he told me he did the same thing with the Alex Delaware books. So it’s apparently not terribly uncommon.
But i now have to little time to read Cornwell, since as you note all the characters seem to hate one another. I did like Lucy though. For gore, I’d rather read Kathy Reichs, who has pleasant (mostly) characters and can actually write.
gogol's wife
@Omnes Omnibus:
I guess so, never thought of that. It’s going to be on TCM on New Year’s Eve, after an Elvis tour film from the 1970s.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: I don’t believe there is any other fiction by him.
PurpleGirl
@Howard Beale IV: TY. I have Tiny Kittens open in a Chrome window and I go and back forth.
gogol's wife
@Mnemosyne:
Yeah, it’s great. I never realized that connection, though.
burnspbesq
@efgoldman:
I’m a few chapters into “The Black House,” by Peter May. First volume of a planned trilogy of police procedurals set on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebredies. So far, so good.
And if all else fails, you can always go back and re-read Tony Hillerman.
Mary G
@Violet:Thanks! I get out Saturday and am counting the hours, maybe even the minutes. Tomorrow I can start putting 50% weight on the ankle. Hope it doesn’t hurt to much. I haven’t had a pain pill in ten days.
gogol's wife
@Gin & Tonic:
OMG. Is it going to be 1956 all over again?
We had a visiting speaker and when we went out to dinner he turned out to be Bob in Portland, even though he left Russia about 35 years ago. It’s so bizarre. You don’t know where anyone stands any more.
Iowa Old Lady
@Amir Khalid: I’d guess that if a writer is well-known and selling up a storm, the editing is indeed less rigorous. First, why should the editor spend the time and effort if it’s not needed to make the book sell? Second, if a writer’s a best-seller, the editor-writer power balance shifts a little.
Even as a scholar, I found that once I became well-known, editors didn’t push me as hard. I thought my work suffered as a result.
PurpleGirl
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): I like Kathy Reichs too. I’m not up-to-date with her series right now because I’m trying to read more Outlander (Diana Gabaldon) before the TV shows starts again in April.
ETA: Each of the Outlander books is like 600-700 pages.
Mike E
@Amir Khalid: Or Evan Rachel Wood.
Miss E reports her new tires handle the rainy roads “really well!” Nice of her dad to spring for the full set :-)
Iowa Old Lady
@PurpleGirl: I’m an impatient reader, and Gabaldon’s pacing makes me crazy.
Gin & Tonic
@gogol’s wife: Hope not. Hungary’s been in NATO for 15 years now, so that would be, um, a great complication.
Gin & Tonic
@gogol’s wife: Oh, and sympathies on your dinner.
Omnes Omnibus
@Amir Khalid: Larsson’s books were published posthumously; it might have had an effect in his case.
Mnemosyne
@PurpleGirl:
Did you see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s comment on the Outlander audiobooks?
Amir Khalid
@gogol’s wife:
You met the Bob in Portland? Poor you.
Gin & Tonic
@Amir Khalid: I *think* she was speaking metaphorically.
Mnemosyne
Another mystery series I liked that was unfortunately cut short by the death of the author was Kate Ross’s Julian Kestrel series — here’s the first book. They were Regency mysteries, which isn’t that common.
My favorite is probably the third book, Whom The Gods Love. The last book seems a little rushed but unfortunately she was trying to finish it before cancer finished her.
PurpleGirl
@Mnemosyne: Yes, I saw it. I love Stephanie.
Have you ever heard her speak or met her at a book signing? She’s done a couple of events in NYC and at the Rhinebeck Wool Festivals. She’s a dynamo.
Suffern ACE
@Gin & Tonic: It seems like the protests are pretty specific about taxes. I don’t think anyone has a reason to oust orban except maybe the Hungarians.
Morzer
@gogol’s wife:
You guys really are trying to evoke the presence of Mr Dances With Romanovs, aren’t you?
Have you at last no decency?
gogol's wife
@Gin & Tonic:
It was ghastly! At one point one of the hosts muttered, “Why did you leave Russia?” but got no answer.
gogol's wife
@Amir Khalid:
Only figuratively.
Amir Khalid
@Gin & Tonic:
I’m sure she was. But meeting even an approximation of our friend in Portland would still spoil anyone’s dinner, n’est-ce pas?
NotMax
Just now poured first cup of coffee for the day after awaking about twenty minutes ago. And don’t feel even a smidgen of guilt about having slept through the bulk of the day.
Actually needed to catch up on sleep, as for at least the last ten days have been occupying a first class seat on the Insomnia Express.
Getting old is an unending carnival of revelations.
Morzer
@gogol’s wife:
“I am fleeing avay from Ukrainian Biden fascists!”
JPL
@Morzer: It’s Obama’s fault.
Who new, that austerity measures would lead to a deeper recession and have folks looking for a father figure to bail them out. hmmm
gogol's wife
@Amir Khalid:
“You see pictures of tanks. But you don’t know where those tanks are, do you? How do you know?”
Morzer
Has Cole given up on the Steelers after their defeat by *snicker* the Jets? I thought for sure there’d be a venting thread and a terrible towel waving over the Fortress Of Ultimate Grumpiness.
Mike E
@Gin & Tonic: Here’s what my Google translate came up with:
“Today is a day of rallies and demonstrations! In Prague held a rally against the incumbent president Russophile Zeman and Budapest over ten thousand Hungarians came to the parliament building, demanding Prime Minister Viktor Orban to explain to the people, for whatever reason, he did not so dismissed the head of the Tax Ildiko species, which recently banned from entering the US due over corruption allegations.
“By the way, a week ago, the Hungarians had already gathered on the warning rally demanding to dismiss disgraced the whole world officials and requested the intervention of the EU. Meanwhile, the head of the tax service of Hungary, which is in the “black list” of the United States, still occupies his post and the people decided to make himself mired in corruption officials “out.”
“Currently at the entrance of the parliament building there scuffle between activists and police, people are trying to break into the parliament building. And, what about the lustration Peter pulled the brakes and shoves Yaremko where not getting maggots Yanukovych? Well, well, eat away, as much in the EU’s pace.”
burnspbesq
@efgoldman:
I didn’t see it that way. It’s harsh country, and an inexperienced cop, male or female, can absolutely get up shit creek without a paddle. If Hillerman had lived, I would have expected Manuelito to evolve into someone more like Molly, the female cop in the Jesse Stone books.
Mike J
@Gin & Tonic: English
http://news.yahoo.com/over-10-000-hungarians-anti-corruption-protest-192606482.html
Morzer
@JPL:
Well, yes, that’s true, but still…
JPL
@Mary G: Do you have some help when you get home? Don’t sign up for any marathons.
Morzer
@Mike E:
I quite like the idea of a species devoted to taxing Ildiko, whoever or whatever that is. Douglas Adams might have been proud to create such a thing.
Gin & Tonic
@Mike E: Yeah, Google Translate can be pretty funny sometimes.
JPL
@gogol’s wife: That is an amazing coincidence and I hope you had some tums with you.
Gin & Tonic
@Morzer: Vida Ildiko is the head of the Hungarian version of the IRS.
Morzer
@efgoldman:
It’s like having your ears savaged by a relentlessly upbeat chihuahua that only knows the phrase “Heckuva player!”
Morzer
@Gin & Tonic:
Then a species dedicated to taxing him is more than desirable – it is imperative!
I don’t know whether I dare ask what the fascist knuckle-draggers running Hungary have done recently.
gogol's wife
@Mike E:
I love google translate. It’s hilarious.
gogol's wife
@Morzer:
Google translate thought the person’s last name was actually the word “vid,” which it translated as “species.” I was going to translate the whole thing correctly, but you can’t improve on perfection.
ETA: Or maybe that’s first name, since the Hungarians do it backwards.
GHayduke (formerly lojasmo)
@Pogonip:
Liked the kennedy book. Sort of disliked revival (which is unusal for me readng his books)
Morzer
@efgoldman:
I haven’t seen the excerpt. Link, maybe, possibly?
Mind you, we live in an age when “NFL baby” is now picking games by falling over on Dave Dameshek’s couch in the direction of one of two symbols of the teams in question. I am starting to believe that the meteor is holding off because it doesn’t see why we deserve a break from our own inanity as a species.
gogol's wife
@Morzer:
this phrase from Mike E’s message sums it up:
the people decided to make himself mired in corruption officials “out.”
I believe the operative phrase is “mired in corruption.”
“eat away” comes from a typo in the original for “we’ll go far.” I am laughing until the tears have come to my eyes.
BGinCHI
@raven: Yeah, it’s crazy violent. But probably reflects that world pretty well.
Pogonip
@gogol’s wife: The poor slob. Should’ve known better than to attend a college in Maine.
Also on matters literary, the newest Uncle John, “Uncle John’s Canoramic Bathroom Reader,” is out. I am going to go wallow in trivia as this is my last evening alone for a while. See you later.
raven
@BGinCHI: What do you think of the contemporary music?
Cluttered Mind
My son was born tonight at 5:54 PM EST. 8 pounds 7 ounces. Mother and baby resting comfortably.
gogol's wife
@Cluttered Mind:
Congratulations!
MomSense
@Mnemosyne:
I just finished the third audiobook in the series and ordered the fourth from the library. They are well done—and let me knit while enjoying the book.
Omnes Omnibus
@Cluttered Mind: Congratulations!
MomSense
@Cluttered Mind:
Wonderful news! Congratulations and all the best for you and your family.
Bob In Portland
Winter’s closing in.
Mike in NC
@efgoldman: When we toured the Budapest opera house in 2010, I noticed the photographs of prominent artists on the walls placed the last name before the first name, sort of like the Japanese do.
Bob In Portland
@Cluttered Mind: Congratulations.
raven
@Cluttered Mind: Yes!
scav
@Mike E: Had to go check on the Czechs, who seem to be waving red cards at Zeman over being too close to Moscow. That somehow seems deeply Czech, as does protesting (essentially in favor of the revolution) at a memorial ceremony for the Velvet Revolution.
Howard Beale IV
@PurpleGirl: We got the first kittheh!
Bob In Portland
Enjoy. America at work.
JPL
@Cluttered Mind: AAH! Congrats to all.
trollhattan
@Cluttered Mind:
Hooray! Let him know we’ll get all this stuff sorted out by the time he’s out of
diaperscollege.Congrats to Mom, especially.
Anne Laurie
@Amir Khalid:
Thirty years ago, I wrote an (sf fanzine) essay with the rallying cry “Put the lead back in the blue pencils!” Even then, genre writing was beginning to suffer from bloat because — I heard this anecdote from the editor in question, so I believe it — when asked what kind of sf novels he preferred, one reader replied, “Trilogies.”
The wordbloat has spread; now even “romance” novels have to be 400 pages long, and those of us who grew up seeing Harlequin or Mills & Boone paperbacks on the supermarket spinners will remember anything over 180 pages would be ruthlessly reduced. Because, just like SuperSize meals and warehouse stores, Bigger Is Always Better?
I think the Name-Brand-itis, at least, is kinda aspirational. People read Dan Brown or Stephenie Meyers to “get away” from the mundane parts of their lives (even us highly evolved types have to commute on public transport & wait in line for appointments), but also to see how other people experience the world. Readers of best-sellers don’t want to imagine what rich, powerful people might be wearing/ driving/ eating, they want the brands spelled out so they can connect them to the advertisements (aka, ‘reality shows’) they’ve seen on tv. A person driving a Lexus is a rich, discerning person — all the ads say so — and therefore a character who drives a Lexus has their status marked. And I suspect it works both ways: Editors want books to sell in bulk, and books that promote the proper name brands have been a kind of “native advertising” for the best brands since middle-class patrons started buying library subscriptions, I think.
Bob In Portland
@Gin & Tonic: The US, in its neverending campaign to control Central Asian oil, has been going after eastern European countries that agreed to allow the South Stream in their territories.
One would be very foolish to think that the US isn’t trying to undermine Russia’s partners and allies.
By the way, the Ukies are shelling schoolchildren around Donetsk. Ah, freedom!
Elizabelle
@Cluttered Mind:
Congratulations. Keep us posted. What a happy evening.
Anne Laurie
@Cluttered Mind: Congratulations!
Omnes Omnibus
@Bob In Portland:
So, are they twirling their mustaches and cackling maniacally as they do it or it is being ordered by a man in a pale jumpsuit who is petting a persian cat?
Elizabelle
@Howard Beale IV: And congratulations to you and Miss Dorothy.
Pictures, once the kitten event has concluded.
Deecarda
@opiejeanne:
I’ve been binge reading an author I enjoyed in the 90’s, Linda Barnes. Protagonist is a PI/cabbie in Boston. On par with V I Warshawski & Kinsey Millhone.
Deecarda
@Cluttered Mind: Congratulations, what did you name your son?
Goblue72
@BGinCHI: ditto Peaky Blinders. Love Sam Neill’s character.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@efgoldman: Do you know Sharyn McCrumb? Her Ballad novels are wonderful – among my favorites, and Bimbos of the Death Sun is based on her former husband’s forays into fantasy fandom. Or so my author (briefly) friend tells me. He was on an author’s panel with her 10+ years ago.
Diane Cardamone
@Anne Laurie:
Hmmm, literary product placement, I wonder if the authors profit from that?
Howard Beale IV
@Elizabelle: This is a Live event
Gin & Tonic
@Bob In Portland: Long time no see, Bob.
PurpleGirl
@Howard Beale IV: Yes! Little squirmy kitteh. Only 7 to go (lol). But she’s made progress.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Cluttered Mind: Congratulations and especially to mom, who did today’s heavy lifting.
Anne Laurie
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): Second the Sharon McCrumb mystery recommendation!
(And the books are very dated now that geeks have taken over the
worldconvention centers, but I was an sf fanzine fans when Bimbos of the Death Star and Zombies of the Gene Pool were written, and they are — alas — correct for their period.)Not exactly mysteries, but if you like McCrumb, have you read any Tawni O’Dell?
PurpleGirl
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): Bimbos of the Death Sun is a great read. I should still a copy somewhere.
Howard Beale IV
@PurpleGirl: Second kittheh has arrived, momma is a little confused right now.
Elizabelle
@Howard Beale IV:
a cat doula
Steeplejack
@gogol’s wife:
Montgomery Clift: Probably The Search (which was on TCM recently, I think). Although there’s also The Big Lift.
Howard Beale IV
@Elizabelle: #4 has arrived.
Steeplejack
@Cluttered Mind:
Congratulations!
Elizabelle
@Howard Beale IV: the newborns are more vigorous and noisy than I’d expected. I think Dorothy appreciates the help.
Scamp Dog
@Cluttered Mind: Congratulations! We demand pictures, though. :)
Howard Beale IV
@Elizabelle: Yep. And they’re definitely on the large side, too. Seems to be having some problems expelling the placenta.
Fort Geek
@Elizabelle: Just got word back from Pam’s Capital Corner Market re: Mama’s cookbook. They’re waiting on a delivery and will post when they arrive.
J R in WV
@burnspbesq:
His daughter has written a new book, same characters, terrain, cultural issues, etc. She did a good job with it, I enjoyed it.
We have visited Navajo nation in NE Arizona and NW New Mexico, amazing geology, monument valley, ancient pueblo ruins, history, cultural artifacts, really enjoyed it both times.
Hillerman was a gift, I’m hoping his daughter is as well.
The Navajo are a fascinating people, successful as a nation so far. One of the reasons Arizona is worth visiting.
Mike E
@Cluttered Mind: Sounds like a keeper! Way to go!
@scav: 22 years ago I was in Prague when Vaclav Havel announced he had dissolved his government and nullified the constitution over Slovakia’s secession. The Czechs seemed to be pretty okay with it all.
Elizabelle
@Fort Geek:
Well done, Geek, well done. We will keep an eye out. Thank you.
Mnemosyne
Watching “Key & Peele.” The sketch right now is the guy who has to follow the “I Have A Dream” speech.
Fort Geek
@Elizabelle: Glad to help. *bow*
Dupe70
Has this ever been posted to Balloon Juice and I just missed it or do we not see several BJ pets doing this if they have telekinesis?
http://io9.com/when-cats-get-telekinetic-powers-therell-be-no-stoppin-1659807394
The Fat Kate Middleton
@BGinCHI:
Until they cut out his tongue. Then I had to leave. My husband’s made of stronger stuff – he’ watching the rest of season two while I’m here in the next room.
opiejeanne
@efgoldman: He wrote several more books in the series before he died. His girlfriend is hanging onto them while trying to get a deal from a publisher.
opiejeanne
@burnspbesq: Currently waiting for the next Craig Johnson “Longmire” book.
Pogonip
@Anne Laurie: Dan Brown gets away with it because Americans are so ignorant they do not know the history of the religion 70+% of them practice. (You would be amazed at the number of Americans I’ve encountered who think “Martin Luther” was that civil rights guy murdered in Memphis in the late ’60’s, and I encountered one who went to a very expensive college who was surprised to find out Vatican II took place in the 1960’s, not the 1860’s.). How the others get away with it, I don’t know, but it may be because their audience is so ignorant. Ignorant people are not likely to recognize good writing.
Anne Laurie
@Diane Cardamone:
I doubt either the authors or the editors profit directly. But if the editors know that mentioning brand names draws readers, they’ll encourage writers to include “more specific details — it lends veracity”, and writers/agents certainly talk to other writers about what makes editors happy (“nothing attracts Mr. X’s attention like a well-dropped brand”)…
Pogonip
I think the 1% keep Americans ignorant deliberately. People who know the history of the 19th and 20th centuries aren’t likely to decide they don’t need labor unions and laws against usury and monopoly.
Also, congrats to the new parents, above!
Morzer
@Bob In Portland:
At least post an honest summary of your latest conspiracy theory rather than trying to con people into looking. You Russian Neo-Nazis are so pathetically predictable.
ruemara
I had my reading desires murdered in cold blood by picking up an omnibus of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series through my library’s digital edition section. It was unrelentingly awful. Can’t believe she wrote 8 of those. I don’t think I finished the first quarter. But I have a reader request for a good looking new graphic novel, so I can’t wait.
ranchandsyrup
@Cluttered Mind: outstanding! Congrats.
Betty Cracker
@burnspbesq: Have you been to Kennedy Space Center?
@Cluttered Mind: Congrats! That’s wonderful!
burnspbesq
@J R in WV:
Thanks for the recco. I will be on that momentarily.
dww44
@PsiFighter37: I know this is late and there’s nothing I can do to make the Democratic elites and leaders come up with a plan to make us feel better, but you shoulda watched the Lawrence O’Donnell show tonight. He had this great spiel about how the recent election actually was the death knell for the GOP. Written by a Conservative Texas GOP/er no less. Really made me feel better;less depressed, though I too have walked away from cable news and my newspaper lots since the election:
http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/dear-republican-uncle–re–2014-gop-victories-360070723849
dww44
@Cluttered Mind: My congrats as well. Enjoy!! Next thing you know, he’ll be 5 years old!
Morzer
@dww44:
I like the idea. But I’ve liked it for half a dozen years now and the GOP keeps lurches forward and wrecking the human lives that get under its claws. I’ll be delighted to attend the funeral and piss into the monster’s open grave, but until I see the invitation, I am not going to get too many hopes up.
dww44
@Morzer: You are right, but that piece tonight was a breath of fresh air after so many replays of the conservative rage machine all over MSNBC. And also tonight there was Chris Hays’ replay of Gov.Jay Nixon’s press interview (on radio) and his altogether tortured and hem-hawing response to a question about who was in charge in Ferguson, given that he’s already called up the National Guard. That man doesn’t have the backbone of a jelly fish. Sadly he epitomizes the squeamishness of elected Democrats.
Did you hear that Jon Tester will be heading up the DSCC? While I like him, I’m afeared this bodes more centrist Democratic candidates;just so what we need more of!
Morzer
@dww44:
I have to confess to you, just between the two of us, that I know some very fine jellyfish and they find it deeply wounding to be compared to Democrats in the spinal possession area.
I was just saying on the drones thread that I wish we could see more discussion on here from the front-pagers and local organizers of how we can pull the Democratic party into shape for the future. Just drifting along the way we have isn’t going to cut it and putting our energy and intelligence into yelling at each other online doesn’t seem likely to achieve much.
SWMBO
@Cluttered Mind: Congrats and best wishes!
Betty Cracker
@Morzer:
My $0.02 — we can’t do doodly-squat about it collectively on the blog, aside for raising money for Democratic candidates in national / nationalized races, which we already do. The real action is in our respective local communities, and I think a lot of us are already involved in local politics in whatever measure suits our individual means and talents, and those who aren’t should get involved toot sweet. That’s the only thing that’s going to make a real difference.
opiejeanne
@Betty Cracker: Amen.
dww44
@Betty Cracker: Here’s my plan to build a new and stronger grass roots effort in my red state. Communicate with the state party leader and tell him we should begin now to continue the work of Stacey Abrams and the New Georgia Project to register all these unregistered citizens in this state. Give ourselves enough time to insure that their registrations gets duly processed and become part of the voter rolls.. Educate these new voters about why it matters that they vote
. That’s what I plan on doing and telling party chair that he needs to go out and get candidates like Nunn and Carter. While both ran great campaigns, I think Carter might stand a chance against Mr. Nonentity Isakson in two years. Carter speaks a true populist message.
Bob In Portland
@gogol’s wife: Not sure what the reference is to “Bob In Portland” and a visiting speaker was, but it wasn’t me. The only public speaking I’ve done recently is a toast at my daughter’s wedding. I’ve never been to Russia. Or Texas.
Hope you are enjoying the Nazi regime in Ukraine.
Bob In Portland
@Morzer: Wait. You don’t read the links. You confuse definitions ( Russian neo-Nazi?). Is that misinformation for yourself or for others’ benefit? It certainly has nothing to do with the truth of anything. I’m not Russian, have never been there, have no connection with Russia. Just like I was against the Vietnam War in the 60s and was not Vietnamese or working for them.
I’m against Nazis. That’s why I have repeatedly referred the dear readers here to The Nation’s interview with Russ Bellant which documents the seventy-year history of the US and Ukrainian fascists. The quality of the people that the State Department supports there.
So, Morzer, you have further diminished the distance between yourself and the right-wing noise machine. How proud your loved ones must be of you. A fascist yourself.
dance around in your bones
My landlady (really nice woman) heard me singing Imagine in the middle of the night -( I couldn’t sleep and was listening to music and I can’t
keep my big mouth shut :)
We talked about John getting murdered (which STILL pisses me off) and she said something about when it’s yer time to go….ya go.
BUT – HE didn’t choose the time. That’s fucked up – I mean, if he had checked out during his “Lost Weekend” or whatever, it would be more understandable.
What a great person he was. (Now I’ll go read all the comments and see how many other people said the exact same thing as me!!! haha!)