The blogmistress has received my compiled list of desired changes, and is working on rewriting the code and the like. We’re doing everything offsite on a test server so that “the nards wont be interrupting while we poke at it.” Man, does she know you guys or what? At any rate, you should be seeing some changes over the next couple of days.
Also, just in time for the holidays, we have this:
Brighten up your holidays with Tunch’s icy glare!
stuckinred
Good time to recall Dandy Don.
birthmarker
I received the BJ calendar this weekend. It’s nice! Love everyone’s pets!
Woodrowfan
How about making the Balloon Juice logo at the top be a link back to the home page. that’d be nice.,..
Corner Stone
Broncos fired McDaniels??
At least somebody knows when to cut bait.
Corner Stone
I’m just wondering where the bikini wearing Princess Leia is in this picture.
Keith G
Ok, anyone who wants a laugh and be scared at the same time should drop in on this photo at Sully’s place.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/12/face-of-the-day-2.html
Edited
Tom Johnson
I’ve got to admit, I get a little turned on by the term “blogmistress.” Is it difficult to write code in five-inch heels?
And now, just to make it worse, I’m going to push the “submit” button on this comment.
arguingwithsignposts
Okay, what is a nard? I just get this cudlip stuff straightened out and another new term crops up.
JWL
@stuckinred:
You beat me to the punch, Stuckinred. Had DD not been in the booth to puncture Cossell’s ego, the broadcast would have been unwatchable. Largely because of him, they were rock stars for a lot of years. If you recall, even Meredith got fed up towards the end, however, as HK’s shtick grew ever more pronounced. His good natured banter gave way to thinly veiled, sincerely snide remarks, and he soon left the show. It was never the same.
He was a heck of good QB, too. RIP, Don Meredith.
stuckinred
@JWL: Oh yea, I remember. I did not remember that Lennon’s death was announced to the world on MNF till this weekend.
Half of the people on this blog probably have no idea who Dandy was.
Svensker
God I hate the Patsies. And fear them. My tum is a mess. I just hope Brady’s pretty ass gets ground into the dirt tonite.
Seebach
This is going to be interesting:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/hackers-website-bank-froze-wikileaks-funds/
Corner Stone
@Tom Johnson: I enjoyed this comment. Thank you.
Corner Stone
@Seebach: Stupid SOB’s should’ve been ready for that.
I like how WL is mirrored across 500 domains according to the link.
Good luck with that.
RinaX
I just have to post about just how much I am enjoying watching the Colts crumble this season, and the endless shots of Peyton’s pouty face as he watches teams score from his ints.
Downpuppy
The end of the Bledsoe era was the only time in my life I had an auto commute & listened to callers on the radio.
There were some strange calls. One guy wanted to trade Bledsoe & get a cheaper QB. 2nd string then was an athalete who couldn’t throw, 3rd was some aging journeyman. The Brady era was inevitable. Do y’all remember the big intros to all the Rams, then the Pats just came pouring out in a faceless mass?
No? Get off my lawn!!!
MattR
@Corner Stone: Am I allowed to ask Santa for something else, now that my first wish has already come true?
stuckinred
@Downpuppy: At least the NFL has cut half-time down to about 15 minutes, college games really suck with 20-25 minutes of bs.
mr. whipple
@Keith G: EEEEK!
FoxinSocks
Since I’m all angry and angsty in the below thread, thought I’d be a little more light-hearted here.
Was thinking of getting my brother some Tunch gear for Christmas, but he couldn’t be bothered to get me a birthday present. So I got him an 8-inch silver sparkling Jesus statue instead.
He’s an atheist.
I’ll get some Tunch gear for myself.
Corner Stone
@MattR: Sure. Peace on earth? Or goodwill toward man?
MattR
@Corner Stone: Those sound kinda tough. I’ll settle for drafting Andrew Luck.
mr. whipple
My brother got me one of these one year.
Punchy
I heard Obama negotiated to have Brady wine and dine his wife, in exchange for not throwing for more than 950 yards tonite.
Roger Moore
@mr. whipple:
Those are kind of cool*. I gave my brother, a physics profession, an Albert Einstein action figure. Einstein even comes with a piece of chalk, so you know he means business.
*Cautionary note: I’m the proud owner of a James D. Watson bobblehead, so my concept of cool is certifiably strange.
Svensker
Let’s see — put in Brad Smith and run it up the middle. How original! And Nick Folke is having confidence issues or something. Crap.
mr. whipple
@Roger Moore:
I got it sitting on my workbench. We discuss my mother endlessly.
Dig the Watson bobblehead.
jinxtigr
@Keith G:
BLACK HOLE SUN… WON’T YOU COME… o_O
mr. whipple
@jinxtigr:
FTW.
FoxinSocks
@Roger Moore
Ooooh, I might want that bobblehead.
Three-nineteen
@stuckinred: Dandy Don Meredith! Lipton pitchman, right?
Roger Moore
@mr. whipple:
The Watson bobblehead is especially cool because I won it as a door prize at a vendor show. To this day, I’m convinced it was rigged. I saw the bobblehead and immediately started talking about how damn cool it was. I’m pretty sure that the person running the door prizes fixed the drawing because they knew nobody else would enjoy it nearly as much.
sherifffruitfly
Tough start for the Jets, but they’re gamers. They’ll keep fighting. We’ll see if the tide turns at all.
stuckinred
@Three-nineteen: Cowboys pitchman too!
“During his career, he had a 50.7 percent completion rate, throwing for 17,199 yards and 135 touchdowns with a lifetime passer rating of 74.8. He was named the NFL Player of the Year in 1966 and was named to the Pro Bowl three times.”
Svensker
@sherifffruitfly:
Tide is turning the wrong way.
mr. whipple
Nice punt, dood.
stuckinred
@sherifffruitfly: Whew, not with punts like that.
sherifffruitfly
@Svensker:
lol – stoopid tides.
THE
Now you’ve all gone and done it.
The Sun god is getting angry.
Svensker
Well, Jets getting shredded. Horrible.
goblue72
Poor widdle Jets…getting smacked in the mouf.
beltane
@Keith G: Why oh why did I click that link. There must be a factory somewhere (China?) that mass produces these Republican wifebots.
Catsy
@Corner Stone:
You’re not supposed to win the thread in the first five comments. It’s unsporting.
MikeTheZ
Jets better hurry up and make this a game, or I’ll have no excuse for not going to bed early.
goblue72
@Downpuppy: I’m old so I remember that. I also remember being at a Super Bowl party surrounded by Rams fans and doing obnoxious “Greatest Show on CHOKE” victory laps around the party every time the Pats scored.
PsiFighter37
Even though my J-E-T-S are on tonight, I miss my weekly dose of Chuck. Ain’t nothing that helps ease the mind after a tough Monday like Yvonne Strahovski
beltane
@Svensker: That will make my husband happy. He is at work worrying about “his” team right now. I will tell him his team shredded the Jets like they were the contents of Dick Cheney’s file cabinet.
Stillwater
@Corner Stone: Broncos fired McDaniels??
At least somebody knows when to cut bait.
That stings, bro. Did he get fired for trading away immense talent for often nothing in return? For filming opposing teams practices? For not winning? For…. Whatever. What this means is that the worst defense in the NFL will be getting its sixth defensive coordinator in seven years. yayy.
ETA: The local stations are reporting that he was an asshole too. AAARRGGGHHH!
Elizabelle
John: Wondering if we could have bumperstickers — choice of Tunch or Lily visage (or even Rosie) — saying “I support President Obama.”
Even while that is mixed, for many of us.
Strange email from an OFA organizer, who asks for suggestions on Obama’s priorities for 2011, and indicates having heard how unhappy (frankly, distraught) people are with supporting him.
Email:
…
Do you think that ever happened with GW Bush? Even when he was allowing torture and sexualized abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, and lying us into a war that needed not be fought? Allowing Americans to drown in their homes, and wait desperately for rescue in a sports stadium?
Do you think his “base” rebelled?
I remember the sparkling moment in Grant Park, when newly elected Barack Obama appeared, with his beautiful and accomplished wife, and enchanting daughters. Heady times.
And Mitch McConnell and John Boehner and too many have dragged that balloon down to earth, into a pit.
It’s incredible, when you think that America elected a president of African heritage. Who won a Nobel prize.
And look at the despair afoot now.
I want the bumpersticker, and will chance that people in my (neighboring) very conservative community will trash my car for bearing it.
Because I live in an affluent community.
And my president is an enemy of the people.
machine
Site redesign while Cataclysm rolls out.
Coincidence? I think not.
stuckinred
@Elizabelle: We’re trying to enjoy football here, the angst thread is downstream.
MikeTheZ
@Elizabelle:
The thing is, all those things were items his base supported.
Svensker
@stuckinred:
So you’re saying Jets fans better head downstream? Oy. Shred-o-rama.
stuckinred
@Svensker: No shit, I’m going to bed.
Downpuppy
Football?
It’s December. It’s in Foxborough. There’s a certain element of artistry involved, but nothing that could be confused with competition.
goblue72
NOT. IN. OUR. HOUSE. Get back to the Jerz.
Can someone send Belichick to the White House to explain that when on 4th & 3, the clock running down and the other side doing the same thing over and over again, you GO FOR IT. You don’t kick the damn ball back to the Republicans.
Downpuppy
Tate’s calf was down. As they say, a knee is worth 2 feet.
Morbo
$55000 in fines for the Ravens from last night. Keep up the BAWWWWWWWW though.
busterjonez
Any one know of a good transcription software program for turning audio files into documents?
Elizabelle
@stuckinred:
That is seriously funny.
sherifffruitfly
Welp. Either we’ll have another Tale Of Two Halves (like bama/auburn), or we’ll have complete and utter Pats pwnage.
Don’t think Belichek teams are known for disappearing in 2nd halves, but we’ll see.
Steeplejack
@busterjonez:
I have a friend who jury-rigged Dragon Naturally Speaking to do this. She played the audio files from her computer’s speakers and used a microphone and Dragon to transcribe it as if a “real” voice was speaking. That was a few versions ago, so perhaps Dragon handles audio files directly now. But she raved about how much time and effort Dragon saved her. She was transcribing oral-history interviews.
Jack
A beautiful game. Just beautiful. Now, Sanchez sacked at least once, and picked at least once – before the half.
suzanne
So my six-year-old has really taken off as a reader this year. Polishes off 200-page chapter books in a day, etc.
But she’s also been reading a lot of non-fiction as of late. Today, she comes home with a book from the library about the Supreme Court.
I feel like summing it up for her thusly: Five assholes, four semi-reasonable people. And if Justice Thomas offers you a Coke, don’t take it.
Jack
Got my sack, at least. Loveliness abounds.
busterjonez
@Steeplejack: Thanks for the tip…
Cain
@FoxinSocks:
Hoo boy, I was on reddit and man, there is some serious anger there too. I hope democratic party folks are looking at this stuff, because people are _angry_. Obama, Reid, Pelosi and everyone else are going to get their ass kicked. And it will all be amplified by the media. (I think)
Mean while, McConnell is going to be having his shit eating grin while stroking Boehner’s dick who also will be having a shit eating grin while putting on tanning lotion on him and McConnell.
cain
MikeJ
@Cain:
And it will be shown to be proof that America is a center right nation and if Democrats want to win they need to move further to the right.
Suck It Up!
@Cain:
hmmm……..wanna bet its a lot of the same people posting all over the internet? don’t overestimate the size of the bubble. A lot smaller than you think.
SIA
@Keith G: Mrs Newt is muttering through clenched teeth: “Somebody….help…..me….”.
TooManyJens
@Cain:
My husband is getting tons of anger-fuel from reddit. I worry when hanging out on BJ all day makes me the mellow one.
2liberal
Go Pats run it up!!
Where is that guy burnspbesq ?
Svensker
Goddamnit, right up the middle with Brad Smith again. Is anyone fooled by that play, ever?
Svensker
Fuggit.
Jack
Got my interception now, too. Sweet existential bliss.
Cheryl from Maryland
Listening to Tony Bennet with the Count Basie Orchestra singing Xmas songs while short ribs are roasting in the oven. Makes me forget about the horribleness of the Redskins yesterday and the defeat of William and Mary in the FSC playoffs. What the heck, Go Pats. We all need someone to love.
Jack
Yummy.
JWL
Last night I predicted “youth will be served” and the Jets would beat the Patriots. I was half-right. Youth is being served their heads.
I don’t think there’s a team in the NFL that could whip New England tonight.
Jack
Beautiful. Deconstruction of the NY Jerks is in full progress now.
gogol's wife
@Keith G:
The Children of the Damned have grown up.
Svensker
@Jack:
Belly is probably the best coach in the NFL. He is also a classless asshole.
My only hope now is that Brady gets a couple of horrible sacks while the Pats crush us.
Jack
@Svensker:
I don’t disagree – but that really doesn’t say much about the on field game play. The Patriots are dismantling the Jets, on the field. Not to take away from play calling, but Brady and the Pats D are double schooling the Jets.
goblue72
@JWL: Ya know that the Pats are pretty young on defense, right? It was one of their biggest question marks coming into the season – that they had a lot of young, inexperienced guys on defense as a result of Belichick turning over the roster the last few years to address how old the Pats had gotten on D.
frosty
Just before I clicked to confirm my Amazon order last night, I remembered John’s request to go through the link on the front page. So I backed out, went to Balloon Juice, and sent a couple of pennies this way.
See John, constant nagging really *can* work!
MoeLarryAndJesus
Can someone call the Jets office and ask when their team is showing up for tonight’s game? They’re 2 and 1/2 hours late, and while I’m enjoying watching the Pats tutor the girls from Manhattanville College, but I was looking forward to seeing an NFL game tonight.
Thanks much,
MoeLarryAndJesus
James E. Powell
@Svensker:
Belly is probably the best coach in the NFL. He is also a classless asshole.
Bill is probably the best coach in NFL history. No doubt he has personality issues, but I would offer two observations. First, his players respect him. I don’t recall any current or former players who call him an asshole. Second, the biggest difference between Bill and many other asshole coaches is that Bill doesn’t bother to cover it up. That doesn’t excuse it, I know, but if the truth were known about every other head coach, Bill might not seem worse than average.
Svensker
@James E. Powell:
Agree. He is amazing. I still hate his gnarly ass, but he is fantastic.
Jack
Another pick. Pretty, pretty, sweet and beautiful. Sanchez falling to pieces.
Jack
Whole lotta tape being supplied to the Dolphins, Steelers and Bears, this game.
Svensker
@Jack:
Hey, he’s just emulating Peyton. :)
Jack
@Svensker:
I have a loyalty interest in doing voodoo for a broken Peyton ankle every week, but I actually really just feel bad for the guy (well, as bad as I can for a multimillionaire with great endorsement and broadcast prospects, down the next ten to twenty years). He’s working with second and third stringers and basically carrying an entire team on his shoulders.
Jack
Well, my Patriots – Packers pre-season pick ain’t looking half bad.
Ruckus
@arguingwithsignposts:
Okay, what is a nard? I just get this cudlip stuff straightened out and another new term crops up.
A shard from a nad might be a nard. That hurts just typing.
MoeLarryAndJesus
So should the Pats D grant the Jets a pity TD or two or should they just keep doing what they’ve been doing?
Discuss.
goblue72
@James E. Powell: Not hard to see why former players don’t criticize – he works harder than just about anyone, demands 100% from everyone and 110% from his stars, rewards the hard workers who leave it on the field (Welker is still a Pat, Randy Moss isn’t), drives everyone to be ready for game day, and is focused 365 days a year on doing whatever it takes to win. Probably a completely strenuous experience working & playing for the guy, but if you are highly competitive top of your field athlete (i.e. an NFL player), its probably one of those environments that when you leave it, you’d give anything to go back.
I remember after SB XXXVIII, Rodney Harrison crying like a baby and giving Belichick the biggest man-hug ever.
goblue72
@MoeLarryAndJesus: What, and let the Pats D give up what would be 6 minutes of real-time practice against a live opponent? Hell no.
Jack
Shiny stop.
John - A Motley Moose
If Bill is such a great coach, why is Brady still in the game?
Jack
@John – A Motley Moose:
Because he (Brady) is a fierce competitor and this is a grudge match?
Cain
@TooManyJens:
On the other hand, reddit makes me laugh so hard as they have some of the funniest comments on there. But in general, people in those threads are the liberal ones.. and a lot mirror what was going on here too. Pretty much the same debate but there is more snark here for some reason and reddit is the king of snarking on non-political stuff.
cain
Yutsano
@Jack: Just out of curiosity, did you type that with a straight face? Brady is never above stat padding, it increases his persecution complex when he gets passed over for MVP again.
Scott de B.
Don’t forget the Patriots have two 1sts, two 2nds, and two 3rds in next years draft, including probably three picks in the top 33.
goblue72
@John – A Motley Moose: Because his Samson-like hair along with Gisele’s hair gel renders him invincible. Dur.
Jack
@Yutsano:
Chip on your shoulder much?
SiubhanDuinne
@SIA #71:
“Somebody…help…me….” — yes, LOL (but it’s a not unsympathetic LOL). Poor Callista looks scared to death and out of control furious and nuckin futz, in more or less equal proportions.
I’m trying to picture her as FLOTUS and just failing miserably.
goblue72
@Scott de B.: Which I expect Belichick to trade for 4 1sts, 3 2ds, and five 3ds in the the following year’s draft. I swear Belichick is working his way up to trading until he gets all the 1st round drafts in 2021.
mr. whipple
@Cheryl from Maryland:
Mind if I drop by? You have impeccable taste, obviously.
Yutsano
@SiubhanDuinne: Bad plastic surgery and a notorious philandering husband are hell on the face. Not to mention she’s gotta be worried she’s close to her trade-in date. And Allah help her if she gets a serious health issue.
Corner Stone
Ok. Danny Woodhead could star in any of the Mac v PC commercials.
This guy looks like a skeevy potsmoking extra for a Jay and Silent Bob movie.
2liberal
@John – A Motley Moose:
To run up the score !!
moe99
@Seebach:
This is starting to resemble the plot in Neuromancer.
SFAW
Ryan has the Pats right where he wants them. He’s playing “the long game”, is a master of 13-dimensional chess, rope-a-dope, and so forth and so on.
Look for a big comeback by the Jets any minute now …
Corner Stone
@SFAW: He didn’t have the votes to pass a win! Show me how he gets to 60!
SFAW
Can’t be kilos, so is Ryan going for 60 stone? (Ooh! Wordplay with your moniker!)
He’ll call a summit with Sanchez, the Smith Brothers [Bert and Eric (for whom I feel kinda sorry – tough being asked to take over for Leonhard)], Welker, and Brady. Once he secures Brady’s and Welker’s buy-in, he’ll have all the votes he needs.
FlipYrWhig
@Corner Stone: Cute. Of course, you do realize that every once in a while in a football game you actually do punt, and 60,000 fans don’t scream every time that it’s a terrible betrayal when you do, and then when you go for it and you don’t make it, scream that it’s yet another terrible betrayal.
SFAW
Apparently not tonight, though, for the Pats.
FlipYrWhig
@SFAW: It wasn’t a good night for a fantasy team like mine that has the Jets defense.
SFAW
@FlipYrWhig: I guess it depends on your point of view. The Jets’ defense tonight was pretty much a fantasy, so what’s yer beef?
Fortunately for Ryan, the Jets weren’t playing the Foxborough Pop Warner team – losing to them would have been really embarrassing.
different church-lady
@Elizabelle:
Are you kidding me? His base wanted those things.
patrick II
@Corner Stone:
I would like to thank McDaniels for dumping Jay Cutler on the Bears early in his tenure.
Anne Laurie
@arguingwithsignposts:
“Nerd” + “tard” ?
Blackfrancis
@FlipYrWhig:
They are resting Zoltan Mesko for the playoffs.