Had to do some shopping, so I found myself driving through the country, and snapped this beautiful pic. Wish you could see how yellow they were in real life, because this picture does not do it justice.
At any rate, after spending some time at the garden center, picking up some supplies and some pansies, I was driving home and caught the weekly EJ Dionne/David Brooks wankfest on NPR. During the discussion, the Ryan plan came up, and Brooks repeatedly called it a serious plan and that it took us off the path to fiscal calamity, and then basically lied about it not ending government as we know it. After the second or third utterance of “serious,” I briefly considered plowing my car into the cement base of a highway underpass to make the pain stop once and for all.
Dionne did a good job swatting down Bobo’s nonsense, and Brooks then dutifully ignored him and called it a serious plan again.
Brian
But of course Brooks got the last word, and EJ couldn’t rebut a lot of the bs that was said.
David Koch
You know who else was serious…..
cathyx
Are those Forsythias?
Violet
I heard that exact same thing. I wanted to reach through my car’s radio and throttle Brooks. He has no idea what this plan would do to anyone not living in his rich Village bubble. As I recall he also called the plan “brave” or some crap. Asshat.
shortstop
There is nothing like forsythia. I love it so much I want to marry it.
AA+ Bonds
I want samara morgan to come in and start talking about Mohammed Merah and tell me some good blogs in the Arab world to read because I lost my bookmarks :(
samaraaaaaa ~~~~~
cmorenc
David Brooks’s whole purpose in the Village is to construct a superficially moderate/rational face on radical conservatism, under the disguise of proposing a supposed third-way synthesis between liberal and conservative goals and preferred means.
If David Brooks had decided to go instead into porno, he’s be a “fluffer”, not sure for which sex. In the intellectual world, that’s surely what his role is: an intellectual “fluffer”.
I know, the idea of David Brooks having any chance to make it as a porn star is hilariously absurd, but…then so is the idea that a warthog like Ron Jeremy could make a great career out of it. There’s a market in porn for clips showing homely guys shagging attractive women, specifically other homely guys.
Litlebritdifrnt
That looks likes some wonderful Forsythia bushes. Mine are blooming right now, along with the Carolina Jessamine and the Wisteria, the air smells like heaven. (John if you snapped off a couple of branches you could root them in water Forsythia are really easy to propagate)
BTW isn’t it really late for pansies? Mine (well violas as I prefer them to pansies) have been in the ground and my containers since November.
AA+ Bonds
David Brooks looks like a straight child molester
AA+ Bonds
I mean he doesn’t look ‘straight’ but you know what I mean
AA+ Bonds
Has anyone here done indoor vermicomposting.
Maude
@cathyx:
Yes. A few days ago here in NJ, They weren’t blooming yet. Now they are vivid. We have the weeping cherry trees in full flower as well as the white Brad ford pear tees.Because it has been warm for a number of days, we have extraordinary color.
Most years, the trees and shrubs bloom a bit at a time. This year most of them are out at once.
David Brook wouldn’t be harmed by the Ryan plan, now would he? Selfish POS.
cathyx
@AA+ Bonds: I’ve done outdoor.
Brian
I don’t know how Brooks can get away with claiming there is only one budget plan out there so we can’t debate. I seem to remember debating this shit all summer.
Violet
@AA+ Bonds:
Haven’t done it but went to a class on it, including hands-on getting to see the worms in their “house.”
Woody
Heard the same segment as well, and had the same reaction.
Dionne didn’t mince words when he rebutted Brooks’ first claim of “serious”ness, but David kept right at it like the PR flack he really is.
I’m always amazed at how many moderates/lean lefters who think Brooks is Reasonable. It’s the same phenomenon as Bush Jr – there’s something about the tone of voice/mien/something that gets people to somehow excuse the words actually exiting their mouth.
PeakVT
@Brian: I can see why people who only read Brooks might think he’s just a well-meaning dunce. But on the air his lying is really obvious. He knows exactly what he is doing.
paradox
I planted my palm tree garden in a gorgeous morning. Not feeling so hot, it helped some. Marigolds. Cooked a soup, cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed the house, baked off a frozen bread dough, Bridgeford, the shit is good, man.
[shrugs] Everything seems so, well, I dunno. It would be good to know.
Brian
@Woody: It is using enough qualifiers and not saying anything completely outlandish, they always fall back on the parsing.
cathyx
@Maude: This is why spring is my favorite season. Everything is new, green, blooming, warm without being hot, days are getting longer.
cathyx
@AA+ Bonds: Actually I should say the box was outdoors.
AA+ Bonds
@Violet:
@cathyx:
two questions–
1) What are some easy ways to screw up that new people should avoid or tend to forget about etc.
2) would you do it indoors? you, personally
Litlebritdifrnt
@cathyx:
Me too, then when it comes to harvesting the lovely compost I end up doing it with my (gloved) hands cause I am scared of hurting the wormies. There is nothing that upsets me more when I am gardening than sticking a trowel or a fork in the compost heap and coming up with half a worm.
cathyx
@AA+ Bonds: It’s kind of messy, but if you do it in your garage, that would be ok. Do you know how to do it?
Forgetting to put food scraps(feeding them) in the box.
Use non newsprint paper, I used shredded paper and mix it with scraps. Put it on one side of the box, after they have
made compost with it and the side is full, transfer to the other side and start again with paper/food scraps and they will move to the new side and work on that stuff.
Warren Terra
Everyone needs to go look at the Update to Zandar’s post, if they haven’t noticed it’s been updated. Newt Gingrich has said one of the most vile things I can remember any politician saying in recent memory, about the President. This is far, far worse than his recent statements about how the President needs to do more to convince skeptics he’s not an Islamofascist. It’s really genuinely scary stuff.
Taobhan
I don’t whether Brooks actually believes all the BS he spouts on TV, radio and in his columns but he’s VERY stubborn in saying it. If he does believe it, then he’s being deliberately ignorant. It’s rather galling at how seriously he’s taken by many in the media and by practically all Republicans.
I’ve come to realize that most Republicans are just economically illiterate. They believe in tooth fairies like the Ryan plan and that fiscal austerity at the federal level will make our nation prosperous again (heard Steve Schmidt say this recently on TV). If they get their way, we’re going to be living Depression Era-America again. We’re already way too damned close to that now.
Brian
@PeakVT: He has an air of smugness on NPR I always want to reach through and smack him.
I stopped listening to the program during the Bishops thing. I couldn’t take two of them doing it.
Origuy
@AA+ Bonds: I’m not Samara, but this is a good blog from an area we don’t hear much from:
The Moor Next Door
Amir Khalid
Listening to the audio of Bruce Springsteen’s SXSW keynote address. It’s an awesome speech, just awesome.
Marcellus Shale, Public Dick
missed this for the song of the week thread. even though i think sucksbysucksworse is overrated and off its mission, it somehow got this band to my ears by kicking up a fuss about them.
oh my me: derenda
also too, lexington kentucky’s answer to last night’s b-52’s thread?
RD
@AA+ Bonds:
I’d much rather read Samara’s sufi/cyber/anime waitress take on current events over your tedious concern trolling.
Maude
@Warren Terra:
And Hannity is a louse.
He rips off military personnel, through his and Ollie North’s charity.
Gingrich is vile. I can’t say any more about him, I just hope he doesn’t get away with this.
Cat Lady
@Amir Khalid:
Highlights plz?
Corner Stone
@RD:
If you’ve read one of her takes on current events, you’ve read them all.
Corner Stone
must…bite…tongue…harder…
Watusie
Just looking at that picture makes me sneeze.
Sgaile-beairt
What is a Fleshlight equals doesn’t read Gizmodo much, they talk about it a lot there but it’s been around for at least five years now. One of the early cyberpunk novels had one as something that hotel guests could rent which could be either an innie or an outie but I don’t remember which title.
Persia
@cathyx: Yeah, the biggest thing is remembering to feed them. And don’t feed them too much acid-y stuff.
Corner Stone
From the perspective of the way the picture looks on the site, if I showed my mom that pic she’d keel over dead from acute asthma attack induced by pollen.
Maude
@Corner Stone:
LOL
jibeaux
1. It’s like 80 degrees here all the time now and the pollen has done its disgusting thing. I am going to get the garden in early. What, it’s going to freeze?
2. I am dogsitting my FIL’s dog for a freakin’ month and she can get out of the fenced yard and I am going to slowly go insane from the drip-drip-drip of accumulated stress. She is named Rosie because apparently that is what you name dogs.
jibeaux
Also too, Rosie, a spayed female, tried to hump the face of my dog. Dog sexuality is very confusing.
JPL
My forsythia started blooming in December and the blossoms now are sparse.
cathyx
@Corner Stone: That’s like me looking at a picture of cheesecake. If I see one I instantly gain a couple pounds.
jibeaux
Also three, got to watch UNC play. Is burnsy here or is he watching the Dook game, oh wait, no, he wouldn’t be.
Ken
No, no, no. You’re doing better here, and that would be a complete waste.
Now if Brooks was crossing the road in front of you, that might be another matter…
RD
@Corner Stone:
Once upon a time, you were the localized lens flare for FDL.
Now, you just look silly and dated.
Corner Stone
@jibeaux:
OooOOooo…ouch..that is fucking ouch.
I like it.
Mino
Kthug says he’s finding the blush off the Ryan rose among the villagers as regards his economic cred. Of couse, Brooks may not have gotten the memo.
Corner Stone
@RD: I’m the who now with the whatchamacallit?
Jeff
@Warren Terra If there were any justice in this world, an asteroid would be heading his way as we speak.
RD
@Corner Stone:
ir·rel·e·vant.
Bobby D
WTF Cole? Some of us west coasters ain’t heard our All Things Considered yet, just coming on now. Thanks for the spoiler dood!
Maude
@Corner Stone: The LOL was for comment # 35.
jibeaux
@Corner Stone: He’s been less than gracious about the rivalry in the past. I KNOW, RIGHT? A dookie? Coulda knocked me over with a feather.
Don K
@Maude:
The same thing has happened here in Michigan. Daffodils really flowered early this week, forsythia a couple of days ago, my weeping cherry today, The amelanchier are ready to go in a couple of days, and the witch hazel and fragrant viburnum are working on it. Oh, and there are magnolias flowering in the neighborhood. About 6 weeks of flowering is taking place in maybe 2 weeks because of the sudden heat. And trees are about a month ahead of schedule on leafing out. It’s going to be a riot of color around here for a while. At least the rhododendrons and azaleas are taking their time.
Bobby D
How do I get in moderation? WTF, over? Nothing funky at all in my post
Bobby D
Still in moderation. Apparently W T F is a trigger? Seriously?
Corner Stone
@RD: Every once in a while some new handled clown will try and get my goat in some random way. But the truth is, it’s always just boring.
You’re boring.
And my goat’s at the beauty parlor getting milked tonight so good luck with that.
Corner Stone
@jibeaux: If the “esq” part wasn’t enough, he mofo’ng backs it up errr day to the hilt.
Corner Stone
@Maude: I’m with yas.
Amir Khalid
@Cat Lady:
I’m tempted to say, “The whole thing!” It’s hard to pick out highlights, but I like when he showed how he lifted the riff from The Animals’ Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood for his own Badlands. Here’s the NPR write-up on it, with a link to the speech.
RD
@Corner Stone:
Whatever. Your unrequited love for goats is probably the only thing keeping you alive.
danielx
@cmorenc:
I’ve reached the point where just reading or hearing David Brooks’ name makes me start breaking out in spots. Getting a case of hives would be bad enough, but now, now you have to bring up this whole concept of Brooks porn? No amount of brain bleach will be sufficient to erase the horror of these images from my quivering mind….
Aiiiiiiiii! Aiiiiiiii! Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Krugthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn!!
Yes. Massive amounts of something will be required.
WarMunchkin
Haven’t been following blog very closely lately, but I just wanted to have on record (for any gamers here) that E.D. Kain is absolutely rockin’ on his blog at Forbes re: Mass Effect 3. He’s been awesome.
AA+ Bonds
@cathyx:
Thanks so much
@RD:
I think everyone would, samara creates more original content for this site than any single human being alive and I am specifically asking to read a position on an issue where I know next to nothing
AA+ Bonds
March Madness Live was totally worth it
General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)
I lurves my pansies. and gotta a tru story to prove it. From the best job I ever had as tropical plant person at a Biloxi resort/cas ino. Every winter they would buy 10,000 pansies to plant on a sloped berm out front along the beach. And it was my job to tend them, which meant watering feeding, and pinching off the dead blooms so they would get as bloom heavy as possible. So I would spend full days out there picking dead pansy blooms, with my headphones listening to The Cranberries, Gin Blossoms and all the other 90’s alternative bands. Like some big lizard spread out in the sun soaking up rays on a chilly day.
One day the resort manager was walking by and I was rockin’ and a pickin’ flowers, he just shook his head and smiled, and walked on by.
Anne Laurie
@jibeaux:
That’s not ‘sexuality’, that’s dominance behavior. Rosie is trying to get your dog to acknowledge that Rosie is Queen Bitch in Charge now, and that seldom ends well. If your dog is a male (neutered or not) he probably won’t call her on her aggressive rudeness, but when two girl dogs aggravate each other the throw-down tends to ‘come out of nowhere’ — and get bloody fast. (Guy dogs with a grievance usually do a lot of you better respeck! hold me back! don’t be going there! snarling & circling & posturing, which gives the people a chance to intervene. Girl dogs go from hairy-eyeball to stitches-will-be-required reallyreally scary-fast.)
In any case, I would suggest that Rosie needs more “alone time” when she starts (trying to) push your dog around — if she can’t be crated, at least separate the two by calling your dog & giving her some extra attention. Even if your dog loves having a new ‘pack mate’, there’s probably some sibling rivalry in their heart as well.
smintheus
Republicans like Brooks mean “serious” in the medical sense: severely dangerous but not entirely beyond remedy, yet.
Linda
The pics are lovely. I love it when forsythia are grown as an informal hedge in all their glory, and not by anal retentives who give them crew cuts.
Violet
@AA+ Bonds:
What I remember from the class is that the worms don’t like it too hot or two cold. They’ll eat almost anything, including cardboard and dryer lint. The woman who taught the class says she hardly has any trash to put out.
Personally I’d do it outside because I’ve got the space. But it sounded really easy to do either inside or outside. She did hers inside in the laundry room, I think.
smintheus
@Linda: Heh, we do both. Have a hillside with massive forsythias, as well as a short hedge in front of the house shaped like boxwood. We also have individual plants scattered throughout the woods, and on the other side of the barn…basically it’s out of control around here.
Jebediah
I saw somebody reading “Bobos in Paradise” at starbucks today. He was moving his lips, and not a little, either. It was like he was talking to the pages.
Chris from Arlington
I used to live in Somerset, PA. We got two NPR stations, WDUQ out of Pittsburgh and 90.9 out of Morgantown (I think). But it didn’t matter because all West Virginia Public Radio stations carry the same programming. It takes like 2 minutes to go through all the call signs. I always thought that was great.