Here’s a red-bellied woodpecker seeking bugs in one of our palm trees:
He knows his business; bugs very often hide in the crevices formed where the fronds are attached to the trunk of the tree. I remember attempting a Tarzan swing on a hanging palm frond once as a child, and when it detached, bugs rained down on my head. Never did that again!
Someone else who knows her business: Hillary Clinton is visiting India, and she had some thoughts on our current national situation. Via The Post:
NEW DELHI — Hillary Clinton said over the weekend during a trip to India that the United States did not “deserve” the presidency of Donald Trump…
In her speech, Clinton spoke of the dangers of Russian influence and authoritarianism in regimes worldwide. “These are perilous times,” she said.
Later, when asked about the seemingly close relationship between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, now subject of a special counsel’s investigation, Clinton replied: “Trump does have quite an affinity for dictators. He really likes their authoritarian posturing and behavior.”
“He does have a preexisting attitude of favorability toward these dictators, but I think it’s more than that with Putin and Russia,” she said.
“Do they have something on him?” asked the event’s host, India Today Editor Aroon Purie.
“Well, we’ll find out, we’ll find out,” she answered. “Follow the money.”
Good for her. She doesn’t owe the vile shit-sack Trump any deference whatsoever, so I’m glad she’s not pulling punches for the sake of national unity. There’s none to preserve.
When asked about the 2016 campaign, Clinton said:
“If people were looking for a reality TV campaign, maybe I should have given them more entertainment,” she said. “I’m the mother who says, ‘Eat your spinach, you’ll grow up strong.’ Someone else is saying, ‘Eat all the fast food and the ice cream you can possibly stick in your mouth.’ ”
Maybe we (the country, I mean) are approaching the purge phase after that noxious binge. I know I’m still feeling queasy all these months later. Anyhoo. Open thread!
? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?
The Village Idiots are going to use this as justification for “unthink” pieces speculating she is running again in 2020. Same as it ever was.
Aimai
God I miss her. It would have been a goddammned honor for this country to have had her as president.
Corner Stone
I think her timing is perfect. After a year of this shitshow she should start needling the fuck out of this traitor. She’s had his number the whole time.
oatler.
Good for Hillary! and that red-bellied bastard needs to stop instigating things.
The Dangerman
Since Bill and Hillary were (are?) friends with Trump, I basically subscribe to the belief that the Donald was a monster created by the Clintons (or the DNC or ???). Then it Frankensteined on everyone. Let’s face, all Donald really wanted was to start a new cable channel. Oops.
Corner Stone
@Aimai:
I am still pissed we do not have a Taco Truck on every corner.
Corner Stone
@The Dangerman:
Somebody please, tell me what this is.
SiubhanDuinne
That’s a gorgeous bird, Betty. Woodpeckers are so cool.
Had not realized that HRC was in India. More and more I find myself thinking about her, wondering what she’s thinking, trying to imagine her reactions to the chronically-unfolding Show of Shit. I’m glad she’s speaking out, and I hope she continues to make noise.
Mnemosyne
I was not a finalist in the writing contest I entered, and now I’m annoyed. Feh. I would be even more annoyed if I hadn’t made a major change in the manuscript after I sent it in that I’m going to incorporate for the next contest.
Still, annoyed. Ice cream for dinner tonight.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
oddly enough, I think there might be a Kushner I like
TenguPhule
That sounds almost uncivil.
Emma
@Corner Stone: An idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing (yes, I am mangling a quote; let the author sue me)
? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I remember hearing about him. Perhaps there’s some hope for the Kushner line, after all.
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
@? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?: Fuck the Village. Destroy the Village and fuck saving the Village.
And that goes double for those “allies” who will be quick to chime in.
I have NFLTG for any of these assholes.
Mnemosyne
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Meh. They’re just keeping a hand in on both sides. The only thing they care about is the family’s finances.
? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?
@Mnemosyne:
Sorry to hear about that. Be sure to check out literary mags; they usually have writing contests.
Mike in NC
Emailed my brother in Boston yesterday to find out how they fared with those two back-to-back nor’easters. He responded that major damage included flooded basement (sump pump failed when power went out for several hours) and a tall tree uprooted that almost took down a section of the backyard fence. Big snow storm expected overnight with possibly 15-20 inches accumulation.
Aimai
@Mike in NC: yup! Looking forward to a snow day tomorrow! Hope my daughter got in supplies!
Lapassionara
I just saw a photo of Trump with his arm around Maggie H’s shoulders. In the Oval Office.
FTFNYT!
? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?
@Lapassionara:
The only possible way she could salvage that is if she accused him of sexual harassment (assuming it actually happened).
Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)
I blogged about embracing the hard parts of writing and seeing them a places where something interesting can happen.
Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)
@Corner Stone: I hope it’s snark. But I’m not too confident.
@Mnemosyne: Screw them.
Adam L Silverman
@Corner Stone: That’s a block quote.
The Golux
@Aimai: Since this is an open thread – you responded to a comment of mine over at LGM regarding eggplant, and I am intrigued by your preparation. Does the type of eggplant matter, do you peel them, and do you cut them in half prior to roasting?
And I wholeheartedly agree with your feelings about HRC. We’d be hip-deep in ginned up congressional investigations, but at least there wouldn’t be saboteurs in every appointed position.
Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)
@Emma: If Mr. Shakespeare starts suing for mangled quotes, he’ll be in court a long time.
bystander
Macron was just in India, too. If he and Hilary both show up at SXSW we’ll know something is afoot.
Ohio Mom
There’s been a woodpecker in our neighborhood for about a week now. I haven’t seen him but I hear him every morning when I go out to pick up the newspapers. What he does the rest of the day, I don’t know because the tat-tat-ta is nowhere to be heard.
As for Hillary speaking out about Trump, I hope she never stops.
Brachiator
Cool little bird. Also cool how they are studying woodpeckers to learn more about preventing head injuries in football players
.
Corner Stone
@Adam L Silverman: WRONG! It’s a quote from Samuel L. Jackson’s character in the film classic Deep Blue Sea. SPOILER!!!
.
.
.
Minutes before he gets eaten.
Mnemosyne
@? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?:
Literary magazines don’t accept entries from the romance genre. Thanks, though.
The Moar You Know
She’s wrong. We absolutely do. I don’t have to like it, and I don’t, but by God we didn’t do the work to get her into office, period. She should have been a ten-point blowout. Dems let Bernie shit all over the process. Jill Stein did her part. We didn’t get out in front of those folks, or worse, some actually thought they’d be better and voted that way. We fucked up. America deserves Trump.
ruemara
@The Dangerman: They. Were. Never. Friends. Traveling in the circles of the well-to-do does not mean you’re buddies with all of them.
I got cast to play a Jedi for a fan film. Finally, I’ve achieved my employment goals of childhood. Except for elven ranger but still time.
Corner Stone
@bystander:
They’re having an affair? He does like older women.
I’ll show myself out.
The Moar You Know
SHE’S TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, AMERICA
Corner Stone
@Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady):
I’m not sure how successful he will be in legal terms when the only reparations he asks for are brains. Braaaiinnsss.
Mnemosyne
@Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady):
Come sit by me. ?
I wanted to get my score sheet back before my next submission, but now it looks like I won’t get it until the day before the next one is due. LAME.
Corner Stone
@The Moar You Know: And she has been for 18+ months.
efgoldman
@Ohio Mom:
We have four sizes/kinds of woodpeckers in our yard. from the little tiny Downys to the very larger Sapsuckers. All except the sapsucker winter over and come to the suet feeder. (The sapsucker is a ground feeder. Plenty of bugs to go around)
Mnemosyne
@ruemara:
If you need a Jedi robe, let me know. I have a giant brown hooded bathrobe that G refuses to let me wear around the house, because he is the Enemy of Fun.
(I’ve been saving it for my next bout with the flu, but so far the flu shot has been working for me, so I haven’t needed it.)
West of the Rockies (been a while)
@Mnemosyne:
Rejection… ugh. You are a talented writer, M. It’s their loss.
TenguPhule
@The Moar You Know:
What do you mean we? Republicans decided they like being actual fucking Nazis.
dmsilev
Emails, I get them:
Mnemosyne
@West of the Rockies (been a while):
Thank you! ? Knowing my luck, I came in 7th, and they only take the top 6. But I won’t know what any of the beefs were until I get my scoresheets. Ugh.
Josie
@Mnemosyne: When is the next contest? Never give up. That change just might do the trick.
JMG
All precautions for second power loss in a week taken. Foods we can cook on the stovetop burners, which can be manually lighted, unlike the oven, large quantities of batteries purchased. Gas for the snowblower is sufficient. But it still stinks. Anywhere between one and two feet of snow. Yuck.
Mnemosyne
@Josie:
Deadline for the next one is the 18th, but the previous contest won’t promise my scoresheet until the 17th. Argh. There’s a third contest specifically for historical romance that closes on 3/24, so I should have a chance to incorporate any useful notes for that entry.
I wrote two of the new scenes last night and have to revise a few others to make everything fit. It’s definitely better with the new twist, so we’ll see how it goes. The next contest might be tougher because it’s Regency-specific.
dmsilev
@Mnemosyne: I was once told, in an attempt to cheer me up, that my score on an exam was “the highest of the non-passing grades”.
No, it didn’t cheer me up much.
TenguPhule
U.S. sets new record for censoring, withholding government files
Infuriating.
what.
Mnemosyne
@dmsilev:
Or from TMBG’s “Road Movie to Berlin”:
Eljai
@TenguPhule: Jesus H. Christ. The AP is still channelling Ron Fournier.
Betty Cracker
@Mnemosyne: We’ve got one of those! Well, technically, it’s the mister’s, but I steal it sometimes. Brown fleece with a belt that has appliqué doodads, including a light saber.
Aleta
What a beautiful photo.
Josie
@Mnemosyne: Maybe an all-nighter for the 18th. ; – ) Regency is your special wheelhouse, right? Maybe that will be better for you.
Brachiator
@TenguPhule:
I don’t even know what this is supposed to mean.
WaterGirl
Betty, beautiful photo, the bird is stunning. Quite the snappy dresser!
WaterGirl
@Lapassionara: You must be mistaken – I believe it was just yesterday that Trump said Maggie is a loser who doesn’t have access. Trump never lies.
Baud
I hope she’s having the time of her life.
Mnemosyne
@Brachiator:
It means that Obama was uppity and Trump gives them nicknames.
ruemara
@Mnemosyne: Lol, voiceover. Two bookings in two weeks. I’m also up for a Twitch hosting gig.
different-church-lady
Once again Hillary’s error is one of understatement.
different-church-lady
@Corner Stone:
A hot take gone cold and rancid.
different-church-lady
@The Golux:
“…and would like to subscribe to your
newslettercooking Twitter feed.”Amir Khalid
@dmsilev:
Oky, I’m curious. What is the Twinkle Mole Number? Is it a correction you apply to Avogadro’s number so that a mole of anything is always 12g?
Mnemosyne
@Josie:
I suspect the feedback is going to be what I’m trying to fix with the new scenes, so hopefully it will just need to be a quick adjustment and not, “The whole thing is horrible, delete your account.”
@ruemara:
People do sometimes dress up in costume for voiceover work! But mostly not, because half of the appeal of voiceover work is that you can do it in sweatpants and nobody knows the difference.