Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

It’s not even safe to go out and pick up 2 days worth of poop anymore.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Just a few bad apples.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Where tasty lettuce and good mustard aren’t elitist.

How do you get liars to care about the truth?

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

I swear, each month of 2020 will have its own history degree.

Shelter in place is one thing. Shelter in pants is quite another.

Tick tock motherfuckers! Tick fucking tock!

Screw the Judean People’s Front. Splitters.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

Fuck if i know. i just get yelled at when i try it.

The math demands it!

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

The house always wins.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

You are here: Home / Nature & Respite / Sunday Respite Open Thread: There Are Good People Out There

Sunday Respite Open Thread: There Are Good People Out There

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This post is in: ,

Who knew chefs would be the ones saving the world? These are two of my favorite chefs (I may have contemplated fan stalking Ming Tsai in Boston one time).

Tourists have been using their vacation time helping Chef Andrés prepare meals all week.

You can donate to the Chef Andrés’ World Central Kitchen here

And on a different note, a little humor from Tom Hanks and wisdom from Mr. Rogers:

More about the new film here.

Off to walk the dogs before it gets hot…again.

Open thread

 

Reader Interactions

114Comments

  1. 1.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    Repeating from the previous thread because TaMara needs to see it:

    Hey, Duck Lady. Did you see that Louise Penny has a new book out? She’s the one with the character who has a pet duck, Rosa.

  7. 7.

    Baud

    Not exactly a good person, but perhaps doing something that will help good people.

    Former S.C. congressman Mark Sanford announces Republican primary challenge against Trump

  8. 8.

    donnah

    Our boys loved Mr Rogers and we took them to Idlewild amusement park in Ligonnier, PA when they were little. My oldest son, Nick, was enthralled on the trolley ride, but there was another child on the ride in our same car and she insisted on standing up, blocking the view. My middle son, Michael, who was three years old, finally lost it and said loudly, “Why don’t you sit down so we all can see!”

    So much for embracing the kindness of Mr. Rogers.

  12. 12.

    Steeplejack

    @Baud:

    Big fucking deal. I thought the Republicans were in the process of canceling all of their primaries and caucuses.

  14. 14.

    sdhays

    @Baud: The more the merrier bloodier, but damn. When Mark F*cking Sanford would be a step up as the Republican Party’s nominee for President…

    I still can’t quite believe that SC Republicans put him in the House after his spectacular flameout as governor. They literally couldn’t find ANYONE ELSE?

  15. 15.

    Kay

    @Baud:

    I think it helps. Anything that lowers turnout on their side helps ours. I think there are a lot of Trump 2016 voters who are not happy with him but are Republicans and will never vote for a Democrat. I think they’re over-identified as “Independents” when they are really just unhappy Republicans. They just need to stay home, and they might. He won by tiny margins in some of these states- if there were ever an election where “every little bit helps” this is one.

  16. 16.

    Jeffro

    Politico has a story up about some GOP meeting/convention in CA where Parscale told the rubes, “The trumpovs will be a dynasty that lasts for decades.” ??

    Let’s prove him incredibly wrong next fall, and any/every fall afterwards.

  20. 20.

    Kay

    @Jeffro:

    Well, they’re going to be running the Republican Party for decades. Whether they will run the country is not up to their campaign hack or GOP donors. I’ve never seen a shred of evidence that Ivanka and the otherwise unemployable sons are at all popular outside the 25% base. Did Trump even hire them for his reality show?

  21. 21.

    Yarrow

    @skerry: @Steeplejack:
    Are they canceling primaries for the whole state or just the presidential part of the primary? What if there’s a House or Senate seat or even a local office that has multiple Republicans running for it? Do they just pick one of them in a smoke-filled room, old school style?

  22. 22.

    Kay

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    Looking back, I think we watched Mr. Rodgers as much for me as for my kids. It’s hard being with small children sometimes. I found him very calming and his constant, gentle reminders to be kind and generous and patient were useful to me.

    If it’s true how clever was that! It was really PARENT training! :)

  23. 23.

    skerry

    @Yarrow: They’ve only cancelled the presidential primary.

    COLUMBIA — The South Carolina Republican Party executive committee voted almost unanimously Saturday to forgo their GOP presidential primary next year, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to receive all of the state’s nominating delegates without contest.

    With his enduring popularity among South Carolina Republicans, Trump’s bid to become the state’s GOP nominee for the second time was never particularly in doubt.

    But the long-expected move to skip the primary will prevent any of Trump’s GOP challengers from even competing in South Carolina, including the state’s own former governor and congressman, Mark Sanford, who has continued to consider a potential long-shot campaign.

  24. 24.

    p.a.

    What these chefs, NGAs etc are doing is fantastic, and the need after an extraordinary (for now) case like Dorian is obvious, but in some ways their efforts highlight the ‘Kochification’ of even gvts outside the US.

  26. 26.

    Jeffro

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: @JPL: great points

    At some point the ‘real’ GOPers like these will get tired of the incompetence and corruption…voters certainly will

    America really needs the Trumpublicans to hurry up and have their internal civil war. The longer they continue to paper over their differences, the longer the country suffers

  27. 27.

    Yarrow

    @skerry: Thanks. That seems really weird. So you’re a Republican and you go to the primary to vote and you can’t vote for a presidential candidate. If you hate Trump you’re mad at the Republicans that you can’t vote for a challenger. If you love him you’re mad you can’t vote for your guy.

    Also, presidential years are more likely to get people out to vote. Those down ballot candidates can’t be super happy about taking the top draw off the ballot.

  28. 28.

    Kay

    If Trump wins something bad happens to the GOP but if Trump loses something bad ALSO happens. He and his horrible family will never go away. This is the best grift and gig they can imagine. They could have a one-term unpopular President who defines them daily until he dies. Every fucking day they’ll be asked to comment on his Tweets and 25% of their party will remain slavishly loyal to him so they won’t be able to shed him, even if they eventually gather up the courage to do so.
    We win A LOT if we win. We get a decent President and they get an anvil around their necks for the next decade. They’re stuck with him either way.

  29. 29.

    debbie

    @Kay:

    They could have a one-term unpopular President who defines them daily until he dies.

    Beyond. Karma is not that forgiving.

  31. 31.

    Steeplejack

    @sdhays:

    A large segment of the electorate isn’t interested in “qualifications” or quality. They just want to tear shit down and stick it to somebody—the libtards, the Man, corporations, you name it. And part of that is voting for candidates who would be a pariah in a “normal” election, just to “shake things up.”

    I saw this at the end of a dead thread yesterday, and I’m sorry I can’t remember which jackal posted it. It’s worth a look: “The Trump Voters Whose ‘Need for Chaos’ Obliterates Everything Else.”

    Yes, it’s the Times, and, yes, it’s Thomas B. Edsall, but I think it could help explain a lot. Lengthy excerpt for the Times-averse.

    Last week, at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, the winner of the best paper award in the Political Psychology division was “A ‘Need for Chaos’ and the Sharing of Hostile Political Rumors in Advanced Democracies.”

    [. . .]

    It argues that a segment of the American electorate that was once peripheral is drawn to “chaos incitement” and that this segment has gained decisive influence through the rise of social media.

    [. . .]

    The authors describe “chaos incitement” as a “strategy of last resort by marginalized status-seekers,” willing to adopt disruptive tactics. Trump, in turn, has consistently sought to strengthen the perception that America is in chaos, a perception that has enhanced his support while seeming to reinforce his claim that his predecessors, especially President Barack Obama, were failures.

    [. . .]

    In the past, chaos-seekers were on outer edges of politics, unable to exercise influence. Contemporary social media—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and so on—has empowered this constituency, providing a bullhorn to disseminate false news, conspiracy theories and allegations of scandal to a broad audience.

    [. . .]

    How do Petersen, Osmundsen and Arceneaux measure this “need for chaos”? They conducted six surveys, four in the United States, in which they interviewed 5,157 participants, and two in Denmark, with 1,336. They identified those who are “drawn to chaos” through their affirmative responses to the following statements:

    I fantasize about a natural disaster wiping out most of humanity such that a small group of people can start all over.

    I think society should be burned to the ground.

    When I think about our political and social institutions, I cannot help thinking “just let them all burn.”

    We cannot fix the problems in our social institutions, we need to tear them down and start over.

    Sometimes I just feel like destroying beautiful things.

    In an email, Petersen wrote that preliminary examination of the data shows “that the ‘need for chaos’ correlates positively with sympathy for Trump but also—although less strongly—with sympathy for Sanders. It correlates negatively with sympathy for Hillary Clinton.” (After publication of this column, Petersen asked to clarify his comment. “The information given in the above quote,” he said, “solely reflected an initial interpretation of a preliminary analysis, which is not part of the research on which the column is based.”)

    [. . .]

    The intense hostility to political establishments of all kinds among what could be called “chaos voters” helps explain what Pew Research and others have found: a growing distrust among Republican voters of higher education as well as empirically based science, both of which are increasingly seen as allied with the liberal establishment.

    [. . .]

    The phrase “like to see the democratic system go down” is chilling—and raises the question: How worried should we be about a fundamental threat to democracy from the apparently large numbers of Americans who embrace chaos as a way of expressing their discontent?

    ETA: Oops, sorry, I might have soiled the respite thread.

  33. 33.

    Tom DeVries

    I worked for Jose Andres on the TV series “Made in Spain”. One of the best times I ever had in decades of TV. Plus, besides being a good talent, he’s just a splendid guy. Makes me happy to see what he’s doing.

  34. 34.

    Kay

    I went to a farmland auction Saturday morning. They start to sell parcels when they need cash and can’t get it from renting the ground and having someone else plant it. This had a reserve price and only one of three (huge) parcels sold at a little above that price, so I think buyers are waiting for the price to drop. They enter into the rental contracts the fall prior to planting so they’re selling rather than renting this ground. When there’s more of it available the price per acre drops. They’ve all been watching to see if land values hold up- they were at highs between about 2011 and 2019 so they expected some slippage and now you’ll start to see that domino fall. It has to. It just won’t stay up if they aren’t making money.

  35. 35.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Amir Khalid: I’m all for them, try to keep politics out of the gardening, pet and respite threads, and I’m usually in the “Get Your Own Fucking Blog” camp on complaints, but the fact that there is almost never a political open thread here, on Sunday mornings, has always annoyed me. With all hell breaking loose in terms of corruption, incompetence and whatever the hell Parscale is talking about….

    throwing up a “Politics Open Thread” along with the gardening or respite threads would be a good idea. IMHO.

  41. 41.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Yarrow: atrios used to (still may) have a “Document the atrocities” open thread for the Sunday shows. In the pre-twitter days, it was a good way to glean what was going on without the stupid forced bonhomie of “Well, Congressman Crenshaw, before we get to your bipartisan proposal to give pistols to kindergartners, your Cowboys are going up against my Giants tonight, heh heh heh”

  43. 43.

    Yarrow

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Yeah, I’d like a politics thread on Sunday mornings too. I hate to bring it up in the Garden threads and Respite threads seem to be the wrong place for it. With all the Sunday shows it seems like there is political news happening but we don’t have an appropriate place to discuss it. Oh well. I know front pagers are busy.

    I had a look back to find the “CBS Sunday Morning” threads and it looks like they were often posted by John Cole. Remember that guy? He used to post here a fair amount and even show up in comments.

  44. 44.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @Steeplejack:

    “In some of these house races and legislative seats, many of our candidates are Asian American — and the Democrats are running old white guys,’’ he says. “It’s totally flipped.”

    Park Steel is only one example of what party leaders are calling an “embarrassment of riches” in the ethnically diverse array of candidates who have lined up for the 2020 cycle even as the state party in recent years has grown older and whiter.

    Now who’s engaging in “identity politics”?
    And “embarrassment of riches”? More like an embarrassment of self-haters.

    Dhillon says she’s convinced that Republicans have a winning message for California, the world’s fifth largest economy. “The economy is moving and there are job opportunities at every level for people of every color and gender…and what are the Democrats selling?’’ she said. “The world is going to end in 12 years. Climate change as a religion. Abortion in the ninth month. These are not mainstream positions, even on the left. It’s a turnoff.”

    Patterson told activists this weekend that Republicans can reboot and win because California Democrats only offer “failed leadership” in a state on a “downward spiral.”

    Democrats are “arrogant, complacent and cocky’’ about homelessness, taxation and housing affordability in the state, she said at one point, adding — in a veiled reference to Trump — “it’s no wonder that Democrat politicians want to talk about tweets and, frankly, anything other than their record of failure.’’

    Utterly delusional. Climate change is science and no amount of denial is going to make it go away. She talks about a record of failure but conveniently leaves out numerous, clear Trump failures. North Korean Summit anyone?

  45. 45.

    Steeplejack

    Semi-respite-y:

    I have mentally upgraded my mother’s condition from “hospice/​death’s door” to “crabby old lady fractured her pelvis and is on the mend” (with the usual caveats that “on the mend” is not a sure thing with old people and doesn’t lead to “just as good as before”).

    She is doing a lot better than she was when I first got here. Earlier this week she was noticeably less shaky on her feet, and she was willingly using her walker without being nagged. Mood pretty good. Still some pain and a lot of tiredness. Don’t know about her appetite. She usually doesn’t want to eat when I’m there, but I have seen a couple of empty packages for frozen dinners. Maybe brought by the helper who comes in the mornings? Or Meals on Wheels? There was some talk about that, but I thought there was a waiting list. I didn’t buy them (although I have brought a lot of different food to tempt her appetite). Maybe she had them in the freezer.

    I’m still taking it day by day, though, and I realize that things could take a turn for the worse. But the current state of affairs is about a C, maybe even a B−.

    At this point I’m also wondering why she was enrolled in the hospice organization’s evaluation program. I don’t think it was a bad idea—be prepared!—but my RWNJ brother could have given me a little context. When I first heard about it I thought she really was at death’s door. But now I think it was at least partly a bureaucratic move to get the helper (two hours a day five days a week).

    There is a plan afoot to get my mom some more help, like four hours a day, but that is a different organization, and I don’t want to bind my brother to arrangements that he will have to deal with long after I have gone. So I’m preserving the status quo until he gets back (a week from tomorrow).

    In other news, Woody the greyhound is still somewhat unsettled, but he was unsettled before I got here, I think because of my brother’s disrupted schedule the past month. I’ve been giving him lots of treats and affection, and last night he slept on the bed for only the second or third time. That’s a good sign.

  46. 46.

    p.a.

    @Yarrow:

    …John Cole. Remember that guy? He used to post here a fair amount and even show up in comments.

    I think he’s a farmer now and does some sort of cooking/preserving show, with occasional decorating tips. And tips on emergency medical trearments.

  48. 48.

    Steeplejack

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:

    Harmeet Dhillon, “an attorney and former state party vice chair who is herself a devout Sikh who immigrated from India”:

    Abortion in the ninth month.

    I defy her to identify one real person—anyone—who espouses that. Apparently lying is okay in her version of her religion.

  49. 49.

    Ixnay

    Too hard to figure out how to link on the kindle, but please check out Scott Simon’s piece on Weekend Edition re: veterinary suicide. Go hug your veterinarian.

  50. 50.

    Kathleen

    @Steeplejack: “The Left” agrees with that as well (“burn it down so we can bask in Pure Socialist Paradise”!!!).

    On another note, I ran a 5K yesterday which benefits 2 terrific organizations in my community. One is dedicated to building community through real estate development that addresses housing needs at all income levels, community fitness, and the arts (including establishment of orchestra open to all children that provides free lessons and instruments). The second was founded by Italian nun in the late 1800’s to help the then predominantly Italian immigrants into this area and has continued the mission by supporting immigrants from Guatemala and Mexico who live/own businesses in the neighborhood. A little background – my neighborhood (which was formed in the 1800’s) was at one time all white, mostly Catholic and very conservative. Many African Americans began moving here when their housing downtown was abolished to accommodate gentrification, and Guatemalans and Mexicans have also settled. So we now have a very diverse community both ethnically and economically which is on the verge of being one of Cincinnati’s “next greatest” after years of most people outside of the community mocking and deriding it. The community has struggled with all of the changes, but these two organizations truly support everyone in my opinion and deserve my support.

    This was the 14th year of the race and I was so pleased to see the most diverse group of participants and volunteers (age, race, color) who reflect my neighborhood more than I have seen at past races. I need to become more involved because I’m always uplifted after participating in these types of activities. We have a lot of issues but we also have a lot of positive energy working together to create a harmonious, creative community.

  51. 51.

    Kathleen

    @Steeplejack: Bless your heart (and not in the Southern Lady Passive Aggressive sense either). You’re dealing with all of this and you are fresh off some serious medical stuff yourself. You are awesome!

  52. 52.

    Steeplejack

    @Steeplejack:

    Just remembered: anyone got some advice on cannabis edibles? They’re legal here, and I thought they might help with Mom’s appetite and possibly with her anxiety. (No interest in the “psychotropic” side.)

  54. 54.

    Aleta

    Re the importance of respite, here’s something interesting I read yesterday.

    (Although it’s titled and organized around a hypothesis that’s been around for a long time, and around an idea about some illnesses, I took it instead as a useful prompt to put down my (empty cup of) ceaseless worrying for a bit.) Lately my brain is finding it much harder to solve some tough problems on the home front.
    https://elemental.medium.com/your-body-has-a-budget-overdrafting-makes-you-sick-17f2720dd86c

  55. 55.

    MisterForkbeard

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: The Right thinks of California as a completely failed state. It’s a weird delusion that they continue to push across the nation and they even push it HERE. And their base will eat that up (even in CA) because liberalism must be terrible and must fail, and they can’t ever admit otherwise.

    The sad truth is that the major problem in CA is… housing prices. Because people want to live here, near areas which have a lot of success. And the state solved budgetary and management issues by throwing the Republicans out of power completely.

    Then compare that to the national party and you see a clear pattern.

  56. 56.

    Bruuuuce

    Since we’re talking about good people, here’s a Florida Good Guy story: Batman walks bullied 3-year-old girl to school to help her feel safe:

    [Child gets bruised and black eye several times from other kids, then her mom] turned to social media, where Batman impersonator Jack Asbury saw the post and offered to walk the little girl to school. Calculli posted an adorable photo of the shy girl holding the black-caped superhero’s hand in the classroom.

    The hero she needed, for sure.

  57. 57.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Bruuuuce: But then Lydia came home with a swollen black eye last month. The little girl told her mother that her classmates hit her and threw a shoe at her.

    What the hell? I know kids can get mean, but… What the hell? How does that not become at least a parent-teacher confernce?

  58. 58.

    Bruuuuce

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: It would in many schools. I won’t say “most”, because sadly, there are a metric buttload of schools where the administrators are lax and/or uncaring and/or incompetent and/or biased regarding bullies. (My kids dealt with them in one of their schools, here in NYC, until we pushed the school REALLY hard.)

  59. 59.

    Yarrow

    @Steeplejack: That’s great news. I think your guess is right–enrolling her in the hospice program was a way to get her services she needed. Probably the easiest route so you all didn’t have to jump through a million hoops. Hospital social workers know all the tricks. I’m sure she qualified with her pelvis fracture.

    Maybe you can let down a bit and enjoy some of your trip to Vegas the way you usually do. You’re doing a great job taking care of her, especially so soon after your own surgery. Remember to take care of yourself. It’s essential when you also have to take care of everyone else and plus you deserve it.

  60. 60.

    Ruckus

    @germy:
    I think trump is an alien. You know, the ones from outer space. That’s why he knows nothing about being a human. NOTHING. The other aliens are laughing at us because he’s such a lousy replication of a human and none of them believed he could pull it off and yet too many of us actually believe that he is one of us. And not just one of us, our “leader.” Of course it’s just the humans who don’t actually like humans that follow the non human alien leader. And it’s such a bad story that if it was made into a movie, everyone would think it’s a bad comedy.

  63. 63.

    Ruckus

    @sdhays:
    It got him out of the state for longish periods of time. They know he’s not going to do anything at all so there is no worry that any good will come out of him being a representative, so he’s perfect. Besides they like trump so their taste in politicians is extremely questionable at best. And you have to remember that the goal of republicans is to destroy the government. He may be perfect for the job.

  64. 64.

    JaySinWA

    @Kay: When Trump loses in 2020, he will be memory-holed so fast it will make Bush look like a piker. The Trump experience may well shape the party in uglier ways, but Trumpovs will not be the public face of the party.

  65. 65.

    Steeplejack

    @Kathleen:

    Thanks. It doesn’t feel awesome, more like “Oh, shit, there’s stuff to deal with and I don’t feel up to it.” LOL. Compounded by the pathological lack of communication in my family.

    My arm is healing nicely. Visual status: angry red scars, hopefully fading and smoothing out. I am still “moisturizing” with Aquaphor, because the desert heat and −10% humidity dry out my skin and make it very tight. No pain, just a little discomfort because the area is still tender to the touch.

  67. 67.

    Miss Bianca

    @Steeplejack: will mom tolerate any THC, or only CBD? There are edibles put there that are a mixture – the 5:1 (CBD/THC ratio) would give a very mild buzz that is mostly like “I want to eat something and then watch TV or read till I fall asleep”).

  68. 68.

    J R in WV

    @Bruuuuce:

    If your three-year-old little girl comes home from anywhere with a black eye and other bruises, the cops should be looking for the abuser, no matter the age of the abuser(s).

    I doubt it’s another 3 y o, and if it is, those in charge of the tiny kids (surely there are adults in charge somewhere around these kids!?!) need to be blamed, shamed, FIRED and arrested, not necessarily in that order.

    Bat man can’t fix this inside the agency where it took place. I’m glad he was willing to help the little girl’s morale, but really, come on here folks, someone needs to pay for not protecting the little tyke!! And if the abuser was another kid, throw them out! They are a danger to the other kids! Grrr.

    ETA add FIRED to whoever was theoretically in charge and failed totally!

  69. 69.

    germy

    @JaySinWA:

    When Trump loses in 2020, he will be memory-holed so fast it will make Bush look like a piker.

    I wonder if he’ll launch TRUMP TV, and poach Hannity from Fox. And hire his old presidential staff for more on-air talent. Of course, he’ll still tweet, and the national press will report every new idea he has…

  70. 70.

    germy

    @Ruckus: Yes, he’s been compared to the guy in the original “Men In Black” movie, the human meatsack full of extraterrestrial bugs.

    Might explain his sweet tooth: “More sugar water!”

  71. 71.

    Mike in NC

    Yikes. Per the Washington Post, even Liz Cheney was appalled at the Stable Genius’s (not so) bright idea to host a group of Taliban for semi-secret talks at Camp David just a few days before the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. No doubt flown over and fed Big Macs at taxpayer expense, with maybe a golf trip to Mar-A-Lago squeezed in. Also, too, no Afghan government representatives were to be in attendance. Ranks right up there with going to North Korea for a photo op with their murderous dictator, who would be so grateful for the visit by His Excellency that he’d give up his nukes.

    Every dumb stunt that springs from Fat Bastard’s damaged pea-sized brain reflects reality TV. Let’s just go ahead and give him that Nobel Peace Prize he so desperately craves.

  72. 72.

    Yarrow

    @JaySinWA:

    When Trump loses in 2020, he will be memory-holed so fast it will make Bush look like a piker. The Trump experience may well shape the party in uglier ways, but Trumpovs will not be the public face of the party.

    It’s the job of the Democrats to make him the face of the party. Their voters elected him, Republicans supported him and wouldn’t stand up to any of the terrible things he has done. Republicans should never be allowed to live it down. Trump is their party. We need to make them own it.

  73. 73.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Yarrow:

    it looks like they were often posted by John Cole. Remember that guy? He used to post here a fair amount and even show up in comments.

    He’s doing the Lord’s work of battling the stabby watermelons for us all.

  74. 74.

    Steeplejack

    @Yarrow:

    Thanks for the input. I have felt more unmoored on this trip than previous ones—even the half-assed routine I usually have here has been disrupted.

    I’m driving up to Summerlin to see Mom for lunch. Taking her McDonald’s chicken nuggets and a vanilla shake—by request. I don’t care what she eats, as long as it’s something. Then later the friend that I’ve known since college and I are going to try out Juan’s Flaming Fajitas. Good food and great margs, according to a semi-reliable source. And it’s a 4.7 on the Google, so that’s a good sign.

  75. 75.

    Chyron HR

    @JaySinWA:

    Trumpovs will not be the public face of the party.

    Bush kept his head down for the good of the party and the political aspirations of the rest of his family. Who’s going to make The Chosen One accept his pariah status?

  77. 77.

    Steeplejack

    @Tenar Arha:

    Thanks, I’ll check it out.

    @Miss Bianca:

    I have no idea what she would tolerate—neither of us has any experience—but “mild buzz that is mostly like ‘I want to eat something and then watch TV or read till I fall asleep'” sounds perfect! I might even try some of that.

    ETA: And of course I would start her with very small portions.

  78. 78.

    Ruckus

    @Yarrow:

    Republicans should never be allowed to live it down. Trump is their party. We need to make them own it.

    Yes. But.
    Do you think they will? I’d bet they look for someone worse because they just weren’t trying hard enough.

  79. 79.

    JaySinWA

    @Chyron HR: I suspect when Trump loses he will blame everyone else and especially the party. He won’t accept responsibility; He will tweet for as long as he lives and be a bitter old man. But the divorce is coming. The party and the press will lose interest.

  81. 81.

    Bruuuuce

    @J R in WV: I agree; the administration and/or watchers at the school should be fired. But it wouldn’t surprise me if it were kids that age who did it to her; children can be mean.

  82. 82.

    JaySinWA

    More in tune with the respite rather than the spite, my wife found the World Central Kitchen donation site yesterday. It is good to have a place to donate that does direct action, rather than Red Cross.

  84. 84.

    Bruuuuce

    @JPL: Mean kids, is what I infer. I hope they can learn better, before they become adult bullies of the sort we speak about here far too often

  85. 85.

    Tenar Arha

    @Steeplejack: my source said some MA strains like wedding cake & gg4 are good, but they don’t know what might be available in NV, so they suggested the website as a place to start research.

  86. 86.

    Yutsano

    @JaySinWA: Oh no. He’s their dosh generator. The media will never get tired of covering every breathless tweet especially anything critical of the new government. They’re symbiotes. They actually need each other. It’s why the MSM won’t stop covering him no matter how “abusive” he gets.

  87. 87.

    JPL

    @Bruuuuce: The adults in the room probably were trained by border patrol. The story makes me ill, and I’m pleased that the little girl was moved to an advanced class. But what about the others.

  88. 88.

    JaySinWA

    @Ruckus: True, I considered editing to say “continue to be a bitter old man.” but I suspect we will see a depth of bitterness even more pronounced, assuming Trump survives post office. He’s not that healthy, but spite may keep him going past his due date. An impeachment or election loss will drive him even farther around the bend.

  89. 89.

    snoey

    @Steeplejack: I’m not sure you can separate the munchies from the rest of the buzz. Don’t think CBD is in play there. It is apparently useful in buffering the paranoid etc. unpleasant parts.

    The THC in edibles is converted to another cannabinoid in the liver before it hits the bloodstream which leads to both a long delay and very imprecise dosing – especially in older people. Somebody in Colorado tested dispensary edibles and found that the advertised dosage was approximate at best and not at all evenly distributed in multi-dose items.

    If she is up for it a dry herb vape of a high CBD strain might be the way to go.

  90. 90.

    Steeplejack

    @Tenar Arha:

    Yeah, I figured I could at least familiarize myself with what’s out there and be better prepared when I walk into someplace here. I don’t want to go full Maureen Dowd.

  91. 91.

    Steeplejack

    @snoey:

    I think vaping is a bridge too far for her. But thanks for the info. Adding to my meager database.

    ETA: For her, I don’t see the delay and the imprecise dosage as problems. She’s not going anywhere, and I’d start her out small. Any change/​improvement would be noticeable, and we could work from there.

  94. 94.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @Steeplejack: I’m partial to Big Pete’s cookies. Indica will be more calming. The cinnamon sugar and double chocolate flavors are the least “weedy” tasting.

    BTW, you may already be aware of this, but there’s a huge difference between “palliative care,” and “hospice care.” Given that it looks like she’s recovering, make sure she’s in the former.

  95. 95.

    Tenar Arha

    @Steeplejack: @snoey: Yeah, see that’s the level of detail on strains I cannot do (like you re the gg4).

    (I can’t really smoke anything anymore since I quit smoking cigarettes, so my only choice is edibles. & I’ve never tried one of those wo a lot of dizziness & sleeping).

  96. 96.

    Steeplejack

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    Thanks for the cannabis info.

    Mom really isn’t “in care” at all. She’s back at home, with a helper coming for a couple of hours in the morning. It’s mostly rest and pain management with a (mild) prescription. A nurse checks in every week. I think there is a doctor’s appointment somewhere ahead, but—wretched family communication again—I don’t know exactly when. My mom hates doctors and the whole prospect of “being sick,” so it’s hard to extract any information from her. And of course she was a nurse herself way back in the day. (Need the eye-roll emoji here but don’t know how to do it on the Chromebook.)

  97. 97.

    Kathleen

    @Steeplejack: Oh I understand why it doesn’t feel awesome, but it doesn’t change your inherent awesomeness! I’m so glad your healing is progressing. Aquaphor is the best stuff!

  98. 98.

    Steeplejack

    Okay, I’ve got to get ready to score some chicken nuggets and head up to Summerlin. This will involve deploying my brother’s awful F-150 pickup. I have been using Mom’s Explorer, but it’s got a leaky fuel pump that won’t get fixed until Tuesday or Wednesday, so it’s basically a potential Hindenburg on wheels. Yeah, I was driving it for a week and a half and wondering why it was getting such bad mileage.

    I’ll check back later to see if anyone has more advice. I appreciate all that has been offered.

  99. 99.

    Bruuuuce

    @JPL: I utterly agree. Hard to deal with the ones we don’t hear about. I’m happy for this case, and maybe some light will chase the roaches and rats away, or help better behavior

  100. 100.

    Skepticat

    Anytime you have both Jim Cantore and Chef Andrés in the neighborhood, you know you’re in trouble. But chefs indeed may save the world—several of my friends are in one of the very few almost undamaged houses on my island running a full-tilt-boogie food service for the people coming in to help. Of the 77 houses on the island, only half a dozen are essentially undamaged, and at least 49 are flattened.
    On a previous thread (I’ve been so insanely busy handling communications that I haven’t been here for a few days), some of you were kind enough to ask what you could do to help. My primary preference would be finding someone who has a spare million dollars so I could rebuild, but failing that, please consider helping the programs for which I foster Royal Bahamian potcake puppies. I can vouch for them sincerely and enthusiastically.
    https://www.abacoshelter.org/
    http://www.potcake.org/
    Each of the out islands (except mine) seems to have its own donation program, but Great Abaco doesn’t seem to, although they need it the most. I’ve seen this link but don’t know much about it.
    https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/hurricane-disaster-relief. If I find a worthy one, I shall let you know, as it’s apocalypse now in Abaco. And yes, they think Humberto may be born and come to visit.

  102. 102.

    Ruckus

    @JaySinWA:
    I’ve seen a number of bitter, angry old farts live past their due dates, I think primarily because death doesn’t want to have to put up with them.
    Yes that is snark, yes I know some would consider it’s in bad taste, get over it.
    A lot of people get bitter and angry when they are getting sicker and basically just waiting for the end. The body fails, and that’s hard, but the mind failing is worse because mostly there is nothing to be done, not even being made more comfortable. And that’s because the stuff that would make the brain more comfortable, mostly takes away the conscious brain working as well. You are still hanging around but can’t do anything.

  103. 103.

    Shana

    @Tom DeVries: His restaurants are also excellent. Jaleo is Spanish tapas, Zaytinia is Mediterranean style little plates, there are several others including one called Beefsteak which is largely vegetarian (think beefsteak tomato not beef). I know there is a branch of Jaleo in Las Vegas, there may be branches in other cities. So not only a real mensch but a great restaurateur too.

  105. 105.

    Shana

    @AliceBlue: I see from the article it’s a preschool not a regular school. Also, the preschool has moved her up to a class for advanced learners. That fact may explain, but certainly not excuse, the classmates’ behavior.

  106. 106.

    JPL

    @Bruuuuce: This was just posted on NextDoor and its a daycare near me part of the Goddard School group
    Here’s the language regarding the specific details of the violations:
    “During an investigation, it was determined that on July 25, 2018 and August 8, 2018, the children in the two and three-year old classroom were belittled, humiliated, encouraged to humiliate another child, and threatened to have physical punishment inflicted upon them as a form of redirection. The inappropriate treatment that the children in care endured was revealed as a result of a parent placing an audio recorder in the classroom. The staff members were unaware that an audio recorder was placed in the classroom. The four staff members were terminated as a result.”

    A parent was able to sneak in a tape recorder because she was concerned. She only did it a few times and it wasn’t enough info. Do you try for more and leave your child in harm’s way. sickening

  107. 107.

    Another Scott

    @Skepticat: I donated there this morning. My first attempt failed because it is outside the USA. The second attempt (with a different card) went through fine.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  110. 110.

    Another Scott

    @Skepticat: I can’t imagine having to go through so much destruction. :-( Hang in there. Let us know how you’re doing.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  111. 111.

    TomatoQueen

    @Skepticat: This can’t be good: The potcake link at this moment is serving up a “domain name parked” warning; I’ve no idea what that means in reality but it certainly blocks any further interaction with the site. Thinking of you, hoping help is getting through.

  112. 112.

    RSA

    @NotMax:

    Minus the cardigans.

    I visited the Mr. Rogers exhibit at the Heinz Center while I was i in Pittsburgh. His mother knitted those cardigans for him, and after the first season, when he’d missed a button when putting it on, she made them with zippers. It was touching to find out. They had one of his cardigan laid out on display, and I had the thought that fashion really does go in cycles–it looked completely modern.

  114. 114.

    Bruuuuce

    @JPL: Ugh. Thanks for the info, though I don’t really need to be feeling like looking for heads to bash tonight.

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