The last few weeks have been a reminder for me not to take anything for granted, and I have been thinking about just how much our BJ authors bring to Balloon Juice.
They give us their time. Their energy. Their thoughts. Their knowledge. Their expertise.
For free.
To a one, the writers here are dedicated and professional, so it’s easy to forget that this is an all-volunteer gig.
There are a hundred other things they could all be doing – that they are doing when they are not here – but still, they find time to post at Balloon Juice. And to interact with us in the comments.
In order of their arrival at Balloon Juice, we have: John Cole, Tim F, DougJ, Anne Laurie, mistermix, Tom Levenson, Betty Cracker, David Anderson, Adam Silverman, TaMara, Cheryl Rofer, Jewish Steel, Major Major, ruemara.
Imagine, for a moment… if Alain had known just how much he meant to so many people.
I don’t want to leave that kind of thing to anyone’s imagination, or leave anything unsaid, so I am going to take the time right now to say how grateful I am for for each of our BJ authors, for John, and for Balloon Juice. (Still hoping that Tim F, John’s first front-pager, will come back to us!)
Thanks for everything you guys do!
…
Open Thread.
Another Scott
Well said.
And thank you, too, WaterGirl!
Cheers,
Scott.
Mary G
Amen.
Commenters, too. Most of them.
Baud
Hazzah!
EthylEster
I’ve been wondering about Tim for a while. I hope he is still doing science. I think one of the reasons he disappeared was because he lost his lab position. But I may be making that up. It’s been a while.
Josie
Everything you said is true, WaterGirl, and it is gracious of you to think of this. I am grateful to each and every one of you for the sanity you bring to my life, especially now.
Baud
You left off Richard Mayhew.
zhena gogolia
I love you all, you included, WaterGirl. You’re indispensable for getting us through this.
My husband just fell madly in love with Henry (right?) and wants to know what kind of dog he is.
cain
Don’t take your privacy for granted either. All this contact tracing stuff gives govt power over where people go. I dont think we want to give that kind of power unless there is a lot of oversight. Otherwise we are going to be in trouble especially with a Trump administration govt who not only will use it with entities like ICE but will likely sell it to tech companies for profit.
We need to be very careful about giving this power to govts since as we can see not all govt administrations are the same.
Mnemosyne
I appreciate all of our writers, even the ones I yell at in the comments. ?
zhena gogolia
@Baud:
Poor guy, he’s always forgotten.
CaseyL
Yes! I am always, always amazed by the sheer breadth of expertise among our FPers and commenters. I do appreciate it, and love the opportunity to listen to and talk with so many incredibly smart people.
Thank you, thank you all!
JPL
@Baud: Hah Well if Richard and Tim are around, I want to give both of them thanks for there posts.
donnah
I’m grateful and glad to have such a varied, talented, and informed group all in one special place. I visit here many times a day and cherish the posts and the replies. It keeps me sane.
Also, Betty Cracker, I “met” you years ago at another blog, a smaller one. What was it? I love you!
BretH
Yes, yes, yes, yes… thanks to you all. I’m profoundly grateful to have this home on the Internet.
cain
Thank the front pagers as well.
Let’s also give 30 seconds of silence for dear departed Tunch and Alain.
debbie
The thread title filled me with dread when I first opened it. Whew
ETA: And yes, thanks.
JPL
@cain: It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. trump has already turned over the DACA list to ICE.
Sonoran
You all are my tribe. Thanks so much for being here.
kindness
Alain had to know. I mean, yea he spoke with the principles and front pagers here but all you have to do is read through the comments & conversations under almost any thread and you see the joy. You can feel the love. I hope Alain knew and I hope the rest of the staff here knows we feel that way about them too.
OzarkHillbilly
Tim F gave me the very simple pork tenderloin recipe that forever screwed my sense of adventure with pork tenderloins. It is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo goooooooooooooooooooooooooood that every time I pull one out of the freezer? I am absolutely incapable of cooking it any other way.
Spanky
Hear! Hear! I second that emotion , and put forward an amendment to add Kay, who left the front page way too soon, imo.
Erin in Flagstaff
Yes! This is one of the sites that starts my morning, and I always checked out the On the Road posts. Bless Alain for his dedication in setting up something that makes a lovely start to my day. I’m glad it’s continuing.
I also thank all the contributors. I learn so much from them all, plus I get a healthy dose of snark, which is always welcomed.
MagdaInBlack
I am always thankful for this blog and all the folks who make it my first stop in the (early) morning.
Mnemosyne
An alert that I think all of our front-pagers will be on board with: Penzey’s has re-opened their online ordering. I just ordered $40 worth of stuff so I could get free shipping.
frosty
My thanks to all the front pagers (and WG!) as well. I don’t know what I would do without you all.
I’ve been obsessively reading every post and almost all the comments for years. Someday I may slack off and get my 3 to 4 hours a day back for other things. But it is not this day.
WaterGirl
@Baud: That guys was a Dick. Get it? (joke)
WaterGirl
@OzarkHillbilly: I want that recipe! I cannot make a good one.
Miss Bianca
@donnah: Rumproast! It was Rumproast, I remember! I was so psyched when Betty came over from there after that site went dark.
ETA: I remember the days when Balloon Juice was just one of many, many blogs I frequented. Now it’s just about the only one left from those days, altho’ I have started to visit DailyKos again. (I lurk over at LGM but don’t comment, and really don’t consider myself part of that community.)
Miss Bianca
@OzarkHillbilly: Share, please!! I would love a good simple pork tenderloin recipe!
Mary G
O/T, but good news:
Wag
My kids give me grief for my obsession with what they call my “political p0rn”, a large part of which is BJ. This is a great community’s and if I am a p0rn addict, so be it. I appreciate everyone here.
Brachiator
I find a periodic dip into the Balloon juice essential in these crazy times. And I am deeply appreciative of the efforts of the front pagers and those who help to maintain the site.
E.
I miss Soonergrunt.
Sab
My husband reads BJ but not the comments. He laughs at me when I talk about the jackals. Too bad for him.
WaterGirl
I’m gonna try for 5 words for each of the writers here.
Love John bringing the rants.
Love Tim’s photos and Max.
Anne-Laurie gracious & steadfast reporting workhorse, garden-chats.
Joy in FL
My respect and thanks to all the expertise and wit that is shared by our front page writers.
Thanks to you, I usually have a grasp on what is happening and why and what is beyond the obvious.
Lord Fartdaddy (Formerly, Mumphrey, Smedley Darlington Mingobat, et al.)
Amen.
I first came here through a link from The Poor Man. I think that was about 2005 or so. It wasn’t long before this became the first site I check in with every day, and the last one I look at before bed.
A big thank you from me to everybody who helps make this place what it is, whatever that may be.
Miss Bianca
@Mary G: Ooh, wow. Wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants to our so-called “Commander In Chief”. One that his ample orange ass richly deserves.
Miss Bianca
@E.: And Imani, AKA Angry Black Lady. Another blogger I sorely miss.
WaterGirl
Cheryl, David and Adam all make me smarter.
I think that gets to count as 5 words if you count just one name at a time.
OzarkHillbilly
@WaterGirl: Damn. Now your gonna make me go aaaaalll the way down stairs, pull the binder down, flip to the page, and type 4 short paragraphs.
sigh….
WaterGirl
@Miss Bianca: We could have throwback Thursdays and every week have a link to one of the previous front pagers in the sidebar, in case anyone wants to take a trip down memory lane.
WaterGirl
@OzarkHillbilly: Doesn’t have to be tonight!
Quaker in a Basement
I’ve been on the blogs for so long, I can remember when rumors first started popping up that conservative John Cole was contemplating crossing over to the not-Bush side. I added my own two cents worth of encouragement. Since then, I have been constantly impressed at the quality of the community John has created here.
Keep it alive, ya’ll.
WaterGirl
Tom: brilliant, righteous anger, calming, keeps me grounded and hopeful.
Quaker in a Basement
@Miss Bianca: Me, also. Too.
Miss Bianca
@WaterGirl: Oh, that would be fun! Make sure to get some vintage pre-conversion Cole! ; )
Sab
@WaterGirl: TaMara’s dogs ducks and recipes, not necessarily in that order. Everything Adam Silverman writes. Everything Cheryl Rofer writes
ETA : And Mayhew Anderson. How could I forget? I wouldn’t even be alive if not for Obamacare.
Hungry Joe
When I push BJ on friends — and I do that A LOT — I rave not only about the Front Pagers, but about you guys, as well. (“Read the comments, too. No, really, I mean it.”) Probably too often I just don’t feel like doing a deep dive into something and opt instead to take in a Front Page essay AND the long comment thread. The collective knowledge/judgment/wisdom is pretty impressive. As is the snark; come for the education, stay for the snark. AND the pets. And …
WaterGirl
Does anyone remember the name of TaMara’s gorgeous kitty that we lost years ago? I fell in love and kept a photo but i can’t find it because I can’t remember his name.
I can’t do TaMara until I have his name. Pretty sure the name has 4 letters.
feebog
As someone who has been hanging around this joint for a few years, I second your thoughts Water Girl. This blog has been a refuge, a diversion, an education and the source of a thousand laughs. Thanks to all the front pagers, past and present, and to all you jackels for keeping me sane over the past four years.
WaterGirl
@zhena gogolia: Henry is a maltese poodle mix, but my groomer, well his groomer, thinks he looks like a bishon frise.
Henry is a lover, so I’m pretty sure he loves your husband back.
WaterGirl
Betty makes music with words.
WaterGirl
ruemara brings beauty, perspective, kindness, kitties (i cheated, but just a little)
Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA)
What you said, WaterGirl.
Also, for a second I was wondering what a picture of Chauncey was doing on the front page. Same dog, right down to the collar, except the rescue told me he’s a bichon-poodle mix. Please scritch his ears for me (and Iggy, Muppet and Chauncey).
photo of Mingobat’s Chauncey – added by WG. Wow, they do look similar!
donnah
@Miss Bianca: Yay! Thanks, Miss Bianca! I loved that place. But I, too, was glad Betty appeared here.
WaterGirl
@Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA): send a picture of chauncey to my email and I’ll post it so we can compare.
WaterGirl
Jewish Steel brings the music.
(He’s listed on the author page as Alex Smith, but I figured most of you would know him as Jewish Steel.)
HumboldtBlue
Could not agree more, WaterGirl, and that goes for the commenters as well.
dmsilev
@WaterGirl:
For a second, I read that as ‘bison frise’.
It’s been a long week. A long month.
TaMara (HFG)
@WaterGirl: Harley, thoughts of him still make me weepy.
NotMax
@Ozark Hillibilly
Your mission, Mr. Hillbilly, should you choose to accept it…
;)
Gentleman’s (ha!) bet it includes either apple juice or apple cider vinegar.
HumboldtBlue
@Quaker in a Basement:
It was TBogg in 2005 or 2006 who wrote a blog post about this right-wing blogger who had finally seen the light and I couldn’t have been the only one who tramped over here and pissed all over the comments section (in fact I emailed John one time after pissing all over his comment section and apologized and he was very gracious).
A year (two maybe?) later or so after he had made his full and honest conversion he poached Betty from RumpRoast and I’ve hated you all ever since and I vow my revenge upon you all.
In fact, the day Betty announced her new blog house I was in the comment spitting vitriol (tongue-in-cheek) and that’s how I met Amir who wondered who the foul-mouthed-vitirol-spitting-asshole was and how did he get here.
WaterGirl
mistermix literate musings on politics
geg6
I miss Tim a lot and think about him often. Hope he is doing well.
I, too, am very grateful to this place. All the front pagers are great, even when I vehemently disagree with them. It’s good to have my opinions and assumptions questioned. I usually decide I’m right in the end, but it’s a good thing anyway. ;-) And, of course, I would not have had two of the loves of my life, Koda and Lovey, without everyone here at BJ and John Cole.
WaterGirl
@TaMara (HFG): My hand went to my heart when I saw the photo. Then the tears. Yes, Harley. Don’t know how I can love him so much when I never met him.
Steeplejack
@NotMax:
Posted the eggplant recipe downstairs.
WaterGirl
@TaMara (HFG): How did I not find the picture in my search, when the name was “tamara’s kitty harley.png”.
oh wait, that’s why, I was searching for .jpg
Elizabelle
Scared me, with that photo of Henry. No taking Henry for granted, ever. Or his identical twin, Chauncey.
Dorothy A. Winsor
I come here for solid, interesting posts and comments. Plus so much mutual support when people need it. Thanks to all of you.
WaterGirl
TaMara: ducks, pups, something good, HARLEY
WaterGirl
@Elizabelle: Did not mean to scare anyone!
Elizabelle
@TaMara (HFG): Harley looks like he was a star in Game of Thrones.
It’s the fur, the background, the color scheme, the catitude.
Sab
@dmsilev: Lol. Fried buffalo?
J R in WV
I’m pretty sure Alain knew exactly how much he was loved by nearly everyone in his life. As usual I have a lot more to say about everything, but I gotta fix somefing ta eat for dinner.
As a Navy vet, it’s very hard for me to express appreciation for anything an Admiral does, ever, but the CNO sending the Captain back to the Roosevelt, that’s pretty admirable. I hope it actually comes to pass, without costing the CNO his job.c
Elmo Zumwalt also did a good thing as CNO, when he specifically authorized “well-kept” facial hair for active duty sailors as a historical fact worth acknowledging. Haven’t been clean-shaven since that was promulgated. So many, many lifers hated that so, so bad. Fuck’em we all said!
And now, to the kitchen.
Barbara
@TaMara (HFG): I will raise a glass to you and every front pager. I don’t know how I would have survived the last three plus years without everyone here. So glad to see your comment.
geg6
@Quaker in a Basement:
I first started lurking just before all of that. I had asked someone on another blog to recommend a sensible and smart Republican online and he pointed me here. Haven’t missed a day since.
WaterGirl
M4: fellow techie and writer, brings perspective
Elizabelle
@J R in WV: I hope it happens.
Can you imagine the welcome in store from his sailors? We need some heartwarming news.
Steeplejack
@WaterGirl:
For future reference, you should be able to search for “Tamara*”, or maybe even just “Tamara”. The asterisk means “include any characters after the ones I specified.”
hedgehog the occasional commenter
What everyone else said, more eloquently than I could. Grateful to this community for your intelligence, compassion, fierceness, humor, etc. Glad I have been able to meet Miss Bianca and a few other of the Colorado jackals IRL. Thankful for your support and kindness. I don’t recall how I found this place, but I am glad I did.
(signs off before getting weepy and maudlin)
lapassionara
Yes to all the appreciation for the front pagers, and a thanks to WG for the post.
I started lurking here when someone mentioned that John had left the Republican party after McCain chose Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Good times.
Mnemosyne
@HumboldtBlue:
That’s also when I traversed over to these here parts, though I think I got the news from Pandagon, my former home base.
There was already a nasty Clinton vs Obama split on the blogs I went to, so this place was a nice oasis of sensible Obots.
WaterGirl
@Steeplejack: TaMara on my computer brings up 2,399 items. :-)
zhena gogolia
@WaterGirl:
Haha, I told him I thought he was a bichon frise!
Zelma
I am no good at html but below is a quote from a post I sent to friends on a small list of like-minded romance readers. I had said something about my favorite blog, Balloon Juice. and one of the members asked me what Balloon Juice was. So I tried to explain. I don’t know if any of them will be moved to check us out but I do know the post expresses my feelings. Thank you to everyone who makes this blog possible.
HumboldtBlue
@Mnemosyne:
Yes, I learned so much just from reading comments about polling, electioneering, caucuses and all that and you nailed it, this place quickly became a sensible, well-informed and very charming blog.
Pandagon, that’s a name that goes back.
WaterGirl
Masterful fundraiser… is DougJ really DougJ?
WaterGirl
i think I got everyone!
satby
Wow, I’ve been reading here a long time! I wandered over from The Moderate Voice blog when Joe Gandleman called JC a “reasonable Republican” (maybe around 2004ish?) right after Atrios also had said something nice about John. Two such different bloggers recommending the same guy got my interest. I never read the other two or Kos any more, but I’ve been here ever since enjoying wonderful front pagers and commenters, so thanks all!
MoxieM
Yes! I agree with the thanks and recognition, wholeheartedly. Although I am a minor poster at best, and often insignificant (somehow, just not enough questions about Newfoundland dogs or other stuff I know about :) ) . I have learned so much here, and even as a peripheral member it really feels like a home base.
I am what is known these days as an “elder orphan” (gack); I was socially isolating before it was the thing to do. So little internet corners that feel familiar are important. I admire so many jackals, even the PITA ones.
My only question is, as always, what do you call people whom you’ve gotten to know on line but not in real life. Not friends, exactly. Correspondents? Pen Pals…? It needs a name.
CaseyL
@Barbara: Seconded and thirded. I’ve been here since ’05, I think; just before or during the Schiavo mess. BJ is home-away-from-home, a sanity-saver, and source of great insights and hilarity.
I keep telling people about this place, but I don’t know if anyone’s ever followed me here. I do know I’ve made RL friends here.
@TaMara (HFG): Harley was gorgeous. And it’s good to hear from you! How are you doing?
TaMara (HFG)
Anyone remember Sarah, Proud and Tall? Last seen here in 2017 and wonder what’s up with SPT and who was SPT really?
CaseyL
@TaMara (HFG): I don’t think we ever knew, but IIRC at one point she strongly hinted she was male. I loved her posts.
Jackie
I can’t remember what blog used to list a sidebar of blogs by *Left, *Right, *Moderate, and maybe a few other categories, but, that’s how I discovered BJ – at that time a mostly conservative blog. I was looking for a SANE conservative blog right around 2002, trying to understand sane-ish justifications to start a war with Iraq.
There was a good mix of left and right opinions debating the WMD and I was hooked. Plus, all the late night epic rants by Cole! And, Tunch. Then watching John’s sloooow evolution toward the Dark Side ?. I love this blog, the Front Pagers and the family gathered around the Thanksgiving table discussions – including the food fights!♥️
Mnemosyne
@TaMara (HFG):
Yutsy knows SPT’s true identity. I don’t want to give the game away, though.
ChuckInAustin
Thanks folks! I’ve been a lurker since the dark years of the first worst.president.ever. I strayed a little during the happy times of the Obama years, but I’m back.
You bring sanity and help me make it through the day. Constantly clicking between Balloon Juice, Digby and Charlie F’cking Pierce. (I know that’s not his middle name. He is a national treasure.)
schrodingers_cat
@TaMara (HFG): SPT was an Australian guy, who used to post here. I forget his name but Yutsano might remember
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@MoxieM:
No questions, but I love Newfies! For several reasons, I can’t have a dog, but I love them. There are certain breeds that give me a little twinge of sadness when I see them. Especially nowadays, when I’m staying away from friends and families with dogs, and even when I see them while I’m out walking, I gather Covid etiquette is we’re not supposed to stop and pet them.
cckids
Amen. Since last weekend, a quote has been knocking around my brain –
“So shines a good deed in a weary world”.
Reminds me of Alain, but also of the way the group here gather to support each other. I’m deeply thankful for all of you, singly and collectively.
OzarkHillbilly
@WaterGirl: OK, I tried a search, nada. Here you go, hunt and pecked one letter at a time. You better appreciate this:
Tim F.
I am a happy person right now. Here is why:
*Rub 1-1.5 lb pork tenderloin with salt, pepper and beef bullion (I use Better than Bullion paste; the regular might do) (OH: it does)
*Sear on high heat for ~30 seconds per side in olive oil. I cook with olive oil out of habit; other oils or even butter might work as well. Definitely make the mistake of cooking with extra virgin. (OH – I have always followed this advise)
*Transfer to a baking dish just coated with cream and a little water, covor with foil and cook in the oven at 260-275. (OH-I have always had about 1/4″ of cream in the pan and we use half and half most times because that’s what my wife uses in her coffee)
*Cook mushrooms in the frying pan to pick up all the good stuff that the tenderloin left behind. Transfer to the baking dish once they’re crispy (OH- this seals the deal, oh so good)
*Let the tenderloin cook for about an hour and a half
*At the end prepare some crusty bread the way a good restaurant does. Cut off a thick chunk and then cut slices that reach almost but not quite thru. At the end the slices, which you can tear off, will be crispy on the surface and warm inside. (OH- or just go the neanderthal route and tear into everything like me)
The usual problem with pork is how thouroughly you have to cook the meat. Pan frying pork does not work because by the time it is safe to eat the meat is dry, it’s chewy and the fat, which ought to be the best part, is an unchewable gristle.
I knew about slow cooking from my wife’s recipe for chicken in cream sauce, but I have never seen a cut of meat transformed like this. The meat came out tender enough to cut with a fork, fat and all. The mushrooms were coated in a seasoned mix of oil, juices and cream curd asking to be spread on the bread. Yum.
**Update**
If you are going to try this recipe, follow the advice of many commenters and deglaze the pan with some booze before cooking the mushrooms. Naturally I recommend beer. (OH- I never have, partly because I hate wasting good beer like this and have no cheap beer, but mostly because I always forget. For what it’s worth, nothing was ever left behind anyway)
(OH- for the record, all Italics are me, all non italics are Tim)
OH- Big bad thunder boomers rolled thru while I was typing this up. If you are seeing this, it means my hillbilly cut and paste, save, and post was successful. If it comes out as gibberish… well, what can I say. Serves you right.
FelonyGovt
Great post, Water Girl. I appreciate all the front pagers so much (and that includes you!) I read here every day even if my posting is sporadic (and I rarely feel like I have anything useful to contribute). I came to the blog via a brilliant post of John’s about Bernie Sanders in 2016.
Kristine
I’ve been coming here for idk how long–pretty sure I first arrived in the mid-oughts. I was also visiting DKos, Atrios, and other lefty blogs, but over time I left those behind. This place to me felt more personal, personable. Nicer, despite the occasional flare-ups. The pet threads were also a major draw. Recipes, too.
Grateful for the FPers from whom I learn so much. And Betty’s descriptions should have their own rotating display.
WaterGirl
@TaMara (HFG): John and I checked “her” blog when we were updating the blogroll before the new site rollout. She hadn’t posted anything there for years. That’s the sum total of what I know.
planetjanet
This place is so wonderful. The humor, the expertise, the passion and just a complete celebration of life. All the front pagers create this tremendous community and I am grateful. Especially with these strange times, and I am distancing at home alone. But, I am not alone on this blog. Thank you so very much.
WaterGirl
@OzarkHillbilly: That’s a lot of typing! Thank you!
Steeplejack
@WaterGirl:
Not my problem. That’s what we call an “implementation detail.” ?
ETA: Might need to specify that the search look only at file names, not at the content in the files.
WaterGirl
@Steeplejack: Ha!
MomSense
???❤️??
DAVID ANDERSON
As an FYI: Tim F is doing well. I was bs-ing with him earlier this week.
He was the guy who recruited me to Balloon Juice in August 2013 as we knew each other in real life via another nerdy blog connection.
Ruckus
@Miss Bianca:
Was looking through my bookmarks today and it’s amazing how many of the blogs I used to read are silent. Still there but little to no posting, some for a number of years. Wasn’t aimai a front pager till she changed/entered her career? How about ABL?
My own blogs, I had two but while they still exist and one even gets some traffic, I haven’t done anything with them for a long time. This place just has something that many others just never did. John made a place that allowed discussion, without trying to control it with threaded comments, and cleeks pie filter really kept the animosity down to a minimum. It still happens of course but there is a lasting quality about this place, it grew with the times, it changed with the times and John brings on new people when someone moves on. I can’t remember when I first started showing up here but John was making the change to human being about then. I’m glad I’ve stayed, it’s the one place I check on a number of times a day.
Steeplejack
@Zelma:
Well said.
Kristine
@OzarkHillbilly: Many thanks for this recipe!
Miss Bianca
@hedgehog the occasional commenter: Hedgie!! *waves
Steeplejack
@WaterGirl:
Sarah Plain and Tall. Although her tenure was brief. And, speaking of brief, Freddy de Boer (sp?). Maybe we should keep it to the front-pagers we want to remember.
WaterGirl
@DAVID ANDERSON: Can you get Tim F to come back? I really miss him.
I’m almost afraid to ask if Max is still with us. Love Max.
Steeplejack
@TaMara (HFG):
I think SPT was an Aussie or Kiwi lawyer (male) who also commented under another nym. He had a strong interest in Portugal and was learning Portuguese.
Which reminds me: Randinho! Our football guy.
WaterGirl
@Steeplejack: I was keeping it to the current front pagers. :-)
Tim F has a permanent slot on the BJ front page because he was the first writer besides John.
MazeDancer
Front Pagers are astonishing.
Every morning, Anne Laurie posts, I continually marvel that she provides the structure for BJ. For free.
Just like I couldn’t believe how you, WaterGirl, lavished such an insane amount of expert time on the website redo. For free.
eddie blake
i LOVE this site. i appreciate all of the front pagers and all of you guys. jackals for life.
Jay
This is the only place where I still read all the FP posts and all the comments, and about the only place I comment anymore.
Miss Bianca
@TaMara (HFG): i was hoping that the only good thing that was going to come from the Trump years was that SPT was coming back to post here. Alas, apparently ’twas not to be.
Steeplejack
I came to Balloon Juice in the run-up to the ’08 election, prompted by a comment/quote on Andrew Sullivan’s old blog, which I looked at mostly for the “view from your window” feature. I don’t think I started commenting until early ’09. The transition from lurker to commenter was oddly frightening. So I encourage all lurkers to speak up more!
Ruckus
@J R in WV:
I started my current beard the minute I walked off the gangplank for the last time. Shortly to be 48 yrs ago. On the last ship I was stationed on, for my last 2 months, the captain was, to be polite, a fucking asshole. Life was a lot easier to just not rock the boat. I also didn’t get a haircut for well over a year, not till I had hair down to my shoulders.
Mnemosyne
@Ruckus:
ABL is very active on Twitter. Spending a lot of time playing “Animal Crossing” to distract herself from the ongoing disaster.
Mnemosyne
@Steeplejack:
All lurkers should keep in mind that they will be told to fuck off early on in their posting career. It’s just part of the welcome ritual.
zhena gogolia
@Mnemosyne:
Oh, great — I didn’t see that!
Miss Bianca
@TaMara (HFG): i was hoping that the only good thing that was going to come from the Trump years was that SPT was coming back to post here. Alas, apparently ’twas not to be.
@OzarkHillbilly: thanks, Ozark!
WaterGirl
@Mnemosyne: Well, how come Bill Penzey didn’t tell me?
Ruckus
@Mnemosyne:
She was one of the reasons I went on twitter, I missed her. She reminds me of my dearly departed friend of decades in some ways. And no not the obvious way.
zhena gogolia
@Zelma:
Great description.
SkyBluePink
Thank you Front Pagers and all for the best blog
Sab
@Ruckus: My husband does have hair down below his shoulders. He was in Catholic schools in the ’60s so this is new to him. I bought him some scrunchies to tie his hair. All the women in his life find this hilarious. Me (his wife) his daughter, his sisters. We should be kind but we cannot help ourselves laughing.
Persistent Illusion
@MoxieM: Online friends. And I agree with many of the sentiments expressed. This has been a stop since about 2006 (I’m slow that way) when I saw a write-up in Pandagon.
MoxieM
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I always say they are an addiction. Like potato chips, if you have one, you need more. My gateway drug dog was a Newf x Golden mix called Jack whom I got from a local shelter about 30 years ago. It’s been all fur, drool, and boundless love since then.
And yes, I pick out places to live in order to have giant doggos. It’s insanity, but they are where my soul resides, I think.
Louise B.
Amen. Thank you to all the front pagers for helping me maintain my sanity over the years.
Omnes Omnibus
WG, you should not be forgotten in all the thanks and appreciation. Your willingness to be the front person during the recent upgrade alone deserves recognition. Add that to your efforts to keep people’s spirits up and political participation high in these “interesting” times and everyone here owes you a real debt. *
*Should have a Rare Sincerity tag.
Mike S (Now with a Democratic Congressperson!)
Yes, big thanks to all of the front pagers and commenters who have help me surrvive since I started lurking here. About 2006 I think.
Laura Too
This is a very special place with very special people. I am grateful to all of you for wit and wisdom, snark and righteous anger.
eddie blake
@Mnemosyne:
oh, i miss pandagon.
Mingobat (f/k/a Karen in GA)
@WaterGirl: On its way.
eddie blake
@Mnemosyne:
also, i never got hammered by the fuck off brigade once i de-lurked.
though now that i double-commented, that may happen.
Omnes Omnibus
@eddie blake: We can remedy that if you feel the lack. We are a full-service blog.
ellenr
@MoxieM: Websters?
Chris Johnson
@Steeplejack: Aw… I liked Freddie, though I understand why he didn’t work out. I have been through an intolerable stage myself, and I had nearly as much intensity, but I backed off and had time to re-think things. I got reminded of Sarah, Proud And Tall on reading this thread, but I came here thinking of ‘that weird touchy lefty who got in such a fight with the commentariat’ and that’s Freddie DeBoer. I hope he’s okay: he went through some stuff.
eddie blake
@Omnes Omnibus:
hahahaha..
well, i’d wanna feel APPROPRIATELY welcomed.
Ruckus
@Sab:
I wrote on BJ the other day that the hair on top my head was taken by gravity and replanted in my ears. So because of that I just use the trimmer that I need for my beard to cut what’s left to the #3 setting. It’s easy peasy and I’ve accepted that baldness is fine. Yes it is. Fine. I’m OK with it, mainly because there is nothing to be done about it other than feed vanity and that ship has sailed long, long ago. Decades ago.
I guess I could shave it, but that’s why I have a beard, I hate shaving. Almost as much as I hate being told that I have to cut my hair or beard, because. My ship pulled into a port in northern Europe in winter once, first US navy ship to be there since WWII. The officers expected us to be greeted by a band. So a bunch of us had to put on dress uniforms and stand at attention while we pulled up to the pier and tied up. Because it was snowing and all that puffed up macho BS was coming from our side of the safety wire around the boat, there was no band, just 2 enlisted guys from the Dutch navy to tie up the ship. They both had long pony tails and we gave the officer with us a hard time about how all that hair would cause them to be unable to do their work, while we stood at attention with our whitewall haircuts. Good times.
Mike in Oly
I am so thankful I stumbled on this place so many years ago now. It has been a refuge to find so many like-minded folks and intelligent (and fun!) content. Very grateful for all the front pagers. My days would be so much poorer without them.
Steeplejack
@Mnemosyne:
True. I even got told to fuck off by some mild-mannered people for what I thought were somewhat innocuous comments.
Laura Too
Watergirl: brilliant, loving, hilarious, persistent!
ziggy
What a great post and comments! I guess I’m a newbie here since I’ve only been lurking since right after the election from hell. I so appreciate all the front pagers, and their different points of view and expertise. I don’t know how they manage to produce so much great material, day in and day out.
Mai naem mobile
This site has that mix of smart and snarky people which is hard to create. I learn a lot from the front pagers esp. Adam,Cheryl and David. Anne Laurie does a really good job of news round up stuff and some nice light stuff that makes the new s less awful. Betty Cracker and John’s stuff is just comedy gold. Doug reminds me to kick in some money to the campaigns along with his other pop culture stuff. His twitter NYT pitchbot feed is scarily on point many many times. Ofcourse I miss Alain. Trumpov’s era has been really tough with deaths.
The Lodger
@HumboldtBlue:
I thought the foul-mouthed vitriol-spitting asshole was Spartacus.
Mnemosyne
@WaterGirl:
I know! Bill usually tells us everything that’s going on! ?
It sounds like they’re about 3 weeks behind in packing their backorders, so I think they did kind of a “soft re-open” so they wouldn’t get overwhelmed with new orders as they figure out their new, more sanitary system.
NoraLenderbee
I somehow happened upon BJ in 2016 and it saved my sanity. Bless you all and thank you. I don’t comment much, but nonetheless I really appreciate the front-pagers and all the commenters as well.
Mnemosyne
@eddie blake:
I miss what it used to be, but it hadn’t been that for a while when I left. ?
I was there from the middle of the Jesse and Ezra days. Best commentariat ever, with present company excepted. I think a lot of us ended up over here.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Steeplejack:
Then I won’t mention Bernard Finel.
eddie blake
@Mnemosyne:
i think i started participating on gilliard’s newsblog and then driftglass but migrated here after kos and LGM became purity-pony central.
i find this crew MUCH more informative, and MUCH more comfortable with dissent.
(also, i LOVE the pet blogging.)
Kattails
When I win the lottery jackpot all the front pagers are getting a phenomenal raise, like 400% or something, depends on the prize. Until then, just my daily gratitude.
JaySinWA
I came in for a look around the “disembodied anus” song period. Eventually hung around as Obsidian Wings started dying down. The quality of posts here rose as the quantity there declined. I rarely stray these days.
Jacel
Heart. Heart. Heart. Heart. Heart.
This is my favorite blog, which I came to read back in the mid-oughts at a point John Cole’s Balloon Juice was spoken of as a conservative blog that liberals would find worth reading because of Cole’s honest accounts of military experience (such experience was rare on the right, much less the honesty), but soon after starting to read BJ regularly, the Terri Schiavo situation made Cole decide he’d had totally enough of Republicans.
John is a relatively rare presence here most days, but the people he’s given keys to is an amazing sustained act of judgement. Most who haven’t continued as front pagers (I’m especially looking at Angry Black Lady) are worth following wherever they’ve found even more comfort and audience.
LivinginExile
Balloon Juice – A refuge. Thank you all.
MoCA Ace
I 164th the sentiments. The front-pagers here are the best! I don’t remember when I first came here, I believe I followed a link in the blogroll from another blog… it may have been Sullivan (hangs head in shame). Lurked for years and rarely posted until I suddenly found myself working from home most days!
TomatoQueen
Is a good place, with good and kind people. And that is a lovely pup.
Ben Cisco
I know the thread is pining for the fjords by now, but I have to say it.
I’m grateful for this site and everyone who contributes to it. Haven’t been able to keep up with the threads b/c work, but I get here when I can. Followed a link over from the Great Orange Satan (that is the ORIGINAL Great Orange Satan anyway) about the time they lost their shit over Obama. Never looked back, never regretted it. There is so much here in content, in competence, in expertise, in varied interests (shout out to Steep for the music links) – truly a blog home.
May the Prophets guide your path.
There go two miscreants
Late to the party, but I will add my sincere appreciation also. Been lurking here long enough that I can’t figure out exactly when I started. I remember SPT, but not Freddie, for what that’s worth. This is one of only two blogs where I read all the comments (the other one, like BJ, also has a population of kind-spirited, witty commenters).
WaterGirl
@OzarkHillbilly: Hey Ozark, I found Tim F.’s pork tenderloin recipe!
It was actually a front page post from Tim F!
https://balloon-juice.com/2008/12/12/pork-tenderloin/
Steeplejack
@Ben Cisco:
Thanks, bro’. You add some good stuff too.
Steeplejack
@There go two miscreants:
What is this strange other blog of which you speak?
jc
Yesterday I had a FaceTime conversation with an old friend who used to live on the west coast, but now lives across the country. We had a nice, casual chat, and we took each other on a mini tour of our apartments.
Later on, I reflected on how easy it is to overlook what a monumental piece of technology that is, to make something so sophisticated seem so simple. I think our society is too inclined to complacency, a bit too hooked on convenience. Not that there’s anything good about this time of crisis, but it’s a necessary thing to make people snap out of their addiction to material ease.