When my son was 15 we did "Paddle Across Georgia" on the Etowah River. It was a week of canoeing and camping that took us 150 miles, in five days, from Dawsonville to just past Rome with over a hundred other boats. We got to see river otters, beavers, and numerous water fowl on our journey, but the otters were our favorites.
Funny trivia-type stuff: Our regular Canadian guy from the Monday night crowd just mentioned the other day: "Yeah, Alanis' brother lives across the street from me. Cool guy."
Also too...looks like I took this song for granted, having only heard the radio-friendly version. Christ, this is more powerful than I thought. I love the contrast of grown-up Alanis, since I'm old enough to have known her from YCDTOTV.
A few very important news articles here . Others I had read about . Yet many might not of. Great post REBECCA and Wonkette . peace to you all keep up the good fight .
> Why, Robyn was just talking about this in the chatcave! “Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Won’t Pay for the Complete Duration of Anesthesia for Patients’ Surgical Procedures.” In other words, if your surgery goes long because there was a complication, Anthem will not pay your anesthesiologist, upside down smile emoji! (American Society of Anesthesiologists)
You know how we feel pretty much OK when we hear about Russian casualties because we are so mad about them maliciously trying to enslave Ukraine and ruin their country?
I do not feel a huge amount different about this United Healthcare guy.
The Right has reached out to young men since at least the Tea Party days when I started doomscrolling them. The outreach was not attached to any candidate, but was simple encouragements like "start with one pushup" and "take a public speaking class". This was guided into "stand up straight" and "be proud of who you are." This became a movement. I've voted Dem for 40 years and will still vote Dem, but Jesus will progressives stop saying "we've tried nothing and we're out of ideas?"
“Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Won’t Pay for the Complete Duration of Anesthesia for Patients’ Surgical Procedures.” In other words, if your surgery goes long because there was a complication, Anthem will not pay your anesthesiologist…”
Let us now thank Obama and his “signature legislative achievement” for permanently installing for-profit insurance at the heart of US Health Care policy with the ACA.
spent my last decade with the ACA (helping people on the ground, sometimes employed thru ACA grants, sometimes actually using it, right now actually 2 of the 3).
so i say with some authority: this is a really really selfish rich person argument. is the ACA perfect (god no)? has it helped literally millions of people (god yes)?
nothing in this stupid country comes easily and this weird ass ACA thing has done far more good on balance.
i wish it got more respect from both the left and right.
Ok. I Blueskyed myself. Thank you for the started pack. It now it seems that I am in the biggest, busiest Wonkette open thread I have ever seen. That’s too much for me. What do I do now?
I remember kitchens like Martha's. Ugh, the dust! The greasy coating on all that stuff hanging from the ceiling! And I *like* rustic kitchens
One of my many jobs in college was doing decorative painting for an interior designer in Richmond VA. Think 1980s British Farmhouse Chic or Memphis Trompe-l'œil, totally out of place in the burbs of a southern city. Anyway., sponged & faux-antique-plastered a lot of kitchens with too! much! shit! hanging unused from picturesque metalwork across the ceiling.
Anyway, my favorite historic-but-futuresque kitchen was the Ebony Magazine test kitchen. So fabulous.
Jake Tapper saying the right things (Rick Scott interview on Hegseth):
Scott: “Well, first off, No. 1, Donald Trump won the election. No. 2, this is his nominee."
Tapper: “President Biden won in 2020 and you voted against several of his nominees. Just because somebody wins the presidency doesn’t mean that everybody in the U.S. Senate should just ignore the advice and consent clause of the Constitution and vote for the person’s nominees. Right?” [Scott agreed, but continued saying Hegseth should be confirmed, saying he “will do an unbelievable job” and that people are going to enlist in the military just because he’s in charge.]
Scott: “These are anonymous accusations. If these people are credible, Jake, ask them to come on your show. Ask him explain these things.”
Tapper: “Do you think Pete should release her from the NDA so that I can ask her the questions that you want me to?”
Scott: “Absolutely not,” (arguing that people agree to NDAs all the time). “I’m not going to suggest to somebody change a contract that they signed.”
Scott also tried to make the concerns about Hegseth a matter of disparaging veterans. “Why don’t people respect these people that defend our freedom?” he asked Tapper.
Tapper: “I respect veterans and soldiers all the time, but that’s not really the point. I mean, millions of Americans have served in the military. That doesn’t mean that they should be in charge of the military.”
"International journalists are trying to warn us."
Watch "Lee" - Kate Winslet's biopic of photographer Lee Miller, who was among the first photographers to document the camps. The film is very good; the script seems aimed right at warning us of the incoming kakistocracy of fascist goofballs.
Turns out I don't understand presidential pardons at all. I thought a president could pardon someone convicted of a crime. I read an article calling for Biden to pardon Jack Smith and a bunch of others. How? It seems like doing more damage to pardon someone for non-crimes just to keep the new criming boss from investigating someone for non-crimes. Let him waste time and money on a pointless investigation. Let everyone see it.
Precedent for preemptive pardoning is established. It's what Ford did for Nixon, and in this current case it prevents decent public servants from having to hire lawyers to defend themselves against pointless investigations.
In about two hours, I'm baking my first loaf of sourdough from the first starter I tried (which I thought was dead, but was apparently just hungry).
I thought it was dead, though, so in the meantime I had ordered 2 other starters, so now have 3 going right now (the original one, a 100 year old San Francisco starter, and the 100 year old San Francisco starter fed on whole wheat flour to see if it will have a different taste, texture).
The 2nd one I ordered will be here in a few days. It's supposedly 600 year old European sourdough starter from the time of the Black Death. XD XD XD
I actually slept with them next to me for two nights in a makeshift proofing box, LMAO!!!!
On vacation over Thanksgiving were at a French restaurant that served pipérade on bread from the chef's 150-year starter. The pipérade was really excellent, but it was the bread that really made it.
Its true that your starter will change in the new environment, but there is such a thing as the "founder effect" in populations so I bet they will still have their own distinct personalities, at least for a few million generations!
I do believe it is Belgium that hasn't had a president (or prime minister or whatever they call it) for a number of years. The Deep State runs the place. They seem to be doing just fine.
Otter baby, blowing kisses atcha 😍. Your hed gif source: https://open.substack.com/pub/martiniambassador/p/otter-cub-blowing-kisses-at-you
And your meme chat: https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/381244e4-778b-4900-86b5-1c141ddd0035?utm_source=share
I almost missed the otter! And she is otterly adorable.
If you stick your hands in your mouth, is that blowing a French kiss?
This is a squee alert.
When my son was 15 we did "Paddle Across Georgia" on the Etowah River. It was a week of canoeing and camping that took us 150 miles, in five days, from Dawsonville to just past Rome with over a hundred other boats. We got to see river otters, beavers, and numerous water fowl on our journey, but the otters were our favorites.
Blood pressure reduced!
So cute!
Otter baby, not a little sable under the tree, you see.
(Obviously Eartha Kit)
Otterly too cute.
Water cats.
Otter statues in town
https://substack.com/@bobathonic/note/c-21947499?r=2kpbl7&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
I love em!
It's a whole deal. I need to get the map and find them all.
https://www.fredericksburgotters.com/
Otterly slain by the squee! Not a bad way of going...
Puppy!
Why I otter…
Babby otter for the squee!
Moar otters!
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/once-extirpated-top-predator-river-otter-flourishing-again-in-new-mexico/
Yay!
Oblig:
You otter know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPcyTyilmYY
Funny trivia-type stuff: Our regular Canadian guy from the Monday night crowd just mentioned the other day: "Yeah, Alanis' brother lives across the street from me. Cool guy."
Also too...looks like I took this song for granted, having only heard the radio-friendly version. Christ, this is more powerful than I thought. I love the contrast of grown-up Alanis, since I'm old enough to have known her from YCDTOTV.
(WHOOSH)
It's 1990 something again all of a sudden!
A few very important news articles here . Others I had read about . Yet many might not of. Great post REBECCA and Wonkette . peace to you all keep up the good fight .
> Why, Robyn was just talking about this in the chatcave! “Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Won’t Pay for the Complete Duration of Anesthesia for Patients’ Surgical Procedures.” In other words, if your surgery goes long because there was a complication, Anthem will not pay your anesthesiologist, upside down smile emoji! (American Society of Anesthesiologists)
I heard about this from Dr. Glaucomflecken: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWA2aQYXDbo
You probably have already seen this, but apparently following the UHC CEO assassination they backed right up off that
Just before we were getting into "Repo Men" territory
SQUEEEEEEEEEE! I needed a treat this morning. More bad news about my mom to start my day.
It's sad how many times I've had this same sentiment about my own shitty mom...sad upvote 😞
You know how we feel pretty much OK when we hear about Russian casualties because we are so mad about them maliciously trying to enslave Ukraine and ruin their country?
I do not feel a huge amount different about this United Healthcare guy.
The Right has reached out to young men since at least the Tea Party days when I started doomscrolling them. The outreach was not attached to any candidate, but was simple encouragements like "start with one pushup" and "take a public speaking class". This was guided into "stand up straight" and "be proud of who you are." This became a movement. I've voted Dem for 40 years and will still vote Dem, but Jesus will progressives stop saying "we've tried nothing and we're out of ideas?"
Only White "progressives" say things like that
https://youtu.be/PZ28aZd3U8E?si=F34FnqumyzZsoCNx
“Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Won’t Pay for the Complete Duration of Anesthesia for Patients’ Surgical Procedures.” In other words, if your surgery goes long because there was a complication, Anthem will not pay your anesthesiologist…”
Let us now thank Obama and his “signature legislative achievement” for permanently installing for-profit insurance at the heart of US Health Care policy with the ACA.
spent my last decade with the ACA (helping people on the ground, sometimes employed thru ACA grants, sometimes actually using it, right now actually 2 of the 3).
so i say with some authority: this is a really really selfish rich person argument. is the ACA perfect (god no)? has it helped literally millions of people (god yes)?
nothing in this stupid country comes easily and this weird ass ACA thing has done far more good on balance.
i wish it got more respect from both the left and right.
We already thanked him. Everyone stayed home in 2010 to show their displeasure, and the Republicans took over the country.
Ok. I Blueskyed myself. Thank you for the started pack. It now it seems that I am in the biggest, busiest Wonkette open thread I have ever seen. That’s too much for me. What do I do now?
Sounds like you got the Wonkette Startled Pack.
"All I want for Christmas is ... help getting this song out of my head"
The Earworm Eraser is an audio track designed specifically to squash earworms:
https://www.npr.org/2024/11/27/nx-s1-5200065/earworm-eraser-christmas-songs
(Too late for RFKJ's brainworm, I suspect.)
I remember kitchens like Martha's. Ugh, the dust! The greasy coating on all that stuff hanging from the ceiling! And I *like* rustic kitchens
One of my many jobs in college was doing decorative painting for an interior designer in Richmond VA. Think 1980s British Farmhouse Chic or Memphis Trompe-l'œil, totally out of place in the burbs of a southern city. Anyway., sponged & faux-antique-plastered a lot of kitchens with too! much! shit! hanging unused from picturesque metalwork across the ceiling.
Anyway, my favorite historic-but-futuresque kitchen was the Ebony Magazine test kitchen. So fabulous.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ebony-magazines-vintage-test-kitchen-finds-a-home-at-the-smithsonian-180982327/
Groovy!
Would recreate
Jake Tapper saying the right things (Rick Scott interview on Hegseth):
Scott: “Well, first off, No. 1, Donald Trump won the election. No. 2, this is his nominee."
Tapper: “President Biden won in 2020 and you voted against several of his nominees. Just because somebody wins the presidency doesn’t mean that everybody in the U.S. Senate should just ignore the advice and consent clause of the Constitution and vote for the person’s nominees. Right?” [Scott agreed, but continued saying Hegseth should be confirmed, saying he “will do an unbelievable job” and that people are going to enlist in the military just because he’s in charge.]
Scott: “These are anonymous accusations. If these people are credible, Jake, ask them to come on your show. Ask him explain these things.”
Tapper: “Do you think Pete should release her from the NDA so that I can ask her the questions that you want me to?”
Scott: “Absolutely not,” (arguing that people agree to NDAs all the time). “I’m not going to suggest to somebody change a contract that they signed.”
Scott also tried to make the concerns about Hegseth a matter of disparaging veterans. “Why don’t people respect these people that defend our freedom?” he asked Tapper.
Tapper: “I respect veterans and soldiers all the time, but that’s not really the point. I mean, millions of Americans have served in the military. That doesn’t mean that they should be in charge of the military.”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rick-scott-defends-pete-hegseth_n_6750f850e4b09625c756a458
The job he will (maybe) do will indeed be unbelievable.
I think we heard from his anonymous Mom at some point...
Someone noted that, while Hogsbreath doesn't think women should be in combat, he had no problem sending his Mom out to fight his battles for him.
I wasn't ready for Martha Stewart pole dancing but I liked it. Does that make me a bad person?
"International journalists are trying to warn us."
Watch "Lee" - Kate Winslet's biopic of photographer Lee Miller, who was among the first photographers to document the camps. The film is very good; the script seems aimed right at warning us of the incoming kakistocracy of fascist goofballs.
Turns out I don't understand presidential pardons at all. I thought a president could pardon someone convicted of a crime. I read an article calling for Biden to pardon Jack Smith and a bunch of others. How? It seems like doing more damage to pardon someone for non-crimes just to keep the new criming boss from investigating someone for non-crimes. Let him waste time and money on a pointless investigation. Let everyone see it.
Precedent for preemptive pardoning is established. It's what Ford did for Nixon, and in this current case it prevents decent public servants from having to hire lawyers to defend themselves against pointless investigations.
Ahh. Thanks for the lesson. I guess that makes sense then.
In about two hours, I'm baking my first loaf of sourdough from the first starter I tried (which I thought was dead, but was apparently just hungry).
I thought it was dead, though, so in the meantime I had ordered 2 other starters, so now have 3 going right now (the original one, a 100 year old San Francisco starter, and the 100 year old San Francisco starter fed on whole wheat flour to see if it will have a different taste, texture).
The 2nd one I ordered will be here in a few days. It's supposedly 600 year old European sourdough starter from the time of the Black Death. XD XD XD
I actually slept with them next to me for two nights in a makeshift proofing box, LMAO!!!!
You slept in a proofing box?
Jk. I'll be over as soon as the bread comes out of the oven.
LOL!!!!!!!!!
I would invite people over if they lived in the area. I'm super excited about this. :)
On vacation over Thanksgiving were at a French restaurant that served pipérade on bread from the chef's 150-year starter. The pipérade was really excellent, but it was the bread that really made it.
That sounds *delicious*. I'm so envious! :)
Welp, I wish I had known, LOL!
I'm having fun experimenting. I was super proud of myself for nursing that first starter back to health over the course of about a week.
I'm also going to try one just from scratch to see what it grows.
I've not experimented with bread like this before. My other forays in fermentation were lactofermentation with vegetables, sauerkraut, salsas, etc.
Thank you so much for this info!
Its true that your starter will change in the new environment, but there is such a thing as the "founder effect" in populations so I bet they will still have their own distinct personalities, at least for a few million generations!
I'm going to have to keep a spreadsheet, LOL!
Thank you for this tip! I will try it. XD And will let you know if I have any questions (thanks for offering your expertise!). :) :)
I would imagine the same principle applies to grape juice fermentation, thus the concept of "terroir." This is pure speculation.
It really is. I feel like a scientist. XD XD XD XD XD
I do believe it is Belgium that hasn't had a president (or prime minister or whatever they call it) for a number of years. The Deep State runs the place. They seem to be doing just fine.
Also too, Belgium is one of those countries that FINES YOU if you don't vote.