"Arise, supplicant! The Council will hear your plea!"
I am fond of owls myself, there's one residing at the end of the alley behind my house. The bird's presence has made a big difference in the wildlife around here.
Over 40 years ago, a sister of mine made a discovery at a flea market, a set of small owl sculptures with them doing an avian version of the 𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘕𝘰 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘭 chimps...
Over the decades, every member of our extensive and sprawled family took inspiration and has gifted her with something 𝘰𝘸𝘭 at least once.
Until she decided that she didn't have to display all the tchotchkes all the time, her place was pretty owlish and a bit creepy...
Opening lines of Tom Robbins "Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates":
The naked parrot looked like a human fetus spliced onto a kosher chicken. It was so old it had lost every single one of its feathers, even its pinfeathers, and its bumpy, jaundiced skin was latticed by a network of rubbery blue veins.
"Pathological," muttered Switters, meaning not simply the parrot but the whole scene, including the shrunken old woman in whose footsteps the bird doggedly followed as she moved about the darkened villa. The parrot's scabrous claws made a dry, scraping noise as they fought for purchase on the terra-cotta floor tiles, and when, periodically, the creature lost its footing and skidded an inch or two, it issued a squawk so quavery and feeble that it sounded as if it were being petted by the Boston Strangler. Each time it squawked, the crone clucked, whether in sympathy or disapproval one could not tell, for she never turned to her devoted little companion but wandered aimlessly from one piece of ancient wooden furniture to another in her amorphous black dress.
I wouldn't feel comfortable with Elmo moving into my neighborhood. I know neighborhood covenants are no longer in vogue, but I firmly believe puppets are better off keeping to their own kind.
Elmo may be technically a "monster" (for reasons I won't go into), but he is still a thousand percent better human being than any MAGAt alive - or for that matter dead.
For years I had screech owls right outside my bedroom windows, but then weevils and fungi killed all the white pines around here. It wasn't a screech at all, it was a whispery whinnying in the night, and I miss it a lot. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Screech-Owl/sounds
Geez, Hakeem Jeffries, even if you don't understand it, and you don't like it, and your funders are terrified of it, at least have the brains to jump on its coattails.
A friend who's a centrist Dem is always complaining about the kidsthesedays™ complaining about the Democrats not listening to them. It's us or Chump. What more do they need?
Give them something that really excites them and gets them out to the polls, and the Centrists yell, "Not like that!"
To the Democrats in power like Jeffries, it makes little difference if they attract our votes, or give us no alternative to corporate candidates, or shame us into voting for them, for decades. Except that trying to attract our votes is the course most likely to antagonize their donors.
It's been like that since 1992. The era of triangulation is over.
Evan missed out on LANA DEL REY until now? oh my god. sound the alarms! buddy, you are in for so many treats. personally I favor her big east/NYC/Coney Island albums over her west coast/LA/Long Beach albums but damn damn damn, man, come on in the water is *fine*
NYT "President Trump showed off a draft of a letter firing the chair of Federal Reserve, Jerome H. Powell, during a meeting with roughly a dozen House Republicans on Tuesday night, polling them as to whether he should do it and indicating that he likely would, according to two people briefed on the meeting. The meeting in the Oval Office was on an unrelated topic — the House members’ apprehensions about a crypto-related piece of potential legislation. But Mr. Trump used the meeting to discuss what has become one of his favorite topics: his hatred of Mr. Powell, whom he elevated to chair in 2017, during his first presidency."
No one says it, but a lot of us kind of suspect that MIT hasn't gotten The Harvard Letter because The Cheeto likes to talk about his uncle, professor Trump, when he wants people to think he's wicked smart.
That's why this post is not me ridiculing him for being a demented idiot who lies about everything.
A parliament of owls in your hed gif, source here: https://martiniambassador.substack.com/p/the-gangs-owl-here
And a meme chat: https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/ac7c103f-ac2c-4821-b85a-8a56ccdb25a4?utm_source=share
I feel they are judging me.
"Who?" "Who?" "Who?" "Who?" "What?" "Jeez, Charlie. Get with the program!"
Thank you so much for the owls. I love owls. I've been sleeping most of today, and missed tabs this morning. I'm glad I remembered to check.
You got a real type of thing goin' down on this one, Glambassador
https://youtu.be/jJvjWh2Vhu4?si=RnggnjmikV-Wxyjz
I prefer a "wisdom of owls," myself. Owls aren't known for howling 'shame!" or getting into televised brawls over the gavel.
But nothing can ever beat a 'murder of crows." Whoever came up with that deserves some sort of animal grouping name medal.
These babies are so cute, especially the 2 who like to twist their heads all the way over on the sides. Oh, I hope they all stay friends!
Or, whatever it is owls do when they grow up.
I suspect it's subtler than we can understand.
Junior owls at Model Parliament, before the first evening's "mixer"/pre-orgy.
The owls are cute, the rest of the people in these tabs are fucking demented.
Oooooh, I can skritch these! The parliament of adorable.💕
They say that owls are clever
That they are really wise
And hide their hunting talents
Behind expressive eyes
They live a life nocturnal
As with the moon they rise
To hunt across the forests and fields
In dark and ebon skies
And they know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
One ... two ... THREE.
Mmmmmmm!
Hoot hoo hoo hoo!!
(applauds)
Wonderful! 😍
Owl say!
Thanks.
They're waiting for the Mothership Connection!
https://youtu.be/9Y5kAh5Hqu8?si=Zr4SLgUGhNJ4ERMO
My day just got better, for the funk of it!
There is a Parliament Funkadelic documentary, thanks! https://www.amazon.com/Tear-Roof-Off-Parliament-Funkadelic/dp/B07MCW9CRD
GIVE US THE FUNK.
(please)
"Arise, supplicant! The Council will hear your plea!"
I am fond of owls myself, there's one residing at the end of the alley behind my house. The bird's presence has made a big difference in the wildlife around here.
Over 40 years ago, a sister of mine made a discovery at a flea market, a set of small owl sculptures with them doing an avian version of the 𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘕𝘰 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘭 chimps...
Over the decades, every member of our extensive and sprawled family took inspiration and has gifted her with something 𝘰𝘸𝘭 at least once.
Until she decided that she didn't have to display all the tchotchkes all the time, her place was pretty owlish and a bit creepy...
Have to admit, Owls are one of the stranger Dinosaur adaptations.
But adorable when wet. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/wet-owls-are-hilariously-grumpy--318559373641222429
Makes them look like Elder Things.
Really not as cute without feathers: https://preview.redd.it/this-is-what-owls-look-like-without-feather-v0-4nw1wt1b9rva1.jpg?auto=webp&s=f47b4aaeaa8e6eed6b5c9b9ed894146a9cf6c41d
Opening lines of Tom Robbins "Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates":
The naked parrot looked like a human fetus spliced onto a kosher chicken. It was so old it had lost every single one of its feathers, even its pinfeathers, and its bumpy, jaundiced skin was latticed by a network of rubbery blue veins.
"Pathological," muttered Switters, meaning not simply the parrot but the whole scene, including the shrunken old woman in whose footsteps the bird doggedly followed as she moved about the darkened villa. The parrot's scabrous claws made a dry, scraping noise as they fought for purchase on the terra-cotta floor tiles, and when, periodically, the creature lost its footing and skidded an inch or two, it issued a squawk so quavery and feeble that it sounded as if it were being petted by the Boston Strangler. Each time it squawked, the crone clucked, whether in sympathy or disapproval one could not tell, for she never turned to her devoted little companion but wandered aimlessly from one piece of ancient wooden furniture to another in her amorphous black dress.
Now that is a Dinosaur!
Can we replace those wise owls with repubs in Congress? Or with the cons on the Supreme Court?
IIRC, a group of owls is called a Parliment of Owls, so that would make sense.
A more rural gathering of owls is a hootenanny
Dad joke.
That’s when rural owls gather on the back of a goat.
Bonus Dad joke.
Adorbs
When Evan calls Russell Vought “unsaved” it makes me want to sit next to Evan at youth group every week forever
"Idea, Dems: if we manage to win back the House next year, how about we don’t let this guy, who sucks, have the speakership?"
Yes thank you please.
I wouldn't feel comfortable with Elmo moving into my neighborhood. I know neighborhood covenants are no longer in vogue, but I firmly believe puppets are better off keeping to their own kind.
Lana Del Rey.
Jesus!
Not one Grammy win.
This is why we continue to not have nice things.
Elmo may be technically a "monster" (for reasons I won't go into), but he is still a thousand percent better human being than any MAGAt alive - or for that matter dead.
History, is crazy people doing weird shit for fucked up reasons.
> Does the Trump regime just get off on innocent children dying if they’re not white?
Yes, they do. Ask a hard question next time.
🤢😭🤬
For years I had screech owls right outside my bedroom windows, but then weevils and fungi killed all the white pines around here. It wasn't a screech at all, it was a whispery whinnying in the night, and I miss it a lot. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Screech-Owl/sounds
Can we please call it what it is??
Big Ugly Trump Tariff Tax Scam (BUTTTS)
VD DAY!!!!! (Victory over Donald)
Geez, Hakeem Jeffries, even if you don't understand it, and you don't like it, and your funders are terrified of it, at least have the brains to jump on its coattails.
A friend who's a centrist Dem is always complaining about the kidsthesedays™ complaining about the Democrats not listening to them. It's us or Chump. What more do they need?
Give them something that really excites them and gets them out to the polls, and the Centrists yell, "Not like that!"
To the Democrats in power like Jeffries, it makes little difference if they attract our votes, or give us no alternative to corporate candidates, or shame us into voting for them, for decades. Except that trying to attract our votes is the course most likely to antagonize their donors.
It's been like that since 1992. The era of triangulation is over.
It's refreshing that some people are starting to note that Trump's speeches are more and more deranged.
Evan missed out on LANA DEL REY until now? oh my god. sound the alarms! buddy, you are in for so many treats. personally I favor her big east/NYC/Coney Island albums over her west coast/LA/Long Beach albums but damn damn damn, man, come on in the water is *fine*
for me on the vinyl copy of Born To Die in my collection, this is free
https://www.patreon.com/posts/lana-del-rey-to-38144970
NYT "President Trump showed off a draft of a letter firing the chair of Federal Reserve, Jerome H. Powell, during a meeting with roughly a dozen House Republicans on Tuesday night, polling them as to whether he should do it and indicating that he likely would, according to two people briefed on the meeting. The meeting in the Oval Office was on an unrelated topic — the House members’ apprehensions about a crypto-related piece of potential legislation. But Mr. Trump used the meeting to discuss what has become one of his favorite topics: his hatred of Mr. Powell, whom he elevated to chair in 2017, during his first presidency."
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/us/politics/trump-powell-firing-letter.html
still being the reality tv guy
No one says it, but a lot of us kind of suspect that MIT hasn't gotten The Harvard Letter because The Cheeto likes to talk about his uncle, professor Trump, when he wants people to think he's wicked smart.
That's why this post is not me ridiculing him for being a demented idiot who lies about everything.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-uncle-taught-unabomber-ted-kaczynski-mit_n_68777bf6e4b05557ffd2e01f
My guess is that it's Bill Ackman who is driving the anti-MIT bus, and his people will let Trump's people know when the axe has fallen. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/bill-ackman-war-harvard-mit-dei-claudine-gay.html