Comments

  1. JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says

    Oh, I left out one part. He doesn’t have any current rights to Little One because his name isn’t on the BC and we were never married. There are people trying to change the way the law works to be more father friendly.

  2. Patricia, OM says

    Hot peppers is food for orcs’s. Not even fit food for the DumbestChimps. So there. *pfffft*

  4. says

    Rev. BigDumbChimp

    As per those jokes, I’m not sure what to think. Jamie Weinstein has decades of being a right-wing shill, and maybe three weeks of being a journalist, so there’s that. Also, telling a joke about rape victims is bad, but I’m not sure how bad it is to tell jokes at the expense of a political movement with an anti-rape victim and anti-woman agenda. Mostly that “article” seems to be the standard whining to camouflage the fact that the criticism against Republicans is 99.99% justified by finding some 0.009% that so much as puts its toe on the line and the 0.001 that actually crosses it.

    I mean, how dare someone call a bunch of sexist, misogynistic homophobes names, and use dirty words too!

  5. Janine: Hallucinating Liar says

    JAL, I had no idea about those conditions in Arizona. That is why you needed to speak with an advocate. Bitterly funny, the fact that you have been successful in keeping your child safe from your ex makes it easier for your ex to try to place himself in her life.

    I was afraid that you might have to move. Not at all fair. But you need to know your options so you can pick what works best for you. At least your advocate gave you something useful. Keep at it.

  6. says

    I feel sorry for Steve Benen, who writes for The Maddow Blog. Back in January he decided to take on the task of chronicling Mitt’s mendacity. Now, in his 41st edition of Chronicling Mitt’s Mendacity Benen finds that he has documented 917 falsehoods. He is weary.

    We can only hope that the election ends his misery. Four years of a Mitt Romney presidency would do him in.

    To honor Benen’s heroic effort, here are few excerpts from the latest Chronicle:

    4. At a campaign event in Doswell, Virginia, Romney said “Obamacare” is “crushing small businesses across America.”

    There is literally no evidence to support this claim in any way. Indeed, a big chunk of the Affordable Care Act goes to give small businesses a tax break.

    14. In a radio ad this week, Romney suggested Obama saved the auto industry “for China,” adding that “GM cut 15,000 American jobs” because of the president.

    GM itself responded to this by saying, “We’ve clearly entered some parallel universe during these last few days. No amount of campaign politics at its cynical worst will diminish our record of creating jobs in the U.S. and repatriating profits back to this country.”

    23. At a campaign event in Tampa, Romney said, “Latin America’s economy is almost as large as that of China.”

    That’s actually not true. [Latin America’s GDP is $4.8 trillion to China’s $7.3 trillion and in Purchasing Power Parity terms it’s $6.8 trillion to China’s $11.3 trillion.]

    31. Romney went on to say, “Energy prices are up in part because energy production on federal lands is down.”

    Nice try, but no. [The data in the report, which go back to 2003, show that there was indeed a large decline in oil production on federal lands and waters in 2011. But that observation belies the fact that federal lands and waters were exceptionally productive during 2010, outstripping any year’s productivity during the Bush administration. Indeed, the average productivity on federal land and waters during the four Bush years, 2003-2008, was 634 million barrels per year. During the three Obama years, 2009-2011, it was 676 million barrels. During the Bush years, federal lands produced roughly 33 percent of the national output on average. During the Obama years, they produced roughly 34 percent. [Columbia Journalism Review, 3/22/12]]

    Romney does not know how to vet his sources, nor does he know the meaning of the word “almost,” nor the meaning of “double,” (as evidenced by his claim that Obama “doubled” the deficit. The deficit was $1.3 trillion when Obama took office. It is now $1.08 trillion.)

    Take a break, Steve Benen. We may need you in the future.

  9. says

    Rev. BigDumbChimp @496 before the portcullis fell:

    Romney to be charged with violating the federal Ethics in Government law by improperly concealing his multi-million dollar windfall from the auto industry bail-out.

    I wonder how much of this means anything

    I posted the text below in the “Romney is a very devout man” thread about Romney’s uncharitable “charitable” giving. That was thread was dead by then.

    Romney is charitable toward business cronies. He gives them tax breaks and he removes the terrible burden of regulations that are meant to keep the little people safe. At least that’s how he operated as Governor of Massachusetts. Now it turns out that Romney Style may have caused the deaths of 25 people. So far.

    The fatal meningitis epidemic sweeping the United States can now be traced to the failure of then-Gov. Mitt Romney to adequately regulate the Massachusetts pharmaceutical company that is being blamed for the deaths.

    At least 344 people in 18 states have been infected by the growing public health crisis and 25 have died so far.

    But the epidemic may also play a role in the presidential campaign, now that state records reveal that a Massachusetts regulatory agency found that the New England Compounding Co., the pharmaceutical company tied to the epidemic, repeatedly failed to meet accepted standards in 2004 — but a reprimand was withdrawn by the Romney administration in apparent deference to the company’s business interests….

    http://www.salon.com/2012/10/30/romneys_lax_regulation_fueled_meningitis_outbreak/

  10. Beatrice, anti-imperialist anti-racist Islamophobiaphobic leftist says

    Oh, so that’s the big revelation Trump was promising. Over here, it was reported that he has evidence that the Obamas are divorcing.

  12. Azkyroth, Former Growing Toaster Oven says

    Threadrupt:

    George T Stagg Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey is like angles tears

    Might go good with pi?

  13. Janine: Hallucinating Liar says

    Beatrice, that was one of the things that was being speculated about by people who are foolish enough to take Trump seriously. That is so last week, literally.

    Funny that this would be a bombshell; Saint Ronald was a divorcee.

  14. Beatrice, anti-imperialist anti-racist Islamophobiaphobic leftist says

    Ah, I don’t follow news every day, so I’m often behind on sensationalist crap and conspiracy theories.

  15. Janine: Hallucinating Liar says

    Sadly, sensationalist crap and conspiracy theories makes up the bulk of the presidential campaign in the US.

  16. JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says

    So far, no shelters have openings yet but they say keep calling, you never know when one will open up. On the waitlist for some places. Going into the shelter means we can’t take the cat or her fish. We’re going to let her stay at Grandma’s for the night again since Roomie has to work tonight. She’ll be kept indoors all weekend until we can find a place to go. She is just going to fucking hate me and throw a fit. I’m going to call the advocate back in a couple hours to update her. She was really nice and concerned. It sounded like it just broke her heart to hear we were finally stable after being in homeless shelters and now have to go back in the system because of stupid fuckface.

    Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

  17. rq says

    By topic:

    Horses

    Tony @437: if you want to try riding, I could hook you up, but getting over here might be a bit of a hassle for you.
    Giliell – would love a pattern for the hobby horse, but I was thinking of going make-shift with old socks and reforming them.
    cicely – I don’t want to take it to the [Thunderdome], so I will simply disagree with you, and say that horses are the loverliest animalses ever to be evolved on this earth because they ride like the wind. And you don’t need to be smart to be loverly.
    chigau – I saw the reaction. Nice. The peas, too.

    peas

    I was almost on your side here, cicely . I used to hate peas and they’re still not a favourite, but with this, I present Latvian Delicacy #1 . Sorry there’s no English, but the pictures should be more-or-less self-explanatory. Tony , it’s kind of like what your’e doing with the bacon and the peas @480. This is about the only way I enjoy peas, and then only on cold, cold winter evenings after several hours outdoors.

    hot peppers

    I love them, but I can’t take too much of them, so I use them sparingly. Lack of acclimatization (Latvians don’t do spicy, hey?). But I love them.

    +++

    And yes, it’s true that I haven’t had much opportunity to talk about a lot of things for a while. Somehow it’s worked out that way without my even noticing it. That’s what happens when you move to a different country and life goes about 90 degrees from where you were expecting it to (not necessarily in a bad way) but you discover that your closest friends are moving in different circles, and others around you just don’t think the same way you do. I’ve been thirsty for intelligent conversation for a long time. And no, I don’t yet feel that the Husband can understand the things I want to say – sometimes, you just want someone to say ‘Yes, I get it’ instead of ‘I don’t undersand, but I’ll take your word for it’.

    +++

    JAL

    I so wish there was something I could do to help. Even when I’m not remotely connected to a situation like that, it scares the hell out of me. Because it can so easily not end well, and I want it to, very badly. For you and the Little One. :( Hugs?

    +++

    Today’s big news: they had to shut down some major arteries downtown during the day because they dug up two unexploded shells from WWII while digging for water pipes. Happens from time to time, like that time they accidentally rediscovered a medieval graveyard right under the main road of one of the largest cities and had to stop all reconstruction for archaeology.

  21. rq says

    I also just remembered that my godmother lives in New York. I remembered when she posted on Facebook that everything is fine for them, besides no heat and no power and water, water, everywhere…
    I think it’s time I became a better goddaughter, since she’s also one of the people I really miss in my life. (I’m just glad she’s ok.)

  22. says

    You know… The Man Show was actually kind of OK for what it was**… which you can tell if you compare the original show with the season where they replaced Carolla nd Jimmy Kimmel with two guys who appeared for all the world like “Trent the Likely Date Rapist” from Michael Bay movies. Of course, it became obvious over time who the more talented person of the duo is… that dude who could drink a beer in a half-second.

    Adam Carolla is a sexist, racist, homophobic narcissist with an inflated sense of his abilities in general, when his only specific skill is finding other terrible people and convincing them to give him money.

    **I’m not saying what it was is something I can defend.

  23. Janine: Hallucinating Liar says

    Good news, the New York City Marathon has been cancelled.

    Maybe all of the food, water, generators and all of the diverted human resources can be used for the people in New York and New Jersey who needs it.

  24. rq says

    Anyhoo, good wishes all around to those who most need them and to those who just want them, and a good night to all.

  25. Tony–Queer Duck Overlord of The Bronze– says

    Dear President Obama:

    I voted early today. For you. If you win this term, no more torture. No more drone strikes. Tax cuts should go to the middle class. Don’t just endorse gay marriage, fight for it. Stand up to Republican asswipes.

    Don’t let me and hundreds of millions of Americans down (for that matter, don’t let the rest of the world down).

  26. memegene says

    In comparison to the struggles of people affected by Sandy, this is small in comparison. But I wanted to pass on this unfortunate story of octopus-abuse that recently happened in the Seattle area:

    http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/11/02/divers-fight-to-outlaw-octopus-hunting-in-puget-sound

    Summary: two divers were photographed with a giant pacific octopus that they were hitting before throwing it into the back of their truck. The observers saw that they took it off an egg cluster – implying that this was a brooding mother octopus. Although the law wasn’t broken (it was outside a preserve area), there is a movement among local divers to ban the hunting of octopus in the area, and especially to restrict this type of abuse by putting pressure on the local WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife Commission, which is meeting in a couple weeks to review laws.

  27. Pteryxx says

    …Holy shit JAL. I’m sorry, and Arizona can go the rest of the way to hell.

    For what it’s worth, I’m in Texas and can make long drives more or less on a whim. If you form a plan to get out of there I might be able to take this car and help.

  28. ednaz says

    JAL – It’s good to read you’re getting some assistance. My wish is that you and Little One stay safe.

  29. Tony–Queer Duck Overlord of The Bronze– says

    RIchard @1:
    That’s good news. I read about that earlier this week and was pleased. I wish Singer had done X-Men 3, rather than Brett Ratner. That said, I thought Matthew Vaughn did a very good job directing X-Men First Class. It was probably the best of all the X-Men films, IMHO.

    ****

    Lynna @4:
    Steve Benen isn’t the only one who needs a break.
    I’d say you’ve earned one as well.

    Out of curiosity, has anyone compiled a list similar to Mitt’s Mendacity for President Obama?

    ****

    Beatrice @8:
    Forgive me for asking, but where are you speaking of when you say “over here”?

    ****
    Fuck, I really wish we could provide some sort of assistance for you JAL. You and your daughter absolutely deserve stability and freedom from your abusive ex.

    ****

    rq @15:
    I hear Latvia is lovely this time of year. :)
    (I pulled that out of my ass. I have no idea what it’s like over there. But you’re there, and you’re good people. So that’s a plus.)

  30. ednaz says

    FossilFishy @ 392 – Thank You for that beautiful piece. My heart is warmed.

    My world had become very small, but thanks to the many kind words from The Horde, I am remembering kindness still exists.

  31. rq says

    Tony @27

    Smiles for you. :) Latvia’s pretty terrible this time of year, unless you enjoy rain, thick cloud cover, dampness, mist, fog, and light festivals. (The light festival is about the only good thing going in this season.) Things improve once we get some real snow down for the winter, but that seems to be hit-and-miss these days, too.
    We’ll be even better people when we have a house. It’s in the works. Hopefully this winter.

    Ok, I got caught up reading about quanta over there, but now I’m really leaving; it’s late. Good night!

  33. Tony–Queer Duck Overlord of The Bronze– says

    Does PZ have any idea what he’s started in the Quantum thread?

  34. JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says

    Thanks again everyone and especially you Pteryxx. I might be taking you up on that offer in the near-ish future. I’ve been looking into places that help abuse victims flee the state they are in. My parents are willing to move with us as well, and they are going to talk to their case workers and programs to see what help they can get. Going into a shelter here really is only a temporary solution. He’s never going to stop and there’s always the chance of him finding us again. Moving to another state – preferably a blue state that is you know, helpful and sane – would be far more safer. Of course, it’s a lot of planning and co-ordination we need to do to make it work but I’m done living here. I hate it anyways and he’s only been able to find us out of sheer dumb luck and proximity since we’ve been moving through shelters but not far enough away.

    If all the programs aren’t able to help us, I’ll jump ship with just the Little One to another state temporarily if I have too. If you’re still willing at that time, I could look into shelters there – either near your or anywhere you’re willing to take us.
    If I’m going to run, I’m going to run.

  35. JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says

    And obviously still looking into a shelter here because it at least helps immediately until I find a way to move states.

  36. thunk, Blob Alert! says

    JAL:

    I’m very sorry. If only I could help. I live in a blue state!

    *many, many hugs* *and wishes that abusive ex will stop*

  37. says

    Hugs and all the best wishes to JAL!

    I’m having some fantasies on your behalf – some kind of scam involving a faked paternity test so BadMan loses his rights. And possibly some sort of set-up trap involving you wearing a wire, and police snipers and ninjas and falling anvils.

  38. says

    JAL,

    I’m hoping and wishing things work out for you, and having fantasies like Alethea, except involving my parents letting you and your kid occupy their old house rent-free through the winter while you figure things out.

  39. JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says

    I’m having some fantasies on your behalf – some kind of scam involving a faked paternity test so BadMan loses his rights. And possibly some sort of set-up trap involving you wearing a wire, and police snipers and ninjas and falling anvils.

    LOL!

    Your fantasies are far more entertaining than mine. Mine are just the plain “When he comes back, I hope he accidentally walks a cement block with his head or a wall falls on him or a meteorite hits him”. Anything involving a car, makes me feel bad for the people that own the car.

    ——
    In other more happy news, my Little One won first place in the pumpkin decorating contest. All the kids got trophies and kids that places got a really nice looking certificate.
    —–

    I know I talked about it before but you guys may have missed it and not remember. I did a review for a Christian paranormal romance book and it was a negative one. The author had two of her friends, one of them another author at the same publisher, make comments on my review. They trashed me and my review. They quickly shut up and dropped it though because I was arguing back and pointed out their comments just put my negative review at the top of the list. So it doesn’t matter how many good reviews the book has, mine’s the first people see. Well anyways, another author from the same publisher messaged me and wanted to know that she did not agree with such silencing tactics and found all authors like that shameful. She wanted to assure me that not all authors at the publisher were like that and she offered a copy of her book to read. She only just found out about the nasty comments and has no connects to that author. I don’t think the Christian wing and the Gay wing of the publisher have much contact. I found it all extremely heartening and thankful she reached out.

    Makes me wish I had a safe way like a blog to give her props.

  40. Pteryxx says

    If all the programs aren’t able to help us, I’ll jump ship with just the Little One to another state temporarily if I have too. If you’re still willing at that time, I could look into shelters there – either near your or anywhere you’re willing to take us.

    JAL: Understood. My gmail is my nym and I’m watching it now if you’d care to contact me about the prospects. Otherwise I’m kind of intentionally difficult to reach; the quickest ways would be via IM or IRC or through the A+ forum. Let me know and I’ll make sure to keep my presence up.

    Unfortunately I’m in Texas which also hates everyone and keeps cutting social services. I know nothing about restraining order laws here but I don’t expect they’d be any friendlier. However, if worst comes to worst I could get to you in roughly 24 hours and be at your service to, say, drive somewhere else entirely.

  41. Janine: Hallucinating Liar says

    Pteryxx, like you told JAL, if you are to get involved, contact an advocate so you know just unfriendly the laws in Texas. If anything, if JAF is staying around where you are at, it will make it less unlikely that her ex will find them. Breathing space while a new plan is put in place.

    I am sure you already realize everything I have just suggested but I want to make sure just in case you do not.

    Good luck to JAL and her daughter. And good luck to Pteryxx if you get involved. A childhood where one fears that one parent will harm an other is a childhood to be avoided.

  42. FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says

    With apologies to, well, everyone…

    Say!
    I like chill-ee’s and peas!
    I do!! I like them, Steve-I-be!
    And I would eat them in a shoe!
    And I would eat them with ragu …
    And I will eat them with your brain.
    And in the pub. And in the rain.
    And in a shoe. And with baby.
    They are so good so good you see!

    So I will eat them in a hole.
    And I will eat them with a vole.
    And I will eat them with marmalade.
    And I will eat them with a tardigrade.
    And I will eat them downunder there.
    Say! I will eat them ANYWHERE!

    I do so like
    chill-ee’s and peas!
    Thank you!
    Thank you,
    Steve-I-be

  43. Esteleth, Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo says

    A thought:
    It would be a considerable outlay, but it may be possible for there to be a Horde Fund To Get JAL Out of Dodge. Enough for a pair of one-way tickets to someplace that is not Phoenix and start-up money for a new place (1st month rent, security deposit, etc). I would be willing to contribute to such a fund. I am on the other side of the country, so there’s little I can do otherwise (except sending e-hugs and moral support).

  44. Esteleth, Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo says

    …incidentally, my googling informs me that air tickets from Phoenix to where I live (to pick a place at random) for one adult and one adult less than five add up to ~$250. Not saying that JAL needs to come here, of course, but if that’s the sort of outlay we’re talking about, that is rather doable if enough people chip in.

  45. FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says

    I’m in for whatever I can afford at the time, should a get-JAL-the-hell-away-from-the-asshole fund be set up. I can’t promise much, but at least the conversion rate is good at the moment.

  47. Esteleth, Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo says

    Here’s what I’m thinking (using numbers from my city for the sake of argument)
    -airfare for JAL and Little One: $250.
    -1st month rent and deposit on an apt: $1200.
    -Starting-up cash: $1500, to tide JAL and LO over until they get settled.

    For a total of ~$3950. Round to $3000. Which, indeed, is a hefty chunk of change. But how many regulars do we have here, anyway? A few bucks here, a few bucks there, and that could actually be achievable in (relatively) short order.

  52. says

    Esteleth,

    On the other hand, if JAL picks a place where multiple Hordelings live, the $1500 start-up money might drop down to a couple of hundred after donations of physical goods.

    And I’ll talk to my parents about having someone “housesit” their home for a month or three and see what they say. There’s power and heating oil and propane for the fireplace, and it is just sitting there empty but semi-furnished and will probably never sell.

  53. says

    I don’t want to say where my parents live beyond “east coast” because it would certainly be an excellent hideout without a lease or a credit check or announcing online where they live.

  54. Esteleth, Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo says

    Absolutely, Joe, totally agreed.

    And the cost of rent might also be highly variable – having a Hordeling in the area who can go and vet apartments, meet landlords, etc can help see if that cheap place is worth taking. Also, people who know local landlords who are amenable to arm-twisting of the “discount on rent the first few months” variety would be helpful.

    FWIW, my landlord is both a decent chap and I know he has some empty units – and a mountain of random furniture.

  55. cicely says

    rq – We will simply have to agree to disagree; and I promise not to hold your obvious moral degeneracy against you.
    </tongue-in-cheek>
    –
    I would pitch in to a Rescue JAL & Little One fund; my contribution wouldn’t be much, but it does add up.
    –

  56. says

    I should mention that when the Horde-Signal went up for me, it totaled a figure that was large enough to make me uncomfortable even talking about. And I wasn’t in any specific danger, and there
    were no children involved. Plus, I’m not even particularly liked or likable.

    I can imagine that JAL’s predicament would merit more attention than mine did. Plus, I’m finally going to be in a position to help.

  59. Esteleth, Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo says

    Plus, I’m not even particularly liked or likable.

    LIES!

    When JAL returns to the Lounge and if she indicates her willingness for some sort of plot to help her get out of Phoenix and some sort of idea of where she’d like to go, I can take the lead in gathering donations.

  60. says

    Pfffft

    Back at ya. Considering all the factors, including my relative recent arrival here, and tendency towards semi-suicidal meltdowns, I’m not exactly the most sympathetic person here. Not excusing myself, but FFS I know a single mom with a kid and an abusive ex beats me. The fact that I can and will spell it out makes me more of an asshole than not. And whatever my likability might be, JAL’s kid should win every goddamned time, right? I know I think so.

  62. Esteleth, Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo says

    I was probably going to use paypal, which is set up at my nym at google’s mail bot.

  63. FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says

    Joe, it ain’t no contest. Each case is it’s own thing, and unless there are two situations at the same time that require resources I flat out refuse to compare them.

    And as far as being likeable, well, you willfully and maliciously chose to disregard my recommendation for Teh Hoard Hammer, and somehow I managed to still like you.