Sunday Open Thread

Internal Exile Sep 18, 2016

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Open Thread

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Monday GIF-a-thon

UnkaWillbur - Jul 10, 2017

I've been AWOL, sorry about that, big things in life, big things afoot here. More Later. In the meantime, what's your favorite GIFs?

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Keep Them Doggies Rolling

UnkaWillbur - Jun 05, 2017

America's 2017 Derangement Tour continued this week. Starting of with Kathy "PLEASE LOOK AT ME!" Griffith proving that Democrats can be as eliminationist as their fellow conservatives…

Daily Links

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Your Weekend of Weekends.

UnkaWillbur - May 26, 2017

Here' some links to nosh on, to start of your weekend. I hope everyone's weekend is great; me, myself, I'm planning on jumping out of a perfectly…

SmotPoker

Bout fucking time, and FIRST, bitches…
SmotPoker

Awww, the momma kitteh, with her baby kitteh, is sooooo terribly cute.
- Stephanie
  
  Morning smotty :^)
  - SmotPoker
    
    Howdy do Stephanie
    - SpiffyTheValiant
      
      hiya 🙂
17

..
- cathyx
  
  Good morning 17.
  - 17
    
    Mornin’ Ma’am 😉
Unkawillbur

https://youtu.be/eF_CQGHqzts
- towerofbabel
  
  The Velvet Underground’s “White Light/White Heat” was one of the first albums I ever bought. My mom freaked out. Thought I had gone to the dark side. But, I never became an ardent fan.
  - SmotPoker
    
    Edgar Winter Group – They Only Come Out At Night.
    
    I spent the first week learning all the lyrics to Frankenstein……
    - towerofbabel
      
      I remember them. Everything seems kind of hazy now but those sounds were wafting though the air.
      - SmotPoker
        
        For the record, “Frankenstein” is a bad ass instrumental rock song. Not a single word is uttered throughout the whole song. Featuring Rick Derringer on guitar.
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8f-Qb-bwlU
      - towerofbabel
        
        Yep. That bit replaced the national anthem for a year.
        I should add, I was always a contrarian so I was listening to John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner deconstruct “My Favorite Things” which was pretty damn intoxicating with a little buzz on.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P0OuqW9qZQ
SmotPoker

Dedicated to all those in life that travel the hateful dipshit path ensconced in their belief that their ignorance is the equal to my knowledge, and of course to the woman that got away….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJPrRaXU4U0

You’re breakin’ my heart
You’re tearing it apart so fuck you

All I want to do is have a good time, now I’m blue
You won’t boogaloo
Run down to Tramps, have a dance or two, ooh
You’re breakin’ my heart
You’re tearing it apart but fuck you

You’re breakin’ my heart
You’re tearing it apart, boo-hoo

You stepped on my ass
You’re breakin’ my glasses too
You won’t drive my car
Buy a lot of stuff
I’ve had enough of you, ooh
I’m goin’ insane
There’s no one to blame so fuck you

You can’t have your way
There’s nothing left to say
There’s nothing left to do, ooh
You’re breakin’ my heart
You’re tearing it apart so fuck you

You gotta have your way
There’s nothing left to say
There’s nothing left to do, ooh
You’re breakin’ my heart
You’re tearing it apart but I love you

Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
- Unkawillbur
  
  That reminds me of a similar song, from a later band…Maybe a little angrier, than the Nilsson song, though.
  
  https://youtu.be/w7M3EEHYkJ0
  
  My dinner’s on fire
  While she watches TV
  And if you’ve ever wondered
  What it’s like to be me
  She takes all my money
  And leaves me no smokes
  Yells at my buddies
  And insults my folks
  I’m breakin’ my back doin’ the best that I can
  She’s got time for the dog and none for her man
  And I’m no dope
  But I can’t cope
  So hit the fuckin’ road and piss up a rope
  
  You can
  Piss up a rope
  And you can put on your shoes
  Hit the road get truckin’
  Pack your bag
  I don’t need the ag
  On your knees you big, booty bitch start suckin’
  You ride my ass
  Like a horse in a saddle
  Now you’re up shits creek
  With a turd for a paddle
  And I can’t cope
  Piss up a rope
  
  Uh you can piss up a rope
  And feel the pissy dribble
  You can piss up a rope
  And watch me giggle
  For the last 6 months
  I been packin’ your bag
  You can wash my balls
  With a warm, wet rag
  Till my balls feel smooth
  And soft like silk
  I’m sick of your mouth
  And your 2 percent milk
  And I’m no dope
  But I’ve lost all hope
  So hit the fuckin’ road and
  Piss up a rope
  
  You can
  Piss up a rope
  And you can put on your shoes
  Hit the road get truckin’
  Pack your bag
  I don’t need the ag
  On your knees you big, booty bitch start suckin’
  You ride my ass
  Like a horse in a saddle
  Now you’re up shits creek
  With a turd for a paddle
  And I can’t cope
  Piss up a rope
  
  [solos]
  
  You can
  Piss up a rope
  And you can put on your shoes
  Hit the road get truckin’
  Pack your bag
  I don’t need the ag
  On your knees you big, booty bitch start suckin’
  You ride my ass
  Like a horse in a saddle
  Now you’re up shits creek
  With a turd for a paddle
  And I can’t cope
  Piss up a rope
  - SmotPoker
    
    Oh, by the way, I specifically put up some pics yesterday for you to drool over, and you didn’t even comment….
    - Unkawillbur
      
      Sorry, missed them.
      - SmotPoker
        
        Here ya go….
        
        http://exile.bottleofsmoke.com/2016/09/17/sat-scifi-die-monster-die/
      - SmotPoker
        
        First plant of six harvested…..
        
        Bwuhahahahahahaha!
      - Unkawillbur
        
        Pretty
      - SmotPoker
        
        I thought you would appreciate those pics. Of course, I’ll let you all know what I ended up with when it’s all said, and done. I have 5 more to go, and I should be done with the trimming by the middle of the week.
Ann Watson

Purrfect!
- Stephanie
  
  ;^) Morning Ann :^)
  - Ann Watson
    
    Afternoon! ; )
    - Stephanie
      
      Oh, forgot. 😉
      - Ann Watson
        
        All these different time zones, people coming and going all over the place. ; )
      - SpiffyTheValiant
        
        Hey guys 🙂
      - 17
        
        Hiya Spiffy 😉
      - SpiffyTheValiant
        
        😉
      - Stephanie
        
        Hey Spiffy :^) hope the day is treating you well.
      - SpiffyTheValiant
        
        <3 The Queen was not pleased when her royal slumber was disturbed by other members of the monarchy, but is alright now. She also updated Honesty ^^
      - Stephanie
        
        Family they can be such a blessing at times 😉 Nice.. will read today.
      - SpiffyTheValiant
        
        🙂 yay
      - Edwin
        
        Good morning.
      - Ann Watson
        
        Good night!
        Just kidding. ; )
        Good morning to you.
      - Edwin
        
        You must be headed to bed soon. It’s a clear and sunny day here (perfect autumn weather.) Will send it your way.
      - Ann Watson
        
        Thank you, it sounds glorious, our weather can’t seem to make up its mind this year what to throw at us, I’m hoping for an Indian summer.
      - Edwin
        
        September and October and even into November is Indian Summer in NE Asia. It’s after our rainy season and there is a major shift away from the heat and humidity to dry and clear. (Winter is also dry and sunny here. In Canada, Ontario, it’s months of endless grey.)
      - Edwin
        
        My whole life I never wondered what Ontario means, but, like many Canadian place names, it is obviously “Indian”/from one of the native peoples.
        
        –>> The province is named after Lake Ontario, a term thought to be derived from Ontarí:io, a Huron (Wyandot) word meaning “great lake”, or possibly skanadario, which means “beautiful water” in the Iroquoian languages. Ontario has about 250,000 freshwater lakes.
      - Edwin
        
        Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined
        http://www.zmescience.com/other/great-pics/geographical-facts-youre-not-going-to-believe-22022010/
      - Ann Watson
        
        Lucky you, some balmy days to look forward to, it’s getting a bit late to expect much sun here, the nights are already drawing in, but you never know. Canada can be a bit weather wearying can’t it, from what I’ve heard. ; )
      - Edwin
        
        I live in Seoul, Korea. Autumn is very nice here. In Canada autumn is hit and miss, most years good, some years not.
        
        Winter is long in Canada, but, generally, I like our weather in Southern Ontario. (I’m from Niagara Falls.) Korea isn’t a lot different. Summer is a bit longer and winter is a bit shorter, but similar 4 seasons.
      - Ann Watson
        
        A weather connoisseur, taking in some beautiful scenery along the way. ; )
      - Edwin
        
        One of the guys that came back from the space station, after many many months, said one of the things he missed the most was weather. So, while we all like to watch it, and shudder inside by the fire, and bitch and moan about it, it’s even worse when we can’t. ^_^
        
        Part of being Canadian is sitting inside shuddering at the weather forecast. (But, we love it.)
      - Ann Watson
        
        That is quite poignant, to think of people who may be in situations where they are deprived of something so commonplace and so much a part of life that we all take it for granted.
      - Edwin
        
        I never take the weather for granted. I have several favourite types of days and a few I loathe, but in the end it’s all good.
      - Ann Watson
        
        Same here. ; )
      - Edwin
        
        The worst, the absolute worst (I could scream!!), is when it’s an all-day, cloudy, drizzly, rainy type of affair where you can be mellow and chill out indoors and daydream about stuff, and then, suddenly, about 3~4 pm the clouds blow over, the sun comes out and you’re suddenly supposed to be all perky and bright when you had a good, cozy, quiet, gloomy day thing going on. I. just. want. to. scream!!
      - Ann Watson
        
        Funny you should say that, we’ve had a lot of that this year, miserable all day, then sunny in the evening briefly when it’s too late to do anything. Most annoying. ; )
      - Edwin
        
        That would drive me friggin’ nuts. I like being in my rainy day mood all day on rainy days. I like rainy days and I like my rainy day mood even better. Very gentle and relaxing. I could happily live in the UK. 😀
      - Ann Watson
        
        You’re the second person I’ve spoken to who’d like to come over here for the weather, of all the things people come here for the last thing I’d have expected is that. ; )
      - Edwin
        
        I confess, I loved the weather in Scotland!!! It rained and was sunny every day, but in a beautiful way. I must go back there one day. (Of course, I was only there for one week, in September, but I loved it.)
        
        Which part of the UK are you in? I have been there a few times, north to south.
      - Ann Watson
        
        I’m in England, outer London, perfectly situated for everything. I’d love to visit Scotland some day, I’d better get a wriggle on before they close the border. ; )
      - Edwin
        
        Scotland is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen (and I get around quite a bit.) So moody!! I love that.
      - Ann Watson
        
        I’ve always thought it looked beautiful and wild from TV and films. I suppose every country has a beauty of its own if you get the chance to explore and discover it.
      - Edwin
        
        The estate was lovely. She was at the “far end” away from the house, near a stream (the estate is 4,000 acres). I used to walk up through the estate to get to Hatfield Station to go into London. I went on a tour of the house and through the gardens. English gardens are the very best, bar none. (And yes I have been to many Japanese gardens, which are very lovely in a very different way, but nothing quite sings to me like an English garden.)
      - Ann Watson
        
        We do have some places of interest and our gardens and parks are well worth a look. ; )
      - Edwin
        
        If I had enough loot, I’d come over to live for a while (few years). I have UK grandparents.
      - Ann Watson
        
        I hope good fortune smiles on you and brings you to these familiar shores someday soon. ; )
      - Edwin
        
        Since I have been living in Asia, I always tend to travel here. I’m not complaining about that, mind you.
      - Ann Watson
        
        Naturally, however much we might want to go here, there and everywhere, chance would be a fine thing.
      - Edwin
        
        If I had a giant sack-o-cash, I’d start travelling this afternoon and finish in the grave.
      - Ann Watson
        
        If such a thing comes your way I hope you get to travel the world many times over before you meet your end.; )
      - Edwin
        
        I met an Australian woman in my travels who does that. She bought a bunch of houses at the right time and rents them out (apts). She travels 10 months a year and the other 2 she goes back to Oz to see family, friends and do her books-n-stuff. Then off she goes again.
        
        She invited me to her house in Bali any time I want. She doesn’t even have to be there. The neighbour can let me in and I can stay as long as I want. 😀
      - Ann Watson
        
        There is something about Australians, they do seem to get around they do have the travelling bug.
      - Edwin
        
        It’s true. I find Seoul rather ugly, but if you head over to the east coast, into the mountains, and visit Buddhist temple near the sea, it is stunningly gorgeous!!!
        
        https://www.colourbox.com/preview/2378531-the-yard-of-buddhist-sinheungsa-temple-in-seoraksan-national-park-south-korea.jpg
        
        http://us.123rf.com/450wm/pigprox/pigprox1501/pigprox150101092/35607638-das-gebaude-des-buddhistischen-tempels-in-sinheungsa-seoraksan-national-park-south-korea.jpg
      - Ann Watson
        
        That is lovely, it looks peaceful too.
      - Edwin
        
        Relatively peaceful. There are so many Koreans in this small mountainous country that there is no place truly peaceful. The mountain temples, found everywhere, certainly have a peaceful retreat thing going on, just there are a lot of visitors.
      - Ann Watson
        
        Peaceful retreat with no escape. ; )
      - Edwin
        
        You can find some quite spots. You have to wander from the main centres of interest. There are forest and streams nearby. If you want to get all Zen right in the middle of the temple, probably not going to happen; too many people.
      - Ann Watson
        
        We’ll have to find our inner peace if we’re going to remain in the midst of civilisation, or lose ourselves in nature if we want to be alone.
      - Edwin
        
        I’m good with both.
- 17
  
  Good morning Ann, & Steph, too! 😉
  - Ann Watson
    
    Tea for me (afternoon), coffee for you.
    Share a brew? ; )
Unkawillbur

…
- Stephanie
  
  lol 🙂
Stephanie

Okay I kind of don’t want to post this, because nobody can butcher the English language better than I can. However I can’t resist… good stuff.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bn9elWR13Z4
- SpiffyTheValiant
  
  🙂 I love George Carlin. RIP.
  - SmotPoker
    
    I’ve seen a lot of the great comedians live. Mr. Carlin still ranks as number one in my book. Richard Pryor is 1A……
    - SpiffyTheValiant
      
      Don’t know Richard.
      - SmotPoker
        
        Whaaaaaat? OMG, I don’t think I’ve ever heard or seen those words arranged in a sentence like that before in my life. Are you sure that’s what you meant to say?
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS95ZWq1Ais
      - SpiffyTheValiant
        
        He looks familiar.
      - SmotPoker
        
        He was in Superman III. He was also in Stir Crazy with the legendary, recently deceased Gene Wilder, as well as Silver Streak, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, and Another You, as well as other films without Wilder.
      - SpiffyTheValiant
        
        Ah ha! It was superman three.
      - Unkawillbur
        
        Yeah, I believe Spiff is telling the truth, I just can’t believe that such a thing can happen. Richard Pryor, along with George Carlin, was the most important comedian in the latter half of the 20th century. And, no, I’m not forgetting Lenny Bruce. While I like Lenny and he made some strides, he was not the long-lasting, culture-shattering force that Carlin or Pryor were.
      - SmotPoker
        
        Now that I’m thinking of him, he’s also one of the few people to tell Bill Cosby to go fuck himself when Cosby was at the very height of his “powers”.
        
        Richard is a legend. I strongly recommend that you get on the Youtube, or find some DVD’s to watch this man perform. He had a long career, plenty of material to see.
      - SpiffyTheValiant
        
        ok
      - Stephanie
        
        This is the first movie I ever saw Richard Pryor in. He’s the thief in the movie.
        http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gTM6Bb-3DJg
      - SpiffyTheValiant
        
        Me thinks the white guy is the one that played Willy Wonka.
      - Stephanie
        
        You thinks correctly 🙂
      - SpiffyTheValiant
        
        🙂
Unkawillbur

File Under: VEAL PEN

The question is, how can such a anti-progress, ruling-class dupe of an organization like the AFL-CIO have any progressive allies.

AFL-CIO Bucks Progressive Allies, Backs Dakota Access Pipeline

If the country’s leading union federation really wants to ally itself with progressive groups, it has a funny way of showing it. On Thursday, the AFL-CIO announced that it was formally supporting development of the Dakota Access oil pipeline, a project fiercely opposed by Native American tribes and environmentalists.
- Stephanie
  
  It’s bullshit.
- towerofbabel
  
  They will divide us in every way possible.
Stephanie

In honor of the theme today.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jAmVU0eXsKA
- SpiffyTheValiant
  
  lol
- Unkawillbur
  
  2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9
  
  There is NO number 8!
  - Stephanie
    
    Ha, good catch :^)
- 17
  
  So mant cats, so few recipes.
  - Ann Watson
    
    Dogmeat! ; )
  - Dosido3
    
    the other white meat…it’s a joke! I like cats!
Unkawillbur

https://media.giphy.com/media/djxryFCROGtXi/giphy.gif
- Stephanie
  
  OMG… they need to stop giving that kid sugar!
Unkawillbur

The Beginning of the End of the World

The beginning of the end of the world means that yesterday’s model of prosperity – let’s call it capitalist liberal democracy – has reached its limits. It is like an aging machine that shudders and backfires more violently and regularly, because it is broken. And yet, we are unsure, as a world, where to go next.
- towerofbabel
  
  We should build a world of radical, transparent democracy–an agonistic system that doesn’t operate outside of, or above politics, but through politics. The fight must stay within the human arena and motives must be absolutely transparent. This is pretty much the opposite of neoliberalism which pretends to operate within a system of individualism, competition and openness but in actuality programs and manages all outcomes secretly. That’s why they love the metaphor of the invisible hand–a god like concept. But in reality it’s their hand and the rest of us are politically neutralized believing in something that doesn’t exist.
  - Unkawillbur
    
    Sounds good, actually, I’d love to hear more detail!
    - towerofbabel
      
      I pulled that out of my “hat” from a variety of things I have been studying and ran it up the flag pole. Most important idea here is Agonism. (From wikipedia: agonism is a political theory that emphasizes the potentially positive aspects of certain (but not all) forms of political conflict. It accepts a permanent place for such conflict, but seeks to show how we might accept and channel this positively.) The idea is that we need to accept, and make space for, political conflict, and not always think in terms of consensus as the sole outcome. My interest is driven mostly by a desire to unravel neoliberal ideology which is ubiquitous and we often can’t see beyond it. We have to teach ourselves to see how it functions as social, economic and political “operating system” — something so naturalized that we don’t recognize it as a program. A lot of leftist talk about capitalism that way, but I think this critique is more urgent and to the point.
      
      Contemporary sociologists and philosophers are developing this political theory, like Chantal Mouffe who says, “I use the concept of agonistic pluralism to present a new way to think about democracy that is different from the traditional liberal conception of democracy as a negotiation among interests and is also different from the model that is currently being developed by people like Jürgen Habermas and John Rawls. While they have many differences, Rawls and Habermas have in common the idea that the aim of the democratic society is the creation of a consensus, and that consensus is possible if people are only able to leave aside their particular interests and think as rational beings. However, while we desire an end to conflict, if we want people to be free we must always allow for the possibility that conflict may appear and to provide an arena where differences can be confronted. The democratic process should supply that arena.”[Wiki]
      - Unkawillbur
        
        Interesting. I didn’t see any mention of a practical framework on Wikipedia. I’ll have to see if any of the documents it references have such a proposition.
        
        If we’re speaking of such wholesale changes to our basic methods of governance, something I am by no means convinced is possible, I, myself am in favor of Sortition, given its historical success, and mathematical proof of accurate policy outcomes and incorruptible model of governance.
      - towerofbabel
        
        I’ll check it out. Interesting.
Unkawillbur

Syrian Army launches fresh assault in southern Aleppo

ALEPPO, SYRIA (9:20 P.M.) – Minutes ago, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), backed by Liwaa Al-Quds (Palestinian paramilitary) and Ba’ath Battalions, launched a fresh assault on the 1070 Al-Hamdaniyah Housing Project in southern Aleppo, targeting the southern sector of this strategic district.

Led by the elite “Tiger Forces,” the Syrian Arab Army and their allies stormed Jaysh Al-Fateh’s (Army of Conquest) first line of defense at the 1070 Project’s southern sector; this resulted in a fierce battle that is still ongoing at the moment.
- towerofbabel
  
  Who is who? Is this Assad’s army?
  - Unkawillbur
    
    The military of the government of Syria.
    - towerofbabel
      
      I got of my ass unlocked it up.
Unkawillbur

https://youtu.be/kr2AGCPxQfU
Unkawillbur

Blow for Obama’s TPP as Vietnam parliament defers ratification

Vietnamese ratification was widely considered a formality having already been approved in January by the top brass of the ruling Communist Party. The National Assembly is 96 percent comprised of party members and domestic opposition to the TPP is unheard of. Its next session begins on Oct. 20.

The delay means that at the earliest, ratification by Vietnam would be several months after November’s U.S. presidential election, the run-up to which has seen its trade policy come under heavy domestic scrutiny.
- towerofbabel
  
  Delayed to keep it out of the news prior to the election in the US?
  - Unkawillbur
    
    Well, I doubt intentionally delayed, not by Obama, that’s for sure: He want’s the TPP, as part of his “legacy,” worse than a sophomore jock wants the head cheerleader
towerofbabel

This is why The Intercept is one of the very best sites. Take a walk on the wild side:

AFTER ORLANDO MASSACRE, QUEER ART TAKES A POLITICAL TURN

https://theintercept.com/2016/09/18/after-orlando-massacre-queer-art-takes-a-political-turn/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXn1xavynj8
Unkawillbur

I line with the thread’s image: Actions have consequences…

https://media.giphy.com/media/lHBx8FZgRlX6U/giphy.gif
- Edwin
  
  I thought up these ‘baby mops’ long before they ever hit the market. I think everyone should pitch in with the housework.
  
  http://s2.dmcdn.net/Trcpx/x180-DoY.jpg
  - Stephanie
    
    Not mom approved.
    - Edwin
      
      LOL
    - cathyx
      
      This mom would approve it.
      - Stephanie
        
        *chuckle*
    - Edwin
      
      I guess that’s understandable if the floors in your house are filthy. ^_^
      - Stephanie
        
        You can’t clean floors enough. They may not look it, but they are always filthy. Particularly if you have kids & pets.
      - towerofbabel
        
        It turns one into a human Roomba.
      - Stephanie
        
        I see that :^)
  - StupidGit
    
    I’d prefer a roomba. Cheaper, quieter, and won’t soil itself in the middle of the floor. Though, sadly, that would be one more job lost to automation! 🙂
    - Edwin
      
      Oh….. I don’t want no ‘stinkin’ babies, but if I had one… No freeloading.
      
      (Do I sound like a Republican?)
      - StupidGit
        
        No. If you were a republican you’d have lots of babies then complain about their freeloading.
      - Edwin
        
        🙂
    - towerofbabel
      
      But Roomba’s run out of juice. These little guys never do.
      - Unkawillbur
        
        Oh, but they do run out of juice! And, it’s much cheaper to juice up a Roomba, and, if you don’t juice up a Roomba, it’s doesn’t start to smell and further dirty up your house!
- Edwin
  
  Hands up if you think the cat is “learning a lesson”.
  
  (cute GIF though)
  - HITO
    
    I don’t know, E. I’m thinking if I did that my two kittehs would learn something. Going to try tomorrow at 6am.
    - Edwin
      
      I think, in a cat’s mind, what they would learn is you are a crazy person. 😀
      - HITO
        
        oh, they already know that – and still seem to love me – although the claw marks on my legs due to their bad landings are starting to wear me down.
        I’m seriously going to force their little kitteh paws to scoop up their toilet paper mess they create on any given night. I’ve already placed the tp way up high above the normal reach capacity but they figure it out (is one standing on the other’s shoulders?) and lay waste to another roll. It is amusing.
      - Edwin
        
        I wish I knew how Mama cat got baby cat down from my roof yesterday. They were in an impossible place. (Magic?) (see my post here somewhere)
      - StupidGit
        
        The level of ingenuity cats have for finding mischief is second only to pot smokers and their ingenuity in creating pipes/bongs from various found items. Both are fascinating to me.
      - Edwin
        
        I am a master innovator.
      - HITO
        
        LOL – couldn’t agree more. Just shows the expansive mind of some.
  - StupidGit
    
    If it were my little bastards, they’d just be wondering why the crazy human is doing this to them and ruining their hard work.
    
    In their mind everything they do is fine, they just have the misfortune of living with a crazy human who gets mad for no reason. But, he feeds and pets them too, so, he’s a relatively benevolent tyrant and better than the streets.
- towerofbabel
  
  Ha! Teachable moment.
- HITO
  
  Ha! I need to do that for my two kittehs who do this every night while I sleep. They need clean it up. THANKS.
Edwin

I had a little baby kitten stuck on my rooftop yesterday. It’s hard to explain the layout out there, it’s on 2 levels with some weird Korean building techniques, but once he was there he couldn’t get out/off because he was too tiny (the little mewing cutie pie). So he sat and cried for his Mama. I went out to help but he hid between my flower pots and I wasn’t going to start moving everything around.

Mama eventually came and she had no way to build a bridge for him to climb down so he continued crying and Mama continued circling from below. Eventually she somehow got the little cutie pie down. How I’ll never know.

And that’s it. That’s my story. That’s my life and cats.
- HITO
  
  I have a double door closet by my front door. Most would use it for coats – but I use it to hoard items always needed – like bounty and goya small red beans and hunts tomato sauce. And wine, seltzer cases and 30 collectible puzzles and 3 cat carriers amongst other ridiculous things in multiple that I think I will need.
  
  Two double doors that swing open on each side on a track at the top. And it never fails that when I open it one of my kittehs runs to the shelves, dives in and then wedges themselves into the bowels of that closet that I can’t reach. I have herniated discs so I cannot climb in there after him/them. I curse at him and then walk away to have more caffeine and hope it will extricate himself during that hiatus. And he/they always do – beyond my imagination. Cats are smart. Smarter than me apparently. Their fearless endeavors always amaze me.
- StupidGit
  
  I used to have a private backyard when I lived in NYC’s West Village years ago. I’d let my cats out there and they lived exploring.
  
  One day, while taking a nap on the sofa a torrential rainstorm woke me and in my groggy state I closed the window and went back to sleep. I woke a while later and heard a faint howling noise. Opening the window the sound was much louder and one of my cats was up on a rooftop hiding under a barren branch in the downpour.
  
  I went out and tried to coax her down but being a rescue, she’s always had trust issues so wouldn’t come to me. I ended up climbing about two stories up using Windows and ledges while neighbors helped guide from their various viewpoints.
  
  Finally, I got as high as my climbing skills could allow and reached out to my cat calling sweetly for her to come forward. My reach was about a foot short of her and she wouldn’t come forward. She just continued howling like a banshee and looked pathetic soaked to the bone from the rain.
  
  With a lunge I was able to grab her by the scruff of her neck… Then, with a freaked out cat in one hand I had to figure out how to get down. Slowly, methodically, and clumsily, I made it down, now totally soaking wet myself.
  
  Damn cat. Obviously she could have gotten down just fine on her own and I could have easily wrecked myself with a fall from that height. And still, ten years later, she continues to have trust issues to the point where I worry people thing I’m abusive because of how she cowers and runs if I try to pick her up. Little bastard has no respect for all the times I’ve protected her and even saved her life! But I still love her and spoil her because apparently I don’t have any self respect either.
  - Ann Watson
    
    That’s cats for you.
    Whenever I wanted mine to come I’d just shout out ‘fish’ and they’d all come running dog as well, of course then I had to feed them. ; )
    - StupidGit
      
      Mine have caught on to that trick. If I call out “food” or “treats” and it’s not normal feeding time they get very suspicious. 🙂
      - Ann Watson
        
        I always made good so they knew, but only fish would do. ; )
      - Ann Watson
        
        Is that beauty yours?
      - StupidGit
        
        Yup! One of my two little fuzzy Devils. She’s a super-sweetheart but also the troublemaker of the two.
      - Ann Watson
        
        They’ve got your number. ; )
      - StupidGit
        
        They totally own me.
      - towerofbabel
        
        All of these languid cats tonight!
      - Edwin
        
        and a languid me too ^_^
        
        (*no photos, trust me)
      - Unkawillbur
        
        Well, if we’re cat posting. Here’s my two youngest. Grey male, Tux Female.
      - StupidGit
        
        Here’s the other one. She’s the one from the rooftop story.
      - Ann Watson
        
        Might be the way the picture’s taken but it looks like she has quite unusual markings, she’s lovely anyway.
HITO

If only everyone lived like this at one point during the day, we’d be a better world :
- StupidGit
  
  So true.
  
  There was a man who slept in my subway station that I’d chat with often. He used to spend his days at the park watching the dogs in the “dog run” play. He said he would watch how they would greet new dogs and no matter where the dog came from or what type it was, if they were cool, they’d invite him to play along with them like equals. Then he paused for a moment and said he wished we humans could be like that with each other.
  - HITO
    
    Indeed. Wildlife are far more courteous than humans.
17

..
- Dosido3
  
  Oh. Just missed you, 17. Good night!
towerofbabel

This is what the creatives in the advertising agencies next to my office do for kicks. Post It messaging. Notice the graphics in the reflections from across the street. Apparently they are demonstrating their creative powers. GOOD NIGHT ALL!
- Stephanie
  
  Goodnight Tob :^)
Stephanie

I just watched the movie The Finest Hours. I liked it a lot. Here is the trailer.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lkzmufiWBKo

And here’s information on the SS Pendleton.

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/czm/buar/shipwrecks/boats/pendleton.html
- Edwin
  
  Thanks. I saw it at IMDB, but ya just never know with movies these days (so many stinkers.)
  - Stephanie
    
    It’s so subjective. I hate to recommend…what I like somebody else could hate. Plus a movie doesn’t necessarily have to be brilliant for me to love it, sometimes I just like a good popcorn flick.
    
    Some of the movies that I really enjoyed lately, were The Big Short & Snowpiercer.
    - Edwin
      
      Chris Pine is in it so even if it’s terrible I’ll see stuff I like.
      - Stephanie
        
        lol… you haven’t seen it already?
      - Edwin
        
        No. I hardly see any movies. I lead such a sheltered life.
      - Edwin
        
        I watched “Dirty Grandpa” yesterday. (I know, so high brow.) It was a predictable comedy where they end up in Daytona beach with sex, drugs and bikinis, and Zac Efron dancing around mostly naked, but, I confess, it did make me laugh quite a few times. Robert de Niro was the dirty grandpa.
      - Stephanie
        
        Case you haven’t seen the movie. Here is the trailer.
        http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bFpfJNiUDpY
Edwin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EobFYv63Yzc
- Unkawillbur
  
  http://dailyexplorer.animaljam.com/global/plugins/smileys/icon_cry.gif
Unkawillbur

G’night all…

https://www.facebook.com/ajcrew/videos/10154754117410839/
- Unkawillbur
  
  Oh yeah, and…
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unkIVvjZc9Y&feature=youtu.be
- Edwin
  
  Good night, Unka. And thanks for all you do. And thanks for the place to hang out and see our friends and chat and stuff.
  - StupidGit
    
    I second everything Edwin said. 🙂
    - Edwin
      
      ^_^
- SmotPoker
  
  Barney, UGH! My kid was a Barney fiend when she was young. It was Barney 24/7. I made up this little ditty just to wind her up….
  
  I love you, you love me, let’s tie Barney to a tree.
  We’ll punch him in the face, and kick him in the knee
  Hang him from a tree for all to see…..
  
  Which would send her running to her mom to tell on me. Brat.
  - Unkawillbur
    
    I don’t disagree, did you watch it? With the sound up?
    - SmotPoker
      
      No, the speakers on this PC took a dump a while back I think. Hard for me to tell, but I can hear the iPad better than this HP Pavillion with surround sound horseshit.
17

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17

The Barrel Bomb Conundrum

Virtually every mainstream media article or broadcast on the United States aerial massacre of Syrian government troops, manages to work in a reference to barrel bombs as though this in some way justifies or
mitigates the US action.

It is a fascinating example of a propaganda meme. Barrel bombs are being used by Syrian government forces, though on a pretty small scale. They are an improvised weapon made by packing conventional explosive into a beer barrel. They are simply an amateur version of a conventional weapon, and they are far less “effective” – meaning devastating – than the professionally made munitions the UK and US are dropping on Syria, or supplying to the Saudis to kill tens of thousands of civilians in Yemen, or to Israel to drop on children in Gaza.

http://anotherdayintheempire.com/2016/09/18/barrel-bomb-conundrum/
- Ann Watson
  
  A bomb by any name remains a bomb all the same.
Unkawillbur

Your daily Open Thread and Candidate Corner are up and running!

Have a good one!