Alby

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DL Open Thread Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023

Filed in National, Open Thread by on October 4, 2023 11 Comments

Chris Coons must be having the mother of all sads today. After Kave-in McCarthy was ousted as House speaker, a GOP member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus told CNN that Republicans in the group are considering quitting en masse because none of its Democratic members voted to retain him. Republicans apparently can’t conceive of […]

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Song of the Day 10/3: The Ramones, “Why Is It Always This Way?”

Filed in Arts and Entertainment by on October 3, 2023 0 Comments

Elon Musk’s fascist leanings are obvious at this point, and Russian state TV put a fine point on it yesterday by bragging that “Elon Musk really is our agent.” That got me thinking about “Rocket to Russia,” the Ramones’ third album. Unfortunately for the band that essentially invented punk rock, it came out just as […]

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DL Open Thread Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023

Filed in National, Open Thread by on October 3, 2023 21 Comments

Matt Gaetz – am I the only one who thinks he looks like a low-quality AI rendering of a young Jack Nicholson? – has pulled the trigger on his threat to depose Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House. This puts McCarthy’s fate in the hands of House Democrats; Josh Marshall weighs the pros and […]

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Song of the Day 10/2: The Traveling Wilburys, “Not Alone Any More”

Filed in Arts and Entertainment by on October 2, 2023 0 Comments

Rock has had a lot of so-called supergroups, but I think the superest of them all is an easy choice. The Traveling Wilburys featured Beatle George Harrison, Nobel Prizewinner Bob Dylan and Hall of Famers Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, all of whom were in awe of their fifth member, Roy Orbison. Orbison’s career started […]

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DL Open Thread Monday Oct. 2, 2023

Filed in National, Open Thread by on October 2, 2023 4 Comments

It takes a lot of dysfunction for the media to notice the GOP is in disarray, but that tipping point has been reached. Matt Gaetz says he’ll try to oust Kave-in McCarthy as speaker, while as-yet-nameless Republicans are expel Gaetz from Congress because, one said, “No one can stand him at this point.” This is […]

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Song of the Day 9/30: “Flipper” Theme

Filed in Arts and Entertainment, National by on September 30, 2023 2 Comments

Former Republican poll watcher Scott Hall pled guilty to five criminal counts and must testify against co-defendants, notably former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, his contact in the plot. He’s the first of 19 defendants in the case to flip. I’m guessing he won’t be the last. For those too young to remember it, “Flipper” was […]

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Meanwhile, in New Jersey…

Filed in National by on September 30, 2023 2 Comments
Meanwhile, in New Jersey…

Indicted Sen. “Gold Bar Bob” Menendez refuses to resign, but nobody expects him to survive a primary for his seat. Yet so far only one office-holder, U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, has stepped forward to announce a challenge to the scandal-plagued incumbent. As this story recounts, it’s not for lack of people who want a higher […]

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Song of the Day 9/29: Fitz and the Tantrums, “MoneyGrabber”

Filed in Arts and Entertainment, Delaware by on September 29, 2023 2 Comments

Bethany Hall-Long’s intended coronation as Delaware’s next governor has hit a major snag. Seems like her rivals’ campaign signs might not be the only thing her sleazeball husband/campaign treasurer has gotten his hands on, as the campaign is undergoing an outside audit. Meanwhile, she has demonstrated why she’s not to be trusted in Woodburn by […]

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DL Open Thread Friday, Sept. 29, 2023

Filed in National, Open Thread by on September 29, 2023 10 Comments

Considering the pointlessness of the entire spectacle – all the challengers combined don’t reach Trump’s share of the Republican voters – the media sure is spilling a lot of pixels talking about the GOP gabfest. I’m not linking to any of it because I don’t want to encourage them. Besides, only 9.3 million people tuned […]

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Song of the Day 9/28: Alana Springsteen, “twenty something”

Filed in Arts and Entertainment by on September 28, 2023 0 Comments

Bruce Springsteen has cancelled all his remaining 2023 concert dates as he combats peptic ulcer disease, demonstrating that the Democratic Party isn’t the only institution plagued by decrepitude. The rockers of the ’60s and ’70s who didn’t have the career-boosting foresight to die at 27 are at an age where they’re more likely to expire […]

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DL Open Thread Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023

Filed in National, Open Thread by on September 28, 2023 0 Comments

Trump’s business empire is in legal jeopardy over his constant lying, but lying is all he knows how to do, so he’s still at it. He gave a speech to a bunch of non-union auto workers and scabs last night but had a bunch of them carry UAW signs. But Philip Bump of the Washington […]

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Song of the Day 9/27: Roger Whittaker, “The Last Farewell”

Filed in Arts and Entertainment by on September 27, 2023 2 Comments

Unless you’re a boomer, and maybe even if you are, you probably don’t recognize the name of Roger Whittaker, who died a couple of weeks ago at age 87. He was a sort-of-folk singer who grew up in Kenya when it was still a British colony and became popular in Europe in the pre-Beatles ’60s. […]

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Song of the Day 9/26: The Replacements, “Bastards of Young”

Filed in Arts and Entertainment by on September 26, 2023 0 Comments

The Replacements’ status as the greatest missed opportunity in rock history has gotten a major boost with the release of a newly remixed edition of their fourth LP, their major-label debut “Tim.” Given the rapturous reviews “Tim: Let It Bleed Edition” is getting you might think the album was brand new, and most reviewers say […]

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