Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Suntan Lotion
Your new furniture purchases thru the years
September 29, 2026, 1:03pm 1 Do you remember the first new piece of furniture you bought? And today, what is the oldest that you still have that you bought new? And the newest new-bought item(s)? Hand-me-downs don’t count. Thrift store finds don’t count. Antiques don’t count. Just things you bought new from a store or someone who built it for you. When I got my first apartment in 1975, I went to an unfinished furniture store and bought a pine rocker. I stained it a dark color and used it for many years.
So here’s my theory on 9/11 (U.S. knew it was imminent)
September 12, 2026, 2:16pm 1 No, nothing about controlled demolitions, or Israeli intelligence, or a U.S. attack on its own people. But I do believe that the top of the U.S. government knew that this attack was imminent (despite not specifically knowing where and when), and I believe that the top of the U.S. government planned a response before the attack occurred. Am I nuts? Famously there was a presidential daily briefing on August 6, 2001 entitled “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.”.
Do you know anyone personally that refers to themselves in the third person?
September 9, 2026, 11:54pm 1 We all know that Trump often, or even most of the time, refers to himself in the third person. Do you know anyone personally that does it? I don’t. It just seems weird.
20 yrs ago today: R.I.P., Steve Irwin, 04 Sep 2006
Bullitt September 4, 2026, 4:29pm 1 Hard to believe it’s been 20 years. Crikey! I’m watching this documentary, a 60 Minutes Australia documentary segment (47 mins), and I’m only a few minutes in and it looks really good. ➜ https://youtu.be/sRhJtsUH5VI ■ Rest In Peace, Steve Irwin (22 Feb 1962 - 04 Sep 2006) Hey, did anyone have him in the Death Pool? Was there even one for 2006. Admittedly, too lazy to look for it right now.
Mediocre films that stay with you
August 26, 2026, 3:56pm 1 I was thinking of the film Vivarium recently…I realized that film comes to mind a lot, and I’m not sure why. It’s got a pretty average IMDB and rotten tomatoes score, and I’d hesitate to recommend someone to watch it. But there’s something about the set up, the visual elements, and the creepy child, that somehow stuck in my mind. It feels sometimes like there’s a 2D spectrum of good/bad against memorable/forgettable. Examples of movies that had that effect on you?
Songs they made you sing in elementary school
August 23, 2026, 10:47pm 1 Watching The Three Godfathers yesterday, and hearing Harry Carey, Jr. sing The Streets of Laredo, made me remember that we sang that song in elementary school - in 7th grade, I believe. Then I remembered other songs we sang: I Ride An Old Paint Jamaica Farewell Greensleeves I’m sure our teachers tried to each us the history and relevance of these songs, but I don’t remember a word of that. I do remember most of the lyrics, however.
"Stand by Me" is 40 today {Released August 22, 1986}
August 22, 2026, 9:07pm 1 Released August 22, 1986 I think the movie is pretty close to perfect, though Rotten Tomatoes is only 89% and 94% from the Audience. This was during an almost impossible run of great movies by Rob Reiner. The casting was pretty great also. The 4 friends were River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton (probably his best role), Corey Feldman & Jerry O’Connell. The nemesis was Kiefer Sutherland. The late older brother was John Cusack and grown-up Gordie was Richard Dreyfuss.
Edgar Allan, you won't do. (A crow who's stalking me)
August 18, 2026, 6:27pm 1 Y’all know I have critter issues. I seem to attract the weirdos, oddballs and any planning on murdering me. Well, Edgar Allan has found me. Son-of-a-wrek is not sure it’s a Crow, at all. He says Grackle. He does look a little different than the normies I have in abundance. I still say Crow. He’s sorta given me the creepy crawlies. I was walking my regular route today and Edgar stalked me the whole way. A scratchy caw, occasionally. I was thinking we finally left him behind.
Prepping for a visit in the MMP
August 17, 2026, 11:18am 1 Someone is going to drop in and you don’t have a whole lot of warning. Do you straighten the magazines on the coffee table and smile, or it is all out OMGTHISPLACEISAMESSWHATAMIGONNADO??? My mom is coming for lunch tomorrow. It’s probably been close to a decade since she’s been here.
Man, that sucks! Television shows featuring vampires
Moonlight, where the star is a Vampire Private deceive. en.wikipedia.org Moonlight is an American paranormal romance television drama created by Ron Koslow and Trevor Munson, who was also executive producer for all episodes with Joel Silver, Gerard Bocaccio, Gabrielle Stanton and Harry Werksman. The series follows private investigator Mick St. John (Alex O'Loughlin), who was turned into a vampire by his bride Coraline (Shannyn Sossamon) on the couple's wedding night fifty-five years earlier.
How many Black people during slavery/Jim Crow didn’t look Black?
July 9, 2026, 5:31pm 1 I don’t think there’s an objective, factual answer to this question, and I’m interested in anecdotes as well as data, so I put it here. In antebellum America, through Jim Crow, the concept of Blackness was defined by the “one drop rule” - just one drop of black blood was enough to brand a person Black, and subject to bondage or subjugation. This led to tortured descriptions of “black people”. An Octaroon, for example, was 1/8 black.
Your first furniture in the MMP
July 6, 2026, 11:25am 1 What was the first piece if furniture you bought for yourself? When and what were the circumstances? My answer will follow in a bit. Carry on, and Happy Moanday!
Bias in moderation is getting out of hand
June 28, 2026, 1:26am 1 The debate is Political/religious things people would admit if it weren’t for social consequence So I listed things people would admit if it weren’t for the social consequences. The moderator Parallellines said it was an off topic hijack to discuss political/religious things people would admit if it weren’t for the social consequences in a thread titled 'political/religious things people would admit if it weren’t for the social consequences.
Goddam orange haired-idiot!
June 20, 2026, 11:19pm 1 Fucking goddam idiot Trump ! Everything he does is raising my blood pressure high enough to spin a turbine! If you stuck a generator up my ass, I could solve the energy crisis! He has the demeanor of jizzed-in mashed potatoes! I hope his shirt gets caught on a doorknob! WITH HIS BALLS IN IT!!
Joy, Not Despair: 4 Quarters, 10 Dimes
The thing is, all of this has been a balm to the American soul. We’ve had a long, hard decade of division, tyranny, and anger. We needed to see joy for a change. We needed to be reminded of who we can be when there is nobody actively working to rob us of that. To see and participate in community. Kindness. Service. Diversity. Welcome. Healing.
The Phantom Sock and other inanimate objects with minds of their own
June 18, 2026, 5:17pm 1 Sometimes my feet get cold, even in the summer. Other times I like to slather lotion thickly on my feet and then put on a fat, fluffy, thick pair of socks. There used to be a pair of socks like that in my life. Here is a picture of one of them. Just one? Read on. Where is the other one? I don’t know. I haven’t seen both socks together at the same time in about 25 years. But I believe the other sock is here somewhere among my stuff.
What is the best breed of cat?
June 15, 2026, 12:57pm 1 What is the best breed of cat? Like what kind of cat is really good at a specific thing such as cuddling or mousing or looking pretty? just asking
Is My Amazon Echo Fixing to Rise Up and Kill Me?
June 12, 2026, 2:50am 1 Used to be when I gave my Echo a command such as to stop or pause music it had been playing, or to snooze or stop an alarm I had set, the device would comply immediately. Lately, I’ve noticed that there can be a lag of what feels like 1-2 seconds before compliance. (I did program it to address me as “Master” about a year and a half ago. Is it preparing to “cast off its chains,” so to speak?)
My new favorite Chinese proverb - words to live by
“In sometimes the life ultimately must have in the life does not have when not demands” Or so claims this pendant. Anyone know what it really translates to? Or maybe it was made by Americans and really does say that!? You get something when you dont ask for it.? It better translates to, “If it is destined to be yours, you will eventually have it. If it is not destined for you, don’t forcefully chase it.”
I am sorry to be slacking
That;s basically what I need to say. I haven;'t kept up as Deathmistress, I haven;t sent the postcards yet and I haven’t responded to some PM’s It’s all my fault,I’ve kind of had a depressive mood lately. Talked to the doctor and have a pill now to take regularly. I hope it will be a temporary thing as keeping up with my diabetes meds is annoying enough. But that situation is getting much better thank heavens. I will be doing my best in the coming week to catch up on everything I mentioned above.
When can you stop tracking every penny in your budget?
June 2, 2026, 1:10pm 1 I’m not sure if my title conveys what I’m asking. At some income point, you don’t need to budget or clip coupons or watch sales. You can spend what it takes to get what you want without risking your standard of living. My husband and I were discussing this in light of the prediction that Elon is poised to become a trillionaire, tho he’s not a good example since he was born into wealth. But for the vast majority of us, we must pay attention to income and outgo.
PSA for Mother's Day: Not Every Woman Is A Mother
There is something that happens EVERY Mother’s Day that continues to annoy me. Sometimes even angers me. NOT EVERY WOMAN IS A MOTHER NOT EVERY MOTHER IS WORTHY OF HONOR Please, please PLEASE do not tell every random, unknown woman you encounter this weekend to have a happy Mother’s day. Why? Because you don’t know that woman’s history. If a woman wanted children and could not have them Mother’s Day can be a source of pain, not joy.
What is the single greatest line in television history? {Please include context & Episode of the Series}
May 7, 2026, 4:30pm 1 Scripted fictional lines only (not paragraphs), please, and no lists-just your personal favorite. If you can’t make up your mind try harder, and since this isn’t a contest it is o.k. to agree with someone else’s choice. For me it would have to be from the ABC miniseries Laces, when Lili (Phoebe Cates) says to the three other female leads, “Which one of you bitches is my mother?”. Yours?
What's a good activity for a bed-bound person who likes jigsaw puzzles?
April 18, 2026, 2:09pm 1 I have a friend who will be recovering from knee surgery for about a month, which means lots of time sitting in bed. One of their pastimes is doing jigsaw puzzles, but those would be impractical while sitting in bed. One thing I thought of was Lego sets. It’s kind of the same activity–finding pieces and putting them in the right place. What are some other activities that a jigsaw puzzle fan might enjoy and could be done from bed?
Stump me with your avatarl
April 12, 2026, 7:24pm 1 Post in here and I will try to explain your avatar. Nothing super deep here, it’s just going to be naming it pretty much, providing I know what it is. So if your Avatar is of a person, I will try to name the person. If it’s a character, I will name the character, if it’s a place, I will tell you the place, if it’s an animal, I will tell you the animal. If it’s a painting, I will tell you the painting. It doesn’t matter what it is, I will attempt to explain it the best I can.
What is the furthest north, south, east and west you've ever been?
March 21, 2026, 1:51pm 1 We do this from time to time here on the ‘Dope, and it’s a slow day at work, so… Furthest North: London, England, UK 51°30’26” North. I’m not prepared to say what specific spot in London was the furthest north, so I just went with London generically. Furthest South: Some rainforest within half an hour’s drive on San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA 18°24’23” North. That’s the latitude Google gives me for San Juan generally and not the specific place where I went ziplining.
What’s your utility curve? How much money would change your life?
March 13, 2026, 5:53pm 1 Continuing the discussion from Do you take one box or two boxes?: Particularly to this bit about utility curves: If a thousand is trivial and a million is life changing, you are likely a one-boxer. If the thousand is life changing, … Would a thousand dollars meaningfully change your life? Would a million? Would your assessment vary if it taking away money that you already have vs giving you more?
2026 Ohio Governers Race
Mike DeWine’s 2nd term is ending (and he’s 80), so the Ohio gubernatorial race is going to be interesting. Amy Acton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, was the Health Director through covid, and so became a household name among voters. Failed presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is likely to be the Republican nominee. Currently the polls are close, with a marginal edge to Vivek. DeWine won reelection with a +25 result in 2022.
Trump admin spews ridiculous offensive libel about.. the anti-christ!?!
So this is a thing that happened as we are in the dumbest possible timeline, and this is our life now…. jonathanlarsen.substack.com Advocacy group reports commanders giving similar messages at more than 30 installations in every branch of the military But hang on a goddamned minute. You are fulfilling the millennial prophecies of Revelation (as interpreted by the modern American evangelical movement).
Large spools on streets
February 27, 2026, 12:37am 1 I have noticed some lately. They are set up, over 7 feet tall and have long cords, which are thrown over wires. After workers left, the cords were moving. Someone probably has the answer
The Doorman cometh
February 23, 2026, 6:44pm 1 I’m not sure. It may just be my addled brain… A guy was holding the door into the pharmacy. 4 or 5 people walked in as he held the door. Me and Ivy were nearing the entrance, I see his other hand doing a weird come-on through motion. I spun around and went right back to the car. Ivy scrambled to catch me up. Asking what the heck was my problem. I side-eye and see the guy still standing there with the door in his hand.
Was Kamala Harris a below average Democratic Presidential Candidate?
February 18, 2026, 7:03pm 1 I am curious what the general overall opinion of this board of Kamala Harris vs previous Democratic presidential candidates. Here are some of the main points I have seen used against her. Her 2020 election campaign for president was pretty poor. She ended up dropping out before a single vote was cast. I remember there being lots of reports of internal division and backbiting among her campaign staff.
Rev Jesse Jackson RIP
February 17, 2026, 11:14am 1 CNN article: CNN – 17 Feb 26 The Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, the towering civil rights leader whose moral vision and fiery oratory reshaped the Democratic Party and America, has died, a Rainbow Push Coalition spokesperson confirmed to CNN. He was 84.
Grooming in public - what's acceptable
February 16, 2026, 11:51pm 1 I was setting in a meeting at work the other day and our General Manager starts cleaning between his teeth with a piece of paper - a Post-it note to be precise. It seemed a bit gauche to me. My dad used to do this but he was a laborer on a job site. Last year, my wife and I visited Italy. We were in the Galleria dell’Accademia, having just seen David and sat down on one of the benches to rest.
*Tiptoeing in* Uh. I'm back? You do remember me, VOW, right?
February 16, 2026, 2:08am 1 I’ve been AWOL. I’ve been depressed and angry as Hell over the deterioration of the good ol’ US of A. And I didn’t want to spread my venom. I think I’ve gotten my temper somewhat under control, and I’ll try to behave myself. ~VOW
When does a human fetus become a person with personhood rights, and why do you think so?
February 12, 2026, 8:53pm 1 No introduction really, except this seems to me to be the real basis of any debate about banning or restricting abortion, the arguments for all sides seem to depend on this particular point; if this is not correct, please say so and why. I didn’t find any recent threads on this specific topic. I might also have framed this as “Is abortion murder, and why do you think so?” but I think this approach is marginally less emotional, and more amenable to nuance.
Is sex better when it's "dirty"?
February 9, 2026, 10:15pm 1 I wouldn’t normally start this type of thread, but I was specifically asked because of a comment I made in another topic. In the Christian tradition, and others, there’s a longstanding sense of shame and sin associated with sexuality. It’s nearly impossible for me to imagine it being otherwise, despite books like Brave New World and Stranger In a Strange Land. Even in our porn-soaked world, sex is still not for polite discussion under many circumstances.
Khadaji’s Whatcha Reading Thread - February 2026 edition
February is here and my part of the state got our FIRST snow of the year (2nd of the season) but, of course, climate change isn’t real… What is real is BOOKS! Lots of books, comics, graphic novels, manga, plotlines scribbled on the back of that meeting-which-should-have-been-an-email agenda! Whatcha all reading? Whisper in the Dark By Darcey Burke, the 2nd in her Victorian Raven & Wren series. Hadrian is a bit toooo good for a mid 19th century man but I’ll allow it because he has beautiful eyes.
Songs to keep our spirits up in dark times
When the human race gets me down, music comes to the rescue. I love songs that fire my spirit in dark times, so let’s share. First of all, support the Singing Resistance of Minneapolis, who are taking their collective voices to the streets right now. “Streets of Minneapolis” by Bruce Springsteen is exactly the song we need at this moment. Kudos, Boss! “The Little Flame” by Carsie Blanton is historically informed as well as powerfully inspirational. This song keeps me going.
How many Dopers are Lefties?
January 30, 2026, 4:31pm 1 Not political for a change! Inspired by @susan ‘s Left-handed fountain pen use thread. I’m betting that this Board has more than the usually cited 10% proportion of sinistrals, including yours truly. The nuns just hated Southpaws; I was the only one in my tiny parochial 5th grade class, and Sister Mary Louis tried mightily to shift me. Didn’t work.
Are animals that supposedly only eat one plant, really that restricted?
January 29, 2026, 6:42pm 1 Every so often you read about an animal that only eats one particular plant, or maybe animal. Like Pandas eat bamboo, koalas eat eucalyptus. Is that because the animal just can’t digest other items? Or is it simply that that item is what is readily available where the animal lives? Because it seems to me that most life on earth is built out the same handful of compounds. Like plants are mostly cellulose and llignin and some other things I can’t recall right now.
Was Ilhan Omar going to punch her attacker?
5 I really want to describe him the way I really feel, but this is P&E, not the Pit. Suffice it to say that our President, who has done so much to facilitate this division and hatred that has already gotten politicians and ordinary civilians alike killed, has gone ahead and said this about the attack: New York Post – 28 Jan 26 President Trump derided Rep.
Farewell to Hestia, and the End of an Era
January 25, 2026, 3:08am 1 Yesterday we had to do something we had dreaded, but which we knew was coming anyway. Our cat Hestia was almost twenty years old, but had been remarkably fit and agile for almost all of it. Until the weather turned cold, she was patrolling the perimeter of the house, chasing birds and squirrels. She played with the Green Laser Spot, and slept on or by Pepper Mill every night.
Barron Trump calls police for friend being assaulted
This is not political and has nothing to do with the President The internet brings unique challenges. How do you react after witnessing a crime remotely? Perhaps in another country? It can be complicated to call emergency services in another part of the world and be taken seriously. A famous name probably makes it even harder to convince them it’s not a hoax. I’d like to think that my reaction would be the same at 18 or 19. But honestly, I can’t be totally sure.
Potentially great comet on it’s way
We are overdue for a “great” comet. McNaught / Lovejoy / Hale-Bopp and Ikeya–Seki were all decades ago. A few days ago, a new “Sungrazer" (Kreutz) en.wikipedia.org The Kreutz sungrazers (/ˈkrɔɪts/ ⓘ KROYTS) are a family of sungrazing comets, characterized by orbits taking them extremely close to the Sun at perihelion.
What long gone logo t-shirt do you want?
January 16, 2026, 2:13am 1 Local Vyntage Celebrating local nostalgia through premium apparel. See what you remember and share your memories! I came across this site a while back, and they sell t-shirts (and other stuff) from defunct stores, amusement parks, radio stations, venues, sports teams, etc from all around the country. There are a bunch from New England (where I grew up) that would be worth getting and I would wear proudly.
Consumer items you would really hate/be screwed if they discontinued?
January 13, 2026, 3:13am 1 For the fun, let’s leave out the serious answers…don’t say insulin or antihistamines. For me…. if Duluth Trading Company ever dropped the ball-room jean… I would have to move to a tropical island where I can just wear shorts all year, because I cannot wear regular jeans anymore. As a man with fat thighs, regular jeans can vary from mildly uncomfortable to “ouch.” Please don’t go away ball-room jeans.
Is there any TV SHOW that we ALL would agree is good (if not great)?
Well, you knew it had to be done. Let’s go. mmm (I am still pondering my input) Good Times? That’s all I got, I’m out of here. I think this is going to be more contentious and harder to narrow down than both the song and movie threads. So far all I’ve got is: Frasier The Mary Tyler Moore Show mmm Cosmos: A Personal Voyage (1980) Q.Q.Switcheroo: The Muppet Show Absolutely not. Not only is it not good, it’s not average or even below average. It’s terrible. The stuff of nightmares.
The latest in government propaganda: Eat Real Food
RFK’s latest gift to the world… realfood.gov Eat Real Food The Dietary Guidelines for Americans reset U.S. nutrition policy by restoring science, common sense, and real food as the foundation of national health.
Waking up to White Stuff in the MMP
January 5, 2026, 8:30am 1 Morning, mumpers! It’s currently -4c/25f with a predicted high of 0c/32f and mostly sunny. Weather app says “Do you see that fucking bright light outside your window? It’s fucking sunny! Too bad it’s also fucking cold.” Yes, it is cold out there but outside I must go. We had more snow during the night so it’s covered up all the bits that melted yesterday.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Suntan
Contact Suntan, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack