Reason Morning Links: Swine Flu Nostalgia Edition

- Chrysler and the UAW reach an accord.

- The Obama administration moves to roll back defendants' rights.

- Swine flu fears strike Mexico. And the U.S. too. Colin Espiner makes a contrarian argument that this is a panic. Ryan Sager makes a contrarian-squared argument that panic is good.

- The "clearest evidence that has come to light so far that technical advisers on the harsh interrogation methods voiced early concerns about the effectiveness of applying severe physical or psychological pressure."

- The authorities start looking for loopholes in the Iraq withdrawal plan.

- Christopher Buckley's forthcoming memoir about his parents might tarnish some icons.

- British cops go spying on environmental activists.

- The dark side of Dubai.

- Private defenses against pirates are available. Yesterday they went into action.

Comments

[Taktix?]

First!

God, I have no life...

[MNG]

"Swine flu fears strike Mexico."

Man, I can only wish we have more integration with the nation of Mexico! Open borders! Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses of swine flu carrying low wage laborers that make our overall economic efficiency increase...Oh, and some more MS-13 would be nice too...

[federalist (in the orginal sen]

Swine flu fears strike Mexico. And the U.S. too.

The United States are striking Mexico?

[spambot]

Thought Obama was supposed to increase our legal rights not continue to strip them like Bush. Guess I got the wrong memo.

[High Every Body]

British cops go spying on environmental activists.

At last, spying on those who NEED to be spied on.

[Atanarjuat]

"In Saudi, it's hard to be straight when you're young. The women are shut away so everyone has gay sex. But they only want to have sex with boys - 15- to 21-year-olds. I'm 27, so I'm too old now. I need to find real gays, so this is the best place. All Arab gays want to live in Dubai."

I wonder what the women do. Sounds like a good idea for a video.

[John]

Chris Buckley is proving himself to be a thorough crapweasel. Writing a tell all book about your parents talking all kinds of shit about them after they are dead and can no longer defend themselves is about as low as you can get. If those things happened, fine, why not publish a book while your parents are alive so at least they can defend themselves? Or how about capitalizing on your parents fame and perhaps respecting their privacy?

[jtuf]

Somali pirates attacked an Italian cruise ship this weekend. Private security guards repelled them.

[John]

"Somali pirates attacked an Italian cruise ship this weekend. Private security guards repelled them."

I don't see how the Somali pirates are anything that a couple of deck mounted crew serve weapons and a 24 hour watch couldn't solve.

[The Angry Optimist]

Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses of swine flu carrying low wage laborers that make our overall economic efficiency increase...Oh, and some more MS-13 would be nice too...

Does anybody here who wants more immigration say anything about not screening for the diseased and the criminal?

Anybody?

It's too early to beat up strawmen, MNG.

[Jesse Walker]

Thanks, jtuf. I just added a link.

[High Every Body]

I don't see how the Somali pirates are anything that a couple of deck mounted crew serve weapons and a 24 hour watch couldn't solve.

[shrill Leftist voice]
So you just wanna kill poor brown people huh?
[/shrill Leftist voice]

[The Angry Optimist]

Maybe we can get another hyperequivocating libertarian to come on and give us another defense of piracy.

Cause, you know...Ragnar.

[robc]

TAO,

Ragnar didnt attack cruise ships.

[High Every Body]

TAO,

Somethig like Hitler had people shot so shooting pirates is being all Nazi?

[Nick]

A swine flu pandemic where many millions of people could die - not as a result of the disease itself, but as a result of closed borders so the products we use to fight diseases can't get through to us - is a real possibility.

It would exacerbate the global recession, creating the need for more stimulus.

I'm gonna start printing t-shirts.
"The Revolution Started with a Pig."

[Xeones]

"The Revolution Started with a Pig."

RACIST!

[James Ard]

"The Revolution Started with a Pig."

Roger Waters would like to think so.

[P Brooks]

An atypical megalomaniac makes a lousy dad.

Shocked, I tell you.

[EJM]

Chrysler and the UAW reach an accord.

On a semi-related note, it's now official: RIP, Pontiac.

[High Every Body]

Chrysler and the UAW reach an accord.

I knew there was a Honda connection in there someplace.

[crimethink]

Shut the fuck up, Lone....

Wait...that's MNG?

[P Brooks]

Phil Lebeau, ass-licking retard, is interviewing the CEO of GM. I haven't learned anything, thus far.

[P Brooks]

Lebeau asked Henderson if GM could restructure itself and still be "number one".

Why does that idiot still have a job?

[John]

"An atypical megalomaniac makes a lousy dad.

Shocked, I tell you."

True enough, but that doesn't excuse his whinney ass son writing a tell all. Would anyone give a shit if Buckley were just an anonomous upper class twit with a workaholic egotistical hard driving father rather than a famous upper class twit? Whatever WFB's flaws as a father, his fame has allowed his mediocrity of a son to gravy train for an awfully long time. Given that, I don't see how he can really complain much or is justified in sucking a little more blood out of the bodies of his parents.

[libertymike]

As a general proposition, I agree with John's overall point that children should not pen tell all pieces about their parents.

Having said that, let us not cry any tears for Bill Buckley. Literally, nothing more than a pimple on the penis of a protozoa in the annals of human history. Overated as an intellectual. Have you ever heard a so-called "intellectual" speak so poorly? His language was fraught with fillers such as "eh..eh..eh...ahh..ahh well when one looks at the...ehh...eh...ah....." It was like hair on sopa listening to the guy.

Let us not forget that he was a proponent of gargantuan government. Not liberty.

A

[John]

Libertymike,

Buckley ran the Birchites out of the Republican Party. For that alone, he deserves praise. I frankly never found him to be all that engaging, but I can't deny the positive effects of his work.

[Bronwyn]

The Dubai story is all-too familiar. In 1982, when I moved to Saudi Arabia, the same process was underway, and it's still going strong. The natives don't want to work; they have no skills. So they hire Westerners to do the high-level jobs and desperately poor men from the Indian subcontinent to do all the dirty work. All the Saudis and Emiratis have to do is sit back and count their money.

What's always amazed me is that, saying all this stuff sounds like nothing but fluff and hyperbole. It's hard to make people understand that it's all terribly true.

[R C Dean]

Have you ever heard a so-called "intellectual" speak so poorly? His language was fraught with fillers such as "eh..eh..eh...ahh..ahh well when one looks at the...ehh...eh...ah....." It was like hair on sopa listening to the guy.

Let us not forget that he was a proponent of gargantuan government. Not liberty.

Buckley? Obama? Both? Neither? You make the call!

[libertymike]

Both.

[J sub D]

I don't see how the Somali pirates are anything that a couple of deck mounted crew serve weapons and a 24 hour watch couldn't solve.

No shit.
It would help out poor. otherwise unemployable ex-Gunner's Mates* as well.

* As a retired firecontrolman, I'm allowed to josh about the gunners. The rest of y'all, not so much.

[BakedPenguin]

? Private defenses against pirates are available. Yesterday they went into action.

Dammit, so much for my idea. I should have acted sooner.

[LarryA]

Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses of swine flu carrying low wage laborers that make our overall economic efficiency increase...Oh, and some more MS-13 would be nice too...

It's a whole lot easier to screen legal visitors coming across the bridge than illegals wading the Rio Grande.

[J sub D]

The United States and Iraq will begin negotiating possible exceptions to the June 30 deadline for withdrawing American combat troops from Iraqi cities, focusing on the troubled northern city of Mosul, according to military officials. Some parts of Baghdad also will still have combat troops.

I'm shocked, shocked to find ...
Since the Who refrain has already come up at H&R today, I'm using my fallback snark.

[MNG]

But TAO, wouldn't it cost a great deal to do those screenings? Maybe cheaper, i.e., smaller government solution, to just prevent immigration from nations with subpar health systems.

Also, the more ties folks in the US have with relatives and such in these nations the more they will be going back and forth, do we test them at every crossing?

[John]

J Sub D,

When my unit deployed to Iraq, a couple of NCOs got to go on the container ship transporting our equipment as armed guards. They had a great time. Great food, nice people and a nice trip on a ship. If they started hiring armed guards for commercial ships, I would quit my job tommorow to get one. Of course they would never hire me, but what a dream.

[MNG]

"It's a whole lot easier to screen legal visitors coming across the bridge than illegals wading the Rio Grande."

Might be easier and cheaper to just keep them out.

I'm not sure why people assume that a lot of immigration to our nation will make the immigrants more like us and not us more like their heavenly nations. I like my American cities swine-flu-free thanks.

[The Angry Optimist]

well, who thought they would see the day that MNG would bitch about the dirty dirty Mexicans fouling his clean 'merikun cities?

Wow.

Hey, MNG, there's a case of swine flu in Ohio. You want to shut down the Maryland border so *snickers* Baltimore stays clean? Better mobilize your national guard, baby, I'ma comin' to Silver Springs.

[SugarFree]

Mexicans don't believe in card check.

[The Angry Optimist]

But TAO, wouldn't it cost a great deal to do those screenings? Maybe cheaper, i.e., smaller government solution, to just prevent immigration from nations with subpar health systems.

In no way would it be cheaper, easier OR any good for liberty or rights AT ALL to shut down the borders with troops and fences (which is the only way to practically implement what you're suggesting). For one, that seals us in as well as 'them' out. Two, what are you going to do...authorize the National Guard to shoot violators?

Oh, yeah, America needs a Berlin Wall reeeeaaaal bad. Sounds awesome.

[J sub D]

John,
You'd be at a disadvatage. Besides the weapons experience, ex-Gunner's Mates bring basic seamanship and shipboard firefighting skills to the table.

[The Angry Optimist]

Besides the weapons experience, ex-Gunner's Mates bring basic seamanship and shipboard firefighting skills to the table.

They also provide comfort on lonely nights.

[John]

"John,
You'd be at a disadvatage. Besides the weapons experience, ex-Gunner's Mates bring basic seamanship and shipboard firefighting skills to the table."

No question. They would never hire me. But, damn that would be a fun job.

[Syd]

Seeing as how there are already a hundred or so swine flu cases in New York and it's being reported in other states, closing the borders with Mexico's probably a bit too late. Although it looks like it's a lot less dangerous in New York.

Espiner sounds a bit of a fool.

[sage]

Phil Lebeau, ass-licking retard

How does he do that, I wonder? He must take yoga or something.

[jtuf]

MNG, immigrants to America are a self selected group. They choose America, because they like some aspect of it. Anyone willing to go through all the trouble of immigrating to enjoy an aspect of American life is going to fight hard to perserve that aspect. So yeah, there is some two way cultural mixing from immigration, but on the whole, I think immigration will strengthen American values rather than diminish them.

[R C Dean]

I tend to agree, jtuf, provided that we, as the host culture, make it perfectly clear that we are the host culture, and that while immigrants are free to contribute to that culture, they are expected to adapt to it, chop chop.

[jtuf]

R C Dean, I think it's reasonable to insist on a commitment to the consitution from immigrants just as we (Libertarians) insist on a commitment to the constitution from our American born neighbors. The US constitution is the one element of American culture that I am most dedicated to upholding.

[HeardFromSeaman]

A Gunner's Mate is just a Boatswain's mate with a hunting license.

[Mike Laursen]

Might be easier and cheaper to just keep them out.

If you think that, you've willfully ignored lots of evidence that it is both hard and expensive.

I'm not sure why people assume that a lot of immigration to our nation will make the immigrants more like us and not us more like their heavenly nations.

Because we have a long historical record of accepting lots of immigrants and seeing them assimilate quite nicely while also enriching our culture with things from their native lands.

[MaterialMonkee]

The swine flu things a bit overrated

200 Mexicans dead

Don't get me wrong that's a tragedy for all involved

but don't pretty much that many get shot dead every week cus of the drug war?

[MaterialMonkee]

I emigrated to the south of Europe from the UK

I assimilated in some ways

I'm now really lazy, smoke obscene quantities all day long, drive like a cunt and can't even perform basic human functions without drinking 10 coffees

Kept the stiff upper lip, inability to sensibly drink alcohol/consume drugs without acting like a complete dick and still refuse to eat anything that isnt deep fat fried

win win

[EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy]

The swine flu things a bit overrated

The flu can be dangerous, so it's worth knowing about.

Time for public health agencies to check their readiness and health providers to keep on eye out. Time for immigration agencies to step up the health screening at borders. Time to recheck your personal hygiene habits, and go to the doctor if you fall sick.

Not time to panic.

[engineer]

"His language was fraught with fillers such as 'eh..eh..eh...ahh..ahh well when one looks at the...ehh...eh...ah.....'"
So? That makes him at least as articulate as Barack Obama.

[Syd]

MaterialMonkee:

Considering it was a hundred a few hours ago, yes, it's a cause for concern.

[engineer]

"I'm not sure why people assume that a lot of immigration to our nation will make the immigrants more like us and not us more like their heavenly nations. I like my American cities swine-flu-free thanks."

MNG, did you click on one of LoneWacko's links? That sort of falls under the same category as sniffing paint. I'm not going to interfere with your right to do it, but damn it's stupid.

[engineer]

"Hey, MNG, there's a case of swine flu in Ohio. You want to shut down the Maryland border so *snickers* Baltimore stays clean? Better mobilize your national guard, baby, I'ma comin' to Silver Springs."

Now TAO, you know MNG isn't that parochial. What we really need is a nationwide quarantine effort. We should give people papers telling them when they can leave their houses and where they can go, ration food supplies, and order guards to shoot on sight if people leave their zones without a permit. Sure, it might just be a few cases of the flu now, but without drastic measures it could turn into something much worse, just like the financial crisis*.

*Yes, this is all tongue-in-cheek.

[engineer]

"So yeah, there is some two way cultural mixing from immigration, but on the whole, I think immigration will strengthen American values rather than diminish them."
You obviously haven't been paying attention to ChrisKelley's blog on the danger posed by teh IllegalImmigrants that are ComingTo TakeOver the UnitedStatesOfAmerica and imposed their IllegalImmigrantValueSystem on us.

[engineer]

"MaterialMonkee | April 27, 2009, 4:41pm | #

The swine flu things a bit overrated

200 Mexicans dead

Don't get me wrong that's a tragedy for all involved

but don't pretty much that many get shot dead every week cus of the drug war?"

Yes, but that's two hundred furriners! Imagine if they infected and killed 200 white Marylanders!* Could you live with yourself, MaterialMonkee? I don't think so.
*more sarcasm. This is what I get for substituting coffee fro slepe.

[ed]

Last year about 36,000 Americans died from the flu. So far this year, zero Americans have died from the swine flu. American Panic Journalism creams its jeans anyway. You want real sickness? Watch MSNBC's coverage of this nonstory.