Reason Morning Links: GOP Joins Financial Regulation Effort, Arizona Legislature Goes Birther, Europe Reopens

• GOP leaders backing off from opposition to financial regulation bill.
• Arizona legislature wants to see Obama's birth certificate.
• Europe's airports reopen.
• Oxygen bottles, tents, eating utensils, corpses: cleaning up Mt. Everest.
• 7-11 Beer.

Comments

[John]

Fuck the spinless GOP leaders. The Dodd bill is nothing but a pathetic payoff. And fuck the media for not portraying it for what it is.

http://www.washingtonexaminer......56284.html

[Jordan Elliot]

I'm Jordan Elliot (formerly Kyle Jordan), and I approve of this message.

[MNG]

Won't somebody please think of the poor financial institutions!

[Tulpa]

Won't somebody think of the poor startups who will be starved of venture capital, more like it. But I'm sure the government will be there to provide them capital, as long as they hire only union workers, run their business in a carbon-neutral manner, and abide by whatever policy fetishes currently carry the day in Washington.

[MNG]

The poor, poor venture capitalist, alas cruel world!

[John]

That is right MNG. We don't ever need any new businesses or ideas to ever rise. All current businesses need to stay in business forever.

This bill does nothing but payoff all of the banks that deserve to die and erects entry barriers to new banks that might actually fix the system.

I guess bankrupting the country to ensure that huge banks stay in business is what being a Democrat is all about.

[kc]

John: "spinless" ?
Perhaps you meant "spineless", for "spinless" they ain't, and most assuredly "spineless" they are.
and I agree 100% with your comment.

[John]

I meant "spineless".

[Rich]

"I'm convinced now there is a new element of seriousness attached to this, rather than ..."

... the jocularity attached to HCR.

What John said (*spineless).

[The Ghost of Ronald Reagan]

Mesa Republican Rep. Cecil Ash said he has no reason to doubt Obama's citizenship but supports the measure because it could help end doubt.

Trust, but verify.

[Crackers Boy]

As prosecutors are so fond of saying... "if you have nothing to hide, why not....?"

CB

[The Gobbler]

Regarding a thread from yesterday:

http://reason.com/blog/2010/04.....nt_1666161

John, Groovus Maximus and I were discussing high-end pens, which compelled creech to comment:

creech|4.20.10 @ 3:20PM|#
You selfish bastards need to sell those, give the proceeds to the Haitians, and use a Bic!

No it very well could have been snark, but even so, there are people that think like this, which raises the question: If we were to sell our pens and then give the proceeds to the Haitians, then what is the responsibility of the person who purchased our pens? Must they now sell the pens and give the proceeds to the Haitians? And if so, how long must this go on?

[John]

And as the cycle continues, wouldn't our pens eventually be bought and sold by every person in the world only to be at some future date sold right back to us?

[Barack Obama]

Let me be clear. As a result of this discussion I am developing a perfect solution to our economic crisis. I am so glad I read H&R every day!

[CoyoteBlue]

The preferred end point is when the Haitians, enriched by all these pen transactions, purchase the pens. Because the one thing the Haitians trully lack is fancy pens. As they sit in their half patched shanties, eating rice and beans, they can contemplate the beauty of a Mont Blanc pen.

[creech]

No (snark snark) eventually the pens would end up in the hands of people who truly deserve luxury goods. People who benefit mankind such as Sean Penn, J Lo, Al Gore, and the worshippers of the Obamassiah.

[Bryan C]

No. At some point the pens would come into the possession of someone who cares enough to do the right thing. At which point they would be recycled to appease Mother Gaia so she will not send another earthquake. Except to heretics who have it coming, of course.

[Steve Nash Equilibrium]

AIG looking into the possibility of suing Goldman Sachs. Two banks enter, one bank leaves!

http://www.marketwatch.com/sto.....2010-04-20

[Steve Nash Equilibrium]

And before anyone says anything, I know that AIG isn't a bank, but "Two diversified financial institutions enter, one diversified financial institution leaves" doesn't roll off the tongue very well.

[SugarFree]

Serious Eats investigates Chuck Schumer's favorite sandwich.

[Ska]

This just makes me despise Schumer even more. If you're in NYC, there are a billion better cheap lunch choices than a fucking Subway sandwich.

Besides, shouldn't his sandwich be the Meuben? Hell you're right - it should just be called Bitch Tits.

[Rich]

LOL

[Sen. Chuck Schumer]

"It's a roast beef sandwich on Italian bread, with mayo and mustard?plus banana peppers, pickled jalape?os, extra onions, extra tomatoes, and extra extra pickles"

Stay away from my ass

[Scooby]

Will they also investigate the Senator's favorite sandwich to serve the little people of America?

[Rich]

"I believe this is the strongest Wall Street reform bill that we have seen to date," Lincoln said Tuesday. "Our bill is real reform. It will bring 100 percent transparency to our financial markets. It'll prevent future bailouts, and it will protect the folks on all of our Main Streets."

My pappy said "Son your gonna drive me to drinkin'
If you don't stop electin' that *** **** Lincoln"

Props to Charlie Ryan.

[J sub D]

Episiaerch says he's not interested until 7-11's Game Day Light comes in 40 ouncers.

[SugarFree]

He's all about the Natty Light Ice.

[Danny Boy]

I am not Dan T.

[Jordan Elliot]

Obviously. There's not "T" in your screen name.

Jeez...

[Jordan Elliot]

*no "T"*

[Dan T. Partay]

Oh yes you are!

[Steve Nash Equilibrium]

Do we really need another shitty beer? Miller, Bud, Coors, Busch, Beast, Natty, PBR, etc. Seems like the market for piss water is pretty saturated. I don't know what the guys at 7-11 are thinking on this one.

[Johnny Longtorso]

With Zima out of production, yes, we need another shitty beer.

[T]

No, we need a replacement for Zima and Wine Coolers so old deves can continue to get barely legal chicks hammered.

[Johnny Longtorso]

Iceland volcano now ready excuse for all future failures of AGW predictions

Public Option Might Not Be Dead

[2010 Voter]

Another thing that struck me was how optimistic Waxman was that energy legislation would pass the Senate this year. ... Waxman also said Dems will hold the House this fall.

Pride goeth before this fall.

[Tonio]

Iceland volcano now ready excuse for all future failures of AGW predictions.

Two things:

If the model was so bad as to not take into account foreseeable events such as major volcanic eruptions, then the model was bad anyway.

Yesterday, I heard on NPR (fwiw) that the european public were pissed at their climate scientists for having been too alarmist in their predictions about the effects of the recent eruption.

[T]

The European public has even less influence on policymakers than the American public. They mght as well get mad at the volcano for all the good it'll do them.

[European public]

Fuckin' volcano?

[Mike Laursen]

Arizona legislature wants to see Obama's birth certificate.

This is a bad idea, because we know Joe Biden does have a valid birth certificate.

[robc]

What two retailers sell more beer than 7-11?

Walmart and ???

[SugarFree]

Considering the number of states where you can only buy it from the state, I bet state governments sell more beer than anyone else.

[robc]

yeah, but they arent a single retailer. And there arent THAT many of those states.

[robc]

If California is one of those states, I could see them being #1. But Im pretty sure California isnt a state store state.

[SugarFree]

Your right, of course. I was mostly just bitching about state stores.

One of my good friends in college was from the Cinci area. The first time I took him through a drive-thru at a liquor store he was in awe.

[robc]

Rolling a party bus thru a liquor store drive thru is fun.

[Tulpa]

If West Virginia had "state stores", they probably would sell more than the rest of the country combined. Probably Kentucky too.... 😉

[robc]

KY has 80 or so dry counties, so state store sales would still be low. Then again, if the state was doing the selling, there might not be dry counties. 🙂

[robc]

Okay, actual numbers out of 120 counties:

46 Dry
32 Wet
19 Moist (wet city in dry county)
25 Limited(100) (drink only sales with 100 seats and 70% food sales)
2 Limited(50)
19 Golf (drink sales at golf course)
23 Winery
1 Qualified Historic Site

That adds up to more than 120, because some counties have a mix of the oddballs.

[robc]

The qualified historic site is Shaker Village.

That amuses me for some reason. The Shakers didnt have sex. Did they drink?

[SugarFree]

I hate the way you can refresh the posts upon preview to check if your comment has been superseded.

The Shakers didn't drink either. They were basically ultra-Quakers.

[SugarFree]

*can't* refresh

[robc]

The Shakers didn't drink either.

That is what I thought. So why is Shake Village wet? Im guessing its because the only damn way to get me to go there is to promise me booze.

And really, that isnt enough.

[SugarFree]

Most of their money comes from the restaurant on site. I would imagine that spurred them to do it. But I've eaten there a few times and don't remember beer or wine on the menu.

They might also have it so they can sell local wine from the gift shop.

[SugarFree]

For those no familiar with the tangle of Kentucky liquor laws, 46 are completely dry, 42 are moist (a city or precincts within the county is wet), and 32 are wet or mostly wet (sales everywhere except a few precincts, like Louisville.)

Personally, I think it's the most foul situation possible. It's OK for a few counties to restrict freedom, but if Lexington legalized weed in the city limits, DEA paratroopers would invade the city by nightfall.

[robc]

Shelby Co is the weird one. Shelbyville is wet. The county is Limited(100) and golf courses and wineries can serve. So, everything is possible except outside of Shelbyville you cant build a liquor store or a small restaurant or bar.

But, Louisville is a few feet away, and we have Sunday sales. So, realistically, what does their law prevent?

I cant imagine anyone building a liquor store or bar outside of Shelbyville, that is the best business place for them. So, it basically prevents a bed&breakfast; from serving wine.

[SugarFree]

No beer at Ken/Tex BBQ. 🙁

[Enyap]

What else would you expect from a city founded by cousin fuckers?

[alan]

If you have cute cousins, it is not so much the fucking as it is the marrying and reproducing that is abominable.

[robc]

sales everywhere except a few precincts, like Louisville

I know a couple of precincts considered going dry. Did that actually pass?

[SugarFree]

According to the Almighty Wikipedia. 4 on the west end. They don't link out to anything, though.

[robc]

According to the Almighty Wikipedia. 4 on the west end. They don't link out to anything, though.

The googles had details.

[robc]

I know a couple of precincts considered going dry. Did that actually pass?

4 dry precincts. Also, for some reason I cant explain, there is 1 precinct that is split but a vote is occurring at the next primary and it will either be all wet or all dry. If it goes dry, sounds like they will lose their Kroger.

[robc]

Also, for some reason I cant explain, there is 1 precinct that is split but a vote is occurring at the next primary and it will either be all wet or all dry

And they had a special election earlier this month, it isnt next month. That precinct is now all wet. Vote wasnt close.

[Tulpa]

I was mainly talking about WV, but figured I'd get a dig in against Kentucky when I had the chance. The scene when I first moved to PA and asked the woman at the Walmart front desk where the beer was was not a good one.

[robc]

The scene when I first moved to PA and asked the woman at the Walmart front desk where the beer was was not a good one.

There probably isnt a state with dumber beer laws than Pennsylvania.

[Steve Nash Equilibrium]

This would not surprise me since I once saw a couple WVU students fill up an entire 14' U-Haul truck with cases of beer. And that was only for one weekend.

[T]

Many, many years ago the PX at Smoke Bomb Hill sold more beer than any other retail establishment in the country. I wouldn't be surprised if AAFES is number 2.

[robc]

Makes sense. And I was just guessing at Wal-mart, but find it unlikely that it isnt top 2.

[Ska]

Maybe Exxon/Mobil?

[J sub D]

Target?
Walgreens?
The Sophie Passiciewicz beer oultet and hair salon chain?

[SugarFree]

Targets around here don't sell alcohol. Do they elsewhere? There's no reason why they can't, but they don't. But then, we don't have Target Greatlands, so that might be the difference.

[T]

Target for a while had hired Andrea Immer as their house sommelier to try to push wine. They have a decent alcohol selection.

[MattXIV]

I think just the Greatlands do - I have both near me and only the Greatlands have booze sections.

[P Brooks]

FUCK YOU, GENERAL MOTORS

[robc]

The point of all the discussion between me and SugarFree is that KY allows wet/dry decisions down to the precinct level.

Which is good in an uber-federalist kind of way. And bad in other ways.

[Bill]

Oxygen bottles, tents, eating utensils, corpses: cleaning up Mt. Everest.

"The rubbish is creating problems for climbers ... Some items of garbage are from Hillary's time."

That's some old shit.

[John]

it is funny to hear the environmentalists whine about it. That is the one place on earth where garbage can't hurt anything. It is called the "death zone" for a reason. Nothing lives there.

[Pro Libertate]

Fucking GOP. Oppose all of the bullshit, dudes. Aren't you paying any attention?

They're so scared of being painted as the party of no, when that's exactly what they should be right now.

[John]

They are paying no attention. They have no balls.

[cynical]

I thought the whole point of being conservative was saying no to people who want to change the status quo, and explaining why their proposed changes would have horrific unintended consequences.