Reason Morning Links: Senate Clears Tax Plan, Assange Freed on Bail, CSPI Sues McDonalds

• Senate passes Obama-GOP tax cut compromise.
• House votes to repeal Don't Ask/Don't Tell.
• Larry King will host his last show tonight.
• Center for Science in the Public Interest sues McDonalds, arguing that including toys in Happy Meals lures children into a lifetime of bad eating.
• Foreclosures show a record drop in November.
• Julian Assange to be freed on bail.
• L.A. public schools seeking corporate sponsorships.

Comments

[Ragin Cajun]

L.A. public schools seeking corporate sponsorships.

Looking forward to the McDonald's Elementary School...you can't eat there, but you can go to school there!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Senate passes Obama-GOP tax cut compromise.

See, Republicans get the tax breaks they wanted, and Democrats get to continue the social spending they wanted. The system works.

[Ska]

I'd be pretty pissed off if I was a McDonald's shareholder. I'd be extremely pissed off if I was a franchisee.

How do you even prove that assertion? A lifetime of bad eating? So you find a fat 72 year-old and blame it on happy meal toys??

[Silentz]

We need a study. And while the study is underway, we need an injunction to make sure no one is at risk. We should probably shut down every McDonalds until the study is complete.

[Episiarch]

It's a money grab. And yes, if I were a Mickey D's shareholder, I'd be pissed too. Mickey D's posted gains for its entire existence, every quarter, until a few years ago. They're practically more "blue chip" than IBM.

[Aresen]

Agreed. They're attempting to shake down Mickey D's. Plus they are getting bonus publicity for a high-profile novelty suit.

This is why the US needs to change to a 'loser pays' system for legal costs.

[JW]

I'd be willing to go for a 2-tiered system where lying douchebags, such as CSPI, bring such frivolous cases that the loser is drawn and quartered.

[Tulpa]

US courts can already force the plaintiff to pay the defendant's legal fees if the lawsuit is deemed frivolous.

Loser pays is a bad, bad idea, as it will make it extremely dangerous for non-rich people to sue rich people or corporations, who could rack up enough legal bills in a week to ruin the plaintiff.

[robc]

Does this happen in the countries with loser pays? If not, why not?

[robc]

I generally agree with you, especially if they would greatly loosen the frivilous standard.

The problem is it is too tight.

[PapayaSF]

No, loser pays makes it dangerous for trial lawyers to sue rich people or corporations without a good case. You don't think plaintiffs are paying their attorneys up front, are you? The lawyers work on a percentage of the takings.

[cynical]

They are right now. Under loser pays, not so much.

[JW]

There's never a meteorite strike on CSPI HQ when you need one.

[PapayaSF]

Clearly the lifetime of bad eating started long ago, with those toys in Cracker Jacks.

[CSPI]

"We listen to our customers, and parents consistently tell us they approve of our Happy Meals"

Then we'll sue the parents, too.

[Brett L]

"Center for Science in the Public Interest sues McDonalds"

But they fail to cite any science in their lawsuit. I'm going to go find a kitten to punch.

[wylie]

Preferably a kitten owned by a CSPI lackey.

[Brett L]

That poor kitten's life is bad enough already.

[wylie]

All the more reason to punch it out of it's misery.

[Ronald]

a lifetime of bad eating

Good band name!

[BakedPenguin]

Better for an album / CD.

[wylie]

Bolerexia, A Liftetime of Bad Eating

Triple Platinum

[Restoras]

Please, please make this article the subject of a thread so we can ridicule Tom Friedman to our hearts content...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12......html?_r=2

[CSPI dickhead]

Yes, millions died of hunger. But at least they weren't eating McDonald's!

[Brett L]

Preferrably with a chart comparing and contrasting Friedman and Walter Duranty.

[P Brooks]

Failure, disappointment; at the NYT, a liberal weeps for a lost opportunity to remake the world in his image.

WHEN President Obama announced in March 2009 that his administration would guide General Motors and Chrysler through a government-financed bankruptcy, he made it clear that the taxpayers' $80 billion would buy nothing less than a sweeping transformation of the entire auto industry.

"This restructuring, as painful as it will be in the short term, will mark not an end, but a new beginning for a great American industry," he said, "an auto industry that is once more outcompeting the world; a 21st-century auto industry that is creating new jobs, unleashing new prosperity and manufacturing the fuel-efficient cars and trucks that will carry us toward an energy-independent future."

Now, nearly a year and a half after the two automakers exited bankruptcy, the administration has defined down the goals of the bailout, focusing on G.M.'s and Chrysler's return to profitability and job creation. Though these are promising developments that show the bailout has not been an unmitigated short-term failure, the new emphasis shows just how far the industry is from the kind of transformation we were promised.

In particular, what Mr. Obama called his "one goal" ? having Detroit "lead the world in building the next generation of clean cars" ? is nowhere near being achieved. While the idea of improving G.M.'s and Chrysler's fuel efficiency was doubtless a politically popular justification for the bailout, American consumers have not embraced the goal with equal fervor. Sales of fuel-sipping compact and subcompact cars have actually dropped this year, while pickup and sport utility vehicle sales grew by double-digit percentages.

Thwarted by the lust for filthy lucre. Oh, for shame.

[John]

"While the idea of improving G.M.'s and Chrysler's fuel efficiency was doubtless a politically popular justification"

Yes because at a time of the biggest financial collapse since the 1930s, what America really wanted was for GM and Chrysler to make more fuel efficient cars. Where do these clowns come from?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Well, the idea was for environmental legislation/regulation to help get gasoline to $5/gallon. That's was supposed to help put a shine on those expensive little hybrid turds. It's not Obama's fault that didn't happen.

[wylie]

It's not Obama's fault that didn't happen.

Yeah, was us libertarians at fault once again, right?

[Mike Laursen]

Ah, but there's hope! Since not buying an electric car from GM is obviously an act of interstate commerce, all we have to do is...

[JW]

Thought the same thing.

[BakedPenguin]

L.A. public schools seeking corporate sponsorships.

As a corporation, wouldn't you want your name attached to a competent entity?

[CoyoteBlue]

We have truly entered the Diamond Age.

"We're asking for help from our corporate community," said board President Monica Garcia. "We're trying to get help."

[cynical]

Then why don't have a nanotech fabricator?

[P Brooks]

But they fail to cite any science in their lawsuit.

Dude, the science is, ummm, you know......

[Pi guy]

Toys in Happy Meals = direct link to lazy, fat kids? Doesn't sound very scientific to me.

Oh- Science in the Public Interest. Science by public fiat.

[wylie]

I built a tesla coil by public fiat once. Ran off a potato, and the highvoltage output looked like a LCD digital clock. Was cool as shit.

[hmm]

Is there a reason that Reason is loading like old people fuck. Slow, sloppy and a little to the left?

[Episiarch]

How do you know how old people fuck in such detail? You disgust me.

[hmm]

Don't hate on old people...

[SugarFree]

Bent nail syndrome.

[Tulpa]

It's probably slow because of that virus you caught from watching all that gray porn.

[Gandalf the Gray]

Like my staff?

[hmm]

mac...

[Solanum]

13 year old girl cleared in botched drug bust in Philadelphia

This is pretty sick. Girl is falsely identified as a drug courier, interrogated (without permission from her mother) for two hours in a parking lot, arrested, and the DA still plows forward to convict her even though she's obviously innocent.

Bonus: police refused to search home for drugs even after the girl's mother begged them to.

[Almanian]

So Radley's now posting as "Solanum"...clever...

[Solanum]

I'm nowhere near as sadistic as Radley. I merely punch in the taint, not the nuts.

[hmm]

I've argued for corporate sponsor ship of schools for a long time. The idea of general education so far up the education chain is becoming antiquated. Targeted useful education structures starting in high school and narrowing into college is the way to go. The traditional model should be scrapped.

[wylie]

Targeted useful education structures starting in high school and narrowing into college is the way to go.

I coulda used such instruction by 6-7th grade, so maybe highschool is still too late.

[Warty]

I'd be a richer man today if it weren't for physics
If I could levitate I would sell lots of tickets
And maybe do an interview with Larry King while floating

[hmm]

The foreclosure drop is an anomaly from fear of legal action. Not a market driven drop. Once again drawing out the market clearing.

[Brett L]

Maybe. I've seen some pretty good data for Leon County, FL that suggests that Lis Pendens proceedings have also fallen off dramatically, which suggests that our market, at least, is on the way to clearing.

The bad news is that everyone who can afford a home owns one, and there ain't shit for new jobs, so the markets going to suck until the economy recovers anyhow.

[hmm]

If prices are dropping across the all respective ranges of housing, and the entire nation. And REO inventories are holding steady at around 10 months or more. The market is not close to clearing unless by close you mean a year out with no intervention.

[hmm]

"[T]he all", no clue what was goin' on there.

[P Brooks]

police refused to search home for drugs even after the girl's mother begged them to.

It was obviously a trap.

[Brett L]

Why gather exculpatory evidence? They aren't interested in what actually happened, they hit their number.

[CoyoteBlue]

Wonder where your foreign assistance $$$ go? To creating a fancy website to show you where it goes:

http://www.foreignassistance.gov

[P Brooks]

Since not buying an electric car from GM is obviously an act of interstate commerce, all we have to do is...,

Very good.

I am waiting for the "General Health and Welfare" argument, which will manifest itself as a compulsory "cash for clunkers" program. All cars without airbags will be forcibly confiscated and destroyed (creating a huge demand for new cars), because irresponsible people who don't buy the latest greatest safety cocoon impose a healthcare cost on society.

[MNG]

Good news on DADT, better late than never. Let's hope that the Senate goes along with this.

[Mr. FIFY]

Has anyone offered a DADTDP proposition?

Don't ask... don't tell... don't punish.

Honestly, I can't see the need to declare a sexual preference when getting a job.

[Steve]

Don't ask... don't tell... don't punish.

Good idea, but it's not about serving, it's about the getting government stamp-of-approval.

[Mo]

Straight people declare their sexual preferences all the time at work. When you say things like, "My wife ...", "My girlfriend ..." or "I was out at a bar talking to these two girls ...". All standard non-sexually explicit sentences that indicate pretty clearly what gender you like to bang.

[John Thacker]

The Senate has, and has had, the votes for repeal. But the Democratic leadership has wasted a lot of days of the session with other things. Not just the lame duck session, either-- if repeal really has the overwhelming support that polls indicate, they could have brought it up before the election as a standalone bill and passed it, or at least used it as a winning issue.

I don't understand why the Democrats spent the entire two years running away from popular issues in order to concentrate all their energy on passing unpopular bills.

Since time is running out, it may be that Bernie Sanders's useless filibuster of the tax deal kills DADT repeal, by taking away a day of the session.

[Shocked]

Let's get us a class together and sue CSPI for false and misleading advertising as its obvious "Science" has nothing to do with their organizations. Main stream media is lead to believe that what they say is scientifically true, which results in the masses be mis lead. This sounds like a much stronger case than their's against McDonalds.

Better yet McDonalds should counter sue them for defamation since CSPI can't proof it.

[wylie]

Better yet McDonalds should counter sue them for defamation since CSPI can't proof it.

Hear this, McD's? Get to work and bust their asses.

[Joe M]

That CSPI lawsuit, does that count as jumping the shark? Or was the CSPI already too ridiculous?

[JW]

Which one is SugarFree?

[SugarFree]

I'm the one with the really fat arms.

[Charlotte Sometimes]

Not the one with the glasses?

[SugarFree]

Way to narrow it down, Charlotte.

[Charlotte Sometimes]

*giggle*

[SugarFree]

This is a pretty good look into librarianship. We are all giant dorks. And I mean that in the least mean way possible. We have a measure of assholes, sure, but mostly we're a bunch of dorks who are little too eager to please for our own good.

Of course, I work as an archivist, and we are cool motherfuckers... think Indiana Jones and Shaft had a baby and then it was raised by Han Solo. That's your typical archivist.

[Episiarch]

I don't think I've ever seen anything as dorky as that video. Congratulations; I condemn you through association.

[JW]

And yet, you cannot unwatch it. Ha ha! I win again!

[Charlotte Sometimes]

I worked (work/study program) in the engineering library on campus my junior and senior years and I adore librarians. Easily the most pleasant environment and people I've ever worked with. I have never had so much fun on the job. . . and I've mostly worked from home for the past decade!

[SugarFree]

Easily the most pleasant environment and people I've ever worked with.

That's how they get you. Spend enough time around them and you become one. Librarianship is a virus--prolonged exposure leads to full -blown infection.

[Anonypussy?]

SF dines off the public teat? Or does it work for a private library?

[Episiarch]

You're already tiresome and it's before 9AM. Congratulations.

[Anonypussy?]

Are you his mommy? Maybe you can answer the question.

[SugarFree]

Oh, is she back, Epi? I'm currently filtering every permutation she's ever used. I refuse to play her pathetic game.

[Anonypussy?]

Public or private?

[Episiarch]

Well, you may be filtering, but for those of us who are masochists, she's back and accusing me of being your mommy. Yes, it's idiotic and makes no sense, but at least it's consistent.

[SugarFree]

You're not my mommy?!? But... but... you were the first person I saw after I was hatched! How could you not be my mommy?

[Anonypussy?]

Public it is, then. What a hypocrite.

[Episiarch]

Are you as tiresome to yourself as you are to us? Because extreme self-hate would explain you quite well. And I'm guessing you're fat. Really fat.

[Anonypussy?]

Can't answer you. Pretending to filter you out.

[Joe M]

I know some librarians, and your description is dead on.

[JW]

I had you pegged as banjo man.

[SugarFree]

"You shure do have a purty mouth."

[Warty]

Obviously he's the bearded guy who's way too excited about...whatever that tool was, and who cannot be autotuned.

[Warty]

The one in the purple top has quite the rack.

[BakedPenguin]

That's the first thing I thought. Once she left the screen, I saw no point in continuing to watch.

[Some other guy]

I was trying to solve the maze on that one chick's head.

[SugarFreak]

That was a chick? Whew.

[John]

Katie Perry may have a room temperature IQ and a five note vocal range. But my God does she have a fantastic body.

http://www.nydailynews.com/lif....._ever.html

[JW]

I'll be in my bunk. For the next several hours.

[Warty]

Ahem.

[SugarFree]

In case anyone missed her on The Simpsons.

Although, to really get your fill of Perry, watch MTV for an hour. About 15 minutes of it will be her Proactive acne commercials.

[John]

You don't have to watch MTV. They were all over the Celtics Knicks game last night. I wonder if she is as stupid as she comes across or if that is an act.

[SugarFree]

She probably not the brightest of lights, like most celebrities... just good at knowing when she can profit from doing as she's told.

Bright girls rarely marry ex-junkies, after all.

[generic Brand]

She is married to Russell Brand. Stupid attracts stupid, right?

[generic Brand]

P.S. No relation.

[Episiarch]

I was pretty much of the "meh" opinion until I saw the Simpsons thing. Then my estimation went up a bit.

[Warty]

Ahem again.

So how many label heads do you suppose she had to fuck before she got signed?

[Tulpa]

How many label heads does it take to screw a dim lightbulb?

[Jonas]

Damn, it's too bad no one will probably ever see this, but she actually got discovered by a Christian music singer from my hometown, Jennifer Knapp, who everybody always knew was a big lesbian... so, yeah, her big break was getting signed by a lesbian Christian rocker.

True story. Gotta love Chanute, KS: home of Jennifer Knapp, the chick that won the first season of the Bachelor, and the people they named that failed American Eagle line after.

[Pro Libertate]

Her bosom offends Big Bird.

[Tim]

She has more breast meat.

[SugarFree]

More hard-hitting journalism from Slate.

[Sorry]

You wanna talk about a nutpunch...

[Warty]

No mention of the Hillary nutcracker, of course. Fucking liberal media.

[J sub D]

Larry King will host his last show tonight.

I've already started started the celebratory drinking.

[Warty]

Ron Paul is getting a lot of respectful interviews lately.

[Joe M]

And for years, he's supported keeping Congress from any action not explicitly authorized in the Constitution, or that he sees as wasteful spending, including ? as a recent New York Times article highlighted ? on issues as ceremonial as honoring Mother Teresa with the Congressional Gold Medal.

See, details like this PISS ME OFF. What every single story like this fails to mention is that Paul suggested to the House that they instead take up a private collection of funds from congresscritters, instead of using public funds. Of course, no one could be troubled to spend their own money for a PR opportunity. Fucking ANNOYING.

[J sub D]

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has filed a lawsuit against McDonald's Corp., claiming that the company's meals with toys unfairly entice children into eating food that can do them harm.

Cracker Jacks, Kellogg's and Post, you're next.

Is there anyone here willing to defend CSPI?

[Hobie Hanson]

I would, but I've given up on explaining reality to you guys.

[The Gobbler]

A greatful nation thanks you.

[SugarFree]

Jezebel vs. Michael Moore

[Joe M]

Woohoo! Left wing infighting is so delicious.

[Joe M]

The Wikileaks issue is nice because it's having a similar effect to the TSA stuff, namely, disrupting the standard partisan alliances. Although in this case, it only seems to be happening on the left. The right is universally hating on Assange.

[SugarFree]

What I like is that they pretend to be baffled at the possibility that the rape charges are made-up/exaggerated because "no one but us takes rape seriously."

Child porn, rape, and getting caught on tape screaming racial epithets is about the only thing that can make you radioactive to the left. (And even they don't work all the time.)

[Whoopi Goldberg]

It's not like it was rape-rape...

[Slut Bunwalla]

From the comments:

The presumption of innocence is great for the justice system. But, in my day to day, I will not go anywhere near assuming rape complainants lie, or lie until proven truthful. Because that harms sexual assault survivors.

If you're accused of rape, you're automatically guilty and that's that. No one ever lies about such a thing.

[Ray Donovan wants his rep back]

Well, yeah!

[EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy]

In reference to today's BricBat: I can't help but think of Demolition Man:

Erwin: We're police officers! We're not trained to handle this kind of violence!

Life imitates art.

And as long as I'm at it:

Lenina Huxley: Ah, smokingMcDonald's is not good for you, and it's been deemed that anything not good for you is bad; hence, illegal. Alcohol, caffeine, contact sports, meat...

[????? ??????]

Thanks