Reason Morning Links: Ask and Tell, But Don't DREAM

• The Senate votes to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell…
• …does not pass the DREAM Act…
• …and revives a food regulation bill that looked dead.
• The new Congress isn't in office yet, but its first potential scandal may be here.
• A big protest is followed by a big crackdown in Belarus.
• The Bank of America cuts off WikiLeaks.
• Syracuse struggles to distinguish satire from harassment.
• Officials in the U.K. have plans to regulate online speech.
• So do officials in Venezuela.

Comments

[Suki]

The Senate votes to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell...

Yea! Now we can cut all public funding to Harvard when they stand fast on their no military recruiters on campus position.

[West Texas]

I know you are being a tiny bit snarky, but I'm really curious what their new excuse is going to be.

[Mo]

No excuse. They're preparing to allow ROTC back on campus.

http://www.theatlantic.com/pol.....rotc/68251

[Trannies]

What about us?

[Wind Rider]

I just asked my brother's transvestite roomate. He says you don't have the figure to pull off the uniform combos, honey.

[BG]

What about you? Is someone stopping you from joining the military? If you casually mention that you sometimes wear clothes typical for the other gender in your civilian life, will you be kicked out? Is there a "don't ask, don't tell" policy for what kind of clothes you wear off duty?

The only caveat I can think of here is that the military has males and females with different barracks, uniforms, allowable hair length, etc. (and a few combat positions are closed to women). So you will pretty much have to pick a gender and stick with it (at least while you are on active duty, when you are back in civilian life you can do what you want). Also the gender you pick probably has to bear some relation to your physical sexual organs: so if you want to "pick" the other gender, you may have to go ahead with the operation.

[Cisgendered People]

What about us?

[Trannies]

I'm serious. We're no less patriotic than the gays, and we put on one hell of a show. Good for morale! Why are we being ignored? Why won't Keith and Rachel speak up for us? We...are...not...animals!

[Suki]

They already make outfits for you. Are you lobbying for bra inserts or something?

[Slap the Enlightened!]

I wouldn't worry about it. Now that The Enlightened? have had their negrogasm, getting one of you elected president will probably be their next cause c?l?bre.

[Trannies]

I'm serious. If the gays can kill foreigners, why can't we? Have you ever seen an angry tranny?

[Brett L]

Yeah. When the earrings come off, run!

[Anonymous Coward]

Save the the casual racism for freerepublic.

[Ska]

Cpl. Klinger was never really that scary.

[Trannies]

That's right! And those Toledo Mud Hens he was always going on and on about? Yup. Trannies!

[Metagendered and Paragendered]

Don't leave us out! Help, I'm being repressed!

[Trannies]

Now you're just being silly.

[R C Dean]

Now we can cut all public funding to Harvard when they stand fast on their no military recruiters on campus position.

I saw somewhere that Harvard and Yale are trying to reopen their ROTC programs.

[Fatty Bolger]

They're out of excuses... until the next one.

[hmm]

Their probably still bent West Point beat them in the college rankings one year.

[hmm]

or they are...

jesus that was atrocious

[Suki]

So can we cut federal funding of universities instead? It will make it easier and cheaper for all.

[CavMedic]

"All internet porn will be blocked to protect children, under UK government plan"

I cannot imagine a more perfect opportunity for an anti-government movement than this (though I suspect that there might be more than a little support for such a measure from the distaff side so that they don't have to "compete" with "unrealistic expectations" or some such).

[Suki]

I think I saw a movie about that. It starred a little man in a funny mask.

[CavMedic]

He wasn't a gimp was he?

Cause, if so-BANNED!!!

[Suki]

Calling victims of genetic experimentation and fire "gimps" is quite ugly.

[CavMedic]

Sigh-it was a joke Suki. As if to say, "it's a good thing that the UK government didn't decide to ban V for Vendetta because they decided that the mask was a 'porny' gimp mask".

[Dello]

I got the "Gimp" reference, but I've never seen "V for Vendetta".

[CavMedic]

"...I've never seen "V for Vendetta".

Me neither, and I just assumed that that was what Suki was talking about given that we were discussing the UK, anti-government sentiment and masks, but who the hell knows. I thought it was a pretty obvious joke. Maybe I missed some obscure point she was trying to make.

[Suki]

Try harder, RACIST!

[Mr Whipple]

Hell, if it wasn't for porn, there wouldn't be an internet.

Yo, fuck Al Gore.

[WARNING]

Careful, Rule 34 applies.

[Al Gore]

so take care of THIS!

[hmm]

You see an anti-government movement, I see euros. Nothing generates revenue like prohibition. Of course, that is because the risk increases.

[John]

http://www.law.yale.edu/news/12584.htm

Yale Law Professors Establish Website to Encourage Tax Cut Givebacks

Good luck with that.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

The Treasury already has a website, Pay.gov, if people want to donate money to the government. Total monies collected from 2008-2009, $3 million. Blowhards like Buffett and the self-anointed "patriotic millionaires" seem to be big on bloviating, but short on actually paying more than they have to.

[BakedPenguin]

Warren Buffet wants people to pay more taxes because he gets crony corporate welfare.

[waffles]

It exists! When anyone advocates higher taxes why not just refer them there? All the time, anytime. The with all the ire generated from not raising taxes pay.gov should be collecting way more.

[Corduroy]

At least the charities are reasonable choices. I was expecting something like "Lawyers for More Laws"

[Dello]

Mitch, what you have to understand is that the Bush tax cuts (which are staying for awhile) are a tax holiday: By law, you should be paying more taxes, but the government decided to give you a tax "cut" to help stimulate the economy.

So really, when they do away with the Bush cuts, it's simply going back to how much you SHOULD have been paying all along. Thus it's NOT a tax increase.

Personally, I don't see why the government doesn't just declare ALL income to be theirs, and simply apply tax cuts to whatever portion they feel like letting us keep.

[Wind Rider]

Replace 'should' with 'would'. Unless you're actually in favor of higher taxes.

[Dello]

I was speaking as a Liberal.

[nekoxgirl]

Not really sure if you are kidding but do you really think the government owns all of our income? Is your ideal vision of America a giant prison camp?

[Anonymous Coward]

The narrative is heading in that direction with the meme that "taxes = revenue." Taxes are not revenue. Revenue comes through voluntary transactions. Subtly, the government is headed in the direction that it is inherently entitled to your money.

[Pip]

"Thus it's NOT a tax increase"

Yes it is. It's the Clinton tax increase.

[mitch]

Tax cut? Aren't income taxes just staying the same? Shouldn't any goofball who would consider "giving money back" today like these Yalies want have been "giving money back" for the last ten years?

[Almanian]

Ten years is not enough - the other, little people must "give back" more, and for longer!!

/Yalie

[John]

http://www.independent.co.uk/e.....24017.html

Global Warming cultists in 2000.

However, the warming is so far manifesting itself more in winters which are less cold than in much hotter summers. According to Dr David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia,within a few years winter snowfall will become "a very rare and exciting event".

"Children just aren't going to know what snow is," he said.

The effects of snow-free winter in Britain are already becoming apparent. This year, for the first time ever, Hamleys, Britain's biggest toyshop, had no sledges on display in its Regent Street store. "It was a bit of a first," a spokesperson said.

Fen skating, once a popular sport on the fields of East Anglia, now takes place on indoor artificial rinks. Malcolm Robinson, of the Fenland Indoor Speed Skating Club in Peterborough, says they have not skated outside since 1997. "As a boy, I can remember being on ice most winters. Now it's few and far between," he said.

Michael Jeacock, a Cambridgeshire local historian, added that a generation was growing up "without experiencing one of the greatest joys and privileges of living in this part of the world - open-air skating".

Reality just ten years later.

Forecasters warned that parts of Britain could see record low temperatures this week of -26C (-15F). Heathrow will experience lows of about -9C (16F) tonight and further snowfall is expected in the South East during the evening rush hour.

Motorists continued to struggle. The M25 was closed in both directions for about six hours while drivers on the M40 in Oxfordshire suffered severe delays.

Commuters were warned to expect treacherous conditions with thick ice and freezing fog today. Train passengers also face delays and cancellations, particularly in the North. Eurostar services between London and Paris have also been affected.

Snow and ice grounded the vast majority of flights in and out of Britain, with Heathrow the worst-affected airport.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/12/027954.php

[Cultist]

Weather is not climate! Cold is the new warm!

[Suki]

Correcting history: The Air Vent released the Climate Gate emails and The Air Vent is not WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks did not release the climategate files first, The Air Vent did. The narrative that Assange is "fair" because he and his friends released the Hockey Stick emails, as well as the notion that his doctored, slanderous video of US Army pilots makes him a 'hero' is false, at best. It smacks of another media lie to prop up their narrative.

[Trannies]

We want openness!

[Bill Clinton]

Here, let me help you with that zipper...

[Suki]

+69

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Obviously this means the Kyoto Protocol worked.

[Mike M.]

"We're right, even though every single ridiculous prediction we've made over the last ten years has turned out to be laughably wrong, and 2010 is one of the warmest years in the history of planet earth. Now excuse us while we go remove a few more thermometers from the colder rural areas."

[John]

http://www.insidehighered.com/.....law_center

The SPLC reaches a new low. What is next, holocaust denial?

[Brett L]

If it helps their rent-seeking and race-baiting, absolutely.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

You beat me to it by 20 minutes.

I have something to say: FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK!

Yeah, I know my first reaction to a barking dog running towards me is to SHOOT IT.

This cop deserves a good swift kick in the nuts by Radley wearing steel-toed combat boots.

What a fucking wimp. A golden retriever is barking at him, so he figures the appropriate response is to shoot it and kill it?

Goddammit, this so pisses me off.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

Fucking threaded comments. This was supposed to be to John's cop shoots dog story, below.

[John]

And there were civilians standing there. If he had missed the dog, he could have killed someone. That is criminal endangerment. If a civilian, even one with a conceal and carry permit, had done the same thing, he would have been arrested. But, cops can do it with impunity. As a civilian, you are supposed to act responsibly and risk the odd bite. But as a cop, you can act with impunity. They are just out of control. All of their unions need to be de-certified. And they need to start going to jail for this bullshit.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Its almost casully expected nowadays that police should pull their firearms. Any cop that doesn't have a hair trigger and is jacked up for a confrontation is almost considered suicidal by their peers that are scared to death about the stories of police killed by random junkies. Like the cop that killed the guy in the Oakland BART station. There was no reason anyone could think of why he should even have pulled his taser like he claimed, but that was his excuse and they let him off because of it. I mean, WTF?!?

[TrickyVic]

""I have really worked hard to teach my children about authority.""

The cop did more to teach his kids about authority than the dad ever could.

[John]

http://www.ajc.com/news/clayto.....82080.html

There is nothing really left to say.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

Yes there is - see my comment above.

Line up to nut-kick the cop!

[Dello]

An actual, six foot high, wooden slat fence (with a lock on the gate) isn't to protect the neighborhood from your dog; it's to protect your dog from the neighborhood.

[Family Pet]

But who's going to protect me from the Blue Menace? And fuck K-9 units. Traitors!

[Lost_In_Translation]

Oh there's plenty to say. He deserves to be fired for such a callous act. Dogs have come charging at me before. Its never been a deadly situation. Very few family pets will snap into attack mode just at the sight of someone. Usually they get within a few feet and stop and bark and growl or they are just looking to meet and play with someone new. Discharging a weapon should not be a first response.

Having said that, this is what can happen in this day and age with callous cops and loose pets. Its sad to think that my first response seeing a police officer is fear for my pet's life.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

Of course - department spokesperson said "it appeared the officer followed 'proper protocol.'"

Hey, at least they're honest about it - shooting harmless family pets for no good reason other than you're too lazy to apply some common sense thought process, or you're too much of a wimp to deal with a golden retriever is "proper protocol."

[Lost_In_Translation]

It amazes me how little training police have it seems on how to properly deal with situations like these. In certain counties around Atlanta, people own many guns and if one of those owners had just seen their dog killed, it might have enraged him to the point of trying to kill the officer. So really, how did shooting the dog help the situation. The officer could have picked up the stick and distracted the dog very easily. Good god this is rediculous.

[Slut Bunwalla]

Hey, come on now, didn't you read that he ordered the dog to stop before he shot it? That's proper protocol right there.

[Shocked]

Don't cops carry mace or pepper spray anymore? Or is that just no fun.

[pancakes]

golden retrievers are a notoriously dangerous breed. all owners of this deadly breed should be put on a list that will be made available to all law enforcement. we cannot let this scourge of undocumented killing machines disguised as family pets continue unabated.

[PapayaSF]

Dog attacks police car.

[generic Brand]

A Clayton County mother of six said the family dog did what he always did when he saw someone.

In the cop's defense, six children and a dog are a lot of mouths to feed. He was really just trying to keep costs down for the family in these tough economic times.

The officer, whose name was not released, was responding to a call reporting a suspicious person, police said.

This always bothers me. Why would the name not be released in this clear-cut instance of wrong doing? The press always releases the names of police suspects, even if they turn out to be the wrong guy.

[Cyto]

Why would the name not be released in this clear-cut instance of wrong doing? The press always releases the names of police suspects, even if they turn out to be the wrong guy.

They don't release the names of victims of unmentionable crimes. They don't release the names of police accused of wrongdoing.

By the commutative property of justice it is clear that all police who are accused of wrongdoing are victims of unmentionable crimes. It is really just simple logic....

[waffles]

golden retriever!? really!? Goldens are among the dumbest, most-loving, and gentlest breeds among all dogs. This just doesn't make any sense. I am thinking that there is something seriously wrong with this polic officer. I could see shooting a rotweiler or any dog typically suited for security, but a golden retriever is unconscionable.

Well, I have owned two goldens and they have been the sweetest pets ever. I guess this is what it takes for me to finally realize the full horror of the war on family pets.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Even agressive breeds like rottweilers and pit bulls can be dealt with without use of deadly force if the officer was properly trained.

[generic Brand]

Your bipolar rantings are very entertaining.

[coarsetad]

Wasn't it a golden retriever that ate that french woman's face while she was sleeping?

[Pip]

No. That was Assange.

[SugarFree]

Yo|12.18.10 @ 3:36PM|#
It's Nancy Grace journalism. Radley does some good work, but his infrequent (because it hardly ever happens) cop-shoots-dog posts are over the top and sensationalist

One of Rather's many sockpuppets, in case anyone missed it.

[generic Brand]

Also, why does using your name ("Sugarfreeing") mean posting a link to his crappy blog? Did I miss the posts where you blog and whore it for H&R?

(Note: obviously you do one of those, but I've not seen both)

[SugarFree]

I once linked to a relevant post as opposed to cut n' pasting it in a comment. And I called myself a "blogwhore" as well. She has seized on this as a justification for her spamming the board.

[T]

I thought Sugarfreeing was screwing up the link. When did this new meaning arise?

[robc]

Ditto. SFing a link has one and only one meaning.

[SugarFree]

She first tried it in late October. It's pathetic.

By the way, since she started fixating on me last Friday, someone has tried resetting my linked gmail account about 7 times.

[JW]

That level of stalking is endearing.

Don't forget to check the stove if the rabbit goes missing.

[SugarFree]

JW, check facebook for the rest of the story.

[generic Brand]

Wait, "she"?? I thought Rather was one of those ambiguous creatures, like a nematoad, or a tranny.

[dbcooper]

Also see this:

Patrol car video in woodcarver case released

Patrol car video in woodcarver case released

[mr simple]

I like how the Seattle police describe everyone they shot as suicidal.

[Wind Rider]

From the first 'put the knife down' to shots fired is just the blink of an eye. Even the woman in the crosswalk barely had time to react.

Murderer with the authority of the state.

[T. J.]

i have to admit i'm a little selfishly annoyed by the "DADT" repeal. now i can't be as snotty to my liberal gay friends about voted democrat and getting nothing out of it.

[John]

that does suck. But now you can laugh at the spectacle of a bunch of former 60s radicals who now run the Ivies having to re-instate ROTC programs. That is got to hurt. You know they never thought the ban would ever actually be lifted.

[John Thacker]

Oh, just be snotty and tell them that the Democrats obviously never would have passed it until the Republican takeover was impending. They sat on it for two years, even though they had the votes. Therefore, the DADT repeal is clearly thanks to the GOP takeover of the House and Senate gains, which made the issue urgent.

[SFC B]

You can remind them that it took the Log Cabin Republican's lawsuit to find DADT unconstitutional and without the threat of court action it would not have passed.

[Dello]

And correct me if I'm wrong, but because this is simply an act of Congress, couldn't DADT be reinstated at any time Congress feels like it?

Seems to me that SCOTUS saying its discrimination under the Constitution would carry a little more weight.

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

The "progressive" folks won't be happy with this for too long. I figure it won't be more than a couple of years before they're complaining that there aren't "enough" gay generals and admirals.

[Nick]

Yeah, just remind them that the Dems had the votes all along but didn't dare repeal it before an election when it. Some stones there. Nope, they waited until they were already completely defeated and brought it out in a lame duck session. Talk about standing up for what's right...in the most half-assed way possible. A nod to save any part of your base when you're bleeding to death isn't really taking a stand.

[Wind Rider]

One of the more surprising things to me is that Reid didn't completely fuck this up too. On the subject of 'standing up for what's right' - uhm, yeah, if it's a topic that polls at 70%, they're at the barricades with their pitchforks, damned skippy they are!

[John Thacker]

He did fuck it up.

It polls at 70%, whereas Obamacare and more pork spending polls at 40%. Let's see, which one should the Democrats push before the election, the issue that would split Independents from the GOP, or the issue that drives Independents towards the GOP?

Not that I'm complaining at the eventual result-- DADT repealed, but we still get gridlock and a House takeover? Great, thanks.

[Syd Henderson]

If it's polling at 70% then it's not going to drive independents to the GOP.

[Clich? Bandit]

Look at me...I am early in the links thread (unfortunately with nothing to add).

[Rhywun]

Reid sez "our food safety system has not been updated in almost a century". Who the hell has been protecting us from Big Food all this time?!

[Wind Rider]

Big momma. And big Cooking.

[SugarFree]

Woman Tears Off Daughter-In-Law's Nipple In Drunken Fight

DECEMBER 16--A drunken early-morning fight between a New Mexico woman and her daughter-in-law ended Sunday when the older combatant tore the nipple off one of her kin's breasts, according to a wince-inducing police report.

[Brett L]

Funny, they don't look Irish. I thought we were the only ones who got drunk and fought our kin.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Even as far south as New Mexico, Christmas time can bring a little nip in the air.

[Rich]

Keeping abreast of the jokesters, I see.

[Fist of Etiquette]

And I see a little wordplay tit for tat, sir.

[Wind Rider]

Glad you guys are milking this for all it's worth.

[Ska]

I heard they were at least quarters.

[generic Brand]

Women everywhere need to be shown this article. This is why you can't give titty-twisters, purple-nurples, or a nip grip!

[Charlotte Sometimes]

And why one should always wear a lined, shaping demi bra.

[SugarFree]

Kevlar bras, the hot Christmas item for 2010.

[TomFrankly]

Huh. It's almost like we just got a major civil rights advancement that would have never happened under McCain or any other Republican president. Obama at the buzzer. . . Yesssssss!

[John]

To call that a major civil rights advancement is to lower the bar for major civil rights advancements pretty low. The reason why the opponent's scare stories never took was because there just are not that many gay people in the military. And most of the ones who were discharged under this policy were people who wanted out anyway and just used the policy as a way to do it.

Andrew Sullivan had a big thing a few years ago about how Lackland AFB was the most gay unfriendly place on earth because that was where the vast majority of discharges for homosexuality occurred. Andy never bothered to consider that Lackland is where the Air Force does basic training. It was basically a bunch of homesick kids saying they were gay in order to go home. Guess homesick recruits won't have that out anymore.

[Steve]

There are plenty of gays in the military. It is just since most of them are there simply to serve their country, they mind their own business and get the job done.

When they got kicked out, it was usually because they wanted to.

[T. J.]

yeah, excluding hate crime laws i agree with most of the "gay agenda" but repealing "DADT" seemed to me a low priority on the list.

[TomFrankly]

Compared to Jim Crow, yes, this is not as big. But in 2010, DADT was one of the worst laws left in terms of gay rights.

To say DADT discharges were mostly homesick kids diminishes some very disgraceful treatment to veterans who served overseas and were discharged. Maybe not all 14,000 fit that bill, but plenty of them do.

The military will not suddenly become the best thing in the world for a gay person to join, but now they have legal rights, which they didn't before. And that is important.

[TomFrankly]

Compared to Jim Crow, yes, this is not as big. But in 2010, DADT was one of the worst laws left in terms of gay rights.

To say DADT discharges were mostly homesick kids diminishes some very disgraceful treatment to veterans who served overseas and were discharged. Maybe not all 14,000 fit that bill, but plenty of them do.

The military will not suddenly become the best thing in the world for a gay person to join, but now they have legal rights, which they didn't before. And that is important.

[generic Brand]

Obama at the buzzer. . . Yesssssss!

So are you Marv Albert or Verne Lundquist when you practice this at home?

[TomFrankly]

Marv. Or, the one that wears the ridiculous suits.

[generic Brand]

Yeah, Don Cherry is probably a better fit.

[Mo]

I think he means Craig Sager

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

I wonder how joining the military could be a "civil right". It seems as if the definition of "civil right" nowadays is "something I really really want to do".

If it is a "right" that seems to me to open up a whole shitload of questions, if we're going to be intellectually consistent about this.

[highnumber]

Since we are a gov't of, for & by the people, how is it not a civil right for an adult citizen to be treated equally?

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

There is no such right, and the fact that the government pretends to be democratic doesn't logically create a "right to be treated equally".

That's just as well since our government "of, for & by the people" never treats people equally. Conscripting men but not women? "Progressive" taxation? Tax breaks for buying a house or squeezing out kids? Affirmative action? I don't see much equality there.

As an aside, talking about civil rights and quoting Lincoln to do it is just plain obscene.

[P Brooks]

Professor Germain has filed a motion with the Syracuse disciplinary body demanding a gag order against Audaer and his defense team. He wants Syracuse to issue an order forbidding Audaer from disclosing the contents of his own blog, or anything he gets from the university about the proceedings against him, to any third party unless the third parties agree in writing (1) not to disclose the names of any of the people identified in those blog posts or documents without their consent, and (2) to publish the entirety of documents, not just quotes from them, "in order to prevent misleading selective posting of information."

Note to self: NEVER hire anybody with a JD from Syracuse.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

What about the first year that is "especially slutty"? I think I could find a place for her if I ran a law firm.

[Brett L]

Sounds perfect for divorce work.

[John]

It is telling that the got so angry over a satirical blog. The one thing that self entitled assholes can't take is ridicule.

[Epeesiarch]

My ears are burning.

[Brett L]

WSJ runs an opinion piece against floating currency. Whilst Pauly Krugnuts defends the thesis that limited-modified capitalism ("free markets")was such a failure that it dominates the world economic scene.

Seriously, the NYT economics columnist is being beaten like a Tyson girlfriend by a former minister of El Salvador. Krugnuts should thank FSM that NYT doesn't believe in capitalism.

[Corduroy]

At least the Paulistas are showing up in Krugnuts comments. Normally, it's just one big lovefest for Pauly.

[Brett L]

From the Krugnuts comments:
"I'm glad that the Democrats, unlike Enron, ignored Paul Krugman's advice. Majorities of Democrats in the Senate and in the House voted to extend the landmark Bush tax cuts for the rich. "

That's got to hurt.

[Almanian]

Oh, that's gonna leave a mark

[P Brooks]

On DADT:
Sunday (yesterday, in the western hemisphere), I was foolish enough to watch part of Meet the Press. The assembled Obamaphiles were all jumping with glee at the President's Great Triumph. Forgive me if I missed something, but I don't recall the Vacillator in Chief being out in front of this issue; in fact, I could have sworn his administration has been trying to throw sand in the gears for the past two years.

[-]

Obama has said all along that he wants DADT repealed through an act of Congress, with the support of the military establishment, and not by Presidential decree.

[mick]

The food bill was neutered pretty well. It doesn't resemble the house bill at all and is essentially a slightly amped version of the original FDA law.

[generic Brand]

The Bank of America cuts off WikiLeaks.

A related story considering MasterCard suspended payments to WikiLeaks:
MasterCard, Clear strike deal, may speed cardholders through line

[P Brooks]

Speaking of the NYT's troupe of trained circus animals, Tommy Friedman was on CNBC this morning. Unfortunately (not really), I was unable to make it through the "jocular familiarity and imbecilic banter" portion of the show.
As it was, I barely escaped in possession of my mental faculties.

[?]

now i can't be as snotty to my liberal gay friends about voted democrat and getting nothing out of it.

Sure you can!

The repeal really only makes life better for a couple thousand gay rednecks who'd probably break about 60-40 for Palin?and that's who the Dems finally go to bat for? House queers!

What little isn't already checked off on the dread Gay Agenda? is all about using the state to stick it to imaginary hicks (and black people), and repealing DADT doesn't do that, much. Not purely, at least.

There's always an angle.

[T. J.]

thanks, i feel better already.

yeah, like i said above...repealing "DADT"-low priority on the "gay agenda"

[BakedPenguin]

"For half a year, people have been saying these elections will be unfair," [Belarus president Lukashenko] said.

Hell, people have been saying that for years, Luka.

[P Brooks]

A drunken early-morning fight between a New Mexico woman and her daughter-in-law ended Sunday when the older combatant tore the nipple off one of her kin's breasts

It's just a scratch.
Come back here, ya coward!
I'll bite yer leg off!

[Almanian]

What - you're going to bleed on me?

[Brett L]

4Loko ain't just for the kids

"The founder of Ron Jon's Surf Shop ? one of Brevard County's most popular and iconic tourist spots ? faces a third DUI charge after being stopped by a Brevard County Sheriff's deputy on Merritt Island.
...

A sheriff's deputy reported that DiMenna had in his truck a half-empty 20-ounce can of Four Loko, the controversial carbonated energy drink under scrutiny because of its potent mix of alcohol and caffeine. The drink has a 24-proof alcohol content."

[robc]

Who lists beer in terms of "proof" instead of ABV?

That was just to get a bigger number in the story, wasnt it?

BTW, my new year's beer is 10.4% ABV. OMG, I made a 21 proof beer! Funny thing is, I think it ended up a bit too sweet, if it had dried out more, I would be pushing 4Loko territory.

[Brett L]

Its a malt liquor. Liquor gets proofs! Or something.

I've no problem with strong brews, personally. The local craft beer bar has been carrying some awesome stuff. I always know when they've got the serving size on the board next to the price to be wary.

[hmm]

I like sweet beer, light or heavy. But that's just me. It always seem beer is so much easier to play with the ph and how dry it is than wine. I've screwed up some wines that will suck the moisture out of your head.

[robc]

wines that will suck the moisture out of your head.

malbec...yum.

[Clich? Bandit]

you should just lick a french white oak tree...same effect.

(in all fairness there are some Malbec's that I do enjoy but few...very few. I am a stupid yankee whole liks Napa wine even though I have drank the old world nearly dry)

[Lost_In_Translation]

What kind of yeast are you using?

[Kodos]

WLP 530 - Abbey Ale Yeast.

It took it from 1.093 to 1.013. I cant complain about that. I probably could have left it in fermenter another week and got another point, maybe. I made it later than I normally do, so not getting much ageing time. I brewed it 11/14 so not much turn around time for a 10% beer.

[robc]

Damn you fake names.

The old incif used to prevent that from happening.

Yet another thing the new format has screwed up.

[Rich]

All internet porn will be blocked to protect children, under UK government plan

Meh. The FCC will protect *everybody*.

[HR 847]

Reason has all but ignored this one. Are you eligible for benefits under the multi-billion-dollar HR 847 9/11 First Responders Entitlement Act? Here's a short list:

''(2) CURRENT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.?The
11 eligibility criteria described in this paragraph for an
12 individual is that the individual is described in any
13 of the following categories:
14 ''(A) FIREFIGHTERS AND RELATED PER15
SONNEL.?The individual?
16 ''(i) was a member of the Fire De17
partment of New York City (whether fire
18 or emergency personnel, active or retired)
19 who participated at least one day in the
20 rescue and recovery effort at any of the
21 former World Trade Center sites (includ22
ing Ground Zero, Staten Island Landfill,
23 and the New York City Chief Medical Ex24
aminer's Office) for any time during the
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35
HR 847 PCS
1 period beginning on September 11, 2001,
2 and ending on July 31, 2002; or
3 ''(ii)(I) is a surviving immediate fam4
ily member of an individual who was a
5 member of the Fire Department of New
6 York City (whether fire or emergency per7
sonnel, active or retired) and was killed at
8 the World Trade site on September 11,
9 2001; and
10 ''(II) received any treatment for a
11 WTC-related health condition described in
12 section 3312(a)(1)(A)(ii) (relating to men13
tal health conditions) on or before Sep14
tember 1, 2008.
15 ''(B) LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND
16 WTC RESCUE, RECOVERY, AND CLEANUP WORK17
ERS.?The individual?
18 ''(i) worked or volunteered onsite in
19 rescue, recovery, debris cleanup, or related
20 support services in lower Manhattan (south
21 of Canal St.), the Staten Island Landfill,
22 or the barge loading piers, for at least 4
23 hours during the period beginning on Sep24
tember 11, 2001, and ending on Sep25
tember 14, 2001, for at least 24 hours
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36
HR 847 PCS
1 during the period beginning on September
2 11, 2001, and ending on September 30,
3 2001, or for at least 80 hours during the
4 period beginning on September 11, 2001,
5 and ending on July 31, 2002;
6 ''(ii)(I) was a member of the Police
7 Department of New York City (whether
8 active or retired) or a member of the Port
9 Authority Police of the Port Authority of
10 New York and New Jersey (whether active
11 or retired) who participated onsite in res12
cue, recovery, debris cleanup, or related
13 services in lower Manhattan (south of
14 Canal St.), including Ground Zero, the
15 Staten Island Landfill, or the barge load16
ing piers, for at least 4 hours during the
17 period beginning September 11, 2001, and
18 ending on September 14, 2001;
19 ''(II) participated onsite in rescue, re20
covery, debris cleanup, or related services
21 in at Ground Zero, the Staten Island
22 Landfill, or the barge loading piers, for at
23 least one day during the period beginning
24 on September 11, 2001, and ending on
25 July 31, 2002;
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37
HR 847 PCS
1 ''(III) participated onsite in rescue,
2 recovery, debris cleanup, or related services
3 in lower Manhattan (south of Canal St.)
4 for at least 24 hours during the period be5
ginning on September 11, 2001, and end6
ing on September 30, 2001; or
7 ''(IV) participated onsite in rescue, re8
covery, debris cleanup, or related services
9 in lower Manhattan (south of Canal St.)
10 for at least 80 hours during the period be11
ginning on September 11, 2001, and end12
ing on July 31, 2002;
13 ''(iii) was an employee of the Office of
14 the Chief Medical Examiner of New York
15 City involved in the examination and han16
dling of human remains from the World
17 Trade Center attacks, or other morgue
18 worker who performed similar post-Sep19
tember 11 functions for such Office staff,
20 during the period beginning on September
21 11, 2001, and ending on July 31, 2002;
22 ''(iv) was a worker in the Port Au23
thority Trans-Hudson Corporation Tunnel
24 for at least 24 hours during the period be-
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38
HR 847 PCS
1 ginning on February 1, 2002, and ending
2 on July 1, 2002; or
3 ''(v) was a vehicle-maintenance worker
4 who was exposed to debris from the former
5 World Trade Center while retrieving, driv6
ing, cleaning, repairing, and maintaining
7 vehicles contaminated by airborne toxins
8 from the September 11, 2001, terrorist at9
tacks during a duration and period de10
scribed in subparagraph (A).
11 ''(C) RESPONDERS TO THE SEPTEMBER 11
12 ATTACKS AT THE PENTAGON AND
13 SHANKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.?The indi14
vidual?
15 ''(i)(I) was a member of a fire or po16
lice department (whether fire or emergency
17 personnel, active or retired), worked for a
18 recovery or cleanup contractor, or was a
19 volunteer; and performed rescue, recovery,
20 demolition, debris cleanup, or other related
21 services at the Pentagon site of the ter22
rorist-related aircraft crash of September
23 11, 2001, during the period beginning on
24 September 11, 2001, and ending on the
25 date on which the cleanup of the site was
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39
HR 847 PCS
1 concluded, as determined by the WTC Pro2
gram Administrator; or
3 ''(II) was a member of a fire or police
4 department (whether fire or emergency
5 personnel, active or retired), worked for a
6 recovery or cleanup contractor, or was a
7 volunteer; and performed rescue, recovery,
8 demolition, debris cleanup, or other related
9 services at the Shanksville, Pennsylvania,
10 site of the terrorist-related aircraft crash
11 of September 11, 2001, during the period
12 beginning on September 11, 2001, and
13 ending on the date on which the cleanup of
14 the site was concluded, as determined by
15 the WTC Program Administrator; and
16 ''(ii) is determined by the WTC Pro17
gram Administrator to be at an increased
18 risk of developing a WTC-related health
19 condition as a result of exposure to air20
borne toxins, other hazards, or adverse
21 conditions resulting from the September
22 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and meets such
23 eligibility criteria related to such expo24
sures, as the WTC Program Administrator
25 determines are appropriate, after consultation...

etc. etc.

[HR 847]

Nothing on HR 847, the 9/11 First Responders, Friends and Family Entitlement Act?

[P Brooks]

I tried to read that Krugabe column, but my brain shut down when he trotted out the "Clinton raised taxes, and the economy BOOMED" argument.

Dear Doktor Krugabe-

I have this magical rock which I believe you would be extremely interested in...

[Old Mexican]

Re: P Brooks,

I tried to read that Krugabe column, but my brain shut down when he trotted out the "Clinton raised taxes, and the economy BOOMED" argument.

I've heard the same argument (having the same reaction as you do), and the interesting part is that it is not true, it's a lie - one can't even discern this from reading economic metrics from the 90's, so anybody that forwards that argument is oviously LYING through their teeth.

http://blog.heritage.org/2010/.....al-lesson/

"Well, the truth is that the real boom didn't happen until after 1997, the year Clinton cut taxes. From 1993-1996, a time when the economy was recovering from recession so expected growth should be strong, real economic growth averaged 3.2 percent and 11.2 million jobs were added. During the period 1997-2000 real economic growth averaged 4.2 percent and employment increased by 11.5 million jobs."

[robc]

The 1997-2000 time frame was the first period of the Feds EZ money policy. Which was the direct cause of the tech stock boom. After that crash, period two started and well, we all know the results of that.

[Old Mexican]

Re: robc,

Indeed. Even so, the "taxes rise, boom follows" argument is not supported by economic theory, or facts.

[robc]

Exactly, boom was a result of EZ money, which is a bad idea.

[Lost_In_Translation]

To be fair, more like EZ debt as they didn't print any of the "money" that was spent.

[Old Mexican]

The Senate votes to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell...
...does not pass the DREAM Act...
...and revives a food regulation bill that looked dead.

Well, if nothing else, the Senate shows it is consistent . . .

[P Brooks]

As I recall, when FDR raised taxes, Germany invaded Poland.

[Old Mexican]

Educating Tony:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....r_embedded

[robc]

Nice one.

[Warty]

That was quite good.

[Wind Rider]

But TOTALLY unrealistic. The agents didn't shoot George's dog.

[JW]

Social contract!!! ROADS! SOLMALIA!

[kinnath]

Outstanding. Forced me to learn how to link stuff in Facebook -- First time I ever felt the need.

[robc]

PJ O'Rourke had a similar piece in Parliament of Whores. The chapter is titled "Would You Kill Your Mother to Pave I-95?"

[hmm]

Get your nerd groove on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psosLpDALuA

[BakedPenguin]

God, I love geeky girls. She makes me want to finish the calculus sequence and get an MS in Econ.

[Wind Rider]

I can't decide if she'd be hotter if she gave Welch his glasses back or not.

[hmm]

Some schools have the Math Econ route. I never fully agreed with the retarded requirement for calc III, linear, and dif eq. In reality all it does is pound the simpler math you use in econ into your head over 2 years.

[J sub D]

Chavez's congressional allies are considering extending the "Social Responsibility Law" for broadcast media to the Internet, banning messages that "disrespect public authorities," "incite or promote hatred" or crimes, or are aimed at creating "anxiety" in the population.
...
"They're calling me a dictator?" Chavez said, dismissing the criticism. "They're the dictators, those who are crazy for installing the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie once again in Venezuela - but we'll never again allow them."

Only a moron would have been unable to foresee this coming.

joe|10.31.07 @ 12:33PM

You mean Chavez's mind-control rays haven't turned the entirety of the Venezuelan populace and its democratic institutions into an army of undead slaves?

Gee, who could have seen that coming?

Trust democracy.

[Clich? Bandit]

Ahhh joe...i miss him. Too bad he isnt around anymore.

[jo]

Yeah. He could never use a fake fake name.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Are you saying it's possible that Joe saw the error of his ways and had to kill off his old persona so he could create a separate newfound identity without being perpetually guilted about his naive stage?

[T]

Wait, do we have a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie here in America? Because I want some of those sweet dictator perks, like having my enemies fed to crocodiles and a fat offshore bank account.

[nekoxgirl]

Is this the same food bill that involves making it illegal to give vegetables to your neighbors or some craziness?

[Brian E]

I've been trying to figure that out myself. I saw a bunch of hysteria about it from 2009ish, then the issue dropped, and now it's been passed. I'm too lazy to read the damn thing myself to see if it's as bad as it was when it was first floated. Any better links out there?

[J sub D]

So far this is all smoke and no fire -- but I hope the new House GOP leadership takes allegations of corruption among their ranks more seriously than their Democratic predecessors.
I hope I get a pony from Santa.

[GoNavy]

Just to make everyones day:

Accountability, honesty lacking in police shooting investigations

http://www.delawareonline.com/.....stigations

http://www.delawareonline.com/.....1012110305

I don't know if this police shooting has been discussed or not yet. What is missing from this article is Hale never fired a shot and was originally bill approximately $45k for the vet bill for a police dog the police shot while shooting Hale.

The Beau Biden in the article is VP Joe Biden's son.

[TrickyVic]

""All cleared the officer, then-Lt. William Browne. He is now a captain.""

Of course!

[JT]

Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal has provided freerepublic with a new reason to purge. I lasted one post

[John]

My God the Hyundai hipster Christmas commercial is annoying, although the hipster girl is quite cute in her own way. Still annoying though.

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

That's what I thought too. I turn off the sound. (I generally do that for commercials anyway; even the few good ones get annoying because they run them over and over and over.)

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Snob rant time!

Yeah, what's with all the annoying twee coffeehouse faux-indie crap that has overtaken commercials the past few years? It's so awful, ubiquitous and corporatized now that it debases good twee indie pop from the distant past (Television Personalities, Flying Nun, etc). You can't blame those bands for what they inadvertently spawned - that's like blaming the Pixies for indirectly spawning Nickelback. But the lines are so blurred anymore between the corporatized mainstream and the "underground" that used to parody, attack or ignore the mainstream. Everything is palatable but never classic, cloyingly catchy but ephemeral, psuedo-ironic but dumbed down, and full of indicators but lacking soul or originality. Maybe that's why it was so easy for indie music to be coopted.

I blame Pitchfork. Bah humbug.