Reason Morning Links: Manufacturing Improves, Overstating Wikileaks Damage, Lieberman and Conrad To Retire

• Looking for the next Tunisia.
• Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) announces he'll retire in 2012.
• Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), too.
• U.S. officials privately concede that Wikileaks damage was limited; may have oversold claims of harm to shut the site down.
• For the first time in a decade, U.S. manufacturing creates more jobs than it loses.
• Bomb found along MLK Day parade route in Spokane.
• More evidence that the Vatican discouraged reporting of sex abuse.

Comments

[Brett L]

Sharks in OZ use floods to broaden diet.

[bullshark]

Aussies are gamey but the AIDS ratio is lower. We learned our lesson after that tsunami near Phuket. Sure, 200,000 in the drink is all great stuff but you were rolling the dice at that buffet.

[Brett L]

Plus their livers come pre-marinated in beer!

[Fist of Etiquette]

I can only imagine what freakshow Connecticut will elect in Leiberman's place.

Where's my Tuscon fix? No links at all?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Preferably one with the correct spelling.

[capitol l]

At least they don't post the pick of Loughner in a thong stroking his firearms with every article.

[SugarFree]

Pre-Op Transexual Bernie Sanders with a with a corpus callostomy, causing him to mutter to herself constantly.

[capitol l]

Pre-Op Transexual Bernie Sanders with a with a corpus callostomy, causing him to mutter to herself constantly.

Sounds familiar.

Is that the same person that is always on here exhorting us to read her blog?

[Clancy]

You mean rectal?

[generic Brand]

Peter Schiff may take another run at the Senate. 98% chance he won't get it, but I'd like to see him run and maybe get more exposure for someone who actually understands monetary policy.

[Old Mexican]

Re: Generic Brand,

Peter Schiff may take another run at the Senate. 98% chance he won't get it

Probably not, but I hope he gets the GOP nomination and have a chance to debate Blumenthal. I mean, MacMahon didn't win but she sure made the guy sweat in their last debate.

[capitol l]

What in the hell is a 'wikileak'? Sounds newfangled.

[Ooops!]

Hawaii governor can't find Obama birth certificate:

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=252833

[The Sheep]

Chris Matthews blames Sarah Palin.

[Andrew]

Palin fed it to baby Trig -she thought it was his birth certificate .

[capitol l]

Good, maybe now we can throw that bum Obama out, and get a real American as our president...Joe Biden yeah!

[VoteMuslimNoPork]

Damn it ... this whole birther thing is never going to die. There are enough gaps to keep this thing going until 2016.

[Pip]

"WND has reported that in 1961, Obama's grandparents, Stanley and Madelyn Dunham, could have made an in-person report of a Hawaii birth even if the infant Barack Obama Jr. had been foreign-born.

Similarly, the newspaper announcements of Obama's birth do not prove he was born in Hawaii, since they could have been triggered by the grandparents registering the birth as Hawaiian, even if the baby was born elsewhere.

Moreover, WND has documented that the address reported in the newspaper birth announcements was the home of the grandparents."

[Tim]

WND: Whirled Nut Deluge

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Even if he wasn't born in the US, his mom was an American citizen, therefore he qualifies for natural born American citizenship. It doesn't matter whether his mom gave birth to him in Siberia or Ghana, as long as he is born to an American citizen he has the right to declare citizenship at birth. Should John "Panamanian" McCain have been disqualified because his dad was stationed abroad?

Birthers seem to revel in all the stereotypes the Left wants to brand the Right with.

[Clancy]

WND has also reported that Tim Adams, a former senior elections clerk for the city and county of Honolulu in 2008, has maintained that there is no long-form, hospital-generated birth certificate on file with the Hawaii Department of Health and that neither Honolulu hospital ? Queens Medical Center or Kapiolani Medical Center ? has any record that Obama was born there.

[capitol l]

I bet that Obama was never born at all. He just woke up in a glowing bathtub; ready to do the bidding of his malevolent robotic overlords.

[Tim]

We never did get to see a number 7

[generic Brand]

It's been a while since I've heard the birther theory. Isn't one of his parents American anyway, so there's no debate as to whether or not he is American?

[R C Dean]

Isn't one of his parents American anyway, so there's no debate as to whether or not he is American?

I seem to recall that the law in 1961 required that both parents be citizens if born outside the US, or that if only one parent was a citizen, he/she had to meet certain residency requirements, which Obama's mother didn't meet.

It will be interesting to see if any of the newly Republican-dominated states pass laws requiring proof of eligibility for office in order to be listed on a ballot in 2012.

[Pro Libertate]

I'm sure this is all total nonsense, but it would be so awesome to have it turn out that he wasn't born in the U.S. We need that kind of scandal to shake things up.

[Brett L]

He was born in Hawaii. Are we gonna let 'Ricans and Guamanians be President next? We could throw the left a bone and exclude Alaskans....

[Pro Libertate]

That would be a more amusing angle--questioning the statehood of Hawaii.

[CrackertyAssCracker]

Man didn't you know that the Hawaii state hood act was passed in an illegal session of congress without a proper quorum? Not only that but their were little fringy-thingies on the flag which means it was actually a naval admirality flag and not a real U.S. flag, so it totally didn't count.

[JW]

So he's an anchor baby, eh?

[Number 2]

Still, since Obama could blow the birthers away simply by releasing the birth certificate and discrediting the birthers for all time, I have to ask why he refuses to do this.

[Pro Libertate]

I can explain. His birth certificate shows that he was one of a pair of twins. One died. The evil one lived.

[Ron]

That would be indescribably awesome.

Hope's Twin by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins

[Marshall Gill]

since Obama could blow the birthers away simply by releasing the birth certificate and discrediting the birthers for all time, I have to ask why he refuses to do this.

You should ask, why do it? At this point in time, if he has the form, what would it's release do? It would satisfy a group of people who are considered the equivalent of Truthers. Why would you want to shut up a group of political opponents that most think are nuts? How many equate it with racism or, like below, social conservatism?

Let's face it, convincing every Birther out there probably would not garner him a single vote or ounce of political support.

[Corduroy]

This birther crap is driving me nuts. I'll be glad when the SoCons just give up completely and hide out in Idaho somewhere.

[Ice Nine]

>>Hawaii governor can't find Obama birth certificate:

Well, I imagine not - not since, oh say, a few months before this, anyway.

[J sub D]

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) announces he'll retire in 2012.

Halle-fucking-lujah. He's the anti-libertarian.

[capitol l]

Joe Anti-Liebertarian-Man?

Sorry.

[Brett L]

I was just thinking when I heard that this morning that Joe Lieberman is everything that's wrong with so-called Independent senators. Well, actually the socialist from VT is worse.

[generic Brand]

At least the Socialist doesn't hide the fact that he's a socialist. Joe Lieberman tries to act like he can play both sides of the field. Problem is, he spends like a Democrat and restricts freedoms like a Republican!

[Ragin Cajun]

Or spends like a Republican and restricts freedoms like a Democrat. Which is which again?

[generic Brand]

Touchey!

[Clich? Bandit]

c'mon dude...touch?

My pretentious accent aigu

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

You got chocolate in my peanut butter...

[Virginia]

Conrad too! Today has started out very well.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

Bomb found along MLK Day parade route in Spokane

Damn you Sarah Palin!

From the article: Another explosive device was found March 23 beside the Thomas S. Foley U.S. Courthouse in downtown Spokane.

National Chip and Dip Day?!?

Damn you to hell, Sarah Palin!

[Bored]

not surprising at all given the proximity to Idaho. For those that don't know Idaho is headqarters for World Church of the Creator aka neo nazi skinheads

[Anonymous Coward]

False flag. Since the FBI's sole activity seems to be entrapment, is it that crazy that they would leave a bomb and then "find" it later?

[Mango Punch]

Two from drudge
1)Man arrested for taking pictures at Miami International Airport turns out he's an illegal imigrant and is getting deported to boot
2) US Teen arrested and allegedly tortured in Kuwait possibly at the behest of US officials

[Amakudari]

Greenwald been all over the latter story, if you want some more detailed reading. Here's the latest one, which includes links to his previous articles.

[Mike M.]

It makes me sick to my stomach to see communist Chinese dictator Hu Jintao getting his ass kissed by sorry-ass Obama and treated as though he's our moral and political equal while he shits all over us at every opportunity.

[The Sheep]

Horton hears a Hu.

[Rather]

lol
I know you're regular-which one....?

[Rather]

You know I'm a tubgirl. Which one...?

[Abdul]

Hey, if a guy owned most of your debt, you'd kiss his ass too.

[generic Brand]

Actually if someone owed my debt I'd say thank you and do everything I could to pay it off as fast as I could. Obama has interest in neither, so he's really just ass-kissing so that he can have a decent position in the future Chinese hegemony.

[Mike M.]

They own a lot for sure, but not most of it, it's less than $900 billion. And it hasn't increased in nearly two years, so there's really no reason for us to kiss their ass anymore, especially when they're in a full-fledged currency war against us.

[CaptainSmartass]

If you owe the bank $1M, the bank owns you. If you owe the bank $1B, you own the bank. China should be kissing our ass at every opportunity just so we don't devalue our currency and destroy their economy.

[Tim]

The sad thing there is Hu's about the only person left in the world who will directly criticize Obama's governance.

[The Hu]

Hu are you?

[Rather]

OK sheep, you're clever too

[Pro Libertate]

Chinamen hate black folk.

There's got to be a Hu's on first joke here, too.

[Tim]

Third base.

[Ragin Cajun]

I guess dinner went well, then.

[Fuzzy Zoeller]

I love black people and fried chicken
and collard greens and Chinese people and cooked cat with noodles

[Rather]

I love sticking things in my rectum.

Read my blog.

[A Tony]

By "things" do you mean SugarFree?

[Anonymous Coward]

Barack Obama visits the Hu Dat Nation

[Ice Nine]

>>It makes me sick to my stomach to see communist Chinese dictator Hu Jintao getting his ass kissed by sorry-ass Obama

Didja see the welcome ceremony photo yesterday? Obamsequious bowed again! It is an inherent compulsion in this worm.

[Pro Libertate]

I just heard that Harry Reid called the Chinese president (now visiting the U.S.) a dictator. He's getting abused for the remark, regardless of its accuracy, but the context of the statement struck me as a little odd:

"Jon, I am going to go back to Washington tomorrow and meet with the president of China. He is a dictator," Reid said with a grin. "He can do a lot of things through the form of government they have."

When I first saw this, I thought "Good for the jackass!" Then I read that bit about the dictator being able to "do a lot of things" under the Chinese form of government.

Reid's catching some hell for calling a visiting leader a dictator, but the way I read it, it sounds like he was engaging in some totalitarianism envy, ? la Tom Friedman.

[cynical]

Probably just like Bush's similar dictator joke.

[cynical]

Though of course Bush caught a lot of flak for it.

[Pro Libertate]

I don't mind a senator calling a dictator a dictator, even if it's a social faux pas. Kissing ass is the administration's problem.

What I mind is this idea that there's a benefit to a dictator being able to do a lot of things or that it's viewed by a member of the American government at all favorably. Frankly, I think that's exactly what Reid was doing (not that he wants dictatorship here, necessarily, though who knows with this wacko?).

[Pro Libertate]

It we didn't keep falling over ourselves to please the Chinese (been doing it since the 70s, though for different reasons over time), maybe they'd have liberalized more by now. Instead, we keep telling them, "Oppress away! Just keep making cheap[er] stuff for us! Oh, yeah, fuck liberal, capitalistic Taiwan!"

China is completely vulnerable to a long-term recession in the West, as without our engine of consumption, they're screwed. As an aside, they get some short-term lift when consumers get bargain conscious. But that's a relatively temporary phenomenon. A serious recession for them at this point would likely mean political unrest, which is looking inevitable. Which is why my money in Asia is on India and on a somewhat resurgent (one of these days) Japan.

[Tim]

Who says China is on the rise?

He does.

Who's he?

He's Hu!

[generic Brand]

What about South Korea?

[Tim]

Who?

[Pro Libertate]

A strong finisher, but always in second place. Nothing wrong with that, of course.

[cynical]

"What I mind is this idea that there's a benefit to a dictator being able to do a lot of things or that it's viewed by a member of the American government at all favorably."

That's exactly what I was referring to with Bush's dictator joke. "If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator"

I'm not saying that Reid wasn't being at least partially serious, but the article suggests his comment came across as tongue-in-cheek; you're probably looking at it so negatively due to personal dislike and the technocratic tendencies of progs in general (which often manifests as Chicom love, to be sure). Dislike and mistrust is same reason Bush's similarly tongue-in-cheek statement caught so much flak from the usual suspects and was taken more seriously than it deserved.

[Pro Libertate]

Oh, is that what Bush said? Not a very funny or appropriate joke for a president.

[Amakudari]

I am going to go back to Washington tomorrow and meet with the president of China. He is a dictator.

10/10

He can do a lot of things through the form of government they have.

1/10

Maybe I shouldn't have said dictator.

0.5/10

But they have a different type of government then we have, and that is an understatement. So we have to work in the system we have, the best system ever devised to rule the affairs of men and women. And one of the few ways we get things done, in fact the most important way we get things done, is through compromise. It's not a bad word, and that is how we get things done.

0/10

Flashing another grin, Reid added, "Herp derp."

[Pro Libertate]

What's funny is that if he'd just said "The dude's a dictator--fuck him!", he could've enjoyed a major lift in his popularity. Quite a few people in the U.S. are uncomfortable with Chinese oppression and off-and-on belligerence to the West.

I'd have called him a dictator, then I'd have noted parenthetically that there are other nations with cheaper labor that could replace China easily in 4-5 years.

By the way, since Reid is supposed to meet with the guy, calling him a dictator does violate Miss Manners' rules about meeting with tyrants. You're supposed to call them names after you meet with them.

[Amakudari]

Ideal delivery: "He's a dictator. Haha, just kidding. But not really. Hey, this mic isn't on, is it? But seriously, one of my really good friends is a Chinaman. I mean dictator."

[Pro Libertate]

He should keep slipping up, then correcting himself. Over and over again.

[Slut Bunwalla]

"Sorry, I'm a little unfocused, I've just got this really painful chink in my neck. I mean prick. I mean, I hope it'll be better by the time I have to meet with the tyrant. I mean dictator."

[Pro Libertate]

Statesmanship. Pure, unmitigated, statesmanship.

[Jim Hansen]

Tellin' it like it oughta be!

[CrackertyAssCracker]

What is the difference between Hu and a jock strap?

One is a dictator, and one is a dick toter. Thank you. I'll be here all the week.

[generic Brand]

The discovery before Monday's parade for the slain civil rights leader raised the possibility of a racial motive in a region that has been home to the white supremacist Aryan Nations.

It's not a real threat if the victims were white. Eric Holder said so!

[SugarFree]

Maybe someone just hates parades. I'm not very fond of them.

[generic Brand]

Even if it's Carnival?

[SugarFree]

Naked Brazilian girls > Dour January trudge through Spokane. All parades are not created equal.

[Tim]

You've put your finger on it. Dour, sour and angry. Way to celebrate the man's life. Now come donate to the Reverend Al.

[Clancy]

I'm living in the wrong god damn country.

[Pro Libertate]

Even if it's the Fuckparade?

[JW]

TechnoViking is his own parade! All other parades submit to his will!

[Pro Libertate]

Just think, he could be like the King of All Media if he went public. Instead, he chose to be mythological figure. Awesome!

[capitol l]

Mother pleads guilty to killing FBI agent, gets 15 years for protecting her kids.

Guess it could have been worse.

[Brett L]

"printemaillinkShare this:twitterfacebookmoreText Size:AAAKorbe Sentenced To 15 Years In FBI Agent's Slaying

Embed this VideoxEmailFacebookDiggTwitterYahoo BuzzRedditDelicious Link
Posted: 8:59 am EST January 17, 2011
Updated: 4:41 pm EST January 18, 2011

PITTSBURGH -- A Pittsburgh-area woman who shot a federal agent to death during an early morning raid on her home pleaded guilty Tuesday but said federal agents share the blame for the deadly confrontation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RAW: Slain FBI Agent's Wife Talks After Sentencing

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Christina Korbe, 42, was sentenced to 15 years and 10 months in prison in the 2008 shooting death of Special Agent Samuel Hicks after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and weapons charges.

She apologized to Hicks' wife and family but affixed some of the blame for his death on law enforcement agencies that descended on her home to arrest her husband on drug charges.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read Christina Korbe's letter to the Hicks family:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3

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"The element of surprise is not worth someone's life," Korbe said.

Korbe had repeatedly claimed she fired on officers who raided her Indiana Township home because she thought they were intruders.

Hicks, 33, of Richland Township, was killed by one shot that struck him just above his bulletproof vest. He left behind a wife and toddler son.

During the hearing Hicks' widow Brooke told the court, "I will never be able to forgive her [Korbe] for what she did to me and Noah."

Channel 11's Alan Jennings was in court for the testimony. He reports that Hicks' son was an infant when he died.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTOS: Federal Agents, Family Of Samuel Hicks Hold News Conference
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brooke Hicks went on to say, "I must explain to Noah that a woman on drugs killed his daddy. Noah will never get excited again when he heard his daddy is coming home."

Prosecutors insisted that Hicks and other law officers loudly and clearly identified themselves before using a battering ram to bust through the Korbes' door."

WTF? Because nobody would ever raid a drug house and shout "POLICE! POLICE!" and wear tac gear. Right? Actually, I'm thinking of taking that up as my new line of work.

[generic Brand]

I'm not a lawyer (yet) but this to me seems irrelevant to the proceedings.

During the hearing Hicks' widow Brooke told the court, "I will never be able to forgive her [Korbe] for what she did to me and Noah."

Pure brownie points for the prosecution, nothing more. Am I wrong?

[Montani Semper Liberi]

I believe that statement was given during the sentencing hearing after the defendant plead guilty. I think you're allowed to say pretty much whatever you want at that point.

[generic Brand]

Oh okay. I just saw that it was said "to the court" so thought it was as some sort of prosecution witness. Good looks

[Clancy]

Actually not. I met a woman who's mother was stabbed to death (140 times) and she said that her impact statement at sentencing was heavily edited by the convicted killer's defense attorney.

[Ted S.]

That woman's mother wasn't a government agent.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

I saw that on the news last night. I'm surprised Balko hasn't had an article up about it. One more life lost and another destroyed thanks to no-knock raids. You'd think LEOs would figure out they are actually putting themselves in more danger by doing things this way, and stop them. I guess the adrenaline rush of getting to play out their 80's action flick fantasies is too intoxicating to give up.

[SugarFree]

the adrenaline rush of getting to play out their 80's action flick fantasies

Tango and Cash has a lot to answer for.

[Warty]

Brooke Hicks went on to say, "I must explain to Noah that a woman on drugs killed his daddy. Noah will never get excited again when he heard his daddy is coming home."

Maybe she could explain that if the kid's worthless daddy had minded his own fucking business...no, too much to hope.

[nicole]

Ugh.

"Christina Korbe was not protecting her children," Carrabotta said. "Samuel was protecting her children."

Yes, by breaking into their home and taking their parents away. I think I'm going to be sick.

[Slut Bunwalla]

Yeah, I just about threw up when I read that.

[Virginia]

There is no chance in hell that anyone will hear your announced presence at 5AM when they are asleep, let alone process what you announced in the second it takes SWAT to obliterate the threshold to your private residence.

[Johnitalia]

And of course only the police are able to yell the word "Police". Every time I try to say it my mouth just freezes up.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Good point - I'm surprised more criminal (non-LEO) home invasions haven't started by shouting "police!" so the person inside is somewhat less likely to be armed. Also, they're less likely to call the police.

[Brett L]

I'm gonna start robbing drug houses (since that where the cash and the drugs are) wearing tac gear and shouting "POLICE!" as I kick in the door.

[Coeus]

Good point - I'm surprised more criminal (non-LEO) home invasions haven't started by shouting "police!"

It happens occasionally, and over the last two years it's geting more

An example:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/sto.....4frequent.

[Tim]

Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait all shitting in their pants over this Tunisia business. I say "heh".

[Pro Libertate]

As should all Mediterranean countries as Carthage rises yet again!

It could work out that way, you know.

[Tim]

Sadly I look for them to whip up some hot, fresh Jew hate to tide them over.

[Pro Libertate]

No, no, it'll be love, peace, and harmony among the Semitic peoples of the region. As they unite to invade and destroy the Italian peninsula.

[Tim]

No elep[hants this time, the enviromentos will see to that.

[Pro Libertate]

Disappointed!

[Tim]

They can wait a few years for cloned mammoths. Clones aren't protected by law.

[Pro Libertate]

I bet mammoths can get through the Alps better than elephants, anyway. Especially over the paved highways.

[SugarFree]

But do mammoths like to drink as much as elephants?

[Tim]

They won't fit in the tunnels...

[Pro Libertate]

The Carthaginian navy could just ship them to Italy. It's not like the Italian navy could stop them.

[Tim]

I hear their subs have screen doors...

[RyanXXX]

Maybe then Berlusconi will be declared temporary Dictator, as was the Roman custom. It'd be the perfect distraction from this underage prostitute business.

[Pro Libertate]

Which wouldn't even be a crime under the Roman system. He may take up your suggestion.

[SugarFree]

Octomom Whipping a Dude in a Diaper

It is what it says.

[Brett L]

That poor chick has a LOT of mouths to feed, you know. If fetish-play keeps her 14 babies fed, who am I to judge?

[capitol l]

Doesn't she have her own real kids to beat?

Jeeze those kids are going to be mega-fucked up. Brace yourself for the inevitable lohanesque octobaby stories to come.

[Syd Henderson]

He was asking for it.

[Brett L]

Dear squirrels:

You can kiss my ass. That wasn't spam.

[Tim]

Already this morning I've won the Swiss (email) Lottery and been propositioned by a wealthy young widow who has 7 million pounds stirling to hide from her sinister step father.

[J sub D]

That's what happens when you outsource IT work to squirrels in Mumbai.

[Old Mexican]

U.S. officials privately concede that Wikileaks damage was limited; may have oversold claims of harm to shut the site down.

Translation: We lied. So what?

[Tim]

It's hard to say just how some things never change, and it's hard to find any strength to draw the line.

[J sub D]

Rappers videotaping cop goes to Michigan Supreme Court.

Gary Brown was a police official at the time. He warned concert organizers that power would be turned off if they showed a sexually explicit video. The confrontation was taped and later included in a DVD of the "Up In Smoke" tour, featuring Eminem and others.

Brown says his privacy was violated by the video. Dr. Dre lawyer Herschel Fink says there's no privacy when police are doing their job. Dr. Dre is a defendant but won't be attending the Supreme Court arguments.

[Old Mexican]

Brown says his privacy was violated by the video.

"Only the mere serfs can have their right to privacy violated by us, the cops, not the other way around, bitch!"

[Tulpa]

Actually, he wasn't doing his job, he was overstepping his authority. So he does have a right to privacy.

He also has a right to be sent to prison for extortion and oppression under color of law though.

[DesigNate]

Dre and Eminem in Supreme Court Testimony would be fucking epic. I would totally pay to see that.

[Tim]

They'd show up in suits and ties and it'd be the end of their careers.

[Brett L]

How can all interactions with LEOs not be evidence either exculpatory or convicting of a person's behavior? If I'm interacting with a LEO, I want evidence of my lawful behavior. If it happens to catch his/her unlawful behavior, that's just bonus.

[R C Dean]

That's why I think there's a serious due process problem with any restrictions on recording law enforcement officers purporting to do their jobs.

How can you get a fair trial when its illegal to gather evidence to be used in your defense?

[Brett L]

Yup. I'm pretty sure officers in most anti-recording states don't have to ask your permission to record a traffic stop, or throw you in a holding cell and record you when they suspect you're drunk. The rules are skewed against exculpatory evidence which should certainly be a due process violation.

[Number 2]

Re Wikileaks...Over the weekend we read abou the latest embarassing, earth-shattering wikileaks revelation that demonstrates American hypocracy: America was "concerned" about Baby Doc returning to Haiti.

How can our government function with devastating secrets like that being released?

[Hobie Hanson]

"Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) announces he'll retire in 2012."

Look what you people have done. I hope you're happy. God knows where we'll find the next generation of statesmen willing to cross party lines to get things done.

[SugarFree]

The US embassy in Jakarta made a request for $100,000 in funding to boost its Facebook fans to one million weeks before Barack Obama's visit to Indonesia.

[Warty]

Why do you hate government, you monster? It is the only thing that is saving us from serfdom. Remember, libertarianism is a simple-minded right-wing ideology ideally suited to those unable or unwilling to see past their own sociopathic self-regard.

[Tim]

You kids and your Spacebook pages...

[Brett L]

I declare this the watershed moment where Facebook has officially become MySpace II and a replacement is right around the corner.

[wylie]

But no clues on what piece of trendy bullshit to invest in next. Thanks for nothing.

[cynical]

LinkedIn. It's the next big thing.

[Brett L]

WorkBook? Fail.

[Warty]

More guitar, please

[West Coaster]

Thank you, Warty...my iPod library is much better off because of your suggestions.

[Cyto]

ArsTechnica on encrypting your smartphone to avoid "search incident to arrest". Nice fit for a Balko morning links...

[Virginia]

thanks for posting.

[P Brooks]

Some hysterical retard is squealing on CNBC, right now.

China will bury us!!!!! We're DOOOOOOOMED

[Pro Libertate]

China isn't a threat to us. We're a threat to us.

[Tim]

We have WMD too.

[Pro Libertate]

Maybe we should bomb our nuclear plants--just to be be safe.

[Brett L]

So wait, whose economy goes to shit when we default on our debt? Starts with "Chi-" ends with "-na". Then they'll have worthless state-owned company paper AND worthless US treasury bonds. Not. Gonna. Happen.

[R C Dean]

So wait, whose economy goes to shit when we default on our debt?

Mainly ours. Followed by the Brits, the Japanese, and the Chinese, since they own the biggest chunks of our paper.

But the Chinese don't have to force a default to screw us in every hole. They just have to (a) stop buying our debt and (b) start selling their holdings in a calibrated way to force up the interest on Treasuries (and by extension on all credit in the US). That craters our budget and our economy, right there.

[Nick]

I would love it if no one bought our debt any more. Then we'd be forced to stop spending.

[Slut Bunwalla]

Hahahaha! Ahahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHA!

I'm sorry. It's just funny that you think even that will stop the spending.

[Warty]

Legalize it, don't criticize it

[Solanum]

Indianapolis Police, Reality Show 'The Shift' Named In False Arrest Suit

An Indianapolis man who spent nearly two years in jail before being cleared of murder charges has filed a federal lawsuit against police and the makers of a reality show that documented his arrest.

Hart's attorney said his client presented two alibi witnesses and passed a private polygraph test. Still, he was held in jail for nearly 700 days.

[P Brooks]

CNBC moron just whined about his audience's hostility to his Beloved Overlord, Obama.

Fuck you, Mark Haines. Go be co-host of the ED! show, you ass-kissing dipshit.

[Virginia]

Manufacturing's UP! Okay, what's the catch?

And state and local governments were willing to kick in about $30 million of incentives?including grants and property tax breaks?if Whirlpool stayed in the area.

$30 million for 1,630 jobs = $18,405 per job. These are $22/hour jobs. $18,405 is $8.85/hour so approx 40% of the direct labor cost of the 1,630 new manufacturing jobs is paid for by the taxpayers of Cleveland.

But hey, manufacturing employment is UP!

[Suki]

Sheila Jackson Lee says repeal of MaobamaCare is unconstitutional.

I am not sure who she is. They all look alike to me.

[Brett L]

Sheila Jackson Lee is pretty much my runaway favorite for stupidest person elected to federal office. I hope the TX republicans de-gerrymander her district.

[Cyto]

I dunno about that. I have dibbs on my old congresswoman - Cynthia McKinney. She's a keeper - among other things she is a "truther" and a supporter of Castro and Chavez. Makes me proud...

[Cyto]

Just in case you doubt her bona-fides for the award:

On September 28, 2008, at a press conference, McKinney announced that she had spoken with a constituent whose son was a National Guardsman. The constituent claimed her son had disposed of 5,000 bodies for the Department of Defense during the week of Hurricane Katrina. She further believed that there were credible reports that the bodies were prisoners who had all been crushed by tanks, shot in the head, painted blue, and dumped in a Louisiana swamp. McKinney said that the story had been corroborated by anonymous "insider" sources.

[Brett L]

Okay. I would put her in the same league, but I'm keeping SJL because she's currently serving.

[Old Mexican]

Re: Suki,

Sheila Jackson Lee says repeal of [O]bamaCare is unconstitutional.

Among the other really stupid things she has said...

The two Vietnams, side-by-side:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-50.....03544.html

Sheila's other stupid things she said:
http://www.examiner.com/public.....hat-stupid

And she's my congresswoman - I feel elated.

[Spoonman.]

Howdy neighbor.

/Mine's Culberson, next door.

[DesigNate]

Didn't realize there were so many Texas people on here. Mine's Jeb Hensarling, even though I live in East Dallas. Worst. District. Map. Ever.

[CrackertyAssCracker]

I enjoy using Lloyd Dogget's name as a quasi-cuss. Wherever you could say "God Damnit", "Lloyd Dogget" works just as well.

[P Brooks]

If interest rates were allowed to rise, maybe(!) we would see less misallocation of resources; and less transfer of wealth from savers to squanderers.

[CrackertyAssCracker]

You know how Stephen Colbert fake-hates bears? I really hate sharks that much. Every time a shark attack on a human occurs, we should invite one of those japaneese boats that comes in and catches a bunch of sharks and cuts of just their fins and dumps the rest back in the ocean. At least on the Gulf Coast. That'll show em.

[generic Brand]

I don't know how Stephen Colbert does anything, given that he is a dumbass.

[wylie]

Hey, jerk, the mentally disabled are fully capable of leading a productive and fulfilling life.

[Brett L]

We have a squad (pod?) of dolphins that hang out in front of the beach house in the Cape San Blas area. At least that's what we tell the Georgian/Alabamian/Canadian tourists...

[Warty]

Abortion doctor charged with murder

[Nick]

If the right to an abortion is due, according to SCOTUS, as a right to privacy, that let's mom off the hook. So, the doctor can remove the fetus from the womb but then must try to keep it alive or he's committing murder in the case of intentionally severing the spine, or at least negligence by not trying to keep it alive? First, do no harm? Very interesting.

[cynical]

How exactly is the mom off the hook? You speak as though she had no foreknowledge of what the doctor would do, instead of, you know, paying him to do it.

She might have the right to have the baby removed from her (can't say legally one way or the other with late term stuff), but if she pays to have it killed after that, that doesn't fall under that umbrella of privacy.

[Nick]

I'm just saying what the SCOTUS has said is her right. She apparently has a right to privacy that allows her to have an abortion, but the doctor has what, a right to sever the spinal cord of a baby? He doesn't have a right to an abortion, or does he? I'm so confused.

[cynical]

Why not the women who collaborated with him? If he's a baby hitman, surely the people that hired him are at least as much to blame?

[anarch]

And I was sure that >70% of the thread would be about the Church pedophilia cover-up.

[Nick]

Well, that was old news as well as obvious to anyone who was watching the last 20 or so years.

[R C Devil's Advocate]

Interesting take on abortion:

Your right to control your body, ground in your right to privacy, does not give any doctor the right to kill a baby.

I hadn't though of that one. It is kind of hard to see how my right to be let alone is transmogrified into the right of a third party to commit a crime on my behalf.

[RyanXXX]

Indeed, it'll be interesting to watch how the other side responds to that.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Not counting the Tucson incident and the Mavericks' losing streak, 2011 has been a fairly good year so far - Tunisia overthrows its government (potentially more to follow), Haiti arrests its former dictator, Lieberman announces his resignation, Rand Paul introduces a budget with $500 billion in cuts, dismantling of Obamacare by the courts and the House likely, and we will soon hopefully get to watch Gary Johnson, Ron Paul and Mitch Daniels own Palin, Huckabee and their ilk in the debates (not that they'll win, just that we'll get self-gratifying pleasure out of it, which is the best we can hope for when it comes to presidential politics.)

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

Thanks