Reason Morning Links: Boston Cops Storm OWS Camp, Super Duper Deficit Committee Meeting Only in Secret, Wisconsin Dems Announce Recall Effort for Scott Walker

• Garrett Quinn reports that Boston cops trashed an Occupy Wall Street camp in Dewey Square last night: "They stopped directly across from the new encampment and waited for over 15 paddywagons to arrive. Shortly thereafter officers appeared at the top of the new camp and started issuing warnings to those in the camp. At 1:40 am the police barreled through the first line of defense the occupiers put up, an old veterans group carrying flags known as Veterans for Peace."
• Wisconsin Democrats will begin gathering signatures for Gov. Scott Walker's recall next month. MSNBC's Ed Schultz is apparently letting the group make its announcement on his show.
• Members of the super committee tasked with reducing the deficit "often skitter away from journalists who wait outside their meetings, held up to seven hours a day"; "operate in an insular world." Republicans and Democrats who aren't on the committee say the secrecy makes them want to vote against the committee's recommendations. 
• The U.S. Senate is about to start a trade war in order to punish China for currency manipulation. 
• Herman Cain is neck and neck with Mitt Romney. 

Reason.tv: "Remy's Occupy Wall Street Protest Song"

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

MSNBC's Ed Schultz is apparently letting the group make its announcement on his show.

So they're trying to keep it a secret then?

[Bee Tagger]

They're going to hold the recall in a forest...

[hmm]

with a unicorn?

[WWNGD?]

I think Shultz's radio show is rated 9th in the nation, so his radio show isn't doing too bad. His TV show is still on local access.
http://www.talkers.com/heavy-hundred/

[$6M RoboTorso]

Everyone Is Passing Around This Picture Mocking The Anti-Corporate Protests

A very privileged protest: Wearing $300 jeans and from some of the most exclusive schools, the children of the one per cent out for a good time at Occupy Wall Street
...One student, who did not want to be named, admitted she had been sleeping at the protest site with her boyfriend despite living in nearby TriBeCa, a neighbourhood which is home to many of New York's A list celebrities.

While she is not camping out, she studies at Bard College in Manhattan - a private school which charges fees of up to $200,000 for a four-year degree....

...One of the students who joined in, an arts major at trendy Parsons design school in New York, flicked through pictures on her pricey laptop as she sat on the park floor.

Another listened to a speech and chanted along with furious activists while wearing a pair of True Religion jeans - which are marketed on their website at about $300....

[o2]

so the OWS'ers must fast, be naked, & use no implements or tools?...per whom exactly?

[$6M RoboTorso]

Hey, if I get slammed for driving on govt ROADZ!!!111eleven!!!111!, the the OWS crowd deserves to get slammed for their pricey corporate swag. The govt pretty much monopolizes ROADZ!!!111eleven!!!111!; nobody makes you buy $300 jeans.

[o2]

ha ha u r trying to reazon with an idiot haha

[o2]

say it dont spray it jeesch.

[PIRS]

Exactly. They could wear off brand jeans or used jeans they got from a charity thrift store like Goodwill or Cancer Thrift. But no, many of them buy new and expensive designer clothes.

[o2]

please post the wingnutz approved list

[o2]

idiot mole speak logic herp derp

[PIRS]

Hey, I am not the one speaking out against "evil corporations" as though all corporations are evil and they using products made by the very corporations they claim to hate. This is akin to someone who claims to be a vegan eating a cheeseburger made with real beef. Eat the cheeseburger if you want. Be a vegan if you want. But if you do both simultaneously expect to be called out on it.

[Fluffy]

Also, the only reason you would choose to purchase luxury status items like these is if you bought into the entire system of elevating yourself by consumption and denigrating others by their lack of consumption.

These fuckers are WORSE lackeys of the system than me. EVEN ME. I sit around singing the praises of greed and capital all day long, but I am not running around buying $300 jeans and thinking that makes me cooler and hipper and more attractive than the people around me. And that's exactly what these fuckers HAVE TO think, or they wouldn't buy this shit.

[Gray Ghost]

The woman in the article could have found those jeans at the Goodwill/Cancer Thrift type stores that PIRS mentions. I've found similar items while browsing at local thrift stores. While the markup for new designer goods is silly, often they're of higher quality---better fabric, better stitching, more durable---than their knockoffs. You can keep the stuff with logos plastered all over it, though.

Aren't these just the mid-60s protests, updated to the present day? With the same dynamic of responsible adults wondering why they don't get a job and why they're whining so much? Instead though of protesting the war and wanting free love and dope, the batch of protesters want...??? I'm not sure, but I am sure that they think that, whatever it is they're sitting in a park for, it beats going to class or hitting Mom/Dad up for an advance.

[R C Dean]

Aren't these just the mid-60s protests, updated to the present day?

Not really. The '60s protests were opposed to government oppression in its most direct form - denial of civil rights and the draft.

These seem to be primarily about increasing government control on a number of fronts. Plus, gimme free stuff.

[Private Idaho]

I'm a little behind the times. Are they protesting the Ground Zero Mosque or Four Loko?

[teh rael o2]

so they're hipster sell-outs if not wearing or using "acceptable" items AND also dirty hippies if they dont?

[Fluffy]

Yes.

If you cover yourself in pig shit, you're dirty.

If you claim to be covering yourself in pig shit, but it's secretly expensive makeup, you're inauthentic.

There is no contradiction involved in despising the genuine article, but also mocking people who are inauthentically claiming to be the genuine article but failing to measure up.

[Fluffy]

No -

But it does tend to put the lie to the "We represent the spontaneous anger of TEH PEOPLEZ!" claim, in favor of "We represent an excrescence of the very affluence we claim to oppose!"

You know who the crunchiest people in Vermont are? The idle spouses and idiot sons of guys who made a lot of money by raping their fellow man in the markets in good old NYC.

There are genuine hippies out there - but there are also a lot - A LOT - of trust fund kids whose bohemian lifestyles are actually a bought-and-paid-for luxury "experience", just as fake as the fucking Star Trek experience in Vegas.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...just as fake as the fucking Star Trek experience in Vegas.

Brent Spiner didn't show up and they wouldn't refund your money, huh?

[JW]

Apropos....I hit the Start Trek Experience in Vegas a few years ago before it clossed. I had to admire the poor schmucks playing the roles of Federation and Klingon characters while you waited in line to get on. They were being heckled mercilessly by the attendees, but they stayed in character the entire time.

[Mongo]

I was bummed that there was no Chief Medical Officer stickin' a hypo in my arm.

I thought this was Star Trek, man...

[wylie]

fun fact: those "actors" are actually recruited from the British Queen's Guard.

[Franklin Harris]

They picked up the hecklers and tossed them into the wall? No? Then those Klingons weren't in character.

[John]

Think about the number our education system has done on these kids. Here you are the son of some rich Wall Street guy or whatever. Your parents don't pay a lot of attention to you. And you get a whole lot of stuff handed to you for no work. Then you go to some high end prep school followed by college where you are told that not only did you get all this stuff you didn't deserve but also you have the wealth because of some evil horrible system. These kids have had 20+ years of schooling being told their entire existence is a crime against humanity. But at the same time they have been spoiled rotten by their parents. I am sure a few of them go Buddha and walk away from it all. But most of them probably don't know what to do. So they live on their parents dime and do stupid shit like this.

[Warty]

Nothing is ever new, John.

Squib Socialists too damp to sosh,
Fake Hobohemians steeped in suds,
Glib females in Artistic Duds
With Captive Husbands cowed and gauche.

[John]

Where is that from? I can't get the link to come up.

[Warty]

Hermione's Little Group of Serious Thinkers by Don Marquis. Everyone should read Don Marquis.

[John]

Thanks. I will look him up.

[Zeb]

You've never read the link in Warty's name? I'd recommend it.

[John]

No Zeb. All this time. And yeah, it is a good recommendation. Thanks.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

Great poem. Proof that when it comes to idiot intellectuals, there really is nothing new under the sun.

[archie]

no shit

[Au H20]

John... your forgetting the endless lecture on privilege. Everything you or your parents earned had nothing to do with hard work or smarts, but with wealth, whiteness, maleness, and the fact that you aren't a tranny.

[Warty]

John is a tranny, you insensitive dolt.

[John]

Hey, we all do what we need to to make our wives happy.

[teh rael o2]

including get rid of em

[Michael]

Don't you get it? They're using the capitalist system's own tools to bring it down from the inside!

[Rhywun]

"so the OWS'ers must fast, be naked, & use no implements or tools?...per whom exactly?"

The ones who demand free everything from me - yes.

[Entropy Void]

Um .. yup ... purty much.

[Mike M.]

Tim Stanley at the Telegraph nails this one: the "Occupy Wall Street" is nothing but the latest attempt by the new generation of young hippies and lazy layabouts to try and recreate the sixties Woodstock era.

And it won't work much better now than it did back then. Most of the country can't stand lazy, smelly hippies.

[John]

At least the hippies in the 1960s were actually trying something new. They can honestly say they didn't know it wouldn't work since no one had tried it before. These guys don't even have that. This is just comedy.

[o2]

hipsters /= hippies.

1960's /= 2011.

[o2]

o2 /= brainz

[teh rael o2]

so ur spoofing someone w no brainz then?

[teh rael o2]

present!

[stOOpid]

i iz hear.

[Pip]

No one wants you here.

[o2]

dont care fool

[Ice Nine]

It's not Woodstock they are trying to recreate, it is the anti Vietnam War protests. I said this a couple days ago - they are Vietnam War protest wannabes without a commensurate cause, as has been every protestor since the VN War.

Incidentally, Stanley is mistaken - it did work back then. The protests by "dirty hippies" are what gave rise to the larger, massive movement to force the end of the war that ultimately facilitated the undermining of public support for the war, the direct cause of its cessation.

[Fluffy]

I think he means more that the experiment in alternative lifestyles largely failed.

When you ran away to join a commune in the 60's, the Manson family hadn't happened yet. Altamont hadn't happened yet. You hadn't seen 95% of the first wave of people do it abandon it and "sell out". You hadn't seen your generation turn into the greatest amalgamation of parasites ever assembled yet. Etc.

These people don't have that excuse.

[Juice]

Yeah, the protests didn't stop the war. The North Vietnamese military did. The US lost that war militarily. The US was defeated.

[Zeb]

You think the US would have lost if the whole country was behind the war effort and considered winning important?

[Ice Nine]

Yeah, the protests didn't stop the war. The North Vietnamese military did. The US lost that war militarily.

You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. Brush up on the history of the VN War and get back to us.

[John]

The North Vietnamese Military was completely destroyed by 1972. The Easter offensive was their last hurrah and they go their asses handed to them. The Viet Cong had ceased to be an effective military force after Tet in 1968. Their military destroyed and being mercilessly bombed during the Christmas bombings in late 1972, the North finally came to the table and gave the US everything they wanted. The US signed the peace treaty and left. The South was gaurenteed a right to exist and the North wasn't supposed to rebuild its army.

As soon as the US left, the North rebuilt its army. Then the Watergate Congress cut off aide to the South. And Ford in January of 1975 said the US would never return. And in March of 1975 the North invaded a defenseless south. By April of 1975 it was over.

The North never defeated the US on the battlefield and was defeated itself in 1973. The invasion of 1975 was really a separate war from the one the US fought in.

Does people just not know anything about what actually happened?

[Mongo]

Yep -- the North Vietnamese regard the 1975 actions as a third war, with the fighting against the French and then the ARVN/US as the first and second respectively.

[Lord Humungus]

The Christmas Bombing and Peace:
The eleven day "Christmas Bombing" of 1972 had accomplished what hadn't been done in over 14 years, it brought the North Vietnamese to the negotiating table. Sir Robert Thompson, a British advisor to Vietnam summed up the operation, "In my view, on December 30, 1972, after 11 days of those B-52 attacks on the Hanoi area, you had won the war, it was all over! They had fired 1242 SAM's, they had none left, and what would have come in over land from China would be a mere trickle. They and their whole rear base at that point would be at your mercy. They would have taken any terms. And that is why of course, you actually got a peace agreement in January, which you had not been able to get in October.
http://www.militaryhistoryonli...../airpower/

[Gray Ghost]

Teach me not to scroll through the whole thread before posting...

So, when's our Altamont?

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

We can only hope it will be soon.

[John Tagliaferro]

Hank Williams Jr. says you can keep the change.

[$6M RoboTorso]

Who funds the Climate Alarmists?

The Guardian: Al Gore is doing a disservice to science by overplaying the link between climate change and weather
...The claim that we are "painting more dots on the dice", causing weather events that simply could not have occurred in the absence of human influence on climate, is just plain wrong. Given the paucity of reliable records and bias in climate models, it is quite impossible to say whether an observed event could have happened in a hypothetical pristine climate. Our research focuses on quantifying how risks have changed, which is a much easier proposition, although addressing all the uncertainties still makes working out these "relative risks" a painstaking affair....

[Quetzalcoatl]

Disclaimer: Ron Bailey funds Climate Alarmists.

[Isaac Bartram]

I remarked some time ago that Al Gore was getting more and more marginalized in the serious discussion of climate chage.

He does continue to have his political true believer groupies as well as his climate credit racket, though.

[BakedPenguin]

Hopefully, the 'climate credit' BS will be ...ah, discredited due to events like thousands being thrown off their land in Uganda.

[$6M RoboTorso]

SOLYNDRAGATE: Huge Email Dump Implicates Obama And Rahm In Bankruptcy Scandal

[o2]

speaking of dumping, looks like rusharrhea spewed all over the walls here.

[o2]

speaking of dumping, looks like diarrhea spewed all over my pants here

[teh rael o2]

polly is a cracker?

[stOOpid]

i iz a craker

[Juice]

Herman Cain is neck and neck with Mitt Romney.

I hate this kind of horse race shit. Then the election actually happens and if Cain wins it was "come from behind!" No. There was an election. It's one shot. There is no "come from behind."

[Bee Tagger]

There is no "come from behind."

You sound like every girlfriend I've ever had.

[$6M RoboTorso]

How do they keep their adam's apples out of site, then?

[Bee Tagger]

Souunds like you have a problem with both homo sexuals and phones.

[Joe M]

I hear what you did there.

[robc]

Actually, with the primary system, it isnt one shot.

But no one is behind until Iowa. They are all even until then.

[No]

Actually (congrats! you're one of those douchebags that started their post with "actually" while being wrong") there is only one shot, even counting the primary, as they are elections for different things.

FOAD now.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

I'm not thrilled with Cain, but it's occurred to me, he'd probably (almost certainly?) be better than Romney (at least marginally). Obviously, I wish Ron Paul and Gary Johnson were leading this thing.

[John]

He couldn't be worse than Romney. None of these guys are exactly a savior. In their defense, I am not sure anyone could be. And all of them will be driven by event once they get in office. So why not Cain? The LUTZ factor of watching liberals explain how electing a second black man in a row President shows how racist America really is is worth a lot.

[$6M RoboTorso]

Both supporting and opposing a black man w/ no substantial governing experience is racist. Get with the program.

[J.B. Say what?]

Cain will throw a DOES NOT COMPUTE in the logic of those pimps of identity politics Sharpton and Jackson. That makes me squeal with delight.

[WTF]

Sharpton, Jackson and the other race pimps will just deride Cain as an Uncle Tom, Oreo, not an authentic black American, etc. etc.

[John]

The fact that he grew up poor and made himself into a literal rocket scientist means nothing. And of course a half white guy who grew up in Hawaii raised by his rich white grand parents clearly represents the black experience in America.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Wait, he's literally a rocket scientist?!
I might have to give him another look...

[John]

Yeah. From his wikipedia entry.

Herman Cain was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Luther Cain, Jr., who was raised on a farm and worked as a chauffeur, barber and janitor and Lenora Caine (n?e Davis), a cleaning woman. Cain has said that as he was growing up that his family was "poor" but "happy". Cain related that his mother taught him about her belief that "success was not a function of what you start out with materially, but what you start out with spiritually". His father worked three jobs to own his own home - something he achieved during Cain's childhood - and to see his two sons graduate. [7][8] [4]

He grew up in Georgia [9] and graduated from Morehouse College in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics. Cain married his wife Gloria, of Atlanta, soon after her graduation from Morris Brown College in 1968.[10]

Cain, accepted for graduate studies at Purdue, received a Masters in computer science there in 1971,[11] while he also worked full-time in ballistics for the U.S. Department of the Navy.

The guy has a fabulous life story.

[Concerned Citizen]

Don't forget he was a Federal Reserve stooge, and is addicted to the drug war.

[John]

So he is like every other candidate not named Ron Paul or Gary Johnson. The problem is that those two guys are not going to win. So it is a question of who is the lesser of the evils.

[John]

America couldn't handle a 'real black man' so we elected an Uncle Tom to replace him. That will be the spin.

[WTF]

Because only leftists can be authentically black.

[teh rael o2]

in john's analogy, the rightest would be authentic

[WTF]

Fucking reading comprehension, how does it work?

[o2]

indeed

[Tulpa]

Cain is one of the weakest candidates with respect to electability. Obama is far enough on the ropes that even Cain MIGHT be able to beat him, but do you want to take that chance? The guy is a gaffe machine who has thrived by not being in the spotlight. And of course, that's ignoring the possibility that Hillary Clinton winds up with the Dem nomination.

Romney would mop the floor with Obama at this point, and it's going to be even more so a year from now as the economy worsens.

[Lord Humungus]

I would take Cain over Romney...

but of course I would prefer RP or GJ.

[Tulpa]

So you're saying you would take Obama over Romney. Because that's what you'll get if they nominate Cain.

[Joe M]

You make it sound as if there's a whole hell of a lot of difference between Obama and Romney, which there really isn't.

[Juice]

Let's go, national sales tax!!

[Zeb]

I would love to see Cain get the nomination simply to see the contortions that the "republicans are all racists" crowd would go through.

[Janeane Garofalo]

I have already noted the Republicans only support Cain to mask their racism.

[John]

At 1:40 am the police barreled through the first line of defense the occupiers put up, an old veterans group carrying flags known as Veterans for Peace."

Looks like Obama is going full Hoover.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army

[o2]

oh so now john flip-flopz over to the protestors side?...u know, ever since obama became mayor of boston

[John]

It is a joke. I know he is not mayor.

[o2]

teh wignsts foame lol so wear r thoss {JOBZ] at buoosh tax cust

[teh rael o2]

or have teh wealthy [JOBZ] creators created [JOBZ] yet?

[stOOpid]

Seriously, why should anyone pay attention to me?

[Pip]

No one wants you here.

[o2]

dont give a rip

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

Fortunate for you, since you definitely don't give value.

[Ice Nine]

I did RTFA but could find no explanation of why they were being attacked by the cops. Were they trespassing - or breaking some other law?

[John]

Probably marching without a permit or occupying a public space in violation of some ordinance would be my guess.

[Fluffy]

The cops are letting them occupy Dewey Square, but they decided they needed more space and tried to also take over a Greenway space where a conservancy group just spent almost 200 grand planting shrubs.

They were asked not to disturb that part of the Greenway, but decided to tell the cops to fuck off.

[John]

I believe that is the greenway where the old central artery used to be. And if that is true, then they got what they deserved. They have a right to protest. They don't have a right to tear stuff up.

[Fluffy]

Especially when the cops are already giving them a break.

"Look, guys, we're not going to give you a hard time about the ten laws you're already breaking.* Just don't go and mess up that ONE park over there. OK?"

"ROARRRRZZZZ FUCK YOU!" (STOMP STOMP STOMP)

*Not that I support most of the laws in question or anything. I'm just saying that a compromise had developed that one side decided to push beyond.

[John]

I support the law against tearing up green stuff in public places. Why do you have to tear up all the bushes?

[Quetzalcoatl]

MUST DESTROY EVERY BOOOOOOOOOOSH!

[Maxxx]

What did the human microphone say?

[the human microphone]

W-W-h-h-a-a-t-t d-d-i-i-d-d t-t-h-h-h-e-e h-h-u-u-m-m-a-a-n-n m-m-i-i-c-c-r-r-o-o-p-p-h-h-o-o-n-n-e-e s-s-a-a-y-y?-?

[Intensities in Tent Cities]

The article said there were tents going up on private property next to the greenway. I'd have to agree with the cops in that instance. The greenway itself is public property and telling people not to protest near expensive public improvements (even if they were "charitable") is basically asking for trouble.

[o2]

I did RTFA but could find no explanation of why they were being attacked by the cops. Were they trespassing - or breaking some other law?

"Fuck you, that's why."

[teh rael o2]

^spoofarrhea

[.]

the sad thing is that you think anyone cares

[o2]

thats was odl mex spoffing me

[teh rael o2]

obviously the spoofers do. duh

[teh raelly rael o2]

itz spooferz all the way down

[stOOpid]

hu kin tel witch is rael?

[Mr. FIFY]

At least they weren't selling lemonade.

[Bee Tagger]

The U.S. Senate is about to start a trade war in order to punish China the U.S.

Fixed it.

[$6M RoboTorso]

That is one of the 5 Most Overused Jokes On the Internet

[Bee Tagger]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=kiss+my+ass

[$6M RoboTorso]

I'm not following that link. Not for a million dollars.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You can have number three when you pry it out of my cold. dead. hand. EVER.

[Mongo]

What do you call those photos that are (always) framed in black, with one bold word and the sub-text below it?

They're never funny and you see that shit everywhere...

[Fist of Etiquette]

Motivational posters. And I don't necessarily agree, as long as they're taken in moderation.

[Fluffy]

I disagree about the "never funny" part.

That's like saying there are no funny Rage Comics.

There's a lot of bad meme content out there, but there's also some "laugh til you piss your pants" funny shit.

[Mongo]

Oh, there's plenty of funny memes on the 'net.

Those 'motivational posters', as you young teens and juniors call them, are weak.

[Fluffy]

This one is pretty good.

http://www.filehurricane.com/media/1769

Not all that funny, but still pretty good.

[Mongo]

^NSFW^

I could easily do without the text.

[robc]

This meme always makes me laugh

As far as I know, its only a meme on one site, and its primary use is to warn something they are stepping near bannable political territory.

[Zeb]

I'd say the motivational posters are overdone, but have a lot of comedy potential as a concept, especially if you are familiar with the non-joke variety.

[Franklin Harris]

There are no funny rage comics.

[Skeletroll]

It's called Demotivator. They may not be funny, but what they parody is not inspirational either. At a previous job there were some disturbing motivational posters. One of them was a picture of the Great Wall of China with the caption: Teamwork Many hands, Many minds, One goal...

[robc]

The dumbest thing wrt #3 is the writer didnt mention The Simpson's.

Really stupid article (read it the other day, when fark linked it).

[Ice Nine]

Stupid article. No one using them thinks they are jokes; they are now merely mundane internet vernacular. BFD.

[Another Isolated Incident]

Nothing else happened.

[J.B. Say what?]

Dear Mr. Senator,

As a disenfranchised, underemployed, minority voter from your state, will you please make me pay 20% more for all of my household necessities. Thank you for your dedication to the working poor.

Sincerely,
Mr. and Mrs. Welfare McFoodystamp

[robc]

A commenter on fark insulted the author of the meme story in a single line using all 5 of the memes. It was impressive.

[John]

http://www.michellesmirror.com.....-mart.html

Fabulous photo essay linked by instapundit today.

[Lord Humungus]

Paul Ryan: "I Worry About Getting People To Become Successful"
http://www.realclearpolitics.c.....ssful.html

"Sowing class envy and social unrest is not what we do in America. I think the president is doing that. I think he's [Obama's] preying on the emotions of fear, envy and anger and that is not constructive to unifying America," Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

[Mike M.]

As Peter Wehner correctly notes, Obama is the most intentionally divisive president we've ever had, and it's not healthy for the country.

[Juice]

Hmm. So it's not Nixon or W Bush? Sure about that?

[John]

Nixon won one of the biggest landside re-elections in history.

[tarran]

Yeah, but nobody I know who was alive back then voted for him. 😉

[Juice]

I took the phrase "intentionally divisive" literally. To me it didn't have anything to do with electoral success.

[Tulpa]

That's because McGovern was a uniter. Against himself.

[Bee Tagger]

Peter? Wehner? He sounds like the most intentionally hilarious named writer we've ever had.

[sloopyinca]

Are you sure about that?

[Astro]

"Garrett Quinn reports that Boston cops trashed an Occupy Wall Street camp in Dewey Square last night: "They stopped directly across from the new encampment and waited for over 15 paddywagons to arrive. Shortly thereafter officers appeared at the top of the new camp and started issuing warnings to those in the camp. At 1:40 am the police barreled through the first line of defense the occupiers put up, an old veterans group carrying flags known as Veterans for Peace.""

Fuck. Them.

[John]

No shit. The solution is to make fun of these people not to make them martyrs. I hate cops more than I hate hippies. Sad.

[R C Dean]

Garrett Quinn reports that Boston cops trashed an Occupy Wall Street camp

Is that even possible?

[Lord Humungus]

Things aren't going Obama's way and he's having trouble dealing with it
http://dailycaller.com/2011/10.....g-with-it/

The reports are not good, disturbing even. I have heard basically the same story four times in the last 10 days, and the people doing the talking are in New York and Washington and are spread across the political spectrum.

The gist is this: President Obama has become a lone wolf, a stranger to his own government. He talks mostly, and sometimes only, to friend and adviser Valerie Jarrett and to David Axelrod, his political strategist.

Everybody else, including members of his Cabinet, have little face time with him except for brief meetings that serve as photo ops. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner both have complained, according to people who have talked to them, that they are shut out of important decisions.

[$6M RoboTorso]

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner both have complained, according to people who have talked to them, that they are shut out of important decisions.

First smart move of his administration.

[John]

I still think there is a good chance he will take his marbles and go home. The people don't deserve him.

[$6M RoboTorso]

Dems drive away first black President, angering black voters. Have to fill top of ticket at the last second (Obama's successor as nominee can't win, that would make The One look bad), hurting them w/ anyone who isn't a straight ticket Dem voter.

I'll get the popcorn. This will be epic.

[John]

What if he has some kind of a breakdown? That is the world's most stressful job. And if it continues to go badly for him and he doesn't have the experience or psychological strength to handle it, that might happen. It is not like he has ever been in a particularly stressful situation in his entire adult life.

[shorter john]

hatz da kenyan (finger snapz)

[John]

Those aren't even words.

[Maxxx]

Not true.

"Finger" is a word and one out of five ain't bad for a moron.

[WTF]

Except I think it was trying to write 'ginger', as in 'ginger snaps'.

[teh rael o2]

obviously thinkin aint ur strong suit

[WTF]

I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I guess I must acquiesce to your insistence that you are, in fact, an idiot.

[Lord Humungus]

oh shit... you used the magic words.

[o2]

but hes is haf wite wheres teh berth certfciate lol fome the wingsts

[the real o2]

lolz totl spoof as if u culdn't tell

[WTF]

Although really, how can you tell one idiot from another?

[stOOpid]

my momy wont type theze 4 me.

[Pip]

No one wants you here.

[o2]

what makes u think i give a rip?

[Tulpa]

THIS. I've been saying there's a chance he drops out in November or December and totally headfakes the GOP by allowing Hillary to take the nomination.

[Mike M.]

Boy, it's sure nice of the so-called mainstream media to finally start vetting the Mystery Man for us after almost three full years in office.

Better late then never, I guess.

[Aqua-Assualt Rabbit]

So the burning question is, what MMOG is he playing?
I don't think Barry is a WOW guy.
Maybe a COD with all the Seals and assasin drones.
Sort of a EVE type also. Very nerdy and introverted.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

Minecraft?

[sloopyinca]

More like "Minesweeper."

[Mr. FIFY]

Clam Digger?

[Quetzalcoatl]

But Notch is one of the EEEEEVIL 1%!

[kilroy]

Rift. Definitely Rift.

[Ska]

As long as he stays away from GW2.

[Quetzalcoatl]

FarmSubsidyville

[SugarFree]

Bow Down Before The Mighty SUNSQUATCH!

[$6M RoboTorso]

I eagerly a await the barrage of STEVE SMITH jokes.

[SugarFree]

That's Sunsquatch. STEVE SMITH does not live in The Sun. Are you, like, stupid or something?

[STEVE SMITH]

STEVE SMITH RAPE SUN. IT ORANGE AND BURNING, LIKE SUGARFREE ANUS.

[Bee Tagger]

The Sunsquatch is a vigilante, travelling the galaxy saving women from rapists.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

Sunsquatch is the bounty hunter that took out Icarus.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

By the way, the part where Sunsquatch and STEVE SMITH fight to the death on the surface of the sun is way over-the-top.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Fake. I've seen the sun and it doesn't look anything like that.

[Ice Nine]

You have a braille keyboard?

[Groovus Maximus]

His nudie mags are bas reliefs.

[hmm]

Clearly anthropogenic solar climate change.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

Or heliogenic anthropomorphism or something.

[Lord Humungus]

Democrats scramble to save face on President Obama's jobs bill
http://thehill.com/homenews/se.....-jobs-bill

Obama has been touring the country, aiming to put pressure on the GOP to act. But Senate Democrats have indicated they are feeling some heat. Last week, Democratic leaders revised Obama's bill, scrapping his proposed offsets. Instead of raising taxes on families making more than $250,000 annually, Senate Democrats lifted that figure to $1 million.

Despite the changes, the legislation still does not enjoy the support of all 53 senators who caucus with the Democrats. A handful of Democrats are undecided or leaning no on the bill.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Moreover, they say, the secrecy could make it more difficult for the 12-member panel to win acceptance for its recommendations from the public and from other members of Congress.

When they step out of that final deliberation wielding a recommendation for increased military spending and Obamacare II, I think the excluded members of congress will change their tune.

[Lord Humungus]

Obama ditches Slurpee analogy and shifts tone on struggling economy
http://thehill.com/homenews/ad.....on-economy

President Obama has dramatically shifted his tone on the economy, discarding a car-and-Slurpee analogy he often used in 2010 to suggest the nation was headed in the right direction.

The shift signals Obama understands voter patience with his administration's handling of the economy is running out and suggests the White House does not believe all the economy's ills can be blamed on the George W. Bush administration, something Democrats relied upon during the 2010 midterm election season.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Ironically, he's acknowledged in more unguarded moments that we're broke, and that things won't get fixed during his time in office. But then he'll talk out of the other side of his mouth and claim that the reason things aren't getting better right now is because of Team Red.

I've said before that the problem with having a reputation is that sometimes you're obliged to live up to it--essentially, his biggest mistake was allowing the media and his supporters to craft this image of him as a transformative canididate, right on the eve of the worst economic downturn in 30 years. His big mouth has written a bunch of checks that reality won't cash, and he's done what people who have had everything handed to them their whole lives typically do when things don't go their way--point fingers at others and say, "It's their fault!", as opposed to practicing a bit of introspection.

It's appropriate that so many of the Gen-Y/Milennials voted for this guy, because he reflects them emotionally in every conceivable way.

[John]

http://www.reuters.com/article.....ZM20111010

Hank Williams Jr. lashes out at media in new song

Williams Jr. who hasn't had a hit since the Reagan administration will now proceed to laugh all the way to the bank thanks to ESPN.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

It must be bittersweet to have kids who are more talented than you. I'll be disappointed if Junior doesn't mention Godwin's Law at least once in that song.

[Lord Humungus]

lulz: Advice to Obama's DOE From a Former Soviet Planner
http://www.forbes.com/sites/pa.....t-planner/

Planning for you is more difficult than it was for us. Unlike us, you must plan in a market economy. You cannot force anyone to buy your new and marvelous technologies, no matter how well they save the environment or reduce that dreaded carbon footprint. People really do not know what is good for them, but you cannot do anything about that.

Not burdened by the marketplace, we could bury our mistakes. When we produced new machines and technologies that no one wanted, we simply ordered buyers to buy them. If they refused, we would not give them the other things they really wanted. No one knew about our mistakes. The pesky market means you cannot bury yours. Your producers, like Solyndra, who make things no one wants go bankrupt, and everyone will know.

[Yakov]

In Soviet Russia planners plan you.

[Pablo]

This is the smartest thing I've read in the last few weeks.

[SugarFree]

There Oughta Be a Law!: The Self-Esteem Act

[Bee Tagger]

I like this comment:

"Oh, wow. And I don't get it. She's (unfairly) gorgeous already."

So close to being a decent human response!

[SugarFree]

She's (unfairly) gorgeous already.

Diana Moon Glampers to the rescue!

[The Art-P.O.G.]

I find the abdominal muscles of Hollywood action stars unfair, too. I mean, I don't look anything like that, and I can't afford the dieticians and personal trainers that these guys have. Plus, special effects make these guys look way cooler than they probably would otherwise. Somebody oughta do something about this.

[Au H20]

But... but... you're male, so you can't even begin to understand the pressure women in society are under, dudebro! Quit your mansplaining!

[Fluffy]

Remember:

Woman who's sad that she can't get with hot guys = oppressed.

Man who's sad that he can't get with hot girls = entitled.

[Au H20]

Not just entitled, Fluffy. He probably suffers from Nice Guy? syndrome. Seriously, if some chick comes on Jezebel and bitches how nice she is but she just can't find the right guy, or no guy will go for her, the Jezzies trip over themselves trying to reassure her that it's not her fault. A guy does the same thing, and he's just an entitled douche.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Seriously, if some chick comes on Jezebel and bitches how nice she is but she just can't find the right guy, or no guy will go for her, the Jezzies trip over themselves trying to reassure her that it's not her fault.

The mere fact she posts regularly on Jezebel should be clue #1 as to why she can't get a decent man, because a decent man with an ounce of self-worth would never begin a relationship with a Jezzie to begin with.

[Pablo]

They look like that only because they are getting paid millions of bucks to look like that and have trainers, personal chefs, etc. And even then when the movie is finished they gain weight and go back to being regular guys. And that's not addressing the CGI effects, airbrushed abs, etc

[Fist of Etiquette]

Too late. Jessica Rabbit has already done the damage to an entire generation.

[Fluffy]

If they pass this, you can all write to me in jail -

Because I fucking PROMISE YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW that I will stroll into the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and rubber-cement one of these warnings to each and every painting that does not represent reality with 100% unvarnished accuracy.

Those fucking Monets look NOTHING LIKE the real cathedrals or lily pads they're supposed to depict, and I think people need to be warned.

[John]

And all those Sergeant and other portraits of rich women that made them look better than they did need to go too. And do you know the damage done to women by all those nymph sculptures done throughout history?

[Fluffy]

Thank you for reminding me.

There are lots of those inaccurate portraits in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and their security obviously sucks, so I guess I gotta put up some warning labels over there too.

[John]

Absolutely. You think you got many commissions from rich wives of robber barons if you didn't make them look a lot hotter than they actually were?

[Rev. Blue Moon]

Oh boy, we are danger close to a "what is reality?" conversation, and I don't have any pot. Example: Marilyn Monroe's staged photographs included (doubtlessly) her perfectly-applied makeup. What does that mean...that it's not a real portrayal of her?

[Fluffy]

I'm not even going there.

I don't have to, because I'm camped out on the ground of "Art is actually not about the literal depiction of reality, but about the presentation of reality altered in a way that produces an emotional response."

If Monet can paint his impression of a cathedral and it's OK, then I can photoshop you my "impression" of Scarjo if I fucking feel like it.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

If art school taught me anything (yeah, yeah, I know), it's that you're absolutely right, Fluffy.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

"I agree with Fluffy" is hereby nominated to equal "I agree with MikeP"

Regardless, though, I would be genuinely curious to hear the Jezebelians (not over there, but face-to-face, perhaps) explain to me why make-up is OK but Photoshop is not. And if they have a problem with make-up (which they might), well, what about those apple jeans and boots that Mr. Florida was rapping about? I mean, do we all have to live in brown frocks so as not to "disturb" who we "really are"?

[Au H20]

I think Jezebel's perfect world, regarding female beauty, was depicted in Harrison Bergeron.

[Pip]

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

[Brett L]

Jezebel lecturing me on reality. You owe me a new irony gauge.

[T]

Try to get yours recalibrated first. I get mine done about every six months. The range keeps increasing, so I have to normalize it back down.

[Brett L]

Good call. Cheaper that way.

[PIRS]

Now the protesters plan to march on private residences:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/1...../index.htm

[Bee Tagger]

I'll be eager to see how all of the adherents to non-violence respond to this.

My guess is: cognitive dissonance.

[Matrix]

Well, here's the way to handle it. Call the police. If the police can't or won't disperse crowds traspassing on private property, then get Smith & Wesson to come and break 'em up. If they refuse to leave peacefully, then the threat of violence is the only way.

[JW]

"Smithers, release the hounds."

[DA]

mr matrix, pls explain shooting unarmed trespassers.

[Fluffy]

A group of people occupying part of my property are trespassers.

A group of people surrounding my property and refusing to let me out are kidnappers.

Trespassers don't deserve to be shot (necessarily). Kidnappers do.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG reload.
Next

[Fluffy]

Actually I guess it would be more like:

Dim intx As Integer
Dim intCount As Integer
intCount = Protestors.Count - 1
For intx = intCount To 0 Step -1
If Protestors(intx).Name "Running Away" Then
DoCmd.FireGun Protestors(intx).Name
End If
Next

[tarran]

Why would you only shoot the ones running away? 😉

[Fluffy]

Damn Hit and Run squirrels ate my ""

[Fluffy]

Wow, Reason really, really hates the greater than and less than signs.

[R]

The commenting software seems to think the less than sign is the start of an HTML tag, and won't display them (or any greater than tag that comes after, as it thinks it's the close of the tag).

Unfortunately, it appears that the commenting software also doesn't recognize or display HTML entities, so you can't even get around it that way.

[T]

Easy. They are warned they are trespassing and need to disperse. Once they refuse, they are guilty of criminal trespass and can therefore be removed with deadly force. Fire 'em up.

You might check your local laws first. This applies only to my state, which has some amazingly low standards for use of deadly force.

[DA 2.0]

mr matrix, that's gonna be a very novel defense for 2d degree murder. good luck in lockup.

[Fluffy]

If they march by?

They're all good, AFAIAC.

If they decide to lay siege to a private residence to trap the people inside?

Machine guns, AFAIAC.

[Tulpa]

I think the legal ramifications will be easier to deal with if you just install a lawn sprinkler system.

[Tulpa]

Or in the second case, a cowcatcher installed on the front of the family car is a good alternative.

[hmm]

Time for some rich folk to buy some paint ball guns.

[NoVAHockey]

If you're going to be called a Nazi anyway, might was well go for the MG 42 replica

[Gray Ghost]

They did it last year, PIRS, and didn't get their hands slapped, so why not do it again? In the linked example, the police escorted the marchers to the BofA executive's house.

And nothing else happened.

[T]

Trap my kid inside the house and use my front porch to make your political statements? I will drive over you to get top my house and clear the riff-raff off my property.

[dumphy]

i'm sure they were all punished appopriately

[Mr. FIFY]

Do that to Michael Moore's house, and watch the left go into apoplectic spaz mode.

I'd almost wish for it to happen.

[Lord Humungus]

John Yoo: Still confusing terror & crime
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/o.....aHrQvhe64L

Let's give partial credit where it's due. Apparently, the Obama administration argues that Awlaki was a legitimate target because he was a member of an enemy engaged in hostile conduct against the United States. At least President Obama has figured out that the War on Terror is, in fact, a war and that it isn't limited just to Afghanistan.

We should be thankful that Obama officials have quietly put aside the arguments they made during the Bush years that any terrorist outside the Afghani battlefield was a criminal suspect who deserved his day in federal court. I'd rather the Obama folks be hypocrites in favor of protecting national security than principled fools (which they are free to be in faculty lounges both before and after their time in government).

[o2]

"...put aside the arguments they made during the Bush years that any terrorist outside the Afghani battlefield was a criminal suspect who deserved his day in federal court."
_
"any terrorist"? cite please mr yoo

[John]

http://jezebel.com/5848318/the.....an-is-real

Authorities in Siberia closing in on Steve Smith.

[STEVE SMITH]

ROOSHINS NEVER CATCH STEVE SMITH! STEVE LIVE IN SUN AND TRAVEL IN TIME. STEVE SMITH EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING. NOTHING EXIST OUTSIDE STEVE SMITH. STEVE SMITH NOT RAPE, STEVE SMITH JUST BATE WITH PARTS OF STEVE SMITH UNTIL PARTS ARE BLOODY AND RIPPED.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

I thought he was in the Himalayas. Dude sure does move around a lot.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

Nevermind. Now that STEVE himself explains it, it all makes sense.

[Aqua-Assualt Rabbit]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjy863fNTPg

[STEVE SMITH]

STEVE SMITH HOPES JEZEBEL FINDS HIM! STEVE SMITH HAS THEIR TRIGGERING WARNING RIGHT IN HIS RAPE... ER PANTS!!!

[Au H20]

Occupy Wall Street still rests on colonialist assumptions.

Key quote:

Let me be clear. I'm not against ending capitalism and I'm not against people organizing to hold big corporations accountable for the extreme damage they are causing. Yes, we need to end globalization. What I am saying is that I have all kinds of problems when to get to "ending capitalism" we step on other people's rights -- and in this case erode Indigenous rights -- to make the point. I'm not saying people did it intentionally but that doesn't even matter -- good intentions are not enough and good intentions obviously can have adverse affects. This is such a played out old record too, walking on other people's backs to get to a mystical land of equity. Is it really just and equitable when specific people continue to be oppressed to get there? And it doesn't have to be done! We don't need more occupation -- we need decolonization and it's everyone's responsibility to participate in that because colonialism affects everyone. Everyone! Colonialism also leads to capitalism, globalization, and industrialization.

Yes, the emphasis is original. So... I think what the author is saying is that colonialism is awesome and drastically improves quality of life, especially in the developing world.

[John]

What does that quote even mean? It is just a bunch of academic buzzwords thrown together. You tell me what the point of that paragraph is because I can't figure it out.

[Fluffy]

Can you please spare me the full article and supply the critical missing piece of info here - namely, exactly how the OWS protests erode indigenous rights?

[SugarFree]

Translation: Since OWS is not trying to return Manhattan to Native Americans, then it is justifying the "occupation" of Manhattan by "colonizers" (i.e. everyone not a Native American.)

It's basically drawing in OWS in a boilerplate complaint about Columbus Day.

[Mr. FIFY]

The same American Indians who owned black slaves in the 1800s?

Fuck 'em.

[#]

unlike most of the north america, Manhattan was actually peacefully purchased by the first Dutch settlers from the local natives.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

The author is saying that by calling themselves "Occupy Wall Street", the Occupados ignored the fact that "The United States is already being occupied. This is Indigenous land."

No, really, that's what she said.

[Fluffy]

Wow.

What makes it really funny is that there IS land out there that was "stolen", in the sense that it was taken in defiance of treaty and/or was taken as the result of a treaty imposed following a war of conquest - but that Manhattan sure ain't it.

Manhattan was unoccupied land that was purchased fair and square.

[John]

Yup. And it was purchased for knives and beads and shit that the Indians couldn't make themselves and was thus really valuable to them. They didn't care about the Island and didn't need it. But they really needed the stuff they got.

[Au H20]

Ask and ye shall receive, Fluffy:

hope you would make mention of the fact that the very land upon which you are protesting does not belong to you -- that you are guests upon that stolen indigenous land. I had hoped mention would be made of the indigenous nation whose land that is. I had hoped that you would address the centuries-long history that we indigenous peoples of this continent have endured being subject to the countless '-isms' of do-gooders claiming to be building a "more just society," a "better world," a "land of freedom" on top of our indigenous societies, on our indigenous lands, while destroying and/or ignoring our ways of life. I had hoped that you would acknowledge that, since you are settlers on indigenous land, you need and want our indigenous consent to your building anything on our land -- never mind an entire society

Hey...Visgoths? The Gauls called. You're going to need permission to start cities on their land.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

And here I had no idea that "Jessica Yee" was a proud Iroquois name.

[Au H20]

It's not Iroquois land, you colonialist bastard!

I also need to mention that New York City is Haudenosaunee territory and home to many other First Nations. Waiting to see if that's been mentioned anywhere.

Seriously... I think that we may have found the internet's blackhole of stupidity, which disorts all around. I checked out the website the article was on, and here is an article on the first page:

It's time to nationalize the banks

Byline:Public credit for private profit makes no sense at all, unless the general interest is being well served. We know it isn't. Making banking a public utility is the way to turn the situation around.

It's like approaching the event horizon!

[robc]

Hey american indians. Whatever land you claim you stole from whichever tribe you pushed further south.

RETURN ALASKA TO THE INCAS.

[John]

Give the Black Hills back to the Cheyenne.

[JW]

Why are the Cro-mags getting the short shrift?

[bacteria's uncle]

Up yours, all of you.

[Zeb]

Europe is all Neanderthal land anyway. Homo Sapiens needs to go the fuck back to Africa.

[Anonymous Coward]

Colonialism also leads to capitalism

Pretty sure those words don't mean what you think they mean.

[Lord Humungus]

Where is W h i t e I n d i a n to clear this up?

[Red Rocks Rockin]

There must have been a two-for-one sale on weasel words at the Costco Academia this weekend.

[Au H20]

Why we keep returning to HG Wells' dystopian future.

...Because of motherfucking Orson Welles?

[Isaac Bartram]

I read somewhere that the story of the War of the Worlds panic was mostly a gross exagerration cooked up by Welles and his publicity crew.

While it's true that a few were taken in and scared shitless at first most people realized right away that it was a radio drama and not a real news broadcast.

And the "mass panic in the streets" trafic jams of people fleeing the city and fights etc were just toal fabrications.

It remains to this day one of America's most popular urban legends.

[sarcasmic]

Bar Rafaeli is still hot.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....video.html

[sarcasmic]

Bar Rafaeli is still good enough to eat.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....video.html

[sarcasmic]

Let's try this again and see if Reason will let me post a link of Bar Rafaeli posing in underwear without marking it a third-party spam.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....video.html

[sarcasmic]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....video.html

Bar Rafaeli is still hot.

[sarcasmic]

wtf!

Is anyone else having problems with their posts being marked as third-party spam?

[sarcasmic]

Oh, and Bar Rafaeli is still hot.

[John]

She is incredible.

[Clich? Bandit]

god in heaven what am i supposed to do with this information...

I'll be in my bunk.

[Restoras]

I've had that happen, but not today. So far, anyway.

[Au H20]

Gawker enters Kos territory, becomes depressingly partisan.

Here is an actual comment regarding Gunwalker:

Issa is an ass. He freely admits to being the right's appointed witch hunter. Let him chase after his fake controversy. Maybe he can dig up Ken Starr to help.

Hey, I have no doubt the Republicans are doing this to score political points...exactly like the Democrats would if they had the chance. But to pretend that selling close to 2,000 guns to criminals in a neighboring country isn't a, y'know, scandal, requires some straight up TEAM thinking.

[John]

Hasn't Gawker always lived in daily KOS territory?

[Gimlet]

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's husband, a real estate developer and investment banker, stands to make millions of dollars in a previously undisclosed residential real estate project in California as a partner with the father of a woman Mrs. Pelosi helped become ambassador to Hungary, records show.

Paul F. Pelosi's investment in Russell Ranch is worth at least $5 million and possibly as much as $25 million in a deal put together by his friend and longtime business associate, Angelo Tsakopoulos, patriarch of a multimillion-dollar real estate development firm, according to Mrs. Pelosi's latest personal-disclosure statement.

Mr. Pelosi said in an email from his wife's spokesman that initially he invested between $1 million and $5 million in the project a dozen years ago, although its value has shot up recently as the undeveloped land moves closer to being annexed by a nearby city. He said the Russell Ranch investment had increased in value less than 5 percent per year over the last dozen years.

Despite his involvement in the project dating back to the late 1990s, Mrs. Pelosi first listed the investment in May 2010 on her federal financial-disclosure forms covering the couple's finances during 2009. The forms are required annually and are supposed to identify assets she and her husband have that are worth more than $1,000.

http://www.washingtontimes.com.....land-deal/

[Mr. FIFY]

http://www.amazon.com/Do-As-Sa.....0385513496

Still a great read.

[Au H20]

Warren doubled Scott Brown's take with 3.15 million in her third quarter.

The cutest thing is that some lefty's are already calling for her to run for POTUS. You'd think after Obama they'd learn that you don't want a 1 term Senator running for President... but what do I know?

Also, after Teddy, Massachusetts fucking deserves a dumbass like Warren.

[John]

I am sure all that money is coming from poor people in small donation. I bet none of it is coming from big business who would benefit from all of her loopy regulation ideas. No none of it. I still think she is going to loose even in Massachusetts. The woman is a nut and unpleasant to go with it.

[Au H20]

Counterpoint: Massachusetts. I could take a shit, jizz in it, and have STEVE SMITH rape it, and as long as it had a D next to its name, it could win in Massachusetts.

On a larger note: Brown will not have the Tea Party support he had last time (he's pretty moderate, and has to be to win in Mass. but he's not going to be putting fire in anyone's belly with his ideas to balance the budget at some time in the future without cutting shit Massholes like). Meanwhile, Warren is in running in a huge college state (so a lot of students who have shit all to do with their time. (God, kids, just get high and watch Deadwood like I did) plus, there's going to be a ton of lefties who are disaffected with Obama who will latch on to Warren as the great hope for The People?. Hell, some will probably move to Massachusetts to campaign for her, just like Tea Party people did for Brown.

Warren is shaping up to be the one potential bright spot for the prog Dems come 2012 (because even if Obama wins many still consider him a right wing sell out for daring to propose a grand bargain that put Medicare on the table, and for not invoking the 14th amendment in the debt ceiling talks). I doubt that they will let their one potential bright spot in what is shaping up to be a bloodbath go out easily.

[SugarFree]

Media Reporting Prediction...

Warren wins: "A stunning blow that the TEA Party cannot recover from."

Brown wins: "An insignificant gain in an off-year election against an opponent smeared by the right wing attack machine."

[Brett L]

Pure troof. Except that it won't be an off year election, will it?

[John]

I think the Tea Party will come around and vote for Brown after they realize what a nut Warren is. If the Dems had run a middle of the road boring candidate, they would have won easily. But instead they had to run a nut. And that will do them in.

[Groovus Maximus]

Are you suggesting Warren is the Left's Christine O'Donnell?

[John]

Exactly. She is a Harvard intellectual. I would imagine there are a lot of crazy quotes from her that are waiting to be dug up and run in campaign ads.

[o2]

u mean like nobody got rich on their own? crazy like that?

[John]

Yeah, crazy like that.

[Mr. FIFY]

Crazy stOOpid like that.

[Franklin Harris]

Well, that quote of hers that all of the OWS crowd seem to love is pretty damn crazy.

[kilroy]

Is there some reason the TP can't produce another candidate?

[Red Rocks Rockin]

plus, there's going to be a ton of lefties who are disaffected with Obama who will latch on to Warren as the great hope for The People?

I think that's why Warren's getting so much attention--she's the next Great Underrepresented Minority Hope that leftists have turned into a political fetish. If she had been a white male, I doubt her vacuous screed would be getting that much attention, because you can read that shit in The Nation every single issue.

[Fluffy]

I think she's going to lose, too.

And the tears of rage will be truly delicious.

I'm not a Brown fan, and there will be a lot of other tears that day - so many that it will be easy to miss the Warren loss in the general deluge.

But I will seek those tears out and savor them just the same.

[Groovus Maximus]

I personally await Warren getting the Saccharin Man slashfic treatment. That will be so...unspeakable. But it must be done. Sug?

[SugarFree]

It takes a while for my internal flywheel of disgust to get spun up. Mostly I'm just dead inside.

[Groovus Maximus]

I understand. Are you a latent MallGoth? Or have you felt this way your whole life? Do you listen to Joy Division?

[SugarFree]

I grew up like a changeling.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

You haunted George C. Scott as a kid?

[SugarFree]

Not all of us were fortunate enough to go to art school, you know.

[The Art-P.O.G.]

I can't believe how "lucky" I truly am.

[SugarFree]

SWAT team raid Brad Pitt's World War Z set

No dogs were shot, according to reports.

[Warty]

A police spokesperson told gossip website X17 the collection of assault rifles were a "disaster waiting to happen" and claimed an accident could easily have occurred with the loaded weapons.

England, you disgust me.

[Brett L]

Budapest, dude.

[Gimlet]

More in middle class escape income tax
WASHINGTON - Amid complaints that nearly half of tax filers in the U.S. won't pay federal income taxes this year, this has been lost: Those making $75,000 to $100,000 a year are the fastest-growing share of people who don't pay federal income taxes.

http://www.twincities.com/ci_19085559

[John]

If you live in a high tax state or locality and have a couple of kids and own a house, chances are you don't pay income tax. Think about all of the deductions, state taxes, property taxes, mortgage interest deductions, and child tax credit.

The Republicans lived up to their reputation as the stupid party when they bought into all that child and middle class tax credit bullshit. They created a system where the majority of the people don't pay for the government and thus don't give a shit about spending.

[robc]

Im sure they pay 7.65% to 15.3% in federal income tax.

[John]

They do pay that. But they think of that as funding their own social security.

[sarcasmic]

I fall into that group and I still end up paying federal income tax (in addition to payroll taxes).

[Ska]

The AMT catches those 75K - 100K people with a lot of Schedule A deductions. You lose the benefit of the state taxes, the real estate taxes, and the mortgage interest deductions. I'll have to find some time to RTFA though, and see what it says.

[Warty]

REVOLUTAAAAAAAAUGH

At least, I think they were OWS fliers he was hanging. The shitty article is too shitty to tell for sure.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

Winning comment:

"Don't worry. I am sure he is still voting in Chicago."

[Trespassers W]

I preferred this one:

"I fell while hanging stupid banners and the government didn't have a big mattress or trampoline for me to fall on. I am the 99%."

[This one may top that...]

"san diego evil mean nasty haters. corporate greed was driving power of adolph hitler holocaust killing 6,000,000 jewish peacefull people as well as 10,000,000 homeless mental illness peoples. gypsy django reinhardt almost murderered by hitler also too as well. san diego people march in lockstep with nazi hitler ideology. bible says; san diego cretin's your god is your belly."

[The Art-P.O.G.]

I didn't know HERCULE SAVENIN TRIATHLON was a 99%er.

[0x90]

Maybe this person is both HERCULE and Miss SC:

   "almost murderered by hitler also too as well."

And such as.

[Skeletroll]

"It's somebody that meant something to somebody and means something to all of us."

Is it wrong that I laughed at this? But the show must go on:

"Frankly, we see this as symptomatic? everything that we're hoping to change,"

And I really want to know what those flyers were about: "Important message to intelligent earthlings from your creators." Cops didn't confirm reports about it; must be a coverup.

[I am the 99th Percentile]

I liked, "Sometimes the trash takes out itself."

[Brett L]

""Frankly, we see this as symptomatic? everything that we're hoping to change," said Halsey. "?So we're having a candlelight vigil to mourn the loss of this individual and to raise the awareness that there's a cost.""

Just to clarify, they want to end death by accidental stupidity?

[Fluffy]

BTW, not to blogwhore or anything, but what do you guys think about that "We discovered underwater Cthulhu art" story from yesterday?

BS? Not BS?

[John]

Got to be BS.

[Warty]

Too awesome to be false.

[Fluffy]

It would kinda mean that we are not the awesomest Earthlings ever, though.

[SugarFree]

Maybe we were allowed to evolve so that Cthulhu-art could finally be appreciated by a terrified audience.

[John]

Considering that Lovecraft's whole point was that there were things out there that were so powerful they could destroy all of humanity and not even notice they did it, it would be quite disturbing and anything but awesome.

[MNG]

I could never get into Lovecraft because of the effeminate nature of so many of the main characters, always on the verge of fainting in horror. Granted, if something was going to make you faint it would be Cthulhu, but that always seemed so dated to me.

[John]

Also he was a flat out old time 19th century racist. He believed in the whole "lesser barbaric races" stuff. And it is all over his writings. That always bugged me.

[Groovus Maximus]

Don't forget that was also the advent of the Eugenics movement, John. Lovecraft was an intellectual of his time, his excellence with the macabre genre not withstanding.

[Heroic Mulatto]

I would argue that Lovecraft wasn't 'racist,' as much as 'culturalist'. He did marry a Jewish woman in the 1920's, during the height of American anti-Semitism.

If Lovecraft were around today, he would be one of those pundits railing against immigration and multi-culturalism, while taking pains to highlight all his socially-conservative black and brown friends.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Dude, cut Lovecraft some slack. He was sickly all his life and died of ass-cancer. If you had his medical history you'd be fainting all the time as well.

[Rev. Blue Moon]

Not even the Kraken could withstand an ICBM to the face.

[John]

The only awesome thing about it would be wondering just what the hell Lovecraft was actually involved in to get that kind of information.

[Fluffy]

He worked for a secret New England university.

With Top Men.

Top.

Men.

[Au H20]

Well, given the Bruckheimer treatment is being given to the three Musketeers... why not give it to Lovecraft?

Think National Treasure meets The Librarian meets buddy cop movie, with the guy who wrote Conan and was a real life friend of Lovecraft as his hilariously mismatched partner.

[John]

WTF is up with that movie? They have a classic novel. Why can't they just remake the damn thing by the novel? What is next, are we going to make War and Peace with steampunk panzers on the plains of Borodino?

[Au H20]

Steampunk Panzers would be a great band name, John.

[MNG]

I like the idea for a genre-bending Musketeers. We've seen the classic version done, time to reboot it with flying dirgibles!

[MNG]

Also, I think the Dumas novel was rarely more than pulp action for its day, so I don't see anything sacrosanct about it, why not pump it up for modern action fans. W&P was not principally about "adventure," but hey, I wouldn't automatically reject a version where, say, the Klingons stood in for the Russians and the Centauri stood in for France.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Also, I think the Dumas novel was rarely more than pulp action for its day, so I don't see anything sacrosanct about it, why not pump it up for modern action fans.

My favorite scene from that novel was actually when Porthos went to his mistress' house to try and get money for his military kit.

[John]

I can see that. I guess I just don't like the particular idea of the movie. It looks like Wild Wild West set in Louis XIV France. And nothing that looks like Wild Wild West could ever be any good.

[MNG]

I liked the old Wild Wild West, but that Will Smith thing was an abomination.

[John]

That is the one I am talking about. The TV show wasn't bad. You are right.

[Groovus Maximus]

time to reboot it with flying dirgibles(sic)!

Dirigibles FTW! You can never, never go wrong with movies featuring dirigibles!

[Fluffy]

I would go and see that.

[Pro Libertate]

The books would make an excellent TV series. If done right, of course.

[Zeb]

It would be cool to see an adaptation that really includes all of the plot elements. That is always the problem with making a movie out of a complicated novel: it would have to be 20 hours long to really do the story justice.

[Pro Libertate]

Not to mention that there are literally thousands of pages more (beyond the very long The Three Musketeers.

I'd be okay with abridging things to make them workable for the screen, but the last few versions of the book in film have been stupid. The original story is great--why fuck it up?

[SugarFree]

I want to believe.

[Anonymous Coward]

The Bloop

The Bloop is the name given to an ultra-low frequency and extremely powerful underwater sound detected by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1997. The source of the sound remains unknown.

Cthulhu is down there. Or Godzilla. Whichever one is cooler.

[SugarFree]

Cthzilla. They've been having unspeakable horror babies since 1954. There are billions of them squirming around down there by now.

[Lord Humungus]

GGGGODDDZILLLAAAAAA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTwH5nqRvOo

[Robert]

Steve Smith belching?

[STEVE SMITH]

THAT WORD IS SPELLED WITH "F"

[Pro Libertate]

Release the Kraken!

[Lord Humungus]

Since the Lions are 5-0, a Great Old One rising from the deep would hardly surprise me. Truly a sign of the end times.

[Au H20]

If the Lions somehow, improbably, win the Super Bowl, I will be convinced that it is because J sub D became a ghost, and was their 12th man on the field.

And then, like any good capitalist, I will sell that idea to Hollywood.

[MNG]

I'm not sold on the Lions yet. They have to play the Packers twice, we'll see.

[Anonymous Coward]

Two teams I hate play each other twice. Let injuries abound.

[tarran]

I can't find the original link. Can you hook me up?

[Fluffy]

http://thomasbrookside.blogspo.....squid.html

[Au H20]

This comic sums up feminism pretty damn well.

So what if our terms make no sense! It's your fault for not studying feminist theory, dudebro.

[Devil's Advocate]

Yeah, I love how they tell you to "educate yourself," if you don't understand their women's studies version of "leet-speak," as if it is incumbent upon other people to try and make sense of their poor communication skills.

[Quetzalcoatl]

+1 because I read that the other day and thought "I wonder if H&R would appreciate this..."

[MNG]

I hate how the punditocracy can't talk about Cain without having to throw in that they don't think he has a "serious" chance. Self-fullfilling prophecy much?

[John]

They really don't care who wins. But they insist on it being someone they chose.

[MNG]

It's just crazy this early in the game to dismiss someone so casually as "not having the money or organization" to be a "serious contender" when the person has garnered such support without such things. The more support the person gets the more money and then later organization will move to them. It's a silly self-fulfilling prophecy.

[John]

It is because they still think it is 1968 when that kind of stuff mattered (although it didn't even then when you think about Eugene McCarthy). With the internet and social media, you don't need an old time organization like you used to. But admitting that means also admitting that the legacy media isn't that important anymore. So, the legacy media is not real keen on admitting that.

[MNG]

I don't think it is even about that so much. It's just when things are so early there is time for a candidate gathering steam to attract the traditional stuff (org and money) too. To some extent Huckabee did this. He came out of nowhere on the punditocracy's radar with some effective debate performances and strongly contested the nomination. Cain could easily do that.

[John]

Honestly, I think he is going to win the nomination and you can quote me on that. With Palin, Christie and Ryan not running, I can't see anyone beating him. I still don't believe there is any way Romney can win. So who does that leave? Bachmann and Perry have flamed out. Paul will never get more than 20%. I think by process of elimination it is Cain. I am not sure that is a good thing, but I think that is what it is.

Cain reminds me a bit of Clinton in 1992. None of the Democrat heavy hitters ran and it just fell to him.

[Concerned Citizen]

The Federal Reserve will help Cain, as he is one of "them".

[Troy]

Two black guys running for president. That will be awesome.

[MNG]

What's sad is that many race hustlers will still find something to lament about with that situation...

[Tulpa]

Actually one black guy and a half-white, half-black guy.

[cynical]

It probably also helps that he isn't a government guy, since pretty much everyone hates the government right now for one reason or another.

[Tulpa]

I will quote you on that.

[Zeb]

And think about where Clinton was at this point in 1991. The media folk just want to be in charge of who is serious and who is not.

[Tulpa]

Clinton definitely wasn't telling people who lost their job that it was their own fault.

[P Brooks]

It would kinda mean that we are not the awesomest Earthlings ever, though.

Was this ever really in dispute?

[P Brooks]

Those making $75,000 to $100,000 a year are the fastest-growing share of people who don't pay federal income taxes.

This is just Timmay's way of rescuing the middle class.

[Fluffy]

The problem with Cain is that he doesn't believe in freedom of religion for Muslims.

And I don't mean that in the W sense of "make lots of speeches about tolerance for American Muslims but send the FBI to infiltrate all of their mosques" sense, either.

I mean in the "Let's burn those fucking mosques to the fucking ground" sense.

[John]

I agree with you about that. But honestly, I am not sure that is a political liability at this point. And let's be real here. At this point the war on terror has about hit maximum crazy. Short of setting up a guillotine on the National Mall and starting the Great Terror, there isn't much worse he could do than is already happening now.

[Tulpa]

The other problem with Cain is that a 9% sales tax will destroy the economy.

Actually, there's a whole list of problems with Cain, just like there was a list of problems with Perry, that the general GOP electorate wasn't aware of until they had the spotlight. What happened to Perry will happen to Cain.

[Concerned Citizen]

Harry Bellafonte is now against Herman Cain. I'm shocked.

[JW]

I'm not sure why anyone should care what Marxist cunts like Bellafonte and Cornell West think.

[Groovus Maximus]

They have sway in the black community JW; remember the goal is to keep as many entitled blacks on the Federal plantation. The black vote has, by in large, out both ideology and economic expediency, embraced Marxist and socialist ideas.

[Tulpa]

Here we go again with assuming bad faith.

I can totally understand older black people being suspicious of the GOP in the wake of the Southern Strategy. I think their fears are unfounded, and that they would actually be better off with a conservative/libertarian government, but I can definitely understand the ill will.

[Fluffy]

BTW -

Is it inevitable that one day there will be a poster named AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAtehrealO2?

[o3]

nah

[Gimlet]

"Herman Cain is neck and neck with Mitt Romney."

That sounds kind of gay.

NTTAWWT

[wylie]

The U.S. Senate is about to start a trade war in order to punish China for currency manipulation.

Just in time for the X-mas shopping season, Thanks, Elected Representatives!!! XoXoXo

(like it matters to them, their aides did all their shopping back in July.)

[Troy]

Hey, you 99%'ers. STFU until you start paying taxes....

http://the53.tumblr.com/

[Troy]

Hey guys. Remember that little girl Katie who was teased for liking Star Wars?

Well, Geek Girls Rule

[wylie]

Lucasfilm sent her a bunch of gear, which she shared with her former bullies.

Is there any problem Free Stuff can't fix?

[John]

That will make even a cold hearted bastard like me cry Troy

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

And Katie, my little Star Wars sister? I think I speak for every Epbot reader here when I say: Don't let the scruffy nerf herders get you down. You rock that water bottle with pride, and know that there are thousands of other fans out there (myself included) who would be proud to share a lunch table with you.

THAT'S RACIST!

[Brett L]

I'm sure she has no problem with non-scruffy nerfherders. Would it kill ya to shave once and a while?

[Nike Dunk High]

thanks