Ron Paul Fires Most of DC Press Gaggle; Strong Job Numbers; Chevy Volt Recall, SAG Scandal and More: PM Links

Another reason to vote for Ron Paul: "See this room – two thirds of us laid off when Ron Paul's president, " says establishment media humanoid: 

Employment Green Shoots! ADP National Employment Report has 325,000 private-sector jobs created in December, double some estimates, and up from 204,000 jobs added in November.

Meanwhile, Department of Labor says new unemployment claims dropped 15,000 to 372,000 in the final month of 2011. Both figures are subject to year-end accounting and holiday distortions and are expected to be revised. 

Chevy Volt recall: Government-run General Motors is asking 8,000 owners to return their Volt electric cars to Chevy dealerships for structural work around the vehicles' batteries. The move is "considered a step below a recall, which would be issued by a car company and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration."

Another group of winners in redevelopment ban: California counties benefit as moribund redevelopment agencies stop siphoning property taxes. (Now how about giving back some of the wealth to property owners who pay the taxes in the first place?) 

Union man takes sick time: Bruce Dow, chief executive of Screen Actors Guild pension fund, takes a health-related leave of absence as embezzlement scandal (which involved a former fund executive) heats up. 

Another superstore on the ropes: Barnes & Noble considers selling off its Nook e-reader. The once-feared brick-and-mortar bookselling giant cops to having "over-anticipated the growth in consumer demand for single purpose black-and-white reading devices this holiday." That's because they weren't reading Reason. 

NFL Wild Card Weekend coming up. Prophecies from ESPN, Times of New York, USA Today, Montreal Gazette. 

Comments

[*]

Is that the quote?

"See this room ? two thirds of us laid when Ron Paul's president,"

That actually sounds like a winning platform.

Or did u mean laid off?

[Al Czervik]

Hey everybody, we're all gonna get laid!

[Apatheist]

You just posted a link to ESPN W, please hand your man card.

[Atabrat]

More money, drugs, and prostitutes. I'd bump the percentage up.

[Kaon Kristen]

two thirds of us laid

They should be so lucky.

[Res Publica Americana]

Laid on the ground and shot, maybe? Awesome.

[zeroentitlement]

Well, now that Helen Thomas has retired, the 2/3 might be almost an accurate assessment.

[Suki]

Would you rather live in Gaza or with Helen Thomas?

[Tman]

They sold 8,000 Volts?

I don't believe it.

[SugarFree]

The unsold ones would be recalled in from the dealers, as well as the sold ones from owners.

[SugarFree]

Although, we don't like to use oppressive language to those who choose to give a loving forever home to a Chevy Volt. Instead of car "owners" we like to call them "human companions of government folly."

[Tman]

You mean "human companions of Government Folly who took $7500 of tax payer money to buy a glorified electric go-cart".

Unless of course Republican Congressman Mike Kelly gets his bill- H.R. 3768, legislation that would repeal the $7,500 tax credit for plug-in electric drive vehicles- passed.

Oh, and Kelly owns a Chevy dealership, if that tells you anything.

[Big Brother wylie]

Kelly owns a Chevy dealership, if that tells you anything

That he's a traitor to The State. Retribution will be swift and brutal.

[##]

The marketing department of Sirius Cybernetics Corporation refers to them as "Your plastic pal who's fun to be with!"

[peachy]

And we all know what happened to those bastards.

[Mr. FIFY]

"B"-Ark, yo.

[A Secret Band of Robbers]

It has t happened yet--we only know what happened to them through time travel. So i believe the correct phrasing is "We all know what willen haven happin to those bastards." I can't say for sure, because I never could finish that time travel grammar guide.

[BakedPenguin]

Ed Begley bought 12. I don't know about the rest.

[AlmightyJB]

The Government. Who else would waste their (our) money like that.

[Old Soldier]

GM plans to build 60,000 of them this year. I wonder how many they plan to sell?
http://www.green.autoblog.com/.....s-in-2012/

[db]

They'll slap Buick badges on them and sell them to China. Oh, wait...

[Pudgeboy]

The sales numbers are pumped up by government buying the cars for themselves.... a new way to waste tax money.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I hope the government claimed the $7,500 credit. I would hate to think they weren't saving every penny of... taxpayer... uh...

[wylie]

I'm incapable of math that convoluted.

[calm mentor]

http://www.autoweek.com/articl...../110529891

http://nlpc.org/stories/2012/0.....mains-weak

Expect the Fed Volts, and the ones purchased by local gov with Fed grant money are included in this 8000 car recall. Hope the repairs costs are borne by the factory, not the owners of the Volts. Oh, wait... taxpayers screwed no matter what!

[Obama's Volt]

"Help! I'm on fire and they can't put me out!"

[rafterman]

It's a hell of a gambol on Ron Paul's part.

[Pro Libertate]

I think "laid" and "laid off" might both be wrong. Surely a Paul presidency would generate more news than a thousand Obamas. Crap, the multiple attempts to impeach him alone should make good press.

[BakedPenguin]

Most "journalists" nowadays simply take dictation or press releases from government goons. The really bad ones don't even bother to check the press releases.

[Pro Libertate]

That's so that they can preserve their sacred access to government officials. So that they can get "laid."

[Frito Pendejo]

"Dude, everybody gets laid in the White House. EVERYBODY!"

[Pro Libertate]

So, you get elected president. First night in the White House, you and your wife have sex. What's going through your mind?

[Pip]

That there will never be a better time to look for a trophy wife!

[Binky]

Can I walk naked to the kitchen for a sandwich?

[Pro Libertate]

Is the Secret Service recording this?

[President O.]

Can I order pizza?

[calm mentor]

^^ Should the laughable scenario actually happen that I get elected president, and my wife does not bail on me...this! ^^

[Old Soldier]

What would JFK do?

[db]

HOLY SHIT I GOT MARRIED?!!?

[Joe M]

That would only last for a few years until the federal government was dismantled. I know.

[yonemoto]

Surely a Paul presidency would generate more news than a thousand Obamas.

pentagon press room, dude.

[A Secret Band of Robbers]

No way they built more than a dozen Obamas, tops.

[Max]

Laid?

[R C Dean]

When the mommy journalist loves the daddy journalist very much . . . .

[Pro Libertate]

I had a friend who had a fellowship with the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press when I was in DC. I went out with her and some of her press friends. They seemed to be having lots of intermedia sex, from what I could tell. Along with all of the interns.

[Res Publica Americana]

Aren't you supposed to be beating off to some CPUSA press releases, or something?

[R C Dean]

What are the odds that any company other than Government Motors would have had a full-blown, no-bullshit recall if their cars were mysteriously catching fire?

[Res Publica Americana]

Why are you referring to the company as 'Government Motors'? It's not owned by the government! It's full of decent, amiable hard-working people, and the federal government is just helping out, you know!!!

[Amused]

Ha! That's funny!
Will you be here all day?

[wareagle]

and is the veal on the menu today?

[Tim]

Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts!

http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics.....yonero.htm

[Dagny T.]

OT: at the link, they spell it "woah" which has always looked horribly, terribly wrong to me. Upon Googling, it is in fact wrong of course, so my silent judging of those who use it was justified, but it is apparently commonly used in the UK. The More You Know!

[not really, no]

"Upon Googling, it is in fact wrong of course,"

I love that you're so stupid and self assured that you think google is the end all determinant of how made up exclamatory sounds are spelled.

Hint: it isn't, and you sound colossally fucking stupid pretending otherwise.

[Pro Libertate]

Yet "whoa" is the correct spelling.

[reason readin female]

"Woah" is the correct spelling when referring to Barbara Walter's pronunciation of Noah when she interviewed him coming down from his ark.

I didn't read the link, so I have to assume that's what they were talking about?

[db]

DT: It's totally "Whoah."

[Autonomous Toyota Gas Pedals]

Yeah!

[sage]

Yeah sure.

Here lies old guy Jake
He hit the gas not the brake

[AUDI 5000]

Don't forget us! We used to cavort like porpoises at seaworld when folks got behind the wheel.

[YAMAHOP]

I'm a blast from the past!

[cynical]

Well, most other companies would actually sell a substantial number of cars, so I don't know that it's a fair comparison.

[Joe M]

"See this room ? two thirds of us laid when Ron Paul's president, " says establishment media humanoid

Hell yes!

[sarcasmic]

Teenager kills someone in self defense, third such story in a week!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....house.html

[Isaac Bartram]

You know, stories like that are strictly two inches at the bottom of page ten in the local paper in the US. I'm pretty sure the Daily Mail hunts them down and prints them to see how their British readers will respond.

There aren't any comments on the one linked yet, but check some from the earlier one about the kid stabbing the bully.

After sixty years or so of being told that self-defense is wrong they're starting to stir themselves up.

not often im jealous of americans but in these cases they have got it bang on. If you stick up for yourself with your fists over here in the UK you run the risk of being sent down for years. Our justice system is a joke! Finally an article that has made me smile
- lee mck, manc, 5/1/2012 9:18

I'm pretty sure that's the reaction they're looking for and judging by the comments they're getting it.

[shrike]

$489 billion in Pentagon cuts (10 yrs)

http://www.reuters.com/article.....Z020120105

Add Medicare Advantage and sequestration - Obama is about 1 year behind on cutting the Bush deficit in half like he said he would.

[John]

I know you are not big on figuring and maths since you are a liberal and insane. But Jesus Shrike, that is even whacked for you.

[shrike]

$1.3 trillion cut in half?

The CBO has forecast $980 billion deficit for the next year. I can get to $650 billion easily (with some assumptions).

[John]

He made that promise in 2008 you half wit. At the time the Bush deficit was 248 billion dollars. No kidding that was the FY 2008 Budget Deficit.

The deficit exploded in 2009 due to TARP, which Obama voted for. And a FY year in which there was no budget and Obama was President for nine full months of it. Since there wasn't a budget, it is a bit much to call 2009 a Bush budget. Obama continued Tarp and past the porkulus creating most of that deficit.

Bottomline, unless he can get the deficit down to $142 billion, he isn't meeting his promise. At best he is cutting his own deficit spending in half.

http://www.usgovernmentspendin.....chart.html

[shrike]

Argue with Mises.

http://blog.mises.org/16107/bu.....-on-obama/

or Politifact

http://www.politifact.com/trut.....istration/

Your boy left a $1.3 trillion deficit without TARP (it was supplemental).

[k2000k]

Wow thats like arguing a pedophillic priest is better than a wife beater, whoever wins is still an asshole.

[John]

FY 2008 ran from October 2007 to October 2008. The deficit was $248 billion

FY 2009 ran from October 2008 to October 2009. Bush was President for the first three and a half months of that. The other 8 and a half months was Obama. There was never a budget. The government ran on a series of continuing resolutions. Therefore, Obama owns that deficit.

Obama bankrupted the country. He will forever be remembered for that. Learn to live with it because no one is buying your bullshit.

[DEM]

Every time a liberal tells me we'd be better off entrusting the government with even more money, I remind them that we haven't bothered to pass a budget in 3 years and the federal government's internal controls are so deficient that it cannot be audited. It's hard for me to get past those two truly mind-numbing facts.

[Democratic Voters]

Learn to live with it because no one is buying your bullshit.

Nonsense! we're enjoying the hard work our president is doing for us.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Your boy left a $1.3 trillion deficit without TARP (it was supplemental).

And your boy left a $1.3 trillion deficit after he passed Bush's proposed budget, PLUS an additional $400 million in the final budget that the House put in which Bush had threatned to veto, for a grand total of $1.7 trillion.

Bragging that your boy is reducing a deficit of $1.7 trillion by half is certainly damning with faint praise.

[Juice]

Don't forget that the Bush admin did some creative accounting and kept all "emergency" war spending off the books and then Obama put them on the books.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

That distinction doesn't matter because the debt still shows up in the Treasury's final Debt to the Penny charts.

[R C Dean]

But shrike, what you're missing is the timing.

When Obama made that promise in 2008, the deficit turned out to be $458BB.

http://www.taxpolicycenter.org.....?Docid=200

So, to meet his promise, the deficit would need to be, say $230BB by the end of his first term. Boy, that sure didn't happen, did it?

Did. Not. Happen.

Plus, even if you're willing to believe those out-year cuts actually happen, his military budget saves us $50BB a year on average.

You seem to be taking a 10 year total applying it against one year's worth of deficits. I know, math is hard, but that doesn't work.

And, of course, you compound your dishonesty by charging Bush with a deficit that far exceeds the budget he actually signed due to bills passed by Obama and the Dem Congress in FY 2009 after Bush left office.

[R C Dean]

I had to check. Obama actually said in February 2009 that he would cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term. Taking his number ($1.75T, which turned out to be high, and which included his own bloated stimulus spending) at face value, the deficit would need to be down to $850BB for FY 2012.

That didn't happen, either. Even taking everything at face value, the FY 2012 deficit is still projected to be over a trillion.

Comprehensive fail.

[wareagle]

Comprehensive fail.
------------------
and that ^^^^^ friends and neighbors is change you can believe in.

[The Other Kevin]

Are those "cut" cuts, or "cuts in projected increase" cuts?

[sarcasmic]

If you ask for an 8% increase in your budget and it is increased by 5%, that 5% increase represents a 3% cut.

Let me put it another way. Say you are paid $1000/wk and your union rep asks for an 8% increase in pay, but your evil corporate master only gives you a 5% raise.
That extra $50 in your paycheck represents a $30 pay cut.

See?

More is less.

[Amazing!]

I'm glad I came to the show.
Will you be here all week?

[Pips]

It's should be per year.

[Mike M.]

First of all, I can't wait to see how they're going to cut spending when the fucking Senate refuses to even pass a budget.

Second of all, 10 year budgets are bullshit budget. This douchebag is only going to be president for another year, not ten more years.

[Juice]

He'll get a second term.

Liberal friends of mine thought I was stupid when I told them that Bush would get a second term. Halfway through the 08 primaries I said well, it looks like Obama will be president. And I'm telling you know that Obama will have a second term.

[wylie]

I refuse to accept predictions that include homophone-abuse.

[Rick Santorum]

I don't refuse such predictions.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Second of all, 10 year budgets are bullshit budget. This douchebag is only going to be president for another year, not ten more years.

When your deficits are running north of $1 trillion, a $48 billion cut over 10 years doesn't mean that much, especially when inflation is factored in.

[MNG]

Add Medicare Advantage and sequestration - Obama is about 1 year behind

I'm amazed shrek finally admitted Obama is a liar.

It took you long enough Shrek.

[joshua corning]

You are full of shit Shrike:

http://www.thegatewaypundit.co.....903899.jpg

[SHreekie's Mentor Barack]

"Shreik you often see right through hypocrisy, lies and smoke and mirrors, but somehow you can't see through this one. Hallelujah -- praise the lawdy and pass the ammynishun!

[Mr. FIFY]

How can he cut Jack Shit if he keeps spending more than we take in?

You Team Bluers will defend Obama for the stoopidest shit.

[sarcasmic]

Kristen Bell is still hot!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/.....miere.html

[SugarFree]

Her knees look fat.

[Res Publica Americana]

She's wearing more make-up than Perez Hilton. What the fuck?

[SugarFree]

Knee make-up sickens me and it has done nothing to make them look thinner away.

[Res Publica Americana]

Look at her face -- holy fucking shit.

[SugarFree]

Faces are gay. Knees are where it's at.

[Dagny T.]

Should we add knee fetish to your long list of known perversions, you freak?

[Pink Ejaculate]

The weird thing is, he gets off by having 80-year-old post-op tranny hookers repeatedly kneeing him in the balls.

[db]

The divot between the lateral collateral ligament and the medial collateral ligament...sublime.

[Tim]

I'd subsidize that.

[Kaon Kristen]

If I were to go gay, it wouldn't be with her. She's got no wow factor and no gadunkadunk.

[BakedPenguin]

Who would you go gay with?

[SugarFree]

A female lumberjack. Duh.

[Kaon Kristen]

No, a male lumberjack and an ultra-boobalicious female.

[Banjos]

Woohoo! Kristen would do me!

[Krazy Krank Kristen]

You provide Christina Hendricks (thanks Devil's Advocate!) and I'm there!

[db]

Ahem. When you reference your bust size, the handle is "Banjosa." We need to keep it straight.

[Suki]

Lumberhack home wrecker sues her boss for having Asian girlfriend.

[Kaon Kristen]

Probably whatsherface from Mad Men (and Firefly!)

[Devil's Advocate]

Haha subscribe. If I were to become sapphically inlcined, either Christina Hendricks or Salama Hayek.

[Devil's Advocate]

* Salma. Grr to not being able to edit.

[wylie]

"Salama-haminahaminahamina"

Yowzers.

[Devil's Advocate]

http://poponthepop.com/gallery.....i-picture/

[Krazy Krank Kristen]

Yeah, that Salma is pretty damn pa-pow!

[BakedPenguin]

Awesome. I just re-watched Firefly, and the scene where Monica Belluci and Christina Hendricks almost make out, well...

I'll be in my bunk.

[BakedPenguin]

Oops. Wrong episode.

[WWJGD]

Monica Belluci...

Turn in your browncoat.

[BakedPenguin]

Yeah, that was bad.

[Brett L]

See, what had happent was, all the blood left his brain so fast.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

Usually I agree with your postings, but she really seems to have nothing in the T&A department.* I'm hoping the dress is simply an unflattering fit.

*Would not kick her out of bed

[sarcasmic]

*Would not kick her out of bed

That's about my only real criteria when I post these things.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

After being married for 21+ years and monogamous with that same woman for 23, it doesn't take a whole lot to meet that criterion for me.

[Loki]

That explains the "Rage"

[Mainer]

The standard I always heard was, I wouldn't kick her out of bed for eatin' crackers. But if she's really hot, it's, I wouldn't kick her out of bed for eatin' watermelon....even if she spits the seeds.

[Michelle Obama]

Aw, your so sweet!

[Krazy Krank Kristen]

Like this?
http://www.esquire.com/women/w.....-sexy-0510

[Banjos]

"Marriage changes very little. The only things that will get a married man laid that won't get a single man laid are adultery and whores. Intelligence and humor (and your smell) are what get you laid. That's what got you laid when you were single. That's what gets you laid when you're married. Everything still works in marriage: especially intelligence and humor. Because the sexiest thing is to know you."

No truer words have ever been spoken.

[cynical]

How can you be sure if you're not married?

[Banjos]

It applies to very long term relationships as well...at least I assume it does.

[Sparky]

My wife stopped laughing at my jokes a long time ago...

Like Rage, I've been married for 21 years, and monogamous with same gal for 22 years.

[AlmightyJB]

Exactly like that

[Ice Nine]

She's way upstaged by the Dawn Olivieri pic.

[sarcasmic]

Agreed.

[Pip]

^^THIS^^

[AlmightyJB]

She's attractive.

[John]

"See this room ? two thirds of us laid when Ron Paul's president,"

If that is true, I am voting for Paul. I don't care if he promises to surrender to the Muslims. I am dumbfounded. I have never seen a better argument for electing a candidate.

[Mike M.]

That video should be his #1 campaign ad.

[shrike]

A GOP House and Senate could very well impeach/convict Ron Paul if he were ever elected.

RP should choose a poison pill as VP to prevent it. Maybe Dennis Kucinich.

[John]

They won't impeach Obama who is the most brazen criminal since Nixon. I doubt they would impeach someone from their own party.

[Pro Libertate]

If he's shutting down agencies, recalling troops, and vetoing everything, they're going to think about it.

[John]

The problem is that he wouldn't be able to do any of that without Congress' approval. For example, you cant bring home troops without the money to move them. So all Congress has to do is say "no money shall be spent on moving troops for Europe" in the defense authorization bill. And so much for that.

Yeah Paul could veto, but in a desperate situation, they could get together and override his veto. If Paul were actually elected, Boehner and Harry Reid would form some kind of a coalition government with a veto proof majority for the big things in Congress. Sadly, Paul would end up being a symbolic President or a sellout.

[MlR]

Partially dismantling the Imperial Presidency, even if temporarily, would itself be an own goal on the part of the Republicrats.

[MlR]

The idea that everyone might publically discredit themselves is really one of the beauties of this pie in the sky hypothetical. We might be surprised though, since most Congressmen are actually cowards who are too afraid to take strong public positions. Many might simply go along to get along in order to avoid a serious public fight over almost anything. Those who wouldn't would, in attacking Paul, have to publicly attack a number of positions which are popular among voters, but that the two party duopoly has thus far been able to keep out of the electoral process. They'd also show to many of the party faithful just how full of shit they are on any number of positions, such as fiscal responsibility.

Eh, I don't think it matters anyway. Like you I think both party Establishments would informally combine efforts to prevent Paul from ever becoming President. The Team Republicans are already working around the edges to clip the wings of his son as well, as evidenced on Hot Air.

[Brian D]

Obama was able to move ships and personnel to Libya for a no-fly zone without Congress saying it was okay, so there must be some funding that the President can use to deploy the military as he sees fit.

[John]

He can do it without Congress saying it is okay. But he can't do it if they say No. And further moving ships to combat is using O&M money. That is his power as CnC. But moving bases is using a different pot of money. And that takes permission from Congress. You can't use O&M money to move the 1st ID back from Europe.

[MlR]

If he follows Obama's precedent he can do whatever he wants. Obama simply paid for it out of the existing budget and dared Congress not to appropriate the difference later. O&M money is not supposed to be a standing pool for combat operations even if that's how Obama used, it's for normal non-wartime operations. The supplimental funding bills have been the sources of combat funds.

I suspect Paul would be handstrung by his own principles, though.

[Pro Libertate]

He actually could do quite a bit, even so. Like discharge all of the troops and dare Congress not to bring them home. Stuff like that.

I actually doubt he'd do this particular thing, as many of those troops are part of valid treaty obligations. Though I'm pretty sure he would do that in Afghanistan.

The president has considerable power through the administrative agencies, thanks to years of Congress improperly delegating its power. If Paul is smart about it, he could do untold damage to Leviathan there.

[shrike]

That is the genius of Kucinich as VP window dressing. His only role would be to break a Senate tie if one occurred. Dennis is the only friend RP has in Congress too.

Or he could go with Rand Paul since he lives in Kentucky, Unless there is a law against a relative as VP.

[cynical]

Sheila Jackson Lee.

[0x90]

Yeah, I've given a maximum of three months in office before the word treason would make its first serious appearance. However, it doesn't matter whether the legislative is gop or not -- we've never seen so much bipartisanship as we'd see under a Paul presidency.

Forget whether he could technically get anything done or not -- it would be completely worth it, just to see that show.

[Mr. FIFY]

Impeach/convict... based on what?

Kucinich? You really ARE a socialist.

[H man]

Yes, but think of the one third not getting laid. Redistrbution of sex now.

[JEP]

We are the 33%?

[H man]

Me uh no just saying. Think of those in the 33% Wow look at the time.

[Timon19]

Nook is in trouble? You mean Jane Lynch didn't spark amazing sales through her fabulous commercials?

[Episiarch]

I would imagine it's more that the Kindle fucking rocks and Amazon's entire eBook delivery system is excellent, convenient, and simple. I haven't tried B&N or the Nook--which probably is pretty good--but Amazon has me completely satisfied. I imagine that's the case with a lot of people.

[Brandybuck]

I was going to get a Kindle, until I looked at the book formats. With Nook I get a more open format I can use on my Android or desktop as well. It's not truly open (as the content is still copyrighted), but I figured it was more future proof that Amazon's proprietary format. Plus I don't have to pay anyone get read a public domain work, I just download it from Google or Gutenberg.

[Episiarch]

If you use Calibre, you can do anything you want with your Kindle, and Amazon's Kindle store has a ton of public domain works on it for free, the benefit of which is that you can manage you free books in your Kindle account along with your paid ones. Kindle users, go download Lysander Spooner's works for free right now!

[Brandybuck]

Sorry, still not going to join your cult.

[SugarFree]

The cult of thinking other people are in a cult seems to be working out well for you.

[Episiarch]

It's remarkably stupid to call loving an excellent product a cult, but clearly you have some problem with it that isn't rational, and can't be reasoned with. No one wants you to "join a cult", but you seem to think we do.

Calm down, figure out whatever it is that's really going on in your head, and come back then.

[MNG]

"It's remarkably stupid to call loving an excellent product a cult,"

OOOH Epi is butthurt!

You got to him!!

By the way, the Kindle sucks and is crushed in every respect by other products. Loving a shitty product is no less "remarkably stupid".

[Pro Libertate]

Shitty product? That's just nonsense. I did research before getting a Kindle. In my opinion, it's better than the Nook.

[John]

I agree with EPI. I love my nano and I-phone. They are great products. It is not a cult. I don't own an Apple computer because I don't like them. But I do like their phones and MP3 players.

[Brandybuck]

"Cult" means you love a product so much that you can't stand when other people choose something different, and so you resort to belittling their decisions.

I am not about to throw my two week old Nook in the trash just because you like your Kindle. Nor am I going to go buy a Kindle just to compare. In the grand scheme of things, both products are identical. I chose the Nook because it is slightly more open. Not significantly so, but enough that it swayed my decision.

[Pro Libertate]

Cult? On that point, I agree with Episiarch. I preferred the Kindle over the Nook due to its overall functionality and performance. I was a little concerned about the proprietary format, but that's just not as limiting as it initially appeared to be.

Other problem is that the Nook is much more likely to die off than the Kindle.

[The truth]

No one who is in a cult, actually thinks THEIR cult is a cult.

So these constant "my cult isn't a cult" rejoinders are pretty worthless.

[rho]

The proprietary format isn't much of a problem. Most books are disposable, so if Amazon collectively joins Scientology and the Kindle stops reading their format, so what? I've already read the books I've bought.

[JD]

You mean books you "bought". No one buys a Kindle book, you buy a license to access it.

Choose your ebook ecosystem carefully if you "buy" a lot of ebooks, because you'll be locked into it.

Besides using a proprietary ebook format, Amazon is making some shady deals with authors and library ebooks vendors.

[Warty]

I love my Kindle too. It's especially awesome for reading that public-domain works from Amazon and Gutenberg that you would never want to spend the money to get get in hard copy.

Cult

[Pro Libertate]

I've got a Kindle. Very satisfied. Lots of public domain works, a handful of books I bought.

Got my dad a Kindle Fire for Christmas, and he likes it quite a bit.

[JEP]

I got one for Christmas. I've been downloading all the free books like crazy. Plus enjoying the discounts on the not free books. I've read three books since Christmas.

[Pro Libertate]

That's what I've done, mostly. Public domain books or some of the ones Amazon gives away periodically. I have bought some books, too. A few full-priced ones and a dozen $0.99 copies from The Destroyer series.

Oddly, I still love real books and probably will continue to buy them (and get them from the library). But the Kindle fills a very nice little niche in my book reading life.

[Invisible Finger]

Those public domain books are all available on the nook, too.

I did the research and the trade offs between the nook and kindle were equal. On the tablet side the advantage goes to Amazon's app store versus B&N's app store, but that gap is closeable should B&N decide to do so. The lack of Sd storage on a kindle is not fixable, the machine would have to be replaced. But let's be honest here, there are about 50-100 useful tablet apps and the rest are a complete waste of time and money.

For xmas I asked for a kindle or nook, the 2 products are so equivalent it isn't worth arguing over.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

I would imagine it's more that the Kindle fucking rocks and Amazon's entire eBook delivery system is excellent, convenient, and simple. I haven't tried B&N or the Nook--which probably is pretty good--but Amazon has me completely satisfied. I imagine that's the case with a lot of people.

I haven't bought any sort of e-book reader, and I can't say my life is any less enriched for it. But that's just my own personal tastes--I much prefer to have a book with actual pages, even if I can only take one or two in my backpack.

[Pro Libertate]

They're getting cheap enough that I think everyone should get one. It's not just carrying hundreds of books around; it's also about being able to get thousands of public domain works. . .and carrying them around.

[db]

My sister loves the Nook. And she knows her tech.

[Lord Humungus]

a chance to plug my freebie book:
http://ofghostsandgunpowder.bl.....-hour.html

Having said that, I do like the e-Ink/Black Ink screens. The first time I saw a Nook at a B&N, I thought there was an advertising sticker on the screen. I was surprised when I started playing with the controls and found it was the screen.

I have a Kindle myself - and though I like it, I still prefer paperbacks for most of my reading. But a portable reader is perfect for traveling.

[Pudgeboy]

The air suddenly feels, I don't know... has anyone else noticed the extra CO2 in the air since these wonders were sidelined... I can hear children wheezing with asthma... bastards.

[A Serious Man]

Whores for Ron Paul (because he doesn't eat horsemeat and knows his way around a woman).

[Auric Demonocles]

Iowa bump?

Also, when did PM links move to 3? That's not even PM out west!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Cavanaugh dicking with those of us who own watches.

[Auric Demonocles]

I actually haven't owned a watch since about 2002. That's what smartphones are for.

[BakedPenguin]

About five years ago, I asked a guy at the mall what time it was (I was waiting for friend to see a movie). They guy had an analog watch, but took out his call phone to give me the time.

[Fist of Etiquette]

God bless that man. I also haven't owned a watch in years, but you people get my point. Cavanaugh is a west coast slacker with no appreciation of schedules, unlike my man Riggs, who admittedly dropped the ball this morning.

[A Serious Man]

Perhaps his manservant forgot to properly wind his gold pocketwatch after polishing the monocle and platinum chain.

[Brandybuck]

I got a the simple black-and-white Nook because I want to be able to see the screen.

Yes folks, readers want to be able to read.

With the eInk screen I can see it anywhere. Even in full sunlight. Androids, iPads, Kindle Fires, etc., all become unusable the instant you walk outside on a non-overcast day.

Also the two week battery charge is nice.

[Episiarch]

You do know that regular Kindles do the same, right? With a 3 to 4 week battery charge?

I think the reason B&N is losing isn't the Nook, it's what supports the Nook as opposed to what supports the Kindle. Amazon's Kindle store is fantastic.

[Brandybuck]

B&N's store is just fine.

It's like the cellphone. You don't HAVE to have an iPhone to call someone. Not even if you live in Cupertino. Really. There is no reason to join the Apple cult just to make a phone call.

[Episiarch]

If you're equating loving the Kindle to the Apple people, you really clearly don't know shit about the Kindle. It earns its love, because it's great.

[MNG]

God you're REALLY butthurt aren't you?

[Sudden]

Seriously, I just got the kindle fire for xmas. At a third the price of an iPad, it does virtually everything the iPad does (wish they had a 3g compatible model, but I bet they will soon, albeit tied to a wireless provider). Yeah, its customized Android version is a bit locked down, but I'm sure there are hacks out there to root, flash, and turn it into a real tablet, I'm just happy enough with the locked down version so far that I feel no need to tinker.

[Episiarch]

Yup. I was so pleased with my Kindle that I didn't end up setting up Calibre and importing books for several weeks after getting it. I just bought Whispernet stuff, and was completely satisfied.

[Pro Libertate]

Really? My dad loves his, but I didn't do much with it except buy it for him. I've assumed we'd want one of the other tablets, but if it's really that good, the price difference makes it awfully tempting.

[Sudden]

From a spec standpoint, you're better off with a Galaxy tab. But Amazon's Fire had a web browser, solid resolution display, Android market access to most apps available via that (although I think it gives phone apps instead of tablet apps, though that's not a dealbreaker given its smaller size), gives you 5g of free cloud storage for music (and can order more cloud storage at the cheap ass price of $1/gig/year). At $200, I just can't justify dropping an extra $300-$400 for a full tablet just to get honeycomb and 3g. Hell, if I need access on the go, I'll just use my rooted galaxy S phone as a MAP.

[Sudden]

Oh, also has a netflix app compatible for it (I know some Android devices aren't netflix compatible, and it kinda surprises me that Amazon preloaded netflix onto the kindle since they're pushing Amazon Prime). Also, they throw in a free month of Amazon Prime with the device.

[User]

The videos available on Amazon Prime are limited in comparison to Amazon VoD. But I'm sure Netflix paid a small price for inclusion.

[Brandybuck]

A Kindle Fire is a completely different beast than the Nook Simple Touch. Color vs black-n-white, general purpose tablet vs dedicate book reader, etc.

If I were to get a tablet in today's market, I would probably get a Fire. But I really wanted a dedicated book reader that I could use outdoors on the beach, so I could read Mises while tanning with my homegirl Michelle.

[Pro Libertate]

When I bought the Fire for my dad, I looked at one of the larger screen Kindles (E Ink). Very nice. I read pretty fast, so the standard screen seems small to me.

[Brandybuck]

In a side by side comparison, there is not difference between the Kindle and Nook. Except for the book format. And even that is no difference for those who don't care about open standards. Really, no difference. Same weight, price, screen size, wifi/3g, etc, etc. While I've never used the Kindle store, I find it hard to imagine that it's significantly better than the Nook.

So what's the real difference? The network effect. More Kindle users means more Kindle users signalling each other by belittling Nook.

[Invisible Finger]

Epi, you do know that every item you've stated about the Kindle is also doable on the Nook. The two products are so similar there's no point arguing. Unless you want to be Tulpa.

[Pro Libertate]

I just heard something about e-readers doing better than expected, as the E Ink screen is so much better for book reading than a standard screen. So, despite tablets, a niche may continue to exist for dedicated readers for some time.

[Episiarch]

Yeah, I will not read on a tablet screen. Just won't do it. It has to be e-Ink.

[Pro Libertate]

I used to think that I would, but E Ink really is amazingly superior.

There will be a day where screens will have the kind of resolution to replace E Ink, but that day isn't here yet.

We're contemplating a tablet, but I'm not sure which to get. The iPad appears to still have an edge (speaking of cults), but I'm also thinking about the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

[Sudden]

I don't mind tablet screen reading.

[Name is Required]

It isn't the resolution, it's the backlighting causing eye fatigue.

[Invisible Finger]

About the only tablet reading I would do is quick reading. Like websites or dumbed-down magazines. Any reading over 15 minutes needs eInk. Reason Magazine looks great on a tablet but when it comes to actually READING the magazine it's got to be on the eInk.

[Brett L]

Honestly, I thought the same, but I've read an iPad for 10 hours a day for 3-4 days and had no eyestrain, but I also don't think the iPad is heavy, either, which seems to be the other huge complaint against it. iBooks, Kindle, whichever I happen to be in or have a gift cert for, that's what I read in.

[Lithium]

Two week battery charge? You must have wifi on ALL the time.

[Brandybuck]

Yup. I'm constantly browsing the store...

[db]

A friend of mine reports his rooted NOOK converted to Android rocks ass.

[Auric Demonocles]

NFL Wild Card Weekend coming up.

I purchased 4 tickets to the divisional round this morning. Finally a benefit to being on the Pats' waiting list.

[Sudden]

Interesing. Are all those tickets spoken for? Wifey is a huge Pats fan and we considered flying out there for the MNF game against the my Chiefs earlier this year (thank god we didn't, that was a beatdown and a half after the defense couldn't stand up from Palko's continual three and outs. )

[Auric Demonocles]

I saw the MNF game. My seats ended up being perfect: right at the endzone and sideline that Gronk scored twice on. I didn't even need to see the review to know he hadn't stepped out. The Edelman return was into that endzone too, but not as awesome.

All my tickets are in use, but the remaining tickets go on sale to the general public tomorrow at 10 AM (EST).

[Fist of Etiquette]

Union man takes sick time: Bruce Dow, chief executive of Screen Actors Guild pension fund, takes a health-related leave of absence as embezzlement scandal (which involved a former fund executive) heats up.

Dow and Fullerton Police Chief Michael Sellers can convalesce at the same facility, one that specializes in cover-up related ailments.

[Ice Nine]

"See this room ? two thirds of us laid (off) when Ron Paul's president,"

Hate to be obtuse but, why exactly? Seems that would generate more news stories than a meteor hitting DC.

[A Serious Man]

"When Newt Gingrich was called to service in the 1960s in the Vietnam era, guess what he thought about danger? He chickened out on that and got deferments and didn't even go." Good, Ron Paul no long playing nice with hypocrites like Gingrich. Hope to see more aggresiveness from him going forward since his FP is his biggest liability.

[Ice Nine]

Look, I could care less about Gingrich but this chickenhawk stuff has always been and remains bullshit. You don't have to be a vet to have ideas on military policy, one way or the other. I was around during that time and if you were a student, a deferment was automatic. It in no way necessarily indicates that you were a chicken. I had a student deferment myself for many years before I volunteered to go - and went - to Vietnam.

[MNG]

"before I volunteered to go - and went - to Vietnam."

And Gingrich did neither of those.

Which makes him a chicken.

Which was the point you thought you were addressing in that post but weren't.

[Sudden]

I concur with Ice Trey's statement. I never served in the armed services in any capacity, but that doesn't disqualify me from having an intelligent and thoughtful opinion on military deployments. I have a friend/acquaintance who is a hawk and actually served in Iraq in a combat function. His opinion of the prudence of said military deployment isn't any more valid than mine because of his service. The knife cuts both ways.

[cynical]

Maybe, but it does mean you're probably less aware of and concerned about what you're asking of those who serve in your vanity war. A combat veteran at least understands through experience that there is a cost and what sort of cost it is. Giving a chickenhawk the power to go to war is like a hard-working parent giving a small child his debit card.

Though it might be counter-intuitive at first, veterans (infantry, at least) probably have a better sense of the cost for the people on the other side of the war as well, not just soldiers but civilians.

[Ice Nine]

Which makes him a chicken.

Complete bullshit. Not volunteering and not going to Vietnam hardly makes one a chicken.

Which was the point you thought you were addressing in that post but weren't.

I was addressing two points.

[Old Mexican]

Re: Ice Nine,

Complete bullshit. Not volunteering and not going to Vietnam hardly makes one a chicken.

I agree. What makes this lousy crook a chickenhawk is his insistance on sending OUR KIDS to be killed by an IED in some shithole across the world.

[John]

You have never served either MNG. And you supported the war in Libya. Does that make you a chicken?

That is just horseshit. To say you have to have served to have anything but a pacifist opinion on the matter is to set the military up as some kind of special caste. And there is no way you want that. You are just trolling.

[Pro Libertate]

I don't care one whit whether a politician has served or not. C-in-C is a civilian job, anyway. We have military people in the military that he can rely on. Or not. Kinda the point.

[Mr. FIFY]

Bill Clinton avoided it too, MNG.

No special passes.

[rho]

It's weak, but it's not bullshit. It's "let's you and him fight," which is bullshit.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Look, I could care less about Gingrich but this chickenhawk stuff has always been and remains bullshit. You don't have to be a vet to have ideas on military policy, one way or the other.

The biggest fallacy that's cropped up, especially with the neocons, is the idea that someone who's going to be commander-in-chief should have military experience. The only problem is that our history shows that, more often than not, military vets tend to be pretty poor-to-mediocre Presidents, on the whole. Guys who were effective like Teddy and Eisenhower are the exception, not the rule.

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

That's fine, as long as Gingrich doesn't call other people who don't want to go to war "cowards". He doesn't have any cred to do that.

[Life On The Mississippi]

'Everybody was sober and down in the mouth all day. I don't mean the
kind of sober that comes of leaving liquor alone--not that. They was
quiet, but they all drunk more than usual--not together--but each man
sidled off and took it private, by himself.

'After dark the off watch didn't turn in; nobody sung, nobody talked;
the boys didn't scatter around, neither; they sort of huddled together,
forrard; and for two hours they set there, perfectly still, looking
steady in the one direction, and heaving a sigh once in a while. And
then, here comes the bar'l again. She took up her old place. She staid
there all night; nobody turned in. The storm come on again, after
midnight. It got awful dark; the rain poured down; hail, too; the
thunder boomed and roared and bellowed; the wind blowed a hurricane; and
the lightning spread over everything in big sheets of glare, and showed
the whole raft as plain as day; and the river lashed up white as milk
as far as you could see for miles, and there was that bar'l jiggering
along, same as ever. The captain ordered the watch to man the after
sweeps for a crossing, and nobody would go--no more sprained ankles for
them, they said. They wouldn't even walk aft. Well then, just then the
sky split wide open, with a crash, and the lightning killed two men of
the after watch, and crippled two more. Crippled them how, says you?
Why, sprained their ankles!

[Montani Semper Liberi]

The Steelers really should send the Broncos and Tebus packing in convincing fashion (#1 defense vs. below average offense), but they have an annoying habit of playing down to the competition that could bite them in the ass.

[Warty]

Also of being rapist, injury-faking, headhunting scum. Fuck the Steelers.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

Browns or Ravens?

[Warty]

Do I seem like a subhuman to you? Obviously Browns.

[Sudden]

If GOP immigration talk is to be believed, Brown = subhuman.

[rim shot]

bah-POW, BAH-pow

[db]

So, not the Real Browns...

[Sudden]

It's kind of a catch-22 game. If the Steelers win, stoopid fuggin yinzers who once elected Santorum will be happy. If Tebow wins, stoopid fucking evangelicals who gave Santorum second in Iowa will be happy.

[Montani Semper Liberi]

Yes, they elected him a few times, but they also once didn't elect him leading to epic salty ham tears thread. That has to count for something.

[Sudden]

I credit the eastern part of the state for that. Philly will get some love from me for cheesesteaks, dumping santorum (eww), and having to put up with yinzers in their state.

[AlmightyJb]

That actually should be one of the better games this weekend.

[The truth]

"Also of being rapist"

I love when you put your hyperbolic-to-the-point-of-lying leftist garb on.

[establishment media]

In the interest of professional objectivity we will start placing a few lines at the end of our stories concerning Ron Paul:

*Presidency will adversely effect our profession.

[Warty]

"Dammit, Jones, one more rape outta you, and you're on paid administrative leave!"

Detective Paul Jones, 64, surrendered to Internal Affairs Detectives after a warrant was issued for his arrest on allegations of Gross Sexual Imposition.

Chief Michael McGrath says the 38-year veteran is accused compelling a female victim by force to engage in sexual contact while investigating a criminal case in which she was the victim. McGrath says the incident occurred on November 29.

While this matter was investigated, Jones was taken off of street duty and given a non-sensitive assignment.

[Pro Libertate]

Non-sensitive? Does that mean he has to wear condoms now?

[SugarFree]

compelling a female victim by force to engage in sexual contact

What is this? Is he getting paid by the word like Charles Dickens?

Rape. The would you are bending over backwards not to use is "rape", shitbag.

[Warty]

Why use one word when twelve euphemistic clauses will do?

[Anonymous Coward]

Because many professional writers understand every word in the English language except 'brevity.'

[wareagle]

they sure understand obfuscation.

[Ska]

Is frotteurism rape? I'm just saying - not all Japanese subway riders are rapists.

[Warty]

Sure it is.

[db]

I rode several Japanese subways in recent months and committed not a single rape.

[Brett L]

It obviously wasn't rape-rape because police are good people who sometimes make bad decisions. Like compelling a person to have sex against their will, possibly with violence.

[cynical]

Well, it's complicated. See, rape is a crime, and police officers can't commit crimes against civilians any more than a human can "murder" an animal.

Like the Jim Crow South or the Dark Ages, there are two classes of people under the law -- a member the dominant class can murder his lessers and be let off the hook by fellow members of his class, while members of the subjugated class can be punished even for defending themselves from aggression from a member of the dominant class, or being insufficiently deferential at all times.

Thing is, being white or black or a noble a is totally random accident of birth, so it's quite conceivable that a large number of members of the dominant class may eventually become morally outraged at the way their peers treat the subjugated class. People choose to become cops, so the percentage of assholes and moral cowards is likely to be much higher, and any reform will almost certainly have to be imposed on the dominant class by the subjugated class.

[Old Mexican]

Another reason to vote for Ron Paul: "See this room ? two thirds of us laid off when Ron Paul's president, " says establishment media humanoid

Which would be a visible improvement.

[Pip]

Two chicken inspectors showed up at a farm in Southern Ontario not long ago. They flashed badges and inspected the premises and, sure enough, they found what they were looking for: chickens. About 100 of them, wandering across open pastures, pecking at bugs, worms and blades of grass.

The inspectors quickly put a stop to all that. They told the farmer to get rid of his chickens or face the consequences. Then they visited other nearby farms, issuing threats of fines (up to $10,000 a day), and leaving more than one Amish farm wife in tears.

These were not police, RCMP or public-health officials. They were employees of the Chicken Farmers of Ontario, the body that represents Ontario's roughly 1,000 chicken farmers, and they have the legal right to "inspect the books, records, documents, lands and premises and any chickens of persons engaged in producing or marketing chickens." In other words, they can carry out chicken busts. And on this particular bust, their suspicions were confirmed: Delicious pastured chickens were being sold without quota.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....le2290035/

[Wow]

Canadia sucks!

[Invisible Finger]

Christ, is B&N management THAT stupid? The nook is great but it is WAAAAAY overpriced for a locked-in-one-retailer device.

I'm not saying locking people into one retailer is a bad idea (it works great for Apple), but the devices should be dirt cheap. Plus, B&N screwed the pooch with the Nook Tablet because the Nook Color was a great machine - the tablet, while more powerful computing-wise is also more locked-in, the nook Color was a great hackers device and they shat over that market (which was a larger precentage than B&N wants to admit). I've probably purchased more stuff via B&N BECAUSE I got a nook (as a gift) than I would have without it. If they sell the nook business, they eventually will lose control of locking in customers and the whole business will die in short order.

A b&w nook Touch should be $24.99 at most. A nook Tablet should be $79.99 at most. Are they so stupid as to learn absolutely nothing from the cell phone companies who give away the devices for the sole reason of charging the users too much for the service?

[Brandybuck]

Same price as a B&W Kindle. And both were on sale at $20 off when I was comparing the two.

[Travis o the =]

Babcock & Wilcox is making tablets now? I hope they're steampunk tablets.

[Pedantic Savant]

Do they convert into dirgibles?

[Ice Nine]

After four clueless years, light bulb finally goes on for well-known useful idiot.

Also, fuck him and everyone like him who screwed us over so badly.

[tr0g]

It should be painful to be that stupid.

[chris]

One well stated response in those threads:

Timothy Joseph Connor ? Villanova University
David Brooks, a writer on the political scene for umteen years, and this is the sum total of your insight and wisdom? Obama isn't 'governing like a liberal.' Look at the breadth of his three year reign. He shows no coherent political philosophy except that of a radical statist. What's good for the state, what furthers the interests of the state and, by corollary, the interests of those who operate the state apparatus, that's what guides this man.

[Surtton Johansen]

That dude really is making a LOT of sense man, WOw.

http://www.Privacy-Pros.tk

[Need an Epi verdict]

Is it wrong to consider Leann Rimes doable?

http://www.wwtdd.com/enlargedi.....tid=957792

[nevermind]

the girl on girl horse play got me considering it, but there is a Terminator under there -

http://www.wwtdd.com/enlargedi.....tid=957802

[Max]

Ron Paul has lived off the government tit most of his life. He couldn't fire shit.

[El Commentariosa]

but someone stole my roll.

[AuH20]

For those who missed it yesterday, Sloopy lost the H&R Fantasy League (I won, despite being the dumbest owner. GRAHAM GANO! My victory post has been being worked on, complete with faux AP article). As a punishment, he has to review Nicholas Sparks movies.

He started yesterday with The Last Song

[Banjos]

You guys are sick, sick bastards.

[chris]

Holy shit does the cruelty know any bonds around here.
Looking forward to your review of The Notebook, Sloop.

[chris]

Probably meant 'bounds' there. My excuse though is inpregnable. I'm illiterate.

[Brett L]

Really, really glad I can no longer statistically lose the bowl pick'em.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

"You're a monster."
/Gingerbread Man

[shamalamadingdong]

I think it would have been less humiliating for sloop to just go ahead and give you the blowjob instead.

[Brett L]

You know the internets... Pix or it didn't happen.

[Butts Wagner]

I am relieved to find that Miley regains her groove at the end of the movie. A world with a jaded Hannah Montana is a world I do not want to live in.

[Spoonman.]

Holy fuck.

[Max]

Hey, Cavanaugh, Ron Paul doesn't like reminding people that he never fired the racist prick he claims wrote those racist diatribes in his name or that he was talking it up the ass from one of those racist pricks at the time.

[shamalamadingdong]

Go suck Ron Paul's cock!!

[Maxie's Pal Barack]

"Maxie, you must work very hard to get me reelected [OBAMA 2012] so I can murder more black Africans. That fucking Ron Paul is a wimp that would put an end to my race-based killing sprees."

[Lewis H]

Newt's an Idiot
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....ds-newsxml

[PantsFan]

Why feminists have better sex

[Brett L]

Because every fuck is a hate fuck?

[AlmightyJb]

As long as they leave when I'm done. After they do the dishes of course.

[Eduard van Haalen]

How many feminists does it take to screw in a light bulb?

That's not funny!

[Brett L]

Apparently, the Force does not protect you from pepper spray, but does protect you from tasers. Fucking Florida, man.

"A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was attacked in Orlando early Thursday by a man wearing a Darth Vader mask, authorities said...

The trooper then told Cole to get up, but he attemtped to punch and kick the trooper, who deployed his Taser, according to the FHP. Officials said Cole's thick jacket prevented the Taser from working, so the trooper used pepper spray to subdue him."

[Kent]

I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords...

Nightmarish 'supersoldier' ants with huge heads and jaws have been created by activating ancient genes.

Scientists believe the monster ants may be a genetic throwback to an ancestor that lived millions of years ago.

Scientists say they can create the supersoldiers at will by dabbing normal ant larvae with a special hormone - the larvae then develop into supersoldiers rather than normal soldier or worker ants.