Diplomats Say Iran Cleaning Up Evidence of Nuclear Tests, 216,000 Jobs Added in February, FBI Turns Off 3000 Tracking Devices: P.M. Links

• Diplomats say Iran is tidying up evidence of nuclear tests at a military facility. It's all very vague and satellite image-y. Meanwhile Obama is reviewing his options when it comes to intervention in Syria.

• Here are some things CBS thinks you should think about Super Tuesday.
• The iPad is a piece of technology people like and now there will be a third one available to buy on March 16! 
• Jobs! Jobs! Jobity jobs! February saw 216,000 private sector workers added to this here U.S. economy.
• U.S. v. Jones leads to the FBI hastily turning off 3,000 tracking devices since warrantless GPS tracking might just violate the Fourth Amendment after all.
• Science has almost caught that sneaky "God particle." Also, stop calling it that.

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Comments

[omnibot]

Podium!

[Almanian]

Everyone gets a Participation Ribbon

[Rubicon]

Here are some things CBS thinks you should think about super tuesday - 5 takeaways,the 6th being they went the entire article this time without mentioning "He whose name shall not be mentioned"even though I was able to note on the google election maps he beat the Grinch in every state but Georgia.

[Higgs Boson]

BUILD AN ARK!

[Fist of Etiquette]

When the decision-U.S. v. Jones-was released at the end of January, agents were ordered to stop using GPS devices immediately and told to await guidance on retrieving the devices, FBI general counsel Andrew Weissmann said in a recent talk at a University of San Francisco conference.

I don't trust that Agent Lester Freamon did that.

[Suki]

"U.S. v. Jones leads to the FBI hastily turning off 3,000 tracking devices since warrantless GPS tracking might just violate the Fourth Amendment after all."

I thought this was reported in Morning Links a few days ago?

[Lucy Steigerwald]

Oops! If so, my bad.

Also, as if I would read Morning Links. Please.

[Almanian]

Belated LOL!

I Love Lucy?!

[Ricky]

Oh Lucy, you're so fine,
You're so fine it blows my mind
Lucy,(clap, clapclap) Lucy

[Hugh Akston]

I will state for the record: It doesn't matter who wins the general election in 2012. The United States will attack Syria and Iran during the next presidential term. The only real question is which country will get it first.

[North Korea]

What?

[John]

I think we might let Syria alone. It is really splitting the Arabs.

[Gray Ghost]

I'm surprised you think we'll wait that long. In the Morning links thread, I thought the o/u was going to be mid-September of this year for a strike on Iran.

[John]

I thought that. But I bet Obama holds off until after the election.

[Hugh Akston]

Yeah, no way he's going to be bombing any new countries during an election. It would be stupid to even attempt any secret FKR strikes, though that doesn't necessarily mean he won't try it.

[John]

Maybe he has promised the Israelis he will bomb them after the election. And the whole "I don't bluff" bullshit was just him reacting to the Israelis not trusting him.

[Auric Demonocles]

If you believe someone when they say they don't bluff they're better at it than you think.

[Gray Ghost]

I dunno. My thought is that it's awfully hard to get the boost from "not changing horses in mid-stream/middle of a war" if you wait until after the election to start the war.

It provides a really big hammer for the GOP to use against Obama though, if he starts a war of choice. Now, if the Iranians strike first, that changes.

[Hugh Akston]

Strike what? Israel? Last I checked they were a sovereign nation with their own military and everything.

Or strike a US warship conveniently deployed to the Arabian Sea just within range of Iranian missiles?

[sloopyinca]

Yeah, "strike first" means whatever our military and admin officials want it to mean, since they control the message and how it's delivered anyway

I mean, if we continue to threaten their sovereignty, saber-rattle at their doorstep (in their territorial waters, btw) and constantly threaten to bomb them if they don't do what they're told, then I really don't see what reaction could be considered a "first strike" by any rational observer.

[Hugh Akston]

It wouldn't be the first war the US started with the "I'm not touching you!" plausible deniability strategy.

[Mongo]

Linked below, but Wikileaks sez Israel has already hit Iran.

[Gray Ghost]

I largely agree with what you both wrote. Especially the part about control and delivery of the message.

I mentioned the Iranians striking first as a way for the Administration to get its war without having to fire the first shot. By striking first, I mean active hostilities against U.S. ships (really, really unlikely) or mining the Straits (really unlikely). Of course, the easiest way for a U.S. carrier to not be shot at is for it to not be in missile range in the first place. Is the Lincoln still in the Persian Gulf?

My guess is that if shooting starts, it'll be accidental, someone misinterpreting a blip, that sort of thing. I don't think it'll stay accidental. Then again, I'm surprised that we didn't bomb Iran during W's sabre-rattling throughout the late 00s.

[in their territorial waters]

CITATION NEEDED

[sloopyinca]

Iran has regularly claimed that according to the 1958 Geneva Convention and the International Law Of The Sea, that they can close the Strait of Hormuz to any nation that impose sanctions against it's ability to export gas and oil. And while the US does not recognize the 1982 International Law Of The Sea, Iran does. And they recognize Innocent Passage for those who recognize it, and have made no effort to impede traffic to any other gulf nation, they make a legit claim to forbid traffic of American vessels.

It's their argument, and I'm not saying I agree with it. But having said that, the US is serving no interest but our own when we place warships in a body of water nobody is restricting traffic in. Especially when that body of water falls within the 200 mile line the US draws around her own shores.

[omnibot]

I heard iPad4 will be out in June

[kinnath]

Picked up a Nook tablet this week. Fuck Apple.

[Pro Libertate]

My dad has a Kindle Fire and loves it.

[MNG]

I have a Steve Jobs dildo. The thing works like a charm.

[sloopyinca]

But don't you get pissed that you have to pay $.99 every time you use it in a new position?

[omnibot]

I bet people who bought an iPad last month feel stupid today.

[BigT]

And every other day.

[Nooge]

Win.

[fried wylie]

"being stupid" and "feeling stupid" are two entirely different states.

[AuH20]

Get ready for a year of stories about how Obama is finally turning the economy around.

Except, for, y'know, the fact that the unemployment numbers are total crap.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Let alone the cost of everything/unit that matters keeps going up.

[Suki]

I wonder what the real numbers are. The ones that will "surprise" the economists.

[Dan]

Keep an eye on "Labor Force Participation Rate" as this is not fudged as much http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000

[Monty]

Way way way late but, this is right along those lines. Behold http://finance.yahoo.com/news/.....33717.html

[omnibot]

Blood pressure drug 'reduces in-built racism'

[Juice]

It's a plot to get Obama re-elected.

[Sparky]

You can tell it's a joke, the drug name even ends in lol.

[Nooge]

Must be a beta-blocker.

[omnibot]

The largest solar flare in five years is racing toward Earth, threatening to unleash a torrent of charged particles that could disrupt power grids, GPS and flights.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/science.....ward-Earth

[Gray Ghost]

Per this article at spaceweather, the first wave of particles should get here around 0625 UTC (midnight-ish Central time), +/- 7 hours. Should be great aurora viewing. Hope the power stays on.

[Suki]

You don't need power to see the aurora.

[Sudden]

Dear god, I hope it's strong enough to get me some aurora down in SoCal.

[Enough About Palin]

"threatening to unleash a torrent of charged particles that could disrupt power grids"

Bullshit scaremongering.

[Brandon]

Yeah, I'm getting kinda tired of seeing this on Instapundit every month.

[Pro Libertate]

You won't see it when the Internet goes down forever! Then you'll be sorry!

[PapayaSF]

Lucy, the iPad link is not correct.

[Lucy Steigerwald]

Or maybe THAT'S just how much I care about Super Tuesday.

[omnibot]

Is he the greatest?
Messi sets Champions League record with 5 goals

[robc]

Messi is no Dixie Dean.

[sloopyinca]

What's a "Messi"?

[omnibot]

A soccer player who doesn't dive

[Sudden]

A soccer player from a country that speaks in a Latin language who doesn't dive

FTFY.

The Brits, Germans, Dutch, and such don't dive. It's all Portugal, Spain, Italy, Argentina.

[robc]

Im pretty sure diving is the continental sport of south america.

Thats why they go thru so much magic spray.

[Gray Ghost]

Klinsmann retired, right? Jeez, you could breathe on that guy the wrong way and he'd collapse as though gut-shot. Robben's been known to embellish contact too, though I think all strikers do that at one time or another.

I think your point is largely correct though (waiting for Timon to come in with some more examples.)

[Timon19]

Klinsy is quite retired...from playing.

He's the US national team boss right now.

[Gray Ghost]

I forgot to add my /sarc tag.

Think I discussed with you whether the USMNT would pull the trigger on getting Klinsmann when Arena was let go.

C. Douchealdo, falls under Sudden's "country that speaks a latin language" clause. God, that guy's the living embodiment of Henri from Cheers.

[Timon19]

Oh, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Holy fuck, does he dive a lot.

[Ted S.]

Cristiano Ronaldo

[Timon19]

Ghana's Pimpong.

Cheating asshole somehow convinced Markus Merk that Onyewu fouled him in the box on an awkward clearance.

[Timon19]

Robben dives from time to time.

De Jong will take a hacksaw to your legs. I hate that fucker.

[Ted S.]

De Jong doesn't always go after the legs

[omnibot]

I don't think the Swedes dive either.

[Timon19]

Ibrahimovic isn't averse to the dramatic fall. Too much time spent in Italy, I think.

[Sudden]

Playing for AC Milan will do that to a guy. Those habits get picked up quickly.

[omnibot]

It's part of the training regimen.

[Sudden]

Greatest now, sure.

Greatest ever?

George Best.

[robc]

Best was no Dean.

[Gray Ghost]

This is an interesting question. Eusebio? Ronaldo? Gerd Muller? Ferenc Puskas?

Grist for the mill: http://forums.soccerfansnetwor.....f-All-Time

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum.....73&page=10

[sloopyinca]

I've heard stories about how it took the whole British Army and Navy to take the ball off of him.

(See, I know soccer after all. I was just being a dick.)

[Gray Ghost]

Spam filter ate my original post. Your "Greatest Ever" is an interesting question, though, and my first thought was Eusebio.

A brief look at some posts around the 'Net showed me that Gerd Muller, Ronaldo, Puskas, and Van Basten would be interesting choices too, if we were just looking at strikers.

[Ray Hudson]

There aren't enough superlatives to describe the brilliant other-worldly collection of skill and natural talent that is Lionel Messi.

[Gray Ghost]

And he's like 5'6", a buck 50. In the States, he'd be cleaning out garbage cans with his head, courtesy of the football team. Overseas, OTOH... Just amazing with a soccer ball.

While Leverkusen doesn't have Inter's defense, it's not like they're a bunch of stiffs. To score 5 goals on a major club is pretty amazing.

[Ted S.]

Leverkusen gave up one of the best goals in the history of the Champions League

[Timon19]

Shut up, you crazy, unintelligible Geordie fuck!

[Apatheist ?_??]

Pretty awesome but the bigger story today is Apoel Nicosia getting through to the next round. It was already insane that they made it to the knockout stage at all.

[omnibot]

I'm glad they won. When Lyon's 2nd kick went off the post and then in off the back of the keeper, I thought it was over.

[Xenocles]

What's this Champions League? Some kind of minor league hockey thing?

*I kid.

[Voros McCracken]

Messi's the best I've ever seen, that's for sure. I wasn't around for Best's heyday (or Pele or Cruyff or even Maradona for the most part or obviously Dixie Dean), but Messi is just unreal.

[sloopyinca]

It's a shame Steven Gerrard has been hurt too many times (and the fact that LFC hasn't been up to their usual standard the past decade). If he hadn't been, he'd have given Messi a run for his money.

[Sudden]

Agreed (suffering LFC fan)

[sloopyinca]

Agreed (suffering LFC fan)

Won't be long. The Henry's are going long on their investment. The League Cup was a good start, and I see them possibly winning the FA Cup as well.

"YNWA"

[sloopyinca]

And Oleg Blokhin may have been the best ever, but the fact that he played behind the iron curtain means he never gets the respect he deserves,

[Fist of Etiquette]

Dig a little deeper, though, and the race is very much alive. Romney is little more than a third of the way to the 1144 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination. He has struggled mightily in the South and the Midwest, losing Georgia, Oklahoma, and Tennessee by sizable margins on Tuesday and eking out a win in Ohio. This comes on the heels of losses in Minnesota, Colorado, South Carolina, and Iowa and a narrow win in his home state of Michigan.

"So please don't tune out of our horse race reporting on the Republican nomination process. CBS NEEDS THE RATINGS."

[Unreason]

Intrade FTW.

[John]

Photographers mistake 66 year old Deborah Harry for Lindsey Lohan. No kidding.

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesi.....2ti9ruzgiM

[Translucent Chum]

The awful thing is that it's a toss up as to who looks better.

[John]

I am not sure Debbie doesn't have the edge.

[robc]

Ive always had a thing for Debbie.

Other than the clearly coked out eyes, she was hot in the late 70s.

[John]

She was wildly hot. I always liked her too. And even now, if you had to go for someone 65 and older, Debbie would still be pretty high on the list.

[robc]

Her and Blythe Danner. Although Harry wins.

Danner in her day was way hotter than Gwyneth ever dreamed of being.

[John]

Not even close. i am not sure I wouldn't take Danner today over Gwyneth.

[Enough About Palin]

The chick from the band Berlin (Terri Nunn) was what drove me to my bunk:

http://0.tqn.com/d/80music/1/0/4/D/-/-/berlin.jpg

[robc]

She takes my breath away.

I apologize, I couldnt resist. Sorry.

[Mongo]

Did you 'bunk' to Dale Bozzio (Missing Peeps) too?

[omnibot]

For me it was Susanna Hoffs.
Still hot.

[Joe M]

Susanne Hoffs and Kari W?hrer, separated at birth?

[TrickyVic]

Terri Nunn is still pretty hot.

The first album she's credited with Vocals, and BJs.

Not kidding.

[robc]

Based solely on the pictures in that article, Harry has the clear edge.

[kinnath]

Yes

[Nipplemancer]

Debbie wins. Imagine the horror of what Lohan will look like in another 5 years.

[John]

Probably best if the drugs kill her young.

[TrickyVic]

""Probably best if the drugs kill her young.""

By her new looks, I want to say too late. I think she looks better now but she looks like she's in her 30s.

[db]

I at first read this as having her offspring as the subject. I thought wow, that's a bit harsh. But then, would you rather have LL for a mother?

[kinnath]

At age 55, the thought of fucking a 66-year-old less scary that it used to be (assuming that my wife and I are still together in 10 years, that's my future).

[Fist of Etiquette]

While American physicists today offer more tantalizing evidence that the Higgs boson exists, the term journalists once loved to call it, the "God particle," is going out of fashion.

The naming rights have been purchased. We're now calling it the Trump particle.

[John]

That is only for the rest of this year. In 2013 it becomes the Go Daddy.com particle.

[db]

See what happens next! (Not a world-swallowing black hole)

[Brandon]

You're gonna feel really dumb if it is a world-swallowing black hole.

[db]

But not for very long.

[cynical]

Well, it might just swallow a different world. Or Disney World.

[Agnus]

You know who else wanted a different world?

[Brandon]

Ron Paul?

[Suki]

That was trumped by th Obama particle.

[Leftist]

So it is the God particle after all?

[R C Dean]

The quantum political particle - you can determine either its "hope" or his "change", but never both at the same time. The "spin", however, is constant.

[Sparky]

+up

[TrickyVic]

Brilliant RC. Friggin brilliant.

[Joe M]

Most excellent. There seems to be a strange charm interaction.

[John]

RFK Jr. "Inhofe a call girl for big oil". I thought those terms were off limits now.

http://hotair.com/archives/201.....r-big-oil/

[Neu Mejican]

It is, of course, meaningfully different to call a politician a whore as a metaphor than it is to call a woman a slut because she uses contraception. Assuming that is what you are referring to.

[John]

He called her a slut because she claimed to have such a need for birth control she expected her college to pay for it.

Not that I condone the word. But it is not like he just picked someone off the street.

And we know the rules, liberals can call women sluts, whores cunts, bitches and publicly fantasize about sticking their balls in women's mouths and that is okay.

RFK Jr. means well and he is a member of a privileged class. He is just taking advantage of his privileged.

[Neu Mejican]

He called her a slut because she claimed to have such a need for birth control she expected her college to pay for it.

[face palm]

But it is not like he just picked someone off the street.

She certainly opened herself up for this kind of thing when she went public with her political position. Doesn't mean there isn't a meaningful distinction between the two cases you are trying to claim are equivalent.

And we know the rules, liberals can call women sluts, whores cunts, bitches and publicly fantasize about sticking their balls in women's mouths and that is okay.

Actually the "rules" are that anyone can expressive their opinion in whatever offensive manner they wish, and people will judge them based on their individual behavior.

Idiots will judge others by the behavior of someone else they feel is part of the same group.

[Neu Mejican]

I don't think conservatives employ false equivalency as a means to distract others from Rush Limbaugh's bad behavior. I do, however, know that John does this because he sees Rush as on his team.

Let's see if John thinks I am "defending" RFK Jr. on this? Cuz RFK Jr. is on my list of worst public figures in the world.

[T]

Maybe Sirhan Sirhan, Jr. should have a word with him.

[Mr. FIFY]

RFK Jr. is a cunt.

(He's nominally a guy, so it's okay to use that word in this context.)

[Pro Libertate]

I'm tired of the parsing and spinning over these issues. Crosshairs bad, crosshairs okay. Slut bad, slut good. Bah.

[Fatty Bolger]

So... John's right for the wrong reason?

[Mr. FIFY]

I rarely dust off that word, Pro, but people like Tiny RFK just piss me right off.

I could call him a gutless pussy, if that would help.

[cynical]

If we can't call politicians whores (in the metaphorical sense), then I am going to kick Rush squah in the nuts.

[omnibot]

Why Peyton will sign with Miami
http://tampabay.sbnation.com/m.....-in-heaven

[John]

I don't think so. He is not a take my talents to South Beach kind of guy. And Miami really sucks. All they have on offense is one diva receiver and Reggie Bush.

[AuH20]

Well, the Heat need a good PG!

[Auric Demonocles]

I dunno, greatest stat machine QB ever going to to Miami? Makes perfect sense.

[sloopyinca]

That natural grass may be a dealbreaker for Peyton.
::looks at teams that have ability/desire to sign him::
Yep, he's going to Miami.

[Gray Ghost]

Why is SF not even taking a look at him, preferring instead to try and re-sign Alex Smith? I'd think he'd be an ideal fit in SF: they've $25M in cap room, decent defense, good weather. Meh pass protection, but it's not like Manning isn't used to that already.

[sloopyinca]

Weather isn't nearly as good. And Alex Smith just took them to within seconds of a Super Bowl. There's no way they dump that (at a reduced price) for a big question mark in Manning's nerve damage being OK.

Too much risk for the 49ers. With the fish, it's a no-brainer.

[Gray Ghost]

Smith's a UFA. They have to re-sign him anyway. And this year's the only one in Smith's history that he's even approached competency. Worse comes to worst, you cut Manning and give the keys to Kaepernick, who I thought was going to run the team anyway last year, about Week 10.

I'm not sold on Manning coming back and I agree with you on Manning's arm (and all of the Manning to the Texans buzz can stop now, thanks); I just thought it was strange how quickly the Niners said, "No thanks."

[Sudden]

Fear not John, Peyton will be a Chief.

[Sparky]

That was my bet too. I would think someone on their way out would want a nice warm place to retire from.

[Pro Libertate]

I agree. Most likely Miami. Not for the weather, but because it looks like a good fit.

If I owned the Ravens, I'd try to go get him. One angle, too, is that Manning could be brought in with the understanding that part of his job is developing an understudy.

[Ted S.]

I'd have guessed Philbin would go after Matt Flynn, what with Philbin having previously been in Green Bay.

[John]

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-G.....obama-tape

The big Obama at Harvard video is being released. Hope it is better than the "Obama stared in an Alynsky play once" scoop.

[Fatty Bolger]

Who knows, but maybe this video release means somebody is worried about it. Could be an attempt to muddy the waters with an edited video before Breitbart releases what they have. That way reporters can write about the first video, and ignore what breitbart.com releases by saying "I already covered that," or deliberately conflate the two to minimize any damage.

[sloopyinca]

I stared at an Alinsky play once as well. I stared because I was mystified at the stupidity of it.

In all seriousness, though, it wasn't the play as much as it was the panel discussion afterward that would have been news. And seeing as the only person with a copy (who is an Obama supporter, btw) says, "Nobody else will ever see it" makes me think he made some damning remarks.

IOW, it would have been news, but it's being kept from the public's eyes intentionally.

[A Serious Man]

Joseph Kony 2012! This meme, oddly sounding like an election slogan, has gone viral on Facebook and Twitter as people call for US intervention in apprhending Africa's most notorious milita leader.

[Gray Ghost]

Well, don't we already have a few A-teams over there since the fall of last year?

I'm not understanding the Kony 2012 cause celebre; I thought child soldiers was pretty much par for the course in most of these small-scale African wars. I guess it's a "Big Deal" now that Bono knows about it...

[John]

I am Mr. T and George Peppard will get him.

[cynical]

I am Mr. T

That explains a... well, nothing, really.

[A Serious Man]

The thing about it is that the LRA is funded by the government of Sudan using US foreign aid because the government of Uganda funded rebel movements in Sudan using US foreign aid.

[Translucent Chum]

It's also going on Pinterest. I know because my wife, who normally shows me pictures of what the house will look like after spending $50,000 to renovate a 3'x4' closet, saw it and brought it up to me.

[HeroicMulatto]

A better meme is: Idi Amin: Original Gangsta.

[John]

Last King of Scotland. Great movie.

[A Serious Man]

Didn't Frank Drebin take him out?

[Warty]

Idi Amin was an anti-Zionists who kicked the Zionist Jews out of Uganda. For that like Qaddafi today he was demonized? by the Jewish controlled media. The real Gangsters are the Zionists that control the U.S. political economy.
debtpeon 10 months ago 29

Oh.

[Teh rael MNG]

He's not wrong.

[Hugh Akston]

Cool story bro.

[Ice Nine]

The commenter is ignorant. Amin expelled the Asians (read Indians) from Uganda, not Jews, of which there were very few. The "Asians made up the merchant class in Africa at that time so, of course, the Ugandan economy crumped a month later.

[Warty]

The commenter is ignorant.

WHAAAAAAAA?????!?!?!?!?!?

[Ice Nine]

Not you - the YouTube commenter that you quoted.

[Warty]

I know, I was just expressing disbelief that a youtube - a youtube! - commenter could be mistaken.

[HeroicMulatto]

I think he's referring to how Amin switched his allegiances from pro-Israel to pro-Palestinian. Israel did have military advisors in Uganda during the early 70's. Amin forced them to leave after he broke diplomatic relations with Israel.

[Ice Nine]

Actually, he's conflating Amin's expulsion of the Asians with Amin's antipathy to Israel and his harassment of a Ugandan Jewish sect.

[R C Dean]

I know, its hard to keep all the hate sorted out.

[T]

Hate everybody equally. It's what I do, and I have no problem keeping it all straight.

[sloopyinca]

the Ugandan economy crumped a month later.

Really? It did this?

[HeroicMulatto]

I think it was more like this.

[sloopyinca]

The poor fat girl in the pink looked like a statue. The girl in the purple was kicking ass.

[sloopyinca]

The girl in the purple was damn good. That poor fat kid in the pink looked like a doughy statue.

[OsamaInHell]

STOP KONY! I need freinds down here. RT this to #StopKony #somepeopledeservetogotohell

[AuH20]

So, has anyone had any trouble with the face import bug that is effect some ME3 players?

[Drax the Destroyer]

Everyone I know who has picked it up has had that issue. Personally it will piss me off, since I've become used to seeing my homely chromosome-deprived pock-marked Shepard kick ass and take names. Moreover, my Femshep is a hot ass goth bitch and if she is not the same, some heads are gonna roll. I think I'll just wait till BioWare hopefully fixes it before I pop the disc in (assuming I have that much self-control).

[R C Dean]

I'm sure you still have Skyrim left to do, so you should be OK.

Honestly, I can't see wearing out on Skyrim for probably another month. I'll pick up ME3 then.

[T]

Skyrim? Early adopters, the lot of you. I just got Halo:Reach and maybe I'll pick up Skyrim if Rocksmith starts to pall.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Is Rocksmith any good? I play guitar and was wondering how well it translates and how "perfect" you have to play. Most reviews seemed moderately scathing, but I can't help think most reviewers knock games for their price as well as content most of the time.

[db]

Rocksmith is awesome. I don't play guitar (drums tho') and I found it very easy to get into.

[db]

It translates very well (as far as I can tell the parts are exactly the real parts). It has a real-time evaluation where if you're doing well, it will automatically increase your skill level until you start to fail, then back off.

[Pro Libertate]

Ditto. One conundrum--do I get ME3 for the Xbox, which I have saves from the previous games, or do I go with the PS3, which is more conveniently located in my bedroom? And mine, all mine?

[Coeus]

Mine works fine (PS3).

[Ken Shultz]

I think one of the most under-reported stories right now, that really should be getting more attention, is the one about Obama abandoning his childhood, transexual nanny.

He may be a transexual, President Obama, but he also taught you right from wrong--and you must have loved him once. Time to see the T in LGBT and do the right thing.

Just because he's a transexual and it's an election year is no reason to abandon him to his fate--like Obama did with so many of his other promises. Obama's the president of the United States, surely he could do something for his transexual nanny.

P.S. Transexual.

[Ken Shultz]

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) ? Once, long ago, Evie looked after "Barry" Obama, the kid who would grow up to become the world's most powerful man. Now, his transgender former nanny has given up her tight, flowery dresses, her brocade vest and her bras, and is living in fear on Indonesia's streets.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/w.....53372092/1

[John]

Obama is worth a gazzillion dollars. You would think he could send her a few grand to get her on her feet.

[Kwanzaa Cake]

Isn't his half brother living in squalor somewhere in Africa as well?

[John]

I believe so.

[shrike]

How is it underreported if its in USA Today?

Are you the new BratFaert?

[John]

Because like five people read US Today you weird little fucker.

[Xenocles]

I don't even read it when it's free at hotels.

[sloopyinca]

What the fuck is a "USA Today"?

[shamalamadingdong]

"...you weird little fucker."

I don't know why, but that got my funny bone.

[Mr. FIFY]

I'd go with "little weird fucker", as that is probably how he swings.

[Ken Shultz]

Did you know about it?

I don't think John knew about it.

If not enough news savvy people know about it, I'd call that under reported.

I'm not usually a red state/blue state kinda guy cryin' about how the media's so biased, but if Romney's transsexual childhood nanny was in danger and living in squalor, we'd never hear the end of it.

P.S. Transsexual.

[Gray Ghost]

I'd not heard of it Ken, until your links.

[shamalamadingdong]

Mitt would hightail it up to Canada, strap his sexaully confused nanny to the roof of the car, and carry her to safety in Utah!

[Ken Shultz]

It's true that more people have heard about Mittens strapping his dog to the top of that car than have heard about Obama's once beloved nanny, I'm sure.

[RoboCain]

I posted about it twice already, right after the Daily Mail broke the story.

Anyway, it went out over the AP yesterday, which got picked up by a few major dailies.

[Suki]

It is as under reported as this Michelle Obama video at an LGBT conference.

[Ken Shultz]

That's hilarious!

Ha!

That would be like Dick Cheney makin' a speech about the time he ordered the CIA to blow up the World Trade Center!

I mean, I'm not a birther or a truther--I think she just misspoke or she should fire her speechwriter...

But it's hilarious anyway.

[John]

What is that story? Why is the old tranny down on her luck?

[Ken Shultz]

See the link. They've got a video.

You would think the president of the United States, who says he cares about so many of us, would do something for his own transsexual nanny!

I don't know if it's that he's ashamed? ...and it's an election year or what. Maybe he doesn't want people to know he was raised by a transsexual in an election year?

But if he really cared about LGBT, you'd think he could do something. I'm not saying he should personally spring for reassignment surgery, but the least he could do is make sure his former nanny isn't in danger.

P.S. Transsexual.

[John]

He is not ashamed. He just doesn't give a flying fuck about anyone but himself. I am sure he would however gladly send your money down to help her.

[HeroicMulatto]

Because she's transgendered in an increasingly Islamist country.

[Ken Shultz]

I wouldn't call Indonesia Islamist.

The Islam that predominates in Indonesia is probably more than just moderate.

It may be that Obama just doesn't want his name connected to the word "transsexual" in an election year. I think, too, people are worried about people thinking it's some kind of conspiracy...

I mean, really, if you'd never heard either rumor before, which of the following sounds more plausible? That Obama was born in Indonesia. Or that Obama was raised by a transsexual in Indonesia.

P.S. Obama. Transsexual.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I think the people who would get worked up about Obama personally helping out his childhood nanny - because she is transgendered - wouldn't be casting a vote his way anyway.

[HeroicMulatto]

I wouldn't call Indonesia Islamist.

I said, increasingly Islamist. It's not Afghanistan yet. Still, we're talking about the home of the Bali bombings.

Before he strapped on his suicide vest, walked into a crowded police station mosque and blew himself up last month, Muhammad Syarif was typical of the scores of angry young men who pass their days at fundamentalist mosques in this coastal Javanese city.... Mr. Syarif, 31, was a familiar face at often-violent protests, organized by local clerics, against alleged places of immorality, like karaoke bars and unregistered Christian churches. Last year, he joined mobs wielding sticks, staves and machetes who clashed with members of Ahmadiyya, a minority Muslim sect deemed heretical by fundamentalists.

[Buddy Bizarre]

He won't send a few bucks to his half-brother in Kenya, why would he do anything for his former nanny?

[Ken Shultz]

Let me fix that for you.

"Why would he do anything for his [transsexual] former nanny?"

[cynical]

So, no one's taking advantage of the rhyming potential there? No limericks, nothing?

[Barack Obama]

Let me be clear, Barack Hussein Obama don't do shit for the nannies, let me reiterate, don't do shit, unless the nannies want to walk that stroll and get that money, the nannies ain't get a goddamn thing. And that goes for brothas, peeps, dudes, dunnies, comrades and whatever the fuck trannies is calling each other nowadays.

[Matrix]

bought 2 iPad 3s... both 32GB with LTE. Black with AT&T and white with Verizon. gonna sell the AT&T one on ebay for probably the price I paid for both.

[sticks]

I bought a pound of soppressata today. I'm gonna make some sandwiches.

I don't' think anyone gives a fuck about either of our purchase.

[Matrix]

Well, probably right. But it's a bitch to preorder right now. Apple store has been crashing constantly.

[Matrix]

Oh man, Friday, I really wanted an egg salad sandwich and I was just obsessing about it and I was like, 'Man, I'm gonna make one of those.' So Saturday, I went out and got, like, a dozen eggs and then I boiled them all and I just, I spent, I dunno, probably three hours, like three and a half hours making, you know, the mayonnaise, and the onions and paprika and, you know, the necessary accoutrement. And then, by the time I was done, I didn't really feel like like eating it.

[sticks]

funny

[robc]

I bought some Alpine Spring this afternoon. Going to do a blind taste test between it and my Zoigl this weekend.

[sloopyinca]

I made my first batch of pickles yesterday. I'm curious how they'll turn out. And I experimented with jalapeno slices and garlic in a couple of jars beyond just the normal pickling spice. Now the waiting...

Oh, and two quarts of slices in addition to the 12 pints of spears. Imma be in gherkins for quite a while.

[sloopyinca]

And Banjos and I are willing to sweeten the pot a bit:

Any reasonoid or employee of reason (Lucy, this is for you!!!) that shows up at the wedding gets a free jar of pickles or salsa hand made by me. Their choice.*

*And my salsa has won many awards. IOW, it's the fucking shit.

[Lucy Steigerwald]

Oh man. I demand both! Except I really don't think I can take off to see yer union. Nor can I, ya know, afford it.

But even without your delicious-sounding offer, I do wish I could attend!

[barfman proxy]

*barf*

[Matrix]

Government hast to pay contractor pensions. But government employees haven't got a COLA raise in 3 consecutive years.

[John]

The contractors are raping DOD. And Obama wants to cut medical care for active duty. That same active duty that he loves sending off to wars.

[Matrix]

I know. It pisses me off. They want to screw over vets, but they'll pay these contractors a fortune. They make more money than government employees and have comparable health care. And now tax payers have to directly pay for their pensions. Pretty shitty deal, especially when they are stopping our COLAs, talking about complete pay freezes, and readjusting our retirement form high 3 to high 5

[Fatty Bolger]

Contractors with pensions? WTF?

[JEP]

"The contractors are raping DOD"

I don't think the DOD is putting much of a fight, though. It's more of a "No means Yes" situation.

What I'm trying to say is, it's not rape rape.

[Xenocles]

The worst part is that the whole justification for hiring contractors is that they're supposed to be disposable in exactly the way your standard fed or military member isn't.

[Matrix]

Ceasefire's $50k anti-gun message v. U District rapist.
"There's this concept that if you don't have a gun in your home, your home is unprotected. Well, get a baseball bat or a knife if you are really concerned about that."

there's this concept that people should not defend themselves from criminals. I call that concept the "Criminals have more rights than their victims" concept. We all know that it is great to bring a knife to a gunfight. Still, better to be judged by these assholes than carried by 6.

[John]

It is hard to determine who is actually dumber, the anti gun people or the anti pot people.

[Raston Bot]

Unfortunately, it's a slamdunk who is more dangerous.

[Auric Demonocles]

It worked well for that guy in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

[Ska]

Baddest coat hanger of all time.

Wait, what?

[kilroy]

It's March! WTF are your NCAA predictions, bitches?

[Auric Demonocles]

64 teams enter, 1 team leaves. 0 cares are given by me.

[robc]

68 teams enter.

[Enough About Palin]

huh?

[robc]

The tournament is 68 teams, there are 4 games on Tue/Wed before the "real" tourney starts on Thursday.

[Enough About Palin]

I really thought it was sixty-four. Oh well...

[Pro Libertate]

I hate playoff expansion. Four more teams. Another wild card. What's the point of a regular season again?

[Ska]

To make sure the Islanders are shamed out of existence?

[sloopyinca]

They need to play to do that? I thought it was just assumed.

[omnibot]

Mike Bossy would like a word with you.

[John]

Kenntucky chokes before the final four. Final Four of Kansas, Syracuse, UNC and whatever Cinderella comes out of UK's bracket.

[Matrix]

I hope KU wins it for the Big 12, but they have choked the past few years. I really don't wanna see UNC get in.

[John]

But KU won it in 2008. So they don't always choke. They are due for a run.

[kilroy]

Not bad. I think Duke will make it, even after the clubbing they took in the last UNC game. Look for Duke to win the ACC tourney and come in on a roll.

[Brandon]

Texas puts it all together, rampages through the Big 12 tourney, gets a 12 seed and gets to be a Cinderella and Texas at the same time!

[Brandon]

Or, if Texas loses to ISU, Duke wins it all and Coach K leaves for the Knicks.

[kilroy]

You'll never see Coach K in the NBA. He's turned it down twice already.

[Pro Libertate]

Not this time. I finally watched them play a whole game. It's like giants who all can shoot. I think this is their year. Then they'll all go join the NBA.

[omnibot]

Kentucky can't be beaten.

[sloopyinca]

Kentucky can't be beaten.

::cough::Hoosiers::cough::

[sloopyinca]

And I'm not bashing UK when I say that. But they played in a fucking horrible SEC this year. And by horrible, I mean H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E!

I'd take 'Cuse over them if I had to pick a team right now. They're deep, they play competitive teams game after game and they have a hell of a coach.

[sloopyinca]

'Cuse, UNC, Mizzou and tOSU.

Of course, you could put your proverbial "money where your mouth is" and enter the Reason Hit & Run Superpimp March Madness bracket competition.

As usual, the password is: reason

Two brackets per e-mail address, progressive scoring (1-2-3-4-5-6) and bragging rights for days at a time. What could be better?

[PantsFan]

IN!

[PantsFan]

DID NOT ASK FOR PASSWORD

[sloopyinca]

You were probably recognized. Anybody else go in? Did it ask for a password?

[Joe M]

The link you posted includes the password.

[sloopyinca]

Oh, now I get it. Well, I'll keep posting it through the early part of next week.

But that said, I put at least 3 minutes into setting this thing up, so I expect people to participate.

[robc]

Its too early. No predictions until Sunday night.

[kilroy]

No guts, no glory.

[kilroy]

Incidentally, for those with the madness, NCAA is offering all 67 games streaming for $4.

Suck it ESPN.

[omnibot]

Sweet

[robc]

Suck it ESPN.

Not that I disagree with the sentiment, but CBS has the tourney contract.

CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV have all the games. Brilliant and way overdue change finally made last year.

[kilroy]

Quite right. I hated the coverage last year and I hate ESPN so I just merged the two.

Suck it CBS!

[shamalamadingdong]

I think Messi is going to throw for a touchdown, and then pull the game out of a loss by driving home a run with a ground rule double.

[rts]

Assault charges recommended against RCMP officer.

[Raston Bot]

AP writes that two of the unidentified envoys speculated that the contamination "could have come from what they said was the testing of a small neutron trigger used to set off a nuclear explosion.

Who were they?

All asked for anonymity.

Fuck credibility.

[shrike]

Gingrich cancels a string of Kansas appearances before their caucus Saturday.

Get out, Newt. Let FrothyMix take on Romney.

[Gojira]

Michigan woman claims she still has a right to food stamps after winning the lottery. After all, she has "bills to pay".

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/si.....51693.html

[HeroicMulatto]

It's obvious that she qualifies for some assistance, being a microcephalic and all.

[Ryan]

Wow, $200 in food stamps monthly? I buy my own food and don't pay that much.

[Dekedin]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/re.....181155.htm

Specific Antibodies Halt Alzheimer's Disease in Mice

[Dekedin]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/re.....181155.htm

Specific Antibodies Halt Alzheimer's Disease in Mice

[Enough About Palin]

Did you forget that you posted this already?

[John]

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

Twins live reclusive life, die on same day in same house.

[robc]

Toxicology reports will not be available for at least two more months.

Really?

[T]

Two months for a tox screen seems a little excessive.

[Mongo]

Stratfor claims that that 'munitions explosion' a few weeks back in Iran was a successful Israeli strike against Iran's nuke program.

No link.

(Stratfor is very hit or miss in its intel).

[Mongo]

http://www.infowars.com/stratf.....r-program/

[Paul]

3000 warrant-less tracking devices. Nothing to see here. Move along. Note to FBI: Yes, Virginia, they're unconstitutional.

[Hugh Akston]

Look, I'm willing to admit it's unconstitutional. The real question is, who's gonna stop me?

[Xenocles]

I'm saying that when the President orders it to be done, it isn't illegal.

[Colonel_Angus]

"his office had to issue guidance on how some of the devices that had been used without a warrant could actually be retrieved"

Hi, uhhh..... We need to come pick up our thingy. Please don't sue us.

[DK]

Science has almost caught that sneaky "God particle." Also, stop calling it that.

No, please continue calling it that. The more the term "God" is associated with an actual physical particle and the less it is associated with some mystical being, the better off we will be.

[Bee Tagger]

From the comments on the Higgs boson article, it's all Bush's fault. Both of them!

Jan Sobieski (memiselfandi) wrote:

It is a happy feeling that comes from knowing that FermiLab will get partial credit for discovering the Higgs.

The elder Bush made a mess of the USA particle accelerator program when he tried to build a new SCSC in Waxahachie TX and transfer research to TX in a political move. It was going way over budget when it was canceled. An expansion of Fermilab had been rejected in the process. The Bush's have done so much to wreck so much in America.

[sloopyinca]

Has anybody brought up that even though Obama is running unopposed for the Dem nod, he will not get all of the delegates
in the Democrat primary?

Well now you know.

[Realist]

"Diplomats say Iran is tidying up
evidence of nuclear tests at a military facility. It's all very vague and satellite image-y."
The warmongers will do anything to start a war.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Ken "Sandy Vagina" Schultz's repetition of transsexual above is unbecoming of libertarians and is the reason nobody takes us seriously.

[No,]

people generally don't take us seriously because they are fucking retarded.

P.S. Fucking Retarded

[sloopyinca]

Somebody ought to shut that cunt up before he gives us all a bad name!

[Almanian]

Slut!!!

[Ken Schultz's Sandy Vag]

The C word, OW!

[Almanian]

Wait - I thought they hate us for our [support of] freedom?

Son, I am confuse.

[Ken Shultz]

There's nothing wrong with the word "transsexual".

What's wrong is Barack Obama apparently being ashamed of his association.

[Apatheist ?_??]

It's not the word but how you used it. I don't give a fuck but you are one hypocritical concern trolling cunt.

[Ken Shultz]

How I used it? Someone is living openly as a transexual and talking to reporters about being a transexual--and I referred to him as a transexual. That's how I used it!

Oh, and you're a whiny little troll who can't accept that the stupid things you say make you look stupid.

[Almanian Jung Un]

Rucy Stiggerwarrrrr....we keep our eyes on you.

[Sparky]

ror

[Almanian]

That's straight up whack, yo!

[omnibot]

This is delicious news for Arsenal Fans
http://www.guardian.co.uk/foot.....ertesacker

[sloopyinca]

Well, well, well. Ask and ye shall receive, bitches.

The Reason Hit & Run Superpimp March Madness Pick-Em is here!!!

Password is: reason

You people knew I'd do it. And as usual, there is no entry and e-mail addresses will be hidden if you want them to be. Only the commish (that means me!) has access to any of them anyway, and if you people know anything about me, it's that I'm too lazy to not be discrete.

So come one, come all (but not in a circle)! It's gonna be a fun one. And who knows, it could lead another pair of you to the love of your life.*

*That was not meant for John and MiNGe.

[kilroy]

You magnificent bastard!

[sloopyinca]

Did it ask for a password?

[kilroy]

Nope

[sloopyinca]

Oh well. Not that big a deal. It's free-market bracketology for the 1%!

And who's in the mood for fantasy beisbol? I was gonna put a league together for that as well.

[Bee Tagger]

Uh, how long has Al Sharpton had a tv show? Maybe he's just subbing for the usual host? The show appears to be called "Politics Nation."

I can only assume, from watching this, that there is literally next to nothing going on in the world because they're talking about how Obama got more votes yesterday than Romney in Ohio.

[Anonymous Coward]

For awhile now, and yes, it consistently that terrible.

[Coeus]

The people commenting on this story have some really fucked up values:

Teen arrested for sex with pit bulls:

http://www.examiner.com/dogs-i.....-pit-bulls

[HeroicMulatto]

I find it disturbing that examiner.com has an entire category devoted to bestiality.

I blame the Baha Men.

[omnibot]

We did this
http://reason.com/blog/2012/03.....nt_2894346

[HeroicMulatto]

Flight attendant, his swinger wife and her lover 'used Craigslist to find a dog for sex'

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said:'People who do this for enjoyment are a different breed, that's for certain.'

[GILMORE]

Diplomats say Iran is tidying up evidence of nuclear tests at a military facility. It's all very vague and satellite image-y.

Erp. Act I has commenced in full! Never can forget to characterize the absence of evidence as evidence of a *sinister coverup!*. Remember! Saddam did the same thing...burying his weapons, smuggling them elsewhere, scurrying them around in mobile laboratories... The fact we never found them *does not preclude their existence!* We proved they were hidden Very Well!

A later important stage in Act II of "how to go to war" is when the Narrative is changed from 'Neutralizing the WMDs' to 'Look, We're Liberating a Country from teh Evildoers!'...

[omnibot]

For Timon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS6Np-g_h5w

[Coeus]

Doesn't this just make you feel sooo sad about Charlie Rangel?

http://www.theatlantic.com/pol.....ns/253931/

Three words come to mind:

Boo

Fuckin'

Hoo

[Troy]

Rangel is a scummy piece of shit who'd trade his race in if it could make him a buck.

[dunphy]

right. because in coeus' eyes, disparate impact theory is only valid when applied against evul coppers.

[Hipster Tipster]

KONY:
There's something questionable about INVISIBLECHILDREN.ORG

Look into it.

[Devil's Advocate]

So what's with the 900-character text limit I have been seeing so much about? HERC will never be able to post here again. 🙁

[Nooge]

It goes along with why the site sucks shit on mobile now. Blame the vandals.

[Nooge]

Why are so many science reports in popular media (not here) prefaced with something like, "Now, this is difficult, scary, science-y stuff, so it will bamboozle your noggin, but here is what they said," followed by a press release in layman's terms that any eight-grader should be able to understand?

[Fatty Bolger]

Because most reporters are too dumb to understand even the layman's terms.

[Banjoopy]

This is like the worst chat room ever.

[Sheila]

No You're a shmoopy!

[Jerry]

No, You're the shmoopy!

[Banjoopy]

You're both Schmoopy!

[Banjos and I]

Why do you hate our happiness?

🙁

[Double D]

It IS getting a bit cloying...
Still, it's all good. Congrats bro!

[Eduard van Haalen]

Maryland State Police to pay compensation, undergo First Amendment sensitivity training for arresting, strip-searching peaceful prolifers (then saying never mind and dropping all charges):

"Under the terms of the settlement, the Maryland State Police cannot restrict speech, including speech employing images of aborted human babies, based on reactions of viewers or motorists to that speech. Also, the Maryland State Police must agree to implement a training program within 120 days of settlement that will train its officials and employees on First and Fourth Amendment rights in a manner that is consistent with the District Court's opinion. The program must be reviewed by plaintiff's counsel before implementation."

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/0.....-searched/

[sloopyinca]

That story didn't say when the officers were going to trial for sexual assault. Any word on when that hist the MD docket?

Oh, nevermind. They're cops.

[curious]

what would dunphy do?

[dunphy]

i would do whatever i could to assist these women in their lawsuits. since they were clearly arrested in violation of their first amendment rights.

duh

[dunphy]

i'll gladly let the maryland troopers strip search me for $100k btw

but if you want jpegs, those are extra

[dunphy]

oh nevermind, there is no mens rea for sexual assault

damn that pesky rule of law thing

[dunphy]

otoh, it is awesome that they won their lawsuit since the arrests certainly appear to be blatantly violative of the first amendment

now, i realize these are only state troopies here, iow concrete commandos, but even troopies should understand what the 1st amendment means.

good for the ladies. perfect example of our justice system WORKING

cops make bad arrests.

plaintiffs sue

plaintiffs win money

cops get dressed down

win/win/win

that's how justice works, sloopy.

[Agnus]

"Justified" is filmed before a live, studio audience.

[Agnus]

"Archer" is filmed before a live, studio audience.

[Phil from Ohio]

I was gonna vote for Ron Paul, but then I got high.

[Mr. FIFY]

Was Ron Paul filmed before a live, studio audience?

[DuncePhy]

He's animated, idiot.

[JB]

reason should never post a jobs stat without post how many people stopped looking.

Just because the rest of the media is lazy and won't provide context doesn't mean you are absolved of your basic journalistic duties.

[Killazontherun]

On Tuesday, Holder threw down the gauntlet with the first attempt of a presidency to justify assassination, but by Wednesday, Panetta thinks he has the stones to pick it up.

http://www.breitbart.com/Breit.....7/Shocking Defense Secretary Says International Permission Trumps Congressional Permission

[Cyto]

I'm surprised this didn't get more attention. Panetta is pretty brazen about the administration's position. They don't have any requirement to even notify congress if they want to start a war. They will notify congress if they feel like it.... they might even consider sending up something for a vote, if they feel like it, but probably not.

Waving a little red meat in front of the isolationists, he insists that they do need international approval, but not congressional approval. Although that makes for good talk radio, the fact that they are sticking with the "President has the absolute power to use military force" is the real take-home. Forget the war powers act; Article 1, Section 8 of the constitution is dead and buried too.

Although to be fair, it doesn't appear that Article 1, Section 8 has been taken very seriously throughout much of the nation's history.

[dunphy]

omg, it's armageddon

i found an issue where i can agree with the vast majority of commenters on... on a JEZEBEL thread.

not to mention that chris rock get's it exactly right as well.

the chris rock clip is sweet.

the guy just gets it.

http://jezebel.com/5372888/chr.....-rape-rape

[beezle]

Did the MSM does dig up their 2002 Iraq stories and global replace to Iran? We heard all the same crapola about cleaning up 'bad' sites back then too

[Junky Jones]

Kinda makes you wonder now doesnt it>

http://www.Done-Anon.tk