Afghan War Grinds On, Ron Paul Stays Relevant, Oakland Cops Overreacted: P.M. Links

• We're not losing the war in Afghanistan — but it's not likely to end anytime soon. That's according to the Pentagon's latest report to Congress after more than ten years of fighting.

• Don't count him out! Not only did Ron Paul face off with Paul Krugman, economista a economista, but he quietly cleaned up delegates in Louisiana's caucuses.
• In New York City, Occupiers run up against low turnout and hecklers during May Day protests. (HT GILMORE)
• Five men, some of them self-described "anarchists," were arrested after allegedly conspiring to blow up a bridge near Cleveland. The explosives at the core of the plot were apparently under the control of an undercover FBI agent.
• Police fired at and hit Scott Olsen in the course of a military-style response to Occupy protesters, concludes an official report looking into the Oakland Police Department's conduct. The federal court monitor that issued the report finds that the department is getting worse.
• As the Senate campaign in Massachusetts erupts over charges that Elizabeth Warren fibbed by claiming to be Native American, a genealogist finds evidence that she has some Cherokee ancestry. Well … a little.
• To whatever extent European governments have been trying to live within their means, many of their constituents don't like it, and took to the streets on May Day.
• Dinosaurs may have been dying out slowly even before the big asteroid strike.

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Comments

[MP]

Mid-day links?

[Auric Demonocles]

Your timestamp confuses me.

[Episiarch]

He's a man before his time.

[Alack]

That's a polite way of saying "he came early", isn't it?

[Episiarch]

That's one way of looking at it.

[Episiarch]

That's one way of looking at it.

[J_B]

These 5 Cleveland clowns are OWS members.

Another crime to add to the rap sheet of over 400 so far.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The explosives at the core of the plot were apparently under the control of an undercover FBI agent.

Read the fine print. The Stimulus requires that, if there is not enough crumbling infrastructure in need of repair, the federal government is required to step in and crumble some.

[Banjos]

They then shouldn't stop the occutards from rioting. That way they can literally implement the broken window fallacy.

[Translucent Chum]

I wouldn't trust these clowns with a bottle rocket. I don't think they have the brain power to come with a plan to wipe their own asses.

[Loki]

Anthony Hayne, 35, a.k.a. "Tony"

Is it possible we've stumbled upon the true identity of T o n y?

[R]

Has anyone seen him post lately?

[Mr. FIFY]

Very little. I hope he'll commit suicide soon.

[Xenocles]

Well it's still nice to see the FBI pseudo-entrapment scheme extending out beyond the Muslims.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...a genealogist finds evidence that she has some Cherokee ancestry.

Warren does look a lot like Ward Churchill.

[WarrenT]

What?

[Fist of Etiquette]

It's like looking in a mirror, Warren. Admit it!

[Alack]

CAN'T BE UNSEEN

[WarrenT]

It's true I look like an ugly, elderly lesbian!

[Anacreon]

So many of my left coast lefty pals roll their eyes when I talk about media bias, especially in the NY Times. But what a great example!

[Anacreon]

So Warren is exposed as being only a thirtysecond. But the Times headline is Genealogist Finds Record of Warren American Indian Ancestry as if she was living on the reservation? Also, the entire content of the article seems to be going out of its way to prove that she never misled anyone.

[Anacreon]

Boy, it is hard to get past the 50 character thingie from work today. To finish:

If this had been Scott Brown as the culprit, the Times headline would have been 'Despite Advantages Gained, Republican Senator only one 32nd Cherokee.' And the article would be peppered with quotes from Native American leaders decrying the man.

My friends, I am sure, will roll their eyes when I point this out, and say, 'They never let up on Anthony Weiner, did they? That proves you are wrong.' What fallacy is that again?

Maybe I need some new friends.

[rac3rx]

Actually, Breitbart never let up on Anthony Weiner. The lefties defended him until after he confessed and resigned.

[Killazontherun]

When 'but they never let up on Weiner', defending Weiner that is, is your defense, you have gone far off the rails somewhere in your life, I assure you.

[Mike M.]

Speaking of Breitbart, I barely even managed to sleep a wink last night. I'm having a tough time coming to grips with the fact that if you vet this president too hard, not only will you be murdered, but the freaking coroner who does your autopsy will get bumped off too.

I'm telling you all, none of us are truly safe under this vile, disgusting regime.

[Groovus Maximus]

Maybe I need some new friends.

Yes. Yes, you do.

[JW]

'They never let up on Anthony Weiner, did they?

Do you mean the congressvermin who snapped a pic of his erect dick and sent to a teenager? Totally the same thing.

[Michael S. Langston]

There are a number of fallacies with their argument, but the easy retort is that you never once claimed the NY Times on every single occasion roots for only one team.

They, like all idiots worried more about others than themselves, will revel in a popular/ rich person's downfall.

That is not evidence, that their normal mode of operation slants right.

I would only add.... Before getting new friends, bring a few over 🙂

[Michael S. Langston]

There are a number of fallacies with their argument, but the easy retort is that you never once claimed the NY Times on every single occasion roots for only one team.

They, like all idiots worried more about others than themselves, will revel in a popular/ rich person's downfall.

That is not evidence, that their normal mode of operation slants right.

I would only add.... Before getting new friends, bring a few over 🙂

[Michael S. Langston]

There are a number of fallacies with their argument, but the easy retort is that you never once claimed the NY Times on every single occasion roots for only one team.

They, like all idiots worried more about others than themselves, will revel in a popular/ rich person's downfall.

That is not evidence, that their normal mode of operation slants right.

I would only add.... Before getting new friends, bring a few over 🙂

[DesigNate]

Jesus Tap Dancing Christ! I would wager that over half the country has some Cherokee in them. That's like saying I'm part German.

[Loki]

I have both Cherokee and Choctaw heritage. Does that mean I could get an affermitive action professorship at Harvard too?

Maybe on job applications instead of marking "decline to identify" (which is really the same as saying white) I should check Native American instead.

[jester]

Finally, someone admits to be part of the other 4/5 of the Civilized tribes and that goes a long way to admitting an uncivilized tribe is part of your heritage. That is what's wrong with America.

[Jerryskids]

The Cherokee were a large eastern tribe that assimilated pretty well. There are plenty of blue-eyed Cherokee, some of them share my great-great-uncles' name. I assume that mixing went both ways.

Of course, the dark-skinned Cherokee aren't quite so prevalent as they used to be.

[A Serious Man]

Nerds of the world, UNITE! The Dark Knight Rises Trailer released.

[Atanarjuat]

Apparently you don't need special schools to make Mentats; all you have to do is kick a guy in the head just right.

[Episiarch]

Good for him. He deserves some sort of compensation for living in Tacoma.

[robc]

Seattle/Tacoma. Same place.

[Episiarch]

Sorry, rob.

[Paul.]

Teehee. It's a long drive from Tacoma to the "Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport"

In other news, WHITE KIDS IN DREADLOCKS THROWING ROCKS IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE/TACOMA!!11!!1one!

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/.....5/may-day/

[Pro Libertate]

Mentats are way beyond mere kicked-head capabilities.

[Soc Indv Sparky]

Another nominee for Mother of the Year.

In May 2011, Mothershead's 15-month-old daughter was airlifted from Tacoma to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center after suffering a blow to the head. While treating her, medical staff noticed that a previously diagnosed eye condition had worsened.

[Rich]

Jennifer Mothershead, 29, pleaded not guilty and her bail was set at $150,000.

"Mothershead", indeed.

Anyway, I expect to see licenses required for child-producing before I snuff it.

[Anacreon]

I sure am hearing bail set at $150K a lot recently.

[jester]

Let me guess, it was her parietal eye.

[Coeus]

Seattle police want to videotape protests.

I say fuck 'em. At least until they release all that dash cam footage that they're making taxpayers pay the legal penalties for withholding.

[Episiarch]

There was supposed to be a May 1st "don't go to work and interfere with capitalism" strike today in Seattle. Haven't seen a single thing. I guess it worked out pretty much as I expected.

[Coeus]

Not surprising. The only people down on capitalism enough to protest aren't likely to be contributing anything of worth to the system. I wonder who thought that one up?

"Let's protest capitalism by not going to work on May 1st."

"Cool, man. But none of us have jobs."

[PapayaSF]

Last night some Occupy types broke shop windows and vandalized cars in San Francisco's Mission district.

[Soc Indv Sparky]

That's just their way of begging sympathy for their plight. I can't imagine why nobody likes them.

[Pro Libertate]

Is the Occupy movement the stupidest ever? Discuss.

[Groovus Maximus]

Yes. Question asked and answered.

[jester]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discus_(fish)

[ant1sthenes]

Not if the point of the Occupy movement was to use the easily duped to manufacture a threat that would improve the political case for granting the government greater police powers or even a declaring general state of emergency.

[rac3rx]

The first time I read that, I read "San Francisco's Moron district". And I thought, well that's just all of San Francisco isn't it?

[PapayaSF]

Hey!

[Proprietist]

Ah, so they go to one of the lowest income, most heavily immigrant neighborhoods in SF and smash shop windows instead of, say, the Financial District? Nice job, morons.

[Pro Libertate]

They're doing a terrific job of alienating everyone, including most especially the people they purport to speak for. It's just like if the Bolsheviks had spent their time beating up serfs before and after the Russian Revolution.

[Proprietist]

Right, every millionaire hedge fund manager in Manhattan can work via iPhone as their chauffeur/taxi driver gets backed up in traffic after Occupy blocks off the roads. But janitors, restaurant workesr, etc. who can't get to work on time risk getting fired.

Another timely analogy are the LA Race Riots 20 years ago, another moronic action in recent history. Nice job setting your own neighborhoods on fire. That'll show whitey/random Koreans.

[PapayaSF]

They were at a rally in Dolores Park nearby, and seemed to preferentially target some of the more "yuppy" businesses and vehicles, as well as the local police station. One Aston Martin will need a new windshield. Some video.

[PapayaSF]

More, with a pic of the Aston Martin

[Dagny T.]

There are allegedly various marches that are supposed to culminate in front of the Federal Building downtown this afternoon.

They've turned violent already. My office is in the direct vicinity of the Fed Building and the office buildings around here have made the lobbies keycard-only entry. I'll give some dispatches later this afternoon if there's anything to report.

[Dagny T.]

They've turned violent already. My office is in the vicinity of the Federal Building where the events are supposed to culminate this afternoon. I'll post some dispatches if there's anything to report.

The office buildings in this neighborhood have made their lobbies keycard-only entry just in case.

[Dagny T.]

Stupid squirrelz won't let me link, but the Seattle May Day 'tards have turned violent already. My office is in the vicinity of the Federal Building where the events are supposed to culminate this afternoon. I'll post some dispatches if there's anything to report.

The office buildings in this neighborhood have made their lobbies keycard-only entry just in case.

[Pro Libertate]

Needs more firehose.

[The Last American Hero]

I saw Phoenix Jones on the scene at 4th and Union when I went out to get a sandwich. Apparently he jumped in to action a little later and pepper sprayed some evildoers.

[Episiarch]

That's what you get for working downtown.

[db]

I took today off for other reasons not knowing about this. Now I feel dirty.

[Killazontherun]

Everyone is going to assume you are OWS when you return to work tomorrow.

[JW]

You should go into work tonight to make up for it.

[db]

In my defense I did some definite 1%er type things today.

[db]

Plus I responded to work e-mails and made a few work related calls on my day off. I think I'm covered.

[Pro Libertate]

Buy low, and sell high.

[WarrenT]

Fuck! I've been doing it wrong all this time!

[Fist of Etiquette]

French voters seem poised to chose policies favoring economic growth over austerity with Socialist Francois Hollande leading Sarkozy in the polls.

Economic growth!

[A Serious Man]

France, following the path to prosperity boldly blazed by socialist Hugo Chavez.

[R C Dean]

French voters seem poised to chose policies favoring increased debt, providing the illusion of economic growth

[Killazontherun]

What do you choose, death or cake?

[jester]

It's hump or death. And I still hate you for your ridiculous commentary on a different post. Repent or don't. It's a free world. Almost.

[WarrenT]

Death!

[WarrenT]

No! I meant cake! Cake!

[Eaglewing]

Cake it is! But first, The Aristocrats!

[WarrenT]

Ah, death then. If you please.

[VG Zaytsev]

French voters seem poised to chose policies favoring economic growth over austerity with Socialist Francois Hollande leading Sarkozy in the polls.

Is growth what the Frog's call stealing these days?

[jester]

Silly Rabbits, the Government is the only jobs creator in France. Where have YOU been?

[Soc Indv Sparky]

This guy's new motorcycle sure gives him a hardon.

Henry Wolf alleged that a four-hour ride on his BMW motorcycle in 2010 left him with priapism and "unable to engage in sexual activity," according to court documents filed last week.

[Rich]

A, what, 750cc displacement resulted in, what, a 100cc displacement?

[Mad Scientist]

I know this sort of litigation is par for the course for anyone who dares to sell a product, and I know it's often cheaper for the company to settle than go to court. What I don't know is why crap like this doesn't get laughed out of the law talkin' guy's office. Surely BMW can provide a very long (ha ha) list of male BMW owners who haven't been gettin' twiggy with their bikes. Doesn't ol' Henry have to prove negligence, not just claim it?

[Pip]

The kicker is that it's an after market seat the guy used to replace the original BMW seat.

[Loki]

If I was BMW's lawyer I think my response would "pics or it didn't happen".

[Loki]

To clarify: not that I'd want to see it mind you, it's more along the lines of "so you have a permanent boner from riding your bike? Prove it."

[WarrenT]

Nice, but futile, try on the save, pervo.

[Coeus]

Shoulda just gone with "no homo".

[Francisco d Anconia]

Please call your doctor if you experience an erection lasting longer than 4 hours.

[Anacreon]

Though motorcycle riders are often good at changing their own oil, please do not attempt to drain your own priapism. This requires the skilled and sterile injection of epinephrine into your penis by a licensed physician. If that fails, the same needle can be used to withdraw the blood giving you the erection until detumescence!

[Hell's Librarian]

I'm not even a guy and that scene on True Blood made me cross my legs in sympathy.

[The Bearded Hobbit]

A Beemer guy? Figures.

One of the cool things about riding motorcycles on the highway is that riders wave to each other as we pass. It's a near-universal thing, for the most part; I've gotten waves from outlaw bikers when riding down the road on my dirtbike.

Except the Beemer guys. Every once in a while I get a half-hearted lift of the palm off of the left handgrip, but that's it.

... Hobbit

[Mad Scientist]

Around here it's just the opposite. The Harley guys won't wave (I understand it's because they're afraid to take their hands off the bars) but the Beemer guys always do.

[sloopyinca]

Just got back from the ultrasound, and our baby is due on December 17th. Now if Banjos can just have him/her 13 days late, we will have well and truly fucked the IRS.

Either way, we're happy that the due date is not in January. I didn't really want to have to get her on a treadmill for hours every day between Christmas and New Years Eve.

[A Serious Man]

Congratulations!

[nipplemancer]

My niece was due on the 12/19 and didn't come out until the 3rd.

[Ska]

How would having the baby in 2013 fuck the IRS? You'd basically be fucking yourselves out of an exemption, and potential medical deductions and child care credit.

[Banjos]

December 31st

[Matrix]

I thought the baby had to have been born at least 6 months prior to years end before you could claim the exemption.

[Joe M]

Yes, this is true. So the way to fuck the IRS is to have a kid on June 30th.

[sloopyinca]

Not true.

And here's the IRS page on it.

From the IRS page: Child born alive. You may be able to claim an exemption for a child who was born alive during the year, even if the child lived only for a moment. State or local law must treat the child as having been born alive. There must be proof of a live birth shown by an official document, such as a birth certificate. The child must be your qualifying child or qualifying relative, and all the other tests to claim an exemption for a dependent must be met.

[Joe M]

Well bully for you! I'll have to tell my brother about that.

[Joe M]

And me having kids in February like a chump.

[MP]

Specificity is so much fun. We need to make sure we're clear. You can't deduct the stillborn.

[Joe M]

Otherwise, people would be having abortions and claiming those.

[db]

Make sure you get a "Certificate of Live Birth" for presidential purposes. See if you can get them to file a poor photocopy of it.

[SIV]

And place birth announcements in Kenyan newspapers!

[sloopyinca]

MP, I had a close friend that had a baby stillborn while I lived in Puerto Rico. It was just tragic.

Anyway, it was born in a Catholic hospital, and knew the baby was going to be stillborn when they showed up at the hospital. The doctor attempted resuscitation for a few minutes just so they could fill out a birth certificate and the baby would be considered alive for religious purposes. They claimed him on their taxes that year (since they had income from the states, they still had to file) even though his birth certificate and death certificate had the same day.

[Ska]

Heh, OK. I mean it's more of not getting screwed on your side than you screwing them on their side. 😛

Grats and good luck, btw.

[JW]

we will have well and truly fucked the IRS

Sadly, they always have the last fuck.

[Alack]

Which is why we need to follow Egypt's example and get through some postmortem sexytimes legislation.

[rac3rx]

Wait, will we be considered post mortem, or will it be the IRS?

[Rich]

Congrats on the offspring, guys.

If you're having a name contest, my entry is "1040EZ".

[Fist of Etiquette]

A birthday that close to Christmas? You two are the worst kind of people.

[Alack]

So what should they do? Abort and try again?

[Fist of Etiquette]

No, it's too late to do anything about it now except for them to hope for a preemie. No combining gifts if your birthday comes in November.

[sloopyinca]

No combining gifts if your birthday comes in November.

Can we get a ruling on this? I've always adhered to the 2-week rule when it comes to screwing people out of birthday presents around Christmas. Will I really be able to get by with birthday/Christmas presents on a December 10th birthday? Sweet!

[DesigNate]

I'm a firm believer in more birthday presents and less christmas presents seeing as how the birthday is when the rugrat joins your family and christmas is supposed to be about remembering jesus or something.

[Mad Scientist]

All you need to do is explain to the kid that on his/her birthday he/she is supposed to buy a present for Banjos, who, after all, did all the work that day. If the little bugger protests that that's what Mother's Day is for, you just explain that, no, Mother's Day is for her putting up with you the other 364 days of the year.

[rac3rx]

Absolutely not, and anyone who combines Birthday and Christmas gifts is a cheapskate son of a bitch who should be flogged.

My late Mother's birthday was on the 21st and while we put up the tree, shopped, and all that stuff, house rule was that Christmas was only tangentially acknowledged until after her birthday, which was celebrated and gifted completely separate from Christmas. No poinsettia birthday cakes bitches, or you suffered the wrath of MOM.

At one point, from December 1 to January 2, I had close to a dozen family members have birthdays. Each was treated as a separate event. The only one left is my husband on the 11th. He gets a completely separate Birthday from Christmas because I actually care about the guy and I'm not a piece of shit.

It's not the kid's fault when his or her parents decided to screw. Don't punish your kid by being a stingy motherfucker.

[R C Dean]

Father born on 12/15

Mother born on 12/20

Brother born on 12/28

Combining Christmas and birthday not allowed.

[Anacreon]

I'm December 4 and always got hosed, told "but your Xmas present will be especially nice this year!" But then it was only socks and underwear. But, I guess, especially nice socks and underwear.

[Jerryskids]

Is this where I say something about my wife and my daughter and my sister all having the same birthday and how it's nice being from Georgia because it's just the one birthday present?

[The Bearded Hobbit]

Mom was always very careful to keep Christmas and birthday apart. And birthday after was like Christmas, Part II!!

Being born on the 31st is cool in its own way, too, because *everybody* celebrates your birthday!

... Hobbit

[Banjos]

Hey, just because the child will never receive a birthday gift doesn't mean we are all that bad. I mean, I am sure there are parents worse than us...like ones that names their children Katelyn and Jayden.

[Episiarch]

I knew kids whose birthdays were on or really close to Christmas. They were empty husks of humans, watching the rest of us receive birthday gifts with their dead eyes and their slack expressions, with the hunger yet torpor of a zombie, but not for brains. For gifts.

You and Ken are monsters.

[Pro Libertate]

I have friends with Christmas birthdays who got extravagantly better gifts. Or so they claimed.

[Episiarch]

Or so they claimed.

[Pro Libertate]

They claimed so.

[Episiarch]

Claims were made?

[db]

And subsequently jumped.

[Pro Libertate]

Indeed!

[Episiarch]

So you claim.

[Pro Libertate]

I am, after all, the claimant.

[WarrenT]

Someone needs to verify your clam.

[Episiarch]

How can you claim to be the claimant after you specifically claimed that it was "friends with Christmas birthdays" who claimed to get better gifts?

[Pro Libertate]

Because I was popularly acclaimed to be the claimant. Like Batman, but with more claims.

[Episiarch]

You can't just purport to be popularly acclaimed as the claimant! And you're nothing like Batman!

[Pro Libertate]

Just like, but claimier.

[Episiarch]

More like Aquaman, but clammier.

[Pro Libertate]

Mmmmm, clams. They claim that clams help the climax.

[Episiarch]

That's oysters, dumbass. Way to ruin the running gag. I knew you'd screw it up somehow.

[Pro Libertate]

Shut your clam hole.

[Mad Scientist]

Now now, boys, don't go making up new names. Everyone knows it's referred to as a cock holster.

[nicole]

like ones that names their children Katelyn and Jayden

Of course, what you get for a middle name might be...well, I'm a little afraid of what it might be in the end.

[db]

I vote "Anakin."

[db]

To be more precise: "Anakin J. J. Sloopjos"

[Groovus Maximus]

People who name their children after states **cough DAKOTA cough** deserve a special place in hell.

[Pro Libertate]

Certainly if the parents don't indicate whether the child is North or South.

[sloopyinca]

What about Florida Evans, the character that is one of the two people photographed here?

[sloopyinca]

And I actually like the name Virginia, but ours have to start with a "K."

[Pro Libertate]

Well, there's always Kapellmeister. Or Krampus.

[sloopyinca]

I was for Kora until I realized it would sound like a Korean ordering a soda.

Thought about Kyra, and Banjos (Kara) liked it, but my daughter, Kira, did not.

[Pro Libertate]

I suppose Krieg for a boy would be funny. Pronounce it Craig, like it's just a normal name.

[sloopyinca]

Does Kaiser Mountain Dew Spicer sound OK?

[Whahappan?]

Uh, don't you mean Kaiser SOZE Mountain Dew Spicer?

[Mad Scientist]

The Ken Kara Kira Kyra Klan is a bit of a mouthful.

[sloopyinca]

Don't forget my son, Kenneth IV.

[Mad Scientist]

Krap!

[Pro Libertate]

The Kenneth IV.

[db]

Oh no! It's K-K-K-Ken c-c-coming to k-k-k-kill me!

[kinnath]

My daughter is Keri

[JW]

I thought we agreed on Krull?

[SIV]

Kali

Guru: Where are the stranglers?
Thuggees: [Thuggees respond in Hindi]
Guru: Give them their strangling cloths.
Thuggees: Kali.
Guru: Give them their burial picks.
Thuggees: Kali.
Guru: Swear by our mother Kali to be thrice faithful to her and to me and to our order and to all of us.
Thuggees: [Thuggees pray in Hindi]
Guru: Rise, our new-made brothers. Rise and kill. Kill, lest you be killed yourselves. Kill for the love of killing. Kill for the love of Kali. Kill! Kill! Kill!

Has a nice ring to it.

[sloopyinca]

Kaylee from Firefly sounds interesting.

[Pro Libertate]

Kirok if it's a boy. Or maybe Khan.

[SugarFree]

Kal if it's a boy, Kaylee if it's a girl. Warty if it's... something else.

"Kal" keeps the Superman theme going with Kara's name, "Kaylee" gets some libertarian worked in.

"Warty" is just fun to scream in terror as you try to banish it back to the dark dimensions from hence it slithered.

[R]

KHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!

[R]

How about KHAAAAAAN!

Also, fuck you filter, for marking my original post as spam for no damn reason.

[Pro Libertate]

People will think his son is Nick Cage's.

[Pro Libertate]

How about Konstitution?

[SweatingGin]

Whammy bar

Penn might have the best -- Moxy Danger Jilette

I'm about to make another aviation, so I have to think that might be a name.

[mad libertarian guy]

I know a girl who gave both those names to two of her children.

[WarrenT]

So one was Katelyn Jayden and the other was Jayden Katelyn?

[mad libertarian guy]

Writing fail.

She has used both names. One with each child.

[Pip]

I knew twins, Suzette Fayette and Fayette Suzette. Used to go running with them. I always tried to stay a pace or two behind them in order to study their, um, technique.

[Pro Libertate]

Good luck with the pregnancy!

I posted some names for you earlier, but spam-blocking delayed their publication.

[Rich]

*Nice* names, PL!

(Are you familiar with The Devil's Dictionary? If not, check out "REGALIA", e.g.)

[Pro Libertate]

I've heard of it but haven't perused. Looks funny.

[Rich]

*Highly* recommended. Please give it a respectable perusal.

[Pro Libertate]

I'll have to acquire it for my Kindle!

[Jerryskids]

Ah, if you don't know Bierce as well as Mencken or Twain, you have missed out on a lot of the joys of misanthropy.

"Cynic, n. A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are not as they ought to be."

[Banjos]

We shall give the baby the most libertarian name of them all. One that is auctioned off to the highest bidder.

[sloopyinca]

Middle name, anyway.

And anybody want to give us some help? I can't set up an ebay sale for more than 10 days, and I want this to go until December 1st.

Commissions will be paid.

[fish]

Mountain Dew Sloop! Mountain Dew....jeez....I thought we had already discussed this!

(Any word on the MIcrosoft counter offer?)

[nicole]

sloopy, just did a quick search on WordPress for auction-related plugins and it looks like there are a bunch, including what appears to be a free version of this service (just happens to be the top search result in plugins, and looks like it has the features you would want, probably). Don't know if you have your own hosting or want to get it, but it doesn't seem like it would be rocket science to set up once that question is out of the way. I don't see any reason why I couldn't host it for you except that it would be on a subdomain of a fairly inappropriate- and dopey-sounding domain (but I haven't investigated like, super hard, and it's possible there could be some other problem).

[sloopyinca]

I'm willing to pay someone to admin it. And we need to get a bidding agreement established to avoid fraudulent bids. I really can't do it myself since I'm an auctioneer under contract with my employer. My company's legal counsel said it would be best if I avoided doing it myself or tying it to my business in any way.

Like I said, I'd be willing to pay someone to admin it. Link it to a bunch of facebook pages and a few blogs, and it should take off on its own.

Any interested parties, let me know.

[Groovus Maximus]

Hell, I'll just deliver the baby myself pro bono for baby naming rights.

[Pro Libertate]

Doc wins!

Wellington? Shaddam? Pieter? Paul? Vladimir? Duncan? Gurney? Leto?

[Pro Libertate]

Or, if a girl, Jessica or Chani?

[Groovus Maximus]

Wellington, of course.

[Groovus Maximus]

Girl, I would have to ponder. It may not be a Dune-y name.

[sloopyinca]

We need to talk, doc. What names do you have in mind?

[Pro Libertate]

Ever read Dune, sloopy? 'Cause that's where your child's name is coming from.

[sloopyinca]

For the middle name? That's fine and will be up to him. But know this: if he comes up with "Sting," I'm gonna call the kid "Bellboy" after a better role.

And no, I have not read Dune.

[Pro Libertate]

First of all, don't talk about the movie. We're talking about the book. There is no movie.

Second, go read Dune. Now. We'll wait.

[Groovus Maximus]

And no, I have not read Dune.

So, you are not familiar with the term, "crysknife"...interesting.

I am leaning towards the classic, elegant name "Grace" for a girl.

[SugarFree]

And no, I have not read Dune.

One of the saddest sentences in the human tongue.

Do you have an e-reader?

[sloopyinca]

Just got a nook yesterday for my son. Already have Enders Game and Anthem loaded in. Guess I'll get Dune and steal it from him...as soon as I finish rereading Breaking Dawn.

[Pro Libertate]

Dune first. Those other books are inferior.

[Francisco d Anconia]

And no, I have not read Dune.

Please relinquish your card.

[Pro Libertate]

Probably would chew his arm off during the gom jabbar. Harumph.

[The Bearded Hobbit]

I can offer my domain (netznet.net) as I own the server and am not really using it for anything but ftp right now (no one is reading my stories).

... Hobbit

[Mad Scientist]

Sloopy, grab a domain name. They cost all of $20 a year and sloopy.com is available. I'm sure you can find all sorts of sloopjos-style combinations available in a .net domain if you prefer. Hosting it is easy. I have a few sites running on the server in my house. Hosting sites are cheap as well (if you don't want to fiddle with Linux).

[Joe M]

Cool! My brother and his wife are expecting their second on December 12th.

[sloopyinca]

Are they libertarians? If not, then this isn't about them.

I keed! I keed!

[Joe M]

Dude they totally are.

[sloopyinca]

Then good for them! I welcome the spawn of any other libertarians entering the world, especially if it's in the months most likely to fuck the stupid IRS* out of an extra exemption.

*Just in case there are any "see something-say something" types out there: I love the IRS. They are the bestest government agency.

[DesigNate]

My spawn is due to chew her way through her mothers womb in July so yay extra exemption.*

*Unless of course Congress does kill the Obama tax credits. Then it's boo marriage penalty.

[sloopyinca]

That's right. Congrats, man.

When does the tax credit expire? I'll still get it, right?

[Night Elf Mohawk]

We induced on the 22nd. Fuck the IRS.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Of course if the Mayans are right, over four days late won't make much difference.

[The Bearded Hobbit]

I was born on Dec 31st. Supposedly, the day before Dad took Mom on a long ride over and bumpy road. Worked for him!

... Hobbit

[Soc Indv Sparky]

Canadians starting to notice the giant sucking sound coming from Detroit.

"We do sympathize with the plight of those affected but, unfortunately, the federal government doesn't have regulatory authority over noise pollution," the spokesman said.

Canadian authorities have also hoped the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would investigate. But a spokesman for the EPA said it doesn't have the authority to assist.

Also, the EPA only "helps" when it's their idea.

[Auric Demonocles]

I will be on a business trip to Detroit next week. Maybe I should get some ear plugs.

[Loki]

I find that hard to believe. You're telling me there's still businesses in Detroit? I thought at this point Detroit was more of a legend than anything. Like Atlantis.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Centuries from now, after the next big meteor to come along destroys us and the apes have ascended from the ruins and rebuilt society, one of them will write up a P.M. Link that reads:

Europe may have been dying out slowly even before the big asteroid strike.

[jester]

After a big mongoloid strike.

[sloopyinca]

Why in the hell would anybody get arrested for trying to blow up something near Cleveland. Shouldn't it be considered a beautification project?

[jester]

I personally find urban squalor aesthitically pleasing. It speaks to me in the sense of mankind's overarching sense of control-freakism. But you're talking about rural Cleveland. I don't know that place.

[sloopyinca]

But you're talking about rural Cleveland. I don't know that place.

Imagine what a colonoscopy would look like if the patient had just eaten an entire deep dish "pizza" and washed it down with a bowl of gravy. Expand that image.

[jester]

Thanks,

Now I can have sweet dreams.

big kiss,

jester

[Timon 19]

The bridge was in the national park. It's a very nice park.

The suburbs nearby are snooty-ish, overgrown villages with their own Best Buys and Target mega-strip-malls.

[Timon 19]

Err...the bridge is still there. I'm pretty sure.

[Rob.]

I live right by there. That bridge is fairly new and it runs over a valley of The Metroparks. Come to think of it, that bridge is the only decent piece of infrastructure in Cuyahoga Co.

[Timon 19]

The lines between the Metroparks (Virginia Kendall, primarily) and CVNP get all blurry around there, as I remember.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Iraq war veteran Scott Olsen, injured at an Occupy Oakland protest, gave his first live television interview following the incident to MSNBC's The Ed Show

So the dude has served in Iraq and been abused by Oakland police, hasn't he been through enough? On top of all that, why make the poor guy suffer Ed Schultz?

[Randian]

We're gambling that his nascent brain damage will go off at the right moment and take down all of MSNBC. A kind of reverse Manchurian Candidate.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Are you talking about Olsen or Schultz?

[Randian]

I would hardly call Schultz's brain damage nascent.

[Apatheist ?_??]

The occucunts showed up at my office building to protest again today. Again they were a pathetic bunch under 20-30 people. Even more pathetic is that the media chalked this up as some kind of national movement when it was practically non-existent in the third largest city in the country (and I'm sure many other places).

[Mad Scientist]

Where's the vat of boiling oil when you need it?

[plu1959]

We had about 10-20 of 'em marching past our building about two hours ago. Poorly made signs, chanting, and a guitar.

[Loki]

Were they singing this?

What's goin' on in this world o'mine?
There's a whole lot of killin' in this world o'mine.
Somebody's gotta help this world o'mine...

[Pip]

Because I love you guys:

http://www.nydailynews.com/lif.....?pmSlide=0

[sloopyinca]

Poor little thing. What happened to her tits?

[Banjos]

How cute! Is that a pic of your 12 year old niece?

[Coeus]

Pardon if this was covered this morning, but Al Queda attack plans found in porno.

[Soc Indv Sparky]

I guess that explains why the pages were all sticky.

[Rich]

Psst, investigators -- Check out the pork chop recipes, too.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Of course...

...who would look at porn?

[John]

From the occupy article

Whereas the OWS crowd proclaimed "we are the 99 Percent" and "banks got bailed out, we got sold out," a band of construction workers delivered chants of their own.

"Get-a-job! Get-a-job!" several workers atop a work site repeatedly hollered.

"Get a job! Stop wasting the cops' time!" yelled another, referring to the large detail of officers clad in riot gear that accompanied the Occupy procession.

"Occupy my b----!" another offered.

[plu1959]

What does "b----" stand for that could not be printed? Balls? You can't say "balls" in a newspaper?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Probably not in that context. That's why so many respectable publications refused to repeat the term "teabagger".

[Joe M]

I recently saw something on TV in which the word "penis" was censored. So, yeah.

[mad libertarian guy]

Watch out, or you might get a faceful of jizz from all his gushing.

But such were the ups and downs of Occupy Wall Street's May Day demonstration, which certainly found its fair share of support around the bustling rain-drenched metropolis, but had trouble living up to the advance billing.

The idea was to organize a general strike of workers, students and virtually anyone else who wanted to join in the year-old broadside OWS has leveled against the evils of corporate greed and political corruption.

Absolutely nothing has changed on account of OWS, yet they've still leveled a broadside? The fuck?

[Michael S. Langston]

Well.... I suppose, technically speaking, that if one single Idiot... Say.... P Krugman... Too obvious? Let's call this hypothetical Idiot Paul K...

Anyway, suppose , in a reputable and well read newspaper, he launched directed attacks on a good percentage of the country, but while doing so was vague in the real specifics.

Couldn't this person be said to have "broadsided" that population?

[Paul.]

Krugman, meanwhile, described Paul as "living in the world that was 150 years ago."

And Krugman lives in Czarist Russia. So...

[plu1959]

charges that Elizabeth Warren fibbed by claiming to be Native American

I thought the charge was that she fibbed by claiming never to have used her NA background to help get a job?

[jdtuccille]

She's accused of both transgressions, but the article only applies to the one. Mebbe we'll soon find out something new and interesting about the other ...

[plu1959]

I see. Thx

[WarrenT]

I'm sure she's had a little Indian in her.

[Groovus Maximus]

Yes, of this variety.

[Episiarch]

Is that any good, doc?

[Groovus Maximus]

Not really. But it's schlocky, campy fun. Unless you are Native American, since it employs just about every stereotype and trope that applies.

[Episiarch]

Oh, then it sounds awesome.

[Groovus Maximus]

Think Rosemary's Baby, Alien, and Poltergeist all rolled into one. With buckets and buckets of pus during the climax.

[WarrenT]

That's exactly what happened during my last trip to that Sudanese-run brothel in Carson City.

[Anacreon]

Wow, an aging Tony Curtis, Stella Stevens, AND Burgess Meredith? I've got to tell my buddy we are set for our next "bad movie night"!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Nearby, though, stood some who were appreciative of the OWS effort.

"I respect them, I love them," gushed Lisa Coleman, a worker with the Service Employees International Union 1199. "Enough is enough. Take some of the salaries of these big-shot executives inside there and give some to the common people."

Dipshits of the world unite.

[wareagle]

wow...talk about a lack of self-awareness. SEIU is part of the goon squad that believes its okay for govt employees to take money from the rest of us for their pension funds.

And you have to look far to find anyone willing to make the connection between OWS' reprisal and the fact that it is happening on the high holy day of communist states.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

How much do the top SEIU guys make?

[WarrenT]

Being eh rent-seeking missiles they are probably 10xs their actual productive value.

[Old Mexican]

In New York City, Occupiers run up against low turnout and hecklers during May Day protests.

Thus ended the great Occupy movement, such as it was: with a heckle.... and a jeckle.

[plu1959]

And Mr. Jive.

[Silver Fox]

+1 Men at Work reference.

[Old Mexican]

Don't count him out! Not only did Ron Paul face off with Paul Krugman, economista a economista, but he quietly cleaned up delegates in Louisiana's caucuses.

It may happen that Tampa becomes all of a sudden the most interesting place in the world, when Willard finds out his hard-won delegates were never there to begin with.

"Suprise!"

[Joe M]

The sucky part is, no matter how many are actually Paul supporters, they'll be mostly compelled to vote for Romney anyway. That's why I think it was better if Santorum and Gingrich stayed in. They may have been able to dilute the votes and initial delegate counts enough to prevent a clear majority, and then the Paul delegates become unbound and shock the nation. Unfortunately, I don't see the math working anymore.

[A Serious Man]

If Mittens is smart he will know not to alienate a large and extremely vocal group of Republicans. For the sake of party unity he'll treat Paul nicely in exchange for Paul's convention supporters not storming out and making a scene.

[WarrenT]

"Surprise buttseks" yelled the black swan as it mounted the confused and terrified Mormon RINO.

[Pip]

"Surprise buttseks"
yelled the black swan
as it mounted
the confused and terrified
Mormon RINO.

[jester]

Thanks for the Baudelaire version.
I'm sure it was important for Reason readers.

-just sayin'

[db]

There is apparently one thing now that could get me to watch network coverage of the 2012 GOP convention.

[wareagle]

Romney has had respect for Paul all along. It could be part of the reason Mitt never attacked Ron: the latter knew the former would win, and the former expected to give the latter a speaking slot in Tampa. He has treated Paul well the whole time.

[Joe M]

They've exchanged monocles, nuff said.

[WarrenT]

They have to be careful not to catch monoclenucleosis!

[Francisco d Anconia]

Are you proud of that?

[Joe M]

Indeed. I come back to check this thread and that's what I get?

[rts]

Regulation is always the answer, it seems:

Calls for regulation after woman falls from hang-glider, despite being only the 3rd fatality in a decade.

Calls for regulation of dog-groomers after a dog gets cut from shaver.

[Rich]

Stratton told her the dog had thin skin and claimed it had been punctured by the groomer's thumb.

Better start regulating liars.

[Loki]

Better start regulating liars.

Congress will never regulate themselves...

[Mad Scientist]

EVERYONE knows that once you have regulations no one ever gets injured again.

[Francisco d Anconia]

I never figured out why they just don't pass a law against cancer instead of spending billions in research.

[rts]

Calls for regulation of dog groomers after dog's throat is cut by shavers.

[rts]

Despite only 5 fatalities across Canada in the last decade, calls for hang gliding regulations ring out after latest accident.

[rts]

Also, calls for dog-groomers to be regulated and licensed by the government after dog's throat is cut by shavers.

No link as I can't get past the spam filters.

[plu1959]

How is that even possible?

[WarrenT]

It's the new commenting software. Screws up a lot of things.

[Joe M]

Uh, I think he was referring to the dog getting its throat cut. Unless you already knew that, in which case, well played.

[plu1959]

Right you are. How do you cut a dog's throat with dog clippers?

[WarrenT]

Very carefully. Warty taught a whole Adult Education class on it.

[rac3rx]

You don't just use clippers on most breeds. Some get scissored and a few breeds require stripping blades. Accidents do happen.

I have several dogs, so I groom them myself.

[BakedPenguin]

Here you go.

[plu1959]

OK, I RTFA that was linked in TFA. Seems that the doggie was nicked and a major vessel was hit. Doggie survived. Head still attached to body.

[Jerryskids]

Holy crap! That whole article reads like somebody here wrote it - they make no bones about the fact that it is the dog groomers themselves that want the regulation despite there being no need for it. If this had been published in most US papers, the whole focus of the article would have been on the obvious need for regulation with no hint that it might be simple rent-seeking.

[PS]

Has anyone mentioned that Hopey McTuffey is making a surprise campaign stop in Abbottobad?

http://www.realclearpolitics.c.....14018.html

[sloopyinca]

It is verboten to talk about it, apparently. That's why the newsies all pulled their stories when their WH overlords called them today.

Fucking pussies used to enjoy breaking stories. Now they're as likely to get their news from press releases as anything else.

[PS]

Really? I didn't know that phone calls had been made, protocols were followed.

[sloopyinca]

Yesiree. Enjoy!

[PS]

Well it "is customary with presidential trips to war zones."

I can understand him wanting to avoid harmful drone attacks.

[Rich]

administration officials said the timing of events was designed for an optimal broadcast time in the United States.

Ha! Now we'll know his favorite time zone!

[sloopyinca]

Ha! Now we'll know his favorite time zone!

His favorite time zone is probably the one he happens to be in at any given moment.

[db]

I'm thinking it depends on the number of electoral votes in the zone.

[WarrenT]

In other news from that article the Rom-Bot is furiously sucking Bloomberg's shriveled cock looking for an endorsement.

[BigT]

Douchebag in chief is giving a televised speech at 7:30.

I assume his campaign is paying for this trip.

On his third trip to Afghanistan since taking office, Obama also addressed troops at Bagram Air Field and will make a televised address at 7:30 p.m. ET.
http://www.local10.com/news/po.....j4yygvz/-/

[Killazontherun]

Was it ego that drove the man to commission two 'autobiographies' before the age of 45? In part, but that is an aside. The real reason was before he ever cast a 'present' vote in the Illinois legislature his job title was 'community organizer.' Thus we have two autobiographies to cover up a decade of doing nothing but fucking off.

[Killazontherun]

I'll save you trolls the time --

But Bush . . .

stayed pickled until he was 40 on liquor and blow!

I think I would have liked that guy. The sober one I wouldn't give you a nickle for.

[Groovus Maximus]

"Subashii chinchin mono
Kintama no ke aru
Sono oto wa sarubobo
Iie! Ninja ga imasu"

"Hey hey let's go kenka suru
Taisetsu na mono protect my balls!
Boku ga warui so let's fighting...
Let's fighting love!
Let's fighting love!"

[Groovus Maximus]

^^^Response to John's comment. User FAIL!

[WarrenT]

Is this what you chant at your patients before working on them?

[Pro Libertate]

All surgical robots are fluent in the language of their creators, the Japanese.

[PS]

Does that mean they also speak Czech?

[Groovus Maximus]

Russk or Ukrainian is the default language of The Creators.

[PS]

But not of ?apek.

[Groovus Maximus]

Isaac Asimov?

[PS]

I don't think Asimov spoke Japanese or Czech.

[WarrenT]

You have prauge!

[Pro Libertate]

Making up the word isn't creating the actual thing. Japan is like an eon ahead of the rest of the planet. Why just the other day I ran across a giant, Japanese fire-breathing robot.

[PS]

Right, ProL, next you'll be telling me that Paul Krugman isn't a liberal in the classical sense. I find your distinction between word definitions and giant killer robots to be disengenous.

[Pro Libertate]

Not only is he not a classical liberal, he is also not a colossal fire-breathing robot.

[PS]

I'm not going to waste my time arguing semantics with you.

[Pro Libertate]

Ewwwww, I have no interest in your semen or its antics.

[PS]

It's people like you that've made Semen Slapstick the fringe art form it is today.

[Pro Libertate]

You're confusing me with SugarFree.

[Groovus Maximus]

I did today, considering they were deceased.

[Episiarch]

I see your successful treatment rate is right where I expected, Dr. Quack. Or should I call you Nick Riviera?

[PS]

Homer has survived many treatments by "Dr" Riviera.

[BakedPenguin]

Holy smokes! You need booze!

[Banjos]

If it isn't Mr. McCraig!

[Old Mexican]

We're not losing the war in Afghanistan

That does not translate to "We're winning!" at all.

[mad libertarian guy]

Winning isn't the point, only fighting. As long as we can draw a stalemate, the government wins.

[PS]

We've not been losing the war on drugs for how long?

[mad libertarian guy]

Same principle. Even if the War on Drugs could be won, which it can't, winning isn't the point, but to remain in a state of perpetual warfare. We can't win the war on drugs because then so much in the government sector would lose.

[PS]

Call me naive but I don't think those in power consciously think of perpetuating an obviously perpetual war. I think it's more about knee-jerk statism and all it's associated ills.

[mad libertarian guy]

Okay.

You're naive.

[Loki]

Not sure if this has been covered here before:

Pat Sullivan gets plea deal: one count of possessing meth and to soliciting a prostitute

...despite confessing to using meth on multiple occasions, tradeing meth for sex multiple times, using GHB (date rape drug) to take advantage of a disabled person, and having sex with underage boys.

But I have it on good authority that LEOs are not given special treatment, so if any of us wants to trade meth for sex, have group sex with underage boys, etc. we can expect to get away with just 17 days in jail and an $1,100 fine. Un-fucking-believable.

[WarrenT]

The more this sort of thing happens, the more distrust and hate of the cops. Which is vital in a free country.

[John]

Wow. And he confessed to all of it. And the cops were like 'nothing to see here'.

[mad libertarian guy]

Re: dinos dying

Can you hear the dog whistle?

"We also know there was massive volcanism and major sea level changes at this time. We now also know that at least some groups of dinosaurs were undergoing long-term declines in biodiversity during the final 12 million years of the Cretaceous, at least in North America."

[. . .]

"Something was going on with large herbivores in the late Cretaceous, at least in North America. Maybe it was the fact that the local environments were in flux due to drastic sea level changes and mountain building at the time."

[Groovus Maximus]

But...but...HUMANS CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE!!!

[mad libertarian guy]

Don't you see!!??!!??

Not even the dinosaurs could withstand the fury of the rising seas!!

[Groovus Maximus]

THEY BURNED FOSSIL FUELS!!! Wait.

THEY WERE FOSSIL FUELS!!!

As Johnny said, "First the earth cooled, then, the dinosaurs came. But they got too big and fat and turned into oil and Arabs came along and bought Mercedes-Benz's!"

[ant1sthenes]

Maybe if those dinosaurs hadn't been turning into evil fossil fuels, Gaia wouldn't have smote them.

[John]

Documents found in the house where Osama bin Laden was killed a year ago show a close working relationship between top al-Qaida leaders and Mullah Omar, the overall commander of the Taliban, including frequent discussions of joint operations against Nato forces in Afghanistan, the Afghan government and targets in Pakistan?

[Paul.]

UPDATE: 2:53 p.m. | Mayor McGinn has authorized the seizure of potential weapons. After vandals used handheld flag poles to break window, the mayor says he will sign an emergency order authorizing police to confiscate items that can be used as weapons. He also said police have been using tactics developed in response to the 1999 WTO riots.

W00T!

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/.....5/may-day/

[WarrenT]

Those windows look like Scooby and Shaggy went through them.

[Paul.]

Well, Shaggy definitely went through them..

http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....116216.jpg

[Paul.]

Get a load of this shot:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....116212.jpg

I wonder if the 'occupy-esque' protesters really mean total freedom? Because I'm guessing my version of total freedom is quite different than theirs.

I'm thinking theirs has all kinds of caveats, regulatory bodies, institutions and unelected bureaucrats making sure total freedom is continuously shaped and cultivated to produce specific outcomes as imagined by a group of intellectual elites.

[WarrenT]

That's the best kind of freedom!

[Episiarch]

It got a lot more active--and violent--than I expected. Yes, damaging people's property will gain you sympathy. Idiots.

[Groovus Maximus]

I'm glad you and Paul are nowhere near that dumbfuckery. I would pity the fool who accosted you.

[Episiarch]

I would never be caught near them, doc. I hate mobs and will make sure I'm scarce from anywhere there is or just might be one. For instance, even if I were the biggest hockey fanatic in the world, there's no way I would have gone to Vancouver for last year's Stanley Cup final, just because of what might (and did) happen.

[Pro Libertate]

Didn't something similar happen back in the early Aughts in Seattle?

[Episiarch]

You mean The Battle in Seattle? So glad I wasn't here for that. And if I had been, I would have gone to Hawaii for the duration of the conference. Fuck that shit.

[Pro Libertate]

Ah, the 1999 WTO riots. Good times.

[Paul.]

I'm guessing this is a much smaller affair. Times is reporting '50 demonstrators'.

I was actually in the WTO riots. By that I mean I was there, in the crowds, arrests were happening around or near me, but I did not participate in the riots. I just felt it was historically important that I see the thing from within... for science. WTO was actually a huge affair. Huge.

[Pro Libertate]

Were they protesting "globalization?" I don't even remember.

[Paul.]

Yes, via WTO which was seen as the arbiter of global capitalism. It was a brief moment when large guys with Union Jackets with cutoff sleeves hob-nobbed with scruffy kids in turtle costumes.

The love affair was short-lived. All the Union people gave a shit about was Mexican truckers... shutting down the Port of Seattle... not so much.

[Episiarch]

You're a madman, Paul. Crowds equal trouble or potential trouble. Christ, I almost get a little edgy at the Seattle Beer Festival when it's mobbed at Seattle Center, and that's utterly peaceful.

[Paul.]

And yet you live in Beltown. You're an enigmatic fellow, Mr. Episiarch.

[Episiarch]

I don't mind a little danger. But I do mind crowds, because they're mindless and unpredictable.

[Paul.]

I don't mind a little danger. But I do mind crowds, because they're mindless and unpredictable.

Meh, Beltown isn't dangerous. I mean, compared to Pioneer Square-- which despite my 20+ years of living here, has never been a hangout for me.

The people that live there are too dangerous, the people that populate the night life are too frat-boy.

[Paul.]

It got a lot more active--and violent--than I expected. Yes, damaging people's property will gain you sympathy. Idiots.

Episiarch... How quaint your notion of "property". It's not "their" property. The property belongs to the 99%! Susan Kelo lost her case!

[Pro Libertate]

What's great about this is that it's an excellent bright-line test of intelligence. If you're sympathetic with this idiocy, you're an idiot.

[Chris Mallory]

Anyone born in North American is by definition a "Native American".

[WarrenT]

Yes. Though it's full of North American'ts.

[mad libertarian guy]

Facing financial troubles (who could have guessed), North of Center Lexington is seeking to use a new financial structure: Community Based Journalism.

[0x90]

OT: a question for any law-talkin' guys here: realistically speaking, what happens to a prospective juror who refuses to be sworn? I am currently serving jury duty, but have yet to undergo voir dire. Voir dire has its own oath, and I have no problem with that; it is the juror's oath of duty which is at issue, and which in this court, reads as follows (emphasis mine):

"You do swear that you will be attentive during this trial and follow the instructions of the Judge so that you may reach a fair and just verdict; that you will not discuss this case with anyone until submitted to you for deliberation and will keep your verdict secret until it is delivered to the Court, so help you God?"

How can I, with a clear conscience, swear to follow instructions, when their nature, at the time of swearing, is unknown? It is a fact that I cannot, in good conscience, agree to apply law with which I philosophically disagree, and as such, the breaking of my oath would depend solely upon the nature of the case to which I would have been assigned. As such, I see no possible way that I can, in good faith, take this particular oath.

Any thoughts?

[Killazontherun]

There are matters that you should under all circumstances follow his instructions, where he instructs you to disregard testimony it is going to be on solid grounds cause his awareness of where the law is drawn is tested everyday. It is usually a matter of things that could come back later to overturn a case. Don't worry about that stuff though.

As for the rightness or wrongness of the law that a defendant is charged only your conscience can interpret, and as a juror there is no alternative even proffered by the law to this fact. You would not be disobeying his instructions by following your conscience. The law was never meant as a means for actors in the state to replace your conscience.

[jester]

Killaz,

Fuck off until you repent. You're all bravado.

[Killazontherun]

Don't sweat it, don't make an example of yourself. Just go in there and take that oath and relax. I have this covered for you. It is your way out.

It is always up to you whether you decide if the prosecution has sufficient evidence that gets by the reasonable doubt standard.

Focus on that. If you have a marijuana case up, and no matter what they caught the guy with, just say, that it doesn't meet your standard. Don't get all constitutionally on the other jurors. Just repeat, your standards have not been met.

[sloopyinca]

But you better be able to make a compelling argument to the other jurors otherwise the judge can remove you from the jury or hold you in contempt.

[Killazontherun]

That is your reason. No, you do not have to break it down further. It doesn't meet your standards of when deciding the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt than that is all the reason you need, and no you are not going to be found in contempt. Don't be unnecessarily scaring the guy. It is always up to whether or not you find the evidence presented compelling.

[sloopyinca]

Really? I must be ignorant of courtroom decorum here (no snark). I always thought if a jury was deadlocked, the judge could ask why, and the foreman could explain one of the jurors was arbitrarily holding out. I figured, and heard, a judge could call the dissenter into chambers and ask what reasonable doubt he had, and that if that contradicted with his instructions, he could have that person removed or held in contempt if it was in conflict with his instructions.

I sure hope I've been wrong all this time.

[Killazontherun]

Your level of doubt is never going to conflict with the judges instructions because that is the point of the trial to find out if the evidence presented meets your criteria.

[Killazontherun]

I'm telling 0x90 to avoid situations where his conscience conflicts with any possible instructions, and stay focused on why he is there. It is up to him to decide if that hurdle is met not the judge.

He says, not enough evidence, the only counter argument they have to that are hypotheticals. You don't have to give hypothetical situations the time of day.

[mad libertarian guy]

AFAIK, nullification is perfectly legal.

Were I to be called in to the judge's chambers to explain why I was holding out, I'd just say "nullification" and be done with it.

I wouldn't, however, take my advice as legally sufficient.

[Killazontherun]

The only thing 0x90 needs to be concerned about is paying attention to the defenses case and telling everyone else he bought it.

[WarrenT]

My mother-in-law was always saying that when I was around. Never realized she was practicing for jury duty.

[0x90]

Thanks, but that seems like a bad idea to me...at that point, I'm already sworn. My instinct is to be up-front about it, but I'm just not sure how they would respond to that.

[Killazontherun]

Just relax, you'll do fine. You are not an outlaw because you think like a libertarian. Don't let yourself be othered. The law was originally written by people like us long before the parasites, like Oliver Wendell Holmes, came around.

[Paul.]

Just relax, you'll do fine. You are not an outlaw because you think like a libertarian.

Uhm...

[mad libertarian guy]

Just relax, you'll do fine. You are not an outlaw because you think like a libertarian.

According to most statists, those who think like libertarians are worse than an outlaw.

[sloopyinca]

Just do this if the defendant meets the right criteria.

[0x90]

Yeah, that, or Carlin's line about being able to spot guilty people just by looking at them. Really, it's kind of funny -- where so many people attempt to concoct some lie to get out of serving, my problem is that I would have to lie in order to serve. And that I might face some unknown consequence for refusing to do so.

[Brian from Texas]

Speaking of Ron Paul, the Tea Party Express is having a rally at the Texas Capitol on Sunday, May 6 around 2pm Central. Ron and Rand Paul are both the scheduled headliners. I'm certainly going to try to make the drive from Dallas to be there.

[Coeus]

Man exposes himself at an association for the blind. I guess this is kinda like a DUI arrest.

[Coeus]

The comments on this Mitt Romney racism article are really, really stupid. Even worse than their usual dreck.

[Jordan]

Robert Wenzel smacks the Fed around:

At the invitation of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, I spoke and had lunch in the bank's Liberty Room. Below are my prepared remarks.

Thank you very much for inviting me to speak here at the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

Intellectual discourse is, of course, extraordinarily valuable in reaching truth. In this sense, I welcome the opportunity to discuss my views on the economy and monetary policy and how they may differ with those of you here at the Fed.

That said, I suspect my views are so different from those of you here today that my comments will be a complete failure in convincing you to do what I believe should be done, which is to close down the entire Federal Reserve System.

It gets much, much better. The dude has some brass balls.

[Coeus]

My god, it's beautiful.