A.M. Links: Suicides by U.S. Troops Up in Afghanistan, Obama Ramps Up Drone War in Pakistan, UFO Spotted Over Israel a Russian ICBM Test
-
The first 155 days of combat in Afghanistan saw 154 U.S. soldiers commit suicide. That's 50% more than the total U.S. casualties in Afghanistan this year.
- Anticipating a ban on the practice by the government of Pakistan, President Obama ordered that drone strikes in the country be significantly ramped up. Meanwhile, Leon Panetta complained Pakistan is not doing enough to prevent terrorist attacks on Afghanistan to be launched from there.
- Rand Paul told Sean Hannity he's "happy to announce" he's supporting Mitt Romney for President "now that the nominating process is over."
- Bill Clinton is apologizing for going off-message on the Bush tax cuts, set to expire at the end of the year. "I'm very sorry for what happened. I thought something had to be done on the fiscal cliff before the election," Clinton told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
- Rights violated? There's an app for that. The NYCLU's new mobile app lets you record and report stop and frisks in real time and find out about stop and frisks near you. The NYPD says the app could pose a security threat. It's currently only available on Android devices.
- The Army of Corps of Engineers is likely to tear down a man's $14,000 tree house in Bonner's Ferry, Idaho, or the city could lose $128,000 in federal funding. The man received an exemption from city authorities to build the structure in 2007. "I still feel like this is just an action of big government," the man said. "We were totally helpless. The city's helpless, and they are pretty much held under the gun."
- An unidentified flying object seen over Israel turns out to be an intercontinental ballistic missile test by the Russians.
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Faust!
Mephistopheles!
Mephistopheles! (And no, I don't understand why the server squirrels tagged it as spam the first time.)
Beelzebub!
And you didn't get tagged as spam?
No. But when I typed Fuckin' Kerry last night the squirrels denied me.
Gretchen!
Anticipating a ban on the practice by the government of Pakistan, President Obama ordered that drone strikes in the country be significantly ramped up.
Like New Yorkers stocking up on Big Gulps.
As though they will actually abide by Pakistan's wishes in any case.
Noonan: What's Changed After Wisconsin
The Obama administration suddenly looks like a house of cards.
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....95290.html
He's running for president.
But why? He could be president now if he wanted to be.
Yeah, so trash Noonan all you want but that's a great line.
It was a decent article.
"It became apparent some weeks ago when the president talked on the stump?where else??about an essay by a fellow who said spending growth is actually lower than that of previous presidents. This was startling to a lot of people, who looked into it and found the man had left out most spending from 2009, the first year of Mr. Obama's presidency. People sneered: The president was deliberately using a misleading argument to paint a false picture! But you know, why would he go out there waving an article that could immediately be debunked? Maybe because he thought it was true. That's more alarming, isn't it, the idea that he knows so little about the effects of his own economic program that he thinks he really is a low spender.
For more than a month, his people have been laying down the line that America was just about to enter full economic recovery when the European meltdown stopped it. (I guess the slowdown in China didn't poll well.) You'll be hearing more of this?we almost had it, and then Spain, or Italy, messed everything up. What's bothersome is not that it's just a line, but that the White House sees its central economic contribution now as the making up of lines."
http://professional.wsj.com/ar.....95290.html
Emphasis added.
Pure gold.
I guess we're heading more toward Death Race 2000 future than the Idiocracy future.
Peggy Noonan is the best political weathervane I know. I don't agree with her, but she seems to lean whichever way the wind is blowing. If she's down on Obama, he's in trouble.
My own feeling is that he's got about 6 weeks to get all his shit in one sock or the wheels come off.
Wow, that's a horrible mix of metaphors.
It is, but considering the muse, I'll forgive this breach of metaphor etiquette.
Wow, that's a horrible mix of metaphors.
Particularly because it forces me to picture the president stuffing actual turds into an Argyle sock.
10 pounds of shit in a two pound sack?
My Grandfather used to refer to "10 pounds of shit in a 6 pound sock" as a "blivet".
Worst baby shower cakes... ever!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/fem.....-mile.html
That is a whole lot of demented win.
The worst...or the best?
cakewrecks.com has a lot of bad baby shower cakes.
Most of these shots have a cakewrecks.com watermark. Each and every one of these is just pure awesome.
I generally don't click on the Daily Mail links because European tabloid websites are just as bad memory hogs as Hit and Run. And I was wondering why the Daily Mail would be plugging cakewrecks now.
I generally don't click on the Daily Mail links because European tabloid websites are just as bad memory hogs as Hit and Run.
Yeah, they're pretty awful. Plus my main computer here at work is on a 1Mbps DSL line, and all those pretty, hi-res photos take forever to load. These are still worth a gander, though!
Gotta love the knee-jerk anti-Americanism in the comments.
I like this one, but in a different way
And then there's the hand on this pregnancy cake
Now let's see if I get flagged as spam....
Now let's see if I get flagged as spam....
No flaggification, but the first link didn't work. The second one . . . wow. It's hard to believe that someone though that was a neat idea for a cake. Maybe it could be served with a side of strawberry Jell-O to represent a placenta?
It's a shower cake with a representation of a pregnant Marge Simpson, captioned "So you've ruined your life".
when my boyfriend (now husband) turned 30, a friend made him a tit cake. No photos of that though.
No photos of that though.
It's a sin that you guys didn't take a picture before you cut it up!
It wasnt a baby shower, but a friend of mine had a birthday cake that is on cakewrecks.com.
Worst baby shower cakes... ever!
I hope Banjos isn't on here this morning getting ideas for her baby shower this fall.
EU interior ministers agree new emergency border rules
http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16007142,00.html
a move to stop "economic refugees"?
Waaaaaaaaay to skinny for John.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....beach.html
Rule of thumb - Camera adds ten pounds. If she looks that skinny in photos, in real life she looks like a fencerail. No thanks. I like at least a little bit of muscle tone.
Not being stabbed by pelvic bones is always nice.
Ahh, yes, that lovely bruise left by a prominent symphysis pubis. I have known the pain of this. No fun.
I generally like women thin, but she needs to eat a cheeseburger.
Too skinny for me, too. How the hell is a chick with arms that skinny going to operate a cast-iron skillet in my kitchen?
Topless Canadians... put your shirt back on!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....-Prix.html
I love how the cop is making damn sure to look at her face.
That mustache has him hypnotized.
I like the last picture. "Run away! Run away!"
THAT'S IT! I will engineer a strategic circular strike pattern to spare Montreal (I was specifically requested to do so) but those uppity Quebecois have stepped over the line!
The Maritime Annihilation Project (sand PEI) is a go! The durable and reliable Albertans will love me for this! Now, what to do about the Vancouver Hippies...
Set up a Seattle/Vancouver hippie/hipster preserve. Then Washingtonians can have their state back, too.
How exactly will I make a buck off of this, since I refuse to apply for gov money? Who wants to pay to see Hippies and Hipster Doofi in a preserve environment?
Although, there may be people willing to shell out good money to hunt them...hmm.
harness their smug, use it to generate electricity, and sell it back into the main grid. Or use it to light the monocle factory you set up, staffed by child labour of course
This has possibility...have your second call my second and we'll grill this over. Then we can discuss the liquidation of Kylie Minogue. She has been allowed to roam for far too long...
Sex tourism. Who doesn't like slumming once in a while?
You have forgotten your imminent demise from Patchouli Poisoning Syndrome already, haven't we Brett?
You know that condition is terminal.
What? No, I, uh. That was a friend of mine, honest. I made her take a shower first. You can't catch it from just one encounter.
lie down with hippies, get up with fleas
"I'm very sorry for what happened. I thought something had to be done on the fiscal cliff before the election," Clinton told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
"I'm sorry you're all a bunch of idiots."
Jesus. Did Rand Paul just make me start rooting for Gary Johnson? I never thought that would happen, and Johnson leaves a LOT to be desired. Rand Paul is done in my book.
...Johnson leaves a LOT to be desired.
What is so bad about Johnson? Just curious.
I think he really turned some people off after his interview with Robert Wenzel last week along with his acceptance of matching funds etc. Basically, it's a purity thing.
We must keep perfect safe from the enemy good!
I don't really see how any (libertarian) Paul supporter could find Johnson too impure.
Think LRC...
ya it's LRCism.
I'm generally OK with Lew Rothbard et al (well, et some of the al), but they got so fired up supporting Ron Paul and not wanting Johnson to splinter off any Paul supporters that they forgot to stop hating him when it became irrelevant.
isidewith.com told me I was only 95% compatible with Gary Johnson. Not pure enough!
I suspect many libertarians have to go to heroic efforts to keep from thinking themselves impure. I stand by my program of victory first, then purges.
I didn't see the interview, will have too. I say good for him for getting the matching funds. Anything that helps get the message out should be encouraged.
For sure. In the interview he shows that he isn't familiar with a whole lot of the philosophical/intellectual side of libertarianism, particularly Rothbard. I'm sure you can figure out which group that pissed off.
Just listened to it. He got hammered on many of the points. Seems like the ancaps are the ones that are really pissed about it.
Rand is showing his party loyalty in a way that matters not at all.
This is positioning for his run for president. As long as he continues to use his senate seat to annoy the GOP leadership, like with his block on the fake pot ban, then he is doing his job. If "endorsing" Romney is part of it, no big deal.
Yeah, I not too bothered by this. He just doesn't want to get excommunicated.
If he starts voting like Romney, however...
As long as he votes and talks like a libertarian, a few crumbs tossed to the party don't bother me much. It's not realistic to expect him to endorse Johnson, and I'm sure that between Obama and Romney, he'd prefer Romney.
Well put, robc. I'm not too worried about this. His rhetoric and voting record are consistent, and this is politics, after all. I'll bet he did this whilst holding his nose.
in a way that matters not at all
It does matter though . It helps keep him in power.
As long as he uses that power to move in the right direction I'm OK with that.
Democrats' delusions
Why Wisconsin loss hit so hard
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/o.....Sbx3xn1oOP
The whole tone of that article is reflective of the "Post-election selection trauma" nonsense written after 2000 and 2004.
This is what happens when your emotional self-worth is completely wrapped up in your political "team" winning all the time. At least when Team Red partisans are mad post-election, there's actual reasons put forth for WHY they're pissed off, even if it's completely made-up "DAS RACIS" bullshit. For the political left, they're apparently so fucking fragile and childish emotionally they can't handle it when things don't go their way all the damn time.
"I'm very sorry for what happened. I thought something had to be done on the fiscal cliff before the election," Clinton told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
This sounds even worse for Obama than the thing he's apologizing for, which I imagine was the intention.
Watching Bill run wild is pretty funny. I really hope he keeps it up.
You have to wonder if this is Bill's way of getting back at Obama for taking Hillary's spot. He sure is being passive-aggressive in his responses.
Does anyone respect Obama now?
His cult still does.
Really? Why? At least Apple produces nifty, overpriced gadgets and Scientology provides gay men with fake wives. What does the Obama cult do for it adherents?
Fart smelling and ObamneyCare. Oh, and instant absolution from the sting of the charge of racism.
Racism in the U.S. ended when Obama was elected. It's okay to hate again!
Awesome! I hate you and your kind, Pro'L Dib. The Spice Melange is now a Schedule I. Take that you foul, unthinking beast! If I could just engineer a Final Solution for you and your kind...after the Maritime Annihilation Project (sans PEI), of course. Priorities!
The hate must flow.
Thanks, Obama!
re: Spice
It's a giant game of Whack-a-Mole. They'll simply never catch up.
instant absolution from the sting of the charge of racism.
THIS. So much this.
Some of my colleagues justify not doing any work for the minority scholars program here, where we bring promising high school kids from inner cities to learn calculus and such, by saying they vote Democrat so they've done their part.
Young movie stars do.
Talk about your target rich environment. (Take that in whatever sense you want.)
There is also The Obama Hoagie.
"Live long and suck it, Zachary Quinto."
Yep. Bubba just stuck the knife in his back again and twisted it.
"I'm very sorry for what happened. I thought something had to be done on the fiscal cliff before the election," Clinton told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
"I had no idea anyone would be dumb enough to propose raising taxes during a recession."
Do free enterprise advocates just care about the 1%?
http://arthurbrooks.aei.org/20.....ing-the-1/
"Forced redistribution" is another way of saying a progressive income tax (which Adam Smith strongly supported). The three wealthiest capitalists in the USA are all liberals and are donating nearly all their money to charity when they finally kick off.
boy, with those argumentative powers, you should be head of the DoJ. I'm sure they need a little help with those Supreme Court cases.
Don't be an idiot. No one wants "forced redistribution" but a progressive income tax is widely accepted everywhere.
Except Estonia.
A non-optional progressive income tax combined with a entitlement state is forced redistribution.
That was my original comment. But in a poll question the wording is important.
you're the one being an idiot. Again and again. The point is those that "who disagreed strongly with greater forced redistribution gave eleven times more, on average, than those who agreed strongly."
And your point is?
you have no point other than constant stupidity and fallacious arguments.
you have no point other than constant stupidity and fallacious arguments
Also, christfag.
Don't be an idiot. No one wants "forced redistribution" but a progressive income tax is widely accepted everywhere.
Well, except for places where the economy ISN'T in the shitter.
Not really. He said: "The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state."
Progressive taxation isn't proportional (in nominal terms, at least, which is likely what he was referring to), it's skewed toward the wealthy, and usually motivated by an ideology of redistribution rather the proportionality. The word for a proportional tax on income is "flat tax".
Here are some other things he said about taxes:
Every tax ought to be contrived as both to take out and to keep out of the pockets of the people as little as possible, over and above what it brings into the public treasury of the state.
The tax which each individual is bound to pay ought to be certain, and not arbitrary.
I.e., taxes should minimize the deadweight loss of record-keeping, and be straightforward. Sounds like Adam Smith supported a flat tax with minimal loopholes.
Actually, to minimize deadweight loss, he would have to support the Single Land Tax.
Alright then, I should have refreshed. What ant1sthenes said.
Smith:
The necessaries of life occasion the great expense of the poor. They find it difficult to get food, and the greater part of their little revenue is spent in getting it. The luxuries and vanities of life occasion the principal expense of the rich, and a magnificent house embellishes and sets off to the best advantage all the other luxuries and vanities which they possess ... It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion.
Your screen name suggests a strong desire to be nestled inside Sarah Palin's rectum. And your website link suggest a correlation between your intimate desires and George Soros.
(which Adam Smith strongly supported)
What? St. Smith said that? I've been living a lie!
It's hilarious when these hero worshiping partisans think all they have to do is invoke a name to prove a point. It's understandable that the first foray into the study of economics might be off target on a few of the finer points. Hayek first thought it would be okay if state regulations were imposed upon the entire market, like with minimum wage, etc. He later retracted this thought and said he wasn't prepared to go where his theories led. It can be scary to cast off the "truths" you've been fed your whole life.
It's hilarious when these hero worshiping partisans think all they have to do is invoke a name to prove a point.
It also betrays a fundamentally religious mindset. They think that all they have to do is say, "Well, So-and-so said this!" and it's going to shut off debate, because they believe the person they are arguing against considers the words and thoughts of certain people to be sacrosanct. It's a blatantly naked appeal to authority that presumes unflinching truths.
Considering that the poor were TRULY poor in Smith's day, it's not unreasonable for him to ask whether progressive taxation would help better society. But dopes like shrike still believe America's poor are living in some Dickensian nightmare. Go to Wal-Mart on SNAP renewal day and it's pretty difficult to take that view seriously.
http://www.canberratimes.com.a.....z1xCqHV29K
LOL...I have no words for this. Cases like this make it hard to shake the stereotype of the lazy pothead.
Hahaha, this reminds of the time in college when a friend of mine wrote me a $10 check for a hand full of shrooms.
Labor Dept. counts oil lobbyists, garbage men, bus drivers as 'green jobs'
http://dailycaller.com/2012/06.....obs-video/
and used- record store clerks 🙂 that has to make them feel good. What about second-hand store owners, or pawn shop proprietors?
The NYPD says the app could pose a security threat. It's currently only available on Android devices.
"Nice security you have there. Be a real shame something happened to it." Also, hasn't Bloomberg banned using apps in public yet?
It's Jersey that banned texting and walking.
It is also illegal not to put your dog in a seatbelt while riding in a car. Jersey is competing with the UK to be the epicenter of world stupid.
You can't let dogs stick their head out the window while you're driving anymore, either.
That seems awkward, since seat belts are designed for bipeds. The next logical step would be mandating custom-molded dog seats with 6-point tie down crash webbing.
Yeah. A threat to cops violating the Constitution.
Perhaps they could prevent its use by just discontinuing "Stop and Frisk", no?
I've never understood how "Stop and Frisk" could be held up as legal. Isn't it just a random search? Is reasonable suspicion that much of a joke? When the overseers are on the same team there is no accountability.
We are all considered guilty until we prove our innocence by submitting to a search.
Any objection or hesitation is an admission of guilt.
Fuck you, that's why.
Terry v. Ohio
It's called a Terry Stop. The NYPD is using the ruse that they're looking for weapons. The stats bely that but what politician doesn't want to look tough on crime?
Collateral damage is acceptable if you're re-elected.
I have a head for business and a body for sin and a face for a plastic surgeon.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....combo.html
I wouldn't recognize her on the street. What a disaster of a face.
Who can see her face with a dress that busy?
I too will weigh in on Melanie's attire: "No, Melanie, no. White tights are never classy, and matchy shoes are boring." I will say this outfit probably would have been OK or even cute if she had used a different jacket and purse to break it up a bit. She does seem to have a good bod, and the dress fits her nicely (e.g. she isn't poured into it). I'll also note it is semi-transparent and she has an undergarment on underneath it, so props for that too.
Demonica Archiva, you need your own show with Tim Gunn. "OH NO! That's just awful! Here, let's do this and this and that...and 'Make It Work', sweetcheeks!"
I don't care about Melanie (although she has done terrible things to her face). If only the Daily Fail had had pics of Antonio...
How's about both of them together?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....homes.html
Yay! Thanks! That's a p good pic of him.
The accompanying article is pretty terrible: "That's a nice beachfront home, be a shame if something were to happen to it."
*takes temp* Uhm-hmm. Someone's happy. 🙂
Yeah, but why would someone invest in a socialist country? You have to know if it's too nice it will be confiscated nationalized. For the people.
I liked Melanie in Body Double but that movie is a secret vice of mine. Everyone else seems to detest it, but I love the 80s kitsch and wannabe-Hitchcock vibe.
"I do not do animal acts. I do not do SM or any variations of that particular bent, no water sports either. I will not shave my pussy, no fistfucking and absolutely no coming in my face."
Things have changed a lot since 1984.
The euro's 'guilty men' are now steering Europe to catastrophe
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new.....rophe.html
First rule of Euro Club, you can't tap out.
You know, before The Economist became entirely staffed by Europologists, this is exactly the type of thing you used to be able to read there.
Whenever I hear certain people talk about The Economist, that "it's just a little airborne! It's still good! It's still good!" scene from The Simpsons plays through my mind.
Nah. At this point, they need cleansing fire. Its the house organ for the EU.
The NYPD says the app could pose a security threat.
Yeah. A threat to their being secure in their ability to abuse citizens with impunity.
NASA budget cut by $300M, UCF holds bake sale and car wash.
"Alright guys, after paying the car wash girls we recruited, we're down another $1000. I suggest we hold another one next week. Only with skimpier bikinis for the girls."
Bake sale?!?!? BAKE SALE?!?! Do they have a permit for that? A restaurant license? A food truck license? THey should be charged with contributing to the delinquency of fatties. And thrown in jail. And all their proceeds confiscated.
Well, perhaps they will hasten the demise of the fatties. I think there is an exemption in ObamneyCare for that. Of course, since it's for NASA, everything is cootie free, hygienic, and fit for fattie consumption.
Actually in FL, the state level bureaucracy in charge of food safety regulation (DBPR) is not only tolerant, but supportive of food trucks. They let a bunch of food trucks use some of their land in Tallahassee every Thursday night, and promote it.
I was out there last night. The friends I was with were dead set on grilled cheese, which turned out to be not my thing. So I had a pulled pork slider, a slice of pizza, and a cupcake. Next time I'm either going Filipino fusion or shepherd's pie wrap.
Yeah, they're holding food truck events on a fairly regular basis in Orlando from what I hear.
I see the bake sale is tomorrow. If I didn't have to work I'd probably check it out.
Reason should do a story on the food truck support from a state agency. Like an anti-nut punch. (Of course, that would probably mean visiting Florida, which isn't NY, LA, or DC, so they probably won't.)
Riggsy is a native. I'm sure he'd go back.
http://legalinsurrection.com/2.....r-critics/
Zimmerman prosecutor has a history of being a thug towards critics. She has threatened to sue Alan Dershowitz because he said that Zimmerman might not be guilty of murder and the charge was a stupid concession to the mob.
Zimmerman prosecutor has a history of being a thug towards critics.
Reminds me of the whole Tonya Treadway /Siobhan Reynolds flap. These people believe that they are above reproach, in and out of the courtroom.
What a mess. Zimmerman is going to be walking.
The NYCLU's new mobile app lets you record and report stop and frisks in real time and find out about stop and frisks near you. It's currently only available on Android devices.
Expect outrage toward Apple if Romney is elected and the Left is allowed to be concerned about civil rights again.
But still no outrage for the Big Apple, you think?
This has to be read to be believed. Greg Sergeant Washington Post Lefty blogger claims that Europe is now going to be used as a weapons against Republicans because it can be held up as an example of what happens when government doesn't spend enough. I kid you not, although Sergeant does admit this may be a hard case to make.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/....._blog.html
The sad part is the Republican's version of austerity will probably look like Europe's version, while the Democrat's version will look like Robert Mugabe's. They're really that stupid.
I kid you not, although Sergeant does admit this may be a hard case to make.
I don't think this will be difficult for people in the media as they quickly grow desperate at the lack of electability of their candidate. Now, getting people to believe it.. I hope that's the difficult part.
Like arguing that we didn't use a big enough bomb on Nagasaki.
But he's going to fill Bank of America Stadium with cheering fans!
Of course, Cam Newton does the same thing and we probably don't want him to be president.
They're really growing desperate. Arguments like that, which are obviously false and run against common sense to boot, never work well with the general public.
What's more distressing to me is that they're saying things like this knowing full well they aren't true. What happens to the U.S. if we drive off the cliff, too?
It will because we just didn't spend enough. They have completely lost their minds.
That's just so obviously not true. The Soviets spent "enough."
I wish there were at least some way to compromise, allowing some social programs while otherwise rolling back the spending and regulation about a century. The resulting boom would likely make it affordable.
Not ideal, but beats the shit out of where we are now. Unfortunately, the leadership that calls for helping everyone doesn't really want to help anyone but themselves to more power.
That's really scraping the bottom of the barrel. Perhaps he is on Krugabe's GooglePlus DoublePlusGood circle of friends.
Do you think people like Krugman read 1984 and applaud when Winston is arrested?
Well, I do know that Krugman likes the Foundation series...
Are you kidding? He jerked off to it when under the sheets and with a fleshlight as a wee Krugabe! Oddly enough (not really), when I read that in Jr. High, the kids that liked those types of scenes ended up becoming police officers or work for the state.
They didn't have fleshlights when Krugman was a kid.
Unless you're suggesting he only read it recently and still masturbates under the sheets.
I'm sure he totally identifies with Children of the Revolution, and fantasizes about being the son.
i used to be regular at his blog. kind of a pilgrim in an unholy land thing. but it was a small enough group that it was fun. but then it got needlessly nasty and personal. oh well.
Thinner Arctic sea ice = bigger plankton blooms = more CO2 removal from the atmosphere.
Its almost like there are negative feedback mechanisms built into the system. You know, like every other metastable system.
"There's going to be winners and losers," says Arrigo
That's a perfect summation on many layers.
No, that's unpossible, Brett. The model did not account for this, so reality must be wrong.
Old joke:
Engineers believe equations approximate reality.
Physicists believe reality approximates equations.
Mathematicians are unable to see the connection.
The implications of that are unknown, but it could be bad news for fish that feed on open-water phytoplankton, or animals that time their summer trips to the Arctic to match what has traditionally been the peak of phytoplankton blooms.
So this part changed in response to other changes, but everything else is definitely going to remain static.
And all the possible consequences are bad. No mention of good things that might happen, like a rebound of fish stocks because of more food.
The changes have inherently different timescales. The effect on plankton of no ice pack is immediate, while the changes in migration or diet take a long time (particularly for fish who don't learn from their parents).
Let me know when atmospheric CO2 starts dropping. *chuckle*
Its almost like there are negative feedback mechanisms built into the system. You know, like every other metastable system.
This point is so god damn simple, and almost tautologically true, and yet so hard to communicate to dumbasses.
Rand Paul told Sean Hannity he's "happy to announce" he's supporting Mitt Romney for President "now that the nominating process is over."
Asked by Sean Vannity about why he's supporting Romney, Paul uses the phrase "family values" and Fist of Etiquette stops watching the video.
Serious question. Does Paul's endorsement mean Romney is not as bad as he is made out to be or that Paul isn't quite the only honest man in politics? Seems like it has to be one or the other.
Sometimes you got to tow the lion if you want to be in the party. Whether he agrees with Romney or not, there is a time when it is distasteful but necessary to back your guy.
That's why I quit the TEAM, but Rand hasn't. Don't read anything more into it than that.
I can't read Paul's mind. I think he does deserve the benefit of the doubt in that people shouldn't just conclude he is lying. At the very least, it puts lie to the idea that there is no difference between Romney and Obama. If that were true, I think Paul, and a lot of other people, would have left the party.
At the very least, it puts lie to the idea that there is no difference between Romney and Obama.
Or perhaps it puts lie to the idea that Ron Paul isn't just another politician.
Except we're talking about Rand.
Politicians are politicians.
Rand is a bad moth--
Shut yo mouff!
So everything he has done for the last four years has been a lie? Maybe. But that seems a bit harsh towards Paul. Again, I am not going to just assume he is a liar without evidence to the contrary.
Politicians tell people what they perceive that the people want to hear, then they go and do whatever they were going to do anyway.
As far as I'm concerned, the act of running for political office should immediately disqualify someone from having it.
just for non-confusion, let's include their given names.
"tow the lion"
One thing I know for sure is that I'm never driving a lion. It's clear that they're so prone to
breaking down roadside that I'd never get anywhere.
I think it just reinforces that he's not a libertarian. 7 out of every 10 of his actions may be libertarian-friendly, but there's always an undercurrent of so-con.
How so? I don't think wanting to end the drug war is very SOCON. I can't think of a single policy position he supports that I would describe as SOCON. He may talk the talk. But I can't see how it has caused him to change his position on anything. If Ron Paul is now no longer a Libertarian, just who besides Johnson is?
Gary Johnson's policies are the new libertarian litmus test. REAL LIBERTARIANS have to support a federal consumption tax and "humanitarian" foreign wars.
Needz moar Badnarikz
I assisted with Badnarik's campaign in 2004, got to speak with him personally at length and I rather liked him.
Fuck Barr though. First time I didn't vote LP for President.
Yeah, Johnson is nowhere near as libertarian as Bachmann.
I can't think of a single policy position he supports that I would describe as SOCON.
True. IIRC, he has questioned the morality as well as legality of the murderdrone war.
Forget it. I didn't realize it was Rand and not Ron. Can't these guys get names that are easier to tell apart?
I know spelling is tough for you but
RAND
RON
One is 4 letters and has and A and D in it. The other is 3 letters and has an O. They are already different.
No it doesn't - not when "Paul is a pragmatist" is an the obvious option.
But if Paul is a pragmatist, that means Romney is not the same as Obama. Otherwise, how is endorsing him pragmatic?
I presume that your comment is tongue-in-cheek - or that you had a stroke last night and now suddenly subscribe to the absurd local orthodoxy that they are no different.
I meant it tongue and cheek.
It might keep him in the party mainstream enough that he can keep his career going. Being a senator is a bit different from his father's place in the house.
I like Rand, but he isn't a libertarian per se and I think a lot of people try too hard to see him as one. He wants a career as a republican, so he will support their candidate.
The pragmatism is his future presidential run.
Rand's a Republican. Presumably he does find Romney somewhat less unpalatable than the plausible alternative. Don't know if those of us who aren't Republicans would see as much difference.
If it has to be one or the other, it's the second one, I think.
If you parse carefully what he said though, I don't really think he lied. But he is definitely pandering to statist quo Republicans by letting them hear what they want to hear.
Turns out Ron Paul is just another politician.
It's Rand Paul. I don't think Ron has made his endorsement yet.
They really do need to get more different names. Maybe Rand should go by Randy. And never wear a shirt.
Maybe Rand should go by Randy. And never wear a shirt.
I think you're on to something here. Maybe every presidential election should be shirts vs. skins, with candidates drawing straws to see who's which. But then, what if Hillary Clinton runs in 2016 - and draws the short straw?
Well, that'd be one way to comabt the obesity crisis.
I suggest that all future elections be decided a full-contact, shirts v. skins game of Steal the Bacon. Gary Johnson looks like he'd come out on top easily.
Gary Johnson looks like he'd come out on top easily.
If his opponent is ever Hillary Clinton, then that's not a good thing.
Rowdy Randy Paul. Fuck yeah. With a kilt.
That would be bad, considering Rowdy Roddy Piper hails from Saskatchewan.
Still, better than most of Canuckistan's exports (Beiber, Lavinge, Sum 41, I'm looking at you.)
Shatner brings up the average quite a bit.
So? Paul's an American, not a Canadian like you. He'd just be borrowing from the name, not the nationality.
No, you really aren't Canadian. You just happen to have an intimate knowledge of its sporting greats, and can spell its place-names. Yep, nothing Canadian here, folks
Since GM seems to be a wee bit too familiar with Canada, what's the proper nomenclature for a person from Saskatoon? I'm hoping it's Toon, but will take Saskatoonian as a consolation prize.
I AM NOT CANADIAN!!!!! I am, however, quickly becoming a Canucki-phile. The most beautiful woman I have ever seen happens to be a Canadian. Must be something in the water.
Though I don't like it when fights are going on and a hockey game breaks out.
what's the proper nomenclature for a person from Saskatoon?
I think they call them SMITHS.
You just happen to have an intimate knowledge of its sporting greats, and can spell its place-names.
I believe it was you who said men should keep their intellectual curiosity strong and vibrant? This is merely an extension of this principle, and nothing wrong with a working knowledge of geography and spelling.
Touche. I look forward to seeing what other curious facts you share with us
nothing wrong with a working knowledge of geography and spelling.
Americans don't do geography, GM. We learn one part of the world every generation, and you're better off if it's not a part you live in.
Bo-bandy Paul? Next you're going to tell me that the shit apple doesn't fall far from the shit tree.
Actually, he did go by Randy until some time in his twenties. That's what he was known as when I met him campaigning for his Dad in 1988 he was getting ready to start his residency.
I assume that a few months into his residency he realized that the name Randy was a tad undignified for a doctor.
Well I for one am interested in family values. How much can you sell your own sister for?
is she a virgin?
For a price, she can be anything you want her to be
+20
I lol'd (ok, snickered).
+10
North Korean dictator goes out on the town with his pussy posse
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....tival.html
That is some seriously fucked up shit. Its like he's hoping the people who want to assassinate him won't kill kids to do it.
Also, those kids look like they've been told their parents will be shot if they fuck up.
I don't think the NAP would apply if I were alone in a room with that fat, corrupt, waste of a skin-sack.
Kids at the shooting range. What is this world coming to?!
Fuck yes! Let the dewussification commence.
I was talking to a friend who is from central Georgia, so is his wife. They were at a multigeneration family get together last weekend when it came out that his wife had never held or fired a gun. He quickly corrected that and she enjoyed shooting. Also, his 14 year old is apparently a dead aim with a .45.
He trained his wife right, too. They have video of her shooting a little .38 snub nose revolver for the first time after learning the basics on a .22 rifle. She fires one shot and looks around in surprise, but the pistol stays pointed downrange the whole time. I was proud.
Ive never seen anyone shoot that didnt enjoy it.
The german girlfriend of a friend of mine and had never seen a pistol up close loved firing it. She was freaking scared of them until she fired one. then she got it.
I've always thought that shooting ranges should really do more to promote themselves to foreign visitors to the U.S.
Ah ha! I now have my business plan.
There's a couple of shooting ranges in Orlando that promote themselves quite heavily to the tourist crowd and AFAICT, quite successfully to.
Ditto Hawaii/Las Vegas.
At least one in O-town has a "rent a machine gun" option that seems to attract a lot of Brits and Canucks, as well as Northeasterners.
Nothing like taking a vacation and getting to do what is forbidden back home.
Ditto! Took my sister to a pistol match where she quickly decided she wanted to shoot also. With some coaching from the helpful range officers, she was putting rounds down range and on target. Outshot 5% of the field that day. Not bad for a first time ever.
So what? Some parents can't understand why adults would want adults to handle live firearms. Or understand anything more complicated than teh evul korporashuns are behind it
Of course
http://www.thelocal.se/41318/20120608/
I'm surprised nobody's bitched about the alt-text yet.
In Soviet Russia, missle cross you!
Maybe we're all fluent in whatever language that is.
Ever heard of machine translation? :-p
It's Hebrew, Yiddish specifically.
I thought it was secret Koch code.
JOOOOOOOOS!
The Kochs are goyim.
Plugged it into this nifty thing called google.com, and it turns out to be the Hebrew translation of UFO.
"I still feel like this is just an action of big government," the man said. "We were totally helpless. The city's helpless, and they are pretty much held under the gun."
Good, maybe just maybe people will come to understand that government = force.
The city's not helpless, they could always turn the money down. The Federales realized a long time ago that buying off the States and Localities gave them a lot more power than the Constitution would otherwise allow for. Until the locals start weaning themselves off the money tit, there will be no freedom from the Federale's interference.
they could always turn the money down.
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Hahahahahaaaa!
That's totally laugh out laud funny!
Turning down money that is not theirs? That's great!
Next you're going to tell me that they're going to stimulate the economy by repealing shitty legislation and regulation that prevents economic activity, right?
Haaaaaaaaaaaa!
I needed a good laugh.
Thanks.
Hey, I didn't say it was likely, I was just pointing out the fallacy of the statement.
Pacific Institute reinstates Peter Gleick ? but won't provide confirmation of the "independent investigation"
My cynical mind interprets this as "We waited until this was off everyone's radar, and then did what everyone suspected we'd do."
That's okay. They want to permanently cripple their credibility, go for it.
'We are Dangerously Close To Viewing Veterans As A Privileged And Entitled Class Of People'
I would say we're already there.
He conflates veterans with retirees. Not every veteran does 20 years and is entitled to Tricare for life.
I don't have a problem with making military retirees, especially ones who are double dipping, pay for more of their healthcare. The problem is that will then be used as an excuse to totally fuck over people who have legitimate service related injuries and should be entitled to free medical care for said injuries.
John, I just wanted to say "Thank you" for saying "medical care" and not "health care".
And FTR, TRICARE is no panacea for veterans, either.
Everyone says TRICARE sucks. But I have never noticed it to be any worse than what I get on the civilian side. Of course I have never really been sick either.
Gee, thanks, John. That's much better now. Glad you are healthy though. 🙂
TRICARE in itself isn't that bad--it's military healthcare that blows.
They should sue the NFL for creating a culture of violence.
Delicious, salty tears - and irony!
Considering cops often shoot dogs, this one was probably assuming it would not be protected by the thin blue line and decided to make a pre-emptive strike
I take this as a sign that even K9 cops don't know how to handle a dog.
He'll be charged with murdering a LEO, right?
'to a local veterinarian because the dog "had begun to exhibit serious aggression," Bouchard said.'
So he was applying for the SWAT team wasn't he?
http://www.time.com/time/magaz.....-1,00.html
Dems starting to think Obama might lose. And
http://washington.cbslocal.com.....ith-obama/
Liberals threaten not to vote for Obama.
These are the two lead stories on Drudge. But they could re-enforce each other. If liberals start to think Obama is going to lose, then it is in their interest to stay home and not vote for him. That allows them to indulge their smug self righteousness and avoid blame for Obama's defeat. If liberals stay home, they can tell themselves that Obama lost because he wasn't liberal enough and lost his base. If they turn up to a losing cause, they have to admit that he lost because his policies were unpopular. If it looks like Obama is going to lose, expect liberals to jump like rats off the Titanic.
I know some dip in San Francisco that posted on his blog a bit back about how there are going to be "right-wing Tea Party race riots" if Obama loses.
Did he even try to explain that? Is it like Detroit fans rioting in celebration when the Pistons win the title?
if Obama wins, rather
Because there have been so many Tea Party riots in the past four years.
Yeah, well, with insightful opinions like those, there's a reason why he lives in SF.
More classic Special Ed Shultz.
And 38 percent of union households voted for Scott Walker. That's even more amazing. I tell you, I don't understand it. I don't get it. This guy has gone after your wages, he has gone after your pension, he wants to limit your voice in the workplace. And union families in Wisconsin, you voted for him? . . .
There's some disconnect here that I think union membership in this country has to get at the war table and figure out what's the problem. Wait a minute. Wait a second. That's right. President Obama brought this up years ago on the campaign trail when he said folks in rural areas cling to their guns and their religion. And he was criticized for it. Example A right there.
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....TopOpinion
Special Ed needs his own stand up routine. I think the reason why SNL doesn't make fun of liberals is not out of political bias. It is because they are beyond satire.
That's the thing about Ed Schultz. There's not much point in making fun of him, since he does such a bang-up job of unintentionally doing it to himself.
SNL could take that word for word and do it as a commentary on weekend update and no one would notice it was real.
Did any of the exit pollsters think to break down the union vote into privsec and pubsec unions?
Of course not, because then the result is explicable.
Goddamn, he's a shitty writer.
via Radley Balko's Twitter, the reverse nut-punch
http://www.philly.com/philly/n.....78675.html
He certainly earned his jail time
Shwarz and his partner were called to the business by Catalano, who asked the officers to remove a truck from the police database of stolen vehicles because it had been found and returned, according to trial testimony.
When the officers said that they could not remove the truck from the database because it had been recovered in Delaware County, an argument ensued. When Catalano tried to write down the license-plate number on their patrol car, Shwarz grabbed him by the throat, slammed him into a door and took him to the ground.
"The criminal-justice system depends on the trustfulness of police officers. If they're not telling us the truth, then the whole system is corrupt."
Did he get punished for what he did, or for allowing himself to be caught on camera?
He got punished for what he did. The judge deserves a gold star for this one. He was whining for probation. And the judge said, you are a cop, you are getting jail time.
Trustfulness? Truthfulness, ok. Trustworthiness, ok. Trustfulness, wrong.
Truthiness
Those wacky Floridians:
Zombie Attack Prank
I like the part where the guy carrying concealed draws down on him. Double tap!
Remember to aim for the brain stem, people!
OK wow that just does not make a whole lot of se nse to me dude.
http://www.Anon-Nation.tk
Respect my authority!!!
Chicago cop does...what Chicago cops do. Police Superintendent seems to be fine with it.
The taxpayers, as usual, will pay for the criminal behavior.
Your link's busted, but I suspect it was about this:
http://chicagoist.com/2012/06/.....cago_p.php
8 months pregnant and you already have her license recorded to issue the ticket. Clearly there was no option short of tasering to stop her from waddling away.
Yeah, that's the same story. Thanks for a working link.
I wonder how much this is going to cost Chicago taxpayers? You can bet your ass it isn't coming out of the union coffers.
Sadly I don't know that she's very likely to win an award. A jury may decide that she "disrespected" the cop enough that he "had to do something," and since she and the fetus seem to be OK, no harm no foul.
Unfortunately I think the story needed to have a more tragic ending for the cops to get slapped. (Not that the money would come from them, of course, but I'm sure the chief would at least have to sit through an uncomfortable meeting with Rahm if they had to pay up.)
The South Park people win a fair use claim in court - they parodied an act called What What In the Butt. The court resorts to acronyms when it is forced to repeatedly refer to this work.
http://www.volokh.com/2012/06/.....k-segment/
It would appear that one of Kelly Thomas' murderers liked picking on disabled people even before he helped kill the homeless schizophrenic.
They need to flush that entire department into the LA river and start from scratch.
Peter Gleick interviews himself, considers the answers and decides Peter Gleick really didn't do too much wrong:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/.....1OUH3V.DTL
Vampire skeletions. Fuck yeah.
Don't pull the stake out! Don't take the stake...aaaaaarrrrggggg!
For once the comments are awesome too.
skeletion
We now have established a novel medical term for sarcasmic's unfortunate condition of love for Kate Moss-oids.
Hold my calls, I'll be in conference with the ICD-10/CPT people.
The ICD system is basically my example of why integrated medical records systems are fucked from go. Between having too many diagnoses and too many different possible interpretations, its basically set up to obfuscate rather than correlate diagnoses.
I say that as someone who has had to program a system for leading people through ICD9 diagnoses. ICD10 looks like a giant pile of shit that will only make this worse, I'm glad I don't have to work with it.
Between having too many diagnoses and too many different possible interpretations, its basically set up to obfuscate rather than correlate diagnoses.
Brett, you have now identified my primary gripe with both modern medicine and the taxonomy and classification of disease. I truly believe it is both the root of so many problems in medicine and medical insurance and made worse after CMS kicked in, one of the big sources, if not the biggest, for medical case and billing fraud.
"Need a DX?" "Which one pays out the most?" "Why, this one!" "BONUS!"
It is absolutely horrible and making up more and more bullshit DX's makes it progressively worse.
Apparently, Helicopter Ben is off message, too.
Bernanke, speaking in front of the Joint Economic Committee, was referring to the year-end intersection of the Bush-era tax cuts expiration, $1.2 trillion in scheduled spending cuts and expiring payroll tax breaks, which, if not addressed could cost American taxpayers with $310 billion in tax increases next year.
The picture the Fed chairman painted today was not pretty.
"The so-called fiscal cliff would, if allowed to occur, pose a significant threat to the recovery," Bernanke warned. "If no action were taken and the fiscal cliff were to kick in in its full size, I think it would be very likely that the economy would begin to contract or possibly go even into recession, and that unemployment would begin to rise."
Good article about ongoing deleveraging in the US economy.
Recessions serve a good purpose. They clean out bad businesses, make good ones better and get people to retrench and act more responsibly.
Note that the only sector NOT deleveraging is the Federal government. Seems like if they were to get into the act, the bad money might finally clear and growth could begin again. Crazy, huh?
Recessions serve a good purpose. They clean out bad businesses, make good ones better and get people to retrench and act more responsibly.
This is why the gov needs to let it run its course. The more they try to stop the needed adjustments, the longer we stay in a recession. It will hurt, and people do not like pain. Therefore, the politicos will try and do everything they can to prevent the pain, thereby increasing it. It's almost like they don't understand economics, or something.
Recessions find what audits can't.
They clean out bad businesses, make good ones better and get people to retrench and act more responsibly.
In theory, yes. But when there are so many regulations out there that it just isn't worth it to start or expand a business, nothing replaces what failed.
Jobs are lost, but new ones are not created.
This is of course a failure of the market, and we need more government to fix the problem.
Discovery: Amelia Earhart lived on island for days after disappearance
I remember hearing the proponents of this theory on the radio, maybe 20 years ago, explaining their evidence and conclusions about Earhart's end; made sense to me at the time, so I'm glad that they seem to be coming closer to proving it, though I doubt they'll ever have definitive enough proof to convince the proponents of various other scenarios.
This was a very popular subject on In Search Of, hosted by Leonard Nimoy. I miss that show. Great, now I feel old...worn out.
Like butter scraped over too much bread?
ya gandalf, just like that.
In Search of ... Amelia Earhart Part 1
Krugman's, um, response to the president of Estonia:
I'm hearing from various sources that my rather mild-mannered post on Estonia has generated a vitriolic response from the nation's president. I'm not going to try to track the thing down.
Let me instead ask the following. Since some people insist that Estonia's partial ? but only partial ? recovery from a severe economic crisis demonstrates the wonders of austerity, would they also agree that the evidence below demonstrates the incredible success of FDR's New Deal policies of promoting unions, raising wages, and increasing government employment?
Cherry-picked charts are included.
And here's a very special extra, a song about how hard it must be to be Paul Krugman. A song of which Krugnuts approves, no less.
Intellectual honesty is hard, let's go shopping!
Good SOD! This man is an ass. He makes Robert Riech look like a fucking genius.
Googling is for unserious people.
Funny how his chart only goes until 1937. Wonder what happened after that?
Idiot on a snowmobile:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....r_embedded