Assange is Ecuador-Bound, Millionaires With Benefits, Fishy Federal Funding: P.M. Links

• Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder and international lightning rod for controversy, has been granted asylum in Ecuador. Travel tip: Try the pisco sours.

• Vice President Joe Biden warned Virginia that Republicans would put Americans "back in chains." It's about time the GOP dropped that indentured servitude plank.
• Over 2,000 millionaires collected federal unemployment benefits in 2009, says the Congressional Research Service. But the budget has been cut to the bone.
• "This guy is amazing," is how Clinton White House chief of staff Erskine Bowles once described Paul Ryan. Hmmm … I wonder if that will come up during the campaign.
• The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs funded a non-existent fish hatchery for 14 years even after visiting the site and not finding it there.
• In what appears to be a delayed bout of finger-pointing, Norwegians are  calling on Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg to step down over the handling of Anders Behring Breivik's mass murders.
• A dog shot in the head and pepper-sprayed by the NYPD is still alive. You're losing your touch, guys.

Don't forget to sign up for Reason's daily AM/PM updates for more content.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Vice President Joe Biden warned Virginia that Republicans would put Americans "back in chains."

Free bling? Sweet!

[ant1sthenes]

On an unrelated note,

"Jesse Jackson Sr. said to work hard to help as many students as possible acquire student loans. Jackson Sr. encouraged us to network students, hold rallies and organize for 'student loan forgiveness legislation,'" she wrote in her affidavit.

"Jesse Jackson Sr. also told us not to worry about loading students up with too much college debt, because Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats will eventually forgive all student loan debt. On the promise of debt forgiveness, 'those people will continue to vote Democratic.'"

P-R-O-J-E-C-T-I-O-N

[Enough About Palin]

"those people"?

[wareagle]

it's not racist when liberals say it

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Idiot striver poors

[Fluffy]

You know something?

You're kind of a douche.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

You're kind of a douche.

LOL at your crying comment--Jackson encouraged a bunch of low-information kids to put themselves five figures or more into debt, and I'M the asshole? At least at the end of the day, I don't have $25K or more of undischargeable debt hanging over my head.

It's not my fault those morons chose to believe Jackson's hucksterism, but that's the consequence of 30+ years of steadily declining educational standards that cater to the lowest common demoninator.

[Fluffy]

No, you're a douche because you repeatedly use the expression "striver poors" in contexts that make it clear to me that you're a douche.

Have I ever been wrong about someone being a douche? Nope. Take this as authoritative.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

No, you're a douche because you repeatedly use the expression "striver poors" in contexts that make it clear to me that you're a douche.

You haven't actually pointed out where I'm wrong, so I'll take that for what it's worth, you silly goon.

Have I ever been wrong about someone being a douche? Nope. Take this as authoritative.

What's also authoritative is your unwarranted sense of self-regard.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Samuels also objected to TheDC referring to House Minority Leader Pelosi as "House minority leader," saying, "It really pains you to call her 'Speaker Pelosi' doesn't it?

Now that she's no longer Speaker, it doesn't bother me at all.

[ant1sthenes]

I do like what is subtly implied about (emphasis mine) "on the promise of debt forgiveness, those people will continue to vote Democratic."

He isn't asking that they load the kids down with loans so that Democrats can turn it into a free education down the road and score some votes as a result. The subtext there is that they're completely fucking the students for life so that Democrats can keep dangling the debt forgiveness carrot in front of them forever (or until they wise up, which hasn't happened yet with any existing voting blocs). If it's true (such a shame there wasn't video), it's pure evil.

[Brutus]

This.

[Killazontherun]

That is so fucked up it is worthy of a revolution.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"This guy is amazing," is how Clinton White House chief of staff Erskine Bowles once described Paul Ryan.

Maybe they just belonged to the same gym.

[Archduke PantsFan]

My friends 14 year old dog died today.
The dog always hated me.
I'm not sure how to feel.

[Enough About Palin]

Feel sympathy for your friend. My 14 year old dog died 14 months and 2 days ago, but unlike your friend's dog, she loved everyone.

[Archduke PantsFan]

I feel sympathy, but I'm happier I can visit at his home more often.

[Ted S.]

Perhaps the dog had good reason to hate Archduke Pants Fan?

[Trespassers W]

Um, good? It wasn't your dog, and it hated you. Where's the big moral dilemma?

[R C Dean]

The big moral dilemma is that your personal feelings of relief might just be modulated, a tad, by empathy for your friend.

[Mensan]

Vice President Joe Biden warned Virginia that Republicans would put Americans "back in chains." It's about time the GOP dropped that indentured servitude plank.

He was speaking to a mostly black audience, so I think he was referring to slavery rather than indentured servitude.

[Episiarch]

Biden is like Obama's imbecility vanguard. Obama says the stupid shit, but Joe does advance scouting with the incredibly stupid stuff.

[Rich]

That's quite astute, Epi.

[Eduard van Haalen]

It's not like most black voters are tempted to vote for Romney or Johnson. They *might,* however, be tempted to stay home on election day unless the Dems can artificially whip* up enthusiasm, which is tougher this year than four years ago.

Since it's a given that Republicans are a gang of racists, the thing is to simply take this establish fact and elaborate on it in order to inspire turnout.

*Racist!

[VG Zaytsev]

Maybe they'll do the smart thing and protest vote for Johnson.

[Rich]

"Johnson"?!

RACIST!

[Eduard van Haalen]

Even if the Democratic candidate wasn't black, the established mythology is that the Democratic Party is the only viable option for a black voter who isn't an actual Uncle Tom.

[Atlas Stoned]

Is it racist to assume that the black voting block will not do the smart thing?

[Xenocles]

Hold on, Epi. There might be something to this "Go vote in another state" plan of his.

[RedDragon6009]

He was speaking to a mostly black audience, so I think he was referring to slavery rather than indentured servitude.

In context, he was speaking about how the GOP wanted to "unchain" the banks and set them loose on the American people. Then went on to equate that to putting American in chains. So it is more like indentured servitude.

[John]

The closest thing to indentured servitude we have today is student loans. I don't hear Obama saying much about getting rid of those.

[RedDragon6009]

There's no need to get rid of them. All you have to do is get a government job and keep it for 10 years and the remainder of you loan is forgiven. It's all part of his plan.

[Brutus]

Not when the right massa is holding the leash.

[thom]

In Baltimore, where I live, it's generally understood that the banks loaned black people money to buy houses because they are racist institutions seeking to serve their right-wing paymasters. This is so well understood that the city sued Wells Fargo basically alleging exactly this, and the bank settled the case. In the eyes of local politicians, this "proved" that they were right.

[Randian]

In Baltimore, where I live

There's your problem right there.

[thom]

It has its charms. You have to ignore the politics.

[Cavpitalist]

Talk to Carcetti.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

In Baltimore, where I live, it's generally understood that the banks loaned black people money to buy houses because they are racist institutions seeking to serve their right-wing paymasters.

Funny, that's the same argument when banks don't loan enough to black people.

[mad libertarian guy]

It's always racism.

[R C Dean]

Yeah, how dare those banks give money to black people to buy houses they can't afford, and then turn around and screw white people by stuffing their mutual funds and pensions with junk CMOs.

[A Serious Man]

Interview with Miachale Grundwald, author of The New New Deal.

Which the interviewer descrbies as "an adulatory story about the Obama administration, depicting a subtle, engaged, brilliant president working for the long-term good of the nation, surrounded by brilliant, self-sacrificing scientists and thinkers who are looking for sweeping change, and opposed by venal, selfish, viciously partisan Republicans willing to sacrifice the health of the nation for political gain."

[John]

I love this

I don't think my book portrays the Republicans as "vicious," but I do show?thanks to a lot of in-depth interviews with GOP sources?how they plotted to obstruct Obama before he even took office.

They are not vicious. They are just evil wreckers who wanted to destroy the country for partisan advantage.

What is amazing is that guy doesn't even know he is a self parody.

[R C Dean]

Tell me, how do I distinguish "plotting to obstruct" an ideological foe from sticking to my principles?

[Emmerson Biggins]

If you want to increase the size of government, you are sticking to your principles. If you want to decrease the size of government, your an ideological obstructivator.

[T]

If you didn't spend all your time plotting to obstruct, you might have learned the difference.

[Xenocles]

It depends. Are you "us" or "them?"

[Brutus]

Can one apply online at the Ministry of Truth?

[T]

So, fiction, then?

[VG Zaytsev]

Which the interviewer descrbies as "an adulatory story about the Obama administration, depicting a subtle, engaged, brilliant president working for the long-term good of the nation, surrounded by brilliant, self-sacrificing scientists and thinkers

Are those the new terms for tax cheaters?

[Enough About Palin]

'Black box' standards coming for cars
New federal standards for "black boxes" that record information leading up to auto accidents will will take effect Sept. 1, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ruled on Tuesday.
The decision means the new standards for the devices will not be delayed by one year, as automakers had requested.

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor.....eptember-1

[SugarFree]

Well, there's nothing here that can be abused in the future.

[Rich]

Thank goodness the "Amish" will be exempt.

[Episiarch]

No they won't, they'll just install them in the little orange triangles they're forced to attach to the backs of their buggies.

"How do I look, I mean, do I look...Amish?"

[mr simple]

They'll let them think they're exempt until the NHTSA shows up with its SWAT team.

[Rich]

The National Weather Service SWAT team is even more to be feared.

[BigT]

The federal standards will apply only to cars that are voluntarily outfitted with event data recorders (EDRs), also known as black boxes. But while the government does not yet require all cars to have black boxes installed, NHTSA is still thought to be considering a federal mandate as a next step, possibly this year.

BigSis is watching your every move.

[Joe R.]

I wonder if information on how to disable those could be found on the internet.

[Randian]

Even if you cannot find it now, you will by the time the mandate rolls around.

[nicole]

And a few months after that, doing so will be a federal crime.

[mr simple]

What? What's wrong with an non-elected, unaccountable board of bureaucrats deciding to create and enforce unconstitutional laws?

[Anacreon]

But at the same time, asking voters for a photo ID is a ridiculously overzealous standard that no one should have to meet.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Looks like cars will become even more expensive and harder to buy for poor people. Way to go you safety Nazi fucks.

[John]

Remember how the media is so sensitive to racial issues and code words and reporting certain news stories so as not to exacerbate racial tensions? So much so that they will destroy the careers of people who break the code and say incendiary things? Neither do I.

[Rich]

Biden: Wall Street, Romney will 'put y'all back in chains'

"Y'all"?! *Doubly* RAACIST!!

[Fist of Etiquette]

The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs funded a non-existent fish hatchery for 14 years even after visiting the site and not finding it there.

Fortunately it was funded with fake beads.

[John]

And then they probably took back the money.

[Fist of Etiquette]

They reserved that right.

[John]

Indian givers!

[Fist of Etiquette]

...because they had reservations. Stay subtle, John. If they don't get it, fuck em. That's my philosophy. That and Utilitarianism.

[Episiarch]

We pay heap wampum?

[Fist of Etiquette]

You freaking racist.

[Episiarch]

They are white on the right side.

[Rich]

Everyone is red on the inside.

/Ambrose Bierce

[Episiarch]

"Well, you know what I say about kids, they're all pink on the inside."

[hamilton]

The hatchery existed for realz the first few years when we sent 'em blankets. Then all of a sudden things went quiet.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs funded a non-existent fish hatchery for 14 years even after visiting the site and not finding it there."

They cut off the funding? Radical austerity teabaggery!

[Brutus]

See, this is the reason we need to expand the size and scope of the federal government, so we can have more bureaucrats overseeing the fake fish hatchery bureaucrats.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Department of Labor regulations require that unemployment benefits must be paid to all unemployed workers regardless of their income.

"This requirement is based upon a 1964 U.S. Department of Laobr (DOL) decision that precludes states from means-testing to determine UC [unemployment compensation] eligibility," the CRS said in its report.

So there.

[Enough About Palin]

That's what I was thinking. Unemployment benefits are not means-tested. It just means that over 2,000 millionaires lost their jobs in 2009.

[kinnath]

I know many engineers that million dollar 401Ks before the dot-bomb crash and then housing bubble crash.

It's not that uncommon for professional with a nice house and a 401K to have a million dollar net worth. And a lot of those people lost jobs in the last couple of years.

[Libertarian]

Obvious, I know, but a million bucks ain't what it used to be.

[Drax the Destroyer]

A million bucks barely gets you a house separated from the rest of the horrid humanity found in Northern VA...not counting taxes.

[Romulus Augustus]

And certainly those evil monocle-wearing Republicans controlled the House and Senate in 1964 and pushed this legislation through?

[Anonymous Coward]

Republicans don't wear monocles. They wear torn overalls and hat with the Confederate flag on the front, except when they wear khaki pants and white polo shirts with a sweater tied casually around their shoulders.

OBEY THE NARRATIVE!

[Francisco d Anconia]

So they pay for everyone else's benefits, but they shouldn't be entitled to those benefits themselves?

Of course.

[Enough About Palin]

National Weather Service Follows DHS In Huge Ammo Purchase
Hollow point bullets designed to cause maximum organ damage

Why would the National Weather Service need to purchase large quantities of powerful ammo? That's the question many are asking after the federal agency followed in the footsteps of the Department of Homeland Security in putting out a solicitation for 46,000 rounds of hollow point bullets.

A solicitation which appears on the FedBizOpps website asks for 16,000 rounds of .40 SW jacketed hollow point (JHP) bullets, noted for their strength, to be delivered to locations in Ellsworth, Maine, and New Bedford, Mass.
A further 6,000 rounds of SW JHP will be sent to Wall, New Jersey, with another 24,000 rounds of the same bullets heading to the weather station in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The solicitation also asks for 500 paper targets to be delivered to the same locations in Maine, Massachusetts and New Jersey.

http://www.infowars.com/nation.....-purchase/

[John]

My guess would be they are trying to buy up as much ammo as possible to make it harder to get. All that under the radar gun control Obama is always bragging about.

[Enough About Palin]

It gets better:

The NWS is following its federal counterpart the DHS in securing large quantities of ammo. Back in March,Homeland Security purchased 450 million rounds of .40-caliber hollow point bullets that are designed to expand upon entry and cause maximum organ damage, prompting questions as to why the DHS needed such a large amount of powerful bullets merely for training purposes.

As the Business Insider notes, hollow point bullets have been "illegal in international warfare since 1899."

The DHS is also planning to purchase a further 750 million rounds of different types of ammo in a separate solicitation that also expires on August 20, including 357 mag rounds that are able to penetrate walls.

Illegal in international warfare? That would excuse domestic use then, right?

[John]

Hollow points are illegal under the laws of war as a weapon designed to inflict unnecessary suffering. But the LOW don't apply to cops. The excuse is that hollow points lower the danger to bystanders and are therefore okay for cops.

[Generic Stranger]

Fun fact: The United States never signed that particular treaty, but we mostly abide by it anyway.

Also, hollow points are the most common self-defense load amongst both police and civilians. They're simply far more effective than FMJ's, while posing less danger to bystanders due to less over-penetration.

[Drake]

Hollow points are not illegal under the LOW. Expanding rounds are illegal.

Our military snipers use hollow-points due to their accuracy/aerodynamics, but they are still full-metal jacketed.

These days any real military has body armor, so you would want ammo that doesn't expand / does penetrate.

[Generic Stranger]

Drake: All hollow points fall under "expanding rounds". Many, especially the better ones, will expand to up to twice the diameter of the bullet itself.

Here's the text of Hague Convention Declaration III, which is the controlling law:

The Contracting Parties agree to abstain from the use of bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body, such as bullets with a hard envelope which does not entirely cover the core, or is pierced with incisions.

The match bullets used by snipers is both technically a hollow point and an expanding bullet. However, because the hollow in the point is designed for aerodynamics rather than to purposefully increase its diameter, it's not considered to violate the rule. Also, as I said, the United States wasn't a party to that accord; we still observe it, but since we didn't actually sign it we can decide to not follow it whenever we want.

[Drake]

Here's the whole ugly debate the Army had;
http://www.blackfive.net/main/.....ans_e.html

Those hollow points may fragment, but don't mushroom. The damage done versus regular FMJ ammo is silly. Watch what FMJ .308 ammo does to gelatin - it's a killer round no matter how it's shaped. Hunters use lead bullets to limit and control damage, not to maximize it.
http://www.brassfetcher.com/in.....mmNATO.htm

[Generic Stranger]

Drake: you don't know what you're talking about, sorry. FMJ is illegal to hunt with in many states because it simply isn't very effective at one shot kills. They do not provide nearly as large a wound channel as expanding bullets.

Hollow points are also simply NOT designed to fragment; they are designed to mushroom out and retain as much weight as possible (i.e., not fragment; fragmentation is a failure state, and not generally desirable). Do a Google image search on hollow points, and you will find many, many images of what one looks like after its expanded.

[T]

including 357 mag rounds that are able to penetrate walls.

Ooooh, scawy! They penetrate walls!

Most rounds will penetrate an interior wall. Damn near any rifle round will penetrate an exterior wall. For the big rifle rounds, and .50 BMG for damn sure, you could probably shoot through a house.

[Generic Stranger]

Damn near any pistol round will, too, unless you have a brick fascade.

[Bobarian]

.50 BMG will penetrate 14" of reinforced concrete. Big Rifle rounds will go through multiple houses. Most any ball ammo in a .38/9mm range or higher will penetrate a interior and exterior wall. JHPs are a good safety feature for any home defense use.

[Generic Stranger]

Where did you get that .50 BMG will penetrate 14" of reinforced concrete? I've done a little looking around, and most sources I can find say no more than a few inches at most. Is that with a SLAP round?

[Bobarian]

Old engineering data on M2 firing .50 AP at oblique taget and a relatively short range.

I've never seen data on SLAP against concrete, but did see the following quoted at the Armor Conference for SLAP - ~3/4" at 1000m against steel plate

[Generic Stranger]

Bob: I think I've seen the tables you are talking about, but I believe they were talking about penetration into sand, not concrete. Here's a link:

http://www.inetres.com/gp/mili....._ammo.html

[Cavpitalist]

I saw an EFP go through an up-armored truck, a house, a van, and embed itself into a telephone pole on the other side.

We should pass a no-EFP law, so that they'll immediately disappear forever.

[Drake]

They didn't purchase 45 million rounds a once. They signed a contract for production of ammunition for years not to exceed that amount.

It's basically a price-lock.

[T]

The National Weather Service has guns? Why? You can't shoot your way out of a tornado.

[John]

They are part of NOAA who has cops to enforce the fishing laws.

[RedDragon6009]

Correct John. It was a clerical error. The ammo was mistakenly identified as being requested by the National Weather Service. A correction has been issued. see below

[Enough About Palin]

"Correct John. It was a clerical error."

Sure it was.

[mnarayan]

speak for yourself

[modnar]

Don't tell this guy.

[RedDragon6009]

There was a clarification put out by Scott NOAA Dep. Dir. of Communications:

Due to a clerical error in the federal business vendor process, a solicitation for ammunition and targets for the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement mistakenly identified NOAA's National Weather Service as the requesting office. The error is being fixed and will soon appear correctly in the electronic federal bidding system. The ammunition is standard issue for many law enforcement agencies and it will be used by 63 NOAA enforcement personnel in their firearms qualifications and training. NOAA officers and agents enforce the nation's ocean and fishing laws to ensure a level playing field for fishermen and to protect marine species like whales, dolphins and turtles.

Unfortunately Drudge and infowars are slow to follow up.

[Enough About Palin]

"The ammunition is standard issue for many law enforcement agencies and it will be used by 63 NOAA enforcement personnel in their firearms qualifications and training."

So they train with hollow points? Just what do these 63 NOAA enforcement personnel enforce?

[RedDragon6009]

Yeah... it doesn't make a damn bit of sense to use JHP rounds for target practice. Maybe they're shooting at fish and like to see them explode... Or maybe this is what happens when some government procurement official who doesn't know the first damn thing about guns, law enforcement, or training is given the authority to make decisions such as what kind of ammunition to buy.

[T]

In general, it's never a bad idea to train as you fight. They'll be using hollowpoints if they ever actually engage, so training with them isn't far-fetched.

However, most people don't train this way because of the cost differential. Muscle memory and range time is considered to be more important than using your SHTF ammo for practice. But when you ain't paying for the ammo, who gives a shit that the hollowpoints are expensive? Fire 'em up.

[T]

That's 730 rounds per. That's a decent number for qualification, I suppose, but doesn't leave you much for training.

[Randian]

Fun fact: NOAA has one of the seven uniformed services of the United States.

The US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are the obvious ones. NOAA and the Public Health Service Commission are the other two.

[Xenocles]

Those last two are like Starfleet. Officers only*.

*No pedants, please.

[Coeus]

*No pedants, please.

You can't just denigrate the life of Chief O'Brien like that and expect to avoid criticism with an asterix.

[Fist of Etiquette]

He was a lieutenant before transferring to the U.S.S. Retcon.

[Coeus]

Even before the backstory fill-in in DS9, he was just a transporter monkey. There is no way that a lieutenant would be in the back room waiting around to push a button every other day or so.

[Joe M]

Outside of all that's been said, why the fuck do you need guns to enforce fishery laws?

[Trespassers W]

In case agents are attacked by fish. You don't watch Syfy much, do you?

[T]

Sharktopus is deadly, man.

[Xenocles]

Same reason you need guns to enforce any law. They're what put the "force" in "enforce."

[Archduke PantsFan]

Now eggs are evil again
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....le4480589/

[Adam330]

"Over 2,000 millionaires collected federal unemployment benefits in 2009, says the Congressional Research Service. But the budget has been cut to the bone."

Err, how much would it cost to collect income information on every person applying for benefits? Likely far more than you'd save by denying 2,000 millionares benefits. And do millionares get to skip out on paying UI taxes if they aren't eligible?

[hamilton]

The NOAA dudes (yeah, that's not a typo) are stocking up on hollow points (sorry if someone posted this already):

http://www.businessinsider.com.....ion-2012-8

[hamilton]

Damn you Palin!

[Mike M.]

"Drop the spinning lure or you're a dead man!"

[John]

http://www.businessinsider.com.....nel-2012-8

D Day fighting so intense 4% of sand on the beaches is magnetic shrapnel.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Big whoop. I'm sure most of the wasteland that is Detroit is magnetic shrapnel.

[A Serious Man]

Mistress of former Mercedes Benz executive sues company for breach of contract-- despite the fact that her sole duty was having sex with him.

[Chupacabra]

Hmm.....

[sends resume to Mercedes Benz]

[Rich]

Anybody else having problems posting?

[Eduard van Haalen]

Briefly.

[Enough About Palin]

A comment from a different publication Re: Michelle Obama:

The height of hypocrisy is a fat person telling an Olympian what to eat.

[sage]

Ha I'm using that

[A Serious Man]

'Game of Thrones' author George R.R. Martin laments "ongoing attempts at voter suppression" with state ID laws.

Interestingly, he also says, "And don't tell me they are libertarians either. No true libertarians would ever support a culture where citizens must "show their papers" to vote or travel. That's a hallmark of a police state, not a free country."

[Episiarch]

Martin's only politics are the politics of Lannister vs Stark.

However, I've heard that Tyrion is a closet libertarian.

[T]

Of course he is. The only reason it's wine and whores is because nobody invented blow yet.

[Ska]

Awesome.

[Killazontherun]

Just finished the third, and it was probably the best so far, overall (hard to beat the naval battle in book two). The red wedding. The one major protagonist who is now a revenant. Jaime as hero. Tyrion's revenge on his oldest enemy. Lots of good shit.

[Episiarch]

Yes, and now you get to be bored by book four.

[Ska]

Jesus, way to piss in the guy's cornflakes.

Besides, it's only boring if you waited four years for the fucking thing to come out.

[Killazontherun]

I was expecting as much. As good as the first three, his prose is so unnecessarily verbose. I don't need to be reminded that fear is sharper than swords every time he drops into Arnya's head. Every book could have been cut by fifty to a hundred pages and been better for it.

Dialog is his great strength though.

[Randian]

LIVEJOURNAL?!

[Red Rocks Rockin]

No true libertarians would ever support a culture where citizens must "show their papers" to vote or travel. That's a hallmark of a police state, not a free country."

On traveling, he's correct, but on voting? Sorry, that privilege is reserved for citizens ("culture" is relevant only if part of the culture is respecting the rule of law) and asking someone to show proof of that isn't out of bounds.

Then again, Martin lives in loopy-left Santa Fe, so it's not surprising he's trying to pull this True Scotsman bullshit.

[Anonymous Coward]

It's racist and unAmerican to expect someone to identify themselves before they vote, but it is neither racist nor unAmerican to demand that they not only identify themselves, but submit to background checks before they can purchase firearms as is their right, it is not racist or unAmerican to stifle speech on campuses, in classrooms, near places where politicians may visit or congregate.

Oh, and finish the fucking books!

[Raston Bot]

Nevada's Lake Tahoe crayfish market thriving. California's Lake Tahoe market is illegal.

That's because two-thirds of Lake Tahoe is in California, and that state has yet to lift its ban on commercial harvesting of crayfish on the lake. The cost of environmental studies and permits has stalled legislation that would repeal the California ban.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesa.....s-blue-hue

[Enough About Palin]

They're called mudbugs.

[Randian]

Racist!

[Killazontherun]

A dog shot in the head and pepper-sprayed by the NYPD is still alive. You're losing your touch, guys.

You better find another continent to put between you and that bitch, boys. I have a feeling she's gonna be pissed.

[Enough About Palin]

Kate Middleton's stripper cousin earns a six-figure sum peeling off for Playboy

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/fem.....z23YhtgnOL

[Loki]

Vice President Joe Biden warned Virginia that Republicans would put Americans "back in chains." It's about time the GOP dropped that indentured servitude plank.

I'm so glad Joe Biden is VP. You can always count on him to go full retard. What a dipshit.

I think for the VP debates they'll have to slip some roofies into Paul Ryan's water. That's the only way to make it fair.

[Enough About Palin]

Barack complains that Michelle doesn't get paid. Well what do you call a million dollar trip to India?

http://www.washingtontimes.com.....fe-please/

[Brutus]

Reparations!

[Night Elf Mohawk]

If you're ever in Cuenca, Ecuador it would behoove you to make time for Tiesto's.

[R C Dean]

It's about time the GOP dropped that indentured servitude plank.

Over my dead monocle! Who's with me, boys?

[Killazontherun]

I am! If I can talk someone into being my lackey for years for nothing more than my piggy jar and a rug to sleep on, why can't I do that? Does not my pursuit of happiness count for anything?

[Invisible Finger]

Hollywood douche sighting - schlepping for underwater mortgage/eminent domain scam.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/.....5221.story

[TeamBarstool]

Free pass on puppycide. Even when it's one of their own.

[Coeus]

Sometimes, Fark comments can be great.

TX State Rep. Just Came Out as A "Pansexual"

[Bobarian]

Is that like 'banging the pots and pans'?

[Brutus]

Saw that on PuffHo. Who gives a flying fuck?