Facebook Milestones, Exit Polling Reductions, Execution of Innocent in Texas: P.M. Links

• Facebook has reached one billion users. That's a lot of baby pictures.

• The Philadelphia officer recorded punching a woman at a street party has been suspended and the police commissioner intends to fire him. Let's see if the union argues that he hadn't been properly trained to not just go around punching people.
• A Texas court has upheld the death sentence on a man that several judges agree is likely innocent. Why? Because the proper procedures were followed and no "constitutional violations" were determined
• Authorities suspect a back pain steroid treatment is the culprit in an outbreak of meningitis cases in five eastern states. A fifth victim died today.
• Election exit polling is being scaled back this year. Voter surveys will take place in only 31 states, not all 50.
• Apparently, there had been 13 separate threats leveled against the Benghazi consulate in the six months prior to the deadly attack that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others.
• European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said the bank is ready to start buying government bonds. The European Union now stands around staring awkwardly at Spain until it gets the hint.

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Comments

[Archduke Pantsfan]

Animals confused by mirrors
http://youtu.be/uHaHrCq13HA

[$park?]

The monkey was hysterical.

[T]

I have a dog that will pose in the mirror, wag at himself, and prance off. All my dogs are fine with mirrors.

[Brett L]

Lived with a min-pin who would bark at the mirror and scare herself. Most pitiful dog ever. It didn’t help that her way of telling you she had to go to the bathroom in the morning was dancing on your head. So glad when that bitch moved out.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

Dozen bears move into B.C. community, acting ‘like they own the place’

[Brett L]

This is why we can’t allow teh gayz any rights.

[Cavpitalist]

Not in BC, bud.

[A Serious Man]

Gold reaches an 11-month high, almost at $1,800.

It’s going to pop eventually, right?

[Tulpa Doom]

Gold isn’t in a bubble; the dollar’s in a crater. Which isn’t likely to pop anytime soon.

[Mike M.]

It’s going to pop eventually, right?

Not as long as the Fed continues with its policy of easy money today, easy money tomorrow, and easy money forever. If Bernanke is replaced by someone more independent and sane, then yeah, it probably will.

Eventually I have to try and find that gold prediction that our dear Shrieking Idiot made early this year. Suffice it say, he was a little off.

[Auric Demonocles]

Have a news tip for us? Send it to: [e-mail].

Does this guarantee the article will come with a hat tip and alt text?

[T]

Caveat emptor, bitches.

[Paul.]

YOu got burned too, I see.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

Ow My balls

[A Serious Man]

Dear Prudence: I just discovered that my wife loves giving oral sex and now I’m jealous of the dudes she used to blow before we got married.

I’m not married, but I assume that would be quite an awesome discovery, right guys?

[db]

This guy was too stupid to ever ask her to blow him before now?

[Paul.]

This. How do you sign a document that gives away half your shit before even knowing if she swallows or not? Jeebus christ they need to make all marriage illegal.

[VG Zaytsev]

Somehow I got the idea that she had been forced into the oral sex and didn’t enjoy it. So when she would attempt to do that to me I made her stop. She felt rejected and that has impeded both the frequency and her enjoyment of any form of sex with me.

The guys a retard, possibly a repressed homosexual.

[John]

He is just retarded. Even gay guys like getting head.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

This should have been learned during the courtship?

[Francisco d Anconia]

True story:

Walking out of the church at the end of our wedding. Wife reaches over and turns off my mic, and whispers:

“Why are all new brides smiling?”…”Because they know they’ve given their last blowjob.”

*sigh

ABC- Anniversary, birthday and Christmas.

[Killazontherun]

Fortunately I had a clause put in.

And guys, DONT EVER allow her to give you a blowjob or allow anal on the anniversary, your birthday and Christmas. Just don’t do it. That is the first step in treating it as ‘something special’ instead of the expected norm of a healthy sex life.

[nicole]

This is like when I watch Bridezilla and the super crazy drunk broad screaming at her fianc? to quit smoking as she staggers up the aisle after the 20th vodka shot of the day still gets to get married at the end. Is it just that the guys are really, really stupid?

[Cyto]

Yes. Yes we are…

[Bobarian]

The penis wants what the penis wants…

or

A penis has only one eye, and that one is blind…

[Francisco d Anconia]

Healthy sex life and marriage? You are either a newlywed or from another planet.

I did have a fat clause put in however.

[Cavpitalist]

There’s an easy way to get frequent blowjobs – get her first.

If you can’t eat the same squirrel every day for 50 years, I don’t know why you think she can eat the same ham-ka-bob every day for 50 years.

[Mad Scientist]

How did he manage to marry her and NOT know she loved giving blowjobs?

[A Serious Man]

The guy sounds like a real pussy. Apparently she would try to give him oral but he figured it was some patriarchial thing forced upon her by her previous boyfriends so he asked her to not do it. How can any girl respect such a dumb schmuck?

[db]

She can fix him.

[Paul.]

No she can’t. She needs to file for divorce, take half his shit (he doesn’t deserve it) and start dating me.

[Mad Scientist]

And now he’s jealous…. She must be so proud of her prize catch.

[John]

How pathetic and insecure do you have to be to be jealous of some guy your wife blew 20 years ago?

[Rich]

Not as pathetic and insecure as the guy who’s jealous of some guy his wife blew in a past life.

[T]

I think you set the bar pretty damn high (low?) with that one, Rich.

[Rich]

Limbo lower, now ….

[Bobarian]

How about a guy who’s jealous of a guy whose wife loves to give the oral sex.

(but first the spankings)

Is that guy pathetic?

[Paul.]

My wife and I met 16 years ago when she was 19 years old, we married three years later, and I have been faithful and happy with her. I know she had two boyfriends before me and that she had oral sex with one and intercourse with the other. Somehow I got the idea that she had been forced into the oral sex and didn’t enjoy it. So when she would attempt to do that to me I made her stop. She felt rejected and that has impeded both the frequency and her enjoyment of any form of sex with me.

Men, this is what happens when you get a Women’s Studies major.

[John]

How would you “somehow” get the idea that your wife was raped?

[SugarFree]

She let him believe that so he wouldn’t think she was a mouth slut before they met. She had two boyfriends. Two. That’s nothing.

This guy has some serious sex hang-ups.

[Killazontherun]

2 — jeez, she was practically a virgin. I’m proud to say my wife’s number of ex mouth slutting it was in the mid twenties before we met. Thanks guys for breaking her in for me! You taught her well.

[Paul.]

How would you “somehow” get the idea that your wife was raped?

Ding ding! That’s the money shot right there. I kept asking myself when I read that sentence, “How’d he ‘get the idea’ about her past sexual experiences that didn’t involve asking the direct question'”

Ideas are funny things. Something gave you that idea, something completely independent from anything your wife explicitly told you, so please, for the love of Pete, explain “Somehow”.

[Rich]

Men, this is what happens when you get a Women’s Studies major.

“It seemed like a good idea to be the only rooster in the henhouse.”

[Heroic Mulatto]

Somehow I got the idea that she had been forced into the oral sex and didn’t enjoy it. So when she would attempt to do that to me I made her stop. She felt rejected and that has impeded both the frequency and her enjoyment of any form of sex with me

That’s what happens when you assume.

Jackass.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Somehow I got the idea that she had been forced into the oral sex and didn’t enjoy it.

Stop hanging out with feminist retards and you won’t have that problem.

[Anonymous Coward]

How do move on so that I am not constantly thinking about these guys and the relative number of sexual encounters every time I have sex with my wife?

First, you get on your knees and thank Aqua Buddha that it is in his will for you to have a wife that likes sucking dick. Then you suck it up, sit back, and let her suck it down.

[Art Vandelay]

Exactly. I can safely say that I forget all of my cares and worries when my wife goes down on me.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

Jason Alexander doesn’t understand

[A Serious Man]

George is getting frustrated! Serenity now!

[Caleb Turberville]

I could have sworn Jason Alexander was on the list of professed libertarian celebrities.

[JW]

Seriously? He’s one of the more smug and smarmy lefties who just can’t keep their piehole shut about politics.

[Caleb Turberville]

My mistake then. I just thought I had seen his name mentioned before.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Didn’t you ever see Duckman? While it had its moments, it also had a lot of circlejerking–including one episode depicting a paradise due to a “society consisting entirely of Democrats” that looked like an actual paradise and not so much like Baltimore or DC or someplace else almost entirely Democratic. I guess it’s the tiny Republican minorities in those places holding them back from true greatness.

Makes me think of the Californians who still blame Republicans for all their state problems while refusing utterly to admit any responsibility for the state of their state.

[Paul.]

I was actually concerned that he had been told about some grave national security threat just before being introduced and that he couldn’t get his mind off it.

Maybe he realized, moments before going on, that the country is worse now than it was when he was elected…

[Pro Libertate]

He was wracked with guilt. Tomorrow night, he plans to tender his and Joe Biden’s resignations, with a heart-felt apology to the American people.

[John]

He remembered that Joe Biden was VP.

[Pro Libertate]

No, because then he would have had fits of giggles.

[The Hammer]

I came to the debate last night with great expectations that our President would be seen for the far superior leader that he has been throughout this race

It’s telling that he says this about the campaign and doesn’t mention anything about the whole being-President-for-the-last-3-years thing.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

It’s easy to be a leader when your opponent doesn’t have any reservations about kicking you in the balls over and over.

[JW]

Jason is just another in a long, long kine of idiots to whom their tribal membership is who they are. Yet another reason to take Groucho’s advice.

[A Serious Man]

Burbank, California on a quest to stamp out the scourge of vans advertising topless maid services.

[Rich]

“Topless Maid” Mobile Ads Prompt City Probe

At least one, I’ll wager.

[Caleb Turberville]

Ethnic badasses #1: Volodymyr Palahniuk

[Archduke Pantsfan]

The last native speaker of the Cromarty dialect has died

[gaijin]

I wonder what his last words were?

[Ice Nine]

“Thou won’t have Cromarty dialect to kick around any more.”

[Paul.]

Swish.

[T]

However you say ‘the nourishment is palatable’ in authentic Scots gibberish?

[Eduard van Haalen]

What would a Scotsman know about palatable nourishment?

[gaijin]

Haggis!

[T]

Well, they would have taken something palatable and fried it.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

His last words?

Crom ….

[Ice Nine]

So, what you’re saying is that HandR’s PM links really suck today?

[Rich]

there were 13 threats made against the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya during the six months before the Sept. 11 attack on the facility

Incredibly, they all started with “If an obscure crudely-made internet video EVER surfaces”.

[db]

This is really quite good.

[The Late P Brooks]

Because the proper procedures were followed and no “constitutional violations” were determined

I’m just going to toss this at the wall to see if it sticks, but…

Wouldn’t the Eighth Amendment (if not some other) apply?

What could be a more “cruel” or “unusual” punishment than being put to death for NO FUCKING REASON?

[Rich]

You might think so, P, but … COMMERCE CLAUSE!

[T]

‘Procedures were followed’ is a reason. If it works for drones, it works for the chair. WTF is your problem? Get on board with the new America.

[Tulpa Doom]

RTFA, Brooksie. I know they make it hard to fact check them these days by making you click through two links, but it’s worth it to find the truth rather than the fantasy version of events.

There is a very good reason he was deemed guilty.

[BakedPenguin]

Texas doesn’t want to seem weak on the falsely imprisoned.

[SugarFree]

+1

[Xenocles]

Look, we only have to give you one fair trial. If you are innocent you should have brought it up then.

[A Serious Man]

The U.S. government paid a Chicago consultant hundreds of thousands of dollars to put on diversity training workshops that, according to one watchdog, included an exercise in which employees were told to chant “our forefathers were illegal immigrants.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politic…..z28MhuLNDB

[Red Rocks Rockin]

As I recall, that didn’t work out so well for the natives the first time around.

[ant1sthenes]

People don’t usually mention that part. And if the Native Americans aren’t a plausible example, there’s always Texas.

[John]

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesi…..8FLDxAvHyJ

Zimmerman suing MSNBC over doctored 9-11 tape.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Well, it’s about damn time.

[Atanarjuat]

/Rudy Giuliani

[John]

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesi…..J3cG2eeojM

Christie Brinkley stalks ex husband’s new wife forcing her to flee the country.

[A Serious Man]

Sasha Obama asks father why he was such a pussy during the debate.

[John]

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesi…..obinsource

Real Housewives of Miami star outed as a former hooker.

[Brett L]

Shocked! I am shocked! or not.

[John]

She is one hell of a good looking hooker.

[Brett L]

She landed the big fish eventually.

[A Serious Man]

At that price I’d say she qualifies to be called a call girl.

[John]

She is good looking. But she is not 50K good looking.

[Heroic Mulatto]

The 50K doesn’t buy just looks.

You ever hear of the French Flipper Trick?

[Anonymous Coward]

To the surprise of absolutely no one.

[Restoras]

Interesting but so what?

[AuH2O]

You said I was mad to read Jezebel. And, after that incident with the chicken, many of you were proven right. But, today, I am rewarded for my devotion, with the Jezebel debate reactions:

I see what you did there, Mr. President… You were winning too hard and the base was becoming too complacent thinking you had it in the bag. Way to take one for the team and throw that debate. In one strategic swoop you managed to make the left realize that it’s not over after all and, hey, we’d better make sure everyone goes out and votes, and at the same time you turned yourself back into the underdog because everyone loves an underdog who comes back and dominates in the next round. That’s what you were doing, right? Right?

And this was a reply:

Even if that wasn’t his aim going in, that is most definitely what is going to be the outcome. Obama is crazy competitive and smart, and I guarantee he’s pretty angry at himself today. He’s going to study and prepare like mad for next round, and then I’m pretty sure he’s going to wipe the floor with Mittens.

Another gem:

I was so upset that I dreamt of a romney presidency. I literally woke up with a tears in my eyes.

I seriously need to get a life and a xanax stat.

[John]

If Romney wins, the morning after the election Jezebelle threads are going to be epic. Could it be that they would just go dark?

[AuH2O]

John, you need to set up the schadenfreude trifecta: Obama loses, Warren loses, and Akin wins. Jezebel would collectively gain enough weight in red wine and ice cream to literally sink America under the sea.

[Brett L]

I’d put the odds of this happening at no worse than 1 in 3. Maybe as high as 1 in 2. Akins is walking away from McCaskill despite his Bidenesque ability to say stupid things, Warren keeps shooting herself in the foot, and the wheels just came off the Obama train.

[BakedPenguin]

Warren keeps shooting herself in the foot…

She should have taken shooting lesson from her grandpa.

[Ska]

Time to play the reason Crazed with Drink game.

[Francisco d Anconia]

If Romney wins, the morning after the election Jezebelle threads are going to be epic.

Almost enough to get me to vote for Romney.

Almost.

[Restoras]

This will be the best thing about a Romney win, if it happens. That and shit-for-brains and shreek will vacate these boards for a week ot two.

[Francisco d Anconia]

I’ll vote for GJ because MT is solid red. I’d vote for Mittens if it weren’t. It’s not that I’d want Mitt to win so much as I really, really, really want Obama to lose. Nothing like the tears of an arrogant socialist fuck to brighten my day.

[Restoras]

Well I live in NY so a vote for Romney doesn’t figure to matter. Planning to vote for Gary Johnson myself. Should Obama lose I will drown in the sweet, delicious tears of the liberals I am surrounded by. It will almost be as much fan as the Yankees spectuacular collapse in the 2004 ALCS. God that was beautiful.

[mauricegirodias]

I have flashblock, adblock, do not track, etc. on Chrome, and I’ve not been able to load any of the Gawker sites for months.

/Hasn’t, really, been a problem.

[ant1sthenes]

I’m sort of expecting Chris Matthews to carry out some kind of murder-suicide thing. Or another Jonestown or Heaven’s Gate.

[AuH2O]

I’m thinking the same. I was deeply disappointed that Obama was so lackluster and didn’t call Mittens out on the blatant lies and etch-a sketching. But I also thought that Romney came across as smug, smarmy and arrogant. All I could think of watching him was that I wanted to smack that condescending smirk off his face.

Seriously, you can’t read just one:

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought Romney was hopped up on some amphetamine. I was eagerly waiting for the come down. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.

There’s a saying I hear in the legal world all of the time, “You have to lose the battle to win the war.” I’ve always thought of Obama as a strategist, so I would not be surprised if his passivity was part of an overall strategy to give Romney a sense of false hope.

Romney is a cocky son-of-a-bitch and usually starts fumbling once the ego gets inflated.

[John]

There’s a saying I hear in the legal world all of the time, “You have to lose the battle to win the war.” I’ve always thought of Obama as a strategist, so I would not be surprised if his passivity was part of an overall strategy to give Romney a sense of false hope.

As Episiarch said earlier, these people walk among us dud.

[AuH2O]

Live reactions:

UM, IS MITT ROMNEY JUST ALLOWED TO LIE ON TEEVEE?

Can we please get a debate system where the moderator is also accompanied by a fact-checker who stands up everytime someone lies and goes “NOPE, TRY AGAIN.”

THANK YOU!!! I’m so ragey over here it’s dangerous. And remind me never to look on Twitter/Facebook/social media during debates. Who are these trolls coming out of the woodwork – it’s a calculated effort to see how far they can push the stupid before I just actually die?

I have friends who are heretics!

WTH is wrong with the President tonight?!?! I thought he was going to wipe the floor with Mittens!! My tummy hurts now.

But also – what’s the point of a debate if Romney is just lying?? He’s memorized his shit better than the president, but it’s not true. Sooooooooooo can I get a fact checker moderator up in here? Jim seems to be afraid of Mittens.

Patience. Obama was probably taking it easy, but there are more debates to go. It’s like a boxer. You don’t go in the match and start throwing power punches out the gate, all that will do is tire you out. You get his rhythmic in the first few rounds, work in those small jabs, and set up the combos. Politics is the same way. Obama might be off his game, but he’ll let Mitt set himself up, then go in for that knockout.

[John]

Epic.

[Lord Humungus]

Obama has a double-secret plan! Awesome.

Man, the kool-aid must be dosed with something.

[rac3rx]

Man, the kool-aid must be dosed with something.

Cock and meth.

[Francisco d Anconia]

You don’t go in the match and start throwing power punches out the gate, all that will do is tire you out.

What I was thinking, was that Mittens actually held back. There were many topics where MR could have engaged hard and didn’t. I didn’t hear one “you didn’t build that.”…ect

I think even if Obama comes out swinging next time, there’s plenty of ammo left to smack him down with.

[Calidissident]

I love how these people honestly think Romney was the only one lied last night

[Somalian Road Corporation]

It’s because anyone who dares to point that out will be viciously browbeaten by the rest of the horde screaming “You don’t want Romney to win, do you?!”

[AuH2O]

Replies to a potential GJ voter:

You have too much information to make a decision? Are you also crippled by Baskin Robbins’ 31 flavors? How in the FUCK can you be undecided?

Here, let us help you, jesus christ. Give us your top three most important issues and we’ll INSTANTLY tell you who to vote for. I mean, really.

I agree that Obama’s not perfect, and I don’t know much about Gary Johnson (I’ll take you at your word that he’s worth voting for) but if you live in a red or swing state, or even one that might be in danger of becoming a swing state, it’s pretty important that you vote for Obama if you want to have anything resembling a decent quality of life for the next few years. Assuming you are not a male billionaire.

I agree that we need more than two parties. I agree that it is detrimental to an aspirationally democratic society that we don’t have viable third party candidates. But the way to combat that is not to take a vote away from the only candidate who has any chance of winning who has not declared war on womens’ autonomy. Among other things.

I’m pretty sure this late in the game the only undecideds are attention whores.

[BakedPenguin]

“aspirationally democratic society”

WTF? I think she was hyper-aspirating.

[AuH2O]

Further live reactions:

Also, am I projecting because I’m a liberal ne’er do well, or is Romney being a giant douche, interrupting people and O MY GOD HE WANTS TO CANCEL PBS! I WANT TO CANCEL HIS FACE!

I feel I should make money off this somehow. Write a book or… something.

He tells the Lehrer he wants to put him out of a job and then spends the rest of the debate asking him for favors. Does he not understand that a “moderator” isn’t a kind of servant?

“I believe I get the last word” That sounded so unbelievably douchey.

Replied with:

OMFG I wanted to punch him when I heard him say that. Seriously, for the very intense fifteen minutes I was watching, I really just wanted something to happen to wipe that condescending ass smirk off his damn face. That and the fact that he kept on talking over Obama and for long stretches, and refusing to accept the failure in his logic about tax cuts.

[nicole]

I honestly thought last night that Romney did a good job of being aggressive without being overaggressive, confident without being arrogant, etc. I guess no amount of alpha-ness is allowed for these people. I mean, when I heard the “I believe I get the last word” line, I wondered whether Jim Lehrer was going to start getting pissy, but I thought Romney sounded firm and assertive, not douchey.

[John]

No amount of alphaness is allowed around these women.

[nicole]

It really impresses me sometimes. I don’t think of myself as remotely confrontational and can get totally intimidated by dudes who are. But I am also not shy and know how to stand up for myself in a meeting, expect others to do the same, etc.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Don’t stress over it, nicole. The Alpha/Beta thing is nonsense. Humans aren’t pack animals.

[nicole]

Oh I know. I just meant “assertive.” Also you are totes right about the reversed position, I was thinking that too. (I was also thinking, “Did Romney impress me last night because I am a lil woman wanting an assertive man? VOM”)

[Heroic Mulatto]

I think you just want someone who can assertively debate various interpretations of Billy Budd with you. That’s all.

[nicole]

Fortunately, that’s exactly what I have. WIN!

[T]

Humans aren’t pack animals.

Nope, but to deny social dominance heirarchies in primates is to deny reality.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Nope, but to deny social dominance heirarchies in primates is to deny reality.

True. But, for one, it’s a slightly different paradigm than canids. Secondly, humans have a huge pre-frontal cortex to muck all that up.

[Heroic Mulatto]

If it were the other way around, they would be swooning over Obama’s assertive nature.

[John]

They seem very emotional. Are they having hormone issues?

[Mad Scientist]

Oh no you di’nt!

[AuH2O]

Still some more live reactions, and then a final few of the knives turned on Leher before I just post the links and let you kids parse them yourselves:

i can’t deal with this. it seems like romney is winning even though obama is making better arguments. HOW

I apologize for me taking this long to add the post everyone was waiting for, dicussing Jez’ favorite topic privelege:

Is it just me or is Obama not on his top game tonight? Mind you, I did just start watching about 20 mins ago but it’s making me pretty sad. I DON’T WANT ROMNEY TO WIN.

ETA: Also WTH is with Romney talking over the moderator? His rich ass privilege must be getting to him thinking the debate rules don’t apply and he gets to run the show. Though he should keep it up it makes him look like a douche (and makes my man Obama smile).

It’s all those mean republicans fault!

Also, why do people keep saying to Obama, “You’ve been president for four years and you haven’t done this and that”? Do they know how the government works? He’s a president NOT a dictator. He can’t just make laws or “decrees”. CHECKS AND BALANCES PEOPLE. Did they sleep during their government class? WTF??? Three branches of government.
Also, if you’re running for president, stop saying you’re “going to do this or that”. Congress can throw a wrench in all your plans. You know that.

[nicole]

His rich ass privilege must be getting to him thinking the debate rules don’t apply and he gets to run the show. Though he should keep it up it makes him look like a douche (and makes my man Obama smile).

I wonder whether whoever wrote that will ever find him- or herself successful in the corporate world…

[John]

Whoever wrote that, probably lives in Williamsberg on a check from mommy and daddy every month and is a part time graphic designer with a degree in puppetry.

[AuH2O]

Also, apparently, not having PBS will make everyone sad:

I know, I was really waiting for something a little more meaty. All the questions were so expected, where was the curveball that they actually needed to think about??

When Romney was all “The happiness of all Americans is really important to me because The Constitution!” I was just screaming at the TV – cause, you know, happiness and all that unless you want to get gay married or be proactive for your reproductive health or watch Big Bird. In those cases OOPS NEVERMIND.

Okay, one more debate reaction:

I’m leaving this country if Romney wins. I have a very bad feeling that he is. Blrgh. As soon as I’m done with my postbacc, I’m leaving if he wins. I’m not going to deal with the massive racist tidal wave that will come with Romney’s win. No, no, no.

I lied, two more:

I’m still fuming over PBS. The small amount of money that will be saved from funding PBS won’t make a scratch on the deficit but the loss of quality educational programming will be greatly missed, especially for low income families. I think conservatives believe that if the government stops funding the arts (somehow government art funding contributes to leftist “anti-American” subtext in Hollywood) Charleston Heston and John Wayne will rise from the dead and restore manly stubborn white men to their rightful cultural throne.

[nicole]

That last one is hilarious. Does anyone seriously think that if PBS no longer existed (not, of course, Romney’s plan, but set that aside…) Sesame Street would not still be aired? It’s fucking Sesame Street. Obviously a shitload of people love it and will watch it.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

*whiny voice*
but it wouldn’t be the same

[AuH2O]

I think my favorite is the “massive racist tidal wave that will come with Romney’s win.”

What the fuck does that even mean? A tidal wave that only hits certain parts of Oakland or LA?

[Somalian Road Corporation]

I know a San Franciscan who a while ago prophesied “right-wing Tea Party race riots” if Obama wins. I guess we’re getting them if he loses, too.

[ant1sthenes]

No, it will be a tidal wave that destroys California, causing Obama to look incompetent at disaster recovery. Because it wanted him to lose, because it’s racist.

[Heroic Mulatto]

The small amount of money that will be saved from funding PBS won’t make a scratch on the deficit but the loss of quality educational programming will be greatly missed, especially for low income families.

HA HA HA HA!!!!!

The whole concept of “educational TV” is a middle-class shibboleth. Kids in the ghetto aren’t watching Teletubbies.

[nicole]

Yeah that was rich.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Probably what they really mean is, “There won’t be anything for me to distract my squalling brat while I bitch about the patriarchy!! CHECK YOUR PRIVILEGE, BIGOT!”

[PapayaSF]

Just point out that federal funding of PBS amounts to 12% of their budget. They can make that up from Jason Alexander and other Hollywood loudmouths.

[AuH2O]

There are many more, especially as some new posts have popped in the post debate thread, and I haven’t even myself waded into the post asking Jez to be more balanced in debate coverage, but here are the links:

http://jezebel.com/5948897/sup…..t=53226040

http://jezebel.com/5948825/mit…..t=53228340

Sadly, Jezebel’s new comments section is terrible, but such is life. Enjoy.

[nicole]

OMG I just learned for the very first time that I am actually a “Vagina-American.” Thank you, Goldwater!

[AuH2O]

I do what I can nicole.

[nicole]

As a Vagina-American, it has taken me all of nine minutes to go from amused to completely fucking enraged by that comment (hers, I mean, not yours).

[ant1sthenes]

THIS IS WHAT PROGRESSIVE WOMEN ACTUALLY BELIEVE

[A Serious Man]

You know it’a cult when it’s members are incapable of seeing any failure on the part of its leader for what it is.

I mean if he loses in November will they think of it as all a part of the elaborate Obama Plan that only a genius like him can understand?

[John]

He is going to come back in 2016. He let Romney win because he knew he needed a Democratic Congress to do anything. So he let Romney win so that he could sweep back into power with a real liberal Congress and complete his plans for America.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Romney’s haunting people’s dreams now? Clearly this is inappropriate behavior for a presidential candidate.

[AuH2O]

Okay, i think just two more posts for y’all to enjoy:

I love you so much for posting this. I HATE when people complain about how little Obama has done. when he stepped into office, pretty much the entire republican side of Congress pledged to do whatever it took to make him crash and burn. the president can’t just stuff them all in a closet, snap his fingers, and make progress happen.

also, all of Romney’s ramblings last night about how he worked so well with the dems in Massachusetts and how he’ll obvs make everyone in the House and Senate hold hands and skip down the yellow brick road together was total BULLSHIT. he was WAY more moderate back then and the democrats weren’t out to get him and hadn’t sign their souls and the voices over to Grover Norquist. people in his own party aren’t even that head over heels for him now, and yet Romney actually think he’ll be able to win over US democratic reps and senators? what-thefuck-ever.

This is great: WAAAAH! THEY WON’T TALK ABOUT OUR MEME!

Wait, wait, is there another debate where the war on women might possibly come up? I thought domestic social policy would include that but it seems like the moderator did such a bad job that all they talked about was taxes.

[Mad Scientist]

Taxes!? Who in their right mind would want to talk about that in a political debate.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Wait, wait, is there another debate where the war on women might possibly come up? I thought domestic social policy would include that but it seems like the moderator did such a bad job that all they talked about was taxes.

How dare they talk about something that effects 100 percent of people as opposed to 50 percent?

The nerve! #stinkyladyparts!

[nicole]

Unfortunately, now I’m just thinking about how annoying it might be if that meme comes up at the town hall style debate. That could be a lot worse.

[AuH2O]

For you guys, I decided to save the best for last:

I was also disgusted by Romney’s performance. Smug pretension and a disregard to rules does NOT equal a win for me, and today I’m trying to avoid news channels, because it hurts my soul to hear people mistake Romney’s arrogance and aggression as leadership. If Obama had performed similarly, people would have called him an angry black man. When has he ever been able to show anger over being completely disrespected?!

Romney was condescending, he had NO grasp on issues, and kept diverting important social issues back to ONE topic. No talk about LGBTQ rights, womens’ rights, and the only stop he gave to education was this crazy idea that he wants $ to follow each individual student… I’m still scratching my head over that one.

Long story short, Romney’s behavior was NOT presidential and I’m just so incredibly depressed that people who don’t watch debates are listening to the media go, “Romney won the debate, Obama fails”- and then running off for their absentee ballot.

[nicole]

this crazy idea that he wants $ to follow each individual student… I’m still scratching my head over that one

The product of public schools? You decide.

I don’t know, though, I feel almost comforted. Wouldn’t it be more disturbing if they agreed that Romney had killed it?

[Episiarch]

Yes, it would be extremely disturbing if they agreed that Romney won. My first thought would be a fear that we were being invaded by aliens, body snatcher style.

I mean, delusion isn’t just a river in…uh, in…on Mars?

[Mad Scientist]

That would make a good Twilight Zone plot.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

If early 20th century progressives had seen an average Jezebel comment thread, the 19th Amendment never would have passed.

[The Hammer]

What’s the “Q” on LGBT? And why does that contraction keep getting longer?

[nicole]

Queer.

[The Hammer]

That seems…strange. Are they taking the word back?

[BakedPenguin]

No, they’re just Susie Cotton fans.

[nicole]

Oh yes, they have most definitely taken the word back. See uses of “queer” as a verb, as in “queering the text,” for example. “Genderqueer” is also its own term–neither male, nor female (nor neuter).

In my experience with LGBTQ people, which I have admittedly much less of now than I used to, “queer” was often used as the all-inclusive term if you didn’t want to go through the whole list of letters.

[nicole]

See also, of course, “queer theory”. Y’all sure aren’t reading your Judith Butler, are you? (Neither am I.)

[Xenocles]

I thought it was questioning.

[The Hammer]

This would make more sense. I get the feeling that nicole was just fucking with me. I feel othered.

[Xenocles]

Got your back, Jack. Bitches be crazy.

[PapayaSF]

^This.^ It means “questioning.”

[nicole]

It can be either, peeps. I haz links. I am not fucking with you.

[PapayaSF]

I stand corrected. Now, let’s argue about what “LGBTQIAA” stands for.

[AuH2O]

And the debate, even though I covered the good stuff:

http://jezebel.com/5948796/deb…..t=53214405

God, their tears are so yummy and delicious.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

A Bizarre Sequence of events:
Man passes out drunk in lawn, his cigarette sets the lawn and him on fire, he steals a bike and drives into a train.

[Lost_In_Translation]

No..No..that sounds about right.

[BakedPenguin]

Exactly. That’s “Friday night” in my neighborhood.

[Rich]

it’s believed the bike was stolen, and he is also a possible suspect in a September assault on a Kamloops bus driver, but no charges have been laid in any of those cases

because the prosecutor can’t stop laughing.

[Hugh Akston]

Facebook has reached one billion users. That’s a lot of baby pictures.

And yet Mark Zuckercorn still can’t afford a suit so people will take him serial.

[db]

Are those balls? Those are balls.

[Brett L]

TI’s crime against humanity

Creed’s lead singer Scott Stapp is one of T.I.’s biggest personal fans. In 2006, the Atlanta rapper came to Stapp’s rescue after he had taken a near-death fall from the balcony of his 16th floor room at the swank Delano Hotel in Miami Beach.

[Caleb Turberville]

Weren’t the most played rock bands in the months following 9/11 were Creed and Nickelback.

[BakedPenguin]

As if the first tragedy wasn’t bad enough.

[Calidissident]

T.I. seems like a really good guy. He also talked a guy out of committing suicide a couple years ago. But OMG he possessed weapons and has done drugs so he’s DA EVUL and we have to lock him up! This guy’s done far more good with those two acts alone than all the drug warriors could do in a thousand lifetimes. And for the record, I think he’s a decent rapper, though I’m not a huge fan. He does have some good songs

[Calidissident]

That said Creed does suck

[ant1sthenes]

I thought it was going to involve popularizing autotune, but no.

[DanD]

Facebook has reached one billion users.

Users, or accounts? That’s a very important distinction.

[Lost_In_Translation]

what do you think…the bots…they are among us.

I think the bots are increasing exponentially and real people are on a petering off. soon the bots will own us all.

[The Late P Brooks]

Romney came across as smug, smarmy and arrogant.

Or, as they say in BusinessSpeak, “Prepared”.

[Enough About Palin]

That’s what I saw. I have sat through LITERALLY thousands of corporate presentations on everything from reliability to how to prevent workplace violence to people pitching products and ideas and my thoughts were, this guy is giving one damn fine presentation.

[nicole]

Yep, exactly this.

[Brett L]

AARP to Obama: How does it feel when you’re under the bus?

President Obama invoked AARP to defend his health care law last night, prompting the influential group to release a statement telling him not to do that again.

Read as: We expect to have to work with Republicans in the House and Executive branch.

[Auric Demonocles]

Football pick em talk:

Here’s the current standings if we use the points schedule sloopy suggested (anyone not on the list has 0):

Graham Gano’s Avengers………..14.95
Fingerbang!…………………..10.43
Sloopy Super #1 Football Picks….10
The Whiterun Guards……………10
Translucent Chum Will Suh You…..9.76
Mike M……………………….8.08
Jumbie……………………….5.53
Brett’s coin flips…………….5.43
Robert Griffin III Card Monte…..5.38
Broncos over Steelers………….5.08
calidissident…………………5.08
Banjos Big Bouncy Bazoombas…….4.76
Ghost’s Boasts………………..3.75
Rub Me Wrong Time……………..1.2
Stalker………………………1.2
Auric Demonocles………………0.93
Citizen Nothing……………….0.75
Falling Dutchmen………………0.75
Indiano Bianco………………..0.5
AppSt n da house………………0.43

I’m not sure this scoring strategy is working better than the alternatives. At the very least we should reconsider how we’re splitting up tie points. It’s putting way too much reward on winning a single week. How do the other pickers feel about this?

PS to Reason: Condensing all the white space is lame.

[A Serious Man]

I had a good week last week so I don’t know why I’m not on the list. Could you explain Sloopy’s system again?

[sloopyinca]

I’ll explain it: It mirrors F1’s old scoring system
1st – 10
2nd – 6
3rd – 4
4th – 3
5th – 2
6th – 1

Ties are divided equally among all people at that #. Of course it rewards weekly winners more. We’re rewarded more in real life.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

F1’s old scoring system sucked, which is why they dropped it.

[Tulpa Doom]

A Texas court has upheld the death sentence on a man that several judges agree is likely innocent. Why? Because the proper procedures were followed and no “constitutional violations” were determined

Uh, you seem to have glossed over the fact that he confessed to the crime in question and is now trying to retract his confession. Nothing at the ACLU link suggests he was forced to confess, either, and I think they’d mention if he was.

I’m beginning to wonder if the annoying “link to blurb” policy in the morning/evening links serves a dual purpose of making it difficult to fact check your versions of events.

[Jesus H. Christ]

It would’t be the first time an innocent person confessed to a crime they did not commit. Many young men don’t need to be beaten into confessing. Odd but true.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

absolutely. one of the areas we cover in interrogation training (i’ve taken reid, avanced reid, statement analysis (really interesting class from the feds involving verb tense changes as powerful indicators of when fabrication can be distinguished from recollection)… is eliminating false confession

the FIRST idea in the back of the mind of an interrogator is that this person may be innocent and if and when they confess, this confession may be false

same as when interviewing a crime victim, always must consider that victim is lying (or delusional)..

and that being said, the best way to help determine veracity of a confession is when the person gives yuo information that was not released to the public and nobody but the “doer” or at least somebody on scene would know

according to the article, in THIS case, the confessor had no such special knowledge.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

i read the ACLU article and based on what i read there, it sounds like a miscarriage of justice, but using them as a final source ime is very bad policy. iow, i have no idea if he’s “very likely innocent” as several of the judges allegedly believe, but it’s CERTAINLY possible for somebody who IS innocent to give a pretty convincing confession and that’s given no police or prosecutorial misconduct. throw some bad interrogation technique, or information feeding into the game, and it gets much worse

a good interrogator goes in with a game plan and know what has been released what they are willing to let the person know and it’s also ESPECIALLY useful to mention bad case facts.

iow, i’ve had suspects correct me on case facts i intentionally asked them about that i know were false, to see if they were the doer. that’s a great indicator you have the actual doer- they correct you when you present bad case facts. especially, about stuff only a person right there at the time of the actual trigger pull or whatever would know

[Enough About Palin]

STFU. And you know, I hope that if the cops come knocking at your door at three in the morning that you are stupid enough to answer the door with a loaded gun.

DIAF. Piece. Of. Shit.

[Stormy Dragon]

Especially when, as it appears in this case, that the innocent person was mentally handicapped. Congrats to the cop for successfully tricking a child into confessing to a murder.

[Tulpa Doom]

He’s not mentally handicapped. “low IQ” doesn’t necessarily imply that.

[Stormy Dragon]

[Sofar] had a child-like mind, low IQ and substance-abuse problems

When an adult has “a child-like mind”, they’re mentally handicapped.

[Tulpa Doom]

Bullshit. Has he been diagnosed as mentally handicapped? No. This is ACLU’s boilerplate, not a medical diagnosis.

I know plenty of people whose outlook and behavior could be described as childlike who are not handicapped.

[Stormy Dragon]

Has he been diagnosed as mentally handicapped?

Yes:

Psychiatrist Susan Stone testified for the defense at length regarding Soffar’s psychological, drug, academic, and family problems. Stone opined that Soffar suffered from organic brain syndrome and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

[The Hammer]

“organic brain syndrome” is a thing? Seriously?

[Stormy Dragon]

Organic brain syndrome:

Organic brain syndrome (OBS) is a general term used to describe decreased mental function due to a medical disease, other than a psychiatric illness. It is often used synonymously (but incorrectly) with dementia.

[robc]

Confessions dont overcome reasonable doubt, there are far too many false confessions.

It is a good start towards a conviction though.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

correct. and in many if not all jurisdictions (mine being an example) a confession in and of itself CANNOT be the sole basis for conviction. it fails to meet the “corpus delicti” burden. iow, yea. you need more.

[robc]

One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. — Deuteronomy 19:15

The ancient jews knew that 1 eyewitness is never enough. And a confession is just one witness.

[Tulpa Doom]

A confession isn’t the same level as eyewitness testimony.

If Albert says Barry stole the money, do you consider that to be just as good evidence as Barry saying he himself stole the money?

[Xenocles]

Perhaps if you spent nine hours showing Barry fake evidence of his guilt and he confessed by saying “If you say I did it, I guess I did it,” I might take a skeptical view. Not saying that happened here, but it did in a case I heard about the other week.

[Mickey Rat]

“Dr. Richard Kimble: [Holding Gerard at gunpoint] I didn’t kill my wife!

Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard: I don’t care!”

Like it or not, finding of facts is not in an appeals court’s scope of work, just if the rule of eveidence and whatnot were properly followed in the trial. The writer is essentially complaining that the appeals court did not behave in a lawless manner and exceed its authority.

[kinnath]

Mario Draghi

Wasn’t he the whiney blonde kid from House Slytherin?

[The Late P Brooks]

RTFA, Brooksie.

YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME

[Dunphy (the real one)]

if you aren’t recording police, imo, you aren’t doing your part. as disgusted as i am by those who brag about avoiding jury duty and other examples where you can make a difference for liberty, i am heartened that there are people out there doing simple stuff like recording cops, so that bad cops get punished, good cops get protection, etc. and if you start recording incidents when nothing is going on, it is your perspective that will likely be amongst the most useful, since most people start recording once it hits the fan and miss critical context elements and stuff that is going to make a huge different in determining fault, culpability, etc.

[robc]

Dude, here:

………………………….

Use them wisely. I would think on a cops salary you could afford some of your own.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

keep getting bonked when I try to reply, but I admit it. That is AWFUL. Mea Culpa.

[robc]

You need an editor. The rest of us can fit our comments into 1 post most of the time.

Brevity is … wit.

[T]

The guy who boycotts apostrophes doesn’t get to give out punctuation advice.

[robc]

The apostrophe is unnecessary. And even then, I use it sometimes.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Wish I could record here. In IL we have 2 party consent and violation of it is a felony

[Art Vandelay]

That’s a real shocker.

Fortunately, the cops and politicians in Chicago aren’t corrupt aren’t corrupt.

[Ken Shultz]

Apparently, there had been 13 separate threats leveled against the Benghazi consulate in the six months prior to the deadly attack that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others.

Retards still blame the YouTube video and Muslim rage.

[Heroic Mulatto]

As predicted, you ignore all arguments and evidence to your pre-conceived, uneducated notions.

You’re a hack and a liar.

I hope you die from ovarian cancer, Kendall.

[The Hammer]

This seems excessive…

[Jordan]

Yeah, considering Ken’s crime was asserting that not all Muslims are murderous savages.

[Heroic Mulatto]

No, his/her crime was lying that I assert all Muslims were.

I have no patience nor goodwill for lairs.

[Tulpa Doom]

I hope your wife gets early menopause and loses all interest in sex, Mulatoo.

[Tulpa Doom]

I hope you buy 8 hot dogs at the game and every one of them gets cold before you get back to your seat, Mulato.

[The Hammer]

I hope your child slave uses a non-organic fiber with your monocle polish and scratches the absolute hell out of the lens!

[Heroic Mulatto]

I hope you buy 8 hot dogs at the game and every one of them gets cold before you get back to your seat, Mulato.

Bastard. I’ll never forgive this insult.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

Is anyone actually going to watch the Cardinals-Rams game tonight?

[Tulpa Doom]

Kevin Kolb is going to rake tonight.

[Ken Shultz]

I need to see if Ryan Williams can do it against a not so awesome run defense.

[The Hammer]

Probably Sam Bradford’s immediate family, some agents, maybe Eagles scouts looking at Chris Long. And some degenerate gamblers. I hope they have some new commercials…

[Mike M.]

Looks like the upper Midwest is about to get hit with the first cold snap of the season. They’re even talking about a possible major snowstorm up in Canadia, and frankly it seems a little early for that.

[The Hammer]

Good thing I allowed my winter tires to become just “my tires” this year…

[Jesus H. Christ]

Thirteen threats? Is that a lot? Not being sarcastic. It’s an American embassy in a land rich with knuckle-dragging, low forehead, slope shouldered, mouth breathing Islamic fundamentalists. I would think a threat at least every week would be in order. How many death threats do embassies in other parts of Hell, I mean, the middle east, get in a six month period?