Another Drone Strike, Al Gore's Crony Capitalism, Weapons Missing in Benghazi: P.M. Links

• 

  A U.S. drone strike in Pakistan killed 16 and injured six others. The drone hit a madrasa belonging to a member of the Haqqani network.

• Vice President Al Gore has made millions off green energy investments that have been handed billions in federal subsidies by the current administration.
• British diplomats withdrew from Libya earlier this year but left behind weapons and vehicles at the American consulate in Benghazi. And now they're gone.
• China's state-funded (some would say "forced") economic growth comes at a price: More and more Chinese citizens are being evicted and having their land seized for development.
• Astronomers have discovered a planet that is a giant diamond. This would inspire an awesome Pinky and the Brain caper if they were still on the air.
• What is this "free press" thing anyway? Media representatives in New Jersey are suing to block a law that forbids them from photographing or interviewing anybody within 100 feet of a polling location on Election Day.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

More and more Chinese citizens are being evicted and having their land seized for development.

Kelo strikes again.

[DJF]

There is no private land ownership in China, they have land leases. All land is owned by the Communist government.

[Jam]

There is no private land ownership in China, they we have land leases. All land is owned by the Communist government.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

British diplomats withdrew from Libya earlier this year but left behind weapons and vehicles at the American consulate in Benghazi. And now they’re gone.

ebay.ly anyone?

[Tim]

Check Mohammedslist.com

[mr lizard]

http://www.habbiibslist.org

[Fist of Etiquette]

Astronomers have discovered a planet that is a giant diamond.

They were under pressure.

[Tim]

It’s crystal clear.

[Restoras]

Didn’t Arthur Clark speculate about this in one of is novels?

[Stormy Dragon]

In 2061: Oddessy Three, the big reveal is that the core of Jupiter was a gigantic diamond which got spurted out when it turned into a star at the end of 2010. The suddenly near inexhaustible supply of diamon leads wot a situation where by 3001, humans are making nearly everything out of solid diamond.

[Warty]

Can’t we give ourselves one more chance?

[Tim]

Ee do ba be
Ee da ba ba ba
Um bo bo
Be lap
People on streets – ee da de da de
People on streets – ee da de da de da de da

[Pro Libertate]

I really like that song and think Bowie should’ve used his eponymous knife on Vanilla Ice for messing with it.

[Warty]

I can’t believe Freddy Mercury didn’t use his AIDS powers from beyond the grave against Vanilla Ice.

[Pro Libertate]

That dude could fucking sing. I’m not even a huge Queen fan (not that I don’t like some of their songs just fine), but that was a powerful voice. Singing in pop music is often pretty crappy.

[Fist of Etiquette]

At least it will be there if Galactus ever pops the question.

[Pro Libertate]

Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure that burns a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets

It’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming let me out
Tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people – people on streets

Chippin’ around, kick my brains across the floor
These are the days, when it rains it pours
People on streets – people on streets

It’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming let me out
Tomorrow gets me higher, higher, higher…
Pressure on people – people on streets

Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence but it don’t work
Keep coming up with love but it’s so slashed and torn
Why, why, why?

Love
Insanity laughs under pressure we’re cracking
Can’t we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can’t we give love that one more chance?
Why can’t we give love, give love, give love..?

‘Cause love’s such an old-fashioned word
and love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure

[0x90]

Rollin’, In my 5.0, with the ragtop down, so my hair can blow. Girlies on standby, waitin’ jus’ to say hi — “did you stop?” — no, I just rolled by.

[Pro Libertate]

That’s offensive.

[0x90]

The best offense is a good defense.

[Pro Libertate]

I prefer to deny all varieties of vanilla-flavored ice. Though Weird Al’s “Rice, Rice, Baby” was funny.

[Trespassers W]

That’s like something Hitler would do.

[Pro Libertate]

I think he just did.

[0x90]

I didn’t even have to look it up.

[Pro Libertate]

I’m stunned to learn that Hitler is actually still alive at 123.

[0x90]

Age has mellowed me. Here are some peace offerings.

[Pro Libertate]

Ah, Bowie and Queen. At least the greatest evil of the 20th century has okay musical taste.

[0x90]

Hey, we’re human too. Honecker was always into Kraftwerk. It was like his forbidden fruit. Not many know this, but he and Brezhnev used to have sleep-overs all the time. They would karaoke til all hours of the night, playing air guitar to Boston and such. They could do a real nice duet of “I Want You to Want Me.”

[Pro Libertate]

If Hitler were into rock and not dead, what would be his favorite bands?

[Bobarian]

Pinky and the Brain?

Little guy with big ears, whose not as smart as he thinks he is, and his big dumb understudy…

Reminds me of somebody…hmm,

Oh that’s right! Pinky’s debating in KY tonight!

[Francisco d Anconia]

Are we going to try and mine the diamond planet Brain?

No Pinky…

…we are going to take over the world!

[Stormy Dragon]

It’s been pointed out that the “One is a genius and the other’s insane” line in the themesong never really specified which was which. One of the epileptic trees for the show is the Pinky was actually the smart one, and just seemed stupid because he was Genius Ditz and was too many steps ahead for the audience to follow his thought process.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

Big Bird makes the Big Bucks

[Archduke Pantsfan]

Dispatches from Romney’s War on Women

[A Serious Man]

Obama campaign spokeswoman: Libya only an issue because Romney is making it into one.

Gee, I had no idea that Mitt Romney had the power to call for Congressional investigations.

[R C Dean]

Does she even realize that she called out the media and Congress as a bunch of toadying incompetents?

[A Serious Man]

How does one become a professional bullshit artist like that?

[Fist of Etiquette]

In her defense, she doesn’t have much to work with here. At least it’s better than the DNC chair claiming that making wrong assertions is different than making false assertions.

[Anonymous Coward]

Debbie Wasserman-Schulz isn’t claiming to be malicious, but merely incompetent. From her, I can absolutely buy that defense.

[Killazontherun]

That is exceptionally stupid even for Cutter.

[Brett L]

There’s actually no lower bound on that for me. Nothing she says could be “exceptionally” stupid.

[Killazontherun]

Most of her comments just make libertarians wretch, this one however tries the back hand of your average American.

[Pro Libertate]

Guess a few corpses don’t bother this administration. Makes the whole drone business easier to understand, too.

Maybe Biden will win tonight’s debate by shooting Ryan.

[ParkPlace]

I think this is going to go okay for the Obama ticket. Ryan is just too high strung and dorky to walk out of this looking good. He can’t win on numbers… and he can’t beat Biden in terms of charm. Heck, I will be surprised if Ryan can walk out of this without having a tantrum on camera. This isn’t Biden’s first rodeo… but it is Ryan’s. This should be more interesting than the NFL game…

[Pro Libertate]

One thing about Biden, idiocy aside, is that he’s historically not been a flaming socialist. I think that’s where he can really hurt the administration, gaffes or no gaffes.

[Ayn Random Variation]

I will be surprised if Biden is wearing pants.
This will be a massacre.

[ParkPlace]

Joe Biden is one of those rare politicians that is genuinely sincere at all times. Since caring about people is a character flaw in the eyes of the GOP, they hate him.

[Pro Libertate]

I don’t know whether he cares or not, but he is a buffoon. The Vice President of the United States. A buffoon.

It’s just possible we can do better. Not that the GOP candidates are great, either, but we’ve really dug deep into the latrine with this administration.

[Brett L]

Looks like Gus lost IRL.

Mexican drug cartels are quietly filling the void in the nation’s drug market created by the long effort to crack down on American-made methamphetamine, flooding U.S. cities with exceptionally cheap, extraordinarily potent meth from factory-like “superlabs.”

[R C Dean]

exceptionally cheap, extraordinarily potent meth

Sounds like a market success, on par with Borders (RIP) outcompeting the corner bookstore.

[Brett L]

Plus it undermines the US government’s plan to lower drug use by attrition. You’re less likely to die on the good shit.

[Anonymous Coward]

Just thing how bad it would be if Tuco had managed to get “Heisenberg” over the border.

[Cytotoxic]

Hmmm…does that highly potent meth happen to be aqua-tinted?

[Archduke Pantsfan]

This isn’t California

A COUNCIL has banned a group of teenagers from playing frisbee in a local park until they get $120 permit

[Archduke Pantsfan]

I’m pretty sure my friend is gay. How do I ask him?

[Ice Nine]

“Wanna blow me?”

[AuH2O]

If the group of friends doesn’t care, why does it matter?

[Brett L]

“Wanna fuck?”

‘Cause otherwise, what difference does it make?

[Bobarian]

Sing “Clang, clang, clang, went the trolley…”

And if he sings back, you’ve outed him.

then publically ridicule him for hours, because, Hey, what are friends for?

[Enough About Palin]

I’m straighter than a statute mile and I love that Judy Garland song.

[Bobarian]

You’re just in denial.

The test is never wrong.

[$park?]

The best thing you and your friends can do is ensure that you are mindful of actions that may inadvertently create an unsupportive environment. Pay attention to the language you use and the jokes you make.

Even though you haven’t before and it hasn’t been an issue, make sure you start being super-PC because that will make your friend feel better.

[Brett L]

That’s the gayest advice I’ve ever seen.

[Francisco d Anconia]

If it were one of my friends I’m sure we’d be supportive, HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t give him unmerciful shit. It wouldn’t be right, cutting him slack just cause he’s gay.

[Warty]

“Don’t you think I look cute in this hat?”

[T]

A chapeau made from the skin of your enemies can hardly be considered cute.

[Ska]

So….ask him “how are you?” and see if you’re given a response in song?

[Fist of Etiquette]

“If I had a dollar for every time my dad questioned my sexuality I could afford a bad ass Harley and probably some super cute riding boots”

[Warty]

I’M YOUR TURBO LOVERRRRRRRRR

[mr lizard]

Just assign your friend to wingman grenade duties when you go out. A great use of his skills, no awkward questions, and happy fat chicks. What could go wrong?

[BakedPenguin]

“Dude, I need your hag-gathering super powers.”

[mr lizard]

The real key is putting the grenade jumper up as your lead-off batter against the group. Always start with the grenade. Go ugly early, beat the rush.

[Fist of Etiquette]

British diplomats withdrew from Libya earlier this year but left behind weapons and vehicles at the American consulate in Benghazi.

Find the guy driving the Aston Martin with rocket launchers and ejection seats.

[Brett L]

Ha Ha! Not so rich dad.

Rich Global LLC, one of the corporate arms Kiyosaki has done business under, filed for bankruptcy protection in August, after it was ordered to pay just under $24 million to the Learning Annex and its chairman Bill Zanker.

[R C Dean]

The drone hit a madrasa belonging to a member of the Haqqani network.

Never mind the asserted death and injury toll, in all seriousness, how do we know it was a madrassa? Much less one that belonged to a member of the Haqqani network?

Why do I suspect that all the information we get from that corner of the world is of very low quality? Here in the US, cops can’t even get the right address every time, much less the right suspect. So, sure, we should be skeptical that drones are always hitting their targets, but doesn’t that mean we should be skeptical of the descriptions of what drones do hit, and who they kill/injure?

[$park?]

If a drone hit it, it was deserved. Our wonderful drone program does not target innocent civilians. Get with the program RC.

[Ken Shultz]

“Never mind the asserted death and injury toll, in all seriousness, how do we know it was a madrassa? Much less one that belonged to a member of the Haqqani network?”

I don’t get the Haqqani network, but on Saturdays, I get a channel that plays a lot of clips from Bollywood movies.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Believe it or not, back when I was in the AF doing this kind of stuff our intelligence was extraordinarily well-sourced and documented — we had a higher level of scrutiny and higher standards wrt evidence than the A-10 strikes we were complementing, if you can believe it.

Of course, that’s before the AF saw the program as a smashing success and hugely increased the scope and priority of the program (as well as the number of missions). I have no idea how it works now.

[Cavpitalist]

When I was in Iraq as a Cav Scout, our intel sucked. Horribly badly.

I have nothing valuable to add, just hate to miss a chance to anecdotionalize.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Nonsense! Afghan hovels are very distinct from one another! No two hovels have the exact same composition of mud and straw; like snowflakes, they are!

[Brett L]

Us crazy libertarians also expect cops to get the right house, so we’re not inconsistent on this.

[Cytotoxic]

The military is the most reliable and trustworthy part of the USG. Intelligence on the ground including Pakistani intel confirms it was Haqqani. Another glorious victory for America.

[Calidissident]

“The military is the most reliable and trustworthy part of the USG.”

Assuming this is true, it’s also completely meaningless. Talk about a low bar

[T]

I dimly recall we were the drunkest part of the government, and considering the competition in Congress, that wasn’t easy.

[The Hammer]

The military is the most reliable and trustworthy part of the USG

What a sadly low bar.

[Invisible Finger]

In Pakistan, drone strikes school.

In Chicago, drone draws paycheck at school.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Vice President Al Gore has made millions off green energy investments that have been handed billions in federal subsidies by the current administration.

He put his money where his mouth is. His big, fat, hypocritical mouth.

[R C Dean]

I thought it was the other way around: He put his big, fat, hypocritical, crony-connected mouth where his money is.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Either way, the system is there just begging to be gamed.

[Pro Libertate]

The temptation to become a fear-mongering profiteer like Gore is almost too great to resist.

[A Serious Man]

Republican state representative: Some girls rape easily.

According to him, the words were meant to show that a woman could agree to sex but then change her mind and say it was rape.

[Warty]

He looks like an authority on the subject.

[Sudden]

The Most Interesting Rapist in the World?

[Francisco d Anconia]

Interesting tidbit.

The most interesting man in the world was a Red Shirt in the Corbomite Maneuver.

Jonathan Goldsmith

[Brett L]

Oh. I thought he might mean that he had a strategy for picking the ones who wouldn’t fight back. Asshole.

[AuH2O]

Sean Connery called. He wants his beard back.

[Fist of Etiquette]

“I’ll take ‘The Rapists’ for two hundred, Alex.”

[Francisco d Anconia]

Suck it Trebek.

[AuH2O]

Apparently, Paul Ryan endorsed him once, so this is just the latest in Romney/Ryan/Akin* alliance against WIMMENZ!

*See, that’s how much of a priveleged moneybags Romney is, with his ability to afford 2 Vice Presidents. Humble champions for the middle class like Obama make due with one, and that one is Biden.

[A Serious Man]

And Ryan promptly denounced him when this story broke, but that’s only to keep the patriarchy plot a secret.

[AuH2O]

Speaking of the patriarchy, I missed the last meeting because I was busy using the Male Gaze. Who took notes at last week’s meeting, and what’ the duty roster for the next month looking like?

[Brett L]

STEVE SMITH is once again in charge of the rape roster. We tried to argue with him, but Warty didn’t care and he’s the only one STEVE won’t threaten to rape to get his way.

[Coeus]

If you actually take time to read the source, it’s good advice. Since you provided more context (but not all) I’m forced to assume you’re being intentionally dishonest here.

[AuH2O]

In my ongoing quest to kill Epi with laughter, I turn once again to Lindy West, with this amazing post:

Newsflash: Hollywood isn’t nice to fat women

Best part:

It’s a basic idea of thin privilege: When I watch television and movies, I am essentially guaranteed to never see a person with a body that looks like mine without their body being played for laughs or pity.

[AuH2O]

Best comments:

One of the suckiest days of my adult life was being treated horribly on a movie set because I was a fat girl. I was a extra on an indie movie in the 90’s, as a favor for my acting teacher who was one of the producers. I was ignored, disrespected and insulted.

People treated me so much better after I lost weight. And of course that bothers me. “Oh yes, I’m so glad you lost the weight. I noticed how big your arms were getting.”
“Don’t ever look like that again, you are beautiful now.”
I said to my mother “Well thanks a lot, because if I gain this back, and their is a good chance I will, I won’t feel comfortable around you when I’m fat.”

But what I found the most offensive and odd, actually, was the way they talked to me about my former fat self as if she left the room and couldn’t hear us.

And…

I love Mike and Molly, just because I get to see my relationship reflected on teevee, but my husband doesn’t particularly enjoy it because, “Why can’t it just be a sitcom about a funny married couple? Why do there have to be so many jokes about their weight?” I get it and it’s frustrating, but I still watch the show.

Don’t forget though, fat women don’t get their fat brought up when they play psychos/old ladies/maids. -eye roll-

[MJGreen]

I was ignored, disrespected and insulted.

Likely translation: I was treated like an extra on a no-budget movie.

Your fat arms are probably disgusting, and no one should be ashamed to celebrate their absence. They’re not beautiful, you’re not a perfect snowflake, find your self-esteem in some other aspect if you can’t keep your weight manageable.

[PapayaSF]

“I have [widely-acknowledged visual flaw]. Why is it that I never see actors with [widely-acknowledged visual flaw] without their looks being played for laughs or pity?” Um, because actors are generally hired in part because they are easy on the eyes?

[Pro Libertate]

Christina Hendrix is overweight. Attractive, but overweight.

[PapayaSF]

Picky, picky, picky.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Which is why her face is so round and puffy and not angular at all.

Nope.

[Pro Libertate]

I’m not insulting her. I’m just pointing out that she’s not some Barbie doll and is overweight by any rational measure. She’s just one of those women who is hot-overweight. They exist. Nigella Lawson is like that, too. Or was, anyway.

[BakedPenguin]

Laetitia Casta wasn’t overweight, but she was certainly not svelte. She was also a model, and very attractive.

[0073735963]

“Which is why her face is so round and puffy and not angular at all.”

I had no idea that “facial angularity” was how we measured whether someone is overweight. How many libraries of congress is that?

What? That’s not how we measure it? Hmm…

[Splatter]

GET LOST MArY

[0073735963]

Really John?

It’s awesome that 3 hours after I called you out for splattering your “Mary” diarrhea all over the threads, you show up and throw another tantrum.

[SpIatter]

Fuck you Mary, I knew it was you then and I know it’s you now.

[0073735963]

At least it looks like you made it home and aren’t posting from your phone anymore.

You have a great night little guy.

[AuH2O]

Meh. I do not always mind a little extra weight on a gal. Especially Hendrix.

[Warty]

I’m on the fairly “skinny” side right now, but that’s due to an obsessive workout schedule. As of March, I developed cancer for the second time in my life.
This in turn brought on a good 30 pound weight gain due to medication (I’m more for alternative medicine than a round of chemo again.)

This poor, stupid girl.

[Brett L]

Well, she’ll be fat and dead rather than skinny and alive, but her hair will look great at the funeral.

[T]

Well, if she’s going for alternative medicine instead of chemo, she won’t be around to make stupid comments too much longer.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

As of March, I developed cancer for the second time in my life.

Maybe biology is trying to tell you something.

[Silver Fox]

In other words the fat acceptance brigade is making it painfully obvious to those who didn’t see it before just how much of a farce identity politics really is.

[Generic Stranger]

It’s a basic idea of thin privilege: When I watch television and movies, I am essentially guaranteed to never see a person with a body that looks like mine without their body being played for laughs or pity.

I don’t know; Animal Planet has plenty of whale documentaries.

[Rational Thinker]

So famous poster John bothered the Reason publisher to have me banned because I questioned him saying the media should be lined up and murdered while giving a pass on the GOP actually enforcing the drug war.

Then he tried to do it to someone else who asked an innocent question, and was concerned about Mary Stack harming HIM, who had been posting for a while.

I actually don’t give a shit about being banned or how much anyone here despises me except Fist but seeing John yet again lash out at someone who wasn’t giving him grief and was actually wondering if someone was digging into Reasoners I wanted to see if John did indeed have the power to accuse people of being Mary Stack to get rid of them because of what unjustly happened to him.

Pro-Tip: Not everyone who thinks you aren’t gods gift to rational discourse is Mary Stack or an Obama supporter or a hopeless athiest or wants Americans to just lay down and die.

And Axis of Glib, you’re just encouraging him with some of your behavior.

Pro-Tip: Saying Pro-Tip or bothering Reason with “chat room” bullshit makes you an asshole, so you might as well vote for Obama.

“In Your Heart, You Know He’s Right”

[Obese American]

I’m sorry, who are you and why should I care?

[Ken Shultz]

Are you Mary Stack?

[Rational Thinker]

That’s the thing, how can I prove I am or am not.

Is John (or anyone else really) allowed to simply spam Reason to eliminate people he’s decided are Mary?

When the Axis of Glib piles on in their similar paranoia that anyone who questions them is part of small secret cabal instead of some random dope or a Tulpa sockpuppet are they simply to be trusted?

[Ken Shultz]

I bet Mary would be welcome if she weren’t all trollish and disruptive.

I bet Reason’s got a pretty good line on that IP address, too.

[Rational Thinker]

Yet, people who aren’t Mary get banned because John declares them so.

[Cytotoxic]

It’s stack. The obsession with John is a dead giveaway.

[Lord Humungus]

and the writing style…

[0073735963]

Meh. John pulled his “take your meds, I’m gonna tattle to ALIIIIIIISSSSSIIIIII, you’re Mary” stupidity on him in another thread, completely out of nowhere, so I’d say the butthurt is maybe just normal internet butthurt. Might be Stack. Looks like Stack. Axis of Glib sounds like Stack. So yeah, probably, now that I think about it.

But the fact that you showed up, again, to defend John, again, pretty much solidifies what many have suspected for a while, that you’re John’s sockpuppet.

[0073735963]

Meh. John pulled his “take your meds, I’m gonna tattle to ALIIIIIIISSSSSIIIIII, you’re Mary” stupidity on him in another thread, completely out of nowhere, so I’d say the butthurt is maybe just normal internet butthurt. Might be Stack. Looks like Stack. Axis of Glib sounds like Stack. So yeah, probably, now that I think about it.

But the fact that you showed up, again, to defend John, again, pretty much solidifies what many have suspected for a while, that you’re John’s sockpuppet.

[0073735963]

Meh. John pulled his “take your meds, I’m gonna tattle to ALIIIIIIISSSSSIIIIII, you’re Mary” stupidity on him in another thread, completely out of nowhere, so I’d say the butthurt is maybe just normal internet butthurt. Might be Stack. Looks like Stack. Axis of Glib sounds like Stack. So yeah, probably, now that I think about it.

But the fact that you showed up, again, to defend John, again, pretty much solidifies what many have suspected for a while, that you’re John’s sockpuppet.

[tarran]

I actually don’t give a shit about being banned or how much anyone here despises me except Fist but seeing John yet again lash out at someone who wasn’t giving him grief and was actually wondering if someone was digging into Reasoners I wanted to see if John did indeed have the power to accuse people of being Mary Stack to get rid of them because of what unjustly happened to him.

Out of morbid curiosity, could someone who understands Moronics translate this into English?

[Rational Thinker]

Random guy asks if someone is stalking Reasoners, John starts accusing them of being Mary.

John gets people banned by claiming they’re Mary.

Fist is Fist is a hero of our time.

[Anonymous Coward]

I think this person is accusing Goody John of falsely accusing the goodfolk of Reason of the cryme of cavorting in the forests with Mary Stack, the Whyte Indyan. That Goody John clayms to have seen them dancing naked with the Whyte Indyan, that they did suckle from her wytch’s teet and they did sygn her blacke blog of evyl and pledge her their souls.

Or something like that.

[T]

I’m all for this scenario if we can have a good impressment to get at the truth.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Fist is Fist is a hero…

Shut up, baby, I know it.

[Jordan]

Cool story bro.

[Axis of Glib]

I’m feeling othered…

[T]

As well you should. Make substantive contributions to the debate and you, too, can feel accepted and bask in the glow of acceptance and harmony that is HampersandR.

[Marshall Gill]

Go fuck yourself.

[MJGreen]

The lady doth protest too much.

Way, way too much.

[Ken Shultz]

“Vice President Al Gore has made millions off green energy investments that have been handed billions in federal subsidies by the current administration.”

That might seem like hanky panky to people looking from the outside, but inside the Democratic Party, that’s called “socially responsible investing”.

[Sudden]

Socially responsible investing translates to society is responsible for paying for my investment gains.

[Killazontherun]

Astronomers have discovered a planet that is a giant diamond. This would inspire an awesome Pinky and the Brain caper if they were still on the air.

Or, the plot of a really good Cordwainer Smith novella.

[PapayaSF]

+1 for a Cordwainer Smith reference.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

+1 cat-person

[The Late P Brooks]

Vice President Al Gore has made millions off green energy investments that have been handed billions in federal subsidies by the current administration.

And he has “gifted” ninety per cent of it to the United States Treasury, because he wants to pay his fair share.

[AuH2O]

We need old-timey looking propaganda posters warning us to never respond to Mary directly. Anyone decent with photoshop?

[Killazontherun]

Some variation on this?

http://www.thecityreview.com/lonwar3.gif

Replace cutie with Stack’s botoxed joker’s face.

Of course, the words will have to be changed.

[Ken Shultz]

“British diplomats withdrew from Libya earlier this year but left behind weapons and vehicles at the American consulate in Benghazi. And now they’re gone.”

That might seem like hanky panky to people looking from the outside, but inside the Obama Administration, that’s called “socially responsible investing”.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

World’s Fastest pram

[protefeed]

Astronomers have discovered a planet that is a giant diamond.

A great rebuttal to those tards who say, “We’re running out of (insert raw material here)!”

There’s basically an infinite supply of everything. It’s just a matter of getting it to where people can use it.

[A Serious Man]

Let me guess, they named it Lucy?

[Ken Shultz]

Yeah, and I guess getting to it and bringing it here prolly wouldn’t make whomever did it rich; it might just destroy the value of diamonds here on earth forever.

The I guess all the rappers would start braggin’ about their turquoise or somethin’?

[Enough About Palin]

I got it made
Got the motherfuckin’ jade
Diamond bitches were played
Fuckin’ low-grade

[Suthenboy]

I dont remember enough info about this and I am too lazy to google it now….but there was once a rumor that a meteor had landed in mexico? that was made entirely of diamond. Overnight the diamond market crashed, people lost millions.

Turns out it was quartz, not diamond. Many tears were shed over that.

[Pro Libertate]

Yet another reason we should be trying really hard to get cheap access to space. And by “we”, I don’t mean the government.

[Fluffy]

Yet another reason that Avatar was a stupid movie.

[Pro Libertate]

That’s for damned sure. When I heard what it was supposed to be about, I said to myself, “Say, thanks for letting me know that I don’t have to waste my time watching a fucking stupid movie.”

[Generic Stranger]

I still can’t fucking believe they called it “unobtanium”. Cameron is fucking rich; he could buy a whole goddamn team of writers for his monthy Titanic royalty check. And yet he still managed to come up with that dreck.

[Pro Libertate]

Obamanium.

[Brett L]

Sullivan and Kos, your seats are now under the bus!

The Obama campaign referred to several major liberal bloggers as the “tinfoil hat crowd” in a statement to Fox News Wednesday. The campaign was responding to the cable channel’s request for a comment on an Internet conspiracy theory many of them had promoted.

Shortly after the presidential debate last week, a number of liberal bloggers including ones at Daily Kos, FireDogLake, Democratic Underground, and the Daily Beast’s Andrew Sullivan, among others, began posting items suggesting that Mitt Romney had cheated during the debate.

[Killazontherun]

Andy doesn’t handle rejection well. Between his love for Bush being replaced with a love for Obama, he tried to go libertarian for the length of a book tour but was largely ignored. This could get ugly, I hope it gets ugly.

[Pro Libertate]

Romney did cheat by not being president the last four years, presiding over the government’s treasonous lack of concern over its role in wreaking havoc on our economy.

[Paul.]

Romney is a secret incumbent.

[Pro Libertate]

You know, you could almost think that, the way Obama acts. He’s really a joke.

[Paul.]

With the way the middle class has suffered over the last four years, it’s the only explanation.

[Pro Libertate]

“[T]here’s nothing that I detest more than the stench of lies.”

Seriously, I could live with this crap a whole lot better if the lies and bullshit would stop. Just lay it on the table–some people want to control everything for one set of reasons, some other people want to control everything for another set of reasons. And there are a few who don’t really want to control everything.

[hamilton]

Super liberal pens a spectacular takedown of The Nation’s endorsement of (surprise!) Obama:

http://vastleft.blogspot.com.b…..obama.html

[MJGreen]

“A victory for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in November would validate the reactionary extremists who have captured the Republican Party. It would represent the triumph of social Darwinism, the religious right, corporate power and the big money donors who thrive in a new Gilded Age of inequality.”

This was written in a Serious periodical.

[hamilton]

So some other source ran the Nation’s editorial? Because there’s not a whelk’s chance in a supernova that the Nation qualifies as Serious. And we should be thanking our lucky stars it only shows up periodically.

[Atanarjuat]

Wait, why a whelk, specifically? Wouldn’t any creature be equally dead in a supernova? Nice reference.

[Pro Libertate]

Whatever. Romney could almost run as a Democrat. And win.

[R C Dean]

the triumph of social Darwinism, the religious right, corporate power and the big money donors who thrive in a new Gilded Age of inequality

So, three out of four? Not bad, not bad at all.

I’ll take it.

[Paul.]

That’s interesting. I thought that the Seattle Times did one of the best editorial endorsements I’ve ever read in the history of politics.

Maybe I should say “most honest”, either way, I was actually impressed. Upon initial reading, sure, you get annoyed because they’re (predictably) endorsing Obama, but when you read WHY they’re endorsing Obama, you have no choice but to admire them.

They went through a bullet-point list of Obama’s positions on things– almost all of them spectacular failures to which the Times’s summary was essentially one of the following:

1. He hasn’t kept his promise, but we hope he will next term.
2. He hasn’t kept his primise, but there’s a chance he will next term.
3. He hasn’t kept his promise, but we just don’t care because we like him so darned much and voting for him makes us feel good.

[Pro Libertate]

If he doesn’t meet your standards, lower them.

[Enough About Palin]

“Those are my principles. If you don’t like them I have others.”

[Paul.]

The Nation’s editors don’t actually say that Romney is an extremist, nor that he’ll enact a hard-right agenda. You’re just supposed to read that into the negative space. A Romney win would, in some undefined fashion, represent a “victory” for rightwing extremists. It would be an undefined “triumph” for the oligarchs and other such evil constituencies who, presumably, hold sway only with the GOP.

Nice.

[The Late P Brooks]

When the Axis of Glib piles on in their similar paranoia that anyone who questions them is part of small secret cabal instead of some random dope or a Tulpa sockpuppet are they simply to be trusted?

I, for one, am perfectly willing to accept the hypothesis that you are just some random incoherent dope who believes there is such a thing as “Society” which exists in a meaningful corporeal form.

hth

[Killazontherun]

Oh, look around you, all around you,
riding on a copper wave.
Do you like the world around you?
Are you ready to behave?

Outside of society, they’re waitin’ for me.
Outside of society, that’s where I want to be.

[Paul.]

Vice President Al Gore has made millions off green energy investments that have been handed billions in federal subsidies by the current administration.

How is this a scandal? Al Gore and the Democratic party all the way down made it clear this is exactly what they wanted. This is corruption which has been stated clearly and out in the open from the very beginning. At some point it seems unfair to call it corruption, even though it is.

[protefeed]

So famous poster John bothered the Reason publisher to have me banned because I questioned him saying the media should be lined up and murdered while giving a pass on the GOP actually enforcing the drug war.

If you MUST be a whiny little bitch about having to use a new handle, give us the following:

1) The handle that was banned

2) The actual quote that got you banned

3) A link to, or a quote from, the notice saying you were banned, and why

You know, so we can judge if the banning was appropriate or not.

[Rational Thinker]

This very one was banned, then reinstated and a bunch of John’s posts got deleted from the drug war thread.

https://reason.com/blog/2012/10…..e-in-a-sin

I didn’t want any posts deleted or anyone punished, I only wanted to know if John was getting people banned by accusing them of being Mary because he’s spent months accusing all sorts of people of being Mary and saying they’ll be banned.

And as I said, there’s a valid reason because of what happened to him but I’m not sure if John should be allowed to just declare people Mary.

[0073735963]

There is no quote and no one got banned, the whinging is about a certain Red Tony’s constant attempts to have dissenters labeled as “Mary” then banned.

Which is clear to anyone who can read, except you I guess.

[Splatter]

WHO Are YOU and how do you know so much?

[0073735963]

Hi John, still upset about being called out for splattering your “Mary” diarrhea everywhere, I see.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

“Your boyfriend wants to shoot a load on your face because it’s degrading[…] Also, even though the actresses in porn often take it in the eyes because that improves the degradation experience?the wince and the fake smile through the pain to show that she performs to master’s specifications even under physical duress is apparently hot[…]”
…
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/201…..r-already/

Does this wymyn understand men or what? (Bonus points if you can guess who wrote the article without peeking.)

[Paul.]

Does this wymyn understand men or what? (Bonus points if you can guess who wrote the article without peeking.)

Gonna hafta peek.

[Paul.]

Ok, before I peek… Michelle Obama?

[Paul.]

Amanda Marcotte… what’s she famous for? Is she the one who, when taking down her pants forces everyone to be confronted by the Unabomber?

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Mildly notorious for getting fired as John Edwards’ campaign blogger for lots of anti-Catholic comments in the course of her official blogging.

Also moderately known for publishing a book with hilariously inadvertent cover pictures of a “vintage” white woman battling African tribesmen.

You can understand why that kind of resume just couldn’t be passed up by the Slate editors.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Your boyfriend wants to shoot a load on your face because it’s degrading

Bullshit.

[Killazontherun]

I guess I’ll just have to take her word for it, but I’m pretty sure shooting off at the tonsils is more satisfying. The extra few rounds before losing your hard own and mouth warmth of a good swallower is worth her weight in gold.

[Killazontherun]

hard own

hard on. Goddamn homophones!

[hamilton]

goddamn homophones? Rethuglican hater!

[JW]

I approve of this comment.

I never got the face shot stuff, but hey, whatever makes both of you happy.

[The Craig]

I must say I have never had a buddy brag about having a girl who likes to take it in the eyes. If I had to assume, it was because most of them were not even attempting to do this. Little did I know, men everywhere are squirting it into the eyes of their lovers.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

It’s true. Men can’t get enough of women in pain and distress.

[Paul.]

I glanced at the comments, I’m pleasantly surprised.

[Fluffy]

Just swallow. Problem solved.

[Paul.]

Easy for you to say!

[Warty]

Jesus Christ, that’s a lot of words worrying about whether other people are having fun.

[Paul.]

She’s pro-intervention!

[Tulpa Doom]

“Honey, if I wanted to degrade you I’d do a donkey punch.”

[Rich]

The state barred media from “expressive activity within 100 feet of a polling place”

That’s good. Voting is disgusting enough. Who the hell wants to see zits being popped, too?

[AuH2O]

Also, why does it take Mary’s return for me to learn that John is famous? Why were you holind out on us buddy?

[protefeed]

Yeah, and I guess getting to it and bringing it here prolly wouldn’t make whomever did it rich; it might just destroy the value of diamonds here on earth forever.

If they were smart, and brought it here on the DL, and quietly started selling it to everyone everywhere at once, they could make a crapload of money before everyone caught on that diamonds were now just a shiny low value rock and the price plummeted to its new marginal value.

[The Late P Brooks]

If they were smart, and brought it here on the DL, and quietly started selling it to everyone everywhere at once, they could make a crapload of money before everyone caught on that diamonds were now just a shiny low value rock and the price plummeted to its new marginal value.

Some representatives from de Beers might come calling.

[R C Dean]

I suspect things like “profit” and “material comforts” will not be a serious concern to someone who can move a whole planet from one solar system to another.

But, hey, until I give it a try, what do I know?

[Rational Thinker]

It’s cool Reason, I’ll drop this. I just think it’s low of John or whoever claiming anyone is Mary.

[Rational Thinker]

And I still believe in Fist.

[T]

He exists whether you believe in him or not.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Existence is my greatest achievement!

[Splatter]

Go Away

[The Hammer]

You’re obnoxious enough to be Mary, and your posts are too incoherent for you to be Tony. Maybe John just doesn’t want to believe there are two of you in the world?

[Enough About Palin]

“China’s state-funded (some would say “forced”) economic growth comes at a price: More and more Chinese citizens are being evicted and having their land seized for development.”

T o n y and Friedman approve.

[BakedPenguin]

They should just relocate them to those ghost cities.

When China crashes, it is going to make a BIG sound.

[protefeed]

Super liberal pens a spectacular takedown of The Nation’s endorsement of (surprise!) Obama:

Their handle is chock full of win:

“Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy:

Something to read until Bush Obama
gets us all killed ponies”

[Archduke Pantsfan]

A teacher asked her 6th grade class how many of them were Obama fans.

Not really knowing what an Obama fan is, but wanting to be liked by the teacher, all the kids raised their hands except for little Johnny. The teacher asked Little Johnny why he has decided to be different.

Little Johnny said, ‘Because I’m not an Obama fan.’

The teacher asked, ‘Why aren’t you an Obama fan?’

Johnny said, ‘Because I’m a Libertarian.’

The teacher asked him why he’s a Libertarian.

Little Johnny answered, ‘Well, my Mom’s a Libertarian and my Dad’s a Libertarian, so I’m a Libertarian.’

Annoyed by this answer, the teacher asked, ‘If your mom was a moron and your dad was an idiot, what would that make you?’

With a big smile, Little Johnny replied, ‘That would make me an Obama fan.

[Killazontherun]

‘Could someone in class use a word beginning with ‘u’ in a sentence? Okay, Little Johnny. What is your word.’

‘Urinate.’

‘And can you use it in a sentence?’

‘Teacher, you’re an eight, but if you had bigger tits you would be a ten.’

Yeah, an old one, but people who have never heard it before are born every minute.

[Trespassers W]

Oddly, banning Mary has the same effect as not banning Mary: threads are rendered incoherent either way.

[Rational Thinker]

I’m not Mary and I won’t bring anything up again. It is too jarring to have posts just disappear.

[Rational Thinker]

heh

[Splatter]

YES YOU ARE

[Silver Fox]

Liberals apparently didn’t see this one coming.

In an emailed statement to the Orlando Sentinel, Darden stated that cutting hours is “just one of the many things we are evaluating to help us address the cost implications health care reform will have on our business. There are still many unanswered questions regarding the health care regulations and we simply do not have enough information to make any decisions at this time.”

[Archduke Pantsfan]

I hate to be Captain Buzzkill, but this new Kevin James movie doesn’t look entertaining.

[Loki]

A Kevin James movie that isn’t entertaining? Noooo, say it ain’t so! /sarcasm

[Killazontherun]

You just try that comment in Bavaria where they are highly appreciative of James’ talents far and above in consideration of what they really deserve. Seriously, he is weirdly popular in Germany.

[Silver Fox]

Germans love David Hasselhoff…

[Silver Fox]

A “violence tax” on guns and ammunition.

Kurt Summers, Preckwinkle’s chief of staff, told the Chicago Sun-Times: “If we were to pursue a tax on something like guns and ammo, clearly that wouldn’t be popular with the [gun lobby] out there, and it may not generate $50 million, but … it is consistent with our commitment to pursuing violence reduction in the city and in the county.”

[R C Dean]

Preckwinkle

/snicker/

[Pro Libertate]

Hmmmm. Winkle is from the German “winkel“, which means angle. “Preck” probably means penis in some dialect.

[Invisible Finger]

And believe it or not, Preckwinkle is a vast improvement over her predecessor. THAT’S how fucked up Illinois is.

[Loki]

V.P. debate prep, Onion style. Nothing about what Biden is doing to prepare, but I suspect it involves lots of beer drinking and telling his staffers they “worry too much, stop trying to kill my buzz.”

[Archduke Pantsfan]

Unleash the Biden

[Pro Libertate]

Better as “Release the Biden!”

Or, of course, the classic, “Just Biden his time.”

[OldMexican]

Vice President Al Gore has made millions off green energy investments that have been handed billions in federal subsidies by the current administration.

All is well because he helped create Grinning Jobz!

[The Hammer]

Simmons’ new column is excellent.

http://www.grantland.com/story…..en-dilemma

[Invisible Finger]

As usual, Simmons has two worthwhile paragraphs but you have to wade through his diarrhea at the keyboard to get to them.

[Jersey Patriot]

China’s state-funded (some would say “forced”) economic growth comes at a price: More and more Chinese citizens are being evicted and having their land seized for development.

Capitalism, Communism, Socialism, Fascism…the name changes, the song remains the same.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

I’m unaware of any capitalist country where the tune requires the deaths of millions.

[Killazontherun]

You play Roberta Flack’s ‘Killing Me Softly’ backwards, it becomes absolutely deranged.

[Pro Libertate]

Song his with softly me killing?

[Killazontherun]

Just back from the murder rampage that set off. How did yours go?

[Jersey Patriot]

The United States of America, for starters.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Pathetic.

You’ve got some sort of dysfunction if you think the US and places like the PRC and the USSR are equivalent, or that capitalism *requires* the deaths of millions in order to operate. Damned if I’m going to sit around figuring out what it is, though.

[Tulpa Doom]

I’m not sure the US can be called a capitalist country anymore. We’re well into the gray area between market capitalism and socialist fascism.

[Tulpa Doom]

Media representatives in New Jersey are suing to block a law that forbids them from photographing or interviewing anybody within 100 feet of a polling location on Election Day.

100 ft isn’t a very far distance. It serves a legitimate govt interest of preventing disruption of the election process and isn’t going to prevent them from running whatever story they want.

After voting in NYS for years, where there’s a bubble of no-electioneering around a polling place entrance, I was horrified by having to run a gauntlet of campaign apparatchiks pushing fliers in my face here in PA (where there is no such law) in order to get into the polling place.

[Tulpa Doom]

And yes, it’s likely I will be such a campaign apparatchik this year. Doesn’t mean I agree with the law.