A.M. Links: Cantor Knew About Petraeus Affair Last Month, Regulations Slowing Storm Recovery, Anti-Gay Bill Set to Pass in Uganda

Your morning links

• House Majority Leader Eric Cantor knew about now former CIA director David Petraeus' extra-marital affair in October.

• Arizona Governor Jan Brewer doesn't think the electoral college system is fair.
• State and federal regulations on tree pests are slowing down the post-storm clean up in the New York Area.
• President Obama urged Palestinians not to request recognition from the UN as a state just yet, but the Palestinians still plan on doing so this month.
• Surprise: Japan may be re-entering a recession.
• A bill mandating the death penalty for homosexuals is set to pass in Uganda.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor knew about now former CIA director David Petraeus' extra-marital affair in October.

Ouch.

[Bee Tagger]

Bros before security codes.

[Drake]

What exactly was Cantor supposed to do with that knowledge?

[Fist of Etiquette]

If he didn't at least attempt to make a stink about a now easily-blackmailable CIA director then he was as negligent as anyone who kept him in place for political benefit.

[Drake]

I guess so. I wouldn't want to be the guy busting another guy for having sex. You end up looking like Robert Menendez - a fucking asshole.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Yeah, but I don't think Cantor has been trying all that hard not to be an asshole since becoming majority leader.

[Jerry on the road]

Wow, Cantor is a real dick about not blowing this story on Petraeus.

[Rich]

Watch Cantor take the hit for the whole ball of wax.

[wareagle]

well, Cantor is Jewish; who better to make peaceful Muslims look bad?

/jesse ventura

[Groovus Maximus]

Sharif, he don't like it.

[Mensan]

He thinks it's not kosher.

[Generic Stranger]

Fundamentally he can't take it.

[Ska]

Oh is that what Strummer says? I always wondered what "fund the mentally car dated" meant.

[VG Zaytsev]

Cantor's a piece of shit for many reasons.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

What are you talking about?

The New York Times reported Saturday that on October 31, Cantor's chief of staff phoned the FBI to inform the agency about the call between the congressman and the FBI official. The Times reported Cantor learned of the whistleblower through Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Washington.

Is he a dick about it because he didn't go straight to the press, or a dick about it because he didn't inform the administration directly? His actions are pretty consistent with standard government protocols on this sort of thing.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Surprise: Japan may be re-entering a recession.

Goddammit, that tsunami boost didn't last long.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Krugabe says: NEEDS MORE TSUNAMI

[gaijin]

According to Krugabe, the tsunami just wasn't big enough.

[gaijin]

argh, Scruffy!

[Auric Demonocles]

They ever exited the last one?

[Bee Tagger]

If only tsunami was the name of an alien race sent to militarily destroy the country.

[CE]

Couldn't they build a giant government off-shore tsunami wave creation system, then send a tsunami to destroy stuff every 6 months or so? Just building the wave maker would be a stimulus, then the repairs from the ongoing periodic tsunamis should keep the economy humming along.

[CE]

Or better yet, call Godzilla back.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Uganda get screwed.

[invisible furry hand]

The Norwegian penal system is clearly run by inhuman monsters who would deny a mass killer his right to fight the seven signs of ageing.

[$park?]

Ageing? Is that one of those fancy Australian words that us Yanks don't know?

[PS]

Heh, heh, she said penal.

[Jordan]

He wants moisturizer to "fight aging." Riiiiight... And I'm sure he wants tissues for a runny nose.

[db]

"The Norwegian Ministry of Corrections has no information regarding the contamination of six cases of Jergens hand lotion with capsaicin."

[Generic Stranger]

I bet Norway is now regretting getting rid of their death sentence...

[Groovus Maximus]

"But Anders, you're soaking in it!"

[R C Dean]

It puts the lotion on its skin . . . .

[Eduard van Haalen]

If I were to commit a crime, I would definitely do it in Norway. Dorm-like prisons where the biggest worry is your lack of anti-aging cream...what's not to like?

[Bee Tagger]

State and federal regulations on tree pests is slowing down the post-storm clean up in the New York Area.

Just imagine how many more regulations would be slowing down the clean-up if Obama hadn't cut through so much red tape already!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Let's face it, at this point humans are the pests.

[mad libertarian guy]

If we're to take the obvious opinions of those who write regulations and those who support them, yes.

[jdgalt]

Anyone who believes that should begin by killing himself. Earth doesn't need him.

[Jordan]

Surprise: Japan may be re-entering a recession.

Keynesian clowns still baffled.

[Lord Humungus]

they just didn't spend enough!

[Lord Humungus]

old story, but I made this same point:

Obama 2012 looks a lot like Granholm 2006
http://washingtonexaminer.com/.....J5cIIWhA9c

In 2006, Gov. Jennifer Granholm, D-Mich., appeared to be a vulnerable incumbent as Michigan had one of the worst economies in the nation. The state unemployment rate, in November 2006, was 7 percent (oh, for the days of when 7 percent unemployment was a high number). The national unemployment rate was far lower, at 4.5 percent.

The Republican Party fielded Amway executive Dick DeVos ? a relative newcomer to the political scene, rather lacking in the common touch. He hammered Granholm over the unemployment rate and argued that his business experience would help him turn around the economy. Sound familiar?

[wareagle]

and how well did that work out for MI?

[mad libertarian guy]

That depends on whether you see the auto bailout as good or bad.

[SIV]

Salvador Dali's Lobster Girl

[Auric Demonocles]

NSFW.

[Rich]

Salvador Dali's Lobster Telephone -- SFW

[Auric Demonocles]

Much better.

[Randian]

I love that thing. Saw it at the Dali museum in Paris.

[Killazontherun]

Nips are a little on the undefined, poofy side. Check her ID.

[Enough About Palin]

Groovus covered this a couple of weeks ago.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer doesn't think the electoral college system is fair.

If you want the candidates to pay attention to you then you have to become a swing state. It's not the college's fault any given state is more or less reliable.

[Drake]

I prefer the electoral system that contains the impact of ballot stuffing to a few states.

[Susan Anthony]

The current state-by-state winner-take-all system of awarding electoral votes maximizes the incentive and opportunity for fraud, coercion, intimidation, confusion, and voter suppression. A very few people can change the national outcome by adding, changing, or suppressing a small number of votes in one closely divided battleground state. The sheer magnitude of the national popular vote number, compared to individual state vote totals, is much more robust against manipulation.

National Popular Vote would limit the benefits to be gained by fraud or voter suppression. One suppressed vote would be one less vote. One fraudulent vote would only win one vote in the return.

The closest popular-vote election in American history (in 1960), had a nationwide margin of more than 100,000 popular votes. The closest electoral-vote election in American history (in 2000) was determined by 537 votes, all in one state, when there was a lead of 537,179 (1,000 times more) popular votes nationwide.

For a national popular vote election to be as easy to switch as 2000, it would have to be 200 times closer than the 1960 election--and, in popular-vote terms, 40 times closer than 2000 itself.

Which system offers vote suppressors or fraudulent voters a better shot at success for a smaller effort?

[H. Reardon]

I haven't RTFA, but I don't see how eliminating the EC would result in Arizona becoming more important in presidential electoral politics.

[Susan Anthony]

The National Popular Vote bill would change current state winner-take-all laws that award all of a state's electoral votes to the candidate who get the most popular votes in each separate state (not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, but since enacted by 48 states), to a system guaranteeing the majority of Electoral College votes for, and the Presidency to, the candidate getting the most popular votes in the entire United States.

Every vote, everywhere, would be politically relevant and equal in every presidential election. Every vote would be included in the state counts and national count. The candidate with the most popular votes in the country would get the 270+ electoral votes from the enacting states.

National Popular Vote would give a voice to the minority party voters in each state. Now their votes are counted only for the candidate they did not vote for. Now they don't matter to their candidate.

And now votes, beyond the one needed to get the most votes in the state, for winning in a state are wasted and don't matter to candidates.

Every vote, everywhere would be counted equally for, and directly assist, the candidate for whom it was cast. The political reality would be that when every vote is equal, the campaign must be run in every part of the country.

When and where voters matter, then so are the issues they care about most.

[VG Zaytsev]

I'm in CA and I think the electoral college is obsolete bullshit that ideally would be scrapped altogether. But since that's not going to happen an achievable work around is getting states to apportion the electors by congressional district instead of winner take all.

[DJF]

The problem is the state politicians in places like California where one party dominates want to hand over all their EC votes and not split them up

[VG Zaytsev]

Ah, but we have an initiative system here.

And really, why wouldn't some evil rethuglican billionaires want to fund it.

CA going from 55 solid D EC votes to 35 D 20R with some tossups totally changes the prospects for Republicans.

CA can do it unilaterally and put pressure on other states to follow.

[flye]

I've wondered as well whether this could be changed via initiative in CA. At the very least it would be fun to make progressives defend winner-take-all as 'fair.'

[CE]

That initiative was already tried a few years ago. The Dems weren't dumb enough to fall for it, unfortunately.

[Drake]

I could live with that - firewall fraud at the district level and make my vote mean something.

[Randian]

Yep. That's why lefty morons (like, oh, Steve Chapman) love the "National Voting Compact" instead of something simpler like apportionment of votes.

Because if they apportioned, some dread Republican Menace might pull down 8 electoral votes in a state like Illinois or 21 EVs in Cali. Can't have that.

[Drake]

NJ 5th district would be a solid R - with potential for a real L candidate.

[Killazontherun]

That would be the best way to go forward and remain constitutional.

[KDN]

I also prefer the ME / NE system. I really don't like the idea of eliminating the EC; a march away from federalism is hardly what this country needs.

[Susan Anthony]

The National Popular Vote bill would change current state winner-take-all laws that award all of a state's electoral votes to the candidate who get the most popular votes in each separate state (not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, but since enacted by 48 states), to a system guaranteeing the majority of Electoral College votes for, and the Presidency to, the candidate getting the most popular votes in the entire United States.

Every vote, everywhere, would be politically relevant and equal in every presidential election. Every vote would be included in the state counts and national count. The candidate with the most popular votes in the country would get the 270+ electoral votes from the enacting states.

National Popular Vote would give a voice to the minority party voters in each state. Now their votes are counted only for the candidate they did not vote for. Now they don't matter to their candidate.

And now votes, beyond the one needed to get the most votes in the state, for winning in a state are wasted and don't matter to candidates. Utah (5 electoral votes) alone generated a margin of 385,000 "wasted" votes for Bush in 2004. 8 small western states, with less than a third of California's population, provided Bush with a bigger margin (1,283,076) than California provided Kerry (1,235,659).

[Susan Anthony]

Maine and Nebraska use the congressional district method. Maine and Nebraska voters support a national popular vote.

A survey of Maine voters showed 77% overall support for a national popular vote for President.
In a follow-up question presenting a three-way choice among various methods of awarding Maine's electoral votes,
* 71% favored a national popular vote;
* 21% favored Maine's current system of awarding its electoral votes by congressional district; and
* 8% favored the statewide winner-take-all system (i.e., awarding all of Maine's electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most votes statewide).
***
A survey of Nebraska voters showed 74% overall support for a national popular vote for President.
In a follow-up question presenting a three-way choice among various methods of awarding Nebraska's electoral votes,
* 60% favored a national popular vote;
* 28% favored Nebraska's current system of awarding its electoral votes by congressional district; and
* 13% favored the statewide winner-take-all system (i.e., awarding all of Nebraska's electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most votes statewide).

[Julio Cesar Samper Uribe]

That only distributes 436 EVs (435 congressional districts + DC at-large). How do you distribute the remaining 102 (100 Senate seats + 2 DC ex officio electors given by the 23rd Amendment)?

[VG Zaytsev]

Those can stay winner take all.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Governor appointments.

[Teaching Student]

I think keeping them winner take all is the best solution, or proportional to the State overall percentages.

[Susan Anthony]

An analysis of the whole number proportional plan and congressional district systems of awarding electoral votes, evaluated the systems "on the basis of whether they promote majority rule, make elections more nationally competitive, reduce incentives for partisan machinations, and make all votes count equally. . . .

Awarding electoral votes by a proportional or congressional district [used by Maine and Nebraska] method fails to promote majority rule, greater competitiveness or voter equality. Pursued at a state level, both reforms dramatically increase incentives for partisan machinations. If done nationally, the congressional district system has a sharp partisan tilt toward the Republican Party, while the whole number proportional system sharply increases the odds of no candidate getting the majority of electoral votes needed, leading to the selection of the president by the U.S. House of Representatives.

For states seeking to exercise their responsibility under the U.S. Constitution to choose a method of allocating electoral votes that best serves their state's interest and that of the national interest, both alternatives fall far short of the National Popular Vote plan . . ."

FairVote

[Stormy Dragon]

Given how gerrymandered the congressional districts are in many states are, is that really an improvement? If I can take Pennsylvania for example: if you add up all the congressional votes cast across the state, you end up with a 53%-47% advantage for the Democrats, yet 13 of our 18 congressional representatives are Republicans.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Dayum. That is some very effective gerrymandering. Maybe when the democrats take over they'll reform the system so that it can't be gerrymandered, instead of just gerrymandering for themselves. Ha! just kidding.

[Susan Anthony]

The congressional district method of awarding electoral votes would not help make every vote matter. A smaller fraction of the country's population lives in competitive congressional districts (about 12%) than in the current battleground states (about 20%) that now get overwhelming attention, while 80% of the states are ignored Also, a second-place candidate could still win the White House without winning the national popular vote.

A survey of Maine voters showed 77% overall support for a national popular vote for President.
Given a three-way choice among various methods of awarding electoral votes,
* 71% favored a national popular vote;
* 21% favored Maine's current system of awarding its electoral votes by congressional district; and
* 8% favored the statewide winner-take-all system (i.e., awarding all of Maine's electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most votes statewide).
***
A survey of Nebraska voters showed 74% overall support for a national popular vote for President.
Given a three-way choice among various methods of awarding electoral votes,
* 60% favored a national popular vote;
* 28% favored Nebraska's current system of awarding its electoral votes by congressional district; and
* 13% favored the statewide winner-take-all system (i.e., awarding all of Nebraska's electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most votes statewide).

[Susan Anthony]

Presidential candidates concentrate their attention on only a handful of closely divided "battleground" states and their voters. There is no incentive for them to bother to care about the majority of states where they are hopelessly behind or safely ahead to win. 10 of the original 13 states are considered "fly-over" now. In the 2012 election, pundits and campaign operatives agree, that, at most, only 9 states and their voters mattered. They decided the election. None of the 10 most rural states mattered, as usual. About 80% of the country was ignored --including 19 of the 22 lowest population and medium-small states, and 17 medium and big states like CA, GA, NY, and TX. It was more obscene than the 2008 campaign, when candidates concentrated over 2/3rds of their campaign events and ad money in just 6 states, and 98% in just 15 states (CO, FL, IN, IA, MI, MN, MO, NV, NH, NM, NC, OH, PA, VA, and WI). Over half (57%) of the events were in just 4 states (OH, FL, PA, and VA). In 2004, candidates concentrated over 2/3rds of their money and campaign visits in 5 states; over 80% in 9 states; and over 99% of their money in 16 states.

[Susan Anthony]

80% of the states and people have been merely spectators to presidential elections. They have no influence. More than 200 million Americans, ignored. When and where voters are ignored, then so are the issues they care about most.

Policies important to the citizens of non-battleground states are not as highly prioritized as policies important to 'battleground' states when it comes to governing.

In 1960, presidential campaigns paid attention to 35 states. In 2008, Obama only campaigned in 14 states after being nominated. In 2012, the presidential campaigns only cared about 9 swing states.

The number and population of battleground states is shrinking.

States' partisanship is hardening.

Some states have not been been competitive for than a half-century and most states now have a degree of partisan imbalance that makes them highly unlikely to be in a swing state position.
? 41 States Won by Same Party, 2000-2008
? 32 States Won by Same Party, 1992-2008
? 13 States Won Only by Republican Party, 1980-2008
? 19 States Won Only by Democratic Party, 1992-2008
? 9 Democratic States Not Swing State since 1988
? 15 GOP States Not Swing State since 1988

FairVote

[Lord Humungus]

I for one welcome our squirrel overlords.

The Squirrel Whisperer Will Put Tiny Hats On All Your Squirrels
http://www.thefrisky.com/2012-.....squirrels/

Mary Krupa is a freshman at Penn State University, but kids around campus know her mostly as The Squirrel Whisperer. Mary has taken to befriending the local fauna, and loves squirrels the best ? so much so, that she's designed a series of tiny squirrel hats for her bushy-tailed friends to wear. The squirrels gladly oblige Mary, but only if she's got food. "It's kind of a give and take. They're not going to play with me unless I have food to give them," she admitted.

[db]

You'd have to be a complete asshole (or maybe a Terminator) to not have squirrels constatntly approaching you for food at Penn State Main. They're so tame it's ridiculous.

[Brett L]

Yeah. College campuses are renowned for tame squirrels. See squirrel fishing.

[mad libertarian guy]

That makes for an easy meal.

[Mensan]

We had white squirrels at FSU. Not albino, but white. You didn't see that many on the main campus, but there were a lot of them out at the FSU Reservation.

[Stormy Dragon]

My brother actually got mugged by a squirrel at Penn State once. It jumped on him from a tree and then before he recovered from the suprise, the squirrel grabbed his donut and ran off.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Sounds painful.

[NoVAHockey]

Squirrels with hats = Abe Lincoln Squirrel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgA6JyP_FJ8

[SugarFree]

SOON

[Caleb Turberville]

http://www.al.com/living/index.....et_po.html

Sweet potato or pumpkin pie? Apparently, either one will do.

[$park?]

Indeed. I've had both and generally the amount of spices used makes them taste almost exactly alike. You can have orange nutmeg pie or yellow nutmeg pie.

[db]

Cut the spice in half, and you can taste the pumpkin. The best part about pumpkin pie is the custard/pumpkin flavor. People cover up bad pumpkin or custard with spices.

[Enough About Palin]

My ex made two pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. One with cognac, the other with Grand Marnier.

Yum!

[Restoras]

I'm gonna try this.

[wareagle]

so AL has returned to normalcy after Saturday?

[Caleb Turberville]

Kansas State still has Texas, Oregon still has the Pac-12 Championship Game, and Notre Dame still has USC.

Bama's national championship hopes took a hit on Saturday, but the BCS has us at #4, and I seem to remember Oregon and Oklahoma State improbably going down in the same weekend last season.

But, yep, the odds are high. For right now, I'd be happy beating Auburn, winning the SEC Championship, and playing Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.

[Caleb Turberville]

or (as the old folks would put it) 1973.

[Randian]

AB (Anyone But) SEC for National Champion.

[wareagle]

maybe the other leagues need to catch up, randian. Not our fault the SEC pretty much comprises the top ten.

[Caleb Turberville]

Actually, the current BCS is

4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. LSU
7. Florida
8. Texas A&M
9. South Carolina

[Brett L]

And somehow a loss in the SEC or PAC10 (if you're USC) means less than a loss in any other conference.

[wareagle]

things work in cycles, brett. Time was the Big East WAS college basketball; at other times, the ACC rules; and in still other instances, the Big 10 is loaded.

The SEC has had a good football run for some time now. At some point, another conference will challenge that.

[Randian]

I like how you brag about your 'conference' instead of your team, though. Reminds me of the guy who played for Kentucky who used to brag about the SEC all the time.

[wareagle]

I wasn't bragging about anything, just pointing out facts. And two years ago, my team took home the crystal trophy. This year it sucks. Unpleasant truths are still true.

[mr simple]

That's because the top teams in the SEC actually have good competition in conference. It's not the SEC's fault no other conference plays defense.

[Randian]

So your contention is that LA-Monroe and LA-Lafayette are really that good?

[wareagle]

my contention is that, top to bottom, the SEC is top league in the country. But you're welcome to keep tossing out smoke screens.

[Randian]

Top, yes. Bottom, no.

[Brett L]

LSU, the Gamecocks and A&M have 2 losses each. Meanwhile, Clemson has one loss to FSU and FSU has one close loss to NCSU. So getting beaten by UF apparently doesn't count against anyone.

[wareagle]

talk to the pollsters; I don't control that. FSU should be unbeaten and Clemson is tough. The rest of the league is perceived as less so. Losing to UF stings less than losing to State but again, your beef is with pollsters.

[Caleb Turberville]

Brett,

A good chunk of it comes down to voters' perception. But this is the system we've been living with for nearly a century, long before 2006.

Or did Notre Dame, Texas, Oklahoma, and USC not when a jillion trophies back in the day?

[Caleb Turberville]

One key element to the rise of the SEC was the much more favorable and lucrative television contracts.

[Randian]

Uh, you have half of the top ten, thanks. And the rest of your conference is terrible, just like every other conference.

[wareagle]

60% of the top ten, if we're going to be all mathematical. Plus a few others that are going to be 7-8 game winners. And a couple of terribles, one of which I am painfully familiar with.

I don't see the other leagues with their share of horribles having a top end this deep.

[wareagle]

I heard the ESPNers talking about ND in the Rose Bowl, but who the hell wants to see that? The SEC champion, which either way is a one-loss team, is far better game. Bama/UGA should be a hell of a game.

I don't see anyone beating Oregon, or K-State for that matter, but things happen. I didn't think we'd suck this badly, either. And I remember '73; that was a classic.

[Caleb Turberville]

Yeah, the Big Ten conference champion will go to the Rose Bowl, but if Oregon goes to the national championship, it will mean the Rose Bowl taking either a very ugly Stanford team or an underachieving USC team.

[Randian]

The Rose Bowl will likely take the loser of the three-way tie at the moment, which I would guess will be Notre Dame.

[wareagle]

I wonder if ND would rather play Wisconsin or the SEC Champion. I get that schools don't get to pick their destinations anymore, but what would Brian Kelly do?

[Caleb Turberville]

Interesting history,

Notre Dame hasn't been to the Rose Bowl since the 1924-1925 season, which was their very first bowl appearance and only for nearly 50 years until they played Alabama in the 1973 Sugar Bowl.

Also, Alabama made it's inaugural bowl appearance a year later in the 1926 Rose Bowl.

[wareagle]

given his druthers, I think Kelly would rather go to New Orleans. But it's all conjecture right now. Still time for weird things to happen.

[mad libertarian guy]

Sweet potato. Though pumpkin is fine too.

[Caleb Turberville]

I like sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie Pop Tarts.

[SugarFree]

Yeah, yeah, it's douchey, but roasting your own pumpkin makes for great pies that you don't have to drown in spices.

[Killazontherun]

Never apologize. A self aware douche is just a hipster instead.

[invisible furry hand]

mmm, roast pumpkin. I did that last night, and ate it with some pan-cooked venison. Simple pleasures...

[Groovus Maximus]

Not just pies, Saccharin Man. Cookies, pastry and all sorts of confectionery goodies are to be had with roasted pumpkin.

[SugarFree]

Quick, it's fall!

[invisible furry hand]

that's SFW. Standards are slipping, Mr Free

[Groovus Maximus]

It's vegan pr0n. -)

[Warty]

Pie from a can is an abomination. Momma Warty always cooked them from scratch, therefore anyone who doesn't deserves to die.

[Stormy Dragon]

How is roasting a pumpkin in anyway "douchey"? The word far better applies to the obsession so many on this board seem to have with judging what other people do with their spare time.

[Warty]

Hey, SugarFree, look. You hurt its gay little feelings. Good work, dude.

[Stormy Dragon]

Its bi little feelings are more annoyed; the Grandpa Simpsons clogging up this board are irritating

[SugarFree]

How is roasting a pumpkin in anyway "douchey"?

It seems any thing short of killing a cow with a rock and eating it raw while hunched over in a cave is suspect around these parts.

[db]

You need to use a baking pumpkin though. You don't get as good results with a carving pumpkin.

[SugarFree]

Yes, and it's efficient to cook four or five of them at a time. The cooked pulp freezes well.

[Elspeth Flashman]

This makes me think of an Iron Chef episode, where the ingredient was . . . pumpkin!

[heller]

Pumpkin is superior, obviously.

[db]

President Obama urged Palestinians not to request recognition as a state just yet, but the request fell on deaf ears.

Congress to take up Palestine's application for statehood any day now.

[Lord Humungus]

Men who can't see their manhood are heading towards an early death, warn doctors
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/hea.....paign=1490

You know who else couldn't see their manhood?

[Rich]

Lady Gaga?

[sloopyinca]

Ronnie Milsap?

[Generic Stranger]

Obama?

[Brett L]

John Wayne Bobbit?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Rachel Maddow?

[$park?]

Ray Charles?

[Lord Humungus]

I lol'd

[Apple]

But not at Ronnie Milsap?

[Ice Nine]

So then Stevie Wonder is double-doomed?

[Francisco d Anconia]

Meh. Was never that impressive anyway.

[Mensan]

Having a small penis is fatal?

[Fist of Etiquette]

How many fat guys are going to slim down only to find out they're women?

[invisible furry hand]

Slate's XX v Jezebel smackdown!

for a major media outlet to write a self-congratulatory, self-righteous post after playing the informant on a bunch of teenagers looks petty and vindictive, not to mention opportunistic.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Self-righteous assholes is more like it.

[Zeb]

What disturbs me the most about that is that people think that the schools which the kids attend should have anything to do with or say about what the kids do on Twitter. It's bad enough how much power schools have over kids when they are actually at school.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

I find it hypocritical given that most of the Jezebel commenters probably didn't have any use whatsoever for school administrations. I can imagine most of them being rebellious teenagers. Now that they're on the other side, they're more than happy to use that club.

[VG Zaytsev]

I can imagine most of them being rebellious teenagers. Now that they're on the other side, they're more than happy to use that club.

Which neatly summarized the entire baby boom generation.

[Zeb]

Some things never change.

[mr simple]

The comments on the Jezebel article are sad and telling. There are many that are glad this was done and think this should follow these kids around forever. They also are glad Jezebel went to the schools to get these kids in trouble because they probably wouldn't get in trouble at home. It gives true meaning to the term feminazi.

[JW]

They slandered the Glorious Leader. They must be named and driven from the community.

[Warty]

"Ain't no end to doin' right."

[VG Zaytsev]

The kid's 'schools' are actually prisons, from which they are nightly furloughed.

[Enough About Palin]

It's a sleep-release program.

[Hell's Librarian]

...Jezebel...

self-congratulatory, self-righteous post

petty and vindictive, not to mention opportunistic.

I am pretty sure these descriptions are redundant.

[Killazontherun]

Shocked at Slate's principled approach here. I just assume all leftist are rat bastards until proven otherwise when I'm around them. It's safer that way.

[SugarFree]

XX is mad they didn't think of it first, that's all. Part XXCIV of the Jezebel/ XX feud.

[Brett L]

You've just identified about half of all feuds between women.

[Jerry on the road]

BBC director gets ?1.3-million pay-off for working 54 days.

[R C Dean]

I'd "work" twice that long for half the pay-off.

[DJF]

I need to become a 'Top Man" so I too can make a profit out of being fired.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Is that a lot?

[Jerry on the road]

It's about $2 million.

[Lord Humungus]

Denmark to abolish tax on high-fat foods
The Danish government has said it intends to abolish a tax on foods which are high in saturated fats.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20280863

[invisible furry hand]

Hilarious. There's been a lot of talk here about introducing a fat tax, almost all of it ignoring the fact we already have a sort of fat tax - unprocessed food is GST-free. Which doesn't seem to have made of a goddamn difference to the size of our arses

[mad libertarian guy]

Denmark just had the wrong Top. Men. Surely Australians will find him.

[The Late P Brooks]

You cannot abandon your commitment to effective regulation of tree pests just because a tree fell on somebody's roof.

Where do you think you are, SOMALIA?

[MJGreen]

But if the tree fell in the ROADZ? What a conundrum!

[Lord Humungus]

The U.K.

Army cuts: Farewell to our warrior nation
The Government is making huge cuts to the Army, Royal Navy and RAF in the mistaken belief that they no longer matter, says Max Hastings
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new.....ation.html

[Res Publica Americana]

That stupid cunt spews the most awful Keynesian shit in British newspapers. Nothing he says should be taken seriously.

[Jersey Patriot]

Considering the horrors Britain unleashed on the world, its armed forces ought to be cut to 0.

[invisible furry hand]

Belgians unveil giant, smelly, misshapen phallus

[db]

What, no picture?

[Rich]

That's not a phallus. THIS is a phallus!

[Generic Stranger]

Rick Roll fail.

[Rich]

Nah. Folks here are too savvy to fall for it, so I just allude. It saves valuable time.

[Jerry on the road]

The garden has installed a web camera to observe the flower's growth, which began accelerating on Friday.

[Zeb]

Switzerland. Magritte is from Belgium. Giant stinky dick flowers in Switzerland.

[invisible furry hand]

We need to know what happened to the gay twins sleeping with each other!

http://www.slate.com/articles/.....ow_up.html

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Gay, middle-aged, incestuous men. That's some serious violating of cultural norms right there.

[Brett L]

Eh. Seems like the logical course for Arkansas in this day and age.

[Rich]

They moved to Uganda.

[Hell's Librarian]

I think that was a fake letter, but out of all the ones she picked, that's the one I'd vote for a followup as well.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.examiner.com/articl.....better-way

Post-election guns and ammo panic buying spree has begun: There is a better way

... "The intent here is not to make light of the concerns leading to this new buying spree. Before the total vote count was completed, Obama moved to advance the U.N.'s global 'gun control' agenda ..."

"In light of that, the idea of getting ordnance while the getting is good is not without merit. It is difficult not to wonder, though, what could have been accomplished had a nation of citizens who cherish their Constitutionally guaranteed, fundamental human right of the individual to keep and bear arms had put as much time, energy and money into defeating anti-gun candidates, as we now put into outracing the infringements they will seek now that they are elected." ...

[mad libertarian guy]

Jesus Fucking Christ.

I love my guns. I have many of them. But those who think that Obama is actually going to advance some New World Order gun control are fucking idiot gun nuts. All their behavior does is make it more difficult for us to exercise our 2nd A freedoms because one can't find fucking ammo, and forces people to pay a shit load more for guns than if they were to simply act sane about it.

Fuck the hoarders and price jackers.

[John]

See Whiterun Guard below. He is convinced it is going to happen. And y eah, he is fucking nuts.

[Whiterun Guard]

You're reading into what I'm saying.

I'm not convinced it's going to happen. Just that the Dems are dumb for not trying, because it WOULD happen.

[Fist of Etiquette]

People going apeshit about rumored Second Amendment assaults are a good thing. If there was no vocal and sometimes insane resistence we would see terrible gun control legislation. It's good for politicians to know it's not worth the battle.

[Lord Humungus]

Did Petraeus mistress reveal new Benghazi details?
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/.....zi_details

So here is a bizarre twist in the David Petraeus resignation saga.

Paula Broadwell, the biographer revealed as the woman having a secret affair with the now-former CIA director, gave a talk at the University of Denver on Oct. 26 in which she appeared to reveal sensitive, maybe even classified, information about the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

The most interesting revelation is her claim that the CIA was holding several Libyan militia members prisoner, which may have prompted the attack. (Though she also sought to explain the Obama administration's initial view that the attack was linked to the YouTube video Innocence of Muslims, an anti-Islam polemic that sparked riots across the Muslim world.)

[wareagle]

maybe the militants were being held AND being made to watch the movie.

[John]

The prisoner angle is very interesting. And if you don't think Petreus was talking out of school to his biographer/mistress, I have a bridge to sell you.

[NoVAHockey]

I saw it this morning, but i'm stealing your "boiled bunny" comment re: Petraeus and Broadwell.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Gives new meaning to the term "embedded reporter."

[Drake]

Breitbart is running with this too. Interesting stuff. More plausible than any of the explanations floated by the Administration so far.

http://www.breitbart.com/

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.examiner.com/articl.....-vacancies

Friday speculation: Holder, Clinton resting up for SCOTUS vacancies?

"While the firearms community is debating whether there is any real threat of the new push for a global arms trade treaty ? resurrected just hours after Barack Obama's re-election was affirmed ? perhaps they ought to speculate about two more of their perfect storm nightmares."

"How does Hillary Clinton and Eric Holder filling the next two vacancies on the United States Supreme Court sound? If the prospect hurts that bad, come to Washington, roll a joint and inhale yourself out of reality." ...

----------

May God have mercy on our souls.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

There is no way Hillary could get through a confirmation hearing without the Democrats holding 60 seats in the Senate, and even then it would be next to impossible.

Holder I don't know about.

[R C Dean]

You assume that the 60 vote filibuster will be in effect in the new Congress. Reid has already said he would like to get rid of it.

You also assume that spineless Republicans wouldn't go all bipartisan/statesman and vote through either of those regardless of the filibuster, because gentlemen don't vote down other gentlemen's judges.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

I'm assuming that Hillary has a list of enemies a mile long in DC.

[mad libertarian guy]

And after FandF, I'd assume the same about Holder.

[Atlas Stoned]

You are assuming those in D.C care about this issue.

[Auric Demonocles]

I thought only the Republicans are evil enough to go nuclear on the noble filibuster?

[John]

Hillary would get through. Holder would not.

[Killazontherun]

Based on what record though? She was a fine defense lawyer in the brief career she had before becoming a rainmaker, but the Supreme Court takes at least a wise Latina as a qualification for the bench.

[Brett L]

Letting the filibuster fall at the hands of the Dems would be some really great Br'er Rabbiting by the Republicans, and therefore impossible.

"Oh, no, don't pull the filibuster, we'll never get into the majority if you take that away!" Get all the media faux intelligencia on record as supporting it, and then ram shit down their throats next time you take the majority.

So again, the Republicans will never pull it off.

[VG Zaytsev]

You assume that the 60 vote filibuster will be in effect in the new Congress. Reid has already said he would like to get rid of it.

Good the sooner it's gone the better.

[Randian]

What? Why?

[R C Dean]

Why? Because the Dems have a majority, but not a filibuster-proof majority. The Repubs have been successfully tarred as obstructionists, Obama won again with a massive mandate (hadn't you heard?).

The people demand that the plutocratic loser Repubs stop obstructing the Great Leader's progress toward utopia!

http://news.yahoo.com/dems-gop.....39041.html

[Auric Demonocles]

Someone of my Facebook feed had some long post about how "question authority" is now "disrespect authority" and it's disgusting. After someone responded, she clarified that she should have phrased it as "You lost. Shut and vote again in four years, or move."

I replied with "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.... unless the Democrats are in charge", at which point she deleted the whole thread.

[generic Brand]

I replied with "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.... unless the Democrats are in charge", at which point she deleted the whole thread.

You are my hero.

[VG Zaytsev]

The filibuster hasn't ever stopped any expansion of state power. But it is effective at preventing reform by delaying it long enough for the reformers to give up.

[John]

There is no way Holder could get confirmed. Even the Dems in the Senate from red states would vote against him. I hope Obama nominates him so we can re-litigate fast and furious again.

[wareagle]

was F&F litigated the first time?

[The Late P Brooks]

"It's kind of a give and take. They're not going to play with me unless I have food to give them," she admitted.

They get the cream of the intellectual crop, up there at Penn State.

[Auric Demonocles]

What's the point of going to college if their aren't freshmen girls like this?

"It's kind of a give and take. They're not going to play with me unless I have sex to give them"

[Killazontherun]

The more they are whispering to squirrels the less they are doing other stuff. Butt stuff.

[mr simple]

She looks like there is a reason she plays with the squirrels.

[Lord Humungus]

Toronto war memorial defaced after Remembrance Day ceremonies
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/336675

Shortly after services concluded, someone wrote "Canada will burn praise Allah" on the Victory Peace war memorial located in Toronto's Coronation Park.

The vandalism was spotted by a passer-by walking thorough the park last evening. Yesterday, Remembrance Day ceremonies took place at the memorial located on the shore of Lake Ontario in Toronto's west end. The passer-by called police and city workers were called out to fix the damage.

[John]

Religion of peace. The radical Muslims are going to keep fucking around until the world gives them something to complain about.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Thank God there aren't any Christian extremists out there.

[Restoras]

Exactly. How come we never hear about all the people killed by Christian extremists?

[Gene]

On behalf of veterans everywhere. Fuck you and your religion. Would have been neat if the douchebag tried that when veterans were still around earlier in the day. The sight of Eighty year old vet's swarming and detaining a young Muslim would have made it a remembrance day for the ages.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

That sounds more like trolling teenagers than Muslim fanatics.

[Ice Nine]

Why?

[Heroic Mulatto]

Because people forget that Muslims extremists are pretty pissed that World War I ended the Ottoman Empire, which was the closest thing to a world-wide caliphate in modern history.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Not to mention that WWI also led to the Balfour Declaration.

[Ice Nine]

Huh? those are arguments for it "sounding" more like Muslim fanatics than trolling teenagers - the point of my question.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Just does. Nothing makes teenagers more excited than doing something that will elicit an outraged response. Not saying it couldn't have been Muslim fanatics, just sounds like a teenagerish thing to do.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Teenagers and Muslim fanatics: *There's* an overlapping Venn diagram!

[Groovus Maximus]

And if they are Teenage Muslim Ninja Fanatics? -)))

[alittlesense]

Suicide Bombers on a half-shell.....

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.gunssavelife.com/?p=3326

IL: Chicago Isn't Safe: 14-year-old girl abducted, gang-raped on way to school

"A 14-year-old girl walking to school in an average neighborhood in Chicago is abducted by six male savages in a car, taken somewhere and gang raped." ...

---------

That awesome bastion of progressivism, safe and prosperous!

[Zeb]

While they may have been savages, it would probably help if sites like that tried to avoid such words.

[Whiterun Guard]

I don't think it would help at all. People who are turned off by the word already think the way they do, and nothing is going to change their minds. Ever.

[VG Zaytsev]

Calling them savages might snap some people out of their pc-happy talk stupor.

[Zeb]

Dream on. It will give the idiots who scream "racist!" at every opportunity another chance to do what they do. And that is not going to help keep the general public on teh side of gun rights.

[R C Dean]

Seems accurate enough. Why not use it?

[tarran]

Yes...

I'm trying to think how savage is not appropriate to describe a person who thinks gang raping anyone, let a lone a school girl, is a good idea.

[invisible furry hand]

because society clearly is to blame

/douchebag

[T]

What would you call them so as not to offend tender sensibilities? Act like a savage, get called a savage.

[Zeb]

If you are an advocacy organization, you will do better not to give people more opportunities than necessary to call you racist. I'm not at all saying that it is racist. But they aren't doing themselves any favors on public opinion.

I think that the anti-racist argument for gun rights is so strong that it is stupid to do anything that might turn off people who may otherwise be open to such arguments.

[R C Dean]

Fuck that.

Anybody who thinks "savages" is a dog-whistle is hopelessly lost anyway. Call a shovel a shovel, I say.

[VG Zaytsev]

What would you call them so as not to offend tender sensibilities?

Misguided youths in need of therapy and more education.

Unless they're cops. Then they are heros that need more training.

[Zeb]

How about assholes, criminals, very bad people?

[Groovus Maximus]

All congruent with the word "savage". Or you condone six men ripping her vaginal tract to shreds (of course you don't, but just making the point)? Were the men who sexually assaulted Lara Logan just assholes, miscreants, hooligans?

Sorry Zebulon. The word "savage" applies.

[Zeb]

I never said it didn't. Only pointing out that it is not the most politic word to use because of its history of use to describe entire races and cultures.

[ant1sthenes]

I don't think there's any "may" to it.

[Zeb]

I guess the question is whether gunsavelife.com wants to convince people who don't already agree with them of their points, or if they just want ton continue preaching to the choir. "Niggers" would also have accurately described the attackers, but for obvious reasons you don't use that word. "Savages" is not quite so strong, but still has strong ties to racism in many people's minds. Of course it is an accurate description of the attackers. That doesn't mean it is a smart word choice if you want your message to be heard.

[nicole just can't even!]

As one of the commenters notes at the link, that is not an "average neighborhood." I would not go there outside of a car. Of course, that's not exactly making things better; there are a lot of places in Chicago I wouldn't go outside of a car. And some I wouldn't go in one.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://dailycaller.com/2012/11.....publicans/

The way forward for Republicans

"Obama's re-election has forced Republicans to rethink their policy positions. And rightly so, because the Republican Party was trounced on Tuesday in embarrassing fashion."

"But there is a way forward for the GOP. First, we need the AWOL Republican 'establishment' to reassert itself through the Republican National Committee and 501(c) groups like Crossroads GPS. Second, we need to support gay marriage. Third, we need a gentler policy and attitude toward immigration reform. And fourth, we need to stay strong on individual freedoms ? i.e., the Second Amendment, the right to life and economic liberty." ...

[Whiterun Guard]

1. Whatever, the RNC has proven themselves to be irredeemable idiots, and SuperPACs will always exist.
2. Dumb, they don't even have to support it. Just don't make it a major freaking plank to rail against it. You can pick up votes by just ignoring it, you'll never gain the single issue voters on this issue, ever.
3. I wouldn't call it gentler. Just a more economically feasible and responsible attitude.
4. Yeah good luck with that.

[Rhywun]

2. Yes, they do. Public support for it is already around half. And the media won't let them "ignore" it - they'll demand a yes/no.

[T]

The AWOL republican establishmnet? WTF? Mitt was the establishment guy.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Some Christian clerics at the meeting in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, asked the speaker to pass the law as "a Christmas gift."

Now that's how you apply Christ's teachings to public policy. I wonder how much aid Uganda's leaders in government gets from the United States.

[Bee Tagger]

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor knew about now former CIA director David Petraeus' extra-marital affair in October.

Phew, the media can breathe a sigh of relief. When the only 2 political parties that exist, the ones that can cover completely every ideological viewpoint, both do something then the story itself no longer needs to be covered, just the accusations made by both sides regarding the story.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://marketdailynews.com/201.....PWhS7KO.99

Senator Dianne Feinstein Moves To Ban ALL Assault Rifles, High Capacity Magazines, and Pistol Grips

"The agenda no longer needs to be hidden from public view. With President Obama winning another term and democrats taking control of the Senate, the move to fundamentally change America from within has begun ? with a vengeance."

"We're all aware of the restrictive gun laws in the State of California which require low capacity magazines for handguns, fixed magazines for 'assault' rifles, and a whole lot of running around just to be granted the right to carry a concealed firearm."

"Now, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who has championed gun control in her state for decades ... wishes to bring even more stringent federal mandates to the land of the free." ...

-----------

Feinstein -- still batshit insane.

[Brett L]

Um. Why are pistol grips scary again?

[Res Publica Americana]

Because they allow you to fire from the hip, thereby granting the ammunition sentience, and inducing AIDS.

/Logic.

Don't try to rationalize anything they propose. They're outright retarded.

[Brett L]

Right. Everyone knows how much easier it is to put lead on target shooting from the hip. My bad.

[Res Publica Americana]

No prohibitionist like a California prohibitionist.

[Generic Stranger]

I never understood that, because it seems to me it's easier to fire from the hip with a normal stock...you don't have to bend your wrist quite as much.

Then again, these are the same people who defined a barrel shroud as "the thing that goes up".

[Zeb]

Maybe it is because so many people still think that assault rifles are machine guns and they have seen movies where people fire pistol grip, small machine guns from the hip.

[Zeb]

And I wonder how many people realize that "assault rifles" are not particularly functionally different from many hunting rifles, only less powerful.

[John]

Good luck with that in the House.

[Whiterun Guard]

You mean Obama's Bitches?

[John]

Yeah, the Republicans are going to vote for Gun control. Hell half the Democrats wouldn't vote for it. I doubt she could get that through the Senate much less the House.

[Whiterun Guard]

I'd have to see the bill, but I think you're overestimating the amount of resistance there'd be. Again.

[John]

The NRA? You don't think they have some influence? You don't think both parties are terrified of the NRA?

They are going to do gun control with less than 60 votes in the Senate and a small minority in the House. That will happen. Just like it happened when they had both in 2009.

Stop it.

[Whiterun Guard]

I think you're forgetting about a certain mandate that was passed.

The GOP is terrified of it, and clueless to respond. If the Demos weren't so stupid, they'd strike while the iron is hot and get a lot of stuff (including this piece) through pretty easily.

[Randian]

No one is doing gun control.

[VG Zaytsev]

They are going to do gun control with less than 60 votes in the Senate and a small minority in the House.

God please make these fools try this.

The fucking campaign ads for 2014 right themselves.

[tarran]

John,

I want to point out that Obama just got reelected despite being a petulant shit who took all of Bush's bad policies and dialed them up to 11 and the consequent bad economy.

The Supreme court upheld Obamacare using ridiculous contortions.

The administration has attemtped to put guns in the hands of criminals in a bid to create a moral panic and hasn't been censured.

At this point, I am no longer willing to look at any branch of govt and say, "X is so wrong that Congress/the Courts/the Military/Law Enforcement will refuse to implement/agree to it."

I wish I had some confidence in these people, but I see them as being utterly unprincipled, even by the low standards of the past two decades.

[John]

I have no doubt the Court would rubber stamp whatever they want. But gun control is never getting out of Congress. The NRA is too powerful for that.

[SFC B]

When did the Democrats lose control of the Senate?

[Brett L]

Voice of Elmo on leave from Sesame Street after being accused of having sex (and relationship) with underage boy. Of course, sixteen is probably the age of consent and this looks like the perils of taking a much younger lover who becomes a vindictive queen.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Millions of soccer moms just freaked out. This is going to be more about Sesame Street's revenues than a statutory rape case.

[Hell's Librarian]

Well, I have to admit that I will never see Elmo in quite the same way. Although I agree that it sounds as if the "underage boy" is settling a score of some kind; my guess is that Kevin Clash didn't pay him off when "requested" to do so.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Right. Sesame Street's been "The Elmo Show" for a while now.

[Rhywun]

I am so happy Elmo was after my time - I know my child self would have hated that thing just as much as I do now.

[Zeb]

Yeah, Elmo fucking sucks. I've never understood the popularity.

[DRM]

Grover forever! Elmo never!

[JW]

Wait until they find out how "Mr. Noodle" got his name.

[Whiterun Guard]

First a football coach and now a puppeteer?

What's next, a hair dresser or waiter?

[Anonymous Coward]

And people laughed when I said the Tickle-Me Elmo was perverse.

Not so funny now, is it?

[nicole just can't even!]

So does this mean that Mittens was right about Sesame Street all along?!?

[Joe M]

They probably sat on that story until after the election too!

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/11/cartel/

Report: Mexican Cartel Bought Guns From U.S. Border Patrol

"The testimony of a Mexican hitman turned government witness has revealed some astonishing details of life inside Mexico's criminal underworld. Most astonishing of all: claims that cartel assassins obtained guns from the U.S. Border Patrol."

"According to Mexican magazine Revista Contralinea, the testimony comes from a protected government witness and former hitman ... The testimony details a series of battles fought by a group of cartel members attempting to drive out rival gangsters from territory in Mexico's desert west. To do it, the group sought weapons from the U.S., including at least 30 WASR-10 rifles ? a variant of the AK-47 ? allegedly acquired from Border Patrol agents." ...

-------

Thank Christ for the benevolent federal titan.

[R C Dean]

Way to sit on the story until juuuust after the election, Wired.

[Whiterun Guard]

Hey, they're in business to sell hits and magazines. You're lucky they EVER printed a story that absolutely no one is interested in.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_21896496

TX: 4 Socorro officers, dispatcher arrested are identified

"Four police officers and a police dispatcher were arrested by Texas Rangers and state troopers Tuesday evening when they raided the Socorro Police Department's substation, officials said Wednesday."

"They were identified as Lt. Jose Alvarez, Sgt. Refugio Orta, dispatcher Raul Huerta, Detective Javier Varela and officer Israel Delgado."

"Alvarez, Orta, Varela and Delgado are accused of official oppression, but no further details were released. In addition, Varela and Delgado face charges of aggravated perjury and tampering with governmental records." ...

----------

Don't mess with Texas.

[Brett L]

"Official oppression" -- illegal in TX, unofficial oppression -- practiced by most LEOs.

[Res Publica Americana]

It's for the children.

[SIV]

Karlie Kloss RACIST

[Brett L]

I would love to re-educate the hell out of her. Give me enough time I'll bet I could make her very sensitive.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

As a a 1/32nd Indian, I AM OFFENDED. She must make her amends to me.

[Generic Stranger]

I'd let her bang my war drum, if you know what I mean and I think you do.

[Whiterun Guard]

I'd let her smoke my peace pipe.

[Brett L]

You want her to peg you? Hey, to each his own.

[Generic Stranger]

No homo.

I just have a very, ah, chubby chubby.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.examiner.com/articl.....ious-truth

Obama victory diminishes chances to determine whole Fast and Furious truth

... "The only thing that had even a chance of altering that equation was a Romney win, and that's presupposing his handlers would have then allowed him to revoke Obama's executive privilege and order cooperation with Congressional investigations from every involved department in his administration." ...

[John]

But if the village idiot nominates Holder to the Court, there will be a second chance.

[Whiterun Guard]

Second chance to what? Rubber stamp and affirm him?

[John]

They are not going to rubber stamp Holder. Jesus Christ get some sense or stop trolling.

[Whiterun Guard]

OK, don't worry Holder is never going to get the nomination.

But if he did, he'd be approved with little, if any, resistance.

Be right once and then you can tell me to get some sense.

[John]

Stop saying stupid shit like the world wouldn't go insane if they nominated Holder and I will stop telling you to get some sense.

[Whiterun Guard]

You can tell me all you want, but you'll still be wrong about your idiot GOP friends in congress.

The Democrats would PROMISE them that they wouldn't hold up the next Repub nomination, and they'd buy it JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER TIME.

It doesn't matter that Holder's involved in a huge cover-up that they haven't bothered to uncover OR exploit. They're just that dumb.

EVERY. TIME.

Keep believing, and keep being disappointed. I, for one, will continue to have sense, and make correct predictions.

This one, you are lucky, is purely hypothetical.

[VG Zaytsev]

The national republicans are either unbelievably dumb. Or are making a career out of being the Washington Generals to the Democrat's Globetrotters.

[Whiterun Guard]

Unless if by 'the world' you meant Reason and a couple of uber-conservative blogs.

In which case, I agree with you.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.gunssavelife.com/?p=1821

"NO GUNS FOR BLACKS": Chicago's gun roster riddled with racist history

Chicago (Guns Save Life) - As if the onerous fees and rigorous requirements set forth by the City of Chicago to exercise one's civil right to own most types of firearms for personal defense aren't enough, the Superintendent of Police has declared a long list of affordable firearms "unsafe" and prohibited them from being lawfully owned in the City of Chicago.

Today's bans on affordable handguns have their roots in the old "Army and Navy laws" from the post-Civil War south. These laws were first passed in the 1870s by Tennessee then other states to effectively keep the poor, recently freed slaves from firearm ownership. The law barred the sale of handguns except the "Army and Navy" guns which were both expensive and typically already owned by white, former Confederate soldiers.

So, in addition to the mandated annual fees for registering guns, the tuition for a "firearm safety class" and all related expenses, the City then bans inexpensive, affordable guns. Clearly, this keeps the poor, inner city black Chicagoans from their Second Amendment rights, just as poll taxes and literacy tests kept blacks from the polls before the Civil Rights Act.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Given Chicago's violent crime rate, I'd say blacks there are acquiring guns just fine.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Not the crime victims, just the criminals.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

So I looked at some more figures over the weekend, and came up with this interesting number:

The revenue to GDP ratio during the post-WW2 years has been about 17%, within a pretty narrow range. We've only hit the 19% ratio 11 times since 1948.

What was the average during the Dubya years, those dark times that liberals say resulted from the "lowest tax rates in history!!!"?

17.07% In other words, the revenue to GDP ratio was the same as it was during the entire post-WW2 era.

So clearly, the math shows that it doesn't matter what they raise tax rates on "the rich" to, they won't be able to pick up more than 19%, at best, and 17% on average.

And here's the best part--if they actually implemented Simpson-Bowles, and somehow achieved the 2% spread with a 19/21% revenue/spending to GDP ratio, they'd have to raise an additional $550 billion in taxes and cut government spending from the baseline by $450 billion, just in the first year.

We're not getting there, folks.

[SIV]

THIS is what Paula Broadwell be hatin'

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Bear-Woman vs Fitness-Chick. WWE Cage Match!

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.grandforksherald.co...../homepage/

ND: Arizona deputy charged in beating of West Fargo man

"A sheriff's detective from Arizona who allegedly drove to West Fargo in September and brutally assaulted a man who had an affair with his wife was arrested Wednesday in Phoenix."

"Detective Timothy Abrahamson of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department was taken into custody without incident at his workplace on an arrest warrant for an aggravated assault charge filed in Cass County last Friday."

"In a rare move, the Cass County State's Attorney's Office also granted immunity from prosecution to a Maricopa County sheriff's deputy who allegedly rode to West Fargo with Abrahamson, in exchange for the deputy's testimony." ...

[Brett L]

This is probably the most honorable thing a Maricopa County deputy has ever done. Was it wrong? Yep. But at least I can fathom his motive.

[Res Publica Americana]

I'm surprised he didn't take the APC.

[Whiterun Guard]

Jesus, cops are stupid.

With virtually ZERO effort, he could have colluded with a couple officers to frame that guy and either kill him for resisting arrest or put him in prison on trumped up charges forever.

Instead he goes all roid rage and now he's going to get suspended for probably at least three weeks.

[Brian D]

At least he'll get enough overtime afterwards to make up for any lost pay.

[Andrew S.]

No, he'll be fired. He'll then appeal that firing. About 18 months down the road, he'll win that appeal, and he'll be reinstated on the force with back pay for all the time he missed.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://noladefender.com/conten.....-amendment

LA: La. Loaded With Support for Stricter Second Amendment

"The second Amendment on the November 6 ballot was appropriately about the Right for Citizens to keep and bear arms. That may have been one of the easiest sells in the 2012 election, with a staggering 74-percent of voters turning out a yes (a total of 1,333,269 voters from 64 parishes, against 481,733 no's)." ...

[Brett L]

Lance armstrong to USADA: fuck you.

[Res Publica Americana]

Kudos, Lance. Fuck the ADA.

[Groovus Maximus]

What do you have against diabetics? -))

[mr simple]

I think he just hates all the ramps and regulated parking spots.

[John]

http://clashdaily.com/2012/11/.....e-animals/

But Obama cares so much.

[Auric Demonocles]

Well, see, he's not ignoring them for being black, so it's not a story.

[Whiterun Guard]

The election is over, what's their problem.

[Randian]

We have to prevent price-gouging, even if it means we revert to Third World status...because somewhere, someone might be making a dreaded PROFIT.

[mr simple]

The election's over, John. He won. No one has to care anymore.

[Lord Humungus]

tube amplifier update. Just about everything is done except I'm still waiting for the output transformers to be made/delivered. So the whole project is in a waiting pattern...

Anyway, a picture of the top with output and input tubes installed, including their ceramic caps:
http://imageplay.net/img/tya22292146/top2.jpg

and the hardwire circuit job I did:
http://imageplay.net/img/tya22292145/bottom2.jpg

[Richard]

Very nice. Every time you post a tube amp update I cringe a little thinking of the three Marantz Model 2's I have in storage. My little solar powered log cabin doesn't have anywhere near the juice to run them.

[Lord Humungus]

jeebus, if you don't want those amps, I'll gladly take them from ya!

[SugarFree]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Wow. Bring on the stupid in the comments:

For most fat people, fatness has nothing to do with behaviour -- there is no correlation, on average, between eating habits and body weight, even if for a small minority of persons this is the case.

I know some anorexics who would disagree.

[Brett L]

Well, if you know fat anorexics, they'd be wrong to disagree.

[Brett L]

This is a sad tale. Pubescent hotness wasted.

[Randian]

Don't be too sad. She just made it up.

[nicole just can't even!]

Plus she said she started out as a 12-14, which apparently was considered neither big nor small...unless she's talking about kid sizes there, that's...interesting.

[H. Reardon]

I was finally free. I was just another girl walking down the street and I loved it. For years this was bliss, until I started trying to date more and realized that I wasn't getting any attention from men. Confused? Me too. I spent so many years avoiding the male gaze, but now as the grown woman my younger self dreaded becoming, I wanted it. But now I had a new problem: all the men I want to pay attention to me don't want the big girl, they want the slim woman, and that's no longer me. Oh the irony.

She eats herself into obesity to avoid the gaze. Then, wanting the gaze, wonders why she can't get it. And she still wants to be able to pick from the cream of the male crop, despite making herself unattractive.

The fatness she can do something about. I'm not so sure about the stupid.

[flye]

Reminds me of a great book from the early (ie funny) days of David Letterman, from his bookmobile segment:

Ike Turner's "Womens Be Thinking Too Much"

[Warty]

My happiness is no longer about food or men; it's about me and finally learning to love my body for what it is. A Heaven-sent, honorable and worthy vessel of life and of love.The body of a woman.

I've noticed that the Jezzies tend to define a womanly body as a fat body. I am Jack's complete lack of surprise.

[Groovus Maximus]

I think they prefer the term "Reubenesque". -)))

[mad libertarian guy]

I longed for a way to fade into the background. One day the answer came to me like an epiphany: food. See, those lustful men didn't have eyes for the chubbier ladies. They were pleasant with them, laughed and joked with them, but those girls were spared from the constant hissing and cat calls. They became my idols and I wanted to be them. So I ate. And ate and ate. I didn't even realize that food became my new baggy shirt, until one day on a break from college one of my childhood male friends stopped me in the street and said "What happened to you? You got big!"

Victory.

I was finally free. I was just another girl walking down the street and I loved it. For years this was bliss, until I started trying to date more and realized that I wasn't getting any attention from men. Confused? Me too. I spent so many years avoiding the male gaze, but now as the grown woman my younger self dreaded becoming, I wanted it. But now I had a new problem: all the men I want to pay attention to me don't want the big girl, they want the slim woman, and that's no longer me. Oh the irony.

Jesus Fucking Christ.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....icit-deal/

Democrats, Republicans seem more ready to compromise on deficit deal

Democratic and Republican leaders appeared Sunday to draw closer to reaching a compromise on keeping the country from going off the fast-approaching "fiscal cliff" -- with closing tax loopholes for America's highest earners emerging as the potential middle ground.

Republican Sen. Bob Corker suggested that getting more revenue from the country's highest-earners should be part of the mix, but only by closing loopholes, not increasing taxes, and only if Democrats agree to cut federal spending.

"I am optimistic," Corker said on "Fox News Sunday." "I think there is the basis for the deal."

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Democrats, Republicans seem more ready to compromise on deficit deal pretend anything they do in this regard matters.

Ahh, that's better.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....tween-rep/

Results still pending in Florida partial recount for Rep. West's House race

Election officials in Florida are recounting some early votes cast in the hotly contested race for the state's 18th district's House seat between Tea Party favorite Rep. Allen West and Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy.

The St. Lucie County Canvassing Board began the partial recount Sunday morning and results have yet to be reported.

The number of early ballots in the county is estimated by officials to be roughly 37,000.

West, a Republican who has refused to concede the race, is trailing Murphy by 2,442 votes, according to the latest results from Florida Division of Elections. On its website, the agency says West has garnered 164,448 votes to Murphy's 166,890.

Although the unofficial count reported to the state Saturday gave the win Murphy, at a margin outside the threshold for a recount, St. Lucie County agreed to a limited recount to settle concerns over a problem processing some of the early ballots. Election officials said they were taking the step "out of an abundance of caution."

-----

Shit happens.

[ant1sthenes]

Is that the district where there were 40% more votes cast than registered voters?

[Res Publica Americana]

Los Angeles City Council declares all future Mondays to be 'meatless'

LACC reaches Peak Retard 2.0:

The Los Angeles City Council has declared every Monday to be a so-called 'meatless Monday,' and is urging all residents to participate in the weekly day of vegetarianism.

NBC Los Angeles reports that with the vote Los Angeles has become the largest city to embrace the Meatless Monday campaign, a nonprofit with the goal of cutting down on meat consumption for health and environmental reasons.

Neither city officials nor law enforcement will be allowed to force residents to not eat meat, The Los Angeles Daily News reports. Rather, the resolution is meant to encourage residents to not eat meat once a week in the hopes of starting a city-wide trend.

Councilwoman Jan Perry, who has pushed for a ban on new fast-food restaurants in South Los Angeles, said the resolution is part of an overall "good food" agenda for the city.

-----------

Obliterate it with orbitally launched thermonuclear fire.

[Zeb]

Mmm. I think I will have a nice big roast beef sandwich for lunch today.

[Brett L]

Why didn't they go with meatless friday? They could have gotten a free boost from the Catholic Church?

[R C Dean]

To ask the question is to answer it, Brett.

[Brett L]

I know. But it is kind of fun to assume they want to be successful rather than feel good about themselves and ask these sorts of questions.

[invisible furry hand]

it's just another meatless Monday
wish it was Sunday
Cos that's my fun day
My I-don't-have-to-run day
it's just another meatless Monday

[Randian]

You know, those lyrics should never be put into print. It helps amplify their ridiculousness.

[SugarFree]

Not the finest moment for Prince.

[invisible furry hand]

he wrote it in 1984 - all his genius was otherwise engaged that year

[SugarFree]

Yeah, but to go from "I sincerely wanna fuck the taste outta your mouth" to "My I-don't-have-to-run day" in just two years is a pretty long fall.

[mr simple]

That'[s why he gave the song away rather than record it himself. Sometimes you just have to get the ridiculous out to make room for better thoughts.

[Generic Stranger]

If I owned a restaraunt in LA, I'd start advertising "Meat Lover's Mondays" just to fuck with them.

[Whiterun Guard]

Nice restaurant you have here. Be a shame if something happened to it.

[Whahappan?]

And get shut down for "health violations."

[SugarFree]

Neither city officials nor law enforcement will be allowed to force residents to not eat meat, The Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Just like when the state of Kentucky said no cop would be allowed to pull you over solely for not wearing a seatbelt and then quietly removed that restriction a year later.

[Groovus Maximus]

Yep, the myth of the "Secondary Seatbelt Law". Oh no! It will NEVER be a primary offense!

[mad libertarian guy]

Neither city officials nor law enforcement will be allowed to force residents to not eat meat, The Los Angeles Daily News reports. At least not yet.

[Killazontherun]

Is it just my imagination, but from the several articles concerning the LA City Council of the previous few years, are they the worst human beings on the planet, bar none? And by bar none, including Kim Jong Whatever who blew up a political opponent with a mortar round? And by bar none, Kony.

[Whiterun Guard]

I'm not sure. Is Michael Bay on the LACC yet?

[Rhywun]

Only if you exclude the NYC council.

[Auric Demonocles]

A girl I dated last year did this. She was as bitchy as you'd expect.

[VG Zaytsev]

Progressives embracing their inner Catholic.

[JW]

What I don't understand is why we haven't yet had organized hunts of vegans. It's not likely they'll be able to fight back, unless they start sharpening their spades.

[Mensan]

Racist!

[EDG reppin' LBC]

I will be going to the Farmer's Market at 3rd & Fairfax today, to see my butcher at Marconda's Meats. I will be selecting from this:

From Eating - Drinking

[The Late P Brooks]

Councilwoman Jan Perry, who has pushed for a ban on new fast-food restaurants in South Los Angeles, said the resolution is part of an overall "good food" agenda for the city.

Let them eat tofu.

[Killazontherun]

A chance to test out my laser bladed guillotine may come about soon.

[Whiterun Guard]

That thing better be solar powered or you're in deep merde.

[HazelMeade]

State and federal regulations on tree pests are slowing down the post-storm clean up in the New York Area.

They are also refusing to accept donations of firewood from out of state to people without power.

[The Late P Brooks]

But now I had a new problem: all the men I want to pay attention to me don't want the big girl, they want the slim woman, and that's no longer me. Oh the irony.

You keep using that word....

[T]

Something something chardonnay.

[darius404]

Lucy Steigerwald now has a blog! http://thestagblog.com/

[mr simple]

And a post on the Libertarian Standard.

Too bad she didn't stop by to ask who's coming with her.

[Auric Demonocles]

Needs more alt-text.

[Auric Demonocles]

Should be a response to Lucy's blog.

[Enough About Palin]

"OBAMA WON'T FIGHT FOR GAY MARRIAGE HIS SECOND TERM"

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government

I guess he's just grown tired of queer-fishing.

[Enough About Palin]

Actual link:

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-G.....econd-Term

[Auric Demonocles]

But liberals assured me that voting for Romney was evil because he wasn't for gay marriage.

[db]

He'll totally support it after letting everyone who is in favor of it "convince" him. That way he gets to be the reasonable one who considered both sides and chose the proper side. His fellators get to say what a great guy he is, his enemies get to make idiots out of themselves, and he gets tons of favorable media attention at an important time of his choosing.

[R C Dean]

The last thing Dems want is for gay marriage to become the norm. Cuts into their fundraising, takes away one of those bloody-shirt issues for the yoot vote, and hurts their portayal of Republicans as toothless yokels.

[Elspeth Flashman]

Different, hopeful, embracing, open and affirming? (No, no, no, and no). I worked for a UCC church in 2008- 2010 and even just months after the 2008 election UCC churches were bemoaning the Chosen One's lack of support & amount of change thus far.

[db]

It's a shame when it takes more effort and paperwork to deprive an insect of its home than take a neighborhood through eminent domain.

[GILMORE]

US to Become World's Biggest Oil Producer by 2017: IEA

http://www.latimes.com/busines.....1922.story

The U.S. will become the world's top producer of oil within five years, a net exporter of the fuel around 2030 and nearly self-sufficient in energy by 2035, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency.

It's a bold set of predictions for a nation that currently imports some 20% of its energy needs.

Recently, however, an "energy renaissance" in the U.S. has caused a boost in oil, shale gas and bio-energy production due to new technologies such as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Fuel efficiency has improved in the transportation sector.

... despite these obvious facts, envirotards will still talk about 'peak oil!' as though its right around the corner, and mindless protectionists will still say we need to reduce 'dependence on foreign oil'

[GILMORE]

The updated Reason app for Apple and Android now includes Reason 24/7!

...? Which is that strange limbo where AM/PM links lead you to?

I have yet to understand the point of that thing.