A.M. Links: Nebraska Lawmaker Goes After Drones, Big Win For Property Rights in Massachusetts, LAPD Used Anti-Terrorism Tool to Tackle Typical Crimes, Lautenberg Criticizes Booker, Abrams to Direct New Star Wars Movie

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  • A Nebraska lawmaker has introduced legislation that would bar police from using drones to obtain evidence and would make evidence gathered by drones inadmissible in criminal prosecutions. 
  • A civil forfeiture action against the Motel Caswell was dismissed by a federal court in Massachusetts. Owners Russell and Patricia Caswell were cleared of any wrongdoing. 
  • The LAPD used a cell phone spy tool called StingRay 21 times over a four-month period is 2012. The tool is supposed to be used in anti-terrorism investigations.
  • Senior New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg has criticized Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who is rumored to be eyeing the Senator's seat. 
  • J.J. Abrams will direct the new Star Wars movie. 
  • Egyptian youths clashed with police in Cairo on the second anniversary of the revolt that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

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Matthew Feeney is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute.

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  1. The LAPD used a cell phone spy tool called StingRay 21 times over a four-month period is 2012. The tool is supposed to be used in anti-terrorism investigations.

    The LAPD are often terrorized by the Constitutional restraints on them.

    1. Elspeth Flashman

      They must be.

  2. BigT

    Is that crack in your crack?

    1. Atanarjuat

      No, it’s heroin in that heroine.

  3. sarcasmic

    The filmmaker already has two “Star Trek” films under his belt, and now he’ll boldly go where no man has ever gone before: directing films set in both the “Trek” and “Wars” universes.

    HERESY!

    1. DJF

      If this is not a sign of the apocalypse, then I don’t know what is.

      1. Drax the Destroyer

        That happened a month ago. The apocalypse is SOOO 2012.

    2. $park?

      Sounds like it’s time for a crossover!

      1. Jack = Luke
        Locke = Obi-Wan
        Sawyer = Han
        Jin = R2D2
        Sun = C3PO
        Kate = Leia
        Sayid = Lando
        Hurley = Chewbacca
        Ben = Vadar
        Charlie = Nobody

        The Force is actually purgatory!!!

        1. Auric Demonocles

          Smoke Monster?

          1. Porkins. Duh.

            1. Auric Demonocles

              It’s times like this I keep telling myself “You have a master’s degree in engineering!”

              1. Mediterranean Death Cult

                “You have a master’s degree in engineering!”

                And it will hold back your imagination for the rest of your life.

            2. Go home everyone, thread is closed. Already won by Fist. Nothing left to see here.

            3. heller

              No, Jar Jar.

        2. Drax the Destroyer

          So the Asians are the lobots then?

          RAAAACIST!

          1. Sun is the only one who understands Jin, and she’s kind of effeminate.

            1. Auric Demonocles

              Fist, there was no need to explain that one. Jin is even short.

      2. Restoras

        Finally, it will be decided which sci-fi universe is superior.

        Enterprise D vs. Star Destroyer! Worf vs. Mace Windu! Data vs. C3PO! Dr. Crusher vs. Dr. McCoy! Q vs. Yoda!

        1. Spoonman.

          Uh, Crusher and McCoy are both from Trek, you know that, right?

          1. Auric Demonocles

            Crusher vs that robot doctor who said Padme died from a broken heart.

            1. Groovus Maximus

              With those new Roomba Robot Docs making their debut, who is actionable for malpractice: The Robo-Doc or The Programmer?

              1. Auric Demonocles

                As a programmer, I’m going to say the Robo-Doc.

                1. Groovus Maximus

                  I suggest you lawyer up if you are writing the subroutines, Auric. Welcome to my world, lad.-))))

                2. Groovus Maximus

                  I suggest you lawyer up if you are writing the subroutines, Auric. Welcome to my world, lad.-))))

                  1. Zeb

                    Welcome to my world

                    No kidding. I work in robotics and for a while the company I work for was working on a robotic wheelchair. It got us some nice grants, but in the end I thing what we learned was that for a small company, working on anything where the FDA will be involved is just not worth the trouble.

              2. Zeb

                Those are just telepresence, so it’s all on you still, I’m afraid, Dr. Groovy.

                1. Groovus Maximus

                  Those are just telepresence,

                  I know, Zeb. They same principle would apply if I hopped on a Da Vinci robot interface in Kharkiv and did a surgery that was located in the USA. I wouldn’t be responsible for the direct care given at the post-op site, since I am not physically there, but I am on the hook for the actual surgery itself.

                  Telemedicine is going to be very interesting in the near future (read: now).

            2. Loki

              How about McCoy vs Dr. Ball.

          2. Restoras

            Dammit! Typing too fast without thinking leads to stupid errors!

            1. R C Dean

              Don’t worry about it. Its how we roll.

              1. “stupid errors!”

                Well, at leas that is how I roll.

          3. alittlesense

            Gates McFadden still looks pretty good in her 60s.

        2. Jar Jar vs. Wesley.

          No matter who loses, we win.

          1. Loki

            +100

    3. Rights-Minimalist Autocrat

      He even has one Star Wars film under his belt. It was called “Star Trek” and it came out in 2009.

      1. Ding and ding. That was just his audition reel for Star Wars.

        1. JW

          What’s truly amazing is that Paramount managed to find a director that’s worse than Lucas.

        2. Tim

          So is there a time travel reboot? Old Luke travels back in time to stop himself from kissing his sister?

          1. Mediterranean Death Cult

            “Psst, ask her if she wants to hold your light saber.”

          2. Enough About Palin

            Incest is okay now.

            1. Zeb

              Well, they’re aliens. Maybe it works different for them.

  4. sarcasmic

    Parents outraged to discover university runs pole-dancing society which puts on shows for students at ?5 a time

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new…..ampus.html
    Too bad they’re so… British.

    1. I presume everybody at the university is an adult.

      1. An0nB0t

        In body only, like the rest of the EU.

    2. wareagle

      so the US is exporting its manufactured outrage industry, too?

      1. Mediterranean Death Cult

        so the US is exporting its manufactured outrage industry, too?

        Sorry, the US product was an infringement on the Royal patent.

    3. They look like cirque du soleil rejects. ?5 is way too much.

  5. sarcasmic

    Rachael Ray’s hubby spotted at swingers’ club.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new…..ead_module
    Golly I wonder why.

    1. If it’s consensual, what’s your beef?

      1. sarcasmic

        Where’s the beef?

        1. Restoras

          On Rachael?

          1. Drax the Destroyer

            IN Rachael.

            1. sarcasmic

              *barf*

        2. Here?

          1. invisible furry hand

            Here?

            1. sarcasmic

              That’s messed up.

            2. Restoras

              That’s why I come here. Just when you think a libertarian mind couldn’t descend further into strangeness – BOOM! – someone posts something that shatters my reaility in a fit of crying laughter.

            3. Groovus Maximus

              I am so, so happy that you love all the toys I have given, IFH. I’ll be off board for a bit starting next week, and my links to you will live on…-)))

              (Don’t forget the treasure trove of weird medical oddities,-)

              1. invisible furry hand

                I am grateful Doc. Now you will come back here, won’t you?

                1. Groovus Maximus

                  Da.-))))

      2. If it’s consensual, what’s your beef?

        Did his wife consent?

        1. Groovus Maximus

          Yeah, folks do seem forget that little “fidelity” thing. But who cares what she thinks, right? It’s not like marriage is a partnership based on trust or anything.

          How archaic and passe, no?

          1. SIV

            So this husband isn’t that fianc?e she had who paid hookers to spit on him?
            Rachael really can pick ’em.

          2. Zeb

            I think of it more as none of my business. It’s up to her to decide how bad of a thing it is. They can base their marriage on whatever they want to.

            But it is quite endearing that you are such an old fashioned romantic.

            1. Groovus Maximus

              I think of it more as none of my business. It’s up to her to decide how bad of a thing it is. They can base their marriage on whatever they want to.

              I don’t disagree, if they choose as a couple if they want to have that type of relationship, as it is their partnership. If she decides infidelity is OK with her, fine. But I pity her and despise him for being such a louse.

              But it is quite endearing that you are such an old fashioned romantic.

              Thanks. I take vows of fidelity and my GF’s feelings to heart and as seriously as I take my medical duty. You give your word, you keep it and learn to look past your own selfish nose. My parents were a great example.

              1. Zeb

                I also consider doing what you said you were going to do a very important virtue. It seems like it should go without saying, but a surprising number of people just don’t.

    2. Mediterranean Death Cult

      Rachael Ray’s hubby spotted at swingers’ club.
      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new…..ead_module
      Golly I wonder why.

      The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?
      Try a mite lower.

  6. sarcasmic

    DM loves Jessica Chastain.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs…..gboye.html
    I can’t blame them.

    1. Restoras

      What’s the word for ginger-lovers….oh yeah, masochist.

      I shamefully include myself in that category.

      1. sarcasmic

        aye

      2. Mediterranean Death Cult

        I glory in it!

    2. Killazontherun

      Great pic.

      Not so great pic.

      http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix…..38×834.jpg

      She’s been slumming, looks like a chica after a twelve hour shift at the factory, since she started dating that piece of crap.

      Looks incredible,

      http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix…..06×531.jpg

      and is getting shit from one of the world’s biggest dumbasses, Lena Dunham:

      ‘Fame is an amazing thing and it’s a platform that you have to take seriously. Which is why sometimes, it’s like. . . I used to be really into Rihanna, that pop star, and then it’s like – again, I don’t want to ever throw stones from my glass house – but I follow her on Instagram and I just think about how many little girls beyond what I could even comprehend are obsessed with Rihanna.

      ‘Like, you know, she left Barbados, she’s had this amazing career, she’s won a Grammy. . . She’s talented. And then she gets back together with Chris Brown and posts a million pictures of them smoking marijuana together on a bed. And it cracks my heart in half in a way that makes me feel like I’m 95 years old.’

  7. sarcasmic

    Cop shoots dog that is not a threat? Nothing else happens. Civilian shoots dog as it is mauling a child, quite possibly saving his life? $1,000 find and a year in jail.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new…..arges.html

    1. sarcasmic

      *fine

    2. wareagle

      but the civilian had a gun and we know that regular folks cannot be trusted to have firearms. DiFi told me so.

    3. R C Dean

      The kid caught a bullet. I’ve got $20 bucks that says if they do ballistics on it, they’ll find it was from the cop’s gun.

      And, of course, if that’s the case, nothing else will happen.

  8. sarcasmic

    Dude dumps a load of horse crap onto cheating wife’s convertable.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new…..tible.html

    1. Karl Hungus

      Fucking AWESOME. Thank you for posting that, it’s going straight to my Facebook.

      1. Groovus Maximus

        Indeed. That’s just A CROWNING MOMENT OF AWESOME!

    2. Her profile on Kissinggates.com, a website for single farmers, admitted she has been married for five years but that her husband is ‘a complete idiot’ and ‘completely crazy.’

      First: There’s a dating website specifically for single farmers? Is that a fetish or something?

      Secondly: If you know your spouse is ‘completely crazy,’ why the hell are you cheating on him?

      Honestly though, the truck load of horse shit seemed like a perfectly sane thing to do.

      1. Agammamon

        More than one – there’s one that has tv commercials.

    3. NeonCat

      I hate to see an innocent car abused like that.

  9. sarcasmic

    Pron 4 John!
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs…..meras.html

    1. I just threw up in my mouth a little.

      1. Always let your mouse hover over links before you click.

        1. sarcasmic

          yup

        2. Elspeth Flashman

          This ^^

        3. Always let your mouse hover over links before you click.

          This is why I would make a great cop: I always shoot first and ask questions later.

          1. Mediterranean Death Cult

            I always shoot first

            The girls don’t come by for a second go, huh?

            1. The girls don’t come by for a second go, huh?

              Who can blame them? Do you know how hard it is to get that stuff out of your hair?

  10. Becuase Frank Lautenberg has been such a stellar senator….

    1. Does he even know he is/was in the Senate?

    2. KDN

      He sure has! You don’t get an unnecessary behemoth of a train station named after you by being mediocre. Do you think Booker has the chops for such graft?

  11. invisible furry hand

    Chinese cop stressed by having to review 40,000 porn DVDs in a month

    more

    1. Groovus Maximus

      It’s the performance anxiety.

    2. Gene

      Or about one per hour, assuming he doesn’t sleep that month. Why stress over the impossible?

      1. T

        One a minute is a bit closer.

        1. Mediterranean Death Cult

          Much. 1.08

    3. Chinese cop stressed by having to review 40,000 porn DVDs in a month

      ‘Review’? Is that what their calling it now?

      My favorite euphemism for masturbation was always “firing the surgeon general,” but most people don’t get it, and it’s not as funny if i have to explain it.

      Anyone know something better?

      1. sarcasmic

        Backstroke Roulette

        Bash the Candle

        Beat Off

        Beat the Bishop

        Beat the Dummy

        Beat the Meat

        Beat the Stick

        Bleed the Weed

        Blow Your Load

        Bludgeon the Beefsteak

        Bop the Baloney

        Box the Jesuit

        Buff the Banana

        Burp the Worm

        Butter the Corn

        Choke the Chicken

        Choke the Sheriff and Wait for the Posse to Come

        Clean Your Rifle

        Crank the Shank

        Crown the King

        Cuff the Carrot

        Diddle

        Drain the Monster

        Fist Fuck

        Fist Your Monster

        Five Against One

        Flog the Dog

        Flog the Hog

        Flog Your Dong

      2. sarcasmic

        Flute Solo

        Fondle the Fig

        Gallop the Antelope

        Give It a Tug

        Grease the Pipe

        Hack the Hog

        Hand Job

        Hand Work

        Have It Off

        Hitchhike Under the

        Big Top

        Hump Your Hose

        Jackhammer

        Jack Off

        Jazz Yourself

        Jerk Off

        Jerk the Gherkin

        Lope the Mule

        Make the Bald Man Puke

        Manipulate the Mango

        Manual Override

        Milk the Lizard

        Mount a Corporal and Four

        Nerk Your Throbber

        Oil the Glove

        Onan’s Olympics

        One-Man Show

        Pack Your Palm

        Paddle the Pickle

        Paint the Pickle

        Paint the Ceiling

        Please Your Pisser

        Plunk Your Twanger

        Pocket Pinball

        Pocket Pool

        Polish the Rocket

        Polish the Sword

        Pound Off

        Pound Your Flounder

        Pound Your Pud

        Pull Off

      3. sarcasmic

        Pull the Pole

        Pull the Pope

        Pull the Pudding

        Pull Your Prick

        Pull Your Taffy

        Pump the Python

        Ram the Ham

        Ride the Great White Knuckler

        Rope the Pony

        Rub Off

        Shag

        Shaking Hands With the Unemployed thanks everyone

        Shine Your Pole

        Shootin’ Putty At the Moon

        Slakin’ the Bacon

        Slammin’ the Salmon

        Slam the hammer

        Slam the Spam

        Slappin’ Pappy

        Slapping the Clown

        Sling the Jelly

        Snap the Monkey

        Snap the Rubber

        Snap the Whip

        Soldier’s Joy

        Spank the Frank

        Spank the Salami

        Squeeze the Lemon

        Stroking it

        Stroke Off

        Stroke the Dog

        Stroke Your Poker

        Take Yourself in Hand

        Tease the Weenie

        Tenderize the Meat

        The Five-Knuckle Shuffle

        Thump the Pump

        Tickle Your Pickle

        Toss Off

        Tweak Your Twinkle

        Varnish the Flagpole

        Visiting Rosie Palm And Her Five Daughters

        Walk the Dog

        Wank

        Wax the Carrot

        Wax the Dolphin

        Whack Off

        Whip Off

        Whip the Dummy

        Whip the Wire

        Whip Your Dripper

        Whizzin’ Jizzum

        Wonk Your Conker

        Work Off

        Wrestle the Eel

        Wring Out Your Rope

        Yang Your Wang

        Yank Off

        Yank the Crank

        Yank the Plank

        Yank the Yam

        Yank Your Strap

      4. sarcasmic

        Thanks to George Carlin.

        1. “Five against one”

          Nice.

          1. I like this one too.

            My favorite is Mount a corporal and four (privates). Mostly because I find the etymology of the phrase fascinating – Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose (1811)

      5. KMA Too

        Those are all excellent (Thank you, sarc).

        I was gonna nick one from SNL waaay back when-“Voting for Buchanan”

  12. Egyptian youths clashed with police in Cairo on the second anniversary of the revolt that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

    And they will again on the second anniversary of toppling Morsi.

    1. Restoras

      Don’t hold your breath for that one.

    2. RBS

      And next week and the week after that and the week after that…

      1. mnarayan

        Egyptians have been known to riot to protest the police not stopping riots.

  13. A civil forfeiture action against the Motel Caswell was dismissed by a federal court in Massachusetts. Owners Russell and Patricia Caswell were cleared of any wrongdoing.

    I don’t know about the Caswells, but that motel was guilty as hell.

    1. R C Dean

      Did he order the gov’t to pay their legal bills and losses?

  14. John

    http://www.politico.com/story/…..86629.html

    I am against censorship and think that blaming art for people’s actions is wrong. So my inclination is to say that blaming Hollywood is wrong. But you know, if Hollywood wants to come after my Second Amendment rights, it is very tempting to go after their First Amendment rights. To can play the collective guilt game.

    1. VG Zaytsev

      The republican should go for their jugular and propose IP reform.

      Fuck those A-holes hard.

    2. VG Zaytsev

      After all, we already have more than 60 years of research on the link between media violence and aggression and more than 3,000 studies, dozens of which focus specifically on violent video games. The consensus of the medical community is and has been that viewing entertainment violence can lead to increases in aggressive attitudes, values and behaviors, particularly in children.

      Newtown renews mental health focus
      In fact, a position paper by the American Psychiatric Association on media violence begins by declaring:

      “The debate is over.”

      But not in the way that they imply.

      Twenty years of falling crime rates at the same time that media depictions of violence have been increasing conclusive disprove the hypothesis that media violence causes real violence.

      1. R C Dean

        While correlation doesn’t prove causation, no correlation does, in fact, prove no causation.

        1. Emmerson Biggins

          all other things being equal. Which they weren’t.

      2. An0nB0t

        That and the fact that participation in violent video games is near 100% in the current generation of American utes, which turns out to be a vastly more peaceful group of kids than most (all?) who have come before.

        Just another group of old farts shaking their heads and wondering what’s wrong with the kids these days.

      3. JW

        Dozens! Dozens out of 3,000 studies over 60 years, half of which conclusively showed that Moe’s years of physical abuse of Larry was responsible for the Zoot Suit riot.

    3. generic Brand

      To canToucan play the collective guilt game

      FTFY.

      1. T

        I always knew Sam was shifty bastard.

        1. Oh, you are against brightly colored creatures are you?!

          Colorist/species-ist!

          1. AuH2O

            Also homophobic

        2. EDG reppin' LBC

          He ain’t got nothing on Count Chocula. That dude is sheisty as fuck!

          1. Sheisty? Are you saying the County made a scheisse video?

    4. Mongo

      If explicit or graphic images cause violence then I would suppose that hours and hours of serene scenes of gentlemanly behavior with ‘positive’ dialogue and polite, smiley-face interaction would pacify a society.

      Sorry – it doesn’t work that way and never will.

    5. JW

      Melissa Henson is director of communications and public education for the Parents Television Council.

      That’s a funny name for a terrorist organization.

  15. robc

    A civil forfeiture action against the Motel Caswell was dismissed by a federal court in Massachusetts. Owners Russell and Patricia Caswell were cleared of any wrongdoing.

    What is the reverse of the Balko nut punch?

    1. Nuts punching Balko?

      Honey nut cheerios?

    2. iggy

      Balko happy ending?

      1. invisible furry hand

        +1

      2. VG Zaytsev

        Only if the government is forced to pay their legal fees and compensate them for their time and the emotional damage that they’ve been put through.

        1. Good luck with that.

      3. Ska

        Wouldn’t it be more like a Kerry Howley tug job?

        Or KMW, winner by default.

      4. Ska

        Oh wait, there’s the blond woman that does reason.tv – probably her.

        1. iggy

          This got creepy really quickly.

          1. Ska

            Ah, well, uh, yeah…..

  16. Enough About Palin

    A gun is like a parachute. If you need one, and don’t have one, you’ll probably never need one again.

    1. Restoras

      What kind of talk is that? Where do you think we live…in SOMALIA???

      1. mnarayan

        Can’t you see the roads?

    2. T

      It’s better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it.

      1. It’s better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it.

        The same could be said for Astroglide.

        1. NeonCat

          “New Astroglide gun – for slippery situations”

  17. Bee Tagger

    Senior New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg has criticized Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who is rumored to be eyeing the Senator’s seat.

    I heard he accused of him of being from Jersey.

    1. DJF

      I can’t believe that the Democratic Party harbors such racism and homophobia. Why can’t a black man look at Lautenbergs ass?

      1. Why would anyone want to look at Lautenberg’s ass?

      2. wareagle

        doesn’t Lautenberg look like ass from pretty much every angle?

        1. EDG reppin' LBC

          Sometimes he looks like a dick.

  18. PowerBottom

    MO lawmaker’s bill would force parents to report gun ownership to school their children attend.

    FOX 2 News: The sad story of a twelve year old who shot and killed another child with his grandfather’s unlocked gun is just one example that is motivating Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal to call for sanctions against careless parents and guardians of minors. The democrat’s proposed bill targets an often lethal mix; guns and unsupervised kids in what Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal calls “Urban Core” areas.”I wholly believe in the Second Amendment but the Second Amendment does not say that a 12-year old can shoot a 12-year old. There is no protection for that so what we are trying to to do here address is what is happening in our urban cities.” said State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal ? (D) University City.

    “Senate Bill 124 targets the failure to properly lock or secure a firearm and would penalize a parent or guardian who fails to stop their minor child from possessing a firearm illegally. The bill would also require parents to report gun ownership to their children’s schools.

    “What we’re saying is if you are parent “x” we would like to know as a school district that you have a gun.” said state Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal.”

    http://www.breitbart.com/Breit…..-Own-a-Gun

    1. Every parent should take the fifth, and then go screaming in rage to their rugrats’ school.

      1. Every parent should take the fifth their guns, and then go screaming in rage to their rugrats’ school.

        Fuck that bitch. It’s no one’s goddamn business what the fuck I have in my home.

        1. Zeb

          It really disturbs me how much public schools are trying to run all aspects of children’s lives.

          1. It’s not just public schools.

            It’s teachers.

            My wife and I had to talk to our 5 year old’s private school teacher AGAIN about her trying to “instill better eating habits” in our son who will eat very few things. She thought she was helping, but all she was doing at school by trying to force him to eat vegetables and fruits that he either doesn’t like or won’t eat was fucking progress up at home. She was shaming him in front of his class and he was coming home upset about it virtually everyday.

            My wife took care of that shit yesterday by doing something that I was incapable of doing: saying “back the fuck off” without saying “back the fuck off.” I would have cussed her snowflake ass out.

            1. Zeb

              Ugh. I suppose that they are all taught that their job is to shape the little snowflakes and make them good people, or something. How about teach them to read and write and do basic math and let the parents handle the rest?

              Many days I am very glad I don’t have kids.

              1. How about teach them to read and write and do basic math and let the parents handle the rest?

                Had I done the talking to his teacher, it would have been something like, “You want to instill “better eating habits in a kid? Go pop out your own, bitch. Last time I checked, he has a mother and father. We pay you to do the academic stuff, we’ll take care of the rest.”

    2. $park?

      They had another senator from MO on Fox News this morning. He was pretty much promising that this bill is going nowhere.

    3. wareagle

      when this statist fuckstick goes after the parents of kids on free lunch – because too many of those parents are too sorry to work and feed their own kids – then maybe I’ll listen to her. But till then, she can go to hell.

      1. when this statist fuckstick goes after the parents of kids on free lunch – because too many of those parents are too sorry to work and feed their own kids – then maybe I’ll listen to her. But till then, she can go to hell.

        In Florida, the majority of families in Pinellas county had their kids on free or reduced lunch. All that was required to get it was checking a box on a form each year that said you were claiming to be below the poverty threshold.

        One year, Pinellas County schools announced that it would be performing audits to verify peoples incomes and the number of families applying for free or reduced lunch dropped by half.

        1. $park?

          This year the high school that my daughter goes to decided to try a new program where they just give everyone free lunch. I haven’t noticed a spike in taxes yet, but I suppose that will come next year when they have analyzed the costs then figure out how to institute the program at all schools.

          1. Brett L

            If they fired the 4-15 people in the district responsible for administering the free/reduced lunch program, I’ll bet they’re a big winner financially.

    4. generic Brand

      “I wholly believe in the Second Amendment but the Second Amendment does not say that a 12-year old can shoot a 12-year old.”

      No shit. That’s why we have laws against murder and a constitutional amendment ensuring people can defend themselves from such.

  19. invisible furry hand

    Anderson Cooper reveals he sings ‘Happy Birthday’ to himself in the bathroom every day while washing his hands

    more

    1. Groovus Maximus

      Actually, that’s suggested to everyone in hospitals and formally taught to nursing students and nurse’s aides in training, since it’s recommended that one spends at least thirty seconds on handwashing, and the song, “Happy Birthday”, takes ~30 secs. to sing.

      1. RBS

        Well, when AC starts performing brain surgery I’ll let it slide. Until then…

        1. Groovus Maximus

          Then he needs no less than ten minutes for the first scrub of the day then plenty o’ Avagarde. I’m amazed I still have any skin left with how many times a day over the years I’ve washed my hands and arms.

      2. T

        The HB method is also useful when teaching kids how long to wash their hands. I’m sure everyone here has seen people who stick their hands under the faucet to get them wet and walk out of the restroom like they’ve accomplished something.

        1. Ska

          “You saw me wash ’em.”

          “I saw you get them wet! I used the same soap as you, and when I was done the towel didn’t look like a damn used maxi pad.”

      3. mnarayan

        Sounds dangerously close to facilitating unauthorized performances of “Good Morning To All”. Expect a visit from a friendly RIAA representative in the near future.

      4. Enough About Palin

        Bullshit. It only takes 10 seconds to sing Happy Birthday.

        1. Zeb

          You’re leaving out the “you look like a monkey” verse.

        2. Groovus Maximus

          Bullshit. It only takes 10 seconds to sing Happy Birthday.

          Then you are rushing it. Sing it twice, Mr. Premature Ejaculation.

          And remember to wash your hands afterwards…

        3. db

          I clock it at 15 seconds.

    2. Anderson Vanderbilt, thank you very much.

  20. Bee Tagger

    evidence gathered by drones inadmissible in criminal prosecutions.

    At least, I should have the right to face my accuser and not be bored to tears by it’s droning on and on.

    1. $park?

      So, you don’t want to be accused of anything by John Kerry?

      1. T

        Only if he was lying about me doing things in a fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan.

        1. Enough About Palin

          So you’ve been polishing your Turko-Mongol Saber?

  21. invisible furry hand

    What would REM’s “Losing my religion” sound like in a major scale? Why, like this

    1. Groovus Maximus

      Still wonderfully morose and depressing. One of my all time Top Five Fave Bands EVAR!

      1. RBS

        Me too, everything up to Out of TIme.

        1. robc

          What Noisy Cats are We.

          1. Groovus Maximus

            Life’s Rich Pageant is probably their best, but there is not an album of theirs I shun.

            Document is also Stone Burner levels of awesome. I even like Green. Damn, I know what music Dr. PG and I are going to listen to tonight.-D

            1. robc

              LRP is my favorite.

              Chronic Town kicks ass. I like Fables a lot too. And Murmur.

              Document and Green I enjoyed, but they were moving in a direction I wasnt interested in going.

              Same thing happened with U2 (at almost the exact same time). Ive basically ignored anything they have done since Joshua Tree.

              1. RBS

                I like Murmur and Chronic Town the best, but really everything from that era is great. I used to have the Chronic Town poster in my room.

            2. robc

              If I had had the spare cash at the time, baby Reason was going to get named after this song:

              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEkRxMoh0OY

              1. Groovus Maximus

                Beautiful…simply devine.

              2. If I had had the spare cash at the time, baby Reason was going to get named after this song:

                Save your spare change now. We may be rebooting the project in another 9-11 months.

                1. robc

                  On that subject, do you call her “Reason”? What has been the reaction of random strangers to that name?

                  1. We’ve gotten a lot of people ask us to repeat the name, but nothing more than that really. A couple of people asked where the name came from and we tell them how we met, and they smile (as they slowly back away from us). Mostly, nobody says anything when they see a baby with something the size of a baseball growing out of her belly.

                    And no, if the next one’s a boy, he will not be named Lew Rockwell. Cato is a possibility, though.

                    1. RBS

                      “Cato is a possibility, though.”

                      You might as well name him Cosmo…

                    2. I’d probably have gone with the Kato variation*, but Seth fucking Rogan ruined that for me as well.

                      *Three generations of all names starting with “K” in my family until baby Reason came along.

                2. invisible furry hand

                  are you sure you should? You set a pretty high standard of awesomeness with v.1. Can you deliver twice in a row?

                  1. Jeez, I hope I’ve got a few more good ones left in me. So far, I’m 3 out of 3 on the kid front. And you don’t stop when on a streak. I figure we’ll keep having them until one of them turns out to be an asshole…or is colicky.

                    1. invisible furry hand

                      what did you end up deciding with the bellybutton issue?

                    2. Oh, we’ll probably give her one, but that decision is still months away, though. As a matter of fact, we see the doc today for a follow-up and he’s going to tell us what he found out on the second opinion he’s seeking, so I may be speaking too soon.

                      I’m still not sold on giving her a fakie, though. I was partial to the electrical outlet idea, but the surgeon was unimpressed when I proposed it.

                    3. “I was partial to the electrical outlet idea, but the surgeon was unimpressed when I proposed it.”

                      What, was he holding out for a USB port?

                    4. It’s “she,” you misogynist otherer. And she didn’t say, but I suspect she may have been.

      2. John

        You disappoint me Groovus.

        1. Groovus Maximus

          FEh. So sayeth someone who denies the greatness of ABBA (Dr. PG’s favourite group and one of mine!)

          We’ve already gone round and round about your pitiful taste in muzak, John. It’s OK, I forgive you.-)

          1. Shun Yu

            So sayeth someone who denies the greatness of ABBA

            You probably like Ace of Base as well.

            1. robc

              I saw the sign.

              And I have used up my AoB knowledge now.

            2. Groovus Maximus

              “It’s a Beautiful Life” I lead, Shun Yu.

              And yes, ACE of BASE is in my Top Five as well.

              1. $park?

                And to think, I actually had some level of respect for you doc.

                1. robc

                  And to think, I actually had some level of respect for you doc.

                  Ditto.

              2. Shun Yu

                “It’s a Beautiful Life” I lead, Shun Yu.

                Good to hear Doc, a “Happy Nation” applauds you. Nothing wrong with AofB.

      3. Restoras

        Used to be in my Top Five, until I realized that they are unlistenable after the 20th play.

      4. I prefer Sweetness Follows

      5. I’ve always liked R.E.M. but when it comes to 80s college rock and jangle pop I much prefer the Scottish and Australian breeds. The Go-Betweens, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, etc.

    2. BigT

      Atheism makes one happy in this version. Excellent!

    3. robc

      I was a big early* REM fan, never cared for that song, but wow, that changes the whole tone in an odd way.

      *I own everything they did up to and including Green. And nothing after that.

      1. JW

        *I own everything they did up to and including Green. And nothing after that.

        Same. I had Green on cassette, but didn’t bother to replace it.

        And even in a major scale, that song still sucks.

    4. mr simple

      It just sounds wrong.

    5. Archduke Pantsfan

      He’s still singing in the minor scale, so it sounds like he’s singing off key

    6. An0nB0t

      That’s wonderful.

      REM: still better than the Beatles

      1. db

        Doesn’t take much to beat either of those.

        1. Oh come on. Both of you are being ridiculous.

      2. *barf*

  22. invisible furry hand

    Tina Turner is now Swiss. What does our Swiss correspondent think of this?

    more

    1. Eduard van Haalen

      What does Turner know that we don’t?

    2. Enough About Palin

      In other words she’s a Swiss Miss?

    3. db

      The U.S. didn’t mean it, Baby!

      1. Eduard van Haalen

        Yeah, we’ll never overtax you again, we promise!

  23. Bee Tagger

    The LAPD used a cell phone spy tool called StingRay 21 times over a four-month period is 2012. The tool is supposed to be used in anti-terrorism investigations.

    There’s a reason they did a documentary on the counter terrorism unit based out of LA.

  24. PowerBottom

    Manti Te’o tells Katie Couric he’s ‘far from gay’…

    Is there anything that makes you sound gayer than phrasing it like that?

    http://nymag.com/daily/intelli…..m-gay.html

    1. Groovus Maximus

      Is there any more appropriate phrasing than, “I really don’t give a shit either way?”

      1. If you were gay, you’d give Santorum.

      2. invisible furry hand

        the correct answer is “I’m not gay, but I slept with a guy who was”

      3. PowerBottom

        Well, I’m gay, so I have a natural instinct to click on anything with gay in the title. I just found it odd. I agree it doesn’t matter, but it seemed akin to saying you aren’t crazy.

        1. I agree it doesn’t matter, but it seemed akin to saying you aren’t crazy.

          I’ve gotta ask… Are you Crazy?

          1. PowerBottom

            Definitely NOT crazy, I’m far from crazy…does that make me sound crazy?

            1. T

              I remain on the far side of crazy…

              1. invisible furry hand

                you are also a mortal enemy of man

            2. Agammamon

              Only the insane prosper, only those who prosper can judge what is sane.

    2. R C Dean

      I saw clips of that interview this morning with the sound muted.

      My reaction, based on body language/facial expression?

      He was lying the whole time. He wasn’t hoaxed, and he’s as gay as Carmen Miranda’s hat.

      1. EDG reppin' LBC

        Yep. He and the Tuiasasopo kid are gay for each other. But they won’t come out of the closet due to macho stereotypes of football players, Samoans, etc.

        1. Translucent Chum

          See Archer last night?

        2. I think it has come out that the “voice” was Tuiasasopo’s female cousin and he was covering for her.

  25. Karl Hungus

    Sports are a civil right for disabled students, according to the federal government.

    1. John

      If ESPN puts one more Austic kid who hits a basketball shot on Sportscenter….

      1. People still watch Sportscenter?

        1. RBS

          I put it on mute and read the bottom line.

      2. Karl Hungus

        . . . or the kids with Downs, who are given the ball to score a touchdown. While the gesture is really sweet, the link is always “disabled teen scores miracle touchdown!”

      3. RBS

        There was an article last week, after the Teo story broke, about how sports journalists should stop with the human interest bullshit already and go back to covering sports as sports.

        1. John

          30 years ago the Teo story would have never been told. Now they are crucifying the poor kid because he made them look foolish. They wouldn’t have looked foolish if they had just covered sports.

          1. RBS

            True, but he’s not really helping himself with his bizarre interviews. He should fire his PR team and just tell everyone the whole story or tell everyone to STFU because it’s not his fault the media is so desperate for squishy, feel good stories about athletes.

          2. wareagle

            at some point, you stop the bleeding. With Teo, you stop talking. He keeps digging instead of saying “I did something stupid; got caught up in a story and hoped it would go away.”

            When in doubt, say less.

            1. R C Dean

              Indeed. My advice to clients under oath is always: “Answer the question, and shut up.”

              People who ramble on are people who get in trouble.

    2. Slammer

      Wait until a coach asks them to participate in some sort of practice activity..then they’ll scream they’re being violated.

  26. PowerBottom

    Also, I’m a pretty long time lurker of these here parts, but lately I’ve been noticing a lot of commenters talking about living in KY. I’m in Bullitt County, but has KY been the state hiding all the underground liberty lovers?

    1. I’m in Bullitt County

      Are the car chases good?

      1. Restoras

        I see what you did there…

    2. robc

      Apparently.

      You have the machine gun shoot in your county, so you might be leading the way.

      1. PowerBottom

        The machine gun show is great, but I doubt you’d find many people in my county who think liberty should extend to most other arenas not associated with the 2nd amendment.

        1. robc

          The BC has strip clubs, so they extend it at least a little. And it isnt dry.

          On that last one, yall are ahead of the OC (which does now allow restaurant sales).

          For those of you not from KY, Bullitt Co is the southern end of the Louisville metro area (go south on I-65) and Oldham Co is the east end (Go “north” on I-71).

          1. PowerBottom

            I suppose that’s true, there are some great things about Bullitt. Far enough away from Louisville to avoid the bullshit there, but only a 20 min drive up 65 to get into the city.

    3. I’m in Bullitt County, but has KY been the state hiding all the underground liberty lovers?

      I’d say so. Welcome to reason from Jessamine County.

      1. generic Brand

        Okay Jessamine! I used to live in Burgin, Nicholasville, and Wilmore. My dad went to Asbury Seminary when I was younger. It’s actually one of the reasons I applied to UK School of Law; a lot of fond memories of Kentucky.

        1. I live in Wilmore now. I love it here. My 5 acres and 4300 ft^2 house was a very reasonable cost, and I live 20 minutes from Lexington. 12 to the outskirts.

          Burgin, eh? Not much in Burgin but a Harley accessory shop and a restaurant that has legendary catfish on Fridays.. Nicholasville is pretty much a suburb of Lexington now. It’s growing fast. Wilmore is Wilmore. It’s small and homey: that’s why I love it.

      2. PowerBottom

        Word. *Fist pound*

    4. db

      I like Bullitt County. I attend the KCR shoot twice a year.

  27. invisible furry hand

    Russians put the guns into kindergarten classrooms

    1. Groovus Maximus

      I must say, they really know how to snazz up a wandering loo.

      1. Here is the direct URL to the picture:

        http://englishrussia.com/wp-co…..rka_44.jpg

        1. NeonCat

          Learning about the Great Patriotic War? That’s a German machine gun, isn’t it? An MG-42?

    2. I scrolled down an looked at the rest of the pics on that page and have to ask…

      WTF is up with the blonde asian chick getting humped by the German shepherd?!?!

      1. Groovus Maximus

        Welcome to Eastern Europe, WOTC.-)))

      2. NeonCat

        It’s performance art, Way!

  28. generic Brand

    INFORMATION REQUESTED!

    I’ll be starting law school in the fall, and I cast a pretty wide net as far as schools applied to. What I would like from my libertarian brethren (and sistren?) is just some info on the cities/locations surrounding the schools that accepted me. This will be looked at in conjunction with other factors, like tuition costs, scholarship offers, etc.

    The basic questions are:
    -How easy is it to get around the city, or the surrounding area of the colleges? I don’t plan on having a car.
    -Is there a decent mass transit system? (SLD aside, obviously)
    -Any other relevant information would also be appreciated.

    The schools are John Marshall, Depaul, and Loyola in Chicago; UK (Lexington) and UofL (Louisville); FSU (Tallahassee) and FIU (Miami); Houston; Baltimore; and Charlotte.

    Like I said, I cast a pretty wide net. I’m already deadset on going to one of these schools, so you disparage lawyers all you want but you won’t turn me away. Thanks in advance.

    1. wareagle

      if you don’t plan on having a car, immediately discount Charlotte, Miami, and Tallahassee. Living near to campus will make getting to school easy enough, but you will be able to go nowhere else without wheels.

      Rethink the car decision.

      1. if you don’t plan on having a car, immediately discount Charlotte, Miami, and Tallahassee. Living near to campus will make getting to school easy enough, but you will be able to go nowhere else without wheels.

        Rethink the car decision.

        What he said.

        I’ve lived in 3 of those cities and attended 3 of those schools. Hopefully I can help some.

        And add Lexington to that.

        That said, there is enough infrastructure around UK to live. Restaurants, bars, grocery stores are all within walking distance, as is various levels of housing from the “student ghetto” to Chevy Chase (an area that many professors and professionals live in). But in order to get anywhere outside of the immediate UK area is tough without a car. Our public transit sucks.

        And I’d suggest that although living in Lexington is okay enough, you’d likely be much happier with living just outside the city limits where it’s mostly farm country. 15-20 minutes in any direction from UK and you can be in the middle of nowhere, which is really nice. Especially considering that there is some unwritten rule in Lexington that kids blow off fireworks for at least 60 days on each side of any holiday that is fireworks appropriate (Jan 1 and July 4).

        I love Central KY. In my experience (I’ve lived here for a decade) the people are good people.

        The cost of living is very fair. You can rent a nice house in a decent neighborhood for $1k or less, and many apartments that are very nice for much less.

        (cont)

        1. I went to college at FIU.

          The public transit is TERRIBLE (despite seeing busses fucking everywhere around campus). The campus is far from just about everywhere of import in Miami (30-40 minute drive, easy to get to the beach or night life areas like Coconut Grove or South Beach). The campus itself is also terrible. Even close housing is far because of how Miami is designed.

          Miami sucks. Full stop. I lived there most of my life and left because it sucks. Traffic is terrible, all of the time, as are the drivers. The layout of the city makes sense (it’s a grid on flat land), but it’s so spread out that to get anywhere driving is pretty much necessary. Even places that are considered close by local standards require driving. Miami is NOT a walking city outside of certain areas, of which the FIU area is definitely NOT.

          Also, if you don’t speak Spanish, you may well have a hard time in places like the bakery or deli counter at Publix, and there will be parts of town that are inaccessible.

          I wouldn’t suggest it to an outsider. FIU is a commuter school despite being an R1 university (a credential that was bought via political support from the University president), and at least 60-75% of the student population is local. That makes campus life pretty dull: most people already have their social life in place before they get there, so campus activities and such are ill supported and generally suck, and there is no real social scene where FIU is located.

          (cont)

          1. I also went to FSU for a short time.

            It was nearly 20 years ago and I haven’t been back since, so I may be way out of date here, but Tallahassee is also very spread out and tough to navigate sans vehicle. It is NOT a walking city either.

            There was enough around campus to keep undergrads partying, but I don’t know about older students.

            Housing is close enough to campus. Just don’t live near the marching band’s practice facility or you will be woken up very early in the morning every Saturday when there is a home game.

    2. Restoras

      I’m not hearing good things about the job market for law graduates from Instapundit. Just sayin’.

      1. RBS

        “I’m not hearing good things about the job market for law graduates from Instapundit. Just sayin’.”

        Terrible. I know maybe 5 people I graduated with that actually have legal jobs. You better plan on dominating grade wise and maybe having a family member/close personal friend with law firm.

      2. generic Brand

        I currently work at a law firm, so I see the people coming right out of law school getting pretty low paying jobs. But Orlando is a saturated market. That’s why another factor is the number of available jobs over the last few years. I think that regions kind of go in cycles as far as the amount of jobs needed.

    3. Spoonman.

      I can’t recommend Houston to the young man enough.

      Houston is:
      Cheap as hell.
      Big, so there’s a lot going on.
      Office buildings filled to the brim with oil companies who want to hire you.

      I am assuming you are talking about going to UofH law school; they’re putting in a light rail line now which will get you to Downtown.

      UofH is kind of in the ghetto, but it’s getting better there. And, again, cheap as hell.

      Houston might be cheap enough that you could afford to have a car there, but as I said, they’re putting in the line to UofH now.

      1. Night Elf Mohawk

        No car, no Houston, imo.

      2. generic Brand

        It is the University of Houston. Do you know when the new line would be completed? I would be starting this fall, but if it would be completed early next year at the latest that wouldn’t be too bad.

        1. T

          Check out Metro’s website. They have construction updates on the rail stuff somwhere in there.

          Being an elitist monocle wearing libertarian, I’ll reiterate the suggestion for a car in Houston.

          1. invisible furry hand

            Being an elitist monocle wearing libertarian, I’ll reiterate the suggestion for a car

            You are many things, my dear T, but with that sentence you prove you are no elitist monocle-wearing libertarian. Sedan chair or palanquin, please

            1. T

              Fuck that. I like to drive fast. Until they genengineer the bearers who can run at 70+ mph, I’ll stick with driving myself. Besides, you can’t rape mother earth with a big V8 engine in a sedan chair.

              1. NeonCat

                Ha! Feed your bearers nothing but GMO grain and non-Fair Trade everything and make sure their livery proclaims their diet. Gaze through your monocle at crying proggies and liberals and grow strong on their hate.

                You could also have bearers carry a V8 engine that’s just running, doing nothing but spew exhaust. Might incite a riot, if you pass the right group.

          2. generic Brand

            True. It just says “2014” as expected completion date. If Houston is anything like central Florida, that means probably late 2015.

            1. Spoonman.

              Apparently rents have gone up a lot in Houston lately, but when I moved there in 2010 I got an apartment in a nice area for $626/mo.

              The price of food there is half that in the Northeast.

              And, again, the jobs.

        2. Brett L

          As above. Some day, for God knows what reason, you’ll have to go halfway across Houston. Which is a 20 mile ride. If you’re riding a bus, the out and back will eat your day.

        3. My brother goes to U of H. It’s right in the middle of the ghetto, so I don’t think you’re going to be wanting to walk around much on foot.

      3. T

        UofH is kind of in the ghetto

        Kind of? They don’t call it University of the ‘Hood for nothing.

    4. robc

      Louisville has TARC (bus). Its moderately useful if it goes from exactly where you are to exactly where you need to be. Otherwise it is worthless.

      I dont think Lexington even has that. In both cases, and probably more so Lexington, you could live near campus and hoof it.

      Louisville has a better beer scene, but Lexington’s is good too.

      UK law school produced Mitch McConnell (he went to undergrad at UofL). UofL law school produced Chris Dodd.

      1. wareagle

        UK law school produced Mitch McConnell (he went to undergrad at UofL). UofL law school produced Chris Dodd.

        points of pride or shame?

        1. robc

          Shame, in both cases.

          Which is worse I leave up to the individual.

      2. An0nB0t

        I guess you might be okay in Lexington if you had a bike, but I wouldn’t want to be there with just me and my two feet. Same with Charlotte.

        It’s admittedly expensive to get reasonably close parking, but I’d advise you to seriously reconsider the no-car policy in both cases, especially if you want to look at some of the very reasonably priced, more comfortable housing that’s well away from campus.

    5. T

      If you are considering Houston, get a car.

    6. The Other Kevin

      If you can stand the politics, Chicago really is a great city. The mass transit is very good, it’s relatively clean, and there are a lot of things to do.

    7. Rights-Minimalist Autocrat

      I’ve never used Louisville’s mass transit, and I can’t imagine having the desire to.

      And now that I read Wikitravel, I see my instinct was correct: “Louisville’s public transit service, TARC, operates bus lines in all parts of Louisville Metro (Jefferson County). Fares are $1.50 for adults (75 cents for children between 6 and 17) with a possibility for two transfers in two hours. Tickets can be purchased at some banks and government offices but this will not really save you much money unless you are going to be staying in the city and getting around by bus for at least two weeks. Buses generally run from about 6AM-10PM, some later on weekends, but it is a good idea to check the schedule for each specific route. Timetables are only posted at major stops. The buses are also rather impractical in the suburbs, as they are infrequent and the stops are far apart.”

      Emphasis added. I’m sure lots of midnight oil would be burned, so you’d better live close to campus.

      Not to mention that I wouldn’t want to ride a bus in Louisville anyway.

      1. robc

        I had a friend who commuted from Middletown to Downtown for about 2 years via bus. It works if schedule is fairly rigid and, as I said above, both ends are where you need them to be. I think her commute was 45 mins via bus instead of 30 via car, which she was fine with, but she had no flexibility.

        She is back to driving, because she has a kid, and the bus isnt convenient for picking up a kid from day care.

    8. R C Dean

      Its too late to talk you out of it.

      I would recommend Houston (or maybe Charlotte), simply because you are far more likely to be able to land a job there. You should have more opportunities to intern, etc. in Houston.

      And that’s the key. After your first semester, you should think of yourself as having two jobs:

      (1) Law school.
      (2) Getting a job after law school.

      The job market for baby attorneys is absolutely brutal everywhere unless you are going to one of the top five schools (and you’re not), and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Over the past several years, we have graduated between 2 and 3 times as many attorneys as job openings, and until law schools start closing, that won’t change.

      Houston is probably borderline unlivable without a car, regardless of light rail, though.

      1. John

        It is not even so great for the top five schools. We get graduates from those looking for work in my little government office all of the time. Top five students used to never lower themselves to government work, unless it was being a DOJ hack. Now they are happy to take it.

        It is brutal everywhere for everyone who is not juiced into a job because of family connections.

      2. Spoonman.

        The Industry in Houston does grab law students from UH sometimes.

    9. SIV

      Tallahassee used to be a great place not to have a car, but then I had 100s of friends with cars.I couldn’t imagine living in Charlotte or Houston w/o a car.

    10. Chicago:

      Very easy to get around most of the city including the surrounding areas of all those schools. John Marshall is downtown, and while Loyola and DePaul aren’t, their law schools are. The main campuses for both are on the north side and very easy to get to on the el.

      We definitely have a decent mass transit system overall, though it can be a pain to go east-west if you aren’t close to downtown (think long local bus rides). I have a car, and I prefer having a car, but you won’t have many problems doing things without one (I have also not had a car and it was only an inconvenience because I was used to having one). Lots of ZipCar or IGoCar options too.

      As far as like, “avoiding the politics”…it’s really not hard to do. You might want to look into the gun laws though (if that matters to you–and if you want to get to the range much, you might want a car). You’d also have a lot of options as to where to live (locations, price points, type of area) since you’re looking at downtown schools.

      Let me know if you have questions about anything more specific.

      1. generic Brand

        Actually, the Depaul law campus is just around the block from John Marshall, and Loyola’s law campus is just north of the river by their business school (I think). So all of those schools would be very feasible without a car.

        1. generic Brand

          Should’ve read the entire post before replying… Hopefully this isn’t indicative of 3 years of law school

          (face palm)

    11. Brett L

      Tallahassee is small, really small, compared with the Orlando area. I can and have biked in from the edge of town to campus, and it would be no problem to find rooming withing 10 blocks of the law school. The bus system is cheap and runs on time, but not to a whole lot of places outside of the campus area. I would consider not having a car in Tallahassee. I would never do so in Houston.

    12. Jersey Patriot

      None of those schools are worth the money. You will be six figures in debt and have no job. Withdraw immediately.

  29. invisible furry hand

    German court says internet access is a basic right

    1. PowerBottom

      Hear they got some internet out Californee way. Yessir, I hear there’s plenty uh ol internet in them parts.

  30. Enough About Palin

    WASHINGTON (AP) ? Breaking new ground, the U.S. Education Department is telling schools they must include students with disabilities in sports programs or provide equal alternative options. The directive, reminiscent of the Title IX expansion of athletic opportunities for women, could bring sweeping changes to school budgets and locker rooms for years to come.

    Schools would be required to make “reasonable modifications” for students with disabilities or create parallel athletic programs that have comparable standing as mainstream programs.

    “Sports can provide invaluable lessons in discipline, selflessness, passion and courage, and this guidance will help schools ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to benefit from the life lessons they can learn on the playing field or on the court,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement announcing the new guidance on Friday.

    http://news.yahoo.com/sports-c…..itics.html

    1. John

      Some inner city schools barely have enough money for sports for their able bodied students. Now we can just end sports for everyone because the crippled and retarded kids can’t be star athletes.

      I fucking hate liberals.

      1. sarcasmic

        It’s called fairness. If you can’t give some to everyone, then no one gets any.

        Remember that liberals truly believe that government is a magical entity that can cure humans of human nature and repeal economic laws such as scarcity and supply and demand.

        I’m surprised Congress hasn’t amended the law of gravity to combat the obesity epidemic.

        1. Baron Harkonnen suspensor belts for everyone!

          Now we just need someone to discover the Holtzman Effect.

          1. sarcasmic

            Alia? Where are you?

            1. Groovus Maximus

              Having an orgy, like any other living Saint of The Knife.

              Say is that a gom jabbar in your pocket or are you just happy to see me, sarc?

              1. sarcasmic

                yes

    2. Not an Economist

      Hey, I once saw a kid in a wheelchair beat Michael Jordan one on one in basketball, and Michael was not taking it easy on the kid.

      For the record, Michael was in a wheelchair too but still.

    3. Zeb

      Aren’t there already rec leagues where anyone can play in most places? The school teams are selective, you have to try out.

      And when no one shows up to watch one legged soccer, are they going to have to hire an audience to watch to make sure it has “comparable standing” to mainstream programs?

  31. Auric Demonocles

    RE alt-text:

    Did everyone really think the Star Trek reboot was that bad? It certainly was different, but I found it to be enjoyable to watch. Plus there are a ton of new ways to go with the drastic timeline changes introduced.

    1. John

      I thought it was a good movie. It was done about as well as it could be. And there are so few Sci Fi movies made, I will take what I can get.

      1. Auric Demonocles

        I’d suspect that a large percentage of the criticism people would have is because it’s not exactly like the Trek from the 60s.

        1. John

          But it couldn’t be. It would have been worse if they had tried.

          1. Auric Demonocles

            I didn’t say I agreed with them.

        2. My problem with it wasn’t that it wasn’t Trek:ToS, but rather that it was an action/effects movie with a sci-fi MacGuffin.

        3. JW

          I’m just going to leave this here.

          1. NeonCat

            I just couldn’t get past the giant plot holes. So, this red matter stuff is so dangerous Spock needs to drop a Thermos amount into the Romulan sun to save it, but has to carry around a huge quantity? And this so dangerous stuff is in a one man ship sent without escort, not even Romulan escort? And then, when Spock doesn’t get there in time, the crazy Romulan somehow convinces his crew to go along with his plan to go back in time, not to save Romulus but to attack the Federation – oh, and Spock, the same Spock who died to save the Enterprise, doesn’t self-destruct the ship to prevent this WMD from falling into the wrong hands?

            OK, (and this is what I’ve heard about the director’s cut/backstory, so I may be mistaken) then we’re asked to believe that this Romulan mining ship with the red goop is captured by the Klingons, who keep the mining ship and all it’s future technology intact and in orbit of the planet where they’re keeping the Romulans, who they don’t interrogate/torture to reveal their future tech and secrets, and who manage to escape and return to their plan of blowing up Federation planets.

            No. No. No. Fuck no.

    2. RBS

      I thought it was entertaining enough for watching it at home on DVD. I think I would have disappointed if I paid to see it in a theater though.

    3. robc

      The problem with it is the same as the new Bond movies. Its breaking a preconceived mold of what those movies should be like stylistically.

      1. sarcasmic

        I like the new Bond movies.

        1. robc

          Lots of people do. They may be better than traditional style Bond movies.

          But it pisses off Bond fans.

          1. Slammer

            John Waters once said they should remake BAD movies, not GOOD ones

            1. Looking forward to the remake of “Pink Flamingos” then.

              I kid, I love that movie.

            2. thom

              They should remake bad movies that had a lot of potential. Give it a second shot.

          2. RBS

            I enjoy them all. I don’t see why Bond shouldn’t adapt to modern times.

          3. kinnath

            The new Bond movies are really Bourne movies. They are very well made, and I enjoyed them. But they ain’t really Bond movies are they?

            1. sarcasmic

              Some would argue that the original Bond movies were parodies of themselves, while the new ones are more like what Ian Fleming would have intended.

              1. kinnath

                Some would argue that the original Bond movies were parodies of themselves the books

                The classic Bond movie was very sly and always winking at the audience. That’s what made it a Bond movie.

                1. T

                  One of the all-time classic moments: “This never happened to the other fellow.”

              2. Put me down for that. I didn’t see the movies first: I stole copies of the original Fleming books from my grandfather’s library, so what feels right to me are the books.

                Daniel Craig captures the sociopathic alienation of the Fleming Bond better than the other actors.

          4. An0nB0t

            The old Bond movies are borderline unwatchable for all the ham and cheese.

            Rothbard was getting senile when he started praising those things (and Pat Buchanan).

            1. invisible furry hand

              Nuh-uh. The oldest ones are still pretty lean. Once you hit Roger Moore you might as well melt your own brain, of course.

        2. John

          The problems with the Bond movies is that they are filled with hot women who never take their clothes off. It becomes a bit disappointing. Eva Green showed everything in The Dreamers but she couldn’t get any of her kit off in a bond flick?

        3. Loki

          I like the new Bond movies for what they are: i.e. James Bourne. I also like the old masogynistic James Bonds where women had names like Pussy Galore and Plenty O’Toole (named after her father, perhaps?). IOW, I can appreciate them for what they are.

    4. Rights-Minimalist Autocrat

      As an old school Trek fan, I hated it. It was cartoony. The Rifftrax does an excellent job of summing up the problems I had with it.

      Disney’s purchase of Star Wars happened 5 years too late.

      I’d love to see a new series that picked up where ST: Nemesis left off (and just treating the ST reboot like the alternate timeline it is). Nemesis sucked, but I think there is a great show to be made with an unstable Romulan empire.

      1. Auric Demonocles

        Cartoony? Compared to the Shat?

      2. KDN

        I’d love to see a new series that picked up where ST: Nemesis left off (and just treating the ST reboot like the alternate timeline it is). Nemesis sucked, but I think there is a great show to be made with an unstable Romulan empire.

        I’d agree. The problem is that they took the opening to the reboot as canon, so within 10 years Romulus / Remus are exploded in a supernova and the empire basically collapses.

        1. Rights-Minimalist Autocrat

          Even more of a reason for them to be aggressive!

      3. mr simple

        They need to make a DS9 movie.

        1. Spoonman.

          Yeah, but Sisko and Odo both ascended to their promised lands. Odo you could plausibly get back, but Sisko could only appear in lame vision sequences.

          O’Brien is back on Earth living the happy family life.

          Gul Dukat and Kai Wynn are dead. The only awesome bit character left is Garak, and he’s no longer an exile.

          So you’ve got Quark, Bashir, Worf, Odo maybe, and the fake Dax?

          Even the Vorta is dead.

          Don’t get me wrong, I’d watch as many Worf movies as they made, but DS9 really ended its storyline, unfortunately.

          1. mr simple

            Dammit, I’m only in season 5.

            1. Spoonman.

              I didn’t really ruin anything on you except the less good parts of the last episode. The parts I mentioned are not what make the finale awesome.

              My wife and I pretty much chain-smoked the last five seasons because they were so intense.

            2. Dammit, I’m only in season 5 Thank you, you’ve saved me from watching two more seasons.

              FIFY!

        2. You dumbshits all have it wrong. The only logical Star Trek movies going forward would deal with the exploits of a brash, young Alexander Rozhenko.

          1. Spoonman.

            They did make him a less crap character in his couple of appearances in DS9.

            1. “Less crap” =/= decent.

              He should have been killed outright by Worf when he got caught stealing from other kids on the Enterprise. There is no honor is being a thief.

          2. Rights-Minimalist Autocrat

            Actually, my idea for the next series featured a Lieutenant Nog.

    5. mnarayan

      It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t seem to have anything to do with Star Trek beyond recycling proper nouns.

    6. Loki

      I kind of liked it. I thought the whole time travel/ alternate reality thing was pretty clever on the part of the filmakers. It gives them a way to re-boot the franchise without totally pissing off anyone except maybe the hardest of hardcore Trekkies.

      It’s kind of like The Terminator franchise. The way I look at it, each Terminator movie takes place in its own timeline because every time Skynet and John Connor send someone back in time they change the timeline in some way, so each one is its own parallel universe.

  32. RightNut

    Congrats to the Caswells. Sad it even got as far as it did.

  33. Enough About Palin

    Documents published online for the first time Thursday indicate that the FBI opened an inquiry into New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez on August 1, 2012, focusing on repeated trips he took to the Dominican Republic with longtime campaign contributor and Miami eye doctor Salomon Melgen. TheDC reported in November that Menendez purchased the service of prostitutes in that Caribbean nation at a series of alcohol-fueled sex parties.

    The documents, which The Daily Caller had obtained hours earlier from an anonymous source, also indicate that Carrie Levine, research director at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), was alerted on April 9, 2012 to Menendez’s habit of paying for sex while outside the United States.

    Information made available to Schwartz and Levine at that time included allegations that some of Menendez’s prostitutes were as young as 16. The source also alleged that Sen. Menendez was taking “non-authorized trips” to the Dominican Republic, suggesting that he may have been evading Senate Ethics committee rules covering disclosures when third parties pay for a senator’s travel.

    Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/01…..z2IztFhcqQ

    1. John

      But he is pro abortion. So feminists will excuse statutory rape of a few brown teenage whores. Besides which, that is just how those Latins roll.

  34. Archduke Pantsfan

    This is America. We don’t need your good samaritans.

    An American woman dubbed “the cleaning fairy” by local media because she broke into a home and cleaned it without permission, has been arrested after police found her shovelling snow from a driveway without the owner’s consent.

    1. Not an Economist

      I’m not sure you can call her a good samaritan. When she cleaned the house she left a bill.

  35. John

    Just what rock did Piers Morgan crawl out from under?

    In 1996, Morgan was forced to apologize after producing a crudely anti-German front page ahead of a soccer match between England and Germany. Beneath the headline “Achtung! Surrender!”, England players were depicted in World War Two-era tin helmets, alongside a declaration by Morgan of “football war” on Germany. While Morgan claimed it was intended as harmless fun, it was the kind of mildly xenophobic stunt more usually associated with the Mirror’s rival tabloid, the right-of-center Sun ? and the sort of thing guaranteed to make a sophisticated, citizen-of-the-world liberal’s stomach turn.

    In 2000 Morgan was in trouble again after buying $100,000 worth of shares in a computer company just before it was tipped by the Mirror as a good investment, sending the share price soaring. Morgan was found to have breached the newspaper industry’s code of conduct, but kept his job.

    http://pjmedia.com/blog/where-…..epage=true

    1. invisible furry hand

      there’s a reason they call him Piers Moron in the UK. He can’t even do the traditional tease of Germans amusingly

      1. There is a bit of an art to it.

        1. Loki

          And then of course there’s also this from Top Gear: Clarkson’s infamous VW ad.

          1. NeonCat

            I can’t be the only person who wishes Clarkson had hit Morgan harder.

      2. robc

        Two World Wars and One World Cup?

        1. invisible furry hand

          i’d watch that film

      3. Ze humiliation vill be unbearable!

    2. RBS

      “a sophisticated, citizen-of-the-world liberal’

      That certainly made my stomach turn.

  36. Enough About Palin

    Grand jury clears 3 Woodbury officers who killed hostage

    In the eyes of the law, affirmed by a grand jury’s review announced Thursday, three Woodbury police officers acted properly when they shot and killed Mark E. Henderson Jr., an unarmed 19-year-old hostage trying to flee a motel room during a chaotic standoff early Aug. 31.

    But in her bereft and angry heart, his mother, Tawana Henderson, sees the decision by a Washington County grand jury not to issue an indictment as just another blow.

    “I’m kind of not surprised. I expected it,” she said Thursday. “I kind of set my mind that they weren’t going to do anything.

    “I’m not in shock. I’m very pissed off, but I’m not in shock.”

    The family has hired a lawyer and is likely to pursue civil action in the case, she said.

    Henderson was shot by police who didn’t know he was a hostage and mistakenly believed he had a weapon when he tried to flee the Red Roof Inn in the 1800 block of Wooddale Drive near the intersection of Valley Creek Road and Interstate 494.

    Demetrius S. Ballinger, 25, of North St. Paul, had taken Henderson and a group of 11 young people hostage, according to a criminal complaint charging him with more than two dozen felonies ranging from attempted second-degree murder to sexual assault. Ballinger also shot at Henderson, charges say.

    http://www.startribune.com/loc…..76271.html

    1. sarcasmic

      A grand jury can indict a ham sandwich, as long as the ham wasn’t made from a pig.

  37. John

    http://www.weeklystandard.com/…..97732.html

    Not everyone will have to abide by Senator Dianne Feinstein’s gun control bill. If the proposed legislation becomes law, government officials and others will be exempt.

    “Mrs. Feinstein’s measure would exempt more than 2,200 types of hunting and sporting rifles; guns manually operated by bolt, pump, lever or slide action; and weapons used by government officials, law enforcement and retired law enforcement personnel,” the Washington Times reports.

    So retired cops could keep their gun collections. Excuse me while I vomit at the thought of Feinstein’s existence.

    1. wareagle

      even Harry Reid is opposed to this one. And then there are the red state Dems coming up for re-election.

      1. RBS

        Yeah, I like how Obama is supposed to destroy the GOP now that he’s secure in his second term while his own party is getting prepared to die on the gun control hill.

    2. Brett L

      I have a question. Why are men registered for Selective Service not qualified to own weapons as a “reserve” force in the same manner as retired cops? Have we not sworn an oath to go if drafted?

      1. NeonCat

        You haven’t sworn an oath and put on a UNIFORM.

        It’s the uniform that makes you magically able to own firearms responsibly.

      2. ant1sthenes

        The Republicans should really amend the Selective Service bill to define all potential draftees as members of a militia per the 2A, and require ownership of and training with a militia-grade long gun. And eliminate the exemption for women.

  38. Mike M.

    John Kerry to possibly make final decision on Keystone Pipeline. Gee whiz, I wonder how this shithead is going to decide?

    1. John

      How much does he like his Democratic Friends from the Senate who are up for re-election in two years?

      1. I’m sure TEAM RED can find enough idiots like Akin and Mourdock to run for the Senate.

  39. Drake

    Dianne Feinstein’s gun control bill would exempt… Dianne Feinstein from it’s rules.

    http://www.weeklystandard.com/…..97732.html

    1. sarcasmic

      In a republic under rule of law, the law is applied equally to everyone.

      1. T

        Some animals are more equal than others.

      2. Restoras

        If we only had a republic.

        1. Loki

          “Well Mr. Franklin, what kind of government have you given us…”

          Franklin: “A republic, if you can keep it.”

          Ben Franklin: spinning in his grave for ~ the last 100 years.

  40. John

    http://www.nydailynews.com/new…..bled=false

    Welcome to New York, pal ? now go to jail.

    An Italian tourist spent his second night in the city behind bars after staff at an upscale East Side steakhouse called cops when he claimed he left his wallet at a friend’s place.

    Graziano Graziussi, a 43-year-old lawyer from Naples, is a regular at Smith & Wollensky ? but this time, barely 24 hours into his latest two-week stay in New York, he realized he didn’t have his wallet on him when a waiter presented him with the $208 bill Monday night.

    “I forgot my wallet,” the clean-cut Graziussi told the waiter ? but the staff at the Third Ave. eatery wasn’t buying it, even after Graziussi offered some pricey collateral while he went to get the cash about 30 blocks uptown.

    “I was going to leave my iPhone,” he said. “I suggested they bring a bus boy with me. . . . It would have been an easy trip.”

    But the general manager called police instead.

    Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new…..z2IzzMJAIe

    1. VG Zaytsev

      Why is that a criminal and not a civil matter?

      1. John

        Because it is New York and the cop got to put an arrest on his stat sheet.

        What is funny is that the restaurant is taking a huge public relations beating. It is killing their business. I bet that manager who called the cops is looking for a job right now. I hope the dickhead thinks it was worth it.

        1. VG Zaytsev

          Can all NY businesses use the cops to collect their past due receivables?

        2. Restoras

          Smith & Wollensky isn’t even that great relative to other steak places in Manhattan. Last time I was there my steak was so average I vowed to never go back since I can easily make a better steak at home. Keen’s Chophouse is far better.

      2. Enough About Palin

        “Why is that a criminal and not a civil matter?”

        Defrauding an Innkeeper is a crime. Now I believe the guy, but I’m not the manager.

    2. Emmerson Biggins

      I wonder how many “dine-n-dash” incidents include the perp calling attention to himself and and attempting to leave collateral before leaving. I’m guessing zero.

      Also the guy, after explaining the situation should have just left (to get the money). I’m guessing it’d be a lot harder to arrest him if he actually gets the bill paid.

  41. Loki

    J.J. Abrams will direct the new Star Wars movie.

    I always thought Star Wars needed MOAR LENSE FLAIRS. /sarc

    1. PowerBottom

      http://cdn.memegenerator.net/i…..106044.jpg

  42. mr simple

    Google better at diagnosing ailment than NHS doctors, saves boy’s life.

    1. It’s not that the docs misdiagnosed him…

      They didn’t send him for a precautionary CT scan. Why?

      I suspect that it’s because in the glorious people’s republic of great britain, there is a shortage of expensive CT scan machines.

      1. Groovus Maximus

        Correct, tarran. She got lucky.

        had persistent headaches, poor vision and vomiting

        I can pull easily 25 different DX/DDX alone off the top of my head from just this S/S pattern.

        I would also like to see the kiddo’s chart and health HX. Shoddy journalism.

        1. Enough About Palin

          WTF is poor vomiting?

  43. Alexsey Vayner is dead…

    Former Yale student infamous for ‘Impossible is Nothing’ r?sum? in which he claims he beat Pete Sampras at tennis, worked for the CIA and knew the Dalai Lama found dead at 29 after ‘drug overdose’

  44. Cop threatens to kill District Attorney in court.

    He gets a vacation and a trip to anger management classes, but will not face charges.

    1. Loki

      It’s good to know that anyone can threaten to kill a DA in court with dozens of witnesses and get off with a trip to anger management classes. You know, since there’s no double standard or anything.

  45. Corruption, witness tampering, destruction of evidence and helping drug-running gangs evade police investigations mean nothing when it’s a police officer asking for bail.

    This dude’s a piece of work. Looks like the next round of charges are going to include sexual assault of a child.

  46. Brett L

    An look at an attempted adverse possession case in FL.

    Andre “Loki” Barbosa has lived in the five-bedroom Boca Raton, Fla., waterside property since July, and police have reportedly been unable to remove him. The Brazilian national, 23, who reportedly refers to himself as “Loki Boy,” cites Florida’s “adverse possession” law in which a party may acquire title from another by openly occupying their land and paying real property tax for at least seven years.

  47. Gleep Glop

    FSU might be an interesting choice. I think Bruce Benson (who is on the Economics Faculty) is affiliated with the law school there.

  48. Eduard van Haalen

    Several chilling examples show misanthropic trends in the environmental movement:

    http://www.firstthings.com/ont…..isanthropy

    1. RyanXXX

      It really is a cult. Constantly predicting the apocalypse, wishing for mass death, etc.

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