DoJ Works on Gun Orders, Barack and Hillary Interviewed Together, Tina Turner Defects: P.M. Links

• The Department of Justice has begun efforts to implement President Barack Obama's executive orders on gun controls. First up is figuring out how to give local law-enforcement officers access to the FBI's gun sale database.

• Obama and outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be participating in a joint interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday.
• Tina Turner is well on her way to becoming a Swiss citizen. She has actually been living there since 1995.
• More than half of self-identified Republicans said they'd be okay with a government shutdown in order to force spending cuts, according to a recent poll. Sadly, they didn't separate the poll out for self-identified libertarians, who might have interrupted halfway through the question to say yes.
• France has joined several European nations and Australia in pulling its citizens out of Benghazi over security and terrorism fears.
• For 99 cents, you can read what Stephen King has to say about gun control. (Spoiler: He's for it.)

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

First up is figuring out how to give local law-enforcement officers access to the FBI's gun sale database.

They love those databases.

[Xenocles]

I hear there's this thing called the internet, which is like a series of those pneumatic interoffice tubes. Perhaps they could use this net to share this base of data.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Obama and outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be participating in a joint interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday.

Obama is going to be there to protect her like he protected Rice. Let's hope Bill pops in.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Protect from what? Some fake ginned up Benghazi accusations?

No one cares now.

[OldMexican]

What difference does it make!

[Guy Incognito]

*sob*

[fish]

No one cares now.

Well thank god for that! We know that as the only true libertarian at reason.com there is nothing more important for you than protecting the reputation of TEAM BLUE!

[barfman2013]

*barf*

[dave b.]

Vicodin for me, but not for thee.

[Episiarch]

These people are fucking sadists. It's incredibly disgusting.

[dave b.]

I wish Balko was still here. His painkiller reporting was probably the last vestige of real journalism left.

[generic Brand]

You're unable to read his stuff at HuffPo? I sort of think that's a better outlet for him. I love reason, but they still have a pretty small distribution network compared with AOL/HuffPo.

[SIV]

At HuffPo all the outrages highlighted by Balko are blamed on Booooosh!

[dave b.]

His HuffPo work seems to focus more on police militarization and wrong-door raids, not that those issues are any less important. I find it amusing that the HuffPo statists are almost never to be found in the comments section.

[generic Brand]

I guess I haven't kept up with his stuff as much since he moved his personal blog completely over to HuffPo, but I do remember last summer and fall he was still reporting on the prescription drug war, and specifically the first amendment (at least I think it was 1st amendment) case of the woman who advocated painkillers.

[Scott S.]

He did a three-part series on the painkiller battles over the summer. I recall referencing it in a blog post a month or so ago about SCOTUS declining to take up a case of prosecutorial misbehavior, I believe.

Man it feels like a nutpunch just referring to Balko, doesn't it?

[nicole]

The vote comes after similar legislation in Congress failed last year, after intense lobbying by pharmacists and drugstores.

Yeah, there's totally nothing at all wrong with a bureaucratic agency passing laws that the legislative branch of government couldn't. I mean, the New York fucking Times said it was a "growing problem," so it must be!

[nicole]

And on balance, particularly in a hard-hit state like his, the public health benefits of a recommendation to toughen restrictions on the drug probably outweigh the harm of additional burdens on legitimate pain patients.

Additionally: fuck off, slavers.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

"At the end of the day, the benefits of reducing abuse will outweigh the harm to legitimate pain patients," [Dr. Timothy Deer] said.

Did this guy take the Hippocratic Oath? What kind of utilitarian douchebag would make innocent patients suffer so a few addicts can't get pain meds as easily? Does he not realize that addicts are gonna' be addicts? Meanwhile his patients, the people that actually pay him to do his job, the people who are legitimately in pain, are just going to have to suffer. For the greater good, right Doc? Fuck this evil asshole right in his stethoscope.

[Episiarch]

Like I said: sadists.

[Andrew S.]

Doctors nowadays don't generally take the hippocratic oath.

But yeah. As the son of a woman with MS and fibromyalgia who's in constant pain (and who can't find a doctor to help her thanks to this bullcrap), I want to give a repeated fark you to this jackhole and everyone like him.

[dave b.]

Sometimes I wish I could be in these meetings so I could ask how the War on Sudafed has worked for meth use. Here's a hint, as if you didn't already know.

[JW]

"At the end of the day, the benefits of reducing abuse will outweigh the harm to legitimate pain patients," [Dr. Timothy Deer] said.

Paging ironic justice...ironic justice, you have a customer.

[Coeus]

But others including parents who had lost their children to prescription drug abuse, as well as doctors and pharmacists, testified, sometimes emotionally.

Say it with me...

FUCK YOUR KIDS!!!

[Zeb]

Or at least tell them that their idiot children killed themselves and as the parents, that is your problem, not mine.

[Coeus]

I'm thinking of making bumper stickers.

[Zeb]

I'd buy one.

[BuSab Agent]

It's probably the parents fault. The fucked up kids I've run across (not always) but generally have fucked up parents who can be directly tied to their offspring's inability to cope with life.

[A Serious Man]

New phone app lets you accurately measure and compare the size of your penis.

[gaijin]

meh. let me know when they've integrated a broadcast bluetooth signal that introduces you to nearby others, scanning for someone just their size...it could also integrate a drunk factor (-10% for every beer consumed)

[Coeus]

I think Grindr is beta testing that.

[dave b.]

Why did I just Google that?

[Dagny T.]

I am a little confused as to how they expect people to use the side of their phone to measure. That is only about 3.5 inches.

[db]

Seriously.

Maybe the real penis measurement indicator is whether you use your iphone to measure it at all.

[Warty]

This seems like it could be an Iron Law: If you measure your dong, you suck at fucking.

[nicole]

Even aside from that, on what planet is it easier to measure something against a phone than against a ruler or tape measure?

[gaijin]

Probably they figure you will always know where your phone is.

[Proprietist]

It's all a big joke to make men never forget what they placed against the screen they are now holding up to their mouth.

[Enough About Palin]

"New phone app lets you accurately measure and compare the size of your penis."

What difference, at this point, does it make?

[nicole]

+1 major cabinet position

[A Serious Man]

What difference, at this point, does it make?

Trying to flame the thread with a circumcision debate I see.

[HellsBells]

But thanks to the post about the B&B in Phoenix, we all know you can regrow your foreskin if you are still traumatized about a decision that was forced upon you as an infant...

[Episiarch]

Tina Turner is well on her way to becoming a Swiss citizen. She has actually been living there since 1995.

We do need another hero, I guess.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Two men enter, one diva leaves.

[Episiarch]

WHO RUN GENEVA TOWN?

[Fist of Etiquette]

You can shovel chocolate, can't you?

[Dagny T.]

I hope it is for tax reasons. Seeing a bunch of famous people ditch their US citizenship would be awesome.

[Jerry on the boat]

The new national anthem of Switzerland will be Simply The Best.

[SIV]

They can have her.

[BakedPenguin]

Huh, SIV is Ike. Explains a lot, actually.

[SIV]

Ike was 100 times the talent of Tina.

[generic Brand]

Oh, I thought you meant Eisenhower. That just confused me more, though.

[NeonCat]

Did he warn against the entertainment-industrial complex?

[SIV]

Ike Turner warned against lyin' backstabbin' bitches. It was too late for him though.

[Enough About Palin]

"They can have her."

You're an idiot.

[SIV]

No Tina!

[Anonymous Coward]

France's richest man moves to Belgium and takes multi-billion pound fortune with him 'to avoid new socialist super-tax'

The richest man in France has officially transferred his multi-billion pound fortune out of his homeland to Belgium.
Bernard Arnault, head of luxury goods group LVMH, insists he has moved his assets for 'family inheritance reasons'.
But others are convinced that the 63-year-old has joined other tycoons and celebrities in wanting to avoid taxes ? including a 75 per cent top rate on income ? introduced by Socialist President Francois Hollande.

Someone should explain to this damn rich person that paying 75% on your income is a patriotic duty. It's the cost of civilization, dammit!

[db]

U.S. didn't mean it, baby!

[DJF]

Sure the military will maintain standards for combat troops, as long as they "really" explain to the Secretary of Defense why the standards are so high that they are keeping out women.

""""GEN. DEMPSEY - Importantly, though, if we do decide that a particular standard is so high that a woman couldn't make it, the burden is now on the service to come back and explain to the secretary, why is it that high? Does it really have to be that high? """"

http://www.defense.gov/transcr.....iptid=5183

[Sidd Finch]

inconceivable

[NeonCat]

Oh, good, a political general.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

That's most of them.

If you're not political, you get (at best) to full-bird colonel -- though more likely than not you stay stuck as a Light Colonel.

[NeonCat]

Yes, I think I've seen others (possibly you?) discuss that around here, as well as reading it in popular literature.

It's a good thing our armed forces face third string opponents. Political generals tend to not do as well as fighting generals in actual wars.

[T]

I called this earlier this week. They are going to drop the standards down to where they can get women in. Yay!

I'm glad I'm out.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Stevie Wonder could have seen that one coming -- and he doesn't know anything about the military!

[SIV]

I'd hit it:

Teacher facing additional sex charges

[$park?]

With a shovel?

[iggy]

That sure is a nice piece of white trash you got there, SIV.

[NeonCat]

As a descendent of rednecks and white trash, your microaggression and othering is unacceptable!

[Anonymous Coward]

4/10.

27 going on 45. Would not hit. SIV can have it.

[Zeb]

OK, but imagine you are 17, that is your teacher, and she is not making the "oh shit" mugshot face, or the "I'm a stupid slut" face. You'd be there in a second (and probably for a second).

[geneparmesano]

Ike Turner really is fucked up...

[Rich]

Finally, Feinstein's actual bill. Read it and weep; but I don't imagine this thing will pass.

[Andrew S.]

Zero chance it will pass.

Can't wait to see if a single dem outside of the deep blue states dares to put their name in support of this bill. Especially if any of them are up for re-election in 2014.

[generic Brand]

I wish I had the confidence of you and so many others. Seeing this story earlier makes me question the idea that another gun control act will NEVER pass:

Teen says horror film inspired him to murder family

He basically decided to murder mother and sister, thought about doing it with a knife, then switched for a .22 because he didn't want them to "suffer".

Then don't fucking kill them you idiot!!

[Zeb]

I hate those stories. It is such crap to try to link violence to movies. The sort of person who would be inspired by a movie to kill his family is probably not to far from being inspired by the voices in his head to kill his family.

[Enough About Palin]

Tell 'em it the movie.

/kid's lawyer

[Stormy Dragon]

(36) The term "semiautomatic assault weapon" means any of the following, regardless of country of manufacture or caliber of ammunition accepted:

...

(D) A semiautomatic pistol that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any 1 of the following:

...

(v) A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm.

Doesn't that make EVERY single Glock an assault weapon on account of the Glock 18?

[HellsBells]

Yes. And that is one of many reasons I am pissed.

[nicole]

A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm.

Well, they had to find some way of stopping those dastardly gun manufacturers from circumventing the law and making legal versions of illegal guns!

[SIV]

No
Only the ones that take a G-18 magazine.
The G-18 is actually a full-auto version of the G-17.

[Stormy Dragon]

G-18s don't use special G-18 only magazines.

[dave b.]

1911's for everybody!

[Gray Ghost]

Brought this up a week ago when we were looking at the trial version of this bill. IMHO, it does. You can find numerous experts to testify that there's no substantive difference between the Safe Action mechanism in the G18, and the one in every other Glock. If you want to argue that it only affects 9mm, given that I think you could get someone like Lone Wolf to get you a 40 SW or 357 Sig barrel that'll fit the same frame, given a different slide, good luck. The mags'll be different, of course.

I'm sure, like the armor-piercing bullet controversy in the 80s also corralling every single center-fire rifle bullet, that this was completely unintentional.

/sarc

[Fist of Etiquette]

She's either screwing over or helping Democrats in anti-gun control states. They only put up legislation that they know won't pass if it will help their own or hurt the other side.

[Rich]

They only put up legislation that they know won't pass if it will help their own or hurt the other side.

It's a "compromise" tactic. "OK, we'll give up on *this* Ban if you'll simply go along with *that* lesser Ban, which helps us boil the frog."

[A Serious Man]

New book discusses the health of famous writers, such as Shakespeare who had syphilis.

[NeonCat]

Did he, or did the person who REALLY wrote his plays have syphilis?

[Rich]

*** golf CLAP ***

[Stormy Dragon]

No no, that's Gonorrhea.

[Xenocles]

I thought her name was Goneril.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Tina Turner is well on her way to becoming a Swiss citizen.

She didn't want to face the wheel.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

I am behind on my Reason reading, I just finished skimming the A.M. links and Jesus fucking Christ this:

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

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Pretty much the end of high school sports in public schools. Another reason (drink!) to send your kid to private schools. Or home school, and get you kid on a club team.

[Pi Guy]

This will do to athletes who compete without the need for accommodation exactly what Title IX did for men's sports.

"8 boy's sports teams, 8 for the girls. But only 3 PL 94-142 sports? Looks like field hockey and baseball have got to go..."

[johnl]

Who here isn't looking forward to the CIF blind basketball championships?

[VG Zaytsev]

It's a differently abled standard, so only the point guard will be blind.

[Coeus]

Everything We Don't Like is Rape: Part 258

But all of it ? the violence, the domestic abuse, the street harassment, the online harassment, the gang-rapes, the abortion debates, the contraception battles ? comes down to a desire to control women, and rage when that control isn't maintained.

[iggy]

Wait...the abortion debates and contraception battles? There are clearly valid reasons to disagree with feminists on both those issues, as many women do.

Any side of any political debate which we disagree with is seeking control over women! Hoozah!

[NeonCat]

False consciousness. Those womyn are gender-traitors.

[Andrew S.]

Those aren't women, Tom. Those are womynysts.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

I hope that in my absence y'all haven't forgotten Amanda Marcotte. Because she hasn't forgotten you:

This is what the NRA's sole purpose is: To drum up racist resentments and gender anxieties so that their industry funders can sell more guns to their customers. This ad, which I'm not linking, might as well just come out and say it: "Mad that the President thinks he's all that because he's the President? Well, why not buy a gun? It won't make you President, but it will give you the illusion of having more power."

[nicole]

She thinks "political assassination is sadly common"? Yeah I'm not going to read any further than that.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Even more amusingly, she blames all of these (non-existent) political assassinations on the easy availability of guns in the US.

I guess other countries with gun control which employ bodyguards for heads of state just do it for shits and giggles.

[Brett L]

I hope she meant political assassination is sadly uncommon.

[fish]

I hope she meant political assassination is sadly uncommon.

Political character assassination is all too common and thank god that Amandas presence whacked John Edwards campaign before he could cause the US any additional embarassment!

[Heroic Mulatto]

Do you listen to and transcribe the random logorrhea of homeless schizophrenics as well? Because I'd rather read that than Marcotte.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

I like to think that I'm doing my part to help discover the Chomskyan semantically nonsensical sentence.

[Anonymous Coward]

To drum up racist resentments

That's pretty fucking hilarious, seeing as how the gun grabbers have a long and proud history of wanting to keep black people, poor white trash, and immigrants from owning weapons, lest they get the idea that they had a right to defend themselves from criminals or the agents of the state.

Even the 1968 Gun Control Act, as pointed out by gun control advocate Robert Sherill in The Saturday Night Special was intended to assuage the fears of white people that uppity negroes might get guns and riot, though Congress would never openly admit to such.

[NeonCat]

Re: GCA 68, also hippies, what with the "unlawful user of or addicted to illegal substances". Granted, it helped with you know, the negroes, since they were always hopped up on something.

[Coeus]

Told y'all this was gonna be the new go-to talking point:

judybrowni Christine Guinn ? 3 days ago ?
Nor is it about assault rifles for all, but a "well-regulated militia" -- it was originally about slave owners hunting down slave rebellions.

If you have slaves who hate you, Christine, better put together that "well-regulated" militia.

[NeonCat]

Can we get the CDC to research the epidemic of unbelievably stupid notions?

No, no we can't. They have their own stupid notions to research.

[Zeb]

Thanks a lot asshole. I had forgotten about Amanda Marcotte.

[Stormy Dragon]

I suppose the Stephen King thing isn't too suprising. The standard anti-gun depiction of guns as evil devices that take control of their owners and force them to kill people sounds like a Stephen King plot.

[Episiarch]

King is a very good writer, but now that I think about it, I cannot recall one instance of positive gun use (for defense, hunting, etc.) in any of his book (that I have read, since he wrote a ton of books).

[The Immaculate Trouser]

I think that's a general tendency among horror/suspense writers. With the exception of Dean Koontz, I can't think of a mainstream writer in that category who portrays gun use positively.

[Chris Mallory]

Larry Correia, author the of Monster Hunter series, is very pro gun.

[Gray Ghost]

And while Larry is funny as hell---"HK: Because you suck. And we hate you"---and I recommend his blog, he's a little less known than the Koontzs and Kings of the world.

King's Dark Tower series comes to mind, but it really reinforces the stereotype. Roland is the archetypal "Top Man" in that world, and it's stated that very few people are worthy of owning and carrying guns.

[Translucent Chum]

Roland Deschain?

[Jeff]

Uh... every Dark Tower book?

[Episiarch]

Didn't read any Dark Tower stuff. Did you see my disclaimer about it being in books I had read?

Speaking of horror, I'm reading John Dies at the End right now and it is great.

[generic Brand]

C'mon! I hadn't even got past the title yet!

[Guy Incognito]

David Wu is scum. Pure, unadulterated, hard-left scum.

[Guy Incognito]

*ahem*...David Wong, I mean, of course. Whatever. He's a piece of shit.

[Episiarch]

David Wong isn't a real person, you fucking idiot.

[Guy Incognito]

It's the "pen-name" that he also uses for professional editorial uses, such as running the HuffPo Jr. website "Cracked."

[Guy Incognito]

Actually, I can't let this go...I've been lurking at Reason for quite awhile, so let me get this straight, Episiarch: you are a "libertarian," yet you endorse the work of a POS like Wong who has done more to promulgate Statist "progressive" inculcation with his "humor" website Cracked than a million Obama web-ads could ever have done? You do realize that he is, for all practical purposes, a paid DNC shill, right?

[Episiarch]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Fucktard can't separate enjoyment of a good book from its author. What a moron you are. Have you even read it? You do realize in the book, David and John are essentially anarchists, operating outside the law, with plenty of guns?

You should have kept lurking, then you wouldn't have revealed how fucking stupid you are.

[Guy Incognito]

I'm still laughing at your first response. "Mark Twain isn't a real person, you fucking idiot."

There's enough good literature out there that I'm not going to pay to enrich some liberal activist's pockets for a mediocre-at-best "thriller" from whoever the fuck he is. Oh, it's got guns? Well then I'll run right out and slip $5 into that Obama campaigner's ban account, you ignorant dipshit.

Every liberal stooge is an "anarchist" when it comes to their own personal behavior. His politics are as Statist as they come.

[Episiarch]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Live that KULTUR WAR, moron! Or rather, don't live it. Enjoy filtering every decision you make through a political lens. It's so nice not being fucktarded like people like you. I can actually enjoy things for what they are.

And (of course!) you're mendaciously sidestepping the fact that you haven't read it, yet are judging whether it's good or not, making you doubly retarded. "It's not good because I don't like the politics of the author! WAAAH!"

Do you hate all movies, there, buddy? Do you put money into Obama's account when you rent one? You don't give one dime to anything that might have come from a liberal?

Jesus Christ people like you are stupider than dirt. Way to stop lurking; it allowed you to start being actively retarded instead.

[Guy Incognito]

Episiarch, though you're clearly a drooling, over-excitable retard (and I am so sorry I insulted your new favorite author), you do actually veer toward a legitimate point in your spastic reactionary seizure. Paying for any sort of Hollywood entertainment can arguably be said to pad some liberal's pockets. How does one justify it?

For me there is a line, one that I personally draw at whim. Is that okay? Am I allowed to have a personal line? "Wong," or whatever his stupid fucking name is, runs a major left-wing propaganda outlet. He makes it his life's work to convert young dumbass sci-fi fans to Left-Wing Orthodoxy. He literally prohibits so much as a HINT of conservative or libertarian opinion from his website's comments and message boards.

Some of the non-political articles on his website are funny. I have read many of his own articles. They are stupid. I sincerely doubt that his novel is SO great that I should set aside what a complete asshole he is to fork over money for any of his work.

I wouldn't read a Jonah Goldberg novel either, even if some random fool like you said it was "pretty good" here, for much the same reason.

Sorry.

[prolefeed]

Paying for any sort of Hollywood entertainment can arguably be said to pad some liberal's pockets. How does one justify it?

So, if you want to smoke weed, and everyone who you know who sells it has politics you don't like, you don't smoke weed?

If someone runs a hella good bakeshop, but they are lefty hippies, do you buy mediocre bread elsewhere?

And so on.

[Heroic Mulatto]

*shrugs*

I've never thought to pick up John Dies at the End because David Wong's lefty rants on "Cracked" are sooooo self-righteous and unfunny. Based on his "Cracked" work, I doubt I would enjoy it. But you're right about separating the artist from his or her work.

[Coeus]

If you only take in libertarian entertainment, what do you do when you've run out of Heinlen novels and Firefly episodes?

[Guy Incognito]

Jesus Christ...it's NOT that I "only take in libertarian entertainment," but Wong is a fervent, open, and EFFECTIVE Liberal Ideologue. He uses his editorial position to actively and tirelessly promote the Democratic Party to millions of young people. Plus he is a shitty writer. I've read his work--he's just not very good.

Holy fuck. All Hail David Fucking Wong.

[Coeus]

but Wong is a fervent, open, and EFFECTIVE Liberal Ideologue.

As is most of the entertainment industry. The point stands.

[Cyto]

Firefly might be a libertarian favorite, but it's creator wouldn't pass a purity test. He has expressed consternation that his creations wind up more libertarian than his personal progressive politics would suggest.

So sorry, no Firefly for you.

[Brandon]

Racist.

[Guy Incognito]

Naw, I'm like the Ivy league: I'm not racist, I just hate Asians.

[Brandon]

I was referring to you getting the name wrong in an extremely racist fashion. And most of John Dies at the End is pretty good, even if it drags at some points.

[db]

Read each of them knowing anything about firearms and you'll find countless cringeworthy statements. He knows nothing about them short of what he watched in westerns as a kid.

[Coeus]

Read each of them knowing anything about firearms and you'll find countless cringeworthy statements.

Yeah, I remember some of the stuff with Eddie in New York being particularly strange. And I was 12 when I read it.

[db]

That's one of the specific examples I had in mind. King's depiction of an M16 in that one scene is particularly ignorant.

[db]

He is obviously completely ignorant about guns. In his writing he shows his ass consistently about technical details related to firearms.

[Lord Peter Wimsey]

King's over-rated as hell. Tried to reread SALEM'S LOT (liked it when I was 16); what a thoroughly uninteresting book. Props to King for restarting Vampire genre, but seriously, most of the characters should have died of boredom.

And tell that pussy King that he can STILL pay more taxes voluntarily if he wants to, instead of trying to get mine raised.

[Stormy Dragon]

Both "The Body" and "The Mist" show positive defensive uses of guns.

[Coeus]

"The Mist" has always been my favorite story by him. I loved it when it was made into a movie. But "The Body"? It really shows how King thinks guns are magic. Ace just stops? Wasn't he supposed to be psycho? Why wouldn't he just catch the kid later after school when he doesn't have a gun?

[Stormy Dragon]

Why wouldn't he just catch the kid later after school when he doesn't have a gun?

"Some days after the confrontation, Ace and Fuzzy break Gordie's nose and fingers and kick him in the testicles, and are on the verge of harming him more seriously when they are run off by Gordie's neighbor, Aunt Evvie Chalmers. Chris's brother breaks his arm and "leaves his face looking like a Canadian sunrise". Teddy and Vern get less severe beatings."

[Coeus]

I stand corrected.

[General Butt Naked]

Why wouldn't he just catch the kid later after school when he doesn't have a gun?

I think he does. Not sure, but as I remember it, Ace beats the shit out of all of them at a later date.

[Zeb]

Steven King really needs to start doing blow and drinking again. I don't want to hear your idiotic political opinions, I want you to write fucked up, scary fiction.

[HellsBells]

So that's where that 11-yr-olds gang banging in a sewer scene came from. Cocaine's a hell of a drug.

[Zeb]

Yeah, I think that's pretty much it. He used to get shit faced and do tons of blow and write like a crazy person.

[Translucent Chum]

Is his anti classic car pamphlet in the .99 bin too?

[mr simple]

Maximum Overdrive II? Who made who indeed.

[Fist of Etiquette]

More than half of self-identified Republicans said they'd be okay with a government shutdown in order to force spending cuts...

And more than half self-identified Democrats would be okay with a gun manufacturing shutdown to force knife cuts or whatever their reasons.

[generic Brand]

I asked the morning links gang for some help earlier, but perhaps the evening links crew could offer some insights into some potential areas I will be attending school in the fall.

I wasn't planning on having a car, but it sounds like with the exception of Chicago I should rethink that.

Basically, the schools I've been accepted into or am still waiting to hear back from are in Chicago, Houston, Baltimore, Lexington, Louisville, Miami, Tallahassee, and Charlotte. I would be grateful if you could offer any insights into how easy it is to get around said cities, additional knowledge of transit in those places, or just general housing/living-in-the-area knowledge.

A big thanks to everyone who replied in the AM Links as well.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Baltimore being U of Baltimore?

[generic Brand]

It is U of Baltimore. That was more of a "it's somewhat close to DC" school, so it's not the highest on my list. But we'll see.

[CornerCubicle]

I wouldn't rely on the Baltimore bus system. If you can find a place within walking distance of the University of Baltimore, then it's not as important. But you might want to use a car for getting groceries or visiting some place.

Also, I would also add that in addition to the problems of Baltimore bus system, I'd be reluctant to give up a car in Baltimore, because of crime. People get mugged and assaulted near the University of Baltimore, and, for that matter, near Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland.

I'm not saying you can't go without a car in Baltimore; I know multiple people who do. But be aware that you're not moving to a European city which has reliable mass transport and where there is a lot of street crime.

[Episiarch]

When I went to Hopkins, Baltimore sucked getting around. It only had bus service, and that was unreliable and shitty. Especially with Hopkins being way in the north. Ballmer sucks anyway. And so does Johns Hopkins, if that's where you're thinking of going.

[Andrew S.]

Miami has very little transit. It's even worse when you go out to where FIU is.

Honestly, I like living down here, but if you can go to another school, don't go to FIU. Even if you wanted to work down here a degree from FSU is going to do you more good than an FIU degree.

(lawyer in South Florida here)

[EDG reppin' LBC]

FSU has a bit of a libertarian streak running through the law dept. and econ dept. if I remember correctly.

[Andrew S.]

Haven't a clue. I was there my freshman and sophomore years of undergrad. That was 1995-1997. Even if it was true then, who knows nowadays.

But I did work with a professor from the law school there recently, and from what I gathered from the way he talked, there's something of a chance that you're correct.

[SIV]

Tallahassee is commie-town USA.

[BakedPenguin]

Econ professor Gwartney.

[mr simple]

Yes, FSU is known as a very free market econ department.

[Rick O'Shay]

Houston's got decent public transit, but you'll be sweating your ass off and walking into class with a completely soaked shirt just from waiting 5 minutes at the bus stop, or walking from the bus stop to wherever you're going. Better get a car.

[Coeus]

You definitely need a car in Houston. And if you like wearing jackets (i.e. having enough pockets to carry all your shit) stay away. It was almost 85 degrees today. In fucking January.

[Gray Ghost]

What Coeus said.

Basically, GB; go to the highest ranked school you can, (and since you're not talking about the top 15) in the geographical area where you will want to practice law. And then don't fucking go. Or, delay admission one year, and see if you can work as a paralegal or file clerk for a law firm. See what lawyers do all day. It will at least help you get residency for tuition and make your loans slightly less penal. If you've done that already, and still want to be one, great! Then look at employment figures. Real ones, not the bullshit the school's career services offices turns out, the ones that count working at Starbucks as employed 6 mo after graduation.

What sort of law are you thinking that you might be interested in?

Consider that most of the lawyers on this board (I am not one) are recommending that people not go to law school.

Oh yeah, google "Tom The Temp" for an idea of what document review (what you'll end up doing if you don't sky your 1L grades) is like.

[generic Brand]

Police capture dogs after woman trapped in car Watch Video

Officials said the woman was getting out of her car when the dogs ran up, growling and foaming at the mouth.

So two growling, foaming-at-the-mouth dogs are attacking a woman trapped in her car, and cops wait for animal control to show up. Meanwhile, any dog barking while tied up in the back yard is a threat to the safety of the officers?

NWA said it best.

[Heroic Mulatto]

NWA said it best.

Ah, yes. You must have in mind "I'm expressin' with my full capabilities and now I'm doin' time in correctional facilities", yes?

[Heroic Mulatto]

Whoops, wrong link.

[generic Brand]

Sadly, Youtube is blocked at my work. But sure, that's what I was referring to.

[Rick O'Shay]

I was thinking "Fuck tha Police" off the the Straight Outta Compton album.

[BakedPenguin]

I'm pretty sure HM's comment was tongue in cheek.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Senator Sackless Chambliss (R-Ga) not running for reelection. No more need for chickenhawks these days it seems.

[SIV]

He was too liberal for GA. I look forward to Paul Broun crushing Kassim Read and causing all the liberals' heads to explode.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Paul Broun "Ban Playboy!" is American Taliban all the way.

And as you say, perfect for Georgia.

[SIV]

Paul Broun is a "Ron Paul Republican".
Voted against the Patriot Act renewal along with Justim Amash. He's easily the second most libertarian member of the new congress.

[Stormy Dragon]

"All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell...I don't believe that the Earth's but about 9,000 years old" -- Paul Broun

We don't need another culture war loony running around pretending to be the face of libertarianism.

[VG Zaytsev]

What is anti-libertarian about any of that, Cosmo?

[Stormy Dragon]

You were probably waiting for Akin and Mourdock to make all the liberals' heads explode too. How'd that work out for you?

[rts]

Canada, always a little slow and behind the US, is finally catching on to the energy-drink mixed with alcohol hysteria.

The answer, of course, is taxes:

They suggest a flat tax on energy drinks or a variable tax that reflects caffeine content, such as Saskatchewan's, as well as harm-reduction campaigns to encourage young people not to mix alcohol with energy drinks.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Cyprus is defaulting on its sovereign debt.

But I thought that defaulting on sovereign debt was a myth that evil right-wingers use to cut spending on the poor?

[Jerry on the boat]

Cyprus is allowed to default because only Russians bank there.

[rts]

Greenland was about eight degrees warmer 130,000 years ago than it is today, an analysis of an almost three-kilometre-long ice core in Greenland has revealed.

And yet was still covered in ice. But fear not, the doom is never too far behind:

"Most of the contribution to sea level rise comes from these two big ice reserves [in Greenland and the Antarctica] so one of the possible interpretations is Antarctica is more susceptible to climate change than we thought."

[A Serious Man]

Ah the casual racism of liberals: Gawker mocks gun rights group for trying to reach out to minorities.

Apparently it's impossible for white conservative people to want to empower black people by granting them access to arms.

[Episiarch]

Reading Gawker can make you retarded, dude, so be careful. I mean, more retarded than you already are, of course.

[Warty]

Don't be stupid. He's already as retarded as it gets.

Who's the retard now?

[Episiarch]

You are.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Please. You are all retarded.

[OldMexican]

I saw what you did there. Very Solomonic.

[A Serious Man]

It's retards all the way down.

[Xenocles]

You can't be retarded here, this is reason!

[A Serious Man]

I linked a story about a penis measuring app up thread. You're welcome.

[Episiarch]

That's retarded.

[A Serious Man]

Pat: My real passion is my hobby.

Mary: Oh really? What's that?

Pat: I work with retards.

Mary: (visibly uncomfortable) Um isn't that a little politically incorrect?

Pat: To hell with that, no one's going to tell me who I can and can't work with.

[Episiarch]

Sara: What I'd like to know is, why are there retarded people in school with my daughter?

Principal Onyx Blackman: Mrs. Blank, we're doing our best to weed them out, but some of these retards are extremely clever.

[nicole]

Y'all are making me want cake.

[HellsBells]

I know! And no one insulted Epi's mom... You guys are slipping.

[iggy]

How about this comment:

"I'm not sure how inner city cops would feel about a political campaign telling the black community that they need guns primarily for the killing of white authority figures."

Submit, negro! Our police officers only want what's best for you! Having the capacity to defend yourself is a threat to our authority!

[iggy]

HAHAHAHA! Even better:

"This is a big fucking joke. These folks were nowhere when kids were consistently getting killed by gun violence in minority neighborhoods. Add the fact that not too long ago folks along the same line were all for gun control when the Black Panthers were armed."

Hey, guys. Remember that time the NRA was in favor of gun control because they wanted to stop black people from having firearms? I don't, mostly because it didn't fucking happen.

[MJGreen]

Obviously it has to have been gun-loving Republicans back then, because Democrats aren't racist.

[MJGreen]

Here you go: "I say let them get their way and go arm every poor, African American (especially in the South). We'll see how quickly we'll get Gun Control then"

[iggy]

My God. They honestly can't figure out that people are in favor of gun rights ON PRINCIPLE and that it's not an issue of which groups get to have them. Everyone can own guns. That's why it's a right.

It must be pretty sad to live in a world where absolutely everything is about race.

[nicole]

No, some things are about gender, or weight, or sexual orientation.

[wareagle]

I think to the left, pretty much everything is about gender or weight or orientation or race or some other checkblock.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Mr. Colion Noir, what do you have to say?

[mr simple]

"I don't judge you because you walk around your living room painting yourself with glitter pretending to be a vampire."

Hilarious and level headed.

[mr simple]

Ice-T on gun control.

[HellsBells]

Most likely said by someone who has never lived in the south.

[nicole]

Wow that was super duper extra racist

[Episiarch]

All their masks are slipping. It's kind of incredible to watch. They're starting to transform into their true selves: fascists.

[A Serious Man]

Basically black people have zero impulse control. So if you try to pitch the empowering aspect of gun ownership to minorities by using a fictional character who was wronged by state-sanctioned slavery as an example, you're inciting violence in them.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

They are unbelievably fleet of foot.

[Enough About Palin]

And lawdy how they can sing and dance!

[Anonymous Coward]

Remember the narrative. The pro-gun rights people are the racists for wanting to reach out and inform black people about gun rights and gun safety, not the people who want to disarm black people while keeping their own bodyguards and "May Issue" concealed carry permits.

[MJGreen]

I'm not sure if Ward, who is white, has seen the movie that now animates his new project, but from the way he's speaking, it seems as if he hasn't. It's not really a spoiler alert to say that Django Unchained is most memorable for the fact that its titular character slaughters nearly every white person he sees?armed or unarmed, male or female?and with relish.

Wow, way to prove you didn't see the movie either, shitbird. It's really not a spoiler to say that Django's partner and friend is a white man. He also seems to befriend a white US Marshal.

The white people he kills are, you know, slave owners and enforcers.

[prolefeed]

"What Would Django Do?": a campaign that asks black people to look to the heavily armed and ceaselessly murderous hero from Quentin Tarantino's latest film when considering purchasing a firearm.

Aaaaah, "ceaselessly murderous" -- it's like they didn't actually watch Django Unchained carefully enough to notice that

1) The black hero is Best Buddies Forever with an equally heroic German guy, because said white guy is trying to free the black hero's wife, who is literally a slave.

2) Every white person Django kills fucking richly deserves it -- slavers all of them.

The plot of the movie is "fuck off, slavers."

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Catalonian independence proceeds apace. (More Spanish-language info here.)

For my money, this is the most underreported story of the Eurozone.

[Episiarch]

If this actually happens, I will be very surprised.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

I will too, but then again I was surprised when Yugoslavia balkanized, as well.

Whether it happens or not, there's going to be a lot of political wrangling on this issue -- especially as the Spanish government continues to respond badly to the Eurozone economic crisis.

[Episiarch]

If the Catalans leave, the Spanish will be in even bigger trouble, that's for sure. I almost think that even though they constitutionally have to let them leave (I believe), they might find some way to stop them.

[NeonCat]

Doesn't Spain have lots of unemployed youth? Couldn't they just, I don't know, reconquista it? Or is that not acceptable in today's namby-pamby Europe?

I worked in an independent video store years ago. We had the largest selection of foreign films in the area. Had a couple come in once and leave without renting because we didn't have anything in Catalan.

[Rich]

I'll bet the Catalonians didn't even have the decency to petition the Spanish President's website about this.

[Heroic Mulatto]

The independence movement is mostly motivated by Catalonians not wanting to sound gay anymore.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Jeesh, dude. You must really like Russell Peters. That's like the 50th time you've linked to him this week. Why don't you just marry him?

[Archduke Pantsfan]

he's overrated

[Heroic Mulatto]

A comic whose humor mostly revolves around linguistics? Yeah, it's like crack for me.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

We went to see him last week in Los Angeles. It was hilarious.

[Calidissident]

Those racist, right-wing Catalonians thinking they can secede! Don't they know only evil slave owners support such nonsense?

[Heroic Mulatto]

Say what you want, but Spain owned/sold a shitload of slaves.

[cw]

OT: Stupid Facebook people. A high school acquaintance just wrote in her status box, "Yay yay yay Affordable Care Act! You just save me $540 a year on birth control."

Subsidies for fucking. Fuck you!

[Warty]

Everyone who doesn't deserve to be gassed in a death camp deserted Facebook long ago, dude. Don't come crying to me about it when you're getting gassed in a death camp with a bunch of retards.

[cw]

Meh, I usually only go on Facebook to see what distant family members are doing. Just pointing out another example of how trying to democratically repeal the ACA will be damn-near impossible.

Democracy: now you can be a part of the extractive class!

[SIV]

A friend of mine actually posted something about "mansplaining" on fb yesterday. How all the White Male Rethuglicans were mansplaining to Hillary but she wrote the book on how to shut them down.

[nicole]

I think that was in PM links yesterday because I saw it too. Yeah, here it is. I don't know what word to use for some horrible combination of pathetic and insulting.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

"douche chill"

[iggy]

You see Nicole, even when you rise to an important position like Secretary of State, all that really matters is that you have a vagina. Obviously if an ambassador were killed and there were a male Secretary of State, nobody would really care.

[Killazontherun]

And it only cost her $1160 in taxes. What a bargain!

[A Serious Man]

So what if abortion ends life?

Here's the complicated reality in which we live: All life is not equal. That's a difficult thing for liberals like me to talk about, lest we wind up looking like death-panel-loving, kill-your-grandma-and-your-precious-baby storm troopers. Yet a fetus can be a human life without having the same rights as the woman in whose body it resides. She's the boss. Her life and what is right for her circumstances and her health should automatically trump the rights of the non-autonomous entity inside of her. Always.

I don't think this woman really understands the implications of such a position.

[OldMexican]

Re: A Serious Man,

Here's the complicated reality in which we live: All life is not equal.

She can repeat the above as comforting mantra while waiting for her execution when the Revolution finally comes...

[Warty]

I think the "complicated" is the best part. It's like she's doing her best to imitate a wooden Rand villain.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

It really does read like something where the writer was trying her best to come off as an evil sociopath.

[Eduard van Haalen]

So what am I, chopped liver?

http://reason.com/blog/2013/01.....nt_3506095

[A Serious Man]

I missed yesterday's PM links. But retroactive h/t to you.

[cw]

All life is not equal.

I'm sure that only applies to fetuses.

[Anonymous Coward]

Dumbass Barbie:

Ethics are hard!

[fish]

She's the boss. Her life and what is right for her circumstances and her health should automatically trump the rights of the non-autonomous entity inside of her. Always.

Unless she needs to defend said life with an AR15.

[OldMexican]

France Shows New Signs of Recession

The old signs were becoming part of the landscape, so no one was noticing; not the 11% who are permanently unemployed, not the overpaid and impossible-to-fire bureaucrats, not the few industrialists with all the political connections, not the licensed trinket seller on the bridge...

[db]

Steve Jobs' consciousness was uploaded to the Internet at his death; begins taking profits to finance next world domination effort.

[A Serious Man]

Steve Jobs was a skin-job?

[OldMexican]

Obama and outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be participating in a joint interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday.

Wouldn't it be fun if, all of a sudden during the interview, Barry points at her and says "She did it!"?

[dave b.]

That's exactly what's going to happen, just worded differently. Mistakes were made. Procedures were followed.

[Libertymike]

Ordered the hit on Vince?

[Archduke Pantsfan]

The fountain of youth is found in snail slime

[OldMexican]

Growing Popularity of Barter Draws CA Tax Man's Attention

He'll be asking for 8.25% of the horse you just traded for your tractor.

You can give him the tongue - that's the most delicious part, especially if done barbacoa style.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

A cat that thinks its a dog

[OldMexican]

A monkey that thinks he's an ass.

[Warty]

One of mine is 8 for 8.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

11-year-old fakes own kidnapping to miss school report dressing down by parents

[Brandon]

Did that make sense to anyone else?

[OldMexican]

France has joined several European nations and Australia in pulling its citizens out of Benghazi over security and terrorism fears.

Ah, pulling them out of Benghazi - now, that's an idea!

[Enough About Palin]

Real men do not pull out.

[Anonymous Coward]

Obama Doubles Down On Clinton's Mistake

Despite new evidence the Community Reinvestment Act led to riskier lending and played a key role in the subprime mortgage crisis, the Obama administration is broadening the anti-redlining regulation's authority and scope, spooking bankers.

A recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the nation's pre-eminent economic research group, states that the CRA "clearly" had a major impact on the flood of subprime loans made in the late 1990s and 2000s, which directly led to the housing crisis.

By quietly expanding the regulation, analysts say President Obama is picking up where President Clinton left off in April 1995, when he rewrote rules for what had been a largely toothless law as first drafted in 1977.

We've patched the bubble! Now let's reinflate that mofo! No way will it burst again!

[Palin's Buttplug]

What a load of shit. Banks now require a gold standard FICO score for a mortgage.

Quit listening to redneck AM radio, dude.

[iggy]

Redneck AM radio like the National Bureau of Economic Research.

You don't read well, do you?

[iggy]

Redneck AM radio like the National Bureau of Economic Research.

You don't read well, do you?

[Palin's Buttplug]

The article only states that loans be "made available" to borrowers in bank subsidized areas.

No one is "forcing" a bank to loan money though.

This shit has been debunked so many times the Teabagger House does not take it seriously.

[iggy]

"A recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the nation's pre-eminent economic research group, states that the CRA "clearly" had a major impact on the flood of subprime loans made in the late 1990s and 2000s, which directly led to the housing crisis."

This contradicts everything you just said. It's been debunked so thoroughly that an institution that's been home to 23 Noble Prize winning economists argues that it's true! /Buttpluglogic

Also, I'd love to hear you explain how forcing a bank to make a loan available to someone is different than making them give the loan. If I make pie available to you, I am effectively giving you pie.

[Palin's Buttplug]

The Big Lie - http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....siness_pop

No banks were FORCED to make loans! It is a fucking lie!

[iggy]

Who cares what a major economics research bureau argues! A WaPo columnist claims it's a lie!

I also love that the article you linked to is just a columnist being sarcastic while providing no evidence about any of his assertions. Clearly this man is a more reliable source than the National Bureau of Economic Research!

[Archduke Pantsfan]

UK Drone licensing

[Archduke Pantsfan]

In Canada's 'pot capital,' Nelson, B.C., dogs are banned downtown in effort to keep away 'hippies'

[Scott S.]

That's funny because I take my dog down to the Venice dog park on weekends here in LA because it's so laid back and dog-friendly out there. The dog park is practically right across the street from a pot dispensary.

[Guy Incognito]

As a veteran of more than one Dead show, if I had to choose I'd say: ban the hippies, keep the dogs.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

This summer... you will believe Tim Burton can cast Nicolas Cage as Superman

[A Serious Man]

I don't even know what to say about this:
11-year old transgirl becomes media darling for writing letter to Obama.

[dave b.]

You are fucking kidding me.

"Sadie socially transitioned from male to female in kindergarten."

Someone performed a sex change on a 5 year old?

[Episiarch]

Socially transitioned, which I would presume to mean started dressing like a girl, acting like a girl, etc. No surgery.

[dave b.]

But how does a 5 year old figure out that he is a she?

[Episiarch]

Well, how early did you realize that women have the organs that you wish that you had so you wanna make a suit from them?

[Stormy Dragon]

How does a 5 year old figure out he isn't a she?

[Redmanfms]

David Reimer seemed to know something was amiss from the very beginning. Of course he was born male. I don't fully buy the idea of gender identity crisis, but it certainly follows that if it were real the kid should know they are different from the get-go.

Based on the other shit this kid believes though, I suspect the parents probably had a role in the "social transition."

[Fist of Etiquette]

I don't pretend to understand brain chemistry or how gender identity is decided in one's mind. There are stories of kids born with both sets of sexual organs and doctors deciding arbitrarily which organ to keep and which to remove, often picking the wrong one. Males growing up without their dick or females with one, and not knowing why. Really horrific stories.

[Stormy Dragon]

I know that, I was making a sarcastic response to dave b's "But how does a 5 year old figure out that he is a she?"--That transgendered people know they're the wrong sex the same way eveyrone else knows they're the right sex.

[Paul.]

It happens. Hard to understand, but I read a long story about a kid that came from perfectly normal parents who actually resisted their boy wanting to be a girl. They struggled for a really long time, and the young boy just wanted to be a girl. And it was bigger than just a passing phase.

As a parent, I learned pretty quickly on that there are things your kid does and thinks that are beyond any nurture you applied.

For most of us, that comes down to whether they prefer carbonated drinks or fruit juce, but in some cases, I can believe it manifests itself as much larger concepts.

[HellsBells]

When she chats with people, she introduces herself as, 'Hi, I'm Sadie, my favorite color is pink, I'm vegan, and I'm transgender. Who are you?"

I don't think there's enough legislation in the world to protect this kid from stigma.

[Enough About Palin]

When she chats with people, she introduces herself as, 'Hi, I'm Sadie, my favorite color is pink, I'm vegan, and I'm transgender and god did my parents ever fuck me up by forcing me to comply with their bullshit.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Arizona Republicans Propose Bill That Would Not Allow Atheists To Graduate High School

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/f.....gh-school/

Why I hate the GOP (American Taliban)

[EDG reppin' LBC]

You should go to a GOP website and complain to them. This is a libertarian website.

[Palin's Buttplug]

So complaining about Dem overreach is not allowed here?

I hate intrusive govt overreach from either party.

[wareagle]

and yet, you never mention the Dem version.

[fish]

...and he's gone.........

[Xenocles]

You've just exhausted your quota of addressing your complaints to us as if we're somehow accountable for the GOP's actions.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

So complaining about Dem overreach is not allowed here?

I guess I've missed those posts.

[Brandon]

This is ridiculous, unconstitutional, unenforceable, probably unpassable even in Arizona, and doesn't at all do what your hysterical description implies it does. You fucking moron. Reason has already written an article on it; several days ago, in fact. And guess what? All of the commenters were against it. The sad thing is that the author you linked to has more of a problem with the fact that it says "So help me God" than he does with the fact that it is a coerced loyalty oath. But keep telling yourself you're a libertarian, you ridiculous fucking taint. I still haven't ever seen you criticize anything done by TEAM BLUE.

[Brandon]

http://reason.com/blog/2013/01.....th#comment

[Eduard van Haalen]

I don't begrudge the coverage of Tina Turner's citizenship status and Stephen King's gun book, but I get the feeling that you guys are missing some important event happening today. What could it be?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/....._blog.html

[Episiarch]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[Eduard van Haalen]

Well, it's not as earth-shattering as some Democratic horror writer denouncing guns, but I thought it might be of some interest.

[Episiarch]

Only to you, Captain Obsession. Only to you. Don't you have somewhere else you can go be terminally boring, Chris?

[Eduard van Haalen]

Who's Chris?

[The Immaculate Trouser]

So everybody knows that JJ Abrams is the director for the upcoming Star Wars flick, but what you may not know is that Ben Affleck was in serious contention for the role.

WFT?!?!

[Episiarch]

By all accounts that I've heard, Argo was really well done and Ben's actually a good director. However, he's going to need to show that a few more times before it can truly be confirmed.

The writer for the new Star Wars will be Michael Arndt, who did Toy Story 3 and Little Miss Sunshine. That's...interesting.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

I might be wrong here, but didn't Affleck direct Gigli?

I haven't watched Argo yet, but like you imply one good movie or a number of good movies could easily be a fluke (as illustrated by none other than George Lucas).

[Episiarch]

You are wrong, it was Martin Brest. Still, if Ben isn't bad, he'd probably be more interesting than Abrams.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Ah, then it isn't as mind-boggling as I originally thought.

[fish]

Who would have thought that as the year 2013 dawned Affleck would be the talented one and Damon the idiotic political stooge? Bizzarro world I tell ya!

[Killazontherun]

I did. Never thought Damon looked bright enough to husk corn.

[BakedPenguin]

MATT DAMON.

[A Serious Man]

He's not a bad director. I would be more intrigued with what he'd do with it than JJ Abrams.

But what the franchise really needed was some Mel Gibson. Imagine how awesome Star Wars would be if the entire movie was shot in a genuinely foreign language with subtitles and was awash in violence.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

What's wrong with JJ Abrams? Star Trek '09 was a good action flick, though arguably it wasn't really a Star Trek film. Fringe is pretty good. I'm not a huge fan of his, but there were far worse choices on the docket.

Mel Gibson would have been an interesting choice, agreed. Didn't we talk about reinterpreting Star Wars as a Sopranos-style family drama a while back?

[A Serious Man]

Lens flares aside, Star Trek 09 was a decent action movie but it was shallow. Good sci-fi should have some depth to it.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Star Wars isn't particularly deep, so it's a good fit.

[Episiarch]

Star Wars is one of the shallowest franchises there is. Abrams is perfect!

They should have given it to Guillermo Del Toro or David Twohy.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Gibson would probably introduce a thinly-veiled anti-Semitic stereotype character, thus ruining the franchise.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Darth Vitler?

[Eduard van Haalen]

I was thinking of someone like this guy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watto#Reception

[Jesus H. Christ]

So Watto is a Jew, an anti-semite, anti-semite and anti-arab. That's one conflicted character.

I could definitely believe that Watto was fashioned after some sort of stereotype, given the nature of Jarjar Binks. Who know ebonics was spoken on more than one planet?

[Heroic Mulatto]

So Watto is a Jew, an anti-semite, anti-semite and anti-arab.

So basically Watto was supposed to be Karl Marx? Who knew?

[fish]

WINNER! And you owe me a fucking new keyboard!

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Yeah -- he could have a Jewish merchant stereotype haggling with our protagonists for a ship part as a major plot point in the prequels. Now, THAT would have been awkward for the franchise!

[Xenocles]

I hope Plinkett lives long enough to review it.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Real-life Plinkett actor is in his 20s.

[Xenocles]

I thought he was actually over a hundred years old and really murdered prostitutes on film, too.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

He was also onboard the actual Titanic. Let's not forget that important detail.

[$park?]

I have a challenge for the commentariat: come up with a front man for this band.

Guitar: Joe Satriani
Bass: Les Claypool
Drums: Charlie Benante or Mike Heller or Nick Oshiro
Vocals: ?

Should be someone currently alive and who might fit in with the rest.

[Episiarch]

Your mom?

[Eduard van Haalen]

You mean Yo Ma-Ma, the Japanese musician?

[Paul.]

Yo Yo Ma.

[Eduard van Haalen]

That's his cousin.

[Paul.]

Nothing like a little Nepotizzzz...

[$park?]

She's dead you insensitive ass. *cry*

OK, she's not dead but she's a horrible singer.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Tupac Shakur

[EDG reppin' LBC]

HR from Bad Brains

or

Mike Patton from Mr. Bungle

[$park?]

Those choices are ... interesting. Though Mike Patton isn't too bad.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Of course, you should probably replace Satriani with Dr. Know from Bad Brains, or Brian Baker ex. Dag Nasty, Minor Threat, Meatmen, now with Bad Religion.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Or go totally anarcho-jazz-metal-improv and get Greg Ginn (Black Flag) or Nels Cline (Wilco). Too bad D. Boon (minutemen) is dead.

[Proprietist]

Should be someone currently alive and who might fit in with the rest.

So you're looking for someone with a lot of technical musical talent and very little songwriting ability, right?

[HellsBells]

Suggestions from my household include: Sammy Hagar, the guy from Jane's Addiction, Bjork(!?) and John Anderson.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

who's that other dude from 'Wham!'?

[BuSab Agent]

Ozzy Osbourne

[BakedPenguin]

M Doughty?

[JeremyR]

David Coverdale

[Jesus H. Christ]

So someone wants to give Claypool another chance to make a different set of musicians sound just like Primus?

Lead guitar and lead bass are not usually a good combo. Entwistle worked so well with Townsend because Townsend was such a good rhythm player.

[HellsBells]

Frank Black

[Coeus]

Don't you dare tell us what all women want. That's our schtict.

Which is why this National Review and Fox News piece entitled "Why Young Women Want AR-15?s" smacks of a particularly deceitful faux-feminist tokenism (all emphasis mine):

"Sorry, President Obama. As young women, we prefer an AR-15 "assault" rifle with a 30-round magazine for self-defense."

It's certainly? interesting that two people could speak for an entire generation of young women, especially when polls show that as a group they tend to feel the exact opposite way, but do go on!

[Episiarch]

So they respond to two women who are speaking for all women by speaking for all women. Makes sense.

[Paul.]

It's women all the way down.

[HellsBells]

Yes, since polls show women hate guns, no female who advocates for them could possibly be real.

[HellsBells]

That should read "a real feminist."

[HellsBells]

It's funny that following one of the article's links leads you to this:

"there is simply no way that you can advocate for the limitation of other women's rights [..] and call yourself a feminist."

[Paul.]

More than half of self-identified

Yes.

[Coeus]

Krugnuts gets excited about driverless cars. Many of his loyal readers freak out because "light rail is so much better!!!"

[Paul.]

Great, driverless cars. Now people can drive out of entrenched political districts without even putting effort into it.

[Coeus]

Jeffrey ThompsonMinneapolis, MN
As much as I am sure that driverless cars will become available, I am even surer that the US needs more high speed mass transit, NOT more cars! Cars are -way- too inefficient compared to rail.

It would be better if in the future we had a nationwide high speed rail system like Japan, France, or China, (and if China can afford it...) light rail or subways from there in higher density areas, and beyond that, driverless cars that can be rented to get one to their final destination, that could drive themselves back to their rail station.
Jan. 25, 2013 at 3:08 p.m.Recommended2

JackNJ
Actually, what would "really" change the way we live is the govt minting a couple of platinum coins and fix the economy permanently.

But that's probably more "silly" than having a car that can drive rich people around.
Jan. 25, 2013 at 2:55 p.m.Recommended1

[waaminn]

Whoa, thats one goofy loooking chick there!

http://www.Anon-ids.tk

[Fist of Etiquette]

Well, ain't you a pair, raggedy man.

[HellsBells]

Have you ever noticed that occasionally waaminn makes an on-topic comment? It's kind of like when Silent Bob speaks.

[Gladstone]

Shouldn't we be getting Beyond Thunderdome?