Friday Funnies: SCOTUS Hears DOMA

Henry Payne

Comments

[invisible furry hand]

Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic.

With Friday Funnies, you can have one or the other, but not both

[Question of Auban]

"We reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason at any time."

I wish they would delete the spam posts.

[Rich]

Well, you must admit that AnonBot is often the most civil and on-topic commenter.

[Question of Auban]

True, that I must admit.

[Cheradenine Zakalwe]

The profit motive wins again.

[Proprietist]

Wow, I just learned that Heather's second mommy makes $8900 a month on the internet working from home!

[Bean Counter]

Chatting with lonely lesbians about her "private time" with Heather's other mommy?

[sticks]

I don't get it.

[WTF]

NEEDZ MOAR LABELZ!

[sticks]

Needz moar humorz

[LTC(ret) John]

Needz moar humorous labelz?

[Francisco d Anconia]

That just never gets old.

[Question of Auban]

The arguments are childish?

[Fluffy]

I am hijacking this thread to say something:

We currently have a very dangerous Pope.

I say this in all seriousness.

Why do I think this?

Because this Monsignor Bienvenu con he's running is starting to get to even me.

[Question of Auban]

Is he offending you by washing the feet of the wrong people?

[Fluffy]

No.

I assume he has thought for years about how to proceed if he ever became Pope.

The problem is that his particular line of attack is emotionally moving even to me, who knows that it's bullshit. That makes it dangerous in the same way that, say, Dickens was dangerous.

So it's clear that a) he has a plan; and b) it's a good plan. Those two things in combination are properly seen as "dangerous" if you aren't down with the plan.

[some guy]

But what's the plan? To convert more people to Catholicism and to make Catholics more involved in the church (donations, etc.). If so, I think everyone in the church is down with the plan and everyone outside the church is aware of the plan. I'll reserve judgement of this guy for the day he dies, but so far he's avoiding the glaring hypocrisies of his predecessors. I hope he keeps it up.

[phandaal]

Just think, though... it'll be impossible to get a good steak anywhere on Friday!

[Question of Auban]

I agree with some guy on this, I don't see the danger is his being, or at least appearing, very sincere in his faith.

Are you afraid that the Swiss Guards are going to invade America?

[Death Rock and Skull]

If a clown so much as sets foot anywhere within visibility of my property...

[Question of Auban]

I can count you as part of the Home Guard. I am sure you will do your patriotic duty when we are invaded by the dangerous Vaticanians.

[VG Zaytsev]

Is he offending you by washing the feet of the wrong people?

No it's inherent inequality of the pope washing some feet, but not all 7 billion feet on the planet that offends Cosmos.

[Fluffy]

No, you still don't get it.

My residual post-Objectivism makes me reject altruism. And its propaganda.

But when it's done very, very well, by someone who understands the power of its symbolism, altruistic propaganda can emotionally move even me.

(See: Dickens, Charles: A Christmas Carol. Total bullshit, front to back. But it chokes me up every time.)

So if I see the course the Pope is on and find myself emotionally reacting, I have to scale that reaction up and project it out on to the world's dumbasses. That makes me assume that their reaction will be even more intense.

Imagine if suddenly a very clever, charismatic, and persuasive Marxist appeared on the scene, who did not wear the standard clown shoes a Ward Churchill voluntarily puts on, and who off the bat showed a knack for getting positive press coverage with well-chosen symbolic propagandistic actions. You might as a non-Marxist say to yourself, "Oh, shit."

[Question of Auban]

Fluffy,

I also was once an Objectivist. Robert Heinlein, Murray Rothbard, et al. cured me of that. But I can see my former point of views very well. I know longer see altruism qua altruism as intrinsically problematic - I only see force and violence as problematic. As long as the new pope is not advocating for a global tax or some such I see no problem with his actions. Vatican City is so very small that anyone who does not want to live under his dictates can move a few yards and be in another country. As far as members of his church, most of them (at least in the USA) disagree with this or that tenant of the church anyway. If they do disagree with the church strongly enough they can leave.

[Question of Auban]

know longer = no longer. I really wish this thing allowed edits!

[Death Rock and Skull]

You really are weak. I see a Dickens cliche on a show and I am moved to change the channel... they are so boring and played out.

[some guy]

Not sure if it's a con (beyond the general con that is religion). What does he get out of it? He lives a less grandiose life than his predecessors. If he ever breaks character he will be vilified. If it is a con, he's stuck running it for the rest of his life and he gets nothing tangible out of it, which kind of means it's not a con.

I think he is actually sincere. The only way he can prove it, though is to roll up his sleeves and actually start cleaning house, rather than inmates' feet.

[Ted S.]

He's 76 years old. It's not as if that "rest of his life" is all that long.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Riiiiiight....

What's a Pope?

[Tonio]

Well, Fluffer, here's how I deal with that. I let myself experience the emotions and be moved by them, and eventually the emotions subside. At that point I tell myself that I'm no better than the great unwashed masses of hysterics who feel stuff rather than think about stuff. You're welcome. And no, I'm not now, nor have ever been an objectivist.

Foot-washing? Meh. Symbolism. Publicity stunt. What would be really impressive if he'd issue orders for the church to fully cooperate with criminal investigations of the child abuse scandals and stop blaming those scandals on other people.

Buck up, lad, we'll get through this together.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Weill you look at that? Instead of reading a book, Justice Kagan should be paying attention to arguments.

[Ted S.]

"I was reading a book...."

[neoteny]

Heather might have two mommies, but Emma has two mommies and a daddy, so she beats Heather hands down.

[Question of Auban]

I actually think there could be great advantages to having a child with four parents, a lesbian couple and a gay male couple. Plus, the homophobes could not argue that the child does not have a male role model or a female role model because the kid would have BOTH. It would be a great arrangement I think.

[neoteny]

According to Hillary Clinton, It Takes a Village.

[Question of Auban]

"A minor obstacle, called parents, threatens to block Hillary's road to Shangri-La."

http://mises.org/misesreview_d.....ontrol=139

[VG Zaytsev]

Hillary was right and the stupid thing about that whole episode is that the socons agree with her, but just didn't like the way she phrased it.

[Ted S.]

The alt-text reads "Henry Payne". I didn't know Payne was on the Supreme Court.

[Question of Auban]

He should be. He understands the Constitution better than 90% of judges today. I don't know if he ever went to law school but if not that might actually be in his favor in this case.

[LTC(ret) John]

H. Payne...makes Bok look (relatively) funny. That disturbs me.

[Tim]

Crap.

[Longtorso]

I won't be here for the morning links:

Flagship Daily DIE WELT Stuns Germany: "Scientists Warn Of Ice Age", Cites New Peer-Reviewed Russian Study
...Kulke writes that not only is the CO2-science for explaining climate change one-dimensional, but that also only looking at changes in solar irradiance is completely inadequate. The sun's fluctuating magnetic activity and its impact on the Earth's atmosphere, direct and indirect, though not well understood, are proving to have a far greater influence on the Earth's climate than many are willing to admit. This is all being backed up by leading research institutes such as CERN in Geneva and the Danish National Space Institute of Denmark.

New Discovery: NASA Study Proves Carbon Dioxide Cools Atmosphere
A recent NASA report throws the space agency into conflict with it's climatologists after new NASA measurements prove that carbon dioxide acts as a coolant in Earth's atmosphere.

NASA's Langley Research Center has collated data proving that "greenhouse gases" actually block up to 95 percent of harmful solar rays from reaching our planet, thus reducing the heating impact of the sun. ...

[some guy]

More evidence supporting what our very existence has already confirmed. Over short time scales (100s to 1000s of years) climate is dominated by negative feedback loops, rendering it relatively stable.

[VG Zaytsev]

Buuuttt the science is settled.

[Longtorso]

Janet Napolitano: Immigrants will change Arizona from red to blue
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says the influx of immigrants into Arizona will put this conservative stronghold into the hands of the Democratic Party.

The former Arizona governor predicted her state would turn blue in coming elections ? just like Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado has gained in Democratic popularity, she said in a Christian Science Monitor report....

Turning immigration into a tool of social engineering
...In recent months there have been many interesting revelations about New Labour's immigration policy, but in keeping with our era of dumbed-down political debate the revelations have either been downplayed or have been used to fuel conspiracy theories.

At the end of last year, a former government adviser revealed that ministers frequently discussed 'open[ing] up the UK to mass migration'. But their aims were as much political and social as they were economic. Indeed there was a 'driving political purpose': ministers' belief that bringing in more immigrants would make manifest their ideal of a 'truly multicultural society' and allow them to 'rub the right's nose in diversity and render their arguments out of date' ....

[Question of Auban]

"Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says the influx of immigrants into Arizona will put this conservative stronghold into the hands of the Democratic Party."

I hate to agree with Janet of the Department of Homeland Slavery on anything but unless the Republican Party changes she may be right. The Republican Party today seems to care more about ginning up animus towards immigrants, gays, and Muslims than it does about supporting free markets or limited government.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Most Republicans wouldn't know a free market if it tried to sell them hookers and blow for Tree-Fitty.

[wareagle]

yes because opposing illegal immigration and its attendant costs is just like opposing all immigration. And the GOP stopped supporting limited govt some time ago.

[Question of Auban]

wareagle,

Why would illegal immigration cost any more than legal immigration? If anything, it would cost less because illegal immigrants are not eligible for welfare benefits and have not spent taxpayer dollars on filling out DHS paperwork to become legal.

[sarcasmic]

Illegals get their medical care at the ER and don't pay. They work under the table and don't pay income taxes. They don't register their cars or pay car insurance, so when they get into an accident they're not covered. When they are picked up for crimes, they give a fake name and never show up to court...

/Standard Republican Response

[wareagle]

so, it's Red boilerplate; which component of it is incorrect? The welfare state is a big magnet, even for people willing to work, as most illegals are. We have a process for immigration; if it's screwed up, fix it. But don't pretend people sneaking in is the same as those coming in on work visas.

[Question of Auban]

What part is incorrect? For one thing immigrants who have not had the DHS stamp of approval are not eligible for welfare benefits. The rest of the issues above can be found with people born here as well.

As far as working under the table and not paying taxes? I am GLAD that they don't pay taxes, I wish MORE people didn't pay taxes. Our government is too big and too strong as it is.

[sarcasmic]

As far as working under the table and not paying taxes? I am GLAD that they don't pay taxes, I wish MORE people didn't pay taxes. Our government is too big and too strong as it is.

That makes no logical sense. Avoiding paying taxes doesn't shrink government. It just means they borrow more.

[Question of Auban]

Sarcasmic,

There will come a point, some day soon, when not even China will be willing to loan them money. The criminals in DC who claim to represent us are not a good credit risk.

[sarcasmic]

The criminals in DC who claim to represent us are not a good credit risk.

No they're not. And it's not their credit. It's the credit of future generations who will be taxed to pay off the debt. Politicians don't owe the money. Future taxpayers do.

As long as the lender has confidence in the federal government's ability to steal money to pay back what it borrowed, then they'll keep lending.

[Question of Auban]

"As long as the lender has confidence in the federal government's ability to steal money to pay back what it borrowed, then they'll keep lending."

Exactly my point! The fewer people who cooperate in their own robbing the less confidence those willing to loan said criminals will have.

[sarcasmic]

The fewer people who cooperate in their own robbing the less confidence those willing to loan said criminals will have.

So what if taxpayers don't cooperate. The government still has the last word.

Is Wesley Snipes out of prison yet?

[Question of Auban]

Sarccasmic,

They can't put us all in jail. Especially if they need a loan just to pay the prison guards. The fewer people who cooperate in their own robbing the better.

[Question of Auban]

According to Wikipedia Wesley Snipes is is scheduled for release on July 19, 2013 and is scheduled to be in The Expendables 3 in 2014.

[sarcasmic]

The fewer people who cooperate, the more people will go to prison, and the more ruthless the government will become.

[Question of Auban]

Sarcasmic,

Even government has a breaking point and I think the breaking point for the government that oppresses us is coming soon.

[sarcasmic]

I don't share your confidence. I think that our oppressors will be oppressing for a long time to come.

[Question of Auban]

Sarcasmic,

As long as good people cooperate with their oppressors you are right.

[sarcasmic]

Good people have families that they can't support if they're in prison.

[sarcasmic]

The Republican Party today seems to care more about ginning up animus towards immigrants, gays, and Muslims than it does about supporting free markets or limited government.

Does the word duh mean anything to you?

[VG Zaytsev]

I hate to agree with Janet of the Department of Homeland Slavery on anything but unless the Republican Party changes she may be right. The Republican Party today seems to care more about ginning up animus towards immigrants, gays, and Muslims

And once the republicans are completely driven out of politics the immigrants will bring in a libertarian era.

Just look how well it's working in CA.

[Question of Auban]

The problem with California is that most Republicans there think the path to success is to cave to Democrats on EVERYTHING.

That and the fact that the Democrats tend to be FAR LEFT Democrats.

[Tim]

Now this is a Friday Funny (from 24/7)

TSA Agent Shoots Himself and Five Colleagues With Pepper SprayMarch 29, 2013

A TSA agent delayed security checks at John F. Kennedy International Airport after he mistakenly shot himself and five other agents with pepper spray.

The security agent, Christ-Yves Dabel, 27, of Brooklyn, N.Y., "found the canister on the floor and thought it was a laser pointer," reported the New York Post.

[Slammer]

"found the canister on the floor and thought it was a laser pointer"

Smells like BS

[Tim]

Ralph Wiggum has found employment.

[Joe M]

"Tastes like burning."

[LTC(ret) John]

Smells like pepper, actually...

[VG Zaytsev]

Where all the labels at?

[SumpTump]

Now that exactly what I am talking about. Wow.

http://www.WebPrivacy.da.bz