A.M. Links: AP Phone Records Seized, Cornel West Says Obama is a "War Criminal," Minnesota Set to Legalize Gay Marriage

The Associated Press

• The president and CEO of the Associated Press has described the Department of Justice's use of a secret subpoena to seize two months of phone records from 20 phone lines used by AP journalists and editors as a "massive and unprecedented intrusion."

• The fact that Professor Cornel West recently described the president as a "war criminal" is probably low on the administration's list of concerns, with the AP phone records scandal, the ongoing Benghazi mess, and the recent revelation that the IRS unjustly scrutinized conservative groups occupying much of the news and hardly casting the president and the federal government in the best light. 

• Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is expected to sign a bill legalizing gay marriage that was passed by the Minnesota Senate yesterday. 

• An alleged CIA agent has reportedly been arrested in Moscow for trying to recruit a Russian intelligence officer. 

• Secretary of State John Kerry expects Syrian officials to join peace negotiations as part of a Russian and American-led initiative. 

• A Baltimore cop has been charged with pimping his wife. 

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

A Baltimore cop has been charged with pimping his wife.

I blame sequester pay cuts.

[Rich]

a woman identified by police as Marissa Braun-Manneh told an undercover officer that she would have sex for $100

"Braun-Manneh", eh?

You can't make this stuff up.

[Reard1978]

Start working at home with Google! It's by-far the best job Ive had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringin home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, http://www.Mojo50.com

[gaijin]

Hey, I'm sure it's just a local version of Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson doing some undercover operation.

[Zeb]

Just the government hassling small business owners yet again.

[Fatty Bolger]

It was just a pilot for MTV's new reality show, Pimp My Wife.

[Virginian]

The manager of a ValuMarket says he found 57 empty whipped cream cans in the garbage when he arrived Monday morning. WAVE-TV (http://bit.ly/15HQ8k7) in Louisville reported 30-year-old Trevor Runyon was charged after he was found in the ceiling of the store.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013.....z2TGthKMyZ

[SugarFree]

I'd like to know if they were empty or just discharged. Sounds to me like someone went on a nitrous bender after eating six steaks.

[Rich]

Well, he *was* "charged after he was found in the ceiling".

[SugarFree]

That's why they call it "gettin' high." hurr durr

[Rich]

"Seemed like a good idea at the time." hurr durr

[Jerryskids]

'in the ceiling'? Or 'on the ceiling'?

[generic Brand]

Through the ceiling.

[gaijin]

whip its. whip its good.

[Aloysious]

+1 Devo

[Brett L]

Surveillance video from the store showed that Runyon cooked and ate six steaks, washed them down with beer and then topped off his meal with shrimp and birthday cake.

Goddamn. Got his money's worth, din't he?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

the cake is a lie

[Live Free or Diet]

Goddamn. Got his money's worth, didn't he?

Holy cow... I just looked up the nutritional data on steak and self.com calls 3 ounces a serving! I'd be a 55-gallon tub of lard if that was all the steak I ate as a serving.

[mad libertarian guy]

They can kiss my ass with that "3oz is a serving" shit.

A pretty decent rule of thumb is that a steak about the size of your hand is a serving.

[Live Free or Diet]

I eat until I don't want any more. Being hungry is for models.

[mad libertarian guy]

Agreed.

[Elspeth Flashman]

agreed.

[Bobarian]

I eat until Golden Corral throws me out of the buffet.

Get your money's worth.

[Rasilio]

Well technically 3 ozs of any protein is considered a serving, but there is no rule saying you should only get one serving of protein per meal

[robc]

Mt Washington.

Which isnt Louisville (well, it is, in the same way Tacoma is Seattle).

Which Valu is important information left out of the AP story.

I was hoping it was the one near me.

[Virginian]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013.....or-rotted/

tOSU has a flower that smells like Michigan.

[BigT]

The plant expected to bloom soon is nicknamed Woody, after Buckeyes football coach Woody Hayes.

Shouldn't that be "Bo"?

[Citizen Nothing]

Tressel.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Well it stinks. So, Cooper.

[Virginian]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013.....nt-to-get/

Cat and cop both stuck in tree.

[BakedPenguin]

Too bad it wasn't a dog. Then he could have just shot it out of the tree.

I am honestly surprised that a NYPD cop would attempt to do something nice for someone. After the crap he gets from needing to be helped by the FD, I suspect this will be the last time ever.

[Fist of Etiquette]

That NYPD copper bought that homeless dude a pair of boots last winter. That was nice.

[Jerryskids]

You know the guy wasn't homeless - he was a scam artist posing as a homeless guy, right? The NYPD can't even do helping right.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Last I heard the guy sold the boots or something.

[Zeb]

Well, how's he supposed to make any money if he has nice boots on. It fucked up his whole racket.

[Virginian]

There was a guy in Richmond who used to exit his apartment every morning, walk across the street, and stand at the corner waiting for money.

Then he stupidly gave an interview to the paper.

[Citizen Nothing]

Reminds me of the guy who would stand on the same street corner a block from my office every day, claiming to need a few buck 'cause he had just run out of gas.

[Rhywun]

He has a collection of donated boots in his apartment.

[LTC(ret) John]

Did they get the cat down?!

[WTF]

It would have been hilarious had the FD gotten the cat down and left the cop up there.

[a better weapon]

They'll come down on their own when they're hungry enough. Why people insist on risking injury or death to get them out of a tree is beyond me.

Have you ever seen cat bones in a tree or birds scavenging on a feline's body on high branch?

[Live Free or Diet]

Yep!
By which I mean they come down when they're ready.
The cop too.

[goneGalt]

No, but I always thought that was because the cat's carcass fell out of the tree after it died.

/kidding

[Restoras]

Funny, I read this as "Did they let the cat drown"

[Rich]

Cat and cop both stuck in tree.

K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

[Numeromancer]

"First comes love,
then comes a long political battle over interspecies marriage,
then come several states passing bills allowing interspecies marriage (Why should someone be punished for who they love?),
then come lawsuits against anyone who says that this time, definitely, this has all gone too far and refuses to participate in these celebrations of perversion,
then comes marriage,
then comes kitty with a test-tube-kitten carriage,
and eventually all life on earth becomes one big pulsating blob of living goo."

[Fist of Etiquette]

The fact that Professor Cornel West recently described the president as a "war criminal" is probably low on the administration's list of concerns...

If the president does it, it can't be illegal, Cornel.

[a better weapon]

He wasn't black enough when he made this comment. They'll forgive him just this once considering all the good, hard work he's done for them in the past.

[PowerBottom]

He calls people 'brothers' and 'sisters', so he means well.

[Jerryskids]

It may be illegal - we will know as soon as the press starts referring to the President as 'embattled'.

[Virginian]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013.....levant-at/

He was a good boy, he was just turning his life around.

[mr lizard]

Funny how all the break-ins stopped in that neighborhood.

[Zeb]

Anything to support that?

[Apatheist ?_??]

His ass.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Now, I'm curious about his screen names.

[Virginian]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013.....-in-texas/

Throwing the book at them.

[Brett L]

Karrington Braziel entered his plea to nine counts of aggravated robbery but left his punishment to a Tarrant County jury.

Dumbass.

[Live Free or Diet]

The nine life sentences will be served concurrently.
Really, the author felt the need to point out that once he's dead, he's out of there?

[gaijin]

Really, the author felt the need to point out that once he's dead, he's out of there?

Dude, how do you know he's not a cat?

[Virginian]

http://www.web2carz.com/people.....is-funeral

Toddler wakes up at his funeral.

[Brett L]

Worst. Story. Ever.

[Virginian]

ARCHER: At what? I was gonna say two weeks. Two years, that is the third saddest thing I've heard today. Pam told me about a little girl who drowned trying to save a puppy.
LANA: Jesus! What was the second saddest?
ARCHER: The puppy drowned too.

[PS]

Woke up, asked for water, then laid down and died--seriously brutal.

[Rich]

That kid is a true hero.

[Ted S.]

Web2Carz???

[Francisco d Anconia]

Um...

...bullshit.

[Virginian]

http://blog.crowdtilt.com/post.....ought-dave

Apparently finding a criminal in your boat makes you a hero. It's nice that he got a new one to replace the one the cops shot up.

[DJF]

He was better at finding the criminal then the cops were.

[WTF]

The term 'hero' has lost all meaning. But it is nice he got a new boat after the idiot cops shot up his old one due to the presence of an unarmed teenager.

[gaijin]

The term 'hero' has lost all meaning.

agreed. Side effect of living in the age of hyperbole.

[NeonCat]

Side effect of living in the Greatest Age of Hyperbole in All of Human History.

[Citizen Nothing]

Heh heh.

[Ted S.]

He's as much a hero as the cops.

[WTF]

He's as much a hero as the cops.

Exactly. Actually, moreso - at least he didn't shoot up neighborhoods and other cops in a blind panic of gunfire.

[gaijin]

shoot up neighborhoods and other cops in a blind panic of gunfire.

Hero-normative behavior

[mr lizard]

I blame his nicotine habit.

[Virginian]

http://www.foxnews.com/enterta.....scovering/

I would like to declare a national day of mourning.

[a better weapon]

Damn, just beat me to it. I imagine Gia will be streamed quite a bit today. Not only do you get Angelina, but a young and sultry Elizabeth Mitchell.

[Warty]

Yes; those aged, fake little things were a national treasure.

[PS]

I dunno, you think they were fake? She is part Czech so I can see them being real...

[PS]

Oops, Slovak, yeah even moreso.

[LTC(ret) John]

We can rebuild her...perkier, firmer, more massive.

The $60 Million Dollar Chest (inflation, dontchaknow)

[Francisco d Anconia]

My dad used that joke about the $7 Million Dollar Man episode almost 30 years ago.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Um...make that almost 40.

Math in public...don't do it.

[gaijin]

Her choice and all, but further proof in my mind that she is wackey.

[Virginian]

Eh, she's married to a man who is widely considered one of the more attractive ones in the world, she's wealthy, has lots of kids.

What else can her tits do for her at this point?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Serve as emergency flotation devices?

[a better weapon]

Think not what her tits can do for her, but what we can do for her tits in our imagination

[Rich]

One review of "Tomb Raider" said her breasts should have gotten separate billing.

After seeing the film, I agreed.

[gaijin]

^^Exactly. I will no longer be in my bunk (for AJ)

[mad libertarian guy]

I'm kind of with you.

Cutting off a body part to stave off something that 1) may or may not be coming, and 2) is eminently treatable, especially when you have gajillions of dollars in the bank between you and your very rich husband, and can afford the best medical care the world has to offer, seems pretty crazy.

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

This is the kind of thing I find frustrating because I don't really trust anyone on it. From most of what I've heard, if they find you do have this "breast cancer gene," whatever it is, the chances are really high--she said she was given an 87% chance of developing breast cancer (don't know over what time period). That's high enough it would make me think about it, at least.

[Brett L]

OTOH, she had an excuse for an upgrade to assets that bring her work while getting a free pass from the anti-plastic surgery crowd.

[Fatty Bolger]

The treatment for cancer does damage to the body, and can itself cause cancer down the road. I can't vouch for how accurate the genetic testing is, but if you truly have an 87% chance of getting breast cancer, prevention makes perfect sense.

[mad libertarian guy]

But having an 87% of getting cancer, and being told you have an 87% chance of getting cancer are two, completely separate things.

[Fatty Bolger]

Yes, and... so? Assuming the genetic screening has been shown to be reasonably accurate, I'm not sure what your point is.

[mad libertarian guy]

It's the assuming part.

[robc]

Normally I might say she overreacted, but at 87%? And with a mother who died of breast cancer?

I think she made the wise decision.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

I knew a woman who did this for the same reason. Not a tragedy, though--she'll just get implants and no one will notice the difference.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Who cares? Tits are boring.

[Bee Tagger]

20 phone lines used by AP journalists and editors as a "massive and unprecedented intrusion."

By using those phone lines and not others, journalists were affecting interstate commerce.

[LTC(ret) John]

May I premept the trolls?

Uhh, BOOOOSH, DARTH CHENEY!!! HALIBURTON!1!1!!1!

[gaijin]

Don't forget nixon...Eisenhower was the last tolerable Repub. Well, and maybe Ford.

[hamilton]

Already happening. There are not nearly as many salty liberal tears as I thought, yet. The dominant memes are:

1. Blame Holder.
2. BOOOOSSH!!!1!

[gaijin]

Actually, if this took Holder down, I would think victory.

[mad libertarian guy]

Actually, if this took Holder down, I would think victory.

This.

Holder is doing the real evil shit. Obama is simply providing cover.

[DontShootMe]

^This^

[WTF]

NEEDZ MOAR CHRISTFAG!!!

[Stilgar]

I have no problem with this action. If the warrants were obtained by going to a judge the governemnt is within its rights. Those with classified access know the penalty is more than "naughty boy" for divulging that information to others not authorized to get it. What is new here is that Obama has pushed hard to stop the leaks and the press are squealing about it.

Of course, the most transparent administration ever could go aways to reducing the problem by overhauling the absurd overclassification methods used today.

[a better weapon]

http://apnews.myway.com/articl.....0BH02.html

Nothing gold can stay. All quips aside, its the best choice for Angelina and her family.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

See? Now this is what the DOJ was trolling for in the phone logs.

[Sy]

"My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don't need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer."

Uh, no they didn't. Only 5-10% of breast cancer diagnoses are a result of genetic predispositions to it. Anyways, I'm curious what her genotype was. I hear a lot of these kinds of stats thrown out lately, but the reports are starting to sound more and more like marketing than research.

[gaijin]

the reports are starting to sound more and more like marketing than research.

Denier...What are you some kind of shill for Big Bosom?

[LTC(ret) John]

"What are you some kind of shill for Big Bosom?"

Aye.

[Jerryskids]

Aye? You mean DD.

[Sy]

I ran a Susan G. Komen 5k a couple years back behind a blonde lady in her 40's. Her t-shirt said something like "Of course my tits are fake, my real ones tried to kill me." It just increased my appreciation for natural breasts.

[AuH20]

Eh, my family has the gene, which goes through the nale and is a recent discovery. If you're a dad with daughters, I'd get screened, if nothing else so your kids know they need extra screening

[Sy]

Yeah, go for it if you want to do it for the peace of mind.. but there's a ton of other really bad cancers and diseases with a much stronger correlation to a specific gene mutation and its expression.

[Stormy Dragon]

Only 5-10% of breast cancer diagnoses are a result of genetic predispositions to it.

The chance of someone who gets cancer having a genetic anomaly isn't the same as the chance of someone having a genetic anomaly getting cancer. You can't just reverse conditional probabilities.

[Sy]

That number is the number reported off of 23andme.com's cumulative BRCA1 research.

The bulk of those studies concern that specific mutation within the Ashkenazi Jewish community, specifically.
Given the estimated prevalence of the gene and the cancer rates in the U.S., it's really a stretch to say the gene is the main culprit. That's my point.

[Stormy Dragon]

No one said it's the main culprit for all cancer cases. Only that it's the culprit for people who have that gene. Since the gene is rare, it could very well cause cancer in a lot of people who have it while still only being present in a small number of total cancer cases.

It's like arguing that Type 1 diabetes isn't genetic because most diabetes sufferers have Type 2 diabetes.

[PS]

The president and CEO of the Associated Press has described the Department of Justice's use of a secret subpoena to seize two months of phone records from 20 phone lines used by AP journalists and editors as a "massive and unprecedented intrusion."

He then said he planned to write a nice letter President Obama explaining how the AP is already on his side so he ought to save this sort of stuff for evil wingut Tea Baggers.

[Palin's Buttplug]

How was the subpoena "secret" when the DOJ sent the AP a copy of it?

[a better weapon]

Because AP received the subpoena just last Friday while the call data was taken earlier this year from phone companies.

[Citizen Nothing]

Ahem. May I add something? Thanks!
Here goes: Derp.

[Palin's Buttplug]

The DOJ was investigating an internal leak of classified data - not the AP.

[a better weapon]

How do you deal with the g-forces? I'd have blacked out at my desk by now spinning like that.

[Jerryskids]

From the article I read - the DOJ asked the AP to sit on some info the AP had concerning a sensitive mission, the AP did so, the DOJ then said the AP was okay to go with the story, the White House asked the AP to sit on it until someone in the White House could take credit release the story, the AP declined to sit on the story just for the sake of getting scooped by the White House on a story the DOJ had said was no longer a national security issue.

The usual suspects are claiming that there was nothing wrong with seizing the AP phone logs because this was a national security issue.

[LTC(ret) John]

Do not question our betters! TEAM O! knows best, so silence you Beckerhead wingnuts!!!1!!

[SugarFree]

The AP is only faking being angry. Because Rethugulians are making them. The AP is secretly OK with this.

[LTC(ret) John]

So they got a reach around then, did they?

[Citizen Nothing]

I know for a fact that the AP is filled with Christfags.

[a better weapon]

It'll be interesting to see if the press puts up with this. Restricting access at every turn and locking journalists in janitorial closets is one thing, but this is really testing the press's unrequited love.

[VG Zaytsev]

Sorry baby, I won't do it again. It's just those damn republicans make me crazy

[Red Rocks Rockin]

And if my parents hadn't abandoned me, I wouldn't be so afraid to show you how much you mean to me!

[Rich]

locking journalists in janitorial closets

Ah, yes. I'd almost forgotten.

[PS]

Yeah I'd already forgotten about that, also.

[Bee Tagger]

evil wingut Tea Baggers.

"Tea Baggers"? What, did they just take my screen name and hilariously reverse the initials and alter slightly the first word to have it make sense in this new format?

[PS]

I believe it's called a Lisanderism.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...secret subpoena to seize two months of phone records from 20 phone lines used by AP journalists and editors as a "massive and unprecedented intrusion."

You fucking assholes. Just because you have been reluctant to look into the doings of this administration doesn't mean this has no precedent.

[MP]

Well, typically the White House just goes after its enemies.

[Rich]

"Historic", then?

[Fist of Etiquette]

It might turn out to be epic.

[Virginian]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013.....latestnews

Stories from friends and family suggested Salinas' life had been unraveling for some time. She often slept in her car and washed up in the bathroom at a local library. The gas and electricity had been turned off in her condo because she wasn't paying her bills. She ate at soup kitchens. Her home was in foreclosure.
Salinas earned a bachelor's degree in education from California State University in Los Angeles and a master's degree in public health education from the University of California, Berkeley. She became involved in the Chicano movement during that time and considered herself a founding mother of MEChA, (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan), a student organization promoting higher education among Chicanos.

[WTF]

"MEChA, (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan), a student organization promoting higher education among Chicanos."

Way to whitewash MEChA. In reality, MEChA is an Hispanic separatist organization that encourages anti-American activities and civil disobedience. The radical members of MEChA who refer to themselves as "Mechistas," romanticize Mexican claims to the "lost Territories" of the Southwestern United States -- a Chicano country called Aztlan.

[Ted S.]

Way to whitewash MEChA.

Do you expect Fox News to engage in real journalism? 🙂

[califernian]

. In reality, MEChA is an Hispanic separatist organization that encourages anti-American activities and civil disobedience.

I think I like these guys.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

No, they're basically the Hispanic Stormfront.

[Citizen Nothing]

As long as it wasn't MEChA Streisand.

[mad libertarian guy]

Nothing you do can break me anymore . . .

Todtgelichter, a German metal band, started off as a straight black metal band which, over the course of 3 albums, moved towards progressive metal until they weren't black at all other than perhaps a hint here or there. "Embers" is the opening track from their latest album apnoe. Enjoy!

[Restoras]

Curious, is it progmetal along the lines of Porcupine Tree?

[mad libertarian guy]

Not really.

I wouldn't classify Porcupine Tree as Prog metal in any case. They aren't metal, but when they do metal they do it as well as anyone.

[mad libertarian guy]

That said, Todtgelichter isn't extreme metal, and if you like PT (which you absolutely should as they fucking rule), there is a good chance that you can find room for Todtgelichter. Todgelichter has things like guttural vocals that PT doesn't, but rather than a staple, the growls and screams are used by Todtgelichter for effect.

In short, the music isn't all that similar for the most part, though sharing an audience seems logical to me.

[Restoras]

I'll check it out. I've been listening to Tyr, Hammerfall, Cruachan, and Skyclad lately.

[mad libertarian guy]

I've pretty much had Nosound's new record Afterthoughts on repeat since I got it. It isn't metal by any stretch of the imagination, but it's fucking fantastic. I listened to Steven Wilson's newest album a bunch in the couple of days before I saw him in LA last Friday. Another band that has had the opportunity to sneak in between Nosound is a french Progressive Black Metal band called Averse. They are very much like (older) Opeth, except they come from a black metal background rather than a death metal one.

[Bee Tagger]

An alleged CIA agent has reportedly been arrested in Moscow for trying to recruit a Russian intelligence officer.

Payback for Irina Derevko.

[LTC(ret) John]

Can we swap Ovechkin for the CIA dude?

[Restoras]

Caps got their asses handed to them last night. It was glorious to behold.

[Ted S.]

There are people who root for New York???

[KDN]

The most inappropriately smug fanbase in history. "The team we root for has won one championship in 70 years, and spent 40% of that time in a league with only 5 other teams. Marvel at our magnificent history." They're legitimately the worst fans to deal with in New York, and that's a high bar.

[Fist of Etiquette]

He's probably going to win the Hart Trophy, or probably should. And this from a Pens fan.

[Fist of Etiquette]

All three sisters, really.

[Live Free or Diet]

Yeah, one of the things I used to love to joke about was when Sidney Bristow would find out Michael Vaughn was really her Russian uncle.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You should have been one of J.J.'s writers.

[Live Free or Diet]

My wife is always asking me if I've been writing the TV/movie idea people "again."

[Virginian]

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2.....latestnews

Osaka mayor: wartime sex slaves "necessary".

Now that's a gaffe.

[Brett L]

Please, Dude, I believe the current term is "comfort women".

[WTF]

And in shocking news, the Japanese remain unapologetic for their conduct during WWII.

[Rich]

I once wrote to my electric company complaining about the unreasonable number of outages. The response was "We're sure you'll agree that power outages are a necessary part of your service."

[NeonCat]

It made you appreciate your electricity more, didn't it? Having something whenever you want it just makes you take it for granted.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

It's only a gaffe if it's unintentional, e.g. Joe Biden.

[a better weapon]

My Jap-pol has a first name, it's O-S-A-K-A, my Jap-pol has an official title, it's M-A-Y-O-R!

[Old Man With Candy]

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

[BakedPenguin]

That's really going to help the diplomacy over the Senkaku islands.

[Pro Libertate]

I think that's why he said it. To remind China how well the last war with Japan went.

[Virginian]

The Navy is preparing to launch an unmanned aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier for the first time.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013.....z2TGv3Du8I

Drones on a boat!

[a better weapon]

Boats and Drones! Boats and Drones! I need me my Boats and Drones!

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Naval Aviators union must be weak.

[NeonCat]

It's all been downhill since Tailhook.

[Virginian]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013.....latestnews

Hide and seek champion, Western regional.

[Brett L]

One less cup of coffee tomorrow, buddy.

[Virginian]

I got here at 8, and have done nothing since. Last day is next Friday, and then you will no longer get my discerning and tasteful content.

[Brett L]

At this point you should be cruising the porn sites and asking your hottest coworker if she would care to reenact certain scenes you fancy.

[Rich]

All together, roughly one-third of House committees are engaged in investigating some aspect of the Obama administration.

Sheesh, no wonder congress can't fix the tax code.

[Bee Tagger]

1/3 of the House committees are committed to Republican obstructionism?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Notice how the House suddenly has no interest in a joint budget resolution despite the fact both chambers have passed resolutions?

[VG Zaytsev]

Gotta be Buuuush's fault, somehow.

[Restoras]

It is desperately looking for anything to deflect criticism away from Team Blue. Best to ignore it and just laugh at the pure impotency of its intellect and position.

[LTC(ret) John]

Agreed - I figured it would be particularly... flaccid, lately.

[a better weapon]

jingles keys

LOOK OVER HERE, NO (snaps fingers furiously) STOP, LOOK OVER HEEEEERE!!!

[Ted S.]

That's just proof of Republican obstructionism. I mean, how many Senate committees are investigating the Obama administration?

[Restoras]

Fix the tax code? Why would Congress wnat to fix something it uses to dole out favors with?

[Rich]

Note to self: Use less-subtle sarcasm.

[Restoras]

Arg, my bad.

*recalibrating sarchasm meter....*

[Live Free or Diet]

Been there. Lots. Try the veal.

[Ted S.]

*recalibrating sarchasm meter....*

Apparently there's a big gap between what you consider sarcasm and what everybody else considers sarcasm.

[Restoras]

yeah

[Azathoth!!]

I see what you did there

[SugarFree]

Set Phasers To Stupid: i09 discusses Economics in Science Fiction, with a guest spot from Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Paul Kruman, PhD for a little argument from authority.

[Virginian]

Socialism works with energy that's too cheap to meter and machines which use that limitless energy to make things.

So, if you have enough wizards, its the ideal system.

[Rasilio]

Pretty much this, if you envision a world with the technology of Star Trek then it is hard not to see Socialism evolving because everyone can have as much material wealth as they want

[a better weapon]

But how does that help the ruling class keep a significantly better life with more material wealth?

The rank and file socialists would love technology that provided for this, their leaders won't though. It's probably why they bemoan the self check out scanner and ATM's so much.

[thom]

When humans eventually reach this level of technology, people in authority will probably continue to restrict access to material goods for people who do not comply with their rules, while providing endless wealth for those who do. Complying with orders from above will be a no-brainer.

Today, tyrannical governments are somewhat constrained by the scarcity of resources. Hungry people will eventually revolt. Future tyrannical governments will not be similarly constrained.

Technological progress may very well lead us into some very dark times for human kind.

[Fool]

Probably, but they don't say as much. They just bemoan the loss of traditional livelihoods, excessive materialism, and other things like that.

[Jerryskids]

Bring someone from only 100 years or so ago into the present day and I would guess they would think paying a relatively small portion of your income for the miracle of electric lights, central heating and air, hot and cold running water, refrigerators and stoves, TV and internet, would be pretty damn close to 'everything you could possibly want for almost nothing'.

And yet, human desire seems to be infinite. Even if everyone can have as much material wealth as they want, it will only be all the material wealth they want by today's standard.

[gaijin]

Let me guess: Foundation is Krugman's ideal universe?

[SugarFree]

ding, ding, ding

One genius intelligence guiding the future course of all of human history with his advanced mathematics. When foolish humans stray from his dictates, chaos descends. You rarely get such a perfect glimpse into such a bloated ego.

[VG Zaytsev]

He's said before that Harry Seldon is his hero.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Holy fuck it's true. He's a massive parody of himself.

[PS]

And he loves anti-American socialist Iain Banks.

[generic Brand]

I was going to say, the Culture embodies the perfect post-scarcity society, taking its technology everywhere in order to "lift up" backwater planets.

[Rasilio]

It's funny, I read through the comments, not a single mention of Heinlein

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Someone needs to remind these low-testosterone goons of the Simpsons episode where Springfield turns into an impotent, managerial mess when all the "smart" people are put in charge.

[Bobarian]

To be fair, Krugman is the number one writer of economic fiction in the world today.

[db]

A Baltimore cop has been charged with pimping his wife.

It wasn't easy.

[Bee Tagger]

Take my wife, please, for just 3 low payments of 19.99.

[Rich]

At least he wasn't pimping her in the Baltimore City Detention Center.

I mean, that hasn't surfaced *yet*.

[Fool]

US to account for 1/3 of new oil supplies over the next five years, according to International Energy Agency. Silly frackers, don't you know that energy is supposed to be willingly given from Gaia and not forcibly taken like this?

[Brett L]

This is one smart motherfucker. And I thank him for his wife's concert venue, which being 15 minutes from where I grew up let me drive home from many great concerts stoned off my ass.

[Ted S.]

"Music" here meaning Dave Matthews and Barry Manilow.

And what's with the site being tailored to mobile phones?

[Brett L]

Black Sabbath, Rob Zombie and Mastodon, Pretty sure I saw the orginal Matchbox 20/Goo Goo Dolls tour about 20 years ago there. Also, I didn't realize Jane's Addiction was touring again.

[Apatheist ?_??]

I too went to highschool near the pavilion.

[Brett L]

McCullough/TW or Oak Ridge or Spring?

[Apatheist ?_??]

Private.

[Brett L]

Cooper. You don't have to be much ashamed.

[Apatheist ?_??]

I'm not. I move to the W from overseas where I had a class size under 30. Going to WHS before it was split up would have been insane.

[Brett L]

I was the first graduating class from TWHS. 10-12th grade my year. I hear they eventually went to the full Plano system.

[Citizen Nothing]

The AP thing is what finally pushes Obama into the ditch. Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but I suspect that over the next three years we'll see little from the White House but damage control. If you wanna keep the lid on things, don't fuck(so blatantly)with the press. We take that shit personally.

[VG Zaytsev]

Sure ya do.

I remember how y'all rolled over like good retrievers when his campaign continually dissed you in 08 and how you completely ignored Biden locking a reporter in a closet.

[Citizen Nothing]

Meh. One reporter, more or less, locked in a closet, is a small price to pay for the Greater Good. But this is serious.

[Citizen Nothing]

On a more serious note -- yes, a majority of my colleagues are, no doubt, Dem shills at heart. But not in their own minds. They really believe in their own objectivity. So they can ignore and explain a way a lot of things to avoid cognitive dissonance, but when a pol not only rubs their nose in shit, but starts piling mounds of it on top of their precious "freedom of the press," they will start growling. Just watch.

[VG Zaytsev]

I hope you're right. It's just that they've been such patsies for Obama for so long that I'll believe it when I see it.

I'm not talking about generic leftwing bias, but the creepy obsequiousness that they show towards him. It's like the NorKos with dear leader.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

I'm not talking about generic leftwing bias, but the creepy obsequiousness that they show towards him. It's like the NorKos with dear leader.

The media's been this way with him since 2004. I'd be stunned if they actually began holding him to account for any of this, because they're the ones who legitimized him as a "rock star" politician to begin with.

Going after him would be admitting they were wrong about the guy, and the press, by and large, has too much of an ego to do that.

[mad libertarian guy]

The problem, though, is that the "media" has very little relevance in comparison to pundits like those on MSNBC.

When Rachel Maddow goes anti-Obama because of this, let me know.

[Bee Tagger]

There's is the speech whose freedom doesn't come free.

[Ted S.]

There's

[reaches through screen and smacks Bee Tagger]

You people do this just to piss me off, don't you?

[LTC(ret) John]

Probably.

[robc]

From now on I will be.

Never reveal your faults!

[Bobarian]

Don't you mean

Never reveal you're faults!

[Bee Tagger]

Why can't you just be generous by including a typo in your reply? Then I could walk away thinking I got the upper hand.

[db]

While the schadenfreude will be a lot of fun, the relentless march toward destruction of liberty and privacy is likely to continue. Also I have little hope that the administration will back off any of its economically destructive policies--to the contrary, they will likely dig in their heels on all fronts in resistance to the political onslaught.

Obama's only option seems to be to have a Bill Clinto-like come to Iesu moment where he decides to work with and take suggestions from the Republicans. Of course, 1. His ego won't allow it; and 2. The Republicans won't do anything to curb spending and gov't growth either.

[BakedPenguin]

Yup. Clinton was a total sociopath who cared for nothing but his own power and would do anything to retain it. While Obama is close to that, his massive ego and over-inflated sense of self-worth will preclude him making any real compromises, even to remain in power.

[Restoras]

Clinton was a skillful political tactician - Obama is completely out of his depth. Too many years being told how intelligent, wonderful, and charasmatic he is.

[BakedPenguin]

Nothing you said necessarily contradicts anything I said, or vice versa. Let's agree to agree, and say we're both right.

[Bobarian]

BO's ego drives him to making sure whatever gets passed is his idea. He might later disclaim it, based on his new idea (see sequester), but his ego still will be the cross he will die on.

Clinton would wait around and claim whatever actually got passed was his idea. He didn't care about the plan, just the credit (see balanced budget).

Big difference

[Rasilio]

Benghazi, IRS, AP, and now the Russkies have caught an American CIA agent with his hands in the cookie jar. It's been a banner month for the "Most Transparent Administration in History" ain't it.

[a better weapon]

I don't find it surprising its happening, I did however, find it surprising voters actually believed this administration when they said it (or most anything else for that matter).

[Zeb]

Everybody is always spying. The US has caught several Russian agents recently too. Seems like just part of the cost of the business of spying.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

The US has caught several Russian agents recently too.

In some cases, it's a shame we have to send them back.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Chapman

[a better weapon]

Woke up to find out the Bruins won. I switched to Netflix when it was 4-1 with like 8 or 9 minutes to go. Was it a total Toronto collapse or did the Bruins just go out of their minds?

[Restoras]

I was watching the Rangers game but the Broons pulled the goalie with something like two minutes remaining and swarmed. Leafs looked panicked - like a deer in headlights.

[Auric Demonocles]

They scored with about 9 minutes left as well to make it 4-2.

I'm still hungover and unable to speak from that game.

[db]

That was complete BS. Dr. Girlfriend got home from hockey and I had just got done telling her that the Leafs had likely crushed the Bruins when the announcers in the Rangers/Caps game mention how Boston had managed to tie it.

[Ted S.]

Bleah. The Most Overrated Arena on Earth vs. Boston Weak? Bleah, bleah, bleah.

[Archduke Pantsfan]

yeah, Toronto collapsed.

[The Late P Brooks]

The fact that Professor Cornel West recently described the president as a "war criminal" is probably low on the administration's list of concerns, with the AP phone records scandal, the ongoing Benghazi mess, and the recent revelation that the IRS unjustly scrutinized conservative groups occupying much of the news and hardly casting the president and the federal government in the best light.

When everything is a sideshow, nothing is a sideshow.

[gaijin]

When you've lost Cornel West...

[Palin's Buttplug]

Brutha Cornel never liked Obama - he is "too white".

[mad libertarian guy]

Except that before his election in 08, West actively campaigned for Obama. It wasn't until after he was elected and West saw that the status quo wasn't going to change, but that many of the worst aspects of Bush's presidency would be exacerbated by Obama, that West turned on Obama.

As any right thinking man should have done long ago. Making a mistake when judging a man's character happens all the time. Having the courage to admit your errors and speaking the truth about it is what defines your character.

That you still shill for Obama is all any of us need to know to know that you're a man with a shady character.

[mr lizard]

Or when you've lost Rachel Maddow...
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/rac.....l-enemies/

[The Late P Brooks]

During my Morning Joke drive-by, they were talking about the AP thing.
Poor little Mika looked like she was sitting on a pile of broken glass.

[VG Zaytsev]

I heard a couple of them saying "Maybe those tea party people aren't so crazy afterall" for minute or two.

[mad libertarian guy]

The fact that Professor Cornel West recently described the president as a "war criminal" is probably low on the administration's list of concerns, with the AP phone records scandal, the ongoing Benghazi mess, and the recent revelation that the IRS unjustly scrutinized conservative groups occupying much of the news and hardly casting the president and the federal government in the best light.

We're totally crazy for being skeptical of government power.

[db]

Reason.tv really needs to do a video juxtaposing Obama's OSU speech and all the scandals and overreach that been exposed recently. Not just the recent stuff, but everything. Hell, even reach back into the Bush admin. Make Obama the cheerleader for it all, because that's what he is, basically.

[Rich]

Seconded.

[LTC(ret) John]

Aye.

[BigT]

"Unfortunately, you grew up hearing voices that incessantly warn of government as nothing more than some separate, sinister entity that's the root of all our problems, even as they do their best to gum up the works, or that tyranny always lurks just around the corner," Mr. Obama said.

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. I am Obama, the great and powerful.

[Zeb]

Unfortunately, having Cornell West on agree with you doesn't really help your case for being not crazy.

[Virginian]

Another year, another Capitals collapse. Hey Ovi? Score. Put the puck in the fucking net.

[Nazdrakke]

Did you really expect anything different? I mean, dude, it's the Caps.

[Virginian]

http://www.timesdispatch.com/n.....97bdd.html

Local news.

"Right now we have a school, a state-of-the-art recreation center, a state-of-the-art public health facility that will be coming up next year and a library proposed to be there," Nelson said. "And it seems like most of the Varina residents I've talked to are pro-Wawa."

Martin, the pastor who has lived near the intersection for about seven years, said the Wawa issue also evokes tension over varying levels of development on different sides of the county. Western Henrico has seen a wave of progress, he said.
"Yet we've got to struggle and fight just to get a gas station."

You're not paying off the right people. You probably think the job of the Planning Commission is economic growth.

[Live Free or Diet]

The BP across the street doesn't want the competition.

[Virginian]

BP competes with Wawa the way I compete with Usain Bolt.

Wawa is the best thing about New Jersey.

[Live Free or Diet]

BP competes with Wawa the way I compete with Usain Bolt.

EXACTLY! Now imagine being able to go to the IOC and saying he should be able to compete in your events.

[Live Free or Diet]

...shouldn't...

[BakedPenguin]

Wawa is the best thing about New Jersey.

If it makes you feel less dirty, they're actually from Pennsylvania.

[Warty]

Fuck Wawa. Sheetz is PA's best export.

[Nazdrakke]

There may be a minor speed bump in the libertopianism of Honduras mentioned yesterday.

"A new investigation claims that the U.S. supported police in Honduras is operating death squads which is killing or 'disappearing' young members of street gangs in the Central American country."

Delightful commentary includes: "For once the U.S. government is putting taxpayer money to good use..
- Garry , New York, United States, 14/5/2013 11:58"

[sarcasmic]

Dang you.

[sarcasmic]

Portia de Rossi is not aging well.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....eback.html

[a better weapon]

She'll be taking over the Lucille Bluth role, I take it?

[Ted S.]

Does anybody else read this far down the comments?

[PS]

No.

[db]

I think it's been well established that one doesn't have to read the comments here to respond to them.

[MP]

You have impossibly high standards for 40 year olds.

[sarcasmic]

My wife is 40 and looks much better than that.

[PS]

Ditto.

[Libertymike]

But does she have Gweneth's abs?

[sarcasmic]

No one does.

[Libertymike]

Tell that to my wife.

[BakedPenguin]

She's staring to look like her wife.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Dem pantsuits.

[Bobarian]

All the facial surgery suggests an abusive relationship. Who knew that Ellen was a bull?

[sarcasmic]

Ali Larter is still hot.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....goods.html

[sarcasmic]

Emma Watson... va va va voom!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....annes.html

[Restoras]

She is maturing beautifully.

[Libertymike]

Yesterday, I went to see Iron Man 3 and THE HIGHLIGHT of the movie?

Gwyeneth's ABS!

va va va va VOOM!

[PS]

You are really into braking systems?

[Libertymike]

I don't brake for bolzheviks.

[sarcasmic]

Dude wakes up in the middle of his own funeral.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....offin.html

[Stormy Dragon]

But the next day Mr Zanthe's friends and relatives scattered in disbelief when he started moving as they filed past to say their emotional goodbyes.

Yeah, don't help or anything.

[sarcasmic]

U.S. backed Honduran police accused of running 'death squads' to kill and round up members of infamous street gang

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....-gang.html
Not surprisingly, the comments are pure slurp.

[sarcasmic]

The moment proud father John Boehner watched his daughter say 'I Do' to her dreadlocked Jamaican-born love

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....-love.html
Do we have pictures of him crying like a little girl?

[LTC(ret) John]

"Do we have pictures of him crying like a little girl?"

Just about every week, right?

[a better weapon]

Woah, wasn't expecting the dreads to be all the way to his knee caps.

I'd love to have been there the first time she brought him home. Boehner was probably stammering like Porky Pig the whole time.

[robc]

The groom was previously arrested for possession of marijuana

A Jamaican with dreads? Marijuana? Who could have seen that twist coming?

[sarcasmic]

Lesbian affairs, all-night sex and cocaine snorted from silver teaspoons: Wild lives of Gatsby-era flappers revealed in new book

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/fem.....-book.html

[a better weapon]

Thought we were talking about the Fluke hearings for a minute.

[The Late P Brooks]

One reporter, more or less, locked in a closet, is a small price to pay for the Greater Good.

I eagerly await the publication of the blockbuster expose, Notes From the Gas Chamber.

[Coeus]

A press release from NRAL on the Gosnell verdict

"Justice was served to Kermit Gosnell today and he will pay the price for the atrocities he committed. We hope that the lessons of the trial do not fade with the verdict. Anti-choice politicians, and their unrelenting efforts to deny women access to safe and legal abortion care, will only drive more women to back-alley butchers like Kermit Gosnell.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he providing licensed abortion abortions? He wasn't some back-alley unlicensed physician.

[Ken Shultz]

"The fact that Professor Cornel West recently described the president as a "war criminal" is probably low on the administration's list of concerns"

Actually, what people say and think about the administration is more important to the Obama people than anything else on the list.

Benghazi, the AP scandal, and the IRS thing blowing up in their faces are only important to the Obama Administration because they make people think and say bad things about Barack Obama.

[Coeus]

As if the wildlife wasn't bad enough, you also have to deal with aussie teenagers.

Some unidentified teens allegedly threw a small bomb, disguised as golf ball, at Michael Boggan on Friday afternoon (video below).

As Michael picked the ball up, it exploded.

The homemade bomb injured his legs and blew away most of his fingers.

Michael's mother, Rebecca Boggan, wants the main teen prankster to be charged with attempted murder.

Michael, who is autistic, was trying to be friends with the group of boys when he unwittingly took the homemade bomb in his hands, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The bomb was reportedly made of ball bearings and white powder.

Ughhh. Stephen King had it right. Kids can be exceptionally evil.

[BakedPenguin]

Steven King? How about William Golding and his documentary, Lord of the Flies.

[Coeus]

I felt that Lord of the Flies was more about things getting out of hand without access to the usual social structures. King was all about the afterschool homicides.

[BakedPenguin]

That's a fair point, but just to be a pedantic dick, I'll say it was Bachman who was all about the school shootings.

[Coeus]

I was thinking more along the lines of "The Body", "Apt Pupil" and "It". The stuff that goes under the radar. There was a line in one of his books, don't remember which one, which was talking about bullies taking it too far, and the resulting deaths usually being written off as accidents.

[Coeus]

How to be an ally with bisexuals.

The article and comments are insane.

Why the fuck don't these idiots just accept the Kinsey scale and stop trying to be unique little snowflakes? Not a damn bit of this discussion is necessary.

[Ted S.]

WHat the fuck do you need to be an "ally" for, anyway?

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

Don't forget bisexual pride. Remember, it's LGBT Pride Month (June) and LGBT History Month (October), not just gay pride and history. If your organization or school is acknowledging LGBT pride and/or history, don't forget to include the contributions of bisexuals. And did you know September 23rd is Celebrate Bisexuality Day? Unfortunately, few people do. You don't have to go all out ? even a Facebook post acknowledging the day could do a lot to raise awareness.

Dude, pride and history, plus a "celebrate" day? When is petite brunette pride month? History month? Celebration day? I WILL HAVE ALL THE MONTHS FOR MYSELF.

[Libertymike]

How about drool over Gweneth Paltrow's abs day?

[Warty]

Gweneth Paltrow? Dude, I knew you were a fucking weirdo, but ew.

[Auric Demonocles]

When is petite brunette pride month?

July. Possibly longer depending on your location, as beach weather lasts longer in some places.

[Rich]

I imagine it can be very difficult to make sure your sexuality is not erased when you're bisexual.

*** searches for logic textbook ***

[AuH20]

I think it comes from any numbe of gay people who are left by a bi person for someone of the opposite gender and then go, "That bastard was using me all along!"

It probably doesn't help that I would guess there are more 2s than 4s, so you have a lot of people who will date same sex but are more attracted to the opposite gender overall

[Coeus]

Cognitive dissonance, feminist style.

Kogan makes mention of the Women's Fiction Prize in the UK ? formerly known as the Orange Prize ? and how necessary it is to have such a thing in the US. However, after reading an article on this year's Women's Fiction Prize contenders on The Guardian ... I was very disappointed to see the amount of comments (again, why do I troll through this?) calling the prize "reverse sexism," that it is "antiquated" and should be done away with. It seems, to some people, that the prize is somehow unjust against males, (the old, "there isn't a Male Fiction Prize" comment brings to mind the arguments white people tend to use against the importance of Affirmative Action) and that ridding of it would allow women and men to receive equal treatment in book awards and reviews.

fucking char limit...

[Coeus]

And then:

Bassist's blog came from Wikipedia's decision to sub-categorize women's fiction from "American Novelists" to "American Woman Novelists." I checked today, and it seems the problem has been amended because of the backlash. But this sub-categorizing (ahem, compartmentalizing) doesn't end with a multi-human-built online encyclopedia. Walk into any bookstore anywhere in the country, and you're more likely to find Jennifer Egan in "Women's Fiction" than in just, um, Fiction. Just the way we sub-categorize writers of various ethnic backgrounds.

So do you want special categories or don't you? Or do you really just want something to bitch about (putting my money on that one)?

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

Walk into any bookstore anywhere in the country, and you're more likely to find Jennifer Egan in "Women's Fiction" than in just, um, Fiction.

Believe me when I say that I know this is complete and utter bullshit. I mean the Wikipedia "controversy" was retarded beyond belief and I hate the Orange Prize (now Women's Fiction Prize), but regardless of all that, there's no fucking "women's fiction" section in most bookstores, let alone one that would put Jennifer Egan there.

[SugarFree]

Colocation for ease of browsing is the most dangerous threat that faces female authors today.

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

If you have enough copies of a given book to colocate, you're probably a big-box book store and not a small local indie, therefore you are already the devil.

[SugarFree]

There was an indie-store in Louisville that was at fanatical levels of granular colocation. The fantasy section was broken down into epic, dark, light, historical, etc. and then broken down further, like "Dark fantasy with unicorns and strong female protagonists" and "Sorcery-free swords and sandals." And they had two cats "Franny" and "Zooey."

Closed years ago, sadly.

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

That's like the Netflix of bookstores.

[robc]

Was that Hawley-Cooke or someone else?

[SugarFree]

No, I can't remember the name. It was on Bardstown, and pretty small.

Hawley-Cooke always had a great selection of science fiction. I loved going there.

[robc]

I used to pop into H-C once a month because they carried Liberty magazine.

And they had a great sci-fi section. I didnt remember them being as detailed as what you mentioned, but they did subdivide well. No mixing of SF and Fantasy, for example.

[robc]

I dont know who Egan is or if bookstores have the sections or not, but I know that when I bought Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand was in the regular fiction section. So, if it does exist, they arent sorting correctly.

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

She won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2011 and bitches are trying to act like she's being marginalized or something.

[Live Free or Diet]

So the Women's Fiction section is that woman's fictional section?

[Citizen Nothing]

So after the AP thing broke, I went over to Daily Kos for some schadenfreude and to enjoying the tasty, tasty tears of shell-shocked liberals, and who should be commenting (and vigorously spinning that no, no, no, the president likely knew nothing about any of this) but Joe from Lowell.
What a shining beacon of derp. He truly is the Tulpa of teh left.

[Fatty Bolger]

low on the administration's list of concerns, with the AP phone records scandal, the ongoing Benghazi mess, and the recent revelation that the IRS unjustly scrutinized conservative groups

You left out the Kathleen Sebellius insurance company shakedown. That's perfectly understandable, there are so many Obama scandals now that it's getting hard to keep track of them all.

Can you even imagine the media shitstorm we'd be in if this was a Republican administration?

Speaking of Sebellius, remember when she violated the Hatch act and the most transparent and ethical administration in U.S. history did nothing?

[db]

An investigation by Internal Affairs determined that procedures were followed and FYTW.

[Rich]

there are so many Obama scandals now that it's getting hard to keep track of them all.

But are they SCANDAL-scandals?

Seriously. this.

[Jerryskids]

I think the only scandal at all is that anyone thinks there are any scandals here.

A scandal has to include some shockingly outrageous, morally, ethically, or legally wrong behavior - it is shockingly outrageous to me that anyone is shocked or outraged to discover that politicians are megalomaniacal, thieving, lying, treacherous shit weasels with absolutely no morals or ethics or sense of being bound by any code of human conduct. Have these people been in a coma since birth or what?

[lap83]

I'm hesitant to call them scandals, just because I don't think that many people are outraged or even care. I think most people treat it like someone telling them about a major development in a tv show they don't watch. "Hmm, sounds interesting. I might pick it up when it comes out on DVD"

[mad libertarian guy]

I think most people treat it like someone telling them about a major development in a tv show they don't watch. "Hmm, sounds interesting. I might pick it up when it comes out on DVD"

In other words, "I might care about this when it's a Republican administration doing them."

But remember, government is good and virtuous.

[AuH20]

Eh, I think some of it is post-Noxon cynicism. Most people just expect the government to be corrupt and shitty, which is why 40% don't vote

[Jerryskids]

Well, to be fair, you mind find the news that the Queen of England is a serial adultress to be scandalous - the news that the President is screwing most of the country isn't even titillating.

[SugarFree]

Don't let Lindy West into your home. All she wants to do is poop.

[Virginian]

Wow....I actually agreed with a Jezbel post.

Particularly if you're looking for a babysitter/caregiver for young boys.

[Live Free or Diet]

I mowed lawns, had a paper route and, yes, babysat way back in the '70s. I don't see the new here.

[Coeus]

I like where she's going with this one, though (perish the thought). I worked extensively with kids as a teenager (mentor program, taught vacation bible school, helped out in the church nursery, boy scouts, etc.) and the "all males are child molesters bullshit has got to go.

Of course, she'd never in a million years admit that this attitude is new, and a direct result of feminist propaganda and bullshit statistics.

[Virginian]

There is that. I've worked with kids for about ten years now, and it is incredibly irritating that there seems to be that general notion in society.

I will say that the actual parents of the kids I work with don't seem to have any such issues.

[Rasilio]

Oh my god tell me about it. I tried to be a volunteer at my church with the youth group, cause you know they couldn't get any other volunteers and needed help.

All of a sudden people start asking my wife very pointed questions and making veiled suggestions about my interest in teenagers wondering why a grown man would want to spend so much time around them.

No one of course ever questioned the interests of the 3 women volunteers.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

No one of course ever questioned the interests of the 3 women volunteers

You should keep copies of articles in your pocket of all the female teachers fucking their students, so you can pull them out and show them every time someone insinuates your intentions.

[Live Free or Diet]

What the hell is a "special-occasion toilet?"

[SugarFree]

The one you don't want your fat babysitter clogging up with her massive fast food turds.

[Zeb]

And who goes around worrying that they are going to clog up toilets?

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

Lindy West does have a poop thing, like, always.

[Fatty Bolger]

Al Bundy?

[Brett L]

Bronies give back.

Since the first day that the Brony Thank You Fund had a web page, we've had verbage under our donation button that read:

The Brony Thank You Fund, Incorporated has applied to the United States Internal Revenue Service for registration as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity. If this application is granted, all donations to the Fund will become retroactively tax-deductible to the extent permissible by law.

If you look on the front page of our web site today, you'll see a very different message:

The Brony Thank You Fund is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity. All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

[Rasilio]

My 10 year old son is unabashedly a Brony, he even proudly wears a Brony shirt to school.

[Fatty Bolger]

"Dad, I have something to tell you. It's something that I've known about myself for a long time, and I don't want to hide it any more..."

"Son, you know your mother and I love you very much, no matter what your sexual orientation, and we support..."

"I'm a Brony."

"NOT UNDER MY ROOF, YOU AREN'T!!!!"

[Rasilio]

Nah I don't mind his being a Brony, there are FAR worse kids shows on tv right now and I love how pissed off my 13 year old gets when his brother and sisters start singing songs from it.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

My 10 year old son is unabashedly a Brony, he even proudly wears a Brony shirt to school.

It's cute when they're 10--less so when they're grown men.

http://geek-news.mtv.com/2013/.....-marriage/

[Virginian]

http://www.libertylawsite.org/.....t-special/

Never forget: gun control is racist.

[Coeus]

I believe that the official line is "disparate impact is only racist if it's the republicans doing it".

I have a proggie coworker whom I got to admit that disparate impact wasn't racist (we were having a gun control discussion) then I switched to voter I.D.

He started yelling.

[Auric Demonocles]

I have a proggie coworker whom I got to admit that disparate impact wasn't racist (we were having a gun control discussion) then I switched to voter I.D

Genius.

[Coeus]

He has a political website. If I link it, I want dozens of you guys to descend to the comments. But don't give him any valid reason to shut down comments. I want it to be obvious he shut it down solely because he's outclassed in political thought.

[Auric Demonocles]

So no sheep fucker comments?

[Coeus]

I get the feeling that, by saying that, I've just invited it. I think I'll link it another day.

[Auric Demonocles]

But deep dish threads are still cool, right?

[Virginian]

http://theothermccain.com/2013.....y-nakoula/

The guy in prison for making a video will be relased in about 4 and a half months.

FREDDOM!!!!!!!

[Stormy Dragon]

He got caught participating in wire fraud while on parole for wire fraud. He's not a hero, he's just a common criminal.

[Stormy Dragon]

Part of the reason Obama keep getting away with these scandals is that TEAM RED can't just go after him what he's actually done wrong, they have to construct a Dan Brown movie around it that ends up packing in so much fabricated crap that eventually the real problem gets lost in the giant dung heap of political drama.

[Fatty Bolger]

Yeah, that's the reason. (rolls eyes)

[Fatty Bolger]

Sure. He was also a convenient patsy.

[Virginian]

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013.....o-divulge/

This is fucking Orwellian. They wanted membership lists and lists of family members.

It's so hard not to Godwin this.

[Citizen Nothing]

You know who else it was hard not to Godwin?

[Virginian]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/l.....Vc1zItXGDP

Hiring handicapped tour guides to skip the lines at Disney.

[mad libertarian guy]

Brilliant Mathematicians: What the fuck is this other brilliant mathematician talking about?

[Brett L]

Do you have any idea how crazy and aloof you have to be for other math people to think you a shut-in?

[WilliamGiannone]

my roomate's half-sister makes $74 an hour on the laptop. She has been laid off for 8 months but last month her pay check was $12449 just working on the laptop for a few hours. Read more here... http://www.up444.com

[Citizen Nothing]

Dan Brown's latest, Inferno, just landed on my desk with an ominous thud.
Sigh.

[Citizen Nothing]

I mean, I'm a fucking hillbilly, and even I understand that Dan Brown is just Umberto Eco for illiterates.
But you know it's gonna sell.
Sigh.

[Brett L]

Just read 4 random chapters and the back of the book. People are going to buy it no matter what you say about it.

[Citizen Nothing]

Just read 4 random chapters and the back of the book.

Who's been revealing our fucking secrets? The Book Critic's Guild- is gonna hear about this!

[Rasilio]

I don't know anythinmg about Dan Brown but I'd rather read Inferno by Niven and Pournelle