A.M. Links: Pentagon Not Offering "Zero Option" on Afghanistan, House GOP Urged on Immigration Reform, Anthony Weiner Communications Specialist Apologizes for Profanity-Laced Tirade Against Intern

• 

  Wen Cheng Liu/Foter.com

  The Pentagon won't be providing a "zero option" for US troop levels in Afghanistan after 2014 even as the White House insists complete withdrawal hasn't been ruled out. The UN says civilian casualties were up by a quarter in the first six months of the year.

• The Senate Judiciary Committee will hear from top men involved in the government's domestic surveillance operations as it considers whether it should limit them in some way.
• Republican donors and business groups sent two separate letters to House Republicans urging support for immigration reform.
• Reported misconduct at the TSA is up 26 percent over the last three years, according to the government.
• Anthony Weiner's communication specialist apologized for calling a former intern who wrote about her in the Daily News a slutbag, a twat, and a cunt. She thought she was off-the-record.
• The San Diego city council voted to sue its mayor, who faces several sexual harassment allegations and another lawsuit, and to prevent city money from going to his legal defense fund.
• The emir of Kuwait has pardoned everyone jailed for insulting him.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Republican donors and business groups sent two separate letters to House Republicans urging support for immigration reform.

RINO donor money is no good here!

[Lord Humungus]

Can You Pass This 101-Year-Old Test for 8th Graders in Kentucky?
http://www.lewrockwell.com/201.....h-graders/

[robc]

Bullitt County is the home of the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot.

[db]

I go there twice a year.

[robc]

I avoid the BC as much as possible.

I-65 passes thru it, so I go thru it as fast as possible.

Other than driving on 65, Ive gone there maybe a dozen times in my adult life, and I grew up just north of the Jefferson/Bullitt border.

[derpules]

I've been there, it's a good time

[robc]

Ive been to the gun range, but never for the Machine Gun Shoot.

[db]

Anyone interested in a meetup there? I'm usually the only one among thousands wearing either a reason or Rush t-shirt.

[Bee Tagger]

Is this the tv game show that Jeff Foxworth famously passed on?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Way to post a cheat sheet right there on the internet. Number 5 of the arithmetic section is a trick question.

[robc]

???

its $216, whats the trick?

[Night Elf Mohawk]

Cost to whom, was my first reaction.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Oops, forgot about this. Yes, I'm not responsible for vaguely worded questions.

[Zeb]

Yes. Though I am not sure of the qualifications of governor of Kentucky.

[Xenocles]

I imagine it starts off with a phrase like "No dirty [slurs]."

[Sidd Finch]

yes

This conservative/libertarian porn is stupid. Without knowing the percent of 14-year-olds who could pass this 101 years ago, seeing the test is meaningless. And many of the questions are just "describe ..." so there's no way of knowing what constitutes passing anyways.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Concur.

[hamilton]

? Why so? Presumably regardless of the specific answers for the "describe" sections or the exact passing rates, the test is a reasonable indicator of the type and depth of knowledge that people (yes, yes, which people, Top Men, etc.) expected 14-year-olds to know. Even as just a cultural indicator as opposed to an exact measure it is still telling, IMHO.

[Sidd Finch]

The national high school graduation rate at the time was 25%. I don't know what the 8th grade graduation rate was ... maybe 50%? So right off the bat, we're dealing with roughly the top half of students.

And what's really on the test. There's no algebra or geometry, classes I had taken by the 8th grade at my hillbilly school. The rest is just memorizing stuff. Maybe that's more than the upper half of students today memorize, maybe not. There's no indication either way.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

I guess it depends on how precisely you want to define geometry, but it looked to me like there were geometry questions.

The majority of the questions seem like the same kind of things being taught today. Some of the other stuff -- the liver and discoveries of places -- depend on the focus of that particular class more than difficulty, as such.

[Xenocles]

That question about the gender breakdown of the class seemed like basic algebra to me. At least that's the approach I'f take to answer it.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

One kid did it explicitly algebraically: x + 2/3x = 120

One kid did it as a ratio: 2:3 = 120/5 = 2(24), 3(24)

[mr simple]

There are most definitely algebra and geometry questions on that test.

[Sidd Finch]

The 'area of a rectangle' is elementary school math. I guess it's technically geometry, but not what one learns in a middle school geometry class (at last after the first day).

The sex breakdown question could be solved with algebra, but then so could lots of stuff that nobody actually uses algebra for.

The class is 3 parts girls, 2 parts boys.

3+2=5
120/5=24
3*24=72 girls
2*24=48 boys

[Night Elf Mohawk]

#8 is the Pythagorean theorem, #10 is volume. I'd call both of those middle school geometry.

[mr simple]

Just because you're not good at algebra doesn't mean nobody uses it.

Number 8 is also a geometry question as it is basically asking you to find the hypotenuse of a right triangle.

[Sidd Finch]

Just because you're not good at algebra doesn't mean nobody uses it.

You're bragging on the internet about needing to use algebra to figure out how many boys are in a class.

Number 8 is also a geometry question as it is basically asking you to find the hypotenuse of a right triangle.

No. It's exactly asking you to find the hypotenuse. It's just not a hard question since every student knows 3-4-5 triangles because they don't even require knowing the Pythagorean Theorem.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Looks like Mr Simple is technically correct.

[Xenocles]

"Name and give the boundaries of the five zones."

I don't even pretend to know what this means.

"By whom were the following settled...?"

Indians.

"Through what waters would a ship pass in going from England through the Suez Canal to Manila?"

A ship should pass through exactly every water in front of it. Alternatively, it will pass through the brown water, the green water, the blue water, the green water, the brown water, the green water, the blue water, the green water, and finally the brown water.

[hamilton]

101 years ago they'd cane you and make you sit in the corner with a little cap on your head.

[Xenocles]

I'd deserve it for being a smartass.

[Lord Humungus]

go on... /kinky bastard

[Enough About Palin]

101 years ago they were lucky to make it to 14.

[Joe M]

Reported misconduct at the TSA is up 26 percent over the last three years, according to the government.

Considering the baseline, that's scary.

[Rich]

And that's just *reported* misconduct. If it's like sexual misconduct, it's probably up 52%.

[mr simple]

They realized they weren't going to face any consequences for their actions.

[Tim]

They should be armed.

[Mike M.]

Our government: "Yes, while you weren't paying attention we quietly 'revised' that first quarter GDP growth number from 1.8% all the way down to just 1.1%. But the second quarter was much, much better at a (paltry) 1.7%! And there's no chance whatsoever that this number will be also 'revised' downward later on. Honestly, we mean it for real this time, we swear!!"

[gaijin]

Indeed. After this month's release and chatter, everyone will quietly forget about the revisions to methods moving forward. Expenses have become investments!

Hockey Stick Revisions: They are not just for Temperature charts (see 2011)

[Brett L]

I like how they guarantee 100% return on them in the immediate term.

[Bee Tagger]

Come on, you forgot to use "unexpectedly."

[Ted S.]

I swear this comment wasn't here when I wrote my reply!

(Considering how long it takes H&R to load, that's really true.)

[Ted S.]

Those revisions were unexpected.

[Joe M]

Chocolate rations are being increased from 30 grams to 20 grams.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Plus good! Double Plus Good!

[Lord Humungus]

Breast therapist's career boob
http://web.orange.co.uk/articl.....areer_boob

But despite graduating with honours, Jun has only two new mums who pay him ?20 a time to massage their breasts for 90 minutes to help with milk production.

"I'm beginning to think this wasn't such a good idea. The husbands are very suspicious," explained Jun.

"All the women I trained with have hundreds of clients but as soon as the husbands realise I'm a man they turn me down," he added.

[DJF]

Will the War Against Men Who Rub Boobs ever end!!!!!!

[some guy]

Discrimination! He should sue.

[Atanarjuat]

Jun Redcorn?

[Elspeth Flashman]

He helps with migraines, not boob massage.

[Lord Humungus]

woosh.

[mr simple]

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hear from top men involved in the government's domestic surveillance operations as it considers whether it should limit them in some way.

Should we limit our own power? 9/11, that is all.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Anthony Weiner's communication specialist apologized for calling a former intern who wrote about her in the Daily News a slutbag, a twat, and a cunt.

So what does that make Carlos?

[SugarFree]

Dangerous.

[Tim]

extremely

[gaijin]

calling a former intern who wrote about her in the Daily News a slutbag, a twat, and a cunt. She thought she was off-the-record.

Interesting girl on girl action in the War on of Women.

[SugarFree]

Those eyes have seen things you don't even want to think about, boy.

[Rich]

Whoa.

[Zakalwe]

I see a challenge. I'm in.

[gaijin]

yikes. so, um, blue

[Pro Libertate]

She's been in the shit. That's the thousand-yard stare, man.

[Zakalwe]

It's not a problem.

[Anonymous Coward]

In light of new photographic evidence, Syndney Leathers has been reassigned to a 4.

[WTF]

Jesus - how does a 23-year-old look that bad?

[Anonymous Coward]

That's what the tattoos are for: to distract from her pancake butt and love handles.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

Yeah, I only said her hair was flat.

[MJGreen]

Meow!!

[Xenocles]

"She thought she was off the record."

'I'm sorry, I wouldn't have said what I thought if I thought anyone would hear it.'

Though I have said things with that mindset, so I'm not judging the speech. It's just not much of an official excuse.

[Mike Laursen]

It's not any excuse at all for someone who goes around callig themselves a communications expert.

[db]

The Kueaiti emir has probably pardoned more people than the U.S. President. Think about that.

[some guy]

But he also had jailed people for insulting him, so...

[kinnath]

Obama just kills them.

[BakedPenguin]

Wait until Obama's third term.

[Tim]

Despite how it sounds, the Emir has nothing to do with the internet.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The emir of Kuwait has pardoned everyone jailed for insulting him.

I bet they feel like total dicks now.

[Lord Humungus]

Dog eats paralyzed man's testicle
http://poinsettcounty.kait8.co.....s-testicle

The 39-year-old man told police he sleeps in the nude and noticed the dog was between his legs.

He also noticed the "small, white, fluffy dog" had blood on its muzzle and front feet.

When the man looked further, according to the report, he noticed that "the dog had eaten one of his testicles."

Mans best friend indeed.

[Rich]

"Because he *can*!"

[Zakalwe]

+1 testicle

[db]

Holy sheepshit. That is fucked up.

[some guy]

The dog probably just saved him from cancer or flesh-eating bacteria or something. We'll never know...

[Atanarjuat]

Actually, dogs can smell cancer IIRC. That dog is a hero!

[Ted S.]

One summer I took care of my parents' cairn terrier when they went to Europe. Damn thing tried to lick my crotch in bed.

[Tim]

He should have at least bought you dinner first.

[Bobarian]

That's what the peanut butter all over his junk was for.

[Atanarjuat]

Yeah, that's fucked up. So after you came, you kicked it out of bed, right?

[Ted S.]

No, we each had a cigarette.

[AlexInCT]

Was there peanut butter involved? Did the go expect peanut butter but not get it from you?

[Andrew S.]

So my liberal friends are posting this picture all over my Facebook timeline

I know exactly how skewed this is, but anyone want to suggest a good response?

[Slammer]

Fuck off, slaver?

[robc]

Yeah, and thats a better response than mine.

Also, why would you want to respond? Who cares? Point out how much better an L would be than either.

[robc]

If you adjust the stock market number by 12 to 18 months, assuming a lag before new policies effect things, the R v D difference goes away entirely.

[gaijin]

I'd like to see the data plotted against which party controls congress. I'm guessing the numbers can be played anyway a partisan would like.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Why do you need to defend Republicans?

Are you Team Red?

[gaijin]

Are you Team Red?

No, merely pointing out that it would be interesting to see how each team might play with numbers to achieve their own propagandized truths. Either way, I beleive the fundamental premise (that the president and congress get credit for 'The Economy') is false.

[AlexInCT]

Their policies sure as hell can have drastic negative impact as the last few years shows, but the positive stuff always comes from the people doing actual economic activity...

[Joe M]

That was going to be my answer. The president isn't the supreme master of the economy, no matter how much they wish it were so.

[Pro Libertate]

In a very real way, the president is irrelevant to the economy. Because of the size of the federal government and its regulatory reach, Congress can affect the economy or allow the administration to do so.

An interesting issue with presidential powers is that he doesn't actually have full control of all of the executive agencies.

[T]

I would argue the federal government reached critical mass years ago. It is impossible for any one individual to understand the full extent of it, much less control it.

[Pro Libertate]

It's really and truly absurd this idea that one person should have this kind of power. Leaving aside even the slightest trace of libertarianism for a moment, it's not a good or efficient system.

[Drake]

Who cares? Congress controls spending and taxes. Republican Presidents from Eisenhower on, with the exception of Reagan, have typically let Congress do as they please.

Democrats took control of Congress in January 2007. Bush did not use his veto power to restrain their stupidity - here is the result.

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

[Palin's Buttplug]

Exactly what major bill did that Congress pass?

Other than TARP - the bill to save capitalism.

What should Bush have vetoed?

[Drake]

The 2008 Stimulus Act for starters. Remember that?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.....ct_of_2008

[Palin's Buttplug]

Basically a tax cut or rebate on SS FICA.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Don't fucking reply to it.

[Lord Humungus]

agreed - it's the same ol' stupid.

[Mike M.]

A shit-throwing, attention craving monkey.

[VG Zaytsev]

Exactly what major bill did that Congress pass?

CPSIA
Lilly Ledbetter
Expanded funding for all the federal bureaucracies.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Ask them to show you the statistics behind this. Ask them what parties owned Congress during these periods of time.

[SugarFree]

Defriend them and punch their children.

[AlexInCT]

^^^ THIS!

[Atanarjuat]

Sure there were more jobs created during Democratic administrations, but every single one of them was for "regulatory compliance specialist".

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Those jobs have been multiplying at my company since late 2008...odd that.

[gaijin]

Wasn't Sarbanes-Oxley (02) a big driver of this too?

[KDN]

SarBox wasn't nearly as bad as its reputation. Yeah, it's a drag and took some time to implement, but 65 pages of record keeping standardization and an expansion of the definition of fraud is quite a bit better than what you get under the PPACA and Dodd-Frank.

Internal audit probably saw the bulk of the SarBox tag alongs, but they actually deliver some value to companies unlike the red tape twirlers created by this admin.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

The Dodd-Frank Leviathan is the main guilty party.

[BakedPenguin]

Have they started regulating P&C insurance at the Federal level?

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

They really want to - the "Federal Insurance Office" was spawned by Dodd-Frank, but the States are passing jealous of their control (don't get me started on the arrogance of the NYS examiners). The tendrils of red tape are starting to creep out of D.C. and reach for the P&C industry.

[BakedPenguin]

No surprise there. Good to know the states are actually fighting something for once.

And I know what you mean - I used to work in a nationwide processing center, and nobody wanted NY unless they had prior experience there.

[some guy]

Point out that Presidents generally don't write laws or appropriate money. Then point out (as robc mentions) that there is a lag between policy implementation and the effects on the economy. Then ask which party implemented Medicare and Social Security, our country's two biggest future liabilities. Finally, state that your anti-Democrat rant shouldn't be misconstrued as pro-Republican as that is the assumption they will make.

[mad libertarian guy]

Finally, state that your anti-Democrat rant shouldn't be misconstrued as pro-Republican as that is the assumption they will make.

Like that's going to fucking matter.

In my experience, it doesn't matter that you're not a Republican; American statists can only imagine a world in which all non-Democrats are de facto Republicans. It doesn't matter that you don't vote for Republicans. It doesn't matter that you don't support the policies championed by Republicans. So long as you oppose a Democrat, they will treat you as if you were a Republican.

Democrats don't hate Republican ideas. They don't know them. What they do hate is Republicans because for your average liberal, it's Principals over Principles.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Why do you need to defend Republicans? Aren't you a libertarian?

(applies to all here)

[Night Elf Mohawk]

Why, after being told it isn't the same at least 500 times, do you believe that discrediting Democrat talking points is the same as defending Republicans?

(applies to you)

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Goddammit.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Oh look, the village idiot just pissed on himself again.

[Rasilio]

Who is defending anyone?

The point of that graphic is not just to say Republicans are bad for the economy(demonstrably true), but rather to say Democrats are better than Republicans on the economy (demonstrably false, neither side is better than the other)

[some guy]

And "better" is a relative term that can be used even though both sides are actually terrible for the economy. Politicians love relative terms because they make for good rhetoric.

[kinnath]

Liars, damn liars, and statisticians

[WTF]

Ask them to look at the numbers for the last 5 years.

[mr simple]

So much BS in that. Are they talking presidents or congress? I would say government doesn't create jobs or ask what growth reflected bubbles. IDK, it's just so cherry-picked, misleading and displays so much ignorance.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

What about the one who started wars? Right. Wrong answer.

It's one of those sweet mysteries of life that the party said to be in the hands of big business seems to under perform in the markets while the party of the 'workingman' profits. I find it ironic that progressives (as well as some liberals I presume), in all their anti-capitalist rhetoric, would choose the market to push their views.

The Republican party, furthermore, I think, introduced more welfare legislation than Democrats. I would also like to know how much of it was due to Republican policies. For example, Clinton, it's been argued, benefited from Reaganomics and Bush I - while he engineered the beginning of the asset bubble.

If true, not sure what that table is trying to prove. That Democrats don't care for the children?

[Sidd Finch]

Tell them you're a French model.

[mad libertarian guy]

Tell them you're a French model.

Bon jour.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"What is that donkey doing to the elephant? That's so perverted!"

[Rasilio]

Simple, it mistakenly assumes that the President has more control over the economy and that what impact the presidency has over the economy is reflected instantly.

As a practical matter it takes between 12 and 24 months for the economic policies of the president to filter through the economy and sometimes much longer.

For example, to the extent that the recession of 2000 - 2002 can be blamed on a President it is realistically George Bush Seniors fault even though he had been out of office for 8 years by the time it happened

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, the President of the United States does in fact wave his magic wand, sprinkling his magic fairy dust over the economy, resulting in JERBS. He also speaks a prayer in tongues and lays his hands on the stock market, resulting in stock prices rising.

[NeonCat]

"Have mercy on us, Lord Obama, and give us jobs in our time of need. Oh, Obama, why has thou forsaken us?"

[VG Zaytsev]

More than 1/2 of the gains in the democrat column come from Bill Clinton (23m out of 42m more jobs for example) so suggest that we should return to the size of government that we had in 1997 - mid way through his term. That would include

1) cutting the federal register by 1/3;

2) cutting per capita government spending by 25%;

3) eliminating 16 years worth of legislation, including but not limited to Sarbannes-Oxley, CPSIA, Medicare part D, No chilruns left behind, patriot acts, dodd-frank, Obamacare.

4) End the foreign interventions supported by both parties post 9-11

[Raston Bot]

This is a great response.

[Raston Bot]

Command/Control FTW, comrade!

[Gleep Glop]

Omitted variable bias?

[prolefeed]

I know exactly how skewed this is, but anyone want to suggest a good response?

1) Who wants to defend Rs anyway?

2) Those are government numbers, aka "lies".

3) Republicans tend to take over after Democrats fuck up the economy, so their numbers look worse.

4) Past results don't matter -- the current administration is fucking up the economy.

[Lord Humungus]

Police: Sergeant posted nude pics while on duty
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/20.....375130370/

Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said Sgt. Penny Dane, an 18-year veteran of law enforcement, resigned after admitting to being on duty while using her work computer to post sexually explicit pictures of herself online as part of a game called "Red Light Center," which is designed to resemble a virtual sex club, WKMG-TV, Orlando, Fla., reported Monday.

"It's something in my 26 years in law enforcement that I've never seen," Chitwood said.

[Ted S.]

I bet all the other cops rushed to see the photos of her to see if she was hot.

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

I'm going to take a wild guess that an 18-year veteran LEO wasn't sporting smoking bod.

[WTF]

Body by Dunkin'.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Reported misconduct at the TSA is up 26 percent over the last three years, according to the government.

NO LINK NEEDED, I GUESS.

[Fist of Etiquette]

And now I've been made to look the FOOL!

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Made? You think that was a recent occurrence?

[gaijin]

And now I've been made to look the FOOL!

again? (just joshin')

[Xenocles]

You did that; they just gave you an audience.

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

My six-year-old son got a junior TSA badge when we went through international customs last week.

What is the proper ritual and incantations to invoke to cleanse his soul?

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Five Hail Rands and a Stop Resisting.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

+12 Stations of the H&R

[gaijin]

What is the proper ritual and incantations to invoke to cleanse his soul?

Have him grab grandmas junk while pretending he's a TSA agent?

[Ted S.]

He couldn't say that he didn't want it?

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

He thought it was cool. But he's only six and doesn't live in the US. To be fair, it was Minneapolis and customs and TSA was extremely nice.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Doesn't live in the US? REVERSE ANCHOR BABY!

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

That made me laugh more than it probably should have.

[mr simple]

You should have ripped the badge off of his clothing, spit on him and sent him to live in the wastelands, ostracized until he learns what he did wrong.

[mr simple]

Oh, I didn't notice that you already live in the wastelands, so i don't know.

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

Yes, but we are only in the US for a few weeks.

[Xenocles]

Just discreetly lose the thing (in the trash) while he's not looking, the same I do with all the scribbles my kids give me in batches of five at a time. For extra credit leave an outrageous article about the TSA where he can see it. Though at six that's probably not necessary.

[Numeromancer]

You should Take Time To Talk To Your Child About Whatever Crap They Like

[Lord Humungus]

Ron Binz's Rules for Radicals
An Obama appointee with an agenda to bypass Congress.
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....on_LEADTop

...Mr. Binz is the latest Presidential nominee who doesn't understand the difference between making laws and enforcing them.

No, that's unfair. Mr. Binz doesn't care about the difference. In a recent interview with the Association for the Demand Response and Smart Grid trade group, reflecting on the lessons of his Colorado job, he nodded at the "judicial role" of regulators. But then he mused about their "legislative role" too: "I saw the commission not simply as an umpire calling balls and strikes, but also as a leader on policy implementation."

[Raston Bot]

"Regulation needs to shift from its backward-looking focus on costs, to a forward-looking emphasis on value and desired societal outcomes,"

fucking christ, another economic illiterate in a position of power.

[Lord Humungus]

Firefighters rescue cat, then man from tree
http://adirondackdailyenterpri.....l?nav=5008

The Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department responded to a report of a person stuck in a tree on Trillium Drive at 7:20 p.m. Saturday with one truck and 16 members.

"His cat got stuck in the tree, he went up to try and get the cat down, and he got stuck in the tree with the cat," a fire department spokesman said.

[Zeb]

Both the cat and the man probably would have found their own way down eventually.

[Lord Humungus]

gravity has a way of doing that.

[Zeb]

Not quite what I was thinking, but that is certainly true as well.

[Gleep Glop]

Why do fire departments rescue cats from trees? Has anyone ever seen a cat skeleton in a tree?

[Lord Humungus]

Lessons From a Front-Row Seat for Detroit's Dysfunction
Running the city's transportation department was like being in the boiler room of the Titanic.
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....on_LEADTop

Union and civil-service rules made it virtually impossible to fire anyone. A six-step disciplinary process provided job protection to anyone with a pulse, regardless of poor performance or bad behavior. Even the time-honored management technique of moving someone up or sideways where he would do less harm didn't work in Detroit: Job descriptions and qualification requirements were so strict it was impossible for management to rearrange the organization chart. I was a manager with virtually no authority over personnel.

When the federal government got involved, it only made things worse. A federal lawsuit charging that the DDOT did not fully comply with the law in accommodating disabled riders had dragged on for years because of idealistic but painfully na?ve Justice Department attorneys seeking regulatory perfection. I felt like a guy in the boiler room of the Titanic, desperately bailing to keep the ship afloat for a few more hours while the DOJ attorneys complained from their first-class cabin that their champagne wasn't properly chilled.

[Lord Humungus]

Take your jobs plan and shove it, Mr. President: Your policies have harmed Chattanooga enough
http://www.timesfreepress.com/.....nfreepress

Welcome to Chattanooga, one of hundreds of cities throughout this great nation struggling to succeed in spite of your foolish policies that limit job creation, stifle economic growth and suffocate the entrepreneurial spirit.

Forgive us if you are not greeted with the same level of Southern hospitality that our area usually bestows on its distinguished guests. You see, we understand you are in town to share your umpteenth different job creation plan during your time in office. If it works as well as your other job creation programs, then thanks, but no thanks. We'd prefer you keep it to yourself.

[Pro Libertate]

They should take him down to Ruby Falls, then leave him there.

[NeonCat]

Look out, mountain!

[Pro Libertate]

I wonder if Obama can truly see Rock City.

[NeonCat]

I hope not, he'd probably get all ADA on Fat Man's Squeeze.

[Pro Libertate]

Can he readily identify the Chattanooga Choo-Choo?

[Andrew S.]

Greenwald just posted his latest NSA story

http://www.theguardian.com/wor.....nline-data

Highlights:

A top secret National Security Agency program allows analysts to search with no prior authorization through vast databases containing emails, online chats and the browsing histories of millions of individuals, according to documents provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The NSA boasts in training materials that the program, called XKeyscore, is its "widest reaching" system for developing intelligence from the internet.

[gaijin]

do the 'Top Secret' slides that are part of the article now mean everyone who views it has seen or possessed (in their cache) unauthorized national security information?

[Bobarian]

So...

Don't click the link?

[gaijin]

Not complaining. Also, you don;t see the 'Top Secret' at the top of the slides until after you click the link, fwiw.

[Rasilio]

Technically yes.

I have a friend who is a pretty high level Information Security expert (currently in the private sector but she's got a TS clearance and worked for the DOD in the past) and she posted an article yesterday from a DOD expert warning holders of security clearances not to view the slides from their personal devices because if they did those devices would be governed by the same rules as if they were their work computers holding TS material.

[Xenocles]

I second this. Not that it makes any sense, but it's technically correct.

Clearance holders are technically obligated to safeguard any information that is officially classified, and that includes not spreading it to an unclassified system even after it's been spread to thousands of unclassified systems.

Will you get caught? Probably not unless you're dumb enough to do it at work. But it might give you trouble on your next poly unless you know the secret behind polygraphy.

[Rasilio]

You mean a convenient ability to forget and not think about anything outside the room?

[Xenocles]

More broadly, that it's all bullshit that you can game your way through by knowing what questions they're interested in and stimulating a response for all other questions.

[gaijin]

the secret behind polygraphy.

hehe. doesn't it have something to do with clenching your rectum too?

[Xenocles]

They have a sensor in the chair for that now, but you can make your heart race on demand by just making your mind work quickly. Try sitting still and just doing as many multiplications in your head as you can for thirty seconds - see if you can feel your pulse quickening.

You can recognize the control questions if you know the nature of the examination. These are the ones they expect a response for, since they expect you to lie in some way for them. Thus if you can generate a response on demand it will suppress any real deception response you give off during the questions of interest.

Another technique is to briefly hold your breath just after answering a control question. This "apnea" is one of the official responses they look for.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Pentagon won't be providing a "zero option" for US troop levels in Afghanistan after 2014 even as the White House insists complete withdrawal hasn't been ruled out.

So we have been working from the Soviet playbook. China, you're up!

[Francisco d Anconia]

Yep. Just didn't see that one coming.

Einstein...insanity...

[Mike M.]

This one goes as a special shout-out to Chony Krugnuts: income inequality is rising faster under Obama than it did under either George W. Bush or Bill Clinton, while our raging hypocrite president ironically rages against said inequality.

[Jordan]

while our raging hypocrite president ironically rages against said inequality.

While doing everything he can to funnel wealth from the masses to the wealthy via the Federal Reserve and burying unentrenched businesses in regulations.

[Francisco d Anconia]

In his speech in Illinois last week, and at events since, Obama described income inequality in the starkest terms. "This growing inequality is morally wrong," he said, and "undermines the very essence of America."

Other than "because I said so" and "it's not fair", is there an actual existing economic theory that explains WHY income inequality is bad?

[Heedless]

Nope. There are political concerns - oligarchic entrenchment or another French Revolution egged on by idiots screeching about inequality - but from the standpoint of economic efficiency all that matters is how resources are distributed, not who has them now.

[Jordan]

Someone posted this last night, but I think it's worth a repost. It's just astounding how fucked Detroit is. Even the city's lawyers are unionized.

[Slammer]

It's a preview for where the whole country might go.

[Damned Fool]

Dilbert's surprisingly accurate take on Paul Krugman.

[gaijin]

^excellent!

[MP]

+Krugabe

[Rich]

Homeland Security loses track of 1 million foreigners

The Homeland Security Department has lost track of more than 1 million people who it knows arrived in the U.S.

Right. How do these clowns know even *that*?

[db]

These are some of the same people who are to be trusted with all that "Big Data" on your personal communications and finances.

[Bee Tagger]

How do these clowns know even *that*?

The NSA has a bead on their IP addresses.

[Zeb]

I don't really want a DHS that can "keep track" of every person who enters or exits the country. What are they supposed to do? Have some guys follow every tourist and foreign student around the whole time they are here?

[NeonCat]

Job creation!

[Slammer]

Drug mules plant weed in people's cars in Mexico, get it on U.S. side. Student sues Ford for passing out key codes.

[db]

U.S. Senior District Judge David Briones called lawyers in the case together and told them he didn't like the jury verdict against Magallanes in light of the case federal prosecutors had developed against Chavez and Gomez, Lopez said. Prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the case in June 2011. "It was sheer luck," Lopez said. "You'll never see the Department of Justice or a federal judge do that again in my lifetime."

What a sadly true observation: that we are terribly unlikely to see federal Judges and the Department of Justice show an interest in, well, Justice.

[Lord Humungus]

John Bolton: A threat to liberty
Muslim Brothers' agenda
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/o.....nSSWL4oUfL

The Brotherhood is no clone of the Communist Party, but its authoritarian organization, its indoctrination of its followers, their rabid loyalty and its intolerance of dissent all add up to a similar threat to a free society.

Mubarak often predicted that if he fell the Brotherhood would surely follow, and he never hesitated to use repression to protect his regime. Perhaps today's Egyptian military has belatedly concluded that Mubarak had it right.

[Libertymike]

John Bolton is a much bigger threat to liberty than the Muslim Brotherhood. He certainly has played a far greater role in the advocacy and implementation of mass murdering policies than the MB.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Oh that's cute. How many people has John Bolton killed?

[Heroic Mulatto]

Well, there was that underaged Romanian hooker.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Huh, I thought she was Moldovan...learn something new everyday.

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

I think she was a Moldavian who was human trafficked to Romania.

[Raston Bot]

As many people as that American cleric we droned.

[Lord Humungus]

Obama's Middle Class Malaise
http://www.hoover.org/publicat.....cle/152931

The President seems utterly incapable of seeing the downside to any of his policy choices. They are announced from on-high as all gain and no pain. In the face of stagnant growth, weak corporate earnings, and continued high unemployment, he shows not the slightest recognition that some of his programs might have gone amiss.

It is easy to see, therefore, why people have tuned out the President's recent remarks. They have heard it all countless times before. So long as the President is trapped in his intellectual wonderland that puts redistribution first and regards deregulation and lower taxation as off limits, we as a nation will be trapped in the uneasy recovery that will continue to dog us no matter who is chosen to head the Federal Reserve.

[Palin's Buttplug]

weak corporate earnings

What planet is this fucker on? Earnings are higher than ever.

[some guy]

So, how much of this record earnings is driven by banks and investment firms? And how much of that is driven by Fed policy? Legitimate questions here. I honestly don't know.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Good question. Financial earnings were 40% of all S&P 500 earnings in the bubble year of 2007. They are down to roughly 20% now - the norm.

The Fed's low interest rate policy has helped out no doubt - but only mildly. Homebuilders are still not close to the bubble years.

Manufacturing and Oil/Gas are making bank now.

[wareagle]

oil/gas are making what they're making in spite of Obama, not because of him. What folks are doing on private has zero to do with him or any other politician. But you know that.

[wareagle]

dammit..."what folks are doing no private LAND..."

[KDN]

There's also huge capital expenditures lead times in those markets. Consequently, policy has a huge lag before it effects production. I'm sure we'll see a marked production decline in those industries sometime in the next administration that will be blamed on whatever Republican regulation rollbacks that had just been implemented.

[some guy]

Manufacturing and Oil/Gas are making bank now.

Shouldn't we expect this coming out of a recession? Recessions tend to give companies an excuse to trim the fat. Then they can take advantage when demand starts creeping up.

Also, fracking has really cut the cost of drilling oil and gas over the past few years.

[Libertymike]

Oh, so we are only to measure the earnings of a handful of multinationals the equities of which are traded on an exchange?

You do realize how monumentally retarded that is, don't you?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Go look at the Russell 2000 then.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Private firms added 200,000 jobs in July, according to a report Wednesday from the payroll processing firm ADP (ADP, Fortune 500). That's up slightly from an additional 198,000 jobs in June.

Economists surveyed by Briefing.com were looking for a gain of 175,000 jobs.

Small businesses continued to lead the way in hiring, adding 82,000 jobs in July.

CNN/Money http://money.cnn.com/2013/07/3.....or-hiring/

[gaijin]

and how does this comport with the significant downward revisions to Q1 GDP?

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Don't reply to it. It's a flamer, and flames require oxygen.

[Libertymike]

Engage, my friend, always engage. You want a geopolitical analogy? Be a 1972 Nixon and go to meet with and engage Leonid and Chou.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Fuck that. All you are doing is encouraging it to post the same tired shit OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

How many times are you going to punch that tar baby before you realize how ridiculous you are?

[Night Elf Mohawk]

I wonder if the irony here is as obvious to you as it is to me.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Shut your face. You're part of the problem.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

Hell, get Reasonable and block him and everyone that ever replies to him. There's your solution.

[Libertymike]

I know you don't want to hear it, but, there are instances when shriek responds in a substantive manner; sure, there are many, many more times when he doesn't.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

I defy you to link to one thread wherein Shriek engaged in argumentation, was defeated on the evidence, and admitted he was wrong and wouldn't repeat that talking point in the future.

One. Thread.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

That's a pretty high standard. How many people here have admitted to being defeated by the evidence?

The main responses to that seem to be calling it trolling then ignoring the topic, sarcasm then ignoring the topic, or engaging in more goalpost moving than the workers a multi-use football field.

[VG Zaytsev]

Someone has to respond to Shriek because his bullshit is plausible sounding and may persuade lurkers if left unchallenged.

[Libertymike]

Right now? Do you think I have all day to spend on trying to find the impossible?

Seriously, do you find shriek more irritating than tony?

[Rasilio]

The point is not to get him/her to admit it, the point is to have the defeat recorded for anyone who reads the threads, otherwise someone who is a little curious about libertarianism will see the arguments go unrefuted and assume that we either have no answer to them or agree with them.

[KDN]

Unemployment lags a great deal behind GDP. You should be looking at private sector GDP from last year.

[Drake]

How many of them are part-time jobs offering no benefits?

[Fatty Bolger]

How many full time jobs were split into two part-time jobs?

[Drake]

Job creation!

[Fatty Bolger]

WOOF! WOOF! He's back! Arsenio Hall readies for return to late-night TV

"It's kind of the same Arsenio you know -- less hair, less shoulder pad -- but inserting myself into this culture of music, comedy, pop and hop," he told an audience today at the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif.

[Libertymike]

Here's wagering that Eddie Murphy will be a guest on his first show.

[Bobarian]

I don't know, I doubt Arsenio looks near as good as used to, when he's in drag.

[Mike M.]

I'll give it two months.

[Drake]

Did it take him this long to run out of money from his last show? Impressive.

[Tim]

I'll bet a dog eats his testicles.

[robc]

For first 6 months of year, craft beer dollar and volume sales are up 15% and 13% respectively, year over year.

Last year, for first 6 months, it was 14 and 12.

Unlike GDP numbers, these wont be adjusted down.

[KDN]

IPA bubble. Short hops.

[Clich? Bandit]

no joke, but go long on DME...that shit is only going to get more expensive.

[KDN]

On a serious note, how's it comparing to the overall beer and alcohol markets? Are people buying less swill, booze, and wine, or is this just the growth of an entirely new market?

Also, I noticed Sam Adams has ramped up their commercials to a level I haven't seen in 15 years. I'm guessing they're not getting nearly as much of that expansion as they expected.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

I think Sam Adams is having to compete in a space they never expected to. The craft beer market is a monster now, so Sam isn't as distinguished from the rice beers as it once was.

[KDN]

I think that's obvious. Still though, they make a decent product and you generally know what you're getting; it's like the Five Guys of craft beers. I think it's going to be interesting to see if they amp up the quality or continue to just throw a bunch of recipes at the market to see what sticks.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

"or continue to just throw a bunch of recipes at the market to see what sticks"

Ah, the Leinenkugel Gambit.

[Ted S.]

I thought they bought Leinenkugel, not tried a new recipe.

At least, a bunch of my Packer fan friends have been drinking Leinies for ages.

[robc]

Leiny is MillerCoors.

This is the gambit of all the big players.

Bud releases a bunch of new beers every year, if they dont get to the million bbl level quickly they are axed.

[Clich? Bandit]

Leinies taste like fruity pebbles to me...not altogether bad though.

[Lord Humungus]

btw, the Sam Adam's Summer Ale - too much lemon! But the Belgian Session was surprisingly good.

[Mike M.]

Huge fan of the Latitude 48 IPA.

[robc]

Beer overall is flat to slightly down to slightly up every year.

Its varying by 1% of so, but basically flat for last decade.

[NoVAHockey]

flat beer. ugh.

but my 3rd attempt at home brew will be ready for tasting this weekend.

[Ted S.]

flat beer. ugh.

Fixed it for you. 🙂

(Seriously, I'm one of those whack jobs who doesn't like carbonated beverages.)

[robc]

Then British beer should be fine!

/yeah yeah, cheap shot.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

My sister is a freak like you, Ted. I carbonate everything possible. Carbonated iced tea, mmmmmm.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Carbonated whisky?!

[NoVAHockey]

let's not rush to judgement. it bubbles as it burns

[Bobarian]

Whiskey and soda water is not horrible in a pinch.

(A pinch being you're out of good bourbon and only have the stuff you tried on a lark)

[robc]

Some numbers, US Market, total and craft (million bbls):

2009 210 8.89
2010 208 9.89
2011 206 11.4
2012 209 13.0

[robc]

Also, the Sam Adams numbers, so you can see how much of the craft segment they are. Ah, fuck it, I will put all the major players in the chart (millions of bbls for 2009 to 2012 trend):

Bud 105 101 98.5 99.2
MillerCoors 63.4 61.5 59.6 59.0
Crown Imports 11.0 11.3 11.9 12.3
Heineken USA 8.67 8.40 8.08 8.46
Pabst 5.78 5.68 5.70 5.95
Yuengling 2.03 2.16 2.52 2.79
Boston 2.02 2.26 2.47 2.73
NAB 2.32 2.48 2.70 2.72
Diageo USA 2.56 2.66 2.69 2.58
Mark Anthony .980 1.21 1.40 1.43
Others 11.1 13.2 15.1 16.6

Crown is Corona, Boston is Sam Adams, NAB is North America Breweries -- not sure what their biggest is, maybe Labatt or something, Diageo is Guinness, Mark Anthony is Mike's Hard Lemonade.

[robc]

BTW, the biggest of the "others" is Sierra Nevada, who should break 1 million barrels this year.

[KDN]

Wikipedia indicates it's Magic Hat, Genessee, and Dundee.

Interesting that Sam is getting more aggressive despite a basically flat share of their market. Their margins have to be declining.

I've also found it curious that Yuengling tracks almost exactly with Sam, there's not a ton of overlap in the drinkers, but they're usually on tap in the same places; could be that they're grabbing two different types of people that are interested in crafts but not yet ready to go the "here's a beer I've never heard of, let's try it!" route.

[robc]

Wikipedia indicates it's Magic Hat, Genessee, and Dundee.

I dont think any of them are large enough. Im pretty sure they import a Canadian brand or three also.

[robc]

Sam is nationwide while Yuengling is very, very regional.

Yuengling has amazing depth for their region, and their big jump in 2011 was due to moving into Ohio.

But, yes, they have been tracking each other for a long time.

[KDN]

I should have clarified, "on top in the same places here." They've both been around forever where I live, but their drinkers are totally different demographics.

[Bobarian]

Yuengling is still only available regionally.

I can't get it locally here in KY, although there is one place in town that manages to have some intermittently.

[BakedPenguin]

That is weird. Yuengling is everywhere in (central) FL.

[robc]

They have two breweries, one in PA and one in FL.

They are as far west as Ohio and dont even make it to all of New England but cover most of the east coast between PA and FL.

[robc]

http://www.seekabrew.com/distro/?b=Yuengling

Actually, looks like "as far west" as Tennessee.

[robc]

there is one place in town that manages to have some intermittently.

Not legally.

[Bobarian]

That's what I wondered.

I'mma not gonna complain, tho!

I think Y is pretty good standard beer.

[Clich? Bandit]

By the way rob...got my GABF tickets yesterday...WOOOOHOOO

[MP]

Tomorrow is National IPA Day.

[robc]

Every day is National IPA Day.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

I don't actually have a problem with IPAs per se, but the saturation of them on the market + hipsterism in IPAs (QUADRUPLE HOPS!!!)makes me a crazy person.

[Andrew S.]

Agreed.The IPA craze annoys me at times.

Which may be why I prefer lager beers.

[KDN]

The IPA's popularity ensures that brewing hipsterism will swing hard against it in the near future.

I love IPA's, so this is a golden time for me.

[robc]

IPAs are the 2nd biggest selling craft category in supermarkets, behind..."seasonal".

[Zeb]

You know, it is just possible that IPAs are big because a lot of people like them.

[CatoTheElder]

I've been an IPA aficionado since I brewed my first batch in the Middle East back in the 70s.

Just because the hipsters like something doesn't make it bad. However, I imagine that hops demand has probably peaked.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Let's look for a place where I said people don't like IPAs.

*looks*

Nope. Not there.

[Zeb]

Let's look for a place where I said that you said that people don't like IPAs.

[Zeb]

Your invocation of hipsterism implies that IPAs enjoy an inordinate market share because of fashion rather than because it is simply what people want. I offered an alternative explanation. No need to get all bitchy.

[Ted S.]

I didn't realize there was a day to commemorate the International Phonetic Alphabet.

[Joe M]

I love both the IPA and IPAs, so I'll be studying the former while drinking the latter.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

Tomorrow is Melville's birthday and nothing else, goddamnit! Have a pint of grog or a nice warm flip and fuck your IPA and the hops it rode in on.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

*fans self*

That's hot. #parishilton

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

I thought I was the only one still saying "that's hot"!

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

DOUBLE PLUS HOTNESS

[Raston Bot]

I got that crazy SOB on my Kindle. Man he is weird.

[Elspeth Flashman]

I am not an IPA fan and never will be. Never!

[Lord Humungus]

speaking of... I got my brew kit yesterday. The first batch will commence this weekend.

[robc]

Recipe?

[Lord Humungus]

a summer wheat beer.

[robc]

What yeast...answer carefully, I might get ranty here.

[caps lock ACTIVATED]

[Raston Bot]

hmmmmmm no response. I'm concerned.

[Lord Humungus]

er...dry

[Raston Bot]

just don't say english ale.

[robc]

Dont say chico.

A wheat beer should be made with a german hefe yeast.

American wheats are the bane of the beer world.

[Ted S.]

Lighting hits Icelandic highlands, complete with video

[Rich]

US man 'abandoned' in US jail gets $4m in compensation

Mr Chong's lawyer said that as a result of the incident the DEA had introduced new policies for detention, including checking cells daily and installing cameras inside them.

See, some good comes out of *everything*!

[Pro Libertate]

What happened to him is too horrific to say what I want to say in regards to his illegal detention, which is, of course, "Dave's not here."

[NeonCat]

Dave's not here because he's been trapped in a DEA holding cell since 1974.

Poor Dave.

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

Anthony Weiner's communication specialist apologized for calling a former intern who wrote about her in the Daily News a slutbag, a twat, and a cunt.\

This is why there are no female Democrats.

[Rich]

Just what *is* a "slutbag", anyway?

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

When tossing a naked slut out in the morning, a gentleman puts her clothes in a bag before tossing them after her. Hence a slutbag.

[BakedPenguin]

A girl who sleeps with lots of dickbags, I guess.

[Bobarian]

Anyone who would sext with Carlos Danger?

[Emmerson Biggins]

That's the female equivalent of a douche wrangler.

[Loki]

Never take in a stray little white fluffy dog. They're evil incarnate.

[Ted S.]

Two dogs in one day. What a coincidence!

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

Guys, the Birkin is a total slutbag. I WANT A KELLY NOW!

[Rich]

Just what *is* a "slutbag", anyway?

[Atanarjuat]

Don't know, but I'm willing to try one. What's a kelly?

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

Kelly and Birkin (pictured above, in green) are Herm?s' two main handbag lines.

[Lord Humungus]

I like to buy my wife Hermes scarves. All part of my russian investment plan.

[Heroic Mulatto]

I just want to know why all of Herm?s' neckties are so butt-ugly.

[NoVAHockey]

That I know what a Kelly is bothers me.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Serious question since you guys know more about guns than me.

I am thinking of buying this for $575.

http://images.search.yahoo.com.....uger+sp101

Has to be compact and that caliber.

Good choice?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Yahoo image search? Now I know it's really retarded.

[Tim]

Smith and Wesson makes lighter snubs. On the other hand the Ruger's a tank, but if you run out of ammo you can use it to give the guy a concussion.

[NeonCat]

Lighter is great for carrying, but heavier is better for dealing with recoil. Granted, one would hope that you carry a lot more than you shoot.

[Bobarian]

If your going to shoot it a lot, the heavy guns hold up a whole lot better.

You can shoot .38 through it as well, which is normally cheaper and not as hard on the gun.

Depends on what you are planning to do with it.

[Gbob]

I would recommend a shotgun. Anything less and you run the risk of the bullet merely deflecting off your skull. It does, after all, seem to be comprised of some super dense material that keeps intelligent thought from filtering through. I don't think we should take the risk.

Alternatively, you could just jump off a tall building. Totally your choice, man.

[The Late P Brooks]

Good choice?

If you promise to kill yourself with it, it is an excellent choice.

[Slammer]

+1 for the Greater Good

[Mike M.]

We'll never be so lucky.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

What is wrong with you people?

[Tim]

Even after all these years we still haven't answered that one.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

What's that, Bo? I can't hear you over the sound of your own self-righteousness. SO LOUD

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Yes, it's only a pompous self-righteousness which would question people calling for a person they barely know to kill himself.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Yes, I know. Thank you for admitting it.

[WTF]

You clearly haven't experienced enough shreek to get to that point yourself.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

The little I've seen his comments he seems to come off as a pro-Obama troll, which I understand could come off as annoying, but that's no reason to resort to calling on someone to kill himself. For one thing, it's just not something a decent human being says or even really jokes about. For another, it shows clear disrespect for the posting policy our host Reason.com clearly lays out at the start of each thread. Lastly, think of the negative image it likely conjures in the mind of people just clicking on the comments here. Is it worth harming the cause we all profess to?

[Sidd Finch]

I hope you kill yourself too, you miserable cunt.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I hope whatever makes you such a sad, uncivil person gets better in your life. Sincerely.

For those who might be casually interested in libertarianism and clicking through the comments here on Reason.com you should know that people like this don't in my experience characterize most libertarians I know. Most of them are quite decent, civil and respectful of the property of their hosts.

[Pro Libertate]

While I deplore the violence inherent in threaded comments, I daresay that adopting a political system based on the comments section of a blog is a dubious practice, at best.

As for the T&Cs;, those are just there so they can remove or rewrite comments willy-nilly to avoid Warty getting them in trouble again. Hit & Run tolerates some real nonsense in its comments section, much more than many blogs do.

[Really odd, but the preview suggests that I have a semicolon I can't remove and didn't type after "T&Cs;." Will it remain when I hit submit?]

[Bobarian]

"I daresay that adopting a political system based on the comments section of a blog is a dubious practice, at best."

You, sir, should be banned for spreading heresy.

[Gbob]

Yes, it's only a pompous self-righteousness which would question people calling for a person they barely know to kill himself.

I think the key word there is person. I am not quite sure the individual in question qualifies.

Besides, even if he tried, the God King he worships (may his cock always be so succulent in his mouth) will surely save him, as the God King has healed the oceans and all that.

[Fatty Bolger]

Come on, you knew it was coming the second you saw the question.

[Anonymous Coward]

What is wrong with you people?

Several things. Where would you like to begin? But I would not invite someone to commit suicide. Their survivors could sue you for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I wouldn't because it's not something a decent human being does, because my host asks me not to, and because it makes the cause I care about look bad.

[T]

decent human being

Unless you're self-identifying as such, I'm pretty sure we're fresh out of those around here.

[rac3rx]

Have you ever visited H&R? This is not where one comes to seek decent human beings.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

What kind of upholstery is on your fainting couch?

[Azathoth!!]

Well, I kill people and I eat hands. That's two things.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Over at Volokh David Bernstein takes down Andrew McCarthy.

McCarthy wrote in National Review -It is entirely understandable that libertarian-minded conservatives should distrust the Obama administration and resist endowing it with unnecessary additional powers. But the NSA programs are not new ? they long predate Obama. And they are ? the NSA, the administration, and informed members of Congress attest ? highly effective efforts to map terror networks and prevent terrorist attacks.

Bernstein replies-Here's the thing: "a libertarian-minded conservative" should, and likely does, distrust ANY administration with the sort of power that both the Bush and Obama administrations have been acquiring since 9/11. It's a fundamental error partisans on both sides make to believe that problems with abusive government arise only or primarily when the "bad guys" are in power.

http://www.volokh.com/2013/07/.....tal-error/

Well said.

[Tim]

In the old days you had to torture, blackmail and bribe people to get the kind of stuff the NSA steals for free. Nobody gets their hands dirty.

[Tim]

If Nixon had these tools, there would have been no need for a physical burglary at the Watergate. He'd have just sent Liddy over to NSA to check some emails.
PLUS it's all classified top secret info-
Woodward and Bernstein would still be in jail for espisonage.

[Libertymike]

Prof. Bernstein is the foremost expert on Joseph Lochner.

As for Volokh, fuck that site which banned me because I called a prosecutor a "slaver". The thread concerned tax protesters and frivolous legal arguments they make. The prosecutor had expressed a certain smug, disdain for tax protesters.

[Joe M]

Chris Christie and Rand Paul Escalate War of Words

Paul called Christie "the king of bacon", which is just so awesome on so many levels.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Wow.

[Andrew S.]

Paul called Christie "the king of bacon", which is just so awesome on so many levels.

Oh, that is truly awesome.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Christie invoked that stupid debunked "Blue States get Less dollars back" meme? What a moron.

[WTF]

Wait, I thought bacon makes everything better?

[Libertymike]

Yes, if it is part of one's paleo conversion.

[Slammer]

Black robbers use white masks!

[Heroic Mulatto]

I find this hilarious on so many levels.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"Hello, my good man, my name is Nigel and I will be your robber today. Would you be so kind as to hand over all your &^%$ing money, and then nobody will be hurt. Thank you very much.

"Incidentally, you will observe that I am a caucasian, and not a black person."

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

Actually, they were expecting to be handed the money gratis by faking white privilege.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

+1 white ruling consipracy

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

Does anyone ever *need* a mask?

[Auric Demonocles]

Meanwhile, the crooks began blowing their $200,000 windfall on pricey Gucci and Louis Vuitton threads, authorities said. One member of the crew even forked over $11,000 for Rolex watch.

Well, no one ever claimed that criminals were geniuses.

[NeonCat]

What would be hilarious to my twisted sense of humor is if some guys wearing white guy masks were attacked by some other guys yelling about "justice for Trayvon".

[Eduard van Haalen]

You may recall James Batchelder from an earlier thread - he's the deputy US Marshal who died to keep Anthony Burns in slavery. While the Department of Justice honors him, there was one future US Marshal who thought Batchelder got exactly what was coming to him. Frederick Douglass, who later became Marshal of the District of Columbia, had this to say:

"We hold, therefore, that when James Batchelder, the truckman of Boston, abandoned his useful employment, as a common laborer, and took upon himself the revolting business of a kidnapper, and undertook to play the bloodhound on the track of his crimeless brother Burns, he labelled himself the common enemy of mankind, and his slaughter was as innocent, in the sight of God, as would be the slaughter of a ravenous wolf in the act of throttling an infant. We hold that he had forfeited his right to live, and that his death was necessary, as a warning to others, liable to pursue a like course." - Frederick Douglass' Paper, June 2, 1854.

http://reason.com/blog/2013/07.....nt_3907139

[R C Dean]

You know, if you regard victimless crimes as "crimeless", that rant could be applied to the entire LEO community these days.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

-Police say a Bethesda, Md., man was beaten and robbed by attackers in Washington who yelled they were attacking him "for Trayvon Martin."

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

Injustice for Trayvon?

[Night Elf Mohawk]

Things should get really interesting when someone says, "Well, here's something for Zimmerman" and shoots the fuckwits dead.

[Mike M.]

In Bethesda? Good luck. Maryland would probably retroactively reinstate the death penalty for that one day just so that they could execute the person who did that.

Ironically, Bethesda is swarming with the kind of effete limousine liberals who think Zimmerman should have gone to prison for life.

[NoVAHockey]

note this did not happen in Virginia.

[Elspeth Flashman]

OT: I am fighting a traffic ticket next Monday. "failure to yield" at a stop sign. Any advice from H and R commenters who have been there before are welcome. I have a friend from law school who says to call the cop before the hearing (informal hearing in front of a magistrate) to offer to plead to "impeding traffic" which is a fine but no points to my driving record.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Sadly from what I've seen when it's a matter of your word versus an officers in a traffic violation the officer will win (so much for presumption of innocence), and so some type of plea or 'throwing yourself on the mercy of the court' (admitting guilt but pointing out you are a student/single parent/usually good driver and law abiding citizen) is the better way to go. I've also seen where people who sign up themselves, and before the court date, for the driving classes people often get mandated to take for offenses and point this out to the judge get it dismissed.

[Elspeth Flashman]

I do have a great record, and I did stop for this sign. But the officer most likely couldn't see me because I was driving a low-profile two-door car right behind a tall 4X4 truck, and he was parked by a hill that I think obstructed his view.

[BakedPenguin]

In Florida, you can plead nolo contendre with a request for adjudication (sp?) of points. So I always go to court, and if the cop shows up, make a nolo plea.

[Tim]

Stop resisting.

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

Well, there's always the chance the ocifer won't show, happened to me twice.

[Elspeth Flashman]

That's what I am hoping for, but sadly I live In a suburb with more cops than it knows what to do with in it.

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

Too bad ol' Flashman can't pull some strings, flash his VC and tell a ripping good war story or two, make things right as rain. I suppose he's off in Afghanistan on special assignment or something.

[Whahappan?]

Around here they just postpone it until the cop deigns to show up.

[Andrew S.]

The Congressional Black Caucus has recommended Sheila Jackson-Lee be appointed as head of DHS

At least that would cause the average IQ of Congress to go up a few points, right?

[Sidd Finch]

If the average IQ of a congresscritter is 115 (reasonable) and Sheila Jackson-Lee's IQ is 0 (also reasonable) the average IQ would increase only 0.215.

Fuck it, you're right.

[Corneliusm]

You're presuming that the lower bound for IQ is 0 and not negative.

[The Late P Brooks]

This verbal barrage is more than just good television, it's a fight for the heart and soul of the Republican Party that is split at the seam on the proper role of the American government at home and abroad. Paul's strain of thinking has risen unchecked within the Republican ranks over the past half-dozen years, but now the mainstream GOP is fighting back.

FUCK YOU, TIME MAGAZINE.

[Fatty Bolger]

Unchecked my ass.

[Sevo]

"Delay in employer health mandate to cost taxpayers $12 billion"
http://blog.sfgate.com/pender/.....2-billion/

[Anonymous Coward]

The largest change is a $10 billion reduction in penalty payments by employers that would have been collected in 2015," CBO said in its report.

And Proggies wonder why nobody likes tax collectors. "WAH! We would have made an extra 10 billion in penalties if people were breaking this law that we just wrote!"

[MP]

I'm sorry, but isn't it saving $12B from the penaltax payers?

What fucking BS spin.

[R C Dean]

Yeah, I think they meant to say the delay will save taxpayers $10BB, while somehow costing government $2BB.

[The Late P Brooks]

For one thing, it's just not something a decent human being says or even really jokes about. For another, it shows clear disrespect for the posting policy our host Reason.com clearly lays out at the start of each thread. Lastly, think of the negative image it likely conjures in the mind of people just clicking on the comments here. Is it worth harming the cause we all profess to?

If I played the violin, I would provide suitably lugubrious musical accompaniment for this woeful lament.

[Slammer]

It's almost like he just discovered the internet or something.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

And that violin would be oh so tiny. The world's smallest mebbe.

[PS wanders the Wasteland]

I once told a troll on the internet to die in a fire. And they actually did that very night! That incident has weighed heavily on my mind ever since.

[Zeb]

I, for one, applaud his (almost certainly futile) attempt to bring a little civility to the cruel world of unmoderated fora.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

I would accompany you with low soulful tones if I played such an instrument as well.

Seriously, though. When people say stupid shit like "it's not something a decent human being says or really jokes about" it makes me want to slap them. I have had close friends and family members that have been raped, murdered, committed suicide, etc... I still make jokes about them. It doesn't make me a bad human being, it just means I still have a sense of humor in the face of terrible shit happening.

[Fluffy]

Isn't it pretty clear that Bo Cara is the ID that one of our trolls logs in as when he wants to "civilly" concern troll for a few minutes instead?

[Fatty Bolger]

He does sound an awful lot like our old friend MNG.

[Whahappan?]

Exactly what I was thinking

[Clich? Bandit]

MNG was often more flippant, and Bo doesn't seem to respond only to John so my vote is Not MNG.

[Matrix]

Have homicides against African Americans tripled since SYG was enacted in Florida?

Where'd he get his numbers from? Out of his ass?

[Pro Libertate]

That's absurd. This idea that it's so easy to stage a murder is crazy, too.

Like has been said before, all this case is about is the heavy burden of proof the prosecution has. The same thing let OJ and Casey Anthony walk, along with many other low-profile defendants. Sometimes, the proof just isn't there. And this case seems far less a miscarriage of justice than OJ or Casey Anthony, where clearly guilty and/or culpable people were found not guilty.

[BakedPenguin]

Where'd he get his numbers from? Out of his ass?

Well, if you can think of another orifice you'd like him to pull them from, we're all ears, Mister.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Pope Francis and the Art of War

"...I am not sure many people fully realize what Francis did on that plane, so let me tell you: he neutralized the power of the media narrative; he exposed the truth that in Christ there is mercy and forgiveness, and that the church exists to offer this in his name; he set whatever "gay lobby" exists in the church on notice that while he has no intention of acting as gay-priest-witch-hunter, he won't tolerate a bloc acting against the interests of the church....

"But Francis did one more thing: he showed that Peter still carries a sword, but that he has learned a great deal about tactics and is therefore much more subtle than he was at Gethsemane...

"Pope Francis uses words when he has to, but increasingly I think he's going the Full Franciscan route, and only using them when necessary. I know some people are up in arms because he hasn't used the word "abortion" yet ? as though it hasn't been used and overused these 40 years ? I think he's going another route. When he jumps out of a jeep to kiss a deformed man, or asks ? as he did in Rio ? to be given a chance to meet and bless a "defective" baby, it says everything the pro-life movement could possibly want him to say: God loves his creation; all life matters."

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/t.....rt-of-war/

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

The Catholic Porn Forum is -----

[db]

If only certain other world leaders would learn by example and use words only when necessary, and use deeds of peace rather than of destruction and force.

[Sevo]

The world would be a better place without old men in funny hats peddling superstition.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Well, the world would have had fewer Jews if Pius XI, Pius XII and the future John XXIII hadn't been around to save many of them from the Holocaust.

[T]

I have a dream someday that I will be an old man wearing a funny hat and billions of people will look up to me. Don't other me and crush my dreams, Sevo.

[NeonCat]

Like this?

[Matrix]

People may eventually be brought back to life after being 'dead' for 24 hours

But when will we have the technology to revive people Commander Shepard style?

[Eduard van Haalen]

"after being 'dead' for 24 hours"

You mean *mostly* dead.

[some guy]

Wesley was only blathing.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do.

What's that?

Go through his clothes and look for loose change.

[Pro Libertate]

Yeah, he was extra dead.

[Anonymous Coward]

Why would you revive Shepard without any alien women for him to fuck?

[Libertywolf78Z]

"Damn it, the body wasn't quite fresh enough!"