A.M. Links: Bradley Manning Apologizes for Leaks, Seattle PD to Attend Hempfest, Fidel Castro Surprised to be Alive

• 

  Joe Mabel/Foter.com

  Establishment Republican "strategists" are worried that too many Republican candidates for the presidential nomination in 2016 will help Democrats. There are more than twenty Republicans mulling a run. On the Democratic side, meanwhile, politicians not named Hillary Clinton are starting to raise their profiles in preparation for potential 2016 runs.

• In his sentencing hearing Bradley Manning apologized for leaking 700,000 documents to Wikileaks, saying he was "sorry that they hurt the United States." He pointed to his gender identity confusion as a reason for the leaks but acknowledged his responsibility for his actions. A military psychologist, meanwhile, testified no support was available for Manning's gender issues.
• Seattle Police will be at Hempfest this year, handing out Doritos.
• Three more guns walked in the federal Fast & Furious program have been found at Mexican crime scenes.
• GE says it's pressing the International Olympic Committee to take (unspecified) action in support of human rights in Russia in advance of the 2014 Winter Olympics to be held there. Other corporate sponsors are confident Russia means it when it says the country's anti-gay laws won't affect the games.
• Fidel Castro didn't think he would still be alive, either.
• Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez plans to sue Major League Baseball if his steroids-related suspension isn't lifted.

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Comments

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

Seattle Police will be at Hempfest this year, handing out Doritos.

Totatlity of circs, dude.

[Slammer]

We need Dunphy as our on-the-ground reporter

[Night Elf Mohawk]

Literally.

[Lord Humungus]

will he let you down one last time?

[Xenocles]

I don't think he's ever let anyone here down.

[Lord Humungus]

Except Morgan Fairchild.

[Enough About Palin]

Dunpy, strong like bull.

[mad libertarian guy]

We need Dunphy as our on-the-ground reporter

He'll be busy at the World Bodysurfing Championships. He'd rather surf, but there aren't any high profile surf competitions this weekend.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Seattle Police will be at Hempfest this year, handing out Doritos.

KICKBACKS! The pigs probably won't even have Cool Ranch.

[SugarFree]

I know four words that will change all your lives forever: Harriet Tubman Sex Tape

[Tim]

And here, I'd thought I'd seen everything...

[JW]

I have my doubts as to its authenticity. They didn't have talkies in 1851.

[Fist of Etiquette]

And he's sorry.

[Warty]

I'm a very liberal person with thick skin. My first impression of the Harriet Tubman piece was that it was about what one of actors said in the video, that 162 years later, there's still tremendous injustice. And with Harriet Tubman outwitting the slave master? I thought it was politically correct. Silly me. I can now understand why so many people are upset. I have taken down the video. Lastly, I would never condone violence against women in any form, and for all of those I offended, I am sincerely sorry.

Um, what?

[John]

Is Tubman like the liberal Virgin Mary now?

[Eduard van Haalen]

No, but she was a for-real heroic figure. You don't have to be a progtard to think the sex scene is offensive. Indeed, the repressed, hung-up cultural conservatives may not like exploitative porno any more than enlightened, sex-positive lefties.

I mean, would someone paint a picture of herself having sex with George Washington...never mind.

http://trendland.com/justine-l.....residents/

[Fist of Etiquette]

Speaking of which, why hasn't this bit of offensiveness not been taken down yet? How many years must we endure our nation's hero be slandered or libeled or whatever?

[Brett L]

"This joke is totally not worth the shit I have to take. I just want to be part of the troupe again. If I have to let myself be raped like a shamed bonobo, I'm good with that."

[Warty]

Seriously, this is almost as bad as throwing Huckleberry Finn out of the library because it says nigger. Fucking idiots.

[Eduard van Haalen]

One difference is that HF has some literary quality.

[mad libertarian guy]

There are professors of American Literature who have completely stopped teaching Twain in protest of his gratuitous use of "nigger."

It's shameful. One of the most celebrated writers in American history is being shunned by the litterati because he dared not have the political correctness demanded by college professors 125 years after he published Huckleberry Finn.

[Irish]

It's shameful. One of the most celebrated writers in American history is being shunned by the litterati because he dared not have the political correctness demanded by college professors 125 years after he published Huckleberry Finn.

Want to know what's even more shameful than that? You have to be an idiot to think that Twain used 'nigger' in a way that was approving of the word. He used it because he was writing about a southern boy who unquestionably would have used that word. Jim might be the most positive and sympathetic character in the novel, and academics are denying people the ability to read one of the earliest positive portrayals of a black person in American literature simply because those academics are too stupid to understand what Twain was doing.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Exactly - the use of that word in Huck Finn is like the use of the word in blaxpoitation movies - to show how bad people are for using it.

[CE]

Also, historical accuracy.

[Warty]

RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE

The ancestors, from those who perished during the Trans-Atlantic Slave voyage to the souls who were raped and murdered on American soil, are turning over in their graves in utter disgust at the reality that a venture backed by a Black man would disrespect their sacred history by parodying it with a sex tape of their struggles.
On the very first day Russell Simmon's "All Def Digital" YouTube page was born, it managed to desecrate Harriet Tubman ? one of the greatest Americans our country has even known.

Ah, I see the problem. Russell be coonin'.

[JW]

The racial grievance industry has finally caught up with the grinding efficiency of the feminist grievance industry.

THAT'S NOT FUNNY.

[Zeb]

"sacred history"??

[bmp1701]

Bullshit. He should have responded by making a George Wallace - MLK sex tape.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Rule 34 FTW

[Ted S.]

Mirth & Girth

[Lord Humungus]

Sweden demands mate for man's lonely pig

Swedish regulations governing the care of pigs state that hogs are "social animals" that thrive in the company of other pigs.

"It contravenes good animal welfare to keep a pig in social isolation without the company of fellow members of its species," the inspector wrote.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

I wonder how big a pack of dogs the Swedish regulations allow.

[Brett L]

Next: Married Swedish men demand sex from hot women, claim frigid wives are in contravention of human welfare.

[some guy]

Didn't a mentally disabled Brit manage to get an all expenses paid trip to a mainland brothel on the basis that sex is a basic human right or something?

[TheSpiteHouse]

Hmmmm. That's a pretty good argument for the legalization of prostitution.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"It contravenes good animal welfare to keep a pig in social isolation without the company of fellow members of its species..."

Wow, no cop jokes? What restraint!

[Numeromancer]

So the article is not about cops?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Other corporate sponsors are confident Russia means it when it says the country's anti-gay laws won't affect the games.

Do you believe in miracles?

[The DerpRider]

"If you lose this game you'll take it to your grave ... your fucking grave."

[Bee Tagger]

Three more guns walked in the federal Fast & Furious program have been found at Mexican crime scenes.

The media has already move on to ignoring new scandals.

[Tim]

One of these days these guns are gonna walk all over you.

[some guy]

What happens when Benghazi SAMs start showing up at Syrian war crime scenes? Will anyone care?

[db]

This is why the CIA grinds off the serial numbers.

[T]

They probably sand them off. Angle grinders near explosive casings is not a great idea.

[CE]

You should probably take the bullets out first.

[CatoTheElder]

Serious journalism is not concerned about phony scandals like F&F.

Serious journalism is about exposing serious scandals like rodeo clowns mocking the President.

That, and reporting truth spoken by power.

[some guy]

Racist rodeo clowns. You forgot the important part.

[Dweebston]

You forgot the orgy of race-hustling and speculation surrounding an otherwise unremarkable case in an otherwise unremarkable state.

Vital stuff.

[mad libertarian guy]

Three more guns walked in the federal Fast & Furious program have been found at Mexican crime scenes.

What does it matter at this point?

[Matrix]

In park "home run" on errors. Blue Jays vs Red Sux

[robc]

Single (all though that might have been a gift call by the scorer) and two errors.

Nowhere near the record (which is 4 on one batted ball, all by the same player).

[Matrix]

They counted two errors. But one error seems to be on the pitcher's throw to first. Which resulted in the player being able to run to theird. The second error is by the outfielder throwing to third but hitting the runner, allowing him to score. So, it should not have even been a hit, because those were the two errors I saw.

[Matrix]

third*

[robc]

Single gets him to first. First throwing error goes 1st to 3rd. Second throwing error for 3rd to home.

Single, 2-base error, 1-base error.

I think the call of a single is correct, but borderline. I dont think a reasonable fielder gets him out at first. The pitcher tried a desperation toss, that shouldnt have been attempted.

[Xenocles]

"...Blue Jays vs best in the AL Red Sux..."

FIFY.

[CE]

"Grandpa! Grandpa! I hit a home run!"

[Matrix]

California Economist says the real US debt is $70 trillion
$70 trillion? Psha! And you were quibbling over $17 trillion... silly libertarians.
And Krugnuts would say it still isn't enough.

[wareagle]

needz moar stimulus. obviously.

[Bardas Phocas]

We're good for it ... or at least my grandkids are - lazy fuckers.

[robc]

I assume that is a GAAP estimate.

[some guy]

He's including unfunded liabilities (mainly entitlements). Is that the same thing as a GAAP estimate?

I'm not sure if this is the best kind of estimate, though, because the government isn't contractually obligated to make good on most of its entitlement promises. Theoretically Congress could just decide to stop paying out entitlement benefits and it wouldn't count as a default.

[robc]

Yeah, basically.

Accrual vs cash basis.

[robc]

Under US tax law a business cant use cash basis if they have over $5M in revenue*.

*Its actually more complicated than that, but you get the idea. Cash basis is typically only allowed for small entities. Large ones have to use accrual.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

YES! Accounting question!

But yeah, what robc said.

[BakedPenguin]

Wait, you're really an accountant and not a professional asskicker? I am disappoint.

[Clich? Bandit]

I feel for you. Years lurking, afraid to comment for lack of expertise, and then...your MOMENT arrives. AND rob scoops you. Dude, I feel for you.

[robc]

bwah hah hah!

Events have been set in motion, my evil plan is nearly complete!

[a better weapon]

Theoretically Congress could just decide to stop paying out entitlement benefits

but...but... what about the lock box?

[some guy]

A lie. Congress Critters lie. It's the only thing they are good at, so it is the thing they do most. Kind of like you and killing.

[Rasilio]

Lol it might not technically be a default, but to all those politicians voted out of office/recalled it will sure feel like one.

Most of the unfunded liabilities are actually MUCH worse than debt because as a practical political matter they cannot be avoided, any attempt to do so would result in massive congressional turnover and the benefits being reinstated.

[CE]

But as a percentage of GDP we're still below Zimbabwe.

[Lord Humungus]

Toilet freshener pulled from sale after insulting Ukrainians

The Bref Duo Stick, which is designed to put under the toilet rim, has been withdrawn from sale by company Henkel.

A television advert shown on Russian television caught the attention of Ukrainian viewers who complained it looked too similar to the former Soviet republic's flag.

[db]

I'm just glad Europeans are beginning to care what things smell like.

[RannedPall]

They care about what their TOILETS smell like, but their armpits? Silly American...

[General Butt Naked]

Ukraine is weak!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Establishment Republican "strategists" are worried that too many Republican candidates for the presidential nomination in 2016 will help Democrats.

Maybe strategists should stop promoting a bunch of delusional clowns to prominence. Just pick one. (But not wearing an Obama mask.)

[a better weapon]

Why do they say there are to many candidates? Why the plural? As far as I can tell, Paul is the only one getting pressure not to run.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Rand Paul is one too many. The rest are interchangeable.

[Lord Humungus]

Florida mulls drone war on the mosquito

Drones are often associated with war and running down criminals, but this week drones for another purpose have made news. Florida is about to test how drones will do in tracking down mosquitoes. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, in its ongoing mission to make the job of killing mosquitos more efficient, is exploring unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with infrared cameras as one option for mosquito control. The goal is not to use drones to fight the insects but to use the UAVs to spot shallow-water pools where mosquitoes breed, up and down the Keys. Once the pools are found, ground action would begin, with attacks on these pests at the larval stage with larvicides.

[wareagle]

once upon a time, DDT killed mosquitos.

[some guy]

Then Rachel Carson and the EPA decided they would rather kill poor children with certainty than risk possibly killing some birds.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Which, as it turns out, was bullshit, and only the children were killed.

The end.

[some guy]

It's okay because they were mostly brown children. Mostly.

\EPA

[John]

And those same people are now totally fine with wind farms killing tens of thousands of birds.

[Brett L]

Oh, yeah. We just happen to be testing it where drug runners come ashore and meth labs would be ideally located.

[Pro Libertate]

All part of the master plan to eradicate pythons with swamp drones.

[T]

I say we eradicate pythons with robo-pythons.

[Floridian]

Thankfully the python hunt is around my birthday and I always take that week off. This year it was too hot and I came back empty handed. Next year will be different. *Eyes home made rail gun in corner*

[Raven Nation]

Is the python hunt like whacking day?

[Pro Libertate]

No, no, it's a real thing. We're infested. Cancel your vacation to South Florida.

[Zeb]

Unless you want to hunt pythons.

[Pro Libertate]

Well, yes, definitely come if you're taking a python with you.

[a better weapon]

Jeb Bush is known to just show up with a bag of (what some believe to be) pre-whacked snakes.

[Raven Nation]

Heh, heh, heh.

[Floridian]

The rules are you have to kill them on site humanly. It is illegal to transport a live python. You can torture them and if you choose to cut the head off you have to destroy the brain immediately. The head can live detached for several minutes. Last year I took my Remington 870 and ruger gp100. This year I'm only carrying the gp (too much weight) and my cousin is bringing the tarus judge.

[Floridian]

Can't torture them. Oops.

[Zeb]

Why isn't the python hunt all the time? Seems like you'd want people to be killing pythons as often as possible.

[Floridian]

They are nocturnal and only come out in daylight if the weather is really cold. In the Everglades that is only about 1 month a year so having a hunt year round doesn't do any good. I believe if they come on your property they can be killed at will.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez plans to sue Major League Baseball if his steroids-related suspension isn't lifted.

And his attorney is really juiced up.

[The DerpRider]

I guess I still don't understand how they could suspend anyone who didn't actually test positive. I'm not a lawyer and don't play one on TV, but isn't this all pretty much guilt by association?

[robc]

The same way they suspended cocaine users in the 80s even though they didnt test for drugs at all?

[Jordan]

FYTW?

[John]

No. They got busted in huge drug cases in Pittsburgh and Kansas City. They ended up testifying in court against their dealers and admitting their use under oath.

[robc]

And Steve Howe kept getting arrested and/or checking into rehab.

[Drake]

That will be the lawsuit.

[Mike M.]

The Collective Bargaining Agreement allows suspensions for non-analytical positives. The Players Association agreed to that.

[Brett L]

"Good of the game" clause. The Commish is pretty much an absolute dictator. Goes back to the earliest times. In the late 1870s baseball almost died because the gamblers took it over (think 1919 White Sox, but every team and everyone knew it). Since then, there has always been a discretionary ability to fine, fire, suspend and permanently black-list players in the professional leagues.

[Mike M.]

This actually hasn't been true in quite some time. The arbitrator mutually selected by the owners and the players has the final say on virtually everything now.

I don't know if you're familiar with the name Steve Howe. He was suspended multiple times for cocaine back in the '80s and '90s, and eventually commissioner Fay Vincent tried to ban him from the game for life. The arbitrator overturned the ban.

[Brett L]

OKay, but the Commish can set the penalty unilaterally, which can then be arbitrated. And justly. While several of the great 19th century players died of either drink or social diseases, crossing an owner pretty much ended a career until after WWII.

[CE]

But Selig didn't invoke the "good of the game" clause. He just dropped the hammer on A-Rod out of spite for not admitting he cheated. The suspension should have been 50 games.

[wareagle]

A-Rod's case is more than any test on him. It's also about obstructing MLB's investigation into the clinic that he was evidently familiar with.

[CE]

And by "obstructing" they mean "not cooperating with". What did he do, pay for a hit on the investigators? Burn the place down? Sounds to me like he just didn't admit he cheated.

[John]

They found all of the medical records showing he took them. And the CBA says they can suspend you with evidence beyond just a test. A-Rod is not exactly a master criminal.

[The DerpRider]

Couldn't he argue that he never tested positive and he didn't keep the records. Had no control over the records. And can you trust that clinic, blah, blah? Hell, the Yankees could pay the clinic to fabricate the info so they could get out of A-Rods contract.

[MP]

They found all of the medical records showing he took them.

AFAIK, that's still all rumored. Have any records yet been published? Has MLB gone on record saying "We have the documents"? No.

And I'm not trying to defend A-roid either. But MLB has still not shown its hand.

[wareagle]

could be MLB showed A-Rod part of what it had, kinda like with Braun, with the expectation that something could be hashed out. Braun tried the "blame teh sample" game and it did not work out.

A-Rod's biggest problem at this point is the calendar. At his age, 200+ games is the next best thing to a career ender.

[Bee Tagger]

Other corporate sponsors are confident Russia means it when it says the country's anti-gay laws won't affect the games.

If this was a movie, GE would provide asylum for Snowden after he leaked info that Russia was going to fully enforce their anti-gay laws.

[SugarFree]

Sexism finally solved everywhere and forever: Call of Duty now has playable female soldiers.

[Drake]

Do they take 3 trips to carry their gear from the truck to the barracks? Do they sit in the office while the rest of the unit is on a march, or get knocked-up as soon as a deployment is announced?

[Lord Humungus]

SSEXISSSSTTT!!!

[Drake]

Just try adding some reality to the game.

[JW]

That's nice, but is teabagging them still the same key combo?

[Lady Bertrum]

If the US ever has a real war again - a war were our existence is actually threatened - You'd better believe women will be engaged in combat.

Drive by your local high school and have a good look at the girls' sports teams (Yeah, I know you probably do this daily, pervert!). I see plenty of big, strong girls. Physically and mentally as fit as SOME of their male peer.

[CampingInYourPark]

Drive by your local high school and have a good look at the girls' sports teams (Yeah, I know you probably do this daily, pervert!). I see plenty of big, strong girls. Physically and mentally as fit as SOME of their male peer.

Maybe we can even get the war rules changed so only 13-17 year-old people play.

[Lady Bertrum]

So? Drive by you local college instead.

[NeonCat]

Kony, is that you?

[A Frayed Knot]

So like the Hunger Games?

[a better weapon]

I LOL'd

[Red Rocks Rockin]

have a good look at the girls' sports teams...Physically and mentally as fit as SOME of their male peer.

The average-sized male can throttle those ACKSHUN GRRRRRLS to death with very little effort.

[a better weapon]

Maybe if we went to war with a country or group of people whose men are on the short side of the Earth's genetic bell curve? Maybe the Philippines. Our women vs theirs. Or the Hmong.

[Clich? Bandit]

I have a hmong friend...I wouldnt fuck with her and I am at least 18 inches taller.

[Irish]

The average-sized male can throttle those ACKSHUN GRRRRRLS to death with very little effort.

And that's irrelevant because modern warfare tends to be light on bayonet charges.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

And that's irrelevant because modern warfare tends to be light on bayonet charges.

Right, which is why all the world's militaries currently have fully integrated female combat units with equal gender mixes.

Sorry, but there's a reason the world's militaries have been dominated by males for milennia, and it isn't The Patriarcy.

[Irish]

I think that they will continue to be dominated by men, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't allow women to try to join the army. If they can pass the tests we require men to pass, then they should be allowed to join. So long as we don't lower standards, I don't see what the problem is.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

If they can pass the tests we require men to pass, then they should be allowed to join. So long as we don't lower standards, I don't see what the problem is.

Women already have lower PT standards than the men do, even before the recent changes allowing women to join combat units. If they had the same standards, half the female force would probably be kicked out.

And if you think these schools aren't going to feel the pressure to have certain quotas of women passing, you're naive. Can you imagine the PR hit the services will take if the story becomes, "Women try to join combat units, but are failing in massive numbers"? No way they want that kind of publicity. So they'll cave into demands that SOMEONE DO SOMETHING and revise their curriculums.

[Lady Bertrum]

Because combat in the future will be the same as combat in the past?

Because what exists now is ideal?

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Because combat in the future will be the same as combat in the past?

Because what exists now is ideal?

Combat isn't high school sports.

[Lady Bertrum]

The point is, we don't know what combat in the future will look like because technology changes, and it changes the physical requirements of those using it.

[Clich? Bandit]

Actually, it has a lot to do with 1 child bearer at a time or MILLIONS of child bearers at a time. Dudes are expendable chicks are required.

[JW]

You guys are all looking at this completely wrong.

ISRAELI ARMY GIRLS

[Irish]

Oh my God.

[Lord Humungus]

I'm moving... right now.

[Lady Bertrum]

Perhaps AVERGE-SIZED males can, but you do know there's a bell curve, right?

[Rasilio]

Yeah, just select ones, 2 from each political district one boy and 1 girl. To keep it fair they'll be selected by lottery and we'll televise the whole thing

[Drake]

I can't be bothered this morning. My daughter plays varsity field hockey but still couldn't make it through the Marine School of Infantry. Nor would I want her to try - not just because she has no interest.

[Lady Bertrum]

If a woman could meet the physical requirements and skill set necessary to engage in combat, why would any man give a shit whether she was the one dying instead of a man?

The point isn't ALL wymenz is EQUAL. It's that SOME women are capable and some aren't, and some men are out of shape fat bastards.

[Drake]

1. Men, particularly men prone to join the military, do care. Why would you want to train men to be indifferent to the suffering of women.

2. Since the Marine Corps opened the Officer Infantry course to women, none have come close to graduating. 99.9999% of women cannot physically deal with the marching. (Think Olympic speed-walking 40 miles while carrying 100 lbs of gear.)

The few women who could make would be literally destroying their bodies to try to keep up.
http://www.mca-marines.org/gaz.....ated-equal

[Lady Bertrum]

You need to go back and read my initial comment. Quoting myself:

"If the US ever has a real war again - a war were our existence is actually threatened - You'd better believe women will be engaged in combat."

See the qualifier? Whatever current circumstances are, they're subject to change under a real threat.

You're arguing with an absent opponent. I'm not the FEMINIST you're looking for.

[Zeb]

Why would you want to train men to be indifferent to the suffering of women.

Why would you want to train men to be indifferent to the suffering of men?

[Clich? Bandit]

Let us also not forget that one of the greates hand to hand combatants was a woman. See Here

[Drake]

That doesn't require training.

[CE]

Entirely untrue.

[CE]

Watch the female crossfit competitions on ESPN some time. Those women could beat up probably 85 percent of the men in the world.

[a better weapon]

Do they have to wear hijabs on the Qatar and Yemen missions?

[Lord Humungus]

wut?

Why do Rand Paul and Obama distrust the free market so much?

Rand Paul and President Obama. One a libertarian, the other a left-liberal progressive. But they apparently have at least one thing in common: a belief that markets are fragile things. Both subscribe to the view that a speculative bubble caused the Great Recession. As Obama said in his recent Knox College speech, "But by the time I took office in 2009, the [housing] bubble had burst, costing millions of Americans their jobs, their homes, and their savings." (Actually, it was passive Fed tightening in 2008, in a replay of the Fed's Great Depression error, that turned a possible modest downturn into the Great Recession.)

[MJGreen]

Believe in Chicago-style rational expectations? You're a market zealot.

Believe in Austrian-style market fragility? You're a socialist, or something.

[robc]

How is letting banks fail not "self-regulating".

The comments are ripping the author. And rightly so.

[some guy]

The comments are ripping the author. And rightly so.

The only improvement would be if no one read his crap at all. This article should rob Pethokoukis of whatever respectability he has left. An 8th grader could find the holes in his argument.

[CampingInYourPark]

Unwilling to ask Congress for extra funds to pay for high-speed Internet connections in schools, President Obama is instead looking to tack yet another charge on cellphones through the Federal Communications Commission.

According to an FCC survey, half the nation's schools reported slower Internet connections than the average home.

Strange, I never received an FCC survey asking me how fast my internet connection was at home. Wonder what that looks like or if they ask how many users are sharing the connection.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/n.....xEheVWEmKO

[Slammer]

Maybe getting them off the internet and their phones and getting their nose in an actual book for a few hours a day might help students. Just sayin'.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

What the fuck are these goddamned school taxes I have to pay every year even though my kids have never set foot in a public school? If you think your school needs faster internet, then you fucking pay for it.

[some guy]

You're not paying to put your kids in school. You're paying to keep other people's kids off the streets and off your lawn. It still may not be worth it, but you do benefit a little from the forced incarceration of teenagers.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

I have guns to keep them off my lawn, if it comes to that.

[invisible furry hand]

So you would stand there with a gun and shoot them if they came on your lawn? What sort of monster are you? Land mines, matey, land mines

[Night Elf Mohawk]

They really put a crimp in playing with the dog.

[NeonCat]

That's why you have command detonated mines: claymores, fougasses, etc.

[Ted S.]

I enslave them to polish my monocles.

[invisible furry hand]

Once my crack squad of monkey scientists perfect the self-polishing monocle, it will turn its attention to the self-writing slashfic.

I am a public benefactor.

[CampingInYourPark]

Yeah, but what about the extra labor costs incurred because of the decreased supply of monocle polishers?

[T]

Automation will step in and reduce labor costs yet again.

BTW, can I interest you in funding my MonocleMaster 3000?

[Xenocles]

We don't care about the cost, having manual labor is about the status it confers.

[trshmnstr]

Agreed, i employ my monocle polishers simply for when my non-libertarian friends come over, so they don't feel like they're poor around me.

Obviously I don't actually reuse monocles, I'm not an urchin! I have my monocle forgers make me a new one each and every day.

[Kaptious Kristen]

I can't wait until the Feds start dictating the details of curricula to local school districts, holding that sweet, sweet Fed lucre over their heads in order to ensure compliance.

[T]

I though they were doing that already, or did I miss a step somewhere?

[Lady Bertrum]

Yes. It's called common core.

[Kaptious Kristen]

I'm talking about specifics (like I said, "details"), such as "you can't teach that book" or "you have to use the 2001 edition of Algebra for Dummies".

[NeonCat]

2001 edition? How can it have any positive examples of Obama solving for X if its that old?

[Brett L]

Examples of Obama solving anything would be most welcome.

[invisible furry hand]

the problem of too many Pakistani children playing in the open

[Kaptious Kristen]

No, school boards set curricula. Which books to buy, which classes to offer, etc. The Feds, via the Dept of Ed, can certainly "suggest" stuff, but they haven't forced any jurisdiction to teach a specific class (ex: "you must teach Diversity 101 in place of Algebra!") or not teach a specific book. Yet. I don't even have kids and I know this.

[Raven Nation]

They've more been dictating outcomes rather than curriculum. Although, if I understand Common Core, that's a big step in the curriculum direction.

[Lady Bertrum]

Common core is voluntary but comes with funding, of course. The carrot stick thing. While it doesn't specify books or editions, it is specific with regards to content.

[CE]

Because jacking up cell phone rates will help teenagers spend MORE time on the Internet?

[Matrix]

New carbon supermaterial is stronger than graphene and diamond

But is it stronger than adamantium?

[Gbob]

I'm having it grafted onto my bones this weekend. I'll let you know.

[Matrix]

Are you going to have retractable carbon claw implants?

[Marc F Cheney]

Are you Wolverine? Like the X-Man? From the comic books and the movie? I am familiar with him!

[Gbob]

Bub, I'm the best at what I do...and what I do is to drink beer and furiously masturbate. Instead of claws I'm having a bottle opener and a fleshlight installed.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Snik!

[Marc F Cheney]

around twice as stiff as the stiffest known materials. It's also fairly flexible

I admit I'm no materials scientist, but what? How can it be both super-stiff and flexible?

[John]

I believe flexibility is this sense is a measure of how easily it cane be formed into different shapes. Stiffness in contrast is how hard it is to bend once it is formed. They have to be talking about the ability to form it not what happens once it is formed.

[Clich? Bandit]

flexibility is this sense is a measure of how easily it cane be formed into different shapes

Wouldn't that be malleability?

[Matrix]

male gymnist?

[Lord Humungus]

penis?

[Brett L]

Stiffness is the resistance to shear. Flexibility in this case is probably the ability to resist shattering. So it is more like a metal than a hard plastic.

[John]

I thought the ability to resist shattering was hardness? Or is that the ability to resist scratching?

[Brett L]

No clue. It isn't a quote from the paper, so I have only the faintest idea what the reporter is actually trying to convey.

[db]

Hardness is measured by impinging an anvil of known hardness under known force into the surface of the material. The depth of penetration is converted to a hardness "measurement." There are multiple scalesof hardness for various types of materials. In this case there has never been enough carbyne in one place to do a real hardness test so it's all based on calculations.

Anyway, hardness doesn't really have to do with shattering resistance.

[T]

Hardness is the ability to resist surface deformation. Harder materials tend to be more brittle, so there's an opposite relation between hardness and shatter resistance. Think ceramic vs. steel. The ceramic is harder, but if you smack both pieces with a hammer, the ceramic shatters and the steel doesn't.

In general, higher flexibility and higher stiffness together sounds like crap, but what do you expect from some dork at gizmodo?

[Rasilio]

Stiff measures the force necessary to bend it.

Flexability measures how far it can be deformed before breaking.

As a general rule these two properties are inverse to each other (the stiffer the less flexibile) but that is far from a universal truth (there are other materials which are capable of rating fairly high on both scales)

[db]

So it is simultaneously extremely strong and prone to disintegration due to "high reactivity," whatever that means here. Need to read the paper.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

It's also highly reactive, so unless you want your super stiff and lightweight car frame to oxidize out in three days, there are better options.

[John]

Bummer. Couldn't you coat it with something? Steel is highly reactive too. We just paint it.

[trshmnstr]

It's a magnitude thing. If you scratch your paint on a steel car you just get some unsightly rust.

If you scratch your protective coating on this stuff, i'm guessing it'll crumble*.

*This is all based on speculation as to how "highly reactive" this stuff is.

[DJF]

""""testified no support was available for Manning's gender issues. """

When I was in the military I got no support for my lack of getting sex issues.

[Drake]

When I was in, they taught people not to make BS excuses.

[Fist of Etiquette]

On the Democratic side, meanwhile, politicians not named Hillary Clinton are starting to raise their profiles in preparation for potential 2016 runs.

The Clinton Machine won't make the same mistake as last time. They're going to go for throats.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Rodeo clowns to get sensitivity training:

http://www.washingtontimes.com.....-training/

[Atanarjuat]

No linking to The Onion, that's just cheating.

[Bam!]

He needs to show up in full-on clown makeup.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Poor bastard's life is ruined over absolutely nothing. What a fucking travesty.

[mad libertarian guy]

But he insulted The One . . .

[Zeb]

Is it really ruined? There is probably still plenty of work for him not at the MO state fair. I would imagine that most rodeo organizations are not too worried about insults to Obama losing them a lot of their audience.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Yeah, you're right. I misread and thought the rodeo association banned him.

Fuck the state fair.

[Raston Bot]

I'm confident they spit beach nut in the face of whoever told them to take sensitivity training.

[Lord Humungus]

Obamacare Will Foster A Part-Time Jobs Bonanza For Our Limp Economy

The graph below shows that it's quite normal for part-time work to stay high until an economic recovery takes hold and evolves into a full-fledged expansion; firms want to be sure an expansion will persist for at least a few years before they shift from part-time to full-time help. But my graph shows that the part-time share of U.S. employment has remained disturbingly elevated since the U.S. recession ended four years ago. Firms today seem as reluctant to hire more full-time workers as they are to part with huge cash hoards. The policy environment doesn't seem hospitable to hiring or risk-taking. Based on past recoveries and recessions, by now the ratio of part-time to full-time employment should be moving much lower.

[Brett L]

Alright! We can all have 29 hour a week jobs and worse healthcare! Mission Accomplished!

[Pro Libertate]

I'm trying to get my head around how bad a hit the economy is going to take from all of this. It looks like it might be pretty bad, maybe even bad enough to get the law reworked from politicians worried about elections. Maybe. They're pretty stupid and evil.

[John]

I think there is a significant possibility that the effects of this are going to be so bad that they won't be able to hide them or blame them on something else. There is a real danger that this is going to cost some politicians their jobs. But they can't walk back and admit it was a disaster. So they don't know what to do. They are just delaying it and implementing it piece meal so that the horrible effects happen slowly and thus might not be as noticeable.

[Brett L]

Given that that NBC News item got replay time from Drudge, Instapundit, and Limbaugh, its a pretty big stick to beat the President and the Senate with. Of course, the Republicans are so stupid they'll run statist idiots for the Senate in 2014.

Or Rand Paul's "get the government out of the way and let people work" neo-Reaganist campaign completely focussing on domestic issues in 2016 will sweep people to power a la Coolidge following Wilson. But that last is just a fantasy of mine.

[Pro Libertate]

It's just barely possible. Weird thing is, it's all about marketing. If it's marketed well, people might buy it. The fact that it's the obvious solution, of course, isn't obvious to people who emote to the exclusion of all reason.

[Lady Bertrum]

Saw some dem strategist on CNBC yesterday saying that causality between Obamacare and part-time employment hasn't been proven yet. If that's the talking point, they'll lose big time.

[John]

Lady Bertrum,

Wow. That is amazing. It is just bad luck that all of these companies are going to part time. And don't believe them when they say it is because of Obamacare. They are just lying tea baggers who hate children. I know people are stupid. But I don't think they are that stupid.

[Irish]

Saw some dem strategist on CNBC yesterday saying that causality between Obamacare and part-time employment hasn't been proven yet.

I'm sure this is just a coincidence.

[John]

Yes. Reagan marketed his economics by waving the flag. He made people feel patriotic about cutting taxes and regulation. His genius was telling people what makes America is everything but the government. That America is great in spite of the government. Liberals win because they convince people that caring about and being proud of the country means wanting the government to be great and solve every problem. The way to stop that is to wave the flag and talk about how great America is and how the American people will solve the problems if we just get government out of the way.

It is a bit of a populist message but a positive one. Normal populism is about sticking it to someone in order to give to the common people. Better populism is the kind Reagan practiced which is to say that the people can solve their own problems if we just let them and how dare liberals insult America by insisting they can't.

[Pro Libertate]

I think this is precisely why there's all this talk about libertarian populism. The intent behind that is to get people moved back to celebrating ideas like free markets, limited government, and civil liberties, but I have a feeling it'll end up being more about a good marketing message than actually winning over the populace.

[John]

The thing is pro, you don't put it a celebrating free markets. That is too intellectual and esoteric. It is Americans celebrating themselves. You use liberals paternalism and smugness against them. That is what made Reagan such a political genius and why liberals hated him so much.

[Francisco d Anconia]

I have a feeling it'll end up being more about a good marketing message than actually winning over the populace.

True, but the one thing that can't be allowed to happen, is to let the left control the message. That's what happened to the Tea Party. Because they didn't define themselves (what they stood for) up front, the left defined them as simply radical republicans.

[Brett L]

It is a bit of a populist message but a positive one. Normal populism is about sticking it to someone in order to give to the common people. Better populism is the kind Reagan practiced which is to say that the people can solve their own problems if we just let them and how dare liberals insult America by insisting they can't.

And only the idiots who run the Stupid Party would think this is a bad idea. I could organize an agenda between 2014 and 2016 that would spend the entire time goig from one serious issue to the next in a way that a 51 vote majority in the Senate could just line up the vetoes on the President's desk.

Pass a budget, reduce and clarify the IRS's rulemaking authority, clarify that there must be at least 365 days between ther IRS guidance on Obamacare and implementation, etc.

Seriously, GOP, if you're reading this, email me. I'm not one of you, but I'm a fucking mercenary if we're working on this agenda.

[Gbob]

I doubt that Reagan could have gotten elected today. Although the press was hostile to him, they at least had the thin veneer of objectivity that gave hearing to his ideas. Today the media is so in the tank for team blue, the message that he was nothing more than a nasty old racist would win the day.

[sarcasmic]

Cop who carried exhausted dog to safety after its paws MELTED on hot tarmac as it fled car crash becomes overnight hero as rescue picture goes viral

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....viral.html
Another cop who doesn't understand that he's supposed to shoot dogs, not save them. I bet he's the laughing stock of his department.

[Marc F Cheney]

Now, I'm no materials scientist, but what? Paws melt?

[sarcasmic]

Jumping for joy! Gwyneth Paltrow leaps through the air as she shows off her honed figure in two-piece by pal Stella McCartney

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....rtney.html
Is that bush or a trick of the light? Looks like bush growing out the top of the bikini bottom. Woman needs some lessons in personal grooming.

[Marc F Cheney]

She's publicly admitted to a lack of pubic grooming.

Seriously. And I don't know where I learned that.

[sarcasmic]

Probably from me. I posted something from the Daily Mail not too long ago where Cameron Diaz hinted about it. It was pretty gross.

[invisible furry hand]

Gwenny is apparently really into honesty. But not discretion

[Ted S.]

For those like Sarcasmic who want links to things they can mastubate to

(I'd never heard of the woman, but then I don't follow the gossip rags.)

[Atanarjuat]

Gross. Gwyneth Paltrow is fugly too.

Here, an actual attractive woman. NSFW though.

[Atanarjuat]

Prefer Latinas? also NSFW

[MP]

That's practically anorexic. There's a difference between a flat tummy and having twigs for limbs.

[CE]

Time for Iron Man to move on.

[SugarFree]

Is that bush or a trick of the light?

Nah. Low pixel resolution trying to render a moving shadow across a semi-reflective surface.

[Jayburd]

It's England.

[sarcasmic]

What a bright idea! Brazilian mechanic uses plastic water bottles and bleach to create LIGHT - illuminating 1million homes

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sci.....homes.html
Better not try that here in the Land of the Free where it is a felony to use bleach or other chemicals in a manner that is not listed as approved on the label.

[NeonCat]

Desperately poor people can be so clever. See, Brazilians, it's okay for your government to waste money on sports instead of wasting it on electrification programs or other nonsense.

Even more bonus, if you have a fire the bottles will burst and douse the flames.

[CampingInYourPark]

"Cops dealing Doritos at post-legalization Hempfest"

"I think it's going to be a lot of fun," said Sgt. Sean Whitcomb, department spokesman and junk-food-dispenser-in-chief. "It's meant to be ironic. The idea of police passing out Doritos at a festival that celebrates pot, we're sure, is going to generate some buzz."

No, Sean, Doritos are not the substance generating the buzz.

[Pro Libertate]

They're handing out Cool Brain Doritos.

[Lord Humungus]

Iran unveils finger amputating machine for use on thieves

According to the INSA news service, the prisoner used to demonstrate the brutal contraption had been convicted of theft and adultery by a court in Shiraz last Wednesday.

A series of pictures show three masked officials, clad entirely in black, holding the man's right hand in a vice while one turns a wheel operating the guillotine in the manner of a rotary saw.

[Pro Libertate]

What are they going to do when regrowing limbs becomes common?

[CE]

That will just make it easier to punish repeat offenders.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

"It is not sexually charged and I would submit that if we were all naked now it would not be a sexually charged atmosphere. It would be more horror and shock."

According to the hotel's blurb, it is a "perfect location for business or leisure, exhibitions, sightseeing, shopping or enjoying Birmingham's vibrant nightlife."

[Ted S.]

It's not sexually charged because the people who stay there are profoundly unsexy.

[Mike M.]

Radical political Islam to stage a "Million Muslim March" in Washington on 9/11.

Boy, how thoughtful and sensitive these poor, put upon Mohammedans are.

[Slammer]

Their public statement is so poorly written.

"We are demanding that laws be enacted protecting our 1st amendment ."

It's EVERYONE'S first amendment.

"Lastly we are asking for the release of the 9/11 commission report to the American people."

It's in the library and bookstores already.

"Yet our Government either sits idly by and does nothing to protect our freedoms "

Say what? Except for jailing filmmakers.

"congressional hearings on Islam in America"

Where they discussed protecting your rights.

[Kaptious Kristen]

"Yet our Government either sits idly by and does nothing to protect our freedoms "

In fact, government is not doing nothing. It's doing quite a bit to take away everyone's "freedoms".

[John]

Is this some radical Jewish and Christian plot to make Muslims look like contemptible morons?

[Brett L]

Badgers? We don't need no steekin badgers.

A badger has outfoxed archeologists, digging up two "significant" 12th-century tombs of two Slavic lords in Germany, reports Spiegel Online.

[db]

Badger to be Lionized in the Annals of Archaeology Hounded by Paparrazzi.

[invisible furry hand]

Nice that he's finally off the meth and can do archaeology. In between rebooting Star Trek of course

[invisible furry hand]

Inside North Korea's Newest Video Game Arcade

http://kotaku.com/inside-north.....1145634468

[Mike M.]

Cue up jokes about Asteroids, Space Invaders, etc.

[John]

Some day aging nerds all over the world will be lining up special North Korean vintage video arcade vacations.

[Lord Humungus]

needs more Lunar Lander.
http://gnm5.tripod.com/images/lunar3.jpg

[Kaptious Kristen]

The comments are....ignorant. People seem to actually believe those are real candid photos.

[NeonCat]

Ignorant comments? On a Gawker site?

[Lord Humungus]

Strassel: Behind an Ethanol Special Favor
An Alon USA Energy refinery in Louisiana was the only one?out of 143?exempted from an EPA mandate. Why?

So what's so special about Alon? If nothing else, it appears to understand how Washington works. Lobbying disclosure records show Alon paid $60,000 in the second quarter of 2013 to the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips firm. This was the same quarter when Alon filed for its exemption. The records show that Manatt lobbied in the House and in the Senate for Alon on the sole issue of "renewable fuel standards." Alon didn't report any appreciable lobbying expenses for the year preceding the quarter. The records also did not turn up similar lobbying efforts by other refineries applying for an exemption.

Free MARKET!

[John]

But regulations are for the people Lord. Regulators would never give special favors to evil corporations. See, this just shows how we need to get money out of politics. That evil corporations shouldn't be able to hire that lobbying firm. It is all the 1st Amendment's fault.

[CatoTheElder]

This will create a buzz among the anti-Semites and anti-Zionists because Alon USA Energy is a subsidiary of Alon Israel Oil Company Limited.

It's a bullshit conspiracy theory ... Alon probably qualifies a economically distressed. But it also shows that they know how to lobby.

[Enough About Palin]

Here's all you need to know about Krotz Springs, LA.

[Juice]

No, everyone needs to remember that it is a speed trap. Not as bad as Dry Prong, but almost. (and if you've got a Dry Prong you should head to the Krotz Springs.)

[John]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/.....wings.html

McArdle on the evil polar bear killing properties of air travel. I would like to think McArdle is trolling here and just using the Alynsky tactic of holding the other side to their own standards. But I doubt it. She probably believes this shit. It is one thing to embrace an ascetic ethic because for whatever metaphysical or personal reasons you think it is good for your soul or well being to reject the pleasures and wants of the material world. I don't totally agree with that. But I can understand it and respect the people who do it. But if you deprive yourself because you think lowering your carbon footprint is going to help the world, you are a narcissistic retard and deserve nothing but scorn, contempt and ridicule.

Reading that piece makes me want to find out where McArdle and Suderman live in NW Washington and take my Detroit V8 engine and do burnouts in front of their house all weekend. "Hey McArdle, I am going to burn through 45 gallons of as this weekend. And I added the lead additive even though I didn't need to so hopefully if you have any special snowflakes they will end up dumber than you". These people are just offensively stupid.

[Brett L]

I did read it as: the tradeoffs for true believers should be: Amazon 2nd day for free with Prime and flights of convenience OR blame carbon.

She's right. There's no excuse for air travel, it is never the most efficient and it is always a luxury. I mean, there are times when it saves a life, but rarely and not 7 billion.

[John]

I will give you my excuse for air travel, fuck you that is why. And it is efficient as hell. To say it is not is to say that people are in mass numbers acting irrationally by buying it so much and to say that increased mobility does not increase efficiency. Both of those things are complete bullshit. Time is money. And people's time has value. Therefore air travel is quite efficient because it saves so much time.

[Irish]

It's an inefficient way to get from point A to point B in terms of how much gas is getting burned.

And it is efficient as hell. To say it is not is to say that people are in mass numbers acting irrationally by buying it so much and to say that increased mobility does not increase efficiency.

That's not true. Air travel can be inefficient from a fuel perspective and still be a rational decision because of the amount of time you save.

[John]

Air travel can be inefficient from a fuel perspective

But if the time it saves is more valuable than the extra fuel, it is efficient. There is no "fuel perspective". All you are saying is "it burns a lot of fuel". Well yea, that is part of the cost.

[Drake]

If only there was a marketplace capable of judging these trade-offs.

[Brett L]

Agreed. But in the case where CO2 mitigation is your primary value as environmentalists claim, there is no case for taking vacations via air travel or 2nd day air packages from Amazon.

[John]

But in the case where CO2 mitigation is your primary value

You are a retard deserving of scorn.

[Don Mynack]

It used to be way worse when we had the coal-burning steam engine planes. I would be absolutely covered in nasty soot riding in those old things!

[Kaptious Kristen]

I know, right?

[Irish]

The question answers itself, doesn't it? Giving up air travel and overnight delivery is much more personally costly for the public intellectuals who write about this stuff than giving up a big SUV. If you live in one of the five or six major cities that contain virtually everyone who writes about climate change, having a small car (or no car), is a pretty easy adjustment to imagine. On the other hand, try to imagine giving up far-flung vacations, conferences, etc. -- especially since travel to interesting locales is one of the hidden perks of not-very-well remunerated positions at universities, public policy groups, nongovernmental organizations, and yes, news organizations.

I don't know. That seems pretty critical of the left. I think holding them to their own standards was the goal of that piece, although the last paragraph makes it hard for me to tell.

[John]

She is very critical of the left. But I can't tell if she is being critical of them for not following their own values or because she really thinks them not doing it is a bad thing. My instinct is that she is a believer and actually thinks it would be a good thing for people not to travel by air and thus my rant.

[BakedPenguin]

You were a tad harsh earlier, John. She has written other things from a vaguely pro-freedom perspective. Her and Friedersdorf (sp.?) occasionally make The Atlantic worth reading.

[John]

She has lots of views I agree with. But if she honestly believes that people should not travel by air because of global warming, she deserves the harsh treatment. I really tired of that cult.

[Lady Bertrum]

She's attempting to hold them to their own standards but do is in as inoffensive manner as possible. She lives in DC and doesn't want to become a complete social pariah.

[Lady Bertrum]

but do SO

[SIV]

She lives in DC and doesn't want to become a complete social pariah.

The roots of cosmotarianism. This is why Cato's Robert A Levy supports a 20 round mag limit.

[John]

I live in DC. I am not much of a social pariah. My do gooder liberal neighbors all seem to like me. But that may be more due to my wife than me.

[mad libertarian guy]

But that may be more due to my wife than me.

I've never met you, John, but I can almost guarantee that this is absolute truth.

[John]

My wife is lovely and quite charming. Yet they still tolerate me.

[SIV]

+454 cu in

[edcoast]

I know this subthread is old, but I've addressed this in other places before. The further you go by air the more efficient it gets. A modern high-efficiency jetliner such as a 737-800, can go coast to coast on about 40,000 pounds of jet fuel. That's about 6500 gallons. That aircraft, normally configured, holds about 180 people. That's only 36 gallons of fuel per person. You can't drive the most efficient car in America from coast to coast on 36 gallons.

[John]

I think idiots who believe this crap think you shouldn't travel at all. The sin of air travel is that you are creating carbon when you don't need to in their view. They are utterly contemptible.

[Enough About Palin]

Ann Althouse would agree with her.

[CampingInYourPark]

"CHINA ZOO UNDER FIRE FOR DISGUISING DOG AS LION"

It quoted a customer surnamed Liu who wanted to show her son the different sounds animals made -- but he pointed out that the animal in the cage labelled "African lion" was barking.

Strange rooking rion

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-P.....og-as-lion

[invisible furry hand]

well if you can pass a ferret off as a toy poodle, why not this?

[Pro Libertate]

Now that's chutzpah. "No, it's a lion. A Mexican barking lion. Very rare."

[some guy]

Have you ever been to Mexico? Then shut up!

[Pro Libertate]

Exactly!

[gaijin]

A Mexican barking lion.

But can it be towed?

[Enough About Palin]

It actually is a lion, Pro, dressed up to look like a dog dressed-up as a lion. Think Victor Victoria.

[sarcasmic]

Is that purse fur real? New Yorker's unusual doggy bag turns heads on the streets of Manhattan

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/fem.....attan.html
Lots of derp in the comments.

[Lord Humungus]

Criminologists identify family killer characteristics

Self-righteous: Killer seeks to locate blame for his crimes upon the mother who he holds responsible for the breakdown of the family. For these men, their breadwinner status is central to their idea of the ideal family. (case study: Brian Philcox)
Anomic: The family has become firmly linked to the economy in the mind of the killer. The father sees his family as the result of his economic success, allowing him to display his achievements. However, if the father becomes an economic failure, he sees the family as no longer serving this function. (case study: Chris Foster)
Disappointed: This killer believes his family has let him down or has acted in ways to undermine or destroy his vision of ideal family life. An example may be disappointment that children are not following the traditional religious or cultural customs of the father. (case study: Mohammed Riaz)
Paranoid: Those who perceive an external threat to the family. This is often social services or the legal system, which the father fears will side against him and take away the children. Here, the murder is motivated by a twisted desire to protect the family. (case study: Graham Anderson)

[John]

So only men ever kill their children? That will be news to Andrea Yates.

[Rasilio]

I havn't studied it but my guess would be that men and women are about equally likely to kill their own children but stepfathers are hundreds of times more likely to kill stepchildren than stepmothers.

[Lord Humungus]

and a recommendation for the 80s-riffic movie "The Stepfather"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094035/

[SugarFree]

io9's commenters handle the story in their usual restrained manner:

Layne Hill
"A lot" of the killers are male? Honey, they're all male. Let's be honest here. It's men and masculinity - and the entitlements men feel toward their families - that is the problem. This is a problem with MEN. We need to start acknowledging that!

[John]

Those women who torture and kill their children are not women women.

[Irish]

I like the idea that murdering your family is due to 'entitlement' that men feel towards their families. Men are more likely to commit literally every crime. If a man murders another man, then what is the reason behind that?

Claiming that family murder is due to entitlement does a piss poor job of explaining why men commit other crimes in much higher rates and is just nonsensical left-wing propaganda.

[Irish]

I also find it funny that liberals will say things like 'This is a problem with MEN' but would stand aghast if someone used the exact same argument to say that there's a problem specifically with black men. Black men commit far more crimes than white men do, but a liberal would never use the exact same logic they use to insult all men to insult black men specifically.

For the record, I obviously don't think that they should stereotype black men, but it does strike me as interesting that liberals have very specific ideas about when it's okay to stereotype and claim that a collective group is evil, and when it's not okay to do that.

It's almost like they're sexist and racist but are also totally lacking in self-awareness. It's almost like that.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Or, you know, they just don't have any guiding principles, so they're often confused and self-contradictory.

[John]

All men are potential rapists. But if you in anyway fear a young black male, you are just racist. You don't need logic or consistency when your entire world view is based on emotion and smugness.

[Lady Bertrum]

This puts me in the tin-foil hat category, but I wondered about something similar regarding Zimmerman and Martin.

Did Martin think Zimmerman was gay and looking for a little action when he followed him? Was Martin's pre-emptive attack on Zimmerman a homophobic reaction? Wild speculation, though.

[Irish]

Did Martin think Zimmerman was gay and looking for a little action when he followed him?

I doubt this is true, but when Jeantel brought up the fact that they were talking about whether or not Zimmerman was a gay rapist, I almost started laughing. It was blatantly homophobic and offensive, yet the left didn't give a shit because Jeantel is black and was the last person to speak to Saint Trayvon.

[SugarFree]

Not wanting to be raped is homophobic? OK. Sure.

[Irish]

Assuming that a random guy looking at you is gay and that he is therefore a rapist is definitely homophobic. Your post strangely leaves that part out.

[SugarFree]

Random guy? You mean the guy who is following you in the dark, in the rain and watching every move you are making? What was there possibly to be suspicious of?

Now tell the one about how Watermelon Ice Tea and Skittles is how you make lean.

[John]

But only 2% of the population is gay. Thinking a guy is following you plans to homosexual rape you is pretty crazy.

[SugarFree]

Maybe he was suffering from a heightened sense of paranoia that comes from being followed.

[John]

Or maybe he was a thug who thought he would kick someone's ass who he felt was disrespecting him by daring to follow him or question why he was there or what he was doing? Both things are possible. But my hypothesis is a lot more likely.

[John]

Sugar Free,

Isn't it possible that a big, strong young guy might not act like a cowering victim and be afraid and paranoid walking around the mean streets of suburban America? It is funny how you bend over backwards to assume Martin could never have been the aggressor and must have been just terrified walking through the streets of a gated subdivision. I mean anyone following you in a such a place is bound to be dangerous.

Come on. Just stop it already.

[Lady Bertrum]

Hmmm, I wasn't calculating "rapist" into the equation.

My thought was that Martin thought Zimmerman was going to hit on him, not rape him. And, that offended Martin.

[Lady Bertrum]

My comment above is in response to SF's comment:

"Not wanting to be raped is homophobic? OK. Sure"

[PapayaSF]

The gay-bashing aspect has been speculated about elsewhere.

[Slammer]

Holy smokes, those Tibetan Mastiff dogs from the 24/7 newsfeed Chinese zoo story are incredible! I want one!

[John]

They are way cool. All Mastiffs are cool. The only problem is huge dogs like Mastiffs or Irish Wolfhounds only live about seven years. Hard to have a dog that awesome and know you are going to lose him in seven years.

[The DerpRider]

Yep, our Bernese Mountain Dog turned seven and we are beginning the countdown. They are far and away my favorite dog, but this is #3 and all have died in the 6-8 year range. It sucks.

[John]

One of my best friends and her husband have Berners. They are awesome dogs. When you sadly lose this one, have you thought about getting a Swiss Mountain Dog? I don't think they are quite as big and live a bit longer. And they are every bit as great. The other dog to consider is a Samoyed. They have a very similar temperament to a Berner and a very good life span. They are just smaller and all white.

[The DerpRider]

We have a Newf puppy now. We'll be getting another Berner soon. They have a fantastic personality and really are gentle giants. Amazingly kid friendly.

[John]

One of my neighbors has a Newf. His name is Buffalo. It is the perfect name. He was telling me they use them in Europe as lifeguards and for water rescues. They are so big and such great swimmers, they can swim out to a drowning person and you can just grab onto a harness they are wearing and they can swim a full sized adult to safety. He was telling me he takes his dog out to this beach dog park. He said his dog goes into lifeguard mode and patrols the beach barking at dogs that get too far away from the shore. It has to be hysterical to watch.

Another great dog like that is a Great Pyranese. We had one for a short while when I was a kid. A true gentle giant and gentleman of a dog.

[Enough About Palin]

Had a lab / Newfie mix until a few months ago. Sweetest monster ever. Spent the first eight years of his life being neglected (except when it was time to beat the shit out of him). Then I got him and he lived like a king for four-and-a-half years. His original owner is lucky that the dog was so non-aggressive. At a very lean 110 pounds he could have easily killed the guy.

[Clich? Bandit]

you probably should have.

[Enough About Palin]

Never met the guy. It was a rescue dog scheduled to be put down. Found out about him at the last minute. Wish I'd have gotten him as a pup.

[Rasilio]

We're in the same boat with our Great Pyrinees, awesome dog, by far the best dog I've ever had but she's just about to turn 6 and her hips are already going. I figure she's got maybe a year left before we're going to have to the humane thing and put her to sleep.

The only thing I havn't figured out is how the hell I'm going to bury a 160 lb dog if creamation is too expensive.

[Drake]

I have an English Mastiff - great dog.

The problem with the Tibetan Mastiffs is they have become far too popular too fast. That means people are breeding dogs that should not be bred. I assume the quality of the breed is in a free-fall. Same happened to Golden Retrievers. Avoid.

If you want a big hairy mastiff that is still a capable dog, find a good breeder of Spanish Mastiffs.

[John]

Same thing happened to Berners. They were virtually unknown 10 years ago and now they are everywhere.

[BakedPenguin]

Leonberger!

[Eduard van Haalen]

Why did they put some of the puppies in the trunk of a car? Were they driving them to the meat market?

OK, that was uncalled for.

[CE]

Those aren't dogs. They're bears.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

French sex-toy market gets eco-friendly

[Brett L]

I have one word for you, just one word: Teledildonics.

[Pro Libertate]

With haptic interfaces! Wealth within wealth within wealth.

[Enough About Palin]

"a post-spanking balm"

Who knew?

[CampingInYourPark]

"Christie To Decide By Friday Whether To Sign Medical Marijuana Bill For Kids"

"Please don't let my daughter die, Governor. Don't let my daughter die," Brian Wilson implored Gov. Christie on Wednesday.

Sorry, but if the situation is that dire, can't you move? It's not like you have to go somewhere your language isn't spoken and start with nothing.

[CampingInYourPark]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/20.....-for-kids/

[John]

I am all for medical marijuana or recreational marijuana. But I was unaware it cured anything but bad television. How is this guy's daughter's life depending on this?

[CampingInYourPark]

There is anecdotal evidence that a substance in it alleviates the seizures she has. I don't have the links for that. Maybe somebody else can help out with that.

[John]

I agree. If it means your daughter's life, move to Alaska or Amsterdam.

[Andrew S.]

This? http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/07/.....index.html

And John, they shouldn't have to move. The law is crap, it's unconstitutional anyways. Gov. Christie needs to pull himself away from eating a Big Mac while sucking up to President Obama and restore a few civil liberties to the people.

[John]

Sure they shouldn't have to move. But if the law stays, you move. It is a bad law. But it is not accurate to say this girl's life depends on it. No, her ability to live in New Jersey depends on it.

[Andrew S.]

Not everyone can just pick up and move, given the need for employment and income to live on. Were it that easy, I'd be living anywhere but where I'm living now.

[John]

Not everyone can just pick up and move,

If your life depends on it you can. If the law stays and this guy doesn't leave the state and his daughter dies, her death is his responsibility.

[CampingInYourPark]

Not everyone can just pick up and move, given the need for employment and income to live on

Millions of people have moved with no assurance of income or employment for less than life threatening reasons.

I think ALL drugs should be legal and not regulated...period, but it doesn't mean Chris Christie is responsible for this girl's life if he doesn't sign a MJ law.

[BakedPenguin]

In another article, the guy said they would move to CO if fatso doesn't sign the law.

[Brett L]

Eh. Shouldn't have to move. But should move. Do you want to be right or have your daughter live to see her 15th birthday.

[Lady Bertrum]

^^^^This. If your kid's life depends on it, get on a plane to CO, FFS (for fucks sake).

[Enough About Palin]

And that's the whole point of Federalism.

[mad libertarian guy]

No he shouldn't have to move.

But what I'm wondering why this guy, if pot can save his daughter's life (or even if he simply believes that it can), why he's insisting on it being legal. Is it being legal so important that he would let his daughter die?

Fuck legality. Buy it. Smoke it.

[CE]

As Christie said, "it's a complicated issue". Old people vote, and they want him to wage the war on drugs. Young people protest, and want the war to end, but they don't vote. What's a weathervane to do?

[WTF]

They have actually said they will move to Colorado where they can get what they need if Christie doesn't sign the bill. But obviously it would be preferable to not have to uproot your family, quit your job without having a secure prospect elsewhere, etc. when you have a chance to save your kid if some fat idiot would only show a little humanity.

[Don Mynack]

Colorado vs. New Jersey? This is like a choice for this dude? Seriously?

[Moe19]

^This times a zillion. New Jersey should be nuked from orbit anyway.

[wareagle]

maybe it's just me, but if there is good reason to believe that pot would benefit one of my kid's health, there may just be alternatives beyond the governor's approval. I'm willing to have 12 of my fellow citizens judge me for that.

[John]

Yeah. And I wouldn't make myself a public figure. It is not like pot is hard to get. Why wouldn't you just quietly give it to her and not tell anyone?

[WTF]

Because she needs it in a specific form, liquid or pills, with a low THC content but high in another compound to be effective against the seizures. You can't just buy pot on the street and have your toddler smoke some joints.

[wareagle]

the other compounds may be the key point. I saw something not long ago where the non-intoxicant aspects of pot have all sorts of potential health benefits. There is even a part that limits appetite, along with other potential benefits.

[John]

And this hasn't been made into a prescription drug? You can buy THC pills by prescription. I don't see how marijuana has to be legal for that to be legal. That is a product derived from it. It is not marijuana.

[CampingInYourPark]

And this hasn't been made into a prescription drug?

Illegal substances are difficult to do research on. That kind of a delay is the direct result of prohibition.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"can't you move?"

He moves, but very slowly. I mean, look at him!

[Eduard van Haalen]

Whenever he reaches to pick up a pen to sign a bill, instinct takes over and he picks up some bacon instead.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

One fan would have been lacking pall bearers:

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE: Super Bowl Champion Browns: "Remember That One Time We Almost Moved To Baltimore?"
...Indeed, during the late 1990s, long suffering Cleveland fans finally saw their Browns rise to prominence due to a number of strong personnel moves, including the drafting of LB Ray Lewis, who would go on to win the Super Bowl MVP trophy in Cleveland's 2001 Super Bowl victory over the New York Giants.

The team continued to be a defensive powerhouse through the 2000s, and Lewis capped his Hall of Fame worthy career by leading the Browns to their recent championship over San Francisco....

[John]

And one of the greatest Browns' players ever, Ozzy Smith, turned into the best GM in football, for a team in Baltimore. God hates Cleveland.

[John]

Ozzy Newsome. I got my Ozzys confused.

[Drake]

It's a really alternative universe.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Lewis: "Ever since being drafted by Cleveland, I mostly hung out with a quiet crowd. There's no telling what kind of trouble I could have gotten into if I'd played somewhere else."

[CE]

Here's a refresher course:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7yOfYi_HsE

Complete with a time capsule of what baseball players looked like before steroids.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

God hates Cleveland.

God is all knowing and wise, after all.

[Pro Libertate]

Look, everyone knows, especially people in Cleveland, that the Browns would've never won if they hadn't moved.

[wareagle]

prior to moving, the Browns had Belichik as their coach and the foundation for the eventual championship team was being built. In fact, the team in Cleveland that last year got off to a good start before news of the move broke and everything fell apart.

[John]

Belichik has never had a good GM in New England. He had Scott Peoli who we know now is a complete moron. He did everything in New England himself.

How good would his teams had been if he had had a really good GM like Newsome to work with? Maybe worse because maybe Belichik can't work well with an equal and needs village idiot toadies like Peoli and Mangini to succeed. But, maybe not. Maybe his coaching ability with Newsome's eye for talent would have fit well together. That is a scary thought for the rest of the league.

[CampingInYourPark]

"Chinese Hacking Team Caught Taking Over Decoy Water Plant"

None of the attacks displayed a particularly high level of sophistication, says Wilhoit, but the attackers were clearly well versed in the all-too easily compromised workings of industrial control systems. Four of the attacks displayed a high level of knowledge about industrial systems, using techniques to meddle with a specific communication protocol used to control industrial hardware.

The internet is a great thing, but, does everything have to be connected to it?

http://www.technologyreview.co.....ter-plant/

[robc]

Observations from a tipless restaurant

Its a 6-part series, plus (currently) 1 postscript article.

The author/owner is a west coast leftist, but the articles are very good, with some research citations. I dont agree with all his details, but the fundamental concept is solid. Plus "part 7", the postscript, shows a level of hatefulness that can only come from a member of the press.

[John]

If you just pay your wait staff and put the full cost in the price of the food, your wait staff (assuming they are managed well) will care about every customer equally. As it is, the staff will rationally cater to the customers they think will give the best tips at the expense of other customers. If you have a well run restaurant with dedicated competent servers, a system should produce more uniform service. It is not better or worse than running on tips. But it is a reasonable alternative.

[sarcasmic]

As it is, the staff will rationally cater to the customers they think will give the best tips at the expense of other customers.

As someone who has plenty of experience both as a cook and as a waiter, I can tell you that that is not true. It makes rational sense, but it just isn't the case. You don't know who the good tippers are until after they have left, nor do you really have time to care. Sure there are some regulars who tip better or worse than others, but you just don't have time to play favorites.

[John]

True. It does assume knowledge of who is a good tipper. There is one way to make a good guess at the tip, how expensive is the meal. Tips are based on a percentage of the bill.

I guess it is no better or worse. But a tipless system is more of a hassle since you have to stay on your staff to give good service where a tipping system creates the incentive for them to do so no manager needed.

[sarcasmic]

There is one way to make a good guess at the tip, how expensive is the meal. Tips are based on a percentage of the bill.

True. I was quite the up-seller. For example, instead of asking "Would you like an appetizer?" I would ask "What appetizer would you like this evening?" and you never saw an empty glass in my section.
It is in the interest of the wait staff to run up the bill because that usually means a bigger tip. That also helps the owner because higher sales mean higher profits.

[robc]

And that works in a service charge restaurant too.

As he points out in one piece (I forget which, maybe 4), there are ways to increase tips more than upselling that actually hurt the business.

[sarcasmic]

I still don't like it. I worked at a place where we pooled the tips and I hated it. Shirkers got paid the same as go-getters. Tips are a feedback mechanism. Lousy servers don't make much money and find a different line of work.

[robc]

Read the series. Apparently they got better service from their non-tipping restaurant.

He points out that the theoretical feedback mechanism isnt strong enough because people dont cut their tips enough.

What they saw was 22% for normal service, 24% for great service, 19% for poor service. And internal management problems that were eliminated by going to a flat 18%.

His general point, that I agree with, is that managing servers is no different than managing computer programmers. Tips are not a necessary part of the equation if management is competent.

[CE]

The standard for tips used to be 15% on the pretax amount for normal service. Now it's 18%. But most people can't do math, so they give 20% of the post-tax amount, and adjust it down a little for bad service, or up a little for good service.

Bad service should be tipped so poorly that the server realizes it was for bad service. Otherwise they just think you're a bad tipper.

[John]

I was quite the up-seller.

That means you were, from the restaurant's perspective, a very good server. It always amazes me when I go into a restaurant and the server doesn't try to up-sell me. It doesn't usually work with me. But when I see it, it makes me smile. It means the restaurant has a competent manager who has trained his people to move the product that makes the most money. That is generally but not always a sign that the restaurant is well run and the meal will be good.

[some guy]

Good point, John. Upselling never works on me because I always go in knowing generally what I want. But upselling also indicates that the server knows the menu and is willing to be proactive in engaging the customer. It's a good sign to see in the first 5 minutes of a sit down.

[some guy]

and you never saw an empty glass in my section.

To me, this is the best way to guarantee a decent tip. I don't care if my meal is a little late or even a little messed up. I go to restaurants to hang out and talk with friends. The food is an afterthought. But the drink is necessary because talking is thirsty work.

[John]

Nothing pisses me off more than to run out of a drink and have to sit there for five minutes wondering where the waiter is.

[thom]

you never saw an empty glass in my section.

I'm not sure why more servers don't understand this. So many times I've wanted another beer but my server is on his or her phone, pretending not to notice me. If I just set a dollar bill on the table for you I'm sure you could muster up the energy to come over and get it. Why can't you get me another beer, when it means another dollar in your tip?

[robc]

Why can't you get me another beer, when it means another dollar in your tip?

Especially since if you wait too long, I wont order another beer, as I dont want to be drinking it after the bill is paid.

[Enough About Palin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1ZZWhSvOMI

[robc]

See part 6.

In some cases (racial), the good vs bad tippers are known.

nor do you really have time to care

This is an important point. He points out that the best servers pay no attention to tips until the end of the night. Poor servers, on the other hand, do.

What I found interesting from the articles was that some people get IRATE that they arent allowed to tip MORE than the 18%.

And as the postscript points out, if there was a service issue, they would remove the service charge entirely from the bill, and that makes others irate, because they didnt get to get their rocks off by punishing the server themselves.

As he rightly points out, it is managements job to discipline employees, not customers.

[sarcasmic]

What I found interesting from the articles was that some people get IRATE that they arent allowed to tip MORE than the 18%.

You know how servers add an automatic gratuity to parties of six or more? I never did that. Not once. I would give them the bill and tell them that I did not add the automatic gratuity. Nine out of ten times I would get a better tip than if I had gratuitized them.

[robc]

Of course.

And from the consumer side, I follow a similar strategy. If you put an automatic gratuity on the bill, that is all you are getting.

BUT, if I went into a place that said up front that there would be an 18% service charge, then I wouldnt be upset if they wouldnt let me give 22%.

The people who complained publicly were 35-55 year old males (with 20-something aged female servers).

[sarcasmic]

The people who complained publicly were 35-55 year old males (with 20-something aged female servers).

In my experience I still made more tips off the same sales than the cute, young waitresses. One waitress was particularly resentful about it. She claimed that the customers were all sexist.

[robc]

You do know the difference between anecdote and data?

[sarcasmic]

You do know the difference between averages and outliers?

[robc]

Yes I do.

And management shouldnt make business decisions based on outliers.

[robc]

Also, I think you proved the authors point with a comment you made: One waitress was particularly resentful about it.

This kind of internal resentment is what they managed to eliminate, and it made the whole restaurant run better, he claims.

[sarcasmic]

That resentment ended when she quit.

I still maintain that tips are a feedback mechanism similar to profits. I've seen it with my own eyes. Lousy servers don't make the money that good servers do, and they tend to quit to the benefit of both the restaurant and customers. Competition. Seems this guy is trying to eliminate competition. He's a freaking socialist. Fuck him.

[robc]

I still maintain that tips are a feedback mechanism similar to profits.

The studies he links to suggest you are wrong.

Seems this guy is trying to eliminate competition. Between coworkers? Hell yes. They should be working together.

He's a freaking socialist. Fuck him.

He may be. But within HIS business, he can run things as he sees fit. And, I, the consumer, like his model better and would give him business.

[sarcasmic]

And, I, the consumer, like his model better and would give him business.

And I, the former waiter who paid his way through college with tips, would not.

[sarcasmic]

Between coworkers? Hell yes. They should be working together.

In a good shop it's both. You work together because the first and foremost priority is a happy customer. But you're competing with each other for who gets the most sales, and hopefully the most tips.
Everyone wins. Well, everyone except crappy servers.

[Azathoth!!]

He's wrong and his studies are wrong.

Without incentives, the crap job that is waiting tables will devolve to the horrors one sees in Europe. Sullen asswipes that do the barest minimum and get the gratuity no matter how shitty they do their job.

Don't abandon the market for such obvious idiocy.

[sarcasmic]

I just read a bit of it and I couldn't continue. It's pure bullshit from my point of view. As a server who worked for gratuity I treated the customers as if I worked for them, not for the restaurant. After all, they were the ones who paid me. My paychecks were usually zero or less since the taxes on my declared tips often exceeded my wages.

Because tips cannot legally, in most cases, be controlled by the employer, they are typically distributed (or not distributed, as the case may be) according to a social compact between the employees. That social compact is either unenforced or enforced through social means, like ostracization. In either event, the systems for both acquiring and distributing tips are easily gamed by members of the compact who are intent on doing so.

Craps. Pure crap. Unless the shop makes the servers pool their tips (which is bullshit) they are not "distributed" at all. They are earned. This guy sounds like an egalitarian or something. The texter was right. He's a douche.

[robc]

After all, they were the ones who paid me.

And that is, IMO, the problem.

Servers are no different than any other employee. They are rightly paid by their employer.

Consumers should not be involved in that.

I have no problem with servers being paid (partly) on commission. And, realistically, that is no different than a tip system, only driven ENTIRELY by the servers ability to sell.

[sarcasmic]

Servers are no different than any other employee. They are rightly paid by their employer.

Consumers should not be involved in that.

Why not? It's instant feedback. Do you want to do away with profit and loss in the marketplace? It's the same thing. It creates incentive to please the customer when they are the ones who pay you.

[robc]

Why not? It's instant feedback.

No it isnt. As you pointed out, and as he verified, you wont notice the feedback at the time. You will be too busy doing your job to pay any attention to the tips you are getting.

Plus, as has been pointed out in other places, tips occur at the wrong time. After the meal is too late to correct behavior. From a pure game theory stand point, if you are at a restaurant you will never go to again, tipping anything greater than 0% is wrong.

[sarcasmic]

As you pointed out, and as he verified, you wont notice the feedback at the time.

You notice at the end of the night. And trust me, you do notice when you make fifty bucks and someone else makes two hundred.

[robc]

You notice at the end of the night.

That isnt instantaneous. And a wee bit too late to fix the service to that customer.

[robc]

And trust me, you do notice when you make fifty bucks and someone else makes two hundred.

And how would that be any different than a commission based on sales?

[sarcasmic]

And how would that be any different than a commission based on sales?

I've done both and I did well as a server and was lousy at sales. I can't define the difference, but it's there.

[robc]

It creates incentive to please the customer when they are the ones who pay you.

In a non-tipping job, the employer pays you. And even with a salary, a customer service employee has incentive to please the customer.

And as pointed out via links in the study, tipping LOWERS customer service overall, instead of increasing it.

[Xenocles]

Anecdotes are the data that are most relevant to you personally, though you may not want to generalize from them.

[CE]

In my experience, male waiters were always the best servers. Not out of any genetic advantage, but because guys who become waiters do it consciously and it's something they like or don't mind doing. For a lot of women, it's a default job.

[Floridian]

I never add more gratuity when it is included. I tip usually 20 percent as a base and more for outstanding service. You have to do a really bad job to get less than 20 from me.

[robc]

I never add more gratuity when it is included. I tip usually 20 percent as a base and more for outstanding service. You have to do a really bad job to get less than 20 from me.

Pretty much ditto, and we are part of the problem. Too wide of a range of server quality getting the "default" tip amount.

For tipping to work, we would need to use the whole range. Give 15% for minor problems, 12% for more major, 2% for awful, etc.

The problem is, because so many people tip at those levels anyway, Im not sure it tells the server anything. And as already pointed out, good servers dont pay attention to tips anyway.

The right answer is to let management handle compensation of employees and price things appropriately.

[sarcasmic]

The right answer is to let management handle compensation of employees and price things appropriately.

I couldn't disagree more. At the end of the night a great server might make two hundred dollars while a lousy server might makes fifty. You may not see it as much in the individual transactions, but it's pretty obvious by the end of the night as to who is good and who should find a different line of work. Good ones stay and the bad ones quit. Competition works for the benefit of the owner and the customer.

[robc]

And how is that any different than any other business?

Good employees are obvious to management and get paid accordingly. Bad employees dont get raises and/or get fired.

How would a commission system be any different? Get salespeople make 4x (to use your example) times lousy salespeople all the time. And without the need for tips.

[sarcasmic]

Good employees are obvious to management and get paid accordingly.

Good servers are obvious to customers and get tipped accordingly. At the end of the night the server who up-sells and gets 24% tips will make a significant amount more than the one who does not up-sell and gets 18% tips. A larger percentage of a larger total sales is larger than a smaller percentage of a smaller total sales.

[robc]

And as he points out, the server who steals tables from others makes even more, even if they get lower tip levels.

The optimal strategy is too stretch yourself as thin as possible, even though it hurts your tip percentage.

This is bad for the business, but good for the server.

[sarcasmic]

Stealing tables sucks. I've been on both sides of that. That's an issue that can be corrected by having good host people and good management.

[robc]

That's an issue that can be corrected by having good host people and good management.

Or by not having tips.

The overall theme of the pieces is that its easier to have good management in a non-tip environment.

Now, the counter is that he wasnt a restaurant lifer. He came from other businesses that ran differently. If he had spent the previous 20 years in the biz, maybe he would have known how to run a tip-based business. But, in his opinion, he did better without tips. He was able to train people up who sucked. He wasnt able to do this with his tip-based restaurant.

[sarcasmic]

Or by not having tips.

Not the way I understood what you said. If they get a fixed gratuity then they still benefit from higher total sales which they can increase by stealing tables.

[robc]

Not the way I understood what you said. If they get a fixed gratuity then they still benefit from higher total sales which they can increase by stealing tables.

Thats true by what I said, but the author's restaurant didnt do it that way, so there was no benefit to stealing tables.

[robc]

sarcasmic:

Question for you that I dont understand:

How would a commission based payment system work any differently than a tip based system?

And a secondary question that is more general: Why are people so opposed to change? Or experimentation?

[sarcasmic]

I've done commission based sales and I wasn't good at it. Yet I made bank as a tipped server. I can't define the difference, but it exists. Good servers work for the customers, not the restaurant, and in my experience that works out well for everyone. Well, everyone except crappy servers.

The message I got from this was that crappy servers don't make as much money as good ones, and that isn't fair. So lets make it fair with a fixed gratuity.

Me no likey. No likey at all.

[robc]

The message I got from this was that crappy servers don't make as much money as good ones, and that isn't fair.

Then you misread it. That wasnt the point at all.

If anything, it was about making sure the back of house got more money, not crappy servers.

[robc]

I've done commission based sales and I wasn't good at it.

But have you done commission based restaurant service?

That is the proper comparison.

[Floridian]

Hmm. I never thought bout that. I just know servers live on tips and I hate to be overly stingy. If they are rude no problem giving zero. A few uncorrected mistakes and I go to 10.

[Clich? Bandit]

So sarc, pop quiz:
My bill is 4.72 I hand you a ten, what is my change?

[CE]

If you give 0 they just think you forgot. Give 5 cents.

[Rasilio]

I generally tip in the 18% range with about 22% for over the top service but one thing my wife and I go out of our way to do when we cut the tip for poor service we specifically write on the bill "tip reduced for poor service" and then list the specific problems.

That way the manager and the server see it and know for a fact that the service was the problem and we were not just poor tippers.

[Enough About Palin]

I'm a regular at many restaurants downtown and tip 50-100+%. I am certain that at these places I am well taken care of at the expense of others. And that's just the way I like it.

[PapayaSF]

You don't know who the good tippers are until after they have left

There are certain rules of thumb. Guys on dates tip well. Groups of women don't. Many say blacks tend not to tip well.

[PapayaSF]

I just saw The Petrified Forest (1936). On the wall of the restaurant was a sign:

TIPPING IS UNAMERICAN
KEEP YOUR CHANGE

[CE]

Or New Orleans' Saints QBs.

[robc]

Actually, they did a 18% service charge.

For business reasons, you cant actually just build it into the menu price, because people will freak out over you being more expensive than the restaurant next door.

Lots of stuff you said was covered in the articles, you should read them, even more detail on your points (which arent inaccurate).

[db]

18% service charges are B.S. a group of friends and I go out once a week to one of a set of restaurants. We tip well--our average is well over 20%. We instruct our waitstaff (because we are a larger group) that if an 18% charge is one the bill, that is all they will get but if they decline to add it, they'll lilely get a much better tip.

We actually entirely stopped going to a restaurant forever when they refused to stop adding the 18% charge to our bills. They lost out on probably $50-$100 a week in tips (depending on our group size, which fluctuates week over week).

[CE]

The 18% service charge is because people in larger groups tip at a lower percentage. It's the shared duty shirking phenomenon.

[db]

Except we specifically promise a better tip that 18%, given good service, if they agree not to force it.

[Brett L]

Somehow I think a topless restaurant would do better.

[db]

There's one of those just across the border from here in West Virginia.

[SFC B]

Yes. Because if there's one thing I've learned from my time living in Europe it is that the Euro standard of no-tipping sure does lead to courteous service when dining out.

Oh yeah...

[sarcasmic]

Incentives matter.

[Juice]

The article demonstrated that (at least at his restaurant) they don't.

[sarcasmic]

So the guy managed to alter human nature and the basic laws of economics. That's pretty cool. He should run for Congress.

[Azathoth!!]

Or he's lying.

[The Last American Hero]

My experience overseas was similar.

[CampingInYourPark]

"Thousands Wait In Line For Subsidized Housing Applications"

At times, some grew impatient and some jumped the line. Cops were called in.

Neighborhood residents blamed the real estate company, the Kopley Group. One neighbor described the process as, "very, very uncoordinated, unprofessional."

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/20.....lications/

[sarcasmic]

'You appear riddled with herpes': Lord Of The Rings star Dominic Monaghan sent woman 'vile messages' after she turned him down for sex

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....d-sex.html
Classy.

[Kaptious Kristen]

He looks like he needs to take a 5-day shower. And he'd still probably look like a cheese-smelling greaseball.

[Lady Bertrum]

He sounds like an A-hole, but she sounds just as bad. Why continue to stay in touch over two years with someone so rude? Because he's rich and famous, that's why. They deserve each other.

[Kaptious Kristen]

I wasn't commenting on either his or her personalities.

[Atanarjuat]

Ha! I love how he "accidentally" mentions his three houses.

I'm glad I have actual self confidence instead of being forced to derive self esteem from my possessions.

[JW]

NOT PENNY'S HERPES

[Lord Humungus]

With So Many Job Openings, Why So Little Hiring?

An odd puzzle is taking shape in the labor market: Over the past three years, the number of job openings has risen almost 50 percent, but actual hiring has gone up by less than 5 percent. Companies are advertising a lot more jobs, in other words, but not filling them.

To get some sense of how significant this is, consider that if, since June 2010, hiring had risen a third as much as advertised jobs have (rather than only a 10th), and nothing else were different, job creation would be roughly 500,000 higher each month, and the unemployment rate would already be back to normal levels.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

I suspect that companies advertise job openings to look like they're busy, expanding concerns. It's a ruse.

[Fatty Bolger]

It's also due to periodic hiring freezes. The job technically exists, but won't be filled until the freeze is lifted. Very common these days. Why companies still advertise those jobs, I don't know. Bureaucracy and inertia, probably.

[BakedPenguin]

Part of it is that they can be very, very picky with who they hire now.

[Kaptious Kristen]

I applied for a government job (three openings on one listing, no less) and no one was ever hired for any of the three positions.

[John]

God I fucking hate when people do that. I have that happen twice where I went through multiple interviews and thought I was really going to get the job only to have them not hire anyone. I don't care if you hire someone else. Those are the breaks. But when you don't hire anyone, you have just wasted my time.

[VG Zaytsev]

One reason that businesses do that is to check the quality and pay level of their existing employees.

[NoVAHockey]

I talked to someone in my old office at HHS yesterday and they tried to hire me right then and there. I thought she was being polite with the "you can come back if you want." apparently, there's a bit of train wreck or something going on. not sure why.

[KWebb]

In my experience, it's one of two things.

Either, the ad looks like this:
Entry Level Seat Warmer
Responsibilities: Sit. Do not drool.
Requirements: Five years experience in customer service. Expert in Java, SQL, R, SAS. Three actuarial exams. Prefer a degree in Chemical Engineering.

Or the firm is just slow and spends six months trying to fill the most basic position.

[Lord Humungus]

pretty much this: entry level shit job, requirements: insane amount of experience.

[Lord Humungus]

The Rise Of The Renting And Sharing Economy Could Have Catastrophic Ripple Effects

"The potential impacts of renting/leasing as a long-term trend, though, are worrisome: Renting and sharing could lead to lower home sales (and, subsequently lower home values and net worths), as well as lower auto and retail sales," write the strategists. "The ripple effects could also be catastrophic: Adjusting to a consumer who does not necessarily buy, but rather rents, would necessitate a shift in production, sales, and even employment structures. Everything interesting in economics happens at the margin, so if the nth consumer chooses to rent an apartment instead of buying a house or making do with a car-share program instead of purchasing a new vehicle, then demand for new houses and cars drops."

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Oh my god! Things might change?!?

[Fatty Bolger]

Yes, nothing hurts the long-term economy more than people not buying stuff they don't actually want, need, or can afford.

Now, "rent" is becoming the new "own," according to market strategists at ConvergEx Group, who warn that the ripple effects of such a trend could be "catastrophic."

"Americans of every demographic are flocking to services like Airbnb, Taskrabbit, and Bag Borrow or Steal for one overwhelming reason: Renting and sharing allow us to live the life we want without spending beyond our means," the strategists write in a note to clients.

People not spending beyond their means? Catastrophe! Have they learned nothing from the government's example of wanton borrowing and spending?

[Irish]

Furthermore, have they learned nothing from the massive growth rates of places like Chile and China? China's savings rate is nearly 50% and Chile has total savings that are equal to 75% of GDP. Their savings have done nothing to hamper economic growth.

The idea that saving results in lower economic growth seems to be pretty clearly contradicted by actual evidence.

[trshmnstr]

When you base your entire economic model on spending, people not being over leveraged is a terrible thing. Why do you think preppers and frugal types are so demonized?

[Irish]

"The potential impacts of renting/leasing as a long-term trend, though, are worrisome: Renting and sharing could lead to lower home sales (and, subsequently lower home values and net worths), as well as lower auto and retail sales"

Why would it lead to lower retail sales? If I rent because it's cheaper than buying, that would mean that I'll probably have more money left over than if I'd bought that house. I can then spend more on low cost retail items.

[Brett L]

Just so's we're clear: someone owns that property being leased. They wouldn't be leasing the property to you if they weren't getting some benefit. Now, will homebuilders and carbuilders suffer? Probably. Will people have to think more carefully about the real costs of ownership? Yep. Seems like a way of making things more efficient to me. Although, some people like me will always value having the deed to the capital good more than the use of said good.

[Xenocles]

Yeah but it's probably some evil korparashun.

[Xenocles]

"Renting and sharing could lead to lower home sales (and, subsequently lower home values and net worths..."

Lower home values you say? Don't throw me in that briar patch, please!

[Apatheist ?_??]

The potential impacts of renting/leasing as a long-term trend, though, are worrisome: Renting and sharing could lead to lower home sales (and, subsequently lower home values and net worths), as well as lower auto and retail sales,

As a young married renter, soon to be buyer, I don't see how that is possibly a bad thing. Of course here in Houston both renting and house prices are on the rise.

[Irish]

Plus if home values drop then people will begin buying again as it becomes more economically feasible. Then the prices of houses will reach some new equilibrium based on what people are actually willing to pay.

This guy is basically arguing that it's terrible when people don't buy things they can't afford.

[Brett L]

I paid 2x as much in Tallahassee, FL for the exact same house (age, square footage, lot) as one I could have had in Spring, TX. Now they are probably worth the same amount. And not because the house in Spring has doubled.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Yeah but I'm not leaving the loop, shit is hot down here.

[Fatty Bolger]

Beanie Babies are still worthless

Twenty years after the introduction of Beanie Babies, you have to think that if they'd been stuffed with actual beans, at least you could eat them and they'd be worth something.

Alas, they were stuffed with inedible plastic pellets and are now mostly worthless.

[robc]

Its only 20 years. When they are 75, they might be worth something.

[invisible furry hand]

National Public Radio's Marketplace had a segment this morning about one family whose father invested more than $100,000 into the stuffed critters.

The father began collecting Beanie Babies at the peak of their popularity, thinking he could later sell the toys for a huge profit and pay for his five children to go to college.

As he says in the "Bankrupt by Beanies" mini-documentary by his son, filmmaker Chris Robinson, he's never sold even one. Most would now sell for less than $1.

You. Utter. Tard.

[Bam!]

Clearly he needs some sort of Supplemental Collector Item Program to offset his tragic losses at the hands of an evil corporation.

[John]

There were just too many of them. What makes something collectable is not that it is old or how valuable it was when it was made. It is that few examples of it survived. For example, Depression glass is much more collectable than much more expensive and better made glassware made in the early 20th Century. This is because Depression glass was not as well made and many fewer examples of it survived.

Something like a Beenie baby is never going to be valuable. They made too many of them and since they are easy to keep and people liked having them a large percentage of them will survive.

[Gladstone]

Also comic books. Old ones are worth a lo because they didn't print too many of them and no one thought the first appearance of Superman or Batman would be worth anything at the time. Now those are worth quite a bit of money. Modern comics' attempt to create collectors items didn't work since if you print so many and people think they will be valuable in the future then there will be more in the future and they will be worth less.

Then there is the case of Button Gwinnett. He signed the Declaration of Independence and died shortly afterward. Few signatures of his have survived but they are worth a ton because his is rare and collectors want a whole set of signatures of the Signers of the Declaration.

[John]

Signatures are a very good example of that. You would think that a really well known and still mostly popular President like Clinton's signature would be worth more than McKinley or some lesser known 19th Century President's. But since Clinton has had a long post Presidency life and has signed thousands of things, his signature isn't worth much at all. But those lesser known Presidents from the 19th Century can be worth a lot because there are so few genuine examples of them.

[Fatty Bolger]

Yeah, disposable items often end up as valuable collectibles. My Dad had boxes full of 1940's comic books from when he was a kid, which he put away in the attic when he got older. Knowing my Dad, I bet they were still in excellent condition. He asked my grandmother about them many years later and she told him "Oh, I threw that old junk away years ago." They'd be worth a small fortune now.

[SIV]

Button Gwinnett's sig is rare because he mostly affixed it to bad debts prior to the duel.

[OldMexican]

There were just too many of them.

A planet where man evolved to value things at the margin?

[PapayaSF]

There were also counterfeit Beanie Babies, which helped destroy the market for them.

[invisible furry hand]

A court has paved the way for a public servant who criticised the government on Twitter to be sacked, even though she did not reveal her name or her job to her readers.

more

[Matrix]

If people here were fired for criticizing the government on social network sites, this place would be pretty empty.

[CE]

A guy in Oklahoma lost his job just for wearing a mask depicting the president's face.

[The DerpRider]

Someone asks for unpaid intern - Gawker goes retard.

"We've found a copy of an unpaid job listing Lean In Foundation's editor-at-large tried to delete. If Facebook's celeb COO Sheryl Sandberg just made $91 million last week (and God only knows how much from her book), why can't she pay her interns a cent?"

[Kaptious Kristen]

The main problem with that listing is that they were hiring for an actual job and disguising it as an unpaid internship. Internships are for the intern to gain experience, not for the company to benefit from the intern's experience. They were basically asking for someone to be their admin assistant/webmaster for free.

[Pro Libertate]

That's a different story. It's completely illegal to do that.

The Test For Unpaid Interns

* * *

The following six criteria must be applied when making this determination:

* The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment;

* The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;

* The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff;

* The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;

* The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and

* The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

Say, Mike, can we have the UL tag? I can't abide asterisked lists.

[Fatty Bolger]

Which is pretty funny. The business is not allowed to benefit at all from the internship - so why, exactly, are they going to offer them? If those rules were really followed, there would be zero unpaid internships.

[Pro Libertate]

I agree, but I think that in practice (there's probably regulator and court opinions on this, too) it's more about whether the company is using the intern to do work that an employee should be handling. Which is a pretty tricky process.

[robc]

Seems easier to just pay them minimum wage and then you can have them bring you coffee.

[Pro Libertate]

It is if the intern is doing something useful, like making coffee. I have managed and am currently managing an intern program, and the work, while sometimes relevant, is closer to make-work than real work. There's certainly no displacement of an actual employee.

[Fatty Bolger]

I agree with the concept that they should not replace a regular employee. But this requirement ? "The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern" ? is ridiculous.

[Pro Libertate]

Employment law frightens and confuses me.

[robc]

Unfrozen caveman floridian?

How did you freeze in the first place?

[Pro Libertate]

Lost caveman technology.

[John]

Sadly in this market someone will take it. You are better off working for free and staying active and showing other employers that you are not just sitting around than you are not working. If you are out of work for more than six months, no one will hire you.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

I haven't worked for two years but got a job offer last week as a result of a lunch interview I accepted because I like talking college football with the recruiter and, hey, free lunch. Admittedly, it may well have been because I chose not to work rather than not being able to find work.

They don't allow full-time telecommuting and a promise to consider it wasn't good enough.

Yeah, data/anecdotes/etc.

[John]

That is good to hear. But you see my point. If I were out of work, I would volunteer doing something just to make contacts and to keep my skills sharp.

[Fatty Bolger]

John's generally right, but of course it also depends on what you do. If you're a programmer or engineer and you can hold your own in a technical interview, you'll be fine. With soft skill jobs it can really hurt you.

[Pro Libertate]

You know what happens if interns, who generally are nowhere near the top of the job skills/utility hierarchy, have to be paid? The companies will stop having interns.

It's traditionally been a win-win, as companies get some mostly free help and interns get experience and a resume line. And many "internships" are paid. I had a fellowship with the EOP that had a stipend and some other money, and it actually paid as well as me being a summer associate at a large firm.

[Lord Humungus]

We pay our interns here - we don't have as many as we used to though.

[Gladstone]

Can't they just change their title to paid intern (with no pay of course)?

[The Late P Brooks]

Everything interesting in economics happens at the margin, so if the nth consumer chooses to rent an apartment instead of buying a house or making do with a car-share program instead of purchasing a new vehicle, then demand for new houses and cars drops.

Oh, no. If we reduce pointless inflationary churn in the economy, realtors will starve.

[John]

Who wrote that? Sad Beard?

[CampingInYourPark]

Jeez, the market looks like it's in a meltdown today. Where's shriek? I need some advice! FSLR?

[Bam!]

Conservative sandwich-heavy portfolio.

[BakedPenguin]

Ah, crap, I hope it's not the start of the big one. I've been meaning to buy more put options.

[Lord Humungus]

Fed comments yesterday about too much potential inflation?

[some guy]

Where's shriek?

Still waiting for gold to collapse. I bet he's still betting (not literally) on a drop to $600.

[JW]

Yeah, I'm beginning to wonder if the Correction has arrived.

[BelowTheRim]

Help Needed. I just started reading about thin privilege yesterday and some counter-blogs to the concept.

I am going to get fired because it is so damn funny I cannot stop reading about it.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm turning into Coeus

[SugarFree]

Laughing privilege is working at a job that doesn't care if you laugh at things and express other human emotions. And for the record, I was sauteing onions.

[Outlaw]

http://everydayfeminism.com/20.....privilege/

[Outlaw]

Thin Privilege is not being attacked for being fat and then being blamed for it
It's disturbing and heart-breaking when one of the ladies in your "First Time Moms" group gets hit by a car. On purpose. Because the young men driving the car wanted to "run down the fatty". Because, according to what many people are taught and brought up believing, fat people aren't worth anything. That it is your right to make them the butt of your jokes and treat them however you want.

What makes it worse is the other women in your group trying to "gently mention" that maybe if she lost some weight, people wouldn't treat her so badly.

SERIOUSLY?

Even though she was physically assaulted, some of the blame is still shifted to her, because she is overweight and she "could have done something to avoid this situation".

I hate people.

http://thisisthinprivilege.tumblr.com/

[Outlaw]

(I'm a thin person, but I still think this is relevant)

I'm an extremely thin person; I've been 84 pounds my entire life and only recently I've gained about twelve pounds. The only comment I've received from my family/friends is, "Is she pregnant?"

Thin privilege is people thinking your weight gain relates to your fertility, not to some "unhealthy" eating habit.

LMFAO

[Irish]

I want to start an Anorexic Privilege tumblr based on that comment.

[Xenocles]

If she's 84 pounds she probably isn't even ovulating, let alone pregnant. Yikes.

[Outlaw]

I'm guessing it's a trollpost.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Non-ginger privilege is not having a South Park episode dedicated solely to making fun of you.

Non-ginger privilege is not being joked about that you have no soul.

Non-ginger privilege is having fun stereotypes about your hair color (blondes are pretty and brunettes are smart).

Non-ginger privilege is having famous people other than Ron Howard.

Help, help, I'm being repressed!

[invisible furry hand]

Non-ginger privilege is not being a ranga

[Lady Bertrum]

Non-ginger privilege is not have people question, "Is the rug the same color as the curtains?"

Non-ginger privilege is not having people comment, "Is your temper as fiery as your hair?"

Or, put this in the SSPS (stupid shit people say) category.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

No kidding. I joke, but I bet there is some tumblr out there about non-ginger privilege.

[califernian]

Thin privilege is not having your clothing compared to a circus tent, an elephant's skin, or other similarly large items.

This is worse than jezebel and marcotte

[califernian]

Thin privilege, white privilege, male privilege.

The double-speak in these terms would make Orwell proud.

It boils down to formulating all one's problems as someone else's privilege. "It's your 'privilege' to not have one of my problems. "

All you poor confused idiots need to check your pathetic loser privilege.

[The Late P Brooks]

I was actually paying attention when this song (written in 1929) came on, yesterday. A sample:

There was once a time when everything was cheap.
But now prices almost puts a man to sleep.
When we pay our grocery bill,
we just feel like making our will.
Tell me how can a poor man stand such times and live?

-First verse from original version by Blind Alfred Reed

If I were a Senator, I would make any candidate for chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank stand in the well and sing it.

[John]

Wilson and the Fed caused the first great inflation during World War I. Wages stayed the same and prices nearly doubled. Basically all of the gains in the standard of living achieved after the civil war were erased in just a few short years. This is why "Progressive" became such a dirty word that its adherents refused to use for almost a hundred years and why people looked at the 1920s so fondly. They were great because things were so horrible in the 8 years before.

Funny, how that little episode is completely written out of school history books.

[Fatty Bolger]

Celebrate me ? I'm childless!

It's a mildly interesting critique of Time's story "Having It All Without Having Children." But I loved this:

Sadly, the Time article points out what most already know. In today's American culture, if you aren't being constantly validated, you're being persecuted.

That is so true. I'm not sure if it's part of the whole "special snowflake" generation or what, but you see that all the time.

[Slammer]

In today's American culture, if you aren't being constantly validated, you're being persecuted.

Well said.

[John]

I don't understand the need to be validated all of the time. You have kids or you don't. Both life choices have their advantages. And sadly, some people don't get to make that choice. Circumstances make it for them. To me looking for validation is just a modern word for bragging. It is indiscreet. If you have kids and it makes your life, great for you. But when you run around saying that, you are rubbing the noses of people who want kids but for whatever reason hadn't had them nose in your good fortune. Same for not having kids. Maybe the person next to you is raising their nephew because their sibling is a dead beat and really miss the joys of DINK but circumstances no longer allow such.

How about everyone live their lives as best they can and not worry about telling the world about it?

[mad libertarian guy]

Seattle Police will be at Hempfest this year, handing out Doritos.

It's better than citations and arrests, but I imagine that the good people of Seattle would be better served if their tax dollars weren't spent on quelling the munchies.

[Gladstone]

Okay my pet peeve about Iran is how the 1941 Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran seems to have out down the memory hole. The fact that the 1953 coup is often referred to as "installing the Shah" makes this more apparent.

I wonder why that is? I suppose the interventionist Right doesn't like to bring up the alliance with Stalin. The anti-war left I suppose doesn't want to bring up an action conducted by Uncle Joe and to cast doubt on the Good War. Plus I think they realized that arguing that it was okay for Churchill and Eden to invade Iran because they claimed the Shah was pro-Nazi but it was bad for them to oust Mossadegh for being supposedly pro-Soviet had too many logical hoops to go through.

[Pro Libertate]

One thing I find fascinating about our intervention in the Middle East is how much we got dragged into it by our allies. Not all that long ago, historically speaking, we actually lined up with our Soviet enemy to chastise British and French actions in Egypt. And, across the board, we inherited their (particularly the British) role in the Middle East, along with the problems they often created. Iran is a great example of that as is, for different reasons, Saudi Arabia.

[Gladstone]

You could also mention Israel, Libya, Vietnam, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.

[Mike M.]

MSNBC displays its knowledge of flyover country geography, or "Who really gives a flying crap where Buffalo is?"

[Fatty Bolger]

Blame the unpaid intern.

[John]

http://www.nationalreview.com/.....c-mccarthy

Peaceful protestors burn Coptic Churches. I will start worrying about Muslims' whining over here the day they start to care about shit like this.

[Pro Libertate]

The Coptics have been there all through the Muslim domination of the region. The old view was that Jews and Christians worshiped the right god, albeit in the wrong way, so weren't subject to forcible conversion (though they were treated as second-class citizens).

I believe the Coptic church is the last or one of the last of the Monophysites.

[John]

And they do their masses in the old Egyptian language. It is pretty much what the Pharaohs and exactly what the Ptolemaic rulers spoke. I think that is really cool.

[John]

I also wonder if this spasm of crazy is a sign that Islam is weak and dying and not ascendent. It is just not the acts of people confident in their faith. It is the act of people desperate to save their faith. Sometimes you can't tell when a movement or an ideology is about to completely fall apart. Obviously not this year or next. But I really wonder what the state of Islam is going to be in say 50 years. I don't know. But I wouldn't be shocked if it is totally different than we all think it will be.

[The Last American Hero]

I predict a reformation of sorts. There are too many Muslims scattered across too many countries and too imbedded in too many cultures for the entire religion to go away. However, how much longer do these countries watch the rest of the world sail into the future while they continue to fight age-old religious wars?

[Matrix]

Cell phone etiquette around the world.

Some cultures really are barbarians!

[Eduard van Haalen]

Planned Parenthood in Colorado spent so much fighting prolife "personhood" initiatives that *it contributed to the closing of two of their clinics:*

The defeat of personhood initiatives in 2008 and 2010 "have come at a cost, particularly to Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which is gearing up for another fight should Brady backers get enough signatures by early September to qualify for the ballot. PPRM spokesperson Monica McCafferty notes that her organization led the funding in both campaigns, which together cost about $3 million.

"Though donations are up, McCafferty says the campaigns' costs have hurt. It's one of the reasons why PPRM is closing two centers (neither of which offers abortion) in September. One is in La Junta, the other in eastern Colorado Springs.

"McCafferty says she believes personhood organizers have taken to the ballot repeatedly as "a tactic ... to just drain our resources."

"[Personhood spokeswoman Jennifer] Mason says that's untrue ? her group has run Personhood in Colorado, she says, because Personhood USA is based in Colorado. Not that she's shedding any tears over the clinics: "It was an unintended consequence. And I can't say I'm disappointed.""

http://www.csindy.com/colorado.....id=2739287

(scroll down to subhead "Two Clinics Close")

[Eduard van Haalen]

(It says the clinics don't do abortions, but I'll go out on limb and speculate they do abortion referrals. I mean *used to do* abortion referrals)

[Eduard van Haalen]

But yeah, keep criticizing the prolife movement for not *really* being prolife, because if they were really prolife they'd murder people.

[Matrix]

I weep for humanity...
The word "literally" can now be "used to acknowledge that something is not literally true but is used for emphasis or to express strong feeling."

I am literally angry by this. We should literally nuke this planet from orbit.

[Matrix]

The most dangerous person in America is an angry white man with a gun
Guess... just GUESS what the opening sentence reference!

[Eduard van Haalen]

"along with many Republicans, Fox News commentators and other citizens"

I pretty much stopped reading shortly after that.

[John]

There is some truth to that. White Jacksonian Americans are some violent people when provoked. Go ask the Indians or the Japanese or Germans about that. These morons are going to keep fucking around until working class whites really do get a sense of racial identity and start fighting back. Good luck with that.

[John]

And of course, if these assholes really believed that, they would be kissing white men's ass. They only insult people whom they think they know won't fight back. Thus, they never insult Muslims. That lesson is going to start to catch on at some point. If you want respect from the media, just start murdering people who criticize you.