A.M. Links: FBI Director Afraid of Another 9/11, Yemen Wants Its Own Drones, Ben Affleck is Batman

• 

  ABC

  John McCain is pushing for a military intervention in Syria while Rand Paul believes he has enough votes to cut off aid to Egypt.  Advisors to President Obama are split on how much the U.S. ought to intervene in both countries.

• President Obama announced yesterday he wants to create a federal rating system that would be used to determine how much student aid should be awarded.
• Robert Mueller, who is stepping down as director of the FBI on September 4, says he fears another 9/11.
• Police in the UK are investigating Glenn Greenwald's boyfriend to see if they can prove he's a threat to national security.
• Yemen wants the US to provide it with its own armed drones.
• A mass grave was found in a park near Mexico City; authorities suspect the bodies are of people kidnapped earlier this year.
• Former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was indicted on one murder charge and a series of weapons charges.
• Ben Affleck will play Batman in the 2015 Batman-Superman movie.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ben Affleck will play Batman in the 2015 Batman-Superman movie.

Do not want.

[Gene]

Do not want care.

FIFY

[William of Purple]

you didn't care enough to post how much you didn't care?

[Gene]

Touche.

[Auric Demonocles]

This argument always seems wrong to me. It implies that you are not allowed to express you don't care about a topic, in which case the only people you will ever hear from on a topic are the people who do care. The selection bias means it would not be made clear that the majority of people don't want to talk about it.

[Slammer]

All movies based on comic books suck. Every one of them.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You are a fool and all further comments from you will be dismissed.

[Matrix]

+1

[anon]

Just because Batman is shit doesn't mean the rest of them are.

[Auric Demonocles]

I actually think Batman is one of the better ones: as he doesn't actually have any superpowers, it's easier to come up with an actual challenge for him.

[anon]

as he doesn't actually have any superpowers,

Which kinda defeats the whole point of a superhero.

[Auric Demonocles]

Not at all. What matters is what he accomplishes, not how he does it.

[thom]

Batman isn't a superhero, he's a detective.

[Stormy Dragon]

he doesn't actually have any superpowers

You mean other than all the super-expensive technology that doesn't actually exist?

[robc]

I enjoyed Kick Ass.

[Auric Demonocles]

I really liked that the villain did have someone just go up and shoot the 'hero'.

[Mike Laursen]

+1

[some guy]

Have you seen the most recent Batman trilogy? If not, you're a fool. If so... you're still a fool.

[PS]

YOAH A FACKIN QUEAH!

[a better weapon]

That's pretty surprising. He'll get a lot of fanboy hate, but I can see him pulling it off. I find it surprising they went with such a popular name though.

For a Superman and Batman team up, you'd think they'd want a better balance of stardom for the two. Most people who have seen Superman probably still don't know who Henry Cavill is.

[PS]

Actually, I'm not a big fan of his acting, but he seems to be a pretty damn good director.

[gaijin]

Will Batman take on the criminal syndicate attempting to extract natural gas from beneath Gotham?

[PS]

Starring Matt Damon as Catwoman.

[gaijin]

I always seem to confuse Matt Damon and Ben Affleck

[Mike Laursen]

Just remember B-B-Ben was the b-b-bottom.

[Enough About Palin]

This reminds me that the antagonist in the most recent Muppet movie is a "greedy oil tycoon". Gotta train the kids early.

[B.P.]

See also: Cars 2.

[CE]

Don't cars need oil though?

[Rasilio]

Well he was ok in Daredevil. The movie wasn't very good but I didn't think that it was Affleck's fault, seemed to be more of a bad script problem than anything else.

In general I think he'll do ok, not sure he's the *best* choice to replace Bale as Batman but off the top of my head I can't think of anyone who would specifically be better

[Red Rocks Rockin]

In general I think he'll do ok, not sure he's the *best* choice to replace Bale as Batman but off the top of my head I can't think of anyone who would specifically be better

Colin Ferrell and Clive Owen would probably be pretty effective choices, too. Affleck was actually pretty good as Daredevil, in my opinion, but the Batman role needs someone with an edge that he simply doesn't possess.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Denzel. DiCaprio?

[sarcasmic]

Kate Beckinsale in a bikini. *drool*
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....taway.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....exico.html

[a better weapon]

Nice. She's such a smoke show.

The DM needs more women like her and less like Olivia Wilde.

[gaijin]

What is a smoke show?

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Some urbandictionary bullshit for "hot"

[sarcasmic]

There is nothing wrong with Olivia Wilde.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/omgposters/V/D1915.jpg

[hamilton]

Damn me.

[sarcasmic]

Why IS Jennifer Aniston's swimwear always pink? Actress' five-year love affair with berry bikinis

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/fem.....kinis.html

[anon]

The real question is why did anyone notice her swimwear when they could be looking at those tits?

[a better weapon]

Why did they all caps the word IS? I don't get the emphasis.

[Ted S.]

I always THOUGHT that British tabloids such AS the Daily Mail simply capitalzed WORDS at random.

[sarcasmic]

You're confusing British tabloids with a certain policeman from Washington State.

[Tonio]

+1 totality of circs

[William of Purple]

Ben Affleck is no Adam West George Clooney.

[Brett L]

At least you didn't say Val Kilmer.

[mr simple]

Give me a sword and I will win this war for you!

[a better weapon]

The George Lazenby of Batman.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

+007

[DJF]

Adam West was the best. He could throw a KAPOW, BONK, KRUNCH, SOCK, etc better then anyone.

[tarran]

I'd say he *is* the best. He's one of the greatest mayors the country has!

[Mike M.]

+1 Batusi.

[Cassius]

What, no love for Kevin Conroy? Sure, he's just a voice actor, but my god do I love his Batman voice.

[UnCivilServant]

I still regard Conroy as the Definitive Batman alongside Hamill's Joker. There are no others, only pretenders.

[Enough About Palin]

And a master of the BIFF!

[sarcasmic]

Unidentified 13ft-long sea monster with horns washes up on beach in Spain and has marine biologists stumped
Spanish marine biologists mystified by the creature that was spotted dead in the shallows by a woman on the beach at Villaricos
Puzzled marine official Paco Toledano said: 'We've certainly never seen anything like this around here before'
Decomposing creature was giving off such a stench that it had to be buried
It could be the backbone of a shark, suggest British marine biologists

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....beach.html

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

I suspect Wartian involvement.

[Marc F Cheney]

Wartian = Fortean, only hairier

[Tonio]

It could be the backbone of a shark, suggest British marine biologists.

Sure but that doesn't explain the horns. The horns do look like cattle horns and you'd have thought they'd have noticed a bovine skull attached to the horns.

There is much in the seas that we still don't know about.

[sarcasmic]

The horns do look like cattle horns

I smell a hoax.

[a better weapon]

That really needs to be the working assumption at this point.

Yeah, it'd be cool if it was real, but crazy ass animals with little resemblance to anything else don't just pop up.

[Tonio]

I agree that it is likely a hoax.

[CE]

Hoaxes don't just wash up decomposed on shore though. Unless you're really good at hoaxing.

[anon]

Except that sharks don't have backbones.

[Auric Demonocles]

DRAGONS!

[Tonio]

Yeah it does look like some depictions of dragons, which leads back to hoax.

[Tonio]

True, dat. But the notochord is cartiliginous and does decay far slower than the soft tissue.

[Marc F Cheney]

Welp, there's your Megalodon.

[sarcasmic]

Pictured: The 'introverted' Chinese man who has spent the last 20 YEARS living in a mountain cave 50m above the ground and complete with front door
Feng Mingshan, 54, moved to the isolated cave in northwest China in 1993
Enlarged cave using a hammer and even installed front door and curtains
Said he enjoys living there because it is cool in the summer
Eschewed modern conveniences and often seen walking around naked

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....years.html
Captain Cave! Ma-a-a-aaan!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Police in the UK are investigating Glenn Greenwald's boyfriend to see if they can prove he's a threat to national security.

And if they can, you'll know the investigation was justified.

[Ted S.]

Oh, they'll come up with some bogus pretext to claim the guy is a threat.

[PS]

Or take him down to the subway underground and give him a ten second head start.

[sarcasmic]

Daredevil is no Batman.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

LEAVE THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR ALONE!

[William of Purple]

I'm a liberal and I love Ted Cruz

I have to confess, I'm an Ivy Leaguer?I went to Yale?and I'm also liberal. But I don't hate Ted Cruz?I love him. I don't love him because he was born in Canada, though I've lived most of my life a two hour drive from the Canadian border?I love him because he's hilarious, from start to finish. I love Ted Cruz because he's a rare Republican who gives his own party more heartburn than he gives the Democratic Party. And most of all I love Ted Cruz because he's utterly and completely ineffective?and proud of it.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

But even despite all that, Cruz is still a sideshow, which makes him the exception that proves the rule. If someone with all the strengths of Ted Cruz can't turn teahadist dreams into reality, then nobody can.

So this guy says "teahadist" with a straight face, doesn't know how to use the phrase, "exception that proves the rule", and we're supposed to be enamored with his education?

Just goes to show that you can get an expensive education and still be a retard.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

Retardation has no cure.

[John]

No. And in fact the Ivies are now designed to reenforce it.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Retardation has no cure.

A sharp blow to the base of the skull usually does the trick.

[a better weapon]

What a pedantic piece of shit. I have exes who could damn me with faint praise better than that.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

You'll be utterly shocked to see what this guy looks like:

http://www.dailykos.com/user/Jed Lewison

*shocked face*

[a better weapon]

I didn't see a mug shot in that link.

[Fatty Bolger]

Working link

[Don Mynack]

Never. Been. Kissed.

[Enough About Palin]

Jed Lewison's Profile

[Francisco d Anconia]

Corky?

[Damned Fool]

From May: Should Killing Female Gamers in Online Games be Considered Rape?

The original article seems to have been taken down.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Yes, but going easy on them is patronizing. So you have to chose between being a rapist or a patriarchal oppressor. Take your pick, MAN!

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Why not both?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

That's the trick. If you chose to kill them, you're a rapist, and therefor a patriarchal oppressor. If you choose to go easy on them, you're a patriarchal oppressor and we all know they're all rapists.

HA!

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Maybe just beat them down and leave them barely functioning?

What would yield the greatest Jezzierage?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Take their life bar down to a sliver so as to leave them alive then stab them with something phallic. After they are dead, teabag the corpse and demand they make you a goddam sammich.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

That would do it.

[Ebriosa]

Well, that is what you do to men.

[a better weapon]

No way that's serious. It can't be.

I could see that being a trap to get people like us all frothy and then the feminists can go to twitter and say "hurr durr, mail ohpressures fell fur ittt!!1!!"

Then again, that'd be too clever. Needless to say, I'm totally confused. So this was a real article?

[Damned Fool]

I think so, yeah. A marginally less stupid article by the same writer.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

Uh, that one is really, really disturbing. Talk about projection.

[Fatty Bolger]

I've been raped a number of times, by a number of different people.

That's unlikely, unless her definition of "rape" is extremely flexible.

[General Butt Naked]

When rape is everything, rape is nothing. Except for those that are, you know, actually raped. But their experience is minimized and diluted with all the "dude at work is mean to me is rape" stories that fill the feminist universe.

It's the natural consequence when victimhood is extolled; you get more and more victims until it's meaningless.

[KMA Too]

.........Her??

[Cassius]

It's Kotaku in the middle of a period where video game culture has suddenly decided to talk about sexism in the dumbest way possible. I'm not surprised at all, considering that the current most popular theory in 'gaming culture' as why there are less women then men in game development can only be because of sexism. Nope, definitely has nothing to do with the fact that the percentage of women in computer science has been slipping since the 80s.

[Joe M]

That has got to be satire. It's too perfect, especially considering how much the term "rape" gets through around in FPS pubs.

[Fist of Etiquette]

President Obama announced yesterday he wants to create a federal rating system that would be used to determine how much student aid should be awarded.

This sounds dangerously close to the work requirement of the much hated welfare reform. In other words, slavery.

[CampingInYourPark]

"Georgia Tech - Freshman Convocation - Epic Welcome Speech"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98nNpzE6gIs

[William of Purple]

what a nerd

[robc]

We all are.

He is pretty standard.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Freshmen convocation? Welcome speech? Jeezus Chrysler drives a Dodge.

[robc]

They didnt do that when I was there.

[robc]

This years freshman class has average SAT over 1400. I like the fact that Tech is still ignoring the new writing section of the SAT.

My freshman class was the first to break 1200. With the 1995 recentering, we were pushing 1300, current scale. But nice to see my alma mater still pushing up the standards. A 100+ point increase over 26 years.

[Kaptious Kristen]

They showed us our dorm rooms and gave us the option of going in a group to see Shear Madness or Les Mis. Otherwise, we were on our own to explore the wonders of upper northwest Washington, DC.

[John]

Did you go to American?

[Kaptious Kristen]

Ayup

[#]

How did you survive being amongst a student body approaching 100% holier than thou future politician wanabes?

[CampingInYourPark]

"Obama: No Allegations NSA Is Trying to 'Listen in On People's Email'"

Because there are no allegations, and I am very confident -- knowing the NSA and how they operate -- that purposefully somebody is out there trying to abuse this program or listen in on people's e-mail -- or...

http://www.weeklystandard.com/.....50065.html

[gaijin]

Parse the words. What he means is they are reading emails. Not listening to them. See? He's truthy!

[CampingInYourPark]

there are no allegations

Not seeing a lot of truth in that bit.

[Bardas Phocas]

I'm pretty sure no one is alleging they're LISTENING to emails - phone calls, skypes and keyholes - but not emails (cuz email don't work that way, duh).

[Ted S.]

And reading people's email is the point of the program, not an abuse of it.

[John]

"Trying". NSA, how to succeed in domestic spying without really trying.

[CampingInYourPark]

listen in on people's e-mail

After reading this a few times, I've come to the conclusion this dumbfuck doesn't really know anything. You might as well interview Ben Affleck dressed up in his Batman costume about the NSA.

[gaijin]

Advisors to President Obama are split

And until they come together, no decisions will be made. That's Leadership!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Advisors to President Obama are split on how much the U.S. ought to intervene in both countries.

They can be split all they want. Valerie Jarrett will have the last word.

[a better weapon]

I too was wondering why they made the word advisor plural. Maybe she's having a schizophrenic break.

[PS]

And she was born in Iran so she is the indisputable expert on all thing Middle Eastern.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Advisors to President Obama are split on how much the U.S. ought to intervene in both countries.

I suppose it improper to find out what O! thinks, eh?

President Obama announced yesterday he wants to create a federal rating system that would be used to determine how much student aid should be awarded.

I look for to hearing how this picking of winners and losers will be free of influence peddling, pressure and graft and will increase liberty!

[Ted S.]

I suppose it improper to find out what O! thinks, eh?

That would imply that Obama thinks.

[Francisco d Anconia]

President Obama announced yesterday he wants to create a federal rating system that would be used to determine how much student aid should be awarded.

Liberal- 100%
Conservative- 0%
Libertarian- Need not apply

[anon]

Well, at least students will be pissing away less of my money.

[CE]

Oprah is a presidential adviser now?

[mr simple]

John McCain is pushing for a military intervention in Syria.

Has Ol' John been checked for Mad Cow lately?

[DJF]

The theory is that long service in the Senate turns people into elder statesmen whose experience teaches them wisdom, but people like John McCain and Harry Reid show that is not true.

[UnCivilServant]

An elder stateman is like an elder thing, cruel and inscruitable, fit only to be reviled.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

We need to seal the Senate with an Elder Sign.

[BakedPenguin]

McCain is squamous and non-Euclidean...

[Pro Libertate]

In the Roman Republic, the Senate was supposed to be composed of elder statesmen. Literally, the word that senate is derived from, senex, means old man.

The difference is that you got into the Senate when you'd accomplished other things, you didn't grow old in the Senate.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Been saying this since he ran for president. That boy ain't right. Too much time in a POW camp.

Never met a problem he didn't want to solve by killing brown people. He's fucking dangerous.

[PS]

Because it's totally likely that Assad is stupid enough to use chemical weapons, despite the obvious pretext for international intervention this would provoke.

[The Last American Hero]

He may be dumb enough or desperate enough to use them - but at no point will he be desperate or dumb enough to use them ON US, so who gives a shit?

[Brett L]

President Obama announced yesterday he wants to create a federal rating system that would be used to determine how much student aid should be awarded.

Gee, there's no way THIS system could be gamed.

[Bardas Phocas]

Yeah, considering deans are willing to lie and cheat to move a couple places up a magazine's college rating - they would never lie and cheat to get more of the sweet federal cash.

[Tonio]

If I were of a more cynical disposition, I'd think they were laying the groundwork for a system where they could reward colleges they like and deny money to ones they don't like. The next step in that scenario will be measures like speech codes, etc.

[anon]

Warty bags his favorite porn star.

[bmp1701]

Warty bagged a male porn star? Umm, way to go Warty.

[anon]

That was the joke.

[CampingInYourPark]

"80 HOUSE MEMBERS: SHUTDOWN BETTER THAN 'OBAMACARE'"

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/s.....3-04-13-00

Who would have guessed the media would refer to the effort to defund the PPACA in this way? Of course, the actual letter referred to says nothing about a "shutdown".

http://www.hcpress.com/politic.....acare.html

[anon]

Federal Government shutdown is always better than the fed. govt. doing just about anything.

[CE]

Shut it down. Send the politicians and bureaucrats home. Sell the buildings. Pay off the national debt at a few cents on the dollar.

Do not start over.

[Palin's Buttplug]

LAS VEGAS ? Vegas police say 'sovereign citizen' plot stopped

A sting operation stopped a plot to abduct, torture and kill police officers to bring attention to the antiauthority sovereign citizen movement, Las Vegas police said Thursday.

David Allen Brutsche and Devon Campbell Newman were arrested at an apartment a few miles off the Vegas Strip before they could carry out a plan to snatch officers, "put them on trial" and execute them in a vacant house, Las Vegas police Lt. James Seebock said.

http://www.ajc.com/ap/ap/crime.....cer/nZZRc/

[Fist of Etiquette]

I should have stopped reading after "Vegas police say..."

[Ted S.]

I thought that what happened in Vegas was supposed to stay in Vegas.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

+7 +11

[DJF]

Let me guess, a couple of bottles of booze was also involved in this "plot"

[bmp1701]

So, they were basically shitfaced and "planning" to reenact scenarios taken from 24?

[Brett L]

An art project that re-envisions the 50 states made up of equal populations.

Keep in mind that this is an art project, not a serious proposal, so take it easy with the emails about the sacred soil of Texas.

And the Gators get thrown out of the real Florida!

[UnCivilServant]

WOOT! I'd be rid of NYC!

[Auric Demonocles]

If this meant that Adirondak (which is an awful name for a state that has so many non-Adirondack mountains) got to keep Vermont's gun laws and adopted New Hampshire's sales tax and fireworks policies I might have to move back.

[UnCivilServant]

I second that legal framework.

[Pro Libertate]

Isn't Tallahassee actually in Georgia?

[Brett L]

No, it just feels like it. Except this week. All the college kids moved back this week so traffic is a gigantic clusterfuck.

[Pro Libertate]

The rat bastards.

I lived in Tallahassee as a kid. It's Georgia.

[NeonCat]

What has Georgia ever done to you? We have enough problems with our legislators in Atlanta, we don't need more further south.

[Pro Libertate]

I'm not insulting either the city or Georgia, both of which I like. It's just very Georgia-like, right down to the flora, fauna, and inferior football.

[Brett L]

EJ Manuel and Christian Ponder played QB for opposing sides in an NFL game last week. I'm sure the Chris Leak/Tim Tebow showdown can't be far off.

[Pro Libertate]

Yeah, those guys are great QBs. And neither one of them is getting his own book in the Bible.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Today's reading is From Tebow I, verses 3-13...

[Pro Libertate]

And lo, did the heathen deceive themselves into believing that He could not throweth the Holy Hand Grenade, for which sin they were smote with great force and righteousness.

[Xenocles]

Of course it would be obsolete within a decade as populations shift. But I give him props for this:

The District of Columbia is included into the state of Washington, with the Mall, major monuments and Federal buildings set off as the seat of the federal government.

which is exactly how it should be.

[thom]

Yes. Just give the bulk of DC back to Maryland. All those self important Washingtonians, however, think they are entitled to be America's smallest state in area and population instead of just another Maryland congressional district.

[The Last American Hero]

+1000 We need a Lateran Treaty for DC.

[Francisco d Anconia]

But I don't want Mormon liquor laws.

[robc]

I dont want to be in Indiana (or whatever it is called).

It looks like I would only have to move one county over to be in Mammoth instead.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Even though this is focusing on the electoral college, it's an interesting idea, especially given how distorted House representation has become since the Reapportionment Act was passed.

He probably should have taken geographic issues and cultural differences into greater account with some of the western states. I doubt Billings, for example, would appreciate being under the jurisdiction of Salt Lake City, and the western territories really should be organized along watersheds anyway to make it easier to deal with water rights issues.

[mad libertarian guy]

Advisors to President Obama are split on how much the U.S. ought to intervene in both countries.

What is so goddamn hard about "None in either locale?" The absolute last thing we need to get embroiled in a civil war.

[Bardas Phocas]

An epic discription of the Clintons:
http://freebeacon.com/bill-and.....s-holiday/
"And their family needs no introduction. The Clintons are perennials, giant corpse flowers whose periodic bloom overwhelms the surrounding environment.

[Ebriosa]

Poetry.

[NeonCat]

"...one must take to heart the words of Jack London in The Iron Heel: 'The great driving force of the oligarchs is the belief that they are doing right.'"

That's a great quote.

[Jerryskids]

During Mr Mueller's time at the bureau US authorities have had dealt with significant terror threats and attacks, including the underpants flight bomber in 2009 and the cargo plane printer bomb threat in 2010.

Obviously I'm not the only one who is never sure when to include a /sarc tag.

[gaijin]

So of all the terrorism we supposedly face, he can only conjure up two insignificant items, one of which requires us to equate a threat with an attack?

[mad libertarian guy]

It also requires that we see an underwear bomber who was a colossal idiot failing in his endeavor as a "significant terror threat" that US authorities "had dealt with."

[John]

Napalatano spoke the truth about the underwear bomber. That is what good security looks like. The security was so good the only way he could get through it was with this Wiley Coyote scheme that ended up just burning his own balls off. It is a shame the crucified her for saying that. It was the one thing she ever got right as Sec DHS.

[bmp1701]

Robert Mueller, who is stepping down as director of the FBI on September 4, says he fears another 9/11.

And by "fears", he means "antipates with a sense of glee".

[bmp1701]

"anticipates"

Goddman squirrels.

[bmp1701]

Goddamn. I give up. More coffee is needed.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

The Squirrelz will not take challenges lying down!

[CE]

No you've Goddmanned the thread!

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Goddman...away!

[a better weapon]

If he fears another 9/11 so much, then maybe resigning a week before the date isn't the best idea.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Isn't there a 9/11 every year? Comes right after 9/10.

Living with such an irrational fear must be stressful. Perhaps stepping down is best.

[Brett L]

Congress may get involved in NFL v. NFLPA PED battle. I guess if you're out to prove you're the biggest group of assholes in the world, being bigger assholes than both the NFL and the players' association is a good way to differentiate yourselves.

[Ted S.]

The worst thing is how many football fans will think it's a good thing that Congress is getting involved.

[John]

Because there are no other more important things for Congress creatures to do. God, I hate our political class.

[anon]

Because there are no other more important things for Congress creatures to do.

Honestly, there probably isn't anything more important to them than controlling the outcome of an entirely arbitrary matter.

[John]

Yes. It is like Churchill's statement about academic disputes. They are the most vicious because they are the disputes with the least at stake.

[thom]

Seriously. If they can put all their attention on this NFL thing, that would be a-ok with me.

[mad libertarian guy]

Of course there is nothing more important for COngress than to make an example out of grown men roiding up in order to play a sport that is absolutely brutal on the body. It's not like we have a sprawled out security state in need of serious pruning, a near $17T debt, and a political class that feels the compulsion to tax and regulate everything in existence. What is really important is roids in the NFL.

[Andrew S.]

Yeah, but this could be a good thing. While they're busy regulating the NFL, at least that's a little bit less time they have to assert further control over our lives and spend more of our money.

[The Last American Hero]

I'd love to see some congress critter try to interrogate some defensive tackle.

I especially look forward to the part when the DT tips over the desk, swaggers over to the senator, and says "You callin me a liar, son?"

[gaijin]

Robert Mueller, who is stepping down as director of the FBI on September 4, says he fears another 9/11.

Sneaky bast stepping down a week before 9/11. Maybe Mueller should remove 9/11 from his calendars...like hotels without 13th floors.

[anon]

Robert Mueller, who is stepping down as director of the FBI on September 4, says he fears another 9/11.

Think he took "nevar forget" too literally.

[John]

Sure he does. And he has no idea what to do about it. That is the story there.

[Matrix]

It will be nine-eleven times 100!!!!

[gaijin]

nine eleventy!

[Enough About Palin]

"A.M. Links: FBI Director Afraid of Another 9/11"

Why? There's one every year.

[UnCivilServant]

Because shortly thereafter this year there's be a friday the 13th.

[John]

So I stumbled on the reality show Airplane Repo last night. It is the most obviously staged reality show ever. But that is okay, it is TV. It is oddly compelling. It is very Libertarian. It is about private property. The bank hires someone to get their plane back after the scumbag won't pay and won't give up the plane. It is about self help. No need to run and get the police, just go get it yourself. And if you have any lingering hatred of mall cops left over from your teenage years, it is great. Every episode ends with these guys pulling some deadbeat's Lear Jet out onto the tarmac as the airport mall cops follow helplessly in their yellow lighted security cars as they take off to return the plane to its rightful owners. It is like watching a heist show where you can root for the bad guys without the guilt. Truly bad TV and a guilty pleasure.

[Kaptious Kristen]

It's a ripoff of all the various (incredibly scripted and staged) repo shows on various channels. It's not even as bad as some of the others as far as bad re-enactments.

You want the most staged and most poorly-acted "reality" show? Try Mystery Diners on Food Network. Sooooo bad.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

I think that award goes to South Beach Tow.

[anon]

I got addicted to that show for a night.

It's so bad it's good.

[John]

But it is with planes, which is way cooler. And yeah, Mystery Diners is bad. There is a tumbler site called Who is that Hot Ad Girl. It gives the names of various models and actresses who appear in TV commercials. If you want to know who the hot redhead is in the Wendy's commercial, they find out for you. The funny thing is that several of the commercial actresses listed on the site list "Mystery Diners" as a credit on their CV, right next to the "played murder victim on Law and Order SVU episode 145" or whatever. The people in the show list that show as a drama credit.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

No joke, a friend of mine knows the Wendy's girl through his ex-girlfriend. The poor fool actually missed his chance to have a threesome with Wendy and his hot gf actress. He's still crying about it from time to time.

[John]

I hope that guy gets some professional help. I honestly don't think I could live with that kind of regret. I would be on a ledge somewhere or out in the woods with a bottle of scotch and a shotgun. What the fuck was he thinking?

[anon]

What the fuck was he thinking?

Seriously.

And if the answer is video game related, he needs to go off himself anyways.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

It was one of those "it just never came together" things.

[anon]

It was one of those "it just never came together" things.

Bullshit. If you're presented with that opportunity, you make it come together.

[John]

Nikki

Maybe the Wendy's chick really wasn't into it and always found a reason not to or maybe the guy's girlfriend was too insecure and torpedoed it. That is possible and then it is not this guy's fault, although he could never forgive the g/f. But if it didn't come together because he had anything else to do up to and including visiting his parole officer and or his dying mother, I don't think he will ever get over it and nor should it.

[Auric Demonocles]

I did once have a chance (I think) to have a threesome with a girlfriend and one of my close friends. They were both bi and raved about the other when they weren't around. The friend and I also had a lot of sexual tension, and probably would have dated if I hadn't already had a girlfriend when we met. A couple years later she even tried to sleep with me, but I wouldn't as she had a boyfriend at the time. They had both even made 'jokes' about a threesome on occasion.

I was worried about the girlfriend feeling insecure if it happened, but if I had known the 2+ year relationship was going to end a few months after this anyway, I would have gone for it. It's something I still regret.... And neither of them was close to the Wendy's girl.

That poor bastard.

[anon]

I was worried about the girlfriend feeling insecure if it happened

See, that's why I just do what I want and let other people worry about their own feelings.

[Auric Demonocles]

Anon, you must be such a great relationship partner.

[anon]

My wife doesn't mind. We joke about it a lot too.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

The Wendy's girl is aiiiight. I've seen better, though.

[anon]

Well, if a threesome's out, I'd settle for the wendys girl.

[Auric Demonocles]

He needs to be put out of his misery. That's about the dumbest decision it is possible to make.

[mad libertarian guy]

Speaking of the hot Wendy's ginger . . .

She may be hot, and could possibly be a great fuck, but never stick your dick in crazy.

[anon]

Meh, that dude's just trying to fend us all off so he can have her to himself.

[Auric Demonocles]

Her trying to feed me Wendy's all the time sounds like a bonus.

[WTF]

But what about the other basic food groups, like Italian and Chinese?

[anon]

You forgot papa johns; it's pretty much the only delivery food group around these parts.

[Auric Demonocles]

I eat 10 meals a week at work.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Post-coital triple with cheese? Certainly, my dear!

[Root Boy]

Does it have the Toyota chick -- Jan? I'm waiting for friends who droll over fat Flo to drool over her. Much cuter btw.

[Ted S.]

And yet, people apparently watch these "reality" shows. :-p

[gaijin]

hah! agreed. 'The Mystery Diner team is specially trained to handle any situation'. Like the FBI or something.

[Warty]

"The lights are growing dim, Otto. I know a life of crime has led me to this sorry fate, and yet, I blame society. Society made me what I am."

"That's bullshit. You're a white suburban punk just like me."

"Yeah, but it still hurts."

[John]

I really wish I had gone into the repo business. It would have been a life of crime without the moral problems of being a thief and without prison being a cost of doing business.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

I have some friends who are tow truck drivers and have done it. Friends of my younger brother, really. They would go to the projects in my hometown around 4:30am and start towing a dozen or so cars before anyone got up. They did not like it--pretty scared someone was going to come outside one morning and start trouble. (Of course, none of my tow truck driving friends ever worked without carrying, but still.)

[John]

And of course Tow Truck drivers are often the most seedy people on earth. They are the kings of paying off cops and towing people's cars that shouldn't be towed.

Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if they just towed a few random cars if the night was slow.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Google "The Pirates of Lincoln Park"...

[anon]

And of course Tow Truck drivers are often the most seedy people on earth.

This can not be stated enough.

[thom]

Every time I've ever had to call for a tow truck they've taken forever to get there because of how busy they are.

[sarcasmic]

I dunno. One of the ones I watch had the guy get arrested while fueling the plane. Those cops screaming conflicting orders at him while threatening to kill him didn't look very staged.

[John]

I haven't seen that one. It was either real or they have very good and honest cop technical advisers.

"No. Don't pull your tazer, pull your gun. And you, stop being so quiet and yell something that totally contradicts what the other guy said".

[sarcasmic]

Fifteen or so cops screaming conflicting orders at an unarmed man while pointing their guns at his head, obviously hoping this is the day that they get to kill someone... It was real.

[Tonio]

Yeah, gunfire and high-voltage are real good things to do during fueling operations.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Airport 24/7: Miami also has a lot of staging. I bet the cameras are never there when really interesting stuff happens, so they have to re-enact it. Like the guy trying to bring the walrus penis bone through security. It's an editing nightmare - most of the show is commentary by the various employees, with short clips of re-enactments and almost no real-time action. But I watch because I like airplanes. Go ZOOM!

[John]

Me too. I love airplanes. They never get old.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

I dunno, the 30th time an EA-6 took off right near where I was trying to sleep after a day long foot patrol...I could have done without the airplanes.

[Pro Libertate]

They're all staged, and many actually scripted. There have been some battles about whether their writers should be guild members, since they actually are scripting parts (or all) of the shows.

[Enough About Palin]

"Ben Affleck will play Batman in the 2015 Batman-Superman movie."

When you say Affleck is gonna play Batman, you mean he's gonna punk Batman jackass style, right?

[John]

I like Affleck. I never used to. But Argo sold me.

[a better weapon]

Slightly OT, but Argo is the movie I reference whenever a friend on shrieking feminist blogger is going on about the gratuitous sexualization of actresses.

There is a scene in Argo where it cuts to Ben Affleck all hunked out and shirtless in the bathroom. The Phone rings and he puts a shirt on to go answer it. Why? It serves less of a purpose than that Star Trek kerfuffle which at least gave background to Kirk's womanizing.

[John]

Have you seen the commercials for the Velocity four part series on Patrick Dempsey trying to get into LeMans? In every scene Dempsey has the perfect five o'clock shadow and about a ton of hair product going on. It is the male equivalent of the women working on a car in her bikini with perfect hair and makeup. It is brilliant marketing. Men want to watch for the cars and women want to watch for the lust. But if they did that with a female actor, the feminist would be clutching their pearls.

[Warty]

"I'll turn my scandal-fame into porn fame and make millions! OOPSIE"

Also, music.

[William of Purple]

she's hideous.

[John]

Well she is a guy in khakis working at a State Farm call center.

[KMA Too]

+1 Josh

[bmp1701]

Cameron gave it to Xander, Xander gives it to Sydney. Sydney gives it to Weiner, Weiner gives it to Huma, Huma gives it to Hillary.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

I don't even think it's possible for lesbians to transmit HIV.

[Warty]

You've never seen what Hilary's clitdong is capable of doing.

[Tonio]

Sure, if they're sharing injection equipment.

But typical lesbian sexual practices are extremely low risk.

[anon]

Hillary is a woman?

[WTF]

What difference at this point does it make?

[UnCivilServant]

According to old photographic evidence, she was a woman at some point.

[Aloysious]

Beautiful, beautiful music.

[CampingInYourPark]

AUBURN, N.Y. -- President Barack Obama says a possible chemical weapons attack in Syria this week is a "big event of grave concern..."

Unlike the NSA surveillance story: that small event of little concern

http://www.miamiherald.com/201.....event.html

[John]

The situation is always grave and serious in Obamaland.

[LynchPin1477]

It's because he cares so much. But he is also so intellectual and introspective that he doesn't act brashly or in haste. It tears him up inside. That is how you know he is a good president --- because he so desperately wants to be.

[Brett L]

Its all fun and games, until the bull charges you.

[mr simple]

You don't think he's doing all that for free, do you?

[bmp1701]

In other news, the hilarious and never-ending war between Fat Chicks and Skinny Bitches continues apace at Jezebel.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Another unreadable piece of feminist tripe. GET A GODDAMN EDITOR

[Tonio]

Or don't click.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

I am following Tonio's wise advice.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

The government is literally waging a war on fat people.

LITERALLY!

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

I've literally made promoting the idea that women's bodies are our own into a full-time job.

The root of thin-shaming is the same system that breeds fat-shaming?the system that keeps women in a state of anxiety so intense that they'd literally rather die than become fat.

I get publicly fat-shamed (in real life and/or online, directly and/or obliquely) literally every day of my life.

[UnCivilServant]

Literally, literally, literally... she keeps using that word, I don't think it means what she thinks it means.

[Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Balanced Restored!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jh4Mpgbi4A

[anon]

What the fuck?

That's got to be satire.

[MJGreen]

"Is Krieger hard at work?"
"He literally might be."

[anon]

I really love how that show makes such a point of using literally and figuratively accurately.

[Michael]

The government is literally waging a war on fat people.

I cannot wait for the day to arrive when Obamabots like West have to submit to mandatory calisthenics under a vastly expanded PPACA.

[Outlaw]

My ears are burning.

[Outlaw]

Thin Privilege is not having every problem seen as an extension of your being fat and being hurt by family members trying to 'help you correct them'.

Things my father has said to me:

"The Mosquitos must like you more because I'm more lean."

"Maybe twisting your ankle was your body's way of telling you you've got too much weight on it."

"You're missing out on better jobs and better romantic opportunities because of the fat. Hate to see you wasting your life like this."

"Your mother says I hurt your feelings by always asking about your diet but I think if I don't point out your fat problem, no one else is going too."

[Brett L]

"You're missing out on better jobs and better romantic opportunities because of the fat. Hate to see you wasting your life like this."

"Your mother says I hurt your feelings by always asking about your diet but I think if I don't point out your fat problem, no one else is going too."

What love actually looks like.

[WTF]

Well yeah, you don't do your kids any favors by telling them they're wonderful when they are doing something to fuck up their lives.

[califernian]

You're missing out on better jobs and better romantic opportunities because of the fat.

This is literally a true and indisputable observation, but it's not like she doesn't know that. Sometimes you just have to love your kids. Don't be an ass and dont' harass your fat daughter. SHE KNOWS SHE'S FAT.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Obama - GOP Congress supporting shutdown "worried about what Rush Limbaugh will say about them on the radio".

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/oba.....o-do-them/

[CampingInYourPark]

"I've made this argument to my Republican friends privately...

Yeah, sure. And the NSA isn't "listening in on people's email" either.

[WTF]

CHRISTFAGS!!11!!BUSHPIGS!!11!!!

[John]

So I guess Drudge is all over the story about the poor old guy in Spokane the yutes beat to death. Liberals love to talk about the culture of violence in this country. But they only do so when it involves clubbing their political enemies. So they invent a culture of violence among various redneck gun fanatics where none really exists. Meanwhile, young black men are killing each other by the scores every day. And there is not a peep out of liberals about that because saying something doesn't allow them to feel superior to other white people. If you can't act as a prop in the liberals' personal morality play, your life doesn't matter.

[sarcasmic]

If it doesn't further the narrative then they just pretend it didn't happen.

[Tonio]

This^

[sarcasmic]

Like that new anti-gun PSA out there that uses Zimmerman and Martin. It starts with the 911 operator saying "You don't have to follow him," then skips to someone in their window hearing a gunshot. It conveniently skips over the part where Martin starts a fight and beats Zimmerman's head into the sidewalk. Must further the narrative, even if it means lying by omission.

[John]

That is the thing Tonio. You really have to be a racist not to be upset about this. It is a tragedy. All these kids are dying and thousands of others are ending up in prison for life. If that were happening to white kids it would be a national scandal and any performer or cultural figure who did anything to glorify the culture would be kicked out of polite society. But since it is happening to black kids, the black performers who glorify this stuff are celebrated. It is sick.

[Warty]

Luckily, TV is here to calm down racial tensions.

[John]

This is why The Onion needs to stop publishing. Reality is now one Onion headline. "Paula Dean shoots Trayvon Martin". And to think someone at NBC thinks that is a good idea. Not a joke, but a good idea for a TV docudrama.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Forget it, John. It's SVUtown.

[anon]

This is why The Onion needs to stop publishing.

I wonder how hard their job's gotten lately.

Although I guess they could just start re-branding AP stories.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Speaking of...

[anon]

That's a pretty funny article.

I really hate how easy I'm sold on "top (x)" lists.

[BakedPenguin]

Well, the one about the large star in the center of our solar system causing the heat wave was true.

And the one about the government requiring approval when people make purchases over $50 is getting more and more believable every day.

[bmp1701]

Paula Deen shoots Trayvon Martin. SVU must now confront her nefarious lawyer, Isaac Rosenbergensteinenbaum, who will stop at nothing to get an acquittal for Paula. They must also deal with the machinations of the local Korean grocer, who wants to take good jobs away from the black community. Also featuring Larry the Cable guy as an alcoholic trucker who molests his children while wearing a Confederate-flag trucker hat.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Starring Sharon Stone.

[Tonio]

Well, that should keep Shriek in his bunk for the rest of the day. Well done, Bitmap.

[bmp1701]

But these yutes were unarmed. Fortunately, that means that nobody was at risk of being hurt!

[John]

That is right. Just like those ones in Oklahoma would have never just run over the guy had they not had a gun.

[ant1sthenes]

I've gotten this weird sense that after the Zimmerman bit and the propaganda about SYG, the right-wing media has essentially declared a silent war on the left, basically saying "if you keep pimping every story where someone gets hurt with a gun, we'll pimp every story where a black teen commits a vicious crime, and we'll see whether we get gun control or black teen control first."

[np]

Thank God It's Funbags! More Emily Shaw Nekkid Goodness From Her Epic Outdoor Photoshoot

[kinnath]

Blocked by the company firewall 🙁

[Brett L]

Okay, who let Putin drive?

[anon]

Ahaha, that's great.

The Russian military said: 'Docking at the beach is a normal event. What people were doing at the beach on the territory of a military base is unclear.'

[LynchPin1477]

Quebec government agrees to only abuse the fundamental rights of those without political sway

[John]

It is worse than that. It is saying, you can have your religious beliefs, but you better only practice them in designated ghettos.

[Cassius]

Just remember, this was the party who's statement after they lost the last referendum contained the sentence 'It's true we were beaten, but by what? By money and ethnic votes.'

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

However, the crucifix in the National Assembly and cross on Mount Royal would stay put because they are considered part of Quebec's heritage.

Well of course they will stay put. As will, presumably, the rule that nothing in Montreal can be built taller than the cross. Because that's wicked secular.

[UnCivilServant]

If they take it down, they'd have to demolish the whole city to accomodate the rule.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

I am not seeing a downside here...

[LynchPin1477]

It's an awesome city. But the PQ is vile and the other parties are only marginally less worse.

[A Frayed Knot]

This

[jesse.in.mb]

But who will speak for the poutine?

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

It can ask for asylum in Toronto?

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

Grey predicted that English-language institutions, such as McGill and Concordia universities, would be more likely to apply for exemptions than French-language ones. "And the result would be to lessen the integration of those minorities with the French universities, which would be a pity," he said.

Yeah, that was totally not what they were going for, I'm sure, what with the history of French/Quebecois anti-Semitism, Quebecois mass abandonment of the RC Church, and decades-long movements pushing the Jews away from Montreal and toward Toronto via language laws, etc.

[LynchPin1477]

From what I can tell, pretty much everything the PQ does is designed to drive away anyone who would vote for maintaining the status quo in a referendum. They aren't really interested in protecting the French language or culture (which isn't actually in danger) or improving life in Quebec (since they would actually make it much worse), and they are more than willing, even eager, to trample on liberty to get them to 50.1% in favor of sovereignty.

[Eduard van Haalen]

The New Mexico Supreme Court decided the Elane Photography case. By state law, wedding photographers are required by state law to photograph same-sex couples, regardless of any moral or religious scruples they may have. There is no constitutional free-speech or freedom-of religion obstacle. And the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act doesn't apply because that law only limits "state agencies," a term which apparently doesn't include courts.

http://www.adfmedia.org/files/.....pinion.pdf

This is an unusual case because New Mexico is "the only state without a statute explicitly addressing same-sex marriage"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.....New_Mexico

Usually when a state forces SSM on private businesses, it first imposes SSM on *itself.* New Mexico is apparently a rare state with a "do as I say, not as I do" approach.

[LynchPin1477]

As opposed to the more popular "Do as I say, or else" approach.

[John]

That case is an abomination. And the sad fact is that it is going to set gays back. Do they really think telling people fuck you that is why is going to get them to accept gays?

[Eduard van Haalen]

Cue the triumphant declarations that this case in an outlier state proves there's *no connection* between SSM and the coercion of private businesses, even though the link is clear in other states.

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

Actually, Eduard, this is another example of exactly the same type of shit I had been telling you before was already happening. You (obviously) don't need SSM for states to force private individuals and institutions to participate against their conscience in gay unions or other gay "stuff." Public accommodation anti-discrimination laws will already take care of it in many states.

[John]

That is a good point, although SSM can make that easier. SSM really is a red herring.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"You (obviously) don't need SSM"

My argument is that it *helps.* New Mexico is an outlier - the only state without an SSM statute one way or the other. In the cases coming out of Oregon, Washington, New York, etc., etc., notice that they established SSM first and *then* went after private businesses. I linked to a story about a tour company which closed down *on advice of counsel* right after they passed an SSM law. Was the lawyer incompetent for drawing this connection?

I've also linked to the articles about legislatures refusing to exempt secular businesses from the SSM laws, while graciously allowing churches to follow their consciences. Why legislate *at all* about private business in your SSM law if there's no connection?

[Nikkis enthusiastic dissent]

Why legislate *at all* about private business in your SSM law if there's no connection?

Because your public accommodation anti-discrimination statutes either already make discrimination illegal, and the legalization of SSM makes that readily apparent to even the biggest moron, or because you think your public accommodation anti-discrimination statutes will kick in when SSM is legalized.

[Eduard van Haalen]

And when someone introduces an amendment to an SSM law to protect private businesses, do the gay-rights people say, "why are you mixing these unrelated issues"? No, they oppose these amendments because the say private businesses *ought* to be coerced.

"red herring"

Not if you go by what SSM's own supporters are saying.

"As legal scholar Robert Vischer has observed, "The tension between religious liberty and gay rights is a thorny problem that will continue to crop up in our policy debates for the foreseeable future. Dismissing religious liberty concerns as the progeny of a 'separate but equal' mindset does not bode well for the future course of those debates." But there is, in my opinion, no chance?no chance?of persuading champions of sexual liberation (and it should be clear by now that this is the cause they serve), that they should respect, or permit the law to respect, the conscience rights of those with whom they disagree."

http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2012/07/5884/

[Pro Libertate]

You know, freedom of association is actually in the Constitution.

[Loki]

Yeah but that things, like, over 100 years old or something. And written by EVUL WHITE MEN who owned slaves and were part of the hetero-normative PATRIARCHY, or whatevs. /prog-tard

[robc]

Apparently that doesnt include freedom of non-association.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Well, for about the thousandth time, we'll tell you again that we oppose forcing those businesses in that manner while I, at least, support making the government treat its citizens equally.

Was that so hard?

[sarcasmic]

Who is this "we" you speak of?

Oh yeah. The true libertarians.

[robc]

I will see for about the 1000th time that the only proper way to prevent this shit is to do away with government licensing of marriage.

[robc]

Its like with school issues, people will bitch and moan and argue, but the only solution is to separate school and state.

That fixes nearly every single education related issue.

[anon]

Good luck trying to get teacher unions on board with *that* plan.

[robc]

They werent on board with Scott Walkers plan in Wisconsin either.

And yet it passed.

[anon]

I'm trying to determine whether your point is valid or not. State legislators are typically far more resilient to union thuggery than federal legislators.

I can already see the "BUT WHY DO YOU HATE CHILDREN?" ads. I don't think any federal legislator can stand up against really any appeal to emotion.

[robc]

federal legislator

Legislator? We just need 5 wise latinas on board.

And yes, that has nothing to do with my Scott Walker point.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

I can agree to both equality and freedom. Just because I disagree with driver's licenses doesn't mean I think it's kosher for the State to deny them to Asians on that basis alone.

[robc]

NK 1860: While I would prefer freeing the slaves, in the meantime lets allow whites to be enslaved too.

See, we can EQUALLY make poor analogies.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Uh, no. Your analogy is miles more retarded than mine.

[robc]

Your analogy is miles more retarded than mine.

Wrong. Neither drivers licenses nor slavery is anything at all like SSM.

So both analogies are equally stupid.

[anon]

Meh, slavery kind of applies. Especially if they happen to be into that kind of thing.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"Just because I disagree with driver's licenses doesn't mean I think it's kosher for the State to deny them to Asians on that basis alone."

A better analogy would be denying driver's licenses to epileptics and blind people.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Yes, that's right, I hate epileptics and the blind.

[jesse.in.mb]

Gay people:marriage::blind epileptics:driving

Gee golly EvH, I hope those damned gays don't run over my dog during their unsafe operation of a marriage license. That would turrible.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Well, they're already running over entrepreneurial freedom and wrecking religious freedom. And that's at the very dawn of your new age.

Again, the dispute is not over "legalizing" SSM, because same-sexers can have whatever ceremonies they want, and can live together, etc. It's about state-issued marriage licenses and the benefits which go with it, including, as we've seen, the right to coerce private parties into recognizing them.

It's been a short drive from "why are you interfering with our private lives" to "we'll force your business to recognize our 'private' lives as legitimate!"

I know you're not on board with all these developments, and IIRC you've bit the bullet and defended the rights of dissenters from SSM, but wouldn't you agree you're kind of a minority in your circle?

[jesse.in.mb]

It depends on what you mean by "my circle." Most of my gay friends are cautiously market oriented and want to be left alone and don't feel like the agendas of the larger gay advocacy groups represent their interests. I get more pushback on my politics from straight, progressive friends than I do from my average gay friends (that's not to say I don't have some gay friends who drank the New Left kool-aid).

If my circle is "all gays everywhere" then it certainly seems that the most vocal are involved in progressive politics. I doubt that's really true of the population as a whole, but I don't have numbers to back that up, just a gut feeling based on my personal encounters and hope.

I think "bit the bullet" is a mischaracterization of my attitude on SSM opponents. I'm 100% in favor of repealing non-descrim ordinances. They're bad policy from a libertarian standpoint and clamoring for them is a great way for gays to win a battle and lose the war from a strategic standpoint. If someone doesn't want to serve you give a polite but negative yelp review saying exactly why they didn't want to serve you and move the fuck on.

[Eduard van Haalen]

I admit I don't have poll numbers either, but it would be great if more people like you spoke up and defended the rights of religious - or, god forbid, secular - dissenters. Or as some would call them, haters. But since when is hate a crime, otherwise the NY Yankees would be able to put over half the country in prison.

[Eduard van Haalen]

I freely admit that my ultimate agenda is to have laws defining marriage, for governmental purposes, as the union of 1 man + 1 woman, just as I admit that my ultimate agenda is to get rid of "no-fault divorce" laws or even (in the ultimate analysis) fault-based divorce laws.

While I'm waiting for that to happen, the least I can do is defend the rights of dissenters, just as, under a more "reactionary" marriage regime, I would defend anyone's right to solemnize same-sex "marriages" or the right of private businesses not to assist even at state-licensed marriages.

[jesse.in.mb]

Just as I admit that my ultimate agenda is to get rid of "no-fault divorce" laws or even (in the ultimate analysis) fault-based divorce laws.

Wouldn't it be more effective to make it more difficult to get married than to make it more difficult to get divorced? Tightening up the exits while leaving the entrance wide-open and inviting seems like a sure path to creating unnecessary misery.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

If someone doesn't want to serve you give a polite but negative yelp review saying exactly why they didn't want to serve you and move the fuck on.

Would to God everyone thought in a similar manner about more issues than just this....sigh.

[jesse.in.mb]

Would to God everyone thought in a similar manner about more issues than just this....sigh.

It's incredibly aggravating. It seems like the state feels the need to get ever more involved as the internet consistently undercuts the justification for most of this meddling.

I've had to deal with health inspectors in restaurants before and (at least in LA County) the ratings are an absolute joke. I'd far rather trust crowd sourced information about health hazards than the caprice of a health inspector, and the fear of constant surveillance by the clientele is a greater pressure to do right than the occasional drop in by a health inspector.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"we'll tell you again that we oppose forcing those businesses in that manner while I, at least, support making the government treat its citizens equally."

Yeah, if libertarians were driving this debate I'd have confidence that the law would, on paper at least, protect the rights of private institutions and individuals to dissent from SSM and adopt policies accordingly.

But you guys aren't the ones driving the debate. The people who *are* driving the debate don't distinguish between Social Security benefits for same sex partners and the right to coerce private businesses to recognize SSM.

If you want to propose laws which keep these issues separate, feel free - I would then oppose such laws on pure "SoCon" grounds. Until then, I'm going to emphasize what the SSM debate, in the real world, is actually about.

[np]

Anna Cariad (aka Anna Cariad Graves and Anna G) is a very sexy Welsh model
Along with fashion, apparel and swimwear modeling, Anna is also an actress based in the UK. The Wales hottie has appeared in FHM and many other publications, and once you click through a few photos of the beautiful brunette you will understand why she's a popular attraction.

[Eduard van Haalen]

I can see why Edward I conquered Wales, lol

atleastididntsaytaffywasathief.com

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Time to retire that "joke", Eddie.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Ah, so you've been made an admin here at H&R?

[Eduard van Haalen]

Shall we take a poll?

[Rasilio]

If you saw my ex wife (who was like 80% Welsh) you wouldn't

[Floridian]

OT rant:

Had a meeting this morning and our hospital is losing 400 employees and I have to take a 10K per year pay cut. Thanks ACA. Also one of the secretaries I know still thinks Obama is dreamy even though she is losing her job because of Obamacare. Grrr.

/rant off

[Auric Demonocles]

Did those people get their healthcare via work? I wonder if they get to keep it...

[Floridian]

The saddest part is it is the lowest earners who are getting hit the hardest. Janitors, secretaries, kitchen staff. Those people live pay check to pay check. For the healthcare providers it sucks because all the hospitals are being hit with obamacare so everyone is laying people off. if it was one poorly managed hospital they could get a job at another hospital or go to another state, but this abomination is nation wide so there is no escape.

[jesse.in.mb]

Janitors, secretaries, kitchen staff

Women and minorities hardest hit!

This shit writes itself.

We've forestalled any firings/part-timings by cutting out a few middlemen, but there's definitely pressure on us to shed some weight. A rep from Kaiser told us "It seems like prices are going up now, but wait until 2014 when the savings REALLY kick in" at which point our medical billing department started snickering.

[UnCivilServant]

Well yeah, now she's got two years of unemployment benes to look forward to instead of trying to find a new job, which will almost certainly be part-time.

[Floridian]

I've never had unemployment. I understand that is 60 percent of your pay and you still pay taxes. Or is that just disability?

[Kaptious Kristen]

My unemployment was around $600/month IIRC. Definitely not 60% of my pay.

[UnCivilServant]

I don't remember, I was only on it for a very short while, then found a new job. I can't remember if it was taxed.

[Palin's Buttplug]

It varies by state.

And most hospitals are seeing record profits and expect Obamacare to add to those.

http://finance.yahoo.com/echar.....undefined;

[WTF]

CHRISTFAGS!!11!!!BUSHPIGS!!11!!!

[KDN]

Depends on where you live and what you paid into it.

The last time I was laid off in NJ I received the max of $600 per week (yes, week). My brother was working in NY and received about $350 with a similar-paying job.

[Rasilio]

It is different in every state but in general it is 50% of the average weekly salary during your highest and lowest earning quarters in the prior 12 months and then subject to a cap. Also some states add in an allowance for dependents.

This means that for most people it will be about 50% of their prior salary, however high earners it is not even close as most states caps are well short of $400 a week and the dependent allowances are usually $25 - $50 a week but limited to just 2 dependents.

So if you make $50k a year, and have 2 kids you'll get about half to maybe a little under half depending on where you live, but if you make $100k you're looking at maxing out around $600 a week at best

[Tonio]

Sorry, dude.

That secretary, though. She'll either wise up, or suffer the long-term consequences of her bad decisions.

[anon]

She'll either wise up, or suffer the long-term consequences of her bad decisions.

Ahahahahahaha

What country have you been living in the past 12 years?

[Tonio]

She's already suffering the consequences, assuming that her enthusiasm equals her voting record.

[Floridian]

Thanks. I'll be okay because my wife and I are both employed and we have no kids. The secretary is a symptom of the problems with America. They vote but have no understanding of consequences. They picked a team based on stereotypes and that is that.

[Drake]

Why? She'll be on the dole for a few years, then she is in the same boat as everyone else.

[Pro Libertate]

Another anecdote. Obama cares nothing for your individual pain.

[Auric Demonocles]

He only cares about individual pains that can be vaguely attributed to his political opponents.

[Loki]

IOW, the individual pain of people he can use a political props. See: Newtown parents.

[Pro Libertate]

You should send this story straight to your representative and senator--state and federal--regardless of their party affiliation. Bang the drum.

[CampingInYourPark]

Had a meeting this morning and our hospital is losing 400 employees...

If most businesses could do that and still function I'd have to question how it was being managed to begin with.

[Floridian]

Cuts come by departments. Some departments are still making money, some break even, others are losing. The ones who are losing are gone. The ones breaking even are merging to reduce employees to make money. My OR is staying fully staffed because we still turn a profit. My compensation is being cut to offset the increase in premiums in insurance. They are paying 2500 a month for family plan now.

[Stormy Dragon]

Call me a cynic, but I'm starting to suspect that some companies have figured out that it's easier to get away with cutting employee compensation if they just blame it all on ACA.

ACA is a sucky law, but it seems to be becoming like CAGW where it's suddenly responsible for everything bad that happens.

[Tonio]

If only we could combine the two, like Sharknado. Get to it, people.

[BakedPenguin]

Global healthing.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Right - because as we have seen, businesses will only lay off people when they have a convenient excuse to wave around....

[Palin's Buttplug]

The ACA is a convenient excuse.

Health insurance costs have been shooting up for decades but now there is a handy excuse for a UPS to tell 15,000 working spouses to use their own fucking benefits.

[WTF]

CHRISTFAGS!111!!!!BUSHPIGS!!11!!!

[Matrix]

Yeah, couldn't be that the spouses they were cutting could already get benefits from their own companies. No, it's awful for UPS not to have spouses be double covered! The horror! The horror!

[anon]

Call me a cynic, but I'm starting to suspect that some companies have figured out that it's easier to get away with cutting employee compensation if they just blame it all on ACA.

Uhh, businesses don't need to "get away" with anything. They just say "Hey fuckwad you're fired," and it's over.

[Stormy Dragon]

Yes, but if they told Floridian, "We're cutting your salary 10k because we think you're too much of a pussy to switch jobs over it", he might get pissed off enough to start looking for another job.

By blaming it on ACA, instead, he comes here and rants about how much he hates Obama instead of getting mad at them. And keeps working for undermarket pay.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Right, because there's no possible way expensive insurance mandates are driving up labor costs.

All of those employers across the United States are conspiring to blame it on ACA, right?

[Stormy Dragon]

Now doubt some of it is due to ACA. As I said, it's a sucky law.

But it just seems like it's being blamed for EVERYTHING lately, and my BS sensor is starting to go off.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

It seems that way because you're a consumer of news oriented around it. In other words, you have a selection bias for ACA-related news.

Of course, it's a massive, expensive new bureaucracy, so yeah, it's going to create a lot of new problems.

[anon]

But it just seems like it's being blamed for EVERYTHING lately, and my BS sensor is starting to go off.

We blame the Federal Government for everything, not ACA.

The Federal Government is responsible for 99.9% of bad economic news. The ACA is just the latest tool they're using to beat the economy with.

[anon]

Yes, but if they told Floridian, "We're cutting your salary 10k because we think you're too much of a pussy to switch jobs over it", he might get pissed off enough to start looking for another job.

Which he might do anyway. Or might not. More likely they'd just say "We're cutting your salary 10k. FYTW." to which his response would probably be "Uh, ok. Damn, that sucks."

[Floridian]

Read my post. This is happening everywhere in healthcare. There is no escaping it. My hospital is lucky. Some other hospital cut 1500 jobs, Arnold Palmer is closing 1/2 of their ORs. My father in law worked for a biomedical company in Miami and they fired him and moved to Costa Rica. This law is killing the healthcare industry which is 1/6 of the economy. More people are being pushed into Medicaid and Medicare and they don't pay enough to cover our cost of business. Unless you think all healthcare industry is in a cartel and decided to work together to screw it's employees.

[John]

But how do they "get away with cutting compensation"? They can do that anyway. The employees' only leverage is to leave for another job. Blaming it on Obmacare isn't going to prevent employees from leaving if they can or make them any happier staying if that can't. So I don't see what the point of blaming Obamacare is.

[Stormy Dragon]

If they can get an employee to believe it's because ACA, then 1) he won't look for another job because he believe he'll face the same issue everywhere else 2) even if he isn't happier, he'll be happier with his management because he's not blaming them for it.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

So we have thousands of companies blaming the ACA, right?

Occam's tells us that the ACA is probably the problem. Why blame it on a conspiracy when a simple explanation suffices?

[Palin's Buttplug]

No, you have about a dozen companies blaming the ACA.

Occam says they are finding an excuse.

[WTF]

DERP DERP DERPITY DERP!!!!

[Palin's Buttplug]

And UPS did not blame the ACA. They cited it as "part" of the reason they were dropping only working spouses.

Really, those spouses select UPS as a primary provider and only then tap their employer for benefits. UPS should have done this years ago.

[John]

And UPS did not blame the ACA. They cited it as "part" of the reason they were dropping only working spouses.

They didn't blame the ACA, they just said it was a reason. God you are fucking retarded.

[John]

hen 1) he won't look for another job because he believe he'll face the same issue everywhere else

That is nonsense. Any unhappy employee is going to look for another job. Blaming Obamacare is not some jedi mind trick. And it certainly isn't going to stop your competitors from poaching your best employers if they are able to offer better compensation.

[CampingInYourPark]

If they can get an employee to believe it's because ACA, then 1) he won't look for another job because he believe he'll face the same issue everywhere else 2) even if he isn't happier, he'll be happier with his management because he's not blaming them for it.

If you're stupid enough to have to rely on someone telling you whether it's in your best interest to look for another job or point out who to blame for your current state of happiness then you're likely not worth keeping to begin with.

[CampingInYourPark]

Call me a cynic, but I'm starting to suspect that some companies have figured out that it's easier to get away with cutting employee compensation if they just blame it all on ACA.

Because there's no way a company can cut employee's compensation without an excuse and no other company would ever hire these great employees at a better wage because they add value to their company.

[John]

http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb.....d-islands/

McCain now picking fights with China. He is working so hard to live up to every criticism of him, no matter how extreme.

[UnCivilServant]

Most of the uninhabited islands China wants have no current or former association with the country, they just want the mineral rights.

[John]

They are trying to steal them from Japan. But I am not sure how McCain shooting his mouth off helps.

[Loki]

It's been a while since the last good BATH SALTZ1!!!11!! story, so here you go. Enjoy.

[Brett L]

Because it would be shocking that a guy with a neck tattoo would exhibit poor decision making while not on drugs.

[Loki]

Ben Affleck will play Batman in the 2015 Batman-Superman movie.

What they're not telling you is that Superman will be plated by MAAAATTTTT DAAAAAMMMMON. And the movie will be produced by Joel Silver thereby ensuring lots and lots of gay subtext.

[John]

Isn't the whole idea of a Batman Superman movie about the rock bottom of movie making? Take the entire issue of comic book movies aside. That is just an incredibly stupid idea. I would bet a thousand dollars it flops.

[tarran]

Playing a convincing Batman is utterly beyond Afflec's acting ability.

It's going to bomb.

[Brett L]

I made this argument to a disappointed friend. Between the Dark Knight series being regarded as awesome and the Cavill Superman being widely praised, my expectations are that it will be better than Gigli and no worse than Armageddon.

[Loki]

I'm just hoping this isn't the precursor to the rumored Justice League movie. I never really cared for the Justice League. If you've got superman, who's invulnerable to everything except Kriptonite, and Green Lantern who can make pretty much anything he can imagine become real, what the fuck do you need any of the others for?

[John]

And what kind of a villain would make an interesting movie? Doesn't being invulnerable make it pretty easy to kill someone?

[anon]

Yeah, it's not just Batman I hate; it's pretty much the entire DC universe.

[CE]

They can always borrow Loki and some alien army.

[Brett L]

But, but... Aquaman!

[CE]

And don't forget the Flash. They act like he's just a wimpy guy who can run fast. But as you approach light speed, all you have to do is tap someone to hit them with the force of several nuclear bombs.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Frank Miller had Batman kick Superman's ass. It was awesome. But Hollywood will mess up the concept.

[CE]

Here's how a real Batman vs. Superman fight would go down:

Batman: let's fight then!

[CE]

Squirrels ate the last line:

Superman knocks him out before he can blink.

[John]

http://online.wsj.com/article/.....LEFTSecond

Delay makes more sense than defund. It effectively does the same thing. But the Dems admit they have no idea how to make Obamacare work. It is going to be hard to argue they should shut down the government to start a program they don't yet know how to run. Meanwhile it would take Obamacare somewhat off the table for 2014, something every Dem in Congress would be happy to see. Obama won't want to do it. But his party might insist.

[LynchPin1477]

From a purely political point of view, I'm not sure why they would want to delay it. It certainly looks like it is going to be a mess of a law, so why not let it ride and force the Democrats to own it in 2014. If things go as badly in the next year as some are predicting then the R's could manufacture a big victory. Delay means people won't realize how bad things are until after the midterms.

[John]

I agree. But it is going to be so horrible, if you care about the country you have to want to delay it if that is the only option available. Since no one in Congress cares about the country or anything beyond their political futures, it must be that the GOP is really that stupid.

[LynchPin1477]

If a year of pain means getting rid of it entirely then maybe it's worth it. And especially if that year of pain makes people more skeptical of government intervention in general. But now I'm just being crazy. I've already seen one UVA employee I know arguing that the solution is to take even more control of the insurance companies. So we are probably screwed either way.

[John]

Some will think that. But I think a lot of other people will just want their old insurance back. Most people were happy with their health insurance before Obamacare. They will want things to go back to what they were. People are selfish. It is real easy to talk a good game about treating the uninsured and those with pre-existing conditions when it doesn't cost you anything. But when doing that screws up your life, most people are going to happily say fuck the uninsured. You watch. When things get tight, people get a lot less generous and are going to be much less interested in liberal whining about the less fortunate.

[Auric Demonocles]

I got another letter from the IRS yesterday. They now agree that I don't owe them that $1200 for taxes on the dividends that aren't mine, but they still think I owe them $500 because I of a deduction for student loan interest they want documentation for. I sent this documentation with my initial tax return, and again in the letter they are responding to. I guess I will print out the same form for the 3rd time!

[Tonio]

I hope you are sending those letters certified, and keeping a complete paper copy of each mailing. And I mean a complete copy - all attachments (even if previously send), cover letter, envelope, certified mail ticket, everything.

[John]

Just wait until they can fine you for not having health insurance. I am sure they won't ever fuck that up and fine people even though they do have health insurance. And remember too that they will be deciding which plans count as "health insurance" under the Byzantine Obamacare rules. I am sure that will go swimmingly.

[WTF]

It's not a fine, it's a penaltax, and therefore totaly constitutional and cool.
/JohnnyRob

[Pro Libertate]

Aren't you a known libertarian?

[Auric Demonocles]

I'm fairly low key about that, besides on the internet under screen names not directly associated with my real name.

So thanks to the NSA, yes, I am.

[Pro Libertate]

See, the government is much better at oppressing you now that unnecessary walls between government databases have been removed. The FISC would've approved if they'd been told.

[Stormy Dragon]

Schadenfreude: Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer announces his retirement, names no replacement, company's market value shoots up $20 billion.

[John]

LOL. Has there ever been a CEO of a large corporation who wasn't rewarded for failure? And what I wonder is how people who are so obviously incompetent ever get that far. I know the Peter Principle and all. But I can't believe some of these guys were ever competent at anything. How did they get that high?

[anon]

How did they get that high?

Politics.

[Stormy Dragon]

Balmer was a great second in command. Be the "bad guy" so Bill Gates didn't have to be. Keep an eye on day to day operations while Gates focuses on strategy and vision. etc.

The problem is once Gates left, Balmer had no vision of his own, so the company's been hamstrung since then.

[John]

You would have thought the board would have noticed he had no vision. Isn't that kind of a prerequisite? Did they not have that conversation?

[Stormy Dragon]

Hey, he did a great job as second in command. Obviously that means he'd do a great job as CEO.

And the board didn't notice he had no vision, because they had no real vision beyond more money.

[John]

And thus ends another great American corporation. Once a company stops being about being the best at doing a particular thing, be it writing software or building airplanes or selling phone service, and becomes about making money, the company is doomed. It will go from one money loser to another until if finally shrinks and dies or is bought out by someone else. The bean counting MBA types never have and probably never will understand that you only make money by being great at something and to be great at something takes a commitment to something besides just making money.

[VG Zaytsev]

Same way Obama did.

They excel at kissing ass.

And in fascist America having the right friend is what matters.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Sounds like someone's envious.

[Pro Libertate]

The media has a lot to do with this. It's easier to tell a story using the CEO as a proxy for the company. Focus on the person, give him or her credit for everything the company has ever done, even if they're a hired gun and not the person who founded the business, and otherwise blow their contribution to the company beyond all reason.

It's a big problem, and it's contributed mightily to CEO compensation being so high.

[John]

Rarely is a CEO that important. They make a few big decisions and that is about it. I would love to see a company hire a CEO from within and pay him some good but not great salary like a half a million a year on the theory that you don't need the best to do the job and even if you did, you can't really tell who the best is anyway.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

You're killing me, smalls.

You pay the CEO so all the guys underneath him bust *their* asses trying to get there.

[John]

Bullshit. Those guys will bust their asses anyway. They are probably not going to get that CEO job anyway. So they will bust their asses to move on to somewhere else. Let everyone else overpay.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Yeah right. If you don't pay your leadership, that means you don't respect your leadership, and that means you don't respect the underlings, either. Why would I bust my ass for a company where the highest level I can attain is a big "meh"?

[John]

Why bust your ass, because if you don't you will be on the street and no one else will hire you. You bust your ass to move up. No one says it has to be where you are.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

It's called incentivizing, John. You may want to look into it.

[John]

If you think all of the guys below the CEO work hard because they think they will be the CEO there, you don't know reality. They work hard because that is what they do and because they want to move up anywhere not just there. Almost no companies hire CEO's from within. By your logic, hiring an exterior CEO, which happens 90% of the time, would destroy the moral of the people below.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

That's fine, John, but you're not going to be encouraging hard work if you pay your CEO some pittance. It's just how incentives work.

"They work hard because that is what they do and because they want to move up anywhere not just there. "

And if "everywhere" followed your advice, then where would we be? Jeez.

[Stormy Dragon]

That's fine, John, but you're not going to be encouraging hard work if you pay your CEO some pittance. It's just how incentives work.

I work hard because of what I'M being paid. I could fucking care less how lavish the CEO's salary package is. Do you really sit around going "ooo, the CEO got another million today! Even though my raise was less than inflation, I'm inspired to work for a company that has the GUTS to pay our CEO so much! *sniff* I'm sorry, I promised myself I wasn't going to cry. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!"

[Pro Libertate]

That's incorrect. CEOs for larger enterprises quite frequently come from outside. Even when they don't, the "inside" person usually is a lateral executive from another company.

What most people aspire to is a senior management job. If they get that, then they start trying to get a CEO position, usually somewhere else.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

Right, but what I am saying is that John is dispensing terrible advice here, because what if *everyone* underpaid? John seems to be saying that CEO pay should be lower because CEOs aren't that valuable. Isn't that a universal proposition he's making?

[Pro Libertate]

I think CEO pay is grossly inflated, but it's a distortion of the market, not a replacement of it, so there's no easy way to avoid that level of pay. If a company really lowballs its CEO, the CEO will go elsewhere.

Besides the media issue I noted above, there's also the lack of control that shareholders have over management and boards. In theory, they're supposed to have limited power to justify their limited liability, but on stuff like executive compensation, I'm not sure I see the justification for keeping them out. Shareholders used to try to rein that in, but the Delaware courts laughed and laughed.

[anon]

I think all of the people that think CEO pay is grossly inflated probably haven't run a large multinational corporation.

I, for one, do not want to work 24/7.

[Pro Libertate]

Really, you think they work longer hours than anyone under them? I've got some news for you.

[anon]

Really, you think they work longer hours than anyone under them? I've got some news for you.

The people under them aren't responsible for EVERYTHING happening at the company. And, well, if they are, they're probably compensated for it.

[Pro Libertate]

Sure, that's the flip side of being CEO. And they blame and fire other people for the CEO's mistakes, too.

Not to mention, once you're in the club, high-paying jobs aren't much of a problem, even if you get fired. That actually is often true for next-tier executives, as well.

[Rasilio]

The President runs the largest organization the planet has ever seen and makes $400,000

A 4 Star General runs the equivalent of a large Multinational corporation and makes less than $250,000

A governor (especially of a large state) runs the equivalent of a large multinational corporation and they make less than $250,000

In light of this it is hard to justify compensation packages north of $10,000,000 a year

[Stormy Dragon]

because what if *everyone* underpaid?

Everyone CAN'T underpay. If everyone is doing it, then the market price has just dropped.

[UnCivilServant]

Wait - the company is more valuable with no one "at the helm"? Makes sense I guess.

[Stormy Dragon]

Hence the schadenfreude. The market is basically giving Balmer the finger for his retirement present.

[Loki]

I'm not sure it he'll recognize it though. He probably has a lot of MS stock that just went up a lot. He'll be too busy laughing all the way to the bank to stop and think about long enough to recognize the middle finger that it is.

[anon]

Sigh, I just realized why there won't be a government shutdown: the plebes would learn that they don't actually need the federal government for pretty much anything.

[jesse.in.mb]

Urge the Department of Education to end its contract with Sallie Mae

Yes, strangle Sallie Mae! Tell me more...

Despite mounting public pressure, Sallie Mae refuses to end ties with ALEC, the powerful "Stand Your Ground," anti-democratic, pay-to-play front group for right-wing corporate interests.

Wait, wtf? Apparently big labor is taking a crack at Sallie Mae.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

I am going to look into getting a job with ALEC just because.

[The Late P Brooks]

Despite mounting public pressure, Sallie Mae refuses to end ties with ALEC, the powerful "Stand Your Ground," anti-democratic, pay-to-play front group for right-wing corporate interests.

I don't get it.

[The Late P Brooks]

Obama cares nothing for your individual pain.

"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened. Oh, wait, I farted. That's better. Now, tell me again why you like me so much."

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

+1 That's no moon!

[Matrix]

If you have heart disease or cancer, you're probably a selfish jerk

Jezzies rejoice. No shit... read the comments.

[anon]

Wow, they're rejoicing over a "study" that was performed by handing people a freaking questionnaire.

Study: 75% of jezzies are retards, other 25% are just there to laugh at them.

[Cassius]

Russian tech mogul wants to 'create a new body for human consciousness' via cyborgs.

[anon]

I'd normally be on board with being immortal, but Obama has convinced me otherwise.

[Swiss Servator - past LTC(ret)]

Stay on board with you being immortal...no reason the Lightworker has to be.

[CE]

I thought he already was?

[Warty]

" Goddamn-dipshit-Rodriguez-gypsy-dildo-punks. I'll get your ass."

[BakedPenguin]

"Life of a repo man is always intense."