Senate Foreign Relations Committee Passes Syria Resolution, Manning Seeks Presidential Pardon, Pledge of Allegiance Faces Legal Challenge: P.M. Links

Credit: U.S. Navy photo/wikimedia

• Libertarians and liberals are coming together to oppose military intervention in Syria. Although the GOP leadership in the House is supporting Obama's push for Congress to authorize a military strike on Syria many Republicans are not keen on authorizing such a move. Today French lawmakers debated a military intervention in Syria. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution authorizing military action against Syria in a 10-7 vote.
• Chelsea Manning is seeking a presidential pardon after being sentenced to 35 years for leaking classified information to Wikileaks.
• The Pledge of Allegiance is facing a legal challenge from an anonymous atheist couple in Massachusetts, who claim that the pledge violates the state's equal protection laws.
• Obama has raised the possibility of new laws being used to curb some of the NSA's powers.
• A church in North Carolina has apologized for requesting white-only greeters.
• New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has filed a lawsuit against City Council in a bid to overturn a law that would make it easier for citizens targeted by the NYPD's "Stop and Frisk" program to sue.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Obama has raised the possibility of new laws being used to curb some of the NSA's powers.

Let's see if those empty words finally shut everyone up about their precious privacy.

[wareagle]

"the possibility of new laws." Coming from Obama, that is as concrete as you can expect.

[db]

New laws that do what exactly? Prescribe new ways for the government to violate constitutionally protected liberties while protecting the violators behind a screen of "legality?"

[Cascadian Ephor Xenocles]

What happened to the old laws that were supposed to curb the NSA's power?

[db]

They got all faded because they were so old and plus they were really hard to understand because someone wrote them like, a hundred years ago.

[fish]

+1 ezra

[db]

"I wish those bloody bells would stop!"

"Oh, it's quite nice, dear! It's Sunday; it's the church!"

[Fist of Etiquette]

A church in North Carolina has apologized for requesting white-only greeters.

The church? Our Lady of Irony.

[Brett L]

Mount Bethel AME

[Fist of Etiquette]

If it had been a church with a predominantly white congregation asking for black greeters to help bring in more diversity, they would have been universally applauded. The minister who made the request was black, for criminy sake.

[Brett L]

"Where all the white women at?"

[SKR]

universally applauded? More likely they would be accused of microaggression.

[Matrix]

The "gun guys" were intimidating people with their guns, and that's why they deserved it
Because sitting there drinking iced coffee through a straw is "intimidation"

[Somalian Road Corporation]

People have a "right to be free from fear", don't you know? It only applies to their fears and not yours, of course.

[Matrix]

So I don't have the right to be free from the fear of not being able to protect myself? But a robber should be free from fear that their victim could fight back?

[Brandon]

The public is not ignorant. They are smart enough to know that guns don't make them safer.

The "public" is smart enough to feel what we tell them to feel!

[Matrix]

If the "public" believed that, they would require police officers to be unarmed.

[fish]

The public is not ignorant.

The public is demonstrably ignorant....on a daily basis!

As evidence I provide; shreek, the last 15 occupants of the White House, and the gaggle of useless pearl clutchers on that website!

[paranoid android]

Yeah, when someone pointed out this morning that the law there says you're only causing a disturbance if you show your weapon in a manner intended to threaten or alarm people, I knew it would be a very short matter of time before the argument became that having a gun was by definition an intentionally threatening act.

[Boisfeuras]

I knew it would be a very short matter of time before the argument became that having a gun was by definition an intentionally threatening act.

Of course that's an easy argument to rebut. It would make the law null and void, in accordance with the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. A state (or any other) law that would make the bearing of arms de facto illegal is unconstitutional on its face.

[BigT]

"...unconstitutional on its face."

Haha! Just like:

"Congress shall make no law..."

[Ted S.]

Is it intimidating to point out that some people need to post this stuff earlier, like in the AM Links thread? 😉

[Matrix]

I posted the original article in the AM Links. This douche I linked here posted this later in the day. And since most people stop paying attention to the AM Links after about 11 AM Eastern, it would do little to post it back there.

[Ted S.]

Nobody actually clicks the links for the most part. 😉 So, it's natural to assumt this was just the same link to the story posted this morning, and not somebody's commentary on it.

[Matrix]

I click the links, you bastid! Stop projecting your non-clicking privilege!

[Anonymous Coward]

If only they had worn fake badges around their necks, then snowflake would feel perfectly safe.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

King Richard III likely infected with worms

foot longs!

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Now is the winter of his gastric discontent.

[BlueBook]

Did you even consider the possibility that the worms were imprisoned in the body of King Richard III?

[gaijin]

Did you even consider the possibility that the worms were imprisoned in the body of King Richard III

or perhaps, he was merely a puppet to his worm puppetmasters!

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

That was the best episode of TNG's first season.

[gaijin]

+1 'Q'

[JW]

Gas station bathroom egg-salad sandwich?

[fish]

+1 Phillip J. Fry

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

The Pledge of Allegiance is facing a legal challenge from an anonymous atheist couple in Massachusetts, who claim that the pledge violates the state's equal protection laws.

Replace 'God' with science or reason and child indoctrination is a-okay!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Atheists, eh? They probably want everyone to pledge allegiance to SATAN.

[BigT]

...One nation, under {null set}...

Or maybe:

...ont nation, under god invisible,...

[MP]

I quickly RTFA and found nothing regarding their standing. Under what circumstances are they claiming they are being punished for not reciting the pledge?

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

You never hear about objections to the pledge under freedom of conscience, which is to say no one should be pressured or compelled to pledge blind allegiance to the state.

[PapayaSF]

Actually, you do. Don't Jehovah's Witnesses refuse to take the pledge?

[Apatheist ?_??]

I find these kinds of lawsuits to be a waste of time but there's not good reason that God should be in the pledge and that it should be recited at schools.

[#]

Theres not a good reason as to why the pledge, an oath of blind loyalty to the state, should be said in schools generally.

[Marshall Gill]

Then again, there isn't a reason for public schools either.

[Apatheist ?_??]

It's bad reasoning all the way down.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

The NHL's worst jersey

[some guy]

It looks like someone is cutting a dead buffalo in half with scissors.

[Episiarch]

Well, it is Buffalo.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Meh. I've seen worse. Are those supposed to be two different shades of yellow?

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

WORSE

[Fist of Etiquette]

Look up the Habs striped jersey.

[Ska]

Alright, the Gorton's Fisherman made it to #2.

[Arkansaustrian Economics]

Their fan is gonna be piiiissed.

[hamilton]

Why are YOU a libertarian?

THIS is why there are no... HOLY CRAP THERE ARE PICTURES OF HOT LIBERTARIAN WOMEN ON THERE!!!!

Someone set up a fact-finding mission STAT.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

Vinny, 37 is the reason there are no libertarian women at our meetings

[Anonymous Coward]

Obviously, these women are actresses being paid by the Kochtopus.

"Real" women know their interests lie with TEAM Blue and waving signs around calling for free vaginal scrapings and complaining about the mythical wage gap.

[Banjos]

And yet, he gave the best answer.

[Gene]

Exactly, it seems Pantsfan has a soft spot for coercion.

[Brett L]

Well, a single attractive 22 year old. Mostly, white male nerds.

"Is this a Magic tournament?"
"No, dude, this is the libertarian meeting!"

[Irish]

Hey. I also saw a black male nerd, a male nerd of indeterminate ethnicity, and a somewhat attractive 23 year old.

[hamilton]

Hey, there's a page 2 you know.

[Simon Pieman]

wake me when there's a page 3.
*wink wink*

[Certified Public Asskicker]

What about the bitches on the second page?

[Irish]

What about the bitches on the second page?

This is why there are no female libertarians.

[Brett L]

There was a 2nd page?

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Yeah, Marianne, Cathy, and Jackie could get some.

[MP]

Just because they aren't 300 lbs doesn't make them hot.

[Anonymous Coward]

Neckbeards and blubber are evolutionary defense mechanisms. They protect against cold weather and vital organs from predatory attacks.

[LynchPin1477]

Wow. I need to start going to the meetings.

[Hyperion]

That is fucking awesome!

Sons O Bitches! There are more than 3 libertarian women, and they're not all fugly!

Thanks for making my day, which so far has only been filled with more news of puppycide by pigs and war mongers making more wars against the will of the people.

[Brett L]

Honestly, I'm a libertarian because I don't get married until next friday, and even then my fiancee has no interest in politics, so I may be allowed to remain a libertarian. Also, she likes the idea of putting a tuxedo on the baby when he gets here.

[fish]

Also, she likes the idea of putting a tuxedo on the baby when he gets here.

You haven't mentioned the monocle yet?

[Atanarjuat]

I got a cute lil' toddler tuxedo for my son when he was 3 months old and his mom was a bridesmaid in some chick's wedding. HOLY SHIT was it hard to jam him into that thing while he was red-faced, screaming and contorting his limbs. Little boys do not enjoy dress-up.

I'll make a plutocrat of him yet, though.

[CE]

Quick, invite them on the cruise.

[Episiarch]

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has filed a lawsuit against City Council in a bid to overturn a law that would make it easier for citizens targeted by the NYPD's "Stop and Frisk" program to sue.

It's truly amazing how Bloomberg went from billionaire businessman to petty scheming fascist in under 12 years.

[Brandon]

Petty scheming fascist is much easier, given all the other petty scheming fascists out there.

[JW]

Don't discount the idea that he was a petty, scheming fascist billionaire businessman before.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Although the GOP leadership in the House is supporting Obama's push for Congress to authorize a military strike on Syria many Republicans are not keen on authorizing such a move

How very delicious is will be if Boehner once again demonstrates his lack of control over his members.

[Episiarch]

Just as long as he doesn't demonstrate his lack of control over his member.

[fish]

Since it's Boehner I think you would have to assume that condition, wouldn't you?

[Pro Libertate]

It's quite befuddling that such a hapless Speaker gets the continuing support of his party. A strong Speaker could make Obama's life a living hell, like Chris Elliot did to David Letterman back when he lived under the studio seats.

[Episiarch]

Yeah, but that's not what they want. For the most part they want status quo. Also, it's Boehner's turn, and that pretty much trumps all within TEAM RED.

[Pro Libertate]

True enough. And it's not like Pelosi was. . .what was she, anyway? Why was she Speaker again?

[Episiarch]

Because Congress is a den of thieves and liars and petty tyrant scum?

[Pro Libertate]

It's truly incomprehensible. I cannot conceive of Congress. It's like a political blindspot.

[Mad Scientist]

I'd rather be marooned in Mos Eisley than Congress.

[Episiarch]

These aren't the congressional aides you're looking for, MS.

[some guy]

Obama is already making Obama's life a living hell. Having been robbed of his one goal in life Boehner barely has the energy to get out of bed in the morning.

[Pro Libertate]

Heck, I'd love being Speaker right now. It would be like the bulliest of bully pulpits--you could insult Obama nonstop and cockblock him like never before.

[some guy]

Sure, you'd love it. But you don't belong to TEAM PURPLE.

[Pro Libertate]

TEAM BE RULED should hire me for parties and for Speaker when mockery is required. I'd go full Cleese.

[CE]

At least libertarian-leaning Reason hero Jeff Flake voted for the resolution.... oops.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

I switched barbers. Do I owe my old one an explanation?

[Matrix]

I started cutting my own hair a few years ago. Saved me about $10/month.

[mad libertarian guy]

I haven't paid for a haircut since 1999. My napkin math says that I've saved about $2500 on haircuts.

[CE]

And even more than that, counting all the dates you haven't gone on because of the self-administered haircuts.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Al-Qaeda linked rebels assault village near Damascus

Al-Qaida-linked rebels launched an assault on a regime-held Christian mountain village in the densely populated west of Syria and new clashes erupted near the capital, Damascus, on Wednesday ? part of a brutal battle of attrition each side believes it can win despite more than two years of deadlock.

In the attack on the village of Maaloula, rebels commandeered a mountaintop hotel and nearby caves and shelled the community below, said a nun, speaking by phone from a convent in the village. She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

With the world focused on possible U.S. military action against Syria, there were new signs of fragmentation in rebel ranks, with a small group of jihadis from Russia announcing it has broken away from an umbrella group known as Jabhat al-Nusra.

Remember, these are the good guys and we want them to win!

[Palin's Buttplug]

We're neutral on the religion part. Sunni vs Shia? Who cares? We prop up each in different countries.

[everyone]

We agree.

Palin's Buttplug| 9.2.13 @ 5:57PM |#

If everyone agreed with me I would quit posting.

[fish]

He's not getting what you're trying to do....and you know the real reason he's here is for the attention he doesn't get at high school.

[rts]

Stanley Cup riot hero charged for not filling out census

A New Westminster, B.C., man who was honoured as a hero of Vancouver's Stanley Cup riot has been charged with refusing to fill out the 2011 census.

CBC News has learned the charge against Bert Easterbrook was filed last month under the Statistics Act.

Easterbrook told CBC News he "finds it sickening that a tax-paying citizen has to choose between a three-month prison sentence and willingly giving personal, private information."

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

but without the census, public dollars won't get spent!

[Ted S.]

Stanley Cup riot hero

Without reading the article, I'm trying to figure whether this refers to somebody who was trying to save people from the violence, or somebody who was causing the violence.

[Cascadian Ephor Xenocles]

Don't they mean "non-Stanley Cup riot?"

[CE]

The Statistics Act? Can they charge people who mess up statistics in my fantasy football league if they are Canadian?

[Sudden]

Libertarians and liberals are coming together to oppose military intervention in Syria

Correct me if I'm wrong, but only one Democrat dissented on the senate FRC while only two GOPers acquiesced. That doesnt sound like a groundswell of liberal anti war support.

[hamilton]

For the Democrats one dissent IS a pretty big deal nowadays. And don't forget Massachusetts' finest, Ed Markey, who voted "present". Ah, my chest swells with pride.

[Palin's Buttplug]

John McCain draws over 5000 nutcase comments over at Breitbart for his appearance on Fox News where he noted that Allah means "god" and that the Abrahamic monotheists all worship the same supreme being.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-P.....ahu-akhbar

Seriously, these people are deranged.

[Killazontherun]

Islam is monotheistic, and Mohammed only had to slaughter the followers and burn down the temples of Allah's three daughters to get it there.

[everyone]

Shrikehu Akbar!

Palin's Buttplug| 9.2.13 @ 5:57PM |#

If everyone agreed with me I would quit posting.

[gaijin]

Shame on them!

Voting Yes:

Robert Menendez, D-N.J.
Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
Ben Cardin, D-Md.
Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
Chris Coons, D-Del.
Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Tim Kaine, D-Va.
Bob Corker, R-Tenn.
John McCain, R-Ariz.
Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.

[gaijin]

Good on them!

Voting No:

Tom Udall, D-N.M.,
Chris Murphy, D-Conn.,
James Risch, R-Idaho,
Marco Rubio, R-Fla.,
Rand Paul, R-Ky.,
Ron Johnson, R-Wis.,
John Barrasso, R-Wyo.

[gaijin]

Douche:
Present:

Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass

[Matrix]

For: 7 Ds, 3 Rs
Against: 2 Ds, 5 Rs

'cause War is Bad mmmkay

[Sevo]

They probably had to prop Boxer up and give he some hints to raise her hand.

[Anonymous Coward]

Republican war is bad. Democrat war is responsible and humanitarian.

[Brandon]

WTF, Flake? I thought you were cool!

[Jerry on the boat]

Flake?!

[Corning]

All the fuck he did was vote yes to take it out of committee and onto the floor.

This is not like a regular bill...congress can't ignore a call to war by the president and let it die in committee.

They need to say yes or no.

The vote only says who does and does not like the specific language of the bill they are sending to debate and vote on....this is not a vote to authorize the president to go to war.

[Emmerson Biggins]

The fuck they can't. Deem it not not passed, and extend the middle finger.

[Boisfeuras]

Flake is a turd. Just read what he said about it. He thinks the CINC can unilaterally use military force without congressional approval or an imminent threat:

"As commander in chief, President Obama already has the authority to conduct a limited strike such as the one he has asked Congress to authorize. This president's reasons for coming to Congress in this instance were political, not constitutional," said Flake.

"I believe in a strong commander in chief who takes actions as warranted and stands by them, which is why I voted in favor of the resolution in committee. After reviewing both the classified and unclassified evidence, I am convinced that the Syrian regime did launch a chemical-weapons attack, and it is in our national interest that it faces the consequences."

[Somalian Road Corporation]

God damn it, Flake. McCain's a lost cause but Flake gets way too much undeserved support around here from people who should know better.

[Pro Libertate]

I just read (elsewhere) that Flake voted yes. Disappointed!

[Raston Bot]

Well, in his defense, Tim Kaine is retarded.

[Brett L]

It appears to be the primary trait necessary to be governor of VA. Like how felon is the primary trait of people who get elected governor of IL.

[Virginian]

Dude, we've had some great governors.

Wilder was the mayor of Richmond after he was governor of VA. So this stupid fucking girl in my high school stands up and asks him if he's willing to declare that no new building or business permits will be issued within a mile of the river, because nature and green bullshit, etc.

Wilder just stares at her and goes "Honey, people need jobs. That's the first priority of my administration, and declaring huge chunks of Richmond off limits to economic growth is just plain dumb."

Only time in my life I gave a Democrat a standing ovation.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Report says Jack Nicholson may retire from acting due to memory loss

Hollywood is abuzz over a report that Jack Nicholson has departed from show business.

The gossip site RadarOnline report that memory issues have driven the 76-year-old "Batman" star into retirement from acting ? a scoop that was later disputed by several other outlets.

"Jack has ? without fanfare ? retired," an unnamed insider told Radar.

"There is a simple reason behind his decision ? it's memory loss. Quite frankly, at 76, Jack has memory issues and can no longer remember the lines being asked of him. His memory isn't what it used to be."

The actor's name quickly became a trending topic on Twitter as fans panicked over the prospect of one of the greatest living American actors exiting stage left.

Hours later, however, a seperate source told NBC News that reports of Nicholson's demise were greatly exaggerated.

He already seems de facto retired anyway.

[Snark Plissken]

Libertarians and liberals are coming together to oppose military intervention in Syria.

Yeah, right. The sole evidence of liberals 'opposing' intervention that I could find in the article was this:

On the left, liberals are starting to organize, too.

A Congressional Black Caucus official wrote in an email to member offices to "limit any public comment on the subject of Syria" until after they are fully briefed. Other liberals like House Democratic Reps. Gerry Connolly (Va.) and Chris Van Hollen (Md.) are penning alternative resolution because they believe Obama wants "far too broad authority" for action in Syria.

It's a huge ground-swelling.

[CE]

I contacted my liberal Congress-person today, and told her to vote against authorizing an attack on Syria. Not like she cares either way what I think.

[ant1sthenes]

I guess if you think of liberals as a faction of the left rather than a synonym for the left, it makes sense. Wyden and Udall are liberals. Democrat establishmentarians are Progressive, which is the left-wing counterpart to Neoconservative. And then there are a bunch of squishy go-along-to-get-along partisans.

[Killazontherun]

See where McCain refused to support it until he got some boots on the ground language thrown in?

http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....esolution/

The vote came after Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., raised objections to an earlier draft. The objections forced lawmakers to renegotiate the measure; McCain ultimately won tougher language clarifying that U.S. action would be aimed in part at changing the momentum on the ground.

The resolution specifically would permit Obama to order a limited military mission against Syria, as long as it doesn't exceed 90 days and involves no American troops on the ground for combat operations.

Shitweasel is going straight back to Hanoi to carry out the rest of his prison sentence come the revolution.

[Bam!]

War is McCain's Viagra. Honestly: when was the last time you saw him with this much vigor?

[Matrix]

Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran!

[hamilton]

Good thing McCain lost to that Peace Prize laureate or we'd be really fucked.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

President Not-My-Fault: 'The World Set a Red Line' on Syria

Opening a three-day trip overseas at a delicate moment for his presidency, Mr. Obama challenged lawmakers and allies to stand behind his plans for a cruise missile attack on the government of President Bashar al-Assad in retaliation for what the Obama administration has concluded was a chemical attack that killed 1,400 people in the suburbs of the Syrian capital, Damascus, last month.

"I didn't set a red line," Mr. Obama said during a news conference here in Stockholm. "The world set a red line."

He added, "My credibility's not on the line. The international community's credibility is on the line. And America and Congress's credibility is on the line."

NOT MY FAULT NOT MY FAULT NOT MY FAULT!!!

[Pro Libertate]

The buck stops with the Republicans.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Whenever I hear somebody using that expression, I think of a relative who used it constantly during the Bush years. Obama? Oh, well, he inherited a bad situation [that he himself voted for], obstructionist Republicans, Obama tries his best, blah blah blah.

Haven't heard him say it again since 2008. At all.

[Anonymous Coward]

he inherited a bad situation

Someone confuses "inheritance" with "sought out." I don't believe anyone put a gun to Obama's head and made him run for President. Nobody held the Wookiee hostage and told him if he ever wanted to see the mother of his children again, he would take Wall Street's lucre and run the most expensive campaign in history.

Obama chose to become president. He wanted the big chair. Everything that was Bush's became his.

[Pro Libertate]

Besides, it's not like most of our problems don't predate Bush and/or weren't aggravated by the Big Empty.

[Bam!]

"My credibility's not on the line. The international community's credibility is on the line. And America and Congress's credibility is on the line."

That's just pathetic. He's throwing a childish tantrum.

[Pro Libertate]

My credibility isn't on the line, because I didn't make the stupid remark, endorse it, or vote for the guy who said it. You're on your own, dude.

[Killazontherun]

Worst. Establishment. Spokesman. Ever.

The last people you would think to be suckered by an Affirmative Action job candidate's resume would be the ones who imposed it on the rest of us in the first place, but man, were they ever suckered.

[some guy]

This backtracking is a good thing, though. In his mind it gives him an out because his credibility is no longer on the line. It also shows that he really is worried about these polls that have been coming out for the past few weeks.

[paranoid android]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-.....cial-syria

Money quote:

We go on to reaffirm that the President has set a clear red line as it relates to the United States that the use of chemical weapons or the transfer of chemical weapons to terrorist groups is a red line that is not acceptable to us, nor should it be to the international community.

[Pro Libertate]

Well, which is it, young fella? Is it red, or is it clear?

[Ted S.]

It is possible for something to be transparent, and have color.

[Pro Libertate]

Why are you helping them? That might've tied up the administration for a week, coming up with that answer.

[Ted S.]

What can I say? I'm a pedantic bastard.

[Pro Libertate]

You should use your pedanticism for good, not evil.

[Corning]

I think pendanticicm is like a fire hose...The hose does not care if it is putting out a fire or drowning civil rights protestors...it just wants to blow.

[Pro Libertate]

With great correctness comes great responsibility.

[Episiarch]

When your government is run by a tantrum throwing child, you have problems. Serious problems. When is his incompetence going to catch up with him, though?

[Pro Libertate]

Good thing we don't give this guy the ability to unilaterally destroy civilization or anything.

[Episiarch]

It really is mind-boggling, and he is such a perfect testament as to why you do not fucking give anyone power unless absolutely necessary and then only briefly. He makes smirking shithead Bush look adult and composed.

[Pro Libertate]

Obama is an idiot, and most of the deference paid to him is about identity politics, not actually buying into him as a leader.

What happens when we really get a charismatic and seemingly effective leader without principles? I mean, what stops him from becoming a total dictator?

[Episiarch]

Not much. Maybe we can find out soon!

[Pro Libertate]

Maybe reeducation camp will be fun, like Hogan's Heroes. Until we're executed, anyway.

[Episiarch]

PROLLLLLLLLLLL!!!

I get to be Newkirk.

[Pro Libertate]

Really? I'd figure a foodie like you for LeBeau.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

When the electorate stops eagerly voting for somebody who claims the ability to assassinate them at any time without due process.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

Obama drew the Red lineon Aug 21

[Pro Libertate]

Two in a row, everybody knows
At the green light you rev it on the red line.
Been waitin' all week to get my wheels on the street,
Get my hands on the wheel, slide down in the seat.

[cmace]

Syria Dismisses Obama as Confused, Moves Troops

http://www.military.com/daily-.....=army-a.nl

[CE]

If the world set the red line, shouldn't we wait for the world to decide if Assad crossed it, and then find out what the world plans to do about it?

[ant1sthenes]

Did I do that?

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

ELECTRONIC EYES

[Pro Libertate]

Dirty Tleilaxu.

[Irish]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

John Kerry says the following: "What was the date when the president drew the red line publicly?"

Huh. That doesn't seem to square with Obama's comments earlier today.

This is what happens when the president skips the war meetings to hang out with Magic Johnson. You start to have messaging problems.

[Brett L]

I hsve a feeling that Syria is going to be another war Kerry was for before he was against.

[Pro Libertate]

Like Vietnam?

[Brett L]

What was his stance on Grenada?

[Pro Libertate]

He was for Christmas before he was against it.

[gaijin]

the more the better!

at least in this day, anyone who wants to can see what a tangled web of deception these Top Men must weave.

[NeonCat]

Don't know if this was posted last week: cute/practical dog trick

[NeonCat]

In case you're wondering but won't click, dude tells his dog the police are coming. Dog hides in a cupboard and closes the door after herself.

[Mad Scientist]

I'm going to teach that trick to my dogs.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

German technology giant Siemens has said it's giving up the production of public charging stations for electric cars. It argued e-mobility had not developed fast enough in the country to justify development costs.

[db]

Veidt Industries will snap the venture up for a song.

[gaijin]

something must have been lost in translation. I'm sure it should have read that "e-mobility subsidies had not appeared fast enough in the country..."

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Alison Grimes and the liberal media don't have the thickest skin

Brad Dayspring, communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called Grimes "an empty dress" in an interview with The Hill published Wednesday.

The insults continued from there.

"Alison Lundergan Grimes seems incapable of articulating her own thoughts, and faced with questions, either directly parrots the talking points handed to her by [Sen.] Chuck Schumer or she babbles incoherently and stares blankly into the camera as though she's a freshman in high school struggling to remember the CliffsNotes after forgetting to read her homework assignment," Dayspring told The Hill.

"This degrading and offensive comment from McConnell's campaign team is appalling and he should condemn it immediately," Grimes spokeswoman Charly Norton told The Huffington Post. "It shows his team's true feelings towards women and continues his disgraceful pattern of not standing up for the women of Kentucky. From misleading Kentuckians on his votes against the Violence Against Women Act, to voting against equal pay for equal work, Senator McConnell has failed to lead on issues important to women and their families."

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

"Republicans think a substance-free insult is the right way to deal with a qualified, popular woman challenger ? at least their rhetoric is consistent with their anti-woman policies," said Jess McIntosh, communications director at EMILY's List, which endorsed Grimes.

Pathetic and hypocritical. Leave it to these people to make me root for Mitch McConnell.

[Episiarch]

The more the sheep can be distracted by things like redirecting everything to being about her being a woman, or Obama's race, the stupider and vastly more venal candidates will continue to be the ones that run and win. Imagine a Congress full of Obamas. I mean, it's pretty bad now, but just try and wrap your mind around that.

[Pro Libertate]

Can it get worse? Yes it can!

[Irish]

Republicans think a substance-free insult is the right way to deal with a qualified, popular woman challenger

When have the Democrats ever attacked a woman with a substance-free insult?

[Episiarch]

Hypocrisy is an illusion, Irish.

[mad libertarian guy]

When have the Democrats ever attacked a woman with a substance-free insult?

Never.

[Brian D]

If Dayspring had been talking about Sarah Palin, everything would be cool.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Oh good, I'm glad they could twist that one into a "war on women" narrative frame. Hey, if Milquetoast Mitt from Massachusetts the Republican socialist could somehow implement some kind of law keeping women chained to the kitchen barefoot and pregnant, I guess anything's possible.

[Cascadian Ephor Xenocles]

I hear he did put them in binders.

[Coeus]

"It shows his team's true feelings towards women and continues his disgraceful pattern of not standing up for the women of Kentucky

And that's the way any Hillary criticism will be addressed in 2016

[Coeus]

Hehe, even the commenters on huffpo aren't buying it.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

There's some dissension but it seems to be mostly an A-grade case of projection by people who are simultaneously able to say things like "Translation: Brad Dayspring really has got nothing, so he uses the tired, old Republican trick called, 'projection'."

Layers upon layers.

[Anonymous Coward]

It shows his team's true feelings towards women and continues his disgraceful pattern of not standing up for the women of Kentucky.

Alison Grimes is representative of all women?

That is a bad, bad sign.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Heads they win, tails you lose. Grimes is WOMEN who will stop the GOP War on Women.

The fact that Republicans may challenge or mock that narrative just shows how sexist the are.

[mad libertarian guy]

It's funny that some liberals are so bent on stopping the so-called war on women while simultaneously stoking ACTUAL war that really harms real people. But those women don't matter; they're just silly brown people anyways.

[Brett L]

I think Warty's LD50 is higher.

[NeonCat]

You may already be infected: over 320,000 virus species live in mammals.

[Matrix]

Ewwwwwwwwwwww!

[Suthenboy]

There are millions of varieties of viruses floating around in the deep ocean whose hosts are long extinct. They dont die because they are not alive. Unless heat or light or chemical action destroys them, they stick around forever.

[db]

So the Old Ones are actually viruses? Looking at the structures of some viruses, you can definitely see five-fold symmetry and tentacle like structures.

[Azathoth!!]

Those are Elder Things, thank you very much, not Old Ones.

[Rasilio]

"The Pledge of Allegiance is facing a legal challenge from an anonymous atheist couple in Massachusetts, who claim that the pledge violates the state's equal protection laws."

Can we get a libertarian couple to challenge the existance of a pledge of allegiance, and especially requiring children to recite it daily.

Pledges of allegance have no business in a nation of free men, they are tools of fascist dictatorships

[Pro Libertate]

They had my daughter reciting the pledge in preschool. Private preschool. I just learned about that, well after the fact.

I get the sentiment behind it, but the pledge is contrary to a free people.

[Irish]

What are you talking about?

I don't know how you can say that this picture looks anything like this picture.

[Boisfeuras]

I prefer this one.

(The guy is supposedly August Landmesser)

[Bam!]

My 5th grade teacher (who was the only male teacher I ever had) didn't make us recite it. He was kind of odd within the school. Never forced us to participate in school-wide functions either (e.g. Halloween crap).

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

Dictatorship in Egypt dates back farther than first realized

[BlueBook]

Recently uncovered hieroglyphics depict slaves shining laser pointers at a passing sky-god.

[NeonCat]

Did they make them recite a pledge every day?

[Coeus]

Yet another ridiculous feminist article about "Nice Guys".

But on September 4th, 2013, some feminists became self aware. I'm worried. I've seen all the terminator movies.

Barnacle Strumpet
September 4, 2013 at 11:19 am | Permalink | Reply

One of these things is not like the other?

Saying "No one wants to date me because of my /trait/:" is not the same as saying "people are obligated to be interested in me because of my /trait/"

Really, I am so sick of this "Nice Guy" crap. It's right up there with that stupid fucking spoons story in the category of overrated crap terms that some people wet themselves at the chance to use.

amblingalong
September 4, 2013 at 12:07 pm | Permalink | Reply
I also think a lot of people just find 'nice' bland and dull, and prefer exciting, cocky, challenging, sarcastic, etc. etc. I sure do, in my partners.

So my response to the Nice Guy thing is slightly different. The problem isn't just that "Nice Guys" aren't really nice, but that women aren't obligated to find niceness attractive, because it's not an objectively attractive trait.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

why do you do this to yourself?

[Coeus]

I read fast and it's usually quite funny. Like seeing someone hitting themselves in the nuts, but in blog format.

[Matrix]

Well, it's a good thing for Jezzies that some guys are into fat harpies.

[Matrix]

oh, this is Feministe. Well, still applies.

[Brett L]

This is just waiting to run into the buzzsaw of thin privilege shamers.

"No one wants to date me because of my [fat]"

"I also think a lot of people just find [fat] bland and dull, "

[Coeus]

EG
September 4, 2013 at 1:08 pm | Permalink | Reply
What I don't like about the "wah, wah, I'm nice, and women go for assholes," is that it puts the responsibility for men's behavior on women: the implication, and sometimes it's actually explicit, is that men are assholes because that's what turns the ladies on, so if we get hurt, we have only ourselves to blame.

I can see why she wouldn't like that. Feminist hate responsibility. But when guys date crazy for the sex, no one says that they don't share responsibility.

[Brett L]

Yeah, the dude who got arrested with the goth "model" firebug? I totally understand why he was running around setting fires with her, but that doesn't excuse him from responsibility.

[paranoid android]

What's the "spoons" story? I looked at the comments to that article and saw some back and forth about "invisible disabilities" and I wasn't sure if they were talking about real conditions or made up self-diagnosed bullshit. I got as far as seeing someone get called "ableist" before I had to stop reading to prevent the stoopid from wiping out the few productive areas of my brain I have left.

[Coeus]

This should help.

[Episiarch]

It's been said that if you look into the horrific blog comments, the horrific blog comments also look into you. And then make you retarded by osmosis.

[Coeus]

How long til this gets wiped?

Since many men in recent generations have obsorbed feminist anti harrasment messages in extreem and some times hyperbolic contexts from very young ages (i.e. women stateing emphatically that they hate constantly being hit on when what they really mean is they hate being harrassed or being in situations where their non verbal cues of "I want to be left allone" are either being legitimately missed or maliciously ignored) they associate the context of approach AT ALL as being "something that good men don't do".

From this context, it seems pretty likely that a large chunk of "nice guys" are simply being nice but not indicating intent because they don't know how to do so in a way where they can feel confident they are not being rude and getting frusturated as a result of not knowing what else to do.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

The Alyssa Milano "sex tape" is not worth your time.
Trust me.

[Matrix]

so, I should change my plans for Friday night?

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

no. it's not even worth linking to.

[NeonCat]

Just watch Embrace of the Vampire.

[Brett L]

OMG: banning MDMA had led to shitty molly that is cut with shit that makes people more likely to OD! We must ban... er wait, we must redouble our efforts to eradicate this scourge upon our chirrens!

[Coeus]

Came across some last year that turned out to be 2ce

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Bryan Cranston denies he'll be playing Lex Luthor in Superman sequel

But Timothy Dalton might play Batman's Alfred.

[Goldwin Smith]

Woah Tim going from the "Bad non-Aussie Bond" to Doctor Who and Batman. Quite an accomplishment.

[db]

At least. Morgan Freeman's insipid stint will be over.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

I thought he was on the no fly list?

Warty was found by Angie Hill in Martley, Worcestershire.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

While your President is trying to start wars, our Prime Minister wrote a hockey book.

[Pro Libertate]

You win again, Canada!

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

Fifty Shades of Grey fans up in arms over movie's lead actors

The petition, which proposes Gilmore Girls star Alexis Bledel as female lead Anastasia Steele and Matt Bomer as Christian Grey, calls Bomer "THE PERFECT DESCRIPTION OF CHRISTIAN GREY" and says Bledel is "THE PERFECT ACTRESS TO REPRESENT ANASTASIA STEELE."

[Brett L]

I wanted Christian Bale, so that we could dub in American Psycho clips and nobody would blink an eye.

[Bam!]

The fans are masochistic, they'll accept it.

[Anonymous Coward]

Fantard rage is the most delicious kind.

[Mickey Rat]

I'd almost feel sorry for the filmmakers, but they are making a movie based on Twilight fanfiction. They deserve whatever they get.

[Suthenboy]

"Obama has raised the possibility of new laws being used to curb some of the NSA's powers."

Curbing legal power and curbing actual behavior are very different things. I am sure THESE laws will curb their behavior just like the existing laws curbed their behavior.

[Killazontherun]

Crows are pure evil. The politicians of the animal kingdom.

[Killazontherun]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQd9kuXpUYU

[Episiarch]

Send them to the Wall.

[Warty]

The crow is a tricksy bird.

[Matrix]

that music is timed perfectly.

[Bam!]

I bet crows know how to write HTML.

[Killazontherun]

I do to, that flap is cutesy of the squirrels as it checked correctly in the preview; they are mendacious if not pure evil.

[Brandon]

I bet crows know how to spell "courtesy."

[Killazontherun]

Play on words. Squirrels are cute not courteous, hence the word choice.

How many of you guys actually do have the Asperger's? I get way too much of this shit for you people to be normal.

[Azathoth!!]

But somes folks don't know how to spell 'cutesy'.

Unless you're just being cutesy.

[Suthenboy]

Try again

[Brett L]

Holy shit. They really do work for the witches. They were totally sabotaging the foe of the black cat.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

More evil than a White Walker?

[Killazontherun]

White Walkers are pawns of the one eyed crow so, yes.

[Rasilio]

But I hear they are available to be Pall Bearers

[Coeus]

New documentary claims that FEMEN (the breast-baring euro-feminists)is run by a man who uses it as his own personal harem.

Link is NSFW.

[Episiarch]

This man is a genius!

[Warty]

Ukraine is not a Brothel

WHAT???? Quick, somebody tell Doc Groovus before it's too late!

[hamilton]

So that's what Groovus has been up to.

[db]

Man, where is that guy anyway?

[Brett L]

"They don't have the strength of character. They don't even have the desire to be strong. Instead, they show submissiveness, spinelessness, lack of punctuality, and many other factors which prevent them from becoming political activists. These are qualities which it was essential to teach them."

Utter. Genius.

[Sidd Finch]

The prettiest girls get on the front page...

I appreciate The Indepedent's commitment to that principle.

[ant1sthenes]

Makes sense. I wouldn't be shocked if he was friends with most of the assholes they protest.

"Ok girls, this horrible bastard passed a really rotten law. It's time to punish him. Get on out there and show him your tits. If that doesn't work, we escalate to spankings. From there, oral sex."

[Hyperion]

Not sure if this has been mentioned here yet, I can't keep up with the posts, but, from the NYT, for what it's worth:

Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican and a fierce opponent of military action in Syria, will filibuster any effort to bring an authorization of military force to a quick vote in the Senate, a Paul aide confirmed Wednesday.

[Bam!]

I think Obama will wait, what was it, 12 additional hours.

Will make nice theater though. And give Rand something to beat his opponents in 2016, after Syria is given the full Iraq treatment.

[Brandon]

after Syria is given the full Iraq treatment.

Really? You think an Obama war will be treated the same as a Bush war?

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Abortion Opinions Becoming More Geographically Separate

More evidence that opinion on abortion has nothing to do with "life", but is more about sex, identity, and women's roles. New research from Pew shows that while support for abortion rights has remained steady nationally, it's plummeting in the South and Midwest.

"Have you seen the latest polls about slavery in the US? New research shows that support for slavery rights has remained steady nationally, but is plummeting in the North and Great Lakes region -- clear proof that slavery opponents are just a bunch of anti-Southern meanies!"

/Southern Belle Marcotte

[Matrix]

More evidence that opinion on abortion has nothing to do with "life"

Wow, just completely wash away their arguments and come up with something else.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Wait - support for abortion is dropping in the South and Midwest because...those regions are becoming *more conservative than they used to be* on sex, etc?

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

A Tennis Announcer Feels Bad for Roger Federer

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

A Chat with Niki Lauda

"I had seen my injuries at their worst. The horror. I finally understood how people at the time must have felt..."

[JW]

Nice. Waiting impatiently for Rush.

[Coeus]

Crystal Clear Consent: The new feminist standard.

We are way past triplicate forms here, people:

If you initiate or offer and are declined in the context of a specifically romantic, sexual, or flirtations setting, do not initiate or offer again until one of the following four occur:
1. the other party has taken a turn initiating/offering and been declined by you.
2. the other party has taken a turn initiating/offering, was accepted by you, but after the activity lapsed you wish to restart.
3. it is an entirely new romantic, sexual, or flirtatious setting.
4. An amount of time has passed that is inverse to the number of times they have accepted your offer before. While it may be acceptable when dating to offer again in a week or in a closer relationship to initiate again after, say, one day [or whatever is the negotiated norm in said relationship] it's not acceptable to ask someone again if you've just met them.
If you initiate or offer and are declined in a context that is not specifically romantic, sexual, or flirtatious, do not initiate or offer again. Seriously.

[Hyperion]

Well, most of us know very well that people who write stuff like that have never experienced a sexual advance in their life. That's why they're so obsessed with it.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

pharyngula, eh? I'm shocked, shocked.

[PH2050]

Haha, nice.

I just print out Dave Chappelle's Love Contract while waiting for the GHB to take effect.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Mexican police seek vigilante 'Diana: the Huntress'

Mexican prosecutors are investigating claims that a female vigilante killer is behind the murder of two bus drivers last week in the northern border city of Ciudad Ju?rez, apparently seeking revenge for the sexual abuse of female passengers.

An email from the self-styled "bus driver hunter" claiming responsibility for the assassinations echoed deeply in Ciudad Ju?rez, which has a grim history of sexual violence against women on buses.

On Wednesday morning a woman wearing a blonde wig ? or sporting dyed hair ? boarded one of the school bus-style vehicles that serve as transport in the city. She approached the driver, took out a pistol, shot him in the head and left the bus.

The next day, apparently the same woman did exactly the same thing to another driver on the same route. A witness quoted in Diario de Ju?rez claims to have heard the killer tell her second victim: "You guys think you're real bad, don't you?" before shooting him.

"I myself and other women have suffered in silence but we can't stay quiet anymore," the email said. "We were victims of sexual violence by the drivers on the night shift on the routes to the maquilas," a reference to the border assembly plants that employ many residents in Ciudad Ju?rez. "I am the instrument of vengeance for several women."

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Paging Tarantino. Or the Coen Brothers. I'd like to write a screenplay where Vodka Samm drunkenly stumbles into Mexico and becomes involved with Diana.

[Episiarch]

No, paging Rodriguez:

Lady Machete

[PapayaSF]

Vodka Samm gets drunk, is raped, and then sets out for revenge....

[Sidd Finch]

http://dailycaller.com/2013/09.....g-contest/

PETA's associate director of campaigns, Lindsay Rajt, wrote to Cerza saying "consuming poultry while pregnant may lead to birth defects in utero, including smaller-than-average penises for newborn boys."

[Brett L]

I don't want to stereotype, but if her mother was a xray tech in the 70s, that would explain so much.

[Warty]

"Did you eat a lot of paint chips as a child?"

[db]

Who the fuck measures the penises of newborn baby boys?

[PapayaSF]

Because we all know that black American men, whose mothers eat lots of chicken, have smaller than average penises....

[PH2050]

Damn my mother and her fried chicken fetish! Damn her to hell!

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

The end of Blackberry?

[Derpetologist]

From wiki:

"During the next four billion years, the luminosity of the Sun will steadily increase, resulting in a rise in the solar radiation reaching the Earth. This will cause a higher rate of weathering of silicate minerals, which will cause a decrease in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In about 600 million years, the level of CO2 will fall below the level needed to sustain C3 carbon fixation photosynthesis used by trees. Some plants use the C4 carbon fixation method, allowing them to persist at CO2 concentrations as low as 10 parts per million. However, the long-term trend is for plant life to die off altogether. The die off of plants will be the demise of almost all animal life, since plants are the base of the food chain on Earth."

Interesting how too little CO2 in the atmosphere is what will eventually doom life on earth.

[Apatheist ?_??]

I'm betting life will, um, find a way.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Northern California county votes to secede and form independent state

Fed up by Sacramento's regulations and Southern California's political sway, residents in one rural Northern California county are taking steps to leave the state.

The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted, 4-1, on Tuesday to pursue seceding from California, the Redding Record Searchlight reported. Proponents say Siskiyou should form a new state -- called Jefferson -- with other counties in Northern California and Southern Oregon they believe share similar interests.

On Tuesday more than 100 people filled the supervisors' chambers, many of whom indicated support for the declaration, the Searchlight reported. When a speaker asked those in the audience who was in favor, "nearly every hand in the room was raised," the newspaper said.

"Many proposed laws are unconstitutional and deny us our God-given rights," said Happy Camp resident Gabe Garrison. "We need our own state so we can make laws that fit our way of life."

California's not all bad.

[Pro Libertate]

Good. We need more secession, not less. Can we help name this new state?

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

They actually want to call it Jefferson.

[Pro Libertate]

After George or Thomas? Really, either is a good choice.

[NeonCat]

A dee-luxe state in the sky-y.

[Pro Libertate]

Yes, any question about what the state song should be, even if they mean Thomas, not George?

[Dave Krueger]

The Pledge of Allegiance is facing a legal challenge from an anonymous atheist couple in Massachusetts, who claim that the pledge violates the state's equal protection laws.

God or no god, the "pledge" is a friggin' loyalty oath, and the state has no business forcing children to recite it daily. Yes, I said "forcing", because children who opt out suffer unnecessary alienation and psychological stress.

If that weren't enough, the pledge is nonsensical because it is an oath of loyalty to a friggin' piece of cloth. People can be loyal to a lot of things, but not a piece of cloth.

On the bright side, there is one good thing about the pledge. It serves as a great example of how patriotism can make people stupid. For numerous additional examples, just tune in to Fox News.

[Goldwin Smith]

And Bellamy was a socialist.

[Bam!]

Seriously: What is up with John Kerry's head? Every photo of him Drudge has posted has made Kerry look like a poorly-created computer generated character.

[Pro Libertate]

How do you know he isn't? I, for one, have never seen him in person.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

Remember yesterday, the London building that melted cars?

Yesterday afternoon, I was sent out to see if I could fry an egg in the heat, a task that I presumed was impossible on an overcast September day. But, not only was it possible, I had to run out of the death ray that was slowly cooking my egg, because the thinning hairs on my head started to catch fire. The distinctive smell of burning follicles, combined with the sensation of a magnifying glass being shone on my pate, forced me to take cover along the road.

[Episiarch]

What architect was stupid enough to make a fucking concave glass building front?!? Jesus Christ, haven't they ever played with lenses and the sun?

[Pro Libertate]

It's a knock-off. I posted about some Las Vegas building/death ray generator back in 2010. I'm sure a cease-and-desist letter will soon be sent.

[Mad Scientist]

The Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA, another triumph of modern architecture, was cooking nearby condos as well.

[Pro Libertate]

I smell a trend in all of this cooking flesh.

[tarran]

I think it's hysterical that not one of the hundreds of people who reviewed the plans forgot about one of Archimedes' most infamous weapons alleged to have held off the Roman fleet attacking Syracuse.

[Pro Libertate]

Mythbusters mostly debunked that, but these buildings of death make me think they didn't fully explore the possibilities.

[Killazontherun]

Most likely a navigation distraction while the real work was done the old fashion way, Greek fire.

[Episiarch]

Tyrion was taking a big risk using wildfire, though.

[Pro Libertate]

He paid the price. Though he's not dead. Not yet. Or is he?

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

Everyone's dead. Walter White kills everyone.

[Episiarch]

He is Azor Ahai reborn.

[Pro Libertate]

It's going to turn out he's a hobbit. See, writing these books until Martin's senile is going to make things worse than surreal.

[tarran]

I personally prefer the element of surprise.

[db]

Why did I read "Romulan" here and assume your comment was a Star Trek reference at first glance?

[tarran]

Because you're the sort of person who liked getting swirlies in school because it meant that the other kids were noticing you for a change?

[Pro Libertate]

Well, when the home worlds of the Romulans are Romulus and Remus, one must expect such confusion.

[Episiarch]

Well, considering that that weapon has been debunked twice on Mythbusters and also by other sources, you might excuse them for not remembering the story. What you can't excuse them for is MAKING A GIANT FUCKING ANT BURNER.

[Pro Libertate]

They should incorporate this technology into all potential terrorist target buildings.

[Warty]

You idiot, architects are artists. Why should they worry about dumb shit like whether their building will set cars on fire or kill pedestrians with falling ice? That's the engineers' problem.

[Pro Libertate]

That happened in Chicago while I lived there. You can only imagine the terror that held for a Floridian walking their evil, ice-impacted streets.

[tarran]

Oh God! I thought I had burned all the neurons that stored the memory of that abortion of a building.

The moment I saw that building I knew that whatever else I did in my life, CWRU would not get one thing dime in alumni giving from me. Ever.

[Episiarch]

Oh yeah? That's got nothing on the .

Admittedly, we don't ever get snow but I wouldn't want to go anywhere near it after an ice storm.

[Episiarch]

Whoops, fucked my link:

Oh yeah? That's got nothing on the Experience Music Project and Scifi Museum at Seattle Center.

Admittedly, we don't ever get snow but I wouldn't want to go anywhere near it after an ice storm.

[Pro Libertate]

What stepped on that building?

[Episiarch]

Godzilla.

[tarran]

Godzilla.

Why are you so worthlessly unimaginative, Episiarch?

If you had said "It was the victim of the forbidden love between a giant Kaiju and the Space Needle", I could respect the effort, but you didn't even attempt that!

[Episiarch]

I'M BUSY DICKHEAD

[tarran]

A giant humanoid robot, who came to Earth with one dream, to kill all humans.

Who's the real monster now, PL?

[Pro Libertate]

Um, the giant humanoid robot, who came to Earth with one dream, to kill all humans?

[Episiarch]

Amy Wong: There goes the neighborhood.

[boom]

Amy Wong: There goes another neighborhood.

[tarran]

So, now Zoidberg is big, huh? That's more like it! Who's intimidating who now, big city? Hello, Mr. Chase Manhattan Bank. Deny my credit card application, will you? Ah, the famed Apollo Theatre. Boo me off stage on open-mike night, huh? I'll show you!

[Killazontherun]

Icicles, God's way of raping you in the face.

[trshmnstr]

Something something Browns something pallbearers

[Boisfeuras]

A second flaw is that the building's undulating forms put winter passersby at risk from falling ice and snow?

Well that shouldn't be too much of a problem. They don't get that much snow in... wait, where exactly is Case Western, again? ...Cleveland, you say?

?so much so that the building must often be cordoned and caution-taped.

[Jumbie]

Don't forget Reasonoids,

the NFL pick em league is up and running.

http://football.fantasysports......ckem/45865

password: postrel4eva

Join for kicks. Stay for the trashtalk

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

your link just tells me I'm not a member.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

CANADIANS NEED NOT APPLY.

Same for the Irish.

[Hyperion]

CANADIANS NEED NOT APPLY

Damned Canucks, now they're trying to steal our football!

[Apatheist ?_??]

The last 5 digits of the link is the group ID, you can join that way.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Group ID is the number at the end of the link.

[Nando]

Public School Shakedown is dedicated to EXPOSING the behind-the-scenes effort to privatize our public schools, and CONNECTING pro-public school activists nationwide.

[Pro Libertate]

Ye gods.

[Hyperion]

privatize our public schools

What? Schools might actually have to provide good results in a competitive market place? The horror!

[Pro Libertate]

They know they don't have to compete in the market. Couple of laws, and there isn't any market.

[Sidd Finch]

looks legit

[ant1sthenes]

What sort of idiot would want to privatize a public school? You may as well try to turn the projects into a hotel. Public schools should just be eliminated.

[Goldwin Smith]

Guy who wrote the pledge:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.....ical_views

In 1891, Bellamy was forced from his Boston pulpit for his socialist sermons, and eventually stopped attending church altogether after moving to Florida, reportedly because of the racism he witnessed there

Damn kicked out by Christfags and opposed Racism too. I always knew libertarians are racists.

[Pro Libertate]

The adjective "socialist" might be worth noting.

[Derpetologist]

From same article:

"Bellamy's views on immigration and universal suffrage were somewhat less egalitarian."

He wrote:

"There are races more or less akin to our own whom we may admit freely and get nothing but advantage by the infusion of their wholesome blood. But there are other races, which we cannot assimilate without lowering our racial standard, which we should be as sacred to us as the sanctity of our homes."

It would be funny to recite that instead of the pledge to watch heads turn.

[Pro Libertate]

So this guy stopped attending churches in Florida because of racism he saw there? I'm trying to figure out how to reconcile all of this.

[Derpetologist]

It's best not to gaze too deeply into the Derp, lest ye be corrupted by its gaze.

[Pro Libertate]

What is racism to a racist? Different racism? Racism by the races he's racist towards? How many racist races race to racism?

[Derpetologist]

I'm telling you, if you keep thinking about it, you'll be stark raving mad by sundown.

[Pro Libertate]

Rancid racists raping rankly?

[Long Range Boredom]

I'd guess it's a 'White Man's Burden' kind of thing. Meaning that you can be horribly racist about different groups of people, but goddammit you're better then them so you have a social responsibility to uplift them.

[Brett L]

Octaroons are people, Pro L!

[Killazontherun]

And colorful ones at that.

[Killazontherun]

It's like how LBJ's actual comments got reversed in the historical record to keep up the pretenses that our political foundations rest upon.

[Anonymous Coward]

So this guy stopped attending churches in Florida because of racism he saw there? I'm trying to figure out how to reconcile all of this.

Racism against black people is not okay because they can be brought into the Socialist Jesus fold with enough singing and dancing and Bible-waving. Racism against Irish, Italian and Polish Papists is okay because they take their marching orders from the Pope and the Pope says one cannot be Catholic and a Socialist.

Got it?

[Goldwin Smith]

I would imagine he didn't like all those Catholic immigrants. Also during this time "race" had a broader meaning including ethnic groups.

[ant1sthenes]

Yeah, but that was Southern right-wing hick racism, which is vastly inferior to noble New York socialist racism.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

As if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

[Pro Libertate]

What's up with the dude's hair?

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

I do believe it's "french".

[Pro Libertate]

You mean some sort of Frankish revival? Kind of a Clovis or Charles Martel look? I'd expect something, I dunno, more manly from the Franks, um, frankly.

[PH2050]

No matter how beautiful a woman may appear to be, there is always some guy somewhere who got tired of her shit.

Lifelike "sexbots" and "holodecks" are going to be a reality check for pretty wimminz. I look forward to the entertaining aftermath.

[Tejicano]

Internet pr0n has been the first step in that direction. I wonder how much the noise from the fems will increase in volume as handy alternatives become more available.

[Coeus]

Feminists have already gotten legislation signed that preemptively banned sexbots in Canada.

[Long Range Boredom]

That's a hoax. Zero actual legislation directed at it, and even the documents they claim are being amended don't exist.

Don't you dare spread lies about us Canadians and our love of sexbots.

[Derpetologist]

Enjoy this picture of a prog reacting to Peter Schiff's comments:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OVZ9.....schiff.png

[Killazontherun]

Candy Crowley just reeks of loser. Watched a report a few minutes ago where she's listing Obama's critics silly complaints about him. He dresses informally in the Oval Office, he wears butt ass ugly socks, he points his finger into a gun. Ah, those silly critics! Nothing the man said today, CC that might be worth examining for its lies and stupidity? Nothing at all for you to report on? Why, now! Those silly Obama haters talking about socks, murder drones, formal jackets, red lines, unaccountability, and hand gestures? What's wrong with those people, anyway?

[Derpetologist]

I hope the ref called off the fight before she beat the strawman too badly.

[benji]

Letter to the editor in the NYT:

President Obama's decision to seek Congressional approval of an attack on Syria is masterful. It forces Congress to put up or shut up (incidentally giving credit to the Constitution, which gives that body the power to make war). It forces the Syrian government to stay on its toes, never certain when the missiles might arrive, creating tension that enables behind-the-scenes pressure on its leader to resign.

It forces a public debate that could allow or shame other countries into joining the effort to hold the Syrian government responsible. It asserts that certain actions--a government's reported use of chemical weapons on its own women and children--are beyond the pale of a civilized world, and bad actors must be accountable.

Mr. Obama shows his skill, character, fortitude, patience, wisdom and conscience by this decision. If only a similar process had been undertaken by President Bush before he invaded Iraq.

[Tejicano]

So is he going to deliver his punchline or leave it up to us to imagine any one of a couple dozen that spring to mind?

[Killazontherun]

I've seen neutron stars with less spin than that.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Oh I mean here as in Arizona, heh. I've gotten into plenty of arguments with local Republicans about how he's actually not the cat's pajamas even if they really want him to be.