A.M. Links: President Meeting With House Republicans Today, NSA Trying to Use Shutdown to Delay Court Cases, Mike Ditka Says He Could've Ended Obama's Career in 2004

• 

  US Navy

  Despite saying he would not negotiate, President Obama is meeting with House Republicans later today. DC Mayor Vincent Gray, meanwhile, confronted Harry Reid over his refusal to take DC out of the government shutdown crisis. The NSA is using the partial government shutdown to delay court cases against it, a partially successful strategy.

• Mike Ditka says he could've ended Barack Obama's career "then and there" if he had run against him for Senate in 2004 like Illinois Republicans wanted. Instead, Obama faced token opposition from Alan Keyes.
• A new study finds anti-bullying programs in schools could be having the opposite of the intended effect.
• A cop in Edison, New Jersey is facing departmental charges for trying to press a woman he met on a call for sex. He returned after his shift was over but while still in uniform.
• Edward Snowden's father visited him in Moscow, telling reporters his son deserved a Nobel Prize.
• Egypt condemned the US for suspending military aid to the country, saying the regime would not "surrender to American pressure" and would continue "on its path towards democracy." Israel is also concerned about the suspension.
• Militants briefly kidnapped the prime minister of Libya over "corruption" around the US raid, before releasing him.
• Canadian short story writer Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Mike Ditka says he could've ended Barack Obama's career "then and there" if he had run against him for Senate in 2004 like Illinois Republicans wanted.

Ditka also had the chance to push Hitler toward a career in art.

[Drake]

If only he hadn't been nailing Jeri Ryan...

[Mike M.]

Way to let us all down one last time Ditka.

[Austrian Anarchy]

Ditka also had the chance to push Hitler toward a career in art.

Just think what Soldier Field would look like, instead of that monstrosity that sits there now.

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

Needz moar pillarz?

[Austrian Anarchy]

Less stainless, more concrete at least.

[Sunken Idaho]

Moar alien spacecraft.

[Kaptious Kristen]

WHo would win in a fight - Dikka or Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy and Andrew in a tag team?

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

Ditka.... 17

Hurricanes .... 10

A WIN.

[mad libertarian guy]

Katrina, Sandy and Andrew

One of these is not like the others.

[KDN]

Call her SUPERSTORM, dammit. She worked so hard to get that title.

[Loki]

I guess I'll just leave this here.

[Kaptious Kristen]

"He woulda been a two-turds majahrity all by himself"

[Fist of Etiquette]

Edward Snowden's father visited him in Moscow, telling reporters his son deserved a Nobel Prize.

I wonder if Edward would bother paying U.S. taxes on Nobel prize money.

[Juice]

Wouldn't that be awesome? If they catch him the list of charges would tell anyone everything they need to know about the case. "He's charged with espionage...and failure to pay taxes on his Nobel Peace Prize."

[Bam!]

His citizenship was revoked, if I recall correctly, meaning the U.S. can't tax him.

[Hillary's Clitdong]

It's a penaltax.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Not like that matters. Being a citizen certainly doesn't protect one from being incinerated by a drone "accidentally." They'll probably tax Snowden's corpse, rape his mother, and flay his father alive under the guise of citizenship. Just like cigarettes did to my family.

[CatoTheElder]

His passport was revoked. The US government can revoke certain citizenship privileges, but it can't revoke his nationality.

[Cascadian Ephor Xenocles]

In order to be released from taxation you have to go to a consular official and do the renunciation face to face. I don't imagine Snowden will be doing that anytime soon.

[CatoTheElder]

I think Nobel prize money is tax exempt.

Edward Snowden certainly deserves recognition for his courage in exposing the US surveillance state for what it is.

He could certainly use the $1 million+ that accompanies the prize, but the significance of the Nobel Peace Prize has diminished over the past few decades.

[Timrek]

Since 2009 you mean?

[Old Man With Candy]

Before. When you're giving it to Jimmy Carter and Yasir Arafat, then Al Gore, you're telling the world that you're irrelevant.

[BakedPenguin]

Hell, Kissinger. At least Le Duc Tho had enough respect for honesty to decline.

[Eduard van Haalen]

If yasir arafat were still alive he would deplore the lowering of the nobel committees standards.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Only if you have them write the check to your favorite charity.

[Snark Plissken]

A new study finds anti-bullying programs in schools could be having the opposite of the intended effect.

They aren't providing false comfort to soccer moms?

[mad libertarian guy]

Pretty snarky, Snark. And spot on.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Militants briefly kidnapped the prime minister of Libya over "corruption" around the US raid, before releasing him.

But he's been released already? Just another revolving door prison policy.

[TANSTaaFL]

+1 shower rape

[sarcasmic]

Counting cash, not calories! The 32-stone women making a fast buck in Las Vegas' first plus-size strip show

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/fem.....-show.html
John pron!

[Zeb]

I'm not looking. But 32 stone? That's a bit beyond "plus size" into morbidly obese. How can they even move around?

[Restoras]

Forklift?

[Bam!]

Motorized scooter.

[Corneliusm]

Scooter buddies!!!

[Loki]

If someone told her to haul ass she'd need a wheel barrow and multiple trips.

[fish]

CH-47?

[Lord Humungus]

French far-right could beat mainstream parties in EU vote: poll

France's far-right National Front could top European Parliament elections next May, pulling ahead of the two big mainstream parties for the first time in a nationwide vote, a poll showed on Wednesday.

Some 24 percent of those surveyed by for the Nouvel Observateur magazine said they would back the anti-immigrant party, compared with 22 percent for the center-right UMP and 19 percent for the governing Socialist Party.

and by far right, we mean socialist v2.0

[Hillary's Clitdong]

In Euro-speak, "far right" means "extremely racist socialists".

[Austrian Anarchy]

That is still all inclusive of socialists.

[CatoTheElder]

In Europe, Left and Right are extremely useful distinctions.

Left means Marxian international socialists, which now requires submission to the European Union; Right means national socialists, which originally advanced theories about Aryan superiority, but now connotes opposition to expanding EU authority and to African and Asian immigrants who are antagonistic to traditional European culture.

As long as one is a socialist, there is a wide range of political diversity in Europe.

Pretty much the same thing in the US.

[KPres]

Racism is the only thing that can make socialism work. You need some evil common enemy to motivate people to slave for the state since you've destroyed capitalism more natural incentive structure.

[BardMetal]

Basically in France you can vote for a socialist that's racist or a socialist that isn't.

"Far right" in Europe just means opposed to more Islamic immigration. Everything else on their party platform is as socialist as any of the leftist partys.

[Snark Plissken]

This.

[Jordan]

I don't think that's really the distinction. You can vote for a socialist who wants to keep out immigrants to keep them from taking ER JERBS, and a socialist who wants to confine them to ghettos to keep them from taking ER JERBS.

[Snark Plissken]

What policies 'confine them to ghettos' exactly? Other than the policies that make it hard for young people to get a job in general?

[BardMetal]

Yeah the last time I checked nobody forced anyone to live in a ghetto in France anymore then they forced anyone to live in a ghetto in the United States.

[Jordan]

Who said anything about force?

[Jordan]

You answered your own question.

[SKR]

what Jordan said.

[Ted S.]

It also means opposed to the EU superstate for reasons other than it not being socialist enough.

[Ted S.]

And if they're beating out the "mainstream" parties, they must be fairly mainstream themselves.

[mad libertarian guy]

And if they're beating out the "mainstream" parties, they must be fairly mainstream themselves.

Anything that goes against the orthodoxy of the media and political elite is fringe.

See Tea Party politics in the US. Despite having record gains in the House in 2010, the Tea Party is still a fringe party full of nothing but extremists.

[sarcasmic]

'He asked me to put butter on his rice': Parents' hilarious photos capture the things that make children cry in new book inspired by viral blog
Greg Pembroke launched Tumblr blog Reasons My Son Is Crying last April
Initially featured only photos of his sons, Charlie and William, crying
Went viral in less than a week and was featured on Good Morning America
Pembroke has been getting photos of sobbing kids from parents living as far away as China and Australia
UK edition of the book is out this week; US edition will go on sale in April 2014

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....-blog.html
'He asked me for single payer health care' 'She wanted free contraception' 'He wanted to throw all the bitter clingers into prison camps': Hilarious photos capture the things that make progressives cry...

[Rufus J. Firefly]

"The politicians said no to using other people's money for my entitlements!"

[RBS]

I'm certainly the odd one out: I find pictures, and the sound of crying children really distressing. I understand some of them are crying about silly stuff but I still can't make myself look at the pictures- they are upsetting. I'm going through early menopause and we never were going to have more than the 2 lovely kids we have, but I am clucky! Damn hormones....

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Ha, ha. That was one of the comments.

[RBS]

I have a 15 month old and I think you have to laugh at this stuff. Toddlers can go from insanely happy to full berserker rage mode very quickly.

[Atanarjuat]

Yeah, and their tiny, impotent rage is hilarious. Well, when it's not annoying and tiresome. But I've had to choke back laughter more times than I can count when the tears start.

[Tejicano]

I don't understand why you choke back your laughter. Sometimes that's the highlight of the day.

[sarcasmic]

I found that mockery sometimes works to get the little whiner to shut it.

[fish]

I'm enjoying substituting "progressive" for "toddler" everywhere I see it in this sub-thread.

Thanks for brightening my morning!

PS: NEEEDZ MOAR CHRISTFAG!

[Restoras]

It doesn't last forever so enjoy it.

[Coeus]

"The Legend of Zelda" is classist, sexist and racist

From the perspective of domesticated animals, agriculture of the past was a gentler prospect than the modern, factory-farm system. But for non-humans the pre-industrial farm, as symbolized by Lon Lon Ranch, was still a place of exploitation and violence, where their lives, in general, would be significantly shorter and more circumscribed than those of their nearest, wild cousins.

But in the game, domestication is portrayed as a mutually beneficial, voluntary arrangement. The anthropomorphized cows of Hyrule speak to Link, literally saying, "Have some of my refreshing and nutritious milk!" Of course depicting a relationship as anything like symbiotic when one party kills and eats the other, as well as the latter's children, would be laughable if it weren't so appalling.

[waffles]

These people will try to ruin anything. Even the story of a mute boy being tricked into doing the bidding of a princess all because he cannot say no.

[Jordan]

This is satire...

Right? Please tell me I'm right.

[fish]

You're wrong.

[Mike M.]

If anyone wasn't sure whether today's liberals are completely fucking insane, this article should help them make up their minds.

[Zeb]

I'm pretty sure that most liberals are OK with domesticated animals being used for food.

[DesigNate]

We are Soylent Green?

[Drax the Destroyer]

Nothing is too petty, innocuous, or pointless to escape the ire of these so-called do-gooders. Heck, look at the endless butthurt (20, 30, 40 years?) over the Washington Redskins' name. These are the same people who think it would be nice if we could save the pooooorrrrrr Syrian women and children and establish an egalitarian socialist paradise instead of the totalitarian socialist nightmare that currently exists throughout most of the world.

[Virginian]

They're whipping up the outrage over the Skins now because they had a successful season last year. If they return to irrelevance, the outrage will cease.

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

So, presently then?

[Certified Public Asskicker]

AND VIOLENT! Link is carrying around a sword, bombs, a boomerang, a slingshot, BOW AND ARROWS!

THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

[Mike M.]

He's like a little cartoon terrorist!

[Coeus]

yup

[Certified Public Asskicker]

It really is one of the best games ever though. Of course some PC asshole has to try and bring it down.

[KPres]

ok, so I'm now convinced that Salon is a false flag operation set up the Koch brothers to humiliate progressives.

[sarcasmic]

Apocalypse Now: Unstoppable man-made climate change will become reality by the end of the decade and could make New York, London and Paris uninhabitable within 45 years

Research from the University of Hawaii claims that man-made global warming is now inevitable
The Earth is going to dangerously heat up over the next 50-years
The tropics will bear the brunt of the disastrous temperature increases of as much as seven-degrees-centigrade
Millions of people will be displaced, millions of species will be threatened with extinction
Major cities such as New York and London will fight to survive the rise in temperatures the likes of which humans have never experienced before

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....study.html
A comment from someone using the name 'reality'

End of days. Believe it or not, rapture is fast approaching. Everything that is going on, is in the Holy Bible. Jesus Christ is coming back for his people, those who stay behind, let me just say it will not be pretty. God bless.

So now the Christians are on board?

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

Not really.

[Gene]

Why even comment on so much obvious hyperbole? I guess believers just wanna believe.

[Jordan]

So now the Christians are on board?

It's nice to see cross-faith cooperation.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The social justice wing, maybe.

[Jordan]

Research from the University of Hawaii claims that man-made global warming is now inevitable

Ok, cool. Then can we stop trying to fight it?

[WTF]

I forget, back in 1998 how much warmer were they saying things would be by now?

[Restoras]

Back in 1978 global cooling and the onset of the next ice age had the pearl clutchers in panic mode.

[mad libertarian guy]

In 2007 they predicted that we wouldn't have any more summer ice in the arctic.

[BardMetal]

No but I bet the irony will be lost on the global warming fanatics.

[Mike M.]

More bullcrap our kids can all laugh at one day.

[Restoras]

Frankly, if places like NYC, SF, and LA become uninhabitable would it really be a bad thing?

[Kaptious Kristen]

Yes. Because where would all those douchebags go?

[Restoras]

Actually, that's a good point. Wherever they ended up they'd bring their idiotic politics with them and ruin that place.

[thom]

Hopefully the middle states would have the foresight to break away from the USA before that happened. These people would either be illegal immigrants or refugees, and probably wouldn't be given full voting right straight away.

[fish]

Don't know....but I'm hoping it rhymes with "Death Camp"!

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

Meth Ramp?

[Stormy Dragon]

What did the people of West Ham ever do to you to deserve such a punishment?

[Drax the Destroyer]

Seriously, most of North Dakota is uninhabited. It's a frozen wasteland most of the year...but those violent fucks dominating New York and San Fran deserve no less than a Siberian experience. Plus, the ND residents would put those pansy ass city dwellers to shame in regards to tenacity and tolerance of limited recreational activities.

[a better weapon]

The author of this study freely admits that he is not a climate scientist. Camilo Mora is a geologist compiling the data of hundreds of other studies to reach his conclusions.

A geology student is putting garbage in to get garbage out and look at the platform he receives!

Let a skeptic try that.

[sarcasmic]

Rocks for jocks.

[RBS]

I loved geology in in undergrad. Get stoned, go on a field trip, look at cool shit then get an A.

[Clich? Bandit]

Too bad. Most geologists have more perspective than this moron.

[DesigNate]

Or that guy is trolling the climate bleevers for the lulz.

[sarcasmic]

'Our veterans deserve a clean lawn': Shutdown-busting gardener tells how he was ordered off Lincoln Memorial by 'bully robocops'
South Carolinian leapt into action as the federal government's shutdown began, cleaning up trash and tending the grounds on the National Mall
A 'bully' Park Police officer made him stop mowing the lawn in front of the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday, and said he couldn't pick up the trash
The officer told him news stories showing the Mall in disrepair would help government employees get back to work with full pay
Chris Cox, 45, is calling on Americans to bring rakes and lawn mowers to war memorials and clean up what furloughed government workers won't

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....olice.html
A rare bit of honesty from a cop. I bet he gets fired for it.

[mad libertarian guy]

South Carolinian leapt into action as the federal government's shutdown began, cleaning up trash and tending the grounds on the National Mall.

A 'bully' Park Police officer made him stop mowing the lawn in front of the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday, and said he couldn't pick up the trash.

Government doesn't like it when you show them up. God forbid you show that something can be done without their benevolence.

[R C Dean]

Names. Get the names of the jackboots, and mention them in every article an interview.

[G-dub]

Cops: "Look out he's got a rake!!!!"

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

[sarcasmic]

Arlington graves stripped of personal mementos in controversial clean-up that has outraged fallen service members' grieving families
The new policy at the Virginia cemetery bans pictures and small tributes

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....an-up.html
They won't clean up the trash, but they will clean up personal mementos. Disgusting.

[VG Zaytsev]

They can't sell trash on ebay.

[Lord Humungus]

The Republican Revolution of 2013

The "hostage-takers" have already succeeded in:

1. Closing the government at will;

2. Smashing the hierarchy of one of America's two major political parties;

3. Redefining the meaning of small government conservatism and significantly changing the expectations of small government conservatives;

4. Cutting the government with a hacksaw;

5. Ensuring their re-election.

Democrats will not be able to participate in the practice of governing until they understand that, to a large extent, their opponents have won.

I missed have missed that part.

[Coeus]

"Ok, you guys won. We're done now. No more work necessary. Time to go home."

[Zeb]

Cutting the government with a hacksaw;

Well they started, but then it got all work hardened and they had to give up.

[Brett L]

Wait, just so I'm clear... Number 5 would seem to indicate that they are doing the will of at least some plurality of voters who vote in their district. Isn't this the "democracy" they were crowing about as implemented in representative democracies?

[Cascadian Ephor Xenocles]

No, now they're concerned with gerrymandering because Elbridge Gerry invented it in 2010.

[PD Scott]

No, those voters have false consciousness so they don't count. If they didn't have false consciousness they would vote Democrat.

[Old Man With Candy]

This is another example of, if the Republicans really wanted to do what the Dems say they want do, I'd actually support them.

Excuse me, I have to whip some of the orphans who aren't polishing my monocle quickly enough.

[Enough About Palin]

You do your own whipping? Cretin.

[Old Man With Candy]

I tried delegating, but my underlings don't have the same sense of sadism and cruelty that defines me.

[sarcasmic]

Do you really need a helmet to play soccer? School district says all student must wear headgear to prevent concussions while playing non-contact sports

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....ports.html
Just when you think the pussification of America was complete.

[Ted S.]

Soccer isn't a non-contact sport, of course.

[Snark Plissken]

Never go full retard.

[mad libertarian guy]

Never go full retard.

Those who cater to the soccer mom crowd have already gone full retard, because their constituency requires nothing less.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Soccer non-contact?

36 years of playing and watching the game and I never knew that.

I guess my ACL tear happened magically.

As for the concussions, I'm starting to get a sneaking suspicion it's entering the hyperbole realm.

Sports and injuries go hand in hand. You can't prevent anything - including concussions - lest you, well, ban them.

And we're well on our way to someone proposing this somewhere down the road.

For the children.

[RBS]

Don't try to act like tearing your ACL while taking a dive makes soccer a contact sport.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

It's funny. Diving never really happened when I played. Weird.

Unfortunately, someone stuck his leg out and slammed my knee as I attempted to cut across with the ball. A bit of a questionable play on his part given I would have blown by him but hey...

[Snark Plissken]

Much as I love to hate the Brits, I have to give them credit for mostly avoiding this craven shit.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Bull shit. Not only do they play the game poorly, they've taken to it quite well.

Take it from me. I'm part of a Fantasycheat League and one thing I learned is that the myth of the righteous Northern player was just that - a myth. Last World Cup USA, Holland and Germany led the pack. England was not too far behind. France and Australia were at the bottom while Brazil, Portugal and Argentina at the top. Spain and Italy in the middle.

[Brett L]

I think he means in the diver department. The Brazilians and Italians are clearly the head of the diver class.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yes, I know he means diving. My point is they all do it. Period.

Like I said, in the last two Euro's and WC's of my FCL, Italy is NOT as bad as the public perception.

As an aside, Brazil, Argentina (any South American, Portugal and Spain have historically always been ahead. ALWAYS.

Holland in particular doesn't get singled out enough. Germany too. They won a fricken WC on a dive for cripes sakes in 1990.

And while I'm at it Brazil and Argentina have had more red cards than any nations at the World Cup.

[BakedPenguin]

Rufus, who do you root for in the World Cup? Just curious.

[TANSTaaFL]

You mean flopping like this??

http://youtu.be/_YfA0Zn3vK4

This is the reason I can never get into soccer.

[Ted S.]

I can't help but think of the way Chelsea drove Anders Frisk out of refereeing.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

And for the record, I blew my other ACL playing ball hockey! Ironically, no contact. It happened while I made a sudden move to cut back into another direction.

Which is how most ACL injuries occur.

[RBS]

I was just joking about the stereotype.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I know.

[Auric Demonocles]

ACL tears have nothing to do contact.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Most of the incidences that is true. However, in my last one it was the case as his knee slammed into the SIDE of my knee which will tear the ACL.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

It is amazing to me how people let professional athletes get away with complaining about possible head injuries from their careers in contact sports.

Really? You voluntarily decided to play a sport which is dangerous and could very well lead to serious injury. No one is to blame for your voluntary decision to play the sport and get payed a lot of money to do so other than you. If you think the sport is too dangerous, quit. Otherwise shutup. Nonody owes you any more money for your decision to play contact sports which resulted in brain damage.

[RBS]

According to Doug Gotlieb the NFL is just like Big Tobacco.

[mad libertarian guy]

I generally don't hear the players bitching about it. It's the media that covers them which has forced the hand of leagues.

That said, why is it bad to want a safer game?

[robc]

Lots of players bitching about it in court.

[waffles]

Because gladiators. It's a difficult balance between safety and full-on bloodsport.

[Old Man With Candy]

'Cause it's boring to watch?

[Red Rocks Rockin]

In fairness, not much was known about the long-term effects of concussions in football players because it was simply assumed that the helmets protected you from most those effects. "Getting your bell rung" once in a while was taken as part of the game until they started scanning the brains of all these guys that suffered dementia-type symptoms. It's a bit disingenuous to claim that everyone knew what they were getting into when the fact is, no one really understood the science behind those risks of traumatic brain injury for quite a while.

It's one thing to criticize the players if they're bitching about bad joints and stuff like that, but it's another when the issue is affecting a part of the body that still remains a bit of a mystery and which the "protective equipment" was ostensibly designed to prevent.

The Frontline doc admitted that there's still a lot of research to be done after all the sensationalism--the question of genetics and steroids are mentioned but never expanded upon, perhaps because not enough research has been performed yet--but it's pretty obvious that the NFL didn't really take the issue seriously until they thought their bottom line would be affected. That's what's irritating people more than anything else.

[BigT]

For a real eye-opening piece on concussions see PBS Frontline's League of Denial that aired Tuesday. While the sample size is small, they look at brains from a few kids in their teens who already had evidence of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).

It will have a chilling effect on football at all levels.

[Snark Plissken]

The ironic thing is that headgear actually tends to increase head trauma in sports. Contrast American football and rugby.

[RBS]

This. When you are no longer too concerned with getting hurt then launching yourself at your opponents head seems like a good idea.

[Kool]

This. I've been saying this for years now. Want to protect football players? Get rid of all pads except maybe a cup and a mouthguard. Again: see rugby and Aussie rules football. No one on this earth is going to dive headfirst into someone else's head. Well maybe a couple people will, but they are weird.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

I wouldn't be surprised to see something like this happen down the line. Most of these guys are so jacked they already have enough padding with all the musculature they've built up, and there's a reason you don't hear about all the old-time NFL players like Sammy Baugh, Pete Henry, etc., dealing with demetia-related issues at relatively young ages. They hardly had anything in the way of head protection and had to take care of how they tackled people.

[Restoras]

Not too mention ice hockey.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Don Cherry has been railing about the "gladioratorial" equipment in hockey. To him, that's why injuries and hits to the head are so prevalent.

He's right. Like usual.

Elbow pads are like weapons.

But the left and liberal sports writers hate him so much they shoot the messenger rather than the message.

[FYTW]

To be fair, Grapes deserves shooting for inflicting on the world those horrendous suits he insists on wearing on HNiC.

[wareagle]

I will forever contend that the advent of helmets did nothing more than encourage players to go higher with hits. In the old days, there was some professional respect with checking.

You did not take cheap head shots because, if you did, you knew retaliation was coming. And I still remember form tackling in football practice from eons ago. The mantra of "see what you hit" dates back generations.

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

I used to hate when former high school football players would join our rugby team...had to reteach them to tackle many times, and were always waiting for the spectacular self-inflicted injury to happen.

[Restoras]

I played a little rugby in college and most football players that showed up didn't last long. Between having to re-learn proper tackling techniques, and RUNNING ALL THE TIME, they invariably quit.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yeah, completely different pace and skills needed. I don't see a whole lot of similarities between rugby and football players. Never played rugby and barely grasp the rules but I've deduced that much.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Ya, it's the running all the time that sucks. I played enough "backyard" football to know the difference between padded tackling and non-padded tackling. I didn't find that transition very hard at all.

Also, not blocking. That was hard. And Euro guys get pretty mad when you forget blocking is illegal. And they refuse to explain the rules in any concise manner.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

That's because they're more nuanced than us rubes.

[fish]

Debate competitions?

[sarcasmic]

Hunters apologise after killing rare albino moose that is considered sacred by Canadian indigenous people
The 'spirit moose' was shot during a hunting trip to Cape Breton Highlands
Hunters who killed it claim they did not realise it was sacred to Mi'kmaq
They are returning it to the First Nation tribe to be disposed of respectfully

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....anada.html
"Oh wow! An albino moose! Let's kill it!"

[BardMetal]

His albino squirrel side kick refused to comment on the story.

[mad libertarian guy]

I would have shot that fucker too, and I would have shipped his head back to my house to hang on the wall, and the meat to put in the freezer. A moose would feed my family for 9 months or so. I'm not even a little bit worried that someone else might think that animal sacred.

[Kool]

Are you mad?!
Oh, wait. Never mind.

[mad libertarian guy]

Are you mad?!

Well yes, but that isn't the point.

I just don't understand why I'm supposed to see Christianity as a bunch of delusional folk who believe in an all magical Sky Daddy, while simultaneously I'm supposed to respect that a bunch of indigenous folk see a fucking moose as sacred because it has a genetic deviation.

[sarcasmic]

Some of us respect the beliefs of others even if we don't share them.

[mad libertarian guy]

I respect their right to have those beliefs, which has no bearing on respecting the beliefs themselves. Why should I respect their belief that a moose who rolled a snake eyes in the genetic game of dice is somehow sacred? It's no more respectable than believing that some jihadist is supposed to kill infidels because his qur'an has magic writing in it that tells him it's the right thing to do. Nor any more respectable than believing that individuals need to submit to the collective in order to form a utopia.

I'm not saying that people shouldn't be able to have those beliefs, I'm just saying that I have no obligation to have any respect for those beliefs at all.

[sarcasmic]

You're missing it. I never said you were under any obligation, and comparing a belief in a sacred moose with a belief in killing innocent people is most definitely not the same thing.
Personally, I would have found a different moose to shoot. It's not like those north woods aren't full of the damn things.

[mr simple]

Yes, if it is so sacred, they should have kept it on their property.

[mad libertarian guy]

Yes, if it is so sacred, they should have kept it on their property.

This.

[GozWa]

Pretty sure it wasn't on the hunter's property when he shot it

[Tejicano]

Hell, I would have sent somebody back to get a case of hair dye.

Nah, screw that. Spray paint.

[DesigNate]

"It's comin right for us!"

[sarcasmic]

Kung Fu fighting giraffes get in a twist battling it out in ferocious display of dominance
Pair captured clashing in South African bush by British photographer
First blow knocks bull across the face
Powerful beasts end up entwined as long necks and limbs get in muddle

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

[Ted S.]

Those giraffes were fast as lightning,
And I guess it was a little bit frightening?

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

They might have been a bit short on the expert timing.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A cop in Edison, New Jersey is facing departmental charges for trying to press a woman he met on a call for sex.

Uniform or not, he wasn't guido enough for this Jersey girl.

[KDN]

Anthony Sarni? Trying to pick up a girl at a hotel near the convention center? I think the problem is the opposite.

For funsies, read the sidebar on the Star-Ledger story ("MORE EDISON POLICE NEWS"). The department is so damned corrupt that even the PBA has stopped defending it.

[Lord Humungus]

Is this part of the Warty Olympics?

Drunk easyJet passenger Tasered by police after stripping naked and challenging pilot to a fight

The aggravated 52-year-old man also urinated on the side of the Terminal One building at Manchester Airport after landing on a flight from Malta yesterday afternoon.

He was captured on camera removing his clothes on the runway before a female companion slapped him across the face.

Footage shows the bald, tattooed man shouting at airport officials as he stumbles around on the airport tarmac in a pair of black underpants.

[SugarFree]

Footage shows the bald, tattooed man shouting at airport officials as he stumbles around on the airport tarmac in a pair of black underpants.

Certainly sounds like Warty.

[Snark Plissken]

I don't think even Warty would ever descend to having sex with a Manc.

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

So did he rape the plane later on?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Someone's gonna have to fill me in about Warty. This insider's community thing is leaving me sad like Sadbeard.

[RBS]

Here is a start...Be sure to thank SugarFree

[Lord Humungus]

Warty will fill you in. Literally.

[Snark Plissken]

Be careful what you wish for, Rufus.

[mad libertarian guy]

Someone's gonna have to fill me in about Warty. This insider's community thing is leaving me sad like Sadbeard.

I see a visit to the Warty Rape Dungeon in your future.

/psychic

[Restoras]

I'd just play along and hang near the fringe so you can bail easy if you have to.

[R C Dean]

Don't believe him when he asks for your safety word.

For Warty, there is no safety word.

[Fist of Etiquette]

DC Mayor Vincent Gray, meanwhile, confronted Harry Reid over his refusal to take DC out of the government shutdown crisis.

You're gonna have to deal with some friendly fire, pal, in a total war scenario.

[Juice]

Well, it really doesn't make any god damned sense to have trash pickup in DC tied to congressional approval.

[Bardas Phocas]

They should go all neo-confederate and secede and drive out their hated federalist overlords.

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

You mean those that extract wealth from the rest of the country and pay for DC? Never happen.

[Lord Humungus]

The Tyranny of the Parasitocracy

The parasitocracy includes the ignorant, idle, and lustful who, given the opportunity, will always eschew work and responsibility for ease and amusement. It includes economic titans who, unsatisfied with merely being social benefactors, dream of establishing a permanent stratification of society with themselves as the overseers. (Consider the leading American industrialists who lobbied for stricter compulsory government school laws, and financially supported Dewey's progressive collectivist methods of retarding intellectual development. They knew exactly what they were supporting.) It includes the bureaucratic Iagos who weasel and flatter themselves into positions of political influence and then urge the expansion of government, in effect holding nations for ransom in the name of an indolent ego-gratification bordering on the criminally insane, in the manner of Woodrow Wilson's closest advisor, Edward "Colonel" House, who wrote a utopian fantasy novel about a charismatic revolutionary who instigates a bloody civil war to wipe out the American republic in favor of a progressive authoritarian state.

[waffles]

Utopian? Is that real? I always thought Woodrow Wilson was the hero who won the war to end all wars, not some proto-fascist.

[CatoTheElder]

Sarcasm?

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

Xtreme.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

House would have fit right in with today's shitlib punditocracy--a solipsistic progressive managerialist with an obsequious approach to those in power on the same Team.

[Rich]

a central impediment is that Maryland's [healthcare exchange] system requires online verification of each person's identity.

WTF? A Democrat state requires *identity verification*?!

[Raven Nation]

Democrats require ID verification for everything except voting.

[Atanarjuat]

The only reason they were ever against voter ID is because it is guaranteed to cost Democrats votes (via preventing fraud or just preventing society's less useful members from voting). It certainly was never a principled stand against the state in favor of the rights of the individual.

[#]

The biggest proof of this was in the 2000 Florida recounts, the dems trying to disqualify overseas ballots that lean GOP due to military.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Egypt condemned the US for suspending military aid to the country...

It is the only stable force in the country.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Dangling the carrot of foreign aid to bribe them into giving cabinet posts to the islamists. And thats a best case scenario.

[Lord Humungus]

Err Engine Down
What really went wrong with healthcare.gov?

So we had (at least) two sets of contracted developers, apparently in isolation from each other, working on two pieces of a system that had to run together perfectly. Anyone in software engineering will tell you that cross-group coordination is one of the hardest things to get right, and also one of the most crucial, because while programmers are great at testing their own code, testing that their code works with everybody else's code is much more difficult.

more detail in link.

[mad libertarian guy]

But Obama waved his magic wand. It must be a Teahadist plot that sabotaged the federal exchange.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

The article doesn't seem to have analyzed the problem any differently than the Reuters article did--it's basically a web site that DDOS's itself whenever someone tries to sign up, because the architecture is shit.

[trshmnstr]

Anyone in software engineering will tell you that cross-group coordination is one of the hardest things to get right, and also one of the most crucial,

Yawn. "cross-group coordination" isn't one of the hardest things to get right. Every software job I've ever held has had an element of it, and it's frustrating, but not that hard at all. That's what a bunch of emails and an API are for.

because while programmers are great at testing their own code, testing that their code works with everybody else's code is much more difficult.

14 year olds can test their own code. It's not a difficult concept. "Run the code in a bunch of different ways to make sure it's not broken." You're taught in undergrad how to test that your code works with everybody else's, because that what you do 99% of the time in the real world.

This is just a puff piece trying to explain the difficulties of properly running a software project, something that thousands of companies seem to be able to do on a daily basis.

[Brett L]

Yeah. This is a failure of management. But we knew that when they were arguing over font and look/feel before having it actually DO something.

[Lord Humungus]

Man in Mexico made his girlfriend wear a chastity lock on her pants

Police say a woman told them her boyfriend put a padlock on her pants so she wouldn't be unfaithful to him. Police say she couldn't take it anymore.

The 25-year-old woman, in excruciating pain after being unable to go to the restroom for several hours, went to police.

A padlock prevented her from taking off her blue jeans.

[Fist of Etiquette]

So she had sex with the locksmith then?

[BardMetal]

How long did they talk about the chastity device before the woman started wondering that this might not be a very healthy relationship?

[Lady Bertrum]

Scissors shortage in Mexico? Only the police can cut your jeans off you?

[Ken Shultz]

Local counties in Utah and Arizona are banding together to take over closed national parks.

"This is not going to be a showdown or a standoff," Eldredge said. "This is something that's going to be done peacefully. We just want to take over as far as law enforcement, EMS, and search and rescue, and get those parks open."

Lyman said he expects action as early as this week, but the county is trying to coordinate with other southern Utah counties and some Arizona counties."

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/n.....k.html.csp

Is there some reason why law enforcement, EMS and search and rescue MUST be done by federal government? I suspect local government can do just as good a job, and if that's the case, then maybe these parks should be spun off to local control--even after the budget impasse is over.

Meanwhile the park service is saying that taking down those barricades is illegal--not that local government officials will be arrested, only that it's illegal.

[sarcasmic]

My understanding is that it's a jurisdiction thing. Like how university cops have the authority of a state trooper.

[Ken Shultz]

I'm hoping it becomes a theme.

The parks try to demonstrate how important they are by closing things that don't need to be closed, and all they end up doing is showing everybody how truly unnecessary they are.

It could be a part of the deal that ends the spending showdown. Let's identify all the parks that local and state governments are willing to take over, and let the locals have 'em!

That way the cash-strapped park service can save that money and keep the World War II Memorial open for visiting veterans, damn it.

If the park service is going to close off our national monuments like they're a bunch of teamsters on a picket-line, then by golly, we should treat them like a bunch of crooked teamsters, too. I want a full accounting, congressional hearings, the whole bit. There's gotta be a damning internal email somewhere.

[sarcasmic]

A quote from something I posted above:

The officer told him news stories showing the Mall in disrepair would help government employees get back to work with full pay

I too hope it has the opposite effect.

[robc]

A private organization recently took over two city parks here in Louisville.

The city still owns the land, but the maintenance and etc is entirely in the hands of a private org.

As I mentioned in another thread, that org does semi-try to hide how much money they got in state and federal grants, but at least going forward everything is thru private donations (and the majority of the startup capital was private too).

[Restoras]

Tony consistently assures us these things can't be done without government so it must be a lie.

[robc]

The Parklands

[CatoTheElder]

Market failure!

That's something that really can't be done without government.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Despite saying he would not negotiate, President Obama is meeting with House Republicans later today.

This, I assume, will involve him lying to Republicans about all the ways he'll negotiate with them once they have no leverage. Let's see how many buy it.

[Jordan]

Let's see how many buy it.

Most of them, I'm guessing.

[Rich]

All these "meetings", "negotiations", and "conversations" should take place *in public forums*. Let the People see how government *really* "works".

[Lord Humungus]

Cyborg Cockroach Company Sparks Ethics Debate

But the notion that the insects aren't seriously harmed by having body parts cut off is "disingenuous," says animal behavior scientist Jonathan Balcombe of the Humane Society University in Washington, D.C. "If it was discovered that a teacher was having students use magnifying glasses to burn ants and then look at their tissue, how would people react?"

Gage says that in his experience, working carefully and closely with insects and other animals in experiments can sensitize students to the fact that roaches "are actually similar to us and have the same neurons that we have." He also notes that the company doesn't kill their own roaches after the experiments, but sends them to a "retirement" tank that the team calls Shady Acres. Although they may be missing legs or antennae, the insects tend to get on with their lives after the experiments, he says. "They do what they like to do: make babies, eat, and poop."

[Tejicano]

Wha...?

Somebody is publicly standing up for the rights of cockroaches?

I would toss all the survivors in a big jar and mail it to these whiners. "Here ya go - now play nice".

[Ted S.]

More Bulgarian football news:

Smoky Welcome for Bulgaria's Football Team in Yerevan

Around 40 supporters of Armenia lined up in the airport hall and lit smoke bombs and firecrackers. They were shouting "gypsies, gypsies" at the Bulgarian delegation which was trying to make its way out, reports gong.bg.

And it's the US, not Europe, that's horribly, irredeemably racist. Sure.

[WTF]

Most Europeans are casually racist in a way that most Americans would find shocking.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

There was an article on a black Italian soccer player in SI recently, and the writer sounded quite put out that fans of the opposing teams would wave bananas at him during games. I don't think the writer understood that this sort of thing is perfectly normal in Europe.

[KPres]

Europeans are less progressive. They don't really find racism all that offensive. Witness their surprise at Oprah's reaction to the handbag incident:

She said: 'I don't know why she talked of racism. I am sorry, but perhaps she is being a little over-sensitive here. Maybe she was somewhat offended because she was not immediately recognized in the store.'

If she'd have said that in the US her shop would have been swamped with protesters and Obama would be saying Oprah looks she could be his sister.

[Zeb]

You really can't beat Europe for casual racism and hating Gypsies.

[Pro Libertate]

No kidding. Many years ago, I dated a Romanian, and she really, really, really despised Gypsies. And communists. It was funny, because she was an art student and had to be by far the most politically conservative in her college. Understandable, given what Romanians had to go through, I suppose.

[Zeb]

I bet Romanians get really annoyed when people think that "Roma" and "Romanian" are synonymous.

Gypsies living in the "traditional" way can be pretty fucking annoying and will pick your pockets, so it is somewhat understandable. But the degree to which a lot of Europeans hate them is a bit shocking.

[Lord Humungus]

Video: Dem. Rep Asks IRS Official if She's a Witch

Representative Gerry Connolly (D., Va.) tried to mock Republican concerns over the IRS's targeting of conservative groups, as well as its involvement in enforcing Obamacare, by asking an official from the agency if she was a witch.

Connolly started off his line of questioning by wondering if Sarah Hall Ingram, director of the office tasked with enforcing the health-care law, was familiar with The Crucible, a play about the Salem witch trials. He went on to ask Ingram a series of ridiculous questions about whether she had been "consorting with the devil," could fly, or was involved in "trying to pervert our youth." Later, Connolly wondered if the devil had anything to do with an award Hall had won.

[Ted S.]

And there are people who will eat this up.

[WTF]

Because getting caught targeting groups for harrassment based on political beliefs is EXACTLY like being accused of witchcraft.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

It's even stupider and more ironic because The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism--you know, the idea that you can destroy a person's life based on their particular political affiliation.

I guess it's too much to expect that kind of intellectual awareness from a Boston Irishman.

[NoVAHockey]

that guy is my congressman.

[NoVAHockey]

that guy is my congressman.

[Lord Humungus]

ah, I see you voted twice!

[Mike M.]

He knows his Saul Alinsky Rules for Radicals very well, but I don't think his stupid jokes are going to succeed too well in derailing this investigation.

[Ken Shultz]

"Egypt condemned the US for suspending military aid to the country, saying the regime would not "surrender to American pressure"

It's working already!

[Rich]

A little entertainment for the resident Web programmers: Democratcare JavaScript

Also, screw the 50-character-word limit!

[wheelock]

Oh my. What in the ever loving hell? That must be every piece of text on the site. In one js file? Wtf are they doing? That is some funny shit right there. I can only think this must be so they can have translated text for placing w js?

[The Late P Brooks]

I flipped over to Morning Joke because I didn't want to listen to Jack Lew's apocalyptic scolding. They had Washington Times reporter Emily (Gets Her Gun) Miller on. Topic: reasonable and sensible gun safety favored by every single SANE RESPONSIBLE PERSON in the universe.

Odious retarded douchebag Halperin throws down the BAZOOOOOKAZ! card, smirks, "I'm a GENIUS!" smirk. What a bunch of morons.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

You guys are not going to believe what happened to me last night. Half a dozen heavily armed and armored Sheriff Detectives surrounded my house. They were looking for a previous tenant who had a warrant for their arrest.

I asked to see the warrant, which they produced, so I let them in.

Here's the amazing parts.

1) they didn't tear up my house. As soon as they figured out we weren't the people they were looking for, they just sat in our living room and filled out reports.

2)Despite them being heavily armed, no gun was ever pointed at us.

3) This is the truly amazing part: They didn't shoot my dogs... It was a bit tense when my rottweiler almost scaled the fence, but the officer in charge just backed away and asked me politely to restrain my dogs.

Although it was still annoying, the officers were friendly, they weren't pushy or "respect my authoritae".

Amazing.

[Ken Shultz]

I'm not that gullible.

Nice try!

[Jordan]

And nothing else happened?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Nope. They just asked a few questions about whether we knew the people they were looking for, asked me to call my landlord so they could ask him, then left. Peacefully and with no one in handcuffs.

They had a warrant and could have searched the place from top to bottom, but never came in further than 5 feet inside the door.

[Rich]

You *will* tell us if they come back, won't you?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Sure will. I doubt they will come back, though. It was quite obvious that I wasn't the middle aged man they were looking for, and as I said below, they actually apologized for scaring us and the inconvenience.

[RightofCenter]

They have to come back to, you know, let him down one last time!

[Ken Shultz]

And you live in the United States?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Yup, in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio.

[Restoras]

Cleveland is still part of the US?

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

I refuse to accept that.

[Nephilium]

East side or West side?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

East side.

[Nephilium]

Assuming you're past Euclid (and still on the North end), that may explain it. I grew up over there, and have fond memories of being in downtown Willoughby at closing time. You'd have cops there that could have probably gotten an OVI on any car they wanted. Instead they just kept traffic flowing and picked up the ones who were falling down/puking.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

That's the area. Willoughby cops know that if they went after every drunk leaving DTW, they would have to shut the city down every night, so they generally only go after the swerving, dangerously drunk drivers.

[Drake]

When I hear "Sheriff Detectives" I assume you live somewhere relatively rural?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Not really. I live in the burbs in a city of about 20K. The county Sheriff is used to execute warrants that cross jurisdictional lines.

[Drake]

"the burbs in a city of about 20K." That sounds pretty rural. I live in the far outer burbs of a city of 8 million.

I think that local rural cops are generally much better than the big city ones.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Cleveland itself only has about 350k people. The area I live in is far from rural. Postage stamp lots, numbered streets, big commercial and industrial parks. It's the most densely populated area in the county.

The county does have a lot of rural areas to the east, and the local Sheriffs are usually local boys.

[R C Dean]

I think that local rural cops are generally much better than the big city ones.

Perhaps having something to do with the prevalence of gun owners in rural areas.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Yeah, I think this has something to do with the reason they were so polite and calmly approached the house instead of busting in the door. We have 3 beware of dogs signs posted, a lifetime NRA sticker on the door, and a door mat that says "nothing inside is worth dying for"

Again, it goes to show the restraint and rationality with which these cops operated. They saw those things and thought "if we bust down the door, there may be a firefight, if we go talk to the nice people behind the fence, we might resolve this peaceably." instead of thinking "GUNS! DOGS! GO IN GUNS BLAZING AND MAKE IT HOME SAFE!"

[Juice]

they just sat in our living room and filled out reports

And how long did it take you to say, "Ok, you can get the fuck out of my house now"?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

I didn't have to. It's not like they sat around for hours taking their time. It was literally the guy writing down "suspect doesn't live here anymore, new tenants present", jotting down my landlord's phone number and *gasp* they even apologized for the inconvenience.

[RBS]

I've found that the Sheriff's Department in my county is much more reasonable and friendly than the various municipal departments and state agencies. Probably because it's a smaller unit and everyone of them actually grew up in the county.

[sarcasmic]

Sheriffs, like state troopers, tend to be fairly reasonable. It's the town and city cops you've got to watch out for.

[RBS]

Not in SC. Our state troopers are the most militant and humorless of all.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Sarc and RBS,

Yeah, that's been my experience as well. It was funny when my wife thanked them for not kicking in the door, guns drawn.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Perhaps Reason has given you a false impression of how the vast majority of police interactions go.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Perhaps you should shut your ignorant Gob-hole.

This isn't the first time I've interacted with the cops in an official capacity and previous encounters were no where near as friendly, most of them downright hostile.

So, before you go spouting off about where my impressions come from... no, just shut up.

[sarcasmic]

Come on! He had the straw man on the ropes!

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

If you were breaking the law then they were right to be hostile.

[sarcasmic]

Tulpafy

[robc]

Bull fucking shit.

[Restoras]

Derptastic!

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

Thank you Commander Burge.

[SugarFree]

I love that everyone on the board finally sees Tulpa for what he is.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

I try to give everyone a fair chance. There are plenty of people out there that are simply ignorant and need to be taught. Tulpa takes ignorance to an Olympic level. I tried to reason with it once, but after the "sensible gun safe" law it thinks is brilliant, I just respond with "fuck off".

[Warty]

You are learning. Also, glad you didn't get shot, dude.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Thanks, man. I'd have hated to see what you'd have done to them if you saw my name on one of the nut punches here.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Again with your ignorance.

A) In none of the instances, was I in any way shape or form guilty of anything despite the fact that they treated me like a criminal.

B) NO! They were not right to be hostile. Defensive, yeah. Suspicious, yeah. Outright hostile, no.

The cops I dealt with last night SHOULD be how these things are handled. They were on edge when they got there but showed me respect and acted rationally. Hell, they were downright friendly once they figured out the person they were looking for wasn't there. My previous dealings with the cops... not so much. Hostile even as they were leaving, one was still threatening to lock me up as he was leaving.

Fuck off.

[Zeb]

If you were breaking the law then they were right to be hostile.

Bull Shit. Unless absolutely necessary they should be calm and polite at all times. I don't care who they are arresting or for what.

[R C Dean]

If you were breaking the law then they were right to be hostile.

No, if you are an imminent threat to the health or safety of others, they have the right to be hostile.

If you are merely committing your three (victimless) felonies a day, not so much.

[Virginian]

If you were breaking the law then they were right to be hostile.

http://youtu.be/ojPVOhHhwnk?t=2m53s

From the Book of Swayze.

The whole point of cops is that they are detached from the emotional context of situations.

[KPres]

"If you were breaking the law then they were right to be hostile."

Is that taillight out? ON THE GROUND, SCUMBAG!! ON THE GROUND, NOW!! STOP RESISTING!! STOP RESISTING!!

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Tulpy Poo would do so happily. Hell, he'd probably already have his lubed ass in the air for them.

"resist THIS"

[SugarFree]

slurp, slurp, slurp

[itsnotmeitsyou]

What does Tulpa say when he gets to the Police Ball?

*gag*

[robc]

I would have told them to fill out their fucking paperwork in their own fucking home.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

I may have asked them to leave if they were taking a long time, but I didn't want to push my luck. It was a peaceful and respectful visit, and they had a warrant. Like I said above, they could have used that warrant to stay as long as they like and search my house, but they just wanted to get out of there as much as I wanted them out. So, no use in being a dick when you don't have to.

[sarcasmic]

Being that they had a warrant, you probably did the right thing. If they sensed disrespect they may have trashed the place.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

That was my thinking. The guy was respectful and let me review the warrant before stepping foot inside my door. If they had shown up without a warrant, the entire encounter would have taken place in my front yard instead of my living room.

[sarcasmic]

the entire encounter would have taken place in my front yard instead of my living room.

FYI - If you step outside then they can legally grab you, or position themselves between you and your door. Best to speak to them through the screen door.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Good to know. In this case, they actually approached the gate on my fence as we were in the back yard. There, they told me what was going on and showed me the warrant. After the dogs were secured (in the garage), they asked me to open the front door and let them in.

[robc]

Yeah, probably better than my suggestion.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

I'm all about standing up for my rights. But like I said, they had a warrant. Legally, I couldn't stop them from coming in and searching. Bitching at them to leave when they were trying to wrap things up would be unnecessarily dickish.

[BakedPenguin]

And possibly counter productive, since it was clear to you that they wanted to leave.

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Yeah, the unit that came deals only in outstanding warrants. It seemed that my house was just one of a long list of houses they had to visit. That and it was around dinner time, they may have been ready to take a dinner break. If they were hungry, I imagine the smell of cooking burgers and stuffed mushrooms made them hungrier.

[R C Dean]

Silver Rule applies here, folks.

If the cops are polite, respectful, and generally act like decent human beings, then you should, too. Why wouldn't you?

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Agreed. They were polite and had a lawful warrant to execute. They didn't come into the situation being dicks and I didn't see a point in giving them a reason to be dicks.

[BigT]

One of my grad school room-mates who had worked in a rural NE Ohio sherriff's dept gave me some good advice once: "Don't forget that the cop you are talking to has no more than a HS education, is probably a bully, is carrying a gun, and probably won't get hassled for using it."

Always be polite. Not just to cops, to everyone, unless they are causing you a problem or intentionally disrespecting you.

[RBS]

Marriage advice from a divorced guy or How to Be a Doormat.

[Rich]

My favorite: DON'T BE AN IDIOT?. And don't be afraid of being one either.

[Juice]

20 marriage tips:

1. Don't get married.

[Lady Bertrum]

If my husband behaved like this, I'd have smothered him in his sleep long ago.

[Gbob]

"BE WILLING TO TAKE HER SEXUALLY, to carry her away in the power of your masculine presence, to consume her and devour her with your strength, and to penetrate her to the deepest levels of her soul.

Just reading this article, I don't think his "masculine presence" can do that much heavy lifting. Just sayin'.

That was all terrible advice for marriage. The idea that you're always going to be perpetually in love is ridiculous. There are going to be days in any relationship where the other person drives you crazy. You don't design a system with the idea that everything is going to work perfect. You create systems that can withstand catastrophic failure and continual stress. Marriage is like that as well. Your goal is to create a relationship that can withstand daily stress, or it won't last.

[Gbob]

If I had to give advice to my son it would be the following;

Be a good provider: Financial stress is a big driver in divorce. Make sure your finances are in order and that they can withstand an emergency. If you're going to raise a family, this is critical. Avoid debt, work hard.

Talk Honestly. Always: Speak your mind, and don't hold back. Don't let resentment build up in an unspoken way. Your partner isn't going to magically change their behavior because you get all passive aggressive. Likewise, it's better for you to know what's bothering her than to let it fester.

Sex matters: It's easy for the first couple of years to have sex a couple times a day. You're young, in love and the world is perfect. As you get older, reality gets in the way. Children. People taking less care of themselves. Routine. You need to make a commitment to yourself that you're going to have sex at least four or five times a week if the relationship is going to last. If you're talking openly (see advice #2)you can discuss sex openly and bring kinks into the bedroom as needed.

Of course, I'm a divorced guy so what the fuck do I know.

[Restoras]

I agree with all of this Gbob. However, you have left out one key piece.

A woman that is on the same page.

Without that the marriage is doomed.

[RBS]

Taking notes Woman...on...same...page.

Ok, now how do you do that?

[Restoras]

No idea. I guess you just keep dating until you find one. You won't be able to convince a woman who is not on the same page to get on the same page, especially after you're married. Becasue after you are married, you know nothing and are an idiot.

[sarcasmic]

I guess you just keep dating until you find one.

Yep. I didn't find her until I was in my early 30s. But she was worth the wait.

[robc]

Im 44 and I may have just found her in the last 2 months.

[Sy]

"Ok, now how do you do that?"

A long dating period. Be around that person at their worse. If you're around them long enough, they'll drop any suspected act. I've been in a few in which the female was trying WAY too hard to be "one of the guys" or "down to earth". They'd always be in agreement on everything from politics, parenting, favorite kinds of foods, etc. Then would come an inevitable breakdown and I'd see they were actually really fucking miserable people.

[Sy]

*worst.

[Restoras]

Sy has it nailed. This is excellent advice.

[Kaptious Kristen]

They'd always be in agreement on everything from politics, parenting, favorite kinds of foods, etc

Isn't that annoying in and of itself?

[Sy]

"Isn't that annoying in and of itself?"

Yeah but I was expanding my dating horizons a bit. I'm used to attracting high-maintenance dames. It was nice to have someone not constantly nitpicking what I said or thought.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Which is why marriage itself is idiotic.

[sarcasmic]

No. You are idiotic. Marriage is great. But for you it would be idiotic because a happy marriage requires admitting when you are wrong, and sometimes letting her be right even when she is wrong. That way she's happy, and when she's happy you're happy. Since there's no way you could ever do either of those things, marriage is most definitely not for you.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

and sometimes letting her be right even when she is wrong. That way she's happy, and when she's happy you're happy.

So you're basing the relationship on lies?

I can see dropping a subject that you disagree on with your spouse, but letting her be right just to prevent her from annoying you? That's not good for her, or for you.

[sarcasmic]

Like I said, you'd be a terrible husband. Don't do it. Stay single. It will be better for everyone.

[SugarFree]

Stay single.

Like he has a choice.

[sarcasmic]

Like he has a choice.

Good point.

[Lady Bertrum]

I can see dropping a subject that you disagree on with your spouse, but letting her be right just to prevent her from annoying you? That's not good for her, or for you.

Like sex, frequency matters. Never sticking to your guns and letting your spouse "win" to keep the peace continually will lead to problems. Occasionally letting your spouse win simple because you love and respect her and want her to be happy is just sensible. And, the advice works for both genders. It's called being tolerant, sensible, and an adult.

[Restoras]

It's called being tolerant, sensible, and an adult.

Surprisingly, or not (it was a surprise to me when my marriage fell apart), just becasue someone is adult age doesn't actually mean they are an adult.

[KPres]

I rarely let my wife win when she's wrong. But, at the same time, I listen to her side and will happily and even enthusiastically concede when she's right. I say if you argue to win, you're in trouble, but if argue to find the best solution, you're usually good. Usually.

[Coeus]

But for you it would be idiotic because a happy marriage requires admitting when you are wrong, and sometimes letting her be right even when she is wrong. That way she's happy, and when she's happy you're happy.

If you want a child that bad, just adopt. No need to marry a larger version.

[sarcasmic]

You can be right, or you can be happy.
A happy wife is a happy life.
That's it for my marriage advice.

[Tejicano]

Nope.

An unhappy wife is an unhappy life.

A happy wife is just about anything good, bad, or indifferent if she's a nutcase.

[mad libertarian guy]

A happy wife is a happy life.

There is but one secret to a happy marriage. All else stems from it.

Be sure to have separate blankets in bed.

[Sy]

^AND a ridiculously comfortable fold-out couch.

[Rich]

Last week, a judge ordered the release [from Guantanamo] of a schizophrenic Sudanese man who spent much of the past decade medicated in the prison psych ward. His lawyers argued he was so sick ... that he couldn't possibly pose a threat

OK, let me get this straight: The US is releasing schizophrenics from Gitmo because they can't possibly pose a threat; yet kids who point a finger are put in special schools?

[WTF]

Wait, wut? Aren't the guys who usually shoot up theaters, schools, etc. generally paranoid schizophrenics?

[Lord Humungus]

More Conservative, Less Republican
A political paradox considered

That conundrum is worth thinking about right now in light of this astonishing fact: When it comes to the policy opinions of American voters, there have been three peak years for conservatism: 1952, 1980, and . . . right now, according to Professor James A. Stimson, whose decades-long "policy mood" project tracks the changing opinions of the U.S. electorate. Americans have grown more conservative on the whole, but the even more remarkable fact is that the electorate has grown more conservative in every state. As Larry Bartels points out in the Washington Post, the paradoxical fact is that Barack Obama was first elected in a year in which the American policy mood already was unusually conservative, and he was reelected in a year in which it had grown more conservative still. And so the question: Why did an increasingly conservative electorate elect and reelect one of the most left-wing administrations, if not the most left-wing, in American history?

[sarcasmic]

To prove they're not racist?

[Bam!]

Because Mitt Romney was a moderate Massachusetts Republican?

Didn't Romneybot get less votes than McCain (though a larger percentage of the overall vote)?

[WTF]

Because they're not really conservative?

[Bam!]

"That seeming paradox may be explained in part by the fact that the American public's increasingly conservative views are not associated with an increased sense of identification with the Republican party."

Could it be that the Republican party just isn't all that conservative?

[CatoTheElder]

Because many conservatives are also clueless?

[CatoTheElder]

Because McCain is a lunatic and Romney is a Mormon?

[Loki]

A woman in (wait for it...) Florida stabe her boyfriend in the eye because he refused to have a threesome.

...Wait, a man actually refused to have a threesome? Maybe it was a devil's threesome.

The late September incident occurred after La Crystal King-Woolfork, 28, came home from a spot called Shake Your Booty Club with another woman at about 4 a.m. The two women had sex, and then King-Woolfork asked her boyfriend to participate

OK, can one of our Florida based commentariat go revoke this guy's mancard*.

*Although, looking at the chick's picture, I wouldn't have been dating her in the first place, but to each his own.

[Floridian]

I'll be back in a jiffy.

[Rich]

The fight escalated and she hit her boyfriend in the head with her cell phone ....

It wasn't immediately known if she had an attorney.

"If you have a phone, you have a lawyer!"

[Restoras]

If they are both fat, hideous pigs I'd decline too. We're talking FL here, not the All Female School for Cheerleading, Yoga, and Gymnastics.

[Loki]

True. We don't know what the other woman looked like.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Aldon Smith arrested for possession of 3 assault weapons. Time for Bob Costas to give us some words of wisdom.

The DA says that during the party, Smith fired his .45 handgun twice from his balcony to "dissipate the crowd." The DA also says one of Smith's friends also fired that same handgun "several times" in the air.

Ah, the Joe Biden school of self-defense.

[Loki]

He should have used a shotgun.

[wwhorton]

I find it's more effective if you aim directly at your target, as opposed to using it in an indirect fire application.

[PD Scott]

Not if you're trying to get them to leave. I mean, you try to just wound someone, you accidentally kill them, all of a sudden you have a corpse to dispose of - frankly, you're worse off than when you just wanted them to leave. And we haven't even broached the problem of the witnesses.

[Brett L]

Shoot to kill. Have only one side in the altercation tell the story to prevent the cops from getting confused about who the bad guy was.

[Michael]

Mike Ditka says he could've ended Barack Obama's career "then and there" if he had run against him for Senate in 2004 like Illinois Republicans wanted. Instead, Obama faced token opposition from Alan Keyes.

So I guess the question now is who would have won in the 2008 election - Obama or a hundred mini Ditkas?

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

If Ditka had run against BO and lost, he would never have gotten the cushy TV gig he has now because he would have been a politically polarizing figure. And it's still likely that he would have lost.

[R C Dean]

Without the Senate seat, Obama doesn't run in 2008, and we would be kvetching about the astonishingly mendacious and corrupt Hillary! administration.

[Coeus]

Why I Stopped Writing Recommendation Letters for Teach for America

And why my colleagues should do the same.

There is a movement rising in every city of this country that seeks true education reform?not the kind funded by billionaires, corporations, and hedge funds, and organized around their values. This movement consists of public school parents and students, veteran teachers, and ex-TFA corps members. It also consists of a national network of college students, such as those in Students United for Public Education, who talk about the damage TFA is inflicting on communities and public schools. These groups and others also acknowledge the relationship between the corporatization of higher education and the vast impact of corporate reform on our youngest and most needy children. It is these children who are harmed by the never-ending cycle of under-trained, uncertified, first- and second-year teachers that now populates disadvantaged schools, and by the data-obsessed approach to education that is enabled by these inexperienced teachers.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Are the unlinked words your words, or that of the Slate idiot?

[Coeus]

All from the slate idiot.

[KDN]

Slate's.

[Auric Demonocles]

It is these children who are harmed by the never-ending cycle of under-trained, uncertified, first- and second-year teachers that now populates disadvantaged schools, and by the data-obsessed approach to education that is enabled by these inexperienced teachers.

Wasn't there recent data that showed the students with TFA teachers were scoring higher?

[Lady Bertrum]

Wasn't there recent data that showed the students with TFA teachers were scoring higher?

Shhhhhhh! Your data obsession is damaging the chilrenzzzzs.

[Lady Bertrum]

I'm going to translate:

"Hey, TFA, stop trying to muscle in on my action!"

[Lady Bertrum]

"You DON'T love the chilrenzzzs. WE love the chilrenzzzs!"

[Brett L]

"They're holding our salaries down!"

[Pro Libertate]

What should happen, I think, is that children be removed from their families at a young age and raised by certified guardians, who are also members of the Partei. Children who don't perform well academically or doctrinally will be transferred to celebration-of-labor camps, where they will be made more mutual. Children who graduate successfully from the celebration-of-labor camps may transfer back to a certified guardian.

[Bronwyn]

Holy carp. Just had to reset my browser and I can't find the Greasmonkey script. Can somebody help me out?

Also, hi! Been a while.

[Lord Humungus]

don't think the greasemonkey script works with the new and improved H&R... at least mine no longer does (Firefox)

[Bronwyn]

Firefox here, too. Damn. I never realized how noisy H&R is 'til I lost my greasemonkey. Sucks.

[SugarFree]

And the wind whispered... Chrome.

[Bronwyn]

Yes, Chrome sits to the right hand of mine Firefox browser, looking smugly satisfied as it receives more of my attentions.

If I can run citrix receiver out of Chrome, the takeover will be complete.

[BakedPenguin]

Also, welcome back, Bronwyn.

[wwhorton]

WTF, DITKA!?!? SERIOUSLY!? Way to keep your end up, dude, I'm really glad you found something better to do that year than prevent 8 years of an Obama presidency. I'm sure color commentary was way, way more important.

Dick.

[Zeb]

Well, how was he to know that some smug community organizer would end up president in a ridiculously short time?

I think I'd choose the TV gig and the money too.

[Pro Libertate]

Really, the current reality does seem quite low probability, doesn't it?

[Pro Libertate]

And people say celebrities play no role in political events.

[Coeus]

Australian police storm Hells Angels' hideouts using new anti-fortification law

More than 700 Australian police swooped on the Hells Angels biker gang Thursday in a series of heavily-armed raids in Melbourne and its surrounds, seizing guns, ammunition, drugs and cash.

In a coordinated dawn operation, police stormed some 60 clubhouses and properties simultaneously to clamp down on an escalating war between rival motorcycle outfits that has sparked a spate of shootings with high-powered weapons.

The crackdown came after new anti-fortification laws came into effect on Sunday, which allow police to tear down barriers, cameras and booby traps at club facilities.

And this:

"We've located a number of firearms, a large quantity of ammunition, we've located drugs, a large quantity of cash, but the investigations and searches are still going (on)."

At one property, so much ammunition was recovered that a truck was needed to take it away.

He added that police were "extremely concerned about these (high-powered) weapons", which some reports said were AK-47s or M1 carbine assault rifles.

How is that possible? I thought that the fun violence problem was fixed in Australia.

[Loki]

M1 carbine assault rifles

M1s are now considered "assault rifles?" WTF? They keep throwing that term around to the point that it doesn't even mean anything anymore. An "assault rifle" at this point is pretty much any rifle in the hands of anyone other than an LEO or other government agent.

[sarcasmic]

Why would someone need a short-barreled rifle for anything other than assaulting people? Short barrels are not good for hunting game. Only for hunting people.

/derp

[Loki]

Only for hunting people.

"The most dangerous game of all - man."

I would have included a link to a clip from that Simpson's episode but youtube let me down one last time.

[Tejicano]

"An "assault rifle" at this point is pretty much any rifle in the hands of anyone other than an LEO or other government agent."

and always has been.

[Restoras]

Box magazine? It scarez them all those bullets. Dontchya know they go off by themselves and only at childrenz?

[Drake]

M1 Carbines have been banned as assault rifles for years in New Jersey. I could buy an AR in a NJ gunstore today, but I go to jail if caught with an M1 Carbine from the CMP.

[Restoras]

This makes no sense. Oh wait, New Jersey.

[Kaptious Kristen]

LP candidate for VA goob was on the local morning news show today.

[The Late P Brooks]

An "assault rifle" at this point is pretty much any rifle in the hands of anyone other than an LEO or other government agent.

BUSHMASTER!!!1`1!

[a better weapon]

AP is reporting that Boehner is asking House GOP for a short term debt limit increase.

[Pro Libertate]

Pretty much as expected.

[Bardas Phocas]

His abject surrender was foretold in the profecies:
AND the yellow one shall crawl.

[Pro Libertate]

To be sure, the standoff was about the ACA, not so much about the debt ceiling. We all know they'll agree to increase it at some point. The only issue is by how much.

[Kaptious Kristen]

I love shaming liberal women on guns. I was having dinner with a couple of friend and I brought up concealed carry handbags during a discussion about fashion. They were shocked. One of them said "you don't have a gun, do you?!?!?!"

I said, as a single woman who lives alone, I feel it is necessary to take my life and defense of my life into my own hands and not count on some benevolent outside force to protect me.

Then they got all downcast and shame-faced.

I love it when these women's lofty ideas of feminism clash with their "guns are icky" ideas. They want you to be a bold, strong woman. Except if someone tries to violate your space. Then you're supposed to surrender and hope the big, strong policeman will come and save you.

[Tejicano]

One of the ladies on a gun forum I frequent, when asked why she has a gun, says she always has the same reply : "Because I will never be raped again."

That pretty much shuts down any argument.

[Restoras]

Their lofty ideas of feminism also mesh neatly with proggie attitudes and ideas about building a better society. Hence all the gun-hating.

As you point out the real world is vastly different and not likely to change anytime soon. Women are not as strong as men and never will be. Sorry but that's just genetics. Don't want to be over-powered by a man against your will? Well when seconds count the pigs are minutes away if they ever bother to show up. So get a gun and learn to use.

I have a runner's build and go about 150lbs so the same advice is probably good for me too.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Committee to Protect Journalists issues report on Obama administration's press policies. They're against them.

http://cpj.org/reports/2013/10.....st-911.php

[SIV]

Slate comenter calls for violence against Delaware Dave Weigel:

Czar Ellender's letter only further proves just how Little Davy's nose is buried up the posterior of his Kochistan Masters.

Should somebody see Little Davy in D.C., may walk up to him, remind him of his lies, and either punch him in the mouth or kick him in the balls.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/wei.....tdown.html

[Zeb]

Now that's funny.

[Eduard van Haalen]

The new President of King's College* (a Christian institution in New York City) gives an interview about the link between Hayekian ideas and Christianity:

"When I read Hayek and I see his argument for the link between private property and freedom, I see a direct line going all the way back to those pages of the New Testament, because what the Apostle Paul and others were representing was an alternative to totalitarianism. When you look at the Apostle John ? and whatever else you think the Book of Revelation says about the future?what it definitely was, was the greatest political protest letter ever penned in the history of the world, because he was saying, "The state has no business telling us how we should govern our own life together.""

http://www.forbes.com/sites/je.....-hayekian/

*The previous President, Dinesh D'Souza, was driven to resign because of adultery.

[Stormy Dragon]

Yeah, because when I read the New Testament, I remember Jesus going on and on about being possessive of your property rights.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Even if you don't think he is the right kind of Christian, if this guy *believes* Christianity supports limited government, shouldn't secular libertarians look on him as an ally?

Is the desire to form alliances with Christians, is less important than indulging an "ick" feeling against bleevers?

[Eduard van Haalen]

I mean, who benefits if the opponents of govt oppression are divided by theological quarrels and personal pique?

Wait, I almost forgot what forum I was on.

[Stormy Dragon]

There's a difference between saying that libertarianism is compatible with Christianity and saying that advocating for it was a central message of the New Testament. The latter is such an absurd claim that I can't take this guy seriously.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Hes supporting friedrich hayek but youre rejecting him because christians arent supposed to support limited govt?

[Eduard van Haalen]

Washington, DC dissolves into anarchy, as shown by these photos of people ignoring do-not-enter signs in order to enjoy the tourist sites.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bennyj.....um=twitter

[Troy muy grande boner]

My favorite, "Hates Abe Lincoln."

[KPres]

From the comments...

Sure, people can still stroll without government, but with few or no rangers on staff to deal with emergencies/violence/law-breaking/etc., it's a huge liability for these people to just wander around like they own the damn place."

This is what they call a HUGE liability? No wonder they want to force kids to wear a helmet to do somersaults. That's like risking the fate of humanity!

[Coeus]

Krugnuts channels his inner chicken little:

And nobody knows what comes next. The immediate question is whether Treasury can, in fact, "prioritize" ? pay interest on the debt while stiffing everyone else, from vendors to Social Security recipients. If they can, they might choose to do this to avoid financial meltdown.

But as I and many others have emphasized, even if this is possible, it would be a catastrophe, because the Federal government would be forced into huge spending cuts (Social Security checks and Medicare payments would surely take a hit, because there isn't that much else). We're looking at something like 4 percent of GDP, which given fairly standard multipliers would imply an eventual contraction by 6 percent.

Except that standard multipliers are wrong ? it would be much, much worse. I haven't seen anyone making this point, but it's very important.

[KDN]

Well, he's half right. Standard multipliers are wrong, but the GDP multiplier of transfer payments is closer to 0.5 than 1.5, to say nothing of the grander predictions of impending doom he implies.

[#]

This is another examle of krugman playing with numbers,

Even if you assume the multiplier he is talking about, the 4% is if payments were stopped for a whole year. AND that there wouldnt be back payments. If payment stopped going ot hospitals for 4 days and then got the back payments afterwards, this isn't going to anything.

The only real mechanism is which this causes damage i the short term, is if the bond markets get spooked and start messing up the financial system and/or there is consumer confidence hit that last more than a few days.

[Troy muy grande boner]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/10/.....?hpt=hp_c3

Deathstar is heading our way. Holy Shit.

[Pro Libertate]

"Only 80 light-years from Earth." Only? Only? What, CNN has FTL?

[Auric Demonocles]

Hey, even without FTL that distance could theoretically mean that it makes it here in my lifetime.

[Pro Libertate]

Is it coming this way at anywhere near luminal speeds?

[Auric Demonocles]

I didn't see anything in the article about that. I'm just saying it's possible.

[Pro Libertate]

Sure, maybe they'll just beam over for a visit.

[Auric Demonocles]

Hey, we both know you'll still be here in 81 years.

[Pro Libertate]

A last tender encounter, Auric, to end your usefulness.

[Snark Plissken]

"We don't serve planets."

A planet walks into a bar.

[SugarFree]

Lonely, young planet drifting in space without a star

No one heard a single word you said
They should have seen it in your eyes
What was going around your head
Ooh, she's a little runaway

[The Late P Brooks]

Except that standard multipliers are wrong ? it would be much, much worse. I haven't seen anyone making this point, but it's very important.

I agree; the multipliers are wrong.

[cavalier973]

As it turns out, Obamacare is actually STEVE SMITH!

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

If it has raped her future, it sounds more like Warty Hugeman.

[Coeus]

McDonald's worker arrested after telling company president she can't afford shoes

"It's really hard for me to feed my two kids and struggle day to day," she shouted as Stratton was speaking. "Do you think this is fair, that I have to be making $8.25 when I've worked for McDonald's for ten years?"

"I've been there for forty years," Stratton replied from the podium.

"The thing is that I need a raise. But you're not helping your employees. How is this possible?" Salgado asked.

At that point, someone approached Salgado and informed her that she was going to be arrested.

She later recalled the encounter to The Real News' Jessica Desvarieux.

"The strength was very powerful, like, just remembering the face of my kids, like I say, you know, just simple things like I can't provide a pair of shoes like everybody else does, sometimes every month, or anything like that,"

Can't afford new shoes for her kids every month. The horror.

[Pro Libertate]

It's true. Some people have more money and stuff than other people. Especially people who work as staff in fast food for decades.

She should be glad she has a job, because all of this "fair wage" business is going to result in totally roboticized fast food.

[Kaptious Kristen]

I can't wait for robot fast food. I think it would get my order correct at least 51% of the time, which would be a pretty significant improvement.

NO ONIONS MEANS NO ONIONS!

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

Oh Gawd, I am so with you ... "____ with cheese, pickle only" will come out any of 15 different combinations, all of them wrong.

[Greg83]

How is it possible to work at a fast food place for 10 years and not be promoted to at least assistant manager?

[cavalier973]

Some people just aren't that ambitious; why does that mean they should have to suffer from low wages?

[califernian]

good lord. Tell me this is sarcasm?

[GILMORE]

Sometimes an expression, regardless of how it is intended, transcends sarcasm itself and becomes a multidimensional signifier - in this case, of the abject stupidity of our society.

(Derrida FTW!!)

In all honesty, I am pretty sure someone HAS said something to that effect in all seriousness, and was unable to process why anyone would disagree with the thought.

[GILMORE]

Case in point = during OWS, some kid was ranting about how 'overpaid' some people in the financial district were. [I didn't necessarily disagree, given that I felt I should be the one getting the mad scrill, and letting the middle managers who took no risks get base-pay only and stop chiseling in on mah bonuses]...

Anyway, I point out to him that there is in fact a limited pool of people who even *bother* to apply for these type of gigs, fewer still who are competent, and fewer still who are really talented...and that consequently, compensation for being Competent is pretty fucking good.

He goes, 'yeah, well not everyone WANTS to DO that sort of thing...'

in short, he didn't really "believe" in the idea of Supply/Demand in labor markets, or in the relative economic merit of one activity over another. He seemed to be of the view that anyone who works 40 hours a week, regardless of activity, is pretty much 'doing the same thing'. He stated, more or less = "I went to college - I work a full work-week = What's The Difference??"

I decided at this point to stop bothering the OWS people because I was pretty sure they would choke on their own tongues sooner or later.

[Jon Lester]

Someone showed me this yesterday, with the intention of discouraging me from patronizing McDonald's. Sure, I'd like to return to a time when only teenagers and retirees work in fast food, and no, it's generally not my first choice for a meal, but that dollar menu really helps me out sometimes, and it's there as an available choice for my own current circumstances.

[Jon Lester]

I'll be driving to Connecticut and New York next week, in the same shoes I wore there in September of last year. I'm sure I'll go in a couple McDonald's for a side salad and internet along the way, so I can better afford the gas.

[Jon Lester]

Looks like The New Republic has abandoned all liberal pretense and gone full statist.

[Swiss Servator, Kneel to Zug!]

May they remember that the next time an Elephant is in the WH...

[R C Dean]

How does going full statist require you to abandon even the pretense of being a liberal?

[Jon Lester]

It's a pretense when the word doesn't have its original meaning anymore, despite having the same root as "liberty."