A.M. Links: Obama Wants Democrats To Take Responsibility For Obamacare, Boehner Fed Up with Tea Party Criticism, EU Warns About Safety of Bitcoin

• 

  Credit: White House

  President Obama and Democratic leaders are pressuring vulnerable party members who are up for re-election in 2014 to buck up and take responsibility for Obamacare.

• House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is fed up with tea party-backed conservative groups criticizing his leadership and blasting a bipartisan budget proposal.
• The European Union today issued a warning about the safety of Bitcoin: the virtual currency that is not issued by any government. Oh no!
• United Nations inspectors examined seven alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria determining that chemical weapons were probably used in four of the locations.
• The half-brother of golf star Tiger Woods was arrested Thursday in Phoenix for allegedly making a false bomb threat at the government building where he works.
• Two men were arrested in the U.K. on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after writing anti-semitic tweets.

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Comments

[Lord Humungus]

Hawaiian Health Director Loretta Fuddy was killed in a small plane crash off Hawaii.

The plane, carrying a pilot and eight passengers, went down Wednesday in the water a half mile off the Hawaiian island of Molokai, the Maui Fire Department said. The lone fatality was Loretta Fuddy, who has served as state health director since January 2011. Tom Matsuda, the interim executive director of Hawaii's health insurance exchange, confirmed Fuddy's death.

Fuddy, 65, made national news in April 2011 when she verified the authenticity of certified copies of President Obama's birth certificate. Obama had requested the release to curb claims by so-called "birthers" that he was born in Kenya and not eligible to be president.

If I was writing a modern political thriller...

[wareagle]

add to that the number of Seal Team Six members who've died in one manner or other, the car crash of the Rolling Stone writer of the McChrystal article AND that of the medical examiner in that case, and eventually you have a book whose premise is almost hard to believe.

[Fist of Etiquette]

It just means that the Obama administration has finally started hiring Clinton people.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Don't forget to add Bratfart's mysteriously suspicious death to your CT list.

[GILMORE]

"bratfart?"

You keep talking like that and mommy's going to make you go clean your room.

[fish_remote]

You keep talking like that and mommy's going to make you go clean your roo

Mom ceded full territorial control of the basement to shreeky years ago....just as long as he uses the side door and doesn't cut through the house.

[font_of_stupidity]

At this point, he can claim squatter's rights.

[BSubversive.com]

Don't respond to it and it may go away.

[a better weapon]

You joke, but the coroner's assistant that worked on his body and announced his CoD was foudn dead under mysterious circumstances only 2 months after Breitbart's death.

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

[Elspeth Flashman]

Yeah, I saw this headline and thought, wow, truth is stranger than fiction. Or is it?

[Fist of Etiquette]

President Obama and Democratic leaders are pressuring vulnerable party members who are up for re-election in 2014 to buck up and take responsibility for Obamacare.

Legacy is more important than your seat.

[Generic Stranger]

You're slipping, FoE.

[Ted S.]

FoE's back!

[Bee Tagger]

It still counts. LH's doesn't count since he wasn't commenting on an AM link.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Thank you. Someone needed to call LH on his shenanigans. Prepared commenting. I mean, I never!

[Lord Humungus]

and the goalposts are moved once again.

[UnCivilServant]

There are no goalposts, the rule is "no winning, ever".

[Lord Humungus]

I can see that now.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Do you people know how difficult it is read over the links, find one you can work with, copy and paste and tag and write your witty comment in under a minute? IT'S A SKILL THAT MUST BE REWARDED.

Anyway, no one ever wins where first comments are involved. The entire internet dies a little each time. You know that.

[UnCivilServant]

Actually, Fisty, the internet is the physho-physical manifestation of an eldritch horror that feeds on firsts and assholery. It will awaken as a renewed old god.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Well, as long as I'm contributing to something.

[BakedPenguin]

Exactly. Republican leaders are urging them to do the exact same thing.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Fall of a dynasty.

/fights back tears.

[wareagle]

this is one time I agree with Obama. Those fuckers voted for it; let them defend their votes.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Was thinking the exact same thing.

They closed ranks with it, now sink or swim.

[Rich]

They closed ranks with it, now sink or swim.

FTFY

[Palin's Buttplug]

One, just 26% believe the law "should be totally eliminated," which is virtually unchanged from our last poll.

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_.....-road?lite

You boys are in for a rude surprise.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A surprise as rude as congressional Democrats got in the last mid-terms?

[WTF]

Don't lock eyes with 'em, don't do it. Puts 'em on edge. They might go into berzerker mode; come at you like a whirling dervish, all fists and elbows. You might be screaming "No, no, no" and all they hear is "Who wants cake?" Let me tell you something: They all do. They all want cake.

[DJF]

This is because Obama has postponed or exempted most of the people from coming under Obamacare.

They are only screwing over the self insured today

[Lord Humungus]

and Gallup sez:

Fifty-two percent of those polled in a new Gallup survey said they want the law scaled back or repealed, compared with 50 percent in October.

The majority of that group wants to see the law gone, as 32 percent of those surveyed said it should be repealed altogether

http://www.politico.com/story/.....00773.html

but hey, keep on believing, shreek.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Same poll - only 24% want the ACA repealed.

76% like some or most of the law.

That is why this will not help the GOP - the scrutiny will be all about how to fix it for the next 11 months.

[Lord Humungus]

god, you are retarded little monkey. What part of SCALED BACK do you not understand?

[Lord Humungus]

Voters overwhelmingly want to change or repeal the new national health care law. One-out-of-two want to scrap it completely and start over again.

Given the problems associated with the law, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Congress and the president should repeal it and start again from the beginning. That's up from 43% support in late October. Another 31% think Congress and the president should go through the law piece by piece to improve it
http://www.rasmussenreports.co.....h_care_law

As I said, keep on dreaming shreek.

[Drake]

Everybody loves the law, except the parts that affect them.

[Sy]

Oh noes!! Not an NBC/WSJ poll!

[VG Zaytsev]

Keep repeating it like a mantra.

Obamacare is great, you'll love learn to love it

[VG Zaytsev]

Keep repeating it like a mantra.

Obamacare is great, you'll love learn to love it

[KMA Too]

What you did there...I see it.

[Auric Demonocles]

Hilariously, this is a comment some progressive made yesterday:

[The GOP] is the party that's currently blaming Obama for passing a healthcare bill that they wrote in the 90's. They'll never admit responsibility. They'll blame liberals for not making the technology viable to the market fast enough.

[WTF]

I would laugh except for the fact that so many of those idiots vote.

[Auric Demonocles]

I actually linked him to both the Senate and House roll calls where there was not a single Republican Yea, and he tried linking me to an article about how they came up with it first.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

His argument still makes no sense since at best, his side is as bad as the GOP. But let's run with it. Basically, he's saying the Democrats freely chose to legislate a GOP law. If Obamacare was a success, would he attribute credit back to the GOP?

I thought so.

This is just the usual left-wing sophistry look for an out for a disaster. No one forced the Democrats to push this law through.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

I've seen that "Hertiage Foundation thought of it first!!" bullshit so many times it's obvious that it's just OfA BEEP BOOP RETHUGLICANZ talking points.

The simplest way to blunt that one is to point out that Team Blue passing a shitty law that a conservative think-tank conceived doesn't excuse them from the incompetence they've shown or the havoc that's been wreaked in the market thus far.

I realize no True Believing progtard will ever take responsibility for their actions or statements, but you'll at least shut them up for a few seconds.

[lap83]

Did you ask him if Democrats are so stupid they can't help but embrace terrible ideas, regardless of who thought of them?

[BSubversive.com]

Obamacare was plot by those evil geniuses of the stupid party to destroy the Ds...

[mad libertarian guy]

Legacy is more important than your seat.

It's more than just the idea of legacy, but Obama's legacy. He's asking that they willingly fall on their swords for him. He is demanding their sacrifice o his behalf.

The man is a political Jim Jones.

[BakedPenguin]

Presidential NSA Panel Reportedly To Urge Overhaul Surveillance Tactics

"They're not nearly thorough enough"

[sarcasmic]

Licensed to booze... 007 was an alcoholic: Bond's drinking habits means he was more likely to die from liver disease than in the line of fire

Fictional spy was knocking back between 65 and 92 units a week
In Casino Royale he quaffs over 39 units then jumps in his Bentley
Most he ever drunk in a day was 50 units in From Russia With Love

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....-fire.html

[Andrew S.]

And the award for "dumbest thing I've read all week (not involving Obamacare) goes to..."

(Related: The 50th anniversary Blu Ray set is spectacular)

[sarcasmic]

You know what the next step is? Legislation limiting the amount of alcohol one can drink in a movie. Am I right?

[SugarFree]

Second-hand alcohol is when you vomit booze into someone else's mouth.

Third-hand alcohol is wear you smell booze on someone's clothes.

Fourth-hand alcohol is seeing someone drinking in a movie or on TV.

Fifth-hand alcohol is reading about someone drinking in a movie or on TV.

[gaijin]

Second-hand alcohol is when you vomit booze into someone else's mouth.

Two girls, one drink

[Marshall Gill]

All of that fifth-hand alcohol has gotten me drunk! Thanks NutraSweet!

[Lord Humungus]

what about having sex with a drunk girl? Is that second or third-hand?

[SugarFree]

Second-hand, once removed. You might absorb some from her pickled lady-business.

[Marshall Gill]

Not once-removed, if she has recently been cunt chugging.

[Rich]

What about handling a formerly-vodka-soaked tampon?

[SugarFree]

MG and Rich both have a point. And the same goes for butt-chugging.

However, felching a butt-chugger is first-hand.

[some guy]

This is why there are no female libertarians...?

[WTF]

pickled lady-business

Band name?

[Elspeth Flashman]

OK, I just can't laugh this hard at work. It might make people suspicious that I'm not actually working here.

[JD]

Pickled Lady-Business

Great band name.

[JD]

WTF beat me to it.

[Ebriosa]

Then ban virgin margaritas because they promote an image of drinking and it's too hard for people to tell the difference!

[Doctor Whom]

If only one child is spared from growing up to be an alcoholic, it will all have been worth it.

[gaijin]

Don;t forget to ban sparkling grape juice too. Simulating champagne will lead to a lost generation

[mad libertarian guy]

Fuck you, dude.

The very first time I met my younger brother's girlfriend, who is 12 years my junior, we were in a nice restaurant in Disney. After we sat down, everyone ordered their drinks. When it came to me I ordered a Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri. She busted out laughing.

And even though I, burly bearded and manly as I am, was laughed at by a 22 year old girl, I will fight for my goddamn right to continue drinking virgin girly drinks.

[Elspeth Flashman]

So what's an acceptable drink in the future? Water? or would that encourage drinking?

[Lucky Jack]

Water? Like out of the toilet?

[mad libertarian guy]

Everyone will have a PICC line and will be forced to get all of our liquid needs via government approved IV stations.

[Ted S.]

God I hate the British usage of "units" of alcohol. There's something about it that sounds even more control-freakish than normal news stories about alcohol.

[Ebriosa]

I kind of love it. It's sort of robotic and I look forward to a future where I can fuel my robot body with units of alcohol.

[Clich? Bandit]

+1 Bender

[Snark Plissken]

while his weekly consumption, 92 units, is approximately one and a half bottles of wine a day.

They think that's going to cause impotence? Apparently they've never been to Eastern Europe.

[Clich? Bandit]

Or my house...I don't vint wine just cause it is fun you know...that shit gets pricey.

[Zeb]

English people are all alcoholics, aren't they? I doubt he'd use the word "alcoholic", but Flemming certainly made near constant drinking and smoking a big part of the character.

[Bryan C]

Pshaw. When a liver eventually wears out, Bond just regenerates into a new body.

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

Dr Who?

Dr. Bond, Dr. James Bond.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The half-brother of golf star Tiger Woods was arrested Thursday in Phoenix for allegedly making a false bomb threat at the government building where he works.

A shady half brother and close to someone who likes bombing government buildings? Tiger's ready to be president!

[Palin's Buttplug]

He is of mixed heritage - no doubt not a native citizen.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Even better!

[BakedPenguin]

SHREEK

[Marshall Gill]

Libertarianism is a third way between socialism and Republican corporatist oppression. The difference between a "freed market" and the fascist system labeled a "free market" isn't just the letter "d!" Basically, a "freed market" has no structures of oppression and coercion, like slut-shaming, global warming, or sexual dimorphism.

The site is a pretty good parody, and the shrieking imbecile has probably said many of the things there. It is doubtful, however, that it even knows wtf sexual dimorphism means.

I am gonna go with Nutra-Sweet as the real author.

[SugarFree]

Ain't nobody got time for that. I'm working on the Warty Hugeman novella.

[fish_remote]

Finally someone on this blog contributing to the betterment of literature.

[SugarFree]

Working Title: Warty Hugeman and The Doom That Came To Cocktown

[Red Rocks Rockin]

The Doom That Came To Cocktown

Warty's battling a Lindy West/Amanda Marcotte composite?

[BSubversive.com]

Listening to Liquid Metal, I caught an old Judas Priest tune that I'd not heard for a while, it made me think of Warty... Which is pretty fucking disturbing...

Grinder
Looking for meat
Grinder
Wants you to eat

[seguin]

WTF? Sexual dimorphism is a construct now?

Is evolution a construct?

[Lord Humungus]

Shopper caught masturbating in Sainsbury's meat aisle banned from every supermarket in UK

Eugenio Freitas, 49, was recorded on CCTV pleasuring himself through his trousers for ten minutes at a store in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

The married father-of-four pleaded guilty to outraging public decency and was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence on Wednesday.

A court heard how Mr Freitas had 'fully intended' to go shopping on July 8 but became overwhelmed by his 'excessive sexual drive'.

[Ted S.]

Warty??

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

Shriek.

[WTF]

He saw on his smart phone that someone actually engaged one of his comments and couldn't control himself.

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

Indeed - it has been liberating to stop responding.

[fish_remote]

Indeed - it has been liberating to stop responding.

...and apparently stimulating for shreek now that someone has! But every supermarket.....?

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

You can't be too careful.

[BakedPenguin]

Exactly. Warty would be sexually assaulting people in the supermarket.

[SugarFree]

Actually, he would be sexually assaulting the meat aisle. If the people can't figure out to get away, what happens to their nethers is all on them.

[tarran]

I'm going ot walk out of the room thrusting like this. If you get raped it's your own fault.

[gaijin]

someone told him beaten meat was the tenderist?

[Rich]

outraging public decency

The Brits have such delightful names for their crimes.

[SusanM]

Was he near the Spotted Dick or having a fag?

[sasob]

outraging public decency

Outraged? That's what happens when you spy on people with cctv cameras - you see things you probably don't want to see.

[Andrew S.]

Another day where FoE isn't first. Admit it. Which one of you has him locked up in your basement, releasing him only when the first comment is posted on the morning links?

In other news, #PrayToEndAbortion is trending on twitter. After reading through some of it, I've decided I hate everyone involved there, on both sides.

[Doctor Whom]

In other news, #PrayToEndAbortion is trending on twitter.

I noticed that, too, but I refused to look. I knew that whatever it was, it would make me want to throw my computer out of the window.

[Eduard van Haalen]

I'm not sure I get the anger. You already knew that theists tend to believe in intercessory prayer, and you knew that many of them oppose abortion. Why is it shocking to find them combining these things?

Anyway, there's always Secular Prolife.

[SugarFree]

God helps those who help themselves.

[Eduard van Haalen]

From the Twitter feed of Students for Life: "Let's do kore than just #praytoendabortion. We also need to help women and families in crisis. #prolife"

[sarcasmic]

Maybe he got a real job and doesn't have time to waste anymore.

[Fist of Etiquette]

That's crazy talk.

[Ted S.]

Admit it. Which one of you has him locked up in your basement, releasing him only when the first comment is posted on the morning links?

SugarFree, and you mean "safe word", not "first comment".

[sarcasmic]

Police officer who retired at 29 with $2 million pension because staple injury to his finger 'left him unable to shoot properly' is filmed using gun at firing range

Christopher Onesti, now 34, admits that the 'system is absurd'
He retired on disability 5 years ago from New Jersey Transit police after accidentally firing a staple into finger on his non-shooting hand
Doctors said he would have trouble operating a firearm with the weak hand
Video now shows him firing gun - but he claims it is above board because he is shooting with the hand that was not injured
Believes the system is broken: 'I can honestly tell you, I followed the law'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....range.html
When legislation is the source of someone's morality, then they have none.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

When legislation is the source of someone's morality, then they have none.

Tulpa just got a shiver down his spine, wherever he is.

[Ted S.]

Oh, sure, there's no double standard involving cops.

[WTF]

Believe me, plenty of public employees in New Jersey work that fake disability angle. It's not just cops.

[Ted S.]

Not too long ago on H&R I suggested that we really do need class warfare. Only the classes aren't the rich and the poor, but the productive sector versus the government sector.

[UnCivilServant]

Why would we get rid of cops who can't shoot? Isn't that their standard level of proficiency?

[font_of_stupidity]

Ask that pile of dog carcasses whether cops can shoot.

[UnCivilServant]

The puppies are at extreme close range - and even then the cops are prone to miss.

[R C Dean]

There's not a single fucking job in the entire department that doesn't require him to carry a gun?

Flip this around: if he applied for a job, no way could they refuse to hire him because reasonable accomodation would be pitifully easy.

So, if he's not too disabled to hire, he's not too disabled to work, and shouldn't be on permanent disability.

[Zeb]

"Onesti"? That has to be a joke.

[Drake]

"New Jersey Transit police"

The absurdity starts right there.

[Fist of Etiquette]

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is fed up with tea party-backed conservative groups criticizing his leadership and blasting a bipartisan budget proposal.

Cry me a river.

[Andrew S.]

CNN and the rest of the media are practically fellating him for this.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Apparently he realizes that if he hasn't lost his speakership over the fuckup it's been up to now, he won't ever.

[Drake]

The Judge destroyed him the other night on the Fox Panel. Crying when he achieved a life-long personal ambition, but unable to name a single government program he would cut - and he is the legislative leader of the supposed "conservative" part.

[Gilbert Martin]

"CNN and the rest of the media are practically fellating him for this"

Well of course.

Boehner is on the big government reservation along with them even though he tries to pretend he's not. As such, he's usefull in trying to marginalize those who really aren't on the big government reservation as being full blown wackos.

[Pro Libertate]

As long as he or anyone like him is speaker, the Republicans are not serious about any real cuts in government.

[R C Dean]

When your lifetime ambition is revealed as "I want to be the McCain of the House", its time for some serious rethinking.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Huckabee Open to Joining 2016 GOP Presidential Field

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12.....itics&_r=0

[BakedPenguin]

SHREEK

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Who is that? Awful to the point of criminal.

[BakedPenguin]

Some of us believe it's shriek (Palin's Buttplug for newbies here). I certainly do.

[Palin's Buttplug]

It's not even good parody. At least if I were the target.

I think it is a composite parody of what you guys call a "cosmotarian".

I am glad to see I am pissing off the Paleos though.

[VG Zaytsev]

Universal health insurance.
This one is a no-brainer, of course. What does the word "free" even mean if you can't apply it to "health care"? While individual libertarians quibble over the details of just how exactly universal health insurance would work in a freed market, we all agree on the essential features: Giving it to everyone, covering sex changes, federally regulated exchanges, price controls, and voting for Obama.

That's shreek to a T.

[mad libertarian guy]

price controls

Ask Venezuela how that's working out for them. Or every other government that has tried it in the history of ever.

I know that when someone starts talking price controls, that they can be safely dismissed from the conversation because it means unequivocally that they don't know dick about economics. Even this medieval English Literature guy knows price controls ALWAYS leads to shortages. Every. Single. Time.

[fish_remote]

It's not even good parody.

No...it's not subtle enough....that's why we thought of you.

How's it going today...buying low, selling high? Think you'll make your "cool $25 dollars playing the market" today?

[sarcasmic]

Cowabunga! Watch longboarder career down a winding road at breakneck speed... and crash head first into a COW

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....d-COW.html
At least the cow wasn't hurt.

[Bee Tagger]

The European Union today issued a warning about the safety of Bitcoin

To be fair, the existence of Bitcoin is a warning about the safety of trusting the European Union.

[waffles]

I think Bitcoin is too dangerous for use because it isn't regulated. I would use Bitcoin if I knew my government had written some common sense regulations to protect me from the hackers and criminals out there.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You honestly think government regulations are written to protect you??? You trust bureaucrats more than yourself to make decisions in your personal best interest? The government has been doing such a good job protecting you in other areas of you finances? Your life? You think the market won't-

Oh, you almost got me there!

[Lord Humungus]

No shit?

In Yemen, al Qaeda gains sympathy amid U.S. drone strikes

On January 23, science teacher Ali Nasser al-Qawli had finished supervising school exams in the Yemeni village of Khawlan and was enjoying an afternoon with friends when he encountered the strangers.

They wanted a lift in a taxi Qawli and his nephew were in. A while later, locals say, an American aircraft fired missiles at the vehicle.

"All of us in the village heard a large explosion," said Qawli's brother, Mohamed, who rushed to the scene. "We picked up the burned body parts. They were all over. We picked them up and put them in plastic bags, and took them to the hospital so we could bury them the next day," he said. "My brother was completely charred. We identified him by his teeth. It's as if they killed animals."

[Andrew S.]

They hate us for our freedoms!

[Jordan]

BLOWBACK IS A MYTH, YOU TRAITOR! USA! USA!

[wwhorton]

I reserve the right to punch the face of the first person to refer to anything following these drone strikes as "unforeseen consequences."

[Doctor Whom]

But ... but ... only terrorists ever get killed in drone strikes. My Obot Facebook friends swear that that's the case.

[Ebriosa]

It's enough that I want a Republican president again just so more people can get angry about stuff like this and not just the libertarians and non-democrat liberals and principled human beings. Even if they're just getting riled up hypocritically because it's a Republican president randomly killing people with buttons. I don't care anymore. Make it stop.

[mad libertarian guy]

It's enough that I want a Republican president again just so more people can get angry about stuff like this and not just the libertarians and non-democrat liberals and principled human beings. Even if they're just getting riled up hypocritically because it's a Republican president randomly killing people with buttons. I don't care anymore. Make it stop.

This.

It would also help because journalists would suddenly remember to be outraged about innocent people being killed.

[Brian D]

I hate agreeing with Alan Grayson.

[VG Zaytsev]

Then don't.

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is fed up with tea party-backed conservative groups criticizing his leadership and blasting a bipartisan budget proposal.

So what, you orange freak? What are you going to do, join hands with the other half of TEAM STATIST? Oh, you already have...

[gaijin]

So, this budget thing is a prelude to what's on the horizon with Boehner and immigration?

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

Yes.

[Drake]

He's a cosmetic surgeon, couldn't he have just married an attractive women and had good looking daughters that way?

[Drake]

not sure how my comment got up here - it's like a prequel.

[sarcasmic]

'Our DAD gave us matching boob jobs!' Sisters making the most of cosmetic surgeon father's skills (they've also had Botox, nose jobs AND a belly button tuck)

Brittani had breast surgery as a gift from her father for her 18th birthday
The 25-year-old went from an A cup to C
She had rhinoplasty - the bridge of nose was narrowed - on 21st birthday
Sister Charm, 25, had breast enhancement this year, going from 32B to 32C
Had her protruding belly button re-shaped at age of ten
Both regularly have Botox and face peels adminstered by their father

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/fem.....-tuck.html

[Atanarjuat]

Is there a PETA-like anti boob job group I can join? Those things are disgusting.

[Palin's Buttplug]

True. I grew up in the age of silicon(e)? when they felt like car seats.

The saline bags are better but don't do a thing for me since I find myself looking for the scars.

[H. ReardEn]

He's made his 25-year old daughters look like 40-year olds that have had a lot of work done.

[Rabban]

The brunette looks like more of a tranny if you ask me.

[Bee Tagger]

United Nations inspectors examined seven alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria determining that chemical weapons were probably used in four of the locations.

Syria just got Blixed!

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

Angry letters were written?!

[Andrew S.]

OK Hans, Syria will show you their chemical weapons. Just stand a little to the left.

[DJF]

The best they could come up with is probably?

And nothing about who used them.

[Lord Humungus]

Yet Another Path to Corporatism

This week saw more broadly applicable corporatist variation from the Food and Drug Administration, which is trying to curtail the use of antibiotics in animal feed (where the drugs can produce resistant superbugs). It turns out that America's formal system of regulation and litigation?outlined in a statute called the Administrative Procedures Act?is so cumbersome and time consuming that the FDA concluded it had a better chance of getting results quickly by simply asking the big boys to comply voluntarily (which they seem to have done). That's easier to pull off, of course, when just two companies make over half the products you're trying to regulate, as is the case with the antibiotics.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

I'll give the FDA credit for actually pursuing something they should for once. The fault lies with Congress for not doing their jobs and delegating the authority.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

The fault lies with Congress for not doing their jobs, and delegating the having delegated their authority.

FIFM

[R C Dean]

Still too long.

The fault lies with Congress for not doing their jobs and delegating the authority.

[Jordan]

This guy has just now discovered that administrative law contributes to corporatism? Administrative law is an unconstitutional abomination.

[sarcasmic]

Man threatening to jump to his death is kicked back through the window by Brazil special forces

The jumper was spotted dangling his feet from 12th storey of tower block
Crowds watched as negotiators failed to coax him back inside to safety
So commando shimmies down rope and kicks the man back inside

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....orces.html
He was immediately taken into custody where I'm sure he wished he was dead.

[Andrew S.]

To be fair, this is far better than what would've happened to him in the US.

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

Indeed, my first thought was "in the US, they would have shot him to death".

[Andrew S.]

I figured they'd just taze him, and he'd fall, completely unforeseeably.

[UnCivilServant]

I figured they'd kick him out of the window in the US, claiming "we tried to grab him and he jumped... PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED!"

[Emmerson Biggins]

I think they could probably hit him a few times with bullets before he hits the ground, too. Just to have cool shit to talk about over beers.

[Snark Plissken]

Wasn't that in the opening scene of The Incredibles?

[tarran]

You didn't save my live! You ruined my death!

[SugarFree]

"You belong to the state, cow. Now get back to work."

[Rufus J. Firefly]

That's so cool.

Like this comment from threads:

"Now if that was this country, the police would not be allowed to do that because of health & safety... And if they did they'd probably be accused of assault or breaching the guys human rights and confined to desk duties while a several thousand pound investigation takes place. Then in the interest of political correctness the police will be found to have done wrong... But that commando deserves a pint."

[Snark Plissken]

The European Banking Authority said "cases have been reported of consumers losing significant amounts of virtual currency with little prospect of having it returned."

Because that's never ever happened with government issued fiat currency.

[R C Dean]

Yeah, they lost it when it was fucking seized by the FBI busting darknet sites.

[Lord Humungus]

Dad gives both daughters boob jobs

Two Californian sisters have both been given boob jobs - by their plastic surgeon father.

Charm and Brittani Niccole, from Orange County, are walking advertisements for their famous plastic surgeon father, Dr Michael Niccole.

Brittani, 25, first had breast surgery as a gift for her 18th birthday when she went from an A cup to C.

Then three years later Michael gave her a rhinoplasty for her 21st birthday, when he narrowed the bridge of her nose.

[waffles]

No big deal. My dad once repaired a tendon in my left wrist. If you have medical skills in the family why not take advantage of them?

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

Indeed - I laughed at my sister when Dad took her tonsil's out. No way she could complain about it, heh heh.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Your dad would be illegal in Canada.

[Ted S.]

They went into exile to do the surgery.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Some states would arrest him for fondling his own daughters breasts.

[robc]

2 minute burn.

[BakedPenguin]

As someone mentioned yesterday, it looks like the brunette has already had work.

And if you're going to name your daughters Charm and Brittani, boob jobs are already not on the top of your 'parenting mistakes' list.

[WTF]

That's really not the way to keep your daughters off the stripper pole.

[BakedPenguin]

Yeah, if it turned out this doc had half interest in a strip club, I would not be surprised.

[BakedPenguin]

"It's a family business."

[sarcasmic]

Revealed: US 'tourist' held in Iran for SIX years WAS a CIA spy - whose family have been secretly paid $2.5million

Robert Levinson disappeared from an Iranian resort island while acting under the direction of a 'rogue' CIA analyst in March 2007
Associated Press report reveals for the first time that Levinson was working as a spy for the Central Intelligence Agency
The government has publicly denied Levinson was involved in the CIA since his disappearance
Many top intelligence officials fear the career civil servant is now dead
No sign of him has been seen since November 2010
Analyst who was running secret operation with Levinson was forced to resign after investigation found she broke the rules
Top CIA officials didn't discover Levinson was working for them until eight months after he vanished

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....ssion.html
Our government lied to us! Why... I never!

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Sounds to me like he knew the risks involved. He wasn't pressed into service.

[Jordan]

Are there any Americans at Iranian resorts who aren't CIA agents? Who else would be dumb enough to vacation there?

[Ted S.]

But but but BOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!!!111!!!

[Jordan]

The shocking fact that Levinson was a CIA operative comes despite years of repeated denials from the White House, the State Department and the intelligence community.

Man, Obama's gonna be mad when he reads about this in the news.

[Lord Humungus]

Hacking trial: Police 'told to leave Queen's nuts'

The Queen marked the level in bowls of nuts left around Buckingham Palace as she was "irritated" by police officers eating them, the Old Bailey has heard.

According to an email sent by Clive Goodman, ex-royal editor at the News of the World, she was "upset" by it.

The journalist added that a memo was sent to palace officers, telling them to "keep their sticky fingers out".

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

'ere now! What's all this then?

[Ebriosa]

It's a fair nut.

[gaijin]

The Queen marked the level in bowls of nuts left around Buckingham Palace

That's just nuts...er, crazy!

Seriously, this is what the pampered, inbred royalty does in the Kingdom?

[WTF]

Apparently the Queen is an older, wealthier version of Captain Queeg.

[UnCivilServant]

She's become a cost-conscious monarch in her dotage.

[invisible furry hand]

What's all this then?

a load of bollocks

[Kaptious Kristen]

Whassat, guvna?

[R C Dean]

To be fair, these are cops sticking their hands in the food.

I wouldn't want to bet my health on their personal hygiene. Would you?

[Bee Tagger]

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is fed up with tea party-backed conservative groups criticizing his leadership and blasting a bipartisan budget proposal.

There's a point where criticism of the opposing party can start to sound like criticism of government power in general, at which point Republicans and Democrats need to huddle together.

[Lord Humungus]

Scientist create 'robotic sperm' to help with fertilisation and drug delivery

Scientists have created the first ever "sperm-based biobots" by trapping single sperm cells inside metal nanotubes and remotely controlling their direction using magnets.

The resulting biobot (a 'biological robot', referring to a bacterium or cell which has been programmed to behave in a certain way) could be put to a range of uses, including delivering drugs to a specific target in the body or fertilising an egg, reports New Scientist.

[waffles]

Sperm-Based Biobots

Dare i say it? Great band name.

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

They play Patriarchal Death Ska?

[seguin]

I'm imagining a mix between Voodoo Glow Skulls and Mussorgsky.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

And so it begins.

[gaijin]

the end of men!

[db]

Great, all we need now is some crazies to go on about the sin of robot-human miscegenation...

[Ebriosa]

Let's add an R to LGBTQA! Robosexuals, start your loading sequence!

[KDN]

That acronym is short at least seven letters. Check your privilege.

[Swiss Servator, Alps avast!]

Them boys is misceginated! They ain't even old timey!

[invisible furry hand]

Is it miscegenation if an astrotech droid mates with a protocol droid?

[Ken Shultz]

"House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is fed up with tea party-backed conservative groups criticizing his leadership and blasting a bipartisan budget proposal."

The support of establishment Republicans like John Boehner for TARP was why the Tea Party formed outside of the Republican Party. That the Tea Party ended up making Boehner the Speaker is quite the irony.

They should have thrown Boehner out on his ass after the last midterms.

First item on the agenda after the next congressional election should be to get rid of John Boehner as speaker.

He's an embarrassment to the Republican Party.

[robc]

They should have thrown Boehner out on his ass after the last midterms.

They didnt have the votes. Many of the TPers voted for other people for Speaker.

[Ken Shultz]

I think even if they'd replaced him with another establishment Republican, they'd have done better.

Boehner exemplified everything the Tea Party was against. He championed everything they rose up against. He championed TARP for Bush--and the prescription drug benefit, too.

If the Tea Party was the reason the Republicans gained the Speakership, then they should have had more say in who gets to be Speaker.

[VG Zaytsev]

What would happen if a block of republican congressmen told Boehner that they would not vote for him - effectively making a dem speaker a possibility. Would Boehner withdraw or let Nancy be a minority speaker?

[Drake]

Taking wagers on Boehner doing the right thing? I know which way I'm betting.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Saban to Texas, yay or nay?

[Andrew S.]

It would be fun, if for nothing else the utter chaos it would cause.

[wareagle]

all comes down to does he prefer to build a program or maintain it. And the only reason the question even exists is Saban's denial of past rumors that he would leave a job, followed by his leaving that job.

[robc]

He isnt a builder. He didnt build MSU to a national power. He did fine at LSU obviously, and even better at Bama, but those are places where the "building" is just "play up to your proper level".

Its a matter if he wants to win at Texas where there will be less pressure than at Alabama. Especially now that he has raised expectation levels.

[PRX]

he gets a raise either way. and Longhornfan is the worst. if you win you didn't do nothing because 40 acres and if you lose it's all your fault. it's like having a million offensive and defensive coordinators.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Its a matter if he wants to win at Texas where there will be less pressure than at Alabama

I don't see this. Texas is just as much of a pressure-cooker, plus now there's obligations associated with the Longhorn TV channel that he doesn't have to deal with at Alabama.

And Alabama was pretty much in the doldrums(for them) when Saban arrived. They'd had some decent seasons, but hadn't really been in the powerhouse category since Stallings left. The fact that they became so dominant is a testament to Saban's efforts there, plus some very shrewd scheduling to exploit the holes in the BCS system.

[Mike M.]

Nay, at least for right now,.

My favorite utterly laughable suggestion is the idea that Jim Harbaugh would voluntarily leave this San Francisco 49ers team to go down there. Some of these Austinites are obviously completely delusional.

[robc]

Yep, that is the dumbest suggestion ever.

I think Tomlin is the 2nd dumbest. If Pittsburgh fires him, another NFL team hires him immediately.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Would be surprising given Pittsburgh's history of hanging on to coaches.

[Drake]

Harbaugh was very close a national champion caliber team at Stanford - if that meant anything to him, he would still be there.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

Wrong Harbaugh.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

Yay. Perhaps before Monday.

[Emmerson Biggins]

I put it at P = 0.23

[Lord Humungus]

U.S. lays out steps to smooth Obamacare coverage for January

The Obama administration asked insurers on Thursday to be flexible with Americans trying to buy new health policies through the federal website HealthCare.gov, as officials race to fix problems still plaguing the enrollment process.

U.S. officials laid out a series of steps to help prevent disruptions in coverage for health policies due to start January 1, including the possibility of retroactive coverage.

Widespread stories of coverage gaps could pose new political problems for President Barack Obama, whose signature domestic policy has already sparked a public uproar over the botched launch of the website and the millions of cancellation notices sent out for policies that do not comply with the law.

[gaijin]

to be flexible with Americans

Flexible as in 'pay for coverage when they can get around to it'. Wut culd go rong?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

From comment:

"Good Job, President Obama for working diligently to fix the myriad problems you have encountered since America's ACA enrollment began. The article says, "Widespread stories of coverage gaps could pose new political problems for President Barack Obama, whose signature domestic policy has already sparked a public uproar over the botched launch of the website and the millions of cancellation notices sent out for policies that do not comply with the law." History will laugh at this as an attempt to align our broken, expensive, unequal, profit-only-driven private insurance system to one that serves all Americans. It will show that twenty-eight republican governors who are trying to protect their corporate masters refused to open state exchanges and expand Medicaid so their poorest citizens could have reliable, affordable health care and overloading the federal system. It will show that AAHCA stopped insurance companies' greedy adherence to "pre-existing conditions" which prevented millions of people from being able to pay for coverage ? if they could even get an insurance company to write it ? and caused many people to lose all their assets including their homes to pay for our out-of-control-expensive health care costs. It will show that Americans finally came to their senses and passed Universal Health Care coverage in a few more short years because the current system simply does not work."

You're fucked.

Thank you.

Good night!

[Lord Humungus]

Our savior is here!

Huckabee says he may make another run for GOP presidential nod

Add another name to the list of potential GOP presidential contenders for 2016. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee ? the winner of the 2008 Iowa caucuses, who took a pass on the 2012 presidential race ? says he might be willing to give it another try.

In an interview Thursday night, Huckabee said he is receiving encouragement to run "from places where I never got it before."

That includes "business, people some would maybe call the establishment," he added. Both groups were adversaries in his 2008 bid, which caught fire in Iowa, but sputtered in later contests where he lacked money and organization.

[waffles]

It's his turn, right?

[Atanarjuat]

Plus, the talking heads tell me he's electable, not like those Whacko Birds who want to slow the growth of government.

[Jordan]

Paging Barfman. Why have you abandoned us in our hour of need?

They should make a Huckabee/Christie ticket because they're the Stupid Party, so why not? One lardass deserves another.

[Andrew S.]

Huckabee/Christie vs Clinton/Warren 2016!

(if you'll excuse me, I need to go throw up)

[Ted S.]

I'll vote for Gary Johnson!

[Clich? Bandit]

And where is Sandi...She took a shit on the Stupid Party once.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

receiving encouragement to run "from places where I never got it before."

The DNC?

[gaijin]

on High?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Well, I hope he runs. The 2012 GOP Klown Kar will be hard to top but the Huckster can help out considerably although admittedly he is much more media savvy than the Cains and Bachmanns of that year.

[font_of_stupidity]

You're anti-black and anti-woman.

[Mike M.]

Whatever small chance Schmuckabee ever had of becoming president went out the window permanently when that psychopath he got released from prison murdered those cops in Seattle.

[Ken Shultz]

Payton Manning kinda sucked last night.

Great news for me--since I'm playing against him in the fantasy playoffs in two out of three leagues this week.

...and the idiots in Chicago robbed me of Josh McCown in both leagues.

You know who's substituting Cutler in for McCown this week in fantasy and expecting to get the same production they would from McCown?

Morons, that's who. Absolute freakin' morons.

[Andrew S.]

Speaking of fantasy, in my playoff matchup this week, should I start Matt Stafford or Nick Foles? Was thinking Foles due to the matchup with the horrid Vikings D, but afraid that the Eagles will go up big early and just start going with the run (a strategy that helped me lat night, given that I have Ryan Mathews and my opponent started Philip Rivers)

[Ken Shultz]

I started Rivers last night in one league after losing McCown.

If I were you, I'd start Foles. ...especially since Stafford is playing against Baltimore.

Neither choice is bad, but I think Foles is an especially good choice this week.

In my personal rankings, I've got Foles ranked as the #3 QB this week. I've got Stafford at 5 or 6.

[Ted S.]

Stafford's good for a few turnovers. Hell, he turned the ball over multiple times against GB on Thanksgiving.

[Gray Ghost]

I like Foles, but I do think Stafford's going to have a big game. Especially after the Ravens's rookie safety started running his mouth about how Calvin Johnson was old and that they were going to get physical with him and "make him uncomfortable."

Per the local sports talk guys, the last guy who tried to trash talk Megatron---Dez Bryant---got to watch Johnson drop 14/329/1 on them.

But Minny's pass D is really not very good. 24th per Football Outsiders. Either QB should be fine. Weather will probably dictate which one you should start.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Go with your gut. Foles.

[wareagle]

Foles also had several scoring passes against Oakland, long after the Iggles had gone up big. The offense tends to go with what works; in the snow, running worked.

With Stafford, you get bad Matthew or good Matthew. Foles is much more consistent. Take Nick.

[KDN]

It's going to be funny watching over the hill and provenly mediocre QB Josh McCown get a 3-year, 50m contract this season based on a hot few weeks.

Funny right until it's the Jets that sign him to that contract, that is.

[Ted S.]

He can be backed up by Matt Flynn!

[wareagle]

Kirk Cousins will enter the market in the off-season as trade bait.

[Ken Shultz]

I don't think Cutler's durability or interception throwing problems are something he's going to grow out of either.

He's about as good as he's ever going to get. And he's always thrown a lot of interceptions, and he's always getting hurt at the end of the season.

And Cutler's contract is up after this year, right? Whatever McCown gets, it'll be a lot less than what Cutler is going to demand. I bet you can bring in another vet to back up McCown--and keep McCown--for less than it would take to resign Cutler.

I think the reason they're worried about Cutler's ego is because they're worried about creating a problem in the locker room with Marshall.

[Restoras]

He couldn't be any worse than Sanchez.

[KDN]

Exactly. "Hey, we're already paying $12m per for Sanchez, and he's deplorable. Let's cut him and give McCown $17! He's gotta be worth at least $5m more per year than Sanchez!"

It's the Jet thing to do, but Idzik doesn't seem to be nearly as stupid as his predecessor. That could change once they have cap space.

[Mike M.]

If Cutler can't play well with Jeffrey, Marshall, and Forte out there as his weapons, he should never start for another team again.

As for Peyton, as usual it's that time of year where he becomes ordinary. He's having maybe the best season a quarterback has ever had, and yet you just know he's going to find a way to lose in the playoffs.

[Ken Shultz]

Old school running for clock control seems to have worked for San Diego last night.

If the Broncos lose, it'll be because of their defense.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

The Broncos defense is absolute shit. No one can stay healthy, and the only real impact player they have is Von Miller, who's also playing like crap.

The Denver teams that won the Super Bowls didn't have a great defense, but they played just well enough to not lost games for the prolific offense. That's not the case this year, so the book on Manning remains the same--win the possession battle and put up just enough points so that Manning doesn't have time to drive down for a game-winning field goal at the end.

[Drake]

Can any defense "stay healthy"? The players are so big and fast that their bodies are just coming apart weekly. The quality of your practice squad on week one is probably more important to playoff success than the starting lineup.

[KDN]

Sure, but it's based more on luck than anything else. 13 games in and the Jets have had no major injuries on defense, for example, but I wouldn't count on that to repeat itself next year.

[Drake]

They started a practice squad.

[Dr. Frankenstien]

All week here in Chicago I've been hearing how Culter is the better quarterback. No he isn't. He can run faster and throw the ball farther. That just makes him a better athlete. Give me the guy who passes for more yards, puts more points on the board and throws fewer interceptions. You know the better quarterback. /rant.

[KDN]

McCown's four years older and has a history as a borderline player. In the other three seasons where he got significant playing time (2004-5 ARI and 2008 OAK) he was worse than the guys he was competing with, Kurt Warner and Daunte Culpepper (yeah, Warner wasn't there in 2004, but the team in '05 was the same in every material way and McCown put up the same stats both years so I'm willing to lump em together). With the exception of this season, Cutler has outplayed McCown by a wide margin. You might be sick of him and looking for a way out, but there's probably twenty teams that would rather have Cutler than whoever else is available (including their own QB or a bunch of guys whose careers are strikingly similar to McCown's).

It's entirely possible that McCown is just a perfect fit for Trestman's offense and is a totally different player now than he was before, but it's more likely that he's just a hot player on a fluky run. Enjoy it while it lasts, but remember that regression's a mean mother who don't give a fuck about a nice story.

[Ken Shultz]

The decision of who to play right now, though, isn't about what he's done in the past or what he's going to do in the future.

It's about what he's doing right now.

And leaving what McCown is doing right now on the bench is nutty.

The other thing to remember is--it takes about three years for QBs to fully develop, just like it does with receivers.

If McCown isn't getting a lot of playing time, then it might take him longer. There have been other QBs who took a while to blossom that way. Kurt Warner was playing Arena football. Favre got traded a few times since he wasn't really start material. I don't know how long McCown will continue to play at this level, but right now? Ain't nobody else in the league playing better than him.

If that stops, by all means bench him, but as long as that's the way he's playing?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Two men were arrested in the U.K. on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after writing anti-semitic tweets.

Anti-Semitism is illegal in the U.K.? Then why is it still around there?

Also, that one links to the bitcoin story. SHODDY WORK.

[invisible furry hand]

Yep. It's illegal here too. Don't know about Romania, though

Outrage has erupted among advocacy groups in Romania after the state channel TVR broadcast an anti-Semitic Christmas song calling for Jews to be burned in a chimney.

[db]

I hate Italians and the Irish. Am I allowed into Australia?

[invisible furry hand]

Since you wouldn't be allowed to express that hate, why would you want to come here?

[Lord Humungus]

IRS Targeting: Round Two
The first time around, targeting conservatives was a secret. Now, not so much.

n the media blackout of Thanksgiving week, the Treasury Department dumped a new proposal to govern the political activity of 501(c)(4) groups. The administration claims this rule is needed to clarify confusing tax laws. Hardly. The rule is the IRS's new targeting program?only this time systematic, more effective, and with the force of law.

That this rule was meant to crack down on the White House's political opponents was never in doubt. What is new is the growing concern by House Ways and Means Committee investigators that the regulation was reverse-engineered?designed to isolate and shut down the same tea party groups victimized in the first targeting round. Treasury appears to have combed through those tea party applications, compiled all the groups' main activities, and then restricted those activities in the new rule.

[KDN]

FAKE SCANDAL! BUSHPIGS!

[Pro Libertate]

Don't punish bad behavior, get more of it. The longer it takes for Congress to do something serious about these scandals, the more scandalous behavior is going to happen.

[Coeus]

Think progress accidentally provides an example of something they say does not exist.

Other juveniles sentenced by the same judge who presided over Couch's case, Jean Boyd, saw sentences of ten years for a single punch that killed a stranger

Which links to this:

The teen, who is not being identified because he is a juvenile, admitted to a manslaughter charge earlier this year following the October attack on 40-year-old Mark Gregory.

A statement from the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office says the boy and two friends hopped out of a car that night when they saw Gregory walking.

The punch knocked the 106-pound Gregory down and he hit his head on the pavement. He died two days later.

Now, I think the drunk kid got off too light also, but can you really compare random violent racial assault with a drunk driving accident? And then call the judge racist?

[Jordan]

Both kids got off too light, but I think punching someone is more serious than driving drunk, since you are actively attempting to harm someone.

[Coeus]

STLD: hate crime laws are stupid, but I like pointing out proggie hypocrisy.

[wareagle]

proggie hypocrisy

redundancy or band name?

[Lord Humungus]

John Bolton: Ukraine's drama, Obama's weakness
It's the job of U.S. leaders to see beyond today's domestic issues to protect larger national interests well into the future.

Thus the West collectively made a terrible mistake at the NATO summit in April 2008 by not placing Ukraine (and Georgia) on a clear path to NATO membership. Had we done so, the question of EU economic relations would doubtless have been more easily resolved. Ambiguity over Ukraine, leaving it in a no man's land between Russia and NATO, obviously didn't lead to Ukrainian stability, domestically or internationally. And the same vital question for Kiev's citizens abides: Is their future with the West or Moscow?

It is hard to imagine that Obama gives even a passing thought to Ukraine's drama, or many Republicans either, for that matter. But there should be no mistaking that tectonic plates are being realigned in Europe, for better or worse. America's passivity and indifference will not make for a better outcome.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Wasn't Bolton caught jacking off to WW2 footage in some museum?

Or was it a grocery store?

[Gilbert Martin]

No, that was you caught jacking off in front of an Obama poster.

[Jordan]

That's so commonplace that everyone just shrugs it off now.

[Weigel's Cock Ring]

Sometimes we'll get together with Matthew Yglesias on a Saturday night, bring our Shepherd Fairey collections, and circle jerk each other off all night long.

Just between us, "Little Matty" is a very appropriate nickname, if you catch my drift.

[robc]

I was going to ask where the Ukraine bordered the North Atlantic, but fuck, it isnt landlocked.

I dont know what country I thought Sevastopol was in, but I wouldnt have guessed Ukraine.

Stupid USSR breaking up and screwing up the eastern european geography I once knew.

[Snark Plissken]

I had a giant map of the world on one wall as a kid. For me it will always be Ceylon...

[Snark Plissken]

Sri Lanka that is, not the Ukraine.

[Snark Plissken]

Although I'd be totally down with it if Ukraine wanted to change its name to Ceylon.

[Rich]

Me, too. Upper Volta FTW.

[BakedPenguin]

See, if you'd studied harder, or played Risk more, you'd have known the internal boundaries of the USSR.

I admit, though, I only know about half the former Yugoslavia countries.

[Auric Demonocles]

The only use anything in Asia had was to hold as a forward defense post (e.g. Siam for Australia, Kamchatka for North America). The middle counties were useless.

[robc]

played Risk more

I played it way too much.

The problem is that "Ukraine" on the risk map has no resemblance to Ukraine.

But its the risk maps fault that my mental image of Ukraine lines up more with Belarus than with Ukraine.

[Ted S.]

I dont know what country I thought Sevastopol was in, but I wouldnt have guessed Ukraine.

Sevastopol is in the People's Republic of California, of course.

And Odessa is in Texas. 😉

[Auric Demonocles]

The one thing I know about Odessa, Texas.

[Snark Plissken]

These fucking neocons are as ignorant and arrogant about Central Europe as FDR, with much less excuse.

[Ted S.]

I think I've told this story here before, but I listened to shortwave radio back when the various countries all had their broadcasts on shortwave and not the Internet, back in the days when you actually had to write to them via snail-mail.

Back in 1999 I sent a letter to Radio Slovakia International, and the address at the bottom of the envelope read, "Bratislava, Slovak Republic". A few days later I get the letter back from the geniuses at the USPS, telling me I need to write the name of the country in English.

So I added "Slovakia", and took the letter back to the post office. As this point they told me that deliveries to Slovakia had been stopped "because of the war". Really.

[Snark Plissken]

Heh. I was in the States around '99, and several people kept insisting Prague was 'down where all that trouble was'. No it's northwest of Vienna was flatly denied. The thing is, Bolton's knowledge isn't much better and he got to dictate policy.

[DJF]

Why is it a good idea for Americans to guarantee that they will fight and die in the defense of the Ukraine?

But if John Bolton is so hot to defend the Ukraine he can go and buy himself an M-16 and a Bowie knife and fight to the last drop of Bolton blood.

[Lord Humungus]

The Return of the Blood 'stache.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Our national greatness is threatened!

[DJF]

And since Ukraine's military is based around old Soviet equipment, the US will have to spend billions upgrading it all to NATO standards. But that is no problem since the US has tons of cash and isn't trillions in debt.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Interesting that Bolton pins a 2008 policy decision on Obama.

That is why he keeps getting Fox News airtime.

[WTF]

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

[Coeus]

So how big do you think your file is?

Counter-terrorism investigators began an undercover operation into the pair's activities in April, finding they both expressed deep hatred for law enforcement officers

[invisible furry hand]

For those children who dream of fingering the entrails of Hello Kitty

http://thatslikewhoa.com/creep.....culptures/

[Rich]

Thanks, ifh! You just pointed me to a gift for that special someone!

[Elspeth Flashman]

My favorite is the Yoshi.

[invisible furry hand]

A UN Committee on the Rights of the Child report asks Australia to abolish the right of parents to use reasonable chastisement to discipline children.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/lifes.....6781285000

[Night Elf Mohawk]

CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

Children have the right to:

1. Be treated fairly no matter what.

2. Have a say about decisions affecting you.

3. Live and grow up healthy.

4. Have people do what is best for you.

5. Know who you are and where you come from.

6. Believe what you want.

7. Privacy

8. Find out information and express yourself.

9. Be safe no matter where you are.

10. Be cared for and have a home.

11. Education, play and cultural activities.

12. Help and protection if you need it.

***
#4 conflicts with a lot of the rest of the list.

[DanD]

These are so subjective as to be meaningless.

[Rich]

"Believe what you want"? "Privacy"?

Ah, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!

[Snark Plissken]

Nice and succinct.

[Restoras]

Funny, this looks like a Progtard Bill of Rights more than anything else.

[font_of_stupidity]

I thought CHILDREN'S RIGHTS were:

1) Polish monocles

2) Hoist sedan chairs

3) Mine gold

4) Mine copper

5) Mine coal

6) Mine gems

7) Mine silver

8) Mine platinum

9) Toil in mill

10) MMA-style combat

11) Beauty pageants

12) The crushing pressure of spelling bees

[Snark Plissken]

13) Being sold into white slavery

P.S., as for our daughter, NO ONE has the right to question our parenting. Totally out of bounds. Amanda was going into 7th grade, so it was going to be a transitional year anyway. Now she gets to see the world. How many kids her age get to go to Bahrain? I sure as heck didn't, but you don't hear me screaming "child abuse." Bottom line: MYOB! Seriously.

[Snark Plissken]

CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

Children have the right to:

1. Be treated fairly no matter what.

2. Have a say about decisions affecting you.

3. Live and grow up healthy.

4. Have people do what is best for you.

5. Know who you are and where you come from.

6. Believe what you want.

7. Privacy

8. Find out information and express yourself.

9. Be safe no matter where you are.

10. Be cared for and have a home.

11. Education, play and cultural activities.

12. Help and protection if you need it.

Source: Australian Human Rights Commission

Why just limit children to these essential rights?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

What about 13?

Children have the right to challenge a parent's authority when cookies are involved.

Seriously #7 strikes me as vague.

Does that mean I can't keep an eye on my eight year-old daughter while she's on the computer?

Fuck that. Damn straight we watch over her. Bunch of wackos and loons out there. And not just progressives!

[Snark Plissken]

Yeah, I don't agree with most of them.

6. Believe what you want.

This is the Dawkins idea that forcing children to go to church is child abuse. I'm an atheist from a long line of Irish Catholics, and I don't have a problem with parents trying to inculcate their values on their children; this is basically how civilization works. I don't see formal religions as any different than religions like global warming, communism, etc, other than the fact that formal religions generally have a better track record. Kids are welcome to rebel as teenagers or when they move out and support themselves.

[John]

1. Be treated fairly no matter what.

2. Have a say about decisions affecting you.

They might have those rights visavie the state. But they don't have that at all when it comes to their parents. Your parents owe you a safe place to live and grow up and some effort at teaching your right from wrong. They sure as hell don't owe you fairness or privacy or any say in what happens.

[Snark Plissken]

If any of these people actually have kids, they are going to spend years and years in therapy, hopefully paid for by the parents. It is their right!

[Clich? Bandit]

To be honest Children do have all the natural rights from birth. Rights are inherent. They are just held in reserve since children lack the responsibility to execute them. That is up to the parent to decide until the child emancipates themselves (Society, as reflected by guvmt., has deemed this 18 for most cases, SLD not withstanding).

This also applies to prisoners, a prisoner still has a right to privacy or ownership of property or to contract, they are just held in reserve since they have demonstrated a lack of responsibility to exercise them.

[Ken Shultz]

Incidentally, I've been having trouble house training a puppy. The problem is that she gets so excited when you come home or when you wake up in the morning. ...so excited that she loses it right in front of you.

I tried everything to no avail, and then I used the nuclear option. It's a technique I've developed over the years that you really should only use as a last resort--since it leverages every dog's worst fears. And you know what every dog fears most?

Instant invisibility.

That's right. They're afraid that they will suddenly become invisible and no one will be able to see them or hear them! So, right after your dog pees in the house smack in front of you? Spend a few minutes calling their name and searching around the house. They'll become increasingly distressed and start howling, jumping on you--just keep ignoring her, calling her name, and searching.

Then make like you give up the search, and then once you clean up the mess? Make like she suddenly reappeared!

Once your dog becomes convinced that every time she pees in the house, she will become completely invisible--she'll never pee in the house again.

[Rich]

I *wonder* if this would work on politicians?

[GILMORE]

I do this with people. I still haven't rediscovered about half the people I "know"

[SugarFree]

Five words combined to make something truly awful: Feminist Young Adult Fantasy Books

Dalemark: I'm not sure a set of books broke my heart and made me more whole than these books did. Family ties, romantic love that has to remain unrequited for real reasons of safety, just?ugh. I want to be buried with my tear-stained copy of Crown of Dalemark, I've only ever been able to force myself to read it once.

[BakedPenguin]

Now, now, Sug - fat lesbian girls need poorly written tripe, too.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...romantic love that has to remain unrequited for real reasons of safety...

I'm going to guess it has to remain unrequited because the lady is afraid her fella will rape her at some point. Due to the rape culture. Of males. Now, let me read the books to find out if I'm right.

[invisible furry hand]

(These are the books I will read my kids to put them to sleep.)

A gin-soaked rag would be quicker and kinder

[seguin]

Don't worry, chances are anyone who reads this crap won't breed.

[Clich? Bandit]

OT: but my favorite book as a child was Wrinkle in Time...the movie with Whoopie Goldberg kinda sucked.

[Lord Humungus]

for real reasons of safety

wut?

[The Late P Brooks]

Surprise. MSNBC talking heads are yammering about gun control.
Masturbatory fantasies about Michael Bloomberg riding forth on his white charger with a sacred lance made of money to slay the evil dragon of teh Gunz Kkkultur.

Also, Mental Healths!

1)Crazy people should not be permitted to own or have access to firearms.

2)The desire to own or shoot guns is prima facie evidence of mental imbalance.

3)CONFISCATION, FTW!

[Palin's Buttplug]

Isn't it time for you to stop leering at Mika?

[Rich]

Yellowstone's magama chamber is 2.5 times larger than previously thought.

"Bring it on!"

/BOOOOSH!!

[UnCivilServant]

Pressure buildup and potenital maximum are more relevent. In theory every volcano has the entire mantle worth of magma behind it, but there's no pressure moving it up. I want more details about the geological structures over the chamber.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Cop link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f23CPcTdY2M

[sarcasmic]

I saw that. It was in Canada. Here in the Land of the Free they would have followed every "Stop resisting!" with a kick to the head.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Thing is, this is a case of the people taking video clearly not understanding appropriate force.

[BakedPenguin]

Yeah, it just looked like those cops were trying to handcuff her, which is not unreasonable if she is a theft suspect.

As sarc said, if they want to come down to the great US of A and try taking video of our cops. They'll find out quickly what real inappropriate force is, and that those mounties were not vicious.

[The Late P Brooks]

romantic love that has to remain unrequited for real reasons of safety

Lesbian fantasy porn about that superficially mousy but secretly smoking hot school librarian?

Sign me up.

[Coeus]

Pages and pages of delicious obamanut butthurt.

Bungles
2013-12-13 08:10:54 AM
If you can't keep it, it probably wasn't in any sense a "healthcare plan", and was actually a financial product created to bamboozle you into thinking that your money was actually buying a service.

Jackson Herring [TotalFark]
2013-12-13 08:14:41 AM
called this months ago, politifact once again ignores objective observable reality in order to satiate the screeching right wing noise machine

HotWingConspiracy
2013-12-13 08:14:48 AM
Obama lied, people got better health insurance.

The protest cadence will be tricky, but he needs to hear how much of a tyrant he is.

[OldMexican]

Obama lied, people got better health insurance.

With comments like these, I am reminded of that film of that German woman in complete awe of her dear leader...

[Coeus]

Oh, it gets so much better. keep reading them.

HE is not in charge of the insurance companies, what they choose to do in response to the ACA is their own business. There is nothing in the law that says that you can't have plan 'X', as long as it complies with the regulations. Example: When I get car insurance, there are legal minimums that must be met. If those aren't met. nobody but the farking insurance company is "taking away" that policy. It's not a farking lie. The only "lie" here is from the people who are pretending like he has control over the insurance companies. Ploti"fact" deserves their own farking Pinocchios for this one.

There are tons of those.

[R C Dean]

There is nothing in the law that says that you can't have plan 'X', as long as it complies with the regulations.

Well, duh. You are allowed to do what is allowed.

Of course, all those cancelled policies were yanked because they didn't comply with the regulations.

[John]

If you can't keep it, it probably wasn't in any sense a "healthcare plan", and was actually a financial product created to bamboozle you into thinking that your money was actually buying a service.

If your plan didn't cover birth control and maternity care and rehab, it was just a pyramid scheme. The Progs really are going to die on this hill. They have stopped being a political movement and have become a cult at this point.

[Coeus]

LasersHurt [TotalFark]
2013-12-13 09:44:43 AM
s2s2s2: LasersHurt: Does your sentence not rely on the presumption that the statement was, in fact, a lie?

The statement was a lie as it was written, to be later told to the cameras. For something to be proven a lie is a different thing. You seek to fault Politifact for giving it the benefit of the doubt in the meantime?

No, I seek for you to understand what "lie" means. There was no legal basis for his statement being false. You COULD keep the plans, there were grandfathering clauses for them. That they were later cancelled by the providers does not mean his statement was a lie.

If you can explain how you think it was a lie, I'm all ears. Do you think he should have hedged it somehow - "you can keep the plans, unless they are cancelled through no action relating to the law"?

Have they really convinced themselves that this wasn't a lie?

[BiMonSciFiCon]

I do not inhabit the same world as these people.*

*Anymore. When I was 18 I was totally there.

[The Late P Brooks]

4. Have people do what is best for you.

-vs-

6. Believe what you want.

They're not just insane, they're stupid. Or vice versa.

"Go ahead, jump off the garage roof with that umbrella. If you say it will work just like a parachute, who am I to argue?"

[UnCivilServant]

"Hey kid, have you double-checked your air-resistance caluclations? Perhaps a test-run with something less breakable."

[SugarFree]

JOHANNESBURG - eNCA can reveal the sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial on Tuesday faced a murder charge in 2003.

Thamsanqa Jantjie, who is being treated for schizophrenia, has also faced rape (1994), theft (1995), house-breaking (1997), malicious damage to property (1998), murder, attempted murder and kidnapping (2003) charges.

It's unknown if the case was ever concluded as the court file is mysteriously empty.

The man now known by many as the 'fake interpreter', stood just a foot away from world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, who is one of the most heavily protected men on the planet.

President Jacob Zuma and leaders from China, Cuba, Brazil and India were also on the stage.

eNCA's investigations have found that Thamsanqa Jantjie, who is being treated for schizophrenia, has also faced rape (1994), theft (1995), housebreaking (1997), malicious damage to property (1998), murder, attempted murder and kidnapping (2003) charges.

Many of the charges brought against him were dropped, allegedly because he was mentally unfit to stand trial.

[UnCivilServant]

The company is empty, the file is empty. Does this guy just cause things to evaporate?

[R C Dean]

The guy is obviously connected, otherwise, how would he score this make-work fake job?

And part of being connected is you get access to court files and can mess around with them.

See, also, Barack Obama's Illinois campaigns.

[The Late P Brooks]

Many of the charges brought against him were dropped, allegedly because he was mentally unfit to stand trial.

It appears he has rehabilitated himself.

We should all applaud this man, who has moved from the shadows into a productive and successful life in service to the less-abled.

[mad libertarian guy]

New Alcest!

[Lord Humungus]

Definitely less of a metal sound.

[mad libertarian guy]

Yes. He's been moving further and further from metal. When I saw a video of the recording process I'm pretty sure I remember him stating something to the effect of "all of the metal is gone."

[GILMORE]

WTF. That was a French Benetton commercial.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Wesley J. Smith writes in First Things to urge Obama to reduce the sentence of convicted drug offender Clarence Aaron:

"Pardons are generally limited to innocuous cases or reserved for the politically connected. As for commutations, with the occasional exception of a prisoner supported by a powerful political constituency, they simply don't happen much anymore. The time has come to change direction. For the sake of our society's moral health, we need more mercy simply for mercy's sake.

"Toward that end, I write in support of a decade-long campaign that seeks mercy for federally convicted drug felon Clarence Aaron.

"...barring mercy from the President of the United States, Aaron?now forty-three?will never be released from prison....Aaron, alone among his co-conspirators, [is] incarcerated for life.

"What good will that do anyone? By all accounts, Aaron is rehabilitated....

Perhaps that's why advocates for granting Aaron mercy come from the political left, center, and right...Aaron's advocates don't seek a pardon, but a commutation of his sentence to, say, twenty-five years, which would allow his eventual release.

http://www.firstthings.com/ont.....ence-aaron

[Kaptious Kristen]

Are there any gemologists in the house? I haz a question on aquamarines. Basically, price-wise, what should I be looking for in a genuine aqua? Like, per carat?

[Eduard van Haalen]

Whatever your fiance can afford. Remember - the more he pays, the more he loves you!

[Kaptious Kristen]

Uh huh. Interesting assumption.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Sorry, just kidding - and being a [bleep].

[BakedPenguin]

Have you already seen this?

[Lord Humungus]

how time flies...

Ten years on from his capture, Saddam's legacy still haunts Iraq

Friday is the tenth anniversary of an event that very few people seem to want to celebrate these days ? the capture in Iraq of Saddam Hussein.

For most Americans, it is a reminder of a mission that went badly wrong, while for many Iraqis, Saddam's rule is now looked at as a time of relative peace and security.

One man who likes to remind himself of it every day, though, is Mwaffak al Rubaie, an Iraqi politician who was present when Saddam was subsequently hung.

In the living room of his home in Baghdad, he has a statue of Saddam's head, complete with the original rope used in the hanging wrapped around his neck.

[The Late P Brooks]

I haz a question on aquamarines.

Close the hatch before you submerge.

[R C Dean]

And for God's sake, stay away from the Spanish aquamarines!

[mad libertarian guy]

It sure would be nice if your average city-dwelling anti-hunter would recognize that hunters aren't all ignorant rednecks who just like to kill for the fun of it.

Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., hunting wasn't part of my world. I didn't know anyone who hunted. (At least, I didn't think I knew anyone who hunted.)

But I knew a little about hunters. For starters: Elmer Fudd (Duck Season! Rabbit Season!) was a hunter. I knew that. Then there was Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th President of the U.S. and an avid hunter and conservationist. And on the occasional family drive out to the country, I might see a "redneck" ? identified by my suburban eyes by the gun rack on the back window of his pickup truck.

That was pretty much the extent of my knowledge of hunters. I expect there are many people today who know about the same amount. Their knowledge of hunters comes from watching episodes of Duck Dynasty and reading the latest viral story of a legal but highly controversial lion hunt.

To those folks and to you, let me introduce you to the hunter.

[Sevo]

Lefty O'care agitprop.
First, we find "few" = ~1m:
"Few in California are hit by Obamacare cancellations"
I know it's not sarc; gotta be stupidity
http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/.....060398.php

In the print version, we find that 'sign-ups' are really taking off! ~175,000 have 'signed-up'!
Let's see, 1m minus 175,000, carry the one, hmmmm. Only 800K out of insurance! Success!

[mad libertarian guy]

In the print version, we find that 'sign-ups' are really taking off! ~175,000 have 'signed-up'!
Let's see, 1m minus 175,000, carry the one, hmmmm. Only 800K out of insurance! Success!

But the "right" people are getting insurance. It's only racist teabaggers who don't deserve to get health care or people with substandard policies who have lost it.

[R C Dean]

Gotta reduce that "signed up" by the number who haven't actually paid. Call it (ahem) an order of magnitude less.

[Sevo]

Oh, and....
SF has a 'housing crises'; according to those who believe so, it means there's a shortage of housing. So it stands to reason that we ought to encourage developers to spend every penny on housing, right? Well:
"$110 million windfall for San Francisco improvements"
[...]
"San Francisco's construction boom is pumping millions of dollars of development fees into the city, providing much-needed cash for street, transit, open-space and other improvements in the areas affected most by the growth."
http://www.sfchronicle.com/bay.....060340.php
Paywall alert, but it doesn't take a whole lot of reading to realize the Chron thinks there is "free money".

[SusanM]

You lost the left at "stands to reason".

Thank you, come again.

[The Late P Brooks]

The man now known by many as the 'fake interpreter', stood just a foot away from world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, who is one of the most heavily protected men on the planet.

And

nothing

else

happened.

This hysterical paranoia over the alleged threat to our delicate princeling makes me want to puke. Why did that useless pussy waste millions of dollars going to Sudeffrica if he's such a pathetic quivering coward? Let the knockkneed little dweeb spend his days cowering in the White House bunker. We can issue him a Luger and one round, for when times get too tough.

[Pro Libertate]

Indeed. Add cowardly to corrupt, dishonest, and incompetent.

[Snark Plissken]

It was the lack of Dallas' atmosphere of hate that saved Obama.

[The Late P Brooks]

Have they really convinced themselves that this wasn't a lie?

That's a rhetorical question, right?

[Coeus]

Unprecedented austerity

And amid the punditizing over the latest budget deal, it's worth considering just how unprecedented US austerity has been. Look at total government spending ? federal, state, and local ? and correct it for inflation, as measured by the core personal consumption expenditures deflator (the Fed's preferred measure). (It doesn't matter much which measure you use, but this one has less noise). Smooth it out by looking at three-year changes. Here's what you get:

I found numbers to make reality inverse!!! Bow before the mighty Krugnuts!!!

[Sevo]

"and correct it for inflation, as measured by the core personal consumption expenditures deflator (the Fed's preferred measure). (It doesn't matter much which measure you use, but this one has less noise). Smooth it out by looking at three-year changes."
And change all the signs!

[Pro Libertate]

Renormalize for political bias and voil?! horrifically low spending!

[Coeus]

How did this get through the filter?

TypicalKrugYotown
That is a very deceptive graph. It's a graph of the spending derivative. Of course there is a large negative rate of change after the massive stimulus spending of 2009. That does not mean "austerity" when the stimulus was meant to be a one off thing. This kind of cherry picked data might fool your ardent supporters but it doesn't help your credibility among the rest of us that can see through the con.

[Coeus]

Since they're starting this shit again, it's time to go around posting this under every bullshit article you can find.

[The Late P Brooks]

it's worth considering just how unprecedented US austerity has been.

"Unprecedented" as in NEVER FUCKING HAPPENED?

[GILMORE]

UK Nannies decide new Beer-Industry advertisement (akin to "got milk" campaign in US) makes alcohol seem 'too cool' = Advert is banned.

See ad and story here

http://www.just-drinks.com/new.....12331.aspx

I personally think its fucking perfect and the British need a kick in the head on top of a beer.

[Elspeth Flashman]

That's a great ad!

[Knarf Yenrab (prev. An0nB0t)]

And the limey nannies will become the latest to discover the Streisand Effect.

[Snark Plissken]

I'm afraid government bureaucrats are immune to that.

[OldMexican]

Meantime, In Franco's Spain: Popular New Book That Recommends To Women To Marry And Be Submissive Is In The Crosshairs Of Angry and Bitter Feminists Who Want The Book BANNED.

A book advising newly-wed women on how to be "submissive" has become a publishing phenomenon in Spain while outraging feminists who have called for it to be banned.

The polemic book by married Italian author Costanza Miriano titled 'C?sate y s? sumisa ? Get Married and Be Submissive ? was published by the Catholic Arbishopric of the southern city of Granada in November and soared up the bestseller list.

Women's groups are considering legal action to get it banned arguing that it promotes gender violence.

Book banning. Ah, good times, good times.

[Knarf Yenrab (prev. An0nB0t)]

Yes, but they only want to ban the bad books.

[SusanM]

Just don't tell them about my blog.