Bombing Kills at Least 4 in Beirut, Over 1,000 Cars Torched in France Over New Year's, Republican Activist Wants California Legislature To Grow: P.M. Links

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  • A bombing in a Hezbollah-controlled area of Beirut has killed at least four people.
  • The chaplain for New York City's Department of Sanitation (yes, really) called the Big Apple a "plantation" during Mayor Bill de Blasio's inauguration ceremony.
  • A Republican activist in California is working on a proposal to expand the California legislature to 12,000 members from its current 120.
  • A Saudi man has been sentenced to 90 days in jail and 80 lashes for accusing a Kuwaiti singer of adultery on Twitter.
  • According to the French interior minister, 1,067 cars were torched over New Year's.
  • Ford has unveiled a hybrid car that uses solar energy to power its battery pack.

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Matthew Feeney is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute.

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  1. The chaplain for New York City's Department of Sanitation (yes, really) called the Big Apple a "plantation" during Mayor Bill de Blasio's inauguration ceremony.

    Slaves probably didn't get stopped and frisked as often.

    1. Warrren

      It's a plantain?

      1. Rufus J. Firefly

        Kramer loved plantain.

      2. Anonymous Coward

        "Sound forth the trumpets of heaven proclaiming a new Emancipation Proclamation in New York City," Lucas began. "Empower these, your servants, here assembled ?Mayor de Blasio, Public Advocated James, Comptroller Stringer ? to help set captives free from all the vestiges of bondage."

        "For your divine leadership, emancipate every New Yorker from the shackles of fear, futility, and frustration. Form poverty, homelessness, helplessness," he continued. "Help us to be mastered by only the masters of love and compassion ? Let integrity never stand on the auction block or be sold to the highest bidder."

        "Free us from the shackles of partisan politics, political correctness, and personal egos and agendas," he added.

        "Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God," he implored. "End the civil wars and usher in a new Reconstruction Era that builds upon the many successes and achievements of yesterday while proclaim the beginning of a new beginning. Let the plantation called New York City be the city of God, a city set upon the hill, a light shining in darkness."

        A bunch of meaningless tripe. Nonsense upon nonsense with a little GAWD thrown in for seasoning.

        1. PD Scott

          Christ, what an asshole.

        2. playa manhattan

          That's almost as self-congratulatory as an Obama speech. Almost.

        3. Rich

          "And, Dear Lord, let me keep my job -- indeed, receive a raise -- after this prayer goes viral."

        4. 0x90

          Parody has been made obsolete.

          1. amelia

            I believe the Lord has sent a sign of Thee Onion's imminent demise. He may just as well have smited them.

        5. Mickey Rat

          He actually wrote and said that? On purpose?

          1. TheZeitgeist

            Can't believe he left out the part about forty acres and a mule.

          2. Rufus J. Firefly

            ...and got elected.

  2. According to the French interior minister, 1,067 cars were torched over New Year's.

    Are Citroen's especially flammable or something?

    1. It's to stimulate the economy.

      1. CE

        Ash for Clunkers.

    2. Rufus J. Firefly

      Useless tidbit: My first bicycle was a Peugeot.

      Now you know Rufus a little better.

      1. Episiarch

        I used to have a Peugeot Nice. Nice bike.

        1. John

          I take it they make better bikes than cars.

          1. Episiarch

            Yes. It was a chrome-moly frame road bike. Quite nice. Much better than the Royal Prince steel frame I had before that.

            1. Rufus J. Firefly

              Chrome-moly! Now there's a word from the past!

              Mine was pretty nice too. Black, red and gold. I bought it in 1985. Heavy as shit - compared to the bikes that followed anyway.

              1. Episiarch

                That fucker cost $700 in the late 80s. It was a pretty nice bike. Nothing like going on a 25 mile bike with a steel frame and then switching to a chrome-moly frame next time. What a difference.

                1. Root Boy

                  CR-MO is steel - or do you mean a cheap HSS frame vs. a nice CR-Mo one, like Reynolds 853 (sorry have to get my material geek on)?

                  The newest CR-MO steels are super strong - they make impact panels in car doors from them now. I wonder if I could pull one from a wrecked volvo and turn it into a sword sometime...

                  1. Rufus J. Firefly

                    http://italiancyclingjournal.b.....frame.html

                    That's what I have now.

                    Deda was out of my price range.

                    http://www.dedacciai.com/

                    1. playa manhattan

                      My last truly awesome bike, the 1987 GT Performer

                    2. Episiarch

                      This was the exact bike, even the same paint job.

                    3. Rufus J. Firefly

                      Epi, which link?

                    4. Episiarch

                      Huh, I goofed that somehow. Here.

                    5. Rufus J. Firefly

                      Not bad. Not bad at all.

                2. Warrren

                  Change a few words and it perfectly describes your first encounter with a sex-bot.

          2. The DerpRider

            My mom has one and took it to be refurbished. The hipster working on it fell in love and wanted to buy it from her.

    3. PD Scott

      Cach? for clonquers?

    4. Most cars are flammable. Citro?ns are inflammable.

      1. Rich

        +1067

    5. Gilbert Martin

      I see France is right on track to become a national version of Detriot.

      1. PD Scott

        Except you probably won't be able to buy an abandoned chateau for less than ?10k.

        1. Raven Nation

          Spain's the place for cheap real estate:

          http://www.independent.co.uk/n.....60036.html

          1. playa manhattan

            Tempting, but I sure those places come with a huge amount of tax liability...

            1. Raven Nation

              Owing to strange aspects of Spanish law, most of them are still owned by a single family who can't afford the upkeep.

              And, there was a hint in one story that there are government subsidies for buyers.

    6. Boisfeuras

      Are Citroen's especially flammable or something?

      Maybe they cope better with bullets. De Gaulle credited a DS with saving his life, despite four flat tires, during an assassination attempt by OAS in 1962.

    7. The Jews are causing a LOT of trouble in France.

  3. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

    According to the French interior minister, 1,067 cars were torched over New Year's.

    Hollande takes the Broken Window Fallacy to the next level.

  4. playa manhattan

    "The chaplain for New York City's Department of Sanitation"
    Nothing left to cut!

    1. Enough About Palin

      "Dear G-d, please bless these mighty trash-haulers as they do their icky, stinky jobs."

    2. BiMonSciFiCon

      Damn it.

  5. A Saudi man has been sentenced to 90 days in jail and 80 lashes for accusing a Kuwaiti singer of adultery on Twitter.

    I'm guessing more people have now read this story than were followers of this guy. I'm just saying.

    1. The Achmed Streisand Effect?

    2. KPres

      At least he didn't make fun on Nelson Mandela!!

  6. Rufus J. Firefly

    "According to the French interior minister, 1,067 cars were torched over New Year's."

    France literally burns.

    1. Root Boy

      Are they ahead of Detroit on Devil's Night (yeah, probably poor comparison since Detroiters torch houses, not cars).

      Tim Blair always has some funny comment on the French CarBQ's and they lack of perpetrator ID.

      1. Rufus J. Firefly

        Dunno, but according to my "sources" France is in terrible shape. Crime is rampant.

        And dumbass North American leftists are bent on copying their social and business models which is pure shit.

        1. Warrren

          More government is needed to solve the problems!

        2. Root Boy

          Won't the 75% tax on millionaires solve things?

          And has Gerard Depardieu moved to Belgium yet?

          1. Rufus J. Firefly

            Try 110%.

  7. Warrren

    12,000 representatives? Uh, no thanks.

    1. Auric Demonocles

      Just think of all the extra government employees!

      1. Watering down each's relevancy might not be a bad thing.

        1. Warrren

          I'm not opposed to that. It's the fact that there will be 12,000 assholes who think their opinions are extra special and they can act on them.

      2. PD Scott

        Staffing! Office space! Support services! Sacramento will be a fully employed paradise!

        1. Warrren

          Just think of the nepotism!

    2. John

      It actually an interesting idea. A legislature that large would be very hard to buy off and very easy for ordinary citizens to run for.

      1. The NH state house is 400 members, which is huge for a state that size.

        The pay is crap and the only perk is a special license plate that you have to pay for. It's very easy for regular, non-connected citizens to run and win.

        If I'm not mistaken, they've actually had a few libertarians over the years. The only in the (L) state house reps in the country.

        There was a free-state doc on youtube a while back that explained the whole thing.

        The secret to it, which wouldn't happen in CA, is that each member's overall pay contributes almost nothing to the overall budget. No cars, pay, staff, security, etc.

      2. Skonkey

        We should have 250 states.

        http://www.ideasinactiontv.com.....tates.html

      3. alittlesense

        A legislature that large would probably get nothing done. Oh, wait! A cunning plan!

  8. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

    Dear Prudence: Help! I caught my son fucking the guy my daughter has a crush on!

    My wife and I have two wonderful children, "Rebekah" and "Robbie." They have always been close and share many of the same friends. Both are living at home while attending a local college. Rebekah...has developed a real crush on a young man in her class, "Jason." Recently, my wife and I returned home after a night out, and I went to check on Robbie who has a room in the basement. I was startled to find him and Jason lying on his bed, kissing and undressing each other. I was not seen and left quietly.

    A few days later I returned home early to the sounds of two men having sex in the basement. I got into my car and took a long drive...I love my son and will always support him, but there are several issues. First, my wife will be unhappy to learn our son is gay. Robbie is an adult and it's not my place to tell her, but she will eventually find out. Also, we do not tolerate sexual activity in the house, regardless of sexual orientation, so there can't be a double standard with Robbie. I will have to tell him, and he will know that I know. Most important, I fear Rebekah will be hurt, and I don't want this development to damage the close relationship she and her brother have always had. What should I do?

    Write a screenplay?

    1. playa manhattan

      You can't make this shit up. Or can you?

      1. jamesrk

        Which one of you is the brother in law in the second story?

        1. Lady Bertrum

          Using a fanny-pack to conceal and carry? I'm guessing that describes 90% of the posters here.

          1. playa manhattan

            I just carry chewing gum and hand sanitizer in mine.

            1. The Last American Hero

              Who are you, MacGuyver?

    2. Warrren

      So where did they conceive their kids?

    3. John

      I think I would be a lot more worried about my daughter than my son. The son at least is smart enough to be attracted to people who might be attracted to him. The daughter faces a pretty bleak future if she is one of those women who for whatever reason only falls for gay guys.

      1. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

        I think it's clear that neither dude is out, so her mistake is understandable.

        Hell, this would be a great learning experience for her: if the guy seems too perfect and shares too many interests with you...

        1. John

          Women have a pretty well developed gaydar. If a woman falls for a gay who is gay there is usually a reason and not really an honest mistake.

          1. Fluffy

            And falling for gay guys is like Lay's chips - nobody stops with just one.

          2. SugarFree

            Unless she likes this guy because she has a thing for her brother.

            /Hotel New Hampshire

            1. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

              + 1 very obscure Jodie Foster movie

    4. lap83

      "Also, we do not tolerate sexual activity in the house, regardless of sexual orientation, so there can't be a double standard with Robbie."

      And they show they don't tolerate it by going on long drives and writing to advice columnists?

      1. Warrren

        You're mansplaining again.

        1. Actually, it was the father writing in to Prudence.

        2. Sudden

          Technically, its a man writing the letter in search of advice.

          I use the term "man" merely to describe anatomical features.

        3. lap83

          also, since I'm a woman is there such a thing as womansplaining?

          1. Episiarch

            NO. Now go fetch us a turkey pot pie.

            1. Lady Bertrum

              I hope you like ricin flavored turkey pot pies.

              1. Episiarch

                If I spill it on my wife-beater t-shirt, will it stain? That's really the question here.

            2. lap83

              OK, but as a simple woman, I may forget that it wasn't meant for me and eat it on my way back.

              1. Episiarch

                Don't worry, I was expecting such simplicity and wrote you a note not to eat it. Plus, you know what happens if you do...

                1. SugarFree

                  Pfft. Epi is obviously the punching bag in his "relationship." That vacuum cleaner hose with lipstick smeared all over it really treats him quite badly.

                  1. Episiarch

                    But "she" loves me! She says so when I imagine it!

                    1. JW

                      Are you bareflooring again? WHAT HAVE WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT?

          2. Lady Bertrum

            That's just regular explaining.

          3. Warrren

            Only collectively.

      2. Mad Scientist

        He needed advice from the village before rushing headlong into that parenting thing.

        1. lap83

          I am curious why a clearly progressive, doormat-ish parent would verbally object to "sexual activity in the house". I could understand why a conservative parent would do it, since they would consider sex before marriage morally wrong. But why would you tolerate the idea of it then feel so bad about it when you find out it's happening that you have to leave your house in shame.

          1. Sudden

            Conservative men sometimes get steamrolled by their wives too.

          2. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

            Expect to see articles written on the subject when the remake of 'Endless Love' is released later this year.

            1. alittlesense

              Seriously? Is there no piece of cinematic trash Hollywood will not remake?

          3. Mad Scientist

            I don't know they guy, but my guess is this is typical liberalism. First he sees something that makes him uncomfortable, then he feels guilty about feeling uncomfortable because tolerance, after much hand-wringing he asks someone else to tell him what he should think.

            1. Suthenboy

              ^ Ding Ding Ding

          4. KPres

            Because you're a progressive, doormat-ish parent who's secretly repulsed by the idea of gay sex and you need a socially acceptable outlet for that feeling?

      3. PD Scott

        Your kids are in college and you don't tolerate sexual activity in the house?

        1. Fluffy

          So, wait - you let your college-age kids fuck in your house?

          1. Rich

            "Party at the Scotts'!"

          2. PD Scott

            Well, no, but only because I sold them into white slavery so I could afford more orphan monocle polishers.

            1. Rabban

              Libertarian parenting at its finest right there.

        2. Agammamon

          Wait, the kids are *in* college and they're still living at home?

          Fuck that, get 6 or seven of your friends together and rent a one bedroom in the shitty part of town.

          1. playa manhattan

            You can't get free meals and laundry that way.

    5. Fluffy

      You can't fucking tell your wife that your son is gay?

      Um, what?

      I have a pretty communication-free marriage, but even I have that on my list of "things to tell my wife if I find out".

      If you would hide something like that from your wife...enjoy your coming divorce, because I imagine it's also "not your place" to tell her about your finances, your mistress, that voicemail you got with her cancer diagnosis, that the smoke detector is disabled, etc.

    6. Killaz

      Dear Confused Dad,

      It sounds like any action you plan to take is only going to cause some serious heart break and embarrassment for all parties involved. Consider other options. Runaway from home, and start a new life. I would not be surprised to find out, given the domestic drama, you have already gave that much in the way of consideration. The other option is to invite all parties to dinner, and poison it. If you plan it right, everyone will die snug in their beds. No one needs to find out anything, and no one will be the wiser.

      1. Lady Bertrum

        +1. Best advice ever.

        1. Killaz

          Thank you for that.

    7. PD Scott

      And just HOW does the Dad know what the sound of two men having sex in the basement is, hmmm?

      1. Killaz

        You'll know it when you hear it. I once heard two guys going at in a sitting area off the stacks of the top floor of the UNC library. It was only my first week at school.

    8. Robbie is an adult...

      Recognizing this is the first step to minding one's own business.

      1. Ann N

        his dilemna has nothing to do with coercion (minding his own business).

        its about information sharing and how he 'disposes' of his private property (his home).

        his daughter is having fraud committed against her by her boyfriend, and STRONGLY arguably, her brother.

        if a brother was to fuck a brothers girlfriend that would easily be seen as fraud to hide it. throw in gayness and ppl start losing any coherent sense of moral standards of fairness.

        ya gotta ask why that is...

        1. paranoid android

          ya gotta ask why that is...

          I'm thinking it's mostly caused by your evidently horrendous reading comprehension.

    9. Suthenboy

      Young girl unwittingly develops a crush on a gay guy? That never happens.

      1. JW

        Robbie? Can I borrow Bruce to go shoe shopping? KTHXBAI.

    10. KPres

      How did you guys miss this one:

      "Dear Prudence,
      Over the holiday our family spent time with my husband's brother. My brother-in-law has long been known to have undiagnosed mental problems?he is paranoid and delusional. On this visit he cornered whomever he could to blather about why the apocalypse is coming, and about socialism and the Federal Reserve. He also constantly wore a fanny pack. I tried to keep our young children away from him. On our drive home, my husband told me that his brother has been given a permit to carry a concealed weapon. It turns out there was a handgun in his fanny pack, and he took the gun across many state lines. I am beside myself. He is exactly the man who shouldn't have a firearm. My husband said the church his family attends promotes paranoia and gun-toting. My husband did speak to his parents about this, explaining that his brother's carrying a loaded weapon was a recipe for disaster and that his paranoid tirades were a sign that his brother needed help. His mother defended him "exercising his rights." This scenario seems to be a tragic accident waiting to happen. We aren't going to see the brother-in-law again for a long time, but should we be contacting some public health officials?"

      1. KPres

        He doesn't like socialism or the Federal Reserve. Time to contact the public health officials.

      2. Mad Scientist

        Dear Prudence,

        Over the holiday my brother's family came to visit. I'm very concerned about my brother's wife because she obviously has phobias about inanimate objects. She scatters like a cat caught in the sprinklers if she sees my fanny pack, and does her best to keep my niece and nephew away as well. I've spoken to my brother about her mental issues, but he says she's a mom and just naturally nervous. My mother was never this nervous, so I'm not buying it. Anyway, I don't need any advice. My plan is to leave her alone and respect her choices even if they seem crazy to me.

      3. Mellow Kitty

        Now, I'll concede that since I don't personally know this guy, I can't say definitively whether or not he's nuts. Maybe he is. But considering the only evidence of such is his CCW, dislike of the FedRev, and fears of increasingly socialistic government, I feel reasonably confident in asserting that he isn't. Meanwhile, I can say with certainty that his sister-in-law is a pearl-clutching, jackboot-licking concern troll whose paranoid fantasies about the impending shooting of her children warrant a prescription for Valium at the very least.

    11. BigT

      Dear Uncertain,

      Next time you're having family dinner simply blurt out: "Anyone into 3-somes?" And see where it leads.

      -Abby Normal

  9. Ford has unveiled a hybrid car that uses solar energy to power its battery pack.

    I guess if I'm driving this thing I'm hoping for sunny Global Warming days.

    1. Root Boy

      Global warming is sunny, cloudy, hot and cold, so better just watch the weather and only drive on sunny days.

    2. Suthenboy

      I am not gonna look it up and do the math, but, how much energy per sq ft falls on the earth at my house? How many square feet of panels would I need, and how long, to gather enough energy to move the weight of a car the 30 miles from my house to town and back?

      Solar powered car : Most stupidest idea ever.

      1. NotAnotherSkippy

        About 1hp of total solar energy hits every square meter of the earth's disc (it's the projection that matters and not the total area). Solar panels are ~10% efficient so that gives you 0.1hp/m^2. Let's say that a car has a collecting area of 10m^2 which brings you back to 1hp. Aside from the start/stop cycle cars generally need ~10hp to maintain speed in the face of drag.

        All that means is that you have to charge the car for 10 hours to drive for 1 hour. And that's with some favorable assumptions. More realistically you'd be charging for more than a day just to drive for a single hour. And now you see why "green" energy is just an excuse to spend your green.

    3. db

      Sounds like a great car for Pennsylvania.

      1. I wish it would work. I really do. But it won't. It really won't.

  10. BiMonSciFiCon

    The chaplain for New York City's Department of Sanitation (yes, really) called the Big Apple a "plantation" during Mayor Bill de Blasio's inauguration ceremony.

    NYC's Department of Sanitation has a chaplain? #nothinglefttocut

    1. Shirley Knott

      Dear Lord, bless this shit.

      1. PD Scott

        "Compact our sins, dear Lord, and recycle our blessings."

    2. Sudden

      Keep in mind that this is also diversity friendly NY, which means he is likely only one of n chaplains, where n = every religion ever in existence. I'm submitting my application for Zoroastrian chaplain for NYC Sanitation Dept as we type.

      1. db

        Great idea. Maybe you can get the cemetaries placed under the Dept of Sanitation and mandate sky burials in Central Park.

  11. waffles

    A Republican activist in California is working on a proposal to expand the California legislature to 12,000 members from its current 120.

    Democracy fuck yeah! I think the assembly can and should be freakin' enormous. A massive clusterfuck of assholes screaming over each other would be great. They should just go full experimental. It's not like you can make California's state government worse.

    1. playa manhattan

      I'd support it if it took 364 days to call a quorum.

      1. waffles

        Alternatively, you could have it be a part-time gig with no benefits, thus eliminating incentives for career politicians and corruption.

    2. Mad Scientist

      Why stop at 12k? There are 38.4 million Californians after all.

      1. playa manhattan

        Ummm, our last ballot initiative resulted in a magical train.

        1. Warrren

          So we should put the legislature on a train? Is that what you are saying?

          1. You know who else...?

            1. Earl Wallace and Donald Westlake?

          2. Mad Scientist

            Not just any train. Monorail!

            1. Warrren

              Monorail?

              1. Mad Scientist

                Well, sir, there's nothing on earth Like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, six-car monorail!

              2. Not on your life, my Hindu friend!

            2. BiMonSciFiCon

              Throw up your hands and raise your voice!

          3. CE

            No, put the Democrats in one train, and the Republicans in another, and make them really high speed on a circular track with magnets and stuff, and combine it with the state's own particle collider.

    3. The Last American Hero

      12k is a lot, but California really needs to be split into 3 or 4 states at this point.

      Even without the Prog-tardiness factor, it's just too damn big in terms of population, culture, and geography to effectively manage and be responsive to the citizenry.

    4. Rich

      They should just go full experimental.

      Lavatory of democracy, as it were.

      1. robc

        Lavatory of democracy

        clap clap clap.

        A winner is you!

    5. The DerpRider

      Direct democracy, bitches!

      1. waffles

        It might even be better to go the opposite way. Get rid of the stupid ballot initiative system because most Californians don't even understand what they're voting for and make it a full representative Democratic Republic. Vote for your guy/gal from your area and that's it.

        1. because most California legislators don't even understand what they're voting for

          FIFY

    6. CE

      I'm more for the "let's split California into six states" idea:

      http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/3.....it-draper/

      Definitely voting for that one!

    7. CE

      At $90,526 per year each, that'll be over 1 billion dollars just in salary.

  12. The Late P Brooks

    The chaplain for New York City's Department of Sanitation (yes, really) called the Big Apple a "plantation" during Mayor Bill de Blasio's inauguration ceremony.

    Yeah, those guys at the Dept of Sanitation are oppressed, all right.

    1. playa manhattan

      Especially the chaplain. I'll bet his job is really demanding.

      1. Rich

        "Padre, I'm tired of livin'."

  13. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

    Chicago woman receives surprise in the mail: a photo album containing personal photos of the Obama family

    Chicago resident Alane Church claims she received a very unexpected package in the mail this week -- a book of personal photos from the Obama family intended for the godmother of Malia and Sasha Obama.

    Church said on NBC's "Today" show that her family received a week-late box of Christmas gifts in the mail on Dec. 31, which the post office had repackaged. Her husband found the photo album at the bottom of the box.

    "We were reading the tag, trying to figure out where this came from. It was opened, so we then discovered this was a very personal gift to Mama Kaye," she said. Church held up the photo album, which apparently was intended for Kaye Wilson, the Obama daughters' godmother.

    Church declined to show any of the photos inside the album, remarking, "We're sort of wanting to keep it private for Mama Kaye. It's very special. Very special. Private moments of their year in 2013 together."

    So close to seeing photos of them that aren't White House-sanctioned for release.

    1. John

      All I could think while reading that is sex photos. It is going to take a while to wash that horror out of my brain.

      1. playa manhattan

        Were you thinking strap-ons too?

        1. Warrren

          How big is a fake Wookie dick?

          1. Not as big as the real one.

            1. BigT

              10,000 selfies by the Prez

    2. The Last American Hero

      Unless you want to give a DEA swat team an excuse to kick down your door and the IRS to audit you for the remainder of your days, it's probably best to just do what Ms. Church did.

  14. The Late P Brooks

    Most important, I fear Rebekah will be hurt, and I don't want this development to damage the close relationship she and her brother have always had. What should I do?

    Maybe they have already worked out a solution.

  15. John

    When you made fun of my idiotic and patronizing essay about being rich but needing to pretend to be poor you totally forgot to mention I am gay. And that is just oppressive or something.

    http://www.nydailynews.com/lif.....-1.1562433

    1. jamesrk

      makeup does wonders.

      1. John

        I actually am skeptical she is really a lesbian. A crazy bitch who decided pretending to be a lesbian was a way to show her solidarity with the cause, sure. But a lesbian as in someone who is only sexually attracted to other women? Not likely.

        1. I've been wondering about this. As vogue as homosexuality is right now, surely there are fake gays and lesbians out there. As weird as that sounds.

          1. John

            I would say more fake lesbians than gays. If you are some confused young woman looking for an identity and want street creed with the local women's studies crowd, claiming to be a lesbian is a pretty good start towards that.

            1. Mad Scientist

              I also know some fat chicks who think guys will find them attractive if they talk about getting it on with girls.

              1. John

                I could be wrong, but I doubt many men are out there claiming to be gay in hopes of picking up chicks.

                1. Kid Xenocles

                  "I could be wrong, but I doubt many men are out there claiming to be gay in hopes of picking up chicks."

                  It's been done.

            2. playa manhattan

              Lohan, Lindsay

              1. Yeah, I thought that, too.

            3. JW

              20 million bisexual girls, right until they graduate from college.

            4. Well, there are "Daddy's Money Dykes" who go to college, get really liberal, screw around with lesbianism - and this lady's the perfect socioeconomic fit for that.

              Yeah, there are some people who do treat it like a fad.

              1. BigT

                If a wanna-be lesbo needs a cover lesbian friend, would you still call that a beard? Bearded clam? Or??

    2. T

      Buried in there is a point that it's okay to mock her for being a clueless little rich girl, but if anybody had mocked her for being a clueless little lesbian, the whole thing would've come to a screeching (literally) halt.

      Except here.

      1. Root Boy

        She's full of derp, but I think it's refreshing she said in her original essay that she doesn't want to act poor when she's rich -- but that's part of the maelstrom of weird behavior leftist seem to dwell in. I'm sure NYC is full of rich kids who slum to seem real.

        1. Juice

          Welcome to Williamsburg.

          1. Episiarch

            Anybody who has money and is stupid enough to live anywhere in Brooklyn other than Brooklyn Heights needs to be checked for an extra chromosome.

    3. playa manhattan

      Awesome comments, though.

    4. When you made fun of my idiotic and patronizing essay about being rich but needing to pretend to be poor

      That wasn't what her essay was about. It was "I'm not going to apologize for having wealthy parents", which caused the Occutards to enter into a frothing rage.

      1. db

        She came from Greece, she had a thirst for knowledge.

  16. AuH20

    Jezebel commentators think that Christianity should be banned due to the injunction against the contraception mandate.

    But this one really takes the cake:

    That is a load of bullshit. US law has limited what Mormons, Pagans, Native Americans, and more can do.

    Christianity is a leech upon society and needs to be banned

    And:

    Can we make a rule that says, "Okay, if you don't want to comply with the Affordable Care Act and adhere to the very reasonable terms laid out regarding contraception, you can forfeit your tax exempt status." Because I wonder which cause would win out: Being tax exempt or restricting access to birth control. THREE GUESSES AS TO WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO CATHOLIC GROUPS!

    I just don't understand the notion that no one should have access to contraception ever because God. If I use contraception (and I do), and you want to wag your finger at me and tell me I'm going to hell, fine. I'll just roll my eyes and continue to use my birth control. You restrict other people's access to contraception because of your religious beliefs (which they may or may not share), we have a problem. Your right to swing your rosary at me ends where my uterus begins

    Not paying=There is no feasible way for you to get birth control.

    1. AuH20

      Also, as good feminists, they believe that the nuns can't be doing this on their own, or if they are, it is a betrayal of all women:

      Are you SERIOUS?

      Thanks for putting religion before your own sex. Nothing like a bunch of nuns to really tell you whether or not contraception is important. This is something that the rest of the government worked out a compromise for. I don't see how it is the place of the Court to step into that.

      1. Anonymous Coward

        Thanks for putting religion before your own sexrace.

        This sounds eerily similar to what the slaveholders said about the abolitionists.

        Nothing like a bunch of nuns to really tell you whether or not contraception is important.

        So...nuns are incapable of having valid positions about contraceptives because they are nuns? There's a term for this that's slipping my mind...oh yeah, ad hominem.

        This is something that the rest of the government worked out a compromise for.

        If by "compromise" you mean TEAM Blue rammed it through when they had majorities in the legislature, then yes, they compromised their asses off.

        I don't see how it is the place of the Court to step into that.

        Despite what Oliver Wendell Holmes might have told you, it's not the duty of the judiciary to mindlessly defer to the legislature. It is the place of the court to hear and, if necessary, redress grievances between parties, as well as interpret, or invalidate, laws.

        1. robc

          Considering everything OWH ever said was wrong, including "Good Morning", then yes, "despite" is the correct word.

        2. nuns are incapable of having valid positions about contraceptives

          On their knees would work without contraceptives.

    2. John

      They are totalitarian fascists. But they make up for it by being comically stupid and completely lacking self awareness.

      1. Killaz

        That may be the best sentence you ever wrote.

        1. Killaz

          Or, paragraph, as it were.

        2. John

          Thank you.

    3. Rich

      Christianity is a leech upon society

      "Embrace the suck."

      1. Root Boy

        I bet whoever made that comment forgets (or never learned) that all the great western Universities were started by Christians and by Churches. Probably was "educated" at one.

        1. Old Man With Candy

          UCal Berkeley?

          1. Yale.

          2. BigT

            "...all the great western Universities "

            So, yes.

            1. CE

              Stanford was started by a robber baron railroad industrialist.

    4. JEP

      "I just don't understand the notion that no one should have access to contraception ever because God. If I use contraception (and I do), and you want to wag your finger at me and tell me I'm going to hell, fine. I'll just roll my eyes and continue to use my birth control. You restrict other people's access to contraception because of your religious beliefs (which they may or may not share), we have a problem. Your right to swing your rosary at me ends where my uterus begins"

      This seems to be the hardest point to get across to progressives. If you make something "public" (healthcare, education, whatever) that means that you're going to use *my* money to pay for something *you* want.

      If my money is being used, I'm going to have an opinion about what it's being used for. Apparently, her uterus extends all the way into my wallet.

      1. Mad Scientist

        Hey, everyone knows the only way to get the pill is when someone else pays for it. If you try to whip out your wallet and pay for it yourself, they'll just laugh you right out of the pharmacy.

      2. Juice

        I'm going to get a bumper sticker that says: "Everything I dislike shall be banned. Everything I like, you shall pay for."

      3. Apparently, her uterus extends all the way into my wallet.

        Can't touch that.

    5. You restrict other people's access to contraception because of your religious beliefs (which they may or may not share), we have a problem. Your right to swing your rosary at me ends where my uterus begins

      Is there some new law that the socons passed that makes getting contraception illegal?

      I think I would have heard of that.

      Oh, I remember...

      You're not free to fuck unless fucking is free! Liberty really is tyranny! Uterus!

      1. Juice

        Is there some new law that the socons passed that makes getting contraception illegal?

        Yes, but it was struck down by the courts 45 years ago.

        1. Yes, but it was struck down by the courts 45 years ago.

          That doesn't stop them from trying to bring it back.

    6. Corning

      Well one thing is for sure I think I am beginning to like this "Wise Latina" Sotomayor.

      I know it will probably not last.

      1. CE

        Clarence Thomas has his moments too, but they pass.

  17. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

    Marine Corps to delay, review female fitness standards after half fail

    More than half of female Marines in boot camp can't do three pullups, the minimum standard that was supposed to take effect with the new year, prompting the Marine Corps to delay the requirement, part of the process of equalizing physical standards to integrate women into combat jobs.

    The delay rekindled sharp debate in the military on the question of whether women have the physical strength for some military jobs, as service branches move toward opening thousands of combat roles to them in 2016.

    Although no new timetable has been set on the delayed physical requirement, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos wants training officials to "continue to gather data and ensure that female Marines are provided with the best opportunity to succeed," Capt. Maureen Krebs, a Marine spokeswoman, said Thursday.

    Starting with the new year, all female Marines were supposed to be able to do at least three pullups on their annual physical fitness test and eight for a perfect score. The requirement was tested in 2013 on female recruits at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., but only 45 percent of women met the minimum, Krebs said.

    "I guess the Corps don't get theirs"

    1. John

      Making women meet standards is so patriarchal.

    2. Anonymous Coward

      More than half of female Marines in boot camp can't do three pullups

      If you can't bang out three pull-ups (no kipping), then you're pretty weak, regardless of sex.

      1. John

        As old and fat as I am, I can do three pullups. How can anyone under the age of 25 call themselves "fit" and not be able to do three pullups?

        1. Corning

          Women on average have much lower upper body strength then men.

          I don't think it would be particularly hard for an 18 year old woman to build up to greater then 3 pullups fairly quickly....but it would be harder for them then it would for an 18 year old man.

          You really should not brag about being 'fit' when you have a predefined genetic advantage that makes it much easier. It is be like a woman bragging she is more fit because she can have a baby while men can't.

          1. Agammamon

            On the other hand - either the pullups are necessary or they aren't.

            The real issue here is the huge discrepancy between male and female fitness standards within the military.

            Either you need to be big and strong to do the job (and not all jobs within the military require that) or you don't - either way there should be one standard, for all ages and sexes or they need to modify the standards according to rank and MOS, not sex and age.

            1. Corning

              Either you need to be big and strong to do the job (and not all jobs within the military require that) or you don't.

              I agree with this. My point was mostly about the bragging of how great men are at doing pullups.

              But also i am starting to think pullups are kind of bullshit. Most soldiers if they are doing their job properly should probably not be worried about their upperbody strength....

              I think a better test would be how well you hold up alone sitting in a fox hole sleep deprived for 4 days amped up on coffee ephedrine and cigarettes in 100 degree weather and being able to react (correctly) to a threat that could happen at any time.

              1. And suppose your foxhole buddy gets shot and you have to carry her a ways?

                1. Corning

                  This is a good reason to keep big hulking men out of the Armed forces.

                  Works both ways.

          2. Root Boy

            I think they are measuring this after the 8 weeks of boot camp the women go through (unlike 12 weeks for men), so they should be able to do 3. 20 is perfect score for men, I forgot what minimum is or was, but it's a lot more than 3.

          3. Steve G

            Women have a baseline strength of about 2/3ds that of men. So yes they are at a disadvantage from the start, but as you say it does not take that much effort to get from here to there, in theory. In practice you've got a recruit population of women who believe Gweneth when she says women shouldn't lift more than 3lbs and don't lift weights because they'll be afraid of being "bulky". So it's a nature deficit compounded by an environmental one. Either way, it's totally freaking doable and will not make them manly. All kipping jokes aside, look in any crossfit gym for a handful of ladies who can bang out strict pull-ups.

            1. Corning

              Women have a baseline strength of about 2/3ds that of men.

              Is that all around strength or upper body only.

              If it is all around then it is skewed as it would be adding in lower body strength which is about equal with upper body strength which would then be much more unequal to get to that 2/3rds figure.

          4. Fluffy

            John didn't brag about being fit.

            He specified that he wasn't fit.

            I don't care why you're physically weak. If you are physically weak - fuck you, you don't get to be a Marine.

            I'm sure there are lots of people who are genetically clumsy and will never have great dexterity no matter what they do. Guess what, clumsy people? Fuck you, you don't get to be surgeons.

          5. Irish

            You really should not brag about being 'fit' when you have a predefined genetic advantage that makes it much easier. It is be like a woman bragging she is more fit because she can have a baby while men can't.

            He called himself old and fat. He wasn't bragging in any conceivable way.

            As for your argument, if I'm joining the military I should already probably be fitter than average, probably by a good wide margin. Most women I know who work out can do three pull ups, and if you can't then that's on you.

        2. Agammamon

          Heh, until these standards came in they didn't *have* to do pull-ups - only 'hang'.

          1. Corning

            I think one could argue that upper body strength is important for a few units in US armed forces...but I got to wonder when was the last time a battle the US was engaged in hinged on a bayonet charge?

            Pullups as a gauge for fitness of a soldier who is more and more likely to be sitting on his/her ass during combat one has to wonder why we are still wanting a soldier to be 'fit' in a way to serve in a Roman Legion.

            1. Fluffy

              Pullups as a gauge for fitness of a soldier who is more and more likely to be sitting on his/her ass during combat

              That is such nonsense, particularly in the Marines.

              You know what? If I had a unit of drone pilots, I'd still want them to be physically fit. Why? For that one fucking time the insurgents make it through the wire and you need everyone to grab all the shit they can carry (maybe even including a wounded comrade - maybe even including a wounded me) and bug the fuck out.

              How about we don't plan our military based on the idea that nothing is ever going to go wrong and everything will be a Courtyard Marriott stay all the time?

            2. Root Boy

              Start running around with an M240 and 400 rounds of ammo in the Hindu Kush then get back to us.

              You ain't just using your legs.

              1. Corning

                Less and less soldiers do that these days.

                Requiring everyone to meet one standard for a job that is becoming irrelevant when they could very well be much better at other jobs then a football jock would be at seems kind of defeatist.

                1. Root Boy

                  We're talking a minimum standard of 3 pullups. It's a fucking joke they can't make it.

                  You may not be able to draw a line from 3 pullups to every MOS in the Marines, but I guarantee you can draw a line between the effort required to do that and the will to perform in combat. The women need to lift their weight (figuratively) in almost any military job and not doing this simple test shows that having too many of them will be a burden.

            3. Steve G

              One could, but if you've got a service with a heightened sense of common identity (everyone a rifleman) that is now opening the infantry doors up to more women due in no small part to outside pressure, it not that outrageous to counter it with a common strength to bodyweight minimum. Combat is a dynamic thing; your MOS might be flying a UAV, but that doesn't mean you might not have the opportunity to pull a buddy out of a burning vehicle or any unexpected task that can't be predicted.

              1. Corning

                you've got a service with a heightened sense of common identity (everyone a rifleman)

                Yeah I am thinking this is a bad idea for a voluntary armed force.

                I would rather have Ocean's 11 then the Red Army.

                1. Gray Ghost

                  It's not even just the Infantry, Corning, plenty of MOS require upper-body strength. Artillery, anything having to do with tracked vehicle maintenance, etc... There's a lot of crap that has to be carried from place to place, and often the only way to do it is for you to do it.

                  Couple that with just how much shit we expect soldiers to carry these days---I want to say the IOTV weighs something like 30-35 pounds---and that's not counting weapon(s), ammunition basic load, radios, water, etc... It's a lot of stuff.

                  Whoever said that this is laying the groundwork for lowering standards so more women can get into the infantry, hit it right on the head. Never mind that it'll get people killed.

                  1. Generic Stranger

                    You know what? If I had a unit of drone pilots, I'd still want them to be physically fit. Why? For that one fucking time the insurgents make it through the wire and you need everyone to grab all the shit they can carry (maybe even including a wounded comrade - maybe even including a wounded me) and bug the fuck out.

                    Given that most drone pilots live and work stateside, those would need to be some awfully dedicated insurgents.

                    1. Fluffy

                      Given that most drone pilots live and work stateside, those would need to be some awfully dedicated insurgents.

                      It's that kind of overconfidence that is going to do you in when the Branch Davidians finally get their revenge.

            4. Kid Xenocles

              How many pullups does one do in combat anyway?

              This is half-serious. I recognize the importance of strength, but a 90-lb woman doing 10 pullups hasn't demonstrated the ability to carry more than a 190-lb man who can only do 5.

              Tests ought to reflect the actual requirements of the job. Load up a wannabe trooper with a full kit and have him or her hump it five miles or whatever. To pass you don't stop more often than would be expected in situ. Iterate as necessary.

              1. Depends on how much rock climbing you have to do.

              2. jamesrk

                Because warfare consists of only walking with a shit load of weight on your back amirite?

                Good thing people dont build Vertical shit around stuff.

                and also all terrain is flat and can be accessed by vehicles.

                1. Kid Xenocles

                  Did I say that was all? I don't think so. But the point remains. Moving your own bodyweight is not enough.

        3. CE

          When I was young and weighed 150, I could 12 pullups no problem. Now I'm old and weigh 190, and three is tough. I have to work out to get back up to 8.

          But having seen the CrossFit games recently on ESPN, I have no doubt that women can do pullups. If half the female marines can't do 3, they're not pushing them hard enough.

    3. Root Boy

      I read this a few days ago (or excerpts). I guess they used to be able to do dead hangs when I was in and now it's just 3 pull ups? Sad.

      All part of the push to get them into Infantry units. Time for new standards (gender neutral, of course).

    4. jamesrk

      "Just because you can do a 100 pullups doesn't make you a great marine. Otherwise, why would they put you through all that brainwashing? Being a soldier means being mentally prepared for anything. Which is impossible to do, in the first place.

      By the way, Israel employs women to be in Military. Even in the middle ages, women fought. You morons act like women can't do anything, but cook and clean.

      That would make you a tool with an old way of thinking.

      AGAIN I STATE. What makes Military woman or man is their MENTALITY. NOT HOW MANY DAMN PUSHUPS THEY CAN DO.

      Look into martial arts. A child with a white belt can take down a grown man. Why because, how strong you makes not one bit of difference.

      Because you have more muscle only means you are somewhat if not more slower in your movements."

      Comment from yahoo...

      1. Look into martial arts. A child with a white belt can take down a grown man. Why because, how strong you makes not one bit of difference.

        This person has watched way too many movies.

        Also, they don't seem to realize that a good percentage of our armed forces are already women.

      2. Root Boy

        She sounds like a badass - a kid with a white belt is going to kick my ass? Sure thing sugar.

        And I was heartened lately since the dominant comments on Yahoo I've read have been terrific, I guess I have to read them all and see what the random poster thinks about women and combat.

      3. Episiarch

        It's always amusing to read comments by someone who has clearly never, ever been in a fight before. One has to wonder if they've even ever been clocked by someone, because I would guess no.

        1. jamesrk

          1. The us military employs females in its military too, and contrary to popular belief isreal does not use female soldiers as front line troops they use them as guards(just like MPs in the US which females can be)

          2. logic never gets old.

          3. so now we are willing our enemys to death? or we can will 100+ pounds of gear for miles on end?

          4. Complete BS and a non-sequitur, they are not gonna be fighting agianst people with no training they will be fighting agianst trained killers.

          5. (a this is simply not true b) also even if it was the most important thing in soldiering is not speed, its endurance

          my reply

          1. Gray Ghost

            Re point 1: Isn't the Caracal Battalion (where the IDF stashed most of their female infantry) a nearly all-female unit? I want to say they tried integrating women within their regular infantry units, found it crushed unit cohesion, and ended up putting women in a unit of their own. Where, from what I've heard, they perform adequately.

            1. jamesrk

              Im sure they perform adequately at the task they are given (Guarding the Egypt border).Seems most of their work is mounted also. But to call it a infantry unit is a stretch.

              This will not be the unit that israel chooses to go into a enemy city and kick down doors, or march miles into enemy's territory.

      4. Irish

        Look into martial arts. A child with a white belt can take down a grown man. Why because, how strong you makes not one bit of difference.

        No he can't. As a former child with a white belt, I can say that 100% of grown men who weren't crippled could have beaten the shit out of me.

        1. Kid Xenocles

          Maybe the commenter meant black belt, but even so extra skill only takes you so far - and it had better be actual extra skill.

          1. C. Anacreon

            My 11-year-old son has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and I could easily kick his ass. He's little. Now, 2-3 years from now, he'll be a lot bigger, a teenager, and should have no problem mopping the floor with me.

            1. Kid Xenocles

              I have no trouble believing that.

      5. Red Rocks Rockin

        Look into martial arts. A child with a white belt can take down a grown man. Why because, how strong you makes not one bit of difference.

        Stupidest comment ever, and on Yahoo that's saying something.

  18. The Late P Brooks

    Your right to swing your rosary at me ends where my uterus begins

    ZING!

    1. JW

      Funny how they never think of where they're swinging their uterus.

      Hint: It ends at my wallet, buttercup.

  19. Consensus!

    Climate Scientists Pose for Pinup Calendar [Slide Show]

    1. Generic Stranger

      That's some pretty shitty photoshopping.

    2. I think they're trying to cool the planet with their boner-murdering unattractiveness.

  20. Medical Physics Guy

    And now, a victory over the po-po to warm Reason commenter hearts. Link's a little old but I didn't see it here.

    Edinburgh police lose war on sex saunas

    1. Warrren

      That's got to be one of the more inexplicable places to want to have sex.

      I mean, Scotland?

      1. Medical Physics Guy

        You don't go for gingers then

        1. Agammamon

          Redheads yes - *gingers*, not so much.

          1. Medical Physics Guy

            A lot of the chicks in the saunas are Eastern European anyway. So my, um, friend tells me.

    2. Kathleen Dykes, who holds the licence for gay sauna No18

      If you made this shit up no one would believe you.

  21. Here's Why Some Women Are Eating Their Own Placentas

    1. PD Scott

      Look, someone gives you a box of Placenta Helper, what are you going to do, not make it?

      1. db

        There is an Italian restaurant in our area called Pacentro's. When I first moved here I did a double take every time I saw the sign.

    2. Juice

      What's up with the shampoo with horse placenta or whatever in it? I saw it at the store the other day. Come on, people.

  22. The Sexiest TV Journalists Alive!

    Check out #11.

    1. Ye gods.

    2. Fluffy

      If Jenna Lee is not on the list and Soledad O'Brien is, people be crazy.

      http://www2.pictures.gi.zimbio.....fhAw2l.jpg

    3. John

      Megyn Kelly is #30 and Rachel Maddow is number 10. What the hell kind of sick monster put that together?

      1. Business Insider. I'm surprised any Fox personality made it on the list.

        1. JW

          BI. Where Gawker rejects go to die.

      2. It just shows how deep politics runs with some people.

        1. John

          I don't care if Maddow were running for President on a platform of ending the income tax, the drug war and putting me on the Supreme Court, I would never find her sexy much less sexier than Kelly even if Kelly were a no kidding Communists.

          That is just sick.

          1. There is absolutely no connection at all between my aesthetic view of women and my (or their) political beliefs.

          2. Killaz

            It really is. Soledad O'Brien is stupid and communistically inclined but she is also undeniably drop dead gorgeous.

            You can't even say Maddow has inner beauty. She is a horribly inferior person from any aesthetic approach you take.

            1. John

              I wouldn't kick Savanah Guthurie out of bed and I have no doubt she is a leftist of the worst ilk.

            2. Rufus J. Firefly

              Don't listen to these jerks, Rachel!

              I'd do you do hard from all angles and leave in the middle of the night so fast you'd still be reaching for the kleenex to wipe your mouth.

              I love you!

              1. Killaz

                Wait. Just because she would not make my top one thousand list, and likely not the next thousand either, doesn't mean I wouldn't do her. That neck of hers especially looks prime for sexual asphyxiation.

          3. CE

            I don't care if Maddow were running for President on a platform of ending the income tax, the drug war and putting me on the Supreme Court, I would never find her sexy much less sexier than Kelly even if Kelly were a no kidding Communists.

            Some people are turned on by intelligence. But that still doesn't explain her being on the list.

      3. Red Rocks Rockin

        And they put Robin Roberts right behind Erin Burnett. A blind kid could put together a better list than this one.

      4. CE

        Okay, most on this list are fine, but Matt Lauer? Did it say top 35, or top 3500? Are the writers stalking him?

        And Kelly Evans should be much higher. And Erin Burnett (#8) is 7 spots too low.

    4. Killaz

      Terrible list. #9 with her weird looking skull made the list but Lara Logan didn't? Of the dudes, only Mario Lopez and Lester Holt look anything remotely handsome. The rest mostly look like chump meat.

      1. playa manhattan

        #11 is handsome too.

        1. Killaz

          RM would not make the top 100 list of guys I personally know. Nor 1000 of women.

      2. ...only Mario Lopez and Lester Holt look anything remotely handsome.

        Slater sure, but Lester? You're a freak.

        1. Killaz

          no, you're in time out!

          Younger Lester Holt could have been cast as racially diverse Superman. That is one handsome dude.

    5. Medical Physics Guy

      Diane Sawyer? Was this list made by Opus the Penguin?

      1. Episiarch

        DON'T TALK SHIT ABOUT LOLA GRANOLA

    6. TRIGGER WARNING:

      This slide show includes dudes. Specifically, and most harmful to boners, there's a picture of Lester Holt. Gawd, he's a creepy motherfucker.

      Where are all the ample-bosomed south american newsladies?

      1. Killaz

        Lester Holt is the second least offensive male mug on that list. Granted, he's looking a lot older than I recall of him.

    7. CatoTheElder

      Somebody needs to get new glasses.

      Either that, or a new dictionary to look up the word sexy.

    8. Check out #DD er that would be #2.

      1. Slide #2.

  23. AuH20

    Feministing throws "individualism" under the bus

    How does an individualistic approach to feminism affect our work combating sexual and gender-based violence?

    Juliana: It silences us. When we are constantly told that it is within our immediate ability to stop rape or violence against women, it creates this shame around being a survivor. "You were raped? You must have wanted it. You must not have tried hard enough to escape. Did you yell? Did you fight back?" And so we don't share our stories. And those with no experience with sexual violence, or those who perpetuate this violence, create the narrative that society subscribes to.

    ...

    Alexandra: Right. And that constant debate is a distraction from actual proactive measures to stop violence. The more time we spend talking about what victims should do or why perpetrators aren't accountable, the less time we're thinking about the power structures that enable assault and abuse.

    1. Warrren

      You know the best way to take back the night? Muzzle flash.

      1. John

        +100. But that would make you a racist tea bagger instead of a victim for the cause.

      2. PapayaSF

        That needs to be on bumper stickers and T-shirts. Maybe: "Take back the night with muzzle flash" or "Taking back the night with muzzle flash."

        1. mr lizard

          I figure a flash suppressor would better preserve the evening lighting.

          1. +16.349

    2. AuH20

      Veronica:While folks are busy pointing fingers at individual actors, the actual systems that allow for and foster gender-based and sexualized violence?the criminal (in)justice system, the prison industrial complex,and other sites of institutionalized racism, misogyny, ableism, transphobia?go unquestioned.And even as we are all negotiating ways to keep ourselves safe through our individual actions?and let's not front like we don't do this, though we know it shouldn't be on us because as Lori and Juliana pointed out,sexual and gender-based violence is a daily fear for so many?not all of us have equal access to individual sources of harm reduction. Women of color,trans and gender non-conforming folks,sex workers, people who are all of those at once,and many other marginalized communities are targeted disproportionately,and can't rely on the individualized systems of safety more privileged folks have.

      Juliana:The only place where I see individualism as a useful tool for fighting violence is in putting a face to the numbers.For many,the fact that one in three women will be raped within their lifetime means much less than the fact that their friend,neighbor,or loved one has experienced sexual violence.Putting a face to rape might teach more people that this is in fact a collective issue that affects all of us.Senator Gretchen Whitmer's brave speech on the Senate floor comes to mind. This is obviously asking a lot of survivors, and not always possible.

      1. Nikki just says no

        not all of us have equal access to individual sources of harm reduction. Women of color,trans and gender non-conforming folks,sex workers, people who are all of those at once,and many other marginalized communities are targeted disproportionately,and can't rely on the individualized systems of safety more privileged folks have.

        Does anyone have any idea--seriously--why people wouldn't have equal access to individual sources of harm reduction? Other than cases of personal physical or serious mental handicap, the only thing I can think of is that some people live in states with shitty weapon control laws. But I don't think that's what she's thinking about.

        1. John

          And isn't "guns are so available and cheap any criminal can get one" pretty much their whole justification for gun control?

        2. JEP

          I know I've read that if you're murdered, there's an insanely high chance that the murderer is a personal acquaintance.

          I wonder if the same is true for rape. If the numbers are similar, then a lot of rape cases could be avoided by people making better decisions about who their friends are.

          Of course, that doesn't make the cases that do happen 'OK', but there's something to be said for removing yourself from potentially dangerous situations.

        3. Does anyone have any idea--seriously--why people wouldn't have equal access to individual sources of harm reduction?

          They live in an urban hellhole that restricts their access to firearms?

      2. Coeus

        For many,the fact that one in three women will be raped within their lifetime means much less than the fact that their friend,neighbor,or loved one has experienced sexual violence.

        Considering that it's not true, I find that comforting.

      3. When we are constantly told that it is within our immediate ability to stop rape or violence against women, it creates this shame around being a survivor.

        Whereas collectivism brings safety to your risky behavior? I don't understand.

        For many,the fact that one in three women will be raped within their lifetime

        Bullshit alert, Will Robinson! Bullshit alert!

      4. paranoid android

        For many,the fact that one in three women will be raped within their lifetime means much less than the fact that their friend,neighbor,or loved one has experienced sexual violence.

        I wonder how high they'll keep trying to inflate that statistic. I suppose as a practical matter, one made-up bullshit number is as good as any other, but at some point it just kind of gets silly, you know?

        1. waffles

          Doesn't that statistic hurt women? If you want people to take you seriously, don't lie to them.

        2. Irish

          I'm waiting for the day in which feminists redefine rape to such a degree that they start claiming 100% of women have been raped.

          "If you sleep with a man and he's an inconsiderate lover, YOU'VE BEEN RAPED!" /future feminists

          1. Mad Scientist

            I believe they're already saying that if you sleep with a guy on a date, but hadn't planned to before the date, it's rape.

          2. Enough About Palin

            I'm eye-rapin' bitches all day long.

          3. Raven Nation

            Here's some folks working on those numbers:

            http://www.slate.com/articles/.....stice.html

            AND

            http://www.prisoncensorship.in.....srape.html

          4. Believe me, you're not joking.

    3. BiMonSciFiCon

      In what world are rape perpetrators not being punished for rape?

      And that constant debate is a distraction from actual proactive measures to stop violence.

      Study: carrying a gun is the best way to reduce crime-related injuries. http://www.usnews.com/news/art.....r-injuries

      1. Are all men who have engaged in coitus with women in jail? No? Case rested.

      2. Raven Nation

        "In what world are rape perpetrators not being punished for rape?"

        I remember in the Duke Lacrosse team railroading that, when all charges were dropped, some lawyer went on TV said that, despite the lies, she was pretty sure that something must have happened.

    4. Killaz

      No wonder feminist are angry. Reality constantly shits on their faces.

    5. PapayaSF

      When we are constantly told that it is within our immediate ability to stop rape or violence against women poverty, it creates this shame around being a survivor taxpayer.

  24. Coeus

    Antitheist activism is social justice activism.

    That authority?that unearned authority?is what makes religion dangerous, what throws it down as an obstacle in the path of someone seeking social justice.

    1. John

      If you don't want to worship God, why not worship government?

    2. Anonymous Coward

      So are the girls married off before they can graduate high school, much less figure out how to afford college with no parental support?assuming they've been prepared to be accepted.

      Something I find an interesting disconnect in allegedly feminist thinking: at 15 or so, a girl is old enough to

      1. Procure and administer her own birth control.

      2. Have an abortion.

      3. Participate in whatever sexual activity she chooses.

      But (voluntary) marriage is too much for her little mind to handle.

      Okay.

      1. PapayaSF

        Also: gender identity, race, and IQ are all supposedly fluid concepts, defined by society and the self, not objective or pre-determined. But sexual orientation? We're all born with that, buster, and it can never be changed! Don't even think about it!

        1. Anonymous Coward

          Somebody should tell newly inaugurated mayor of New York City Bill De Blasio that. He appears to have married a "lesbian" and had two children with her.

          (At this point, I could make several tasteless remarks about the power of white penis over black women, including one involving Scandal, but I shall forebear)

        2. I've written about this. The "social construct" theory is used as a gross cop-out in any discussions about LGBT issues.

        3. Corning

          But sexual orientation? We're all born with that, buster, and it can never be changed! Don't even think about it!

          I have seen my hairy man body in the mirror.

          I am sorry but one would have to be hardwired to want to get fuck by something like that. This goes for straight women and gay men.

  25. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

    White Privilege

    Ani DiFranco huffily canceling her plan to host a "Righteous Retreat" for artists at Nottaway Plantation in New Orleans. That, ladies and gentlemen, sums up your year in race. I understand that most white people never have to think beyond notions of the idyllic and pastoral when it comes to plantations. That these places continue to represent sites of untold horror, violence and humiliation for black people is the very kind of knowledge against which white privilege inoculates.

    The whole point of being white is that you are never supposed to feel uncomfortable in space. To the moon and back, the world is yours. This past year, "pure" white space has been procured and subsequently sanctified through the precious spilled blood of black bodies ? Trayvon Martin, who got no justice; Jonathan Ferrell, who asked for help in the wrong neighborhood; Renisha McBride, who did the same.

    In her faux-pology, which doubled as a notice of cancellation, DiFranco claimed to "get it." But from her passive aggressive chastisement and her choice to accuse her naysayers on social media of engaging in "high velocity bitterness," she obviously doesn't really get it. She acknowledged that "the pain of slavery is real and runs very deep and very wide," but saw as "very unfortunate" "what many have chosen to do with that pain."

    1. John

      So her sin was holding a meeting at a place known as a "plantation"? And if she were black, no one would have said shit. Instead, because she is white she had to endure all of this hassle about it. Doesn't that kind of disprove the idea that "The whole point of being white is that you are never supposed to feel uncomfortable in space"?

      1. Just so everyone is clear, this means a whole state is racially off limits, namely, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. I look forward to the state being immediately dismissed from the union.

        1. Episiarch

          I'm impressed that you actually know the full name of Rhode Island, ProL. I thought Southerners like you were unable to read Northern.

          1. Well, as a Southerner, I'm responsible for slavery, which came from plantations. Therefore, I know all about plantations.

          2. Root Boy

            I thought I read the RI legislature actually considered getting rid of the plantations name for that very reason.

            Gotta bury any history that may make a few derpturds sad.

            1. Episiarch

              It was put to a vote and was shot down. New Englanders are big on tradition and "the way things are". There was no way they would vote to change it.

            2. You're fucking kidding me. That's my favorite thing about Rhode Island--the long, mostly unknown name.

              1. That, and coffee milk.

      2. Warrren

        Obviously the place is haunted and having an event there will just torture the souls of the victims.

        It's all very scientific.

    2. Episiarch

      The whole point of being white is that you are never supposed to feel uncomfortable in space.

      Being white is protection from vacuum? Holy shit! Fuck, I'm part Italian! I'm too swarthy to survive vacuum! My dreams of being an astronaut died before they began!

      1. Our white skin is an effective spacesuit. Those suits white astronauts wear are just for show.

        1. Eduard van Haalen

          Honkies...innn...spaaaaace!

          1. Not just honkies

        2. Episiarch

          Here you go, ProL.

          1. See?

      2. Warrren

        You can still be an ass-nut.

    3. nipplemancer

      What in the what now?

    4. Fluffy

      If you consciously don't feel comfortable "in space", then you're a fucking coward and will never feel any better about life no matter what anyone does for you or how much "sensitivity" they show.

      The solution is for you to man the fuck up. The solution is NOT for you to try to make others as neurotic and cowardly in their own use "of space" as you are in yours.

      1. Nikki just says no

        Yeah, you're definitely not allowed to tell them to man up. Including the men.

    5. PD Scott

      a) Ani was better before she had kids.
      b) There haven't been any former (legal) slaves alive for decades. If you feel "the pain of slavery" maybe you're obsessed and should seek treatment - you are enslaved by your preoccupation with the past.

    6. The whole point of being white is that you are never supposed to feel uncomfortable in space.

      Which is why every White person I know feels so at home in Beijing.

      1. waffles

        Duh. I'm huge in Asia!

        1. I felt like some sort of giant Viking invader walking around Kuala Lumpur.

          1. Juice

            I'd see huge groups of Malaysian girls hanging out and they all would wear the same pink or yellow head scarf and the same jeans and they were all the same exact height (very short). They looked like little E.T.'s or that scene from Close Encounters.

          2. Corning

            I felt that way in Paris.

      2. Coeus

        Ever see that piece I linked to here about the black girl going to africa? She was comforted by the fact that makeup and hair stuff was all for her, as well as the similar faces. But she was absolutely sure that this wasn't "privilege" because it wasn't as awesome as she has been taught that privilege is. She honestly thinks that if a white person goes to africa, they would have more "privilege".

        1. I...I don't want to read that. Please! No links. Please! I beg of you!

          1. Nikki just says no

            Oh man, but I do!

            1. Coeus

              Is this what it's like being in the majority?

              I wouldn't use privilege as the situation I am experiencing as opposed to my other American friend.I would call it being in the majority.it's a comfortable thing to be in the majority. People don't notice you and your differences so easily, and you can go through unencumbered if you play your cards right.It's looking the way people expect your average person to look like and not sticking out.

              1. Juice

                The comments. Someone asks "how can you not call it privilege?" Answer: "White Privilege (tm) is not the same as a more general type of privilege. It is still privilege, academically."Ok.

        2. Juice

          Whatever. There are whole areas the DC Metro where white people are by far the minority. Hell, I live in one. I've been getting something at PG Mall and then all of a sudden I notice that I'm the only white person in the whole place. And? So fucking what? I guess I don't feel oppressed because of my privilege or something.

          1. Fluffy

            That's because you're not pathetic and neurotic.

            The solution to this issue is for the people with "space issues" to become like you.

            Unfortunately, they think the solution is for you to become more like them.

            Either that, or for you to be subjected to their incessant whining. Forever.

          2. I had a black buddy take me to a reggae club. We were both amused at the looks I got until the denizens figured out I was OK.

            Too funny. We both are still amused by that 20 years after.

        3. Suthenboy

          In some places in africa, if you are white, you are treated the way blacks here claim to be treated by whites x 1000..

    7. Red Rocks Rockin

      The whole point of being white is that you are never supposed to feel uncomfortable in space. To the moon and back, the world is yours.

      Yep--so instead of going out and accomplishing equally great things that white people before you have, you bitch and whine and tear down the institutions they built, ironically using the philosophical models they created in order to undermine those institutions.

      And now that we live in a completely tribalistic, atomized society, one day you're going to look around at the rubble of your work and complain that those same white people didn't do anything to stop you.

  26. Coeus

    The public self-flagellation must continue until we tell you you can stop.

    Nothing about why he moved his blog from Scientific American. Nothing about why the hiatus. And then at the end, a link to a post in praise of himself, by the co-founder of Science Online, which he left because of the revelations of last October.

  27. AuH20

    Jezebel Group Think: Dear "Honorary Gay Girl"

    You are not gay. You are not queer. You are a straight girl who is incapable of saying you have "more gay friends than straight friends" without sounding smug. You are a straight girl who brags to strangers on podcasts that your gay friends call you an "honorary gay" like that's a good thing! You are a straight girl who is trying to pressure her friend to come out of the closet when she has no proof that he's even in the closet. You are a self-absorbed, shitty friend and while you might normally be an ally (thus earning the "honorary gay" title) you're being a really crappy one right now.

    ...

    You are not an honorary gay, because there is no such thing. At the moment, you're not even being an ally to this kid, and it sounds like you never have been. You might sign a petition for marriage equality or call out your grandparents for their random bigotry over Thanksgiving turkeys, but unless you are willing to do the hard work of being a good friend to an individual who is LGBTQ(etcetc), you aren't an ally...you're accessorizing with queer people, and that kind of soft bigotry is dangerous. I'd rather get called a dyke to my face than have a "friend" who thinks of me as nothing more than a way to make herself feel superior to the icky homophobes that exist in a vague somewhere else.

    1. Auric Demonocles

      You might sign a petition for marriage equality or call out your grandparents for their random bigotry over Thanksgiving turkeys, but unless you are willing to do the hard work of being a good friend to an individual who is LGBTQ

      Huh, those aren't the hard work parts? Just being friends with someone is? Is the author suggesting that gays are awful friends and hard to put up with?

      1. Warrren

        Why do think Jesse in MB has to pay hobos to come to his birthday parties?

        1. playa manhattan

          He's livin' the dream right now...

      2. PapayaSF

        I'm sure it's very, very hard work to be friends with the author of this piece.

    2. PD Scott

      What would Jezebel do without the self-absorbed?

    3. "I'd rather get called a dyke to my face than have a "friend" who thinks of me as nothing more than a way to make herself feel superior to the icky homophobes that exist in a vague somewhere else."

      There's enough truth to this I'd let it pass.

  28. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

    Study: The average woman will kiss 15 guys and be heartbroken twice before finding true love

    The average woman will kiss 15 men, enjoy two long-term relationships and have her heartbroken twice before she meets 'The One', a study reveals
    Researchers found she will also suffer four disaster dates and be stood up once before she finally settles down with the man of her dreams.
    But she will also have been in love twice, lived with one ex-partner and had four one night stands.
    In comparison, men face being stood up twice and having six one night stands before they meet their ideal partner.
    The statistics emerged in a study commissioned to mark the paperback release of the international bestseller The Rosie Project - a tale of one man's quest to find his perfect wife - on Thursday, January 2nd.

    Can't we go back to semi-arranged, upper class marriages?

    The biggest difference between men and women lies in the number of sexual partners - with men having ten in their lifetime, compared to an average of seven for women.
    The study also revealed that men will have six relationships - two of which will last more than a year, while women will have five.

    Are these self-reported stats?

    1. Eduard van Haalen

      These sound more like movie plots than statistics.

      1. Warrren

        Oh fuck you, now that idea is floating around.

        Soon to be a major star-filled rom-com.

        1. Fatty Bolger

          Yep

    2. Corning

      The study also revealed that men will have six relationships - two of which will last more than a year, while women will have five.

      So at least one of those six is an outlier who has had a shit load more then 5.

      1. Mad Scientist

        Yeah, the only way men have more relationships or more sex than women is if they're doing it with other men.

    3. Jewish men have 12 sex partners.

      Peter Coyote (the actor) is the son of a rabbi.

  29. In her faux-pology, which doubled as a notice of cancellation, DiFranco claimed to "get it."

    We have to check everything we do with people from every single conceivable minority group to make certain it doesn't offend them.

  30. Ford has unveiled a hybrid car that uses solar energy to power its battery pack.

    It will be specially useful in sunny Seattle... or San Francisco.

    1. PapayaSF

      Charging a car with an attached solar panel is like growing your own food on an apartment balcony: you'll get something, but it won't be worth the effort, and it sure won't feed you for long.

      1. Speaking of that. Anyone know how many pounds of seed potatoes you need for a 4' x 4' x ~1' raised bed?

        1. Lady Bertrum

          Typically, you cut each seed potato into fourths, so one or two pounds should suffice for such a small space.

          1. Corning

            Careful, Shrike might read this and accuse you of being a right wing dead ender.

            1. Warrren

              He'll be outraged for he is the MasterTater!

          2. Thank you, Lady B!

    2. C. Anacreon

      Ford has unveiled a hybrid car that uses solar energy to power its battery pack.

      It will be specially useful in sunny Seattle... or San Francisco.

      San Francisco is the third sunniest city in the USA. It's just foggy at night most of the time. During the day it's almost always sunny at some point.

      1. Hunters Point?

  31. The chaplain for New York City's Department of Sanitation (yes, really) called the Big Apple a "plantation" during Mayor Bill de Blasio's inauguration ceremony.

    Martin Bashir was not available to comment on such inflammatory way of using the "S" word. Or is hiding somewhere. Who knows.

  32. PapayaSF

    The chaplain for New York City's Department of Sanitation

    Militant atheists, call your lawyers!

    1. Killaz

      Or, strident religionites who object to one of their own being on Caesar's payroll.

    2. CE

      Nothing left to cut.

  33. Coeus

    Hahahahahahahahahahahaha....(inhale) Hahahahahahahah.

    To catch everyone up, Twitter recently changed their Block button into a Mute button, then when a large segment of the Twitter population started pointing out the problems with that approach and/or claiming they felt significantly less safe on their service, they called an emergency after-hours meeting of their executives and rolled the changes back and issued an apology.

    1. Episiarch

      Wait...what? I...you can feel "significantly less safe" on Twitter? Did I take something I'm not aware of?

      1. John

        Yes being othered is one of the gravest dangers we face.

      2. Killaz

        Twitter is like the world of Neuromancer where you have to plug in your physical neural system to access the network and risk even death. Everybody knows that, where have you been?

    2. Warrren

      It othered mutes!

      Also, "safe"?

    3. PapayaSF

      I think the real culprit it Trans Exclusive Radical Feminists. These are the people who relentlessly stalk transwomen on Twitter, deliberately misgendering them, falsely accusing them of rape, calling them mentally ill, and jeering at their stories of being publicly assaulted.

      No, not... deliberate misgendering! The horror.

      The Revolution Eats Its Own: Chapter 47,391.

      1. Warrren

        I mistakenly misgendered someone in this very thread!

        How do I atone?!?!

        1. Do the "YMCA" dance in your front yard.

        2. PapayaSF

          Offer them an "r." You have an extra.

      2. deliberate misgendering

        The proper, scientific term is: Being slef-righteous, fuck-witted and hypocritical cunts who can't mind their own goddamn business.

        TERFs inhabit that special white, upper-middle class faux-hippie separatist feminism that everyone makes fun of so they just make up an (another) imaginary enemy to stay relevant. It's worth noting that these people do stalk transwomen offline as well as on.

        1. PapayaSF

          Huh, wow. My girlfriend, a Berkeleyite in many ways, tells stories about being looked down on by hardcore feminists in the '70s because she persisted in liking men.

          1. The hardcore misandrysts are harder to find and mostly self-parody these days, which is why they have to pick on the even more reviled transfolk to stay relevant.

            The cloying patronization from mainstream feminists towards T*s is still preferable, however.

  34. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

    Former NFL punter--and one-time Reason interview subject--Chris Kluwie accuses 'homophobes' in Vikings organization for firing him over his gay marriage advocacy

    It's my belief, based on everything that happened over the course of 2012, that I was fired by Mike Priefer, a bigot who didn't agree with the cause I was working for, and two cowards, Leslie Frazier and Rick Spielman, both of whom knew I was a good punter and would remain a good punter for the foreseeable future, as my numbers over my eight-year career had shown, but who lacked the fortitude to disagree with Mike Priefer on a touchy subject matter. (Frazier was fired on Monday, at the conclusion of a 5-10-1 season.) One of the main coaching points I've heard throughout my entire life is, "How you respond to difficult situations defines your character," and I think it's a good saying. I also think it applies to more than just the players.

    If there's one thing I hope to achieve from sharing this story, it's to make sure that Mike Priefer never holds a coaching position again in the NFL, and ideally never coaches at any level.

    Well you just flatly stated you have an ax to grind with one of the coaches.

    1. John

      And Tim Tebow got cut because he is a Christian not because his skills require rebuilding your offense around him. Get in line buddy.

    2. Warrren

      So Chris, what you are saying here is that you don't want a job punting in the NFL again.

      1. John

        Mike Wilbon was on TV praising Micheal Irvin for being "brave" and throwing down the race card when Shanahan benched Robbert Griffen. I wanted to jump through the TV and strangle. Sure Mike lets make it so every time a white coach benches a black quarterback he is called a racist by morons like you. That will encourage coaches to give black quarterbacks a chance.

        1. Rufus J. Firefly

          Wilbon. Please.

          His rants - like Costas - about blogs and the internet were just stupid.

          1. Rufus J. Firefly

            And him referring to Barry Melrose as if he's the only authority on hockey is especially grating. Melrose couldn't handle Steve Stamkos applying an old mentality to young talent.

        2. Killaz

          what would Irving and Wilbon prefer as as a solution when black QBs have a string of suck ass drives? Wait, I know, I've got it. Institute a rule where if a black QB has more than two unsuccessful drives in a row, than the opposing team has to put there back up QB in. That will save everyone the embarrassment of having to make a tough decision when a black guy is involved.

          1. Killaz

            thaen the opposing team has to put there back up QB in.

            Of all my homophone created typos that is the one that drives the most nuts.

            1. Warrren

              Their their.

              1. Killaz

                I saw it, and instead of butting my head into the desk, I went to the kitchen and poured me a tall one.

  35. Jerry on the boat

    Peter King: NY Times is blame-America-first rag.

    1. Medical Physics Guy

      Nice to see the criticism but doesn't Peter King want Snowden drawn and quartered or some such?

      1. Jerry on the boat

        Yes, and that's why King is now calling out the NY Times, for their positive Snowden op-ed.

        1. Irish

          HAHAHAHAHA! The one time the NYT writes an article that isn't total bullshit is the time Peter King goes after them.

          Good lord.

  36. Rufus J. Firefly

    Damn.

    We touched -30c (without wind chill) up here.

    1. Warrren

      Put on another touque.

      1. Rufus J. Firefly

        Good idea.

        Made of fresh baby seal fur.

        1. Warrren

          Go on.

          1. Rufus J. Firefly

            http://www.change.org/petition.....an-seafood

            1. Warrren

              Ah ah ah...

              1. Rufus J. Firefly

                Comment: "I will never visit Canada, or purchase ANY Canadian exports, for precisely this reason."

                Good.

                More fur...and maple syrup...for me.

    2. playa manhattan

      I have it really rough this week.

      1. Episiarch

        Screw you asshole!

      2. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

        This dry weather has been awful. We get enough sunshine and mid 70s throughout the rest of year.

        December and January is when it should rain.

        1. playa manhattan

          Dude, I get fog all summer.

          1. Obese American

            Yeah, here in Hollywood Riviera our June Gloom starts in May and goes through August.

          2. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

            Fair point, but still. I like rain.

    3. Juice

      Curiosity measured -29C at Gale Crater. You know, on Mars.

  37. Coeus

    On being the wet blanket.

    Feminists are often accused of having no sense of humor, of having a stick up their asses, or of being curmudgeons. And I'm going to be honest: many times I feel like I am the wet blanket. I can't enjoy many of the movies and TV shows that I used to because I notice how screwed up they are, I feel uncomfortable around many people because of the ways in which they joke or the words that they throw around, and I often have to tell people that they really aren't as witty and charming as they thought they were, they are in fact just being oppressive assholes. It's not fun to have to take on this role. It's not fun to have to "ruin" people's fun. I often find myself feeling guilty or wondering if I'm oversensitive or too delicate in my sensibilities. But there are some good reasons to continue being the wet blanket, and perhaps these reasons can keep you going through the times you feel like everyone hates you for speaking up.

    1. Warrren

      Social justice requires I be a bore!

    2. PD Scott

      "Why, if nobility weren't such a cisgendered, Patriarchal concept, I would even say it was noble to be a 'wet blanket' when it comes to others' wrongness."

    3. Episiarch

      It's not fun to have to take on this role. It's not fun to have to "ruin" people's fun

      Clearly not since you seem to relish it, douchebag. In fact, I'd dare say that this is what attracts you to it in the first place. People generally tend to avoid things that they actually find unpleasant, no matter what they say.

    4. Feminists are often accused of having no sense of humor

      Maybe the reason behind such horrible calumny is that feminists indeed have no sense of humor.

      I can't enjoy many of the movies and TV shows that I used to because I notice how screwed up they are

      I am now able to definitely conclude that there is such a thing as being educated past her level of competence.

    5. Corning

      there are some good reasons to continue being the wet blanket

      At least a priest thinks he is saving someones soul...and he will probably tell you that upfront.

      Funny how she can't even tell what her good reasons are. What the fuck is she saving? Why say good reason instead of what those good reasons are?

      1. Coeus

        That was just a quote. There is more to the article.

    6. PapayaSF

      Are your fanatic politics ruining everyone else's good times? Captain Bringdown explains how to use self-righteousness as a soothing balm!

    7. Suthenboy

      "... I often have to tell people that they really aren't as witty and charming as they thought they were, they are in fact just being oppressive assholes. It's not fun to have to take on this role. It's not fun to have to "ruin" people's fun. I often find myself feeling guilty or wondering if I'm oversensitive or too delicate in my sensibilities."

      The reason these people live in a bubble is because they are insufferable assholes. I imagine when she walks into a room filled with people that know her, everyone suddenly has somewhere else they need to be.

      The comments there...jeebus.

    8. GILMORE

      "'Olivia recently graduated with a degree in philosophy and religion and is now after another one in linguistics! ""

      OLIVIA HAS NEVER EARNED A PRODUCTIVE DOLLAR IN HER LIFE, AND HAS LESS ABILITY TO EVERY DAY!

  38. Anonymous Coward

    Duck Commander Launches a New Line of Guns via Mossberg:

    The gunmaker Mossberg has teamed with Duck Commander, the company owned by "Duck Dynasty's" Robertson clan, to release nine different shotguns, as well as two semiautomatic rifles and a semiautomatic pistol.

    Mossberg has begun shipping some of the shotguns to distributors, according to spokeswoman Linda Powell. She declined to name specific retailers that will carry them.

    Duck Commander was founded 40 years ago by Phil Robertson, the family patriarch who was recently suspended -- and then reinstated -- by A&E after making controversial remarks about gay people and African-Americans. He and his sons are featured prominently in four video ads for the new guns on Mossberg's web site. Phil narrates one of the spots saying, "Do you know what makes me happy ladies and gentlemen? To blow a mallard drake's head smooth off."

    1. PD Scott

      Duck is the new zombie?

      1. Anonymous Coward

        Warty's father was half-mallard, hence Warty's spike-covered, prehensile penis that extends to twice the length of his body.

        1. Fatty Bolger

          True Facts About The Duck

          1. Fatty Bolger

            Also, I believe this sheds some light on the Warty birthing process.

    2. Rufus J. Firefly

      Nice.

  39. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

    Progressives need to fight back on minimum wage

    A lot of companies have bargaining power when they hire employees?economists call these companies "monopsonists." This means that, instead of hiring a burger-flipper at some going market rate (say $10 per hour), they can throw their weight around and pay $9 or $8 per hour

    But here's the rub: Even an employer with a lot of weight to throw around will eventually run out of people who will accept $8 or $9. In order to add more workers at that point, he or she will have to woo them with a higher salary. More to the point, when the business owners get beyond that low-wage threshold and offer $10 an hour, they not only have to pay $10 for each new employee. They've got to bump up all their existing workers to $10 an hour, too. This turns out to be a bad deal for the owners. And so instead of hiring that $10-employee, they hire fewer employees than would be ideal so they can keep paying everyone $8 or $9.

    ...If you're purposely scrimping on employees so that you don't have to raise everyone's wages to $10, and the government says you have to pay workers $10 whether you hire more people or not, then you're probably going to hire more people. The only reason you weren't was to keep wages down, and that's no longer an option.

    All they have is one paper. One paper to support their claims but it's going to be gospel

    1. PapayaSF

      "My labor costs are going up, so I might as well make them go up even more"?

    2. Warrren

      How about removing all the regulations that cost money and the taxes so that there is more money for employees?

      And maybe these lower costs will encourage more businesses to open which will cause competition for workers which may lead to a shortage which will mean demand will push wages up.

      1. Rufus J. Firefly

        I pay about $3000 per month on payroll taxes. I can hire a person or two for that coin. People I need but can't afford. I would like an administrator and on-staff cleaner.

        Alas, we do that stuff ourselves for now.

        That's how taxes hold stuff back.

        1. Warrren

          You rich people simply not wanting to pay your fair share so that others may simply exist!

        2. PapayaSF

          Think of it as helping to pay for a federal administrator and on-staff cleaner somewhere in DC. Both of whom make more than you do.

    3. PD Scott

      Um, why exactly do they have to bump up all their existing workers to the higher rate? If my employer hired somebody tomorrow and paid them 10% more than me it wouldn't mean that I could expect a raise.

      Is it the fair thing again? Proggies think the world runs on "fair"?

      1. Fluffy

        That was the first thing I thought.

        Hiring a new person at $10 does nothing - absolutely nothing - to change the wages of existing workers.

    4. Root Boy

      we're going to be talking about min wage for the next 12 months. It's the new prog talking point.

      Equality!
      Social Justice!
      Living Wage!

      Man, will it be boring.

    5. Sidd Finch

      Some time in the last couple years "monopsony" replaced "market failure" as the sure-fire way to identify a retard.

    6. A lot of companies have bargaining power when they hire employees?economists call these companies "monopsonists."

      No. Economically ignorant imbeciles call those companies "monopsonists."

      Even an employer with a lot of weight to throw around will eventually run out of people who will accept $8 or $9

      So much for "bargaining power," if you concede that the market is more powerful. Besides, what would then be the point of having a minimum wage?

      More to the point[...] business owners [would] not only have to pay $10 for each new employee[,] they've got to bump all their existing workers to $10 an hour, too.

      Otherwise... what? The author decides NOT to inform the public of the implication - that is, competing companies paying above the minimum - and simply sticks to his notion that companies will keep paying the current workers less than what the market bears just to keep costs down, despite the siren call of higher wages. Of course, his conclusion makes NO sense, but I don't believe his readers care one way or the other.

    7. Fatty Bolger

      What an ignorant fuck. Not only does he not understand what monopsony means, he's too dumb to realize that progressive policies lead to fewer buyers of labor and therefore create the very problems he thinks they solve.

      1. PapayaSF

        That just means more progressive solutions will be required in the future!

    8. GILMORE

      That second paragraph was pure retard.

  40. The Late P Brooks

    ...If you're purposely scrimping on employees so that you don't have to raise everyone's wages to $10, and the government says you have to pay workers $10 whether you hire more people or not, then you're probably going to hire more people.

    Yup. Makes sense to me. And you'll cut your prices, too, I guess.

    1. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc

      Businesses only exist to provide jobs at living wages and affordable stuff that government is incapable of making.

  41. Coeus

    Bitcoin is evil

    It's always important, and always hard, to distinguish positive economics ? how things work ? from normative economics ? how things should be. Indeed, on many of the macro issues I've written about it has been obvious that large numbers of economists can't bring themselves to make that distinction; they dislike activist government on political grounds, and this leads them to make really bad arguments about why fiscal stimulus can't work and monetary stimulus will be disastrous. I don't, by the way, think that this effect is symmetric

    1. they dislike activist government on political grounds, and this leads them to make really bad arguments about why fiscal stimulus can't work and monetary stimulus will be disastrous. I don't, by the way, think that this effect is symmetric[.]

      "I am so smart I sometimes scare myself!"

    2. Sidd Finch

      Well, Lucas' accusations towards Romer were not true while vague accusations in this paragraph are true, therefore not symmetric.

    3. Medical Physics Guy

      There is an amazing Reader's choice comment after that article about the bitcoin protocol solving the Two Generals problem. I didn't know any of that.

    4. Raven Nation

      "they dislike activist government on political grounds, and this leads them to make really bad arguments about why fiscal stimulus can't work and monetary stimulus will be disastrous."

      "I, on the other hand, like activist government and this leads me to make really good arguments on all economic matters."

  42. Boisfeuras

    Businesses in Virginia cooperate to let customers know they are Pro-Second Amendment:

    Bryan Crosswhite, owner of Leesburg's The Cajun Experience restaurant, which is known for its Open Carry Wednesdays, founded the website in response to questions from his customers.

    "A lot of patrons come in and ask us what other businesses in the area support the second amendment," he says. "We really didn't have an answer for them."

    On Dec. 27, 2013, he launched the online database for businesses to register as gun rights supporters and receive a decal to display their support of the second amendment. [...]

    He eventually plans to launch a smartphone application for customers to search pro-gun businesses by location.

    Registration is technically free, but the site does suggest donations for the service.

    1. Someone needs to tell Toby Keith about this.

    2. Steve G

      I believe I speak for a good many pro-gun people: just don't be anti-gun and we'll get along just fine. You don't need stupid ass gimmicks like open carry Wednesdays to lure me in while deliberately provoking the gun grabbers. I swear, gun-nuts, like the GOP, just freaking bring it on themselves at every turn.

      1. Fatty Bolger

        gun-nuts, like the GOP, just freaking bring it on themselves at every turn.

        Just like the fags do, with their flamboyant dress and mannerisms, amirite?

      2. Boisfeuras

        He said his customers were specifically asking him about such businesses, and this is not about the type of "gimmick" you suggest:

        Crosswhite is adamant in noting the stickers don't indicate a given business allows open or concealed carry. "The sticker is just a notice that they support the Second Amendment," he says.

        They found a way to conveniently satisfy a demand through voluntary cooperation to the benefit of both businesses and their customers in a liberty-friendly manner.

  43. The Late P Brooks

    Some asshole former head of Paypal was on Bloomberg this morning, calling bitcoin "hogwash".

    I'd use bitcoin before I'd let those thieving cocksuckers at Paypal anywhere near my money.

    1. Root Boy

      What's wrong with Paypal? I know they are anti-gun which pisses me off. Did you get ripped off by them?

  44. Irish

    From conservative blog Ace of Spades:

    They're getting stoned in Colorada and that's a good thing.

    I've completely flipped on this.

    I still react with hostility to the pot subculture -- these people are so psyched about a mild hallucinogen it's just sad, really; they wear pot-leaf necklaces, for crying out loud -- but my distaste for someone's modus vivendi is no justification for a law.

    Whether I approve of this or not, these people are happy. Why should that bother me?

    I mean, Let's Be Honest, it does bother me. It's a very deeply human thing to resent someone enjoying something one doesn't enjoy oneself.

    I think pot laws and most drug laws are paternalistic. They are a vehicle for the majority of society expressing their distaste for a certain lifestyle, in the guise of helping the wayward find a better way of living.

    But we really ought to respect other citizens as adult, free human beings. And freedom means the freedom to make mistakes, or, if not mistakes, to make choices the mainstream of society doesn't approve of.

    We don't all have to be mainstream.

    As much as I don't like conservatives, it's been heartening to see the conservative right become progressively more pro-freedom. We really are starting to have a legitimate freedom vs. tyranny fight in this country between the progs and those of us who aren't fascists.

    1. PapayaSF

      I agree, but American conservatism has always had a strong strain of "Just don't startle the horses, cost me money, or make me do it."

      1. Virginian

        Yeah comments are full of "But people on welfare...." and "they're gonna get high and drive on the roadzzzzz"

        Plus some incredibly annoying "OK weed is fine, but cocaine is so super bad we need to keep the Drug War going." nonsense.

        1. You can always tell how old/sheltered someone is when they start railing against potheads.

          "They listen to the DEAD, hippies! Patchouli! GET A JOB!!"

          Look guy, something like 40% of adults not raised in a backwoods cult have smoked weed. I know losers who don't smoke and engineers that smoke like crazy. It really doesn't turn you into a stereotype.

    2. Mouse

      We really are starting to have a legitimate freedom vs. tyranny fight in this country between the progs and those of us who aren't fascists.

      The Israel firsters still run the Republican party, and the GOP electorate is solidly anti-abortion.

      1. Virginian

        The Israel firsters still run the Republican party

        You're a retard.

        1. No, he's a mouse.

      2. Irish

        The Israel firsters still run the Republican party, and the GOP electorate is solidly anti-abortion.

        This comment is insane.

        1. What's so insane about it? Antisemitism and a lust for baby-killing (in the name of eugenics, of course) are like two peas-in-a-pod.

        2. Mouse

          Are you doubting the factual accuracy of it or am I simply insane for daring to state it?

          1. Irish

            You're insane for seriously arguing that Israel firsters are a major intellectual movement in any American political party. That's a line of reasoning advanced solely by anti-semites who would rather rave about Jews than advance a logical argument.

            It's an extension of the "Jews control the entire world, the tentacled Jew conspiracy is everywhere!" frame of mind.

            1. Mouse

              It's an extension of the "Jews control the entire world, the tentacled Jew conspiracy is everywhere!" frame of mind.

              This is from someone who supposedly opposes neoconservatism, but I doubt he could even name a major neoconservative intellectual. Because neoconservatism was, in it's infancy, primarily a Jewish political movement. For him, one day the GOP decided it wanted to bomb Iran, for absolutely no reason whatsoever. For him, America gives 3 billion a year to Israel for no reason. In reality, Neoconservatives, Jewish or "Christian" have favored a policy of wars for Israel that are not in America's interest, and yet he goes about his anti-war stance, totally clueless about who really is causing these wars.

              1. totally clueless about who really is causing these wars.

                Yes, the southern Thai insurgency is just playing into Jewish interests. The genocide in the Central African Republic is caused by the International Jew. The insurgency of the Karen people and the concurrent repression of the Rohingya by the Bamar majority in Burma....the sons of Leo Strauss strike again!

                1. Mouse

                  Oh yes, that explains why America is so involved in those wars, we just love war! The concurrent repression of the Rohingya by the Bamar majority in Burma, we sent in our troops to stop that, even though it had nothing to do with us or our interests, we just do that.

                  1. The concurrent repression of the Rohingya by the Bamar majority in Burma, we sent in our troops to stop that

                    Why would we do that when we finally have our SOB in power there? No one is denying that U.S. foreign policy isn't venal and cynical to the extreme. But if you think Israel is driving America policy as opposed to the House of Saud, you're batshit insane.

              2. America gives 3 billion a year to Israel for no reason

                And America also gives 12 billion to Afghanistan, 2 billion to Iraq, 1.7 to Pakistan, 1.4 to Egypt 850 million to Jordan, 560 million to Tanzania, 534 to Sudan, 463 to the Palestinians, 278 to Somalia, and 252 to Indonesia.

                Geez, that shadowy Zionist cabal sure like giving money to people who scream for their death daily!

                1. Mouse

                  Why on earth would they want to give money to the Egyptian government? Jordan? I couldn't think of a country more hostile to Israel. Iraq and Afghanistan? What do these two countries have in common?

                  1. Well, why don't you tell us and bring out your implications into the light of day?

              3. Corning

                I doubt he could even name a major neoconservative intellectual.

                Dick Cheney is a joooooooooooooooooooooowwww!!!!!

            2. Warrren

              You'd think these tentacled Jews would be easy to spot.

              1. paranoid android

                I've done...research...which leads me to believe a lot of them have found work in Japan.

            3. Juice

              You don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to see the heavy influence of the Israel lobby on the US Congress.

              1. "Heavy" compared to what, Juice? The Israel lobby pales in comparison to the China lobby or the Saudi lobby...or even the Cuban-American lobby. When was the last time Cuban communists hijacked a plane and we've boycotted Castro for how many years now? The Palestinians can't even keep their suicide vests out of their fucking embassies and we give them almost half-a-billion a year.

                Yet, there is a curious fixation on the Je...err..."Israeli" lobby.

                1. Juice

                  Anyone with eyes can see that Israel's interests have a very disproportionate influence on the foreign policy decisions of the US and sometimes to the detriment of the US. I don't give a shit if you call me antisemitic because I point this out. Religion or ethnicity has nothing to do with it.

              2. Corning

                You don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to see the heavy influence of the British lobby on the US Congress.

        3. Mouse

          @KH, I am not an anti-semite. I only oppose multiculturalists and warmongerers, I do not have any animus toward Jews simply because of their heritage.

          1. I only oppose multiculturalists

            Watch out! Those swarthy, fiery Latin types are just looking to get into your daughter's pants!

      3. JOOZ! JOOZ AND ILLUMINATI/FREE-MASON LIZARD PEOPLE!

        1. Mouse

          That's a wonderfully well-reasoned argument you got there.

          You see, Israel contradicts every libertarian principle that HM holds as sacred, but HM is a philo-semite, so all he can do is yell JOOZ! JOOZ!

          1. That's a wonderfully well-reasoned argument you got there.

            Compared to your consistently debunked conspiracy theory cum Blood Libel, it's Cicero's In Catilinam.

            You weren't engaging in a debate about the libertarian justification for an ethnoreligious nation-state, you disingenuous fuck, you were just peddling ZOG/Jews Control the World!!!! bullshit.

            1. Mouse

              the libertarian justification for an ethnoreligious nation-state

              Please, get to that.

              1. I'm an anarchist, there is no justification for the nation-state. But that's not the debate you're interested in, and you know it. You just want to get your Jew-hatred on.

                1. Mouse

                  I don't hate Jews. I have no problem with people simply because they are Jewish.

                  I'm an anarchist, there is no justification for the nation-state.

                  So you are, then, an anti-Zionist?

                  1. If by anti-Zionist you mean that I don't believe in the legitimacy of Israel as a state founded ethno-religious terms, then yes. And that's no secret.

                    However, if you mean anti-Zionist as believing in some worldwide Jewish conspiracy to rule the world, then no I am not, because that doesn't exist.

                    1. I don't believe in the legitimacy of Israel as a state founded ethno-religious terms, then yes. And that's no secret.

                      Saudi Arabia? Yemen? etc.

  45. Coeus

    Is that why there are so many dudes named Jesus?

    Despite what the preponderance of nativity scenes on display this time of year might suggest, it seems that there's actually a savior born on the regular here in the U.S. New research published in the British Medical Journal finds that roughly 1 in 200 pregnant young American women claim to be virgins

  46. Mouse

    According to the French interior minister, 1,067 cars were torched over New Year's.

    How is that "free movement of people" working out for you?

    1. How is that "entitlement nation" working out for you?

      1. Mouse

        The European White people don't qualify for those entitlements. That's why they aren't burning cars.

        /sarc

        1. Re: Mouse,

          The European White people don't qualify for those entitlements.

          No, but they sure qualify for those much-coveted government jobs, which is the main reason for the riots.

          1. Mouse

            Fucking DMV, burning my car, all I wanted to do was renew my licence.

            /libertarian nightmare

            1. That makes no sense, Mouse.

  47. Coeus

    Dick culture

    When I say "dick culture," I mean: The inordinate pride men feel in owning and wielding their dicks. The idiotic contests they hold to see whose dick is more powerful, can shoot off harder, go farther. The way both men and women will say "he was thinking with his dick." The spasmodic reaction of a dick-bearing man when one suggests that, given the yearly number of dick-related injuries per capita, the use of his dick should be restricted. Every man with a dick believes he is a responsible dick-owner. Dicks don't kill people, he says. You can't take away our dicks. Yet there are always so many "accidents!" I am no handmaiden to the nanny state, but you have to admit: a ban on dicks seems like the most pragmatic solution.

    Yes, I am tired of rape stories. I think rape stories are boring. I am sick of rape stories on CNN and sicker of rape stories on Jezebel. I would like instead to see national, televised debates and full episodes of morning radio shows and several long-form podcasts and a portion of the next State of the Union address dedicated to determining whether men should be allowed to keep their dicks.

    Guns, however, should be given to girls at age ten.

    1. Virginian

      Remember, people think this woman is reasonable, and that ol Phil from Duck Dynasty is history's greatest monster.

      1. Eduard van Haalen

        Dick Dynasty, coming soon to Spike TV!

    2. The inordinate pride men feel in owning and wielding their dicks.

      Things must get really out of hand in the Turkish baths she frequents.

    3. Killaz

      I owned my first gun at ten, a 4-10/.22 over and under, I don't see why little girls should not have them. Are these people sexist?

    4. I sheepishly admit that I liked that essay.

      The writing is miles above the usual griefer hogwash.

      1. Eduard van Haalen

        I read the part where she Reflects Deeply on her drunken hookup (or was it two drunken hookups?). Did it get better from there?

        1. There's an interview excerpt from a talk with Camille Paglia, who is always interesting.

    5. Eduard van Haalen

      "Determining whether men should be allowed to keep their dicks"

      If you like your dick, you can keep your dick, period.

    6. Juice

      The idiotic contests they hold to see whose dick is more powerful, can shoot off harder, go farther.

      Shh. Don't tell them that ALL men do this.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnzYG0ZkrXg

      1. This might be convenient.

    7. Fatty Bolger

      Men lining up to register their dicks before deadline

    8. Suthenboy

      "The idiotic contests they hold to see whose dick is more powerful, can shoot off harder, go farther."

      Huh? I missed out on something...thank god.

      1. Coeus

        Huh? I missed out on something...thank god.

        Devil's threesomes can get a might...competitive.

      2. Juice

        http://threewordphrase.com/mission.htm

    9. Rufus J. Firefly

      I was hoping for some pictures of men menacingly wielding their dicks.

      Sigh.

  48. Mike M.

    The chaplain for New York City's Department of Sanitation (yes, really) called the Big Apple a "plantation" during Mayor Bill de Blasio's inauguration ceremony.

    "Can you dig iiiiiiiiiit?"

    1. Corning

      Why does the department of sanitation need a chaplain?

      New York City's

      Nevermind

      ...

      I would like to spend the rest of this post thanking Great Gandpa and Grandma Ott and Great Grandpa and Grandpa Chenesky for when after they got off the boat at Ellis Island they kept moving west.

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