A.M. Links: Four Arrested In Connection With Drugs Found at Philip Seymour Hoffman's Apartment, CVS To Stop Selling Cigarettes, Rep. Rogers Says Greenwald Illegally Sold Stolen Material

Credit: Ildar Sagdejev/wikimedia

• Four people believed to be connected to the drugs found Philip Seymour Hoffman's apartment have been arrested.
• U.S. officials say that the Obama administration has curtailed drone strikes in Pakistan as the government there works towards holding peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban.
• CVS Caremark pharmacies will stop selling tobacco products by Oct. 1.
• Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) has said that the journalist Glenn Greenwald, who has been reporting on the information leaked by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden, illegally sold stolen material.
• A grand jury has indicted Ross Ulbricht, who is accused of creating Silk Road. CNN reports that Ulbricht is charged with "engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, computer hacking, money laundering, and operating a narcotics conspiracy."
• New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to embark on a national tour amid the so-called "Bridgegate" scandal.

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Comments

[Snark Plissken]

U.S. officials say that the Obama administration has curtailed drone strikes in Pakistan as the government there works towards holding peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban.

That should be a big relief to all those principled anti-war lefties out protesting in the cold.

[Fist of Etiquette]

That probably just means not as many double taps.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

[Aloysious]

Happy Wednesday.

[Snark Plissken]

Hey Look! It's Enrico Pallazzo!

[Doctor Whom]

Ni hao ma?

[Obamaphone]

Ring***Ring***

Make no mistake, my administration is working twenty-four hours a day to keep Americans safe using every means at our disposal.

-click-

[UnCivilServant]

Which Americans? It's clearly not the majority of them.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Four people believed to be connected to the drugs found Philip Seymour Hoffman's apartment have been arrested.

So, thanks again, Seymour.

[Snark Plissken]

Glad to see those libertarians finally off the streets.

[wareagle]

Hoffman is dead? Next thing you'll be telling me Lou Reed died, too.

[Steve G]

You wouldn't believe who his pall-bearers were

[Longtorso, Johnny]

The Golden Girls?

[F. Stupidity, Jr.]

One. Last. Time.

[mr simple]

Four people believed to be connected to the drugs found Philip Seymour Hoffman's apartment have been arrested.

And so ends another national nightmare. Applause for our heroes.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Now we know who's responsible.

[Sunmonocle Backwards Tophat]

Well, partly responsible. You see, Hoffman was responsible for killing himself.

These people are also responsible, since they provided him with the means.

And the drugs were responsible too, since they controlled him like a disease, for which the only prescription is a prison sentence and life of underemployment.

And we're responsible too, since we're our brother's keeper. Everyone's responsible!

But this is all a public health issue.

[RBS]

Actually, according to the State we are the victims.

[CE]

The War on Drugs is responsible, and everyone who supports it.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to embark on a national tour amid the so-called "Bridgegate" scandal.

The sad thing is that the media has convinced him the rest of the country cares.

[Palin's Buttplug]

National Review says the GOP bigshits are all jumping on the Jeb Bush bandwagon:

http://www.nationalreview.com/.....m-geraghty

As a presidential candidate, Bush would bring a lot to the table, starting with two terms as a popular, tax-cutting governor, a reputation as a national leader on education reform and school choice, and his family's extensive and deep-pocketed fundraising network.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

He hasn't held office in 7 years and then there's still Bush-fatigue. I don't see him playing that big if he decides to run because what he has done for them or voters lately?

[Pelosi's Rabbit]

Republicans haven't won without a Bush or a Nixon on the ticket since 1928. Might as well give it a shot.

[UnCivilServant]

So who was Reagan?

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Reagan/Bush - there was one on the ticket.

[Cdr Lytton]

Bush's running mate.

[UnCivilServant]

Bush who? The Veep is insignificant.

[Zeb]

But still on the ticket.

[Rabban]

I would much rather go back to the GOP of Calvin Coolidge.

[AlmightyJB]

Well if he has the warphiles behind him that will be major support right there.

[Don Mynack]

Yup, if he decides to run, he'll be a player.

I won't vote for him, like that matters.

[Andrew S.]

Had Jeb won the 1994 election in Florida, there's a good chance he would have been the candidate in 2000 instead of Dubya.

[Brett L]

Well, that's one way to know who can't win the General election.

[Obamaphone]

Ring***Ring***

At a time when global warming is a greater threat than ever before, we don't have time to wait for a do-nothing Congress to act. There are those who say we don't have the resources to fight global warming. Change isn't easy, but we can't afford not to put in place new programs to address climate change and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. My administration has an all-of-the-above policy. It won't happen overnight, but we must drop the failed initiatives of past administrations and press forward for future generations.

-click-

[some guy]

Of course those hubs aren't about fighting climate change, but about measuring it and helping people (particularly farmers) adjust. Frankly, this is one of the least stupid things he could have done, since climate change is inevitable and adjusting to it is essential. Whether the hubs will work as advertised... well, it's government.

[Redmanfms]

So Obamaphone is a Longtorso sock.

[Andrew S.]

Based on prior comments, I had thought it was American

[Tonio]

I had thought it was Merkin, too. But I haven't seen much race-baiting in recent O'Phone posts, which calls that assumption into question.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Nope. Not mine.

[gaijin]

According to the CBO, Obamacare is actually a climate change initiative. By eliminating 2 million jobs previously created or saved, the US will lead the way in reducing the US Carbon Footprint. It's two initiatives for the price of twelve.

[AlmightyJB]

What about all those homeless camp fires?

[thom]

Must convert to propane burners by 2020.

[CatoTheElder]

Camp fires are carbon neutral according to the Kyoto Protocol.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) has said that the journalist Glenn Greenwald, who has been reporting on the information leaked by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden, illegally sold stolen material.

Congressman Rogers violates the Bill of Rights for personal gain.

[wareagle]

so, according to Rogers, Snowden "illegally" sold stolen material that the govt illegally collected. There is something karmic to that, no?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Because Greenwald is collecting a paycheck for being a journalist. So what does that make those collecting a paycheck for violating their constitutional oaths?

[gaijin]

So what does that make those collecting a paycheck for violating their constitutional oaths?

Heroes of course

[Herpes Trismegistus]

Statesmen.

[thom]

If you collect a paycheck for being a journalist, then you're engaged in commerce and are therefore not covered by the first amendment.

If you don't collect a paycheck for being a journalist, then you're not a real journalist, and since the first amendment specifically references "the press", are therefore not covered by the first amendment.

[Cdr Lytton]

Bravo! You earned an A in con law.

[CatoTheElder]

Pretty much explains why Greenwald lives in Brazil as well.

[AlmightyJB]

Chairman of the House Intelligance Committee Representative could be shortened to Giant Lying Dick.

[mr simple]

CVS Caremark pharmacies will stop selling tobacco products by Oct. 1.

Hooray!
-Walgreens

[Tonio]

Also, Walgreens carries e-cigs and CVS doesn't.

[some guy]

Will CVS be picking up e-cigs? They aren't tobacco products after all.

[Tonio]

The nicotine in e-cigs is tobacco-derived so a case could be made.

[Entropy Void]

So where the hell does the nicotine in the patches and gum that CVS will no doubt hypocritically continue to sell and profit derive?

Unicorn farts?

[CE]

They LOOK like cigarettes to me! We must protect our children.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yeah, but both sell briefs not boxers! In St. Pete anyway.

[Rich]

"You don't have to inhale to enjoy it!"

[Atanarjuat]

Exactly.

I'm kinda impressed, though, how effective lefty issue-pushers are with things like this. Every whine they have, no matter how trivial, is treated as incredibly significant and placated. I see it again and again from animal rights to abortion to the environment to "food deserts" and on and on. The only place they're not successful is with guns. And in this case they convinced a corporation to hand a chunk of its profits to its competitors.

Heck I used to work at a large convention center. Conventions generate countless construction dumpsters of trash. Not surprising since every booth is made of and stocked with disposable crap. But when you go in the bathroom, there is a placard with emblems of leaves telling the world about how they use "green" hand soap. So idiots can walk out of there feeling good about their intentions toward the environment.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Every whine they have, no matter how trivial, is treated as incredibly significant and placated

The same thing results in spoiled 3 year olds. Poltical 'moderates' just want peace and quite - both sides 'agreeing' so no decision has to be made on their part. Once you establish you're too crazy to ever back down, you win because the path of least resistance for the 'moderate' is getting the other side to back down.

That's why it doesn't work w/ guns. Gun nuts (I say that in love) are just as 'crazy' as progtards.

[BardMetal]

Until I can import a select-fire FAL from any of the 90 countries that issued them, then I'm not convinced that the Gun nuts have won.

[Zeb]

Haven't won, but doing pretty well holding ground.

[wareagle]

and the hotel asks that you use towels more than once to save on washing.

[UnCivilServant]

And then takes the towels away anyway even when I put them where they said they'd be left behind!

[Raven Nation]

Yeah, what's up with that?

[Rich]

"Our superior customer service exceeds your expectations!"

[Brett L]

Housekeeping ain't as dumb as they should be. Do you think guests about how you gave them clean towels anyways are treated the same as complaints about not getting fresh towels every day? Nope.

[Raven Nation]

Good point.

[CE]

If you like your towel you can keep it. Because we're not washing it until you leave, if then.

[Tonio]

For the hotels it's a win-win. By offering consumers a choice they can placate the greenies and save a bit on laundry-related expenses.

UCS, I'm guessing that what you've experienced is a case of local management declaring that "all used towels must be washed" but leaving the corporate-mandated stickers up to keep corporate and the greenies happy.

[UnCivilServant]

I was mostly annoyed because that towel in particular was only used to dry my hands and was a full sized bath towel, so it was far from needing washing. I didn't want to pull a new one from the shelf to dry my hands again. Since seriously, that was the biggest complaint I had with the hotel, it didn't prevent me from staying there again.

[thom]

I've never figured out how people are going through so many towels. There's usually plenty of towels in there. I always throw up the "do not disturb" sign the moment I get to my room and don't take it down until I'm leaving the check out.

[mad libertarian guy]

I always throw up the "do not disturb" sign the moment I get to my room and don't take it down until I'm leaving the check out.

Add in a call directly to housekeeping to tell them that cleaning service is unnecessary and you have a winning stay.

[21044]

I usually do what Thom does, but you are stating is a better idea

[mr simple]

The only place they're not successful is with guns.

Well, they did get Kmart to stop selling them and drive itself into bankruptcy after Columbine.

[Elspeth Flashman]

This makes me want to buy cigarettes.

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

Yeah. And move my Rx.

[Zeb]

I have that problem too. The anti-smoking people are probably the biggest thing that keeps me from quitting smoking at this point.

[Brett L]

CVS appears to be run by people who have no desire to stay in business. I'm wondering whether this will last longer than their acetone ban.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Sounds like, I don't know, like most businesses in Quebec. Apparently, it's perfectly acceptable to speak to clients as if in a decrepit truck stop. Drives me nuts.

[thom]

Why are you assuming the cigarettes are even a profitable business line for them? It seems like cigarettes tend to be priced very competitively, and with all the regulation it's probably a headache to sell them. Maybe they just aren't as profitable as they used to be and CVS is happy to look like a good corporate citizen while dumping an under-performing business line?

[Zeb]

They said that they would lose revenue when they stopped selling tobacco. Could be making it up, but I don't see why they would.

[thom]

Of course they'll lose revenue. But they'll also incur fewer costs. Business!

[mad libertarian guy]

They said that they would lose revenue when they stopped selling tobacco. Could be making it up, but I don't see why they would.

To show the aren't evil profit-snatchers, and have nothing but the best intentions for the health of people not profits.

[Zeb]

But they are depriving the government of all that tax revenue.

[Ruckus]

It's not just tobacco revenue they are going to be using. Modern drug stores also serve as stand ins for old corner convenience store (sans the gas).

If you are a tobacco user, you are not going to buying your batteries, milk, bread, paper towels, bandaids, random snack food, tooth brush, etc from CVS anymore. Not to mention your Rx.

A local Rite Aid handles our RX, but it's also the place where we buy most of our tobacco products, and a lot of other arbitrary household items. If they stopped carrying cigs, then we'd find a another drug store for our business.

[CE]

I just wish I could still buy effective cold medicine there.

[Don Mynack]

The CVS near me has a walk-in cooler called "The Beer Cave". It's all shitty beer, though.

[Pavlov's Cat]

The one near me has Fat Tire.

[Jon Lester]

I hope that means they'll have a sale in September.

Meanwhile, the cheapest cigarettes in my area are at my local Fred's.

[Rabban]

You to be willing to drive to the out-of-the-way discount smoke store that may be one state over. Then buy in ten cart lots, face the facts you aren't quitting anytime soon, so bulk up on stock in hand.

[Caleb Turberville]

So, why were people watching a debate between Bill Nye and Ken Ham yesterday? No one has cared about this issue since 2006.

[Tonio]

Mostly I'd say it was partisans from both sides based on how I learned about this (no, not you, Caleb).

[Brett L]

Agreed. Mostly atheists and scientishist people were cheering based on my FB feed.

[Jordan]

Pro-tip to my fellow atheists: Evangelical atheists are every bit as annoying as evangelical Christians/Muslims/etc.

[BardMetal]

Yes they are, perhaps more so.

[thom]

In my experience, evangelical atheists are usually only one generation removed from religion.

Atheists who's parents are religious tend to see their atheism as an act of rebellion, a personal choice they made that defines them, and they feel the need to share it.

People who's parents were atheist (or generally non-religious) don't define themselves by their atheism and therefore feel no need to share it.

[Zeb]

I think of them as religious atheists. They are atheists relative to a particular belief system rather than just thinking that the whole idea of deities is a bit silly.

[Jordan]

I really don't get why people give a shit that some people believe in Creationism.

[Pelosi's Rabbit]

Because some of them try to get it taught in science class.

[Tonio]

Thank you, PR.

[Jordan]

Well, government schools are the problem there, not people's beliefs.

[John]

^^THIS^^

[CatoTheElder]

Ceterum autem censeo imperium scholis delendam esse

[some guy]

I think Nye did it just to get his message out there to a bunch of people who probably haven't heard it in full before. I'm sure he understands that you can't "win" an argument against someone who refuses to use logic.

[Tonio]

My guess is that even though he knew he wasn't going to win (nobody actually wins these, really) that he didn't want to hand the Creationists a PR victory by refusing to debate.

[thom]

Nye is incredibly popular among twentysomethings who sneer at conservatives for being "anti-science". He's in showbusiness - this was just marketing.

[Snark Plissken]

That Kulture War ain't going to fight itself you know.

[Caleb Turberville]

I used to be annoyed that a majority of Americans didn't believe in evolution. Now, I'm just pissed that the majority of Americans don't believe in scarcity.

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

No one has cared about this issue since 2006.

This was also the source of my confusion. Did no one give Bill Nye this memo?

[gaijin]

Bill Nye seems like a bit of a dbag...and he's getting older and crankier. Sort of like Sir David Attenborough and his call for humans to think of themselves as a plague on the earth.

[Atanarjuat]

It's the only place where public science professionals still look good ever since they sold out for global warming.

[Palin's Buttplug]

No one has cared about this issue since 2006.

Translation - this makes conservatives look bad so lets ignore it.

[SugarFree]

Please don't feed the troll.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Shreek you really nailed it here! Bullseye partner!

[a better weapon]

I would never consider it a left-right issue since everyone I've ever known is either a)religious but leaves plenty of room for observable science within their beliefs or b) non-religious but politely entertain the idea of a higher being to be a possibility.

Judging by the reactions of my progressive friends, they are using this as an opportunity to filet a strawman and cheer it on as if it were some decisive smackdown of all their intellectual enemies.

Nobody here is ignoring, but rather pointing out the absurdity of it all.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Conservatism calls evolution out as the big secular lie that allows for freedom of thought, humanism, and self deterministic values that allow for morally relative decisions (like being gay,prostitution, porn, or abortion rights).

Creationists like order, tradition, and moral authoritarianism. All laws are derived from God, and so on. This is conservatism writ large.

http://www.garnertedarmstrong......glie.shtml

[Don Mynack]

I don't know any conservatives who don't believe in evolution. I'm sure there are many who don't, however.

[Fluffy]

Tens of millions of Americans don't believe in evolution.

The polls are unequivocal.

[PRX]

Tens of millions of Americans don't believe in economics either.

Those polls are also unequivocal.

[mad libertarian guy]

Tens of millions of Americans don't believe in economics either.

Those polls are also unequivocal.

This.

And those who don't believe in economics are far more dangerous and have a far larger impact on my life than those who don't believe in evolution.

[hamilton]

I watched mostly to see if anyone came prepared with a decent argument. Given the mass futility of my arguments (on different topics), I like looking at more formal debates to see if there's a better way to methodically put down the derp. I was disappointed.

[a better weapon]

I don't know, but it sure got a lot of my facebook acquaintances to embarrass themselves by arguing with the ghosts of kings and high priests that lived in the dark ages.

[BardMetal]

Not only that, but debating a creationist, and "young Earther" is like beating someone with Down's syndrome in the spelling bee. Pointless and perhaps a little mean.

[Raven Nation]

So, the creationist was a "young Earther." From what I've seen and read, "young Earthers" are a minority even among people who don't believe in evolution.

[Zeb]

It's just hard to resist sometimes. Especially when the young earther tries to make his arguments sound scientific at all. If someone just says they believe something like that simply out of faith, fine. I don't get it, but whatever. But if they try to pretend that there is a scientific argument to be had, it's sort of hard to look away sometimes.

[Zeb]

Bill Nye still does, apparently. It's a mostly pointless debate to have, but there are probably enough young minds still open to reason that it might have some effect.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

How Voter Shortsightedness Skews Elections
..."'Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?' Ronald Reagan's famous question in the U.S. presidential election of 1980 is generally a good yardstick for picking a candidate, or at least for judging a leader's economic policies. But few voters follow it. Instead, they are swayed by economic swings in the months leading up to the election, often ignoring the larger trends. Why are we so shortsighted? A psychological study of voting behavior suggests an answer and points to a simple fix. ... Healy and Lenz challenged their subjects to evaluate hypothetical governments based on slightly varying information. For example, some received information expressed as yearly income while others received the same information expressed as a yearly growth rate. The same information in a plot of steadily increasing average personal income over 3 years?$32,400, $33,100, $33,800?can also be expressed as a steadily decreasing rate of growth?3%, 2.3%, 2.1%. That did the trick. Just changing the units of the data was enough to cure voter fickleness. When economic trends were expressed as yearly income rather than rates of change, the subjects made accurate judgments. But if the same information was expressed as a change over time?the bias reappeared."...

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Hmmmm..... Basing your decision on income going up = OBJECTIVE SCIENCE SAYS GOOD!!!! Basing it on the rate of growth slowing = OBJECTIVE SCIENCE SAYS BAD!!

I wonder which party's political fortunes OBJECTIVE SCIENCE, BITCHES is favoring here.

[mr simple]

A psychological study

Barely science, but definitely not objective.

[Tonio]

Psychology covers a broad range of disciplines. At one end you have the rigorously scientific brain science people, in the middle you have the testing and measurement people who are pretty good with data-collection and statistical analysis, then on the other end you have the clinical people who are in no way scientific.

[R C Dean]

At one end you have the rigorously scientific brain science people,

I suspect the neuroscience crowd would disagree strongly with their discipline being called a branch of "psychology".

[Warty]

I once did some work on classification of brain signals, and, humiliatingly, the person in charge of the lab was a Psych PhD. So, yes and no.

[Zeb]

No, they wouldn't like that. But there is some overlap in terms of the kind of work that they each do.

[Tonio]

Neuroscience is a discipline which includes both MD's and psychologists. MD's are mostly limited to observational methodologies; psychologists mutilate the brains of non-human subjects to see what happens.

Most of what we knew about the human brain prior to MRI and CAT was based on case reports of brain damaged humans.

So you're kind of sort of right if you restate what I said changing the meaning to suit your ends.

[PD Scott]

And how does that make you feel?

[Bill Dalasio]

Don't worry, when it suits them, they'll switch it around.

[UnCivilServant]

What is that adjusted for inflation?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYeP8eNWpUI

Sochi?

Aside from Till Eulenspiegel on payroll, all I kept thinking of was those two Czechoslovakian border soldiers in 'Stripes.' In fact, the whole thing reminded me of a SCTV sketch or an episode of 'Disorderly Conduct.'

Bah. I wonder if they have the limited edition cinnamon Apple Jacks.

[Tonio]

Oh, it gets better. The press are not happy with their accommodations. Construction behind schedule, many assigned rooms unoccupiable to various degrees, doorknobs falling off, tap water that looks like piss.

This is going to be a huge PR disaster for Putin. He's used to dealing with a cowed, lap-dog press and now he's faced with an international press corps who he can't control. This sounds oddly familiar for some reason; must be one of those "deja vu" type brain glitches.

[Rich]

"Surprise, surprise, surprise!"

/Gomer Pyle

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Russia as a G8 country is a joke.

[Swiss Servator, Befehl!]

"Mauritania with ICBMs"

[WTF]

And I'm sure Putin just can't understand why giving all the construction work to his corrupt cronies didn't work out so well.

[R C Dean]

I'm pretty sure, with his kickbacks in the bank, that Putin doesn't care that giving all the construction work to his corrupt cronies didn't work out so well.

Oh, he'll probably use the scandal as a pretext for circling back for another round of bribes, but other than that? Pfft.

[Fist of Etiquette]

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to embark on a national tour amid the so-called "Bridgegate" scandal.

Fundraising for the GOP. Why aren't Republicans running away from this guy? Seriously.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"This thing is nigger than any of us!"

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Wow. That was beyong embarrassing.

bigger

I think I'll enter a monastery now.

[Tonio]

What's a "beyong"?

[some guy]

It's ebonics. You wouldn't understand.

[some guy]

I'm willing to believe you accidentally hit 'n' when going for 'b'. I refuse you accidentally hit 'g' when going for 'd'.

[hamilton]

There's another political career down the shitter.

[Pelosi's Rabbit]

Also, we're all going to be accused of being racists for being HyR commenters.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Ha, ha!

/Nelson

[Atanarjuat]

Best...typo...ever.

[Palin's Buttplug]

South Parkian in scope.

[R C Dean]

A lifetime RC'z Law award to you, sir.

[Rich]

Notorious G.K.C. creates viral internet meme!

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Oh, Lord, no. I'll be the Stan's dad of the Internet.

[Rich]

Did you mean *Satan's dad*?

[Pelosi's Rabbit]

Hi, Bigger Guy.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Finally earning your name.

[Roger the Shrubber]

Time for another handle change.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Oh, I'm sure nobody will constantly throw this in my face or anything.

[hamilton]

Luckily you're among a forgiving and understanding crowd.

[Tonio]

Beyong, beyong, beyong...

[a better weapon]

If anyone gives you a hard time, just mention a bus and it's involvement in childbirth and that should be enough to distract them.

[Cdr Lytton]

Father Brown takes on a whole new meaning.

[WTF]

"You know, the people you find annoying."

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Four people believed to be connected to the drugs found Philip Seymour Hoffman's apartment have been arrested.

"But your honor, he said he was just researching a role as a drug user!"

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I'm surprised no one is going after the bath tub manufacturer. I mean, 'we're all responsible' for one another, amirite?

[Rich]

I tells ya, Rufus -- It's those fucking glassine bags.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

School officials are no fans of gun ban signs
..."One of my biggest concerns as a principal is safety and security," Tinley Park High School Principal Theresa Nolan said. "It is bothersome to have to post a sticker of a gun that says, 'Hey, folks, leave your guns at home.' "

Nolan said she is not opposed to posting it, she's just worried that not enough people are aware of what it means and could misinterpret the new signage.

"I think the general public will be alarmed by it and wonder if people have been allowed to bring guns to school in the past," she said. In her 22 years with Bremen Community High School District 228, she said, "I have no knowledge of guns ever being in this building."

Nolan, and others, take issue with the sticker's design.

"I would have appreciated something more subtle, yet still recognizable ? a logo, perhaps, not a gun," she said.

"You can't look at this (sticker) and not think about Sandy Hook," she said, referring to the 2012 school shooting in Newton, Conn., in which 20 children and six teachers were killed....

[Rich]

"It is bothersome to have to post a sticker of a gun that says, 'Hey, folks, leave your guns at home.' " Nolan said ... she's just worried that not enough people are aware of what it means and could misinterpret the new signage. "I think the general public will be alarmed by it and wonder if people have been allowed to bring guns to school in the past," she said.

With all due respect, Principal Nolan -- are you retarded?

[Tonio]

Public school administrators, as a class, are not the best or brightest. Srsly.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

I sent her an email asking basically the same thing. I hope it doesn't end up in spam and she at least has to read it. I also mentioned that at my school I have a gun on my desk.

[Tonio]

When I do that I make it a point not to use certain keywords in the subject or body of the message in case they've gotten somebody smarter than them to setup a filter. Thus, I wouldn't use "gun" but "g.u.n." or something similar.

Also, I try to use subject lines that could give the impression that it's parent correspondance.

[gaijin]

You can't look at this (sticker) and not think about Sandy Hook,"

There can be only one way to think...and it is the way I think!

[R C Dean]

You can't look at this (sticker) and not think about Sandy Hook

She's got a point there.

As in "I bet they had those stickers all over Sandy Hook, and look at how much good it did them."

[gaijin]

+1!

[JD the elder]

"I think the general public will be alarmed by it and wonder if people have been allowed to bring guns to school in the past," she said. In her 22 years with Bremen Community High School District 228, she said, "I have no knowledge of guns ever being in this building."

Given the number of schools that had rifle teams in the past, or were located in areas where hunting was popular, yes, people were allowed to bring guns to school. Not that you would expect a principal to know anything about history, of course.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

"As the saying goes, first they ignore you, then they ridicule you. Libertarians have now reached stage two, and the MSM are on the warpath to discredit them along the usual lines -- you know, they are racists, religious nuts, misogynists, conspiracy theorists, dope addicts, diet crazies, sociopaths, health quacks, red-necked yokels, and people with bad manners.

It is unfortunate that so many libertarians are using this occasion to blame and attack one another in connection with this bad press. I am appalled by how many libertarians harbor vitriolic hatred for other libertarians and by the sanctimony that is so much in evidence in their declarations of fratricide.

Really, fellow libertarian of any stripe whatsoever, do you honestly believe that your particular libertarian sect does not harbor embarrassing members of its own? Get a grip. And, for [heaven]'s sake, give up your illusions of grandeur. Some of you are getting, as my father would have said, much too big for your britches. (I would add, you know who you are, but I fear that many of you really do not know.)

P.S. The state is the real enemy. Try to remember."

Robert Higgs

[Citizen Nothing]

Sounds like something a "libertarian" would write. This Higgs dude should be excommunicated.

[UnCivilServant]

I'm glad I'm not a libertarian.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

From what I read, he's an Austrian economist.

[Tonio]

Austrian-austrian, or just Austrian?

[Citizen Nothing]

But seriously, folks. Any idealogical movement - especially an individualist one -- is gonna have schisms and feuding and backstabbing and all that fun, like a family at Thanksgiving. It's no big deal (unless you are thin-skinned). Yeah libertarians all hate each other and are quick to call each other out, but they hate everyone else more. And therein lies the goodness.
And if you don't buy that, then you, of course, are no libertarian.

[hamilton]

Can I still be a Scotsman?

[Citizen Nothing]

You're a Welshman. (My grandfather used to say this instead of "you're welcome." He may have been insane.)

[Tonio]

My ideology is to have an ideal logical movement.

[Swiss Servator, Befehl!]

So...it includes no humans then?

[Tonio]

Rufus: in the spirit of fairness, and to improve the readability of your posts, I commend to your attention this guide to HTML text formatting tags.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

What was so hard to read?

Quotes, text, end quotes.

Presto-voila!

[Rufus J. Firefly]

testing

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Cool. Empowering.

/cashes welfare cheque.

[Rich]

The fun *really* begins when you can embed images and stuff!

[UnCivilServant]

I'm glad you're canukistani, and that's not my money they're paying you in, only pretend Canadian Dollars.

[UnCivilServant]

I mean that in the nicest possible way (I don't really have anything against canadians, I just want to heckle people)

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I don't ruffle easy.

But poke fun of my mole and...

[Tonio]

They're called "loonies", UCS. 'Nuff said.

[UnCivilServant]

The currency? Oh right, sorry.

[Tonio]

Thanks, Rufus. And you're welcome.

Yes, it is much easier too read.

The subtext is that we've been taking a certain other commentator to task over this and can't appear to play favorites.

[Raven Nation]

Yeah, I was getting that sense. And, to be honest, I would like to appear more adaptable that BCE

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

What he said, Bo.

[Raven Nation]

Allow me to add my gratitude to Tonio for opening the world of text formatting tags to me.

[Tonio]

Nice.

[Apatheist ?_??]

And if you're too lazy like me, reasonable does all that shit for you.

[Zeb]

Even just using italics makes a big difference. And that doesn't take much more effort than quotes.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

'Men are failing us,' says woman planning demonstration
...Women across the city are having similar conversations with themselves lately, as Philadelphia reels from yet another senseless purse snatching/homicide. The latest happened early Sunday as two women left the Tropical Heat nightclub at 53rd and Market streets following a night of karaoke. Two men in hooded sweatshirts confronted the women about 2:35 a.m., took their handbags, then opened fire, killing Melissa Thomas, 29, and injuring her friend.

All because of a damn handbag.

"She gave it up and she still was killed," said Sanchez, 40, an administrative assistant. "It's 2:40 in the morning. She's just coming out of the bar. At 2-something in the morning, they probably didn't have that much cash on them.

"Where are our men? Why are they not protecting us?" Sanchez continued, her voice full of frustration. "Men are failing us. I feel as though we are not being protected."...

[Matrix]

Ask their feminist masters why men are "failing" them. We've been deemed unnecessary

[Red Rocks Rockin]

"I DON'T NEED NO MAAAAAN--I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!!!"

:freaks out when the alimony and child support checks are late:

[some guy]

IIRC Pennsylvania has pretty good (open) gun laws and cities are not permitted to be more restrictive than the state. Why don't these women start carrying? If you don't trust someone else to do something, do it yourself.

[Spoonman.]

Wait, men are just supposed to magically stop all crime? The incident is horrible, but the reaction makes no sense at all.

[UnCivilServant]

I think they're too used to blaming men for their problems and can't break out of the habit.

[Tonio]

^This.

[WTF]

Everything bad is the fault of men.

[Michael S. Langston]

"....because on Lifetime?, we hate men"

[BardMetal]

Seems like years of women saying they want some sort of metrosexual whiny emotional little bitch of a man has finally backfired on them.

[Fluffy]

Um, the men who worked with Samuel Colt solved this problem for you over a century ago, darling.

They have offered you a solution. You just have to take them up on it.

[John]

But a rape only lasts a few minutes. Murder is forever.

[waffles]

like diamonds?

[pan fried wylie]

murder isnt metastable.

[Brett L]

My favorite part is that one of the other shootings was a guy getting shot trying to defend his gf's purse.

[Azathoth!!]

Your men were off riding bicycles with fish.

[Entropy Void]

I will defend you like a fish needs a bicycle.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Community Organizers Chase Trader Joe's Out of Portlandia
...After a few months of racially tinged accusations and angry demands, Trader Joe's decided it wasn't worth the hassle. "We run neighborhood stores and our approach is simple," a corporate statement said. "If a neighborhood does not want a Trader Joe's, we understand, and we won't open the store in question."

Hours after Trader Joe's pulled out, PAALF leaders arrived at a previously scheduled press conference trying to process what just happened. The group re-issued demands that the now-cancelled development include affordable housing, mandated jobs based on race, and a small-business slush fund. Instead, the only demand being met is two fallow acres and a lot of anger from the people who actually live nearby....

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Community organizers?

Was Obama involved?

[UnCivilServant]

It's like deja vu all over again.

Though I missed the detail about haranguing the developers for concessions after they've declared that they won't build anymore.

[SugarFree]

Next step: Complain that the neighborhood is a food desert and racist grocery stores refuse to build there.

[Pro Libertate]

It would be unwise to oppose the Trader Joe's being built in Tampa. I'm just sayin'.

[Apatheist ?_??]

I went to the one in Houston after it opened and the produce and meat sections were appallingly bad. As was the booze section. As that is 99% of my grocery shopping I don't see the appeal.

[Pro Libertate]

We (meaning me and my wife) like it, but we've only been to the one in Sarasota and one in North Carolina. We're not big beef eaters, but we have gotten decent (and cheap) wine there.

[R C Dean]

I like Trader Joe's, in part because you can do about 80% of your shopping very quickly and easily because the stores are a managable size.

I've never had a problem with quality, and the service is always good. They have a different business model, and I'm a fan.

[mad libertarian guy]

Next step: Complain that the neighborhood is a food desert and racist grocery stores refuse to build there.

This.

[Pope Jimbo]

Maybe they could avoid some of the racism charges if they built larger stores with more opportunities for minority employment.

Unfortunately, "larger store" doesn't have a good ring to it. What is a synonym we could use for larger that would help Trader Joe's out?

Notorious? Do you have any suggestions for an alternate wording?

[pan fried wylie]

Compactionally Challenged.

[Tonio]

mandated jobs based on race

The cluelessness, it burns.

[some guy]

The only way to prove you aren't a racist is to mandate racial quotas in everything.

[Rich]

I wish they'd quit using "mandate". It sounds like "Mandingo".

[The DerpRider]

But I do know Mandinka.

[WTF]

I've always wondered why the corporate targets of these shakedowns don't just say "fuck you, we just won't build here" more often.

[SugarFree]

Because it's the price of doing business. We just don't hear about all the times a mayor or city councilman is doing the shakedown because they are better at shearing the sheep quietly.

[Pro Libertate]

I think it happens with a distressingly high frequency, particularly in towns and cities with aggressive and/or corrupt governments. I mean, if you're taking a chain into Chicago, there's no way that happens without a payoff of some sort, right? Can't just rent a storefront, get ordinary permits, and open for business. There's no way.

[Swiss Servator, Befehl!]

I know a fellow who is co-owner of two banks out in the 'burbs...they wanted to open a branch in a nice neighborhood of Chicago, and the insatiable demands of the Alderman and other nomenklatura for bribes led them to abandon the whole idea.

[Pro Libertate]

Amazing. Illegal in a blatant and likely criminal sense, yet impossible to evade or prosecute.

[thom]

It's thanks to assholes like this that the neighborhood next to mine has a giant abandoned former car lot instead of a brand new Wal Mart and Lowes. But thankfully all the small businesses are still intact and you can still pay twice as much for crappy junk food at a dirty shitty corner store!

[Cdr Lytton]

Missing from the summary- the local urban renewal agency was selling the property way below market value to the developer.

Surprise surprise surprise.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

It's been a vacant lot for almost 20 years. I think any value can be considered "market value" at this point.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Ah yes. Because it's the people who don't want racial quota systems, rather than the people who do, who are the real racists.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Community organizers don't like Trader Joe's because TJ's employees are non-union. It's not the Black community that opposed this. My guess is the local grocery employee union put PAALF up to this.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

White House: When you think about it, 2.5 million fewer people working because of ObamaCare is good news
I'm done, guys. If we've reached the stage of welfare-state decadence where it's a selling point for a new entitlement that it discourages able-bodied people from working, there's no reason to keep going. We've lost, decisively.

As a great man once said, remember me as I am ? filled with murderous rage....

[Tonio]

I guess climate "scientists" aren't the only ones trying to hide a decline. TFIBHAW

[Andrew S.]

But will Obama end up on the ship with Tom Arnold, Rosie O'Donnell, Ross Perot, and Spike Lee?

[JD the elder]

There is the seed of something truthful in there: it's good if people don't need to work as much to maintain their standard of living.

Where people go wrong, of course, is in thinking it's OK to just pay people to not work, instead of making their jobs more productive.

[Rich]

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to embark on a national tour amid the so-called "Bridgegate" scandal.

Permit me: "A Bridge Too Far." "A Bridge To Nowhere."

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ticket Dealer: [to manager, referring to Homer] That overweight guy wants to see the movie.

Manager: I'm terribly sorry, sir, but I'm afraid our facilities are not equipped to meet your needs.

Homer Simpson: What are you talking about?

Manager: What I'm saying, sir, is that a man of your carriage couldn't possibly fit in our seats.

Homer Simpson: I can sit in the aisle.

Manager: I'm afraid that would violate the fire code.

Bystander: Hey, Fatty! I've got a movie for ya: A Fridge Too Far!

[UnCivilServant]

"A Bridge to Nowhere" is accurate, neither NJ nor NYC are anywhere you want to be.

[CampingInYourPark]

"Big wrong turn for man carrying gun in car may lead to 3-year jail term in Canada"

At the border, DiNatale asked if they could turn around, but was denied. A border patrol agent then asked if he owned a gun.

http://news.yahoo.com/gps-cana.....31000.html

[Jordan]

Mens Rea? What's that?

[The DerpRider]

I've done that in Port Huron. A missed turn on I-69 and low and behold I'm on the Blue Water bridge on my way to see Rufus J...

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I don't live that way...

[UnCivilServant]

So where's the other Rufus J located I wonder...

[The DerpRider]

The Great White North is more than Ontario and Quebec? Where else could you live an be able to get on the internets?

[Gene]

Such bullshit, he should never been charged. I seriously doubt this man will ever be convicted of anything. My only hope is the case is thrown out before the man has to come back and appear before the court. Having said all that if I was him I wouldn't sweat it if served, just don't appear and tell them to try to fucking extradite, which will never happen.

[UnCivilServant]

Then he makes a wrong turn again some time in the future...

[Entropy Void]

Move to Florida ... no worries about making a wrong turn carrying a piece ...

[Don Mynack]

Guys a dumb ass. Tell them you don't have a gun. The Canadians almost always let you through.

The real a-holes are the Americans when you try to cross back over.

[CampingInYourPark]

He didn't tell them he had a gun. He said he owned guns. They found a gun he had forgotten was in his console when they searched his car.

[Zeb]

Forgetting that you have a gun in your car is pretty dumb-assed.

[Michael S. Langston]

Forgetting that you have a gun in your car is pretty dumb-assed.

So - leaving your front door and forgetting keys to the car you plan to get in and drive is also stupid - the question is only is it reasonable to forget?

Yes?

Should forgetting require 3 years in jail?

As libertarians though - the question is more like this:

Should anyone ever go to jail for arming themselves for self defense?

And the answer is an emphatic 'no'.

Stupid/smart never enters into it and usually shouldn't when one discusses rights all humans should have.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

A similar situation happened to my ex-girlfriend. They made a wrong turn in Quebec and ended up on a one way road to the border to Vermont. Little to my ex-gf know that her sister who was passenger had a bunch of weed in the car. She had to go through both border check points to get back into Canada. Luckily it went fine.

If they had been pulled over, fuck I can't even imagine what would have happened. All over some plants.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

There are some remote borders around Qc/Vt.

[CampingInYourPark]

"Obamacare enrollees hit snags at doctor's offices"

"I'm a complete fan of the Affordable Care Act, but now I can't sleep at night," Nelson said. "I can't imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen."

http://www.latimes.com/busines.....z2sSMgDqYW

[Jordan]

"If only Comrade Stalin knew..."

[Brett L]

This was my exact thought.

[SugarFree]

If I start laughing, I might not be able to stop.

[some guy]

It's okay to base your mental health on schadenfreude. It's all we have left...

[Rufus J. Firefly]

How can someone be a 'fan' of a piece of legislation?

Jesus.

[gaijin]

How can someone be a 'fan' of a piece of legislation?

It's legislation in the age of celebrity. He clicked a 'like' button for Obamacare at some point.

[Bill Dalasio]

Darwinism in action.

[John]

"I can't imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen."

So you are saying he is was too stupid to realize what he was doing? Yeah, that is a reasonable guess.

[dinkster]

Moral hazards, how do they work?

[Michael S. Langston]

While I concur that Nelson seems to be an idiot, but if he has a close friend with libertarian leanings... he is also likely open to questioning things more directly. It will only be in hopes he can find an acceptable reason and still love the law and The Great One?, but with the right proding he might not be a D voter for much longer.

Of course if he's like the vast majority of humans, he lives in a self induced echo chamber and he likely won't continue the questioning process in any real way - but where people are exhausted and confused, they are also looking for an answer as to why.

Many people simply ignore the cognitive dissonance and keep saying "but O-care and Obama are both just so great, it has to be a success" - he's at least one step further than most of his fellow cult-statists.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

The Case for Socialized Law? Inequality has bent American justice. Here's a radical way to fix it.
...The idea would be roughly as follows: in criminal cases, we decide what the accused should be able to spend to defend themselves against a given charge?securities fraud, grand theft, manslaughter, etc. No one can spend more, even if she has the money, and those who can't afford the limit would receive a subsidy for the full amount beyond what they would have spent on their own (say, beyond a certain percentage of their annual salary or net worth). In civil cases, we decide what the plaintiff should be able to spend to pursue an award of a particular amount, or to pursue a particular kind of claim, and what the defendant should be able to spend in response.8 The same subsidies would apply.

Working out the particular amounts would mostly be an empirical question?Big Data can help us figure out what it costs to put together a competent legal team from case to case. But it would no doubt be a messy process that required constant refining and lots of humility. (Bands of permissible spending would probably work better in practice than fixed sums.) Still, what's important isn't so much that we get the amounts precisely right from the get-go. It's not even clear that there's such a thing as "precisely right" in some abstract sense....

[Longtorso, Johnny]

I see nothing about limiting govt spending to convict the poor sap on trial...

[Doctor Whom]

Yeah, it's funny how that never comes up.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Since the majority of lawmakers are lawyers, you'd think single-payer law would be the one area that teaches them that single-payer is a horrible idea.

Also note the little shit writing the article does not suggest any limits imposed on the state prosecutors. They want rich people to face the Inquisition--you're guilty, it's just a matter of how.

[Jordan]

Let's give the government the ability to limit a person's ability to defend themselves against charges brought by the government. Jesus Christ. What the hell is wrong with progressives?

[Matrix]

I keep seeing people say that liberalism is a mental disorder. I think I'm beginning to agree.

[Doctor Whom]

When equality of outcome is the one moral standard, equalizing up and equalizing down are morally equivalent.

[John]

The guy who wrote this is a Rhodes Scholar with a specialty in economics.

[mad libertarian guy]

The guy who wrote this is a Rhodes Scholar with a specialty in economics.

When those who are widely considered to be some of the smartest people in academia are completely fucking retarded, you know the institution is fucked.

This fuckstick is a Rhodes scholar because of his Big Ideas? not because he has any smarts in economics. The entire institution is driven by ideology to the detriment of each of the disciplines within it. This is how academia will die.

[John]

^^THIS^^

You called it dude.

[Michael S. Langston]

Yeah, Rhodes Scholar is beginning to look more and more like a Nobel Peace Prize.

[Jordan]

Here's a good comment, among surprisingly many:

What a great idea! Better yet, let's emulate the PRC - there, if the Party thinks your lawyer is being too energetic in defending you, they arrest the lawyer! That way, everyone gets the same equal representation which, after all, is the most important thing.

[Matrix]

Another top-down approach for something in order to create "equality"... but like EVERY OTHER FUCKING THING that the top-down approach has taken will end up with a shittier system and more innocent people locked up.

And it's not like the politically connected cannot find a way to weasel around the rules imposed on the rest of us.

[gaijin]

we decide

There's the fail, right there in the first sentence.

[Bill Dalasio]

You know, I find the entire idea of joking about prison rape offensive, but I hope Noam Scheiber gets convicted of something because he was not allowed to spend on his own defense and spends the next twenty years of his life getting ass-fucked on a daily basis.
What kind of a piece of human excrement would breezily say "it would no doubt be a messy process that required constant refining and lots of humility...what's important isn't so much that we get the amounts precisely right from the get-go" when someone's life and liberty are on the line?

[JD the elder]

Yeah, the hand-waving there is breathtaking. "It isn't so important if some people get wrongfully convicted because we didn't let them defend themselves fully...what's important is that we feel we did something worthwhile!"

The anecdote about Jeffrey Skilling is bizarre, too. Skilling got his sentence reduced after his expensive legal team "unearthed a flaw in the statute the government used to convict him"...so doesn't that mean that justice was actually served in that case? And yet somehow the answer is to make sure that it couldn't have been?

Scheiber really seems determined to confirm the worst stereotypes about liberals and social engineering: it doesn't matter if some people suffer in the short term, because it's all for a good cause, and it will certainly result in a better society...somehow.

[CampingInYourPark]

"Democrats Call for Ban on E-Cigarettes on Capitol"

The letter also asserts that while "no clinical studies have been submitted to the FDA to verify the safety or long-term health effects of these products or the vapor they release," a preliminary FDA analysis of e-cigarettes "raises concerns regarding the safety of e-cigarettes, both for current users and for bystanders exposed to their vapor."

http://www.realclearpolitics.c.....z2sSN6NxYO

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Something that irrational should totally be hammered into voters again and again as to how idiotic and reactionary the Democrats are when it comes to change and new products that could benefit people.

How could people vote for a party that's so utterly entrenched in the idea that it must control everything?

[Matrix]

It is extremely irksome. This does not directly affect me. I'm not a smoker and never have been. But for fucks sake. No proof at all that e-cigs are harmful, but let's ban it anyway.

Forget it. We don't need to worry about terrorists destroying us or anything else. What is left to defend?

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

and for bystanders exposed to their vapor

Oh will someone shoot me in the fucking face if we're all going to have to be afraid of second-hand water vapor now? DO THEY EVEN KNOW HOW STUPID THIS SOUNDS?!?

[hamilton]

Quit yelling! You're exposing me to your second-hand carbon dioxide!

[Rich]

Hey! Stop waving your arms! You're exposing me to your third-hand vape vapor!

[gaijin]

I ate at a mexican restaurant with friends Saturday and boy was I exposed to some nasty second hand vapors.

[Tonio]

No, Nikki, they don't. They think their concerns are rational. Remember that we understand them far more than they understand us.

[Pope Jimbo]

Let's skip the middleman and jump right to THIRD-HAND VAPOR!!!!

Sure second-hand vapor is going to kill all sorts of innocent bystanders, but what about the vapor that emanates from the clothes of those evil vapers. How can you protect yourself against that?

[Michael S. Langston]

Let's skip the middleman and jump right to THIRD-HAND VAPOR!!!!

Exactly! Let's not forget either residual vapors from inhalers - sure they have asthma, but those inhalers have steroids in them.

Imagine young children inhaling steroids through their carpets?

Something must be done now!

/sarc

[The Late P Brooks]

"I would have appreciated something more subtle, yet still recognizable ? a logo, perhaps, not a gun," she said.

Perhaps a tiny stick figure with blood and bone blossoming from its head, with a big red slash through it?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

And don't use the word "gun," the very word could cause trauma."

[Griffin3]

How would you make a logo that conveyed the idea "unarmed target zone"? A smiling stick-figure with a target on his chest?

[Griffin3]

Google to the rescue.

[Gene]

An young meteorologist unearths some legalities or lack thereof regarding private and commercial drone use.

[PD Scott]

Interesting that the FAA seems especially peeved by commercial uses.

[Bill Dalasio]

Well, of course. How DARE someone use drones to make a good or deliver a service that someone else values. We all know they're for killing people.

[Rich]

Google to make 'significant' changes to avoid EU fine

How about if Google threatens to not serve the Euro Zone until the fine is dropped?

[Bam!]

They won't whack 35% off their stock price like that.

[Rich]

It's only for a few days until the masses revolt.

[Bam!]

It's only a few seconds before the stock market revolts.

[Rich]

Well, I suppose Google will just have to cave, then.

[UnCivilServant]

"Psst... We crawl the NSA databases for them. Do you guys want people to know about..."

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Taliban: We won't make peace unless Pakistan embraces Sharia law and US completely withdraws from Afghanistan

Negotiators representing Taliban insurgents said Wednesday there was no chance of peace in Pakistan until the government embraces Islamic sharia law and US-led forces withdraw completely from neighbouring Afghanistan.

The tough conditions appear to deal a blow to hopes that talks with the Pakistani government could end the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) insurgency that has rocked the nuclear-armed country since 2007.

Initial peace talks failed to get under way on Tuesday when the government delegation refused to meet the militants' negotiators, citing confusion about the make-up of their team.

The two sides are expected to try to meet again on Thursday or Friday, though no definite arrangements have yet been made.

Washington and Kabul have been deadlocked over a pact known as the Bilateral Security Agreement, which would allow some US troops to stay on in Afghanistan beyond 2014. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is refusing to sign it at present.

Its supporters say the pact is crucial to Afghanistan's stability after the bulk of NATO forces pull out.

Totally worth the 13 year investment.

[John]

What you going to do? If we had done nothing, they would have claimed victory and kept attacking us. If we had done a punitive expedition and gone home, they would have claimed victory and kept attacking us.

We don't get peace until they decide to stop dying. It sucks but it is the way it is.

[hamilton]

Yeah, why wont they STOP RESISTING, amirite?

[John]

Yeah, why wont they STOP RESISTING, amirite?

Yeah, that is what they keep saying about us.

[BardMetal]

You're not seriously comparing the Taliban to some poor guy getting his ass beat by the cops are you?

[hamilton]

I just find the statement "We don't get peace until they decide to stop dying" kind of stupid in the circumstance.

They attacked us. Go over there, give them a good hard bashing and go home. In those circumstances you can rationalize going overboard or collateral civilian casualties and you don't take ownership for nation-building and the shitstorm that accompanies it.

By staying there for a decade trying to bolster up a corrupt government and killing terrorists with about the same efficiency as random civilians and first responders one begins to throw doubt on the continuing assumption that "they hate us for our freedom".

[Bill Dalasio]

They attacked us. Go over there, give them a good hard bashing and go home.

I'm not averse to that strategy. But, I'm not so sure a lot of people would have the appetite for the kind of bashing that would entail. It would involve civilian casualties that would make what we've done look pretty much highly surgical. An attack on our soil isn't responded to with a couple of cruise missiles in a tent.

[R C Dean]

But, I'm not so sure a lot of people would have the appetite for the kind of bashing that would entail.

That just means the bashing has to be over quick. Which means it will have to be that much more intense. As in "multi-ton FAEs over Fallujah" intense.

"World opinion" can cry all it wants. After we've won decisively, and the locals can go view the square miles of rubble we created in the process.

[Bill Dalasio]

Locals? I think you're underestimate just how hard a bashing I'm talking about.

[Entropy Void]

Very much ^^^THIS^^^

Especially the FAE part ...

[Juice]

They attacked us.

The Taliban did not attack us.

[some guy]

They don't hate us for our Freedom, John. They hate us because we keep meddling in countries they want to rule over. Peace won't come until those countries decide emphatically that they don't want anything to do with the Taliban.

[John]

They don't hate us for our Freedom, John. They hate us because we keep meddling in countries they want to rule over. Peace won't come until those countries decide emphatically that they don't want anything to do with the Taliban.

They seem to disagree. They hate us because they like hating us. They really don't give a fuck what we do. You people just can't get it through you thick skulls that people might have their own reasons for doing things and not every action is the rational and predictable outcome of what we do.

[BardMetal]

Are you suggesting that not everyone in the world is just an American that talks differently and wears funny clothes? That their might be people in this world with radically different beliefs and values, and do not simply do whats logical?

I love this "if America would just leave people alone blah blah" argument. It seems to ignore that black Sudanese, Hindus, Chinese, Serbs, Jews, Coptic Christians, etc. All seem to have trouble getting along with these folks, whether they leave them alone or not.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Bardmetal, I agree. I think the argument 'if America wouldn't intervene they'd be left alone' is a tad simplistic. Look at history and it will suggest as much.

[some guy]

You people just can't get it through you thick skulls that people might have their own reasons for doing things and not every action is the rational and predictable outcome of what we do.

Interesting game... the only winning move is not to play. 9/11 did a few billion dollars of damage and killed a few thousand people. So we respond by burning over a trillion dollars and thousands more lives in a desert. Talk about sending good money after bad. And what have we gained? The Islamic fundies still exist, they still hate us and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

[Zeb]

John, you always frame this as a either/or thing and it just isn't. They are irrational and they hate us and would probably still do some terrorism no matter what the US does. But they also are reacting to what the US does and taking advantage of situations we create.
Saying that there is no such thing as blowback is as stupidly simplistic as people who blame every ill in the world on US foreign policy.

[Juice]

They hate us because they like hating us.

Before the US invaded most Afghans had never heard of 9/11. Many had still never heard of it after the US invaded and had no real idea why they were there. All they know is there is only one god and Mohamed is his prophet, and what's going on locally. The locals didn't spend their days hating the US until the US came in to put a boot in their ass.

[Bill Dalasio]

While there's some truth to what you're saying, I think it's a gross oversimplification. They're out to re-establish an Islamic Caliphate. They've made that much clear. They see the U.S. as an obstacle in that goal. Now, yes, part of it is just what you're saying. But, the other side of that coin is how much of the world can they rule over without becoming a threat to us?

A second aspect to consider is that they probably do indirectly hate us for our freedom. Our freedom has generated the "soft power" that we wind up projecting either intentionally or not. That soft power inevitably creates an alternative to their vision in the parts of the world they want to rule over. As a result, just our existence winds up posing a long-term threat to them.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

And there is a war of aggression angle. They do want to expand power into Europe and the West as a whole. It's not that far fetched a thought to accept given they already did under the Moors and Ottoman Empire.

[WTF]

I don't know, if we did a punitive expedition, killing all their leaders and destroying all their shit, and went home with the warning we would do it all over again to the next guys if they attacked us, I think they would likely leave us alone.

[John]

Doubtful. They just would have plotted their revenge. What that might have done was get the rest of the Afghans to turn on the Taliban. But the Taliban really wouldn't have been deterred by that.

[Michael S. Langston]

Sorry John - but depending upon how bad the punitive expedition was - they may leave us alone.

As a very strong, but relatively short punitive campaign is still an attempt to do what the more surgical, but long term campiagn now is doing.

& that is - punish them to the point the risk mechanism in their brains, which currently tells them fighting the US is worth it, switches to firmly believing fighting the US is not in their best interest.

It's the stick part of the carrot and stick - and depending upon how punitive, it could work.

Having said that - I don't believe for a second the US or any other western nation/ally (sans a couple maybe) has the fortitude to prosecute the kind of war which would be both effective and relatively short.

Which means we're stuck with the current wat strategy - dragging it on for years and years. All of which just makes things worse for everyone involved and usually ends in stalemate moreso than real defeat.

But reality be dammed in today's society - there is no way a minor majority, or even a plurality of Americans or her allies would be in favor of this type of military action.

[Loki]

If we had done nothing, they would have claimed victory and kept attacking us. If we had done a punitive expedition and gone home, they would have claimed victory and kept attacking us.

And whenever we do finally withdraw they'll claim victory and keep attacking us.

We don't get peace until they decide to stop dying.

Which will never happen. I say we nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

[Michael S. Langston]

Which will never happen.

It may not happen, but it can without nuking them all (most likely anyway - to know for certain whether nukes would be needed we would've had to prosecute a war just short of it - which we didn't do).

I agree that they aren't like Americans, and their beliefs are much stronger and they think in generational terms - but they are human.

& all humans work the same way - if someone attacks you - if they are "punished" in a way which teaches them that attacking you always costs more than could ever be gained - they will stop.

& no matter what they say now - that point is usually long before the most vocal amongst them claim. Imagine:

Government A says: We'll never surrender! You'll have to kill us all.

Government B replies: You don't say? Well... that's a tough one. I do believe you, but just in case - here's what we're going to do: kill 90% of you. Then ask you whether that firm land in the sand has moved.

Assuming government B is actually capable of carrying out the threat - do you think they really have to get to 90% before government A thinks differently?

Did China? Germany? Russia? Venzuela? etc, etc, etc have to kill 90%?

[Don Mynack]

Send in a Marine division, run them up into the hills until they change their mind. It's what everybody has done to them since they ever got involved with the place.

Don't hesitate to burn down the marketplace while they are away, either.

Avitabile used to hang a few Ghalzis off the archway into Peshawar just to show them he meant business.

[The Late P Brooks]

"I'm a complete fan of the Affordable Care Act, but now I can't sleep at night," Nelson said. "I can't imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen."

Haha, sucker!

[Rich]

Relax, Nelson. Democratcare covers insomnia.

[Michael S. Langston]

"I'm a complete fan of the Affordable Care Act, but now I can't sleep at night," Nelson said. "I can't imagine this is how President Obama wanted it to happen."

It may not be what he wanted to happen Mr. Nelson, but you should know - why you're losing sleep - President Obama is sleeping soundly in the knowledge that he's superior in so many ways to the majority of others that O-care is worth any cost.

Additionally, O-care was/is necessary because Top Men? will always produce better and fairer outcomes than so-called "invisible hand".

Lest we forget, our goal is equality of outcomes and we will pay any cost. Sure, people may be poorer, less free, less medical care, less life saving advances, less toilet paper, less everything, but the goal* is beyond reproach.

So Mr. Nelson, you may well believe you are getting screwed over, but you are stupid. Simply put, The President knows better - you just don't realize the new normal is better than any other alternative.

Afterall, Top Men?, men with all the correct beliefs, customs, friends, dinner party guests/invitations - and only those with perfect morality and with the greatest of altruistic intentions, cannot possibly be wrong.

*Footnote: exceptions will be made on a case by case basis for the "right" people to enjoy more rights, resources, etc, than most others, but it won't be the evil market deciding therefore it will be perfect.

Maybe we'll even send an ordinary school teacher into outer space.

[Idle Hands]

[Jordan]

Go on...

[Rufus J. Firefly]

....are the devil's workshop?

[Idle Hands]

Squirrels, McAuliffe, lol. The amount of carpetbagging thats going to happen in VA is going to be Blagojevichian, and obvious to all. Remind me again how this clown was able to even get on the ballot? Oh, right he's business partners with the political aristocracy.

[John]

But the Republican hated womenz garble garble. Everyone knew he was a crook and the Democrats and VA voters don't care.

The Libertarian candidate wanted to GPS trackers on everyone's car. So, it could be worse I guess.

[Tonio]

Um, Virginia has already been carpet-bagged.

[The Late P Brooks]

The idea would be roughly as follows: in criminal cases, we decide what the accused should be able to spend to defend themselves against a given charge

And, presto! that pesky "double jeopardy" speedbump vanishes.

"If he's not guilty, why is he on trial?"

[hamilton]

In the whining category, I fucking hate snowstorms that start in the early AM. Guess today will be spent drunk playing board games - er, I mean "working from home".

[Elspeth Flashman]

Isn't that the only way they start?

[Rich]

"I congratulate ? and thank ? the CEO of CVS Caremark, Larry Merlo, the board of directors, and all who helped make a choice that will have a profoundly positive impact on the health of our country."

You can hear a bunch of lung cancer drying up as he speaks.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

CVS still sells booze tho, right?

[Juice]

Not around here.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

PETA passes out pamphlets showing mutilated cows to school children

Claire Borsheim and many other parents at the Woodland Hills campus were outraged after PETA handed out the pamphlets to their children the same day a baby cow was on campus for a lesson about dairy farming.

The pamphlet appeared to be a cartoon comic and was titled "A Cow's Life," but the images inside were horrifying, parents said.

"My 6-year-old daughter was handed one of these comics, saw the insert of the mutilated cow that I ripped away right away, she started flipping through it and saw pictures of baby cows being electrocuted, factory farms with machetes, I mean, just graphically horrifying images for a 6 year old," Borsheim said.

"The images are pretty graphic," parent Shawn Belschner said. "They're of mutilated cows, infected cows, cows being dehorned, cows in bad conditions. I don't think it's good for any child."

The graphic leaflet showing cows being dehorned and cows with infected udders was PETA says is a kid-friendly pamphlet about dairy cows ? literature they say is meant to be educational.

Don't they know environmentalist propaganda is limited to 'The Lorax'?

[UnCivilServant]

The graphic leaflet showing cows being dehorned and cows with infected udders was PETA says is a kid-friendly pamphlet about dairy cows

Yeah, pure Bullshit from PITA. Tell the kids three simple facts. A: Horn removal prevents the cows from injuring each other, saving Cows from pain and premature death. B: No dairy farmer wants udder infections because then they can't sell the milk. These people go out of their way to keep the cows safe and healthy because the herd is their livelihood. C: PETA is full of crazies who hate people and would gladly usher in a human extinction if they could.

[NoVAHockey]

D: hamburgers and steaks are delicious. this is why we have turf-and-turf on Wednesday nights.

[Tonio]

Not environmentalist; this is purely about animal cruelty. And the propaganda charge is also questionable since this stuff actually happens.

PeTA continues to be its own worst enemy. They do not speak for the mainstream anti-cruelty movement.

[Bill Dalasio]

Yeah, but the SPCA doesn't get nearly the face time PETA does.

[Michael S. Langston]

PeTA continues to be its own worst enemy.

I don't know about that - true, most of what they do, including this, to most sane people shows much more about them than it does about any potential animal abuse problem, but I think the people who continue to fund this organization know full well what they are doing and it's working.

As little as 15 years ago - the idea of animal "rights" was laughable. Which isn't to say the entire country was cool with cock fights & dog rumbles - most reasonable people believed in animal abuse laws.

It's the same basic belief today, but the language has changed dramatically with semi-sane laws using "animal rights" as a term.

Additionally, the laws requested, along with increasing penalties for breaking the new laws, all of which is now assumed necessary to prevent these abuses has grown to the point of trying to put domestic dog breeders out of business.

How does PeTA help? The move the goal posts of what normal is. By being the insane cousin, anyone not in agreement with PeTa seems reasonable in contrast - even if what they want and are actively seeking is the ludicrous idea of animal "rights".

[Matrix]

Imagine if some right-wing group passed out gruesome pictures of abortions to children. What kind of outrage would come from the lefties?

[Raven Nation]

Don't have to imagine:

http://www.tommiemedia.com/new.....ar-campus/

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/201.....d-fetuses/

[Tonio]

I assume that Matrix was actually aware. This has been a thing since, like, the seventies. And it's not just the lefty parents.

[Michael S. Langston]

RN -

Agree with Tonio, Matrix likely knew that and was facetiously pointing out the hypocrisy that is evident here.

Not that pointing out hypocrisy in politics is that difficult.. but I think he point was... it was just mostly lefty parents telling the Pro Life crowd that such tactics are cruel to unsuspecting children.

& it's likely, some of the same lefty parents who basically stopped Pro Life groups from using those images in protests by screaming and whining about the "traumatizing images" are likely a-ok with these particular images.

But when your belief system is "people on my side are always right" logical consistency isn't a requirement.

Additionally while I've never shot fish in a barrel, I'm pretty sure for anyone with an IQ about 70 and who generally pays attention to political news - pointing out hypocrisy is way easier that even grenading fish in a barrell.

[Tonio]

Zing! Thanks, Scalar.

[Loki]

Just imagine what would have happened if the elementary school's mascot had been the cows.

[CampingInYourPark]

"The images are pretty graphic," parent Shawn Belschner said. "They're of mutilated cows, infected cows, cows being dehorned, cows in bad conditions. I don't think it's good for any child."

Keep that hamburger from my child's poor innocent eyes!

[Warty]

Gawker gawks gawkier than ever before

"Funny is the world that I live in. You're funny, I'm interested. You're not funny, I'm not interested," he said. "I have no interest in gender or race or anything like that."

Which is too bad, because Seinfeld is downplaying the work of everyone from Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby to Aziz Ansari, Mindy Kaling, and Eddie Huang, who are all in various stages of their own sitcoms that just might turn out to be the next Seinfeld.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

That's it - I could fill in for Chris Rock!

[Irish]

"He said he cares about someone's race when making hiring decisions! He's a racist!" - person in 1964, accurately describing racism.

"He said he doesn't care about someone's race when making hiring decisions! He's a racist!" - Person in 2014, being fucking stupid.

It's been a rough 50 years.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

So are Jews white now? I seem to recall some Gawktard defending the website from charges about its lack of diversity by pointing out how many Jews work there.

[Warty]

And at the end, she complains about him doing a bit with a Mick. Like the fucking Irish are white.

[John]

Which is too bad, because Seinfeld is downplaying the work of everyone from Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby to Aziz Ansari, Mindy Kaling, and Eddie Huang, who are all in various stages of their own sitcoms that just might turn out to be the next Seinfeld.

Seinfeld saying he doesn't give a shit what color a comedian is totally downplays the work of those people. I guess Gawker doesn't think those people are funny or would have been a success without the generosity of the noble white man.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Seinfeld has explicitly called Richard Pryor the Picasso of the stand up comedian profession. He also lists Bill Cosby on his Mount Rushmore of comedians along with Pryor, Carlin, and Rickles.

[John]

He and pretty much everyone else. But for Gawker affirmative action is the same as accomplishment.

[Bam!]

Cosby was Seinfeld's most admired comedian and his biggest influence. Seinfeld even had a little sit down with him in that "Comedian" documentary he made.

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

Oh yeah, I'm sure Seinfeld downplays the work of Richard Pryor. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK?

[Jordan]

The comments are actually pretty hilarious.

[Warty]

I was pleasantly surprised that most of them destroy the writer. But plenty of the idiot commenters are good little ventriloquist's dummies.

[mr simple]

Then there are the commenters who say "I'm totally not defending this article, but the question is legit, because there is a history of racism in this world and some words are racist."

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

Dude, how did you skip posting this quote: "He seems to suggest that any comedian who is not a white male is also not funny, though he's also likely fed up with the amount of bad comedy he's been forced to sit through in his (waning) career."

THAT IS WHAT THESE PEOPLE ACTUALLY BELIEVE WHEN YOU SAY "I HAVE NO INTEREST IN GENDER OR RACE."

[John]

Yes. Think about the idiot on Gawker who claims to be the funniest woman in the world or whatever. If a black person or woman says they are funny, you are supposed to think they are funny. If you don't, you are just a racist.

That is how sick and stupid these people are.

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

From the comments:
His clueless indifference seems even worse than just not caring about people.

He has absolutely no interest in stepping out of his comfort zone. And I guess he doesn't have to, but I'm certainly going to judge him for it.

You know who I wish would step out of their comfort zone sometimes? No, actually I don't. I want them to stay quarantined.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Aziz Ansari, Mindy Kaling, and Eddie Huang, who are all in various stages of their own sitcoms that just might turn out to be the next Seinfeld.

Let's break this down, shall we?

Aziz Ansari--token minority on a show that's incredibly weak when it's not focused on the workplace dynamic of Leslie and Ron. He could be Patrick Fitzgerald and his character wouldn't be any more significant.

Mindy Kaling--Better writer than actress, whose show doesn't have a strong supporting cast to leaven the self-indulgence of the main star. (See also, Girls. Or don't, if you value good television.)

Eddie Huang--this guy's so obscure, I had to look him up to see that his most notable work is on a cooking channel.

These guys aren't Pryor, Cosby, or Seinfeld, and never will be.

[Michael S. Langston]

Which is too bad, because Seinfeld is downplaying the work of...

What insanely childish and envious idiocy. No matter what language they use, Seinfeld promoting comic A does not hurt non-Seinfeld promoted comic B in any way.

Not to mention I'm pretty sure Seinfeld would look upon Pryor and Cosby as influences - not someone he should promote (and contemplating promoting Pryor when Seinfeld was popular or now given Pryors medical issues is in poor taste).

Note here though - Seinfeld, like most celebrities is a liberal - maybe this is his turning point.

Hitchens, Miller (though not funny anymore), and others had similar moments when they said or agreed with some idea they assumed everyone they knew would also agree with only to find out their friends didn't really agree so much after all.

Not that he's likely to become a full blown libertarian - but I could honestly see libertarians winning real elections with support of his 🙂

[Citizen Nothing]

By the way -- I'm in Pancake Town USA today, enjoying the maple-y goodness found in good ol' Ohio-grown maple syrup, not that crappy French Canadian stuff.

[Warty]

Fuck Vermont.

[waffles]

Fuck yeah! Smear it on my titties!

[Jordan]

Bunk status: soon to be occupied.

[hamilton]

There are no true maples outside of New England. I shudder to think of the execrable pus-laden tree-blood that leaks out of your midwestern conifers.

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

Ohio-grown maple syrup

This is just frightening and wrong.

[The Late P Brooks]

Something that irrational should totally be hammered into voters again and again as to how idiotic and reactionary the Democrats are when it comes to change and new products that could benefit people.

But they are TOTALLY committed to innovation.

And jobs. Lots and lots of jobs.

[waffles]

This winter has given me serious reservations about leaving California. If the price of high taxes is never having to scrape a quarter inch of ice off your vehicle and then commute across a skating rink then maybe it's worth it.

[Andrew S.]

Florida has the warm weather AND no state income tax! Sure, we have to deal with Floridians, but you have to deal with Californians, and is that really any better?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Wait a minute. Take your glasses off. Why, could it be? You're Florida Man, aren't you???

[gaijin]

California isn't the only state with low to no snow. Just sayin'

[waffles]

But I hate flat land and need to be in or near mountains. And my family and social networks in the Bay Area. Relocation to anywhere is totally in the cards, but California is the only place that's both familiar and winter-free.

[gaijin]

Mountains. Yeah, liking them and hatin' on snow is a tradeoff for sure.

[Jordan]

What about Florida? As someone who hates cold weather, that's where I'm planning on moving to once my wife finishes residency.

[Not an Economist]

Where I live our snow levels are only 20 -- checks outside -- no 30 inches above normal. Plus the temperatures are supposed to drop below zero again. Yeah!!!!

[Elspeth Flashman]

Amazingly enough, nothing else happened: masked teen with gun faced down by armed home owner, police arrive, teen surrenders.

http://woodtv.com/2014/01/31/w.....-doorstep/

[mr simple]

24 Hour News 8 asked Ionia County Sheriff Dale Miller if the woman would have been justified if she had shot the teen.

"I believe so," Miller said. "If he had gone to the point of trying to get into the house."

Because people can't shoot you from outside your house.

[Elspeth Flashman]

Yeah. I think at the sidewalk she'd have been safe shooting - no sidewalk? then perimeter.

[Rich]

the so-called "Bridgegate" scandal.

Maybe this is the long-awaited break from the "-gate" suffix curse: "IRSbridge", "Benghazibridge", ....

[Bam!]

Bridghazi.

[Warty]

"This must be the biggest scandal since Watergategate!"

[John]

It is displacement. The media knows it is ignoring all kinds of scandals in the Obama administration. So they cover this to make themselves feel better.

[Warty]

It was petty and cruel and it seems to me it definitely should disqualify Fatty Titties from the presidency, so it's good that it's being covered. It would be nice if the press would do its job on the big scandals, but something is better than nothing, right?

[John]

I can't quite figure out what FATSO did other than by a typical asshole politician. If this would make the media feel any shame about ignoring Obama's real abuses of power, I would like it better. But I know it won't. I hate fatso too. But I don't like the media being able to get its righteous government watch dog on either.

[sarcasmic]

You should know by now that what a person does matters less than who the person is.

Principals trump principles every time.

[Rich]

Warty, you definitely have your, um, finger on the pulse of America.

[SugarFree]

More like he's taking America's temperature the fun way.

[Warty]

With my dong.

[Rich]

"Wow, it's like an oven in there!"

[The Late P Brooks]

Dear Everybody in California-

The current temperature in Montana is -10F.

STAY WHERE YOU ARE.

[Loki]

The current temperature in Montana is -10F.

Only -10? It was the same temperature in Denver this morning. I would have thought Montana would be a lot colder.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

STAY WHERE YOU ARE.

No problemo, dude.

[John]

NYT reporters think the NYT editorial page sucks.

"As for the columnists, Friedman is the worst. He hasn't had an original thought in 20 years; he's an embarrassment. He's perceived as an idiot who has been wrong about every major issue for 20 years, from favoring the invasion of Iraq to the notion that green energy is the most important topic in the world even as the financial markets were imploding," said a former Times writer described as having "gone on to great success elsewhere."

"Then there's Maureen Dowd, who has been writing the same column since George H. W. Bush was president."

http://washingtonexaminer.com/.....le/2543452

I guess the reporters are not quite as brain dead as their readers.

[Brett L]

I was literally laughing out loud at the Observer article. Especially the part where the reporters won't let Andy Rosenthal sit at the cool kids' table anymore.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

I'll just repost this:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2EGOB9-lc

[hamilton]

I'm not clicking on your racist links, cracker.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Lucky guess.

[John]

A day in the life of an animist.

Nolan, and others, take issue with the sticker's design.

"I would have appreciated something more subtle, yet still recognizable ? a logo, perhaps, not a gun," she said.

"You can't look at this (sticker) and not think about Sandy Hook," she said, referring to the 2012 school shooting in Newton, Conn., in which 20 children and six teachers were killed.

http://southtownstar.suntimes......signs.html

[Rich]

"I would have appreciated something more subtle, yet still recognizable ? a logo, perhaps"

*** rising intonation ***

I smell a contest!

[Warty]

Wow. He literally believes in the evil eye. Maybe the anti-gunners should come up with some sort of hand gesture to ward off the evil guns?

[UnCivilServant]

They do, it's called the "I surrender" cower

[Aloysious]

Obligatory

[Fluffy]

Wellesley girls terrified by statue

http://www.boston.com/yourcamp.....versy.html

Schreiner said she felt "freaked out" the first time she saw the statue, thinking for a moment that a real, nearly naked person was lingering near the campus center.

"This could be a trigger for students who have experienced sexual assault," she said.

Poor, poor Wellesley girls, suffering through all this triggering.

[John]

Remember when they made fun of Ashcroft for covering up the naked statues at DOJ?

[Fluffy]

Well, Ashcroft was ridiculous, because he was worried about morality.

Being worried about feelings is much different.

CRUSH ALL ART THAT HURTS FEELINGS is a much nobler sentiment than CRUSH ALL DEVIANT ART.

Any reasonable person can see that, amirite?

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

It is pretty creepy though.

[sarcasmic]

Aye.

[SugarFree]

Could be worse, thought. A STEVE SMITH statute staring from behind a tree. Episiarch popping a squat on the quad. A dozen Obamas in a human centipede circle tug. A giant butterfly made of erections that hovers over campus. A tsunami of semen frozen in an immense Hokusai wave. Bruise-colored vaginas in a field all firing scrambled eggs at an unforgiving sky. Bleeding metal spiders that recite haikus celebrating medical atrocities. Instruments of meat and bone that mutter obscenities. A tree with rhythmically gaping anuses for bark and toilet paper leaves.

[Fluffy]

You are really an underappreciated genius.

Do you realize that the only thing standing between you and world fame is the will, and some papier mache and paint?

GET OUT THERE, man. I promise to contribute to your bail fund.

[waffles]

Sometimes I feel that just being exposed to the madness that is Nutrasweet perverts me ever so slightly each day into a more perfect breakfast food. We are blessed with this diabetic deity.

[SugarFree]

If I did it all over again, I would have been an art student considering how little your undergrad actually matters. I've made a few horrific sculptures here and there, but resources and space would have really helped.

I mostly try to horrify with words, but something more immediate and visceral might be satisfying as well.

[sarcasmic]

I showed my wife one of your masterpieces that involved Sebelius as a dominatrix and she wants to sign up for your newsletter.

[Rich]

Beautiful. I daresay you are the reincarnation of Ambrose Bierce.

[Loki]

Thanks for the nightmare fuel. I look forward to these mental images haunting my dreams for the next fortnight.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

This reminds me of a few passages from Naked Lunch.

[Swiss Servator, Befehl!]

I am in AWE.

*bows deeply to SugarFree*

[SugarFree]

Excellent:

TBoneBilly02/05/14 06:02 AM
If I have to watch that ugly chick get naked every 5 minutes when my wife makes me watch HBO's Girls, then you college women can stomach looking at a statue of an ugly bald guy in his tighty-whiteys for a little while.

[Loki]

That comment is chocked full of win. In fact, that guy wins the internet today.

[Rich]

If that statue is removed, I demand Wellesley drop Art History and Pre-Med courses from their offerings.

[mr simple]

Bridget Schreiner, a Wellesley freshman,

So precocious, she's already learned to tow the party lion.

[Loki]

A woman in Maine called the police to report screaming and possible domestic violence. They ended up finding a pig orgy.

The neighbor explained that she raises pigs and the screaming was coming from an overjoyed male pig that had been placed in a pen with five sows in heat.

[sarcasmic]

John doesn't live in Maine!

[John]

We know sarcasmic, 99% of women are fat pigs and whales. You have told us that already.

[sarcasmic]

If I wasn't working from home I'd find some John pron on the Daily Fail, but the VPN doesn't play well with the tons of pictures on that site.

[The Late P Brooks]

Zoe Magid, a Wellesley College junior majoring in political science, started a petition on Change.org asking college president H. Kim Bottomly to have the statue removed.

It's National Lampoon's world.

I'm just visiting.

[Tonio]

"Bottomly" tee-hee.

[Fluffy]

That statue has been on double-secret triggering probation since the beginning of the semester!

[Loki]

Somehow I'm completely unsurprised to find that one of the SPECHUL SNOWFLAKES who's feewings were hurt is named Zoe.

[The Late P Brooks]

While it may appear humorous, or thought-provoking to some, it has already become a source of undue stress for many Wellesley College students

UNMUTUAL!

[Warty]

Important news: Fox go FLOOF

[waffles]

Is that five whole minutes of a fox just being damn adorable? I love you Warty.

[Warty]

He's also being a handsome man, yes he is.

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

The handsomest fox!

[SugarFree]

What a happy lad. That smile is amazing.

[mad libertarian guy]

He's cute and all (until he bites the fuck out you - being a wild animal and all), but I can guarantee you that were I in the woods hunting, I'd have shot him in a heartbeat.

[SugarFree]

He's one of those Russian domesticated foxes. They cost about 8 grand and are perfectly sweet.

[Warty]

I thought those are black and white and have floppy ears. This handsome man looks like a normal red fox to me.

[SugarFree]

They started with silver foxes, but branched out to reds and greys.

[SugarFree]

That's an American breeder and their foxes are much cheaper, but they haven't had as many generations of domestication.

[Warty]

Holy shit, they're cute.

[sarcasmic]

FOX AND REPTILES DO NOT GET ALONG. SO IF YOU HAVE SNAKES YOUR FOX WILL NEVER TRUST YOU.

That would never work in my house. My wife fancies herself to be a snake breeder.

[mad libertarian guy]

I see.

Carry on, then.

[The Late P Brooks]

"We were really disappointed that she seemed to articulate that she was glad it was starting discussion, but didn't respond to the fact that it's making students on campus feel unsafe, which is not appropriate," Magid said. "We really feel that if a piece of art makes students feel unsafe, that steps over a line."

When we say we want a "dialog" that doesn't mean you get to speak!

Holy shit, what a pathetic caricature of contemporary American intellectualism.

I think somebody (looks at Fluffy) should put a holster with a toy sixshooter on him.

[Loki]

Hell, just put one of those gun-free zone stickers from above on it. Apparently all you need is a picture of a gun to make them piss their pants in terror, I can only imagine what a toy gun would do.

[Michael]

Facebook rolled out their "lookback" thing the other day. It basically aggregates the content you've posted over the course of your entire stint on the site and compiles it into a nostalgic little film. A few of my hyper-political lefty Facebook friends have already expressed their dismay to the effect of, "Holy shit! Am I really this lame???"

It would be the greatest moment in conceptual art history if Zuckerberg were to announce that this was the intended endgame and shut the entire site down for good.

[Sevo]

Lefty columnist finds incomes are not equal in area where rich people live! Tugs forelock!

"Great divide in Silicon Valley's wealth grows even wider"
http://www.sfgate.com/business.....205029.php

[Sevo]

FDA propaganda claims to tell kids what smoking costs, somehow ignores the taxes:

"FDA ad campaign opens kids' eyes to costs of smoking"
http://www.sfgate.com/health/a.....205163.php

[mad libertarian guy]

Balls. Of. Steel.

[Auric Demonocles]

When will CVS start carrying alt-text?

[Matrix]

Federal Judge rules drivers are allowed to warn other motorists of speed traps by flashing lights

Careful with the comments. Copologists are out in force. The derp is pretty strong with them.

[Pro Libertate]

Outside of a couple of towns that engage in speed traps on U.S. 301 in Northeast Florida, there are billboards that warn drivers about the traps. Those are obviously protected speech or they'd have been removed by the local governments long ago. Why is that okay, but not flashing headlights? What if cars just had LEDs on top of them that said, "Speed trap ahead"--legal?

[Jon Lester]

The terminology is still a bit hysterical, but it would appear I was right last week when I predicted that the Super Bowl hooker invasion force would number in the dozens.