A.M. Links: Satellite Images Don't Show Debris From Missing Malaysia Flight, Pulitzer Prize Board May Not Reward Reporting on Snowden Leaks, Obama Administration To Endorse Reduction of Drug Sentences

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  • According to Malaysia's transport minister the satellite images released by China's State Administration of Science that some thought may have shown debris from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 were released by mistake and "did not show any debris from MH370."
  • The Obama administration is expected to endorse a plan that would reduce the average sentence for a federal drug defendant by almost a year.
  • The Pulitzer Prize Board may play it safe and not reward The Washington Post and The Guardian for their reporting on the information leaked by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden. The Board did reward The New York Times for its reporting on Daniel Ellsberg's Pentagon Papers.
  • President Obama is expected to use his executive authority to update regulations on overtime pay. Currently, employers are not required to pay managerial workers overtime pay if they earn at least $455 a week.
  • Ukraine has created a 60,000-strong national guard ahead of Sunday's referendum in Crimea on whether the peninsula, which is currently part of Ukraine, will join Russia.
  • Republican pro-life senators are urging the GOP to focus on social issues in this year's midterms and in the 2016 presidential election.

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Matthew Feeney is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute.

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  1. Feeney knows how to keep the links running on time.

    1. UnCivilServant

      But didn’t give us Alt-Text!

      1. waffles

        All I see is a pen. Is that how Obama makes it rain?

        1. Steve G

          What’s he drawing there, a cartoon cock/balls?

    2. Hey, not on topic!

      1. Worth giving up a true first to make my point.

    3. Auric Demonocles

      It’s not worth losing the alt-text to have them 1 minute earlier.

      1. The secret definitely is Twitter. They have them before the real site does.

    4. invisible furry hand

      Your president appears to be drawing a sort of ballsack.

      1. He’s asking Condi if he can go take a leak.

        1. Rich

          ***cough***Valerie***cough***

      2. Steve G

        crap…

      3. wareagle

        our president is a ballsack so he’s in familiar territory.

    5. Rufus J. Firefly

      Hello.

      Hey, Obama shut up!

      Though someone should explain to her donkey’s are Republicans.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtFeoup7p74

      Surprised no one has dedicated this song to Obama:

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

      1. invisible furry hand

        AN APOSTROPHE IN A PLURAL!

        1. He’s in Quebec. He uses extraneous apostrophes to piss of the francophones.

          1. Rufus J. Firefly

            Did you know there’s a law here where apostrophes are not allowed?

            Back in the day the department store Eaton’s had to drop the apos. to please the mental cases in the PQ.

            1. I remembered reading about Eaton’s, which is why I made the comment I did.

            2. invisible furry hand

              Seriously? Fuck them and their poutine too

              1. LEAVE POUTINE ALONE!

                *waves fork and napkin whilst sobbing*

        2. Rufus J. Firefly

          oops. sorry.

      2. Calling someone a donkey in arabic is really, really insulting.

        Fighting words insulting.

        1. Ska

          So where does it fit in with old Irish immigrants?

          1. I think the thing was that you’d send an irishman in to do dangerous work instead of your donkey because the donkey was worth more.

    6. You know who else made things run on time?

      1. Rich

        The Phillips Lady?

      2. hamilton

        John Callen?

      3. Almanian!

        Timex?

      4. William Tockman.

      5. The makers of Ex-lax?

      6. UnCivilServant

        The Clock king?

      7. This stick figure?

  2. UnCivilServant

    Kennedy gets up on wrong side of bed: declines to block enforcement of magazine ban pending appeals

    1. Kaptious Kristen

      It took me a few seconds to figure out which Kennedy you were talking about – Patrick, erstwhile MTV VJ, or Justice.

      1. UnCivilServant

        I have never heard of Patrick Kennedy, so it didn’t cross my mind to make a distinction.

        1. Kaptious Kristen

          He’s been featured here on reason quite a bit the last couple months.

  3. According to Malaysia’s transport minister the satellite images released by China’s State Administration of Science that some thought may have shown debris from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 were released by mistake and “did not show any debris from MH370.”

    Not saying it was aliens…but it was definitively aliens.

    1. The reporting has been so inaccurate on this I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out the plane landed safely at its destination and is still ferrying passengers on schedule.

      1. PD Scott

        It changed it’s paint scheme and has been assisting with the search.

        1. +1

        2. Errant apostrophes all over the place today.

          1. PD Scott

            Guess I’d better return my degree to Big Shanty School of Book Learnin’ and HVAC Repair.

  4. According to Malaysia’s transport minister the satellite images released by China’s State Administration of Science that some thought may have shown debris from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 were released by mistake and “did not show any debris from MH370.”

    And yet we can easily spot drunks being rolled in back alleys on Street View.

    1. UnCivilServant

      To be fair, the Google car is usually closer than the satellites are.

      1. To be fair, shut your pie hole.

  5. robc

    Morning…done for the week of JD. Will still have to report next week, probably for about 3 days.

    1. RBS

      So, you didn’t make the cut?

      1. robc

        Everything settled on Wed and Thurs and Fri are light days. Most jury selection is done on Tues and Wed.

    2. For a second, I thought you were proposing a week to remember and honor J sub D.

      1. robc

        Im okay with that.

        It would be about this time of year too, wouldnt it?

  6. invisible furry hand

    What happens if you stage a prank robbery at an ATM? This

    1. Night Elf Mohawk

      “Every single comment has been negative, saying how stupid we are, how dumb this prank is,” Mr Maran said.

      Gee, I wonder why.

    2. Outlaw

      I wonder if bystanders would’ve done anything had it been New York, Detroit, etc.

  7. Matrix

    Two victims of the PATRIARCHY try to fight back, but are found out and arrested. One charged as an adult.

    1. Warty

      Stupid girls. A lot of rich dudes would pay serious money for that treatment.

      1. Matrix

        Yeah, but it’s not as fun if you have a willing participant.

    2. SugarFree

      Nice picture. A few more generations of inbreeding and members of that family will just have one big eye.

      1. Is everything a Preacher reference with you? 🙂

        1. SugarFree

          Just about.

          “Oh mah GAWD! BILLY BOB!”

      2. Add in purple hair and future generations will fit right in down in the sewers of New New York.

    3. “Some of the sexual acts involved animals. It’s awful.”

      Oh man Episiarch I don’t want to steal your thunder here…

      1. SugarFree

        He won’t be awake for hours. I say swing away.

      2. “sex with animals? There’s no time man!”

    4. Fucking kids. What the fuck is so hard to understand about not taking pictures of illegal acts BECAUSE IT IS EVIDENCE. If my kid learns one thing from me, it will be this.

      1. RBS

        So dumb, as a practical matter do we really even need surveillance cameras anymore? It might take a little longer to catch some people but eventually they will do something stupid like post pictures of themselves doing something illegal.

        1. Heh. I can see the FB posts now: “Me and Haji with our suicide vests for next week.”

          1. RBS

            A couple of years ago some high school kids broke into a drug dealer’s house, stole a bunch of marijuana and some guns and beat the dealer. Nobody knew who they were until they posted the pictures of themselves with the stolen good on facebook.

            1. BardMetal

              Seriously?

              1. invisible furry hand

                there was a drug dealer here who was caught because he posted pictures of himself with drugs and money on Facebook

    5. Rasilio

      “Prosecutors charged the 17-year-old, Lauren A. Bush, as an adult. The 15-year-old was charged as a juvenile. Police didn’t release her name.”

      See everything is Bush’s fault

      1. The 15-year-old was charged as a juvenile. Police didn’t release her name.

        The 15-year-old must be a police officer.

        1. Christophe

          She wouldn’t have been charged at all.

  8. The Pulitzer Prize Board may play it safe and not reward The Washington Post and The Guardian for their reporting on the information leaked by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

    If Snowden can just stay relevant until a Republican is in the White House, he’s going to win so many awards.

    1. Steve G

      So glad I wasn’t eating when I read this

    2. Jerryskids

      If Snowden can just stay relevant until a Republican is in the White House, he’s going to win so many awards.

      +1 Posthumous Pulitzer.

  9. Auric Demonocles

    Republican pro-life senators are urging the GOP to focus on social issues in this year’s midterms and in the 2016 presidential election.

    Oh, look! It’s the stupid party!

    1. Andrew S.

      I’d say the Republican party is shooting itself in the foot again, but realistically, there can’t be any foot left at this point, can there be?

      1. The Last American Hero

        It’s not a foot, it’s a tentacle of the Kochtopus.

    2. robc

      They really are.

      Although, I would argue that the ACA is a social issue.

      And all economics are social issues (I dont see a clear distinguishing split), but, yeah, that isnt what he meant.

      1. SugarFree

        They should just drop the pretense. Call abortion and gay marriage what they are: Religious issues. The number of non-religious or non-Christians who are Republican (or Republican-inclined) and vote pretty much solely on these two issue are vanishingly small.

        1. Notorious G.K.C.

          What is Secular Pro-Life, chopped liver?

          http://www.secularprolife.org/

          1. SugarFree

            The exception that highlights the rule. Which is why you tout them all the time.

            What’s the matter? Afraid to call a spade a spade?

            1. Notorious G.K.C.

              I’m not 100% sure what spade you’re talking about. Religion?

              1. SugarFree

                Yes. Religion. You vote on your religious beliefs. Why be coy about it? Are you ashamed of them?

                1. Notorious G.K.C.

                  Protecting human life is one of those issues where you don’t have to be religious. There’s a moral intuition in favor of protecting life, no matter how much people may try to suppress that intuition.

                  As for the rest of your comments, it boils down to “you’re a poopy-head, neener neener!” I’m not sure how to rebut with reason a comment which isn’t based on reason.

                  1. SugarFree

                    OK, I see you are just going to play dumb. Have fun with that.

                    1. Notorious G.K.C.

                      Have a nice day, Dr. Doomcock!

                    2. SugarFree

                      I do not have a doctorate, nor have I ever claimed to have one.

                    3. Notorious G.K.C.

                      “I do not have a doctorate, nor have I ever claimed to have one.”

                      *facepalm*

                      You see, Dr. Doom is a character in…and you have a story called…oh, never mind 🙂

                    4. 110 Lean

                      I just want to interject here that I think Doomcock of Doom is a damn fine phrase.

                2. Auric Demonocles

                  What’s religious about biology?

        2. Abortion isn’t a religious issue to me.

          1. Auric Demonocles

            Me either.

            1. Me either. And I’m religious. (And pro-choice.)

              1. Auric Demonocles

                I’m the opposite on both counts.

          2. SugarFree

            Good for you. You are in a very small minority. Which was all I’m getting at.

            1. oh ok.

            2. Virginian

              You are in a very small minority. Which was all I’m getting at.

              lol, you know who else is a small minority?

              1. SugarFree

                Libertarian women?

                1. Virginian

                  Libertarians in general are. Just saying, dismissing people’s opinions on the grounds that they’re a small minority is kinda what I hear all the freaking time from the statists.

    3. AlmightyJB

      This makes me think that pro-life gop senators are actually dnc operatives.

      1. robc

        They were called “Reagan Democrats” at one time, but damn, that is a long con.

        1. RBS

          If I learned anything from The X-Files there is actually a group of TOP MEN in charge and this would be something they would do. Also related: Flight MH370.

          1. +1 colonization

    4. I swear this comment wasn’t here when I started typing mine!

      1. The Laconic Marc F Cheney

        You know what might explain this? If you, me and Auric were all Tulpa.

        1. SugarFree

          Tulpa would never have gotten the phone numbers for three girls. Maybe if Auric claimed to have three rape whistles blown in his face, I might believe your theory.

          1. Auric Demonocles

            Would Tulpa claim to have gotten numbers?

            1. KDN

              Tulpa would create a sock which would claim to have given him her number, just to offer a different perspective.

              1. Auric Demonocles

                “Rolla“

            2. SugarFree

              Any contact with a female of any species is a chance for bragging rights for Tulpa. He speed-dates at petting zoos.

              1. Zing!

    5. The Laconic Marc F Cheney

      Damn it, that’s almost exactly what I was about to write.

  10. (Democrat Rep) Rahall: I supported Bush more than Obama

    Rahall acknowledged that Obama was deeply unpopular in his district, and he quickly ticked off a half dozen policies where the two have disagreed: coal, trade, immigration, abortion, gun control and the conduct of Attorney General Eric Holder, who Rahall voted to hold in contempt. “That’s just off the top of my head,” he said.

    “I will support him when he’s good for West Virginia, and I will oppose him when he’s bad for West Virginia,” Rahall said.

    Asked if Obama had been good for West Virginia overall, he replied, “Probably not.”

    1. waffles

      What traitorous scum. Is he up for reelection?

    2. The Last American Hero

      A congressman putting his district ahead of party?

      If his voting record actually backs up his statements, this guy is a rare bird indeed.

    3. Dumbya pushed immigration reform (amnesty) and his AG supported torture among other abuses. The white trash voter in WV is the GOP base, Rahall.

      1. BardMetal

        Immigration reform only had 8% support.

    4. Steve G

      I read that as “I supported more bush…”

      Yes, yes I did in my single days

  11. Republican pro-life senators are urging the GOP to focus on social issues in this year’s midterms and in the 2016 presidential election.

    God love ’em.

    1. Should they stand up?!

      /Biden

  12. UnCivilServant

    Republican pro-life senators are urging the GOP to focus on social issues in this year’s midterms and in the 2016 presidential election.

    “We want to lose instead of hammering the Dem’s weak spots for massive damage!”

    1. Pope Jimbo

      It isn’t sporting to ground swat a bird. True sportsmen allow the bird to get up and fly a bit to make things more fair.

  13. Bee Tagger

    The Pulitzer Prize Board

    Pulitzer? I barely know her, save for this heavily redacted 100 page document I got through a FOIA request.

  14. Rich

    Obama is threatening to veto a law that would allow Congress to sue him in federal courts for arbitrarily changing or refusing to enforce federal laws

    “Ha-ha, suckers! I have THE PEN!”

    1. Bee Tagger

      Don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for the pen.

    2. robc

      Do they need a law to do this?

      I thought they would have standing already.

      1. No. Usually the courts don’t consider cases like that justiciable because they’re inherently political in nature.

      2. Night Elf Mohawk

        I’m not sure Congress really wants to open the box of getting sued for doing something that isn’t in the Constitution.

        1. Congress has standing (or so they think); the plebs don’t.

          1. Night Elf Mohawk

            There sure seem to be a lot of First Amendment cases in which a pleb has standing. I think the question is one of finding the right pleb.

    3. Isn’t this what a writ of mandamus is for anyway?

  15. We must not allow this Walnut Gap!

    Walnut Headbutting Record Cracked In Pakistan

    A martial arts expert has broken a world record by cracking 155 walnuts with his head in just one minute.

    Mohammad Rashid set the new record at the Punjab Youth Festival in Lahore, Pakistan.

    He beat the previous record of 44 walnuts, held by an American.

    1. UnCivilServant

      Why?

      We grow most of those in the US, he probably bought them from us.

    2. Pope Jimbo

      Wait till he gets older, then it will be better

      The travelling salesman drove into a small town where a circus was playing.
      A sign read: ‘Don’t Miss The Amazing Sardar.’

      The salesman bought a ticket and sat down. There, under The Big Top, in the center ring, was a table with three walnuts on it. Standing next to it was a middle aged Sardar.

      Suddenly, the Sardar dropped his pants, whipped out his huge male equipment and – crack, crack, crack – smashed all three walnuts with three mighty swings!

      The crowd erupted in applause and the Sardar was carried off on their shoulders.

      Fifteen years later the salesman visited the same little town, found the same circus and saw the same faded sign that read, ‘Don’t Miss The Amazing Sardar ‘

      He couldn’t believe the old guy was still alive, much less still doing his act! He bought a ticket.
      Again, the center ring was illuminated. This time, however, instead of walnuts, three coconuts were placed on the table.

      The Sardar stood before them, then suddenly dropped his pants and – thud, thud, thud – smashed the coconuts with three swings of his amazing member.

      The crowd went wild!

      Amazed, the salesman requested a meeting with him after the show.

      ‘You’re incredible!’ he told the Sardar ‘but I have to know something. I saw your act 15 years ago and you were using walnuts. Why the switch from walnuts to coconuts?’

      ‘My son’ said the Sardar. ‘My eyesight ain’t what it used to be’.

    3. Mickey Rat

      Next on ESPN’s Outside the Lines “Will concussion fears end walnut headbutting for good?…”

  16. The Obama administration is expected to endorse a plan that would reduce the average sentence for a federal drug defendant by almost a year.

    To make room for more incarcerations as the DEA prepares to kick in Colorado and Washington pot store doors.

  17. Matrix

    NSA pretended to be Facebook in order to infect millions of computers with malware

    Fourth Amendment… how does it work?

    1. It’s the Fuck You That’s Why Amendment.

    2. Bee Tagger

      The Facebook trick was called QUANTUMHAND by the NSA

      Facebook, NSA, and caps-lock. It’s the annoyance trifecta.

  18. The Late P Brooks

    Republican pro-life senators are urging the GOP to focus on social issues in this year’s midterms and in the 2016 presidential election.

    Oh, goody.

  19. Republican pro-life senators are urging the GOP to focus on social issues in this year’s midterms and in the 2016 presidential election.

    There’s a reason the GOP is called the Stupid Party.

    1. Bo Cara Esq.

      I think this was suggested by Senators Atkins (MO) and Mourdock (IN).

      1. Notorious G.K.C.

        Because all prolife politicians are equally stupid and unpopular, whether they’re talking about real rape or trying to restrict late-term abortions.

        1. Bo Cara Esq.

          Eddie, as I noted below pro-life politicians are very popular, for instance, in the South. The problem is that in many cases what is popular in the South is a lot less so elsewhere, so a party dominated by politicians from there is in a tough position nationally. The kind of things that get them elected where they are turn off people elsewhere.

          1. Notorious G.K.C.

            I doubt late-term abortion is popular even in Yankeeland.

  20. Keith Richards to Write a Children’s Book

    Keith Richards is writing a children’s book. He really is. The Rolling Stone who came to define the adults-only lifestyle of rock has a deal with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for a picture story called “Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar.”

    The publisher announced Tuesday that the book will come out this fall and will include illustrations by Richards’ daughter, Theodora Richards. Barnaby Harris and Bill Shapiro are assisting with the writing.

    Next, the story of my dealer and my first set of works

    1. The children have to learn about groupies sometime.

  21. Ukraine has created a 60,000-strong national guard ahead of Sunday’s referendum in Crimea on whether the peninsula, which is currently part of Ukraine, will join Russia.

    I’m going to quote a friend of mine who is living in Kiev:

    and those fucking assholes in the present government, they just took power, because they were already part of the establishment. they have not been elected. Klitchkos party, which was the main, yet still moderate part of the revolution got ZERO seats! Only criminals in the government, and now that fucking asshole Obama is negotiating with them!

    1. Almanian!

      Only criminals in the government, and now that fucking asshole Obama is negotiating with them!

      Wow! JUST like the US! They must be so proud…

    2. CampingInYourPark

      Klitchkos party, which was the main, yet still moderate part of the revolution got ZERO seats!

      What seats is he referring to? Because Klitschko himself has a seat in Parliament and the party he belongs to has 40 in total. The Ukrainian Parliament hasn’t been dissolved that I’ve heard.

      1. alittlesense

        What happened to the commenter here who is a doctor, went to Ukraine to practice medicine, and got himself a hot Ukrainian girlfriend?

        1. I’m honestly worried that something bad didn’t happen there.

      2. Good question. Perhaps new seats? I’ll have to ask.

        1. CampingInYourPark

          Maybe he’s referring to this:

          The Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms party of the heavyweight boxing champion-turned-politician Vitali Klitschko is not represented after it declined offers to participate in the new government.

          http://www.theguardian.com/wor…..-turchynov

          If it’s accurate then it’s kind weird to complain about not being at the party after you said you didn’t want to go.

        2. His response:

          yes, in parliament. sorry i meant in the government. that is only timoshenkos party and svoboda.

  22. Injun, as in from India

    Republican pro-life senators are urging the GOP to focus on social issues in this year’s midterms and in the 2016 presidential election.

    Aim for the head, not the foot!

  23. Bo Cara Esq.

    Dianne Feinstein is the Worst Congressperson, Exhibit A

    She was the main Democratic sponsor of the failed 2006 constitutional Flag Desecration Amendment.

    http://www.feinstein.senate.go…..035af0bbda

    1. robc

      Just on general principle, I would argue that the worst is always a member of the House.

      Senators, due to state size, are neither the best nor the worst.

      Although, if you score by badness*power, a senator could come out on top.

      1. Bo Cara Esq.

        Well, over the next days I am going to make my case for Feinstein, I am actually going to take a break from reporting on SoCon lunacy and/or liberty violations to detail how terrible Feinstein is. She epitomizes everything I dislike about Democrats in particular and politicians in general.

        Some of the evidence for her awfulness will surprise some people, some will be familiar, but I do not think you can ever dislike that woman enough.

        1. robc

          Short of, as I said, the extra power she has, Im not sure that your posts cant be trumped 1 by 1 with Sheila Jackson Lee posts.

          And Im not sure she is the worst of the lot.

          1. Bo Cara Esq.

            Well, as you were instructed for jury duty, wait until you see all the evidence before you judge!

            1. robc

              As I havent seen the inside of a courtroom yet, I have been instructed nothing.

              1. Bo Cara Esq.

                “As I havent seen the inside of a courtroom yet”

                Come on, you did not even peek?

                1. robc

                  I sat in a chair and played with my phone for 3 mornings.

                  The courtrooms are way over in the other building, I would have had to cross the pedwalk and everything.

    2. Rich

      At least ol’ Di didn’t declare on the House floor that the U.S. Constitution is 400 years old.

      1. Andrew S.

        SJL is the dumbest Congressperson. DiFi is the worst (though my vote for worst would be Debbie Wasserman-Schultz).

        (Something something misogyny something something)

        1. RBS

          My old boss was pretty dumb. Once, when some diplomats from Egypt stopped by the office his first comment was “You know, I rode a camel once…”

          1. Rich

            How did that play out?

            1. UnCivilServant

              It went okay until the camel reached top speed and he fell off.

              1. UnCivilServant

                *I keed, I keed, I have no idea who RBS’ old boss was.

              2. Rich

                Well played.

            2. RBS

              Awkwardly.

          2. And by ‘rode’ he meant ‘banged’.

        2. Night Elf Mohawk

          SJL didn’t wonder if Guam was going to tip over. She’s going to have to fight for that title.

          And Schumer and Reid aren’t going to concede to DW-S anytime soon, either.

        3. The Laconic Marc F Cheney

          Moobs is the worst. Even in that wretched hive of villainy, I don’t know how there can even be any debate over it.

      2. Bo Cara Esq.

        Despicable and awful are not necessarily stupid (though I think Feinstein has healthy amounts of the latter).

      3. robc

        I almost broke my tv back in the 90s when some anonymous (he had a name, but I had never heard of him before or after this moment) rep made a comment about “when Jefferson wrote the Constitution.”

        Anyone want to guess the party affiliation?

        1. UnCivilServant

          “The Rent is Too Damn High”?

  24. The Obama team quietly gives up on making ObamaCare work

    Still, President Obama’s lawyers told the Supreme Court that the individual mandate is vital to making the whole law work, and they surely meant it. So the suspension of the mandate means the administration has quietly given up on making the thing work, at least for now.

    All they’re looking to do is keep the shell in place while they make up as talking points about how it really is succeeding, and/or ways to change the subject. They won’t even ask Congress to fix it, because they’d have to admit they had no idea what they were doing in the first place.

    Presumably, the plan (to the extent they have one beyond getting past the next election) is to keep the law on the books and let Hillary fix it, hopefully with the help of a Democratic Congress.

    1. So they postponed the individual mandate?

      1. only for 8% of the population

        1. Almanian!

          +8%

      2. Juice

        Sort of. You’ll be able to fill out a form to say that you couldn’t afford it and they’ll believe you.

    2. waffles

      let Hillary fix it, hopefully with the help of a Democratic Congress

      Not going to happen.

  25. Republican pro-life senators

    That would be all of them.

    1. Bee Tagger

      Not Arnie Vinick.

    2. BardMetal

      Just 8% of them

  26. Andrew S.

    I know the Republican party isn’t called the Stupid Party for nothing, but seriously. In what world does anybody think it’s a successful strategy for Team Red to focus on SoCon issues?

    1. Auric Demonocles

      It’s probably successful in certain states… but those are the states they would win anyway, and it will damage their colleagues in the swing states.

    2. Bo Cara Esq.

      “In what world does anybody think it’s a successful strategy for Team Red to focus on SoCon issues?”

      Does the South count as a world?

      1. robc

        Indiana and Missouri arent in any definition of the south I would accept.

        1. Bo Cara Esq.

          Right, those two lost in those states.

          1. robc

            But that is where the strategy was tried.

            Its a yankee strategy, apparently.

            1. Bo Cara Esq.

              Running on social issues goes on all the time here in the South, it’s losing on social issues that goes on elsewhere.

              1. robc

                The question was where do they “think” it will work.

                Indiana and Missouri is still the answer. They thought it would work there. They were wrong.

                Although, to be fair, it wasnt a focus on social issues that got them beat, but stupid statements in those areas.

                1. Bo Cara Esq.

                  The question was in what world does one think a focus on social issues works? The answer is the South, they think it works there and they are right. It clearly does not work elsewhere.

              2. robc

                What Ive seen is no need to run on them in the south, as the dem opponent often has the same views on them.

                The senate campaign HQ that was next to my office 12 years ago (wow, I guess it has been that long, but she was running against McConnell, so it had to be) was fun to watch. Her son worked in that office and there was a DC consultant in helping out.

                The two would get into long and loud arguments…especially over guns. The consultant wanted her to take at least a moderate gun control position while the son thought that was insanity. He was a good ole boy huntin and fishin democrat.

                1. Bo Cara Esq.

                  Is not your current Democratic governor pro-choice?

                  1. robc

                    Probably.

                    Honestly, I dont remember it coming up in the race at all. Although I bet if we parsed down his position, it wouldnt be entirely pro-choice, somewhere in the middle, I bet.

                    Louisville was represented for years by a STRONGLY pro-life democrat. He RAN on it, it was a central aspect of his campaigns. Since he retired, its been pro-choice democrats or the queen of pork representing me.

                    1. robc

                      I seriously dont remember the last governor’s race, I paid it no attention at all.

                      There was a Libertarian on the ballot, IIRC. I voted for him.

                    2. Bo Cara Esq.

                      “He RAN on it, it was a central aspect of his campaigns.”

                      cf.

                      “What Ive seen is no need to run on them in the south”

                    3. robc

                      1. He retired in 1992.

                      2. I was talking about the GOP.

                      He didnt NEED to run on it, it was a pet issue of his. That and opposition to the death penalty.

                      Those are the only two things I remember about him. That and he voted the Democrat party line on economic issues.

                      And you seem to be assuming KY is in the south. When I lived in GA, they didnt think so.

                      And most KYians think Louisville is in the north.

                    4. Bo Cara Esq.

                      We’ll include you in the South, though not Prime Membership.

                      Like I said, I live in the South and social issues are forefront all the time, and the Democrats being conservative on these issues does not negate that. A recent flap broke out over our likely Democrat gubernatorial candidate, who is ostensibly pro-life, having a campaign event at a pro-choice person’s house.

    3. Notorious G.K.C.

      “In what world does anybody think it’s a successful strategy for Team Red to focus on SoCon issues?”

      Well, let’s see…there’s gun rights. That’s a SoCon issue and it seems to work well for them.

      There’s restrictions on late-term abortions. That polls well with the public.

      Or are “SoCon issues” simply an undifferentiated blob of ickiness?

      1. Bo Cara Esq.

        I have seen you taking this angle for the past few days, and it is not an unreasonable one. “God, guns and gays” and all that.

        Having said that I think for a lot of people when they talk about ‘SoCons’ they are thinking of people who push for ‘morals’ legislation usually motivated by religious convictions. So guns would be out, abortion, pornography, divorce, marriage, would be in.

        1. Notorious G.K.C.

          Sorry, that’s a result-oriented definition.

          And on marriage, the latest “SoCon” issue was religious freedom for business owners. The SoLibs were the ones forcing their views on others.

          1. Bo Cara Esq.

            Haha, that is only the ‘latest’ because they lost just recently on the bigger push. Well, maybe not, considering more states still have SSM recognition bans in effect than do not.

            1. Bo Cara Esq.

              And I am not sure it is so results oriented. One big reason why many people want to avoid what they call SoCon issues is that they feel that religious matters are not conducive to debate and pushing them is just spinning wheels, so to speak.

              1. Notorious G.K.C.

                Every try arguing with a progressive?

                1. Bo Cara Esq.

                  I am sure a progressive would think the same about arguing with a libertarian, or a conservative. But there is this idea that religious opinion really is impervious to change based on some provable fact. I am not sure that is necessarily a ‘bug’ about religion btw, but it does make it politically problematic in some people’s eyes.

        2. robc

          Where do strip clubs and liquor laws fall?

          Because it seems the liberals are the ones shutting or dumbing down the strip clubs.

          And liquor and gambling seems to get a protestant/catholic split, so isnt soconishly universal.

          I honestly dont thing socon can be defined.

          1. Notorious G.K.C.

            Also, smoking bans, which used to be associated with religious opposition, but now is pushed by liberals.

            1. Bo Cara Esq.

              That is the distinction though, the motivation or reason. If you support a smoking ban because of health reasons, then the debate is at least partly going to hinge on what those risks actually are. If on the other hand it is that smoking is sinful behavior, then how are you going to argue with that?

              1. Notorious G.K.C.

                Well, I don’t think the liberal campaign against vaping is based on the most rigorous science. Jerry Falwell would be like, “uh, this isn’t justified by the research.”

          2. Bo Cara Esq.

            Again, I think it is the motivation. If your opposition to liquor sales is health or crime that is different than if you find it sinful because the body is a temple or what not.

            As far as defining socon, it can be done about as easily as, say, a ‘progressive.’

        3. Mickey Rat

          Are those goalposts heavy?

          1. Azathoth!!

            Pilings. Trolls try to move bridge pilings.

  27. Sebelius vs. Accuracy
    The HHS chief confirms her secret waiver of the individual mandate.

    There have been dozens of ObamaCare delays or major revisions via administrative fiat, including four so far this year, but there’s one in particular that the Health and Human Services Department prefers to keep hidden: the individual mandate waivers that we exposed Wednesday.

    HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also happened to testify Wednesday in front of the HouseWays and Means Committee, and Tennessee Republican Diane Black asked about “ObamaCare’s Secret Mandate Exemption” (March 12). Ms. Sebelius said she hadn’t read the editorial but did call Ms. Black’s gloss “not accurate”?before going on to confirm that it was, in fact, accurate.

  28. Rich

    Gel Protects Monkeys From H.I.V. After Sex

    But does it work on *sheep*?

    If it works in humans, such a gel would be particularly useful in countries where women have little protection against domestic violence or rape, because they could apply it surreptitiously after a partner fell asleep

    As opposed to killing the abusive partner after he fell asleep.

    1. Apparently a woman can own anti-HIV gel or she can own a knife, but she can’t own both.

      1. PD Scott

        Kickstarter for a knife that dispenses anti-HIV gel?

    2. Zeb

      A lot of people, even victims of violence, have a strong desire not t kill anyone. And I suspect that in a society where there is little protection against rape and domestic violence, a woman who kills her husband will not fare too well.

  29. The Un-American Anti-Koch Campaign

    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has high standards for American-ness. That’s why it carried such weight when Reid described the Koch brothers in a speech on the Senate floor as “about as un-American as anyone that I can imagine.” Coming from a typical Democratic politician lacking Reid’s powers of patriotic discernment, this would have been shameful hyperbole. From Reid, it was a peerless act of taxonomy.

    What immediately had him so exercised was anti-Obamacare ads funded by the Koch brothers, but surely other potentially un-American activities lurked in the back of his mind. David Koch gave $100 million to a theater in New York City so people can perform ballet and opera there. Has David Koch never thought to invest in cowboy poetry? No wonder Reid harbors the darkest suspicions about his true loyalties.

    1. robc

      Ive decided that the reason they are hated so much is BECAUSE they donate to the arts and public tv and etc.

      If they left well enough alone and just funded politics, they wouldnt be as hated.

      1. It causes a glitch in the self-image of progressives who view themselves as the only kulturny people.

        1. robc

          That and it shows that government support isnt necessary. Every dollar the Koch’s spend on the arts is a dollar of funding that doesnt have to come from the Feds.

          1. UnCivilServant

            And five dollars that don’t need to be raised as taxes due to government inefficiencies.

        2. It causes a glitch in the self-image of progressives

          Yes. It’s why they hate libertarians more than anyone.

  30. Ukraine has created a 60,000-strong national guard ahead of Sunday’s referendum in Crimea on whether the peninsula, which is currently part of Ukraine, will join Russia.

    Ukraine didn’t have military defense before this?

    1. Almanian!

      In Ukraine, defense militarizes YOU!

    2. UnCivilServant

      It defected to the localities, I think.

    3. Their Army is a shabby 100K +. Left over Soviet crap and a very little Western stuff.

      They are figuring they need to up their numbers as the neighborhood has gone to pot.

  31. Boise Fire official: Inebriated tenant rescued after fireworks set living room chair on fire

    Responding firefighters went into the smoke-filled apartment to rescue the man, who was so inebriated that he was unable to walk on his own, Rasulo said. They found him laying on the bed in his bedroom and carried him out. Paramedics checked him out and released him at the scene.

    Investigators determined that a piece of furniture in the living room ? an older, wingback cloth chair with wooden legs ? had been ignited by fireworks and was smoldering, putting out a lot of smoke. They extinguished the fire and ventilated the apartment.

  32. Congress: This Time It’s Personal
    Senator Feinstein has finally been goaded into noticing executive-branch arrogations of power.

    And while some Republicans have taken up the issue with admirable vigor, Congress as a whole cannot seem to get itself very much excited about such executive-branch abuses as using the IRS to harass and suppress the president’s political opponents. But spying on Senator Feinstein’s committee computers? That may be enough to get Congress’s attention. After all, we’re not talking about leaning on some obscure tea-party peons in Houston ? we’re talking about members of Congress, i.e., the sort of people who are very important to members of Congress.

    If Senator Feinstein’s claims are in the main substantively correct, then the CIA has done serious violence to the law and to our constitutional order. And I suspect that she is largely on the money: CIA Director John Brennan has said that the facts will not support her allegations of “this tremendous sort of spying and monitoring and hacking,” the presence of the word “tremendous” in that sentence suggesting that what is really in dispute here is not the CIA’s actions but merely the scale of the CIA’s actions.

    1. So the CIA redacted the Bush/Cheney torture records off the Senate computers and the Obama team stood by and let them.

      I know the far left is angry at Obama for not pursuing war crimes charges against the previous administration but it was never going to happen anyway.

      1. so only 8%?

  33. So my wife and I celebrated the conception anniversary of our child (and our six month wedding anniversary) by buying a pregnancy test and a couple bottles of wine. My wife is happy to report that he will not have an Irish twin.

    1. Almanian!

      Congratulations! On, um….ALL counts! 🙂

    2. waffles

      Congratulations! That last sentence did confuse me a bit, what with the pronoun and me not having any idea what Irish twins are.

      1. robc

        Is it same calendar year or any 12 month period?

        I would assume the latter, as that means they are the same age for a short while.

        1. Auric Demonocles

          I’ve always assumed the latter. I never even considered it might be the former.

        2. I thought it was strictly 9 months apart.

        3. I was using it to mean less than 12 months apart.

    3. Auric Demonocles

      I hope the wine was conditional…

      1. Well, I was going to be drinking regardless.

        1. Zeb

          I don’t know whether you want more kids or not, but if not, IUDs are a marvelous thing.

      2. Zeb

        I think people are way too worried about drinking while pregnant.
        Heavy duty alcoholics will often have children with developmental problems, but the occasional drink, or even the occasional getting a bit tipsy isn’t going to hurt anything.

    4. invisible furry hand

      a pregnancy test and a couple bottles of wine

      Nothing like a pragmatic romantic to open a girl’s heart and legs

    5. UnCivilServant

      The grievence industry tells me I’m supposed to be insulted by your comments about the irish community.

      I can’t get past a ‘meh’.

      And if the test had been positive, would the wine have been such a good idea?

      1. robc

        If it had been positive, he would have needed 2 bottles himself.

    6. You must not have sex very often if you know exactly when the conception anniversary is. 😉

      1. We were mostly careful about protection before the pregnancy. Mostly.

    7. How is your baby sleeping?

      At 8 1/2 months, my second is finally sleeping through (with minimal brief night terrors) until about 6AM. We used the techniques preached in The Sleep Easy Solution if you’re not there yet.

      1. Rufus J. Firefly

        My daughter NEVER slept as a baby. She’d stay up the night. It was a nightmare. She’s still a bad sleeper.

        She’s now nine.

        1. invisible furry hand

          even with the gin-soaked rag in her mouth?

        2. My first slept solid nearly right out of the womb. If he didn’t, he’d probably be an only child.

          1. Ditto here. My only started sleeping through the night at two months…at the latest.

          2. RBS

            Mine slept through night from about 2 months to 19 months. His 20th month has been pretty rough so far.

      2. At about six weeks old he would wake up once to eat but sleep more or less from 8:30pm to 6:30am. At about 10 weeks he just slept through the night. Even when he wakes up earlier than that, we can just feed him and dump him in the swing and he’s good until 6:30 or 7:00 in the morning. We swaddled and scheduled from day one, but I suspect we just got lucky.

    8. The DerpRider

      We have Irish twins. It sucked for about two years, but they’re nine and 10 now and it’s great.

      1. I see a lot of upside. There’s no logic to her position, just feeling that she’d rather not be pregnant until 2015.

  34. Rufus J. Firefly

    Yeah, that’ll learn ’em.

    Meh. I never considered Russia a legit G8 country anyway.

    http://blog.heritage.org/2014/…..t-theater/

    1. Juice

      If Italy’s in there, Russia can be too.

  35. Blogger Unwittingly Becomes Diet Poster Girl. Now She’s Fighting Back

    When fat-pride blogger Rachele Cateyes posted an online photo of herself in a bright blue two-piece swimsuit last summer, it signified a major moment of empowerment. “Wearing a bikini as a fat woman is an act of rebellion,” she’d written on her Fat Babe Designs blog. “I felt glorious and glamorous all at the same time.”

    1. waffles

      That’s vicious. I’m on fatty’s side on this one. There is definitely a poetry to this story.

    2. Apple

      Her name is Cat Eyes?

      Also, you post a pic on Facebook, you run the risk of being someone’s before pic, sorry.

  36. Pompey

    The Obama administration is expected to endorse a plan that would reduce the average sentence fora federal drug defendantby almost a year.

    Another meaningless half-gesture from President Empty Suit.

    1. Bo Cara Esq.

      THIS

      If only there were a power our government grants to the Executive where he could easily and immediately shorten any sentences he thought unfair…

      Nah, let’s ‘endorse’ a plan and send it to committee instead!

      1. robc

        This.

        Also 1 year reduction seems pretty minimal.

        1. UnCivilServant

          Insteada 20 I got 19!

        2. Bo Cara Esq.

          Obama goes on and on about all the things he would like to do but Congress is blocking him, how he wants to find ways to exercise the powers granted to him to directly address his concerns.

          Meanwhile at the same time that he opines and publicly laments what the drug war has done to black American males he has granted record low numbers of pardons and clemency. It is truly upsetting.

  37. Rich

    OK, you nerds. Sick and tired of all the crap? Don’t just smash your monitor —

    CRASH SOME GALAXIES!

  38. -Umbriel-

    So the WSJ is reporting that Malaysian Airlines flight 370 was airborne for 4 hours after contact was lost. How do they know? The engines were relaying data to the manufacturer throughout the flight.

    (link to Reuters report)
    http://news.yahoo.com/u-invest…..ector.html

    1. Mike M.

      It’s probably sitting on a runway somewhere near Tehran waiting for the first nuclear bomb to be loaded on board.

      “Hey Tel Aviv, say hello to our little friend.”

      1. Don Mynack

        Heard some speculation that the plane may have landed at Malikussaleh Airport in Indonesia. I would think it would be fairly hard to hide there from satellites, but who knows.

        Does anyone know why it should ever be possible to turn off a transponder on a commercial civilian aircraft?

        1. kinnath

          Boxes fail. There has to be a way to kill power to any piece of equipment installed on the aircraft. Only the flight crew have access to the circuit breakers to kill the transponders.

        2. Mike M.

          If in fact the aircraft is in the hands of the bloodthirsty Islamic maniacs somewhere, they’ve had more than enough time at this point to alter it’s outer markings and appearance. There’s almost no chance that a satellite is going to be able to identify it now.

          I really hope that the thing is at the bottom of the ocean instead.

        3. Someone on the news this morning said they need to be able to turn it off on the ground. Interferes with other systems while on the ground.

  39. Auric Demonocles

    Last night was a pretty great night to be a Boston sports fan. Revis, Bruins beat Montreal, and the Celtics lost! Plus, personally, I set up dates with 3 separate girls.

    1. robc

      Plus, personally, I set up dates with 3 separate girls.

      Same night? Because that would be impressive.

      And if sitcoms have taught me anything, you can probably schedule them at the same time.

      1. UnCivilServant

        Doesn’t that usually go badly for the triple timer?

        1. robc

          Nah, it all works out by the end of the episode.

      2. I went stag to my senior prom and ended up with three girls in my prom photo. 🙂

      3. SugarFree

        As long as the restaurants all connect through the same kitchen, I don’t see a problem.

        1. why it’s a hilarious romantic comedy!

        2. Auric Demonocles

          I know a couple places around that have 2 bars sharing a kitchen, but none that have 3. I’ll have to research some more.

      4. Auric Demonocles

        I was planning on tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday, but I suppose I could try to reschedule…

    2. hamilton

      I loved the sports trifecta. And I am now beginning to believe you’re sockpuppeting for Virginian, mister Alpha.

      1. Auric Demonocles

        I actually can’t associate any particular qualities with Virginian. From context, I’m going to assume he’s the one who supports that PU”A” douchy crap?

        1. oh yeah I forgot about that. Didn’t Virginian brag about slapping a girl in the face once?

          1. Auric Demonocles

            If so, he’s even more of a prick (oh no, I’m being gender biased or something!) than the usual pick up jackass.

            1. He definitely did. He said it was a “Gibbs slap”, whatever the hell that means.

              1. Carl the Jarl

                A slap to the back of the head, a la Gibbs of NCIS.

    3. I guess you need to change your name to Playa Demonocles.

    4. Wait until you find that the three girls are in cahoots with each other and show up together.

      1. UnCivilServant

        That depends, are they angry?

      2. invisible furry hand

        I’m betting it’s one girl with three personalities, who’ll all turn up and give each other a beatdown for messing with their man

    5. Bo Cara Esq.

      Why would the Celtics losing be cause for a good night for a Boston sports fan?

      1. hamilton

        Draft status.

        1. hamilton

          (Which is why the NBA sucks).

          1. robc

            As opposed to every other sport with a draft?

            At least the NBA lottery system makes tanking for #1 unguaranteed.

            1. I’m hoping the Knicks win the lottery, since their #1 this year is going to Denver.

              Anything that screws the folks at MSG is good.

            2. Auric Demonocles

              But other sports don’t rely as much one 1 individual player as basketball.

            3. hamilton

              Tanking in the NFL is mostly impossible except for very slight jockeying between #1, #2, and #3 (the Suck for Luck campaign comes to mind). This is because of the small number of games and the low likelihood that one player can turn your team around. And that as long as you make the playoffs the nature of the game/playoff scheme is such that you have a reasonably decent chance of winning the championship.

              Tanking in baseball is useless because the draft outcomes are so random.

              Tanking in hockey is useless because even the best draftees take a few years to come into their own, for the most part.

              Basketball is so sensitive to one player driving the entire team – for a decade or more – that unless you think you’re in the top 4 your best strategy is to be in the bottom 4, imho.

              1. KDN

                Tanking in hockey is useless because even the best draftees take a few years to come into their own, for the most part.

                We missed the epic tankfest that Crosby would have inspired because of the lockout, but we’ll see it in spades next year.

          2. ONE of the reasons. The main one is the never ending stream of time-outs each team gets. Watching the last two minutes of a close NBA game is excruciating.

        2. robc

          You would think that Bo Knows Sports might be a thing, but I guess not.

          Maybe he should participate in random sports subthreads instead of whining about them.

          1. Bo Cara Esq.

            robc, not every fan wants to see their team lose to get a better draft status (though I acknowledge it is not uncommon).

            1. robc

              I dont want it for my teams either, but I understand it.

              Of course, the only American pro sport I really care about is baseball, and draft position matters less there than elsewhere.

              No one tanks to move up from a 30% chance of getting a MLBer to a 35% chance (numbers made up, but you get the idea).

              1. Bo Cara Esq.

                “I dont want it for my teams either”

                Same here, so do not assume ignorance when I wonder why someone else would.

                If draft picks alone could turn a team around the Cleveland Cavaliers would be coming off their Threepeat.

                1. RBS

                  If draft picks alone could turn a team around

                  The 91-93 Bulls would like a word.

                2. robc

                  do not assume ignorance when I wonder why someone else would.

                  Isnt that the exact definition of ignorance? When you dont know something, you are ignorant about it.

                  And even though I dont wish it, if I see some fan of team X happy that team X loses, I understand why he feels that way, even if he is clearly wrong.

                  1. Auric Demonocles

                    I want the team to win championships. Why is wanting the route most likely to achieve that wrong?

                    1. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Its a bit too utilitarian for my tastes, plus I do not think it is the most likely route. Look at the New England Patriots, they are the closest thing we have recently in the NFL as a dynasty, repeatedly making the playoffs year in and year out with poor draft positioning nearly every one of those years. Or look at the flip side, the Cleveland Cavaliers, usually in good draft position, usually terrible.

                    2. Auric Demonocles

                      We aren’t talking about tanking in football, and we aren’t talking about having a team who is already good and has their star player tanking, and we’re assuming that you’re not going to end up getting an arguable G.O.A.T. in the 6th round (which doesn’t even exist in basketball) so you should really avoid trying to use the Patriots as an argument.

                    3. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Stick with the NBA then. Look at the Heat, or the Rockets today. Having a top draft spot is not as important as wise trades and free agency.

                    4. Auric Demonocles

                      You mean the Heat, who have Dwayne Wade because they had a top-5 pick, and have LeBron James and Chris Bosh (both also top-5 picks) because they had Wade? Or the Rockets, who have 2 top-3 picks leading them?

                    5. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Yes, the Heat, who did not get James or Bosh in the draft, and the Rockets, who did not get their ‘top picks’ that way either. You prove my point: the Cavs got James and the Raptors got Bosh. Boy, that saved those teams!

                    6. Auric Demonocles

                      Yes, I’m sure the Cavs would hate to get back to the Finals. And the Heat started building the current team with the draft pick. If they didn’t have Wade they wouldn’t have James and Bosh (or the championship he got them by himself).

                    7. Auric Demonocles

                      The Raptors failing to capitalize doesn’t disprove my point at all, since I never claimed that getting a high draft pick guarantees you success.

                  2. Bo Cara Esq.

                    Wondering why someone would take a position you think is incorrect is not being ignorant of it.

                    1. Auric Demonocles

                      If you don’t know why they would (even if you don’t agree with it), then yes, you are ignorant.

                    2. Bo Cara Esq.

                      My point is that when someone says “Why would you want or think X” they can mean “X clearly is wrong, why would you want that” rather than “I have no idea why you would want X, can you inform me?”

                    3. Rhetorically speaking it is common to “wonder aloud” about someone’s motivations when you know what they are already.

                    4. robc

                      Apparently Bo has learned the law school lesson to never ask a question that you dont know the answer to.

                      Like his writing style, he think it applies outside the courtroom.

                    5. It took me a while to realize that you really have to separate those two facets of your life or you’re not going to have a very good time.

                    6. robc

                      Ive seen this other places. 2Ls seem to be the worst, law school is all consuming or something.

                      The 40+ year old lawyers on here dont write the same way as law students or new lawyers.

                      Because they have learned that lesson.

                    7. Bo Cara Esq.

                      robc, I guess you were not here the day I explained my writing style a bit. I was homeschooled and my parents are members of a very old school religion (and my mother foreign born), they use a lot of phrasing that is a bit antiquated and overly formal, so my writing and even speaking style have been said by friends to be ‘stiff.’

                      I am sure law school does not help, but legal writing is ‘freshening up’ a bit lately, see Kagan’s or Robert’s writing style for example.

                    8. robc

                      Maybe you write like a law student anyway, but I had you pegged as one before you ever said it.

                      There is another (non-political) site that I used to post at a lot that has a number of lawyers. You can separate the long timers from the law students by writing style.

                      For example, I would never have known that Pro Lib was a lawyer from his writing style. Or John. But it was obvious with you. The first time you used “supra” I had you pegged.

                      I probably write like an engineer, so its a two way street.

                    9. Bo Cara Esq.

                      I will agree with you on this: I would not peg John as a lawyer either 😉

                    10. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Meh, I have plenty of good times, you must be doing something wrong.

                    11. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Really, Neoliberal? So, for example, you would never say “why would you want that” if someone said something you thought was easily wrong, though common?

                    12. I try not to, because that’s just creating a drag on the debate. You’re circling back instead of moving forward.

                    13. Bo Cara Esq.

                      I will try to follow your shining example, if I can avoid being blinded by your righteousness.

                    14. Chump don’t want da help chump don’t get da help.

                    15. You really a 2L Bo? Where?

                    16. I’ve got a son who’s a 2L at Indiana.

                    17. Wait. You’re not my son, are you?

                    18. oh god please let it be so.

                    19. Join me, Bo, and together we can rule the galaxy!

                    20. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Dad?

        3. Bo Cara Esq.

          OK, I see.

      2. Lottery pick – the luck of the Irish.

      3. Extra tickets in the draft lottery? I don’t know, I pay zero attention to pro basketball.

        1. Wow. Refresh fail. Ted is going to be pissed.

    6. Kaptious Kristen

      But BU lost HARD to my Iggles! Suck it!

      1. Auric Demonocles

        Why do I care about BU?

  40. Florida loss exposes Democrats’ disarray on Obamacare

    Republican lobbyist David Jolly’s victory over Democrat Alex Sink has many Democrats privately worried and publicly split about how to talk about Obamacare.

    A few Democrats are advocating a drastic rhetorical shift to the left, by criticizing their own party for not going far enough when it passed the law in 2010.

    Other Democrats plan to sharply criticize the Affordable Care Act when running for re-election.

    Many plan to stick to the simple message that Obamacare is flawed and needs to be fixed ?a tactic that plainly didn’t work for Sink.

    1. waffles

      If a (D) runs against Obamacare and wins are they then obligated to do something to repeal, replace, or generally unfuck us?

      1. Drake

        Because politicians never break promises.

    2. Other Democrats plan to sharply criticize the Affordable Care Act when running for re-election.

      Until they’re asked the obvious question: Why did you vote for it, or why didn’t you at least vote to repeal it with your Republicans colleagues when you had the chance?

      “Law of the Land, bitches!” – famous last words.

    3. How is it that “lobbyist” is such a pejorative, but “career politician” isn’t? Seriously, what’s the difference?

      1. I noticed that little dig too…

      2. UnCivilServant

        I see the distinction as one of patina, not quality. For example, an Amoeba and a Protozoa are both single-celled organisms, and are less pejorative than “career politician” or “lobbist” when used to describe a multicellular lifeform.

      3. Dances-with-Trolls

        Proximity to the taxpayers’ rectums.

    4. related:

      Mickey Kaus: Show Us Your Fixes!

      Aren’t there lots of potential fixes that might make the (admittedly flawed) Obamacare design work much better? Did Dems lard on too many required benefits (like drug and mental health treament, and pediatric dentistry)? Well, pare them back! Obamacare supporter Harold Pollack has already suggested as much. That would presumably reduce the cost of the plans, making them more affordable to now-reluctant stickershocked purchasers ? and lowering the cost of subsidies. Use some of the subsidy money to smooth out and extend the subsidies’ reach into the middle class ? right now they cut off brutally sharply at 400% of the poverty line, punishing anyone who gets a raise or works harder with an actual decrease in net income.

      I’d argue that everyone in the system, even the affluent, should be subsidized to some extent ? as opposed to the shut-up-and-take-it approach of backers like Jonathan Gruber, who argue that middle class “genetic lottery winners” who happen to be healthy (and stuck in the individual insurance market) should just accept the penalty of being lumped in with everyone else.

  41. Obamacare is definitely NOT as cheap as your cellphone bill

    Altogether that makes the average monthly cost of healthcare for young people under the Affordable Care Act a little more than twice as expensive than the average cellphone bill.

    The only instance in which the president’s math is slightly more correct is in terms of the lowest tier bronze plan, which covers 60 percent of all annual healthcare expenses included in the plan. The cheapest bronze plan on the D.C. health insurance exchange has a $124.05 monthly premium ? still almost 70 percent more-expensive than the average wireless service bill.

    1. Drake

      I hope the average civilian is getting pissed off at government assholes telling them how to prioritize their personal expenses. Particularly after they lied about the thing for a couple of years.

    2. Juice

      Dude. It’s like 3-4 times a fucking paltry cell phone bill.

  42. The Late P Brooks

    Every dollar the Koch’s spend on the arts is a dollar of funding that doesnt have to come from the Feds.

    But if the money isn’t taken by force, the contributors will have an expectation of qualitative input in the programs they fund.

    NOT FAIR.

    1. Bo Cara Esq.

      I could care less about ‘fair,’ but it is reasonable for someone to be concerned about big donors influencing an organization to the point where its mission is threatened. I know I objected when the Kochs tried to turn Cato into a wing of the RNC (I imagine that did not bother you much though Brooks).

      1. P Brooks, valiant defender of the RNC.

        1. Bo Cara Esq.

          You see it too, Snarks? Of course its easier for you, sharing the view and all.

          1. You’re so cute when you try and get all ad hommy and stuff.

            1. Bo Cara Esq.

              Ad hommy? I would be surprised that you think calling someone a Republican would be an insult.

              1. I’m surprised you consider yourself an expert on my politics. Actually, I’m surprised you consider yourself an expert on anything.

                1. RBS

                  He’s definitely an expert on acting like a 2L.

                  1. Bo Cara Esq.

                    “He’s definitely an expert on acting like a 2L”

                    Tarnation, those fancy law talkin’ rascals!

                    1. RBS is an attorney, whippersnapper. And so am I. And yeah, “talking like a 2L” is code for “obnoxious”

                    2. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Respect your elders!

                    3. Respect your elders!

                      Especially when you get repeatedly pwned.

                    4. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Whatever makes you feel better about yourself and your beliefs Snark.

                    5. Whatever makes you feel better about yourself and your beliefs Snark.

                      I’ll admit I find you making a running retreat with your tail between your legs amusing.

                    6. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Snark, there has to be a contest for one to retreat…

                    7. Snark, there has to be a contest for one to retreat…

                      Keep running little Bo. Never admit defeat, never, little Internet warrior.

                    8. How about, “try listening when 10 people tell you’re being annoying because maybe that’s a clue you’re being annoying”

                      Bo, in divorce law there is a saying: after three or four marriages, maybe the problem is *you*.

                    9. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Look, Neoliberal, how sad would it be for someone to think they have to change to ‘fit in’ to a political internet community? Maybe as sad as someone trying to ‘help’ that other person do so.

                      If, in the ‘real world’, I found myself short of friends or what not you would have a point. But internet communities, especially political ones, tend to be insular places with pretty petty team-oriented cliques. Being ‘unpopular’ with a subset of posters on one is nothing to worry about, in fact wanting to be would be.

                    10. oh so you’re doing it because we all need to be shaken up a bit by your wisdom? Jesus Christ you are a mini-Tulpa. You can just call us the Axis of Glib and get it over with, you mendacious twerp.

                    11. Bo Cara Esq.

                      Goodness, your projection. When I refuse your charitable wise advice it is me that is self-important.

                    12. Bo Cara Esq.

                      “You can just call us ”

                      And look, did I hurt your actual feelings by insulting a group you consider yourself to be a member of? Your ‘internet community?’ Holy smokes, that is sad. I am thinking it was not your law talking that was getting in your way of having a good time…

                    13. believe whatever you want, Bo. you’re fucking annoying and I regret ever engaging you on anything.

                    14. Bo Cara Esq.

                      But, how will I live without your mighty wing to protect me and your sage advice to guide me?

                    15. But, how will I live without your mighty wing to protect me and your sage advice to guide me?

                      When you gloat in sarcasm you show how truly clever you are. That was hilarious!

                2. Bo Cara Esq.

                  Not an expert, also not blind.

                  1. In the land of the blind Republicans, the one-eyed Bo is king.

        2. Auric Demonocles

          Threading is just a scheme of the DNC.

      2. And yet, if you think federally subsized student loans leading to the government trying to get rid of due process in sexual assault cases at private universities is a bad thing, you’re considered unreasonable.

      3. Dances-with-Trolls

        concerned about big donors influencing an organization to the point where its mission is threatened

        So I guess saying “no” is just not an option, eh?

        1. Bo Cara Esq.

          Well, that is what libertarians like myself urged Cato to do in that situation if need be.

          1. Dances-with-Trolls

            Where a libertarian like me would have them take the money and just continue doing what they were doing in the first place.

            1. Bo Cara Esq.

              It is a bit more complicated than that when the donor is on the board.

              1. Auric Demonocles

                If that’s the case their donation doesn’t really matter anyway.

                1. Bo Cara Esq.

                  How do you think they got on the board?

                  1. Auric Demonocles

                    Then we’re back to following Dances-With-Trolls.

  43. President Obama is expected to use his executive authority to update regulations on overtime pay. Currently, employers are not required to pay managerial workers overtime pay if they earn at least $455 a week.

    It’s only fair that we’re paid a fair wage. It’s all or nothing! Either we get the pay, or we’re permanently unemployed, but we should never relent in our fight against the Law of Supply!

  44. Immigration Doesn’t Have the Votes Yet, Ryan Says

    House Budget Chairman Paul D. Ryan told his local newspaper that Republican leaders do not have the votes yet to pass a rewrite of the nation’s immigration system.

    “We don’t have the votes right now,” the Wisconsin Republican told his local newspaper, the Janesville Gazette, in an interview Monday. “Right now, we’re working hard to find where that consensus lies.” Ryan said both the right and left are holding up an overhaul.

    A poll of House Republican offices by CQ Roll Call found that just 18 members, including Ryan, publicly support the immigration principles Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio released in January.

  45. I was hoping Rich Peverley was going to be allowed to do some crazy hockey-tough level thing like return to the ice a week after (literally) dying on the bench last Friday, but it appears that will not be the case. He’s done for the season and will need heart surgery.

    1. Yeah, I was actually expecting this outcome. Heart conditions and high impact sports like hockey don’t mix.

      1. Sometimes there’s a problem in low-impact sports, too.

    2. Rufus J. Firefly

      He may have heart, but hockey is no match for THE heart.

    3. Auric Demonocles

      I heard that the first thing he said when he woke up was “How much time is left in the period?”

  46. The Late P Brooks

    I foresee a bright future for you in the field of legal representation for by the mentally challenged, Bo Peep.

    1. Oh, his style will really endear him with the judiciary (assuming he passes the bar and actually finds his way into litigation). I suppose a name change, hair dye and moving to a new jurisdiction will always be available as an option.

      1. Bo Cara Esq.

        Litigation? Why do you hate me so much. I hope to be in house counsel, entirely owned by some big, nameless corporation.

  47. What Was the Point of ObamaCare?

    ObamaCare has failed to attract those who lack health insurance, seemingly because they have decided that the premiums are too high for the bare-bones coverage the exchanges offer. In other words, the Affordable Care Act has failed to offer affordable care. Instead, most of ObamaCare’s sign-ups are merely migrating over from an existing health-insurance plan?in many cases involuntarily, after their plans were canceled for failing to comply with new ObamaCare regulations.

    So what, then, was the point of ObamaCare?

    1. One of the key architects of the law, Ezekiel Emanuel, has been starting to dish the inside scoop on how ObamaCare was put together, because he has a book to flog. Usually, this sort of thing is supposed to happen only years after the law takes effect, but that might be “never,” given the administration’s habit of deferring the law’s key provisions year after year. So the insiders’ books are going to come out first, and they’re going to start saying some unexpectedly honest things about the law’s purpose.

      Emanuel gives us one big answer to our question. What was the point of ObamaCare, if not to insure the uninsured? To destroy the insurance companies.

      …snip…

      It’s the same pattern: vilify the insurance industry, crush it with new regulations, and then expect it to somehow make the new system work?with the threat that if it doesn’t, they will take the blame, not the bureaucrats.

      So that’s the goal of ObamaCare: to allow bureaucrats like Emanuel to redesign the health care system in a way that flatters their pretensions of being super-geniuses who know what’s best for the rest of us?while shifting responsibility onto others for the actual results.

      1. So that’s the goal of ObamaCare: to allow bureaucrats like Emanuel to redesign the health care system in a way that flatters their pretensions of being super-geniuses who know what’s best for the rest of us?while shifting responsibility onto others for the actual results.

        The problem for them is that the roll-out was such a disaster, the huge thing just blowing in their faces, that now it will be exceedingly difficult to convince the population that the debacle was somehow the fault of the insurance companies. People now know that the law itself is seriously flawed and that it was sold to them under totally false assurances.

        Emanuel has tried to shift the blame to insurance companies many times, be it in the many times he was on Megyn Kelly’s show or the Sunday morning news shows, but the problem for him is that there’s very little credibility left in the Dems side to draw from. It’s like trying to blame the cat for the broken vase when there’s a nanny-cam video of you doing it.

        1. Dances-with-Trolls

          Never underestimate the healing power of doublethink come election time.

    2. robc

      When we get to make lots of choices, you see, it’s more expensive.

      Ummm…huh?

    3. Auric Demonocles

      The point of Obamacare was to use competition to improve healthcare offerings… by mandating exactly what offerings were acceptable and where they could be sold.

  48. Kaptious Kristen

    My alma mater is in on the March Madness, y’all!

    Go Iggles!

    1. RBS

      So is mine. Third time in 5 years, pretty impressive for one of the smaller D-1 schools.

    2. UnCivilServant

      I was confused for a second, because around here “March Madness” is the time when the agencies realize that the fiscal year is about to end, and if they haven’t spent their budgets, they’ll be cut, so a lot of insane purchases can be slipped through.

    3. Auric Demonocles

      Mine choked pretty hard in the conference playoffs. 15-1 in the conference, and they didn’t even make it to the conference finals. Not that they would have gone very far in MM, but they still should have been able to make it in and try to steal another first round win.

  49. The Late P Brooks

    How is it that “lobbyist” is such a pejorative, but “career politician” isn’t? Seriously, what’s the difference?

    Lobbyists are evil profiteering capitalist stooges. Career politicians are noble selfless ascetics, sacrificing their lives to the betterment of humanity.

    1. DontShootMe

      The next politician I see sacrificing their life will be the first.

      1. Roger the Shrubber

        Bud Dwyer

  50. Iowans would prefer a president Hillary over a GOP president

    Forty-eight percent of Iowan voters support Clinton compared to 35 percent for Christie, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.

    The former secretary of state also leads Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul 49 percent to 39 percent, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz 51 percent to 35 percent and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush 51 percent to 37 percent.

    Over half ? 55 percent ? of Iowa voters say Clinton would make a good president, making her the only listed candidate to receive a positive score.

    Iowans aren’t feeling as warmly toward the current president. President Barack Obama has an approval rating of 39 percent, Quinnipiac found.

    Is it really her popularity or just evidence of some very serious buyer’s remorse?

    1. robc

      Looks like Paul is the strongest opponent.

    2. Time to strip their corn and soybean subsidies and let that state die in the field.

  51. The Late P Brooks

    So that’s the goal of ObamaCare: to allow bureaucrats like Emanuel to redesign the health care system in a way that flatters their pretensions of being super-geniuses who know what’s best for the rest of us?while shifting responsibility onto others for the actual results.

    Vast, centralized monolithic health care bureaucracies give Zeke a boner.

  52. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Houston’s embarrassing daughter, thinks Constitution is 400 years old

    Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D., Texas) declared the U.S. Constitution to be 400 years old Wednesday on the House floor, which would mean it was signed in 1614.

    “Maybe I should offer a good thanks to the distinguished members of the majority, the Republicans, my chairman and others, for giving us an opportunity to have a deliberative constitutional discussion that reinforces the sanctity of this nation and how well it is that we have lasted some 400 years, operating under a constitution that clearly defines what is constitutional and what is not,” she said.

    That would be seven years after Jamestown, Virginia became America’s first permanent English settlement.

    Lee is off by only 173 years. It was adopted on Sep. 17, 1787.

    1. robc

      Bo is going to have a tough time topping that.

      1. Dances-with-Trolls

        SJL would win the stupid award in a blow-out. I thought this was a outright fucking evil competition?

        1. robc

          He said “worst”.

          I would go with the product of evil and stupid.

          1. Dances-with-Trolls

            Hoyer?

            1. Durbin.

          2. Loki

            I would go with the product of evil and stupid.

            Schumer.

            SJL is so stupid she doesn’t even under the concept of evil. She just acts purely on instinct and feelz.

            1. Dances-with-Trolls

              All good answers, this is really tough.

  53. The Late P Brooks

    If in fact the aircraft is in the hands of the bloodthirsty Islamic maniacs somewhere, they’ve had more than enough time at this point to alter it’s outer markings and appearance. There’s almost no chance that a satellite is going to be able to identify it now.

    I really hope that the thing is at the bottom of the ocean instead.

    You are a sick, sick little doggie.

    1. invisible furry hand

      Bug or feature?

    2. Mike M.

      How so?

  54. Loki

    Heard about this one on the radio: Man arrested for stealing from a construction site while wearing a cookie monster onsie.

    I wonder how long he’ll last in jail wearing that?

    1. Notorious G.K.C.

      Steal some “rebar pipes and hurricane fencing” and get your name and picture in the paper.

      Shoot a schoolgirl with a taser and you get to maintain your anonymity.

  55. 110 Lean

    Currently, employers are not required to pay managerial workers overtime pay if they earn at least $455 a week.

    How can anyone live on that?

  56. Flemur

    The federal prison population would fall by about 6,550 inmates over five years, the department said.

    That’s an impressive 3%, in only five years!

    http://www.bop.gov/about/stati…..istics.jsp

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