Rand Paul Sets Up Nationwide Network for 2016, Law Firm Say Christie Wasn't Involved in Bridge Scandal, IMF To Give Ukraine $14-18 Billion: P.M. Links

• 

  Gage Skidmore CC BY

  Rand Paul's campaign organization has assembled 200 people across all 50 states, making him the first potential presidential candidate for 2016 to establish a nationwide network in preparation for the election.

• A law firm that Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) hired to investigate New Jersey bridge closure scandal concluded that the governor was not involved.
• The International Monetary Fund announced that it intends to give Ukraine $14–18 billion. Part of that package will come from the U.S.
• The IRS says it will take years to respond to all of Congress's requests regarding the targeting of Tea Party groups.
• Citigroup shares fell 5 percent after the bank failed a Federal Reserve stress test, an indicator of Citigroup's (in)ability to withstand serious economic downturn.
• If you live in New York City and don't like juggling your groceries, you better start hoarding plastic grocery bags. The city council just introduced a bill that would impose a 10-cent fee on each bag.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

A law firm that Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) hired to investigate New Jersey bridge closure scandal concluded that the governor was not involved.

They don't want to lose their parking spaces.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Let me re-write that headline:

"Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) pays law firm to say he was not involved in New Jersey bridge closure scandal"

[Tonio]

Tsk, tsk. So cynical...

[Injun, as in from India]

Let me fix it further:
"Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) sends other people!s money to his friends' law firm to say he was not involved in New Jersey bridge closure scandal"

[Libertymike]

"Gov. Chris Christie (R-Papa Ginos)hires thugs to confiscate money of productive mundanes in order to pay law firm to whitewash his criminal behavior in bridge closure."

[prolefeed]

Now you're closing in on how I viewed it.

Take the words "government" and "taxes" and replace them with "mafia" and "theft", and most politics will snap into sharp focus.

[Vulgar Madman]

I think that comparison is unfair. To the mafia.

[paranoid android]

Are you suggesting a lawyer would tell a lie just because it was favorable to the person that was paying him to do so? Ridiculous.

[Restoras]

Srsly. Just what kind of people do you think lawyers are?

[Corning]

Why isn't the whole world laughing at the fact that it is a law firm.

What the hell do they know about investigating a bridge closure?

What did they look up the answer in common law divorce court decisions? In the zoning regulations? Perhaps they handed it off to their CPA and he discovered Christie's innocence in the states tax code.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

uh, who do you think does most investigating exactly? What do you think investigating entails?

[robc]

Detectives?

Ive seen Law and Order...the lawyers dont get involved until the investigation is over.

[Corning]

Detectives and Auditors and interns and Linux gurus with database management degrees.

Depending on what exactly you are investigating.

[robc]

"database management degrees"

Yeah, we use to do some of that. The guy that did the specific investigating didnt have ANY degree.

Just being a Linux guru is enough.

[Kakistocrat]

Guys, I have a year of law school and I can say for sure that the lawyers don't do any investigating at all. They hire personable African-American private investigators like Conrad Masters or Tyler Hudson to do the snoop work. The lawyers just bring all this evidence together and dramatically solve the case in court.

[Libertymike]

Maverick sure represented the New South.

[Kakistocrat]

And Matlock was one hell of a fighter pilot!

[The Last American Hero]

The office hottie, if Good Wife accurate.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

So I mean do you just think it's silly when an Attorney General or the DOJ says its "investigating" because there a bunch of lawyers in those departments?

[robc]

Yes.

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

well, regardless of your specific feelings on the subject, lawyers do investigating all the time.

[Libertymike]

Not to brag, but I conducted a thorough investigation prior to filing a 144 page blockbuster lawsuit against a miniature Madoff and his associates from which the lazy asses at the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Securities Division generously borrowed in filing their own case against the miniature Madoff and several entities which he controlled.

At least one of the lawyers at the Sec. of State's Securities Division had the decency to compliment my work to my client.

[Corning]

concluded that the governor was not involved.

He was the god damn governor.

Even if his staff hid it from him he was involved in hiring and giving his staff the power to close the bridge.

[Auric Demonocles]

Nope! Incompetence and being out of the loop is a valid defense from scandals!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Harrumph! Harrumph!

[Restoras]

Hey! I didn't get a Harrumph outta that guy!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Give the governor harrumph.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

He found out about it when Snowden leaked it in the paper.

[Ted S.]

Christie, like Obama, didn't know about it until he read about it in the newspaper.

[jesse.in.mb]

Did you see the carefully crafted post I had for you in yesterday's PM Links?

I was a little hurt you didn't comment on it.

[Ted S.]

I didn't see it until about 9:00 last night, too late to comment about it.

I didn't mention you by name, but I did mention the comment on my blog. If I mention the blog by name, I'll probably get another comment from Mary. 🙁

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Dammit. You're taking the fun out of it!

[jesse.in.mb]

Appealing to my vanity to drive blog traffic. Well played, Ted S., well played.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Was it about his blog? He has a blog, you know.

[LynchPin1477]

Seriously. When did ignorance become a valid excuse for executives?

[Rich]

This. IIRC, "known or *should have known*" is a real thing.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

It is when little people are being prosecuted.

[hamilton]

With the XYZ Affair, maybe? (in the US that is; I presume executive ignorance is much, much older than that).

[Notorious G.K.C.]

His staff let him down by disobeying his specific instructions. He has backdated memos proving that he repeatedly told them, "whatever you do, no politically-motivated bridge closings, I mean it!" But as soon as he's out of the room, they did a politically-motivated bridge closing. I mean, he's as much a victim of his staff as anyone else.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

[Overt]

https://transparency.yahoo.com/

Today Yahoo released its newest transparency dashboard detailing demands for info from the government. Included in this new report is additional information from Jan 2013 - Jun 2013 (the government forces companies to withhold the extra detail for an additional 6 months).

[CE]

Is Yahoo's transparency dashboard as messed up as their new sports section?

[R C Dean]

Paid shills shill for paymaster.

Film at, well, this isn't really news, so no film.

[CE]

Unless we find out that Christie hired a law firm with ties to family members or major donors... then it's Bridge-gate-investigation-gate.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The IRS says it will take years to respond to all of Congress's requests regarding the targeting of Tea Party groups.

At least until after November 2016 anyway.

[Tonio]

Oh, I'm sure a contempt of Congress conviction and overnight in a holding cell could change that.

[110 Lean]

^^DO NOT FEED IT^^

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Tonio isn't Tony.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Or is he?

[110 Lean]

I have no idea why this landed here.

[Injun, as in from India]

How about some good ol' fashioned water boarding?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Now the IRS is just poking Congress (Issa) with a sharp stick.

[Corning]

And as we all know a fine upstanding Libertarian such as yourself thinks a bureaucrat should always thumb their noes at the elected officials in oversight committees.

Checks and balances are just too dang expensive.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Let them fight it out! No one likes either group.

I want to see a bloody brawl.

[Corning]

Brilliant.

So lets just give up on which branch has which constitutionally enumerated power and just give em bronze swords and hoplite shields cuz you find one group unpopular.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The city council just introduced a bill that would impose a 10-cent fee on each bag.

BAN IT.

[ace_m82]

The city council? Sound like sound advice.

[ace_m82]

*sounds

[Certified Public Asskicker]

What raises more money, a 10-cent fee per bag or a $10,000 fine for being caught with one?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

That's called "The Parking Meter Theory of Revenue".

[Certified Public Asskicker]

That reminds me, was this story ever posted:

Detroit loses money on parking enforcement.

The city is paying $32 to issue and process a $30 parking violation

[Rich]

Yep.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

So. They're inefficient and the solution is to raise the fines?

Idiots. Fine. Bring it to $40. It'll cost them $42 soon enough. If I understand the mentality of a bureaucrat, they're gonna see all this money and think it's profit and demand highers wages and better benefits.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

My city outsources, it it costs $5 per violation.

[R C Dean]

You can have both; a ten cent licensing fee per bag, AND a $10,000 fine for being caught with an unlicensed bag.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

My city did. They were the first city in CA to do it.

There was so much self congratulatory back-patting afterwards that the city council almost had to go to physical therapy.

[C. Anacreon]

At least the NYers can still have plastic bags if they pay for them. I'd be happy to give 10c per bag but here the damned things are banned completely. Oh for 10c you can get a paper bag, which will immediately disintegrate around anything that is cold or might have moisture.

For some reason, plastic bags are considered a scourge. I think they are wonderful. Not only can you carry multiple two-liter bottles of diet coke easily in one of them, but you can keep them at home afterwards, and re-use them for a million things, up to and including cleaning the cat's litter box.

But some asshole found one in a creek once, so these little miracles of shopping convenience cannot ever exist in most of California again.

I think Glad should sell them by the boxful, and set it up so you can buy a box right next to the checkout line. That isn't illegal (yet).

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

The city council here claimed that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch was the reason for "taking action".

I still have a couple hundred squirreled away under the kitchen sink. Great for throwing away dirty diapers.

[db]

Is.it legal to mail them into CA?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I can drive to another grocery store in the next city over and get them.

It is just a huge hassle.

[BakedPenguin]

I use them as trashbags. I'd have to buy the heavy plastic bags if they were stupid enough to ban the grocery store ones here.

Fortunately, I don't think that will happen here.

[CE]

Never underestimate peak stupid.

[Kakistocrat]

I use those wonderful plastic bags to pick up my Mastiff's rather sizable leavings (I often have to use two...yuk). If they ban them here I guess I won't bother. I live around a bunch of canvas loafer hipsters anyway. Ever seen what a mushy raccoon sized Mastiff terd does to a pair of subtle off-white canvas with green laces and trim?

[R C Dean]

Pix, Kak. Pls, pix.

[jesse.in.mb]

I think Glad should sell them by the boxful, and set it up so you can buy a box right next to the checkout line.

How long before Glad is lobbying for these laws everywhere?

[Rhywun]

Gosh, the huffpo article was refreshingly even-handed.

[Rhywun]

I especially like the part where "the poor" get free bags. Perhaps that's a sop to De Blasio - another way to shove it up the ass of the productive members of society. He's bound to sign the thing now.

[db]

That will turn into an unintentional "plague blanket" situation.

[CE]

As long as they don't buy cigarettes, or devices that look like cigarettes.

[Rich]

A law firm that Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) hired to investigate New Jersey bridge closure scandal concluded that the governor was not involved.

Now, for the *real* investigation by the FBI.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

The FBI is on a roll this week. I like it so far.

[Mad Scientist]

This is Fist's house!

[Fist of Etiquette]

I would have gotten a fourth off but someone came in to my office.

[Rich]

And you didn't yell "Go 'way, ...."?

[Fist of Etiquette]

I do that every time someone comes into my office, so it's lost its effect.

[Rich]

Do you accompany the yell with an appropriate, um, thumping?

[DEATFBIRSECIA]

"... I'm baitin!"

[Ted S.]

Screw them.

[hamilton]

That you manage all of this timely commenting while holding down an actual office-level job is a reason I hold you in reverence. We're in the middle of a product launch and I am nowhere close to being able to scan H&R that frequently except when my blood pressure requires moving away from work for sanity purposes.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I don't comment all that much; people only think I do because the see me in high profile spots like Links or live blogging threads. Plus, I WILL BE DAMNED IF I WILL LET WORK GET IN THE WAY OF TYPING ON THE INTERNET THE FIRST THING THAT COMES INTO MY HEAD.

[Sudden]

How exactly does reading any headline in reason help lower one's blood pressure?

[hamilton]

Relative to work at the moment, it's like being on a Caribbean cruise.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Your corner office at the Reason Foundation?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Save it for Walker's next conspiracy book.

[Sevo]

"The International Monetary Fund announced that it intends to give Ukraine $14?18 billion. Part of that package will come from the U.S."

So the entire kerfuffle has been a question of who got to hand over loot to the Ukrainians?
I'd have preferred the Russians do so.

[PD Scott]

You'd think the Ukrainians could try to work out a deal with Russia, let them buy Crimea in exchange for renouncing all claims, etc.

[Kakistocrat]

Shouldn't we wait to see if the Russians are gonna go ahead and roll into the rest of Ukraine before giving them any money? If they got annexed too, be kind of a waste, no?

[Shocked]

Duh.

[Brandon]

Wouldn't it be more useful to give them all of our suddenly-obsolete A-10's?

[The Late P Brooks]

BOLLOCKS

[PD Scott]

Today in 3D printing news: 22 year old Dutch woman has a new skull.
A 22-year-old woman from the Netherlands who suffers from a chronic bone disorder -- which has increased the thickness of her skull from 1.5cm to 5cm, causing reduced eyesight and severe headaches -- has had the top section of her skull removed and replaced with a 3D printed implant.

[paranoid android]

She should have done what Homer Simpson did when he got that same news, and gone into boxing.

[Tonio]

Nice.

But personally, I'd go for the titanium implant that also stops the mind-control rays. Hey, why are you guys looking at me?

[Corning]

2 things:

1. The titanium does not work

2. stop touching yourself at night.

[Sudden]

But morning and daytime are still kosher?

[Brett L]

Have you checked your braces?

[gimmeasammich]

Hmm... Do I make a Pete and Pete reference, or a Christmas Vacation reference...

[Jerry on the boat]

Hey, why are you guys looking at me?

Because your head is on fire!

[Rhywun]

Wow, skull-guns can't be far away then.

[C. Anacreon]

And skullfucking will become that much more prevalent.

[gimmeasammich]

+1 Dieter's dream

[Rufus J. Firefly]

What will they think of next!?

[jesse.in.mb]

So, I have this quirky/morbid fascination with having my own skull on my desk at work. Thanks to advances in technology I can live the dream!

Any estimates on when I can go get my noggin scanned and 3D printed for cheap?

[gimmeasammich]

Would this printed one be the replacement, or the mantle piece?

[jesse.in.mb]

If Jim has a boat and over the years he completely replaces every part of the boat and uses the original parts to build a new boat, which boat is the "original" boat?

Fake skull on the desk. I'm too lazy to have my entire cranium removed and replaced. If it were easy I'd wear the new skull and have the old skull facing where my appointments sit. I think they'd behave better.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Alas, poor Yorick...

[Notorious G.K.C.]

By the way, he was a jester, why didn't he publish a book of his jokes?

[Corning]

Danes in the 1100s?

Yeah pretty sure no one could read or write let alone the jester.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Then he should have cut a live album and run clips on YouTube. Duh!

[C. Anacreon]

I actually do have a clear polymer skull on my desk, with a removable rubbery brain (which is multi-colored and also separates by hemisphere and anatomy). It's great to pop the brain out to explain things to students and residents.

[R C Dean]

It's great to pop the brain out to explain things to students and residents.

I could use one of those in my office.

"You fuck with me, this is whats gonna happen. First, I'm gonna take the top right off your stupid fucking pinhead, like this . . . ."

[BigT]

If I had one I'd eat re-heated spaghetti out of it.

[Brett L]

Cheap? Next year. Now? Probably $500 plus the cost of a really good digital X-ray.

[db]

I have the same dream: that one day I will drink hearty ale.from.my.own skull. There's a 2hole-head MRI of me out there.somewhere in meducal.data land that I want to ge5 my hands on.so.ai.can.convert it to an IGS file.

[db]

Wow, there were a lot more typos.in that than.I thought.

[PD Scott]

Since it was clear plastic I was reminded of Brainchild.

I miss The Tick.

[Mad Scientist]

Spoooooon!

[Fist of Etiquette]

The International Monetary Fund announced that it intends to give Ukraine $14?18 billion. Part of that package will come from the U.S.

They should have given that to Putin instead. That's the only the diplomacy that works for the US.

[Paul.]

OT Question for the group: When did this big scarf trend start up... and for extra credit: why?

[PD Scott]

Not knowing what big scarf trend you're referring to, I'll say Tom Baker, fourth Doctor, 1974.

[Clich? Bandit]

+1 Lela

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

WTF are you talking about, i.e., when you say "big" -- the trend, or the scarves, and if the latter, in what dimension?

[Jordan]

What the hell are those things called again? Forever scarfs? Endless scarfs? You know, the ones that get caught in escalators and strangle people.

[gimmeasammich]

Infinity scarf?

[110 Lean]

Death Scarf?

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

Infinity scarves. They're not necessarily very large, they're just circles (or moebius strips). They've been pretty in for a few seasons, not that long. They're just a sign that whoever is wearing one doesn't know how to wear a real scarf.

[gimmeasammich]

They're just a sign that whoever is wearing one doesn't know how to wear a real scarf.

Don't let my wife hear you say that!

[Corning]

I saw a video on how awesome wool cloaks were.

Start a trend Nikki!!

Bring back cloaks!

[Corning]

Here is the video telling you how awesome cloaks are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN8cYd3poIk&

[db]

Nutter.

[db]

I would totally wear a cloak. I already wewr q kilt.on.occasion.

[paranoid android]

The question is not "can you pull off wearing a cloak?", it's "can you survive everyone assuming you're only doing it to look like a character on Game of Thrones?"

[Corning]

Game of Thrones?!?!

I am the Elf Princess Arwen of Riverdell you charlatan!!

[Brett L]

Soo.. I'll be making a nice linen one with good waterproofing for the beach. I am totally going to rock the cloak and shorts. Pics will follow.

[Paul.]

I'm seeing some fashion blogs talking about scarves "going big, or go home" going back to 2011.

I have my own theory... and I think it coincides with the rise of Al Jazeera as a popular news source in the west.

If you google Arab Scarf and click 'images' you'll see what I'm talking about. What I perceive to be something that the Arab world did either culturally or out of necessity/utility, got picked up by western women as a fashion trend.

It makes sense if you're riding in the back of the jeep, fighting the AfrikaKorps manning a machine gun, not so much if you're trying to educate the French about Kale.

[Ted S.]

You know, the ones that get caught in escalators and strangle people.

That's nothing new.

[SIV]

She had bad luck with automobiles:

Duncan bore two children, both out of wedlock ? the first, Deirdre (born September 24, 1906), by theatre designer Gordon Craig, and the second, Patrick (born May 1, 1910),[25] by Paris Singer, one of the many sons of sewing machine magnate Isaac Singer. Both children died in an accident on the Seine River on April 19, 1913. The children were in the car with their nurse, returning home after lunch with Isadora and Paris Singer. The driver stalled the car while attempting to avoid a collision with another car. He got out to hand-crank the engine, but forgot to set the parking brake. The car rolled across the Boulevard Bourdon, down the embankment and into the river. The children and the nanny drowned.

[Corning]

I miss the turn of the century. You could totally kill someone, even your own children, and simply make up some crazy story about it.

[Sudden]

I live in L.A. People don't use scarves except for maybe the three days a year that the temperature dips below 70.

[Homple]

Isadoras?

[Brett L]

I'm guessing late fall, but I live in FL, so any guy wearing a scarf is a douche 362 days out of the year. Women can get away with more.

[paranoid android]

The Harry Potter movies, maybe? I seem to recall everyone wearing huge scarves in those movies. Or maybe it's just because I knew a bunch of people who coincidentally bought huge scarves in Gryffindor colors or whatever, I'm not entirely sure.

And I don't think it's related to the trend of girls wearing giant belts that don't hold up anything, which was a fashion that confused the hell out of me until someone pointed out that it made their boobs look bigger, at which point I was totally on board with it.

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

Actually the wide belt is supposed to make your waist look smaller, though your boobs looking bigger would be a second-order effect of that.

[Ted S.]

Isn't that false advertising? 😉

[110 Lean]

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

[Corning]

Women find the porn in the VCR...

What the hell is a VCR?!?!

[Restoras]

I'd like to know when the trend started to basically create a noose around your neck with a scarf. It looks stupid.

[gimmeasammich]

POLAR VORTEX

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

Are you referring to a hacking knot (i.e., the way Sherlock Holmes wears his scarf in Sherlock)? That's not a trend, it's super old, and it's among the best ways to wear a scarf of that type if you actually want to stay warm.

[Restoras]

I googled it and yes that is what I am referring too. Too each his/her own, I guess, and everything old is new again.

[Surly Chef]

It's really the only appropriate knot for a man in pea/top/over-coat.

[CE]

Isn't that what a necktie is?

[Brett L]

I thought we went to cravats if the necktie was insufficiently warm.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

It's not a thing here. I'm out.

[Max Power]

My wife has been on the scarf thing for at least 4 or 5 years. I'm guessing that it's another colorful accessory that you can add to your look?

[The Late P Brooks]

A law firm that Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) hired to investigate New Jersey bridge closure scandal concluded that the governor was not involved.

Sounds legit.

[Clich? Bandit]

Stop trolling 4chan Brooks, it will rot your brain.

[CampingInYourPark]

Rand Paul's campaign organization has assembled 200 people across all 50 states, making him the first potential presidential candidate for 2016 to establish a nationwide network in preparation for the election.

First time in my life I will actually volunteer to help a candidate get elected. Now don't say anything STUPID, Rand

[Invisible Finger]

I think Bush and Obama have clearly demonstrated that saying stupid stuff ALL the time is the only way to win the Presidency.

[Injun, as in from India]

Sheldon Adelson is going to drown out Rand's chances with money. The bugger may even side with the Democrats if Rand wins the GOP nomination.

[Jordan]

Citigroup shares fell 5 percent after the bank failed a Federal Reserve stress test, an indicator of Citigroup's (in)ability to withstand serious economic downturn.

Any bank that can't even pass the Fed's creampuff test is a shambling corpse.

[Ted S.]

It's too big to fail.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Capital standards have been raised considerably since the 2008 Meltdown.

And they cleaned their books up.

So don't short them - this bull market is still a baby.

[General Butt Naked]

One of the financial-types here should start an H'nR Fund that only does the opposite of what shrike advises.

We'd probably have enough money for that island libertopia in a year or two.

[Restoras]

Honestly, if shreeky von shit for brains' P&L was actually anything worthwhile he wouldn't even bother to lurk around here, so you might be on to something.

[CampingInYourPark]

I'm waiting for my $500 an ounce gold, damnit

[Palin's Buttplug]

I said $700 and I am sticking with it.

Gold moves in 15-20 year cycles and the Fed is still easing. Wait till the Fed actually tightens 1/2 point.

Then a point. Then another.

$700.

[CE]

Fed tightening? What's that?

[Palin's Buttplug]

You're wrong.

But you remind me to point out the real idiots.

ZEROHEAD and Karl Denninger - the two Apocalyptic DOOM sites that said our economy was in a free-fall crash into Mad MAX territory and to buy gold and short all the financials and industrials.

And on the Prog side - Naked Capitalism - idiots! DOOM! because Obama would not nationalize the banks like Bush started!

DOOM! But we got RECORD PROFITS instead! Ha HA ha!

[Jordan]

And on the Monetarist clown side, you guys not only created the bubble, but failed to spot it, and were whistling past the graveyard even still in 2007.

[Palin's Buttplug]

There was a bubble but it was a market bubble and not a monetary bubble.

There was no QE during the tech bubble of 1998-2000 or the housing bubble of 2005-2007.

Low interest rates do not create a bubble alone.

[Jordan]

Low interest rates do not create a bubble alone.

Artificially low ones do.

[Palin's Buttplug]

The market sets interest rates - not the Fed.

The Fed sets a target Fed funds rate only.

[Jordan]

Sheesh, talk about dishonest.

[Sevo]

Palin's Buttplug|3.27.14 @ 5:16PM|#
"Low interest rates do not create a bubble alone."

Nice try, slimeball.
No, market-set low interest rates do not. Distortion cause by fiat low interest rates do.
Fuck off.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Surely you must be a multimillionaire by now. Are you?

[Palin's Buttplug]

No, I made millions but have managed to piss most of it away.

[CE]

High marginal tax rates help.

[Corning]

Bit coin already went up 1000% against Shrikes advice.

[Palin's Buttplug]

That is a lie. I have always been perplexed by Bitcoin and still am.

I said I wouldn't buy into a bubble back at $150 or so.

Bitcoin, like gold, has no intrinsic value.

I also tried to buy one/two Bitcoins with my Paypal account last month but they don't let us Paypal users do that.

[R C Dean]

Bitcoin, like gold, has no intrinsic value.

Bitcoin has exactly the same intrinsic value as any fiat currency, including the dollar. Which is to say, zero.

Gold actually has a residual intrinsic value. It has some industrial uses, and can be used for jewelry. That value is probably far below its current value, but its not zero.

In there nothing Putin's Sextoy can't get backwards?

[Corning]

I said I wouldn't buy into a bubble back at $150 or so.

It is $500 right now.

So against your advice it went up nearly 500%

If you want bitcoins go to coinbase. you have to give them checking account info. they are American and based in SanFran so it is safe.

It is not an exchange but more of a Buy and hold bitcoin online "wallet". Once you buy some you can sell it back at Coinbase or you can move the bitcoins around into your wallet on you PC or onto a real exchange like bitstamp or BTCe or even buy stuff with it.

My first purchase of bitcoin there was only $20. So you don't need to go huge to use the service. Fees are really really small.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Thx for the info. Seriously, Bitcoin is scary. But so was the market in 2008.

[Aresen]

"So don't short them - this bull market is still a baby."

I have done very well on my portfolio since 2008*, but I am getting very nervous because of all the people "getting in to make their bit" and saying things like "the market is gonna keep rising for years". That is the first sign you are into a bubble. I am considering moving out of equities now. J.P. Morgan once said "I've made a fortune selling too soon".

*Yeah. I bought a year before the bottom, so I suffered for a while. But I bought stocks on their fundamentals, not on what the chartists said.

[Restoras]

Citi has been a shambling corpse for at least 20 years. Each bailout it gets is just a helping of our brains courtesy of the Fed as middleman.

[CE]

Yeah, but it takes some doing to out-zombie B of A.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Harry Reid predicts Redskins name changes within three years.

Eh, but part of his remarks were this:

"Dan Snyder, he's got a great new deal," Reid said in a phone conversation. "He's going to throw a few blankets to the Indians and get a tax deduction for it. I can't imagine why the man doesn't realize that the name is going to change. It's only a question of when it's going to change. That's the only question."

[John]

It is good to see that Reid is concerned about the important problems facing America.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Native Americans as a whole have shitty lives in this country. But you know what's worse? The hurtful name of a football team.

[Restoras]

I find the existence of the Cleveland Browns hurtful. Somebody do something.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Harry Reid is probably offensive to bald people.

He should change his name.

[C. Anacreon]

I find the existence of the Cleveland Browns hurtful.

Do you work for UPS?

[Sudden]

Its not hurtful for the 13 teams they play each season. Not even remotely hurtful.

[CE]

The Browns are finally going to get a good first round draft pick. Too bad it's going to be in the movie.

[BigT]

The CLE Injuns are slowly abandoning Chief Wahoo - the hats have an ugly C on them. And the Indians were named to honor a former player, Chief Sockalexis, according to legend.

Really sad. Some tribe could be getting a royalty.

[Tonio]

Well, perhaps that name adds to their misery. No, I don't think that is a rational viewpoint but there's plenty of that going around.

[Rich]

The "Washington Reidskins"

[LynchPin1477]

You want them to be worse than they already are?

[gimmeasammich]

"Redskins" sounds like Indians, while "Reidskins" just sounds like what gets swept up after a mohel's long day.

[Sevo]

John|3.27.14 @ 4:36PM|#
"It is good to see that Reid is concerned about the important problems facing America."

John, if we can keep him distracted, it's all to the good.
Imagine if someone continually tipped over Pelosi's water pitcher; the world would be a better place.

[Apatheist ?_??]

throw a few blankets to the Indians

Is that a reference to what I think it is?

[Tonio]

I assume so. Will be interesting to see if he gets nailed on that.

And the only thing more delicious would be if the nailing was done by a certain other US Senator. YKWIM

[Sudden]

And the only thing more delicious would be if the nailing was done by a certain other US Senator.

Which one of the Jooz?*

*Of course I know you meant Fauxcahauntus, but I couldn't resist the nailing an jooz joke.

[jesse.in.mb]

You know who else couldn't resist Jooz?

[Soros' Wank-noose]

Torquemada?

[Brett L]

At least 2 of my uncles?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Yes, if you're thinking what I'm thinking.

Cough Cough Share Share.

[Jordan]

throw a few blankets to the Indians

You know who else gave blankets to the Indians?

[DEATFBIRSECIA]

Oregon State Hospital?

[CE]

Hitler?

[neoteny]

Abercrombie & Fitch?

[Emmerson Biggins]

I still think he should just change the mascot to a potato. That'd be a fun-to-see real life troll.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

I am all for that too.

[Invisible Finger]

I think they should change their name.

Virginia Redskins sounds much better. I find "Washington" to be the most offensive thing on the planet.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I'm offended with Reid sharing a homonym with Read.

[Ted S.]

If you live in New York City and don't like juggling your groceries, you better start hoarding plastic grocery bags. The city council just introduced a bill that would impose a 10-cent fee on each bag.

Wait until the rash of food-poisoning incidents from contaminated cloth bags!

[Banjos]

I still maintain that someone could make a fortune selling disposable plastic liners for cloth bags.

[John]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101530264

Rats begin to leave the good ship Obama. Rahm Emmanuel now says

he gave President Barack Obama a "contrary opinion" on the early stages of the Affordable Care Act, which debuted with a glitch-ridden website and troubled exchanges.

[gimmeasammich]

"The president, to his credit, he was not scared to have contrary opinions," Emanuel said. "He, constantly during tough moments in passing that bill, asked me for my opinion, unvarnished."

Wasn't scared? Or wasn't able to comprehend why anyone would question him, especially from his own home team?

[John]

Since he obviously never listened to or heeded any of those contrary opinions, what difference does it make?

[Restoras]

Well, at this point, none.

[Sudden]

ISWYDT

[gimmeasammich]

He basically said, "Cool story, bro" to Emanuel as he went about his business, ignoring him completely and going full retard as fast as possible.

[paranoid android]

"Rahm, is this law the most awesome achievement by a human being just for this century, or for all time? Tell me honestly."

[Rich]

"It's a big fucking retarded deal!"

[Brett L]

I assume this is when Rahm, understanding that a President who ignores his Chief of Staff is fucked, left.

[Invisible Finger]

If there is a more detestable piece of shit than Barack Obama, it is Rahm Emmanuel.

[John]

For sure. But Emmanuel knows which way the wind blows.

[Invisible Finger]

Emmanuel may have advised it was an economic disaster, but I'm sure he also advised that it was an electoral windfall.

[Brett L]

The IRS says it will take years to respond to all of Congress's requests regarding the targeting of Tea Party groups.

Were I the House Republicans, I would make it very clear that the Travel & Training budget will remain at $0 as long as any document requests are more than 90 days old.

[John]

The truth will come out Bret after it is too late to do anything about it. Then it will get a page 12 story in the NYT and every hack journalist will call it "old news".

[Brett L]

I'll bet you they could find those fucking documents when those IRS super-commuters at the top of the food chain who fly into Reagan from somewhere else every week have to come out of pocket. Sorry, bitches, no more first class in and out of DC, no more "training" retreats in Hawaii and Vegas. Auditors can drive or take a bus. We'll consider compensating in arrears after you put out.

[Restoras]

Not to mention that is just pure BS. It is so easy to scan emails for key words, not to mention documents. Defeund the mofos and see how fast those docs turn up.

[John]

I would zero the hell out of their travel budget. But the top people who are obstructing this wouldn't care. At best that would get some drone to leak the documents out of spite.

[Brett L]

Ooh, good idea. I would offer a 50% of annual pay bonus and immunity from retribution to whomever showed up with documents and a verifiable paper trail on them. Carrot and stick.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

That sounds like a lot of work for a fake scandal.

[CE]

What, and no more Star Trek videos?

[Rich]

John Koskinen ... told Congress that even complying with a subpoena for emails from just a handful of key employees couldn't be done before the end of this year because it takes time to have attorneys delete protected taxpayer information. Just to produce all of the emails from Ms. Lerner could end up going into next year, he said.

"Yeah, what Harry Reid said about knowing the Internet!"

I call bullshit.

[CampingInYourPark]

because it takes time to have attorneys delete protected taxpayer information

So, some flunky at the IRS and a few attorneys can see the information, but not anyone in the HOR?

[Rich]

Come on, CIYP. You know those congresscreatures are not disinterested parties like the attorneys.

[Homple]

They don't even care to pretend realistically, do they?

[Michael S. Langston]

PII information can be removed automatically and they likely know that...

Of course what they meant to say is "we need our lawyers to go over everything in order to find anything that might hurt their client, and delay enough time to come up with legal reasons for hiding said information in case it ever comes to light it existed in the first place. If we find anything that's really bad for the client, then we might even just delete it all and try to come up with a reason later.. say, space was too expensive. As an example, let's say our client was attempting to get the US to drastically change laws in their favor and others claimed there were wrong. In the investigation we found high levels of data manipulation happened in between the raw data and data used in a study - well, we'd just get rid of that and make up some excuse like it was costly to store. But that's just a hypothetical (*cough* global *cough* warming)."

[PD Scott]

Invasivores the next eating trend?
They call themselves "invasivores", controlling invasive species by eating them.

Hey, look, government making things worse:
"Though he created a media sensation, Parola admits he has never overcome the negative associations of the nutria's rat-like appearance. The other problem was political. The FDA simply does not allow animals hunted in the wild to be sold for human consumption, meaning the nutria probably doesn't have a future as a restaurant staple."

I did not know that about the FDA.

[Corning]

The FDA simply does not allow animals hunted in the wild to be sold for human consumption,

Are ditches by the road and their corresponding culverts technically "the wild"?

When your habitat requires an excavator to make you should probably stop calling it natural habitat.

[John]

A dinner of python, zebra muscle and nutria doesn't sound very good.

[PD Scott]

Bad news about python: "Unfortunately ? and for reasons unknown to science ? python flesh accumulates mercury at levels two times the limits considered safe for consumption by the state of Florida, more than any other organism in the Everglades."

According to the French chef Parola nutria is "The best red meat you've ever had,"

[John]

It is still a fucking rat.

As for pythons, they make damn fine boots. So you don't have to eat them.

[Invisible Finger]

We can always make boots out of pythons and process the rest of it into food to be shipped overseas.

[John]

The Leland Yee story is something else. The guy wanted to eventually leave public life and join the Islamic rebels in the Philippines.

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2014.....errorists/

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Are you sure he wasn't just confused about what MILF was?

[John]

Just imagine the fainting fit the media would have if some Republican state senator from Mississippi were indicted for running guns to some whack job right wing militia. This story in contrast, despite being loaded with all kinds of salacious details that move product, is being totally ignored in the major media.

[C. Anacreon]

Last night Rachel Maddow (sorry, was changing channels at the gym) sighed and said it was inevitable that a Democrat would one day be indicted for corruption, and today was that day. She then went on to point out that none of the Dems caught yesterday were from important or even "statewide" offices. And then she put up a picture of six GOP, including Chris Christie, saying something like "but don't worry, these top-name Republicans all will likely be headed to prison soon."

[Sevo]

..."She then went on to point out that none of the Dems caught yesterday were from important or even "statewide" offices."...

Yes, they were caught earlier, and I'm sure no one corrected her.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

And the bitch had the nerve to act all offended when Nick Gillespie suggested she was a partisan Democrat when they appeared together on Real Time with Bill Maher.

[Emmerson Biggins]

I was not aware of that interaction. That is pretty funny. I thought she at least knew she was a partisian democrat. I didn't think that was a controverisal statement, or that she'd even be offended by it. Still, it's not worth watching Bill Maher ... I just can't do that.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Nick kicked ass on that panel segment. He made Maddow and Maher uncomfortable by bringing up Obama's horrid record on drug policy, which was awesome.

I think they also discussed the Fast and Furious scandal and Nick again had to challenge Maddow's attempts to brush it off by blaming Bush.

[VG Zaytsev]

That was also the same panel where some douchebag was bragging about being the mayor of the poorest city in America, to which Nick responded "you're obviously very proud".

[VG Zaytsev]

She knows, she's just a disingenuous cunt.

[Corning]

And the bitch had the nerve to act all offended when Nick Gillespie suggested she was a partisan Democrat when they appeared together on Real Time with Bill Maher.

What was weird about that was she said "You don't know me"

As if her team blue hackary was not her own or that she thought her team blue hackary was not transparent for everyone to see.

I mean she does know she is seen nationally right? Does she think she hides her politics really well or something?

I don't know maybe i am reading to much into it. Her denial just seemed very odd to me.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Maher is a complete waste of time. After watching Religulous, I saw all I need to know about his vapidness.

As for Maddow, no fucking shit. She is a partisan hack.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I don't know, but as idiotic and petty and just outright full of shit the traffic mess he made was, I think it kinda - and it may just be me - this story is a tad more serious.

It's CRIMINAL.

[Rich]

I look forward to the movie: "Yee, Ha!"

[Clich? Bandit]

EPIC DERP ALERT:

You may have built it but you owe us

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I only made it 2 paragraphs in. So many misused words in that article. What does he think "share" means?

[Warty]

So I just checked yesterday's PM links and saw your offer to drunk me up if I'm ever in Denver. It's a date, as long as you agree to loudly abuse John Elway with me and promise not to put things in my butt.

[hamilton]

promise not to put things in my butt.

Warty of all people ought to be familiar with H&R pleasantries and ice-breaker rituals.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

You can drink with me if you're ever in LA. I would require a reciprocal no-butt agreement, though.

[jesse.in.mb]

I'm fairly sure these kinds of agreements led to WWI.

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

These are the exact kinds of agreements that led to WWI, jesse.

Now, let's you and me work on our contingency plan for how long it will take us to mobilize for gay training sessions after their agreement goes into effect.

[jesse.in.mb]

Don't be silly Nicole, every FEMA camp comes pre-equipped for gay training sessions. If people escape the camps we have a contingent of white homo demons ready to scoop them up for one-on-one training.

The Agenda has this covered.

[jesse.in.mb]

promise not to put things in my butt

I never expected you to be such a killjoy.

[Clich? Bandit]

Good on 2 1 would limit the places outside my house we can drink...and even the volume with which we can disparage Elway if we choose to smoke stogies in the back yard. whilst imbibing.

[Brett L]

"My name is George Washington HeydukeWarty Hugeman and I hear that even shitkicking cowboysElway fans like yourself are so into free love sucking Elway's cock that a man can't even find a fight anymore."

[Sudden]

I volunteer for defiling John Elway. As a Chiefs fan, this is my lifelong goal.

[BakedPenguin]

He's just bitter.

[Warty]

FUCKING JOHN ELWAY

At least Earnest Byner got a Super Bowl ring after Art Fucking Modell traded him away.

[jesse.in.mb]

FUCKING JOHN ELWAY

I bet there are several poorly written erotica stories titled that.

[BakedPenguin]

As a Broncos fan, I don't like that they went to the SB on a rare mistake by a very good RB. (who almost never fumbled). I like the result of that SB even less.

And I say this as someone who enjoys silently laughing at your club's longstanding terribleness.

[BigT]

If Byner scores the game is tied. The Browns still find a way to lose. [ walks away with head down ]

[Big Chief]

He had a first name? Why did he go by his middle name?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Oh boy, here's some positive comment feedback:

The editorial is not only well reasoned, but it's solidly fact based.

By definition "sharing economy" and "ride sharing" raise consumer disclosure and fact and law questions.

Ride sharing has been traditionally sort of a voluntary hitch-hike like going across the Bay Bridge. But once you start commercially charging that becomes a motor vehicle for hire, the classic definition of a taxicab.

And cab drivers, by the numbers, do real work, often driving 36,000 miles per year, carrying between 6 and 9K passengers including seniors and disabled to and from the General Hospital, the Safeway and the poorer communities. That's not just pink fluff and creme de la creme!

That's real work. A long time ago Abraham Lincoln said labor was superior to capital because it came first. Now we have the comfortable deep pocketed gentry that can call the shots without lifting a finger dividing and demoralizing working labor.

FYI years ago, in a slight, but only slight tip to the record in this sordid mess and TNC's, Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom committed to centralized taxi dispatch as did the SFMTA but none of them did, didley, nada and zilch.

[LynchPin1477]

Almost all the other comments were tearing that piece apart, though. And rightly so.

[Clich? Bandit]

Saw it on HN and the response there is not quite as critical.

[110 Lean]

Now we have the comfortable deep pocketed gentry

That's really their core concern.

[110 Lean]

That's the SFBG defiintion of sharing, of course.
What's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine.

Anyone who succeeds must give it all away as if they had failed.

reply
Posted by Guest on Mar. 25, 2014 @ 5:15 pm

[montana mike]

If a news agency uses guardian in their title propaganda is their aim.

[montana mike]

Tis a perfect example of prog/derp, the few comments I looked at were even stupider tha Maddow and that takes some doing.

[OldMexican]

The International Monetary Fund announced that it intends to give Ukraine $14?18 billion. Part of that package will come from the U.S.

Like a pretty BIG part, I would wager.

If you live in New York City and don't like juggling your groceries, you better start hoarding plastic grocery bags. The city council just introduced a bill that would impose a 10-cent fee on each bag.

That shows you just how ambitious are those guys. The city council of Dallas only voted for a 5-cent fee per plastic bag! Maybe the council of Dallas is populated by people who are half the assholes the council members of NY are themselves!

[Rufus J. Firefly]

OM, saw the response on immigration. Thanks. I think I'd fall in the latter camp you described.

[seguin]

Muthafucka, did not know this.

Fucking Dallas City Council. First they rename Industrial Blvd, now this.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hey, you Calleefirnians, what's up with this Senator Yee? Two more letters and you get...Yeesh!

http://www.latimes.com/local/l.....9576.story

[Sevo]

Great story; slimy politico pushes gun laws, then runs the (now illegal) guns. The Chron has wedgies since this will 'make Dems look bad'.
Just one laugh after the other.

[Palin's Buttplug]

http://news.yahoo.com/white-ho.....ector.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 6 million people have now signed up for private insurance plans under President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law known as Obamacare, reflecting a surge in enrollments days before the March 31 deadline, the White House said on Thursday.<?I

[John]

Just keep moving the goal posts. You make that kick some day.

[CampingInYourPark]

Only 40 million more uninsured to go. Mission accomplished!

[Corning]

You have to actually pay to be signed up Shrike.

[Palin's Buttplug]

It is just a link with no editorial.

It is not looking good for the DOOM! team though!

[Sevo]

Palin's Buttplug|3.27.14 @ 5:07PM|#
"It is not looking good for the DOOM! team though!"

yeah, slimeball, so long as the3y follow your lead and lie about the former claims, why, all's well.
Fuck off, asshole.

[Corning]

It is not looking good for the DOOM! team though!

Obama is at new disapproval highs.

What the hell do you think that is from if not the failures of Obamacare?

What someone is going to read 6 million insured and suddenly going to start loving Mr hope again?

And Jesus it is not as if Obamacare was popular before the website failures and it is not as if the number of people signing up is the main issue and even if it was the only reason anyone talks about it is because of how low they are compared to Obama's estimates and 6 million is still way way way fucking low.

[OldMexican]

Re: Peter Caca,

reflecting a surge in enrollments days before the March 31 deadline,

"It's the kind of thing that looks good on the front page of Pravda!"

What a happy conclusion! Like watching a cliffhanger! At the very last moment, the cavalry arrives with the blow of the trumpet, and saves the day! Superman rescues Louise Lane, Batman defeats the Joker and Underdog is here!

[C. Anacreon]

Louise Lane? Is she Lois' sister?

[OldMexican]

Half-sister.

[The Last American Hero]

The Eagles are coming the Eagles are coming!

[John]

http://www.independent.co.uk/n.....17419.html

Prohibition in Iran is killing people just like it did in the US. Who would have thought such a thing?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I thought that has going to be about heroin. It's huge in Iran.

[John]

If you had to live in Iran, wouldn't you want to shoot heroin too?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Of course. And I would do meth in North Korea with the understanding that there is no food to eat.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Salon: Stop calling liberal arts degrees worthless

If you're talking about what degree programs will most likely get you the highest salary, I understand pointing and saying, "Here's where the money is." I even comprehend that different kinds of training and different jobs have different financial values. What I am tired of, however, is the near constant message that those of us who haven't had the inclination or ability to pursue the study of those more lucrative things are big fat failures who threw away our college educations on meaningless frippery like literature and social justice. My writer friend Fawn puts it this way: "I'm fed up with those trend stories saying that anyone who doesn't make the big bucks is a loser."

In college, I studied film and took a detour in Dublin to immerse myself in a program of Irish history and literature. If you're looking for perspective on "useless" educations, I may not have written the book, but I can definitely produce a detailed critical analysis of it. I have never been well-off and likely never will be. Yet I somehow manage to do work I love, have a happy, reasonably balanced life, and can occasionally toss out a joke about the inscrutability of "Finnegan's Wake." Yo, I'm fine.

It's great that you're satisfied, just don't go crying for a bailout when you fail to pay back the loans.

[Brett L]

Sorry, they aren't worthless, just not worth much.

[Restoras]

Certainly not worth as much as they used to be before it was ttaken over by all and sundry bullshit Grievance Studies with no intellectual rigor whatsoever.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

What if we called them economically worthless instead?

[Heroic Mulatto]

What if we called them economically worthless instead?

I'm down with that. The "liberal" in "liberal arts" referred to the fact that only a gentleman was able to pursue that field of study, i.e., they were "free" from having to worry about earning a living, unlike those in the rude "mechanical arts".

[Sudden]

It meets the literal definition of worthless. A liberal arts degree is literally worth less than any other degree. Their desire to reframe language is truly Orwellian

[gimmeasammich]

...Fawn?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

"I'm fed up with those trend stories saying that anyone who doesn't make the big bucks is a loser."

Nobody is saying that. You are a loser if you have to steal money from me to support your poor choices.

[John]

There is nothing wrong with a liberal arts degree or any other degree provided it doesn't cost so much you can't pay for it.

Someone who goes $200,000 into debt to get a STEM degree is fucked and in a lot worse shape than someone with no debt and a liberal arts degree.

[Brett L]

The thing about ST&E is that, for the most part, you fund your undergrad, someone else funds your graduate degree.

[VG Zaytsev]

Nope,

The person with the feminists studies degree or some such is much worse off, even if they didn't pay a dime for it.

[lap83]

Yeah, liberal arts majors wouldn't be the butt of so many snide comments if it wasn't for an entire movement being built on the premise that people with low-return college majors shouldn't have to be held accountable for their own tuition.

Granted, there will always be people who judge other people's majors regardless of whether they're directly affected by it. But if you're going into a creative profession you need a thick skin anyway.

[Paul.]

God this on a pastry. This... THIS.

[Max Power]

I have a degree in jazz performance. It's mostly worthless, except for whatever just having a college degree is worth.

[Palin's Buttplug]

WTF is jazz performance? Do you shoot heroin Coltrane style?

[Max Power]

Jazz performance degree.

Heroin-shooting is something you just kinda pick up from the teachers.

[Palin's Buttplug]

"Quantitative literacy" - gotta like that.

[Max Power]

The music majors don't take particularly rigorous math classes.

[Rich]

How about clever compromises to produce majors that people will love and yet still yield lucrative careers? "The Physics of Orgy Positions", "Higher Mathematics for Multiple Orgasms" -- that sort of thing.

[OldMexican]

In college, I studied film and took a detour in Dublin to immerse myself in a program of Irish history and literature.[...] Yet I somehow manage to do work I love, have a happy, reasonably balanced life, and can occasionally toss out a joke about the inscrutability of "Finnegan's Wake." Yo, I'm fine.

Oh, so you're THAT janitor? Ah!

[Brett L]

Taxi driver. You get to read more for the same money.

[Paul.]

What I am tired of, however, is the near constant message that those of us who haven't had the inclination or ability to pursue the study of those more lucrative things are big fat failures who threw away our college educations on meaningless frippery like literature and social justice.

No one ever said that, what we said was in direct response to the douche on NPR whining that he has six figures of student loan debt, no way to pay it back, and is forced to work as a pedicab driver... then it's quietly added at the end that he got a degree in photography and print-making or French Literature.

If you have a liberal arts degree, bravo to you. If you're making a million dollars a year, bravo to you. But quit coming to Uncle Sam (aka ME) because you want student debt forgiveness.

It's people with liberal arts degrees who demand their crushing debt and lack of job opportunities be completely untethered from their choices.

[Stormy Dragon]

In college, I studied film and took a detour in Dublin to immerse myself in a program of Irish history and literature. If you're looking for perspective on "useless" educations, I may not have written the book, but I can definitely produce a detailed critical analysis of it.

Yeah, I've enjoyed reading a lot of philosophy. But I didn't have to go into $100,000 worth of debt to do it.

[Soros' Wank-noose]

"My writer friend Fawn..."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Oh, man! That stereotype is a gift that keeps on giving!

[montana mike]

Fawn was semi hot in Animal House, I never considered there were still fawns around.

[jesse.in.mb]

Fuck, Russian Navy is closing the DOLPHIN GAP

The combat dolphin program in the Crimean city of Sevastopol will be preserved and redirected towards the interests of the Russian Navy, an employee at the facility where the dolphins are trained told RIA Novosti.

I like how they phrased this: the dolphins themselves have now become Russian following the reunification of Crimea with Russia last week

Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, the dolphin program was handed over to the Ukrainian navy, where it was initially reconverted for civilian uses, such as working with disabled children. The military arm of the facility was re-formed in 2011.

Wait, Navy trained dolphins were being used to work with disabled children. I'm just confused now.

The facility is one of only two such combat dolphin training centers in the world, the other is run by the US Navy in San Diego.

I demand dolphin escalation. China drove their baiji freshwater dolphins to extinction, but we can still pick up some tucuxi from Brazil. We must leave no body of water vulnerable to Red cetacean domination.

*fires up SEGA emulator and plays some ecco the dolphin: tides of time*

[Corning]

Wait, Navy trained dolphins were being used to work with disabled children. I'm just confused now.

It is Russia/Ukraine/Black Sea for goodness sakes.

Jesus what do you expect them to use? Something as pedestrian as dogs and puppies?

Of course combat sea life is going to be used to work with crippled children.

[jesse.in.mb]

Having watched enough of those "Meanwhile in Russia..." videos, I find your explanation eminently reasonable.

[Corning]

On a side note does everyone else envision Russia and the whole eastern block as a giant Carny camp like I do?

[Redmanfms]

On a side note does everyone else envision Russia and the whole eastern block as a giant Carny camp like I do?

Having been there, it pretty much is.

It's amazing going to a country and seeing nearly every negative stereotype confirmed as consistently as one experiences in Russia. Damn near everything I ever heard about the "Russkies" as a child turned out to be damn near universally true.

[Redmanfms]

Two damn nears = 90% BTW.

[Corning]

To be honest i never had a stereotype in mind for Russians growing up.

Only that they were the bad guys and I was with the good guys.

The stereotypes did not come until recently with all those crazy "meanwhile in Russia" videos on youtube.

I had no clue it was like that. It is like the universe grabbed a piece of middle America and a heaping spoonful of Florida tossed in some chickens and vodka mixed it up and spread it out in Russia.

[Sudden]

this may be the greatest internet comment of all time

[montana mike]

We need to get PETA on this, it's our only hope.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Send in the Japanese Navy to take care of the dolphin problem.

[Terr]

+1 fuck you dorphin

[Jordan]

Once we're finally able to talk to dolphins, like Darwin in Seaquest, I don't want them speaking Russian, damnit!

[jesse.in.mb]

Once we're finally able to talk to dolphins, like Darwin in Seaquest, I don't want them speaking Russian, damnit!

Wait, that sounds kind of cool. *eee ee eeeee* Privet comrade! Have some vodka with me *ee eee*

[C. Anacreon]

"Ma and Pa love Fa"

[LynchPin1477]

IT'S LIKE SEAQUEST!!!

[110 Lean]

Law Firm Say Christie Wasn't Involved in Bridge Scandal. Heap big man though.

[hamilton]

He hired Elizabeth Warren's law firm?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Salon interviews actual Marxist. It's as derptastic as you'd imagine:

At the start of your book, you say that for a long time your "belief in my beliefs" was weakened by an "ideological consensus" that "socialism of any kind was a recipe for political oppression and shoddy goods, whereas free markets could be counted on to foster democracy and other forms of consumer choice." Why don't you believe that?

I think that it's pretty clear that in Western countries in the 19th century ? a conflict between democracy and capitalism was widely recognized. And the fact that the socialist movement came to be associated in the 20th century with these party-state dictatorships meant that the natural affinity, as I see it, between socialism and democracy was forgotten about by a lot of people.

But capitalism clearly leads to these enormous concentrations of wealth, which are fundamentally incompatible with democratic liberalism over time ? The concentration of wealth leads to a real inequality of opportunity, of course, that is not really compatible with democracy...

Through most of the period of the socialist movement ? it has seemed that capitalism and democracy were at odds, and I think that's how it seems again today. And in a way the middle of the 20th century comes to seem like an anomaly.

100 million corpses is an anomaly.

[John]

We were just unlucky. These assholes will never admit that the only way to get people to buy into the collective is to stick a gun to their head. They continue to believe that next time everyone will buy into the collective and we won't have to do all of those nasty things.

[Restoras]

Not to mention socialism creates a worse disparity of wealth concentration

[Brett L]

Look, someone has to lead the vanguard for the proles. Their need for hookers, good booze, dachas, and luxuries is simply greater than the proles. Once the New Socialist Man ushers in True Socialism, those inequalities will disappear.

[OldMexican]

Re: Restoras,

Socialists either do not believe that this is the case or rationalize such things as par for the course because Top Men must be compensated for being so wise.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

"that is not really compatible with democracy..."

I always wonder what's their point of reference whenever they say that. And isn't their ideology incompatible with democracy anyway? Capitalism is just a state of being; of interactions - it's neither here or there. It fits into democracy nicer than any commie-nonsense could.

[Coeus]

Stop judging me for being on welfare.

I don't know what else to do. If someone has an answer, please, I'd love to hear it, because I don't know where to go from here. I'm working on a long term career plan with a not-for-profit that I'm founding, but right now, I'm stuck, and I can't find my way out.

Genius

I'm not ok with this anymore. I know that society doesn't feel that I should have any rights because I am living off of the tax money that has been taken from them, but I'm not OK with being judged anymore. I know that they all think that since they are feeding me, I should just keep my mouth shut, but I just can't do it anymore.

What rights would those be again?

[lap83]

I wish we still lived in a society that judged people for being on welfare. I don't find this to be the case much anymore.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I say get rid of EBT and switch to bright pink food stamps.

[db]

Maybe a flexible EBT barcode patch that can be sewn on a shirt breast or sleeve.

[lap83]

That'll make it easier to round them up to send them off to the welfare training camps.

[OldMexican]

Oh, come on! Must be satire!

"I'm working on a long term career plan with a not-for-profit that I'm founding, but right now, I'm stuck, and I can't find my way out."

Must be satire! Nobody can be THAT moronic!

.... Can they?

[Rich]

Must be satire!

Read on. You decide:

Mary Brock is a scientist who works on drugs you've hopefully never heard of. Mary does not use Twitter and don't even try to follow her, because she is always looking over her shoulder.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

That's the great thing about charity. It's voluntary, and comes with strings attached.

[Rich]

Do people think I don't want to trade places with them? I would love to be them, I used to be them!

Emphasis added. Apparently *not*.

[Michael S. Langston]

Yeah, by I used to be one of them she meant I use to make money.

Her failure is that getting a good job != producing value

In much the same way that poverty is a mind set - where many poor people aren't in poverty, but those with "poor" thinking, even if they happen to have money now, will not for long.

Irregardless, what happens is when times are tough - if you aren't producing value... they might have loved you during Birthday Week and mid-month potluck, but the good companies will gladly show you the door if others are actually producing value and revenues are slowing.

As I've heard this before; someone on the radio explaining how bad things were (a while back... 2008 maybe?) - to illustrate she says "I was laid off from a good job making 6 figures and now can only get offers in the 30-35 range."

I don't know her at all and she may be capable, but I instantly thought of several people I do know and that thought was "if she's like them, she didn't deserve the money she made in the first place - and when she goes to try to resell her non-existent skill set, it's much more obvious where her professional value actually lands."

[Rich]

The Blog of 'Eden Strong'

Out.

[montana mike]

That is an arguement for censorship due to terminal stupidity, j/k, if only the general public was exposed to this shit they'd recognize their enemies.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Step 1:

Instead of founding a not-for-profit, why don't you try founding a for-profit. They are usually more, you know, profitable.

[kinnath]

Yet I somehow manage to do work I love, have a happy, reasonably balanced life, and can occasionally toss out a keg of beer or a case of wine all the while making six figures a year.

Fuck all the liberal arts majors who think they're the only well-rounded individuals in the world.

[John]

Sure. But fuck the STEM people who think they are the only ones who make any money.

[kinnath]

Some doctors and lawyers can definitely make way more than an engineer.

I've had many older engineers complain that engineers used to be viewed as professionals on par with doctors and lawyers, but now we're just glorified technicians.

[John]

You can't make universal generalities. There STEM majors out there in debt in out of work just like there are liberal arts majors.

[kinnath]

You can't make universal generalities.

OK, but I can still say bad things about all lawyers, right?

[John]

Every rule has an exception, so yes yes you can.

[kinnath]

good to know.

[Invisible Finger]

I'd bet 98% of them are S, T, and especially M. Not so much for E.

Here are some "supply outweighs demand" STEM majors :
Psychology
Atmospheric Sciences
Educational/Instructional technology Educational Research

[lap83]

Just based on the typical engineer personality (from my experience) I would wager that they are pretty unlikely to get into debt. Even though they don't tend to be rich.

[Brett L]

Well, first off -- two of those aren't STEM. Sorry. Psychology and Educational anything are social science degrees. Atmospheric Studies is probably a motherfucker if you have to get off the macro level.

[BigT]

The unemployment rate for chemists/engs is 2%. And they are begging for chem engs in N Dakota.

And the future of US tech leadership is bleak:

"US students continue to show declining interest and proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). In 2008, only 4% of US bachelor's degrees were in engineering; in China, it was 31%."

http://m.hydrocarbonprocessing.....Id=3323897

[Brett L]

For only $175k/year and a flight home every other weekend, this chem e can be had.

[Michael S. Langston]

Any STEM major, specifically tech/comsci in any decent size city may well have a lot of debt, but if out of work are only out of work because they are very, very bad, or refuse to search for work.

UE rate in some major cities for IT is under 2% (and I think lower in some specific locations) and even where higher, it's below what economists typically think of as full employment... meaning technically most major cities lack enough IT people to fill open slots they have now.

[widget]

The International Monetary Fund announced that it intends to give Ukraine $14?18 billion. Part of that package will come from the U.S.

This recent article, by George F Will, was not published by the Washington Post.

http://www.mercurynews.com/opi.....ist-spring

I wonder why not.

[Invisible Finger]

I would think "While Vladimir Putin, Stalin's spawn," seems over-the-top.

Stalin = the biggest mass murderer in the last three centuries.

Ted Kennedy has killed more than Putin.

[Stormy Dragon]

Didn't Mao kill more than Stalin?

[jesse.in.mb]

Evangelical charity to hire married gay Christians

The prominent Christian relief agency World Vision said Monday it will hire Christians who are in same-sex marriages, a dramatic policy change on one of the most divisive social issues facing religious groups.

"I want to be clear that we have not endorsed same-sex marriage, but we have chosen to defer to the authority of local churches on this issue," Stearns said.

World Vision requires employees to affirm, through the agency's statement of faith or the Apostle's Creed, that they follow Christ. Stearns said the agency will continue to follow that policy, including requiring employees to remain celibate outside of marriage. World Vision says it hires staff from dozens of denominations with different views of gay relationships.

That's an interesting solution to the issue. I like that it relies on the feeder churches' definition of marriage rather than the state one. I hope the changeover goes smoothly for them.

[jesse.in.mb]

Me forget linky:

Evangelical charity to hire married gay Christians

[John]

The Evangelicals reject central religious authority. The bible is there to be read an interpreted, no priest or pope required.

[jesse.in.mb]

Thank you, John. I grew up going to a Foursquare/evangelical church.

I have a passing familiarity with how they roll.

[John]

Then you know they are hardly some united front that people think they are. They generally fight like wild animals amongst themselves regarding this or that theological issue.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Then why do Evangelicals hero worship TV pitchmen like Robertson, Falwell, Swaggart, Haggard, etc?

[Corning]

I think you are confusing "Evangelicals" as a group of like minded people vs simple Jesus loving folk who go to church by watching TV and/or chanting with poisonous snakes in their hands.

[montana mike]

Fuck off, troll.

[robc]

Not all evangelicals.

For example, evangelical catholics accept central authority.

[Ted S.]

Are they going to send said Christians to sub-Saharan Africa?

[KeithC]

Any suggestions on a French Revolution book? I finally got through Bloodlands, and want to move onto something slightly less depressing (emphasis on "slightly").

[John]

Citizens by Simon Schima. It is the magnum opus on the Revolution. Schima is a great writer and he tells the whole story beginning to end. One of the better books I have ever read.

http://www.amazon.com/Citizens.....mon+schama

[KeithC]

Thanks John. That should keep me busy for a while.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Lie down and think of Mother Denmark

Couples in Denmark are being encouraged to travel to help boost the country's falling birth rate in a hilarious new advert.

The Do It For Denmark! clip explains how getting away from it all boosts men and woman's libidos ? with a therapist claiming nearly half of couples have more sex when on holiday.

And the tongue-in-cheek video says 10 per cent of all Danish children are conceived while abroad ? with the producers Spies Travel offering a free holiday to anyone who conceives on one of its 'ovulation discount' trips.

[John]

Good for them. If Danes don't have children, there won't be any Danes left. That would kind of suck, a world without Danes.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Who will make all the Danish?

[Paul.]

Great Danes.

[110 Lean]

To be, or not to be.

[CE]

They should legalize polygamy, so they can all have multiple wives, like Ragnar Lothbrok.

[Mickey Rat]

It was never his choice.

[Corning]

Aren't all Germans originally Danes?

And you know ended up populating England and then much of the US Canada Australia and New Zealand?

I don't think we are going to run out.

[Brett L]

I think at the very least Playa M and I can attest to the effectiveness of this strategy.

[SFC B]

To be fair, you need to travel like 50 miles and you're "abroad" from Denmark.

[jesse.in.mb]

Disconnect.me is a plugin for firefox, chrome or android that acts as an encrypted/anonymous go-between to your favorite search engine.

Because you love the idea of Duck Duck Go, but just can't give up Google.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I find that's my problem. DDG doesn't seem to pull up the same 'quality' search results.

[Jordan]

NSA AGENT SPOTTED!

But seriously, thanks for this. It should fit in well with Ghostery.

[Carl the Jarl]

Disconnect is a replacement for Ghostery.

[RannedPall]

Anybody here who has Facebook want to jump in on this? It's like arguing with an Obama drone. I'm tired. He actually believes that by not paying the fine, they'll just continually withhold your tax return (money that they already stole from you, in the first place), yeah, the IRS won't eventually come looking for more, they're so transparent.
http://goo.gl/dHrRvP

[lap83]

I couldn't view it even after I logged in.

But I'm probably not the best person for that discussion anyway. I don't really argue with liberals anymore. It always devolves into them flinging insults. Rational discourse becomes impossible after a point. "Oh wow, I didn't see your point and then you called me a racist nazi. Now it's all so clear!"

[RannedPall]

Oh come on, join the fun! Just go to the LA weekly Facebook page and find the article about "fox news viewers won't like this," or something, I could always use some backup. There are some who comment who I think lean pretty right, but not sure if they're just team red shills or actual libertarians. And I'm sure you can deduce which comment is from me.

[lap83]

OK I found the thread, I'm in class so I probably can't get too involved in a discussion but i'm going to check it out.

First impression: ooh USA Today! Intimidating research skills.

[RannedPall]

And politico! Superb researching prowess.

[Max Power]

And then whoever you were arguing with has to make a passive-aggressive post later about how they aren't going to talk about politics on facebook anymore.

[RannedPall]

He very well might, but I ain't his friend, so I won't see it.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

So over at Raw Story I posted a comment on a story covering what happened to Tyler Cowen at George Mason.

After reading some snark about how awful George Mason and guns I wrote:

"Perhaps the perpetrator was 'triggered' by something Cowen wrote on his blog. Like that professor at UC Santa Barbara, that means his action was moral and understandable according to progressive logic about 'trigger warnings'."

It's been deleted with warning from the mod about posting inflammatory comments. It's like trigger-ception!

[RannedPall]

Ban comment threads! It's the common sense thing to do.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I don't know why you guys bother. It's pointless and only gets the blood pressure up. I learned to stay clear from this folks when I left a simple, anecdotal comment about my concerns as a business owner once at Huffington and was absolutely eaten alive (including from a former Democrat congressman) with so much derp I laughed and deleted my account.

Fuck that shit.

I'm going to meet a buddy for some Leb food tonight and don't want to ruin my plans.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

these folks.

[RannedPall]

Fucker, haven't had good Lebanese food in a long time. The Lebanese festival here in Anaheim is out of this world, both in terms of food, and women. Too bad your arse couldn't come down to California a couple of months ago.

[RannedPall]

Whoops, Orange, CA, not Anaheim

[jesse.in.mb]

There's a Lebanese festival? I've been to the Turkish/Anatolian one.

I didn't see any oil wrestling in person which made me sad.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Have you been to the greek festival in Northridge? I assume it is popular with the gehs for obvious reasons, even though it is at an orthodox church...

[jesse.in.mb]

No. I used to take my little brother to the one in South Redondo every year before he turned into a raging dick 15 year old a few years ago.

And I've been to one at Saint Sophia Cathedral near K-Town.

[RannedPall]

I've always wanted to go to the Greek festival, it usually falls around my bday in September *cough hint cough birthday gyros cough cough*, is it as good as I think it should be?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Weird. I'm making gyros for dinner tonight. 50% beef, 50% lamb, 100% delicious.

It's at the greek church on Balboa and Plummer with the giant gold dome.

The lines were so long that I didn't get to try the gyros, but the pork souvlaki was the best I've ever had. The lemon comes from the trees in the neighborhood. Parking is hell, though, and they have buses running. My grandpa lives a block away, so I just park at his house...

[jesse.in.mb]

Did you end up making a big batch of toum? I promised to make zataar flat bread for my roommate's birthday and toum would go nicely with it, but I suck at making it. I could theoretically provide you with flatbread in exchange for toum.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I will now. I'm making tzatziki right now, but I can re-tool my operation.

[Mad Scientist]

Talking about triggers is a trigger!

It's triggerpocalypse, people!

[Coeus]

These people are unhinged

Today, when discussing issues related to the college, Felch's source only uses a "burner" phone ? a black, lightweight, modern model, made to resemble a Blackberry ? that she bought after the March 1 break-in. She paid for her new phone in cash.
"It's not about, 'They're tracking my location,' or anything like that," she said. "It's just to be able to speak freely and not have to worry about what I'm saying."
For weeks, she said, her personal iPhone had been acting strangely: flashing every few minutes while she wrote text messages or emails, as if the phone were taking screenshots, and running the battery down seven or eight times a day. She would restore the phone to its original settings and those problems would stop, only to gradually return.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

With all those break-ins, you would think somebody would have dropped $40 on a pen cam to catch the perp on camera. It's almost like they want to make wild accusations. Almost.

[CE]

Rand Paul 2020: A Clear Vision for the Future.
Hopefully that's his reelection campaign slogan.

[EdWuncler]

OT: So today someone joked about going on a starvation diet to fit into their summer wardrobe and this girl who I guess suffers from body issues went on a rant on how it's not funny and how offended she was at the comment. I didn't want to say anything but while I understand how it blows that you resorted to throwing up to make yourself skinnier and was probably depressed, why are you flipping out on people? I hate how people expect other's to internalize their issues and censor themselves for the sake of not offending them.

[BakedPenguin]

EdW - it's PM links, nothing is OT.

To your point, if she freaked out about someone joking about a "starvation diet," your estimation of her body/psych issues is probably spot on. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

What BP said. AVOID AT ALL COSTS after you have sex with her.

[BakedPenguin]

Good edit, PM

[EdWuncler]

Hahahaha, she's actually a good friend but suffers from sensitive fragile snowflakism.

[R C Dean]

Rough sex it is, then!

[lap83]

Many many women are sensitive like this. She didn't make a conscious decision to be offended, it's an instinctive personality thing. Just like it's instinctive for libertarian to scoff at people who are easily offended.

[lap83]

*libertarians

[Coeus]

Tha fuck?

Many of the southern states that have no state income tax or have low taxes do so on the backs of the states that pay much more in federal taxes. Governors like Texas Rick Perry make the rounds attempting to bring business to their states. They do it under the pretext of these states having better business environments because of low taxes and regulations. They should note they can have low taxes because they are subsidized by the federal government and the poor.

[Brett L]

Its just 'batin. The idea that those god-botherin', ignorant, uncultured, racist fucks are living well without being raped by rent control and taxes is killing them.

[R C Dean]

Since not giving is taking, by not giving more welfare to the poor, they are taking from the poor.

Since not taking is giving, they are giving that money to the rich by not raising their taxes.

Geez. This is crony proggism 101.

[Banjos]

Southern states that have no income tax: Texas and Florida

Not exactly a trend in the South, so why did he specify southern states? Why didn't he just say "many of the states that have no income tax"? What does being southern have to do with his crackpot theory?

[Redmanfms]

What does being southern have to do with his crackpot theory?

It's code for racist.

[Corning]

We have no income tax in Washington State.

He left out that point as well.

[Calidissident]

Texas isn't one of the Southern states that is a net taker

[Neoliberal Kochtopus]

The entire "net taker" talking point is nonsense anyway. So New York receives less in federal dollars than the state pays out. Is that adjusted for cost of living? because you can earn 100,000 in NYC more easily than in BFE, Alabama, which means there are more people in higher brackets in NYC.

[Corning]

They should note they can have low taxes because they are subsidized by the federal government and the poor.

THE POOR NEED TO PAY MORE TAXES TO HELP THE POOR!!!

[montana mike]

The dolts that posit this ignore the fact that states like Montana have millons of acres of federal land (no property taxes) along with a slew of fed employees that are doing nothing to produce revenues, (that be you greenie fuckwads).

Add in a lot of highway maintainence dollars per capita and the fact that these dolts don't realize a lot of consumer goods make it to their doorstep via this highway system and it's a perfect stupid storm.

[RishJoMo]

There is a dude that knows what time it is. WOw.

http://www.EliteVPN.tk

[John]

Libertarians just think they have Not a True Scotsman arguments.

[BakedPenguin]

No real libertarians would say that... **squints**