Obama Approval Ratings at New Low, Air Force Blames Lower Quality Drone Pilots on 'Stigma,' New York Mets Boycott Reporter Over Fat Pitcher Joke: P.M. Links

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via ESPN President Obama's approval ratings hit a new low of 41 percent in the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll.
- Secretary of State John Kerry told an audience in Estonia that his country awarded government critics instead of sending them to prison just days after the Obama Administration appeared before the Supreme Court to argue against a New York Times reporter's attempt to avoid jail for declining to reveal a source.
- The Air Force blames "stigma" associated with its drone program as the cause of "lower quality pilots" and recruitment issues identified in a report from the Government Accountability Office.
- The Supreme Court upheld a rule by the Environmental Protection Agency concerning cross-state pollution created by coal-fired power plants, permitting the agency to regulate it.
- The county government in Spotsylvania, Virginia, has put a cap on "special-event permits," forcing at least one couple to stop hosting weddings at their wedding venue. Neighbors complained last year about the potential for drunk drivers and other "safety concerns."
- L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling was hit with a lifetime ban by the National Basketball Association, whose owners may also vote to force him to sell his team.
- The New York Mets boycotted a reporter from the New York Post; the reporter's story about the 285-pound pitcher Bartolo Colon's recent win included "LARDBALL" in the headline.
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One of my hardcore leftie friends ranted on Derpbook about how their local public school does not cut it, and they're going to send their kid to private school. There was the usual sadness about abandoning the public school system, and how teachers are doing a fine job, but that the bureaucracy and government meddling are ruining it.
I broke out in laughter reading it. They're never going to admit openly about the advantages of small government because libertarian teathuglicans and whatnot, but when it comes to their own self-interest, f everyone else.
It irks me that when the "teathuglicans" say that self-interest may not be a bad thing, these same people tar and feather them.
How did you... But, FoE... Are you some sort of wizard?
DROWN HIM!
Please tell me you hit them with the best "when it comes down to it you just don't care about poor children or the community" guilt trip you could muster.
...followed by a link to that article in Slate or Salon (can't recall which) about why sending your kids to private school is immoral and makes you a bad person.
Bring an extra large glass for scooping up the tears.
Lets hope so.
I actually kept my mouth shut. I've seen enough politics- related fights on Derpbook and been involved in a few to have learned my lesson. The annoying loudmouths really are the ones that make Derpbook so bad. I've ignored many posts now, even those directly pointed at me.
Hit and Rin is my palliative and stimulant.
You should do the 'delete account' thingy on Derpbook.
Then how do you meet hot women?
By creating a fake account.
I feel that.
Congrats on your topmost (but not actual first for scoring purposes) post.
Also, see, it's the intent that matters, as always. Your friends get a pass because they want to believe in the public school system.
But the winds are slowly shifting and we may see a day when self-interest is not demonized as it now is.
Intent is how you pave the road to hell.
+1 detour through serfdom
A significant percentage of public school teachers send their kids to private school, which should tell everyone something.
That's easy, you're saying public school teachers are underpaid.
Their contradictions give me the lulz.
I hope you are able to help them retrieve their lost sense of irony. Surely they have noticed that it is missing, right?
"sadness about abandoning the public school system"
screw that. own your decisions.
just remember to bring up vouchers or the equivalent at every opportunity.
Send them this article:
http://www.slate.com/articles/.....ivate.html
Oh my god, I thought you were joking. I didn't imagine that was a real thing. It's evil. Not even stupid, actually malicious.
I hope the author and anyone who agrees with the sentiment makes sure to let their children know that, when it came time to make possibly the most important parenting decision they ever have to make, a choice that has an enormous impact on the rest of that child's life, they made it on the basis of what might be best for theoretical children they've never met rather than for the actual children they are supposed to love.
This is pretty funny.
President Obama's approval ratings hit a new low of 41 percent in the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Which is close to how much of Congress his party is going to own after November?
If if was 42%, we would have been able to figure out your question too.
I believe that historically, the GOP tends to outperform the generic House ballot question on polls.
8%?
He's just not talking about the successes of the ACA enough. Don't worry the Democratys will fix this by November.
Notice this new low happens right at the same time as these racist statements come out?
Perhaps even people who like him are sick of his pressing need to comment on anything remotely relating to a black person anywhere in the United States.
Perhaps even people who like him are sick of his pressing need to comment on anything remotely politically convenient relating to a black person anywhere in the United States.
Really, you could even just omit "relating to a black person". Barack Obama does not give two shits about the average person, black or otherwise, unless that person can be used as a prop to make himself look important.
The Air Force blames "stigma" associated with its drone program as the cause of "lower quality pilots" and recruitment issues identified in a report from the Government Accountability Office.
Well who wants to fly in an industry being replaced by robots?
You mean "you're gonna be a drone pilot" doesn't quite have the same draw as "you're gonna be a fighter pilot?"
Go figure.
I'm waiting for TOP GUN II - The Drone Wars. Recruitment will soar after that baby comes out!
Hello.
Religious Group Files a Beautifully Trolly Lawsuit Against North Carolina's Gay Marriage Ban.
And what is significant about this is that, unlike other states, it is a misdemeanor offense in NC for clergy to perform any unlicensed weddings.
I am often informed here that gay marriage isn't actually illegal anywhere, merely that the state refuses to recognize it. Suck it, Snowconez.
it is a misdemeanor offense in NC for clergy to perform any unlicensed weddings.
Now isn't that a thing of beauty. Suck it, indeed. You'll have to save this evidence, Tonio.
One more reason to get rid of licensing altogether.
I won't let you get my hopes up, even based on a law this terrible!
Beautiful trolley lawsuits? What is the world coming to? 🙂
(Seriously, it did take me a couple of readings to figure out what you meant.)
Stop pointing out their bullshit, T-dog. They'll get upset.
A beautiful lawsuit, SoCons are going to spin now.
I would love to hear how this provision is narrowly tailored to a compelling state interest.
Good lawsuit, but just like Hobby Lobby it is a general freedom of association issue. Looks like under that law an atheist couldn't marry two gay atheists either.
Nope, the actual law to which I also linked doesn't say anything about gender, it only forbids the clergy from performing marriages which are not licensed by the state. IOW, a classic 1A religious freedom case, which makes it an epic troll.
But thanks for your desperate straw-clutching. Someone had to go there.
Straw clutching?
It is not restricted to clergy. If it is anything like it is here in Texas ANYBODY can become authorized to solemnize ministers by getting a $10 certificate.
And I said I like the lawsuit, I just said just like Hobby Lobby I think everybody should be free to not pay for birth control or perform unlicensed weddings.
solemnize ministers marriages
The point is, however people become authorized in NC, the law prevents them from performing a gay marriage whether it's for religious reasons or not.
The point is, in NC, that once an state-authorized marriage officiant performs a non-state-licensed ceremony, including otherwise-legal ceremonies where the man and woman getting married have simply chosen not to get a state license for whatever reason. It's about the officiant, once agreeing to do business with the state, becomes the state's bitch and foregoes the right to also officiate at non-state marriages.
That's what I was saying. The whole marriage licensing system is fucked. Religious liberty and plain ol freedom of association being infringed all over the place.
I am often informed here that gay marriage isn't actually illegal anywhere, merely that the state refuses to recognize it. Suck it, Snowconez.
I thought as much but was apparently wrong. I stand corrected.
Thanks for that display of integrity, Marsh.
Actually, the marriage is "legal", its the performing that causes problems.
And probably fine for a non-licensed officiant to perform them. So I could probably perform a gay marriage ceremony in NC.
Yes, the law appears to not apply to officiants not licensed by the state.
The gotcha that....isn't. And look, Bo is on your side! Enjoy that.
The New York Mets boycotted a reporter from the New York Post; the reporter's story about the 285-pound pitcher Bartolo Colon's recent win included "LARDBALL" in the headline.
"ROIDBALL' works as well with Colon.
The Mets ought to start calling overweight sportswriters or talking heads on TV/radio "Lardball" and watch the outraged reaction.
John "Lardball" Feinstein. It just rolls right off the tongue.
No need to be redundant. There's no such thing as a sportswriter who's not overweight.
The county government in Spotsylvania, Virginia, has put a cap on "special-event permits," forcing at least one couple to stop hosting weddings at their wedding venue.
Heaven help them if any of the ones they weed out will be same-sex.
I honestly don't know if that's legal in VA or not. I can't keep up. But you could bring your gun. so there's that.
Virginia's marriage amendment is pretty draconion, as it not only forbids state recognition of same sex marriage, but anything (including private contractual arrangements) that "approximate" marriage". However, there are no criminal penalties unlike in NC.
Do you have a link to that?
i think the AG declared it unconstitutional.
fed Court ruling: unconstitutional
Recognized or not, they can still have a wedding.
Recognized or not
Guy: What is that?
Other guy: I... I don't know. It might be a wedding, but I'm not sure.
You don't really comment, do you? Just toss grenades.
But they make such cool splosions!
It's private property, but they need a permit to hold weddings? What if they're a church? Can they still become one?
Is it a matter of there being wedding halls allowed (as a matter of zoning or business permits) to have weddings, and then some exception being made for other properties like residences to hold special events by permit?
Secretary of State John Kerry told an audience in Estonia that his country awarded government critics instead of sending them to prison just days after the Obama Administration appeared before the Supreme Court to argue against a New York Times reporter's attempt to avoid jail for declining to reveal a source.
Dimwits. The USG is only trying to reeducate this reporter using love.
Maybe he thinks Estonia doesn't fact check their guests.
Kerry is right, I can critize the government of Russia anytime I want and the US government won't send me to prison.
Heh. Good one.
That's an old Soviet joke.
American: "In America, I can stand on any street corner and yell that the American president is an idiot."
Soviet: "So what? I too can stand on any Russian street corner and yell that the American president is an idiot."
The award ceremony is held on a beautiful island paradise in the Caribbean, at a top-notch US facility with expert medical staff and full military honors.
And baptism! Don't forget the baptism!
The Air Force blames "stigma" associated with its drone program as the cause of "lower quality pilots" and recruitment issues identified in a report from the Government Accountability Office.
Sounds like the Chair Force needs its own Top Gun movie.
Oil me up for some beach volleyball, Goose.
So the sequel is going to bring it all out in he open with the title "Bottom Gun"?
I told you so, Rufus.
NASA honors William Shatner with civilian award
NASA saluted Captain Kirk over the weekend, giving William Shatner the Distinguished Public Service medal, the space agency's highest award for civilians.
The 83-year-old Canadian actor played Captain James Tiberius Kirk, one of TV's most beloved space pioneers. In real life, Shatner has been a vocal advocate of science education and space exploration.
"William Shatner has been so generous with his time and energy in encouraging students to study science and math, and for inspiring generations of explorers, including many of the astronauts and engineers who are a part of NASA today, " David Weaver, NASA's associate administrator for the Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said in a statement. [William Shatner's Twitter Chat with Astronaut in Pictures]
"He's most deserving of this prestigious award," Weaver added.
Shatner accepted the honor Saturday evening, April 26, in Los Angeles at his Hollywood Charity Horse Show, an annual event in which he raises money for children's causes, NASA officials said.
According to the medal's citation, Shatner was honored for "outstanding generosity and dedication to inspiring new generations of explorers around the world, and for unwavering support for NASA and its missions of discovery."
NASA isn't civilian?
British politician arrested after speech quoting Churchill's take on Islam:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2.....latestnews
His fate is better than that of Salman Rushdie. The Indian government really shafted him. Still, what a fd up situation that you can't express yourself freely.
His fate is better than that of Salman Rushdie. The Indian government really shafted him. Still, what a fd up situation that you can't express yourself freely.
It's sad that a western nation has really clamped down on free speech this way. In Britain, you can apparently find yourself in serious trouble if you're accused of "offensive" speech. I do believe that we in the U.S. are going to be in the same boat within a few years.
You can thank the NBA and sports radio for that.
Fortunely, we here in the U.S. cherish free expression, even when it disagrees with our evolved sensibilities, and even when its not intended for public consumption....
Fortunely, we here in the U.S. cherish free expression, even when it disagrees with our evolved sensibilities, and even when its not intended for public consumption....
True that we have a stronger cultural devotion to free speech than they do in other parts of the world, but I do thinl that more and more, we have people in positions of power who would love for government to be able to punish expressions of "offensive" ideas.
Related to last link: Caption contest!
It's the scene where she chokes out Jabba, but reshot by Lucas for his remastered version. He wisely rejected it.
This was just before Kirk switched to his Only Fuck the Green Ones policy.
"Never follow a hippie to a second location."
I'm not sure whether to shat or lay ya.
Former German Chancellor Celebrates His Birthday with Putin.
You know who else was a former German Chancellor.
Helmut Kohl?
Don't the Mets know reporters don't write their own headlines?
The Mets don't even know how to not suck, so...no.
That's basically what I was thinking.
Well, it wasn't just the headline:
I laughed.
Me too. The Mets are weak.
So did I. Bartolo's one of my favorite pitchers ever, and how he seems to be gestating his previously undeveloped conjoined twin is an endless source of amusement.
Harris poll about Americans' favorite books. #1 is the Bible, of course, but in the competition for the #2 spot Gone With The Wind prevails among adults in general and among lots of subgroups. Blacks prefer Moby Dick, Hispanics prefer The Great Gatsby, people with postgraduate degrees prefer The Lord of the Rings.
http://www.harrisinteractive.c.....ReadCustom Default/mid/1508/ArticleId/1422/Default.aspx
Try this address:
http://bit.ly/POYY8w
More like a poll about what books people can think of, that will make them look well read.
This is most likely.
Nah, not considering #1 is always the Bible, and Gone with the Wind and Harry Potter round out the top 3. No one thinks any of those will make them look well read.
I think people who say Gone with the Wind do think that. And I'm betting most of them have seen the movie and never read the book.
Have never read the book nor seen the movie and actively plan to keep on doing so.
I suspect a lot of those answers amount to "I'll name that book I had to read in school, which is the last one I read."
Men like Lord of the Rings. Apparently it's the women putting Gone With the Wind over the top.
People still read Moby Dick?
I read it. The whole thing, even the chapters about whaling.
Pro L-
How else will someone learn how to land Lindy West?
RACIST!!!1!1!!!!!
#boycottRBS
It was assigned to us in HS and that was around 98 or so. I don't recall our teacher even bothering to question any of us about it though.
We read the last two chapters, which are really the only ones involving the whale.
I've never read it in its entirety. I tried reading it, and found it tedious.
The Citizen Kane of American literature?
People still read Moby Dick?
I made my son read it when he was 10. He is a fast reader and actually enjoyed it. More than War and Peace which he read just before Moby Dick.
Child abuse
Hey, I haven't made him read Crime and Punishment, yet.
Jesus. I only made it halfway through The Brothers Karamazov, and that was when I enjoyed reading.
Oh, I forgot about that one! I haven't read it in years.
He is a good sport about it. He reads quickly and often. I actually have to tell him, on a regular basis, to "put down that book and go outside and play".
He read Dante's Inferno in a couple of days and liked it reasonably well.
But did he read it in late renaissance Italian?
But did he read it in late renaissance Italian?
I don't think that comes up on the list until he is 14.
It's a great book, so...no, I suppose.
Obviously a made-up list, since Dreams From My Father didn't make the top 10.
You missed the best highlight at all -- that Dan Brown has finally dropped out of the top 10 entirely.
Maybe America's long national nightmare of idiocy might finally be starting to let up a bit.
When I read The Da Vinci Code, I was just bored all of the way through. The guy couldn't set up a puzzle that he didn't solve for you within the next three pages. Literally the only reason I kept reading was because I was stuck in an airport because my flight home was delayed by almost ten hours. It was either read that or sit in silence.
I have read all of his books. One year my mom saw my copy of
I have read all of his books. One year my mom saw my copy of
Don't say it! DON'T SAY IT!
My mom gave me that book. Twenty pages in, I tossed it on the floor. Crap. Serious crap.
He is just a bad writer. I listened to the Da Vinci code on tape. I was driving six hours every weekend for a couple of months to see my then sick mother. I listened to it on the road down and back.
Oddly, I remember finding it oddly entertaining. I think that was mostly due to my being under a ton of stress going to visit my gravely ill mother and it being absolutely mindless entertainment.
The ONLY thing that was mildly enjoyable was the fact that the airport I was stuck at was the last leg of my trip back from Europe where I got to see some of the things he was jabbering on about. Still, if I actually chose to spend my free time at home to read, that book would have quickly found its way into my burn pile for the fireplace.
And you still chose to read that? First things first, I can only imagine there was an airport bar nearby. Secondly, the only thing I'd read Dan Brown in lieu of would be the sound of Barack Obama giving a speech.
Twenty pages. And, to be honest, Mom got me through ten of those--I was ready to quit sooner but didn't want to tell her I tossed it that soon.
I was on my way home from a 3-week European trip as a poor college student. I could only afford so many $12 bottles of their cheapest beer.
And FYI, *I* paid for that trip. No student loans, parents' money, etc. did.
Actually, the funny thing about all Brown's books which I have read (even the ones outside the DaVinci Code sequence) is that the protagonist is a middle-aged white male academic who is being pursued by a hot early 20s female academic.
Also, Atlas Shrugged fell off since 2008 (last time question was asked). Rand may not have been much of a writer in many ways but I'm not as happy about that one as the Dan Brown.
Well I see my favorite books did not make it. Of course my top two are Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury and Emerson's Essays.
The white zone is for instant obedience, if you know what's good for you: Drivers allege officers too aggressive at airport curbside.
(The reporter) filed an open records request to track airport complaints, and found the (Atlanta Police) department had not compiled them. She had to get a list of every officer assigned to the airport, then search for complaints against each one.
In 95 percent of the cases, investigators cleared the officers, unless they admitted to wrongdoing, or it were caught on tape.
"I think that there is always room for improvement," said APD Assistant Chief Ernest Finley, who oversees command of the airport unit.
Only 95 percent?
I guess the other five percent were officers admitting to wrongdoing (0%?) or caught on tape (5%).
I thought the white zone was for loading and unloading only. Are you sure you aren't thinking of the red zone?
You're only saying that because you want me to have an abortion!
Listen, gimmeasammich, don't start up with your red zone shit again.
Listen, it's the only sensible thing to do if it's done safely.
Give me Hamm on five, hold the Mayo.
Looks like i picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.
Secretary of State John Kerry told an audience in Estonia
I'm going to be in Estonia in a few months. I'm going to try and remember to ask the locals about this. Because that should be funny.
Is it true their national anthem is "Everybody must get Estoned"?
Business or pleasure? I was originally planning on a trip to Eastern Europe and Russia in spring 2015, but might put that on hold given circumstances.
Secretary of State John Kerry told an audience in Estonia that his country awarded government critics
This is only correct if by "Government" he means only Republican ones.
Peace Zones for life... Detroit Police chief makes common sense comments about responsible gun owners. People go insane.
Blame him for what? When did dead intruders become a bad thing???
The usual response is the contrived example of lost children ringing your doorbell for help in the middle of the night and being shot as intruders.
It's apparently messing up the many areas of Detroit with no crime...
"I think it's inappropriate for a law enforcement official who's supposed to be promoting peace to suggest what people already know about their right to defend themselves,"
Huh?
What an idiot.
Your "peace zone" broke down before the first shot was fired, not after. There's not much peace to be had for a population having to aggressively defend itself against home invasions.
The conflict resolution industry is getting batshit insane.
I fail to see a problem here.
Tea Party candidate challenging Boehner loses Christian university job over 'erectile dysfunction' ad
A Tea Party candidate challenging House Speaker John Boehner got a few chuckles, and a lot of Internet views, with a recent raunchy campaign ad about "electile dysfunction" -- but the spot has cost him one of his day jobs.
J.D. Winteregg, one of two candidates running against Boehner in the Republican primary for Ohio's 8th District, got into trouble with Cedarville University, a Baptist school in Ohio where he taught as an adjunct professor. He confirmed to FoxNews.com that his contract was not renewed, on the heels of that ad.
He said he was contacted by a supervisor who informed him his contract would lapse because the commercial "did not correspond with university values."
The commercial, titled "When the Moment is Right," parodies erectile dysfunction commercials and urges Ohioans to cure their "electile dysfunction" by voting out Boehner.
"Winteregg in Congress will help you every time the moment is right to have your voice heard at the federal level," the ad says, later adding, "If you have a Boehner lasting more than 23 years, seek immediate medical attention."
Since when is getting an erection, as long as it involves a wholesome Christian marriage, a bad thing?
I thought it was the Catholics who hated sex. The Protestants will wear rubbers and fuck like rabbits.
That's not really true, as the size of any devout Catholic family should tell you. It's the rubbers that Catholics hate, not the fucking like rabbits.
True. They feel guilty about it afterwards but they never get too freaky either.
You needed to date more Catholic girls in college.
I married one. Maybe it was the wrong one in hindsight.
If Catholics hate sex, *some* of them have courageously managed to overcome their repugnance.
http://www.catholicworldreport.....ilies.aspx
It was never the Catholics. Read an encyclical.
so which value was violated? This is why people see the god squad as a humorless group of Nurse Ratchett types.
The thing is, there are universities where a professor who makes a Martin Luther King joke would be run off campus on a rail, while they think they're sophisticated because they let professors broadcast dirty jokes throughout the ether.
And if the university put up with the ad, then some people would be snarking about how those hypocritical Christians let their people make dirty jokes so long as it supports the Tea Party.
That ad sounds almost as good as the pig castration one.
Also contained in the 41 pages of documents obtained by Judicial Watch is a Sep. 12, 2012 email from Payton Knopf, the former deputy spokesman at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.
In this communication, Knopf informs Rice that senior officials had already dubbed the Benghazi attack as "complex" and planned in advance. Despite this information, Rice still insisted that attacks were "spontaneous."
The newly released cache of emails also appear to confirm that the CIA altered its original talking points on the attacks in the following days.
Then-CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell is identified as the person who heavily edited the critical fact sheet.
"The first draft apparently seemed unsuitable ? because they seemed to encourage the reader to infer incorrectly that the CIA had warned about a specific attack on our embassy," states one email. "Morell noted that these points were not good and he had taken a heavy hand to editing them. He noted that he would be happy to work with [then deputy chief of staff to Hillary Clinton] Jake Sullivan and Rhodes to develop appropriate talking points."
http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon.....aunched/2/
I am thinking that the media is just going to ignore this. You can't even spin it. They will ignore it and then do the "well everyone already knew that and it is old news" Jedi mind trick. Basically four Americans including an Ambassador were murdered in a coordinated attack on a compound DOS specifically left without security and the Administration told a racist lie and arrested an innocent film maker to cover it up.
Yeah, that is a fake scandal.
John, why are you harping on something from years ago?
Yeah, what difference does it make?
Seriously though, this is bad news for Hillary. It makes her look like a liar and a clown. Pretty hard to run on the "but I am the old hand known commodity" in light of this.
"People died. Hillary lied."
But Hillary didn't lie us into a war in Iraq you racist tea bagger. She just supported it at the time and voted to approve it. But that is different!!
STERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLING STERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLING
STERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLING STERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLING STERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLINGSTERLING
Who are you, Archer's mom?
The thought of me dead gives you an erection?
well, that filmmaker violated probation or something. which is why the full force of the federal government sprang into action.
I beat you to this story, hoping for a hat tip, but yes, the media will do their best to ignore it.
Including Reason apparently.
I feel your pain, PSF. Hat tips are apparently a relic from an earlier age.
Maybe it'll make the A.M. links.
Would it not be easy to spin? There were reports it was complex and planned in advance, there were reports it was not. They went with the latter.
I suppose it won't be to people like you. To the rest of us it will be a bit harder since there were no such reports. They knew from the start that it was an organized attack and not a spontaneous protest. That is the whole point of the emails, to concoct a lie to cover that up.
There were no reports it was spontaneous? That NYT journalist reported something quite different.
No there were not. The CIA and the DOS knew what was happening on the ground the entire time. There were no reporters there. Who knows where the NYT got that story. Go back and check and it was probably DOS.
It was a US consulate. They knew when the attack started and were in communication with it for hours. They knew what happened.
Sorry, but "some NYT guy said the next day it was a protest" doesn't quite cut it.
"There is no doubt that anger over the video motivated many attackers. A Libyan journalist working for The New York Times was blocked from entering by the sentries outside, and he learned of the film from the fighters who stopped him. Other Libyan witnesses, too, said they received lectures from the attackers about the evil of the film and the virtue of defending the prophet."
http://www.nytimes.com/project.....#/?chapt=4
So the reporter wasn't there and he was giving an account second hand from a Libyan who wasn't there either and heard it from "fighters" whoever they are.
In contrast, DOS and DOD were in communication with people who were actually there and reported it as a coordinated attack and not a spontaneous protest.
Clearly they just believed the report, that wasn't published until the next day over their own reports from people who were actually there.
Thanks for proving my point Bo.
A Libyan NYT journalist that was in Benghazi went to the scene during the battle. Kept by some of the fighters from getting too close, they lectured him and other Libyans there about the evil of the film and virtue of defending the prophet.
So that does not sound like "no such report" existed, does it?
And then he rode his unicorn back to Rome to file the report.
"A dearth of clear and definitive HUMINT or eyewitness reporting led IC analysts to rely on open press reports and limited SIGINT reporting that incorrectly attributed the origins of the Benghazi attacks to "protests," over first-hand accounts from U.S. officials on the ground. CIA's January 4, 2013, Analytic Line Review found that "[a ]pproximately a dozen reports that included press accounts, public statements by AAS members, ffiJMINT reporting, DOD reporting, and signals intelligence all stated or strongly suggested that a protest occurred outside of the Mission facility just prior to the attacks."120
Of the 11 reports cited by the CIA's Analytic Line Review, six were press
articles, two were the public statements of Ansar al-Sharia, and the three others
were intelligence reports"
http://www.intelligence.senate.....nghazi.pdf
Yes Bo, they falsified the IC reports as well. Try reading the entire section you quote from
The IC also had information that there were no protests outside the
Temporary Mission Facility prior to the attacks, but did not incorporate that
information into its widely circulated assessments in a timely manner. Contrary to many press reports at the time, eyewitness statements by U.S. personnel indicate that there were no protests at the start of the attacks. For example, on September 15, 2012,. the CIA's Chief of Station in Tripoli sent to the then-Deputy Director of
the ClA and others at the CIA an email that reported the attacks were "not/not an escalation of protests."
We get it Bo, you will believe anything they tell you and waste our time trying to spin this. We already knew that.
Yeah, I'm agreeing with John here in that there's no reasonable way to spin this. I guess I unfortunately have to agree with Bo that it will nonetheless be easy for here to spin, because people don't care and the media won't call her out on it.
The IC also had information that there were no protests outside the
Temporary Mission Facility prior to the attacks, but did not incorporate that
information into its widely circulated assessments in a timely manner. Contrary to many press reports at the time, eyewitness statements by U.S. personnel indicate that there were no protests at the start of the attacks.
As I recall, the U.S. Embassy personnel all reported it had been a quiet morning at the embassy and... I'm really busy and can't google it right now, but hadn't Stevens been out for a morning jog?
Given the "dearth of clear and definitive HUMINT or eyewitness reporting" IC analysts relied on "open press reports and limited SIGINT reporting" rather than "first-hand accounts from U.S. officials on the ground." Did 'they' falsify the "open press reports and limited SIGINT reporting" that the IC went with?
God shut the fuck up.
Yep the magical libyan nyt stringer knew better what was happening at the compound that the people there.
You can't even spin it. They will ignore it and then do the "well everyone already knew that and it is old news" Jedi mind trick
Except their Jedi mind tricks only work on Shrike.
It looks like it's working pretty well on Bo, also.
I am no fan of Hillary Clinton or this administration, but neither am I a conservative Republican jumping at every suggestion of conspiracy by the Democrats.
There seemed to have been evidence suggesting something more spontaneous protest like and evidence suggesting something more coordinated. Intelligence has notoriously failed our nation of late, and the administration going with some of the evidence over other evidence hardly strikes me as something to get worked up about.
In fact, all I would need to oppose Obama or Clinton is plain and out in the open.
The Rhodes emails don't even suggest, but outright state that they knew it was a coordinated attack, but went with the "PR" version anyway.
This isn't tinfoil hat shit, but it is completely unsurprising that you toe the ThinkProgress line on this.
John,
Don't you get it? The highest priority national security matter for the United States was to re-elect Barack Obama as president.
Just think what would have have happened if Mitt Romney was president. Romney would have drawn a red line over Syria without properly consulting anybody and would have been forced to accept mediation by Russia. Russia would be running roughshod over Ukraine and Romney would be unable to do anything about it. Syria and Libya would be a disaster. Iraq and Afghanistan would be heading that way. Romney's Secretary of State would insult Israel. The list just goes on.
Personally, I'm glad the Presidency is not held by someone as incompetent as Mitt Romney.
Here's some shit from work world:
I want to remind you of two important events. The first is this Friday:
Climate and Ice Cream: Join us in xxx Auditorium, City Hall, Friday, May 2, 12:00-1:00, for a presentation of the Climate Reality Project. Shown by Chad Nichols, a local Climate Reality Leader personally trained by former Vice President Al Gore, this talk covers the latest impacts and climate change solutions and will help us celebrate xxx newly ratified Climate Action Plan. Free Ben and Jerry's ice cream. This presentation is not to be missed!
...
Jeebus. Why don't we have Economic Reality Leaders personally trained by Thomas Sowell?
Sounds super cereal.
don't even want to know what "personally trained" means in this case. To lie? Accost masseuses? No, don't want to know.
Yeah, that's not totally culty or anything.
Yeah, that jumped out at me too.
Chad also looks like a distant relative of ManBearPig.
I could go get trained and be only one step removed from the Gore Himself! (swoons)
This is far more important than the NSA relentlessly spying on us. In fact, it's almost as important as a racist basketball team owner.
You are just a racist who doesn't want to talk about the really big issues like Clive Bundy's opinion of slavery.
Ice cream?! Don't these deniers realize ice cream contributes to global warming?
Wait, there's a triple-x version of the Climate Reality Plan now?
Kentucky Shop, Herald Embroidery, wants you to bring your guns, Jesus and beard, but wants you to leave your icky gay lifestyle and foul language at home. (Image) After receiving some pushback they've issued a "clarification":
Well I mean, that seems perfectly...wait freemasonry?
Hypothetical: If bearded Pink Pistols from the local Episcopalian church showed up, would their three green stickers offset the one red sticker?
Who controls the British crown?
Who keeps the metric system down?
We do, we do!
Who keeps Atlantis off the maps?
Who keeps the Martians under wraps?
We do, we do!
Who holds back the electric car?
Who makes Steve Guttenberg a star?
We do, we do!
Who robs cavefish of their sight?
Who rigs every Oscar night?
We do!
We do!!!
The Freemasons and their hatred of Catholics are alive and well in Western KY. A Freemason uncle by marriage still baits my wife about and she's been lapsed for 25 years.
That is alright, the Knights of Columbus are ready to rumble if the Free Masons decide to get frisky.
I thought you grew up in some radical rundy church? How can you question the inclusion of the free masons?
The weird New World Order shit peaked in my household right around the time I moved in with them at the end of the first Bush administration. Then they went through a phase of really intense fretting about pop media and the satanic influence of rock music (BACKMASKING!). I think we watched one VHS that referenced Illuminati infiltration of the Masons, but there was so much other crazy picked up and then set back down and forgotten that it never really stuck.
When I was taking the bus between Albany, NY and Darthmouth, when I was in college around that time, there was a transfer in Rutland. The bus station was next to a "Christian" bookstore. There wsa some odd shit in that bookstore. I remember one about Gorbachev being the sign of the devil.
I never worked up the courage to ask them where they displayed their rosaries for sale. 🙂
I actually really liked quirky neighborhood Christian book stores. The Bible with my name engraved on it (NIV before anyone realized it was authored by SATAN!) was from one near where I grew up. It always almost an occult book store with books of prophecy, hearing the voice of God for yourself, spiritual warfare, using the gifts of the spirit to evangelize.
I loved that stuff. Sadly it closed and was replaced by a Scientology testing center and a dry cleaner.
Come on, jesse. Getting to Clear and having your shirts pressed is way better than Christian sorcery.
Niv authored by satan? Wow, thats way out there.
It swept through their church when I was in college. Apparently it's a thing.
The idea is that other versions have been influenced more deeply by modernity and secularism and have traveled further from the redemptive word of God, or something.
I think it was officially rejected by the head of the church at some point.
Thats been around forever. I thought it wad niv specific.
The particular book that was really popular was something about NIV being the Devil's translation, I've tried to track it down since, but it's been 15+ years and I can't remember the specific title. I think they picked on the NIV because it was so ubiquitous and at the time had just gone through an update in the language used that replaced mankind with humankind, but it was essentially just another front on the KJV-only movement.
I presume you mean a radical fundy church?
Although, a radical randy church might be more interesting.... 😉
I think the red stickers are NOR gates.
To show solidarity with my gay brothers, I hereby swear to never give any of my business to Herald Embroidery.
Champions League happened.
NO SPOILERS
NO SPOILERS
I hope Rufus is OK. I haven't seen him on the thread.
If I could remember Rufus's preference this would be a spoiler. Anything that would let you easily infer the outcome is a spoiler. NO SPOILERS
Let's see if Rufus reads this far in the thread:
I think Rufus actually prefers AC Milan, a team which won't be polluting the Champions League with its presence next year. 🙂
I though it was Milan so I guess it's no spoilers. Only one more day to keep the threads spoiler free.
It certainly happened. Yep.
Killing with cuteness: "Felting Printer" creates soft 3D-printed teddy bears
Thanks to new technology developed by Carnegie Mellon University and Disney Research Pittsburgh, it's now possible to make soft and fuzzy 3D-printed items, using yarn instead of plastic or resin. Among the first items to be created were little felt teddy bears.
On a regular FDM printer, spools of filament line are pulled into the machine and melted, then extruded from the print head to form each layer. On the felting printer, the filament is replaced with yarn. And instead of being melted, the yarn is repeatedly pierced with a barbed felting needle, which drags individual fibers down into the layers of yarn below. This causes the fibers of adjacent layers to become entangled, thus joining the layers to one another.
Along with li'l teddy bears, such machines could be conceivably be used to manufacture items such as winter clothing, or parts for soft-bodied robots.
Bill Encourages Schools To Teach About Racial Significance Of Obama's Presidency
In all seriousness, what the hell would that class actually teach? Okay, he was the first black President. If Progs want to claim that it is racially significant, that is fine by me but that means that racism isn't what it used to be. Right? If electing Obama is such a watershed moment, then perhaps white Progs ought to move on from the "America is racist" meme.
it will be juxtaposed with Bundy and Sterling as how not even the election of Black Jesus was enough to cleanse this wicked country of its original sin.
"If Progs want to claim that it is racially significant"
Well, it is pretty significant, though as you note it would seem the lesson would be 'racism largely eroded.'
Try suggesting that the election of Obama invalidates the "Black people can't be racist because they don't have the power" argument, and watch the reaction.
You just like to see your own words on the page don't you?
That is my point. I don't think Progs are going to like teaching that lesson very much.
You know, I had great hopes as someone living at the turn of the century that now that we have Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics, and women of all creeds and colors, in the highest levels of government and business, this whole racism thing would have finally been recognized as defeated. Affirmative action would be scrapped as, well, we won. And the entire nation would run toward the camera while laughing good-naturedly and then jump in unison as the scene froze, light jazz music would play as an outro and the credits would scroll down.
But no. After fighting the good fight against structural institutionalized racism, they decided to embark on the fool's errand of attempting to conquer individual racism; a fight that, to win, requires a tyrannical and totalitarian control of a person's innermost thoughts. A control that has been proven to be impossible to establish. Yet, these lunatics will attempt it, even if it leads to the eventual genocide.
Insanity.
The lesson of Obama is that white liberals were not ready for a black President. The reason why electing Obama hurt race relations is because white liberals called everyone who disagreed with him racists and chalked up every criticism no matter how valid or sincere to racist motives. They just were not ready to view a black President as a full human being instead of a symbol.
HM, that's terrible jazz. This is much better, especially the bass line.
Since race isn't significant, "racially significant" is a phrase that mocks itself.
Man, why won't that Bill guy just leave people the hell alone? I'm always seeing him everywhere, "Bill forbids doing this" or "Bill requires people do that". Give it up, already!
Local communities face onslaught from self-anointed planners
An army of Joe from Lowells out doing God's work in some of America's best neighborhoods.
They are like a swarm of locusts in my town;
They raided the road fund to build a new town hall; built a senior center that is largely unused (seniors can't afford the high taxes to live in my town anymore); they replaced an old but serviceable elementary school with a new one because the state would kick in a bunch of money (as Lucy told Ricky, "it was on sale!"); they are building an incredible swimming pool complex to replace the run down municipal pool; they want to convert the town library into a police station and build a new library on land seized from the local high-school's playing fields; they also want to put solar panels on the new elementary school despite the roof and the electrical systems not being designed for it.
All of the projects have had problems. My favorite was the siting of the emergency generator for the senior center being messed up and requiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to correct because they architectural firm fucked up.
The roads are in worse shape than when the taxes were raised to pay for their repair.
The problem requiring the construction of a new library is wear and tear on the main entrance and on some load bearing walls that could be corrected for a fraction of the cost of a new building. But that doesn't require a huge planning commision. 🙂
That is sadly typical. They basically are a bunch of assholes who come in and rebuild a town to their tastes and tell everyone who lives there and liked it the way it was to go fuck themselves.
Too true.
One of the assholes even had the temerity to write an editorial telling people who couldn't afford the ever ballooning property taxes to move elsewhere. My favorite part was when he criticized the elderly people living on a fixed income in homes they bought in the 60's for standing in the way of progress.
"elderly people living on a fixed income "
There aren't any Elderly people in the US living on a fixed income. Social Security gets regular Cost of Living adjustments.
AUGUST 12--Just what the NBA needs, another sex scandal: Donald Sterling, the miserly tycoon who owns the Los Angeles Clippers, testified last year that he regularly paid a Beverly Hills woman for sex, describing her as a $500-a-trick "freak" with whom he coupled "all over my building, in my bathroom, upstairs, in the corner, in the elevator."
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/d.....ex-scandal
Alexandra Castro - Sterling's $500 night "freak":
http://www.actressalexandracastro.com/bio.html
AlterNet writer claims he read Atlas Shrugged, proceeds to demonstrate he did not actually read Atlas Shrugged
Over the past year, I've been reading and reviewing Ayn Rand's massive paean to capitalism, Atlas Shrugged. If you're not familiar with the novel, it depicts a world where corporate CEOs and one-percenters are the selfless heroes upon which our society depends, and basically everyone else ? journalists, legislators, government employees, the poor ? are the villains trying to drag the rich down out of spite, when we should be kissing their rings in gratitude that they allow us to exist.
Now I have never managed to read the book, but I am pretty confident that is not an accurate assessment of the book. He certainly leaves out the rent-seekers in business that are portrayed as villains.
This part seems particularly egregious:
Strange, money isn't even mentioned by Francisco d'Anconia in that speech. It's just an endorsement of living a productive life performing work you find fulfilling.
He also didn't mention his love for Stossel!
+ 1 mustache
Yeah, the main villains are crony capitalists.
Look, Serious, not everyone was handed a full measure of reading comprehension at birth. I know lefties who have actually read it and they definitely weighted the message of egoism much higher than her hatred of cronyism, whereas I didn't find the egoism part very interesting but came away entertained by her depressingly accurate crony and nanny villains. There's something there for everyone to feel good about hating.
Revolutionary Truth is more important than facts comrade.
Also I hate the "one percent stuff." I thought hating minority groups was bad?
And You Know Who Else hated a wealthy minority?
Judge okays sale of widow's $280,000 home because of a $6.30 tax bill
I mean... wow...
"I'm sorry ma'am, but the tax collectors have all of the proper paperwork! Do you understand how important proper paperwork is? Without it, blood would rain from the sky! Dogs and cats would be living together! Every thin-crust pizza would turn into deep-dish! There'd be anarchy in the streets!"
If and when I get judge's robes, my response to this will be: Pull $10 out of my pocket, tell the tax man to go fetch me a Coke, and keep the change.
I mean, seriously, it is 6 fucking dollars and 30 damn cents. They could not do ANYTHING ELSE but sell her home to get that money? I mean... uh... no way to put a lien on her home or withhold her tax refunds or anything else? Yeesh!
It's the LAW! Their hands were TIED!
Too bad their feet were tied as well, so we could toss them into a deep lake.
But FYTW.
So in honor of the "situational ethics" stuff yesterday I have to ask a question: Between Mao, Stalin and Hitler who was the most libertarian? All three were critics of US foreign policy and only interfered with nations bordering them after being provoked, unlike the USG which to Ron Paul, Raimondo, Rockwell and Richman is the most important detail. All three opposed bankers and cops while in opposition. All three had the Best Interests of Their People at Heart and Got Things Done unlike Obama.
Mao was the only world leader to not mourn JFK which should get him points from Gillespie. He also supported the youth against the old fogeys and sought to give backwoods hicks more technology and dealt with China's overpopulation. He also opposed Western Imperialism and US interference in Korea and US support for South Korean dictators.
Stalin of course had a libertarian foreign policy according to Rothbard and opposed America's racist policies. He also opposed Western Imperialism and the US in Iran. He was also a bank robber.
Hitler opposed Zionism, Communism and FDR and was shot at by police and had some of them killed. He even opposed certain banking practices and sought social justice for his people and to end their oppression. He made sure the Sudeten minority weren't oppressed by Czechoslovakia and didn't let some pieces of paper stop him.
Of course I know who mtrueman will choose...
That is actually first class trolling. That whole post made me laugh. It shows that yes, you can be a troll without being a complete retard.
Laugh it up fuzzball, he'll be back to his usual retardation soon.
I'm being sarcastic. I don't think any of these guys are remotely libertarian.
I know. That is why I laughed.
I wish LRC had comment sections. It would be pretty funny to watch you troll them.
Remember, only the police are properly trained in the use and care of these dangerous weapons: Dozens of military weapons are missing from local police and sheriff departments.
Channel 2 Action News has learned more than two dozen weapons, including military assault rifles, have vanished from local law enforcement agencies. The weapons were provided at no charge through a military surplus program run by the Department of Defense and administered in Georgia by the Department of Public Safety.
The Clayton County Police Department is one of the law enforcement agencies trying to recover an M-16 that was discovered missing during a state inspection in 2010.
"We can't find it. Anytime a weapon like this ends up missing that has the possibility of ending up in the wrong hands is of concern," said Clayton County Police Spokesman Capt. Angelo Daniel.
How much of that stuff is going to end up being sold to various drug gangs and such? Here you are some cop in bum fuck nowhere and DHS shows up and gives you a bunch of heavy weapons you don't need.
Yeah sure going out to the range with them will be fun, for a while. I am thinking at least a few enterprising cops will decide to turn those things into cash.
IF you are wondering how so many of the illegally owned guns in Mexico made it to their owners from the United States, there's your answer.
Most of the illegally owned American-manufacture firearms in the wild were exported to the Mexican Army directly from the factory and then stolen from its armories to be sold on the black market.
So you are telling me our government is sending military arms to Mexico knowing they will end up in the hands of criminal gangs that operate within the US as well as Mexico while they are at the same time doing everything they can to disarm Americans.
Gee, it is almost like they want to be able to use gangs to prey on disarmed Americans for political purposes. I am sure I am just being paranoid. It is not like that hasn't happened in every single socialist country in Latin America or anything.
Technically, since its missing, *any* hands it ends up in are 'the wrong hands'.
Rawstory readers are great people, Storms kill 21, tornado roars through Mississippi city.
Comments!
That reminds me, it's time for spring cleaning again....
God hates the Bible Belt.
Obviously the Divine Being is punishing these states for their un-Christian attitude toward gays, homosexuals, immigrants, and the poor. God has come a long way!
....Let's put this into context like the religious right (fake Christians) would do..."This is "God's wrath" for you enacting a HATE LAW in your state"....See how that feels? LOL
Really, hate should be a capital crime.
It's reasonable. A thief gets his hand cut off, doesn't he?
Kill the haters. But not those who hate with good cause, like people who hate Republicans or their sidekicks, the libertarians.
Just make "hating without good cause" a hate crime!
First degree hate = death.
"Hate ... or DEATH!!"
They really do just drool on themselves a little bit when they think of murder don't they?
And don't forget, these are the same people who have convinced themselves George Bush hated black people so much he let them drown by the hundreds during Katrina. Meanwhile, they practically have an orgasm at the site of innocent people dying in a tornado.
Why would you read the comments? Masochism?
I mean, I assume that's why I do it.
I need therapy, it is obvious I hate myself.
I really do get a kick out of leftists who openly despise their fellow countrymen who happen to live south of some arbitrary line, but turn around and tell us all that we should respect every single non-western, third-world backward culture, most of which stone adulterers and gays to death. Lovely people, those leftists.
Bell Knox says Just Say 'No' to rape
Our culture of victim shaming is present in subtle ways. During O-Week, I was constantly reminded to watch my drink and only walk in groups. Don't get me wrong; these are practical tips. But essentially, they tell women that they can behave in a certain way to avoid being victimized.
But, why don't we tell men similar things? Why aren't there anti-rape campaigns targeting women? Why don't we focus on telling men not to rape, instead of telling women how to not get raped?
I propose that we educate men about what constitutes rape. In North Carolina, having sex with someone who is legally drunk is considered rape. Perhaps we should make it a focus during O Week to educate our students about the laws of consent, so that no one may ever revert to Robin Thicke's mantra of "Blurred Lines."
How about we teach young men that when a woman says stop, they stop? Or that if a woman (or man) is drunk or unconscious, they should help them, instead of taking advantage of them?
[snip]
I dream of a day when my daughter can walk down the street without the fear of being assaulted. And yes, I think that I should be able to wear whatever the hell I want without being labeled as a slut. This idea that men cannot control their impulses is archaic and offensive.
*** meekly raises hand ***
What's a "sex-positive feminist"?
I dunno, a porn star?
No, she spells that out separately.
The idea that this girl is some sort of voice we need to be listening to is about as fucked up as she is. Though I like her much better than the slut who wants us to pay for her protected sex.
If this is the best that she can do, her immediate career decision is looking more and more wise every day.
She should definitely change her major to Whorin'.
I saw her tape.
She's certainly no Jenna Haze.
Come on, that's not fair. She hasn't graduated yet.
One who's okay with whatever you're into, so long as everybody's adult and consenting. It's as opposed to the Andrea Dworkin "all PIV sex is rape" sort of feminism.
Who are you, so wise in the ways of sex-positiveness?
Some call him . . . Andrew?
Ima go with the last one.
A slut who takes herself way too seriously.
Can she still wear whatever the hell she wants?
So long as I get to take it off, sure, why not?
Oh wow! I completely forgot to teach my son to be a good person who didn't hurt people! How could I overlook something so important!
"Oh, *don't* rape! So all this time I've been doing it wrong!"
It's irresponsible fathers like you making a bad name for the rest of us!
I'm going to go to Harvard Square and try to drink until the shame is gone.
Go to Copley Square instead, Back Bay is more fun.
But Fuck the green line.
She's right. We should also teach people not to commit other crimes.
I had no idea I couldn't assault and rape women until I read that. How did I make it this long?
And why isn't this woman running our justice system? I mean if we can just concentrate on teaching people not to murder we wouldn't have to worry about murder anymore. Why didn't we think of this before?
Well, obviously because we were raised by the patriarchy that taught us we deserve access to women. Had there been any women in our lives at all they would have told us not to rape people.
why isn't this woman running our justice system?
Give it a few years, John.
I'm so utterly baffled by how widespread this attitude--"we need to teach men not to rape" has become. Anyone can recognize how completely absurd this sounds applied to any other crime--"Oh, the reason there are murders is that we don't teach young people not to be murderers! Some people rob banks because we don't teach kids not to rob banks!" How can there be so many imbeciles to whom this line of reasoning sounds sensible?
If only kids had access to the 10 commandments, they'd know not to covet their neighbor's wives.
Or his ass.
Especially when most men seem pretty well aware they're not supposed to go around raping people. It's totally baffling that this has caught on.
It's Duke. They're like the Big 10 of rape.
It is only baffling to you Nikki because you think rape means some guy breaking into your house with a knife and forcing himself on you. These people think you having a few drinks at a hotel bar and cheating on your fiance with some guy there and then feeling bad about it the next day is rape.
You see men don't understand and need to be taught that even though a woman says she wants to have sex with them it is still rape if for some reason she regrets it later. If men only knew this and magically understood what the woman throwing themselves really doesn't want to do this, we wouldn't have rape.
You see Niki, we need to just teach men not to rape.
Well there certainly are forms of rape in between your two examples and some definitely happen on college campuses. That said, in my observation the only effective prevention is people learning to look out for themselves and their friends. The dbag who carries some passed out chick to his room doesn't care that nobody taught him rape is bad.
Of course. But your example is actually rape. This woman thinks rape means a lot more than that.
Are we teaching our daughters to not falsely accuse someone of rape?
NATIONAL CRISIS.
You joke but there are corners of the internet who take that sentiment seriously. Because for every derp there's someone out there trying to outderp them in the opposite direction.
Honestly, not that derpy. A friend of mine recently decided to go to college on his GI Bill. He showed me (as in, this isn't second hand misinterpreted opinion) the literature from one of his mandatory campus orientation classes that explicitly stated under a "Have You Been Raped?" section that regret was one of the signs that a woman had been raped (notably not a man though).
His school has firmly adopted, and teaches in a separate all-male class, affirmative consent codes for sexual conduct by students. They are pretty threatening about possible repercussions for violating the rules. According to the literature he has showed me they actually count a report of not receiving affirmative consent will be seen as a sexual assault allegation and be punished accordingly (and apparently the only punishment is expulsion).
I've heard stories of similar things going back to when I was college age (15 or so years ago). It's actually one of the reasons I decided to forgo college entirely.
But essentially, they tell women that they can behave in a certain way to avoid being victimized. I dream of a day when my daughter can walk down the street without the fear of being assaulted.
Honey I dream of the day when a lot of things happen. That doesn't change reality you silly cow.
I dream of a day I can hand my wallet to a total stranger before jumping into a swimming pool and will return to find all the money untouched!
Where do you think you are, Japan?
This idea that men cannot control their impulses is archaic and offensive
Good point, Miss Knox. But we should also acknowledge that women have impulses too. Human interaction is complex, especially sexual interaction. Except when Warty is involved. Then things get really simple really fast.
Hey, Warty's a complicated guy. He also knows "ball."
Hey, Scientist: TONIGHT...YOU.
Heheh, what do you think he means? "Tonight, you" Like he's threatenin' me or somethin'.
And, technically, he's supposed to be spayed, and uh, he ain't that. I know that first hand. Go ahead, ask me how I know. Go ahead. Ask me. Ask me how I know.
I got a little present for your dog next time he shows up and tries to make unwanted sexual advances towards me. He's gonna get stuck, cause I filled every orifice of my body with wacky glue.
See, you don't know what rape is like. For years, I thought it was funny. 'Oh, yeah. Rape's so funny.' Until you've been raped. You're about to find out what that's like, Hand Banana.
Sounds like someone wants to get raped again.
Uh, no, tonight it's YOU.
Warty's approach to sex is "Ladies and gentlemen, point to a hole or I shall make one myself".
I dream of a day when my daughter
You probably shouldn't reproduce Ms. Knox.
Higher on her list of concerns should be whether her daughter can walk down the street without hearing "Hey, I loved your mom's work in Anal Explosions 8"
Nuh-uh! She's sex-positive! Thanks, Andrew S!
Yes, but this true of other crimes. Is walking around with a wad of hundreds hanging out of your pocket in a bad part of town any less "provocative" than walking around in a 6 inch skirt in a bad part of town?
No? Now put that Duke education to work. Why is not less provocative?
Because when criminals (people predisposed to breaking the law) see a mark (YOU) they go for it.
Uhm, because we already *do*?
Well, yes. You can behave in a certain way to avoid (or at least greatly reduce your chances of) being victimized.
Just like its not a good idea for sailors to hang around the San Ysidro trolley station at 2 in the morning or walk through Barrio Logan or National city near the base after dark.
Sure its fucked up, but you've got to face the reality that there are people who will take advantage of any weakness.
So if having sex with someone who is legally drunk is now rape, does that apply to sober gals with drunk guys? And what's the definition of "drunk"? Is it a blood level of .08? That may be too much for driving, but the average person is not passed out, incapacitated, a candidate for deadhorsing, at .08. And does everyone now need to keep a breathalyzer handy, to make sure they are not having a "rape" with an intoxicated individual?
That is just it, if both parties are drunk both are guilty. They don't want that. Their position is that women are incapable of consenting while drunk but men are.
Nothing says equality like saying women are not capable of handling alcohol the way men do.
The feminists successfully pushing the idea that women are essentially nothing more than helpless children would be deliciously hilarious in its irony were it not for the fact that it's been successful, at least on college campuses. As the girls from the generations who've been steeped in affirmative consent bullshit and victimhood mentality get more numerous I can see these standards of sexual conduct being adopted at a criminal justice level.
And even more disturbingly the purveyors of this rotten garbage have a ready-made counter for the opposition that they have already used successfully, that anyone opposed to this common-sense policy is obviously a rape apologist who wants women to be raped. Basically, more War on Womynz!!!!11!!!111!1, but on a much more visceral level.
Prolife protesters allege harassment during the San Diego Earth Fair, which is held at a public park. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence allegedly block their signs and jostle the demonstrators, whose right to be there was established by a court decision.
http://defendchristians.org/ne.....sing-nuns/
The credibility of the accusers is somewhat enhanced by this item from last year:
"For protecting the children and their families during the San Diego Earth Fair 2013 the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were awarded the San Diego EarthWorks Environmental Action and Restoration That Helps Award on May 29, 2013."...
""With their trademark elaborate face paint and wearing nuns habits The Sisters held up umbrellas and fans to abstract the posters from view. Since the protesters were only allowed to stand in a cordoned off area The Sisters stood at the borders where they attracted attention to themselves and away from the posters. They also advised attendees with children of alternate routes.
""I think It's such a wonderful art form," said Chase, "because it distracts people, it attracts people, and it stands up to bigotry and hatred, which is a difficult issues at this time.""
http://sistermoment.wordpress.com/
Why shouldn't they harass? It is not like the law is going to do anything to stop them.
I'm sure it would be OK to block the Sisters' signs with icons of Christ whenever they demonstrate.
"and wearing nuns habits"
So. Fucking. Tired.
How come the prolife protesters have to stay ina sspecific area of the park but that's not trueof the prochoice protest pprotesters?
This has probably been posted, but I didn't see it:
Scorpions drummer sentenced to one month in jail for insulting Islam at Dubai airport
The wind of change blew him straight into prison.
Rocked him like a hurricane, as it were.
I can't explain how this happened.
+72 virgin killers
I dream of a day when my daughter can walk down the street without the fear of being assaulted.
I didn't know that is a real threat these days?
Why aren't there anti-rape campaigns targeting women? Why don't we focus on telling men not to rape, instead of telling women how to not get raped?
Doesn't the second sentence contradict the first?
And yes, I think that I should be able to wear whatever the hell I want without being labeled as a slut.
"I want to insult the blacks whichever way I want without being labeled a racist."
Oh I screwed up the threading.
I didn't know that is a real threat these days?
Oh I want to rephrase that slightly. I mean how common is such sexual (I assume) assaults occurring in the streets?
I think that I should be able to wear whatever the hell I want without being labeled as a slut.
We *all* would like to be in Friday Funnies.
Sluts give it away for free.
Three Oregon women arrested for twerking, drug use in front of city hall
Police said three women were arrested after bringing drugs to Beaverton City Hall then "twerking" -- a dance move involving posterior gyrations made famous by pop singer Miley Cyrus. Then they exposed their genitals, police say, and topped it all off by filming the parking-lot show.
According to Beaverton police, one woman, accompanied by the other two, went into municipal court to pay a fine for a warrant. Then the trio left the building and headed down to the parking lot, where the show began, police said. One lifted her skirt and urinated between two cars, which is when police received a call from a court employee about 3:30 p.m.
Witnesses told police that the third woman was filming the moves.
The three left City Hall and were stopped by Beaverton police on Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, west of Southwest Griffith Drive.
Brittany Medak, 20, of Vancouver, Christie Valazquez Coura, 20, of Vancouver and Leokham Yothsombath, 22, of Portland were arrested on multiple charges.
OK, so they were on drugs. What excuse do the other twerkers have?
Brittany Medak, 20, of Vancouver, Christie Valazquez Coura, 20, of Vancouver
Damn Oregonians stealing Canadian jerbs!
The fact that two of them are from Vancouver (WA, not BC) says all you need to hear. Look at that hair. The only thing more appropriate would be being from Eugene.
So what punishment does Grand Moff deserve for mistaking Washington and Oregon?
Take him to... Detroit!
Beaverton
*** snort ***
Seriously?
That shit was famous long before she got around to it. As a matter of fact, that no-talent hack (Cyrus, not the no-talent hack of a reporter who wrote this article) did her twerking *because* it was mainstream by that point. God-forbid she try something slightly original.
Can't we just celebrate the fact these three women from different ethnic backgrounds are friends who do things together?
Or are they all guilty of cultural appropriation since they were twerking?
Like the written word and the Pyramids, twerking was a gift to all of humanity.
FREE THE TWERKING THREE!!!
Well this didn't take long: Hey, Star Wars, why aren't there more women in your movie?!
Surely in the second decade of the twenty-first century, she'd be given more awesome female characters to choose from in this contemporary incarnation of Star Wars. Leia would still be there, as the fighting princess ? but maybe there would be a female fighter pilot whose swagger could rival Han Solo's, or a female Sith strutting through some scenery-chewing lines. Nope. There's one female name other than Carrie Fisher's on that cast list: the relatively unknown Daisy Ridley, whom fans are speculating might play the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia. Of course, more cast members will be announced, but this is probably our core cast ? the main characters.
Having Ridley is great, but one new female lead in a cast of men? That's how we launch ourselves into the future of this series, which inspires little girls with pink swords, as well as old girls like myself who graduated to sharper weapons long ago? Are we seriously still pretending that the universe is comprised almost entirely of men (and mostly white men at that)? Mythic tales are supposed to open up possibilities, not shut them down.
Why not more trans men and trans women?
I mean, they already have C3PO, but they need more.
C3PO is just an ambiguously gay man with a British accent. You leave him alone. There is nothing wrong with liking a little Gilbert and Sullivan now and then.
Gilbert and Sullivan operas are gay?
NTTAWWT but I am pretty sure they are. I could be wrong though. Maybe jesse will come down here and render an authoritative opinion.
That's outside of my gay domain. You need a theater queen to answer that question.
Gayest thing since gay hit gaytown.
Doesn't mean they aren't awesome though.
Almost as gay as Episiarch.
Personally, I prefer Grease.
Mythic tales are supposed to open up possibilities, not shut them down.
Nothing says "opening up possibilities" than demanding various for various groups!
Fuck!!
*Nothing says "opening up possibilities" than demanding various quotas for various groups!*
I believe you meant "demanding strange for strange groups".
I'm willing to go on record approving of having as many smoking hot chicks in the movie as possible, in all sorts of roles. Fuck, make it all hot chicks. Abrams didn't give us much more than Zoe Saldana (not that I'm complaining) in Star Trek. He needs to (and it pains me to say this) take a page from Michael Bay when it comes to casting chicks.
Cast Alison Brie and he's got my approval for life.
Oh, hey, look, it's io9.
TRIGGER WARNING FOR PROL
You know, how is it they are obsessed with Dr. Who, but the doctor has been male. . .over and over and over and over and over again? Even I know that, and the only Dr. Who I've ever seen was when Tom Baker was the star, and I had four channels. Four channels.
I'm sure they've had VERY long discussions about the rampant sexism in Dr. Who.
But they just can't stay mad at The Doctor. How could you stay mad at those 12 faces?
Do people actually watch Dr. Who, or is it something people ironically claim to like but don't actually watch?
Ah, lay off, it's entertaining in its own campy, charming way.
Of course, as with everything, the hardcore fans ruin it for everybody by taking things way too far.
Well, you can like it, if you want. I guess. I mean, we're mostly libertarians here. I'm not suggesting a law banning the program as an unclean import or anything. Am I?
I watch the shit out of it. Old and new. I've got a cookie jar shaped like the Tardis that makes the Tardis sound when you open it. We use it for dog treats, which has made the dogs big Dr. Who fans, too.
They went kind of crazy with the recent doctor choice and pushing that the doctor be female. However, I don't think you can be a Doctor Who fan without a certain sense of tradition, and that's causing them to continue to accept that the Doctor is always male. I mean, if you're willing to watch goofy shitty fantasy and pretend it's science fiction, why wouldn't you be ok with whatever Doctor they give you?
Is it even fantasy? It's kind of spacey-timey soap opera or, well, whatever you call bad British television.
"The BBC"
It's funny how they fucking destroy even their good shows like Misfits, or cancel them like that post-apocalyptic one whose title I can't recall right now.
And there was that one about that obnoxious hotel owner--two seasons?
DON'T MENTION THE WAR
I suppose Cleese just did that and moved on, but if it was canceled, I'll hunt down the BBC and make it pay.
Did you ever see the NOVA where Manuel played Einstein? I'm not making that up.
Well Britcoms aren't technically "canceled" since they aren't running continuously like US TV. They order six episodes and see if they want more, as long as the production people want to come back. It might be years between seasons (or series as the Brits call them). For example first season of Fawlty was in 1975 and the second was in 1979.
And yes Fawlty Towers lasting only twelve episodes is due to Cleese not wanting to do more.
That's good, because it's about the funniest sitcom ever.
Like with Sherlock. But I didn't know that the two runs of Fawlty Towers weren't continuous. Huh.
that post-apocalyptic one whose title I can't recall right now.
Blake's 7?
Yeah, BSG tried that - she sucked.
STARBUCK WAS AN ANGEL YOU FOOL
Amazingly, I'm still angry about the end of BSG.
It's okay, because, as computers become ever more powerful, people will be able to seamlessly rework the last season about them finding Earth--our Earth, our time--and it turns out we're all Cylons and don't know it. And they kill us all.
The end.
Goddammit, SPOILERS!!
No, it's best in this case that you never watch. It's too bad--BSG started off so well.
I watched the first season on DVD and loved it, then saw season 2 or part thereof, and decided I'd quit while they were ahead.
It never really got consistently weak until near the end, but they did lose control of things. It's a common problem now--they try to take crazy turns to shock the audience, then have no fucking idea what to do next.
Here's a spoiler: That plan? There wasn't one.
I loved everything about that series until the second half of the final season.
I have no clue what happened after that.
It is hard for the antagonists to have a coherent plan when the writers do not.
Surely in the second decade of the twenty-first century
Umm, well, except it did happen a long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away
[removed][removed]
For reference, Estonia beats the US on press freedom/political environment in Freedom House rankings:
http://www.freedomhouse.org/re.....2AZwzmVthG
http://www.freedomhouse.org/re.....2AZvjmVthE
Steve Sailer thinks Michael Milken might be behind this Sterling stuff. It's not the craziest idea.
http://isteve.blogspot.com/201.....ports.html
By the way, who else is involved in the Guggenheim Partners' aggressive moves in the Los Angeles area? The SEC was trying to find out last year: they were interested in the activities involving the Dodger purchase of a certain Los Angeles ex-financier who happens to have $800 million invested with Guggenheim, a fellow who's got a little more mojo than lawyer Mac Nehoray of Woodland Hills. ...
Now I have less than zero evidence that junk bond king Michael Milken has had anything to do with Donald Sterling's downfall. I mean other than that a year ago Milken had $800 million with Guggenheim and Guggenheim has been chasing sports franchises in Los Angeles and really wants to get the Clippers away from Sterling. So forget I ever mentioned the name Milken. This story has nothing to do with the ambitions of rich men. It's about racism. Nothing else. Stop thinking about anything other than the horrors of racism.
Hmmmm.....
lol, sometimes dude you jsut have to roll with it, thats all.
http://www.GoGoAnon.tk
The ABC article about drone pilots twice mentions ordinance when they mean ordnance.
Most reporters these days probably don't know the difference between Material and Materiel.
The Hemingway sisters?
Naw, it's a reference to Madonna vs. Lady GaGa--the Material Girl vs. the Anti-Materiel Girl.
Nice.
I think there's a market niche for text editors which don't just spell check, but bring up the Merriam-Webster definition(s) of the word when the cursor is hovering over it.
via Instapundit: http://www.wired.com/2014/04/self-washing-car/
If it wasn't bad enough that furriners were taking our jerbs, now their oleophobic paint jobs are going to destroy good, old-fashioned American car washes.
I so love technology. It's our only hope.
BTW, Hola from Catalunya, Hit y Runners!