What The Independents Saw at the Vape-in

As mentioned here yesterday, the Reason-co-sponsored "Thank You for Vaping" event at the Museum of Sex's club Play Monday night was a good time for all, and got a lot of nice write-ups. (In addition to the ones mentioned in the post, there were others in the New York Daily News, Salon, Fishbowl NY, Eater NY, and Gothamist.)

The Independents was also there, and last night put together this segment:

Comments

[Paul.]

As mentioned here yesterday, the Reason-co-sponsored "Thank You for Vaping" event

Risky move, Reason. The chances of that being misread as "Thank You for Raping" were uncomfortably high.

[GILMORE]

I really need to read the comments before mine to determine whether a joke is already beaten to death.

[Paul.]

I'd hardly call one (FIRST) comment to be 'beaten to death'. I'd call it fresh, exciting and new!

[GILMORE]

You would make a great real-estate agent.

"Its a fixer-upper! full of potential, plus, the "exotic" neighborhood flavor!"

[Paul.]

"You're really buying a lifestyle! Well-lit laundry facility! Diverse!"

[GILMORE]

""Thank You for Vaping""

IMAGINE HOW EMBARRASSED STEVE SMITH FEEL PERSON SAY THIS NOT HAVE LISP

[Episiarch]

The Museum of Sex is right next to The Gershwin, which is a good place to stay when visiting New York. It's generally where I stay if I'm visiting and can't stay with a friend. The first time I ever stayed there I didn't even notice the Museum of Sex until passing it a few times. They really tone down the outside so as not to freak out the squares.

[Paul.]

How's the Stop'n Frisk in that neighborhood?

[Episiarch]

It's in Chelsea. What do you think?

[Paul.]

Two enthusiastic thumbs up?

[GILMORE]

Epi, 27th bet Madison and 5th is not even remotely "Chelsea'

That's barely the garment district.

The appropriate answer would be "non-existent" = its not an 'ethnic residential neighborhood'. People don't get stop-and-frisked while window shopping on 5th avenue south of the Empire State building.

[Episiarch]

You're right that it's technically not in Chelsea, but it's right next to it and feels like it. I figured Paul didn't want or need a hair splitting description of what's one avenue block east of Chelsea.

Also, I figured "it's Chelsea" would get me a response of "there is no fucking stop-and-frisk in Chelsea, brah", which you did in fact dutifully provide, just with more detail.

In other words, you talkin' to me?

[Paul.]

You're right that it's technically not in Chelsea, but it's right next to it and feels like it. I figured Paul didn't want or need a hair splitting description of what's one avenue block east of Chelsea.

Yeah, listing the street boundaries would have been as meaningful to me as describing where First Hill technically ends to a resident of Oklahoma.

White folks live there. So Stop'n Frist gets two enthusiastic thumbs up, and a re-election donation for Bloomberg.

[Episiarch]

We should have an extended argument over what marks the eastern boundary of First Hill. I say it's Boren.

[Hyperion]

What street is that on? I typically stay somewhere near Times Square.

I like the Muse, but it's too expensive. Of course, everywhere there is too expensive.

[Paul.]

What street is that on? I typically stay somewhere near Times Square.

Are you the one in the trenchcoat?

/70s Times Square resident

[Hyperion]

I didn't get it. I've never been a NYC resident, thank gawd.

Anyway, that trend will probably change, we've been to that area too many times and need to expand on that.

What's greenwich village like these days? I've been there, just never stayed there and walked around very much.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

I've never been a NYC resident, thank gawd.

Wait, don't you live in Bamer?

There are few forces in the world that would cause me to move to NYC but one of them is if the only other option was Baltimore.

[Hyperion]

I think you are wrong about that, bro. You don't live in the Baltimore that you have heard so much bad about, you live in the OTHER Baltimore. Or if you want, live in NYC and they will tax you to death and then steal the pennies from your dead eyes.

[Hyperion]

BTW, Baltimore has a much more pleasant climate than NYC.

[Episiarch]

Click the link I provided, oh lazy one, to find out the address.

It looks like it's changed management, so I don't know if it will be as accommodating as it used to be. It was kind of weird and eclectic before, and you could (at least 5 years ago) stay there for as low as $100/night for the smaller rooms. Plus it's in a moderately convenient location to Chelsea, Union Square, midtown, and GILMORE's mom.

[Paul.]

, and GILMORE's mom.

My mom will be jealous.

[Hyperion]

Click the link I provided, oh lazy one

Dude, I spent like 3 hours in traffic today, along with an 8 hour work day. So yes, oh lazy one is a very good description of me, right now.

[Hyperion]

you could (at least 5 years ago) stay there for as low as $100/night for the smaller rooms

In Manhattan? If someone told me a room was $100 a night in Manhattan, I would expect to be presented with a cardboard box under a bridge somewhere.

[Episiarch]

Sure. I'm sort of a New York Wizard when it comes to this stuff, because I hate spending more than I have to. I had a huge (by New York standards) apartment and got it for $1300/month...on the Upper East Side (this was 15 years ago, but it was still an incredible rent). I found a nice place to stay in Manhattan for around $100/night (again, those prices may have changed). I know how to get in and out of the island without paying a single toll (that does not count going to Jersey). New York is expensive, but if you really look you can find ways to not have to pay so much.

[Hyperion]

I know how to get from MD to NYC, and NJ without paying a toll. Just did it to and from Bloomingdale, NJ a couple of weeks ago. Takes a little longer and have to drive through the center of Philly, but that's ok, it was actually a beautiful drive that day.

But I would love to know how to stay in Manhattan for less than $300 a night and taxed to fucking death for everything and paying $10 for a fucking beer.

But, I have no friends there, so...

[Medical Physics Guy]

Plus you can sit down and play on their piano. I used to do when I did some freelance work sitting in the attached coffee house. Great cold brew!

Hotel was always considered an affordable dump, in preview of the strange, isolatedly sleazy stretch of Broadway that stretches up from there to Herald Square, which sports several affordable dumps.

[Episiarch]

Yeah, it wasn't great, but it was nice enough with good location and you couldn't beat the price. I haven't been in years, though.

[Homple]

Vapid.

[Almanian!]

+1 internets to you, sir or ma'am.

[Hyperion]

This is like, the worst thread ever. Anyone have a hijack?

[Raven Nation]

Three Game 7s in the NHL tonight.

[Hyperion]

Three Game 7s in the NHL tonight.
reply to this

I thought they couldn't play that sport now that all the ice melted and the polar bears drowned?

[Raven Nation]

Chicken/egg:

Evil corporations built massive buildings to house ice rinks & then built massive air-con units to keep them cold. So, these buildings both enable the playing of hockey while simultaneously contributing to the destruction of natural ice.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Those evil corporations are so clever!

[Hyperion]

But what about the polar bears? They're so fluffy!

[Paul.]

Look at the subject of the post! It's begging to be hijacked.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Sure.

MSNBC host Krystal Ball suggested Tuesday that George Orwell's famously anti-communist novel "Animal Farm" is an allegory for capitalism run amok

[Raven Nation]

Unbelievable!

Although, Animal Farm was more specifically anti-Stalinist than anti-communist.

[Hyperion]

Capitalism hasn't run amok, it's been replaced with cronyism. It's just that these shrieking morons can't get their feeble minds around that fact.

[Contrarian]

Orwell was a democratic socialist and he opposed stalinism but never renounced his support for socialism.

[LarryA]

Pretty much "socialism will work if someone like Stalin isn't in charge."

Unfortunately when the wheels start falling off, there always seems to be a Stalin handy.

See "Putin."

[Contrarian]

Japan refutes your logic:

http://www.paecon.net/PAERevie.....ocke23.htm

[Hyperion]

Was there a story here about this?

This is why we need a wall now!

Who are these Murika haters that are complaining about our hero servants trying to protect us from the invading hordes? They need a good beat down!

[Raven Nation]

One this afternoon:

http://reason.com/blog/2014/04.....-border-cr

and one yesterday:

http://reason.com/blog/2014/04.....-slashes-h

[Hyperion]

Ok, yeah, I saw those, but I didn't think it was the same story, although related.

[Raven Nation]

Got it, misread your question.

[Contrarian]

Illegal aliens are known for never ever committing crime against American citizens. Look at the neighborhoods in which they live, they are always safer than neighborhoods inhabited by the white devils.

[Hyperion]

WTF? Can you speak that in English?

[Episiarch]

It's 'Murkin, dude.

[Hyperion]

Oh, yeah, I should have realized.

[Virginian]

Well, hang on, he hasn't said anything viciously racist or anti Jewish yet. Hmmm....

Hey, Contrarion, what do you think about Donald Starling owning a basketball team. How did that happen?

[Hyperion]

Well, hang on, he hasn't said anything viciously racist or anti Jewish yet. Hmmm....

Check below, he's building up to it. I'll bait him into it, in 3...2...1...

[Contrarian]

He got the money through divorce law and land speculation. Classic example of value transference in action.

And yes, I am a racist. I don't have anything against the Jews.

[Contrarian]

Does the free market punish racism? I understand the theory, but that simply doesn't reflect reality, which shows that as long as there is demand for something a rational market will supply it. You could formulate a theory of why casinos should always fail because the consumers get no benefit out of it, but that does not override the reality of casinos making a killing. Donald Sterling was accused before this of refusing to rent apartments to Blacks, renting to Koreans instead. On account of the fact that his Korean customers don't want to live among Blacks, was that an irrational decision?

[Hyperion]

Of course the free market will punish racism. I mean, when I say punish, with lost profits, that is. Because, unless the racism involves a violation of the NAP, it's not a real crime, no matter how disgusting it is.

When are we getting one of those? Free markets, that is?

[Contrarian]

I mean, when I say punish, with lost profits, that is.

That's the part I don't buy.

When are we getting one of those? Free markets, that is?

Seems like whenever you are comparing America to some shithole like Mexico it's all "see free markets work," but when something "bad" about America is pointed out it's all "this wouldn't happen if we had a free market."

[Hyperion]

Seems like whenever you are comparing America to some shithole like Mexico it's all "see free markets work," but when something "bad" about America is pointed out it's all "this wouldn't happen if we had a free market."

That's one of the most incredibly unintelligible things I have ever read. And Tony posts here!

[Bobarian]

I think there were two straw men in that argument, fighting with each other.

[Hyperion]

So, why do you think Mexico is such a crap hole. Do you think it's the Mexicans, or the Jews?

[Contrarian]

Mexico is Mexico because it is full of Mexicans. At that stage they could probably benefit from having a larger Jewish population.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Does the free market punish racism?

The Huffington Post concedes it fights bigotry

[Hyperion]

Ok, so the FluffPo admits that a free market exists? Are they going to join up with NatGeo to go on an expedition to search for it?

[Contrarian]

I doubt that is true. In Mississippi a business owner putting "I love homosexuals" on his door is going to repel people, a much larger percentage of the population than the small homosexual population.

[Raven Nation]

Are they going to join up with NatGeo to go on an expedition to search for it?

Brilliant, acerbic, and hysterical all at the same time. One of the best comments of the week sir.

[RishJoMo]

Danny Soso says that looks pretty good to him.

http://www.myAnon.tk

[Giovanni99]

Finally some truth in reporting! And then followed by intelligent, informed commentary.Thank you!