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Free Market Brat Beats on Cantor, V.A. Gets FBI Investigation, Iraqi Cities Fall: P.M. Links

J.D. Tuccille | 6.11.2014 4:30 PM

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  • David Brat
    David Brat

    David Brat, the economics professor who squished second-ranking House Republican Rep. Eric Cantor in the primaries, is a free market guy who digs Ayn Rand and doesn't like the snoopy NSA. Yeah, he's a border warrior, but that's a pretty good start.

  • Like Brat, his Democratic opponent, Jack Trammell, is a professor at Randolph-Macon College. Unlike Brat, Trammell is writing a vampire novel.
  • Having had his clock cleaned, Cantor will step down as House majority leader.
  • The Veterans Administration earned itself a full-fledged criminal investigation by the FBI. Whoops.
  • In two days, the Iraqi government lost control of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, and then Tikrit, to Islamic militants.
  • Thousands of unaccompanied minors fleeing violence in El Salvador and Guatemala are turning up at the U.S. border, seekig refuge. They're ending up crowded into holding facilities.
  • The weapons used by Jared Michael Padgett to kill a classmate at an Oregon high school had been locked up at his home, "but he defeated the security measures," according to the local police chief.

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NEXT: Bill Lets Underage Brewers Taste Wine, But They Have To Spit It Out

J.D. Tuccille is a contributing editor at Reason.

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  1. Grand Moff Serious Man   11 years ago

    Having has his clock cleaned, Cantor will step down as House majority leader.

    And into the loving arms of K street lobbyists. The American way!

    1. John   11 years ago

      But he won't be majority leader anymore. He might have to fly commercial for God's sake. Hasn't he suffered enough?

    2. Rufus J. Firefly   11 years ago

      Hello.

      Is the NBA forcing a man out of his property?

      1. The DerpRider   11 years ago

        Yes.
        I guess it depends on league rules for owners. Which I'm not sure anyone has ever seen.

        1. Pl?ya Manhattan.   11 years ago

          The NBA constitution is confidential.

          But yeah, they're certainly laying the groundwork. His own trust declared him incompetent, so his wife is calling the shots...

      2. Cis Shitlord   11 years ago

        No, it is using its charter to protect its public perception.

        1. BiMonSciFiCon   11 years ago

          Agreed. I am not familiar with the NBA constitution (as Playa mentioned, it's confidential), but if it has a provision that permits the league to do this, then they're not really "forcing him out of his property" so much as they're enforcing a clause in a contract.

          1. PD Scott   11 years ago

            The NBA seems a lot like a HOA.

  2. Grand Moff Serious Man   11 years ago

    The weapons used by Jared Michael Padgett to kill a classmate at an Oregon high school had been locked up at his home, "but he defeated the security measures," according to the local police chief.

    Ban clever schoolchildren. For the children.

    1. John   11 years ago

      Clearly gun safes are not enough. Sorry, if you want a gun, you are just going to have to store it at the police station.

    2. SugarFree   11 years ago

      A loud electronic shriek in the ear every few seconds will take care of them.

      1. Pl?ya Manhattan.   11 years ago

        The "Everything's OK" alarm?

        1. SugarFree   11 years ago

          *cough*

          1. Brett L   11 years ago

            Some people are just nekulturny.

          2. Pl?ya Manhattan.   11 years ago

            It's out in the open now. I'm a philistine.

            1. SugarFree   11 years ago

              It's OK. It just means you should drink more.

              1. JW   11 years ago

                You should listen to him. He's pre-med.

                1. C. Anacreon   11 years ago

                  I thought he was pre-law?

    3. Pl?ya Manhattan.   11 years ago

      "but he defeated the security measures,"

      AKA he unlocked the guns.

    4. Rich   11 years ago

      got past security by carrying AR-15 rifle in guitar case

      At least BAN GUITAR CASES!

      1. Certified Public Asskicker   11 years ago

        At least ban Nickelback.

      2. C. Anacreon   11 years ago

        Just like the tommy guns in violin cases back in Capone's day. The whole shtick eventually became a running joke in movies for awhile.

      3. paranoid android   11 years ago

        And Robert Rodriguez movies.

        1. Monkey's Uncle   11 years ago

          +1nce upon a time in Mexico

    5. Certified Public Asskicker   11 years ago

      Padgett, who was wearing a multi-sport helmet with a camouflage design, ran into a pair of school safety officers after he killed Hoffman and wounded teacher Todd Rispler, Anderson said.

      You mean, people shooting back stopped him?

    6. Injun, as in from India   11 years ago

      Now IF ONLY the gun nuts had not fought back against electronic bracelets, we would have had the opportunity to see this kid break that security measure and then go shooting other human beings.

  3. Mad Scientist   11 years ago

    David Brat, the economics professor who squished second-ranking House Republican Rep. Eric Cantor in the primaries, is a free-market guy who digs Ayn Rand and doesn't like the snoopy NSA.

    So he's a wrecker and a kulak!

    1. The DerpRider   11 years ago

      Lot's of photos of this brat on the blog today.

  4. Palin's Buttplug   11 years ago

    "Libertarian" GOP lawmaker says a law condemning homosexuals to stonings is OK because - The Bible.

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/l.....gay-people

    "Men were commanded to put guilty parties to death who were guilty of certain acts, like homosexuality," Esk wrote, according to screenshots archived by the news site.

    "So just to be clear, you think we should execute homosexuals (presumably by stoning)?" another commenter asked.

    "I think we would be totally in the right to do it," Esk replied. "That goes against some parts of libertarianism, I realize, and I'm largely libertarian, but ignoring as a nation things that are worthy of death is very remiss.

    1. Mad Scientist   11 years ago

      I guess you'll have to rethink your score on that purity test now, Shrike.

    2. kbolino   11 years ago

      I'm largely libertarian

      No, you're not.

    3. The Last American Hero   11 years ago

      I read somewhere that 8 percent of Libertarians are anti-gay.

      1. Bobarian   11 years ago

        Some estimates say that 8% of the population is gay, and since libertarians obviously hate themselves more than anyone, it must be those guys.

  5. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

    Obvious Child - it's the feel-good hit of the summer, and with a write/director named Robespierre, you can be sure it will show sensitivity to the value to human life -

    "When Donna decides to get an abortion, there's no stigma surrounding it. Was it important to make sure it wasn't a negative experience?

    "[Gillian Robespierre]: We didn't want a scene where she's deliberating and crying. She's still feeling a lot of things that are not easy emotions but she's just not ready and she knows she's not. We wanted to show something where people in her life weren't judging her, where she wasn't judging herself, and also show a very safe, positive experience in the health center. That's why we collaborated with Planned Parenthood....

    "When she's feeling very low, Donna climbs into a cardboard box, which I think we can all relate to.

    "[lead actress Jenny Slate]: I was delighted when I read that box scene. I was like, "I can't wait until we do the box!"...When I jumped out of the box, I would slam my arms down one side of the box and I had these really, really big bruises. They tried to cover them up because they were gross, purple bruises but you can see one of them on my arm. War wounds."

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....al-person/

    1. John   11 years ago

      Next up for Robespierre, the Common Daughter, a sensitive and touching story about a family's joyous decision to euthanize their handicapped adult daughter.

    2. Bobarian   11 years ago

      "refreshingly real romantic comedy about getting an abortion."

      That sounds both refreshing and romantic.

      Not too sure about real, though.

    3. paranoid android   11 years ago

      I saw a trailer for this movie last week, and whatever your opinions on abortion, it looks like the most insufferable thing ever put to film.

  6. Grand Moff Serious Man   11 years ago

    How George R. R. Martin would do 'Game of Thrones' differently

    Specifically, Martin would make each season longer.

    "I wish we had more episodes," Martin told the New York Times. "I'd love to have 13 episodes. With 13 episodes, we could include smaller scenes that we had to cut, scenes that make the story deeper and richer."

    We would have to agree.

    With all of the success that Game of Thrones has had on HBO, it would be great to see the series, it would be great to see extended seasons that could continue to draw the viewers in.

    However, they say "if it ain't broke don't fix it," so I guess HBO is onto something here.

    Because there isn't enough talking and sexposition?

    1. Restoras   11 years ago

      I think GoT Jumped the Shark with the Red Wedding. This season, as a whole, blows.

      1. SugarFree   11 years ago

        They didn't really have enough to fill out a season. And given where they want to end this season, you book readers out think about everything they have to do in a single hour next Sunday.

        1. Andrew S.   11 years ago

          It does seem that there's a lot to cover next week. It's a 66 minute episode, but still.

        2. robc   11 years ago

          I have no clue where they are at or where they are trying to get to, so I cant help.

    2. The DerpRider   11 years ago

      It's a delaying action! I think he's trying to calculate when the series will catch up the the books.

      1. Drake   11 years ago

        What book are they even on this season? I get whiplash as they jump from a book 5 Dany scene to a Book 3 Tyrion scene.

        Are they even going to finish "A Storm of Swords" on Sunday?

        1. Andrew S.   11 years ago

          Have a feeling the Wall story will continue into Season 4.

          The season will likely end on a scene regarding somebody with a name resembling a body part in one's chest and some large rocks.

          And a sure-to-be-fan-favorite scene will definitely occur next week.

          1. Ska   11 years ago

            I've been waiting since season 1 for that sure-to-be-fan-favorite scene.

          2. Rainbow   11 years ago

            It definitely coming!

      2. Brett L   11 years ago

        Before he finishes the next book, for sure.

    3. PD Scott   11 years ago

      In case y'all didn't see this relevant comic. I thought it was pretty funny, myself.

      1. Brett L   11 years ago

        Eh. If Brandon Sanderson can wind down Wheel of Time, GoT will be cake for him.

    4. The Last American Hero   11 years ago

      What a shocker coming from the guy who's in the "Author most in need of an editor" hall of fame.

      1. Brett L   11 years ago

        Behind Neal Stephenson and Stephen King, but top 5.

        1. Pro Libertate   11 years ago

          Stephenson is going to have to issue 1,000 page summaries of his books if he keeps going the way he is.

          1. Brett L   11 years ago

            The "Dear Penthouse" scene in Cryptonomicon is the one that always stands out among a number of poorly thought out tangents.

            1. Pro Libertate   11 years ago

              I like his books okay, but he seriously needs to buy some red pens.

        2. Fluffy   11 years ago

          I don't know.

          The only King where I've ever gotten to read the edited and unedited version is The Stand, and the unedited version is vastly superior.

          1. Cytotoxic   11 years ago

            The Stand sucked.

        3. Nooge.   11 years ago

          Behind Neal Stephenson and Stephen King, but top 5.

          C'mon, all that crap about the Ironborn was essential storytelling!

      2. Winston   11 years ago

        So has he reached late stage Tom Clancy status?

        1. Winston   11 years ago

          I remember reading his Executive Orders. First it was really long and seemed to be mostly meandering nonsense. There was the Iranian assassins and the Redneck militia guys who appeared randomly for some reason and their plan failed in boring anti-climatic fashion. Their whole suplot felt like Clancy was trying to point out that he wasn't one of those Republicans. Anyway the whole thing looked like some really long Mary Sue fanfic.

        2. PapayaSF   11 years ago

          I was going to mention Clancy. His first 3-5 books were fine, but then I think editors became afraid of him. I swear that in one book, a chunk of text showed up in two different chapters.

      3. Cytotoxic   11 years ago

        The show is really better than the book.

    5. Cytotoxic   11 years ago

      The transition from the second to the third season was so badly done in regards to the events beyond the wall. One mintue, the Rangers are ranging. The next minute, Private Pyle is running from The Others. I had to look up online what happened.

  7. SugarFree   11 years ago

    The weapons used by Jared Michael Padgett to kill a classmate at an Oregon high school had been locked up at his home, "but he defeated the security measures," according to the local police chief.

    But what if that safe had been inside another safe?

    [Tulpa smug-gasm]

    1. Mad Scientist   11 years ago

      It's only common sense.

    2. Rufus J. Firefly   11 years ago

      Yeah, that's not a good sign.

      I humbly see stricter measures in the home on the horizon for responsible and law-abiding citizens.

      1. Pl?ya Manhattan.   11 years ago

        I lost the key to my Stack-On and I'm probably going to need it drilled out by a locksmith.

        How's that for stricter measures?

        1. PD Scott   11 years ago

          Use a gun to shoot the lock!

          Oh, wait...

  8. BiMonSciFiCon   11 years ago

    Free-Market Brat

    That's what us Wisconsin libertarians call ourselves.

    1. C. Anacreon   11 years ago

      boiled in beer, right?

      1. Bobarian   11 years ago

        And served with cheese curds.

  9. PD Scott   11 years ago

    I wonder if the anti-GMO people will protest this as well: Artificial human blood substitute could help meet donor shortfall.

    The artificial blood substitute being developed by the University of Essex's Haem02 project would be able to be stored at room temperatures for up to two years, which would allow it to be distributed worldwide without the need for refrigeration and make it immediately accessible at the site of natural disasters. Best of all, as a claimed universal blood replacement it could be administered to anyone, regardless of blood type.
    More work is required before the artificial blood substitute is commercially viable, but after being allocated over ?1.5 million (US$2.5 million) from the Medical Research and Biological Sciences Research Councils, the research team is closer to achieving its goal. In the meantime, the team's artificial blood substitute has been granted patents in the US and Australia and has a patent pending in the EU.

    1. Mokers   11 years ago

      So they have Tru-Blood now? I always thought the Japanese would get there first.

  10. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

    Bad news for Downfall parodies:

    "(Reuters) - An Orthodox Jew who was fired from his position as a managing director at BNP Paribas North America Inc sued the bank on Friday, saying he was terminated for his religious beliefs after complaining about Nazi imagery in a training video....

    "The video, created by BNP employees, was a parody of the 2004 film Downfall, which depicted the final days of Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime in Germany, the lawsuit said. The film portrayed the head of BNP competitor Deutsche Bank as Hitler, the lawsuit said....

    "Orlando's lawsuit alleges that he was terminated because of his religious beliefs. He is seeking $40 million in monetary and punitive damages."

    http://www.reuters.com/article.....HT20140606

    1. Pathogen   11 years ago

      TRIGGER WARNINNGZZZ!!

    2. The Last American Hero   11 years ago

      Isn't redoing the subtitles for that movie a meme that's a few years old?

      What's next, playing the macarena at the company Christmas party?

      1. Winston   11 years ago

        Making fun of Nickleback?

        1. Injun, as in from India   11 years ago

          Only Rufus and other Canadians here are allowed to make fun of Nickelback.

          1. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

            Maybe if it only played in Canada.

            1. Bobarian   11 years ago

              Nickelback is the reason it's still considered polite and non-othering to mock and deride Canadians like Rufus.

              1. Rufus J. Firefly   11 years ago

                I'm the butt end of everyone's joke.

                Ga'head.

                Laugh.

                /narrows eyes. Sharpens Swiss army knife.

      2. Jumbie   11 years ago

        If J-Lo can recycle the lambada song, then all bets are off.

  11. Andrew S.   11 years ago

    Clay County, Florida Sheriff's Office arrests the wrong woman not once, but twice for different crimes that were allegedly committed by a woman with the same name as her.

    This is the same office that arrested a 17 year old boy for sexual battery on a child under 12 because somebody had the same name as him. In that case, they arrested him on just the name, without asking the victim to look at his picture.

    At least there were actual consequences for the detective in the earlier case, though it wasn't nearly enough (10 day suspension without pay and a demotion).

    1. Brett L   11 years ago

      What the fuck? We use Google! Isn't that enough for you haters?

    2. PD Scott   11 years ago

      Eventually they'll find something that will stick... Same name, sure. She's a criminal or they wouldn't have arrested her.

  12. db   11 years ago

    My favorite was.the.parody on the.cost.of the ACR.

  13. Warty   11 years ago

    I'm all for women breaking barriers and all, but this might not end up being as fun as she thinks.

    Now Shelby is making history by becoming college football's first female defensive back after being drafted by Campbellsville University in Kentucky. She approached head coach Perry Thomas at a recruiting session and he snatched up the 5-foot-6, 140-pound cornerback for his 2014 squad.

    Tombs

    1. PD Scott   11 years ago

      Did he literally snatch her up? Because I suspect he could.

    2. John   11 years ago

      The reporter thinks college teams draft players out of high school. Last year some punter in the NFL got the bright idea of trying to run into the line trying to pick up a first down after the play busted. He got hammered so badly that it was replayed over and over and prompted Chris Carter to crack "he found out there were some men who played this game in there." I suspect she is going to find out the same.

      1. Warty   11 years ago

        Oh, she'll never make the team. And even if she does, it would be irresponsible of the coach to let her on the field. She's the size of a 14 year old boy. They have JV football in high school because you don't want to let 5'6" 140 pound freshmen boys play against 19 year old seniors who are twice their weight and 4 times their strength. The difference is that those 14 year old boys gain 4 inches and 60 pounds by the time they're seniors, and that's not going to happen for her.

        As far as I know, there's only been one woman to ever play a non-kicker position in college football, and that's Holley Mangold. And sure, she's fat as hell, but she's also a physical freak with amazing genetics and an incredibly strong will. This little girl is probably not a Holley Mangold.

        1. Brett L   11 years ago

          Yes, if your brother is an all-pro center, you might be good enough to play college ball as a sub.

        2. C. Anacreon   11 years ago

          That Holley Mangold looks like the weightlifter who was on the Biggest Loser this past season? I didn't really watch it but for some reason my son (11 at the time) was way into it, so I didn't have much choice on some occasions. That chubby black guy who was the winner of one of the early seasons of American Idol (Ruben?) was also on there, and man did he have ugly rolls of flesh and enormous moobs in his difficult-to-look-at "before" photo.

    3. Pl?ya Manhattan.   11 years ago

      Straight up gimmick. I weighed 150 playing corner as a freshman in high school

      1. Drake   11 years ago

        Even playing Division 3 she will get crushed.

    4. Certified Public Asskicker   11 years ago

      Shelby joined the Jefferson High School football team in 2012, and over the next couple of seasons she was on the field in five varsity games.

      Sounds like she can't really play football afterall.

      1. The Last American Hero   11 years ago

        I think you needed six games to earn a letter in my high school.

    5. The DerpRider   11 years ago

      Drafted? As in we don't have enough players to field a team drafted?

      1. KDN   11 years ago

        Well, it is D-III.

    6. Cis Shitlord   11 years ago

      She had a total of zero tackles in her senior season.

      1. Rainbow   11 years ago

        Patriarchy! She was "snatched up"! This coach knew what a great player he had available, he didn't want to let her get away, all the other coaches were chomping at the bit! You sexist pig.

      2. Brett L   11 years ago

        SHUTDOWN CORNER! They didn't even run or throw to her side of the field.

  14. Grand Moff Serious Man   11 years ago

    Trailer for 'Dumb and Dumber To' released

    I'll admit I laughed at some of it.

  15. PD Scott   11 years ago

    When I went to lunch yesterday I was sitting at a stop light behind a pickup truck with several bumperstickers on it. While I liked the "Speak your mind even if your voice is cracking" and "Be Yourself and Not Anybody Else" ones, the barely readable white text on light pink Michelle/Hillary 2016 sticker made me think the driver probably wouldn't like me or what I had to say.

    Personally I think it's hilarious that any of their supporters would think those two egomaniacs would even want to run together. I'd bet cash money that they in fact can't stand each other.

    And of course Kennedy/Johnson turned out so well, back in the day.

    1. JW   11 years ago

      Well, It worked out well for Johnson.

      I salute the wild spirits, the rugged individualists, the free thinkers, who demand that you OBEY their masters.

      If we could only harness the energy of proglodyte congestive dissonance, we could power the world for centuries to come.

      1. Pro Libertate   11 years ago

        "We are all individuals."

    2. Rainbow   11 years ago

      Reminds me of the first time I saw somebody stupid enough to buy a Chevy Volt. Give them a wiiiide berth, my friend. Such a person is willfully and proudly dumb as shit.

      1. PD Scott   11 years ago

        I think I've told the story of walking away from a Braves game, overhearing an older man say to a younger in a completely disappointed and disgusted tone "Well, you said you were going to do it and you did it. You bought a *Volt*."

    3. MJGreen   11 years ago

      And to think Hillary would actually be Michelle's VP. If that is what the bumpersticker said, this person is insane. Complete break from reality.

  16. Winston   11 years ago

    Hmm, I recall reading in the archives of google news that Canadian gun grabbers used school shootings to justify gun control legislation back in the 1970s. Nothing new then.

  17. Rufus J. Firefly   11 years ago

    Doesn't happen in any other civilized country, eh, Mr. President, eh?

    Moncton and Vancouver back to back.

    http://bit.ly/1jl42KA

    1. Winston   11 years ago

      This would have been avoided if the long gun registry had been kept.

    2. Rainbow   11 years ago

      Norway, civilized or no? Hard to keep up with the prog designations.

      Like France visavis nuclear power.

  18. Rainbow   11 years ago

    What's this, no Fist? I finally get some time to post and my role model isn't even around...

    1. Andrew S.   11 years ago

      I'm getting kind of worried about Fist. This isn't like him.

      He's locked in Warty's basement, isn't he?

    2. Cis Shitlord   11 years ago

      The squirrels finally got him.

    3. Fist of Etiquette   11 years ago

      You guys have been posting comments this whole time? I've been calling for a boycott of reason until they fix commenting permanently for, what, months now? I THOUGHT EVERYONE WAS WITH ME.

      1. Rainbow   11 years ago

        Hey, I was playing a game and I saw it was 10:32, and I was like "the latest wisdom from Fist has been imparted!" and I quit the game and came to H&R, and....it wasn't there. I was dazed for what, 11 minutes!

        1. Fist of Etiquette   11 years ago

          Those numbers check out.

  19. Spoonman.   11 years ago

    It seems like a big fucking deal that the Iraqi government is losing control of major cities to a group that was kicked out of al-Qaeda for being too crazy.

    1. Rainbow   11 years ago

      Its an even bigger deal since Mosul is the Kurdish HQ, who was anti-Saddam and relatively pro-yanker. And Tikrit was the supposed last bastion of Saddamy Baathism.

      This is dra-ama. Too bad nobody is telling this story anywhere near as well as it should be. This is better material than GoT.

      1. Rainbow   11 years ago

        Its like if in GoT if Beric n Thoros took over Casterly Rock and Riverrun in the same episode.

    2. Cytotoxic   11 years ago

      The Iraqi army is pathetic. I hope the Kurds can take over more territory.

      I don't think Mosul is Kurd HQ that's Erbil.

      1. Spoonman.   11 years ago

        Imagine how terrible the Afghan army will be after US troops leave. The Taliban will take back over in a year.

        1. Rainbow   11 years ago

          But Afghanistan is a really backwards shithole. Iraq always has some potential. Hell, under Saddam it was probably the strongest regional power, the peer of Iran who has 2x as many guys.

        2. PapayaSF   11 years ago

          I don't see that happening. The insurgents are Sunnis, who these days in Iraq are outnumbered 8-10 to 1 by Shiites. If push comes to shove, the Shiites simply drive out or kill every Sunni in Iraq.

        3. Cytotoxic   11 years ago

          Eh Afghanistan might be tough for the Taliban with Kunar province rising up and Pakistan's support being a lot less unconditional. Also, India. Also, I wonder how many 'Taliban' are really drug traders.

      2. Rainbow   11 years ago

        Arbil is more staunch, Mosul is bigger. I don't want to go all Face of Bo up in here, but there's a case to be made for both.

        I agree that the Kurds should seize this opportunity, maybe declare a state, chase out ISIL, maybe get ready to defend themselevs from the Turko-fascists...

        1. Spoonman.   11 years ago

          Kurdlahoma Now!

  20. Grand Moff Serious Man   11 years ago

    Florida Woman unmasked: Meet Crystal Mettheny, who was arrested for firing a missile into a car

    It's hard to be destined for greatness with a name like Crystal Metheny, especially if you live in Florida.

    So it's no surprise that a woman with that same name was arrested last month in Polk County. Her alleged crime, however, was not drug related -- at least not this time.

    Metheny was arrested May 5 on a charge of shooting an offensive missile into a vehicle, according to public records from the Polk County Sheriff's Office. She was released the following day after posting $5,000 bond.

    The 36-year-old woman was also arrested in Polk in 2012 on a marijuana possession charge, records show.

    Maybe Metheny and infamous Florida man Edward Cocaine should join forces.

    1. PD Scott   11 years ago

      I am very disappointed, it's not an actual missile, it's just legalese for a bullet.

      Hell, I thought she'd gotten a hold of a TOW or something...

      I guess that would have made bigger news, though. "Weapons of war on our streets that aren't in the hands of law enforcement..." "We clearly need actual tanks to protect our officers from the threat of armor piercing missiles!"

      1. Brett L   11 years ago

        I was hoping for blowgun dart.

        1. Pathogen   11 years ago

          Or...

      2. Ska   11 years ago

        As a 7 year old, "missile weapons" was really misleading the first time I read the D&D player's manual.

  21. Winston   11 years ago

    So why are so many people surprised that 1960s radicals turn out to be statists? Whoever would have thought fans of Che, Ho Chi Minh and Mao would turn out to be statist?

    1. PapayaSF   11 years ago

      There was a bit of dissonance back then, between the cultural aspects of the hippies, and the political doctrine of the leftist radicals. Lots of people looked at the "do your own thing" hippies, many or most of whom were not exactly fans of Mao etc., and figured the politics of that whole segment were more or less like that. So they were surprised when the harder left elements took over.

      1. The Bearded Hobbit   11 years ago

        You largely nailed it but throw in the hatred of the Vietnam War by those who had to go fight it.

        I was on the downward slide of the "hippie days" and figured I'd try and get me some of that free love. I was there as a personal freedom kinda guy and the whole Mao etc bullshit never appealed to me.

        A lot of people here came to libertarianism from the right, I came from the left(er).

        ... Hobbit

        1. PapayaSF   11 years ago

          True, Vietnam was a lot of it and something that connected hippies and leftists. But by and large, I think the hippies were simply anti-war, while a lot of the leftists were just on the other side.

  22. Palin's Buttplug   11 years ago

    This is great. She probably does not remember her dad.

    Payne Stewart's daughter, Chelsea Stewart, gives us the photo of the week from Pinehurst

    http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/.....33821.html

    1. db   11 years ago

      Takes your breath away, doesn't it?

      1. db   11 years ago

        Come on, folks...*nothing*?!??

    2. Pathogen   11 years ago

      That statuette looks nothing like Obama.. they weren't even trying..

    3. Brett L   11 years ago

      Is that him reaching for the controls as his plane went down?

      1. db   11 years ago

        No one was reaching for those controls at that point.

    4. Cis Shitlord   11 years ago

      I'd hit it.

  23. Restoras   11 years ago

    No true libertarian...

  24. Grand Moff Serious Man   11 years ago

    Memphis cop arrested for attempting to rob family benefiting from Make a Wish Foundation

    Police say Memphis police officer Ronald Harris tried to steal money from the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the airport.

    They dropping off $1,500 to a family going on a Make-A-Wish trip, and somehow Harris knew about it.

    Police say Harris headbutted Nathan Moore, whose forehead was cut so badly, he needed stitches.

    Moore refused medical attention, and insisted on getting on the plane with his family.

    Harris is now suspended from the Memphis Police Department.

    New reports show he was already on leave seeing a psychologist, and may suffer from a mental disorder.

    His wife says he's threatened to kill her, and police say they found stolen mail in his car that belonged to his neighbor.

    Hopefully is mental illness because no one can possibly be that low, not even a cop.

    1. JW   11 years ago

      Was that written by someone with a learning disability?

      1. SugarFree   11 years ago

        And a crippling comma addiction.

      2. Mad Scientist   11 years ago

        It was written by someone with a degree in journalism, so yes.

        1. JW   11 years ago

          She's maintaining her gluten-free lifestyle.

      3. Bobarian   11 years ago

        GMSM ain't that bad, he's just a little slow.

    2. Andrew S.   11 years ago

      As was said the last time this was posted: Of course it was mental illness. Otherwise he would've just planted drugs on the guy and then "seized" the gift cards using asset forfeiture.

      (also, screw the squirrelz)

  25. Grand Moff Serious Man   11 years ago

    Dear Prudence: Help! I let my husband sleep around when he goes on business trips, but he slept with my half-sister!

    My husband knows that he has a free pass when he goes out of town on business trips, and our policy is don't ask, don't tell. Recently he went on a trip to Las Vegas where my younger half-sister works. I gave my husband her contact info so they could meet up as family members do and catch up. Later I come to find out he had sex with her! I'm mad that he chose to do it with a family member, while my husband insists he thought it was fine because we are not that close and did not grow up together, and he's only ever met her twice. Did I bring this on myself by allowing him free passes, or should he have looked elsewhere for sex?

    Gee, did she bring this on herself?

    1. Andrew S.   11 years ago

      I swear. How do Prudie's writers come up with these questions? They're pretty good.

      (I tell myself none of her stuff is real. I'm not sure if it is or isn't real, but I feel better if it isn't)

      1. Rainbow   11 years ago

        The questions have to believable to be good. This just isn't. I seriously doubt theres any person anywhere whos totally cool with their spouse banging whoever the spouse feels like (exceedingly uncommon in itself) who would suddenly get their panties in a twist because the person their spouse banged was a semi-related person who both party barely even knew...

        1. Brett L   11 years ago

          This seems like exactly the type of arbitrary rule a woman crazy enough to let her husband sleep around as long as it isn't in her bed would have.

          1. Rainbow   11 years ago

            I thought about it before I even posted, but nah, its so arbitrary and backwards. Its much more likely she'd be turned on by the fact adn the only part she'd be mad about is not being in a scandalous 3some.

            1. Brett L   11 years ago

              Now that you mention it, that is probably what she's mad about. No attention for her in the family's collective gasp.

          2. Coeus   11 years ago

            "Remember, no kissing her on the lips!"

            "I didn't...Ya know, that is the weirdest rule."

        2. Jumbie   11 years ago

          I once had breakfast at a friend's parents house where the mom's live-in lover of ten years sat together with us at the breakfast table.

          The two guys didn't seem to like each other and didn't speak to each other, but it was otherwise quite civilized.

          1. Coeus   11 years ago

            Somebody probably accidentally came (cummed?) on the wrong person. You were witness to the icy fallout.

    2. Mad Scientist   11 years ago

      He was going to fuck around, with or without her permission.

    3. JW   11 years ago

      Does that qualify only as a half-assed lay?

      "How does your half-sister manage to be twice as good in the sack?"

  26. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

    Repost re that article about Russian separatists having a "Confederate flag" - the Tsar of Russia was actually one of Abe Lincoln's best European allies. He thought the Southern rebellion set a bad example for, among others, the Poles who rebelled during the same period. The Tsar even put his fleet in American ports in case the French, British and Austrians took advantage of the Polish crisis to attack him.

    http://www.loyno.edu/~history/.....lehaye.htm

    And here's a Punch cartoon by Tenniel (aka the Alice in Wonderland illustrator)

    http://historygallery.com/prin.....63czar.htm

    1. Winston   11 years ago

      Didn't Gorbachev point to Lincoln to justify keeping the USSR together?

    2. Rainbow   11 years ago

      I miss the time when the Poles whipped Russian ass at will. Last time they did it was 1919-1921 (you're welcome, non-Communist Europe. you're welcome. Poles saved ALL of your war-weary asses), but basically its been tough ever since the Russian hordes outnumbered the Poles 3 or 4 to 1.

      Also The Russians never were able to take the Poles Mano-a-mano. It always took the assistance of at least 1, and more often, 2 German empires to take the Poles.

      In short, what you say is offensive Notorious, by implying that the Russians were (barely) able to keep the Poles subjugated by their own. They weren't.

      1. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

        Should I have given you a Polish trigger warning?

        Is that like betting on the instant replay?

      2. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

        Should I have given you a Polish trigger warning?

        Is that like betting on the instant replay?

      3. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

        Should I have given you a Polish trigger warning?

        Is that like betting on the instant replay?

        1. Rainbow   11 years ago

          No need, my Dutch friend. You Russian paduwans will never measure up to their West Slavic superiors, ever. Ever.

          1. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

            My comment actually tweaked the Russians, but you were too...Polish...to notice.

            1. Rainbow   11 years ago

              Lol, I was focusing also on the first half of your statement. Also I was trying to say "your russian paduwans", as in Russians are paduwans of the Dutch... I failed. I am drinked like Russian.

              Anyway...I like you Eddie, thats why I kill you last.

              1. The Bearded Hobbit   11 years ago

                You probably wouldn't like "Taras Bulba" then.

                http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taras_Bulba

                ... Hobbit

      4. Winston   11 years ago

        Ah the Soviet-Polish war. There's some of Lenin's anti-war policies there, huh! Also it appears that Lenin was busy helping the Germans in contravention of the Versailles Treaty. Some non-interventionist was he.

        I recall reading that in 1905 the Russians had more soldiers in Poland than they had fighting the Japanese in Manchuria.

        1. Rainbow   11 years ago

          Russians have always had a massive inferiority complex about the Poles, they've been kind of silent about it since their Soviet empire days (even though they were as big of victims of Sovietism as anybody). It'll resurface someday, guaranteed. Its an even more sure thing than the Frog-Jerry rivalry, or the Frog-Limey rivalry.

          1. grrizzly   11 years ago

            Russians have always had a massive inferiority complex about the Poles

            That's news to me. The Americans -- yes, the Brits and the French -- in the past. The Germans too. But the Poles? Please. What is it to feel inferior about?

            1. Rainbow   11 years ago

              The fact that Poles are also Slavs, but fully immersed in cutting edge technological and cultural development. Also that fact that Poland has still beat Russia's ass more times than vice versa; the fact that Poland did it alone, and the fact that Russia has NEVER defeated Poland without the assiastance of at least 1 Germanic Empire, and more commonly 2.

            2. Rainbow   11 years ago

              Actually you seem pretty uninformed. Russia has typically always seen itself as a peer to America, except more impressive: it expanded across a bigger, more important continent, with a far larger population than North America, and they did it with less people than the USA. The B

              1. Rainbow   11 years ago

                The Brits were always a marginal interest of the Russians, the French, Dutch, and Germans, sure. But the Russians only encountered the French once (Napoleon-and won), they never faced the Dutch, and the Germans more often allies (AGAINST POLAND!) than they were Russia's own enemy.

                1. grrizzly   11 years ago

                  Nobody, but nobody remembers the Soviet-Polish war in Russia. It's well known that the Poles hate Russians, but it's not a reason for Russians to care about Poland.

                  Poles... fully immersed in cutting edge technological and cultural development.
                  OMG! ROFLMAO.

      5. Fluffy   11 years ago

        Since you talked all that smack, I vote that Germany and Russia get to partition Poland AGAIN.

        Maybe let the Swedes and Lithuanians take a crack at the old girl, too.

        1. Winston   11 years ago

          Austria has a Sad.

  27. EdWuncler   11 years ago

    I know that Reason reported on this story a million times today but Eric Cantor: Hahahahahahaha and ha. My Republican friends are having a meltdown about Cantor's defeat.

    1. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

      Why? Didn't he lose to a Republican?

      1. EdWuncler   11 years ago

        Not to an establishment Republican. That's the difference.

  28. Cytotoxic   11 years ago

    The Coming Digital Anarchy.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tec.....archy.html

    It's a long article about how the BlockChain will possibly change everything.

    1. Brett L   11 years ago

      Doesn't the Block Chain have a theoretical maximum? Isn't that why BitCoin is a value store worth considering?

      1. Cytotoxic   11 years ago

        I don't know but there can only be 21 million bitcoins.

      2. Stormy Dragon   11 years ago

        1.) The block chain has a hard maximum that's chosen as a parameter when it is started

        2.) Computing the hash value for the next block on the chain (which is what bitcoin 'mining' really is) becomes increasingly harder for each successive block, so that the last block on the chain takes an infinite amount of computer time to come up with.

        1. Brett L   11 years ago

          Thanks, I didn't realize it was arbitrary but fixed from the start.

  29. Fluffy   11 years ago

    Did you hear the news?

    David Brat's campaign manager once posted on Facebook that George Zimmerman acted in self-defense!

    And that boys were shortchanged in our education system!

    BURN THE WITCH! DAMN TEATHUGLICAN EXTREMISTS!

  30. gimmeasammich   11 years ago

    I haven't had a chance to read through all of the comments yet, but has anyone else noticed the awesome Ramones alt-text? I thought that the title of the P.M. links might have been a coincidence, but the alt-text sealed the deal for me. I will be spending the rest of my night when I get home listening to old punk albums.

    1. Mad Scientist   11 years ago

      It's one of the most played songs they ever recorded. I doubt there are many who didn't get it.

      1. gimmeasammich   11 years ago

        Oh I don't doubt that, I was just trying to find a nicer way of saying, "What, two hours worth of comments and none of you jerks has even mentioned the Ramones thing?"

        I guess there are things that are beneath the peanut gallery...

        *goes back to work so he can go the hell home and self-medicate*

  31. Coeus   11 years ago

    Cantor's defeat fills Krugnutts with hope for the progressive cause:

    Whatever the reason, it turns out that being a movement conservative apparatchik is no longer a safe career choice. This is a very big deal. Conservatives, as I said, will always be with us. But the structure that shaped them into a cohesive movement is now starting to unravel, at a time when movement progressivism ? which is much less cohesive and much less lucrative, but nonetheless now exists in a way it didn't 15 years ago ? is on the rise.

    1. Pro Libertate   11 years ago

      Weird. I mean, where's the logic here? Almost everyone, including leftwing talking heads, expect a bloodbath in November for the Democrats.

      And what's more "lucrative" than progressivism? I believe they've stolen more money than anyone else in history.

      1. Mad Scientist   11 years ago

        But they stole it for someone else!

        1. Pro Libertate   11 years ago

          Yes, other Democrats.

          To be fair, the Republicans steal from us, too.

    2. Rainbow   11 years ago

      Krugnuts is a fucking idiot. Nuff said. He is even worse than Palins Buttplug.

  32. LarryA   11 years ago

    Like Brat, his Democratic opponent, Jack Trammell, is a professor at Randolph-Macon College. Unlike Brat, Trammell is writing a vampire novel.

    Democrat writing a vampire novel. The jokes feed on themselves.

    1. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

      It says he has seven children, graduated from Grove City College, and wrote about the Civil War for the Washington Times.

      It also said he got the nomination because nobody else wanted it - they thought Cantor was a shoo-in.

      Normally, I doubt the dems would have touched this guy with a ten-foot pole.

      1. Notorious G.K.C.   11 years ago

        "Ewww...*I* don't want the the nomination..."

        "Well, don't look at *me!*"

        "Hey, keep that yucky thing away from me!"

        "I know, let's give it to Jack."

        "That weirdo?"

        "Yeah, I thought he was the candidate of the Dork Party!"

        "Ha ha! Come one, let's give him a call, get this loser nomination off our hands..."

        Now these same people will be hyping him a the greatest statesman since Cicero.

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