A.M. Links: Democrats Target Supreme Court, Obama Sending More Troops to Iraq, Bodies of Kidnapped Israeli Teenagers Found

• 

  Twitter via Gateway Pundit

  Democrats think they have a winner in running against the Supreme Court this November.

• President Obama told Congress he would be sending about 200 more troops to Iraq. The Council of Representatives, Iraq's parliament, will meet for its first session since elections in April, while the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is showing off scud missiles in its possession in Syria.
• The bodies of three Israeli teenagers kidnapped in June were found north of Hebron. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the perpetrators "animals" and said Hamas would pay.
• The president of Ukraine said he was abandoning a unilateral ceasefire with pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country and sending the military back in.
• The ruling coalition in Japan plans on reinterpreting the country's constitution to permit a larger role for the military.
• Google announced it was shutting down Orkut, a social networking site popular in Brazil and India.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Democrats think they have a winner in running against the Supreme Court this November.

Bush isn't even relevant enough to run against anymore.

[Idle Hands]

He's not even on the court. This after they passed Obamacare, I guess they are a "what have you done for me lately" crowd, although you wouldn't know it though with how they cover for Obama's ass.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

What, no Happy Birthday Canada?

You're all just jealous because we have free universal health care.

[UnCivilServant]

Was Canada born? Or was just just shed?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Someone once said, "Canada was written off as a business expense by Britain."

[gaijin]

Happy Birthday hosers

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Give me a hollowed out birthday cake and I'll give a performance of "O Canada" that you'll never forget.

Although you'll want to.

[db]

Make sure there's a good amount of True Patriot Love in there.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Hey you good lookin

[Andrew S.]

We're stealing Canada Day today. In fact, we'll swap. We can all take today off in the US to watch the USA beat Belgium, and you Canadians can take Friday off. I'm sure there's a hockey game somewhere.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

There's always hockey here. Even when there isn't.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Is it bad that I don't much care for the sport? Must be my 'merican side showing

[The DerpRider]

Ugh. Stop. The Wings drafted five centers out of their seven picks. Why oh why... I guess I can hope Turgeon picks up more of daddy's skills than he's shown out west so far.

[db]

I'd rather watch hockey.

[Kaptious Kristen]

We can all take today off in the US to watch the USA beat Belgium, and you Canadians can take Friday off

Err...you first.

[Scarecrow Repair]

Time for the oldie-but-goodie.

anada was originally the Commonwealth Northern Dominion. Not only a mouthful, but it brought back bad memories once the southern dominions got their freedom. So they had a conference to discuss a new name.

Lots of useless pet names. Finally one tired participant suggested they just abbreviate the name. "You know, C, eh? N, eh? D, eh?"

And so it was.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Truly great history and heritage. Nothing like your disgusting war of independents with those icky guns and non-free healthcare. Uncivilized Americans!

😉

[Zeb]

Moose cock.

[Whahappan?]

Just another lame copy of a US holiday. Have some poutine and a Labatt, and keep wishing you were a real American.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The ruling coalition in Japan plans on reinterpreting the country's constitution to permit a larger role for the military.

Time for us to gear up against the Germans again.

[UnCivilServant]

Do we get bonus points for already occupying the country?

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

So they are a base of what, 150 BRPs? We get 50% of that at year start, I think.

[JWatts]

Ok, what game is that a reference to?

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

Avalon Hill's Third Reich. I am old.

[Flatulent Monkey]

Excellent!

I was going to try and work an Axis and Allies reference.

[UnCivilServant]

The president of Ukraine said he was abandoning a unilateral ceasefire with pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country and sending the military back in.

Surprisingly "We're going to stop shooting, please stop shooting" isn't the most effective strategy. "We put down our guns at the same time" has a slightly better track record.

[Lord Humungus]

Woman charged with arson for setting small fire to kill spider

Although no one was injured, and there was no damage to the structure other than light smoke damage, Ginny M. Griffith was arrested on a charge of aggravated arson because the other half of the duplex also was occupied.

A police summary of the incident said Griffith told officers that she used a cigarette lighter to set some towels on fire to kill a spider. Griffith was being held in the Reno County jail in lieu of $7,500 bond.

[UnCivilServant]

She didn't have an appropriate shoe?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Marvel sues.

[Idle Hands]

I don't even...Wut?

[The DerpRider]

I can't see how it's arson. There was no intent to burn down the house. Hell, her insurance will cover the damage because it wasn't intentional.

[MegaloMonocle]

I can't see how it's arson.

Depends on how the statute is worded. Arson used to require malice, but generally just requires intent to set a building on fire. This is criminal intent, which is pretty weak, and is generally satisfied if you intended to do the act that broke the law (as opposed to intending to break the law, which is more malice).

[Fist of Etiquette]

The president of Ukraine said he was abandoning a unilateral ceasefire with pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country and sending the military back in.

Unilateral ceasefires often just work out for one side.

[Slammer]

Teen hunter sparks internet outrage by posing with dead or tranquilized animals

"How could anyone take the life of such a beautiful animal and SMILE?? I just don't get it, it's sick!"

[UnCivilServant]

"Internet finds new deposit of stupid. Reserves now too large to calculate."

[Pope Jimbo]

Don't they realize that real hunters eat the animals that they take? I bet they would change their tune once they see her eat that pussy lion.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Now, where's my hamburger?"

[Injun, as in from India]

Where do people think the nest they eat come from? Stillborn births of farm animals?

[Injun, as in from India]

^meat, not nest

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

I thought you meant bird's nest soup for a sec.

[Echton]

As my 11 year old said "Why do they hunt. Why can't they go to the store and buy the meat after the animal dies naturally."

[MegaloMonocle]

11 is too old to be that ignorant of the basic facts.

[Zeb]

Captive bolt guns are natural, aren't they?

[110 Lean]

Are those pics from the 80's?

[Zeb]

Probably not if she's 19.

[110 Lean]

My point is that there is absolutely no pproof that the pictures are current. Yes, the Facebook posts are, but they could easily be a PETA-esque false-flag op.

[Zeb]

That didn't occur to me since I have no problem with the pictures or with well managed big game hunting, which seems to be what she does.

I bet it's legit.

[Zeb]

Big game hunters paying big bucks to hunt those animals is probably the only hope they have to avoid extinction.

[Lord Humungus]

Utah man to jail after fight over pew space

Weber County deputies say the fight happened last June at a Mormon meetinghouse during a crowded service that included a baby blessing and a missionary farewell.

Authorities say Dodge sat in a section that another family had saved in hopes of getting a good view of the baby blessing.

Dodge is accused of punching the man after the service, and striking him with his vehicle in the parking lot.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

Pew rage?

[Lord Humungus]

*pew* *pew*

*fires finger gun at Swiss Servator*

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

*ducks, returns fire pewpewpewpewpew /assualt finger rifle*

[Lord Humungus]

*time for the PEW!!! mortar*

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

INCOMING!!!

*screams and hides under desk*

[Pope Jimbo]

Was it really a fist fight? Or was it just two guys pointing finger guns at each other and shouting "PEW PEW PEW"?

[waffles]

I've heard it said that moving to Utah is the closest you can get to moving to a foreign country within the United States.

[UnCivilServant]

Ever been to New Yawk? It's very unamerican and quite foreign.

[waffles]

But it's not homogeneous like Utah. A cosmopolitan world city never feels as foreign as a small town with a culture you can't understand.

[UnCivilServant]

I beg to differ. "Cosmopolitan" sites are inherently more froeign because you can't quickly pick up on the local norms due to their uniform absense.

[Zeb]

But one might argue that that is very American.

[Old Man With Candy]

Lived in SLC for 6 years. I didn't find it at all homogeneous, or at least far less so than prog capitals where I've lived. Mormons, sure, but gays, Tongans, dopers, ski bums, whatever. Major university with very international student and faculty. Mayor is a Democrat.

[Emmerson Biggins]

I'm now banning referring to cities by three letter abbreviations. Sorry NYC. But ATL, ATX, and SLC have now ruined it for everybody. This is why we can't have nice things.

[Rhywun]

It's very unamerican

I just can't even

[Emmerson Biggins]

He who fart in church, sit in own pew.

[Fist of Etiquette]

President Obama told Congress he would be sending about 200 more troops to Iraq.

You know who else sent in just enough troops to get themselves in trouble?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Some guy who *wasn't Hitler?

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

Gordon of Khartoum??

[Homple]

William George Keith Elphinstone?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Is it me or do all these questions always end up with 'Napoleon' or 'Hitler' as answers?

[Rich]

You know who else asked "Is it me or do all these questions always end up with 'Napoleon' or 'Hitler' as answers?"?

[UnCivilServant]

Godwin?

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

The box of old Trivial Pursuit cards?

[Emmerson Biggins]

History Channel, back in the day?

[Brian D]

Ming the Merciless?

[Lady Bertrum]

The Spartens?

[Lord Humungus]

THIS IS SPARTA! *kicks Lady Bertrum into bottomless pit*

[Slammer]

JFK?

[Ted S.]

A crappy Risk player?

[Ska]

Everyone knows Kamchatka is the key to world domination.

[Injun, as in from India]

Lyndon Johnson?

[shortviking]

The Denver Broncos?

[Rich]

OK, we're up to 775 boots on the ground that we know about. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?

[Rich]

2*775 boots nor the sticklers.

[Rich]

*for* for the sticklers.

*** gets coffee ***

[UnCivilServant]

I figured we had a one-legged man there.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

Nah, some of us have a third leg!
*hitches up pants, gives smirk*

/SOCOM

[gaijin]

we're up to 775 boots
Is one of those soldiers an amputee?

[gaijin]

d'oh! refresh, refresh, always refresh.

[DJF]

They are passing on important military training such as "Don't drop your guns and run". Somehow this was left out of their previous training.

[Entropy Void]

Are they going to France?

[Entropy Void]

Are they going to France?

[Lord Humungus]

Rand Paul Slams 'Fat Cats' With Hedge Fund in Top Donors

"We cannot be the party of fat cats, rich people, and Wall Street," the Kentucky Republican told the audience at the Freedom Summit in New Hampshire in April. "Corporate welfare should once and for all be ended."

At the same time, the founders and employees of Mason Capital Management, a $13.6 billion New York hedge fund, have become leading contributors to Paul's political aims. The hedge fund has offices in London and San Francisco and offers clients offshore investments through a limited partnership in the Cayman Islands, among other strategies.

[waffles]

"I certainly believe in liberty and the constitution, as the founding fathers did," he said. "I don't think any different than most Americans."

This guy donating to Rand doesn't realize how different that makes him.

[Slammer]

'Cannibal Cop' verdict is overturned

Manhattan Judge Paul Gardephe acquitted Valle on the charges stemming from the alleged flesh-eating fetish plot that even targeted his wife.

"The evidentiary record is such that it is more likely than not the case that all of Valle's Internet communications about kidnapping are fantasy role-play," Gardephe wrote in his opinion

[Dweebston]

But will he be reinstated with backpay?

[Dweebston]

Also, if I recall the case correctly, the man had names, addresses, and pictures of prospective victims, some of whom he'd staked out. IANAL, but that seems like intent to me.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I posted this last night in one of the TI threads last night. Still find it amazing how this guy speaks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC_ZmWFwfzU

Gotta love Michelle assuring everyone there's no crack in the pie.

[Rich]

"Is Bill here? Bill! 'Sup, mah nigga!"

[Idle Hands]

I don't know people really are going over the edge with it. He made an off-color joke and there are literally a million other reasons to criticize.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yeah. But seriously. Crack?

[Rich]

You've never heard of cracking a joke?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Oh, Rich. You and your play on words, you.

/gently punches jaw.

[Root Boy]

I think there is a hipster bakery somewhere that has a pie named Crack.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

http://sweets.seriouseats.com/.....ience.html

[Knarf Yenrab!]

That's just the Obamas being charming.

That's a good thing--when he's cracking wise about pies, he has less time to kill American teenagers, order the groping of innocent travelers, make off-hand remarks about healthcare that wreck the economy, or grab guns.

If he'd spent his life being a comedian, we all would've been better off. Never too late to start, Barry.

[Root Boy]

It also prevents the former Constitutional lawyer/lecturer from teaching us about the Constitution.

[Lord Humungus]

Before Shooting in Iraq, a Warning on Blackwater

Just weeks before Blackwater guards fatally shot 17 civilians at Baghdad's Nisour Square in 2007, the State Department began investigating the security contractor's operations in Iraq. But the inquiry was abandoned after Blackwater's top manager there issued a threat: "that he could kill" the government's chief investigator and "no one could or would do anything about it as we were in Iraq," according to department reports.

American Embassy officials in Baghdad sided with Blackwater rather than the State Department investigators as a dispute over the probe escalated in August 2007, the previously undisclosed documents show. The officials told the investigators that they had disrupted the embassy's relationship with the security contractor and ordered them to leave the country, according to the reports.

[Ted S.]

One way in which soccer is like other American sports:

Per Mertesacker plays like shit and then bitches when the media calls him on it

An irritated Arsenal's Per Mertesacker tonight hit out at suggestions that Germany were poor in their win over Algeria, insisting that that qualification for the World Cup quarter-finals was the only aim and that it had been accomplished

Joachim Low's players struggled to defeat the Algerians 2-1 in extra-time here, to line up a last eight clash with France, and took more than 90 minutes to score. Mertesacker insisted the struggle did not mean it would be impossible to beat the French.

He said to Germany's ZDF television: "Would you rather we played beautiful football but got knocked out?" he said to, visibly frustrated by the critical line of questioning. I don't know what you want from me - do you think that just Mickey Mouse teams are involved in the last 16? All that matters is we're in the quarter-finals."

[waffles]

France versus Germany feels like it could make history.

[UnCivilServant]

France's best showing in the past two hundred years was a tie.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

They're lucky they didn't have a man sent off for that high stud tackle. Same with France. They did play poorly but they have the clinical ability. Algeria truly surprised me. They looked nothing like this in qualification.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

"did not mean it would be impossible to beat the French."

If Germany can't beat France then they deserve to go home. I guess I'm in the small minority not buying into France and Brazil. Shoot, if Prandelli isn't such a moron and settled his tactics, Italy could beat either.

[Ted S.]

I'm not sold on any team in the tournament.

Although, I'd be up for Colombia v. Germany and an all-CONCACAF affair in the semifinals.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I have a feeling Colombia can go to the final. But anything can happen.

Glad about CRC because of CONCACAF. We'll see about USA. Mexico were that close but no tacos.

[Rhywun]

RAAAAACIST!

Unless Germany are hiding their talent under a rock somewhere, auf Wiedersehen.

But I'm not sure I buy Mertesacker's argument that they deliberately sucked because Algeria. Sometimes suck is just suck.

[waffles]

Islamic State in Iraq and Syria

Please. They shortened it to just "The Islamic State". I think they're doing us a favor. People used to say say "we are not at war with Islam". Well, thanks to ISIS (now IS), we can be.

[Game of Thrones fan]

As a fan of Archer, I welcome this change.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Game of Thrones Archer fan

[ant1sthenes]

Speak for yourself. I was looking forward to seeing Barry running Operation: Defend the Iraqi Nation against ISIS.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

8 Other Laws That Could Be Ignored Now That Christians Get To Pick And Choose

1. NUDITY LAWS
2. TAXES
3. LSD
4. GROWING HEMP
5. STONING
6. GENITAL MUTILATION
7. PASTEURIZED MILK
8. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

[Idle Hands]

The road to hell is paved with infanticide.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Here is one of the better derpy comments:

Fascism always comes in the guise of nationalism and religion
it has nothing to do with "being forced o do things contrary to their faith" and every thing to do with forcing their beliefs on others.
in this case Hobby Lobby forcing it's religious views on others

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Wow. That's plain retarded. Fascism and religion are polar opposites.

[SugarFree]

Fascism and religion are polar opposites.

Er. Um.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Awkward sentence? Maybe I should have said Mussolini was hostile towards religion?

[Drake]

Hardcore leftists like the Fascists want the State to be the national religion. So yes, they are wary or even hostile to the competition.

[Root Boy]

They have an inkling of how Franco and other South American dictators used the Catholic Church as part of their fascism. However, their pea brains can't compute Hitler or Mussolini being anti-Christian.

[Idle Hands]

when do you think the AI will become self-aware?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Most of those cases involve a prohibition on activity, not a forced participation (outside of taxes).

Why am I even bothering to parse this shit anyway? It's such a complete failure of logic and refusal to acknowledge the argument at hand that it doesn't matter.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Can you at least acknowledge this serious question from the article?

Will the court make an exception to murder for the deeply religious?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

*brain explodes*

[Rhywun]

Will the court make an exception to murder for the deeply religious?

Yes.

/IS(IS|IL)?

[The Late P Brooks]

Democrats think they have a winner in running against the Supreme Court this November.

I can't wait to see what happens when they find out the Supreme Court isn't on the ballot.

[Drake]

Better than running on their records.

[MegaloMonocle]

They won the last election running against someone who wasn't on the ballot.

[Slammer]

Veteran finally gets VA doctor's appointment...two years after he died.

[Ted S.]

Single-payer for the win.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Someone in the thread said that the VA was supposed to be the model for Obamacare. Is this true?

[Root Boy]

Not really. Without sounding like PB, the VA is like everybody has to drive a black chevy cruz, while under Obamacare, the private insurance companies will sell you a chevy cruz and you can pick the color and 3 levels of trim.

[UnCivilServant]

But the colors are tope, pea soup and mauve.

[Lord Humungus]

did he go?

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

"We have a zombie at the front desk, holding an appointment card!"

[Lord Humungus]

The Hobby Lobby Case Shows Why Private Companies Shouldn't Provide Insurance. The Government Should.

The obvious solution to this dilemma is to take health insurance away from employers altogether. In a very, very limited way, the Obama administration has already done that by arranging for separate contraception coverage, via third party insurers, for churches and other truly religious organizations that object to such coverage. In principle, it could do the same here. And, over the long run, it's easy enough to imagine a world in which employers were truly out of the health insurance business altogether?a world in which all people got health insurance directly from the government or tightly regulated insurers.

But the people and groups who oppose government's providing insurance directly tend to be the same people who object to the contraception mandate. That's not a coincidence. While I don't doubt the religious objections to birth control are sincere, I do think they are masking another belief conservatives bring to this debate: As a general rule, conservatives don't think government should be compelling them to pay for other people's medical expenses.

[Slammer]

Good timing. Look at my post above.

[UnCivilServant]

over the long run, it's easy enough to imagine a world in which employers were truly out of the health insurance business altogether?a world in which all people got health insurance directly from the government or tightly unregulated insurers.

Fixed that for them.

[Monty Crisco]

failure of government ALWAYS requires.... GUESS WHAT?!?!?

[UnCivilServant]

Guillotines and heads on spikes!

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

Gulags?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

a whipping boy?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Yeah, then they can force everyone to pay for whatever the majority decides, regardless.

MOAR FREE SHIT FOR ME

[The Late P Brooks]

The ruling coalition in Japan plans on reinterpreting the country's constitution to permit a larger role for the military.

Did they say, "We learned it from you, America."?

[Drake]

Not sure how they will pay for it. Japan is sliding into a deep recession and all their money printing and new taxes are just making the hole deeper.

[UnCivilServant]

They'll raise the funds with the resources from the lands incorporated in their 'Co-prosperity sphere' after they conquer it.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

That is "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" to you , pal!

/Shade of Tojo

[Root Boy]

China is already trying to muscle in on that action.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

I have but one for them.... "Nanjing!"

/Shade of Tojo

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

And to add to it refuse to restart their nuke plants. Importing expensive natural gas will definitely be a boost to the economy... of Russia.

[Drake]

They really seem to be on a 15-year economic suicide effort. Remember when everyone was worried that nobody could compete with Japanese efficiency?

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

They may be winning the video game machine war this time around.. isn't the new xbox showing awful sales numbers?

[MegaloMonocle]

I think its recovered.

My next-gen console is either a PC or a Sony. Maybe a Steam machine; we'll see how those shape up after release.

[Root Boy]

I like watching movies from the 80s where the Japanese were eating our lunch in the tech sector, automotive (still true), and on their way to world domination.

[Drake]

The Koreans are rolling over the Japanese in the small car market. Most of the most popular "Japanese" cars are now made in the U.S. (They were smart enough to avoid unions at all costs)

[Rhywun]

I get a chuckle when I see Atari ads in Blade Runner.

[kbolino]

Despite the Japanese name, Atari was an American company.

[Florida Man]

I was in Japan for six weeks and one of the natives asked me about the stereotypes Americans have towards the Japanese. I said high efficiency and hard work ethic. The guy laughed, I guess because he heard it before. He said that was only Toyota that has that model, the rest of Japan is very inefficient. After spending sometime in their healthcare system I can confirm that at least healthcare in Japan is horrendously inefficient.

[waffles]

Abe-nomics isn't a fountain of blessings?

[Rich]

Pelosi: ISIS advancement is 'opportunity' to serve 'God's children'

Well, she actually said *the Mexican border breach* is an 'opportunity' -- but you get the idea.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

Maybe she should retire from Congress and join an nunnery?

[Root Boy]

"to serve 'God's children'"

I knew it, Pelosi has a cookbook!

[Lord Humungus]

Another Security Breach for Obamacare
Bureaucrats try to reassure residents after Vermont's health exchange suffers another tech failure.

"There is potential for consumer risk," says Gregg, who has also testified to Congress about cyber-security risks for HealthCare.gov. "Best practices were not carried out in several respects. All those point to the possibility of further or additional breaches, because they have just not shown that they have done the due diligence, and without those controls in place, it's hard to say. The attacker could have captured passwords on additional systems and used those to create different accounts that Vermont Health Connect doesn't know about yet."

The hacker gained access because the default password to the development server was never changed (in violation of guidelines laid out in the state's official policy) and because access to the server was not restricted only to users who were known and approved.

[Rich]

"Best practices were not carried out in several respects."

"There's no sugarcoating it -- our performance was not all it could be."

[UnCivilServant]

We do a better job than that, and we're a pissant State agency, not some multimillion dollar boondoggle. Oh wait, that may be why we do a better job than that, we'll be around when the blame gets distributed.

[Ted S.]

Cuomo won't blame you; he'l blame the Assembly and Senate.

[UnCivilServant]

No, he blames Career state workers first, then the legislature, then other scapegoats.

[Root Boy]

I thought Dems love them some public sector workers? All the sacrifices I hear about, etc, etc.

[Lord Humungus]

GM to Recall 8.45 Million More Vehicles in North America
Auto Maker to Book $1.2 Billion Charge in Quarter

Monday's action boosts to about 29 million cars and trucks that GM has recalled in North America this year?a number greater than the company's combined U.S. sales for the years 2005 through 2013.

The auto maker said it knows of seven crashes, eight injuries and three fatalities involving the cars recalled for the new ignition-switch problems, which includes models as old as 1997.

[UnCivilServant]

Aren't they just going to post the list of vehicles that haven't been recalled and get this charade over with?

[Andrew S.]

At this point, they might be better off just recalling every vehicle they've made in the last 20 years. Simpler and probably cheaper in the long run.

[Rich]

This. It is truly ridiculous. Or just dissolve the fucking company. Who will ever buy a GM car anymore anyway?

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Please recall my 2003 Olds Alero.. If that is the standard for GM cars, the company needs to be completely torn down and rebuilt.

[UnCivilServant]

the company needs to be completely torn down and rebuilt.

FTFY

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Good catch

[Rufus J. Firefly]

They shoulda let it die. It would have been ugly and messy but is it worth this?

[Brett L]

Or just repeal CAFE Standards and let it just build trucks.

[Homple]

So are we sure that bin Laden is really dead?

[waffles]

Serious question. Why is it never considered to just make birth control over the counter? Why do we have to have some involuntary group regulated system for dispensing medication?

[UnCivilServant]

The one answer I got on that is doctors want to make women come in for exams. Ostensibly for their own good, but more likely to be able to bill somebody.

[Mokers]

Over the counter is not free, and people want more free shit. Who cares if it costs more because you need to make a doctor's visit and it is increasing your premiums?

[Rich]

Why is it never considered to just make birth control over the counter?

Hier.

[Andrew S.]

Because if it's OTC, it wouldn't be covered by insurance and would have to be paid for. And it should be free, because reasons.

[waffles]

So there's no good reason? I had no idea "access to birth control" meant it had to be free. That's fucking stupid. Should I get free condoms too?

[Andrew S.]

Are you a woman? No? Then fuck you, shitlord.

- The Democratic Party

[Idle Hands]

shitlord Dude the excepted nomenclature is Cislord please

[Whahappan?]

I believe it's Cis Shitlord.

[Idle Hands]

You just stumbled on one of my many War on men planks including: the unfair differences in pricing for car insurance, the lack of babysitting jobs offered to men (easy fucking cash) and the diabolical family court system.

[Rhywun]

unfair differences in pricing for car insurance

Men are riskier drivers aren't they? Hence not unfair.

[kbolino]

Most (all?) states force you to have car insurance in order to drive.

[Mokers]

Access = somebody else paying for it in progspeak. Affordable housing access. Healthcare access. College access. Job access. Internet access. etc.

[waffles]

So we somehow got to the point that Democrats up for reelection in the fall think it's smart to run on "pay for my female constituents birth control"? That's shocking.

[Idle Hands]

I think the electorate (and the ruling class) have become to dumb to understand even underhanded forms of graft so they are forced to show their hand in order to rally the base.

[Ted S.]

You mean because feelings. As much as the reason writers may be cosmotarians, I don't think they want to force one person to pay for another's birth control.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Contraception is available OTC.

[lap83]

I read that url as "plan bone step" at first. I guess stepping on a guy's junk is one type of birth control.

[MegaloMonocle]

OTC meds aren't covered by insurance. The "keep your laws off my body" crowd are perfectly happy keeping your laws on their body, if you just slip them a little cash on the side.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Hillary Clinton also does not like Hobby Lobby ruling:

"It's troubling a sales clerk at Hobby Lobby who needs contraception ? which is pretty expensive ? is not going to get that service through her employer's health care plan because her employer doesn't think she should be using contraception," Clinton said.

[UnCivilServant]

From the same woman who was "dead broke" at $100Million?

Hillary does not know the value of a dollar, she can shut her gob.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

That's why I included the cartoon of her.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Common folk like Clinton should know how expensive it is!

[Root Boy]

She doesn't need it, since Bill doesn't stick it in that crazy anymore, or because she's cuddling with Huma.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Hillary thinks she's entitled to her own facts.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

HL rejects 4 out of 20 FDA approved contraceptives because they're allegedly abortifacients.

[Slammer]

If the costs of an activity are expensive couldn't one just abstain from it until one has the resources to obtain it?

Why is that so fucking hard?

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

thats what she said

[Whahappan?]

My wife posted a picture of my daughter holding up a very large mango on FB. One person commented "It's so big!" I had to resist the urge to reply with that.

[Knarf Yenrab!]

I'm more troubled by the fact that Hobby Lobby doesn't include gift cards to Hooter's with every paycheque. Apparently fundamentalist Christians want their employees to starve to death.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

"paycheque"

*narrows gaze*

[Entropy Void]

Happy Canukistan Day!

We are celebrating Northern linguistics today!

Now excuse me while I take my hooseboot out on the lake and enjoy me some poutine and Tim's.

[Rhywun]

is not going to get that service through her employer's health care plan

I love how tortured the sentence structure becomes because she has to avoid raising the mere thought that the sales clerk might buy her own damn birth control.

[Rich]

High School Senior Dies After Ingesting Toxic Amount Of Caffeine Powder

Best stick with ingesting bath salts.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Ban caffeine powder movement in 3...2...

[Rich]

"Coffee -- the weed with roots in Hell!"

[UnCivilServant]

Michigan is too cold to grow coffee.

[Root Boy]

I'll get right on that

/Chuck Schumer

[Zeb]

I'm a little bit surprised you don't hear of that happening more often. Pure caffeine is easy to get and very cheap.

[Lord Humungus]

Wonkblog: The 49-page Supreme Court Hobby Lobby ruling mentioned women just 13 times

This idea ? that women's reproductive well-being is vital to both their personal prospects and the country's fortunes ? runs throughout Ginsburg's dissent. It is notably absent from Justice Samuel Alito's majority opinion.

In fact, it's simply notable that all three of the court's current female justices dissented from the court's opinion, in which it ruled that for-profit corporations owned by people religiously opposed to contraception may refuse to provide insurance covering it. In the long line of decisions about women's reproductive rights that have not been made by women, this is yet another.

The difference between the majority opinion of five of the court's men and the dissent of its three women (plus Justice Stephen Breyer) is instructive. The majority opinion is largely about the rights of corporations, employers and those with religious beliefs; the dissent is very much about women ? about their health, the sums they spend to access care and the costs they pay when none is available.

jeezus - these people are insane.

[Ted S.]

Miss Jones wants to take money to pay for her sex goodies from Mr. and Mrs. Smith that the Smiths could use to feed their children. Why does Miss Jones hate children

[Notorious G.K.C.]

My Twitter feed is full of people praising the Hobby Lobby decision - and many of those people purport to be women. I suppose they're only *biological* women, not *real* women.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Wow, I had no idea how many women had been brainwashed into false consciousness by the Patriarchy (TM). We need to crank up the re-education!

http://www.lifenews.com/2014/0.....s-victory/

[Rhywun]

reproductive well-being

Is that what they're calling it now.

[Zeb]

You know, the three women might have something else in common besides being women. Something that they also have in common with Breyer.

[The Late P Brooks]

Why is it never considered to just make birth control over the counter?

That would be exactly the same as forcing twelve year old girls into sex slavery!

[110 Lean]

Go on...

[Slammer]

Iowa Hawk:

"Can the government compel the NY Times to provide pistols to employees who want them? "

[Rich]

The man is a National Treasure.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Iowa Hawk:
"#notmybossesbusiness Therefore, also not my boss's obligation."

[Vulgar Madman]

Totally different, because progressives don't like guns.

[Injun, as in from India]

Where did you see that comment? It's awesome. Link please.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

His twitter account I assume

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Iink

[The Late P Brooks]

At this point, they might be better off just recalling every vehicle they've made in the last 20 years. Simpler and probably cheaper in the long run.

Only if they crush them all.

CASH FOR CLUNKERS: The Revenge.

[kinnath]

Give
Them
No
Fucking
Ideas
!

[waffles]

Is it just unfortunate timing that this rain of pain comes down on GM just as the first woman CEO took the mantle? Or is it a patriarchal conspiracy to set her up for the fall?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

In this case, it might be a conspiracy. Of course, she was foolish enough to take the job.

[waffles]

If I remember right, she was a capable manufacturing engineer and worked her way up through the company on her own merits. So this situation just plain sucks for her. But even failed CEOs get CEO jobs after being ousted.

[Drake]

Every GM CEO in the foreseeable future is set up to fail.

[db]

Heinlein wrote about it.

[Lord Humungus]

Three Failures on Immigration Reform

The real story is that Republicans in the House were never willing to pass a comprehensive bill, certainly not one with a hint of amnesty, and the administration knows it. Indeed, one has to wonder if the goal of pushing the all-or-nothing big bill was ever anything more than a media tactic. Either the President is shedding crocodile tears or he really believes that Republicans in the House ? not the Senate, he reminds us ? don't like foreigners.

In his remarks, Obama called out Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) for inaction. That's off target. The blame belongs on the Democrats and their failed tactics. Three failures stand out.

[Ted S.]

If there were an amnesty passed, what would be the over/under on the first calls for yet another amnesty for the people who entered the country after the previous amnesty? Six months?

[TwB]

Sounds about right.

[Lord Humungus]

Hobby Lobby Actually Lavishes Contraception Coverage on Its Employees

Again, Hobby Lobby's health plan pays for birth-control pills, vaginal rings, contraceptive patches, and other items to help female employees plan their pregnancies. The Left's arguments to the contrary are ? surprise, surprise ? lies.

What Hobby Lobby will not cover are four contraceptive methods that its owners fear are abortifacients:

Plan B ("The Morning After Pill")
Ella (a similar type of "emergency contraception")
Copper Intra-Uterine Device
IUD with progestin

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

BURN THEM!!!!!

[Injun, as in from India]

My Facebook news feed had a downpour of progressive tears at the Hobby Lobby ruling last night. I kept my mouth shut as usual for political posts. But some of the logic was downright absurd. It all came down to "corporations are not people and hence they don't have religious rights", and "women are the victims here". There was no mention of the federal government's bullying which caused the legal fight to begin with.

[Injun, as in from India]

The liberal media lied by omission of important details here.

[John]

No kidding. All they ever refused to provide coverage for was aborficants. You can get the pill under their plan.

It is amazing what lying assholes the media are. They didn't mention that fact because it made Hobby Lobby look reasonable and didn't fit their narrative.

[Injun, as in from India]

Agree. The media really does caricature religious people in this case. There was quite a bit of nuance in the Greens' religious views. The headlines keep saying "birth control" instead of "abortifacients".

[Lord Humungus]

a link to this info if you want to annoy your outraged friends:
http://www.becketfund.org/hobbylobby/

[Injun, as in from India]

Thanks for the link. I would love to, but I've made it a policy to respond to only non-political stuff like vacation photos and such. 🙂 this applies to both the liberals and conservatives in my circle.

[110 Lean]

My approach as well.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Oh how I've missed the am link... Luckily July 1st, the day Canada was born I get it off and can take part.

Sitting on the front steps, having a smoke, reading the am link comments.. pure bliss.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

*waves Canadian flag*

Hi Joe!

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

My obligatory nuclear post for all the fine ladies and gents in am link land:

Seeing a nuclear reactor start up is cooler than my sci-fi dreams

[UnCivilServant]

I was kinda disappointed, I don't know why.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

It really is nothing compared to the non-stop burn of dumb and crazy coming from prog/feminista land

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Good to see ya' Joe.

[TwB]

With ISIS/ISIL, or whatever the fuck those crazies are calling themselves now, and the Israel vs Hamas shit heating up again, I just had to play this song this morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYlUe-SDqA0

[Aloysious]

Good call.

[Warty]

Whaddaya mean I don't believe in God?

[Kaptious Kristen]

Everything is offensive now

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Wow, I... I hate these people.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

GD Dutch and their fancy foreign words I can't understand. Why can't they speak in American like every other normal person.

[John]

So speaking another language is now "racist"? I am with Smilin Joe. But we can all take solace in knowing that since their entire identity is built on hate, they will eventually destroy each other.

[Warty]

If this is racist, isn't it racist to speak in a fake accent when you pronounce a word from another country? I'm sick of hearing these fuckers pronounce Chile as Chee-lay.

[John]

Oh fuck I hate that. My wife will do that with French words sometimes. It drives me crazy. When you are speaking English, use the English pronunciations of the word. If you are speaking Spanish, then use the Spanish. It is so pretentious.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

+1 Knee-har-ahh-wha

[Rhywun]

Just wait until 2022 World Cup in Gutter. *cringe*

[Rhywun]

Forget racist, it's just stupid. It is nearly *impossible* for a speaker of one language to correctly pronounce a name from some other language without special training. People who do so think they're being "respectful" but it's really just PC and insulting.

[lap83]

I don't buy the stated reason of it being "respectful". They say that because the real reason is pretentious. They think it makes them sound worldly. Most Westerners don't try to learn a language because they need to. It's appearance and status.

[Kaptious Kristen]

My last name is much more intimidating when pronounced as it is in Germany. I should pronounce it that way when asking for a raise or going for a job interview. Project my Teutonic Powah.

[John]

My family Anglicized my last name during the First World War when it wasn't very popular to be German. I should put the 'von' back in front of it and go full Teutonic just to be a dick and be a part of the spirit of the age.

[Zeb]

That is how it is pronounced.

[Rhywun]

That is a rough approximation of how Chilean people pronounce it. Non-Chilean people are not required to follow suit.

[Kaptious Kristen]

It's the little mariachi guy that's supposedly "offensive". These people (the offended) have too much time on their hands.

[John]

At least half of the Mexican owned Mexican restaurants I have ever ate in have a house mariachi band. There is an entire culture in Northern Mexico and Southern Texas called Tejano that is built around mariachi bands. Have these retards never heard of Salina?

[Rhywun]

I *think* it's more the little sombrero character that's supposed to be offensive. It's fine when Mexicans play up the stereotype but totally racist for anyone else.

[Entropy Void]

Can White Hispanics wear the sombrero?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Blast from the past - let us return to 1993 -

"President Clinton today signed into law legislation requiring the Government to meet stringent standards before instituting measures that might interfere with religious practices.

"The new law, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, overturns a 1990 Supreme Court ruling that set a looser standard for laws that restrict religious practices....

"...even in cases where Government concerns like health or safety do justify infringements of religious practices, the new law requires the use of whatever means would be least restrictive to religion....

""Those whose religion forbids autopsies have been subjected to mandatory autopsies," [Vice President Al Gore] said. "Those who want churches close to where they live have seen churches zoned out of residential areas. Those who want the freedom to design their churches have seen local governments dictate the configuration of their building."...

"In the Senate, where the bill was approved 97 to 3 on Oct. 27, it was sponsored by Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah. In the House, which passed the bill last May by a voice vote without objection, it was sponsored by Representative Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of Brooklyn, and Representative Christopher C. Cox, Republican of California."

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/11.....tices.html

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Today I learned that mandatory birth control is more important than mandatory autopsies.

[John]

The RFRA was passed by a Democratic Controlled Congress and signed by a Democratic President. Yet, somehow it is some evil Republican plot to make war on women. For being the party of stupid, those Republicans sure are crafty.

[Rhywun]

If you hadn't put a date at the top I would be hard-pressed to guess which decade that list of luminaries was from.

[Entropy Void]

So **here's** your Flying Car ...

http://www.gizmag.com/hondajet.....2-90400361

[Pope Jimbo]

Tundra, Joe Smith was very clear: "A man may have as many wives as he can stand, but dammit you only get one pew"