Romney in High Demand, RIP James Brady, Google Snoops Email and Tips Cops: P.M. Links

• Mitt Romney is in high demand for appearances at GOP congressional campaign events. The grass is always greener, ain't it? In sad sort of way, at least.

• Reagan-era Press Secretary James Brady, of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, passed away at 73.
• Google snooped through a man's email account and tipped off police when they found child pornography.
• One-hundred and sixty-three new Ebola cases and 61 deaths, but "an experimental serum" may have saved the lives of several Americans.
• My Parents Open Carry is a new children's book about gun rights. Unsurprisingly, lefties are letting the outrage cycle flow through them. Jezebel describes it as "nightmarish," while Wonkette suggests it be retitled Brenna Has Two Nutbar Sociopath Gun-Toting Parents.
• The Toledo ban on dangerous tap water is over after three days. Now how will Ohioans drown their misery?
• Another day in Israel and Gaza, another ceasefire quickly ended and bombing resumed.
• Kiev says they were baited there by separatists, Moscow says they were seeking asylum: Over 300 Ukrainian troops crossed into Russia and now the countries are in talks about how to handle the situation. 
• Malia Obama was at Lollapalooza this weekend, but kind of stuck out thanks to her Secret Service detail. I wonder if they were carrying guns.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and don't forget to sign up for Reason's daily updates for more content.

Comments

[bdhr]

New version of fascr (sometimes called "Firefox reasonable", though it's a completely separate project) out today. See the homepage to see what's new (the stuff labelled "new in 0.5.00").

Portions are not well tested / experimental so it should be considered alpha.

My apologies for being slightly spammy, but the AM and PM links have somewhat different audiences and fascr lacks auto-update.

[BakedPenguin]

Most of us appreciate the work put in, and since you're mostly a lurker, "spam" is kind of a funny way of putting it.

[bdhr]

Thanks.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

[Wasteland Wanderer]

Sweet, comment highlighting works for me in this version...(it wasn't in the previous versions).

[Tonio]

Latest progderp from the FB: The kos kids are advising all the hoplophobes to just get up and leave whenever someone open carrying enters a business establishment. They specifically say to just get up from the table at a restaurant and leave without paying (encouraging theft). I hope someone actually tries that and gets arrested. The butt-hurt is going to be epic.

[Bobarian]

Maybe someone open carrying can make a citizen's arrest?

Oooh, that would sting.

[PD Scott]

I will go the high road and say "great minds" instead of damning the minute's difference.

[Tonio]

No, the OC folks would be best advised to not engage. The prog would spin that as "a man with a gun came right at me." Granted, I think you'd need to be brandishing for it to be assault, but it would still be playing into them.

[pmains]

I don't think you as a normal, OC patron can legally make a citizen's arrest for a dine-and-ditch. The manager, owner, security, etc. could.

[robc]

hoplophobe

That word confused me for a second, but reminded me of a former fellow church member of mine (I moved, not him, AFAIK). He would leave a restaurant if anyone at his table ordered an alcoholic beverage. Im pretty sure he paid his bill though.

And, of course, he didnt care what went on at other tables. Sane people have a limit to their overreactions.

[Zeb]

Where do some Christians get their hard-core t-totaler thing from? The Bible seems pretty positive on moderate wine consumption, at least.

[Pro Libertate]

Jesus seemed okay with wine, making it in vast quantities, among other things.

[Citizen Nothing]

That was grape juice, heathen.

[robc]

I know you are joking, but no one who has drunk significant amounts of wine would be confused at all by that story. As OBP says below, he maxed out the Parker Scale.

[Pro Libertate]

Yes, of course it was grape juice.

Fermented grape juice.

[robc]

In one of the Timothys, Paul orders Timothy to drink wine to heal his stomach.

[Florida Man]

I remember asking my mom about that as a kid and she said the wine Jesus drank was really grape juice and my dad said dinosaur bones were planted to test Christians faith. No wonder I'm an atheist.

[Zeb]

Without refrigeration or pasteurization, wine and grape juice are one and the same.

[Pro Libertate]

To be sure, there's fresh grape juice, not-so-fresh grape juice, vinegar, and wine. Oh, and grape jam.

[Greg F]

Strong's Concordance says the Greek word translated to wine is in fact wine, not grape juice.

[Obama's Buttplug]

And Jesus was an awesome vintner. 100 on the Parker Scale.

[robc]

And just to add to it, it was his first miracle. Priorities.

[robc]

No fucking clue, as Im an evangelical christian who also brews.

Actually, I do have a clue. Its a 19th century health thing, like with the Graham crackers to stop masturbation.

[Note: Im probably mixing three historical things]

[SugarFree]

There was also the popular perception of the monk and priest as drunken layabouts, and nunneries as Church brothels. The aesthetic reaction to that led to the denial of the material world and the pleasures of the flesh. It's a pendulum that's been swinging forever.

[Zeb]

Those damn Papists with their wine and their whiskey.

[Zeb]

I know that you are decidedly not a t-totaler, but figured you might have more insight into that than I.

[Doctor Whom]

The Bible, when correctly interpreted, always agrees with whatever the person interpreting it wanted to believe anyway.

[Tonio]

^This.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

This article expresses views I have commonly heard from friends and family that abstain from alcohol for religious (Christian) reasons:

http://www.cbn.com/spiritualli.....cohol.aspx

[robc]

Yep, Ive heard most of that. And some of it is clearly wrong.

For example:

The believer's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is hard to think that we could pour liquor into the temple of God without defiling it.

Nearly every study that looks at this says that moderate drinkers are healthier and live longer than teetotalers or drunkards.

And Paul wouldnt have advised Timothy to drink wine if it defiled his body. And Jesus wouldnt have made wine for the wedding ceremony.

[Stormy Dragon]

The believer's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is hard to think that we could pour liquor into the temple of God without defiling it.

Actually, you were required to pour liquor into the temple of God once a week:

"And the grain offering with it shall be two-tenths of an ephah of choice flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the Lord; and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin." -- Leviticus 23:13

[CatoTheElder]

Curiously, the conclusion of the article is that Christians should not do what Jesus did.

[Suthenboy]

Y'all are clearly not familiar with the Southern Baptist explanation that in biblespeak 'wine' means plain grape juice.

[AlmightyJB]

I thought in the south wine was grape mountain dew and moonshine.

[robc]

Ummm...IM not familiar with Southern Baptist stuff?

Okay....

[AlmightyJB]

Isn't Southern Baptist made up of like 10 million different denominations though?

[Warren's Strapon]

So I could open carry and order a beer, and get rid of the fringe members from both sides. Convenient.

[PD Scott]

Part of me hopes the people carrying perform citizens arrests on the dine and dashers.

[Tonio]

IIRC, you can't do a citizen's arrest on misdemeanors, or can't take them into custody. Now, retail establishments do have the right to detain...

[PD Scott]

Hmm, wiki says: Most states have codified the common law rule that a warrantless arrest may be made by a private person for a felony, misdemeanor or "breach of peace". A breach of peace covers a multitude of violations in which the Supreme Court has even included a misdemeanor seatbelt violation punishable only by a fine. The term historically included theft, "nightwalking", prostitution and playing card and dice games.

[Pro Libertate]

Leaving without paying is potentially theft, I would assume, in most states. Though proving intent would be pretty tricky.

[Tonio]

I think there's well-established case law on this, since actual shoplifting is a thing. Three paces outside door? Anyone?

[Pro Libertate]

Well, being black when you do it helps, I think, as does being a famous female actress.

[Jose Chung]

Wasn't mens rea discarded by our judicial system some time ago?

[Michael S. Langston]

Yeah, and that sucks, but in this case, if it were a case of someone who openly got up and left with intent to not pay for food delivered/ordered solely to make a political point about another patron?s legal behavior - one can infer that the actual theft, is proof of intent.

What would they argue otherwise?

We didn?t intend to steal? Sorry - you got food and didn?t pay, doesn?t matter what your intention was.

Well, we didn?t know it was illegal, because we were making a political point? Sorry - there are no exceptions to the theft laws regarding political opinions - otherwise it would be open season on WalMart and others.

But we....?Guilty?

[PapayaSF]

Don't they know that dine-and-dash hurts the waitress, and not the restaurant?

[Pro Libertate]

I think they just like the not paying part. Dinner out--property or possession?

[RBS]

"Look Judge, it's not marital property, it's just one of my client's possessions."

[Pro Libertate]

"Well, social justice only applies to property--I lack the authority to seize possessions, even though I could have this entire courtroom shot. In fact, I think I will. Bailiff!"

[Libertarian]

Isn't it amazing how indignant people can get when their indignation saves them money?

[Pro Libertate]

I clearly need to get more indignant about paying taxes.

[Tonio]

Nailed it, Papaya. They, the champions of social justice, should know that.

[PD Scott]

Look, if she wasn't stuck in a soul-destroying job and had her consciousness raised an iota she'd totally agree.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Just an excuse for them to bag a free meal. If they really cared for true, they'd think things out a little deeper and harder.

HARRRRRDER! SWEEEEEP!! HARDER!

[The Last American Hero]

Does that apply to cops too?

[Brian D]

No, if one of those comes in you should stand up and genuflect.

[Pi Guy]

Stand up and genuflect ???

[pogi]

Just. Stop. Resisting.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Another day in Israel and Gaza, another ceasefire quickly ended and bombing resumed.

I had high hopes for this one.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Malia Obama was at Lollapalooza this weekend...

More outrageous than Norquist at Burning Man.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Where are Norquist's bodyguards?

[Obama's Buttplug]

How old is she? Because traveling at a young age can be risky (e.g., Natalee Holloway).

[Sudden]

Speaking of Norquist at Burning Man, Vice offers its hit piece.

[Fist of Etiquette]

PARTISANS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ADMITTANCE WITH ALL THE OPEN-MINDED IN ATTENDANCE.

[Marquis of Fantailler]

When people buy tickets, they help to pay for the event's needs as a price of citizenship. It's exactly the same as a tax.

I fail to see how buying a ticket to attend an event is "exactly the same as a tax."

[robc]

If they are saying we should switch all taxes to user fees, Im cool with that.

But I doubt that that is what they are saying.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Basically Tom, your whole article is about claiming that a bunch of friends getting together to provide mutual services for themselves (ala mutual benefit societies or insurance) is the same as a governmental system enforced involuntarily against everyone and funded through involuntarily taxation.

If this is your understand of politics, you should spend more time reading and less time writing.

From the comments.

[perlhaqr]

This was the exact quote that stuck right in my craw.

"You mean, except for the fact that attendance is totally voluntary?"

Man, now I'm kinda sad I won't be going this year.

[Knarf Yenrab!]

You don't have to buy a BM ticket if you don't like BM, and you can leave the United States if you don't like expropriation, shameless political manipulation, and foreign wars.

But you can't secede, as everyone knows that nations are indivisible.

[T]

Yup, Burning Man is just like a government except I've never been asked at gunpoint to fund Burning Man.

[Jose Chung]

I wonder how many people were put into fatal choke-holds by the security at Burning Man. Also curious as to the civilian casualties from the Burning Man drone program. And don't get me started on the inevitable, indiscriminate data collection program instituted by the event's organizers.

[Sevo]

Ralph Nader is right on message; you can legalize drugs so long as they are regulated, and no one can possibly rent accommodations or transportation without government thugs:

""It's unfair if they are not properly regulated, certified to safeguard the passenger. It's unfair to the cab industry."
http://blog.sfgate.com/djsaund.....drugs-too/

[Carl ?s his ? for ?s]

It's unfair to the cab industry.

How can something be unfair to an industry, when, you know, CORPORATIONS AREN'T PEOPLE!!!1!!!11

[Almanian - just....Almanian]

Perhaps if we had the corporations sign an oath pledging their loyalty to their customers' safety...

[The Tone Police]

Because cabs are so much safer and cabbies never get violent or threaten anyone no sir.

[PD Scott]

Just don't tell the cabbie how you feel about the Eagles and you'll be fine.

[Ted S.]

The football team, or the shitty rock band?

[PD Scott]

Just don't mention any eagles at all. The cabbie's sister could have been a salmon for all you know.

[Corning]

certified to safeguard the passenger.

What car made today is not certified by the US government to safeguard passengers?

Also didn't Nader have a thing or two do with those certification requirements?

He should probably know this stuff.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Vacation Equality Project!

http://www.vacationequalityproject.com/

[waffles]

I don't get any paid vacation! That's completely fair!

[Obama's Buttplug]

I get about 8 weeks per year. My advice? If you want a lot of vacation, get a good job and stick with it.

Of course it would be easier for some if the government just mandated it.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

You're a teacher?

[Citizen Nothing]

Toledo's not really Ohio, you know. If we hadn't lost that damn border war with Michigan...

[Warty]

Here are some asses. Here is some outrage:

Boostie, Heaven, Ireland, moments ago
Who wears and buys the underwear this ad is directed at???? YES WOMEN. So why is this titilation directed towards men. MISOGYNISTIC nonsensical rubbish. I shall NEVER buy their underwear EVER thanks to this awful tripe.

[Jordan]

If she's British, then she's doing us a favor by not buying that underwear.

[jesse.in.mb]

I'm sure you've seen their original Kylie Minogue ad, no?

[Warty]

Kylie has held up well over the years. But I still liked her best when Nick Cave was murdering her 20 years ago.

[entropy_factor]

Actually saw Nick Cave a couple weeks ago. Snuck in for a couple songs. Was the weirdest shit I've ever heard- like a vampire rock opera with a shitty Danzig impersonator.

[PapayaSF]

It's directed towards men because most women are directed towards men.

[Zeb]

Well, men probably buy a fair amount of that underwear, though fewer wear it.

And have these people never seen a women's fashion magazine?

It's underwear that is supposed to be sexy. Of course the ads will have women looking sexy in their underwear.

[lap83]

I wouldn't be surprised if outrage was part of the marketing strategy. That'll get you noticed.

[KPres]

Heteronormative bitch!

[AlmightyJB]

Garter belts and stockings. Thank You.

[Collegiate Inspector]

Federal paralegals had no work so they surfed the Internet, did laundry, exercised and watched television, an investigation has found. Taxpayers continued to pay their salaries.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....litics_pop

[PBR Streetgang]

Obligatory "nothing left to cut"

[Ted S.]

Damn you. 😉

[Collegiate Inspector]

Please save this for future internet debates. It's a nice, sharp arrow in the quiver...

[Ted S.]

Nothing left to cut.

[Carl ?s his ? for ?s]

Trigger warning: NSFL

Ladies' 'armpit hair selfies' take over Chinese web

Pictures of women showing off their unshaven armpits have been flooding Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media platform, in response to a competition encouraging ladies to post their best "armpit hair selfies".

The competition page was set up on July 17 and managed to attract over 28.5 million views and thousands of picture submissions within five days, according to Tomo News.

The organizer of the competition, simply called "Girls not plucking their armpit hair", said that the online event was meant to promote a healthy attitude in women regarding societal perceptions of beauty.

"Girls, you should have confidence that you are beautiful just the way you are, shaven or not," the page read.

[Tonio]

Are you subbing for Sug today?

[SugarFree]

Carl is doing God's work in some of the derpiest comment boards accessible in America.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Was this for International Feminist Month, or was China just trying to attract French web-surfers?

[Carl ?s his ? for ?s]

My understanding is that these sorts of "selfie competitions" are relatively common on Sina Weibo.

A while back I posted a link to a post about a similar one, albeit more to my liking: a "flat chest contest".

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Flat-chested gals ain't so bad. If her figure is that of a 14-year old boy, that's one thing but small boobies in isolation is in no way a dealbreaker IMO.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

One of them, I think the third one, looks like she's showing off a wart.

[Fist of Etiquette]

One-hundred and sixty-three new Ebola cases and 61 deaths, but "an experimental serum" may have saved the lives of several Americans.

It's called Dontgotoafricaphrine.

[Tim]

NOTE the Ebola CNN link has an autoplay ad for those of us in an office.

[Collegiate Inspector]

Enough with soulless suburbs, sky-darkening towers, and crushing isolation:

Let's Build A Traditional City (And Make A Profit)

http://www.andrewalexanderpric.....9_sbIBdVy-

[Carl ?s his ? for ?s]

I saw that last week. The comments on HN were unbearable.

I like the bullshit pretense that the cities merely encourage walking, rather than discourage driving. Yeah, right.

And guess what: not everyone lives in weather that's pleasant for walking in.

Not to mention, fundamentally: I will live wherever the hell I want, within practical limits (e.g., ability to get a job). Not everyone finds suburbs "soulless" or cities pleasant.

[Collegiate Inspector]

The "profit" part should be music to libertarian ears.

This dude thinks his idea is so good, it will work without the force of law.

Cool, right?

[Carl ?s his ? for ?s]

My problem is not with his means, it's with his pretentious attitude. It is more evident in "A Traditional City Primer".

Someone can behave consistently with libertarian principles and still be douchey and unpleasant.

The last part ("I will live wherever the hell I want") is indeed aimed less at him and more at the HN crowd, though.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I don't get this hatred for the suburbs. I grew up and still live in them. The quality of life is beyond question.

[Collegiate Inspector]

I don't get this hatred for the suburbs.

You have to drive everywhere. Did you forget an item on your grocery list? Time to get back in the car. You become a chauffeur for your kids because they can't get anywhere. They develop drug habits because they can't develop any hobbies (no places to meet-up and hang out...)

[Pro Libertate]

Not where I live. We're in walking distance of plenty, and I daresay drugs are quite accessible in urban environments.

I've lived in both, and I don't think it's even close for quality of life. Not that I'm saying everyone should move to the suburbs or that people in different stages of life might not enjoy the perks of urban living, but still.

[Agammamon]

I'd rather get back in the car than have to walk for 15 minutes to get to the corner market. Which won't have what I want and what it does have is at a ridiculous markup.

No-places to meet and hangout? a) people don't let their kids do that and b) last time I checked public parks/sportsfields were in short supply in urbana and the suburbs have a decent supply of libraries and hobby stores.

They're far more likely to develop a drug habit hanging out with the skeezy dopers and meth-heads sitting on their front stoop waiting for the next welfare payment.

*And* you don't have to worry about the president of the united states banging on your door at 2 in the morning.

[Knarf Yenrab!]

You have to drive everywhere. Did you forget an item on your grocery list? Time to get back in the car.

There's been consumer creep into suburbs and small towns for a while now. A tiny little rural community relatively close to me--essentially a post office that's about to shut down and a former gas-station turned BBQ joint (thank you, commerce-destroying EPA) recently added a Dollar General to meet this sort of need exactly, and there are an awful lot of little country stores that make their living by filling this particular need.

On top of that, drone deliveries will make non-browsing shopping a thing of the past in the next couple of decades, and self-driving cars will largely eliminate the time wasted in long commutes.

A hundred years ago, people raised in the country were largely cut off from the world and couldn't benefit from widespread information, much less division of labor. That's changed dramatically in the past twenty years thanks to digital technology, and increasingly automated delivery and transportation is going to make country living a more and more appealing option for people who'd rather hear owls than traffic noise.

[Libertarian]

You've hit on a beef of mine. Stephen Fry has a "travel the USA" show on TV right now, and he absolutely detested Miami. There may be a lot of things wrong with Miami, but his complaint was that there was a lack of warmth, or city center, or something like that. I remember Alistar Cooke putting down Miami decades ago, because he said everyone hopped from car to buildings then back again to avoid the heat. I thought, "Maybe in your group, pal. Why don't you travel with the real middleclass?"

Then Jeremy Clarkson (surely a multi-millionaire!) of Top Gear, in one show, looked to the left at a Marriott and to the right (next door) at a Holiday Inn, and slammed the soullessness of modern America. I thought, "yes, how horrible that normal people can travel across the land and have a clean, dependable place to sleep as they do it."

[robc]

Im a big fan of the Strong Towns blog. I dont know how they compare.

[Warty]

Narrow streets. Cool thinking, bro.

[Pro Libertate]

Why streets at all? Why not just sidewalks?

[Brandon]

Because Obama might need to get his motorcade through.

[Agammamon]

Key-rist.

I've lived in some of those 'human-scale' places.

It fucking sucks if you want to do anything other than watch tv or drink at the pub on the corner. Just the one pub on your corner - the others are to fucking far away to walk to.

Plus there's the grocery shopping every-fucking-day after work. Hell, it was a 20 minute walk (each way, up a steep hill on the way home) to the ferry I took into work or a 5 minute drive - which I couldn't do because there was no parking.

Those neighborhoods are nice to spend a weeks vacation in, not so nice to live in for 30 years.

And - you'd think these people would be able to figure this out. People don't live in those developments in the US not because of some government/corporate conspiracy to push everyone into the suburbs, but because they simply don't like living that close to their neighbors if they don't have to.

[Agammamon]

Now, having said that - I applaud his desire to do this 'organically' by using his (and willing investor's) money to attract people to this type of development rather than trying to have it imposed on from above as the 'New Urbanist' movement tries all the time.

[Rhywun]

not because of some government/corporate conspiracy to push everyone into the suburbs

Except that actually happened.

Meh, to each his own - I hate suburbs, but I'm a single guy and I hate cars. If things were different I could understand thinking differently.

Oh, as for all the complaints about urban living I find it amusing that e.g. I'm always the one who has no trouble getting to work on time while all my Jersey co-workers are late stuck in traffic or just give up and work from home.

[Collegiate Inspector]

Jersey? Where you at? I'm in the northeastern part...

hit me up at fallibilist [ little -at- symbol] gmail.com

We should assemble us Jersey reason folk. (I think Drake is also one of ours.)

[Rhywun]

I'm in Brooklyn (Bay Ridge). I only work in JC for a financial company where 99% of my co-workers come in from Jerz.

[Rhywun]

"from other parts of Jerz" that should read. I am still in denial after my company moved my job to JC from lower Manhattan, I guess.

[Pro Libertate]

I dunno, as much as I didn't and don't care for Mitt, it's hard to imagine he could've been even within an order of magnitude as bad as this president. I'm positively pining for mere mediocrity right now. Pining.

[Tonio]

You know who else pined?

[Almanian - just....Almanian]

Monty Python's parrot?

[Pro Libertate]

For the fjords. Common trait of a Norwegian Blue.

[Tonio]

Winner, winner, parrot dinner.

[Almanian - just....Almanian]

You told me 'e was resting, '...after a prolonged squawk...'

[Sudden]

Tulpa?

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Not so sure. A Romney election very well might have seen his administration get busy "fixing" the ACA and thus ensuring it's eternal existence. This way there is still a slim chance that it could be repealed.

[Pro Libertate]

Oh, sure, he sucks, but this administration is so rife with corruption, abuse of power, and absurdly high levels of incompetence, that it's hard not to think we wouldn't be better off with, well, anyone else in office.

[Cytotoxic]

In the short term. Medium term President Romney leads directly to President Warren. It can always be worse.

[Pro Libertate]

Warren couldn't win an election for president even if aliens came and reduced our IQs to 100 for Election Day.

[Marshall Gill]

Warren couldn't win an election for president even if aliens came and reduced our IQs to 100 for Election Day.

Our IQ's? If you are combining our IQ's then don't they, by definition, average at 100? You are telling us that Warren will be elected for certain?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!

[Pro Libertate]

Fuck if I know. Revise to an appropriately low number and re-read.

[Sudden]

You clearly have been paying attention to my prophecies of doom and are now accepting of your fake redskin overlord.

[SugarFree]

100 is perfect. The lumpen proletariat aren't voting for Warren, it's the white wine drinkers who think 50 Shades of Grey is so naughty and the crunchy fucksticks who refuse to shop anywhere but the co-op that would hand that withered scold the reins of power. Her base is the people who are just smart enough to think they are geniuses for agreeing with Rachel Maddow.

[Pro Libertate]

Analogy fail, I accept. Warren ever setting foot in the White House as anything other than an unwanted guest for dinner I do not accept. We're not quite that far gone, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

[perlhaqr]

I hereby reserve the right to laugh brayingly at you if she wins.

Just before I resume drinking heavily.

[Clich? Bandit]

The average of IQs IS 100...god help us.

And remember, half of the people you meet or know are below average.

[Sudden]

No, half of the people in the country are below average. That doesn't necessarily mean we meet or know those people, other than in our dealing with various government employees.

[Clich? Bandit]

Piss on my joke again sudden and it's The List for you.

[Stormy Dragon]

IQ is distributed according to a left bounded guassian, which means the median is, by definition, less than the average.

So more than half of the population has below average intelligence.

[Cytotoxic]

THAT'S NOT HOW AVERAGES WORK

[Cytotoxic]

That was a response to CB.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Until there is a change in how the federal bureaucracies function corruption, abuse of power, and incompetence will be the order of the day. The only hope I see is for it to become so dysfunctional and abusive that the public breaks out of it's normal apathy and demands real reform. Awfully slim chance of that, as America has pretty much gone whole hog on the everyone-plunder-everyone-else political model, but there's always hope. In that sense, Obama's reelection was probably the best outcome.

[Pro Libertate]

Yes. In fact, things are so far gone now that we can't sit around loving gridlock or do-nothing branches of government. We need a prolonged reversal of government growth, or we're screwed. And we're likely screwed.

[Cytotoxic]

We need a recession.

[Pro Libertate]

I suspect we're in one and have been in one. Certainly, the growth is anemic enough, and I don't trust those measuring the economy at all. Look at the completely misleading unemployment numbers that get bandied about.

[thom]

I still think a McCain administration would have been more corrupt, more abusive of executive power, and more incompetent than Obama. Between two delusionally self important assholes, I'll take the lazier one every time.

[Pro Libertate]

He'd have sucked, especially during the unexpected war with Vietnam, but I find it hard to believe that even McCain could reach the heights that Obama has. Really, if he's not the worst president in our history, he's a close second.

[Cytotoxic]

Wilson, LBJ, and FDR were worse.

[BigT]

Until he rounds up 70,000 people based on their heritage and puts them in camps Uncle Sambo is a distant second.

[CatoTheElder]

Not at all sure ... could be in a war with Iran or Russia right now ... that would be much worse.

[Libertarian]

Ah yes, mediocrity. We'll tell stories of mediocrity to our grandkids, and their little idiocracy minds will disbelieve them just like they'll refuse to believe that people drove cars or had land line phones.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Reagan-era Press Secretary James Brady, of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, passed away at 73.

That gunshot finally got him.

[The Last American Hero]

Was it a Morgul Bullet?

[BuSab Agent]

Where can you buy these Morgul bullets? Last time I looked the gun shop in Moria was inaccessible due bridge repairs and the one in Angmar went out of business in the Second Age.

[cavalier973]

I blame Bush.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Over 300 Ukrainian troops crossed into Russia and now the countries are in talks about how to handle the situation.

Obviously the Ukraine has to annex Russia now.

[Pro Libertate]

Perhaps Ukraine should get the rest of Eastern Europe to join in the attack.

[PD Scott]

"Good? Bad? I'm the one with the gun nukes."-Putin

[Pro Libertate]

True, but possessing nukes and using them are two different things.

[Almanian - just....Almanian]

Harry Truman says, "TELL me about it!"

[Pro Libertate]

And Truman actually used them--twice--but felt it was politically impossible to use them again.

[Warty]

Guns aren't the point to the Jezebel crowd. Guns are just something that people they hate enjoy, so therefore they must hate them.

cassiebearRAWRloupdeserre
Today 3:14pm
Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Go to permalink
Terrifyingly white is a pretty excellent way of putting it?

Also, today in clueless gall:

Libraryannebrodt
56 minutes ago
Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Go to permalink
Oh, but don't you know that guns are magic amulets? Silly liberals think they are tools, which require responsible use under limited circumstances. Only real Americans understand that wearing a weapon at all times keeps the boogeyman at bay.

[Tonio]

I would consider it appropriate when quoting these to omit the "share to" and "permalink" text since those aren't actually part of the author's speech. Name, timestamp and actual text, sure.

[Warty]

That's extra work that doesn't really need to be done.

[Clich? Bandit]

Warty, model of (d)eficiency.

[Ted S.]

The projection is always astonishing.

[robc]

The last one is them trying to reverse the projection.

But its so easily destroyed. Do they think that people think that insurance policies are magic amulets that keep fires and car crashes and cancer away?

Same exact fucking thing.

[Andrew S.]

That second quote is possibly the most clueless thing ever said by a Jezebel commenter. And there's a very long list of clueless things said by Jezebel commenters.

[Collegiate Inspector]

Screw stigma. I'm coming out.

I've kept it to myself for years, but now I believe the only way to fight the stigma of mental illness is to talk about my own.

http://goo.gl/P3KJvg

[Rhywun]

Please tell me that's Aman-duh.

[Fist of Etiquette]

My Parents Open Carry is a new children's book about gun rights. Unsurprisingly, lefties are letting the outrage cycle flow through them.

The writer should have made the parents same-sex.

[Tonio]

Oh, that would have been a nice touch.

[PD Scott]

Heather Has Two Heavily Armed Mommies

[PapayaSF]

I LOLed.

[Pope Jimbo]

Heather has two Pistol Packing Mamas

[Bobarian]

Everyone knows there is no such thing as a gay gun-owner.

/DERP!

[Tonio]

The Pink Pistols would like a word.

[Doctor Whom]

But no true gay people own guns.

[PD Scott]

There have been fictional ones.

[jesse.in.mb]

A gay friend of mine in SF was out doing target practice with his family back home and posted pictures on FB. Now that his friends are properly outraged he's strongly considering buying a .22 just to further nettle them. His husband's likely reaction is the only reason he isn't arming himself to the teeth, which disappoints me.

[Restoras]

A .22? If you're going to nettle them go big or go home, not that they'd know the difference.

[Clich? Bandit]

Gay relationships = no different that hetero relationships...one is always nagging, the other always screwing up. Not sure if the roles move around in a gay relationship but I wish they did in a hetero one, but they don't.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Gun owners can't be merry?

[Clich? Bandit]

lol

[Collegiate Inspector]

A historical perspective...

Another Way to Look at Reagan

http://pileusblog.wordpress.co.....-reagan-2/

[Almanian - just....Almanian]

IFC is showing the old TV Batman shows (Adam West, Burt Ward). Mrs. Almanian is taping them for #1 son. But I'm watching them. I don't remember the episodes I've seen so far...this is epic...

[Pro Libertate]

My younger daughter and I watched "The Trouble with Tribbles" last night. She liked it. Now to decide on the next episode. We may have to watch some old Batman and maybe Mission: Impossible, too.

[Andrew S.]

On a similar subject, what's a good age to introduce Star Wars to your kid? I'm planning to watch it soon with my 5 year old (episodes 4-6, of course). Too young?

[waffles]

I watched it for the first time at age 5. I really liked it and wanted to be Luke.

[Pro Libertate]

An excellent question that I have, too. I saw it when I was ten. The only scene in the first film that my daughter might not do well with is the arm on the floor scene. I think she could handle most of the rest.

I could test her reaction with the salt monster episode of TOS, though that scared the shit out of me when I first saw it (around three years-old).

[The Last American Hero]

Depends on the kid. My son watched Episode IV when he was six and absolutely loved it. We watched V and VI when he turned 7. He doesn't like them as well, but is still over the moon about Star Wars.

We don't discuss I-III.

[Pro Libertate]

Yes, to be sure, we'll be skipping the prequels. Let her watch those on her own, after she's graduated from college.

[Cytotoxic]

No. She must never see them.

[Pro Libertate]

That will certainly be my recommendation. My strong recommendation.

[Agammamon]

Let her see them when she's old enough to date - late 30's, right?

[JEP]

I guess I saw them first when I was about 6, but I don't think I appreciated everything in them. Which might have been a good thing, because I keep watching over and over as I grew up and appreciate them more.

Thinking about it, they're actually really great movies to show kids. They're simple enough that kids can understand, but they're deep enough that kids have to think about what they're watching - dialogue, literary devices, allusion, sarcasm, etc. And there's some violence but it's not over done. It's just enough to get a point across.

[Clich? Bandit]

I saw Eps. V and VI in theaters...god that was a long time ago.

[Pro Libertate]

I saw the first one in the theaters sometime in late June 1977, I think. I'd have gone earlier, but my parents wanted to watch it first to make sure it was appropriate. They decided I could handle it, so off I went! Saw it eleven times at the theater (once after the re-release). Do people even do that anymore?

[Clich? Bandit]

I saw Avatar 3 times but only cause the 3d and effects were fucking stunning

[Pro Libertate]

You mean that Smurfs reboot?

[Cytotoxic]

You watched that schlock THREE TIMES? For shame. I could barely get through one viewing.

[Steve G]

I watched #4 in a drive-in and was the first movie I recall watching. That would have made me ~5. I haven't felt the need to go on a murderous light-saber rampage yet...

[Stormy Dragon]

For the 30th anniversary of the original series, DS9 did a great episode where part of the DS9 crew gets caught in space-anomaly of the week and gets sent back to the Trouble with Tribbles episode of the original series:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.....ble-ations

[Pro Libertate]

I saw that. Very well done.

[Andrew S.]

Back in 2002 I had surgery and was laid up for nearly a month. Every afternoon from 3 to 4 (or maybe it was 2 to 3), TV Land would show the Adam West Batman shows. It was a glorious way to waste time.

[PapayaSF]

Being sick is a great way to discover TV shows. That's how I discovered Invader Zim (R.I.P.)

[Clich? Bandit]

I enjoyed Kyle XY when sick.

[jesse.in.mb]

Coming soon to theaters the 2014 sleeper hit How Almanian Got His Bang (!) Back.

[Almanian - just....Almanian]

POW!

SOCKO!

nice 🙂

[Cytotoxic]

How can anyone watch that crap? It's even worse than pre-Abrams ST.

[robc]

I considered filtering you for just that comment alone.

[Cytotoxic]

Why are so many libertarians in love with hokey crap? Have your eyes been gouged out and replaced with nostalgia goggles?

[Pro Libertate]

I daresay that it is your taste that is the outlier here.

Taste--property or possession?

[Almanian - just....Almanian]

Forget it - it's Cytofascist.

You enjoy your Hockey Night in Canada, Cyto. Batman was campy/funny as HELL.

[Pro Libertate]

Yes, but how does a Canadian not like the Shat? Isn't that illegal? I'm writing the Human Rights Commission.

[Cytotoxic]

The first and really only pre-requisite is to be offended by shitty acting.

[Cytotoxic]

It was campy. And totally stupid, much like your use of 'cytofascist' which I hope for your sake is ironic.

Slapstick "humor" is shit.

[Cytotoxic]

My taste is certainly the outlier-and that is a damning indictment of everyone else here. This is how Charlton Heston's character in Planet of the Apes must have felt.

[Pro Libertate]

You'd better like the original Planet of the Apes, or I really will file a complaint about you with the Human Rights Commission and the Governor-General. Or is that Gouverneur g?n?ral?

[robc]

It wasnt his dislike of Batman that pissed me off, but his acceptance of Abrams' Star Trek.

[Pro Libertate]

I concur.

[Cytotoxic]

I know right? Why would anyone want good writing and acting and a real plot when we can have Shitner hamming it up and every other 'actor' doing their best impression of cardboard while small stuffed animal things jump around. Or they visit a planet that...everything 1920s mafia? Did they just run onto the wrong set that day? Why did anyone fund or watch this?

[Warren's Strapon]

Why would anyone want good writing and acting and a real plot

Wait...there is no way you are referring to that 2009 piece of shit.

[Cytotoxic]

Whoah there. NO ONE likes the remake. And anyone who does is not a person and should be aborted.

[Pro Libertate]

So the Hestonian version is awesome, correct?

[Cytotoxic]

Duh. I think I'm going to watch it again in a few days.

Rise and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes were pretty good too.

[Pro Libertate]

Well, then I'll withhold my formal complaint to your ambassador.

Planet of the Apes--the original, of course--was possibly my first science fiction movie. I remember watching it--on a film projector (this is before most people had VCRs)--at some kid's birthday party. We all loved it.

[Ted S.]

I thought it was my taste in old movies that was the outlier round these parts.

[Pro Libertate]

You mean liking old movies or liking specific old movies? I like old movies plenty. For instance, I've got The Third Man queued up (in the literal sense of being next in line--I own the DVD).

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I love Adam West's dead pan humor and Burt Ward's over the top juvenile quips. The Penguin, Joker and Riddler were all well played as well.

[Ted S.]

The Joker, of course, was in the first of the Thin Man movies.

[Pro Libertate]

The quality of acting talent for the villains was most excellent.

[BuSab Agent]

Screw the Penguin, Joker, and Riddler. Julie Newmar and Eartha muthafuckin Kitt!!!

[cavalier973]

Superhero Rewind's review of the 1960's Batman movie might put things in perspective for you.

[Zeb]

Have you seen the one where Batman hatches out of a dinosaur egg yet? I think that is the only specific scene I remember from that show.

[robc]

I remember him being trapped in a giant hourglass.

Stupidest way to kill a superhero ever.

[Andrew S.]

Everyone knows he probably has a can of Bat-Hourglass-Reversal Spray in his utility belt anyways.

[Pro Libertate]

See, supervillains had a code back then. Anyone can kill a superhero with a little luck. But killing him with irony--that takes something more.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I still think the Batman theme from that show to be the best.

[Ted S.]

Neal Hefti, the same guy who did the Odd Couple theme.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Ted's new nickname: Rain Man.

[Restoras]

The lyrics are amazing too...

[Lord Peter Wimsey]

The entire freaking series is out on DVD and Blue Ray (with a digital copy) on November 11th.

I've already purchased mine and marked the date on the calendar.

Best. Series. Ever.

The one where Batman and The Joker have the surfing contest is epic. Fucking epic.

And for the Jezebel crowd, don't miss the episode where villains use affirmative action to replace all the male bank guards with women...then let mice loose to scare them off and loot the banks. Brilliant!

[Florida Man]

The city of Orlando decides it might not be good PR to steal a church to build a playground for aging Futbol stars.

http://touch.orlandosentinel.c.....-80993206/

[Collegiate Inspector]

Strength training advocate says that RUNNING is bad for you and you shouldn't do it.

http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2.....epage=true

[Warty]

Rip is good at rustling jimmies.

Jogging to prepare for soccer is like reading a children's book to get better at reading.

[Ted S.]

What about Crossfit? 😉

[Sidd Finch v2.01]

One of those fucking things opened down the road. They all go run at 5:30, on a two-lane road. Unfortunately they run on the other side of the road so I haven't had an opportunity to run one over yet.

[JEP]

At least the scenery might get a little better...

[Sidd Finch v2.01]

Nope. The eye candy Crossfits are in town. This one is all moms.

[Ted S.]

What if they opened up a Curves?

Or a Planet Fitness?

[Sidd Finch v2.01]

In that case the porkers would be inside instead of fucking up rush hour traffic.

[Warty]

*DING-DONG*

"Hello?"

"Hi! Have you heard the word of Crossfit?"

[Steve G]

Eh, I would have never discovered 5x5 or SS if it weren't for xfit and I'm not alone. I can trash it with the best of them, but crossfit helped open my eyes. Just wished it would have happened 25 yrs ago...

[Collegiate Inspector]

Defiant teen who swung skateboard into head of 70-year-old man refuses to apologize, gets five years

http://www.oregonlive.com/port.....t-comments

[Sidd Finch v2.01]

another new children's book

[cavalier973]

Heh. Maybe the author should change his name. For the children. The weird. Brown. Children.

[Carl ?s his ? for ?s]

Why does Volokh keep this clown around? Blackmail?

As evidence mounts, it's getting harder to defend Edward Snowden

[Ted S.]

Without clicking the link, since the WaPo site is more of a memory hog than the old volokh.com was, that's gotta be Stewart Baker.

[Andrew S.]

Who else could be that ignorant?

[Ted S.]

Volokh could have David Bernstein put up another Israel post.

[Collegiate Inspector]

That time that Baker ended up dancing with reasonoid and handed him his ass...

[SugarFree]

Ew. He looks like he's trying to find Carol Anne so he can escape from the other side.

[Corning]

Julian Sanchez is way younger then I thought he was.

[Collegiate Inspector]

Heterosexual ladies are people to. Let us now listen to their stories...

"What Happened When I Had Sex With My Favorite Porn Star"

http://www.alternet.org/print/....._porn_star

[Ted S.]

Heterosexual ladies are people to what? Fuck?

And the title of that post reminds me of something a moderator at another board I post to put up a couple of days ago:

"Naked Celebrities and What You Want to Do Sexually with Certain Celebrities"

(No link because it's in a portion of the board you'd have to be a member to see.)

[Auric Demonocles]

That seems possibly NSFW. What's the summary of what happened? It was deeply disappointing?

[Cyto]

She likes porn. Which she insists most people think is weird but she tells us it isn't because lots of women watch porn. She hooks up with porn star (both appear to be older at this point, so picture a couple of 40-somthing serial hookup artists).

her conclusion:

Despite the emptiness of it, I felt a sense of accomplishment over my conquest. I mean, I slept with my favorite male porn star! But when I texted my roommate with the breaking news, she wrote back, "Is this supposed to be a good thing?" Where was my high-five? A man in a similar situation would be heralded a hero by his friends.

To which I say, no... a man in a similar situation would not necessarily be a hero to his friends. A 19 year old landing a young porn star, sure. But a grown man with an aging porn star? Depending on your cohort the reaction might be more "wow, there's a lot of miles on that chassis. Kinda nasty."

I have friends who would be impressed, friends who wouldn't give a rats ass, and friends who would be repulsed. Sorry lady, stereotype fail.

[GILMORE]

How this contributed to the war on women has yet to be determined?

[Trouser-Pod]

Damn. Why they gotta be so...ugly?

[Collegiate Inspector]

Bad news for everyone:

Why Multi-Tasking Is Worse Than Marijuana For Your IQ

http://www.forbes.com/sites/va.....r-your-iq/

[robc]

I had an idea for a software development model in which you code from 8-12 (I know getting coders to work at 8 is wishful thinking, but work with me here). No phones, no internet, no email, no meetings, nothing.

After lunch, meetings are scheduled, you answer emails and etc, then you go home. If done properly, should be out the door by 2:30 most days. Before 2 on many.

I think productivity would skyrocket. Would be fun to try.

[JEP]

I'm not a software engineer, but I've written a good bit of code. Frequently, after about 2 hours of coding, I need a break. Typically, I'll walk down the street and grab a cup of coffee. If I'm stuck trying to figure out the best way to code something, I'll think of a good solution as I'm walking.

To get four hours of actual code writing out of me, I'd probably need to be working for 6 hours.

Then again, I'm writing engineering code, not production software, so I'm planning things out in my head as I code. It's probably much less structured.

[robc]

Ive done both, and yeah, the breaks are necessary. But I think labor laws require those anyway, so not a big deal.

But when programming to a well archetectured system, you shouldnt be doing a lot of planning.

[Juice]

Marijuana is not bad for your IQ.

[AlmightyJB]

I would agree. Memory on the other hand.

[Jesus H. Christ]

Funny (as in horribly tragic) how almost 900 Africans can die of ebola, but suddenly a couple Americans get sick and they whip out the experimental cure. But the FDA isn't racist.

[JEP]

To be fair, I can totally see the opposite viewpoint. If they started using the experimental serum in Africa, and it doesn't work (has some nasty side effects, etc) then all of a sudden the headline becomes "Government agency experimenting on helpless, sick Africans."

[Jesus H. Christ]

Ordinarily, I would agree with you, but the mortality rate for Ebola is ridiculously high. That means that even if the side effects are horrible, it's probably better than letting the disease run its course.

[Wasteland Wanderer]

Africa has people actively preventing doctors from helping the sick because they're convinced the doctors are the ones spreading the disease. Local superstitions and poor education being what they are, testing it on Africans would make the situation worse, particularly if the cure doesn't help as promised.

[Tonio]

Then I suggest you revisit the movie version of "The Constant Gardener".

[thom]

You're right of course. Whatever the US Government does, it's going to be horrible, racist imperialism.

[Jesus H. Christ]

That was an effective argument. Wow, I'm convinced.

[The Last American Hero]

Funny how ebola spreads in certain parts of Africa because the superstitious people think the Western doctors are the cause of the disease and are hostile to treatment.

[Jesus H. Christ]

Yes, that's a big part of why it spreads the way it does, but clearly there are people who are accepting help. Those people could have been treated.

[Stormy Dragon]

Ob theOnion: Experts: Ebola Vaccine At Least 50 White People Away

[Corning]

Funny...

But one wonders why non-white people either don't care to or can't develop the vaccine.

Certainly Africa has the technological capabilities of US and Europe in the 1800s.

[Cytotoxic]

I heard the serum came from a survivor. They might not have had, and they might only have a very finite supply unless they can isolate the B-cell that makes (one of) the neutralizing antibody and make a monoclonal serum. Which is pretty unlikely.

[Jesus H. Christ]

Yes, that could be the case. The CDC may want to make that clear.

[Jerryskids]

but suddenly a couple Americans get sick and they whip out the experimental cure.

You didn't know Ebola was created in a lab by the CIA same as AIDS was? Of course they've always had a cure for it.

[GILMORE]

"My Parents Open Carry is a new children's book about gun rights. Unsurprisingly, lefties are letting the outrage cycle flow through them"

I think there is great opportunity to investigate the possibility of tapping into Progressive Outrage as a new source of Sustainable Energy = all we must do is provide them a steady supply of 'Feeder Fuel' such as children's pop-up books about being pro-gun, pro-capitalism, anti-regulatory-state, etc. the progressive-outrage-mill goes into chain-reaction, and outputs an endless stream of high-density flaming bullshit

If only we can build the generators to run on Marcotte-droppings...

[PapayaSF]

Have "free speech zones" for protests that have big treadmills to march on, and some way of turning the sound energy of chants into electricity.

[Dweebston]

Piezoelectric dance floor, anyone?

[PapayaSF]

There you go.

[cavalier973]

I envision a "Dora the Explorer" type cartoon, featuring a young man named Hunter Green, along with his brother Forrest and his sister Kelly. Together, they learn about gun safety and sportsmanship, and the end of every episode has their dad take them hunting and killing something. The final shot of each episode is of the family enjoying freshly-killed venison, moose, shark soup, etc.

[Collegiate Inspector]

From the annals of overly hopeful headlines:

Alzheimer's disease could be prevented after new blood test breakthrough
Scientists at Oxford University and Kings College London develop blood test which can predict the onset of Alzheimer's so that drugs could target the disease before symptoms appear

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sci.....rough.html

[PapayaSF]

AFAIK the current "drugs that target the disease" don't do much.

[Collegiate Inspector]

How Deadly Is Your Kilowatt? We Rank The Killer Energy Sources

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ja.....ways-paid/

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Nuclear plants may be some of the safest places to work. The amount of fuel used makes mining much less intense. It makes sense that (even including Fukushima and Chernobyl) it is incredibly safe.

Something else I recently read: UN Report says 56 killed so far due to Chernobyl nuclear accident

[mad libertarian guy]

How to get out of a ticket:

I know how the legal system works, and I know how to beat the system. This is how to do it, and if about 10% of all drivers booked follow my specific instructions, then the entire system will crash and become unworkable to the extent, that the government will have no choice but to stop issuing fines for every type of traffic offence. The whole lot of them. Seriously.

I do not feel guilty about coming out with this information, as I think it's about time someone stood up for hard working, civil minded, law abiding taxpayers in this country, who are being screwed.

This is very simple and very basic. The idea is to clog up the system in the traffic camera office and the courts by drivers exercising their rights to remain innocent until proven guilty.

[Ted S.]

They'll just change the law to get around these objectors.

[Cytotoxic]

Does this apply to Canadians too?

[Stormy Dragon]

Usually spending all day in court to fight a speeding ticket is more trouble than it's worth, but the best way is to ask to see the engineering or traffic study the speed limit was based on (most states require the speed limit to be set based on a study). If it can't be produced, the state can't prove the posted speed limit is actually valid.

[Jordan]

I hired an attorney to go sit in court for me, since the attorney's fees were cheaper than the ticket and the inevitable insurance increase. Cop didn't show; dismissed.

[Stormy Dragon]

How fast were you going? Last time I got caught speeding it was something like $250 (including all the fees) and my insurance didn't go up at all because it was only 2 points.

[Jordan]

The ticket was for 15 over, IIRC. I'm pretty sure my insurance would have gone up, since I spent some time looking into it, but I could be misremembering. Either way, I consider it money well spent since their revenue grab failed (they had cops lined up at the end of the month; no quotas my ass).

[Whahappan?]

And the judge issued a bench warrant for the cop right? Right?!

[GILMORE]

Are you telling me I sucked all those dicks for *nothing*??

[Jesus H. Christ]

Every time you suck a dick an angel get's its wings.

[Steve G]

...but you suck one dick...

[RishJoMo]

Sometimes you jhave to roll with it.

http://www.WentAnon.tk

[Carl ?s his ? for ?s]

Protestors hurl eggs at Japanese porn stars during Dalian sex expo

Around a dozen people protested at the International Adult Exhibition in Dalian, Liaoning province on Friday with some good ol' fashion heckling, China.com reported, as the group of middle-aged women and men pulled out rotten eggs and whipped them at two Japanese AV actresses who got on stage, while yelling at them to "get out of China".

"We firmly resist the spreading of pornographic products and will reveal the officials who support this adult exhibition," the protestors reportedly yelled. They also demanded that the Japanese actresses "get out of China".

A number of protestors were detained, according to Sunxuan Media Company, the host of the exhibition.

A survey on Weibo found that 48.3 percent of netizens among 2,434 polled supported the protest, agreeing that such seXXXy exhibitions should be banned in China.

Over 1,000 other, non-protesting people showed up to the exhibition to get their kicks.

I'm sure it had nothing to do with anti-Japanese racism.

[SugarFree]

They want their porn flat-chested and hairy-pitted, you anti-racism racist!

[Libertarian]

Somewhere on the Internet sits a fat, hairy guy just wishing someone would produce a porn movie where the actresses get pelted with raw eggs.

[Pi Guy]

+34

[SugarFree]

All The Boldest Oldest and Fattest Cosplay From Star Trek Las Vegas 2014!

This is why I'll admit to being a libertarian or an atheist far more readily than admit to reading science fiction.

[Pro Libertate]

There's nothing wrong with reading science fiction. The problem is in living science fiction.

[PD Scott]

The overlap between crafting and science fiction can produce very good things and very bad things.

[Cytotoxic]

Anti-ISIS movement (also against the Syrian regime) is producing more and more attacks on ISIS in the form of hit-and-run attacks and assassinations. This is the 'White Shroud' movement and it is different from the largely failed anti-ISIS campaign by the other rebels.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Ne.....z39SaXrklq

[Cytotoxic]

I don't have a link but I'd like to say that the instance by the USG that Kurdistan play nice with Baghdad and their interference in Kurdistan's attempts to sell their oil fills me with rage. The GOP and Reason and EVERYONE should be yelling about this at the top of their lungs.

[Pro Libertate]

I'm quite surprised, even with this government, that the U.S. didn't take any steps to protect the Kurds. Must have something to do with Turkey, though you'd think the Turks would want ISIS stopped.

[Cytotoxic]

The Turks are the biggest allies of Iraqi Kurdistan! They are piping their oil to the Med against the wishes of the Iraqi government. From their, Kurdistan would like to export but the USG and Iraq have been applying pressure to companies to not accept the oil. There's a ship loaded with it languishing off the US gulf coast because a judge signed an order for the US Marshals to seize it.

[Pro Libertate]

I dunno, all that Turks-hate-Kurds business is completely forgotten? That seems a little unlikely to me, though Zod knows that mutual economic dependence can make just about anyone friendly.

[Cytotoxic]

It has. I know it seems incredible but the KRG and Turkey are best buds. It's not just the economics it's everything else too-ISIS especially. Turkey wants an allied bulwark against all that.

[Pro Libertate]

If true, then I have no rational explanation for why the U.S. isn't holding up a NO TRESPASSING sign at the border.

[Corning]

The Turks don't want it, but that has never sopped the US or Obama in the past. The reason is the ensuing quagmire would swallow (I think justly) Obama's administration.

[Pro Libertate]

Probably. I'm not advocating intervention, but I could see doing so for the Kurds, who we've made all sorts of commitments to (and broken many) in the past, more than most others in the region. Not that such considerations matter at all to this government. In fact, I don't quite understand what does matter to it.

[Corning]

That seems a little unlikely to me

Cytotoxic was all of 12 years old in 2003-2004 when Turkey was being a super dick over Kurds and the potential of securing their Independence. He does not remember...the Kurds I am sure do.

It is not only a little unlikely it is fucking impossible.

[Cytotoxic]

Things change. I am aware of the dickishness of the Turks. You are ignorant of current events, and totally fucking wrong.

[Corning]

The Turks are the biggest allies of Iraqi Kurdistan!

Bwuahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahaha *gasp* hahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahah!!!

[Pro Libertate]

It appears there's some truth to this claim: WSJ - Conflict Shows New, Closer Turk-Iraqi Kurdish Ties. I guess the disintegration of Iraq is having some unexpected consequences.

[Corning]

"Closer ties"

So Turkey is saying they are less likely to invade Iraqi Kurdish territories now?

Closer ties between genocidal enemies is a relative thing.

[Pro Libertate]

I do think it will be interesting to see if this continues when Iraq stabilizes (one way or the other). There's a lot of enmity in their history, after all.

[Cytotoxic]

Yes, they are much less likely to invade norther Iraq. Why would they do that? Barzani is no friend of the PKK.

[Cytotoxic]

WTF is so funny? Aside from your ignorance of the geopolitical situation.

[Corning]

Really? Ignorant?

Show me one article demonstrating Turkey chomping at the bit for US intervention in defense of the Kurds.

None? Thought so.

Now go back to when you were a child and find those articles of turkey, a fucking NATO partner, threatening to invade northern Iraq.

See those? Yeah that shit does not change. ISIS or no ISIS.

[Cytotoxic]

Um. I never claimed Turkey was chomping at the bit for US intervention. You made a stupid puerile comment in response to my assertion on the growing ties between the KRG and Turkey's government, and got called out for being wrong. And ignorant. Now you're just trying diversions.

[Corning]

I never claimed Turkey was chomping at the bit for US intervention.

No, but you claimed something even stupider.

The Turks are the biggest allies of Iraqi Kurdistan!

[Cytotoxic]

Who is helping Iraqi Kurdistan ship oil in defiance of the Iraqi government? Who is letting investment in?

[GILMORE]

"you'd think the Turks would want ISIS stopped."

Why exactly?

[Cytotoxic]

Because ISIS is so insane they're too much for AQ. Turkey's Islamists are not in the same universe of crazy.

[Pro Libertate]

Kind of close by to have an aggressive, possible expansionist force, isn't it? Why not nip them in the bud? Not to mention that the Turks aren't total lunatics, by and large, and likely are pretty appalled at the shit going on in Iraq, too.

[GILMORE]

I dont think so. Or it least its more complicated than that.

I think the Turks 'partnership' with the Kurds is mostly a relationship of convenience, and that they're more concerned about longer term regional stability than anything else.

Turkey was one of 2 main sources of funneling for money/weapons/manpower to the 'sunni rebels' in Syria; and this includes the Jihadist groups. They have close intelligence ties with ISIS and their affiliates. The links of support between Turkey and ISIS are fairly well established.

"...ISIS strongholds- not coincidentally- cluster close to Turkey's frontiers.

Kurds, academic experts and the Syrian opposition agree that Syrians, Turks (estimated to number 3,000), and foreign fighters (especially Saudis but also a fair number of Westerners) have crossed the Turkish-Syrian border at will, often to join ISIS. What Turkish journalist Kadri Gursel calls a "two-way jihadist highway," has no bothersome border checks and sometimes involves the active assistance of Turkish intelligence services.
....
Actually, the Turks offered far more than an easy border crossing: they provided the bulk of ISIS' funds, logistics, training and arms. "

[Pro Libertate]

I don't pretend to understand everything that happens over there. Historically, the hate between the Turks and the Kurds is quite epic. And I'm not entirely sure what the Turks want in Iraq, but I think ISIS isn't quite it.

[Cytotoxic]

Not convinced. Turkey has backed the non-ISIS rebels but I have seen no evidence of help for ISIS.

Shorty before Mosul was over-run, the Iraqis raided an ISIS nest and arrested a guy there. He had USBs with oodles of data about how ISIS runs. They meticulously document all purchases and revenues. They are run like a tight business. I'm pretty sure I remember what they found and it was kind of terrifying: ISIS has no significant state sponsor. It is self-sufficient from sales of black-market oil and archeological antiquities and other dealings. Turkey has nothing to gain from helping ISIS.

[GILMORE]

" I have seen no evidence of help for ISIS."

Read the linked story. Its all out in the open.

Just because Ankara may be vocally opposed to ISIS from the POV of 'international public relations' does not mean they are not also actively involved in supporting them in their attacks on Syria and the Iraqi shiite state.

You notion of "self-sufficient" ISIS is a complete fantasy encouraged by American politicos to avoid criticism of 'allies'. They did not emerge 'ex-nihilo' and were created with direct and lavish support from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, and others. This was all well and good when they were just fucking with Assad, but as soon as they started executing people in Mosul, etc. suddenly people want to pretend there was no actual state-support.

[Cytotoxic]

I read it. It's..mixed. The photos of the ISIS leader in the hospital and the ambulances is convincing, but the unsubstantiated claims of 800 million dollars of funding and training of ISIS in Fallujah is all accusation no proof. AKP won power by promising better relations with neighbours especially Iran and even betrayed Israel for Iran. Granted, that can turn sour and it probably has with the delusions of imperial grandeur held by both Iran and Turkey. I am not negating the contention that Turkey supports ISIS, I just find the evidence supporting it spotty.

[Corning]

they provided the bulk of ISIS' funds, logistics, training and arms.

Not convinced.

Of course you are not convinced. You deny the whole universe when it conflicts with your neocon view of the world.

[Cytotoxic]

I get it we all get it you are a retard with your head up your ass. You don't need to confirm by whining about 'neocons' and otherwise talking about what you don't understand, which describes your entire 'contribution' to this thread. Please go to bed and let the adults talk.

[Corning]

If anything it would be ISIS could be a faster track for the Kurds to get Independence. Not as if ISIS would stay in an independent Kurdistan that is naturally hostile to Turkey (a NATO partner) and run the place. For the Kurds the only question is the oil. If ISIS concedes that to the Kurds then ISIS could clear its northern flank of any hostility.

It is pure speculation but it is more reasonable speculation then Cytotoxic's warmonger bullshit.

[Cytotoxic]

My 'warmonger' bullshit? Are you down to just taping random words together? Again: log off, go to bed. Adults are talking. You're grounded. And retarded.

[Coeus]

Lesbian proponent and professional speaker on enthusiastic consent has embarrassing tape found on youtube.

Bonus, it's a personal story about one of those things we're told is a "myth".

this particular clip showed the two discussing SOPP at Antioch College, in particular making fun of explicit consent policies.

What was particularly startling, however, was the way in which they decided to joke about it, and what Madison revealed. She talks about having sex with a drunk girl then acts it out, using language like "shut up" and "I gave it to the bitch", while also mentioning how hurt she was that the girl spoke out about it. This was pretty surprising coming from someone who regularly is booked to speak about feminism and consent.

While I can appreciate that context and tone can be removed from a video and therefore hard to assess for the viewer, I also find the difference between how it's discussed in the video- "shut up", "I don't care what people say", and "the drunk bitch woke up the next day and felt differently"- vs in the written response,

[Coeus]

Lesbian decides that straight women's preference for penetration is because of misogyny.

Her inquiry: Why do straight women prefer penetration, while lesbians overwhelmingly prefer oral sex?

Scarcella did a bit of background research in the weeks before she released her new "Straight Girls Explain" video, asking 500 of her straight-identifying female viewers and 500 lesbian viewers whether they prefer oral sex to penetration. She found that while 55 percent of straight women preferred penetration, just 25 percent of lesbian viewers felt the same. So, for her follow up, Scarcella tried to figure out why.

According to the "straight girls," there could be any number of reasons for the disparity, but most have to do with social construction.

She might be on to something. While there are certainly other explanations for the 30 percent difference, like simple personal preference, the larger issue seems to be one of normative sexual expectations, especially for women who have sex with men. Scarcella sums it up well: it "all relates back to misogyny and how women feel about their bodies."

Sure, no possibility of any kind of biological predilection there at all. Did a lesbian just recommend corrective sex for straight women?

[Libertarian]

Anyone think that maybe a lesbian is BETTER at oral sex than a man? Nah, that's crazy talk.

[PapayaSF]

It couldn't possibly be explained by lesbian misandry, huh?

[Mickey Rat]

Um, because they are straight?

[Derpetologist]

Because I am a professional, I waded into the comment swamp over at TDB article on corporate loyalty oaths. It's the usual suspects:

1. Gimme, gimme, gimme!

iamnice 1 hour ago
Oaths are meaningless. What we need is legislation that says if you don't pay taxes here, and hire workers here, and produce your products here, you don't do business here.

[Raven Nation]

Good plan. Because I'm sure there would be no unintended consequences for foreign companies operating here. Sheesh.

[Derpetologist]

2. You didn't build that.

Mondragon 2 hours ago
Worth Repeating, I think:
If We the People:
1) Educate the entrepreneurs
2) Educate the startup/nurture workforce
3) Provide the Public Utility, Transportation, Political, and Financial Environments for startup and success.
THEN
It seems perfectly reasonable for Citizens to HEAVILY FINE (recover expenses) any US Corporation that leaves these shores. The American People can, indeed, be mobilized to ensure that such democratically-creatied legislation is enacted and enforced.

[GILMORE]

""3) Provide the Public Utility, Transportation, Political, and Financial Environments for startup""

Regulation = Provision!

[Pro Libertate]

You know, a lot of things "government" gets credit for were really done by the private sector. I mean, look at going to the Moon. Who manufactured all of that stuff? Not NASA.

[KPres]

Actually, since it's rich people that pay for all of that, so they should decide. Democracy in action, amirite?

[PapayaSF]

Around the time of the fall of the Berlin wall, I had a conversation with a lesbian acquaintance. She felt that because the East German government had paid for the education of the populace, they had a right to stop them from leaving.

I asked if her parents had put her through college. She said they had. I asked if that gave them the right to tell her where and how to live.

That shut her up.

[Derpetologist]

3. FYTW

rob654
As long as you pay your taxes you get to enjoy the Freedoms of the country - if these companies don't want to pay their taxes then we shouldn't let them have the Freedoms.

Let them take their entire company elsewhere - we will strip their Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights - let another company take those over and the US Market will still receive the goods \ services from the new company that is willing to pay for the privilege of operating in the United States.

[Derpetologist]

4. Somalia!

SteveChilds 2 hours ago
move to Somalia, it's basically the type of country you would want the US to be. Leave the rest of us to create a more perfect union.

[PapayaSF]

Somalia: A collapsed socialist state that proves the unworkability of libertarianism.

[Pro Libertate]

It's weird how these memes develop from nothing or even the exact opposite of what's supposed to be so blatantly obvious, isn't it?

[Derpetologist]

5. KOCHS! CORE-PORE-RAY-SHUNS ARE NOT PEOPLE!

derekdj 3 hours ago
We don't need corporations to swear loyalty, just give the Roberts' Supreme Court a few more years we'll all be swearing loyalty to corporations.

Justice Roberts has ensured that corporations are not only people, but they're exempt from following the Constitution and can pretty much buy any political office they want. Not only that but he has also made it more difficult for citizens to collectively do battle against corporations.

So don't worry, just give it a couple of years and we'll amend our pledges to swear loyalty to the United States of Kochs.

[Coeus]

Krugnuts rides again:

The questions you should ask are how the fiscal path is likely to play out in reality, and what if anything we should be doing now to make the story better.

It's true that if current policies are continued with no change, we're highly likely to face an unsustainable fiscal gap ? a gap that can't go on forever ? if we look far enough away. Stein's Law therefore applies: if something can't go on forever, it will stop. Sooner or later, we will have some combination of benefits cuts and/or revenue increases.

Saying that this means that the United States is bankrupt is hyperbole; more important, it's not helpful. What, exactly, should we be doing right now?

Cut spending, asshole.

[Pro Libertate]

Drastically reduce spending, reform taxation, shove Leviathan back within his constitutional shackles, work to restore some semblance of a free market in, well, everything. For starters.

[Knarf Yenrab!]

For starters, stop claiming that consumption drives the economy and allow capital to grow at 19th-century rates.

I'm going to write a Libertarian Terminator screenplay where the T1000 goes back to the 19th century and murders every socialist "economist" before he's ever born. Maybe we can net some aggregate growth by breaking the occasional window after all.

[Derpetologist]

6. What Great Depression?

The record of the Democratic Party vs the Republican Party for the past 100 years, shows far more jobs created during Democratic administrations, far less economic recessions during Democratic administrations and higher stock market performance during Democratic administrations.

If you can't learn from history, and comprehend facts, you're either a fright wing fool or the garden variety Republican jerk.

[Derpetologist]

7. AYN RAND!

leftistmenace_1 8 hours ago
You know someone is really deep in Ayn Rand's rotten butthole when they refer to taxes as "confiscation."
Discuss.

[Pro Libertate]

You're up something else if you think taking my money through compulsion to give away on a whim isn't fucking confiscation.

[Trouser-Pod]

And, whaddya think the odds are that the person who wrote that actively looks to shrink their tax bill?

[Sevo]

"Discuss."

Yes, it's confiscation.
Discuss.

[Raven Nation]

It's comments like these that have led me to rarely have political conversations with leftists any more. Complete waste of time.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

I only ever engage leftists in political discussions when I believe that there are non-ideologically driven individuals within earshot of the discussion. Otherwise I'd just as soon walk into a church and try to talk the parishioners out of the Jesus.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Calling it confiscation is for wusses. The correct term is "theft".

[Knarf Yenrab!]

Taxes are just involuntary gift-giving for the benefit of all.

Trading goods, on the other hand, is theft with mutual consent.

[Paul.]

Google snooped through a man's email account and tipped off police when they found child pornography.

That which doesn't sit on a hardrive on a computer in your physical possession does not belong to you.

[Pro Libertate]

Possession or property?

[Libertarian]

Why is Google doing this?

Let's start a pool: the goal is to pick the year that the fed govt, for national security reasons, declares Google a monopoly and nationalizes it.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Why is Google doing this?

Nice company you got there. Be a shame if something happened to it.

[Juice]

You know, this is kind of disturbing. I have, on a few occasions, done a google image search and at the bottom it has a notice saying that it filtered out potential child porn (or abuse, I forget the language). I was most certainly not looking for porn of any kind at the time, much less child porn. Is my IP address on some fucking list now? Goddamn it. Fuck google. I think I'm going to thoroughly de-google put it's difficult to impossible.

[Coeus]

Wouldn't google be the one in actual possession? If he doesn't have any on his hard drive, then how does this proceed? Can you make emails which intentionally go to a spam filter with CP in them then call in a tip on an enemy?

[RishJoMo]

Sometimes man you jsut have to deal with it.

http://www.WentAnon.tk

[Acosmist]

The whole point of the Bush "miss me?" meme is that he was actually President. Romney wasn't, so "miss me?" makes no sense.

hth

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Having a 'soul' is just code for 'I'm too cool and hip for you.'

Many places have a 'soul' but I wouldn't live or invest there.

[Pro Libertate]

I like the suburbs, too. Beats the shit out of urban living. I occasionally pine for the fjords of a more rural location, but that's just because I'd like to live on some real acreage.

[Cytotoxic]

Well you lived in a real shit city. Calgary isn't like that.
My feeling wrt suburbs are very mixed. I really don't like the burbs that are endless hot stretches of shitty cookie-cutter houses with few or not trees and nothing nearby. The government does subsidize this and otherwise manipulate land usage towards this kind of...diarrhoea. Public transit routes preceded much of Toronto's sprawl for instance. I just want to end zoning laws for the most part.

[Libertarian]

Correct! And it's probably the same reason a huge percentage of people (and not just in the U.S.) dress as if they shop at a low-end thrift store. Not everything was bad in the Don Draper days.........

[Trouser-Pod]

Suburb is where people go to decompress (their homes), and, hopefully, not be stressed or challenged. That's what happens at work (usually), and you want to get away from it at home.

This leads to no strong emotions, which the artsy/creative types feel is the fuel for their creations. Suburbs are supposed to be safe-and usually are-so they can't be good for creativity, right? It's for the proles, you see, and if you're a prole, you can't have soul.

[Brandon]

What politicians only get 8 weeks?

[Knarf Yenrab!]

As a great advocate of real acreage, I was today reminded of the cost associated with country life when my water tank suddenly stopped holding air.

Much as I love unfluoridated well water with trace elements of commercial fertilizer, the expense of putting in a new tank every decade makes me reconsider whether I should just live in the city and drink wine instead of beer like some urbanite whose greatest aspiration is to buy a century-old house lacking central heat & air for a million dollars. But I'll probably just stick to the country.