A.M. Links: Obamacare, Ebola, F.B.I. Spying

• 

  Credit: White House / Flicker.com

  Wal-Mart will stop offering health care coverage for part-time employees in response to rising costs associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

• According to a new Gallup poll, a majority of Americans say Obamacare "hurt them rather than helped them."

• At a fundraiser on Tuesday, President Barack Obama admitted, "There's a sense possibly that the world is spinning so fast and nobody is able to control it."

• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit will hear arguments this week in a case testing the legality of the F.B.I.'s secret surveillance of Americans.

• Spanish officials plan to euthanize the pet dog of the Ebola-stricken nurse as a precautionary measure.

• In Iraq, ISIS is now using water as a weapon.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Riggs never slept in. My whole day is ruined.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

I see 'Punctuality' isn't part of Reason's employee evaluation process.

[Restoras]

You suck, Root.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

This!

[sarcasmic]

Better late than never.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Come on, he even fucked up the formatting.

And no alt-text.

[Restoras]

It was the cold sweat of fear dripping down his forehead in rivulets that made him screw up the formatting. He knew he was fucking it up and knew the reprisals would be swift, and severe.

[Swiss Servator, Grundgesetz!]

"No one must forget a Bene Gesserit punishment"

[UnCivilServant]

I was annoyed that in 'Emperor' when the Harkonnen throne was up for grabs I didn't get the option to rebel against both claimaints, seize it for myself and extinguish both the Harkonen and Atreides bloodlines for the sole purpose of pissing off the Bene Gesserit.

[Restoras]

Sure but he lost a letter grade for the late submission.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

If it was the Mafia, you'd lose a finger.

[WTF]

ROOOOOOT!!!!!11!!!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Wal-Mart will stop offering health care coverage for part-time employees in response to rising costs associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Union busting, and now this. DAMN YOU, WAL-MART!

[Doctor Whom]

I blame market failure. Government must step in and do something.

[WTF]

Obamacare is only causing problems because of the greedy kkkorporations.

[thom]

Those corporations are just obstructing obamacare from being implemented the way it was intended.

[Jerryskids]

Wal-Mart will stop offering health care coverage for part-time employees in response to rising costs associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Since when has Wal-mart ever offered health care coverage? Don't they pay so little that all their workers live on welfare and qualify for Mrdicaid? That's what I've been told.

[F. Stupidity, Jr.]

Since when has Wal-mart ever offered health care coverage? Don't they pay so little that all their workers live on welfare and qualify for Mrdicaid?

They technically qualify, but Wal-Mart's legal team fixes it so they don't actually get that healthcare. It's all part of the Wal-Mart/Republican "let's kill all the low-wage workers" program.

[Restoras]

D-

Lacks originality. No cogent argument. One-dimensional thinking.

[MegaloMonocle]

IOW, pitch-perfect.

[Fist of Etiquette]

In Iraq, ISIS is now using water as a weapon.

Water filled with Ebola?

[Restoras]

High-pressure water cannons. Probably got them from the Pentagon's program to get military gear in the hands of local PDs.

[Restoras]

Whoever suggested I read The Transformation of War by Martin van Creveld, thank you. One of the best military history polemics I've ever read.

[Tonio]

You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.

[sarcasmic]

NYPD officers are caught on camera 'brutally punching and pistol-whipping' unarmed teenager even AFTER he raises his hands to surrender

Kahreem Tribble, 16, was running away from officers in Brooklyn when they caught up to him, punching and shattering his front teeth
Tribble, who was caught with marijuana, had already turned around to face the cops and had his hands up, surveillance footage shows
Officers Tyrane Isaac and David Afanador, both nine-year veteran cops, are being investigated and may see criminal charges
A Brooklyn grand jury is expected to begin hearing the case next week

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....arges.html
As we all know, a grand jury can indict a ham sandwich, but it can't indict a pig.

Both officers have two prior legal cases against them alleging brutality and false arrests, court records show.

Like that's a surprise.

[Ted S.]

Kahreem Tribble, 16, was running away from officers in Brooklyn when they caught up to him, punching and shattering his front teeth

Tribble, who was caught with marijuana, had already turned around to face the cops and had his hands up, surveillance footage shows

Ah, the trouble with Tribbles.

[trshmnster the terrible]

Don't talk about my tribbles like that!

[WTF]

Thank God those fine officers have their union to protect them!

[Andrew S.]

They went home safely after their shifts. That's all that maters here.

[some guy]

Do scuffed knuckles count as "safe"!? Do they?! These brave officers were betrayed by their own department. When will brass knuckle protectors become standard equipment issued to every officer?

[Jerryskids]

A grand jury can indict a ham sandwich, but it can't indict a pig.

I was so hoping there was a book or a blog or at least a Radley Balko article with that wonderful phrase as a title.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Spanish officials plan to euthanize the pet dog of the Ebola-stricken nurse as a precautionary measure.

With ISIS water.

[Swiss Servator, Grundgesetz!]

"Wait a minute, don't we get first crack at this?!?!?!"

/Madrid PD

[sarcasmic]

Police and FBI preparing for nationwide race riots if the white cop who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown is not indicted on murder charges

Police fear that riots may break out in Missouri if officer Darren Wilson is not indicted for shooting and killing teenager Michael Brown
A grand jury is expected to decide his fate next month
The FBI, as well as police chiefs in major cities like Los Angeles and New York, are also getting involved in the talks over fear of potential race riots

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....arges.html
If?

[Ted S.]

Am I cynical for thinking that Obama is encouraging the grand jury not to indict so that he can gin up black anger and get them to vote in the midterms?

[Andrew S.]

No, but I doubt it will work. They'll stay home instead of voting D.

[thom]

Yes, you are, but that doesn't mean there's not a grain of truth to it.

[Drake]

Sure they can vote against their evil Republican Mayor, U.S. Rep., and Governor who are supporting racist cops.

Woops, they are all Democrats.

[Ted S.]

Not just the black people of Ferguson, but black people nationwide.

[Drake]

The same isn't true in most major cities?

[PBR Streetgang]

I think the DoJ is doing the opposite. I.e., "Grand Jurors you indict or the blood of these riots will be on your hands."

[WTF]

I don't know, they have been known to throw even a cop or two to the mob to avoid rioting.

[Zeb]

Yeah, I bet they indict. The riots won't come until he is acquitted at the trial.

[WTF]

And then the feds will re-try him on civil rights charges to get the desired conviction, because fuck double jeopardy.

[Zeb]

Just like Rodney King. Though in that case, I think that the civil rights charges were more appropriate.

Honestly, if there is a real case to be made for civil rights violations in additions to state charges like assault or murder, I don't have a problem with the federal charge.

[Tonio]

fear of potential race riots

Or more accurately, fear of a citizen revolt against a brutal, corrupt and racist police department.

[Zeb]

Calling it "race riot" is a bit misleading and provocative. Race is a factor in a to of public/police interactions to be sure, but making the whole thing about race is not helpful and just sows more division.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

I know it and you know it, but do the would-be rioters know it?

[sarcasmic]

Lost in translation! New Lonely Planet book reveals hilarious foreign signs from around the world that fail to grasp English language

From Taiwan to Georgia, signage gone wrong amuses travellers worldwide
Hilarious sign fails have been turned into a new Lonely Planet book
Author and travel writer Doug Lansky compiled best 160 photos

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tra.....ation.html

SPLASH N DASH
CAR WASH
"Best Hand Job in Town"

[Zeb]

I was expecting more. I've seen much funnier collections of oddly translated signs. And why so many from the US? I guess the DM has to make sun of Americans in every article.

[sarcasmic]

Better than making fun of Americans.

[sarcasmic]

Mystery surrounds appearance of frightening EVIL CLOWNS roaming the deserted streets of a California town in the dead of night

Residents in Wasco, California, have reported seeing the creepy masked clowns all over town
The creepers show up in random parts of the city and terrify people
The murderous-looking clowns now have a cult following among locals who drive around in search for them
Police say they have not been linked to any criminal activity

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....night.html

[Rich]

Police say they have not been linked to any criminal activity

*** rising intonation ***

What about gang membership?

[sarcasmic]

I'm just a Juggalo
and everywhere I go...

[thom]

My brother was visiting last week, and he had never heard of juggalos. We watched the infomercial for the gathering and his esteem for humanity dropped a little bit lower.

[invisible furry hand]

Membership in the police gang is legal

[Swiss Servator, Grundgesetz!]

+1 FOP, yo.

[BakedPenguin]

Stone cold, reppin' 911, yo.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Didn't someone here link to pranksters in Italy doing this a couple of months ago? I seemed to recall one where a clown drives up to a guy pumping gas and just mimicked his actions and stared at him. It was creepy as hell and funny at the same time.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

It would be even funnier if that clown got punched in his red nose.

[MegaloMonocle]

I think I saw that. One of the pranks ended when the guy goes into his car for something that was almost certainly a weapon.

I know if that happened to me, at least one of us would be armed very quickly. I don't keep a gun in my car, so I suspect that the pranky clown's reaction to me getting my machete would be YouTube gold.

[Rhywun]

This again? This is like the 3rd time in the last few months. I just assume it's some movie promotion.

[Azathoth!!]

Clearly an ebozo outbreak.

[Fist of Etiquette]

According to a new Gallup poll, a majority of Americans say Obamacare "hurt them rather than helped them."

Show us on the doll's policy where the bad law hurt you.

[John]

But Obamacare is a big nothing. It didn't do anything and no one cares about it.

It if funny to watch the Prog talking points chance on this. When it was passed it was the greatest program in the history of America and was going to save the economy and ensure a permanent Democratic majority. As late as October 2013, the law going into effect was so important that the Republicans were terrorists for trying to stop it.

Today, the law is totally insignificant and not anything the voters care about.

[BakedPenguin]

Also, according to Bill Clinton, it's totally crazy to link Dem legislators up for re-election to Barack Obama. Because they didn't follow in complete lockstep or anything.

[Rich]

The Islamic State militants who have rampaged across northern Iraq are increasingly using water as a weapon, cutting off supplies to villages that resist their rule

Way to win those hearts and minds.

[invisible furry hand]

A New York court is set to decide whether chimpanzees are entitled to "legal personhood" and the protections that go with it.

http://news.sky.com/story/1349.....re-persons

[Fist of Etiquette]

We still have protections?

[UnCivilServant]

Less than those of the Chimp.

[Idle Hands]

On the plus side the voting patterns of the electorate may improve, as would the candidates. Vote Clyde for mayor.

[ant1sthenes]

Sounds like the start of a banana republic.

[Rich]

The fun will *really* begin when those chimps form a corporation.

[db]

You laugh now, but when the Supreme Court rules that chimporations can spend unlimited amounts of cash in election campaigns, you'll be wishing you had stood up against chimporate speech and their universal banana subsidies.

[Idle Hands]

Duh the evil rethuglicans are blocking their access to bananas#waronchimps

[Mongo]

Face-ripping is a decision between a chimp and her doctor.

[Idle Hands]

Poop flinging is just part of their culture.

[thom]

First Ebola wiping out humans, now this. The beginning of an actual planet of the apes.

[Zeb]

How about this. When a chimpanzee can demonstrate the ability to understand and abide by a legal contract, then they can be considered people.

The biggest problem for the chimpanzees would be that they would probably all end up in prison. Chimps are pretty violent and aggressive and don't have much respect for property rights.

[db]

Just wait until chimpanzees learn about religion. Then we're in for some real trouble.

[Restoras]

Or want to get married.

[some guy]

So small children and the severely mentally ill are not people? (I actually kind of agree with you, but it had to be said.)

[Zeb]

Legally they don't really have full personhood.

[Pro Libertate]

Permanent underclass of chimps?

[Tonio]

Right, because everything has to be shoe-horned into the libertarian model of how things should work. For a party that claims to be the party of rational thought this is one of those areas where many libertarians fall flat. Also, you people are the ones making the spurious arguments that their personhood would be of exactly the same nature as that of adult humans (voting, etc), while conveniently ignoring that we already have several classes of persons (children, the comatose, the mentally ill) with reduced rights in accordance with their capabilities. But keep on arguing dishonestly about this, please; you only discredit yourselves.

[Zeb]

Oh, relax. I think that highly intelligent non-human animals should be treated more humanely. But you really can't treat them like people. That is the point I was making.

It is a difficult issue. I just think that "personhood" does imply treating them like humans. Which I don't think would work, whether we treat them like adults or like retarded children. Such animals need a different classification under the law and shoe-horning them into existing notions of personhood will not work well, in my opinion.

[Brandon]

Chimps are pretty violent and aggressive and don't have much respect for property rights.

Chimps are OWS'ers?

[Zeb]

Even worse than that. They'll shit on the street and then throw it at you.

[some guy]

If they are people then they can vote, be conscripted and pay taxes, right? When do they qualify for Medicare? Do we have to normalize the retirement age based on their mean lifespan? Can they be convicted of crimes and sent to prison?

[Pro Libertate]

Okay, so the right to vote, jury service, property ownership, gun rights, and so on, all for chimps?

[sarcasmic]

Antarctic sea ice hits record levels as it reaches 20 MILLION square kilometers for time time since records began in 1979

Now covers more of the southern oceans than it has since scientists began records in 1979
Single-day maximum extent this year was reached on Sept. 20 when the sea ice covered 7.78 million square miles

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sci.....eters.html
It's blamed on global warming of course, and they even managed to work in the word consensus.

[WTF]

So, global warming causes a loss of Antarctic sea ice, and also causes an increase in Antarctic sea ice. But it's not a pseudoscience, no, not at all.

[sarcasmic]

Flood? Global warming. Drought? Global warming. Heat wave? Global warming. Cold snap? Global warming. Loss of sea ice? Global warming. Increase in sea ice? Global warming? Got a cold? Global warming. Bad case of VD? Global warming. Your mother has gout? Global warming. Tiny penis? Global warming.
.
.
.
Whatever the question is, global warming is the answer.

[UnCivilServant]

World Peace? Global Warming. Economic Recovery? Global Warming. If it's always the answer it can't be a bad thing.

[Restoras]

Kinda like Homer Simpson's attitude towards beer.

[sarcasmic]

"To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems!"

[RBS]

The new Antarctic sea ice record reflects the diversity and complexity of Earth's environments

Interesting...

[Zeb]

Yes, and maybe they are sufficiently diverse and complex that we still really don't understand how they work. Just a thought.

[Drake]

It's almost as if the Earth has cooled and the water which would have fallen as rain and snow in California is now locked up as ice on the poles.

[sarcasmic]

Finally! The flying car that really could be coming to a road (and sky) near you

AeroMobil can fly 430 miles on a tank of petrol
When its wings fold down, it can fit into a normal parking space
Set to be launched on October 29th at Pioneers Festival in Austria
firm claims design is 'production ready'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sci.....r-you.html
Or not.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"There's a sense possibly that the world is spinning so fast and nobody is able to control it."

WE ELECTED SUPERMAN SO HE COULD REVERSE THE EARTH'S ROTATION AND SAVE LOIS.

[Zeb]

The international dateline doesn't apply to Superman.

[ant1sthenes]

Lois Lerner? I'm voting for Lex.

[invisible furry hand]

So, which wins: a polka or a jig?

A specimen pollock was used to strike a Polish man in the head during a full-scale row over the relative merits of Irish and Polish dance music.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/i.....90247.html

[db]

Lew Zealand likes this post.

[Monty Crisco]

+1 Boomerang fish

[sarcasmic]

Wouldn't you prefer a nice hotel room? Daredevils doze in HAMMOCKS dangling 150ft above dizzying Alpine drops

Thrillseekers gather at Monte Piana in the Italian Alps every year to hang from 'highlines' stretched out over chasms
The International Highline Meeting first began in 2012, and is becoming a major event for daredevils in the Alps
Those with the nerve spend hours sitting in hammocks, and even playing guitar above the vertigo-inducing drops

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tra.....drops.html
I get vertigo just looking at the pictures.

[Zeb]

I would totally do that. I love heights.

[sarcasmic]

*shudders*

[FUQ]

I just spent the most terrifying hour and half riding as a passenger going up pikes peak this last weekend. Trying to conquer my fear of heights is only making it worse.

[Clich? Bandit]

next year come back and try hiking Longs Peak with me...the sheer drop over 1000' is very nice.

[Brandon]

Don't exaggerate. It's only 900'. But that part is optional.

[Entropy Void]

... and you were gonna build the LawnchairParachute UltraLight?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Combine your natural laziness with your daredevil instincts!

[Rhywun]

Hip(pie|ster) overload. Gack!

[invisible furry hand]

Racist dwarf defecates in City Hall because people abuse him for being short

http://www.worldwideweirdnews......34626.html

[Fist of Etiquette]

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit will hear arguments this week in a case testing the legality of the F.B.I.'s secret surveillance of Americans.

9th Circuit, you say?

[Lord Humungus]

"The pain was ten out of ten" - says man with 17 hour erection

Jason first woke up with the condition last Friday morning and initially didn't worry about it.

However by lunchtime he was beginning to get concerned and tried to address the situation by taking an ice bath and then going for a jog.

He went to the hospital where his condition was diagnosed and doctors drew off two pints of blood to try and reduce the pressure. They also had to inject medication 24 times to restrict the blood flow.

If untreated such a problem can cause serious problems but all is now well with Jason, who described the pain of his treatment as "ten out of ten."

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Did he even try the obvious solution?

[Lord Humungus]

Land of the Free?
By measures such as size of government, rule of law, and free trade, we're out of the top ten.

There was a time, not so long ago, when the United States was considered the world standard for economic freedom. Yes, there were countries out there, like Hong Kong and Singapore, that might have had lower taxes or fewer regulations. But the world could still speak confidently of the American free-enterprise system. No longer.

This week, a consortium of think tanks from almost 90 countries released their Economic Freedom of the World Report. The United States is no longer among the top ten countries when it comes to size of government, rule of law and property rights, soundness of the money supply, regulation, and free trade. We now rank twelfth, down from second as recently as 2000. For the record, we now trail Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Switzerland, Mauritius, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Australia, Jordan, Chile, and Finland.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Personal Finance blogger wants you to get rich with science

Here our man has singlehandedly outfoxed the world's scientific community and declared the last few decades of their research to be incorrect. The incredible irony is that he confuses climate science with a government plot to control society, when it's actually quite clearly documented that the opposite is true: climate change doubt is a strategic misinformation campaign designed to control voters to rally continued support for the fossil fuel industry. The doubt is most prevalent in countries where the industry has close ties to the political system and the campaign has been well-funded.

For the past 20 years or so, I have watched with wonder from the sidelines as this societal experiment raged, because I'm shocked that it actually worked so well. Why is our species so easily duped by such transparent (and centuries-old) methods of tomfoolery? How are the morally good air-conditioning lovers of Alabama converted into campaigners against science itself (and unwittingly against their own best economic interests)? How has science become a political issue, with liberals and scientists being branded together as out-of-touch elites, and a certain 50% of Real Americans united in a mistrust of the whole field?

Oh, the getting rich part is saving money by not turning your a/c on when it is 90 and 90% humid outside.

[UnCivilServant]

Oh, the getting rich part is saving money by not turning your a/c on when it is 90 and 90% humid outside.

Sounds more like getting dead to me.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

He also freely admits he is a hypocrite it seems:

Instead, I prefer to learn more about the science, what it means, and how to best deal with reality. I too wish that the world wasn't warming so quickly, but there's a happier way to deal with it than angry denial. I can choose to lead a happy and engaged life in my own community and consume a bit less stuff. More money, better health and closer friendships: No loss there.

Sometimes you may still choose to blatantly burn plenty of fossil fuels despite a full knowledge and acceptance of the results. I've been known to drive across the country, hop on a jet, or even eat a steak. But I get to do it with the understanding that it is a tradeoff, instead of hiding behind a plastic shield of wimpy denial.

[Zeb]

The best way to deal with reality is to accept reality. And reality is that people are going to keep using what energy they need to maintain or improve their standard of living. If climate change is a big problem, we'll need to adapt.

[Pro Libertate]

It's the refusal to accept things like cause and effect that's led us to the bizarro world where we now live.

[OldMexican]

I too wish that the world wasn't warming so quickly[...]

This guy sounds like those the Golgafrinchans sent out first in Ark 'B'

[FUQ]

They forgot their towels.

[Warty]

even eat a steak

MONSTER

[tarran]

it's actually quite clearly documented that the opposite is true: climate change doubt is a strategic misinformation campaign designed to control voters to rally continued support for the fossil fuel industry.

IIRC, if you follow the documentation, it all traces back to an unsourced assertion in a book written c 1998 accusing fossil fuel companies of funding people questioning the IPCC.

Like many of the hysterical accusations made by the CAGW cult, they are accusing people outside of the cult of doing what the cultists themselves are actually doing.

[WTF]

Projection, it's their SOP.

[trshmnster the terrible]

I can't stand that guy. His methods may work, but his smug arrogance and thinly veiled politics are offputting, to say the least.

[Spoonman.]

The living well under your means thing is reasonable and excellent, and that blog is part of the reason I made some lifestyle changes recently. But damn does he get smug about some things.

[Steve G]

Yep, and I like bacon not because it tastes good, but because ads told me to.

[Zeb]

How come I'm not rich. I don't even own an air conditioner.

And where are my checks from the Koch brothers?

[Elspeth Flashman]

The check is in the mail, Zeb.

[trshmnster the terrible]

I honestly wish I didn't believe in global warming, so I wouldn't feel guilty about all of the animals that habitats are being destroyed so we can save $20 a month on our electric bill. By the time we actually do anything about the environment 1 out of every 2 children will be autistic, most animals will be extinct, and we will have to put on sunblock 10,000 spf indoors.

I see this as a branch of special snowflake theory. "Without my unique and important contributions, the world will end!"

[trshmnster the terrible]

If I had to conceal, manipulate, or exaggerate to save the world?.I would do it in a second and never look back. These scientist are fighting a well funded coalition of special interests and chances are they are losing heart.

More comments fun!

[Brandon]

And more:

I'm 64 years old, so I've seen a lot of weather over the years. I cannot ever recall the news headlines being so dominated with drought, fires, earthquakes, monsoon like rains, tornados, hurricanes, heat, cold, snow. Global climate change is undeniable (to me at least). (emphasis mine)

Climate change is undeniably causing earthquakes, guys!

[Brandon]

I honestly wish I didn't believe in global warming, so I wouldn't feel guilty about all of the animals that habitats are being destroyed so we can save $20 a month on our electric bill.

Global warming and destruction of habitat are two completely different issues. Conflation is a fallacy, too.

[Brandon]

The extra bonus is that understanding some of the workings of our environment has greatly reduced my craving for BMWs, which has saved me at least $250,000 so far.

Is he always this casually fallacious?

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Yes he is.

[Dweebston]

At a fundraiser on Tuesday, President Barack Obama admitted, "There's a sense possibly that the world is spinning so fast and nobody is able to control it."

You might come off as more sincere if you weren't spinning a globe on your forefinger, Mr. President.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Spoken like a true arrogant academic with the impulse of a left-wing dictator.

[Steve G]

nobody is able to control it

So. Stop. Trying. To.

[Pro Libertate]

Control is an illusion, Mr. President.

[Bardas Phocas]

People. Please remember to tip your corpse collector.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....d-pay.html

[John]

If this is a real danger, we are so screwed. Our government and governing class is utterly incapable of dealing with something like this. Our government is run by Progs and people bullied and terrified of offending prog sensibility. And prog sensibility is about politics. And politics says you can't quarantine or do anything that might make a brown person uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the laws of biology don't really give a fuck about politics.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Or, this could be where our government excels.

ANYONE CAUGHT WITH A FUCKING RUNNY NOSE GETS TAKEN IN TO THE QUARANTINE.

[Andrew S.]

Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!

[Dweebston]

I'm not symptomatic yet!

[Brandon]

Ere, he says he's not symptomatic!

[The Late P Brooks]

President Barack Obama admitted, "There's a sense possibly that the world is spinning so fast and nobody is able to control it."

No shit, Sherlock.

Pretending the world can be *controlled* is more evidence (as if it were needed) of what an drooling imbecile this guy is.

[Restoras]

Pretending the world can be *controlled* is more evidence (as if it were needed) of what an drooling imbecile this guy is.

And every progtard in existence.

[Lord Humungus]

Stuffed animals cause I-287 closure

The New Jersey State Police reopened Interstate 287 in northern New Jersey late Monday morning after the State Police Arson and Bomb Squad investigated a suspicious item.

A robot was brought in to inspect the item, which appeared to be a suitcase, on the median of the highway in Boonton.

Traffic delays were heavy through the area during the closure. Residual delays were also heavy.

Authorities said the soft-case suitcase had stuffed animals and trash inside.

[Lord Humungus]

At 78, Former Executive Still Flips Burgers for $7.98

As baby boomers age, the ranks of employed Americans who were 65 and older jumped 67 percent last year to about 7.2 million from a decade ago, many of whom lack sufficient retirement savings. For couples nearing retirement, median 401(k) and IRA balances fell to $111,000 in 2013 from $120,000 in 2010, according to the just released Federal Reserve's 2013 Survey of Consumer Finances.

For the working elderly, in the race against the clock, the clock will win eventually. In the past year, Palome, an avid exerciser, had to contend with chronic knee pain that kept him out of work for two months before he finally had surgery. Palome bounced back, but not all the way. He returned to his job at a municipal golf course grill, though Palome quit a second part-time job as a food demonstrator at a Sam's Club in a Tampa suburb.

[WTF]

It's a good thing the Fed is keeping interest rates so low. Oh, wait..

[OldMexican]

For the working elderly, in the race against the clock, the clock will win eventually.

It's a great moment to be alive because I can flip open my laptop, go into the Internet and read stupid shit like that.

[FUQ]

And butt sex

[Lord Humungus]

Preparing for the Apocalypse Is Turning Into a Huge Business

Since the first case of the Ebola virus was confirmed in Dallas, Rick Pedley noticed an unusual blip in sales at his online store, PK Safety. His regular customers, most of whom work in hazardous environments like construction sites or claustrophobic drainage pipes, bought protective gear at a rate of about 150 orders per day. That gear included gloves, hard hats and the occasional hazmat suit. Now there are plenty of newcomers, shoppers who evidently fear their communities might become hazardous. Orders have doubled.

[Restoras]

Hmmm....maybe time to buy some more double-aught. Or would slugs be more effective?

[Steve G]

Crossbow. ...Or maybe I've been watching to much TV

[UnCivilServant]

Unless you're really good at hiding, the reload times would come back to bite you. Keep one as a backup for the reclaimable ammunition, but make something with a bit more capacity your primary.

[Steve G]

Trust me, that was totally tongue-in-cheek. I hunt with the exact same bow that Daryl has in WD and just laugh everytime he uses it, cocks it w/o a rope, etc. Highly impractical to say the least.

[Pro Libertate]

Automatic crossbow?

[Clich? Bandit]

so Mythbusters did a gun vs ax zombie fight and the ax won...Dubious victory but the gun was clearly shown to be effective until you needed to reload.

[Pro Libertate]

Yes, one must be armed for different situations in a post-apocalyptic world. Ranged and melee attacks, along with fire.

[The Late P Brooks]

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit will hear arguments this week in a case testing the legality of the F.B.I.'s secret surveillance of Americans.

"If the President FBI does it, it's not illegal."

[CatoTheElder]

If the executive branch does it, it's not illegal ... unless the President says it is.

[Lord Humungus]

Americans Living Longer as Fewer Die From Heart Disease, Cancer

A baby born in 2012 will live to a record 78.8 years old on average, as U.S. life expectancy grew and fewer Americans are dying from heart disease, cancer and other chronic illnesses.

That's a gain of about one month compared to 2011, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Average life expectancy for women was 81.2 years. Men will live an average of 76.4 years.

The life expectancy in the U.S has increased 1.9 years since the start of the century, though it was unchanged from 2010 to 2011, the last time the agency released figures.

[sarcasmic]

Obamacare is working!

[Steve G]

Yeah, pull all the prescription meds and see what happens to the numbers. We're living longer through chemistry, but underneath it we're a sick population

[sarcasmic]

Treat the symptoms. Ignore the causes.

[TwB]

OT, great win by the St. Louis Cardinals last night. They really have Kershaw's number. And, Matt "Big City" Adams comes through in the clutch! Pity the Cardinals have to play the damn Giants again, in an even year no less.

[Idle Hands]

As a Nationals fan, I'm not feeling to hot. I guess I'll pull for the Royals from here on out.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

As a Nationals fan, I'm not feeling to hot

If you are like most Nationals fans, you should be pretty warm after leaving an extra inning playoff game before it is over.

[Idle Hands]

Touche. I wasn't there, but I can tell you one thing my ass would not have left. In their defense the people their are soft Washingtonians and they stopped selling beer in the 7th, concessions in the 9th and the game went 18 innings after a colossal fucking meltdown in the 9th.

[Restoras]

Yeah the hard stop on concession sales is retarded. Beer is one thing. Food and other comforts? Dumb.

[Idle Hands]

Your an O's fan right?

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Yeah, our fans seem to be on the other extreme, slightly obnoxious.

But, it has been a long time since 1997.

[Idle Hands]

can you explain why the O fans hate the Nationals so much, it really is inexplicable to me.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

I think it is just our general distaste for DC in general.

[Idle Hands]

Well I have a supreme distaste for dc but I root for the teams because of territorial tribalism. And the city itself is actually rather pretty in some places.

[Andrew S.]

Eff the Cardinals, and especially eff their fans.

I want them to get into the World Series against the Royals and lose after they get screwed over on a bad call. I'm willing to contribute to bring Don Denkinger out of retirement to help out.

[John]

Damn straight. It is not enough that they lose to the Royals. Justice demands that they lose in some epically awful way that their fans will lament for generations.

[TwB]

No, the Cardinals need to retaliate against the Royals for Denkinger's epic fuck up. That being said, the Cardinals could have won game 7 but they fucked that up.

[John]

Juquine Adujar baby. And the Royals came back from 3-1 in that series. That Royals team had a tremendous starting pitching staff that got really hot at just the right time, which happens in baseball.

[F. Stupidity, Jr.]

It's one thing to lose game seven; it's another to lose it 11-0.

[Idle Hands]

The giants and the Cardinals have seemingly the smugiest fans the last couple of years. But who can really blame them, every team would kill to have the post season success that those guys have.

[Restoras]

More smuggy than Yankee fans? I thought that was unpossible.

[Andrew S.]

Fan smug rankings:

1. Cardinals
.
.
.
500. Red Sox
501. Yankees
502. Giants

[John]

The Yankees, love them or hate them really are a big deal. They have Ruth, Gerhig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Jeter and 28 titles. The Cardinals in contrast have a few titles, some nice players and are somewhere around 5th or sixth in historic importance. Yet, Cardinals fans act even worse than Yankees fans even though they have much less reason to.

[F. Stupidity, Jr.]

The Yankees, love them or hate them really are a big deal. They have Ruth, Gerhig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Jeter and 28 titles. The Cardinals in contrast have a few titles, some nice players and are somewhere around 5th or sixth in historic importance.

The Cardinals are second all time with 11 to the Yankees 27. That's pretty big-time.

Mind you, I don't care for the whole "we're the best baseball town in America" schtick, but 11 titles ain't chopped liver. Still, there's nothing worse than bandwagoning assholes, which the Yankees (and the Lakers and the Cowboys) attract in droves.

[John]

It is funny. I have never met a single band wagoon Yankees fan. Seriously. Every Yankees fan I know is either from New York or has some family and childhood connection to the team.

I have been to most places in the country. And you see a lot of Lakers and Cowboy fans in places they shouldn't be and who are not from Dallas or LA. I don't ever see Yankees fans who are not New York or New Jersey transplants in those places. Everyone says the Yankees have band wagon fans but I don't see it. IN fact, I see the opposite. Every casual baseball fan I know is a Cubs or Red Sox or maybe Cardinals fan. If there is a band wagon involving the Yankees, in my experience, it is the hate the Yankees band wagon not a fan one.

[KDN]

And you see a lot of Lakers and Cowboy fans in places they shouldn't be

I live in the heart of Giants territory and it seems that every single black person is a Cowboys fan.

[Restoras]

I live in the heart of Giants territory and it seems that every single black person is a Cowboys fan.

Probably because they (and so many others) can't afford to get into the parking lot much less a game they decide to cheer for the team that Giants fans hate most?

Plus one interesting thing about football is that it approaches a national religion in the US and has transcended the regional/provincial qualities of every other major league sport that it is acceptable to root for any team you like.

[KDN]

Probably because they (and so many others) can't afford to get into the parking lot much less a game they decide to cheer for the team that Giants fans hate most?

I always figured it had more to do with Michael Irvin. It's not like they'd be able to afford Dallas tickets either.

Plus one interesting thing about football is that it approaches a national religion in the US and has transcended the regional/provincial qualities of every other major league sport that it is acceptable to root for any team you like.

Total agreement from me.

[John]

In Washington DC at least, there is a large and very old school group of Cowboy fans in the black community. The reason for this is that George Preston Marshal, the original Redskins owner, was a first class crap weasel and the last NFL owner to integrate. For this reason the Washington black community often became Cowboy fans since the Cowboys were one of the first teams to have a lot of black players.

I don't know about the Maras. Perhaps they had a similar lousy record with integration and produced the same reaction among black fans in New York and New Jersey.

[KDN]

Honestly, I never knew and never bothered to ask. I grew up when every front-runner had an Aikman or Emmitt Smith jersey so I just figured black people were more likely to be front-runners as kids and just stuck with them when they got older.

That's an interesting factoid about DC and the Skins, I wonder how much of it stems from that with the Maras (I don't know their racial history, so I can't comment) or just solidarity with their cousins from down south.

[WTF]

The Cardinals are second all time with 11 to the Yankees 27.

Second place is just the first loser.

[BakedPenguin]

The Cardinals are second all time with 11 to the Yankees 27. That's pretty big-time.

Mostly due to Branch Rickey, the inventor of the farm system, along with a bunch of other innovations.

[Restoras]

Well I know that Yankee fans and Canadiens fans think they're teams are a big deal - even though they aren't.

What soccer team does? Man U?

[John]

How are the Yankees and Canadians in any way not a big deal?

[Restoras]

They are not a big deal because they are just sports teams.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Chelsea fans.

Anyway.

The Cardinals are among the best franchises in pro sports. They got some calls their way (that mound shtick in game three should not have been allowed especially the warm up pitches) but they beat Kershaw - twice.

The match ups should be great.

And as for Habs (who do annoy me) and Yankees fans, well, like Ferrari fans, they have every right to continue to be proud.

Those are legendary brands and teams.

[Restoras]

A Ferrari is a wondrous, beautiful creation of the human mind that melds engineering and art into one glorious expression of human creativity.

The Habs and the Yankees, and every other sports team, are neither of those.

[John]

I think a great team of athletes doing amazing things is pretty wonderous.

And yes Ferraris can sometimes be pretty wondrous. Of course for every 250 BTO or 312 there are a hundred Marenellos. Just saying. Ferrari went to kind of a bad place for a long time after the old man died. They have, however, gotten their game back a bit in the last ten years or so. Honestly, I have no desire to own a Ferarri made between the last Daytona and the 599.

[Restoras]

Meh. I love to root for my favorite sports teams and I don't disagree but if they suddenly didn't exist I don't think anyone would be worse for the loss. Not sure I could say the same about Ferrari, Porsche, or even my brand new Grand Cherokee.

[John]

250 GTO

[Andrew S.]

I dunno. I'm just a jealous Phillies fan (though I'm still thankful for 2008). But Cardinals fans are horrible, and it goes way beyond smug.

I want them to suffer.

[TwB]

Hey, at least your Phillies have won the World Series within the last century. Be glad that you're not a Cubs fan.

[Andrew S.]

The Cubs have a much better chance of winning in the near future than the Phillies

2008: World Series Champs
2009: Lost World Series
2010: Lost NLCS
2011: Lost NLDS
2012: 3rd place, NL East
2013: 4th place, NL East
2014: 5th place, NL East

Next year we'll be demoted to AAA.

[Idle Hands]

Ruin tomorrow Jr. is a horrendous gm. I'm scared that Rizzo will make similar mistakes in locking up our guys after next year.

[Andrew S.]

When Amaro took over for Gillick after 2008, I told a friend of mine that it was a horrible choice He disagreed. I think I won that argument.

It's not the best time to be a Philly sports fan. Phillies are terrible, Flyers will be lucky to make the playoffs this year, 76ers are the 76ers, and who knows about the Eagles.

[Idle Hands]

The Eagles will win the NFE this year the rest of the division recent success is a complete mirage.

[Kurt]

IH, You don't think the Eagles success is also a mirage? 3 of their wins are against terrible teams and they have seven D/ST touchdowns. I mean yeah, if they finish the season with 20 touchdowns from their special teams and their crappy defense they'll win the division.

[Restoras]

It'd be so awesome if baseball did that.

[TwB]

Amaro is probably in the top 3 of worst GMs in baseball, maybe even professional sports in the US. He could have easily traded Hamels, Lee and Rollins away but sat on his hands. Stupid.

[creech]

Why do Phillies fans go ape-shit whenever management doesn't offer a huge contract extension to some aging star? Get rid of Victorino, Werth, Pence but keep Rollins and Howard who cost about a million bucks for every hit they get (exaggeration)?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Pence. That's some player.

[Andrew S.]

Also, obligatory:

https://twitter.com/BestFansStLouis

[TwB]

More proof that twitter was created for folks to post the most stupid, hateful things they would never say to someone in person. Idiots.

[invisible furry hand]

My favourite description of Twitter is "the long scrolling suicide note of western civilisation"

[Certified Public Asskicker]

That reminds me, I forgot to post this!

St. Louis to America: Don't Be Jealous

[TwB]

Fuck Frank Slay and his corrupt bunch of cronies.

[Clich? Bandit]

Eugene is a mobster...for real. The guy is an ass.

[Pro Libertate]

Huh? He can keep his baseball team--I wouldn't want to live there.

[John]

We could have an I-70 World Series again. The Royals can win again but Cardinals fans will forget about it after the city burns down because of the Ferguson thing.

[Idle Hands]

I really hate the fucking Cardinals.

[Restoras]

Nice unis though...

[TwB]

Why? Are you a Cubs fan?

[TwB]

Ah, you're a Nationals fan. I should have read your earlier post. For what it's worth, Pete Kozma shocked the hell out of me too in 2012.

[Idle Hands]

Even as a fan of the Wizards, Capitals and Redskins. That was the most soul crushing loss I have ever seen.

[TwB]

It was a meltdown of historic proportions. And I couldn't believe the inning kept going. I thought the Cardinals were done earlier in that game. Then, as my coworker says, Pete fucking Kozma just had to get that hit.

[Idle Hands]

It really numbed me to everything, it really took the sting out of losing this year. While the Nats offense was frustrating the entire series after game two I had come to terms that we were going to lose, which is a lot easier than being up big and watching the game slip out of your fingers like that game 5.

[John]

The Nats have actually managed to be a worse team to root for than that Capitols. It is one thing to be like THE Bullets or the Redskins and just suck every year. That makes it easy for fans since they quickly adjust and learn not to be disappointed. But to be good every year in the regular season only to spit the bit every year in the playoffs takes a special kind of soul crushing franchise. And Washington has two of them.

[TwB]

Your Capitals have to just drive you fucking crazy. And yes, St. Louis sports fans have the Cardinals to fall back on for consistent winning play, but our penance is having to follow the Blues, one of the most sad sack, terribly run, frustrating NHL teams of all time.

[KDN]

our penance is having to follow the Blues, one of the most sad sack, terribly run, frustrating NHL teams of all time.

The Blues, despite their penchant for choke artistry, are a fantastic organization. They've had one truly bad year in the past 30 and only went on an extended playoff drought because of their brutal division.

Someone in the Atlantic should flip with the Flyers or Caps so there's a perennial choker in each division.

[Idle Hands]

Just because we are so used to the Capitals inevitable collapse at this point. The Nationals didn't have a history of disappointing us like the Caps until now.

[Idle Hands]

of course they had no history.

[TwB]

Yes, the Nationals losing hurts. But look at it this way: your Nationals are set up for sustained relevance, especially since the NL East isn't the best division. At least you have something to look forward to. You're not a Cubs fan. They talk about their new crop of prospects and I just nod my head and think, it's the Cubs. They'll find some way to fuck it up like they always have.

[John]

In fairness, I have always had the sense that Cubs fans enjoy losing. The Cubs are the world's cutest sports franchise. Their fans don't go to the games to see them win. They go to be Cubs fans. The game is a side show to that.

I have never had any sympathy for Cubs fans. They never seemed to really be bothered by rooting for a losing team they way other fans are.

[Ted S.]

Man finds 19-year-old message in a bottle. This wouldn't be all that interesting, except...

he wrote the message when he was a kid.

Kristj?n, who was a kid at the time, and the other children who were there, wrote down how many eggs they had collected, put the note in an Egils Appels?n soda drink plastic bottle and tossed it in the ocean, visir.is reports.

Nineteen years later, when Kristj?n was collecting eider down in the Brei?afj?r?ur area, 12 km (7.5 miles) from Bjarneyjar, earlier this summer, he found some bottles which he collected and put in a garbage bag.

[Lord Humungus]

Confusion as bizarre mass pants-ripping occurs at Chinese military reserve training

The explosive rippage was apparently triggered when around 4,500 reservists ? both men and women ? were commanded by a drill instructor to sit down. We can only assume the drill instructor was the Chinese equivalent of R. Lee Ermy, as some of the reservists apparently took his command so seriously that they sat down with enough force to utterly destroy the stitching in their standard issue pants.

Of the 4,500 reservists at the training session, a little over 100 of them suffered catastrophic pants failure. That accounts for approximately 2% of those in attendance and, according to witnesses, the mass pants-ripping event was accompanied by a clearly audible RRRRRIIIIIIPPPPP that we're certain would have made Hanna and/or Barbera fiercely proud.

Warty and the Pants Ripping machine.

[Clich? Bandit]

Made in china probably.

[Lord Humungus]

7 disturbing facts about the Koch brothers' civil rights history

1. Kochs' union-busting efforts hurt African American mobility.

2. Koch brothers' secret billionaire summit hosts known racist.

3. Koch-backed organization blasts AARP over its opposition to Minnesota voter ID amendment.

4. The Kochs fund climate-change denial research that hurts poor communities.

5. The Koch brothers are against raising the minimum wage.

6. David Koch ran on presidential ticket that called for ending Social Security.

7. The Kochs' father was an original member of an anti-civil rights organization.

[John]

Salon really is 21st Century America's Der Sturmer. No one with a conscience or any sense of decency would publish the kind of personal hatred they do.

[Andrew S.]

Was this information in Salon's latest "I used to be a libertarian but now I'm a liberal/progressive" article?

They show a disturbing obsession here.

[John]

Its all they have. What are they going to write about? How great the economy is doing? How popular Obama is? All they can do is blame the wreckers and saboteurs at this point.

[Matrix]

I have a feeling that some of those "libertarian turned proggie" folks are either 1) liars, 2) never really libertarian, but more of the -ish variety, or 3) gave up all hope on our cause ever succeeding and decided to drink the Kool-Aid.

[UnCivilServant]

1. By failing to actually bust the unions blocking the way.

2. Eric Holder?

3. It's called lobby jousting, it's a spectator sport.

4. Because there are no scientists in those poor communities? This one is a bit of a stretch.

5. Because they want to be able to afford to hire more of you.

6. Which has no money and will implode spectacularly on its own anyway.

7. He was a Democrat?

[Andrew S.]

#7 is especially ironic given how much places like Salon love the Kennedys. Joseph Kennedy anyone?

[RBS]

As I understand it, you can't take any credit for your ancestors success, like trust funds etc. but you will absolutely be held accountable for their failures and beliefs that do not conform to whatever the progs are into at that time.

[sarcasmic]

Even then it's all based upon your politics. If you and someone else's ancestors did the exact same thing, but you subscribe the the proper politics, you and your ancestors can be excused.

Principals trump principles.

[John]

Kennedy, how about Obama? Obama's deadbeat father was a straight up communist. Yet, it is racist to think that that implies anything about Obama's politics. Of course, we all know the Kochs are racist because their father was.

[RBS]

hurts poor communities.

I'm willing to bet there are some people in the third world who might disagree.

[Ted S.]

Weren't unions racist in that their drive to get mandated higher wages was fairly explicitly to price blacks out of the labor market?

[OldMexican]

4. The Kochs fund climate-change denial research that hurts poor communities.

And drowns puppies.

[Matrix]

Poor communities will be hurt even more when they implement climate change policies and force people to pay carbon taxes.

But they don't want to talk about that...

[Lord Humungus]

finally?

Growth worries grip world's stock, oil markets

European stock markets fell for a second day on Wednesday, pushing world share indices back toward their lowest in six months as concern mounts over global economic growth.

New York markets were set to open flat to higher and currency markets were mixed, with attention turning to Federal Reserve minutes due at the end of the U.S. business day. DJc1 SPc1

But data and forecasts from China, Spain and Germany all supported the picture painted by the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday: a world economy struggling to end a cycle of low growth and financial trauma it has been stuck in since 2008.

[Ted S.]

Opera company censors Carmen because it's set in a cigar factory

The West Australian Opera says it's decided not to mount a production of 'Carmen' while it's being sponsored by a health promotion agency. The beloved opera is set around a cigar factory. Opera WA says it wasn't pressured into making the decision, and that the sponsorship deal was just one factor in taking 'Carmen' off the table.

Because dammit, everything has to be political.

[UnCivilServant]

I keep misreading that as Oprah Company. Darnit.

[OldMexican]

"I don't care about history, damn it! I want to show Leif Ericsson's crew integrated!"

(From a funny Playboy cartoon of way back when... the bunnies were fatter.)

[invisible furry hand]

The ABC missed the big one - WTF is a government's health promotion agency spending taxpayers' money on sponsoring an opera company?

[Paul.]

"There's a sense possibly that the world is spinning so fast and nobody is able to control it."

I didn't know anyone was supposed to control it. Jesus the hubris of these people. I know, why don't we pass a law?

[All-Seeing Monocle]

I thought spin control was the one thing these guys were supposed to be good at.

[Sevo]

Our glorious leader assured us that the air strikes would be all that's required, right?

"Air strikes against Islamic State not working, say Syrian Kurds"
[...]
'Need ground support'
He said Islamic State had adapted their tactics to strikes from the air. "Each time a jet approaches they leave their open positions, they scatter and hide. What we really need is ground support. We need heavy weapons and ammunition in order to fend them off and defeat them."
http://www.irishtimes.com/news.....-1.1952729

Surprise, surprise, surprise!

[John]

Did anyone actually believe that? I don't think even his most brain dead cheerleaders believed that. Everyone in America knew it was bullshit and that we are going to end up with ground forces in there.

[db]

Are there any people left in Iraq that trust the U.S. to help them and then not run away, leaving them at risk of being executed or enslaved as collaborators? The people (the everyday Joes who acted as translators and drivers etc) who trusted us from 2003-2012 have been betrayed, and there is basically no.way we could make it right other than by evacuating them.

[John]

I am pretty sure there is no one left in the world who trusts us to come through when it matters.

[UnCivilServant]

The most annoying thing about most recent battle battle is the Turkish army is sitting idle 200 meters away. Why were they sent there if they're not going to do anything? Are they waiting for ISIS to attack them so they can flag the "NATO Member calls for aid" treaty clause?

[John]

The Turks hate the Kurds and are happy to watch ISIS murder them.

[tarran]

Why should the Turkish army intervene to attack a vicious armed movement that is currently slaughtering their enemies?

[Zeb]

I agree that air power isn't going to do it and it is absurd to think it will. It never does.

But aren't there tons of supersonic missiles that would be a lot harder to see and impossible to hear coming? I suppose dropping bombs from jets might be more efficient?

[UnCivilServant]

If you want efficient, you circle a B52 in the stratosphere and rain JDAMs for hours on end. Jets are not efficient.

[UnCivilServant]

*the jets they're using are not efficient.

Tehcnically, the B52 is a jet, but it wasn't built for speed.

[Lord Humungus]

built for comfort /Howlin' Wolf

[Zeb]

But are they efficient compared to missiles? I'm sure the B52 would be most efficient.

[Steve G]

Not in cost/flying hour...

[Steve G]

Missiles are $M's a piece. A B-52 is about $60K/hr. A UAV is 25x less.

[UnCivilServant]

You forgot to factor in payload capacity. $60k/hour and can deliver 70,000 pounds of bombs. You'd need a lot more than 25 UAVs to match that.

[Steve G]

Eh, its not that what we are using is seen/heard; most of the time it's not. A predator/reaper is pretty hard to see/hear for example. Other times, we do the opposite as a 'show of force' to deliberately run them off w/ an afterburner pass.
It's also not a question of efficiency. UAVs are pretty efficient at loitering and covering decent sized areas.
It's the overall nature of airpower that isn't sufficient to do it on it's own. Airpower can't capture/hold ground, work with populations, get humint, target individuals, etc.

[Lord Humungus]

oh... air power can win... provided you are willing to bomb the shit out of everything and anything. Of course we don't do that sort of wanton
WW2 type killing anymore.

[Steve G]

concur

[sarcasmic]

Why care about efficiency when someone else is paying for the gas?

[John]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/08/.....index.html

Spanish nurse has no idea how she caught Ebola. That is very bad.

[Andrew S.]

Nobody ever has an idea of how anything happens to them. Especially where I've read in this case before that there were screwups in protocol. This may be worrisome, but that isn't the reason to worry.

[tarran]

She says she had no idea, but she was treating an Ebola patient.

The assertion that she probably was exposed while taking off her PPE is almost certainly correct.

Back in my Navy days, there were a few episodes where I had to don radcon gear and go into contaminated spaces. And we had procedures for removing the gear that were supposed to keep us from getting nasty radioactive contamination onto our persons. And it was really easy to screw it up and touch a potentially contaminated surface by accident while trying to take off the clothes.

Fortunately radioactive contamination can be detected by passing a detector over your body, and had any contamination been found, it would have been cleaned off prior to removing the gear.

With the Ebola virus, you only have the procedures to protect you. It's even more invisible than radiation.

[John]

I am sure you and Andrew are right and she fucked up in some way and doesn't want to admit it. The problem is that I doubt she fucked up in a particularly big way. She didn't fuck up so badly that she couldn't deny it. That says to me that it is a hell of a lot easier to catch this shit than the powers that be are letting on.

[Zeb]

Or she was unlucky. It's really hard to say anything based on one case. It would be useful to know how many people had the same potential for exposure that this nurse had. If we start seeing many more cases of people treating Ebola in Western hospitals catching it, then it might be time to worry.

[tarran]

The thing that worries me most about Ebola is that in the modern era with great antibiotics etc, a lot of customs surrounding hygiene that were in vogue with our grandparents have fallen by the wayside.

My grandparents grew up in an era where if you got an infection, it had a good chance of killing you. They washed their hands a lot. They washed food carefully. They took wound care seriously.

They covered their mouths when they coughed and self-quarantined when sick. They treated their snot like it was a biohazard.

I think our customs make us far more vulnerable to a pandemic than our ancestors where. And look how savagely the Spanish Flu chewed through their society!

[Pro Libertate]

It was through the act of love.

[John]

She took his essence.

[Pro Libertate]

Essence of Ebola.

[John]

Or POE as it is known by the commie scientists who created it.

[ant1sthenes]

Ebola evolved Freddy Krueger genes, and can now be contracted through terror.

[John]

http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/196308/

Jonathan Chait of all people writes sensibly about why liberals hate football and why it is an assault on all masculinity.

Someone in the instapundit comments makes a good point. Snow skiing by any objective measure is much more dangerous than playing football. 40 people a year are killed skiing in this country. Yet the liberal gentry who are terrified of their little snowflakes playing football take them skiing all of the time.

[Zeb]

I don't really have a firm opinion on this at all, for all I know it could be bullshit. But if football does cause a lot of concussion and possible brain damage (not sure how much that really happens, but it seems plausible that it could be significant), is that not a legitimate worry, at least for children?

[Restoras]

Just taking a wild guess here, but my sense is that the concussion worries and brain damage progress with the size and speed of the player. In other words, the protective gear is probably sufficient at a young age but as a player and his/her opponents age the risk increases, with the greatest risk in the top college programs and all of the NFL.

[John]

The science on it is pretty clear. Football is no more dangerous for kids than other sports. Every sport has dangers. The problem is that people are conflating the problems experienced by NFL players with playing football in school. The two situations are totally different. NFL players play the game for years and at a much higher speed and level of violence. Thinking your kid shouldn't play football because Junior Seau had brain damage after playing in the NFL for 17 years is like thinking your kid shouldn't learn to drive because Ayrton Senna was killed in a car crash.

[Restoras]

People die from skiing because they take risks that drastically increase the probability of death, like skiing out of bounds or in the back country. Those are generally not done by the liberal gentry on ski vacation with their snowflakes.

[B.P.]

Some people die from skiing because they suck at skiing. Beginners catch an edge, or cannot handle even the slightest of ungroomed snow on a green, and veer off course into other people or solid objects. Or, you know, they decide tossing the football around on skis is a good idea...

[Restoras]

Absolutely true. That was also Darwin at his best...

[John]

Even if you don't die, you can cripple yourself with knee injuries. Skiing by any measure is much more dangerous than playing high school football.

[Restoras]

Sure you can, as you can also in football.

[John]

Yes and that is my point. The same people who let their kids ski are now convinced they can't let them play football because its too dangerous.

[Clich? Bandit]

Roger Stone is claiming that a Jeb Bush run is almost a certainty. I would love to see because both Liberal and Conservative head would go *pop*.

[John]

I can't see him winning. He is not the worst choice but not a good one. It would however be funny as hell to watch the liberal tears over the country voting to go back to Bush after 8 years of the Black Jesus.

[Matrix]

Even his mother is against him running.

[Monty Crisco]

HEY!! RG3 was supposed to be the black Jesus, fella!

[ant1sthenes]

I want to see Clinton vs Bush, dammit. Maybe people will finally give up on USG being fixable.

[John]

After all of the misplaced and disappointed enthusiasm for Obama, can you imagine how low the turnout would be for a Clinton wife versus Bush little brother election?

If your solution to the country's problems is for more people to stop supporting the system and not vote, you have to be rooting for a Clinton versus Bush 2016 election.

[OldMexican]

At a fundraiser on Tuesday, President Barack Obama admitted, "There's a sense possibly that the world is spinning so fast and nobody is able to control it."

Not that anybody asked you to try, mind you...

In Iraq, ISIS is now using water as a weapon.

Hey, even Islamic nutcases read Frank Herbert!

"The Spice must flow!"

[John]

Obama is forever a victim of circumstances beyond his control. Everything bad that happens is just bad luck and never due to him fucking up. The man is constitutionally incapable of self examination or personal responsibility.

[OldMexican]

According to a new Gallup poll, a majority of Americans say Obamacare "hurt them rather than helped them."

Same headline, MSM-ified:

"Gallup poll shows that a majority of Americans are selfish and hate the poor."

[BigT]

Some first class crony capitalism here. It seems both regulators and PG&E are criminals.

Top Regulator Secretly Asked PG&E To Donate $100K

California's largest utility has released an email saying the state's top regulator privately asked the company to donate more than $1 million to support an environmental ballot initiative and separately give $100,000 to a celebration of the utility commission's 100th anniversary.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said prosecutors have informed the utility that federal authorities are investigating the legality of five years of back-channel communications between PG&E and the California Public Utilities Commission, and an administrative law judge called a hearing Tuesday on earlier emails with top commission officials.

***

Later in the same dinner, (PG&E VP) Cherry said, he "jokingly" remarked that the utility could spend $3 million on the ballot initiative if the utilities commission approved an unrelated $26 million payment PG&E was seeking as a reward for its energy conservation program.

[sarcasmic]

Tulpa.

[Reverend Mayhem]

I remember every one of those shows for the very reason they're listed. Of course, I was going through puberty at the time....

[Restoras]

No Benny Hill Show? Are you serious? And what about Dallas?

[invisible furry hand]

The down of an eider duck, or the quilts stuffed with it. My old man bought some from Poland for us all. God they were warm.

[Ted S.]

The opposite of eider up.

Seriously, you haven't heard of eider down?

[sarcasmic]

When I was little I loved Three's Company. I was too young to understand the sexual innuendo, I just liked Ritter's physical comedy. Years later I saw it again, and holy crap that show was dumb.

[Reverend Mayhem]

I would also add Buck Rogers in the 21st Century to the list. Out of nostalgia, I recently caught a few of those when they were featured OnDemand, and lemme tell ya: LOTS of '70s va-va-VOOOM on that show.

[Reverend Mayhem]

The plot line for every show revolved around some kind of misunderstanding blown into OHMYGAWD the biggest crisis imaginable.

[Zeb]

It's 450 kg. I don't know what an ultralight plane weighs, but that's certainly an ultralight car.

[FUQ]

Ultralights fall under different FFA rules than conventional aircraft. Generally they lightweight because they are built from kits in a garage but not always.

[Reverend Mayhem]

My day just improved.

Erin Gray was a goddess.

[tarran]

I don't think there is room for a cellphone in those pockets....

[sarcasmic]

That's the exact reason.

[db]

Basically no licensing requirements, but severely limited operations as a result. You need to keep ultralight traffic separated from normal aircraft because ultralights:

1. Require no instrumentation
2. Require no communication ability (technically you don't need a radio in a regular aircraft except in certain types of airspace either)
3. Require no transponder and do not reflect primary radar very well
4. Are very slow comparatively

It is basically forbidden to fly an ultralight over a well populated area, and in my personal experience, when they're operating near regular airports (which they shouldn't be) they represent a hazard to other aircraft because they are slow and hard to see.

[db]

What are considered ultralight aircraft in the U.S. are significantly lighter than ultralights in Europe.

Still, 450 kg is very light for a personal aircraft. What is more important than the empty weight is the gross weight and payload. I would bet this thing can't carry 1/3 of what you'd put in a normal car.

Plus, something that light has very little chance of surviving a car collision.

I wish it were otherwise, but flying cars as reasonable transportation for everyone just isn't going to happen until:

1. They are completely automated
2. GPS and inertial guidance systems reach reliability and performance specs capable of ensuring obstacle separation
3. Air traffic control systems can be supplanted with entirely automated and highly reliable peer to peer networks supplemented by a ground tracking system capable of issuing real time commands to keep traffic separated
4. They find a way to deal with bad weather

Flying cars are not really going to happen, any time soon., and when and if they do, they and their infrastructure will not resemble cars and roads in any meaningful way. The best we'll probably ever get is roadable airplanes or helicopters.

[FUQ]

At one time you weren't required to have a pilots license to fly an ultralight and that may this be the case. I was looking at building one years ago and I don't know the rules now. They also have a far less inspection process. No log books.

[sarcasmic]

Round here you often see a guy flying what looks like an airboat with a parachute.

[FUQ]

Fucking squirrels...

No log books and the list of things below. I had a few general thoughts in the same pattern but the squirrels ate my post

[ant1sthenes]

Sandi

[FUQ]

I was at one time gonna build what was basically a lawn chair attached to kite. Looking back I am probably fortunate that found another hobby.

[a better weapon]

I was associated that show with the 80s. Sure, it started in 78, but it was on air the entire decade of the 80s.

[a better weapon]

Always* not was

[Clich? Bandit]

DONDEROOOOOO!!!!!