A.M. Links: Rand Paul Talks Vaccinations, Colorado GOP Targets Gun Control, Obama Budget Extends Social Security to Married Same-Sex Couples

• 

  Credit: C-SPAN

  Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has weighed in on the vaccination debate.

• President Obama's fiscal year 2016 budget will extend Social Security benefits to all married same-sex couples.

• "In Chris Christie's career, a fondness for luxe benefits while others pay the bills."

• Colorado Republicans are pushing to repeal the state's recently enacted gun control laws.

• Rap mogul Suge Knight has been charged with murder.

• Hillary Clinton is reportedly eyeing Brooklyn, New York, as the campaign headquarters for her 2016 White House bid. Hipsters for Hillary?

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has weighed in on the vaccination debate.

Great. Now my eyes are going to be autistic.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

"In Chris Christie's career, a fondness for luxe benefits while others pay the bills."

Would the paper of record write something (unless they have and I missed it which is entirely possible) similar about, I don't know, Obama?

[Drake]

Good description of every politician.

[sloopyinTEXAS]

In their defense, they requested an interview but Obama was busy flying to play golf in Hawai'i while Michele was busy flying to have her hair done in Chicago. They would have asked their kids but kids are off limits. Thy resorted to asking grandma, who lives in the WH on our dime by the way, and she said she woud be happy to give a statement just as soon as she had her Beluga caviar omelet with black truffles for breakfast.

Give them a damn break, will you? They're busy people after all.

[Clich? Bandit]

Sloop, you would NEVER put beluga IN an omelet. You make blini first then add sour cream on the side then a nice amount of beluga on top. The truffles are reserved for the Eggs Benedict and sit atop the hollandaise on each perfectly poached snowy owl egg. If your orphans are putting caviar IN an omelet they should be flogged in the courtyard as an example.

[Raven Nation]

Well, of course, the question answers itself. I find it interesting that the paper of record is going after Christie again. They must think he's a legit shot to get the nomination.

[Scarecrow Repair]

More likely they are trying to distract attention from the truly scary Rand Paul by pretending the Christie is scary. No matter how scary a real Republican is, them libertarian faux-Republicans would be the end of society as we know it.

[KDN]

The headline makes it seem like he's playing the Obama game of high life on the public dime, but he's really just whoring himself out to foreign dignitaries, wealthy business owners, and potential donors.

The biggest junket at taxpayer expense was a $12k trip to New Orleans during the 2013 Super Bowl. Potentially corrupt, but not nakedly so; run-of-the-mill stuff for a sitting governor, I imagine.

[BigT]

The headline makes it seem like he's playing the Obama game of high life on the public dime, but he's really just whoring himself out to foreign dignitaries, wealthy business owners, and potential donors.

A distinction without a difference. Obama as President is paid better for doing tricks.

[KDN]

Not really. Obama goes on mutimillion dollar excursions at my expense, and never at anyone else's. Christie generally doesn't force me to subsidize his whoring.

[Medical Physics Guy]

Despite the "not a real libertarian" charge sometimes levelled against him, Rand shows himself to be more libertarian on this issue than at least some of the Reason staff.

[Cyto]

This is one of those tough "tragedy of the commons" type issues that test the edges of libertarian governance.

In a strict anarcho-capitalism setting, this would be handled by right-thinking people refusing to do business with places that don't require vaccinations. Not just schools, but places like Disneyland. It would be tough to get enough weight behind it, but with large enough percentage of people on board you could force a regime of special vaccination verifications that allow you to eat and shop at participating businesses. But the path from here to there would be littered with death and disease.

In a minimalist libertarian government there is room for pollution laws and public health policies. They'll bump up against individual liberties, but that's the difference between ideology and pragmatism.

[Warren's Strapon]

This is one of those tough "tragedy of the commons" type issues that test the edges of libertarian governance.

In a strict anarcho-capitalism setting, this would be handled by right-thinking people refusing to do business with places that don't require vaccinations. Not just schools, but places like Disneyland. It would be tough to get enough weight behind it, but with large enough percentage of people on board you could force a regime of special vaccination verifications that allow you to eat and shop at participating businesses.

It's even tougher than that, I think. It would be one thing if the local Chuck E. Cheese required you to show your vaccination certificate to enter; wouldn't slow things down too much. But Disneyworld? They get 52.5 million visitors per year. Even if it only takes 3 seconds to check a vac certificate, my quick calcs show that that adds an average 120 hours of queue time per day. Probably not going to be a big deal on a slow day, but fuck that week between Christmas and New Year's.

[robc]

That isnt an issue. Disney has to hire a few more gate attendants and boost ticket prices a bit.

It is their choice whether its worth doing or not.

[Ted S.]

A lot of the tickets and packages are sold ahead of time. The checking would occur then, I'd think.

[thom]

Nah. It would just create a market in preclearance. Some trustworthy enterprise would certify you as vaccinated and issue credentials certifying as such. Places like Disney would accept the credentials as proof of vaccination. It would add no additional time beyond "can I see your ID? OK thanks."

[Lady Bertrum]

Just another unnecessary panic. Most people across the USA get their kids vaccinated - almost everyone, in fact. Those pockets of stupidity where a significant number don't, primarily risk the health of their own kids and they will be rightfully publicly shamed as dumb-asses. When their own children become sterile because they contracted a completely avoidable disease, they can then explain to them later why parenthood isn't gonna happen.

I'll just point out, the Amish don't vaccinate either.

I understand about herd immunity, but this is just another risk we take in a free society.

[califernian]

This is one of those tough "tragedy of the commons" type issues that test the edges of libertarian governance.

Not really. There's no safe and sane way to give government the power to force citizens to take injections.

Which injections? Which drugs? Which medicines?

It never ever turns out the way you hope when you imagine using the power of government to force something onto everyone that you think matters enough.

It turns into evil, every time.

Better to live in a world where everyone has the right to do what they want to their own body, INCLUDING whether or not to accept beneficial medicine, or to willfully take bad medicine, or no medicine, or eat fatty burgers or live on homeopathic lavender water.

[gaijin]

Rand Paul gets testy...about vaccines, opthamology, and tv

CNBC Host has an agenda

[Ted S.]

Of course the CNBC hosts have agendas.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Hopefully he can pull off a war with the left-leaning news media better than Newt did.

[Bardas Phocas]

The trick is to give them enough rope but don't let them set the terms of war.

[Lady Bertrum]

Everyone hates CNBC, even the people who watch CNBC, the very small demo, hates CNBC.

[CE]

They had LeBron on to show off his new 50K bling watch design for rich people. The CNBC host (the same one Rand Paul shushed) started ambushing him with questions about the kind of message that sends to kids who can't afford it.

[Lord Humungus]

Man Clogs Toilet With Potatoes, Pulls Fire Alarm to Get Help Quicker

According to authorities, for an unknown reason, the man shoved potatoes down the toilet causing it to clog. He called the apartment building's maintenance department several times for help, but they didn't immediately respond. So he tried to get their attention by pulling the fire alarm, police said.

The three-story building was evacuated and police and fire officials came to the scene to investigate.

Realizing there was not a real emergency, they questioned the man who explained what happened. Police placed him under arrest for ringing the false alarm.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

Johnny Manziel?

[sloopyinTEXAS]

I just hope his parents were shrewd enough to have also applied for TM protections for "Johnny 8-Ball, Johnny Speedball and Johnny Washout" in addition to the infamous "Johnny Football" play a couple years ago.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

"The Johnny Washout non-action figure!"

[UnCivilServant]

inaction figure, Switzy, 'inaction figure'.

[19sigils]

I don't know why I have these goggles.

[db]

+1 musket

[db]

"Commence ta jigglin'!"

"So...we jigglin' or?"

[Pro Libertate]

This is all part of the master plan to make Johnny a sports radio personality.

[Ted S.]

When I was a college freshman back in 1990, the toilet in our bathroom wouldn't stop pumping, filling up and overflowing the bowl (thankfully with clean water). Since our room was flooding we called the college emergency number (not 911) but were told to call facilities.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"In Chris Christie's career, a fondness for luxe benefits while others pay the bills."

There's the reason he wants to be president. Luxury for life.

[WTF]

He sees all the lavish vacations and other perks the Obamas have.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

I am torn - the usual NYT digging into anyone but a Donkey, but I am glad of it anyway...

[BigT]

There's the reason he wants to be president. Luxury Food for life.

FIFY

[Bee Tagger]

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has weighed in on the vaccination debate.

And how has the media rated the Batshit Message Index (BMI) on it?

[SugarFree]

Jezebel sided with ISIS against Rand Paul.

Better to be on the side of the guys who want to scrape off their clits with a piece of broken glass than a Republican.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Somehow, I am not surprised.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Wow. Just. WOW.

[SugarFree]

Make sure you get to the thread where they argue that Rand Paul isn't a doctor.

[EdWuncler]

That was the part that made me want to throw something into my computer. You can look on wikipedia and see that he went to Duke's School of Medicine. What in the fuck is wrong with these people?

[SugarFree]

He is the enemy; all he is must be wrong or they may not be able to continue to convince themselves that they are are right. This is the face of total war.

[EdWuncler]

They believe that government ought to force people to do stuff with their bodies unless it's of course abortion or using birth control.

[sloopyinTEXAS]

Plenty of people on the feminist left are for forced abortion if the fetus/baby (take your pick) isn't going to develop normally and will be a horrible financial burden on society.

[Pope Jimbo]

Well so far he's just gotten real lucky with those eye surgeries. Pretty soon though he is going to screw up and then everyone will realize that he really isn't a doc.

[EdWuncler]

The comments section for that article is unreal. Truly fucking unreal. How in the hell are we being defeated by these idiotic women?

[Drake]

Why would we want to win? For them?

[Rich]

Republicans can have it every way. It's like the Burger King of politics.

LOL

[Fist of Etiquette]

The enemy of my enemy.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Also, forced vaccination is rape. THERE I SAID IT NOW DEAL WITH IT.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I'm sure it's also racist.

Somehow.

[gaijin]

my body, my choice! penetration is violation! Eliminate embarassing feminine odour now!

[CE]

The New Yorker helpfully points out that Rand Paul doesn't "fully endorse" the Civil Rights Act either.

[Lord Humungus]

Belle Knoxious
The Duke porn actress tries her hand at political philosophy.

The irony, which Miss Weeks is a few years' serious reading shy of being able to understand, is that the actual threats to free speech in the United States are not directed at pornography ? the protection of which, though in the end desirable, would never have occurred to Madison et al. ? but rather are directed at the very thing that our constitutional safeguards were intended to defend: political speech. There is practically nobody of any consequence seriously looking to criminalize what Miss Weeks does, but Harry Reid and every Democrat in the Senate voted to repeal our free-speech protections in order to criminalize what Charles and David Koch do, what Citizens United does, etc.

Apparently, nobody ever told Senator Reid that the First Amendment is, like, awesome. But now we have a vapid young pornographic performer on our side.

Hurrah.

[Ted S.]

There is practically nobody of any consequence seriously looking to criminalize what Miss Weeks does,

Not as long as the guy has a condom on.

[sloopyinTEXAS]

There is practically nobody of any consequence seriously looking to criminalize what Miss Weeks does,

I guess the legislators in Southern California, soon to be the entire state, aren't "of any consequence".

[SusanM]

If a politician wants to control or ban it, it becomes political.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

Hey, any ally in a fight, any port in a storm...

[sloopyinTEXAS]

Have you seen her "port"? That thing looks like a bag of beef jerkey exploded in her lap.

So I've heard, anyway.

[Rich]

Good Lord, sloopy. You've been hanging out with SugarFree again, haven't you?

[sloopyinTEXAS]

As much as he tried, he was unable to rub off on me.

[Lady Bertrum]

he was unable to rub off on me.

Don't blame yourself. He's probably got some kinda ED issue.

[SugarFree]

My penis is mighty, like bull!

[SugarFree]

Don't look at me. I like a meaty clam sandwich.

[Steve G]

Philly cheese!!

[Pope Jimbo]

My dyslexia kicked in and I read that as "any porn in a storm".

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

Hmmm, in this case that actually works out quite well.

[Irish]

Williams is actually very wrong about this. There is a threat to pornography's free speech rights, it's just that today it comes largely from the left.

Go look at modern feminist discourse and how they view pornography. It's just this side of snuff films. Gail Dines is on record as saying porn causes rape and Dines has a number of supporters in that regard.

If these people think porn actually causes rape, how long do you think it will be before there's a serious push to 'regulate' violent porn in the interests of public safety?

The British government just banned 'physical and verbal abuse' in pornography, even if it's consensual. They banned caning, facesitting, 'role-playing as non-adults...' the list goes on. If you don't think there's going to be a push for that sort of thing here, you're delusional.

[Tonio]

Williams is an idiot. HTH

[Palin's Buttplug]

You've become a blatant Team Red hack like John. The Andrea Dworkin types have been around for decades and have no representation on the "left". The Christian Conservative anti-sex brigade is fully represented by hundreds of GOP Congresspersons.

[Irish]

"You've become a blatant Team Red hack like John. The Andrea Dworkin types have been around for decades and have no representation on the "left". The Christian Conservative anti-sex brigade is fully represented by hundreds of GOP Congresspersons."

LOL, that explains why Britain's feminists get T.V. shows taken off the air for being 'too sexist,' why countries like Sweden and Britain are enacting much stricter pornography laws than we have, etc. etc.

There has not been a serious push to regulate sex from the right in this country in twenty years. Even Williamson, who's as much of a Socon as they come, has conceded the field on the issue of porn. Leftists, meanwhile, are doing everything they can to micromanage college sexuality. How long until that spills into the broader society?

Also, great point about being a Team Red hack. Team Red hacks spend enormous amounts of time defending porn stars. It's one of their favorite things to do.

[SugarFree]

The ghost of Jesse Helms is behind the push to ban Page 3 girls in Britain.

[Ted S.]

I always figured you were a Team Green hack.

[Clich? Bandit]

Team Watermelon

[SugarFree]

The retarded prudes in the comment really make Kevin's case for him.

I wonder what it's like for him, being the dumbest person at The National Review. I bet he has to fight every day to maintain his position at the bottom of a shallow heap.

[Tonio]

I had always assumed they kept him around for the lulz.

[Lord Humungus]

Is that like winning the shortest midget contest?

[KDN]

the dumbest person at The National Review

I'm fairly certain that Kathryn Jean Lopez will hold this distinction until well after her death.

Williamson's actually pretty good when he's not getting his So-Con pundit on. His actual reporting (as opposed to opinion reporting) is also usually quite interesting, in-depth, and as fair as you could reasonably expect from an opinion publication. I wish he'd stick to it.

[Medical Physics Guy]

I often start out enjoying one of his pieces, then watch him descend into hating. Now I don't bother to click.

[Irish]

"I often start out enjoying one of his pieces, then watch him descend into hating. Now I don't bother to click."

Williamson is just a hateful little man with a decent amount of writing talent who uses that writing talent exclusively for angry, mean-spirited rants.

I used to like him before I realized all he does is scream angrily at things he hates, oftentimes with no insight into the subject.

[Rhywun]

He's really just a male version of Ann Coulter.

[SugarFree]

Aw, yeah... I forgot about Lopez. Maybe we should lock in a room full of shit and tell them there's a pony in there somewhere.

[SugarFree]

Today's column from Lopez: Twelve Things that Caught My Eye Today

I bet eleven of them are cake.

[Rhywun]

Or twelve states that legalized gay marriage and sent her to twelve different fainting couches.

[Irish]

Williamson is also arguing against points Belle Knox never made. All she said was 'since I am in porn, I have a vested interest in freedom of expression.' Williamson took this as a jumping off point to castigate her for, I don't know, not bringing up onerous campaign finance laws, or something.

Belle Knox is hardly a great intellect, but I'm amazed at the amount of vitriol being hurled at someone who I'm continuously being told is so unimportant. If she's so beneath your notice, Williamson, why not re-engage your feud with Lena Dunham? That was tremendously intellectual and in no way lowest common denominator.

[Pope Jimbo]

I think that it is the same reason the left gets bent out of shape in regards to black conservatives. She is straying off the reservation.

If people start to notice that not all blacks or pr0n stars are lefties it may make them rethink their positions on issues. Can't have that.

Why don't these people realize that they belong to the left and just shut the fuck up.

[Irish]

It's not even that. It's not just the left attacking her, as Williamson makes clear. It's like conservative Republicans don't want anyone on their 'side' who isn't a buttoned up Hyper-Intellect. (Of course, hyper intellect is relative, given that Kevin D. Williamson apparently qualifies).

Anyone who strays from a specific conservative orthodoxy is not welcome. In a way progressives are right. Conservatives are very unwelcoming of people who aren't like them, it's just that they aren't racist or sexist. Their unwelcoming nature comes out when someone is engaged in an activity or lives a lifestyle they don't like.

[Pope Jimbo]

Ooops. I guess I should have read the article. I just assumed it was a lefty woman who was urinated off by the fact that another woman could possibly be down with the GOP.

But yeah, conservatives who refuse to join up with someone just because they like to have sex is depressing too.

[Warren's Strapon]

This actually came across to me as mostly being a Gen X-er bitching about a Millennial. (Get the joke out of the way: someone should do a poll). Which is fine, I'm a Gen X-er who bitches about Millennials. But I can also encourage the ones who have potential.

[Rich]

Hillary Clinton is reportedly eyeing Brooklyn, New York, as the campaign headquarters

Not *Harlem*?! I confuse.

[UnCivilServant]

The hipsters will vote Hillary ironically.

[Bee Tagger]

Put a bird on the candidate you like.

[Mike Laursen]

While listening to Fleetwood Mac, ironically. Which is the only way one can listen to Fleetwood Mac.

[CE]

They like her glasses.

[CE]

If only she had a beard.

[WTF]

Bill is the 'black' one. That's why he likes the badonkadonk.

[Rich]

Oh, that's right. Hillary is the half-Jewish one.

[invisible furry hand]

Dutch artist who turned dead cat into drone hopes to make badger submarine

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

Never have I been more proud of my ancestral land...

[Slammer]

More cool Dutch stuff

[sloopyinTEXAS]

Fuck that Dutch shit.

MURICA!!!!!

[sloopyinTEXAS]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Grxc5Foytos" allowfullscreen</iframe

[UnCivilServant]

That's an almost impressive failure there, sloopy.

[sloopyinTEXAS]

Aw, what the fuck? Why didn't my YouTube video of America's answer to that Claas piece of shit show up?

By the way, Claas is German, not Dutch.

[Tonio]

Switzy? Wait, I thought....

[Pope Jimbo]

He isn't actually from Holland. He just hates paying for the entire meal...

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

I am merely a servant of the Swiss - my family is a mix of shit kicking Frisian farmers, sod house and slate roof poor Manx and a few stray Dutch academics.

[UnCivilServant]

... and a few stray Dutch academics

They must have strayed pretty far to get captured by that lot.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

Not too far - for the Frisians.

http://www.rug.nl/?lang=en

[Insert Dutch farm girl and university professor joke here]

[Tonio]

Thanks for clarifying.

[Fist of Etiquette]

President Obama's fiscal year 2016 budget will extend Social Security benefits to all married same-sex couples.

Extra good news: That won't affect the budget in twenty years as there will be no bennies there to be had.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Also, not a link.

[Lord Humungus]

Co-author of The Emerging Democratic Majority recants

Largely missing from Judis's otherwise fine article is analysis of public policy. If most voters believed the stimulus package had really stimulated the economy, if they believed that Obamacare would provide real health care security, if they believed that the Obama Democrats' big government policies were making them and their country better off ? why then the Democratic majority that emerged in 2006 and 2008 would have persisted for at least a little longer and Obama might not have been the only president in American history re-elected with a popular vote percentage lower than the one he won four years before. Instead, I think the programs of the Obama Democrats have pushed more Americans to believe that, as I put it in the lead sentence of a Washington Examiner column last May, "Gummit don't work good."

Now we see Obama and left-wing Democrats calling for an expansion of government and significantly higher taxes. That, even more than demographics, looks to me like the current emerging Republican advantage.

[Bee Tagger]

Colorado Republicans are pushing to repeal the state's recently enacted gun control laws.

When stoners can fire guns, guns should only fire stones. Or something like that.

[UnCivilServant]

Early guns did fire stones.

[Bee Tagger]

Like when the 2nd amendment was written? So you're one of those?

[UnCivilServant]

Actually, no. By then we'd moved on the lead. The stones were fired at castle walls so that they couldn't be retrieved and fired back should they land inside the fortification.

[Tonio]

My understanding is that the owners of shotguns, ie the blunderbuss, would use whatever they had handy as the "shot". Small stones preferred, but also nails, broken glass, etc.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

Broken china, teeth, shards of anything sharp...yup.

[invisible furry hand]

Some freaky pictures from an Australian snake catcher

[UnCivilServant]

Still not seeing the freaky.

Also, despite my ambivalence towards most mammals, I found that keelback snake 'awww' inducing. (I did check to make sure the species wasn't poisonous)

[Ted S.]

IFH meant freaky by Australian standards, which means normal for the rest of the world.

And I don't think the keelback snake is a mammal.

[UnCivilServant]

Mammals are generally regarded as 'cuter' by humans. I'm abivalent towards them but found the reptile cute.

[Raven Nation]

Umm, reptile?

[UnCivilServant]

See above explaination.

[John]

You don't find most mammals cute but you found a snake "awww inducing"? What the hell is wrong with you?

[UnCivilServant]

Cold Blooded?

[John]

The deadly one under the people's pillow is pretty freaky. Even if you like snakes, the thought of that should scare the hell out of you.

[WTF]

It's Australia. Everything there will kill you.

[SFC B]

Is there a different copperhead snake in Australia? Because this sentence: "Not only was it the first snake he had ever caught, it was one of the world's most venomous - the copperhead," is completely at odds with the copperheads I'm familar with.

[invisible furry hand]

yep, it's not the same as the American copperhead, and it can kill you

[SFC B]

This is the most useful bit of "English words mean different things to different English speakers" since I bummed a smoke off a Brit.

[Lord Humungus]

A poisonous snake in Australia? Why wasn't I told about such things?

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

You were too busy dodging drop bears, horrific spiders, crocs, dingoes and such?

[SFC B]

And now that I have googled it for myself it turns out there is an Australian Copperhead. I love the bit on Wikipedia where is says its venom is, by Australian standards, only moderately toxic (similar to an Indian Cobra).

I've always wanted to visit Australia, but going to a continent where a snake with "moderately dangerous" venom would be one of the most deadly snakes in America is... disconcerting.

[invisible furry hand]

Look, it's mostly safe in the cities. Indeed, of the top 10 safest cities in the world, two are Australian (well, according to The Economist). If you're sensible in the surf and the bush, you'll be fine.

[SFC B]

Being honest the 20 hours flying is a far greater deterent then the biospehere filled with terrifying and venonmous predators.

[Rhywun]

I'm afraid to ask what's in the surf.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

Sharks, rays, ...the usual.

[UnCivilServant]

Yes, yes there is:

North American Copperhead: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.....contortrix

Australian Copperhead: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrelaps

Though it's only one of the most venomous because it's an Aussie snake.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Hipsters for Hillary?

Ironic votes still count.

[Rich]

Realizing there was not a real emergency

the man flushed the toilet repeatedly until there was.

[Rich]

This was supposed to be upthread!

*** calls 911 ***

[UnCivilServant]

"One Nine Nine, is your keypad upside down?"

[Elspeth Flashman]

What you meant to call was this number:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab8GtuPdrUQ

[Lord Humungus]

Old-ish article but thought this was interesting:

The Golden Age of Black Ops
Special Ops Missions Already in 105 Countries in 2015

During the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2014, U.S. Special Operations forces (SOF) deployed to 133 countries -- roughly 70% of the nations on the planet -- according to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Bockholt, a public affairs officer with U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). This capped a three-year span in which the country's most elite forces were active in more than 150 different countries around the world, conducting missions ranging from kill/capture night raids to training exercises. And this year could be a record-breaker. Only a day before the failed raid that ended Luke Somers life -- just 66 days into fiscal 2015 -- America's most elite troops had already set foot in 105 nations, approximately 80% of 2014's total.

Despite its massive scale and scope, this secret global war across much of the planet is unknown to most Americans. Unlike the December debacle in Yemen, the vast majority of special ops missions remain completely in the shadows, hidden from external oversight or press scrutiny.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

Most of that is training local militaries in counter insurgency. Doesn't sound as exciting to say "Green Berets train Chadian Army in how to work in the Sahel" as "Black Ops Everywhere!"

[This Machine Loves Koch]

What Swiss said. Major League Doorkicker shit makes for good videogames and movies but by and large it's not the majority of our SOF ops overseas.

[invisible furry hand]

Wah, daddy only left me 3 million dollars!

The 19-year-old claims she will need a home five times the Perth median price ($2.5 million), $10,000 each year for fashion accessories including Tiffany and Co sunglasses and $100,000 for a wedding when she ties the knot.

Her list of claims also included an Audi A4 and a Toyota Tarago for when she has children, as well as a diamond-encrusted bass guitar worth $250,000 and a limited ?edition Kuhn Bosendorfer grand piano.

[UnCivilServant]

I wish the judge could rule "Then you'll get nothing" on her for that attitude. (Or reveal a 'spiled brat clause' in the will that does the same thing)

[Libertarian]

Yet another reason rich men don't need to get married and/or have children.

[UnCivilServant]

Contracted concubines.

[Crusty Juggler]

I am on her side on this one.

[lap83]

This is a horrible thing to say, but I don't feel too bad because she's obviously a brat.
She's probably unattractive, because an attractive rich girl who wanted to stay that way would just marry someone rich.

[Ted S.]

Not death metal. Definitely not death metal.

[invisible furry hand]

Here's Marcia Brady eating fly pupae and a cockroach

[SugarFree]

I'll be in P Brooks' bunk.

[Libertarian]

Is entophilia a thing?

[SugarFree]

Everything is a thing in the groovy and sex-positive confines of P Brooks' bunk.

[Slammer]

Still hot.

[Libertarian]

Fly pupae. Isn't that what normal people call maggots?

[UnCivilServant]

No, Maggots are fly larvae.

[Ted S.]

It's not fly larvae; it's drosophila veal.

[Ted S.]

It's always Marcia! Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

[Elspeth Flashman]

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yZHveWFvqM

[Pope Jimbo]

I tried bun-dae-gi (grilled silk worm larvae) in Korea and learned that it causes an allergic reaction for me. First thing I have ever found out that I was allergic to.

Luckily for me, it didn't taste all that good so I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

http://www.plumdeluxe.com/five.....y-in-seoul

(I've eaten all of them except the chicken feet and liked them)

[CatoTheElder]

I tried them in China, and thought they tasted awful. However, the fried crickets dusted with powdered sugar were quite tasty.

[Lord Humungus]

PolitiFact now fact-checking tweets, poorly; Phil Kerpen's post accurate, but 'Mostly True'

The tweet: "Amazing fact: Senate has already voted on more amendments in 2015 than Reid allowed ALL YEAR last year.

The judgement:

On the numbers, [Kerpen] is right. But experts cautioned us that the claim falls more in the interesting factoid category than a sign of a different or more cooperative Senate leadership.

The statement is accurate but needs clarification and additional information. That meets our definition of Mostly True.

[Irish]

"The statement is accurate but needs clarification and additional information."

Yes, twitter is known for its ability to add clarification and additional information. It's not as if there's a strict limit on the number of characters you can use, or anything.

[The Late P Brooks]

The nodders on Morning Joke are outraged. OUTRAGED, I say.

Senator Paul shushed that nice newsgirl. He told her to shut the fuck up and let him answer her question.

Worse

than

rape.

[gaijin]

oops. Posted this above did not see your comment. Here's a link to vid for those easily amused:

Shh girl!

[The Last American Hero]

Good for him. I saw some talking head run amok on Gary Johnson last election. The way he stood there and took it was mature, but the whole time I'm thinking the low info voter will think he's weak.

[Crusty Juggler]

Mostly agreeing with and enjoying listening to a politician...I need a shower.

[Slammer]

Hillary Clinton is reportedly eyeing Brooklyn, New York, as the campaign headquarters for her 2016 White House bid.

Yagottabefuckinkiddenmewithdisbroad

[Crusty Juggler]

Those types do not live there anymore! Hipsters, the wealthy who live in Park Slope, and the much lower income types in Bed-Stuy (for now).

Yes, that means Brooklyn is awful.

[Slammer]

Sez you

[Rhywun]

Those types do not live there anymore!

Uh, yes they do - all over the 95% of Brooklyn that is not Williamsburg or Park Slope.

[Lord Humungus]

Venezuela Arrests Pharmacy Executives Over 'Economic War'

Price regulators made a surprise inspection at a store on Sunday and opened a case against Caracas-based Farmatodo C.A., which operates almost 200 drug stores across Venezuela and Colombia, the company said in a statement published by Maracaibo-based newspaper Panorama. Police then invited executives of the company to give statements, the company said.

Chief Executive Officer Pedro Luis Angarita and two other top managers of the closely held company remain under arrest without access to lawyers, said a personal assistant to one of the executives, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. An Information Ministry spokesman confirmed executives were detained on economic crime charges, without giving details.

"We discovered a famous chain of shops conspiring against the people," Maduro said in a televised address on Feb. 1. "We called for the owners, cuffed them and now they're in jail for provoking the people with economic war. Anyone who uses their business to damage the country will pay with jail time."

something something wreckers kulaks and vodka

[SusanM]

The past of the USSR and the future of Venezuela

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWTGsUyv8IE

[UnCivilServant]

They're opening a McDonalds?

[SusanM]

lol it's a vid showing an upscale Moscow supermarket around 1990.

It's from an article about Yeltsin visiting an American supermarket around the same time.

http://englishrussia.com/2015/.....ore-155934

Highly recommended site if you're into real Soviet history (or you're really gothy and into urban decay pics)

[UnCivilServant]

The funny thing is... I didn't follow the youtube link (I have a policy against H&R YouTube Links), I was snarking off of that posting from yesterday

[SusanM]

Oh. Honestly I'm surprised that didn't get some sort of mention. The 25t anniversary of The Symbol of Free Enterprise opening up in the heart of the Evil Empire should have gotten some mention around here!

[UnCivilServant]

I watched the video. Are you trying to make me feel guilty about my negative comparisons of the newly remodelled Price Chopper to Wegmans? Just because there are at least six or seven superior supermarkets to the upscale Soviet one just down one direction from my driveway? Huh?

[SusanM]

I'm trying to make you feel glad that you're not in Venezuela where the stores will all soon look like that 😉

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Whenever stores here leave items in boxes, they're usually doing it for trendy purposes. 'Oh, look they left the olive oil in their boxes on the pallet! So groovy and authentic!'

There? Not so much.

[UnCivilServant]

The only empty shelf I routinely see is the "Hot Foods" shelf, which they clear off when that section closes for the night (the store proper is 24 hours)

[Clich? Bandit]

The McDs opening was mentioned in a lot of Russian news outlets. I have been to that McDs...It is really nice. It is till on Pushkin Square and it still draws quite the crowd. I think I counted 20 registers or so...two stories, huge.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

No potatoes, so no Golden Arches.

[Ted S.]

They should just close all the stores and stop importing drugs.

[Lord Humungus]

New Game Allows People to Simulate Building Ikea Furniture

When it comes to finding chic, eclectic, space conscious furniture, Swedish retailer Ikea is the place to go. Somehow the Scandinavian flare for form & function produces a unique look that many people find appealing in everything down to the lamps, plates, bedding, and the curious product names, which are all simultaneously offered in Swedish. Now, a computer product has emerged from the 2015 Global Game Jam that is quite unique. It is called "H?me Improvis?tion" (Home Improvisation). The objective is to assemble Ikea furniture ad infinitum. It doesn't appear that there is an end to the game, but sometimes that is part of the fun. SimCity has built a loyal following with simulations that gone on and on providing a simple lava lamp-like pleasure.

[Steve G]

Do they have a game simulating shopping at IKEA? (so I don't have to IRL) I'm asking for my wife...

[Ted S.]

Can't they just bring back Mouse Trap?

[Elspeth Flashman]

I'd play it.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

How bad was decision not to run Lynch at the one? From the Harvard Sports Twitter feed:

The Pats allowed opponents to score 81% of the time in power situations (runs on 3rd/4th & less than 2, or w/i 2 yds of goalline). Dead last in NFL.

SEA was second in the league in power situations, getting stuffed just 17% of the time. Lynch converted 17 of 20 3rd/4ths & short this year.

[Brian D]

And, up to that play, pass attempts from the 1-yard line had been intercepted exactly zero times that season, and the cornerback they targeted had no career interceptions.

[KDN]

And how many of those were quick slants over the middle, and of those how many were deflections or dropped interceptions?

Passing is always more likely to result in a turnover than running. The downside in that situation was huge. It was a stupid decision.

[robc]

Especially with a running QB.

Feel the need to run one pass play? Roll out Wilson with a run/pass option. And with a low risk pass that he can throw away if things blow up.

Or, you know, trust your defense, dont bleed clock, and run the ball three more times.

[BigT]

While I would not have made the pass call, it was not so bad. It was EXECUTED poorly, however. If Wilson throws the ball at the receiver's gut instead of his head it never gets intercepted. That's the way it is supposed to be done.

[CE]

Yeah, the fans are letting Wilson off easy. He wasn't pressured on the play, and could have made a better throw, or thrown it away since it was covered.

[trshmnster the terrible]

The best meme I've seen so far is a picture of the nationwide dead kid that says "I would've run it with Lynch, but I died"

[CE]

And Lynch was stopped 5 out of 6 times this season on runs from the 1 yard line.

[Lord Humungus]

(Greek) Court rules judges' pension cuts unconstitutional

The Court of Auditors ruled on Monday that a decision by the previous government to cut the pensions of judges retroactively from August 2012 was unconstitutional and in violation of the European Convention of Human Rights.

The court noted that the previous administration's argument that the cuts were intended to curb public expenses in compliance with fiscal targets set out in the country's bailout program, among others, did not suffice to render these specific cuts constitutional.

In an earlier decision, a wage tribunal and the Council of State ruled that cuts in the salaries of active judges as well as military and police personnel were also unconstitutional.

something, something Titanic

[Libertarian]

Something fox something henhouse.

[Ted S.]

It sounds as though it actually was an ex post facto law.

[SugarFree]

The Gawker socialists come out in force for debt forgiveness.

Look for the full blown social dipshit "Creative Destruction." He's extra derpy.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

Fortunately, even if debt forgiveness is politically unpalatable here (for now), there are still other ways to accomplish basically the same goal, at least somewhat:

1. Allow student debt to be written off in bankruptcy.
2. Bring back the WPA?a massive government jobs program.
3. Tax very high incomes a lot and push the revenue towards education and social programs that benefit the poor and middle class.
4. Abolish regressive taxes like the payroll tax and get rid of tax loopholes like the capital gains tax that benefit the rich and not the poor.

Hamilton Nolan has been climbing my list of people to hate follow.

[The Laconic]

The capital gains tax is a loophole?!

[gaijin]

a loophole is any part of the law he disagrees with

[robc]

Get rid of the corporate tax and then tax capital gains as regular income would be "okayish" with me.

/insert SLDs liberally

[trshmnster the terrible]

Wed see an instant recession as the market adjusts to the new incentives.i think that cap gains taxes are more heinous than corporate taxes. Corp taxes disincentivize consumption, cap gain taxes disincentivize investing for retirement.

[robc]

But the rational investor (yeah, yeah) is already including the corporate tax rate into his investment calculations.

Eliminating corporate taxes while raising capital gains to regular income rates is a net tax decrease on investment.

That should incentivize investing for retirement. And would also encourage a switch back from capital gains to dividends, which I think is healthier. You cant pull Enron-type bullshit if the dividend checks are bouncing.

[CatoTheElder]

There's no cap gains tax break on IRAs and 401(k)s.

[CE]

Get rid of the corporate tax and then tax capital gains as regular income would be "okayish" with me.

Drop the top rates for capital gains, income taxes and corporate income taxes to 20 percent (or lower) and I would agree.

[Tonio]

Any break, deduction or credit not available to the "middle class" (which is what we'd call poor people and welfare recipients) is a loophole.

[robc]

1. Allow student debt to be written off in bankruptcy.

End the government guarantee of debt and that one can be implemented, GOING FORWARD.

Student debt already can be written off in bankruptcy, if you dont get it thru one of the government guarantee programs.

[KDN]

I don't agree. Why does my cosigner get to force me to pay the full value of my debts that he has underwritten following my bankruptcy?

[robc]

Because your cosigner is also running the bankruptcy court.

[robc]

or shorter version:

States gonna State.

[KDN]

That's what I'm getting at. The problem is obviously that the Feds are involved in this in the first place, but I hate it even more when they don't play by the rules they enforce on everyone else.

[robc]

They are playing by the rules. They are making is a secured loan instead of unsecured. The security is your life, and they will foreclose.

[KDN]

Just like private entities do. I bet that if I agreed with Chase to secure a personal line of credit with my life, their throwing me into debtor's prison would go unchallenged.

[robc]

Of course not. But a private entity isnt going to throw me in jail for smoking pot on their property either.

States gonna state.

[KDN]

Look, 1 out of 4 ain't bad for these people.

[Irish]

I think it's hilarious that these idiots want to abolish progressive taxes but aren't bright enough to realize that those European countries they love so much can only sustain their social programs through massive regressive taxes.

European social programs are largely funded by the VAT, which is hugely regressive and does immense damage to the poor and middle classes. These people want the European social programs, but aren't smart enough to realize how they're funded and what their implementation would mean.

[Irish]

I am in favor of abolishing the capital gains tax.

Oh, he means that capital gains should be taxed at the income rate? I was just thinking it should be taxed at 0%.

[UnCivilServant]

Oh, he means that capital gains should be taxed at the income rate? I was just thinking it should be taxed at 0%.

I am in favor of both of those positions. Set Capital gains to income at 0%.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Of course they do. Most of them majored in polish basket weaving or Sanskrit bukkakke and are currently "servicing" me at the massage parlor. Their stars are as dim as a candle in a frozen hell(North Dakota).

[UnCivilServant]

All the snow and ice actually reflect a lot of the candlelight back, so candles are not particularly dim in forzen hell.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Yeah, I'm a little drunk so that was the best I could come up with. Sadly.

Also, I went to pubelic skoal.

[UnCivilServant]

Where do you think I lerned to spel?

[invisible furry hand]

Reminds me of this book, which contains the confession (equally hilarious and depressing) that the author didn't realise that downloading pirated mp3s meant his favourite bands couldn't make much of a living until he was serving them coffee in a Brooklyn cafe.

[Ted S.]

Does debt forgiveness include forgiving tax debts? Somehow I think not.

[The Late P Brooks]

Hipsters for Hillary?

The dour, scoldy grandmother they all wish they'd grown up with?

No, wait. That's E Warren.

[SugarFree]

Warren is more like the kooky aunt they spent the summer with once, the one who insisted they not flush the toilet for just Number 1 and owned more dreamcatchers than anyone sane ever would.

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

And 13 cats.

[SugarFree]

She sat all her cats free, because, like, nobody can own an animal. Her cats all died within a week.

[Pope Jimbo]

If it is yellow let it mellow.
If it is brown flush it down.

I never realized until now how racist owners of septic systems were.

[Lord Humungus]

Behind Obama's budget proposals, a gloomy view of the future

In a budget proposal unveiled on Monday, the White House cut forecasts for an array of economic variables, depicting less growth, weaker inflation and lower interest rates than officials expected only a year ago.

This comes despite an unemployment rate that the Obama administration expects to hit the 5.2 percent level considered to be roughly in line with full employment sometime this year.

The administration's take on the economy moves it closer to the growing view among economists that the United States could be stuck in a prolonged period of stagnation.

"In the 21st century, real GDP growth in the United States is likely to be slower than it was in earlier eras," the budget proposal says.

Obama's $3.99 trillion budget plan for fiscal 2016 would mark a spending increase of about $240 billion from the current year.

[gaijin]

Obama's $3.99 trillion budget plan for fiscal 2016 would mark a spending increase of about $240 billion from the current year.

Let's replace 'mindless austerity' with 'mindless spending'!

[Rich]

Despite raised tensions between the U.S. and North Korea recently, there are secret "talks about talks" taking place behind the scenes between the two countries

*Statehood*?!

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

We will take 1 million immigrants from NK.

[SusanM]

Obama's getting some tips on being a better Dear Leader.

[Tonio]

Well, if the Norks do capitulate, reform or whatever it will be a feather in the cap of whatever US administration is in power. That administration will get the credit, and the efforts of all previous administrations, other nations and particularly the South Koreans will be forgotten.

Just saying.

[UnCivilServant]

You have the talks backwards, the Obumbles people arenegotiating have the US become a state of North Korea.

[Mike Laursen]

Please, God, let it be Dennis Rodman who ends up being responsible for opening a door to North Korea. I want that in the history books someday.

[Lord Humungus]

Audit: Post Office Workers 'Rude' and 'Worse than Other Retailers'
USPS says audit is 'irrelevant,' customers won't go elsewhere

The U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) rude employees could cost the government $288.5 million in lost revenue, according to an audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG).

A growing number of Americans believe USPS is "worse than other retailers" when it comes to customer service, the audit said. The OIG partly blamed the American Postal Workers Union for the bad service, since the union requires the USPS to select employees for retail positions through seniority and not merit.

[Steve G]

In other news, a cloudless sky is reported to be blue

[The Laconic]

I could have told them that for free.

[Idle Hands]

Lol, everyone know that successful retail relies on hots and not seniority or merit.

[Tonio]

Or monopoly.

[Steve G]

USPS says audit is 'irrelevant,' customers won't go elsewhere

Your hubris, it's delicious!!
/Amazon

[Pope Jimbo]

I have a slacker friend who works at the USPS and he often says that the post office is the employer of last resort and many of his coworkers would never be able to function in a "real" job.

He has some great stories about them.

[Lord Humungus]

America's recipe for disaster: How new corporate "amnesty" plan could doom the economy

For over a decade, corporations have hoarded profits overseas, basically blackmailing the country into letting them return the money to the United States at a lower tax rate. Now, with the presentation of President Obama's budget, virtually everyone in Washington agrees this should happen, to "pay" for public works projects; the only real difference is in the details.

This leads to a strange double standard. When undocumented immigrants get a path to citizenship it's called "amnesty"; when corporations get to keep profits at a drastically reduced tax rate, a literal amnesty from the law, it's called a sound jobs policy. But the emerging deal could actually reduce investment and jobs, by indicating to corporations that they can dodge taxes and win a special exemption years later.

[gaijin]

"virtually everyone in Washington agrees"

Well then, who am I to disagree?!

[lap83]

"Corporations aren't people!!"

[BigT]

when corporations get to keep profits

You didn't build that!!

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Whoa, some damn fine journalism by Cathy Young here: Columbia student accused of raping mattress girl provides strong evidence of his innocence

This could be UVA: Part II

[Rich]

tl;dr

But what is a paul-emma chill sesh?

[SugarFree]

Another opportunity to claim he raped her.

[Crusty Juggler]

The smaller-chested senator of New York invited sweet Emma to the state of the union. Good move!

[WTF]

It's not like the major media will ever hold Gillibrand to account for any of this.

[Raston Bot]

while I'll be a monkey's uncle. i thought he was guilty due to multiple people having "similar" complaints but the complaints are of a different nature and from equally crazy accusers.

[Lord Humungus]

5 things men won't tell you about sex (but you need to know)

1) Men feel insecure about their bodies, too

2) Ask before you play with a dude's nipples

3) Men like to cuddle

4) They're not all interested in anal

5) Men and women are both on the same planet when it comes to sex

more glorious details in the Salon link

[Certified Public Asskicker]

We like to cuddle? I hate losing feeling in my arms.

[trshmnster the terrible]

Me too, but there are a few sweet spots that have enough meat to avoid that. One happens to be about 3" above and 1" out from the nipple. The pec protects your nerves.

[Rich]

Ask before you play with a dude's nipples

but go right for the adam's apple!

[The Laconic]

Or maybe we're people with varying tastes.

[SugarFree]

"I disagree with this. I think men do like to cuddle! They're just worried their partner might see it as weak and them as vulnerable. I think a lot of the time a man suggests sex, what they're really after is the physical closeness a cuddle would provide," womansplained a woman.

[Idle Hands]

She blinded by her maternal privilege!!!

[Crusty Juggler]

Just so everyone knows I am very interested in anal, but goodness gracious you should bring rubber sheets, just in case.

[Tonio]

Pro tip: If you're doing it right a towel should be all you need. One of those waterproof or microfiber sheets on top of the bed if you're insecure, inexperienced or using non-water based lube.

[invisible furry hand]

Your ideas are intriguing and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter

[Crusty Juggler]

Thank you! Someone just canceled their rubber sheets order on amazon (this guy).

[The Laconic]

Um... you're a professional at this?

[Raston Bot]

ALL five are completely wrong.

1. I don't give a fuck
2. Take what you want. Be assertive.
3. Buy a fucking puppy
4. WRONG
5. We're not even in the same galactic cluster.

[Rich]

Trayvon Martin's father to keynote 'black excellence' gala

"We hope this event brings about a revitalization of humanity of all people"

What is "change", chopped liver?

[Steve G]

"all people" Really?!?!, then how about you change the fuckin name of the gala you race-fixated twats?

Reminds me of BIG: Blacks in Government. Everytime I see something about that organization I can't believe they get away with such overt racism.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

His son was a bum.

THERE I SAID IT!

SUE ME UP HERE!

[sloopyinTEXAS]

I wanted to post a link and couldn't decide if I should go for the SWAT out of control angle or the bullshit asset forfeiture angle.

Fuck it. I'll just go for both.

[Rich]

Fairfax police said they could not discuss the Great Falls case since it is still under investigation.

"Ah, but you *did* just discuss it!"

[sloopyinTEXAS]

Fairfax police said they could not discuss the Great Falls case since it is still under investigation FUCK YOU, THAT'S WHY.

FIFY!

[Drax the Destroyer]

Keep it classy Fairfax. You state-worshipping-trough-feeding-cuntbags.

[straffinrun]

Two established poker pros were at the Great Falls table and another was hosting the game, taking a roughly 1.5 percent cut from the buy-ins to pay for two dealers and two assistants to make coffee runs or give massages to the players.

You gonna undercut uncle sam by only taking 1.5% AND give massages? Yeah, I'll take 2:1 you're gonna get swatted.

[sloopyinTEXAS]

This was all about the theft of the players money. They charged three people with misdemeanors that carry a max fine of $500. The Fairfax pigs just waned some new toys...or some more overtime in the budget.

[Raston Bot]

The regular player said the police told him, "The reason we're here is there are Asian gangs targeting these games," and it's certainly true that some private gambling events in Fairfax County have been robbed by nefarious elements. The player said he wanted to respond, "So you robbed us first," but he did not.

Deal cut. Players get 60% of their money back, police keep 40%.

[CatoTheElder]

Come on,guys ... the vice squad was acting in the interest of public safety.

the police told him, "The reason we're here is there are Asian gangs targeting these games," and it's certainly true that some private gambling events in Fairfax County have been robbed by nefarious elements. The player said he wanted to respond, "So you robbed us first"

[sloopyinTEXAS]

Three years probation for this seems lenient considering all the circumstances. I wonder what a "civilian" would have gotten for stealing peoples' phones, scanning them for nude pictures and then sending them to his coworkers. You know, all while armed.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news.....49441.html

[invisible furry hand]

I Didn't Vaccinate My Child?And I Regret It

Having a child, especially as an upper middle class white lesbian couple, felt like it came with a million decisions... Bliss reminds us that the point of vaccines isn't just to protect ourselves but our entire community. As a progressive, you'd think I'd get this. It's why I pay taxes willingly, even gleefully.

[SugarFree]

"Rand Paul slapped the vaccination bottle right out of my hand!" wails pro-science lesbian mother.

[Drax the Destroyer]

It's why I pay taxes willingly, even gleefully.

This is the enemy folks. Anybody capable of letting that thought out is nothing but a fucking monster in my book.

[Idle Hands]

yea I cannot understand that mentality. I don't think I've ever paid for anything "gleefully" except for one time I bought a bottle of Cabernet for like $2.00

[trshmnster the terrible]

It makes absolute sense. They literally think that the pittance they pay in taxes funds civilization as we know it. They believe that their tithe to government-god keeps them from having to love in a double wide next to cleetus klansman and mary sue Mennonite.

[Tonio]

I have no objection to her paying them, gleefully or otherwise, it's her presumed insistence that I pay taxes, and do so willingly, to which I object.

[Drax the Destroyer]

Yeah, that is fair. I think the problem is those that pay taxes "gleefully" also think we should be punished violently for not sharing their enthusiasm.

[The Laconic]

It's signaling, as always.

I bet she doesn't pay a dollar more than she's required to under threat of force.

[The Laconic]

So... protecting your own child wasn't sufficient reason? Nice mom.

[Tonio]

The checkout clerk at the pet food store is convinced that Prairie Dog (brand) Antlers come from...actual prairie dogs. Because she found a picture on the internet. Despite the clear labelling deer, elk, etc. Must be swiss.

[SugarFree]

Oh, my. She shouldn't be handling food for human consumption.

[Tonio]

PET food store, Sug. Of course our definitions of "pet" may vary. 😛

[SugarFree]

Oops. She's still an idiot.

[Steve G]

+1 jackalope

[Tonio]

Yes, I mentioned that. She thought I said "jackal". I decided that further engagement was a waste of my time.

[Steve G]

wow, that's even better

[Lord Humungus]

Senior Citizens hit hardest.

[Steve G]

Prairie Dog Antlers is ...people?!?!

[Swiss Servator, ... Switzy!]

ITS A SEA BUG, NOT A PRAIRIE DOG!!!!

[sloopyinTEXAS]

Male NYPD cop violently assaults uniformed female transit worker on platform in front of multiple witnesses. Faces what are probably different charges than a male transit employee would face if he assaulted a female uniformed cop, according to transit employees union.

Don't worry. One way or another the taxpayers will pay for this one.

(As an added FUCK YOU, the District Attorney's ofice pretty much told the reporter to pound sand when they questioned the charge's leniency.)

[The Late P Brooks]

Speaking of uneducated and ill-informed NewsBarbies: the Bloomberg morning girl was teasing her show by talking about those mean old obstructionist Republicans, who resolutely barricade the Road to Progress with their refusal to allow anything to be done.

Somebody should take the blabbering little nitwit aside and tell her the Republicans run both Houses, now.

[UnCivilServant]

Somebody should take the blabbering little nitwit aside and tell her the Republicans run both Houses, now.

Domchaknow, that's how they're soo effective at obstructicating.

[John]

Behold the wonderful power of the market.

http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/201808/

Thanks to a social media program that allows students to share evaluations of classes and professors, a group of honors students at Eastern Michigan managed to get some PC indoctrination bullshit class canceled for lack of attendance.

There are some upsides to bad economic times. In the past, students mostly correctly assumed that it didn't matter what they did or learned in college. It just mattered that they went and got the degree and they would get a job. That is no longer true. Students who are not trust fund babies have to actually get value from college or risk living in an Occupy Wall Street camp with a masters in Puppetry and $150,000 in debt. Most people don't want to be puppet guy. So now they are starting to demand some value for there money.

My wife works in higher ed and she tells me the competition for students among all but the highest rated schools is brutal. At this point why would anyone whose parents didn't print their own money go to a place like Otterbein? What would you learn there other than how to be a troll on Facebook? The higher ed bubble is starting to burst. Schools are either going to have to provide value or not attract any paying students. Political indoctrination and hate studies doesn't get you a job. I think the SJWs are about to lose their cush tenured positions.

[sloopyinTEXAS]

FTA: While the faculty union is in an uproar, demanding measures like punishment for the offending students and a ban on Yik Yak...

Censorship: the progressive go-to when their ideas are rejected.

[John]

What is even funnier than their desire to ban Yik Yak is their nativity in thinking that would make any difference. There is no way to stop students from telling each other how badly you and your class sucks. And since job prospects are not what they once were, students now care about that. It is going to be a tough future for these people.

[sloopyinTEXAS]

Not until the tenure system is replaced by a merit system.

Starting from Kindergarten on.

[John]

Your tenure is no good if your employer goes bankrupt. Even if it doesn't, they still can cut your position. They just owe you a buy out. That is what is going to start happening. Schools are going to start going broke and others are going to start cutting programs that don't attract students and buying out the profs in them.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say it won't be the business or the science departments that will fail to attract students. It will be the hate studies departments and the various Marxist post modern liberal arts departments.

[sloopyinTEXAS]

If you're out on that limb, look out for the left carrying a Title IX saw.

[John]

They can't force people to go to college. They can force those colleges to fund those departments but they can't make students go there or keep the colleges in business. The government can keep shoveling money at the state schools, but there is a limit to even that. And there is no government to save the private schools.

At some point you run out of other people's money. And they are about to hit that point.

[trshmnster the terrible]

The school still has the power. Simply offer classes less often, cut class size, and make the class mandatory (or near mandatory), and the students lose all their power.

Due to scheduling, I had a choice between two classes last semester for my elective. Either I could take environmental law with Professor Chip OnShoulder or business forms with Professor Kant StayOnTopic-McSlightlyRacist.

Despite hearing terrible things about both profs, I had to choose one. Needless to say, I made the wrong decision (which doesn't imply there was a right one).

[John]

Yes, they can do all of that. But the student still has the power to chose to attend another school. That is the point. Since a college degree isn't a guarantee of a good job and middle class life anymore, the schools won't be able to get away with running indoctrination factories. The students won't put up with it because they can no longer afford to. The schools that don't offer any value and just offer PC indoctrination will over time stop attracting students and either change or die. Thus is the wonderful power of the market.

[This Machine Loves Koch]

Well, a man can dream, anyway.

[Pope Jimbo]

These guys don't seem to mind that they are puppetry dudes.

http://www.puppetryofthepenis.com/ (NSFW?)

[lap83]

"thanks to a social media program that allows students to share evaluations of classes and professors, a group of honors students at Eastern Michigan managed to get some PC indoctrination bullshit class canceled for lack of attendance."

That must be ratemyprofessor. Good site.

[John]

No. it is another one called Yik Yak.,

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Don't be a 'climate-system change' denier!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....z3Qh5Mf2An

[DEG]

Silk Road founder's parents talk with CNN/Money.

[Matrix]

Prosecutor still seeking grand jury indictment against doctor whose charges were dismissed by a judge in a self-defense shooting

Road-rage incident. The "victim" followed the doctor and his wife all the way to their house and blocked their car in when they were parked in the garage. And this 76 year old doctor and his wife are expected, by the prosecutor, to flee into their home and lock themselves in to avoid being attacked by their pursuer.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

404.

[John]

You SFed the link.

Rushing into the house to retrieve a handgun, Simon fired a warning shot, and then fired two shots that struck the trespasser.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2.....html#links

That DA is an evil fanatic. This is a DA trying to make gun ownership illegal by making any use of them in self defense a crime, judge be damned.

[Matrix]

sorry