Judge Halts Obama's Immigration Order, Italy Eyes ISIS Warily, Justin Bieber Gets Pelted with Eggs: P.M. Links

Dave Weigel covers the International Students for Liberty Conference

• 

  Comedy Central

  The Obama administration has decided to hit the pause button on its immigration plan after a Texas judge blocked key parts of it.

• ISIS attacks in Libya raise concerns across the Mediterranean.
• Here is The Atlantic's thinkpiece on ISIS that everybody is talking about.
• Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz might run for Sen. Marco Rubio's Senate seat.
• Dave Weigel covers the International Students for Liberty Conference, or "bow ties and slam poetry."
• Read Reason on the conference here and here.
• Here's Justin Bieber getting pelted with eggs. No explanation necessary.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

ISIS attacks in Libya raise concerns across the Mediterranean.

ISIS is building the coalition to fight it Bush or Obama never could.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

[MJGreen]

Rough day?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Tax season.

So yeah.

[C. Anacreon]

I thought Canadians didn't have to pay taxes, because of the largesse in revenues from all those beaver pelts.

[BigT]

Bieber pelts?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Here's Justin Bieber getting pelted with eggs.

In the old days they threw panties.

[Slammer]

They should have hard-boiled then frozen those eggs.

[Furburguesa]

Then shot them through a cannon

[Los Doyers]

Freeze your paintballs before, n00b.

[jesse.in.mb]

Y'all are thinking too small.

Use the eggs they incubate the flu vaccine virus in.

[Bobarian (hyphenated-american)]

No explanation necessary.

Because he's Canadian?

[John Titor]

Hey, what'd we ever do to you Hyphenated-Americans?

[Bobarian (hyphenated-american)]

Sent Bieber here?

[John Titor]

We didn't send him there, Bieber migrated south on his own and Canadians collectively breathed a sign of relief.

Celine Dion is totally a secret weapons project though.

[Stormy Dragon]

Put a line break in the middle of their ethnic identity.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Dave Weigel covers the International Students for Liberty Conference...

Pass.

[Medical Physics Guy]

I think I may have been at the first libertarian slam poetry event. It occurred at the first IHS seminar on Liberty, Art, and Culture at Bryn Mawr, which I attended in my grad school daze. It was awesome. Gillespie and Freund were on the faculty. Maybe there's another alum who comments in the links. Maybe not.

[Andrew S.]

TPM writer questions why Joe Biden is allowed to get away with all kinds of creepy behavior. TPM readers respond, of course, by bashing the writer with misogynist comments and tell her that she needs to lay off Biden.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Pass.

[Brett L]

I mean he's no Bill Clinton, or wvwn Al Gore in that department.

[John Titor]

Actual brain damage from the whole aneurysm thing?

[Homple]

Hair plugs set too deep?

[Bobarian (hyphenated-american)]

Maybe some are growing the wrong direction?

[Stormy Dragon]

Attachment disorder from too much time on Amtrak?

[Illocust]

I think we are going to be seeing more of this sort of thing. More and more feminists are becoming less of war on women democrats and more team feminist. It's going to bite dems in the ass when all those insane standards they tried to hold everyone else to gets applied to them.

[PapayaSF]

I also think this is going to hurt Hillary. She's a long-time enabler for a sexual predator, and she even attacks his victims. How is she supposed to be some feminist exemplar?

[Redmanfms]

How is she supposed to be some feminist exemplar?

Cognitive dissonance.

[The Last American Hero]

She's well educated, plays for Team Blue, and doesn't have a dick. That's all that any of her supporters have been able to articulate to me as to why she should be in the White House.

[Charles Easterly]

I also hear "experience" quite a bit, Hero. Yet when asked for examples few supporters offer anything concrete.

[CatoTheElder]

She was Secretary of State. She was so successful that radical Islam is stronger than ever. Russia and China are more alienated from the US than any time since the Reagan-Gorbachev days and the rest of the world has even less respect than it did during the Bush years. Assuming those were the US objectives in foreign policy, since these outcomes were quite predictable, Hillary has impressive experience in getting things done.

[UCrawford]

That's because most of her supporters are people who confuse a title with an accomplishment.

I usually ask them to explain to me how, specifically, what she did in that office was helpful...how, specifically, her actions improved any situation. Usually her supporters either call me a hater at that point or run away from the conversation.

[PapayaSF]

I believe someone has said that Hillary has a lot of activities, but not a lot of accomplishments.

[wareagle]

the same way that everything you know about her, anything she has done, and what she aspires to be all stem from having married Bill make her an accomplished woman.

[Ted S.]

She has a vulva and believes the right things.

[Pope Jimbo]

Why does it matter what type of a car she drives?

Do people really support her because she drives a sensible Swedish car?

[SugarFree]

I love this comment. It's alternate history the retard way:

I feel so bad for Biden. He would seriously have been one of the best qualified and most-loved presidents ever, if he hadn't had the bad timing of history putting Obama and Hillary out there at the same time. If Biden had been elected in 2008, he could have pushed through policies more liberal than Obama has, and since the right-wing nuts wouldn't have had the racial issue to play on, there would have been no "Tea Party" to rise up against it. The same people who are willing to believe Obama is a secret Muslim socialist would have loved "just folks" Joe, and we'd likely have had a public option in the ACA, would probably already have dealt with immigration reform and people would be saying Joe was the best president ever.

"And if we gave the Nazis NUCLEAR DINOSAURS! they totally would have won WWII!"

[Andrew S.]

Peak derp*!

(until someone else says something dumber, which has probably already happened)

[Medical Physics Guy]

As soon as an event is recognized as peak derp a new peak derp has already occurred. It's like Schrodinger's cat.

[SugarFree]

"The act of observing Peak Derp creates more derp than can be observed at that time. Perk Derp can never be reached."

[Charles Easterly]

I heard that Peak Derp is simultaneously unattainable and regularly achieved.

But my understanding springs wholly from the Cohen brothers movie "A Serious Man" - so I may be both incorrect and correct.

Or not.

Perhaps.

[CE]

+1 Astro-Turf Tea Party.

[John Titor]

Well now that they're been in power for six years and have been shown to be as incompetent as their opponents the only option they've got is making fantasy worlds to set their utopia in, since in this world the 'deny anything's wrong' strategy is failing miserably.

"In some corner of the multiverse, President Biden has validated us!"

[Almanian!]

You know you're desperate when you're reduced to, "If only Uncle Joe had won, IT WOULD BE BETTER!"

That's a sadbeard world right there...

[John]

I thought Biden was always an Al Gore Bill Clinton moderate Democrat type

[SugarFree]

Desperation does strange things to the human mind. Biden is a left-Messiah. Holder's only failure is not passing gun laws. People only hate Obama because of his skin color.

They put LSD in the Kool-Aid, I think.

[Virginian]

I thought Biden was always an Al Gore Bill Clinton moderate Democrat type

He is a supposed foreign relations expert who has been laughably wrong many many times. He got elected to the Senate in 1972, and has been there ever since.

I just do not understand people who take certain politicians seriously. I mean, someone like George HW Bush who was CIA Director and a bunch of other stuff I can understand taking seriously. Someone like Cheney. Someone like Panetta. I can respect them as serious people, even I disagree with them.

But Biden? Joe Biden? He has been the pet retard of the Congress for four decades and I'm supposed to respect him?

[PapayaSF]

Indeed. Biden-worship is one of the more puzzling of the phenomena I've seen among Democrats in recent years. The guy has a gaffe record that exceeds Dan Quayle's. Plus the plagiarizing of another politician's life story.

[Timon 19]

Is the Parks & Rec Leslie Knope fawning over Biden part of the meta-joke, or is it half-serious?

[MJGreen]

I'm pretty sure that, by any metric, Obama is to the left of Biden. At least in 2008.

[Auric Demonocles]

But... Biden need brain... for smartmaking!

[Andrew S.]

I am Biden. Please insert girder.

[MJGreen]

I already did!

[Virginian]

I wonder if that person is aware that Biden ran in 1988 but lost the nomination to Michael Dukakis.

I mean, mull that over. Biden got crushed in both primaries he ran in by absolute nonentities.

[HeteroPatriarch]

Well, if he hadn't had the bad timing of history putting Dukakis and Biden out there at the same time...

[tarran]

It's so sad; these people have been trained like seals to think that the only reason why people oppose Obama's stupid policies is that they don't like his skin color.

If their brains ever produced an independent or innovative thought, they'd probably ascribe it to bad weed.

[MJGreen]

With Biden as president, I think all they would have gotten is the stimulus and Dodd-Frank. I doubt he'd put much energy into a health care law, but he might have put it into Iraq. So no PPACA or single payer, but possibly continued involvement in Iraq. He loses the election in 2012.

I'm sure progressives would've been so happy.

[Ted S.]

President Kinnock? No thank you.

[Trouser-Pod]

Looks like Sug has the premise of his next politi-fic story: a teen girl secretly harbors a Biden fetish and pleasures herself into a fugue/alt. universe where Lord Biden defeats the evil robot king, or somesuch.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz might run for Sen. Marco Rubio's Senate seat.

I suppose she's dumb enough to qualify.

[Brett L]

Only because Bill Nelson still laughs in her face about her transparent attempt to get himto run for governor so she could run as his successor. She is a mediocre politician in no danger of outsmarting herself.

[Andrew S.]

"Mediocre"? You're giving her way too much credit.

(My dad lives in her district. He donates her money. A good deal of money. Sigh.)

[Ted S.]

He figures it's easier to do this than disown you. 😐

[Pro Libertate]

Well, guess it'll stay Republican, even if Rubio were to leave office.

[Old Man With Candy]

She is the Dems' answer to Michelle Bachmann, crazy eyes and all.

Can't wait until they make the commercials with her attacking Jews who marry outside the tribe.

[wareagle]

She is the Dems' answer to Michelle Bachmann, crazy eyes and all.

I thought that was Warren.

[Old Man With Candy]

Eyes not crazy and she doesn't sound as hysterical.

[Pope Jimbo]

She may be crazy, but Bachmann is still pretty good looking. Don't smear her by comparing her to DWS.

[Pope Jimbo]

I mean, you show me a pic of DWS swooning over a big footlong and I'll listen to the rest of your arguments. But until then, piss off!

http://baltimorepostexaminer.c.....eating.jpg

[Old Man With Candy]

How about getting ready to french kiss a mulatto?

http://www.zimbio.com/photos/D.....PBcnTfzYxJ

[Pathogen]

Looks like she had actually, finally washed her hair in that pic. Remarkable...

[Entropy Void]

DWS is the Medusa ...

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

[Hyperion]

Is she going to wash her hair before the campaign? Is there a rule in the Senate that you HAVE TO wash your hair, like once a term or something? Just curious.

[Entropy Void]

You don't just "wash" snakes ...

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Obama administration has decided to hit the pause button on its immigration plan after a Texas judge blocked key parts of it.

Pivot to jobs?

[Slammer]

Britain's first small penis party to encourage positive body image for men

Possibly NSFW: cartoon dick drawings.

Here's what the ORGANizer has to say

[Brett L]

I'm comfortable in the largest standard deviation of the bell curve.

[Ted S.]

I'm comfortable being well on the right end of that curve. 😉

[jesse.in.mb]

Both of you, pics or it didn't happen.

[Ted S.]

I don't have a lens with a wide enough angle to capture mine in its glorious enormity.

Besides, you only want the photos for your porn stash, don't you?

[jesse.in.mb]

porn stash

Ahem. The Vault. "Stash" makes it sound like something somebody might just stumble across and see.

[Pathogen]

"Stash" just makes in sound... sordid.

[Los Doyers]

Mine reflects any and all visible light. Goggles optional but highly recommended.

[Pope Jimbo]

Shoot, I can ring a bell with mine!

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Doesn't the Conservative Party already fill that role?

[See Double You]

ISIS attacks in Libya raise concerns across the Mediterranean.

If only their attacks were directed at concern trolls.

[Jordan]

France's top baguette baker ordered to stop working seven days a week

"I am treated like a thug just because I asked to work," said Mr Cazeneuve, winner of the "best baguette of France" award last year for his crusty loaves. "Working shouldn't be a crime in France," he told France 3.

"That work can be seen as a crime in our country and the passion of a craftsman bridled in such a way should be a wake up call for us to the absurdity of our system," wrote Francois Fillon, a former prime minister with the centre-Right UMP party. A petition called "Let Stephane Cazenave work" has garnered 30,000 signatures.

Francois Bayrou, head of the centrist Modem group, also supported the baker, saying: "There is perpetual suspicion, an inquisitorial doubt about those who want to work."
In a country whose unemployment has hit record levels, he said: "One gets the impression that the desire to create new jobs is viewed as something bad in France and is punished."

Obama says you didn't build that baguette.

[See Double You]

Working shouldn't be a crime in France.

Was it ever legal there?

[VG Zaytsev]

We've really gone into bizarro world when a French Union president is defending someone's demand to work more.

[Andrew S.]

The Socialist government insisted it is promoting more flexibility, but that the bakers themselves helped draw up the current rules.

Jean-Pierre Crouzet, head of the national baker's and confectioner's confederation said it made sense to uphold the rules to encourage competition by obliging people to buy bread elsewhere at least once a week.

"They aren't to prevent people from working but to ensure a balance, to promote the quality of products," he said.

So... forcing people to buy an inferior product one day a week for no apparent reason somehow encourages "competition"? We have very different definitions of that word, Msr. Crouzet.

[Anonymous Coward]

In Socialist speak, competition is the illusion of actual competition, but in really, it is government slicing up the pie for a protected class, making sure nobody gets more than they are allowed. In this case, cartelism.

[Irish]

Purposefully hamstringing the most successful participants is what competition is all about.

For example, the NBA would be a way better product if we just cut off one of Lebron James' arms.

[Jordan]

I wonder what it's like to read Harrison Bergeron and come away from it thinking that Diana Moon Glampers is the protagonist.

[Redmanfms]

Dude, this is a country that only allows retailers to have sales twice a year.

The truth is, much of Europe works on a "wink and a nod" grey economy that is conducted in cash because of how fucking asstardedly officious and bureaucratic the Eurozone is, with France being one of the worst.

When this baker is forced to close once a week "to foster competition" he'll almost certainly still work and sell his product to known customers on the downlow for cash.

Think about buying drugs in America, that's how France works for damn near everything unless you are either really wealthy or don't mind living like an 18th Century peasant. It's a nightmare being a new expat/immigrant there before you've figured out the peculiarities of the wink-and-a-nod system.

[bodenlosen Schweinerei]

In Italy it was (probably still is) a crime to sell something for less than its retail price. I'm sure things are the same through most of Europe, but I'm all sure this no way relates to or encourages a culture of serial tax-dodging.

[MJGreen]

He took mon jerbs!

[Ted S.]

He should make them use force to stop him.

[Bill Dalasio]

My guess is that, if they keep that crap up, they might soon find that Mr. Cazeneuve is the top baguette baker somewhere other than France.

[DEG]

"Hard work never killed anybody - but it is illegal in some places."

[Free Society]

France's top baguette baker ordered to stop working seven days a week

The prescriptions of socialism are no less superstitious than the prescriptions of various religions.

[Auric Demonocles]

Took a look at the company forum, and found a thread about maternity/paternity leave. So far it's an echo chamber saying it should be increased from the current 8 weeks/1 week respectively. I'm struggling to resist the temptation to ask them if I should get to take that time anyway, in celebration of my lifestyle choice to not have a kid.

[tarran]

Don't.... just don't.

You have to work with these people. Just keep sleeping your way through the redheads and leave them blissfully ignorant of your unmutual thoughts.

[Auric Demonocles]

Sadly there's really only one option at work that fits the bill, and she has shown zero interest in the 2 years she's been here outside of one night when we happened to run into each other at a bar near my place while she was very drunk (and even then it was pretty low interest).

Also I'm seeing someone right now, so that might put a damper on the whole redhead harem idea.

[DEG]

Fishing off the company pier is usually not a good idea.

[Auric Demonocles]

I agree, which is why I haven't tried with anyone else and was very cautious with this particular one. But if she had been willing it would have completely been worth it.

[Brett L]

"Also I'm seeing someone right now, so that might put a damper on the whole redhead harem idea."

I have the largest haram in the world. Every woman not my wife is haram to me.

[jesse.in.mb]

How do you feel about bokos though?

[Brett L]

Never touch the stuff

[Brett L]

The first time theough I read "rednecks" and thought "that's a terrible strategy."

[DEG]

I second tarran's opinion.

[Brett L]

Forget it, Goldie. Cis-breeder privilege is too strong. Also 1 week is just about perfect for paternity leave IME. I was totally ready to go back to work.

[Auric Demonocles]

I don't really have any problem with the company policy, and if I do have a kid someday I will take advantage of whatever bonus paid time off they offer me.

I just find the screeching from parents for special treatment annoying.

[Brett L]

I get it. I had to talk my wife through why voluntary Pre-kindergarten funded by taxpayers with jobs like us had to be the most expensive option she could advocate for. God bless her, I only have to tell he how mich the government withholds from my paycheck to turn her angrily anti-government. She'd be leading the riots if we didn't have tax withholding.

[HeteroPatriarch]

My company doesn't offer paternity leave. I'm hoping the kid is born on a friday so I don't have to take any vacation time.

[Doghouse Riley Jr.]

Oh, sure, next you'll want to enroll your imaginary child in the public school system just because you pay taxes to support them.

[Ted S.]

When you start thanking me for taking up the slack while you're on leave, I might start think about granting longer leave.

[Auric Demonocles]

But Ted, you're single and childless. You don't deserve time off!

[Brett L]

Or a raise! You'd probably just spend it on strippers and booze.

[Auric Demonocles]

And certainly, we have to fire him when it's layoff time. He doesn't have anyone depending on him!

[Brett L]

Ooh. Good point.

[Pro Libertate]

Breeding a child-cyborg in a vat counts as having a kid, dude.

[Coeus]

Porn star Cytherea robbed and gangraped in her home with her kids present.

LAS VEGAS ? Metro Police arrested three teens in connection with a home invasion, robbery and sexual assault in the southwest valley.

Qumaire Rainey, 18, Edward London, 17, and 16-year-old Casey Franks have been taken into police custody. Both London and Franks have been certified as adults, Metro said.

"This is not stealing candy or clothes or shoplifting," Lt. David McGrath of Metro Police said. "This is the extreme level of violence."

Lieutenant McGrath is investigating what he calls a rare case. Five teens are accused of kicking in the door of a random home in the southwest valley.

"This family didn't know these individuals," McGrath said.

Detectives said at around 10 p.m. on Jan. 19, the suspects broke into a home in the 9200 block of Weeping Hollow Avenue. Officers said during the break-in, an occupant of the home was robbed and sexually assaulted.
Two children and three adults were inside the house and police say they were robbed, held at gunpoint, and a woman was raped.

McGrath says the motive appears to be robbery, but it's unclear how and why things escalated.

[See Double You]

Shit that's awful. Where did you get that it was Cytherea who was the victim?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

What I was thinking.

Also I notice the suspects are black.

I'm sorry. Was that...racist?

[Free Society]

What I was thinking.

Also I notice the suspects are black.

I'm sorry. Was that...racist?

The historical disadvantages of slavery made them do it. So really, the sum total of all white people raped that woman.

[HeteroPatriarch]

Shit. Our bad.

[C. Anacreon]

I'm wondering how all three guys ended up wearing the same shirt.

[Bill Dalasio]

Haven't found any stories that cite her specifically.

That said, doesn't really matter who these bastards did that to. I hope they all do hard time.

[PapayaSF]

On January 19th, 2015, Cytherea and her family was victims of a home invasion by five armed men. The armed men held them at gun point, stole valuable items, and sexually assaulted Cytherea. The five men was later apprehended and their court date is set on February 23rd.

"Qumaire"? Cripes.

[Bill Dalasio]

Not a fan of vigilante justice. But, if they're guilty, lock every one of them up. And let everyone in the prison know who they are and what they did.

[Free Society]

Blacks guilty of raping white (adult) women are not all that unpopular in prison, aside from the Aryan Brotherhood types.

[Illocust]

Raping a porn star though? Especially if it means she quits her job and they don't get to enjoy her work anymore?

[PapayaSF]

I don't think this bunch was much into the whole "think of the consequences" thing.

[Coeus]

Mercedes Carrera

[Anonymous Coward]

Mormon girls just can't get a break.

[John]

That is horrible. Another reason to own a gun. This could have been a feel good story about a kid who shot three worthless criminals defending his mother.

[See Double You]

I'm amazed (but not surprised) with the evil that groupthink causes individuals to perpetrate.

[John]

Yeah because nothing says evil like thinking three people who broke into a woman's home and gang raped her are deserve to be shot.

Good for you to side with people who would do something like that. Nothing evil there.

[Bill Dalasio]

John, I think the reference was to the rapists, not to those of us who think they deserved a bullet. The article itself cites their behavior as a result of groupthink.

[John]

And fuck off Mary.

[See Double You]

Wow, Reason censors Mary pretty quickly. For a second I thought you were talking to ME.

*wipes brow*

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

He was. John shoots from the hip without understanding sometimes. Often times.

[See Double You]

Yeah, I started to think that once more after I read his response again. I guess I wasn't very clear. Oh well.

[John]

I fail to see how this relates to group think. But fair enough.

[See Double You]

In the video from the article, the reporter interviews a psychologist to explain why those guys did what they did.

He attributed their conduct to groupthink.

[John]

My fault. Sorry.

[See Double You]

No problem. 😉

[Heroic Mulatto]

I fail to see how this relates to group think.

"Peer pressure" might be a better term.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Wow. Way off. Read again, John.

[Bobarian (hyphenated-american)]

What does this have to do with body armor?

[Coeus]

who shot three worthless criminals defending his mother.

5. Two haven't been caught yet.

[Redmanfms]

THE BATFE IS CONSIDERING A CHANGE OF EXEMPTION THAT WOULD BAN THE MANUFACTURE, IMPORT, AND SALE OF M855 5.56mm BALL AMMUNITION. This is currently the most widely available inexpensive "mil-surp" ammunition in 5.56mm.

IF YOU GIVE A SHIT ABOUT FIREARMS RIGHTS START BITCHING *LOUDLY* NOW

Link to batfucker proposal.

db, in case you didn't see it in the morning links I apologize for having been an asshole.

[db]

Red,

Apology accepted. I didn't handle that very well either. I did say a couple of things that were incorrect in terms of the past laws and exec orders. I still think we're disagreeing over nothing on the technological issue of ball vs not-ball but it doesn't matter.

*offers hand*

[jesse.in.mb]

Here's Justin Bieber getting pelted with eggs. No explanation necessary.

Is this pre- or post- photoshop Bieber? It matters.

[Ted S.]

Why would you want to look at Bieber at all?

[jesse.in.mb]

I wouldn't, but if it's the difference between a douchey looking pre-pubescent lesbian and a douchey looking dude, I'm gonna go for the douchey looking dude.

[Rhywun]

I don't care how much they "enhance" him - it still makes me throw up.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I made a pretty nice pre-photoshop Bieber this morning. Interesting coloring too, from the antibiotics.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

What's with the obsession with Justin Bieber? Save the energy for Lou Reed already.

[waffles]

He's dead Rufus. It was briefly mentioned somewhere.

[MJGreen]

Bieber's finally dead? Our continental nightmare is over?

[Anomalous]

Lou Reed is dead? NOOOOO!!!

[Slammer]

72 year old retired schoolteacher faces 10 years in prison over flintlock pistol.

Gordon Van Gilder, a 72-year-old retired schoolteacher in New Jersey, faces a 10-year prison sentence for possessing an unloaded 18th-century flintlock pistol in his car.

Mr. Van Gilder, a collector of 18th-century memorabilia, said he had the gun unloaded and wrapped in a cloth in the glove compartment of his vehicle when he was pulled over in November by a Cumberland County sheriff's deputy for a minor traffic violation, according to a video posted last week by NRA News.

After consenting to a search of his vehicle, Mr. Van Gilder said he alerted the deputy of the pistol in his glove box. The deputy let him go that night, but four police officers showed up at his home the next morning with an arrest warrant, he told NRA News.

"Beware of New Jersey. Don't come here. Don't live here," Mr. Van Gilder said. "Here I am, a retired teacher coming out of his house in handcuffs, who had a flintlock pistol and now I'm charged as a felon. It's unbelievable. It's outrageous. It's an insult to decent people."

[MJGreen]

Of course it's New Jersey.

[John]

Remember this when Fatso is claiming he cares about gun rights. As governor he could stop this case today if he wanted to.

[Andrew S.]

I honestly think I'd rather have Hillary in office than Christie. I hate him with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns.

[Virginian]

Yeah fuck him hard. Is there anything worse then a Northeastern Republican? They're tax hiking gun grabbing War on Drugs loving pieces of shit. They take everything good the Republicans stand for and chuck it overboard.

[Libertymike]

Please, pray tell, all the good for which Republicans stand?

The gap between Republican rhetoric and Republican reality is wider than the grand canyon.

Republican governance means bigger, fatter, more intrusive government and more and more socialism.

[Virginian]

Guns and taxes, they're solid enough on that. I actually think a conservative President, as opposed to George Bush's "socialism with Jesus added in" would do some decent things as well.

[Libertymike]

You mean they have filed and voted for legislation abolishing the income tax, the estate tax and the gasoline excise tax? As well as the abolition of the IRS?

Have they done anything to abolish each and every federal gun statute?

[Virginian]

So either they're perfect or they're worthless? I mean, I see where you're coming from, but if you expect politicians to give up revenue sources, I think you're a little naive.

[John]

I would take Hillary. She wouldn't be any worse and at least the Democrats would own her sorry ass.

[Free Society]

Hilary is more of a conservative than the likes of Christie. Even Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck played down their previous positivity towards Christie after he spent the aftermath of that hurricane with his mouth wrapped around Obama's cock.

[Anonymous Coward]

So what? He committed a trivial violation of some silly gun law. He should call Dick Gregory's attorney and...

Wait, what? You mean Mr. Van Gilder isn't a TOP MAN? He's not a court eunuch to the D.C. elite? Why didn't you say that before? Jail this worthless peasant!

[Anonymous Coward]

By Dick, I meant DAVID Gregory...who is a dick.

[Irish]

In DC, they convicted a man for having a muzzleloader bullet that wasn't even a live since it had no internal gun powder.

Think about that for a minute. They basically convicted him for having a glorified rock.

[CE]

He should have told them it was a marble.

[tarran]

Lead balls are illegal in DC? Waht about the stacked cannon balls in the parks?!?

[Emmerson Biggins]

To be fair, it was an evil NRA-loving rock.

[VG Zaytsev]

They basically convicted him for having a glorified rock.

Or a fishing weight.

[See Double You]

Similar shit has happened to Shaneen Allen.

Fuck you, New Jersey.

[CE]

You know who else tried to take flintlocks away from New Englanders?

[See Double You]

King George III?

[KDN]

His mistake. He should have retired to Florida as soon as he put in his papers like the majority of his peers.

[See Double You]

"You fucked up. You trusted us."

-New Jersey

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Jesus Christ.

[Ted S.]

Fuck New Jersey.

[Andrew S.]

Haven't I heard progs say that the 2nd Amendment only allows the possession of muskets?

(note that a flintlock pistol isn't considered a gun under federal law. The only place I know of that it's considered to be a gun is in New Jersey)

[Brian D]

After consenting to a search of his vehicle,

Well there's yer problem.

[C. Anacreon]

Yes, I was going to ask, why does a police officer at a 'minor traffic stop' even ask to search an elderly man's vehicle? I just got a speeding ticket the other day and didn't get asked if they could search my car. What is the reasoning that's not said, did the car reek of alcohol or dope?

Otherwise, I would imagine that there's usually not much reason to search the car of old guys who failed to stop sufficiently before making a right-on-red. What's the yield on that likely to be? Something's being omitted here.

Perhaps he had a bumper sticker saying 'ask me about my ancient gun".

[CatoTheElder]

"After consenting to a search of his vehicle"

You youngsters are probably asking, "Why would he do a stupid thing like that?"

Old people can't grasp the fact the the US is no longer a free country. It really never was, but it's a damn sight worse than it was 50 years ago.

[John]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/a.....libya.html

Italy fears ISIS invasion. Italy has 5,000 people in its army. Fucking pathetic. I have little doubt they are going to show up in Europe. It is just a matter of time.

[Brett L]

Cartago delenda non!

[Virginian]

5,000? 5,000?

Caesar, Andrea Doria, and Giuseppe Garibaldi are either laughing or crying right now.

[John Titor]

Italy has 5,000 people in its army.

*Ethiopian general suddenly looks up, grins, sprints back to base.*

[Rufus J. Firefly]

What you talking 'bout Willis?

175k strong.

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

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Not that much smaller than France:

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

[Rufus J. Firefly]

They're talking about 5000 deployable.

My knowledge of the military is limited. If you have 175k (plus 140k reserves) 5000 seems low to me.

[Entropy Void]

New Battle Rifle for sale.
Never fired, only dropped once.
Please inquire with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Armed_Forces

Greenpeace members need not apply.

[DEG]

That's all armed forces. ~105K for the Army alone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Army

[DEG]

While Italy is still in NATO they can call on a lot more than that.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Still, weird only 5000 are ready to be deployed? Something is not jiving.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

'Ndregheta is reported to have as many as 5000 soldiers for crying out loud!

Just saying.

[bodenlosen Schweinerei]

That's the answer: unleash the SCU!

[Irish]

"Still, weird only 5000 are ready to be deployed? Something is not jiving."

It's Italy. Maybe the remaining 100,000 people are just the cousins of politicians collecting a pension.

[Slammer]

Maybe they have a lot of cooks? Making shitty non-pizza deep-dish.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

No deep dish in Italy from what I saw.

[Pro Libertate]

Only the (exiled) royal family gets deep dish.

[Raven Nation]

Assuming this is accurate, it might explain things a little:

http://saganic.blogspot.com/20.....e-are.html

[Pro Libertate]

That refers to 5,000 robots. You know those arches, like the Arch of Trajan? Actually giant stone robots.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Yeah, but even when they had conscription and an expansionist leadership Italy was so weak and pathetic they barely conquered Ethiopia before getting their asses kicked by the Greeks.

They haven't been impressive militarily since Caesar's 13th Legion.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Well, it wasn't a country until the 19th century to be fair.

But, Venice was pretty strong. Genoa had a strong army.

In fact, the City-States had they amalgamated or consolidated power had more wealth and men than any country in Europe. Coulda made for interesting times in Europe.

[Slammer]

LOL reasonable blocks C(ity)-S(tate)

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I don't get it.

But your joke from this morning still resonates!

[Slammer]

If you type out City-States reasonable filters it. Why it does so is from before my time.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Interesting.

[DEG]

I think the reason involves gamboling...

[Pathogen]

(W)itless (I)mbeciles...

[Pro Libertate]

Venice was a serious power at its height.

[John]

Deployable, as in ready now. That 175 figure includes reserves.

Sorry, should have said "active army"

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Ah, it's inclusive with the Carabinieri and reserves? I read it as plus, plus, plus.

[Jerry on the sea]

Don't count out the 25k strong Sicilian corpo forestale.

[See Double You]

They'll come through the Pyrenees first, only to be beaten back by someone named The Hammer.

[Irish]

"Italy has 5,000 people in its army."

Serious thought: In a stand up fight, if Italy didn't have NATO to protect them, ISIS would beat Italy in a war, correct? I'm dead serious about that. I think ISIS could actually conquer Italy if it weren't for the fact that they're under American military protection.

[John]

Since the population is unarmed, they probably would.

[Rhywun]

the population is unarmed

In theory.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Italians are armed.

Trust me.

[Pro Libertate]

Old man in whorehouse: I'm a very moral man, and Italy is a very moral country. That's why we will certainly come out on top again if we succeed in being defeated.

Capt. Nately: You talk like a madman.

Old man in whorehouse: But I live like a sane one. I was a fascist when Mussolini was on top. Now that he has been deposed, I am anti-fascist. When the Germans were here, I was fanatically pro-German. Now I'm fanatically pro-American. You'll find no more loyal partisan in all of Italy than myself.

Capt. Nately: You're a shameful opportunist! What you don't understand is that it's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.

Old man in whorehouse: You have it backwards. It's better to live on your feet than to die on your knees. I know.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

You know, Italians are a layered bunch. My cousin would cringe at the thought of my talking about guns and next thing I see is him handling a pistol and rifle to go hunting as he hops onto his motorcycle.

They simply play along with the laws to avoid problems. The laws say one thing, the Italians play along ostensibly, but behind the scenes it's a different story.

[Charles Easterly]

Great movie in my opinion.
I posted a link to a scene with Major Major in another thread earlier.

[SusanM]

How? I can see them easily being able to cause a lot of trouble but with no access to a navy (and thus no supply routes), aircraft or heavy weapons how could they hold on to anything?

[SFC B]

They can hold on to anything they take by being more willing to die for it than their opposition is willing to kill for it. I think that their odds of attemtping a military invasion of a mainland European country are functionally zero, but that Italy is considering the risk is worrisome.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Well, how is Italy different from France? Or Canada?

I think they'd put up more of a fight than you think.

They have the industry and manufacturing too.

[Medical Physics Guy]

Honestly sometimes I think this is the shock that's needed to wake Europe out of its slumber. I find myself with a lot of faith in the cultural capital here. But a nasty shock is necessary for the populace to turn on the fashionable beliefs of its ruling elite and realize it is a new era for Europe.

[John]

I think you are right. I hope the fuckers try it. We need Europe to be Europe again and start exterminating these bastards.

[tarran]

I worked with a guy from Naples for a couple of years. Very sensitive, very artistic, very intellectual, almost indolent. After a while, though, I noticed that he had a fucking spine of steel. He just didn't need to show it off.

I suspect that Europe is full of guys like that.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

YES.

Same with France.

People laugh at France but they can be bad ass.

Like I said, I don't worry about them. Behind the cultured exterior (and boy are they ever) lies some serious mean sonsabitches.

[GILMORE]

" Italy has 5,000 people in its army."

Uh, Italy has 170-250,000 people in the military, depending on how you're counting.

The Daily Beast says "5,000 may be currently 'deployable'", but color me skeptical about journalists ever knowing what the fuck words or numbers actually mean whenever they're talking about military stuff. I've seen people here go, "Division, Battalion... same difference!".

The Italians, while often the butt of many military jokes, are actually among the more-effective members of NATO peacekeeping forces (compared to the 'Smurfs' of the UN)... generally because they see 'handing out cigarettes and laying around shooting the shit with the natives' as being a core-competency. They apparently were some of the better people dealing with the afghans compared to Northern Europeans, who foolishly expect people to "arrive on time and work hard"... something no Italian would dream of doing.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

And my Canadian buddy in special forces even says they have awesome special forces and air force pilots.

Yeah, the WWII shtick is getting old. Mussolini plunged a nation into war that wasn't ready for it psychologically and militarily. And when they got wind of what Hitler was up to they really shut off.

[John]

The Italians fought well in World War I.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I don't worry about Europe's fighting abilities.

I worry about the politics and PC crap.

[VG Zaytsev]

Obama and Richman will say that it's blowback for the Italians conquering Sicily from the Moors.

[Caleb Turberville]

Mal Reynolds, Jayne Cobb, and Wash get into a brawl. Who lives and who dies?

My money is on Jayne, all the way.

[John Titor]

Reynolds, because Wash is dead and Jayne would be winning, until he did something stupid that allowed Reynolds to get the upper hand and make some goofy comment.

[Caleb Turberville]

Wash has the advantage to begin with. Dead people ain't got nothing to fear.

[John Titor]

So what, Zoe's gonna throw his corpse that Mal and Jayne or somethin'?

[Caleb Turberville]

Zoe has her role to play in any confrontation that involves Mal Reynolds.

[John Titor]

Yeah, but her role is standing two decks above them in the hanger pointing the Mare's Leg at 'em.

[Brett L]

Man wears a hat like that, people on the street know he ain't afraid of anything.

[MJGreen]

Zoe.

[Andrew S.]

We're talking about pre-Serenity, so Wash is alive? Wash wins. He's a quiet badass and his wife would probably pick off Mal and Jayne from afar if she had to.

[Lady Bertrum]

You people are so silly!

The answer is: River Tam wins.

[Palin's Buttplug]

New survey of presidential historians: Bill Clinton 8th best POTUS in US history.

http://news.yahoo.com/bill-cli.....09374.html

[John]

Vaughn said Obama was ranked in the bottom half of modern presidents for diplomatic skills and his ability to work with Congress, and was ranked only "marginally better" for personal integrity and military skill.

Way to give a study done by a bunch of racists who couldn't handle there being a black President. Typical.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Obama has not "worked well" with Congress by any stretch. The GOP made it clear their objective was to deny passage of any bill Obama/Dems wanted.

George W. Bush had the 35th highest overall rating (out of 43 Presidents) and was the fifth most popular choice when scholars were asked for their list of the worst presidents.

Too kind.

[John]

Shut up racist. Obama has a bad midterm in 2014 and you are now walking away from him where you defended white presidents.

The only reason you won't claim he is a great President like you will every other Democrat is because he is black and you are a racist.

[Palin's Buttplug]

No, idiot. LBJ sucked.

The Vietnam War was WORSE than Iraq and Medicare/daid was WORSE than Dubya's Prescription Welfare Program.

And I liked Reagan. 10-15th best no question. His skill at handling the Soviets was excellent.

I am truly non-partisan unlike yourself.

[John]

Of course you think the guy who passed the CRA is a bad president. Thanks for showing how racist you are. The two Democratic presidents you won't defend is the black one and the one who did something to help black people.

You are the most racist person I have ever seen. I didn't know people like you still existed.

[John Titor]

Top 10 includes Wilson and Jackson (admittedly the scholars a bit split on both of them, with some of them listing them in their worst). That's how you know not to take it seriously.

[John]

Wilson was a racist just like Shreek and the people who did this study. Of course they put the guy who resegretated the federal government in the top ten and down grade the first black President.

[John Titor]

Hell, the crap Wilson pulled at the Paris 1919 Peace Conference basically solidifies him as having the worse foreign policy of any President ever. A good 50-70% of the 20th century's problems? Direct or indirect result of the Paris Peace Conference.

[Restoras]

Wilson was also a straight up authoritarian. He was forever desperate to find a way to subvert the Constitution and it's separation of powers, its checks and balances, and everything else that made it hard for Government to force Progress on the proles.

[PapayaSF]

Of course, one of Clinton's top accomplishments was getting a GOP House elected in 1994. A lot of the good of his presidency came out of that.

[John]

That is nothing compared to Obama making the Democrats a minority for the next generation.

[Palin's Buttplug]

TANF reform was the only good thing the GOP pushed during the Clinton years.

[PapayaSF]

They cleaned up the House bank, gutted farm subsidies (which unfortunately returned), forced the House to abide by the laws it passed, and a number of other things.

[Anonymous Coward]

More Obama Foreign Policy Genius:

If ISIS Just Had Jobs N Opportunities, They Wouldn't Be Terrorists

We cannot kill our way out of this war. We need in the medium to longer term to go after the root causes that leads people to join these groups, whether it's a lack of opportunity for jobs, whether ?"

Contrast with a quote from Charles Masson (1842):

"Though compared to the Afghans, the Sikhs were mild and exerted a protecting influence, yet no advantages could compensate to their Mohammedan subjects, the idea of subjection to infidels, and the prohibition to slay kine, and to repeat the azan, or "summons to prayer".

[John]

And that woman is like 12. Its like hiring Jan Brady to do press relations for the State Department.

[SugarFree]

She looks like she's wearing stolen props from the set of Cum On My Glasses, Vol. 6.

[Heroic Mulatto]

The fact that I know exactly what you're talking about disturbs me.

[jesse.in.mb]

BUT, does it surprise you?

[Heroic Mulatto]

Not really. It was just a moment of lucidity in which I realized the depths of my depravity.

[jesse.in.mb]

The truly special thing about your depravity is its breadth, HM.

[Slammer]

You almost ruined those movies for me, SF. Almost.

[SugarFree]

I please to aim, young man.

[Trouser-Pod]

Vol. 6.

Eh, didn't they just start to kinda phone it in after Vol. 4?

[SugarFree]

I'm very glad that you also caught that I was calling the glasses cheap-looking and derivative.

[Trouser-Pod]

Well, let's face it (ahem)-they lost their joy early on, and eventually decided politics was more...fulfilling.

Plus thieving is prerequisite for politics, and those glasses were just sitting there, getting crusty...

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

How dare you question that woman's qualifications? She most likely has a degree from an elite Ivy League school!

And we all know that's what qualifies you most of all to do a job.

[Anonymous Coward]

UVA isn't an elite Ivy, but it is prestigious among the Southern universities.

[Anomalous]

Both Marie Harf and her boss, Jen Psaki, are smirking idiots.

[KDN]

Raising the Syrian minimum wage will surely cause ISIS to convert their swords into plowshares.

[PapayaSF]

Lady, the root cause is Islam.

[Virginian]

We cannot kill our way out of this war.

This is one of the stupidest fucking leftwing tropes out there. You can indeed kill your way out of war. You cannot kill your way out of war if you're too weak or feckless for that to be a viable strategy, but you can certainly kill your way out of war.

We didn't defeat Japan with a coup de main or some brilliant strategy of maneuver and deception. We killed so many of them that they gave up.

Lee never in his career got outmaneuvered or outsmarted in any significant way. But Grant was willing to engage and not disengage, because he knew that even if Lee got everything perfect, he would still run out of troops before Grant did.

Caesar conquered Gaul by killing the Gauls until he'd killed so many they were unable to oppose him militarily.

[John]

^^THIS^^

[Auric Demonocles]

Occupation of a foreign land is easy, depending on what you are willing to do those foreigners.

[PapayaSF]

Yes, that's got to be in the top ten of idiotic leftist truisms, along with "Diversity is our strength."

[Lady Bertrum]

Was she quoting Churchill there?

No? Didn't really think so. More like Lloyd George.

[bodenlosen Schweinerei]

But she didn't back away from killing, in fact she seemed pretty perky about, which leads to the question, if killing can't win the war, why bother? Sadism? Nihilism? Utter incognizance?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Didn't see Obama in that vid.

Fake quote!

[Slammer]

Jen Psaki is also an idiot.

[GILMORE]

I've been chastised by the usual suspects when i say that the Obama admin is hysterically incompetent @ FP by any measure...

(the retort being BOOOSH!!?)

...but this is just a case in point = who would hire this young lady, who clearly is out of her depth talking about foreign relations, to represent the #*$&@ State Department??

What kind of 'professionalism' does that reflect? its like they think their policy will be 'seen better' if they just have cute PR people to put a gloss on it?

its a fucking joke that Valerie Jarret and Susan Rice are in positions of power to determine how our country addresses global security issues. These people are spin-doctors who have zero actual resumes dealing with anything of actual importance. Rice's 'international affairs' portfolio was limited to dealing with "Africa" in the 1990s. Which... i shouldn't have to tell you... between Rwanda and Darfur? Was mostly a matter of recommending that presidents use their 'concerned face' when the subject comes up.

re: the cute blonde =, talking about 'economic root causes' and 'helping our partners'... when you're dealing with an army of murderous terrorists on the verge of overthrowing various ME nations? just sounds like this person can't think beyond bumper-sticker-level platitudes. Its offensive that they think people are supposed to take her seriously.

[PapayaSF]

Yeee-up.

[GILMORE]

re: Rice's 'Africa-desk' history

"Rice supported the Rwandan, Ugandan, AFDL and Angolan invasion of Zaire (later known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo) from Rwanda in 1996 and overthrew dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, saying privately that "Anything's better than Mobutu."[24] According to G?rard Prunier, a staffer to the Assistant Secretary said that "the only thing we have to do is look the other way", with respect to Rwanda's continued intervention.[25] New York Times correspondent Howard W. French said that according to his sources Rice herself made the remark.[26] It should be noted the Congo Wars spearheaded by Rwanda led to over five million deaths. "

The Atlantic has a good breakdown of her career of spectacular-upward-failure

[PapayaSF]

She's like the foreign policy version of Jaime Gorelick.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"Any justice, judge, or magistrate judge of the United States shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned." - 28 U.S. Code ? 455

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/455

So Justice Ginsburg will disqualify herself from the forthcoming SSM and Obamacare cases, right?

"Americans are prepared to accept a U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, pointing to what she described as a sweeping change in attitudes toward gays.

"In an interview Wednesday in the court's oak-paneled east conference room, Ginsburg also said President Barack Obama's health-care law, which is under attack in a case before the Supreme Court next month, will be a central part of his legacy....

"Our country was just about the only Western industrialized country that didn't have universal health care for all of the people, and he made the first giant step in that direction," she said. "That's certainly one of the things he will be remembered for."

"Ginsburg declined to speak directly about the new health-care case, set for argument March 4.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/.....e-i61z6gq2

[caution: autoplay]

[See Double You]

Looks like Ginsburg is going to let her public policy preferences determine her verdict again.

[Loki]

IOW, it's a day that ends in "y."

[Anonymous Coward]

Several people, including noted (and outspoken...every outspoken) judge Richard Posner have pointed out:

Well, I don't like the Supreme Court. I don't think it's a real court. I think of it as basically?it's like a House of Lords. It's a quasi-political body. President, Senate, House of Representatives, Supreme Court. It's very political. And they decide which cases to hear, which doesn't strike me as something judges should do. You should take what comes. When you decide which case to hear it means you've decided the cases ahead of time.

[BigT]

"any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned."

So does not apply

[GILMORE]

"Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz might run for Sen. Marco Rubio's Senate seat."

I sincerely hope she runs.

Nothing really gives me more pleasure than watching dems tie their carts to horses like Wasserschultz, or Fauxcahontas. They need to be encouraged to *prog harder*, and stand strongly behind their worst and most repulsive representatives

[Libertymike]

Well, Scott Brown attempted to prog harder and Massachusetts voters decided to go with the more genuine article.

[GILMORE]

your point?

[Libertymike]

Fauxcahontas won, in part, because she was considered to be less slick than Scott Brown, who, btw, has spent far more time in the public sector than the Cherokee chick.

Brown, like almost all Republicans, is a prog at heart as well as in deed. Just like the filthy democrats.

[GILMORE]

No, I meant = you think Mass voters *aren't* retarded?

[Libertymike]

Of course, they are and there is nothing I have ever written that would suggest otherwise.

After all, they elected Scott "I've been in the public sector most of my adult life" Brown to several terms in the state legislature before sending him to the US Senate.

[Irish]

Posted earlier, but so dumb it must be reposted.

Alec MacGillis declares that St. Louis should join Illinois because the only reason St. Louis is violent is because of barbaric Red State gun laws.

Conveniently, he forgets to mention that East St. Louis has the highest murder rate in the country (and actually has a higher murder rate than Honduras) while being inside of Illinois.

So according to MacGillis, St. Louis would become less violent through noble blue state gun laws, despite the fact that Illinois already has the most violent place in America and has Chicago, the most violent big city in America.

LOGIC!

[Stormy Dragon]

Why are you trying to ruins Missouri's chance to be free of St. Louis?

[John]

Why does Irish hate Missouri?

[Irish]

Because I'm in Illinois and we don't want them.

Can you imagine Illinois' politics if we added St. Louis? They'd team up with Chicago to turn this into the biggest prog-dystopia the world has ever seen.

[Stormy Dragon]

I'm just hoping this starts a trend and New Jersey get Philadelphia County

[Hyperion]

There isn't anything in the known universe that could make New Jersey worse than what it already is.

[Stormy Dragon]

Yes, but I live in PA, which would be vastly improved.

[Andrew S.]

Sorry, Irish, but that just made it worth it. The disaster would be incredible to watch from afar.

[Stormy Dragon]

They'd team up with Chicago to turn this into the biggest prog-dystopia the world has ever seen.

I don't think there's enough unviersity graduates between Chicago and St. Louis to pull a full Berkeley.

[Libertymike]

Do you really think that ISIS could beat the Italians, straight up?

How would ISIS manage to get their jihadis to Italy?

How would ISIS handle the extra-continental logistics, in general?

How would ISIS respond to the guerilla tactics that Italian partisans would inevitably employ?

[Irish]

No, I don't really think that Libertymike.

I was exaggerating. Although, given that I seem to recall you voicing some bizarre opinions about vaccines, even if I seriously thought ISIS could beat the Italians in a war, that still wouldn't be crazier than some of the assertions I've seen you make.

[Libertymike]

Did you get the sense that I was being critical of you by asking the question?

I did not intend to be.

Perhaps there is a vaccine against making crazy assertions?

[Redmanfms]

Perhaps there is a vaccine against making crazy assertions?

Holy shit.

Physician heal thyself.

[Irish]

Libertymike's greatest hits:

"A quack is one who worships at the altar of allopathy."

It's funny that when I was purposefully exaggerating to make fun of Italians, a no-shit supporter of homeopathy decided to put me in my place.

[GILMORE]

I think Mike has also tossed out =

"you must worship at the altar of the nation-state"

...whenever anyone says something that is inconsistent with strict anarchist philosophical dogma.

its sort of like Bo's =

"if your Not a Vegan (non-interventionist), you're clearly a Bloodthirsty Necon Meatist Imperialist"

[Libertymike]

Those who pledge allegiance to a flag of a nation state do worship at the altar of that nation state.

Those who conflate liberty with insisting that a particular nation state have a monopoly on the administration of justice and the use of force do worship at the altar of that nation state.

Those who besmirch Rothbard while touting the maintenance of a warfare / welfare state for their nation do worship at the altar of their nation state

[GILMORE]

Those who make straw men, need straw men!

[Redmanfms]

Those who besmirch Rothbard

I'm a non-interventionist who besmirches Rothbard because of his laughable ignorance of history (or outright dissembling mendacity) and his moronic, one-sided application of "blowback" foreign policy logic.

There's also the fact that all the people who cite him in a positive way are mouth-breathing dimwits who are too stupid to be trusted with sharp objects.

[Libertymike]

Okay, you must be right because of the contributions you have made to liberty dwarf those of Rothbard.

[Redmanfms]

Okay, you must be right because of the contributions you have made to liberty dwarf those of Rothbard.

It's possible to be a fan of his economic views and still see his foreign policy analysis and dishonest historical revisionism for what they were, illogical and mendacious.

Also Mikey:

There's also the fact that all the people who cite him in a positive way are mouth-breathing dimwits who are too stupid to be trusted with sharp objects.

[Hyperion]

How many of the thousands of immigrants pouring into Italy are already ISIS plants?

ISIS isn't going to have to worry about logistics, they'll already be there.

Italy needs to thank Obama and Hillary for arming the 'goood' Libyan rebels.

[bodenlosen Schweinerei]

So does this MacGillis yahoo not know that Chicago is in Illinois? Or that there's good reason it's often referred to as "Chiraq"?

http://heyjackass.com

[Auric Demonocles]

But just imagine how violent Chicago and East St Louis would be if they weren't in Illinois!

[Andrew S.]

The top comment says it all: "If St. Louis were part of Illinois, it might only have Chicago levels of gun violence"

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't Give Them Pageviews

Aside from the idiotic assertion that IL's gun laws are superior to MO's (East Boogie and Chi-raq put the lie to it), Saint Louis would stand to lose revenues from its lower taxed cigarettes and gas that Illinoisians go to Saint Louis to buy. Also, Saint Louis would be forced by geography to join the neglected, post-industrial wasteland that is Southern Illinois.

[Stormy Dragon]

The 1950s laughs at Lenore Skenazy's cute little Free Range Parenting schtick:

Ulster Museum exhibition: Science set with radioactive materials was child's play

[PapayaSF]

Those sets go for big bucks these days.

[Andrew S.]

Miami Gardens, FL police kill suicidal man armed with a broomstick

A broomstick!

[Brett L]

Suicide By Cop is just a public service by public servants dedicated to serving you.

[MJGreen]

This.

Is.

My.

BROOMSTICK.

[Charles Easterly]

"This.

Is.

My.

BROOMSTICK."

Bonus: Ashen B(r)oomstick.

Nicely done, Green.

[Slammer]

Muggles have a right to go home safe.

[Anonymous Coward]

Avada Kedavra! = Glock 22 in Cop-speak.

[Loki]

A broomstick!

Maybe they thought it was a boomstick? *ducks*

[Apple]

I've read a few comments suggesting criticism of Kanye is rooted in racism, but you can always count on Salon to go full retard on any subject.

Black excellence vs. White mediocrity:

http://www.salon.com/2015/02/1.....nd_snl_40/

[Redmanfms]

What is Kanye "excellent" at other than being a fucking tool?

[Anonymous Coward]

He's great at stealing, I mean, sampling actual musicians?

[Stormy Dragon]

I heard he likes fish sticks.

[Free Society]

We have to believe black artists deserve better than to be told they must sink or soar. We have to believe white artists deserve better than to coast on privilege. We have to believe that we can make it better.

If your art doesn't pay homage to degenerate black culture, it's crrrrrrrrap.

[MJGreen]

That's why people listen to and celebrate a white artist. Because of privilege.

"I don't know if this Beck song is pleasing or catchy, but he's white, so it must be!"

[PapayaSF]

Read the latest entry in Salon's long-running series: "Making Excuses for Bad Behavior by Blacks"!

[Loki]

Here's Justin Bieber getting pelted with eggs. No explanation necessary.

I really hope someone "accidentally" mixed some rocks in with the eggs.

[Xajow]

VDARE apparently does not like the International Students for Liberty Conference. http://tinyurl.com/k52arj3 As best I can tell, the author of the article thinks that because the libertarians are not promoting closed borders and socially conservative policies, the libertarians at the conference are all just "leftist social justice warriors." Oh, and that an open borders policy is a statist policy.

The confusion of anti-libertarians would be amusing if it were not so sad. Oh who am I kidding? It makes me laugh. Out loud even.

[Andrew S.]

VDARE is an openly racist group. Why on earth would they like freedom-loving libertarians?

[PapayaSF]

Open borders does help statism. We're importing tens of millions of poor people, who then demonstrate the need for more anti-poverty spending and to do something about "rising income inequality." And those poor people come from countries without much of a culture of liberty, so they vote for Democrats.

Mass immigration to the West is, to a great degree, about the left wishing to elect a new people more amenable to socialism. We know from memos that this was an explicit Labour Party plan in the UK, and U.S. Democrats will admit the same thing when their guard is down.

[wareagle]

you had to light the Bo signal.

[GILMORE]

"the author of the article thinks that because the libertarians are not promoting closed borders and socially conservative policies, the libertarians at the conference are all just "leftist social justice warriors.""

THEY WORSHIP AT THE ALTAR OF MEXICAN ASS-SEX!

[jesse.in.mb]

There are no altars at Tijuana donkey shows!

[jesse.in.mb]

Err...at least that's what I've been told.

[Ted S.]

Another reason to hate New Jersey:

Sinkhole swallows snowplow in New Jersey

The best part of the story:

The township issued a warning for people to avoid the area.

[PapayaSF]

I foresee a SyFy movie: Snowstorm vs. Sinkholes.

[Old Man With Candy]

Assassination Insurance

[Ted S.]

Ithaca, NY, says, "Visit Key West until everything thaws out here"

[The Late P Brooks]

Mass immigration to the West is, to a great degree, about the left wishing to elect a new people more amenable to socialism.

Remember when that Kennedy guy got elected, and he had a desk and a phone brought into the Oval Office for the Pope to use? And he let him write all the laws?

Yeah. Same here.

[Virginian]

Who the fuck said anything about that? You think the Democrats are going to let a genuine Mexican immigrant run things? No, they'll race bait and demagogue, get ten million or so immigrants voting for every Democrat, and run some Ivy League "educated" smooth talker.

Notice that when the elite of the party finally ran a black guy, it was a half white who was raised by white people and grew up overseas. Obama is a member of the transnational progressive elite first and always. He doesn't give a fuck about real American black people.

I mean if a genuine American black man was elected President, you think we'd still have the War on Drugs? You think police abuse wouldn't be under federal indictment?

[Stormy Dragon]

How come almost all anti-vaxxers are women?

Don't Blame Parents for Vaccine Resistance. Blame mothers.

[The Late P Brooks]

Who the fuck said anything about that?

This whole bullshit smear/fear campaign based on the assertion that every immigrant (legal or otherwise) wants to go directly onto the welfare rolls and vote for"socialist" candidates in a carefully orchestrated plot to turn the USA into Cuba is ridiculous.

And it reminds me of the smear campaign against Kennedy.

[Virginian]

This whole bullshit smear/fear campaign based on the assertion that every immigrant wants to go directly onto the welfare rolls and vote for"socialist" candidates

I don't think anyone actually believes that. But it is a useful strawman that I see an awful lot from the open borders crowd.

I just question the notion that the people running the American government would ever do anything without thinking that it would increase their political power.

Now, maybe they're wrong. It's even likely that they're wrong. They're idiots after all. Maybe their project to import a new bloc of statist voters won't work. Maybe people fleeing oppressive governments won't stand for it in their new home.

But it did work in the UK for the left, which is why they're trying it here.

[JeremyR]

Well, that's the thing.

Look at Canada - they pretty much only let in middle class people who speak English. Mostly from Asia.

I wouldn't have any problem with that.

But if you let in everyone that has no job skills, education, doesn't speak the language and has a large family, well, you're going to end up looking like the countries they fled from.

[paranoid android]

kiBut if you let in everyone that has no job skills, education, doesn't speak the language and has a large family, well, you're going to end up looking like the countries they fled from.

Shame we're over a century and a half late to stop the Italians, Irish, and Poles from flooding our shores with their foreign barbarity, then.

[paranoid android]

(Apologies for the HTML tag fail)

[PRX]

Dave Weigel covers the International Students for Liberty Conference, or "buttplugs and slam poetry

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[anoopbirha]

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