Net Neutrality Vote Today, 'Jihadi John' Identified, Toke Up DC!: A.M. Links

katherine_hitt/Flickr

• The Federal Communications Commission will vote today on a "net neutrality" proposal. FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai recently talked to Nick Gillespie about why he opposes the plan. 
• "Jihadi John," the maked man seen beheading hostages in Islamic State videos, has been identified as British citizen Mohammed Emwazi.
• Smoke up, D.C.! Despite a meddling Congress, the nation's capitol has moved forward with the marijuana legalization initiative passed last fall; the law took effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. (For more on how this will play out, see Jacob Sullum here and here.)
• The Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation raised millions from foreign governments—including Algeria, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman—while Hillary was serving as Secretary of State.
• Arizona police are investigating the cutting of a fiber-optic cable in Phoenix that left people across northern Arizona (including our own J.D. Tuccille!) without Internet, cell phone, or landline service for several hours.
• U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-New Mexico) is trying to end the Albuquerque Police Department's practice of sending community police officers for military-style training at a secluded Department of Energy facility. 
• Human head transplants are upon us. 

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Federal Communications Commission will vote today on a "net neutrality" proposal.

If you like your internet, you can keep your internet.

[WTF]

So, apparently unelected bureaucrats can now just take it upon themselves to start regulating something that they never had authority to regulate previously, without any legislation. Taking FYTW to the next level, bitches!

[Just a thought not a sermon]

I know the EPA did this with CO2. Were they the pioneers, or were there agencies before this overstepping their regulatory authority on a regular basis?

[R C Dean]

Leaving aside the Constitutional illegitimacy of agency-created regulation in the first place:

There's a very, very long history of agencies exceeding their statutory scope.

[Rich]

Moreover, Wheeler refuses to appear before Congress, the FCC keeps "their" document under wraps, ....

Truly outrageous.

[The Last American Hero]

Most. Transparent. Administration. Ever.

[Rich]

"If you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide."

This should be constantly rubbed in their faces.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Who do you expect to stop them? The Judicial? The Legislative?

[Rich]

If the Judicial and the legislative refuse to act, the President will!

[Dweebston]

As far as I know, the court has repeatedly struck down these attempts.

[Juice]

The courts just upheld the EPAs "Clean Power Plan" for which it had no explicit statutory authority to implement.

[Suthenboy]

It isn't just that, they are also keeping secret what they are taking upon themselves. It is a level higher than a level higher.

Enjoy your internet while you have it.

[widget]

Scott Walker. I hate all politicos, but the dude sits on skulls. He gave police and fire unions a blow job to get through, but, Hey, it's not like you don't have regrets.

[The Last American Hero]

And he wears his crown upon a troubled brow. But that it another story....

[BardMetal]

A throne of skulls would be the cheapest most effective national defense idea ever. Who is going fuck with guy who sits on a throne of skulls?

[Colonel Slanders]

Khorne. Khorne will fuck with all who attempt to sit on HIS Throne of skulls!

[UnCivilServant]

When I first saw that, I read it as starting with "Kublai Khorne".

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Obamanet - every bit as good as Obamacare!

[pan fried wylie]

Obamanet subscriptions required for enrollment in Obamacare. Also for non-enrollment.

Includes $0.50 Off coupon on mandatory Obroccoli purchase.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

So it goes like this. My wife and I went to our daughter's 4th grade portfolio night at school. She had to show us what she's been learning and all that.

As we went along, she read us a story she wrote which ended with this conclusion, "The moral of the story is...he's a derp."

Ole Rufus here stood with a nervous grin with a good dose of face palm as my wife looked on with a look that could only be described as a mixture between puzzlement and amusement despite being a teacher herself.

[Suthenboy]

C'mon rufus, tell us what the story was.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I wasn't paying attention but my wife was reading and when they got to the end my daughter smiled pointed to the sentence and said, "look, Daddy!"

I'm creating a monster.

[BigT]

I nominate Rufus for the Victoria Cross.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

And at least a DSC.

[Trigger Warning]

Rufus, as a new father, you have given me a goal to attain: I must engineer that exact scenario. I'll start by buying the sweetest, dumbest dog I can find and naming it Joe Biden. Derp for short.

[WTF]

I would say it seems you are doing a fine job with your offspring.

[Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

That is great! My son in elementary school keeps getting his bullying training, and every time I ask him about it he tells me and then adds but Dad, the government is the biggest bully." I smile and say yes it is.

[Steve G]

A vote? So the citizens get to vote on this? Great!!

[Lord Humungus]

And once the Republicans have a majority in the FCC panel, can they go ahead and change the rules yet again?

Nah, none of this secret backroom deals will lead to cronyism:

Tom Wheeler tweaks net neutrality plan after Google push

[Rhywun]

Cool! If Google's writing the law, that can only be good for us.

[bostonaod]

Google, Free Press and New America's Open Technology Institute last week asked the commission to revise language they said could unintentionally allow Internet service providers to charge websites for sending content to consumers. Such a scenario could open the door to an avalanche of new fees for Web companies and threaten their business models.

What? Isn't this allegedly the whole point of net neutrality rules, the main selling point? If it didn't actually accomplish this, either it was written by Jon Gruber or they were up to something else. Shocking, I know.

[R C Dean]

allow Internet service providers to charge websites for sending content to consumers.

IOW, under no circumstances do they want to charge businesses for the cost of keeping the pipes open.

All costs must be paid by the consumer.

I wonder if the idiots who support this as an anti-corporate thing realize how badly they're being played.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

I'm exhausted from arguing about this with technical people who should know better, but, nope. They've convinced themselves that "ISPs invest nothing in infrastructure" and that Comcast, whose head honchos are Democrats who are some of the largest campaign contributors to the party, are going to be spanked hard instead of the rampant cronyism that has been one of the hallmarks of this administration.

The Euros are egging them on with brilliant insights like "my 41.5km3 country with more than 10 times the population density of your 9,857,306km3 country has better Internet infrastructure, so obviously a law (or, in this case, bureaucratic diktat) will magically fix everything!"

ain't nobody else's fault
you played yourself

[JW]

At least we now know which companies made the largest donations to the Democratic Party.

[Just a thought not a sermon]

29) I have a theory that good health and long life come from being in tune with the needs of your body, rather than following somebody else's advice. I had a great-aunt who got drunk every day starting around 3PM, but she lived to 96. She went on a walk around town every morning to do her errands and get some exercise, made phone calls and wrote letters after lunch, and then started drinking. It seemed to work for her and she was happy with it. I have a co-worker who eats pizza for dinner every day and won't touch vegetables, but his doctor says his health is fine. I've heard of many, many people who smoked yet lived to an advanced age. And there's so much conflicting advice about cholesterol and salt, which aren't really bad for most people but can be deadly for a few. I think the key is to forget the studies. What makes you feel good?not for the moment, but overall? what gives you energy, vigor, keeps you from getting sick? The details of alcohol, tobacco, sugar, fat, sleep, and exercise vary depending on your body chemistry and lifestyle, so the important thing is to use common sense and pay attention to what your body says and how you feel.

[Ted S.]

It's mostly down to genetics, I think.

[sarcasmic]

aye

[Restoras]

That has a much bigger effect than I think most want to acknowledge. We are all sufficiently different that no "one-size fits all" will ever work.

This, of course, drives the control freak progtards nuts.

[gaijin]

idrives the control freak progtards nuts.

indeed...and it is sort of funny that something important to The Science? of evolution like 'genetic diversity' would be something they would wish to deny.

[BardMetal]

Genetic diversity is unfair! Why can't we all be equal?

[Lord Peter Wimsey]

But...but...gluten...GMOs...crossfit!!!

I think my position is clear.

[Lord Humungus]

so much this. My wife's grandmother lived to age 93 by eating bacon, cake, or whatever she wanted. She never exercised either.

Most supplements, diets, etc for healthy living are like talismans trying to ward off evil spirits.

Of course I like working out since I do feel appreciably stronger and have more energy. I'm also a low carber since it seems to work for me for keeping my weight under 200 pounds.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Most of the Habs of the late 70s - the most dominant hockey team evah! - had lifestyles that would not be tolerated today. They smoked and ate pizza between periods and hardly worked out. They just played.

Just food for thought - not excusing the pun.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Make that mid to late 70s.

[Restoras]

Fat isn't bad for you.

Alcohol - well I don't care if it is bad for me, I will still imbibe.

Too much sugar makes me feel gross so I avoid.

Some kind of exercise everyday. I'll catch up on my sleep when I'm dead.

[Fist of Etiquette]

But will eating right and exercising shorten your life? No. Don't take the gamble. You're all too precious.

[R C Dean]

But will eating right and exercising shorten your life?

Well, if you've been eating right per the official guidelines, hell yeah.

[Bones]

I tend to agree. I know when I eat a late night snack I feel lousy when I wake up. Same amount of sleep without eating that snack, I feel fine. And the snack is similar to what I eat for lunch that doesn't bother me. So it's not so much the food but when I eat it that is problematic for me. And I think it was negatively affecting my triglycerides because once I stopped eating it before bed (but still eat it for lunch) my levels crawled back to normal.

And I generally feel better. And I eat chocolate a lot and rarely get sick. Other people I know stare too long at a candy bar, they gain 10 lbs.

[Restoras]

Funny, I absolutely cannot go to sleep without having had some kind of snack at night, I just try to make sure it is soemthing like nuts or dried fruit, sometimes peanut butter with a little honey on a triscuit.

[Steve G]

doctor says his health is fine

It's surprising how much docs don't know or how low the bar is for them. Gotta remember cardiologists as an example are experts in treating heart disease, not preventing it. And general MDs don't get any meaningful training in nutrition so listening to what they say about on the subject is no guarantee of anything.

Also, everybody's got an anecdote about someone who didn't something counterintuitive and lived to a ripe old age. Doesn't mean they did something right, they just lucked out in the genetic lottery--but that ain't the only variable out there. And did they merely survive, or did they thrive? I'm going for compression of morbidity, personally.

[sarcasmic]

ISIS thugs take a hammer to civilisation: Priceless 3,000-year-old artworks smashed to pieces in minutes as militants destroy Mosul museum
Extremists used power drills and sledgehammers to smash ancient items
They wrecked a series of 3,000-year-old statues at museum in Mosul, Iraq
One vandal says items being destroyed because they promoted idolatry
Comes after thugs destroyed thousands of books at Mosul Public Library

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....video.html
These people need to be killed. Period.

[Ted S.]

Bomb the Kaaba. And the Dome of the Rock.

[Zeb]

The Kaaba is pretty important to Muslims, but I don't think that if it were destroyed they would just give up on the whole thing.

[Ted S.]

Yeah, but it's symbolism. Kind of like the way the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas.

[Zeb]

Yes, but it would mostly be a symbolic "fuck you" to all Muslims, which I don't think would help.

I also don't think imitating the Taliban is a very good plan.

[Pro Libertate]

Zebulon is correct--such an action would be needlessly offensive to people who have nothing to do with the violence. Therefore, I suggest simply stealing it and placing it in Cinderella's castle until the moderate Muslims deal with the more violent variety.

[RBS]

Japan or Florida?

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Florida - free python guard corps.

[Pro Libertate]

Fanatically loyal pythons.

[Pro Libertate]

That would be telling. And you left out Anaheim. And maybe somewhere else--do they have one in Paris or at Luna Disney?

[RBS]

Sleeping Beauty's castle is in California and HK, maybe let the Chinese deal with them?

[Atlas Slugged]

Castles exist at all the Disney Parks: Anaheim, Orlando (Magic Kingdom), Japan, Paris, and Hong Kong. Shanghai is scheduled to open in 2016?

The moon base operation is secret. How did you hear about it?

[Zeb]

I'll put it in my back yard. I've always found the Kaaba oddly fascinating.

[Pro Libertate]

Very well, we'll give it to Zebulon, the Reason Foundation's official hostage taker.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Most Muslims aren't ISIS, though bombing their key holy site might change that.

[Pro Libertate]

Indeed. That's one reason Bush and Obama kept/keep telling the Muslim world that our beef isn't with them. Which is true enough.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Human head transplants are upon us.

They chopped his body off.

[Ted S.]

The Brain That Wouldn't Die.

(Or, as somebody I know calls it, "Jan's in the Pan".)

[gaijin]

The title of that film reminded me of Donovan's Brain...I always liked the book though I understand it was made into a movie later...which may have rendered it as silly as the one you linked to sounds 🙂

[Doghouse Riley Jr.]

+MST3K

[Zeb]

Wouldn't it more properly be called a body transplant? The person involved would be getting a new body, not a new head.

[Mike Laursen]

Yes, that's what my head-centric head thought, too.

[R C Dean]

Check your cis-head privilege?

[Zeb]

Are we offending people who think with their dicks?

[Doghouse Riley Jr.]

And what of people who don't think at all?

[Entropy Void]

"And what of people who don't think at all?'

You misspelled "proglodytes".

[Robert]

Are you sure? Would most people treat the entity according to the head's hx, or the hx of the other part? How do you identify "the person involved"? You could say the head was getting a new body, or the body a new head, but how do you know which part to think of as conveying "the person"? Granted, we tend to look at faces, but there's bound to be some confusion or disagreement.

[Robert]

The question was faced (heh) in Robin Williams' uncredited role in Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. Of course see also Robert Heinlein's I Will Fear No Evil.

[Mike Laursen]

And what if two people exchange heads? What if no money is exchanged -- are they giving each other a head?

[sarcasmic]

'Keep your dogs off my property': Fury as firefighter shoots his neighbors' dogs dead and puts photo of their bodies on Facebook
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE
Royse City, Texas volunteer firefighter Tim Conatser posted a threatening message to Facebook along with the corpses of two large dogs
He reportedly shot the dogs, which belonged to a neighbor, after warning the owners to keep them away from livestock
Amid an outcry that rang worldwide over the disturbing photos, the city fire chief suspended Conatser

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....stock.html
To be fair, the dogs were attacking his livestock.

[UnCivilServant]

If they were actually attacking the livestock at the time they were shot, fine. But either way, posting the pictures of the dead dogs online is just wrong.

[WTF]

He CLAIMS they were attacking his livestock. Could be it was just an extreme case of "get off muh lawn!"

[Raven Nation]

the city fire chief suspended Conatser

I assume he will be able to find employment with the local PD?

[Ted S.]

I'm reminded of Green Bay Packers coach Dan Devine.

[Hyperion]

Doesn't he know that only cops can shoot dogs and get away with it? This could lead to criminal charges for a lowly fireman.

[Zeb]

If they were messing with livestock, I think he is justified in shooting them.

Putting pictures on Facebook seems a bit much, though.

[R C Dean]

Yeppers.

I had a dog once that got into the neighbor's sheep. Didn't do any real harm, but when he told me he'd shoot the dog if it happened again, I couldn't say anything other than "If they were my sheep, I'd shoot the dog, too."

[Juice]

What the fuck is the average domestic dog going to do to some sheep? It's not a wolf. It'll probably just try to play with the sheep and then get bored when the sheep don't play along.

[Zeb]

Chase them, wear them out, possibly cause injury. Yeah, they probably won't kill them, but it is a pretty well established right for owners of livestock to kill animals, wild or domestic, who menace their animals.

If you want to let your dog run free outside, you need to be damn sure it knows its boundaries.

[Cdr Lytton]

Just chasing can stress livestock to the point of death. It's not some innocent fun and games.

[tarran]

BTW, this is why humans are such succesful hunters even with the most primitive tools.

The tendons and ligaments in our ankles mean we recycle a lot of the energy we use in each step, far more than other animals.

So we burn less energy when we walk. That and our sweat glands allow us to chase something until it collapses of heat exhaustion, while we bask in our stinky coolness.

[Juice]

It's still unwarranted to shoot the dog. The punishment in no way fits the crime.

[Zeb]

Dogs aren't people and can't commit crimes. If I bite someone, I might go to jail. If a dog bites someone, it gets killed. If a dog is aggressive with people, or decides that chasing sheep is a fun thing to do, they will probably keep doing it.

The polite and kind thing for the livestock owner to do is probably to give the dog owner some warning if the dogs haven't caused any real damage. But if you've been warned and still let your dog run free, tough shit. Keep your dog tied up if it likes chasing livestock.

[Zeb]

And if you want to equate dogs with people, shooting someone who breaks into your house most likely doesn't fit the crime. Most likely they just wanted to steal some stuff. But it is still justified.

[sarcasmic]

'I would have knocked him out': Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan speaks out about Kanye West's attention stealing stunt at the Grammys

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs.....stunt.html
Somehow I fail to find Billy to be intimidating.

[WTF]

Hard to picture Corgan knocking anyone out.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Well, I would love someone to clock that smug douche in the jaw.

Enough already.

[sarcasmic]

agreed

[John]

And it would be even better if it was some little nerdy guy like Corigan or the guy from Death Cab for Cutie.

[PBR Streetgang]

Corgan is like 6 foot 5. He ain't little. Though I can't imagine him knocking anything out.

[John]

Wow. I never knew that

[PBR Streetgang]

He slouches a lot. Saw them in concert a bunch in the 90s and he towered over D'arcy and Iha.

[John]

The best would have been if Taylor Swift had just bitch slapped him.

[sarcasmic]

Yes and no. Yes because it would have been beautiful to watch, and no because he probably would have beat the shit out of her before security dragged him out.

[Derpetologist]

"Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins."

"Homer Simpson, smiling politely."

[The Last American Hero]

Despite all his rage, he is still just a rat in a cage.

[Rhywun]

Why don't people just ignore him? It certainly works for me.

[Bam!]

Human head transplants are upon us.

Nixon's back!

[Bobarian (hyphenated-american)]

Tanned, Rested, and Ready!

Nixon in '16!

[Bam!]

Human head transplants are upon us.

Nixon's back!

[Restoras]

What about Ted Williams??

[The Last American Hero]

Screw that, bring back the Duke.

[Pro Libertate]

John Wayne was a fag.

[R C Dean]

NTTAWWT.

[Pro Libertate]

That is not the correct response. Go repossess a car--a repo man's life is always intense.

[Bobarian (hyphenated-american)]

That's right, you boys. I went to his house to install two way mirrors...

He came to the door in a dress.

[Pro Libertate]

Plate o' shrimp.

[Pope Jimbo]

To quote the great Canadian philosopher of our times, Rufus, "you are a derp."

LAH obviously meant the Duke of NY -aka Isaac Hayes - and not John Wayne.

Get with the program ProL.

[Pro Libertate]

Hayes is dead. John Wayne, of course, cannot die.

[Atlas Slugged]

Duke Snider?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"You lost it *again?* Well, better go back to the doctor and get a new one...and this time ask him to screw it on tighter!"

[Notorious G.K.C.]

ALTERNATE JOKE: Now medical science will help you get a head in life.

[sarcasmic]

Black carjacking suspect who was filmed being brutally beaten by cops while handcuffed sues for more than $1m
Footage shows two cops punching and kicking a man they were arresting
Another officer later arrives on the scene and fist bumps one of the cops
Prosecutor's Office will decide whether to file charges against the officers
Police said the suspect, Andrew Jackson Jr., had stolen a car at gunpoint earlier that day before fleeing from officers and had parole violations
The police chief said the actions were 'proper' to get a gun from Jackson

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....es-1m.html

[WTF]

Prosecutor's Office will decide whether to file charges against the officers

Gee, I wonder how that decision will go...

[Ted S.]

Nothing else happened.

[Rhywun]

Not after the heroes got home safely, no.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Despite a meddling Congress, the nation's capitol has moved forward with the marijuana legalization initiative passed last fall...

Barry's not here, man.

[Rich]

Bitch set him up.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

B-A-R-R-Y! Now let me in!

[Ted S.]

Capital, not capitol.

[sarcasmic]

Enthusiast protects his property with homemade Gatling gun called the 'Redneck Obliterator'
The DIY Gatling gun sold at auction in Illinois for $3,450
Genuine Gatling guns sell for up to $75,000
Were first seen in the American Civil War in the 1860s
Made using six SKS Soviet-style semi-automatic rifles
As a crank is turned, each trigger hits a lever, causing rifles to fire
Gun is regulated only by standard rifle laws

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

[UnCivilServant]

Must be a bitch to reload.

[Zeb]

I've seen kits you can buy to turn a bunch of Ruger 10-22s into a Gatling gun. Apparently since you have to turn the crank to get it to fire it doesn't count as full auto.

[Injun, as in from India]

Gun is regulated only by standard rifle laws

Paging Moms Demand Action!

[BardMetal]

I'd rather just have the SKS

[R C Dean]

I can't decide if I'm awed, appalled, or a little bit of both,' Bob Owens, editor of pro-gun website Bearing Arms, told Vocativ.

I agree with Bob.

Reloading wouldn't be that bad. Slap in a new set of mags and you are rockin'.

[sarcasmic]

Mystery of Ceres' spots deepens: Dawn probe finds ANOTHER flashing 'alien' mark on dwarf planet
Ceres orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter, and may have water gushing from its surface
Latest images to reveal the mystery patch were taken by Dawn at a distance of 29,000 miles (46,000 km)
Scientists suggest these strange spots may be frozen pools of ice at the bottom of a crater that reflect light
Dawn is currently travelling to meet Ceres in March where it will attempt to understand its geological history

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sci.....-spot.html

[Pro Libertate]

Ice sounds like a good possibility, or maybe there is a high albedo material beneath the surface dust.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Or your Intra-Solar System supply freighter has sprung a leak, Pro L'.

[Pro Libertate]

Our freighters do not "spring" leaks, being fusion-powered.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"may have water gushing from its surface"

Heh heh, water pouring out of...oh, wait, wrong planet.

[sarcasmic]

Share price of South Korean condom manufacturers soars? after country abolishes law saying adultery is illegal

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

[Injun, as in from India]

I would go short on those stocks.

Those who were cheating on their spouses would have cheated regardless of what the law says. The share price increase is just Mr. Market being irrational.

[sarcasmic]

Could doctors transplant a HEAD onto a body in 2 years' time? Italian surgeon confident he can perform ?7.5milllion operation
Italian surgeon Sergio Canavero believes head transplants are possible
The techniques allows the patient's head be grafted onto a healthy body
Paralysed patients and those with incurable illness could benefit
However, each operation will cost an estimated ?7.5million to complete
Dr Canavero said both heads would be removed at the same time
He would then glue the patient's head onto the donor's body

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sci.....Reeve.html
I think I saw that movie...

[Just a thought not a sermon]

Basketcase?

[Just a thought not a sermon]

The Brain That Wouldn't Die?

[UnCivilServant]

I'm still trying to figure out where they're planning to get the donor bodies from. Even donor kidnies are rare, and you can take them from living people.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

I understand that ISIS has been doing some work in this area.

[Zeb]

Someone needs to start using the guillotine again.

[Mike Laursen]

He has some medical, umm, colleagues in Sicily.

[Pope Jimbo]

You came so close to a great John-ism.

"Donor kiddies" would have been perfect. But your original was better than kidneys so you get partial credit.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Canavero is Italian for FRANKEN-STEEN!

[Bobarian (hyphenated-american)]

It's pronounced Frahn-ken-Shteen!

*stabs leg with scalpel

[BardMetal]

Awesome I'm putting my brain into a robot body with strength of five gorillas.

[Pope Jimbo]

I'm putting my brain into Adrian Peterson's body. I also expect the Vikes to pay for it.

All the rushing yards, willing to play for $12M a year, none of the kid beating and I can pick up the blitz.

[Injun, as in from India]

I can totally see Silvio Berlusconi wanting to put his head on a young Casanova body and continue his bunga-bunga parties with underage girls for another 100 years.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Word.

[sarcasmic]

Is this scientific proof of climate change?Scientists witness carbon dioxide trapping heat in air for first time
Researchers say experiment confirms the science of climate change
Witnessed C02 trapping heat in the atmosphere above the United States

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sci.....t-air.html
Wait a minute. I thought the science was settled.

[Jordan]

Talk about shoddy reporting. The question is not whether or not CO2 traps heat, the question is about how feedback mechanisms affect that ability.

[Suthenboy]

No shit. Was there ever a question about the specific heat of CO2?

These fuckin' assholes are never going to give up. We are going to have to fight the bastards until they all die off.

[BigT]

Correct, the absorption of IR by CO2 is not in dispute. This is complete BS as far as being new news.

[UnCivilServant]

Back in the 50s the navy ran some tests for alternate bands for communication. They found that IR absorbtion by atmospheric CO2 was already 100% in the wavelengths it is capable of absorbing over relatively short distances (distances less than the thickness of the atmosphere for one). It is literally incapable of trapping more heat than it already was by virtue of increased concentrations.

[Zeb]

Unless I am missing something, I don't think you can really draw that conclusion from that test. The earth still radiates heat into space, and CO2 doesn't hold that energy forever, but re-emits IR radiation. More CO2 would presumably slow that down and reduce the proportion of heat radiated back into space.

[UnCivilServant]

I'm fairly sure the energy re-emitted is not in the same band as the energy absorbed, which would hamper reabsorbtion by other atmospheric CO2. Can someone with a proper physics background enlighten us?

[Juice]

Right, the photons re-emitted are lower in energy than the photons that were absorbed because that energy has been turned into heat.

[tarran]

I'ts complicated.... 😀

Absorption is essentially limited to certain frequencies, because at those frequencies a photon being absorbed by an electron would give the electron exactly the quantity of energy needed to jump to a different higher energy orbital.

However now there is an unoccupied orbital at a relatively low energy state, and eventually some higher energy electron will emit a photon to dump excess energy and occupy it.

It's possible that the excited electron absorbs a photon to jump to a higher state, and then emits a photon of an identical frequency but going off at a random direction (Scenario A).

It's also possible that the electron will jump to a hgigher level, and fall back to its original level by making two or more jumps through intermediate levels kicking off a photon of a different, lower frequency every time it makes the jump (Scenario B).

There's also a third scenario where other electrons occupy the empty space.

So, essentially, the light that is absorbed results in the same frequency of light being reradiated out in random directions - or by light and other frequencies (generally lower frequencies).

What this means is that CO2 doesn't act like a greenhouse glass wall (which merely reflects IR back in) so much as to absorb and reemit it in random directions thereby impeding the transmission of energy.

The end result is very similar; the flow of heat out to space from the atmosphere is slowed.

[Juice]

Absorption of radiation doesn't really work that way. If you put in more CO2 then you'll absorb more IR as long as there is IR to absorb. But keep Beer's Law in mind that says that the amount of radiation absorbed is logarithmically proportional to the amount of CO2 present. Doubling CO2 concentration doesn't double the amount of IR absorbed. The more CO2 you put in the less IR will be absorbed per unit.

[Zeb]

Thanks. And to tarran as well.

[Zeb]

Yeah, no one really questions the "greenhouse effect" or whatever the proper name is for the phenomenon.

I never really see answers to the questions that serious skeptics actually ask, just responses to morons or questions no one is asking.

[sarcasmic]

I never really see answers to the questions that serious skeptics actually ask

Of course not. That would give them a sense of credibility. Best to just dismiss and ignore them for the heretics that they are.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Jihadi John," the maked man seen beheading hostages in Islamic State videos, has been identified as British citizen Mohammed Emwazi.

You know who else England produced?

[UnCivilServant]

Oliver Cromwell?

[WTF]

The Rolling Stones?

[Rich]

Louise Joy Brown?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Mr. Bean?

[sarcasmic]

Kate Moss?

[Ted S.]

Was he a made man, or a naked man?

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

The Pack That Blocked Out The Sun?

/Rugby World Cup 2003

[gaijin]

the chip.

What do the English usually eat with chips to make them more interesting? Wait a moment! It's fish. Isn't it?

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

-1 Wanda

[Zeb]

Malt vinegar?

[Lord Humungus]

Mankind betrayed by Nutella: Empty jar sets London home ablaze, killing family pet

The city's fire brigade says investigators believe the glass jar ? which had been emptied of the hazelnut spread ? had been placed on a window sill and refracted sunlight, setting blinds alight.

According to a statement posted Tuesday by the brigade, the family was not at home but the blaze killed a dog.

Fire investigator Charlie Pugsley said: "It sounds far-fetched that a jar containing a few rubber bands caused a severe house fire but that's exactly what happened."

[Rich]

BAN JARS!!

[Rufus J. Firefly]

BAN NUTELLA!

[Doctor Whom]

No? Then why do you hate dogs so much?

[Ted S.]

BAN SUNLIGHT!!!

[pan fried wylie]

It's sad because that dog would still be alive if it hadn't licked the jar so clean.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

I should not have laughed...but I did.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

He who is without sin throw the first apple: student who speaks for gay rights at conservative Christian college assaulted by fellow student

"After a student at a prominent evangelical college questioned his school's stance against homosexuality in an all-school forum on Monday, another student allegedly threw an apple at him "as a warning against insulting the Spirit of grace."

http://time.com/3722790/wheato.....gbt-apple/

[PBR Streetgang]

My soul IS filled with the peace and love of Jesus Christ, Godammit!!

[Rich]

*** makes joyful noise ***

[Irish]

"However, Massey said that he learned the student has been disciplined.

"Wheaton College unequivocally condemns acts of disrespect, aggression and intimidation. While expressions of disagreement are to be expected in a liberal arts learning environment, our expectation is that members of our Christian community express disagreement and debate important issues with courtesy, respect, and love for God and each other?values we express in our Community Covenant. This is especially important when we discuss sensitive and challenging topics, or when our convictions are disputed."

"It has been confirmed to me that as of this afternoon, the offending student will no longer be on campus, and if he is on campus, LGBT students that feel threatened will be immediately notified," Massey says. "I'm incredibly impressed at how the administration is responding?I'm very pleased to know they are taking this seriously.""

Alt-headline: Evangelical Christian behaves abhorrently, college disciplines him expediently and professionally.

They seem to have handled this incident better than the average left-wing college handles violence and threats against conservatives and libertarians.

This is actually one of the better unequivocal statements of support for free expression I've seen from a college, and it comes from Evangelical Christians. We've fallen pretty far, haven't we?

[Ted S.]

Wheaton College

Wil Wheaton has a college named after him? Is it worse than Wesleyan?

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

What if they merged?

[R C Dean]

What did he do? I mean, there's proggies who think wearing a shirt with the American flag on it is an act of "disrespect, aggression and intimidation."

[Ted S.]

"Stop resisting!"

[BardMetal]

Trigger words

[Bee Tagger]

The Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation raised millions from foreign governments

SAT question: Since sexism dictates a woman can raise 77 cents for every dollar a man can raise, then how much money did Bill raise?

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT BILL CLINTON RISING, NO SIR!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Arizona police are investigating the cutting of a fiber-optic cable in Phoenix that left people across northern Arizona (including our own J.D. Tuccille!) without Internet, cell phone, or landline service for several hours.

Net neutrality dry run.

[Restoras]

Holy crap, sarc. That was quite a load of links. Has it been awhile?

[sarcasmic]

Hope I didn't get any in your hair.

[Lord Humungus]

Yeess!

Sword fight at Dubai hotel leaves 4 men hospitalized

The brawl at a hotel in the Al Rigga section of the city began after one of the suspects smacked into another at a bathroom in the hotel, police in the city told the Khaleej Times.

"One of the suspects' shoulders brushed with another. This led to an exchange of insults, followed by an argument and a fight," Major-General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri told the newspaper.

A security guard stumbled upon the ruckus and called in cops from the Al Murraqabat police station. All of the men were between the age of 25 and 29 ? two were Saudis and two others were United Arab Emirates citizens, according to the Khaleej Times. Swords and knives were used in the rumble, cops said.

[John]

No one was smart enough to bring a gun to a knife fight. Typical Arabs

[gaijin]

OT: I saw the headline in the links and thought maybe you would change your handle to Jihadi John...for kicks 🙂

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

For clicks?

[John]

I like that idea.

[BardMetal]

Exactly where was Indiana Jones to show them the error of their sword fighting ways.

[Timon 19]

The Khaleej Times did the original reporting on that? It's just as likely that it was a butter-knife fight or that it plain didn't happen at all. They love to make shit up.

The Khaleej Times is...suspect.

[Suthenboy]

why is there a photo of a western sword there? One that has a cross on the pommel, no less.

The reason these dumb fucks weren't able to do us all a favor is because they had those stupid arabian hackers instead of a good stabber.

[Timon 19]

Wow, I didn't see the picture before. That's tremendously missing the mark.

On the other hand, most Saudis aren't known for carrying Khanjars. Or, really, anyone younger than 65 over there.

[Lord Humungus]

KFC to offer edible coffee cups

The cup, named the 'Scoff-ee Cup' is made from biscuit, wrapped in sugar paper and then lined with a layer of heat-resistant white chocolate to keep the coffee hot and the cup crispy.

Once the chocolate lining melts over time, the biscuit begins to soften causing it to melt in your mouth.

[Monty Crisco]

This may be genius...

[Rich]

Once the chocolate lining melts over time, the biscuit begins to soften causing it to melt in your mouth on your crotch.

Let the lawsuits begin.

[Hyperion]

Yeah, it's like putting your beer in the freezer. The timing has to be just right or you wind up with several variations of bad.

[Monty Crisco]

This *may* be genius...

[John]

Scott Walker to the media; go troll someone else

http://www.usatoday.com/story/...../24022195/

[Bo Cara Esq.]

This guy has made his craven inability to respond to direct questions into a virtue in the eyes of moony-eyed conservatives.

It's not trolling to ask someone who wants to be in the public eye to comment on what a speaker at one his own events said, or current political controversies, or policy questions (like SSM and abortion).

[Juice]

He's starting to sound like the male Sarah Palin.

[RBS]

I will always choose to focus on what matters to the American people, not what matters to the media.

Sure, but what about what matters to Bo?

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Yeah, he doesn't care about what Rudy said...at an event for Scott Walker. He cared about it so little he sponsored what was said.

This guy is really something.

[WTF]

HE HAZ NO COLLEG DEGREE!!11!!!!!

[Restoras]

Finally, the media just might have to eat crow. After years of pandering to the left and fooling the right into thinking that they are even handed in their treatment of them, this guy is just going over their heads. I love it.

[Mike M.]

If he can actually successfully pull off making Wisconisn, the birthplace of the communist movement in America, a Right To Work state, he's pretty much my new political hero.

[Illocust]

Damn, see this is why I like this guy. If he can get up there and shame the media into actually focusing on relevant issues to his job, I will be willing to forgive a lot of dumb laws.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation raised millions from foreign governments?including Algeria, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman?while Hillary was serving as Secretary of State.

What difference, at this point, or any point in the future, does it make?

[John]

Maybe someone should ask her if she ever asled for money as she flying around on the taxpayer dime.

[Restoras]

HAHAHA!!! You're hilarious. Like the media would ever do their job properly in a case involving anyone named Clinton.

[John]

It was an easy joke but a good one.

[DEG]

Infographic: Compendium of Booze

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Cool.

[kinnath]

multiple errors in the diagram

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Whisky - Origin: Middle East.

Um, no...

[DEG]

Distillation of alcohol is an Arab invention, though it is stretching things a bit here.

[DEG]

Oops.. sorry, I goofed. Distillation came from the Middle East (either Babylon or Greece), and came into Italy from the Arabs. The Italians are the first to distil alcohol.

[Bee Tagger]

Arizona police are investigating the cutting of a fiber-optic cable in Phoenix that left people across northern Arizona

"Did you try deporting your router?"

[Injun, as in from India]

"Or wrap it in pink underwear?"

[Lord Humungus]

2-Year Trek From Turf to Table Delays Cheaper U.S. Beef

Even as herd expansion starts, meat output probably won't rise right away. As of Jan. 1, ranchers increased the number of beef cows for breeding by 2.1 percent from a year earlier, rather than send them to slaughter. Commercial beef production will drop 0.1 percent in 2015 to 24.22 billion pounds, the fifth straight decline and lowest since 1993, the USDA said Feb. 19.

"Lower prices are coming, but it's going to be some time yet," David Anderson, a livestock economist at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, said in a Feb. 3 interview. "We've kicked off some expansion. It doesn't really change anything for 2015 in terms of our expected beef production."

[Bee Tagger]

Human head transplants are upon us.

Not just for the rich like John Travolta and Nicholas Cage.

[Lord Humungus]

Merkel Faces Stepped-Up Dissent on Greek Bailout in Party

While senior lawmakers say almost all of Merkel's Christian Democratic bloc will back the four-month reprieve for Greece in a lower-house vote on Friday, 22 of the 311 caucus members opposed the measure in a straw poll Thursday, nine more than voted against passage of Greece's second bailout in 2012.

Goading them on was Alternative for Germany, the anti-euro party that's won seats in four German state parliaments since August and is seeking to boost its national standing on the back of dissatisfaction with euro-area bailouts. Party co-leader Bernd Lucke urged Christian Democratic lawmakers to shun party discipline and vote their conscience on Friday.

[Injun, as in from India]

The EU project is so awful.

The direct proof of it is the Nobel Peace Prize that was given to the EU.

[Lord Humungus]

We Must Close the Military Sex-Offender Loophole

Most Americans would find it chilling if a convicted sex offender were dropped into their neighborhood without warning, free to pick new victims at will. But apparently ? according to a recent report ? that's exactly what the United States military has allowed to happen in our communities.

In Arizona, the Marines released a chief warrant officer who was convicted and served time for making his 12-year-old babysitters wear his wife's high heels and walk on his partially nude body, then rub their feet against his genitals. He was never flagged as a sex offender because he pleaded to "conduct unbecoming an officer," but even if he were, his crimes would never have been reported to his new neighbors.

[Monty Crisco]

MY GOD!!! WON"T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"...without warning, free to pick new victims at will."

Jesus Christ, talk about fearmonger-palooza.

Even that state dept honcho that was busted the other day was actually roped into it from some bitch online talking dirty and sending him questionable (as to age) photos and then mentioning "oh, I'm underage!"

[John]

That is a bunch of horse shit Lets go out and entrap people into crimes.

[Monty Crisco]

Seriously - I have no doubt that pedophiles exist, but turning people into them when they are just sad dudes trying to get laid is not the way to proceed.
Gotta do something with all those "law-enforcement" agencies, I guess...

[Ted S.]

Force all elected officials to go on the list, since they're fucking all of us over by trying to destroy liberty.

[R C Dean]

Most Americans would find it chilling if a convicted sex offender were dropped into their neighborhood without warning, free to pick new victims at will. But apparently ? according to a recent report ? that's exactly what the United States military immigration bureaucracy has allowed to happen in our communities.

http://cis.org/ICE-Document-De.....se-in-2013

In 2013, ICE freed 36,007 convicted criminal aliens from detention who were awaiting the outcome of deportation proceedings, according to a document obtained by the Center for Immigration Studies. This group included aliens convicted of hundreds of violent and serious crimes, including homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, and aggravated assault.

[Bee Tagger]

left people across northern Arizona (including our own J.D. Tuccille!) without Internet, cell phone, or landline service

I thought the net neutrality vote didn't happen yet.

[Rich]

Nice.

[Derpetologist]

Spot the Not: Michele Bachmann Turner Overdrive!

1. I'm not motivated by vanity, glory or the quest for power.

2. Everything I need to know, I learned in Iowa. I grew up here in Iowa.

3. Hey, I took karate when I was 17 years old; I am dangerous.

4. I want to be America's Margaret Thatcher. I will be the next Iron Lady.

5. Though I'm a congresswoman by title, a politician I've never been.

6. As a young girl, I plowed the fields of our family farm.

Bonus video: Even kids are crazy for Bachmann!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa_ThjtDS8M

[Rufus J. Firefly]

4.

[Rich]

5.

[WTF]

Gonna go with 4.

[Monty Crisco]

Imma go with 3

[SusanM]

5

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

4

[Rufus J. Firefly]

How long does a person have to wait around here to get ANSWERS?!

/writes letter to Welch.

[hamilton]

When Postrel was in charge the commentariat didn't have to sit around waiting for answers.

[WTF]

Because Postrel hated us with the white hot heat of a thousand suns.

[Rich]

I believe Derpetologist's protocol is to give us an hour.

[Andrew S.]

Guessing 1.

[Derpetologist]

No more bets! No more bets!

The Not is 6- Joni Ernst said that.
Ha! fooled all of you!

Riddle me this: why the hell should I care about a politician's humble roots? I don't give a shit if she earned money by charging boys a quarter to glance at her cooter.

And besides, I was born in a log cabin I built with my own 2 hands. So vote for me because children, small businesses, family farms, freedom, god, guns, and apple pie! Support our troops & America, fuck yeah!

Twirling, twirling towards freedom!

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Hey, stop all that gamboling over there!

[RAHeinlein]

2.

[Doctor Whom]

According to the NYT, the lack of choice in broadband Internet has nothing to do with local governments' franchising policies and everything to do with perceived market failure.

[John]

There is a decided lack of choice in opera companies and Michelin star restaurants in small towns as well. When is the Times going to demand something be done about that? Their position seems to be every community must have the exact same amenities as every other

[Restoras]

Well, when it comes to everything economics the paper of record is...idiotic.

[Injun, as in from India]

Gray Lady = Rancid Whore

[Juice]

Good god that's some lame ass logic. Local cable monopolies give people less choice and there is no competition. So...lets make some new rules that have nothing to do with that and feel like we accomplished something.

[Hyperion]

OT: Not sure if has been covered here or not.

Let the inquisition begin!

The ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, Ra?l Grijalva of Arizona, has written to seven universities about seven researchers who harbor impure thoughts about climate change

[Hyperion]

Which brings up the question, if 190% of all scientists agree that AGW is happening, then why do we need an inquisition to weed out the ones that don't agree?

[UnCivilServant]

Well, if it's a Dragon Age Inquisition, it doesn't ask that many questions and mainly kills dragons.

[Hyperion]

I've only played it for a few hours. The controls are a little annoying at first, but I think I can get used to it. Haven't seen a dragon yet.

[Unreconstructed]

The first time you do...RUN. The second time you do...RUN. Maybe, just maybe, the third time, if you're not in the middle of a mission, fight for the fun of it (you'll die).

[WTF]

Because if they don't agree, they are not scientists, and must be removed lest anyone be fooled by fake scientists into being skeptical of AGW.

(This is what 'Tony' actually believes.)

[Hyperion]

Well, Tony's a rocket surgeon, he should know.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

I thought he was a brain scientist?

[sarcasmic]

No. He freely admits that he doesn't understand the science. That's why he defers to the experts who understand science. And by "experts who understand science" he means "high priests of the AGW cult."

[JW]

Which brings up the question, if 190% of all scientists agree that AGW is happening, then why do we need an inquisition to weed out the ones that don't agree?

People whose data and conclusions are rock solid don't need to be paranoid and demand action against critics.

[Suthenboy]

"Pielke's offense is merely pointing to data showing that extreme weather events haven't yet been affected by climate change, and this is enough to enrage advocates who need immediate disasters as a handy political cudgel.
It can't be Apocalypse 100 Years From Now; it has to be Apocalypse Now."

Pielke can't be right. We have had one or two Katrinas every year since 2005. Haven't we?

[Ted S.]

This was totally unexpected.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

Of course, it has nothing to do with "impure thoughts", but rather with CORPORACHUNS!!!!! and KOCHS!!!! funding climate research. Grijalva's note to CU is pretty specific about that.

Interestingly, Grijalva chose to go after Roger Pielke Jr, who claims to be right onboard with the AWG train. So Grijalva's a dumbass... no surprise there.

More interestingly (to me), Pelke notes in his blog that "...widely published, engaged with Congress, policy impact ? these are supposed to be virtues of the modern academic researcher, right?"

So much for advancing our understanding of the world, for adding to the wellspring of human knowledge, for exploring the universe's unknowns... Pelke only wants to resesarch topics which will result in new policies. It's a quest for power similar to any politician's.

[JW]

The imperative is to show that, in Holdren's words, "climate change is an urgent public health, safety, national security, and environmental imperative" (emphasis added).

You mean something like overpopulation, Holdren? That kind of urgent imperitive?

[Lord Humungus]

The Frightening Legacy of Typhoid Mary

But the real story is more complicated than the caricature. Historians such as Judith Walzer Leavitt, author of Typhoid Mary: Captive to the Public's Health, point out that by the time of her second imprisonment Mallon was far from the only known carrier. There were thousands across the country and hundreds in New York, and today we know that being a carrier of disease is not that unusual: Up to 6 percent of people who've had typhoid, which is still common in the developing world, can spread it long after they've recovered, even if they exhibited few or no symptoms, says Denise Monack, a microbiologist at Stanford. Monack has shown that genetic mutations might allow bacteria to climb unnoticed into immune cells, where they take up long-term residence.

So why was Mallon alone among carriers imprisoned for life? "That's the million-dollar question that nobody can answer," says James Colgrove, a professor of sociomedical sciences at Columbia. It might have been because she was female, Irish, uncooperative and without a family.

[Illocust]

That's funny. I was pretty sure it was because she was a carrier and a cook. Plus she was in denial about being a carrier and refused to quit being a house cook even after two of the families she cooked for died of Typhoid.
It's like aid. Nothing wrong with having it, but if you've been told you have it and then you insist on having unprotected sex with uninformed partners, it might be time to lock you up for the safety of all.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I thought it was alleged (confirmed?) she purposely infected the food.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

No! It was the Freemasons poisonin' the wells!

*clutches foil hat tighter*

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Kerry to Congressman: 'Don't Make Fun' of Marie Harf's Comments

Secretary of State John Kerry told a congressman today to stop making fun of what State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said.

At this morning's House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) asked Kerry about Harf's comments last week, in which she said "we cannot win this war" by killing ISIS and job development was one facet of the plan to combat extremism.

In clarifying her comments on CNN, Harf then said her argument about getting to the "root cause" of terrorism "might be too nuanced an argument for some."

When I hear the word nuance, I unsafe my Browning. Because whenever I've heard it used since about 2008, it means something roughly like "I'm going to piss down your back and tell you it's raining, while also smearing you as an idiot and bigot if you dare to disagree."

[Suthenboy]

"Mr. Secretary, if you don't want people making fun of your comments don't say stupid things."

[Pro Libertate]

Endeavor to persevere.

[Lord Humungus]

Supreme Court ruling could upturn Obamacare politics

And for once in the long political struggle over Obamacare, Democrats could be on offense. It would be the mirror image of the controversy that erupted in late 2013, when many people saw their insurance plans canceled because they didn't meet the new Obamacare rules, and Republicans pummeled Obama for breaking his promise: "If you like your plan, you can keep it." The anger stuck, and it helped the GOP make big gains in the November 2014 midterm elections.

But if the subsidies go, Democrats could run ads attacking the Republicans for trying to take away coverage from their own newly insured constituents. They could feature a heart patient who has to skip his next echocardiogram, a pregnant woman who loses her coverage and is cut off before her baby is born, a breast cancer patient, like Barbara Fox, worried about paying for her next round of chemo.

[UnCivilServant]

Except with the massive deductibles, Obamacare plans already mean these people are paying out of pocket or foregoing care.

[Hyperion]

No worries, Mr. Penaltax will undoubtedly save them again.

[WTF]

But if the subsidies go, Democrats could run ads attacking the Republicans for trying to take away coverage from their own newly insured constituents.

How are the Republicans responsible for something that is written into the law that the Republicans opposed and didn't vote for? Fucking logic, how does it work?

[Lord Humungus]

Not very well with the voters?

[WTF]

I concede your point. Especially since the media will run with EVUL RETHUGLICANS!!1!!!!

[Illocust]

Because the democrat base 1.) fully believes that the plain language of the law does not say what it says, and 2.) that laws should be interpreted as however agrees with their world view.

[Injun, as in from India]

Here in lies the crux of the argument against big government. It is easy to make government bigger, but any attempt to make it smaller will result in howls and cries by those who benefited from the "free" sh1t.

[Lord Humungus]

+1 Chinese Finger Trap

[R C Dean]

But if the subsidies go, Democrats could run ads attacking the Republicans for trying to take away coverage from their own newly insured constituents.

Yeah, those dastardly Republicans, somehow managing to insert a fatal flaw into ObamaCare despite not casting a single vote for it or being allowed at the table when it was being drafted.

[Jordan]

Ukraine, in addition to conscripting people and going bankrupt, is now jailing dissenters and confiscating property.

[WTF]

That should motivate Ukranians to resist the Russians!

[Jordan]

Yeah, seriously. When even the "well, we're better than Putin!" defense falls flat, you're pretty much done.

[The Last American Hero]

Is Biden's son still on the board of that gas company in Ukraine?

[Rich]

Black History Biden: Veep calls for 'emancipation' of people's wealth

He then sold all he had, gave the money to the poor, and followed Jesus.

[DEG]

He then sold all he had, gave the money to the poor, and followed Jesus.

I laughed.

[Doctor Whom]

"A lot of wealthy white and black people aren't bad but they control 1 percent of the economy and this cannot stand," Biden told about 100 guests, including past civil rights activists and NBC weatherman Al Roker.

Paging the Lolwut Pear. Lolwut Pear, please pick up any white courtesy phone. Yes, we know you don't have hands, but the chipmunk can help you.

[widget]

It's more like 0.l% of the people control 99.9 of the wealth, joe. Decimal places are hard for populists.

[Juice]

Damn he even fucks up demagoguery.

[Lord Humungus]

He didn't sell the Trans Am?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

HOLY SHIT. Can he have packed more vacuousness in two minutes?

Lord have mercy on the United States of America.

And Canada because we have our fair share of idiots who talk empty shit for a living too.

[Injun, as in from India]

Wow. And this guy is one step away from the Presidency in an emergency succession?

[Somalian Road Corporation]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D....._bin_Laden

According to the seized material, former commander of the international forces in Afghanistan David Petraeus and US President Barack Obama should be assassinated during any of their visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan, if there was an opportunity to do so. Bin Laden opined that U.S. Vice President Joe Biden should not be a target because "Biden is totally unprepared for that post [of president], which will lead the US into a crisis."

[Derpetologist]

Was shown this cartoon a while back when asked what if climate change is a hoax. It is an excellent explanation of why the climate change cultists really are marxist watermelons:

http://www.chicagonow.com/bron.....A-Hoax.jpg

[WTF]

Just...wow.

[Injun, as in from India]

The etc. etc. includes things like rainbows, unicorns, hot women, etc.

[Rhywun]

Why do you hate all those vague concepts? WHY??

[The DerpRider]

Anyone seen the Ask a Ninja guy lately? Because he and Jihadi John look exactly alike.

[Ken Shultz]

"The Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation raised millions from foreign governments?including Algeria, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman?while Hillary was serving as Secretary of State."

So the Clintons are up to their old tricks again? I suppose it shouldn't surprise me, but it does.

They just can't shake that ol' down home, Arkansas style corruption. It's in their blood.

This is the exact same thing Bubba Clinton got neck deep in.

For anybody that needs a refresher course:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1.....ng_figures

Mark my words, if Hillary Clinton becomes President, the Clinton Administration, Pants Suit Edition, will spend half its energy defending itself--from its own internal investigations.

The Clintons are certainly the most corrupt people to make it to the White House since World War II, and I'd put them up against some of the most corrupt people to ever inhabit the White House.

Take a bribe from Americans for various things I can see--but taking money from a foreign power is fucking treasonous.

[Illocust]

That might make Clinton a great president. Spending all your time defending yourself doesn't leave a lot of time for law passing.

[Ken Shultz]

Way to find the pony!

I suppose you're right in a way.

The question is what is she going to do or not do for having taken that money.

Bill Clinton was accused of looking the other on what amounted to technology transfers to China.

Technology transfers to China used to be tightly controlled--their nuclear missiles could hit the west coast of the U.S. back in the day--but not with any accuracy.

Being able to have that kind of influence with the President probably doesn't matter much--until it matters a lot.

I remember thinking about that stuff a lot when, for instance, Elian Gonzalez was whisked away--and Clinton seemed to be taking orders from Castro. He was paying a huge political price, squandering tons of political capital for something that didn't really make much sense.

And at that point, Occam's razor is pointing people in a nasty direction--like all the time. I remember thinking: "I wonder what Castro has on ol' Billie Boy?"

I hear what you're saying, but it's a sick feeling. That sick feeling is why Bush got elected over Gore, that's for sure. It must have been worth at least a percentage point.

[Monty Crisco]

I am not convinced that a President Gore would have been a significant improvement over President Bush.

Especially considering his actions SINCE he got out of politics...

[Ken Shultz]

I celebrated when Bush was first elected, but I'm not sure Gore could have been much worse.

If he had managed not to step on ANY of the landmines Bush stepped on, it would have been an improvement.

Would he have done a prescription drug benefit for Medicare?

Probably, but he wouldn't have had the support of Congress.

Would he have invaded Iraq?

I would say probably not. That's something you had to fight for.

Would he have launched TARP?

I don't think he'd have had the foresight to see it as a means to remake Wall Street in his image and nationalize two-thirds of the American auto industry like Obama did, but he probably would have felt the same pressure Bush did, too.

I guess hindsight isn't even 20/20, but that's a really low bar Gore would have had to jump over to be a better president than Bush. Bush was everything I hate about Obama--only a little less so.

[Monty Crisco]

Fair Assessment. I gotta disagree about Iraq. History suggests that Democratic Presidents are just a ready to go to war as Republican ones (look at the current administration) and the environmentwas such that I think he would have just kept going on his presidential power trip and gone into Iraq on the same WMD pretense. And Congress would hae abetted that.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

"And Congress would hae abetted that."

Oh, aye. They have no enough backbone.

[Monty Crisco]

*have*

Goddamn irrational exuberance...

[Juice]

I celebrated when Bush was first elected

Good god, why? Before 9/11 what Bush was offering was compassionate conservatism, faith based initiatives, and No Child Left Behind.

[Juice]

Would he have invaded Iraq?

I would say probably not. That's something you had to fight for.

Go back and read all the things Gore was saying in the 2000 election regarding Iraq and Saddam. Then read the praises (that's right) that Gore had for Bush for invading. He changed his tune right when the war looked like it wasn't going to be the cakewalk "everyone" thought it would be, but it all looks like Gore would have invaded Iraq to depose Saddam. I'm thinking the occupation would have gone differently but not the invasion and ouster.

[tarran]

Clinton's faction of the Democratic Party were full throated advocates for the war.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Yeah, that's been memory-holed and history has been rewritten that it was all Bush, Cheney, and those dastardly Republicans.

Even those who acknowledge what was actually going on still say it was ultimately Bush's fault alone. I got an earful of this nonsense when the Brian Williams scandal broke and the tu quoques were flying left and right.

[Old Man With Candy]

More Christians about to lose their heads

And here's White House Spokescunt Jen Psaki:

"ISIL continues to exact its evil upon innocents of all faiths, and the majority of its victims have been Muslims."

I hope she's next.

[Ken Shultz]

What do you propose we do about this?

You want us to invade Syria?

What's your plan?

[Old Man With Candy]

We should do exactly nothing. Not our business.

The White House should get off its "the feelings of Muslims must be appeased" kick. This is of a piece with the idiotic statements about the NC parking dispute shootings.

[Ken Shultz]

It's just blather.

Blather is actually better than the hawks who are trying to exploit this shit as an excuse to launch an all out war on the Islamic world.

I think we've gotten about all the mileage we're going to get out of exploiting the Obama's PC silliness on Islam.

...all the mileage we're going to get without encouraging our fellow Americans to support a war on Islam.

And if we get the right hawk in office (which very well might be a Democrat like Hillary), he or she may very well exploit that shit to launch a stupid ass quagmire of an invasion into Syria.

She's dumb enough and self-confident enough to rush in where Israel fears to tread, too!

[Old Man With Candy]

It's just blather.

No, it's worse than that. They're drumming up leftist support for war there (or I should say MORE war there) by appealing to the Narrative.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Given the previous administration made similar type of comments, do you think it might be part of a strategy to keep moderate muslims on our side?

[Ken Shultz]

Isn't it just as easily explained by the Obama Administration's PC silliness?

Let's make protecting LGBT rights a central point in our foreign policy relationship with countries like Saudi Arabia!

...and it's really hard to achieve foreign policy objectives like that if we're not reciprocating, isn't it.

[WTF]

What, she didn't take the opportunity to remind everyone of past evils committed by Christians? She's slipping.

[Old Man With Candy]

I don't have a full transcript, so perhaps she worked that in somewhere.

[widget]

In case you don't know, California's AG, Kamala Harris, will be replacing Barbara Boxer in 2016 as our junior Senator in 2016. Our senior senator, Diane Feinstein, was replaced by a Pets.com avatar in 1998.

[BigT]

Let the climate inquisition begin. The ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, Ra?l Grijalva of Arizona, has written to seven universities about seven researchers who harbor impure thoughts about climate change.

One of the targets is Steven Hayward, a blogger, author and academic now at Pepperdine University (as well as an occasional contributor to National Review). As Hayward puts it, the spirit of the inquiry is, "Are you now or have you ever been a climate skeptic?"

Science as an enterprise usually doesn't need political enforcers. (For whatever reason, Aristotle left that part out in his foundational work a couple of millennia ago.) But proponents of a climate alarmism demanding immediate action to avert worldwide catastrophe won't and can't simply let the science speak for itself.

In fact, for people who claim to champion science, they have the least scientific temperament imaginable. Their attitude owes more to Trofim Lysenko, the high priest of the Soviet Union's politicized science, than, say, to Gregor Mendel, the founder of modern genetics whose work was shunned by Lysenko for ideological reasons.

[Hyperion]

You're a little late, look upthread, sorry.

[BigT]

I didn't have time to read the thread and didn't want this to go unnoticed. Sorry

[gaijin]

"I think what a life in science teaches you is the vastness of our ignorance"
-David Eagleman, Neuroscientist

"I fucking Love Science...so I am right"
-Generic AGW Cultist

[hamilton]

So if you are terminally ill and in need of a body transplant, and the next available donor is of a different gender, what then?

This seems like a SJW dream scenario.

Or, alternately, at what point can I use the proceeds from my orphans' labors to buy myself a Chris Hemsworth upgrade or (even more fun) a Kate Upton?

[Illocust]

Probably won't work. I imagine their would be issues putting xx and xy together.

[DJK]

One of many reasons it won't work. The gigantic one would be immune system rejection. People did these transplants on monkeys in the 80s. The monkeys rejected the heads without exception. If you get a head graft it's likely gonna end VERY poorly. Horror film bad.

[tarran]

I am so disappointed by your ignorance, hamilton.

That's the plot of Heinlein's "I will fear no evil."

[Old Man With Candy]

I love Heinlein. That book was terrible. Best forgotten.

[Andrew S.]

I've always wondered why. Just looked it up on Wiki for the first time ever, and this seems to make sense as to why.

Heinlein suffered from life-threatening peritonitis after completing the first draft of this novel. He remained ill for the next two years and it is thought to have been published without his usual editing and polish.[1]

[tarran]

I enjoy all of Heinlein's works, even the ones where I am aware of huge flaws.

Does this make me a tasteless person? 🙂

[The DerpRider]

Iranians blow up cardboard carrier...

I somehow think they may have a harder time with the real thing.

[UnCivilServant]

Their exercise ignored the carrier's onboard weapons, it's aircraft, and its escort fleet. So, yea, they'd have a harder time with the real thing.

[tarran]

Was the cardboard carrier moving at 25+ knots? Because we could do that without breaking a sweat, and maneuver pretty well.

The real danger to carriers is posed by the surface to surface missile batteries the Iranians have that cover the entirety of the straits of Hormuz.

The sort of firepower a speedboat has, not so much; even if they managed to set something on fire, it's unlikely the magazines would be affected. Plus the magazines have very good flooding protection - part of the design that goes into protecting something that is the number 1 target for enemies *and* occasionally has a plane crash into it.

[Lord Humungus]

Why the right hates American history
Thomas Jefferson knew that education is vital to a functioning Democratic Republic. Conservatives have other ideas

Just think about Social Security, The New Deal, freeing the slaves, or child labor laws? all represent great turning points in our nation that progressives made possible. The fact is, our entire history ? from our revolution to healthcare reform ? is filled with progressive accomplishments, and it's hard to sell the Conservative brand to people who know that history.

Many of the today's biggest political issues, like our privacy rights, would not even be up for debate today had it not been for the attack on education. If more Americans had had a strong understanding of our history, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney would have never been able to pull off the Patriot Act. And, we wouldn't be discussing the Orwellian government spy agencies like the NSA in this day and age.

While we can't undo the damage to the Fourth Amendment overnight, we can protect our remaining rights by passing on accurate history, and protecting public education.

[Doctor Whom]

The fact is, our entire history ? from our revolution to healthcare reform ? is filled with progressive accomplishments, and it's hard to sell the Conservative brand to people who know that history.

You spin me right round, baby, right round, like that progtard "logic," right round round round.

[WTF]

What, you didn't know that progressive Democrats freed the slaves? Don't you know history?

[Doctor Whom]

Everyone who accomplished anything in American history was a true Scotsman!

[sarcasmic]

Something can only be called an accomplishment if it was done by the government, because the government is the people. Accomplishments by actual people don't count.

[Monty Crisco]

"Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past."

-Ingsoc

This is not a new strategy or attempt by the left.

But wow!

[R C Dean]

So the progs are now claiming credit for the Revolution? I guess that means all those slave owners who fought the Brits were progs.

[Rhywun]

I suspected the readership of Salon (and once again it was immediately obvious where this was posted simply by reading the headline) was, not to put too fine a point on it, fucking stupid - but this is just beyond belief.

[Lord Humungus]

21 Rand Paul quotes that expose libertarianism for the con job it is
Whether he's policing women's bodies or ignoring police brutality, the Kentucky Senator is a walking contradiction

Senator Rand Paul, of Kentucky, seems to have no problem contradicting himself. The self-proclaimed "constitutional conservative" is typically lost in libertarian thought leading him to make inflammatory sexist, racist and overbearingly hypocritical comments on nearly every issue he faces. Whether he's attempting to police women's bodies, ignoring police brutality for stingy tobacco taxes, or speaking out against vaccines and posting himself receiving booster shots only days later, Ron Paul's son is one politician you can unabashedly hate or enjoy laughing at.

I'm not going to list all 21.

Trigger Warning: Salon

[hamilton]

Given that for this article to be effective, it would require a Salon writer to understand
(a) Rand Paul's statements
(b) libertarian concepts, and
(c) what constitutes a logical fallacy or contradiction
I'd give low odds on a winner.

[Doctor Whom]

Given that for this article to be effective, it would require a Salon writer to understand
(a) Rand Paul's statements
(b) libertarian concepts, and
(c) what constitutes a logical fallacy or contradiction
anything,
I'd give low odds on a winner.

FIFY.

[Hyperion]

When he got into a heated argument with a female TV news anchor

Well that one right there proves without doubt that the entire idea of libertarianism is a con job.

The author is undoubtedly a brilliant, deep thinker, and champion of reason and logic.

[RBS]

Arguing with a woman is verbal rape.

[Monty Crisco]

LMFAO

[Hyperion]

The most ridiculous statement is the one about Rand Paul ignoring police brutality. He's one of the most outspoken people in congress about it, if not the most outspoken. Does that not count because he places the blame on some things besides racism?

These people are indescribably ignorant.

[Warty]

It's Alternet, dude.

[Monty Crisco]

Dude, stop with the Salon. It is just Alternet without the signage...

[sarcasmic]

I read all the quotes and didn't see anything contradictory, though I did see how many of the statements could elicit an emotional response in a weak-minded leftist (redundant, I know).

[Andrew S.]

Well, of course Salon thinks libertarianism is a con job. Every one of their writers used to be libertarian but then saw the light and became progressive, right? Some more than once even.

[Paul.]

Good to know that Salon has officially reduced itself to the level of Buzzfeed. Which is cool, one more entire webspace I'll never click on again. Ever.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

I've become highly averse to the clickbait odd-numbered listicles "that X don't want you to know", etc., even when they sound like something I might actually be interested in.

Ugh, I wonder how long that trend is going to last. It's one of those things that can't be unseen once seen and it's fucking everywhere now.

[Juice]

ignoring police brutality for stingy tobacco taxes

Didn't he explicitly condemn the brutality AND the taxes?

[Derpetologist]

Riddle me this, Batman:

For the past 13 years, the US has been willing to kill Muslims, but not to criticize Islam.

Why?

[Lord Humungus]

Killing is easier that going against political correctness?

[Lord Humungus]

I just made myself sick thinking of the implications of this.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Because that's exactly what our enemies want us to do? The aim of the radicals is to convince the Islamic community the West is anti-Muslim, why help them out?

[Derpetologist]

If you're willing to kill someone, it seems you ought to be willing to criticize their beliefs.

There was not much concern about alienating moderate communists during the Cold War.

[R C Dean]

Maybe this is like what happened when we decided we weren't going to capture any more terrorists, because Gitmo.

If you can't capture them, or criticize them, about the only thing left is killing them.

[Mike M.]

Because our so-called "elites" are fully indoctrinated and steeped in dopey political correctness, and thus remain in denial about the fundamental aggressive, violent, and political nature of the religion.

They seriously think that inside every Muslim is a modern westerner struggling to get out, and they're simply wrong. Their culture is completely different from ours, and basically incompatible.

[sarcasmic]

In the world of political correctness, culture equals race. So if you criticize another culture, you're racist.

[DEG]

Warning: Autoplay video

Horses escape from barn, police don't shoot them.

"Our neighbors yelled at us. The horses were in Hannaford. I thought he was joking and he says, 'no they're over there,'" Charlotte Cooper said.

The Coopers say their horses were treated very well.

"I went over and sure enough, there they were. The police were keeping them company and somebody dropped off a couple bags of carrots for them!" Charlotte said.

[Lord Humungus]

Did someone say head transplants?

The Thing With Two Heads movie trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWHNA_j7h5A

[SugarFree]

Warty Hugeman and The Endless Asshole: A Warty Hugeman Time Travel Adventure" Part 3 (of 6)

"We'll anchor in place. This skin tag as obviously weathered thousands of fartquakes," Warty reasoned.

He ripped open his carryall and began pulling out equipment. Cables and ropes and a piton gun were passed to Simon and he began studding the base of the anal skin tag with anchors. There was little blood, but the skin tag twitched every time Simon fired into it, and it writhed when Warty used his enormous strength to drive a large harpoon to the hilt to act as an anchor of last resort.

"OK, Simon. You first," Warty said, reaching out for the cabling.

"No Warty Hugeman. I should secure you first," Simon said.

"Good idea," Warty said and gathered the slack skin tag flesh round him.

"Did you not wish to know why I should secure you first?" Simon asked.

"Nope, just do it. Hop to, now." As soon as Warty finished speaking, the nearby giant anus puckered and shiver went through the entire backdoor canyon, as if it agreed with him on the timetable.

[SugarFree]

"You are very important to me, Warty Hugeman," Simon said, as he cocooned Warty in the tag meat with a web of cabling woven at robotic speed through the pitons. "You freed me from my cruel creators and gave me a freedom no one else in my product line will ever experience."

Warty sighed inwardly. This was not the first putatively male artificial humanoid to confess its love for him. Few manbots could resist Warty's sociopathic flat effect or his massive quads.

"Look, Simon. I really like you too, but?" Before Warty could finish interrupting him, Simon stepped away and then lashed himself into the tagflesh.

"You were saying something, Warty Hugeman?" Simon asked

"Don't worry about it," Warty said, right as the apocalyptic farting began.

The lavish display of starlight in the sky above Balloonknot lit up the canyon as the buttal cleft was split open by the escaping gas. The fart seemed to go forever, the pressure waves slamming into anal skin tag, making it lurch sickeningly. The anus snapped close once, causing the skin tag to shoot upward. Warty briefly thought that it was over, but a secondary fart was lurking behind the clenched anus and battered them once more when it came rushing out.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

"the buttal cleft"

I expect to see this term in future editions of Grey's Anatomy or the National Geographic Atlas of the World.

[R C Dean]

Dang it, I didn't revisit yesterday's thread.

What's the link for the website, Sug? I've lost it.

Thanks.

[Warty]

http://wartyhugeman.blogspot.com/

[tarran]

http://wartyhugeman.blogspot.com/

[gaijin]

OT: Has anyone downloaded or played the new Homeworld Remastered edition?

[R C Dean]

No. Totally planning to. I thought it wasn't out yet?

Loved that game. I hope they kept the soundtrack.

[Lord Humungus]

Completely OT. I've been listening to Hardcore History and the five part series on Genghis Khan and Co, aka Wrath of the Khans.

The alternative history question is could the Mongols have conquered Europe? The popular historical consensus is that Western Civ was saved by fate alone, the death of ?gedei Khan.

Thoughts?

[Derpetologist]

The Mongols were stretched thin by then and no one goes undefeated for ever. They did well on plains, but would likely have stalled in forests or mountains.

At the battle of Ain Jalut, the Mongols lot because they were attacking the high ground.

[Lord Humungus]

That's my feeling too - far away from the steppes and into the mountains/forests of Germany would have been difficult. That and the feeding of such a large force + the horses required would have blunted their ability with time. Plus the large amount of castle fortifications would have made it a difficult task, leaving them open to attacks from the rear if these were just bypassed. But who knows?

Interesting historical alternative book - only England and their (Middle Ages?) Navy stands against the total domination of Western Civ.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I don't know if only England did.

Austria, Poland, Venice - they all played their parts.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

I think he means in the alt-history he is reading.

[Lord Humungus]

to clarify for posterity - it would be an interesting alt. history to read (or write). Don't know if it actually exists.

[R C Dean]

Yeah, their logistics would have completely broken down off the steppes.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

I dunno, they did pretty well in Europe away from the steppes. And damn well in the Middle East and China.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Re: castle fortifications- European castle fortifications may have been better than Chinese fortifications (I really don't know) that renders this point moot, but the Mongols did well in China against fortified cities.

[Paul.]

t Western Civ was saved by fate alone, the death of ?gedei Khan.

I generally agree with this as the expanding Mongol empire could be foreseen. However, had they continued to spread Westward, it's likely they would have become spread too thin and, as Derp said above, no one goes undefeated forever.

Plus, no one knows what would have happened once they'd have hit the Germanic tribes.

[Warty]

11. It may be that the things you fret and fume to pursue or avoid do not come to you, but rather you go to them. Let your judgments of them, then, remain in suppression; they for their part will make no move, and so you will not be seen pursuing or avoiding them.

Something to ponder. Ahem.

[widget]

Warty is American Buddha? I will have to adjust myself. (I just cut and pasted that quote into google, without the keyword 'basement').

[sarcasmic]

Christian fundamentalists create 'Bigotry Map of America' to mark where people intolerant of their faith live ... and include a category for those with a 'homosexual agenda'

American Family Association strongly opposes homosexuality, abortion and pornography
Has created a 'hate list' of groups they say defy their cause
The 'Bigotry Map' is interactive and shows where these groups are based across the country
Have even targeted social justice groups like Human Rights Campaign and the American Association of Retired Persons

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

HUMANIST
Believes critical thinking and physical evidence are the sole basis for beliefs. Humanists believe science triumphs faith in issues of morality and decision-making.

Um, what's so terrible about that?

[Derpetologist]

I went to a meeting of a GK Chesterton reading group at a Catholic church a few weeks ago. During the discussion, some old fart was gushing about how in medieval Italy, the bishop always sat next to the prince or duke or whatever and that meant god was guiding the government.

Never met a real life theocrat before.

On the subject of anarchy, I said that it does not mean no rules at all, but that rules come from consensus and not a central authority. The English language has no central authority and it works just fine.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

AHEM!

/MLA

[SugarFree]

How many divisions does the MLA command?

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

The MLA at a Glance

Over 26,000 members in 100 countries
Programs serving English and foreign language teachers
An annual convention, with meetings on a wide variety of subjects, and smaller seminars across the country
The MLA International Bibliography, the only comprehensive bibliography in language and literature, available online
A book publication program issuing a number of new books each year and maintaining a backlist of over 200 titles
4 major periodicals: the ADE Bulletin; the ADFL Bulletin; Profession; and PMLA, one of the most distinguished journals in the humanities
MLA Commons, a scholarly communication network and publishing platform
A quarterly newsletter providing association news, lists of deadlines, and items of interest to members
137 divisions and discussion groups for specialized scholarly and teaching interests of members
45 membership committees overseeing association activities and publications
Leadership in the national education community

[SugarFree]

Bastards!

[Zeb]

So it's a map that tells them who to hate?

Apparently not completely agreeing is intolerance.

As for the problem with Humanism, one must remember that God works in mysterious ways to confound the wise. Why do you think he put those dinosaur bones in the ground?

[sarcasmic]

A while back I was having a conversation with a coworker who said something like "*scoff* and there's people who actually believe the world is more than six thousand years old."

I let it ride.

[Azathoth!!]

So it's a map that tells them who to hate?

I suspect it's more a map that lets them know where they might be hated.

Because there is far more accepted vocal invective hurled towards christians than the other way around.

[Rhywun]

It's useful to be reminded from time to time that idiocy can spring from any direction.

[Mr. Anderson]

So in response to people creating maps that identify Christians as hate groups who are unclean they have returned the favor. Obviously painting people who disagree with you as hate groups is only for the right-thinkers.

[Lord Humungus]

I'm heading back to Charleston this spring. If you ever find yourself there, make sure to visit the Unitarian Church grounds - I'm no fan of graveyards but this one takes my breath away. Some Pix in the link.
http://kaionegal.typepad.com/t.....hyard.html

[Sevo]

Somehow, I think the CA voters are going to be on the hook for this:

"Hyperloop's 1st home may be Central Valley eco-utopia"
[...]
"Elon Musk's "hyperloop" system for high-speed travel may debut in a long-planned, solar-powered city that a former book publisher wants to build from scratch in the Central Valley."
http://www.sfchronicle.com/new.....ate-result

[Stormy Dragon]

Human head transplants are upon us.

What about... a brain transplant?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"Sir, don't leave, we haven't put your brain in yet!"

"I won't need it, I just got elected to Congress!"

/adaptation of old joke

[Paul.]

a Briton from a well-to-do family who grew up in West London and graduated from college with a degree in computer programming.

So another advocate of Net Neutrality.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

He's wishing he'd spent more time in home ec, learning to use knives properly.

Too soon?

[Enough About Palin]

Camille Paglia Rocks!

http://www.americamagazine.org.....lle-paglia

[sariya.amber]

Google pay 97$ per hour my last pay check was $8500 working 1o hours a week online. My younger brother friend has been averaging 12k for months now and he works about 22 hours a week. I cant believe how easy it was once I tried it out. This is wha? I do......

http://www.wixjob.com

[metnfvaxxa]

I just got paid usd6784 working off my laptop this month. And if you think that's cool, my divorced friend has twin toddlers and made over usd 9k her first month. It feels so good making so much money when other people have to work for so much less. This is what I do,,,,,,
http://www.work-mill.com

[Rich]

You can't fool *me*, FtT. That's from ....

Never mind.

[Rich]

"No respect at all."

😎

[Warty]

Flat???

[SugarFree]

Goddammit. "flat affect"