A.M. Links: Massive Earthquake Strikes Nepal, Protesters Decry Police Abuse in Baltimore, Loretta Lynch Sworn In Today

• 

  Credit: White House / Flickr.com

  A massive earthquake in Nepal has killed at least 3,700.

• Protesters took to the streets in Baltimore over the weekend, demanding police reforms in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray, a young black man who died of the injuries he sustained while in police custody.

• Opening statements are scheduled to begin today in the trial of James Holmes, the man who admitted to opening fire and killing 12 at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater showing of The Dark Knight Rises. Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

• Loretta Lynch will be sworn in today as attorney general.

• "The Clinton Foundation's acting chief executive admitted on Sunday that the charity had made mistakes on how it listed government donors on its tax returns and said it was working to make sure it does not happen in the future."

• Chipotle has announced that it will stop serving genetically modified food at its restaurants.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Protesters took to the streets in Baltimore over the weekend, demanding police reforms in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray...

Demanding broken windows, too, unfortunately.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

"Chipotle has announced that it will stop serving genetically modified food at its restaurants."

So Chipotle is derp?

[Florida Man]

Was there ever any doubt?

[Charles Easterly]

Not in my mind, but for other reasons.

[Florida Man]

Didn't they say that we're going to stop serving avocado because it is too water intensive? Idiots.

[Charles Easterly]

We could make a list of derpy things about them, FM, but I'm certain you care about them approximately as little as I do.

[Florida Man]

I usually eat at Lime for quick serve Mexican. I like their salsa bar. I've only been to chipotle when I'm with a group that wants to eat there.

[Zeb]

Are avocados one of those things that doesn't properly ripen if picked unripe, or will they ripen nicely after picking? Living where I do, I probably never see tree ripened avocado.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

What's Mexican food without avocado?

I swear, those people on the other side are just plain weird and idiotic.

[Zeb]

What's Mexican food without avocado?

Better?

I know I'm the weirdo, but avocado is like anti-flavor to me.

[Florida Man]

You probably aren't getting ripe avocados. I like to split them, fill them with cottage cheese and salt/pepper. Delicious.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Lime, cilantro, olive oil. Sometimes I throw in a dash of Dijon if mixed in a salad, sometimes balsamic glaze.

[Xeones]

Avocado + bacon + whole wheat bread. You're welcome.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Zeb is in need of an intervention.

/I got my eye on you.

[Zeb]

I tell you what. If I ever find myself in your neck of the woods we can get together and I will eat an avocado and you can have a club sandwich with mayo on it.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

Why would you keep eating something that makes you crap blood?

/Chipoltaway

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

Left off link

[Rhywun]

You must be doing it wrong - never happens to me.

[GILMORE]

"Rufus J. Firefly|2015/04/27 09:17:54|#5257478

What's Mexican food without avocado?"

I was always told that Avocado was not really part of traditional mexican food... that it was part of *some* regional (Yucat?n) cooking, but that until the latter half of the 20th century it wasn't used in basic mexican food hardly at all. That it was mostly an "american" addition.

could be wrong about this. I pick up misinformation all the time. I'm like a buffet of bullshit.

[Zeb]

I'm not too concerned about the authenticity of my Mexican food. I like tacos and burritos and stuff. I don't care if they are inauthentic, fake American style versions. And I don't want any guacamole on it in any case.

[Xeones]

I bet you like your steak well done and smothered in ketchup, too.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

"This is another step toward the visions we have of changing the way people think about and eat fast food," said Steve Ells, founder and co-chief executive of Chipotle. "Just because food is served fast doesn't mean it has to be made with cheap raw ingredients, highly processed with preservatives and fillers and stabilizers and artificial colors and flavors."

Apparently.

[Auric Demonocles]

The only one of those that GMO would really fall under is "cheap raw ingredients". So apparently Chipotle just dislikes them because they are cheap?

[Certified Public Asskicker]

GMOs, cheap and available in all colors.

[Tonio]

Whatever we may think about GMO's this is, at the moment, a brilliant branding strategy to attract a more upscale market. That way the Volvo-driving Soccer Moms can feel superior to those poor minivan driving schlubs who that their kids to McDonalds or Taco Bell.

[PBR Streetgang]

Winner, winner, GMO-free Chicken dinner

[Tonio]

Ha! Thanks.

[Swiss Servator, faul B??gg!]

And for some time, shrinking the size of what they serve - hence their loss of my business about a year ago.

They can make up for it by derping, I suppose.

[Rhywun]

The thing that irritates me about this stupid movement is that it's pushing out the "middle class" of food - stuff that tastes good at a decent price and isn't smug.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

The "all GMOs are evil" argument is stupid and obscures any discussion of whether any one particular food, modified or not, is actually good or bad for you. Everything should be evaluated on its own merits.

It's the same mentality that infects the anti-vaccine movement.

[Jerryskids]

Did anybody ask if Chipotle is going to stop using microwave ovens in their restaurants? Because microwave ovens use radiation, and radiation causes cancer. That's just science, man.

[Slammer]

Chipotle modified the fuck out of my bowels this weekend.

[Charles Easterly]

Grueling Movement Outward?

[AlmightyJB]

So Chipotle is going to stop serving food? Or just start selling undomesticated plant and animal products?

[AlmightyJB]

I can't wait for my algae and crocodile burrito.

[UnCivilServant]

Wrapped in what? Both maize and wheat are GMOed. What type of plant will provide the flour for the tortilla?

[Swiss Servator, faul B??gg!]

Kudzu.

[AlmightyJB]

Its crocodile wrapped in algae

[AlmightyJB]

Cooked in the sun of course

[Rich]

Cooked in the sun

Nice band name.

[Xeones]

Maize was the first GMO - Oaxacan Indians in southern Mexico created it wholesale from a type of grass that doesn't even LOOK like corn. Maize can't exist without humans or breed in the wild, because the husk keeps the kernels from being able to spread.

[Zeb]

If you are going to define "genetic modification" that way, then all undomesticated life is just as modified as anything (unless you are a creationist).
I think there is a distinction worth making there. There is a big difference between waiting for useful genes to come about and then selecting for them and modifying things in a specific, deliberate way in order to create a specific change in how an organism works. It really is such a huge shift (and a good one if you ask me) in how new crops are developed.

[JW]

I think there is a distinction worth making there.

There isn't. Either the food is unchanged by man in any way, or it's genetically modified.

"We're going to serve you small, tasteless and shriveled foodstuffs, scarce and difficult to cultivate, just as our uneducated and ignorant prehistoric ancestors ate, when they survived."

SLD applies. Chipotle can appeal to the anti-science crowd as much as it wants.

[Zeb]

There isn't. Either the food is unchanged by man in any way, or it's genetically modified.

That seems awfully black and white and rather obtuse. How is it not a distinction worth making? I'm not saying that it should be labeled or people need to be warned or something. But genetic engineering often involves deliberate, specific modifications that would be very unlikely to come about through natural mutation. It accomplishes things that would take a very long time, or might not be possible at all using more traditional methods.

I suppose you can say that it isn't a relevant distinction to the consumer (or shouldn't be), but it most definitely is a distinction worth making in my view. If for no other reason than it shows how much better GM can be at accomplishing some things that can really improve life for a lot of people.

Here's another analogy. It's like saying that tallow candles are the same thing as LED lights. Yeah, they serve the same purpose, but one does it in a much more efficient and deliberate way. And that matters.

[Azathoth!!]

It's more like saying that tallow candles and LED lights are both human created lightsources.

Sure, one is farther from the flame than the other, but both are the direct result of human action and would not exist otherwise.

Both corn and wheat are heavily modified by humans.

[Jerryskids]

I know somebody (ok, I'll admit it - I'm related to somebody, I share the same genetic make-up with this person) who worries about the GMO stuff because once this modified gene stuff gets into your body, who knows how it will modify your own genes? I tried explaining to her that that's not how genes work, that eating the stuff is not going to alter your genes. You eat hamburger containing cow genes but you don't worry about transmutating into a cow, do you? Then I saw that dull, uncomprehending look on her face and I thought, oh shit - too many cow genes.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

who knows how it will modify your own genes

*shakes head in disbelief*

[Tejicano]

I read this while standing on a subway platform in Tokyo and then laughed out loud.

[Zeb]

So Chipotle is derp?

Either that or they are marketing to their derpy target audience.

I can't quite figure out why people are so down on Chipotle. Seems like it's a pretty good idea and pretty good fast food.
This stuff is silly, but I'm not going to change anyone's minds about GMOs by avoiding Chilpotle.
I am getting sick of the word "chipotle" though.

[Dweebston]

Crock-pot pork shoulder simmered eight hours in chipotle and adobo sauce with whatever spices you care for and served however you like. Perfecto.

[Free Society]

So Chipotle is derp?

A large proportion of their customers are derp enough that they would enact derpy policies.

[Old Man With Candy]

Chipotle (much less than symbol) Baja Fresh (less than symbol) Freebirds. So really, who gives a shit?

[straffinrun]

Bastiat would've been wrong if instead of the baker's window, the kid had broke a cruiser's window.

[Ted S.]

the kid had broke a cruiser's window.

That's no way to talk about Jesse

/ducking

[Drake]

the guys in my car club call me the 'cruiser'

[Charles Easterly]

Do you hang out with Eddie?

[Drake]

Should have called him the Dork.

[straffinrun]

Ducking eh? * puts back 9 iron and pulls out driver*

[TwB]

So the wife and I were in Baltimore on Saturday evening to see a show at the Hippodrome Theater downtown. We went and ate dinner a couple blocks away from the theater, then headed back and a block before we got to the theater, we witnessed a group of youths breaking into a 7-11 and looting it. First time I have ever witnessed looting in person. Pretty damn shocking in person, I have to say. And I really, really wanted that shopkeep to have had a loaded Winchester 12 gauge on hand to dispatch those fuckers. But sadly, that was not the case.

[John]

It is the only thing that will stop it. And at some point that is what is going to start happening. Really, when you think about it, the only reason the shop keepers were not down there protecting their property and likely shooting a few people was because the cops prevented them from doing it. That means the cops are effectively acting as protectors for the looters rather than the property owners. That is life in Blue America.

[TwB]

The Korean shop keeps in the '92 LA Riots got it right. They knew the cops would not protect them, so they protected themselves. And good for them. Downtown Baltimore needed a lot of those folks on Saturday night, it was a fucking mess. I heard a guy say on the radio this morning that a few of the looters decided to throw patio tables through the windows of a Pickles restaurant just a couple blocks from the main protest site. And where were the cops? Keeping the protesters under control. And right behind them? Fucking anarchy in the street. Good job, boys in blue. At least they went home happy and healthy, right?

[Rufus J. Fisk]

one of my good friends is a bartender at Pickles.....I will call him later to get an update.

[TwB]

Please do, because I wondered if the caller was full of shit or not, but he sounded serious about it. If so that's just fucked up.

[Injun, as in from India]

They knew the cops would not protect them

-1 Duty to Protect

[Xeones]

Chaos != anarchy, holmes.

[Zeb]

What do you suppose the cops did to prevent them?

I suspect you are right. And I agree that unless looters see some hard consequences, it will only happen more.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

It's Baltimore, what do you expect?

[Auric Demonocles]

More drugs?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Definitely that

[Free Society]

we witnessed a group of youths

Ahhh yes, euphemisms...

[Dweebston]

For yutes?

[Free Society]

Young ***** men.

[Hyperion]

The rioters are just opportunists, taking advantage of the protests. Not the fault of the actual protesters. Then entire thing is on the cops, although the rioters need to be arrested and taken off the streets.

[uomerana]

Start making cash right now... Get more time with your family by doing jobs that only require for you to have a computer and an internet access and you can have that at your home. Start bringing up to $8596 a month. I've started this job and I've never been happier and now I am sharing it with you, so you can try it too. You can check it out here...
http://www.work-cash.com

[Fist of Etiquette]

Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

I'm not sure how much debate there can be that he's crazy.

[AlmightyJB]

No doubt. Has to prove that he didn't know it was wrong for that defense though. Not happening. Just the summery facts prove otherwise.

[Slammer]

Chipotle has announced that it will stop serving genetically modified food at its restaurants.

Will they still serve campaigning robots in human skin suits?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Loretta Lynch will be sworn in today as attorney general.

Finally in position to make the country a better place.

[Hyperion]

This is why we have to elect a Republican president in 2106, even if it's Jeb! So that they can get rid of Lynch and swear in someone even worse. Think they can't find someone worse? Well, they'll show you!

[Dweebston]

Aging-accelerated love child of Holder and Lynch, incubated in learning pods and imprinted with the entire social-consciousness curriculum offered by Brandeis and Oberlin. Sent to Harvard Law as a finishing school. Finally, the attorney general our country needs and deserves.

[Slammer]

3 young women jailed in Russia for twerking next to WW2 monument

Uh, I don't see any twerking, dammit. But maybe HM can weigh in.

[Hey Nikki!]

That's just dancing. WTF? This is why I hate Miley Cyrus. No one knows what the fuck twerking is anymore.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

That is the only reason you have to hate Miley Cyrus?

You are not even trying.

This is trying.

[Raston Bot]

At worst, that was 4 reasons to be indifferent and 6 reasons to like her.

[Free Society]

That might be trying way too hard.

[Charles Easterly]

I found that to be so weird that I stopped watching it after a few seconds.

[Hyperion]

Ghetto culture goes to Russia. No wonder Putin hates the west.

[Certified Public Asskicker]

"The Clinton Foundation's acting chief executive admitted on Sunday that the charity had made mistakes on how it listed government donors on its tax returns and said it was working to make sure it does not happen in the future."

Gawker Comments!

1. I'm already tired of the 2016 election cycle

2. That makes Republican operatives so happy.

They are pulling out all the stops to depress Democratic voter turnout. The carefully ginned up Clinton scandals that pop up every other week are calculated to exhaust you and make you unwilling to get out to vote. Don't be fooled.

[Raven Nation]

But liberals are rational and conservatives and libertarians are wont to see conspiracies everywhere.

[Tonio]

^This

[A Horse Called Trigger]

Don't be fooled - HILLARY is the ONE!

[DJF]

The One what? The shooter on the grassy knoll?

[Ted S.]

The One

[Ted S.]

Hillary's like freedom feels where wild horses run.

[gaijin]

She is the one
She is the light of the world.
Whoever follows her will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

[Xeones]

Hillary is Azor Ahai?

[A Horse Called Trigger]

No one remembers the Nixon campaign slogan?
Or how it was twisted by having a pregnant women wear the button?
http://www.hcaauctions.com/Ite.....41_lg.jpeg

[Rhywun]

Before my time but hoooooly crap that is funny.

[BigT]

And the re-election slogan:

"Don't change Dicks in the middle if the screw, Re-elect Nixon in'72."

[Monty Crisco]

Dunno how you can wade into that swamp, CPA....

[Certified Public Asskicker]

It's fascinating.

Sometimes, the Gawker readers surprise me:

Another article that fails to mention what the Clinton Foundation actually does, which is ALL GOOD THINGS.

The only reason we know about the foreign donations is because they themselves disclosed them and have been more than transparent this whole time.

Dumb comment, but the other readers quickly tear it apart.

[UnCivilServant]

The foundations declared "Charity" work is 6% of declared income. It's as if they're not there to be a charity...

[A Horse Called Trigger]

MOST transperant money laundering operation in galactic history!

[Auric Demonocles]

Yup. Those damn Republicans carefully cheated on the Clinton's taxes.

[Drake]

And destroyed her hard drive. They'll stop at nothing!

[Rich]

That conspiracy *is* vast!

[Tonio]

Nothing that can't be fixed with more better training! /statist credo

[Brian D]

Kaidog Donald 4/26/15 10:35pm

I might vote Libertarian, except that I really really don't want Bush or Walker in the White House. I'd settle for Hillary before I'd do that.

wat

[Andrew S.]

"A vote for a third party is the same as a vote for [PARTY YOU HATE]!". Was quite popular from the right in 2012 and 2014, Team Blue getting in on the idiocy in 2016 it seems.

[Zeb]

Oh team blue has been on that since 2000 when they blamed Nader (with some help from dumb old people in Florida) for ruining Gore's election. Both parties really hate third parties except for when they think they can take votes away from the other guy.

[Ted S.]

Don't blame me; I voted for Kodos.

[Hyperion]

Don't be fooled

The ultimate irony. Don't be fooled, vote for Hillary!

/derp

[Zeb]

Isn't that pretty much describing normal campaign strategy?

[Free Society]

Truly if Clinton still gets her party's nomination after the train wreck of scandals that beset her, then that proves the only thing that could keep a Democrat for voting for someone is if that candidate is perceived to be a threat to their free shit gravy train.

[Dweebston]

Hell, if that's their benchmark they should be happy voting for Republicans.

[Raven Nation]

A massive earthquake in Nepal has killed at least 3,700.

I blame Bush.

[Bam!]

Global warming, the root cause of which is patriarchy.

[Raven Nation]

Well, duh:

http://www.livescience.com/736.....anoes.html

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Wow. So much stupid.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I didn't end up with my high school sweetheart. I never knew what happened as there never was any closer. But now I realize it was global warming that kept us apart.

/sigh of relief.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

closure.

I blame the muffin I'm eating for the error.

[Auric Demonocles]

Don't blame the muffin for your own ineptitude and lack of EDIT BUTTON

Blame global warming.

[Swiss Servator, faul B??gg!]

An error and blueberry muffin?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

CRANBERRY-LEMON.

[Dweebston]

Muffins are for closers only.

[Charles Easterly]

And steak knives.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

I never knew what happened as there never was any closer.

Are you saying you couldn't close the deal?

[Charles Easterly]

Well, he stared it but Obama not only continued the tremors but doubled down on them, so I blame both men and their corrupt party hacks as well.

[Tonio]

You know who else doubled down on the tremors?

[UnCivilServant]

Michael Gross?

[UnCivilServant]

wat - they're making a Tremors 5?

[Crusty Juggler]

I stopped watching after they stopped casting Reba.

Although Jamie Kennedy in the cast made me lolski.

[lafe.long]

+1 multi-level Tremors double-down = Alex P. Keaton's dad.

/salutes

[Swiss Servator, faul B??gg!]

Recovering alcoholics?

[Tonio]

Good one, but it was a snarky reference to the horror film franchise.

[Swiss Servator, Switzier!]

But..but...someone already got that one!

[Xeones]

Michael J. Fox?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

That's cold.

*snickers*

[Xeones]

I do sort of feel bad.

[WTF]

Of course. Because it was caused by global warming. Because BOOOSH!!11!!!

[Auric Demonocles]

What is higher temperature? Particles moving more quickly. What are earthquakes? Particles of the earth moving more quickly. QED.

[Ivan Pike]

How to help:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....arthquake/

[bacon-magic]

The raped Earth is punching up! - screams fucktard SJW

[Fist of Etiquette]

...and said it was working to make sure it does not happen in the future.

"It" being getting caught.

[UnCivilServant]

Chipotle has announced that it will stop serving genetically modified food at its restaurants.

And I will continue to not eat their 'food'. Where are they going to source paleocorn?

[Auric Demonocles]

I don't understand the love for Chipotle. If you want fast food Mexican, there are several other options that all include the added perk of flavor.

[hamilton]

Not up here in the sticks. My kids are nuts for Chipotle (which may be a branding thing). From my perspective kinda meh, but better than McDonald's if I am looking for something quick.

[Auric Demonocles]

Probably no Anna's up there, but at least some Moe's must be around, right? I guess I usually don't stop until the NH liquor outlets when I head in that direction.

You doing anything for the draft?

[hamilton]

You doing anything for the draft?

I dunno yet. (Well, really I was mostly planning on sitting on my ass and drinking, but that is kinda my default state). It'd be cool to do a party so we can watch the Pats trade out of the pick at the end of the night and basically do nothing. I love nihilism.

[Auric Demonocles]

Kind of what I expect too. But even if they do pick, it's going to be a 3 hour wait anyway.

[straffinrun]

What's paleocorn? Better yet, what's Chipotle?

[UnCivilServant]

paleocorn is the grain from which modern corn has been bred.

It looks a lot like wheat, and has stunningly small yields. A lot more plants will be needed to make tortillas from it...

[Limpee Wiltstock]

I think you thinking of teosintl.

[Limpee Wiltstock]

Which is just Azteckian for "devil weed" or something like that. But the point is that it has a name so we don't have to come up with new monstrosities like paleofuckingcorn.

[UnCivilServant]

Just because it's annoying I'm tempted to keep using the term paleocorn.

[UnCivilServant]

I can neither confirm nor refute that this is the correct name of what I'm trying to talk about.

[some guy]

Yeah, corn as we know it is one of the oldest GMOs out there. It's not as old as, say, the domestic dog, but still many thousands of years. I doubt Chipotle counts corn as a GMO, though, because corn was created through a very long and laborious process, while modern GMOs are created, you know, efficiently.

[Aloysious]

Here ya go:

http://www.archaeology.org/iss.....estication

How Grass Became Maize

By about 6,000 years ago, people in Mexico had domesticated a tropical grass called teosinte, beginning a process that would radically alter the plant, turning it into maize, responsible for feeding people across the world today.

[Limpee Wiltstock]

Also, I don't think we can claim maize to be a geneticly modified organism simply because it was derived through selection from its predeceding teosintl, since "genes" didn't even exist till 1950.

[Free Society]

Genes didn't exist until 1950? Interesting theory.

[gaijin]

I got my haircut this weekend. The woman cutting my hair asked me what I do...my answer led her to say 'oh, you should go organic...no GMOs.' I said nothing. She said, "I have a garden and grow some things, but I am not really sure what GMOs are."

Retards. all of them.

[Tonio]

That's hugely depressing that she's railing against something she hasn't even bothered to find out what it is. Even if she never has a clue what GMO actually means (other than parroting those words), it's not that difficult to read a seed packet label and find the "non-GMO" tag (or lack thereof). Yes, duly noted that even heirloom varieties are genetically modified in the strictest sense of the phrase.

[gaijin]

even heirloom varieties are genetically modified in the strictest sense of the phrase

When she said she didn't really know what GMOs were I said "you probably remember Gregor Mendel's from high school biology? He modified the genes of plants back in the 1800s. MOdifying plant genes is part of the reason we can feed everyone today." She started to backpedal more...but maybe she just realized that criticizing what your client does is not the best way to get a tip!

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I laughed.

They're Beyond Thunderderpdome.

[straffinrun]

Tell her she should go GMO. Gaijin's Massive Organ.

[gaijin]

+9

[Sudden]

CM?

[Dweebston]

Even at six you'll be massive as gaijin.

[Aloysious]

Have some fun with the situation. Since she doesn't know what GMO's are, tell her to avoid the free-range GMO's that prey on the endangered glutens. See how much you can get away with before she catches on.

[Rich]

Be judicious, though.

"Want your sideburns?"

"Yes."

"Catch."

[gaijin]

funny!

[Hyperion]

I totally don't know what GMOs are, but they're bad for you!

You should have asked her if she eats corn or tomatoes, or potatoes. Or... how many veggies are there that we haven't modified in some way or other?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I wonder what a genetically modified vagina (or penis - wouldn't want to exclude libertarian women) would look like.

[Derpetologist]

Spot the Not: Ralph Nader facts

1. When he left the Army in 1958, he bought 12 pairs of shoes and 4 dozen socks from the PX. He still wears them.

2. When he was a kid, his mom would bake a cake for his birthday. She would frost the cake, take a picture, and them remove the frosting. The frosting was just for the picture.

3. When he visited the Soviet Union, he was suprised to hear Soviets complain about waiting in line for everything. He said that standing in line would give time to reflect and philosophize. The interpreter translated what he said and the crowd around him burst into laughter.

4. He helped ban smoking on airplanes and was on the last flight where it was allowed. He spent the flight next to a man who recognized him and immediately began smoking and blowing the smoke in Nader's face. At the end of the flight, Nader asked him "are you satisfied?" The man said "yes. yes I am."

5. He invests in mutual funds which own stock in General Electric, Verizon, General Dynamics, and Bristol-Myers-Squibb.

6. He was invited as a guest on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, but turned it down because he
believes young children should not watch television.

[UnCivilServant]

6.

[Bam!]

I want to buy the man in #4 a drink. American hero, he is.

[WTF]

2

[Monty Crisco]

Imma say 2... but if not I will say 4 as life RARELY works out that perfectly...

[Swiss Servator, faul B??gg!]

6

[Charles Easterly]

Six.

[Tonio]

Purely a guess, but Ima say #6 because the opportunity to propagandize the young would have outweighed the stated principle.

[some guy]

6.

Also, if 1 is true then he must have some really stinky feet. Has anyone met the guy? Confirmed?

[AlmightyJB]

I'm gonna go with 2 although 2 being true would ecplain a lot.

[VG Zaytsev]

#3 Everyone knew about the lines in the Soviet Union.

[Rhywun]

1 - no way shoes and socks last that long

[Derpetologist]

2 is real. I found it here. The book is by the same guy who wrote about Hillary Clinton's shady finances.

4 is real. I heard Nader tell the story himself in a speech. Other Nader facts:

-he petitioned 2 senators to require rock bands to wear hearing protection
-his favorite part of the Soviet Union was the lack of cars and processed food
-he pressured his presidential campaign staff not to get married so they could devote themselves fully to him

6 is the Not.

Nader is like some kind of weird being of pure anti-fun from another dimension. I wonder what would happen if he was put in charge of a bachelors' party

[Rhywun]

2 is real.

That is just... insane. And it explains a lot.

[VG Zaytsev]

-he pressured his presidential campaign staff not to get married so they could devote themselves fully to him

Meh, every cult leader does something similar.

[AlmightyJB]

Yeah, his mom took away his frosting so...

[Slammer]

New York City could pay up to $1 billion in various case settlements

Looming payouts include a $300 million to plaintiffs in a long-running civil-rights suit against the Department of Education, $80 million to Nissan if the city fails to roll out the "Taxi of Tomorrow," and $20 million to victims of the NYPD's infamous "Mafia Cops."
The documents provide the most complete case-by-case accounting of potential legal hits against the city that has ever been revealed.
Dollar figures estimate the city's liability through 2018 in 37 cases against agencies including the DOE, NYPD and FDNY.
Other disclosures include the amounts of possible pretrial settlements and never-before-publicized claims.

A mayoral spokeswoman said preparing the documents "allows us to have sufficient reserves available and does not mean these amounts will ever be paid."
"As part of the administration's commitment to fiscal responsibility, we routinely track all potential risks ? from the economy and federal and state aid to various scenarios involving litigation, even if unlikely," said the spokeswoman, Amy Spitalnick.
"This is the responsible thing to do for New York City taxpayers and the city's long-term fiscal health, and this kind of cautious budgeting has served the city well."

[Injun, as in from India]

I totally see accountability related changes happening in the city government.

Just kidding!

[John]

There is one upside to all of that; it is pretty hard to have all of these Progressive Utopia programs if the entire city budget is dedicated to paying out tort settlements.

[gaijin]

if the entire city budget is dedicated to paying out tort settlements

Oh, they will just go get more from the 1% on Wall Street, which will go get more from the people in flyover country

[John]

They are quickly running out of other people's money.

[Rich]

This.

"We can't allow The Greatest City On Earth? to *fail*!!"

[Rhywun]

"This is the responsible thing to do for New York City taxpayers"

I think of one or two other responsible things to do for New York City taxpayers that Amy probably didn't have in mind.

[Rhywun]

"I can think"

Just can't type

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Milwaukee DA John Chisholm Lets The Mask Slip. Again.
...As to defamatory remarks, I strongly suspect the Iowa criminal code, like Wisconsin's, has provisions for intentionally making false statements intended to harm the reputation of others," Chisholm said in a statement Saturday responding to Walker's comments....

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hey Chisholm. YOU'RE A GIGANTIC ASSHOLE.

See how freedom of speech works?

Yet, you're still standing.

As an asshole filled with dry shit of course but still standing.

[Rhywun]

YOU'RE A GIGANTIC ASSHOLE

It already says "DA" - no need to repeat yourself.

The Brooklyn DA was on my TV this morning mugging for the camera and bragging how he's taking down some coke ring. Grinding more victims through the Drug War - what an accomplishment.

[John]

What kind of a retard American attorney thinks states have criminal libel laws? Seriously, the guy is a fanatical asshole and makes up for it by being completely stupid.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

It's my understanding that many states still have such laws, but they haven't been updated since the Sullivan decision to require proof of actual malice vis-a-vis public figures, so they're probably unenforceable.

[John]

NYT v. Sullivan involved a libel lawsuit in civil court. It was not a criminal prosecution. I do stand corrected, those statues do exist, but they apply to cases like me libeling you as molesting a child and the child's father then tries to kill you. The libel has to be false, reckless and create real danger to the person.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

OK, but Garrison applied the Sullivan case to criminal libel - an outcome I would say was implicit in Sullivan.

[Auric Demonocles]

Loretta Lynch will be sworn in today as attorney general.

And she's already gotten to the alt-text.

[Derpetologist]

Spot the Not: Noam Chomsky facts

1. Noam Chomsky has been paid millions of dollars by the Pentagon, which he refers to as
"the most hideous institution on this earth".

2. "I don't apologize for putting aside money for my children and grandchildren." - his response when asked why he set up a trust fund to avoid estate taxes

3. "Should I live in a cabin in Montana?"- his response when asked about his investments in blue-chip stocks

4. He owns a sailboat named Ahoy Vey. He claims he uses it to help with oceanographic research.

5. He has described himself as an "anarchist socialist" and has criticized the concept of intellectual property.

6. "Material on this site is copyrighted by Noam Chomsky and/or Noam Chomsky and his collaborators. No material on this site may be reprinted or posted on other web sites
without written permission."

[WTF]

4

[Swiss Servator, faul B??gg!]

4, although I want it to be true.

[tarran]

^^^ This!

[AlmightyJB]

3 or 4. I say 3, cause I imagine his response being even derpier.

[Derpetologist]

4 is the Not. Although Chomsky owns and has owned many boats, none of them are named Ahoy Vey as far as I can tell.

Other Noam Chomsky facts:

-he lives a nearly all white neighborhood with many other wealthy people
-he is one of the top 10 most cited sources in academic papers: more than the Bible, but less than Marx

[Ted S.]

Replace "white" with "Aboriginal" and see if people continue to equivocate in your defense

Aussie TV sports commentator says things about ANZAC Day that are deliberately calculated to offend people; academics and other journalists shocked like Louis Renault that anybody would be offended. Here's one of the tweets; you'll see why I used the text I did for my link:

TWEET FROM SCOTT MCINTYRE: Wonder if the poorly-read, largely white, nationalist drinkers and gamblers pause today to consider the horror that all mankind suffered.

[Injun, as in from India]

Chipotle has announced that it will stop serving genetically modified food at its restaurants.

Pandering to the unscientific fears of their neo-Luddite progressive customer base.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Top scientists start to examine fiddled global warming figures
...But here there is a puzzle. These temperature records are not the only ones with official status. The other two, Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) and the University of Alabama (UAH), are based on a quite different method of measuring temperature data, by satellites. And these, as they have increasingly done in recent years, give a strikingly different picture. Neither shows last month as anything like the hottest March on record, any more than they showed 2014 as "the hottest year ever"....

...Careful analysts have come up with hundreds of examples of how the original data recorded by 3,000-odd weather stations has been "adjusted", to exaggerate the degree to which the Earth has actually been warming. Figures from earlier decades have repeatedly been adjusted downwards and more recent data adjusted upwards, to show the Earth having warmed much more dramatically than the original data justified....

[WTF]

CLIMATE DENIERZ!!111!!!!!!!

[Swiss Servator, faul B??gg!]

Didn't anyone tell them "here is the trick" on how to "hide the decline"?

[Drake]

And Chapman wonders why we think the whole thing is bullshit. The raw data is the only thing I trust in this debate - and we are in a cooling trend.

[Restoras, OWG]

...and we are in a cooling trend.

We are also still technically in an ice age.

[Tonio]

You mean because there are still glaciers in non-polar regions?

[Restoras, OWG]

This is what I read...it's on the internet so it must be true!

http://geology.utah.gov/map-pu.....uses-them/

At least five major ice ages have occurred throughout Earth's history: the earliest was over 2 billion years ago, and the most recent one began approximately 3 million years ago and continues today (yes, we live in an ice age!).

Currently, we are in a warm interglacial that began about 11,000 years ago. The last period of glaciation, which is often informally called the "Ice Age," peaked about 20,000 years ago. At that time, the world was on average probably about 10?F (5?C) colder than today, and locally as much as 40?F (22?C) colder.

[Tonio]

We're not going to see a "we wuz rong" moment. What we will see is a slow, face-saving pivoting. The big challenge will be for them to get the true believing non-scientists on board and craft a message that the sheeple can accept. This is going to be some interesting theatre.

[Restoras, OWG]

Personally I think they are waiting for a major world event that is political/economic in nature that distracts everyone from their nonsense, at which point they will swap out everything and start with a new Impending Doom Theory

[Tonio]

That would be an easy out. Good call. Also, Impending Doom Theory is an excellent band name.

[some guy]

They've already started the pivot. Most of the talk now is about the "local" effects of climate change. Droughts, storms, cold snaps and heat waves. They don't focus on the temperature change numbers the way they used to. They just talk about rising waters, melting glaciers, bleaching coral and so on. Two decades from now no one will be talking about rising temperatures and carbon dioxide, but every bit of chaos in the world, every natural outliers, will be blamed on mankind and industrialization/globalization.

Also, it's about time they picked up with population alarmism again. Food shortages, water shortages and so forth. Always just over the horizon, of course.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

+1 Paul Erlich

#POPULATION http://bit.ly/1HtpuNN OK FROM MY UNPREJUDICED VIEWPOINT. THE ELEPHANT IS STILL IN THE ROOM GROWING & OVERCONSUMING. HOPE DIMS!

[some guy]

Erlich on Twitter? What a miserable follow that must be.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

It's actually fantastic. He ends half of his posts with scare caps.

#CLIMATE DISRUPTION Mighty Rio Grande Now a Trickle Under Siege WORSE TO COME

Sex Education in Europe Turns to Urging More Births TOTAL INSANITY

And his feed led me down the rabbithole to this gem:

Anesthetics may be changing Earth's climate after putting patients to sleep

The study examines halogenated inhalation anesthetics, rather than anesthetics that are delivered intravenously. These inhalation anesthetics aren't metabolized during clinical application, and go on to evaporate into the atmosphere. The study found evidence of a "rapid accumulation and ubiquitous presence" of three of these anesthetics in particular: iso?urane, des?urane and sevo?urane.

Each of these gases used for putting patients to sleep prior to and during surgery pack a global warming punch that's far above their weight class.

[Tonio]

Another good call. Will pay particular attention to "local effects" claims.

[Drake]

The beauty of that argument is that when the northeast is crushed under 30 feet of snow and record low temps, it's more proof of whatever.

[mad libertarian guy]

I don't think they'll even have a slow, face-saving pivot.

They will simply cease to acknowledge AGW and act as if the entire bullshit scare never happened while they move on to whatever scheme they can to enact socialist policies.

[The Last American Hero]

And by the time the so-called "science-minded" skeptical community, aka Church of Warmatology, stops making excuses for these fuckers, hell will have frozen over.

[Tonio]

Yeah, but it's not them that make a difference; it's the masses. Really, the politicians could care fuck all about Myers' and similar crowds; they don't command votes and they don't do campaign contributions in any serious way. They are dangerous because they're dug in to academia at all levels. We're always going to have a fashionable Impending Doom Theory and the solution is always centralized world government and redistribution of wealth.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

"The Clinton Foundation's acting chief executive admitted on Sunday that the charity had made mistakes on how it listed government donors on its tax returns and said it was working to make sure it does not happen in the future."

Well let's cut them some slack fellas, we all know this excuse would fly for any ol average American. In fact, I think Hillary Clinton's tax mistakes humanize her and make her more real to the American people. My column:

[John]

Mistakes were made Geoff. Why can't you just move on from all of this?

[Florida Man]

Hillary: "I'm the only one smart enough to run a command and control government!"

Me:"What about your tax returns?"

Hillary: "Nobody could possible navigate something as complicated as the U.S. Tax code!"

/this never happened

[some guy]

It's true. The federal government is so large and complicated that no one could possible do a good job managing the thing. But Hillary will do the least bad job of it!

[Tonio]

Good one, FM.

[Hyperion]

Right. Oops, I meant to include those millions of dollars of donations from foreign entities, it was just a type-o!

[Bee Tagger]

Chipotle has announced that it will stop serving genetically modified food at its restaurants.

I always wondered how they grew those giant chickens that let me order "double chicken" on my salads.

[Limpee Wiltstock]

That was just old fashioned caponism.

[Tonio]

Ima calling fowl on that one.

[straffinrun]

Pick up line: You like Chicken? Yeah? Put this in your mouth, its foul.

[John]

I wish the right leaning media would stop blaming the Baltimore thing on Obama and Holder. I hate Obama and Holder as much as anyone. Certainly, they both deserve a lot of blame for doing everything in their power to divide the country along racial lines. Those efforts are not, however, the primary cause of the riots in Baltimore as anyone paying attention should know. The riots in Baltimore are the direct result of the complete and systematic lack of accountability for police misconduct. Sure, a bunch of the people there are part of the usual rent a fascist mob that showed up in Ferguson. But that mob is only able to operate because the community pretty much agrees with them. You can only show up and start a riot if the people in the community already have something to be angry about. And fact is the cops in Baltimore killed that guy and are likely to never face any consequences for doing so. Solve that problem and the rent a mobs won't be so effective anymore.

[TwB]

But the liberals want more government control over their lives. The government will make things all better. And who shows up to assist with that control? A bunch of cops in riot gear. The liberals complain and say, "This isn't what we meant!" Tough shit, dumbasses. Government control = cops in riot gear.

[VG Zaytsev]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D3g6.....rnment.png

[Dark Lord of the Cis]

Unfortunately, and for reasons I still don't understand, most of the right leaning media are enthusiastic cop suckers. They'll go to the mattress to defend this group of unionized government employees. Which is a shame. Because if they would just open their eyes about cops, not only would we have a chance at doing something about police abuse, but it could illustrate a larger point about big government in general.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Hero worship, cops, firemen, and military qualify under their creed.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Uniforms. They're suckers for uniforms.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

+1 Maytag Repairman

[John]

The left wing media thinks the world stopped in 1968. The right wing media thinks it stopped in 1975. They still think cops are their friends in the culture war rather than the armed wing of the Progressive state.

[straffinrun]

A lot of it seems to be just because the left hates cops. Enemy of my enemy...

[Hyperion]

If they weren't stupid hacks, they'd blame it on the cops and their 'rough rides'. Dumb fucks.

[Coeus]

What's an orgasm worth to you?

Which is worse ? ruining ten million people's sex lives for one year, or making one hundred people's livers explode?

Nefazodone (brand name Serzone?, which would also be a good brand name for a BDSM nightclub) is an equally good (and maybe better) antidepressant that does not have these side effects. On the other hand, every year, one in every 300,000 people using nefazodone will go into "fulminant hepatic failure", which means their liver suddenly and spectacularly stops working and they need a liver transplant or else they die.

Of course, you can circumvent the whole thing by using shrooms.

[John]

This is why medical decisions must be left entirely to the discretion of the doctor and patient. Is a one in three hundred thousand chance of your liver exploding a risk worth taking? That depends on a lot of things which only you and your doctor can answer. And your answer says nothing about my answer or anyone else' answer.

[Coeus]

Agreed. The article is rife with other examples making that exact point.

[some guy]

What if I want it to be between me, my doctor, another doctor and the internet? Is that allowed?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

I disagree, it's up to the patient. The doctor is there to inform and advise. The doctor can always refuse to administer, but the patient is free to seek another doctor.

[John]

That is what I mean. The patient makes the final call but most of the time he is going to follow the doctor's advice and all of the time he is going to want the doctor's input before he makes the decision. So it is a conversation between doctor and patient.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Imagine if FDA approval were needed for automobiles.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

Where does the patient sign the waiver that says "I realize this might make my liver go by-by, but fuck it, I wanna cum. I release Shmuckatelli Pharma and my Dr of all indemnity."

[John]

He doesn't have to sign a waiver. He just needs to be informed of the risks. As long as the doctor informed the patient of the risks, there shouldn't be any liability. Liability should only attach if the product was defectively manufactured or the doctor failed to explain the risks (and then only to the doctor not the drug company).

The bottom line is that if I make a drug that cures some ailment at the cost of the patients taking some non trivial risk of death or serious side effects, I should not have to pay for the costs of those side effects. The patients knew the risks and decided they were worth taking. That should always be there call but the price of making that is their living with the consequences of doing so.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

This. Informed consent.

[Coeus]

There is a problem with that, though. You need a waiver, because families of the deceased have been very successful in the past getting a jury to ignore informed consent. It's addressed in the last part of the article.

And yet.

The same doctors who would never dare give nefazodone, consider Seroquel a perfectly acceptable second-line treatment for depression. Along with other atypical antipsychotics, Seroquel raises the risk of sudden cardiac death by about 50%. The normal risk of cardiac sudden death in young people is about 10 in 100,000 per year, so if my calculations are right, low-dose Seroquel causes an extra cardiac death once per every 20,000 patient-years. That's ten times as often as nefazodone causes an extra liver death.

[Coeus]

Yet nefazodone was taken off of the market by its creators and consigned to the dustbin of pharmacological history, and Seroquel is the sixth-best-selling drug in the United States, commonly given for depression, simple anxiety, and sometimes even to help people sleep.

Why the disconnect? Here's a theory: sudden cardiac death happens all the time; sometimes God just has it in for you and your heart stops working and you die. Antipsychotics can increase the chances of that happening, but it's a purely statistical increase, such that we can detect it aggregated over large groups but never be sure that it played a role in any particular case. The average person who dies of Seroquel never knows they died of Seroquel, but the average person who dies from nefazodone is easily identified as a nefazodone-related death. So nefazodone gets these big stories in the media about this young person who died by taking this exotic psychiatric drug, and it becomes a big deal and scares the heck out of everybody. When someone dies of Seroquel, it's just an "oh, so sad, I guess his time has come."

[John]

I am fully aware of that. I am speaking about how it should be not how it is.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

How it is... That was why I asking about the waiver.

[Bee Tagger]

Loretta Lynch will be sworn in today as attorney general.

It's not a good country song without some swearin'

[Longtorso, Johnny]

This Is Why They Hate Us
...Treating this evening as if it's something the rest of the country should care about is, at best, tone deaf. Does anyone really care if the president tells a joke to a room filled with journalists who wish they were pretty enough to be celebrities and celebrities who wish they were smart enough to hold forth on the political issues of the day? Of course not. D.C. resembles Panem no more than it does on this weekend.

Which brings me to last night, when CNN was providing red carpet coverage (!) and interviewing president Obama's joke writers and former body men while Baltimore?a city that's about a half-hour away from D.C., sans traffic?burned. ...

[John]

I don't know if that is the reason everyone hates them. It is certainly illustrative of why no one watches CNN. Red carpet coverage of the Washington Student Government ball? Really? Is there anything less interesting or less glamorous than that? Even ten years ago, no news editor in their right minds would have covered such a thing like that. It shows how far down the narcissistic rabbit hole the mass media has fallen.

[Mickey Rat]

Nothing can be alllowed to interrupt the media's date night with its SugarDaddy. How else can they feel special and pampered?

[some guy]

sans traffic

Yeah, but who wants to drive from DC to Baltimore at 3AM on Christmas Day?

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

I drove it without traffic one night in February. It took me about 3 hrs from BWI to Crystal City.

When I landed, the temperature started dropping from low 50's to the low 20's. Right after I picked up the rental car, the freezing rain, sleet, and snow mix started. The defroster on that little economy car could only keep about 8 square inches of the windshield clear.

[mad libertarian guy]

The WHCD is the one event that is closest to a metaphorical wink between the media and government to let the other know that they got their back.

[Bee Tagger]

"The Clinton Foundation's acting chief executive admitted on Sunday that the charity had made mistakes on how it listed government donors on its tax returns and said it was working to make sure it does not happen in the future."

That really depends on what the definition of it is.

[Auric Demonocles]

Getting caught?

[Rich]

Nice catch.

[Injun, as in from India]

Opening statements are scheduled to begin today in the trial of James Holmes, the man who admitted to opening fire and killing 12 at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater showing of The Dark Knight Rises. Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

I'm sure that the laws that were passed in Colorado in the wake of this attack will totally prevent future attacks.

[WTF]

Have there been any more movie theaters shot up? No? Then the laws are clearly working! Now, I've also got this tiger-repelling rock for sale that you may be interested in...

[Monty Crisco]

LMFAO...

[The Last American Hero]

Kind of like the laws passed in the wake of Columbine prevented this one.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

We all knew this was coming:

GoFundMe yanks Sweet Cakes bakery campaign
...But if GoFundMe was that willing to immediately cave in on this case, what else would they bail out on? They allowed a fundraiser for Memories Pizza, but claim that the account was allowed because there weren't charges or fines pending. By that criteria, a legal defense fund for anyone anywhere charged with any crime should not be allowed, right? Even if the defendant is somebody the Left happens to like? I'm suspicious as to how consistent they will be on this policy to say the least....

[Palin's Buttplug]

Reminds me that Obama quipped that he and Biden had been hanging around together so much that they were refused a pizza order in Indiana.

Nerd Prom won't be the same when ol' Jeb is POTUS.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Post blogger Weigel likes to waggle, sweat
...Weigel told Yeas & Nays he danced alone because his girlfriend wasn't there, she lives in Canada Alaska...

[Mike M.]

ROFLMAO. His "girlfriend" lives in Alaska just like he lives in Georgia.

[VG Zaytsev]

Wasn't that post the cause of JounoList blowing up?

[Xeones]

BBBUUUUUUTTTTPPPPLLLLLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGG

[Injun, as in from India]

GoFundMe should rename themselves to "GoF***Yourself".

[John]

Fascism is more than just the government. It is a movement within society.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

And the policy they invoked to stop the campaign banned fundraising "in defense of formal charges of heinous crimes, including violent, hateful, or sexual acts."

So now we know that choosing which weddings to cater is a heinous crime.

[Rhywun]

Hate crimes are the worst crimes!

[double ham fisted]

Million Dollar Idea: gofundme for the right. Seems like it would be pretty easy to set up and siphon money away from gofundme. You are welcome.

[John]

Damn. That is brilliant.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

GoFundYourself?

[PBR Streetgang]

GFM also refused a page for Mike Slager. While he is certainly guilty, he's technically an 'innocent man' at the moment. At the same time, I personally know of one specific GFM page set up for the legal defense of someone accused of a double homicide.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

"The Clinton Foundation's acting chief executive admitted on Sunday that the charity had made mistakes on how it listed government donors on its tax returns and said it was working to make sure it does not happen in the future."

Al Capone should have just said he made "mistakes" on his tax returns.

[Slammer]

So, I just spent the weekend at my dad's bedside on deathwatch (is that a word still?). He's very very close to the end. He's at home, no feeding tubes, no machines, no IVs, just a shitton of morphine?that's the way he wanted it. Hopefully I'll still be around this week, I need the escape.

[Injun, as in from India]

Sorry to hear that man. I hope you're doing okay.

[Rich]

Best wishes, Slammer. BTDT

[Hey Nikki!]

Sorry to hear that, Slammer. Good luck to you and your family.

[Swiss Servator, faul B??gg!]

Hang in there, Slammer.

[tarran]

So sorry!!!!

I hope you guys are able to make him comfortable.

[hamilton]

Sorry, man. Will be thinking of you.

[Slammer]

Thanks, y'all

[Restoras, OWG]

Sorry to hear, Slammer. Hang in there.

[Monty Crisco]

Strength and forbearance, brotha...strength and forbearance..

[Coeus]

You have my condolences.

[Ted S.]

I hope your dad had his mental faculties until the end. Mom died of Alzheimer's last month, and taking care of her was hell at times.

My condolences.

[Marshall Gill]

Mom died of Alzheimer's last month, and taking care of her was hell at times.

You have my sympathy, Ted. My father is going through some serious dementia so I have some idea what it is like.

He used to always say "Getting old sucks but it is better than the alternatives". I am not so sure.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

It's always a difficult time for everyone involved, I hope it goes as smoothly and peacefully as possible. Best wishes.

[gaijin]

Sorry to hear. Take care man.

[Tonio]

My thoughts are with you and your family, Slammer.

[straffinrun]

Can't imagine. Hang in there.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

I'm sorry to hear that bad news. My prayers are with the whole slammer family.

[Warty]

Sorry to hear that, dude.

O Death! the poor man's dearest friend,
The kindest and the best!

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

Condolences.

At least he gets to go out at home with family around him.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I missed your post for some reason.

Sorry to hear this!

[DEG]

Sorry to hear.

[Rich]

Opening statements are scheduled to begin today in the trial of James Holmes, the man who admitted to opening fire and killing 12 at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater

about a hundred years ago.

[Rich]

A top Democratic moneyman recruited by Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign has put fundraising activities on hold, saying he can't do it with a clear conscience because the former secretary of state has too many unanswered questions swirling around her.

WDATPDIM?

[Injun, as in from India]

+1 Vast right-wing conspiracy

[Drake]

Like a drug dealer telling you to sober up.

[Rich]

LOL

[John]

No. That is like your drug dealer no longer returning your calls because he thinks the cops are onto you. This guy is a political fund raiser. Someone in that business claiming to have a conscience doesn't pass the laugh test. What is going on here is he thinks Hilary might be toast and he wants to bail out early so he can still work for other candidates.

[Brett L]

Yeah. The guy they brought in to "fix" the Foundation stuff resigned too. Some people obviously think this is a bridge too far. Systematically hiding foriegn donations is more of an Enron style lie than a tax error. I'm not one to bet against the Clintons but this one feels different.

[John]

The problem is the Democrats have no one else. Hillary has nothing left besides the pursuit of the presidency. She is never going to pull a Johnson and step aside for the good of the party. And she still has all of that money and a ton of supporters. I think you are right that the Democrats are starting to think that this time might really be different. I am just not sure they can do anything to keep her from getting the nomination.

[double ham fisted]

Haven't seen the Rodham in awhile.
Maybe he was no longer needed because she has all of the money she needs in Swiss bank accounts.

[Swiss Servator, Switzier!]

I should hope not!

[The Late P Brooks]

Finally, the Do-Nothing-Congress has acted. We're saved.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

STEPHEN A. SMITH STRIKES!

http://twitchy.com/2015/04/26/.....ayweather/

What a buffoon.

[John]

I am with Smith to some degree. I don't see why the fact that Mayweather is a criminal should prevent him from making a living. If you think he should be in jail, take it up with the states that convicted him but refused to put him there. Since he is not in jail, he has a right to make a living. The fact that he is also a very skilled boxer who can earn millions is irrelevant. He is a free man and should be free to make whatever money he can honestly earn.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yeah more on the Brady thing.

Personally, I don't get the come when the President beckons thing.

He doesn't want to go, he doesn't want to go. Fuck off.

[John]

I totally agree with that. He is President not king. I do love what Gronkowski said about Obama's no class and idiotic joke about deflategate. Gonk said that "maybe Obama was wasted when he made that joke." I loath the Patriots but I have to admit, Gronk is kind of growing on me.

[tarran]

I don't think I could stand beeing cooped up with Gronk in a small space for more than 5 minutes.

I do think, however, he is very entertaining.

[John]

So do I.

[tarran]

"Um, that wasn't me...."

[Andrew S.]

I will say that the Nevada Boxing Commission has been known to yank licenses for things as petty as pot possession, so it seems a bit hypocritical on their end.

I don't begrudge his right to make money. I do, however, hope that illiterate (not an insult, he actually can't read) fuck gets his teeth knocked in this weekend, and I won't put a single penny towards anything he does.

[John]

This is going to be the biggest grossing fight in history. If Mayweather were fighting Hannibal Lector, the Nevada Boxing Commission would call Lecter's previous behavior an eating disorder and grant him a license.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

Does anybody even watch boxing anymore?

MMA type stuff is so much more entertaining.

[John]

Lots of people do. And the MMA stuff is boring as hell. There is no art or finesse to it. It is just a couple of apes out rolling around beating the shit out of each other. Boxing is a hundred times more entertaining and artful. MMA has only gotten popular because Boxing has so screwed itself via corruption and puting itself in the pay per view ghetto.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

There is no art or finesse

That is so wrong. While it can appear brutal, (which many people would say about boxing) there is actually more art and skill required for being successful in MMA than there will ever be in boxing. Combining three primary skills (boxing, wrestling, and jui-jitsu) and being able to react/counter-act each is something to be greatly appreciated.

A lot less people running around with brain damage or dieing from brain hemmorages due to MMA.

[John]

Combining three primary skills (boxing, wrestling, and jui-jitsu) and being able to react/counter-act each is something to be greatly appreciated.

Except that it is atheistically ugly as hell. I don't care how skilled they are, it ends up looking like two apes rolling around on the mat. It is like free style wrestling with a smaller mat and correspondingly less finesse.

The thing that makes boxing such a beautiful sport is the foot work and the body movement. The punches get all of the attention but it is the defense that gives the sport its beauty. This is also why women's boxing is just a nasty and unpleasing sport. Women for whatever reason can't seem to learn to avoid punches or do anything but stand toe to toe and hit each other.

MMA, since you can use your feet for offense and roll around on the mat, doesn't have the same footwork or defensive beauty boxing has.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

Your argument boils down to 'eye of the beholder'.

I appreciate the art of MMA, probably because of the long years of wrestling, combined with some experience with boxing and 'combatives'.

Boxing bores me, anymore.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I still watch boxing.

My father introduced me and my brother to it back in the 80s in smoke filled arenas and we never looked back.

[Ted S.]

I am with Smith to some degree. I don't see why the fact that Mayweather is a criminal should prevent him from making a living.

And yet people think all the DV accusees in the NFL should be prevented from making a living.

[John]

And they are wrong.

[hamilton]

Yeah I saw his original comments on ESPN sitting at a bar. No wonder Belichick and Kraft and company have been minimizing time on that network. I would be deeply surprised if you saw any of the Pats big three make an appearance on ESPN any time soon.

[Auric Demonocles]

Kraft seemed pretty pissed about the AFCCG media frenzy, too.

[Auric Demonocles]

Clearly the only difference between 2004 and 2014 is the color of the president's skin. It's not like Brady has 3 more kids and 1 more wife than he did in 2004, so he couldn't possible have more family commitments than he did then.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

You think? I'm asking in all honesty. I don't think Smith even suggested it was racial - then again, his starting point is always about race.

[Raven Nation]

Anti-Italian football, but I found it funny:

"Robert, why do you think they call slanted letters ITALICS? It's because they look like Italian soccer players flying through the air [while diving]."

Get Fuzzy cartoon

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Heh.

But I maintain (and I am right) they're no worse than any country and certainly better as a whole than Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, Spain and arguably Holland. Germany has been touch and go over the years.

[Swiss Servator, faul B??gg!]

STEVE SMITH WOULD BE HAPPY TO STRIKE STEPHEN A. SMITH!

[WTF]

STEVE SMITH RAPE STEVE SMITH!!!!

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Outraged sportswriters are always ridiculous. It's like they never got past sophomore year in college.

[TwB]

I will change the channel if he pops up for even a second. What a pompous, racist baiting asshole.

[Andrew S.]

You know he's bad when he manages to make his idiot partner on First Take look smart.

[Crusty Juggler]

There are those saying that Mayweather should not be able to have a boxing license because of his record, so I think that plays a part in everything involving the boxer (not that I approve of his past actions....he was convicted and served time).

That being said it cannot be denied that Tom Brady and the Patriots are slightly less evil than ISIS.

[Steve G]

"Google has gone into a defensive crouch"
So says the 'heroes' who are curled up in the fetal position

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Obviously the cops should be allowed to work in absolute secrecy for the common good.

[Steve G]

Social Justice Yard Sale
Saw this flyer this past Saturday at an Ice Cream shop. Just about fell outta my chair.
"Social Justice", it's the new "Climate Change"?there's nothing it can't do!!1!

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Social Justice has a much more storied history than climate change. It's just experiencing a massive resurgence as memories of the Soviet Union and East Germany fade away.

[Zeb]

Yeah. It's a Unitarian fundraiser. They've been all about "social justice" for ages.

[Rich]

Email Joanna your questions!

"I understand the 'No Checks', but your will take my Independence Card, right? RIGHT?!"

"Does 'Lots, lots more!' mean you'll have clean needles?"

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Writers boycott PEN Gala over courage award given to Charlie Hebdo

What, pray tell, is remotely admirable about sitting in the west ? which has been invading, bombing, and otherwise dominating Muslim countries around the world for decades, and has spent the last decade depicting Islam as the Gravest Threat ? and echoing that prevailing sentiment by bashing Muslims? Nothing is easier than mocking and maligning the group in your society most marginalized and oppressed. People in the west have their careers destroyed when they're accused of sympathizing with Islam, not for opposing it. Bashing Muslims and Islam is orthodoxy in the west, both on the level of official policy and political culture.

[snip]

PEN America has always existed to defend unorthodox and marginalized views from attack, and there is absolutely nothing unorthodox or marginalized in the west about the views expressed by Charlie Hebdo cartoonists or in showering them with courage awards. As Eisneberg put it in her original letter, the Charlie Hebdo award appears to be "an opportunistic exploitation of the horrible murders in Paris to justify and glorify
offensive material expressing anti-Islamic and nationalistic sentiments
already widely shared in the Western world."

Oh fuck off, Greenwald. Those views aren't that safe if people are murdered over them, are they?

[John]

This board in particular can never be reminded enough that Greenwald is a fascist fuck and an enemy of freedom. He only worked with Snowden because he thought it would hurt the US and thus hurt the cause of freedom. Had Snowden's leaks not done that, Greenwald would never have printed them and would be a part of the mob wanting Snowden's head.

Greenwald is actively on the other side. He wants to take away our freedoms and destroy our civilization and views radical Muslims as one of the tools to accomplish that. He is really that stupid in that he thinks his side can control them and the Muslims won't kill him too.

[Raston Bot]

If you can find common ground with adversaries, then you can get more accomplished.

[John]

Sure. But that doesn't mean you stop thinking of them as adversaries. Greenwald is an adversary and a particularly loathsome one at that. Moreover, pointing out the truth of Snowden's revelations and the problems associated with what they revealed does not require working with Greenwald. Greenwald is just the messenger. The important thing is the information.

[Free Society]

I don't care if Snowden had released the information to Mother Jones, it doesn't make the US government any less tyrannical that a socialist weasel helped blow the lid off their crimes.

[John]

For sure. And it doesn't make me think any differently about Mother Jones. They are just the messenger and are no longer important once the information is public.

[Free Society]

Yeah I certainly don't think Greenwald is a some champion of freedom. The real credit belongs to Edward Snowden.

[Zeb]

Jeez. everyone's a Fascist today.

I joke, but I think there are a lot of people around that could properly be described as Fascists. It's sort of too bad that most people immediately associate Fascism with Nazism because people will look at you like you grew another head if you call progressives "Fascists". Even though 20th century progressivism is more or less the American version of Fascism.

[John]

It's sort of too bad that most people immediately associate Fascism with Nazism because people will look at you like you grew another head if you call progressives "Fascists".

You are right Zeb, they will. And that needs to change. The only way to change it is start doing it unapologetically over and over and explaining why you are doing it at every opportunity.

[Slammer]

Nothing is easier than mocking and maligning the group in your society most marginalized and oppressed.

Hmmm, there might be a good reason some of that group might be marginalized. Wonder what it could be?

[Rhywun]

which has been invading, bombing, and otherwise dominating Muslim countries around the world for decades

Oh that's rich. I wonder how it came to pass that there are so many Muslim countries around the world...

[Free Society]

By being THE religion of peace of course.

[The Late P Brooks]

If you were really serious about "Not Genetically Modified" meat, would would your options be?
Alligator?
Snake?
Rhinoceros (doubtful)?

[Raven Nation]

More choices here:

http://www.exoticmeatmarkets.com/

[Rich]

ANNNND here come the Chinese Ladies ads again!

[Rich]

To serve man?

[John]

Turtles squirrels, raccoons, frogs or rats. All of those things have been staples of the human diet at one time or another and all exist in large unmodified numbers in the US.

[UnCivilServant]

Whale?

Canada Geese/other wildfowl?

Whitetail deer - we've got a lot of those we don't need, and they're good eating

[Coeus]

I have alligator, duck, salmon, tuna and kangaroo jerky arriving today. Can't wait.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

Tuna jerky?

I can't think of anything that sounds more unappealing.

[Zeb]

I had some salmon jerky once. It was not great. Reminded me of cat food. I'll go for smoked salmon every time.

[Coeus]

Haven't tried it yet, but it looks pretty tasty.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

Not a fan of alligator. Last time I had some, it was incredibly greasy. Snake's not bad.

[John]

Deer and Canada Geese would be two others.

[Steve G]

Deer, even inside the DC beltway. 2 yrs and 7 animals later, I'm still eating the hell outta some "Paleo" meatz...
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/h.....n-archery/

[Raston Bot]

I'm too scared of beltway soccer moms swatting me to do that (and I don't have a bow).

[Steve G]

Me neither, but crossbow is idiot-proof as I can attest.

[Zeb]

Unless you are a creationist, all of those "natural" things are modified too.

I really think this is a dumb joke. There is good reason to distinguish between artificial selection, which really isn't genetic modification but a process of selecting for natural "modifications" that appear through natural mutations and changes in gene expression, and genetic engineering. Not for any safety reasons, but it is a very different process. Saying it is the same at conventional selective breeding is like saying that horses and modern automobiles are the same thing.

[The Late P Brooks]

,iHe's very very close to the end. He's at home, no feeding tubes, no machines, no IVs, just a shitton of morphine?that's the way he wanted it.

At the risk of sounding crass or worse, I hope he drifts off to sleep and doesn't wake up. That's what i would want for my parents.
Good luck.

[Slammer]

Not crass at all. Exactly. Thanks!

[Derpetologist]

Spot the Not: Ezra Klein

1. The most important piece of advice I can give is that people won't care how much you know until you show them how much you care. That's how Republicans win elections.

2. When I first came to Washington, what I admired most was that people were just really, really smart with a tremendous amount of intellectual horsepower and the ability to look at an issue and say something fresh.

3. Millions of people have insurance who didn't have it before. The law is working. But a lot of the people who are convinced Obamacare is a disaster will never know that, because the voices they trust will never tell them.

4. Because for one in five women to report an attempted or completed sexual assault means that everyday sexual practices on college campuses need to be upended, and men need to feel a cold spike of fear when they begin a sexual encounter.

5. Obama's finest speeches do not excite. They do not inform. They don't even really inspire. They elevate. They enmesh you in a grander moment, as if history has stopped flowing passively by, and, just for an instant, contracted around you, made you aware of its presence, and your role in it. He is not the Word made flesh, but the triumph of word over flesh, over color, over despair.

6. If you look at how the federal government spends our money, it's an insurance conglomerate protected by a large, standing army.

[Andrew S.]

6

[Swiss Servator, Switzier!]

6

[Derpetologist]

#1 is the Not. #2 is one of the dumbest things I've read in a long time. Politicians and their remoras are by far the world's least intelligent and creative people.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

2-5 are each incredibly dumb, but 5 seems to me to be a peak in vapid stupidity.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Rand Paul defend Obama over botched drone strike

"I do think that there is a valuable use for drones and as much as I'm seen as an opponent of drones, in military and warfare, they do have some value," Paul said. "I think this is a difficult situation. You have hostages being held; some of them are American. You have people holding hostages; some of them are American. I've been an opponent of using drones about people not in combat. However if you are holding hostages, you kind of are involved in combat. So I look at it the way it is in the United States. If there's a kidnapping in New York, the police don't have to have a warrant to go in."

...Paul has...demanded stronger justifications from the Obama administration before it targets any American citizens. That talk has won him praise from the left and the libertarian right.

Yet on Fox, Paul declined the chance to criticize the administration. "You really don't get due process or anything like that if you are in a war zone," said Paul. "I tend not to want to blame the president for the loss of life here. I think he was trying to do the right thing."

[John]

Ultimately, the responsibility for the death of a hostage lies with the hostage takers. Even if the rescuers completely fuck up and get the hostages killed, they wouldn't have been there had it not been for the hostage takers. Blaming Obama here is like me shooting you and then someone blaming your death on the ambulance for being late.

[Spoonman.]

I'm with Rand here and I've been suspicious of his foreign policy statements lately. I question the utility of droning crazy fucks generally, but clearly they were hitting AQ here if they hit the hostages.

[Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns]

Paul's right. Once you are engaged in a military operation, it's guaranteed innocent people will die even if you don't mean for them to die. It's ridiculous for Republicans to support this military action and then use civilian deaths to bludgeon the president.

Attacking Obama over this really is politics at its worst, unless the Republicans themselves opposed using drones in this instance, which of course they didn't.

[The Late P Brooks]

Every day, thousands of police officers and deputies enforce traffic laws, execute arrest and search warrants, investigate domestic violence complaints and perform countless tasks that are needed to keep our neighborhoods safe and remove criminals from the streets.

It takes just a couple of clicks on Waze's "traffic cop" icon to identify their locations and indicate whether -- in the opinion of the anonymous user -- the officer is "visible" or "invisible." At that moment, the officer or deputy becomes an identifiable target whose whereabouts are available to any one of Waze's 50 million users worldwide.

RIGHT TO PRIVACY

Fuck the pigs.

[Bam!]

Cops really shouldn't be in uniform or drive around in cars covered in decals. It makes them a target.

[John]

That is the dumbest thing I have ever read. The cops run around in uniforms in marked cars with big lights on them. All it takes for a cop to be a target is for him to go to work.

Fuck these assholes. Fuck them with a chainsaw. God forbid cities and states lose out on shacking people down for traffic fines.

[Zeb]

It's the internet version of flashing your lights to warn people about a cop ahead. Which is free speech.
They really will say any idiotic shit they think they can get away with.

[John]

It is totally that. The problem is that Waze was recently purchased by Google, who are unapologetic fascists. I worry that they will bend to the cops and ban identifying cops on the ap. That would of course completely destroy the value of Waze. No one uses it to avoid traffic. You can do that with google maps. They use it to avoid cops.

Does Google's commitment to money outweigh its commitment to fascism? Your guess is as good as mine. Sure, another app would arise, but who would host it?

[tarran]

No one uses it to avoid traffic. You can do that with google maps.

I do... Waze's traffic avoicance algorithm is fucking incredible. I tried a few experiments back in February. 15 - 20% time saving using Waze over Google.

Google has superior directions (when will you include lane recommendations, Waze?), and Waze's destination search reads like they are using Lycos' search engine.

But I really don't worry too much about cops. It's the traffic avoidance that is the gem for me.

[John]

I do to some degree I guess. But I probably wouldn't bother with it if it didn't include speed traps.

[Free Society]

Does Google's commitment to money outweigh its commitment to fascism?

Any business as successful as Google has a lot to lose. Companies with a lot to lose are routinely and without fail turned into tools of the state. I don't blame Google, I blame the state.

[John]

No. I blame Google. I see what you are saying but it isn't like becoming a tool for the state is something they object to. The government really doesn't have to force them to do anything. Google is run by fascists who are happy to support the cause, no force needed.

[Zeb]

Yeah. I'd say they are more a victim of fascism than a promoter of it.

[John]

So the fact that they actively support fascist policies and work to get fascist politicians elected doesn't affect their status as "victims"?

[Zeb]

It's all a rich tapestry. Of shit.

[Zeb]

And I'm by no means saying "oh poor Google". They do decide to play the game. But unfortunately that's the only way to win. I don't know much about what policies or politicians they support. Perhaps they are particularly terrible. But there aren't a whole lot of options out there for non-fascist politicians and there aren't many large companies who aren't guilty of the same.

[Free Society]

If that is the cost of being the largest business in the US I'd say they as an institution are not as culpable as you suggest. Pick out any business that was the most valuable in the US economy at some point in time and see whether or not that business was co-opted to become a tool of the state.

I can't think of any top 5 company in existence that this hasn't happened to, at least since the rise of the Affectation Doctrine.

[Free Society]

And I'm by no means saying "oh poor Google".

I also, am not arguing this.

[Zeb]

Yeah. That is one of the dumbest things I've read all day. It's not reveling the identity of undercover agents or something. It's uniformed police on patrol. But they talk about it as if otherwise it would be difficult to locate a cop if you wanted to murder one.

[Frank Frankelson]

If the goal was to get people to slow down and drive more "safely", shouldn't those in public safety positions applaud .... HAHAHAHA... Almost made it through.

To municipal governments, actual safety is a second-order priority, it's all about the revenue, yo.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

So the girlfriend and I recently bought a cheap but new couch for our apartment. She has two cats, one of which likes to claw things. Already found a claw mark on it this morning.

Anyone know a way to make a cat less likely to do that? I started by buying a sheet to cover it when we are both out and moving one of their scratching posts next to it.

[John]

Go to a pet store and you can get a special spray. You can't smell it but the cats can and they hate it. You spray your coach with it and the cats then won't scratch it because doing so causes the couch to emit the foul odor.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Interesting, I'll look into that. Thank you.

[John]

Also, buy a couple of scratching posts and spray those with catnip. Make the posts smell good and the coach smell bad. Lastly, get a pair of clippers and clip the cats' claws every couple of weeks. They won't like it but it can be done. Cats scratch mostly because if their claws are not worn down they get too long and curl in. Clipping their claws reduces the urge to scratch.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

. You spray your coach

I thought that was normally gatorade?

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

I recommend these.

[Slammer]

My mom used to say, "You can either have nice stuff, or you can have cats."

[Rich]

This.

My favorite cat antic is the pissing down the floor registers. The gift that keeps on giving!

[Almanian!]

Yeah - "remove cats' front claws".

"OH! THAT'S HORRIBLE!" I dunno - we've had about a zillion, done it to all of them - they can still catch mice, and our furniture is intact. Everybody wins!

[Rhywun]

How would you like someone to remove the tips of all your fingers?

I can't even trim my cats' claws because apparently whoever owned them before me trained them to freak the shit out about it.

Yet I have never had any scratching problems. You can try the spray but in my case really I just need a scratching post.

[Frank Frankelson]

Dunno, seems to have worked out okay for Stannis Baratheon..

[Xeones]

Cats are generally far less forgiving than Davos Seaworth.

[Tonio]

A cat tree - one of those carpet and/or rope covered things they can climb.

But even those are not perfect solutions. If you have pets or kids just plan on replacing that stuff more frequently than you normally would, unless you can make your LR a pet free zone.

[Warty]

Get a Scatmat. They'll learn to stay off, and you get the pleasure of watching them be shocked while they learn.

[mad libertarian guy]

Declaw the front only. They can still climb in the event they needed to, but won't scratch your shit all up.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

Cutting off their front paws works wonders, but may be frowned upon.

[Injun, as in from India]

This has been making the rounds of my Derpbook feed:

Op-Ed
There's scientific consensus on guns -- and the NRA won't like it

SUMMARY: 97% of scientists believe in gun control. The science is settled.

[Lady Bertrum]

I believe it's all in the definition of believe.

[Steve G]

Aww, hell, I'm guess I'm a check mark in another 'Denier' column

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

I was not interested in scientists doing research in forensics, history, medical treatment, psychiatric issues, engineering or non-firearms (for example, nail guns, electron guns).

No fair looking at actual history and stats.

[Injun, as in from India]

Seriously. I've sworn myself off of political discussions on Derpbook. The smugness with which this was shared really annoyed me. There are SO many ways I could take down this bulls*** op-ed. But it is not worth getting into a discussion over it.

[Scruffy Nerfherder]

You can't argue with people who believe feelings and intentions matter more than facts and results.

[Injun, as in from India]

More than that, quite a few of them let their political feelings get in the way of their relationships. What you say to counter their assertions is construed as a personal insult and these people clam up. I've had personal experience of this.

[Zeb]

This is about as relevant to anything as scientists' views on deep dish pizza.
"A bunch of people who are experts in completely unrelated things think guns are bad."
So what?

[Lady Bertrum]

What, no mention of nerdprom? You're not covering the important stuff reason.

Nerdprom should really be called thronesniffingsycophantprom.

[Almanian!]

The Tweeterz was just insufferable that night. I lasted about 5 minutes, and just kept thinking, "If you all hate this so much, why are you watching and Tweeting about it?" Masochists, I guess.

[Injun, as in from India]

David Burge described #Nerdprom as a Loathsome Beltway Throne-Sniffers' Circle Jerk.

[Tonio]

Iowahawk never fails to disappoint.

[The Late P Brooks]

Even the more benign uses of Waze's "traffic cop" feature are concerning.

In 2013, 10,076 people were killed in alcohol-related automobile accidents. And in 2011, 9,944 people lost their lives in speed-related fatal crashes. Is the highest, best use of Google's geo-mapping and crowdsourcing capabilities to help drunk drivers avoid checkpoints and give speeders assistance in evading speed limits?

Oh, NO! Google is preventing motorists from being shaken down. They are helping people avoid our roving toll collectors.

THEY'RE STEALING MONEY FROM US!

[Raven Nation]

It's in line with the statist reaction against any kind of way around the current system. I see news stories about rapes & murders which prominently feature references to AirBnB, Couchsurfer, Uber, Lyft, etc. Because, you know, nothing bad ever happens to people who stay in hotels or use taxis.

[mad libertarian guy]

Especially Uber drivers who use their concealed weapon to stave off a murdering lunatic.

Oh wait, nevermind.

[Frank Frankelson]

It always evokes a groan from me when they drop references to "scary" decentralized services into completely unrelated stories....

Talking Head: "Today a serial killer was arrested for the murder of 15 women... but he *could* have used CraigsList/Uber/AirBnB at some point for something. More after the weather."

[Steve G]

Was curious if the NSA (the sheriff one) had taken a similar approach and called for banning radar detectors and found this via quick googling. Interesting perspective from a former cop:
http://www.radarbusters.com/Es.....s/2588.htm

[The Late P Brooks]

men need to feel a cold spike of fear when they begin a sexual encounter.

And baffled girls will sit morosely in their dorm rooms, wondering why that boy who seems so smart and nice and funny never calls.

[Almanian!]

ain't it the truth

[John]

And on top of that, the internet has delivered a golden age of porn and hookers. Before the internet, short of going to Tijuana, no respectable college guy or single male had any idea how to find a hooker or order a dirty movie. Now all of that can be had easily and in the case of porn for free.

Lets see, your choices are spend a thousand or so dollars a month getting laid from a hooker three or four times and jerking off to porn in between or go out and try to get laid for free and risk your freedom and reputation every time you are successful. I am pretty sure which choice a lot of single men will take.

[Steve G]

Never fear John, our betters are quickly addressing this dilemma...
http://politicalnews.me/?id=33.....ATION-SAVE

[John]

We must control men' sexuality at all costs. Exploitation my ass. I have said this before and it is still true. There is no more sexier story and no story more likely to generate viewers and page clicks than a real case of white slavery. On top of that, such cases fit the liberal narrative of evil men exploiting women. Yet, you almost never read stories about such things, because they are very rare. Yet, the media constantly claims that every hooker is a victim of human trafficking. Bullshit.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

I've never understood why anyone needs porn to jerk off.

Anyway, in the hierarchy of sins, spanking it seems somewhat less heinous than hiring a hooker or seducing some coed.

[Coeus]

effective time management. It's a whole lot quicker.

Also, if you're bored but not particularly horny, porn will get horny, and then you can jack off and get that sweet, sweet dopamine rush.

[Restoras, OWG]

go out and try to get laid for free

Free? There is no such thing as a free lunch, John...or a free bang.

[Rhywun]

If I was a heterosexual male in college right now, there is not a chance in hell I would talk to, look at, or god forbid approach a college girl. If you're in a real town there is sure to be plenty of opportunity off-campus.

[The Late P Brooks]

97% of scientists believe in gun control.

Yeah, I loved the way he blithely conflates "scientific consensus" with "consensus of people who work n 'scientific' fields".

If you get your sample right, you could undoubtedly find a "scientific consensus" that God (Christian American Mainstream version) exists.

[Injun, as in from India]

Scientific consensus in this case is an argument by authority attributed to people who wear lab coats and look all scientific.

It has as much gravitas as a model playing a dentist in a toothpaste commercial.

[straffinrun]

Need a new podcast for my commute. I alternate between Tom Woods, Cato, Mises and sometimes Hoover (just for Epstein). Long enough for a 2 hour round trip bicycle ride. Getting bored. Ideas?

[Drake]

Anthony Cumia? If Ron Bennington joins the show it will achieve peak funniness.

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

[Bam!]

EconTalk has some good stuff.

[John]

I am reading The Sea of Fertility series by a Japanese author named Yukio Mishima. It is a series of four novels that take place in Japan from around 1912 through World War II. The first one is very good so far. The guy is considered one of the great Japanese writers of the 20th Century.

[Steve G]

Joe Rogan, or Robb Wolf.

[straffinrun]

Thanks guys. John, Mishima is a wild dude. Commits seppuku in front of the diet IIRC. If you like that, may like Hyakuta Naoki's "Kaizoku to yobareta otoko". Starts right after the WWII ends. Actually a lot of free market stuff in it. Sorry, I don't have the english title.

[John]

He was a wild dude. But he is a very good writer.

[Coeus]

Hardcore History with Dan Carlin.

[Roger the Shrubber]

Thank you to whomever recommended the Hardcore History podcasts.

[Coeus]

you're welcome.

[The Late P Brooks]

Getting bored. Ideas?

The collected works of Agile Cyborg, read in the voice of Edward Everett Horton.

[Mainer2]

The Electric Kool-aid Fractured Fairy Tale Acid Test.

[Swiss Servator, Switzier!]

*thunderous applause*

[Xeones]

I would listen to the hell out of that.

[Coeus]

Native Americans agree to appear in an Adam Sandler movie, then walk off set (but not really) when a scripted joke is made.

Read the script before you agree people. And it's not even very insulting (nor funny).

"There were about a dozen of us who walked off the set," said Anthony, who told ICTMN he had initially refused to do the movie. He then agreed to take the job when producers informed him they had hired a cultural consultant and efforts would be made for tasteful representation of Natives.

[Coeus]

"I was asked a long time ago to do some work on this and I wasn't down for it. Then they told me it was going to be a comedy, but it would not be racist. So I agreed to it but on Monday things started getting weird on the set," he said.

Anthony says he was first insulted that the movie costumes that were supposed to portray Apache were significantly incorrect and that the jokes seemed to get progressively worse.

"We were supposed to be Apache, but it was really stereotypical and we did not look Apache at all. We looked more like Comanche," he said. "One thing that really offended a lot of people was that there was a female character called Beaver's breath. One character says 'Hey, Beaver's Breath.' And the Native woman says, 'How did you know my name?'"

"They just treated us as if we should just be on the side. When we did speak with the main director, he was trying to say the disrespect was not intentional and this was a comedy."

"I hope they will listen to us," Hill said. "We understand this is a comedy, we understand this is humor, but we won't tolerate disrespect. I told the director if he had talked to a native woman the way they were talked to in this movie?I said I would knock his ass out."

[double ham fisted]

Claims to understand comedy and humor then immediately shows complete lack of understanding of the concepts.

[Slammer]

,but yadda yadda yadda

[Drake]

Endeavor to Persevere!

[Swiss Servator, Switzier!]

Declare war on Adam Sandler.

[Rhywun]

nor funny

Adam Sandler has never been remotely funny - why should he change now.

[mad libertarian guy]

I GOTTA SNAKE!

[Coeus]

Apparently, teaching kids that everything a man does is rape, reduces STDs and pregancy

Also a 300% increase in the purchase of Sara McLaughlin albums.

Who knew?

[Stephdumas]

And the Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said her city government "gave those who wished to destroy space to do that".

I guess this summer, we might sing, this song made by Gordon Lightfoot who might be politically incorrect by today's standards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPXL3iEVnCM

[John]

I said above. I guarantee you that the only reason those shop owners were not down there with guns defending their property is because the cops would not let them do so. So the Baltimore police are actively supporting and enabling the city to be looted. Think about that.

[John]

And they have got to get over their love of the police. The police have become the arm of enforcing the liberal state. They are not the right's friends anymore. It is not 1975 for God's sake.

[Andrew S.]

They can't go against cops. And have right-leaning candidates lose that precious police union endorsement?

[VG Zaytsev]

And they have got to get over their love of the police. The police have become the arm of enforcing the liberal state. They are not the right's friends anymore. It is not 1975 for God's sake.

^^^^^This^^^^^

A lot of people on the right are frozen in 1970s with a reflexive defense of cops. It's downright pathological.

[Crusty Juggler]

"Hans, bubby, I'm your white knight."

[John]

That is just it, they never endorse Republicans.

[some guy]

They never endorse the GOP in the cities. Sheriffs and small town police love the GOP and the GOP loves them because they stand for law and order and cracking pothead skulls.

[The Last American Hero]

Isn't this just a fancier version of putting pins in a map of the city?

[Tonio]

Yeah, it's a really bad time for the Law Enforcement Industry. Legalization, filming and now pushback against cop violence.

[Steve G]

+1 Windfall profitz

[Drake]

not all the diarrhea in Africa can wash away the stench of the Clinton Foundation.

Perfect

[The Last American Hero]

Pretty sure that only works if you play for Team Blue. If a Team Red player had that much dirt on them, there's no way they get anywhere close to the POTUS nomination.

[Bobarian (sexbot hand model)]

Throwing darts at a map of the city.

Or playing 'pin the tail on the minorty'?