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A.M. Links: Charlie Hebdo Honored for Free Speech Courage, Germanwings Co-Pilot May Have Practiced for Fatal Crash, Investigators Probe ISIS Ties in Texas Attack

Damon Root | 5.6.2015 9:00 AM

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  • Credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr.com

    Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz may have practiced a rapid descent on a previous flight in preparation for his deliberate crashing of Airbus 320 on March 24.

  • Gerard Biard, the editor in chief of Charlie Hebdo, accepted the PEN American Center's Toni and James C. Goodale Freedom of Expression Courage Award on behalf of the magazine in New York City last night. "Growing up to be a citizen, is to learn that some ideas, some words, some images can be shocking," he said in his acceptance speech. "Being shocked is part of democratic debate. Being shot is not."
  • "Investigators are trying to determine whether Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, the two gunman killed at the Texas art contest Sunday night, received specific directions from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or were simply inspired by the terrorist organization to carry out attacks in the U.S."
  • According to a new poll, Jeb Bush is trailing far behind his fellow Republican presidential hopefuls in the key state of Iowa.
  • The Democratic National Committee has announced it will host six presidential debates, with the first occurring this fall.
  • Music icon Prince will perform at a "Rally 4 Peace" concert in Baltimore this Sunday.

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Damon Root is a senior editor at Reason and the author of A Glorious Liberty: Frederick Douglass and the Fight for an Antislavery Constitution (Potomac Books).

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  1. Fist of Etiquette   10 years ago

    ...Jeb Bush is trailing far behind his fellow Republican presidential hopefuls in the key state of Iowa.

    NEW BACKRUNNER.

    1. Aloysious   10 years ago

      He's trailing? Good.

      1. Jayburd   10 years ago

        It's OK, he's the Dem's second choice.

    2. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

      Hello.

      http://bit.ly/1Jqzghk

      1. expat   10 years ago

        Good morning from Alberta, Rufus.

        Things are going to be "interesting" for a while here.

        1. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

          So I see. What. The. Frick.

          The fucken NDP?

          1. Gene   10 years ago

            Hell just froze over.

            1. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

              They're going to make a mess of it.

              Watch.

              1. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

                How can a province that depends on the oil and gas industry vote for a party that stands for policies that work against the industry?

                It's baffling.

                1. Libertarian   10 years ago

                  They're voting against their own interests -- Kansans have been doing that for years.

                  1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

                    They're voting against their own interests -- Kansans New Yorkers have been doing that for years.

                    FTFY

                  2. Monty Crisco   10 years ago

                    Not sure if sarc or if you are a Thomas Frank sockpuppet...

              2. expat   10 years ago

                I gotta be honest ... I am a bit scared. 🙁

                1. expat   10 years ago

                  And by "a bit" , I mean a whole Hell of a lot!

                  1. Gene   10 years ago

                    Now you guys will get to experience what Rufus and I have suffered through in our respective provinces, Ontario and Quebec have a huge lead in the race to progtopia though, hopefully you won't catch up.

                    1. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

                      Seriously. A progtopia Alberta help finance through equalization payments.

                      Damn.

                      What the heck Alberta?

                    2. expat   10 years ago

                      One upside - steeply reduced transfer payments - we're all going to be "have not" provinces!!

    3. Brett L   10 years ago

      Hopefully Bush-Clinton fatigue is universal at this point.

      1. John   10 years ago

        That is exactly what it is. That and the profound unpopularity of amnesty and common core among GOP voters.

    4. gaijin   10 years ago

      NEW BACKRUNNER.

      aka a buttplug?

      1. Bobarian (sexbot hand model)   10 years ago

        That is a BACKSTOPPER.

    5. Florida Man   10 years ago

      Pro-surveillance state, pro-immigration. Something to piss off everyone.

  2. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

    According to a new poll, Jeb Bush is trailing far behind his fellow Republican presidential hopefuls in the key state of Iowa.

    They're just racist against Hispanics.

    1. thom   10 years ago

      Yep. Who are the candidates furthest back in the polls? Ben Carson and Jeb Bush. The racist party is going to be racist, I suppose.

      1. Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns   10 years ago

        Ben Carson is running second to last? I guess the Republican primary voters aren't quite as stupid as I assumed if they can at least realize that guy is a terrible candidate.

        1. WTF   10 years ago

          Ben Carson is clearly only running second to last because of RethugliKKKan RACISM!!11!!!

        2. Dweebston   10 years ago

          Oh Jesus christ was his candidacy announcement was awful.

  3. Fist of Etiquette   10 years ago

    The Democratic National Committee has announced it will host six presidential debates...

    So, no coronation?

    1. Scruffy Nerfherder   10 years ago

      WDATPDIM

    2. Brett L   10 years ago

      What? These are victory parades.

      1. Swiss Servator, Switzier!   10 years ago

        Don the triumphal regalia, and ride this chariot Mx Clinton.

        1. Restoras, OWG   10 years ago

          But who will hold the victor's crown over her head, and whisper in her ear?

          1. Brett L   10 years ago

            If only we had someone whose job it was to whisper "You are but mortal, slave" in the President's ear.

          2. Brett L   10 years ago

            If only we had someone whose job it was to whisper "You are but mortal, slave" in the President's ear.

            1. Medical Physics Guy   10 years ago

              You want it whispered in stereo?

          3. Catatafish   10 years ago

            I'm assuming you mean whisper "death comes for us all" and not whisper sweet nothings.

            Because Tony already has dibs on the latter.

            1. Xeones   10 years ago

              He's going to have a hard time whispering while his tongue is busy lapping at those withered lobes.

    3. A Horse Called Trigger   10 years ago

      Will Comrade Bernie go for the jugular?

      1. Scruffy Nerfherder   10 years ago

        Read that as juggalo on the first take

        1. Swiss Servator, Switzier!   10 years ago

          Gah!?

        2. A Horse Called Trigger   10 years ago

          Being questioned by a panel of drunken juggalos would make it a little interesting and I might even watch that ...drunk.

          1. Scruffy Nerfherder   10 years ago

            First question Mx Clinton, magnets, how the fuck do they work?

            1. Bobarian (sexbot hand model)   10 years ago

              I could see Jim Lehrer asking that... in face-paint.

          2. Swiss Servator, Switzier!   10 years ago

            Upon further reflection, I think that would be fun. Drunk watching would be absolutely necessary.

            1. Rhywun   10 years ago

              I think watching it drunk would be necessary whether juggalos are present or not.

              1. Swiss Servator, Switzier!   10 years ago

                Hmmm. Good point.

        3. db   10 years ago

          AMERICA IS READY FOR OUR FIRST JUGGALO PRESIDENT.

          1. Xeones   10 years ago

            Joe Biden's not running yet.

        4. gaijin   10 years ago

          F-ing Socialists, how do they work?

          1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

            Socialists don't work, that's for the proles to do for them.

          2. Ted S.   10 years ago

            They don't. They steal from the people who do.

      2. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

        Comrade Bernie will introduce AmSoc, which is basically IngSoc 2.0 with American Characteristics.

        1. A Horse Called Trigger   10 years ago

          A larger chocolate ration?

          1. Xeones   10 years ago

            Sure, if by "larger" you mean "shrink the units of measurement and then add more of them."

    4. The Last American Hero   10 years ago

      Nope, just the Vagina Monologues.

      1. Libertarian   10 years ago

        Ha! If Fiorina wins, I look forward to her debating Clinton if only for the NY Post headline: Vagina Dialogues.

  4. Fist of Etiquette   10 years ago

    ...or were simply inspired by the terrorist organization to carry out attacks in the U.S.

    "That still counts!"

    1. WTF   10 years ago

      And by the "terrorist organization" do they mean "FBI"?

    2. straffinrun   10 years ago

      99% desperation, 1% inspiration.

      1. Charles Easterly   10 years ago

        A little nonsense now and then is treasured by the wisest men.

  5. Palin's Buttplug   10 years ago

    Jade Helm 15 military takeover of Texas growing concern among conservatives:

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/m.....peculation

    (ron paul talks martial law)

    1. Brett L   10 years ago

      I like the Walmart conspiracy. That's my favorite so far. I'm wondering if Jade Helm doesn't just involve sending a bunch of Texans home on extended leave to hang out aand do nothing.

      1. Aloysious   10 years ago

        There was a crazy lady that came into work yesterday spouting CT stuff. Jade Helm 15, Walmart, Weyerhauser, the number 19, some dude on youtube called Devo7 were all linked together, somehow. It didn't make much sense. She then tried to buy some young dude peanut butter cups and offered to adopt him.

        The whole situation was odd.

        1. Palin's Buttplug   10 years ago

          Wal-Mart closed five Texas stores so the CIA could build a network of tunnels as a base for the takeover.

          It all works together!

          1. Aloysious   10 years ago

            I forgot to add that she was a devout listener to that INFOWARS dude, whatever his name is.

            To her, it made perfect sense.

            The rest of us... not so much.

          2. Xeones   10 years ago

            BUUUUTTTPPPLLLLUUUUUUUUGG

            1. Bobarian (sexbot hand model)   10 years ago

              I missed you, yesterday.

              1. Xeones   10 years ago

                I'm not your monkey.

        2. RBS   10 years ago

          There is a lady in my building with a bunch of Infowars bumper stickers in her car. I'll have to see what this Jade Helm 15 business is all about...

        3. Bobarian (sexbot hand model)   10 years ago

          Did you go home with her?

    2. WTF   10 years ago

      Shriek derp de derp. Derp de derpity derpy derp. Until one day, the derpa derpa derpaderp. Derp de derp da teedily dumb. From the creators of Der, and Tum Ta Tittaly Tum Ta Too, Shriek is Da Derp Dee Derp Da Teetley Derpee Derpee Dumb. Rated PG-13.

      1. Private FUQ   10 years ago

        They all want Derp cake!!!

    3. db   10 years ago

      Martian Law!

    4. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

      So why are the fringes of the Internet still abuzz with rumors that the U.S. military is on the cusp of imposing martial law in "hostile" Texas under the guise of a training exercise dubbed "Jade Helm 15"?

      Um, they're on the fringe for a reason.

      1. CatoTheElder   10 years ago

        The relevant question here is, "Who is the paranoid?" Is it the guy who has watched the government grow to gargantuan proportion while usurping individual rights at every turn? Or is the government officials who think it is worthwhile to spend enormous sums of taxpayer money to train for an armed uprising of any significance in Texas and Utah?

    5. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

      The inclination to dig deeper apparently runs in the family, too. The former congressman's son, Republican presidential candidate and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, told an Iowa-based radio host last month that while he wasn't familiar with "Jade Helm 15" he'd "look into" the planned training exercise.

      Oh for fuck's sake.

      1. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

        TPM ran that like 5 times. Apparently Rand Paul should have called them idiots and laughed in their faces instead of tactfully and politely dismissing the question.

      2. Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns   10 years ago

        Stormy was trying to pull the same bullshit yesterday by claiming Abbott was falling for this conspiracy theory because Abbott sent some national guardsmen to observe the exercise.

    6. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

      That said, Cruz still validated conspiracy theorists' concern.

      "I think part of the reason is, we have seen for six years a federal government disrespecting the liberty of the citizens and that produces fear," Cruz said. "When you see a federal government that is attacking our free speech rights, our religious liberty rights, our Second Amendment rights. That produces distrust as to government."

      Understanding and empathy are for lunatics and right-wing nutjobs.

      1. John   10 years ago

        Of course. Remember though, understanding why some crazy Muslim would want to murder a bunch of people for drawing Muhammad is totally enlightened because all right thinking people understand anyone who disrespects "the Prophet" is totally asking for whatever they get. In contrast, anyone who distrusts the federal government under the Black Jesus is a racist nut.

      2. R C Dean   10 years ago

        That said, Cruz still validated conspiracy theorists' concern.

        Its getting a lot harder to say that their concerns aren't valid, isn't it.

    7. Xeones   10 years ago

      BBBBUUUUUTTTPPPPLLLLUUUUUUUUUUUUG

    8. Red Rocks Rockin   10 years ago

      Shriek linking to Derping Points Memo? Quelle surprise.

      Dem comments, too--further proof that you don't dialogue with progressives, you treat them as the enemy at all times.

  6. Rich   10 years ago

    "Investigators are trying to determine whether Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi ... received specific directions from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or were simply inspired by the terrorist organization"

    Permit me: WDATPDIM?

    1. Scruffy Nerfherder   10 years ago

      More or less fear mongering, that's the difference

    2. Brett L   10 years ago

      I'm kinda hoping they are ISIS agents. If this is the best they can do, I can start convincing people we can dismantle the security state.

      1. Rich   10 years ago

        I can start convincing people we can dismantle the security state.

        NO!! The FBI didn't have enough knowledge to stop the attack! The SS must be *increased*!

        1. Brett L   10 years ago

          The FBI had as much information as they did on the 9/11 attacks. Its almost like there's a limit on what state security can achieve, and we were already there 14 years ago.

          1. gaijin   10 years ago

            ^This. Distributed defense (via local government and individual gun ownership) remains a better strategy for rapid response. Pre-crime just isn't going to happen

            1. Monty Crisco   10 years ago

              Goddamn!!! How dare a JAPANESE person recommend INDIVIDUAL GUN OWNERSHIP!!! ANATHEMA!!

              Commit seppuku immediately.

              1. Brett L   10 years ago

                Monty, gaijin is Japanese for honky.

                1. Monty Crisco   10 years ago

                  That was the joke.
                  Now that we have a FIRM grasp of the obvious...

        2. WTF   10 years ago

          You know who else had an "SS"?

          1. Scruffy Nerfherder   10 years ago

            A certain Gulf Coast state?

          2. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

            Maersk?

          3. Rich   10 years ago

            Any "New American"?

          4. Poppa Kilo   10 years ago

            Your mother?

          5. Libertarian   10 years ago

            Chevy?

          6. Restoras, OWG   10 years ago

            Every President, and for life?

          7. PBR Streetgang   10 years ago

            Dale Earnhardt?

          8. straffinrun   10 years ago

            The skipper?

            1. Charles Easterly   10 years ago

              "If not for the courage of the fearless crew...."

            2. PBR Streetgang   10 years ago

              This one is my favorite

          9. Xeones   10 years ago

            Everybody in Mississippi?

            1. Bobarian (sexbot hand model)   10 years ago

              They have two of them... and some pp, too.

  7. Derpetologist   10 years ago

    Spot the Not: Elliot Spitzer

    1. Yes, people pull the trigger - but guns are the instrument of death.
    Gun control is necessary, and delay means more death and horror.

    2. The pace of global warming is accelerating and the scale of the
    impact is devastating.

    3. Let's create a regime that makes sale of bullets to anybody not
    licensed to carry a gun illegal, makes resale illegal, micro-stamps
    bullets so they can be traced. No Second Amendment issues here.

    4. In a moment of personal weakness, I regrettably gave into temptation.

    5. Delay is the enemy of progress.

    6. In politics you learn to always smile.

    1. Swiss Servator, Switzier!   10 years ago

      3...?

    2. WTF   10 years ago

      5

    3. Ted S.   10 years ago

      Zwei.

    4. Free Society   10 years ago

      Sechs

    5. robc   10 years ago

      4.

      1. Derpetologist   10 years ago

        winner!

        http://leftycartoons.com/wp-co.....n_gray.png

    6. Charles Easterly   10 years ago

      Two?

    7. Catatafish   10 years ago

      6 sounds too much like he's admitting he's a phony. I don't think he has that ability.

    8. Bobarian (sexbot hand model)   10 years ago

      7. This is Client 9, can you schedule me for Ashley?

  8. Derpetologist   10 years ago

    Spot the Not: Drug Warrior quotes

    1. It may seem contradictory, but the unfortunate level of violence is a
    sign of success in the fight against drugs.

    2. America's public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse.

    3. No one knows, when he places a marijuana cigarette to his lips,
    whether he will become a joyous reveller in a musical heaven, a mad
    insensate, a calm philosopher, or a murderer.

    4. Give one of these Mexican beet field workers a couple of puffs on a
    marijuana cigarette and he thinks he is in the bullring at Barcelona.

    5. These vile narcotics are poisoning our children and stoking chaos
    among the Negroes.

    6. I wish I could show you what a small marihuana cigarette can do to
    one of our degenerate Spanish-speaking residents.

    1. Swiss Servator, Switzier!   10 years ago

      3 - they would never admit to any joy, would they?

      1. Catatafish   10 years ago

        Agreed. That might be a compliant journalist though.

    2. WTF   10 years ago

      6

    3. Florida Man   10 years ago

      4. Beets aren't Mexican!

    4. Medical Physics Guy   10 years ago

      God these are all atrocious. I hate the drug war. I say 4.

    5. Free Society   10 years ago

      4

    6. This Machine   10 years ago

      3 sounds like Mencken, or something, whatever.

      *grumbles, shambles off for coffee*

    7. robc   10 years ago

      4 again.

    8. Charles Easterly   10 years ago

      Four?

    9. Derpetologist   10 years ago

      #5 is the Not. For extra fun, imagine each one being said in the voice of Mr Burns.

      1. Derpetologist   10 years ago

        #1 is from Supreme Drugsmeller Michele Leonhart.

        "The War on Drugs employs millions - politicians, bureaucrats, policemen, and now the military - that probably couldn't find a place for their dubious talents in a free market, unless they were to sell pencils from a tin cup on street corners."
        -L. Neil Smith

  9. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

    How the Clintons took over Haiti

    Over the past two decades, the once-and-perhaps-future first couple repeatedly played a key role in Haiti's politics, helping to pick its national leaders and driving hundreds of millions of dollars in private aid, investment and U.S. taxpayer money toward its development. They've brought with them a network of friends and global corporations that never would've been here otherwise. Together, this network of power and money has left indelible marks on almost every aspect of the Haitian economy. The island nation represents ground zero for the confusing and often conflict-ridden intersection of her State Department, the Clinton family's foundation and both of their foreign policies.

    "When it's happening you don't realize it, [but] after everything is in place ? you see the Clintons at every level," says former Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, who was Clinton's co-chairman on the commission charged with rebuilding Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. "Even if they are clever enough to make you think sometimes that you are the one having the idea."

    Despite the huge amounts of aid and investment, the sweeping visions they've offered of transformative prosperity?promises delivered by a broad network of friends they recruited and deals they negotiated?have been tripped up by realities on the ground.

    1. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

      Ha, ha this is soooo fake.

      Obviously.

    2. Scruffy Nerfherder   10 years ago

      Begs the question, who would actually want Haiti?

      1. gaijin   10 years ago

        The Domincans?

      2. Florida Man   10 years ago

        Me. I've always wanted an island nation to rule.

        1. Scruffy Nerfherder   10 years ago

          A barren, AIDs infested, destitute island?

          1. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

            Makes perfect sense. Since when has Bill Clinton had standards?

          2. Florida Man   10 years ago

            Barren? Haiti use to produce a surplus of agriculture before a corrupt government destroyed their economy. AIDS is on the way to being a manageable chronic illness. Destitute? Sure, but there is no reason it has to be. The grand cayman is wealthy.

            1. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

              Also, US aid in the form of rice subsidies destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of farmers, causing them to migrate to slums in the cities.

              They've gotten a raw deal for decades.

              1. Florida Man   10 years ago

                Plus sugar subsidies/bans.

              2. Libertarian   10 years ago

                This is a great point. I read an article about a couple Haitian doctors who, in effect, were out of work because of the amount of foreign medical aid flooding Haiti. It's a dilemma; isn't there a book by an African saying "stop helping us"?

                1. Ghetto Slovak Goatherder   10 years ago

                  It's called 'Dead Aid.'

                  Good book, some fascinating stories of incompetence. Lots of tales of Western governments totally failing to understand cultural differences which make aid entirely wasteful.

            2. Free Society   10 years ago

              Barren? Haiti use to produce a surplus of agriculture before a corrupt government destroyed their economy.

              Haiti's problem has always been a lack of protected property rights. They won their independence under the ideology of abolishing slavery and once they did that, they ran out of guiding principles. The population of that country is beyond the carrying capacity of that economy's division of labor. And with all the foreign aid flowing into Haiti, it's population, it's poverty and it's suffering, rise to unnaturally high levels, like an algae bloom in a farmer's pond.

              1. Xeones   10 years ago

                Not to mention, the Haitian government had to pay 200 years of enormous reparations to France for the crime of its citizens stealing themselves from French plantation owners.

                1. Free Society   10 years ago

                  The only reason Haiti gets to be known as history's only successful slave revolt, is because they actually lost when they signed that treaty with the French. They exchanged individual slavery with collective servitude.

                  1. Xeones   10 years ago

                    So basically they anticipated the 16th Amendment?

          3. A Horse Called Trigger   10 years ago

            Let the Hatians all immigrate to florida and then it's ALL yours.

            1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

              I don't want the Haitians in Florida - they speak French, and we've already got enough trouble with two languages there.

              1. Florida Man   10 years ago

                Um. They're already here and they speak creole.

                1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

                  Um. They're already here and they speak creole.

                  That's no good, that will never do. How'd they get there?

                  1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

                    And what happened to their French?

                  2. Florida Man   10 years ago

                    Tire rafts.

              2. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

                I know! We can send them to go live with the Quebecis! Then all the frog-talkers will be together in mutial antipathy.

                1. Zeb   10 years ago

                  They'd probably get on better with the Acadians.

      3. Medical Physics Guy   10 years ago

        "And then, we're off to Haiti!"

        "Not Haiti, you idiot, Tahiti!"

        I think that's from "Ruthless People".

        1. Andrew S.   10 years ago

          I haven't thought about that movie in years. Funny as hell though.

    3. Swiss Servator, Switzier!   10 years ago

      "Despite the huge amounts of aid and investment, the sweeping visions they've offered of transformative prosperity?promises delivered by a broad network of friends they recruited and deals they negotiated?have been tripped up by realities on the ground."

      That is simply the history of the Democratic Party for the past 80 years, no?

      1. Brett L   10 years ago

        Yes. They believe that is the way to success even though they continue to fail to succeed.

        1. Free Society   10 years ago

          Think of all the wealth in history that has been stolen and then squandered on socialist policy schemes. I suspect it's a staggering figure that I don't want to see.

          1. straffinrun   10 years ago

            Money is congealed life. Visualize the blob.

      2. Zeb   10 years ago

        If the Democratic party had been a private foundation from another country and the US didn't already have a functioning economy, then yes.

    4. John   10 years ago

      True fact, in 1953, South Korea was poorer than Haiti. South Korea was the victim of colonialism, the cold war, a US backed corrupt right wing dictatorship and look where it is today. Culture matters and international aid doesn't just fail, it ensures continued poverty.

      1. Restoras, OWG   10 years ago

        Indeed. International aid is more akin to welfare than it is aid, and it encourages the same habits.

  10. Palin's Buttplug   10 years ago

    Chlamydia outbreak hits Texas "abstinence only" school:

    http://www.usnews.com/news/art.....igh-school

    1. WTF   10 years ago

      "Let the strong wind of mushroom country blow across the annihilated enemy fairyland!!"

      1. Rich   10 years ago

        Agile Cyborg?!

    2. Brett L   10 years ago

      I don't understand the argument. Abstinence is obviously not being practiced, why would other sexual education be more likely to be heeded?

      1. Certified Public Asskicker   10 years ago

        This. Also, they are not "abstinence only" apparently, as every media outlet likes to pretend they are.

        1. Cyto   10 years ago

          Also, 20 cases.

          Rockdale county GA had an outbreak in the Jr. High -- over 200 cases. It seems the kids were having sex parties after school until mom got home from work. And I really do mean kids. The documentary features interviews with 12 and 13 year old kids who talk frankly about their .... uh... activities.

          1. Zeb   10 years ago

            Sounds like fun. Except the syphilis part.

      2. Zeb   10 years ago

        Doesn't seem to unreasonable to me. "Use a condom" is much more realistic advice to give teenagers than "don't have sex".

    3. Citizen Nothing   10 years ago

      Obviously, the kids who are screwing like rabbits are the very ones who need to learn about abstinence.

      1. gaijin   10 years ago

        or condoms

    4. Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns   10 years ago

      Now, I oppose abstinence only sex-ed, but this story seems to be nothing more than agitprop. You've got a single school with a chlamydia outbreak, and leftists are trying to turn this into OMG look at those stupid disease riddled hicks!

      The problem is, you see very high rates of STD infection in American inner cities where the schools are all run by predominantly leftist Democrats. Doesn't this kind of imply that STD infection might be caused by something other than just the type of sex education you engage in and that this being a major news story is just an example of social signalling directed against people leftists hate?

      1. Citizen Nothing   10 years ago

        just an example of social signalling directed against people leftists hate?

        It's a Plug post, VISH. What else would it be?

      2. John   10 years ago

        Yeah. It is idiotic. If sex ed in schools worked, there wouldn't be the STD rates in the inner cities that there are. Moreover, condoms are not perfect and people tend not to like using them or forget to use them in the heat of the act.

      3. Poppa Kilo   10 years ago

        I do think abstinence should be mentioned in the context of sex ed, and as a valid and effective choice for avoiding a range of negative consequences.

        Hard to get past the 'but you don't get laid' qualifier, though. That's the tough sell.

        1. Zeb   10 years ago

          Isn't it completely obvious though? Or are kids so stupid that it doesn't occur to them that if they don't have sex they won't get pregnant or an STI?

          I say the whole thing is pointless. I don't think I ever really had a sex ed class. And by the time I was in high school I had things pretty well figured out.

      4. Restoras, OWG   10 years ago

        Doesn't this kind of imply that STD infection might be caused by something other than just the type of sex education...

        Hormones how do they work?

        I wonder who would propose hormone delaying therapy first? The SoCons or the Progtards?

        1. Beautiful Bean Footage   10 years ago

          The hardcore third-wave feminists, but only for dudes.

      5. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

        Why does anyone need to be taught how not to have sex? Or how to use a condom? Condoms are pretty self-explanatory and their existence is common knowledge.

        1. straffinrun   10 years ago

          Self explanatory? Jim Henson could've named that condom muppet Jizz monster.

        2. Zeb   10 years ago

          That's my question. Explain how it works in biology class in case anyone has some really wrong ideas.

          Who the hell can't figure out a condom? Or that not having sex will protect you from pregnancy and STIs?

      6. Derpetologist   10 years ago

        Whenever progs point and laugh and teen pregnancy in say, Alabama, I ask them if they've ever looked at exactly who is getting pregnant. It is not equally distributed across the races. Of course, noticing that is racist, so they just pretend it's all hicks in Jesusland being hyprocrites.

        Compare these two maps

        1. Cyto   10 years ago

          Thanks, that's informative. The two maps don't really match up that well at all, other than skewing south. One is south and west, the other is south and east. They have a lot of overlap in the middle, but other than that, they don't really match up.

        2. Derpetologist   10 years ago

          In a similar way, here are two maps showing black population and food stamp usage. There are dozens of counties in the US where over 90% of the black population is on food stamps.

          The media invariably spins these stories as "Teen pregnancy/gun violence/poverty highest in Jesusland". I don't think there is a single news organization in the country that would correctly say that gun violence is highest among blacks. It ruins the narrative.

          1. Zeb   10 years ago

            Don't blacks tend to be more religious than whites overall?

            So the Jesusland thing could still be right. They'd just have to stop associating it with the political right. Which would also ruin their narrative.

      7. Enough About Palin   10 years ago

        48% of black women between the ages of 14 and 49 have genital herpes. 48%

        http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/new.....lease.html

        1. Zeb   10 years ago

          The number for the population in general is surprising enough.

        2. Antilles   10 years ago

          Damn! Good thing I always wore condoms...

    5. Xeones   10 years ago

      BBBBUUTTTTTTPPLLLLLLLLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUG

    6. Bobarian (sexbot hand model)   10 years ago

      Shit-Cork, you ignorant slut!

      There is nothing in your article about "abstinence only".

      And the linked article says that the school gives 3 days of sexual education in the fall semester.

  11. Rich   10 years ago

    Robert Reich on the Trans Pacific Partnership

    It's being sold as a way to boost the U.S. economy, expand exports, and contain China's widening economic influence. In fact, it's just more trickle-down economics.

    How would he know? I t seems the thing is so classified no one can discuss it.

    1. Scruffy Nerfherder   10 years ago

      It's all trickle down for Bobby

      1. Rich   10 years ago

        Nice.

    2. Palin's Buttplug   10 years ago

      Anyone in Congress has access to it. Reich is just fearmongering or stupid (or both).

      1. Xeones   10 years ago

        BUTTPLUG

  12. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

    SpaceX to launch dummy today, test out escape system

    SpaceX is about to conduct the first major test of its brand new, super-streamlined launch escape system for astronauts.

    No humans are on board the mock-up capsule for Wednesday's 90-second flight from Cape Canaveral, Florida, just a dummy. The Dragon capsule will be fired from a test stand ? not a rocket ? and should soar close to a mile high before parachuting into the Atlantic about a mile offshore. Eight rocket engines on the capsule will provide the thrust.

    The California-based company led by billionaire Elon Musk aims to launch U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station as early as 2017. Boeing is designing its own crew capsule. NASA wants to make sure the commercial crew flights will be safe, and is insisting on reliable escape systems.

    1. WTF   10 years ago

      NASA wants to make sure the commercial crew flights will be safe, and is insisting on reliable escape systems.

      Just like NASA did with Apollo 1. And Challenger. And Columbia.

      1. Free Society   10 years ago

        The number of leftists who lost their shit when a pilot was killed in that Virgin Galactic test flight did not surprise me. I was surprised even less that the amount of pants shitting was tremendously higher than when much more expensive tax funded spacecraft disintegrated, killing even more people on multiple occasions.

        There is a consensus in scientific community, that taxes and taxpayers are more moral and noble than investment and investors.

      2. Zeb   10 years ago

        Hey, it takes a while to process all that data. You can't just rush into these things.

        An escape system might have helped with Challenger. Not so sure about Columbia.

    2. db   10 years ago

      Looks like it went pretty well when I watched it live. It maybe landed a bit close to shore.

    3. Ted S.   10 years ago

      SpaceX to launch dummy today,

      DiFi is going into space?

      1. Dark Lord of the Cis   10 years ago

        We could only hope.

      2. Zeb   10 years ago

        Dummy? She talks a lot for a dummy.

    4. Mike Laursen   10 years ago

      This one's a dummy, but next test will use Tory Belleci.

  13. Fist of Etiquette   10 years ago

    "Being shocked is part of democratic debate. Being shot is not."

    Obviously he didn't read the fine print about that depending on who you shocked and how you shocked them.

    1. db   10 years ago

      You can't possibly be implying that certain groups of people would be more inclined to respond with violence to verbal provocation.

      1. Fist of Etiquette   10 years ago

        And whether it would be all but excused by certain apologists.

  14. Free Society   10 years ago

    EU court says Skype's name is too similar to Sky's

    Judges at the General Court of the European Union said: "Conceptually, the figurative element conveys no concept, except perhaps that of a cloud."
    "[That] would further increase the likelihood of the element 'Sky' being recognised within the word element 'Skype', for clouds are to be found 'in the sky' and thus may readily be associated with the word 'sky'."

    http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32593735

    1. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

      And EU's name is too similar to Ewww...

      F*** 'em.

    2. The Last American Hero   10 years ago

      I heard the same thing about the Rhine and the Rhone.

    3. LynchPin1477   10 years ago

      Conceptually, the figurative element conveys no concept

      But enough about the EU...

    4. Zeb   10 years ago

      How the fuck is the public going to confuse a VOIP provider and a satellite TV broadcaster?

      "Oh, shit, I wanted to make a phone call, but instead I got a satellite dish installed. If only the companies had less similar names."

    5. Zeb   10 years ago

      They are just not granting them trademark, not making them change the name or something.

      So still stupid, but not as bad as I imagined initially.

  15. Fist of Etiquette   10 years ago

    Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz may have practiced a rapid descent on a previous flight...

    That doesn't seem like something you would need to practice. Or, more importantly, that you could get away with practicing.

    1. db   10 years ago

      He didn't practice a rapid descent, he simply set the autopilot altitude bug to 100 feet instead of the ATC authorized altitude. This was done several times, each time during an ATC-authorized descent. He changed it back to the requested altitude before the plane went below. The descents were no more rapid than a regular descent would be. He was probably trying to see if there were any programmed responses to an in flight selection of a very low altitude during the cruise segment of flight.

    2. Pope Jimbo   10 years ago

      "Aw fuck! I landed safely. I knew I should have practiced crashing more before trying this out."

      Yeah, I'm not sure practice is entirely necessary if your goal is to crash a plane.

      1. Fabi   10 years ago

        I laughed muchly.

  16. Rich   10 years ago

    NASA: Humanity closer to reaching Mars

    Ah, but are we closer to reaching peak derp?

    WARNING: Autoplay

    1. Florida Man   10 years ago


      "It is my firm belief that we are closer to getting there today than we have ever been before in the history of human civilization," Charles Bolden told a conference centered on the issue on Tuesday.

      Isn't this true for everything?

      1. Rich   10 years ago

        *** rising intonation ***

        What about the Big Bang?

        1. Florida Man   10 years ago

          Wha...*thinks about it*...son of a bitch.

      2. Brett L   10 years ago

        Usable fusion reactors are similarly much closer and just as far away as they were 20 years ago.

        1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

          But I'm liking Lockheed's approach with smaller, cheaper prototyping that can be iterated faster, making the probability of a workable commercial reactor in the near to mid term that much higher.

          1. Restoras, OWG   10 years ago

            +1 Mr. Fusion?

      3. gaijin   10 years ago

        Like Voyager leaving the solar system?

        1. Restoras, OWG   10 years ago

          Isn't it V ger by now?

          1. Rasilio   10 years ago

            The dumbest thing about that whole movie is that the alien probe that picks up voyager and turns it into vger basically flys into the outer fringes of our solar system sometime in the next couple hundred years, then carries it out to some distant location that star fleet apparently never discovers, converts it into vger and sends it back home ostensibly to learn about the people who created it.

            However somehow they fail to notice all the radio signals coming from the 3rd planet of the star system that the little probe obviously came from where they can just pop on over and visit since they are about 30 seconds away at warp speed

      4. DontShootMe   10 years ago

        We were closer to landing on the moon in 1968 than we are today.

  17. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

    Bill de Blasio is preparing to launch progressive Contract with America

    New York Mayor Bill de Blasio next week will unveil a 13-point progressive agenda that he hopes will be the left's answer to the Contract with America, which helped propel Newt Gingrich and the Republican revolution of 1994.

    On Tuesday, de Blasio will hold a 3 p.m. news conference outside the U.S. Capitol with labor leaders, Democratic lawmakers and liberal activists to unveil his "Progressive Agenda to Combat Income Inequality."

    The manifesto includes the ideas of economist Joseph Stiglitz and dozens of other leaders and thinkers consulted by the de Blasio team.

    Among the planks is a universal pre-kindergarten program, DeBlasio's signature policy since he took office on Jan. 1, 2014. Other elements are aimed at helping working people ($15 minimum wage) and working parents (paid family leave), and proposals for "tax fairness" (increasing the tax on carried interest, a huge issue for private equity).

    De Blasio advisers say that more than 60 big names have signed on, including Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.); Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Ra?l Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.); Marian Wright Edelman and Howard Dean; national labor leaders; and actors Susan Sarandon and Steve Buscemi.

    This is going to be hysterical.

    1. John   10 years ago

      If he runs, think about the Dem debates consisting of Hillary, DeBlasio, Warren and Bernie Sanders. Hillary will be the sane one. That is going to be some made for TV entertainment.

      1. crab_apple   10 years ago

        Isn't that possibly the point? Why else would Sanders run. He doesn't have a shot in hell but he could actually make Hillary, of all people, look good.

        1. John   10 years ago

          To make Hillary look reasonable? Maybe. I could see that. Of course it might force her to be even more crazy in order to appeal to Dem voters.

    2. Rich   10 years ago

      Indeed, especially since Rolling Stone has a preview of de Blasio's new drive in the forthcoming May 21 issue.

    3. John   10 years ago

      Among the planks is a universal pre-kindergarten program

      There is no evidence those programs do any good. Yet, you can't be a Prog without advocating universal Pre-K.

      1. WTF   10 years ago

        They "do good". They force other people to pay for day care for democratic constituencies.

        1. Restoras, OWG   10 years ago

          They also force children into the arms of the state at an earlier age. What could be wrong with that?

      2. Brett L   10 years ago

        John. Its free day care for poor people starting at age 3 instead of 6. Don't worry about efficacy. Its beside the point.

        1. John   10 years ago

          And its an employment program for women teachers and social workers. That is really what it is about.

          1. Brett L   10 years ago

            Ooh. Good point.

          2. R C Dean   10 years ago

            And its an employment program for pubsec union women teachers and social workers.

            That is what its really all about.

        2. Rich   10 years ago

          This. But, please, call them "working families".

          1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

            They're not "working families" until the kids have jobs.

          2. Brett L   10 years ago

            What about the ones who don't work? Had a gf who worked with indigent mothers of infants. Many of those mothers' chief priority was getting their child diagnosed with autism or ADHD so they could get a disability check.

            1. Catatafish   10 years ago

              Don't forget the Adderall prescriptions.

          3. Citizen Nothing   10 years ago

            In the sense of "working girls."

      3. Doctor Whom   10 years ago

        That's just it. It's a teaching necessary for salvation in the prog church, so evidence is beside the point.

      4. Libertarian   10 years ago

        I love it when lefties use "universal pre-K" or "universal pre-school". For some reason, they're afraid to use the term "government daycare."

      5. Fabi   10 years ago

        Pre-K? That's yesterday's news. We need universal in-utero education. And if you're against it, you obviously hate children and minorities.

    4. WTF   10 years ago

      "We will raise taxes and increase the cost of everything!"
      Yep, sounds like a winner to me.

    5. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

      "Progressive contract" sounds a lot like a Burmese Python progressively tightening its grip on its prey until the latter chokes to death.

    6. The Last American Hero   10 years ago

      Is it the one written on the side of the barn in Animal Farm?

      1. Doctor Whom   10 years ago

        That book is a satire of capitalism. I learned that from an MSNBC talking head.

        1. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

          Progressivism is a satire of itself, so it needs no separate satire to be written.

    7. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

      That's gonna be one big gigantic shit pile of derp.

    8. Rhywun   10 years ago

      Buscemi? Gah--disappointed. Standard disclaimers about not giving a shit about what actors say but sheesh.

    9. Rhywun   10 years ago

      Prog hero mingles with the common people, regrets it.

      1. Libertarian   10 years ago

        Believe me, I'm no fan of the mayor, but his email seemed directed to the issue of security, i.e. the subway didn't come so went I went back out of the station my security detail had left.

        I've noticed the right-wingers are jumping on every little thing lately, making mountains out of mole hills.

        1. Rhywun   10 years ago

          You don't have to be a right-winger to enjoy the schadenfreude of his nibs plotting another subway photo-op only to have it turn into the shitty experience that us commoners deal with on a regular basis.

        2. R C Dean   10 years ago

          I've noticed the right-wingers are jumping on every little thing lately, making mountains out of mole hills.

          Works for the progs. Sauce for the goose . . .

    10. Free Society   10 years ago

      I heard De Blasio is proposing to dig a big pit in New Jersey to dump the anticipated influx of dead bodies of people whose labor wasn't worth 15 per hour.

      1. Rhywun   10 years ago

        Works for the mafia.

      2. Beautiful Bean Footage   10 years ago

        Nah. All the women will just have kids and go on the dole, the men will go to prison for selling what should be legal.

  18. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

    Can someone Canuck-splain to me yesterday's Alberta elections?

    The NDP has won its first majority government in Alberta by toppling the Progressive Conservative colossus that has dominated the province for decades and driving leader Jim Prentice from public life.

    The New Democrats, under leader Rachel Notley, swept all 19 constituencies in Edmonton on Tuesday and made significant inroads in previously barren NDP territory in Calgary, Lethbridge and rural Alberta.

    "Friends, I believe that change has finally come to Alberta,'' Notley, told cheering supporters who chanted "Rachel! Rachel! Rachel!''

    "New people, new ideas and a fresh start for our great province.''

    The Wildrose party took second place and will form the official Opposition, while Prentice and his battered PCs had to settle for third.

    It was a crushing defeat for the Tories, who had steered the ship of state since 1971 ? longer than any party anywhere in the country.

    Progressive Conservatives, whaaaaa?

    1. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

      I'm at a loss.

      It's like Texas going full blown Elizabeth Warren.

      1. John   10 years ago

        Is it the oil money? Did she just promise to steal all of it and give it away to the taxpayers?

        1. Citizen Nothing   10 years ago

          Stock up on toilet paper now, Calgary.

        2. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

          Was about to ask that. Is Albert going full Chavista? Does it aspire to be the Quebec of the Western provinces?

          The Opposition Wildrose criticized Prentice for not going far enough with spending cuts and said it would not raise any taxes.

          Notley criticized Prentice for going too far with cuts, while sparing corporations from tax increases. Notley said she could balance the books by 2018 through increased taxes on corporations and the wealthy, while still spending more on health and education.

          While Prentice urged Albertans to be resilient to weather the storm of low oil prices and job layoffs, Notley was relentlessly upbeat and optimistic during her campaign. She urged Albertans to embrace uncertainty, accept it as a challenge and focus on making life better for families.

          1. John   10 years ago

            Oil money is dangerous. It is so plentiful and so easy to obtain if you are lucky enough to have oil reserves it can if you are not careful become like welfare. People start viewing it as free money. Once that happens, since no amount of free money is ever enough, the population starts looting.

            1. Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns   10 years ago

              It's also dangerous because you base your budgets on oil money, oftentimes by creating a bloated welfare state, and then you're fucked if the oil money dries up or if oil prices drop.

              Venezuela is a great example of a nation ruined by improper use of oil money. When Chavez took over, the cost of a barrel of oil was the lowest it had been in decades. By the time he left, oil prices had gone up something like 6 times. He used that money to create his socialist dream, and when prices dropped Venezuela's economy imploded.

              1. See Double You   10 years ago

                My senior thesis compared Venezuela's rentier economy pre-Chavez and post-Chavez. While Venezuela's political class has always depended on disbursing oil rents, the practice intensified under Chavez's rule, exacerbating the country's vulnerability as a single resource economy.

                Gotta love leftward change!

            2. Medical Physics Guy   10 years ago

              It can happen in big or small ways. Scotland is a good example of how the "Curse of Natural Resources" isn't only about third world dictatorships. Fantasies about the oil paying for everything, without having to change anything, keep the Scots from even trying to get ready for the 21st century.

              1. straffinrun   10 years ago

                Oil revenue is like weed. If you were an asshole before, it only makes you a bigger one.

                1. Free Society   10 years ago

                  Oil revenue is like weed. If you were an asshole before, it only makes you a bigger one.

                  Sounds like you've never met a weed smoker.

                  1. straffinrun   10 years ago

                    I offer Pauly Shore into evidence.

            3. Don Mynack   10 years ago

              Not sure of the specifics of the Alberta plans, but I'd much rather get a check from the state of Texas for my "share" of the oil trust fund than it get thrown into the black hole of "education", as it seems to not be making much of a difference anyway. Alaskans get around $2000/year from the state and it hasn't killed that place yet.

              1. Brett L   10 years ago

                It isn't making a difference at the primary school level, but the state university system is comparable to California in its prime which was perhaps the best in history. The two flagship campuses have a ridiculous number of top 10 national programs and the satellite campuses are way better than most state Directional schools. That's all oil money.

        3. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

          The NDP cut checks to taxpayers?

          Surely you jest.

      2. Ted S.   10 years ago

        First past the post?

        Although why 40% of the people would vote for the extreme left New Dictators is beyond me.

    2. Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns   10 years ago

      The Progressive Conservatives are a center right party.

      The New Democrats seem to be some nitwit social democratic party.

      1. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

        Seem?

        They are.

        1. Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns   10 years ago

          I'm not Canadian Rufus and my understanding of your strange fairyland comes primarily from wikipedia.

          1. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

            I'm not American but can out-American some Americans on the shared issues that matter!

            Don't sell yourself short dear Irish!

            1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

              Canukistan has left the continent?

              1. WTF   10 years ago

                Canuckistan can't leave, it's America's hat hockey helmet.

    3. Rhywun   10 years ago

      It probably boils down to "more soccer moms".

    4. Cytotoxic   10 years ago

      Contrary to what Irish says, the PCs are in no way 'centre-right'. We've effectively had NDP governance in this province for a decade. Red Ed Stelmach went nuts with royalties in 2007. Wildrose got the full Red Wedding treatment from its leadership last fall and they were in this election to survive which they more than did. Now they are in a position to possibly take power in several years. Albertans are pro-development but they are just not as rock-ribbed independent types as they are made out to be. They had enough of unbelievable incompetence from Prentice's PCs and freaked out.

      The NDP are terrible, but it is possible that Notley governs as a pragmatist especially if we get a much needed recession. Gary Doer of the Manitoba NDP basically governed as a Liberal.

  19. Drake   10 years ago

    From Baltimore to the High Court, a Need for Reform

    I like Conrad Black

    http://www.nationalreview.com/.....nrad-black

  20. Medical Physics Guy   10 years ago

    'Anglo-Saxons' would rip Europe apart after a Grexit, says Juncker

    Juncker: "We should make sure that everyone understands that the economic and monetary union is irreversible"

    Know who else thought European unity was irreversible, and the Anglo-Saxon world represented a danger?

    1. Brett L   10 years ago

      Hadrian?

      1. WTF   10 years ago

        No, he wanted to keep out the Picts.

        1. db   10 years ago

          What about several species of.small furry animals?

          1. bacon-magic   10 years ago

            +1 umma gumma

        2. Free Society   10 years ago

          No, he wanted to keep out the Picts.

          "They took our slaves!"

          1. Xeones   10 years ago

            "They took all our sheep and all our women! And then they gave them back, which was worse!"

    2. Swiss Servator, Switzier!   10 years ago

      Napoleon Bonaparte?

    3. WTF   10 years ago

      The Holy Roman Emperor?

    4. Restoras, OWG   10 years ago

      Charlemagne?

    5. Dark Lord of the Cis   10 years ago

      Charlemegne?

    6. Doctor Whom   10 years ago

      Pope Clement VII?

    7. Xeones   10 years ago

      Every Frenchman ever?

    8. Drake   10 years ago

      The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire?

    9. Pan Zagloba   10 years ago

      Napoleon Bonaparte.

    10. Fabi   10 years ago

      Napoleon Dynamite?

  21. Rich   10 years ago

    Can't sleep? Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique that claims to help you nod off in 60 SECONDS

    This is bullshit. I just tried it, and it diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiibaisdhh

    1. gaijin   10 years ago

      *yawns*

    2. Medical Physics Guy   10 years ago

      I tried it. Seems like a mediocre late entry into exhale biased breathing as a source of rejuvenation. 4,7,8 he probably got that from Indian music or something.

      1. Rich   10 years ago

        Better stick with "belly breathing".

        1. Medical Physics Guy   10 years ago

          "Greet the dawn with breath of fire"

          1. Rich   10 years ago

            I had a friend who always went outside in the morning to do the "Lion" yoga exercise. He weirded out a lot of passers-by, but was never visited by the authorities.

          2. R C Dean   10 years ago

            "Greet the dawn with breath of fire"

            Late night whiskey and cigars will do that for you, every time.

  22. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

    Want your cash? There's a tax for that!

    Greece introduces cashpoint tax in desperate bid to raise revenue and stop run on banks as country teeters on brink of bankruptcy

    In other news, Bill DeBlasio creamed his panties upon hearing this.

    1. Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns   10 years ago

      In other news, Paul Krugman to continue ignoring Greek statism while somehow blaming their economic woes on libertarians.

    2. Andrew S.   10 years ago

      The official added that Greece is also considering a ceiling on bank transfers over ?1 million in what could fire the starting pistol for capital controls if Greece does go bust over the coming months.

      Greece is so very, very fucked.

      1. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

        The people asked for it. Greek-style, too!

        I feel bad for the dissenters and hope they left Greece already.

      2. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

        On a serious note, capital controls will trickle down and hit the average citizen.

        India had capital controls during its socialist days to stop the "fat cats" from moving their money overseas. Over time, the limits became smaller and smaller until they hit an average person going overseas.

        The solution to Indian capital controls? The Hawala system.

        Greece will end up having something like this. It's just how things work.

        1. Citizen Nothing   10 years ago

          Why in the world would any Greek still have cash left sitting in the bank?

          1. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

            Why in the world would any Greek still have cash left sitting in the bank?

            So they can wipe their a$$es if there is a Venezuelan-style toilet paper shortage?

        2. Spoonman.   10 years ago

          Or just use Bitcoin, like they do in Argentina.

  23. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

    This is what the left will never do. They will fight guns with white flags and self-censor their speech.

    Fight Speech with Speech, and Guns with Guns

    1. Matrix   10 years ago

      That's the thing. You cannot have real liberty unless you are willing to kill those who try to take it from you.

      1. Matrix   10 years ago

        Let me add that I mean those who try to violently take it from you.

        I'm not for killing people who want to pass laws. Just stand your ground until they try to turn violent.... then you can put the dogs down.

  24. yet another dave   10 years ago

    I'd say it was a protest vote, I suspect a lot of people woke up this morning and said "what have I done!" They will have 4 years of new taxes, corporate offices moving, deficit budgets and ever increasing derp, to regret their temper tantrum...

  25. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

    'Django' Actress Ordered to Apologize to Cops She Smeared as Racist; No Update on MSNBC.com Yet

    1. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

      Reason's own ENB was fooled by her bullshit too. Did they ever correct the post after it emerged what really happened?

      1. John   10 years ago

        I understand the natural distrust of cops. But the story quickly unraveled. I understand the concern that innocent black women are often harassed by cops as being hookers. That, however is a class thing too. Rich successful black women do not have that happen to them.

    2. John   10 years ago

      What kind of a hobag has sex in a car in broad daylight in the middle of a city? That is just trashy and gross.

      1. WTF   10 years ago

        Check your white cis hetero male privilege, shitlord! Womyns can never be judged for their actions!

    3. Free Society   10 years ago

      After my skepticism of cops, comes my skepticism of blacks calling other people racist. It's such a tired old meme I seriously wonder how it still carry's any social weight.

  26. Mongo   10 years ago

    Prince will perform at a Rally 4 Peace concert in Baltymore

    That should go over well on tha 21st-century Street.
    /sarc

    Not too many brothas are into Prince. I remember those NYC thugz calling Prince a straight-up faggot back in the 80s.

    1. John   10 years ago

      That is really sad isn't it? Prince is in my opinion the most talented black artist of the last 35 years. He is much more talented and interesting than Micheal Jackson ever was. Yet, his fans are almost entirely white. And this despite him doing traditional funk and R&B.

      1. Mongo   10 years ago

        He really is one of the better guitar players around. I don't know why he doesn't cut more tracks that are heavy on guitar.

        1. Fabi   10 years ago

          He's one of the best guitarists on the planet. Terribly underrated. I think it's because he's so short. Although it didn't hurt Santana or Rick Derringer too much...

      2. Rhywun   10 years ago

        The Super Bowl halftime show he did a few years ago was the only good Super Bowl halftime show I have ever seen in my life.

        1. John   10 years ago

          It was by far the best. The U2 one in 2002 was good too. Amazing how getting people who can actually play their own music helps make for a better show.

        2. Enough About Palin   10 years ago

          I liked Bruno Mars. He was fun to watch. Did a great job.

        3. R C Dean   10 years ago

          Prince and U2, and . . . that's about all I remember as good halftime shows.

          The 9/11 tribute that U2 did, with the big banners with all the names projected on them dropping to the ground, was one of two 9/11 tributes that was worth a damn. The other was the searachlights they put on the site of the towers pointing straight up. I thought they should have just turned the sites into parks and made the searchlights permanent. It was awesome.

          http://static.ibnlive.in.com/p.....TX8OU3.jpg

  27. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

    From the Charlie-Hebdo-is-cooler-than-Pam-Geller files, this from Jamie Kirchick (a name we know):

    "Pamela Geller is no hero, and, unlike the staff of Charlie?whose irreverent work has artistic merit?she doesn't deserve any sort of prize."

    But Kirchick boldly avers that Geller has free-expression rights...just like the Illinois Nazis!

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

    1. Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns   10 years ago

      The problem I have with that article is that he spends about 3/4ths of the column trying to socially signal that he isn't like Those People before he ever gets around to saying her speech rights must be protected.

      How hard is it to avoid being a pussy for one column and unequivocally support someone's free speech rights without first assuring your audience she's a Badthinker?

      1. Andrew S.   10 years ago

        To be fair, Gellar is indeed a completely loathsome individual.

        1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

          What makes her more "loathsome" than Charlie Hebdo?

          1. Andrew S.   10 years ago

            Context.

            It doesn't matter though. 3/4ths of the article dedicated to "I hate Pamela Geller" is definitely a signal that he doesn't engage in wrongthink. Popehat wrote something similar, but he kept his distaste for Ms. Geller in one sentence. But in context, it works: Quoting from Ken White in the comments to his article:

            I don't give a shit if the "proper-thinking class," whatever that is, likes my view on free speech.

            But I find Geller loathsome, and I'm not going to refrain from saying so just because it hurts some delicate fee-fees. Especially not in a post that's about free speech.

            1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

              But what makes her worse than Charlie Hebdo?

              1. Andrew S.   10 years ago

                Because there's a difference between a satirist calling attention to these issues with art and "OMG SHARIA LAW IS GOING TO TAKE OVER AMERICA".

                1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

                  Charlie, too, has its dubious side, like supporting a ban on burkas in public:

                  (scroll down to "Yes to wearing the burka ... inside")

                  http://www.haaretz.com/news/world/1.636026

                  The link also shows their propensity for moral equivalence...bashing Christians (and Jews) with at least as much venom as Muslims, knowing that Christians or Jews won't bomb them (see the same link above).

                  1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

                    Not only that, but the pro-Charlie people actually cite the magazine's moral equivalence fetish in its favor, as if treating unlike things as like was somehow praiseworthy ("equal opportunity offenders!).

                    Meanwhile, Geller focuses on those who are actually blowing stuff up, and *she's* beyond the pale?

                2. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

                  "OMG SHARIA LAW IS GOING TO TAKE OVER AMERICA"

                  Easy to mock, but now lots of Americans want us to comply with sharia's ban on mocking the Prophet.

                  1. Fabi   10 years ago

                    As we sadly learned over the past few days.

        2. Libertarian   10 years ago

          Everybody's favorite Voltaire quote is "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it" yet the bashing of the Geller bashers is non-stop. If you don't like them bashing her, then defend her, but I've seen few, if any, of her critics saying that she shouldn't be allowed to say what she wants.

          1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

            But consider the defenses of Charlie Hebdo: Not only do they have a right not to be murdered, but they ought to be *honored* for their courageous etc.

            I'm inclined to agree, but on the same grounds I agree Geller should be honored too.

            http://reason.com/blog/2015/05.....xmh0l:2Hie

          2. CatoTheElder   10 years ago

            As Salmon Rushdie says, there's an entire 'but brigade' of critics who think she shouldn't be allowed to express herself. Pretty much the entire progressive movement argues that the 1st Amendment does not protect what they consider 'hate speech'.

    2. John   10 years ago

      The irony of a leftist complaining that politically motivated art isn't artistic enough is more crushing than usual.

  28. Grand Moff Serious Man   10 years ago

    How can our future Martian colonies be free of racism and sexism?

    Firstly, destiny is rarely great for the people already at the destination. When Africans moved north to colonise Europe they obliterated the Neanderthals. When Europeans seized the New World, its cultures were virtually extinguished. Luckily the only population on Mars that we know of is a handful of rovers, but no doubt we'll start a war anyway, before dragging them into some form of slavery or oppression. It's just what we do.

    [snip]

    To paraphrase Douglas Adams: "Space is white. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly white it is." It's also very male and European. Women in space-colony fiction have generally been presented as sexy walking vaginas, whose main purpose is to provide the male astronauts with a place to dock their penis at night. This being necessary in order to "ensure the survival of the species".

    If you think that attitude doesn't exist in the real world, it's worth recalling the comments of Prof Anatoly Grigoryev, a doctor and key figure in the Russian space programme. "Women are fragile and delicate creatures; that is why men should lead the way to distant planets and carry women there in their strong hands."

    No wonder Lee says, "I see only a very narrow invitation to this lifeboat."

    1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

      "You see, we are black on the right side and white on the left. These lower-caste people are black on the left side and white on the right."

    2. Xeones   10 years ago

      It must be tiring to worry so much about stupid hypotheticals.

      1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

        It's like something from the old Salon parody account - racism and sexism on Mars.

        This *is* Salon, right?

        1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

          Oh, the Guardian. Well, close enough.

    3. John   10 years ago

      I can totally see a future where a few thousand white people go off to Mars to get away from the endless Marxist PC hounding, only to be followed and hounded some more.

      Libertarians have all of these Heinlein dreams of starting anew in space or on another planet. And they are good dreams. The problem is there is no way on earth Leftist would ever leave people alone even if they were on another planet. They would show up and start fucking things up almost from the start.

      1. Drake   10 years ago

        Sounds like the plot to Freehold and that Matt Damon movie I didn't see.

      2. Azathoth!!   10 years ago

        In RAHs later books Lazarus and company live on a planet called 'Tertius'--so named because the last libertarian dream planet, Secundus, had been overrun by people who I'm sure Heinlein would have had no trouble seeing as 'leftists'.

        Fortunately, having discovered the 'world-as-myth' principle, they can find a Randian universe and head there.

      3. JeremyR   10 years ago

        That is actually the ending of Poul Anderson's New America series.

        Basically a bunch of libertarians build up a colony, then suddenly they see a fleet of socialist from Earth coming. They don't know if they should try to destroy the fleet or not. Eventually they shrug and don't, and make plans to move further away.

    4. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

      How can our future Martian colonies be free of racism and sexism?

      Leave the lefties, greenies and SJWs behind?

      1. Fabi   10 years ago

        Or we could just kill the lefties, greenies, and SJWs. In a very kind and gentle manner, of course. Because Feelingz!

    5. Rhywun   10 years ago

      "It's just what we do."

      Ugh - this tiresome trope has ruined more than one otherwise decent SF book I've read.

      "Women in space-colony fiction have generally been presented as sexy walking vaginas,"

      This is complete bullshit unless the author hasn't read anything written in the last 50 years.

      1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

        I'm tempted to write a tale in that style on a lark.

        I'd never sell it - because I don't want to go through the hassle.

        1. Drake   10 years ago

          Charles Stross did it pretty well.

          1. Xeones   10 years ago

            Charles Stross is great at creating polycentric, individualistic future worlds, which makes it all the more disappointing to find out that he's a socialist in real life. Same with Ken MacLeod.

  29. Free Society   10 years ago

    Police car 'hit and killed two pedestrians walking along Jersey turnpike after their car broke down'

    Everyone got home safely.

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

    1. Andrew S.   10 years ago

      They were walking right at the police car. The officers clearly feared for their lives. Good shoot car strike IMO.

      h2h

    2. R C Dean   10 years ago

      Don't tell me.

      Nothing else happened, right?

  30. Ken Shultz   10 years ago

    "The Democratic National Committee has announced it will host six presidential debates, with the first occurring this fall."

    How boring will that be?

    Who has the stomach to sit through Hillary telling us what she thinks and why--six fucking times!?

    I'd rather go to the dentist.

    1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

      I wouldn't be surprised if they're hosting the *Republican* debates.

      The Republicans are that spineless, as shown by letting George Snuffalufagus help host one of their debates.

      1. Free Society   10 years ago

        The Republicans are that spineless, as shown by letting George Snuffalufagus help host one of their debates.

        I believe it's obligatory that GOP debates feature Wolf Blitzer or George Stehpanopopoposlos asking all the important questions like "why do you hate poor people?" and "when did you stop beating your wife?"

        1. Free Society   10 years ago

          Though my favorite GOP debate was George Stephanopopololos repeatedly asking the republicans to attack each other. And then in the commentary after the debate, lamenting to the other journalists that they were too busy attacking each other to debate the issues.

    2. straffinrun   10 years ago

      That was one tiny sliver of goodness having Obama run as an incumbent.

    3. Xeones   10 years ago

      Boring nothing. Watching Bernie Sanders demolish Hillary six times, and then seeing Hillary get the nomination anyway, will be freaking hilarious. Oh the weeping and the gnashing of proggie teeth! Oh the logical pretzels the progs'll get themselves into when voting for her in the general anyway!

    4. R C Dean   10 years ago

      The last thing Hillary is going to tell us is what she thinks and why. She'll tell us what her consultants tell her we need to hear in order to vote for her.

  31. See Double You   10 years ago

    OT: So yesterday some unfortunate tenant of my apartment complex was the victim of "swatting." A dozen police cruisers or so showed up. I hope the prankster gets it good and hard.

    1. straffinrun   10 years ago

      I hope your tentant was a SWAT member.

      1. John   10 years ago

        Or a city councilmen or a reporter.

        1. Hyperion   10 years ago

          Or someone from CPS.

          1. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

            Or someone from Lois Lerner's 501(c) group.

  32. Hyperion   10 years ago

    What's with the photo of the Burrito Bush?

  33. John   10 years ago

    This is one hell of a WTF

    An aide to state Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris and two others are accused of operating a rogue police force that claimed to exist for more than 3,000 years and have jurisdiction in 33 states and Mexico, authorities said Tuesday.

    Brandon Kiel, David Henry and Tonette Hayes were arrested last week on suspicion of impersonating a police officer through their roles in the Masonic Fraternal Police Department, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

    Kiel, 31, has worked as the deputy director of community affairs at the California Department of Justice. An office spokesman declined to comment on the criminal investigation but said Kiel is on administrative leave.

    Suspicions about the Masonic Fraternal Police Department -- whose members trace their origins to the Knights Templar -- were aroused when various police chiefs in Southern California received a letter in late January that announced new leadership for the group, sheriff's officials said.

    http://www.latimes.com/local/l.....story.html

    1. UnCivilServant   10 years ago

      Sooo... the Knights Templar were founded in 985 BC?

      What was this person on when they wrote that?

      1. John   10 years ago

        I am not sure but I don't think I want any of it. It doesn't look like a very pleasant trip.

      2. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

        If I had to guess, I'd bet they're tracing their group back to Solomon's Temple - like the Masons do.

        But if you call yourself a Masonic police department, are you *really* impersonating cops?

        1. Notorious G.K.C.   10 years ago

          Their Web site has horrible grammar, but that strikes me as the only thing they have in common with real cops.

          I don't see how intelligent people could be fooled.

          1. R C Dean   10 years ago

            Well, we are talking about political hangers-on.

      3. JeremyR   10 years ago

        That Temple of Solomon. That's where Templar comes from. The Order Knights of the Temple of Solomon. (I think I missed a couple of adjectives)

        And the Masons claim their society was originally created by the builders of the Temple of Solomon.

    2. Injun, as in from India   10 years ago

      I thought it was an old April Fool's Day article until I saw the time stamp on it.

    3. Hyperion   10 years ago

      Someone had to take the first against all those Mexican libertarians down there.

    4. tarran   10 years ago

      What...... Da..... Fuck?!?!?!

  34. adolphowisner   10 years ago

    Start working at home with Google! It's by-far the best job I've had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link,
    Go to tech tab for work detail ??????????????? http://www.jobsfish.com

  35. John   10 years ago

    I always considered him kind of a black Mick Jagger, as in more of a Roman who would fuck anything than straight or gay. Then it turned out he is a Seventh Day Adventist and some kind of a serious Christian. Prince has to be the most inexplicable and unpredictable artist in the history of music.

  36. Rufus J. Firefly   10 years ago

    OT: They should have a drink called the Minne-Soda.

  37. Mongo   10 years ago

    He's a Jehovah' s Witness. Some people in town got a thrill-of-a-lifetime when he would show up at their door for the mandatory JW outreach.

  38. Xeones   10 years ago

    The saddest thing i ever saw was a photo of Prince riding around on a Rascal scooter. Seems that three decades of doing splits in high heels has wrecked his hip joints; he got one replaced already, but then went hardcore Witness and can't get the other one done because that would require a blood transfusion.

  39. John   10 years ago

    That is awesome. That is the one time I wouldn't sick the dog on them and invite him in to hear the whole pitch.

  40. Beautiful Bean Footage   10 years ago

    Does it come in lutefisk flavor?

  41. greasonable (was sthgrau)   10 years ago

    Puns should never be imperative

  42. Libertarian   10 years ago

    Thanks for the link. My favorite thing about youtube are the different performers getting together.

  43. Xeones   10 years ago

    That's called "glass of oven cleaner with a spritz of seltzer."

  44. Xeones   10 years ago

    "Darling Nikki" just isn't the same when you replace 'magazine' with 'Watchtower,' though.

  45. John   10 years ago

    I don't care what the material is, someone somewhere can get off to it.

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