Charleston Killer Apprehended, French Citizens Warned About Being Offensive: P.M. Links

• Authorities arrested Dylann Roof, the alleged perpetrator of a mass shooting at a historically black Charleston church.

• The victims have been identified.
• Loretta Lynch, who was formally installed as U.S. Attorney General today, will investigate the shooting as a hate crime.
• Here come the usual gun control arguments.
• France warns citizens about making inappropriate jokes while abroad in the U.S.
• Inmate population at Rikers dips below 10,000 for first time in decades.
• How to create more campus rape victims.
• Supreme Court okays Texas ban on specialty Confederate license plates.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Loretta Lynch, who was formally installed as U.S. Attorney General today, will investigate the shooting as a hate crime.

But right after this she's definitely going after asset forfeiture abuse.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Capital murder isn't enough?

[Hamster of Doom]

It's the scars on their hearts that will never heal, Playa. And... the others too, but you know, if they had lived, it would have been the scars on their hearts that never healed.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

It's important that he gets 10 life sentences, instead of 6 or 7.

[A special place in JW's Hell]

Look, the next time a mentally disturbed fuckknuckle gets a wild hair about killin', he'll think twice about it, now that it'll be a hate crime.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

"I like your thoughts about killing all these darkies, but man, this could be a hate crime. Do we really want to go with it?"

[The Last American Hero]

Or maybe he'll be sure to kill a couple of white guys on the way back to his car to dodge the hate crime charge.

[ant1sthenes]

Well, as long as he's premeditating it, he should perm his hair and get a major tan. If he wears gang colors and takes their wallets on top of that, he might even be able to avoid a serious investigation. Of course, he runs the risk of being shot by another white supremacist who had the same idea...

[crab_apple]

Surely the State of South Carolina has enough laws to put this kid away for life (if not give him the death penalty) that we don't need to add the relatively trivial "hate crime" charge as well. HE KILLED 9 FUCKING PEOPLE, WHO CARES IF IT WAS A HATE CRIME?!

[B.P.]

This "first" business just isn't right. Why don't you use your time machine as a force for good?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

"France warns citizens about making inappropriate jokes while abroad in the U.S."

And so the classic...

Voulez-vous coucher avec me ce soir?

...Dies?

[Woodchip-o-Matic 5000]

I don't see how this is a federal issue....

[Suthenboy]

Never let a crisis go to waste!

[Enough About Woodchippers]

Shouldn't your handle be Woodchipperboy?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Here come the usual gun control arguments.

I can pretend an armed congregant would have stopped this just as easily as Obama can pretend more gun laws would have.

[Mad Scientist]

Sounds like a plan. After all, the gun control advocates are pretending none of those congregants called the police, who they imagine will show up in seconds and save the lives of everyone there.

[A special place in JW's Hell]

This is why I'm selling gun-repelling rocks.

Twice as effective as any gun-control law!

[LarryA]

One point about that article:
In addition, by driving his firearm to the church without a permit and then by taking it inside without the express permission of the pastor, the shooter violated a host of state-level concealed-carry and trespassing laws, some of which attract felony charges.

Half true. The "carrying in church" law only applied to the victims.
The "gun-free zone" law cited prohibits a person CARRYING WITH A LICENSE from carrying in a church. Since the killer had no license he did not violate that statute, and cannot be prosecuted under it. As in most states, concealed carry laws only restrict those licensed to carry.
He can, of course, be prosecuted, but only for carrying without a permit. And prohibited person in possession. And the murders.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

"you-know-who" just invited you to a secret "wink-wink" at the "you-know-what". You certainly are popular now that you're a Stonecutter.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Replace "stonecutter" with our favorite outdoor's tool and "you know who" with a certain papal accessory and my comment makes more sense.

[hamilton]

Wowzers. Good read.

I sincerely hope that any liberty-loving organizations or publications are fighting any government oppression in any form and in particular as applied to them (in a completely hypothetical sense) and to their hypotetically loyal supporters. Just to express a completely broad and random hope apropos nothing in particular.

[Juvenile Bluster]

Beer busts, beer blasts, keggers, steinhoists, A.A. meetings, beer nights... It's wonderful, Marge! I've never felt so accepted in all my life. These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined.

[Woodchip-o-Matic 5000]

Who controls the British pound? Who keeps the metric system down?
We do! We do!

[Irish Says Enough Woodchippers]

"Loretta Lynch, who was formally installed as U.S. Attorney General today, will investigate the shooting as a hate crime."

What's even the point? He killed a bunch of people. Throw him in jail forever. Why bother with the hate crime stuff, given that there's more than enough to put him away for life regardless of motivation.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Precisely.

But you know, why let a white on black crime go to waste.

I see President Harvey Birdman was in fine form today politicizing the tragedy with his usual vacuous gibberish about how 'this sort of thing doesn't happen in any advanced country.'

It's funny how he never addresses murders in Chicago.

[RBS]

How dare you besmirch the good name of Harvey Birdman like that!

[Hamster of Doom]

And Tamir Rice didn't look a thing like him.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

Damn it, now I have to watch some Harvey Birdman tonight.

[Tonio the Plant Fiber Shredder]

But I thought that France was like the most advanced country of all by proggie standards, and they recently had a major hate-crimez murder committed by some dangerous, violent religious fanatics.

[Ted S.]

THAT'S RACIST!!!111!!!

[Rhywun]

Because outrage.

[Hamster of Doom]

Outrage cures inflation. Krugman's sure of it this time.

[Zeb]

I can see the point of a federal prosecution if a state deliberately fucks up a case. I don't really have a big problem with that role for the federal government. But to make cases that are entirely withing a states jurisdiction federal just because is totally unnecessary. I see no signs that any SC officials are doing anything but the right things so far.

[Woodchip-o-Matic 5000]

Yeah, 100% not a federal issue unless there are gross abuses by the state justice system. Everyone I've seen so far is duly treating this as the heinous crime that it is. No need to bring in the feds.

[Tonio the Plant Fiber Shredder]

But, but... [swoons onto nearby fainting couch] /proggie

[Crusty Juggler]

On a related note, I would like the Feds to intervene and try to find those escaped murderers. And then they can depose Cuomo while they are at it.

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

"...just because..."

JUST BECAUSE?! There was HATE involved, you neo-confederate racist bastard!

/derpaderpistani

[Injun ? Wood Chips and Salsa]

Obama: This kind of violence doesn't happen elsewhere, you know

The problem with this argument is that the solution hinted at here by Obama doesn't work either. The UK saw gun violence skyrocket in the first decade of the century despite having some of the toughest gun-control laws in the West, while the Left governed Great Britain no less.

Besides, this year's most notable shootings took place not in the US but in France. Two al-Qaeda-inspired gunmen massacred the staff at Charlie Hebdo in Paris, apparently not daunted by firearm restrictions there. In Copenhagen, another radical Islamist shot up a meeting at a cafe, killing two and wounding five police officers. The 2011 massacre in Norway was conducted by a man who obtained his weapons legally in a nation that requires a license to own firearms.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I can't believe he went there. I had to change the channel.

[Rhywun]

I can't believe he went there.

I certainly can. The man has no class and that has been obvious from day one.

[Enough About Woodchippers]

His wife is worse always going on about how life for her ain't been no crystal stair.

Mother to Son
By Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor?
Bare.

But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.

So boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now?
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

[Medical Physics Guy]

Nice poem.

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

Been a long, long time since I'd read that. Thanks.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

I just change the channel whenever he comes on.

It keeps my BP from spiking and reduces the number of spit-takes I see in a day.

I suspect it may increase the life of my TV screens as well.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

Why were you watching in the first place?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I was preparing to go on a bike ride and they interrupted Judge Judy for The Birdman and his shouts of nothingness.

[John Titor]

I really love the condescending way he said that, like he was looking down on the entire country from his morally superior position.

Of course, I await his condemnation of certain 'kinds of violence'(drones) that happen 'elsewhere'(Pakistan) under the ruling of one Barack H Obama. Oh wait, he cracked a joke about murdering civilians years ago.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

It is a talking point ripped straight from that thinkprogress piece that one Friend always posts on Facebook. Of course it's condescending.

[Hamster of Doom]

You know he'd love to have been harsher still, but he's terrified everyone will take that as a cue to start another massive boom in gun sales.

[Suthenboy]

I am not sure he is that smart. He can't learn. That is apparent with his "I don't know all the facts, but..." that he loves to preface his assertions with. He could just leave that out because we all already knew that.

[Zeb]

He'd better not. I'm about due for some new guns, so that is the last thing I need.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Inmate population at Rikers dips below 10,000 for first time in decades.

If the population dips any lower, he'll have no choice but to invite over Wesley and the Traveler.

[Crusty Juggler]

If you repulsive commenters engage in the same sort of vile, disgusting, grammar-obsessed behavior that occurred during yesterday's PM LINKS, then I am afraid I will just have to take my scintillating brand of skills elsewhere. You have all been warned. Let's class it up a little, shall we?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Who was the grammar NAZI yesterday?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Oh, I remember now. I blocked it out for a reason.

[iCarl]

I blocked it out for a reason.

You it disinteresting?

[iCarl]

found it disinteresting, dammit

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

He was mis-interested.

[Muzzled Woodchipper]

Uninterested.

[iCarl]

thatsthejoke.webm

[Irish Says Enough Woodchippers]

I'm so mad there weren't any grammar mistakes in your post, because I was about to have a lot of fun.

[Crusty Juggler]

I took my time with that one.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Or else what?

/hockey face wash.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Nothing classes a place up like correct grammar.

[Heroic Mulatto]

U WOT M8?!? U avin a laf, m8? wots wrong wif me grammer, you cheeky cunt? Come say it to me face and not online and we'll see wot happens. i swer 2 christ I'll hook you in the gabba. you better shut your mouth or im calling me homeboys rite now preparin for a proper rumble. tha rumble thatll make your nan sore jus hearin bout it. yer in proper mess ya nob head.

[jesse.in.mb]

"homeboys"?

[Heroic Mulatto]

Considering I just linked to a picture in your porn Rolodex, I would have thought you would have been nicer.

[jesse.in.mb]

I do have an admitted soft-spot for adult entertainment that features men of a British underclass persuasion. It's so sweet of you to remember.

Incidentally people were shocked that I thought you'd be the one to link the chicken-fucking teenager video. I don't think they REALLY know you.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Wait, what?

I must have been derelict in my duties. I feel like Arthur explaining the Internet to Buster.

[jesse.in.mb]

For reference.

[Trouser-Pod (The blowhard)]

Ooohhh, "people" now, is it??? Not even a "certain individuals" for me?

And, "shocked"? How about, "surprised"? Maybe, "caught off-guard"?

Plus, I did end up agreeing with you at the end...

/sad and dismayed

[jesse.in.mb]

I'm sorry, I thought Crusty Juggler was also surprised that HM would talk about chicken testicles.

*ritual self-flagellation of atonement*

[Trouser-Pod (The blowhard)]

Are the noodles extra-wet?

I don't know why I'm asking that...

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I'm going to stay off of Facebook today. I went in, just for a second, while I was waiting in the pediatrician's office. My god it was awful.

[RBS]

Ha, you should see mine.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Why do you people subject yourselves to social media?

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

I think, for some people, it's sort of an SandM thing. A compulsion.

[Raven Nation]

You were at the pediatrician's office? I have it on good (troll) authority that you regularly abandon your kids.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Raven, thanks for the Miller link. Apparently he hooked up with Carolla on some podcasts. I listened to the last one they did in March. Fun.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I was there to hit on the hot nurses.

[Raven Nation]

Hah.

Seriously, those accusations were among the more bizarre I've seen here. Political arguments will generate a lot of heat. Questioning someone's parenting should probably lead to some form of violent retribution (not with a woodchipper though).

[RBS]

I'd wager that the H&R dads are better than other dads.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

He was spitballing, and that's the best he could do.

I'm a people person. I remember things about people, and I'm good at getting a sense of their character. Once he went full troll, it was really easy for me to cut deeply. He tried to do it back, and it was just.... sad.

He picked the one thing that I'm absolutely 100% secure about. Anybody who has ever seen me parent (or even seen my Facebook feed) knows this.

For some reason, he kept repeating that I was bad dad. It was really bizarre. It says everything about him and nothing about me.

[Zeb]

Questioning someone's parenting should probably lead to some form of violent retribution

I think that would actually make you a bad parent. Hard to be an attentive parent from prison.

[Injun ? Wood Chips and Salsa]

I haven't been there yet... the last time I was there, I saw this:

Ozzie on guns

The corollary to that is: If guns do kill people, why not just ship a crateful of guns to fight your war? Why send people?

I thought of saying that, or trolling people with "Guns don't kill people. Abortions kill people."

But ended up maintaining my strategic silence on all things political.

[Suthenboy]

A guy who once snorted a line of ants off of the ground. We should listen to what he has to say. Yep.

[The Last American Hero]

We tried that, but ISIS formed an alliance with the guns so they could kill people together.

[Zeb]

In Ozzy's case, that does actually count as a profound insight. It's not facetious at all. He really wants to know.

[Ted S.]

I don't have a Facebook account, so I stay off Facebook every day.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I'll make sure to stay off of your lawn.

[Zeb]

I have a fake account, but I have almost completely avoided it since the lead up to the 2012 election.

[Lady Dalrymple]

I can't have a facebook account because most of my friend requests would be family members looking to borrow money. Sometimes it's better to keep a low profile (you hear that, DOJ, I'm keeping a low profile!!).

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Borrow? I'm sure they'll pay it back with interest.

[Brett L]

Too late. I already fired off on someone fellating The Lightbringer's wise statement.

[Smilin' Joe Wood Chipper]

No hat tip on the Rand Paul story, Nick?

Common courtesy is in the wood chipper at reason I guess.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

No hat tips for Canadians.

[Smilin' Joe Wood Chipper]

Only moiti? Canadian.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

We apparently have to sit on the other side of the counter in diners.

[Florida Man]

Smilin' joe is Canadian?!?i talked to him like he was people!
*dry heaves*

[Smilin' Joe Wood Chipper]

This is a dark day in my life...

[Crusty Juggler]

They comment silently among us.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN0XRkSyhwM

[Fist of Etiquette]

France warns citizens about making inappropriate jokes while abroad in the U.S.

We've been frightened by too many Pepe Le Pew cartoons.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Confound it, FoE, I was about to make a joke about Pepe Le Pew cancelling his vacation plans.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You still can. It would just be sad now instead of funny.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

It couldn't be any sadder than the first time.

[Lord Humungus]

Gut prediction: No gun control measures - at least nationally - will come of this. Perhaps SC may pass some minor gun law - a longer buy 'n' wait measure. Or maybe not.

[RBS]

Assuming he only had the one his dad gave him as a gift, longer waits wouldn't do much. (I know, I know)

[Lord Humungus]

yeah I don't think any laws - if passed - will have any effect on future events like this. It's more of a matter of control, getting whatever law they can get.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I'll add on to your prediction.

Because no gun control measures will be passed after this, there will be accusations of racism.

[Brett L]

I made sure to point out that by "advanced", Obama meant racially homogenous European nations. That really pissed off all the progs because there was nothing they could say to refute it.

[Certified Public Asshat]

Hammy Nolo:

A "Flat Tax" Is Just a Giveaway to the Rich

Aha. The good ol' flat tax. What flat tax advocates never seem to note about their own proposals is that they would represent a severe regression of our tax code against the interests of the poor and in favor of the interests of the wealthy. Our whole progressive tax code, in which tax rates go up as income rises (broadly speaking), is based on the idea that as people get richer and richer, they can afford to contribute more to the public good, whereas people who are very poor cannot afford to contribute as great a percentage, because they need that money in a much more acute way. The progressive tax code, in other words, is based upon reality.

[Certified Public Asshat]

America's booming economic inequality began with Reagan, and continued unabated ever since. If you think inequality is bad with a redistributive tax code, wait until you see how bad it gets without one. This is essentially like advocating for a paralyzed person to give up their wheelchair because it hasn't made them walk again.

It all started going downhill when Reagan made the tax code all flat.

[Certified Public Asshat]

Behold, Gawker commenter's brilliance:

Flat taxers ignore the incredibly salient point that every penny of income the lower-to-lower-middle class earns goes directly back into the economy in the form of consumed goods and services. The same cannot be said for upper-middle-to-upper class earners, who do inefficient and silly things like save and invest and whatever else.

And yes, savings and investments may wend their way through the complicated securities/banking system to affect growth. However, it is far less efficient and far more attenuated than a person spending a dollar they didn't have before. To put it another way: LG may see a marginal increase of refrigerators sold if their operations can source parts cheaper by way of factory improvements; LG, however, will also see a marginal increase of refrigerators sold if people can couldn't buy a refrigerator before now can.

[Smilin' Joe Wood Chipper]

A sea of stupidity. And just when you think you've reached the other side, you fall of the edge of the earth.

[PBR Streetgang]

"silly things like save and invest". The fact that people think this way is very revealing.

[waffles]

People with no savings or investments do think that way.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Oh.

Investment = inefficient. Gotcha.

/Woodchipper explodes.

[Ted S.]

inefficient and silly things like save and invest and whatever else.

Wow. Just wow.

[crab_apple]

Holy fucking shit, they went full gawker (where gawker is just a synonym for fucking retarded).

They want to take the CAPITAL of capitalism, apprently. Which is weird because those same idiots probably spend lots of time railing against consumerism and how commercial everything is.

[Injun ? Wood Chips and Salsa]

Not taking = Giving.

NEXT!

[Antilles]

I've long advocated a regressive tax system. They say that if you want to discourage something you tax it, and if you want to encourage something you subsidize it. Success and achievement is punished through a progressive tax system while poor people's lives are subsidized. This is backwards to how it should be. Low income people should pay the highest taxes (as a percentage of their income) since they most rely on government handouts. Those who make more than a certain threshold (say, 100K) can keep 100% of their earnings. Proggies go insane whenever I suggest this, but it would be even fairer than a flat tax.

[Woodchip-o-Matic 5000]

Oooh, good call. That discourages poverty!

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

It's a great plan that's pissing off all the right people.

[Raven Nation]

France warns citizens about making inappropriate jokes while abroad in the U.S.

FTA:

"Among other advice to the French in America: "keep calm in all circumstances" since some states authorize the carrying of weapons. It asks visitors to avoid raising their voice or making sudden or aggressive gestures at the police."

So, bad advice, good advice.

[Irish Says Enough Woodchippers]

My favorite part is when they say Americans are prudish because of our sexual harassment laws.

I wonder what progressives would think if told their precious, enlightened Europeans thought their prized sexual harassment laws are evidence of prudery?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

And the U.S. State Department warns American visitors to France to wear clothespins on their noses so as not to smell Gallic armpits, not to drive flammable cars, not to say anything provocative like "I'm not sure I agree with everything in Islam," to bring some Mace to spray on jerks who follow you around propositioning you (and the warnings to the women tourists are even more vivid).

[Heroic Mulatto]

We need more petty tit for tat shit like that in our foreign policy.

Those Chinese have the right idea.

[crab_apple]

I didn't notice any foul body odors on the French when I was there, but Parisians do seem to bathe in perfume.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Yeah, thanks a bunch for messing up my stereotype.

[Lady Dalrymple]

I didn't encounter any smelly French people, but Paris is basically covered in dog shit. NY'er would lose their minds if dog owners failed to scoop the way Parisian do.

This is one way in which America if superior to France. We scoop our dog shit as a common curtesy.

[Lord Humungus]

My brother's wife - a lefty Canadian - thinks that America is a dangerous place; closer to the Wild West. When he and I went to a bar in Lansing to watch a band, she was fearful that we wouldn't come back alive.

Somehow I've managed to live to middle-age without ever having a gun pointed at me. I've also never been mugged, stabbed, or even arrested.

[Smilin' Joe Wood Chipper]

Somehow I've managed to live to middle-age without ever having a gun pointed at me. I've also never been mugged, stabbed, or even arrested.

Pussy.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I apologize on her behalf.

Canadians eat too much burnt toast.

[Judge Chipper]

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

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Out of interest France v USA crime rates:

http://www.nationmaster.com/co.....ates/Crime

I like when they write, '3 times more than France'. To which I would add, and five times the population.

[Irish Says Enough Woodchippers]

That doesn't matter because it's the RATE which is adjusted for population.

The real issue with America is that there are wild discrepancies based on race between crime rates. Asians and White Americans have very low crime rates, Hispanics are higher (though not as high as anti-immigration fear mongers like to pretend), and African American crime rates are enormous.

There's something wrong with those stats though. It claims the US is first in rapes but the US isn't first in rapes, there are well over 100 countries with more rapes than America and the American rape rate is actually very similar to other western countries. They also say America is ninth in intentional homicide, but if you actually look at the numbers, America is not in the top 100 countries in terms of homicide rate. Hell, with the exception of Chile EVERY COUNTRY in South America has a higher murder rate than we do. Those numbers about our rank in global violent crime are way off.

[Medical Physics Guy]

Venezuela doesn't have many intentional homicides. When you need toilet paper and do what you gotta do to get hold of some, it's not intentional homicide.

[Jerry on the sea]

Ceremonies mark bicentennial of fateful 1815 Battle of Waterloo, which changed fate of Europe.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

I wouldn't say it changed the fate of Europe; there was simply no way Napoleon could defeat the Coalition even if he had managed to win at Waterloo. Too many angry nations allied against him.

Instead one of my favorite historical points of divergence is to imagine Napoleon successfully escaping Europe to the United States, which was his escape plan after his second abdication.

[Raven Nation]

Napoleon's fate was probably determined as soon as he began the retreat from Moscow. And the Peninsula War put the nails in.

But, I guess Waterloo does qualify as a "decisive battle."

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

The thing about Napoleon is that his personality essentially guaranteed that at some point he would overreach.

The more battles he won and coalitions he smashed the more he thought his empire invincible. So yes, knocking over the monarchy of Spain and installing your brother as a puppet and then invading Russia was a stupid, stupid idea that only a person with delusion of grandeur could make.

[Raven Nation]

I don't think any invasions of Russia from the west have succeeded. There's a novel by Neville Shute which was set after a WWIII in which he has the line. "The war had not solved the fundamental problem with Russia: too big to occupy, too big to ignore."

[crab_apple]

On the Beach? That was a fantastic book.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

I had planned to visit Britain and France this year, and was going to try to find a day or two to visit Belgium to mark the anniversary. Unfortunately, family stuff caused me to cancel. Though it doesn't really mean anything, I'm still bitter that I'm "missing" this anniversary.

[Fist of Etiquette]

How to create more campus rape victims.

Define down rape?

[Injun ? Wood Chips and Salsa]

Clarence Thomas f***ed up today. It was expected of the "liberals", of course, but disappointing from Thomas.

From Cato's amicus brief:

The "Boy Scouts" specialty plate no doubt ruffles the feathers of those who consider that group to be a retrograde antigay menace(and also those who cannot abide children in uniforms). The "Choose Life" plate similarly raises the hackles of those who think that its message subtly slanders women who might choose to have an abortion. What about "Come and Take It" (accompanied by a picture of a cannon) or "Desert Storm" or "Fight Terrorism"? Forget viewpoint discrimination; these sorts of messages would insult pacifists and those who disagree with American foreign policy even if "Turn the Other Cheek" or "Al Qaeda Forever" tags were available.

"Mighty Fine Burger" and "Dr. Pepper" surely offend Michael Bloomberg's acolytes, not to mention fans of McDonalds and Pepsi. Many Apache, Comanche, or Kiowa would take offense at a good ol' boy driving around with a "Native Texan" plate. And would not an animal-rights supporter who volunteers for PETA have a (soy) beef with the "Texas Trophy Hunters Association" plate. Finally, any true Texan would find the "University of Oklahoma" plate to be beyond the pale

[Injun ? Wood Chips and Salsa]

From the ACLU's amicus brief:

While amici agree with the State that the message conveyed by the Confederate flag is offensive to many people, amici
agree with SCV that Texas' specialty license plate program is a forum for private speech, and that the DMVB is therefore prohibited from denying access to that forum on the basis of viewpoint.

These license plate disputes have been litigated extensively in the lower courts. Only the Sixth Circuit has agreed with Texas that specialty license plates represent a form of pure government speech that is outside the scope of the First Amendment entirely. Every other Circuit to consider the question has properly concluded that specialty license plate programs include an important element
of private speech that triggers, at a minimum, the First Amendment's protection against viewpoint discrimination.

[Rhywun]

The obvious solution is for the state to get out of the vanity license plate business, but they won't do that because it's a money-maker.

[Suthenboy]

I am not sure I agree Injun.

The license plate is the property of the state, is it not?

[Brett L]

Its true. Fuck OU.

[jesse.in.mb]

France warns citizens about making inappropriate jokes while abroad in the U.S.

While you're at it, you should probably also avoid going all Strauss-Kahn on the our women-folk.

[waffles]

How to create more campus rape victims.

No. I'm not clicking through to your rape manual. How about instead we teach college not to rape?

[Heroic Mulatto]

A Visual Depiction of Every Hit 'n Run Thread Ever

[Heroic Mulatto]

Dammit

[Crusty Juggler]

I SAID CLASS IT UP!

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I like the misuse of the laugh track.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Sugarfree, a history of links

[Free ?Woodchippers! Society]

Poorly Formatted Links: The Sugarfree Story

[Crusty Juggler]

Ban hairstyles that only the great Jonathan Taylor Thomas could pull off?

[Sevo]

Greek PM doesn't impress IMF boss:
"International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde on Thursday warned that a resolution to five months of tortuous debt talks with Greece required "adults in the room" in an apparent sideswipe at Greek officials"
http://www.straitstimes.com/ne.....m-20150619

[BiMonSciFiCon]

France warns citizens about making inappropriate jokes while abroad in the U.S.

Including those referencing [REDACTED]ppers?

[B.P.]

That article on France warning its citizens about travel to the U.S. is hilarious, every single word. Shorter:

France to its citizens when traveling in the U.S.: "Don't make naughty jokes. They're prudes. Also, be calm. A lot of them are violent nuts who carry guns."

U.S. to its citizens when traveling in France: "Eh, whatever. Go for it. Make a note that getting into the Foreign Legion is hard, though."

[Free ?Woodchippers! Society]

France warns citizens about making inappropriate jokes while abroad in the U.S.

Pot calls the kettle black. Or is that racist? I don't know... but I can't think of a western country with less respect for free speech than France. Nor can I think of a western country with a more hostile attitude towards other westerners than France. The French government has mastered the art of projection.

[Raven Nation]

Although they are, apparently, becoming more polite:

http://www.city-journal.org/20.....eness.html

[Irish Says Enough Woodchippers]

The French police harassed an 8 year old for 'expressing support' for the Charlie Hebdo shooters.

An 8 year old, Dude. That's some messed up shit.

[Whahappantomychipper?]

Before going to the link I figured the French government was warning their citizens that they would bring the hammer down on them when they got back if they got wind of any politically incorrect jokes they told.

[Whahappantomychipper?]

Assign various "they's" to the appropriate parties.

[Enough About Woodchippers]

Charleston Shooter Was on Drug Linked to Violent Outbursts

Dylann Storm Roof was taking habit-forming drug suboxone

http://www.infowars.com/charle.....outbursts/

[Crusty Juggler]

Suboxone certainly took care of that heroin epidemic. I mean, heroin has basically disappeared from society.

[Juvenile Bluster]

Lets not link to infowars nuttery here, shall we?

If he's on Suboxone, he's probably a recovering heroin addict.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Or he's trying to ease into the habit.

[Warty]

No no! More infowars! More!

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I have a headache from all of the chemtrails. I could sure go for some Suboxone.

[Crusty Juggler]

There is a bowling alley along my jogging route that has "infowars.com" spray-painted on its exterior. I always want to go in and ask about it, but then I guess I am just too afraid to hear the truth.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Jogging? What the hell is wrong with you?

[Crusty Juggler]

This guy is a jogger and he scored some top tail! Plus, check out that bod! A man a needs hero, you know.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Top tail?

Ok, that's consistent with your reputation.

[Warty]

I have the documents right here!

[Lord Humungus]

You know who else was afraid to hear the truth...

[Injun ? Wood Chips and Salsa]

I DEMAND A LAW TO END THIS INEQUALITY!

Are dads less appreciated than moms? How consumers will spend $7billion LESS on Father's Day than they did for Mother's Day

[Free ?Woodchippers! Society]

Fathers guilt their children less and are less sensitive to the lack of adoration showered upon them for a single hallmark day.

[Hey Nikki!]

Strangely, it's the reverse in my family. My dad is such a fucking pussy.

[A special place in JW's Hell]

Leaving me the fuck alone costs nothing.

I won't turn down a new 60" 4K TV.....

[Muzzled Woodchipper]

I don't want any gifts.

I do, however, think that a nice brunch buffet wouldn't fucking kill the places that give MD brunch.

[jesse.in.mb]

Russian Official Proposes International Investigation Into U.S. Moon Landings

Venting his frustration with what he viewed as "U.S. prosecutors having declared themselves the supreme arbiters of international football affairs," Markin proposed that international investigators could likewise examine some of the murkier elements of America's past.

You mad, bro?

[Heroic Mulatto]

I don't understand why morons think this is some sort of gotcha! There is a very easy, empirical way to determine if humans have been to the moon: Aim a laser at it.

[jesse.in.mb]

I don't think he's claiming that we haven't been to the moon, just that there's some sort of random shadiness about the whole business.

Honestly I don't think I'll be able to understand his issue unless I take off my Faraday hat and body armor and let the HAARP rays in.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Well, I do agree with him that there should be an investigation as to how the US government lost track of 180 out of 270 moon rocks.

Basically, all we've gotten is a shoulder shrug and a "whoops!"

[jesse.in.mb]

Yeah, but it was the '60s NASA. The astronauts have stories about going into decontamination/quarantine areas that ants were coming in and out of with ease.

[The Last American Hero]

Also, it was assumed that we'd be going back every six months and have people living there by the 80's, so security over the rocks wasn't as high priority.

[In League with the Dark Ones]

Those were placed by the brilliant engineers of the glorious Soviet Union who designed magnificent rockets at 1/100 the cost of the capitalist Apollo moon hoax. After all capitalists could not have been to the moon because they are inefficiently wasting time and money designing 23 types of deodorant and marketing them to the working poor in order to extract money from the the poorest among us to line the pockets of capitalists.

[Rhywun]

Watching Russia's slide into insanity is somewhat disquieting.

[jesse.in.mb]

I wish they'd at least pretend to not be losing their damn minds.

[The Last American Hero]

I hardly noticed a difference. They've always been a corrupt culture, going back to the Ghengis Khan days.

[Warty]

What TLAH said. Slide?

[Ken Shultz]

"Here come the usual gun control arguments."

You mean the usual one about how Barack Obama has killed at least 168 children?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....54825.html

[Injun ? Wood Chips and Salsa]

So Obama = (Adam Lanza x 8) when it comes to killing children?

And this man is lecturing the country?

[Judge Chipper]

There is no difference between a fifty-foot Obama and Adam Lanza!

[Ken Shultz]

"In Pakistan alone, TBIJ estimates, between 416 and 951 civilians, including 168 to 200 children, have been killed."

Excuse me, I meant to say that Barack Obama has killed 168 children in Pakistan alone.

Of course, Barack Obama has killed dozens more children in Yemen.

My condolences to the victims in Charleston, and of course to their friends and family who are victims, too.

P.S. Barack Obama has killed hundreds of children.

[Free ?Woodchippers! Society]

But he killed them for causes that he deemed worthy. So totally legit.

[Jordan]

The SC Killer obviously didn't put his victims through a "disposition matrix" first.

[Ken Shultz]

When they build the Obama Presidential Library, I hope they build a memorial wall inside with the names of all the children he's killed.

[The Last American Hero]

Look, there was a spreadsheet and a fucking power point saying the kids had to go. What more do you want?

[iCarl]

I bet this Roof guy was [insert characteristic I find personally distasteful].

[Crusty Juggler]

not obsessive about oral hygiene?

[Jordan]

He had a bowl cut. That's enough of a reason right there.

[Judge Chipper]

Similar in appearance and demeanor to Adam Lanza?

[Ken Shultz]

Everybody, and I mean "everybody", like, everybody needs to read this:

http://popehat.com/2015/06/18/...../#comments

And when I say "everybody" needs to read that, I mean you.

You, you, you, yes, you!

Read it. Know it. Understand it. Live it.

You need to read it.

[Juvenile Bluster]

But can we talk about it?

[Ken Shultz]

No.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Maybe Reason can build their defense fund by selling ad space in the magazine?

Every other magazine I read has these ads in them.

[Raven Nation]

Did you see VP's post further down from the one you linked?

[Ken Shultz]

Yeah, I didn't mean to link the comments. I meant to link the story.

[Libertymike]

Ken, OT: Good job at Popehat. You represented us well.

[Raven Nation]

Got it.

[grrizzly]

Spirit of 7:01!

[Don't Subpoena Me Bro !]

Wouldn't it be nice to have an executive that would just fire all of these assholes already ?

Hell I would even settle for just a little bit of accountability somewhere, anywhere to start with.

[Crusty Juggler]

Read it. Don't know it. Certainly don't understand it. No idea how to do that.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

So I know no one here likes talking about ESB, but Warty posted some of her tweets in the Pope thread, and I find it so weird. I know there are religious leftists and communists out there, but someone so devout repeating all of these super left-wing positions goes against so many of the stereotypes with which I am familiar.

It's... it's inconceivable!

[Warty]

AND SHE'S SO CUTE

Elizabeth S. Bruenig ?@ebruenig 10h10 hours ago
.@nikedude313 Actually, Pope Francis also talks about people being jerks on the internet.
Embedded image permalink

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Does cutie know that Commie Pope connects climate change to abortion?

Yeh, they kinda don't know that since they're busy cumming on each other over his climate crap.

[Hey Nikki!]

She's pro-life.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yeah I just read that - didn't know. Still it applies to the left as a whole.

[Free ?Woodchippers! Society]

5 years ago the same commies would tell you that religion is for dummies et cetera. Now it's such a nuanced set of beliefs. Fucking lemmings, the lot of them.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

That was the point of the comment above. They love religion and/or leaders when they toe the prog narrative.

[Irish Says Enough Woodchippers]

She probably does know that since she's anti-abortion, she's just an idiot who sees nothing wrong with aligning herself with unrepentantly pro-abortion leftists who, if they were to emerge victorious, will allow unlimited abortion until the day a child is born.

Say hello to 32nd week abortions if the feminist left wins! I'm sure that will pain Breunig but she'll come up with some lame excuse to avoid criticizing her allies.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Sounds about right.

I heard on the radio the Pope talking about climate change and abortion and what immediately entered my head is how it doesn't jive with the narrative. Pro-abortion folks who believe in the climate change narrative and have been falling all over the Pope (I already got several links about how 'EVEN THE POPE KNOWS!) haven't been paying close enough attention.

[Irish Says Enough Woodchippers]

ESB also is in an alliance of convenience with feminists (who she never criticizes) despite the fact that ESB is pro-life and there are feminists out there who legitimately support abortion at any point in a pregnancy no matter what.

So according to ESB we libertarians are worse than the people on her side of the political aisle who, based on Breunig's own arguments, are guilty of mass infanticide.

[Irish Says Enough Woodchippers]

Also, this tweet is hilarious:

"#LaudatoSi reads like poetry and hits every high note from Augustine to Bonaventure to Benedict XVI."

Here's the poetic language of which Breunig speaks:

"This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she "groans in travail" (Rom 8:22). We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters."

Anyone who personifies the planet like this is a fucking moron. The Earth does not 'groan.' Climate change will not damage 'the Earth.' It could conceivably damage beings living on the Earth, but since the Earth is dust and rock it has no actual feelings.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

We talked about this a bit in the Pope thread. It's a lot of Gaia nonsense and anthropomorphism for a Catholic. Shouldn't he be talking about "His" water and air, and not "her" elements?

[A special place in JW's Hell]

It's... it's inconceivable!

Why? Both positions are articles of faith.

[Warty]

"It's recommended to adopt a reserved attitude toward those of the opposite sex," it says. "Comments, behavior, and jokes, which might be harmless in Latin countries, can lead to criminal cases," the ministry's website says.

Well that's embarrassing. Good work, prudes.

[Free ?Woodchippers! Society]

But what criminal cases resulted from the telling of a joke? I want to know where they got their information.

[Warty]

Well they're also telling French people to stay calm around Americans or we'll shoot them. There may be a wee bit of hysteria.

[Irish Says Enough Woodchippers]

I hunt Frenchmen for sport, so if anything they're underplaying the threat.

[Crusty Juggler]

Frenchmen: The Not-So-Dangerous Game

[A special place in JW's Hell]

They do not know how not be seen.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Not really all that sporting, not like they can fight back or anything.

[Derpetologist]

Tales from the Derp

I was talking to my mom the other day and she asked me how it is possible for a river to flow north. I said water flows downhill, so if the high ground is in the south, the river will flow north like the Nile. She said "but north is at the top of the map, so how can it flow up?" I said north and up are not the same thing. North is only up on a map. Still not sure if she's clear on the difference.

[Free ?Woodchippers! Society]

Just tell her the Earth is flat and rests on a giant asymmetrical turtle shell which causes most of our geological features.

[Rich]

Take her to one of those "magic spots" where water flows uphill. Then she'll *really* be confused.

[lap83]

She probably just doesn't understand gravity

[waffles]

Which, to be fair, is pretty confusing. I mean mass attracts mass? Why? So there's some subatomic particle that causes this force, okay, but that force is far weaker than other subatomic forces and somehow on a macro scale it becomes a much stronger force relative to others.

See? Confusing.

[Derpetologist]

In fairness, no one understands gravity. We just have enough knowledge to predict how it will affect things like orbits and falling objects.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Do you have lead paint on the walls?

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Wall candy?

[Derpetologist]

I don't think so. She just has weird ideas. When I was on my road trip, she was worried I was going to get car-jacked by those escaped prisoners. I tried to reassure her that I was vastly more likely to die in a car accident, but for some reason, that made her even more upset.

[Mickey Rat]

Niagara Falls should blow her mind then.

[Rich]

"But let's be clear. At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries."

With all due respect, Mr. President, are you fucking kidding?

[Juvenile Bluster]

No, but he knows that by saying it, a high number of people will believe him and demand action, and possibly influence money/votes in 2016.

[Rich]

Another interpretation is that the US is not an advanced country (anymore).

[PBR Streetgang]

Still another is that he is subtly taking a shot at France, Norway, et al., by saying they are not 'advanced'

[John Titor]

Idealism about some future where mass violence does not exist I can at least get. It's certainly naive but at least it's an opinion. Stating that it doesn't happen in other Western countries and only in the US is a delusion.

[A special place in JW's Hell]

"But let's be clear. At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries."

Except for Britain, France, Germany, Norway, Netherlands, um...well all of them.

[Suthenboy]

No, he is not kidding. What makes Clownshoes Barry so fucking disastrous is that he believes his own bullshit. He was indoctrinated into this stuff from birth. He is the quintessential useful idiot.

[Hey Nikki!]

If anyone can recommend anything good to read about the appeal of gender-segregated organizations and activities, I would appreciate it!

[Warty]

Well, it causes rape. That's something.

One connection between these two stores is obvious: High school football and the U.S. military are two venerable male-dominated sub-cultures that prize conformity, places where boys will be boys, where male supervisors break in young male recruits, helping them become cogs in the machine.

But what struck me further about both NPR's story and the Steubenville rape case is the casual assumption of entitlement to women's dehumanized bodies. There seemed to be no soul-searching or empathy in either setting, just the taken-for-granted notion that, when presented with the opportunity to use women's bodies sexually, well, what else would one do

[Rich]

Pretty Polly!

/Alex

[Hey Nikki!]

So...that's why you like them?

[Warty]

THAT'S THE JOKE

[Libertymike]

Warty, thank god you are a true gentleman that has never assumed entitlement to a woman's dehumanized body - even if she were sarcasmically skinny.

[Warty]

I think there's an insult buried in here, but I can't find it. You could try again, if you like.

[Libertymike]

No, its just LM being kind. If I had to bet, my money would be on you being a gentleman - and not in a beta kind of way who would think his best bet would be to prostrate himself with PC in order to have his way with a pretty progressive princess.

You can still think I'm a nut case, though.

[Crusty Juggler]

my money would be on you being a gentleman

My money would be on that being what he wants you to believe.

[Warty]

Fair enough.

You can still think I'm a nut case, though.

'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'

[Libertymike]

Even Elemenope? Has he gone down the rabbit hole? I miss him.

[Warty]

Good question. When did he leave? 2010? Earlier?

[Libertymike]

Well, if I had to wager on who here would be most likely to know basic biographical data, positions on issues and basic philosophical outlook of the commentariat constituency, i.e., all the regulars and those with recurring roles and those who have otherwise made significant contributions here, it would be you.

So, I would agree with you, 2010.

[jesse.in.mb]

In religious communities it prevents distraction from God, and of course rape...unless you're an altar boy.

[Warty]

Eddie's reading the pope's op-ed or whatever the fuck it is. You'll have to troll him really loud if you want a reaction.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Believe it or not, I'm *more* indignant at priestly and episcopal sex scandals than y'all are.

In addition to the sexual violation and the violation of trust, I hate their actions because it involves *sacrilege,* that is, priests who have been dedicated to divine service perverting the proper use of the bodies.

[Libertymike]

Funny, I came to the defense of priests during the Bernie the Pimp era, in part to counter the shrill narrative coming from the professional victimologists and, in part, because too many folk were conflating sodomy of a six year old with father Fitzpatrick pinching the cheek of the 17 year old parish assistant while the latter was lifting himself up unto the raft on the lake at the annual summer youth parish outing.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Believe it or not, I'm *more* indignant at priestly and episcopal sex scandals than y'all are.

Shorter NGKC: "I used to be an altar boy"

[Lady Dalrymple]

+1 Butt hurt

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

LITERALLY

[Notorious G.K.C.]

How creative.

[John Titor]

Tom Kratman had a rather long blog post about gender segregation in the military. Some of his arguments are anecdotal but he makes some overall interesting points.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Here you go:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04088b.htm

and

http://news.nationalgeographic.....-cannabis/

[iCarl]

I don't have any readings. But I'm wondering -- are you asking about children, adolescents, adults, or a combination?

[Hey Nikki!]

Anyone, but it has to be voluntary (so not, e.g., primary or secondary schooling). I want to know why people want to do things like this. What they enjoy about it.

[Raven Nation]

Really short piece but probably a little helpful:

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfor.....le-schools

I don't know how much time you want to dedicate to this, but it might be worth contacting Hampden-Sydney (where that guy is president). They have a very thought out reasoning behind staying all male (one of only four in the country).

[Hey Nikki!]

Thanks, that's not a bad idea; I think I have connections to folks at Deep Springs still actually.

[Rich]

"It's recommended to adopt a reserved attitude toward those of the opposite sex," it says.

"Bonne soir?e, b?b?."

[AlmightyJB]

The best idea would to just not act french.

[AlmightyJB]

Does that dude not look like Adam Lanza? Creepy. Why can't these assholes just off themselves?

[Antilles]

If they just killed themselves then their face wouldn't be plastered across every newspaper and no one would be talking about them. Heinous acts are how insignificant people feel powerful and important...if just for a little while.

[Derpetologist]

Because like almost everyone else, they have desire for recognition, and unfortunately, killing a bunch of people is an easy way to become famous.

There isn't much else to say other than it's best to keep guns away from crazy people and that gun-free zones do not create magical evil-repelling force fields.

[AlmightyJB]

http://www.theglobaldispatch.c.....-photo.jpg

[Lady Dalrymple]

I have a theory. They're psychosis is caused by a vitamin deficiency (C and/or D). They're all so pale white.

I day or two at the beach may be the cure all.

[Lady Dalrymple]

So, the treatment for this kind of crazy would be sunbathing and weight lifting (they're also skinny weak).

[Crusty Juggler]

Typical reason frat meathead.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Do you even squat, Bro?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I don't think these people like going outside.

[Crusty Juggler]

I assume that this scum was too crazy for sun and weights, but I know that sun and exercise definitely changed my life for the better.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Jogging is not exercise. It's weirdos torturing themselves.

[Derpetologist]

In tribal societies, odd/shy/crazy people became shamans. It was a way for misfits to have a place in the tribe, because shamans were expected to act strangely since their job was to talk to demons, ghosts, and gods. I can't think of an equivalent role in industrial societies.

[Hamster of Doom]

Public relations.

[ant1sthenes]

Psychologists.

[tumescence chipper]

Jezebel columnist?

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

For those who didn't see this from Instapundit:

SO I WENT TO THE NEW YORK TIMES SCIENCE PAGE, and it was all about the Pope.

"They told me if I voted Republican, America would wind up taking scientific dictation from religious leaders. And they were right!"

[Lady Dalrymple]

Jeffrey Sachs wrote a piece recently supporting the Pope's economic worldview, so, apparently, we're all Catholic now. We've got the right TOP MAN (in the vatican).

[waffles]

There was a time when people here would say "now I'm on a list" and it was a funny joke. Now it's not a joke. How much data is every comment on every reason article ever published? That's a lot of tasteless jokes most of which lacking a protective disclaimer.

[Suthenboy]

It was a joke?

I said it plenty of times and I wasn't joking.

[jesse.in.mb]

Aviation pr0n

Redbull has been financing some fun stunts.

[Crusty Juggler]

Take that, 90s era Mountain Dew.

[jesse.in.mb]

There was some Mountain Dew competitor that was rolled out in east coast markets first and then disappeared...

Ah yes, Surge

Great now I'm on a '90s advertising nostalgia kick.

[Crusty Juggler]

My favorite is not really 90s, even though it took place there. The commercial is just so random. Robert Loggia selling orange juice.

[jesse.in.mb]

So. Random.

[In League with the Dark Ones]

I got to beta test Surge.

It wasn't a Mountain Dew competitor (that was Mello Yello) but it was supposed to be designed to taste like a suicide.

[Trouser-Pod (The blowhard)]

Any love for 70's commercials?

[Warty]

In his house at Mountain View, dead Google waits dreaming.

[Crusty Juggler]

Fascinating.

Also, something something Agile Cyborg.

[Warty]

So. Reason is the subject of a nakedly political DOJ persecution, then. The gag order is clearly intended to stifle criticism and generally harass the foundation. This can't be unprecedented, can it? It must have happened before and I'm just not aware of it.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Reason covered it:

http://reason.com/blog/2009/05.....early-suff

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Disclaimer: I personally believe John Adams' ass should have remained *virgo intacta.*

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

Is it 7:00 again? Or are we still not allowed to talk about The War?

[Warty]

Talk all you like. The DOJ will let you know when it would like you to stop.

[A special place in JW's Hell]

Never rule out a US Attorney just being a massive cunt and who likes to push people around.

[Suthenboy]

I thought that was an assumption.

[Hamster of Doom]

+1 facts blatantly in evidence

[Suthenboy]

I just read over the Popehat article on the Reason subpoena.

As I recall, the subpoena was only for the identities of certain commenters who made the remarks in question. Why do I think they want everyone's identity, or that they might obtain that through this action?

The remarks made are not true threats by any stretch of reasoning, so why only go after those few commenters? Wouldn't the point of this be to shut down the kinds of discussions we have here at H&R?

[tarran]

Sadly, I think this is all my fault...

[Suthenboy]

I went back and looked at that. The article describes it as 'any and all participants in a chat' but I am not confident that it doesn't want any and all participants in all chats. Chat of course is not the correct word but it is the one the subpoena uses. I am guessing they want a list of everyone who talks here and of donors.

[Suthenboy]

Also, what are the chances that the gag order and/or subpoena were signed by our beloved Judge Forrest?

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

That information is sealed.

[Suthenboy]

You mean that is why the information is sealed.

Is this their trial balloon for shutting down all criticism on the inter....well, all criticism? There are many more and easier targets on Facebook, why not them? Because they have the money to fight it? Go after someone small like Reason that you can defeat easier and set a precedent?

If they win at this we ( the country ) are fucked. The 1A will be dead. Then Obumbles can finally change the way the news is reported.

[ant1sthenes]

No, that doesn't happen until 2A is dead*.

*Disclaimer: This observation is speculation about the behavior of unrelated third parties and is not a statement of intent to cause harm or the reasonable fear of harm to any person or persons on the part of the author or an associated party.