Earthquake Hits Japan, Bernie Sanders in Vatican, Obama Gets Game of Thrones Early: P.M. Links

• 

  BBC

  A magnitude 7.0-earthquake hit Japan today, yielding a tsunami warning.

• Bernie Sanders visited the Vatican to talk about an "immoral" economy, without mentioning the unprecedented rise in prosperity the world has seen in the last half century.
• The transport minister of Belgium resigned over lapses in airport security revealed by a leaked European Union report.
• Germany's Angela Merkel is allowing the prosecution of a German comedian for allegedly insulting the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
• President Obama gets HBO's Game of Thrones early. Can it be subject to a FOIA request?
• John Kasich fielded a question from a college student about feeling safer regarding sexual violence, harrassment, and rape.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Germany's Angela Merkel is allowing the prosecution of a German comedian for allegedly insulting the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

You know who else...

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

Hello.

What a cunt Merkel is.

[BigT]

Yes, she, of all people, who grew up in East Germany, should be sensitive to protecting free speech.

I had hopes for her when she first became Chancellor, but now I has a disappoint.

[grrizzly]

Just wait until President Trump complains about being insulted in Germany. He's exactly the kind of US President who will be insulted and will do everything to punish his offenders. The Germans should just ban comedy preemptively.

[NYC2AZ]

But they made Funnybot!

[Zeb]

I guess Germany has probably never had legal guarantees of free speech. But if that's not a fundamental human right, I don't know what is.

[R C Dean]

Self defense is the first among equals, IMO.

[Free Society]

Self-defense might be the best example of a natural right because every healthyish person, even a pacifist, has an instinctive drive to defend themselves, making it hard for sophists to argue that it doesn't exist for other people or only for certain people.

[Drake]

I'm starting to think she learned some different lessons in East Germany.

[Bill Dalasio]

Yes, she, of all people, who grew up in East Germany, should be sensitive to protecting free speech.

Of course, doesn't some of that depend on which side of the government Ms. Merkel was?

[Spencer]

I read that as "what a cut Merkel has" and had to do a double take .

[Zeb]

You never know.

[Ted S.]

Preet Bharara?

[Trigger Warning]

Best not to say his name.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

PREEEEEEET!!!

[Rich]

That was preety loud, Rufus.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

NOT LOUD ENOUGH!

[PBR Streetgang]

Imitating a traffic cop's whistle?

[Zeb]

Special place in hell.

[Citizen X]

The student body of Oberlin College?

[Ken Shultz]

Truly disgraceful.

But there's a large Turkish community in Germany, they've had assimilation problems for a long time, and I can see why she might do something like this.

I can see why someone might commit armed robbery, too, though.

Merkel's behavior is a disgrace.

"According to the census 2011 there are almost 3 million people having at least one parent immigrated from Turkey. In 2013, there were 1,550,000 Turkish citizens in Germany which accounted for 22.1% of Germany's foreign population and thus the largest ethnic minority.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turks_in_Germany #Demographics

[Fist of Etiquette]

But there's a large Turkish community in Germany, they've had assimilation problems for a long time...

She seems to be assimilating just fine.

[Drake]

I keep hearing how great those immigrants are. Assimilation problems? Never heard that from Frau Merkel.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

When the government makes unemployment fruitful, there's a lot less incentive to learn the local lingo so you can get a local job.

[Free Society]

When the government makes unemployment fruitful, there's a lot less incentive to learn the local lingo so you can get a local job.

Well that seems like circular logic. Your argument assumes that a lack of employment opportunities is the cause of the integration problems, while also claiming that the Muslims are pouring into the welfare states of western and northern Europe for all the employment that there is to be had.

The domestic participants of the economy don't owe the immigrants a job, the immigrants owe the market their utility. And you can see why that might be difficult for a group of people with an average IQ of 85 and few modern skills, while trying to prosper in an advanced foreign economy.

The only thing able to attract and maintain a population of permanently impoverished underclass is welfare. This is an artificial migration of people. It is best thought of as a government program.

[JeremyR]

What they want to do is spread Islam and Shariah.

The welfare state just makes it easier for them to do it, since they don't have to spend half their time working and then the rest jihading.

Though that is still possible, like the San Bernadino shooter, who had a cushy guvmint job

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

while also claiming that the Muslims are pouring into the welfare states of western and northern Europe for all the employment that there is to be had.

I made no such claim. You made that up out of whole cloth.

[Free Society]

So you know they're welfare shoppers who should be rounded up and deported. And all further migrants turned away. Glad we could clear that up.

[Pan Zagloba]

For reference, population of Germany is 81 or so million. 4.5% (3.7 million) is of "North Africa/Middle East" origin.
And I'm sure that Erdogan's popularity among people who went to Germany to work and live is hardly over 50%. Especially when it comes to not mocking his awesomeness.

[Rhywun]

they've had assimilation problems for a long time

It's nothing in comparison to more recent arrivals.

[Pan Zagloba]

And it's not just Merkel. From Mark Steyn

There will be fewer poems, fewer satirical sketches, fewer jokes - not just about Erdogan, but about Islam in general. To reprise my old line: The process is the punishment.

Don't believe that? First of all, the broadcaster has already deep-sixed the offending joke:

ZDF removed the video clip of Boehmermann from its website two days after it aired.

So the anti-Erdogan gag is history. Even if in Merkel's weaselly evasion "the courts will have the final word", the joke will not be coming back. Will Herr Boehmermann?

The public TV channel has decided not to broadcast his weekly satire programme this week because of the furore surrounding Boehmermann.

Ah. So the poem has vanished, and so has its creator. And, given the backbone ZDF are showing, what are the chances of them or any other German media outlet broadcasting any further provocations to Erdogan in the future?

At this stage, Ankara's strongman doesn't really need to win in court, does he?

[ant1sthenes]

For some reason a philosophy named "Submission" is sort of incompatible with freedom, and is violent and shitty to boot.

[Trigger Hippie]

Indeed.

An influx of individuals whose most ardently held beliefs are the very antithesis(wink,wink) of the libertarian philosophy tends to diminish the overall liberty of the society they inhabit.

Imagine that.

[Pay up, Palin's Buttplug!]

Translation of B?hmermann's clip, along with a link to a parody song he references and the clip itself.

The song parodies Nena's "Irgendwie, Irgendwo, Irgendwann".

[pan fried wylie]

That. is. My. JAM!!!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Oh, yeah, and NO SPOILERS

[Anomalous]

SPOILER ALERT: somebody gets killed.

[ant1sthenes]

Zombies kill all the main characters, then dragons burn most of the zombies. Then a dragon and zombie begin an illicit romance, creating a new race of zombie dragons and teaching us a valuable lesson about love and diversity.

[Ken Shultz]

I believe in diversity.

I like both Russian AND Colombian chicks.

[pan fried wylie]

I like both Russian broads AND Colombian chicks.

[Crusty Juggler]

SPOILER ALERT: you will see a wiener.

[DOOMco]

NOOOO!

[Doctor Whom]

Something will happen at the last minute to save Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, but Sergeant Redshirt will already be dead.

[Fist of Etiquette]

THOSE AREN'T THE ENLISTED RANKS THEY USE IN STAR TREK.

[Pay up, Palin's Buttplug!]

Well, the Doctor doesn't like soldiers.

[Notorious UGCC]

Robin Hood rescues King Richard, much to the discomfiture of Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham.

The male and female protagonists realize that their quarrel was based on a complicated misunderstanding, and that they're made for each other.

The hero kills the terrorist, adding to the horrors of death by making a bad pun about the situation.

Dorothy has the power to go home, but she ditches her loser aunt and uncle and marries the Tin Woodman - all she has to do is keep him well-oiled...wait, what movie *is* this?

[Notorious UGCC]

Rhett says, "frankly, my dear, we're both symbols of white oppression."

Patton has a midlife crisis, gets a tie-died T-shirt with a peace sign on it, and moves into a hippie commune. His family covers it up.

Glenn Close discovers the Internet, becomes obsessed with Pinterest, and forgets all about that married guy she used to have a crush on.

[Notorious UGCC]

Dean Wormer pre-emptively sits in at his own office - this freaks the students out so much that they quit their silly hijinks and go back to their studies.

[Fist of Etiquette]

John Kasich fielded a question from a college student about feeling safer regarding sexual violence, harrassment, and rape.

Oh, no, he went with victim blaming? He's so not going to be president.

[grrizzly]

In answering the question, Kasich talked about efforts in Ohio to provide support for college students facing sexual harassment, such as access to confidential reporting, rape kits and the opportunity to "pursue justice after you have had some time to reflect on it all."

At least Kasich is fine with blaming a sexual partner years later, when a woman finally realizes that the guy is just not into her.

[Citizen X]

Yeah, THAT'S what's gonna sink his campaign.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

"Bernie Sanders visited the Vatican to talk about an "immoral" economy, without mentioning the unprecedented rise in prosperity the world has seen in the last half century."

Losers are gonna loser.

[Jordan]

That ought to play well with the commie pope.

[Rich]

"Sell all you have, give the money to the poor, and follow Me."

[BigT]

"Sell all you have, give the money to the poor, and follow Me, and hand me my driver when we approach the tee."

[Playa Manhattan.]

He would know about immorality.

[Ayatollah Savaranola]

An excellent opportunity for El Popo to re-gift Jesus on a hammer and sickle.

[GILMORE?]

President Obama gets HBO's Game of Thrones early.

Does this mean I can blame the White House if I find a torrent by this evening?

[Anomalous]

Nah, somebody at HBO.

[CE]

Isn't this basically attempted bribery of a federal official?

And didn't Obama just come out publicly in support of forcing an "open" market for cable TV set top boxes, claiming a "lack of innovation", even though my latest set top box has 6 DVRs and 100 hours of storage?

[Ted S.]

Only 100 hours?

[Playa Manhattan.]

6 tuners, you mean?

[Zeb]

I thought it was mostly because the rental fees for the boxes are so high. Maybe if there were more competition you could have one with 9 tuners and 1000 hours of storage.

I don't have a lot of sympathy for cable companies. If they can force you to rent their box, there really isn't much direct competition as cable companies usually have local monopolies.

[Playa Manhattan.]

I own my own box. 6 tuners, streaming, and (after I modded it), thousands upon thousands of hours of storage.

[Zeb]

I haven't had cable for many years, so all I know is what I hear people complaining about.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...without mentioning the unprecedented rise in prosperity the world has seen in the last half century.

Sanders doesn't run in the same circles as the One Percent, so he wouldn't have seen any of that.

[HeteroPatriarch]

Really? He seems to hang out with Hillary a lot.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Haven't you heard? She and Bill are bankrupt.

[Unicorn Abattoir]

Morally, not financially

[wareagle]

a few more 'contributions' to the Clinton Foundation will fix that.

[Mickey Rat]

See? They are living off of charity.

[Mickey Rat]

...or they are living off of an alleged charity.

[Bee Tagger]

Can it be subject to a FOIA request?

You might have better luck with a petition at petitions.whitehouse.gov for Obama to not watch it, yet.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Those super duper transparent petitions at whitehouse.gov.....
How many of those have been successful?

[Bee Tagger]

You're going to need a FOIA request for that.

[CE]

The top 2 petitions were to decriminalize marijuana, and Obama laughed them off.

[Playa Manhattan.]

It's the the digital equivalent of a suggestion mailbox on top of a trashcan.

[TheZeitgeist]

Don't forget the Death Star we were promised.

[Citizen X]

President Obama gets HBO's Game of Thrones early.

You know nothing, President O.

[Rich]

University students are struggling to read entire books

"... because we're not given the time or thinking space."

First, "safe space"; now, "thinking space".

Just WTF is wrong with college kids?

[HeteroPatriarch]

They respond to incentives like everyone else.

[DEG]

University academics caused a furore this week by claiming many students found the thought of reading books all the way to the end "daunting", due to shorter attention spans and an inability to focus on complex philosophies.

Those students aren't college material. Maybe they should take the hint and leave.

[Ted S.]

What's wrong with reading in their dorm rooms?

[Playa Manhattan.]

Well, they are separate spaces.

[BigT]

"... because we're not given the time or thinking space."

"We need at least 30 hour days, and 10 day weeks to get everything done since we are protesting so much."

[Juvenile Bluster]

Lizzy Kelly, a history student at Sheffield added: "Students might be more inclined to read what academics want them to if our curricula weren't overwhelmingly white, male and indicative of a society and structures we fundamentally disagree with because they don't work for us."

Not enough facepalms in the world.

[Doctor Whom]

I have a feeling they'll work even less well for her as time goes on.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

That was a problem in my day too. I remember students ask and sometimes demand professors tell them what parts of the required readings they should focus on. I used to read the book from end to end because, you know, to learn.

[lafe.long]

READ?!?!? Ain't nobody got time for that.

[wareagle]

by today's standard, that is doing it wrong.

[Jerryskids]

I believe the thinking space they lack is between their ears. I find with my kids a short sharp flick on the back of the head tends to clear out a little room in their heads and they can concentrate better.

[Steve G]

As was said by fellow students in my last couple degrees, "it's only a lot of reading if you do it"

[Thisisalongname]

"President Obama gets HBO's Game of Thrones early."

He plans to use the threat of spoilers to blackmail congress.

[Mickey Rat]

He needed pointers from Littlefinger.

[Jordan]

At a premiere event earlier this week in Hollywood, Game of Thrones showrunner Dan Weiss revealed that President Obama is the only person outside of HBO who will see advance screenings of new episodes.

What the fucking fuck? Utterly disgusting. Somebody should write a book about the imperial presidency.

[Ted S.]

THIS.

[Playa Manhattan.]

I bet he gets to run red lights too.

[Shirley Knott]

It's so cute the way you think he drives himself.

[Zeb]

His motorcade definitely gets to run red lights.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

It'll take GRRM 30 years to put a draft together, and then I suspect HBO will completely bastardize it.

I'm scared with where HBO could go on the show.

[Zeb]

It's obviously going in its own direction at this point. I watched the show after finishing all of the books out so far, so I'm going to be really confused when the next book comes out.

[Fist of Etiquette]

What about that kid dying of cancer whose only wish is to see zombies finally come to Westeros?

[Eternal Blue Sky]

Kid's an idiot. North of the Wall is still on the landmass of Westeros. They've always been in Westeros.

[Mickey Rat]

What shade of brown is Weiss' nose?

[GILMORE?]

Kasich to female college student: 'Don't go to parties where there's a lot of alcohol'

...

Also - stay away from Boys and The Mall and never masturbate to Twilight

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

masturbate to Twilight has to be a euphemism for something else, because... ewwww.

[Crusty Juggler]

Way to light the Los Doyers signal.

[Mickey Rat]

It does to 50 Shades of Greyscale.

[Pan Zagloba]

Spiked Online has an interview with Camille Paglia.

Sadly it's video-only and no transcript, so I only got a bit of the listen, but damn, why can't she be new Bernie?

[Crusty Juggler]

America is not ready for a lesbian president.

[Pan Zagloba]

So you're not ready for Hilary?

[AlmightyJB]

Took her a few minutes to settle into coherency but it's always refreshing to hear a feminist speak a little truth to power as opposed to the typical feminist derp. She made a lot of good points. Of course she ruins it at the end with her politics.

[GILMORE?]

First... Bruce Springsteen... then Bryan Adams... then Ringo Starr....

NOW, horror upon horrors = The South Will Be Deprived of Cirque Du Soleil

Surely this culture-embargo will soon have Carolinians crying in anguish to rejoin the Modern Age

[HeteroPatriarch]

Bryan Adams, Cirque Du Soleil...There are too many Canadians involved for this boycott to last past November.

[R C Dean]

Ya gotta give the founder of Cirque a shout-out for his name alone:

Guy Laliberte.

[Mokers]

Don't forget Michael Moore saying he won't show his new documentary there. Oh the horror...

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

CELEBRITIES ARE MOBILIZING!

What do we do?! What do we do?!

[Atanarjuat]

Can we pass a law similar to NC's here in Floriduh, ASAP?

[PBR Streetgang]

But he aired Fahrenheit 9/11 in the UAE. The country where homosexuality is a capital offense.

[BigT]

Michael Moore saying he won't show his new documentary there

[49 other AGs begin drafting similar legislation]

[Mickey Rat]

Please do not throw us in that briar patch, Mr Moore!

Exactly who does he think he is hurting by not showing his latest screed in NC?

[Enough About Palin]

Isn't this an interstate commerce issue?

[Tonio]

[golf clap]

[Playa Manhattan.]

Ha ha.

[GILMORE?]

that's pretty tasty

[Crusty Juggler]

Agreed.

[Jerryskids]

As somebody pointed out - it sure must be nice for those folks to be able to discriminate by picking and choosing who they want to have as their customers and who they don't. Don't any of them sell wedding cakes?

[ant1sthenes]

Huh, maybe we should legalize already-legal discrimination here too.

[Atanarjuat]

A quick Google search shows Cirque is still scheduling performances in places like Dubai, UAE, etc. It's amazing how vapid these causes are.

[Mickey Rat]

So celebrities exercise their right not to do business with people they disagree with in protest of a law preventing the government from forcing people to do business with people they disagree with.

Strange.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

Just thought of a reality show: WHEN CELEBRITIES MOBILIZE.

It's all about them saying feelz goodz things and then failing.

I'd call it a tragic-comedy?

[Bee Tagger]

In answering the question, Kasich talked about efforts in Ohio to provide support for college students facing sexual harassment, such as access to confidential reporting, rape kits and the opportunity to "pursue justice after you have had some time to reflect on it all."

With how downright BORING and ACCEPTABLE this part of the answer is, I can see why it wasn't any higher than the 3rd paragraph.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Bernie Sanders visited the Vatican to talk about an "immoral" economy, without mentioning the unprecedented rise in prosperity the world has seen in the last half century.

Bernie- you're free to move to a country with a moral economoy, like Cuba or Venezuela.

[Atanarjuat]

The transport minister of Belgium resigned over lapses in airport security revealed by a leaked European Union report.

A U.S. official in a similar predicament would just brazenly demand more funding.

[Jerryskids]

An "immoral" economy that benefits the better-off, remember. No mention of how the better-off got to be better off. Apparently Bernie believes a more moral economy would be one where doing well is punished and doing poorly rewarded. You don't have to think about it more than a few seconds to see the problem with that idea. While that fucker's in Rome I'm going to go to his house and get moral with everything in it. Surely Bernie wouldn't complain about sharing the wealth, right?

[Ted S.]

They got to be better-off by being politicians.

[B.P.]

"I'm going to go to his house and get moral with everything in it."

This is my most favorite masturbation euphemism yet.

[HeteroPatriarch]

While that fucker's in Rome I'm going to go to his house and get moral with everything in it.

These masturbation euphemisms...

[Rich]

In case you need a pick-up technique for the weekend:

Man stinks up bar with fart spray

When police searched [him], they found in his pants pocket a spray bottle of Liquid ASS, which appeared to have worked as advertised.

[Ted S.]

Liquid Axe would have been just as bad.

[Playa Manhattan.]

He sprayed it in some chick's face. THAT'S negging.

[Rich]

But she refused to press charges. THAT'S class.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Because she's interested.

[gaoxiaen]

I always wondered why everyone thought that my idea for reodorant wasn't very good.

[SIV]

I didn't see the news today. Has Michelle Fields been charged with filing a false report yet?

[Zeb]

Lack of evidence doesn't imply evidence of deliberate deception. I don't think they are any more likely to prove beyond reasonable doubt that she made any false statements than to prove that whatever happened there was an assault.

The whole thing was pointless and stupid. This seems like the place for it to end.

[SIV]

It is reasonable to believe Fields crudely staged the incident and, not achieving her desired goal, followed up by filing a false report to give herself temporary credibility. It will end as I suspect her "career in journalism" is over.

[SIV]

"Grab its motherfucking arm"

[JeremyR]

Did any Trump fan even read the statement from the prosecutor?

He said that Trump's thug clearly lied about handling Fields, but it wasn't worth prosecuting

[B.P.]

Friday Funnies: GQ editor says Obama will be viewed in the future as Mt. Rushmore great...

http://www.gq.com/story/obama-.....ent-legacy

[Fist of Etiquette]

And Cash for Clunkers will be bigger than the New Deal!

[GILMORE?]

I really want to re-edit this video where instead of Heroin poppies and scary music, the text describes a family happily working on their sustainable organic Kale & Quinoa plantation to the tune of a Coldplay anthem

[John]

I have always thought the solution to Afghanistan was to legalize heroin and grant the Afghans an exclusive license to sell it on the condition that they never allow the Taliban or any Arab or Persian Muslim into the country. I think that would have solved our problems there very quickly.

[GILMORE?]

Or we could have just left in 2002 and offered to *buy* 1bn in opium a year, to be resold to pharma co's .

[yet another dave]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/c.....-1.2861290

Guess who's been reading hillaries emails

[Ted S.]

PM Zoolander?

[Citizen X]

Kim Jong-Un?

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

"...Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked Thursday whether he is confident that the RCMP has been using the key only with court orders. Trudeau responded that he sees this as an "issue that obviously is of concern to many people"

The Prime Minister added that he was elected "on a commitment to bring in proper oversight of our national security agencies and police agencies" and that his government is working to "reassure people that we are both keeping them safe and protecting our rights and freedoms."

Blah, blah, blah from Prime Minister Blah bin Blah.

[Hamster of Doom]

"We are indeed in a dark place when companies put their reputations above the greater good," Chen wrote.

If the greater good is a major shareholder, then, well, the man has a point.

[Rich]

Dudley Do-Right?

[PBR Streetgang]

"Dear White House Forum, I never thought it would happen to me, but..."

[Irish ?s Lauren Southern]

"The transport minister of Belgium resigned over lapses in airport security revealed by a leaked European Union report."

The punishment is for the transportation minister to be shoved into the gaping, cavernous maw of Belgium's health minister.

They say her victims are slowly digested over the course of 1000 years.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Did they ever explain how the sarlaac kept its victims alive that long? I assume they must stay alive, otherwise what's the point of describing how it eats? Once you're dead, who cares?

[Eternal Blue Sky]

Something something psychic microorganisms something.

[Citizen X]

John would.

Crusty already did.

[Crusty Juggler]

Would if she got a nosejob.

[Citizen X]

When Crusty says "nosejob" he does not mean what you want "nosejob" to mean.

[gaoxiaen]

She needs liposuction on her face. I'm sure the rest of her body does too.

[Trouser-Pod (The blowhard)]

Why did you post a pic of the thing that ate Belgium's health minister?

[HeteroPatriarch]

First thought

[Migrant Log Chipper]

Jabba the Hutress...yikes.

[Crusty Juggler]

Meet the most hated man in the Pentagon

Company leaders accuse Assad ? a former Raytheon executive who spent more than two decades in the defense industry ? of pursuing a "personal vendetta" by hounding firms large and small to justify what they charge for weapons or services. But Assad says he learned a valuable lesson from his years at Raytheon, one of the Pentagon's largest contractors: "We generally overpay for almost everything we buy."

[CE]

Someone doesn't understand how the game is played, huh?

[Drake]

Should be the Sec of Defense.

[John]

Screw that, lets run this guy for President.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

Agreed!! Assad 2016!!

[ant1sthenes]

It's going to make news articles about our Syria policy more than a little confusing.

[Juice]

I always thought stories like this were exaggerated, but I'm learning through my own experiences that when working in/with a government agency, saving money and even talking about trying to save money gets you "dirty looks." It's exactly as described. Spending, nay wasting, money is seen as doing a good job. It's completely ass backwards and I don't get it.

[Migrant Log Chipper]

A competent bureaucrat, color me impressed....dude won't ever get a promotion.

[Rich]

The transport minister, Jacqueline Galant, at first said she had not seen the report and claimed she was being made a victim of a "media crusade."

You know who else claimed to be a victim of a "crusade"?

[Ted S.]

Billy Graham?

[Citizen X]

The Byzantines?

[HeteroPatriarch]

The Viet Cong?

[Crusty Juggler]

Hillary Clinton?

[R C Dean]

No mention of the Lewandowski battery case being dropped?

Links seem like the ideal place to follow up on stories that Reason had put up two or three times in the past, no?

Among other inconsistencies, investigators found that Fields began the altercation by leaving the press area, entering the 'protective bubble' of Secret Service and staff security surrounding Trump, touching him in the process.

Ellis said Fields told her office that she had never touched Trump, but added: 'That's not what we see captured on the video.'

The video evidence shows the Republican front-runner pulling away from her after she makes contact.

One witness account:

'From my perspective, I was just looking at her rush him ... and then suddenly she makes a dramatic spin and turn that looked like a fraudulent slip-and-fall. I mean, it was just blatant.'

'It looked so, so ? disproportionate, is the right word,' Spellman says on the video.

'It was bizarre. And I studied her after, because at first I thought she was drunk.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....ed-do.html

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Must be a cosmo coverup.

[R C Dean]

Totally missed it. And I even read that one. Must have been drunk again.

My bad. Carry on.

At least I was right that the links are the place to follow up on stories. Throw me a bone here!

[John]

A single line in the PM links. That is the reason version of the page 37 retraction of the front page story.

[HeteroPatriarch]

John's full trump even down to the ridiculous hypersensitivity.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Also, that description doesn't match anything on the video. She doesn't make a "dramatic spin and turn." Jesus Christ.

[R C Dean]

Yeah, but you gotta give the guy credit for this:

'I was looking right at her ... I also noticed she had jeans on. You don't get into that club with jeans on,' he said. 'So, uh, she looked pretty good in them, by the way.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Haha I did not catch that. Even if true, why on earth would you say that??

[HeteroPatriarch]

Trump supporter. Not quite human-level intelligence. Probably trying to neg her thinking she'd see it and hunt him down for the chance to jump his bone.

[R C Dean]

Even if true, why on earth would you say that??

Best thing he could say, to explain why he was focussed on her in that mob scene.

[Migrant Log Chipper]

This is bullshit like the press areas like trump (and I'm assuming the rest of the bunch here) can keep reporters . It's bullshit. I certainly don't trust most media, but if trump wants to play the same game as the Hildog does it's not a winner.

Paranoia is not a winning strategy for Trump or Cankles.

Oh wait these paranoid fucks will be on the ballot, fuck me with a sharp stick.

We are fucked either way...I find that depressing but I'll still get a lot of gilf in before I kick the bucket,

When the shit hits the fan it won't hit me , it will hit my younger nieces and nephews and they don't realize it despite being college educated. It's pretty depressing.

[Crusty Juggler]

Cannabis: scientists call for action amid mental health concerns

The risks of heavy cannabis for mental health are serious enough to warrant global public health campaigns, according to international drugs experts who said young people were particularly vulnerable.

[Playa Manhattan.]

"The researchers are keen not to exaggerate the risks"

That train has left the barn.

[HeteroPatriarch]

"According to the people who would build empires off global public health campaigns, _______ is serious enough to warrant global public health campaigns!"

[Zeb]

They keep trying to push that one and it never catches on.

It's kind of surprising really. That's the sort of bullshit drug warriors usually are all over.

[HeteroPatriarch]

The drug for which users are given the option of treatment of jailtime is the drug for which the most users seek treatment!

This article will be copied and pasted, with the years updated, in 35 different newspapers and magazines next year, just like it has been on slow news days for the last 40 years.

[gaoxiaen]

The cure is French wine, of course. Tequila if you're Latin American.

[Crusty Juggler]

Sweden launches Phone a Random Swede hotline - but don't mention the chef

The international number connects a caller with one of an unspecified number of volunteer Swedes who have downloaded an app.

There are no restrictions on what they talk about.

The opportunities for knowledge sharing are great. "Talk about northern lights, meatballs, politics, skiing," it suggests.

"Love, hiking, feminism, snow, gay rights, parental leave, suicide rates, the Nobel Prize, technology, crime novel, darkness, fashion, anything."

"What are you wearing?"

[Citizen X]

"Do you like Terminator 2?"

[HeteroPatriarch]

"What about Men of War?

[gaoxiaen]

I am curious...

[Ted S.]

Why is your immigration policy so fucked up?

[Jerryskids]

"Wanna see a picture I drew of Mohammed screwing a goat?"

[GILMORE?]

Bullshit Study Finds Scary Bullshit Evidence of Bullshit Dangers of Fast Food

"We're not trying to create paranoia or anxiety, but I do think our findings are alarming," said one of the study's authors, Ami Zota, an assistant professor of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University. "It's not every day that you conduct a study where the results are this strong."

Of course the things they find so concerning aren't *just* limited to fast food, but all packaged foods. And it doesn't even really mean its "unhealthy". Just that there are 'trace exposures'.

Considering the prevalence of packaged food ? and widespread exposure to phthalates (they can be detected in more than 98 percent of the population, per the CDC) ? however, the takeaway isn't necessarily that fast food is toxic. Fast food, after all, isn't the only culprit here. Nor are less healthful things in general.

"It's not fair to say, 'Oh, these exposures only happen if you eat unhealthy foods,'" Leo Trasande, an associate professor of pediatrics, environmental medicine and population health at New York University, told Bloomberg.

Anything that's gone through some form of processing or industrial packaging is vulnerable.

[Ted S.]

Yes, you are trying to create paranoia and anxiety.

[Rich]

Anything that's gone through some form of processing or industrial packaging is vulnerable.

Well, at least there's *some* hope.

[Zeb]

I thought we already did the bullshit phthalates scare?

Just once I'd like to hear one of these people start of with "we are trying to create paranoia and anxiety".

[Jerryskids]

Holy cow is that thing a piece of crap. They're claiming they're testing "exposure" to phthalates but they're measuring phthalate levels in the subjects rather than in the fast food? Somebody dunked in a 55-gallon drum of phthalates is going to have more exposure than somebody drinking 4 ounces of the stuff, but guess which one's going to have higher levels internally? And they're speculating as to where higher levels of phthalates might come from in fast food when they've not even checked to see if fast food even has higher levels? And then the concluding "whether or not there's a problem with the phthalates it would be better to avoid fast food because it's high in fat and salt and calories anyway" kinda suggests that you really don't give a rat's ass about the phthalates, it's the fast food you don't like.

[GILMORE?]

this person really gets it

hoffhort
5:14 PM EST
I'm just so glad there's Panera.

[gaoxiaen]

My banana leaf investments are finally going to pay off.

[GILMORE?]

4 People Protesting Trump in Grand Central

I've seen far more effective social-disruption conducted by School Field Trips

This person outside presents a more potent image, but maybe not for the reasons they'd prefer

[Crusty Juggler]

Would if she had a higher threshold for the cold.

[Playa Manhattan.]

The "2" is what really does it.

[GILMORE?]

you notice that the protestors simply have signs saying the same @(#*$()@ thing in different permutations?

Racism Destroys Our Humanity!
Our Humanity is Destroyed by Racism!
Racism!
Humanity!

[R C Dean]

Racity Destroys our Humanism!

Etc.

[HeteroPatriarch]

[Crusty Juggler]

[Citizen X]

[HeteroPatriarch]

Trying again:

I've seen far more effective social-disruption conducted by School Field Trips

The chilling effect of assaulting reporters and threatening prosecutors. Putin doesn't draw very big protests anymore either.

[Citizen X]

[Ted S.]

Threatening protesters, I think you mean.

Preet Bharara wasn't chilled by our comments.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

Or amused.

[R C Dean]

Preet didn't give a shit.

The judge at issue was one of his buttbuddies, if memory serves.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

Yeah well he went along for the ride now did he, right?

[ant1sthenes]

Would.

[lafe.long]

KFC Australia: Company Apologizes and Removes 'Hot and Spicy' Ad From Twitter After Criticism

The tweet featured a photo of a couple sitting on a couch and included a sexually suggestive pixelated blur. "WARNING: #NSFW. Something hot and spicy is coming soon," the caption read.

Of course, they immediately apologized and deleted the tweet within an hour.

[Ted S.]

That's offensive?

[lafe.long]

The girl is obviously being forced to touch the guy's pixel blur against her will.

Ipso facto misogyny.

[Crusty Juggler]

I am offended that they shared a picture of a mixed race couple.

[thrakkorzog]

Well, the man is obviously suffering from Blurry Genital Syndrome. A horrible disease, that by my own researc, affects over 90% of Japanese people.

[This Machine Chips Fascists]

You were blurry
Blurry down below

[Jerryskids]

A tweet by the Twitter account from KFC Australia was only up for an hour, and yet, still managed to offend enough people for it to get pulled.

It didn't offend anybody - it delighted a bunch of people who love to pretend to be offended.

[GILMORE?]

Their Fair Share = The Obama's tax-returns show an effective rate of ~18%

[Playa Manhattan.]

At least he donated to a real charity. Hillary, on the other hand....

[B. Woodrow Chippenhaus]

Obama and the first lady lowered their tax bill by claiming more than $145,000 in itemized deductions, including tax-deductible donations.

OH EM GEE LOOPHOLEZ!!!

[GILMORE?]

Family of Coerced Drug Informant Ask Why Feds Not Investigating His Death

This seems to be an update on the dude mentioned many times by Reason, who was killed while informing for ND cops

[Ted S.]

He wasn't black.

[Crusty Juggler]

"I feel my head is bashed in from hitting the wall so many times," Tammy Sadek said.

Exactly how they plan it.

[Mokers]

Head bashing comes after the nut punches.

[Enough About Palin]

It's been nearly two years since the body of 20-year-old Andrew Sadek was found in the Red River, which separates North Dakota from Minnesota

Believe me, a lot more than the Red River separates North Dakota from Minnesota.

[Crusty Juggler]

Like fracking royalties?

[lafe.long]

Jasper County, Georgia: Video Shows Boy Getting Hit With Paddle by His Principal, Mother Says

Shana Perez shared a video on Facebook that she says shows her 5-year-old son being paddled by his elementary school principal as punishment for spitting on another kindergarten student.

[R C Dean]

That's a flat-out violation of federal privacy law for students and education.

[Rich]

"He was crying. Holding his hands over his butt, trying to get away. Wanting his mommy."

"Hmm. Yes. Paddled, you know."

[R C Dean]

I'm no per se opponent of corporal punishment, but a paddle on a five year old seems out of line to me. Especially if you are swinging it with any force at all.

[Ted S.]

You better believe that's a paddling.

[GILMORE?]

OMG LOL FAIL

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

What's this 'promoted comment' crap I keep seeing at the top of the threads?

[Pan Zagloba]

It's Koch Brothers version of Canadian Content Requirements.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

CANCON!

Where would Canadian *culture* be without it!

We'd be minus one, what's her face, Margaret Atwood!

[Pan Zagloba]

Nah, Handmaid's Tale would be crammed down the throats of children if she were English or American with equal vigor. She hit on the masterpiece of agitprop which can also be used to pretend you did a Science Fiction book. And obviously, it's easier to digest (i.e. written far less competently) than something by LeGuin.

[Rhywun]

She didn't make it to my English classes but I did choose a LeGuin book on my own once. Made a little skit out of it and everything.

[gaoxiaen]

I think i read something by him but he used a "pen" name.

[Ted S.]

I beg your pardon?

[Zeb]

It's an attempt to extract more money from the peanut gallery.

[Pan Zagloba]

Damn, I read that as "petulant gallery" and..er.. resemble remark indeed.

[lafe.long]

Port Arthur, Texas: Softball Coach Who Was Wanted on Child Sex Assault Charge Found Dead, Police Say

Richard Harvey Jorgensen of Woodlands High School was found dead after he shot himself, local officials said Friday. Police said he was in a relationship with a member of the girls' softball team.

[HeteroPatriarch]

Police said he was in a relationship with a member of the girls' softball team.

Huh. So much for that stereotype.

[R C Dean]

Maybe he killed himself out of frustration?

[Ted S.]

How old was the girl?

[Enough About Palin]

Doesn't matter. She could be 30 and consenting and he'd still be charged with sexual assault because he is in a position of authority.

[PBR Streetgang]

Its high school, so probably a minor. But it IS Texas, so you never know...

[Ted S.]

The age of consent in Texas is under 18, right?

[Trouser-Pod (The blowhard)]

Yes-but, school.

So, it all works out!

[lafe.long]

Japan: Architect Designing Reflective Train That Blends In With Landscape, Seibu Group Says

The Seibu Group commissioned award-winning architect Kazuyo Sejima and her firm, SANAA, to modify pre-existing trains for the railway company's 100th anniversary celebration.

[Ted S.]

This is the NOT.

[HeteroPatriarch]

Invisible bullet train. Nothing can go wrong with that.

[Mickey Rat]

There is no way we are going to regret this idea!

[Irish ?s Lauren Southern]

Fox News/CNN talking head Wendy Murphy thinks Fifty Shades of Grey violates the UN rules against torture.

"The most important point is this: Fifty Shades of Grey eroticizes torture. That's it. And civilized societies are supposed to condemn torture not climax to it.

Torture is defined in Article 1 of the United Nations Convention Against Torture as: "Any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person? " Under military law, torture is "an act specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering upon another person within the actor's custody or physical control." California describes torture as the infliction of "great bodily injury" that causes "cruel or extreme pain and suffering? for any sadistic purpose," including "for the purpose of experiencing pleasure." Numerous scenes in Fifty Shades of Grey easily fit these definitions.

Though some argue that sexual torture is acceptable so long as the victim wants to being strung up by chains and beaten with a whip, it is, in fact, illegal to consent to torture. Equally misguided are claims that it's "only a fantasy" because victims depicted in torture films are real people, as are the women who go home and submit to the violence they see on the big screen."

[Irish ?s Lauren Southern]

""Private sexual behavior between consenting adults is rarely the government's business, but when it constitutes criminal activity to which adults cannot lawfully consent, the fact that it happens behind closed doors is irrelevant.""

LOL

[John]

I think the entire thing is just a cry on Wendy's part for her husband (or boyfriend if she is not married) to be a little more freaky in the sack. The woman just wants to feel like the guy is in control a little bit. Is that so wrong?

[R C Dean]

So, naturally, there can be no privacy interest in sexual activity, because otherwise how can the state determine whether it constitutes criminal activity to which adults cannot lawfully consent?

[gaoxiaen]

Read the contract. It says "annual sex".

[Crusty Juggler]

From her website:

Wendy is adjunct professor of sexual violence law at New England Law|Boston where she has taught for fifteen years.

[John]

It is like prosecutors who obsess over hookers and then get caught trolling for street walkers or people who seem a little too concerned about the evils of child pornography who then turn out to be making the stuff in their spare time.

I don't think you spend 15 years teaching "sexual violence law" unless you have some unresolved issues about your own interests in such thing. Or in other words, I bet Wendy is more fun that she seems. Just saying.

[Playa Manhattan.]

How can we talk about any of the links when Michael Bubl? doesn't know how to eat corn on the cob?

[Ted S.]

Who gives a shit about Michael Bubble? He's a terrible singer.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Singer? He doesn't even know how to eat corn!

[GILMORE?]

US Security Actually Riding on Europe's Coat-Tails

Europe already assumes more than its fair share of the regional security burden. It invests not only in its military but also in crucial geo-economic and institutional instruments that the United States does not possess ? but needs. In this respect, the United States freerides on European power.

Consider the facts. The U.S. military commitment to European defense is surprisingly small. [WTF?] After the Cold War, almost 90 percent of American soldiers departed. Today only about 5 percent of total U.S. active-duty personnel and a few hundred among thousands of U.S. nuclear weapons are deployed there.

...Without naval ports, air force bases, hospitals and command centers in Italy, Spain, Germany and Turkey [which the US pays for], U.S. military operations in the Middle East, South Asia, etc. would be nearly impossible. When Americans think about global influence, they tend to calculate only military power. Yet in world politics, nonmilitary instruments are often more effective. And Europe is the world's preeminent civilian superpower.

[HeteroPatriarch]

What is...I can't even...

[Crusty Juggler]

Yet all such criticism of low European defense spending rests on a misleadingly narrow conception of national security. When Americans think about global influence, they tend to calculate only military power. Yet in world politics, nonmilitary instruments are often more effective. And Europe is the world's preeminent civilian superpower.

Repeated: Yet in world politics, nonmilitary instruments are often more effective.

[R C Dean]

And look how well it works out for them! Why, the list of Euro soft-power victories is practically endless!

There's, well, the unenforcable global warming paper! And . . . ummm . . . give me a minute . . .

[ant1sthenes]

Even if civilian institutions are useful, they're also fairly inexpensive relative to The World's Biggest Army.

[ant1sthenes]

Or rather, could be, if run with an eye for cost efficiency.

[GILMORE?]

Plague of Locusts Signals America Still Subject of God's Wrath

[Stormy Dragon]

Virginia Zoning Board receives standing ovations after refusing to gran a permit for construction of a Mosque:

'Overwhelming support' follows mosque uproar

I'm sure all the religious freedom activists will be demanding state-level legislation to protect the beliefs of this... pffffHAHAHAA.

Sorry, I couldn't get through that with a straight face.

[John]

you are right. That isn't consistent with freedom. And I have no idea who wanted to build that mosque but I will assume they were not nasty people. Let me ask you, do zoning commissions get standing ovations for stopping the building of Hindu Temples? Or Buddhist ones? Not that I have ever seen.

So don't tell me this is about people hating the evil brown people. No, this is about the fact that the multiple acts of terror committed in this country by Muslims over the last 20 years has unsurprisingly made Muslims a pretty unpopular group. That is not an excuse for this it is an explanation.

It may not be fair but it is human nature. If Christians were blowing shit up in an Islamic country, I doubt building churches would be very popular. So instead of raging against human nature, which last I looked isn't going to change anytime soon, maybe Muslims should think about making a few more efforts to be less unpopular. That sucks and isn't' fair. but life mostly sucks and isn't' fair.

[Ted S.]

Christians aren't blowing stuff up in Saudi Arabia, and good luck trying to build a church there.

[John]

It is a crime to have a bible and converting from Islam is punishable by death. But the real issue is some people in Virginia not wanting a mosque to be built.

[Zeb]

There can be more than one real issue. But I agree with your assessment of the situation above. And that Muslim ruled countries are much, much worse on religious freedom and tolerance.

[John]

Why is it even a big issue? Yeah, people in this country don't like Muslims. Why would you think they would given what has occurred over the last 20 years?

[Zeb]

It's not surprising, but it's disappointing. But so are people's views on free speech, gun rights and the rights of the accused.

[Irish ?s Lauren Southern]

John, I think 'but we're better than Saudi Arabia!' isn't a particularly good justification for not letting American citizens build a Mosque.

[John]

Given the fact hat Muslims have been good for at least one significant terror attack every couple of years since 2001 in this country, I would say we are very good in comparison to how any other country would react to such.

I get it that you don't think any of that is any big deal and would never consider it to be any kind of issue. But most of the rest of humanity doesn't see it that way. If you are a part of a small minority with an alien religion and people start conducting terrorist attacks in the name of your religion, you have a real problem. The US is one of the most if the most tolerant nation in history in that regard. In pretty much every other time and place, Muslims would have likely been expelled by now.

[Zeb]

I get it that you don't think any of that is any big deal and would never consider it to be any kind of issue.

I'm not sure how you would have developed that idea of what Irish thinks. He's not usually too timid in criticizing Islam.

[John]

I'm not sure how you would have developed that idea of what Irish thinks. He's not usually too timid in criticizing Islam.

Irish seems to think these people would have no reason at all to be distrustful or in any way dislike Muslims. He can't understand how multiple terrorists attacks by Muslims in this country could be a big deal to anyone such that they might think worse of Muslims as a result.

For Irish, all of this resentment seems to have come from thin air.

[Zeb]

You both seem to be misreading each other (or reading things in that aren't there). Whatever. I'll stop playing comment mediator now.

[Zeb]

TO be fair, John did start out saying that not allowing the mosque to be built is not consistent with freedom.

[Heroic Mulatto]

If Christians were blowing shit up in an Islamic country, I doubt building churches would be very popular.

Well, that, and the construction and/or repair of churches is specifically against sharia.

[Irish ?s Lauren Southern]

"maybe Muslims should think about making a few more efforts to be less unpopular"

Jesus Christ John.

[John]

It is reality. its not fair or right but since when is life fair? The bottom line is that every time there is a terrorist attack people get more hostile to Muslims. If you are a Muslim, you do yourself no good by pretending that isn't true or that whining about how unfair it is is going to change things. If you are a Muslim you need to be thinking about things you can do to mitigate that. And calling everyone racists and whining isn't going to do that.

[paranoid android]

"The bottom line is that every time there is a terrorist attack rape on a college campus people get more hostile to Muslims young men. If you are a Muslim man, you do yourself no good by pretending that isn't true or that whining about how unfair it is is going to change things."

[John]

Yeah android, life isn't fair. When one group makes it habit of murdering another, that group isn't too popular.

If I said Muslims didn't like Americans because of our wars in Iraq, you would agree with that. But somehow the observations that Americans don't like Muslims because of terrorism offends your sorry ass.

[paranoid android]

And yet you think that the onus falls about the Muslims in Virginia--who none of us have cause to believe have ever blown up or hurt anyone--to somehow make themselves "less unpopular" in the eyes of a bunch of collectivists who blame them for the actions of their coreligionists thousands of miles away whom they have likely never met.

[John]

And yet you think that the onus falls about the Muslims in Virginia

I don't think it does. It apparently does. What I think or you think about it really doesn't matter. Again, it is human nature. And sitting around virtue signaling about how terrible that is isn't going to change it. Yeah, if you are a Muslim in this country, a lot of people cant' stand you. So rather than pretending that is going to change on its own or will change if we just call enough people racists, maybe Muslims should think of ways to change that perception. Again, it isn't fair but it is reality.

[R C Dean]

There's a distinction here, android:

There are very few false accusations that a terror attack was committed by Muslims.

There are more than a few false accusations about rape on campus.

Muslim terrorism is a real problem (although we can differ on how important it is).

Rape culture on campus and "1 in 5 college women will be sexually assaulted" are made-up horseshit.

[Irish ?s Lauren Southern]

But that's irrelevant. These people are actively constraining religious liberty. I don't give a shit if it's because other Muslims did bad things. Who cares? Stormy was criticizing *these particular anti-liberty assholes* and it's ridiculous that you're making excuses for them.

[John]

There is a difference between an excuse and a reason. I am not excusing them. I am just telling you the reason for this. Fine call them assholes all you want. That isn't going to change anything or make anything better of Muslims. In fact, it is just going to make things worse.

Do you really think you are helping Muslims by calling everyone who is angry with them an asshole? Do you think they are suddenly going to go "oh Irish thinks we are assholes I guess we should love Muslims"?

No. All you and android and the rest of the people who act like this just came out of nowhere are just making it worse. You just make people feel more justified to hate Muslims because they see their resentments being dismissed. You are not helping Muslims. You think you are and God know s you love feeling superior and virtue signaling. But it is not helping.

[Steve G]

Needs more condescension. Those muzzies just need to go to their room and think about what they've (not) done.
By all means, let's cheer an action that has a better than average chance of actually radicalizing people who now think they have something to push back on.

[ant1sthenes]

Hell, if you want to see what the future holds, look at Iraq. Shi'ites, not unfairly, tend to treat all Sunnis as potential members of ISIS, and that means a lot of people being disappeared in the middle of the night (probably didn't help that Saddam's regime was tilted toward Sunnis as well). Europe will relearn its survival impulse too, at the expense of Sunnis there. Fact is, when a non-negligible percentage of a community are a mix of berserkers, Nazis, and the Inquisition, they're going to have problems getting along with other communities unless they eliminate that element or clearly separate themselves from it. No one else can do it, and the simple fact of the matter is that wars are fought between communities, not individuals.

[Stormy Dragon]

So instead of raging against human nature, which last I looked isn't going to change anytime soon, maybe MuslimsChristian bakers should think about making a few more efforts to be less unpopular. That sucks and isn't' fair. but life mostly sucks and isn't' fair.

[R C Dean]

I haven't noticed Christian bakers being notably unpopular, myself. Sure, they have a handful of fanatical ideological enemies that want to destroy them if they don't fall in line, but that's not "unpopular".

[HeteroPatriarch]

They're unpopular in Stormy's world. He doesn't know anybody who likes them.

[Trouser-Pod (The blowhard)]

Which Christian bakers were raging? I never saw that reported/recorded anywhere.

[John]

Sure Stormey. And when those bakers start killing people come back and talk to me. Until then the unpopularity of the two groups is not analogous.

And last I looked you were pretty damned happy about what happened to those bakers. Why are you so sad about this?

[Stormy Dragon]

Because, as you demonstrate here, 95% of the hand wringing about religious freedom is completely phony.

Socons are perfectly happy to have the state interfere with the religious practice, as long as it's only being used to harass non-Christians.

Socons are perfectly happy to have non-discrimination laws, as long as they only protect Christians.

They just want the power to force people to comply with their religious beliefs and everything beyond that is just purely situational rationalization for why you have to obey them this time.

[ant1sthenes]

"Because, as you demonstrate here, 95% of the hand wringing about religious freedom is completely phony."

I wouldn't go that far. I expect that most non-Christian groups would receive a fairly warm welcome, except for the ones that routinely use their houses of worship to spread hate, plot murder, and plan to subjugate their host population.

[Stormy Dragon]

I expect that most non-Christian groups would receive a fairly warm welcome, except for the ones that routinely use their houses of worship to spread hate

See, you bring in a non-Christian and suddenly socons start talking like SJWs.

[GILMORE?]

Bullshit. Just because you found "some people, somewhere" who aren't keen on mosques doesn't mean all the people here who actually understand the first amendment and its specific protections of religion are ALL hypocrites. That a pretty dumb rhetorical ploy.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

It is the rhetorical ploy John is using throughout this thread.

[Juvenile Bluster]

Note that the article's from November. Most recent update (on mobile, can't link) seems to be that they denied it again a couple of weeks ago, and the people behind the Islamic Center are contacting lawyers. Which means that this is going to end with a federal court ruling and a large check going from the city to the Mosque and the Mosque's lawyers.

[R C Dean]

a large check going from the city to the Mosque and the Mosque's lawyers.

That's going to depend on the details. They were looking for a special use permit. If it was denied on defensible grounds (and who knows if it was), and the city has a lot of discretion in giving exceptions to extant zoning, then the city will likely win.

[R C Dean]

There could be non-discriminatory reasons to not allow the mosque there. It does say they need a special-use permit, which means its not allowed by current zoning.

Since the current spin "mosque blocked by haters" or "hate mosque blocked by patriots" (take your pick) feeds too many narratives, I suspect we'll never know if there are other reasons for this.

[The Bearded Hobbit]

Well said, RC

... Hobbit

[Stormy Dragon]

The type of special use permit the mosque wanted has only been denied one other time in the last 20 years:

Before denying Islamic Center, Culpeper had approved 18 of last 19 applications in last 20 years

That included one issued last year for a Baptist church.

[Steve G]

Yeah, I'm sure the standing O was for procedural reasons.

[Stormy Dragon]

You just don't get how much the people of Culpeper county love their parliamentary procedure. Why my great grandpappy still tells me tales of the Great Motion to Suspend Normal Order of Business of '28.

[Crusty Juggler]

'Trump has appealed to the lowest common denominator of fear, racism and divisiveness': Apprentice winner Randall and three former contestants denounce Trump in press conference

This was in response to Trump's "they gonna put y'all back in chains" remark.

[Citizen X]

So he'll have to come up with some other way to distinguish himself from the rest of the field, then.

[John]

+1

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

Gee, if Trump is appealing to the lowest common denominator where does that leave the people Grandpa Gulag appeals to?

[Pan Zagloba]

Kaloi Kagathoi. Patricians. God's Chosen. Elites. And so forth.

Bernie ain't no populist - his electorate are the members of Good Thinking Elite who are currently not on top and want to be. Assholes who start revolutions and then are shocked when the bruisers they had whipping cannon fodder turn on them.

[Jerryskids]

"Lowest common denominator" almost sounds like a challenge, doesn't it?

[Ted S.]

Isn't that what TEAM BLUE says about TEAM RED? They're desperate for black voter turnout.

[John]

It is all they have. And worse, black people seem to like Trump.

[Irish ?s Lauren Southern]

Hippie discovers the barter system, thinks he's stumbled on a profound truth.

"Here's the mind-blowing argument: "If we each grow a large crop of different food, we could all trade with each other and eat for practically free.""

[Zeb]

Ha. Yeah, division of labor is a good thing. But that guy obviously has no idea how farming works.

Next he'll discover the brilliant idea of using some easily portable commodity whose value people can generally agree on as a medium of exchange. If he sticks with it, maybe he will eventually stumble on the value of markets and capitalism.

[Ted S.]

Yeah, because all that work growing the stuff costs $0.

[Juice]

We sow the seed. Nature grows the seed. We eat the seed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xjaLxHLE0I

[Pan Zagloba]

Shut up, Neil!

[Butts Wagner]

I posted this on the U of Delaware post. I guess it belongs here

[Crusty Juggler]

For whatever reason I cannot do it, but one of you should google "Noah's Ark Kentucky" and post a link to that absurdity.

[Zeb]

done

Absurd, but kind of awesome.

[Crusty Juggler]

The employees have to be Christian, and sign a waiver professing their belief in God. They received an exemption.

[lafe.long]

Coming soon to Kentucky: Noah's Ark theme park

Ken Ham, CEO of Answers in Genesis, the Christian organization behind the project, believes the park will be able to cater to 16,000 guests every day.

CEO Ken Ham, CFO Burt Shem, and CTO Larry Japheth

[Irish ?s Lauren Southern]

"Due to the anticipated high level of interest, Ham said, entry to the park would be limited for the first 40 days and nights, a reference to the time period that Noah and his family spent in the ark."

Ken Ham's so funny. Much laughter. Great jokes.

[GILMORE?]

The old-testament's Larry, Moe and Curley

[John]

You have to admit, they have a solid business model. You know they are going to make bank.

[Zeb]

I kind of want to see it just for the spectacle. Though I doubt I could keep a straight face if it's all full of people who think it is all a recreation of something that actually happened.

[GILMORE?]

I once dropped acid and went to Dollywood.

Actually Rye Playland was much better for that overall, but still, Dollywood had some christian-themed musical numbers and rides.

[Jerryskids]

LOL! I remember that night - we put a bucket on your head and stuck you in front of a TV showing a Hee-Haw re-run and told you you were at Dollywood! You still seriously believe you went there?

[Krabappel]

That sounds... nightmarish.

[GILMORE?]

Weeping with laughter during christian-ministry-puppetry-musical-numbers can be confused with Religious Devotion.

[B.P.]

I'll definitely be going to that.

[Irish ?s Lauren Southern]

That's actually a pretty cool building project. Although you'd think the fact that it required them to use massive modern construction equipment to complete would prove to Ken Ham that Noah's Ark can't possibly have existed in real life.

[Heroic Mulatto]

I wonder if they're going to build it as it was actually described in Genesis (i.e., a giant box) or are they going to pander to the biblically illiterate and build the usual "ship".

[Zeb]

Check out the pictures and see what you think. It looks like it might be pretty accurate. Though I haven't read the Bible description of it for some time.

[Trouser-Pod (The blowhard)]

Although you'd think the fact that it required them

They were required to use modern technology? Who forced that?

[Hamster of Doom]

Their God is a capricious God. Theirs is not to question the word of God.

[lafe.long]

I think someone should try to rent it and see how many animals will actually fit on it.

Quote found on a googled image:

Ken Ham needs more that $100,000,000, modern machinery, a huge team of labor, roads, lumber mills, AND tax breaks and never once thinks "You know... I don't think a 500 year old man could pull this off with tools from the bronze age." -Anthony Blair

[R C Dean]

Although you'd think the fact that it required them to use massive modern construction equipment to complete

Doesn't prove much, really. There are scads of ancient buildings, etc. that we would need modern equipment to complete, but they managed without.

For one thing, there is little that modern equipment can do that enough men with hand tools can't also do. It just takes an assload of men with hand tools to do in a year what a couple of Caterpillar D-9s can do in a day.

[Rhywun]

I know, right?

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

They had giants helping them, you moron!

[Notorious UGCC]

If you ignore the standard SJW babble, this article gets in a few good thwacks at Woody Wilson, even contrasting him unfavorably with Republican presidents.

[Pay up, Palin's Buttplug!]

But, but, but... the parties switched!

[chustanili]

Once I saw the draft of 5210 bucks,,, I admit that my friend's brother was like really generating cash in his free time with his COM. BG His aunt has done this for only 5 months and by now repaid the loan on their home and bought a new Car ...B-----09

------------ http://www.Buzzmax7.com

[saudihoome]

https://www.bayt-saudi.com/

[beverlyramos]

our roomate's sister-in-law makes 85 an hour on the internet... she's been unemployed for eight months but the previous month her income was 12306 working on the internet a few hours every day... go to this site

========== http://www.pathcash30.com

[disaster]

Beware of earthquake zone

[CE]

To hard to concentrate with the flat screen HDTVs, satellite TV and broadband internet for downloading pirated movies.

[Rich]

Not to mention the ubiquitous transgender-curious sexcapades.

[Steve G]

Go on...