Breitbart Head Now CEO of Trump Campaign, Former Manager Manafort Helped Ukrainians Funnel Funds to D.C. Lobbyists, Peter Thiel Pushes Revenge-Porn Bill: A.M. Links

• 

  MOLLY RILEY/UPI/Newscom

  Stephen Bannon, executive chairman of Breitbart News, has been appointed CEO of the Trump campaign. Bannon, an avid critic of Paul Ryan and other establishment Republicans who have endorsed Trump, said he will temporarily step down from Breitbart.

• Trump's former campaign chair, Paul Manafort, has been bumped down, with his role to be taken over by GOP strategist Kellyanne Conway. Sources inside the campaign say Trump was dissatisfied with the way Manafort tried to rein in the candidate's personality and impulses over the past few months.
• It's a bad week all around for Manafort, whom AP found to have helped a pro-Russian faction in Ukraine funnel millions to D.C. lobbying firms.

Bannon has convinced Trump that rest of campaign needs to be bare-knuckles brawl, w/ full-bore populism/movement politics

— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 17, 2016

• The longer someone is obese, the more likely they are to get cancer. "The risk to develop these cancers is not only dependent on overweight duration itself but also on the degree of overweight over time," said lead study author Melina Arnold.
• A Los Angeles effort to "rescue commercially sexually exploited children" resulted in the arrest of 153 adults on prostitution charges.
• Tech billionaire & Gawker foe Peter Thiel threw his weight behind Rep. Jackie Speier's (D-California) "revenge porn" bill yesterday—and Speier's isn't happy about it.
• A federal appeals court says the U.S. Justice Department can't prosecute marijuana businesses who "fully comply" with state laws regarding cannabis.
• What the Justice Department's report on policing in Baltimore reveals about sex workers, cops, and corruption.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Bannon, an avid critic of Paul Ryan and other establishment Republicans who have endorsed Trump, said he will temporarily step down from Breitbart.

Trump's activating his presidential bubble earlier than most.

[Swiss Servator]

Fart bubble in the hot tub?

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

So that's where the corn came from.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Stephen Bannon, executive chairman of Breitbart News, has been appointed CEO of the Trump campaign. Bannon, an avid critic of Paul Ryan and other establishment Republicans who have endorsed Trump, said he will temporarily step down from Breitbart.

State-media sure has gone downhill since the days of Prvda.

[Swiss Servator]

I was more of a Izvestia man, m'self.

[Just a thought not a sermon]

"There is no truth in the news, and no news in the truth."

[Red Rocks Okey-Dokein]

Honestly, how this not another example of how incestuous the media/political complex has become? There's plenty of room to criticize Democrats for using the media as their party organ (which the DNC email dump merely confirmed, despite it being an open secret for about 70 years or so), but it's telling that Trump hiring former media hacks to help him with his campaign.

This is a big problem with the institutions of the press and the government in particular, especially in DC and New York (you could throw in Hollywood here to a certain extent, too, since the big studio and entertainment moguls are almost all lockstep Democrats). These people all attend the same social functions (cocktail partiez!), they all more or less know each other, and they often end up marrying each other, all the while moving back and forth between media jobs and political hack jobs. A press can't maintain journalistic integrity when it has an obvious conflict of interest based on their job history.

[Just a thought not a sermon]

215) Yesterday the Obama administration issued new fuel efficiency standards for heavy trucks and buses. Don't worry, though, "the new fuel-efficiency rules?have largely been embraced by the trucking industry" because "fuel costs are a top expense for many companies and that they welcome an opportunity to become more efficient."

But, wait?if they can save on fuel costs, why do they need legislation to make them do it? Maybe because "the new fuel-efficiency standards are likely to lead to more expense vehicles ? as much as $14,000 more for a large truck."

Ah, okay, now it make sense. Require everybody to have far more expensive equipment, and you can shut out the smaller operators.

[Just a thought not a sermon]

Just to check, I searched on Google "independent truckers decline" and yep, there's a whole slew of articles from the past 2-3 years on how independent owner-operator truckers and small trucking firms are disappearing. Here's a good one from last year: Trucking Makes a Comeback, but Small Operators Miss Out

Yet another industry where Obama is squeezing out everybody but the biggest companies, even as progressives complain about rising inequality?

[Doctor Whom]

Regulatory capture is the result of not enough regulation. I know this because progressives routinely tell me so. Therefore, we need another regulation to undo the effects of regulation all of that free-market capitalism that we have in America.

[BigT]

This also feeds the UAW.

[Free Society]

Industry after industry, the US federal government is cartelizing them with it's leviathan regulatory apparatus. The US federal gubmint does this more than any state and local government, they have the power and the reach that smaller governments don't have and in most cases can't have. These United States are entirely too big for their britches.

[John]

My father worked in corporate America. He always said that big companies love big government. They can absorb the costs of compliance and greatly benefit from regulations destroying their small and often innovative competitors.

[Cdr Lytton]

Indeed. The Bell System was the result of cronyism and cartelization since the early part of the last century, and went hand in glove with the government. Even Divestiture wasn't seen as a negative thing by AT&T but as a way to be rid of the slow operating company albatrosses so they could focus on the sexier and greater potential equipment business coupled with the lucrative Long Lines(*).

(*) the governments original suit (which was more of just the latest series of regulatory actions stretching back almost 50 years prior to Divestiture, hence the legal form was Modification of Final Judgement (of a 1956 consent decree)) was to force AT&T to give up Western Electric, their manufacturing arm.

[kbolino]

One of the lesser told stories of "Ma Bell" was that deregulation of the telephone industry did more for consumers than the anti-trust breakup ever did. The RBOCs could have been even worse than AT&T was if not for competition from other providers.

[Cdr Lytton]

I also see corporate lobbyists and government/regulatory affairs types as the same way. They bounce between companies, trade groups, and regulatory agencies and their loyalty is to keep that system going. Companies hire those people to "fight" the regulatory agencies (really grease the wheels) but they have zero interest to getting rid of the system even if it would be in their employers' best interests and will at best make a half-hearted run at doing so.

[BigT]

"Industry after industry, the US federal government is cartelizing them with it's leviathan regulatory apparatus."

There's a word for the system of govt-business collaboration. Can't quite think of it...comes from the Italian word for a bundle of sticks...

[R C Dean]

Fascio di legna? Are you saying these people are crypto-legnists? Leg men, if you will?

[Episteme]

I always took the Administration for being Decepticon sympathizers, but now they're writing rules explicitly against Optimus Prime's energon consumption?

[Bee Tagger]

Bannon has convinced Trump that rest of campaign needs to be bare-knuckles brawl, w/ full-bore populism/movement politics

So what did they do with the rest of the 59 minutes of the hour they had reserved the conference room for?

[UnCivilServant]

You sound like you've never attended a meeting.

[Just a thought not a sermon]

Good God, the bane of my life is people who think if you have the conference room for an hour, you have to fill up every bit of that time with bullshit after the main matter was talked through in 20 minutes.

[Mike Laursen]

I dunno. Will there be bagels?

[Episteme]

"Trump Bagels are the greatest bagels. Those guys in Washington don't know bagels like a New Yorker does, and no one knows New York like Donald Trump ? certainly not carpetbagger Lying Hillary. Those other bagels? Sad."

[Fist of Etiquette]

Bob Costas said that?

[Sevo]

No. Bob Costas said
"When he was a young man, struggling to find gruel to eat in the dumpsters, he helped his cancer-stricken, 108 year-old mother...."

[Brett L]

Dear tiny gods who ru(i)n my life, please let this be true. Trump gut punching Hillary on rape and sexual assault and Clinton Foundation donors and insider deals while she was SecState would be worth four to eight years of Hell.

[LynchPin1477]

Except he seems equally likely to attack the media and whoever he perceives has slighted him in the Republican party as he is to go after Clinton.

[Brett L]

Hey, the Government parties and their media wings have sown the wind, now reaping the whirlwind. I spent every election of my adult life wishing for responsible adults and fair coverage of actual issues. Now, I just wanna see people get publicly embarrassed, shamed, and hopefully thrown out of power.

[DesigNate]

So much this^

[Clich? Bandit]

He isn't attacking Hillary Brett. At least not in any effective way. He works for her. Either as a co-conspirator or useful idiot, it matters not. This is another example of how he doesn't want to win.

The irony is that Republican Populists who loved using the "cuck" term are being "cucked" them selves in splendid fashion.

[KDN]

Oh, indeed.

I personally think that Trump got a fuller idea of what the day-to-day life of the President entails from all of his advisors and decided that it's not for him. Unfortunately he can't resign the nomination without losing his dignity and reputation, so he's doing everything he can to lose the election while appearing to be fighting honestly "on his terms."

IMO this whole campaign had two objectives: to move the Republican party leftwards on economic issues (Trump is essentially a Peronist), and to set up his kids as a political dynasty. Hell, by his own admission he never thought he'd win the thing.

[Brett L]

You're making the same mistake the Republican populists are making. You think he's doing anybody but Donald Trump's bidding.

[Clich? Bandit]

no...see "useful idiot" portion of my comment.

I am 50/50 on it myself.

[Lord Humungus]

Joe Biden's Greatest Hits - creepy, creepy hits

[Rich]

Brrrrrrrr.

Nice music!

[SFC B]

A cut of all his best gropes of young girls sent to "I think we're alone now" by Tiffany would be... disturbing.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A Los Angeles effort to "rescue commercially sexually exploited children" resulted in the arrest of 153 adults on prostitution charges.

So how many children rescued?

[UnCivilServant]

None, they were either fictional or got arrested too.

[Free Society]

Children is a relative term. Many of these adult females were sexualized by unreasonable standards of beauty in fashion magazines and music television. So you see, it's really all about the kids.

[Fist of Etiquette]

It's a bad week all around for Manafort, whom AP found to have helped a pro-Russian faction in Ukraine funnel millions to D.C. lobbying firms.

And none of them the Clinton Foundation. Sad!

[RBS]

Ah, I think I see his mistake.

[Tyler.C]

If it had been the clinton foundation it wouldn't be reported by AP- they let wikileaks handle that.

[Episteme]

And none of them the Clinton Foundation. Sad!

Although one of the firms most deeply involved was the Podesta Group, headed by the brother* of Clinton's campaign manager. At best, that info is slipped into the very bottom of the stories on this.

(*although Clinton consigliere John Podesta had done suspiciously-profitable work with brother Tony's firm during that period as well, so apparently both campaign heads are in Putin's pocket)

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Sources inside the campaign say Trump was dissatisfied with the way Manafort tried to reign in the candidate's personality and impulses over the past few months.

But he was doing such an effective job of it!

[Princess Trigger]

Trump UNLEASHED!

[invisible furry hand]

"Reign in"? That wouldn't have happened in Postrel's day

[Rich]

DRINK!

[Zeb]

Come one, IFH, tow the lion!

[Clich? Bandit]

I hope they hire NIkki for that editor role. The loud wailing from the writers would be music to my ears. She would have to build a dungeon first, Warty can help her with that. Then? TO THE RACK!

[Lord Humungus]

Yeehaw!

Poll: Three out of five Texans support secession if Hillary becomes president

According to poll results from Public Policy Polling released Tuesday, three out of five Texans said they would support seceding from America if Hillary Clinton becomes president.

The left-leaning polling firm learned Donald Trump leads 50 percent to Hillary Clinton's 44 percent after polling Texans. According to the polling results from PPP, only one out of four Texans support seceding from America generally. But when faced with the possibility of a President Hillary Clinton, a majority of Texans said they'd rather leave.

PPP is known for asking offbeat and sometimes humorous questions. In December, the firm discovered 30 percent - about one out of three - Republican primary voters supported bombing Agrabah, the fictional Arabian city from Aladdin. The survey didn't ask if people knew Agrabah doesn't actually exist.

[UnCivilServant]

Hey Texas, do you really think the Queen Bitch isn't above invading if you try to secede again on her watch?

[Rich]

Awesome.

But don't worry -- she can be trusted with nukes.

[Brett L]

I like their chances if Ft. Hood decides it wants to be Texican.

[Free Society]

In any case, they're better off if they don't take the Fort Sumpter route and be seen to have "fired the first shot". They should secede and then raise the issue of foreign military bases on their soil through bilateral negotions and failing that, through international channels (that will probably stand strongly athwart secession in the empire).

[Brett L]

"Come and Take it!"

Let's just hope the US doesn't perpetrate any Goliads

[John]

And don't forget Lakland and Randolph AFB.

[Red Rocks Okey-Dokein]

And Ft. Bliss. Although, to be fair, El Paso would probably secede from Texas and become its own city-state if the latter decided to leave the US.

[OneOut]

Ellington AFB in Clear Lake

And the Naval base in Corpus Christi

[Unreconstructed (Sans Flag)]

I'm hosed if there's a fight over Ellington. I can see it out the window from my office.

[Just a thought not a sermon]

By 2020, Texas will have a population of 150 million.

"In December, the firm discovered 30 percent - about one out of three - Republican primary voters supported bombing Agrabah, the fictional Arabian city from Aladdin."

I'm not sure what this is proving. That movie would have been far better with a good bombing in it.

[UnCivilServant]

Oh, the ISA has already started bombing the city for the immodest way their royal family dresses, and the failure to follow sharia law regarding marriages and contact with unrelated males by said royals.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Every time we've overthrown a secular dictator we just sew the seeds of radical Islamic chaos. Jaffar has long been a US-ally and is stabilizing force for the region.

[Swiss Servator]

He is hiding weapons of Genie Destruction!

[Zeb]

I think it's proving that some people just want to bomb shit with Arabic sounding names even if they aren't sure why.

[Citizen X]

Y COM U DUNT JES HAVE SYAIYRAN RFUSGEE IN UR HOUSE THEN IF U LOEV ISMALAM SO MUCH

[ant1sthenes]

I hope this idea gains traction (not just seceding, but the possibility that other people might vote for secession). People on the wall about voting for Herself might think twice if it means the US falling apart and possible civil war.

[T.F.G.]

Considering over 40% of Texas prefers Hilary to win, I somehow doubt this polling firm.

[Chip Woodier]

That 40% would disappear if Texas seceded.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Some of those people may really, REALLY want Texas to succeed?

[Bee Tagger]

Sources inside the campaign say Trump was dissatisfied with the way Manafort tried to reign in the candidate's personality and impulses over the past few months.

So this new guy is like the bat version of Paul Hogan asking the world "you call that batshit? this is batshit"

[Lord Humungus]

Nine refugees accused of Austria gang rape, stoking election fears

Nine Iraqi refugees have been arrested in Austria on suspicion of gang-raping a 28-year-old German woman in a case that could ignite debate of immigration and crime ahead of this Autumn's presidential election re-run.

The arrest of the nine Iraqis, all either asylum seekers or recently granted asylum, comes as Austria's anti-immigrant Freedom Party seeks to over-turn the result of June's presidential election after mounting a successful legal challenge to pave the way for a re-run on October 2.

The arrests were made over the weekend, police confirmed, after DNA evidence and CCTV camera footage was used to build a case against the nine asylum seekers.

[Brett L]

Yes, how horrible if the people actually voted their interest in an election. I look forward to Austro-German unification again in 20 years.

[commodious es un perdedor]

Merkel is the Kurt von Schleicher of this millennium?

[Free Society]

Oh no! If another couple European women get raped by roving gangs of migrants, then the ignorant masses might decide to stop importing roving gangs of rapist migrants. So problematic.

[Cdr Lytton]

Just tell them to lie back and think of Cytotoxic.

[John]

That is impossible. Reason assured me that only widows and orphans were refugees

[spqr2008]

Unfortunately, the only way to be sure you aren't getting many terrorists is to only import women and children (no males older than 11, if you would have to shave, you get to go back) from those countries.

[Free Society]

There are terrorists in their midst, just ten years delayed. The younger generations are much more prone to Islamism than their parents and grandparents.

[BigT]

"if you would have to shave, you get to go back) from those countries"

So, only children under 10.

[Illocust]

What the hell is up with the gang rapes. You'd think people would be too worried about losing all the bennies they get from being an immigrant to try this shit, but nope, some idiots keep acting exactly like they did at home.

[commodious es un perdedor]

You'd think these countries would be less acquiescent in the face of this sort of thing, but you'd be wrong on that count, too.

[Free Society]

Europe is running out of testosterone.

[BigT]

After seeing women wearing tents for all their lives these guys are seeing actual female shapes for the first time.

Surprised??

[Slammer]

*Narrows border*

Hundreds of migrants are left stranded on Italy's border with Switzerland as the Swiss shut their borders to the swathes of arrivals

[Swiss Servator]

Heh...

*looks down, shuffles feet*

[straffinrun]

Like clockwork.

[Swiss Servator]

*narrows gaze*

[BigT]

Yodeltarians??

[Free Society]

Good for Switzerland.

[Hayeksplosives]

Remember this controversial Swiss poster?

I thought it was pretty funny, but there was much hand-wringing at the time.

[Free Society]

I larfed

[Fist of Etiquette]

The longer someone is obese, the more likely they are to get cancer.

Oh, BMI of 21.5, is there anything you can't do?

[Auric Demonocles]

This seems like a pretty predictable outcome. The chance of getting cancer should go up the more cells you have, because it's just more cells with a chance to fuck up the replication process. Like if Reason hired a million more people on staff, they'd probably have some people who cared about alt-text. (It's also possible that obesity increases the chance for each cell to go cancerous, but that seems less obvious)

[Zeb]

In that case, you'd expect muscular, athletic people to get cancer more as well, and as far as I know that isn't the case. I would have guessed it had something to do with immune system stuff.

[Krabappel]

If I chop off all my limbs will my chance of cancer go down?

[UnCivilServant]

Yes! You won't get limb cancer.

[Krabappel]

I could also drain out all my blood to prevent leukemia.

[Enough About Palin]

Angolena Jolie says yes.

[But Enough About Me]

If I chop off all my limbs will my chance of cancer go down?

Since it's fat that's implicated, I suspect all I'd have to do is chop off my head.

[Clich? Bandit]

Nope, you have the same number after childhood:

Spalding counted the total number of fat cells in 687 adults and combined these tallies with measurements for children and adolescents taken from previous studies. Together, the data showed that a person's pool of adipocytes is set during childhood and adolescence, increasing during these periods and levelling off during adulthood. Both lean and obese people showed the same pattern and adults in both categories had very little variation in their fat cell count (see right).

See here.

[Brett L]

Yet the surest indicator of advanced cancer is a BMI below the healthy range.

[Fist of Etiquette]

YOU APPARENTLY ARE ANOTHER SCIENCE DENIER.

[End Child Unemployment]

You gotta pick up weights more often bro. If u can gain 2 more lbs I will be over 25, which is considered overweight on the BMI scale. I have 7.5% body fat.

[Bee Tagger]

A federal appeals court says the U.S. Justice Department can't prosecute marijuana businesses who "fully comply" with state laws regarding cannabis.

And by can't they mean find a different charge.

[Lee Genes]

I start everyday with a little bit of self-loathing

You must actively bring your implicit biases to the surface. (There's even a test for them here!) You must actively challenge the stereotypes you have internalized (which generally don't hold up). You must actively learn about microaggressions and cultural appropriation so that you aren't perpetrating them.

Do the work, and you won't be able to help but repeat the inevitable:

"I am racist."

"I am racist."

"I am racist."

If enough White Americans repeated this statement? and did so loudly ? the word "racist" would lose its debilitating power over us.

[Just a thought not a sermon]

"If enough White Americans repeated this statement? and did so loudly ? the word "racist" would lose its debilitating power over us."

Not in the way this person thinks.

[tarran]

Napoleon Hill would like to have a word. 😀

[Lee Genes]

Heh, Hill was born in my father's hometown.

[Rich]

"I can internalize racist beliefs and still be a good person."

"After all, those BLM folks do it!"

[Juvenile Bluster]

So it's like the religious movement that flogged themselves during the Black Plague?

[UnCivilServant]

Don't denegrate the flagellants, they at least stuck to inflicting pain on themselves.

[straffinrun]

This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts me.

[Princess Trigger]

Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats.
-H.L. Menken

[RBS]

In 10 years this person will be the Exalted Cyclops of the resurgent Seattle Klan.

[Brett L]

Oh. Thank God. This is a satire site. Right?

[Just a thought not a sermon]

Based on your comment, I actually RTFA to check, or tried to. No, it's not satire, and yes, it's basically unreadable.

[Brett L]

I'm glad that loghorrheic schizophrenics have a place to post their word salad where it will be read.

[Lord Humungus]

You know who else was proud to be racist...

[Just a thought not a sermon]

Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's?

[The Fusionist]

The Nation of Islam?

[BigT]

David Duke?

[BigT]

George Wallace?

[Zeb]

I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK.

[Clich? Bandit]

do you sleep all night and work all day?

[Eternal Blue Sky]

"I can internalize racist beliefs and still be a good person."

No you can't, infidel.

[ant1sthenes]

Uh, it already has. Have you not paid attention to the presidential election?

[Free Society]

If enough White Americans repeated this statement? and did so loudly ? the word "racist" would lose its debilitating power over us.

No, that would be worshiping it's power with incantations. Those people are insane. Not letting the word have any power would be saying, "Yes I'm racist, so fucking what."

The word has become so broad and malleable that I stopped giving a fuck long ago. I might take umbrage with someone using accusations of racism as a catchall debate tactic, but if someone told me and even convinced me that celebrating Sinter Klaus with Zwarte Pete (Black Peter) was superduper racist, I wouldn't give a fuck if it's racist or not. I don't give one half of one percent of a single flying fuck if anyone is offended by the racism of that tradition. If it bothers you, piss off to some place where it won't reach your delicate sensibilities. I just don't care and don't see why I should.

[The Fusionist]

"Look, jyou can ust admit that you're a racist and promise to work for an end to white supremacy, and we'll be comrades in a glorious cause, or you can stay in denial and I'll keep yelling at you."

"OK, OK, I'm a racist."

"OMG YOU ADMITTED IT!"

[Lord Humungus]

Death threats and homophobia? Delve into the unbelievably sinister world of competitive tickling

TV personality Farrier was intrigued when he came across competitive tickling online, describing it as 'one of the strangest sports' he had seen.

So he asked for an interview ? only to be told the sport did not want to be associated with a 'homosexual journalist', threatening legal action should he keep investigating.

The irony wasn't lost on Farrier.

It was hard to take the insult seriously seeing as the sport did seem slightly?gay.

Farrier responded how any journalist would ? by doing exactly what he had been asked not to do.

He travelled to the centre of the tickling empire in Los Angeles, where he discovers the control that Jane O'Brien Media exerts over its participants.

[Swiss Servator]

It's a bad week all around for Manafort, whom AP found to have helped a pro-Russian faction in Ukraine funnel millions to D.C. lobbying firms.

Duh, everyone knows you are supposed to funnel the money through a foundation!

[Princess Trigger]

Some went to Podesta's firm so hopefully it filtered to "The Foundation".
Is this the same kind of foundation Asimov was talking about?

[Lord Humungus]

German man causes severe damage to man's car with his sausage

The 49-year-old man allegedly launched the 30cm-long wurst when a BMW driver, 47, performed an inconsiderate parking manoeuvre.

Officers in Neubrandenburg, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomorania, were called out on Saturday at around 7pm after complaints of 'insults and threats' between the two men.

They had become embroiled in such a heated argument that the 49-year-old struck the car with his only weapon ? his sausage ? which was so large it caused a 1cm dent in the car's body.

[UnCivilServant]

Oh, no, the car is totaled (by german standards).

Send it to russia where it will be seen as newer than new.

[RBS]

And promptly destroyed in an inexplicable head on collision outside of Moscow.

[Free Society]

And the insurance claim roundly denied.

[Swiss Servator]

Warty and the Doomcock are not impressed.

[Fist of Etiquette]

That's not a good advertisement for the quality of BMW's product.

[Lord Humungus]

They do make lovely straight-6 engines though *plaintive sigh*

[Zeb]

I hope the other guy got to keep the sausage.

[Lord Humungus]

These sexual euphemisms are getting less abstract.

[Free Society]

Which is a good thing for stroking my crass underside.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A federal appeals court says the U.S. Justice Department can't prosecute marijuana businesses who "fully comply" with state laws regarding cannabis.

What if federal drug warriors work for free on the prosecutions?

[Lord Humungus]

Nooses hanging near Oklahoma highway weren't racist, homeowner claims

Tulsa television station KJRH reports that the owner of the display, Merle Martindale, says he's been a victim of crime in the past. Martindale says the display is not meant to be racist, just merely a warning to any potential thief.

But driver Terrance Reed Sr. says a noose in America represents what used to happen to African Americans. Reed says he considers the display to be an attack on his heritage.

Driver Dennis Varner says the display also bothered him. Varner says the display is discrimination and America shouldn't put up with it.

Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice says Martindale isn't breaking any law by having the display.

[SIV]

The hangman's noose is a symbol of justice.

[Rich]

noose in America

Nice, um, band name.

[Just a thought not a sermon]

Album title: Every Which Way But Noose

[Rich]

"Huey Long and the Noose"

[Free Society]

Jewy Louis and the Jews. They play mostly bar mitzvahs.

[Slammer]

New York Daily Noose, Noose York Times, Fox Noose, Cable Noose Network

[Homple]

No noose is good noose.

[Zeb]

Great, more people who don't get free speech.

[Crusty Juggler]

Your free speech doesn't supersede my right to feel safe.

[ant1sthenes]

"But driver Terrance Reed Sr. says a noose in America represents what used to happen to African Americans."

Someone hasn't watched a lot of Westerns.

[thrakkorzog]

The guy kind of has a point. If you want to scare people off, good luck finding a racially and religious neutral sign.

[Lord Humungus]

like a burning cross? /sarc

[Glide]

a noose in America represents what used to happen to African Americans

And horse thieves.

And suicidal people.

And Saddam Hussein.

And Nathan Hale.

I'm not sure this is the right hill to die on, race-baiters.

[Citizen X]

Looks like somebody...

...isn't taking the noose very well.

(??_?)

[0x90]

Appropriation of the noose.

[The Fusionist]

No noose is good news.

[Jerryskids]

The longer someone is obese, the more likely they are to get cancer.

Do anything long enough and you're going to get cancer. Breathing causes cancer if you breathe 80 or 90 years.

[Swiss Servator]

Everything
Everything gives you cancer
Everything
Everything gives you cancer
There's no cure, there's no answer
Everything gives you cancer

Don't touch that dial
Don't try to smile
Just take this pill
It's in your file
Don't work hard
Don't play hard
Don't plan for the graveyard
Remember ?

Everything
Everything gives you cancer
Everything
Everything gives you cancer
There's no cure, there's no answer
Everything gives you cancer

Don't work by night
Don't sleep by day
You'll feel all right
But you will pay
No caffeine
No protein
No booze or
Nicotine
Remember ?

Everything
Everything gives you cancer
Everything
Everything?

[Zeb]

So we should therefore ignore things that increase the risk of getting cancer sooner? That's awfully fatalist.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

"things that increase the risk of getting cancer"

That's NOT what the study shows.

The study shows a CORRELATION between being obese for a length of time and higher cancer rates.

The study does not prove CAUSATION. There is an important difference.

People who are obese probably don't take care of their health in other ways, on average, which could be all you need to explain the CORRELATION. Obese people don't overlap much with health conscious people. In general we'd expect health conscious people to have a lower rate of cancer.

[Zeb]

Fair enough. But it could have a causal relationship and if it doesn't it's worth studying what other factors that correlate with obesity are causing the increased rates of cancer.

And if being fat correlates with higher cancer risk, it seems likely that losing weight by improving your lifestyle would also reduce cancer risk, whether or not obesity itself is a cause.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

Possibly. At least for post-menopausal women. Who were the only ones this study covered.

Eh, the more I dig into the study the more I doubt it is worth studying. The weird narrowing of the study to "post-menopausal women" seems like they massaged the numbers until they found a group with which they could show a obesity-cancer correlation and then reported that for scare tactics sake.

[BigT]

There are non-obese post menopausal women?

Who knew?

[Rich]

The longer someone is obese, the more likely they are to get cancer.

What if their obesity is due to too much broccoli?

[Lord Humungus]

The Myth of the Big Bad Gun Lobby

But gun-control groups spend much more money than the NRA does. Why aren't they more successful in buying votes?

Just look at donations to federal candidates during the two years leading up to the 2014 congressional elections, the last full election cycle. Michael Bloomberg, who has a net worth of $48.2 billion, gave $28.6 million to candidates by himself. His organization, Everytown for Gun Safety, which gets virtually all of its money from Bloomberg, gave another $298,000.

By contrast, the NRA gave just $982,000, or 1/30th the amount spent by Bloomberg. While not all of Bloomberg's campaign donations were driven by gun issues, his spending clearly dwarfs what the NRA could give.

...

If it's true that political leaders simply haven't had the courage to stand up to the gun lobby, the real question is how Bloomberg could spend so much and have so little to show for it.

What makes the NRA powerful is its 5 million members and its 58 percent approval rating among voters. Campaign spending can't easily beat that.

[UnCivilServant]

Gee, you think, active and engaged voters who are passionate about what they believe in trump authoritarian cash.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

I never understood the "NRA is controlling elections" meme. The NRA just tells its supporters who is good and bad on the Second Amendment. Enough voters have strong enough feelings on that issue that being bad on the Second will lead to electoral defeat.

The Left only applauds democracy when a majority agrees with them. Otherwise it's evil money influencing elections.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

Notice how the "Super PACS are buying elections" meme has disappeared while Hillbot is outspending Trump by roughly $50 million.

[Zeb]

It is really hard to make sense of. Seems like one of their narratives is that the NRA is just astroturf for the gun manufacturers. Couldn't possibly be that a good majority of people favors strong gun rights and that the NRA actually represents a lot of those people.
I've got my own issues with the NRA, but there is no question that their grassroots support is what makes them powerful.

[0x90]

trump authoritarian cash

That's what Johnny was going to name his seventh child. True story.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

All I know is that there is only one candidate in this race who has accepted millions of dollars from the Russian government and, further, okayed its purchase of massive amounts of Uranium.

Three guesses, and I'll even give you a hint: it wasn't Trump.

[Rich]

Can we get another hint? For instance, does she have any recollection of this?

[Brett L]

No, but I think her cortex is experiencing bitrot at an advanced pace. Those earlier solid state drives tend to do that.

[Drake]

I'll leave this here - somebody finally did a different Downfall scene video. They probably had to make only minor adjustments to the dialogue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prls6Iz3B3E

[Lord Humungus]

Regulation and Distrust?The Ominous Update

In an interesting paper, Aghion, Algan, Cahuc and Shleifer show that regulation is greater in societies where people do not trust one another. The graph below, for example, shows that societies with a greater level of distrust have stronger minimum wage laws. Note that the result is not that distrust in markets is associated with stronger minimum wages but that distrust in general is associated with greater regulation of all kinds. Distrust in government, for example, is positively correlated with regulation of business. Or to put it the other way, trust in government (as well as other institutions) is associated with less regulation.

[tarran]

Or to put it the other way, trust in government (as well as other institutions) is associated with less regulation.

This is one of those "wet streets cause rain" articles that Gell-Mann talked about. The less regulation, the less scope for corruption...

[Lord Humungus]

Diary of an Ex-Neocon

Not that there isn't any inside gossip on the Secret Life of Neocons: we are told of a privately circulated purge letter by Irwin Stelzer, the Bronx-born economist and Weekly Standard contributing editor, who is described as "the ideological gendarme for Rupert Murdoch's American media properties." In 1995, offended by National Review's failure to toe the neocon open-borders America-is-an-idea immigration policy, Stelzer announced he was canceling his subscription. The magazine, under then-editor John O'Sullivan, was engaging in "a not-very-subtle form of anti-Semitism"?because wanting to have borders that don't resemble walls made of Swiss cheese is apparently the equivalent of promoting the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

Bill Buckley, initially refusing to be bullied, eventually succumbed to this hectoring campaign, and by the late '90s, O'Sullivan was out, Rich Lowry was in, and the neocon Central Committee was appeased. Next on the firing line?Scott McConnell himself.

As editorial page editor of the New York Post?the neocons' mass-circulation Pravda?McConnell was all too familiar with the the ideological nuances of that infamous sect, and the irritability of its leaders. But even he didn't anticipate being sacked in 1997 for an editorial opposing statehood for Puerto Rico.

[commodious screws with Reality]

After all, the neocons, unlike the communists, have left an indelible imprint on our contemporary world, as even a casual glance at the smoking ruins of the Middle East will confirm.

Could have fooled me.

[Free Society]

Unlike the communists? Where has this guy been living exactly?

[Lord Humungus]

LGBTQQIAA Students Get Their Own School In Georgia

A private school in Atlanta, Georgia dedicated to serving as a safe space for LGBTQQIAA students has officially started holding classes, CBS News reports.

The school's stated mission "is to provide LGBTQQIAA* students, families and educators a safe, fun and rigorous learning environment free of homophobia and transphobia ? a place that honors their identities so they can be themselves, find themselves, and find friends and mentors who can help them navigate the challenges of life and education."

LGBTQQIAA, the school explains, stands for "Lesbian, Gay, Bi-attracted, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Ally (that means anyone who wants to find a home here!)"

The school's executive director, Christian Zsilavetz, "is a formerly heterosexual cisgender woman who is now a queer-identified transman." Zsilavetz has a wife and two "wee ones, one of whom is gender fluid."

Gender fluid is so messy; stains the furniture.

[Rich]

LGBTQQIAA

Oh, LGBTQQIAAFFS!

[Princess Trigger]

I'm sure their drama club will be Fabulous.

[invisible furry hand]

The kids are only allowed to graduate once they can pronounce LGBTQQIAA

[Raven Nation]

0-3 to Sri Lanka? Really?

I woke up about 3am and it was 100-2. Three hours later, game over.

Sheesh.

[invisible furry hand]

Hope there is enough joy elsewhere in your life to counteract this. If not, avoid all sports reports from your motherland, my friend - the only thing our athletes are winning is the World Choking Titles. Boof 'n' the boys need to spend the next 10 years in the room of mirrors, and our Olympic team should join them.

[Raven Nation]

Yeah - got enough joy. Aussies winning just enough medals to keep my mildly happy.

And, I got married last month so there's that.

[invisible furry hand]

Hurrah! Congratulations RavNat, and may flights of angels sing you and your beloved to your rest. Like this.

[Raven Nation]

Ahh, there's no music like 80s music.

And, thanks.

[Ken Shultz]

They introduced a program to stamp out bigotry against GBTQI in Australia by having really young kids in public schools go through a sensitivity training program that apparently had little kids role playing as transexuals, etc. to see what it feels like.

It was all sold as an anti-bullying program.

P.S. I left the "L" off of LGBTQI on purpose to disenfranchise lesbians.

I have that power.

[Citizen X]

Several dozen stocky women with sensible haircuts take time off from their carpentry jobs to picket outside of Ken Shultz's house. Most of them are wearing flannel. After his neighbors complain about the Subaru Outbacks taking up all the available street parking, Ken caves.

[Crusty Juggler]

Playing Constant Cravings on a loop for hours would make anyone cave.

[ant1sthenes]

More like send them to a warm gentle cocoon of early 90s.

[DWB]

"They introduced a program to stamp out bigotry against GBTQI in Australia by having really young kids in public schools go through a sensitivity training program that apparently had little kids role playing as transexuals, etc. to see what it feels like.

It was all sold as an anti-bullying program."

Coming to an American school near you -- all part of that new era of libertarian freedom.

[Just a thought not a sermon]

"A private school in Atlanta, Georgia dedicated to serving as a safe space for LGBTQQIAA students has officially started holding classes, "

Good. This is how the free market is supposed to work. There would be all kinds of specialized schools like this for different types of kids if not for government schooling sucking all the oxygen out of the room.

[Slammer]

Segregation

[Just a thought not a sermon]

You know, America had healthy cities back when there was actual segregation in the South and de facto segregation in the north. Progressives like cities, right? U.S. cities faced a lot of problems in the 1950-60s, but it wasn't until forced busing came in around 1970 that we had the massive depopulation that knocked US cities on their asses for a generation.

[John]

So now keeping the queers and the wierdos away from the normals is the enlightened position. Who knew?

[Eternal Blue Sky]

"Lesbian, Gay, Bi-attracted, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Ally (that means anyone who wants to find a home here!)"

Three thoughts:

1: So as a bisexual, I'm not welcome because people keep wanting to revise the language when the original word seems perfectly suitable to me...

2: By allowing straight students unde the label of "allies" aren't you defeating the supposed purpose of your private school??

3: How can you be a "former heterosexual"?? It's not a choice, damn it.

But, eh, whatever. Private schools are good, and private schools for crazy people mean less crazy people in other schools. This is a good thing overall.

[John]

Good catch on the former heterosexual term. I thought being gay was genetic. Oh that was last week when they wanted public accommodation laws and state recognition of gay marriage and anyone who objected was just like Bull Connor.

[Glide]

By allowing straight students unde the label of "allies" aren't you defeating the supposed purpose of your private school??

Yes.

Actual purpose, though? Maybe not, if it's to pat each other on the back about how damn tolerant you are for not tolerating intolerance.

[ant1sthenes]

How can you be a "former heterosexual"??

Conversion therapy?

[DWB]

"LGBTQQIAA, the school explains, stands for "Lesbian, Gay, Bi-attracted, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Ally (that means anyone who wants to find a home here!)"

The school's executive director, Christian Zsilavetz, "is a formerly heterosexual cisgender woman who is now a queer-identified transman." Zsilavetz has a wife and two "wee ones, one of whom is gender fluid.""

That seems ... complicated ... but hey -- more power to 'em!

[Chip Woodier]

The use of LGBTQQIAA as an acronym is marginalizing these groups. Unless you write it out fully, each and every time, you are insulting their individuality. They are people, not alphabet soup! This is a school for Nazis.

[Episteme]

The Xavier Institute for Gifted Homosexuals?

"To me, my transmen!"

[Ken Shultz]

"Stephen Bannon, executive chairman of Breitbart News, has been appointed CEO of the Trump campaign. Bannon, an avid critic of Paul Ryan and other establishment Republicans who have endorsed Trump, said he will temporarily step down from Breitbart."

I'm surprised Breitbart survived the Michelle Fields incident. For a while there, I didn't think it would.

That controversy lasted, what, almost 15 seconds?

P.S. Andy Warhol shortchanged Michelle Fields and the resignation brigade some 14 minutes and 45 seconds.

[SIV]

Grab its motherfucking arm.

[Florida Hipster]

Any Florida political junkies have an opinion about constitution amendment 1?

[UnCivilServant]

Florida has a constitution?

[Lord Humungus]

something, something right to smoke meth shall not be infringed

[invisible furry hand]

also, getting naked as and when you feel like it

[Lord Humungus]

+ Alligators and Pythons in the pants

[Florida Hipster]

*reads comments, removes monocle*
You did not disappoint, commentariat.

[Citizen X]

You do NOT want to know where he removed the monocle from, friends.

[carol]

Well, let me give it a try. As I understand it the controversy is the wording that says that Floridians who don't wish to subsidize solar power will not be forced to do so. Opponents are claiming that by not forcing people to subsidize solar power that we will end up with less solar power. Tough noogies. I can see where solar could be a good fit for Florida and if my neighbor wants it then more power to them put I should have to chip in for it. If solar truly becomes commonplace it will be because it isn't subsidized and therefore the producers have achieved more cost efficient means of producing it.

[Brett L]

Yes, but does that mean that power companies must pay wholesale and charge retail on two way meters? Because that seems like something that doesn't need to be codified in law. If it only means that the Legislature will be prevented from offering explicit subsidies, I'm okay with it.

Amendment 4 pisses me off. You want to do a $20000 capital improvement and then have the taxman not be able to reassess your house? Fuck you. I want to put in a pool and have the same thing. If you want to pay lower property taxes, do it the right way and run off your county and city commissioners for new ones. Then do the same with your legislators.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

It mostly pertains to alligators and which relatives are and are not permissible to have sex with.

[commodious screws with Reality]

Parents and siblings strictly off-limits, first-anything permissible, second and beyond mandatory?

[Brett L]

"If she ain't good enough for her own family, she ain't good enough for our'n!"

[Brett L]

I think 1 is the "good" amendment and 4 is the "bad" amendment. But I always wonder why we need to establish a constitutional right "to own or lease solar equipment installed on their property to generate electricity for their own use."

Because we passed a law that said that no one can be off-grid. Motherfuckers. Why should that have to be a right.

[Florida Hipster]

From what I've read 1 seems good, but I'm very skeptical of any new laws.

[Juvenile Bluster]

That's pretty much the size of it.

[Lord Humungus]

speaking of Florida, can anyone recommend a good place for snorkeling?

note - I've never been to Florida in my life. I was thinking of going to Florida this coming winter to check out the mid century houses in Palm Springs, and do some snorkeling too.

[Florida Hipster]

I don't know any snorkeling spots there, but if you like to fish you'll be close to the Gulf Stream and the Mahi will be running there until October I think. The beaches are nice, but the water isn't really clear enough for snorkeling.

[Juvenile Bluster]

Middle Keys. Islamorada/Marathon. Key Largo and Key West get all the business because that's where the tourists are, but the middle keys are the best for snorkeling, easily. Probably the best place in the US in fact.

[Lord Humungus]

thanks, I'll check it out.

[Florida Hipster]

The keys are nice, but are a few hours away. Will you have your own car?

[Lord Humungus]

We shall see - last time I went to Charleston I rented a Mustang and ended up not using it very much. Wish I had stuck with Uber.

But willing to drive if I need to.

[Florida Hipster]

Lots of snorkeling and fishing. Next time I go I want to spear lion fish.

[Florida Hipster]

This one has good reviews and is close to Palm Springs. I haven't been myself.

http://m.dixiedivers.com/?utm_......com/#2716

[Florida Hipster]

If you're traveling with a lady lid olas is nice for dining and shopping.

https://lasolasboulevard.com

[Florida Hipster]

Los, not lid. Racist phone.

[Drake]

The ocean?

[Lord Humungus]

*gives Drake a squinty squint*

[Citizen X]

You could go snorkeling with manatees in Crystal River Springs, if gassy aquatic animals are your thing.

The signs say not to pet the manatees, but manatees like getting petted and can't read.

[Crusty Juggler]

"Manatees? Man, what a tease."

[Brett L]

Also, you'd be right down the road from the mermaids at Weeki Wachi. Which is as close to old Florida as you can get. Also, you'll be near Homosassa Springs, and can ask the locals if they refer to themselves as Homosassuals.

[Florida Hipster]

They also have manatees

[Brett L]

I mean, there are some big girls in Homosassa, but we reserve the term manatees for Iowegian People of Walmart.

[spqr2008]

The manatees don't read the signs at all. When I was 8, my dad and uncle took my cousin and I snorkeling with the manatees, and they dived the caves there. On the one decompression stop (IDK exactly why they needed to, it wasn't that deep if IIRC), a manatee wrapped itself around my dad and wouldn't let go. My uncle had to book it to the surface and free dive an extra tank down to my dad, since the stupid critter wouldn't let him go for almost 30 minutes, and my dad didn't want to startle it into hurting him. I think it's actually illegal to touch the manatees in Florida, but what happens if they touch you?

[commodious es un perdedor]

John might know.

[R C Dean]

I think it's actually illegal to touch the manatees in Florida, but what happens if they touch you?

I feel . . . underqualified to respond to this question.

[Shpip]

Remember, you don't need salt water to have rather productive snorkeling. Northern and central Florida have an extensive network of freshwater springs. Wakulla, south of Tallahassee, and Ichetucknee, north of Gainesville, are two of the better known state parks that feature outstanding snorkeling. Spring water in FL is crystal clear and a constant 72F.

[Lord Humungus]

How Bloomberg Spun Its Own Poll Data To Make Hillary Clinton Seem Inevitable

Is Hillary Clinton squashing Donald Trump into oblivion in the polls? Or is her lead over him perilously shrinking? One thing we know is: there are countless ways to spin a poll. Consider the case of selective reporting on the most recent Bloomberg national poll.

On Aug. 10, Bloomberg reported "Clinton up 6 on Trump in Two Way Race." But looking at the actual poll, Trump has moved so close to Clinton, the results are within the margin of error.

In the most recent poll, the spread between Clinton and Trump in a two-person race was down to just 3 percentage points, Clinton at 45% and Trump at 42%. That's within the margin of error. When Libertarian and Green Party candidates are put in the mix, it's Clinton 42% and Trump 40% ?again within the margin of error.

But this notable trend isn't reflected in the Bloomberg write-up here. Instead, the reporter chose to use the poll numbers that look better for Clinton: ones that added in "leaners." What are leaners? Respondents who were first asked who they'd vote for, then answered they didn't plan to vote or didn't know who they'd vote for, and then were pressed to pick a candidate they were leaning toward, anyway.

[commodious screws with Reality]

Shy Trumpaloompas.

[Fubini Baby]

For the "lean" question they were still given the option of saying they would not vote or being unsure. Undecideds breaking overwhelmingly for Clinton when pressed on the matter is very bad news for Trump.

Bonus for the article not understanding what the "margin of error" means. It's a 95% confidence interval, not a fudge factor.

[kbolino]

If you have a 95% confidence interval with a margin of error of +/- 3% then it's fair to say that 45-42 is not a clear result for one over the other.

[Slammer]

American may face charges for spearing Canadian bear

Officials in Canada's Alberta province have said they plan to ban spear hunting after an American posted a video of himself impaling a black bear.

Social media users criticised US hunter Josh Bowmar, 26, for uploading a 13-minute video showing the hunt.

Though spear hunting is legal in Alberta, officials have said they are looking into whether Mr Bowman could face charges for the kill.

A ban on spear hunting is expected to be in place this autumn, they said.

Alberta Environment Ministry spokesman Kyle Ferguson said the agency had asked Fish and Wildlife officers to launch an investigation into whether Mr Bowman should be charged under current laws.

[Lee Genes]

American may face charges for spearing Canadian bear

Jesse hardest hit

[Swiss Servator]

*applauds loudly*

[straffinrun]

+1 burly chest

[Fist of Etiquette]

Awww.

Oh, wait, maybe ewww.

[straffinrun]

Spewwww.

[Mr Lizard]

STEVE SMITH NOT UNDERSTAND NATURE OF CHARGE OR WHO IS VICTIM

[UnCivilServant]

In the era of firearms, dude was brave enough to stick a pointy stick in a bear.

Laud him, do not charge him.

Besides, Charging spearmen is a bad tactic.

[Princess Trigger]

I'm not going to go looking for the video but ... SPEAR HUNTING? 'Bowman'?
Is this the fucking middle ages?

[UnCivilServant]

Is this the fucking middle ages?

Quoth the Princess...

[Free Society]

Ain't nothing wrong with princes and princesses. If I get my hands on some allodial property you can bet your ass I'd have cool title to display my sovereignty.

[invisible furry hand]

Don't ask me, I'm too busy dying of the plague

[UnCivilServant]

Oh come on, you don't have to die for your antibiotic beliefs. A full squence of treatment will get rid of Y. Pestis.

[GILMORE?]

Is this the fucking middle ages?

I RESENT THE IMPLICATION. 40 ISNT MIDDLE-AGED. REALLY.

Also, I think spear-hunting is a great way to get outside and stay active. I mean, its that, or Frisbee Golf.

[OldMexican sine qua non]

Though spear hunting is legal in Alberta, officials have said they are looking into whether Mr Bowman could face charges for the kill.

"'Shall not have retroactive laws', my foot! Here in Canada, we prosecute for things we criminalize later, hey!"

[Mickey Rat]

Is "ex post facto law" a confusing notion for Canadians?

[Cdr Lytton]

No. They're not confused by it at all.

[Rich]

Day 2 of the Trump administration

[UnCivilServant]

*Quiet applause.*

[paranoid android]

Are there people actually delusional enough to believe that Trump would somehow have Clinton arrested if he actually won the election?

[Mr Lizard]

It is a pleasant thought but he would be better off just pardoning her then put her out to pasture.

[Drake]

She could claim mental incompetence and there's a ton of evidence to back her up.

[John]

You know who I want arrested, Jonathan Gruber. That fucking weasel lied to Congress and the country and then bragged about it. I don't care to arrest politicians. I want their top men enablers.

[Suthenboy]

Hear! hear!

[kbolino]

There's somebody whose command of Photoshop is laughably bad, so yes?

[commodious screws with Reality]

Sources inside the campaign say Trump was dissatisfied with the way Manafort tried to reign in the candidate's personality and impulses over the past few months.

Dissatisfied in that Manafort was entirely unsuccessful?

[Fubini Baby]

Idi Amin: I want you to tell me what to do.

Nicholas Garrigan: You want ME to tell YOU what to do?

Idi Amin: Yes, you are my advisor. You are the only one I can trust in here. You should have told me not to throw the Asians out, in the first place.

Nicholas Garrigan: I DID!

Idi Amin: But you did not persuade me, Nicholas. You did not persuade me!

Once you get past the cannibalism, Trump has a lot in common with Idi.

[Lee Genes]

Michael Moore actually says something I find believable

Of course he wouldn't really have to run for president ? just make the announcement, hold a few mega-rallies that would be packed with tens of thousands of fans and wait for the first opinion polls to come in showing him ? what else? ? in first place! Then he would get whatever deal he wanted, worth millions more than what he was currently being paid.

So, on June 16 of last year, he rode down his golden escalator and opened his mouth. With no campaign staff, no 50-state campaign infrastructure ? neither of which he needed because, remember, this wasn't going to be a real campaign ? and with no prepared script, he went off the rails at his kick-off press conference, calling Mexicans "rapists" and "drug dealers" and pledging to build a wall to keep them all out. Jaws in the room were agape. His comments were so offensive, NBC, far from offering him a bigger paycheck, immediately fired him with this terse statement: "Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump." NBC said it was also canceling the beauty pageants owned by Trump, Miss USA and Miss Universe. Boom.

[Juvenile Bluster]

If you gave the Clinton campaign the chance to script everything about the Republican nomination process and nominee, they couldn't have done any better than what they actually got.

[Swiss Servator]

Not sure they are too fond of the "Crooked Hillary" and such...

[Fubini Baby]

Hillary Clinton would have a guy in a gorilla suit fuck a RealDoll replica of herself on live TV if it helped her become president.

[straffinrun]

Isn't that how AIDS jumped to humans?

[Citizen X]

That mental image certainly gave my brain AIDS.

[bacon-magic]

+1 Trading Places reference

[commodious screws with Reality]

They still had to win the primary.

[Glide]

Did Trump really persuade anyone she's crooked that wasn't already inclined to think so via partisanship, though?

I mean, maybe a small handful of blue collar Democrats, but not really, right?

[BigT]

If you keep repeating the truth often enough, progs still won't believe it.

Crooked Hitlery, fraudulent AGW, free speech for all, ...

[Jerryskids]

Stephen Bannon, executive chairman of Breitbart News, has been appointed CEO of the Trump campaign.

ICYMI, Bannon - like Trump's finance chair Steve Mnuchin - is a former Goldman Sachs executive who started his own investment bank. Both wound up in Hollywood - Bannon investing in films and media, Mnuchin investing in a bank he used to make shady loans to his own investment group just before bankrupting the bank and selling it off to CITI.

Trump has said he'd surround himself with the best guys - kinda telling that he's finding sharpsters in the same place Hillary finds her best guys.

[Fubini Baby]

The longer someone is obese, the more likely they are to get cancer.

Correlation, causation, whatever. The study only dealt with postmenopausal women, yet the reporting on it doesn't seem to note that fact.

[Crusty Juggler]

More like Kellyanne Noway.

[Drake]

Olympic Boxing judging sucks ass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60g6BMOjQkk

[Lee Genes]

Always has

[Drake]

Seems to suck extra bad this year.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/g.....RzZWMDc3I-

[Juice]

I watched that fight and he definitely won round 1, but I can't make a strong case for either fighter in rounds 2 and 3. You could have easily given them to either fighter. There needed to be a couple more rounds.

The American guy was most definitely robbed though.

[Drake]

When the ref has to stop the fight in the second round and warn him to, you know... start fighting, he probably lost the round.

[Brett L]

You saw where the Irish betting site was still paying the Irish guy as a winner? That's how to advertise.

[Crusty Juggler]

The promoted content has to end. Enough is enough.

[Brett L]

I was going to downvote, but I'm not signing up just to downvote.

[invisible furry hand]

I don't have a problem with the promoted content. To quote another commentator here, "I'm glad that loghorrheic schizophrenics have a place to post their word salad where it will be read." And if Fisty wants to play along with her, that's sweet too.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Wait, did someone post promoted content before me? I'm always the bridesmaid.

[UnCivilServant]

Thanks to the browser plugins I don't see promoted comments at all 😀

[Fist of Etiquette]

Too bad. My latest one is about you.

[UnCivilServant]

I don't think you're inventive enough with your insults to make the effort worth it to see if you're lying or not.

[tarran]

Why?

Basically Mary is subsidizing Reason to taunt the commentariat. I say we should encourage her.

YOU'RE REALLY MAKING US FEEL BAD WITH YOUR TAUNTING MARY!

(that should be good for another 5 cents in Reason's coffers from SolidOpinion).

[DOOMco]

This.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

Yeah, if people are actually paying Reason to post this nonsense, more power to them. Maybe it will end the need for the fundraising week!

[Lord Humungus]

Say what now? NoScript for the win.

[Curt]

OT: http://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/fsu-st.....08643.html

Bonus points for a paragraph near the end of the article that talks about the eerie similarity to Miami case where a guy eats a homeless man's face while on bath salts. Then it turns out he wasn't on bath salts.

More bonus points for immediately following that by explaining that there is no evidence he was on flakka and there is evidence that he wasn't on flakka. But, they're still running with the headline because... wait for it... the cop said he wouldn't be surprised if it was flakka.

[commodious es un perdedor]

In fairness, have you ever known a homeless man to act all schizo like that?

[ant1sthenes]

Seems more likely he was a zombie. But of course the Zamarilla would cover that up.

[lafe.long]

Tech billionaire & Gawker foe Peter Thiel threw his weight behind Rep. Jackie Speier's (D-California) "revenge porn" bill yesterday?and Speier's isn't happy about it.

I'd like to read about this.. but the link, she is SF'd

[The Fusionist]

This black Milwaukee sheriff guy is *so* racist -

"What happened Saturday night and again Sunday night had little to do with police use of force ? it was a collapse of the social order where tribal behavior leads to reacting to circumstances instead of waiting for facts to emerge. The law of the jungle replaced the rule of law in Milwaukee Saturday night over an armed career criminal suspect who confronted police. Four other people were murdered in Milwaukee in separate incidents before the cop shooting and no riots ensued."

[commodious es un perdedor]

I'm willing to bet he'd balk at any restraint on authority or tamping down on revenuing laws, but he's been spot-on with his critiques of progressivism, welfare, dependency, family formation, etc. He's Thomas Sowell with a badge.

[kbolino]

So... the chances he gets re-elected are in the 0-0.1% range?

[commodious es un perdedor]

If not pressured out by Milwaukee's officials as convenient fall-guy for the shooting. Shit, he took the target painted on him by "protesters" and slung it across his back.

[Brett L]

Just like Joe Araipio.