A.M. Links: Obama Says Trump Team Has 'Very Clear' Ties to Russia, U.N. Reports 'Complete Meltdown of Humanity' in Aleppo

• 

  Gage Skidmore / Flickr.com

  Donald Trump says that he will transfer control of his businesses over to his sons before he takes the oath of office.

• "The overseers of the U.S. intelligence community have not embraced a CIA assessment that Russian cyber attacks were aimed at helping Republican President-elect Donald Trump win the 2016 election, three American officials said on Monday."
• Barack Obama: There are "very clear relationships between members of the president-elect's campaign team and Russians."
• "Pro-government forces retaking the eastern neighborhoods of the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo have killed at least 82 civilians, the United Nations estimated on Tuesday, in what one official called 'a complete meltdown of humanity.'"
• Comet Ping Pong shooter Edgar Maddison Welch is due in court today.
• Colorado marijuana businesses have sold more than $1 billion in legal cannabis so far this year.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Barack Obama: There are "very clear relationships between members of the president-elect's campaign team and Russians."

ILLEGITIMATE PRESIDENCY!

[HaiI Rataxes]

It kind of sad that your posts have taken such a lame repetitive form, because of your rush to get it done first.

I mean, if that's what you're coming with, why bother.

[Swiss Servator]

As opposed to your sullen bitching at everyone?

Sorry, I'll take Fist over you.

[Monty Crisco]

Swiss, don't you get it?!?!? FIST IS AN ILLEGITIMATE FIRST-POSTER!!!!!

[Rich]

What about his ties to Russia?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Nepravda! Er, I mean, untrue!

[The Fusionist]

Plus, you may have posted first, but if they counted the vote the way I'd like them to, *I'd* be posting first. True story!

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

FAKE FIRSTER!!!1111!111!11!!!!!!!

[Red Rocks Dickin Bimbos]

As opposed to your sullen bitching at everyone?

Someone has to fill the void that Nikki left, might as well be this sad sack.

[VG Zaytsev]

Bitching about someone else's bitchy comment.

How meta.

[Swiss Servator]

Fist is the Alpha, but I am the Omega,

[bacon-magic]

I wanted to be the Omega! It's kinda vaping related too. *pouts*

[Citizen X]

Winston? Is that you? Your mom says hi.

[SugarFree]

Nah. Winston is at home giving his mom a bath.

[Tejicano]

Is that what the kids are calling it these days...

[SugarFree]

The cool ones, at least.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

And she can't say Hi, her mouth is always full.

[Inigo Montoya]

Oh. While she's in the tub? Ah. Okay.
I'll be in my bunk.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

ALWAYS.

[Free Society]

Rataxes, it's kind of sad that your posts have taken such a douchebaggy form because of your need to be a douchebag every waking moment of your life to every person you come across.

I mean, if that's why you're posting here, why bother?

[Hail Rataxes]

Because I can tell how much you all love Tulpa.

[VG Zaytsev]

If Tulsa,didn't exist the cosmotariat would have to invent him.

Hell, most of the time they do.

[Cdr Lytton]

We're all living on Tulpa time.

Thanks Don Williams.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You get what you pay for.

[Sevo]

HaiI Rataxes|12.13.16 @ 9:03AM|#
"It kind of sad that your posts have taken such a lame repetitive form, because of your rush to get it done first."

Not nearly as sad as you showing up to prove what a shit you are.

[Florida Hipster]

Like I'm going to believe a Kenyan Muslim...

[The Fusionist]

We are all Kenyans now

/needed to post this joke before Jan. 20

[Zeb]

And soon we'll all be Russians.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

"Barack Obama: There are "very clear relationships between members of the president-elect's campaign team and Russians."

Wtf? Why is he going there?

[Lee Genes]

Because he's a douche

[Chinny Chin Chin]

Obama don't sugarcoat.

[Free Society]

Obama's talked a lot about how much he appreciated GW Bush not commenting on his presidency all the time and how he plans to do the same. But we all know he's a narcissist and won't be able to help himself. Get ready for at least four more years of Barack Obama flapping his gums.

[VG Zaytsev]

Because he's a community organizer and that what they do.

[But Enough About Me]

Clear relationships.

Yeah. Like they're all members of the human race.

[Mr. Paulbotto]

You know who else was a member of the human race?

[gaoxiaen]

Koko the gorilla? Almost.

[???? ??????, Jr.]

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS HARAMBE, GET HIM FACEBOOK

[Cdr Lytton]

Great current jr handle! And if the Iranian actress in the story referenced in your link needs a place to bunk where she won't be judged for not wearing enough clothes, she can call me! I'll have to work something out with the wife.

[Brett L]

"Lie here alone and think of feminism, hon."

[Inigo Montoya]

Rick Decker a.k.a. Blade Runner?

[juris imprudent]

I almost have to respect Obama for pulling the pins on a couple of grenades and casually tossing them over his shoulder as he waltzes out of office. It demonstrates everything that has been going on the last 8 years.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

We just need another line as "unifying" as "could have been my son" in the twilight of his presidency to really cap things off.

[I can't even]

"The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because the Cold War's been over for 20 years," Obama said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....03927.html

[Tyler.C]

It's been a hell of a relapse these last four years.

[Rufus The Monocled]

If it's over, then why are the Democrats (and to be fair I heard McConnell say 'Russia is not our friend' yesterday) screaming for Russkie blood?

[Rufus The Monocled]

Sorry. You meant the jab he made in 2012. Never mind. Carry on. I will spank myself.

[I can't even]

It's not easy to keep track of the hypocrisy.

[Citizen X]

Jesus, that's not even a euphemism.

[PBR Streetgang]

I never get tired of rubbing this one is my liberal friends' faces

[Rufus The Monocled]

It's right up there with 'because it's 2015'.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"The overseers of the U.S. intelligence community have not embraced a CIA assessment that Russian cyber attacks were aimed at helping Republican President-elect Donald Trump win the 2016 election, three American officials said on Monday."

Well, well, well. The bureaucracy is about to get very interesting.

[Princess Trigger]

Cucks!
or "Traitors"?
I'm seeing a lot of neo-Mcarthyism on the book of faces.
Also mild mannered academics gitten' their (civil)War Faces on.

[Tyler.C]

Academic never fare well in sicial upheavals. You'd think they'd kniw that with all their studying

[commodious buggres alle]

The future past is irrelevant and the future's always progressing toward utopia. We can learn nothing from our benighted past. History is forever moving forward. This time will be different.

[commodious buggres alle]

The future past

[Mr. Paulbotto]

The future past is irrelevant because Logan went back in time and retconned it all.

[gaoxiaen]

+ 1,000,00 Khmer Rouge

[Red Rocks Dickin Bimbos]

Foxtrot Alpha, which was one of the few decent Gawker blogs when Tyler Rogoway was running it, has gone off the deep end with this shit too. Posted by a progtard on a Derpbook page I frequent:

Putin is Hacking Our Faith in America, and It's Working

A choice bit, written with no sense of self-awareness or perspective:

Here in America, Putin wants to create a different kind of destabilization. He wants us to lose faith in American media, an institution with the potential to check government agencies in ways unimaginable in Russia. If Trump can raise doubts that American media are telling the truth, many Americans may begin to question if Putin is really the reason relations between Moscow and Washington are chilly. And if they don't get any official answers from the CIA that a cyber attack did occur, then they very well may lose confidence in their own intelligence agencies.

[Free Society]

ANY American that has faith in the CIA and the (mainstream) media to tell truth or to be decent human beings even, are fucking morons that shouldn't be voting.

[Red Rocks Dickin Bimbos]

What's obnoxious about it, and why I respond to these kind of missives with the contempt they deserve, is that we're supposed to believe a clandestine organization that's been a target of paranoia for the left since the late 60s (with plenty of justification, to be fair) is now a paragon of ethical, fact-based practices. These people show just how much contempt they have for their fellow citizens when they push this shit, as if their agenda and special pleading wasn't completely transparent.

[Drave Robber]

If your faith can be hacked, it's likely programmed.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Yeah, unfortunately even Reason is putting forth utter garbage of that nature.

That seriously is a strong contender for the worst piece I've ever read in over a decade and a half from this supposedly libertarian publication.

[SimonD]

I always thought that the lefties despised the CIA. Weren't they always doing something like 'beaming subconscious propaganda though our TV's man' (said in Tommy Chong voice).

[spqr2008]

I'm kind of hoping Trump goes off Tourette's style, and fires a whole bunch of bureaucrats, then follows this advice for the rest:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/...../95146014/

[Rich]

During the next four years, the Trump Administration ? and Congress ? should plan to move at least 25% of the federal workforce located in the Washington, D.C. metro area to other locations around the country

Emphasis added. Well, they might *joke* about it.

[spqr2008]

It would take a few years to accomplish, but given dramatic RIFs of the bureaucrats, in 4 years, we could have over 50% of the federal bureaucracy in flyover country, and hopefully that would be 25% of the current bureaucracy's size.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

That would be awesome.

Army did this with their HRC, moving it here to FT Knox. The savings in locality pay and military housing, as well as the redux of redundant positions has probably saved millions since 2010.

[OneOut]

But this could possibly change local politics much like the flood of California proggies do when they self exile themselves from Calitopia..

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

The idea would be to not let any organization collect in large enough congregations to fuck up the locality.

Keep 'em spread out.

[Tonio]

^This. Could also be sold as continuity of operations for fedgov (not that we are invested in that, but still a good selling point).

Also, the slow drawdown will lessen the effects on the DC/MD/VA economy. I know many of us have little sympathy for bureacrats, but pity Mr. Park the Fairfax County drycleaner who depends on those government workers for his income.

[Red Rocks Dickin Bimbos]

You know who else had plans to relocate large numbers of people to outlying destinations?

[VG Zaytsev]

Barack Obama?

[gaoxiaen]

Uncle Joseph?

[Mr. Paulbotto]

Every king of Assyria and Babylonia?

[Rhywun]

The Communist Party of China?

[Swiss Servator]

Airlines?

[Citizen X]

The Eschaton?

[Wicked Skin]

Andy Jackson?

[bacon-magic]

Rome?

[Tonio]

Zionists?

[jack sprat]

The British

[Dick N. Bimbose (n?e Cooper)]

Humans in WALL-E?

[Dick N. Bimbose (n?e Cooper)]

Humans in WALL-E?

[Volren]

So has the CIA actually come out on the record and confirmed it gave that presentation?

[Tom Bombadil]

Wonder if it will be included in Trump's next national security briefing.

[Pat (PM)]

Sheriff: Man uses front-end loader to drop son's mobile home

PARSONSFIELD, Maine (AP) ? Authorities say a Maine man used a front-end loader to repeatedly pick up and drop his son's mobile home during a family dispute and only stopped when he learned his 7-year-old grandson was inside.

The York County sheriff's department says 50-year-old John Bubar was involved in a dispute with his 27-year-old son, Michael, on Sunday over rent payments and debris in the yard.

The son and his family live in a mobile home on John Bubar's property in Parsonsfield.

Authorities say the elder Bubar damaged the mobile home with a front-end loader and backhoe.

Bubar was arrested on a charge of domestic violence reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon. His grandson wasn't hurt.

[Rich]

"Roll and rock!"

[Swiss Servator]

"If this trailer is a rockin.... CALL THE COPS!!!"

[Lord Humungus]

A California man steals $5 million, spends $1 million on 'Game of War' cellphone game

The amount of money he stole would change most people's lives, and it seemed to have changed Co's as well. Among the things he spent it on are the expected - luxury cars, season tickets to see the Sacramento Kings and the San Francisco 49ers.

Some of his other extravagances included "plastic surgery expenses" and a membership at the exclusive Whitney Oaks Golf Club in Rocklin, California.

Easily the strangest expenditure was money spent on playing "Game of War," a smartphone game that is considered a freemium app - referring to a game that costs nothing to acquire but requires monetary purchases in-game. In other words, if you want better weaponry or some such within the game, you can purchase it.

The average paying player spent $550 on the game in 2015, according to VentureBeat.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...if you want better weaponry or some such within the game, you can purchase it.

That's how we beat the Soviets.

[Swiss Servator]

That and Sovietskiy Telkom phones were the size of suitcases and had a range of 3'.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

And were powered by radioactive cesium batteries.

Which really brings realism to 'Game of War'.

[Juvenile Bluster]

That app makes disgusting amounts of money. Something like $1.5 million a day I heard at one point.

[SugarFree]

You could tell it was do well by the commercials. Arnold doesn't come cheap and usually only does overseas ads.

[Juvenile Bluster]

Arnold is Mobile Strike. Game of War is Kate Upton.

I hate myself for knowing that.

[Slumbrew]

It's like you people don't even RTFA:

the game... earns an estimated $1.6 million a day.

That Upton-starring ad campaign cost about $40 million...

$40MM?!! After $1MM or so to construct a custom corset for those howitzers of hers, I don't know where the other $39MM went.

[Brett L]

I assume $38.99M to her directly.

[thom]

In a $40M ad campaign, the bulk of the $ would be used to purchase ad time.

[SugarFree]

I can't keep those things straight.

[commodious buggres alle]

Kate Upton has no problem keeping things straight.

[Slumbrew]

Kate Upton has no problem keeping things straight slightly curved.

[Lee Genes]

The average paying player spent $550 on the game in 2015

That's retarded.

[juris imprudent]

That's redundant.

[Tejicano]

Ha ha ha! I bought my Saiga-12 - a Russian made Kalashnikov in 12 gauge - for $350 (yeah, not recently...). I can't imagine spending that kind of money for cyber-weapons when you can but real ones for a similar price.

[straffinrun]

Got my 12 gauge at age 15 for chopping and stacking a winter supply of wood.

[Lee Genes]

In other news, Tejicano is a Russkie stooge.

[Lord Humungus]

I used to play GoW - but the $$ to play is ridiculous. You think "this $20 pack will be everything I need to become competitive!" And it isn't because there are even bigger spenders out there with armies of billions of troops.

After much frustration, I just stopped playing. Too much of a time suck to keep the city going, and the money drain for something that is essentially a very basic game that could have been written on a 90s PC makes it rather silly.

[Volren]

Yeah I agree. I admit I am guilty of spending more money than I should've on that game trying to keep up.

It's disgusting how badly they screw over their older players. It's like some weird Ponzi scheme where they're okay so long as new people keep coming in to replace the ones who quit.

[Rhywun]

It's like some weird Ponzi scheme

Not to be a dick, but... you didn't know that going in?

[Volren]

I will freely admit it was hardly my finest set of decisions. I am honestly somewhat impressed that despite what appears to be a crazy business model they have been (and appear to remain) quite successful.

[A Thinking Mind]

Any "free to play" massive multiplayer is a scam to weasel money out of you. We need to PSAs on this.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

"Game of War"

The thing that disgusts me most is not the parasitic freemium nature of the game, but the fact they had zero creativity when coming up with the name.

"Okay, guys, our scam 'game' is done. Now what do we call it??"

"Well it's a game, right?? Let's call it 'Game'."

"No, we need more. Something more descriptive. What do you do in the game??"

"You go to war??"

"Alright, so we'll call it 'Game of War'."

[???? ??????, Jr.]

I LOLed

[Fist of Etiquette]

Donald Trump says that he will transfer control of his businesses over to his sons before he takes the oath of office.

And will then create a charitable foundation for overseas benefactors to help... I don't know... save the whales or something?

[Swiss Servator]

Save the Yetis?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Whales.

[Juvenile Bluster]

Lieawatha take too much fire water, make dumb Facebook post

Senator Elizabeth Warren, furious about President-elect Donald J. Trump's appointments of finance industry insiders, took to Facebook a little over a week ago to fire off a message to her nearly 2.5 million followers.

...

The hedge fund manager she condemned was Whitney Tilson, who runs Kase Capital. Ms. Warren ? the fiery Massachusetts Democrat who is known for her stern mistrust of Wall Street ? called him out by saying, "Tilson knows that, despite all the stunts and rhetoric, Donald Trump isn't going to change the economic system." Then she added, "The next four years are going to be a bonanza for the Whitney Tilsons of the world."

There's one rather glaring problem with Ms. Warren's attack: Mr. Tilson happens to be one of the few financial executives who publicly fought Mr. Trump's election and supported Hillary Clinton. A lifelong Democrat who was involved in helping to start Teach for America, Mr. Tilson also happened to be one of the rare Wall Street executives who had donated to Ms. Warren and actively sought new regulations for the industry. Recently, he gave Mrs. Clinton $1,000 so he could see Ms. Warren speak at a campaign fund-raiser. (He's also far, far from a billionaire.)

[Flakfizer is Ballet, Jr.]

Then she added, "The next four years are going to be a bonanza for the Whitney Tilsons of the world."

Before Donald Trump came along, hedge fund managers were just scraping by. Barely two nickels to rub together.

[Florida Hipster]

So why did Trump pick him?

[juris imprudent]

More epic trolling?

[Princess Trigger]

Thank God.
One principled politician who can't be bought!

[Rufus The Monocled]

She's insane.

[Chip Woodier]

Mr. Tilson happens to be one of the few financial executives who publicly fought Mr. Trump's election and supported Hillary Clinton.

Yes, everyone knows that nobody on Wall Street backed Clinton. /sarc
That statement is so obviously wrong that it deserves some gaze narrowing, unless there is some different definition of 'support' of which I am unaware. Or maybe they hang the whole meat of their argument on the word 'publicly'.

[SugarFree]

Maybe Tilson will learn a lesson from this and stop funding the very people who hate his guts.

[Monty Crisco]

Yeah, set your watch to that little revelatory awakening from a leftie....

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHA.... oh nutrasweet... don't change, you naive little waif...

[SugarFree]

I do what I do just for that laugh.

[Citizen X]

Well, that and the ladies.

[Volren]

Fauxcahontas sees a suit, she unloads both barrels. Whatever. Never let the truth stand in the way of a good narrative.

[commodious buggres alle]

But he's a WHITE MALE.

/fugly bespeckled privileged college student

[Rhywun]

"The next four years are going to be a bonanza for the Whitney Tilsons of the world."

For the sake of large coastal cities that are in danger of swirling down the toilet thanks to her and her friends' policies, she better hope so.

[Lord Humungus]

Vox: Why Obamacare enrollees voted for Trump
In Whitley County, Kentucky, the uninsured rate declined 60 percent under Obamacare. So why did 82 percent of voters there support Donald Trump?

Many expressed frustration that Obamacare plans cost way too much, that premiums and deductibles had spiraled out of control. And part of their anger was wrapped up in the idea that other people were getting even better, even cheaper benefits ? and those other people did not deserve the help.

There was a persistent belief that Trump would fix these problems and make Obamacare work better. I kept hearing informed voters, who had watched the election closely, say they did hear the promise of repeal but simply felt Trump couldn't repeal a law that had done so much good for them. In fact, some of the people I talked to hope that one of the more divisive pieces of the law ? Medicaid expansion ? might become even more robust, offering more of the working poor a chance at the same coverage the very poor receive.

[Pat (PM)]

What's (Still) The Matter With Kansas?

[thom]

I find this particular line of leftist thinking fascinating. Why won't people just vote for whoever will give them more of other people's stuff? They must be stupid!

The notion that anybody might be willing to forgo taking other people's stuff because they are motivated by things other than material gain is completely foreign to most leftist thinking. It really says a lot about who they are.

[Zeb]

I've always found that to also be an extremely insulting and condescending attitude. Basically saying that poor people can't have principles or think long term. The only motivation must be short term personal gain. So if they vote Republican, they are stupidly voting against their self interest.

I like to ask people who say things like that if they also go around berating rich leftists for voting against their own self interest.

[cbone]

I was at a Marc Maron show (which was a mistake, he's a talented interviewer but a piss-poor comic), and he told the following joke, verbatim: "If you're a poor Republican, you're a fucking moron!" And the crowd. went. wild.

It's not that the concept of poor Republicans can't be riffed on (for instance, a lot of them take a ton of gov't aid). It was the amount of condescension that was dripping from him as he said it. And the fact he told it to a crowd in Boston, like it would get any other response. It was a lazy layup.

To his credit, I emailed him the next day and gave him my beef with the lazy joke, and also said, "If you're a rich Democrat, you're a fucking hypocrite." He responded warmly and said he often uses a similar Democrat riff.

[Slumbrew]

I find Maron's combination of insecurity and condescending smugness incredibly irritating.

[commodious buggres alle]

Many expressed frustration that Obamacare plans cost way too much, that premiums and deductibles had spiraled out of control...

...simply felt Trump couldn't repeal a law that had done so much good for them.

Uh.

[Zeb]

Gee. Maybe people don't like being forced to get insurance.

It is ridiculous that people actually seem to believe that the fact that fewer people are uninsured is in itself a measure of Obamacare's success. Of course a law that subsidizes insurance and penalizes people who don't have insurance is going to lead to more people with insurance.

[Flakfizer is Ballet, Jr.]

Colorado marijuana businesses have sold more than $1 billion in legal cannabis so far this year.

Have you considered the human cost, Reason??

[Rich]

Why, the lost productivity alone is staggering!

[Swiss Servator]

'Servant, bring me another bottle of laudanum!"

[But Enough About Me]

D00d, why you harshin' my mellow?

[Rich]

Take a deep breath.

[EDG reppin LBC]

But there has been a marked increase in staggering!

[thom]

And slow, cautious, aimless driving...

[Tyler.C]

Byt think about the boon it has been to the snack food industry.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Man, are you having a stroke?

You seem to have a real problem selecting the proper vowel, today.

[Tyler.C]

I know right? It's cause I usually type out comments on my mobile, which has about a 2cm space for typing, and my thumb is about 1 cm wide...

[juris imprudent]

SAM must be weeping tears of blood. Good

[An angry lizard]

Jeff Sessions will dry those tears.

[Jerryskids]

Very few people besides Reason do consider the human cost of drug use. As in, if I spend 100 bucks on a gram of coke I'm obviously receiving more than 100 dollars worth of pleasure from consuming that coke or I wouldn't have voluntarily made the exchange. So where in the cost/benefit analysis is that 100 bucks+ worth of enjoyment I've gotten out of the deal? Am I not better off for having purchased the coke? Most statistics you see on what drug use "costs" society don't even bother including that primary benefit. Not to mention which, the idea that my drug use "costs" society includes the implicit idea that I owe society the full value of my potential labor and they're entitled to expect it of me, which is just openly slaver mentality.

[Tyler.C]

Your analysis reqyires thaylt a person is making rational decisions and i think most rake exception to the idea tgat a coke addict is in complete rational control when he buys.

[Zeb]

Yeah, the cost/benefit works a bit differently in the case of an addict. But there are a lot of non-addicts out there buying the occasional gram of coke.

[thrakkorzog]

The big problem with such an analysis is the assumption that drug addicts make rational choices, and are net producers. If a drug addict earns $100 to buy coke by stealing two $500 TVs and selling them for $50 each, then they aren't really contributing much to the economy.

OTOH, if you have $100 to spend on coke and strippers, then as far as I'm concerned, party on. I don't see that as any worse than spending $100 on a trip to Vegas, buying video games, or dropping it in the collection plate. If you honestly earned the money, then you can spend it as you see fit.

[Rich]

There are "very clear relationships between members of the president-elect's campaign team and Russians."

"The most transparent proto-administration in history!"

[Swiss Servator]

*drops coffee cup, staggers up and begins thunderous ovation*

[UnCivilServant]

Hrmmm... Lets make a boring film about a heroic anti-gun lobbyist!

Box Office
Budget: $18,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend: $59,797 (USA) (25 November 2016)
Gross: $2,038,365 (USA) (9 December 2016)

... Well that didn't go over so well.

[Rich]

"Get your refreshments in the gun lobby!"

[Swiss Servator]

*narrows gaze*

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Oh sure the overall cost is a total loss for all involved, but if it gets Chastain just one major film industry award it's worth it.

[Red Rocks Dickin Bimbos]

From what I'm hearing, the reviews on that film are pretty mixed, so she may not be a shoe-in unless it's one of the pity awards they typically hand out.

What's going to be hilarious in the next year--year and a half will be all the GUUUUURRRRRLLL POWER!! movies coming out that Hollywood had in the hopper to align with Her Highness's coronation (such as Rogue One: A Mary StarSue Story). Now they're not only going to confirm the ideological and social bubble they live in, they're going to lose millions for pushing their political agenda in The Current Year.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Important question, does she take her clothes off?

Box office answer seems to be 'no'.

[UnCivilServant]

Reviews seem to say "no".

I fact the reviews say "It was a meh film thoroughly steeped in political bias which near the end had some decent performances, but only after ninety minutes of dreck" That was an amalgamated summary of at least half a dozen different reviews of the movie.

[Red Rocks Dickin Bimbos]

Hollywood's been pimping her as some kind of "breakout" movie star for a while now, but she's utterly uncharismatic with an "I want to speak to the manager" vibe in every role she's had. Maybe she needs to hook up with Paul Feig, who seems to have some understanding of how to make shitty actresses into box-office draws, the recent PenisBusters movie aside.

[Rufus The Monocled]

The trailer to that movie look so stupid and naked in its agenda it made me laugh. As if I'm gonna waste my time with that crap. I think they were aiming for the Brockovich effect there; another movie I didn't watch.

[Rufus The Monocled]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/miss_sloane/

But RT seemed to like it!

[Brett L]

Good thing you pasted the URL, I thought RT was Russia Today.

[Free Society]

Brokovich? Isn't that the former prostitute who married some rich dude and went on to become a lawyer that called attention to some pollution somewhere?

[thrakkorzog]

She's the one who claimed 33% from a class action lawsuit. Which is generally considered excessive, even by class action lawyers.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

So, stayed in the same career field?

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

So, stayed in the same career field?

[juris imprudent]

No wonder Julia Roberts got the part.

[Pat (PM)]

Chief tester F-35 says F35 will not be ready for combat testing til 2019-2020 and F35C wings are not strong enough to carry missiles

Pentagon officials have been preparing a misleading assessment of progress on Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35, the costliest U.S. weapons program, the Defense Department's chief tester warned.

"If not changed, the existing responses would at best be considered misleading and at worst, prevarications," Michael Gilmore, director of operational test and evaluation, wrote in an internal memo criticizing the draft response to questions about F-35 testing from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain.

Gilmore challenged passages in the Defense Department's draft response to McCain[...]

Live-fire testing of the jet's gun system for attacking ground targets and in dogfights against enemy jets faces new delays, Gilmore said. In flights last month, symbols on the helmet display used by pilots to aim air-to-ground attacks were "unusable and unsafe to complete the planned testing."

The Navy's version of the plane, the F-35C, also has inadequate wing strength, Gilmore said. Its wingtips aren't strong enough to carry the AIM-9X short-range air-to-air missile, a primary weapon, at some altitudes and airspeeds. Testing on a fix is under way.

[UnCivilServant]

It can't fly, it can't fight, it can't shoot, it can't dodge.

Why have we spent $1.6T on this again?

[Princess Trigger]

Freedom?

[robc]

Why do we spend any money up front.

Tell the vendors what features you want in a plane/tank/rifle/etc and how much you are willing to pay.

Then, when complete, purchase it.

[Stormy Dragon]

"Hi, we'd like you to invest billions of dollars of capital on a design project on the off chance we MIGHT buy something from you afterward. Please keep in mind that if we decide not to buy anything, you're not allowed to sell it to anyone else, either."

[juris imprudent]

Because then the next general in command of requirements couldn't add his own touches. Are you some kind of monster?

[I can't even]

It was designed to transfer wealth from tax-payers to Lockheed Martin. It has performed as designed.

[Lee Genes]

Stimulus for congresscritters

[John DeWitt]

Maybe if they just take the cockpit and life support systems out it'll work. On board pilots are obsolete, anyway.

[I can't even]

Hey, if the Russians can hack our elections, why not our planes?

[John DeWitt]

I, for one, welcome our Slavic Overlords.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Directed energy weapons (DEW) will shortly end mounted aerial combat.

[Red Rocks Dickin Bimbos]

The Navy's version of the plane, the F-35C, also has inadequate wing strength, Gilmore said. Its wingtips aren't strong enough to carry the AIM-9X short-range air-to-air missile, a primary weapon, at some altitudes and airspeeds

Christ, what a clusterfuck. This is a plane that's supposed to feature some "soft" stealth capabilities based on its design; how the hell does putting missiles out on the wingtips enhance that capability?

Part of me can only partially blame Lockheed for this mess because the DoD stupidly tried to cram a single platform across three service branches (repeating the mistakes of the McNamara era, incidentally), and then Gates cancelled the F-22 after it had reached operational acceptance, which put more pressure on Lockheed to get the F-35 operational to replace the F-16s and F-18s. We could have had a lot more F-22s for an increasingly smaller price while they worked out the bugs on the F-35 or, failing that, cancelled the F-35 and moved on to other programs. Now we've sunk so much dough into the platform, the DoD has painted themselves into a corner and can't cancel it because it would be billions down the drain for nothing.

[MikeT1986]

The fact of the matter is we also do need a new airframe, our current ones are from the 60s-70s. They're missing out on a ton of beneficial improvements to technology and performance.

I agree that the root cause is looking for a 1 size fits all jet though. If we'd had a list of specs for something that optimized to do a constrained mission profile, we could have gotten that out. IE a new fast strike Bomber, or a new fighter, etc.

- This Comment Brought to you by the Military Industrial Complex's lackey.

[Atlas Slugged]

RRDB. Sunk costs. I recommend you explore the concept.

[Lord Humungus]

Florida Woman Run Over By Christmas Parade Float

A woman is recovering after being run over by a float in the Pensacola Christmas parade.

Officer Tony Garza tells the Pensacola News Journal 59-year-old Miriam Mimms stepped into the street to pick something up along the parade route Saturday evening when she was apparently bumped from behind and fell into the path of a float.

Officials say a safety person walking with the float saw Mimms fall and pulled her head away from the path of the float's tire. Authorities say the float ran over the left torso.

[SugarFree]

It's not a parade until someone gets run over by a float.

[Swiss Servator]

At least not a good parade.

[Rich]

😎

[straffinrun]

You spelled "paradox" wrong.

[Chipwooder]

Pensacola is such a shithole. I am very glad I no longer live there.

FWB is nice, though.

[Tom Bombadil]

I recently drove through parts of Pensacola and it was much better kept and less "ghetto-y" than I remember 30 years ago.

[Chipwooder]

Really?? I thought it had declined drastically between my first stint there in 2002-03 and the second in 2006-11. Escambia County in general was hit hard in 2008 both by the recession and cutbacks in spending on the bases. Last time I went through PCola in 2013, there were a shitload of closed up businesses and dying strip malls, at least in west Pensacola.

[Tom Bombadil]

I didn't see the West-side. I was in FWB area 70's-80's so I'd enter P'cola from the East. Usually just to go to the airport or see a concert. That area is much better now than before. I can't comment on the differences in the time frames you mentioned as I've been away most of the time from mid-80's.

[This Machine]

*tops off coffee, puts feet up on desk*

Mornin' gents. New chapter in the Warty Hugeman Saga, huh?

*sips coffee, mumbles "swastika nipples" absentmindedly*

[Swiss Servator]

I am experiencing anticipation and horror, mixed together.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Shaken, not stirred.

[Lord Humungus]

Exclusive: Top U.S. spy agency has not embraced CIA assessment on Russia hacking - sources

The overseers of the U.S. intelligence community have not embraced a CIA assessment that Russian cyber attacks were aimed at helping Republican President-elect Donald Trump win the 2016 election, three American officials said on Monday.

While the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) does not dispute the CIA's analysis of Russian hacking operations, it has not endorsed their assessment because of a lack of conclusive evidence that Moscow intended to boost Trump over Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, said the officials, who declined to be named.

The position of the ODNI, which oversees the 17 agency-strong U.S. intelligence community, could give Trump fresh ammunition to dispute the CIA assessment, which he rejected as "ridiculous" in weekend remarks, and press his assertion that no evidence implicates Russia in the cyber attacks.

[An angry lizard]

It can't be proven it in court of law so it's ridiculous.

[Brett L]

I hope Trump just fires half the CIA and sends the other half to do HUMINT on antibiotic resistant TB colonies.

[Red Rocks Dickin Bimbos]

The overseers of the U.S. intelligence community have not embraced a CIA assessment

Again, what assessment? The only thing we've seen so far is innuendo from some leakers that WaPo and the NYT ran with this weekend, not even an official statement from the head of the CIA or one of his underlings. Obama hasn't even confirmed that this is legitimate, because he's calling for an "investigation" only--which seems to imply that the CIA hasn't actually produced even a background paper on this.

Until they come forward with a legitimate report with cited sources on what the Russians specifically did, this is just Fake News.

[SugarFree]

Warty Hugeman and The Girl With the Nazi-Ray Eyes: A Warty Hugeman Time Travel Adventure

Chapter Two: There's A Taste In My Mouth As Desperation Takes Hold

"I know you are awake, Hugeman," The Baron said. He was trying to pitch a terrifying timbre in his voice, but it just came out sort of squeaky.

"Coffee," Warty said, not opening his eyes or moving. "Bacon, eggs, sausage, and ham? You bring me any carbs and I'll fist your sister."

"This is not a hotel," The Baron said.

Warty opened one eye and looked around. He was on the floor of a clear glass or plastic cube in the middle of a large and dark room. The timesuit was gone and he wore a baggy jumpsuit that crinkled like gift paper at every small movement. He pushed himself up into a seated position. He felt the crotch of the jumpsuit and frowned. The Doomcock and his deadly testicles were gone.

"Yes, Hugeman. I have unmanned you," The Baron said. He held up the Doomcock and waggled it back and forth. "This is very impressive. In what century did you have this made?"

"Century? That's brand new, Fritz."

"Come, come now, Warty. We know you are a time traveler. How else would you have found us here in the 31st century? We know you were born in the late 20th. And you are hardly immortal. Or do you think you will be the first Warty Hugeman I have captured? The first I have killed?"

[SugarFree]

"Maybe you caught one of my wuss-ass interdimensional duplicates, but I'm the real Warty Hugeman. That big black doomdick of mine that you're stroking is going to be the last thing you ever see, Fritz."

The Baron laughed contemptuously. "We are dismantling your timesuit as we speak. We will unlock its secrets and the timestream will be open to us. The Twelfth Reich will stand forever!"

"That's what the other eleven said, dipshit."

The Baron grimaced, his face turning purple. He turned sharply on his heel and stalked away.

Warty heard a woman scream "Heil TimeHitler!" That's when Warty realized the girl with the Nazi-ray eyes was in the far corner of the room.

"Heil TimeHitler," The Baron answered. He was still fuming.

Warty laughed to himself and stood. The only light in the room was shining down on his clear cube prison. He tapped one of the walls. It sounded like glass. Warty drew back a huge fist and punched it at about half his strength. The wall absorbed his punch by deforming slightly but snapped back into place immediately.

"The prisoner shall not attempt to escape!" the girl yelled.

Warty punched the wall again, putting everything into it. The wall moved out a few inches under his blow and snapped back.

"The prisoner shall not attempt to escape!" she said again and ran to stand at attention by the cube.

[SugarFree]

"This isn't glass. What it is? Some sort of force field?"

"The prisoner shall not speak unless addressed!"

She was dressed in the same outfit she had come through the portal in: brown shirt, jodhpurs, boots and glasses?her blonde hair in a severe braid.

"What did you drug me with? My head is killing me and I have a horrible taste in my mouth."

"The prisoner shall not speak unless addressed!"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. But I'm not going to stop talking, so you might as well stop telling me to. But seriously, wow, what a terrible taste in my mouth. It's like old salami, but also sweet, too. Can I have a beer or something?"

The girl nodded sharply and typed something into a pad strapped to her wrist. Warty watched carefully as a long metal spigot dropped down through the clear roof. A drop of water hung down from the spigot. Warty touched it and water began to flow.

"What, I'm supposed to drink out of this like a gerbil or something?"

One corner of the girl's mouth moved slightly and Warty knew how he was going to get out.

Check back tomorrow for Chapter Three

Catch up on the adventure to date here.

[Citizen X]

This is the only reason i got up this morning.

[Swiss Servator]

You too, eh?

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

This is the only reason I didn't sleep last night.

[Fist of Etiquette]

He's going to flood the cube and the pressure will break out the walls.

[Fist of Etiquette]

No, wait, he's going to seduce the blonde and the pressure will break out the walls.

[Fist of Etiquette]

He's going to take off the jumpsuit, tie the openings, fill it with water and then when they come in to see why he's so bloated, he'll drop down from the pipe hanging through the ceiling and start taking names. That's what I would do, but mostly because I just like to pounce on things while naked.

I can't wait to find out. Tell us now.

[Swiss Servator]

but mostly because I just like to pounce on things while naked

Very....Florida Man of you.

[Juvenile Bluster]

I can't wait until this is optioned into a movie, starring Chris Pratt as Warty Hugeman

[Fist of Etiquette]

I think you need an Asian actor. The last name is pronounced like Pok?mon.

[Juvenile Bluster]

I figured Warty would be CGI, and Pratt would just provide the voice.

[SugarFree]

"I AM WARTY."

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

That's a physical description, right?

[OneOut]

"The Baron grimaced, his face turning purple. He turned sharply on his heel and stalked away."

Only one heel ?

Is this foreshadowing ?

[GOML!]

This is the first SF story I've broken down and read. If Clinton/Huma turns up in it, I'm going to be pissed.

[Crusty Juggler]

This is the first SF story I've broken down and read.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[Krabappel]

This needs to be made into a movie!

[The Fusionist]

Some studio will buy the rights to the character and they they'll write a lame-ass script whose lameness will be papered over with CGI. It will do well in the foreign market.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

This needs to be a rated NC-17, Michael Bay movie!

[Juvenile Bluster]

Bakersfield PD shoot and kill 73 year old unarmed man

An unarmed 73-year-old man whose family said was in the initial stages of dementia was shot and killed early Monday by a Bakersfield police officer, authorities said.

Police responded about 12:30 a.m. to a report of a man brandishing a handgun in the 7900 block of Silver Birch Avenue, a neighborhood in the southwest corner of the city, Bakersfield police Sgt. Gary Carruesco said.

When police arrived, a witness pointed to a man in the driveway of a residence. An officer fired several rounds at the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Kern County coroner's office identified the man as Francisco Serna. A retired father of five children, Serna lived on the block where the shooting occurred, his son, Rogelio Serna, told The Times.

Police said the call was prompted by a report of a man with a firearm, but investigators canvassed the area after the shooting and did not recover a gun, Carruesco said. Police searched the family's home and cars and did not recover a firearm, Rogelio Serna said.

It's unclear why Serna was outside or why the officer opened fire.

"Fuck, he was unarmed. Lets search his car and his house to see if we can come up with some excuse"
"No guns"
"Dammit Jones, you realize how much this is gonna cost the city? You're buying the drinks next time we're out at the bar"

[Flakfizer is Ballet, Jr.]

Police said the call was prompted by a report of a man with a firearm, but investigators canvassed the area after the shooting and did not recover a gun, Carruesco said.

I'm sure they just haven't found it yet. Why would the police lie?

[Florida Hipster]

If he had a gun at home, they could have said he was a known gun owner, and anyone who owns a gun, even if they don't have it at the time, represents a lethal threat.

[spqr2008]

*Knowing Prog Nod*

[commodious buggres alle]

It could go off for, like, no reason.

[Citizen X]

So, if you want to off someone in Bakersfield, all you have to do is yell "Gun!" in the presence of a cop and point?

[SugarFree]

Apparently. Let this be a lesson to all you old men out there who are always yelling at people to get off your lawn.

[Citizen X]

I guess that's cheaper than the previous preferred method of assassination in Bakersfield, which was to hire some skinhead bikers to bludgeon your target to death.

[GOML!]

[Considers changing handle]

[SugarFree]

JB, you me'd the link.

[SugarFree]

heir

Sadly, the elderly man was Hispanic, so Free Society is only 50% sure it was a good shoot.

[Citizen X]

Well, if he didn't want to get shot, he should have stayed in Hispanica where his culture belongs.

[Free Society]

You're pathetic.

[Fist of Etiquette]

THERE'S ALREADY AN OFFICIAL LINK. It's one post up. No, you didn't get a hat tip.

[Jerryskids]

It's unclear why Serna was outside or why the officer opened fire.

It's unclear why Serna was outside.

Welp, the stupid fucker obviously brought it upon himself then, didn't he? Just strolling around outside like that with no reason whatsoever is just begging for it.

[SugarFree]

Thugs gonna thug.

[Volren]

Welp, at least the officer made it home safely.

[Pat (PM)]

Algorithms are making us small-minded

We live in a world of curation. The internet ? aided by algorithms that predict what we search, buy, listen to, read, watch and even who we want to date and marry ? expertly helps to us find what we want.

Well, as long as it's similar to whatever we've liked in the past.

And there's the rub. The ubiquity of incredibly powerful algorithms designed to reinforce our interests also ensures that we see little of what's new, different and unfamiliar. The very things that are at the heart of learning, understanding and innovation. Rather than taking us out of our comfort zone, the digital revolution is enabling each of us to live happily in our own worlds, and in the process closing down opportunities for originality, spontaneity and learning.

[Rich]

Fortunately, there's lateral thinking.

[Florida Hipster]

Yeah! If that algorithm didn't recommend I buy a dining table because I bought one yesterday, I would never know I need two.
*derp*

[UnCivilServant]

Oh yes, I need a second lawn mower for the roadside margins. Thank you, automated recommendation algorithm!

[Tyler.C]

I literally loled

[Slumbrew]

...expertly helps to us find what we want

Citation fuckin needed. TBF, half my Amazon purchases are for/by my S.O., so my purchase history is schizophrenic. "No, I am not goddamn interested in the latest Anne Patchett novel".

[Rufus The Monocled]

Exactly. Just because I bought a girly bag for my daughter doesn't mean 'you might be interested in' insert other girly items.

[Florida Hipster]

insert other girly items.

Well now I'm feeling sexy.

[Florida Hipster]

You can seperate accounts, but share prime membership. It won't improve the algorithm though.

[Slumbrew]

I don't think you can share Kindle devices across accounts, which is why my book suggestions are nearly worthless.

[Florida Hipster]

I still read in dead tree form, because I hate the environment.

[Slumbrew]

Shelf space is at a premium, so lots of Kindle usage - the Voyage is a pleasure to read on, plus my phone is handy for the occasional subway ride. I'll confess I read more pulp via the Kindle, things I might be vaguely embarrassed to be seen reading in public.

[UnCivilServant]

The voyage is okay, but what I really want is an updated Kindle Keyboard. I liked the physical keys. I had fewer accidental page turns with that, and it was more or less perfect for my use cases.

I'm still sad because my Kindle Keyboard died. I got it when it was still called the Kindle 3. It was only six years old...

[Mr. Paulbotto]

I didn't realize Warty Hugeman Time Travel Adventures were available in Kindle now!

[Eternal Blue Sky]

"The ubiquity of incredibly powerful algorithms designed to reinforce our interests also ensures that we see little of what's new, different and unfamiliar."

Except, you forget dear author, that the algorithms are largely bullshit. The Algorithms think that I speak fluent Spanish (I speak no Spanish at all mind you) because I watched a couple Lucha Libre matches. The Algorithms think because I bought Rosetta Stone for Farsi, that I MUST want to purchase it again. And again. And again.

The point is, the Algorithms are idiotic and over half of the online advertisements I see are Spanish ads for a service I already bought. You think this is my comfort zone?? To be presented with reasons to buy a product I ALREADY OWN in a language that I have absolutely no knowledge of?? The Algorithms take me out of my "comfort zone" every day because they're terrible at trying to identify what I am and what I am interested in.

[Troy muy grande boner]

Well the algoruthm at the Steam Store suck. I have reviewed about 1200 games through that que thingy and boit over 200 games. Youd think they would have an idea of what i like and dont. Yet theu still try to sell me anime shit

[commodious buggres alle]

90% of Steam's library is shit. If they only showed you games that are worth both your time and money rather than just showing cheap shit they put on sale, you'd get the same couple dozen games in your queue. Which would be fine by me.

[Lord Humungus]

I bet she's fun to party with...

Woman drove into canal, ran naked and slapped deputy

Deputies responded near Vanderbilt Beach and Airport-Pulling roads just before 7 p.m. after multiple callers said a vehicle had gone into the canal and a woman had gotten out and was "running in the roadway naked," an arrest report states.

Deputies reported finding the car fully submerged and Haughton sitting on the sidewalk under an umbrella with a passer-by in an attempt to cover her.

Haughton was unsure whether there were any other occupants in the car, so firefighters and deputies entered the water to look, the report states.

While medics were checking on Haughton, "she stood up and began to walk into traffic and was yelling about Satan and God," the report says.

[Lee Genes]

She looks happy.

[Mr. Dyslexic]

She looks happy nappy.

FIFY

[Pat (PM)]

Inauguration blues: Why pop stars won't play for Trump

According to US news website The Wrap, Trump's inaugural committee is scrambling to find stars who are willing to play at his swearing in ceremony on 20 January 2017.[...]

Grammy-winner John Legend, who has been a guest of the Obamas several times, says he is "not surprised at all".

"Creative people tend to reject bigotry and hate," he told the BBC.[...]

"I would never do it," agrees Swedish star Zara Larsson, speaking at the BBC Music Awards.

"A lot of artists out there have been very pro-Hillary and anti-Donald. So I would never do it and most other smart people wouldn't do it."[...]

Then, just as it seems no-one in the music world harbours a secret ambition to play for the president elect, we bump into Matt Healy, lead singer of The 1975.

Yes, he says, he would sing at the inauguration? but on one condition.

"I'll do it if they give me cash up front," he says. "Then watch what would happen. It would be a riot."

So what's his price?

"What do I want? Well, he's got gold seatbelts in his plane - so at least a million quid."

[Flakfizer is Ballet, Jr.]

So brave.

[Chipwooder]

Who the hell is Matt Healy of the 1975 or Zara Larsson? Why do I give a shit?

[SugarFree]

The 1975? Who cares? But was glad to acquaint myself with Larsson.

[Chipwooder]

Worth watching a muted video of, definitely.

[SugarFree]

She looks like someone made a Real Doll into a real girl.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

And then back into a real doll.

[Slumbrew]

Chocolate is a jam, but I don't know anything else by The 1975. Trump will survive their absence.

[Florida Hipster]

Im guessing thee are those in the country/western genre that would be more than happy to play.

[I can't even]

I reject bigotry and hate - so I will never play for those rednecks I hate so much.

[Rhywun]

Says a man who idolizes another man who basked in hateful sermons for decades.

Much woke.

[Juvenile Bluster]

The only logical choice to headline the inauguration is Ted Nugent.

[straffinrun]

Juggalos open.

[RBS]

Followed by a late night Kid Rock set.

[straffinrun]

Pussy Riot.

[Florida Hipster]

^YESSSSS^

[Injun, as in from India]

Bingo!

And get Pussy Riot to play Lara's Theme from Dr. Zhivago.

Round out the russki-ness of the election.

[Chipwooder]

Did Pussy Riot bitch about Trump and/or praise Hillary? I wanna say I saw an article about that, but I can't quite remember, and I'm certainly not doing a search for Pussy Riot at work.

[EDG reppin LBC]

Why have a party anyway? Show up, take an oath, go home. No biggie.

[Tyler.C]

Long inaugurations account for 1/8th of all presidential deaths in office, so having a short one just means that they are safty conscious.

[Jordan]

Why are there pop stars there anyway? It's not a goddamn coronation. Trump ought to cancel this ostentatious bullshit.

[An angry lizard]

Something, something, golden toilets.

[The Fusionist]

He can always surprise us, but I don't think he's against ostentation per se.

Just a wild guess, I think he kind of likes it.

[RBS]

Who? It's going to be funny when Trump gets some relatively unknown, possibly talented musician/s to play his inauguration while the major corporate artists hacks bitch.

[Rufus The Monocled]

"Creative people tend to reject bigotry and hate," he told the BBC.[...]"

BULL FUCKEN SHIT.

Creative people, driven by narcissism or arrogance or hubris or whatever, have ALWAYS supported evil ideologies. Just read their fucken takes with fascism and Nazism.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Ah. The BBC.

I'm pretty sure Trump could find someone but the question is, why would he?

Unless it's James Woods and Jon Voight. That would be hilarious.

[thrakkorzog]

What's Hank Williams Jr. up to these days? It seems like Bosephus would be happy to play.

Are you ready for some inauguration?

[commodious buggres alle]

Tila Tequila.

[Chipwooder]

Obama went for an interview with.....The Daily Show? FAKE NEWS!!!1!

The Daily Beast describes it as a "hard-hitting" interview. Bwaaaahahahahaha....I'm sure Trevor Noah really raked him over the coals.

[RBS]

"Hard hitting" in these cases should be read as "confirms audience members biases."

[Injun, as in from India]

The Daily Show has backed itself into a leftist corner and Obama going there means jack.

Trevor Noah's 'Daily Show' Reaches 100th Episode, But Noah Is Still Struggling

[Injun, as in from India]

The Daily Show has backed itself into a leftist corner and Obama going there means jack.

Trevor Noah's 'Daily Show' Reaches 100th Episode, But Noah Is Still Struggling

According to Nielsen, the Comedy Central show's viewership has declined by 37% since Jon Stewart left The Daily Show. Noah reached his highest rating with his first episode, which is very telling. The September 28th episode scored a 0.41 rating in the key 18-49 demographic and just over 1 million viewers.

[Lord Humungus]

Did Obamacare Really Insure 20 Million?

The Department of Health and Human Services claims that 20 million people have gained health coverage since the enactment of Obamacare in 2010 through early 2016.

...

However, it is important to note that the administration's coverage estimates are based on survey data rather than calculating the actual change in coverage in different markets. Though surveys can provide useful information, they are not as precise as using enrollment data taken directly from insurance companies.

A recent analysis by The Heritage Foundation's Edmund Haislmaier and Drew Gonshorowski uses the more accurate method, taking actual enrollment data from Medicaid and private insurance companies to assess the impact Obamacare has had on coverage.

The researchers found that just over 14 million people gained coverage from the end of 2013 to the end of 2015. Of those 14 million, 11.8 million gained their insurance through Medicaid and 2.2 million through private coverage.

[robc]

As we gave said all along, it was an expanded medicaid program.

Plus higher costs for everyone else.

But, hey, at least I got to keep my plan if I liked it.

[Citizen X]

I liked my plan but it became illegal. Now i have a different plan that costs the same, except the network is much smaller and nothing is covered.

[Swiss Servator]

That is 8% your fault!

[Aloysious]

This is what is known as 'a good deal'.

[robc]

I have altered the plan, pray I do not alter it any further.

[Juice]

It wasn't double the price? You lucky bastard.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

By government decree, you did not like your plan.

[Injun, as in from India]

Health Insurance ? Health Care

Yes, more people are insured.
No, their care has not improved.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

"However, it is important to note that the administration's coverage estimates are based on survey data rather than calculating the actual change in coverage in different markets."

Shouldn't you just be able to pull the actual stats from your website?? Why use survey data unless you're trying to pull up fake numbers??

[The Late P Brooks]

From the Beeb

In a surprise announcement, Mr Maduro said on Sunday that the 100-bolivar note, worth about 2 US cents (?0.015) on the black market, would be taken out of circulation on Wednesday.

------

Venezuela's currency has fallen dramatically amid skyrocketing inflation.
On the black market, its value dropped by 55% against the US dollar just in the past month, and the International Monetary Fund estimates that next year's prices will rise by more than 2,000%.
Gangs can therefore buy up Venezuelan banknotes cheaply on the black market in exchange for dollars or Colombian pesos.
They then use the Venezuelan currency to buy subsidised goods in Venezuela, which they in turn sell at a profit in neighbouring Colombia.
Many Venezuelans living near the border buy Colombian pesos to purchase goods in Colombia which they cannot get in Venezuela due to chronic shortages.

This should be the basis of a multi-chapter section of every economics textbook, and drummed into the heads of every schoolboy (and -girl).

Instead, we have such a thing as Senator Bernie Sanders.

[UnCivilServant]

Before or after the chapters on Zimbabwe's contributions to experimental economics?

[UnCivilServant]

Though to give Mugabe his due, I now have over a hundred trillion dollars.

Also to give Mugabe his due, it is worth less than the plastic protecting the bills.

[Injun, as in from India]

I'm willing to bet there will be a military coup against Maduro.

[Citizen X]

Barack Obama: There are "very clear relationships between members of the president-elect's campaign team and Russians."

Yeah, they're married to 'em.

[Rich]

LOL

[Pat (PM)]

Major lab testing company hacked; 34K peoples' info obtained

Quest Diagnostics announced late Monday that it is investigating an unauthorized intrusion into its network that exposed data from about 34,000 individuals.

The hack took place on November 26 through the MyQuest by Care internet application, the company said. In a news release, the lab services company said it notified the affected individuals via mail, and there is no indication that their information has been misused in any way.

"The accessed data included name, date of birth, lab results, and in some instances, telephone numbers," the company said. "The information did not include Social Security numbers, credit card information, insurance or other financial information."

The company said it is working with a cybersecurity firm to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, and that the investigation is ongoing.

[Lee Genes]

So how do you monetize someone's lab results?

[Pat (PM)]

"Be a shame if your missus found out you got the clap..."

[Lord Humungus]

It was a good run...

Man blows $1M on cars, strippers and cocaine after bank glitch

A debt-ridden student blew $1.3 million on sports cars, speed boats, strippers and cocaine after a bank error gave him an unlimited overdraft.

Wannabe playboy Luke Moore lived the high life for two years before he was caught by cops and jailed on fraud charges.

The Australian treated himself to luxury holidays, an Aston Martin, a Maserati and a boat while living the ultimate bachelor lifestyle.

But he was slapped with a four-year jail term last year after the banking glitch came to light.

Moore, 29, went free last week after winning an appeal of his conviction on the grounds that his actions were not deceptive.

[GSL in E]

"I must have put a decimal point in the wrong place or something. God, I always do that! I always mess up some mundane detail!"

[Mr. Paulbotto]

You have lived a trite and worthless life. I hereby sentence you to four years in a federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison.

[jack sprat]

the rest he squandered.

[Hamster of Doom]

Donald Trump says that he will transfer control of his businesses over to his sons before he takes the oath of office.

All we need to know is if his sons have ever made deals, done business, shaken hands, been in the same room with or ever in any way had contact with Russians.

[Pat (PM)]

A Saudi woman tweeted a photo of herself without a hijab. Police have arrested her.

The Saudi woman was going out for breakfast when she decided to make a statement. Violating the country's moral codes, she reportedly stepped out in public wearing a multicolored dress, a black jacket and ankle boots ? without a hijab or abaya, a loosefitting garment.

Late last month, she tweeted a photo of her outfit, and the post circulated through Saudi Arabia, drawing death threats and demands to imprison or even execute the woman.

On Monday, police in the country's capital of Riyadh said they had arrested the woman, following their duty to monitor "violations of general morals," a spokesman, Fawaz al-Maiman, said, AFP reported. The woman, who is in her 20s, was imprisoned after posting the tweet of herself standing next to a popular Riyadh cafe, he said.

He also accused her of "speaking openly about prohibited relations" with unrelated men, according to AFP.

"Riyadh police stress that the action of this woman violates the laws applied in this country," Maiman said, urging the public to "adhere to the teachings of Islam."

[Florida Hipster]

Rules is rules.

[Citizen X]

Yeah but those bands that won't play at Trump's inauguration are the brave ones.

[Hamster of Doom]

And fashion designers who tell the media that they won't let that bitch hag foreigner First Lady buy a dress. Has Obama given them a presidential medal yet?

[Citizen X]

A 2017 Nobel Peace Prize is in the works.

[Jordan]

Still not as brave as Caitlyn Jenner.

[SugarFree]

You know there's some sort of Jihadi Eddie over there explaining on blog comments how the moral codes actually have nothing to do with religion and just make good sense.

[John DeWitt]

Think how much more pleasurable watching TV would be if Amy Schumer had to wear a hijab?

[SugarFree]

You make a good point.

[Tyler.C]

Im sold

[Slumbrew]

I can't not think of Amy Schumer as Pam Poovey now.

[OBJ FRANKELSON]

A Burka would be more complementary to her figure.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

Can... can we go full niqab??

[Number.6]

Two. In case the first one rips.

[Rufus The Monocled]

"robert walbridge
9:50 AM EST
She decided to not respect an ancient and beautiful culture. Only when we all learn to live under the benificient umbrella of sharia will her punishment cease to be contreversial."

Not sure if sarcasm.

[Volren]

Feminist outrage in 3...2....

[Mr. Flanders]

These days they'll be more outraged that the woman hasn't been executed yet. "Religion of peace!"

[commodious buggres alle]

Would.

[Rocinante]

She should be hailed as the Saudi Rosa Parks.

[BakedPenguin]

There are very clear relationships between members of the current president's campaign team and complete morons.

[The Elite Elite]

I thought they were one in the same?

[Citizen X]

This is like nails on a chalkboard for me: IT'S ONE AND THE SAME, PEOPLE. NOT ONE IN THE SAME. LEARN ENGLISH MORE GOODER. Thank you.

[Florida Hipster]

Look, for all intensive porpoises, it's the same thing.

[GSL in E]

Well, that's what the data is* saying.

* For the love of humanity, people, "data" is a fucking plural noun!

[Mr. Flanders]

"That's what the data are saying" sounds weird. And retarded. You're retarded.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

* For the love of humanity, people, "data" is a fucking plural noun!

Don't you mean "data" are a fucking plural noun!

[The Elite Elite]

Hey, you can only hear everyone else get so many things wrong for so long and not get a little infected yourself.

[Citizen X]

Maybe you should quit towing that lion.

[Jerryskids]

Seeing bad English like that effects me the same way.

[Tom Bombadil]

Well what do you inspect?

[Citizen X]

It's really not that big a deal. Irregardless, it irks me.

[Crusty Juggler]

Citizen X is trying to keep us all on the straightened arrow.

[Citizen X]

I should of been a English teacher.

[Number.6]

Did anyone ever ax you to become one?

[Crusty Juggler]

"STOP YOUR MODIFIER DANGLING!"

[???? ??????, Jr.]

Stop this discussion before you all loose you're minds.

[jack sprat]

I could care less!

[jack sprat]

alt write

[Rhywun]

I would of expected something like that from you.

[Lord Humungus]

Obama on Comedy Central: America 'by No Means' Has Overcome 'Legacies of Slavery, Jim Crow, Colonialism, Racism'

How does he "skirt that line between speaking your mind and sharing your true opinions on race whilst, at the same time, not being seen to alienate some of the people you are talking to," host Trevor Noah asked.

"You know, my general theory is that, if I was clear in my own mind about who I was, comfortable in my own skin, and had clarity about the way in which race continues to be this powerful factor in so many elements of our lives," Obama said. "But that it is not the only factor in so many aspects of our lives, that we have, by no means overcome the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow and colonialism and racism, but that the progress we've made has been real and extraordinary, if I'm communicating my genuine belief that those who are not subject to racism can sometimes have blind spots or lack of appreciation of what it feels to be on the receiving end of that, but that doesn't mean that they're not open to learning and caring about equality and justice and that I can win them over because there is goodness in the majority of people."

[Chipwooder]

Well, that certainly is a lot of words that say not much of anything.

[Citizen X]

+8 years of that already

[I can't even]

To read it accurately, you have to imagine an "uh" between every word.

[Lord Humungus]

It's all part of the "Intellectual Speak" (tm) as practiced by our so-called betters.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I'm not sure a Democrat should be bringing up Jim Crow.

[Florida Hipster]

That's ancient history! You can't hold him accountable for a past he had no control over!
/complete lack of self awareness

[juris imprudent]

Unintentional irony is always the best.

[Tom Bombadil]

I think Obama's biggest problem is he never got his ass kicked while growing up.

[Rufus The Monocled]

WHAT A GREAT ORATOR AND GENIUS!

[Volren]

if I'm communicating my genuine belief that those who are not subject to racism can sometimes have blind spots or lack of appreciation of what it feels to be on the receiving end of that,

You're the fricking President of the United States. You're going to derp around for a couple more months then retire to a life of book deals, inflated speaking fees and golf. Stop acting like you were victimized.

[Rhywun]

what it feels to be on the receiving end of that

I know exactly what it feels like but I guess it doesn't count. Oh and I haven't mentioned it to the world once in the last eight years let alone thirty or so.

[The Fusionist]

"skirt that line between speaking your mind and sharing your true opinions on race whilst, at the same time, not being seen to alienate some of the people you are talking to,"

Hard-hitting interview with a real journalist. lol

[The Fusionist]

"Follow up question: How do can you stand being so awesome? Doesn't it make everyone jealous?"

[Lee Genes]

Targeted advertising is racist. (with cartoon explanations for the literacy challenged)

"When the nature of the discrimination comes about through personalization, it's hard to know you're being discriminated against," said Michael Tschantz, a Carnegie Mellon researcher.

For example, let's say a developer creates hipster condos and creates an ad ? and targets Pearl Jam fans.

He does this because he thinks it fits the "aesthetic." That in itself is fine.

But if most Pearl Jam fans are white, then the ad has excluded nonwhite people from seeing the ad.

This is the example ACLU attorney Rachel Goodman gave when describing why this problem is so hard: "The Facebook advertising stuff is important. But I think there's huge potential even without those explicit categories ? either intentionally or unintentionally."

[Chipwooder]

The ACLU has become a pathetic shell of itself, just another proggie outfit.

[Rich]

*** lights up menthol cigarette ***

[Swiss Servator]

*opera applause*

[Lord Humungus]

:teenage memories of bumming Kool cigarettes from my black co-worker:

[John DeWitt]

Cultural appropriationalist

[straffinrun]

You saying I can't chug this vial of sickle cell?

[Eternal Blue Sky]

"Targeted advertising is racist."

You wouldn't even have much of a point if targeted advertising was accurate.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

What I got out of this is that Pearl Jam fans are cracker-ass crackahs.

[Pat (PM)]

Muslim State Secretary for Berlin voices her backing for Sharia law in Europe

A politician has controversially voiced her backing for Sharia Law being introduced in Europe, calling it 'absolutely compatible' with current legislation.

The State Secretary for the Berlin Government, Sawsan Chebli, defended Islamic law saying it can exist alongside Germany's Basic Law because it 'largely regulates the relationship between God and man'.

Ms Chebli, a Muslim who herself wears western dress and does not cover her head, defended the headscarf as a 'religious duty' and said there should be no problem with those who choose to wear one.

Last week Berlin Mayor Michael M?ller announced a new government consisting of a coalition of Social-Democrats, Greens and the left-wing Die Linke party that will rule Germany's capital city.

Mr M?ller announced he planned to appoint Ms Chebli, 38, as the state secretary in charge of federal government coordination.

But her comments about Sharia law have been criticised even within her own Social Democrat (SPD) party.

[Lee Genes]

She's intentionally blurring the distinction between being choosing to wear a hijab and being forced by a third party.

[Citizen X]

'absolutely compatible' with current legislation

She's... not wrong there.

[Juvenile Bluster]

There absolutely should be no problem with those who choose to wear the burqa.

I suspect, though, in the overwhelming majority of cases, it's not a freely made choice.

[The Fusionist]

From what I've been told - feel free to condescendingly correct me - sharia is a legal code, meaning it would take priority over conflicting laws in any jurisdiction where it applies.

There are rules for criminals paying compensation to their victims or the victims' families - they have to pay more for a Muslim victim than for a Christian or Zoroastrian victim, for instance.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

"sharia is a legal code,"

All religious law contains legal code. Halakha does. Christianity does. Zoroastrians have it. Even religious law of religions that have never held power in any country, like the Baha'i Aqdas, give instructions for legal punishments of things like murder. Even Taoism contains (very libertarian) instructions for governance and law.

"meaning it would take priority over conflicting laws in any jurisdiction where it applies."

No other religion is viewed the same way. We don't assume Hasids will view Halakha as greater than the conflicting laws of their own country and go around stoning adulterers. Most rational people think you can adhere to the law of your religion without enforcing the legal elements of it.

"they have to pay more for a Muslim victim than for a Christian or Zoroastrian victim, for instance."

Depends whose version of "Sharia" you talk about. The literal word of the book just gives a payment for all deaths. Muslim jurists later of various schools of Islamic thought decided later to either declare that payment need not be made for the killing of non-Muslims, or that a lesser payment must be made, or whatever.

Because of Hadith and jurists, there are like a million different variants of "sharia" with different views on this one subject.

[Mr. Paulbotto]

Die Linke party

Princess Zelda has a sad.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

"The State Secretary for the Berlin Government, Sawsan Chebli, defended Islamic law saying it can exist alongside Germany's Basic Law because it 'largely regulates the relationship between God and man'."

Um... sorry, but I don't see the problem here. Doesn't this say it can exist alongside Germany's Basic Law because man can individually choose to adhere to Sharia as well in his personal relationship with God??

Like how is it different from defending "Halakha, saying it can exist alongside Germany's Basic Law because it 'largely regulates the relationship between God and man'." Or any religious law for that matter??

[Lord Humungus]

Podesta backs bid to overturn electoral vote

John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's former campaign chairman and the victim of the most famous hack since Jennifer Lawrence, has joined the call from some members of the Electoral College that they be made privy to the secret findings of the intelligence community about Russian interference in the 2016 campaign.

The hope of the electors, led by Christine Pelosi, daughter of the House minority leader, is that the information would cause red-state electors to break from the popular vote in their states.

While conservatives may be cheered to see the sudden swell of support for federalism and republicanism on the left, that's not really what's cooking here.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

I honestly think at this point the progs will take 12/19 harder than they did Election Night. There is a less than zero chance the Electoral College overturns the vote but they seem to genuinely think it might happen if they prog hard enough online with angry comments, Facebook posts and petitions.

[SugarFree]

"Shake your fist harder, boy! They're gettin' away!"

[John]

I know they are nuts and are in shock because they thought they could never lose a Presidential election. And it is entirely possible if not likely their behavior and desperation is the result of that. I can't help but wonder, however, if the desperation might also be driven by the fact that Trump as President will have access to all the skeletons Obama has left in the White House.

If there is one lesson to be learned from the DNC and Podesta hacks it is that they were totally arrogant and thought there was no way they could ever lose. Given that, isn't it possible that they did some very bad things that will be impossible to hide once the other side takes the White House and that partially at least explains their desperation here?

I am not saying it is true. I am just saying it is within the realm of possibility.

[Brett L]

I'm not sure its the skeletons so much as just the power. Obama has implemented something like 56 federal administrative plans on the states, where the average was one per term going back to Bush I. I think they are really afraid that Trump will destroy the last of their power base.

[John]

That is certainly some of it. Part of it goes back to the same reason so many Republicans lost their mind over Trump. He appears to be an outsider who might not play ball and really might change things. Neither side wants that.

[John DeWitt]

Fake News Alert

[John]

Yes. Fake News!!

[Brett L]

People have lost their fucking minds.

[John]

I don't see how it helps them. If they could convince most of the country that the Russians somehow gave Trump the election by releasing emails, they wouldn't have lost it in the first place. Who other than the hard core base is going to believe this shit?

[Ultramarine-colored cock]

Give it time John. We'll get there.

[John]

I don't think the MSM has that kind of juice anymore. And I also think most people want to see the government do something to solve the problems we face. This kind of stuff, Jeremiah Wright and the birther issue never helped the Republicans one bit against the Obama. It wasn't because people didn't know about it. It was because people didn't care. They wanted Obama and his opposition to do their jobs. I think the same will prove true here.

[Ultramarine-colored cock]

You don't understand. This isn't about convincing voters. It's about pissing off Trump and destroying any opportunity for the appearance of bipartisanship. And it seems to be working. The Trumptards are freaking out, demanding blood and threatening violence. And we need those tears John, god, do we need those tears. We're going to use the Trump tactics against Trump and by god it's going to be orgasmic.

[Ultramarine-colored cock]

My hope is that they'll indict Hillary now. And when that happens he loses the middle and if its doesn't he may lose his base.

[Ultramarine-colored cock]

I blame squirrels for the typos!

[John]

Trump isn't going to indict Hillary. He already said he wasn't. You are delusional.

[John]

The Trumptards are freaking out,

Not that I can tell. All the Trump supporters I know are laughing their asses off. The consensus is "thanks for showing America they were right to vote for Trump."

And Trump doesn't need bipartisanship. He just needs to be effective. The more the Democrats scream and do crazy shit, the more reasonable he looks.

[Brett L]

And Trump doesn't need bipartisanship.

It is my fondest hope that they name the repeal of the ACA (done through reconciliation) the Harry Reid Made This Repeal of the ACA Possible Act of 2017.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

That would be sooooo epic!

[Brett L]

You know how people have been calling places like the WaPo and the Sunday talk-shows "legacy media"? This is their last gasp at holding influence, which is all they have to sell. Who wants to have Dana Milbank or George Stephanopolous at their fundraisers? No one. And who will buy their ads if the A-List reporters can't get access? No one? It is just like how the music labels spent the first decade of the 2000s fighting their customers and eventually surrendered to lower profits, except when they could sell hipsters and aficionados vinyl copies at double the price.

[GSL in E]

My guess is that the overwhelming majority of Americans really, really want to put this election behind them. Between the ~47% of voters who went Trump, the people who voted 3rd party, the large majority who didn't pull a lever, and the likely majority of Clinton voters who at least accept that Trump won the election legitimately (even if they're very unhappy about it), the actual number of people who want to hold onto hope of having the vote overturned is pretty small. They're just very loud.

[John]

I agree. People hated this election and are tired of politics. They just want some peace and quiet. The progs are in for a rude surprise if they think throwing a national temper tantrum is going to get them anywhere.

[robc]

I was hoping for a shakeup on 12/19 also, but that was when I thought Trump might end up at 276 or so. Once he blew past 270, there was no point in even talking about it.

[The Fusionist]

I was hoping some potential electors, *before the election,* would announce their intention to be "faithless" and send the whole thing into the House.

But I think a would-be faithless elector ought to inform the voters in advance. Not as a legal requirement, but as a transparency thing.

[John]

The problem with that is that it would allow the electors to say "fuck you, you can't vote for who you want" . That is not how the system was ever intended to work. Yes, the electors can vote for another candidate, but the idea was they could do that if they chosen candidate died or was indicted or became unable to serve for some reason after the election but before the electors met. i have never read that the electoral college was supposed to be free to just choose who they want because they don't like what the public is doing. The Founders were way to smart to embrace that kind of ass clownery. They didn't want a pure democracy but they knew you couldn't just tell the voters to fuck off either.

[The Fusionist]

I'd prefer that in each state, the candidate who gets the most votes would be able to appoint all the electors - that way, the issue of faithless electors would be moot unless the winning candidate is really dumb in vetting people.

[robc]

I assume that they do, working with the state party.

I figured Trump didnt know enough to vet properly and just let the states pick, so there was a greater chance of faithless electors.

[Episteme]

But at this point, could Hillary take it any worse?

"She is weepy, looks ten years older and is very whiny," said one of Hillary's closest friends. "She has been drinking wine pretty heavily, much more than usual. She mopes around all day, swimming in a sea of recriminations and complaining that her campaign managers were 'incompetent,' Bill and Chelsea 'didn't work hard enough,' FBI Director Comey was 'in league with Trump.'"

[The Late P Brooks]

As I was composing my previous "comment" the newsgirl on my teevee was asking breathlessly if Rex Tillerson will divest himself of his Exxon Mobil shares. If anybody asked John Kerry (or Hillary Moneybags Clinton) to burn his money before taking the job, I must have missed it.

[Hamster of Doom]

The media are going to keep going on and on and on and on about this, and then the public is going to get the idea that we need to get the profit motive out of government. Then the rest of the politicians are going to be all, "Wait, that's not what we meant!"

[Brett L]

I hope Mr. Tillerson answered, "I will hold myself to a higher standard than Secretary Clinton did."

[robc]

Kerry doesnt have any money. His wife, on the other hand....

Much like McCain.

[Rich]

WH spokesman claims 'China' hacked election

"I'm sorry, I meant Russia," Earnest said, trying to hide a smirk. "Flipping back and forth between topics ? tricky."

Heh.

[John]

Someone hacked it.

[spqr2008]

According to all of the tech sites I read, and somewhat substantiated by the NYT and WaPo articles is the fact that the methodology of the hack (the code signatures and methods used) were in fact, old Russian methods. The Chinese happen to use mostly old Russian equipment and doctrines in their military. Would it be that huge of a surprise that their cyber intelligence division of the MSS would do the same thing?

[John]

But wouldn't independent hackers sometimes use those methods? It is well known that Russia works with and encourages private parties to hack its adversaries. So, it is likely that those methods are known and used by the hacking community at large. Or at least I would think they would be.

[thrakkorzog]

It could also just be some pissed Bernie Bro. This isn''t Mission Impossible, where Tom Cruise has to rappel down to access the server. Guys like Podesta were using 'Password123' as their password and fell for phishing scams my 12 year old niece would have spotted.

The idea that this requires some massive state planned spying expedition is laughable.

[Episteme]

the fact that the methodology of the hack ... were in fact, old Russian methods

Well, in that case, they didn't hack the election, the election hacked them!

[Tyler.C]

"The reporter's in the room laughed at him"

We're they laughing at him or with him?

[Lord Humungus]

You know who else stole French gold...

Big Gold Theft From Armored Truck in France; 4 on the Run

French police say they are hunting for four men suspected of stealing gold dust worth an estimated 1.5 million euros from an armored truck Monday before setting cars ablaze near a major highway and fleeing.

The suspects, operating in multiple cars, surrounded the armored truck and forced it off the A6 highway between Paris and Lyon, a national gendarme service spokesman and a judicial official said.

They then seized the gold, locked the two delivery men in the back of the truck, and set one of their own cars on fire before fleeing, according to the spokesman.

He said the flames spread to three cars nearby and were threatening to engulf the armored truck as well, but local police intervened thanks to a tipoff from a witness and rescued the two men in time. The other cars were unoccupied, the judicial official said.

Police vehicles and a helicopter searched the surrounding fields and forests Monday near the southeastern town of Dardilly, the spokesman said. The spokesman and judicial official spoke on condition of anonymity to be able to give details about an ongoing investigation.

[Florida Hipster]

I hate thieves, but that's pretty badass.

[Citizen X]

local police intervened thanks to a tipoff from a witness

You know, once the witness overcame his ennui and finished his glass of wine.

[Swiss Servator]

+1 Gauloises burned down to ash

[I can't even]

Did The Town just open in France?

[robc]

Isnt it easier just to walk up to the truck and take the gold off the back like the guy did in NYC?

[Tyler.C]

1.5 million? And then split 4 ways.... was it really worth it? I mean California man, above, had enough to blow a million on an app.

[GOML!]

Please tell me they used Mini Coopers.

[The Fusionist]

I won't click the link, I'll wait until the movie version comes out.

[John]

Barack Obama: There are "very clear relationships between members of the president-elect's campaign team and Russians."

That might be the most irresponsible and dangerous thing ever uttered by a President. You can't overstate how horrible that is. What does Obama hope to accomplish by saying that other than to damage Trump and by extension damage the country?

[Pat (PM)]

Obviously he's a racist who wants to ruin Trump's presidency because of his skin color.

[John]

He wants to ruin Trump's Presidency because if it is successful it will stand in such stark contrast to his own. Also, Obama is a small minded petty person who wants to punish the country for rejecting him. Obama doesn't think America is worthy of him.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

Obviously he's a racist who wants to ruin Trump's presidency because of his skin color.

Obama hates Cheetos.

[John DeWitt]

It's what you say when you're in your death throes.

[Injun, as in from India]

I was really hoping that Obama would STFU and get lost like George W. Bush after he left office.

Unfortunately, it looks like he's going to open his mouth... a LOT.

[Injun, as in from India]

Agree.

If Putin's goal was to damage trust in the US government, Obama is playing right into it.

Obama is really a petulant narcissist and he's still in shock that Trump won. It is funny though that when Trump was claiming the system was rigged, Obama came out and said it wasn't. Now he's saying that somehow all the DNC shenanigans - which are true - were how Trump won.

[Tom Bombadil]

How I yearn for unsullied Hillary.

[Lord Humungus]

Alt-what? Most have never heard of the 'alt-right'

To read and listen to the mainstream media, it would appear that everybody has heard of the "alt-right" and its news sites and likely President-elect Trump's ties to the movement.

Nope.

A new Pew Research Center finds that a majority, 54 percent, haven't heard of "alt-right." Some 28 percent have heard "a little" and just 17 percent "a lot."
...
Turns out it's mostly a left-wing issue.

"Liberal Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are far more likely than other Democrats to have heard about the movement," said Pew. And many associate the alt-right with white supremacy.

[Hamster of Doom]

It's almost as if the media is having hysterics about an issue that affects few people and is not all that big a deal.

[straffinrun]

Raise your hand if you've heard of the alt-right.

[SugarFree]

Is that the gripping hand?

[straffinrun]

It's a Roman Salute.

[Lord Humungus]

I have - John Derbyshire claims to be a member of the alt-right. But I always took it as an Alternative to the National Review crew, and more likely to approach uh, contentious subjects.

[Hamster of Doom]

This was how I understood it. It seemed a natural offshooting of the alt-media.

Of course, now we know better. Now we know it's all Nazis who don't even want socialism.

[Brett L]

But Derbyshire is a white supremacist. Actually, I think he might be a yellow supremacist, since he thinks his Asian wife is smarter than he is. But he really is a scientific racist.

[John]

Don't the alt right idiots say Asians are the superior race as well? I don't follow the fever swamps. So, I may be making that up. But I want to say I read somewhere the Alt-Right thinks Asians are naturally smarter than everyone else, including whites.

[straffinrun]

Yellow fever is color blind.

[Pat (PM)]

In they aggregate they *do* have higher average IQ than whitey.

[Injun, as in from India]

IQ is not all. **Liberty** creates the best set of conditions for using your IQ.

Why is why Asians do well in the US but Asian countries which are loaded with Asians don't do as well at the US.

Case in point: my own people.

[UnCivilServant]

I've always wondered - is there a skewing of late where the brightest end of a bell curve from very large populations have managed to flee to freer climes and prosper?

In other parts of Asia, when China began to include the educational attainment outside of Shanghai to their reports, their numbers plummetted because Shanghai was an outlier in that area. Could it be the Asian population in the west is an outlier population of the billions of Asians on this planet?

Anecdotally, I've noticed a marked difference in the capacity to grasp concepts between Indians in India and Indians in the US. It may just be a language barrier issue, but more of the latter seemed quicker on the uptake than the former.

[Injun, as in from India]

I've always wondered - is there a skewing of late where the brightest end of a bell curve from very large populations have managed to flee to freer climes and prosper?

I think there's some truth to that. But I personally know a lot of bright people who didn't leave because they didn't have the means to leave.

My flight ticket and pocket money was about 10 months' salary for my Dad. He gave me the money because he wanted me to have a better life.

[Citizen X]

They gotta say nice things about Asians, because that's who their anime porn comes from.

[GILMORE?]

Don't the alt right idiots say Asians are the superior race as well?

well, its a fact that Asians tend to be wildly and unapologetically racist against *each other* (and westerners, and blacks, and basically everyone).... and that's something the Alt-Right admires.

[Lord Humungus]

a scientific racist

That's a good description. I still occasionally read his columns - he's just so damn British and I like his nostalgic visits to the past - like when he met Bruce Lee and had a bit role in a Return of the Dragon.

[Brett L]

I stole it from the latest Fifth Column podcast. I hadn't heard that term before, but as soon as I did, I understood what they were talking about and who that applied to.

[Number.6]

Really, when employed by the left, 'Alt-Right' just means "people who I formerly called fascists and racists, who now laugh at me because I've rendered the accusations meaningless".

In a less deranged world, the Alt-Right sensu strictu is a loose aggregation of cultural supremacists, red-pill consumers but there's a huge and diffuse right-wing/freedom provocateurs constituency.

Some of the guys here in the H&R commentariat would find plenty of common ground, but because of the cultural supremacy lement of the Alt-R, you also get a bunch of stormfront-y people (or stormfags, as I think the fringes of the alt-right call them).

[Crusty Juggler]

Some 28 percent have heard "a little" and just 17 percent "a lot."
...

That was until we needed a new boogeyman.

[Hamster of Doom]

I'll have you know that the Times is profitable, profits are wonderful, subscriptions are up like never before. Everything is fine. Fine. FINE. And who twitters at 6AM anyway, huh? Who does that? That's just weird. Sounds like something a Russian would do. Give us money.

[The Elite Elite]

"Pro-government forces retaking the eastern neighborhoods of the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo have killed at least 82 civilians, the United Nations estimated on Tuesday, in what one official called 'a complete meltdown of humanity.'"

What's Aleppo?

[Juvenile Bluster]

Killed 82 civilians?

"Amateurs" - US military

[Swiss Servator]

*narrows gaze*

[mashed potatoes]

What do you think the civilian body count is in taking back mosul? I feel like the West and GCC didn't get their way so they are just throwing a temper tantrum of accusations right now..

[Injun, as in from India]

"'a complete meltdown of humanity.'"

I blame Trump's victory in the election.

[Lee Genes]

More cartoons about cartoons

I swear, comic writers think that there is a mountain range in Tibet where white folk with super powers go to figure out their first world problems?

[BakedPenguin]

Nope. They know it's probably somewhere in CA.

You want better "representation"? Write the fucking stories yourself, and make them so that people other than moron feminists want to read/see them, or accept that your reader/viewer ship will max out at about 20k.

[Tyler.C]

I clicked cause i thought it was supposed to be funny....

[The Fusionist]

Look, Marvel has Fu Manchu, what more do you want?

[thrakkorzog]

When did Marvel get Fu Manchu back?

One of the more annoying parts about reading Shang-Chi appearance was the whole dancing around copyright.

[Ken Shultz]

"If you recall, Trump's then-campaign manager Paul Manafort was shown the door in August following a New York Times report connecting him to pro-Putin movements in Ukraine. Numerous other Trump team members have Russia ties as well, including retired Gen. Michael T. Flynn, Trump's pick for national security adviser, who accepted a paid speaking gig from?and was a personal dinner guest of?Vladimir Putin last year; his reported pick for secretary of state, Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, a longtime pal of Putin's whose company has billions tied up in Russia; and former adviser Carter Page, who is currently in Moscow for some reason."

----The Daily Beast

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

There is only one of those accusations that gives me pause, and that's General Flynn having accepted a paid speaking engagement from Putin.

However, Flynn has been chosen as National Security Advisor--which is a position that isn't even subject to Senate confirmation. Trump can and should be free to have whomever he wants in that advisory role.

The rest of these accusations are patently ridiculous.

[John]

Taking paid speaking engagements from other countries is what retired big wigs do. Unless Flynn was in the government when he did that, I don't see why it is a problem. Is someone who spent their entire life serving the country suddenly decide they are going to sell out the country because they once gave a paid speech in Russia? That makes no sense.

[Ken Shultz]

I hated Hillary doing the same thing. It may have been completely innocent, but I might oppose his Senate confirmation on the basis that he accepted money from Putin.

Point is that there is no Senate confirmation for National Security Advisor. It's a purely advisory role--and Trump can take that advice from convicted traitors if that's what he wants to do.

We saw fir to let the President have a salaried Advisor available in the White House who isn't beholden to the State Department bureaucracy, the Defense Department bureaucracy, the Justice Department bureaucracy, and being in a purely advisory role, he serves at the President's pleasure. He oversees no department, doesn't spend taxpayer money and, thus, doesn't and shouldn't require Senate conformation.

The First Lady doesn't require Senate confirmation either. This is all as it should be.

[John]

It is all a question of degree. If Flynn was making his living on the Russian payroll, that is a problem. If he gave a few paid speeches to supplement his income, that is not a problem. I have no reason to believe it is not the former. But you are right, it is something he should be asked about and have to explain during his confirmation.

[Ken Shultz]

It isn't about the degree, it's about the nature of his role.

The NS Advisor has no discretion over budgets, policy, or anything he could do differently if only he were bribed.

His only role is to give advice.

I'd oppose putting him in charge of the Department of Defense, State, in charge of the CIA, etc., specifically because he accepted money from Putin. That's DQ for those positions.

He's not in any of those positions.

His job doesn't require Senate confirmation specifically because he has no discretion over anything that can be overseen. You can't dislike the way he spends his budget--because he doesn't have a budget. You can't not like the way he supervises his bureaucrats--because he doesn't supervise anybody. You don't like the advice he gives? Too bad! The President can ask for advice from anyone he wants.

[Ken Shultz]

I should also add, there is a difference between Hillary Clinton accepting money from foreign governments WHILE she was in office and someone else having accepted money BEFORE he was in office.

Even so, it's about the nature of the job.

The National Security Advisor doesn't have operating control over anything. His discretion can't be overseen because he has no discretion.

[An angry lizard]

What accusations?

[Ken Shultz]

Be careful or people might accuse you of being willfully blind.

Just because the accusations are unfounded doesn't mean they aren't accusations.

And some of them are patently ridiculous.

Accusing the Trump administration of having an inappropriate relationships with Putin because Paul Manafort was dismissed from the Trump campaign for having an inappropriate relationship with the Russians is absurd on its face.

[BakedPenguin]

...accepted a paid speaking engagement from Putin.

Well, the Hillary team's got them now. She's never accept a paid speaking engagement from an authoritarian foreign country.

[Ken Shultz]

That's absolutely true.

The difference is that Flynn isn't in any kind of leadership role that requires him to make choices on policy or spending.

His job is very much like that of a really smart First Lady. He gives the President advice.

Actually, the First Lady is in more of a supervisory role--decorating, food service, etc. And she gets a budget.

The National Security Advisor doesn't get any of that. He just goes where he's told and gives advice.

Hillary Clinton was in a position to use her discretion as Secretary of State to approve pending arms deals in exchange for exorbitant paid speaking engagements. The National Security Advisor has no such discretion.

[Lord Humungus]

Followup: I brought my troubled car to another mechanic - who started laughing when he saw the laundry list of repairs that the dealer wanted to do.

Turns out my brakes are fine. And there is nothing wrong with the timing chain. The noise was caused by a bad water pump. One minor oil leak.

Long story short - I'm spending $1k instead of $6 to $8k.

An example of the cost difference - replacing valve cover gasket was $900 at the dealer. $150 at the small shop.

[I can't even]

I never go to the dealer once the warranty is over. I find the honest local guy and give him all my business.

[But Enough About Me]

"Timing chain".

Ah. You own a Toyota?

Yeah, bugger the dealerships. Third-party independents are the only way to go.

[Lord Humungus]

*cough*Mini*cough*

The "cheaper" BMW.

[Slumbrew]

I'm chuckling at the image of The Humungus crammed into a Mini.

[Lord Humungus]

They are actually quite roomy on the inside - one of the few cars I can stretch my long legs out in. But they are really more two-seaters unless you have midget children sitting in the "back seat".

[Mr. Paulbotto]

Of course they're bigger on the inside, given the Timelord technology the Brits have access too...

[Number.6]

The BMW-flavored Mini Coopers are about twice to three times the volume of an original Mini Cooper.

If you wanted to remake The Italian Job (again), you'd need clones of Andre the Giant driving new Mini Coopers for the scale to work.

[Ken Shultz]

"The U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) is confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of e-mails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organizations. The recent disclosures of alleged hacked e-mails on sites like DCLeaks.com and WikiLeaks and by the Guccifer 2.0 online persona are consistent with the methods and motivations of Russian-directed efforts. These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the US election process. Such activity is not new to Moscow?the Russians have used similar tactics and techniques across Europe and Eurasia, for example, to influence public opinion there. We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia's senior-most officials could have authorized these activities."

----Joint Statement from the Department Of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security

October 17, 2016

Two points:

1) This came out a month before the election. If Hillary wanted to make a bigger deal of it, she could have. She chose not to--and America voted Trump into office despite this information being public.

2) If the press didn't make a bigger deal out of this at the time, that's because they were so easily distracted by Trump's outrageous tweets, groping accusations, etc. Guess who's to blame for the way the press conducts itself?

[Ken Shultz]

Now with bacon!

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/10/07/ joint-statement-department-homeland-security -and-office-director-national

[The Late P Brooks]

"You know, my general theory is that, if I was clear in my own mind about who I was, comfortable in my own skin, and had clarity about the way in which race continues to be this powerful factor in so many elements of our lives," Obama said. "But that it is not the only factor in so many aspects of our lives, that we have, by no means overcome the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow and colonialism and racism, but that the progress we've made has been real and extraordinary, if I'm communicating my genuine belief that those who are not subject to racism can sometimes have blind spots or lack of appreciation of what it feels to be on the receiving end of that, but that doesn't mean that they're not open to learning and caring about equality and justice and that I can win them over because there is goodness in the majority of people."

Yeah, okay. But explain for us the people who voted for you (twice) and suddenly went full racist and voted for Trump. On whom do we lay the blame for that?

[Domestic Dissident]

He's way too much of a bitter, angry, hateful, resentful son of a bitch and far too lacking in self-awareness to ever understand and acknowledge that he himself is a big part of the reason why Trump got elected.

After almost eight years, it still blows my mind that so many people fell for his bullshit "hope and change" uniter schtick that it was completely obvious he never really believed in for a second if you digged any deeper than the big public campaign speeches.

[spqr2008]

His public speeches, and his carefully crafted image were the blank canvases which many Americans painted their projections of him upon.

[dajjal]

Trump plans to crush the inner cities just like Assad is doing in Syria. The fact that we are talking about Russian hacking and not genocide must really make the guy chuckle.

[Florida Hipster]

I'm not sure he can do much more damage to Detroit, after a century of democrat rule.

[straffinrun]

Jill Stein for mayor of Detroit!

[Hamster of Doom]

America is held hostage by the flyover states. We're LITERALLY in CHAINS, people.

A gripping expose on the Machiavellian power structure of rural flyover counties, against which none can withstand.

[SugarFree]

Duane Townsend is life-long resident of Detroit, Michigan and an experienced observer of the American social/political landscape.

In other words, Duane Townsend is just some asshole we found.

[Brett L]

Someone needs to tell Duane that Michigan is a flyover state.

[straffinrun]

A flyover state is the huge region between the coasts. As opposed to the eastern seaboard, northern post-industrial states and Pacific Ocean states.

Thems thar is some guud righting.

[Tyler.C]

I thought there was only one pacific ocean state

[Mr. Paulbotto]

What are we to you, completely invisible and worthless? *storms off sobbing*

/PNW

[Hamster of Doom]

I got used to telling people I was from Washington - No, The Other Washington after a few years. Now I just say I live in Texas.

[Brett L]

Hopefully, Ray Wylie Hubbard style: "I'm from Texas, screw you."

[Free Society]

The flyover state gripe has nothing to do with the tourist industry of Oklahoma or Nebraska or Iowa. This is about their perceived feelings of abandonment and disrespect from their government. Never mind they've elected local, state and national representatives that should reflect their values and interests.

How dare they steer the election of a president? They've already got local politicians, that should be good enough!

"Government has not done enough to help them in many cases but their local and state governments are almost completely Republican and so too are their Representatives and Senators. Instead of holding them accountable, they vote them in over and over and over again."

So....like California then.

They're proficient at dog-whistle propaganda, and since the mid-1980s, they've created their own media echo-chamber which exponentially multiplies the sound of their own voices, with no interference from outside sources.

The fact that only 99% of the media is solidly leftist is proof that Republicans live in their own echo chamber with no exposure to opposing views.

They're delusional in their belief that their views are more important, more valid, more ethical, and more patriotic than any other groups.

But enough about progressives.

[mad.casual]

A gripping expose on the Machiavellian power structure of rural flyover counties, against which none can withstand.

I don't think Machiavellian power structures figure in to their visions of redeeming and cleansing the [*spoiler alert*] cannibal hordes.

[dajjal]

Trump/Flynn/Sessions/Tillerson plan to incite violence in the middle east and north africa and use that as a pretext to nuke them. To raise the price of oil in the US and Russia. The fact that we are talking about Russian hacking and "Tillerson has good relationships with OPEC" must really make them laugh.

[Juvenile Bluster]

Hi. This is Wilford Brimley. Welcome to Retardation: A Celebration. Now, hopefully with this book, I'm gonna dispel a few myths, a few rumors. First off, the retarded don't rule the night. They don't rule it. Nobody does. And they don't run in packs. And while they may not be as strong as apes, don't lock eyes with 'em, don't do it. Puts 'em on edge. They might go into berzerker mode; come at you like a whirling dervish, all fists and elbows. You might be screaming "No, no, no" and all they hear is "Who wants cake?" Let me tell you something: They all do. They all want cake.

[Sevo]

Vermin.

[Domestic Dissident]

He can't help it, he's mentally ill and heavily medicated, though I suspect he has been off his meds far too much recently.

[Citizen X]

Your constant, evidence-free contention that all trolls are Dave Weigel doesn't make you look any smarter, Mikey.

[Domestic Dissident]

Thanks as always, gay boy.

[The Late P Brooks]

A gripping expose on the Machiavellian power structure of rural flyover counties

*chortles with maleficent glee, twirls moustache*

[Sevo]

"LeBron James sports safety pin on Sports Illustrated cover"
http://www.sfgate.com/news/art.....792738.php

He plays for Cleveland, for pete's sake. All he has to do is look out the limo window on the way to 'work' to see what D 'progress' gives you.

[Rhywun]

the safety pin has become a symbol of solidarity with those Americans who fear they'll be disenfranchised by a Donald Trump presidency

lolwut

[The Late P Brooks]

A flyover state is the huge region between the coasts. As opposed to the eastern seaboard, northern post-industrial states and Pacific Ocean states.

Good grief.

[straffinrun]

A visit to Wichita, Kan., isn't on the bucket list of many Americans. Whereas most travelers fly over Fayetteville, Ark., and Springfield, Mo. They're not destination spots.

That's from the very next paragraph. They should change their name to The Hill Billy.

[Tyler.C]

Whereas??? Im confused

[straffinrun]

My grammar sux, but even I can see how poorly that is written.

[Brett L]

Detroit, strangely, isn't any more on my bucket list than Witchita, KS. Fayetteville is beautiful and worth driving by and stopping in.

[Lord Humungus]

the last time I was in downtown Detroit - last year to see IAMX play - I said to my wife: "Let's never come back here again."

Even with the casinos and the nearby arenas... and the uh... restaurants - there isn't much to do. I'm just not that into gambling.

[thrakkorzog]

Lucky you. I've got family in Anne Arbor and Flint, so I end up travelling to Detroit every few years for weddings and funerals. The nicest thing I can say is that the TSA agents there seem slightly less assholish than usual.

[GSL in E]

Right, the "destination spots" are all in coastal states. Like Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Haven, Newark, Bakersfield, and Fresno.

[Jerryskids]

O Canada.

The 44-year-old teacher, who has asked that he not be identified to protect what's left of his career, was teaching "the criminal law unit, a lesson on vice, ethics, morality and the law" to his small class in the Vancouver-area school in late November.

"I was working my way through examples of how some people's sense of personal ethics was more liberal than the letter of the law," he said in an email.
For example, he told them, many people might roll through a stop sign on a deserted country road, deeming it morally acceptable, even if unlawful..
In other words, he said, in a pluralistic democracy, there's often "a difference between people's private morality and the law.
"I find abortion to be wrong," he said, as another illustration of this gap, "but the law is often different from our personal opinions."
That was it, the teacher said. "It was just a quick exemplar, nothing more. And we moved on."

You'll never guess what happened next.

[Lord Humungus]

He was given a raise?

[Injun, as in from India]

Maude: "You know what happens next."
Dude: "He fixes the cable?"

[Citizen X]

Don't be fatuous, Jeffrey.

[Chipwooder]

Don't be fatuous,Injun

[Injun, as in from India]

he had no right to an opinion on the subject of abortion because he was a man.

It wasn't he had no right to express an opinion.

It was that he no right an opinion.

[commodious buggres alle]

As an atheist do I have a right to an opinion regarding Muslims beheading apostates or knifing kafirs?

[Injun, as in from India]

"The answer I got back was that I was recognized as an outstanding teacher, but student 'safety' was the school's primary concern."

Expressing an opinion you don't like apparently endangers safety.

If I was dictator, I would send all these snowflakes to war and build a mountain of bodies like Stalin did.

[Injun, as in from India]

"Such is the cost of a small misstep in a crushingly politically correct world," he said sorrowfully.

And this is why Trump won.

You're an average person who keeps his mouth shut for the fear of getting called a racist, sexist, homophobe or whatever.

And you see this guy on stage who does not hold back his mouth, and you think he's a hero like Giordano Bruno.

[Ken Shultz]

Trump just picked Rick Perry to head the Department of Energy.

We always make fun of environmentalists because of their pants-shitting, but if you're an environmentalist, I'm not gonna blame you for that right now.

The State Department, which is in charge of international global warming treaties, is to be headed by the current CEO of Exxon.

The Energy Department is going to be run by Texan, Rick Perry--who once called for eliminating the agency entirely.

Who's Trump going to put in charge of the EPA? Darth fucking Vader?

If ever there was a time for environmentalists to shit their pants, now is that time. Let the pants shitting commence!

[Injun, as in from India]

Are they going to sh1t into biodegradable diapers made in Carbon-neutral factories?

[Ken Shultz]

It mostly just involves running around in circles screaming about Comey, the electoral college, and Russian hackers.

[Sevo]

You left out "fake news"
"Craigslist founder donates $1 million to fight fake news"
http://www.sfgate.com/business.....791669.php

[Chipwooder]

He's trying to force Vox offline?

[mad.casual]

We always make fun of environmentalists because of their pants-shitting, but if you're an environmentalist, I'm not gonna blame you for that right now.

IMO, this is checkmate.

If nuclear or fusion took off tomorrow, as has been mentioned elsewhere. Greenies would adopt it as their new cause du jour and flush any/all opposition down the memory hole.

The only way to decidedly remove the head from the beast is to cauterize the wound.

4-8 yrs. of nothing but oil, oil, oil without doomsday arriving will put the pants-shitters to bed. Everyone else is going to have to take a good hard look at their windmills and decide if they're willing not just to die, but to rather literally kill others on it. You can't centralize power to build a green economy and then act like the power structure won't ever fall into the wrong hands.

I'm probably being an optimist.

[Injun, as in from India]

What I'm hearing from the Left on DoE is that Trump is replacing a scientist with a Rick Perry.

I think Trump should have put Ivar Giaever as the head of the DoE for that reason.

[Jerryskids]

I've got my fingers crossed he's got a Union Carbide exec lined up for EPA head.

And one of the Koch brothers to head Agriculture.