Senate Vote on Health Care Delayed, Facebook Hits a Milestone, and Brazilian President Charged With Corruption: P.M. Links

• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has delayed a vote on the senate health care bill after several Republican senators expressed opposition to it. The vote was supposed to happen this week. McConnell says he is still looking to get to a point where 50 senators are "comfortable" with the legislation.

• Facebook hit a company record of 2 billion monthly users on the social media site. "We're making progress connecting the world, and now let's bring the world closer together," said company founder Mark Zuckerberg in a post.

• Three Chicago police officers have been charged with cover up of event related to the shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014. Check out Reason's coverage of that shooting and the police reaction to it here.

• Brazilian President Michel Temer has been charged with corruption, sparking protests and the possibility of impeachment for the embattled leader. Temer had taken over from former President Dilma Rousseff after she was also removed for alleged corruption.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has delayed a vote on the senate health care bill after several Republican senators expressed opposition to it.

I'm sure once they have the chance to actually read it...

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

"Facebook hit a company record of 2 billion monthly users on the social media site. "We're making progress connecting the world, and now let's bring the world closer together," said company founder Mark Zuckerberg in a post."

You don't have me Mark. And you never will.

And take your hippy gibberish and shove it up your ass.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Hey, the man's going to be the leader of the free world in a few years. He'll have you then.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

All your data are belong to us.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Facebook hit a company record of 2 billion monthly users on the social media site.

All of them searching desperately for fake news.

[CE]

And nobody has duplicate accounts.

[BestUsedCarSales]

How many of them are just spambots who try to get your to join porn sites?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Three Chicago police officers have been charged with cover up of event related to the shooting of Laquan McDonald in 2014.

That's how they got Al Capone.

[pan fried wylie]

It's pretty much how Hillary became president.

[Domestic Dissident]

James O'Keefe does it again, gets Weigel JournoList scumbag producer at CNN to admit on camera that "RussiaGate" is a bullshit witch hunt.

Of course everyone with a three digit IQ has known this for months already, but to get one of these morons to admit it on camera is absolute gold. James, you are my fucking hero, brother.

[Citizen X - #6]

More like Pee-In' In, am i right?

[Rich]

It's wonderful stuff. Hope O'Keefe doesn't have an accident.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

So have those with a single digit IQ.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

Of course everyone with a three digit IQ has known this for months already

And how did you know?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Temer had taken over from former President Dilma Rousseff after she was also removed for alleged corruption.

Ah, South America.

[Rich]

"Dilma!"

[Death to Comments]

The temerity of that man.

[pan fried wylie]

Statistic show that female politicians are only permitted 70% of the corruption of males in the same position.

#BRIDGETHEGAP

[Crusty Juggler - Sapiosexual]

Trump lawyer's firm steered millions in donations to family members, files show

Attorneys and other experts specialising in nonprofit law said the Sekulows risked violating a federal law against nonprofits paying excessive benefits to the people responsible for running them. Sekulow declined to detail how he ensured the payments were reasonable.

I have no idea if it's illegal, but what a sleaze.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

String theory chess, Crusty. You won't even know why he did that until 2021.

[loveconstitution1789]

So lawyers are sleezbags and Trump needs a lawyer to protect his interest from slimy lawyers suing Trump.

Wow! That a lot of slimy lawyers.

[Citizen X - #6]

"We're making progress connecting the world, and now let's bring the world closer together," said company founder Mark Zuckerberg in a post.

You know who else wanted to unite the world under one regime?

[Death to Comments]

Zefrim Cochrane?

[Dillinger]

Coca-Cola?

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

Pinky and the Brain?

[CE]

Woodrow Wilson?

[BestUsedCarSales]

Stalin?

[some guy]

Ozymandias?

[Crusty Juggler - Sapiosexual]

China cracks down on toothpick crossbow toys

The tiny crossbows fire toothpicks powerful enough to break cardboard, apples or even soda cans.

Do not taunt tiny crossbow.

[Citizen X - #6]

Way to give away a major twist from the forthcoming season of Game of Thrones.

[Jerry on the sea]

Also, tiny toothpick crossbow was my college nickname.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

There are gonna be Asians on the new season of Game of Thrones? Mind. Blown.

[Zeb]

Where can I get one of these tiny crossbows?

[Rich]

If the toothpick is replaced with a metal needle, it can even crack through a can of soda.

If toothpick crossbow 3-D printer plans were ever developed, that is.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

Cody Wilson is on it, man.

[BestUsedCarSales]

If the crossbow is replaced with a gun, and the toothpick with bullets it can even kill a man.

Deep stuff.

[Glide]

If the toothpick is replaced with a nuclear weapon, it can even level the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[pan fried wylie]

I for one welcome our Maula Pistol wielding overlords.

[Griffin3]

Eyeball on Toothpick Canapes

[Rich]

McConnell has delayed a vote on the senate health care bill after several Republican senators expressed opposition to it.

Serious question: Has CBO (or anybody) done an analysis of what, um, might happen if ACA is simply repealed, with no "replacement" or "fix"?

[PurityDiluting]

or what happens if nothing changes with ACA?

[LarryA]

TEOTWAWKI

[Libertarian]

It would be like living in 2008. Unthinkable horror. But here's the deal, if repealing Ocare will result in tens of thousands losing their lives, then we should see tens of thousands of lives saved in the last 8 years. Did we? National Review thinks not:

"Repealing the Affordable Care Act, Democrats say, will "make America sick again." Bernie Sanders warns "36,000 people will die yearly as a result." But as with most ACA defenses, these claims describe an imaginary health-care reform that works, not the legislation passed by Congress in 2010. In reality, the best statistical estimate of the number of lives saved each year by the ACA is zero."

http://www.nationalreview.com/.....ican-lives

[BestUsedCarSales]

I don't need your damn numbers. I'm right.

[Glide]

Right, because the ACA isn't about healthcare availability in itself, it's simply moving the point of sale for healthcare from a hospital/insurance hybrid to an insurance/government hybrid.

[Crusty Juggler - Sapiosexual]

How the Logic of Tribalism Is Driving the Health-Care Debate

the Democrats know that Obamacare has been a huge albatross for their party and understand that the best thing that could happen for them is if the Republicans agreed to keep Obamacare in name (i.e., abandon the rhetoric of "repeal") but do whatever is necessary to make the thing work. But the GOP is doing the opposite. It's largely keeping Obamacare in terms of policy (at least the really popular parts) but rhetorically its claiming to destroy Obamacare utterly. So, both the Democrats and the Republicans end up claiming this is a repeal of Obamacare when it's not. It's all a war for the best spin, not the best policy.

We're winning!

[Meh.]

Did I miss the backstory behind your latest name change?

[BestUsedCarSales]

He decided to stop fucking corpses and sun fish.

[Crusty Juggler - Sapiosexual]

Re-posting from an earlier thread: Man Jailed After Drywall Powder Mistaken For Cocaine

Cashe tells WFTV he repeatedly told officers in Oviedo the substance was drywall. But after running a check they found he was on probation for marijuana and cocaine charges in 2015. Cashe says a K-9 alerted on his vehicle and an officer's field test was positive for cocaine.

90 days in the slam.

[Zeb]

They should have to give him a whole fuckload of cocaine to make up for that.

[Rich]

Cashe says a K-9 alerted on his vehicle

I alerted on a vehicle once.

/Sandi

[Number 7]

notice how they can test the shit right there on the road and get a positive result but it takes 90 days to get it back from the lab. They probably tested it 12 times and finally gave up. Wheels of justice are slow when you're innocent, quick when you're guilty.

[Zeb]

I'll post my reply from an earlier thread.

Do those field tests they use ever yield negative results? Drywall dust and cocaine are not at all chemically similar.

[Rich]

Strange, since they both smell like marijuana.

[CE]

At least they didn't shoot him.

[pan fried wylie]

what's that simple reagent for testing for the presence of carbon?

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

One of my friends spilled Tide in the back of his SUV a few years back and got pulled over. The cop has apparently never smelled powder detergent, because he called in the drug dogs. That, and because my friend always give cops an attitude:

"Sir, do you know why I pulled you over?"
"No."
"You didn't stop at that stop sign."
"Oh yes I did."
"No you didn't. I saw it. And I would swear that on the bible."
"Well hallelujah!"

Of course, the drug dogs found nothing, but my friend got to stand in the rain and catch bronchitis.

[loveconstitution1789]

Tell your friend he does not have to wait for the K-9 dog search anymore.

He can ask the officer to write the citation or whatever, so he can be on his way. Delaying traffic stops for K-9s is a violation of the 4th Amendment now.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Citing your rights to a police officer is a guaranteed way to get a murder and a hung jury.

[Crusty Juggler - Sapiosexual]

John McEnroe Refuses To Apologize For Comments About Serena Williams

McEnroe had said, during an interview on NPR's "Weekend Edition Sunday" over the weekend, that "if [Williams] played the men's circuit, she'd be, like, 700 in the world."

The retired player's comment led to intense anger. Williams herself eventually criticized McEnroe over Twitter, asking him to "please keep [her] out of [his] statements."

When asked on "CBS This Morning" if he would like to apologize, however, McEnroe replied, "Uh, no." He then said that "tennis [is] unlike other sports ? they're always asking about how women" would fare against him.

The world's most important story.

[Zeb]

OK, maybe 400th.

[Rufus The Monocled]

No. 700th is being too kind.

He's right.

And what a total bull shit story.

Williams wouldn't even beat a college player. I'm serious.

[Rufus The Monocled]

"Yashar Ali ?@yashar
WATCH: John McEnroe apparently thinks Serena Williams is a hysterical woman who may fall apart because of his comments and go into labor"

Jesus Christ.

Not what he said or meant at all.

The left, once again proving they're morons.

[pan fried wylie]

I'm assuming she's currently preggers, otherwise, wtf?

[pan fried wylie]

nm, Crusty's excerpt below provided that detail

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

What a freak!

[PurityDiluting]

"McConnell says he is still looking to get to a point where 50 senators are "comfortable" with the legislation"
Yo Crusty, you still have that stockpile of 55gal lube or was that someone else in the commentariat?
Sounds like Mitch is in the market for it

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

That was Jesse, yo.

[Crusty Juggler - Sapiosexual]

How did Serena Williams react to John MacEnroe answering a question he was asked by a reporter?

Reacting to McEnroe's comments, the 35-year-old tweeted: "Dear John, I adore and respect you but please please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based.
"I've never played anyone ranked 'there' nor do I have time. Respect me and my privacy as I'm trying to have a baby. Good day sir."

Slayed.

[Citizen X - #6]

Good day sir.

I picture her slamming her iPhone down onto a silver tray held by a white-gloved butler in a tuxedo.

[pan fried wylie]

No Grey Poupon?

[Rich]

"I've never played anyone ranked 'there' nor do I have time."

I don't follow tennis that closely. Would someone *kindly* explain Williams's statement?

[Zeb]

She hasn't played a competitive match with any ranked player in the men's tennis circuit and isn't going to, I believe is the gist.

[pan fried wylie]

Doesn't have the time though? How long does it take to lose a tennis match?

[Dillinger]

she chicken.

[perlchpr]

SF'd.

[Crusty Juggler - Sapiosexual]

Gosh, I shared the relevant section.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

At the rate Crusty has been fucking up links, is it time to update our phraseology?

[Dillinger]

>>>Respect me and my privacy

she demands, on twitter.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Lame comeback. She shoulda laid low.

Her serve is meh, he forehand overpowers women but wouldn't scare anyone on the circuit and she doesn't have enough of all court game to take out a man. This has noting to do with her technique or to take away from her successes (in one of the weakest women's field ever by the way) and everything to do with McEnroe making an observation any person with a brain knows is true.

Period.

We already know the 'science'.

[Rich]

Period.

Now, Rufus.

[Rufus The Monocled]

I'M SOOOOO ANGRY.

/stiffens arms out.

[Meh.]

I laughed.

[Dillinger]

word.

[Bubba Jones]

Serena's serve is 20mph below that of the top men. 145 vs 125.

And women play only 3 sets vs 5 for men.

So, I dunno if 700 is an exaggeration but it seems silly to be offended by the fact that men are better than women at tennis.

[Careless]

Seen how rapidly her arms deflated around the time she decided to get pregnant but while she was still competing?

Steroids are a hell of a drug

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

It's been done.

[Number 7]

I was going to bring that up but I think that was a woman a little past her prime versus a man wayyyy past his prime. And I think Bobby Riggs was just goofing anyway.

[CE]

Bobby Riggs wouldn't be top 700 these days.

[BestUsedCarSales]

I don't understand that context that brought this up at all.

Because of McEnroe just brought up unprovoked "Women are weak, like Serena Williams." It's at least a little impolite. Just like how I don't go around bringing up how women's pussy-game is way better than men's. We live in polite society.

Or was he asked, "Are women weaker players than men?" If so, that makes sense.

[Red Rocks Baiting n Inciting]

Someone as famously crabby as McEnroe was probably tired of all the salivating over Serena, and decided to inject some realtalk that she'd get emulsified by most of the men's circuit.

[KerryW]

Here's an excerpt from the infamous NPR interview (I took this from a Vox article). He didn't just broach the subject in his own.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: We're talking about male players, but there [are] of course wonderful female players. Let's talk about Serena Williams. You say she is the best female player in the world in the book.

MCENROE: Best female player ever ? no question.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Some wouldn't qualify it; some would say she's the best player in the world. Why qualify it?

MCENROE: Oh! Uh, she's not, you mean, the best player in the world, period?

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Yeah, the best tennis player in the world. You know, why say female player?

MCENROE: Well, because if she was in, if she played the men's circuit, she'd be, like, 700 in the world.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: You think so?

MCENROE: Yeah. That doesn't mean I don't think Serena is an incredible player. I do, but the reality of what would happen would be I think something that perhaps it'd be a little higher, perhaps it'd be a little lower. And on a given day, Serena could beat some players. I believe because she's so incredibly strong mentally that she could overcome some situations where players would choke 'cause she's been in it so many times, so many situations at Wimbledon, the US Open, etc. But if she had to just play the circuit ? the men's circuit ? that would be an entirely different story.

[KerryW]

er, on his own.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Well, that context makes sense to me then. He was directly lead to that statement.

[Dillinger]

>>>get to a point where 50 senators are "comfortable"

Ludes & KennyG @ McConnell's!

[Citizen X - #6]

It's gonna involve a whole lot of dead girls and/or live boys, that's for sure.

[Dillinger]

would you bat an eye if McConnell ends up in such a headline?

[pan fried wylie]

I can't laugh that hard and keep my eyes open, is that what you mean?

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Trump supporters protest Starbucks by patronizing Starbucks.

WJZY reported that the group wanted to support Kayla Hart, who claims she was bullied at one of the chain's locations in the Charlotte neighborhood of Dilworth.

"They shouted out 'build a wall' and shoved a drink at me and then all the baristas in the back started cracking up laughing," Hart told WJZY earlier this month.

She also said the words "Build a Wall" were printed on her receipt.

The group peacefully entered the Starbucks, bought coffee and told management that they deserve respect.

Can a protest ever be too civil?

[pan fried wylie]

do you even Civil Obedience, bro?

[Meh.]

Pshh, only if you want them to be effective! I heard you have to block traffic when you protest because everyone needs to know how obstruction feels, or something.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Probably works better with a corporation. We're giving you money and we demand respect. Starbucks is so sensitive to this stuff too, it probably was a good move.

[Bacon-Magic glib reasonoid]

Yup

[pan fried wylie]

Seconded.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

An exhaustive take down of Slate's hyperventilating over Gorsuch's first participation in SCOTUS judgments, which mostly amounted to a dissenting opinion and a footnote.

Frankly, it's a little too savage for my tastes.

[loveconstitution1789]

Facebook hit a company record of 2 billion monthly users on the social media site. "We're making progress connecting the world, and now let's bring the world closer together," said company founder Mark Zuckerberg in a post.
This is not 2 Billion people but many people and business with multiple accounts.

Still impressive to have worldwide connection to share photos and messages almost instantly.