The White House Gets Behind Net Neutrality Repeal, Democracy's Chances Look Dubious in Southeast Asia, and Fox News Hosts Spar Over Trump: P.M. Links

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  Gage Skidmore/Flickr

  The White House throws its support behind the FCC's efforts to end net neutrality regulations. See Reason TV's interview with the Ajit Pai, the FCC chairman leading the effort.

• The Economist takes a look at capitalism and democracy in Southeast Asia. Capitalism is doing OK. Democracy less so.

• There is some internal drama at Fox News after host Shepard Smith accused Donald Trump of repeated lying and deception. Sean Hannity has hit back, calling Smith "so anti-Trump." Burn!

• Democrats doubt they will be able to cobble together a Russia sanctions bill before the summer recess.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Sean Hannity has hit back, calling Smith "so anti-Trump."

In Smith's defense, his people are supposed to be anti-Trump.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

COBBLE HARDER DEMOC....I MEAN LOSERS.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

This is some C grade effort, Christian. Robby would be disappointed, if we could tear his eyes away from Zelda.

[Bra Ket]

The economist story doesn't even have a link. That's a failing grade.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The White House throws its support behind the FCC's efforts to end net neutrality regulations.

I hate to think what this is going to do to Global Warming.

[XenoZooValentine]

I've been seeing stuff about NN from some YouTubers who I otherwise respect, thankfully most of them just did a single video about it and moved on. There's also some spam about it on the Steam forums.

So far, it's making the online conversation about the Citizens United decision look informed and reasonable.

[Jerryskids]

What I keep seeing is a wailing and gnashing of teeth over those dastardly Republicans wanting to turn the internet over to the tender mercies of the monopoly cable companies like Comcast instead of having the government act as a bulwark against those evil, greedy bastards. You know, the government that granted the cable companies like Comcast their monopoly.

[damikesc]

You know, the government that granted the cable companies like Comcast their monopoly.

No stress. THIS time, the government has its shit together.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

The Economist takes a look at capitalism and democracy in Southeast Asia. Capitalism is doing ok. Democracy less so.

Democracy ain't doing so hot in the west either.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

The White House throws its support behind the FCC's efforts to end net neutrality regulations.

I wonder how much those tiny hands can throw?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Capitalism is doing ok. Democracy less so.

In some circles batting .500 is pretty good.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Democrats doubt they will be able to cobble together a Russia sanctions bill before the summer recess.

Can't they just use the same lobbyists they used to cobble together Obamacare?

[The Last American Hero]

I hear Fusion GPS knows a thing or two about the Russians.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

There is some internal drama at Fox News after host Shepard Smith accused Donald Trump of repeated lying and deception.

Crazy, I don't think they've had any internal drama in at least a fortnight.

[The Last American Hero]

Is this like when NWO split into NWO Red and NWO White?

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Wolf Pack baby!

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Democrats doubt they will be able to cobble together a Russia sanctions bill before the summer recess.

This is why we lost the Cold War.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Well Fist, good day of work. /highfive

[Fist of Etiquette]

I took you to task for your BSG comment, picking apart your argument. You get no high five from me, final or otherwise.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

If I go look back and read some sort of BSG flaming then you are officially dead to me.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Hmm I guess it was just a personal attack and not a flaming of the show; so you're not dead to me but I am going to quietly cry in my cubicle for a bit.

[Dillinger]

>>>I took you to task for your BSG comment, picking apart your argument.

is there a vote on this?

[DenverJ]

Yes, but it's been hacked. By the Russians, of course

[Fist of Etiquette]

There's a vote of confidence for me being right and everyone else being wrong.

[Tom Bombadil]

Which would make the vote of confidence wrong. HAH! Logic burn.

[DJF]

"""""Democrats doubt they will be able to cobble together a Russia sanctions bill before the summer recess.""'

Of course they won't, if they do they might cut off the supply of Russian hookers peeing on beds stories

[Crusty Juggler :)]

Scientists studying sexual discomfort accidentally create sex toy

Why won't Reason-n-n's (get it?) "science correspondent" cover this: The clinically-named "vaginal pressure inducer" ? a remote-controlled balloon that fills with water at body temperature ? was tested on 42 women who had never experienced sexual problems before, according to The Sun of the UK.

They were asked to watch porn films, a film of fully clothed people canoodling and some non-sexual flicks, while the scientists inflated the device ? expected to cause discomfort ? from another room.

The women, who were able to control when the pressure stopped, actually enjoyed the sensations ? and those watching porn allowed the device to inflate much more than those watching an unsexy film.

And yes, I was called the Vaginal Pressure Inducer in college. Duh. Doy.

[Mickey Rat]

The scientists intended to csuse duscomfort but let the women control how big it got and they are surprised the women stopped where it felt good?

Do these scuentusts know how people work?

[Crusty Juggler :)]

All I know is I would have liked to been in that study, am I right ladies?

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Shoulda done a STEM major -- this philosophy degree is as worthless as they promised. (jk luv it)

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

I'm gonna come out and say it: I don't get it.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

The female orgasm?

[Crusty Juggler :)]

According to my research this morning - and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong - female orgasms occur either after you slip into your step-sister's bedroom after your parents leave and make bang with her, or your friend's hot mom seduces you.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Evidence supports it can happen when an unhappy step-mom makes fuck with their stepson.

[XenoZooValentine]

I think he means the Reason-n-n joke. I don't get it either. Was that in the original?

[Crusty Juggler :)]

Oh no, I fucked up the formatting. I like to call Reason Reason-n-n, because it kind of sounds like CNN, and as we know both are fake news.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

😐

[XenoZooValentine]

That's such a bad joke it's actually kind of adorable.

For what it's worth, how do you do that block quote thing with the grey bar anyway? I could never figure it out.

[Crusty Juggler :)]

Thanks! It took me days to come up with that gem.

[Crusty Juggler :)]

Learn here.

Cheat by going here

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Reluctantly agree.

It's < blockquote > < / blockquote >

[XenoZooValentine]

Thanks.

[Dillinger]

looks like he's saying Reason like he's Bill Buckley but what do I know

[Dillinger]

this was --> xenozoo I don't know how it ended up here

[XenoZooValentine]

Squirrel magic.

[Crusty Juggler :)]

Five Years After Benghazi, U.S. Diplomats Still Think 'It's Not Going To Happen To Me'

Yet the GAO found few of the grim lessons learned being applied in the years following the attacks. From 2013 to 2016, roughly 270 American diplomatic facilities completed only 52 percent of required evacuation and emergency drills on average, with only 4 percent of embassies doing all the required drills. In embassies with a high risk of terrorism and political unrest, the average was even lower, with only 44 percent completing the exercises.

Why? Well, one douche's theory:

"Funding is important. The State Department doesn't get enough money and it has to do triage," Kurtzer told The Daily Beast. "It's not so much they think it can't happen. They're overstretched in terms of what they can do in the course of the day," because embassies are understaffed and underfunded. "The kind of drills you have to do when you shut the embassy down and people have to go to their stations. where you muster, those tend to fall by the wayside," said Kurtzer, now a professor at Princeton University.

Ah.

[Scarecrow Repair & Chippering]

because governments are understaffed and underfunded

Fixed it for those who can't read between the lines.

[Dillinger]

>>>In embassies with a...

propensity to run guns to terrorists...

[Crusty Juggler :)]

And where your auxiliary security is staffed by a couple of guys from The Office and Nick Sobotka.

[XenoZooValentine]

Just put one morbidly obese neckbeard with handcuffs and pepper spray by the entrance, that's more than adequate for all your security needs.

Well, a lot of businesses here in NJ seem to think so anyway.

What could possibly go wrong?

[Tom Bombadil]

The problem at Benghazi was not enough security drills?

[Crusty Juggler :)]

Heinz unveils 'Chicago Dog Sauce' to get around city's 'no-ketchup' rule

Heinz unveiled a "new" sauce on Monday to get around Chicago's strict "no ketchup on hotdogs" rule.

On National Hot Dog Day, Heinz unveiled Chicago Dog Sauce which is made with delicious red ripe tomatoes and a special blend of spices and flavorings. Sounds a lot like ketchup, doesn't it? That's because it is ketchup.

Sweet.

[Mickey Rat]

Heinz is testing to see how gullible Chicagoans can be?

[Crusty Juggler :)]

Yes.

[Dillinger]

your links are better. there was this 4'8" asian lady who ran a taco stand at Newport - 14th street maybe - in the 80s, and her taco sauce was ketchup and pepper...and people talked about it like it was a thing.

the fuck is "no ketchup on hotdogs" rule?

[Scarecrow Repair & Chippering]

Means rent a hooker when it's wifey's time of the month. Unless you're Crusty, when it's the reverse.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Need to get in now. Chicago is definitely a market on the upswing.

[Tom Bombadil]

'Chicago's strict "no ketchup on hotdogs" rule.'

Please tell me this isn't a real thing.

[Rich]

The Economist ....

If you say so.

[Crusty Juggler :)]

NC college student facing child sex charges

An East Carolina University student from Sneads Ferry is facing child sex charges involving a 14-year-old boy, according to the Surf City Police Department.

Taylor Ashton Moseley, 20, has been charged with statutory rape, indecent liberties with a child and statutory sex offense.

The two met through a mutual friend in person at JM's Place, a bar in Surf City, police said.

Surf City police said the 14-year-old's mother became aware of the sexual contact and contacted Pender Department of Social Services, who then referred it to police.

Former worstest commenter Nikki had a plan to shun moms, and I once again agree with her.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Who are these man kids that are wooing 20 something girls? I know the Rock lost his virginity at 12 to an 18 year old so I can only picture all these kids as Rock clones.

Also, poor fuckin' girl.

[The Last American Hero]

The Rock is the Rock and 12 year old Rock probably looked like he stepped out of a fireman calendar. I don't get the rest of these stories.

[Tom Bombadil]

When I read Crusty's post, I assumed the college student was male.

[ChipToBeSquare]

No democracy but a freer market?

Someone's been reading their Hoppe

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

Give it up, Hoppe, the Keiser is not coming back.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

Crusty, no threnody for that beautiful Persian mathematician that died so young? I am sad.

[Crusty Juggler :)]

You are allowed to post your own links, you know.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

Too much work on a phone.

[Crusty Juggler :)]

'Stop with the pity party!' Muppet creator Jim Henson's daughter says recasting Kermit was 'long overdue' and the puppeteer played the frog like a 'bitter, angry, depressed victim'

Seriously, guy.

[Chipper Morning, Now #1]

Kermit had reasons to be bitter and angry.

[Meh.]

The breakup with Miss Piggy seemed to be completely out of character, but I really haven't heard too much about the Muppets outside of that. I kind of think the meme where he's sipping tea did more to rebrand him as bitter and salty rather than any ideas pushed by his puppeteer.

[Stormy Dragon]

Steve's performance of Kermit has strayed far away from my father's good hearted, compassionate leader of the Muppets

Seems to me that Daughter Henson is the one who doesn't get the character. The Muppets were always pretty dark for a supposed kids show. Kermit usually came across as the last sane man on the verge of a nervous breakdown because none of the other muppets ever listened to him.

[The Last American Hero]

So, Kermit was the basically the Libertarian muppet?

[XenoZooValentine]

Kermit usually came across as the last sane man on the verge of a nervous breakdown because none of the other muppets ever listened to him.

Panic-driven managerial decisions were called "kermitflailing" in some snark communities I used to read.

[Jerryskids]

Smith, a news anchor at the network, is supposed to cover the news without bias.

An opinion expressed as a statement of fact. "The news" is whatever the media decides is important to report on, and that's where the bias starts. For example, the Washington Examiner decided that what two self-important fat-headed blowhards on Fox News said is important enough to report on instead of deciding it ain't worth a fart in a shitstorm and nothing any moderately non-retarded person would find in the least bit worth more than about two seconds' thought. So fuck off with your pretentious pretense of being some sort of Solon dispensing justice and wisdom and thoughtful observations on the human condition, you're part of the media so furiously jerking each other off that you don't notice we're all looking and pointing and laughing at your dumb monkey asses.

[Dillinger]

Internal Drama was Shep's nickname in college.

[The Last American Hero]

I heard it was Cuck.

/Hannity

[Crusty Juggler :)]

The White House throws its support behind the FCC's efforts to end net neutrality regulations

Another feather in Trump's MAGA hat.

[The Last American Hero]

Having the Donald as President is like having a wild puppy that doesn't listen to commands, craps all over the neighbors lawn, and won't stop barking - but right as you're about to take him back to the pound he does something so cute you decide maybe he isn't so bad after all and you put your keys back in the drawer.

[XenoZooValentine]

I eagerly await the follow-up report in The Economist about land war in Asia.

[JeremyR]

It's amazing how quickly that story of the Australian woman getting killed by a cop was dropped by the media (and internet) when it was discovered the cop was a Muslim

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

It was still front page of the Star Tribune today.

[XenoZooValentine]

Don't worry, I'm sure we'll soon get detailed plans to build a wall around Australia and make them pay for it.

[creech]

It was just carried on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Seemed to zoom in on "the body cams were not in operation."

[DRM]

You know, it'd be really, really easy to make sure body cameras are always on and operational. You just make it a strict liability offense to use force when they're not operating, legally equivalent to the most serious offense that a body camera could convict the cop of consistent with the facts.

So, kill someone? Life in prison without parole, because first-degree murder. Injure them enough it takes medical intervention to keep them alive? Life in prison without parole, because attempted first-degree murder. And so on.

Every cop will start insisting on having three body-cams, all tested to be in working order at the start of a patrol, and will come in for a replacement as soon as even one fails.

[Tom Bombadil]

I read an update somewhere online today. It seems the cop's excuse: Just before the lady approached the cop car, the cops heard a loud noise.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Not surprised really. There HAS to be some excuse, right? Hell will be a frozen tundra when some cop admits to wrong doing, admits to simple human error... no this cop fucked up in an inconceivable manner, but even still, there must be a reason; an excuse.