A.M. Links: Driver Plows Car Into Melbourne Crowd, Congress Faces Government Shutdown Deadline, North Korean Soldier Defects

• 

  Gage Skidmore / Flickr.com

  A driver plowed his car into a crowd of holiday shoppers in Melbourne, Australia, injuring at least 19. Authorities there are calling it a "deliberate act."

• "Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday that the firing of Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller would be a 'gross abuse of power' and called for Congress to respond with 'significant consequences' if President Donald Trump took that step."
• Tomorrow is the deadline for a government shutdown.
• A North Korean soldier has defected to South Korea, prompting gunfire at the DMZ.
• The rapper Nelly is being sued for sexual assault and defamation.
• U.S. life expectancy has declined for a second straight year.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Tomorrow is the deadline for a government shutdown.

Hope they make it.

[I am the 0.000000013%]

I hope someone remembers to report on it if it happens. Otherwise I might not notice.

[Rat on a train]

Will the government close the National Mall again?

[Rich]

No, just Santa's Palace.

[CE]

No, they'll furlough all the nonessential government workers for a few weeks, then reinstate them with back pay. Nothing left to cut.

[gaoxiaen]

I'll wait and see before i yell "YAY!"

[Citizen X - #6]

A driver plowed his car into a crowd of holiday shoppers in Melbourne, Australia, injuring at least 19. Authorities there are calling it a "deliberate act."

Car ban in 'Straya in 3... 2...

[I am the 0.000000013%]

In all fairness to progressives, they've been doing everything they can to ban private cars for as long as I can remember.

[Rat on a train]

False flag operation!

[Fist of Etiquette]

A North Korean solider has defected to South Korea...

They're not sending you their best, South Korea!

[gaoxiaen]

They seem smarter than the average Nork. And luckier.

[Jimbo]

Bunch of parasites!

[Citizen X - #6]

A North Korean solider has defected to South Korea, prompting gunfire at the DMZ.

So, it's Thursday?

[Libertarian]

Do this North Koreans not know what DMZ stands for?? Idiots.

[sarcasmic]

Celebrity news, right?

[Bee Tagger]

and called for Congress to respond with 'significant consequences' if President Donald Trump took that step."

A formal rebuke? A censure? A censure AND a formal rebuke?!

[Rich]

Sternly-worded, both.

[The_Hoser]

Single scoop of ice cream.

[Rat on a train]

No dessert.

[Bacon-Magic glib reasonoid]

Start a #IrebukeTrump

[Phred]

"Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday that the firing of Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller would be a 'gross abuse of power' "

Because when he gets fired the investigation ends? or something.

Does make one wonder why they're so attached to Mueller when his fuckups have already tainted any results he gets.

[Tom Bombadil]

The Dems are attempting 1D chess.
They want Trump to fire Mueller soooo badly.
By daring and double daring him, they hope Trump will do it out of spite.
Schoolyard Reverse psychology 101

[Citizen X - #6]

People want to analyze politics as if it's a chess match between top minds, but it's really just a bunch of the worst people in a given country playing Whac-a-Mole, and losing.

[Tom Bombadil]

That's why I labeled it as only 1D chess. Like a rope tug-a-war competition.

[gaoxiaen]

And they're all cake eaters..

[Eidde]

Which makes tug-of-war more challenging, what with trying to move a Santa-Claus sized fat dude with a rope.

[Rich]

Beautiful.

[Bearded Spock]

I am inclined to believe this whole "#OMGTrumpsGonnaFireMueller!1!1!!" nonsense was a Dem operation to try to forestall the inevitable and rehabilitate Muller's image with the public.

Trump isn't going to fire Mueller; he doesn't have to. Mueller is doing a fine job of sabotaging his investigation all by himself.

[Eidde]

They want to relive the Cox firing ("Saturday Night Massacre").

[Conchfritters]

Mark Warner's ratings are really low, and he is a total loser.

[Bee Tagger]

U.S. life expectancy has declined for a second straight year.

Does this take into account that the world will end when the new tax bill is official and no one is able to digitally voice their dissent because of net neutrality?

[Fist of Etiquette]

It certainly won't help, as won't the next outrageous thing Trump tries to pull.

[Tom Bombadil]

The coastal progs will soon be under water because the sea levels started rising on January 20.

[CE]

Our whole state has burned down this year because Trump canceled the Paris Accords.

[Old Mexican's Speedos]

U.S. life expectancy has declined for a second straight year.

They're REALLY out to get you!

A driver plowed his car into a crowd of holiday shoppers in Melbourne, Australia, injuring at least 19. Authorities there are calling it a "deliberate act."

He hates shoppers.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Maybe, like all of us, it's someone who objects to the commercialization of Sparkle Season.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday that the firing of Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller would be a 'gross abuse of power' and called for Congress to respond with 'significant consequences' if President Donald Trump took that step."

Now the president has to fire him.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A driver plowed his car into a crowd of holiday shoppers in Melbourne, Australia, injuring at least 19.

What holiday?

[Citizen X - #6]

Eid al Fitr. Twist!

[loveconstitution1789]

Winter Solstice?

[loveconstitution1789]

Winter Summer Solstice?

[Rat on a train]

December or Southern Solstice

[Conchfritters]

The rapper Nelly is being sued for sexual assault and defamation.

When she says "no", you can't keep telling her: "It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes."

[Citizen X - #6]

+1 little bit of uh, uh

[gaoxiaen]

Don't. Stop! Don't! Stop! Don't stop! Don't stop! Pretty ambiguous.

[The_Hoser]

You can officially declare his career dead, as in a month or two he's appearing in that hotbed of rap, Barrie, ON.

[mad.casual]

Because two is not a winner and three... something... something.

[loveconstitution1789]

Democrats actually think they have 2018 elections in the bag. In Atlanta, Democrat barely beat Independent candidate by around 700 votes after a recount.
HOTlanta mayoral race is over by around 700 votes
Virginia Legislative race ends in a tie after DC bureaucrats in the state push Democrat voting numbers higher. Alabama Senate race was won by Jones after almost 50% of the Republicans, who voted in 2016, did not vote for this special election. Democrats did win the special election in California. Democrats lost special elections in Georgia, Montana, Kansas, South Carolina, Utah that the media said Democrats would win.

[Tom Bombadil]

"U.S. life expectancy has declined for a second straight year."

How long ago did Trump announce his candidacy?

[Citizen X - #6]

U.S. life expectancy has declined for a second straight year.

Well, we are all a year older than we were a year ago. THANKS, TRUMP.

[Conchfritters]

U.S. life expectancy has declined for a second straight year.

When we reach singularity, the super computer is going to tell us to put down the Marlboros, weed, hookers, and brown liquor. That's not a world I want to live in.

[Rich]

Cheer up, C! The computer is going to force us to drink battery acid!

[loveconstitution1789]

Anyone else find the media avoiding covering Trump signing of the Tax Cuts and Job Act?

Even if they are, they have those "tax victims" of the tax reform bill ready to parade out.

[CE]

If they can get them on camera before they die.

[Libertarian]

"Tomorrow is the deadline for a government shutdown."

Lucy Congress tees up the football. Charlie Libertarian Brown is about to land on his back. AGAIN.

[Rhywun]

I was struck by how my morning Pravda TV was talking about the tax bill and Democrats complaining about deficits and then pivoted immediately to "government shutdown" if some massive spending bill isn't approved tomorrow - with no trace of irony whatsoever.

[Libertarian]

Next time a budget bill passes, it would be sooooo nice to hear a reporter ask a congressman, "where's all that concern about deficits that we heard during the tax cut deliberations?"

[Rich]

Deficits are an unfair burden on our grandchildren. Spending, on the other hand, is an investment in their future.

Must I explain *everything*?

[The_Hoser]

With your kind permission, I'm stealing this.

[Rich]

The truth belongs to all.

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

I still wonder why advocates of "single payer healthcare" think it's okay to have the entire nation's health budget subject to the broke-dick federal budget process.

[mad.casual]

federal budget process

See, you say 'federal budget process' like it's a process for distributing allocated sums of money based on income. It's really more like federal IOU theater or a financially-oriented folk dance.

[CE]

It's not that 4.1 trillion dollar spending budget that's causing the deficit, it's the new 150 billion dollar per year tax cut.

[Rich]

Melbourne attack driver had mental health issues but no terror connection

Even so, we're not identifying xi.

[Libertarian]

" . . .mental health issues but no terror connection '

They just described 99% of the world's population.

[Rich]

Of course, they're omitting the *potential* terror connection part.

[Rhywun]

They did say "Afghan origin"...

[Rich]

Oops.

[Hank Phillips]

Ouch!

[mad.casual]

Even so, we're not identifying xi.

They said attack driver. So, black with a thing that goes up, do we really have to spell it out for you?

[Rich]

"Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday that the firing of Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller would be a 'gross abuse of power' and called for Congress to respond with 'significant consequences' if President Donald Trump took that step."

"Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday that appointing Barron Trump as Ambassador to Swaziland would be a 'gross abuse of power' and called for Congress to respond with 'significant consequences' if President Donald Trump took that step."

"Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday that the dropping thou during the State of the Union Address would be a 'gross abuse of power' and called for Congress to respond with 'significant consequences' if President Donald Trump took that step."

...

[Rich]

*trou*, but it works anyway.

[gaoxiaen]

He deserves Lesotho. Or the Vatican.

[Hank Phillips]

Another case of senseless, prohibitionism-triggered violence. You have to expect this sort of thing anywhere folks are forced at gunpoint to vote for looter parties.

[$park? leftist poser]

You're a loon.

[Rich]

The rapper Nelly is being sued for sexual assault and defamation.

Because he has a female name?!

[Libertarian]

Whoa!

[Rich]

LOL

[Bearded Spock]

Did you just assume xis gender?

Maybe xe's just transitioning very slowly.

[Rich]

U.S. life expectancy has declined for a second straight year.

Meh. It's the life in your years!

[Rich]

Dec. 21 will be the worst day of 2017, astrologers say

"Hardly anyone has consulted us all fucking year!"

[gaoxiaen]

It looks that way so far. I have to be Santa Claus at a Christmas party.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

Recommend you go as "Sexy Santa"

[Drave Robber]

Lucky/unlucky days shouldn't affect zero-sum games, right?

[loveconstitution1789]

"r"eason changed their logo from "R"eason?

[$park? leftist poser]

It has always been a lower case 'r'. The colors are just reversed now.

[Rich]

Just like in the U.S.

*** ducks ***

[Rat on a train]

It's small-r reason not to be confused with the Reason party.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I DIDN'T SIGN OFF ON ANY OF THIS.

[Rat on a train]

You didn't read the fine print.

[Libertarian]

"The driver was known to Victorian Police due to "historical assault matters" and a history of drug use. "We understand he is on a mental health plan and receiving treatment for a mental illness," Patton said."

No mention that he did or did not have a valid driver's license. Letting almost anyone drive legally may become a bit less likely once driverless cars become common.

[gaoxiaen]

Then someone hacks the system and you become a helpless witness of the carnage. And the target.

[gaoxiaen]

Get your camera/smart phone/Go-Pro ready. It will absolve you at your funeral and enrich your family.

[gaoxiaen]

You, however, will be dead. Just tell yourself that you're doomed and let the video tell the story.

[Rich]

Not when someone hacks *that*.

[Drave Robber]

Victorian Police

historical assault matters

Here we have a band and album name both at once.

[Sevo]

"Tomorrow is the deadline for a government shutdown."

We can hope.

[Ken Shultz]

"Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Wednesday that the firing of Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller would be a 'gross abuse of power' and called for Congress to respond with 'significant consequences' if President Donald Trump took that step."

The rumor is that this is all leading up to Mueller indicting Jared Kushner, the presiden't son-in-law.

If Mueller goes that route, he better have some damn good evidence.

Kenneth Starr wouldn't go so far as to indict Hillary Clinton--despite all the evidence against her--because of the political repercussions of going after the president's family. Even still, revelations about Bill Clinton's disgusting behavior just served to rally public support for him against a nasty prosecutor who would go after the president's family life.

You go after the president's family--you better have more evidence that the reading the tea leaves would suggest Mueller has. All he's gotten so far is two get a couple of witnesses to confess lying--which compromises their usefulness as witnesses for the prosecution in court.

[BYODB]

Yeah, but people loved Billy whereas Trump is literally Hitler so it's totes different.

[Citizen X - #6]

Some guys used predictive text keyboards to generate an episode of Seinfeld. George is wearing a $20 hat that says "Hello to Horse."

[Bacon-Magic glib reasonoid]

It is relevant.

[Citizen X - #6]

"I'll pay attention to George when he talks louder. He never says anything wrong but his intellect is dying with him."

[Rhywun]

That's... disturbing.

[Eidde]

Doesn't pass the Turing test, but it's getting there.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

OLD NEWS

[Citizen X - #6]

You're a couple of days early for Festivus, MJ.

[Sevo]

We can trust those in involved in that high calling of protecting the mud-momma to act in only the most ethical manner, right? Because we're going to HAVE to trust them:

"EPA says Superfund Task Force created by Pruitt kept no records of meetings"
[...]
"Now, nearly six months after the task force released its report, a lawyer for EPA has written PEER to say that the task force had no agenda for its meetings, kept no minutes and used no reference materials other than Pruitt's memo appointing them.
Further, there were no written standards for choosing the 107 EPA employees the agency says served on the task force.
"Task force members were all volunteers from EPA staff with no selection criteria," Johnny Walker, a Justice Department lawyer representing EPA, wrote to PEER last month. "Meeting minutes were not kept and materials (other than the May 22, 2017 memorandum) were not presented to the Superfund Task Force.""
http://www.chicagotribune.com/.....story.html

[Rich]

"It stretches credulity that 107 EPA staff members with no agenda or reference materials somehow wrote an intricate plan in 30 days."

Bullshit. They just got the guy with the least seniority to gin it up.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

You'd think that, by 2017, regular Twitter tweeters would have realized some self control due to the risk of knee jerk snark revealing one's biases and privilege. But nope, bunch of blue checkmarks laughing at the idea that anyone would appreciate an extra $20 a week. smh

[Rich]

"Why that doesn't even cover my tips to the Starbucks baristas!"

[Citizen X - #6]

That may seem like a pretty big tip, but it's really not big enough when you insist on consuming your coffee colonically.

[Eidde]

Sorry if someone already noticed this, but the linked article - from CNN - says the Melborne driver is "an Australian citizen of Afghan descent who was known to police but only for minor offenses" - and he has no terror connections, but has mental health issues.