Congress Navigates Spending Plan, White House Names New IRS Head, Emotional Support Hamster Flushes News Cycle Down a Toilet: P.M. Links

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  Gemenacom / Dreamstime.com

  Will Congress be able to push through a spending bill before the midnight deadline tonight? It certainly has enough pork to pass.

• A leader within the Black Lives Matter movement was shot and killed in New Orleans. Police say further information is not yet available.
• A white supremacist and Holocaust denier is running for Congress as a Republican in the Chicago area. He has utterly no chance of winning, but his candidacy is nevertheless causing some heartburn.
• The White House announced today that President Donald Trump is nominating California tax lawyer Charles Rettig to be commissioner of the IRS.
• A coalition strike led by the U.S. military killed an estimated 100 pro-government fighters in Syria. According to officials, coalition forces were defending themselves from an unprovoked attack.
• The International Criminal Court said it's going to investigate claims that Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has committed crimes against humanity while perpetuating his extremely violent war on drugs.
• Today's absurd emotional support animal vs. airlines story involves a hamster getting flushed down a toilet. Well, at least her emotional support animal is cheap to replace.
• Also still being flushed: The stock market.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Also still being flushed: The stock market.

THE FREEDOM CAUCUS TANKED THE DOW

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

Climate change. Russian meddling. Stock market falling. Pineapples on pizza. Trump. Deep dish.

The world is gonna end soon. Mark my words. It's all gonna make a u-turn into the apocalypse.

[BestUsedCarSales]

I'm for 2 out of the six signs you just listed. So fuck you.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Climate change and Russian meddling?

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

From dictionary.com:

"From late 14c. as "busy oneself, be concerned with, engage in;" also disparagingly "interfere, be officious, make a nuisance of oneself" (the notion is of meddling too much). From mid-14c. to 1700, it also was a euphemism for "have sexual intercourse." Related: Meddled; meddling."

So yeah, BUCS is a fan.

[Incomprehensible Bitching]

Whatever you voltability traders are doing in the market, YOU BETTER STOP THAT SHIT NOW, OR I'M CALLING THE FBI!!

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Has Reason covered any of the Jordan Peterson press that's been swirling lately? I'm just hoping on the bandwagon, he's an eloquent speaker and a staunch defender of Freedom of Speech.

[Texasmotiv]

They are afraid of getting linked to a known Nazi white supremacist transphobic monster that has the gaul to insist that you are allowed to think for yourself.

[Citizen X - #6]

Will Congress be able to push through a spending bill before the midnight deadline tonight?

Like a whiskey-dicked frat boy on a date, they'll manage to get it in, but everyone's gonna regret it in the morning.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

It's like pushing rope.

[silver.]

but everyone's gonna regret it in the morning

Bullshit, nobody's going to remember it tomorrow. It's congressional date-rape.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

AAAAHHHHH!!!!!

Proper Schlackenfurt links ...

[Rhywun]

I guess he likes us again. For now.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Well, at least her emotional support animal is cheap to replace.

GASP. So are dogs, Shackford. That's not the point.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

Shack clearly a fish or plant guy.

[Rich]

*Real* emotional support animals are imaginary.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Just like emotions.

[Citizen X - #6]

The White House announced today that President Donald Trump is nominating California tax lawyer Charles Rettig to be commissioner of the IRS.

Because Trump REALLY hates Rettig.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The International Criminal Court said it's going to investigate claims that Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has committed crimes against humanity while perpetuating his extremely violent war on drugs.

AND YET CANADA IS SELLING HIM HELICOPTERS

[Citizen X - #6]

Yeah, but they're Canadian helicopters, so joke's on Duterte.

[Eidde]

The helicopters just need to get high enough to throw people out of.

[silver.]

Getting high in the Philippines right now doesn't sound like it'd be very nice.

[Fist of Etiquette]

NO THEY'RE BELL HELICOPTERS. SOME OF AMERICA'S FINEST. Airwolf was a Bell helicopter. (The inferior Blue Thunder was a Frog creation.)

[Stormy Dragon]

Problem with Bell Helicopters is that they can only destroy enemies that are willing to fly behind a hill before exploding.

[Fist of Etiquette]

He has utterly no chance of winning, but his candidacy is nevertheless causing some heartburn.

For the GOP, I assume. He sounds like a godsend to the Democrats.

[Rhywun]

The Democrats were never going to lose that seat anyway. That's why no other Republican could be bothered to run.

[Mickey Rat]

Of course, a political party has no legal ability to prevent someone from running under their banner, so it means nothing except "gotcha" moments.

[Eidde]

"The International Criminal Court said it's going to investigate claims that Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has committed crimes against humanity while perpetuating his extremely violent war on drugs."

That's kind of a stretch, isn't it? I mean, you get a little harsh and suddenly you're some kind of criminal?

/sarc

[BestUsedCarSales]

I've looked at Duterte, I've talked with Duterte, I've seen into Duterte's soul. I know him to be a good man.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

What if I told you he shaves his pubes?

[BestUsedCarSales]

I'd have to ask how you came about this information?

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

Instagram

[BestUsedCarSales]

Oh, makes sense. I stay away from all that lefty, proggy, social(ist) media type stuff.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Haven't been around much lately. So, posting.

[Libertymike]

Where have you been?

Doing campaign work for Arthur Jones?

[BestUsedCarSales]

Working, Drinking coffee.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Thank you for checking in.

[BestUsedCarSales]

I could just sense that everyone was hurting.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

I sure was. The place is not the same without you.

[Libertymike]

Its not the same without John or Bo Cara, Esquire or Joe from Lowell or Elemenope or Thoreau or Tulpa or Warty or Epi.

[Telcontar the Wanderer]

Oh, don't worry, that has nothing to do with you.

[BestUsedCarSales]

It certainly has enough pork to pass.

Stop trying to make me super horny, Scott.

[Citizen X - #6]

The "pig roast" story was yesterday, dude.

[Leader Desslok]

BUCS just came for the sloppy seconds.

[Eidde]

Farmers, lock up your pigs, BUCS has arrived!

[Eidde]

(Uh, was that offensive? If so I'm very sorry)

[BestUsedCarSales]

Eh, I can take the heat.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Today's absurd emotional support animal vs. airlines story involves a hamster getting flushed down a toilet. Well, at least her emotional support animal is cheap to replace.

I don't want to be rude. But she did not care that much about that animal.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

Seriously. I would miss the flight instead. What a cunt.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Police say further information is not yet available.

That could easily mean they did it.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

"The U.S. Transportation Safety Administration has no problem with carry-on hamsters. "

But I can't turn on my damn cellphone until the wheels are up.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Today's absurd emotional support animal vs. airlines story involves a hamster getting flushed down a toilet. Well, at least her emotional support animal is cheap to replace.

So crazy, yet so hot.

[Citizen X - #6]

Today's absurd emotional support animal vs. airlines story involves a hamster getting flushed down a toilet.

Wait, some asshole suggested that she flush her hamster down the toilet and she actually did it? Jesus Christ, why wouldn't she just set it loose at the airport Sbarro's? At least then it would have had a chance.

[LeRoi]

I don't beleive anything she says, including that she was told to flush it.

[Citizen X - #6]

There's a lot about the story that doesn't make sense, but i don't care enough to have an opinion re: the truth of it.

[LeRoi]

Well, she has an emotional support hamster, so, crazy, and her story is stupid so, liar.

Math was pretty easy on this one.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

So you do believe that she had an emotional support hamster.

[LeRoi]

No, I believe she had a hamster.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Half of your case rests entirely on her having a hamster for emotional support.

[LeRoi]

That was her claim, yes.

[Zeb]

That part seems likely to be the lie.

[LeRoi]

Don't forget the told to flush it lie.

[Zeb]

Actually, now that I think about it, I don't care and I'm not interested.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

So is she lying about that? Then on what evidence do you conclude that she is crazy?

[LeRoi]

Sorry man, I realize now that I must have upset you. I forget how emotional people like you can become when you have your emotional support animal questioned.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

I'm glad you concede. I have won this internet debate, and shall sleep extra well tonight.

[LeRoi]

As long as to you don't get anymore upset about it, we both feel like winners.

And she's still a crazy liar.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Resorting to "u mad?" in the face of defeat makes this a double concession. I shall open a bottle of wine, too!

[LeRoi]

Whatever helps you relax and settle down.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

I can't, I'm high on BEING RIGHT.

ON THE INTERNET.

Screw the stock market losses, I'm gonna donate to Reason in my exuberance.

[LeRoi]

Maybe get an emotional support hamster to help temper that.

[BestUsedCarSales]

What's so crazy about an emotional support hamster? Hamsters are nice.

[LeRoi]

"What's so crazy about an emotional support hamster?"

The person with it.

[BestUsedCarSales]

So we're right to arguing by tautology at this point, huh?

[LeRoi]

Oh, ok, we're being serious.

Well, by definition, you're announcing you're a little off and need an emotional support animal.

Which meets my definition, even trivial, of a little crazy.

So, if you want to argue about personal definitions of crazy, cool, I don't. Yours won't be mine.

And just we are absolutely clear, you misread the post you replied to. I didnt say there was anything "crazy abput having an emotional support hamster."

[silver.]

This conversation, among people who 99% agree except on pedantics, is a perfect example of why a libertarian will never be elected.

[BestUsedCarSales]

I just think his assertion is rude, and relatively ill-formed.

[LeRoi]

Yes, that was obvious by your petulance.

[Mickey Rat]

They are nice pets. Until they escape. And disappear into the walls. And chew through some control wiring...

[Rich]

In particular, that it was a hamster instead of a gerbil.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

If it was a gerbil, she could have easily smuggled him aboard.

[Entropy Drehmaschine Void]

I am sure Richard Gere could have given her some tips ...

[Incomprehensible Bitching]

I'll flush your hamster!

[silver.]

As long as she's above the Vicky Mendoza Diagonal.

[Social Justice is neither]

Why didn't she just take the hamster on the plane Richard Gere style, it's not that different from a gerbil

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

I don't understand why anyone would want a "smart home." As the writer here says, beyond the privacy concerns, it sounds like a huge hassle.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

God, no shit. I skimmed the article and I'm exhausted. And not in a "i need a cigarette" way.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Well, I don't really do any of it. I'm fat and lazy as is, I don't need less reason to move. My dad does do this though, and I think it's just fun for him.

[Zeb]

Seems like something that is mostly just for people who like gadgets.

The only thing like that that I'd maybe like to have would be a remote controllable thermostat for heat.

[BestUsedCarSales]

The gadget thing describes my dad. He's always been like that. As for me, eh. I like to suffer a little bit in life. Reminds me that I'm alive.

[Zeb]

Me too. The thermostat thing would only be for turning down the heat.

[LeRoi]

So this chick flushed her pet, and then cried for all of ten minutes?

The story is total bullshit and she's a fucking liar.

[LynchPin1477]

A white supremacist and holocaust denier is running for Congress as a Republican in the Chicago area. He has utterly no chance of winning, but his candidacy is nevertheless causing some heartburn

Can someone more familiar with party policies and election law can explain to me why the Republicans can't stop him from running as a Republican? Something along the lines of officially barring him from the party and then suing if he tries to use the Republican name.

[LeRoi]

It's Chicago.

[Citizen X - #6]

On his intent to run form, he replaced the L in Republican with a capital I, so there's nothing they can do.

[BestUsedCarSales]

This is the same guy aping AmSoc last year.

[MiloMinderbinder]

If only they had thought to do the same with Trump!

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Is he a Democratic troll? 'Cause that would be funny.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

lol, why do that, he's driving the libs crazy!

[LynchPin1477]

Because he's an actual white supremacist and neo-Nazi? That doesn't strike me as a good association.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Keep on trolling, just keep trolling along. MAGA

[Incomprehensible Bitching]

This is why democracy needs a "50% say you go bye-bye" rule.

[Brandybuck]

""Can someone more familiar with party policies and election law can explain to me why the Republicans can't stop him from running as a Republican?""

It can vary from state to state, but the individual parties CANNOT prevent an otherwise qualified candidate from registering to run in an electio. And they most certainly CANNOT prevent otherwise qualified candidates from using the party name which they are registered under. And if he happens to win the primary (perhaps by being the only one who bothered to file) then in many states he is automatically the party nominee. (In some states a party convention can still deny the nomination).

This is one reason I do not believe in the primary process. The Democrat and Republican Parties are PRIVATE organizations, but they have placed their primary election process under the control of state governments. Which means anyone checking a (D) or (R) on the voter registration form is officially considered a party member in good standing. it's part of the very old scheme where the parties bamboozle the public into thinking they are part of the government.

This is not limited to Republicans. Remember when David Duke ran as a Democrat? It can even happen to third parties with private primaries. Even the Libertarians have accidentally had Bizarro Clarks and Loises run under their banner on occasion. .

[SusanM]

"I Hate Illinois Nazis"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulCw7RJ5eE8

[Rich]

It certainly has enough pork to pass.

You know who else passed a lot of pork?

[Citizen X - #6]

Commuters in Smithfield, VA?

[Rich]

Very nice.

[Rich]

"It's discouraging that someone with such strong beliefs that I disagree with could make it this far," Republican voter Dacia Smith of Western Springs said.

Uh, huh. I feel for you, Dacia.

[Marty Feldman's Eyes]

I forget, did reason cover this?

Piece of shit cop orders suspect's execution. Even after the PIT maneuver worked, another sack of shit cop fucking executed the suspect.

In a surprise to no one, the D.A. ruled it justified.

I'd be curious if there is *any* crime that copsuckers think *doesn't* deserve the death penalty.

[Rufus The Monocled]

I hope that scumbag Shoupe gets his you know what.

[Brandybuck]

""A white supremacist and holocaust denier is running for Congress as a Republican""

He represents all Republicans! Evil! Evil Republicans! All Republicans are evils! Aaaargh!

[Rich]

as she walked toward the security checkpoint, a second Spirit employee chased her down, hollering that rodents were not allowed.

"I was talking to the pig."

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

First #MeToo came for Hollywood, and I did not speak out, for I was not a sanctimonious libtard creep.

Then #MeToo came for the politicians, and I did not speak out, for I did not have access to taxpayer money to pay off my accusers.

Then they came for the libertarians...

[silver.]

Oh good, because one of our most reputable think tanks needs bad press.

[Rich]

He added that he had a stroke last year, which affected his memory.

How conVEEEENient!

[BestUsedCarSales]

I bet people jump hard on this one. Just like how I'm seeing Scott Baio stuff somehow allowing people to shift this as some uniquely Republican thing in Hollywood.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

This is old news. That's why creepy Crane was forced out years ago.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

Also, Crane would be so abusive toward Rothbard that Rothbard had to hide in a closet while Crane yelled at him.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

To be fair to libertarians, they're not particularly skilled at dealing with the fairer sex, so I can see some misunderstandings here.

[silver.]

Speak for yourself, I've had sex in the past year.

[BestUsedCarSales]

We don't much care for bragging 'round here.

[Zeb]

You know what? I don't care. Unless someone was assaulted, or coerced or threatened with reprisals for not preforming sexual favors or whatever, it's just moderately questionable behavior. Ruining people's lives because they can be kind of an asshole sometimes doesn't seem like a good idea.

[Marty Feldman's Eyes]

Ruining people's lives because they can be kind of an asshole sometimes doesn't seem like a good idea.

I dunno, seems like it might cut down on people being kind of assholes sometimes.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

I doubt Crane's life will be 'ruined' from this, and if Baculum is right that this is part of the reason why the Kochs forced him out, it sounds like he got his just deserts and things were taken care of in the end.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Instagram unleashes bots to control mean comments.

If you're on Facebook griping about the White Sox, the system should quickly figure out that you're talking about baseball, which, at a deeper level, it should already know is a sport. If you're talking about the White House, you might want to read the news. If you use the word white near snow, you might want to buy boots, unless you also use the words seven and dwarfs. If you're talking about white power, maybe you shouldn't be on the platform.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Here are some benign tweets that his system falsely identified as hateful:

"I didnt buy any alcohol this weekend, and only bought 20 fags. Proud that I still have 40 quid tbh"

"Intended to get pics but didn't have time.. Must be a mud race/event here this weekend.. Is like a redneck convoy out there"

"Alabama is overrated this yr the last 2 weeks has shown too many chinks in their armor WV gave them hell too."

Fags and chinks, two of my favorite things.

[BestUsedCarSales]

"I love fags" by MC Frontalot is now registered hate speech.

[Rich]

If you use the word white near snow, you might want to buy boots, unless you also use the words seven and dwarfs. If you're talking about white power, maybe you shouldn't be on the platform.

If you use the word white near power, maybe you're an electrician.

FTS.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

I'm glad you caught that. the first thing I thought was... I can see white and power together when discussing sound or electrical systems.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Hey did you guys here about the new Uranium One thing in the ne....

*HVHV commits suicide with two shots to the back*

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Consider it a kindness.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Hillary seen speeding away in a dark Prius.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

I call dibs on HVHV's Warhammer collection!

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

He remembers

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

There was supposed to be a love emote (

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Old-ish story (nov, 2016) but Facebook's censorship efforts have multi-pronged purpose, one is to get back into China.

Facebook has restricted content in other countries before, such as Pakistan, Russia and Turkey, in keeping with the typical practice of American internet companies that generally comply with government requests to block certain content after it is posted. Facebook blocked roughly 55,000 pieces of content in about 20 countries between July 2015 and December 2015, for example. But the new feature takes that a step further by preventing content from appearing in feeds in China in the first place.

[Brandybuck]

""Bad info from Spirit Air led me to flush pet hamster down airport toilet, student says""

I feel this person was simply not mocked often enough as a child.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

holocaust denier

Speaking of which, what has Noam Chomsky been up to lately?

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Sorry, NOT meant to be a reply to you, buck.

[BestUsedCarSales]

No, don't apologize. Brandybuck needs to be taken down for his holocaust denying ways.

[crufus]

Emotional support hamster?

I had hamsters when I was a kid and had to be very careful when I handled them because they actually like to bite the hand that feeds them. They're natural omnivores and they kill and eat small animals, including each other.

[Eidde]

I got an emotional support anaconda. Sam Jackson didn't like it.

[Eidde]

But Cleopatra told me I had a nice asp.