What GOP War on Science?

Science • Views: 29,870

Well, isn’t this lovely. The next target of the Republican Party is apparently going to be the National Science Foundation. New majority leader Eric Cantor is inviting the public (via his YouCut website) to search through the NSF’s federal grants and report those eggheads if they’re doin’ somethin’ stoopit like fruit fly research in Paris, France.

The GOP’s war on science is about to go to the trenches.

(Hat tip: Josh Rosenau.)

Also see:

GOP Blocks START Treaty, But Eager to Tackle the NPR Problem
GOP Fails to Kill NPR Funding

(I include these links to the ‘defund NPR’ idiocy because that’s the previous big idea that came up through YouCut and made it all the way to a vote in the House. It’s as if the commenters at Free Republic are running the GOP.)

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608 comments
1 jamesfirecat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 5:53:24pm

Isn’t the fruitfly research that people like Sarah Palin blasted designed in the long run to cure diseases like Down Syndrome… that Sarah Palin’s son has?

Wow it’s like a really stupid snake eating its own tail….

2 AlexRogan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 5:53:26pm

ARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!

3 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 5:53:30pm

Wow…

4 jaunte  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 5:55:35pm

Attention, GOP: An internet poll is a pretty stupid way to judge the relative importance of scientific research projects.

5 Walter L. Newton  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 5:57:12pm

And again…

Republicans will eliminate the House committee created by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to highlight the threat of climate change, Representative James Sensenbrenner, the top Republican on the panel, said today.

bloomberg.com

6 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 5:58:04pm

re: #1 jamesfirecat

Isn’t the fruitfly research that people like Sarah Palin blasted designed in the long run to cure diseases like Down Syndrome… that Sarah Palin’s son has?

Wow it’s like a really stupid snake eating its own tail…

The video uses the same logic to oppose some study about soccer players (which sounds like it might be an artificial intelligence study) and some grant for computer acoustics which he claims is only useful for video games.

7 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 5:58:58pm

re: #1 jamesfirecat

FAIL!

8 Charles Johnson  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 5:59:00pm

I included my links to the ‘defund NPR’ idiocy because that’s the previous big idea that came up through YouCut. It’s as if the commenters at Free Republic are running the GOP.

9 Fozzie Bear  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 5:59:38pm

re: #8 Charles

I included my links to the ‘defund NPR’ idiocy because that’s the previous big idea that came up through YouCut. It’s as if the commenters at Free Republic are running the GOP.

… they pretty much are.

10 funky chicken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:00:35pm

re: #4 jaunte

Attention, GOP: An internet poll is a pretty stupid way to judge the relative importance of scientific research projects.

Ron Paul!

11 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:01:35pm

re: #3 Killgore Trout

Wow…

[Video]

IOW they want to politicize NSF grants.

12 Bubblehead II  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:02:14pm

re: #6 Killgore Trout

The video uses the same logic to oppose some study about soccer players (which sounds like it might be an artificial intelligence study) and some grant for computer acoustics which he claims is only useful for video games.

Doesn’t the U.S. Military use video games for training?

Why, yes they do.

13 Decatur Deb  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:02:19pm

Bob Packwood used to pull this crap before he busted out of the Senate. He used to give the “Golden Goose Award” to research projects and other grants that had a public outrage value. One was aimed at a physical anthropologist who had a contract to measure stewardesses. (Yes, it was that long ago, and he was designing crashworthy jump seats.)

14 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:02:31pm

re: #3 Killgore Trout

Hard sciences? Is he talking about research in building continent sized boats? WTF does he mean, “hard sciences”?

15 Shiplord Kirel  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:03:11pm

I’m asking for a grant to determine whether fruit flies are smart enough to see through Republican propaganda.

16 jaunte  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:03:38pm

Adrian Smith (3rd district, Nebraska) featured in the linked video, in an interview:

I asked if Adrian believes in global warming. “No!” He believes many of the “facts” about global warming are in dispute.
necitizen.com


Not that he mentions any.

17 jamesfirecat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:04:08pm

re: #12 Bubblehead II

Doesn’t the U.S. Military use video games for training?

Why, yes they do.

Do you f***ing know in real life how hard it is to get soldiers to be mentally ready to actually be willing to shoot the other guy?

///Violent Desentising dehumanising videogames are important part of military training!

18 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:04:39pm

re: #12 Bubblehead II

Doesn’t the U.S. Military use video games for training?

Why, yes they do.

Nope. Those are super serious training tools. Video games are the things that make kids have unprotected sex, kill grandma, and worship the devil.
/

19 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:06:02pm

re: #3 Killgore Trout

Wow…

[Video]

I’m pretty sure this is the “soccer study” that bonehead was talking about:


Quantifying the Performance of Individual Players in a Team Activity

Jordi Duch1,2,3, Joshua S. Waitzman1, Luís A. Nunes Amaral1,2,4*

1 Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America, 2 Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America, 3 Department of Computer Science and Mathematics, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain, 4 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America

Abstract

Teamwork is a fundamental aspect of many human activities, from business to art and from sports to science. Recent research suggest that team work is of crucial importance to cutting-edge scientific research, but little is known about how teamwork leads to greater creativity. Indeed, for many team activities, it is not even clear how to assign credit to individual team members. 1Remarkably, at least in the context of sports, there is usually a broad consensus on who are the top performers and on what qualifies as an outstanding performance.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In order to determine how individual features can be quantified, and as a test bed for other team-based human activities, we analyze the performance of players in the European Cup 2008 soccer tournament. We develop a network approach that provides a powerful quantification of the contributions of individual players and of overall team performance.

Conclusions/Significance

We hypothesize that generalizations of our approach could be useful in other contexts where quantification of the contributions of individual team members is important.

20 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:06:45pm

re: #17 jamesfirecat

I shit you not, I heard an Alex Jones rant along those lines way back in the day, ‘cept it had to do with LEOs rather than soldiers.

21 Romantic Heretic  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:07:51pm

Sigh. I’m afraid my Stupid-o-meter warning device just overloaded.

22 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:09:22pm

Dark Ages, here we come.

23 funky chicken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:10:27pm

re: #12 Bubblehead II

Doesn’t the U.S. Military use video games for training?

Why, yes they do.

And for fighting. Well, the Reaper is pretty close.

24 Shiplord Kirel  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:11:08pm

If these droids had been around in 1940:

-Hear tell, Roosevelt and his spendthrift gang are spending millions to find out how to split an atom. An atom! Hell, it ain’t as big as nothin’. What good would it do you if you did split one?

-They’re also payin’ General Electric millions to try and fly an aeroplane without a propeller. What does an electric company know about aeroplanes anyway? Hell, any pilot can tell you you’re in a heap of trouble if the propeller comes off. Just put a prop on the danged thing and be done with it.

25 funky chicken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:11:22pm

re: #22 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Dark Ages, here we come.

I wrote an NSF grant application once. I’m not really concerned that many of these morons will actually be able to read them. It was bad enough reading my own.

26 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:11:27pm

“Science leads to Knowledge; Knowledge leads to Enlightenment; Enlightenment leads to Godless Atheism.”

- Darth Cantor

27 jamesfirecat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:12:19pm

re: #24 Shiplord Kirel

If these droids had been around in 1940:

-Hear tell, Roosevelt and his spendthrift gang are spending millions to find out how to split an atom. An atom! Hell, it ain’t as big as nothin’. What good would it do you if you did split one?

-They’re also payin’ General Electric millions to try and fly an aeroplane without a propeller. What does an electric company know about aeroplanes anyway? Hell, any pilot can tell you you’re in a heap of trouble if the propeller comes off. Just put a prop on the danged thing and be done with it.

To be fair they wouldn’t have had a clue Roosevelt was trying to split an atom… unless Wikileaks had been around in 1940 as well…

28 b_sharp  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:13:02pm

The potential in this is frightening.

It’s another case of an overly literal reading of a subject. For some besotted reason, there is a group of people out there who are either unable or refuse to look for the real-world applications pure research can and does produce.

29 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:14:43pm

re: #24 Shiplord Kirel

If these droids had been around in 1940:

-Hear tell, Roosevelt and his spendthrift gang are spending millions to find out how to split an atom. An atom! Hell, it ain’t as big as nothin’. What good would it do you if you did split one?

-They’re also payin’ General Electric millions to try and fly an aeroplane without a propeller. What does an electric company know about aeroplanes anyway? Hell, any pilot can tell you you’re in a heap of trouble if the propeller comes off. Just put a prop on the danged thing and be done with it.

You propose to do what? Make energy out of atoms?

There’s no way you can sail west to the Spice Islands. We’ve never seen it before and besides. You’ll fall off the edge of the sea!

30 EdDantes  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:14:55pm

“Crucial Role of Drosophila Neurexin in Proper Active Zone Apposition to Postsynaptic Densities, Synaptic Growth, and Synaptic Transmission “

Show of hands: who understood the above.

31 jaunte  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:15:42pm

re: #29 Gus 802

There be Dragons; It says so right on the parchment.

32 funky chicken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:15:45pm

re: #19 Gus 802

I’m pretty sure this is the “soccer study” that bonehead was talking about:


Quantifying the Performance of Individual Players in a Team Activity

Hmmm. sounds like a better fit for NIMH or one of the social science funding institutes.

Yeah, I’m a microbiologist/biochemist. If it can’t be smooshed up and run through a centrifuge or chromatography thingy, it ain’t science.

/only kinda sarc. scientists can get pissy about their turf

33 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:16:09pm

re: #30 EdDantes

“Crucial Role of Drosophila Neurexin in Proper Active Zone Apposition to Postsynaptic Densities, Synaptic Growth, and Synaptic Transmission “

Show of hands: who understood the above.

Looks like something relating to a pharmaceutical and neuroscience.

34 Decatur Deb  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:16:33pm

re: #30 EdDantes

I was told there’d be no Biology.

35 b_sharp  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:17:32pm

re: #34 Decatur Deb

I was told there’d be no Biology.

You were lied to.

36 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:18:12pm

re: #35 b_sharp

You were lied to.

Joe Wilson was right.

/

37 funky chicken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:18:39pm

re: #30 EdDantes

“Crucial Role of Drosophila Neurexin in Proper Active Zone Apposition to Postsynaptic Densities, Synaptic Growth, and Synaptic Transmission “

Show of hands: who understood the above.

Like I said, nobody’s gonna read that stuff.

Well, except for the few creationist shills who are actually making it through graduate programs in molecular biology and biochemistry so they can then join the Discovery Institute and crap all over the fields they spent 10 years learning.

Espionage for Jesus, I guess.

Anna Chapman had more fun, I can guarantee you that.

good night, all :-)

38 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:18:47pm

re: #28 b_sharp

For instance research money spent in the space program and military technologies. There have been many tangential research paths in either fields that have resulted in either consumer products or semi-related fields such as medical advancements.

Which is another reason why I support giving unprecedented tax incentives to companies doing the hard R&D on green technology. Not only will we benefit in a number of direct ways, but there are many yet to be discovered applications of certain research paths that could benefit us in ways unrelated to green energy.

Short sighted stupidity seems to be a virtue with some, though.

39 Romantic Heretic  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:19:11pm

re: #23 funky chicken

And for fighting. Well, the Reaper is pretty close.

Have you seen the US Army’s new grenade launcher? No more hiding behind things.

40 EdDantes  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:19:13pm

re: #30 EdDantes

Me? I’m sitting here beside myself shrugging.

41 jamesfirecat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:20:12pm

re: #39 Romantic Heretic

Have you seen the US Army’s new grenade launcher? No more hiding behind things.

Its like that trick I used to pull with remote minds in Golden Eye…

A button to throw, then A+B button to detonate in mid air all over my opponents face….

42 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:20:35pm

re: #29 Gus 802

“What, sir, would you make a ship sail against the wind and currents by lighting a bonfire under her deck? I pray you, excuse me, I have not the time to listen to such nonsense.”

- Napoleon Bonaparte, when told of Robert Fulton’s steamboat.

43 funky chicken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:20:35pm

OK, before I leave, does anybody want me to change that Drosophila thing into regular English?

44 EdDantes  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:20:51pm

re: #34 Decatur Deb

Where’s Cliff Klavan when we need him?

45 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:21:26pm

re: #43 funky chicken

OK, before I leave, does anybody want me to change that Drosophila thing into regular English?

Go for it.

46 b_sharp  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:22:11pm

re: #43 funky chicken

OK, before I leave, does anybody want me to change that Drosophila thing into regular English?

Certainly.

47 b_sharp  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:23:59pm

re: #43 funky chicken

OK, before I leave, does anybody want me to change that Drosophila thing into regular English?

If you don’t I’ll be forced to bug Harshman or ERV to translate.

48 Randall Gross  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:23:59pm

It looks to me that the GOP controlled congress is going to run a three ring blame circus with witch hunts all around to deflect attention and flames away from the fact that they’ve got no agenda, no direction, and no leadership.
Right now Grassley is grilling the NIH over travel that National Cancer institute people took the past two years.

blogs.nature.com

49 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:24:02pm

re: #43 funky chicken

OK, before I leave, does anybody want me to change that Drosophila thing into regular English?

Thirded.

50 EdDantes  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:28:19pm

re: #43 funky chicken

OK, before I leave, does anybody want me to change that Drosophila thing into regular English?

What they are trying to say is :
These abnormalities result in corresponding alterations in synaptic transmission with reduced quantal content. Together, our results provide compelling evidence for an in vivo role of neurexins in the modulation of synaptic architecture and adhesive interactions between pre- and postsynaptic compartments.
Geez.

51 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:28:21pm

Why there’s some guy out in the country using our money to feed his chickens mold!

//

52 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:29:24pm

I learn so much more for LGF and it’s Lizards now that the anti-science creationists have left the building. That’s the upside.

The downside to their mass exodus of stupidity? They were so simplistic in their foolish arguments that I didn’t even have to engage my brain to debate them. Now I have to work much harder. Which is really another plus, if you think about it.

53 Shiplord Kirel  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:29:53pm

re: #27 jamesfirecat

To be fair they wouldn’t have had a clue Roosevelt was trying to split an atom… unless Wikileaks had been around in 1940 as well…

In 1942, shortly after the Battle of Midway, the Roosevelt hating Chicago Tribune actually did publish the news that the victory was a result of the US having broken the Japanese naval codes.
The story had appeared on a back page and Roosevelt decided to gamble that Axis spies had missed it rather than prosecute the Trib and guarantee massive publicity. It turned out he was right. The Trib got a stern warning however, something along the lines of “pull this crap again and nobody will ever see you again except in those pictures J. Edgar Hoover took at that whorehouse in Gary.”

54 Bubblehead II  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:29:58pm

Why do I get the feeling we are headed for this?

55 funky chicken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:30:19pm

Ruh Roh. Sharon Angle would not approve.

Am J Hum Genet. 2008 Jan;82(1):199-207.

Disruption of neurexin 1 associated with autism spectrum disorder.

Here ya go:

PLoS ONE: Neurexin in Embryonic Drosophila Neuromuscular Junctionsby K Chen - 2010 - Related articles
Background
Neurexin is a synaptic cell adhesion protein critical for synapse formation and function. Mutations in neurexin and neurexin-interacting proteins have been implicated in several neurological diseases. Previous studies have described Drosophila neurexin mutant phenotypes in third instar larvae and adults. However, the expression and function of Drosophila neurexin early in synapse development, when neurexin function is thought to be most important, has not been described.

Easy :-)

56 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:30:28pm

re: #52 Slumbering Behemoth

I learn so much more for LGF and it’s Lizards now that the anti-science creationists have left the building. That’s the upside.

The downside to their mass exodus of stupidity? They were so simplistic in their foolish arguments that I didn’t even have to engage my brain to debate them. Now I have to work much harder. Which is really another plus, if you think about it.

Watch out, if you talk about them, they’ll make a thread about you and you’ll risk laughing to death if you read it!

57 b_sharp  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:32:07pm

re: #55 funky chicken

Ruh Roh. Sharon Angle would not approve.

Here ya go:

Easy :-)

What? You mean they be usin’ that genetic, DNA stuff from dirty flies to read our thoughts?

58 EdDantes  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:32:31pm

re: #55 funky chicken

Clear as Kafka :)

59 engineer cat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:32:38pm

re: #43 funky chicken

OK, before I leave, does anybody want me to change that Drosophila thing into regular English?

can you do it in teabag english?

60 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:32:59pm

re: #55 funky chicken

Ruh Roh. Sharon Angle would not approve.

Here ya go:

Easy :-)

Those are just elitist multisyllabic words used to mask the true intention of them there scientists of promoting atheism and homosexuality in our children!!11ty

//

61 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:33:02pm

re: #56 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Heh. I don’t think they care all that much about me. I mostly just make dick jokes.

62 engineer cat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:33:21pm

mutant phenotypes

i like their third album the best

63 funky chicken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:33:29pm

re: #50 EdDantes

What they are trying to say is :
These abnormalities result in corresponding alterations in synaptic transmission with reduced quantal content. Together, our results provide compelling evidence for an in vivo role of neurexins in the modulation of synaptic architecture and adhesive interactions between pre- and postsynaptic compartments.
Geez.

LOL. Or, if the neurexin doesn’t work right, your nerves won’t be able to communicate with each other.

Very, very bad things happen when your nerves can’t communicate with each other.

64 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:33:43pm

re: #59 engineer dog

can you do it in teabag english?

Um, that would be Teabonics, actually.

65 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:34:12pm

Dr. Livingstone. Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party National Science Foundation?

/

66 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:34:44pm

re: #63 funky chicken

LOL. Or, if the neurexin doesn’t work right, your nerves won’t be able to communicate with each other.

Very, very bad things happen when your nerves can’t communicate with each other.

Synaptic anarchy.

67 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:35:09pm

re: #61 Slumbering Behemoth

Heh. I don’t think they care all that much about me. I mostly just make dick jokes.

Oh, don’t worry, the mere fact you’re making them here is enough for them.

68 Decatur Deb  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:35:25pm

re: #63 funky chicken

LOL. Or, if the neurexin doesn’t work right, your nerves won’t be able to communicate with each other.

Very, very bad things happen when your nerves can’t communicate with each other.

Gee, maybe we could base a weapon on that… Nah, too nasty.

69 EdDantes  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:35:45pm

re: #63 funky chicken

I keep my quantal content covered with my hands. I’m shy.

70 Randall Gross  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:35:48pm

re: #30 EdDantes

*raises hand*

If you don’t want the individual nerve cells in your nerves to fall apart you need one type of neurexin/neurligin, if you want to specify type of nerve cell transmission you need the other. These proteins also are important for new blood vessel growth, and study of them could lead to some revelations for normal healing and some autism studies & how abnormal cancers sustain themselves.

71 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:36:54pm

Republicans may defeat the tyranny of salad….
Republicans block child nutrition bill

House Republicans have temporarily blocked legislation to feed school meals to thousands more hungry children. Republicans used a procedural maneuver Wednesday to try to amend the $4.5 billion bill, which would give more needy children the opportunity to eat free lunches at school and make those lunches healthier. First lady Michelle Obama has lobbied for the bill as part of her “Let’s Move” campaign to combat childhood obesity.

House Democrats said the GOP amendment, which would have required background checks for child care workers, was an effort to kill the bill and delayed a final vote on the legislation rather than vote on the amendment.

72 Dancing along the light of day  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:38:40pm

re: #71 Killgore Trout

Lettuce help you!
///

73 funky chicken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:38:51pm

re: #70 Thanos

re: #68 Decatur Deb

Gee, maybe we could base a weapon on that… Nah, too nasty.

COMMIES I TELLS YA!

:-) good night

PLoS does great work publishing science in accessible articles. It’s great for those of us who left the field to raise children, etc.

74 Decatur Deb  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:39:02pm

re: #71 Killgore Trout

Let’s hope FLOTUS doesn’t come out for Christmas trees or fluffy kittens.

75 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:40:13pm

re: #71 Killgore Trout

Republicans may defeat the tyranny of salad…
Republicans block child nutrition bill

KETCHUP SOUP FOR EVERYONE!

76 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:41:33pm

re: #71 Killgore Trout

Fat and stupid is the GOP’s preferred method of watching children mature. If not that, neglected, hungry, and stupid works.

77 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:41:52pm

re: #75 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

KETCHUP SOUP FOR EVERYONE!

Better chop down those trees while you’re at it. Those trees are polluting the air you know.

78 Jeff In Ohio  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:42:28pm

re: #71 Killgore Trout

cracked.com
#6.

79 PhillyPretzel  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:43:37pm

I only have a few minutes to wish all of my fellow Jewish Lizards a very happy Hanukkah.

80 jaunte  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:44:16pm

re: #71 Killgore Trout

The legislation would increase the amount of money schools are reimbursed by 6 cents a meal, a priority for schools that say they don’t have the dollars to feed needy kids.


Keeping our tax nickels out of the hands of greedy children.

81 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:44:37pm

re: #78 Jeff In Ohio

[Link: www.cracked.com…]
#6.

Interesting.

82 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:44:43pm

re: #77 Gus 802

Better chop down those trees while you’re at it. Those trees are polluting the air you know.

They’re slowing the wind down and contributing to Global Warming.

83 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:44:48pm

re: #74 Decatur Deb

Come to think of it, when do the WH Christmas tree ornaments start causing outrageous outrage this year? (And will the wingnuts be more outraged than last year?)

84 bratwurst  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:45:25pm

re: #79 PhillyPretzel

I only have a few minutes to wish all of my fellow Jewish Lizards a very happy Hanukkah.

Chag Sameach to you and everyone else observing the festival!

85 Romantic Heretic  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:46:27pm

re: #71 Killgore Trout

Republicans may defeat the tyranny of salad…
Republicans block child nutrition bill

Jesus Christ! Those bastards would use children as political tools?

86 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:47:02pm

Quick to judge, quick to anger
Slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice
And fear walk hand in hand

87 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:48:09pm

re: #71 Killgore Trout

Republicans may defeat the tyranny of salad…
Republicans block child nutrition bill

Let’s see…

“It’s not about making our children healthy and active,” said Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the top Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee. “We all want to see our children healthy and active. This is about spending and the role of government and the size of government — a debate about whether we’re listening to our constituents or not.”

Top 11 contributors:

Target Corp $100,935 $68,435 $32,500
Freedom Club of America $70,000 $0 $70,000
Associated Builders & Contractors $60,200 $200 $60,000
National Beer Wholesalers Assn $56,000 $1,000 $55,000
TCF Financial $54,000 $46,300 $7,700
Lakeville Motor Express $53,350 $53,350 $0
National Auto Dealers Assn $53,000 $0 $53,000
United Parcel Service $52,500 $0 $52,500
General Mills $51,222 $4,400 $46,822
Freedom Project $50,574 $0 $50,574
Koch Industries $47,800 $2,800 $45,000

Hmmm. Beer, food giant, and the Koch brothers…

88 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:48:46pm

re: #85 Romantic Heretic

Jesus Christ! Those bastards would use children as political tools?

You Betcha!
/Sara Palin wink

89 Blue Point  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:49:15pm
90 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:49:30pm

re: #87 Gus 802

Here’s the industry totals to Rep. Kline:

Republican/Conservative $618,814
Leadership PACs $528,244
Retired $466,385
Lawyers/Law Firms $243,602
Retail Sales $241,310
Insurance $219,050
Misc Manufacturing & Distributing $195,913
Securities & Investment $195,871
Real Estate $180,663
Commercial Banks $179,661
Automotive $172,200
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $164,100
General Contractors $155,051
Misc Finance $140,550
Oil & Gas $138,805
Defense Aerospace $138,104
Air Transport $136,006
Crop Production & Basic Processing $125,550
Candidate Committees $118,452
Trucking $117,997

91 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:49:58pm

re: #79 PhillyPretzel

I only have a few minutes to wish all of my fellow Jewish Lizards a very happy Hanukkah.

That’s offensive. I’m offended. I will not let your attack on Christmas stand.
/

92 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:50:26pm

re: #85 Romantic Heretic

Jesus Christ! Those bastards would use children as political tools?

They’re doing it for the children, or so they say.

93 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:50:31pm

re: #87 Gus 802

Let’s see…

Top 11 contributors:

Target Corp $100,935 $68,435 $32,500
Freedom Club of America $70,000 $0 $70,000
Associated Builders & Contractors $60,200 $200 $60,000
National Beer Wholesalers Assn $56,000 $1,000 $55,000
TCF Financial $54,000 $46,300 $7,700
Lakeville Motor Express $53,350 $53,350 $0
National Auto Dealers Assn $53,000 $0 $53,000
United Parcel Service $52,500 $0 $52,500
General Mills $51,222 $4,400 $46,822
Freedom Project $50,574 $0 $50,574
Koch Industries $47,800 $2,800 $45,000

Hmmm. Beer, food giant, and the Koch brothers…

Maybe the kids will get an open bar.

94 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:51:25pm

re: #93 Killgore Trout

Maybe the kids will get an open bar.

And a bowl of sugar coated Cocoa Puffs.

95 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:52:15pm

re: #85 Romantic Heretic

Jesus Christ! Those bastards would use children as political tools?

As it ever was, as it ever shall be. Whether it’s music, video games, literature, or public school curriculums, both parties will use children to make their case.

The current crop of GOP Teahadis seem to be the worst, though.

96 HappyWarrior  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:52:59pm

So, the Congressional Republicans plan basically is to badmouth scientists? Are they so stupid to think that the American people actually want this crap?

97 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:53:17pm

re: #82 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

They’re slowing the wind down and contributing to Global Warming.

Nice callback.

98 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:53:22pm

Here’s who own Boehner:

Insurance $1,083,996
Securities & Investment $844,536
Misc Manufacturing & Distributing $708,416
Retired $626,659
Health Professionals $614,786
Commercial Banks $589,819
Real Estate $543,048
Lawyers/Law Firms $503,441
Electric Utilities $497,530
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $475,380
General Contractors $352,652
Food Processing & Sales $340,065
Automotive $337,667
Lobbyists $310,540
Food & Beverage $302,208
Retail Sales $301,757
Oil & Gas $300,150
Hospitals/Nursing Homes $286,450
Accountants $285,276
Telephone Utilities $282,598

99 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:53:52pm

re: #96 HappyWarrior

So, the Congressional Republicans plan basically is to badmouth scientists? Are they so stupid to think that the American people actually want this crap?

Have you been to wallmart lately?

100 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:54:04pm

re: #96 HappyWarrior

Why yes, yes they are. They absolutely are. They 100% really are that stupid.

101 Vicious Babushka  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:54:33pm

re: #30 EdDantes

“Crucial Role of Drosophila Neurexin in Proper Active Zone Apposition to Postsynaptic Densities, Synaptic Growth, and Synaptic Transmission “

Show of hands: who understood the above.

How fruit flies are used to advance neuro-surgery.

102 HappyWarrior  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:54:55pm

re: #71 Killgore Trout

Republicans may defeat the tyranny of salad…
Republicans block child nutrition bill

How dare we encourage kids to eat healthy in time of record obesity! And the nerve of Palin the book censor supporter to complain about the nanny state.

103 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:55:50pm

re: #97 Slumbering Behemoth

Nice callback.

/tips hat

104 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:56:12pm

re: #101 Alouette

How fruit flies are used to advance neuro-surgery.

Those bastards were all over my kitchen a few weeks ago. I think I finally got the last of them.

Evening lizards!

105 Vicious Babushka  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:56:21pm

Is this guy the next Billy Mays?

Is this novelty toy the new Hula Hoop?

Zedushka wants one!

106 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:56:48pm

re: #103 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Which dope was it that made such a remark about wind farms? Inhofe?

107 Vicious Babushka  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:57:25pm

re: #104 NJDhockeyfan

Those bastards were all over my kitchen a few weeks ago. I think I finally got the last of them.

Evening lizards!

I fucking hate those things performing brain surgery on rotten bananas. Why can’t they be satisfied with arrows, like time flies?

108 b_sharp  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:57:30pm

re: #105 Alouette

Is this guy the next Billy Mays?

Is this novelty toy the new Hula Hoop?


[Video]Zedushka wants one!

Tell Zedushka to use an orange.

109 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:58:01pm

re: #106 Slumbering Behemoth

Which dope was it that made such a remark about wind farms? Inhofe?

Joe Barton

110 Lidane  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:58:10pm
It’s as if the commenters at Free Republic are running the GOP.

That’s because they basically are, since Freepers are precisely the kind of proudly ignorant nutjobs that make up the Tea Party base.

111 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:58:15pm

re: #106 Slumbering Behemoth

Which dope was it that made such a remark about wind farms? Inhofe?

Barton

112 HappyWarrior  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:58:46pm

re: #109 Gus 802

Joe Barton

And this guy is likely to be chairman of the energy committee in the house? Jesus Christ on a stick.

113 Lidane  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 6:59:44pm

re: #4 jaunte

Attention, GOP: An internet poll is a pretty stupid way to judge the relative importance of scientific research projects damn near everything.

FTFY

114 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:00:18pm

re: #107 Alouette

I fucking hate those things performing brain surgery on rotten bananas. Why can’t they be satisfied with arrows, like time flies?

When my mom was here they kept dive-bombing into her wine glass. It was fucking hilarious.

115 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:00:39pm

Wind is God’s way of balancing heat. Wind is the way you shift heat from areas where it’s hotter to areas where it’s cooler. That’s what wind is. Wouldn’t it be ironic if in the interest of global warming we mandated massive switches to energy, which is a finite resource, which slows the winds down, which causes the temperature to go up? Now, I’m not saying that’s going to happen, Mr. Chairman, but that is definitely something on the massive scale. I mean, it does make some sense. You stop something, you can’t transfer that heat, and the heat goes up. It’s just something to think about. — Joe Barton

116 b_sharp  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:01:32pm

If the US gives up on science, how many countries, like Canada, will blindly follow into 3rd world status?

117 HappyWarrior  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:01:33pm

I remember having to reserach fruit flies in my first semester of college biology. Hated it heh since I am not the best science student but I did come away with a better understanding of genetics at least.

118 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:01:34pm

re: #112 HappyWarrior

Makes me wanna…

119 Political Atheist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:02:14pm

re: #116 b_sharp

If the US gives up on science, how many countries, like Canada, will blindly follow into 3rd world status?

None. Our error will be unique.

120 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:02:29pm

re: #115 Gus 802

Wind is God’s way of balancing heat. Wind is the way you shift heat from areas where it’s hotter to areas where it’s cooler. That’s what wind is. Wouldn’t it be ironic if in the interest of global warming we mandated massive switches to energy, which is a finite resource, which slows the winds down, which causes the temperature to go up? Now, I’m not saying that’s going to happen, Mr. Chairman, but that is definitely something on the massive scale. I mean, it does make some sense. You stop something, you can’t transfer that heat, and the heat goes up. It’s just something to think about. — Joe Barton

What you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

121 HappyWarrior  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:02:50pm

re: #118 Slumbering Behemoth

Makes me wanna…

You’re telling me. I’m just glad we managed to keep the Democratic congressman in the district where I go to school over the nutjob running against him.

122 Fozzie Bear  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:03:00pm

I had a “pet” fruit fly colony in a jug for about a year. Just because they were kind of neat.

I don’t know why I liked them really.

123 jamesfirecat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:03:16pm

re: #119 Rightwingconspirator

None. Our error will be unique.

Only in America does democracy make one man’s opinion as valid as another, even if one of those men has a PHD and the other dropped out of college to sell paint….

124 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:03:19pm

It’s nice to see this getting noticed…
CNN Notices 9-11 Truth on Fox News

125 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:03:58pm

re: #123 jamesfirecat

even if one of those men has a PHD and the other dropped out of college to sell paint eats paste…

126 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:04:10pm

re: #117 HappyWarrior

I remember having to reserach fruit flies in my first semester of college biology. Hated it heh since I am not the best science student but I did come away with a better understanding of genetics at least.

Are they also the little worms I saw climbing up the wall to the ceiling? The vacuum cleaner works great to clean them up.

127 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:04:11pm

re: #115 Gus 802

And rubes elect rubes like that to positions of power, sometimes based solely on the fact that they like Jesus.

Can we please start colonizing Mars? I want off this spinning mudball of stupidity.

128 Spocomptonite  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:04:45pm

This is, in every sense of the made-up word, stoopid. Regular, often unknowledgeable citizens dictate what is worthwhile in science and what isn’t? Fruit flies are one of the most important research tools in the field of biology because of their ease of care and rapid reproduction, but the masses say, “Fruit Flies?! Dad gum, them little things don’t need no research. Why don’t they do sumtin ‘portant like Cure Cancer?” and so it won’t be?

FACEPALM. FACEPALM FACEPALM AD INFITUM.

129 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:05:34pm

re: #127 Slumbering Behemoth

And rubes elect rubes like that to positions of power, sometimes based solely on the fact that they like Jesus.

Can we please start colonizing Mars? I want off this spinning mudball of stupidity.

I also think it’s deliberate that they put these politicians in these particular committee positions. It’s done to undermine the intent.

130 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:05:42pm

re: #127 Slumbering Behemoth

And rubes elect rubes like that to positions of power, sometimes based solely on the fact that they like Jesus.

Can we please start colonizing Mars? I want off this spinning mudball of stupidity.

The meek will inherit the Earth. The rest of us are getting the fuck out of here.

131 HappyWarrior  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:06:44pm

re: #126 NJDhockeyfan

Are they also the little worms I saw climbing up the wall to the ceiling? The vacuum cleaner works great to clean them up.

Ah, I don’t know. All I remember was studying their Mendellean traits. I’ll tell you what was annoying as hell to me when I was visiting my folks’ house though were the damned stink bugs. Things really live up to their name and were awful.

132 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:07:44pm

re: #119 Rightwingconspirator

None. Our error will be unique.

I’m reading that in Hal the computer’s voice, and it’s even more creepy.

133 b_sharp  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:07:45pm

re: #119 Rightwingconspirator

None. Our error will be unique.

Other countries may not, but Canada will follow as long as the Harper government has the power. We are already gaining a reputation as a country of AGW deniers, and our science funding is managed by a creationist chiropractor.

134 Lidane  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:09:34pm

Hmm. On further reflection, maybe these GOP nutballs are just jumping the gun:

Five Mental Illnesses That Are Now Obsolete

Might as well get all the attention they can now, since narcissism is going the way of the dodo..

135 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:09:43pm

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.

Congratulations, GOP. You have succeeded where no Democrat before you ever could. You have convinced my that voting for y’all is a bad idea in most cases. Hope you’re proud.

136 b_sharp  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:09:43pm

re: #122 Fozzie Bear

I had a “pet” fruit fly colony in a jug for about a year. Just because they were kind of neat.

I don’t know why I liked them really.

My younger brother built a cardboard/Saran wrap house and had a colony of flies, walks and crawls living in it.

137 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:09:50pm

re: #131 HappyWarrior

Ah, I don’t know. All I remember was studying their Mendellean traits. I’ll tell you what was annoying as hell to me when I was visiting my folks’ house though were the damned stink bugs. Things really live up to their name and were awful.

Oh gawd, they were everywhere areound here this summer. I’m still finding them behind pictures hanging on the wall, boxes, etc. My wife bought these little things you plug in the wall that are supposed to keep bugs out of the house. I found a stink bug hanging out behind it.

138 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:11:24pm

re: #135 Slumbering Behemoth

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.

Congratulations, GOP. You have succeeded where no Democrat before you ever could. You have convinced my that voting for y’all is a bad idea in most cases. Hope you’re proud.

Ditto.

139 Spocomptonite  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:11:45pm

re: #42 Slumbering Behemoth

“What, sir, would you make a ship sail against the wind and currents by lighting a bonfire under her deck? I pray you, excuse me, I have not the time to listen to such nonsense.”

- Napoleon Bonaparte, when told of Robert Fulton’s steamboat.

It sounds much better spoken by Leonard Nimoy in Civ IV. It’s my favorite technology to discover, just to hear him say, “I have no time for such nonsense.”

140 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:12:22pm

re: #137 NJDhockeyfan

Those things don’t work, bro. If they did, they would have started building them into the electrical systems of houses and apartments years ago.

141 Fozzie Bear  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:12:47pm

re: #140 Slumbering Behemoth

Those things don’t work, bro. If they did, they would have started building them into the electrical systems of houses and apartments years ago.

It’ll annoy the shit out of your dog though, lol.

142 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:13:29pm

re: #140 Slumbering Behemoth

Those things don’t work, bro. If they did, they would have started building them into the electrical systems of houses and apartments years ago.

I know that. My wife bought them one day. It’s a good thing they aren’t expensive.

143 Dancing along the light of day  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:13:48pm

re: #122 Fozzie Bear

I had a “pet” fruit fly colony in a jug for about a year. Just because they were kind of neat.

I don’t know why I liked them really.

People will keep just about anything for pets.
Yes, even fruit flies.

144 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:14:17pm

re: #139 Spocomptonite

Heh. Of course you know, that’s where a gamer like me first heard the quote. Love that game.

145 prairiefire  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:14:29pm

re: #104 NJDhockeyfan

Those bastards were all over my kitchen a few weeks ago. I think I finally got the last of them.

Evening lizards!

You have to search for every last scattered apple peel if you have them. Ughhh.

146 Dancing along the light of day  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:15:18pm

re: #130 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

The meek will inherit the Earth. The rest of us are getting the fuck out of here.

And we’ve got Kragar as our bodyguard.

147 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:15:46pm

That Wikileaks shitbag has been spotted in the UK…

Wikileaks’ Assange in UK, police know where: report


Wikileaks website founder Julian Assange is in Britain and police know his whereabouts but have refrained so far from acting on an international warrant for his arrest, a British newspaper said on Thursday.

The 39-year-old Australian, who founded the whistle-blowing website that has disclosed a trove of secret U.S. diplomatic cables, supplied British police with contact details upon his arrival in October, The Independent said.

The newspaper cited police sources who said they knew where Assange was staying and had his telephone number. It added that it was believed he was in southeast England.

148 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:17:20pm

re: #143 Floral Giraffe

People will keep just about anything for pets.
Yes, even fruit flies.

I kept a “daddy long legs” as a pet for a while. Didn’t actually capture him, just found him kicking it between my desk and the wall. I left him there, and wished him “Happy Hunting”.

Poor bugger. One day I forget he had set up shop there, and sucked him into the vacuum during my annual cleaning routine.

149 SanFranciscoZionist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:17:47pm

re: #83 theheat

Come to think of it, when do the WH Christmas tree ornaments start causing outrageous outrage this year? (And will the wingnuts be more outraged than last year?)

Last year, Mao and strippers. This year?

150 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:19:18pm

re: #142 NJDhockeyfan

I know that. My wife bought them one day. It’s a good thing they aren’t expensive.

They used to be kind of pricey back in the day. My grandpa bought one in the early 80’s. And he was an electrical engineer. *sigh*

I think he did it just to shut up his new wife.

151 prairiefire  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:19:47pm

re: #149 SanFranciscoZionist

Last year, Mao and strippers. This year?

I think strippers, again. At least strippers.

152 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:19:52pm

re: #149 SanFranciscoZionist

Last year, Mao and strippers. This year?

Stalin and Transvestites for everyone!

153 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:20:30pm

re: #149 SanFranciscoZionist

I’m thinking gay atheist communist Muslims in drag this year.

154 HappyWarrior  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:20:39pm

re: #152 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Stalin and Transvestites for everyone!

I was hoping for Pol Pot and furries.

155 Shiplord Kirel  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:20:46pm

re: #112 HappyWarrior

And this guy is likely to be chairman of the energy committee in the house? Jesus Christ on a stick.

Here’s Barton holding forth on wind power (and also scoffing at how Chu says oil got to Alaska.)

156 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:20:51pm

re: #150 Slumbering Behemoth

They used to be kind of pricey back in the day. My grandpa bought one in the early 80’s. And he was an electrical engineer. *sigh*

I think he did it just to shut up his new wife.

The things we do to keep the nagging at a minimum…[sigh].

157 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:21:26pm

I guess most of you saw this:

Pelosi Climate Panel Dies in Republican Sweep of House

Republicans will eliminate the House committee created by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to highlight the threat of climate change, Representative James Sensenbrenner, the top Republican on the panel, said today.

In one of her first acts as speaker in 2007, Pelosi, a California Democrat, created the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming to draw attention to climate-change science and showcase how a cap on carbon dioxide needn’t be a threat to economic growth.

Republicans, who won control of the House in the Nov. 2 election, have opposed legislative efforts to regulate carbon emissions as a tax on energy. When the panel convened today, Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican, said that the hearing “will be the last of the select committee.”

Now read this:

GOP lawmaker with BP stock has role in spill probe

WASHINGTON — A multimillionaire House Republican who owns thousands of shares of BP stock has no plans to recuse himself from a congressional investigation related to the Gulf oil spill or from votes on Capitol Hill that could affect his investments in the oil company.

Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin has avoided directly criticizing BP for the spill itself. At the same time, he has watched his BP stock tank in value.

Worth more than $251,000 just a few years ago, Sensenbrenner’s 3,604 shares of BP PLC stock had plunged in value to just $118,000 by the end of trading Thursday. That’s roughly half their value the day before the April 20 oil spill. Sensenbrenner has said his net worth is about $10 million.

The No. 2 Republican on the House Judiciary Committee and a former chairman, Sensenbrenner has kept a low profile on the issue, but now he’s coming out swinging: He has written a letter to President Barack Obama questioning BP’s actions and the adequacy of the White House response — but refrains from directly criticizing BP for the spill…

158 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:22:00pm

re: #154 HappyWarrior

I was hoping for Pol Pot and furries.

Trade you one for one, we’ll either end up with Pot and Stalin or Transvestite Furries

159 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:22:48pm

The oil industry helped shut down the House climate panel by way of the GOP.

160 HappyWarrior  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:23:03pm

re: #158 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Trade you one for one, we’ll either end up with Pot and Stalin or Transvestite Furries

Either works. I can just see the outrage coming when the president wishes the country a happy holidays rather than a merry christmas.

161 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:23:11pm

re: #157 Gus 802

Pelosi, a California Democrat, created the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming to draw attention to climate-change science and showcase how a cap on carbon dioxide needn’t be a threat to economic growth.

Why, the nerve!

162 prairiefire  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:23:21pm

re: #158 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Trade you one for one, we’ll either end up with Pot and Stalin or Transvestite Furries

New band name: Transvestite Furries

163 SanFranciscoZionist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:24:15pm

re: #152 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Stalin and Transvestites for everyone!

My father, a lifelong Democrat, thought the drag queen was funny, but really kind of freaked over Mao. He didn’t hold it against Obama, but he REALLY wanted it removed from the White House Christmas tree.

My dad is sort of a fanatic about commies. This is kind of an understatement.

165 Political Atheist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:25:36pm

re: #160 HappyWarrior

Hanuka is over with by Christmas this year. So far a week we can say each. It’s a holiday twofer!

166 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:25:39pm

re: #162 prairiefire

New band name: Transvestite Furries

They can be the opening act for the Butthole Surfers!

167 SanFranciscoZionist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:25:42pm

re: #162 prairiefire

New band name: Transvestite Furries

How can you tell if someone dressed as a cat is a transvestite cat or not?

Now some animals, it’s clearer.

168 EdDantes  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:27:35pm

Bye, y’all

169 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:27:43pm

Sensenbrenner’s Misleading Words from China

Not content with misleading people in this country, Wisconsin Congressman F. Jim Sensenbrenner took his show to China last month. He was part of a climate change-based congressional delegation. Just before he left China he had a press conference where he essentially said that China was not serious about climate related reforms. The suggestion from his comments seemed clear, that the U.S. should basically continue to do nothing as a result. That is the same tired argument for inaction that we have always heard from the right wing. Allegedly Sensenbrenner based his negative outlook on remarks made by Chinese economist Professor Pan Jiahua. After an exclusive interview with Pan, the Center for American Progress reported today that the professor has said that Sensenbrenner misused his words in an “improper and unethical” manner. He went on to completely contradict Sensenbrenner saying that “China is in fact ready and willing to engage with its international partners to help shape a new multilateral climate policy.” Although this new report might correct Sensenbrenner’s misleading words, it is hardly going to be enough to stop his practice of advocating inaction on climate change.

170 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:28:59pm

Wikileaks: Comic Book Secrets

If you took the time to read through the nearly 250,000 documents released this week via Wikileaks, you’d find a comic book connection in several of them. We at Comix 411 have nothing but free time and did the heavy lifting for you. Here are the comic book-related highlights from the document dump:

When visiting with US President Barack Obama, the CIA codename for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is “Bucky.”

Interrogators at Guantanamo routinely asked prisoners to choose: Betty or Veronica?

Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong Il sometimes dresses up as Wildcat before he tours a factory. In other news, North Korea still has factories.

Behind his back, the EU had a nickname for the George Bush administration: The Inferior Five. Bush himself was often referred to as The White Feather.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been trying to buy Sigils on the black market, but keeps ending up with copies of Mystic and Scion, which she bags and boards for investment purposes, just in case.

Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, has himself drawn into panels of imported graphic albums by Milo Manara.

Several countries have called on the US to intervene in Marvel Comics’ plans to kill-off Spider-Man. The coalition would prefer it be Giant-Man.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi uses Botox to maintain his manly appearance. He also hates being called Gaddafi Duck. He prefers “Plucky Duck” and has decreed that “Gaddafi” now rhymes with “Plucky.”

Heh.

172 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:30:21pm

re: #169 Gus 802

Getting us laughed at in China. They must be loving this so much. They don’t have to do a damn thing else to achieve economic dominance. Just let us continue on our GOP-led anti-science crusade, and we’ll quickly reverse the economic conditions with them.

173 prairiefire  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:30:23pm

re: #167 SanFranciscoZionist

How can you tell if someone dressed as a cat is a transvestite cat or not?

Now some animals, it’s clearer.

The jaw line usually decides it for me.

174 HappyWarrior  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:31:05pm

re: #171 Slumbering Behemoth

God responds to Steve Johnson’s ball dropping tweet.

Haha. I was waiting for his response.

175 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:31:42pm

Big Oil execs testify before big shareholder 2008
Hawaii Reporter:

The ranking Republican on the House Select Committee on Energy and Global Warming has owned $1.2 million in stock in the oil and gas companies whose executives testified this week before the panel. Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin reported at least $100,000 of his own money in each of four of the five companies represented at Tuesday’s hearing — Exxon, BP, Chevron and ConocoPhillips, but not Royal Dutch Shell — according to his most recent personal financial disclosure form, for 2006.

Sensenbrenner, who CRP estimates to be the House’s 16th wealthiest member with a net worth of at least $21 million, also owns stock in Halliburton and El Paso Energy. One other member of the committee, Democrat Earl Blumenauer, reported between $50,00and $100,000 invested in a natural gas company in his home state of Oregon.

As Democrats lambasted the oil executives Tuesday for collecting tax breaks while earning record profits, Sensenbrenner gave them credit for pursuing alternative energy sources. “Any reasonable energy policy must recognize that we need affordable supplies of energy, and that oil and gas must continue to play a dominant supply role for the foreseeable future,” he said in his opening statement.

That’s our guy. Taking Care of Business, as Elvis used to say.

176 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:32:53pm

re: #172 Obdicut

Getting us laughed at in China. They must be loving this so much. They don’t have to do a damn thing else to achieve economic dominance. Just let us continue on our GOP-led anti-science crusade, and we’ll quickly reverse the economic conditions with them.

Anti-science and anti-technology. The Chinese are already ahead of us on a lot of green tech including wind turbine production. The GOP still thinks we should all be driving around in 57 Chevys.

177 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:33:41pm

More nuttiness here:

Sensenbrenner Watch
What he says, we fact-check. What he does, we criticize. What he believes, we don’t.

178 bratwurst  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:34:10pm

re: #163 SanFranciscoZionist


My dad is sort of a fanatic about commies. This is kind of an understatement.

/Does he post here?

179 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:34:30pm

It just took longer for them to implement the Manchurian Candidate. And to play it safe they took their time and implemented the Manchurian Party just to be sure…

180 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:35:03pm

re: #167 SanFranciscoZionist

How can you tell if someone dressed as a cat is a transvestite cat or not? Now some animals, it’s clearer.

Glitter in the hair. Dead giveaway.

181 Usually refered to as anyways  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:35:51pm

Birther Alert!1! I’m sensing something big here!1!

Speculation ahead of NASA alien presser

US space agency NASA is set to hold a press conference about the hunt for extraterrestrial life forms early tomorrow morning.

Space enthusiasts and believers in alien life took to the blogosphere in a flurry of speculation over the potential meaning of the announcement, though NASA declined to elaborate further.

“NASA will hold a news conference at 2:00pm EST on Thursday, December 2 [6am Friday AEDT] to discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life,” the agency said on its website.

More at link…

182 bratwurst  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:39:14pm

re: #181 ozbloke

Birther Alert!1! I’m sensing something big here!1!

Speculation ahead of NASA alien presser

US space agency NASA is set to hold a press conference about the hunt for extraterrestrial life forms early tomorrow morning.

Space enthusiasts and believers in alien life took to the blogosphere in a flurry of speculation over the potential meaning of the announcement, though NASA declined to elaborate further.

“NASA will hold a news conference at 2:00pm EST on Thursday, December 2 [6am Friday AEDT] to discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life,” the agency said on its website.

More at link…

The above is surely worthy of this:

Image: siren_animated.gif

183 SanFranciscoZionist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:39:21pm

re: #178 bratwurst

/Does he post here?

No. He tortures conservative Catholics on a different blog.

184 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:39:40pm

Tax Gouging at the Pump

Politicians in Washington and in state capitals are responding to consumer complaints about sky-rocketing gas prices with charges that the oil companies are earning “excessive” profits and gauging consumers at the gas pump. Lost in the political rhetoric is the fact that those “excessive” profits are net profits—that is, profits earned after taxes are paid to government. And while the oil companies have enjoyed a few good years, history shows that governments at all levels (foreign and domestic) have profited more from the oil industry than have its shareholders.

Recent data from the Energy Information Administration shows that since 1981—the first year of the Windfall Profits Tax—total taxes paid to state, local, and the federal government from all oil industry sources exceeded the combined profits of all companies in every year but the past three. Between 1981 and 2006, U.S. governments collected $1.65 trillion in total taxes after adjusting for inflation. That is 65 percent more than the combined earnings of the 16 largest domestic oil companies during the same period.

These figures do not include income taxes paid to foreign governments on profits earned in those countries. EIA data indicates that domestic oil companies paid $518.9 billion in income taxes to foreign governments between 1981 and 2006.

As the chart below shows, during most of that 25-year period, tax collections by all U.S. governments were nearly twice industry profits in any given year. Indeed, in 2002, before the recent price spikes, the industry earned a collective $20.5 billion in profits. However, domestic governments collected more than $50 billion in combined income, property, severance, and excise taxes in the same year.

185 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:40:19pm

re: #181 ozbloke

Birther Alert!1! I’m sensing something big here!1!

Speculation ahead of NASA alien presser

US space agency NASA is set to hold a press conference about the hunt for extraterrestrial life forms early tomorrow morning.

Space enthusiasts and believers in alien life took to the blogosphere in a flurry of speculation over the potential meaning of the announcement, though NASA declined to elaborate further.

“NASA will hold a news conference at 2:00pm EST on Thursday, December 2 [6am Friday AEDT] to discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life,” the agency said on its website.

More at link…

And like I noted earlier today. The press release state: will impact the search for evidence. That’s it. Just something about improving the search for evidence.

186 jaunte  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:42:26pm

Tweet from afpakchannel:

(Pakistan newspaper) The News says the US released Wikileaks deliberately to induce chaos in Pakistan

Is our fate in safe hands? This is the fundamental question that boggles almost every mind in Pakistan as the WikiLeaks bombshell, believed to be deliberately leaked by Washington to attain its designs including chaos in Pakistan, leaves hardly anyone among the leaders here to be trusted.
Each and every word of WikiLeaks would be taken as true if Pakistani authorities and leaders, blamed and shamed by these leaks, do not come out with a clear answer. They need to reply, more importantly through their actions, that Pakistan is no more American domain.
Otherwise, WikiLeaks precisely proves what was earlier said i.e. Pakistan has been practically reduced from a sovereign state to an American colony as the president, prime minister, top political leaders and even Army chief all have been shown pleasing or taking into confidence the US ambassador — the de facto viceroy of Pakistan — to continue ruling the roost with the blessings of Washington. thenews.com.pk
187 Interesting Times  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:42:42pm

re: #172 Obdicut

Getting us laughed at in China. They must be loving this so much. They don’t have to do a damn thing else to achieve economic dominance. Just let us continue on our GOP-led anti-science crusade, and we’ll quickly reverse the economic conditions with them.

There’s another, far more sinister, potential outcome from GOP stupidity: other countries, as they suffer the effects of AGW and see no action from the US, unilaterally attempt Hail Mary geoengineering measures:

Playing God with Planet Earth

But the one form of “solar radiation management” likely to work fastest in a climate emergency would be to mimic the effects of a huge volcano by spraying clouds of sulphuric acid into the stratosphere

Cheap and easy enough that any country feeling threatened by horrific storms or a rapidly rising sea level could decide to go it alone and launch one of these climate rehabilitation campaigns unilaterally. The problem? They might save themselves but cause unintended consequences for others by reducing rainfall, causing drought and mass starvation. Climate change and geoengineering could even lead to war.

188 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:44:27pm

re: #187 publicityStunted

Oh, I think war over the diminished resources that GW is going to cause is a given regardless.

189 Political Atheist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:46:10pm
190 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:46:22pm

re: #39 Romantic Heretic

Have you seen the US Army’s new grenade launcher? No more hiding behind things.

Two men hiding behind a covered wagon that is being hit by flaming arrows. One says to the other

“Hey! They’re lighting their arrows! Can they do that?
(-A favorite Far Side)

191 jamesfirecat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:46:25pm

re: #188 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Oh, I think war over the diminished resources that GW is going to cause is a given regardless.

Break out your Tank Girl jokes here and now….

192 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:46:40pm

re: #184 NJDhockeyfan

Tax Gouging at the Pump

Looks suspicious.

193 prairiefire  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:47:09pm

re: #183 SanFranciscoZionist

No. He tortures conservative Catholics on a different blog.

Doing yeoman’s work, God bless him.

194 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:47:11pm

re: #187 publicityStunted

Ludwig’s been saying this kind of thing for awhile, now. It’s more probable than not.

195 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:47:48pm

re: #192 Gus 802

Scott A. Hodge is President of the Tax Foundation.

Prior to this, he was director of tax and budget policy at Citizens for a Sound Economy, and a research analyst for the Heritage Foundation. Hodge helped found the Heartland Institute in 1984 and was one of its first employees.

196 Shiplord Kirel  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:47:56pm

re: #181 ozbloke

Birther Alert!1! I’m sensing something big here!1!

Speculation ahead of NASA alien presser

US space agency NASA is set to hold a press conference about the hunt for extraterrestrial life forms early tomorrow morning.

Space enthusiasts and believers in alien life took to the blogosphere in a flurry of speculation over the potential meaning of the announcement, though NASA declined to elaborate further.

“NASA will hold a news conference at 2:00pm EST on Thursday, December 2 [6am Friday AEDT] to discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life,” the agency said on its website.

More at link…

Phil Plait had some relevant comments on this yesterday.

Snowballing speculation over a NASA press conference
Judging by the people involved, this most likely has to do with a discovery on Earth that will have significant implications for the study of alien life. The Sun says it is about arsenic-cycle organisms discovered in Mono Lake CA. That seems like a good bet.

197 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:48:13pm

re: #191 jamesfirecat

Break out your Tank Girl jokes here and now…

No.

198 Dancing along the light of day  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:48:45pm

I don’t know how people do this.
FUCKING AGENCY.
I don’t know how people do this.
Smacks head against wall, repeatedly.

199 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:49:12pm

re: #194 theheat

Ludwig’s been saying this kind of thing for awhile, now. It’s more probable than not.

It doesn’t matter, we are all going to die in 2012 anyway.

//

200 Interesting Times  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:49:40pm

re: #188 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

That’s right. It’s a huge national security issue which the US military recognizes and is trying to prepare for - which in turn makes climate change denial rather treasonous.

Why do AGW deniers hate the military?

201 Usually refered to as anyways  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:49:49pm

re: #185 Gus 802

And like I noted earlier today. The press release state: will impact the search for evidence. That’s it. Just something about improving the search for evidence.

Well yeah, cos now we know Obama is an alien, we know life exists elsewhere and we can stop looking.

Why does it always have to be spelleded out!1!

202 jamesfirecat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:50:00pm

re: #197 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

No.

Fine I’ll do it myself.

Hey guys, did any of you expect you’d ever see Malcolm McDowell in a movie with Furry Kangaroos?

203 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:50:19pm

re: #195 Gus 802

Holy crap, Gus. You’re bubbling over with sad facts tonight.

204 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:50:55pm

re: #187 publicityStunted

Hold on to your hats!

205 freetoken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:51:25pm

re: #196 Shiplord Kirel

The arsenic utilizing life forms became big news a while back. I suspect that the NASA announcement, if it is about those little creatures, is that besides just existing in the arsenic laden waters they also are genetically incorporating arsenic or arsenic use into a vital part of their nucleotides.

206 Dancing along the light of day  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:52:04pm

re: #198 Floral Giraffe

I would like to have the tears wiped off my cheeks.
If not more. This sucks.

207 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:53:14pm

re: #203 theheat

Holy crap, Gus. You’re bubbling over with sad facts tonight.

Yeah. Heartland Institute basically started out as a tobacco lobby (astroturfing). I smoke but I don’t like bullshit artists like that. Tobacco is nasty shit and at least I admit it.

208 Bubblehead II  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:53:22pm

Lizards, I am out of here for the night. I have things to do. Instead of my usual routine of digging holes in the ground to hide guns/ammo/seed, I think I will move onto hiding books. Top of the list, science books, followed by history books and then recipe books (you know what ones).

209 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:53:42pm

re: #195 Gus 802

Scott A. Hodge is President of the Tax Foundation.

if you can’t trust an anti-science wacko, who can you trust? :D

210 freetoken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:53:55pm

re: #187 publicityStunted

Where I disagree with that write-up is when it goes “They might save themselves…”.

In order to make the sulfur thing work one has to get it high into the atmosphere and spread over the parts of the globe that get most of the sunlight (the tropics). It really is global engineering and one can’t design it work for just a region of a continent.

211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:54:05pm

So. Those of you who know me; are aware that I am ending a pretty bad year. Wife thought she had cancer… does not.

Yay.

212 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:54:27pm

re: #207 Gus 802

Yeah. Heartland Institute basically started out as a tobacco lobby (astroturfing). I smoke but I don’t like bullshit artists like that. Tobacco is nasty shit and at least I admit it.

I am going to quit again real soon. I felt much better the last time I quit.

213 Political Atheist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:54:33pm

re: #198 Floral Giraffe

Whats happened? Did I miss something upthread?

214 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:54:45pm

re: #209 WindUpBird

if you can’t trust an anti-science wacko, who can you trust? :D

Or in that case he was trying to say that the oil industry hasn’t made any profits since 1981 except for 3 years.

215 sizzleRI  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:54:57pm

re: #211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Thats wonderful.

216 freetoken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:55:08pm

re: #195 Gus 802

Yup, just the normal obfuscating talking points from the usual suspects.

217 Political Atheist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:55:11pm

re: #211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Congrats! Happy time indeed.

218 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:55:48pm

re: #212 NJDhockeyfan

I am going to quit again real soon. I felt much better the last time I quit.

Are you? You should if you can. I haven’t really started (quitting) but stopped when I’m broke. It drives me nuts when I stop smoking.

219 Amory Blaine  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:55:54pm

Doesn’t science help gooder up your brain for that you may understand what is going on more better?????

220 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:56:28pm

re: #211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

So. Those of you who know me; are aware that I am ending a pretty bad year. Wife thought she had cancer… does not.

Yay.

That’s a great Christmas present! Congrats!

221 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:56:58pm

re: #202 jamesfirecat

Fine I’ll do it myself.

Hey guys, did any of you expect you’d ever see Malcolm McDowell in a movie with Furry Kangaroos?

You bastard.

222 sizzleRI  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:57:28pm

re: #212 NJDhockeyfan

I quit almost 2 years ago, finally clicked when I was standing by myself on a frigid Boston winter night that this was ridiculous. I was suffering for a habit that made me feel like shit. Nonetheless, sometimes when I drink I “forget” I quit and bum cigarettes or worse, buy a pack and wake up with a credit receipt for $9+.

223 Dancing along the light of day  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:57:45pm

re: #198 Floral Giraffe

I don’t know how people do this.
FUCKING AGENCY.
I don’t know how people do this.
Smacks head against wall, repeatedly.

And F* YOU AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON.
Do I look stupid?
Maybe, but I am not.

224 jamesfirecat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:59:01pm

re: #221 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

You bastard.

What, do you have some painful memories you’re trying to repress and wouldn’t like to share with the class?

225 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:59:07pm

re: #223 Floral Giraffe

And F* YOU AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON.
Do I look stupid?
Maybe, but I am not.

Is that the agency for your mom’s caretaker?

226 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:59:14pm

re: #218 Gus 802

Are you? You should if you can. I haven’t really started (quitting) but stopped when I’m broke. It drives me nuts when I stop smoking.

I know how you feel. When I decided to quit I slowly enjoyed my last pack then started chewing Orbit gum. It wasn’t so bad. I felt much better after that.

227 William Barnett-Lewis  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 7:59:25pm

re: #211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

So. Those of you who know me; are aware that I am ending a pretty bad year. Wife thought she had cancer… does not.

Yay.

That is one of the best things I’ve read today. {{FBV}}

228 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:00:20pm

re: #224 jamesfirecat

What, do you have some painful memories you’re trying to repress and wouldn’t like to share with the class?

I was thinking of your safety.

Every time you mention that movie, you risk bringing down the wrath of Ice-T.

229 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:00:35pm

re: #212 NJDhockeyfan

I haven’t had a cig for 9 days. Been smoking those godawful cigarillos, and down to 5 a day. At this rate, I really think I’m going to quit for good soon. By only having really shitting smokes around, I found I don’t like to smoke.

230 Dancing along the light of day  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:00:55pm

re: #225 Gus 802

Yes, and they suck.
It’s getting dealt with, but taking FAR too much time.
And mentally draining me.

231 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:01:09pm

re: #226 NJDhockeyfan

I know how you feel. When I decided to quit I slowly enjoyed my last pack then started chewing Orbit gum. It wasn’t so bad. I felt much better after that.

I think I will need the patch. Maybe a couple of patches. But first of course I’d have to get ready to quit. When I first started I used to be able to toss half a pack in the garbage — unsmoked. Not anymore. Plus it so damn expensive to smoke a pack a day.

232 prairiefire  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:01:15pm

re: #211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Very good news! How is Kyle?

233 Amory Blaine  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:01:27pm

re: #226 NJDhockeyfan

I know how you feel. When I decided to quit I slowly enjoyed my last pack then started chewing Orbit gum. It wasn’t so bad. I felt much better after that.

I quit 7 years ago. You are at war with your brain. Your brain will concoct whatever trick it has to get the dope it needs.

When quitters act like assholes, it means the brain is trying to get people to say to them ” just start smoking again because I can’t take you”.

It is war.

234 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:01:38pm

re: #222 sizzleRI

I quit almost 2 years ago, finally clicked when I was standing by myself on a frigid Boston winter night that this was ridiculous. I was suffering for a habit that made me feel like shit. Nonetheless, sometimes when I drink I “forget” I quit and bum cigarettes or worse, buy a pack and wake up with a credit receipt for $9+.

$9 a pack? Are you kidding me?

235 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:02:00pm

re: #211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Woot ;-)

236 Political Atheist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:02:05pm

re: #230 Floral Giraffe

Aw hell. That sucks.
{{Floral}}

237 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:03:12pm

re: #230 Floral Giraffe

Yes, and they suck.
It’s getting dealt with, but taking FAR too much time.
And mentally draining me.

My sister started as a live in care taker a couple of months ago. I think she’s still taking care of this man. He’s mentally challenged. Don’t know if she got hired by a private or public caretaking service. This would be near San Jose.

238 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:03:40pm

re: #229 theheat

I haven’t had a cig for 9 days. Been smoking those godawful cigarillos, and down to 5 a day. At this rate, I really think I’m going to quit for good soon. By only having really shitting smokes around, I found I don’t like to smoke.

Try the gum. Whenever I started jonesing for a cig I popped in a piece of gum and the feeling went away.

239 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:03:48pm

re: #232 prairiefire

Very good news! How is Kyle?

Paralyzed from the mid-chest, but in excellent spirits. Has a tiny bit of sensation in his thighs. Docs are saying that’s going to be the extent of his recovery. Thanks for asking.

240 Amory Blaine  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:04:41pm

I’m a firm believer in cold turkey.

241 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:05:21pm

re: #240 Amory Blaine

I’m a firm believer in cold turkey.

On wheat. Mayo, hold the onions.

//

242 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:05:36pm

re: #240 Amory Blaine

I’m a firm believer in cold turkey.

Sadly, I’m addicted to cold turkey. Its a bitch to quit.

243 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:06:16pm

re: #240 Amory Blaine

I know a lot of people went cold turkey. But I think I’d kill someone. And Mr. Heat probably doesn’t deserve being murdered because I was in the middle of stopping smoking.

244 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:06:25pm

re: #231 Gus 802

I tried the patch. It actually was very warm. Made me anxious.

I started smoking again.

Now, I have quit(ish) again… I bum three or four a week (socially) and it is working out fine.

245 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:08:00pm

re: #244 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I started smoking again.

Shame! I thought you were way done with that, already. I suppose the stress hasn’t helped, though.

246 Dancing along the light of day  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:08:22pm

re: #198 Floral Giraffe
I’m fine.
It’s just taking a LOT longer to get worked out.
I wanted to “instantly” get back to having a life.
TIme will heal all wounds.
It’ll take time.

247 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:08:25pm

re: #244 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I tried the patch. It actually was very warm. Made me anxious.

I started smoking again.

Now, I have quit(ish) again… I bum three or four a week (socially) and it is working out fine.

I enjoy smoking actually but I want to quit for good for my kids.

248 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:08:31pm

re: #244 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

I tried the patch. It actually was very warm. Made me anxious.

I started smoking again.

Now, I have quit(ish) again… I bum three or four a week (socially) and it is working out fine.

It’s going to be weird when they start putting those pictures on the packs.

249 Amory Blaine  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:08:33pm

re: #231 Gus 802

I think I will need the patch. Maybe a couple of patches. But first of course I’d have to get ready to quit. When I first started I used to be able to toss half a pack in the garbage — unsmoked. Not anymore. Plus it so damn expensive to smoke a pack a day.

Make sure you put 2 patches on either side of your neck. The rush you get when you light that cigarette is wonderful.

/j/k

250 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:09:30pm

re: #211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian
Wife is a Radiation Therapist in a cancer center. She thought she knew a melanoma when she saw one.

Obviously, she’s almost as dumb as me.

251 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:10:13pm

re: #249 Amory Blaine

Make sure you put 2 patches on either side of your neck. The rush you get when you light that cigarette is wonderful.

/j/k

Ouch. You know it’s funny because when I was Mr. Non-smoker I would try it sometimes and cough my head off and it would make my head spin.

252 sizzleRI  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:10:21pm

re: #231 Gus 802

Haha, exactly! The price of cigarettes helped nudge me towards quitting, but now if I break down and buy, usually while drunk, I feel like I cannot throw them out. Fuck. So then I think, I should keep them in a semi-secret place and when I break down smoke one of those instead of buying. I think we all know how that turns out.

253 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:13:05pm

re: #252 sizzleRI

Haha, exactly! The price of cigarettes helped nudge me towards quitting, but now if I break down and buy, usually while drunk, I feel like I cannot throw them out. Fuck. So then I think, I should keep them in a semi-secret place and when I break down smoke one of those instead of buying. I think we all know how that turns out.

Working at home makes the habit worse. If you’re in an office you can’t smoke anymore. Right now my cheapo Pall Malls are 4.59 a pack. I remember when I first bought a pack for 4 bucks and my jaw dropped.

254 sizzleRI  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:14:05pm

re: #234 NJDhockeyfan

Oh, not joking at all. Massachusetts, where I live now, has I high tax, and I believe Rhode Island (where my family mostly is) now has the highest tax. In all honesty it helps me not purchase them most of the time, and the ban on smoking in doors helps as well. Whenever I go to Tennessee to see my mom I comment to the store clerks about how cigarettes are half the price down there (yay Tobacco country!), just so I can see their horrified looks. And of course if I go to any bars there I always smoke at least one, high on the giddiness of being buzzed and the novelty of smoking inside.

255 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:14:36pm

Now I’m thinking “war on science” and here am talking about my smoking habit. My smoking habit is basically a war on science or maybe more like my own personal war on my health.

256 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:15:30pm

Has anyone tried those electronic cigarettes?

257 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:16:03pm

re: #246 Floral Giraffe

I’m fine.
It’s just taking a LOT longer to get worked out.
I wanted to “instantly” get back to having a life.
TIme will heal all wounds.
It’ll take time.

I’m glad you’re on the mend.

[waves]

258 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:16:13pm

I started on this electronic cigarette in July and I’m still using it. I don’t miss that crap at all. Being a former smoker I know better than to lecture, though. :)

259 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:16:51pm

re: #254 sizzleRI

Oh, not joking at all. Massachusetts, where I live now, has I high tax, and I believe Rhode Island (where my family mostly is) now has the highest tax. In all honesty it helps me not purchase them most of the time, and the ban on smoking in doors helps as well. Whenever I go to Tennessee to see my mom I comment to the store clerks about how cigarettes are half the price down there (yay Tobacco country!), just so I can see their horrified looks. And of course if I go to any bars there I always smoke at least one, high on the giddiness of being buzzed and the novelty of smoking inside.

My mother & my uncle load up whenever they come down to Virginia for a visit. NJ taxes are outrageous as well. I think she said a pack is around $8 right now.

260 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:16:54pm

re: #256 theheat

Has anyone tried those electronic cigarettes?

Beat me to it. And it’s worked great for me. For others not so much. I smoked about 25/day before I started using it.

261 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:17:22pm

re: #256 theheat

Has anyone tried those electronic cigarettes?

A few of us have. I tried the “Smoking everywhere” brand. Not very good and they spammed and called me for six months. Didn’t help me quit.

262 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:17:32pm

re: #259 NJDhockeyfan

My mother & my uncle load up whenever they come down to Virginia for a visit. NJ taxes are outrageous as well. I think she said a pack is around $8 right now.

$10 here in the NY suburbs. More in the city.

263 SpaceJesus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:18:37pm

re: #242 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

present for you in the amazon thread

264 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:18:38pm

re: #262 JasonA

$10 here in the NY suburbs. More in the city.

Fucking absurd.

265 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:19:26pm

re: #262 JasonA

$10 here in the NY suburbs. More in the city.

What’s it like 15 bucks for a pack of American Spirits in Manhattan?

266 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:20:19pm

re: #260 JasonA

Did you go with the low tobacco kind, or any flavor, or just regular??? I smoked menthols for years. I miss the flavor of menthol + tobacco.

267 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:20:29pm

re: #264 NJDhockeyfan

Fucking absurd.

maxdelivery.com

268 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:20:33pm

re: #263 SpaceJesus

present for you in the amazon thread

Has some troll been active?

269 sizzleRI  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:21:25pm

re: #255 Gus 802

Seriously, I really believe personal habits do not undermine a rational opinion. I know smoking is bad for my health. I support the taxes (hey, I’m a liberal), I support smoking bans, and the settlements fro smoker who started before all of the evidence was available like it is now. But, I will probably always be an addict, even if I manage not to have a single cigarette for years. I don’t think that behaving irrationally sometimes, if you realize it is irrational, makes you a hypocrite. Mostly just makes you human.

270 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:21:50pm

re: #264 NJDhockeyfan

Fucking absurd.

re: #265 Gus 802

What’s it like 15 bucks for a pack of American Spirits in Manhattan?

Being all liberal and stuff I don’t have a huge problem with vice taxes, but it’s gotten insane. This stuff is addictive, much more so than alcohol, and the states are basically robbing smokers.

271 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:23:15pm

re: #267 Gus 802

[Link: www.maxdelivery.com…]

American Spirit Regular Cigarettes - Hard Pack (1 Pack) (1 N/A)
SALE! $13.49
Cigarettes By The Case - Save $1 when you buy 10 packs

Wow…that’s insane.

272 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:23:22pm

re: #266 theheat

Did you go with the low tobacco kind, or any flavor, or just regular??? I smoked menthols for years. I miss the flavor of menthol + tobacco.

Oh there are all kinds of flavors. My suggestion is to get a solid unit like a JoyE Ego and some menthol ice from Halo.

273 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:23:42pm

re: #270 JasonA

re: #265 Gus 802

Being all liberal and stuff I don’t have a huge problem with vice taxes, but it’s gotten insane. This stuff is addictive, much more so than alcohol, and the states are basically robbing smokers.

Yeah. Technically they should spread the “vice” taxes as opposed to just relying on smokers for tax revenue.

274 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:23:52pm

re: #271 NJDhockeyfan

Wow…that’s insane.

I know! With those savings it’s like they’re giving them away!

275 Dancing along the light of day  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:24:14pm

Thank you all for your support tonight.
Life is hard right now.
It is making me stronger.
And I shower the blessings right back to you.
Namaste.

276 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:24:17pm

re: #271 NJDhockeyfan

Wow…that’s insane.

I think that might be delivered prices. Unless they really are that high.

Hey Jason do those prices seem right?

277 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:24:30pm

re: #273 Gus 802

Yeah. Technically they should spread the “vice” taxes as opposed to just relying on smokers for tax revenue.

A-friggin’-men.

278 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:24:52pm

re: #203 theheat

Holy crap, Gus. You’re bubbling over with sad facts tonight.

TRUTH IS BEAUTY!!! BEAUTY, TRUTH!!! SIR!!!

279 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:25:14pm

re: #276 Gus 802

I think that might be delivered prices. Unless they really are that high.

Hey Jason do those prices seem right?

For buying them online? Those prices seem criminal to me.

280 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:25:25pm

re: #275 Floral Giraffe

Thank you all for your support tonight.
Life is hard right now.
It is making me stronger.
And I shower the blessings right back to you.
Namaste.

Night FG.

281 sizzleRI  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:26:07pm

re: #re: #271 NJDhockeyfan

I like the save $1 for ten packs at $13.49 a pack. Woot, what a deal!

282 Killgore Trout  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:26:12pm

re: #275 Floral Giraffe

Thank you all for your support tonight.
Life is hard right now.
It is making me stronger.
And I shower the blessings right back to you.
Namaste.

Peace.

283 prairiefire  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:26:16pm

re: #270 JasonA

I’ve read that nicotine is as addictive as heroin.

284 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:26:23pm

re: #279 JasonA

For buying them online? Those prices seem criminal to me.

NY Post says about 15 bucks a pack in some stores.

285 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:26:36pm

re: #270 JasonA

And the states are freaking out that so many people are quitting.

I just finished the book “Smoke Screen” by Kyle Mills.

Great fictional book on the tobacco industry. Has a fantastic premise.

286 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:27:05pm

re: #263 SpaceJesus

present for you in the amazon thread

What is it?

287 jamesfirecat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:27:10pm

re: #268 Dark_Falcon

Has some troll been active?

I’m normally a pretty lit hand myself, but somebody who insists on necroing and arguing about how its okay to Waterboard people, I would not mind if the ban-hammer came down hard on the possibly soon to be Ex-Lizard…

288 prairiefire  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:27:11pm

Players rainbow pack, mmmmmm. I bet they are around $20 a pack by now.

289 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:27:29pm

Kiosk on Seventh Ave. outside Penn Station: $14.50 a pack

Smiler’s Deli, 554 Fifth Ave. near 46th St.: $14

Kiosk on southwest corner of 34th and Broadway: $12.75

Kiosk at 33rd and Seventh Ave.: $12.50

Read more: nypost.com

290 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:27:35pm

re: #276 Gus 802

I think that might be delivered prices. Unless they really are that high.

Hey Jason do those prices seem right?

If someone must buy cigarettes online they should go to a place like this. A carton of Marlboros are $20.50.

291 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:27:45pm

re: #285 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

And the states are freaking out that so many people are quitting.

I just finished the book “Smoke Screen” by Kyle Mills.

Great fictional book on the tobacco industry. Has a fantastic premise.

What, that the states don’t really give a crap about us quitting?

Knock me over with a feather.

292 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:28:44pm

re: #284 Gus 802

NY Post says about 15 bucks a pack in some stores.

The city has its own tax, plus any sellers there need to make more just to be there, so I’d bet money that that’s accurate.

293 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:29:08pm

re: #290 NJDhockeyfan

If someone must buy cigarettes online they should go to a place like this. A carton of Marlboros are $20.50.

Damn that’s cheap. Looks like wholesale prices.

294 ಠ_ಠ  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:29:34pm

This whole YouCut thing is a fantastic idea. Instead of an inefficient expert panel of scientists reviewing grants we can just harness the enormous data processing power of the “Distributed Stupidity Cloud”.

295 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:29:35pm

re: #291 JasonA

No (well, yes; but that’s not the premise).

Not gonna spoil it. Really caught me off guard when the crux hit.

296 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:29:45pm

re: #290 NJDhockeyfan

If someone must buy cigarettes online they should go to a place like this. A carton of Marlboros are $20.50.

I did that once upon a time. Then stories came out about how the state would find out who bought them and come collect the tax. Yeah, I pussied out.

297 sizzleRI  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:30:16pm

re: #277 JasonA

ok, I see that. But, I think there is an argument that one can drink alcohol in moderation with few to no health effects. The same is just not true for cigarettes, there is no moderate level at which they’re safe. I can see that distinction. Then again, I don’t really like the government making health decisions for individuals, but hey if you can classify some substances as just illegal to use, I don’t think vice taxes are an excessive abuse of government discretion.

If that didn’t make sense or seem cohesive its because I am not sure how I feel about the issue.

298 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:30:24pm

re: #292 JasonA

The city has its own tax, plus any sellers there need to make more just to be there, so I’d bet money that that’s accurate.

In Denver I can get a pack of smokes, a 1/2 pint of whiskey, and a Whopper for 15 bucks.

//

299 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:30:26pm

re: #211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

So. Those of you who know me; are aware that I am ending a pretty bad year. Wife thought she had cancer… does not.

Yay.

Damned if you didn’t need a break, bro. I am happy for ya. Best wishes to you and your wife from me. Celebrate your asses off.

300 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:31:04pm

re: #296 JasonA

I did that once upon a time. Then stories came out about how the state would find out who bought them and come collect the tax. Yeah, I pussied out.

There are ways around that. But it costs a good bit to set those bypasses up.

301 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:31:07pm

re: #296 JasonA

I did that once upon a time. Then stories came out about how the state would find out who bought them and come collect the tax. Yeah, I pussied out.

Yeah. New Jersey would do that. Not sure about New York.

302 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:32:22pm

re: #298 Gus 802

In Denver New York City I can get a pack of smokes, a 1/2 pint of whiskey, and or a Whopper for 15 bucks.

303 freetoken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:32:43pm

The power of “television”:

Netflix scrambles future of TV and films

Hollywood, which embraced Netflix Inc just a few years ago as a savior, is moving quickly to stanch the growth of one of the media’s newest, biggest stars.

Senior executives at three of the big six television and movie studios said they were seeking ways to contain Netflix — from delaying when Netflix can make new DVDs available to rent to raising the prices for digital programs.

[…]

Netflix, whose stock has jumped nine-fold over the past two years, is a leader in U.S. DVD rentals with its service that sends movies and TV shows through the mail. Its streaming service is also growing quickly, and accounts for one-fifth of U.S. Web traffic in peak hours.

[…]

And here I thought Slumbering Behemoth’s Pr0n habit accounted for that 20% …

304 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:32:48pm

re: #298 Gus 802

In Denver I can get a pack of smokes, a 1/2 pint of whiskey, and a Whopper for 15 bucks.

//

Are there still drive-through liquor stores in the Denver area? I remember purchasing vodka & rum at one back in the early 80s.

305 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:33:38pm

re: #297 sizzleRI

ok, I see that. But, I think there is an argument that one can drink alcohol in moderation with few to no health effects. The same is just not true for cigarettes, there is no moderate level at which they’re safe. I can see that distinction. Then again, I don’t really like the government making health decisions for individuals, but hey if you can classify some substances as just illegal to use, I don’t think vice taxes are an excessive abuse of government discretion.

If that didn’t make sense or seem cohesive its because I am not sure how I feel about the issue.

Want to know how I feel about the issue? Make them more difficult to get. Take them out of convenience stores and bodegas and limit them to something like smoke shops.

There are probably lots of holes in my not-well-thought idea, but there you have it.

306 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:33:40pm

re: #303 freetoken

The power of “television”:

Netflix scrambles future of TV and films


And here I thought Slumbering Behemoth’s Pr0n habit accounted for that 20% …

No, thats my porn habit. Common mistake.

307 sizzleRI  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:34:09pm

re: #296 JasonA

There was a pretty violent and controversial raid on a smoke shop in Rhode Island on Reservation land a few years ago because of tax issues. Obviously exacerbated by race and class issues.

projo.com

308 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:34:31pm

re: #304 NJDhockeyfan

Ate at the Chili’s in C’ville today.

309 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:34:33pm

re: #304 NJDhockeyfan

Are there still drive-through liquor stores in the Denver area? I remember purchasing vodka & rum at one back in the early 80s.

There’s a couple around. One that I used to go to a lot — in the neighborhood. Not as popular these days. I’m not sure if zoning allows that anymore. They might. Denver has some pretty relaxed zoning laws. They’re still “use by right” in many cases.

310 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:34:43pm

re: #302 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

No need to exaggerate, FB.

For $15 you can get the whole value meal. With cheese…

311 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:35:08pm

re: #310 JasonA

No need to exaggerate, FB.

For $15 you can get the whole value meal. With cheese…

But no toy.

//

312 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:35:38pm

re: #306 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

No, thats my porn habit. Common mistake.

Let him with a free hand cast the first stone.
-Dennis Miller

313 sizzleRI  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:35:42pm

re: #305 JasonA

Very interesting. I am sure there are issues, but that appeals to me much more than punishing people who are addicted to an otherwise legal substance.

314 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:35:56pm

Why back in 1905 you could by a house with 15 dollars.

/

315 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:36:50pm

re: #308 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Ate at the Chili’s in C’ville today.

Yum. I will get my license back in 3 weeks and then I go back to work. I will have some lunch time available then. Let me know the next time to are in town.

316 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:38:56pm

G’night knuckleheads!

317 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:39:44pm

re: #309 Gus 802

There’s a couple around. One that I used to go to a lot — in the neighborhood. Not as popular these days. I’m not sure if zoning allows that anymore. They might. Denver has some pretty relaxed zoning laws. They’re still “use by right” in many cases.

I used to have pizza delivered with a quart of beer back then. What a wonderful place to live! Oh, yeah, the mountains are cool too.

318 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:40:43pm

re: #315 NJDhockeyfan

Yum. I will get my license back in 3 weeks and then I go back to work. I will have some lunch time available then. Let me know the next time to are in town.

What do you do for work?

319 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:40:55pm

2 hour parking - 25 bucks.
Pack of smokes - 15 dollars.
Hot dog - 5 bucks.
Soda - 2 bucks.

Total: 47 dollars.

//

320 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:41:20pm

re: #313 sizzleRI

Very interesting. I am sure there are issues, but that appeals to me much more than punishing people who are addicted to an otherwise legal substance.

I can’t tell you how great it feels to quit. I was paying over 300+ a month on that stuff. Yeah, I still get nicotine with the ecig, but all the other effects are gone and I’ve lowered my dosage too.

321 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:42:00pm

re: #319 Gus 802

2 hour parking - 25 bucks.
Pack of smokes - 15 dollars.
Hot dog - 5 bucks.
Soda - 2 bucks.

Total: 47 dollars.

//

Why the sarc tags?

322 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:42:38pm

re: #321 JasonA

Why the sarc tags?

NYC is like going to the movies.

How much for the soda?

8 bucks!

323 theheat  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:43:02pm

re: #320 JasonA

I’m still reading up on the JoyE Ego and the menthol ice stuff. I think I might be too stupid to figure out how to rig a menthol electronic cigarette. All these different parts ‘n’ stuff…

324 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:43:17pm

re: #318 Dark_Falcon

What do you do for work?

Sales.

325 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:44:16pm

re: #290 NJDhockeyfan

If someone must buy cigarettes online they should go to a place like this. A carton of Marlboros are $20.50.

Unfortunately, you may find yourself getting dinged for unpaid taxes. My neighbor got hit with a pretty big tax bill for buy smokes online.

Not saying that’s the case with that website, but it helps to know what you might be getting into.

326 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:45:08pm

re: #324 NJDhockeyfan

Sales.

Me too. But I take it you’re outside sales.

327 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:48:14pm

re: #303 freetoken

And here I thought Slumbering Behemoth’s Pr0n habit accounted for that 20% …

You underestimate me, sir.

328 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:48:44pm

re: #323 theheat

I’m still reading up on the JoyE Ego and the menthol ice stuff. I think I might be too stupid to figure out how to rig a menthol electronic cigarette. All these different parts ‘n’ stuff…

Nah, there’s very little to it. You have the battery, the atomizer, and the cartridge. You drip the Ice into the cartridge, slap it into the atomizer, sit back and vape.

329 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:48:50pm

re: #326 Dark_Falcon

Me too. But I take it you’re outside sales.

Yup. I get to be outside all day. It’s a very easy job. My boss doesn’t bother me and I get to do whatever I want as long as my numbers are up.

330 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:50:46pm

Throws a log into the fire…


Judge orders genetically modified sugar beets pulled

December 1, 2010 | 2:33 pm

In a decision believed to be the first of its kind in a case involving genetically engineered crops, a federal judge has ordered 256 acres of sugar beets pulled from the ground.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey S. White in San Francisco granted a request from a group of environmental advocates for a preliminary injunction, barring the continued growing of beets in Arizona and Oregon. The plants were to be used to produce genetically altered seeds for the 2012 sugar beet crop.

Sugarbeet The plaintiffs, led by the Center for Food Safety in Washington, D.C., successfully proved that “there is a significant risk that the plantings pursuant to permits will cause environmental harm” by contaminating or cross-pollinating other crops, White said.

The legal complaint accused the principal defendant, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack, of issuing permits that allowed the sugar beet planting without conducting a legally required environmental review.

“Genetically engineered crops inevitably contaminate organic and conventional crops,” said plaintiff’s attorney Paul Achitoff. “It’s impossible to make sure that the seed does not escape.”…

331 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:51:48pm

re: #330 Gus 802

Throws a log into the fire…


Judge orders genetically modified sugar beets pulled

December 1, 2010 | 2:33 pm

Oops. Forgot this part…

Round-Up Ready sugar beets have been planted on more than 1 million acres in 10 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, accounting for 95% of the 2010 crop, Monsanto said.

332 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:53:05pm

re: #331 Gus 802

Oops. Forgot this part…

Big Sugar Beets Are Ripping Us Off!

333 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:53:48pm

re: #330 Gus 802

Throws a log into the fire…


Judge orders genetically modified sugar beets pulled

December 1, 2010 | 2:33 pm

I think that injection will be overturned or the law will get changed. Sugar Beets are an important Ag lobby (along with sugar cane) and I suspect Congress will move to support the growers.

334 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:54:53pm

re: #332 NJDhockeyfan

Big Sugar Beets Are Ripping Us Off!

Yeah. I’m wondering. They’re doing this on a legal technicality. So they’re pull 256 acres of these beets but there are already 1 million acres of this crop. It doesn’t seem like this was based on science. Yet. Genetically modified crops are actually very common.

335 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:55:39pm

Check out the pictures…heh…

This Exists: The “Miss TSA Calendar,” Featuring Sexy X-Rays Of Girls In Heels

Looking to make light of the whole body scanner/patdown controversy? Then say hello to the “Miss TSA Calendar,” a collection of photos that show girls in classic pinup positions. The catch? The pictures are all x-rays, so the only things that are visible in them are bones and the models’ high heels.

336 blueraven  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:57:11pm

re: #87 Gus 802

Let’s see…

Top 11 contributors:

Target Corp $100,935 $68,435 $32,500
Freedom Club of America $70,000 $0 $70,000
Associated Builders & Contractors $60,200 $200 $60,000
National Beer Wholesalers Assn $56,000 $1,000 $55,000
TCF Financial $54,000 $46,300 $7,700
Lakeville Motor Express $53,350 $53,350 $0
National Auto Dealers Assn $53,000 $0 $53,000
United Parcel Service $52,500 $0 $52,500
General Mills $51,222 $4,400 $46,822
Freedom Project $50,574 $0 $50,574
Koch Industries $47,800 $2,800 $45,000

Hmmm. Beer, food giant, and the Koch brothers…

Growing obesity epidemic will double diabetes population and triple medical costs by 2034

naturalnews.com

Fiscal responsibility my ass!

337 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:57:37pm

re: #333 Dark_Falcon

I think that injection will be overturned or the law will get changed. Sugar Beets are an important Ag lobby (along with sugar cane) and I suspect Congress will move to support the growers.

Maybe. It’s hard to tell sometimes with congress regardless of party. Should note that the judge was appointed by George W. Bush.

en.wikipedia.org

Looks like he was also involved in some Wikileaks proceedings. Maybe it will be just a legal technicality.

338 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:59:05pm

re: #330 Gus 802

Bleh. The “OMGFRANKENFOOD!” bleating goons are just as anti-science as the creationists.

Whether it’s done in the lab, or out in the fields the old school way, genetically modified foods have fed the starving masses, and saved billions of lives.

339 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 8:59:28pm

‘Bomb factory’ house in Escondido area to be burned down

The house just outside Escondido where massive amounts of explosive materials were found has been declared a public hazard and will be burned down, San Diego County officials told area residents Tuesday night.

A nearby stretch of Interstate 15 will be closed during the process, and some nearby residents will be evacuated, officials said.

The house, dubbed the “bomb factory” house by officials, was found to contain amounts of materials of the kind used by terrorist bomb makers worldwide, as well as blasting caps, homemade grenades, and small-arms weapons.

The resident of the house, George Jakubec, a 54-year-old Serbian emigre, has been charged with 26 counts of possession of bombmaking materials and two counts of bank robbery. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in jail in lieu of $5 million bail.

340 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:01:12pm

re: #338 Slumbering Behemoth

Bleh. The “OMGFRANKENFOOD!” bleating goons are just as anti-science as the creationists.

Whether it’s done in the lab, or out in the fields the old school way, genetically modified foods have fed the starving masses, and saved billions of lives.

Exactly. Thanks for reminding me of that scientists name.

RIP, Norman Borlaug

Charles Johnson
US News • Mon Sep 14, 2009 at 4:34 pm PDT • Views: 39

Here’s a good obituary for a man you’ve probably never heard of, who saved many millions of people from dying of starvation: Norman Borlaug - Death of a Humanist.

341 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:05:32pm

Now for something completely different in North Korea

North Korea’s shrill state news agency, which outsiders have to rely on to try to understand what makes the reclusive country tick, never fails to surprise with snippets of information about “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il.

While it rarely misses a chance to hit out at the United States as a mother of all war-mongering imperialists, the Korean Central News Agency, voice the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, also likes to vary the tone.

Thursday, for instance, it revealed that Kim summoned a doctor. In 1973.

“Coming into the leader’s office, the doctor saw boxes of medicines piled up there,” the agency said.

“After opening some of the boxes, Kim Jong-il explained the usage and efficacy of the medicines to the doctor. The doctor was amazed to find he had a deep medical knowledge.”

Kim then guided the doctor to another room to show him an electrocardiograph and other medical appliances.

“He said they were valuable things even big hospitals lacked and that it would be good to send them to a gymnasium now under reconstruction.”

Dr. Kim?

342 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:06:16pm

Of course, then we have this case;

Klebsiella planticola—The Gene-Altered Monster That Almost Got Away

In the early 1990s a European genetic engineering company was preparing to field test and then commercialize on a major scale a genetically engineered soil bacteria called Klebsiella planticola. The bacteria had been tested—as it turns out in a careless and very
unscientific mannner—by scientists working for the biotech industry and
was believed to be safe for the environment. Fortunately a team of
independent scientists, headed by Dr. Elaine Ingham of Oregon State
University, decided to run their own tests on the gene-altered Klebsiella
planticola. What they discovered was not only startling, but terrifying—
the biotech industry had created a biological monster—a genetically
engineered microorganism that would kill all terrestrial plants. After
Ingham’s expose, of course the gene-altered Klebsiella planticola was never commercialized. But as Ingham points out, the lack of pre-market safety testing of other genetically altered organisms virtually guarantees that future biological monsters will be released into the environment.

I’m going to sing the Doom Song now.

343 Four More Tears  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:06:47pm

re: #338 Slumbering Behemoth

Bleh. The “OMGFRANKENFOOD!” bleating goons are just as anti-science as the creationists.

Whether it’s done in the lab, or out in the fields the old school way, genetically modified foods have fed the starving masses, and saved billions of lives.

I’m more bothered by Monsanto themselves than I am their products.

344 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:07:18pm

re: #338 Slumbering Behemoth

Bleh. The “OMGFRANKENFOOD!” bleating goons are just as anti-science as the creationists.

Whether it’s done in the lab, or out in the fields the old school way, genetically modified foods have fed the starving masses, and saved billions of lives.

In many ways if people fear genetically modified foods then they should fear stem cell treatments.

I was wondering though. If you grow pesticide-resistant sugar beets does that mean they’re going to bombard it with pesticides?

345 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:08:26pm
346 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:08:38pm

re: #340 Gus 802

Exactly. Thanks for reminding me of that scientists name.

RIP, Norman Borlaug

There’s assholes all over, but thankfully GM foods have survived their attacks so far. If they are properly tested and screened, they are safe and we do have to increase crop yields. So GM is here to stay.

347 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:10:38pm

re: #346 Dark_Falcon

There’s assholes all over, but thankfully GM foods have survived their attacks so far. If they are properly tested and screened, they are safe and we do have to increase crop yields. So GM is here to stay.

Yeah. The key is testing. Like all things. We have to increase crop yield with growing populations and decreasing water supplies. Especially in the case of warming temperatures. We might have to come up with GM crops specifically designed for AGW changes in climate.

348 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:12:41pm

re: #347 Gus 802

Yeah. The key is testing. Like all things. We have to increase crop yield with growing populations and decreasing water supplies. Especially in the case of warming temperatures. We might have to come up with GM crops specifically designed for AGW changes in climate.

Agreed. Climate change optimized crops might be the difference between life and death for millions.

349 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:16:52pm

re: #348 Dark_Falcon

Agreed. Climate change optimized crops might be the difference between life and death for millions.

Or billions. That of course would be drought resistant crops. Heck, if you can increase the consumption of vegetables and vegetable protein you might also be able to lower the consumption of beef or poultry. I would think this would be appreciated by animal welfare advocates. Regardless though, looking at the chart it looks like GM crops are rather widespread.

I’m glad we finally got over the irradiated food scare. Some of these fears reminds me of the vaccination and fluoride fears. People will still have a choice not to consume GM foods and that could be accomplished by simply requiring labeling.

350 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:17:41pm

re: #348 Dark_Falcon

Agreed. Climate change optimized crops might be the difference between life and death for millions.

Woody Allen already figured that out.

351 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:18:03pm

re: #340 Gus 802

WORD! We’ve been eating genetically modified foods for millennia.

I don’t know what kind of cynical fuck is backing these “OMGFRANKENFOOD!” goons, but it’s detrimental to humanity as a whole. What kind of asshole would want to monkey wrench feeding the starving masses by using such fear mongering nonsense?

352 AlexRogan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:20:51pm

re: #242 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Sadly, I’m addicted to cold turkey. Its a bitch to quit.

Better cold turkey than Wild Turkey…

353 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:21:06pm

re: #343 JasonA

Patenting genes is indeed a worrisome concept.

354 AlexRogan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:21:38pm

re: #351 Slumbering Behemoth

WORD! We’ve been eating genetically modified foods for millennia.

I don’t know what kind of cynical fuck is backing these “OMGFRANKENFOOD!” goons, but it’s detrimental to humanity as a whole. What kind of asshole would want to monkey wrench feeding the starving masses by using such fear mongering nonsense?

People who have never known hunger or want a day in their lives…

355 JustABill  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:22:44pm

re: #341 NJDhockeyfan

Interesting, but not as interesting as his “Pleasure Brigade”…

356 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:24:08pm

re: #351 Slumbering Behemoth

WORD! We’ve been eating genetically modified foods for millennia.

I don’t know what kind of cynical fuck is backing these “OMGFRANKENFOOD!” goons, but it’s detrimental to humanity as a whole. What kind of asshole would want to monkey wrench feeding the starving masses by using such fear mongering nonsense?

Oh you know who would oppose this. Think “olm” and you get the idea. It’s almost the reverse spectrum of “GOP war on science” crowd. I don”t think that going back to the days of allowing one species of beetle to wipe out millions of acres of crops is feasible nor desirable.

357 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:25:53pm
358 freetoken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:28:42pm

re: #357 Gus 802

I do think, though, that Monsanto’s business habits wrt GMO have some very negative side effects.

359 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:28:58pm

re: #354 talon_262

re: #356 Gus 802

I can see the easy living, never wanting, “olm” chanters falling for this. But where’s the money behind this dissemination of misinformation coming from? There always seems to be moneyed interests with an agenda behind such campaigns.

360 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:31:18pm

re: #359 Slumbering Behemoth

re: #356 Gus 802

I can see the easy living, never wanting, “olm” chanters falling for this. But where’s the money behind this dissemination of misinformation coming from? There always seems to be moneyed interests with an agenda behind such campaigns.

My first thoughts would be the organic food industry. Perhaps then like retailers like Whole Foods although maybe not as much. The other would be environmental groups like Greenpeace and Earth First. Not very big money. I think clearly the GM food companies have more money to spend. But, the GM fear plays very easily into people’s emotions.

361 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:31:21pm

NASA to unveil non-alien, arsenic-loving bacteria tomorrow

Nasa scientists are set to announce that bacteria have been discovered that can survive in arsenic, an element previously thought too toxic to support life, it can be revealed.

In a press conference scheduled for tomorrow evening, researchers will unveil the discovery of the incredible microbe – which substitutes arsenic for phosphorus to sustain its growth – in a lake in California.

The remarkable discovery raises the prospect that life could exist on other planets which do not have phosphorus in the atmosphere, which had previously been thought vital for life to begin.

But it will come as a major disappointment for those who had hoped Nasa was about to announce that it had found life on other planets.

362 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:32:29pm

re: #358 freetoken

I do think, though, that Monsanto’s business habits wrt GMO have some very negative side effects.

Genetically modified organisms? But didn’t they get that from university research?

363 freetoken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:34:07pm

re: #362 Gus 802

The problem with some of Monsanto’s business in this area is the disruption of traditional seed collection/sharing, and the control Monsanto enforces over the farmers that use their product.

364 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:34:26pm

I think anytime you say genetically engineered people will just squirm. It’s like saying cloned or human cloning. Even if you mention cell cloning such as work being done with stem cell cloning people will think back to 1950s sci-fi movies.

365 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:34:29pm

re: #362 Gus 802

Universities do the research, somebody has to manufacture/distribute/tamper with the results.

366 lostlakehiker  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:34:49pm

re: #115 Gus 802

Wind is God’s way of balancing heat. Wind is the way you shift heat from areas where it’s hotter to areas where it’s cooler. That’s what wind is. Wouldn’t it be ironic if in the interest of global warming we mandated massive switches to energy, which is a finite resource, which slows the winds down, which causes the temperature to go up? Now, I’m not saying that’s going to happen, Mr. Chairman, but that is definitely something on the massive scale. I mean, it does make some sense. You stop something, you can’t transfer that heat, and the heat goes up. It’s just something to think about. — Joe Barton

It’s something to think about. This forum has gone over it. With millions of wind farms, each containing several hundred mighty wind turbines, you just MIGHT begin to tap a significant share of the wind’s energy.

Or maybe not. Nothing less would suffice. But we aren’t actually on the verge of building a billion wind turbines, each costing a million with room to spare.

Short of building a quadrillion dollar net of wind towers, the winds will survive our inroads.

367 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:35:17pm

re: #361 NJDhockeyfan

NASA to unveil non-alien, arsenic-loving bacteria tomorrow

Cool. Even if though they’re from Earth, these bacteria are very odd and worthy of study.

368 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:36:18pm

re: #364 Gus 802

I think anytime you say genetically engineered people will just squirm. It’s like saying cloned or human cloning. Even if you mention cell cloning such as work being done with stem cell cloning people will think back to 1950s sci-fi movies.

And then there’s furries.

369 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:36:24pm

re: #363 freetoken

The problem with some of Monsanto’s business in this area is the disruption of traditional seed collection/sharing, and the control Monsanto enforces over the farmers that use their product.

Oh, then that’s a management or patent issue with Monsanto. No one is forcing them to work with Monsanto. Most of those that will are already corporate farms such as ADM and other truck farming operations. Right now, the remaining small farmers have to be subsidized using Federal funding.

370 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:38:30pm

re: #366 lostlakehiker

It’s something to think about. This forum has gone over it. With millions of wind farms, each containing several hundred mighty wind turbines, you just MIGHT begin to tap a significant share of the wind’s energy.

Or maybe not. Nothing less would suffice. But we aren’t actually on the verge of building a billion wind turbines, each costing a million with room to spare.

Short of building a quadrillion dollar net of wind towers, the winds will survive our inroads.

Well yeah. It could have an effect. But that would be a lot of wind farms. I don’t see that happening or even the need for anything of that scale. I think fearing that wind farms would affect climate would come after say cities or high rises affecting climate. Which is sort of like how high rises kill more birds than wind farms ever will.

371 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:38:35pm

Organic vegetables ‘no healthier than conventional food’

Researchers conducted a two-year experiment growing potatoes, carrots and onions under both organic and traditional conditions before testing the health giving properties of each.

There was little difference between them when it came to levels of polyphenols – the chemical compound in vegetables that helps fight cancer, heart disease and dementia.

…The researchers reported: “The demand for organic food products is steadily increasing partly due to the expected health benefits of organic food consumption.

“On the basis of the study carried out under well-controlled conditions, it cannot be concluded that organically grown onions, carrots, and potatoes generally have higher contents of health-promoting secondary metabolites (polyphenols) in comparison with the conventionally cultivated ones.”

372 austin_blue  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:38:48pm

re: #363 freetoken

The problem with some of Monsanto’s business in this area is the disruption of traditional seed collection/sharing, and the control Monsanto enforces over the farmers that use their product.

Ssshhh…

Monsanto and ADM have no advantage over the family farmer. They are simple, small, capitalists.

Ssshhh…

And with that, I must say adieu. Good night Lizards , sweet dreams. Visit with you tomorrow.

373 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:39:55pm

re: #372 austin_blue

Ssshhh…

Monsanto and ADM have no advantage over the family farmer. They are simple, small, capitalists.

Ssshhh…

And with that, I must say adieu. Good night Lizards , sweet dreams. Visit with you tomorrow.

OK. Then starting tomorrow stop buying anything from Monsanto and ADM.

Don’t forget that ADM is also a big sponsor of NPR and PBS. ;)

374 Kragar (Antichrist )  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:40:23pm

re: #373 Gus 802


Don’t forget that ADM is also a big sponsor of NPR and PBS. ;)

COMMIES!

375 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:43:13pm

Oh, I thought GM meant Gene-Modifying, not Genetically Modified.

376 freetoken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:44:01pm

re: #369 Gus 802

Well, ADM and other large companies benefit greatly from federal subsidies also.

And, the problem which occurs when a company like Monsanto comes in and makes a deal with a farmer then they take that farmer out of the community of farmers that may be sharing seed for one or another reason. Those other farmers who didn’t originally enter an agreement with Monsanto will be affected.

Secondly, the concept of “Round-Up Ready” begs the question of whether Monsanto is developing a monopoly on future use of pesticides and the entire agricultural process in a particular market/area. It also implies that the only future ahead for mankind to feed itself is to become dependent upon Round-Up.

The point I’m getting at is that there is more to this story than simple scare-mongering.

377 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:44:26pm

Sorry. But while I think that Heartland are bunch of scum buckets and Exxon are a bunch of pigs I don’t subscribe to the idea that all corporations are evil or that I have to seek some guilt free life away from anything approaching technical or scientific modernity. I know that it’s easy to pick on Monsanto but think about Goodyear the next time you’re riding your mountain bike. And the chemical and pharmaceutical companies that brought you vaccines, medicine, and other health care advances that extended your lives.

378 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:45:03pm

My internet keeps going out so I think I will turn in. Have a great night lizards!

379 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:45:18pm

re: #376 freetoken

Well, ADM and other large companies benefit greatly from federal subsidies also.

And, the problem which occurs when a company like Monsanto comes in and makes a deal with a farmer then they take that farmer out of the community of farmers that may be sharing seed for one or another reason. Those other farmers who didn’t originally enter an agreement with Monsanto will be affected.

Secondly, the concept of “Round-Up Ready” begs the question of whether Monsanto is developing a monopoly on future use of pesticides and the entire agricultural process in a particular market/area. It also implies that the only future ahead for mankind to feed itself is to become dependent upon Round-Up.

The point I’m getting at is that there is more to this story than simple scare-mongering.

So what do we do re-invent the world and have the UN re-write the rules?

380 lostlakehiker  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:45:38pm

The Congressman’s own example, his best shot at naming silly spending, is silly. Sports do matter. We spend a bucket on our national Olympics training facilities. We spend it on “world” football, aka soccer, as well as on other sports. If we had some scientific way to better ascertain who was effective in helping the team, we could do better. Or we could stint on weight rooms and so forth and do no worse than we do now.

Over in Europe, they put a lot of scientific analysis of fluid dynamics into the America’s cup race. And they won. //begin Voice of Majority Leader

How stupid. So what if they win a yacht race?

/end Voice of Majority Boob// But fluids include a lot of things. Like blood, or traffic patterns in Paris. The more you learn, the better you get at all of it. The science behind the America’s cup

381 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:46:22pm

re: #377 Gus 802

And the chemical and pharmaceutical companies that brought you vaccines, medicine, and other health care advances that extended your lives.

And are holding our lives for ransom in tandem with their war for profit with the insurance companies…

382 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:46:56pm

re: #381 laZardo

And are holding our lives for ransom in tandem with their war for profit with the insurance companies…

Thwack! /

383 lostlakehiker  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:48:11pm

re: #370 Gus 802

Well yeah. It could have an effect. But that would be a lot of wind farms. I don’t see that happening or even the need for anything of that scale. I think fearing that wind farms would affect climate would come after say cities or high rises affecting climate. Which is sort of like how high rises kill more birds than wind farms ever will.

Exactly. There is no REALISTIC prospect that wind farms will mess with wind patterns on anything larger than the scale of a county.

384 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:48:25pm

WWJB?

What Would Jesus Buy?

I really can’t stand those who cynically pander to religious sentiment in order to make a profit.

I once worked (very briefly) as a salesman for a vacuum cleaner company. When doing a demo for a local pastor who really wasn’t interested in buying, my boss told me over the phone to hit him with “But cleanliness is next to godliness”.

I refused, not because of any respect for the pastor’s beliefs, but because I think such ploys are slimy and disgusting.

385 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:49:17pm

OK I surrender! Monsanto is evil! That makes me evil!

Meanwhile most of the people that are worried about Monsanto are driving around in the latest and slickest hybrid SUV going on vacations to the tropics after having flown to their destination in a big old jetliner.

Sort of like the hypocrites meeting in Cancun this week yet again.

386 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:49:45pm

re: #377 Gus 802

Sorry. But while I think that Heartland are bunch of scum buckets and Exxon are a bunch of pigs I don’t subscribe to the idea that all corporations are evil or that I have to seek some guilt free life away from anything approaching technical or scientific modernity. I know that it’s easy to pick on Monsanto but think about Goodyear the next time you’re riding your mountain bike. And the chemical and pharmaceutical companies that brought you vaccines, medicine, and other health care advances that extended your lives.

Agreed. Monsanto is not a bunch of saints, but their bug-resistant plants do reduce the need to use chemical pesticides and that does make the resulting food safer. Yes, they invented those crops to turn a profit, but that’s not an evil motive. So yes, regulations of those producing GM foods are needed, but you’re right to keep your perspective.

387 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:50:23pm

re: #384 Slumbering Behemoth

WWJB?

What Would Jesus Buy?

I really can’t stand those who cynically pander to religious sentiment in order to make a profit.

I once worked (very briefly) as a salesman for a vacuum cleaner company. When doing a demo for a local pastor who really wasn’t interested in buying, my boss told me over the phone to hit him with “But cleanliness is next to godliness”.

I refused, not because of any respect for the pastor’s beliefs, but because I think such ploys are slimy and disgusting.

Some of this stuff is the new secular religion. You believe in what you’ve read or heard on the approved media outlets.

388 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:50:56pm

re: #386 Dark_Falcon

Agreed. Monsanto is not a bunch of saints, but their bug-resistant plants do reduce the need to use chemical pesticides and that does make the resulting food safer. Yes, they invented those crops to turn a profit, but that’s not an evil motive. So yes, regulations of those producing GM foods are needed, but you’re right to keep your perspective.

OK. I’ll admit. I’m getting flippant.

389 lostlakehiker  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:52:06pm

re: #187 publicityStunted

There’s another, far more sinister, potential outcome from GOP stupidity: other countries, as they suffer the effects of AGW and see no action from the US, unilaterally attempt Hail Mary geoengineering measures:

Playing God with Planet Earth

There’s another sure-fire way to cool things off for a while: create a firestorm that lofts massive amounts of soot into the stratosphere.

An H-bomb over a city will do the trick. Too many and you get a nuclear winter, and nearly everybody starves.

Playing with that kind of fire is a particularly bad idea. Playing it safe, and building wind/solar/nuclear/efficiency, NOW, is, well, prudent.

390 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:53:22pm

re: #360 Gus 802

My first thoughts would be the organic food industry. Perhaps then like retailers like Whole Foods although maybe not as much. The other would be environmental groups like Greenpeace and Earth First. Not very big money. I think clearly the GM food companies have more money to spend. But, the GM fear plays very easily into people’s emotions.

I would think there would be something more there, some other org. I’ll be damned if I can come up with a reasonable culprit, though.

391 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:55:02pm

re: #390 Slumbering Behemoth

I would think there would be something more there, some other org. I’ll be damned if I can come up with a reasonable culprit, though.

NGOs. Government bodies. The G77 industry.

392 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:55:10pm

re: #389 lostlakehiker

Playing with that kind of fire is a particularly bad idea. Playing it safe, and building wind/solar/nuclear/efficiency, NOW, is, well, prudent.

FTFY because Chernobyl/3MI/Bushehr/Natanz impressions will outlast their half-lives.

393 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:55:57pm

re: #364 Gus 802

I think anytime you say genetically engineered people will just squirm. It’s like saying cloned or human cloning. Even if you mention cell cloning such as work being done with stem cell cloning people will think back to 1950s sci-fi movies.

Nook-Ya-Ler Fah-Sill-Uh-Teas!
/BUM BUM BUM!!!

394 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 9:57:18pm

re: #390 Slumbering Behemoth

I would think there would be something more there, some other org. I’ll be damned if I can come up with a reasonable culprit, though.

IOW, stop GM foods and corporate wars now! Please send billions to our country ASAP because you Westerners are guilty of making my people’s lives miserable. Etc. ;

//

395 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:02:09pm

re: #394 Gus 802

IOW, stop GM foods and corporate wars now! Please send billions to our country ASAP because you Westerners are guilty of making my people’s lives miserable. Etc. ;

//

Where I live, our own government is more guilty of that than THOSE DECADENT CAPITALIST WESTERNERS.

/caps for mandatory emphasis.

396 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:03:58pm

Who do you think made that carbon fiber mountain bike you’re riding on to Whole Earth Foods? Odds are it’s constructed using technology and science created by 3M, Dupont, and other chemical companies. It’s also likely that that high tech bike was created by sacrificing a good deal of the environment. And the computers we’re using is the biggest cause of chemical pollution in the world. Throw away your computers. Right?

397 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:05:35pm

re: #395 laZardo

Where I live, our own government is more guilty of that than THOSE DECADENT CAPITALIST WESTERNERS.

/caps for mandatory emphasis.

Does the Catholic church have a stronghold there?

398 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:06:33pm

Oh. One of the reasons that Steven Jobs sent all of Apple’s manufacturing to China was so he could pollute more easily and make more money.

399 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:07:05pm

re: #396 Gus 802

Word! We should just stick to eating bark and riding around on these. Fuck it, they look super safe, right?
/

400 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:07:30pm

re: #397 Gus 802

Does the Catholic church have a stronghold there?

YES. They have actually threatened (or at least imply-threatened) to excommunicate the people that support a pro-contraception bill in Congress right now.

401 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:07:54pm

re: #399 Slumbering Behemoth

Word! We should just stick to eating bark and riding around on these. Fuck it, they look super safe, right?
/

I can see it now. So where do I plug in my Iphone, Ipad and Idildo?

402 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:08:32pm

re: #398 Gus 802

Oh. One of the reasons that Steven Jobs sent all of Apple’s manufacturing to China was so he could pollute more easily and make more money.

With complete disrespect to workers’ rights.

403 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:09:32pm

re: #400 laZardo

YES. They have actually threatened (or at least imply-threatened) to excommunicate the people that support a pro-contraception bill in Congress right now.

I was just looking at that. That’s the Spaniard influence. Argentina was like that for a long time. Oddly enough Spain and Portugal are now more liberal than any of the other countries they “influenced” under their colonization.

404 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:10:53pm

re: #402 laZardo

With complete disrespect to workers’ rights.

Figures. The whole notion that Apple is some holier than thou corporation pisses me off. Steven Jobs just recently made a deal with News Corp. It’s all a bunch of hot air to me.

405 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:11:07pm

re: #403 Gus 802

I was just looking at that. That’s the Spaniard influence. Argentina was like that for a long time. Oddly enough Spain and Portugal are now more liberal than any of the other countries they “influenced” under their colonization.

In Spain, thanks to the king. In Portugal, thanks to the socialists.

406 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:11:09pm

re: #400 laZardo

I feel for you, bro. It’d be awesome if your congress could tell ‘em to fuck off and kick rocks. *sigh*

407 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:12:53pm

re: #406 Slumbering Behemoth

I feel for you, bro. It’d be awesome if your congress could tell ‘em to fuck off and kick rocks. *sigh*

Paint Roller Tirade™ aside, we’ll see if they’re more inclined to worry about the votes from the Official Catholic Endorsement.

408 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:14:57pm

re: #404 Gus 802

Figures. The whole notion that Apple is some holier than thou corporation pisses me off. Steven Jobs just recently made a deal with News Corp. It’s all a bunch of hot air to me.

You know how it goes with hypocrites.

409 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:15:08pm

re: #405 laZardo

In Spain, thanks to the king. In Portugal, thanks to the socialists.

Socialists have been very helpful even in the USA. For instance in advancing civil rights for black Americans. They were of course the founders of the NAACP. Most of the attorneys fighting for civil rights were socialists from the north.

410 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:16:37pm

re: #409 Gus 802

And this was back in the day when the Republicans were actually more interested in furthering civil rights than drawing them back.

I suspect that really finally ended during the 1980 election season.

411 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:16:47pm

re: #408 Slumbering Behemoth

You know how it goes with hypocrites.

Love it! Yeah, even to the point of wearing glasses without lenses. The whole coolness factor is based entirely on overt materialism. Don’t tell them that though. Google is not a corporation and neither is Facebook damnit!

412 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:16:56pm

re: #408 Slumbering Behemoth

You know how it goes with hypocrites.

Advice Hipster Kitty FTW.

413 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:18:16pm

re: #410 laZardo

And this was back in the day when the Republicans were actually more interested in furthering civil rights than drawing them back.

I suspect that really finally ended during the 1980 election season.

1980 would be around the time. That’s when the so-cons took over. The televangelists like Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, etc. The clarion call of “states rights!”

414 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:18:19pm

re: #405 laZardo

In Spain, thanks to the king. In Portugal, thanks to the socialists.

And the Portuguese are the most depressed people in the world. Coincidence? I think not.
/

415 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:19:39pm

re: #410 laZardo

I suspect that really finally ended during the 1980 election season.

Probably a bit earlier than that, maybe the 70’s. Only guessing here.

416 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:19:53pm

re: #414 Slumbering Behemoth

Surprisingly, in terms of suicide numbers, Japan is not #1.

417 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:20:46pm

re: #410 laZardo

I don’t agree. Reagan was no racist.

418 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:21:48pm

re: #414 Slumbering Behemoth

And the Portuguese are the most depressed people in the world. Coincidence? I think not.
/

I saw that. But are they really more depressed or more willing to just say they’re depressed? I know that in Argentina it’s more socially acceptable to say “yeah life sucks, I’m depressed.” That’s a very common Latin theme.

419 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:22:26pm

re: #417 Dark_Falcon

Probably not him personally. But whoever ran his campaign certainly opened the floodgates for real racists to eventually subjugate what was once a respectable party.

420 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:22:54pm

re: #417 Dark_Falcon

I don’t agree. Reagan was no racist.

Oh. I didn’t read that as an indictment of Reagan.

421 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:24:50pm

re: #419 laZardo

Probably not him personally. But whoever ran his campaign certainly opened the floodgates for real racists to eventually subjugate what was once a respectable party.

How so?

422 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:25:17pm

re: #419 laZardo

Probably not him personally. But whoever ran his campaign certainly opened the floodgates for real racists to eventually subjugate what was once a respectable party.

Lee Atwater even admitted to that in his final days. Not that he was racist but he did admit to playing the race card. I can find the quotes if needed.

423 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:25:40pm

re: #411 Gus 802

I dated a girl once who actually admitted (without laughing at how stupid she was) to wearing non prescription glasses because she thought it made her look smart.

This she tells me, without an ounce of “damn was I dumb”, while I’ve been wearing prescription glasses for the overwhelming majority of my. I nearly had a Jackie Gleason moment.

424 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:26:44pm

And to be fair Dick Morris even did the same during some of his campaigns.

425 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:27:31pm

re: #418 Gus 802

I saw that. But are they really more depressed or more willing to just say they’re depressed?

Dunno, just slinging snark.

426 Eclectic Infidel  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:28:36pm

Off topic Mac question:

Ok. I’m using an iMac again. Love the machine. Love it, but it’s doing something I don’t like…

Although I continue to log out of a page, every time I go back to the site, I find myself automatically logged in. How can I undo this?

Yes, yes, I could dig around online but I’d rather ask here first.

Thanks in advance.

427 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:30:02pm

re: #422 Gus 802

Lee Atwater even admitted to that in his final days. Not that he was racist but he did admit to playing the race card. I can find the quotes if needed.

Atwater ran Bush’s 1988 campaign, not Reagan’s 1980 campaign.

428 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:30:02pm
429 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:31:32pm

re: #426 eclectic infidel

How can I undo this?

Buy a PC.
/
Sorry, I got nuthin’.

430 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:31:40pm

re: #426 eclectic infidel

Off topic Mac question:

Ok. I’m using an iMac again. Love the machine. Love it, but it’s doing something I don’t like…

Although I continue to log out of a page, every time I go back to the site, I find myself automatically logged in. How can I undo this?

Yes, yes, I could dig around online but I’d rather ask here first.

Thanks in advance.

Probably a cache thing. It probably loads the cache of the page on your disk where the code shows you logged in.

431 SanFranciscoZionist  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:32:04pm

re: #428 Slumbering Behemoth

BURRRNNN!!!

Yes, apparently this guy got PETA to create an ‘alternative’ version of his game—and produced much free publicity.

432 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:32:21pm

re: #425 Slumbering Behemoth

Dunno, just slinging snark.

Yeah. I was being a little serious though. In the USA it’s not really socially acceptable to say life sucks. It’s more common in Latin cultures and France.

433 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:32:52pm

re: #421 Dark_Falcon

By allowing the “re-cons” to define the campaign, enabling it to become the bastion of conservatism that people in my generation grew up with.

434 Eclectic Infidel  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:32:57pm

re: #430 laZardo

Probably a cache thing. It probably loads the cache of the page on your disk where the code shows you logged in.

That was my immediate thought too. I’ve cleared the cache numerous times already. Thanks though.

435 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:34:36pm

re: #428 Slumbering Behemoth

I don’t support torture of human beings.

436 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:35:08pm

re: #434 eclectic infidel

Not just the cache, but the “cookies” and “logon data.” I’m not sure what the Safari equivalent of the Firefox options are though.

437 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:35:20pm

re: #427 Dark_Falcon

Atwater ran Bush’s 1988 campaign, not Reagan’s 1980 campaign.

He was around. Deputy director in 1984.

438 Eclectic Infidel  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:36:52pm

re: #436 laZardo

Not just the cache, but the “cookies” and “logon data.” I’m not sure what the Safari equivalent of the Firefox options are though.

I just figured it out. I’m using Safari and there’s an option to “Reset Safari.” It did the trick. :)

439 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:37:53pm

re: #433 laZardo

By allowing the “re-cons” to define the campaign, enabling it to become the bastion of conservatism that people in my generation grew up with.

Conservatism does not mean the embrace of racists. As far as the GOP has done that, it is in spite of Reagan’s beliefs, not because of them.

But now I must get to bed. Goodnight, all.

440 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:42:59pm

re: #432 Gus 802

Yeah. I was being a little serious though. In the USA it’s not really socially acceptable to say life sucks. It’s more common in Latin cultures and France.

Maybe. I do recall a teacher from way back commenting on that social convention. That no matter how fucked-off and miserable our lives may be at any given moment, whenever a stranger passes by and asks “How you doing?”, most of us always answer “Fine”.

Obviously trying to get us to think about why we do things like that. The random stranger doesn’t really give a fuck about how we’re doing, so why do they ask? And why do we feel compelled to respond with “Fine” when we’re actually feeling quite shitty?

I went around saying “Lousy” for a long time, just to see stranger’s reactions. They really don’t give a shit.

441 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:43:29pm

re: #439 Dark_Falcon

Conservatism does not mean the embrace of racists. As far as the GOP has done that, it is in spite of Reagan’s beliefs, not because of them.

But now I must get to bed. Goodnight, all.

Well. Then conservatism doesn’t have to be defined by what the GOP may have done. The same is true with defining liberalism with what the DNC does. Many would say that liberalism is not defined by the DNC. It’s like Christianity isn’t defined by Jerry Falwell.

442 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:44:32pm

re: #439 Dark_Falcon

Conservatism does not mean the embrace of racists. As far as the GOP has done that, it is in spite of Reagan’s beliefs, not because of them.

But now I must get to bed. Goodnight, all.

Fiscal conservatism of course not

Social conservatism of the Dobson/terry/FRC variety is essentially intertwined with racists. One cannot be a part of the movement without assisting racism, and outright aiding bigotry on the basis of sexual orientation.

443 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:44:40pm

re: #431 SanFranciscoZionist

Yes, apparently this guy got PETA to create an ‘alternative’ version of his game—and produced much free publicity.

Wait, there’s a game? About meat? Why was I not told of this?

444 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:46:08pm

re: #441 Gus 802

also, conservatism in the social sense is a totally different thing than being against government spending. One can be a mixed-race drag king pro-abortion activist and still be against government spending :D

445 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:46:38pm

re: #444 WindUpBird

(I just really liked the term mixed race drag king)

446 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:46:44pm

re: #441 Gus 802

Well. Then conservatism doesn’t have to be defined by what the GOP may have done. The same is true with defining liberalism with what the DNC does. Many would say that liberalism is not defined by the DNC. It’s like Christianity isn’t defined by Jerry Falwell.

This, eleventy.

447 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:47:29pm

re: #426 eclectic infidel

Off topic Mac question:

Ok. I’m using an iMac again. Love the machine. Love it, but it’s doing something I don’t like…

Although I continue to log out of a page, every time I go back to the site, I find myself automatically logged in. How can I undo this?

Yes, yes, I could dig around online but I’d rather ask here first.

Thanks in advance.


totally depends on your browser, and your browser’s settings. Cookie settings are a place to start

448 goddamnedfrank  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:50:05pm

re: #426 eclectic infidel

Off topic Mac question:

Ok. I’m using an iMac again. Love the machine. Love it, but it’s doing something I don’t like…

Although I continue to log out of a page, every time I go back to the site, I find myself automatically logged in. How can I undo this?

Yes, yes, I could dig around online but I’d rather ask here first.

Thanks in advance.

Safari -> Reset Safari … -> check remove all cookies

449 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:54:10pm

re: #440 Slumbering Behemoth

Maybe. I do recall a teacher from way back commenting on that social convention. That no matter how fucked-off and miserable our lives may be at any given moment, whenever a stranger passes by and asks “How you doing?”, most of us always answer “Fine”.

Obviously trying to get us to think about why we do things like that. The random stranger doesn’t really give a fuck about how we’re doing, so why do they ask? And why do we feel compelled to respond with “Fine” when we’re actually feeling quite shitty?

I went around saying “Lousy” for a long time, just to see stranger’s reactions. They really don’t give a shit.

I used to run into a neighbor in my elevator from time to time. We would say hello, how are you doing. Fine. He had a bald head and I thought he used to shave. Then one day, poof, I stopped seeing him. Turned out he wasn’t bald from shaving but bald from chemo. I stopped seeing him because he passed away. He was a tall strong looking man in his 30s.

450 lostlakehiker  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:55:20pm

re: #392 laZardo

FTFY because Chernobyl/3MI/Bushehr/Natanz impressions will outlast their half-lives.

Some hazards must be accepted, because we’re behind and it’s the fourth quarter. Going for inches on 4th down is dangerous, a little, but not as dangerous as the other chances we still have.

451 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:55:25pm
452 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:56:38pm

re: #444 WindUpBird

I see nothing “conservative” in the modern socon movement. They advocate invasive, uncompromising, preferential, totalitarian measures that would deny certain people equal protection under the law.

Of course, their most banal retort to any of my objections is “Try winning an election without us”. But they make the mistake of assuming that this conservative is duty bound to vote a straight republican ticket.

453 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:56:54pm

re: #444 WindUpBird

also, conservatism in the social sense is a totally different thing than being against government spending. One can be a mixed-race drag king pro-abortion activist and still be against government spending :D

As far as administrations go, it is ironic that the only president to have left a surplus was what one would call “TAX ‘N SPEND!”.

454 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 10:59:21pm

re: #453 laZardo

As far as administrations go, it is ironic that the only president to have left a surplus was what one would call “TAX ‘N SPEND!”.

I’m sure there were many before him to do so, but that’s past history, not present history.

455 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:01:23pm

re: #441 Gus 802

Well. Then conservatism doesn’t have to be defined by what the GOP may have done. The same is true with defining liberalism with what the DNC does. Many would say that liberalism is not defined by the DNC. It’s like Christianity isn’t defined by Jerry Falwell.

Not anymore, unfortunately. Not with the Blue Dogs sucking up to (bad) big business. They’re still the only way to get any progress done during this administration at least…

456 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:07:12pm

re: #444 WindUpBird

also, conservatism in the social sense is a totally different thing than being against government spending. One can be a mixed-race drag king pro-abortion activist and still be against government spending :D

It would be nice to see more of that. I know in my travels I have encountered people almost just as you described. Well, almost.

457 freetoken  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:09:47pm
458 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:11:11pm

Well, the Russians sure have a unique way making anti-drug commercials.

/In Soviet Russia, drugs do you.

459 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:15:51pm

re: #458 Slumbering Behemoth

Well, the Russians sure have a unique way making anti-drug commercials.

/In Soviet Russia, drugs do you.

Yikes. You have to read the text to figure out what’s going on with the first one.

460 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:18:03pm

re: #459 Gus 802

Yikes. You have to read the text to figure out what’s going on with the first one.

You don’t watch much pr0n, do you?
/

Just kidding, but that’s pretty fucked up, right?

461 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:21:03pm

re: #460 Slumbering Behemoth

You don’t watch much pr0n, do you?
/

Just kidding, but that’s pretty fucked up, right?

Yeah it is. I don’t understand what being gay has to do with being a drug addict. I suppose they’re trying to put the fear of being gay into current straight drug addicts in Russia. But that country is still very intensely homophobic.

462 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:23:04pm

re: #461 Gus 802

The take away there is pretty reprehensible. I almost pasted the tag line here, but I figure anyone interested can just click the link and see it for themselves.

463 Gus  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:25:02pm

OK I need to get some sleep. Forget everything I said. ;)

Later!

464 RadicalModerate  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:27:01pm

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) was on Anderson Cooper’s program on CNN tonight regarding his opposition to the Pigford black farmers’ settlement with the USDA.

Instead of apologizing for his racist “Urban President” remark, he doubled-down by once again calling the settlement “slavery reparations”, claimed that 75% of all the USDA claims by black farmers were fraudulent, and denied racial overtones to his statement.

Rep. Steve King Defends Calling President Obama “Very, Very Urban” On Anderson Cooper

“We had to go look this up and try to figure out how anybody could hyperventilate over calling the president a very urban, actually a very, very urban president, or a very urban senator at the time. He comes from a very urban area. It is not something that would ever occur to anybody in my background that that would be something that could be some kind of a racial pejorative. It’s just simply, he comes from the city, that’s urban. You come from the country, you’re rural.”

As for the 75 percent fraud claim by Rep. King? The FBI conducted a thorough investigation of all questionable USDA settlement claims. They found three that would be considered fraudulent, which would come to a whole 0.0015%.

465 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:28:59pm

re: #463 Gus 802

“I don’t know what I’m saying. Forget what I say.

466 laZardo  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:36:25pm

Gym. BBL

467 Slumbering Behemoth Stinks  Wed, Dec 1, 2010 11:48:00pm

re: #466 laZardo

Beer. BBW.

468 theheat  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 12:51:22am

re: #464 RadicalModerate

As for the 75 percent fraud claim by Rep. King? The FBI conducted a thorough investigation of all questionable USDA settlement claims. They found three that would be considered fraudulent, which would come to a whole 0.0015%.

Doesn’t matter, just as death panels were made-up shit by a shit makeup artist. What sells is the idea it’s real. It isn’t as if the red meat people this type of unsubstantiated bullshit appeals to need facts or actively seek them. Basically, these dumbasses believe whatever they’re told.

469 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 1:12:48am

Time for psychedelic metal

470 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 1:13:48am

re: #451 laZardo

So I saw this article and immediately thought of you.

I’m sorry.

ahahahaha

471 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 1:15:23am

re: #440 Slumbering Behemoth

Maybe. I do recall a teacher from way back commenting on that social convention. That no matter how fucked-off and miserable our lives may be at any given moment, whenever a stranger passes by and asks “How you doing?”, most of us always answer “Fine”.

Obviously trying to get us to think about why we do things like that. The random stranger doesn’t really give a fuck about how we’re doing, so why do they ask? And why do we feel compelled to respond with “Fine” when we’re actually feeling quite shitty?

I went around saying “Lousy” for a long time, just to see stranger’s reactions. They really don’t give a shit.


I actually do tell people the truth on occasion, when they ask me that, usually the truth is “tired”,”doing okay, finished a thing” or “about to get drunk”

472 Summer Seale  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 1:33:45am

Hi everyone! It’s Sarah Palin again…

I just wanted to say how proud I am for starting this movement towards ending junk science! Remember?

You know, back when I found out that they were researching fruit flies in France, I think I got enough people outraged about how science is wasting our money when all the answers are already given to us in The Bible - God’s own manual! Why would a scientist want more?

Well, like you, I think the answer is pretty obvious: they hate God.

It’s shocking! I know you’re shocked right now because I really only have good faithful people listening to me, but that’s how it is. And when I think about how terrible it is, I’m shocked as well.

That’s why I’m going to run for President soon, because we really have to get rid of all of that stuff and put God back in the classroom!

I’m reminded, at times like these, of my visit to the Creation Museum, and how it inspirationed me to think about how our younger generation has been traptered and influenced by the evil scientific forces at work in our classrooms today. Look around you: it’s pretty sad, isn’t it? More people are dying because of science than ever before. This country is sliding deeper and deeper into the evil pit of temptation. And I’m going to drag it back out into the Light of God once more.

I know the liberal media likes to play up on things that I say, but I don’t care. They’re not going to presercute me! I’m going to speak my mind and refudiate whatever they say about me. Why, just last week, they showed their true colors when they made fun of how I support our North Korean allies, didn’t they? It only shows you what side the liberal media is on: against God’s good side.

So I just want to say that I completely support this move against scientists, and I think that they should go to trial! They’re trying to destroy our nation with lies and propergranda the same way that Barak Hussein Obama is trying to do. They’re all part of this group conspironcy, and I’m here to tell you that as long as good people like you vote for people like me, it’ll never work, will it? Because we’re gonna kick their butts!

You Betcha!

Thanks everyone ! God Bless America and the Republican Party, and the Tea Party too!

473 freetoken  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 1:43:17am
474 Mark Winter  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 3:00:37am

Fruitcakes need no fruit fly research

475 freetoken  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 3:31:49am
476 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 4:51:31am

re: #474 Mark Winter

Fruitcakes need no fruit fly research

The one winged gull flys in circles!


((oh ,, sorry ,, I thought we were doing ‘secret agent code phrases’))

477 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 4:53:15am

What is the sound of one cat napping? I thought we were doing koans.

478 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 4:55:15am

re: #477 Decatur Deb

What is the sound of one cat napping? I thought we were doing koans.

Mornin’ Dec D. Hows your world today?

479 mojo9  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 4:55:49am

Diddling Imbeciles Conserted to Killing Science tm

480 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 4:56:31am

re: #478 sattv4u2

Mornin’ Dec D. Hows your world today?

Cold and sunny, with a chance of a brake job in the afternoon.

481 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 4:57:56am

re: #480 Decatur Deb

Cold and sunny, with a chance of a brake job in the afternoon.

You’re not going to one of those “$99 for all 4 wheels” places, are you?

482 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 4:59:26am

re: #479 mojo9

Diddling Imbeciles Conserted to Killing Science tm

Might make more sense if they were consOrting!

(or maybe that one was already trademarked!!)
//

483 Steve Dutch  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:00:05am

As a scientist, I have to say NSF is long overdue for a good scare. The grant process is utterly corrupt. We need to:
1. Ban investigator salary and fringe benefits. If research is good for an institution, the institution needs to pay the investigator.
2. Ban institutional overhead, which runs about half the value of the grant. If institutions want to have the prestige of high profile research, they can provide lab space.
3. Make the review process double blind. Proposals must be purged of any indications of the proposer’s identity. I bet we’d have some surprises if proposals were judged solely on content.
4. All publications resulting from the funding are in the public domain.
5. Ban publication in for-profit journals.
6. Ban the use of citation indexes and impact factors in evaluation processes. If quality is objectively real, prove it without using bogus proxy indicators.
7. Ban the use of grant-gathering activity in tenure and promotion decisions.

1,2 and 7 would at least triple the amount of money available for actual research. 6 and 7 would protect academic freedom by enabling researchers to pursue lines of research even if they’re not trendy. 4 and 5 would dramatically reduce pressure on library funding.

484 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:00:15am

re: #481 sattv4u2

You’re not going to one of those “$99 for all 4 wheels” places, are you?

Nah, I do my family’s stuff myself, if my wife will let the van pause long enough in the driveway. What sports epics are you sending to AL now that the Iron Bowl is empty?

485 mojo9  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:02:59am

re: #482 sattv4u2

that should have read “concerted”. my bad! oh look, a spell checker!

486 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:03:33am

re: #483 SteveDutch

re: #5

I see the conflict and/ or pressures, but otoh if the monies are used to help offset the costs associated with the actual research (and not just enrich the writer) I have no issue with it

487 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:05:41am

re: #484 Decatur Deb

Nah, I do my family’s stuff myself, if my wife will let the van pause long enough in the driveway. What sports epics are you sending to AL now that the Iron Bowl is empty?

Well,, if you have Direct TV we’re sending them a dozen or so Soccer Matches throughout the day. Other than that, you’ll have to wait for the NFL game tonight along with a bevy of College Basketball

488 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:06:06am

re: #483 SteveDutch

Institutional overhead does actually pay for stuff, though. If you ban that, then there’s going to be a lot less infrastructure available for scientists to use at those institutions.

489 Vicious Babushka  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:06:38am

re: #211 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

So. Those of you who know me; are aware that I am ending a pretty bad year. Wife thought she had cancer… does not.

Yay.

That must be quite a relief. {{FBV}}

490 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:08:46am

re: #484 Decatur Deb

Nah, I do my family’s stuff myself, if my wife will let the van pause long enough in the driveway. What sports epics are you sending to AL now that the Iron Bowl is empty?

I’d give HER an “A”

I see nothing “empty” there!!
thewizofodds.com

491 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:08:52am

re: #487 sattv4u2

Well,, if you have Direct TV we’re sending them a dozen or so Soccer Matches throughout the day. Other than that, you’ll have to wait for the NFL game tonight along with a bevy of College Basketball

Soccer? Is that like a bunch of commies butting heads on a metric cow pasture?

492 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:09:53am

re: #491 Decatur Deb

Soccer? Is that like a bunch of commies butting heads on a metric cow pasture?

Thats why the ball is white!

They used to get the ball mixed up with the cow pies!

493 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:10:21am

re: #483 SteveDutch

Those are constructive proposals, who needs ‘em?

What this nation needs is a full-out attack on science and especially gummint-funded useless science (unless it’s defense research)

/

494 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:12:51am

re: #493 ralphieboy

Those are constructive proposals, who needs ‘em?

What this nation needs is a full-out attack on science and especially gummint-funded useless science (unless it’s defense research)

/

More likely we’ll see a proposal for an archaeological survey to find the Great Flood strata in Texas.

495 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:14:27am

re: #494 Decatur Deb

More likely we’ll see a proposal for an archaeological survey to find the Great Flood strata in Texas.

Maybe they’ll uncover the arc!

496 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:17:05am

I am for an expedition to uncover Sodom and Gomorrah and use the charred remains of those fried Sodomites to remind us why God does not want us to repeal DADT.

497 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:17:40am

re: #490 sattv4u2

I’d give HER an “A”

I see nothing “empty” there!!
[Link: www.thewizofodds.com…]

Geez!! That score scared me until I saw it was a 2008 posting. Sent two daughters to Auburn, but one has married an infidel. Now the wife is knitting red and white baby clothes.

498 laZardo  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:17:45am

re: #494 Decatur Deb

And a radio-carbon-dating study to determine if the Ten Commandments displayed outside certain courthouses are authentic.

499 laZardo  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:18:22am

re: #496 ralphieboy

I am for an expedition to uncover Sodom and Gomorrah and use the charred remains of those fried Sodomites to remind us why God does not want us to repeal DADT.

And maybe we’ll figure out exactly what Gomorrah did that was so horrible that they don’t even get a word named after them.

500 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:19:23am

re: #499 laZardo

And maybe we’ll figure out exactly what Gomorrah did that was so horrible that they don’t even get a word named after them.


I thought they had a disease named after them: Gomorrhea.

501 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:19:32am

re: #497 Decatur Deb

Geez!! That score scared me until I saw it was a 2008 posting. Sent two daughters to Auburn, but one has married an infidel. Now the wife is knitting red and white baby clothes.

Cool. My son has Auburn on his “short list” of schools he’s looking at. He was very impressed with their representative at a college fair he went to several weeks ago. After the holidays, we’ll schedule a visit there

502 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:20:12am

re: #498 laZardo

And a radio-carbon-dating study to determine if the Ten Commandments displayed outside certain courthouses are authentic.

We got ours removed from Montgomery, as well as the dimwit judge who put them there. (They were the Protestant version, of course.)

503 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:24:50am

re: #501 sattv4u2

Probably a good school for the “college experience”, but I doubt it leads many fields academically. They were doing something good with chickens and AIDS, but they also host the asshole Von Mises Institute.

504 reine.de.tout  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:26:46am

re: #502 Decatur Deb

We got ours removed from Montgomery, as well as the dimwit judge who put them there. (They were the Protestant version, of course.)

And there you have it, the reason why many Catholics (and, I suppose, members of other equally oddball religious cults) are very glad of the nation’s separation of church and state.

505 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:27:40am

re: #502 Decatur Deb

We got ours removed from Montgomery, as well as the dimwit judge who put them there. (They were the Protestant version, of course.)

What’s the difference between the two?
*Serious question, btw. :)*

506 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:29:06am

re: #504 reine.de.tout

And there you have it, the reason why many Catholics (and, I suppose, members of other equally oddball religious cults) are very glad of the nation’s separation of church and state.

Most around here don’t even know we count differently. The framed list over my wife’s piano is the KJV, inherited from my Baptist MIL. Don’t mind it in the living room, don’t want it in the courthouse.

507 reine.de.tout  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:29:09am

re: #505 Varek Raith

What’s the difference between the two?
*Serious question, btw. :)*

Explanation here, wikipedia of all places.

508 reine.de.tout  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:29:32am

re: #506 Decatur Deb

Most around here don’t even know we count differently. The framed list over my wife’s piano is the KJV, inherited from my Baptist MIL. Don’t mind it in the living room, don’t want it in the courthouse.

egg-zackly.

509 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:31:21am

re: #505 Varek Raith

What’s the difference between the two?
*Serious question, btw. :)*

Same rules, but edited into a different list. The language is a different, Catholics are (were?) used to a translation made by a French school during the counter-reformation.

510 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:34:10am

re: #507 reine.de.tout

Explanation here, wikipedia of all places.

re: #509 Decatur Deb

Same rules, but edited into a different list. The language is a different, Catholics are (were?) used to a translation made by a French school during the counter-reformation.

Thanks. :)
I’m always weary of wikipedia when it comes to politics and/or religion and/or science.

511 reine.de.tout  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:34:57am

re: #509 Decatur Deb

Same rules, but edited into a different list. The language is a different, Catholics are (were?) used to a translation made by a French school during the counter-reformation.

actually Catholics and Lutherans:

The Lutheran (Protestant) and Catholic division of the commandments both follow the one established by St. Augustine, following the then current synagogue scribal division. The first three commandments govern the relationship between God and humans, the fourth through eighth govern public relationships between people, and the last two govern private thoughts.
512 reine.de.tout  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:35:28am

re: #510 Varek Raith

re: #509 Decatur Deb

Thanks. :)
I’m always weary of wikipedia when it comes to politics and/or religion and/or science.

I’m wary and weary - but that’s a decent article.

513 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:37:22am

re: #512 reine.de.tout

I’m wary and weary - but that’s a decent article.

I’m usually bleary!

514 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:37:35am

re: #511 reine.de.tout

actually Catholics and Lutherans:

From European movies, I get the impression that there is a kind of “High Church” Lutheranism that I’ve not encountered here. (Bergman’s minister in “Winter Light” for example, looks very Catholic.)

515 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:37:45am

re: #512 reine.de.tout

I’m wary and weary - but that’s a decent article.

Heh, silly English language!

Thanks for the article.

516 Bubblehead II  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:38:12am

Morning Lizards. Looks like Rangel is going to be censured for his shenanigans.
The vote is today.

Censure almost certain as Rangel ethics case ends

“If the House votes for censure Thursday as expected, the New York Democrat will have to humbly walk to the front of the chamber to receive his punishment. He’ll stand in front of his colleagues while Speaker Nancy Pelosi — in one of her most solemn duties — reads him a resolution condemning his ethical misbehavior.”

517 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:41:41am

re: #516 Bubblehead II

Morning Lizards. Looks like Rangel is going to be censured for his shenanigans.
The vote is today.

Censure almost certain as Rangel ethics case ends

“If the House votes for censure Thursday as expected, the New York Democrat will have to humbly walk to the front of the chamber to receive his punishment. He’ll stand in front of his colleagues while Speaker Nancy Pelosi — in one of her most solemn duties — reads him a resolution condemning his ethical misbehavior.”

I liked the initial report from the committee where it was “recommended” that he pay the taxes he avoided!

“recommended”,,,

heh,,, I’m sure the IRS would “recommend” that I pay taxes that I skipped out on!

(btw ,, I beleive he has since paid said taxes, but that misses the point)

518 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:41:43am

re: #516 Bubblehead II

If they have him cold, he should eat shit. (Whether he serves or not is mostly his constituents’ business—I’ve stopped being amazed at what we send to Congress.)

519 reine.de.tout  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:44:18am

re: #517 sattv4u2

I liked the initial report from the committee where it was “recommended” that he pay the taxes he avoided!

“recommended”,,,

heh,,, I’m sure the IRS would “recommend” that I pay taxes that I skipped out on!

(btw ,, I beleive he has since paid said taxes, but that misses the point)

The IRS found an error in one of our old tax returns, and we got a very strongly worded letter with an urgent recommendation that we actually go ahead and proceed to pay the taxes immediately!

520 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:46:03am

re: #519 reine.de.tout

The IRS found an error in one of our old tax returns, and we got a very strongly worded letter with an urgent recommendation that we actually go ahead and proceed to pay the taxes immediately!

I’ll urgently, maybe, get right on that, perhaps.
Eventually.

521 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:47:57am

re: #519 reine.de.tout

The IRS found an error in one of our old tax returns, and we got a very strongly worded letter with an urgent recommendation that we actually go ahead and proceed to pay the taxes immediately!

ouch!

522 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:48:16am

re: #520 Varek Raith

I’ll urgently, maybe, get right on that, perhaps.
Eventually.

The check is in nthe mail!

523 Bubblehead II  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:48:23am

re: #517 sattv4u2

(btw ,, I beleive he has since paid said taxes, but that misses the point)

He did. But I suspect the only reason he paid was to add weight to the claim that it “was all a mistake.”

“Rangel has paid the Treasury $10,422 and New York state $4,501 to fulfill another ethics committee recommendation. The amounts were to cover taxes he would have owed on his villa income had the statute of limitations not run out on his tax bills.”

524 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:50:00am

re: #523 Bubblehead II

(btw ,, I beleive he has since paid said taxes, but that misses the point)

He did. But I suspect the only reason he paid was to add weight to the claim that it “was all a mistake.”

“Rangel has paid the Treasury $10,422 and New York state $4,501 to fulfill another ethics committee recommendation. The amounts were to cover taxes he would have owed on his villa income had the statute of limitations not run out on his tax bills.”

yes ,, thats what I saw

What I didn’t see was any mention of interest and fines over and above the initial taxes owed

I’m SURE the IRS would ket you or I just pay the taxes, without any interest and/ or fines

I’m SURE of it

SURE !!

525 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:50:12am

re: #523 Bubblehead II

(btw ,, I beleive he has since paid said taxes, but that misses the point)

He did. But I suspect the only reason he paid was to add weight to the claim that it “was all a mistake.”

“Rangel has paid the Treasury $10,422 and New York state $4,501 to fulfill another ethics committee recommendation. The amounts were to cover taxes he would have owed on his villa income had the statute of limitations not run out on his tax bills.”

That’s it??
That’s the amount of money is evaded having to pay???
Stupid! That’s nothing for someone of his income!… Why evade it?!
Stupid!

526 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:50:35am

re: #525 Varek Raith

That’s it??
That’s the amount of money he evaded having to pay???
Stupid! That’s nothing for someone of his income!… Why evade it?!
Stupid!

527 mojo9  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:51:58am

re: #495 sattv4u2

Oh, everbody know that thing’s on Mt. Aerorat! ;>p

528 Bubblehead II  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:52:25am

re: #524 sattv4u2

Statute of Limitations had run out. They couldn’t go after him. Like I said, the only reason he paid them anything was to show it was all a mistake.

529 JamesS  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:54:33am

re: #488 Obdicut

Institutional overhead does actually pay for stuff, though. If you ban that, then there’s going to be a lot less infrastructure available for scientists to use at those institutions.

Some of the “overhead” is certainly essential and must be funded one way or another, but I do think it’s ballooned too far lately (at least on the grants I’ve been involved in, where my institution has been demanding 150+% ‘overhead’). Worse, the treatment seems to differ between different funding sources - bigger sources (like the NSF, I think) tend to have more bargaining power, so they squeeze institutions a bit harder than others can. Having a facilities/admin charge for the facilities actually provided, rather than taking a cut of grants, would seem much fairer to me and easier to audit and benchmark.

For a while my own Dean blocked our researchers from applying for certain grants, because they didn’t pay “enough” overheads - so some promising research couldn’t get funded. You can probably guess how popular that idea was - and how disappointed the PIs weren’t when the news came that she would be moving on.

I agree about making the research output public domain as well; particularly in computing, much of the infrastructure we take for granted today came that way and through permissive University licensing (Berkeley and MIT in particular). Dan Bernstein has a good little page on the subject here, and has released a lot of his own material this way.

#525 - I think that $15k is just one part of the list, rather than the whole amount - but yes, it certainly is stupid.

530 sattv4u2  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:55:27am

re: #525 Varek Raith

That’s it??
That’s the amount of money is evaded having to pay???
Stupid! That’s nothing for someone of his income!… Why evade it?!
Stupid!

Because it’s “his” money!!

531 Decatur Deb  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 5:56:14am

Time to stir. BBL

532 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:02:16am

China sells its drones using videos of them destroying US aircraft carriers

Check out the latest from the Air Show China. This year, China is showcasing numerous models of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones); most of which are for sale.

Look closely at the WJ600 model:

“The Chinese drone of greatest potential concern to the U.S. is the one with several missiles and a jet engine—called the WJ600—which was displayed by China Aerospace Science & Industry Corp., or Casic, one of China’s top weapons makers.

Casic officials declined to comment, but a video and a two-dimensional display by the company showed Chinese forces using the WJ600 to help attack what appeared to be a U.S. aircraft carrier steaming toward an island off China’s coast that many visitors assumed to be Taiwan. “

Excuse me? China is marketing the prowess of drones to…attack a US aircraft carrier? How is this not national news every day? China, one of our largest TRADING PARTNERS, has a video touting the eficiency of these drones by ATTACKING US AIRCRAFT CARRIERS? That is their opinion of a “good drone”: one that can attack a US aircraft carrier. Can you imagine Northrup Grumman airing an ad about one of their missiles attacking a Chinese military base?

And who are they marketing these to at this air show? OTHER COUNTRIES who would have an interest in….ATTACKING US AIRCRAFT CARRIERS!

533 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:17:33am

The US and South Korean Naval wargames were not at all aimed at North Korea or China. Nope. No sirree!

Nor were the ones off the Iranian coast meant to intimidate Iran. Coincidence.

It’s the game we play. The Chinese play it too.

534 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:24:25am

re: #533 Varek Raith

The US and South Korean Naval wargames were not at all aimed at North Korea or China. Nope. No sirree!

Nor were the ones off the Iranian coast meant to intimidate Iran. Coincidence.

It’s the game we play. The Chinese play it too.

Fine. The next missile system we display should show them blowing up the communist buildings in Beijing.

535 darthstar  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:25:06am

Google beat box.

Take the following string:
pv zk pv pv zk pv zk kz zk pv pv pv zk pv zk zk pzk pzk pvzkpkzvpvzk kkkkkk bsch

Go to Google Translate, set it from German to German, then click “listen”.

Morning, Lacertae.

536 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:29:42am

re: #533 Varek Raith

The US and South Korean Naval wargames were not at all aimed at North Korea or China. Nope. No sirree!

Nor were the ones off the Iranian coast meant to intimidate Iran. Coincidence.

It’s the game we play. The Chinese play it too.


The French were pleased as punch when one of their Argentinian-launched Exocet missile sank a British cruisier during the Falklands War.

537 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:29:59am

re: #534 NJDhockeyfan

Fine. The next missile system we display should show them blowing up the communist buildings in Beijing.

Sure, if you’re into propaganda. Which was the point of what the Chinese marketing the drone for.
;)

538 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:30:23am

Someone emailed this to me…

The following device would increase passenger and freight security without raising concerns about privacy or ethnic profiling.

Prior to boarding public transportation, individuals would pass one-at-a-time through a heavily shielded device that would detonate all explosives in their possession.

Explosions, muffled by the device, would be followed a few moments later by announcement:

“Attention standby passengers, we now have a seat available on flight 212.”

The same device could be used to protect freight shipments. Individuals would drive through a scaled up device prior to dropping off packages for shipping.

Not my idea, but I know brilliance when I see it.

539 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:30:32am

re: #536 ralphieboy

The French were pleased as punch when one of their Argentinian-launched Exocet missile sank a British cruisier during the Falklands War.

I’m sure they were.
It’s the game we all play.

540 laZardo  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:31:59am

re: #534 NJDhockeyfan

Fine. The next missile system we display should show them blowing up the communist buildings in Beijing.

Like a baws.

541 laZardo  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:33:05am

re: #539 Varek Raith

I’m sure they were.
It’s the game we all play.

Take it or leave it.

542 darthstar  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:38:04am

re: #538 NJDhockeyfan

Someone emailed this to me…

Yes, but if you were in line behind that guy, you’d have to step into a sticky mess to get scanned when your turn came up.

543 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:38:05am

I’m quite confident that we can kick Chinese drone’s asses. I doubt it could get close enough to a carrier undetected.

544 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:39:00am

re: #538 NJDhockeyfan

Someone emailed this to me…

Rofl.

545 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:40:18am
546 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:45:03am

re: #545 Varek Raith

The Kid From Brooklyn “Bat Day” (NSFW)

547 laZardo  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:50:01am

Nite folks.

America for World Cup 2022, here’s hoping. :D

548 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:53:09am

Judicial Watch Obtains Documents from Obama Administration Detailing Actor Andy Griffith’s “Misleading” Medicare Advertisements

Obama Administration Spent $3,184,000 in Taxpayer Dollars on Advertising Program Deemed “Misleading” by Non-Partisan FactCheck.org

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained documents from the Obama Department of Health and Human Services regarding a series of three Medicare television advertisements featuring actor Andy Griffith, which were deemed misleading by a number of press outlets, including the nonpartisan FactCheck.org. The Obama Administration spent $3,184,000 in taxpayer funds to produce and air the advertisements on national television in September and October of 2010 to educate “Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and family members about forthcoming changes to Medicare as a result of the Affordable Care Act.” According to the documents released to Judicial Watch:

“Mr. Griffith is featured in three Medicare television ads and provided his services to the government at no charge pursuant to a gratuitous services agreement. These three spots, ‘1965,’ ‘Music to My Ears,’ and ‘Cozy Chair,’ are only airing in September and October 2010. The production for the three advertisements cost $404,000; the total amount budgeted for the national media placement is $2.78 million, which breaks down per ad to $754,000 (‘1965’), $1,112,000 (‘Music to My Ears’), and $1,390,000 (‘Cozy Chair’).”


549 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:53:37am

re: #547 laZardo

Nite folks.

America for World Cup 2022, here’s hoping. :D


No way. By 2022, President Palin will be in the middole her third term and will have banned all foreign sports.

550 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:54:49am

re: #548 NJDhockeyfan

Lying to us is bad enough. But using Andy Griffith to do it is criminal…

551 NJDhockeyfan  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:56:42am

re: #549 ralphieboy

No way. By 2022, President Palin will be in the middole her third term and will have banned all foreign sports.

Hunting will become the new national pastime.

552 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 6:59:42am

re: #551 NJDhockeyfan

Hunting will become the new national pastime.

Hunting foreigners.

554 darthstar  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 7:03:25am

re: #553 Walter L. Newton

Where is the “misleading” information?

Andy Griffith fails to call President Obama a seekrit mooslim facist communist socialist Sunkist orange eater.

555 Sol Berdinowitz  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 7:05:57am

re: #554 darthstar

Andy Griffith fails to call President Obama a seekrit mooslim facist communist socialist Sunkist orange eater.


And he does not discuss Gomer Pyle’s bout of PTSD.

556 cliffster  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 7:26:10am

Barbie’s slightly less bad for little girls’ growth now..

Computer Engineer Barbie!

557 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 7:45:51am

World Cup hosts.
2018 - Russia
2022 - Qatar

558 lawhawk  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 7:48:20am

re: #517 sattv4u2

It’s my understanding that Rangel and the IRS are still trying to figure out just exactly how much he owes. Rangel’s spent a considerable amount of money on forensic accountants to untangle his tax filings (which is one of the reasons he cried poverty at the lack of counsel at his first appearance before the Panel). Rangel and the IRS will end up figuring it out and Rangel will end up having to pay. The only question is the total amount of taxes, penalties, and interest owed.

Considering that he was the Chair of House Ways and Means, he should have been canned from the committee altogether since he was there sitting in judgment on the tax policy that would eventually become US law - yet he flagrantly disregarded the law for years on end.

The House censure or reprimand means that he’ll continue to remain in Congress setting tax policy through his votes on the subject, even though he’s systematically underpaid his taxes for years on end. It’s a slap on the wrist and yet Rangel thinks that even this is too harsh a penalty. Yet, it should have been grounds for expulsion.

559 lawhawk  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 7:51:17am

re: #543 Varek Raith

I wish I had your confidence. After all, Chinese subs have managed to get into a firing position of US carriers in the Pacific without being detected. The Chinese might be more than willing to swap the loss of one of their subs for a carrier if it came to a shooting conflict. While a US-Chinese conflict is remote, the Chinese weapons tech adds to the number of threats facing the US fleet around the world - since we know that it will end up in the hands of those far more willing to use it (think North Korea, Iran, etc.).

560 CuriousLurker  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 7:52:20am

I’m very late to this thread, but in the article Cantor says:

In the “Search Award For” field, try some keywords, such as: success, culture, media, games, social norm, lawyers, museum, leisure, stimulus, etc. to bring up grants. If you find a grant that you believe is a waste of your taxdollars, be sure to record the award number.

He’s not telling laypeople to look for just anything that they might deem wasteful (no matter how little they may understand it), he’s telling them to look for things that are in the GOP’s cross-hairs and/or are part of their agenda.

success (I guess the ones related to “minorities” would be a dog whistle for some?)
culture (culture wars, anti-intellectualism)
media (lamestream media vs. the “truthful” Fox News, net neutrality)
social norm (more culture wars, anti-secularism)
lawyers (many seem to fall in the “law & social sciences” category, more culture wars?)
museum (perceived as “liberal”, evolution vs. creation, more culture wars)

I didn’t have time to do searches on all of them, but I’d venture to say the GOP didn’t just pull the recommended search terms out of thin air. I suspect that their “war on science” about coopting science & its processes, and then manipulating it to suit their agenda.

561 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 7:53:36am

re: #559 lawhawk

I wish I had your confidence. After all, Chinese subs have managed to get into a firing position of US carriers in the Pacific without being detected. The Chinese might be more than willing to swap the loss of one of their subs for a carrier if it came to a shooting conflict. While a US-Chinese conflict is remote, the Chinese weapons tech adds to the number of threats facing the US fleet around the world - since we know that it will end up in the hands of those far more willing to use it (think North Korea, Iran, etc.).

True.
I do tend to be rather overconfident sometimes.

562 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:05:36am

Does the GOP realize that their talking points for opposing repealing DADT is exactly the same talking points opponents of integration used?

563 lawhawk  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:07:50am

re: #562 Varek Raith

They don’t know and/or Don’t Care.

564 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:12:48am

re: #562 Varek Raith

Most opponents of gay rights seem able to avoid the obvious comparisons with racial equality, gender equality, etc.

565 CuriousLurker  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:14:27am

re: #562 Varek Raith

Does the GOP realize that their talking points for opposing repealing DADT is exactly the same talking points opponents of integration used?

The whole thing seems really stupid to me. Members of the military already know they’re living and fighting and working alongside those who are gay, so I don’t see what the big deal is about them being able to say, “Yeah, I’m gay.”

It’s not as if they’re suddenly going to start demanding that they be allowed to wear rainbow colored camouflage or something.

566 lawhawk  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:14:50am

This is just unbelievable and sucks in a big way. Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in NYC, which is one of the premier cancer research facilities in the world, was ripped off to the tune of $3.8 million by a clerk who bought and then resold printer cartridges.

A former worker at Memorial Sloan-Kettering stole nearly $4 million from the cancer center in a massive scheme that involved ordering a boatload of unnecessary printer cartridges and reselling them, authorities said.

The loot from the elaborate scam was used to fund a lavish lifestyle that allowed $37,000-a-year receiving clerk Marque Gumbs to move from a Bronx housing project to a luxurious Trump high-rise in the suburbs.

Gumbs, 32 — who was arraigned yesterday in Manhattan Criminal Court on charges of grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property — allegedly began his scheme in 2004 by ordering extra toner cartridges and reselling them.

In one astounding stretch from October 2009 through August 2010, Gumbs ordered $1.2 million worth of toner that wasn’t usable for any machine at the hospital, authorities said.

His alleged ruse cost the hospital $3.8 million.

Gumbs, who first started working for Sloan in 1999, instructed delivery drivers to call him when they were close to the East 53rd Street site where he worked so he could personally receive the packages, officials said.

Sources said Gumbs was caught on surveillance video taking the parcels — which never went through the mailroom — to a garbage area.


That’s $3.8 million that could have gone for patient care and research.

I donate there regularly, and am shocked that the hospital didn’t have sufficient controls over its expenditures to notice the discrepancies.

567 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:14:50am

DADT hearing.

Warning! Will resize your browser!

568 lawhawk  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:16:14am
569 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:20:22am

re: #567 Varek Raith

DADT hearing.

Warning! Will resize your browser!


Chambliss is an idiot.

570 darthstar  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:23:56am

re: #567 Varek Raith

DADT hearing.

Warning! Will resize your browser!

That’s what she said.

571 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:33:12am

Let me state the obvious for you, GOP.
Don’t ask, don’t tell is going bye-bye. It’s going the way of the dinos. It’s fin.
Mmmkay?

572 webevintage  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:46:09am

re: #567 Varek Raith

DADT hearing.

Warning! Will resize your browser!

My God!
The Republicans cannot just let this go.
McCain was nothing short of disrespectful….
And really did Sessions just imply that Mullen and Gates are giving the testimony they are because they don’t want to be fired by the President?
and I can not follow what Foghorn Leghorn Sessions is asking right now?

573 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:49:41am

re: #572 webevintage

Image: alexander_the_great.jpg

Laughs at the GOP.

574 Fozzie Bear  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:54:07am

Hmm I apparently missed McCain’s testimony. What did he say?

575 Interesting Times  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:57:06am

re: #572 webevintage

My God!
The Republicans cannot just let this go.
McCain was nothing short of disrespectful…
And really did Sessions just imply that Mullen and Gates are giving the testimony they are because they don’t want to be fired by the President?
and I can not follow what Foghorn Leghorn Sessions is asking right now?

They should look at this picture sometime

576 Killgore Trout  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:57:59am

An interesting page here: PFC Mannings secret IMs to betrayer | True motives revealed

Not much discussion of his ideology but he seemed disillusioned when he realized reality didn’t match his expectations.

577 reloadingisnotahobby  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:58:40am

re: #566 lawhawk

This is just unbelievable and sucks in a big way. Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in NYC, which is one of the premier cancer research facilities in the world, was ripped off to the tune of $3.8 million by a clerk who bought and then resold printer cartridges.

That’s $3.8 million that could have gone for patient care and research.

I donate there regularly, and am shocked that the hospital didn’t have sufficient controls over its expenditures to notice the discrepancies.


A reason to believe in a very special place in hell …for some!

578 Fozzie Bear  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 8:59:58am

There’s something i’m just not getting here. DADT was a policy instituted by executive order under Clinton, no? Why is the legislative process being involved? Was DADT a bill?

Do I have the history of this wrong?

579 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:06:36am

Remember boys and girls, the Republican party here to serve the interests of all Americans who are (in descending order of preference): Christian, White, Straight, Rich, and Male.

The rest of America can go (quite literally) to hell as far as the Republican Party is concerned.

580 lawhawk  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:19:02am

re: #578 Fozzie Bear

DoD policy on gays in the military is codified at 10 USC 654, among other places, and it requires a legislative solution to repeal. The Clinton Administration issued Defense Directive 1304.26, which addresses the statute and requires that military officials not to ask about sexual orientation (DADT). Eliminate/amend the references in Sec. 654, and DADT is no longer necessary.

581 wrenchwench  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:20:22am

I do not like to see politicians recruiting the populace to criticize grants made by the NSF. They’ve provided a database of grants already awarded, so all one can do with the information is bitch about it, and harass the scientist who received the grant.

Two of my brothers got NSF grants while they were working on their educations. One is now saving frogs and teaching, the other is working on supercomputing at a national lab.

The public has little or no means of analyzing the value of any of these grants. And they are not being invited to celebrate any achievements, only to criticize for the sake of cutting the budget without tackling their favorite projects.

/on topic rant off

582 Fozzie Bear  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:20:23am

re: #580 lawhawk

Gotcha. Thanks for that.

583 webevintage  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:20:32am

McCain is back at the hearings.

c-span.org

584 Fozzie Bear  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:21:47am

Watching McCain now. His ability to endlessly dissemble is astonishing.

585 webevintage  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:23:49am

Now he is whining how no one is paying attention to what the enlisted men want. And that when he was in charge he would never do a mission without asking his men.
That no one went around and asked…like you know, in that great big damn report that was just fucking released.

586 Fozzie Bear  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:25:48am

McCain is such a piece of shit. I can’t believe how close we came to having him and Palin running the show.

*shudder*

587 PT Barnum  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:27:17am

re: #585 webevintage

Now he is whining how no one is paying attention to what the enlisted men want. And that when he was in charge he would never do a mission without asking his men.
That no one went around and asked…like you know, in that great big damn report that was just fucking released.

It didn’t say what he wanted it to say, so it doesn’t count.

588 Fozzie Bear  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:28:13am

Droopy Dog is asking questions now.

589 Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:29:22am

re: #581 wrenchwench

I do not like to see politicians recruiting the populace to criticize grants made by the NSF. They’ve provided a database of grants already awarded, so all one can do with the information is bitch about it, and harass the scientist who received the grant.

Two of my brothers got NSF grants while they were working on their educations. One is now saving frogs and teaching, the other is working on supercomputing at a national lab.

The public has little or no means of analyzing the value of any of these grants. And they are not being invited to celebrate any achievements, only to criticize for the sake of cutting the budget without tackling their favorite projects.

/on topic rant off

Quoted for Truth! and let me add this:

People don’t understand that science and research drives our economy and progress. Sure, some of the stuff may seem silly, but trying to make a judgment call on what is or is not ‘proper’ science is short-sighted and dangerous to the future of technological progress and our country.

You can’t ask private enterprise to do the same research that is performed via government grants. Don’t get me wrong, I love investments by private enterprise and their work in progressing things further. But most research won’t make money, nor will the breakthroughs that the research develop make money, it’s the synergistic effects of many breakthroughs together that create a product that makes money. That’s where corporations shine, and that’s awesome.

But someone has to be willing to pony up for the base research and discoveries that create the foundations for companies to make those additional discoveries that are so profitable.

That type of research being attacked here is *exactly* what the government should be performing. Using a couple of silly research examples as justification for throwing the entire concept out is a partisan attack on our future.

590 webevintage  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:31:00am

I’m sorry but John McCain is just a dick.
Such. A. Dick.

I can’t figure out what his point was….
So we don’t need to pay attention to what the majority of respondents said because they were not in combat and that the only numbers one should pay attention to are the ones of people actually in combat?
When did the military become a democracy where the enlisted get to make decisions….

591 simoom  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:33:42am

re: #170 NJDhockeyfan

Wikileaks: Comic Book Secrets

Heh.

Related:
guardian.co.uk

The Russian prime minister, Vladimir Putin, has condemned as “slanderous” a US cable describing him and Russia’s president, Dmitry Medvedev, as Batman and Robin.
592 PT Barnum  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:34:16am

re: #590 webevintage

I’m sorry but John McCain is just a dick.
Such. A. Dick.

I can’t figure out what his point was…
So we don’t need to pay attention to what the majority of respondents said because they were not in combat and that the only numbers one should pay attention to are the ones of people actually in combat?
When did the military become a democracy where the enlisted get to make decisions…

I can see his point as the grunts on the ground are the ones that run the greatest risk, but at the same time, I don’t know why this even had to be put to a vote (which was what this poll was), other than as a courtesy.

593 PT Barnum  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:35:30am

re: #591 simoom

Related:
[Link: www.guardian.co.uk…]

could have been worse, they could have been called the Ambiguously Gay Duo

594 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:38:24am

re: #585 webevintage

Now he is whining how no one is paying attention to what the enlisted men want. And that when he was in charge he would never do a mission without asking his men.
That no one went around and asked…like you know, in that great big damn report that was just fucking released.

Alright.
Then they should ask if they want to go to war or not.
Or ask if they want extended tours.
Or…
GOP logic on this if stoopid.

595 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:41:07am

re: #594 Varek Raith

Alright.
Then they should ask if they want to go to war or not.
Or ask if they want extended tours.
Or…
GOP logic on this is stoopid.

Way to go, Varek!

596 webevintage  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:43:02am

Now Wikileaks Grandpa McCain?
WTH?

597 Fozzie Bear  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:43:08am

The NSF’s proposed 2011 budget is 7.4 billion.
Obama’s proposed 2011 budget, in total, is 3.69 trillion.

That’s 0.2% of the budget.

Just ponder that.

598 Killgore Trout  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:43:24am
599 Kragar (Antichrist )  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:45:12am

Interesting.

Got a message this morning, according to Executive Order 13526, Section 1.1(4)(c), none of the wikileaks material is official declassifed, so according to this, reading or downloading this material still counts as unauthorized access to classified material by the DoD.

600 iossarian  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:46:16am

re: #597 Fozzie Bear

The NSF’s proposed 2011 budget is 7.4 billion.
Obama’s proposed 2011 budget, in total, is 3.69 trillion.

That’s 0.2% of the budget.

Just ponder that.

Don’t try to confuse me with numbers! Science must be cut! THE BALANCED BUDGET DEMANDS IT!

Oh, and please back up the dump truck full of cash for warplanes built in Oklahoma around the back. Thanks.

//End GOP transmission

601 iossarian  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:47:49am

re: #599 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Interesting.

Got a message this morning, according to Executive Order 13526, Section 1.1(4)(c), none of the wikileaks material is official declassifed, so according to this, reading or downloading this material still counts as unauthorized access to classified material by the DoD.

I wonder what proportion of Fox News we can have arrested?

602 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:48:26am

re: #600 iossarian

Don’t try to confuse me with numbers! Science must be cut! THE BALANCED BUDGET DEMANDS IT!

Oh, and please back up the dump truck full of cash for warplanes built in Oklahoma around the back. Thanks.

//End GOP transmission

The F-35 is build with an extra, uneeded engine thanks to GOP earmarks.
The DoD doesn’t want this, as it needlessly increases costs.

603 iossarian  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:50:41am

re: #602 Varek Raith

The F-35 is build with an extra, uneeded engine thanks to GOP earmarks.
The DoD doesn’t want this, as it needlessly increases costs.

SILENCE! The GOP is the party of American balanced budgets and restrained management of thrifty taxpayer dollars. The Democrat party just wants San Francisco depraved wasteful spending and pork barrel gay black museums!

604 Varek Raith  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:52:25am

re: #603 iossarian

SILENCE! The GOP is the party of American balanced budgets and restrained management of thrifty taxpayer dollars. The Democrat party just wants San Francisco depraved wasteful spending and pork barrel gay black museums!


LOL!

605 iossarian  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 9:55:13am

re: #604 Varek Raith

LOL!

Thank you, thank you. I have my own in-built incoherent rant generator.

606 Fozzie Bear  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 10:03:05am

For comparison:

The military’s R&D budget is 76.77 billion in 2011, or just over 10 times the NSF’s total.
The combined total of the Foreign Military Sales Trust Fund and Foreign military financing grants is 14.08 billion. So, we spend nearly twice as much on directly funding foreign militaries as we do on basic scientific research in domestically.

And yet, the GOP targets the NSF.

Lets just be perfectly clear how much the GOP actually gives a shit about the deficit: they don’t. This is about the culture wars, pure and simple. There is absolutely no rational argument to be made that it is about anything else. If it were, there are MUCH better places to trim the budget, for much larger amounts.

Fucking frauds.

607 Spocomptonite  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 10:13:15am

From the website about “YouCut”-ing the NSF

Step One: Look for Questionable Grants
Click here to open the National Science Foundation website. In the “Search Award For” field, try some keywords, such as: success, culture, media, games, social norm, lawyers, museum, leisure, stimulus, etc. to bring up grants. If you find a grant that you believe is a waste of your taxdollars, be sure to record the award number.

How obvious can they get? These suggested keywords are all the buzzwords of evil to them. They might as well be saying “If you find any keywords you don’t like, record the award number and we’ll try to axe it.”

Just to try and see what would come up, I searched for “museum”. A $2 million dollar grant to study the bacteria that live in the gut of honeybees stood out quite a bit, because it was quite a bit bigger grant than the others (it came up under ‘museum’ because the involvement of high school students in the research and required education for them to become part of the research is sponsored by the Peabody Museum). I can see know-nothing Republicans scoffing at this waste of research. But read it, and it’s a study on what effects changes in environment can have on the symbionts in bees that the bees need to survive, and basically if environmental changes are causing the decline in the main pollinator species for all of North American agriculture agriculture. Decline in bee populations is a serious threat to our food supply, but I bet someone will think it a terrible waste of money because they can’t/don’t/won’t understand science nor the complex relationships in nature.

I have neither enough faces nor palms to properly express how apocalyptic directing science research based upon the whims of populism will turn out to be.
/rant.

608 Kragar (Antichrist )  Thu, Dec 2, 2010 10:29:56am

re: #607 Spocomptonite

I’m pretty sure I could walk into any business in America and cut out things I didn’t think the business really needs, especially if I don’t have a clue to whats going on.

Fucking idiots.


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