The 7 Most Ridiculous Breitbart Articles of the Week

Can I get a witness?
Wingnuts • Views: 39,321

This last 7 days has been a real banner week for the blogging heirs of Andrew at breitbart.com; one stunning non-story after another, each one billed as a BOMBSHELL EXCLUSIVE, getting progressively more ridiculous in a crescendo of Obama-hating wingnuttery, building to a denouement of derp.

I think we should commemorate this unbroken string of total failures, so here are LGF’s picks for the 7 most absurd, irrational, yet inadvertently hilarious Breitbart-related posts of the week:

Breitbart.com Publishes Ludicrous ‘Not-Birther’ Article (Wink)
“We’re not Birthers!” said Joel Pollak, but breitbart.com’s audience got the Birther message loud and clear.

Literary Agent on Breitbart Bombshell: ‘A Simple Mistake’
Literary agent completely destroys the Breitbart Not-Birther BOMBSHELL EXCLUSIVE. Wingnut audience could not possibly care less.

Week in Review: A Right Wing Fail-a-Ganza
breitbart.com went ballistic over Elizabeth Warren’s “plagiarism,” called for her to be fired, and said she would “throw her daughter under the bus” to save herself … after the plagiarism story was already debunked.

Fear the Vetting! Breitbart.com Editor Joel Pollak’s Latest Bombshell Exclusive
BOMBSHELL! Barack Obama graduated from Columbia University! Why is that a bombshell again?

Breitbart Blogger Dan Riehl on the Trail of a Bombshell Obama Photoshop Phraud
The Phabulous Photoshopped Phootball Phraud.

Fear the Vetting! Breitbart.com Bombshell Exclusive: We Don’t Have Obama’s SAT Scores!
Another BOMBSHELL SCOOP, as the Breitbart gang revealed that they did NOT have Barack Obama’s SAT scores, and didn’t know what they were, but if they did have the scores, George W. Bush’s would be higher.

Vetting Themselves: Breitbart Gang in Yet Another Ridiculously Massive Fail
“Barack Obama, the First Tea Partier!” What more do you need to hear?

Jump to bottom

328 comments
1 Kragar  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:27:58pm

How did you winnow it down to just 7?

2 Charles Johnson  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:30:53pm

I'm sure I missed a lot of worthy candidates, but you have to stop somewhere.

I wonder if they have another massive VETTING BOMBSHELL lined up for tomorrow? Oh boy!

3 Kragar  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:33:05pm

re: #2 Charles Johnson

I'm sure I missed a lot of worthy candidates, but you have to stop somewhere.

I wonder if they have another massive VETTING BOMBSHELL lined up for tomorrow? Oh boy!

EXCLUSIVE: Obama didn't sell enough band candy in High School!

4 Charles Johnson  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:33:06pm

Uh oh, we have another derp sighting already: Busted!... Obama Headlined a DEMOCRAT SOCIALISTS of AMERICA Event in 1996 **FLIER** | the Gateway Pundit

5 Dark_Falcon  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:34:48pm

Breitbart.com: From somewhat-feared attack site to laughingstock of the internet.

Some organizations simply do not long survive their founder, and Breitbart.com looks to be in that mold.

6 Dark_Falcon  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:35:54pm

re: #3 Kragar

EXCLUSIVE: Obama didn't sell enough band candy in High School!

Well, this one time, at Socialist Band Camp...

7 Kragar  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:36:11pm

re: #5 Dark_Falcon

Breitbart.com: From somewhat-feared attack site to laughingstock of the internet.

Some organizations simply do not long survive their founder, and Breitbart.com looks to be in that mold.

THEY'RE CHIEF WEAPON IS SURPRISE!

SURPRISE AND FEAR!

SURPRISE AND FEAR AND RUTHLESS EFFICIENCY!

8 Dark_Falcon  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:37:43pm

re: #7 Kragar

THEY'RE CHIEF WEAPON IS SURPRISE!

SURPRISE AND FEAR!

SURPRISE AND FEAR AND RUTHLESS EFFICIENCY!

You forgot "a fanatical devotion to the pope".

9 Charles Johnson  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:39:32pm

The Breitbrats are gonna be pissed at Buzzfeed for getting the Democratic Socialists flier before they did.

10 Gus  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:39:59pm

Journalism!

//

11 Gus  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:42:47pm

re: #9 Charles Johnson

The Breitbrats are gonna be pissed at Buzzfeed for getting the Democratic Socialists flier before they did.

This wingnut's had it up since the end of March.

12 Charles Johnson  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:44:57pm

Here's one I didn't get to: KATHRYN BIGELOW SELLS HER ARTISTIC SOUL TO THE STATE.

John Nolte is raging at reports that director Kathryn Bigelow plans to incorporate the White House's account of the Osama bin Laden operation in her upcoming film. Apparently she's supposed to realize that Obama deserves no credit whatsoever, and make a film from the wingnut point of view.

Nolte is calling for her film to be "scrapped." Good luck with that!

13 Kragar  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:47:02pm

re: #8 Dark_Falcon

You forgot "a fanatical devotion to the pope".

So did they.

14 Dancing along the light of day  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:47:50pm

re: #12 Charles Johnson

I would imagine that there are many more that you didn't get to.
Um, and they aren't worth your time, except as you choose to expend it.
BIRTHERS!

15 dragonath  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:52:33pm

re: #12 Charles Johnson

Throughout the entire Bush administration, even as Hollywood was producing over a dozen box-office bombs to aid and abet and encourage al Queda

...al-what th'?

16 Dark_Falcon  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:56:08pm

re: #15 Be Zorch, Daddio

...al-what th'?

Hollywood was very hostile to George W. Bush, but I don't remember any movies that depicted Islamist terrorists as good guys.

But this is a wingnut we're talking about, so the truth is irrelevant.

17 Big Joe Ghazi  Thu, May 24, 2012 9:56:45pm

I think Osombie is the true story.

18 Usually refered to as anyways  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:02:11pm

For anyone who could do with a giggle, Australian humour.

Its in the letterbox...

19 Lidane  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:06:35pm

re: #2 Charles Johnson

I wonder if they have another massive VETTING BOMBSHELL lined up for tomorrow? Oh boy!

Prediction: they'll have proof that Barack Obama really did go to Harvard Law School. You know, because it worked so well the last time.

20 Dark_Falcon  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:11:39pm

Goodnight, all.

21 Shiplord Kirel  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:24:58pm

Dems aiding and abetting Al Qaeda? Osama bin Laden is still not available for comment.

Right now, there is a small but growing band of neo-isolationists in the GOP who very well might be inclined to aid and abet Al Qaeda themselves. One of the authors of the now-notorious Lubbock County Republican platform believes that the Mossad should be investigated for complicity in the 1993 WTC bombing and that the US provoked AQ and others with our support for Israel. He has publicly asserted that misguided belief in religious destiny is the only reason for our support for Israel. He also thinks we "provoked" the Japanese in World War 2 by "moving into the Pacific" and the Germans in countless ways (see Buchanan). He says Teddy Roosevelt was a socialist since it was TR who instituted the first meaningful controls on business in this country.
He opposes the minimum wage, supports young Earth creationism, and calls for an end to all regulation of health supplements. He is a major MLM dealer in the latter substances. His skin has a notably orange tint, possibly from over-ingestion of his products.

22 Targetpractice  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:39:34pm

I gotta admit, I almost feel sorry for Andy, or rather his memory. This site was his baby, his livelihood. He put hours of life, not to mention blood, sweat, tears, and other bodily fluids into making it run...and this pack of infantile National Enquirer rejects are yanking whatever teeth it had out with every "bombshell."

So yeah, I almost feel sorry for Andy...almost.

23 Shiplord Kirel  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:40:15pm

The Lubbock County GOP is at the cutting edge of wingnut derpitude these days. Where they are now, the national party will be in 2 years or so. Expect traditional Republican antisemitism and isolationism to break the last of the shackles imposed on them in the 50s and supercede "support the troops" and evangelically motivated support for Israel.

"One nation, one flag, one language, one loyalty."

24 Kragar  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:40:53pm

re: #22 Targetpractice

I gotta admit, I almost feel sorry for Andy, or rather his memory. This site was his baby, his livelihood. He put hours of life, not to mention blood, sweat, tears, and other bodily fluids into making it run...and this pack of infantile National Enquirer rejects are yanking whatever teeth it had out with every "bombshell."

So yeah, I almost feel sorry for Andy...almost.

The guy was a douchebag. The quicker his legacy crumbles to shit, the better.

25 dragonath  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:42:39pm

re: #21 Shiplord Kirel

He opposes the minimum wage, supports young Earth creationism, and calls for an end to all regulation of health supplements. He is a major MLM dealer in the latter substances. His skin has a notably orange tint, possibly from over-ingestion of his products.

Invasion from Planet Boehner

26 Shiplord Kirel  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:46:26pm

As far as I can tell, cutting edge Republicans now believe that school vouchers and alternate health care will be more profitable than the military industrial complex in the future. This is certainly the case if they can get the minimum wage and OSHA abolished, greatly enhancing their other profit sectors like contract temp services and fast food franchises.

27 simoom  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:56:27pm

re: #12 Charles Johnson

Here's one I didn't get to: KATHRYN BIGELOW SELLS HER ARTISTIC SOUL TO THE STATE.

[Link: fox6now.com...]

Pentagon press secretary George Little disputed some of the allegations. He said that while a planner was suggested as a possible point of contact for information on the bin Laden raid, a meeting between that planner and the filmmakers never occurred.

He said the Defense Department engages on a regular basis with the entertainment industry on movie projects, and the goal is to “make them as realistic as possible. We believe this is an important service that we provide.”

Little added that Pentagon officials did meet with producers of the film but said, “We have never reviewed a script of the movie.”

Little also denied that the cooperation was an attempt to boost President Barack Obama’s election chances, and said the movie would not be out until after the election.

CIA spokesman Preston Golson disputed the allegation that the filmmakers were given access to a secret “vault.” “Virtually every office and conference room in our headquarters is called a ‘vault’ in agency lingo,” he said. The ‘vault’ in question, that had been used for planning the raid, was empty at the time of the filmmakers’ visit.”

Golson added, “The CIA has been open about our engagement with writers, documentary filmmakers, movie and TV producers, and others in the entertainment industry. Our goal is an accurate portrayal of the men and women of the CIA, their vital mission and the commitment to public service that defines them. The protection of national security equities is always paramount in any engagement with the entertainment industry.”

The spokesman said that when appropriate, the CIA arranges visits to the agency for unclassified meetings.

28 Shiplord Kirel  Thu, May 24, 2012 10:58:39pm

I'm living in loon central, the prime nexus of global insanity and derp. You can't even imagine how loony the Lubbock County Libertarians are. Their chairman never met a conspiracy theory he didn't like, from trooferism to UFOs and the Afghan gas pipeline (still unstarted 11 years after the invasion that was designed to somehow let us build it). He quotes (and sometimes mis-quotes) Noam Chomsky liberally and claims that Russia Today is the only reliable source of news anywhere, yet believes that public education should be abolished.
What about the local Dems? I think 3 of them are residual yellow dogs and the other 5 are stuck in the 60s.

29 Shiplord Kirel  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:07:40pm

Last year, the local John Birch Society was allowed to give a propaganda presentation in history classes at one of Lubbock's high schools. It was pretty much standard JBS derp, centering on their long-running hatred of the Federal Reserve and FDR. They did manage to accuse the latter of "letting Pearl Harbor happen" and of conspiring with Churchill and other Bolsheviks to entangle us in the war against the Germans, who had many legitimate complaints doncha' know. The teacher was ecstatic over this new resource.

30 Kragar  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:09:18pm
Youtube Video
31 simoom  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:12:17pm

This Peggy Noonan WSJ Romney interview is really kind of odd:
[Link: online.wsj.com...]

Maybe they'll eventually release video or a raw Q & A transcript, but instead you have Noonan paraphrasing Romney interspersed with brief Romney quotes and even those are sometimes trimmed down with ellipses. It makes it hard to tell which thoughts and words are Noonan’s and which are paraphrased, rewritten Romney. Heh—and they filed it under their Opinion section :P.

32 Shiplord Kirel  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:14:49pm

My brother lives in a similar citadel of wingnuttery, Colorado Springs, home of any number of evengalical goofballs and mega-churches. Fifteen years ago, I was incredulous when my nephew, then 14, told me that his science teacher was a young earth creationist. Now, of course, we are completely accustomed to accepting this kind of idiocratic subversion as routine.

33 simoom  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:22:55pm

re: #31 simoom

From the interview:

"I think there have been inflection points in American history where the course of the nation has changed, where culture, industry, even military strategy have changed." The Civil War was one such time, the turn of the last century another.

Is that second sentence Noonan paraphrasing Romney, or all Noonan (I lean toward the former)? It's impossible to tell.

For an even more convoluted example, look at this excerpt:

Asked for an example, he mentions "I like to be able to fire people." He meant, he says, those, such as health-insurance companies, that provide inadequate services. "I have to think not only about what I say in a full sentence but what I say in a phrase." In the current media environment, "you will be taken out of context, you'll be clipped, and you'll be battered with things you said." He says it is interesting that "the media always says, 'Gosh, we just want you to be spontaneous,' but at the same time if you say anything in the wrong order, you're gonna be sorry!"

Why would you write up presidential election candidate interview like this...?

34 Kragar  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:37:24pm

re: #33 simoom

From the interview:

Is that second sentence Noonan paraphrasing Romney, or all Noonan (I lean toward the former)? It's impossible to tell.

For an even more convoluted example, look at this excerpt:

Why would you write up presidential election candidate interview like this...?

Because you're not really that good a writer and trying to substitute verbosity for eloquence?

35 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:43:22pm

re: #24 Kragar

The guy was a douchebag. The quicker his legacy crumbles to shit, the better.

SILENCE! I'm still mourning!

36 freetoken  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:45:20pm

re: #33 simoom

The whole use of "inflection point" is just... well, blah.

It's kind of like the phrase "a point in time" - it's just an extra word put there to sound more erudite.

37 freetoken  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:46:56pm

I suppose we'll see some enterprising talking head combine the two phrases into a doozy - "At this inflection point in time" or something like that.

38 freetoken  Thu, May 24, 2012 11:53:12pm

What a nest of wingnuts the commenters at WSJ have become. Note this relatively new comment on that Noonan piece:

46 minutes ago
JOAN DAVIS Wrote:

Islamic radical disciples or henchman are taught "taqiyya," the art of lying and deception to advance their terroristic religious causes. BHO is America's master of "taqiyya."

When running for President in 2008, BHO promised America would learn to embrace "Change," code for "Socialism." Instead of the "Hope" he promised, smart Americans are not the gullible BHO Fools that sometimes post on these pages and, instead, are "self-reliant," not looking for the BHO "payoff" entitlement to foster BHO's march to Socialism while devouring our Constitutional rights almost on a daily basis.

[...]

TAQIYYA!!

That's right, Obama is a socialist... who is also an Islamic radical.

The nut then goes on to link to this Youtube classic bit of wingnuttia:

Youtube Video
39 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 12:07:08am

re: #38 freetoken

What a nest of wingnuts the commenters at WSJ have become. Note this relatively new comment on that Noonan piece:

TAQIYYA!!

That's right, Obama is a socialist... who is also an Islamic radical.

The nut then goes on to link to this Youtube classic bit of wingnuttia:

[Embedded content]

I'd keep my video shorter and to the point:

Youtube Video
40 simoom  Fri, May 25, 2012 12:10:07am

re: #38 freetoken

What a nest of wingnuts the commenters at WSJ have become. Note this relatively new comment on that Noonan piece ...

I'm embarrassed to admit I couldn't resist making a throw away account, with some random name, and commenting on that WSJ article myself. I complained about the lack of a real transcript. Ordinarily I'd stop myself, since commenting on WSJ seems like such a pointless waste of time, but as election season approaches, I have more and more trouble breaking away from internet politics =/ :P.

41 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 12:15:32am

WSJ got bought out, gutted and had its reputation used to peddle halfassed wingnut theory years ago.

42 simoom  Fri, May 25, 2012 12:45:13am

Weigel, on the Romney/Trump fundraiser:

[Link: www.slate.com...]

How does the Romney campaign explain it? Below, I have printed the entirety of their explanation:

Just like the campaign refused to say or do anything when Arizona co-chair and Secretary of State Ken Bennett embarrassed himself on a birther quest, it is staying monklike about Trump's conspiracy theories. (There're the most coherent views he has!) I get it -- it's an old story, and maybe the media will move on. But how does this fit into the current craze of Rejecting and Denouncing things that people say on behalf of campaigns? Before announcing the Trump play, the Romney campaign blasted out these demands to Obama.

President Obama should disavow the endorsement of the daughter of Cuban dictator Raul Castro. It is galling that an envoy from a Communist regime would come to our country and lecture the American people on who to vote for while the regime refuses to hold free and fair elections and systematically violates the human rights of its people.

Does anyone want to argue that Raul Castro's daughter speaks for the Obama campaign, but Trump doesn't speak for Romney?

Are we really doing this again this election cycle? Constantly being called on to disavow the statements of unaffiliated foreign nationals?

Mariela Castro was previously granted three visas to enter the US, once in 2001 and twice 2002.

43 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 12:53:29am

Ah, youtube, when I'm checking out Iron Maiden and Dethklok videos, what really gets my attention is the latest Nikki Minaj advertisement. Your ad software certainly has my tastes pegged there. Well done sirs.

44 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 1:07:52am

I gotta say, nothing is cuter than watching an amateur economist twist himself in logistical pretzels in order to defend Romney's time at Bain. Apparently now, if you save 5000 jobs at the cost of 1000, that counts as "job creation." And Democrats aren't being honest when they point to the 1000 jobs as "job losses."

I swear, I can actually hear my brain-cells dying as a I read such derp.

45 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 1:09:37am

re: #44 Targetpractice

I gotta say, nothing is cuter than watching an amateur economist twist himself in logistical pretzels in order to defend Romney's time at Bain. Apparently now, if you save 5000 jobs at the cost of 1000, that counts as "job creation." And Democrats aren't being honest when they point to the 1000 jobs as "job losses."

I swear, I can actually hear my brain-cells dying as a I read such derp.

Providing investors a profitable quarter at the expense of entire communities is what saving the economy is all about.

46 freetoken  Fri, May 25, 2012 1:27:41am
MP3 Audio
47 researchok  Fri, May 25, 2012 1:32:17am

Morning, all

48 researchok  Fri, May 25, 2012 1:37:32am

re: #46 freetoken

When you are forced to separate the music from the lyrics, you appreciate both, more.

Good choice

49 simoom  Fri, May 25, 2012 1:43:07am

re: #44 Targetpractice

I gotta say, nothing is cuter than watching an amateur economist twist himself in logistical pretzels in order to defend Romney's time at Bain.

My personal favorite for the week was the Fox Business Network panel being collectively thunderstruck and then throwing out a chorus of objections when former Reagan budget director David Stockman went off message on that subject:

Youtube Video
50 freetoken  Fri, May 25, 2012 1:52:54am

re: #48 researchok

Not knowing what syllable is coming next keeps the brain from filling in too much ahead of time.

And, since the time machine is warm, here is legendary French tenor Tino Rossi:

MP3 Audio
51 researchok  Fri, May 25, 2012 2:05:09am

re: #50 freetoken

Your point is well taken.

Reminds me of the Opera of Figaro scene in the Shawshank Redemption.

The unlikely contrast between the scene and the music- we focus on both and that highlights/contrasts both.

53 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 2:10:24am

re: #49 simoom

My personal favorite for the week was the entire Fox Business Network panel being collectively thunderstruck and then all throwing out a chorus of objections when former Reagan budget director David Stockman went off message on that subject:

[Embedded content]

I think what amuses me so much is that you can now practically see them moving the goalposts in real-time. Between Romney trying lamely to blame job losses from the Bush Recession on Obama to his defenders trying now to claim jobs saved are the same as jobs created, they have no way to spin Bain as a good thing. The man has spent years touting his time at Bain as being an example of how he'd run things as a president, but the reality is that the job of a president is not to maximize profits for rich investors.

54 dell*nix  Fri, May 25, 2012 2:13:42am

SNZ - Bad Businessman

Youtube Video

Odd that I just watched this.

55 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 2:52:01am

Just realized i was up way too late

Youtube Video
56 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 3:44:21am

So, little over 12 hours ago, I started playing Minecraft, working on this one "simple" project. 4 hours ago, I finished it. And now, 15 minutes ago, I finally got the damned thing to work properly.

Guess it's another day at work as a zombie. Maybe this time I can remember to at least look awake.

57 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 3:49:12am

re: #56 Targetpractice

So, little over 12 hours ago, I started playing Minecraft, working on this one "simple" project. 4 hours ago, I finished it. And now, 15 minutes ago, I finally got the damned thing to work properly.

Guess it's another day at work as a zombie. Maybe this time I can remember to at least look awake.

I once got hooked for a few hours watching the videos of someone playing minecraft.

58 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 3:57:33am

re: #57 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

I once got hooked for a few hours watching the videos of someone playing minecraft.

I've been following this one guy's "let's play" series, it's actually what got me back to playing Minecraft. He's working with a slew of different mods that have added a whole lot of functionality to the base game. I actually just spent the better part of the last 12 hours putting together a machine he designed that auto-sorts things loaded into a chest.

59 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 4:09:56am

re: #58 Targetpractice

I actually just spent the better part of the last 12 hours putting together a machine he designed that auto-sorts things loaded into a chest.

Now I no longer feel that bad about wasting time watching those videos. /

60 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 4:21:32am

re: #59 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Now I no longer feel that bad about wasting time watching those videos. /

Well, most of the time spent was actually just mining for the materials I needed to build the whole thing. It really took just about two hours to put together, not counting crafting time. It's really about saving myself time going forward, as now mining expeditions won't be followed by half an hour of shuffling around to categorize everything.

61 Ayeless in Ghazi  Fri, May 25, 2012 4:23:01am

Shop Assistants - Safety Net (live):

Youtube Video
62 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:24:08am

Horrible story:

7-year-old commits suicide after constant bullying.

63 kirkspencer  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:33:05am

re: #44 Targetpractice

I gotta say, nothing is cuter than watching an amateur economist twist himself in logistical pretzels in order to defend Romney's time at Bain. Apparently now, if you save 5000 jobs at the cost of 1000, that counts as "job creation." And Democrats aren't being honest when they point to the 1000 jobs as "job losses."

I swear, I can actually hear my brain-cells dying as a I read such derp.

Don't forget the joy of deciding which Bain projects count for Romney.

Yes, he was CEO and yes the team running and closing it reported to him but GST steel wasn't really his project so those job losses shouldn't count.

sigh

65 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:50:04am

Morning Lizardim from the cool and clear wild north country. This Memorial Day weekend looks to be a bit messed up from a weather perspective; yesterday was rainy, today should be nice, tomorrow a mess, Sunday will be nice, and then Monday is yet another foul weather day. Sounds like a fun ride. What do the Lizardim have planned, even if you are a non-US lizard?

66 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Tears  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:52:52am

re: #65 thedopefishlives

Morning Lizardim from the cool and clear wild north country. This Memorial Day weekend looks to be a bit messed up from a weather perspective; yesterday was rainy, today should be nice, tomorrow a mess, Sunday will be nice, and then Monday is yet another foul weather day. Sounds like a fun ride. What do the Lizardim have planned, even if you are a non-US lizard?

One more historical location visit on tap - Fort Stanwix in Rome, NY. Then headed west to my brother's place south of Rochester for the rest of the weekend before returning to Philadelphia. Been a fun and low-key trip so far. Goal was to see things at my own pace and relax a little, and I have been succeeding quite well at that so far. :)

67 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:54:11am

re: #66 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

One more historical location visit on tap - Fort Stanwix in Rome, NY. Then headed west to my brother's place south of Rochester for the rest of the weekend before returning to Philadelphia. Been a fun and low-key trip so far. Goal was to see things at my own pace and relax a little, and I have been succeeding quite well at that so far. :)

Oh, excellent. Didn't realize you were away from Philly. Enjoy the restful weekend. Hopefully your feline overlord will not over-tax you upon your return.

68 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:55:32am

It's morning.

Dogs are fed, watered and taken outside.

I am here.

You?

69 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Tears  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:56:06am

re: #67 thedopefishlives

Oh, excellent. Didn't realize you were away from Philly. Enjoy the restful weekend. Hopefully your feline overlord will not over-tax you upon your return.

Got a cat sitter via a service for the week, and early enough that I got coverage for Memorial Day weekend. One that he is familiar with too. He'll still be a bit put out when I turn up - will probably follow me around the apartment for a day or two to prevent me "getting away" again.

70 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Tears  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:56:51am

re: #68 ggt

It's morning.

Dogs are fed, watered and taken outside.

I am here.

You?

I'm packing clothes for checking out of the motel. Grab a bit to eat and then go play tourist.

71 William Barnett-Lewis  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:58:55am

re: #68 ggt

It's morning.

Dogs are fed, watered and taken outside.

I am here.

You?

Me? Trying to get a 10 year old boy to focus on breakfast & dressing & getting off to school. Honestly, there are days I'd rather be herding cats :) Thankfully we're doing well this AM.

72 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:59:25am

re: #56 Targetpractice

So, little over 12 hours ago, I started playing Minecraft, working on this one "simple" project. 4 hours ago, I finished it. And now, 15 minutes ago, I finally got the damned thing to work properly.

Guess it's another day at work as a zombie. Maybe this time I can remember to at least look awake.

You know, admitting you have a problem is the first step . . .

73 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:59:47am

re: #69 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

Got a cat sitter via a service for the week, and early enough that I got coverage for Memorial Day weekend. One that he is familiar with too. He'll still be a bit put out when I turn up - will probably follow me around the apartment for a day or two to prevent me "getting away" again.

My feline overlord surprised me last night. He consented to be petted by the Mrs. Fish for a few minutes. He's normally very unwilling to allow anyone not me to pet him. Quite unlike Basement Cat.

74 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 5:59:55am

re: #71 William Barnett-Lewis

Me? Trying to get a 10 year old boy to focus on breakfast & dressing & getting off to school. Honestly, there are days I'd rather be herding cats :) Thankfully we're doing well this AM.

You mother said there would be payback.

LOL

75 Flounder  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:00:23am

re: #66 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste
uhoh, Oaktree is coming to NY, hide the valuables!!!

76 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:01:46am

Our friend Cosmic X has been impressed by us.

I could not help but think of a imaginary continuation of the Midrash, based on my experience posting at a certain "liberal" blog:

He went to the children of "the liberal" and said to them, "Will you receive the Torah?" They said to Him, "What's written in it?" He said to them, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination." They said before Him, "Homophobe! Kahanist! ! Downding! Downding! Downding! Downding! Downding!"

77 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Tears  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:01:56am

re: #75 Tommy's cone of shame

uhoh, Oaktree is coming to NY, hide the valuables!!!

Too late. I've been in the state since Tuesday!

If anything is missing from Albany, Cooperstown, Oswego, Utica, or Rome I disclaim all responsibility.

78 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:02:24am

Today in History:

Scopes became an increasingly willing participant, even incriminating himself and urging students to testify against him.[10] He was indicted on May 25, after three students testified against him at the grand jury, at the behest of Scopes.

79 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:03:35am

Now that the kid is 18, a high school graduate and has his own car and job --I feel so free.

81 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:07:47am

re: #79 ggt

Now that the kid is 18, a high school graduate and has his own car and job --I feel so free.

My in-laws are having their last child move out this fall. They are finally empty-nesters - at the age of 70.

82 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:08:48am

re: #81 thedopefishlives

My in-laws are having their last child move out this fall. They are finally empty-nesters - at the age of 70.

WOW, I don't think I'd make it to 70.

I'm not sure it will happen regardless.

Not sure I can take all the changes in the world that will happen.

:0

83 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:10:19am

re: #82 ggt

WOW, I don't think I'd make it to 70.

I'm not sure it will happen regardless.

Not sure I can take all the changes in the world that will happen.

:0

The funny thing is, it isn't even their youngest - I stole her from them 3-1/2 years ago. This one is almost old enough to be my dad.

84 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:10:27am

Kilgore!

Patio Frog is back! Don't know why it took him so long. It's been warm here for a while.

Dogs pointed him out last night.

85 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:11:41am

re: #83 thedopefishlives

The funny thing is, it isn't even their youngest - I stole her from them 3-1/2 years ago. This one is almost old enough to be my dad.

I have a family member who married into a large family. Weddings with this family were weird. Some of the older kids had grandkids by the time the younger ones were getting married.

86 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:13:07am

re: #85 ggt

I have a family member who married into a large family. Weddings with this family were weird. Some of the older kids had grandkids by the time the younger ones were getting married.

My wife and her parents' first grandchild are one week apart in age. Considering that my own family is not that large, it was certainly a bit of a culture shock when I first came up to meet them all.

87 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:13:13am

re: #76 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Our friend Cosmic X has been impressed by us.
Where is he posting that?

88 HappyWarrior  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:13:37am

re: #76 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Our friend Cosmic X has been impressed by us.

What a self-righteous dick.

89 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:13:53am

re: #87 Learned Mother of Zion

His blog.

90 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:14:59am

re: #86 thedopefishlives

In fact, they had 15 grandchildren by the time I met my wife. Number 16 came along not long after we got married.

91 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:16:02am

re: #90 thedopefishlives

In fact, they had 15 grandchildren by the time I met my wife. Number 16 came along not long after we got married.

Yeah, hearing someone with white hair at their temples call someone younger than them "uncle" is very strange.

92 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:17:48am

re: #91 ggt

Yeah, hearing someone with white hair at their temples call someone younger than them "uncle" is very strange.

Yeah. Thankfully, these kids are at least close in age. The daughters started having kids relatively late, so their oldest are not that much older than my wife and I. It would be rather awkward to have a nephew who could be my dad.

93 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:18:17am

re: #84 ggt

Kilgore!

Patio Frog is back! Don't know why it took him so long. It's been warm here for a while.

Dogs pointed him out last night.

Hooray!

94 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:19:43am

re: #93 Killgore Trout

Hooray!

But why?

95 HappyWarrior  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:21:13am

My family is weird like that too. My dad's oldest sister had my cousin when she was in her late teens so her oldest son is my mom's age. My dad, the youngest of them was 50 when my youngest brother was born. So we have first cousins that range in age from 53 to 11. And the 53 year old is a grandpa. It was really kind of neat that my grandmother got to be a living great great grandmother. Hell a good fraction of my great great grandparents were foreign born and some of them never even lived here in the US.

96 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:25:06am

awwww,

I whaaaaaant one!

97 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:28:31am

Just for Floral Giraffe!

98 tomg51spence  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:28:55am

OT
SpaceX Dragon at 30 meters from Space Center.
Moving to 10 meters "momentarily"

[Link: www.nasa.gov...]

99 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:29:56am

re: #98 tomg51spence

OT
SpaceX Dragon at 30 meters from Space Center.
Moving to 10 meters "momentarily"

[Link: www.nasa.gov...]

Thanks for posting that. watching now

100 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:38:16am

HA!

101 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:39:18am

re: #89 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

His blog.

Which is?

102 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:45:07am

re: #98 tomg51spence

OT
SpaceX Dragon at 30 meters from Space Center.
Moving to 10 meters "momentarily"

[Link: www.nasa.gov...]

I always wonder what all those people in Mission Control are doing...blogging?

103 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:48:45am

re: #85 ggt

I have a family member who married into a large family. Weddings with this family were weird. Some of the older kids had grandkids by the time the younger ones were getting married.

My oldest daughter married a guy who was the youngest son (of 8 kids) in his family. His father was my dad's age, and his older brother is my age!

Then my youngest son married a girl who was the oldest in her family.

104 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:48:57am

Could be see history in the making any minute now.

105 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:51:23am

We're a go for capture.

106 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:52:03am

re: #101 Learned Mother of Zion

It's linked to from his name. Also googleable by "cosmic x".

107 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:53:14am

Looks like they're standing still, but they're moving at around 17,500 miles per hour...that always impresses me.

108 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:54:35am

Needs the soundtrack to 2001

109 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:54:49am

Open the pod bay doors, Hal

110 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:56:23am

It's good!

111 Shiplord Kirel  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:56:33am

Capture. Elon Musk is the man!

112 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:56:52am

"Got a dragon by the tail." Nice.

113 Shiplord Kirel  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:56:54am

"Got us a dragon by the tail"

114 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:56:56am

Wow.

One arm catch at 17500 mph.

115 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:57:10am

re: #114 darthstar

Wow.

One arm catch at 17500 mph.

Dayum. Can we hire that guy for the Vikings?

116 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:58:21am

Greets and saluts from the NYC metro area.

Three pretty big stories today:
1) Dragon capsule about to dock with the ISS. A whole new chapter of space exploration is dawning...

2) Pedro Hernandez apparently confessed yesterday to murdering Etan Patz and then disposing of his body in the trash 33 years ago today. He was transferred to Bellvue Hospital in NYC and is under suicide watch.

It was unclear where Mr. Hernandez was held until he was moved to the hospital, and the official could not say whether he was transferred for any formal evaluation. Mr. Hernandez has been accused of second-degree murder by the police but has yet to be charged by prosecutors.

He told investigators that on the day Etan, 6, disappeared on his way to a school bus stop in SoHo, he lured the boy to the basement of the bodega where he worked with the promise of a soda, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said Thursday night. Once inside, Mr. Hernandez said he choked Etan, stuffed his body in a bag and took the bag about a block and a half away, where dumped it in the open amid other trash.

Despite the admission and confession, investigators still need to find evidence to link him to the crime; charges are pending. It's also troublesome that several family members had heard Hernandez tell stories of him doing bad things to a kid in NYC and that the kid was killed, but no one apparently took him seriously enough until the latest round of investigations in NYC earlier this month led one family member to speak with investigators.

3) Half a world away, Egypt is dealing with the fallout from the first round of elections - the Muslim Brotherhood's Morsi will be running off against former Mubarak Prime Minister Shafik in June. Morsi got a plurality of the votes, and Shafik ended up overtaking several other leading candidates, including Amr Moussa to wind up in 2d place. Egyptians have to choose between an Islamist-backed candidate and a holdover from the Mubarak regime.

117 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:58:58am

re: #115 thedopefishlives

Dayum. Can we hire that guy for the Vikings?

Don't spike the capsule!

118 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:58:59am

re: #112 Targetpractice

"Got a dragon by the tail." Nice.

re: #113 Shiplord Kirel

"Got us a dragon by the tail"

Hey! Let go of my tail!
Happy Friday Everyone!

119 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 6:59:13am

re: #117 darthstar

Don't spike the capsule!

I laughed out loud when I read that one. Nice.

120 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:01:08am

Patterico has a new post up about the harassment he's been getting from the "Speedway bomber" (now a progressive blogger) and his pals. Really spooky stuff. They "SWATTED" him. Called 9-11 pretending to be him confessing to killing his wife so the SWAT team shows up to him house in the middle of the night. Really shitty and dangerous stalking.

121 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:04:20am

re: #120 Killgore Trout

Couldn't the caller be charged with filing a false police report?

122 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:04:26am

Heh, watching the live video, I'm reminded of one of the reasons I could never be an astronaut, namely that I utterly lack the patience necessary for this sort of maneuvering. I'd be going "Come on, man, faster! I want that Tang NOW!"

123 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:05:03am

re: #95 HappyWarrior

My family is weird like that too. My dad's oldest sister had my cousin when she was in her late teens so her oldest son is my mom's age. My dad, the youngest of them was 50 when my youngest brother was born. So we have first cousins that range in age from 53 to 11. And the 53 year old is a grandpa. It was really kind of neat that my grandmother got to be a living great great grandmother. Hell a good fraction of my great great grandparents were foreign born and some of them never even lived here in the US.

My Darling Hubby RWC's 1st cousin was married to my mothers youngest sister, hence their children are cousins to both of us. Always blows the family's mind to think of it. Especially since were about to celebrate our 28th anniversary and theirs lasted less than 10 years....

124 Buck  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:05:12am

re: #121 thedopefishlives

Couldn't the caller be charged with filing a false police report?

They can't prove it. Made the call using VOIP (skype type) of phone.

125 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:08:18am

re: #121 thedopefishlives

Couldn't the caller be charged with filing a false police report?

Yes, but they use and internet phone run though proxy servers. This little group of bloggers also has ties to Anon. Apparently it's a form of harassment that's been around a while, I've never heard of it before.

126 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:10:07am

re: #125 Killgore Trout

Yes, but they use and internet phone run though proxy servers. This little group of bloggers also has ties to Anon. Apparently it's a form of harassment that's been around a while, I've never heard of it before.

I never have either, and I think it's such a load of BS that they can pull something like this and get away with it. It truly is dangerous, what if your intended target pulls a gun? Or something else bad happens?

127 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:10:47am

re: #119 thedopefishlives

If true, the perps should go away for a looong time.

128 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:11:49am

re: #125 Killgore Trout

Yes, but they use and internet phone run though proxy servers. This little group of bloggers also has ties to Anon. Apparently it's a form of harassment that's been around a while, I've never heard of it before.

It's just one logical step away from VOIP prank-calling.

129 Targetpractice  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:12:04am

Moving thousands of miles an hour, yet against the black of space, they might as well be standing still. There's a poem in there somewhere.

130 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:12:58am

re: #126 thedopefishlives

I never have either, and I think it's such a load of BS that they can pull something like this and get away with it. It truly is dangerous, what if your intended target pulls a gun? Or something else bad happens?

This is one of the many ways groups like Anon are counterproductive when it come to online privacy. Pulling stunts like the wastes police time and could potentially get people killed. Right now there's now way to trace shit like this but authorities will close the loophole eventually.

131 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:12:58am

Hey, they caught the S.O.B. who killed little Etan Patz! About time! Only took them thirty years or so.... Poor little boy! 1st time he ever walked to school by himself was his last.

132 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:13:38am

re: #120 Killgore Trout

Patterico has a new post up about the harassment he's been getting from the "Speedway bomber" (now a progressive blogger) and his pals. Really spooky stuff. They "SWATTED" him. Called 9-11 pretending to be him confessing to killing his wife so the SWAT team shows up to him house in the middle of the night. Really shitty and dangerous stalking.

I have read something like that as a plot point in a novel, also saw it in a movie (or maybe a TV show?) but this is the first time I have heard about it IRL.

133 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:14:00am

re: #124 Buck

The call is recorded on the E911 side, and yes the person making the call can be charged with filing a false report, even if the call was made on VoIP or Skype or other such services. The problem is finding and tracking down the responsible person(s). In that instance, a crime was definitely committed, so it's up to law enforcement to track it down.

134 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:16:02am

re: #131 Dragon_Lady

What's troubling is that several of Hernandez's family members knew - but simply didn't believe him when he said that he did bad things and killed a kid in NYC. If they had believed him sooner, the case would have broken much sooner.

In this case, it was the renewed effort to try and solve the case by the Manhattan DA that put the case in the spotlight again after 33 years. The press triggered a family member to call in a tip, leading them to Hernandez, who then confessed.

135 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:17:12am

Morning all. They cancelled my job today which is perfect since it's going to be the hottest day of the year and I have to get ready for the "showing" tonight and the memorial service tomorrow morning. I'm still working on wrapping up my eulogy, has anyone here given one? I'm not sure how long I'm expected to speak.

136 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:18:18am

re: #132 Learned Mother of Zion

I have read something like that as a plot point in a novel, also saw it in a movie (or maybe a TV show?) but this is the first time I have heard about it IRL.

It was real popular with the Anon kids a couple years ago...Until some kid finally got caught. It's a good way to get someone accidentally killed.

137 Obdicut  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:18:38am

A friend of mine is an apartment manager at a building where one of his tenants did a 911 call claiming that he-- my friend-- was keeping Brazilians locked up in the basement and torturing them.

They never found out who made the calls either, and the interview with the cops was pretty uncomfortable because the door to the street didn't lock properly in the basement (the door up from the basement to the rest of the building did) and transients often got in there, so there was some random human detritus that made the cops actually take it seriously.

Hell of a dick move.

138 Buck  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:18:52am

re: #133 lawhawk

The call is recorded on the E911 side, and yes the person making the call can be charged with filing a false report, even if the call was made on VoIP or Skype or other such services. The problem is finding and tracking down the responsible person(s). In that instance, a crime was definitely committed, so it's up to law enforcement to track it down.

Yes, I said that they couldn't prove (who made the call). Of course it is a crime. It does seem that law enforcement is not aggressively investigating it.

Another important part of the story is the funding connection to Tides and Terry Heinz Kerry. The stalker seems to have the gift of the gab and gets charity monies to continue his criminal activity.

139 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:19:09am

My boss was going to take us out for Sushi tonight


I think I'll pass!!!

[Link: www.france24.com...]

Japanese man cooks, serves own genitals

140 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:19:28am

re: #134 lawhawk

What's troubling is that several of Hernandez's family members knew - but simply didn't believe him when he said that he did bad things and killed a kid in NYC. If they had believed him sooner, the case would have broken much sooner.

In this case, it was the renewed effort to try and solve the case by the Manhattan DA that put the case in the spotlight again after 33 years. The press triggered a family member to call in a tip, leading them to Hernandez, who then confessed.

It gives me the shivers to think this sicko's been walking around free for so long... How many other little boys have disappeared over the years because of it? I will NEVER EVER understand how anyone could hurt an innocent child. I'll pray for the family tonight...

141 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:20:24am

re: #140 Dragon_Lady

WOW ,.,, SHE'S HERE !!!!

142 Obdicut  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:20:34am

re: #135 RogueOne

Shorter is always better. Gettysburg Address is famous for a reason. Unless there's some particular story that needs time to tell. Some people will be comforted and draw strength from the eulogy, but for other people it'll be something to endure until they can mourn privately. Of course, I'm one of the latter types, so that's obviously biasing my advice.

I've only given a couple, and heard more. The ones I found most moving were just the simple summation of why we were grieving for the lost person, and why we should always be happy that we knew them.

143 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:21:35am

re: #135 RogueOne


re: #142 Obdicut

The ones I found most moving were just the simple summation of why we were grieving for the lost person, and why we should always be happy that we knew them.

This ,, again

144 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:22:35am

Here's the kid I remembered:

Prank 911 Calls Send SWAT Teams to Unsuspecting Homes
[Link: www.foxnews.com...]

If it's the same kid he was on /b while he was doing it. He was taking requests on who to SWAT.

145 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:22:51am

re: #141 sattv4u2

WOW ,.,, SHE'S HERE !!!

Hey sattv4u2, hows it going? Sorry I was absent for so long. I's hard to get on line when RWC's in the house and I get pretty busy during the day, what with dealing with the family stuff and all.

146 Mattand  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:24:00am

re: #135 RogueOne

I gave one once for a friend/co-worker. I was at the podium for maybe 10 minutes, tops. However, I wasn't the "featured" speaker, as other people were asked to come up and speak.

I think Obdicut has it right: compact but respectful. Condolences for your loss.

147 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:24:37am

re: #145 Dragon_Lady

Hey sattv4u2, hows it going? Sorry I was absent for so long. I's hard to get on line when RWC's in the house and I get pretty busy during the day, what with dealing with the family stuff and all.

send him out on an errand and change the locks!

/

148 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:24:42am

re: #135 RogueOne

Morning all. They cancelled my job today which is perfect since it's going to be the hottest day of the year and I have to get ready for the "showing" tonight and the memorial service tomorrow morning. I'm still working on wrapping up my eulogy, has anyone here given one? I'm not sure how long I'm expected to speak.

At my dad's funeral, my sister told some funny stories, I talked about the Spanish Flu pandemic and my uncle rambled on about HBO "Boardwalk Empire"

149 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:24:52am

re: #135 RogueOne

Morning all. They cancelled my job today which is perfect since it's going to be the hottest day of the year and I have to get ready for the "showing" tonight and the memorial service tomorrow morning. I'm still working on wrapping up my eulogy, has anyone here given one? I'm not sure how long I'm expected to speak.

I gave an off-the cuff eulogy for my grandmother at her funeral when I realized nobody else was prepared or willing to. Kept it short, then recited Tennyson's poem 'Break, break, break' from memory.

Break, break, break,
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.

O, well for the fisherman's boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O, well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!

And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanish'd hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!

Break, break, break
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me.

150 William Barnett-Lewis  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:24:57am

The Day Taps Echoed Through Belgian Hills...

[Link: www.npr.org...]

151 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:27:18am

re: #142 Obdicut

Thanks obdi. I was thinking 5 minutes or so but I didn't want it to seem like I was cutting it short. There are only 2 of us that are definitely speaking but he had a ton of friends and family that will be there and they'll have an opportunity at the end to speak if they want.

152 Buck  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:27:54am

re: #135 RogueOne

I have done more than my share.

Meet with the immediate family.
try and summarize the persons life with hilights you get from the people closest to them.
be as religious as they would have been.

153 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:28:50am

re: #138 Buck

Another important part of the story is the funding connection to Tides and Terry Heinz Kerry. The stalker seems to have the gift of the gab and gets charity monies to continue his criminal activity.

It seems they're getting quite a bit of money. Given their past history of violence and criminal activity I'm sure they're already plenty dangerous. But now it seems they're trying to protect their income. Tides should not be giving them money. They are also associates and business partners with the guy from Brad Blog so that makes him a dick too.

154 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:29:19am

WOW! Pakistan's U.S. foreign aids been slashed by 33 mil! Bi-partisan agreement on the cuts all the way across the board! The Senate Arms services committee is also going to slash funds to them! Treason my butt! They should have given that doctor a medal for his work!
Personally I think they should have cut it down even further, like all the way to nothing! Nice to see Congress working together for once!

155 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:29:40am

Looks like everyone's enjoying mocking the Breitbartians.

156 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:30:16am

re: #147 sattv4u2

send him out on an errand and change the locks!

/

Tried that once // he's good at picking locks! Lol!

157 Gus  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:30:40am

Awesome. We're doing Tides conspiracies this morning.

158 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:31:00am

re: #156 Dragon_Lady

Tried that once // he's good at picking locks! Lol!

Me too
I'm so old I practiced on chastity belts!!

159 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:31:52am

re: #157 Gus

Awesome. We're doing Tides conspiracies this morning.

Wait, what?

160 Gus  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:32:35am

re: #159 thedopefishlives

Wait, what?

The wingnuts are trying to connect this "Speedway Bomber" guy to Tides.

161 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:32:47am

re: #152 Buck

I have done more than my share.

Meet with the immediate family.
try and summarize the persons life with hilights you get from the people closest to them.
be as religious as they would have been.

That last part is going to be a problem since I'm the only atheist speaking. My biggest problem has been that my favorite stories are in no way appropriate for the setting. I knew the theme I wanted to express right away. When I told my wife that it just popped in my head her first question was "Is it clean?". He was more of a libertarian-methodist. He never passed judgement, never told me I was going to hell, and never tried to recruit me to the cause. A live and let live religious man.

162 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:33:05am

re: #158 sattv4u2

Me too
I'm so old I practiced on chastity belts!!

LOL! I have missed your whit sattv!

163 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:33:51am

re: #135 RogueOne

I gave one for my grandmother, and it was short in part because I could barely keep it together to do anything longer. Told a few anecdotes, spoke from the heart, and said that she would be dearly missed.

164 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:34:24am

re: #162 Dragon_Lady

LOL! I have missed your whit sattv!

Well,I've been missing my marbles for years now,, maybe my wit went wit' em !!!

165 Buck  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:35:07am

re: #161 RogueOne

That last part is going to be a problem since I'm the only atheist speaking.

My advice is to put your views on the sidelines and show respect to the family and their needs in this difficult time.

166 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:35:21am

re: #164 sattv4u2

Well,I've been missing my marbles for years now,, maybe my wit went wit' em !!!

Um, I'm not gonna touch that one. LOL!

167 Daniel Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:35:54am

re: #147 sattv4u2

send him out on an errand and change the locks!

/

Or maybe Apple will see fit to improve how nice powerful Ipads work in browser mode...

re: #156 Dragon_Lady

Tried that once // he's good at picking locks! Lol!

*winks*

168 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:36:02am

re: #160 Gus

The wingnuts are trying to connect this "Speedway Bomber" guy to Tides.

Here's the tax filing: [Link: www.guidestar.org...]

It appears to be true.

169 Buck  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:36:47am

re: #160 Gus

The wingnuts are trying to connect this "Speedway Bomber" guy to Tides.

Sure, much better to help hide the fact. If Tides was tricked it does not mean they are being blamed. However it is better to expose the whole story. Sunlight/ disinfect that sort of thing.

170 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:36:54am

re: #168 Killgore Trout

You ole wingnut, you!

171 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:37:17am
172 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:37:55am

re: #167 Daniel Ballard

Or maybe Apple will see fit to improve how nice powerful Ipads work in browser mode...

re: #156 Dragon_Lady

*winks*

Here I was ,,, having a nice conversation with the Lady ,, and you ,, YOU come along!!

There Goes The Neighborhood!!!
/

173 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:38:21am

re: #170 sattv4u2

You ole wingnut, you!

Do these pantaloons make me look fat?

174 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:38:25am

re: #167 Daniel Ballard

Or maybe Apple will see fit to improve how nice powerful Ipads work in browser mode...

re: #156 Dragon_Lady

*winks*

Ooops, caught! Um, Hi Babe! (LOL)

175 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:39:39am

Well, dogs are taking their mid-morning nap.

I think I'll join them.

Then I have to go to Home Depot and begin a home improvement/repair project. I'll do the hard part today. :)

Have a great one all!

176 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:39:55am

re: #173 Killgore Trout

Do these pantaloons make me look fat?

I hear the reason you wear a tri-corner hat is because you're head is actually that shape!

177 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:40:05am

re: #165 Buck

My advice is to put your views on the sidelines and show respect to the family and their needs in this difficult time.

Whatever people need to deal with their grief is their business, not mine. We were tight because we didn't harass each other about our differences. It's not like anyone is about to ask me to lead prayer or anything. The other speaker is the preacher who did their wedding and who was also my freshman year roommate. He jokes that his time with me is what put him on the right path, a year long "scared straight" episode.

178 Daniel Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:40:40am

re: #174 Dragon_Lady

Just to quote from Ironman

"You've caught me doing worse things"


BTW there are shiny new features since you been on. That pencil icon lets us edit our comments for s short time after we post. Next I want to figure out how to embed tweets. -edit- another recent feature.

179 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:41:20am

Ahhh. those crazy Ukrainians! The do love their fist fights, don't they? Their Parliament is at it again, fisticuffs all the way. Such little boys.

180 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:41:35am
181 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:42:05am

re: #178 Daniel Ballard

I want to figure out how to embed tweets.

Dinner,,, drinks ,, maybe some flowers!!

oh ,,wait,,, EMbed ,, not IN bed ,,,, nevahmind!!!

182 Daniel Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:43:11am

re: #179 Dragon_Lady

Hey try this link
It should open up spotify and I think you will like it

spotify:track:00E0IRpkM6hvP6914b0aFf

Or

[Link: open.spotify.com...]

183 Obdicut  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:44:33am

re: #161 RogueOne

Yeah, don't fake being religious if you're not. It's disrespectful.

184 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:44:46am

re: #182 Daniel Ballard

Hey try this link
It should open up spotify and I think you will like it

spotify:track:00E0IRpkM6hvP6914b0aFf

Or

[Link: open.spotify.com...]

Nah, my back's beginning to complain about this chair, might go lay down for a while soon... Darn coffee's tightened it up a bit. Sigh...

185 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:44:55am

Wow. Talk about stupid:

FBI: New Jersey Mayor Felix Roque hacked website
[Link: www.politico.com...]

A New Jersey mayor and his son were arrested Thursday by the FBI for allegedly hacking into an email account and website tied to a recall effort — and then intimidating those associated with the site.

186 tomg51spence  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:45:38am

re: #135 RogueOne

Celebrate their life. What was most important to them, how they showed it, what they did, who they affected, and how you knew them and how they affected you - a nugget that touched you, possibly.
A key word or thought can be helpful to open with and tie things together at the end, such a family, community, faith, work, love of nature, or anything else.

187 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:48:08am

re: #178 Daniel Ballard

Just to quote from Ironman

"You've caught me doing worse things"

BTW there are shiny new features since you been on. That pencil icon lets us edit our comments for s short time after we post. Next I want to figure out how to embed tweets. -edit- another recent feature.

Yeah, you showed me the eraser thingy a while ago. Handy little gadget that. Maybe some other time you can show me the other shinny new toys Charles has blessed us with.

188 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:49:43am

re: #183 Obdicut

Yeah, don't fake being religious if you're not. It's disrespectful.

My wife and I had a similar conversation last night. We've never really talked about what to do if one of us dies. She didn't know what I wanted done with my body or what kind of service and especially if it should be in a church. She was worried that having people pray would seem disrespectful to my memory. It's not like I wear my atheism on my sleeve. If people want to pray over my ashes I don't see that as a problem. OTOH, trying to pretend you're religious when everyone knows you're not...that's definitely disrespectful.

190 Obdicut  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:51:40am

re: #188 RogueOne

Heh. You literally won't care what happens after you're dead.

I'd want my wife to do whatever made her feel best. Or she could foist it off on my brother's, they'd probably want to do a viking burial if they could get away with it or even if they couldn't.

191 Donna Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:52:30am

Well kids, its been fun. I have a sore back and am gonna go lay down for a little then I gots plants to water. I may pop back in later after the H2O'ing. Take care sattv4u, its always nice to see ya!
Have a Happy Friday everyone and Happy Memorial Day to you all!

192 sattv4u2  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:52:51am

re: #191 Dragon_Lady

Well kids, its been fun. I have a sore back and am gonna go lay down for a little then I gots plants to water. I may pop back in later after the H2O'ing. Take care sattv4u, its always nice to see ya!
Have a Happy Friday everyone and Happy Memorial Day to you all!

:)

193 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:56:38am

re: #190 Obdicut

Heh. You literally won't care what happens after you're dead.

Exactly. OTOH,if anyone plays an Elton John song during my service my spirit will find a way to haunt them. I'll get even somehow!

194 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 7:59:03am

re: #168 Killgore Trout

Here's the tax filing: [Link: www.guidestar.org...]

It appears to be true.

If true, you're free to contact Tides with this information. Like Rush Limbaugh advertisers, they deserve to know if they're sponsoring a bad guy.

195 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:00:06am

Enough dead talk, lets get back to something funnier:

A User's Guide To Smoking Pot With Barack Obama
[Link: www.buzzfeed.com...]

6. Interceptions

Barry also had a knack for interceptions. When a joint was making the rounds, he often elbowed his way in, out of turn, shouted "Intercepted!," and took an extra hit. No one seemed to mind.

Image: enhanced-buzz-14557-1337108149-0.jpg

196 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:00:46am

NJ politics and you - screwed up together. The OLS issues a budget notice finding that the state will end with a deficit of more than $600 million, and yet Gov. Christie (a Republican) and State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (Democrat) are pushing ahead with a compromise tax cut plan that the two hashed out that will cost even more money and requires one-shot borrowing from the state's nearly empty transportation trust fund to balance the budget).

Disregard the budget deficit and go with the tax cuts because it will mean votes in November. Throw fiscal responsibility out the window for a few votes. That's what this is all about.

Sweeney's trying to convince his caucus to go along with this (even as some members had been pushing for a different kind of property tax relief - still costly, but touted as more focused tax breaks for the middle class than the governor's income tax cuts, which would help the high income earners more).

197 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:01:54am

re: #195 RogueOne

Enough dead talk, lets get back to something funnier:

A User's Guide To Smoking Pot With Barack Obama
[Link: www.buzzfeed.com...]

6. Interceptions

Image: enhanced-buzz-14557-1337108149-0.jpg

I'd smoke a joint with Obama...hell, I'd smoke a joint with Newt Gingrich...but I wouldn't be caught dead having a glass of milk with Mitt Romney.

198 Lidane  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:02:10am

Cue the wingnut 'splodey heads:

Judge Rules DOMA Unconstitutional In California Case

A federal judge in California ruled Thursday that same-sex partners must be given equal access to the state’s public employee pension system, striking down a provision within the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

DOMA, a law passed in 1996 under President Bill Clinton, defines marriage as “a legal union of a one man and one woman as husband and wife,” which would limit the ability of same-sex spouses of state workers to obtain insurance. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken declared that unconstitutional, writing that there was no proof that the law ”rationally related to a legitimate government interest.”

The Obama administration announced last year that the Justice Department will no longer defend DOMA in court.

199 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:03:37am

re: #197 darthstar

I would not want to be around a high newt. Smoking makes me yakky, I can't imagine the level of boring a high Newt would bring. Who needs a history lesson when you're baked?

200 Romantic Heretic  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:06:05am

re: #76 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Yay us!

201 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:06:13am

Speaking of Newt:

Newt Gingrich Finally Reveals His Favorite Snake
[Link: www.buzzfeed.com...]

Surprisingly it's not a one-eyed trouser snake....

202 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:07:28am

re: #199 RogueOne

I would not want to be around a high newt. Smoking makes me yakky, I can't imagine the level of boring a high Newt would bring. Who needs a history lesson when you're baked?

Nah...it'd be more like this...

Hey Newt...
--Yeah?
What's the owl like?
--Callista?
Yeah.
--She's alright...keeps the rodents away. Did I say that out loud?
She ever cough up a pellet in bed?

203 Varek Raith  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:07:59am

At this rate, we'll keep getting younger until we suffer a fate worse than death: pre-life! Then death.
-Professor Farnsworth

204 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:10:52am

re: #197 darthstar

Of all the political people I would ever consider smoking/drinking with, Newt and Romney wouldn't make the cut.

At or around the top: GWB, Obama, Clinton (both), DP Moynihan, Tip O'Neil, Jerry Brown, Condi Rice, and Ronald Reagan

205 goddamnedfrank  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:10:53am

re: #168 Killgore Trout

Here's the tax filing: [Link: www.guidestar.org...]

It appears to be true.

Can you show me where Tides appears in that document? Nobody's disputing that Kimberlin was hired to run JTMP, for what appears to be $9 and 38 cents per hour. I'm not saying that Tides didn't fund JTMP, I'm sure they did, but it would be informative to see confirmed documentation of the amounts and years that funding took place and how/if they dovetail with Kimberlin's tenure of employment.

206 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:13:25am

Labs kick ass. (via buzzfeed)

Coast Guard Canine “Saves” Boy
Dogs have no understanding of “life jackets”, but that's fine.

Youtube Video
207 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:16:58am

Katie Perry made a Marine's (fill in the blank) after having him come on stage to recreate the famous WWII-ending kiss:

[Link: gothamist.com...]

Ah, the joys of NYC Fleet Week.

208 Varek Raith  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:20:04am

Japan's fugitive penguin captured
Heh.

209 wrenchwench  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:21:13am

re: #76 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Our friend Cosmic X has been impressed by us.

They said before Him, "Homophobe! Kahanist! ! Downding! Downding! Downding! Downding! Downding!"

We have a candidate for some ointment.

210 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:21:17am

I think I waste more time on Buzzfeed more than any other site:

35 Animals That Desperately Need Your Help
[Link: www.buzzfeed.com...]

4. This dog that just got hit in the groin with a tennis ball
Image: enhanced-buzz-28206-1337802905-13.jpg

211 Varek Raith  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:22:27am

re: #210 RogueOne

I think I waste more time on Buzzfeed more than any other site:

35 Animals That Desperately Need Your Help
[Link: www.buzzfeed.com...]

4. This dog that just got hit in the groin with a tennis ball
Image: enhanced-buzz-28206-1337802905-13.jpg

Image: enhanced-buzz-31744-1337802905-6.jpg

212 Lidane  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:24:30am

re: #207 lawhawk

Katie Perry made a Marine's (fill in the blank) after having him come on stage to recreate the famous WWII-ending kiss:

[Link: gothamist.com...]

Ah, the joys of NYC Fleet Week.

I love how the first comment is someone questioning Katy Perry's patriotism for wearing a flag dress. What would that person say about this?

Patriotic/July 4th Weddings

213 Varek Raith  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:26:14am

re: #212 Lidane

I love how the first comment is someone questioning Katy Perry's patriotism for wearing a flag dress. What would that person say about this?

Patriotic/July 4th Weddings

The Ben Franklin one is awesome.

214 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:26:50am

re: #212 Lidane

Funny, but I didn't see any US Marines in the crowd (or on stage) that had a problem with Ms. Perry's attire. And they'd know a thing or two about Duty, Honor, Country.

It isn't an appropriate use of the flag under the Flag Code, but as you've noted, that hasn't stopped people from using/incorporating a flag into their attire on a regular basis.

215 Lidane  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:30:18am

re: #214 lawhawk

Funny, but I didn't see any US Marines in the crowd (or on stage) that had a problem with Ms. Perry's attire. And they'd know a thing or two about Duty, Honor, Country.

It isn't an appropriate use of the flag under the Flag Code, but as you've noted, that hasn't stopped people from using/incorporating a flag into their attire on a regular basis.

I don't think any of the Marines in that audience gave a damn about the Flag Code when Katy Perry was pulling a guy on stage. Heh.

And that kind of purity is ridiculous anyway. Yeah, the Flag Code says you shouldn't wear one, but let's be realistic -- there will always be clothing with the American flag on it. That's just how it is.

216 Mattand  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:30:49am

re: #196 lawhawk

Oh, for fuck's sake, Sweeny's in on the the tax cut? I missed that one.

The cynic in me says he's doing this so when he runs for gov, he can lay claim to a tax cut.

217 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:33:06am

The mindless wingnut chorus now screeches about "Soros' Tides Foundation". It will be pleasant news for Mr. Soros that Tides suddenly became his.

218 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:35:08am

re: #216 mattand

No, the cynic in me is saying that he wants to stay in his job, and wants to maintain his majority, so he'll get his fellow Democrats to go along with a tax cut since everyone in NJ politics promises property tax relief while no relief actually happens - we only seem to get tax hikes even when property tax relief programs are instituted - the gross income (personal income) tax was instituted in NJ as a means of property tax relief back in the 1970s, and Gov. Corzine imposed a sales tax hike to fund property tax relief - but the relief program was killed, all while the tax hike remained in place.

219 Varek Raith  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:36:26am

NJ politics.
Lol.
That is all.

220 Mattand  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:39:48am

re: #218 lawhawk

Ugh. I'm all for tax cuts if they don't blow a crater in your budget (coughBUSHcough). This is ridiculous. Maybe it's just me, but I wish they'd deal with the property tax first.

It's shit like this that at times makes me wish there was a viable 3rd party.

221 Interesting Times  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:40:36am

re: #217 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

The mindless wingnut chorus now screeches about "Soros' Tides Foundation". It will be pleasant news for Mr. Soros that Tides suddenly became his.

Seems like a highly convenient "SQUIRREL!" for this:

Did Glenn Beck's rhetoric inspire violence?

Specifically, his dozens of comments attacking the Tides Foundation are being linked to the attempt by a heavily-armed man to assassinate employees at the San Francisco-based foundation, which funds environmental, human rights, and other progressive projects. The attack in July was thwarted in a shoot-out with police in which two officers were wounded.

222 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:41:22am

re: #205 goddamnedfrank

Can you show me where Tides appears in that document? Nobody's disputing that Kimberlin was hired to run JTMP, for what appears to be $9 and 38 cents per hour. I'm not saying that Tides didn't fund JTMP, I'm sure they did, but it would be informative to see confirmed documentation of the amounts and years that funding took place and how/if they dovetail with Kimberlin's tenure of employment.

Ah, good point. I googled around a bit and can't seem to find actual documentation showing the grant money came from Tides. It's a convoluted story and I'm pretty unfamiliar with all the character involved. There's a New Yorker article from 1992 about how Kimberlin was milking his "non-profit" grants but it's subscription only. He's getting large amounts of money from somewhere. Maybe Tides, maybe not.

223 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:42:09am

This story is still going:

Report rips DOJ attorneys in botched Stevens's case
[Link: thehill.com...]

Two Department of Justice prosecutors have been suspended without pay and a Senate Democrat has scheduled a committee hearing following the release Thursday of a DOJ report that detailed the government’s misconduct in its botched case against the late Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

The DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) released its 672-page report on the Stevens case to top ranking lawmakers after more than two years of investigating the alleged wrongdoing of the federal prosecutors waging a criminal lawsuit against the veteran senator.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, has scheduled a hearing to review the report.

The DOJ, also on Thursday, announced it was suspending Joseph Bottini and James Goeke without pay. The report found the attorneys “acted in reckless disregard” for their legal obligations by not disclosing exculpatory evidence to Stevens’s defense lawyers. The two attorneys had already been transferred out of the public integrity division of DOJ in response to their involvement in the botched case.

I haven't seen anyone ask "If they'll screw a sitting senator, who won't they lie, cheat, and screw to get a conviction?".

224 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:42:55am

re: #221 Interesting Times

Seems like a highly convenient "SQUIRREL!" for this:

Did Glenn Beck's rhetoric inspire violence?

No, it's tied to the Kimberlin kerfuffle and allegations of stalking, which is naturally pretty creepy. That said, wingnuts can't stop lying even when they may be a bit right for once.

225 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:44:44am

Ah, here it is: Tides Foundation 2008 Grantee List

226 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:47:36am

re: #220 mattand

Corzine did put in place caps on local property tax hikes. That was a real attempt at improving matters, but there were enough loopholes that localities could drive major tax hikes through them. Christie and the legislature closed those loopholes and created a hard cap with limited exceptions (only a few towns statewide exceeded the 4% cap, versus previous years, where there were dozens that did so). Since most of the local costs are from education costs, followed by personnel costs, the main factor in keeping costs down is either by reducing education costs or personnel or both.

The problem is that taxes were rising faster than inflation, and we may be seeing that start to balance out a bit. But the state needs to address infrastructure and education funding in low-income areas far better than its done to date - and the state courts gummed things up with their Abbott rulings in the past.

227 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:48:55am

From a bit of googling it seems that some 2nd tier left-wing bloggers like Larisa Alexandrovna, Brad Friedman and some others were taken in by Kimberlin's pleas of innocence and setup/coverup. Kimberlin seems to save his stories for private conversations, slapping unwary accusers online with lawsuits. Now, certainly judicial mistakes are possible, but one would think a truly innocent person would state his case openly rather than legally harassing people with lawsuits.

228 wrenchwench  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:48:55am

re: #178 Daniel Ballard

Next I want to figure out how to embed tweets.

It's pretty easy.

229 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:49:53am

Tides Foundation 2009 Grantee List
Shows $51,000 to Velvet Revolution which is a joint project between the BradBlog Guy and Kimberlin.
The funding is a relatively unimportant part of the story to me. These guys are violent assholes whop are harassing and stalking political opponents.

230 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:50:59am

re: #221 Interesting Times

Seems like a highly convenient "SQUIRREL!" for this:

Did Glenn Beck's rhetoric inspire violence?

It certainly did.

231 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:51:35am

re: #225 Killgore Trout

Ah, here it is: Tides Foundation 2008 Grantee List

Thanks. The long list is the proof that there wasn't even a hint of malicious intent on the Tides' part.

232 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:54:14am

re: #229 Killgore Trout

Thing is how would Tides or any granting institution know what the grantee is doing outside the funding applications and whatever periodic updates are required.

An institution could apply for funding for X, Tides could issue the grant, with or without contingencies on how the money is spent, and the institution could spend the money as it sees fit or pursuant to the contingencies (if present).

It would depend on how the group arranges its funding for organizations. But just because Tides funded an entity that included Kimberlin doesn't implicate Tides in everything that Kimberlin did.

It would be a different story if Tides knew and approved of Kimberlin's actions and funded him accordingly. Thus far, there's little to suggest that's the case.

233 RogueOne  Fri, May 25, 2012 8:54:57am

MSNBC just played what they're calling the "strangest ad ever?"

Why Jeff Barth for Congress?

Youtube Video

It's not as good as the evil sheep ad but it's pretty amusing. The candidate said so far he's made $130 in donations on it.

234 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:00:46am

re: #231 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Thanks. The long list is the proof that there wasn't even a hint of malicious intent on the Tides' part.

I don't think it proves or disproves anything except Tides gave his project some money. I seriously doubt Tides knows or cares how much of an asshole he is or was. All they probably care about is he's a lefty activist. They throw money all over the place. Again, the funding doesn't make any difference to me. These guys shouldn't be threatening and harassing political opponents.

235 Lidane  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:01:48am

re: #234 Killgore Trout

So the funding doesn't matter except when it funds people you don't like?

236 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:02:24am

re: #234 Killgore Trout

These guys shouldn't not be threatening and harassing political opponents.

Got a double negative in there.

237 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:02:48am

re: #235 Lidane

I said...

Again, the funding doesn't make any difference to me. These guys shouldn't be threatening and harassing political opponents.

238 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:03:28am

re: #236 Learned Mother of Zion

Got a double negative in there.

Yeah, I caught that after I posted. The pencil icon is my friend.

239 Lidane  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:06:12am

re: #237 Killgore Trout

But if the funding doesn't make a difference at all, why complain about who Tides chooses to fund? What's the point of even bringing up the funding if it's irrelevant?

240 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:06:42am

Let's separate flies from frikadeller.

1. The story about Tides "sponsoring" a terrorist is bogus. The issue is legitimate in the sense that the anyone is free to point out to Tides that they should no longer sponsor JTMP, but that's that. Any attempts to besmirch Tides on the basis of previous funding are bogus.

2. The story with the intimidation and possible endangerment of life seems real. In any case, I don't doubt this happened to Frey. Are his logical conclusions about the involvement of Kimberlin's alleged associates valid? I don't know for certain, there is a healthy amount of speculation, but on the other hand the fact of some sort of harassment from some associates of Kimberlin is more or less clear. You may remember the time when there was a back and forth between Nagy and Charles and "BreitbartUnmaksed" chimed in with base insults against Nagy (Charles blocked him immediately). I thought it was some generic internet yahoo, but Frey and other wingnut bloggers make it probable that BU is a part of some clique that has been harassing some select people like Nagy (they mention BU by nickname).

I would not jump to concrete conclusions since the information by the likes of Frey is notoriously unreliable, but he does make a case that is at least plausible on its face. I guess we will see how it develops. The guy Frey accused of "SWATting" him already said it's all lies and threatened he will go to the police.

241 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:08:53am

re: #234 Killgore Trout

I don't think it proves or disproves anything except Tides gave his project some money.

It disproves that they singled out an ex-terrorist to give him money. If there were 5 orgs on that list, certain questions would be appropriate. There are what, hundreds? Just some possible chaff among wheat.

So yes, the long list does prove a thing.

242 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:09:33am

re: #239 Lidane

But if the funding doesn't make a difference at all, why complain about who Tides chooses to fund? What's the point of even bringing up the funding if it's irrelevant?

Just sorting out the details of a convoluted story. Wingnut bloggers don't have much credibility and their postings on this story and poorly written, poorly sourced and complicated. Just checking to see if they're telling the truth about the harassment. So far the story checks out.

243 wrenchwench  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:09:37am

re: #233 RogueOne

MSNBC just played what they're calling the "strangest ad ever?"

Why Jeff Barth for Congress?

[Embedded content] It's not as good as the evil sheep ad but it's pretty amusing. The candidate said so far he's made $130 in donations on it.

I'd vote for him!

244 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:12:19am

re: #241 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

It disproves that they singled out an ex-terrorist to give him money. If there were 5 orgs on that list, certain questions would be appropriate. There are what, hundreds? Just some possible chaff among wheat.

So yes, the long list does prove a thing.

They're a pretty big organization and they throw around a lot of money. I have no idea what kind of vetting and background checks they do. I would assume there would be some sort of vetting process just to avoid people stealing their money. I doubt they gave him money because he's a terrorist but maybe they overlooked it.

245 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:13:57am

re: #244 Killgore Trout

They're a pretty big organization and they throw around a lot of money. I have no idea what kind of vetting and background checks they do. I would assume there would be some sort of vetting process just to avoid people stealing their money. I doubt they gave him money because he's a terrorist but maybe they overlooked it.

He could have filled out the forms and lied about himself.

246 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:14:51am

re: #244 Killgore Trout

I doubt they gave him money because he's a terrorist but maybe they overlooked it.

If there were glowing recommendations and/or there was some good/effective previous work by JTMP, Tides may not have done the thorough checking of Kimberlin's past.

247 Varek Raith  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:15:45am
I doubt they gave him money because he's a terrorist but maybe they overlooked it.

He may also have a death ray.

248 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:16:08am

Texting win.

Image: 554478_3891386604344_1269379018_33564745_2036956621_n.jpg

249 Lidane  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:16:29am

re: #244 Killgore Trout

I doubt they gave him money because he's a terrorist but maybe they overlooked it.

Because if someone is a terrorist, they're going to put that down as their occupation on a grant application.

250 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:20:06am

re: #249 Lidane

Because if someone is a terrorist, they're going to put that down as their occupation on a grant application.

Well, Lexis-Nexis search would have brought it up, as probably would a simple google search.

251 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:21:14am

re: #204 lawhawk

Of all the political people I would ever consider smoking/drinking with, Newt and Romney wouldn't make the cut.

At or around the top: GWB, Obama, Clinton (both), DP Moynihan, Tip O'Neil, Jerry Brown, Condi Rice, and Ronald Reagan

Newt's just creepy because every time he talks about fucking someone's sister it's in the past tense.

252 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:24:55am

re: #249 Lidane

Because if someone is a terrorist, they're going to put that down as their occupation on a grant application.

He used his real name on the legal paperwork for Velvet Revolution and Justice through Music. A simple google search shows that he did indeed serve time for a series of bombings.

253 Flounder  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:26:06am

Jenna Jameson wraps her car around a pole, there is a joke in their somewhere.
[Link: www.nypost.com...]

254 gwangung  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:27:37am

re: #252 Killgore Trout

That's relevant, of course, and it's part of researching a potential grantee. But what's also relevant is their record that relates to the purpose of their grant request. If they have a record of doing good non profit word, the past convictions are relevant, but not determinative.

255 Lidane  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:29:26am

Looks like the clusterfuck that is Curt Schilling's game studio is raising a lot more questions:

[Link: www.golocalprov.com...]

Finally, it’s worth noting there are also reports this week that despite the financial problems, Schilling apparently tapped the loan to pay back himself some $ 4 million he personally invested in the company, and that high-priced creative talent, like writer R.A. Salvatore, is slated to receive over $ 5 million in royalties from the sale of the initial game, “Kingdoms of Amalur” from a revolving line of credit that was created out of the original loan.

But remember -- they couldn't pay their employees and had a $1.1 million check bounce when they went to make a payment on their loans.

What a mess.

256 Daniel Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:30:07am

I am so done with Itunes bloatware. Ugh. For me now my music player online is Spotify.

A link to a band I follow and got to know a bit while they lived near me. I'm just a bit biased I photographed some shows for them.

Juke Kartel
[Link: open.spotify.com...]

257 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:32:32am

re: #256 Daniel Ballard

I am so done with Itunes bloatware. Ugh. For me now my music player online is Spotify.

A link to a band I follow and got to know a bit while they lived near me. I'm just a bit biased I photographed some shows for them.

Juke Kartel
[Link: open.spotify.com...]

I hate Itunes. It keeps trying to reinstall itself. It was always spamming me special offers and useless updates.
Hey, You met the Brad Blog dude. What was your impression of him?

258 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:37:05am

Somebody just posted [Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

259 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:38:06am

re: #258 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Somebody just posted [Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

Haywood Jabloeme
/Lol

260 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:40:53am

re: #259 Killgore Trout

Haywood Jabloeme
/Lol

Ohkay, that took a minute ;)

Troll?

261 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:42:35am

re: #260 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Ohkay, that took a minute ;)

Troll?

Probably. It is something that left wing blogs should be concerned about but unfortunately everybody will ignore it and hopes it goes away.

262 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:44:46am

re: #259 Killgore Trout

What's this place coming to? First Jenna Jameson nearly wrapped herself around a pole (a DUI), and now we've got Heywood looking for some attention. /

263 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:45:02am

re: #261 Killgore Trout

Probably. It is something that left wing blogs should be concerned about but unfortunately everybody will ignore it and hopes it goes away.

I'm still hoping for someone reasonable to dig into this...

264 RadicalModerate  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:49:42am

re: #260 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Ohkay, that took a minute ;)

Troll?

Between his MBF equating criticism of Dan McLaughlin's defense of Patterico's bigotry (who gives a shout out to Geert Wilders, to boot) with anti-abortion fanatics bombing clinics and shooting doctors, what do you think?

265 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:51:01am

re: #264 RadicalModerate

Between his MBF equating criticism of Dan McLaughlin's defense of Patterico's bigotry (and giving a shout out to Geert Wilders, to boot) with anti-abortion fanatics bombing clinics and shooting doctors, what do you think?

I frankly skipped most of his text.

266 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:51:32am

re: #260 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Ohkay, that took a minute ;)

Troll?

He takes down one of the Redstate dickheads pretty well.

And then when he writes that, ” Liberalism, as understood in the United States over the past half-century or so, involves the belief in a lot of nonsense” he isn’t, as such an astute observer and credible analyst of history including such movements as feminism, civil rights and environmentalism is he? As an editorial i’ll add that these comments are in the classification of those that say more about the commenter than they do about the facts of the particular situation. Dan McLaughlin is not a serious thinker. Dan is a silly man who is a lead writer for a silly site.

267 RadicalModerate  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:55:08am

That's gonna leave a mark.

Obama: Romney's 'prairie fire of debt' a 'cow pie of distortion'

268 wrenchwench  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:55:53am

...

269 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:56:28am

re: #267 RadicalModerate

That's gonna leave a mark.

Obama: Romney's 'prairie fire of debt' a 'cow pie of distortion'

OBAMA QUOTED AYERS WHO WROTE PRAIRIE FIRE BOOK!!!!1

270 HappyWarrior  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:57:44am

re: #267 RadicalModerate

That's gonna leave a mark.

Obama: Romney's 'prairie fire of debt' a 'cow pie of distortion'

Have to say the one thing I like about Obama is he's forceful in standing up for his record. This was something I think Gore and Kerry weren't good at.

271 RadicalModerate  Fri, May 25, 2012 9:58:41am

re: #268 wrenchwench

He's linking to and criticizing that.

Not a troll.

Yeah, I missed some of that - was looking at some of his prior posts and attributed those to this one.

Criticism retracted.

273 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:01:04am

re: #272 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Kimberlin stuff.

He's a very litigious guy.

274 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:05:03am

re: #267 RadicalModerate

That's gonna leave a mark.

Obama: Romney's 'prairie fire of debt' a 'cow pie of distortion'

Romney's feeding people bullshit. President Obama says so.

275 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:06:12am

I had noticed that nobody seems to mention the motive for the bombing spree. It seems it isn't clear why he set the bombs but...
[Link: americanpowerblog.blogspot.com...]

In fact, according to both Singer and Indianapolis Star reporter Joseph Gelarden, prosecutors suspected a particularly sinister motive for the Speedway Bomber’s terroristic rampage: To distract law enforcement officials who were investigating the July 29, 1978, murder of Julia Scyphers, the grandmother of a pre-teen girl toward whom, Gelarden wrote in 1981, Kimberlin had “strange affection . . . questionable relationship.”

Yeesh!

276 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:06:53am

re: #273 Killgore Trout

He's a very litigious guy.

Any idea of how a guy sentenced to 50 years for terrorism gets out in a few years?

277 Daniel Ballard  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:08:26am

re: #262 lawhawk

What's this place coming to? First Jenna Jameson nearly wrapped herself around a pole (a DUI), and now we've got Heywood looking for some attention. /

Oh, in her car...
///

278 Flounder  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:09:24am

The Roadrunner was feeling very amorous one day, and since there were no other female roadrunners around, he decided to look around.He happened to spot a lovely dove. Bzzzzzz... down he goes and feathers are flying, lots of dust in the air and the dazed dove is lying there with a smile and says, "I'm a dove and I've been loved!"The Roadrunner is still not satisfied. He spots a Lark flying around and zooms down on her. Again, feathers are flying around and dust is in the air and the dazed Lark is lying there and said, "I'm a Lark and I've been sparked"The Roadrunner is still not satisfied and spots a Duck. He zooms down and again feathers are flying and a lot of squawkings and dust flying in the air, and the roadrunner takes off.The Duck is lying there really pissed off, and says "I'm a Drake and there's been a mistake!"

279 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:09:24am

re: #275 Killgore Trout

I would not normally object to linking to a wingnut blog as a source, but wasn't this what you objected to yesterday, just from the other side?

280 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:11:43am

re: #276 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Any idea of how a guy sentenced to 50 years for terrorism gets out in a few years?

I read up on it earlier. He got lucky that a lot of the witnesses died or committed suicide. Here's the story: StarFiles: The Speedway Bombings, Part 2

281 simoom  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:14:01am

Has that Kimberlin story moved out of the RW blogosphere yet? I considered seeing what was going on with it last time it was bubbling up memorandum, but all I could see was a dozen twitchy, brietbart, dailycaller, hillbuzz, etc -class links. I just glanced at it now and the story is at the top of memeorandom today and once again it seems to be all inside the RW bubble links. I guess I'll go take a quick look at google news.

282 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:14:03am

re: #279 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

I would not normally object to linking to a wingnut blog as a source, but wasn't this what you objected to yesterday, just from the other side?

Since only wingnut blogs are covering the story that's where most of the info is. You're correct to be skeptical.
You can find the same info in the MSM article @#280

When police began looking for a motive in the Scyphers slaying, they found there'd been a recent family clash. Julia Scyphers' daughter, Sandra Barton, had become involved with a man who seemed to Mrs. Scyphers to be inordinately close to one of Barton's young daughters. Mrs. Scyphers told friends she was so concerned that she'd arranged for both of her granddaughters to come live with her. Whether or not Mrs. Scyphers' fears were correct (no charges were ever filed to that effect), this incident led investigators to start looking at Brett C. Kimberlin.

283 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:17:11am

re: #280 Killgore Trout

That doesn't really answer my question, since it doesn't deal with the parole beyond stating the bare fact.

Also, this shows that the Scyphers thing is just speculation based on some very tenuous stuff. Especially this part:

He had barely seen the man who'd come to the door that day and had only been able to provide a positive identification of Bowman after undergoing hypnosis.

Please. If some witnesses was "hypnotized" into saying something against George Zimmermann, you would be the first to decry this as non-evidence.

284 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:18:36am

Trump: ‘The Truth’ Is That Obama Was ‘Born In Kenya’

In an interview with the Daily Beast published today, Donald Trump asserts that Obama was born in Kenya, not the United States. Trump told Lloyd Grove, “That’s the way life works… He didn’t know he was running for president, so he told the truth. The literary agent wrote down what he said… He said he was born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia… Now they’re saying it was a mistake. Just like his Kenyan grandmother said he was born in Kenya, and she pointed down the road to the hospital, and after people started screaming at her she said, ‘Oh, I mean Hawaii.’ Give me a break.”

285 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:19:53am

re: #284 Kragar

Trump: ‘The Truth’ Is That Obama Was ‘Born In Kenya’

Romney pals around with conspiracists.

286 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:22:43am

Church Excommunicates Doctor And Mother Of 9-Year-Old Rape Victim — But Not The Man Who Raped Her

No matter one’s stance on contraception and abortion, most people feel sympathetic for a 9-year-old rape victim who is impregnated with twins by her step father, and is forced to undergo an abortion to save her life.

The Catholic Church, however, excommunicated those who helped rescue her.

In 2009, a 9 year old in Brazil had to have an emergency abortion after her mother brought her to the hospital for complaining about severe stomach pains and discovered the girl was four months pregnant. But after the procedure, instead of embracing the victim and offering to help the family, the Catholic Church excommunicated the doctor who performed the abortion and the girl’s mother.

The Church did not excommunicate the rapist:

287 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:22:51am

re: #284 Kragar

Trump: ‘The Truth’ Is That Obama Was ‘Born In Kenya’

How did such a dumbass get to become so rich?

288 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:26:15am

re: #287 Learned Mother of Zion

How did such a dumbass get to become so rich?

Inheritance.

289 Four More Tears  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:29:22am
290 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:29:24am

re: #283 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

That doesn't really answer my question, since it doesn't deal with the parole beyond stating the bare fact.

Also, this shows that the Scyphers thing is just speculation based on some very tenuous stuff. Especially this part:

Please. If some witnesses was "hypnotized" into saying something against George Zimmermann, you would be the first to decry this as non-evidence.

That's why he wasn't convicted of the murder.

291 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:30:46am

re: #287 Learned Mother of Zion

A couple of bankruptcies absolving him of debt due to bad decisions, coupled with inheritance of his father's real estate empire.

292 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:31:48am

re: #290 Killgore Trout

That's why he wasn't convicted of the murder.

Sure, because there was no evidence, but that wasn't my question.

Nevermind though, from what I've just read in other sources it seems that one can get out on a parole "early" even with a 50 year sentence. Apparently with sentences of more than 30 years one has to serve at least 10 years, and K served more than that, and was a "good inmate" or some such.

293 simoom  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:35:10am

re: #281 simoom

Ah, Weigel has a bit on it. He seems to have received a bunch of messages from some other aggrieved party in the matter:

Weigel: Opening Act: Blog About Brett Kimberlin Day

The goal of "Blog About Brett Kimberlin Day," as far as I can see it, is to make Kimblerlin famous again. Certainly, it's enough to spook some people. On Wednesday night, the conservative ad-maker Ladd Ehlinger tweeted at me to ask if I was going to join in. "Working on it," I tweeted back. All I meant was that I barely understood the story, and was reading pieces about it.

...

Have the "Blog About Brett Kimberlin" brigades figured out the legal risks of the enterprise? Are dozens of tweeters and bloggers, with no support networks, going to start fighting off lawsuits? Right now their allies include The Washington Examiner's op-ed page, Red State, Michelle Malkin, and the Breitbart network. So, we'll see.

Hmm, not really illuminating at all. I'll wait until it hits the mainstream news, I think, before following whatever it is.

294 Obdicut  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:36:01am

re: #287 Learned Mother of Zion

How did such a dumbass get to become so rich?

He inherited money and acted like he made it.

295 RadicalModerate  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:38:25am

re: #280 Killgore Trout

I read up on it earlier. He got lucky that a lot of the witnesses died or committed suicide. Here's the story: StarFiles: The Speedway Bombings, Part 2

I find it rather interesting that you've decided to join on this astroturfing campaign that is being genereated by such illustrious individuals as Robert Stacy McCain and Michelle Malkin - and are trying to make the case that because he turned to leftwing activism after being in prison for nearly three decades for violent acts that had nothing at all to do with politics, that all leftwing activists are violent. And it is rather revealing that the only person making a claim of being threatened is the neo-Confederate loon RS McCain (who has a rather sketchy history in his own right regarding these sort of issues).

And yes, it is a smear campaign that is being orchestrated by the far right blogosphere.

[Link: open.salon.com...]

296 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:38:47am

re: #293 simoom

A bit OT, but that book is a pretty fascinating affair. Singer basically blasts Kimberlin and accuses him of whatnot, but a part of proceeds from the book actually went to Kimberlin and made him at least several hundreds of thousands of dollars, acc. to what I read in some verdict.

297 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:41:26am

re: #294 Obdicut

His father was a savvy real estate guy - built moderate income apartment complexes in and around the City (Trump Village anyone?). Donald decided to go gaudy upscale, throwing his name around as the ultimate in luxury. Then, he dabbled in casinos and other investments. Didn't do so well with the casinos - those were the source of his multiple bankruptcies. His architectural style is nothing to write home about (overblown excess is the motif generally). However, his golf courses are well regarded.

To Donald, ego is everything. Otherwise? You're fired.

298 simoom  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:41:38am

re: #284 Kragar

Trump: ‘The Truth’ Is That Obama Was ‘Born In Kenya’

So he's no longer flirting with Birtherism. He's gone full Birther, and you never go full Birther.

299 Obdicut  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:42:33am

re: #298 simoom

So he's no longer flirting with Birtherism. He's gone full Birther, and you never go full Birther.

And Romneyis holding fundraisers with him, and acting like that's okay.

Romney is running even more of a gutless and divisive campaign than I'd imagined. He gets worse every day.

300 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:42:52am

re: #295 RadicalModerate

I think we should all be concerned with internet stalkers, outing, privacy and security for ourselves and our political opponents. When I first started seeing the story I dismissed it as hyperbole and exaggerations. I'm surprised that so far the story checks out.

301 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:43:15am

re: #298 simoom

Full fledged birther, and Romney has no problem being seen with him. No problem with Trump raising money on his behalf or anything.

Like I've been saying for a while, the GOP has no problem with the Birthers. They are wholly engaged and part and parcel of the party.

302 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:43:33am

re: #297 lawhawk

His architectural style is nothing to write home about (overblown excess is the motif generally).

I've seen brothels done in gold leaf and purple velvet which look better.

303 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:43:45am

Some pretty weird stuff happened during the Kimberlin trial:

[Link: www.leagle.com...]

A principal issue arises from the fact that six witnesses had been hypnotized during the investigation of the bombings in the fall of 1978.
A motion to suppress the testimony of these witnesses was heard and denied before trial. There was testimony by the two hypnotists involved, by knowledgeable experts concerning the dangers of hypnosis, and by special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) who had been involved in the process. Tape recordings of the hypnotic sessions were placed in evidence, along with transcripts thereof and statements of the witnesses, taken in two instances before the hypnotic session.
Judge Steckler decided to permit the jury to hear the testimony of the hypnotized witnesses, with cautionary instructions. The form of the instruction given each time a hypnotized witness testified, was agreed upon by counsel. It told the jury not to attach greater weight or significance to testimony of witnesses who have undergone hypnosis than that given to the testimony of other witnesses, and that the jury may judge what effect, if any, the process of hypnosis had upon the witness' memory and ability to recall.

Hypnotized witnesses? That's tampering with memory, I think.

304 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:44:05am

re: #298 simoom

So he's no longer flirting with Birtherism. He's gone full Birther, and you never go full Birther.

You would think he would STFU after getting his ass handed to him by Obama. (Google "Obama Trump Official Birth Video" since I'm behind a firewall here)

305 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:44:22am

re: #284 Kragar

Page it... Promote it....

306 Mattand  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:44:27am

re: #298 simoom

So he's no longer flirting with Birtherism. He's gone full Birther, and you never go full Birther.

They're making a movie about it called "Simple Trump."

307 lawhawk  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:49:27am

re: #304 Learned Mother of Zion

Facts matter not. And now that Romney continues to be seen with Trump, that gives the President an opening to slam Romney and the rest of the GOP for condoning Trump's nonsensical ravings of a lunatic mind.

308 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:50:34am

re: #307 lawhawk

Facts matter not. And now that Romney continues to be seen with Trump, that gives the President an opening to slam Romney and the rest of the GOP for condoning Trump's nonsensical ravings of a lunatic mind.

Donald thinks Mitt will choose him for the VP candidate.

309 simoom  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:51:06am

re: #301 lawhawk

Full fledged birther, and Romney has no problem being seen with him. No problem with Trump raising money on his behalf or anything.

As far as I know the Romney campaign has never repudiated or even commented on their AZ campaign co-chair Secretary of State Ken Bennett with his whole, 'I might just use Birtherism to remove the sitting president from the Arizona ballot...' either. You'd think having a public official so closely associated with your campaign, publicly talking about using the powers of their office to allow you to run unopposed in their state, would require a response from the top of the ticket.

310 Obdicut  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:51:13am

re: #308 Learned Mother of Zion

Donald thinks Mitt will choose him for the VP candidate.

Heh. If Romney is going to destroy the Department of Housing and Urban Development, he can make Trump head of that.

311 Vicious Babushka  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:52:08am

re: #310 Obdicut

Heh. If Romney is going to destroy the Department of Housing and Urban Development, he can make Trump head of that.

Mitt Romney's dad was the first HUD sec.

312 Lidane  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:53:47am

re: #298 simoom

So he's no longer flirting with Birtherism. He's gone full Birther, and you never go full Birther.

That's okay. Being a birther isn't the fringe in the GOP anymore. It's the default. 81% of Texas Republicans are either full birther or are flirting with the idea.

The real fringe in the GOP are the non-birther types.

313 SanFranciscoZionist  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:54:52am

re: #286 Kragar

Church Excommunicates Doctor And Mother Of 9-Year-Old Rape Victim — But Not The Man Who Raped Her

That was a hideous case, but why is it back in the news?

314 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:56:07am

re: #303 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

6 witnesses out of 118. I'm not sure if hypnotism is still legally admissible in court. Anyways, he wasn't technically convicted of the bombings. He was convicted of possession of explosives that happened to be similar to the ones used in the bombing.

315 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 10:57:46am

re: #313 SanFranciscoZionist

That was a hideous case, but why is it back in the news?

It had been posted originally as just happening, then got corrected when it was pointed out it was from 2009.

316 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:01:59am

re: #303 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Some pretty weird stuff happened during the Kimberlin trial:

Hypnotized witnesses? That's tampering with memory, I think.

The judge who listened to the tapes disagrees with your expert opinion....

Now, what I have heard leads me to conclude that there was no abusive suggested interrogation.

317 Interesting Times  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:02:27am

re: #313 SanFranciscoZionist

That was a hideous case, but why is it back in the news?

It deserves to be to remind people, again, why these misogynistic holy-roller douchebags should have NO SAY WHATSOEVER regarding women's health.

318 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:02:42am

re: #314 Killgore Trout

6 witnesses out of 118.

That's not really a significant statement, as not all witnesses are necessarily of the same value. That said, the appeals judgement goes on with analysis of the evidence, taking into account that hypnotic testimonies may not be reliable, and bringing up pre-hypnotic statements, so the case may not have depended on the tainted testimonies too much. I'm still reading, it's quite long.

He was convicted of possession of explosives that happened to be similar to the ones used in the bombing.

Sure, though logically that alone may not prove the culpability (that would depend on what explosives were available in the area - i.e. whether this might have been a coincidence). Basically, there would have to be a convergence of various kinds of evidence. Unf. I have not been able to locate the original judgment, but the appeals judgment also gives some exposition of evidence.

319 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:03:55am

re: #316 Killgore Trout

The judge who listened to the tapes disagrees with your expert opinion...

The judge's expert opinion is really no better than mine, unless the judge is a psychologist who has dealt with these issues.

320 Killgore Trout  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:06:51am

re: #319 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

The judge's expert opinion is really no better than mine, unless the judge is a psychologist who has dealt with these issues.

Well at least he listened to the tapes and has a bunch of law degrees and stuff. I'll stick with his opinion.

321 darthstar  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:07:18am

Smoke it if you got it. 8 tons of pot.

Image: enhanced-buzz-wide-15473-1337963883-16.jpg

322 Kragar  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:07:22am

Ken Ham Explains How the Theory of Evolution Leads to Same-Sex Marriage

Criticizing the theory of evolution is not just one of a variety of Religious Right priorities, but is central to their cause as many social conservatives believe that evolutionary thought is the culprit behind much-despised notions like secular government, feminism and moral relativism. As leading young earth creationist Ken Ham explained at the Family Research Council’s Watchmen on the Wall conference, belief in a non-literal interpretation of Genesis is even responsible for President Obama’s support for marriage equality:

323 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:12:02am

re: #320 Killgore Trout

Well at least he listened to the tapes and has a bunch of law degrees and stuff. I'll stick with his opinion.

But a bunch of law degrees and stuff is not really relevant to the issue at hand, which is in the field of psychology.

And the fact that he listened to the tape is really irrelevant to the argument you make, which is an argument from an irrelevant authority. He might have listened to the tape and have come to the wrong conclusions.

Now, if you bothered to read the appeals judgment, you would see how an actual sound argument can be made - examination of pre-hypnotic statements, examination of the details of the statements, etc.

"Some judge listened to the tape", on the other hand, is not a sound argument.

324 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:25:02am

This seems to be the clincher:

Eight bombing incidents occurred September 1 through 6, 1978. Each bomb was comprised of a Mark Time timer, a Ray-O-Vac Sportsman dry cell battery, an electric [ 805 F.2d 230 ]


blasting cap, and DuPont Tovex. Two of them contained lead balls consistent with .445 caliber lead balls. On September 5, Andy Jones observed in defendant's Mercedes a Ray-O-Vac battery, a box of .445 caliber lead balls and a DuPont explosive information pamphlet.

If the same explosives could, in principle, be explained by a coincidence, the lead balls of the same caliber are hard to explain away by utilitarian reasons.

325 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:39:24am

re: #320 Killgore Trout

Well at least he listened to the tapes and has a bunch of law degrees and stuff. I'll stick with his opinion.

Seems like the appeals judges did not share your lackadaisical attitude to hypnosis "evidence":

[Link: www.leagle.com...]

CUDAHY, Circuit Judge, concurring.

I write separately on the admissibility of the testimony of the hypnotized witnesses to emphasize why reliance on this evidence presents such difficult problems in this case and to suggest possibilities for avoiding some of these difficulties in the future. Although I think the question is exceedingly close and difficult, I agree with the majority that the admission of the testimony of the hypnotized witnesses does not require reversal. Nevertheless, the district court was presented with an unusually taxing problem, and I think we should take this occasion to propose standards that may be applied in determining whether to admit the testimony of witnesses who have been hypnotized before trial.
The majority correctly identifies the very serious dangers of using hypnotically induced testimony. The sources cited by the majority provide a thorough documentation of those hazards and I shall not attempt to explore them here in detail. Perhaps, the most pervasive (though not necessarily the most acute) danger of hypnosis is to make witnesses confident of their recall of matters they might otherwise feel themselves to be guessing at or even be sure they could not recall.

[...]

In the present case, although there was, of course, a full pretrial hearing, few, if any, of the requirements of the guidelines had been followed in connection with the hypnosis sessions. It is therefore almost impossible for us to evaluate — certainly on a cold record — the reliability of the testimony affected by hypnosis. It is almost equally difficult to know with any assurance what role this testimony played in the thinking of the jury. Nonetheless, the majority has made as searching an inquiry as seems possible under the circumstances and I concur in its ultimate conclusion.

A persuasive case can be made for a rule of per se inadmissibility, and this is the route a number of states have taken.

Etc.
While in this case hypnosis did not seem to affect the verdict, it is, nevertheless, a memory-tampering procedure, just like I said.

326 Ayeless in Ghazi  Fri, May 25, 2012 2:29:42pm

re: #320 Killgore Trout

Well at least he listened to the tapes and has a bunch of law degrees and stuff. I'll stick with his opinion.

re: #325 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Seems like the appeals judges did not share your lackadaisical attitude to hypnosis "evidence":

Etc.
While in this case hypnosis did not seem to affect the verdict, it is, nevertheless, a memory-tampering procedure, just like I said.

Agreed. Eyewitness testimony can be problematic enough, but hypnotically sourced eyewitness testimony is just a fucking joke.

327 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, May 25, 2012 11:31:55pm

re: #326 Aye Pod

re: #325 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

Agreed. Eyewitness testimony can be problematic enough, but hypnotically sourced eyewitness testimony is just a fucking joke.

You're fucking reading my mind. Almost word for word what I thought.

328 RogueOne  Sat, May 26, 2012 3:45:42am

re: #327 I'm back in the USSR (sigh)

I was reading something recently that suggested the only part of hypnotism that is effective is in memory recall. I'll see if I can remember where/what that was later.


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