Breaking the Taboo - A Documentary On the Disastrous War On Drugs

The “War on Drugs” is a war on people
Video • Views: 57,501

Now (as of Dec. 6th) available on Youtube in high definition, courtesy of the producers, the 2011 documentary that looks at the history and failure of the “War on Drugs”:

If only our current administration would tackle this problem with enlightenment. Perhaps someday the US will have a political atmosphere where the President will have the room to admit publicly the terrible costs of this war.

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344 comments
1 sauceruney  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:06:06am

He has the room to admit it right now. It would cause outrageous outrage on top of all the other fauxtrage, but we'd be moving FORWARD.

2 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 1:16:57pm

But the drug war has been very successful at Disenfranchising large segments of the population. Look at Florida where 10.42% of the entire state population is no longer able to vote because they are incarcerated, on probation or parole, or have a past felony conviction.

If you look only at the African American population of Florida you will find that 23.32% of them were ineligible to vote in 2011. Think about that one for a minute, we have removed the right to vote from almost a quarter of a minority. One with a long history of attempts to disenfranchise their votes in the South and we have done so "completely legally."

Who needs poll taxes and literacy tests when we have the war on drugs? It is no coincidence that many of the the strongest anti-drug legalization voices belong to conservative Southern politicians.

3 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 5:53:22pm

This was a good production.

I don't have a lot of faith it will happen totally in my lifetime, but I think it will happen. Goverments have been trying to regulate addiction substances since the beginning of governments. It has never worked.

I expect to see the Right wing whackos saying that Regulation and Education are code for socialism and an excuse to expand federal powers --unlike the War on Drugs itself *spit*

I also expect this has more to do with some Rich White Guy or group of Rich White Guys who don't want to give up profits. I know that sounds extremely cynical, yet I don't think our involvement in Afghanistan is just for humanitarian or security reasons. Someone is making a lot of money (somehow legally)

A $320 Billion dollar global industry has a lot of cash to spread around.

Lack of support and opportunity for those with convictions to change their lives is insane. At the very least, we could remove those restrictions.

4 bratwurst  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:05:26pm

The fact that a second term for Obama is not any kind of cause for optimism on this front tells me we still have a LONG time to wait for some reality to be brought into national policy. Sad.

5 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:13:46pm

re: #4 bratwurst

The fact that a second term for Obama is not any kind of cause for optimism on this front tells me we still have a LONG time to wait for some reality to be brought into national policy. Sad.

A matter of political capital. Obama has but a limited amount and he intends to use it in the places where he thinks it would yield the most results.

6 Kragar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:35:47pm
7 freetoken  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:36:46pm

re: #4 bratwurst

One reason this documentary caught my eye is because of the never ending bloodbath just across the border, for which some here have provided links over the past couple of years.

Far more blood has been shed, right on our border, over this problem in the past couple of years than, say, in Gaza, but somehow the political discourse in this country prefers to divert itself into talking about problems other nations have on continents elsewhere, rather than in our own house.

8 Kragar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:40:20pm
10 Charles Johnson  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:45:14pm

re: #9 Kragar

Gingrich: Today’s GOP ‘incapable of competing’ against 2016 Clinton bid

And nobody represents today's GOP better than Newt.

11 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:47:24pm

And in a snowy Green Bay, the Detroit Lions lead the Packers 14-10 at the half. For a rarity, I'll say "Go Lions! Play the spoiler for me!"

12 freetoken  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:55:48pm

re: #9 Kragar

Gingrich: Today’s GOP ‘incapable of competing’ against 2016 Clinton bid

Thanks in no small part to Newt himself.

13 darthstar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:59:22pm

re: #11 Dark_Falcon

And in a snowy Green Bay, the Detroit Lions lead the Packers 14-10 at the half. For a rarity, I'll say "Go Lions! Play the spoiler for me!"

Peckers wouldn't even be in this game if it wasn't for a fumble. Defensive scoring...feh.

And yeah, I meant to write 'Peckers'

14 Kragar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 6:59:36pm
15 Kragar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:00:31pm

re: #13 darthstar

Peckers wouldn't even be in this game if it wasn't for a fumble. Defensive scoring...feh.

And yeah, I meant to write 'Peckers'

PACKERS!!!

16 darthstar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:02:06pm

re: #15 Kragar

PACKERS!!!

[Embedded content]

Never mind...wouldn't link

17 jaunte  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:04:36pm
18 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:04:41pm

Suh

Dope

Just cost his team 15 yards for absolutely nothing! AGAIN

19 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:04:44pm

How not to build support for marijuana legalization:

Two students from the University of Colorado have been arrested after serving pot brownies to classmates and a professor on Dec. 7, reported the Associated Press.

The history professor reportedly became dizzy and complained of losing consciousness, according to university spokesperson Ryan Huff, reported the Daily Camera. One student’s mother claimed her daughter went to the hospital after suffering an anxiety attack. Overall, three were hospitalized and five others claimed they became ill.

The two students who served the brownies, Thomas Ricardo Cunningham and Mary Elizabeth Essa, affirmed that they had marijuana in them.

While Colorado recently legalized marijuana possession, it is still illegal to serve it to people without their consent.

Serving pot brownies to people without telling them that the brownies are laced is like secretly spiking the punch bowl with bourbon: Not Cool and not respectful to the rights of others. I don't want the lives of Mr. Cunningham and Ms. Essa ruined, but they need a few weeks in jail for what they did.

20 Kragar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:08:03pm

Chocolate Nachos: Me gusta.

21 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:08:54pm

re: #18 sattv4u2

Suh

Dope

Just cost his team 15 yards 7 points for absolutely nothing! AGAIN

22 Ming  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:11:53pm

re: #5 Dark_Falcon

A matter of political capital. Obama has but a limited amount and he intends to use it in the places where he thinks it would yield the most results.

I agree with you, but I wonder if something else is going on here, beyond Obama's caution about spending political capital. There are tremendous financial incentives to keep the War on Drugs going. We're talking about very big money. I must assume that there are major pressures, from powerful organizations, to maintain the War on Drugs. Of course, the President could begin to wind down this utter failure of a "war". But that might take a lot more political capital than we might have expected.

23 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:12:01pm

re: #13 darthstar

Peckers wouldn't even be in this game if it wasn't for a fumble. Defensive scoring...feh.

And yeah, I meant to write 'Peckers'

As they say, it's better to be lucky than good. Packers have been much more luck than good this season. If they didn't have Rodgers they'd resemble the teams from the early to mid 70's.

24 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:12:32pm

Nice to see the experienced former South American leadership here.

25 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:13:38pm

re: #17 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Just thought I'd take this moment to remind everyone that malignant tumor governor Scott Walker legalized wolf hunting in Wisconsin.

26 jaunte  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:14:49pm

re: #25 dragonath

27 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:14:53pm

re: #24 Gus

Nice to see the experienced former South American leadership here.

I've been to Rio de Janeiro, Santiago Chili and Lima Peru. Does that count??

28 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:15:27pm

re: #27 sattv4u2

I've been to Rio de Janeiro, Santiago Chili and Lima Peru. Does that count??

Sometimes. ;)

29 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:15:57pm

re: #28 Gus

Sometimes. ;)

Is this one of them?

30 engineer cat  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:16:03pm

Rep. Blackburn: Republicans ‘are the party of big ideas’

yeeah? where'dja get th' big idea, buster?

31 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:16:30pm

re: #29 sattv4u2

Is this one of them?

Si.

32 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:17:10pm

re: #31 Gus

Si.

YIPPEEE

what do I win??

(a Sofia Vergara would be nice!)

33 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:18:25pm

re: #25 dragonath

Just thought I'd take this moment to remind everyone that malignant tumor governor Scott Walker legalized wolf hunting in Wisconsin.

Wolf hunting is not morally problematic if it is carefully regulated.

34 freetoken  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:19:15pm

re: #33 Dark_Falcon

Wolf hunting is not morally problematic if it is carefully regulated.

You only say that because you are a hominin and not a canine.

35 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:19:35pm

re: #32 sattv4u2

YIPPEEE

what do I win??

(a Sofia Vergara would be nice!)

My standard prize is a year supply of Eskimo Pies™!

36 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:21:37pm

re: #35 Gus

My standard prize is a year supply of Eskimo Pies™!

Thats fine. Just have Sofia deliver them to me

37 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:23:18pm

re: #33 Dark_Falcon

Nothing in the last 10 years has given me the impression that Republicans have a vested interest in seeing anything "carefully regulated".

38 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:24:24pm

Hey man. Like I'm in Colorado. What are we talking about?

39 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:25:38pm

re: #25 dragonath

Just thought I'd take this moment to remind everyone that malignant tumor governor Scott Walker legalized Wolf hunting in Wisconsin.

We have coyotes nearby. A couple of years back a small pack was causing havoc in a very nice upscale residential neighborhood(s) north of the city. TheY caught one and found it to be rabid Wolves, Coyotes, in the wild,,, cool. Near populated areas, not so much

40 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:26:06pm

Interesting. Legalize drugs to reduce drugs addiction.

41 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:26:16pm

re: #34 freetoken

You only say that because you are a hominin and not a canine.

And if I were bovine I'd quite heartily approve of wolf hunting. But I'm human as it happens.

42 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:26:32pm

re: #38 Gus

Hey man. Like I'm in Colorado. What are we talking about?

Wyomings plan to invade!!!

SECURE THE NORTHERN BORDER!!!

43 freetoken  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:28:54pm

re: #41 Dark_Falcon

And if I were bovine I'd quite heartily approve of wolf hunting. But I'm human as it happens.

I doubt that - if you were a bovine you'd have about a .00001% chance of being killed by a canine, and a 99.99999% chance of being killed by a hominin.

I suspect you'd see the canines as your friends.

44 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:29:05pm

At 48:36 you can see Gil Kerlikowske being a weasel. That's Obama's drug czar. We've got a long way to go progressives.

45 bratwurst  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:29:56pm

re: #22 Ming

I agree with you, but I wonder if something else is going on here, beyond Obama's caution about spending political capital. There are tremendous financial incentives to keep the War on Drugs going. We're talking about very big money. I must assume that there are major pressures, from powerful organizations, to maintain the War on Drugs. Of course, the President could begin to wind down this utter failure of a "war". But that might take a lot more political capital than we might have expected.

Take a look at for-profit prisons as a starting point!

46 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:29:58pm

re: #39 sattv4u2

Eliminating a pack because they have rabies is one thing, using the same justification to defend the extirpation of a wild population is another. People are everywhere.

47 freetoken  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:30:30pm

re: #44 Gus

As the documentary tried to illuminate, the US President has little room politically to maneuver, if he/she wants to be elected or re-elected.

Perhaps as a lame duck Obama might crawl a few more millimeters out on the limb.

48 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:30:50pm

re: #33 Dark_Falcon

Wolf hunting is not morally problematic if it is carefully regulated.

While that is true and hunting is an important tool in the conservation toolbox, I can not say that I trust the Walker administration or the ditz he put in at the DNR to do anything correctly or carefully regulated. The new radical hunting deregulation bill is one example why.

49 BongCrodny  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:32:05pm

re: #38 Gus

Hey man. Like I'm in Colorado. What are we talking about?

Rocky Mountain Highs.

50 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:33:32pm

re: #47 freetoken

As the documentary tried to illuminate, the US President has little room politically to maneuver, if he/she wants to be elected or re-elected.

Perhaps as a lame duck Obama might crawl a few more millimeters out on the limb.

The question with lame ducks becomes "Does the president still have enough political capital to get his measure through the Congress?"

51 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:35:06pm

re: #47 freetoken

As the documentary tried to illuminate, the US President has little room politically to maneuver, if he/she wants to be elected or re-elected.

Perhaps as a lame duck Obama might crawl a few more millimeters out on the limb.

Interesting but having been through other presidents past, I'm not holding my breath. But we'll see, I'm more than happy to be wrong. Right now the Drug War and drug laws are what's leading to an high rate of incarceration of young black males. Why won't he act? Considering what he communicated in 2004 and his alleged leadership role.

52 engineer cat  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:37:17pm

re: #50 Dark_Falcon

The question with lame ducks becomes "Does the president still have enough political capital to get his measure through the Congress?"

not facing re-election means he has less to lose

53 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:38:19pm

Remember Washington and Colorado.

54 Interesting Times  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:38:32pm

BWAHAHA - idiot-birther-truther-denier troll is back, this time spouting the durr-hurr-gorebull-warming-stopped-16-years-ago lie from the venerable pages of trashy British tabloids.

55 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:39:12pm

re: #53 Gus

Remember Washington and Colorado.

and the Maine and the Alamo!

56 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:41:52pm

I want ice cream!

57 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:42:13pm

re: #55 sattv4u2

and the Maine and the Alamo!

Hey man. Like.

58 freetoken  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:42:13pm

re: #51 Gus

This is just another issue in which the President demonstrates how wrong the wingnuts are when they bloviate on the alleged "far left" nature of Obama and his administration.

Barack Obama has always been a triangulation-ist, and pretty much a "centrist", which means he tries to find the center of political mass. He's about as non-ideological as Presidents come.

However, as you know in Colorado, at the state level the mood is slowly changing.

The use of the "War on Drugs" as a cover for social warfare lies hidden in the shadows. One thing about our society is that we've become especially particular about a person's past, condemning people to a lifetime of restrictions for some offense against a law committed years previously.

One thing I noticed about living in Japan is that while they can be amazingly hard assed on things like drug possession, as a society they are also remarkably forgiving in letting transgressors reintegrate into the larger society.

But not here in America. We like to label people - put a big scarlet A on their foreheads - and make punishment perpetual.

I tend to see it as another leftover of the hyper-religious heritage.

59 Stanghazi  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:42:20pm

re: #33 Dark_Falcon

Wolf hunting is not morally problematic if it is carefully regulated.

did you read about the two tagged wolves killed? havent read every comment yet, hope not redundant. so messed up.

[Link: www.nytimes.com...]

60 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:49:20pm

Civilization moves too slowly.

Hand me more bread and wine!

[Slings back in throne.]

61 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:51:24pm
62 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:53:41pm

re: #61 Gus

Image: 11s-first-night-home.jpg

Cats.

Thank God you said that

I was thinking some horrid hairy growth on his neck!!

63 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:55:30pm

re: #62 sattv4u2

Thank God you said that

I was thinking some horrid hairy growth on his neck!!

64 jaunte  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 7:59:46pm

Montgomery Burns Explains the Fiscal Cliff

65 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:00:11pm

K everyone

keep your eyes glued towards Korea. Let the Japanese know of you see something!!

North Korean rocket launch window opens
[Link: hosted.ap.org...]

66 Kragar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:04:03pm

Krugman: DeMint ‘took the think out of the think tank’

During a Sunday panel discussion on ABC, Republican strategist Mary Matalin sarcastically noted that her “hero,” British economist John Maynard Keynes, had said that “ideas drive history, ideas drive progress and Heritage has long been the fount of so many great ideas.”

“As a conservative, as a constitutionalist, that was a brilliant move — a good move for us, a brilliant move for him,” she insisted.

“The actual Keynes quote was he said, it’s ideas ‘which are dangerous for good or evil,’” Krugman pointed out. “I guess I’ve got a view in this case.”

“I’m more interested in what does this do to Heritage?” the liberal economist continued. “I mean, this is somebody who has no sense that he’s a researcher or an academic, anything like that. This is sort of taking the think out of the think tank, right? This is turning into a purely political institution.”

67 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:04:30pm

re: #54 Interesting Times

BWAHAHA - idiot-birther-truther-denier troll is back, this time spouting the durr-hurr-gorebull-warming-stopped-16-years-ago lie from the venerable pages of trashy British tabloids.

Glad I went grocery shopping yesterday. I've got a fresh bag of charcoal and the grill is cleaned out. So if the troll gets clubbed, I'm ready.

68 Gus  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:06:28pm

re: #65 sattv4u2

K everyone

keep your eyes glued towards Korea. Let the Japanese know of you see something!!

North Korean rocket launch window opens
[Link: hosted.ap.org...]

They should have a fully working ICBM in 80 years.

69 Kragar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:11:08pm

Atheists around world suffer persecution, discrimination

Atheists and other religious skeptics suffer persecution or discrimination in many parts of the world and in at least seven nations can be executed if their beliefs become known, according to a report issued on Monday.

The study, from the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), showed that "unbelievers" in Islamic countries face the most severe - sometimes brutal - treatment at the hands of the state and adherents of the official religion.

But it also points to policies in some European countries and the United States which favor the religious and their organizations and treat atheists and humanists as outsiders.

The report, "Freedom of Thought 2012", said "there are laws that deny atheists' right to exist, curtail their freedom of belief and expression, revoke their right to citizenship, restrict their right to marry."

Other laws "obstruct their access to public education, prohibit them from holding public office, prevent them from working for the state, criminalize their criticism of religion, and execute them for leaving the religion of their parents."

70 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:11:49pm

re: #68 Gus

They should have a fully working ICBM in 80 years.

The Great Supreme Leader will not be pleased!!!

71 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:21:23pm
72 freetoken  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:27:21pm
73 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:29:00pm
74 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:30:16pm

re: #72 freetoken

Is this a sign of the end?

Barnes & Noble Cuts Nook Price From $99 to $79

Or not

The Kindle is priced at $69, but displays ads on its screensaver, and comes without a charger. Without the ads and with a charger, it costs $99. So, the Nook offers perhaps the best value in the entry-level e-reader category, leading into the holidays.

75 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:34:16pm

re: #74 sattv4u2

Meh, laptop + reader software = much better solution.

76 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:35:19pm

re: #75 William Barnett-Lewis

Meh, laptop + reader software = much better solution.

If you're willing to pay the weight penalty. But there's always trade-offs.

77 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:35:22pm

re: #75 William Barnett-Lewis

Meh, laptop + reader software = much better solution.

Hard to get a laptop with 6.5 inches x 4.5 inches by 0.34 inches and 6 ounces dimensions

78 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:36:51pm

re: #75 William Barnett-Lewis

re: #77 sattv4u2

Hard to get a laptop with 6.5 inches x 4.5 inches by 0.34 inches and 6 ounces dimensions

all for $79

79 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:39:49pm

re: #76 Dark_Falcon

If you're willing to pay weight penalty. But there's always trade-offs.

Que??

80 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:39:59pm

Okay, I might have posted too quickly on that APA article. From Huffington Post:

Just as the removal of homosexuality in 1973 was partial, the exclusion not completed until 1987, there is still work to be done for the broader trans community. The DSM still dehumanizes garden-variety cross-dressing under the category "transvestic fetishism," particularly insulting in its use of the term "fetish." And there are many activists who feel that the APA didn't go far enough and oppose the mention of any form of cross-gender behavior in the DSM, including the new category, "gender dysphoria."

81 Interesting Times  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:41:28pm

re: #75 William Barnett-Lewis

Meh, laptop + reader software = much better solution.

I bought a Sony eReader (the store's display model, so nice big discount) and find reading on it so much easier than on a computer or even my tablet. The e-Ink really does look like printed words on paper, which eliminates the kind of eyestrain you get from other displays - to say nothing of the fact you can read it in bright sunlight :)

82 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:42:45pm

re: #78 sattv4u2

re: #77 sattv4u2

all for $79

I'd rather one bigger gadget that can do all of the things I want to do - including read books but also program, run emulators (currently I have DOS, Amiga, Lisp Machine, VAX & IBM Mainframe (Hercules) emulators that I use regularly), office software, as well as those things on the web that we all live for. And this is with a 10 year old laptop.

No, I will not go backwards to one of those silly little tablets.

83 bratwurst  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:44:16pm
84 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:45:57pm

re: #79 sattv4u2

Que??

Comment edited. Please refresh.

85 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:47:43pm

re: #82 William Barnett-Lewis

one of those silly little tablets.

Thing is, "one of those silly little tablets" isn't meant to do all the things you mentioned

it would be like saying you would never use a toaster oven or microwave oven because your house already had an regular oven in it

86 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:48:56pm

re: #84 Dark_Falcon

Comment edited. Please refresh.

I did
It still doesn't make sense

A "weight penalty" for what?? Where?. To whom!?!?!?

87 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:53:05pm

re: #85 sattv4u2

one of those silly little tablets.

Thing is, "one of those silly little tablets" isn't meant to do all the things you mentioned

it would be like saying you would never use a toaster or microwave oven because your house already had an regular oven in it

Yes, except that whole idea of the tablets is that you can carry them with you where ever you go and if I'm going to do that I'd rather be able to fire up Lemmings or Allegro Common Lisp if I find the new bestseller boring ;)

My 75 year old father has an Ipad. It's perfect for him. My SIL has a Nook & it's good for her. I'll pack the biggest fastest most modern real computer I can afford, thankyewverymuch...

88 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:53:15pm

Sunday night game is over

NBC Trademark/ Copyright shown

I can take it down and pack it up!!!

89 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:54:14pm

re: #86 sattv4u2

I did
It still doesn't make sense

A "weight penalty" for what?? Where?. To whom!?!?!?

A laptop, such as I prefer, will always weigh more than a tablet. Hence a "weight penalty." I pay it happily.

90 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:55:43pm

re: #87 William Barnett-Lewis

I got the reader for my son so he doesn't have to lug half a dozen heavy college text books around campus all day long. He also has a laptop and a desktop with him there

Sometimes he takes the laptop to class(es). Sometimes, not

91 Kaessa  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:55:58pm

re: #87 William Barnett-Lewis

Yes, except that whole idea of the tablets is that you can carry them with you where ever you go and if I'm going to do that I'd rather be able to fire up Lemmings or Allegro Common Lisp if I find the new bestseller boring ;)

My 75 year old father has an Ipad. It's perfect for him. My SIL has a Nook & it's good for her. I'll pack the biggest fastest most modern real computer I can afford, thankyewverymuch...

I use a Nexus 7 tablet as my all around portable "take it with you" device because it fits perfectly into my purse. Bigger than my phone, but not as cumbersome as a laptop. I replaced an old 2nd generation Kindle, which I loved, and I don't regret it for a moment.

I have a laptop for when I need to carry something more powerful with me, but that's hardly every day.

92 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:56:35pm

re: #89 William Barnett-Lewis

A laptop, such as I prefer, will always weigh more than a table. Hence a "weight penalty." I pay it happily.

I do a LOT of traveling and I have never paid a 'weight penalty" carrying on my laptop, bag, charging cord, mouse and all

93 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:56:54pm

Something for the Beatles fans out there...

Roll up, and that's an invitation! The Beatles' 1967 film, "Magical Mystery Tour," perplexed many of even the band's most devoted fans. Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were among those who were interviewed for this look at the controversial and surreal film that many Beatlemaniacs have still never seen. After "Revisited" airs on "Great Performances," a fully restored version of the film itself will be shown. (Dec. 14, 9 p.m., PBS.)

[Link: video.pbs.org...]

94 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 8:57:28pm

I just got done reading about this "Reign Down" thing that's featured in Randall's Page- that's the thing that Kansas Guv Brownback is hawking right now.

I figured I'd check out the actual site, and see if I could get some ...illumination.

THE VISION
In July of 2005, God woke up a 31-year old stay-at-home mom to give her a vision for His people, revealing that He was about to move in a mighty way. His call to humility, prayer, worship, seeking Him with all of our heart, and repentance of our own personal sins was a cry for us to turn back to Him. “I am HERE!” He said. “I never left you! It is time...time to put me back in the center.” He promised that as the Body of Christ gathered together in worship, prayer, and true repentance, He would reign down His blessings and miracles in an unprecedented way. The vision very clearly showed Michael W. Smith leading worship and former President George W. Bush repenting on behalf of the nation, culminating in a movement of God's hand across America to bring healing, restoration and unprecedented unity and prosperity.

Who the **** is Michael J. Smith, and why is George W. Bush repenting for his own crappy presidency? Oh this is so delightfully crazy.

95 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:00:13pm

re: #89 William Barnett-Lewis

re: #92 sattv4u2

I do a LOT of traveling and I have never paid a 'weight penalty" carrying on my laptop, bag, charging cord, mouse and all

I usually travel with a carry on bag (one that actually fits into the trial size display at the airports) as well as my laptop bag. Again, i have never been charged a weight penalty for it. Never even asked about it really

96 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:00:15pm

re: #92 sattv4u2

Pssst: Metaphor not literal warning, dude.

97 sattv4u2  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:00:56pm

Ah well

And on that note, the long quiet drive home beckons

98 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:03:14pm

re: #97 sattv4u2

Ah well

And on that note, the long quiet drive home beckons

Drive safe so I can complain about your posts tomorrow... ;)

99 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:04:52pm

It gets better:

Leading up to the four-hour event, a massive storm with life-threatening tornadoes, heavy rain and winds, and lightning was heading straight towards the gathering at the National Mall in D.C. The National Park Service issued one warning, saying that after three warnings—or the first bolt of lightning—they were going to pull the plug and the event would not happen. Realizing it was beyond their control, with less than an hour until the event was to start, ReignDown USA's leaders and intercessors knelt behind the stage and cried out for God to divert the storm to the North and the South. They called upon the power of the Holy Spirit for the winds to shift from the West to the East and blow the storm away. As they cried out on their knees and begged God to move…He did! The wind shifted! The Park Service, watching the weather radar, said that somehow the storm cell was shifting its course and heading to the North.

The wind shifted! Thus did the Lord show his vengeance on the Maryland heathens! They were probably Catholic anyway!

100 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:08:43pm

re: #94 dragonath

Who the **** is Michael J. Smith, and why is George W. Bush repenting for his own crappy presidency? Oh this is so delightfully crazy.

This guy...

Official site of Contemporary Christian Singer / Songwriter / Worship Leader Michael W. Smith featuring his new album GLORY, get it now for only $9.95.
[Link: www.michaelwsmith.com...]

Wiki...
[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

101 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:10:44pm

re: #100 watching you tiny alien kittens are

This guy...

Wiki...
[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

Pity he didn't have the balls to rename himself Valentine Michael Smith before starting his career in religious shilling... ;)

102 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:10:51pm

re: #96 William Barnett-Lewis

Pssst: Metaphor not literal warning, dude.

Thank you for the support.

103 SidewaysQuark  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:13:12pm

Obama broke the mold by officially endorsing gay marriage. He's got his second term - would be nice to hear him make an equivalent statement regarding the war on drugs and let him go down in history as a truly revolutionary President.

104 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:14:39pm

re: #100 watching you tiny alien kittens are

Huh, reminds me of the time I realized all the new songs the youth leaders at the church brought us to sing were from some Australian pentecostal megachurch.

105 William Barnett-Lewis  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:16:28pm

re: #103 SidewaysQuark

Obama broke the mold by officially endorsing gay marriage. He's got his second term - would be nice to hear him make an equivalent statement regarding the war on drugs and let him go down in history as a truly revolutionary President.

IF he does, it'll be in 2015 when he does. Too much to lose in those midterms to give the wingnuts another thing to rally around.

106 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:18:15pm

re: #104 dragonath

Well the wiki says that he is a close personal friend of Bush so I guess if anyone could get Bush to attend it might be him...

107 dragonath  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:24:05pm

re: #106 watching you tiny alien kittens are

According to wiki, he co wrote a song with Katherine Harris's in-law, that would appear to suggest that he's pretty well ingratiated into the religious right.

And he wrote a song about the supposed martyr in the Columbine shootings. When I was still in the church, that story was passed around a lot.

108 SidewaysQuark  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:28:30pm

re: #105 William Barnett-Lewis

IF he does, it'll be in 2015 when he does. Too much to lose in those midterms to give the wingnuts another thing to rally around.

re: #105 William Barnett-Lewis

IF he does, it'll be in 2015 when he does. Too much to lose in those midterms to give the wingnuts another thing to rally around.

I hate to say it, but I think there's a strong racial issue involved in the dems opposing the war on drugs. Right now the democrats dominate even the most socially conservative portions of the minority population, but it's a very thin tightrope they walk, and there just aren't enough libertarians on the other side to recoup the potential losses in their eyes. Not sure that's how it would really play out, but I think that's the politics of it.

109 gwangung  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:33:57pm

re: #108 SidewaysQuark

re: #105 William Barnett-Lewis

I hate to say it, but I think there's a strong racial issue involved in the dems opposing the war on drugs. Right now the democrats dominate even the most socially conservative portions of the minority population, but it's a very thin tightrope they walk, and there just aren't enough libertarians on the other side to recoup the potential losses in their eyes. Not sure that's how it would really play out, but I think that's the politics of it.

As in what Coates was talking about in several of his columns? That there is considerable support for the war on drugs within poor minority communities, because drugs represent lawlessness and gangs, which hurts their community?

110 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:44:05pm

re: #107 dragonath

According to wiki, he co wrote a song with Katherine Harris's in-law, that would appear to suggest that he's pretty well ingratiated into the religious right.

And he wrote a song about the supposed martyr in the Columbine shootings. When I was still in the church, that story was passed around a lot.

Well, she was asked by Eric Harris if she believed in God and shot when she replied "yes". But Harris was a psychopath and likely would have shot her no matter what she said. She still set an example to admire of faith and resolve in the face of death.

111 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 9:58:03pm

re: #110 Dark_Falcon

Well, she was asked by Eric Harris if she believed in God and shot when she replied "yes". But Harris was a psychopath and likely would have shot her no matter what she said. She still set an example to admire of faith and resolve in the face of death.

Not exactly true, but it did make an inspirational story at the time for many of the kids.

The News says that Cassie was crouched under a table when she was shot and that another student, 16 year old Emily Wyant, was next to her. Emily survived the ordeal and says she never heard Cassie asked about belief in God. She says Cassie was praying and saying, "Dear God. Dear God. Why is this happening? I just want to go home." In the article, Emily says she does wonder if Cassie was singled out because of the fact that she was praying. Klebold reportedly looked under the table at the girls, said, "Peekaboo," then shot Cassie.

...According to the article, Scott was later able to point to where the gunman was at that time that he heard the exchange, but that he indicated a table where a different student, Valeen Schnurr, had been hiding. Schnurr's mother says Valeen was lying wounded on the library floor and was praying when one of the gunmen approached her and asked if she believed in God. The News article says she replied by saying, "Yes, I believe in God." The gunman did nothing more and Valeen survived. The Salon article says Valeen was saying, "Oh, my God, oh, my God, don't let me die," when one of the gunmen asked her if she believed in God. She said "yes" and was then asked why. She said, "Because I believe and my parents brought me up that way." Salon says that in the end, the investigators concluded that Valeen's was the only encounter in the library where anyone was asked about God. None of those who thought the question had been asked of Cassie actually witnessed it, they only heard it and, it is suggested, heard Valeen's voice, not Cassie's.[Link: www.truthorfiction.com...]

113 Mich-again  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:15:38pm

It is one thing to ponder whether we believe in God, another whether God believes in us.

114 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:21:21pm

re: #111 watching you tiny alien kittens are

Not exactly true, but it did make an inspirational story at the time for many of the kids.

I see. My post was in error, then. Still a horrible event and once can understand the need to find inspirational figures in it. Such societal urges can be seen at least as far back as ancient Greece, where Socrates and Alcibiates both escaped the stench of the Athenian defeat at Delium because they and their contingent they were part of had retreated from battle at a walk and had come home with their shields and weapons (in observance of the maxim "with your shield or on it").

115 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:40:06pm

Anyone awake?

116 Kragar  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:40:24pm

re: #115 Holidays are Family Fun Time

Anyone awake?

No.

117 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:42:30pm

re: #116 Kragar

No.

Still listening to the Big Rich. Seems there is a lot of strings that lead back to Texas in today's America. Some good, some bad. William F. Buckley was from Texas?

118 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:44:09pm

re: #117 Holidays are Family Fun Time

Still listening to the Big Rich. Seems there is a lot of strings that lead back to Texas in today's America. Some good, some bad. William F. Buckley was from Texas?

No, he was from Connecticut.

119 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:44:30pm

Wingnuts fall for a military parody site, now circulating email claiming that "Late Absentee Ballots From Military in Afghanistan Would Have Won the Election For Governor Mitt Romney"

The Truth:
This eRumor came from a military satire site called The Duffle Blog and this article was intended to be a joke. Click for article.

There is a disclaimer on "About Us" section of this website that said, "The content of this site is parody. No composition should be regarded as truthful, and no reference of an individual, company, or military unit seeks to inflict malice or emotional harm. All characters, groups, and military units appearing in these works are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual military units and companies is purely coincidental."

The email being circulated is just the article from the site word for word, a portion of the email is below...

WASHINGTON, DC – Sources confirmed today that hundreds of thousands of military absentee ballots were delivered hours after the deadline for them to be counted, with preliminary counts showing that they would have overturned the vote in several states and brought a victory for Governor Mitt Romney...

Officials say the ballots were delivered late due to problems within the military mail system. Tracking invoices show the ballots sat in a warehouse for a month, then they were accidentally labeled as ammunition and shipped to Afghanistan...

...After military officials realized the initial error, the ballots were then sent back to the U.S. but suffered a series of setbacks.

Twelve boxes of ballots were dropped overboard during delivery to the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) in the Persian Gulf...

The remaining absentee ballots were loaded onto a C-130, but the flight was delayed until November 1st so the crew could get tax free pay for the month. Once the ballots arrived stateside they were promptly mailed to each state’s counting facility, reaching their final destination on November 7th...

How anyone could not see that the article was a parody is beyond me. Then again perhaps I owe them some slack, nowadays it is getting difficult to tell wingnut parody sites from actual wingnut sites because they both sound just as insane to me. :(

120 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:44:53pm

No wait, his father was a Texas Oil Baron, with big ties to Texas that Buckley took advantage of at the beginning of his career.

121 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:52:26pm

re: #118 Dark_Falcon

No, he was from Connecticut.

Seems his family was all over when he was young. HIs grandparents stayed in Texas. I have a difficult time believing with his father's connections to Standard Oil and his Legal Practice, that the Buckley children were not strangers in Texas society.

122 Dark_Falcon  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:54:46pm

re: #121 Holidays are Family Fun Time

Seems his family was all over when he was young. HIs grandparents stayed in Texas. I have a difficult time believing with his father's connections to Standard Oil and his Legal Practice, that the Buckley children were not strangers in Texas society.

I can't speak to that. What I can say is that while he held Texas is decent regard, William F. Buckley's manner was that of a Connecticut Yankee. Whatever he might say about the South, he was firmly a man of the North.

123 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 10:58:27pm

re: #119 watching you tiny alien kittens are

Oh holy shit, read the comments at that fake article, the wingnuts really did fall for it big time. There are HUNDREDS of outraged comments about the military being denied their votes.

147k facebook likes and almost 5000 tweets

[Link: www.duffelblog.com...]

124 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 11:00:08pm

re: #122 Dark_Falcon

I can't speak to that. What I can say is that while he held Texas is decent regard, William F. Buckley's manner was that of a Connecticut Yankee. Whatever he might say about the South, he was firmly a man of the North.

My point being that there are many ties to Texas and Texas oil money of which I was unaware.

125 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 11:42:18pm

Oww, the "logic" in this post makes my head hurt...

Actually, the best proof of the Bible is that without its truths you couldn't prove anything! People who want to disprove the Bible actually have to borrow from its worldview to attempt to do so and hence have already lost the argument before they even begin.

126 Sol Berdinowitz  Sun, Dec 9, 2012 11:57:35pm

re: #119 watching you tiny alien kittens are

Wingnuts fall for a military parody site, now circulating email claiming that "Late Absentee Ballots From Military in Afghanistan Would Have Won the Election For Governor Mitt Romney"

The email being circulated is just the article from the site word for word, a portion of the email is below...

How anyone could not see that the article was a parody is beyond me. Then again perhaps I owe them some slack, nowadays it is getting difficult to tell wingnut parody sites from actual wingnut sites because they both sound just as insane to me. :(

Next they will be citing the "South Park" episode in which Cartman is responsible for stealing all those swing state votes...

127 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 12:00:36am

Which is all very fascinating but it doesn't really answer the claim, you claimed that science does not solve problems. You have yet to offer any proof that that's the case, while I've got the mother of all proof in the form of vaccines. Science does solve problems...have you ever seen someone with smallpox? There's a reason why you haven't!

Taken as whole behavioral change will do more good than science. Simple cleanliness would prevent the spread of many diseases. While there is a 'scientific' element to cleanliness it really falls in the behavioral catagory.

Sigh...head-desk. :(

128 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 12:48:27am

This guy is almost as crazy as the "TimeCube" lunatic, what's scary is that he is posting these long screeds of insanity at Amazon: Customer Discussions

Neutrinos aren't the fas†es† thing(58) in The Conglomerate, †hough† can be superluminal and defy strict linear †ime. Dark energy(74), gamma rays, quasars, antimatter, negative energy, helium 3, etc. aren't the most energetic things, God/Fod's †hough† is.
Y h w/ h(64)? thought = h2c² new thought = t²h2up G7od4/F6od4 = †he(33) 1 Mind(40) = universal quantum computer = 12t hi ui pi
(universes [u], infinite , hydrogen [h], speed of light [c], time [t], pain & pleasure [p])

E=mc² Conglomeratal Energy(74) eternal = light² × mass of infinite universes CEe=God=2 Christmases God=CEe=mass × infinite Christs CEe = 5mass ×/+ 8time = 40/13masstime God=40/13mt
Conglomeratal Energies eternal = infinite universes × 10 senses × 6 mass × 9 time godse = 6m ui 10s 9t

129 researchok  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 12:51:06am

Morning, all

130 freetoken  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 12:52:31am
131 researchok  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 1:05:36am

re: #130 freetoken

I must admit I was non committal at the beginning of the piece.

That changed- great example of the genre.

132 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 1:53:26am

Say wha?

The war on Christmas is very, very real, and if you ask me, in addition to some grouchy misanthropic heathen atheists it has to do - at the root of it - with two things - abortion and the gay rights agenda, because Christianity is against those things. It's subtle but that's why it's so pronounced in recent years.

OK, but how do abortion and gay rights actually, you know, relate to the war on Christmas? Also how can something be both subtle and pronounced at the same time, aren't those words antonyms of each other?

133 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 2:01:34am

re: #132 watching you tiny alien kittens are

Say wha?

OK, but how do abortion and gay rights actually, you know, relate to the war on Christmas? Also how can something be both subtle and pronounced at the same time, aren't those words antonyms of each other?

Abortion and gay rights are an abdomination unto the Lord. Just like anyone who does not embrace the True Spirit of Christmas.

They are subtle in in that they are part of an insiduous hidden agenda to demolish American family values, pronounced in that they are deleterious to our Christian American culture and heritage.

Get with the talking points, willya?

/

134 freetoken  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 2:34:31am
135 Obdicut  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 2:35:05am

re: #132 watching you tiny alien kittens are

Say wha?

OK, but how do abortion and gay rights actually, you know, relate to the war on Christmas?

Most of my gay friends are sickeningly Christmas-y.

136 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 2:39:47am

They are still whining and crying those sweet tasting wingnut tears...

On November 06, 2012, The United States of America passed away with an almost silent whimper. She was 236 years old. The grand old lady died of neglect, stupidity, arrogance and pure abuse at the hands of both her leaders and its ignorant populace. She will be survived by the Socialist Democratic Republic of Obamerica or SDRO.Also killed in this same massive, catastrophic, progressive wreck were personal freedoms, American values, exceptionalism, The Constitution, economic growth, conservatism, fiscal sanity, American unity, free markets, life's sanctity, marriage between man and woman, Republicanism, free will, self-reliance and many more so mutilated as to be unrecognizable any longer. July 4, 1776 - Born
November 6, 2012 - Committed Suicide

137 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 2:46:41am

Marriage between man and woman has been killed? I see now onlY GAY MARRIAGE is allowed, soon it will be mandatory.

138 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 2:53:09am

No matter how many times you try to explain it to them they simply choose to pretend that they can't understand two simple words...

You normally DO have trouble following logic that fails to coincide with your convoluted view of the world. Someday, when you finish grad school, maybe you can move to REALVILLE where reality matters and not what some silver ponytail prof. feeds you.

Your biggest "trouble" is understanding ANTONIUS' religious faith and his core beliefs. Atheists rarely understand, you are no exception. Homosexual marriage, in REALVILLE will lead to a complege breakdown of our society.

After all, once Homosexual marriage is the law of the land, it won't be long before perverts are dragging a 9-year old down the isle. And, some creep in a dress, will "marry" them. After all, it's their "lifestyle" and their "right." Or how about some dude who wants to "marry" his dog, or his "horse?"

Isn't that a "lifestyle" choice as well? How about you Adam? Do you want to marry a man, dog, or maybe your pet rat? Wouldn't it be your "right?" BLUF: Once homosexual marriage is the law of the land, there is NOTHING to stop the above illustrated situations? Is that what you and your grad school cronies want?

...Informed Consent.

139 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 2:57:11am

That is the very argument that led Rick Santorum to become a synonym for an brown, liquid substance...

140 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 3:00:35am

Their point is simply that they see drug use, prostitution, gay marriage, bestiality, child/spouse abuse, abortion, contraception, progressive taxation, gun control, etc, as abdominations unto the Lord and thus morally equal: to allow one is to allow all the others to spread and undermine our Christian American values, which they see as all that stands between us and an Islamist-secularist Socialist Fascist dictatorship.

141 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 3:05:28am

The Quebec election night shooter seems to be as nuts as everyone guessed he probably was...

Accused PQ rally shooter to undergo psychiatric evaluation

Yesterday Richard Henry Bain told a Montreal courtroom that he was given a vision by Jesus Christ that involved dealing with what he called the "national separatist problem."...

...His legal-aid laywer, Elfriede Duclervil, told reporters that it has been impossible to prepare a defense for Bain.

When Duclervil asked Bain whether he understands that he is accused of first degree murder, Bain said that he does understand, and that Christian soldiers don't murder.

He told the court that he was given a vision "for the peace and harmony for all Canadians" by his Lord and Savior.

"I am a Christian soldier and we Canadians shall never surrender to fight the evil separatists," he said, adding "God bless you all."...

142 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 3:11:07am

re: #141 watching you tiny alien kittens are

The Quebec election night shooter seems to be as nuts as everyone guessed he probably was...

Accused PQ rally shooter to undergo psychiatric evaluation

But not as nuts as a lot of the GOP these days...

143 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 3:24:23am

Another one of those little known "facts" that you could probably only ever find on the internet...

The rate in which a light flashes on top of an emergency vehicle is the average rate that people are dying and going to hell.

The first part of this one is pretty close actually, people currently die at the rate of about 1.78 deaths per second worldwide. Now as far as how many of them are going to hell I don't think anyone can truly answer that question with any degree of certainty.

/

144 watching you tiny alien kittens are  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 4:06:18am

Yet another one of those little known "facts" that you could probably only ever find on the internet...

Jesus was not a Jew. He is from the children of Israel (Jacob)

OK? The "Children of Israel" have been known as and have called themselves Jews (after the kingdom of Judah) since the 5th century B.C. and Jesus was of the Tribe of Judah according to the bible. So how was he not a Jew?

145 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 4:38:32am

What happened here? I can't see any comments.

146 [deleted]  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 5:53:57am
147 Obdicut  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 5:55:55am

re: #146 شات عرا 

What the shiznit?

148 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 5:57:06am

Morning Lizardim. Happy Monday from the site of the 2012 Snowpocalypse. I guess the Mayans were about 2 weeks off on their prediction of the end of the world. Nevertheless, I'm still here, I'm still intact, and in fact, I even made it in to work this morning somehow. How are things outside the snowbound north?

149 Decatur Deb  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 5:57:45am

re: #147 Obdicut

What the shiznit?

It's Pamela--she's gone over.

150 Decatur Deb  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 5:58:24am

re: #148 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

Morning Lizardim. Happy Monday from the site of the 2012 Snowpocalypse. I guess the Mayans were about 2 weeks off on their prediction of the end of the world. Nevertheless, I'm still here, I'm still intact, and in fact, I even made it in to work this morning somehow. How are things outside the snowbound north?

72 degrees, roses and azaleas blooming.

151 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 5:58:47am

re: #150 Decatur Deb

72 degrees, roses and azaleas blooming.

10 degrees and the only thing blooming here are the idiots.

152 iossarian  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 5:59:40am

re: #150 Decatur Deb

72 degrees, roses and azaleas blooming.

Thanks a lot. 34 degrees and sucky virus here!

153 Obdicut  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:01:01am

re: #145 Vicious Babushka

What happened here? I can't see any comments.

I can see your comment. And 151 others.

154 Decatur Deb  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:01:23am

re: #152 iossarian

Thanks a lot. 34 degrees and sucky virus here!

Get back to me in August, the Hell Month.

155 Decatur Deb  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:05:20am

I had the Arabic comment as two identical comments for a few minutes, though the first had the nic in Roman alphas.

156 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:06:36am

re: #153 Obdicut

I can see your comment. And 151 others.

I'll get back to you when the fog finally lifts out of the NYC metro area. Visibility sucks, but the weather's definitely gone weird here with temps well above normal and there's a couple of nasty bugs running around... to say nothing of allergies.

157 Decatur Deb  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:07:32am

Now Spy shows the same all-Arabic text/nic in stale thread(s).

158 Obdicut  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:13:34am

re: #156 lawhawk

I'll get back to you when the fog finally lifts out of the NYC metro area. Visibility sucks, but the weather's definitely gone weird here with temps well above normal and there's a couple of nasty bugs running around... to say nothing of allergies.

Oh right, that reminds me:

My wife has said that the current flu season is a really freaking bad one, with a big spike in admissions over the past two weeks. If anyone out there hasn't gotten your shot, go get it.

159 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:15:24am

re: #146 شات عرا 

اجمل دردشة عراقية رومنسية ترفيهية يظم كافة العراقيين والعرب والاجانب

Google says

"Beautiful romantic chat Iraqi recreational Adject all Iraqis, Arabs and foreigners"

WTFuq?

160 Obdicut  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:17:50am

re: #159 Sol Berdinowitz

أود البطاطا

161 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:19:58am

re: #158 Obdicut

My company offers free flu shots, and CVS and Walgreens offer on-demand flu shots. No excuses not to get one.

And the preventative costs are minuscule compared to the costs of getting the flu. We're talking billions of dollars in costs - both from hospitalizations and treatment to lost productivity. Influenza is the 8th leading cause of death in the US, yet the vaccine can reduce your chances of getting it significantly.

162 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:21:11am

re: #161 lawhawk

My company offers free flu shots, and CVS and Walgreens offer on-demand flu shots. No excuses not to get one.

And the preventative costs are minuscule compared to the costs of getting the flu. We're talking billions of dollars in costs - both from hospitalizations and treatment to lost productivity. Influenza is the 8th leading cause of death in the US, yet the vaccine can reduce your chances of getting it significantly.

There are those who are adamant that the government should not be telling us or our children to get immunized.

163 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:21:31am

re: #161 lawhawk

My company offers free flu shots, and CVS and Walgreens offer on-demand flu shots. No excuses not to get one.

And the preventative costs are minuscule compared to the costs of getting the flu. We're talking billions of dollars in costs - both from hospitalizations and treatment to lost productivity. Influenza is the 8th leading cause of death in the US, yet the vaccine can reduce your chances of getting it significantly.

But, but, but, Jenny McCarthy! VACCINES ARE TEH DEBIL!!!1!1one

164 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:23:23am

re: #163 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

But, but, but, Jenny McCarthy! VACCINES ARE TEH DEBIL!!!1!1one

and that excuse, too. Put them together and you have the GOP consensus on vaccines.

165 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:23:54am

re: #163 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

DO.NOT.get me started on McCarthy and her ill-informed (and I'm being charitable) nonsense about vaccines or the fact that her kid never had autism in the first place.

166 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:25:18am

re: #165 lawhawk

DO.NOT.get me started on McCarthy and her ill-informed (and I'm being charitable) nonsense about vaccines or the fact that her kid never had autism in the first place.

I don't want to go there either. My wife's family is strenuously anti-vaxx and I had a hard fight to get even the most basic ones for my son. When she told me she flat-out refused the polio vaccine, I was furious.

167 Decatur Deb  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:28:04am

re: #166 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

I don't want to go there either. My wife's family is strenuously anti-vaxx and I had a hard fight to get even the most basic ones for my son. When she told me she flat-out refused the polio vaccine, I was furious.

re: #166 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

I don't want to go there either. My wife's family is strenuously anti-vaxx and I had a hard fight to get even the most basic ones for my son. When she told me she flat-out refused the polio vaccine, I was furious.

Our office receptionist in the mid-70s was a wheelchair-confined polio victim. She was in the post-Salk generation. Her opinion of her parents was the closest thing to pure hatred I've ever heard.

168 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:29:13am

re: #166 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

McCarthy and other anti-vaxxers aren't just putting their own kids at risk, but everyone else around them. The side effects of vaccines are well known, and autism simply isn't one of them. Polio isn't a scourge it once was because of vaccines; these people simply forget what these diseases once did to entire populations - permanent disfigurements, deaths, hospitalizations, and the vaccinations prevents untold misery.

With a reduced herd immunity, we're seeing a resurgence of diseases like pertussis (whooping cough). It's just flat out nuts.

169 Varek Raith  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:29:13am

re: #159 Sol Berdinowitz

Google says

"Beautiful romantic chat Iraqi recreational Adject all Iraqis, Arabs and foreigners"

WTFuq?

Translation of translation: Giggity Chat.
/

170 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:32:25am

re: #127 watching you tiny alien kittens are

Which is all very fascinating but it doesn't really answer the claim, you claimed that science does not solve problems. You have yet to offer any proof that that's the case, while I've got the mother of all proof in the form of vaccines. Science does solve problems...have you ever seen someone with smallpox? There's a reason why you haven't!

Sigh...head-desk. :(

Is your quote wingnut code for "don't ever have sex unless for procreation"?

171 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:32:40am

re: #168 lawhawk

McCarthy and other anti-vaxxers aren't just putting their own kids at risk, but everyone else around them. The side effects of vaccines are well known, and autism simply isn't one of them. Polio isn't a scourge it once was because of vaccines; these people simply forget what these diseases once did to entire populations - permanent disfigurements, deaths, hospitalizations, and the vaccinations prevents untold misery.

With a reduced herd immunity, we're seeing a resurgence of diseases like pertussis (whooping cough). It's just flat out nuts.

She's more afraid of the polio vaccine because it's a live vaccine. Unfortunately, she doesn't have enough of a science-based education for me to be able to explain adequately why this is not a big deal, and even then, she falls back on her own personal anecdotes that have come to her second- and third-hand and just plain refuses to believe anything I say. It's maddening, it's heartbreaking, but I can't do much about it.

172 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:35:21am

re: #171 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

That's just wrong. The current polio vaccine isn't a live vaccine; it's inactivated.

173 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:35:38am

Antivax is not unknown in Germany, if not as prevalent. A lot of parents find it as a way of rationalizing their overprotectiveness without realizing that it is a form of negligence toward their own kids and to others'

174 Decatur Deb  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:35:58am

.re: #171 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

She's more afraid of the polio vaccine because it's a live vaccine. Unfortunately, she doesn't have enough of a science-based education for me to be able to explain adequately why this is not a big deal, and even then, she falls back on her own personal anecdotes that have come to her second- and third-hand and just plain refuses to believe anything I say. It's maddening, it's heartbreaking, but I can't do much about it.

There are still some Iron Lungs around. Leave her in one for a day.

Off to paint the Habitat warehouse floor--BBL

175 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:36:41am

re: #158 Obdicut

Oh right, that reminds me:

My wife has said that the current flu season is a really freaking bad one, with a big spike in admissions over the past two weeks. If anyone out there hasn't gotten your shot, go get it.

I got my flu and whooping cough shots in September. I keep getting this little viruses too! It's been awful. I feel like carp today. Achy everywhere and that feverish feeling.

Still, it's better than getting the full-blown flu -- The one time I had that I thought I would die, literally.

176 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:36:41am

re: #172 lawhawk

That's just wrong. The current polio vaccine isn't a live vaccine; it's inactivated.

*swears under his breath*

I even TOLD her that. Unfortunately, I wasn't assertive enough because I wasn't 100% sure of my facts, but apparently I was right.

177 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:37:23am

re: #176 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

*swears under his breath*

I even TOLD her that. Unfortunately, I wasn't assertive enough because I wasn't 100% sure of my facts, but apparently I was right.

facts would probably not have done much good in any case...

178 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:38:10am

re: #177 Sol Berdinowitz

facts would probably not have done much good in any case...

Alas, too true. I love my wife dearly, but on this specific issue she will not be moved and there is nothing facts, logic, reason, or science can do about it.

179 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:40:16am

re: #176 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

I'd print out that fact sheet, talk with your doctor, and even ask the doctor if the vaccine ampule states the kind of vaccine (inactivated).

180 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:40:18am

re: #171 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

She's more afraid of the polio vaccine because it's a live vaccine. Unfortunately, she doesn't have enough of a science-based education for me to be able to explain adequately why this is not a big deal, and even then, she falls back on her own personal anecdotes that have come to her second- and third-hand and just plain refuses to believe anything I say. It's maddening, it's heartbreaking, but I can't do much about it.

There has to be a good explanatory video or series of videos on youtube you can find to explain the science to her.

Really, anyone who has read history (with or without a science education) should be able to draw the conclusion that vaccinations work. People used to die young and of diseases most of us have never heard of. Milk Poisoning is one of my favorites --very, very common.

181 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:41:16am

re: #178 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

Alas, too true. I love my wife dearly, but on this specific issue she will not be moved and there is nothing facts, logic, reason, or science can do about it.

Yeah, my marriage would be threatened if my husband had that attitude.

182 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:42:16am

re: #180 Holidays are Family Fun Time

There has to be a good explanatory video or series of videos on youtube you can find to explain the science to her.

Really, anyone who has read history (with or without a science education) should be able to draw the conclusion that vaccinations work. People used to die young and of diseases most of us have never heard of. Milk Poisoning is one of my favorites --very, very common.

She doesn't question that they work, she's concerned about the side effects. Easily swayed by popular reports - "If so many people are saying it, there must be some truth to it." That sort of thing.

183 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:44:15am

re: #182 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

She doesn't question that they work, she's concerned about the side effects. Easily swayed by popular reports - "If so many people are saying it, there must be some truth to it." That sort of thing.

Like the people who put Jews in wells during the Plague? Everyone say's it's Their fault, so it must be true?

You have much patience.

184 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:46:49am

re: #182 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too

"If so many people are saying it, there must be some truth to it."

"If it seems to confirm my preconceived notions, then I am more receptive to it"

That's just how our braimz work...

185 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:46:54am

re: #183 Holidays are Family Fun Time

Like the people who put Jews in wells during the Plague? Everyone say's it's Their fault, so it must be true?

You have much patience.

It's the same sort of attitude I grew up around. My family is in a similar vein, except with my dad being an engineer there's at least some recognition of science. For example, I had all my vaccines. But they're still susceptible to groupthink of a sort; comes from the religious culture both of our families live in.

186 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:48:01am

And on that note, I had best pop off and do some actual productive work, after going to the effort of hauling myself over what passes for freeways in post-apocalyptic Minnesnowta. Catch you all later.

187 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:52:10am

While at the Public Health office getting vaccinations for my son before he went on a mission trip to South American, the nurse said that many of the mission trip kinda parents refuse any but the vaccinations required by the host country if there are any.

I about fell off my chair. I had to pay cash and I think it was voer $200. I asked her what else is there I can vaccinate him for --load 'em up.

188 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 6:54:38am

I'm having an issue with LGF. When I'm not logged in I can see the comments but when I log in all the comments disappear!

189 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:08:30am

Hmm, spy mode works.

190 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:14:11am

re: #188 Vicious Babushka

I'm having an issue with LGF. When I'm not logged in I can see the comments but when I log in all the comments disappear!

gremlins?

191 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:15:08am

I dunno, it's just weird. I never had any problems using Chrome before.

192 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:17:23am

Came home last night at 5:30PM. Took us an hour to get through customs (we got a treat from Homeland Security, they dumped out and examined EVERYTHING in our carryon bags. Just to make sure we weren't smuggling some stuff we might have obtained in Amsterdam, which we totally didn't.

Anyway back at work today. I should really be doing a bunch of actual work now.

193 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:28:44am

re: #192 Vicious Babushka

Came home last night at 5:30PM. Took us an hour to get through customs (we got a treat from Homeland Security, they dumped out and examined EVERYTHING in our carryon bags. Just to make sure we weren't smuggling some stuff we might have obtained in Amsterdam, which we totally didn't.

Anyway back at work today. I should really be doing a bunch of actual work now.

Ah, the hamsters in your compter are a big jet lagged. Travelling is hard on the little critters. Give them a rest and they'll be back to normal in no time.

194 kirkspencer  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:29:14am

re: #184 Sol Berdinowitz

"If it seems to confirm my preconceived notions, then I am more receptive to it"

That's just how our braimz work...

Well, yes. It's called confirmation bias.

195 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:30:46am

re: #193 Holidays are Family Fun Time

Ah, the hamsters in your compter are a big jet lagged. Travelling is hard on the little critters. Give them a rest and they'll be back to normal in no time.

I'm using my work computer!

196 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:33:58am

re: #195 Vicious Babushka

I'm using my work computer!

Well then, the hamsters in your work computer are miffed you left them for vacation. Rub their backs and coo a little. It should make them feel better and they'll happy hamsters again.

197 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:37:25am

EDUCATION REFRESH:

Confirmation bias refers to a type of selective thinking whereby one tends to notice and to look for what confirms one's beliefs, and to ignore, not look for, or undervalue the relevance of what contradicts one's beliefs.

&

Selective thinking is the process whereby one selects out favorable evidence for remembrance and focus, while ignoring unfavorable evidence for a belief. This kind of thinking is the basis for most beliefs in the psychic powers of so-called mind readers and mediums. It is also the basis for many, if not most, occult and pseudoscientific beliefs.

It should be noted that selective thinking works independently of wishful thinking and should not be confused with biased thinking, whereby one seriously considers data contrary to one's belief, but one is much more critical of such data than one is of supportive data.

198 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:47:25am

re: #197 Holidays are Family Fun Time

I am sure it is deeply rooted in our savannah brain that whenever the enough of the pack was shouting alarm, there must be an alarm somewhere...

199 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:49:10am

Hamsters in the computer, although a well known fact, could be considered a false attribution to the heathen notion of applied science. Those who work closely with the critters often comment on their strange sense of purpose. There seems to be an inverse relationship between perceived causes of their level of activity and the general sense of mirth associated with the use of the computer.

This is known as the Sarcasm Inverse Parallel.

200 William Barnett-Lewis  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:49:31am

re: #192 Vicious Babushka

Came home last night at 5:30PM. Took us an hour to get through customs (we got a treat from Homeland Security, they dumped out and examined EVERYTHING in our carryon bags. Just to make sure we weren't smuggling some stuff we might have obtained in Amsterdam, which we totally didn't.

Anyway back at work today. I should really be doing a bunch of actual work now.

You should have an infant with you who pukes all over you just as you're dragging your bags up to the counter. Mr. Customs dude might just hold his nose and wave you through. It can work... Messy, trust me, but it can work... ;)

201 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:50:21am

re: #200 William Barnett-Lewis

You should have an infant with you how pukes all over you just as you're dragging your bags up to the counter. Mr. Customs dude might just hold his nose and wave you through. It can work... Messy, trust me, but it can work... ;)

How do you get the infant to comply with your timing needs?

202 Holidays are Family Fun Time  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:51:53am

I'm taking meds and going back to bed.

I still feel like carp. Have you ever felt carp?

ewwwww!

Have a great morning all!

203 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:52:58am

re: #201 Holidays are Family Fun Time

How do you get the infant to comply with your timing needs?

I had more trouble keeping it in them than out...

204 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 7:53:50am

re: #202 Holidays are Family Fun Time

I'm taking meds and going back to bed.

I still feel like carp.

So sorry to hear you are under the water.

206 Killgore Trout  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:01:48am
207 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:03:23am

re: #172 lawhawk

That's just wrong. The current polio vaccine isn't a live vaccine; it's inactivated.

On some issues facts are just not enough. Once some people get the idea they are under threat into their heads, it cannot be excised save by the 'neutralization' of that threat.

208 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:05:56am

re: #206 Killgore Trout

Since this has been making the rounds....
Claim: A four-year study has found that Fox News viewers have IQs 20 points lower than average.

Wow, this like totally corresponds to my preconceived notions about FOX viewers, so I'm receptive to it!

CHEETAH!!!

209 Killgore Trout  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:11:58am

Gunmen kill senior women’s activist in Afghanistan

Seddiqi was head of the Women Affairs Department for Laghman province. Her predecessor in that post was killed four months ago, when explosives hidden in her car were detonated.

210 Killgore Trout  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:13:44am

re: #208 Sol Berdinowitz

Wow, this like totally corresponds to my preconceived notions about FOX viewers, so I'm receptive to it!

CHEETAH!!!

I done a science study with test tubes and calculators. I diagnose you with confirmation bias!
/Soon to be published

211 darthstar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:14:00am

re: #206 Killgore Trout

Since this has been making the rounds....
Claim: A four-year study has found that Fox News viewers have IQs 20 points lower than average.

That probably hits a little close to home. Here, look at these colorful shapes...you'll feel better.

Image: shapes.jpeg

212 darthstar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:15:57am

Mornin' everyone...is it lazy today or is it just me? Anyway, time to take the dogs to the beach then get started on cleaning out the garage.

213 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:16:37am

re: #211 darthstar

Don't be a dick.

214 darthstar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:17:38am

re: #213 Dark_Falcon

Don't be a dick.

Sorry...didn't mean to leave you out. Here are some of your own.

Image: shapes.jpeg

215 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:18:37am

re: #205 Killgore Trout

Kinda unfair to pin blame on Clinton for the fiscal cliff when he and Congress managed to figure out a budget that was able to produce surpluses for a couple of fiscal years - a combination of higher taxes and a booming economy can do that.

BTW, the handwringing about the fiscal cliff is in part the realization that austerity is great when other countries are forced to do it (eg Greece), but not so much when you're the one who's put in place policy choices that result in austerity because Congressional leaders wont make tough decisions and lead.

After all, the fiscal "cliff" is the result of expiring tax cuts (a deal enacted by Congress and successive presidents to allow tax cuts to return to their pre-2001 rates) and budget cuts that would automatically take effect if Congress couldn't come up with a deal to cut spending. Now, these same parties are complaining about the cliff?

Everyone needs to be reminded that this is what Congress enacted. This is what the President signed off on - especially vis a vis taxes. And now you've got GOPers concerned about spending? Or how cuts in defense spending will harm jobs? There's plenty of jobs harmed when you cut spending in non-defense areas too - and there's plenty of work to be had when you spend on infrastructure.

216 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:23:33am

Pig.

217 Interesting Times  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:28:48am

re: #216 Gus

[Embedded content]

Pig.

Primitive bigot who's of no use to the modern world, let alone the Supreme Court.

218 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:29:52am

re: #215 lawhawk

Back when there was a surplus I remember Rush complaining that it just meant that government was taking more of people's money than it needed to operate, and that was immoral...

219 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:30:22am

LAWRENCE V. TEXAS (02-102) 539 U.S. 558 (2003)
41 S. W. 3d 349, reversed and remanded.

Scalia, J., dissenting
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
No. 02—102
JOHN GEDDES LAWRENCE and TYRON GARNER,
PETITIONERS v. TEXAS
ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF APPEALS OF
TEXAS, FOURTEENTH DISTRICT
[June 26, 2003]

... Justice Scalia, with whom The Chief Justice and Justice Thomas join, dissenting...

... Today’s opinion is the product of a Court, which is the product of a law-profession culture, that has largely signed on to the so-called homosexual agenda, by which I mean the agenda promoted by some homosexual activists directed at eliminating the moral opprobrium that has traditionally attached to homosexual conduct. I noted in an earlier opinion the fact that the American Association of Law Schools (to which any reputable law school must seek to belong) excludes from membership any school that refuses to ban from its job-interview facilities a law firm (no matter how small) that does not wish to hire as a prospective partner a person who openly engages in homosexual conduct. See Romer, supra, at 653...

220 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:31:45am

re: #219 Gus

LAWRENCE V. TEXAS (02-102) 539 U.S. 558 (2003)
41 S. W. 3d 349, reversed and remanded.

Scalia, J., dissenting
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
No. 02—102
JOHN GEDDES LAWRENCE and TYRON GARNER,
PETITIONERS v. TEXAS
ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF APPEALS OF
TEXAS, FOURTEENTH DISTRICT
[June 26, 2003]

...

... Let me be clear that I have nothing against homosexuals, or any other group, promoting their agenda through normal democratic means. Social perceptions of sexual and other morality change over time, and every group has the right to persuade its fellow citizens that its view of such matters is the best. That homosexuals have achieved some success in that enterprise is attested to by the fact that Texas is one of the few remaining States that criminalize private, consensual homosexual acts. But persuading one’s fellow citizens is one thing, and imposing one’s views in absence of democratic majority will is something else. I would no more require a State to criminalize homosexual acts–or, for that matter, display any moral disapprobation of them–than I would forbid it to do so. What Texas has chosen to do is well within the range of traditional democratic action, and its hand should not be stayed through the invention of a brand-new “constitutional right” by a Court that is impatient of democratic change. It is indeed true that “later generations can see that laws once thought necessary and proper in fact serve only to oppress,” ante, at 18; and when that happens, later generations can repeal those laws. But it is the premise of our system that those judgments are to be made by the people, and not imposed by a governing caste that knows best...

221 Killgore Trout  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:33:12am

re: #215 lawhawk

There's plenty of blame to go around. Not mentioned in the Clinton blurb is the repeal of glass steagal act which Clinton repealed and had a very direct role in the financial crisis.

222 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:34:40am

re: #217 Interesting Times

Primitive bigot who's of no use to the modern world, let alone the Supreme Court.

Preceded by another caveman.

223 kirkspencer  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:37:06am

re: #220 Gus

...

In short, let them be separate but equal. [sigh]

The state has one sole interest in marriage -- that it creates a network of what up to then were isolated individuals. This network with its associated defacto powers of attorney and rights of survivorship strengthens a community through the removal of confusion and conflict when those powers and rights are necessary.

224 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:37:33am

re: #221 Killgore Trout

There's plenty of blame to go around. Not mentioned in the Clinton blurb is the repeal of glass steagal act which Clinton repealed and had a very direct role in the financial crisis.

I am surprised the article did not mention that...you cannot talk about the housing bubble without mentioning the repeal of GS

225 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:38:54am

re: #224 Sol Berdinowitz

I am surprised the article did not mention that...you cannot talk about the housing bubble without mentioning the repeal of GS

I think the writer didn't or was told not to "get stuck in the weeds" explaining the causes of the housing bubble.

226 calochortus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:39:39am

re: #216 Gus

Interesting. Will Scalia feel bound by the court's earlier decision or will he stick to his dissenting opinion? (Let me guess.)

227 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:43:54am

re: #226 calochortus

Interesting. Will Scalia feel bound by the court's earlier decision or will he stick to his dissenting opinion? (Let me guess.)

You might be surprised, given that Scalia is also a believer in the principal of "stare dacis" ('let it stand' in Latin), meaning that the courts shouldn't overturn past decisions that have become settled law unless the previous decision was seriously in error (and yes, he's made clear that Plessy vs. Ferguson was such a gravely erroneous decision).

228 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:50:34am

re: #215 lawhawk

Gramm-Leach-Bliley went to Clinton's desk with a veto proof vote in both the House and Senate. Clinton could have vetoed it and there are no indications that he intended to veto any bill if it included any "legislation that would scale back minority-lending requirements." Otherwise that's one messy webpage and clumsy slide show.

229 calochortus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:53:46am

re: #227 Dark_Falcon

I am actually aware of that. The problem is that he (like most other people) has a specific set of biases (meant in a non-perjorative sense) that have made him view some precedents as more valid than others. He has not actually always respected precedent in cases far less clear cut than Plessy v. Ferguson.
The part that is interesting to me is whether with his explicit acknowledgement that the 2003 decision opened the way for same sex marriage, will he suddenly discover that he was wrong and it doesn't really do that?

230 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:56:18am
231 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:57:30am
232 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:57:38am

re: #229 calochortus

I am actually aware of that. The problem is that he (like most other people) has a specific set of biases (meant in a non-perjorative sense) that have made him view some precedents as more valid than others. He has not actually always respected precedent in cases far less clear cut than Plessy v. Fergueson.
The part that is interesting to me is whether with his explicit acknowledgement that the 2003 decision opened the way for same sex marriage, will he suddenly discover that he was wrong and it doesn't really do that?

I'm going to say "probably not". Antonin Scalia is not a man afraid to face the consequences of his own logic. But we need to wait for oral arguments, which should tell us much more (Scalia is almost always one of the most active justices when a case is argued before the Supreme Court).

233 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 8:59:30am

re: #230 Gus

[Embedded content]

Is tolerance.org ready for what that means? Because in Nigeria, to give one example, making school accessible means pounding Islamist terror group Boko Haram into dust.

234 calochortus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:02:05am

re: #232 Dark_Falcon

I'm going to say "probably not". Antonin Scalia is not a man afraid to face the consequences of his own logic. But we need to wait for oral arguments, which should tell us much more (Scalia is almost always one of the most active justices when a case is argued before the Supreme Court).

We'll find out. As I recall, however, whenever he thinks something is "wrong" such as Roe v. Wade, he doesn't view it as a binding precedent. In other words, his moral sensibilities appear to override precedent. Other people's moral sensibilities, not so much. It disturbs me that he doesn't appear to see a conflict beween that and being an 'originalist'.

235 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:14:27am

re: #188 Vicious Babushka

I'm having an issue with LGF. When I'm not logged in I can see the comments but when I log in all the comments disappear!

I've got the same problem. But it's not Chrome-related; I'm using Firefox 15.0.1. Spy mode is fine, but in normal mode the comments disappear as soon as I log in.

236 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:15:26am

Because BOTH SONGS SUCK that's why!

237 Sol Berdinowitz  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:17:08am

"Maoz Tsur" sounds like Red Chinese rap

238 calochortus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:19:17am

Must get started on the day's to-do list.
BBL

239 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:19:26am

re: #237 Sol Berdinowitz

"Maoz Tsur" sounds like Red Chinese rap

"Maoz Tsur" ("Rock of Ages" in Hebrew) might work as a rap song.

I have never heard a version of "Jingle Bells" that did not suck. The worst, the WORST is when it is sung "jazz style." I want to run screaming out of the mall every time they play that.

240 Varek Raith  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:21:53am

re: #239 Vicious Babushka

"Maoz Tsur" ("Rock of Ages" in Hebrew) might work as a rap song.

I have never heard a version of "Jingle Bells" that did not suck. The worst, the WORST is when it is sung "jazz style." I want to run screaming out of the mall every time they play that.

241 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:48:45am

re: #239 Vicious Babushka

"Maoz Tsur" ("Rock of Ages" in Hebrew) might work as a rap song.

I have never heard a version of "Jingle Bells" that did not suck. The worst, the WORST is when it is sung "jazz style." I want to run screaming out of the mall every time they play that.

YUO NO LIKE HALL AND OATES????


(I know they did "Jingle Bell Rock", but hey...)

;-p

242 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:53:33am

Obama 'Holiday' Cards Cause Stir

Some U.S. Republican Christians who received Christmas cards from the White House this month are grumbling that something was missing, Christmas.

As in every December since President Barack Obama took office, he sent out cards with a generic message, wishing 1.4 million supporters a happy "holiday season."

Obama "claims to be a Christian. But he sure doesn't act like one," Joseph Farah, editor of the conservative Web site WorldNetDaily.com, told The Washington Post. "I threw out my White House card as soon as I got it."

Other conservatives on the Obamas' list accused the first couple of giving in to a national push for more secular celebrations.

The cover of the cards, which were paid for by the Republican National Committee, show the presidential pet, Bo, playing in the snow on the White House lawn.

A spokeswoman for Michelle Obama said while the first couple celebrates Christmas themselves, they wanted an inclusive greeting to be respectful of other traditions.

...

Click here for the real story.

243 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:54:27am

re: #242 Gus

Obama 'Holiday' Cards Cause Stir

Click here for the real story.

244 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:54:55am

re: #242 Gus

Obama 'Holiday' Cards Cause Stir

Click here for the real story.

245 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:55:08am

re: #242 Gus

Obama 'Holiday' Cards Cause Stir

Click here for the real story.

Oh, FFS...

Wingnuts like Farah are why we can't have nice things.

246 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:55:55am

re: #242 Gus


The rest of the story? Obama hatred is all encompassing and ignores that other presidents have chosen tree-less holiday cards. It does not indicate that they are anti-Christmas, let alone anti-Christian.

247 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:57:11am

re: #246 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

The rest of the story? Obama hatred is all encompassing and ignores that other presidents have chosen tree-less holiday cards. It does not indicate that they are anti-Christmas, let alone anti-Christian.

I re-worked the Bush story and replaced it with Obama. :D I see they're freaking out though with the latest Holiday!!11ty card.

248 Ghost of Tom Joad  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 9:57:23am

re: #246 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

The rest of the story? Obama hatred is all encompassing and ignores that other presidents have chosen tree-less holiday cards. It does not indicate that they are anti-Christmas, let alone anti-Christian.

I can't see the American flag on the WH in the Obama photo. Ergo, he hates America too!//

249 jaunte  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:00:10am

re: #206 Killgore Trout

Since this has been making the rounds....
Claim: A four-year study has found that Fox News viewers have IQs 20 points lower than average.

Not proven.

Also in the mix:
A June Gallup poll found that 46 percent of Americans believe God created humans in their present form about 10,000 years ago.
[Link: www.gallup.com...]

250 Kaessa  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:00:29am

Having a problem with pop-ups (just on this site). I keep adblock turned off here and I have been getting a TON of pop-up/pop-under windows. My Firefox notifications currently says it has blocked 81 pop-up windows since I've been on this page.

Any suggestions? (Yes, I've virus scanned, and this is the only site it happens on).

251 Varek Raith  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:00:50am

re: #242 Gus

Someone bring me some pearls so that I may clutch them.

252 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:01:08am

"Happy Holidays" ≠ "War on Christmas"

253 Ghost of Tom Joad  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:02:14am

re: #250 Kaessa

Having a problem with pop-ups (just on this site). I keep adblock turned off here and I have been getting a TON of pop-up/pop-under windows. My Firefox notifications currently says it has blocked 81 pop-up windows since I've been on this page.

Any suggestions? (Yes, I've virus scanned, and this is the only site it happens on).

Might try cleaning out your cookies folder (or just the LGF cookie if you're savvy enough) and see if that helps.

254 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:02:20am

re: #251 Varek Raith

Someone bring me some pearls so that I may clutch them.

I took the Bush 2009 story and converted it into an Obama story. :D Wingnuts are crazy people.

255 Dark_Falcon  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:02:54am

re: #251 Varek Raith

Someone bring me some pearls so that I may clutch them.

Varek, the last time someone handed you a string a pearls you had them gifted to a female Jedi then used them to Force Choke her. No way I'd help you like that again.

256 jaunte  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:03:39am

re: #252 Dark_Falcon

I don't know if you caught this, but it was pretty funny:

...The cashier at the check out stand sensed LeClerc's joy and, seeing the candles, attempted to lift his ethnic holiday spirits by greeting the happy Frenchman with a hearty "Happy Hanukkah."....
A Hebrew Defeat in the War on Christmas

257 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:03:46am

re: #250 Kaessa

Having a problem with pop-ups (just on this site). I keep adblock turned off here and I have been getting a TON of pop-up/pop-under windows. My Firefox notifications currently says it has blocked 81 pop-up windows since I've been on this page.

Any suggestions? (Yes, I've virus scanned, and this is the only site it happens on).

Turn Adblock on, or, get a subscription.

258 Political Atheist  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:04:08am

re: #225 Dark_Falcon

It's fair to point out many if not all of the deregulation moves were spurred by a desire to soften or end or shorten a recession. Over the cliff, an inch at a time. Each recession another step in the wrong direction.

The accounting house scandal was a clarion bell alarm. We did have fair warning. Everyone dropped the ball.

259 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:05:05am

re: #251 Varek Raith

Someone bring me some pearls so that I may clutch them.

Better than getting a "pearl necklace"...

/NSFW

260 EmmaAnne  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:08:37am

re: #234 calochortus

We'll find out. As I recall, however, whenever he thinks something is "wrong" such as Roe v. Wade, he doesn't view it as a binding precedent.

All justices - all judges - favor stare decisis. It is the basis of our legal system, and just means that previous cases determine the interpretation of laws until the statute or another case comes along and changes it.

Scalia is certainly not more respectful of stare decisis than the other justices, or he would not have voted for Bush v. Gore. That was brand new law designed for the occasion and never to be used again.

261 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:09:55am

FWIW, we already have a national Christmas tree - the General Grant in Sequoia National Park (2d/3d largest tree in the world by volume).

And if you ever get out to that park, you'll be amazed by the size of the big trees. Heck, the pine tree that I had to take down last year wouldn't even be a sapling there, or a branch of some of the smaller trees.

262 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:11:04am


Last time I checked, Jeremiah was part of the Tanakh, not the New Testament.

263 Kaessa  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:14:34am

re: #253 Ghost of Tom Joad

Might try cleaning out your cookies folder (or just the LGF cookie if you're savvy enough) and see if that helps.

Good idea, I'll give that a try. Thanks!

264 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:19:40am

re: #261 lawhawk

FWIW, we already have a national Christmas tree - the General Grant in Sequoia National Park (2d/3d largest tree in the world by volume).

And if you ever get out to that park, you'll be amazed by the size of the big trees. Heck, the pine tree that I had to take down last year wouldn't even be a sapling there, or a branch of some of the smaller trees.

Big one. Thank goodness they were so hard to chop down that many of them survived. Largest in mass. The tallest redwood is Hyperion at 379 feet. Tallest tree in the world.

265 Kragar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:21:32am

Washington Times Gives Platform to White Nationalist to Warn Against Puerto Rico Statehood

The commonwealth is predominantly Spanish-speaking. If or when the issue of Puerto Rican statehood goes before Congress in 2013, these task force recommendations need to be considered so Puerto Ricans realize there would be strict English requirements as a condition for admission to statehood. At a minimum, a large majority of Puerto Ricans — who are U.S. citizens — must become fluent in English for statehood to even be considered.

With Puerto Rico’s legislature next year changing over to one that favors the status quo, there will be a new dynamic. It will be up to Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress to offer some sort of statehood legislation, and then the debate could get messy. The spotlight would no doubt shine on how expensive it would be to U.S. taxpayers to admit an economically depressed state to the union.

266 Varek Raith  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:27:39am

re: #265 Kragar
[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]
The 2000 U.S. Census reported that 71.9% of Puerto Rico residents spoke English less than "very well"


Nuculur!

267 Kragar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:28:38am

re: #266 Varek Raith

[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]
The 2000 U.S. Census reported that 71.9% of Puerto Rico residents spoke English less than "very well"

Nuculur!

So its just like much of the South then.

268 allegro  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:30:09am

re: #267 Kragar

So its just like much of the South then.

Your bigotry is not attractive.

269 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:30:54am

re: #265 Kragar

Washington Times Gives Platform to White Nationalist to Warn Against Puerto Rico Statehood

Of course...I think that many of us who were paying attention on Election Night to the results of the PR referendum knew instinctively that the racialist wingnuts were going to fight any effort to let this play out in Washington for the possible admission of PR as the 51st state, without preconditions such as "English-only".

270 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:32:36am

re: #264 Gus

The loggers tried cutting down the sequoias because they saw so much wood, but once they did, they found that the wood was really brittle and didn't have much value. It was the lack of value that saved them in the long run. Thank goodness for that.

I've got to get up to the Redwood NP in CA sometime. Been to Muir Woods and saw the coastal redwoods there, but the ones up the coast are even taller. The sequoias are just huge beyond comprehension. They make skyscrapers in most cities look tiny by comparison.

271 Kragar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:34:02am

Dick Armey blames Republican leaders for allowing candidates to say ‘dumb things’

Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) says that some tea party candidates lost in 2012 because leaders of the Republican Party did not stop them from saying “dumb things.”

Armey, who recently agreed to step down as the head of FreedomWorks for an $8 million payout, on Monday suggested that former Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin and former Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock had lost because the Republican Party had not taught them to keep their controversial opinions about rape to themselves.

“We had a lot of candidates, quite frankly, that did dumb things out there,” he told CBS host Norah O’Donnell. “Once the candidate wins the primary, becomes the Republican nomination, the Republican Party has an obligation to that candidate. I don’t think the Republican Party schooled their candidates very well or supported their candidates very well.”

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!!!

272 Gus  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:34:40am

re: #270 lawhawk

The loggers tried cutting down the sequoias because they saw so much wood, but once they did, they found that the wood was really brittle and didn't have much value. It was the lack of value that saved them in the long run. Thank goodness for that.

I've got to get up to the Redwood NP in CA sometime. Been to Muir Woods and saw the coastal redwoods there, but the ones up the coast are even taller. The sequoias are just huge beyond comprehension. They make skyscrapers in most cities look tiny by comparison.

Been to Muir and Yosemite once.

273 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:34:55am

re: #268 allegro

Your bigotry is not attractive.

Lighten up, Francis...

I live in the South (Nashville, to be exact) and have all of my life; I'm not offended by Kragar's crack, because there are places in the South where English, as spoken by people of many races [but mostly fellow white folks] who've also lived here all of their lives, doesn't strictly sound like American English.

It.Was.A.Joke. (and I took it as such)

274 lawhawk  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:39:53am

re: #272 Gus

I've yet to get to Yosemite or Redwood. Bucket lists for both.

275 Varek Raith  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:40:25am

re: #273 TedStriker

Lighten up, Francis.

I live in the South (Nashville, to be exact) and have all of my life; I'm not offended by Kragar's crack, because there are places in the South were English, as spoken by people who've lived here all of their life, doesn't strictly sound like English.

It.Was.A.Joke.

Wot's all dis den?!?!

276 allegro  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:40:45am

re: #273 TedStriker

Lighten up, Francis...

I live in the South (Nashville, to be exact) and have all of my life; I'm not offended by Kragar's crack, because there are places in the South where English, as spoken by people of all races [but mostly fellow white folks] who've lived here all of their life, doesn't strictly sound like English.

It.Was.A.Joke. (and I took it as such)

How nice for you. I will express my opinions as I wish.

277 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:42:20am

re: #264 Gus

Big one. Thank goodness they were so hard to chop down that many of them survived. Largest in mass. The tallest redwood is Hyperion at 379 feet. Tallest tree in the world.

[Embedded content]

The tallest building in my city is around 300 ft tall. That tree is taller. Wow.

278 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:44:43am

re: #271 Kragar

Dick Armey blames Republican leaders for allowing candidates to say ‘dumb things’

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!!!

Who's to blame for them believing dumb things?

279 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:46:17am

re: #273 TedStriker

Lighten up, Francis...

I live in the South (Nashville, to be exact) and have all of my life; I'm not offended by Kragar's crack, because there are places in the South where English, as spoken by people of many races [but mostly fellow white folks] who've also lived here all of their lives, doesn't strictly sound like American English.

It.Was.A.Joke. (and I took it as such)

Can somebody point me to the official Standard Spoken English handbook?

280 Kragar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:47:48am

Santorum: Obama has never condemned Radical Islam

NBC host David Gregory allowed former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) to get away with making false and misleading claims about Sharia law and President Obama’s stance on radical Islam. Speaking on Meet The Press’ web supplement Press Pass, Santorum claimed that the President has never condemned “radical Islam,” an assertion that Gregory simply lets stand without challenge:

Sharia law means women have to have head coverings, have no rights — and you don’t hear the President say a word about Sharia. You haven’t heard him condemn Sharia law or radical Islam.

The derp is strong with this one.

281 Kragar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:49:01am

re: #279 b_sharp

Can somebody point me to the official Standard Spoken English handbook?

[Link: www.barnesandnoble.com...]

282 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:49:19am

re: #276 allegro

How nice for you. I will express my opinions as I wish.

You certainly do have a right to express your opinion here (within limits and Charles' discretion, of course), but I think you're acting like you need a humor transplant; "catching the vapors" doesn't become you.

That's my opinion, as I wish to express it.

/any advice I give is worth at least as much as you paid for it

283 Decatur Deb  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:50:03am

re: #279 b_sharp

Can somebody point me to the official Standard Spoken English handbook?

Yunz could find it if you'd redd up your cupboards.

284 Political Atheist  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:50:47am

Back to the war on drugs-Lets say we legalize marij. Maybe (really dicey here) cocaine. But surely a whole range of drugs would remain illegal, still have a black market and still have organized crime selling those instead?

I can't imagine legal sales of mushrooms, MDMA, Heroin....

285 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:51:15am

re: #250 Kaessa

Having a problem with pop-ups (just on this site). I keep adblock turned off here and I have been getting a TON of pop-up/pop-under windows. My Firefox notifications currently says it has blocked 81 pop-up windows since I've been on this page.

Any suggestions? (Yes, I've virus scanned, and this is the only site it happens on).

That's very odd, and I can't duplicate it on my testing systems at all. We have those kinds of ads limited to 3 per day, and that's all I ever see. Don't know what could cause that, sorry.

286 erik_t  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:52:42am

re: #284 Political Atheist

But surely a whole range of drugs would remain illegal, still have a black market and still have organized crime selling those instead?

Surely. But I don't see a bunch of gatewayers shifting from pot to heroin because the former is now legal. The market for the big bad stuff isn't going to grow just because. Less money, less users = less black market, less organized crime.

287 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:52:48am

re: #285 Charles Johnson

That's very odd, and I can't duplicate it on my testing systems at all. We have those kinds of ads limited to 3 per day, and that's all I ever see. Don't know what could cause that, sorry.

I'm having a problem not being able to view comments when I'm logged in, and none of the sidebar menu items (top 10 comments, etc.) have any functionality. Spy mode works, but can't view comments on a page or rate an article.

288 Varek Raith  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:53:09am

re: #283 Decatur Deb

Yunz could find it if you'd redd up your cupboards.

What are you talking aboot?

289 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:53:45am

re: #279 b_sharp

Can somebody point me to the official Standard Spoken English handbook?

I don't know if that exists, but I'm sure that someone has had to have done up a For Dummies-style tome for speaking Southern Redneck.

290 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:53:57am

I also have no idea what's causing some people to not be able to see comments when logged in -- that's working fine for me too, on all my testing systems.

Those Arabic comments were from a spammer who registered two accounts, now blocked.

Also blocked - Rochi613, after she decided it would be a good idea to post an article from the insanely bigoted Gatestone Institute, where Fjordman is a "fellow."

I haven't renounced those assholes just to have people post them at my site.

291 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:54:37am

re: #281 Kragar

[Link: www.barnesandnoble.com...]

OK, OK, you got me. How about the official Standard Spoken Colloquial English handbook?

292 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:55:14am

re: #282 TedStriker

You certainly do have a right to express your opinion here (within limits and Charles' discretion, of course), but I think you're acting like you need a humor transplant; "catching the vapors" doesn't become you.

That's my opinion, as I wish to express it.

/any advice I give is worth at least as much as you paid for it

Yer both poopy heads.

293 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:55:38am

re: #287 Vicious Babushka

Well, those are symptoms of Javascript not working. As I mentioned, I can't duplicate this in any browser, Windows or Mac. I'd suggest reinstalling Chrome and see if that helps - something is preventing Javascript from running.

294 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:55:55am

re: #292 b_sharp

Yer both poopy heads.

Yeah, so...and your point is?

///

;-P

295 Feline Fearless Leader  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:56:28am

re: #122 Dark_Falcon

I can't speak to that. What I can say is that while he held Texas is decent regard, William F. Buckley's manner was that of a Connecticut Yankee. Whatever he might say about the South, he was firmly a man of the North.

So he was a Connecticut Yankee in the Texas Court?

296 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:56:32am

re: #293 Charles Johnson

Well, those are symptoms of Javascript not working. As I mentioned, I can't duplicate this in any browser, Windows or Mac. I'd suggest reinstalling Chrome and see if that helps - something is preventing Javascript from running.

Maybe a reinstall/update of the latest Java might help there too.

297 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:56:59am

re: #287 Vicious Babushka

I'm having a problem not being able to view comments when I'm logged in, and none of the sidebar menu items (top 10 comments, etc.) have any functionality. Spy mode works, but can't view comments on a page or rate an article.

Yer 'puter is screwed.
Update your Java.

298 Decatur Deb  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:57:30am

#288 Varek Raith

What are you talking aboot?

Pittsburghese, from a philologist:

299 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:58:22am

re: #294 TedStriker

Yeah, so...and your point is?

///

;-P

Green is a better colour than yellow.

300 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:59:14am

re: #298 Decatur Deb

[Embedded content]

People admit to being a philologists?

301 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:59:36am

re: #296 TedStriker

Maybe a reinstall/update of the latest Java might help there too.

No, this is Javascript, not Java - not the same thing. Javascript is built into browsers.

302 Ghost of Tom Joad  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 10:59:45am

re: #296 TedStriker

Maybe a reinstall/update of the latest Java might help there too.

Java can be a real pain in the ass. Better off just uninstalling it completely, then installing the latest version.

303 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:00:20am

re: #300 b_sharp

People admit to being a philologists?

Yo. But I'm only one philologist.

304 Kragar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:00:23am

re: #291 b_sharp

OK, OK, you got me. How about the official Standard Spoken Colloquial English handbook?

305 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:00:35am

LGF doesn't use Java. It's a common error, but Javascript is not related to Java.

306 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:02:49am

re: #301 Charles Johnson

No, this is Javascript, not Java - not the same thing. Javascript is built into browsers.

I reinstalled Chrome, same problem. I noticed it is throwing post_widget errors.

Failed to load resource [Link: rcm.amazon.com...]
Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 403 (Forbidden) [Link: i.po.st...]
Uncaught ReferenceError: post_widget is not defined lgf.min.1355009262.js:127
Unsafe JavaScript attempt to access frame with URL [Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...] from frame with URL [Link: www.youtube.com...] Domains, protocols and ports must match.

307 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:03:21am

I have javascript enabled for this site.

308 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:04:56am

re: #305 Charles Johnson

LGF doesn't use Java. It's a common error, but Javascript is not related to Java.

I use Java every morning. I'd be a bear without it.

309 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:05:43am

re: #303 Hercules Grytpype-Thynne

Yo. But I'm only one philologist.

You need to try harder.

310 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:05:57am

re: #306 Vicious Babushka

OK, try reloading again. I have an idea what it might be.

311 Kragar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:06:35am

re: #308 b_sharp

I use Java every morning. I'd be a bear without it.

I haven't had any form of liquid caffeine in the last 2 weeks.

About ready to rip someone's head off.

312 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:08:39am

re: #310 Charles Johnson

OK, try reloading again. I have an idea what it might be.

GAH! Still not working! Doesn't work in other browsers either.

313 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:08:40am

re: #311 Kragar

I haven't had any form of liquid caffeine in the last 2 weeks.

About ready to rip someone's head off.

Cold turkey is the worst.

314 Varek Raith  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:09:08am

re: #311 Kragar

I haven't had any form of liquid caffeine in the last 2 weeks.

About ready to rip someone's head off.

*Sips some awesome coffee*
I'm sorry, what were your saying?

315 Ghost of Tom Joad  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:09:15am

re: #311 Kragar

I haven't had any form of liquid caffeine in the last 2 weeks.

About ready to rip someone's head off.

Dude, 2 weeks? I'd be too comatose to rip off anything.

316 Ghost of Tom Joad  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:12:18am

re: #306 Vicious Babushka

Did you uninstall it/delete old settings beforehand? You can save your bookmarks and stuff first. Reinstalling over something tends to leave behind settings or problems.

317 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:12:26am

Wow. Buck's latest page has 5 views.

Is there a bot reading pages?

318 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:12:48am

re: #312 Vicious Babushka

GAH! Still not working! Doesn't work in other browsers either.

Something is blocking the sharing widgets from i.po.st in your system, that's the problem.

If you're at work, it could be a firewall on your network blocking external Javascript files.

319 Kragar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:13:11am

re: #314 Varek Raith

*Sips some awesome coffee*
I'm sorry, what were your saying?

First and last time I drank coffee was when I woke up covered in frost in a field in South Korea in 1996. Haven't seen the need to drink it again.

320 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:13:52am

re: #306 Vicious Babushka

I reinstalled Chrome, same problem. I noticed it is throwing post_widget errors.

Failed to load resource [Link: rcm.amazon.com...]
Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 403 (Forbidden) [Link: i.po.st...]
Uncaught ReferenceError: post_widget is not defined lgf.min.1355009262.js:127
Unsafe JavaScript attempt to access frame with URL [Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...] from frame with URL [Link: www.youtube.com...] Domains, protocols and ports must match.

Time to delete your partition, format to FAT16 and install Windows 98.

321 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:14:27am

re: #318 Charles Johnson

Something is blocking the sharing widgets from i.po.st in your system, that's the problem.

If you're at work, it could be a firewall on your network blocking external Javascript files.

Never had this problem before.

322 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:15:00am

re: #319 Kragar

First and last time I drank coffee was when I woke up covered in frost in a field in South Korea in 1996. Haven't seen the need to drink it again.

What TF was in that coffee?

323 Ghost of Tom Joad  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:15:32am

re: #320 b_sharp

Time to delete your partition, format to FAT16 and install Windows 98.

And dust off that old dial-up modem while you're at it, just to be safe.

324 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:15:50am

re: #321 Vicious Babushka

Never had this problem before.

So it's a new experience for you. Revel in it, then kill something.

325 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:19:38am

re: #321 Vicious Babushka

OK, I saved a copy of the i.po.st widget script on LGF and changed the link to use the local copy. Does it work now?

326 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:19:39am

re: #318 Charles Johnson

Something is blocking the sharing widgets from i.po.st in your system, that's the problem.

If you're at work, it could be a firewall on your network blocking external Javascript files.

I went into Chrome javascript settings and enabled i.po.st for all sites. Now it works!

327 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:20:24am

re: #325 Charles Johnson

OK, I saved a copy of the i.po.st widget script on LGF and changed the link to use the local copy. Does it work now?

Whatever you did, it works now.

328 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:21:37am

re: #327 Vicious Babushka

Whatever you did, it works now.

If you reload again, is it still working?

329 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:22:19am

re: #328 Charles Johnson

If you reload again, is it still working?

NO!

330 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:23:17am

All this talk of code is making me feel lazy guilty.

Maybe I should get back to work.

331 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:23:31am

In your Chrome settings do you have Javascript enabled for all sites?

332 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:23:46am

re: #331 Charles Johnson

In your Chrome settings do you have Javascript enabled for all sites?

Yes.

333 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:24:56am

I should do some actual work.

334 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:24:59am

re: #332 Vicious Babushka

Yes.

Are you in an office of some kind where you don't control the network? Because it sounds very much like a firewall is blocking access to i.po.st.

335 Vicious Michigan Union Thug  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:27:30am

re: #334 Charles Johnson

Are you in an office of some kind where you don't control the network? Because it sounds very much like a firewall is blocking access to i.po.st.

They must have changed it while I was on vacation. :(

336 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:28:38am

re: #319 Kragar

First and last time I drank coffee was when I woke up covered in frost in a field in South Korea in 1996. Haven't seen the need to drink it again.

Night of hard partying, huh?

///

337 Kragar  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:31:31am

re: #336 TedStriker

Night of hard partying, huh?

///

2nd day of a 3 day 65 mile march with full gear.

338 b_sharp  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:36:32am

re: #337 Kragar

2nd day of a 3 day 65 mile march with full gear.

I'm too old to even picture that, let alone think about it.

339 CuriousLurker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 11:54:01am

re: #334 Charles Johnson

Are you in an office of some kind where you don't control the network? Because it sounds very much like a firewall is blocking access to i.po.st.

I can confirm that it's po.st being blocked somehow. Last week I was having issues with the FF update to v17 and had to trash my profile & reinstall all my addons, which caused me to lose all my previous NoScript settings. As I unblocked scripts one-by-one, I noticed that po.st being blocked caused comments to disappear.

340 TedStriker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 12:04:59pm

re: #337 Kragar

2nd day of a 3 day 65 mile march with full gear.

Egads...

341 Charles Johnson  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 12:10:21pm

re: #339 CuriousLurker

I can confirm that it's po.st being blocked somehow. Last week I was having issues with the FF update to v17 and had to trash my profile & reinstall all my addons, which caused me to lose all my previous NoScript settings. As I unblocked scripts one-by-one, I noticed that po.st being blocked caused comments to disappear.

The technical reason why this happens: if the po.st script doesn't load, the LGF Javascript code that calls it will error out, and stop executing. When you're logged in, comments are loaded through Javascript -- that's why the comments don't load when po.st is blocked.

I'm going to try using a local copy of the po.st script, which should get around the problem. I set up a cron job to download the script from their server to LGF every night, so if they modify it we'll be up to date.

342 CuriousLurker  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 12:29:06pm

re: #341 Charles Johnson

The technical reason why this happens: if the po.st script doesn't load, the LGF Javascript code that calls it will error out, and stop executing. When you're logged in, comments are loaded through Javascript -- that's why the comments don't load when po.st is blocked.

I'm going to try using a local copy of the po.st script, which should get around the problem. I set up a cron job to download the script from their server to LGF every night, so if they modify it we'll be up to date.

Thanks for the 411. Good to know.

343 Kaessa  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 12:58:46pm

re: #285 Charles Johnson

That's very odd, and I can't duplicate it on my testing systems at all. We have those kinds of ads limited to 3 per day, and that's all I ever see. Don't know what could cause that, sorry.

Clearing the cookies seemed to help, I haven't had one since. Thanks for checking, Charles. :)

344 William Barnett-Lewis  Mon, Dec 10, 2012 1:40:25pm

re: #337 Kragar

2nd day of a 3 day 65 mile march with full gear.

My favorite cup of coffee was at about midnight in December 1984 halfway through swapping the engine on an M60A1 tank to have it ready for a FTX the next day.


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