Science! How the fuck does it work?
///

All kidding aside. Science has made some (in my opinion) very interesting contributions to the world of Art.

Pollen

Lets see an Abstract Artist beat that.

Also check out this site.

Beauty is in the eye, and intelligence, of the beholder.

Richard Feynman was a bongo player, too.

No, really. He was.

re: #4 Charles Johnson

No, really. He was.

[Embedded content]

Not much of a singer, though. Nor lyricist, if that's his work. Sounds like a great guy otherwise; I just read his Wikipedia page.

Now I'm going home, where I'll be able to view the video at the top.

Night Lizards. May the Deity of YOUR choice smile down upon you and yours.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

And on that note, the long quiet drive home beckons

Good Night to my fellow Lizards.

Flashback from Dec. 23, 2011: Fox Celebrates Christmas: Obama is a 'Skinny Ghetto Crackhead' lgf.bz/ug7oXp

— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) December 24, 2012

Feynman got his celebrity too without having to dip into the voodoo. Those were still some of the glory days of physics, back in the 60's.

re: #4 Charles Johnson

Reminds me of one of my favorite tracks

Doctor behind discredited vaccine-autism link handed quackery award

Andrew Wakefield, the doctor struck off the medical register for his discredited research that claimed to find a link between autism and the MMR vaccine, can add another honour to his list this Christmas: the inaugural Golden Duck award for lifetime achievement in quackery, set up by science writer Simon Singh.

Runners-up for the award were Prince Charles and David Tredinnick, the Conservative MP for Bosworth and member of the Commons health select committee. According to the campaign group the Good Thinking Society, led by Singh, the Golden Duck is an annual award to recognise those “who have supported or practiced pseudoscience in the most ludicrous, dangerous, irrational or irresponsible manner”.

Romney ‘wanted to be president less than anyone,’ says son

In an interview with the Boston Globe examining what went wrong with the Romney campaign, his eldest son Tagg explains that his father had been a reluctant candidate from the start.

After failing to win the 2008 Republican nomination, Romney told his family he would not run again and had to be persuaded to enter the 2012 White House race by his wife Ann and son Tagg.

“He wanted to be president less than anyone I’ve met in my life. He had no desire… to run,” Tagg Romney said. “If he could have found someone else to take his place… he would have been ecstatic to step aside.”

I'm sure the Wingnuts will love this.

re: #12 Kragar

Doctor behind discredited vaccine-autism link handed quackery award

Nobody deserves it more. Wakefield deserves to be mocked and ridiculed at every opportunity, that his quackery may be known and that anti-vaxxers may be discredited as much as possible.

re: #4 Charles Johnson

No, really. He was.

[Embedded content]

That would make an awesome Tropicana commercial!

re: #13 Kragar

Romney ‘wanted to be president less than anyone,’ says son

I'm sure the Wingnuts will love this.

“He wanted to be president less than anyone I’ve met in my life. He had no desire… to run,” Tagg Romney said. “If he could have found someone else to take his place… he would have been ecstatic to step aside.”

Santorum, Gingrich, Bachmann, Palin, would all have been delighted to take his place if only he had dropped out of the primaries.

re: #16 Vicious Michigan Union Thug

Santorum, Gingrich, Bachmann, Palin, would all have been delighted to take his place if only he had dropped out of the primaries.

Besides those people, no one could be found...
/

re: #17 Kragar

Besides those people, no one could be found...
/

Perry, Huntsman, and oh, of course, Mr. 9-9-9!!

re: #18 freetoken

Perry, Huntsman, and oh, of course, Mr. 9-9-9!!

RON PAUL!

re: #13 Kragar

“He wanted to be president less than anyone I’ve met in my life. He had no desire… to run,” Tagg Romney said. “If he could have found someone else to take his place… he would have been ecstatic to step aside.”

Tagg Howell III is full of shit. He learned from pops. The truth is whatever you want it to be today.

Oh, how I wish Romney would have stepped aside, and we would have ended up with a Santorum/9-9-9 ticket.

The wingnuts would have had everything they wanted, yet the outcome would have been the same, and they would then stew in the fact that their atavism was rejected.

This is still more the same post-election blaming of Mitt, as if it was all his personal fault (e.g., bad campaigning strategy) that the Republicans lost.

They just won't accept that the message was rejected too.

re: #22 freetoken

This is still more the same post-election blaming of Mitt, as if it was all his personal fault (e.g., bad campaigning strategy) that the Republicans lost.

They just won't accept that the message was rejected too.

THEY

JUST

DIDN'T

SCREAM

IT

LOUD

ENOUGH!

Center-right nation!!!

An obvious sign of mental illness is believing it should be easier to pass a background check to buy a gun than to qualify for foodstamps

— Prog Wild (@Prog_Wild) December 24, 2012

re: #23 Four More Tears

Center-right nation!!!

GOD! GUNS! GOLD!!!!

re: #13 Kragar

Romney ‘wanted to be president less than anyone,’ says son

“He wanted to be president less than anyone I’ve met in my life. He had no desire… to run,” Tagg Romney said. "If he could have found someone else to take his place… he would have been ecstatic to step aside.”

Tagg's not being especially diplomatic here, is he?

"Well, if my dad doesn't run, all we've got is Perry and Bachmann and Santorum and Cain and Gingrich and RON PAUL! and Palin and Huckabee and that guy who speaks Chinese."

re: #26 BongCrodny

...and that guy who speaks Chinese.

Why do I find it impossible to imagine Republicans respecting any white man who speaks Chinese?

Oh, yeah -- I forgot Tim Pawlenty.

How do you suppose that could possibly have happened? :-)

re: #22 freetoken

This is still more the same post-election blaming of Mitt, as if it was all his personal fault (e.g., bad campaigning strategy) that the Republicans lost.

They just won't accept that the message was rejected too.

Or maybe he is trying to say that pops would have won easily if he had actually tried to win.

The look on Cory Booker's face as Peggy Noonan blames gun violence on video games and movies is fucking priceless.

Image: A-0QY5SCQAAFK5l.jpg

re: #29 Mich-again

Or maybe he is trying to say that pops would have won easily if he had actually tried to win.

Of course he is. Rejection is hard to accept.

re: #30 Four More Tears

The look on Cory Booker's face as Peggy Noonan blames gun violence on video games and movies is fucking priceless.

Image: A-0QY5SCQAAFK5l.jpg

Bitch! Please!

re: #30 Four More Tears

The look on Cory Booker's face as Peggy Noonan blames gun violence on video games and movies is fucking priceless.

Image: A-0QY5SCQAAFK5l.jpg

re: #29 Mich-again

Or maybe he is trying to say that pops would have won easily if he had actually tried to win.

That 47% comment and the "Go to the ER" comment were self-sabotage, for sure.

Other 2012 Republican Presidential candidates, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Jack Fellure, Perennial candidate of West Virginia, filed a presidential committee with the FEC on November 5, 2008. Fellure ended his campaign for the Republican nomination on June 22, 2011 after receiving the presidential nomination of the Prohibition Party.

Your modern-day Republican Party is just too liberal for some people.

re: #34 Vicious Michigan Union Thug

Everything he did to win the primary made him unelectable.

He's not the first presidential candidate to forget that when you're running for president people pay attention, you can't say one thing to one group and something else to another. You can't change your story without admitting that you've changed your mind, given a reason for it, and taken the consequences.

And you can't play one group against another without pissing people off forever.

re: #34 Vicious Michigan Union Thug

That 47% comment and the "Go to the ER" comment were self-sabotage, for sure.

To counter-argue, though: Romney didn't expect the public to find out about the 47% remark. It only got out because someone violated the fund-raiser's rules against recording.

[Edit] Note: Mitt Romney's "47%" remarks were indefensible. I said so at the time, and I maintain that position.

re: #37 Dark_Falcon

To counter-argue, though: Romney didn't expect the public to find out about the 47% remark. It only got out because someone violated the fund-raiser's rules against recording.

Pro-tip: keep arguments that make your candidate look worse to yourself.

re: #37 Dark_Falcon

He may not have expected the actual statement at that party to get out, but his whole basis of his campaign reeked of disdain for the lower economic half of the electorate.

re: #37 Dark_Falcon

Oh bullshit.

Frankly you don't deserve more of an argument than "Bullshit!" But you'll get one.

1) anyone could also have just walked out and reported what he said.
2) rules against recording, are you serious? What? Are fund raisers "off the record"? One big "I'll tell the truth now that the rabble are out of the room" Stupid idea. STUPID
3) no candidate should think he can talk behind the voters back anyone fucking stupid enough to think he can do that isn't smart enough to pump gas or be a gigolo let alone the God Damn President of the United States of America.

Also I regret that I have only one downding to give for my country. STUPID!

re: #37 Dark_Falcon

To counter-argue, though: Romney didn't expect the public to find out about the 47% remark. It only got out because someone violated the fund-raiser's rules against recording.

WTF!

re: #39 freetoken

He may not have expected the actual statement at that party to get out, but his whole basis of his campaign reeked of disdain for the lower economic half of the electorate.

I'm not questioning that, I'm just saying that the line possible wouldn't have represented self-sabotage, given that he didn't expect it to get out.

Mitt Romney's "47%" remarks were indefensible. I said so at the time, and I maintain that position. This line is being added to #37 for clarity.

re: #42 Dark_Falcon

I'm not questioning that, I'm just saying that the line possible wouldn't have represented self-sabotage, given that he didn't expect it to get out.

Mitt Romney's "47%" remarks were indefensible. I said so at the time, and I maintain that position. This line is being added to #37 for clarity.

He either knew that they might get out, which makes it self-sabotage, or he didn't, which makes it stupidity.

Furthermore, it was an entirely unforced error. He didn't need to make such a statement (particularly the part about "never getting them to take responsibility for their lives"), even to that audience.

What the NRA-ILA is worried about right now...

The Battle is Not Coming--It is Here! You Must Remain Engaged!

And, if you think the latest gun control debate will be limited solely to legislation to ban semi-autos and "large capacity" magazines, think again. Calls have already been renewed to subject all private sales of firearms to background checks, even among family members and friends, and to end mail-order sales of ammunition.

The rest of the country is worried about the proliferation of military grade weaponry in the hands of average citizens. But what they seem most worried about is that they might have to do a background check before a private sale.

Good to see that the NRA has it's priorities straight, because everyone knows how essential private sales (the "gun show loophole") are to our 2nd Amendment rights. It is more important to be able to freely sell a gun privately to someone that they know may or may not pass a background check than to allow any regulation to be involved. Blah, blah, blah, slippery slope, blah, blah, onerous regulation...

But how else is Uncle Leroy goin ta get hisself another gun afterin that hassle he had what with beatin on Auntie May and then shootin at the pigs whinst theys come to arrest him, lessen I ken sells him one?

Anti-Union Conservative Dana Loesch Now All For Workers’ Rights—Hers

"...she considers it sick and wrong to do this to her… but anyone else victimized by an employer obviously deserves it, and should just stop their entitled whining, stop filing frivolous lawsuits, and be grateful to have a job at all.

And yet another tasty morsel of irony in all this? On her very own radio show, Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones revealed to the St. Louis-based wingnut that soon her home state will be considering “Right to Work” legislation, which, if approved, would probably shrug its unsympathetic shoulders at her complaints."

re: #43 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

He either knew that they might get out, which makes it self-sabotage, or he didn't, which makes it stupidity.

Furthermore, it was an entirely unforced error. He didn't need to make such a statement (particularly the part about "never getting them to take responsibility for their lives"), even to that audience.

All of that is true, and undisputed by me. I was trying to counter-argue self-sabotage, not saying he hadn't fucked up. He fucked up the second that "47%" remark entered his thoughts. Publicly berating almost half of the country is not how you get elected. It's how you show yourself to be clueless at best, a douche canoe at worst.

Houston Chronicle bending over backwards to be fair to Sen. Crapo, the "accused."

Idaho Sen. Crapo accused of DUI bit.ly/WJce0X

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) December 24, 2012

"Donaldson said he didn't immediately know what Crapo's blood alcohol level was, where he was coming from or the type of vehicle he was driving.

The 61-year-old Crapo (KRAY'-poh) has a Jan. 4 court date."

"It's CRAY-poh, dammit!"

Got relieved of present wrapping duty when I started singing Edelweiss with the Baron.

— Werner Roland (@schnapsi) December 24, 2012

re: #47 jaunte

Houston Chronicle bending over backwards to be fair to Sen. Crapo, the "accused."

"It's CRAY-poh, dammit!"

Thank you, I was sure it was pronounced the other way.

I'm sick and tired of the ultimate rationalization that impeding a citizen's rights is the last stop gap before dictatorship. It's outdated and paranoid thinking.

re: #50 Kronocide

I'm sick and tired of the ultimate rationalization that impeding a citizen's rights is the last stop gap before dictatorship. It's outdated and paranoid thinking.

Please elaborate on that. I'm not clear what you are saying.

re: #13 Kragar

Romney ‘wanted to be president less than anyone,’ says son

I'm sure the Wingnuts will love this.

There is nothing about this story that I believe.

Not.
One.
Thing.

If you don't want to be president, you don't run for the office for seven years with virtually no pause. Obviously Tagg would like to be able to do something to help heal his father's heavily damaged reputation, but he is going to have to go back to the drawing board to come up with something that is REMOTELY believable.

Remove the 2nd Amendment = Germany, dictatorships, etc.

It's an article of faith, a truism. It's also intellectually lazy.

Evening lizards! I activated my new iPhone 5 and im loving it :). I have Verizon this time and I can finally get a signal here at home.

re: #53 Kronocide

Someone just quoted Paul Harvey selling that

sigh

It would seem more important for the populace to be active in politics and such than to just keep weapons in case the government that they elected to take care of one's business suddenly tries to take over.

Seems pretty far fetched that it would not happen merely because a populace was well armed: not to mention all the other transitions that needed to happen to assume real power. What's to assume many of those armed citizens did not become associated with this new dictatorship and merely become arms working for the new oppressive government?

re: #53 Kronocide

Remove the 2nd Amendment = Germany, dictatorships, etc.

It's an article of faith, a truism. It's also intellectually lazy.

It doesn't lead there, but it could be a step along the way.

re: #53 Kronocide

Remove the 2nd Amendment = Germany, dictatorships, etc.

It's an article of faith, a truism. It's also intellectually lazy.

They do find it convenient to forget that German citizens never lost the ability to own firearms. Lots of hunting firearms were collected by the Allies in the aftermath of the war.

Likewise they like to forget that insurgencies need explosives which have been tightly controlled for as long as full auto firearms.

Last is the fact that, historically, you're more likely to need your firearms to protect you against a far right government than a far left one. Oops!

Citizens should not have to justify to the government why they should be allowed to do or own something; Instead it is the government that should have to justify to the citizen why they should not do or own something.

re: #57 Dark_Falcon

It doesn't lead there, but it could be a step along the way.

I hope that's not the entirety of the rationale. We could be a step along the way with 270m guns in the hands of private citizens. You're assuming all those guns are only going to rise up against some potential oppressive government and not join up with that potential government.

re: #60 Kronocide

I hope that's not the entirety of the rationale. We could be a step along the way with 270m guns in the hands of private citizens. You're assuming all those guns are only going to rise up against some potential oppressive government and not join up with that potential government.

No, it's not the whole rationale. But you gave short statements and I was replying with the same type of statement.

re: #61 Dark_Falcon

No, it's not the whole rationale. But you gave short statements and I was replying with the same type of statement.

Well, I'm just getting started but must pull away soon. However, the concept that 270m guns in legal private ownership is the stop gap against oppression seems to be an article of faith.

I'm beginning to challenge it in my own mind. I merely ask that others do as well.

re: #54 NJDhockeyfan

Evening lizards! I activated my new iPhone 5 and im loving it :). I have Verizon this time and I can finally get a signal here at home.

My Lumia 920 is better than your iPhone. :P

re: #59 Dark_Falcon

Citizens should not have to justify to the government why they should be allowed to do or own something; Instead it is the government that should have to justify to the citizen why they should not do or own something.

Government is by and for the people: therefore, justifications and allowances should be between citizens, government is merely there to enforce them.

Government is not an alternate entity to citizens. It is not the yin to the citizen yang.

re: #59 Dark_Falcon

Citizens should not have to justify to the government why they should be allowed to do or own something; Instead it is the government that should have to justify to the citizen why they should not do or own something.

Oh, that's an easy one - citizens should not own weapons of mass homicide like high capacity/automatic guns because those weapons are made for one thing - killing lots of people.

Wife got some crab legs on sale yesterday.

The 9 year old has been going around with a claw in each hand saying "I AM THE CRAB NINJA!" and chasing her older sister around.

NRA logic.. Americans have a Constitutional right to own assault weapons so they can kill off police officers who attempt to confiscate those assault weapons.

re: #65 freetoken

Oh, that's an easy one - citizens should not own weapons of mass homicide like high capacity/automatic guns because those weapons are made for one thing - killing lots of people.

But you might miss with the first, ninth, or twenty-seventh round!

Blues Cruise

Steaming past Guantánamo, en route to the Cayman Islands,
a boatload of Republicans ponder the plight of a party at sea.

Joe Hagan:

"...Who sent Obama here to destroy America?” a fiftysomething woman asked me one evening over dinner, as if it were a perfectly reasonable question. And here onboard the cruise ship, it was."

re: #69 jaunte

Blues Cruise

Steaming past Guantánamo, en route to the Cayman Islands,
a boatload of Republicans ponder the plight of a party at sea.

Joe Hagan:

The Pentaverate, obviously.

re: #59 Dark_Falcon

Citizens should not have to justify to the government why they should be allowed to do or own something; Instead it is the government that should have to justify to the citizen why they should not do or own something.

Anarchist!

[Link: www.flickr.com...]

Synchronicity:

Physics and flowers.

re: #63 Four More Tears

My Lumia 920 is better than your iPhone. :P

But I have iCloud. I just have to figure out how to make it work with my iPad.

re: #52 bratwurst

There is nothing about this story that I believe.

Not.
One.
Thing.

If you don't want to be president, you don't run for the office for seven years with virtually no pause. Obviously Tagg would like to be able to do something to help heal his father's heavily damaged reputation, but he is going to have to go back to the drawing board to come up with something that is REMOTELY believable.

This.

Never mind that they were so convinced that moving into the White House was their 'destiny' that Ann went on a crying jag after the election, and they deluded themselves into thinking every national poll was wrong.

Nah, Mittens didn't want to be prez. Not at all.

My computer does not hold enough /

re: #73 NJDhockeyfan

But I have iCloud. I just have to figure out how to make it work with my iPad.

We have SkyDrive. Google has Drive. Everyone has their own clouds nowadays.

re: #75 Four More Tears

We have SkyDrive. Google has Drive. Everyone has their own clouds nowadays.

Um, "one of these things is not like the other...."

re: #69 jaunte

Blues Cruise

Steaming past Guantánamo, en route to the Cayman Islands,
a boatload of Republicans ponder the plight of a party at sea.

It's nice to read such a heartwarming story this holiday season.

I actually have a genuine Uncle Paul and he was in rare form tonight at a family party. Sekrit Muslim! Benghazi! MOAR GUNZ! You read this stuff or see it on TV and it's one thing... But to have a true believer give you the sales pitch in person.. pure comedy. loved it.

re: #76 gwangung

Um, "one of these things is not like the other...."

Oh? Which one?

re: #74 makeitstop

Nah, Mittens didn't want to be prez. Not at all.

Those grapes are probably sour anyways.

re: #69 jaunte

Blues Cruise

Steaming past Guantánamo, en route to the Cayman Islands,
a boatload of Republicans ponder the plight of a party at sea.

Joe Hagan:

From the article:

After drinks, we moved to the Manhattan Dining Room, an elegant two-story restaurant at the ship’s stern, where we would meet each evening, tabled with a different assortment of cruisers, sometimes hosted by writers and pundits from the National Review. Kevin Hassett, a former economic adviser to Mitt Romney, hosted my table of eight that night, arriving in a bright-green golf shirt and rimless glasses. He announced that this would be a “family” conversation in which he was the moderator.

“Minorities came out like crazy,” said Hassett, sighing. “White people didn’t get to the polls. There are far more African-­Americans voting than they expected.”

“In Tampa,” noted Bobbie, a petite woman from Vero Beach, Florida, “they had lots and lots of lines.”

BROWN PEOPLE!!

Guns don't kill people, games do.
-NRA

Herd mentality must be respected - they'll stomp you otherwise.

Dec 14 picture of a gun store:
[Link: www.theliberalgunclub.com...]

Same store, 6 days later:
[Link: www.theliberalgunclub.com...]

I think I'll go look at flintlock kits over at Sitting Fox instead...

re: #59 Dark_Falcon

Citizens should not have to justify to the government why they should be allowed to do or own something; Instead it is the government that should have to justify to the citizen why they should not do or own something.

Thousands of unnecessary deaths a year.

Twenty dead first graders.

re: #81 freetoken

From the article:

BROWN PEOPLE!!

First come, first serve, bitches. Try opening up more polling places next time.

re: #81 freetoken

BROWN PEOPLE!!

Hey Isaac, gimme another Rusty Nail, shaken not stirred..

re: #69 jaunte

Blues Cruise

Steaming past Guantánamo, en route to the Cayman Islands,
a boatload of Republicans ponder the plight of a party at sea.

Joe Hagan:

Reading the whole article, it is very damning insight into that whole conservative/National Review scene.

re: #81 freetoken

So that’s why they’re so angry!

re: #69 jaunte

Blues Cruise

Steaming past Guantánamo, en route to the Cayman Islands,
a boatload of Republicans ponder the plight of a party at sea.

Joe Hagan:

More delusions of persecution and personal importance...

Hassett, with an oddly cheerful, Oh-What-My-Country-Has-Done-Now mien, predicted economic doom under Obama, the most likely scenario being another Great Depression, which would make 2008 look like a joyride.

That prompted a tall, extremely tanned blonde named Kay, from Old Greenwich, Connecticut, to ask Hassett, the co-­author of the 1999 book Dow 36,000, “So what do we do with our money?”

He recommended investing in real estate in another country, maybe in Central America somewhere. A woman to Kay’s right wrinkled her nose: How about a Western country? “Okay, if Europe is what you want, go to Poland,” he said optimistically. “Go to Krakow, buy a house for $50,000, and it’s going to be like Paris in a few years.”

As we drained the Pinot Noir, Hassett gave his audience the insider’s view of the Romney campaign, describing how its election-monitoring software crashed on November 6 and Obama was probably behind it, “because those guys are so evil.”

The table grumbled in assent.

“The thing we have to understand is, these are people who don’t have any morals,” said Hassett. “They’ll do anything. I’m one of their No. 1 targets. I mean, they really want me bad.”

“Well, you’re safe on this ship!” said Bobbie boldly.

re: #89 watching you tiny alien kittens are

describing how its election-monitoring software crashed on November 6 and Obama was probably behind it, “because those guys are so evil.”

Crashing Hassett's software was the key to the whole win, of course.

Because Real Mericans™ Invest their money in Latin America and Poland, that is why they need more tax cuts, so that they can create more jobs (elsewhere).

re: #82 Varek Raith

Guns don't kill people, games do.
-NRA

Guns don't kill people, society does.

re: #92 austin_blue

Guns don't kill people, society does.

Guns don't kill people..people with guns kill people

re: #59 Dark_Falcon

Citizens should not have to justify to the government why they should be allowed to do or own something; Instead it is the government that should have to justify to the citizen why they should not do or own something.

Oh, dear. you don't seem to grok the whole social compact thing. It's not us and them.

Instead, the cruisers milled around the cafeteria, lounged by the pool with their Grishams and Balduccis, or surfed the Internet in the Crow’s Nest lounge, a privilege that cost $1.25 a minute.

$1.25 a minute for wireless internet service? Remind me to never go on a cruise with these people. Ouch, all my cards would be maxed out by the time we got back to port.

re: #92 austin_blue

Guns don't kill people, society does.

Socialism!

re: #93 A Man for all Seasons

Guns don't kill people..people with guns kill people

Guns don't kill people.. Bad people with guns kill good people without guns.

Image: QQ20121222-62.jpg

re: #59 Dark_Falcon

Citizens should not have to justify to the government why they should be allowed to do or own something; Instead it is the government that should have to justify to the citizen why they should not do or own something.

I agree with that.

But funny, right wingers will take that kind of attitude about guns and nothing else.

If it were up to me, I would support a constitutional amendment taking government out of the business of outlawing victimless crimes.

But I draw the line at harm to other people and certainly at death. Sometimes it's not enough to outlaw something, sometimes you have to adjust the environment so that people won't do something (like kill each other).

re: #93 A Man for all Seasons

Guns don't kill people..people with guns kill people

Guns don't kill people, small bits of lead traveling at supersonic speeds do.

re: #98 Gus

Image: QQ20121222-62.jpg

Proof that successful cat herding is not merely a myth!

re: #101 watching you tiny alien kittens are

Proof that successful cat herding is not merely a myth!

5????? Santa Claus CAT: youtu.be/W9L6q5NMaSI via @youtube

— Gus (@Gus_802) December 24, 2012

re: #102 Gus

[Embedded content]

That's cheating those are Zen Buddhist kitties, anyone can herd them!

re: #97 Mich-again

Guns don't kill people.. Bad people with guns kill good people without guns.

Seriously? Like, quoted directly from Wayne LaPierre seriously?

What the fuck.

re: #103 watching you tiny alien kittens are

That's cheating those are Zen Buddhist kitties, anyone can herd them!

My cat like powers are available right meow! /

re: #104 Renaissance_Man

Seriously? Like, quoted directly from Wayne LaPierre seriously?

What the fuck.

I assume some sarc tags were in order on that post, at least that is how I read it.

re: #104 Renaissance_Man

Seriously? Like, quoted directly from Wayne LaPierre seriously?

What the fuck.

Forgot the sarc tag, actually I figured that was so over the top it was beyond even needing one. If what Wayne LaPierre said was true soldiers and policemen would always be safe on the job.

Science, once again found to be the enemy of wingnuts.

Silencing the Science on Gun Research

Arthur L. Kellermann, MD, MPH; Frederick P. Rivara, MD, MPH :

"...The nation might be in a better position to act if medical and public health researchers had continued to study these issues as diligently as some of us did between 1985 and 1997. But in 1996, pro-gun members of Congress mounted an all-out effort to eliminate the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although they failed to defund the center, the House of Representatives removed $2.6 million from the CDC's budget—precisely the amount the agency had spent on firearm injury research the previous year. Funding was restored in joint conference committee, but the money was earmarked for traumatic brain injury. The effect was sharply reduced support for firearm injury research."

re: #108 jaunte

Science, once again found to be the enemy of wingnuts.

Silencing the Science on Gun Research

What me no worry. Yet another sad legacy of Gingrich's Speakership tho.

re: #108 jaunte

Science, once again found to be the enemy of wingnuts.

Silencing the Science on Gun Research

In states, banning pediatricians from asking question about gun ownership.

re: #69 jaunte

Blues Cruise

Steaming past Guantánamo, en route to the Cayman Islands,
a boatload of Republicans ponder the plight of a party at sea.

Isaac and Julie leading the dance on the Love Boat..

YEAH I DIDNT WANNA BE NO STEEKING PRESIDENT

— Mexican Mitt Romneez (@MexicanMitt) December 24, 2012

re: #5 wrenchwench

Now I'm going home, where I'll be able to view the video at the top.

That was nice. Everything looks better on this laptop than it does on the desktop at work.

Paisajes de Catamarca - Los Chalchaleros: youtu.be/QWrG_ACVvQU via @youtube

— Gus (@Gus_802) December 24, 2012

Abba - Fernando: youtu.be/dQsjAbZDx-4 via @youtube

— Gus (@Gus_802) December 24, 2012

Later, lizards.

re: #108 jaunte

Dr.Kellerman was in charge of the ER where I did my training as an intern. He was involved in a study at the time looking at the reasons for transfers between one ER and another. It was amazing how many doctors would admit outright the reason was due to lack of insurance while knowing they were being recorded. Dr.Kellerman very strongly believed in the patient's well being coming first and used the study findings to change the guidelines for transfers nationwide. I can imagine his response to the pro-gun people trying to interfere with research involving firearm injuries.

re: #59 Dark_Falcon

Citizens should not have to justify to the government why they should be allowed to do or own something; Instead it is the government that should have to justify to the citizen why they should not do or own something.

You mean like drive cars or practice medicine? Like having to stop a peanut butter factory because it's product is infected with salmonella?

The position you've stated is anarchy disguised as Randism. "The Man can't tell me what to do, what I can own."

re: #82 Varek Raith

Guns don't kill people, games do.
-NRA

I've been playing Dead Island all day and I've felt no more urges to curb stomp a person than usual.

Worse anti-guncontrol argument ever, copied from PJMedia comment section:

17. Jeff1000

No one seems to bring this up, but how far would OWS zombies, or even union thugs have gone if Americans were disarmed? It’s not just the government we have to protect ourselves from.

@bryanjfischerwhy? He never cared . Mormons do not care about anything but themselves.

— GingerMarple (@GingerMarple) December 24, 2012

re: #89 watching you tiny alien kittens are

He recommended investing in real estate in another country, maybe in Central America somewhere. A woman to Kay’s right wrinkled her nose: How about a Western country? “Okay, if Europe is what you want, go to Poland,” he said optimistically.

Silly me. All this time I thought "western" had to do with one of the cardinal directions, when it was actually a measurement of a country's per capita melanin level. The things you learn on cruises...

re: #97 Mich-again

Guns don't kill people.. Bad people with guns kill good people without guns.

I don't think the NRA believes that's possible. It's like the vikings, if you don't die with a weapon in your hands, you don't get to go to Gunhalla. Anyone who voluntarily goes around unarmed is exhibiting a serious moral failing.

I totally buy the assertion that Mitt really didn't want to be president. You have to admit it handily explains why he spent the last four years locating and grooming a better conservative candidate for president instead of working on putting together his own campaign.

re: #124 Sophist is the VillageGreen Preservation Society

The zombie eye'd granny starver? Romney's own Sarah Palin? The man with policies so repulsive that they stained Romney's pristine lack of position and insured that he could never win? That "better conservative candidate?"

More proof that we need more corporate tax cuts immediately in order to spur increased hiring... ///

Turning the Corner: Why 2012 Wasn't as Bad as You Think

5. Corporations prospered like never before
After-tax corporate profits hit an all-time high in July, up 19% from the year before and nearly threefold over the last decade. As a share of GDP, corporate profits are now at the highest level since records began in the 1940s. S&P 500 dividend payments are also at an all-time high. It's a great time to be an investor.

re: #126 watching you tiny alien kittens are

Demand for goods and services don't create jobs, tax cuts do.
/

re: #125 stabby

Better is a relative term.

Besides, I wasn't really thinking of them, I was thinking of finding some up-and-comer and spending a couple years building up his profile and national credibility. Obama went from the back bench to the top of the ticket pretty quickly, I imagine a man with Romney's money and connections could help a similar process along for a conservative candidate. You know, if he was really more interested in having a good candidate than in running for the office himself.

p.s. Based on you avatar, you may or may not find this amusing:

re: #127 Kragar

Demand for goods and services don't create jobs, tax cuts do.
/

It's a damn shame that Romney didn't win the election, only he might have saved the poor struggling corporations from being taxed out of existence. Now I guess their only option is keep laying people off and cutting wages and benefits, you democrats have brought this on yourselves!

///

re: #128 Sophist is the VillageGreen Preservation Society

Must restore my honor!

Actually I never watched more than 2 episodes of Azumanga daiyo, I just wanted an avitar that was stabbing >.>

Anyway if Romney didn't want to the Presidency he wouldn't have bought it.

He paid for it, it's his, just ask him. And that damn Obama stole it from him by promising to preserve stuff for regular people instead of just promising huge tax cuts to the rich and money to the military at everyone else's expense.

Doesn't Obama know that only the wealthy deserve to be bribed by a presidential candidate?

Morning, all

Damn, remember when I posted homicide rates by country (and the US didn't fair that well, though not as badly as gun only homicide rates would imply). For instance 5 times worse than Italy, 4 times worse then the UK, 7 times worse than Japan and Austria, 2.5 times worse than Canada...

I posted the same things a couple places at PJ Media.

One answer i just got:

Art Chance

Norm the stats for race, ignorant lefty punk.

Beautiful, just beautiful.

Though we should be aware of their better arguments (which may be lies - I'll look that up after christmas), such as that these countries have higher rape and assault figures.

re: #134 stabby

Art Chance

Norm the stats for race, ignorant lefty punk.

Minority outreach!

Another argument I got was that violence is caused by children of unwed mothers and blacks...

Apparently you have to collect statistics on sluts and inferior races to even be able to argue with conservatives because they're obsesses with those.

I feel like I'm wading into shit.

re: #134 stabby

Can we normalize by gun ownership?

good night

re: #138 Kragar

Can we normalize by gun ownership?

だめ！* (pronounced dah-meh)

*Japanese for "No!" or "Forbidden!" as an order.

re: #138 Kragar

Also I just responded with your question.

I may be banned though. No one get's banned for "lefty punk" but I called him a "swivel eyed racist creep". That ought to push the oh-so-wronged-helpless-white-man button that everyone there has honed to the point of exquisite sensitive torture.

"Norm the stats by race"? Alright, here's a simple one: The majority of mass shootings have been performed by white people, primarily white male teens coming from middle class families living in small towns.

Ergo, white people be crazy.//

re: #140 freetoken

Timeless.

re: #13 Kragar

Romney ‘wanted to be president less than anyone,’ says son

I'm sure the Wingnuts will love this.

Not true. Remember when Romney called his kids a bunch of liars?

I Wish I Was The Moon

What is this...I don't even???

The key isn’t for gays not to act on their desires, it’s for their desires to change. How is that possible? I believe in some cases it’s posture. You see how gays hold books, cigarettes, etc? Very awkward feeling for a straight guy unless he slouches and extends his belly out. I think if we are taught to stand up straight when young and warned about the consequences we would reduce gay desires, at least among boys. Other benefits: Try to make your center of gravity on your back just below your armpits (by sticking your back out slightly at that point). You can pick up heavier items and can tolerate cold weather better.

A freeper has discovered that the "cure for gayness" is...better posture?

re: #147 watching you tiny alien kittens are

It's a wonderful thing when these people try to think. Have you ever, in your entire life, seen a mind less equipped for the basics of thought? There are toddlers who are sharper.

re: #147 watching you tiny alien kittens are

What is this...I don't even???

A freeper has discovered that the "cure for gayness" is...better posture?

Most gay guys I know have much better posture than average, partially because most gay guys I know are in better shape than the average guy.

When I first read this topic's video title, I thought it was going to be a Percy Dovetonsils skit.

re: #147 watching you tiny alien kittens are

What is this...I don't even???

A freeper has discovered that the cure for gayness is...better posture?

If I had a nickel for every "cure" I've heard for homosexuality, I'd die a rich man.

I wish I could sleep.

Roger L Simon has a post up saying that both conservatives and the Republican party need to "rebrand".. I responded that Republicans are communicating quite well, that the problem is having destructive policies not being misunderstood. I said that if "conservative" ever meant "preserving our institutions" then the current batch of radicals are the opposite of what conservative used to mean. I pointed to when Obama was polling behind "generic Republican" but ahead of all of the actual Republican candidates and said that this means that the public can still remember an adult Republican party, but that no one at PJ Media has the adult values. I said the solution is to change the party's values to adult ones and to replace the damn birchers at PJ Media with adults...

So after 5 hours he deleted all my comments and banned me from his threads... :)

Heh, and he has a commenter say that all would be well if Michelle Bauchmann and Sarah Palin were in charge instead of John Boehner.

Good luck you dummies, you're gonna need it.

Oh wtf, my comments are back....
is that even possible?

re: #153 stabby

Heh, and he has a commenter say that all would be well if Michelle Bauchmann and Sarah Palin were in charge instead of John Boehner.

Good luck you dummies, you're gonna need it.

Not the funniest thing I've heard so far. The Breitbartians are talking of barely-secret coup in the works amongst the House GOP. The suggested replacement? Paul Ryan.

re: #153 stabby

Heh, and he has a commenter say that all would be well if Michelle Bauchmann and Sarah Palin were in charge instead of John Boehner.

Good luck you dummies, you're gonna need it.

Michelle Bachmann couldn't handle budget negotiations if her life depended on. She's a fanatic, whom Congress would be better off without. And I said that last back in 2010.

I swear to God they deleted then UNDELETED 6 comments... Maybe it's the famed PJMedia lag where one of their servers hasn't got the delete command yet. We'll see if I'm gone again in 5 minutes.

re: #155 Targetpractice

Not the funniest thing I've heard so far. The Breitbartians are talking of barely-secret coup in the works amongst the House GOP. The suggested repalcement? Paul Ryan.

Ryan has been pretty clear he's not going to go along with such a thing. Even if Boehner got pitched, Ryan couldn't replace him, simply because Obama couldn't negotiate with Paul Ryan after all the time his campaign spent attacking Ryan during the election without Obama's own base feeling betrayed.

Paul Ryan would probably like to be House Speaker, but he knows he can't do that job right now.

Before it goes away again I liked this phrase of mine: "Sounds like you’re looking for the immaculate election, you know, the one that God will make you win without actually receiving any votes."

re: #158 Dark_Falcon

Ryan has been pretty clear he's not going to go along with such a thing. Even if Boehner got pitched, Ryan couldn't replace him, simply because Obama couldn't negotiate with Paul Ryan after all the time his campaign spent attacking Ryan during the election without Obama's own base feeling betrayed.

Paul Ryan would probably like to be House Speaker, but he knows he can't do that job right now.

From all appearances, the GOP's not interested in negotiations of any sort.

re: #160 Targetpractice

They've gerrymandered themselves out of being able to govern.

If they make a deal they risk their primaries and if they can't they can't win the presidency and senate.

So they'll never win the presidency and senate again, because like hell any Rep is going to risk the primary.

Someone complained about a "permanent fracture line dividing two kinds of America" and I wrote:

I still remember listening to Patrick Buchanan give that speech at the RNC, you know the one everyone is so ashamed of that no honest, uncensored versions exist not even on paper.

In the same speech that got an ovation for calling for a “cultural war” he said “you don’t give those people Head Start programs you send them to jail!” And in those words he said that black preschoolers belong in jail… And don’t pretend it didn’t happen, Pat got booted from the party right after that for a reason, he was an embarrassment. But he also got an ovation, he also started something.

The “culture war” has that very filthy birth.

So if there’s “a permanent fracture line dividing two kinds of America” then who’s God d*mn fault is it?

The CBC program "as it happens" put Buchanan's speech into a segment called "for the record" where they just played the speech without any comment. They knew it would be totally shocking to a Canadian audience. What was there to say anyway?

re: #161 stabby

They've gerrymandered themselves out of being able to govern.

If they make a deal they risk their primaries and if they can't they can't win the presidency and senate.

So they'll never win the presidency and senate again, because like hell any Rep is going to risk the primary.

Ayep, creating all those "safe" districts has resulted in a scenario where it takes just a handful of crazies to sink an incumbent's chances while ensuring the loony still have a strong chance on Election Day.

Now it's clear why there's been no budget while Obama is president.

The nuts took the house and authorization for spending has to originate in the house.

The tea party thought it had taken over the government that way, that this was the end of all "entitlements" and that this would start a race war. Sometimes in PJMedia's comment section a few years ago you could find them talking about stocking up on bullets for that.

But Obama just kept the government running on the authorizations made by previous congresses and made no new budget.

In the long run this is very dysfunctional. And there is no end in sight. Not till we get gerrymandered in the NEXT census right?

:) it took them 15 minutes but my comments are all deleted again.

It was the PJ lag. Simon really did delete me.

re: #165 stabby

What I think is needed is citizen's action against gerrymandering. People need to be educated about just how low and dishonest it is and intense pressure needs to be put on state legislatures to abolish it. What we need is a fairer redistricting process that allocates seats based on areas and to some extent economic interests.

I suppose their server programmer should be mocked. My comments appear and disappear at random. It's been 20 minutes and their servers still aren't synced.

re: #168 stabby

I suppose their server programmer should be mocked. My comments appear and disappear at random. It's been 20 minutes and their servers still aren't synced.

Get some screenshots and send them to Charles. He enjoys laughing at those goobers.

re: #134 stabby

Damn, remember when I posted homicide rates by country (and the US didn't fair that well, though not as badly as gun only homicide rates would imply). For instance 5 times worse than Italy, 4 times worse then the UK, 7 times worse than Japan and Austria, 2.5 times worse than Canada...

I posted the same things a couple places at PJ Media.

One answer i just got:

Art Chance

Norm the stats for race, ignorant lefty punk.

Beautiful, just beautiful.

Art Chance is an old Redstate regular - former Alaskan Republican operative or somesuch.

As for the statement about higher rates of assault and rapes, they are, predictably, false. Other countries have different definitions of the above crimes - the Gun cultists compare aggravated assaults in the US with simple assaults everywhere else, for instance. Canada and Australia also define sexual assaults differently, and thus a charge of indecent contact is compared to aggravated sexual assaults in the US.

Again, research demonstrates that presence of guns has no significant impact on other kinds of crimes other than homicides and assaults with firearm.

re: #170 Renaissance_Man

Someone just pointed that out on the thread on pj, that none of Austrailia's definitions for sexual assault and rape match any of America's definitions even slightly.

re: #171 stabby

Someone just pointed that out on the thread on pj, that none of Austrailia's definitions for sexual assault and rape match any of America's definitions even slightly.

Clearly lefty lies.

re: #169 Dark_Falcon

too much trouble for 5 am

but it is funny that the "number of comments" field on the main page tends to lag by 15 minutes or so.

More shocking new in the war on Christmas...

Vandals draw Hitler mustache on baby Jesus in nativity scene

Police on Sunday were searching for the person or people responsible for vandalizing Nativity scenes at a Catholic church and a home in a Southern California city.

Someone misspelled "Hail (sic) Hitler" and drew a Hitler mustache on the baby Jesus outside a home in Huntington Beach, police said.

They also put a Nazi symbol on one of the wise men with a black pen.

Sounds as though the guerrilla in the anti-Christmas "war" they are looking for is probably about 9-13 years old though, and also likes to outrage troll people.

re: #172 Renaissance_Man

If you have a brain and you're at PJ then you're a socialist troll!

I used to say that the tea party wasn't really right wing, that it was a revolt by stupid people who feel exploited (but can't figure out by who) against all ideas that came from people smarter than themselves.

I was half right.

They are all breathtakingly stupid.

But they've succeeded in defining "right" to be the Bircher right not the William F. Buckley right. It turns out that the difference between the two was more cosmetic than you'd think anyway. There is no intelligent right in the United States, period. None. Unless you're going to call Andrew Sullivan a conservative, and he's the only person who calls him that, there's not a single member.

And they're not feeling exploited, they're feeling offended by the existence of most of the population. And they're paranoid, and they're more full of hatred than twinkies were full of fat.

re: #171 stabby

Someone just pointed that out on the thread on pj, that none of Austrailia's definitions for sexual assault and rape match any of America's definitions even slightly.

Reminds me of the discussion I had the other day, where I pointed out that Japan's homicide rate is a fraction of ours. The response? "Crime is on the rise in Japan!" I had to point out that most of that is white-collar crime, guys ripping off their companies and so forth.

re: #174 watching you tiny alien kittens are

I can't wait until Fox News' greatest enemy is 4chan. They're at the same level of maturity anyway.

re: #175 stabby

There is no intelligent right in the United States, period.

That line merits a downding.

re: #175 stabby

If you have a brain and you're at PJ then you're a socialist troll!

I used to say that the tea party wasn't really right wing, that it was a revolt by stupid people who feel exploited (but can't figure out by who) against all ideas that came from people smarter than themselves.

I was half right.

They are all breathtakingly stupid.

But they've succeeded in defining "right" to be the Bircher right not the William F. Buckley right. It turns out that the difference between the two was more cosmetic than you'd think anyway. There is no intelligent right in the United States, period. None. Unless you're going to call Andrew Sullivan a conservative, and he's the only person who calls him that, there's not a single member.

And they're not feeling exploited, they're feeling offended by the existence of most of the population. And they're paranoid, and they're more full of hatred than twinkies were full of fat.

American 'Conservatives' are, simply put, not conservative.

Conservatism implies restraint and, most importantly, a profound scepticism. It implies that you are slow to endorse the fad of the week until the facts are in, that you are cautious about accepting new ideas at face value. There is nothing at all about American Conservatives that is sceptical. These people are wild-eyed conspiracy theorists who accept anything as long as it matches their prejudgements, and base opinions not on facts, but on their emotional attachments. They are nothing more than radicals.

re: #178 Dark_Falcon

:)
I don't mind the downding.

Sadly you can't find me any evidence of an intelligent leader on the right. Of an intelligent pundit.

I can remember some right wing people I respected in Canada. Catholics for some reason. I can't think of even one in the US.

re: #179 Renaissance_Man

American 'Conservatives' are, simply put, not conservative.

Conservatism implies restraint and, most importantly, a profound scepticism. It implies that you are slow to endorse the fad of the week until the facts are in, that you are cautious about accepting new ideas at face value. There is nothing at all about American Conservatives that is sceptical. These people are wild-eyed conspiracy theorists who accept anything as long as it matches their prejudgements, and base opinions not on facts, but on their emotional attachments. They are nothing more than radicals.

And that merits and upding and a "favorited"

Breaking news, Webster NY:

People Shot at Scene of Webster Fire

Webster, N.Y. -- 13WHAM News has learned that at least one firefighter has been shot at the scene of a fire on Lake Road in Webster.

The fire is at 191 Lake Road near Bay Road. A source tells 13WHAM News that an unknown gunman opened fire on fire crews on the scene.

The wounded firefighter was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight. The fire has now spread to a second house.

13WHAM has several crews converging on the scene and will provide updates as they're available.

Sheriff’s deputies, SWAT team at Webster home

Canandaigua, N.Y. —
Police have swarmed an area on Lake Road near the Outlet Bridge in Webster.

Emergency crews were originally called to the area for the report of a structure fire.

Currently, Monroe County sheriff's deputies and the SWAT team are on scene, along with multiple fire crews.

Messenger Post newspartner News10NBC is on scene and working to get information more information.

Note they're still not synced. Clearly the "delete" command made it to one database and not the other and it will never be resolved.

re: #182 Shiplord Kirel

Breaking news, Webster NY:

People Shot at Scene of Webster Fire

Sheriff’s deputies, SWAT team at Webster home

WTF?!

You know, doesn't running a website off two copies of a database imply that you don't know the purpose of SQL?

re: #184 Targetpractice

WTF?!

The gunman is likely the one who started the fire or someone associated with him. This is possibly a gang, trying to keep a fire from being doused before it burns something they want burned, or some form of terrorist who sought to attack first responders. This isn't the M.O. of an "active shooter".

re: #185 stabby

You know, doesn't running a website off two copies of a database imply that you don't know the purpose of SQL?

Pajamas Media lost its best programer when Charles left. They've never really found someone to replace him and it shows.

re: #186 Dark_Falcon

The gunman is likely the one who started the fire or someone associated with him. This is possibly a gang, trying to keep a fire from being doused before it burns something they want burned, or some form of terrorist who sought to attack first responders. This isn't the M.O. of an "active shooter".

We're talking small town America, which sort of brings doubt on it being a gang. And wouldn't there be enough overlap in "terrorist" and "active shooter" to make them hard to distinguish?

re: #186 Dark_Falcon

The gunman is likely the one who started the fire or someone associated with him. This is possibly a gang, trying to keep a fire from being doused before it burns something they want burned, or some form of terrorist who sought to attack first responders. This isn't the M.O. of an "active shooter".

It might just be stored ammo cooking off in the fire. A couple of years LA cops raided a house on a stolen goods warrant and found that it contained a million rounds of ammunition. Place would have gone up like a volcano in a fire. At this point, we just don't know.

Orson Scott Card used to be my idea of a socially conservative person who I respected. He's a Democrat but still a Catholic who is conservative about some things.

But I think he went off the deep end with ODS. It was totally unexpected. I have trouble understanding why people do that. He's hardly the only one.

He is such a smart person, but whatever emotion makes people fall for these obsessions makes them say stupid stupid things, even if they're OSC.

re: #188 Targetpractice

We're talking small town America, which sort of brings doubt on it being a gang. And wouldn't there be enough overlap in "terrorist" and "active shooter" to make them hard to distinguish?

By "active shooter" I mean the kind of personal rage-filled figure we see involved in workplace and school shootings. "Terrorists", by contrast, are driven by an cause larger than themselves.

re: #190 stabby

Orson Scott Card used to be my idea of a socially conservative person who I respected. He's a Democrat but still a Catholic who is conservative about some things.

He's a Mormon.

Good morning lizards!

Image: Lizard-Santa-Christmas.jpg

re: #191 Dark_Falcon

By "active shooter" I mean the kind of personal rage-filled figure we see involved in workplace and school shootings. "Terrorists", by contrast, are driven by an cause larger than themselves.

And yet, "active shooters" of late have started to show a level of planning and coordination that sort of contradicts the image of the stereotypical "crazed gunman."

re: #190 stabby

Orson Scott Card used to be my idea of a socially conservative person who I respected. He's a Democrat but still a Catholic who is conservative about some things.

But I think he went off the deep end with ODS. It was totally unexpected. I have trouble understanding why people do that. He's hardly the only one.

He is such a smart person, but whatever emotion makes people fall for these obsessions makes them say stupid stupid things, even if they're OSC.

???

He's a Mormon, and IIRC, a rabid homophobe.

Oh right mormon.

some religion other, they all kind of seem the same to me.

And yeah he did eventually get into the homophobia thing. I stopped reading him years ago when he went off the deep end, so it faded from my memory.

He seemed cool for a few years before that.

Maybe that's the trajectory of conservative bloggers. They seem cool for a few years then get into ever more angry, paranoid derps.

But he's also a very good novelist.

re: #182 Shiplord Kirel

Breaking news, Webster NY:

People Shot at Scene of Webster Fire

Sheriff’s deputies, SWAT team at Webster home

News 10 Rochester says two firefighters were injured and has a video report here...

[Link: www.whec.com...]

Charles,
I loved this! Feynman is someone I'm only starting to get into.

But another aspect of science and culture is Neal deGrasse Tyson's little add on to the end of his 2006 presentation at Beyond Beleif. On Youtube it's dubbed the "Greatest Sermon Ever."

Neal just let's it all out on the joys of being a scientist:

re: #197 stabby

But he's also a very good novelist.

He wrote one good book.

re: #194 Targetpractice

And yet, "active shooters" of late have started to show a level of planning and coordination that sort of contradicts the image of the stereotypical "crazed gunman."

They often plan attacks, but where do you see coordination?

Just read that the weapons lobby started a petition to get Piers Morgan off the air from CNN. He's a fierce anti-weapons guy and burst from the screen in an exchange with some stupid lobbyists. It was fireworks.

Note to CNN:
Never give in to this! This is exactly why Foxnews is such a success in their raitings. Pissing off others like us, and now the shoe is on the other foot. In other words; keeping Morgan on the air is ratings gold!

If you ever want to be a relevant channel again, you'll need to stir up the beehive!

I read "Red Prophet", "Ender's game" and "speaker for the dead"

I'm too tired to talk about why I think Red Prophet was an interesting satire.

MSNBC just did a short update on Webster on the TV. They are saying that three homes and a vehicle are now involved in the fire but firefighters are going to let it burn out rather than enter the area.

Still no news about what happened but they said that shots were fired as soon as firefighters arrived on scene. One firefighter was shot in the buttocks and is in the hospital, there was no mention of the condition of the second firefighter that they say was hit.

Oh, and merry Christmas.... or Holidays.

President Obama was voted Most Intriguing Person of 2012 by CNN.com readers. Pakistani teen Malala Yousufzai was second.

re: #204 watching you tiny alien kittens are

This is sick....

NRA answer: ARM THE FIREBRIGADES!!!!11

re: #207 William of Orange

Heh, run into a burning building with a belt of bullets around your neck.

[Link: www.google.com...]

re: #207 William of Orange

This is sick....

NRA answer: ARM THE FIREBRIGADES!!!!11

Actually, they'd advocate police action to find and arrest the shooters, plus armed police escort for the firefighters if needed (it used to be needed in New York City in the waning day of Mayor Lindsey's time in office and under Abe Beame. That was part of the reason arson fires often spread since firefighters couldn't safely enter the areas on fire. That trouble for the FDNY was largely ended during the early years of Ed Koch's time in office.).

David Sedaris' classic memoir of a Macy's Christmas elf

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

re: #209 NJDhockeyfan

[Link: www.google.com...]

Good choice. It's an interesting piece, unlike the retrends and anodyne pablum you mostly see of post-60's christmas recordings. Queen did an original song, though one I know without checking was written by Freddie Mercury, as it works into his fitting of passion into music. He was by now means unique in that last, but he uses that angle effectively here.

A neighborhood dog has befriended my dogs, ate all their food,and has set up camp in their doghouse.

re: #210 Dark_Falcon

Interesting snippet there.

re: #203 stabby

I read "Red Prophet", "Ender's game" and "speaker for the dead"

I'm too tired to talk about why I think Red Prophet was an interesting satire.

It wasn't satire.

News update, MSNBC just said on TV that two firefighters were killed and two others injured in the shooting at Webster.

So now we have four shot with two deceased.

They're at it again.....
Timbuktu mausoleums 'destroyed'

The Salafists of Ansar Dine condemn the veneration of saints.

"Allah doesn't like it," said Abou Dardar. "We are in the process of smashing all the hidden mausoleums in the area."

Islamists seized control of Timbuktu in April, after a coup left Mali's army in disarray.

The news that further monuments were being destroyed came one day after Islamists were reported to have cut the hands off two people.

The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, another Islamist group operating in the area, warned that there would be further amputations, AFP reported.

More soldier suicides than combat deaths in 2012

More measures may be on the way:

A bipartisan group of 36 lawmakers is pushing for new rules allowing military commanders and mental health specialists to ask unstable troops whether they own any personal firearms; lawmakers from both the House and the Senate are working on a final compromise version of the legislation.
Gun rights advocates have opposed the idea, saying it could lead to commanders intimidating some individuals into giving up personal weapons.

This is insanity.

re: #217 Killgore Trout

They're at it again still....

ftfy

Sigh...this is probably going to turn out to be another suicidal loon who decided to take others with him. The shooter is most likely dead in the first home that was on fire.

News10NBC has learned that four firefighters have been shot, two of them were killed, after an incident on Lake Road near the Outlet Bridge.

The other two firefighters are at Strong Hospital in guarded condition.

Emergency crews were originally called to the area for the report of a structure fire on Lake Road at 6:00am. As they arrived to the fire, there was gunfire.

Right now, three homes and a vehicle are burning. Firefighters are now attacking the fire. The homes are both occupied and unoccupied homes.

re: #217 Killgore Trout

They're at it again.....
Timbuktu mausoleums 'destroyed'

They only stopped temporarily until they could recruit enough gun-wielders to overwhelm and kill the tribal elders who had objected to the demolitions. I use the term 'gun-wielders' instead of 'gunmen' because many of those pressed into Islamist service (according to the Guardian) are just younger teenagers of around 13-14, some of whom are forced to rape women of the elders' families as a means of breaking resistance and forcing the conscripts to commit crimes from which they cannot go back.

So we have the Islamists destroying symbols of the past, eliminating any competing source of authority, and forcing teens herded into their service at gunpoint to rape women in order to turn them into monsters. It's 1984 with Joseph Kony as big Brother.

FREE THE IKEA 1

[Link: rt.com...]

'IKEA monkey' to celebrate Christmas behind bars of animal sanctuary

IF only the firefighters had guns.

re: #220 watching you tiny alien kittens are

LINKY

[Link: www.13wham.com...]

re: #222 sattv4u2

FREE THE IKEA 1

[Link: rt.com...]

'IKEA monkey' to celebrate Christmas behind bars of animal sanctuary

Where he will be kept company by IKEA Kitteh.

re: #218 Kronocide

More soldier suicides than combat deaths in 2012

More measures may be on the way:

This is insanity.

Any such risks of intimidation are outweighed by the risks of someone who is unstable having ready access to a gun.

What I'd do is twofold (No. 1 might already be done):

1. Set up a classification system to distinguish between who really is a risk and others who might be under great stress but who aren't a risk to themselves or others.

2. If someone is of real concern, there should be a system for that person depositing their gun(s) with the provost martial for safekeeping while they get the help they need.

The above measures do not apply to someone who requires inpatient psychiatric care. A person requiring that sort of care is disallowed from owning firearms under federal law, a position that the NRA affirmed on Friday, so they cannot object to it.

Frankly though, I doubt the NRA will raise any further objections to such a bill in the wake of Newtown. They made a big enough deal over mental illness that to oppose it would be obvious hypocrisy.

I shouldn't be awake.. but oh god that thread.

More agreement that what America needs is Michelle Bauchmann or Sarah Palin.

Apparently the PJ crowd's idea of a plan is to wait for civilization to end and then we'll all come back to the nutcase conservatives begging begging!

I don't think they think that will take more than a decade.

You see, tyranny won!

re: #226 Dark_Falcon

we overworked the hell out of them

How's this for a solution, no more wars.

If you want to see all of the brains on PJ failing at once, here's your thread.

[Link: pjmedia.com...]

Also the deletion of my comments finally failed, though the ban stuck.

re: #228 stabby

we overworked the hell out of them

How's this for a solution, no more wars.

That's not all our call. Nations don't always get to pick and choose where and when they have to fight.

Just heard this on KYW 1060 out of Philly: four firefighters shot, two killed, responding to a call in Rochester, NY.

Fuck you, NRA. Seriously.

re: #230 Dark_Falcon

How about if we DON'T invade Iran or Syria.

re: #232 stabby

How about if we DON'T invade Iran or Syria.

I don't know of anyone advocating doing that.

re: #231 Mattand

[Link: abclocal.go.com...]

re: #233 Dark_Falcon

There were those unknown losers who campaigned for the Presidency.

re: #235 stabby

There were those unknown losers who campaigned for the Presidency.

I didn't hear talk of ground troops from them.

re: #231 Mattand

#220 and #224

re: #236 Dark_Falcon

I didn't hear talk of ground troops from them.

Me either

And if something is done wrt Syria/ Iran it will be with the approval of the current CIC regardless of what "unknown losers" may have said back in the summer

re: #226 Dark_Falcon

The above measures do not apply to someone who requires inpatient psychiatric care. A person requiring that sort of care is disallowed from owning firearms under federal law, a position that the NRA affirmed on Friday, so they cannot object to it.

Frankly though, I doubt the NRA will raise any further objections to such a bill in the wake of Newtown. They made a big enough deal over mental illness that to oppose it would be obvious hypocrisy.

After the latest evil rant, it should not matter to any sane person or nation what the NRA objects to ever again.

re: #239 Renaissance_Man

After the latest evil rant, it should not matter to any sane person or nation what the NRA objects to ever again.

As long as the NRA has significant power, it will matter, if only because the opinion of those with significant power matters.

Amazing the things you find in the refrigerator when you pull everything out.

re: #241 NJDhockeyfan

Amazing the things you find in the refrigerator when you pull everything out.

Jeffery Dahlmer, is that you??

re: #237 sattv4u2

#220 and #224

People here are pretty quick when it comes to breaking news. My "fuck you" to the NRA still stands.

re: #240 Dark_Falcon

As long as the NRA has significant power, it will matter, if only because the opinion of those with significant power matters.

They may have crossed the line this time. I know an old retired Army 1st Sgt who is renouncing his lifetime membership and demanding his dues back for breech of contract.

People are openly insulting the NRA even on Yahoo, so there's that.

re: #244 William Barnett-Lewis

They may have crossed the line this time. I know an old retired Army 1st Sgt who is renouncing his lifetime membership and demanding his dues back for breech of contract.

It's going to take a mass exodus of people like your Army bud to have any significant change in current NRA culture.

There's enough people who think the scary black man in the White House wants their precious boomsticks to prevent that from ever happening.

I've been spending the past two weeks updating the Zionist Mall because one of my primary vendors changed their linking code and broke like half the products.

So buy something! I have to pay me for all this work!

re: #241 NJDhockeyfan

Amazing the things you find in the refrigerator when you pull everything out.

Cleaned out my dad's fridge recently to discover a container of Florida brown (formerly orange) juice.

re: #248 Mattand

Cleaned out my dad's fridge recently to discover a container of Florida brown (formerly orange) juice.

I hear once it does that it is as potent as the 'frog licking' juice. Try it and let us know.

// Beware, your dog will acquire Martha Stewart's head.
h/t to Big Trouble

re: #244 William Barnett-Lewis

They may have crossed the line this time. I know an old retired Army 1st Sgt who is renouncing his lifetime membership and demanding his dues back for breech of contract.

Ask him not to do that. We need sane people to stay in the NRA to counter the crazies. Your buddy needs to get together with others who agree with him and elect a sane person to the NRA's board of directors.

re: #250 Dark_Falcon

Ask him not to do that. We need sane people to stay in the NRA to counter the crazies. Your buddy needs to get together with others who agree with him and elect a sane person to the NRA's board of directors.

One could argue the same thing about the Republican party. They need sane people, but they keep rejecting any type of discussion on serious issues. Methinks it's too late for either. They must destroy themselves and start over.

I don't know about you but this is getting to be some fucked up Christmas...

20 kids shot and now two firemen. And all Foxnews can talk about is the war on Christmas. News, to Fox; people are actually dying this Christmas!

Get your head out of your ass!!!

re: #250 Dark_Falcon

Ask him not to do that. We need sane people to stay in the NRA to counter the crazies. Your buddy needs to get together with others who agree with him and elect a sane person to the NRA's board of directors.

No. There is a point where an organization goes beyond batshot crazy and crosses the final line. There is no salvaging the NRA. It needs to have it's congressional charter revoked as well as it's 501c3 status. The far right radicals that stole the NRA in 1977 have poisoned the organization beyond rescue.

A new group, perhaps based on the CMP, with it's old charter is the only way forward anymore.

There's a reason why there's no sane people in the GOP. Or the ones who may be considered sane are apostate.