The Creeping Expansion of Corporate Civil Rights

A little history
LGF • Views: 25,999

This article provides a brief but fascinating history of the corporate quest for civil (personhood) rights and how dangerous it is to our democracy. (I had no idea it goes all the way back to the end of the Civil War/beginning of the Gilded Age!)

Last week, The Wire creator David Simon told Bill Moyers that the legal doctrine that spending money on political campaigns is an act of political speech protected by the First Amendment poses the greatest threat to American democracy. “That to me was the nail in the coffin,” he said. “If the combination of the monetization of our elections and gerrymandering create a bicameral legislature that doesn’t in any way reflect the will of the American people, you’ve reached the end game for democracy.”

He’s right. Not only does money as speech allow those with the fattest wallets to drown out the voices of average citizens, as John Light points out, it also gives wealthy donors an effective veto over policies that enjoy majority support. But it’s important to understand the other ways that the expansion of civil rights for corporations can conflict with the public interest.

As Simon observed, the notion of corporate personhood isn’t inherently problematic. The concept that companies are “artificial persons” is necessary because you can’t enter into a contract with an inanimate object, and you can’t take an inanimate object to court if that contract is breached.

Problems arise when these soulless artificial persons demand constitutional rights that were designed to protect real, flesh-and-blood people. […]

More: The Creeping Expansion of Corporate Civil Rights

By the way, if you enjoy looking at scanned historical documents, you can find a ton of them at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) website. Here’s a link to four high resolution pages of the U.S. Constitution, which is where Wikipedia got their copies. If you prefer to have all four pages as a PDF, you can download it here (7MB).

Most of what you find at NARA should be in the public domain:

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The vast majority of the digital images in the Online Catalog are in the public domain. Therefore, no written permission is required to use them. We would appreciate your crediting the National Archives and Records Administration as the original source. For the few images that remain copyrighted, please read the instructions noted in the “Access Restrictions” field of each catalog record.

Please note that a few images on other areas of our web site have been obtained from other organizations and that these are always credited. Permission to use these photographs should be obtained directly from those organizations.

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In general, all government records are in the public domain and may be freely used. We do have some donated or other materials that might be copyrighted. If you have questions about the records you are interested in, speak to the archivist or reference staff that handles those records.

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NARA as a policy does not sign documents stating that particular records are not copyrighted because government records are in the public domain. For other materials, it is the user’s responsibility to determine copyright.

archives.gov

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503 comments
1 EPR-radar  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:26:21pm

Thanks for paging this.

On the subject of corporate personhood, I like what I’ve seen in various places on the internet:

“I’ll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one.”

Contracts and court proceedings do raise real issues, but there needs to be some real attention paid to the consequences of creating powerful, potentially immortal, and frequently sociopathic “persons” via legal fiction.

2 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:27:56pm

re: #1 EPR-radar

Thanks for paging this.

On the subject of corporate personhood, I like what I’ve seen in various places on the internet:

“I’ll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one.”

Contracts and court proceedings do raise real issues, but there needs to be some real attention paid to the consequences of creating powerful, potentially immortal, and frequently sociopathic “persons” via legal fiction.

Excellent point. If corporations are indeed people as I believe Justice Roberts declared, corporations need to be held accountable for crimes the same way people are. Can’t have it both ways.

3 HoosierHoops  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:29:00pm

Corporate civil rights equal the possibility of robber barrons. Wasn’t this taken care of a 100 years ago? guess not..
just rape us you bitches and take the money
/

4 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:29:41pm

re: #3 HoosierHoops

Corporate civil rights equal the possibility of robber barrons. Wasn’t this taken care of a 100 years ago? guess not..
just rape us you bitches and take the money
/

I thought so too but there’s been a lot of pushback on that legislation made 100-125 years ago. Oh and how are you Hoops? Brother’s team had a b-ball game tonight. We finished on a tear 33-12 to finish after a rough first quarter.

5 CuriousLurker  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:31:02pm

re: #1 EPR-radar

Thanks for paging this.

On the subject of corporate personhood, I like what I’ve seen in various places on the internet:

“I’ll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one.”

LOL, that’s a keeper!

Contracts and court proceedings do raise real issues, but there needs to be some real attention paid to the consequences of creating powerful, potentially immortal, and frequently sociopathic “persons” via legal fiction.

QFT

6 Charles Johnson  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:31:10pm

Remember, folks - you can push a good LGF Page into the Featured list by up-dinging it. Pages with 10 or more up-dings are automatically promoted to the Featured list.

7 CuriousLurker  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:31:43pm

re: #3 HoosierHoops

Corporate civil rights equal the possibility of robber barrons. Wasn’t this taken care of a 100 years ago? guess not..
just rape us you bitches and take the money
/

Hiya Hoops. Good to see you.

8 CuriousLurker  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:35:43pm

re: #6 Charles Johnson

Remember, folks - you can push a good LGF Page into the Featured list by up-dinging it. Pages with 10 or more up-dings are automatically promoted to the Featured list.

Oh, cool! It entered my mind a few times that it would be cool for that to happen, but I never mentioned it and didn’t know it was a reality.

I admit I wasn’t paying a lot of attention, but I don’t think I had 10 updings yet, so if you promoted this one manually, thanks!

9 freetoken  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:36:04pm

This part:

“The concept that companies are “artificial persons” is necessary because you can’t enter into a contract with an inanimate object, and you can’t take an inanimate object to court if that contract is breached.”

… is an artifice of our worldview and how we have enshrined certain ideas into our institutions.


Some humans in the past did indeed fell that they were in a relationship with the Earth, different things in or on the Earth, as well as mysterious beings above the clouds (or below the earth.)


We created our legal system yet we seem to like to act as if we’re powerless to change it. Why not make a fundamental change to our Constitution, where we clearly lay out that “rights” can only apply to organisms like humans?

10 freetoken  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:38:46pm

Off topic, already, but the multiplicity of Derp coming from the cross-product of two fountains of such is just too much:

Intelligent design group attacks Darwin by linking evolution to disgraced right-wing writer

A group that advocates the teaching of “Intelligent Design” in public schools thinks Charles Darwin is at least partially to blame for a racist rant published by a conservative columnist.

The Discovery Institute released a mini-documentary Tuesday on YouTube. The 30 minute video, title “War on Humans,” alleges that Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution have created an anti-human movement by denying that human beings transcend nature.

The video attacks evolution by linking the widely-accepted scientific theory to right-wing columnist John Derbyshire, who wrote an overtly racist column in 2012.

[…]

11 darthstar  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:38:49pm

Kate Upton - in a bikini - in zero gravity…

sploid.gizmodo.com

12 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:39:11pm

One of the worries I have is a raise in corporate rights is always related to a steep decline in the rights of labor. We’ve already seen labor’s rights decline steadily since the early 80’s. I have no illusions. I know labor cannot be what it was at its peak in the 50’s without people wanting to be part of it but at the same time, you do need balance and that’s why I am glad Obama has appointed some people who are considered to be pro-labor to the NLRB.

13 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:40:16pm

re: #10 freetoken

Off topic, already, but the multiplicity of Derp coming from the cross-product of two fountains of such is just too much:

Intelligent design group attacks Darwin by linking evolution to disgraced right-wing writer

Yeah it’s Darwin’s fault that Derbyshire is a racial twat. Jesus fuckin’ Christ.

14 Chrysicat  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:41:04pm

re: #9 freetoken

We created our legal system yet we seem to like to act as if we’re powerless to change it. Why not make a fundamental change to our Constitution, where we clearly lay out that “rights” can only apply to organisms like humans?

Because it would take 75% of each house and 2/3 of the state legislatures to do that. I don’t think we can do that when over 50% of the House of Reps are sucking corporate chode.

15 jaunte  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:42:11pm

re: #10 freetoken

Intelligent design group attacks Darwin

It’s that reverse argument from authority fallacy again.

16 EPR-radar  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:45:09pm

re: #13 HappyWarrior

Yeah it’s Darwin’s fault that Derbyshire is a racial twat. Jesus fuckin’ Christ.

Right wing jackasses tend to like social Darwininsm, a pseudo-scientific corruption of biological evolution that tended to make the uber-wealthy of the Gilded Age feel more justified in their robber baron ways.

Can’t imagine why present day RWNJs would be into this… ///

17 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:46:36pm

re: #16 EPR-radar

Right wing jackasses tend to like social Darwininsm, a pseudo-scientific corruption of biological evolution that tended to make the uber-wealthy of the Gilded Age feel more justified in their robber baron ways.

Can’t imagine why present day RWNJs would be into this… ///

Yep precisely. I don’t know too much about Darwin but I believe he was sharply critical of social Darwinism.

18 The Ghost of a Flea  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:46:50pm

re: #11 darthstar

Kate Upton - in a bikini - in zero gravity…

sploid.gizmodo.com

[Embedded image]

Vomit Comet + bikini…

ewwwwww…unfortunate implications.

19 HoosierHoops  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:46:57pm

re: #4 HappyWarrior

I thought so too but there’s been a lot of pushback on that legislation made 100-125 years ago. Oh and how are you Hoops? Brother’s team had a b-ball game tonight. We finished on a tear 33-12 to finish after a rough first quarter.

I’m not doing well..Had to hire a snowplow last night just to be able to walk to the garage. who the hell can walk through 5 foot drifts of snow to be able to drive? I need snow shoes. This is the worst winter most can remember. I hated the 50 below zero weather and it starts again Thursday. Oh well..Winston and I are bundled up..Hope springs eternal.
Good on your Brother for playing ball..I got banned from the Napa Church league cause those wussies couldn’t take a foul. Grown men crying like little children. LOL I lose connection when the weather gets cold at night.
Hi everyone!

21 Pie-onist Overlord  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:52:56pm

re: #20 Charles Johnson

Colonial Sense: Society-Lifestyle: Signs of the Times: The Long S

That website HTML is quaint.

22 darthstar  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:54:03pm

Sad to hear about Bob Casale

Youtube Video

23 darthstar  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 6:58:06pm

re: #22 darthstar

Sad to hear about Bob Casale

[Embedded content]

The original of that song - I always thought it was a Grateful Dead original.

Youtube Video

24 CuriousLurker  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:00:54pm

Got some stuff to work on before I call it a night, so I’m going to get outta here and go tend to it now.

Take care, everyone. ;)

25 Decatur Deb  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:01:11pm

re: #23 darthstar

The original of that song - I always thought it was a Grateful Dead original.

[Embedded content]

Totally hers—she got ripped in court for half the rights by a ‘collaborator”. She also had the first released recording of Ewan MacColl’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.

26 Pie-onist Overlord  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:04:21pm

Where’s that gun-fucker meme guy when you need him?

27 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:06:51pm

re: #19 HoosierHoops

I’m not doing well..Had to hire a snowplow last night just to be able to walk to the garage. who the hell can walk through 5 foot drifts of snow to be able to drive? I need snow shoes. This is the worst winter most can remember. I hated the 50 below zero weather and it starts again Thursday. Oh well..Winston and I are bundled up..Hope springs eternal.
Good on your Brother for playing ball..I got banned from the Napa Church league cause those wussies couldn’t take a foul. Grown men crying like little children. LOL I lose connection when the weather gets cold at night.
Hi everyone!

Yeah been a cold winter here too. Hate it. Waiting for spring and my niece who should be here by this time next month. But yeah he loves basketball. It’s always been my favorite to play and we’re lucky since our dad taught us well in the game. I never thought coaching would be my thing but I enjoy it. I can get a little emotional heh and a little silly but I did have a ref compliment me on a a jig I did tonight when I got excited heh.

28 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:08:52pm
29 Political Atheist  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:10:49pm

re: #6 Charles Johnson

Remember, folks - you can push a good LGF Page into the Featured list by up-dinging it. Pages with 10 or more up-dings are automatically promoted to the Featured list.

That’s a cool feature.

Been curious a while about the more popular pages in terms of views and tweets vs updings. It’s a puzzle to me. That and i’m curious what grabs a good view count from outside the registered Lizards. Tweets = popular outside the Lizardim? What say your analytics by way of what works best?

30 Killgore Trout  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:11:04pm

re: #28 NJDhockeyfan

[Embedded content]

Got any links to the livesreams? Anything showing up on them?

31 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:12:13pm

re: #30 Killgore Trout

Got any links to the livesreams? Anything showing up on them?

I just got home. I’m looking for a streaming link that is still working.

32 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:12:18pm

re: #28 NJDhockeyfan

[Embedded content]

Damn.

33 Kragar  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:13:12pm

re: #28 NJDhockeyfan

[Embedded content]

Wonder where they got the weapons from.

34 Kragar  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:13:33pm

re: #30 Killgore Trout

Got any links to the livesreams? Anything showing up on them?

cnn.com

35 Killgore Trout  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:14:06pm

My Windows 8 machine has recognized its video card for the first time in months. It took all day but it beats the hell out of sending it back to the factory and waiting 6-8 weeks.

36 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:14:41pm

re: #33 Kragar

Wonder where they got the weapons from.

Probably from the members of the police they’ve captured.

Oh, here is a working streaming link.
espreso.tv

37 Kragar  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:15:22pm

Huge crowd still in the square, huge bonfires. If the police were hoping to have cleared the square today, they’ve failed.

38 Killgore Trout  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:16:10pm

re: #34 Kragar

cnn.com

Interesting. What’s the music? Sound like Canned Heat.

39 Killgore Trout  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:17:02pm

“Is that Freedom Rock? Well turn it up, man!”
/Funny to the old folks here

40 Kragar  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:20:00pm

re: #39 Killgore Trout

“Is that Freedom Rock? Well turn it up, man!”
/Funny to the old folks here

Could be worse.

Youtube Video

41 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:20:50pm

From what I understand regarding Ukraine, there’s been a divide sometime between people in the country who want the nation to establish more Western links and those who want it stay tight with Russia. This was of course the whole basis of the Orange Revolutoin some years back. I for one hope Ukraine can do more of the former. Western ties have helped Poland and I think would Ukraine too.

42 ninja cat  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:21:20pm

With friends like these…

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has tried to call several times to Vladimir Putin, but he refused to talk to the Head of State referred to employment.

On this Hvyla sources in the Presidential Administration.

43 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:25:02pm

re: #42 ninja cat

With friends like these…

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has tried to call several times to Vladimir Putin, but he refused to talk to the Head of State referred to employment.

On this Hvyla sources in the Presidential Administration.

lol

Maybe Yanuk has finally made himself too much of an embarrassment even to Putin.

44 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:26:02pm

re: #43 Dr Lizardo

lol

Maybe Yanuk has finally made himself too much of an embarrassment even to Putin.

I guess the example here would be Kimmy Un and the PRC.

45 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:28:34pm

re: #44 HappyWarrior

I guess the example here would be Kimmy Un and the PRC.

Heh….yeah, lil’ Kimmy likely makes the PRC leadership collectively facepalm.

46 CuriousLurker  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:29:23pm

OT Drive-by: I had to come back just to drop this off because the photographs are so beautifully composed. Why has no one done this before?

All Love is Equal by Braden Summers

G’nite (again), lizards.

47 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:30:48pm

re: #45 Dr Lizardo

Heh….yeah, lil’ Kimmy likely makes the PRC leadership collectively facepalm.

Yeah silliness aside. I imagine Putin’s pissed because this business in Kiev is distracting from Sochi. He has no problem with tyrannical tactics but he probably wishes they would be off until the cameras leave that corner of the world.

48 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:32:59pm

re: #47 HappyWarrior

Yeah silliness aside. I imagine Putin’s pissed because this business in Kiev is distracting from Sochi. He has no problem with tyrannical tactics but he probably wishes they would be off until the cameras leave that corner of the world.

Of that I have little doubt. For Putin, this is very bad timing.

49 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:33:22pm
50 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:34:20pm

re: #49 NJDhockeyfan

[Embedded content]

Western Ukraine is where the bulk of the pro-western activity and mindset is. I fear civil war or if not declared already martial law.

51 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:35:22pm
52 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:38:40pm

re: #50 HappyWarrior

Western Ukraine is where the bulk of the pro-western activity and mindset is. I fear civil war or if not declared already martial law.

Everyone is focusing on Kiev. It seems there is much more going on than we are reading about. I think a civil war has started.

53 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:38:44pm
54 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:39:37pm

re: #52 NJDhockeyfan

Everyone is focusing on Kiev. It seems there is much more going on than we are reading about. I think a civil war has started.

Well Kiev is the capital and where a lot of population is. But yeah I’m with you. I think civil war is going on.

55 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:39:55pm

re: #53 Lidane

[Embedded content]

Awww kiss and make up!

56 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:41:43pm

re: #54 HappyWarrior

Well Kiev is the capital and where a lot of population is. But yeah I’m with you. I think civil war is going on.

Yep…..and seeing there is a level of ethnic tension under the surface (Ukrainian vs Russian) that raises the ugly possibility of ethnic violence/ethnic cleansing.

57 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:42:19pm
58 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:44:09pm

re: #56 Dr Lizardo

Yep…..and seeing there is a level of ethnic tension under the surface (Ukrainian vs Russian) that raises the ugly possibility of ethnic violence/ethnic cleansing.

Lot of other minority groups too. Belarussians, Poles, Slovaks, etc too. IIRC Ukraine’s President is actually half Polish and half Belorussian. IT shouldn’t matter but nationalism in these contexts leads to ugliness.

59 chadu  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:44:25pm

re: #53 Lidane

What bothers me is that I didn’t know whether to take the “shots fired” in that tweet to be figurative or literal at first blush.

No /, and that scares me.

60 sattv4u2  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:44:38pm

re: #47 HappyWarrior

Yeah silliness aside. I imagine Putin’s pissed because this business in Kiev is distracting from Sochi. He has no problem with tyrannical tactics but he probably wishes they would be off until the cameras leave that corner of the world.

Putins actually probably happy that the cameras and attention are in Sochi, where he can (plausible deniablity ) say ,, “see,, here in Russia we’re running a successful safe Olympics, while in that other country they are having problems”

61 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:44:50pm
62 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:45:10pm

re: #58 HappyWarrior

Lot of other minority groups too. Belarussians, Poles, Slovaks, etc too. IIRC Ukraine’s President is actually half Polish and half Belorussian. IT shouldn’t matter but nationalism in these contexts leads to ugliness.

Nationalism is a toxic cocktail. Ethnic nationalism is lethal.

63 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:46:00pm

re: #62 Dr Lizardo

Nationalism is a toxic cocktail. Ethnic nationalism is lethal.

Especially in that part of the world.

64 The Ghost of a Flea  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:46:05pm

re: #47 HappyWarrior

Yeah silliness aside. I imagine Putin’s pissed because this business in Kiev is distracting from Sochi. He has no problem with tyrannical tactics but he probably wishes they would be off until the cameras leave that corner of the world.

Putin’s trying to form his own economic coalition, set in contrast to the Eurozone, through a mix of diplomacy and backroom intrigue. Backing Yanukovych in politicking is one thing, and can written off as business as usual in world politics/economics. Backing him in a civil war has an entirely different profile, particularly since the specific beef in Ukraine is about allying with Russia versus the EU. Putin could “win” Ukraine and lose a bunch of international credibility.

But I may be giving him too much credit.

65 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:46:42pm

re: #60 sattv4u2

Putins actually probably happy that the cameras and attention are in Sochi, where he can (plausible deniablity ) say ,, “see,, here in Russia we’re running a successful safe Olympics, while in that other country they are having problems”

Normally I’d agree but Ukraine’s president has closely be tied with Putin and Russia. But yeah I guess better in Ukraine than inside Russia’s borders.

66 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:47:20pm
67 sattv4u2  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:48:29pm

re: #65 HappyWarrior

Normally I’d agree but Ukraine’s president has closely be tied with Putin and Russia. But yeah I guess better in Ukraine than inside Russia’s borders.

Didn’t mean it to be a better/ worse location thing

Meant it as cover for Putin, regardless of his ties to Yanu/ the Ukraine

68 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:49:56pm

re: #67 sattv4u2

Didn’t mean it to be a better/ worse location thing

Meant it as cover for Putin, regardless of his ties to Yanu/ the Ukraine

Oh yeah. True enough.

69 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:50:36pm

It makes one sad for the people who live there and at the same time makes you want to throttle anyone who says we live in a tyrannical dictatorship here.

70 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:53:31pm

Interesting if true. Things could heat up well into a new day.

71 sattv4u2  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:53:55pm

re: #69 HappyWarrior

It makes one sad for the people who live there and at the same time makes you want to throttle anyone who says we live in a tyrannical dictatorship here.

True enough, but the worse of the “tyrannical dictatorship”s, you don’t even see/ hear of any protests. They aren’t even allowed to bubble above the surface (hello North Korea)

72 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:54:58pm

More on that earlier Tweet

73 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:55:17pm

re: #71 sattv4u2

True enough, but the worse of the “tyrannical dictatorship”s, you don’t even see/ hear of any protests. They aren’t even allowed to bubble above the surface (hello North Korea)

Yeah, the worst dictatorships would have crushed these before they could even begin.

74 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:57:48pm
75 Romantic Heretic  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:57:59pm

re: #2 HappyWarrior

Excellent point. If corporations are indeed people as I believe Justice Roberts declared, corporations need to be held accountable for crimes the same way people are. Can’t have it both ways.

This is why I call corporations ‘half-people’. They have all the rights and privileges of people but none of the responsibilities or duties.

Nice gig if you can get it.

76 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:58:11pm

re: #72 Dr Lizardo

More on that earlier Tweet

[Embedded content]

This is going to be one helluva battle unless the police get called off. I wonder if those busses also brought weapons?

77 HappyWarrior  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 7:59:25pm

re: #75 Romantic Heretic

This is why I call corporations ‘half-people’. They have all the rights and privileges of people but none of the responsibilities or duties.

Nice gig if you can get it.

Yeah sure is. Helps to have loads of friends in high places too.

78 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:13:12pm
79 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:17:33pm
80 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:19:13pm

re: #79 NJDhockeyfan

[Embedded content]

That’ll make things…..lively.

81 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:19:26pm

Just FYI if you have any in the fridge:

82 dog philosopher  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:22:32pm

2018 - First Successful Mammal To Corporation Procedure

“i’ll feel fine as soon as i am able to lay myself off”

83 The War TARDIS  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:23:43pm

re: #79 NJDhockeyfan

If protestors overpower the government, they need to give the Tatars the lands they were forced out of my the Russians those many years ago.

Otherwise known as the Crimean Peninsula.

84 NJDhockeyfan  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:25:52pm

And now some cute bunnies chasing a cute Japanese girl…

Youtube Video

85 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:27:26pm
86 makeitstop  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:27:41pm

re: #84 NJDhockeyfan

And now some cute bunnies chasing a cute Japanese girl…

[Embedded content]

I’m still wondering how she got so many bunnies in one spot to begin with. That’s a truckload of rabbits in that video.

87 Single-handed sailor  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:29:17pm
88 Dr Lizardo  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:29:50pm

re: #84 NJDhockeyfan

And now some cute bunnies chasing a cute Japanese girl…

[Embedded content]

It’s “Pleasant Afternoon Of The Adorable Lepus”!!

89 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:30:15pm

re: #86 makeitstop

I’m still wondering how she got so many bunnies in one spot to begin with. That’s a truckload of rabbits in that video.

Two words: Rabbit Island

90 makeitstop  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:32:49pm

re: #87 Single-handed sailor

re: #89 Lidane

Thanks! I’d never heard of it.

91 Stanley Sea  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:34:27pm

re: #74 Lidane

[Embedded content]

He will rightfully not rest in peace. Scum.

92 GlutenFreeJesus  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 8:48:30pm

Everyone was worried about attacks at the Olympics in the days before… yet none of the talking heads were really watching Ukraine. Here it is folks. Shit just got real.

93 sagehen  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 9:13:44pm

Is it too soon to offer opinions on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon?

94 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 9:16:45pm

re: #93 sagehen

Is it too soon to offer opinions on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Kimmel?

Jimmy Fallon is the one hosting The Tonight Show.

I thought he did pretty good last night. The boyfriend has some Ah-nuld film on Netflix so I haven’t seen tonight’s show.

95 sagehen  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 9:22:41pm

re: #94 Lidane

Jimmy Fallon is the one hosting The Tonight Show.

I thought he did pretty good last night. The boyfriend has some Ah-nuld film on Netflix so I haven’t seen tonight’s show.

fixt. love the edit feature.

96 dog philosopher  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 9:25:55pm

this prepackaged organical food says it contains no GMOs, HMOs, or PPOs

97 freetoken  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 9:29:00pm

Ukraine seems so far away, I really haven’t kept up on who’s who or why the population is uprising. I gather it is flaring up now in part due to increased media in that part of the world to cover the Olympics?

98 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 9:31:25pm

Youtube Video

All I can say is ooga chaka, ooga chaka, ooga ooga ooga chaka. This is going to be fun. :D

99 dog philosopher  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 9:36:50pm

re: #97 freetoken

Ukraine seems so far away, I really haven’t kept up on who’s who or why the population is uprising. I gather it is flaring up now in part due to increased media in that part of the world to cover the Olympics?

see: shit is fucked up and shit

100 Charles Johnson  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 9:50:13pm
101 Charles Johnson  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 9:53:37pm
102 Lidane  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 10:37:44pm
103 Chrysicat  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 10:41:26pm
104 freetoken  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 11:49:55pm
105 sattv4u2  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 11:55:47pm

re: #97 freetoken

Ukraine seems so far away, I really haven’t kept up on who’s who or why the population is uprising. I gather it is flaring up now in part due to increased media in that part of the world to cover the Olympics?

Not exactly in the same neighborhood

They are about a 20 hour drive apart

(more than going non stop from Atlanta to Boston)

106 sattv4u2  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 11:58:02pm

(((not to mention being in different countries))))

107 sattv4u2  Tue, Feb 18, 2014 11:59:12pm

***((((( Kiev and Sochi ,,,,,, not ATlanta and Boston ,,,)))****

although ,,,,,,,,,
/

108 S'latch  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 2:04:03am

A very good and interesting article. I can’t imagine that the Supreme Court will find that corporations have a right to freedom of religion. It seems unlikely, but, you never know.

109 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 2:48:42am

re: #85 Lidane

[Embedded content]

Yes, he wants so badly to negotiate, to reach a peaceful conclusion. Which is why he told the opposition leaders when they first sat at the table with him that they were going to jail regardless of what the outcome was.

110 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 3:26:33am

So, Yanukovych announces Feb 20 as a day of mourning? What is he going to be mourning, the loss of his wealth, of his power, of the 2 palatial houses he had built, of his outright theft from the people of Ukraine, along with his son and the cronies he enabled and encouraged while the people of Ukraine struggled? His oligarchy is about to come tumbling down.


Holland calls for EU sanctions on Ukraine

france24.com

Is Yanukovich trying to frame opposition politicians for coup in ongoing civil strife?

Feb. 19, 12:39 p.m. — A cryptic message on the Security Service of Ukraine’s website states that a criminal case has been launched into an attempted coup by several politicians. — Mark Rachkevych

kyivpost.com

111 Chrysicat  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 3:31:51am

Not sure if this should just be a comment or if I should try to expand it into a Page…
And I think we can all see why I cached it, non?
So…there’s a Breitbrat UK now, and it’s got some people over there thinking that rather than our Republicans taking some lessons from their Tories, the Tories need to go full on Teabag. Why are we exporting all our worst ideas now? It was bad enough when Canada was getting a full dose, but now the UK too?

112 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 3:34:12am

Journalist dies of gunshot wounds

Feb. 19, 7 a.m. — Vesti writes its journalist Vyacheslav Veremei died today early morning after he was shot by unknown men in masks on Velyka Zhytomyrska Street last night. Veremei and his colleague IT specialist Oleksiy Lymarenko were attacked when they were coming back from work on taxi. The assailants pulled them and the taxi driver out of the car and brutally beat them. Lymarenko and the taxi driver received serious injuries. — Anastasia Forina

Feb. 19 11:59 a.m. Lt. Colonel Petro Shuliak, commander of an Ivano-Frankivsk police unit, said that he would not follow criminal orders. He said his unit will not resist peaceful protests of Ukrainian citizens. “The staff of military unit 1241 of the internal troops of Interior Ministry of Ukraine serves the Ukrainian people,” Shuliak said. — Katya Gorchinskaya

kyivpost.com

113 Chrysicat  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 3:34:12am

re: #111 Chrysicat

Also, forgive me—I discovered that site through a link from one of its supporters, so I’m afraid I did give ‘em a pageview…and I don’t run adblock… :”>

114 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 3:50:07am

From the Kyiv Post, at least 25, possibly 26 now declared dead in civil unrest.

Protesters clash with police in Kyiv on Feb. 18. Ukrainian riot police stormed the main opposition camp in Kyiv after clashes left at least 25 dead in the bloodiest day in three months of protests, triggering international alarm.

Image: big.jpg

Is that cop on the right holding a small pistol? No, enlarging the photo shows it’s only his hand. He probably wasn’t the one who killed those protestors on the ground.

115 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 3:55:16am

re: #114 Justanotherhuman

This caught my eye from the Kyiv Post:

Feb. 19, 11:12 a.m. — Anti-government protesters reinforced burning barricades on Kyiv’s Independence Square this morning, urged on by activists from the stage that still stands about 150 meters from riot police lines.

Smoke billowed over the square from the barricades and from the seven-story Trade Unions building, which caught fire last night and was still smoldering this morning.

Glass and rubble rattled down the facade and a stream of water washed over the building from behind the police cordon on Khreshchatyk Street northeast of the square.

Some protesters carried timbers from an abandoned building on Mikhailovska street to beef up their defenses, while others rolled tires down Khreshchatyk Street from the intersection of Khelmynytskoho Street southwest of the square.

Field kitchens handed out food. Three men poured a mixture of oil and gasoline into bottles to make Molotov cocktails, packed with fragments of polyurethane foam from others nearby who crumbled up packaging materials. From the stage, priests prayed and exhorted the crowds, while an activist called on people to help reinforce the barricades, saying they needed to hold until busloads of protesters arrive from provinces outside Kyiv.

The bolded part? That’s homemade napalm, and it’s nasty stuff if it gets on you….it’s a gel.

116 Amory Blaine  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 3:59:41am
117 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:17:55am

re: #115 Dr Lizardo

This caught my eye from the Kyiv Post:

The bolded part? That’s homemade napalm, and it’s nasty stuff if it gets on you….it’s a gel.

Probably one of the few “real” weapons they have for defending themselves. When the State has all the weaponry, you have to improvise. I was thinking earlier, I’d be right out there with them since I’m someone who is not afraid of breaking a nail.

I imagine there are a lot of homemade weapons being used in these battles. This is civil war, there’s no doubt about it in my mind.

118 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:21:09am

re: #117 Justanotherhuman

Probably one of the few “real” weapons they have for defending themselves. When the State has all the weaponry, you have to improvise. I was thinking earlier, I’d be right out there with them since I’m someone who is not afraid of breaking a nail.

I imagine there are a lot of homemade weapons being used in these battles. This is civil war, there’s no doubt about it in my mind.

I’m sure there is. I wonder how the situation will develop further; I saw this Tweet -

and it certainly brings to my mind the notion that Yanuk is losing control ever further, and restoring control will be a bloody affair if he does it.

119 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:21:45am

re: #110 Justanotherhuman

Haha, that should be Hollande, not the country.

120 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:23:16am

re: #118 Dr Lizardo

I’m sure there is. I wonder how the situation will develop further; I saw this Tweet -

[Embedded content]

and it certainly brings to my mind the notion that Yanuk is losing control ever further, and restoring control will be a bloody affair if he does it.

Well, if it’s true that 26 MPs in his coalition defected yesterday, this is becoming an increasingly hard row for him to hoe.

Give it up, Yanuk. : )

121 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:23:38am

re: #119 Justanotherhuman

Haha, that should be Hollande, not the country.

Heh.

This also popped up -

If they’re blocking the border, presumably they’re trying to stop PoR officials from leaving to the West, at least via land routes.

122 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:30:57am

re: #121 Dr Lizardo

Heh.

This also popped up -

[Embedded content]

If they’re blocking the border, presumably they’re trying to stop PoR officials from leaving to the West, at least via land routes.

Poland is not going to allow Ua officials to leave via their country—they’ve already expressed solidarity with the protestors; they’ll have to go to the East…Pootie Poot will give them sanctuary, no doubt.

lf other countries’ borders are closed to them, there’s always Mother Russia. Let’s hope those countries see fit to ban them, too.

123 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:36:28am

re: #122 Justanotherhuman

Poland is not going to allow Ua officials to leave via their country—they’ve already expressed solidarity with the protestors; they’ll have to go to the East…Pootie Poot will give them sanctuary, no doubt.

lf other countries’ borders are closed to them, there’s always Mother Russia. Let’s hope those countries see fit to ban them, too.

I have no doubt whatsoever that if things really get too hot for Yanuk, he’ll flee to Russia. He probably has a nice dacha waiting for him somewhere on the Black Sea.

124 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:38:48am

re: #118 Dr Lizardo

I’m sure there is. I wonder how the situation will develop further; I saw this Tweet -

[Embedded content]

and it certainly brings to my mind the notion that Yanuk is losing control ever further, and restoring control will be a bloody affair if he does it.

The more bodies pile up, the greater the pressure will be upon him to reach some sort of deal with the protestors. Except he already burned that bridge thoroughly.

125 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:41:26am

re: #124 Targetpractice

The more bodies pile up, the greater the pressure will be upon him to reach some sort of deal with the protestors. Except he already burned that bridge thoroughly.

I sorta think he has no intention of reaching a deal; he was overthrown once, after all, and I’m sure to his mind, he has no desire to relive that experience. He has a place to go if shit gets a little too real - Russia - but I think for Yanuk, that’s a deeply humiliating thought.

126 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:44:44am

HURR HURRRR!!!!!

127 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:45:15am
128 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:46:03am

re: #125 Dr Lizardo

I sorta think he has no intention of reaching a deal; he was overthrown once, after all, and I’m sure to his mind, he has no desire to relive that experience. He has a place to go if shit gets a little too real - Russia - but I think for Yanuk, that’s a deeply humiliating thought.

Which is why I fear, before this all ends, that the death toll is only going to get higher. And that we may see the future of democracy in the Ukraine further compromised.

129 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:46:21am

HURR HURRRRR!!!!

130 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:46:29am

That’s pretty much a declaration of open rebellion.

en.interfax.com.ua

131 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:46:57am

If there was ever any doubt that these protesters are going to give up, look at this live scene (first video).

ukrstream.tv

They’re not leaving Independence Square.

132 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:48:39am

re: #131 Justanotherhuman

If there was ever any doubt that these protesters are going to give up, look at this live scene (first video).

ukrstream.tv

They’re not leaving Independence Square.

Not so long as they’re still alive and Yanuk is still in power.

133 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:50:29am

re: #132 Targetpractice

Not so long as they’re still alive and Yanuk is still in power.

As far as the protesters - and probably a lot of other people in Ukraine - are concerned, it ends with Yanukovych either fleeing the country, or dangling from the end of a rope. And I’m pretty sure Yanukovych is keenly aware of this sentiment.

134 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:52:26am

re: #133 Dr Lizardo

As far as the protesters - and probably a lot of other people in Ukraine - are concerned, it ends with Yanukovych either fleeing the country, or dangling from the end of a rope. And I’m pretty sure Yanukovych is keenly aware of this sentiment.

Indeed. Before yesterday, simply leaving power might have been enough to mollify some. But now blood has been shed and he’s made it clear that he will kill those who defy his will. Now any talk of his remaining in power is foolhardy, he’s going to go. The question is in what fashion.

135 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:55:43am

re: #134 Targetpractice

Indeed. Before yesterday, simply leaving power might have been enough to mollify some. But now blood has been shed and he’s made it clear that he will kill those who defy his will. Now any talk of his remaining in power is foolhardy, he’s going to go. The question is in what fashion.

I’m sure adding to Yanukovych’s paranoia is the fate of Nicolae Ceausescu, whose services were dispensed with - permanently - by his underlings. To be brutally honest, and it’s been admitted to, his trial was little more than a kangaroo court; Ceausescu essentially fell to an internal party coup d’etat.

136 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:05:33am

re: #129 Pie-onist Overlord

GG’s poutrage and dudebro tears don’t move me at all.

Too bad he didn’t think ahead about the fact that Miranda really had no guaranteed “rights” once he entered Heathrow.

137 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:07:43am

hmmm…

138 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:08:04am

lololol - typical paranoid Russian BS:

139 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:11:28am

re: #137 Backwoods_Sleuth

hmmm…

[Embedded content]

Rebekah Brooks is a proven liar. How do we know Blair actually said that? We only have her word for it.

I’m not defending Blair, just reminding people that Brooks didn’t mind performing criminal activities for the Murdoch empire.

140 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:12:04am

re: #138 Dr Lizardo

lololol - typical paranoid Russian BS:

[Embedded content]

“There is no truth in The News and no news in The Truth.”

141 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:14:30am

re: #138 Dr Lizardo

lololol - typical paranoid Russian BS:

[Embedded content]

I think Voice of Russia is even worse than Russia Today, which at least pretends to be “fair”, although falling very short. : )

142 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:16:39am

re: #140 Targetpractice

“There is no truth in The News and no news in The Truth.”

Heh. I remember that one.

OT, but my little part of the world might be getting an Amazon.com distribution center! The regional government here is in negotiations to locate a DC on a nice big parcel of vacant land near the village of Mošnov, which is quite close to the regional airport, which I can see from my balcony.

This region needs jobs, so that would be a boon to the local economy. 2,000 job positions would be quite welcome here.

143 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:17:55am

Maybe an early sign of sanctions to come?

144 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:18:49am

What right-wing racism?

Wingnut’s profile says:

Christian Conservative, Hunting, Nascar, Jesus, NObama, GOP, Tea Party, USA, WANT MY COUNTRY BACK! Libtards aint welcome here!

145 Lidane  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:19:31am

WTF:

146 William Barnett-Lewis  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:20:03am

re: #125 Dr Lizardo

I sorta think he has no intention of reaching a deal; he was overthrown once, after all, and I’m sure to his mind, he has no desire to relive that experience. He has a place to go if shit gets a little too real - Russia - but I think for Yanuk, that’s a deeply humiliating thought.

Putin will find a way to prop his puppet up.

147 Lidane  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:27:18am
148 sattv4u2  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:29:42am

re: #146 William Barnett-Lewis

Putin will find a way to prop his puppet up.

Depends
So far the Russians (read; Putin) have run a fairly successful Olympics

Putin would lose any good will he’s accumulated from that by openly getting involved in the Ukraine dispute right now

What he may be able to pull off is a compromise wherein Yanukovych leaves and another, less onerous Putin puppet is put in place (with concessions given to the protesters)

149 A Mom Anon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:31:17am

I swear, if I didn’t use Facebook to keep track of my kids and grandkids, I’d have no use for it period. I’ve already whittled my friends list down to 25 people and I may have to take it down to half that pretty soon.

I am sick to death of getting shit about not posting this or that thing about autism or “special needs” kids on my wall as some sort of slacktivist show of support and solidarity. SERIOUSLY? I have spent the last 20 years raising a kid on the spectrum, full time, with little help from any of those same people trying to make me feel like shit now. Where were they when I was scared and didn’t know what was happening? Where were they when I sat in countless IEP meetings advocating for my son and his education? Did any of them visit, write and call the school board when he was denied the chance to walk with his class for graduation over some bullshit rule that had only gone into effect 2 weeks before graduation? Where were they when the insurance companies denied coverage for therapies and I had to learn to be a speech and occupational therapist full time? Where were they when he was bullied and ostracized by his peers? Where were they when he was dealing with all that? Not a phone call, not a word of encouragement, not shit, that’s where they were.

Holy crap people are stupid assholes. The sad thing is, some of these people are family and should fucking know better.

150 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:35:41am

re: #129 Pie-onist Overlord

What GG’s poutrage reminds me of:

I don’t want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

You don’t frighten us, English pig dogs. Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of a silly person.

151 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:36:45am
152 Dr. Matt  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:37:11am

GG has [de-]evolved from Dudebro to a simple fratboy dick.

153 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:41:25am
154 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:43:09am

The beginning of a Ukrainian secessionist movement, perhaps.

155 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:43:46am

Bringing in more timbers for the barricades.

156 A Mom Anon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:43:58am

re: #152 Dr. Matt

Nah, he was always that. People don’t just suddenly become that, if you’re a spoiled shithead brat you have to work really hard not to be that anymore. Glenn has no incentive to improve who he is personally because he’s part of a culture that financially rewards being a freaking asshole.

I still think this whole Snowden thing was spurred on and planned by him to make money and lift himself up as some kind of expert hero saving all of us from the dreaded police state tyrannical dictatorship of the universe. If he’s such a brave freedom fighter why doesn’t he try coming back to the US or just give up his citizenship? I mean if it’s so awful here, then why be associated with such an awful country? And if he really gave a shit about human rights, then why in the fuck does he totally ignore what’s happening right down the street from him in Brazil?

157 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:46:54am

Morning. Any updates on the situation out of the Ukraine? Oh wow. Sorry should have read up.

158 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:48:06am
159 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:51:55am

re: #149 A Mom Anon

I swear, if I didn’t use Facebook to keep track of my kids and grandkids, I’d have no use for it period. I’ve already whittled my friends list down to 25 people and I may have to take it down to half that pretty soon.

I am sick to death of getting shit about not posting this or that thing about autism or “special needs” kids on my wall as some sort of slacktivist show of support and solidarity. SERIOUSLY? I have spent the last 20 years raising a kid on the spectrum, full time, with little help from any of those same people trying to make me feel like shit now. Where were they when I was scared and didn’t know what was happening? Where were they when I sat in countless IEP meetings advocating for my son and his education? Did any of them visit, write and call the school board when he was denied the chance to walk with his class for graduation over some bullshit rule that had only gone into effect 2 weeks before graduation? Where were they when the insurance companies denied coverage for therapies and I had to learn to be a speech and occupational therapist full time? Where were they when he was bullied and ostracized by his peers? Where were they when he was dealing with all that? Not a phone call, not a word of encouragement, not shit, that’s where they were.

Holy crap people are stupid assholes. The sad thing is, some of these people are family and should fucking know better.

Preach. Why on earth did they deny him the chance to walk with his class though? That actually reminds me of when I was in high school, since we live so close to D.C, our political science class was able to get internships with Congresspeople and I remember some of the higher ups at the school saying I shouldn’t do it because of my social abilities. I really resented that and my folks went to bat hard on me on that.

160 Dr. Matt  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:54:49am

Feb 19, 1945:
Marines invade Iwo Jima

On this day, Operation Detachment, the U.S. Marines’ invasion of Iwo Jima, is launched. Iwo Jima was a barren Pacific island guarded by Japanese artillery, but to American military minds, it was prime real estate on which to build airfields to launch bombing raids against Japan, only 660 miles away.

The Americans began applying pressure to the Japanese defense of the island in February 1944, when B-24 and B-25 bombers raided the island for 74 days. It was the longest pre-invasion bombardment of the war, necessary because of the extent to which the Japanese—21,000 strong—fortified the island, above and below ground, including a network of caves. Underwater demolition teams (“frogmen”) were dispatched by the Americans just before the actual invasion. When the Japanese fired on the frogmen, they gave away many of their “secret” gun positions.

The amphibious landings of Marines began the morning of February 19 as the secretary of the navy, James Forrestal, accompanied by journalists, surveyed the scene from a command ship offshore. As the Marines made their way onto the island, seven Japanese battalions opened fire on them. By evening, more than 550 Marines were dead and more than 1,800 were wounded. The capture of Mount Suribachi, the highest point of the island and bastion of the Japanese defense, took four more days and many more casualties. When the American flag was finally raised on Iwo Jima, the memorable image was captured in a famous photograph that later won the Pulitzer Prize.

history.com

161 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:57:07am

Mornin’ all.

162 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:58:44am

Wingnuts are all frothing at the mouth over CBO report which (they think) claims raising the minimum wage WILL DESTROY HALF A MILLION JRRBS1!!!!1!!!

I have asked, if they think making people work for 1/2 of minimum wage, or even $0.00/hr will MAKE MOAR JRRBS.

They say to me HURR HURR UR A COMUNIST!!!!1!!!!

163 b.d.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:59:34am

hahahahaha, love it when Repubs turn on their own:

The latest from the Texas Lt. Gov. race:

HOUSTON — State Sen. Dan Patrick, who says Texas leaders must “stop the invasion” from Mexico, went along with a decision to hire at least four unauthorized immigrants as cooks and dishwashers at his sports bar in the mid-1980s, according to a Houston-area man who says he was one of them.

dallasnews.com

164 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 5:59:57am

re: #162 Pie-onist Overlord

165 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:03:11am

re: #164 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

Well you bring that up and you get GOVERNMENT SHOULDN’T BE IN THE BUSINESS OF BRINGING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY. The thing is we need to pay employees more so they can be part of the economy. What we’ve seen unfortunately since the early 80’s is a government that instead of ideally being an impartial broker favors the needs of big business versus labor.

166 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:04:24am
167 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:06:23am
168 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:09:36am
169 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:10:52am

re: #168 NJDhockeyfan

[Embedded content]

I-80 sucks so hard.

170 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:11:00am

re: #167 NJDhockeyfan

[Embedded content]

Ironic.

At this point, the only way to end this may - unfortunately - be a military coup d’etat against Yanukovych. It would be ugly, to be sure, and it certainly would mean the possibility of a civil war, but Yanuk’s not gonna go quietly or peacefully. He’s going to have be dragged out kicking and screaming.

171 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:11:17am

re: #164 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

And raising wages for 16.5 million workers. And end up adding $22 billion to GDP.

Of course, when you read deeper, the reasons why the CBO says jobs will be lost end up being the same two excuses: Price increases and mechanization. Thing is, the former has been happening due to inflation and speculation anyway, while the latter can only go so far.

172 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:15:55am

re: #171 Targetpractice

And raising wages for 16.5 million workers. And end up adding $22 billion to GDP.

Of course, when you read deeper, the reasons why the CBO says jobs will be lost end up being the same two excuses: Price increases and mechanization. Thing is, the former has been happening due to inflation and speculation anyway, while the latter can only go so far.

HURR HURRR!!!!! EVERYBODY SHOULD WURK FOR WHATEVER TEH JRRB CREATORS FEEL LIKE GIVIN EM. THEY SHUD JUST BE GREATFULL TO HAV A JRRB INSTED OV BEIN A LAZY ASS MOOCHER!!!!!!!!!

173 Mattand  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:18:03am

Seriously, this is why I’m not a wave-the-flag, America-is-never-wrong type:

Kansas Lawmaker Wants To Allow Teachers To Spank Kids Even More

PLUS!!

Miss. Tea Party Senate Candidate Retweets White Supremacist Account

What the fuck is wrong with people in this country? Seriously?

The KS legislation allows for bruising of children.

We have people running our various governments who literally would be okay with fighting another Civil War.

Apparently, in FL it’s okay to murder teenagers because they’re black and male.

I just found out last night the MO suspended background checks on guns in 2008, and saw their gun murder rate jump 23%.

Jesus Christ, I live in a state where the governor’s office (and most likely the governor himself) were willing to jeopardize an entire town to prove some sort of bizarre childish point, and then laughed about it.

Unreal.

174 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:18:15am
175 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:18:26am

Translation from RandPaulese:

HURR HURRR!!!! WE NEEDS CIVIL RIGHTS FOR TEH WHITE PEOPLE!!! VOTER ID!!!! PRIVATIZATION OF TEH PRISONS!!!! MOAR CREATIONISM IN TEH SCHOOLS AND NO MINIMUM WAGE!!!!11!!

Did I miss anything?

176 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:19:41am
177 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:20:09am
178 Mattand  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:20:25am

re: #175 Pie-onist Overlord

[Embedded content]

Translation from RandPaulese:

HURR HURRR!!!! WE NEEDS CIVIL RIGHTS FOR TEH WHITE PEOPLE!!! VOTER ID!!!! PRIVATIZATION OF TEH PRISONS!!!! MOAR CREATIONISM IN TEH SCHOOLS AND NO MINIMUM WAGE!!!!11!!

Did I miss anything?

Heh, that’s the problem with Rand right there. If you take his tweet at face value, who isn’t for all of that?

It’s when you start digging on how he wants to accomplish that the crazy comes out.

179 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:21:01am
180 b.d.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:21:46am

re: #175 Pie-onist Overlord

[Embedded content]

Translation from RandPaulese:

HURR HURRR!!!! WE NEEDS CIVIL RIGHTS FOR TEH WHITE PEOPLE!!! VOTER ID!!!! PRIVATIZATION OF TEH PRISONS!!!! MOAR CREATIONISM IN TEH SCHOOLS AND NO MINIMUM WAGE!!!!11!!

Did I miss anything?

w/ voting rights, prison & justice reform

This would be one of those situations where reform ≠ improvement.

181 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:22:38am

War porn, highway porn…whatever happened to watching fucking?

182 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:22:44am

re: #176 NJDhockeyfan

183 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:23:38am

re: #177 darthstar

A river, cry me one.

184 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:24:37am

re: #183 chadu

A river, cry me one.

Yep. they decided to go against Bush on the one issue where he actually could talk with some substance because being a bunch of know-nothing assholes meant more than getting shit done and here’s their result.

185 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:25:24am

HURR HURR!!!! BUT TEH DEMOCRATS WAS ALL TEH RACISTS 150 YEARS AGO!!!!!!1!!!

186 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:25:33am

re: #173 Mattand

Seriously, this is why I’m not a wave-the-flag, America-is-never-wrong type:

Kansas Lawmaker Wants To Allow Teachers To Spank Kids Even More

PLUS!!

Miss. Tea Party Senate Candidate Retweets White Supremacist Account

What the fuck is wrong with people in this country? Seriously?

The KS legislation allows for bruising of children.

We have people running our various governments who literally would be okay with fighting another Civil War.

Apparently, in FL it’s okay to murder teenagers because they’re black and male.

I just found out last night the MO suspended background checks on guns in 2008, and saw their gun murder rate jump 23%.

Jesus Christ, I live in a state where the governor’s office (and most likely the governor himself) were willing to jeopardize an entire town to prove some sort of bizarre childish point, and then laughed about it.

Unreal.

It’s frustrating because man do I see our country growing on stuff but then you read stuff like this and it just frustrates you.

187 Mattand  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:25:56am

re: #181 darthstar

War porn, highway porn…whatever happened to watching fucking?

Yeah, that’s one of the problems with instant info. There’s a fine line between staying on top of current events and voyeurism.

188 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:26:43am

re: #175 Pie-onist Overlord

Translation from RandPaulese:

HURR HURRR!!!! WE NEEDS CIVIL RIGHTS FOR TEH WHITE PEOPLE!!! VOTER ID!!!! PRIVATIZATION OF TEH PRISONS!!!! MOAR CREATIONISM IN TEH SCHOOLS AND NO MINIMUM WAGE!!!!11!!

Did I miss anything?

Voting rights is just fancy words for ID requirements, so teh poor, the students and the elderly can’t vote so easily.

Prison reform is just fancy words for privatizing prisons, and making money off poor schmucks who got caught dealing.

Justice reform is just fancy words for making sure there are no “activist judges” serving life terms and screwing up right wing legislation.

Educational choice is just fancy words for privatizing education, and letting parents get away with teaching their kids bullshit.

Opportunity is a just fancy word for doing away with affirmative action and employment regulations so white boys can get ALL the jobs.

189 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:27:14am

re: #182 Dr Lizardo

[Embedded content]

It’s not going to end well. I’m not sure what the best solution for Ukraine is honestly.

190 Mattand  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:27:49am

re: #186 HappyWarrior

It’s frustrating because man do I see our country growing on stuff but then you read stuff like this and it just frustrates you.

Good point. I never thought I’d see an African American president in my lifetime, and the gay equality thing seems to picking up steam.

Still amazing how many of my fellow Americans want to celebrate the most vile parts of our history by recreating it in the here-and-now.

191 BusyMonster  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:28:08am

re: #9 freetoken

This part:

… is an artifice of our worldview and how we have enshrined certain ideas into our institutions.

Some humans in the past did indeed fell that they were in a relationship with the Earth, different things in or on the Earth, as well as mysterious beings above the clouds (or below the earth.)

We created our legal system yet we seem to like to act as if we’re powerless to change it. Why not make a fundamental change to our Constitution, where we clearly lay out that “rights” can only apply to organisms like humans?

I think the key to understanding this is to realize that a corporation is a limited liability concern meant to shield the operating officers from liability if the corporation screws up and hurts someone. I describe it more like a Godzilla suit made out of 5,000 lawyers. The “corporation” has that suit in storage, but only the CEO and a few underlings of his are privileged enough to wear it. If YOU as the employee of that corporation break the law over your knee like a cheap ruler, YOU will get the full measure of punishment that is coming to you. If the CEO does it, he gets to wear the Godzilla suit.

So, it is not “corporations” that are being protected. As usual it’s fucking rich people. The corporation is just an extension of the CEO or owner’s sense of entitlement and invulnerability, and all this legal wrangling and hay-making is to avoid the elephant in the room: Corporate Personhood is Royalty Revisited. It is the full throated whine of human arrogance and unwillingness to submit to accountability, it’s just wearing a three-piece suit instead of a foofy, stupid-looking hat or robe.

192 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:28:33am

Don’t know how we can expect Rand to push a 21st century civil rights movement when he opposed the 20th century one. And wheat is right a lot of this is Paul code for a lot of bullshit. Paul can go fuck himself.

193 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:30:08am

re: #190 Mattand

Good point. I never thought I’d see an African American president in my lifetime, and the gay equality thing seems to picking up steam.

Still amazing how my many of fellow Americans want to celebrate the most vile parts of our history by recreating it in the here-and-now.

Yeah, case in point regarding gay marriage. It was just starting to be an issue when I was in high school towards the end of Bush’s first and early his second term and I was one of the few people I knew who supported SSM. Now it’s pretty common. But yeah, I feel you, it feels like there’s a lot of us here in 2014 and many of us who want to repeat the worst aspects of our history. Makes me cringe and become more jaded than I already am.

194 Mattand  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:30:11am

re: #191 BusyMonster

I think the key to understanding this is to realize that a corporation is a limited liability concern meant to shield the operating officers from liability if the corporation screws up and hurts someone. I describe it more like a Godzilla suit made out of 5,000 lawyers. The “corporation” has that suit in storage, but only the CEO and a few underlings of his are privileged enough to wear it. If YOU as the employee of that corporation break the law over your knee like a cheap ruler, YOU will get the full measure of punishment that is coming to you. If the CEO does it, he gets to wear the Godzilla suit.

So, it is not “corporations” that are being protected. As usual it’s fucking rich people. The corporation is just an extension of the CEO or owner’s sense of entitlement and invulnerability, and all this legal wrangling and hay-making is to avoid the elephant in the room: Corporate Personhood is Royalty Revisited. It is the full throated whine of human arrogance and unwillingness to submit to accountability, it’s just wearing a three-piece suit instead of a foofy, stupid-looking hat or robe.

I LOL’d at that. Good take on the situation.

195 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:30:20am

*SNORTS COFFEE THROUGH NOSE*

196 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:30:43am

re: #192 HappyWarrior

Reform to Rand Paul and the other RWNJs means “change things so everything goes our way.”

197 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:32:01am

re: #196 wheat-dogghazi

Reform to Rand Paul and the other RWNJs means “change things so everything goes our way.”

Exactly and you illustrated that quite well.

198 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:32:06am

re: #195 Pie-onist Overlord

*SNORTS COFFEE THROUGH NOSE*

Wait. Did I miss something, and people have lost their voting rights since last election? WTF is he babbling about?

199 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:32:06am

re: #181 darthstar

War porn, highway porn…whatever happened to watching fucking?

It gets boring quickly, esp when you’ve done enough of it yourself—and better. : )

200 Mattand  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:32:10am

re: #195 Pie-onist Overlord

*SNORTS COFFEE THROUGH NOSE*

[Embedded content]

Remember when you refused to endorse the 1964 Civil Rights Act on Rachel Maddow’s show? Rescind that idiocy and we’ll talk.

201 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:32:38am

re: #197 HappyWarrior

Exactly and you illustrated that quite well.

Thankee.

202 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:32:50am

I think he’s talking about felons and voting perhaps?

203 William Barnett-Lewis  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:33:05am

re: #189 HappyWarrior

It’s not going to end well. I’m not sure what the best solution for Ukraine is honestly.

Partition like the former Yugoslavia or Czechoslovakia? Two halves (sort of) as was done by the Czech Republic and Slovakia seems doable but who would be the peace keepers in between for a generation? The usual UN suspects (Germany, US, England) wouldn’t be acceptable. Perhaps the Scandinavian countries or former Warsaw pact members like Hungary or Bulgaria?

204 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:33:41am

re: #198 wheat-dogghazi

Wait. Did I miss something, and people have lost their voting rights since last election? WTF is he babbling about?

It’s Rand Fucking Paul. He probably wants to restrict voting rights to white male property owners.

205 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:34:33am

re: #195 Pie-onist Overlord

*SNORTS COFFEE THROUGH NOSE*

Wants to create as much ambiguity as possible. Then you claim “state’s right” or “federal right” as needed in order to do what you want to do.

One of the larger PA universities has a sort of quasi-public status. It’s gets some general state funding, but is not the official state school (which is Penn State). So, when challenged over various legal protections they switch back and forth between claiming to be a private school or a public school in order to have the status most advantageous to their desired position.

206 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:34:45am

re: #203 William Barnett-Lewis

Partition like the former Yugoslavia or Czechoslovakia? Two halves (sort of) as was done by the Czech Republic and Slovakia seems doable but who would be the peace keepers in between for a generation? The usual UN suspects (Germany, US, England) wouldn’t be acceptable. Perhaps the Scandinavian countries or former Warsaw pact members like Hungary or Bulgaria?

That’s what I was thinking. That’s obviously had mixed results as we saw in the two aforementioned cases given the Balkan wars and the peace of the Velvet divorce. The difference here though is the divide in Ukraine is different then what it was with Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.

207 William Barnett-Lewis  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:34:58am

re: #202 HappyWarrior

I think he’s talking about felons and voting perhaps?

The push with felons is for restoration of gun ownership rights. Big untapped market there…

208 BusyMonster  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:35:06am

re: #173 Mattand

The KS legislation allows for bruising of children.

Do these hack Republicans ever imagine what the results of their stupid good ole boy “wisdom” will look like in the real world? I’m just picturing guns + beat up child + another school shooting.

209 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:35:55am

re: #204 Pie-onist Overlord

It’s Rand Fucking Paul. He probably wants to restrict voting rights to white male property owners.

No. HappyWarrior’s 202 got it. He wants ex-felons to get their voting rights back. For once, I can agree with him. Maybe just this once.

210 BusyMonster  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:35:58am

re: #195 Pie-onist Overlord

*SNORTS COFFEE THROUGH NOSE*

[Embedded content]

WTF? Who is this guy?

211 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:36:07am

re: #204 Pie-onist Overlord

It’s Rand Fucking Paul. He probably wants to restrict voting rights to white male property owners.

By “property” does he mean land or people?

212 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:36:43am

re: #202 HappyWarrior

I think he’s talking about felons and voting perhaps?

yes, he’s talking about felons.

213 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:36:46am

re: #209 wheat-dogghazi

No. HappyWarrior’s 202 got it. He wants ex-felons to get their voting rights back. For once, I can agree with him. Maybe just this once.

Stopped clocks and all.

214 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:36:56am

re: #211 darthstar

By “property” does he mean land or people?

Yes.

215 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:37:18am

re: #176 NJDhockeyfan

[Embedded content]

BTW, the word is that Channel 5, an independent station, was shut down by the govt; not sure if that’s the reason, but there it is.

216 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:37:38am

Honestly I have no problem with that suggestion. Thing is his idea of “voting reform” is right wing code for doing shit that makes it difficult to vote for people who are opposed to him and his party.

217 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:37:52am

re: #207 William Barnett-Lewis

The push with felons is for restoration of gun ownership rights. Big untapped market there…

In Kentucky right now there is legislation winding its way through the General Assembly to restore voting rights to non-violent felons.

218 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:38:38am
219 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:38:48am

re: #208 BusyMonster

Do these hack Republicans ever imagine what the results of their stupid good ole boy “wisdom” will look like in the real world? I’m just picturing guns + beat up child + another school shooting.

Isn’t that considered child abuse? If you leave marks and bruises on your children after a complaint through DSS, your kids will go into foster care in most situations.

Why do Kansas Rs hate kids? Why does the entire R party hate human beings?

220 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:38:54am

re: #217 Backwoods_Sleuth

In Kentucky right now there is legislation winding its way through the General Assembly to restore voting rights to non-violent felons.

Oh, so some former politicians can vote again. Got it.
/

221 BusyMonster  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:38:57am

re: #185 Pie-onist Overlord

HURR HURR!!!! BUT TEH DEMOCRATS WAS ALL TEH RACISTS 150 YEARS AGO!!!!!!1!!!

[Embedded content]

One of the reasons I tend to stay away from direct conversations with Republicans is because of mentally retarded things like this that they are constantly saying. It’s all I can manage to not roll my eyes in total contempt and say are you fucking serious/stupid/retarded in a very loud voice every five seconds. The level of mendacious dishonesty that has pretty much become the de-facto Republican personality is something I can’t stomach. I get screamy.

222 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:38:57am

re: #208 BusyMonster

Do these hack Republicans ever imagine what the results of their stupid good ole boy “wisdom” will look like in the real world? I’m just picturing guns + beat up child + another school shooting.

What I don’t get it. Have they ever thought of the possibility that most teachers nave no desire to hit kids? But eyah this is the stupid “conservative wisdom” where you teach a kid a “lesson” by hitting them. I liked the Louis C.K rant on people who pretty much brag about hitting their kids to put them in line.

223 BusyMonster  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:40:18am

re: #222 HappyWarrior

What I don’t get it. Have they ever thought of the possibility that most teachers nave no desire to hit kids? But eyah this is the stupid “conservative wisdom” where you teach a kid a “lesson” by hitting them. I liked the Louis C.K rant on people who pretty much brag about hitting their kids to put them in line.

I’ll tell you what hitting kids teaches them:

1. Don’t get caught.
2. I hate you motherfuckers (who are hitting me) and want to kill you.

So yeah, that’s all good.

224 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:41:20am
225 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:42:00am

re: #223 BusyMonster

I’ll tell you what hitting kids teaches them:

1. Don’t get caught.
2. I hate you motherfuckers (who are hitting me) and want to kill you.

So yeah, that’s all good.

Yeah it definitely sets up resentment to say the least not just between student and teacher but student and student because you know some other kids will get their jollies seeing another kid hit.

226 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:42:00am

re: #222 HappyWarrior

What I don’t get it. Have they ever thought of the possibility that most teachers nave no desire to hit kids? But eyah this is the stupid “conservative wisdom” where you teach a kid a “lesson” by hitting them. I liked the Louis C.K rant on people who pretty much brag about hitting their kids to put them in line.

There’s some crackpot über-Christian couple that advises parents to beat their kids into submission, essentially, and they recommend using a length of hose as a disciplinary tool. Starting when the kids are like 2 years old.

I wish I were making this up.

227 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:42:16am

re: #223 BusyMonster

I’ll tell you what hitting kids teaches them:

1. Don’t get caught.
2. I hate you motherfuckers (who are hitting me) and want to kill you.

So yeah, that’s all good.

228 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:43:02am

That’s not a “drug problem” that’s child abuse.

229 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:43:10am

re: #226 wheat-dogghazi

There’s some crackpot über-Christian couple that advises parents to beat their kids into submission, essentially, and they recommend using a length of hose as a disciplinary tool. Starting when the kids are like 2 years old.

I wish I were making this up.

Yeah, it’s a book. I don’t remember who wrote it, but it’s pretty sick shit.

230 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:43:18am

re: #10 freetoken

Off topic, already, but the multiplicity of Derp coming from the cross-product of two fountains of such is just too much:

Intelligent design group attacks Darwin by linking evolution to disgraced right-wing writer

It’s very telling that the ID nitwits go after something that John Derbyshire is close to correct on.

In truth of course, the case for evolution is not damaged by Derbyshire’s acceptance of it. Derbyshire is instead the one whose credibility has been destroyed as a result of his out-and-proud anti-black bigotry.

231 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:43:36am

re: #223 BusyMonster

I’ll tell you what hitting kids teaches them:

1. Don’t get caught.
2. I hate you motherfuckers (who are hitting me) and want to kill you.

So yeah, that’s all good.

But paddling and abuse was also such a character- and brotherhood- building activity with their fraternity in college.
////// (There, I’ve fallen into the fratboy stereotype pit - and can’t get out.)

232 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:44:51am

re: #223 BusyMonster

I’ll tell you what hitting kids teaches them:

1. Don’t get caught.
2. I hate you motherfuckers (who are hitting me) and want to kill you.

So yeah, that’s all good.

1. Beat your kids at home and school.
2. Loosen gun ownership regulations.
3. Be totally surprised when some kid shoots his parents or his teachers.
4. Blame it on computer games, TV. Hollywood or music.

233 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:46:26am

Youtube Video
That’s a paddlin’!

234 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:46:41am
235 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:46:47am

re: #229 Dr Lizardo

Yeah, it’s a book. I don’t remember who wrote it, but it’s pretty sick shit.

“To Train Up a Child” by Michael and Debi Pearl

236 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:47:02am

re: #232 wheat-dogghazi

1. Beat your kids at home and school.
2. Loosen gun ownership regulations.
3. Be totally surprised when some kid shoots his parents or his teachers.
4. Blame it on computer games, TV. Hollywood or music.

GUN-FREE ZONES!!!!!!

237 b.d.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:47:28am

re: #234 darthstar

[Embedded content]

LOL. poor Putin

238 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:48:09am

re: #237 b.d.

LOL. poor Putin

Poor Putin? Poor Finland!
/hope it’s snark

239 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:49:01am

The Kiev protesters have drummers.

240 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:49:16am

re: #234 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Well it wouldn’t be the first time Russia underestimated Finland in the cold. Granted technically the USSR.

241 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:49:52am

re: #235 Backwoods_Sleuth

“To Train Up a Child” by Michael and Debi Pearl

To make it worse, the Focus on the Family guy has offered the same advice to parents. So, there’s a bunch of nutters out there who believe God and Jesus are perfectly down with beating the crap out of their kids. This Kansas legislator is probably one of them.

242 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:50:02am
243 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:50:20am

re: #225 HappyWarrior

I’m with my best friend on this one: I don’t think parents spanking their children should be outlawed, but teachers should never be allowed to do that.

244 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:52:04am

re: #243 Dark_Falcon

I’m with my best friend on this one: I don’t think parents spanking their children should be outlawed, but teachers should never be allowed to do that.

Right, I’d agree with that. I am amazed though that people who don’t want teachers teaching our kids evolution or sex ed want teachers to be able to hit our kids. Weird dynamic.

245 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:52:14am

re: #242 darthstar

heh…

246 GunstarGreen  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:52:26am

Every morning, WSB here in Georgiastan puts Neil Boortz back on the radio for approximately 2 minutes — presumably because he’s such an entrenched part of the radio-listening culture here that people wouldn’t know what to do if they didn’t hear his voice at least once every weekday.

Ever since Royal Marshal died, Boortz has been unhinged; Royal was the only real check on his libertardian insanity. His morning bytes have been pretty preposterous from the start, but this morning’s was just bizarre. He derides the 25% of Americans that still think the sun revolves around the earth, and YECs that still assert that the earth is 6000 years old… and in the same segment goes into detail about how global warming is just a big giant lib’rul conspiracy to destroy the free market.

But I guess it wasn’t so bad. Could have been like yesterday, when he used polling from some demented millionare dating site to try to assert ye olde “conservative men are more manly than effeminate lib’rul men” meme, even slipping in a bit of HOT HUNKY PUTIN on the side.

247 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:52:46am

Das Vadonaya. Man you can really see why I dropped out of Russian can’t you.

248 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:52:54am
249 Floral Giraffe  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:53:20am

re: #181 darthstar

War porn, highway porn…whatever happened to watching fucking?

Pictures, please?
/sorta

250 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:53:39am

re: #243 Dark_Falcon

I’m with my best friend on this one: I don’t think parents spanking their children should be outlawed, but teachers should never be allowed to do that.

Spanking and leaving bruises are not quite the same thing. As a teacher, I would never want to hit a child, because it destroys the sense of trust it takes months to build with one’s classes.

But I’m a godless liberal, so what do I know?

/

251 Iwouldprefernotto  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:53:39am

re: #232 wheat-dogghazi

1. Beat your kids at home and school.
2. Loosen gun ownership regulations.
3. Be totally surprised when some kid shoots his parents or his teachers.
4. Blame it on computer games, TV. Hollywood or music. and liberals

252 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:53:47am

re: #198 wheat-dogghazi

Wait. Did I miss something, and people have lost their voting rights since last election? WTF is he babbling about?

Repealing the 17th Amendment, for a guess.

en.wikipedia.org

253 GunstarGreen  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:54:36am

re: #244 HappyWarrior

Right, I’d agree with that. I am amazed though that people who don’t want teachers teaching our kids evolution or sex ed want teachers to be able to hit our kids. Weird dynamic.

Good ol’ puritan ethic, or the bastardized American version of it.

See also: It’s okay to shoot people in the head and chainsaw them in half for entertainment, but god help you if you show so much as an instant of nipple.

Violence is perfectly okay with these people, it’s the human body that’s sick and wrong.

254 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:54:45am
255 kirkspencer  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:55:18am

re: #175 Pie-onist Overlord

[Embedded content]

Translation from RandPaulese:

HURR HURRR!!!! WE NEEDS CIVIL RIGHTS FOR TEH WHITE PEOPLE!!! VOTER ID!!!! PRIVATIZATION OF TEH PRISONS!!!! MOAR CREATIONISM IN TEH SCHOOLS AND NO MINIMUM WAGE!!!!11!!

Did I miss anything?

What’s sad is that if I did not know what he means by what he says it’s something with which I would agree a great deal. Let me take each in turn.

voting rights. There is an long-running and significant effort to suppress voting rights. We need something that makes slicing off this, that, and the other ‘undesirable’ element impossible. My personal suggestion (that offends both dudebros and ‘survivalists’) is a national ID card.

Prison and justice is a rant I’ve had a LOT here. Justice happens to tie right back to voting rights. Once a felon has served his sentence (to include probation and parole, probably) his right to vote should be returned. Lots of states where that’s not done. We can’t _make_ states change without constitutional changes, and I’m uncomfortable with that. But we can make it easier to change: a felon who has discharged his sentence cannot be denied his right to vote for president.

but that’s a minor point. The screamer is the proportion, the demonstration from well before the time that Obama was elected that told anyone looking we were still a racist nation. Non-whites are more likely to be arrested, more likely to be charged, more likely to get prison instead of probation, and each step is another exponential shift. We’re still more than 50% caucasian, but our prisons are not and haven’t been for a very, very long time (if ever).

Educational choice and opportunity is yet another issue where there is a crying need for change. No, not for adding creationism and ‘moral rectitude’. Nor for making taxpayers pay for religious indoctrination or funding private schools with restricted entrances. It’s quite the reverse. Unfortunately it’s an even more tangled issue than the previous two.

One really big example? Over and over it’s been shown that the best indicator of a student’s success is parental involvement. It’s even greater than wealth. So how does a student’s parents get involved when both of them are working two part-time jobs to keep a roof overhead and food on the table? Answer is not “require instruction in moral rectitude at school.”

But as already noted, that’s not what Rand means. dammit.

256 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:55:41am
257 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:55:42am

re: #250 wheat-dogghazi

Spanking and leaving bruises are not quite the same thing. As a teacher, I would never want to hit a child, because it destroys the sense of trust it takes months to build with one’s classes.

But I’m a godless liberal, so what do I know?

/

Right, and I actually do remember an instance when a teacher grasped my hand because I was struggling understanding long division and it totally ruined my relationship with that teacher. And what made it worse was that it was a special ed teacher. Teachers and kids need to be able to respect each other. Allowing teachers to hit kids doesn’t do that. It builds up resentment and withdrawal.

258 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:56:30am

re: #253 GunstarGreen

Good ol’ puritan ethic, or the bastardized American version of it.

See also: It’s okay to shoot people in the head and chainsaw them in half for entertainment, but god help you if you show so much as an instant of nipple.

Violence is perfectly okay with these people, it’s the human body that’s sick and wrong.

Well now you got me thinking about a family I grew up near. Kids were allowed to see movies like Braveheart that had a lot of violence but no boobs for them.

259 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:57:45am

re: #258 HappyWarrior

Well now you got me thinking about a family I grew up near. Kids were allowed to see movies like Braveheart that had a lot of violence but no boobs for them.

“Passion of the Christ” = torture porn.

260 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:57:58am

re: #191 BusyMonster

Page that!

261 wheat-dogghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:58:07am

re: #246 GunstarGreen

One of my older friends emailed me and some other of her friends a series of photos comparing the rough-n-ready Putin hunk with the skinny, edumacated Obama wimp. One shows Putin throwing a guy in a judo match alongside Obama wincing as some martial arts dude slams a guy to the mat.

I just deleted the email, and I refuse to comment back to her. Silence in this case is better than what words I have in mind.

262 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:58:46am

re: #252 Decatur Deb

Repealing the 17th Amendment, for a guess.

en.wikipedia.org

No, Rand Paul was saying that non-violent felons should have their voting rights restored after staying out of trouble for a set period of time. the Kentucky bill he’s supported would not restore voting rights to those convicted of violent crimes.

To clear, rape is considered a violent crime so the bill would not restore voting rights to rapists.

263 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 6:58:53am

re: #259 Pie-onist Overlord

“Passion of the Christ” = torture porn.

Yeah that one came out when we were older but i’m sure that one was okay but something with a boob or even a side boob shot would have been verbotten.

264 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:00:30am

re: #262 Dark_Falcon

I think it’s sweet that you defend Rand Paul.

265 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:00:48am

re: #195 Pie-onist Overlord

Looks like Paul is actually working with AG Holder on language for the federal government to restore voting rights to certain felons.

thehill.com

Political figures strongly opposed on other issues found common ground Tuesday at the Georgetown University Law Center as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Attorney General Eric Holder both voiced support for restoring voting rights to some ex-convicts.

Paul is working on a bill, referred to as the Civil Rights Voting Restoration Act, that would apply to federal elections, he said during a speech at the law center.

“We think that if you had a nonviolent felony — we’re for getting you voting rights,” said the senator, who hails from one of handful of a states where felons can permanently lose access to the voting booth.

Paul’s remarks come as Democratic Attorney Gen. Eric Holder urged states to scrap laws restricting voting rights for ex-cons who have served their sentences, completed probation and paid all their fines.

Although many states have scaled back voting restrictions for past criminals, 11 still have on their books “felony disenfranchisement” laws barring roughly 5.8 million Americans from casting ballots, Holder said Tuesday at Georgetown.

Paul, who opposes his own state’s law, plans to testify before members of the Kentucky Legislature next week in favor of restoring voting rights for nonviolent felons.

The legislation now in the works is similar to a bill introduced by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and championed by a group of Senate Democrats. The lawmakers argue that the patchwork of disparate state laws results in uneven and unfair restrictions on who can vote in presidential elections and other federal contests.

The similarly named Democracy Restoration Act, however, would apply to all felons who had completed their sentences.

Paul stopped short of embracing that proposal.

266 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:02:55am

re: #262 Dark_Falcon

No, rand Paul was saying that non-violent felons should have their voting rights restored after staying out of trouble for a set period of time. the Kentucky bill he’s supported would not restore voting rights to those convicted of violent crimes.

To clear, rape is considered a violent crime so the bill would not restore voting rights to rapists.

I actually agree with him on that. Thing where I assume given his hostility towards federal legislation he and I would differ though is that it should be nationwide. Hypothetical, I’m convicted of a non-violent crime in Kentucky, I do my time there and do well in re-entry but I get a job offer in a state that doesn’t allow for this. I shouldn’t lose my regained voting rights because of that. There’s also federal crimes too.

267 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:03:07am

re: #262 Dark_Falcon

No, Rand Paul was saying that non-violent felons should have their voting rights restored after staying out of trouble for a set period of time. the Kentucky bill he’s supported would not restore voting rights to those convicted of violent crimes.

To clear, rape is considered a violent crime so the bill would not restore voting rights to rapists.

True. KY has a cumbersome procedure now. Even Alabama is more liberal:

Alabama - Some persons convicted of a felony may apply to have their vote restored immediately upon completion of their full sentence. Those convicted of certain felony offenses such as murder, rape, incest, sexual crime against children, and treason are not eligible for re-enfranchisement.

Instructions for Voting Restoration, State of Alabama (17 KB) (accessed June 8, 2012)
Alabama Code: Section 17-3-31 (57 KB) (accessed June 8, 2012)

268 kirkspencer  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:04:29am

re: #265 lawhawk

Looks like Paul is actually working with AG Holder on language for the federal government to restore voting rights to certain felons.

thehill.com

I applaud the start. I disagree with the restriction.

The only criminals I despise more than rapists are child molesters, yet my principles say that once either have completed their sentence their rights should be restored.

It’s at the center of my principle that we want to rehabilitate if at all possible, and perpetual punishment works against that goal.

269 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:04:35am

re: #264 darthstar

I think it’s sweet that you defend Rand Paul.

I’m giving him the same thing I give you, Darth: Honesty regarding what he’s saying. It does not mean I agree with Rand Paul on all or even most things. It means that on this particular matter he is supporting an idea that is worthy of consideration.

270 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:04:41am

re: #265 lawhawk

Looks like Paul is actually working with AG Holder on language for the federal government to restore voting rights to certain felons.

thehill.com

I picked a hell of a week to quit drinking.

//

271 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:04:44am

re: #265 lawhawk

Looks like Paul is actually working with AG Holder on language for the federal government to restore voting rights to certain felons.

thehill.com

It’s a stopped clock moment for Rand. I can’t really fault him on this.

272 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:06:32am

re: #268 kirkspencer

I applaud the start. I disagree with the restriction.

The only criminals I despise more than rapists are child molesters, yet my principles say that once either have completed their sentence their rights should be restored.

It’s at the center of my principle that we want to rehabilitate if at all possible, and perpetual punishment works against that goal.

Yeah I feel if you do your time and you’re staying out of trouble, the nature of your felony should frankly be irrelevant. The punishment is your sentence and having that on your record until somehow you get pardoned which is rare.

273 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:07:14am

re: #268 kirkspencer

I applaud the start. I disagree with the restriction.

The only criminals I despise more than rapists are child molesters, yet my principles say that once either have completed their sentence their rights should be restored.

It’s at the center of my principle that we want to rehabilitate if at all possible, and perpetual punishment works against that goal.

I don’t agree. My view is that someone who has committed rape or murder has displayed such bad judgement and lack of consideration for the rights of others that he or she should never be permitted to cast a ballot or own a gun ever again.

274 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:07:26am

re: #263 HappyWarrior

Yeah that one came out when we were older but i’m sure that one was okay but something with a boob or even a side boob shot would have been verbotten.

And note that only female boobs are banned. Man-boobs are not.
O_o

Though the question of which is more revolting to one’s sensibilities is very open.

275 GunstarGreen  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:08:41am

re: #258 HappyWarrior

Well now you got me thinking about a family I grew up near. Kids were allowed to see movies like Braveheart that had a lot of violence but no boobs for them.

It really is a phenomenon with these people. They are perfectly, 100% okay with violence-as-entertainment. But even the slightest hint of human sexuality? Suddenly shit’s not cool. Thing is, it’s not just hardcore religious types either. It extends to every facet of our society.

Video games: Gears of War is a game where you literally chainsaw dudes in half with blood splattering all over the screen, and curbstomp them until their heads are bloody piles of pulp. Rating? M, 17+. Indigo Prophecy (a.k.a. Fahrenheit) is a game with no decapitations or dismemberment, near-zero blood, and almost no violence that the player is engaged in at all (beyond some Matrix-style wire-fu fighting at the end). But the original game has one two-minute scene of “interactive” sex of an entirely non-graphic nature (man on top, overhead view of basically just his back with some audio going on), and that got slapped with Adults Only. They had to remove that scene to be able to sell it on major retail chain shelves.

Movies? Robocop. People getting graphically blown away every couple of minutes, a guy getting melted down by toxic waste and then splattered by a car. Rated R. Now that movie does show a few brief shots of breasts, in that “skirting the censors” quick-pan style as cops are suiting up, but there is no sexuality. If it had had any? Would have been rated X.


re: #261 wheat-dogghazi

One of my older friends emailed me and some other of her friends a series of photos comparing the rough-n-ready Putin hunk with the skinny, edumacated Obama wimp. One shows Putin throwing a guy in a judo match alongside Obama wincing as some martial arts dude slams a guy to the mat.

I just deleted the email, and I refuse to comment back to her. Silence in this case is better than what words I have in mind.

Once again, it just boggles my mind how stupid a person has to be to be incapable of conceiving of alternatives. Now, it’s not the whole reason that I’m working out these days — I just want to take better care of my body than I have in a long time — but one of the side-benefits of it is proving this kind of person dead wrong. You can be a lib’rul, a massive nerd and an IT person and still be physically fit to a high degree.

276 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:09:07am

WHAT. THE. FUCK. IS. THIS. SHIT.

277 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:09:51am

re: #261 wheat-dogghazi

One of my older friends emailed me and some other of her friends a series of photos comparing the rough-n-ready Putin hunk with the skinny, edumacated Obama wimp.

Vlad’s soooooo dreamy!

278 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:09:51am

Our system as is I think focuses too much on punishment and not enough on rehabilitation. That’s not to say treat criminals with slaps on the wrists but rather than making prison a hellhole, prisons should be places where convicted felons learn not to repeat the mistakes that landed them behind bars in the first place. Of course, part of the problem is overzealous DAs and politicians who are petrified of the label “Soft on crime.”

279 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:10:19am

Who was doing Journalism again?

280 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:12:25am

re: #276 Pie-onist Overlord

WHAT. THE. FUCK. IS. THIS. SHIT.

[Embedded content]

Glenn Greenwald is claiming his boyfriend is the victim of racism. What David Miranda is actually guilty of is acting as a courier of illegally obtained documents and having terrible taste in significant others.

281 darthstar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:12:56am

Didn’t a bunch of Republican congressmen go to VW and tell them they’d get new contracts if they voted AGAINST the union?

282 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:13:21am

re: #280 Dark_Falcon

Glenn Greenwald is claiming his boyfriend is the victim of racism. What David Miranda is actually guilty of is acting as a courier of illegally obtained documents and having terrible taste in significant others.

Now now, Dark, Miranda’s a journalist, dontchaknow? That he was being used like a drug mule is just what journalists do.

////

283 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:14:15am

re: #262 Dark_Falcon

re: #271 HappyWarrior

It’s a stopped clock moment for Rand. I can’t really fault him on this.

Don’t get raphsodic too soon:

Repealing the 17th Amendment has long been a hobbyhorse of the fringe right, but the Tea Party and Paulite libertarians popularized it, along with their fetishization of a revisionist view of the Founders and states’ rights.

salon.com

284 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:14:29am

re: #281 darthstar

Didn’t a bunch of Republican congressmen go to VW and tell them they’d get new contracts if they voted AGAINST the union?

[Embedded content]

That was Tennessee. Union tradition is a lot larger in WV due to the coal miners.

285 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:15:27am

re: #284 HappyWarrior

That was Tennessee. Union tradition is a lot larger in WV due to the coal miners.

VW.

286 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:16:03am

re: #283 Decatur Deb

Don’t get raphsodic too soon:

Repealing the 17th Amendment has long been a hobbyhorse of the fringe right, but the Tea Party and Paulite libertarians popularized it, along with their fetishization of a revisionist view of the Founders and states’ rights.

salon.com

No, I’ve seen many express that viewpoint too and it’s a frankly increasingly common and frightening one among the right but Paul was talking about restoring voting rights to non-felons and this is that one issue where he may actually be right.

287 Ian G.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:16:04am

re: #254 darthstar

I’m guessing Stalin had a similar look on his face when the Red Army hit the Mannerheim Line in late 1939.

The lesson: don’t mess with Finland.

288 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:17:32am

re: #286 HappyWarrior

No, I’ve seen many express that viewpoint too and it’s a frankly increasingly common and frightening one among the right but Paul was talking about restoring voting rights to non-felons and this is that one issue where he may actually be right.

He’s a quasi-Libertarian. They’re characteristically right and wrong on an issue at the same time.

289 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:18:17am

re: #288 Decatur Deb

He’s a quasi-Libertarian. They’re characteristically right and wrong on an issue at the same time.

There’s Rand Paul in a nutshell. Brilliant.

290 b.d.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:22:00am

re: #276 Pie-onist Overlord

WHAT. THE. FUCK. IS. THIS. SHIT.

[Embedded content]

Poor?

I’d wager Miranda is living pretty well on that cushion of Pierre’s money.

291 b.d.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:23:48am

Where was all of this concern over the government attacking journalists when Judy Miller was sitting in a jail cell?

One side has a consistency problem and it ain’t mine.

292 kirkspencer  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:24:17am

re: #273 Dark_Falcon

I don’t agree. My view is that someone who has committed rape or murder has displayed such bad judgement and lack of consideration for the rights of others that he or she should never be permitted to cast a ballot or own a gun ever again.

Are you saying a leopard doesn’t change it’s spots, or are you saying that certain crimes deserve eternal punishment?

If the former, why are you willing to give a pass to extortionists and embezzlers?

If the latter, while I understand I have an obvious disagreement.

293 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:24:51am

re: #275 GunstarGreen

What if we replaced kill with the word fuck in all the movies?

Sorry dear, we’re going to kill fuck you now. /George Carlin

Splatter fests get PG-13 (think of all the fantasy violence in movies like Lord of the Rings, where blood and gore is still blood and gore, just not in purely human form), but a movie that shows intimacy between a man and a woman (or between two men or two women) can get NC-17 or X rating despite the only thing involved is a depiction of coitus.

No wonder so many people have a warped worldview, particularly about human sexuality.

294 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:26:04am

re: #288 Decatur Deb

Schrödinger’s Libertarianism.

295 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:26:09am

A little thunderstorm action here in Philadelphia right now. But rain and not snow since it’s above freezing.

296 kirkspencer  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:27:22am

re: #293 lawhawk

What if we replaced kill with the word fuck in all the movies?

Sorry dear, we’re going to kill fuck you now. /George Carlin

Splatter fests get PG-13 (think of all the fantasy violence in movies like Lord of the Rings, where blood and gore is still blood and gore, just not in purely human form), but a movie that shows intimacy between a man and a woman (or between two men or two women) can get NC-17 or X rating despite the only thing involved is a depiction of coitus.

No wonder so many people have a warped worldview, particularly about human sexuality.

As a number of people have pointed out, a LOT of slasher flicks are really morality plays.

Who dies? The promiscuous, the druggies, the ones who disobey their parents’ commands, etc. Oh, sure, sometimes an innocent goes as well. But the survivor is always morally righteous.

297 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:28:21am

ZOMG ZOMG WMG!!!!! IF TEH JRRB CREATORS HAS TO PAY THERE WURKERS A HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE THEY CANS HAS LOWER PROFIT MARGINS. IT TEH COMMUNISMS!!!!1!!!!!!!TY

298 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:28:23am

re: #293 lawhawk

What if we replaced kill with the word fuck in all the movies?

Sorry dear, we’re going to kill fuck you now. /George Carlin

Splatter fests get PG-13 (think of all the fantasy violence in movies like Lord of the Rings, where blood and gore is still blood and gore, just not in purely human form), but a movie that shows intimacy between a man and a woman (or between two men or two women) can get NC-17 or X rating despite the only thing involved is a depiction of coitus.

No wonder so many people have a warped worldview, particularly about human sexuality.

Excellent point. But yeah it’s quite amazing that a swear and a penis and or vagina can turn a movie from PG-13 to R or NR in a heartbeat.

299 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:28:37am

The wreck on I-80 is western central PA. Terrain there is rolling hill-gully with bridge for highway, etc. Sort of fun in the summer and a pain in the winter. Also often right on the temperature line between rain and snow and subject to ice as a result.

nydailynews.com

300 Political Atheist  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:29:11am

re: #294 lawhawk

Schrödinger’s Libertarianism.

That’s a keeper.

301 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:29:37am

re: #293 lawhawk

What if we replaced kill with the word fuck in all the movies?

Considering how the F-bomb is dropped in movies, I don’t think there would be a significant difference.

302 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:30:35am

re: #283 Decatur Deb

Ah, a complaint that the 17th Amendment somehow deprives states of their rights. Think about that for a moment. Instead of directly electing your Senate representatives, those pushing for a repeal want the state legislatures to do that for you.

The same state legislatures that have shown themselves in more than a few states to be completely corrupt (NJ, NY come to mind) or batcrap crazy and pushing unconstitutional restrictions on everything from gay rights to womens’ rights (such as access to abortions). They want the ability to reshape the US Senate by taking the most extreme among their own, and giving them a permanent hand in the Senate. It’s a ploy to undermine the fact that Democrats do hold a current advantage, but also towards long term trends where urban areas are more Democratic-leaning and urban areas are continuing to grow while rural areas continue seeing a decline in population. If you eliminate direct representation in the Senate, the gerrymandered state legislatures can then shift the balance to their own views, which will be out of step with their own constituents.

303 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:32:07am

An interesting article here on the rise of pro-Russian separatism in the Crimea.

rferl.org

304 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:32:23am

re: #296 kirkspencer

As a number of people have pointed out, a LOT of slasher flicks are really morality plays.

Who dies? The promiscuous, the druggies, the ones who disobey their parents’ commands, etc. Oh, sure, sometimes an innocent goes as well. But the survivor is always morally righteous.

Sure, lots are morality plays, but the best move is not to play. If you go out late at night in your undies to an abandoned farm/camp/forest/building, your chances of dying increase exponentially.

305 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:33:50am

re: #302 lawhawk

Ah, a complaint that the 17th Amendment somehow deprives states of their rights. Think about that for a moment. Instead of directly electing your Senate representatives, those pushing for a repeal want the state legislatures to do that for you.

The same state legislatures that have shown themselves in more than a few states to be completely corrupt (NJ, NY come to mind) or batcrap crazy and pushing unconstitutional restrictions on everything from gay rights to womens’ rights (such as access to abortions). They want the ability to reshape the US Senate by taking the most extreme among their own, and giving them a permanent hand in the Senate. It’s a ploy to undermine the fact that Democrats do hold a current advantage, but also towards long term trends where urban areas are more Democratic-leaning and urban areas are continuing to grow while rural areas continue seeing a decline in population. If you eliminate direct representation in the Senate, the gerrymandered state legislatures can then shift the balance to their own views, which will be out of step with their own constituents.

It’s basically their way of trying to game the system in their favor. If Democrats controlled most of the state legislatures, you wouldn’t hear a peep about this just as you didn’t hear peeps about changing how EVs are awarded in say Texas.

306 Ian G.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:33:56am

re: #302 lawhawk

Remember kids, an overbearing federal government is tyranny, but an overbearing state government is freedom, because shut up, that’s why.

307 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:34:21am

re: #302 lawhawk

Ah, a complaint that the 17th Amendment somehow deprives states of their rights. Think about that for a moment. Instead of directly electing your Senate representatives, those pushing for a repeal want the state legislatures to do that for you.

The same state legislatures that have shown themselves in more than a few states to be completely corrupt (NJ, NY come to mind) or batcrap crazy and pushing unconstitutional restrictions on everything from gay rights to womens’ rights (such as access to abortions). They want the ability to reshape the US Senate by taking the most extreme among their own, and giving them a permanent hand in the Senate. It’s a ploy to undermine the fact that Democrats do hold a current advantage, but also towards long term trends where urban areas are more Democratic-leaning and urban areas are continuing to grow while rural areas continue seeing a decline in population. If you eliminate direct representation in the Senate, the gerrymandered state legislatures can then shift the balance to their own views, which will be out of step with their own constituents.

Same crap, different day. One reason the citizens in the western counties of Virginia were so gung-ho to do their own version of session in the early 1860s was that the Virginia legislature had not fairly redistricted in the 1840s and 1850s and thus left these counties heavily underrepresented.

308 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:35:17am

Heh….this is a good bit of photoshop.

Putin’s Ukraine.

309 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:35:32am

re: #303 Dr Lizardo

An interesting article here on the rise of pro-Russian separatism in the Crimea.

rferl.org

Fascinating article.

310 Eclectic Cyborg  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:35:35am

Chevron apologizes for fracking explosion by…offering free pizza to residents

Dear Neighbor,
We are sorry to have missed you. We wanted to provide you with a status update on the February 11 incident that occurred on Chevron’s Appalachia’s Lanoce 7 H well pads in Dunkard Township and see if you had any questions or concerns that we could address.
Chevron recognizes the effect this has had on the community. We value being a responsible member of this community and will continue to strive to achieve incident-free operations. We are committed to taking action to safeguard our neighbors, our employees, our contractors and the environment.
If you have any questions, please call our toll free community line at [no phone numbers allowed].
Thank you,
Chevron Community Outreach Team

And attached to the letter, a coupon for 1 large pizza and a 2-liter soda at a local pizza joint.

Some of the aforementioned residents, are, understandably, a little pissed off.

311 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:36:17am

re: #308 Dr Lizardo

Heh….this is a good bit of photoshop.

Putin’s Ukraine.

[Embedded image]

Lukashenko on the left, yes?

312 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:36:35am
313 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:37:01am

re: #311 HappyWarrior

Lukashenko on the left, yes?

Yes. That one certainly made me chuckle.

314 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:38:09am

re: #313 Dr Lizardo

Yes. That one certainly made me chuckle.

I liked it because it’s very “Socialist realism” looking. So not only a good photoshop but looks like it would have not been out of place in the age of Stalin.

315 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:38:51am

re: #310 Eclectic Cyborg

Chevron apologizes for fracking explosion by…offering free pizza to residents

Some of the aforementioned residents, are, understandably, a little pissed off.

The ones who didn’t get extra oil on their pizza?

316 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:39:36am

re: #315 Decatur Deb

The ones who didn’t get extra oil on their pizza?

You cut down on oil on your pizza by using cheap mozzarella.

317 sagehen  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:39:59am

re: #281 darthstar

Didn’t a bunch of Republican congressmen go to VW and tell them they’d get new contracts if they voted AGAINST the union?

[Embedded content]

unions have different meaning in Germany than here;

In the US, unions are all about standing up to the company to get decent pay/benefits for the workers; in Germany, the gov’t mandates decent pay and benefits, the unions are about knowing how the job is done and advising the company on how to do it better. The union has representation on the Board of Directors, they have workers’ councils that need to approve production schedules and training on new equipment, that decide what safety gear is appropriate, etc.

Which is why the home office… really wanted a union. Their executives aren’t production line people, they’re accountants and marketing folk, they wanted machinists and mechanics and metalworkers to help them make the factory safer and more efficient, and now they can’t have that.

318 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:40:50am

re: #314 HappyWarrior

I liked it because it’s very “Socialist realism” looking. So not only a good photoshop but looks like it would have not been out of place in the age of Stalin.

Yes, exactly. It’s well-done; there was an art gallery in Prague dedicated to Soviet/Czechoslovak Communist-era propaganda; it’s really quite fascinating. The gent who owns the gallery is quite familiar with the genre, and he can explain it in terms any layman can understand. I don’t know if it’s still around - it was as of 2006.

319 Gus  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:41:37am

VW feigning surprise over Tennessee’s anti-union GOP political leadership after building factory in anti-union and right-to-work state Tennessee. Film at 11.

320 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:43:32am

re: #319 Gus

VW feigning surprise over Tennessee’s anti-union GOP political leadership after building factory in anti-union and right-to-work state Tennessee. Film at 11.

They should have built it in West Virginia; for both the more pro-union outlook and the WV-VW tongue-twisting that would provide amusement.

321 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:43:39am

re: #318 Dr Lizardo

Yes, exactly. It’s well-done; there was an art gallery in Prague dedicated to Soviet/Czechoslovak Communist-era propaganda; it’s really quite fascinating. The gent who owns the gallery is quite familiar with the genre, and he can explain it in terms any layman can understand. I don’t know if it’s still around - it was as of 2006.

There was a Museum of Communism that I saw when I was in Prague but I never got around to seeing it. Our intenary was more older history. I mean got to see the Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral- great but I was there 40 years after the Prague spring and really wanted to see stuff from that. That sounds like a fascinating gallery though. We laugh at the propaganda but it’s amazing to think someone made those in the serious hope that it would convince people of the greatness of Communism.

322 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:47:29am

re: #321 HappyWarrior

There was a Museum of Communism that I saw when I was in Prague but I never got around to seeing it. Our intenary was more older history. I mean got to see the Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral- great but I was there 40 years after the Prague spring and really wanted to see stuff from that. That sounds like a fascinating gallery though. We laugh at the propaganda but it’s amazing to think someone made those in the serious hope that it would convince people of the greatness of Communism.

The Museum of Communism is quite fascinating. I don’t remember the name of the gallery, but I recall it’s quite close to a shopping center called KOTVA, on Králodvorská Street. It’s near the Naměstí Republiký Metro station.

323 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:48:44am
324 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:49:53am

re: #322 Dr Lizardo

The Museum of Communism is quite fascinating. I don’t remember the name of the gallery, but I recall it’s quite close to a shopping center called KOTVA, on Králodvorská Street. It’s near the Naměstí Republiký Metro station.

Cool, gotta keep that in mind. Not sure when I’ll be in Prague again but I loved it even if it was a little pricey.

325 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:49:54am

A battle is underway in Kharkov between protesters and Berkut riot police.

326 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:50:07am

re: #323 Pie-onist Overlord

[Embedded content]

Damn.

327 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:50:26am

re: #324 HappyWarrior

Cool, gotta keep that in mind. Not sure when I’ll be in Prague again but I loved it even if it was a little pricey.

That’s why I live in Ostrava. :)

328 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:52:20am

re: #327 Dr Lizardo

That’s why I live in Ostrava. :)

Ha indeed. Not as much tourists to deal with eitehr.

329 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:53:24am

re: #327 Dr Lizardo

That’s why I live in Ostrava. :)

What is a good hotel to stay at in Prague, near the Jewish Quarter? (Only for one night)

330 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:54:36am

re: #328 HappyWarrior

Ha indeed. Not as much tourists to deal with eitehr.

Yes…..so much quieter. Here in Ostrava, there is Stodolní Street, which is basically a 2-km stretch of bars and bordellos, essentially an unofficial red-light district. That gets pretty crazy during the summer, and you’ll usually find a few Brits there, but it’s predominantly locals hanging out.

331 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:55:44am

ETA: This is a reporter with WJAC covering this morning’s I-80 accident at Clearfield, PA

332 Gus  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:56:05am

VW labor leader seeks German-like workers council in Tennessee
10/2013

(Reuters) - Volkswagen AG’s top labor leader still wants workers at the company’s plant in Tennessee to have German-style representation, an arrangement that would require the involvement of a U.S. trade union such as the United Auto Workers.

Bernd Osterloh, head of VW’s global works council, told Reuters on Tuesday that he plans to visit workers at the plant to offer “clarification” on how a works council operates at the company.

Osterloh also said he expects to meet with Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and U.S. Senator Bob Corker, who played a key role in bringing Volkswagen to Chattanooga, a city where he was once mayor. Haslam and Corker have voiced opposition to representation of VW’s Chattanooga workers by the UAW, saying it would damage the state’s ability to attract companies.

U.S. labor law says that any labor representation model that does not include a U.S. labor union would be considered a company union and therefore prohibited.

The UAW, which has lost membership in the past three decades to automation and a cutback of jobs at General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Chrysler Group LLC, wants to organize Volkswagen workers to gain a toehold in the U.S. South, where most foreign automakers have nonunion factories.

333 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:57:40am

re: #329 Pie-onist Overlord

What is a good hotel to stay at in Prague, near the Jewish Quarter? (Only for one night)

The Intercontinental Hotel is pretty much walking distance to the Jewish Quarter. ihg.com

There’s also the Antik Hotel, which is a bit further.

antikhotels.com

But Prague’s sort of a small town in some ways.

334 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 7:58:52am

re: #332 Gus

VW labor leader seeks German-like workers council in Tennessee
10/2013

Sounds like it should be something mutual, with VW getting the union representation it wants and the UAW getting a foot in the door in the South. I understand other foreign automakers with factories in the South are looking to create similar councils so as to address labor concerns amongst their workforce.

335 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:00:41am

re: #330 Dr Lizardo

Yes…..so much quieter. Here in Ostrava, there is Stodolní Street, which is basically a 2-km stretch of bars and bordellos, essentially an unofficial red-light district. That gets pretty crazy during the summer, and you’ll usually find a few Brits there, but it’s predominantly locals hanging out.

I mean I look at like this, I think mingling with locals makes the experience more fun. Pretty insane that trip was over 5 years ago and I wasn’t quite 21 yet.

336 GunstarGreen  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:00:44am

re: #297 Pie-onist Overlord

ZOMG ZOMG WMG!!!!! IF TEH JRRB CREATORS HAS TO PAY THERE WURKERS A HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE THEY CANS HAS LOWER PROFIT MARGINS. IT TEH COMMUNISMS!!!!1!!!!!!!TY

[Embedded content]

It’s fundamental economics. What happens when you don’t pay your workers as much as they’re worth? You keep the extra money and profit margins go up. What happens when you give your employees raises to coincide with rising profits? Your margins stay the same.

This is why we see the phenomenon of wages stagnating over the last 30 to 40 years, while corporate profits are at an all-time high. Those soaring profits are fueled explicitly because wages have stagnated. Productivity increases, revenue increases, but pay remains the same, thus more of the revenue is profit.

This also coincides with stats on skyrocketing debt. As wages stagnate, yet technological progress is made, the average American puts more and more on the credit card as they keep up with society’s expectation of what “Living the Dream” looks like, despite their wages not keeping pace.

If we intend to pay people more, pay them what they are WORTH, corporations are going to have to accept lower profit margins. That’s just a fact.

The question is whether you consider it moral to sacrifice the workers for the benefit of the company, or feed the company a bit less for the benefit of the workers.

337 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:03:20am

And it begins.

ibtimes.co.uk

338 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:03:24am

re: #336 GunstarGreen

It’s fundamental economics. What happens when you don’t pay your workers as much as they’re worth? You keep the extra money and profit margins go up. What happens when you give your employees raises to coincide with rising profits? Your margins stay the same.

This is why we see the phenomenon of wages stagnating over the last 30 to 40 years, while corporate profits are at an all-time high. Those soaring profits are fueled explicitly because wages have stagnated. Productivity increases, revenue increases, but pay remains the same, thus more of the revenue is profit.

This also coincides with stats on skyrocketing debt. As wages stagnate, yet technological progress is made, the average American puts more and more on the credit card as they keep up with society’s expectation of what “Living the Dream” looks like, despite their wages not keeping pace.

If we intend to pay people more, pay them what they are WORTH, corporations are going to have to accept lower profit margins. That’s just a fact.

The question is whether you consider it moral to sacrifice the workers for the benefit of the company, or feed the company a bit less for the benefit of the workers.

You’re new to these shores, aren’t you?

///

339 Gus  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:03:57am

re: #334 Targetpractice

Sounds like it should be something mutual, with VW getting the union representation it wants and the UAW getting a foot in the door in the South. I understand other foreign automakers with factories in the South are looking to create similar councils so as to address labor concerns amongst their workforce.

Perhaps it’s time to think about providing competing labor organizations in the labor representation market-place instead of being subjected to one labor-union monopoly.

340 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:05:27am

re: #336 GunstarGreen

It’s fundamental economics. What happens when you don’t pay your workers as much as they’re worth? You keep the extra money and profit margins go up. What happens when you give your employees raises to coincide with rising profits? Your margins stay the same.

WORKERS’ SALARIES ARE CORPORATE EXPENSES!!!!! WE HAVE TO CUT EXPENSES!!! OR ELSE TEH EXECUTIVES CANT HAS BONUS!!!!!!

341 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:06:30am

re: #339 Gus

Perhaps it’s time to think about providing competing labor organizations in the labor representation market-place instead of being subjected to one labor-union monopoly.

I’m willing to consider labor law reform that would allow something similar to what foreign unions enjoy, but we also have to understand that those unions do not have the same sort of attitude toward the management because of the level of government enforcement on the marketplace. Fact of the matter is the sort of wages that US unions fight for are a matter of law in Germany, as the article you presented notes.

342 Ian G.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:07:42am

re: #329 Pie-onist Overlord

What is a good hotel to stay at in Prague, near the Jewish Quarter? (Only for one night)

I stayed at the 987 Prague hotel 6 years ago and really liked it. It’s 3 blocks from the beautiful Jubilee Synagogue, and within walking distance of pretty much everything you want to see in the city.

343 Gus  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:08:57am

re: #341 Targetpractice

I’m willing to consider labor law reform that would allow something similar to what foreign unions enjoy, but we also have to understand that those unions do not have the same sort of attitude toward the management because of the level of government enforcement on the marketplace. Fact of the matter is the sort of wages that US unions fight for are a matter of law in Germany, as the article you presented notes.

They’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Tennessee is not Germany and wouldn’t even be close to Germany even if the government there was run by U.S.-union-friendly Democrats.

344 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:11:43am

re: #343 Gus

They’re trying to fir a square peg into a round hole. Tennessee is not Germany and wouldn’t even be close to Germany even if the government there was run by U.S.-union-friendly Democrats.

True, there’s reason why “right to work” is often characterized as “right to exploit.”

345 Gus  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:12:46am

re: #344 Targetpractice

True, there’s reason why “right to work” is often characterized as “right to exploit.”

So VW is already exploiting those workers in Tennessee?

346 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:13:20am

MOAR GUN FUCKING

347 Eclectic Cyborg  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:13:32am

Personally I’d love to live in a world where labor unions didn’t exist.

But only if they didn’t exist because they WEREN’T NEEDED because companies actually treated their workers with dignity and respect and compensated them fairly.

348 Eclectic Cyborg  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:14:17am

re: #346 Pie-onist Overlord

Because when you’ve got a drugged girl half bent over she’s TOTALLY going to be able to draw and fire at you…and not miss.

349 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:15:40am

re: #347 Eclectic Cyborg

Personally I’d love to live in a world where labor unions didn’t exist.

But only if they didn’t exist because they WEREN’T NEEDED because companies actually treated their workers with dignity and respect and compensated them fairly.

Win.

350 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:15:44am

re: #348 Eclectic Cyborg

Because when you’ve got a drugged girl half bent over she’s TOTALLY going to be able to draw and fire at you…and not miss.

And like she’s going to shoot Pastor Mulroney or Uncle Mervin in the face.

351 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:16:06am

re: #339 Gus

Perhaps it’s time to think about providing competing labor organizations in the labor representation market-place instead of being subjected to one labor-union monopoly.

The monopoly is only the result of the difficulty of mounting any contract vote. In labor-friendly regions, unions do compete to organize a shop. (It often gets nasty.)

352 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:17:45am

re: #345 Gus

So VW is already exploiting those workers in Tennessee?

No, but it’s just been given license to.

353 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:19:58am

re: #347 Eclectic Cyborg

Personally I’d love to live in a world where labor unions didn’t exist.

But only if they didn’t exist because they WEREN’T NEEDED because companies actually treated their workers with dignity and respect and compensated them fairly.

And priests play Angry Birds in the confessional all day because sin has gone out of fashion.

354 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:22:00am
355 Lidane  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:22:31am

re: #354 Pie-onist Overlord

Wow. That’s just insane.

356 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:25:02am

This puts wealth and income generation into perspective.

50% of the nation’s GDP comes from the parts in orange. The remaining 50% comes from the blue.

Not particularly surprising that those orange areas include the NYC metro area, Boston, Philly, and DC (aka the Northeast Corridor), Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Detroit, Kansas City, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, and a couple others.

357 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:26:04am

re: #356 lawhawk

This puts wealth and income generation into perspective.

[Embedded content]

50% of the nation’s GDP comes from the parts in orange. The remaining 50% comes from the blue.

Not particularly surprising that those orange areas include the NYC metro area, Boston, Philly, and DC (aka the Northeast Corridor), Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Detroit, Kansas City, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, and a couple others.

DETROIT!!!!

358 iossarian  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:26:06am

re: #351 Decatur Deb

The monopoly is only the result of the difficulty of mounting any contract vote. In labor-friendly regions, unions do compete to organize a shop. (It often gets nasty.)

Not only that - the Boeing situation recently illustrated the conflicts that can develop even within one union between the local and umbrella levels of the organization.

One of the salient features of unions is that they provide opportunities for democratic decision-making where there would otherwise only be company policy.

359 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:26:41am

re: #356 lawhawk

This puts wealth and income generation into perspective.

[Embedded content]

50% of the nation’s GDP comes from the parts in orange. The remaining 50% comes from the blue.

Not particularly surprising that those orange areas include the NYC metro area, Boston, Philly, and DC (aka the Northeast Corridor), Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Detroit, Kansas City, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, and a couple others.

Damned blue state moochers.

360 iossarian  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:27:03am

re: #357 Pie-onist Overlord

DETROIT!!!!

It’s still the Motor City, baby.

361 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:28:02am

re: #360 iossarian

It’s still the Motor City, baby.

:)

362 RadicalModerate  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:29:04am

Such is Texas. Republican governor candidates competing to get most racist, incendiary speakers on campaign tour.

Ted Nugent campaigns for Greg Abbott

DENTON — Rocker Ted Nugent and Attorney General Greg Abbott, the presumed GOP nominee for governor, praised each other as fighters for freedom at a Tuesday campaign event.

The two gave short shrift to Democratic criticism stemming from Nugent’s incendiary comments about President Obama, women political figures and immigrants.
[…]
Democrats have highlighted Nugent’s comments, including the singer referring to President Barack Obama as “a Chicago communist-raised, communist-educated, communist-nurtured subhuman mongrel.”

Here’s the video where Nugent went on his racist tirade a couple of weeks ago.

Youtube Video

363 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:29:37am
364 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:30:38am

re: #362 RadicalModerate

Such is Texas. Republican governor candidates competing to get most racist, incendiary speakers on campaign tour.

Ted Nugent campaigns for Greg Abbott

Here’s the video where Nugent went on his racist tirade a couple of weeks ago.

[Embedded content]

Oh those thug gangsta rappers washed up right wing musicians.

365 GunstarGreen  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:30:47am

re: #362 RadicalModerate

Still waiting for Ted “I Shit Myself To Dodge The Draft” Nugent to make good on his “dead or in jail” promise.

366 ericblair  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:30:58am

re: #350 Pie-onist Overlord

And like she’s going to shoot Pastor Mulroney or Uncle Mervin in the face.

Yeah, and even if it is the proverbial stranger in a dark alley, he’s not going to conveniently wear a Hi I’m A Rapist T-shirt and politely stand about ten yards in front of you until you realize what’s going on and fumble through your purse to get your weapon out.

If someone’s attacking you, they’ve got the drop on you and know exactly what they plan to do, which is a huge advantage. By the time you actually figure out what’s going on it’s too damn late. Unless you’re escalating the conflict yourself, which seems to be the common thread in high profile incidents.

367 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:31:16am

re: #362 RadicalModerate

Such is Texas. Republican governor candidates competing to get most racist, incendiary speakers on campaign tour.

Ted Nugent campaigns for Greg Abbott

Here’s the video where Nugent went on his racist tirade a couple of weeks ago.

[Embedded content]

Abbott knows his volk.

368 Iwouldprefernotto  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:31:20am

re: #365 GunstarGreen

Still waiting for Ted “I Shit Myself To Dodge The Draft” Nugent to make good on his “dead or in jail” promise.

I’m hoping for jail.

369 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:31:57am

re: #365 GunstarGreen

Still waiting for Ted “I Shit Myself To Dodge The Draft” Nugent to make good on his “dead or in jail” promise.

He’s too much of a coward.

370 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:32:16am

re: #363 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

Headdesking is universal.

371 Teukka  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:35:10am

re: #348 Eclectic Cyborg

Because when you’ve got a drugged girl half bent over she’s TOTALLY going to be able to draw and fire at you…and not miss.

According to research, people without law enforcement or military training are not likely to able fire at a criminal and hit the bad guy when it comes mass shooting and hostage situations. Some even shot innocents. While being sober.

Just as a good aim is a plus, so is knowing when not to take the shot.

372 Decatur Deb  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:36:28am

re: #370 Dr Lizardo

Headdesking is universal.

Even when you don’t have a desk:

Image: EndOfTrail122B_2.jpg

373 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:38:40am

re: #363 Backwoods_Sleuth

374 RadicalModerate  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:41:21am

I don’t know if this is more frightening or awesome.
Dallas sportscaster’s rant on Micheal Sam gets an audio remix.

Youtube Video

375 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:43:44am
376 Lidane  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:52:36am

It’s far too early to deal with the wingnuts and the Alex Jones dudebro fanboys, but that’s what I’ve been doing on another site.

Someone give me a distraction. I can feel my brain cells rebelling against the ZOMG OBUMMER IZ A TYRANT and AMERICA IZ A POLICE STATE idiocy.

377 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:55:54am
378 calochortus  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:57:39am

re: #366 ericblair

Yeah, and even if it is the proverbial stranger in a dark alley, he’s not going to conveniently wear a Hi I’m A Rapist T-shirt and politely stand about ten yards in front of you until you realize what’s going on and fumble through your purse to get your weapon out.

If someone’s attacking you, they’ve got the drop on you and know exactly what they plan to do, which is a huge advantage. By the time you actually figure out what’s going on it’s too damn late. Unless you’re escalating the conflict yourself, which seems to be the common thread in high profile incidents.

This.

Besides, if women actually started shooting their attackers they’d be arrested and convicted so fast it would make your head spin. You’d have to shoot the guy before he committed the crime (even if it were after you’d have to prove it wasn’t consentual) and a quick look at self defense claims where women have killed men shows they don’t get the sympathy that a “threatened” white male does.

379 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:57:43am

Video of soldiers surrendering to protesters in the breakaway province of Lviv:

bbc.co.uk

380 dr. luba  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 8:59:01am

re: #56 Dr Lizardo

Yep…..and seeing there is a level of ethnic tension under the surface (Ukrainian vs Russian) that raises the ugly possibility of ethnic violence/ethnic cleansing.

The opposition is not just Ukrainian speakers, or ethnic Ukrainians. Of the three victims of the first government assault several weeks ago, one was a Ukrainian from western Ukraine, one was from Belarus, and the third was a Ukrainian citizen of Armenian ethnicity. The two leaders of Batkivshchyna, the main opposition party, are part Jewish (Tymoshenko and Yatseniuk), which is why the Party of Regions keeps spinning Zionist conspiracy theories about them.

If you subscribe to newsfeeds from the Maidan, they are as much in Russian as in Ukrainian. And groups from the Maidan have been patrolling and protecting synagogues in central Kyiv from the vandal titushky (plain clothes government paid thugs).

I don’t worry about ethnic cleansing. If anything, Yanukovych has united Ukrainians as they have never been united before.

And never forget that Ukraine is a post-genocidal society.

381 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:00:23am

re: #377 Pie-onist Overlord

[Embedded content]

I’d take living in New York with a comfy salary rather than being stuck at another non paying internship/entry level bs position. And hell I never hear my cousin who lives the former complaining. I don’t feel sorry for the very wealthy. Not exactly like they’re sympathetic or wanting to lend a helping hand to people like me. It’s not hate or even envy.

382 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:00:32am

LOL

383 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:02:15am

re: #378 calochortus

This.

Besides, if women actually started shooting their attackers they’d be arrested and convicted so fast it would make your head spin. You’d have to shoot the guy before he committed the crime (even if it were after you’d have to prove it wasn’t consentual) and a quick look at self defense claims where women have killed men shows they don’t get the sympathy that a “threatened” white male does.

Right, it would be a mess. But honestly, these stupid photo memes distort how liberals feel about guns. If a woman wants to have a gun on her person for protection, I’ve got zero problem with that. I do have a problem with what I call gun hoarding and gun fucking where a person needs to own a small armory for “protection” or where guns are valued more than humanity.

384 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:03:06am

re: #382 Pie-onist Overlord

LOL

[Embedded content]

I think that would be the only facebook page ever to have negative likes. I mean does anyone actually like her. Share her fanatically anti-Muslim sentiments sure, but actually like her? She’s a nasty person.

385 Ian G.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:03:26am

re: #377 Pie-onist Overlord

Nobody is holding a gun to their heads to work these awful jobs for 100 hours a week. If they valued their health, sanity, or personal relationships more than their bank account, they’d do something else.

386 dog philosopher  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:03:48am

re: #254 darthstar

[Embedded content]

vlad haz a sad

387 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:04:24am

re: #382 Pie-onist Overlord

LOL

[Embedded content]

My shocked face schadenfreude, let me show you it.

388 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:05:42am

re: #385 Ian G.

Nobody is holding a gun to their heads to work these awful jobs for 100 hours a week. If they valued their health, sanity, or personal relationships more than their bank account, they’d do something else.

Exactly. I mean it’s funny. We always hear it said to low level workers “Well if you don’t like doing this, do something else!” The difference is with the former, that kind of work is being done to help one’s family stay afloat. These young bankers could surely be doing other work. Sure the pay may not be as high but they still would be making comfortable wages. And as I said, I’d gladly be in their shoes than mine. I’m tired of employers offering me only internships/entry level even though I have a BA, graduated in the top third of my class, etc.

389 calochortus  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:06:44am

re: #383 HappyWarrior

Yeah, I don’t have an objection to people owning guns and even concealed carry under some circumstances, but they really aren’t the answer to crime, in general.
Someone commented to me the other day that one problem with the increase in the number of people with guns is that it makes people feel that the person they are confronting is likely to have a gun, which in turn makes them quicker on the trigger. An armed society isn’t a polite society, it’s one where the quickest draw survives.

390 dog philosopher  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:07:02am

re: #377 Pie-onist Overlord

the pay is good, everything else is bad

took the suckerbait

391 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:08:24am

re: #389 calochortus

Yeah, I don’t have an objection to people owning guns and even concealed carry under some circumstances, but they really aren’t the answer to crime, in general.
Someone commented to me the other day that one problem with the increase in the number of people with guns is that it makes people feel that the person they are confronting is likely to have a gun, which in turn makes them quicker on the trigger. An armed society isn’t a polite society, it’s one where the quickest draw survives.

QFT. I mean we’re reading about kids being shot because their music was too loud or with that young girl in Arkansas because of a stupid prank. More guns and gunowners means more people who are way dare I say it irresponsible to own a gun who will fire on another person for the slightest thing. These damned things aren’t toys.

392 BusyMonster  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:11:13am

re: #365 GunstarGreen

Still waiting for Ted “I Shit Myself To Dodge The Draft” Nugent to make good on his “dead or in jail” promise.

Yea, I’m guessing he won’t just drop dead (which would be a relief to everyone), but jail is not out of the question. Except … Ted is, remember, an incredible fucking coward. So, to go to jail he’d have to do something risky that might get his little nancy ass hurt. Probably he’ll continue to hide in whatever over-apportioned White-Castle style manse he’s got for himself, and appear periodically to wave his machine gun around on stage and talk about how tough he is, but he’s not gonna actually do anything.

Certainly, nothing that involves putting his money where his mouth is.

393 Ian G.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:13:49am

re: #377 Pie-onist Overlord

I like this quote too:

At one point, during the Occupy Wall Street protests, Jeremy told me that he had begun camouflaging his Goldman affiliation in public.

You know, Goldman Sachs camouflages itself too. It’s sparkly new headquarters tower doesn’t say its name anywhere on the exterior, in contrast to pretty much every other corporate headquarters I’ve seen. Walk past the American Express headquarters, right across the street from Goldman, and it says “American Express” right on the door.

394 dog philosopher  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:14:33am

living w siberians => sprats served @ breakfast

395 BusyMonster  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:15:17am

re: #391 HappyWarrior

QFT. I mean we’re reading about kids being shot because their music was too loud or with that young girl in Arkansas because of a stupid prank. More guns and gunowners means more people who are way dare I say it irresponsible to own a gun who will fire on another person for the slightest thing. These damned things aren’t toys.

Our efforts to state so are being rebuffed with “MAH RAAAHHGGHGHGHGHTS!” by the same people who preach “personal responsibility” for everyone except themselves.

My personal opinion is that the NRA doesn’t have any adults left, they’re going to continue to go as far as they can, people will continue to be disgusted by their cavalier attitude towards our very lives, and someday in the next 5 year there’s going to be a political showdown and the NRA is going to get their fat, pasty white asses crushed, politically, and the 2nd Amendment may well get some heavy restrictions on it.

I believe the reason that hasn’t happened yet is the same reason we’ve had such a hard time electing non white people for so long . . and for that same reason, that demographic is rapidly losing power. As is the NRA.

When the backlash comes, it’s going to be vicious. And I personally don’t think the right to wave my tiny metal phallus is all that important. I am more and more of the opinion that was put there for slavery, and very few other free nations seem to have any real trouble. So, I certainly would vote to repeal the 2nd and jerk the guns out of all these little pissants’ fingers. I’m about sick of them swaggering around telling us how they’re all that stands between us and criminal savagery — while they’re shooting recklessly in all directions. The last two years have put me in a mood, to take fucking guns away from fucking gun people and be as fucking rude about it as I can.

396 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:17:31am

HURR HURRR!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!!!

397 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:17:33am

re: #393 Ian G.

I like this quote too:

You know, Goldman Sachs camouflages itself too. It’s sparkly new headquarters tower doesn’t say its name anywhere on the exterior, in contrast to pretty much every other corporate headquarters I’ve seen. Walk past the American Express headquarters, right across the street from Goldman, and it says “American Express” right on the door.

Didn’t know that. I mean I just don’t get this shit. We’re supposed to feel sorry for this kid but no we can’t increase the minimum wage or make student loans more affordable. I certainly wouldn’t hassle this guy for working at GS. I am just tired of being told to feel sympathy for those who don’t need it and it often comes from people who have no sympathy for the true downtrotten. These attempts to make the upper middle class/wealthy into the victims of society are annoying.

398 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:20:38am

re: #396 Pie-onist Overlord

HURR HURRR!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!!!

[Embedded content]

I’m sure Bryan totally believes that nobody tried to defend segregation and Jim Crow on religious grounds, that there was nobody trying to argue that it was the will of God that the races be kept separate.

399 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:20:46am

re: #396 Pie-onist Overlord

HURR HURRR!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!!!

[Embedded content]

Wait so rights that allow consenting adults to do what they want to do without fear of government repression are persecution. Sure that makes perfect sense……………if you’re a moron whose take away from the Third Reich is we need laws that persecute people for being gay. Please Bryan move to Saudi Arabia if you want laws that criminalize “sexual perversion.”

400 BusyMonster  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:21:28am

re: #385 Ian G.

Nobody is holding a gun to their heads to work these awful jobs for 100 hours a week. If they valued their health, sanity, or personal relationships more than their bank account, they’d do something else.

People who are very wealthy have the personality traits that go with hoarding, and stealing. Frankly, to be wealthy you have to stomp over several other people, and take what was theirs, and anyone who tries to convince me differently is going to get fucking laughed in the face.

The character traits that go with high wealth also go with “asshole” and “user” and “socoiopath.” I don’t think wealthy people add anything whatsoever to our society and frankly getting wealthy means they don’t have to be civil anymore, so it’s like they got out of the “game.” Except, they don’t seem to understand that they’re still merely human beings with feet of clay. I mean listen to Donald Trump’s raging fucking ego, and then look at his “career” of bankruptcy and utter failure.

If these guys had some normal human desires, like having a beer, and spending an hour with your kid, they wouldn’t have time to suck up every last dime they see.

My personal opinion is if we don’t institute a maximum income, we’d sure as hell better institute a minimum one. I do not see what value wealthy people give to society, and we do NOT have to support them. I do not see any moral argument for letting a guy who clearly has conned many people out of their money keep it just because he bought a fucking fancy suit with it.

401 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:22:50am

re: #398 Targetpractice

I’m sure Bryan totally believes that nobody tried to defend segregation and Jim Crow on religious grounds, that there was nobody trying to argue that it was the will of God that the races be kept separate.

Sad thing is I’m sure he totally believes this. I’m sure he totally believes that no white supremacist has ever used religion as justification for racial discrimination laws. I wish he would just come to terms with his repressed sexuality. How on earth is it discrimination to have rights that allow consenting adults to screw who they want? And how is it NOT to have laws that criminalize it. He needs to realize his values aren’t American at all, they’re fascistic values.

402 The War TARDIS  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:23:29am

OT, but rumors are swirling that Peter Capaldi will only be the Doctor for one season.

Which brings me back to my choice. Alexander Siddig, a descendant of the Mahdi of the Sudan.

403 kirkspencer  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:23:31am
Bryan Fischer @BryanJFischer

Rights based on sexual deviancy miscegenation are Jim Crow laws against Christians. Lead to segregation, illegal religious discrimination.

Fixed to remind just what the historical position was.

404 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:24:42am

re: #396 Pie-onist Overlord

HURR HURRR!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!!!

[Embedded content]

Exclusive video of Bryan being roughed up his new GHEY MASTERZ!11!-

Youtube Video

405 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:25:12am

re: #403 kirkspencer

Fixed to remind just what the historical position was.

Yep but don’t tell Bryan that, he loves black men!

406 The War TARDIS  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:25:31am

re: #402 The War TARDIS

I want him for the 13th Doctor.

407 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:25:47am

re: #402 The War TARDIS

OT, but rumors are swirling that Peter Capaldi will only be the Doctor for one season.

Which brings me back to my choice. Alexander Siddig, a descendant of the Mahdi of the Sudan.

I think Siddig would be good as The Doctor.

408 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:27:43am

re: #400 BusyMonster

Don’t agree about instituting maximum salaries. However, as a thought experiment, a salary scale that ties the minimum salary paid by a company to the maximum salary of its executives might help resolve some of the imbalance.

Say that the minimum salary is $10 an hour. The 10-1 executive compensation scale would mean that the top executive could not earn more than $100 an hour. If he/she wanted more, they’d have to pay the minimum worker more.

Heck, even if you made this a 50-1 scale, you’d be looking at $500 an hour (at least a million a year: $500x40hrsx50weeks) except that many companies are running at more than a 100-1 scale. Or more.

409 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:27:49am

Not a Dr. Who follower but some of my friends who are have been intrigued by the idea of them having a female doctor. Would upset some of the ultra purists the same way the Idris Abba(sp?) rumors upset Bond fans but could be interesting. I swear I’m the only Aspie out there who doesn’t get sci-fi or fantasy obsessions. My nerdy is the wrong kind of nerd!

410 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:28:26am

I don’t know who Gina Loudon is, but I do know that Ted Cruz gives her ***starbursts***:

Most Americans love him. From his rugged, asymmetrical “real guy” look, to his cheery, twinkle-eyed, Reaganesque smile, he feels all American and familiar. That is precisely why the news media want to drag him down.

(WND link.)

411 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:29:07am

I really personally got no issue with people making money. I do have an issue when we start leaving others behind to pay people tons of money. That is to say when your executives start receiving bonuses much larger than what their employees will make in a lifetime.

412 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:30:41am

re: #410 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

I don’t know who Gina Loudon is, but I do know that Ted Cruz gives her ***starbursts***:

(WND link.)

Or it could be because he’s a total nut and lol at the insinunation that him being like Reagan means the media want to bring him down. The media couldn’t have kissed Reagan’s ass more when he was alive and now that he’s out of office. Reagan did shit that if a less charismatic or Democratic president did, he would be getting hounded but because Ronnie did it, it’s all gravy.

413 Ian G.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:33:49am

re: #410 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

I don’t know who Gina Loudon is, but I do know that Ted Cruz gives her ***starbursts***:

(WND link.)

What? No, he doesn’t feel all familiar and American. He feels like a far-right demagogue who would have been “familiar” in 1930s Europe.

414 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:35:08am

re: #409 HappyWarrior

Not a Dr. Who follower but some of my friends who are have been intrigued by the idea of them having a female doctor. Would upset some of the ultra purists the same way the Idris Abba(sp?) rumors upset Bond fans but could be interesting. I swear I’m the only Aspie out there who doesn’t get sci-fi or fantasy obsessions. My nerdy is the wrong kind of nerd!

I’m not against the idea of a female doctor, just so long as they can find someone who handles the role well without the season being devoted to “Look, the Doctor’s got tits!” Bonus points if she’s a ginger.

415 allegro  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:35:14am

re: #410 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

I don’t know who Gina Loudon is, but I do know that Ted Cruz gives her ***starbursts***:

(WND link.)

He looks like he’s perpetually constipated to me. His weird expression is anything but sexy.

416 The War TARDIS  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:37:25am

re: #409 HappyWarrior

I can go for a Female Doctor.

Well, after Jenna Coleman leaves. Hell, if they could finagle a way for Jenna Coleman to be the Doctor, I would be pleased.

Or, let’s piss of all the dudebros and Tories at once.

Find a South Asian Female to be the Doctor.

417 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:38:43am

re: #339 Gus

Perhaps it’s time to think about providing competing labor organizations in the labor representation market-place instead of being subjected to one labor-union monopoly.

That might be in order. 2 parts of the reason the UAW lost the vote in Chattanooga were:

1. Reputation. The UAW has earned a reputation for intransigence and insisting upon productivity killing work rules. Some of that reputation is overblown, but enough of it is certain.

2. Identity. This is somewhat about North/South regionalism but also about the UAW being identified strongly with the Democrats. For a number of reasons many auto workers in the South are Republicans and they don’t want to be part of a union that they do not feel represents them politically.

418 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:38:59am

re: #410 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

I don’t know who Gina Loudon is, but I do know that Ted Cruz gives her ***starbursts***:

(WND link.)

She and Sarah Palin are BFFs because they both have Down Syndrome kids.
She also has a wingnut radio show “Dr. Gina Show”.
She and her husband, John William Loudon, are extreme RWNJ.

419 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:40:19am

re: #409 HappyWarrior

I’d totally be open to it - or to someone of a different race/ethnicity. Heck, I’d get a kick if the Doctor isn’t actually someone from the UK (though that would probably result in excommunication for Moffat et al). There’s nothing in the Doctor’s lore that says the Doctor has to be male; and it’s indicated that the Doctor can change gender during regeneration.

420 The War TARDIS  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:41:19am

re: #417 Dark_Falcon

Maybe being a descendant of Yankees is making me a bit elitist, but I tend to look down at the South. This is why I really think the T51 Visa Program should be expanded massively.

421 The War TARDIS  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:41:46am

re: #419 lawhawk

Look at my idea. :)

422 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:42:04am

re: #414 Targetpractice

But you know that they’d go with a female Doctor, they’d have to muck about and bring back Captain Jack, just for the look on his face.

But oh to let the Doctor be a ginger. That would be divine.

423 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:43:10am

re: #419 lawhawk

I’d totally be open to it - or to someone of a different race/ethnicity. Heck, I’d get a kick if the Doctor isn’t actually someone from the UK (though that would probably result in excommunication for Moffat et al). There’s nothing in the Doctor’s lore that says the Doctor has to be male; and it’s indicated that the Doctor can change gender during regeneration.

“Indicated”? They flat-out said it happens in “The Doctor’s Wife” when the Doctor mentions the Corsair. Hell, they could chalk the Doctor changing genders down to being a result of having a new set of regenerations.

424 kirkspencer  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:44:22am

re: #423 Targetpractice

“Indicated”? They flat-out said it happens in “The Doctor’s Wife” when the Doctor mentions the Corsair. Hell, they could chalk the Doctor changing genders down to being a result of having a new set of regenerations.

Not just a new set, but from … yaknow?

425 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:44:35am

re: #420 The War TARDIS

You can not like some places but the people who live there do have their own identity and simply trying to cast it aside will not end well.

426 Charles Johnson  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:47:10am
427 RadicalModerate  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:50:54am

re: #396 Pie-onist Overlord

HURR HURRR!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!! I’M TEH VICTIM!!!!!

[Embedded content]

And who was it who wrote those Jim Crow laws?

Oh yeah. Southern conservative Christians.
Before you say they have matured over the years, I give you this.
Nearly Half Of Mississippi Republicans Think Interracial Marriage Should Be Illegal

428 The War TARDIS  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:51:45am

re: #425 Dark_Falcon

You do know what a T51 Visa is, right?

Employment creation in targeted rural/high unemployment area (subgroup numerical set-aside)

And all the subclasses allowing for spouses and Children.

Can you see what I am getting at here?

429 Charles Johnson  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:52:54am
430 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:53:14am


A GOP state senator from Utah suggesting that we can not only get away with higher CO2 levels, but we would be better off for it. Because dinosaurs.

431 Kragar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:54:07am

re: #430 lawhawk

[Embedded content]


A GOP state senator from Utah suggesting that we can not only get away with higher CO2 levels, but we would be better off for it. Because dinosaurs.

And that was only thousands of years ago.

432 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:54:11am

re: #427 RadicalModerate

And who was it who wrote those Jim Crow laws?

Oh yeah. Southern conservative Christians.
Before you say they have matured over the years, I give you this.
Nearly Half Of Mississippi Republicans Think Interracial Marriage Should Be Illegal

HURR HURR!!!! THEY WAS ALL TEH DEMOCRATS!!!!!11!!! LOOK LOOK!!!!

433 The War TARDIS  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:54:15am

re: #428 The War TARDIS

You could add just one thing in the description, and the South becomes a target.

Above the US average for Poverty.

434 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:55:10am

Wingnuts LOVES that old DEMOCRATS!!!!!@ graphic just too too much.

435 iossarian  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:55:20am

re: #431 Kragar

And that was only thousands of years ago.

Didn’t hurt Fred Flintstone, though, did it?

Take that, eggheads!

436 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:55:59am

re: #428 The War TARDIS

You do know what a T51 Visa is, right?

And all the subclasses allowing for spouses and Children.

Can you see what I am getting at here?

Yes, and we’ve had this discussion before. It might not even fit in this case, since Chattanooga isn’t truly a rural area.

437 allegro  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:57:34am

re: #430 lawhawk

[Embedded content]


A GOP state senator from Utah suggesting that we can not only get away with higher CO2 levels, but we would be better off for it. Because dinosaurs.

Yeah, they did great… until the climate changed and then they didn’t. Hello?

438 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:57:42am

re: #430 lawhawk

[Embedded content]


A GOP state senator from Utah suggesting that we can not only get away with higher CO2 levels, but we would be better off for it. Because dinosaurs.

Because the Earth is exactly the same today as it was millions of years ago, right?

439 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:58:36am

re: #432 Pie-onist Overlord

HURR HURR!!!! THEY WAS ALL TEH DEMOCRATS!!!!!11!!! LOOK LOOK!!!!

[Embedded content]

I prefer to judge them on their present actions. You know the Democratic party not engaging in race baiting and the Republican Party having people like Sheriff Joe Arapaio be prominent parts of it. But enough about reality, let’s focus on what the parties were 140 years ago!

440 lawhawk  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 9:58:36am

re: #437 allegro

And that doesn’t take into account the rate at which the change is occurring with CO2 levels. Or methane levels. Or temps in oceans, or dissolved CO2/methane levels in oceans. Etc.

441 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:03:05am

re: #427 RadicalModerate

And who was it who wrote those Jim Crow laws?

Oh yeah. Southern conservative Christians.
Before you say they have matured over the years, I give you this.
Nearly Half Of Mississippi Republicans Think Interracial Marriage Should Be Illegal

Yeah you bring that up and you get a blank look but we’re supposed ot think the two parties think exactly the same way now that they did during Reconstruction. That graphic is hideous but if the modern Democratic party believed that, they wouldn’t have nominated a black man for president and African Americans wouldn’t support the Democratic Party. Parties shocker do evolve. Unfortunately the GOP got worse on racial issues instead of better. It’s a damn shame too. You read Roger Kahn’s Boys of Summer and Jackie Robinson speaks admirably of Nelson Rockefeller and his form of Republicanism but disgust with what Goldwater and his allies stood for. I think if Jackie hadn’t died so young, he would have been totally repulsed by what the GOP would become by the age of Reagan let alone the present where it’s totally acceptable to race bait.

442 Charles Johnson  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:03:49am
443 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:06:23am

I’m taking this report with a grain of salt for the time being, since the SBU (the security service of Ukraine) has announced that it is treating protesters as “terrorists” (which gives the SBU the right to detain and search anyone they wish.

Fears of conflict escalation grow as police report numbers of stolen weapons

kyivpost.com

“Protesters attacked a number of government buildings in western Ukraine on Feb. 18 during mass unrest in western Ukraine, including three regional Security Service of Ukraine departments in Lviv and Ternopil and seized the Ivano-Frankivsk department, according to Volodymyr Borodko, the deputy head of the law enforcement agency known more commonly by its SBU nickname.

(snip)

“He said 267 pistols were seized by the protesters, as well as two rifles, three machine guns, 92 hand grenades, and about 15,000 pieces of ammunition.

“Serhiy Burlakov, a representative of the Interior Ministry, said that also close to 300 piece of arms were stolen from police departments in Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Rivne and Ternopil regions that were also taken over.”

444 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:08:12am

re: #438 Targetpractice

Because the Earth is exactly the same today as it was millions of years ago, right?

I wonder how the dinosaurs dealt with the inundation of their coastal cities as the sea level rose.

445 RadicalModerate  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:10:09am

re: #438 Targetpractice

Because the Earth is exactly the same today as it was millions of years ago, right?

You are giving them too much credit.
Don’t forget, these guys think that the Earth is only a little over 6000 years old.

446 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:10:12am

re: #444 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi

I wonder how the dinosaurs dealt with the inundation of their coastal cities as the sea level rose.

They moved to Loch Ness…

447 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:14:00am

re: #390 dog philosopher

took the suckerbait

Yep. And the company will burn them out in 2-3 years and cast them aside for a fresh bunch of victims graduates.

448 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:15:23am
449 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:16:56am

Someone is calling/texting my husband while he’s at work.
It’s a possibly drunk, but definitely incoherent man. More than 20 calls/texts in the last couple of hours.
Hubs blocked the number, but I can see via the online tracking that the idiot is still calling, even though it goes straight to voicemail.

If I was an evil person, I would tweet the offending phone number so the eejit caller won’t feel so lonely anymore…

450 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:17:26am

re: #448 Pie-onist Overlord

[Embedded content]

math iz hard…

451 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:17:31am

Awful, just awful. Police shooting of unarmed woman, a protester.

452 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:18:55am

re: #443 Justanotherhuman

I’m taking this report with a grain of salt for the time being, since the SBU (the security service of Ukraine) has announced that it is treating protesters as “terrorists” (which gives the SBU the right to detain and search anyone they wish.

Fears of conflict escalation grow as police report numbers of stolen weapons

kyivpost.com

“Protesters attacked a number of government buildings in western Ukraine on Feb. 18 during mass unrest in western Ukraine, including three regional Security Service of Ukraine departments in Lviv and Ternopil and seized the Ivano-Frankivsk department, according to Volodymyr Borodko, the deputy head of the law enforcement agency known more commonly by its SBU nickname.

(snip)

“He said 267 pistols were seized by the protesters, as well as two rifles, three machine guns, 92 hand grenades, and about 15,000 pieces of ammunition.

“Serhiy Burlakov, a representative of the Interior Ministry, said that also close to 300 piece of arms were stolen from police departments in Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Rivne and Ternopil regions that were also taken over.”

There’s a good chance this one is true. Even a protest movement fully intends to be peaceful, taking over government buildings where weapons are stored often results in many of the those weapons going missing. The reasons vary, from a desire to arm oneself for personal protection, and to those who think things may come to violence and thus think it wise to weapon up, to a simple love of firearms and shooting (in this case not linked to shooting actual people).

Those former three are the decent reasons such guns could have been taken. The evil reasons include to criminal types who joined that specific protest to try to get their hands on guns they plan to use to commit robberies or other gang crimes, psychos who just plain want to kill and see the current disorder as a chance to bring their fantasies to life, and what Alouette calls “gun fuckers” who have an unhealthy obsession with guns.

453 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:19:26am

re: #449 Backwoods_Sleuth

Someone is calling/texting my husband while he’s at work.
It’s a possibly drunk, but definitely incoherent man. More than 20 calls/texts in the last couple of hours.
Hubs blocked the number, but I can see via the online tracking that the idiot is still calling, even though it goes straight to voicemail.

If I was an evil person, I would tweet the offending phone number so the eejit caller won’t feel so lonely anymore…

help. help. the power has been out for three weeks. we’re out in the woods. signal is weak. can’t hold on any more….nothing left but beer…

454 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:19:59am

re: #400 BusyMonster

People who are very wealthy have the personality traits that go with hoarding, and stealing. Frankly, to be wealthy you have to stomp over several other people, and take what was theirs, and anyone who tries to convince me differently is going to get fucking laughed in the face.

The character traits that go with high wealth also go with “asshole” and “user” and “socoiopath.” I don’t think wealthy people add anything whatsoever to our society and frankly getting wealthy means they don’t have to be civil anymore, so it’s like they got out of the “game.” Except, they don’t seem to understand that they’re still merely human beings with feet of clay. I mean listen to Donald Trump’s raging fucking ego, and then look at his “career” of bankruptcy and utter failure.

If these guys had some normal human desires, like having a beer, and spending an hour with your kid, they wouldn’t have time to suck up every last dime they see.

My personal opinion is if we don’t institute a maximum income, we’d sure as hell better institute a minimum one. I do not see what value wealthy people give to society, and we do NOT have to support them. I do not see any moral argument for letting a guy who clearly has conned many people out of their money keep it just because he bought a fucking fancy suit with it.

That’s a pretty broad brush you’re using there.

455 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:24:33am

re: #400 BusyMonster

People who are very wealthy have the personality traits that go with hoarding, and stealing. Frankly, to be wealthy you have to stomp over several other people, and take what was theirs, and anyone who tries to convince me differently is going to get fucking laughed in the face.

Very well then I’m just going to label you as a Commie and dismiss you accordingly.

456 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:25:11am

The head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been sacked by Yanukovych.

bbc.co.uk

Yanuk sacked an Army commander yesterday as well. Perhaps he’s facing resistance within the military, and he’s trying to purge it and replace them with more loyal officers.

457 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:26:00am

re: #448 Pie-onist Overlord

Miranda flew.
Greenwald knew.
Dudebro 182.

:p

458 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:26:28am

re: #453 Pie-onist Overlord

help. help. the power has been out for three weeks. we’re out in the woods. signal is weak. can’t hold on any more….nothing left but beer…

heh…I was able to track down a bit of the phone number. I got the initials and the road where said person lives, and the fact that it’s Verizon Mobile.

I’m upset that THEY have a cell signal and I don’t…

459 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:26:44am

re: #456 Dr Lizardo

The head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been sacked by Yanukovych.

bbc.co.uk

Yanuk sacked an Army commander yesterday as well. Perhaps he’s facing resistance within the military, and he’s trying to purge it and replace them with more loyal officers.

That’s an interesting development. I think we’re seeing if not already the beginnings of civil war in Ukraine.

460 wrenchwench  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:27:15am

The State of the Future. They’re having a Dust Summit in Las Cruces, NM.

461 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:27:42am

re: #449 Backwoods_Sleuth

Someone is calling/texting my husband while he’s at work.
It’s a possibly drunk, but definitely incoherent man. More than 20 calls/texts in the last couple of hours.
Hubs blocked the number, but I can see via the online tracking that the idiot is still calling, even though it goes straight to voicemail.

If I was an evil person, I would tweet the offending phone number so the eejit caller won’t feel so lonely anymore…

Did he contact the local authorities?

Could be something that needs to be looked into. Or at least the police (or whomever) calling the number back and trying to find out what is going on.

462 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:29:04am

re: #459 HappyWarrior

That’s an interesting development. I think we’re seeing if not already the beginnings of civil war in Ukraine.

Yep. WIth Lviv declaring itself independent of Kyiv and saying that Yanukovych is no longer a legitimate leader, it’s somewhat reminiscent of the death of Yugoslavia.

463 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:29:15am

re: #378 calochortus

This.

Besides, if women actually started shooting their attackers they’d be arrested and convicted so fast it would make your head spin. You’d have to shoot the guy before he committed the crime (even if it were after you’d have to prove it wasn’t consensual) and a quick look at self defense claims where women have killed men shows they don’t get the sympathy that a “threatened” white male does.

Taking a quick look at the current misogynist, male-privileged, victim-blaming rape culture the USA has right now, I predict women pre-emptively shooting men in a vaguely sexual* context working out real well.

////////////////////////

* Yes, rape is about power and violence via sex, but certain segments of society we’re talking about focus on the sex to the exclusion of the other two.

464 Kragar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:29:25am
465 Dr. Matt  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:29:58am
466 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:30:52am

re: #461 Feline Fearless Leader

Did he contact the local authorities?

Could be something that needs to be looked into. Or at least the police (or whomever) calling the number back and trying to find out what is going on.

I’m keeping an eye on the activity. There haven’t been any new calls/texts for 45 minutes. If it starts up again, I’ll call the sheriff’s office.

467 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:31:18am

re: #462 Dr Lizardo

Yep. WIth Lviv declaring itself independent of Kyiv and saying that Yanukovych is no longer a legitimate leader, it’s somewhat reminiscent of the death of Yugoslavia.

Well let’s hope the situation is resolved more like Czechoslovakia (Velvet divorce) then Yugoslavia. What happened in the Balkans in the 90’s was a tragedy.

468 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:31:34am

re: #464 Kragar

[Embedded content]

Is that the poop wall you were talking about a few days ago?

469 Pie-onist Overlord  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:32:33am

WHUT

470 Kragar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:32:48am

re: #465 Dr. Matt

This is perverted

Anyone who lays their hands on my kid is going to regret it.

471 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:32:55am

re: #467 HappyWarrior

Well let’s hope the situation is resolved more like Czechoslovakia (Velvet divorce) then Yugoslavia. What happened in the Balkans in the 90’s was a tragedy.

Velvet anything is out of the question in Ukraine now. Too much blood has been spilled and the tyrant and too much of his forces are pot-committed.

472 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:33:19am

re: #386 dog philosopher

vlad haz a sad

Vlad’s soooo masculine and dreamy and I want to kiss his tears away nestle him in my naked arms comfort him tell him to buck up, but we beat his team (USA! USA!) in sports, so I feel I should mock his pain. I’M SO CONFUSED!

473 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:33:51am

re: #467 HappyWarrior

Well let’s hope the situation is resolved more like Czechoslovakia (Velvet divorce) then Yugoslavia. What happened in the Balkans in the 90’s was a tragedy.

Yeah, the “Velvet Divorce”, where the two sides agreed to go their own separate ways. All things considered, it went exceedingly well for both parties.

474 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:34:38am

re: #392 BusyMonster

Yea, I’m guessing he won’t just drop dead (which would be a relief to everyone), but jail is not out of the question. Except … Ted is, remember, an incredible fucking coward. So, to go to jail he’d have to do something risky that might get his little nancy ass hurt. Probably he’ll continue to hide in whatever over-apportioned White-Castle style manse he’s got for himself, and appear periodically to wave his machine gun around on stage and talk about how tough he is, but he’s not gonna actually do anything.

Certainly, nothing that involves putting his money where his mouth is.

Unpossible!

475 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:34:49am
476 Kragar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:35:03am

re: #468 Backwoods_Sleuth

Is that the poop wall you were talking about a few days ago?

Yup, they shutdown that bathroom, cleaned up our side and they’ve been doing all the cutting and working from the bathroom side. They had been using some power tools all morning and when we heard the sound change pitch and their drill bit punched thru our side of the wall.

477 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:35:17am

re: #471 Dark_Falcon

Velvet anything is out of the question in Ukraine now. Too much blood has been spilled and the tyrant and too much of his forces are pot-committed.

Unfortunately, that’s a distinct possibility; outright civil war. And right on the EU’s borders.

478 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:36:13am

re: #471 Dark_Falcon

Velvet anything is out of the question in Ukraine now. Too much blood has been spilled and the tyrant and too much of his forces are pot-committed.

I know it could never be a duplicate of the Velvet Divorce but I hope for a solution that doesn’t involve on and off war in the region for the next few years which is what the fall of Yugoslavia meant. It’s a different situation since the divide in Ukraine as I understand is between those who want more ties with Russia and those who want more western ties. Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were more ethno and religious divides though we see that here too since Western Ukraine is home to a large number of Greek Catholics whereas the east is more Orthodox.

479 kirkspencer  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:36:22am

re: #455 Dark_Falcon

Very well then I’m just going to label you as a Commie and dismiss you accordingly.

Given the breadth of brushes you’ve used in the past, don’t you think you should treat as you’ve been treated?

480 Kragar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:36:45am

re: #477 Dr Lizardo

Unfortunately, that’s a distinct possibility; outright civil war. And right on the EU’s borders.

Last I heard, Poland was taking in any Ukranian wounded for medical attention.

481 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:37:55am

re: #473 Dr Lizardo

Yeah, the “Velvet Divorce”, where the two sides agreed to go their own separate ways. All things considered, it went exceedingly well for both parties.

It’s quite amazing that situation was resolved so well. It’s one of the reasons why I admire Havel for the record. Not just a great champion of democracy but despite some of the ugly history (Josef Tiso and the Slovak Nazi puppet state) the two were able to separate without bloodshed. And it has worked out well. Slovakia’s doing quite well as is the Czech Republic as you can attest first hand.

482 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:38:01am

re: #395 BusyMonster

Our efforts to state so are being rebuffed with “MAH RAAAHHGGHGHGHGHTS!” by the same people who preach “personal responsibility” for everyone except themselves.

My personal opinion is that the NRA doesn’t have any adults left, they’re going to continue to go as far as they can, people will continue to be disgusted by their cavalier attitude towards our very lives, and someday in the next 5 year there’s going to be a political showdown and the NRA is going to get their fat, pasty white asses crushed, politically, and the 2nd Amendment may well get some heavy restrictions on it.

I believe the reason that hasn’t happened yet is the same reason we’ve had such a hard time electing non white people for so long . . and for that same reason, that demographic is rapidly losing power. As is the NRA.

Eventually, some old white guy* is gonna shoot another old white guy over a difference of GOP/Tea Party opinion or incoherence.

That’s where it’ll hit the fan.

Zimmerman was the vanguard.

* Or “sainted Tea Party blah man.”

483 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:38:31am

re: #480 Kragar

Last I heard, Poland was taking in any Ukranian wounded for medical attention.

Gotta think Poland’s going to be an important player in this given their border and history with Ukraine.

484 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:40:19am

re: #414 Targetpractice

I’m not against the idea of a female doctor, just so long as they can find someone who handles the role well without the season being devoted to “Look, the Doctor’s got tits!” Bonus points if she’s a ginger.

Helen Mirren.

485 Feline Fearless Leader  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:40:42am

re: #479 kirkspencer

Given the breadth of brushes you’ve used in the past, don’t you think you should treat as you’ve been treated?

The initial broad brush comment was mine. D_F was reacting to Busy Monster’s claim within the comment about his opinion being unchangeable.

486 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:42:05am

re: #422 lawhawk

But you know that they’d go with a female Doctor, they’d have to muck about and bring back Captain Jack, just for the look on his face.

But oh to let the Doctor be a ginger. That would be divine.

Dawn French is ginger, isn’t she?

487 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:43:30am

re: #429 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

I don’t even.

Or is “privatized surveillance” okay?

488 Ian G.  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:43:36am

psmag.com

On the plus side, we’ll be rid of Bryan Fischer that much faster.

489 Kragar  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:44:32am

re: #484 chadu

Helen Mirren.

Naomi Harris, just because I like Naomi Harris

490 HappyWarrior  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:47:25am

re: #488 Ian G.

psmag.com

On the plus side, we’ll be rid of Bryan Fischer that much faster.

Woot gained two and a half years without so much a trip to the gym! But that’s interesting. I think homophobia comes from the same thing racism does. It’s a fear of someone that’s different from you are. Honestly and maybe this is my Gen-Y sensibilities but I can’t imagine meeting someone and then changing my judgment on them based on who they’re attracted to. The idea of that is just silly to me.

491 Backwoods_Sleuth  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:47:31am

This could be an Olympic event at Sochi — the Bear-ski

bear at South Lake Tahoe

A bear crosses in front of skiers at the Far West Masters ski race Jan. 10 on Heavenly Mountain in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. Skiers took a brief pause to let the bruin cross the slope without incident and disappear into the woods on the other side. (AP Photo/Tahoe Daily Tribune, Tom Lotshaw)

492 Dark_Falcon  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:47:56am

re: #479 kirkspencer

Given the breadth of brushes you’ve used in the past, don’t you think you should treat as you’ve been treated?

re: #485 Feline Fearless Leader

The initial broad brush comment was mine. D_F was reacting to Busy Monster’s claim within the comment about his opinion being unchangeable.

Just so. Kirk, I’ll try to speak to people who are using an overly broad brush but once someone says their opinion is set in stone then the game changes. At that point I simply label them and then move on.

493 Dr. Matt  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:48:27am

re: #470 Kragar

Anyone who lays their hands on my kid is going to regret it.

Ditto……if I had kids that is.

494 William Barnett-Lewis  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:49:09am

re: #484 chadu

Helen Mirren.

The Doctor as a cross between Jane Tennison & Queen Elizabeth? Perhaps with a hint of Judi Dench as M? I could dig it.

495 chadu  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:50:43am

re: #494 William Barnett-Lewis

The Doctor as a cross between Jane Tennison & Queen Elizabeth? Perhaps with a hint of Judi Dench as M? I could dig it.

Having just seen RED for the first time, I may have been influenced.

496 wrenchwench  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:51:06am
497 Justanotherhuman  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:51:55am

Let them wear the armbands for crying out loud.

Feb. 19, 4:05 p.m. The International Olympic Committee has turned down a request from Ukraine’s Olympic team in Sochi to wear black armbands in honor those who died during clashes between police and protesers in Kyiv on Feb. 18-19, according to a statement posted to the National Olympic Committee of Ukraien website.

“The Ukrainian delegation at the Olympic Games in Sochi, led by NOC President Serhiy Bubka, sharing deep pain over the loss of fellow Ukrainians, asked the International Olympic Committee to allow Ukrainian athletes to wear black armbands as a sign of mourning and expression of sorrow and sympathy,” reads the statement. “The IOC reacted to the appeal of the Ukrainian delegation, but noted that in accordance with the Olympic Charter the request is impossible.”

“However, the Ukrainian Olympic delegation shares the grief and deeply mourns the tragic events,” it adds. — Christopher J. Miller

kyivpost.com

498 Targetpractice  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:55:02am

re: #484 chadu

Helen Mirren.

Oooh, good choice.

499 William Barnett-Lewis  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:55:56am

re: #497 Justanotherhuman

It’s the IOC. If you don’t have the money to pay bribes on the level of the nations looking to land a games they don’t care about you.

500 Dr Lizardo  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:56:41am

re: #480 Kragar

Last I heard, Poland was taking in any Ukranian wounded for medical attention.

Yes, they are.

Meanwhile,

501 kirkspencer  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 10:59:06am

re: #492 Dark_Falcon

Just so. Kirk, I’ll try to speak to people who are using an overly broad brush but once someone says their opinion is set in stone then the game changes. At that point I simply label them and then move on.

The thing is, Dark, that you’ve essentially said a few times that your opinion is set in stone, yet people continue to engage you.

You wanna change the mind of stone, you have to be a constant flow of water.

502 Eventual Carrion  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 11:17:06am

re: #418 Backwoods_Sleuth

She and Sarah Palin are BFFs because they both have Down Syndrome kids.
She also has a wingnut radio show “Dr. Gina Show”.
She and her husband, John William Loudon, are extreme RWNJ.

I tried googling her but many sites are restricted here at work. What exactly is her doctorate in?

503 kirkspencer  Wed, Feb 19, 2014 11:35:03am

re: #502 Eventual Carrion

I tried googling her but many sites are restricted here at work. What exactly is her doctorate in?

Human Development.

From Fielding Graduate University (then Fielding Graduate Institute).

Fielding is a distance learning PhD system. It is accredited (by the WASC), which is the question I had.


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