The Most Awful Right Wing Tweet About California’s Water Shortage

Blaming the drought on “illegal immigrants”
Wingnuts • Views: 32,878
Chuck C. Johnson posing with his best friend

Today California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered historic restrictions on water usage, as the state faces a serious water crisis. The snow pack has decreased to only 6 percent of its normal depth, and that’s bad. Very bad.

So what does our stalker pal Chuck C. Johnson think about this?

He’s completely hateful and wrong, of course, which isn’t unusual for Chuck. In fact, 80% of the water used in California goes to agribusiness, and a recent study linked the disastrous drought to climate change. The effect of “illegal immigrants” is minuscule compared to these factors — which Chuck probably knows. He posts this nasty nonsense because his knuckle-dragging followers eat it up.

And speaking of knuckle-draggers, Chuck also retweeted yet another white supremacist today, something he does quite often.

Jump to bottom

686 comments
1 Dark_Falcon  Apr 1, 2015 5:41:14pm

Tonight: UpChuck shows he does not understand how water usage and allocation works.

2 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 5:41:41pm

re: #1 Dark_Falcon

Tonight: UpChuck shows he does not understand how water usage and allocation works.

Is there anything UpChuck does understand? Aside from bigotry, of course.

3 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 5:42:21pm

re: #1 Dark_Falcon

Tonight: UpChuck shows he does not understand how water usage and allocation works.

I’m pretty sure ice is a mystery to Chuck.

4 Targetpractice  Apr 1, 2015 5:43:03pm

Between agribusiness and companies pumping aquifers dry to sell as bottled water at a profit, it’s no wonder California is turning into a desert.

5 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 1, 2015 5:43:41pm

signing illegal alien magnets!!!!

6 goddamnedfrank  Apr 1, 2015 5:44:02pm
7 EPR-radar  Apr 1, 2015 5:44:03pm

re: #2 thedopefishlives

Is there anything UpChuck does understand? Aside from bigotry, of course.

He’s good at being a stupid jackass. There’s good money in being just the right kind of stupid jackass, but CCJ isn’t doing well on that front.

8 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 5:47:23pm
9 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 5:49:34pm

re: #7 EPR-radar

He’s good at being a stupid jackass. There’s good money in being just the right kind of stupid jackass, but CCJ isn’t doing well on that front.

Chuck’s problem is that he’s so messed up he thinks he “builds credibility” by savagely attacking right wingers like Allen West. Then he tells his own followers to fuck off if they don’t like it.

And then he begs for them to donate money. The boy ain’t right in the head.

10 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 5:50:05pm

re: #9 Charles Johnson

Chuck’s problem is that he’s so messed up he thinks he “builds credibility” by savagely attacking right wingers like Allen West. Then he tells his own followers to fuck off if they don’t like it.

And then he begs for them to donate money. The boy ain’t right in the head.

He’s like James O’Keefe. Only more delusional.

11 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 5:50:49pm

On a previous topic: This thunderstorm we’re getting is so badly needed because we were actually under a fire weather advisory for large swaths of the wild north country. It has been an unseasonably light winter here snowfall-wise; the recent upturn in temperature has left the ground dry, and high winds today created a real danger of spreading fire. But of course, global warming my ass!

12 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 5:51:02pm

re: #8 Charles Johnson

And, you know what, sometimes, when people get married, they have what they can afford. Imagine being a couple that wants to get married, and their parents have disowned them.

13 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 5:52:18pm

re: #12 Belafon

And, you know what, sometimes, when people get married, they have what they can afford. Imagine being a couple that wants to get married, and their parents have disowned them.

And honestly sometimes people just want pizza. it gets me thinking though. Pizza while not part of the main food at my cousin’s wedding this summer was none the less provided in the lobby of the hotel after the ceremony. Wonder if the O’Connors would object to that.//

14 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 5:55:10pm
15 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 5:56:11pm

re: #14 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Didn’t even Goldwater admit he was wrong about that?

16 Dark_Falcon  Apr 1, 2015 5:59:18pm

re: #15 HappyWarrior

Didn’t even Goldwater admit he was wrong about that?

Yes, but Barry Goldwater, unlike CJJ, was a morally sane man,

17 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 6:00:20pm

re: #16 Dark_Falcon

Yes, but Barry Goldwater, unlike CJJ, was a morally sane man,

Aware but if Goldwater himself later admitted his vote was wrong then I don’t knwo what the fuck Chucky is trying to say.

18 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 6:01:21pm

re: #17 HappyWarrior

Aware but if Goldwater himself later admitted his vote was wrong then I don’t knwo what the fuck Chucky is trying to say.

No one who has any sanity left in their heads can comprehend what he’s trying to say.

19 Drive By Commenter  Apr 1, 2015 6:01:23pm

Chuckles has to come down sometime. It won’t be pretty.

20 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 6:02:00pm
21 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 6:03:02pm

re: #20 Charles Johnson

You’re a real winner there, Chuck. Keep on canoein’ that douche. Jackass.

22 Kragar  Apr 1, 2015 6:03:07pm

re: #1 Dark_Falcon

Tonight: UpChuck shows he does not understand how water usage and allocation works.

23 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 6:03:09pm

re: #20 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Yeah not a bigot there.

24 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 6:03:40pm

Chuck shows again why being forced to listen to Rush as a child is as hazardous as being dropped on your head.

25 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 6:04:28pm

re: #24 HappyWarrior

Chuck shows again why being forced to listen to Rush as a child is as hazardous as being dropped on your head.

Some of us outgrow it. Some of us become Chuck C. Johnson, award-winning journalist douchecanoe. Friends don’t let friends do Rush.

26 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 6:05:09pm
27 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 6:06:09pm

He’s on an epic rave.

28 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 6:06:12pm

re: #26 Charles Johnson

Chuck, exactly who in the hell is threatening to force you to screw men? Seriously, there is no “slippery slope” here. You are free to marry your hot Asian wife and do God-only-knows-what with her in peace and Teh Ghey (tm) will never affect you.

29 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 6:06:40pm

re: #26 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Does every young conservative have to come off as an old man? Really dude buggery?

30 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 6:07:03pm

Chuck’s just upset because when he sees hot men, he gets tempted to cheat on his hot Asian wife.

31 Kragar  Apr 1, 2015 6:07:23pm

re: #20 Charles Johnson

And they’re the ones making fun of being gay?

32 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 6:08:37pm

Seriously, I never understood that whole line of argument. Exactly how does homosexuality have anything whatsoever to do with the “sanctity of marriage”? Are they running around threatening to break up straight marriages? No? Then why, exactly, is it anybody’s fucking business who is and isn’t allowed to get married?

33 Kragar  Apr 1, 2015 6:08:50pm

re: #26 Charles Johnson

34 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 6:10:40pm

re: #32 thedopefishlives

Seriously, I never understood that whole line of argument. Exactly how does homosexuality have anything whatsoever to do with the “sanctity of marriage”? Are they running around threatening to break up straight marriages? No? Then why, exactly, is it anybody’s fucking business who is and isn’t allowed to get married?

I’ve been trying to get an answer for that for years. Really, anyone comfortable in their own sexuality shouldn’t be bothered by gay marriage.

35 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 6:11:11pm
36 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 1, 2015 6:11:13pm

re: #9 Charles Johnson

Chuck’s problem is that he’s so messed up he thinks he “builds credibility” by savagely attacking right wingers like Allen West. Then he tells his own followers to fuck off if they don’t like it.

And then he begs for them to donate money. The boy ain’t right in the head.

37 b.d.  Apr 1, 2015 6:11:21pm

re: #8 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

I’ve been to a dozen gay marriages, 11 klan rallies, 10 CPACs, 9 book burnings, 8 asian dating sites, 7 how to create Twitter fake account workshops, 6 visits to breitbart’s grave, 5 marriage counselors, 4 pawn shops, 3 burning mans, 2 parole officers, 1 job interview and zero mississippi court appearances.

38 HappyWarrior  Apr 1, 2015 6:12:22pm

re: #37 b.d.

I’ve been to a dozen gay marriages, 11 klan rallies, 10 CPACs, 9 book burnings, 8 asian dating sites, 7 how to create Twitter fake account workshops, 6 visits to breitbart’s grave, 5 marriage counselors, 4 pawn shops, 3 burning mans, 2 parole officers, 1 job interview and zero mississippi court appearances.

The 12 Days of CCJ,

39 goddamnedfrank  Apr 1, 2015 6:13:01pm

re: #36 Backwoods_Sleuth

40 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 6:14:56pm

re: #32 thedopefishlives

Seriously, I never understood that whole line of argument. Exactly how does homosexuality have anything whatsoever to do with the “sanctity of marriage”? Are they running around threatening to break up straight marriages? No? Then why, exactly, is it anybody’s fucking business who is and isn’t allowed to get married?

Christians are losing the right to impose their beliefs on the rest of us, and they’re not liking it. They white ones are also afraid of competing with gays, blacks, and women for privileges that they think should automatically theirs.

41 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 6:15:11pm
While the specifics of how will this be accomplished is being left to the water agencies, it is certain that Californians across the state will have to cut back on watering gardens and lawns — which soak up a vast amount of the water this state uses every day — as well as washing cars and even taking showers.

I read stories like this and have to roll my eyes.

Yes, lawns take a lot of water. Gardens? No, not as much simply because most Californians have no significant gardens.

Showers - yes take water but a single pool makes showers irrelevant.

Since most of California’s water goes to agriculture that means in a historic drought like this one the big cut in use will have to come to agriculture, which means less production, which means less food, thus higher food costs and btw less employment.

Moreover, we could be recycling some of our water and get enough to provide what we need for gardens, etc., but the scaremongers trashed that with their TOILET TO TAP!! screaming a few years ago, led by the likes of local wingnut and Limbaugh substitute Roger Hedgecock.

42 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 6:18:41pm

I see that the US Senate is demanding that the head of the EPA give them an answer on why climate models have been so wrong, in a push back against the regulations on coal plants.

Inhofe is using his usual ploy, borrowed from the creationists, which goes something like this: You can’t explain everything so you are wrong on anything.

That’s just a fallacy of course, but it works on the rubes so Inhofe and company can get away with it.

43 A Cranky One  Apr 1, 2015 6:19:36pm

re: #32 thedopefishlives

Seriously, I never understood that whole line of argument. Exactly how does homosexuality have anything whatsoever to do with the “sanctity of marriage”? Are they running around threatening to break up straight marriages? No? Then why, exactly, is it anybody’s fucking business who is and isn’t allowed to get married?

They deliberately conflate “Holy Matrimony” with the civil contract of marriage. So if it isn’t HM, then it can’t be marriage. The argument is really about religious prejudice and nothing else. Well, of course, except that saying “sanctity of marriage” sounds more righteous than “I’m a bigot”..

44 b_sharp  Apr 1, 2015 6:20:45pm

Hmmmm

45 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 6:20:49pm

One of the stupider things done in California is the addiction to “leaf blowers”. What the idiots don’t seem to realize is what they are trying to get rid of is the very thing their property needs if you want to grow anything on it.

46 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 6:22:37pm
47 D_Red  Apr 1, 2015 6:23:17pm

True Story: Charles C. Johnson once ate pizza at a gay wedding while watching an abortion being performed by a friend of his who was a med student.

48 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 6:25:36pm

Since it looks like Lake Mead will drop enough by the end of the year to go into stage 1 of the restriction plan, we can expect even more measures to be take about water use.

Las Vegas is building a new entrance to take water from the lake at levels lower than their current intake . In some ways Lake Mead is the basis of the American gambling empire.

49 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 6:27:03pm

And in more important areas, has VB and her Hubbys bag catch up with them yet?

RBS

50 Decatur Deb  Apr 1, 2015 6:27:19pm

Technology rescues Gregorio Alegri from obsolescence—

51 D_Red  Apr 1, 2015 6:27:51pm

I feel badly for lesbians. Conservatives just don’t obsess over them like they do with homosexual men.

52 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 6:28:18pm

re: #51 D_Red

I feel badly for lesbians. Conservatives just don’t obsess over them like they do with homosexual men.

Oh, they do. Just behind closed doors, when they think nobody’s watching.

/half

53 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 6:29:02pm

re: #48 freetoken

Since it looks like Lake Mead will drop enough by the end of the year to go into stage 1 of the restriction plan, we can expect even more measures to be take about water use.

Las Vegas is building a new entrance to take water from the lake at levels lower than their current intake . In some ways Lake Mead is the basis of the American gambling empire.

It’s going to get worse before it gets better. There’s no sign of an end to the drought at this point. Meanwhile, the Republican Party is fighting tooth and nail to prevent any action whatsoever on climate change. This country is fucked up.

54 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 6:29:06pm

re: #51 D_Red

I feel badly for lesbians. Conservatives just don’t obsess over them like they do with homosexual men.

The Bible doesn’t say anything about them.

55 Dark_Falcon  Apr 1, 2015 6:29:11pm

re: #51 D_Red

I feel badly for lesbians. Conservatives just don’t obsess over them like they do with homosexual men.

They do. Frequent fapping is its own form of obsession.

56 A Cranky One  Apr 1, 2015 6:29:29pm

re: #51 D_Red

I feel badly for lesbians. Conservatives just don’t obsess over them like they do with homosexual men.

I suspect a check of their web histories might reveal otherwise. ///

57 Great White Snark  Apr 1, 2015 6:34:06pm

re: #41 freetoken

Meanwhile the LA city government keeps approving higher density buildings and fomenting all the incoming immigration/etc growth it can for the city. Where does that water come from? Don’t get me started on the leaks and breaks in under maintained water mains citywide.

Clashes of regulations. Can’t cover a pool, safety risk. But that would halt evaporation loss and maybe passive solar heat it. On the upside regulations for gray waters were reduced.

58 Kragar  Apr 1, 2015 6:34:08pm

re: #52 thedopefishlives

As the old saying goes:

“What goes on between and man and a woman, and her friend, and that guy they met at a bar a few hours earlier, in the privacy of their own home is nobody’s god damn business.”

59 Decatur Deb  Apr 1, 2015 6:34:14pm

re: #29 HappyWarrior

Does every young conservative have to come off as an old man? Really dude buggery?

Sod ‘im.

60 Targetpractice  Apr 1, 2015 6:37:19pm

Chucky seems to be hiding in a Narnia-deep closet tonight.

61 stpaulbear  Apr 1, 2015 6:38:02pm

re: #11 thedopefishlives

In St. Paul a couple of houses burned down today because of the dry conditions and high winds. A branch hit a powerline, causing sparks that set back yard grass on fire.

The rain is hitting St. Paul right now. Doesn’t seem to be nearly as torrential as they were forcasting, but it is welcome. The lightning storm before the rain was pretty impressive.

I’m eating mac and cheese for dinner tonight because a crown fell out yesterday. I got into the dentist today to have it reattached, but I can’t eat ‘difficult’ food until tomorrow.

62 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 6:38:22pm
re: #59 Decatur Deb
re: #29 HappyWarrior

Does every young conservative have to come off as an old man? Really dude buggery?

Sod ‘im.
Sod ‘im.

I read that first as “dune buggy”.

63 The Ghost of a Flea  Apr 1, 2015 6:39:07pm

re: #51 D_Red

I feel badly for lesbians. Conservatives just don’t obsess over them like they do with homosexual men.

I have this scary, not-being-funny sense that this is only because they view lesbianism as “simple” to correct, since its only a matter of the right man sexing them.

Whereas gay men and their presumed Butt Stuff (tm) cannot be solved by their Penis Magic.

64 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 6:40:41pm

re: #61 stpaulbear

I’m saddened to hear that. Guess I must’ve cleared out of St. Paul just in the nick of time. The winds did cause a power outage in a lakeside town that messed with traffic on my way home.

65 b_sharp  Apr 1, 2015 6:40:47pm

I would think numbers are available for rainfall, reservoirs, average human consumption so that determining the relative impact of illegal alien use vs no fucking rain should be straightforward. Has Chuckles bothered to do that before opening his yap?

66 thedopefishlives  Apr 1, 2015 6:41:19pm

re: #65 b_sharp

Research is for chumps. Chuck does REAL JOURNALISM.

67 b_sharp  Apr 1, 2015 6:43:07pm

re: #66 thedopefishlives

Research is for chumps. Chuck does REAL JOURNALISM.

All from within the comfort of his mind.

68 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 1, 2015 6:43:13pm

except for this:

(read the responses to that tweet…hahaha!!!)

69 The Ghost of a Flea  Apr 1, 2015 6:47:19pm

re: #66 thedopefishlives

Research is for chumps. Chuck does REAL JOURNALISM.

HE MADE YOU THESE FACTS FROM SCRATCH

WHY ARE YOU NOT GRATEFUL

FOR THIS HANDMADE, BESPOKE VERACITY

70 Dark_Falcon  Apr 1, 2015 6:47:22pm

Anti-Government wingnut fights the law: The law wins.

A 52-year-old man from Bozeman, Montana, who hosts a weekly radio program to rally against an “out of control government,” was arrested last week after he attempted to buy a full-auto shotgun from an undercover federal agent.

After months of correspondence, William Krisstofer Wolf met with the agent at a Livingston truck stop Wednesday to buy a Saiga-12, which had been converted from a semi-automatic to fully-automatic and also had a shortened barrel. Wolf paid $725 for the shotgun and was promptly arrested by federal authorities following the transaction.

According to court documents filed Thursday, Wolf, who is well-known to local authorities as an anti-government organizer, began a weekly radio program in November 2013 known as The Montana Republic with the intent of educating the public and rallying “like-minded patriots” together to stand up against against corrupt and abusive government entities. According to his website, Wolf feels it is the “duty” of the American people to “perform if our government gets out of control.”

“Wolf repeatedly espoused his contempt for local judges, law enforcement, the county attorney, city and county commissioners, and the agents and agencies of the federal government,” according to his indictment. Wolf also advocated for the citizen’s arrest of local authorities and indicated that the use of force should be used, if necessary, when carrying out those arrests.

During the radio programs, Wolf continued to detail plans of action for the “restoration of the constitutional government” and taking back the government by starting at a local level and expanding outward. Those details apparently included discussions about destroying bridges and power grids, and gaining control of law enforcement vehicles and weapons. Wolf talked about using blow torches on officers outfitted in body armor, and destroying the Bozeman Police Department’s BearCat by “cooking it from the inside.”

So this guy was advocating terrorism. And the federal government nailed him with a classic anti-terrorist sting. Good for the feds.

71 Dark_Falcon  Apr 1, 2015 6:59:27pm

Goddamn wingnut killed the thread.

72 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Apr 1, 2015 7:00:45pm

re: #51 D_Red

I feel badly for lesbians. Conservatives just don’t obsess over them like they do with homosexual men.

there does seem to be some truly unhealthy not too mention gross obsession in the “conservative” ranks. check out this classic

Why is discrimination bad? Throughout 10,000 years of recorded history men have reserved the right to associate and partner with like-minded fellows — suddenly we’ve decided all those previous generations were wrong and our contemporary Wisdom of the Ages says a black guy MUST serve the KKK in his diner, and a Baptist MUST serve guys who like it up the Chocolate Starfish.

Who put those heathens in charge of the asylum and why are we granting them participation in our conservative dialogue?!?

i must say there is something ill in the intensity of this visualisation

73 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Apr 1, 2015 7:04:35pm

re: #66 thedopefishlives

Research is for chumps. Chuck does REAL JOURNALISM.

How many Buckeye Newshawk Awards did he win again?

74 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 7:07:30pm

re: #72 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸

there does seem to be some truly unhealthy not too mention gross obsession in the “conservative” ranks. check out this classic

Why is discrimination bad? Throughout 10,000 years of recorded history men have reserved the right to associate and partner with like-minded fellows — suddenly we’ve decided all those previous generations were wrong and our contemporary Wisdom of the Ages says a black guy MUST serve the KKK in his diner, and a Baptist MUST serve guys who like it up the Chocolate Starfish.

Who put those heathens in charge of the asylum and why are we granting them participation in our conservative dialogue?!?

i must say there is something ill in the intensity of this visualisation

The problem is that to the extreme right the right to free association trumps all other rights, including the rights of others not to be discriminated against. Many would gladly go back to the days of “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” in a heartbeat. Most, if not all of them, if they were honest, would also say that “Brown v Board of Edu”, “Shepard v Texas”“Lawrence vs. Texas” thanks for the correction downthread and “Loving v. Virginia” were all bad decisions that infringed on individual rights.

75 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 7:08:22pm

re: #71 Dark_Falcon

Goddamn wingnut killed the thread.

The thread is currently at an undisclosed black site, being interrogated.

RBS

76 Dark_Falcon  Apr 1, 2015 7:10:39pm

re: #75 RealityBasedSteve

The thread is currently at an undisclosed black site, being interrogated.

RBS

Following which he and his entire family are to be relocated to FEMA Camp Eleventy.

77 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Apr 1, 2015 7:10:52pm

re: #74 RealityBasedSteve

The problem is that to the extreme right the right to free association trumps all other rights, including the rights of others not to be discriminated against. Many would gladly go back to the days of “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” in a heartbeat. Most, if not all of them, if they were honest, would also say that “Brown v Board of Edu”, “Shepard v Texas” and “Loving v. Virginia” were all bad decisions that infringed on individual rights.

Would say it? They do say it. All the time. Not to mention Lawrence vs. Texas.

78 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 7:11:46pm

re: #70 Dark_Falcon

This guy is just responding to the propaganda coming out of the Republican Party and the Tea Party, and every single right wing media organization. I don’t know what else you could possibly expect, after years of anti-government rhetoric.

79 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 7:12:50pm

re: #78 Charles Johnson

And it’s going to get worse.

80 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 7:13:54pm

re: #77 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Would say it? They do say it. All the time. Not to mention Lawrence vs. Texas.

Thank you… Lawrence was the case meant, let me see if I can fix.

RBS

81 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Apr 1, 2015 7:14:17pm

re: #74 RealityBasedSteve

The problem is that to the extreme right the right to free association trumps all other rights, including the rights of others not to be discriminated against. Many would gladly go back to the days of “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” in a heartbeat. Most, if not all of them, if they were honest, would also say that “Brown v Board of Edu”, “Shepard v Texas” and “Loving v. Virginia” were all bad decisions that infringed on individual rights.

as a history buff i would surely like to see the first five thousand years of recorded history that she was talking about

but of course there arent any restrictions on freedom of association, just restrictions on denying access to publicly available government and commercial services based on a rather narrow range of race, color, or creed

this is still to restrictive however to those who want to live in a world where people they dont like arent allowed to buy lunch or a beer at their favorite hangout

82 Shiplord Kirel  Apr 1, 2015 7:18:21pm

There will soon be more sand for the Republicans to stick their heads into.

83 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Apr 1, 2015 7:19:18pm

hey - my religious rights are restricted by this here political correctness run rampant too yanno

my freedom to do my version of the star spangled banner as sung by a chicken is restricted by the fact that i might get the shit beaten outta me if i do it say in front of the alamo or a marine barracks

84 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 7:20:09pm

Does anyone have that picture showing the parallels between protesting against blacks and gays. I’m having an argument over businesses selling cakes and one of the guys couldn’t understand my bringing up the way blacks were treated.

85 Timothy Watson  Apr 1, 2015 7:23:06pm

re: #35 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

He must have had two eight-balls tonight.

86 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 7:24:17pm

re: #84 Belafon

Does anyone have that picture showing the parallels between protesting against blacks and gays. I’m having an argument over businesses selling cakes and one of the guys couldn’t understand my bringing up the way blacks were treated.

Is this the one you were looking for?

87 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 7:24:38pm

re: #65 b_sharp

CCJ doesn’t have to do research. That would be detrimental to his being.

88 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 7:24:41pm

re: #86 RealityBasedSteve

Thanks.

89 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 7:25:26pm

When one has made the purpose of one’s life to become famous by slurring other people, facts are the last thing that matter.

90 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 7:29:11pm

re: #86 RealityBasedSteve

Maybe they don’t think either picture looks stupid?

91 Decatur Deb  Apr 1, 2015 7:30:41pm

The Roy Moore-inspired revival meetings continue here. Now there are two lawns in my neighborhood with “I Stand For Biblical Marriage” signs.

92 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 7:32:29pm

re: #53 Charles Johnson

It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

I’m not sure what “better” is going to amount to in the end. At this point even long term average precipitation in the Colorado river basin can not rebuild Lake Mead and the other reservoirs.

Obama mentioned this problem in Vegas a couple of years back and was shut down quite quickly by the vested parties in the real estate and associated industries.

Americans just won’t accept that we can’t bend the universe to our will.

Las Vegas is in the middle of the driest region of this country and ought not be a place that more people should be heading to in order to live. But that is a story that is too hard to hear so everyone plugs their ears.

Here in California future seasons may bring enough rain, but by the end of the century SoCal cannot be what it is today. Either some very massive investment has to be made in securing more water sources, or life has to change radically.

93 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 7:34:21pm

re: #88 Belafon

So, the guy I’m arguing with made the “the only purpose of a business is to make a profit” after saying that he felt he had the right to choose who he wanted to do business with. (And for why I would not be good in a debate) After one reply about responsibilities of businesses, I finally realized and replied with why wouldn’t you sell to a gay if the purpose is to make as much money as possible.

94 Bubblehead II  Apr 1, 2015 7:34:29pm

Night Lizards.

95 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 7:34:50pm

re: #91 Decatur Deb

You could always put a sign on your yard that says “The Bible is a book of myths now outdated” … and see how long it lasts.

96 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 7:37:28pm

re: #91 Decatur Deb

The Roy Moore-inspired revival meetings continue here. Now there are two lawns in my neighborhood with “I Stand For Biblical Marriage” signs.

I think you need a sign like this

97 Decatur Deb  Apr 1, 2015 7:37:50pm

re: #95 freetoken

You could always put a sign on your yard that says “The Bible is a book of myths now outdated” … and see how long it lasts.

It would last until the burning cross falls on it.

98 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Apr 1, 2015 7:38:07pm

re: #91 Decatur Deb

The Roy Moore-inspired revival meetings continue here. Now there are two lawns in my neighborhood with “I Stand For Biblical Marriage” signs.

“I Stand For Biblical Marriage - End Restrictions On Polygamy”

“I Stand For Biblical Marriage - Jesus Said Divorce Is A Sin”

99 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 7:38:17pm

re: #91 Decatur Deb

Maybe your neighbors would be interested in my new shed building service. Do they have a place for their wives to go during their menstrual cycle? If not, I can build one, with whatever furnishings they can afford.

100 TedStriker  Apr 1, 2015 7:40:13pm

re: #30 HappyWarrior

Chuck’s just upset because when he sees hot men, he gets tempted to cheat on his hot Asian wife.

I wonder if he’s been taking “wide stance” lessons…

101 Decatur Deb  Apr 1, 2015 7:41:12pm

re: #99 Belafon

Maybe your neighbors would be interested in my new shed building service. Do they have a place for their wives to go during their menstrual cycle? If not, I can build one, with whatever furnishings they can afford.

First they have to save for their inflatable above-ground mikveh.

102 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 7:41:33pm

I think he got tired of the argument I mentioned here: #93 Belafon.

103 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 7:42:44pm

re: #98 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸

“I Stand For Biblical Marriage - End Restrictions On Polygamy”

“I Stand For Biblical Marriage - Jesus Said Divorce Is A Sin”

Posted this one on my FB Timeline…

Here’s your sign
104 TedStriker  Apr 1, 2015 7:42:50pm

re: #40 Belafon

Fundamentalist Christians are losing the right to impose their beliefs on the rest of us, and they’re not liking it. They white ones are also afraid of competing with gays, blacks, and women for privileges that they think should automatically theirs.

FTFY…I’d wager that most Christians not of the fundamentalist stripe don’t really get apoplexed over gay folks getting married or any other civil rights that us straights currently enjoy.

105 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 7:46:38pm

re: #103 RealityBasedSteve

Posted this one on my FB Timeline…

[Embedded content]

Which is a bad idea, but it will never be enacted into law.
Even the conservatives in those states which have the option of “covenant marriage” aren’t interested in making divorce more difficult for themselves.

106 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 7:47:11pm

and over in the FR_swamp, the idea of “the final solution” is lurking just below the fetid surface. Emphasis mine.

In the course of this past week watching the deviants protesting the law in Indiana I’ve come a few conclusions:

1. The deviants are no longer satisfied to be tolerated. Now they demand approval.

2. The deviants are become the oppressors they used to denounce.

3. I now understand why every society that wants to endure periodically purges these people as they are inherently destructive of all of the good and decent things that make for a successful society. These people can no more coexist with decent people than radical Muslims can peacefully coexist with Jews or anyone else.

107 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Apr 1, 2015 7:47:17pm

I’m loving Wonkette’s graphic about Pizzagate:

Mouse-hover says: “Rejoice! For the Dough is Risen!”

108 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 7:48:09pm

I see that Fiorina is joining the choir but tries to separate the cream from the milk, or something:

Republican presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina defends Indiana’s “religious freedom” law, but she acknowledges the right of same-sex couples to demand equality in the “benefits” government bestows with marriage — views that distinguish her in the party’s 2016 field.

She seems unaware of the first law of pandering: While it is perfectly fine to pander to two opposing groups, one ought not do so in the same paragraph.

109 TedStriker  Apr 1, 2015 7:48:50pm

re: #63 The Ghost of a Flea

I have this scary, not-being-funny sense that this is only because they view lesbianism as “simple” to correct, since its only a matter of the right man sexing them.

Whereas gay men and their presumed Butt Stuff (tm) cannot be solved by their Penis Magic.

This Onion classic covers those bases:

Why Do All These Homosexuals Keep Sucking My Cock?

110 Targetpractice  Apr 1, 2015 7:49:19pm

re: #106 RealityBasedSteve

and over in the FR_swamp, the idea of “the final solution” is lurking just below the fetid surface. Emphasis mine.

You ever notice those who make the loudest noises about “radical Islam” are the same ones who think the answer to homosexuality is violence?

111 lostlakehiker  Apr 1, 2015 7:49:33pm

re: #92 freetoken

I’m not sure what “better” is going to amount to in the end. At this point even long term average precipitation in the Colorado river basin can not rebuild Lake Mead and the other reservoirs.

Obama mentioned this problem in Vegas a couple of years back and was shut down quite quickly by the vested parties in the real estate and associated industries.

Americans just won’t accept that we can’t bend the universe to our will.

Las Vegas is in the middle of the driest region of this country and ought not be a place that more people should be heading to in order to live. But that is a story that is too hard to hear so everyone plugs their ears.

Here in California future seasons may bring enough rain, but by the end of the century SoCal cannot be what it is today. Either some very massive investment has to be made in securing more water sources, or life has to change radically.

But the establishment in CA has resolutely blocked the construction of dams for a long time. They think they can have their wild rivers and their water supply too. Not exactly. Not both. It’s a Hobbsian choice.

112 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 7:49:50pm

Herman is waiting for God to punk him again:

Only God knows, and if God decides that I should run again, I know that it will be revealed to me somehow,” he said. “But if it’s not revealed, I have no personal plans for running again.”

113 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 7:50:41pm

re: #111 lostlakehiker

It’s not that simple. Storing water on the surface (reservoirs) leads to a lot of loss through evaporation.

114 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 7:52:07pm

re: #105 calochortus

Which is a bad idea, but it will never be enacted into law.
Even the conservatives in those states which have the option of “covenant marriage” aren’t interested in making divorce more difficult for themselves.

I agree 100% with you, but I know that when you start talking to some of the religious extremists that no-fault divorce (and the pill) are totally responsible for everything bad that has happened to America in the last 50 years +.

It is one of my favorite points to bring up when having to deal with the whole “Sanctity of Marriage” argument however. Usually results in “That’s different… shut up”)

115 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 7:53:19pm

Canadian/Cuban Ted panders to the religious right in Iowa:

Cruz doubles down on support for Indiana’s religious freedom law

“We’re seeing in the news right now a lot of noise because the state of Indiana bravely stood up and passed a law defending religious liberty. I’ll say this: I will commend the state of Indiana for doing the right thing,” Cruz said.

Give me pizza, or give me death.

116 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 7:54:02pm

re: #114 RealityBasedSteve

I’m afraid that like so many other things, it’s “those people over there” who are the problem when it comes to divorce, abortion, the color they paint their house, whatever.

117 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  Apr 1, 2015 7:54:54pm

re: #104 TedStriker

FTFY…I’d wager that most Christians not of the fundamentalist stripe don’t really get apoplexed over gay folks getting married or any other civil rights that us straights currently enjoy.

i saw an interesting documentary thing on tee vee once where gay candidates in local elections were talking about how most of the really conservative seeming folk they electioneered among didnt give a rat’s ass that they were gay

“oh, we know about you. ah mean, we know alllll about you! and we doan care about who you sleep with goshdarnit - we’re votin for you cuz you’re the only one who will stop that damn tax!!!”

118 Charles Johnson  Apr 1, 2015 7:56:10pm
119 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 7:57:59pm

re: #118 Charles Johnson

I never cease to be amazed…

120 Targetpractice  Apr 1, 2015 7:59:55pm

re: #118 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Maybe I should make a big noise about being oppressed by gay people and see if I can make thousands via internet donations.

121 allegro  Apr 1, 2015 8:00:31pm

re: #118 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

I bet by tomorrow we’ll see a whole bunch of grifters hopping on that gravy train. The only thing amazing about it is the suckers just keep on putting out.

122 lostlakehiker  Apr 1, 2015 8:01:56pm

re: #113 calochortus

It’s not that simple. Storing water on the surface (reservoirs) leads to a lot of loss through evaporation.

But if it simply runs off into the ocean, it’s 100% lost. Texas has an extensive system of reservoirs, built at considerable expense and with a lot of planning behind it. We lose some to evaporation, but by saving up diligently in the wet years, we’ve been able to ride out five-year droughts without drastic curtailment of consumption.

California is still growing rice. Rice! All water now going to rice cultivation ought to go to saving almond orchards and the like. And they need to build more reservoirs. But none of that will save the state from having to make more drastic cuts in consumption than are now contemplated. They face a perfect storm of natural forces, human exacerbation, and improvident folly in not having prepared.

123 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 8:02:03pm

re: #102 Belafon

124 Decatur Deb  Apr 1, 2015 8:05:48pm

re: #121 allegro

I bet by tomorrow we’ll see a whole bunch of grifters hopping on that gravy train. The only thing amazing about it is the suckers just keep on putting out.

Good. Otherwise the money might flow to a plausible RW nominee.

125 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Apr 1, 2015 8:06:50pm

re: #123 Belafon

[Embedded content]

OceanShoresPatriot(r) @osPatriot

.@LonnieMask☭«Paying attention, is not your forté. I answered YOUR Question, How U interpret it, is your problem. @Mediaite

There’s no accent on “forte”. And BTW, it’s French, not Italian, and it’s just pronounced “fort”. Further, it just means “strength”, and we have a perfectly good English word that means “strength”. (It’s “strength”.) <Pet Peeve mode off>

126 #FergusonFireside  Apr 1, 2015 8:11:25pm

re: #92 freetoken

I’m not sure what “better” is going to amount to in the end. At this point even long term average precipitation in the Colorado river basin can not rebuild Lake Mead and the other reservoirs.

Obama mentioned this problem in Vegas a couple of years back and was shut down quite quickly by the vested parties in the real estate and associated industries.

Americans just won’t accept that we can’t bend the universe to our will.

Las Vegas is in the middle of the driest region of this country and ought not be a place that more people should be heading to in order to live. But that is a story that is too hard to hear so everyone plugs their ears.

Here in California future seasons may bring enough rain, but by the end of the century SoCal cannot be what it is today. Either some very massive investment has to be made in securing more water sources, or life has to change radically.

We live in a desert! There’s no getting away from it. Fuck the fake green lawns.

127 Targetpractice  Apr 1, 2015 8:12:18pm

“This law will allow people to discriminate against gays and transexuals!”

“Yes, but the ‘free market’ will fix the issue by making those businesses unprofitable, such that they’ll have to change or go out of business.”

*Business begins to suffer consequences of refusing to serve gay people*

“HOW DARE YOU NOT BE TOLERANT OF THEIR INTOLERANCE?! CAN’T YOU SEE YOU’RE DESTROYING THEIR LIVELIHOOD BECAUSE THEY WOULDN’T AGREE WITH YOUR LIFESTYLE?!?!”

128 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:12:52pm

re: #122 lostlakehiker

But if it simply runs off into the ocean, it’s 100% lost. Texas has an extensive system of reservoirs, built at considerable expense and with a lot of planning behind it. We lose some to evaporation, but by saving up diligently in the wet years, we’ve been able to ride out five-year droughts without drastic curtailment of consumption.

California is still growing rice. Rice! All water now going to rice cultivation ought to go to saving almond orchards and the like. And they need to build more reservoirs. But none of that will save the state from having to make more drastic cuts in consumption than are now contemplated. They face a perfect storm of natural forces, human exacerbation, and improvident folly in not having prepared.

Yes, we need to conserve. Yes, infrastructure is important.
However, water that reaches the ocean isn’t necessarily wasted. It keeps ecosystems healthy, allows fish to spawn in streams (fishing is an industry as well as farming) and recharges groundwater along the way.

Farmers have been planting almond trees in huge numbers in the last few years, and having just driven down I-5 I can assure you that there are still some being planted (though some orchards have been left to die as well.)
I cannot imagine why you think they should take precedence over rice cultivation. A pound of almonds takes nearly 2000 gallons of water to produce, while a pound of rice takes about 300 gallons and the flooded fields are used by migrating waterfowl as well.
We also use a lot of water to grow alfalfa to export to China. It’s water we don’t have for an export business that barely existed a few decades ago.

129 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:12:53pm

I heard part of this water story on NPR today while in the car. I was in the car a lot today.

Has anyone talked about the Ogallala Aquifer? I am particularly worried because of fracking. I haven’t heard one peep about it under any context.

About 27 percent of the irrigated land in the United States overlies the aquifer, which yields about 30 percent of the ground water used for irrigation in the United States. Since 1950, agricultural irrigation has reduced the saturated volume of the aquifer by an estimated 9%. Depletion is accelerating, with 2% lost between 2001 and 2009[2][not in citation given] alone. Once depleted, the aquifer will take over 6,000 years to replenish naturally through rainfall.[3]

The aquifer system supplies drinking water to 82 percent of the 2.3 million people (1990 census) who live within the boundaries of the High Plains study area.[4]

Wiki lists the world-wide aquifers here.

130 Belafon  Apr 1, 2015 8:13:24pm

re: #123 Belafon

He’s getting a little angry:

131 klys (maker of Silmarils)  Apr 1, 2015 8:13:33pm

Squeaky Tweeter gets the refund.

132 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:15:31pm
133 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:17:03pm

re: #129 FemNaziBitch

Yes, the Ogalalla aquifer is being grossly over-pumped. People in areas that haven’t had to worry about drought in decades need to start paying attention. Unfortunately, groundwater regulation has lagged because you can’t see groundwater from the surface and it is only the last few decades that we’ve been able to pump it in massive quantities.

edit: I have heard concern about the Keystone Pipeline contaminating groundwater in case of leaks, so there is awareness out there.

134 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Apr 1, 2015 8:18:05pm

re: #128 calochortus

Yes, we need to conserve. Yes, infrastructure is important.
However, water that reaches the ocean isn’t necessarily wasted. It keeps ecosystems healthy, allows fish to spawn in streams (fishing is an industry as well as farming) and recharges groundwater along the way.

Farmers have been planting almond trees in huge numbers in the last few years, and having just driven down I-5 I can assure you that there are still some being planted (though some orchards have been left to die as well.)
I cannot imagine why you think they should take precedence over rice cultivation. A pound of almonds takes nearly 2000 gallons of water to produce, while a pound of rice takes about 300 gallons and the flooded fields are used by migrating waterfowl as well.
We also use a lot of water to grow alfalfa to export to China. It’s water we don’t have for an export business that barely existed a few decades ago.

Plus I remember reading in Sci. Am. years ago that California-style sown-from-the-air, fertilized-from-the-air, combine-harvested rice growing uses 2 man-hours of fairly pleasnt labor per acre per crop, vs. some Southeast Asian areas that require 2000 man-hours of back-breaking stoop labor per acre per crop. So there’s an ethical dimension to it as well.

(Maybe it was per hectare—it’s been a while.)

135 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:18:15pm

re: #133 calochortus

Yes, the Ogalalla aquifer is being grossly over-pumped. People in areas that haven’t had to worry about drought in decades need to start paying attention. Unfortunately, groundwater regulation has lagged because you can’t see groundwater from the surface and it is only the last few decades that we’ve been able to pump it in massive quantities.

It’s strange the public can conceive of underground oil as being liquid gold, but not water.

136 klys (maker of Silmarils)  Apr 1, 2015 8:18:55pm

re: #135 FemNaziBitch

It’s strange the public can conceive of underground oil as being liquid gold, but not water.

But it doesn’t rain oil!!!1!

137 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:19:40pm

re: #136 klys (maker of Silmarils)

But it doesn’t rain oil!!!1!

ah!

138 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 8:19:42pm

re: #130 Belafon

He’s getting a little angry:

[Embedded content]

Well, I have always wanted a Subaru.

RBS

139 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:19:56pm

re: #135 FemNaziBitch

It’s strange the public can conceive of underground oil as being liquid gold, but not water.

Whiskey’s for drinking, water’s for fighting.

140 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:20:20pm

re: #4 Targetpractice

Between agribusiness and companies pumping aquifers dry to sell as bottled water at a profit, it’s no wonder California is turning into a desert.

Just did a seek and find for aquifer. I missed this post.

Late to the computer and not staying long.

How has the day been everyone?

141 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:20:37pm

re: #138 RealityBasedSteve

Well, I have always wanted a Subaru.

RBS

We just bought a Forester-does that mean my husband is a lesbian?

142 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:20:46pm

re: #4 Targetpractice

Between agribusiness and companies pumping aquifers dry to sell as bottled water at a profit, it’s no wonder California is turning into a desert.

wait, wasn’t California a desert to begin with?

143 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:21:04pm

re: #141 calochortus

We just bought a Forester-does that mean my husband is a lesbian?

have you asked him?

144 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 1, 2015 8:21:15pm

re: #141 calochortus

We just bought a Forester-does that mean my husband is a lesbian?

Is he sleeping with a woman? If so…..

RBS

145 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:21:46pm

re: #143 FemNaziBitch

He seemed unclear. He likes women, but on the other hand, he’s a guy.

146 lostlakehiker  Apr 1, 2015 8:22:19pm

re: #129 FemNaziBitch

I heard part of this water story on NPR today while in the car. I was in the car a lot today.

Has anyone talked about the Ogallala Aquifer? I am particularly worried because of fracking. I haven’t heard one peep about it under any context.

Wiki lists the world-wide aquifers here.

I don’t think fracking is going to significantly affect the aquifer. The aquifer is just so big, for one thing. The real problem is simply that we’re mining the aquifer. Like any mining settlement, when the deposit plays out, the mining town dies. But in this case, it’s most of West Texas and much of Kansas and E. Colorado.

147 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:22:22pm
148 blueraven  Apr 1, 2015 8:24:09pm

re: #122 lostlakehiker

But if it simply runs off into the ocean, it’s 100% lost. Texas has an extensive system of reservoirs, built at considerable expense and with a lot of planning behind it. We lose some to evaporation, but by saving up diligently in the wet years, we’ve been able to ride out five-year droughts without drastic curtailment of consumption.

California is still growing rice. Rice! All water now going to rice cultivation ought to go to saving almond orchards and the like. And they need to build more reservoirs. But none of that will save the state from having to make more drastic cuts in consumption than are now contemplated. They face a perfect storm of natural forces, human exacerbation, and improvident folly in not having prepared.

And Texas is still growing rice as well.
Why are almond orchards more important than rice fields?

149 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:24:18pm

re: #142 FemNaziBitch

wait, wasn’t California a desert to begin with?

Depends on where you are. The SF Bay Area is just on the wet side of “semi-arid”, but we are one of the world’s most extreme Mediterranean climates. We have several months with essentially no rain, whereas most Mediterranean climates get some summer rain.

150 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:25:20pm

re: #149 calochortus

Depends on where you are. The SF Bay Area is just on the wet side of “semi-arid”, but we are one of the world’s most extreme Mediterranean climates. We have several months with essentially no rain, whereas most Mediterranean climates get some summer rain.

I thought S. California was desert until someone got the bright idea to irrigate it and then they planted oranges and Hollywood. no?

151 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:27:56pm

re: #150 FemNaziBitch

Yes, SoCal is mostly arid to semi-arid and without the California Aqueduct, the Colorado River and the water from Owens Valley (and anywhere else they can grab it) it couldn’t support anywhere near the current population, to say nothing of the agriculture.

152 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:28:05pm
153 lostlakehiker  Apr 1, 2015 8:30:35pm

re: #148 blueraven

And Texas is still growing rice as well.
Why are almond orchards more important than rice fields?

Because orchards of any kind are a multi-year investment. Oranges are more important than cotton, for the same reason.

154 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:32:07pm

re: #153 lostlakehiker

Because orchards of any kind are a multi-year investment. Oranges are more important than cotton, for the same reason.

So, it’s all about the free market unless someone chooses to plant their acreage in trees-then they get all the water they need? That’s just not how water rights work.

155 darthstar  Apr 1, 2015 8:33:27pm
156 lostlakehiker  Apr 1, 2015 8:34:30pm

re: #154 calochortus

So, it’s all about the free market unless someone chooses to plant their acreage in trees-then they get all the water they need? That’s just not how water rights work.

It’s all about the free market including rice vs. almonds. But if water could simply be bought and sold without losing future rights to the same water, the rice farmers would mothball their operations and sell their water to the orchards. Because more value, more utility to the public good, and more money, all are on the line here and rice is too water intensive considering that it’s just a staple.

157 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 8:34:37pm

re: #53 Charles Johnson

It’s going to get worse before it gets better. There’s no sign of an end to the drought at this point. Meanwhile, the Republican Party is fighting tooth and nail to prevent any action whatsoever on climate change. This country is fucked up.

It’s not the country that’s fucked up. It’s the extractive industries protecting market share (and willing paid political mouthpieces) that are fucked up.

The media is complicit by trying to be “fair”. If they simply said that Professor X was full of shit, it would go a long way to stopping the bullshit. Then again, 50% go Americans don’t accept the idea of Evolution. When you’ve got a population that ignorant, it’s easy to sell Climate Change as an Ivory Tower hoax.

So, on reflection, I’ll retract. The country *is* fucked up.

158 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:36:08pm

For Babba

159 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Apr 1, 2015 8:36:37pm

re: #156 lostlakehiker

….considering that it’s just a staple.

WTF?

160 Targetpractice  Apr 1, 2015 8:37:09pm
161 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:39:11pm

re: #156 lostlakehiker

It’s all about the free market including rice vs. almonds. But if water could simply be bought and sold without losing future rights to the same water, the rice farmers would mothball their operations and sell their water to the orchards. Because more value, more utility to the public good, and more money, all are on the line here and rice is too water intensive considering that it’s just a staple.

You can sell some of your water allocation-and it is being done, but it is too expensive for a lot of farmers to buy (that darn free market again.) Farmers are outraged because they aren’t getting cheap water from the state and either have to buy expensive water or drill very, very expensive wells.
I also fail to understand what exporting almonds does for “the public good.”

162 allegro  Apr 1, 2015 8:39:36pm

re: #156 lostlakehiker

It’s all about the free market including rice vs. almonds. But if water could simply be bought and sold without losing future rights to the same water, the rice farmers would mothball their operations and sell their water to the orchards. Because more value, more utility to the public good, and more money, all are on the line here and rice is too water intensive considering that it’s just a staple.

People needing food to avoid starving to death doesn’t enter into the argument at all then. O_o

163 darthstar  Apr 1, 2015 8:39:51pm

re: #156 lostlakehiker

It’s all about the free market including rice vs. almonds. But if water could simply be bought and sold without losing future rights to the same water, the rice farmers would mothball their operations and sell their water to the orchards. Because more value, more utility to the public good, and more money, all are on the line here and rice is too water intensive considering that it’s just a staple.

If you eat just six fewer 4-oz burgers per year it’ll save as much water as not showering. The. Whole. Year.

164 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 8:40:27pm

re: #157 austin_blue

My stance is that we are currently in a sort of no-man’s land in regards to “worldviews”, a term I throw around but which is poorly defined.

We, today, now after a few thousand years of writing, about 5 centuries of publishing and similarly 5 centuries of modern science, and especially after two centuries of the industrial revolution and large scale energy use and the resulting population boom … after all of that we can now look back and understand, to a measure, what we have done and what we are doing.

However, to be open to these insights is scary because the old stories by which we comforted ourselves (in our very real losses) can’t mix with the new knowledge.

We have yet to find a way to replace that which religion addressed. Remember, we invented religion, and like fire and cooking and language, we invented it because it filled a need.

There is too little discussion about this in our public conversations. Perhaps the saddest aspect of American politics is the complete lack of the bigger picture, in the inability to do real debates, and we miss the leaders who want to lead, that is, go in a direction we need.

165 blueraven  Apr 1, 2015 8:41:14pm

re: #156 lostlakehiker

It’s all about the free market including rice vs. almonds. But if water could simply be bought and sold without losing future rights to the same water, the rice farmers would mothball their operations and sell their water to the orchards. Because more value, more utility to the public good, and more money, all are on the line here and rice is too water intensive considering that it’s just a staple.

And rice feeds more people and is more necessary because it is a staple.

166 lostlakehiker  Apr 1, 2015 8:42:03pm

re: #159 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

WTF?

OK, if you need it spelled out: rice is relatively cheap and abundant, but not particularly nutritious. Almonds are better food, healthier, they bring a better price. Everybody’s better off if several years of almond production are got instead of one year of rice. Because the rains will eventually resume, if not enough to sustain both rice and almond cultivation, and if the almond trees are dead by then, you lose the production for a long time.

In a world facing famine, you might have a point. But the world as a whole is now verging on an obesity epidemic. Rice is JUST A STAPLE.

167 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:42:47pm
168 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:43:16pm

night all

169 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:45:18pm

re: #166 lostlakehiker

I believe the cost of rice has doubled over the last decade or so. This is a huge problem for the poor of the world. They aren’t going to be able to eat almonds instead.

170 blueraven  Apr 1, 2015 8:46:12pm

re: #166 lostlakehiker

OK, if you need it spelled out: rice is relatively cheap and abundant, but not particularly nutritious. Almonds are better food, healthier, they bring a better price. Everybody’s better off if several years of almond production are got instead of one year of rice. Because the rains will eventually resume, if not enough to sustain both rice and almond cultivation, and if the almond trees are dead by then, you lose the production for a long time.

In a world facing famine, you might have a point. But the world as a whole is now verging on an obesity epidemic. Rice is JUST A STAPLE.

And almonds are expensive! Many poor people will never eat almonds. They are not affordable for many. Rice, on the other hand…

171 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:47:01pm

re: #166 lostlakehiker

Also, I’m a little surprised that you are arguing for a government regulation of food production.

172 #FergusonFireside  Apr 1, 2015 8:47:10pm

re: #142 FemNaziBitch

wait, wasn’t California a desert to begin with?

Yes.

173 allegro  Apr 1, 2015 8:47:52pm

re: #170 blueraven

And almonds are expensive! Many poor people will never eat almonds. They are not affordable for many. Rice, on the other hand…

Is a staple. Correct. Someone seems to not understand the meaning of that.

174 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:49:02pm

WAIT —WHAT?

175 FemNaziBitch  Apr 1, 2015 8:49:22pm

BBL

176 #FergusonFireside  Apr 1, 2015 8:49:39pm

GGT hope you are still here, you must click this one.

littlegreenfootballs.com

177 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 8:50:46pm

re: #156 lostlakehiker

It’s all about the free market including rice vs. almonds. But if water could simply be bought and sold without losing future rights to the same water, the rice farmers would mothball their operations and sell their water to the orchards. Because more value, more utility to the public good, and more money, all are on the line here and rice is too water intensive considering that it’s just a staple.

Rice farmers in Texas (yes, dear friends, Texas) are not getting any water from the Colorado river (my reservoir system) for the 4th straight year. Our reservoirs upstream of Austin are at about 35% of capacity (700,000 acre feet out of of two million storage). But upstream of us? Oh, it’s hell in a bucket:

waterdatafortexas.org

Lakes Austin, LBJ and Inks are constant level holding ponds between reservoirs. Outliers. West Texas as is fucked as a Bangkok bargirl. And, oh, did I mention they are fracking the shit out of the Colorado River basin in West Texas and that water use is unreported and unrestricted?

We loves oil & gas production here in Texas!

178 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Apr 1, 2015 8:51:09pm

re: #166 lostlakehiker

Almonds are the ultimate in unnecessary luxury crops. You can survive (barely) on nothing but rice, and a large proportion of the world’s population does just that. Thanks for demonstrating that money is all that matters to some people.

179 Eclectic Cyborg  Apr 1, 2015 8:51:11pm

re: #174 FemNaziBitch

WAIT —WHAT?

[Embedded content]

April Fool’s.

180 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 8:51:48pm

California is a very large state. There’s a substantial fraction that is not a desert. The portion of the state north of SF is itself larger than many other states, and quite wet (except in the far east.)

However most of us live in the southland, and most of the food is grown using water from somewhere else or pumped out of depleting reservoirs.

Fighting over water for agriculture is not new. There is a never ending battle down here for the Colorado river. The Mexicans basically lost.

Rice is grown in central California but is not that significant of a crop.

181 #FergusonFireside  Apr 1, 2015 8:54:20pm

re: #160 Targetpractice

Embedded Image

There needs to be a Religious Freedom headline to that graphic.

182 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 1, 2015 8:54:37pm

Illinois decided that wild rice was insignificant enough of a crop that they built a city on top of it.
// ;P

183 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 8:57:54pm

re: #164 freetoken

My stance is that we are currently in a sort of no-man’s land in regards to “worldviews”, a term I throw around but which is poorly defined.

We, today, now after a few thousand years of writing, about 5 centuries of publishing and similarly 5 centuries of modern science, and especially after two centuries of the industrial revolution and large scale energy use and the resulting population boom … after all of that we can now look back and understand, to a measure, what we have done and what we are doing.

However, to be open to these insights is scary because the old stories by which we comforted ourselves (in our very real losses) can’t mix with the new knowledge.

We have yet to find a way to replace that which religion addressed. Remember, we invented religion, and like fire and cooking and language, we invented it because it filled a need.

There is too little discussion about this in our public conversations. Perhaps the saddest aspect of American politics is the complete lack of the bigger picture, in the inability to do real debates, and we miss the leaders who want to lead, that is, go in a direction we need.

Goddam it, I love reading your posts! Your logic is always consistent. You cut through the bullshit and get right at the point.

Please note the distinction:

Not to it, at it. Much more important.

{virtual bro hug with a triple back slap}

You are my kind of polymath.

184 calochortus  Apr 1, 2015 8:58:13pm

Time for PBS’s Emperor of All Maladies, so I will say good night.
Hasta mañana.

185 teleskiguy  Apr 1, 2015 8:59:03pm

re: #179 Eclectic Cyborg

April Fool’s.

The worst day on the internet.

Shit like this.

186 #FergusonFireside  Apr 1, 2015 8:59:48pm

re: #176 #FergusonFireside

GGT hope you are still here, you must click this one.

littlegreenfootballs.com

missed her. damn it!!!

187 blueraven  Apr 1, 2015 9:00:01pm

re: #184 calochortus

Time for PBS’s Emperor of All Maladies, so I will say good night.
Hasta mañana.

hmmm…Charlie Rose here, but good enough.

Nite all.

188 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 9:00:20pm

re: #178 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

Rice, the kind grown in wetlands, isn’t really competing with almond crop, which is grown in the warmer and drier parts of valley. All crops are competing for water, if they are irrigated. But the microclimates and soils determine what will grow best.

In my opinion, the true example of unnecessary luxury food is the iceberg lettuce, which is basically worthless as a food source.

189 Romantic Heretic  Apr 1, 2015 9:02:42pm

re: #70 Dark_Falcon

Checked the comments. The man has lots of people who agree with him.

190 Eclectic Cyborg  Apr 1, 2015 9:03:47pm

I got the solution for your water problems right here!

191 #FergusonFireside  Apr 1, 2015 9:04:12pm

re: #184 calochortus

Time for PBS’s Emperor of All Maladies, so I will say good night.
Hasta mañana.

THANK YOU for the reminder.

192 b_sharp  Apr 1, 2015 9:05:25pm

re: #164 freetoken

My stance is that we are currently in a sort of no-man’s land in regards to “worldviews”, a term I throw around but which is poorly defined.

We, today, now after a few thousand years of writing, about 5 centuries of publishing and similarly 5 centuries of modern science, and especially after two centuries of the industrial revolution and large scale energy use and the resulting population boom … after all of that we can now look back and understand, to a measure, what we have done and what we are doing.

However, to be open to these insights is scary because the old stories by which we comforted ourselves (in our very real losses) can’t mix with the new knowledge.

We have yet to find a way to replace that which religion addressed. Remember, we invented religion, and like fire and cooking and language, we invented it because it filled a need.

There is too little discussion about this in our public conversations. Perhaps the saddest aspect of American politics is the complete lack of the bigger picture, in the inability to do real debates, and we miss the leaders who want to lead, that is, go in a direction we need.

Yes.

193 Targetpractice  Apr 1, 2015 9:07:31pm

re: #190 Eclectic Cyborg

I got the solution for your water problems right here!

[Embedded content]

What, global flooding? Growing gills? Drinking your own urine? Becoming so dull that people wonder if you’re overdosing on valium?

194 7-y (Expectation of Great Things in Due Course)  Apr 1, 2015 9:12:01pm

re: #91 Decatur Deb

The Roy Moore-inspired revival meetings continue here. Now there are two lawns in my neighborhood with “I Stand For Biblical Marriage” signs.

In reply: “Marry ‘em all and let God sort them out.” :)

195 Romantic Heretic  Apr 1, 2015 9:15:09pm

re: #140 FemNaziBitch

Just did a seek and find for aquifer. I missed this post.

Late to the computer and not staying long.

How has the day been everyone?

It’s been good. How are you?

196 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 1, 2015 9:16:45pm

Came home after teaching two morning classes. It was a warm sunny day, so the perfect time to wash the sheets and put out the duvet to air.

Two hours later, everything has to come back in, because thunderstorms are coming in now.

At least the sheets are dry — I put everything up on the roof, where stuff dries in no time.

Meanwhile, I forgot to connect the drain hose to the washing machine, so my other morning activity was mopping the floor (it needed it, BTW) on the “balcony.” (A former balcony, now enclosed.)

Spring cleaning time, I guess.

197 #FergusonFireside  Apr 1, 2015 9:20:29pm

Nighty!

198 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 1, 2015 9:21:40pm

And now it’s pouring outside.

199 retired cynic  Apr 1, 2015 9:22:57pm

re: #198 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Here, too. Long way from you! Illinois!

200 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 9:23:19pm

re: #190 Eclectic Cyborg

I got the solution for your water problems right here!

Embedded Image

Sadly, if you plant salt, you’re going to harvest wind.

201 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 9:24:40pm

re: #196 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Came home after teaching two morning classes. It was a warm sunny day, so the perfect time to wash the sheets and put out the duvet to air.

Two hours later, everything has to come back in, because thunderstorms are coming in now.

At least the sheets are dry — I put everything up on the roof, where stuff dries in no time.

Meanwhile, I forgot to connect the drain hose to the washing machine, so my other morning activity was mopping the floor (it needed it, BTW) on the “balcony.” (A former balcony, now enclosed.)

Spring cleaning time, I guess.

Where are you in China? Does air drying sheets actually make them dirtier?

202 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 1, 2015 9:24:52pm

re: #199 retired cynic

Here, too. Long way from you! Illinois!

Need to keep the Earth balanced, so it doesn’t wobble too much and make us all dizzy.
/

203 retired cynic  Apr 1, 2015 9:25:45pm

re: #202 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I’ll let you know if I have to go north….

204 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 1, 2015 9:27:10pm

re: #201 austin_blue

Where are you in China? Does air drying sheets actually make them dirtier?

I live in a smallish city in western Hunan. It’s mostly agriculture here, and the power plants are long way off. We probably get most of our power from Three Gorges Dam, which not too far from here. So the air quality is much better than in the metropolises to the south and east.

205 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 1, 2015 9:31:10pm

re: #200 austin_blue

Sadly, if you plant salt, you’re going to harvest wind.

If you draw off enough water you harvest salty wind. Just like the Owens Valley.

206 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 9:32:00pm

re: #204 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I live in a smallish city in western Hunan. It’s mostly agriculture here, and the power plants are long way off. We probably get most of our power from Three Gorges Dam, which not too far from here. So the air quality is much better than in the metropolises to the south and east.

Lucky! The industrialized cities are just alveoli hells. I assume you are an English teacher, no? How has your relationship with the locals changed in the last few years? Better? Worse? As the growth in GDP has sagged, I am curious how it has affected Bignoses.

207 Tsuga  Apr 1, 2015 9:33:04pm

I’m responding here more to what people have been posting on a number of sites in response to articles like the one linked above.

Most of southern California is desert, but then that desert is mostly very sparsely inhabited except for the mostly agricultural Coachella, Imperial, and Palo Verde Valleys.

Greater LA and San Diego (where the people are in SoCal) are not true desert, contrary to popular belief, but they are semi-arid and certainly could not support their current population with just local water. On the other hand the San Francisco Bay Area also needs to import most of its water (though from within the state) despite being considerably wetter.

The issue that so many fail to grasp is that all across the west (except for northwest California, western Oregon, and western Washington) we have arid, semi-arid, or at least seasonally arid lowlands located near snowy mountains that send quite a bit of water down to the lowlands. Should we tell people they need to live up in the rugged country where the water originates? Or can they live lower down where it’s a more reasonable place to habitate, and use the water coming down from the mountains? If the latter, then they’re living in a desert or semidesert and aren’t they stupid idiots?

Of course it’s more complicated than that, with longstanding overdraft of groundwater in some of these drier areas due to human greed and shortsightedness, and urban growth sometimes allowed to go beyond local water supply. Also, some of the water diversions have been very environmentally damaging. A much better balance could have been struck. Still, I see an awful lot of comments on various sites regarding these issues that are based on unjustified assumptions, stereotypes, and simply not thinking things through.

If California is a desert (as so many say) then how did all these people come to live here? Aren’t deserts almost always dry? Where did the water come from, outside of the chunk of southern California that’s tapped the Colorado River? Well, in the rest of the state the vast majority has been coming from runoff from within the state, and until the current drought only a small portion from groundwater overdraft.

There’s a really good climate map of California here. Just casually eyeballing the map, it looks like over half the state fits into the combined arid/semiarid category (you have to click and enlarge the map to read the legend). On the other hand, many of the moister mountain areas are disproportionately moist as you can see here, which is why they have been such great sources of water until now.

208 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 1, 2015 9:40:39pm

re: #206 austin_blue

Lucky! The industrialized cities are just alveoli hells. I assume you are an English teacher, no? How has your relationship with the locals changed in the last few years? Better? Worse? As the growth in GDP has sagged, I am curious how it has affected Bignoses.

Yeah, I teach English at the university here. Been here going on seven years. I’m one of very few foreigners who have stayed that long. Most English teachers move on after 1-2 years, and “big noses” are pretty rare in this part of China to begin with. Less than 20 that I know of in a city of 300,000.

My relations with the locals is very good, since I’ve stayed so long. My job is pretty secure, but I hear a lot of Westerners in the big cities are heading home, as trade dries up and conditions in the cities become less favorable.

209 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 9:43:48pm

re: #207 Tsuga

I’m responding here more to what people have been posting on a number of sites in response to articles like the one linked above.

Most of southern California is desert, but then that desert is mostly very sparsely inhabited except for the mostly agricultural Coachella, Imperial, and Palo Verde Valleys.

Greater LA and San Diego (where the people are in SoCal) are not true desert, contrary to popular belief, but they are semi-arid and certainly could not support their current population with just local water. On the other hand the San Francisco Bay Area also needs to import most of its water (though from within the state) despite being considerably wetter.

The issue that so many fail to grasp is that all across the west (except for northwest California, western Oregon, and western Washington) we have arid, semi-arid, or at least seasonally arid lowlands located near snowy mountains that send quite a bit of water down to the lowlands. Should we tell people they need to live up in the rugged country where the water originates? Or can they live lower down where it’s a more reasonable place to habitate, and use the water coming down from the mountains? If the latter, then they’re living in a desert or semidesert and aren’t they stupid idiots?

Of course it’s more complicated than that, with longstanding overdraft of groundwater in some of these drier areas due to human greed and shortsightedness, and urban growth sometimes allowed to go beyond local water supply. Also, some of the water diversions have been very environmentally damaging. A much better balance could have been struck. Still, I see an awful lot of comments on various sites regarding these issues that are based on unjustified assumptions, stereotypes, and simply not thinking things through.

If California is a desert (as so many say) then how did all these people come to live here? Aren’t deserts almost always dry? Where did the water come from, outside of the chunk of southern California that’s tapped the Colorado River? Well, in the rest of the state the vast majority has been coming from runoff from within the state, and until the current drought only a small portion from groundwater overdraft.

There’s a really good climate map of California here. Just casually eyeballing the map, it looks like over half the state fits into the combined arid/semiarid category (you have to click and enlarge the map to read the legend). On the other hand, many of the moister mountain areas are disproportionately moist as you can see here, which is why they have been such great sources of water until now.

Rainfall in San Diego is 24.6” per year. While this is not a desert level of precipitation, it’s pretty scant in an area without a single dedicated reservoir and a population that Is sitting at 1.345 million thirsty residents, not including the suburbs. It is also a number that is highly affected by the ENSO Oscillation, and right now Cali is getting fucked. And Climate Change is just going to make it worse, on average.

Where will these water refugees go?

210 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 9:46:30pm

re: #208 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Yeah, I teach English at the university here. Been here going on seven years. I’m one of very few foreigners who have stayed that long. Most English teachers move on after 1-2 years, and “big noses” are pretty rare in this part of China to begin with. Less than 20 that I know of in a city of 300,000.

My relations with the locals is very good, since I’ve stayed so long. My job is pretty secure, but I hear a lot of Westerners in the big cities are heading home, as trade dries up and conditions in the cities become less favorable.

Thanks for that. I hope you can stay as long as you are happy to do so.

211 Tsuga  Apr 1, 2015 9:48:54pm

re: #209 austin_blue

I think that number is cm, not inches. Yes, as I said the major urban areas in southern California have more people than could be supported by local water supply, even with more reservoirs. On the other hand, if push comes to shove agriculture will eventually take the hit and water will be reallocated to cities, albeit with tighter restrictions on use.

212 Kragar  Apr 1, 2015 9:49:33pm

re: #209 austin_blue

Rainfall in San Diego is 24.6” per year. While this is not a desert level of precipitation, it’s pretty scant in an area without a single dedicate reservoir and a population that Is sitting at 1.345 million thirsty residents, not including the suburbs. It is also a number that is highly affected by the ENSO Oscillation, and right now Cali is getting fucked. And Climate Change is just going to make it worse, on average.

Where will these water refugees go?

Considering the substantial military presence in San Diego, both active duty, supporting civilians, and the businesses which cater to them, a lot of them aren’t going anywhere.

213 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 1, 2015 9:49:47pm

re: #210 austin_blue

Thanks for that. I hope you can stay as long as you are happy to do so.

That’s my plan, so far anyway. If I moved to a larger city, I’d be paid more, but the disadvantages outweigh that advantage.

214 Tigger2  Apr 1, 2015 9:51:36pm

re: #70 Dark_Falcon

Anti-Government wingnut fights the law: The law wins.

So this guy was advocating terrorism. And the federal government nailed him with a classic anti-terrorist sting. Good for the feds.

They should check and see if he’s on food stamps.

215 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 1, 2015 9:53:37pm

Aaannd … the rain is over, and the sun’s coming back out.

0_o.

216 Sophist -- Missouri Goddamn  Apr 1, 2015 9:58:33pm

re: #148 blueraven

And Texas is still growing rice as well.
Why are almond orchards more important than rice fields?

Because if a field of rice gets killed by drought you just plant some more next year and bam! - you’ve got a crop of rice to sell. Almond trees? Not so much.

217 Sophist -- Missouri Goddamn  Apr 1, 2015 10:02:01pm

re: #154 calochortus

So, it’s all about the free market unless someone chooses to plant their acreage in trees-then they get all the water they need? That’s just not how water rights work.

Water rights work? How was this miracle performed, and why did nobody tell me?

218 Kragar  Apr 1, 2015 10:04:55pm

“There is more to gay sex than cake and flowers,” he explained as Waggoner’s eyes narrowed. “These people are not being asked to engage in gay sex, or even endorse gay sex. They’re being asked to sell flowers and cake to people. And that is hypothetical. Now I’m a libertarian and a atheist, so I’m kind of fighting myself on this. I don’t like the government involved and telling people what to do. I certainly want people to have religious freedom, because the only way people who don’t have religion can have freedom is if people who do have religion have freedom.”

“But all the same, we have to make sure we don’t get too crazy in the hypotheticals,” he continued. “You’re not talking about forcing people to engage in gay sex, or even endorse gay sex. We’re asking them that maybe they can treat people the same as other people, and that does not seem unreasonable. It’s okay, I suppose — although goofy- to be against gays, but it’s not okay to be against people who simply want to use your services.”

219 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 10:05:30pm

re: #209 austin_blue

Rainfall in San Diego is 24.6” per year.

I don’t know where you got those figures, but even the top of Mt. Palomar doesn’t get that much rain.

Near the ocean the long term rainfall averages a bit over 9” per year. That is why this is a desert. Foothills maybe a inch or two or so more but it is hotter here so the soil dries out more quickly. In the mountains there is enough rain for forest growth above about 3000 feet.

The rainfall increases as one goes north. LA gets a couple of more inches of rain, then by Santa Barbara a bit more. Heading south one gets to the middle of Baja where it is possible to go an entire year without rain, then as one continues toward the tropics rainfall starts to increase.

We are indeed a desert, a coastal desert as it is called.

That is why everyone wanted to live here - sunshine, no rain, not too hot, not too cold.

But the climate that makes each day so pleasant here is not able to support the human lives. We exist here only because we import 2/3rds of our water, and import our staples foods (and we used to export luxury foods like avocado and citrus but a great deal of farming has fallen to housing development.)

220 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 10:08:20pm

Even before the Europeans arrived, the native American population in southern California was not that large. Desert living is hard without the industrial age.

221 Kragar  Apr 1, 2015 10:14:05pm

Water’s role in the rise and fall of the Roman Empire

Smart agricultural practices and an extensive grain-trade network enabled the Romans to thrive in the water-limited environment of the Mediterranean, a new study shows. But the stable food supply brought about by these measures promoted population growth and urbanisation, pushing the Empire closer to the limits of its food resources. The research, by an international team of hydrologists and Roman historians, is published today in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, an open access journal of the European Geosciences Union (EGU).

Stretching over three continents and persisting for many centuries, the Roman Empire was home to an estimated 70 million people. In such a vast area ensuring a stable food supply was no easy task, particularly given the variable and arid climate of the Mediterranean region. So how did the Romans maintain reliable food supplies to their cities for centuries under such challenging conditions?

To find out, Brian Dermody, an environmental scientist from Utrecht University, teamed up with hydrologists from the Netherlands and classicists at Stanford University in the US. The researchers wanted to know how the way Romans managed water for agriculture and traded crops contributed to the longevity of their civilisation. They were also curious to find out if these practices played a role in the eventual fall of the Empire.

“We can learn much from investigating how past societies dealt with changes in their environment,” says Dermody. He draws parallels between the Roman civilisation and our own. “For example, the Romans were confronted with managing their water resources in the face of population growth and urbanisation. To ensure the continued growth and stability of their civilisation, they had to guarantee a stable food supply to their cities, many located in water-poor regions.”

222 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 10:14:26pm

re: #211 Tsuga

I think that number is cm, not inches. Yes, as I said the major urban areas in southern California have more people than could be supported by local water supply, even with more reservoirs. On the other hand, if push comes to shove agriculture will eventually take the hit and water will be reallocated to cities, albeit with tighter restrictions on use.

Oops, you are absolutely correct. 10.34” is the average

en.wikipedia.org

That’s much closer to El Paso than to Austin at +/- 32”/year. Last year was a “wet year” in Austin, but very little fell in the area west of us, so our reservoirs remained static, at historically low levels.

Damn climate change. Damn science. Can’t I just listen to Faux News and agree that it isn’t happening?

Oh, wait, I don’t have cable.

223 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 10:21:29pm

re: #219 freetoken

I don’t know where you got those figures, but even the top of Mt. Palomar doesn’t get that much rain.

Near the ocean the long term rainfall averages a bit over 9” per year. That is why this is a desert. Foothills maybe a inch or two or so more but it is hotter here so the soil dries out more quickly. In the mountains there is enough rain for forest growth above about 3000 feet.

The rainfall increases as one goes north. LA gets a couple of more inches of rain, then by Santa Barbara a bit more. Heading south one gets to the middle of Baja where it is possible to go an entire year without rain, then as one continues toward the tropics rainfall starts to increase.

We are indeed a desert, a coastal desert as it is called.

That is why everyone wanted to live here - sunshine, no rain, not too hot, not too cold.

But the climate that makes each day so pleasant here is not able to support the human lives. We exist here only because we import 2/3rds of our water, and import our staples foods (and we used to export luxury foods like avocado and citrus but a great deal of farming has fallen to housing development.)

Yes. Centimeters vs. inches. Major fuckup in reading units.Mea culpa, and it makes a big difference.

{Pulls forelock, slinks away. Damn the metric system!}

224 Tsuga  Apr 1, 2015 10:29:52pm

re: #222 austin_blue

Figuring out the effect of climate on water availability and vegetation type is a little more complicated than just comparing total precipitation. In a hot summer climate, very occasional summer rainfall (which predominate in the Chihuahuan Desert including El Paso), tends to evaporate quickly if it doesn’t run off quickly due to coming in the form of brief, intense summer thunderstorms. So El Paso does have a climate that is effectively very dry.

In contrast, in a coastal Mediterranean climate, winter rainfall that mostly falls gently can better soak into the ground to replenish soil moisture and ground water, and can also provide at least a portion of the year where plants can grow without special drought-tolerance adaptations. (Think of the green grass of winter.) Mild summer temperatures and humidity from coastal air reduce evaporation and transpiration. The overall result is a Mediterranean ecosystem rather than a desert one.

However, one thing I neglected to mention in discussing southern California climate is the matter of rainfall variability. Mean rainfall amounts are a somewhat misleading there due to the very high amount of inter-year variability as well as the skewed distribution of annual rainfall amounts. The mean is well above the median. So most years will be below average and that lower number (the median) is what will tend to determine the character of the landscape.

225 Tsuga  Apr 1, 2015 10:31:33pm

Checking out for the night. Night, lizards!

226 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Apr 1, 2015 10:34:52pm

On the subject of almonds: Lostlakehiker said upthread that they’re a “better food” than rice. Now I’m sure they have a lot of nutrients in them, and in Calories/lb., I’m sure they’re way ahead of rice, but…. Let’s remember that almonds are the pits of a strain of apricot that’s been bred to concentrate less cyanide there—but “less cyanide” does not equal “no cyanide”. You really don’t want to make almonds a major part of your diet.

227 CuriousLurker  Apr 1, 2015 10:36:21pm

re: #164 freetoken

My stance is that we are currently in a sort of no-man’s land in regards to “worldviews”, a term I throw around but which is poorly defined.

We, today, now after a few thousand years of writing, about 5 centuries of publishing and similarly 5 centuries of modern science, and especially after two centuries of the industrial revolution and large scale energy use and the resulting population boom … after all of that we can now look back and understand, to a measure, what we have done and what we are doing.

However, to be open to these insights is scary because the old stories by which we comforted ourselves (in our very real losses) can’t mix with the new knowledge.

We have yet to find a way to replace that which religion addressed. Remember, we invented religion, and like fire and cooking and language, we invented it because it filled a need.

There is too little discussion about this in our public conversations. Perhaps the saddest aspect of American politics is the complete lack of the bigger picture, in the inability to do real debates, and we miss the leaders who want to lead, that is, go in a direction we need.

You’re speaking about us as if “we”—the human race—are a monolith. The things you’ve listed are things that, for the most part, have happened to the Western world in the time frames you mentioned, not everywhere. At one time we Westerners were behind in terms of technology, wealth, power, etc. Now we lead and others are struggling to catch up and, in some cases, resisting all the change.

Our technology has brought us together in terms of the ability to communicate, but we’re not all at the same place in terms of science, education, philosophy, and spiritual & social development.

On the monolithic side, you can add to that the fact that (as a species) our technological evolution has far surpassed our biological ability to adapt to the changes we’ve wrought. We’re working with instincts that have remained largely unchanged for millennia, i.e. we’re programmed to respond to immediate potential threats—a twig snaps, look out for a predator! who is that stranger from the tribe so different from ours, is he friend or foe??—not gradual threats like climate change, nuclear proliferation, or the complexities of multiculturalism that we’re all now confronted with to some degree.

Some of us are embracing the change and others, as I mentioned, are resisting it tooth & nail. What “we” need to help us cope with this new knowledge, this new way of doing things and looking at the world will most likely be as diverse as we are—what works for you on the West Coast will differ from what works for me here on the East Coast, or from someone who lives in a small town in the South or Midwest. The differences will be even greater as you traverse continents and their various geographies, languages, economies, political systems, social structures, and religious beliefs.

tl;dr version: The “big picture” may seem monolithic from a distance, but when you draw close you’re quickly confronted with the reality of a very complex mosaic made up of billions of unique little pieces. There’s no simple answer for this sort of existential question. Macro, meso, micro…

And on that note, I need to get some sleep. Later, lizards.

228 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 10:45:25pm

re: #223 austin_blue

Yes. Centimeters vs. inches. Major fuckup in reading units.Mea culpa, and it makes a big difference.

{Pulls forelock, slinks away. Damn the metric system!}

I blame the French.

229 freetoken  Apr 1, 2015 11:03:06pm

re: #226 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

The Rosaceae often contain Amygdalin, which include the loquats I love (and are careful not to eat the seeds.) I remember when I was young I was always warned to not swallow apple seeds. However, that was probably being over-safe.

Almonds we grow have been bred over millennia to not produce dangerous levels. California cultivars have particular low levels of amygdalin:
books.google.com
I used to eat California almonds every day by the handful with no apparent harmful effect.

230 Kragar  Apr 1, 2015 11:03:44pm

For you gamers out there, I highly recommend this one:

This War of Mine

In This War of Mine, the focus is shifted away from military operations portrayed in most games. Instead, it is a dark survival game where players control a gaggle of civilians attempting to stay alive in a besieged city. During the day snipers outside stop you from leaving your refuge, offering players time to craft, trade, upgrade their shelter, feed and cure their people. At night they must scavenge nearby areas in search for food, medicines, weapons and other useful items.

Metacritic Score: 83/100

231 BeenHereAwhile  Apr 1, 2015 11:11:19pm

re: #37 b.d.

I’ve been to a dozen gay marriages, 11 klan rallies, 10 CPACs, 9 book burnings, 8 asian dating sites, 7 how to create Twitter fake account workshops, 6 visits to breitbart’s grave, 5 marriage counselors, 4 pawn shops, 3 burning mans, 2 parole officers, 1 job interview and zero mississippi court appearances.

“I got six Cadillacs, five Lincolns, four Fords, six Mercuries, three T-Birds, Mustang, ooooooohhh…I’m a lover.”

Otis Redding

232 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 11:15:12pm

re: #231 BeenHereAwhile

“I got six Cadillacs, five Lincolns, four Fords, six Mercuries, three T-Birds, Mustang, ooooooohhh…I’m a lover.”

Otis Redding

Now, see, that’s comedy, if real. Well played.

233 austin_blue  Apr 1, 2015 11:27:11pm

I’ve got to get to sleep. Cleaning up nitnoids at work tomorrow so She Who Must Be Obeyed and I can fly off to the UK for two weeks.

Ice and Jimmah, are you out there? We’ll be in Edinburgh from April 10th to the 15th. The Cloisters and Bennet’s are the pubs of choice. Would love to visit.

Adios, all. Sweet scaly dreams.

234 goddamnedfrank  Apr 1, 2015 11:34:25pm
235 BeenHereAwhile  Apr 1, 2015 11:51:14pm

re: #232 austin_blue

Now, see, that’s comedy, if real. Well played.

“Tramp” Otis & Carla Thomas

Above quote at 1:40

236 BeenHereAwhile  Apr 1, 2015 11:57:47pm

re: #190 Eclectic Cyborg

I got the solution for your water problems right here!

Embedded Image

Or stillsuits.

237 Single-handed sailor  Apr 2, 2015 12:07:19am

Earthquake. 4.0 or so. pretty close to Mt Diablo.

238 Amory Blaine  Apr 2, 2015 12:08:46am

Sergey, have you seen The Lost?

Leaves a taint on you.

239 Khal Wimpo  Apr 2, 2015 12:09:59am

re: #35 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Dude. Wait. WHAT?

The right to simply exist as a human being in a civil society in Indiana is now equated with being forced to watch The Ghey Pr0n? I … uh … (brain seizes, drool leaks out of corners of mouth for 5 minutes) … geez. I got nothing. That is so fucking stupid, I just can’t even. There is a level of denial and projection at work here that is pretty much on Jame Gumb level.

240 Single-handed sailor  Apr 2, 2015 12:12:04am

re: #237 Single-handed sailor

Earthquake. 4.0 or so. pretty close to Mt Diablo.

M3.5 preliminary in San Ramon.

241 Amory Blaine  Apr 2, 2015 12:28:10am

242 Amory Blaine  Apr 2, 2015 12:41:55am

When I was a little kid the ELO album Out of the Blue came out, and it featured a cutout spaceship insert. Which I dutifully assembled.

243 Nyet  Apr 2, 2015 12:50:50am

re: #54 Belafon

The Bible doesn’t say anything about them.

Romans 1:

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

244 freetoken  Apr 2, 2015 12:52:07am
245 Nyet  Apr 2, 2015 1:20:32am

re: #238 Amory Blaine

Sergey, have you seen The Lost?

Leaves a taint on you.

No. Added to the list ;)

246 Ace-o-aces  Apr 2, 2015 1:30:20am

Her piece is titled “Beware of Michiganistan”. It’s basically the same thing that every bigot has written about every immigrant population since the U.S. was founded.

247 Romantic Heretic  Apr 2, 2015 1:41:49am

re: #221 Kragar

Water’s role in the rise and fall of the Roman Empire

I’m reminded of Heinlein’s The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress. The Moon was used as a penal colony and grain farm. The grain was freeze dried and delivered via magnetic catapult to Earth for overpopulated areas such as India.

Problem was that even though most of the water was removed there was still water leaving and soon it was going to get too low to support the people living on the Moon. The sentient computer that predicted this guessed that there would be cannibalism within five years.

Based on a now disproven hypothesis of how the Moon was formed but a good book.

248 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 2:09:07am

re: #246 Ace-o-aces

[Embedded content]

Her piece is titled “Beware of Michiganistan”. It’s basically the same thing that every bigot has written about every immigrant population since the U.S. was founded.

Yeah, and I’m old enough to remember how Jews and Catholics were seen as a destabilizing factor in southern states, also. Suspect because of their religion and because so many came from outside the south, “northern invaders” and “meddlers” in “southern culture”, i.e., race and religion, among other issues, esp Jews who tended to be involved in social justice, but also Catholics (even today) favoring “foreigners”, such as Vietnamese and Latinos, in their charitable work.

White resentment has always resided in the south.

249 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 2:20:44am

Iran’s Foreign Minister Zarif says significant progress has been made in nuclear talks - @Reuters
end of alert

250 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 2:43:35am

re: #249 Justanotherhuman

Iran’s Foreign Minister Zarif says significant progress has been made in nuclear talks - @Reuters
end of alert

This can only mean he has Kerry gagged, bound and bent over the barrel with Obama’s silent approval.

/

251 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 2:46:06am

Write about what you actually know, cont.

The Corrections: Jonathan Franzen’s Deeply Irresponsible Climate Change Article

thinkprogress.org

“The New Yorker has published one of the most bird-brained and hypocritical climate articles ever, “Carbon Capture: Has climate change made it harder for people to care about conservation?” Quick answer: No!

“Awareness of and action on climate change are entirely about conservation — conserving a livable climate for humans and all other species. Aggressive climate action now would be an immediate boon to the overwhelming majority of living things, although I do think some tropical diseases, jelly fish, pests and other invasive species might lose out.

“But the New Yorker and the blinkered author of this piece, one Jonathan Franzen, actually would like to “preserve nature at potential human expense.” Franzen frames our choice this way: “The Earth as we now know it resembles a patient whose terminal cancer we can choose to treat either with disfiguring aggression or with palliation and sympathy.” More

252 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 2:46:20am

re: #250 Alyosha

Heh. : )

253 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 2:54:51am

re: #252 Justanotherhuman

If the US is able to pull off a deal that is both firm and fair, it will be a testament to Kerry and the American diplomatic delegation’s skill to somehow offset the damage done by Cotton et al.

I’m guessing that in order to guarantee the deal isn’t rescinded by a future Republican president the US agreed to allow the Revolutionary Guard to vote in American elections.

It’s the only way they could’ve pulled it off! ;)

254 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 2:56:42am

Kenya is having a truly awful day….

Police: At least 2 people killed, 4 wounded in attack on Kenyan university - @AP
end of alert

Mortuary attendant says at least 15 dead in Kenya college attack - @AP
end of alert

2 killed several trapped after a 6 storey building under construction collapses in Roysambu area of Nairobi, Kenya - @StandardKenya
end of alert

The destruction shown earlier:

255 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 3:20:20am

Be careful what you wish for, cont.

Russia steps in as job losses, closures ravage east Ukraine

france24.com

“Fierce fighting between government forces and pro-Russian rebels has ravaged a region that once provided 25 percent of the nation’s exports and has shorn Kiev of a vital source of foreign currency, seeing the Ukrainian economy contract sharply.

“For people in rebel-held territory, the destruction of infrastructure and a cut-off of government support along with the legal limbo created by the separatist takeover have left once-flourishing cities in dire straits.

“In total, medium and large businesses employed close to 350,000 people in Donetsk in the first half of 2014, according to the city’s mayor Oleksandr Lukyanchenko, who fled to Kiev after rebels took the city almost a year ago.

“Half of them have now lost their jobs, and main source of income,” he told AFP.” More

256 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 3:26:32am

re: #255 Justanotherhuman

Be careful what you wish for, cont.

Russia steps in as job losses, closures ravage east Ukraine

france24.com

“Fierce fighting between government forces and pro-Russian rebels has ravaged a region that once provided 25 percent of the nation’s exports and has shorn Kiev of a vital source of foreign currency, seeing the Ukrainian economy contract sharply.

“For people in rebel-held territory, the destruction of infrastructure and a cut-off of government support along with the legal limbo created by the separatist takeover have left once-flourishing cities in dire straits.

“In total, medium and large businesses employed close to 350,000 people in Donetsk in the first half of 2014, according to the city’s mayor Oleksandr Lukyanchenko, who fled to Kiev after rebels took the city almost a year ago.

“Half of them have now lost their jobs, and main source of income,” he told AFP.” More

My friends from Luhansk city tell me it’s a mess there still, even though the rebels have been largely pushed out. The university seems unable to function properly, so the faculty and student exchanges with my uni here in China have ended. So, my Ukrainian neighbors are now looking for work elsewhere. Our uni’s music college seems unwilling to continue their contracts without their home institution’s support.

If anyone needs a university-level voice or piano teacher, let me know. :-)

257 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 3:37:13am

OH HAI.

I’m in Israel now FINALLY.

The bag was at the PRAGUE AIRPORT THE WHOLE FUCKING TIME. We were reunited just in time to board the flight to Tel Aviv.

258 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 3:38:17am

More from Kenya.

Corrected.

259 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 3:40:04am

re: #257 The Mother Of All Pies

Ho-lee shit! I believe that is what you Americans sometimes call ‘bush league’.

260 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 3:40:15am

re: #257 The Mother Of All Pies

OH HAI.

I’m in Israel now FINALLY.

The bag was at the PRAGUE AIRPORT THE WHOLE FUCKING TIME. We were reunited just in time to board the flight to Tel Aviv.

And no one at the airline bothered to check…

Idiots.

261 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 3:42:50am

re: #260 Justanotherhuman

And no one at the airline bothered to check…

Idiots.

I think that the baggage claim agent was staring directly at my bag the whole time she was saying “Your bag is on the truck, your bag is on the truck”

262 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 3:44:35am

re: #261 The Mother Of All Pies

I think that the baggage claim agent was staring directly at my bag the whole time she was saying “Your bag is on the truck, your bag is on the truck”

That’s pretty sad, but at least you got your bag back.

I hope you write a sternly worded letter to KLM-Prague.

263 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 3:44:42am

Btw, just an aside, how do Americans feel about being called Yanks? I know traditionally it refers to those in the northern states but we use it in everyday speech regardless of the subject’s state of birth. I’ve almost used it here before but held off in case it was considered a prickly nomenclature.

264 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 3:49:02am

re: #263 Alyosha

Btw, just an aside, how do Americans feel about being called Yanks? I know traditionally it refers to those in the northern states but we use it in everyday speech regardless of the subject’s state of birth. I’ve almost used it here before but held off in case it was considered a prickly nomenclature.

Depends on your tone of voice.

(Totally harmless in actuality, much like calling a British soldier ‘Tommy’.)

265 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 3:49:13am

It was totally insane. The baggage claim is in Terminal 2 and our flight was out of Terminal 1. I had to trudge miles and miles (no wheelchair pushers) to the baggage claim and when I got there they told me “Door 27!”

So I went to Door 27 and it’s LOCKED. “Pick up the courtesy phone” and of course no one answers. After about 10 minutes of ringing and ringing and ringing and ringing someone answers and screams WAIT THERE and then 10 minutes later somebody opens the door, lets me in AND WALKS AWAY.

So inside this restricted area I trudge more miles and miles down to the very end of the terminal and there is a room full of baggage. I go into this room and they yell at me GO TO THE FRONT DESK. But there is nobody at the front desk.

I wait there anyway and finally somebody from the baggage room decides to go through the swinging door to the front desk. I present my claim ticket and they take me back to the room I was just in and tell me to locate me bag.

It’s RIGHT THERE where it probably was for two whole fucking days.

So I grabbed the bag and ran out of there and trudged through endless miles until I got to Terminal 1 and then I got myself a beer.

266 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 3:50:08am

re: #263 Alyosha

Btw, just an aside, how do Americans feel about being called Yanks? I know traditionally it refers to those in the northern states but we use it in everyday speech regardless of the subject’s state of birth. I’ve almost used it here before but held off in case it was considered a prickly nomenclature.

I understand it as a common and endearing nickname for Americans among folks from the Commonwealth Nations, so I don’t mind.

267 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 3:52:19am

My son gets called “Yank” a lot. He lives in Canada.

Of course his name is Yankel. :)

268 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 3:52:25am

re: #258 Justanotherhuman

This is really horrifying. The campus is close to the Somali border, and it was apparently a surprise attack.

Bastards.

269 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 3:52:26am

re: #266 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I understand it as a common and endearing nickname for Americans among folks from the Commonwealth Nations, so I don’t mind.

As long as they tug their forelock as they say it.

270 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 3:53:59am

re: #263 Alyosha

Well, probably wouldn’t offend here, but there are a lot of reactionaries in the US proper who would correct you. Never, ever, call a southerner a “Yank”. Just FYI, in case you ever visit the US. : )

271 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 3:54:17am

re: #264 Decatur Deb

Depends on your tone of voice.

(Totally harmless in actuality, much like calling a British soldier ‘Tommy’.)

And how do the real Alabamans feel? ;)

/

272 Timothy Watson  Apr 2, 2015 3:57:41am

re: #265 The Mother Of All Pies

It was totally insane. The baggage claim is in Terminal 2 and our flight was out of Terminal 1. I had to trudge miles and miles (no wheelchair pushers) to the baggage claim and when I got there they told me “Door 27!”

So I went to Door 27 and it’s LOCKED. “Pick up the courtesy phone” and of course no one answers. After about 10 minutes of ringing and ringing and ringing and ringing someone answers and screams WAIT THERE and then 10 minutes later somebody opens the door, lets me in AND WALKS AWAY.

So inside this restricted area I trudge more miles and miles down to the very end of the terminal and there is a room full of baggage. I go into this room and they yell at me GO TO THE FRONT DESK. But there is nobody at the front desk.

I wait there anyway and finally somebody from the baggage room decides to go through the swinging door to the front desk. I present my claim ticket and they take me back to the room I was just in and tell me to locate me bag.

It’s RIGHT THERE where it probably was for two whole fucking days.

So I grabbed the bag and ran out of there and trudged through endless miles until I got to Terminal 1 and then I got myself a beer.

So, flying sucks everywhere?

273 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 3:57:52am

re: #265 The Mother Of All Pies

At least on your trip to Prague you can actually claim to have had a genuine Kafkaesque experience.

274 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:01:26am

re: #273 Alyosha

At least on your trip to Prague you can actually claim to have had a genuine Kafkaesque experience.

Your bag is being held prisoner. We can’t you why it’s being held, or even where it is. Nor can we tell how to retrieve it. In fact, we will deny we have ever seen your bag. Please wait here while we do absolutely nothing to assist you in your quest.

275 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 4:02:23am

re: #264 Decatur Deb

As for tone of voice, I’ve told more than one person to ‘get fucked’ in the most genial sense. We use formal language for people we truly despise. //

276 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 4:03:05am

re: #9 Charles Johnson

Chuck’s problem is that he’s so messed up he thinks he “builds credibility” by savagely attacking right wingers like Allen West. Then he tells his own followers to fuck off if they don’t like it.

And then he begs for them to donate money. The boy ain’t right in the head.

No. Chuck’s problem is that he has a serious chemical imbalance that causes him to spew narcissistic bullshit on Twitter. I’m thinking it’s drug related, or alcohol. He blames it on being on the autism spectrum, but I’m not buying that one.

Oh, and good morning, Lizards :)

277 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 4:03:29am

re: #271 Alyosha

And how do the real Alabamans feel? ;)

/

There is a real difference here. Only a foreigner would call an American (any region) ‘Yank’. A northerner would call himself a Yankee if there were a context for it. A southerner would be using the term only for a northerner, and with anything from hatred to a slight residual distaste. My MIL avoided calling me ‘The Yankee’.

Classically, coming from a foreigner ‘Yank’ is chummy/harmless. ‘Yankee’ would be somewhat stilted and perhaps negative, especially as “Yankee (Yanqui) Go Home”.

278 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 4:04:38am

Yikes! Supposed to be 81 deg here tomorrow. 72 today, more pleasant and 60s over the weekend, which is good, because the oven will be on Sun for about an hour. Next week, jumping around from 60s to low 80s with rain early in the week.

Will try wishing the rain toward CA…

279 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 4:05:43am

re: #273 Alyosha

At least on your trip to Prague you can actually claim to have had a genuine Kafkaesque experience.

280 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:05:45am

re: #278 Justanotherhuman

Yikes! Supposed to be 81 deg here tomorrow. 72 today, more pleasant and 60s over the weekend, which is good, because the oven will be on Sun for about an hour. Next week, jumping around from 60s to low 80s with rain early in the week.

Will try wishing the rain toward CA…

It ended up here. Another line of thunderstorms is moving through tonight. I can hear the rumbling now.

281 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 4:06:41am

re: #269 Decatur Deb

As long as they tug their forelock as they say it.

Gyit fucked! Haha

282 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 4:06:52am

re: #278 Justanotherhuman

Yikes! Supposed to be 81 deg here tomorrow. 72 today, more pleasant and 60s over the weekend, which is good, because the oven will be on Sun for about an hour. Next week, jumping around from 60s to low 80s with rain early in the week.

Will try wishing the rain toward CA…

I am looking at the higher temps this week as a way to lower my electric/gas bill. Helps me keep some perspective. :)

283 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 4:08:55am

re: #263 Alyosha

Btw, just an aside, how do Americans feel about being called Yanks? I know traditionally it refers to those in the northern states but we use it in everyday speech regardless of the subject’s state of birth. I’ve almost used it here before but held off in case it was considered a prickly nomenclature.

Yankee Doodle Dandy, right? I don’t have a problem with it. But I grew up in Texas and am glad the South lost the war. :)

284 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 4:09:17am

re: #282 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

I am looking at the higher temps this week as a way to lower my electric/gas bill. Helps me keep some perspective. :)

Yeah, one reason I love this basement apt?

I’ve haven’t had an elec bill over $120 and that was in Feb which was the worst winter I’ve seen in a long time. Th next couple of months I don’t expect anything over $50-60.

285 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 4:11:12am

re: #283 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Yankee Doodle Dandy, right? I don’t have a problem with it. But I grew up in Texas and am glad the South lost the war. :)

Scallywag.

286 William Barnett-Lewis  Apr 2, 2015 4:12:05am

re: #263 Alyosha

Btw, just an aside, how do Americans feel about being called Yanks? I know traditionally it refers to those in the northern states but we use it in everyday speech regardless of the subject’s state of birth. I’ve almost used it here before but held off in case it was considered a prickly nomenclature.

A lot of us northerners, especially if we’re Vets, consider it an honorable name to be called. My ancestors were congregationalists from New York who fought for the Union Army, for example.
ETA: DD’s comment on yank vs Yankee is generally true, but yank would be acceptable around here where several regiments of volunteers were raised and had a live bald eagle “Old Abe” as their mascot.

287 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 4:15:17am

Thanks for the responses guys and gals!

‘Blokes and sheilas’ (especially the second) are rarer now thanks to you bloody Yanks :)

288 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:20:33am

re: #287 Alyosha

Thanks for the responses guys and gals!

‘Blokes and sheilas’ (especially the second) are rarer now thanks to you bloody Yanks :)

Why are women called sheilas, anyway? It’s a shame that term is becoming less popular.

289 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 4:21:14am

re: #287 Alyosha

Thanks for the responses guys and gals!

‘Blokes and sheilas’ (especially the second) are rarer now thanks to you bloody Yanks :)

For the longest time I thought ‘Sheila’ was derived from a female name. Found out it’s Gaelic for woman, as in ‘sheila na gig’.

en.wikipedia.org

290 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 4:21:41am

There’s still quite a few (mostly from older generations) who use the term ‘Seppo’ almost without variation to refer to Americans.

It’s rhyming slang. Seppo > septic tank > Yank.

Heard it slightly more in the Bush years strangely enough…

291 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:23:45am

Russian trawler has sunk in the Sea of Okhotsk, claiming 54 crew members.
bbc.com

292 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:24:36am

re: #289 Decatur Deb

For the longest time I thought ‘Sheila’ was derived from a female name. Found out it’s Gaelic for woman, as in ‘sheila na gig’.

en.wikipedia.org

And there’s the answer to my question.

293 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 4:26:08am

re: #292 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Crowd-derping.

294 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 4:26:33am

re: #273 Alyosha

At least on your trip to Prague you can actually claim to have had a genuine Kafkaesque experience.

The Kafkaesque experience actually occurred in Israel.

We arrived in Tel Aviv, went through passport control, picked up our baggage, and then went to the rental car counter.

The clerk at Budget rental looked at our passports and said “Where is your cartis gvulot?” I said “my what?” She’s like “your border control card.” I’m like “I don’t have any ‘border control card” and she’s like “nobody can enter the country without a border control card” and I’m like well we’re here!

We had to go upstairs (with two luggage carts piled high) to the VAT counter and were told that NOBODY enters the country without a “border control card” and if we didn’t have one we weren’t really in the country. And Zedushka is like WELL HERE WE ARE, WE DIDN’T JUST LAND FROM OUTER SPACE and they’re like WHERE IS YOUR BORDER CONTROL CARD.

Then we went to the “Border Control” office and the officer is like HOW ARE YOU HERE WITHOUT A BORDER CONTROL CARD?

We’re like arguing back and forth and finally the guy says OK I will print your out a second set of Border Control Cards because OBVIOUSLY YOU MUST HAVE LOST YOURS YOU COMPLETE RETARDS.

What I’m thinking happened is that we were being taken through passport control by the wheelchair pushers and they probably forgot to give us the cards.

Anyway we got the cards after being told 1) we could not possibly be in the country that is was not possible and we weren’t there and 2) we’re total idiots because the wheelchair pushers didn’t give us the cards.

Once we had the cards we could pick up the rental car and drive to Jerusalem and here we are.

The grandkids are in the apartment jumping on the bed and running around wearing our PJ’s and playing with all the gifts that we brought them in this refrigerator-size suitcase.

295 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 4:27:15am

re: #288 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Why are women called sheilas, anyway? It’s a shame that term is becoming less popular.

You can get away with calling a girl a ‘sheila’ without raising too many eyebrows if you live in a rural area of if you’re a tradie (someone trade-skilled).
My mother told me to refer to a girl or woman as sheila was disrespectful since it was an overly generic term. I’d now compare it to the word ‘chick’.
A bloke is still a bloke. Unless he’s a ‘geezer’. Though that term, too, has fallen into disuse.

296 Nyet  Apr 2, 2015 4:28:23am

Babushka, in your place I would make a very angry page and tweet it out to KLM. Sometimes shaming works.

297 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 4:29:28am

re: #296 Nyet

Babushka, in your place I would make a very angry page and tweet it out to KLM. Sometimes shaming works.

She should wait until she gets back.

298 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 4:30:55am

re: #294 The Mother Of All Pies

If the refrigerator-sized luggage had been lost I imagine the reception might have been just slightly less frosty than customs :)

299 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 4:32:02am

re: #295 Alyosha

You can get away with calling a girl a ‘sheila’ without raising too many eyebrows if you live in a rural area of if you’re a tradie (someone trade-skilled).
My mother told me to refer to a girl or woman as sheila was disrespectful since it was an overly generic term. I’d now compare it to the word ‘chick’.
A bloke is still a bloke. Unless he’s a ‘geezer’. Though that term, too, has fallen into disuse.

Isn’t Sheila an Aussie term? (I may be getting parts of the Queen’s countries mixed up here).

300 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 4:34:37am

re: #299 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

It might have originated in England but it was popularised here, maybe by Paul Hogan but I’ve never seen his ‘films’.
It’s much rarer now.

301 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:35:40am

re: #295 Alyosha

You can get away with calling a girl a ‘sheila’ without raising too many eyebrows if you live in a rural area of if you’re a tradie (someone trade-skilled).
My mother told me to refer to a girl or woman as sheila was disrespectful since it was an overly generic term. I’d now compare it to the word ‘chick’.
A bloke is still a bloke. Unless he’s a ‘geezer’. Though that term, too, has fallen into disuse.

I’ll keep this in mind when I visit Oz. For the record, I don’t think I qualify as a geezer just yet.

In South Africa, they have ‘okes’ — somehow the ‘bl’ got lost. I don’t know if there’s a local equivalent for ‘sheila.”

302 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 4:37:39am

re: #299 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Isn’t Sheila an Aussie term? (I may be getting parts of the Queen’s countries mixed up here).

Brought to the Dismal Coast by the Irish.
littlegreenfootballs.com

303 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:39:27am

re: #294 The Mother Of All Pies

The Chinese are also obsessed with departure and arrival cards. Don’t have one? Step over here and fill it out, even if you clearly have a residence permit and a multiple entry visa. I’ve learned that all they need is your surname, nationality, passport number and some local address — even a general one like the name of a city.

Then I’m also sure they toss the whole lot of them into the trash at the end of their shift.

304 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 4:41:40am

re: #301 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

I’ll keep this in mind when I visit Oz. For the record, I don’t think I qualify as a geezer just yet.

In South Africa, they have ‘okes’ — somehow the ‘bl’ got lost. I don’t know if there’s a local equivalent for ‘sheila.”

I’d give it a go, if only to see the reception. It is by no means offensive and I relate it to ‘chick’ only by way of comparison. Incidentally my mother now refers to some girls as ‘chicky-babes’ so she is by no means an authority. It’s simply rarer and usually confined in use to larrikin raconteurs and tradesmen. So the context is generally sexual in nature.
But, again, coming from a foreigner it would be considered endearing.

305 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:42:45am

Commentarii de Inepto Puero bbc.com

Soon to join Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis on your bookshelf.

306 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:44:22am

re: #304 Alyosha

I’d give it a go, if only to see the reception. It is by no means offensive and I relate it to ‘chick’ only by way of comparison. Incidentally my mother now refers to some girls as ‘chicky-babes’ so she is by no means an authority. It’s simply rarer and usually confined in use to larrikin raconteurs and tradesmen. So the context is generally sexual in nature.
But, again, coming from a foreigner it would be considered endearing.

Hm. Might be worth trying out to see if I can chat up a lovely sheila. ;-)

307 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 4:49:11am

re: #306 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

We’re suckers for cultural sycophancy so have a go, digger hahaha

308 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 4:50:38am

re: #305 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Commentarii de Inepto Puero bbc.com

Soon to join Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis on your bookshelf.

I think I still have Winne Ille Pu.

309 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 4:51:59am

This is totally off the topic of Sheilas and blokes, but I am really upset about how many cool cars we do not get in the U.S. Case in point, this Pontiac G8 hybrid that looks like an old El Camino

Image: holden-ve-ute-review-6-big.jpg

310 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 4:57:20am

re: #309 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

This is totally off the topic of Sheilas and blokes, but I am really upset about how many cool cars we do not get in the U.S. Case in point, this Pontiac G8 hybrid that looks like an old El Camino

Image: holden-ve-ute-review-6-big.jpg

Cool!

311 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 5:00:31am

re: #302 Decatur Deb

Brought to the Dismal Coast by the Irish.
littlegreenfootballs.com

I got stuck at ‘exaggerated vulva’ and have now encountered ‘hunky punks’. So I must defer any and all commentary until I have mastered these terms.

312 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 5:01:01am

re: #309 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

This is totally off the topic of Sheilas and blokes, but I am really upset about how many cool cars we do not get in the U.S. Case in point, this Pontiac G8 hybrid that looks like an old El Camino

Image: holden-ve-ute-review-6-big.jpg

Wonder if you could fit a cubic yard of mushroom compost in that.

313 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 5:01:45am

Disclaimer: I named my son Sean because it was the Irish/Gaelic equivalent of John, and John is such a non-descript name in the U.S.

314 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 5:02:51am

re: #312 Decatur Deb

Not sure, but it’s apparently made at the factory, not a chop-shop car. Unfortunately, our rules about importing cars would make it prohibitively expensive to bring over here.

315 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 5:02:52am

re: #311 Alyosha

I got stuck at ‘exaggerated vulva’ and have now encountered ‘hunky punks’. So I must defer any and all commentary until I have mastered these terms.

“Hunky punk” was not something you wanted to say in the Hungarian neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.

316 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 5:04:06am

re: #313 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Disclaimer: I named my son Sean because it was the Irish/Gaelic equivalent of John, and John is such a non-descript name in the U.S.

One in every home!

317 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 5:06:22am

re: #313 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Disclaimer: I named my son Sean because it was the Irish/Gaelic equivalent of John, and John is such a non-descript name in the U.S.

One of my sons is Ronan, with an obscure Irish surname. As a kid he ordered a CD from a little Irish label in the Bronx. When he put down the phone, he said: “That was weird. They didn’t ask how to spell either of my names.”

318 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 5:08:55am

re: #317 Decatur Deb

One of my sons is Ronan, with an obscure Irish surname. As a kid he ordered a CD from a little Irish label in the Bronx. When he put down the phone, he said: “That was weird. They didn’t ask how to spell either of my names.”

Ha! classic :D

I was in school with a guy who spelled it Shawn, and now I wonder who thought of that spelling? I also worked with a guy named Seamus. That was a cool name too.

319 lawhawk  Apr 2, 2015 5:10:18am

The thing about the water restrictions in CA is that they should have been in place years ago. The state still doesn’t have a full idea of who’s tapping the aquifers and how much water is being sucked out of its various water resources. Everything isn’t in one place, so it’s hard to make sure that everyone is using an appropriate allotment.

The continuing drought means stressing the upstream sources, and they’re already getting tapped out too. Far too many users, not enough water to go around.

Lake Powell and Lake Mead are both seeing serious shortfalls, and this is the time of year that they get recharged.

In an “average” year, the amount of water flowing out of Lake Mead exceeds the amount of water flowing into Lake Mead. In the past few years, the amount flowing out has vastly exceeded the inflow. That means a serious drop in water levels. The federal govt is already projecting that water levels will drop to the point that allocations to Arizona and Nevada will kick in. The government is building a 3d water intake so that water can be pumped for consumption even if the levels keep dropping below 1000 feet, which is the level of the 2d intake. The 1st intake is at 1050 feet.

Lake Powell is seeing similar issues. All but two boat launches on Lake Powell are inaccessible.

California based reservoirs are running well below the averages, and snowpack this year was spotty at best. The Sierras just didn’t get the snowfall they should, and that means it will get drier faster (also meaning that the wildfire season will start even sooner).

Just another day in paradise.

320 Timothy Watson  Apr 2, 2015 5:10:30am

Have any of the RWNJs floated the idea that Obama took out Menendez so Obama could open up relations with Cuba?

321 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 5:11:41am

re: #318 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Ha! classic :D

I was in school with a guy who spelled it Shawn, and now I wonder who thought of that spelling? I also worked with a guy named Seamus. That was a cool name too.

There was an irritating comic actor who spelled it that way—played the son in Mad, Mad World.

322 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 5:13:12am

re: #320 Timothy Watson

Have any of the RWNJs floated the idea that Obama took out Menendez so Obama could open up relations with Cuba?

You could post it on Free Republic and I’m sure someone would take the bait.

323 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 5:13:16am

re: #315 Decatur Deb

“Hunky punk” was not something you wanted to say in the Hungarian neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.

Naturally they resented the notion that they did not drain water off the roofs like good gargoyles.

324 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 5:13:30am

re: #321 Decatur Deb

There was an irritating comic actor who spelled it that way—played the son in Mad, Mad World.

One of my daughter’s primary school classmates was named Siobhan. Her parents were Irish-American. ;-) She’s the only Siobhan I’ve ever met personally.

325 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 5:16:06am

re: #324 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

One of my daughter’s primary school classmates was named Siobhan. Her parents were Irish-American. ;-) She’s the only Siobhan I’ve ever met personally.

We have a Lizard whose nic reads like an alternate spelling.

326 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 5:17:21am

And here I am. Discussing architecture at midnight again.

I’m turning in my chit tomorrow.

327 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 5:19:32am

re: #326 Alyosha

And here I am. Discussing architecture at midnight again.

I’m turning in my chit tomorrow.

Architecture at Midnight. I loved their first album. The second disappointed. ;)

328 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Apr 2, 2015 5:21:25am

Actually, there is a kernel of truth in the RWNJ logic: without so many illegals working in California agriculture, the farmers would not be growing as many vegetables and there would be more water left for the white non-farmers…

329 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 5:21:38am

re: #327 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

I know of them in the same way I know of architecture in Helsinki. That is to say only that it exists.

330 lawhawk  Apr 2, 2015 5:22:17am

re: #320 Timothy Watson

Don’t know. I’m not particularly fond of Menendez. Met him once at a meet-greet and remember that I needed to count my fingers after the experience. There just seemed to be something I found off-putting.

Doesn’t mean that he engaged in criminal conduct, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the allegations are provable in a court of law either. He swears that the prosecutors are distorting a long-term friendship and claiming that there were favors swapped for benefits.

That all remains to be seen, but given that there are more than a few NJ politicians who have been on the take and have been put away, it wouldn’t surprise me if that happens with Menendez as well.

But that this is politically motivated to get him out of the way so that Obama can open up Cuba relations? If that were the case, don’t you think that Obama would have gone after top GOPers who were opposed? Or that Obama is playing 3d chess, and figures that if he gets an indictment on Menendez, that will get the GOPers who have opposed him to take notice that they too would be next?

You see, that’s how you get into conspiracy territory real quick. Occam’s Razor and all that - the simplest explanation is usually the one that describes the situation. And that’s why I think it has nothing to do with Menendez’s politics and everything to do with his actions re: Melgen.

331 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Apr 2, 2015 5:24:56am

re: #326 Alyosha

And here I am. Discussing architecture at midnight again.

I’m turning in my chit tomorrow.

I already lost my chit all over the place…

332 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 5:27:37am

re: #330 lawhawk

I think you’re right. Melgen has been indicted, too.

333 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 5:27:37am

re: #331 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)

I already lost my chit all over the place…

And here I thought CCJ was lawhawk’s performance art

334 Timothy Watson  Apr 2, 2015 5:27:53am

re: #330 lawhawk

Don’t know. I’m not particularly fond of Menendez. Met him once at a meet-greet and remember that I needed to count my fingers after the experience. There just seemed to be something I found off-putting.

Doesn’t mean that he engaged in criminal conduct, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the allegations are provable in a court of law either. He swears that the prosecutors are distorting a long-term friendship and claiming that there were favors swapped for benefits.

That all remains to be seen, but given that there are more than a few NJ politicians who have been on the take and have been put away, it wouldn’t surprise me if that happens with Menendez as well.

But that this is politically motivated to get him out of the way so that Obama can open up Cuba relations? If that were the case, don’t you think that Obama would have gone after top GOPers who were opposed? Or that Obama is playing 3d chess, and figures that if he gets an indictment on Menendez, that will get the GOPers who have opposed him to take notice that they too would be next?

You see, that’s how you get into conspiracy territory real quick. Occam’s Razor and all that - the simplest explanation is usually the one that describes the situation. And that’s why I think it has nothing to do with Menendez’s politics and everything to do with his actions re: Melgen.

I didn’t say I believed the theory, the theory just sounded like something the RWNJs would come up with.

335 Jay C  Apr 2, 2015 5:29:38am

re: #321 Decatur Deb

There was an irritating comic actor who spelled it that way—played the son in Mad, Mad World.

You must mean THIS GUY (nee Richard Schulefand); a one-of-a-kind performer, to be sure.

336 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 5:33:07am

re: #334 Timothy Watson

It’s one thing to give a shit-ton of campaign money to a candidate through various channels, such as PACs, but in this case, Melgen treated Menendez to a lot of perks that Menendez should not have accepted as a US Senator, use of his jet, expensive trips, entertaining, etc.

From what I’ve been reading, a lot of stuff came out of a search of Melgen’s home which will be used, I assume, as evidence in the cases against both of them.

OTOH, innocent until proved guilty, but it looks bad from where I sit.

337 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 5:36:57am

Peanuts, really.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announces raising $4 million in campaign donations in 8 days - @MarketWatch
read more on marketwatch.com

One does have to ask, though, if these are a few big or many small contributions. Since the sources weren’t revealed, I’m going with a few big ones…

338 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Apr 2, 2015 5:37:24am

re: #317 Decatur Deb

One of my sons is Ronan, with an obscure Irish surname. As a kid he ordered a CD from a little Irish label in the Bronx. When he put down the phone, he said: “That was weird. They didn’t ask how to spell either of my names.”

We wanted to call our daughter Siobhan, the Gaelic variant of “Yvonne”, but I did not want to saddle a kid with a moniker nobody can pronounce, especially in Germany where everything is phonetic. “Shee-ob-HAHN”?

339 lawhawk  Apr 2, 2015 5:38:56am

Memories is just a memory. The pizza joint has closed (temporarily, and probably for longer than that) over their gay bashing stance.

Frankly, they used their “religious beliefs” as cover for bigotry and hatred.

340 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 5:39:07am

re: #337 Justanotherhuman

Peanuts, really.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announces raising $4 million in campaign donations in 8 days - @MarketWatch
read more on marketwatch.com

One does have to ask, though, if these are a few big or many small contributions. Since the sources weren’t revealed, I’m going with a few big ones…

I really would like to know who these $4 million people are, so I can avoid them at all costs because they are idiots.

341 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 5:39:58am

re: #339 lawhawk

Memories is just a memory. The pizza joint has closed (temporarily, and probably for longer than that) over their gay bashing stance.

Frankly, they used their “religious beliefs” as cover for bigotry and hatred.

[Embedded content]

File under Whocouldaknode?

342 lawhawk  Apr 2, 2015 5:40:29am

re: #336 Justanotherhuman

With both indicted, prosecutors figure that they’ll sit back and see who turns evidence on the other for a deal. Classic positioning. But if both are as tight with the other as they claim, that might not happen, which means the prosecutors will have go take this to court and prove their case.

343 lawhawk  Apr 2, 2015 5:43:08am

That folks is an admission that the IN law is indeed quite different than the federal and other state RFRAs enacted elsewhere (excluding the one under consideration in AR.

The GOP is screwed if they keep trying to support the Indiana law or claiming it is identical to the federal when it obviously isn’t. The Indiana law enables bigotry and discrimination under cover of religious freedom.

344 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 5:43:23am

re: #340 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

We’ll soon know through the FEC portal. fec.gov

345 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 5:51:42am

re: #337 Justanotherhuman

Peanuts, really.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announces raising $4 million in campaign donations in 8 days - @MarketWatch
read more on marketwatch.com

One does have to ask, though, if these are a few big or many small contributions. Since the sources weren’t revealed, I’m going with a few big ones…

Or one.

346 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Apr 2, 2015 5:53:02am

re: #339 lawhawk

Memories is just a memory. The pizza joint has closed (temporarily, and probably for longer than that) over their gay bashing stance.

Frankly, they used their “religious beliefs” as cover for bigotry and hatred.

[Embedded content]

People like Rand Paul said that we don’t need Equal Rights because the market would sort such things out. So now the market has responded and the Right is indignant about good Christians forced out of business by vindictive gays.

347 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 5:53:04am

re: #339 lawhawk

Memories is just a memory. The pizza joint has closed (temporarily, and probably for longer than that) over their gay bashing stance.

Frankly, they used their “religious beliefs” as cover for bigotry and hatred.

[Embedded content]

Wingnut welfare on full display: gofundme.com

348 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing  Apr 2, 2015 5:53:14am

re: #343 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

That folks is an admission that the IN law is indeed quite different than the federal and other state RFRAs enacted elsewhere (excluding the one under consideration in AR.

The GOP is screwed if they keep trying to support the Indiana law or claiming it is identical to the federal when it obviously isn’t. The Indiana law enables bigotry and discrimination under cover of religious freedom.

Any idea if ALEC was involved in this at all?

349 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 5:53:43am

re: #339 lawhawk

Memories is just a memory. The pizza joint has closed (temporarily, and probably for longer than that) over their gay bashing stance.

Frankly, they used their “religious beliefs” as cover for bigotry and hatred.

They also used their ‘persecution’ to hype a crowd-sourcing page (with the help of useful stooge Dana Loesch) and walked away with $25K.

Nice work if you’re slimy enough to do it without conscience.

350 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 5:54:34am

re: #337 Justanotherhuman

In fairness, three million came in the form of ‘Chuck Dollars’.

351 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 5:56:06am

re: #342 lawhawk

With both indicted, prosecutors figure that they’ll sit back and see who turns evidence on the other for a deal. Classic positioning. But if both are as tight with the other as they claim, that might not happen, which means the prosecutors will have go take this to court and prove their case.

There may be different type charges, esp against Melgan, also, like Medicare fraud which has been investigated since 2013, although it appears he may have gotten some assistance from Menendez, making it appear even worse.

Who is Salomon Melgen? Doctor is at center of Menendez corruption case

nj.com

(snip)

“The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had reportedly found that Melgen over-billed the government by $8.9 million. Melgen’s attorney, Kirk Ogrosky, told the Miami Herald last year that the doctor “billed in conformity with Medicare rules.”

“But Menendez has admitted that he intervened with federal health offices in an effort to ease the dispute. Meanwhile, the senator said he asked about a port-security contract in the Dominican Republic held by a company whose investors include Melgen.” More

Whether or not Justice prosecutors can prove quid pro quo is the central question, I think.

352 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 5:57:55am

re: #349 makeitstop

They also used their ‘persecution’ to hype a crowd-sourcing page (with the help of useful stooge Dana Loesch) and walked away with $25K.

Nice work if you’re slimy enough to do it without conscience.

With the help of bigots, the owners of “Memories Pizza” can surely retire soon.

353 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 5:58:26am

And in typical response, conservatives attack the messenger and play the victim card right on cue:

354 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 5:59:07am
355 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:00:09am

re: #176 #FergusonFireside

GGT hope you are still here, you must click this one.

littlegreenfootballs.com

OMG!!!!!!!!

I WHHHAAAAANNNNTTTT!

356 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:01:11am

BABBA, I left something for you upthread.

357 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:01:58am

It’s morning. It’s raining.

you?

358 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 6:02:01am

re: #343 lawhawk

Coming down hard for theocracy is a grand idea for the General Election. It’s already caused JEB!, their so-called moderate candidate, to sign on to a position from which he can’t tack to the center.

359 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 6:02:59am

re: #348 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Any idea if ALEC was involved in this at all?

Depends on who’s doing the talking…

Who’s pushing the ‘religious freedom’ legislation in states?

Indiana’s ‘Religious Freedom Restoration Act’ is kicking up a media storm over discrimination toward homosexuals. Some say Indiana’s new law is the result of the reach of a conservative group that helps write model legislation.

news.yahoo.com

ALEC denies it, but the legislation has their fingerprints all over it, as other legislation has, both outright written by ALEC and surreptitously through their membership of legislators.

360 b.d.  Apr 2, 2015 6:04:03am

Have the baggers explained why if their law is exactly the same as the federal law why it is needed at all?

361 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 6:04:32am

re: #337 Justanotherhuman

Rand Paul will announce that he raised twice as much as Cruz - in Bitcoins.

362 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:04:48am

For those who follow this stuff.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that the goods and services deficit was $35.4 billion in February, down $7.2 billion from $42.7 billion in January, revised. February exports were $186.2 billion, $3.0 billion less than January exports. February imports were $221.7 billion, $10.2 billion less than January imports.

363 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 6:06:14am

re: #362 FemNaziBitch

For those who follow this stuff.

Pretty awful trade imbalance.

364 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 6:09:50am

Indiana’s House Speaker, Senate President Pro Tem and business leaders make an announcement regarding the Religious Freedom Act.

nbcnews.com

Blah, blah, blah…

365 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:10:53am
366 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 6:13:23am

Disney World town didn’t satisfy your fantasies?

367 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 6:14:22am

Real quote from Crystal O’Connor:

368 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 2, 2015 6:14:30am
369 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:14:49am

All four Men’s Final Four coaches release joint statement on Indiana’s anti-LGBT law

The statement reads:

“We are aware of the recent actions in Indiana and have made a point to talk about this sensitive and important issue among ourselves and with our teams. Each of us strongly supports the positions of the NCAA and our respective institutions on this matter - that discrimination of any kind should not be tolerated. As a part of America’s higher education system, college basketball plays an important role in diversity, equality, fairness and inclusion, and will continue to do so in the future.”

370 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 6:16:45am

re: #368 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

So—they’re all mea culpa now in the Indiana legislation because of a loss of business and condemnation worldwide, not because they were stupidly bigoted enough to pass it in the first place?

371 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 6:16:59am

re: #368 Backwoods_Sleuth

Maybe the language of the amendment will protect those who admit that they’ve elected to be gay.

372 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 6:17:25am

re: #363 Justanotherhuman

Pretty awful trade imbalance.

Remember all those times when pols from both parties told us that offshoring jobs wouldn’t hurt a thing?

373 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:17:36am

re: #370 Justanotherhuman

So—they’re all mea culpa now in the Indiana legislation because of a loss of business and condemnation worldwide, not because they were stupidly bigoted enough to pass it in the first place?

America is a business

374 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 6:19:02am

re: #367 Dr. Matt

She ignores the difference between belief, which is internal, and action, which is external and regulated by law.

375 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 6:19:43am

On the lighter side of things:

376 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 6:19:53am

re: #356 FemNaziBitch

BABBA, I left something for you upthread.

LOL that’s for my daughter.

She send all her kids downstairs to play in our apartment with all the new toys that we brought for them so they don’t mess up her Passover-cleaned house.

Also they are asking for lunch and snacks so I just sent my granddaughter upstairs for a bag of fruit.

If they are good & play quietly I will give them CHOCOLATE.

377 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 6:22:12am

re: #374 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

She ignores the difference between belief, which is internal, and action, which is external and regulated by law.

The same beliefs were used to justify slavery and also used to justify segregation. These idiots really are completely clueless.

378 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:24:26am

re: #377 Dr. Matt

The same beliefs were used to justify slavery and also used to justify segregation. These idiots really are completely clueless.

so many seem to think Slavery was a good thing.

More than clueless.

379 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:25:49am

re: #195 Romantic Heretic

It’s been good. How are you?

AWAKE. On my first cuppa.

dogs are back in bed.

I can’t join them today.

:(

Thanks for asking :)

380 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 6:25:59am

re: #108 freetoken

I see that Fiorina is joining the choir but tries to separate the cream from the milk, or something:

She seems unaware of the first law of pandering: While it is perfectly fine to pander to two opposing groups, one ought not do so in the same paragraph.

Carly Fiorina is confident she has enough wool from her demon sheep to pull over the needed number of eyes.

381 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 6:26:01am

re: #378 FemNaziBitch

so many seem to think Slavery was a good thing.

More than clueless.

Evil.

382 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 6:27:27am

re: #377 Dr. Matt

The same beliefs were used to justify slavery and also used to justify segregation. These idiots really are completely clueless.

Indeed. There were plenty of people back in those days whose religion taught that blacks and other non-whites were “lesser people,” and they used the Bible to back up their beliefs. Then that nasty secular law stepped in and said, nuh-huh, everybody’s equal.

They can believe whatever they frickin’ want, but the law is the law. Render unto Caesar, etc.

383 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:27:36am

re: #381 Dr. Matt

Evil.

I pefer the word sociopathy

384 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:28:08am

re: #382 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Indeed. There were plenty of people back in those days whose religion taught that blacks and other non-whites were “lesser people,” and they used the Bible to back up their beliefs. Then that nasty secular law stepped in and said, nuh-huh, everybody’s equal.

They can believe whatever they frickin’ want, but the law is the law. Render unto Caesar, etc.

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

385 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:28:32am
386 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:29:49am
387 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:30:36am
388 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 6:31:07am

re: #383 FemNaziBitch

I prefer the word sociopathy.

That doesn’t actually work. Sociopaths can’t form normal human bonds, while many people who argue in favor of unlawful discrimination can and do form such bonds. They simply limit their compassion to certain people. They can be cold-hearted, its often bigotry, but its not the mindset of a sociopath.

389 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 6:32:13am

Sounds as though the bigots are going to ground.

The bigotry will still be there, the State will do nothing to stamp it out, and nothing much will change on that level.

And the Rs will attempt another end run around having to adhere to Federal law in matters of discrimination as long as their “legal” thinking is driven by their own religious beliefs and bias.

390 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 6:32:19am

re: #378 FemNaziBitch

so many seem to think Slavery was a good thing.

More than clueless.

One very popular novel/movie in China is Gone With the Wind, which of course whitewashes (so to speak) the evils of slavery. My students, who don’t really know about the evil side of slavery or really the US Civil War, think GWTW is an accurate portrayal of the comfy lives of American slaves. I do my best to dissuade them of this nonsense.

But as you say, there are plenty of Americans who believe the same things.

391 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 6:33:38am

Is it true that Memories Pizza was already in financial hardship prior to their public bigotry?

392 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:33:39am
393 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:34:29am

re: #388 Dark_Falcon

That doesn’t actually work. Sociopaths can’t form normal human bonds, while many people who argue in favor of unlawful discrimination can and do form such bonds. They simply limit their compassion to certain people. They can be cold-hearted, its often bigotry, but its not the mindset of a sociopath.

lack of a conscious is how I understand the definition of sociopathy to be.

I think that qualifies as the scientific version of “evil”.

394 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 6:35:04am

re: #392 FemNaziBitch

Well, China doesn’t recognize Google, so that’s fair. Every single Google service is blocked here, even APIs, so a fair number of websites just. don’t. work.

395 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 6:35:08am

re: #386 FemNaziBitch

[Embedded content]

396 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 6:36:17am

Oh, sure, if you say so.

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma: ‘Message is clear today. Indiana is open for business. We welcome everyone. We discriminate against no one’ - @WTHRcom
see original on twitter.com

397 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 6:36:31am

re: #377 Dr. Matt

The same beliefs were used to justify slavery and also used to justify segregation. These idiots really are completely clueless.

HURR HURR TEH SLAVERY DEFENDERS WAS TEH DEMOCRATS!!!!! REPUBLICANS WERE AGAINST TEH SLAVERYS!!!!!!!

This is repeated over and over. It’s so pathetic.

398 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 6:38:11am

re: #395 Dark_Falcon

Talk about a lack of awareness. What an asshole:

399 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 6:40:13am

In wingnut world, a minority group looking for equal rights is now considered “radical”. Jebus. SMH

400 lawhawk  Apr 2, 2015 6:40:43am

I’m sorry, but the adjustments to the law being proposed may be an improvement, but it still doesn’t address why they thought legalizing discrimination was a good idea in the first place. The fix isn’t quite the same as changing the language of their bill to the exact same as the federal or other states’ laws.

It still contains the very clauses that are problematic - narrowing them only slightly.

These GOPers think that will be sufficient. It wont, and shouldn’t.

The law still enables discriminatory actions.

Either make the law identical to the federal version, or kill it entirely. The GOP is playing around at the margins. At same time, right wingers think that Memories shutting down is proof of left wing intolerance.

No, it’s proof that badly run businesses and poor decisions by owners shut down businesses. It also provides an outlet for grifting.

401 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 6:40:55am
402 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:41:04am
403 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 6:42:23am

re: #398 Dr. Matt

Talk about a lack of awareness. What an asshole:

[Embedded content]

Then there’s this little gem:

Yeah, because Boystown in Chicago is just like Raqqua in Syria.

404 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 6:44:30am

Teh Gay Gestapo forced a lame pizza joint, a joint that had already filed for bankruptcy before Pence signed the RFRA, to close.

Class AAA -style thinking, there.

405 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 6:45:54am

re: #403 Dark_Falcon

Then there’s this little gem:

[Embedded content]

Yeah, because Boystown in Chicago is just like Raqqua in Syria.

Embedded Image

Jesus, what a dick.

406 Kryptik  Apr 2, 2015 6:46:21am

re: #404 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Unfortunately it seems like there isn’t any shortage of dupes falling for the con.

407 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 6:46:50am

re: #400 lawhawk

Half a loaf is never good enough for anyone.

408 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 6:47:58am

Dana loves stirring the Hate Pot.

409 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 6:48:39am

Lookd like the “Memories Pizza” is turning out to be Big Grift.

410 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Apr 2, 2015 6:49:18am

re: #386 FemNaziBitch

I seem to remember another time in history where businesses were forced to close because of their religious beliefs

Because Jewish businessmen refused to serve Aryans?

411 b.d.  Apr 2, 2015 6:49:24am

re: #401 The Mother Of All Pies

[Embedded content]

Opening up a business in every location that is being fictionally repressed and then whining to the bagger media so their rubes will shovel you dough sounds like a great business plan.

412 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 6:50:56am

re: #402 FemNaziBitch

[Embedded content]

Video
Sia, “Dance Moms” Maddie Ziegler Still Collaborating, Debut Another Stunning Music Video

This little girl is amazingly talented

Just, Wow.

413 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 6:52:04am

In summary:

Obamacare is just like slavery
Teh Gays are ISIS
Obama is Hitler, Satan, Stalin, Pol Pot, and a Muslim terrorist
Democrats are Nazis, Communists, Socialists, and Marxists.

414 b.d.  Apr 2, 2015 6:53:06am

re: #413 Dr. Matt

In summary:

BENGHAZI!

415 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 6:53:19am

re: #386 FemNaziBitch

But. An SA stormtrooper might have gloated that a kosher deli owner was unable to provide him with a ham sandwich. Even if it were offered to him out of fear, it would have been refused because HE WAS A NAZI!
The comparison of gays with Nazis is so prevalent that I can only conclude that the use of DARVO is being used to conceal the fact that gay people, like everyone else, just wants to be treated equally and served.
Fuck……..

416 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 6:53:27am

re: #413 Dr. Matt

In summary:

Ergo, all Christians and Tea partiers are now in concentration camps, and cut off from the Internet and the nation’s media.

Oh … and forced to gay-marry complete strangers.

417 b.d.  Apr 2, 2015 6:55:45am

re: #416 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Ergo, all Christians and Tea partiers are now in concentration camps, and cut off from the Internet and the nation’s media.

and they had their guns confiscated too.

//

418 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 6:55:58am

Wow, Chevrolet is Eliminating the manual transmission option for Corvettes, effective 2017.

They really want to take the fun out of driving, don’t they?

419 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 6:56:41am

OK, here’s a tweet from a Republican on the Indiana RFRA that the group should find to its approval:

Senator Kirk is right, of course, but he’s getting no credit for his position, even though he helped get gay marriage passed in Illinois. So even if you favor Tammy Duckworth for Senate next year, please retweet or post a positive reply. At the very least, you’ll be annoying Michelle Malkin and her ‘Twitchy Team’. (‘donotlink’ was used for the ‘Twitchy’ link)

420 FemNaziBitch  Apr 2, 2015 6:57:32am

bbl

421 Lancelot Link  Apr 2, 2015 6:57:55am

re: #416 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Pretty near every day you’ll hear Christians and Conservatives complaining endlessly about how they’ve been silenced.

422 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 6:58:48am
423 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 6:59:05am

re: #418 makeitstop

Well, only those who want it for a status symbol matter anyway. And they probably don’t know how to drive a stick.

424 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 6:59:27am

Not even going to bother replying to some egg with 2 followers. Muted right away.

425 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 7:01:56am

re: #424 The Mother Of All Pies

Not even going to bother replying to some egg with 2 followers. Muted right away.

So you just going to silence him and discriminate against him? Typical left-wing Juice!!1

426 Timothy Watson  Apr 2, 2015 7:02:49am

OFFS, this guy is like a bad penny:

Appearing yesterday on CNN, Senator Tom Cotton (R) urged critics of Indiana’s “religious freedom” law to get “perspective,” suggesting the treatment of LGBT people in Indiana compared favorably to countries where gay people are executed.

thinkprogress.org

427 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 7:03:13am

re: #418 makeitstop

Wow, Chevrolet is Eliminating the manual transmission option for Corvettes, effective 2017.

They really want to take the fun out of driving, don’t they?

To me, Corvettes and Dodge Vipers always scream “Mid-life crisis!”

428 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 7:03:24am

New post up at Stonekettle: Dear Christians: A Modest Proposal

It’s just a coincidence that the sponsors of Religious Freedom Restoration bills happen to be Christian.

It’s just a coincidence that laws are written and passed by people who believe they must protect Christian beliefs and promote the Christian version of morality and who loudly declare the United States a Christian nation based on Christian values.

It’s just a coincidence that Christian fundamentalists came up with Indiana’s new Religious Freedom bill - and Arizona’s Religious Freedom Bill, and eighteen other states with similar religious “freedom” laws. Not to mention the federal law. It’s just a coincidence that those bills had no non-Christian sponsors.

It’s just a coincidence that it was a Christian Arizona state legislator who declared church attendance should be mandatory for every American. Not for religious reasons, of course, oh no. For moral reasons. It’s just a coincidence that she didn’t say Mosque attendance should be mandatory, or Temple attendance, or Pagan Druid Ceremonies, or a non-secular class on ethics and morality. No. Just a coincidence. An oversight. Her evangelical Christian beliefs had nothing to do with her statement that every single American be forced to attend Christian church for moral reasons.

It’s just a coincidence that the overwhelming majority of those who attempt to limit reproductive freedom and end of life choices are fanatical Christian fundamentalists.

It’s just a coincidence that those currently demanding America go to war with Muslim Iran are, yep, again outspoken Christians hoping to bring about the prophesied Holy Land apocalypse of their Christian bible. Totally coincidental.

And, of course, it’s purely a coincidence that a proposed ballot initiative currently before the California Attorney General, the so-called “Sodomite Suppression Act” was brought by a vehemently evangelical Christian.

I’ll say this, at least that last one, the California Sodomite Suppression Act is honest.

Brilliant, as usual.

429 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 7:03:59am

re: #421 Lancelot Link

Pretty near every day you’ll hear Christians and Conservatives complaining endlessly about how they’ve been silenced.

If it were only true …

//

430 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 7:04:27am
431 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 7:05:46am

re: #426 Timothy Watson

Indiana could be much worse. They could just kill gays on sight. So quit whining!
//

432 Timothy Watson  Apr 2, 2015 7:06:43am

re: #431 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Indiana could be much worse. They could just kill gays on sight. So quit whining!
//

You gotta love conservatives’ moral relativism.

433 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 7:06:51am

re: #427 Higgs Boson’s Mate

To me, Corvettes and Dodge Vipers always scream “Mid-life crisis!”

My mid-life crisis was not having enough money to satisfy my mid-life crisis-toy buying desires.

434 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 7:07:28am

re: #427 Higgs Boson’s Mate

To me, Corvettes and Dodge Vipers always scream “Mid-life crisis!”

A female comedian (I forget which one) had a joke about every time she sees a guy in a ‘Vette she yells ‘Sorry about your penis!’

Sounds about right.

435 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 7:08:02am

re: #432 Timothy Watson

You gotta love conservatives’ moral relativism.

Yet they’re the ones who condemn the left’s “moral relativism.”

436 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 7:10:18am
437 GlutenFreeJesus  Apr 2, 2015 7:12:44am

re: #436 Lidane

Too late.

438 Timothy Watson  Apr 2, 2015 7:14:35am

re: #418 makeitstop

Wow, Chevrolet is Eliminating the manual transmission option for Corvettes, effective 2017.

They really want to take the fun out of driving, don’t they?

I just told my dad that and he said it was “ungodly”.

439 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 7:15:03am
440 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 7:15:22am

re: #436 Lidane

[Embedded content]

Conservatives seem to like uniforms, so how about a group of gay service people go to “Memories” and see if those yahoos can figure them out?

441 GlutenFreeJesus  Apr 2, 2015 7:16:29am

re: #434 makeitstop

I have a Mr. Bean car.

442 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 7:16:43am
443 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 7:17:08am

re: #434 makeitstop

A female comedian (I forget which one) had a joke about every time she sees a guy in a ‘Vette she yells ‘Sorry about your penis!’

Sounds about right.

My grandson does that to guys driving those humongous pick up trucks and SUVs.

444 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 7:17:31am

re: #439 The Mother Of All Pies

It was the Invisible Hand of the Free Market!

Talk to the Hand!

445 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 7:19:32am

re: #434 makeitstop

A female comedian (I forget which one) had a joke about every time she sees a guy in a ‘Vette she yells ‘Sorry about your penis!’

Sounds about right.

Oh goodness. My fun car is an 1999, mildly built Miata. My wife bought it for me because when I hit my sixties I was feeling old. Does driving that car say to the world that I’m old, and gay and have a very small penis?

OTOH, if you still enjoy driving at all you owe it to yourself to get a used Miata just once. They’re still dirt cheap and about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

446 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 7:19:37am

And it’s probably back to the drawing board for Arkansas’s RFRA, too.

447 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 7:20:23am

Here’s one toy gun that looks way too much like the real thing:

fnhfal.tumblr.com

Note: If a boy in the US had one of those on a city street, it would trigger a SWAT callout in most states. If the boy was black, it would be a ‘shoot-on-sight’ callout.

448 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 7:21:31am

re: #436 Lidane

The damage to the state and Pence is done. He knows it, the GOP knows it.

449 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 7:22:10am

re: #437 GlutenFreeJesus

Too late.

450 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 7:22:55am

re: #445 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Oh, I have fun just driving any stick. Been doing it for 45 yrs because I refuse to buy an automatic. : )

451 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 7:23:22am

re: #445 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Oh goodness. My fun car is an 1999, mildly built Miata. My wife bought it for me because when I hit my sixties I was feeling old. Does driving that car say to the world that I’m old, and gay and have a very small penis?

OTOH, if you still enjoy driving at all you owe it to yourself to get a used Miata just once. They’re still dirt cheap and about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

Try driving it naked.

452 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 7:23:39am

re: #442 The Mother Of All Pies

[Embedded content]

Dateline; Walkerton, Indiana: A massive outpouring of donations from wingnuts will allow the O’Connor family to continue to produce poor-quality pizza.

453 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate  Apr 2, 2015 7:23:45am

re: #445 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Oh goodness. My fun car is an 1999, mildly built Miata. My wife bought it for me because when I hit my sixties I was feeling old. Does driving that car say to the world that I’m old, and gay and have a very small penis?

OTOH, if you still enjoy driving at all you owe it to yourself to get a used Miata just once. They’re still dirt cheap and about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

There was a judge in Louisville, KY — I’ve forgotten his name — who tooled around town in a red Miata. He was in his 70’s. From all reports, he was a fun guy.

454 GlutenFreeJesus  Apr 2, 2015 7:23:53am

re: #418 makeitstop

The Tesla has no transmission. And that’s the most funerest car I have ever driven. ;)

455 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 7:24:21am

re: #454 GlutenFreeJesus

The Tesla has no transmission. And that’s the most funerest car I have ever driven. ;)

SMACK!

456 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 7:24:45am

re: #445 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Oh goodness. My fun car is an 1999, mildly built Miata. My wife bought it for me because when I hit my sixties I was feeling old. Does driving that car say to the world that I’m old, and gay and have a very small penis?

OTOH, if you still enjoy driving at all you owe it to yourself to get a used Miata just once. They’re still dirt cheap and about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

Nah, Miatas are cool. I think the ‘penis’ jokes are directed at the ‘Boy Racer’ muscle cars like ‘Vettes. Much like real bikers make fun of guys who ride ‘new’ Harleys, or guitar players poke fun at guys who but $3K Gibsons or Paul Reed Smith guitars when they can barely play.

My wife drives a 2005 Mustang (with a stick shift!), and she always oohs and aahs when she sees a Miata.

457 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 7:25:24am

Distribute freely :)

458 Timothy Watson  Apr 2, 2015 7:25:59am

re: #445 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Oh goodness. My fun car is an 1999, mildly built Miata. My wife bought it for me because when I hit my sixties I was feeling old. Does driving that car say to the world that I’m old, and gay and have a very small penis?

OTOH, if you still enjoy driving at all you owe it to yourself to get a used Miata just once. They’re still dirt cheap and about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

My dad has a Miata actually (with a stick shift of course).

459 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 7:26:17am

re: #418 makeitstop

Wow, Chevrolet is Eliminating the manual transmission option for Corvettes, effective 2017.

They really want to take the fun out of driving, don’t they?

I’m not buying it. That story’s dated April 1st.

460 Nyet  Apr 2, 2015 7:26:18am

re: #387 FemNaziBitch

Isn’t that, like, in your constitution?

461 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 7:27:01am

re: #448 Dr. Matt

The damage to the state and Pence is done. He knows it, the GOP knows it.

So of course they’ll double down wherever they can. Support for such laws will be a litmus test for aspiring GOP presidential nominees. If the aspirants don’t say something to the effect that it’s a shame that people of conscience can’t be protected by law then they’ll be sidelined. It’s a perfect us-vs-them issue.

462 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 7:27:32am

re: #421 Lancelot Link

Pretty near every day you’ll hear Christians and Conservatives complaining endlessly about how they’ve been silenced.

Professional victimhood.

463 GlutenFreeJesus  Apr 2, 2015 7:28:14am

re: #419 Dark_Falcon

No need to post anything there. Conservative bigots are already making sure their shitty opinions are known.

464 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 7:29:33am

re: #451 darthstar

Mine’s a roadster and there are places where I don’t want sunburn.

465 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 7:29:44am

re: #241 Amory Blaine

[Embedded content]

Video

I was always confused by that band name - were they supposed to be an *Electric* light orchestra, or an *Electric Light* Orchestra?

:)

466 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 7:31:42am

re: #458 Timothy Watson

My dad has a Miata actually (with a stick shift of course).

We rode out to The Poconos a couple of years ago and stopped at a diner to have some breakfast. Suddenly, the parking lot filled up with a Miata club that was doing a fun ride.

Must have been 20 of them. My wife was over the moon just looking at them.

467 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 7:31:50am

re: #462 Dr. Matt

Professional victimhood.

“Oh America! Hast thou forsaken us?”

468 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 7:32:09am

re: #464 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Mine’s a roadster and there are places where I don’t want sunburn.

Good point. Reapplying sunscreen while you drive might also get you arrested.

469 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 7:32:56am

re: #463 GlutenFreeJesus

No need to post anything there. Conservative bigots are already making sure their shitty opinions are known.

What do you mean? My post was anti-bigot and so was the Tweet I was highlighting.

470 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 7:32:58am

re: #464 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Mine’s a roadster and there are places where I don’t want sunburn.

Geographic places, or anatomical places?

(Rhetorical question.)

471 Kryptik  Apr 2, 2015 7:33:55am

re: #465 Feline Fearless Leader

*Electric* *Light Orchestra*. From what I remember, they originally had more of a fusion of strings with rock music, but that faded in the later years.

472 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 7:34:48am

Dogwalk. BBLre: #464 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Mine’s a roadster and there are places where I don’t want sunburn.

Gottcha covered.

Image: beb4986d35ab551ab117e5bc85265fe5.jpg

(Sometimes embedding a photo is not the best feature.)

473 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 7:35:50am
474 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 7:36:12am

re: #472 Decatur Deb

Laughing out loud. The dog just gave me his “Are we having another of our little spells?” look.

475 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 7:37:18am
476 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 7:37:40am

re: #471 Kryptik

*Electric* *Light Orchestra*. From what I remember, they originally had more of a fusion of strings with rock music, but that faded in the later years.

Correct. Their cello player was a hoot. Saw them live a couple of times.

477 Alyosha  Apr 2, 2015 7:39:51am

Easter Friday here. We godly lot have religious holidays still. Two days on top of the weekend. Paid in full. Cheers, Henry!
Night Lizards. Enjoy ALL the things. Even the bad things for those of you properly motivated.

478 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 7:40:05am
479 Bubblehead II  Apr 2, 2015 7:41:16am

re: #461 Higgs Boson’s Mate

So of course they’ll double down wherever they can. Support for such laws will be a litmus test for aspiring GOP presidential nominees. If the aspirants don’t say something to the effect that it’s a shame that people of conscience can’t be protected by law then they’ll be sidelined. It’s a perfect us-vs-them issue.

Works for me. The more they sideline the (alleged) moderates, the better. It will (hopefully) just make them that more unelectable come 2016.

480 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 7:41:16am

I wonder if anyone will call out Cotton on his use of the phrase “the crime of being gay”…

481 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 7:41:27am

re: #313 Rev_Arthur_Icantbreatheing

Disclaimer: I named my son Sean because it was the Irish/Gaelic equivalent of John, and John is such a non-descript name in the U.S.

And then you get to explain how pronouncing the name “Sean Bean” is really supposed to work. What you get for your language mugging other languages for names and vocabulary.

482 GlutenFreeJesus  Apr 2, 2015 7:41:40am

re: #469 Dark_Falcon

I know. Was just pointing out how the crazies in the Republican Party want to discriminate. So any socially moderate Republican is screwed.

483 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 7:42:19am

re: #476 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Correct. Their cello player was a hoot. Saw them live a couple of times.

I saw them on their first tour, and they played the entire first album, then got called back for an encore - but they’d run out of songs.

They had to play their cover of ‘Roll Over, Beethoven’ again.

And as much as I liked ELO, I liked their former band a lot more.

There was a lot of controversy that Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan stole the concept of ELO from Move founder Roy Wood, who recorded an album with rock band and string section by that name, but never released it.

484 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 7:43:57am

re: #321 Decatur Deb

There was an irritating comic actor who spelled it that way—played the son in Mad, Mad World.

Last name though. And his real name was Richard Schulefand.

485 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 7:44:23am

And because I feel like some flag-waving this morning, here’s a message to the crews of any Russian T-72B3s near the borders with NATO:

America’s tank is bigger and better than your tank:

486 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 7:44:49am

The uproar caused by state RFRA laws is leading me to be concerned about the looming superlative shortage. RFRA supporters will soon reach the end of our current supply with “Attacks on the RFRA are the worst thing since gay commies crucified baby Jesus at Pearl Harbor.” Then what? I’m starting a petition to urge President Obama to temporarily open our nation’s Strategic Superlative Reserve before redundancy reaches crisis levels.

487 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 7:44:52am

re: #475 Lidane

[Embedded content]

That tweet of his is a jacked up reading of the Pew statement.

488 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 7:46:08am
489 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 7:46:23am

re: #484 Feline Fearless Leader

Last name though. And his real name was Richard Schulefand.

Yup.

490 Bubblehead II  Apr 2, 2015 7:47:36am

re: #482 GlutenFreeJesus

I know. Was just pointing out how the crazies in the Republican Party want to discriminate. So any socially moderate Republican is screwed.

Not just the socially moderates.

Labrador Takes Aim at Simpson in Radio Appearence

I love it when republicans eat their own.

491 lawhawk  Apr 2, 2015 7:48:16am

re: #488 darthstar

492 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 7:48:55am

WHUT

493 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 7:49:05am

Fun with email:

494 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 7:51:00am

re: #404 wheat-dogghazi-mailgate

Teh Gay Gestapo forced a lame pizza joint, a joint that had already filed for bankruptcy before Pence signed the RFRA, to close.

Class AAA -style thinking, there.

Classic “We’re Christian” grift at work - and succeeding.

495 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 7:51:04am

re: #485 Dark_Falcon

And because I feel like some flag-waving this morning, here’s a message to the crews of any Russian T-72B3s near the borders with NATO:

America’s tank is bigger and better than your tank:

[Embedded content]

I tend to agree with the late, great Bill Mauldin:

496 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 7:51:12am

re: #492 The Mother Of All Pies

WHUT

[Embedded content]

Uh no, they asked hobby lobby to cover their contraception which Hobby Lobby itself invests in. Must every conservative on Twitter be so fucking dense and coached in Rush’s talking points.

497 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 7:52:01am

re: #492 The Mother Of All Pies

WHUT

[Embedded content]

The family that owns Hobby Lobby believes that some types of birth control are morally the same as abortion.

Note: I am not agreeing with those people, I’m just pointing out what the wingnut is DERPing about.

498 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 7:53:02am

Watch me get called an anti-Semite

499 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 7:53:26am

Excellent!

Statement from Angie’s List CEO Bill Oesterle: ‘Our position is that this fix is insufficient. There was no repeal of RFRA and no end to discrimination of homosexuals in Indiana. Employers in most of the state of Indiana can fire a person simply for being a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning. That’s just not right and that’s the real issue here. Our employees deserve to live, work and travel with open accommodations in any part of the state’ - @KevinWTHR

500 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 7:53:30am

re: #493 Lidane

Fun with email:

[Embedded content]

Why do I suspect in the 80’;s and 90’s that this guy probably thought highly or Richard Butler?

501 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 7:55:17am

re: #495 Higgs Boson’s Mate

I tend to agree with the late, great Bill Mauldin:

[Embedded content]

Well, that was back when we had M4 Shermans and were facing Panthers and Tigers.

The M1 Abrams has the advantages of armor and firepower while also being faster than the T-72 or the T-90.

502 Bubblehead II  Apr 2, 2015 7:57:16am

re: #493 Lidane

Fun with email:

[Embedded content]

*smh* Some days I wonder why I ever moved back to this State.

503 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 7:58:34am

Kenyan police offer $220,000 bounty for man they believe is the mastermind of Garissa college attack; Mohammed Mohamud, also known as Dulyadin alias Gamadhere, named but no further details given - @Reuters
read more on washingtonpost.com

504 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 7:58:42am

re: #485 Dark_Falcon

And because I feel like some flag-waving this morning, here’s a message to the crews of any Russian T-72B3s near the borders with NATO:

America’s tank is bigger and better than your tank:

[Embedded content]

If that’s true, why were Alabama National Guard units adopting T-55s and liking them enough to ship them home?
;P

T-55 in Alabama

(Edit; Albatross! :D )

505 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 7:58:46am

Oh, this happened==>

506 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 7:59:47am

re: #502 Bubblehead II

*smh* Some days I wonder why I ever moved back to this State.

It’s beautiful country—but run by assholes?

507 GlutenFreeJesus  Apr 2, 2015 8:00:48am

re: #494 Feline Fearless Leader

Wait for them to forget to pay taxes.

508 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 8:00:50am

re: #501 Dark_Falcon

Well, that was back when we had M4 Shermans and were facing Panthers and Tigers.

The M1 Abrams has the advantages of armor and firepower while also being faster than the T-72 or the T-90.

Never had to deal with armor. Where I was, the ground was too soft for either side to use it. I can say, though, that there were times when even our 19’ Jacuzzi jet drive boat seemed way too big and noisy.

509 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:01:28am
510 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 8:01:58am

TEH STUPIDS

511 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:02:18am

re: #504 Feline Fearless Leader

Look at that tank…stopped by a little blue sign.

512 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 8:02:20am
513 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 8:02:37am

re: #504 Feline Fearless Leader

If that’s true, why were Alabama National Guard units adopting T-55s and liking them enough to ship them home?
;P

[Embedded content]

1. Because putting the weapons of a defeated enemy on display is a human custom older than written language.

2. Because SHUT UP, LIBTARD!!1

514 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 8:03:06am

re: #511 darthstar

Look at that tank…stopped by a little blue sign.

The brave Chinese man with his two bags of groceries was on break.

515 GlutenFreeJesus  Apr 2, 2015 8:04:05am

re: #502 Bubblehead II

Because potato!

516 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 8:04:16am

re: #513 Dark_Falcon

1. Because putting the weapons of a defeated enemy on display is a human custom older than written language.

2. Because SHUT UP, LIBTARD!!1

3. Because they found one the USAF or AH-64s hadn’t blown the turret off of yet.

:)

517 Bubblehead II  Apr 2, 2015 8:04:25am

re: #506 Justanotherhuman

It’s beautiful country—but run by assholes?

Pretty much.

518 RealityBasedSteve  Apr 2, 2015 8:04:27am

re: #510 The Mother Of All Pies

TEH STUPIDS

[Embedded content]

Yep, been seeing a LOT of that recycled in the last few days. It’s funny that they always say “Muslim” and not “Jewish” market.

RBS

519 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 8:06:04am
520 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 8:06:32am
The wheels not installed on the original

Another curiosity.

521 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:06:53am

re: #518 RealityBasedSteve

Yep, been seeing a LOT of that recycled in the last few days. It’s funny that they always say “Muslim” and not “Jewish” market.

RBS

Well of course. Really, it’s very stupid. When asking a halal or kosher butcher to make you a pork product, you are asking them to make you a product they do not make. Last I saw, the cakes, flowers, and pizzas that the gay couples are from the same material as what the straight couples. The better analogy would be the hypothetical Muslim or Jewish butcher declining a customer because of their religion and that would be yes discrimination.

522 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 8:07:23am

re: #518 RealityBasedSteve

Yep, been seeing a LOT of that recycled in the last few days. It’s funny that they always say “Muslim” and not “Jewish” market.

RBS

Though VB’s pie shop example is Jewish since it sends people down the street to the quiche store to get bacon pie.

523 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 8:07:56am

re: #520 Feline Fearless Leader

[Embedded content]

Another curiosity.

Replica of the H. L. Hunley?

524 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 8:08:29am

re: #523 Higgs Boson’s Mate

Replica of the H. L. Hunley?

Yep. Wikipedia page indicates that it was originally constructed in Mobile.

525 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:10:16am

Just wait for the first gay proprietor to turn evangelical Christians away and watch “We’re being discriminated against, this is worse than Nazi Germany” sparks to fly because if there’s anything about evangelicals that I’ve learned, it’s that they think they’re special and should be coddled by the law.

526 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 8:11:05am

re: #516 Feline Fearless Leader

3. Because they found one the USAF or AH-64s hadn’t blown the turret off of yet.

:)

Ah, the jack-in-the-box effect.

Image: T-54s,_T-55s,_Type_59s_or_Type_69s_at_Diwaniyah,_Iraq.jpg

527 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:11:09am
528 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:12:08am

re: #527 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Snap.

529 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 8:12:43am

re: #510 The Mother Of All Pies

You don’t go to a carniceria to shop for arugula. Is it possible for a nation to fail because too many of its citizens are willfully and enthusiastically stupid?

530 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:13:05am

re: #519 Dark_Falcon

For future reference, —>@GovPenceIN would have worked.

531 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 8:13:25am

re: #527 darthstar

[Embedded content]

What percentage of Christian evangelicals, if asked to identify gay pizza, would assume pineapple is involved?
// ;)

532 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:14:52am
533 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 8:15:04am

Dana and her homies will show with their GUNS to defend the Pizza Memories gofundme pile.

534 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 8:15:47am

re: #519 Dark_Falcon

My one quibble with Snyder’s statement is that he’d veto an RFRA if it was a standalone piece of legislation.

535 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:16:05am

re: #531 Feline Fearless Leader

What percentage of Christian evangelicals, if asked to identify gay pizza, would assume pineapple is involved?
// ;)

I like pineapple pizza and I AM NOT AN EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN!…not gay either, but I’m not offended when people think I am.

536 b.d.  Apr 2, 2015 8:19:59am

re: #532 darthstar

[Embedded content]

ISIS Magazine?

537 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:21:37am

re: #536 b.d.

ISIS Magazine?

Rick reads it only for the articles.

538 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 8:21:40am

re: #519 Dark_Falcon

[Embedded content]

One useful take away is that Synder didn’t say he’d veto a Michigan RFRA under any circumstances, he said he’d veto it unless it was accompanied by a bill expanding the state’s ‘Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act’ to include sexual orientation as a class protected from discrimination.

And this would indeed preempt problems with the RFRA, as businesses would not be able to use the RFRA to claim the right to exclude a protected class.

539 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 8:21:48am

re: #527 darthstar

I’m still trying to figure out who would serve delivery pizza at a wedding.

Even the most self-involved, ironic, hipster douchebags wouldn’t do that. They’d have artisanal, gluten-free flatbread with sauce made from organic, locally sourced, vine ripened tomatoes, vegan cheese from the local co-op, and toppings from the farmer’s market they go to every Sunday.

540 Bubblehead II  Apr 2, 2015 8:22:02am

re: #515 GlutenFreeJesus

Because potato!

Not just any potato but frankin potatoes

///

541 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 8:22:10am

re: #533 The Mother Of All Pies

Dana and her homies will show with their GUNS to defend the Pizza Memories gofundme pile.

[Embedded content]

Notice that the “tweet” from Austin Kasso says “Edited”. Bet she shopped the content.

twitter.com

542 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 8:23:12am

re: #536 b.d.

ISIS Magazine?

Online. It really does exist, and its extremely sick in its depiction of ISIS brutality.

543 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:25:01am

re: #536 b.d.

ISIS Magazine?

It’s on the supermarket shelf next to Real Simple and Good Housekeeping.

544 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 8:26:31am

EU representative tells reporters at Iran nuclear talks to gather for a press event; no time given - @Reuters
end of alert

545 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:27:45am
546 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 2, 2015 8:28:10am

re: #541 Justanotherhuman

Notice that the “tweet” from Austin Kasso says “Edited”. Bet she shopped the content.

twitter.com

It wasn’t a tweet, it was a Facebook post. When someone edits their post the word “edited” shows up. You can click on “edited” to see what got changed.
In this case, this particular post doesn’t appear on his timeline, so either he or FB deleted it.

547 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 8:28:30am

re: #541 Justanotherhuman

Notice that the “tweet” from Austin Kasso says “Edited”. Bet she shopped the content.

twitter.com

You can’t edit Tweets. That’s a comment on the GoFundMe grift page.

548 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 8:28:40am

Holy crap.

Dust storm is sweeping over Sanaa, Yemen, as military operations progress in the area

549 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:29:57am
550 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 8:31:17am

These people are being deliberately fucking stupid

551 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 8:32:34am

re: #546 Backwoods_Sleuth

OK, though hard to believe. (I don’t do either T o FB, so can’t tell the diff sometimes.)

552 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 8:34:34am
553 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 8:36:26am

THIS IS THE MOST STUPID MEME OF THE DAY==>
I missed that part where gay couples are demanding FREE WEDDING CAKE

554 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:36:40am

re: #550 The Mother Of All Pies

These people are being deliberately fucking stupid

[Embedded content]

Comes with the territory. They have to find the most absurd hypothetical s.

555 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:37:18am

Free stuff? Oh like the corporate gimmes the right loves to hand out like it’s Christmas come early?

556 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:38:23am

It really does take a certain amount of intellectual dishonesty to be a wingnut. To be a wingnut, you have to believe that union members asking for better pay, benefits, and working conditions are being greedy while their boss who pockets a bonus much more than what they make is just a “humble, job provider.”

557 bubba zanetti  Apr 2, 2015 8:38:32am

re: #553 The Mother Of All Pies

THIS IS THE MOST STUPID MEME OF THE DAY==>
I missed that part where gay couples are demanding FREE WEDDING CAKE

[Embedded content]

Modern conservatism is so incoherent and self-contradicting that it’s essentially just a Markov chain of rage.

558 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:38:50am

It’s also the same universe where as a gay couple wanting a fucking cake for their wedding is the same as a Nazi wanting a Swastika on their cake.

559 Nyet  Apr 2, 2015 8:40:56am

re: #536 b.d.

ISIS Magazine?

Al-Dabiq, IIRC. It’s as slick as it is sick. Very, very professionally made, with exclusive photos of all their atrocities and long theological articles.

560 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 8:41:29am

re: #558 HappyWarrior

It’s also the same universe where as a gay couple wanting a fucking cake for their wedding THE SAME CAKE THAT STRAIGHT COUPLES GET is the same as a Nazi wanting a Swastika on their cake.

561 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 8:41:42am

OUTRAGE!

562 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 8:42:40am
563 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:43:13am

re: #560 The Mother Of All Pies

Yep. But their religious freedom is being violated *rolls eyes*. Why because you have to treat a gay person like a human being rather than berating them for “sin.”?

564 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 8:44:40am
565 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 8:46:05am

re: #564 The Mother Of All Pies

Bryan Fischer says Christians who provide services to gay weddings should deliver anti-gay sermons the whole time

Jesus wept.

566 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 8:47:17am

Nothing is more amusing than when wingnuts start calling the Left “intolerant” because they protest bigotry.

567 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:48:47am

re: #566 Dr. Matt

Nothing is more amusing than when wingnuts start calling the Left “intolerant” because they protest bigotry.

You calling my bigotry bigotry is what the Nazis did!

568 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 8:49:48am

re: #567 HappyWarrior

You calling my bigotry bigotry is what the Nazis did!

You Fascist Muslim Socialist!

569 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:50:15am

re: #568 Dr. Matt

You Fascist Muslim Socialist!

Not a Marxist or a Communist. I has a sad.

570 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 8:56:11am

Heroic Chicagoan Escapes Tyrant Tow Truck

571 #FergusonFireside  Apr 2, 2015 8:57:46am
572 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 2, 2015 8:58:58am

President Obama is in Kentucky today to talk about tech training programs.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has presents for him:

573 Romantic Heretic  Apr 2, 2015 8:59:12am

re: #485 Dark_Falcon

And because I feel like some flag-waving this morning, here’s a message to the crews of any Russian T-72B3s near the borders with NATO:

America’s tank is bigger and better than your tank:

Embedded Image

Hmm. As I recall the T-72 has reactive armour which gives it, I suspect, a bit more survivability that the M-1. It’s also got a lower profile.

On the other hand I don’t think the gun is that good. Historically Russian optics aren’t great. That low profile means less gun depression so it will be harder to get hull down. Finally I wonder if it’s still got that automatic loader that has a round out in the open at all times. Not a big contributor to survival.

Hopefully we won’t have to compare with combat any time soon, or at all.

As long as we’re on the subject of armoured warfare, did you see the War Thunder April Fool’s joke? Hilarious.

574 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 8:59:34am

re: #572 Backwoods_Sleuth

President Obama is in Kentucky today to talk about tech training programs.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has presents for him:

[Embedded content]

Jackpot.

575 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 2, 2015 9:01:19am

re: #574 HappyWarrior

Jackpot.

I love the inscription on the baseball bat. :D

576 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 9:03:33am

re: #572 Backwoods_Sleuth

President Obama is in Kentucky today to talk about tech training programs.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has presents for him:

[Embedded content]

I suggest he partake of the contents of the suitcase, then use the Slugger on McConnell and Boehner.

577 The Week Of No Pie  Apr 2, 2015 9:05:38am

HURR HURR GAYS SHOULD BE HAPPY THEY’RE NOT DEAD!!!!!! INGREATS!!!!!

578 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:08:25am

re: #575 Backwoods_Sleuth

I love the inscription on the baseball bat. :D

Yes!

579 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:09:17am

re: #577 The Mother Of All Pies

HURR HURR GAYS SHOULD BE HAPPY THEY’RE NOT DEAD!!!!!! INGREATS!!!!!

[Embedded content]

Maybe you should talk to your fellow Christians first Dustin, they’re the ones who throw hissy fits over the fact that SSM exists and think that will lead to concentration camps for Christians. And discrimination is still discrimination.

580 Whack-A-Mole  Apr 2, 2015 9:09:18am

re: #480 darthstar

Senator Says Critics Of Indiana Should Get ‘Perspective,’ Be Thankful State Doesn’t Execute Gays thkpr.gs

Maybe these poor persecuted ‘Christians’ should get some perspective. After all, it’s not like they’re being burned at the stake or beheaded here in America like they would be elsewhere.

581 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Apr 2, 2015 9:09:21am

re: #563 HappyWarrior

Yep. But their religious freedom is being violated *rolls eyes*. Why because you have to treat a gay person like a human being rather than berating them for “sin.”?

Bryan Fischer says Christians who provide services to gay weddings should deliver anti-gay sermons the whole time

I totally agree.

I don’t understand why these people want to give up a prime opportunity to help being these sinners find Jesus: while they are busy taking the order for Bruce and Larry’s wedding, they have a captive audience.

This is the perfect time to fill those sinful gays in on the relevant quotes from the Bible (New and Old Testaments) about what we are supposed to do with men who lie with men as women (in the blood, Andy, in the blood!) and remind them that they are going to hell unless they repent and cease being an abomination unto the Lord.

582 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Apr 2, 2015 9:09:33am

Working from home today, using my laptop. Feline Overlord walks across computer, my Internet shuts down.

After checking router, calling Verizon, etc, realize problem is I need to hit the little button with the wifi thing on it (F12).

This is why working from home with cats is so difficult.

583 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 9:09:59am
584 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Apr 2, 2015 9:10:50am

re: #577 The Mother Of All Pies

HURR HURR GAYS SHOULD BE HAPPY THEY’RE NOT DEAD!!!!!! INGREATS!!!!!

[Embedded content]

Yeah, remind me again, how did all this crap get started?

First, Indiana rams a bill down it’s resident’s throats, then some pizza making neanderthal grabs a mic and derps.

585 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 9:12:13am

re: #583 Lidane

Pat Robertson: gays will make you say “you like anal sex, you like oral sex, you like bestiality”

Gays really seem to drive old Christian men crazy. Pause.

586 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Apr 2, 2015 9:12:30am

re: #571 #FergusonFireside

[Embedded content]

Hey, we’re the REAL victims here!!!!!!!1

587 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 9:14:19am

re: #583 Lidane

We knew it would come to this: Gaystopo squads forcing good Christians to gay marry same-sex sheep.

588 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:14:20am

re: #583 Lidane

[Embedded content]

Doesn’t Pat have widows out there to bilk out of their life savings?

589 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:15:11am

re: #585 makeitstop

Gays really seem to drive old Christian men crazy. Pause.

I think they’d be surprised if they ever actually talked to a gay person rather than you know seeing them as cartoon characters, they’d be surprised with how ordinary and boring your average gay person is.

590 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 9:19:38am

re: #588 HappyWarrior

Doesn’t Pat have widows out there to bilk out of their life savings?

Those widows are all currently sending their money to a pizza restaurant which doesn’t cater events, but bravely went on TV to say they wouldn’t cater a gay wedding.

591 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:19:39am

The stupidity in the State of NC is astounding. Don’t know if you remember, but the Munchkin broke his leg while playing w/his cousin last fall, was in a cast, etc. Now the State sent a letter of subrogation for his Medicaid because obviously, someone in the Dr’s office coded the bill as an auto accident. The woman I spoke at with at the Dr’s office didn’t even know what subrogation means. I hope this doesn’t take all year to resolve.

Cheeeeez.

592 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 9:20:05am

re: #589 HappyWarrior

I think they’d be surprised if they ever actually talked to a gay person rather than you know seeing them as cartoon characters, they’d be surprised with how ordinary and boring your average gay person is.

They’ve already talked to plenty of gay people, they just didn’t know it because none of those gay people fit their stereotypes.

593 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:20:16am

re: #590 Lidane

Those widows are all currently sending their money to a pizza restaurant which doesn’t cater events, but bravely went on TV to say they wouldn’t cater a gay wedding.

Courage. Just like Daniel in the lion’s den!

594 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:21:17am

re: #592 Higgs Boson’s Mate

They’ve already talked to plenty of gay people, they just didn’t know it because none of those gay people fit their stereotypes.

True, true. Really, I think they really believe every gay guyis the physical incarnation of the Queer Eye guys and every lesbian woman is a “butch dyke.”

595 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 9:24:40am

A former Arkansas governor calling for a boycott of Walmart because gays:

El. Oh. El.

596 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:24:51am

re: #594 HappyWarrior

True, true. Really, I think they really believe every gay guyis the physical incarnation of the Queer Eye guys and every lesbian woman is a “butch dyke.”

Except for lipstick lesbians who they want in a threesome.

597 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Apr 2, 2015 9:25:15am

re: #595 Lidane

A former Arkansas governor calling for a boycott of Walmart because gays:

[Embedded content]

El. Oh. El.

And the country just keeps getting dumber.

598 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 9:25:37am

re: #573 Romantic Heretic

Hmm. As I recall the T-72 has reactive armour which gives it, I suspect, a bit more survivability that the M-1. It’s also got a lower profile.

On the other hand I don’t think the gun is that good. Historically Russian optics aren’t great. That low profile means less gun depression so it will be harder to get hull down. Finally I wonder if it’s still got that automatic loader that has a round out in the open at all times. Not a big contributor to survival.

Hopefully we won’t have to compare with combat any time soon, or at all.

As long as we’re on the subject of armoured warfare, did you see the War Thunder April Fool’s joke? Hilarious.

[Embedded content]

Got to give them credit for finding something a KV-2 turret might actually work on.

599 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 9:26:55am

What you’re seeing is GOP ‘outreach’ to women and minorities - they’re holding their fire on those two targets and going after the gays.

///

600 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 9:28:51am

re: #582 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse

Working from home today, using my laptop. Feline Overlord walks across computer, my Internet shuts down.

After checking router, calling Verizon, etc, realize problem is I need to hit the little button with the wifi thing on it (F12).

This is why working from home with cats is so difficult.

If your internet is down, unless you’re showing mouse and bird videos to the kitties the kitties figure they’d get more attention. And they tried to be subtle about the sabotage rather than sitting there and blatantly and directly hitting the F12 button while looking directly at you.

Typical computer view when I had the Siamese
601 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 9:29:16am

Current Drudge Headline:

MUSLIMS TO OUTNUMBER CHRISTIANS ‘IN 50 YEARS’

And, as you can imagine, the comments in the story are outright vile and hateful.

602 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:29:39am

re: #595 Lidane

A former Arkansas governor calling for a boycott of Walmart because gays:

[Embedded content]

El. Oh. El.

This is probably what’s peeving Huckleberry.

Committee passes new RFRA bill, headed for full House

thv11.com

603 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Apr 2, 2015 9:30:56am

re: #602 Justanotherhuman

This is probably what’s peeving Huckleberry.

Committee passes new RFRA bill, headed for full House

thv11.com

Well, that was fun.

/

I’m guessing Bryan Fischer, Tony Perkins, and all those religious anti-gay people who got a neat pen at Monday’s signing session are going to be mighty pissed.

604 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:34:00am

re: #603 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse

Huckleberry: “This would have never happened if I was still governor!”

He forgets about his presidential ambitions so easily.

What a lunatic.

605 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 9:34:48am

re: #595 Lidane

A former Arkansas governor calling for a boycott of Walmart because gays:

[Embedded content]

El. Oh. El.

I can hardly wait for the groundswell of response to not affect Red State Walmart shopping in the least.

606 blueraven  Apr 2, 2015 9:34:56am

Get ready for the explosion of negativity over any Iran Nuke deal.

Most politicians, pundits and regular folks, like me, will not understand the science and technology associated with a possible deal.

That will not stop the wild speculation. Buckle up kids, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

607 Ace-o-aces  Apr 2, 2015 9:35:49am

re: #347 Dr. Matt

Wingnut welfare on full display: gofundme.com

HALP!!! CAPITALIZIM HAZ FAILD US!!! INVISIBLE HAND NOW TRYING TO FORCE TEH GAY BUTSEXZ DOWN R THROATS!!!!!!!!

608 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:36:28am

re: #601 Dr. Matt

Haha, not even the Duggars can have that many christian kids.

The Muslim world is young, and fertile, even if they don’t have Duggar-sized families.

609 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:38:12am

re: #595 Lidane

A former Arkansas governor calling for a boycott of Walmart because gays:

[Embedded content]

El. Oh. El.

Yeah that’s the spirit, Mike, boycott something because it’s not being a dick.

610 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:39:19am

I can’t believe there was a time when I thought that theocratic fascist asshole Huckabee was likable. Not that I considered voting for him mind you.

611 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:41:21am

re: #610 HappyWarrior

I can’t believe there was a time when I thought that theocratic fascist asshole Huckabee was likable. Not that I considered voting for him mind you.

Wolf in sheep’s clothing.

612 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 2, 2015 9:41:26am

yep:

613 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:42:11am

re: #611 Justanotherhuman

Wolf in sheep’s clothing.

The Utasse with a Southern accent. And yeah it may sound harsh for me comparing him to Nazi collaborators but this is a man who thinks Americans should be reading his pal David Barton at gun point.

614 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:44:30am

re: #612 Backwoods_Sleuth

yep:

[Embedded content]

I heard Memories doesn’t even cater period and that they were having some financial problems. Would I be crazy in assuming that they saw outing if I may themselves as anti-gay assholes as a means of raising money money from anti-gay wingnuts who will give money to anti-gay businesses they see “Big Gay” as persecuting.

615 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 9:45:38am

re: #609 HappyWarrior

Yeah that’s the spirit, Mike, boycott something because it’s not being a dick.

Walmart is more than happy to be a dick about a lot of things. It just happens that gays isn’t one of them because they actually like making money.

This is a problem for Huckleberry, apparently.

616 Bubblehead II  Apr 2, 2015 9:46:43am

re: #595 Lidane

A former Arkansas governor calling for a boycott of Walmart because gays:

[Embedded content]

El. Oh. El.

Actually, from the story, Perkins is the one calling for a boycott of Walmart, not the huckster. He just danced all around it.

Later in the program, Huckabee insisted that unlike the gay community, conservative Christians would never boycott a business like Walmart. Perkins, however, interjected that he does, in fact, plan to boycott Walmart since the company is “taking a stand against religious freedom.”

Huckabee then backtracked slightly, claiming that “it may come to the place where there will be a day in which Christians have had enough of this — I don’t think they have yet, I still see too many of them folding — but there may come a day in which they realize how close they are to losing all of their freedoms. And maybe there will be a day in which every one of the believers of this nation, people of faith and even some people who aren’t necessarily Christian but they’re people of conscience and they’re people of fairness, and they’ll just say that we will have a national boycott of the following businesses, and let’s just see if they really feel that they are taking the right position.”

Other than that, they’re two peas in the same pod.

617 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:47:34am

re: #616 Bubblehead II

Actually, from the story, Perkins is the one calling for a boycott of Walmart, not the huckster. He just danced all around it.

Later in the program, Huckabee insisted that unlike the gay community, conservative Christians would never boycott a business like Walmart. Perkins, however, interjected that he does, in fact, plan to boycott Walmart since the company is “taking a stand against religious freedom.”

Huckabee then backtracked slightly, claiming that “it may come to the place where there will be a day in which Christians have had enough of this — I don’t think they have yet, I still see too many of them folding — but there may come a day in which they realize how close they are to losing all of their freedoms. And maybe there will be a day in which every one of the believers of this nation, people of faith and even some people who aren’t necessarily Christian but they’re people of conscience and they’re people of fairness, and they’ll just say that we will have a national boycott of the following businesses, and let’s just see if they really feel that they are taking the right position.”

Other than that, they’re two peas in the same pod.

I wish everytime Perkins went on the news, someone would point out his associations with David Duke.

618 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:47:44am

This is clearly wrong. Sounds like Vitter needs his diaper changed.

US Sen. David Vitter, R-La., sent letter to AG nominee Loretta Lynch asking if she would investigate whether Hillary Clinton’s email use was legal - statement
read more on senate.gov

619 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:48:54am

French prosecutor says 150 sets of DNA found at Germanwings crash site; families notified immediately - @Reuters
end of alert

620 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:49:23am

re: #615 Lidane

Walmart is more than happy to be a dick about a lot of things. It just happens that gays isn’t one of them because they actually like making money.

This is a problem for Huckleberry, apparently.

Yep. Honestly I wonder what kind of business illiterate idiot sets out to discriminate against people. Okay, so you not only alienate gays but also their friends and family by doing this. And then when they fail on their face, people like Huckabee and Perkins are there to cry about Christians being discriminated against. Grift, it’s a nice way to live if you’re a conservative Christian who is selective in their morals.

621 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:49:43am

Editor’s note: Reuters is reporting that the joint statement from the Iran talks will say there has been enough progress to continue talks until June 30. Reuters’ source is unclear, but we will be providing updates from the joint statement around 1 p.m. ET (1700 GMT). - Stephanie
end of note

622 Justanotherhuman  Apr 2, 2015 9:51:40am

BBL.

623 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Apr 2, 2015 9:52:38am

re: #616 Bubblehead II

Huckabee—combining anti-gay zealotry with incoherence.

624 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Apr 2, 2015 9:53:44am

re: #612 Backwoods_Sleuth

yep:

[Embedded content]

We are all rodeo clowns pizza shop owners

625 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 9:53:47am

re: #621 Justanotherhuman

Editor’s note: Reuters is reporting that the joint statement from the Iran talks will say there has been enough progress to continue talks until June 30. Reuters’ source is unclear, but we will be providing updates from the joint statement around 1 p.m. ET (1700 GMT). - Stephanie
end of note

I’d rather hear that than a statement saying they were completely deadlocked and not holding any more talks.

626 allegro  Apr 2, 2015 9:55:31am

re: #617 HappyWarrior

I wish everytime Perkins went on the news, someone would point out his associations with David Duke.

People of “conscience and fairness” are speaking out now, real loud, which is why Indiana is fucked and so will be any other state to follow its example.

627 Kragar  Apr 2, 2015 9:55:36am

If its a choice of one or the other, I’ll be happy to stand against Huckabee.

628 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 9:56:09am

re: #620 HappyWarrior

Yep. Honestly I wonder what kind of business illiterate idiot sets out to discriminate against people. Okay, so you not only alienate gays but also their friends and family by doing this. And then when they fail on their face, people like Huckabee and Perkins are there to cry about Christians being discriminated against. Grift, it’s a nice way to live if you’re a conservative Christian who is selective in their morals.

In the small town there would be pressure on you to discriminate if there was a whisper campaign going on and other businesses were discriminating. These ploys are only effective when there is a sufficient majority or power structure to make not discriminating a challenge to survive. And the pressure would also move beyond economic into social and other venues as well.

629 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 9:57:34am

re: #627 Kragar

[Embedded content]

If its a choice of one or the other, I’ll be happy to stand against Huckabee.

Pretty much the same fire and brimstone screed again and again and again. Their playbook only seems to have one page. And one word on that page. Fear.

630 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 9:57:44am

re: #612 Backwoods_Sleuth

yep:

#MemoriesPizza is the new Joe The Plumber. #BoycottIndiana pic.twitter.com
— Bipartisan Report (@Bipartisanism) April 2, 2015

Let us recall that George Zimmerman was a recipient of wingnut welfare not too long ago……

631 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 9:57:50am

re: #627 Kragar

[Embedded content]

If its a choice of one or the other, I’ll be happy to stand against Huckabee.

And Huckabee of course ignores that there are gay friendly churches that are appalled by this. Funny how he cries about Christians being seen as bigots, yet he does everything possible to equate Christian with his brand of anti-gay bigotry.

632 Wendell Zurkowitz (slave to the waffle light)  Apr 2, 2015 9:58:05am

re: #609 HappyWarrior

Yeah that’s the spirit, Mike, boycott something because it’s not being a dick.

Let’s boycott all firms and organizations that are not boycotting Indiana!!!

/

633 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse  Apr 2, 2015 9:58:21am

re: #627 Kragar

[Embedded content]

If its a choice of one or the other, I’ll be happy to stand against Huckabee.

Except for all the churches that, you know, welcome gays (i.e. treat them as regular people).

634 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 10:01:08am

Boycott businesses for being inclusive? For fuck sake, this only makes sense to wingnuts.

635 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 2, 2015 10:03:05am

…an email from an attorney for the company, obtained by KYUK, says the store manager provided the Police Chief with a hard drive containing the video. The email says when the manger requested the return of the hard drive from Bethel Police the video had been deleted. The manager took the hard drive to someone in Bethel who was able to restore the video. It was then turned over to the attorney who shared it with KYUK.

The police record differs from the video and witness accounts. A police report says there was no call for police help, but Officer Reid, on July 12th responded because he observed Wassillie Gregory, a quote, “Indian” male, at 9:18 am as quote, “clearly intoxicated”. The report says that Gregory made verbal threats to Reid and challenged him to a fight. The report says Reid was afraid that Gregory might be grabbing for a weapon.

In an affidavit, Officer Reid says he quote, “kindly tried to assist Gregory into my cruiser for protective custody when he pulled away … ” end quote.

The report says Reid then transported Gregory to the hospital where he was medically cleared and says he didn’t have any injuries other than a cut on his face. But a transcript from the initial court hearing quotes an Alaska State Trooper saying Gregory was at the hospital because of a dislocated shoulder and a possible broken collarbone.

good grief.

636 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 10:03:10am

re: #633 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse

Except for all the churches that, you know, welcome gays (i.e. treat them as regular people).

I think that honestly is what Huckabee is really afraid of. He knows that today’s young people are repelled by his brand of religion.

637 Kragar  Apr 2, 2015 10:05:13am
638 Kragar  Apr 2, 2015 10:05:54am

re: #633 Fourth Football of the Apocalypse

Except for all the churches that, you know, welcome gays (i.e. treat them as regular people).

Why bother with reality at this point? Conservatives sure as hell aren’t.

639 Feline Fearless Leader  Apr 2, 2015 10:06:55am

re: #637 Kragar

[Embedded content]

Didn’t the Jesus who died on the cross also say something about not interfering with governments? Something about Caesar Salad if I recall.
//

640 #FergusonFireside  Apr 2, 2015 10:09:24am

re: #635 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

good grief.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around this most awful, horrendous statistic.

641 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 10:13:45am

re: #637 Kragar

[Embedded content]

I’m sure Jesus also isn’t cool with gunfucking and unregulated capitalism either Erick.

642 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 10:14:09am

re: #640 #FergusonFireside

I’m still trying to wrap my head around this most awful, horrendous statistic.

[Embedded content]

That’s horrifying yet completely believable.

643 Ace-o-aces  Apr 2, 2015 10:19:20am

re: #640 #FergusonFireside

I’m still trying to wrap my head around this most awful, horrendous statistic.

[Embedded content]

Mark Styne is not one of my favorite pundits. However, in the wake of the Mike Brown shooting, he wrote an article about the ridiculous amount of shooting Americans cops engage in compared to other industrialized countries.

steynonline.com

In Ferguson, both parties agree that the first shot was fired from inside the car. The rest were fired by the officer when he’d got out of the car, with Chief Jackson conceding there could have been ten bullets fired. For purposes of comparison:

In 2011 the German police fired 85 bullets. That’s all of them. The entire police force. The whole country. Eighty-five bullets in one year. That’s seven bullets per month. One bullet for every million German citizens.

So the Ferguson PD used as many bullets on Michael Brown as the Polizei used on ten million Germans. But, by American standards, that’s relatively restrained. The same year as those German figures - 2011 - the Miami PD blew through the Polizei’s annual bullet allowance on just one traffic incident:

644 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 10:20:25am

Dark chocolate with sea salt & cayenne. Perfection.

Om nom nom.

645 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 10:21:21am

re: #643 Ace-o-aces

Mark Styne is not one of my favorite pundits. However, in the wake of the Mike Brown shooting, he wrote an article about the ridiculous amount of shooting Americans cops engage in compared to other industrialized countries.

steynonline.com

If Mark Steyn sees this as a problem…………..

646 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 10:21:44am

re: #573 Romantic Heretic

Hmm. As I recall the T-72 has reactive armour which gives it, I suspect, a bit more survivability that the M-1. It’s also got a lower profile.

On the other hand I don’t think the gun is that good. Historically Russian optics aren’t great. That low profile means less gun depression so it will be harder to get hull down. Finally I wonder if it’s still got that automatic loader that has a round out in the open at all times. Not a big contributor to survival.

Hopefully we won’t have to compare with combat any time soon, or at all.

As long as we’re on the subject of armoured warfare, did you see the War Thunder April Fool’s joke? Hilarious.

[Embedded content]

M1s seldom need reactive armor, though they can carry it for their hull and turret sides. The frontal armor on US, Saudi, and Kuwaiti M!s is thicker and better than that of any Russian tank. This is believed* to be because of a level of Depleted Uranium (DU) Mesh in the armor. The M1s operated by Egypt, Iraq, and Australia lack this feature.

*: I say ‘believed’ because the precise nature of the M1’s armor package is a very highly classified secret. It’s been improved several times and some details on the tech used have been released, but how that tech is used is kept very tightly under wraps.

648 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 10:23:37am

re: #647 Varek Raith

Mysterious motorcyclist saves Oregon teens just as angry gunman is about to fire
Cage?
/

A good guy with a motorcycle.

649 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 10:26:40am

re: #645 HappyWarrior

If Mark Steyn sees this as a problem…………..

Not so much in this case. He’s never been a fan of authoritarian government, so he never played defense for Darren Wilson. ‘Conservative’, like ‘Liberal’, is a pretty broad term. Not all conservatives agree on the matter of policing, and Steyn was appalled by the death of Michael Brown in the first weeks after Brown was killed.

I’ll check and see if he changed his position as time went on.

650 Ace-o-aces  Apr 2, 2015 10:27:40am

re: #645 HappyWarrior

If Mark Steyn sees this as a problem…………..

Steyn was surprisingly on point in this matter. He even noted that, even if the shooting was legal, a good police officer should be able to subdue an unarmed shoplifter without gunfire.

651 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 10:28:19am

re: #649 Dark_Falcon

Not so much in this case. He’s never been a fan of authoritarian government, so he never played defense for Darren Wilson. ‘Conservative’, like ‘Liberal’, is a pretty broad term. Not all conservatives agree on the matter of policing, and Steyn was appalled by the death of Michael Brown in the first weeks after Brown was killed.

I’ll check and see if he changed his position as time went on.

Fair enough to him. My point is if someone quite right wing like him has a problem with this shit then maybe other right wingers should take notice I guess is my point.

652 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 10:28:34am

OUTRAGE!

653 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 10:29:21am

re: #649 Dark_Falcon

That said, he’s still Mark Steyn.

654 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 10:29:21am

re: #650 Ace-o-aces

Steyn was surprisingly on point in this matter. He even noted that, even if the shooting was legal, a good police officer should be able to subdue an unarmed shoplifter without gunfire.

He’s right. Guy’s an ass usually speaking but he’s right here. There’s no reason why many of these shootings couldn’t have been resolved without the use of a firearm by the officer.

655 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 10:30:03am

re: #653 Dark_Falcon

That said, he’s still Mark Steyn.

There in lies my point.

656 klys (maker of Silmarils)  Apr 2, 2015 10:30:38am

Happy OT news: one of my good friends had her first child yesterday, a baby girl. Especially welcome to hear after a somewhat challenging pregnancy that had her on bedrest since mid-January.

657 makeitstop  Apr 2, 2015 10:31:23am

re: #644 Lidane

Dark chocolate with sea salt & cayenne. Perfection.

Om nom nom.

Ooooh.

We got dark chocolate and caramel with sea salt not too long ago. Didn’t last a day.

658 HappyWarrior  Apr 2, 2015 10:32:32am

re: #656 klys (maker of Silmarils)

Happy OT news: one of my good friends had her first child yesterday, a baby girl. Especially welcome to hear after a somewhat challenging pregnancy that had her on bedrest since mid-January.

Congrats.

659 Decatur Deb  Apr 2, 2015 10:33:19am

re: #572 Backwoods_Sleuth

President Obama is in Kentucky today to talk about tech training programs.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has presents for him:

[Embedded content]

To complete the Louisville potlatch he’ll also get a hot tip for Churchill Downs, but I bet they skip the 4th Street working girl.

660 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 10:35:14am

re: #655 HappyWarrior

There in lies my point.

Indeed. I posted that link because I feared someone else might do so and while doing so go after me. So I did what I did to avoid getting yelled at.

661 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 2, 2015 10:35:16am
662 b_sharp  Apr 2, 2015 10:35:27am

Did I hear chocolate mentioned?

All I need to know is, where it is and who I have to fight to get it?

663 Higgs Boson's Mate  Apr 2, 2015 10:35:56am

re: #659 Decatur Deb

To complete the Louisville potlatch he’ll also get a hot tip for Churchill Downs, but I bet they skip the 4th Street working girl.

The Secret Service will handle that last item.

664 klys (maker of Silmarils)  Apr 2, 2015 10:37:40am

re: #661 Backwoods_Sleuth

I’m not sure I want to deal with the overload of derp that will crop up here as this discussion moves back into the spotlight.

/sigh

665 Varek Raith  Apr 2, 2015 10:41:50am

re: #662 b_sharp

Did I hear chocolate mentioned?

All I need to know is, where it is and who I have to fight to get it?

ggt.

666 b_sharp  Apr 2, 2015 10:42:56am

re: #664 klys (maker of Silmarils)

I’m not sure I want to deal with the overload of derp that will crop up here as this discussion moves back into the spotlight.

/sigh

Derp is relative.

667 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 2, 2015 10:46:23am

There are actual agreed points being described, not just some vague things.

668 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 10:46:49am
669 darthstar  Apr 2, 2015 10:48:52am
670 Dark_Falcon  Apr 2, 2015 10:49:01am

And looking further, we find out that Mark Steyn is going to be on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show at 5 Central, 6 Eastern (I live in the Central Time Zone). Steyn notes this at the end of a gem titled:

If I Knew You Were Coming for Me, I’d’ve Baked a Cake

In addition to the Memories Pizza DERP, Steyn throws in a canister of Napalm-Grade Burning Stupid when it comes to Dearborn, MI:

In Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, Christians are killed for their beliefs. In America, they’re not (yet) being killed, just having their businesses destroyed. Be grateful for small mercies. But in both west and east the dominant ideology is not minded to brook dissent. Islam sells itself as a stern enforcer, and always has done. By contrast, the New Diversity enforcers intolerantly demand uniformity in the name of tolerance and diversity. In the audacity of their assault, they seek to undermine even the possibility of dissent: when words are conscripted to mean their precise opposite, how can you even mount a contrary argument?

~Eric Eckert writes:

Mark,
Judge Napolitano on Fox News thinks the Supreme Court will rule against the religious freedom law in Indiana, because it is discrimination. Shepard Smith is also upset with this law. If these people want to see real discrimination, that is ignored by judges, and politicians, just go to Dearborn, Michigan.

I would like to see Smith, Napolitano, and the Supreme Court all wear a t-shirt with a crucifix on it, and attend some festival in this town. Maybe they could set up a gay pride booth at this festival, and hand out gay literature. If any of them attempted to do such a thing, they would need several marine divisions with them, it would be like taking Tikrit or Mosul back.

You can bet that Islamic discrimination will be totally ignored by all the gutless judges, news people, lawyers, and Democrat politicians. Women are not allowed in certain Islamic coffee shops, and certain Islamic restaurants in this country right now, the discrimination is occurring in Islamic neighborhoods, and our courts allow Islamic religious freedom to discriminate against women, go figure. A black guy on YouTube said he is not allowed in Dearborn, and a Muslim said that the black guy is from the crim- filled city of Detroit, and that Dearborn has very little crime. Just let a white Christian say the same thing, and see if this is called discrimination, and racism.

Betrothed gays looking for wedding cakes and floral arrangements are not just carelessly stumbling into homophobic bakeries and florists. It’s an organized campaign consciously targeting particular establishments. That’s why no gay couples have wandered into a Muslim patisserie in Dearborn. As I said on The John Oakley Show, it’s not about expanding “rights”, it’s about shifts in power - which is to say shifts in fashion. In Kenya and Indiana, the thugs know they can get away with targeting Christians and the world won’t care - I mean, how often do you ever hear any of the timeserving hacks and panderers who head up America’s “mainstream” churches ever say anything on either subject?

671 jaunte  Apr 2, 2015 10:49:56am

re: #670 Dark_Falcon

In America, they’re not (yet) being killed, just having their businesses destroyed.

Maybe he could name just one.

672 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 10:50:15am

re: #664 klys (maker of Silmarils)

I’m not sure I want to deal with the overload of derp that will crop up here as this discussion moves back into the spotlight.

/sigh

Oh come on. It’s not like the struggle of a pizza joint bravely refusing to cater a gay wedding when they don’t even cater in the first place.

////////

673 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 10:51:04am

re: #662 b_sharp

Did I hear chocolate mentioned?

All I need to know is, where it is and who I have to fight to get it?

If there’s a Whole Paycheck Foods in your area, that’s where I bought the candy bar I’m eating right now. Good stuff.

674 Backwoods_Sleuth  Apr 2, 2015 10:51:09am

Really, what I’m hearing right now about the Iran plan at the presser is nothing short of amazing. I wasn’t expecting anything near as detailed as this.

675 b_sharp  Apr 2, 2015 10:53:22am

re: #673 Lidane

If there’s a Whole Paycheck Foods in your area, that’s where I bought the candy bar I’m eating right now. Good stuff.

Lindt Chocolates are available here in all sorts of dark chocolate combinations.

I’m addicted to chocolate.
It’s why I’m stuck at 200lbs after losing 32lbs.

676 GlutenFreeJesus  Apr 2, 2015 10:53:35am

re: #669 darthstar

And when the nuts continue claiming that President Obama supports terrorists, just give this to them.

677 Eventual Carrion  Apr 2, 2015 10:53:56am

re: #607 Ace-o-aces

HALP!!! CAPITALIZIM HAZ FAILD US!!! INVISIBLE HAND NOW TRYING TO FORCE TEH GAY BUTSEXZ DOWN R THROATS!!!!!!!!

And with the way so many of them have their heads up their ass, that is about the only way to get it down their throats.

678 Bubblehead II  Apr 2, 2015 10:54:24am

re: #656 klys (maker of Silmarils)

Happy OT news: one of my good friends had her first child yesterday, a baby girl. Especially welcome to hear after a somewhat challenging pregnancy that had her on bedrest since mid-January.

Congrats to your friend. We are expecting our first great grand child in August. Damn kids are growing up faster than I we want them to.

679 Dr. Matt  Apr 2, 2015 10:56:17am
680 #FergusonFireside  Apr 2, 2015 10:56:17am

re: #661 Backwoods_Sleuth

[Embedded content]

Huge.

!!!!!

681 klys (maker of Silmarils)  Apr 2, 2015 11:00:10am

re: #666 b_sharp

Derp is relative.

It’s true, and so rather than impose my view of what people should talk about here I will probably just be scarce for a while again.

682 sagehen  Apr 2, 2015 11:09:50am

re: #673 Lidane

If there’s a Whole Paycheck Foods in your area, that’s where I bought the candy bar I’m eating right now. Good stuff.

There’s a couple of Godiva shops between 2 and 3 miles from me. I’ve convinced myself that if I walk there and back (approximately 100 calories/mile), I’ve earned a guilt-free purchase of a week’s worth of dessert (that I’ll probably have eaten 2 days’ worth by the time I finish walking home).

683 Ace-o-aces  Apr 2, 2015 11:10:09am

re: #655 HappyWarrior

There in lies my point.

He’s an asshole, but nobody ever said he was stupid.

684 Lidane  Apr 2, 2015 11:10:46am
685 WhatEVs  Apr 2, 2015 12:11:57pm

re: #339 lawhawk

Wingnut welfare. $200 grand plus in GoFundMe. They don’t have to reopen.

686 De Kolta Chair  Apr 2, 2015 2:28:21pm

re: #685 WhatEVs

Wingnut welfare. $200 grand plus in GoFundMe. They don’t have to reopen.

I wonder if that was their business model from the beginning.


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