May 24, 2014

A message for the 99% and friends:

We may sometimes disagree with one-another, even viciously, but can we try to educate each other instead of going to war over every perceived slight?

There are people who are truly at war with us, trying to pick the remaining flesh from our bones; perhaps we can save our energy to kick their asses instead?

Regards,

Can-we-end-this-silliness Manny

May 23, 2014

"USA Freedom Act"

That's the name of the bill that just passed through the House that allows Operation Spy on Everyone to keep going in overdrive, while we're told that it's been curbed.

"USA Freedom Act". Love it! I hope someone's getting paid handsomely for these names. Preferably someone in the private sector, of course.

Suppose we wanted to pass a bill mandating that poor children mine coal with picks and shovels. What would we call that? The "Keep Our Children Strong Act"?

I feel like I woke up in the middle of a bizarre comedy. (Yes, I do realize that I'm partially at fault.)

May 22, 2014

Elizabeth Warren is Dead to Me. Dead.

I knew it was bad when Elizabeth Warren didn't personally camp out at Occupy, but this... this is the end of the line for me and her:

OH SHIT...Elizabeth Warren just praised Obamacare

It's over.

I'm back to praying for a Kucinich/Greenwald ticket in 2016.

Regards,

Liberal-who-exists-only-in-Third-Way-fantasies Manny

May 21, 2014

Did you misplace your reading glasses?

I specifically said the contents are secret.

May 21, 2014

Do you want a president who fights like hell for the 99%?

With a Congress that fights like a son-of-a-word-I-can-no-longer-use-on-DU for us, too?

I think the whole country does. Let's figure out how to do this.

I will not go quietly into that good night.

May 21, 2014

How might President Warren deal with the miscreant Supreme Court?

Of course she'll appoint smart people who respect the rule of law when vacancies arise. But until there's a vacancy, what might she do to deal with the five charlatans currently finger painting with poo on the Constitution?

My guess is that she'd start an investigation into conflicts of interest to throw a scare into them.

Your thoughts?

May 19, 2014

Porn. Rape?

I was reading posts on tonight's war-du-jour, porn, and I did a little research. I'm big on looking at outcomes data - in this case, is there evidence that porn causes sexual violence?

Seems to me that porn started becoming reasonably available around 1980, and has steadily increased in accesibility since. I wondered how the incidence of rape has changed during that time. Turns out it's changed a lot: it's dropped by 80%.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_statistics#United_States

While this doesn't prove - at all - that more porn equals less rape, it does seem to counter any claim that more porn causes more rape.

If anyone has expertise in this area, I'd appreciate your feedback.

May 17, 2014

"American Spring"? A preview of November's elections.

We'll have both houses of Congress come next January.

2016's the bigger problem. By then, the not-obviously-insane Republicans will be back in control of their party.

May 16, 2014

Dartmouth Expels White Student For Wearing Sombrero

Dartmouth Expels White Student For Wearing Sombrero

Dartmouth College has expelled a white student for wearing a sombrero to a Cinco de Mayo party.

According to a statement released today by the university, sophomore Ashley Ryan, 20, was thrown out of the Ivy League school for “racial aggression” after a student of Mexican heritage complained that her use of Mexico’s traditional wide-brimmed hat was culturally insensitive.

...

“I was called into the dean’s office this morning. I didn’t know what to expect. I thought it maybe had something to do with the amount of alcohol I drank that night.

...

In recent months, however, it has become more well known for the poor quality of its administration than the high quality of its academics. In April, for example, the administration banned a sorority from using the word "fiesta" at charity fundraiser, the latest in a long line of decisions that many criticize as political correctness run amok.

NB: this is sarcasm, from the Daily Currant. Chill.