Your federal government’s running an unfunded liability worth $194,000 for every man, woman, and child in the country. Just wait ’til universal health care. And when the pension funds implode. We haven’t seen anything yet. It’s about to get really, really ugly.
Superuseless Superpowers.
Another amazing photo of the Hudson River plane landing.
CNBC Money columnist Cliff Mason argues for legalizing drugs.
The good news is that the police in Denver apparently are not racially profiling. (Hat tip: Walter in Denver)
This columnist wants Rhode Island lawmakers to close a loophole that essentially legalizes prostitution in that state, so long as it’s done indoors, and without a pimp. Thing is, I can’t really find an argument in the entire column. He brushes up against the red herring “sex slavery” argument, which fails because to believe it, you’d have to believe that the entire involuntary sex trade on the East Coast exists solely to provide prostitutes to the one place where prostitution is legal there, in Rhode Island. The better argument is of course that it’s all the other states’ prohibition on prostitution that’s helping the sex slave trade thrive.
UPS mistakenly delivers 30 pounds of marijuana to the wrong address. Miraculously, the delivery didn’t result in any murdered Labradors.
South Carolina senator wants to ban the use of vulgar words in public. The bill includes publications, and calls for a sentence of up to five years in jail. Eugene Volokh is pretty fucking skeptical.
Speaking of prostitution, reader John Jenkins sends this story about how fundies are all worked up over a 22-year-old woman who is selling her virginity. Jenkins points to this quote:
“It does seem crazy,” said Mathew Staver, director of the [poorly-named] Liberty Center for Law and Policy. “The rest of the country has an interest in stopping that kind of activity from spreading from Nevada to their home state.”
Yes. Because if it weren’t for those amoral Nevadans, America would be prostitution-free!
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TheAgitator.com
I think the “Lukewarm Touch” power would not be so useless. :)
It could stop global warming or an ice age! All the others are pretty useless.
Awesome that nobody died in that water landing. I bet it was horribly cold though.
University of Rhode Island women’s studies Prof. Donna M. Hughes said that if prostitution remains legal indoors, “Rhode Island will soon be the sex industry capital of the United States.” And she is particularly concerned about the “modern-day slavery” of sex trafficking.
When I read Hughes’ comment, I thought she was arguing in favor of leaving the loophole. It was only when the columnist explained she thought bringing this new industry to the state was something the be avoided that I understood she opposed it.
“Nevada has been out of step with the rest of the country for many years with regards to prostitution, and that’s why I think it’s important for federal prosecutors to look into this, so that Nevada does not dictate the morals and moral decency for the rest of the nation,” Staver told FOXNews.com.
Staver has a strange idea of “federalism,” apparently believing it means that the rest of the nation gets to dictate the morals and moral decency for Nevada.
Not to defend the Denver PD’s actions in that they kidnapped and threw her into jail for three days, but at least they didn’t perform a no-knock raid that might have caused De De to (rightfully) believe her home was being invaded and to take action to defend herself and her children. At least they had the good sense (in an ocean of bad sense) to arrest her as she was approaching the home.
On the eBay virginity story: look, I understand the political dimensions of the story and everybody should stay out of that. However, can we not lodge an ethical point for the fact that it’s a crummy thing to do?
I, for one, am quite dismally and unapologetically impressed with this young woman’s character.
He forgot to add, “…because that’s my job.”
Billy Beck,
Aye. Me too.
Wholly agree with the above comments. There are many morally reprehensible things that I believe should be legal. Like disagreeing with me. :) Oh, and it’s a good day to not live in Denver.
Speaking of prostitution, reader John Jenkins sends this story about how fundies are all worked up over a 22-year-old woman who is selling her virginity. Jenkins points to this quote:
Nothing like paying 4mil for a lousy lay.
When it comes to the unfunded liability issue, it makes me laugh how Congress thinks absolutely nothing of stealing the wealth of people not yet even born to gratify its own ego, but then preaches and moralizes about stuff like marijuana, gambling, prostitution, pornography, smoking, and fast food, all of which bring more enjoyment to the buyer than anything Congress does with the money.
Well, shit. I feel badly when I cuss in front of my babies, but this asshole wants to clap me in irons for it?
“It is unlawful for a person to disseminate profanity to a minor if he wilfully and knowingly publishes orally or in writing, exhibits, or otherwise makes available material containing words, language, or actions of profane, vulgar, lewd, lascivious, or indecent nature.”
“Willfully”? So if I drop a pot of boiling water on my foot while cooking, and explode in a flurry of shitdamnfuckadamnfuck!… is that “willful”? Or would I be charged with a lesser offense of “involuntary vulgarity”?
If, in the heat of argument, I utter “goddamnmotherfucker”, will the court consider my state of mind?
Or what about when I’m watching Nip/Tuck and nursing my infant son? That pretty much covers all the bases of profanity, vulgarity, lewdness, lasciviousness and indecency, yes?
Remind me never to move to SC, mk?
Was the guy that drove the mistakenly delivered 30lbs of MJ to the police station plain stupid, or lucky that he was not stopped, and then paraded through the courts as a major drug dealer.
If this ever happens do not drive it to the cops. Take it outside down the street, and call them, then go home quietly. Do anything to put distance between yourself, and the taser/gun accidentally being drawn, and killing you.
Maybe the police department in Denver has IQ requirement but are mistakenly picking new recruits from the wrong side of that number. It’s obvious that these guys aren’t able to reason on their own (although I am admittedly finding that to be more of a nation-wide characteristic than something limited only to Denver).
I have no problem with a woman selling her virginity. I think it was a brilliant idea and she should be commended for her ingenuity. Of course, I have no problem with anyone who wants to use their body to put food on the table, finance an education, or just pay off their bar tab. Hell, I think ball players should be free to do it.
The $53T liability is not owed equally by all americans, but rather in proportion to how much wealth they have and make. The richest 10% pay 70% of the taxes, so those people would owe $1,060,000 each. The bottom 90% would owe only $50,476 a piece. Divide that up over the 40 years or so that it needs to be paid.
When you put it like that, it doesn’t sound so bad, especially now that the government is finally going to start being fiscally responsible and not run up the tab any further.
Yeah, the sarcastic prick side of my personality is showing through again…
MacK, I agree. What if the guy now decides to drive to Canada, or even just on the highway to another city? He gets stopped by a K-9 unit and bam! His day is ruined.
One thing about the woman selling her virginity…. Why don’t the fundies just go ahead and buy it. After all, if she’s selling her virginity (as opposed to a lay) and they own it, she’s in breach of contract if she ever loses it without their consent.
I have no problem with prostitution. Why should it be illegal to sell something that is perfectly legal to give away for free? Selling is legal and sex is legal, so why isn’t it legal to sell sex?
BTW, the virgin is pretty hot. I just hope that whomever ends up winning the bid doesn’t have a premature ejaculation problem.
The man took the package to Denton police later that night, police spokesman Officer Ryan Grelle said. It contained a 30-pound brick of compressed marijuana with a street value of $10,500.
What a waste.
Complete economic collapse, Radley, is usually the result you get from monetary fraud. That near $200K won’t ever come into play as the US, China, Japan, and other nations start printing money like mad in the name of economic stimulus (and remember we’re the largest debtor nation on the planet…not a good position). No appetite for corrections of ANY kind. In the US, a correction won’t keep a party in power.
There has not been any sign in the last 30 years of the US government knowing how (or voters forcing them) to do anything other than increase debt. Now, we’re increasing debt at an increasing pace…that brings about the collapse quickly (maybe 2012…to match Nostradumbass). The most you can do right now is buy precious metals (maybe), laugh at the people blaming “deregulation”, and record the ending for history.
Lefties will celebrate the near complete elimination of any disparity of wealth…so there’s that.
Yes, I truly believe we’ve passed the point of no return on this. On the other hand, I might be crazy.
@bb LOL – I wonder if there is a clause in the auction stating that the ‘prize’ must be claimed by a certain date or forfeited even if payment has already been made. Or I wonder if the commodity can be resold. That would be hilarious. Some charity could by it and then sell raffle tickets LOL
I love how the progressives can always think of other ways to dictate morality along with the religious right, especially women’s rights groups. For these people it’s all the same; Freedom=disorder and exploitation.
I am still floored that so many people think this way even though I see it all the time. Perhaps its just the dismay I feel to know that their are so many evil and sadistic busybodies out there.
Re: prostitution, once again we go to Mencken:
“Puritanism: the haunting fear that someone, somewhere is having a good time.” – H.L. Mencken
They put the street value of that weed at 20 some dollars an ounce …… an ounce!!!!! Now I don’t really know much about these things but DAMN that’s cheap – even for Mexican ditchweed.
On the UPS delivery:
I can’t help but be reminded of the scene from “Animal House” when the playboy bunny is catapulted into the little kid’s bedroom.
Kid: [looking skyward from skin mag] “Thank you God”
On De DeDavis:
[she] “…studies sociology in her spare time” I bet she never imagined that she would be end up being her own case study.
Sixth case of mistake identity? I didn’t realize there were that many black people in Denver.
#27 Carl
Yea, that is odd. Considering that LEOs are notorious for over-estimating the value.
the only virgin joke I know- ‘what’s the definition of a virgin?’ drumroll… ‘an ugly third grader!’
hopefully, with the weed delivered to them, the cops won’t have to shake anyone down for a while… why didn’t the knucklehead just call UPS to pick up their mistake?
great article by the denver columnist!
@Nando: “Selling is legal and sex is legal, so why isn’t it legal to sell sex?”
Because the government always wants “its” cut, and it would take its cut of prostitution money IF it could find a way to legalize it in a politically palatable way.
I liken it to organ selling: If my body is mine, then I should be able to do what I want with it, including selling off its pieces. If I’m prohibited from doing that, then I don’t really “own” my body, do I?
As for super hero powers, this guy has it covered
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS9GR3wawhs&feature=related
#14 No, this is deliberate. Municipalities don’t want smart cops. Smart cops look at the BS, and after about five years quit the force, go to law school, and become defense attorneys. Dumb cops follow orders: kicking in the Mayor’s door and killing his dogs, for example.
This is a twofer for Senator Fox and the blue-hairs: “Freedom begins when you tell Mrs. Grundy to go fuck herself.” (With apologies, but not too many, to Robert Heinlein) Not that I would pay more than a thousand for the privilege of teaching a virgin. “We’ve already established what you are, we’re just dickering over the price.” B-)=
“so that Nevada does not dictate the morals ”
As a Nevadan I have to say we are no different than the rest of the Nation. Last Tuesday I was propositioned by a teenage hooker with a black eye and her thugish looking boyfriend/pimp. Nice life. But someone’s paying her even though it is only about a 15 minute drive to 2 legal brothels.
Even when vice is legal, there will allways be a black market. When you see the kind of money this girl’s virginity commands, it makes sense.
I normally avoid profanity and vulgarity, but in view of this my comment is as follows:
Senasshoeater Ford is a cocksucking prick with shit for brains who’d piss his pants if he ever read the US Constitution. Assuming he is goddamned able to read. Jesus H Murphy Fucking Christ, the motherfucker deserves to be buggered in the bunghole with a horsecock.
/vulgarity.
What Aresen said.
Also, if the bill passes, can we just ask Senator Ford specifically which words are prohibited and then arrest him for whatever his reply is?
In Re Rhode Island,
They do have a few Asian Massage Parlors, which fall under the “it’s legal because it’s indoors.” category. However, they do still bust the AMPs for other things.