Politics And Current Events

Postby **tifosi77** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:04 pm

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/30/entertain ... index.html

It's a joke. I hope he just comes out and says "I don't care" like Sean Penn did. More people need to do that instead of giving fake apologies.

I honestly don't understand what's offensive about the joke. I don't really understand what's funny about it, either, but that's a different discussion.

Postby **NAN** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:07 pm

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/30/entertain ... index.html

It's a joke. I hope he just comes out and says "I don't care" like Sean Penn did. More people need to do that instead of giving fake apologies.
I honestly don't understand what's offensive about the joke. I don't really understand what's funny about it, either, but that's a different discussion.

Yeah, it's not a matter of if the joke bombed or not. People are just so hyper sensitive it is ridiculous. You can say anything in this world and chances are you are going to piss someone off. And then you got people apologizing over every little thing.

Again, Sean Penn made a green card joke about one of his good friends. They both laughed at it, but people were fired up. Penn just basically said "f you". And everyone shut up. I wish more people would do that.

Postby **tifosi77** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:09 pm

I agree.

#NAN2016

Postby **NAN** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:10 pm

I agree.

#NAN2016

I'm going to run as part of the Whig party.

Postby **MWB** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:15 pm

Kristen?

Postby **tifosi77** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:15 pm

Be careful; two of the four Whigs who were elected president died in office.

Postby **Guinness** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:40 pm

So Iran is backing forces fighting ISIS, while also backing forces fighting our allies in Yemen, Saudi, etc, and have the stronghold goverments in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

So it is truly a cluster.
I think it was Jon Stewart who pointed out that it basically took 30+ years of meddling with affairs in the Middle East, but we finally managed to get into a war against ourselves.

30+? 30x2 if you want to get close. Can't go back less than 62 years to find one of the most important instances of USG meddling in the affairs of a ME country...

But 30 years is about the paradigm for most "political thinkers". Anything before that couldn't possibly have had to do something with today.

Postby **tifosi77** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:43 pm

I think given the context of the events in discussion he was just referring to the Islamic revolution in 1979.

His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

This at a time when the Arab/Palestinian population of 'Palestine' outnumbered Jews something like 9:1. What could possibly go wrong with that idea?

Postby **tifosi77** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 7:22 pm

An interesting twist:

>>>Oklahoma Dem amendment: Christian businesses must post notice of anti-gay discrimination<<<

Oklahoma Democratic state Rep. Emily Virgin wants Christian businesses to post a public notice of discrimination if they intend to claim that they have a religious right to refuse service to LGBT people.

State Rep. Chuck Strohm (R) introduced a bill, the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, earlier this year that would allow businesses like wedding cake bakers and photographers to deny services if it was “against the person’s religious beliefs.”

State Sen. Joseph Silk (R), who introduced a similar bill in the Oklahoma Senate, told The New York Times recently that new laws were necessary because the LGBT movement was “challenging religious liberties and the freedom to live out religious convictions.”

The amendment to HB1371 introduced by Virgin on Tuesday would require religious businesses to come out of the closet.

“Any person not wanting to participate in any of the activities set forth in subsection A of this section based on sexual orientation, gender identity or race of either party to the marriage shall post notice of such refusal in a manner clearly visible to the public in all places of business, including websites,” the amendment states.

"If you want to discriminate under this law if it passes, then you’re legally allowed to do that, but you need to own it. You need to fess up to it."

Postby **Guinness** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 7:23 pm

I think given the context of the events in discussion he was just referring to the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Sure. Just pointing out that the '79 Iranian Islamic revolution is typically the reference point for modern US foreign policy commentary with regard to the ME/NA, yet that event didn't occur in a vacuum as so many presume. The 1953 CIA-orchestrated overthrow of the Iranian Mossadegh regime - the democratically elected Mossadegh regime, I'll add for clarification - set in motion the events of 1979.

But if you listen to the American political commentariat, US involvement with Iran just spooged into existence when a bunch of towel-heads took a bunch of our innocent, well-meaning :diplomats" (for the most part) hostage and that bozo Carter botched the rescue effort in 1979.

Yeah, they hate us for our freadumbz.

Postby **count2infinity** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 7:32 pm

Gays=Nazis

Postby **Shyster** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 7:48 pm

For Libertarians, There Is Only One Fundamental Right
http://reason.com/archives/2015/03/29/how-many-rights

The libertarian position is that any claim of an entitlement to be served by another person (e.g. cook me food, bake me a cake, take my pictures) necessarily violates the non-aggression principle, and is therefore illegitimate.

Postby **Willie Kool** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:36 pm

Just pointing out that the '79 Iranian Islamic revolution is typically the reference point for modern US foreign policy commentary with regard to the ME/NA, yet that event didn't occur in a vacuum as so many presume. The 1953 CIA-orchestrated overthrow of the Iranian Mossadegh regime - the democratically elected Mossadegh regime, I'll add for clarification - set in motion the events of 1979.

But if you listen to the American political commentariat, US involvement with Iran just spooged into existence when a bunch of towel-heads took a bunch of our innocent, well-meaning :diplomats" (for the most part) hostage and that bozo Carter botched the rescue effort in 1979.

Yeah, they hate us for our freadumbz.

And, big surprise: It was all about the oil.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:03 pm

We don't really need Middle East oil anymore. We could easily (if allowed to drill off-shore and other locales) replace the 12%

Postby **MWB** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:21 pm

An interesting twist:

>>>Oklahoma Dem amendment: Christian businesses must post notice of anti-gay discrimination<<<
Oklahoma Democratic state Rep. Emily Virgin wants Christian businesses to post a public notice of discrimination if they intend to claim that they have a religious right to refuse service to LGBT people.

State Rep. Chuck Strohm (R) introduced a bill, the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, earlier this year that would allow businesses like wedding cake bakers and photographers to deny services if it was “against the person’s religious beliefs.”

State Sen. Joseph Silk (R), who introduced a similar bill in the Oklahoma Senate, told The New York Times recently that new laws were necessary because the LGBT movement was “challenging religious liberties and the freedom to live out religious convictions.”

The amendment to HB1371 introduced by Virgin on Tuesday would require religious businesses to come out of the closet.

“Any person not wanting to participate in any of the activities set forth in subsection A of this section based on sexual orientation, gender identity or race of either party to the marriage shall post notice of such refusal in a manner clearly visible to the public in all places of business, including websites,” the amendment states.
"If you want to discriminate under this law if it passes, then you’re legally allowed to do that, but you need to own it. You need to fess up to it."

I think this is actually a good way to do it. If you're going to refuse a person's business, fine, but let the people know ahead of time you're doing it.

Postby **Sarcastic** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:57 pm

Just pointing out that the '79 Iranian Islamic revolution is typically the reference point for modern US foreign policy commentary with regard to the ME/NA, yet that event didn't occur in a vacuum as so many presume. The 1953 CIA-orchestrated overthrow of the Iranian Mossadegh regime - the democratically elected Mossadegh regime, I'll add for clarification - set in motion the events of 1979.

But if you listen to the American political commentariat, US involvement with Iran just spooged into existence when a bunch of towel-heads took a bunch of our innocent, well-meaning :diplomats" (for the most part) hostage and that bozo Carter botched the rescue effort in 1979.

Yeah, they hate us for our freadumbz.

And, big surprise: It was all about the oil.

The Dulles Brothers. We follow the same methods and end goal to this day. Doesn't matter which party. It's deeper than that.

Postby **Factorial** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 10:27 pm

Mr. Sulu is on MSLSD condemning the IN law.

Postby **columbia** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:07 am

Uncle Ben kicked off his new blog:
http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/ben-bern ... tes-so-low

Postby **shafnutz05** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:08 am

Mr. Sulu is on MSLSD condemning the IN law.

His appearance on the Howard Stern show still rates as one of the weirdest/most awkward things ever.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:18 am

Another read on the Indiana Law

http://theweek.com/articles/547098/insa ... reedom-law

The overreaction reached a sanctimonious crescendo when Apple CEO Tim Cook explained in The Washington Post that such laws are "not about religion." They are also allegedly bad for business. That the guy who made his career manipulating supply chains in China objects to small-time proprietors exercising their religious liberty rights is amusing. I suppose he prefers making money where governments stringently regulate religious belief.

Postby **Factorial** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:30 am

Mr. Sulu is on MSLSD condemning the IN law.
His appearance on the Howard Stern show still rates as one of the weirdest/most awkward things ever.

He's been on there a number of times including weeks at a time when Stern actually worked a full week.

Postby **columbia** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:39 am

Another read on the Indiana Law

http://theweek.com/articles/547098/insa ... reedom-law

The overreaction reached a sanctimonious crescendo when Apple CEO Tim Cook explained in The Washington Post that such laws are "not about religion." They are also allegedly bad for business. That the guy who made his career manipulating supply chains in China objects to small-time proprietors exercising their religious liberty rights is amusing. I suppose he prefers making money where governments stringently regulate religious belief.

Stick it to those capitalists.

Postby **Miami Vice** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 9:16 am

Allow me to go on a little property tax rant here, if I may:

So I'm doing the preapproval stuff and I'd like to be closed on a house by mid July. I ideally want to be within 5 miles of downtown Pittsburgh, and even better in a neighborhood like Bloomfield where I can walk to things. But the practicalities of the house I'd like (garage, basement gameroom) preclude those areas.

My girlfriend found a wonderful home in the Wilkinsburgh boro. The kind of house you'd tell everyone you "live in Regent Square." Walking distance to the S Braddock Ave shops and not too far from downtown. The house needs a bit of updating, but its in great shape and checks off all my wants (even has a wet bar in the basement).

Problem? The friggen millage rates. Its over twice the City of Pittsburgh. They are 5.136% of the assessed value. For a failing school district in an area with relatively high crime.

It perfectly illustrates why you cant tax your way out of a problem. There are too many renters who don't directly care what the taxes are. The property owners can't stop the politicians who keep raising them because they can't vote. No intelligent person would move there and live in the house they bought, and they definitely wouldn't fix a home up there. Clairton has the same problem with even higher millage rates. Its so asinine.

Postby **shafnutz05** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 9:43 am

Mumia Abu-Jamal apparently in the ICU up in Pottsville. That's too bad.

Postby **tifosi77** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:19 am

Mr. Sulu is on MSLSD condemning the IN law.
His appearance on the Howard Stern show still rates as one of the weirdest/most awkward things ever.
He's been on there a number of times including weeks at a time when Stern actually worked a full week.

He became the official announcer of the THSS when they moved to Sirius ('eh eh eh'). That's really the genesis of his current bout of fame; he's utterly awesome on the show.