Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Why did Dr. Oz lose? well, according to the exit polls, it’s because Fetterman won.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Republicans in disarray!

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

Infrastructure week. at last.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

Everybody saw this coming.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

A dilettante blog from the great progressive state of West Virginia.

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56Comments

  5. 5.

    Jay

    Someone mentioned Michael Richards (Kramer) in another thread. He says he rolled out the n-word several times because he was angry, not a bigot.

    Because you know, bigots never feel anger at their objects du hate.

  9. 9.

    James F. Elliott

    A friend of mine worked for Michael Richards a few years ago. He says that Richards was an angry, embittered man and a giant douchebag. Whether this is a case of Richards revealing that he is a racist dick or just a dick willing to use racist remarks to hurt others (and it seems more likely the latter), I’m not above some good ol’ Schadenfreude.

  10. 10.

    jcricket

    Not that I 100% buy this, but it’s a reasonable idea:

    the offended person, in his rage, says not necessarily what he truly believes, but rather what he believes will hurt that person the most.

  12. 12.

    Pb

    I found this news to be unsurprising, but revealing: Ben “printing press” Bernanke is at it again, pumping up the M3 money supply after he discontinued the reports. Fortunately for us, the smart folks over at the “Big Picture Blog” managed to accurately reconstruct M3 from the original data.

  13. 13.

    chopper

    the offended person, in his rage, says not necessarily what he truly believes, but rather what he believes will hurt that person the most.

    apparently, mel gibson was really convinced that that cop was jewish.

  14. 14.

    Perry Como

    Fortunately for us, the smart folks over at the “Big Picture Blog” managed to accurately reconstruct M3 from the original data.

    I was waiting for someone to do that. They got rid of M3 because the reports cost too much. :cough: bullshit :cough:

  15. 15.

    Mary

    Well, there are degrees of racism. It’s possible that Richards is the most extreme type of full-time racist, who hates and fears black people and tries to hurt them through his words and actions whenever he has the chance. But it seems more likely he’s a lazy, opportunistic racist who chose to use racial terms to hurt those specific people in the comedy club that night, without regard for the disgust most people feel for that kind of invective.

    He’s not a professional comic and had absolutely no heckler skills. He got that gig because of his role on Seinfeld, not because he has any talent as a standup. And when he got heckled, he didn’t even try the usual bag of insults most working comics have on hand, nor a few blunt, all-purpose insults like “fuckwit”, but went straight to racial invective.

    What an asshole.

  16. 16.

    Jay

    But it seems more likely he’s a lazy, opportunistic racist

    Blatant v. Latent. Minorities are fine until they make a nusiance of themselves.

    He’s not a professional comic and had absolutely no heckler skills.

    When I read the story something kept nagging at me, and that’s it: Any real comedian would have had a bunch of come-backs ready for deployment or even better, come up with something on the spot. That must be the pro/hack Litmus test: Can you wing it, or does any break in the flow cause you to lose it? Applies equally well to comedians and polititians.

    I doubt he’ll get off as easily as Mel. People seem ready to give drunks a pass and let’s face it a studio might hold its nose to deal with Gibson, but Richards…Michael who?

    Oh well, he can always get gigs at KKK Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. [/snark]

  17. 17.

    Zifnab

    I was waiting for someone to do that. They got rid of M3 because the reports cost too much. :cough: bullshit :cough:

    We can ditch the report or we can raise your taxes. What’s it gonna be?

  19. 19.

    ImJohnGalt

    Man, that’s cool, Paul L, all snark aside.

    However, to your snark:

    That’s right, if it ain’t embryonic, it ain’t good science. The did, however use cells from the amniotic fluid, which were shed by the embryo. If they ain’t good enough for the unborn baby, how can they possibly be good enough for us?

  20. 20.

    Zifnab

    The Swiss experiment follows recent successes at growing bladders and blood vessels and suggests that people may one day be able to grow their own replacement heart parts – in some cases, even before they’re born.

    I think America could have developed it first, but it would have required that we not put all our money and energy into doing research on snowflake children and proving that Jesus Played With Dinosaurs

  21. 21.

    ImJohnGalt

    And on the off-chance that what you wrote wasn’t snark, and that’s really how you think people in support of embryonic stem cell research think, let me explain something.

    It’s not that every cellular therapy research project has to use embryonic stem cells. In fact, it would be stupid to put all the eggs (heh) in one basket. Similarly, it would just as stupid to completely ignore an entire branch of possible cellular therapies just because of ridiculous concern for embryos which were going to be destroyed anyway.

  22. 22.

    jcricket

    Why would that piss us off Paul? There’s plenty of uses, both current and likely in the future for everything from cord blood cells, embryonic stem cells to even relatively undifferentiated cells from the stomach lining or livers of adults.

    It’s only people like you that desperately need all breakthroughs to come from anywhere but embryonic stem cells. Because when embryonic stem cell research does find cures that aren’t available from other types of stem cell or cellular transfer methods, you know you’ll lose whatever little public support you have in your misguided attempt to stop ESCR.

  24. 24.

    Punchy

    Ben “printing press” Bernanke is at it again, pumping up the M3 money supply after he discontinued the reports. Fortunately for us, the smart folks over at the “Big Picture Blog” managed to accurately reconstruct M3 from the original data.

    Uh……………………what?

  25. 25.

    Face

    Why would that piss us off Paul?

    I, for one, am pissed off, because stem cells taste so good. How can I go on making my Stem Cell Milkshakes without a fresh supply of feti?

  26. 26.

    Jay

    Completely OT:

    The term “snowflake children (babies)” creeps me the fuck out. I think of Children of the Corn, The Boys from Brazil and Jeffrey Dahmer’s fridge each time I hear it. Not to mention the whole screwed up attempt to pretend a microscopic blob of cells is exactly the same as a toddler, only not really because the pro-lifers seem to lose interest in life after birth. (The fun would begin when the lifers demand the fertility clinics store all of the little flakes forever and ever.)

    Besides, what do they call brown former embryos? coal dust babies?

    It is all. Fucked. Up.

    Right, I’m done. back to the regularly scheduled open thread.

  27. 27.

    Punchy

    Besides, what do they call brown former embryos? coal dust babies?

    Damn good point. Are African-American babies grown from these morulas pissed cuz they’re called snowflake babies? Are those balls of cells even white to begin with?

    I propose a whole new set of terms for different races, like Olive Oligodendrocytes for Asians, Brown Blastulas for Indians, Red Dawn for Native Americans, and maybe Cracker Kids for whites.

    Michael Richards just emailed me some other ideas, but they’re not printable.

  28. 28.

    Newport 9

    What?

    What’s that you say?

    You mean to tell me there are actually scientists out there conducting medical research that DOESN’T INVOLVE STEM CELLS?

    That’s it.

    I must now become a pro-lifer.

    DON’T KILL YOUR BABY!!!!!

    DON’T KILL YOUR BABY!!!!!

  29. 29.

    jcricket

    The term “snowflake children (babies)” creeps me the fuck out.

    The only thing creepier than that is the “angel baby” phenomenon. Google it sometime.

  30. 30.

    Perry Como

    The only thing creepier than that is the “angel baby” phenomenon.

    Gingers rank pretty high up there.

  32. 32.

    chopper

    This must piss you guys off
    They did not use Embryonic Stem Cells

    yeah, you know how much us liberals hate medical science.

  34. 34.

    chopper

    BTW, dave, i linked that video to some friends, and now a fatwa has been declared against me.

    something about ‘stabbing you through the internet’.

  38. 38.

    srv

    Former President George H.W. Bush took on Arab critics of his son Tuesday during a testy exchange at a leadership conference in the capital of this U.S. ally.

    “My son is an honest man,” Mr. Bush told members of the audience which harshly criticized the current U.S. leader’s foreign policy.

  39. 39.

    Pooh

    “My son is an honest man,” Mr. Bush told members of the audience which harshly criticized the current U.S. leader’s foreign policy.

    “But I grant you that he’s something of a ninny.”

  41. 41.

    Krista

    This must piss you guys off
    They did not use Embryonic Stem Cells.

    Um, no. Doesn’t piss me off in the least. It’s actually very exciting, and sounds like a scientific avenue definitely worth exploring. Just like embryonic stem cells are a scientific avenue worth exploring. The more avenues that are explored, the greater the possibilities of finding something that can greatly benefit mankind.

    It sounds like you’re pissed off though, because you seem to think that because this new avenue sounds promising, that it should completely replace the avenue of embryonic stem cell research. And that’s probably not going to happen.

  42. 42.

    jake

    The many flavours of creepy:

    Angel babies – Implies that babies carried to term are demons (fallen angel babies?); people might show you pictures.
    Snowflake babies – A politically motivated attempt to be cutesy about cells or do people really believe that shit? Either way, stay away.
    Gingers – Will try to throw you in a vat of molten lava.

  43. 43.

    jcricket

    Gingers – Will try to throw you in a vat of molten lava.

    You have to watch out for the ginger kids. They’re truly evil.

  44. 44.

    jcricket

    It sounds like you’re pissed off though, because you seem to think that because this new avenue sounds promising, that it should completely replace the avenue of embryonic stem cell research

    As I mentioned above, Paul knows a significant percent of whatever support he has for opposing ESCR will crumble in the face of viable ESC-based therapies. That’s why he avoids pointing out that ESCR has been conducted for less than 1/3 of the time adult stem cell research has been conducted (and most of that time under limited circumstances). It’s also why he over inflates the amount of viable therapies from non embryonic stem cells.

    This is similar to the way evangelicals fought over the last 20 years to demonize gays. As it became more clear they were losing, they started seizing on any information that could be spun as “negative” about gays, inflated it to a hyperbolic extent and then distorted it beyond all recognition in an effort to retain any bit of public support they could for their anti-gay policies and initiatives. The good thing is they failed in the long run, because they were lying about everything they said – and the public saw through it.

    People like Paul L will fail at stopping embryonic stem cell research from savings thousands or millions of lives, just like they’ll fail at keeping gays from marrying and they’ll ultimately fail at their attempts to discredit evolution.

    People like Paul L are on the wrong side of history, time and again, but they’ll never see it. They’ll just waste all of our time and money fighting their ill-informed and anger-fueled crusades. The only upside is that the dishonest and spiteful way they fight their battles usually helps turn good people away from them along the way.

  49. 49.

    pie

    I’m amazed at how many Americans do not appreciate the goodness of mincemeat. There should be laws against that.

    Send the bastards to Guantanamo! All pie is delicious.

  50. 50.

    Mary

    Modern mincemeat pie is tasty but safe. It’s all raisins, currants and dried fruit. Proper mincemeat is raisins, currants, dried fruit and real minced meat, damn it.

  51. 51.

    Zifnab

    hehe.

    Hey Paul L,

    British and American scientists have restored vision in blind mice by transplanting light-sensitive cells into their eyes in a breakthrough that could lead to new treatments of human eye diseases.

    But instead of using stem cells, which could form into any cell type, the scientists transplanted cells that had reached a later stage of development toward becoming photoreceptor cells.

    ~link

    This makes me angry because they did not use stem cells.

    Saliva from humans has yielded a natural painkiller up to six times more powerful than morphine, researchers say.

    The substance, dubbed opiorphin, may spawn a new generation of natural painkillers that relieve pain as well as morphine but without the addictive and psychological side effects of the traditional drug.

    ~link

    This also makes me angry because it does not involve stem cells.

    Now, a research team at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies has been able to regenerate a wing in a chick embryo — a species not known to be able to regrow limbs — suggesting that the potential for such regeneration exists innately in all vertebrates, including humans.

    ~link

    This made me happy because embros died. And their screams were like sweet sweet candy.

    The Creation Museum – motto: “Prepare to Believe!” – will be the first institution in the world whose contents, with the exception of a few turtles swimming in an artificial pond, are entirely fake. It is dedicated to the proposition that the account of the creation of the world in the Book of Genesis is completely correct, and its mission is to convince visitors through a mixture of animatronic models, tableaux and a strangely Disneyfied version of the Bible story.

    ~link

    This makes me cry because there are absolutely no stem cells being slaughtered en masse anywhere in this museum.

    Horray for science that involves killing embryos! I love dead babies!

  52. 52.

    Zifnab

    A Parting Shot from George Allen

    As a last little gift to America, Senator George Allen, who was narrowly defeated by James Webb this month, has introduced what may be his final piece of legislation: a bill that would allow the carrying of concealed weapons in national parks. The argument behind the bill is that national park regulations unfairly strip many Americans of a right they may enjoy outside the parks.

    Good. Finally, I can go out hippie hunting just like I always dreamed.

  53. 53.

    Jay

    Proper mincemeat is raisins, currants, dried fruit and real minced meat, damn it.

    Unless the minced meat is made from stem cells I’ll pass.

  54. 54.

    The Other Steve

    Modern mincemeat pie is tasty but safe. It’s all raisins, currants and dried fruit. Proper mincemeat is raisins, currants, dried fruit and real minced meat, damn it.

    Meat, Schmeat…

    Proper mincemeat is laden with Brandy!

  55. 55.

    scs

    I’m telling you, I can’t take it anymore. I can’t stand the bad grammar spreading across the nation. I just heard on the news a news anchor saying something like “Joe Schmoe is now joining John and I“.

    Again, would you say “Joe Schmoe is now joining WE” ? No. Then why would you use the subject case “I” then? You wouldn’t. How did this start? I might as well accept it, and start using it incorrectly like everyone else. It’s kind of like how everyone started pronouncing Iraq “Aye-raq” instead of “Ee-Raq” as it should be pronounced. You can’t even fight that anymore. I mean I have enough of my own spelling and grammar issues without having to add on fake ones. Jeesh!

  56. 56.

    scs

    Okay does anyone notice that everytime your internet service is supposedly “upgraded”, it always ends up worse? This is progress??

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