Just so nobody misses it, I want to highlight Mr. Pierce’s argument for historical memory when it comes to the “unintended consequences” of The War on (Some People, with regard to Some) Drugs: … You will hear, often, of the explosion in the United States prison populations “since 1980.” That date is not accidental. We …
Monday Evening Open Thread: Because Godwin Is So Last Election…
Traditionally August is the silly season for news, but the Wingnut Wurlitzer is so silly all year ’round that they have to get really outlandish for the ‘pickled-cucumber days’. Roy Edroso has so much rightblogger opposite-of-goodness to share in his latest Village Voice column, this particular tidbit gets shoved to the second page: … For …
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This Should Be Interesting: Sidestepping Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
Charlie Savage, in the NYTimes: In a major shift in criminal justice policy, the Obama administration will move on Monday to ease overcrowding in federal prisons by ordering prosecutors to omit listing quantities of illegal substances in indictments for low-level drug cases, sidestepping federal laws that impose strict mandatory minimum sentences for drug-related offenses. Attorney …
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Open Thread: One More Reason to Stay Out of Bars
According to Dan Amira at NYMag: … On the streets of London, right now, there are a dozen recycling bins that track the movements of passersby based on a unique I.D. on their smartphones. The bins, which display video ads, can “identify if the person walking by is the same one from yesterday, even her …
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Sunday Garden Chat: Butterfly Bushes
. From commentor Kathi C: Taking a break from the tomatoes (prolific beyond my wildest dreams) to show you the Lord Baltimore native hibiscus and one of my butterfly pix. I used to live on a hummingbird migratory route in the mountains of Colorado, where I spent almost every evening hanging out a window with …
Saturday Afternoon Open Thread: With the GOP, It’s Always Projection
@TheBradBlog You see? Who says voter fraud is a made-up problem? — billmon (@billmon1) August 10, 2013 . From the article: With these 300 fraudulent votes created by one Republican candidate alone, that’s 300 more fraudulent votes than have ever been created by ACORN or anybody who has ever worked for them…. For those keeping …
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Early Morning Open Thread: Plan Now for the Perseids
Phil Plait gave Slate a guide on getting the best show: Every year around August 11 – 13, the Earth plows through the interplanetary debris left behind by comet Swift-Tuttle. As we ram into this cloud of tiny particles, they plummet through our atmosphere and burn up in an ephemeral and lovely streak of light …
Early Morning Open Thread: Plan Now for the PerseidsPost + Comments (48)