Category: Daily Links

Well, after a day of sheer hell at work yesterday, I get to face yet another today. I had to miss the superb wine post of Pie’s, HM’s evisceration of noted public intellectual Stephen Pinker, and rest of the general merriment. But dammit, NOTHING is going to prevent me from haunting you with Links this morning. And I avoided any bad-pun references to the Ides of March, so you can thank me for that.

And there are some interesting events. People are making a very big deal out of the ultra-thin victory by Team Blue in a purported Team Red area (that, ahem, went big for Obama in 2012). It was delightful to hear the pissing and moaning on Hate Radio, with most of the blame being directed at… the Libertarian candidate, who apparently stole votes that were rightfully Team Red’s. Memo to Team Red: if you want libertarian votes, run candidates who aren’t horrible on liberty. And let me introduce you to a libertarian friend of mine in the area, at whom you can try to hurl invective. It will be most amusing to watch Warty quietly, calmly, and effortlessly snap you in half.

It’s tough to be a Roof.

Oklahoma reacts to disincentives and decides to kill prisoners using the same methods garages use to rip off customers who don’t understand the Ideal Gas Law. I have a more novel suggestion if the state insists on having a death penalty: dress the prisoner like a dog and let him loose near some cops.

More plastic panic as “researchers” find exactly what was expected. There’s been a growing wave of Media Reports of High Concern about how plastics are destroying the planet, the ecosystem, human health, and our American Way of Life. I swear I’m going to try to get the time to do a real article about this (it was a research specialty of mine and I’ve actually got a string of peer-reviewed papers and grants on the subject), but I’ll slip the conclusion ahead of time: as the global warning thing shows evidence of petering out, this will be the next political abuse of science to panic the public and be a theme for aspiring Team Blue politicos.

Someone shows poor Judge-ment.

Old Guy Music, as if you didn’t expect it. A rather libertarian song from someone who very decidedly isn’t.

Happy Pi Day fellow Glibs. At Akira’s suggestion I made a shoofly pie based on the NYT recipe, shamelessly stolen from an 1860s Amish family cookbook (cultural appropriation at it’s flakiest and sweetest). It was delightful and my coworkers have been gently brought back under my control except the one doctor that grokked I was just trying to get them all fat. The Verge is already in before you start grousing about Tau Day, so don’t, not that it’ll stop you since it’s like herding cats below the fold.

The Chinese reporter’s eye-roll that turned a fawning question into an unmissable TV moment. Better than Kim K’s derriere doing it, I suppose. Aww bummer:

But hours later, Liang’s media accreditation to cover the NPC was revoked, according to one of her colleagues.

By Tuesday night, her personal Weibo page had been taken down and search results of her name on the social media platform were censored.

Duterte to withdraw Philippines from ICC after “outrageous attacks.” File this under shit got too real:

The decision marks a stunning about-face by Duterte, who has repeatedly dared the ICC to indict him and said he was willing to “rot in jail” or go on trial to defend a war on drugs that has killed thousands of his own people. […]

Last month, he indicated he would cooperate with the ICC examination and even said he would prefer a firing squad to prison.

Meet the students of Saudi Arabia’s first driving school for women. Saudi Arabia is stepping into the 20th Century. It reminds me of this possibly apocryphal story about women drivers and the House of Saud.

Like the other instructors, Dr. Deema Alsekait has a driver’s license from living abroad. Hers is from the state of Virginia. Saudi leaders lifted the driving ban in part to boost women’s participation in the workforce as the economy diversifies away from oil.

We’ve been made aware of the commentariat’s…appreciation for tits, and wish to include this gift of tits for you as a value-added perk to Afternoon Links

Greetings, Glibs. Today I have ensured proper links. On time. Early, in fact.

Sports – the NCAA Basketball Tournament got underway. Are you in the Glibs Bracket Challenge? [Group ID: 52048, Group Password: Podesta] If no, why not? All the cool kids are doing it.

Music – I will just link a song so you have one. This is an odd, yet compelling piece.

 

Links:

• Famous physicist, sometime jerk, Stephen Hawking has left the building. For good.
• Need an illustration of closing the barn door, after the horse has gone? Here you go. I don’t know if the bribe…er, aid will work. Too late to calm down the electorates of various EU states as well.
• Insert zombie apocalypse joke here. Or, being the UK, is it a 28 Days Later joke here?
• Wasn’t United’s old motto “Fly the Friendly Skies”?

Los Angelinos exceeded expectations in marijuana licensing. New projections now exceed $3.5 Million in licensing fees. Unfortunately, this being California they are considering more ordinances regarding businesses selling it:

Una ordenanza propuesta, remitida por el comité al consejo completo para su consideración, prohibiría la publicidad de marihuana dentro de 800 pies de lugares sensibles como escuelas, limitaría un negocio de cannabis a un letrero en el lugar que tenga un tamaño máximo de 75 pies cuadrados, y prohibir carteles portátiles o señales de sándwich ubicadas en el derecho de paso público.

__________

A proposed ordinance, forwarded by the committee to the full council for consideration, would prohibit marijuana advertising within 800 feet of sensitive places such as schools, limit a cannabis business to a sign in the place that has a maximum size of 75 square feet , and prohibit portable posters or sandwich signs located in the public right of way.

So no dancing sign guy.

Apparently, Salma Hayek (no relation) is a bit upset about Mattel’s new Frida Kahlo Barbie Doll. Good luck on that guys.

No puedo creer que hayan hecho una barbie de nuestra Friducha que nunca trató de parecerse a nadie y siempre celebró su originalidad”, escribió Salma Hayek en su cuenta de Instagram.

__________

I can not believe they made a barbie from our Friducha who never tried to look like anyone and always celebrated their originality,” Salma Hayek wrote on her Instagram account.

I like how CNN doesn’t even try to appear impartial on their Spanish page.

El domingo por la noche, Trump reveló su propuesta sobre armas de fuego tras el tiroteo en Parkland, Florida, que dejo 17 muertos. ¿Adivinas lo que quedó fuera de estar propuesta? Sí, nada sobre elevar la edad mínima para comprar algunos tipos de armas.

__________

On Sunday night, Trump revealed his proposal about firearms after the shooting in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 dead. Guess what was left out of being proposed? Yes, nothing about raising the minimum age to buy some types of weapons.

Five people died in a helicopter crash in New York’s east River. Only the pilot managed to survive.

Translation service provided by Alpha Beta Corporation who remind you that its totally different when they do it.

I HAD ONE JOB!  Get the Morning links out… I BLEW IT. So, you get something quite different than yesterday. Non-precise, not on time links. I hope the Swiss don’t come for me in the night…

• Looks like this particular scandal is going to get more coverage than the first couple of its ilk, perhaps?
• Tongan Crips? This one kamikazi’d with a…pen. Good Shoot. Totality of Circs…for once. (Note, just being released now – is 2014 clip)
• I think the answer will be “Ha ha ha, up yours.”

No music this fine morn, I am too late – post yer own!

My family and I had a wonderful time meeting SP and Webdominatrix last night. My wife and I drank a lot of wine. A lot. Enough that I was avoiding teachers at the daycare drop-off after showering and brushing my teeth because I was worried it was coming out my pores. They also brought a Romanian wine recommended by Pie in the Sky in one of his articles. It did not disappoint. So, all that said, I’m moving a little bit slowly. But last night really brought home that there’s a community a’building here, and I’m grateful for it.

Beloved commentor P Brooks thought this should be in the links today, so gets it. This young survivor of the Parkland shooting is having a hard time getting the same attention as his classmates, two guesses why.

Tesla stopped their Model 3 production to increase productivity. Like Jayne Cobb says, “ten percent of nothin’, carry the nothin’, we got nothin’!”

Amazon can start drone delivering things? Time to start my AI pilot bot project and get my kids certified to fly them.

3D Printed houses — I’m guessing there are some doubts about structural integrity over time if they’re shipping the first batch to El Salvador after showing them off at SXSW. I liked it better 20 years ago when you could stay in town for spring break and see a shitton of cool music acts.

And speaking of Austin, it looks like someone is trying their Unibomber schtick. I hope he drops the next one on his lap and blows his junk off.

 

I didn’t even think Duane Allman and Aretha could fix this song.

Grüezi mitenand. I have appropriated the Links this Morgen. Und you will appreciate them! First, we begin with Sport:

Yes, yes…we all know Tiger Woods came very close. But it is time for the baskeballings. Join this bracketing of the NCAAs, and demonstrate your precision to your friends, neighbors and fellow Glibs! If you asked for your papers, please – Group ID: 52048, Group Password: Podesta. We haff heard of a rumor of prize(s).

So. Links. Ja:

• Ach, so…consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds, ja? It must have been The Hair’s turn to speak…
• Englisher Tabloids. One must love them, ja? Note the 6th bullet point in the hed of this story. How quickly a career can go up in flames. One hopes he has a large bank account in a certain West European nation that shall go unnamed.
• When politik and press combine in Chicago. Ja, ethically challenged. Also, warum are you buying cow, when milch is free?
• Socialistische Maduro imitates the old American Mayor Daley…but with a box of rice, instead of a turkey?

 

Musik. Inspired by the last link – music regarding a box.

 

Uf wiederluege!

 

ZARDOZ SPEAKS TO YOU, HIS CHOSEN ONES. ZARDOZ MUST HASTILY GIVE YOU THE GIFT OF THE LINK…IT APPEARS THE BRUTAL EXTERMINATORS AND THE SQUATCHES ARE ENGAGED IN A CLEANSING RITUAL REFERRED TO AS A “RUMBLE” ZARDOZ MUST ATTEND!

• ZARDOZ BELIEVES THIS BRUTAL MIGHT BE TRAPPED IN HER LIE NOW. THE TABERNACLE COULD SCAN HER AND SAVE THE $99.
• ZARDOZ WILL WAIT TO HEAR FROM THE CHOSEN ONE CALLED JOHN TITOR, AS TO THE AUTHENTICITY OF THIS STORY.
• PERHAPS THEY WERE AUDITIONING TO BECOME BRUTAL EXTERMINATORS? AT LEAST THEY RETURNED SAFE TO THEIR BARRACKS THAT NIGHT. NO WORD IF THEIR SUSPENSION IS WITH PAY.
• BE OF GOOD CHEER, PANCAKE AND WAFFLE EATING CHOSEN ONES!

ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.

…

THE CONFLICT HANGS IN THE BALANCE! NO…WAIT, MR. WHISKERS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

MR. WHISKERS, CEASE YOUR ATTACK ON THE ETERNAL, MAY, AND RETURN! BAD KITTY!

LOOK OUT FOR THAT HORSE, MR. WHISKERS!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! MR. WHISKERS!

*SQUATCHES and Enforcers scatter, May staggers off holding shredded face*

*ZARDOZ and STEVE SMITH remain*

 

 

 

 

 

 

…FRIEND… STEVE SMITH. WE HAVE BOTH LOVED…AND LOST. SHALL WE CEASE THIS NEEDLESS CONFLICT?

“STEVE SMITH SAD – MAY GONE, MR. FLOPEARS GONE… NOW YOU KITTY GONE. STEVE SMITH NO MORE HOLD GRUDGE…FRIEND.”

*ZARDOZ and STEVE SMITH slowly turn and move away from the Vortex*

*Zed peels the flattened Mr. Whiskers off of horse’s hoof*

~Fin~

Day Two of my Bachelor Life. The house is a mess, dirty laundry is piled up, and sammiches are unmade. Oh, and I have an unrequited boner. By the time SP gets back, this place will look like Fred Sanford’s yard and my balls will be the color of a giraffe’s tongue. No matter, I shoved the wreckage from my last six meals onto the floor so I could get to my laptop and post links.

The Most Libertarian President Ever says that he doesn’t want to put drug dealers in cages like his predecessors did. The crowd responds lovingly.

But on Saturday his call for executing drug dealers got some of the most enthusiastic cheers of the night. As Trump spoke about policies on the issue in China and Singapore, dozens of people nodded their heads in agreement. “We love Trump,” one man yelled. A woman shouted: “Pass it!”

In the famous words of The New Yorker, “Christ, what an asshole.”

 

Kamala Harris does her best to assure Jews that she’s not like Danny Davis, Al Sharpton, Keith Ellison, and Jesse Jackson.  And that she can transparently pander to donors with the best of them.

“As a child, I never sold Girl Scout cookies, I went around with a Jewish National Fund box collecting funds to plant trees in Israel.”

Sure, Kammy, sure you did. I’d rather have the Thin Mints.

 

Do not fuck with Katy Perry. Just… don’t. It won’t be healthy for you, know what I mean?

 

Continuing yesterday’s man-pig theme, there’s this story out of Argentina.

The deformed animal was spotted next to its mother after she gave birth to eight piglets in the area of Santo Domingo in Santiago del Estero Province. But it died a few hours after birth when it had trouble breathing on March 7.

Its deformities are believed to be caused by pesticides and GM crops.

 

Q Joins The Marines. But here’s the bad news (emphasis mine):

The new website contains 267 of the images, which are too explicit to share, and appears to involve women from all branches of the military.

 

And as part of The Glibertarians’ commitment to public service, here’s News You Can Use.

 

Old Guy Music! And I’ll simply say that if more Country & Western music were like this, we’d be living in a far better world. This is raw, genuine, unadorned, and… real.

ZARDOZ SPEAKS TO YOU, HIS CHOSEN ONES. THE FIERCE ASSAULT OF STEVE SMITH UPON THE VORTEX HAS TEMPORARILY ABATED. ZARDOZ HAS PUT OUT THE CALL FOR THE BRUTAL EXTERMINATORS TO JOIN ZARDOZ AT THE VORTEX – COMBINE FORCES AND DRIVE AWAY STEVE SMITH.

WHILE THEY ARRIVE, ZARDOZ GIVES YOU THE GIFT OF THE LINK!

• ZARDOZ BELIEVES HE MAY HAVE FOUND SOME NEW MATERIAL FOR THE BRUTAL EXTERMINATORS…BONUS RUSSIANZ!!! INCLUDED.
• ZARDOZ IS NOT PLEASED. HE FOUND THIS ON MR. WHISKERS’ TABLET. ZARDOZ HOPES THIS DOES NOT LEAD TO ANYTHING.
• ZARDOZ IS SHOCKED TO FIND CORRUPTION IN LAND DEALING IN GOVERNMENT. JAPANESE CHOSEN ONES HARDEST HIT.
• ZARDOZ BELIEVES CERTAIN THRIFTY SWISS CHOSEN ONES MIGHT FIND THIS USEFUL.

 

 

 

THE TABERNACLE HAS DETECTED THAT STEVE SMITH HAS CALLED FRIENDS TO HIS AID AS WELL!

 

ZARDOZ HAS SPOKEN.

…

ZED:
The Brutal Exterminators are gonna have their day
Tonight

STEVE SMITH:
THE SQUATCHES ARE GONNA HAVE THEIR DAY
TONIGHT

ZED:
The Cryptids grumble,
“Fair fight”
But if they start a rumble,
We’ll rumble ’em right

SQUATCHES:
WE’RE GONNA HAND ‘EM A SURPRISE
TONIGHT

EXTERMINATORS:
We’re gonna cut ’em down to size
Tonight

SQUATCHES:
WE SAID “O. K. NO RUMPUS,
NO TRICKS.”
BUT JUST IN CASE THEY JUMP US.
WE’RE READY TO MIX.
TONIGHT!

BOTH:
We’re gonna rock it tonight
We’re gonna jazz it up and have us a ball!
They’re gonna get it tonight;
The more they turn it on, the harder they fall!

EXTERMINATORS:
Well, they began it!

SQUATCHES:
WELL, THEY BEGAN IT –

BOTH:
And we’re the ones to stop ’em once and for all,

Tonight!