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News & ArtsTuesday, March 19, 2013
News The Tuesday Morning News
Posted by Dominic Holden on Tue, Mar 19, 2013 at 8:05 AM
Two More Arrested in Stuebenville Rape Case: Prosecutors are accusing two teenage girls of saying something threatening about the rapists victim on social media. "If anyone makes a threat verbally or via the internet," says the the Ohio attorney general, "we will take it seriously, we will find you, and we will arrest you."
Mayor Bloomberg's Next War: After losing his law to ban oversize sugar-laden drinks, the New York City mayor is proposing two bills to curb smoking: (1) bundle the mini cigars used for making blunts, thereby raising prices; and (2) require retailers to hide cigarettes where customers can't see them (NYT link).
Washington State Appoints New Pot Czar: Mark Kleiman will oversee legalization. But REALLY!?!! He wrote in 2010 that legalization "can't be done" and now he's all gung ho for it. Read the editorial from the about-faced fellow:
There's one problem with legalizing, taxing and regulating cannabis at the state level: It can't be done. The federal Controlled Substances Act makes it a felony to grow or sell cannabis. California can repeal its own marijuana laws, leaving enforcement to the feds. But it can't legalize a federal felony.
What He Wrote: "Are GOP leaders secretly hoping that the Supreme Court, after it hears arguments on marriage equality next week, rules in favor of equality?" asks Michelangelo Signorile. "The GOP's only hope, it seems, is for the Supreme Court to take the issue off the table entirely."
Seven Marines: Killed in a training exercise at Nevada depot.
I'm Not Linking to the Seattle Times: Their paywall is going up any day now, and none of their stories are worth $4 a week.
Westboro Church Karma: A nonprofit bought a house across the street—they're calling it "Equality House"—and painting it... rainbow.
I'm All for Veterans' Benefits and All, But... Payments to families of Civil War veterans?
Elizabeth Warren, Why'd You Have to Be an Idiot? She mocked a lawmaker for supporting the legalization of marijuana. (Private to Sen. Warren: Your state voted to decriminalize marijuana.)
Peter Steinbrueck Is Not a NIMBY: Or that's the case he makes on Seattle Transit Blog this morning. But here's the thing about these arguments and the people who make them: These folks rarely—if ever—say what they would support in terms of increasing density and expanding rail-based transit. Declaring yourself "not anti-density" or "not anti-transit" is a cop out.
If You Watch This Entire Video: "Your dormant DNA will be reactivated":
1
The two teenage girls were arrested for threatening the victim, not the rapists. Does this make the prosecutor less of a tool?
2
I don't know if you linked to the wrong article, or just read the text wrong, but the two girls who were charged regarding the Steubenville rape case are accused of threatening the rape victim's life, not the rapist's. The attorney general is saying that it's not okay to threaten a victim. Not a tool move. A much needed move in what seems to be an endlessly fucked up case.
3
The news link says REPEATEDLY that the two girls have been arrested for threatening the VICTIM. Threatening the RAPE VICTIM.
Perhaps it is you who is a tool.
Perhaps it is you who is a tool.
4
@1-3) You are right. That's a total mistake, and I've fixed it. My apologies. I blame my DNA reactivation for the error.
5
@2 for the reading comprehension win! I hope this prosecutor keeps going.
On the upcoming SCOTUS ruling. On the surface the GOP might feel it could adopt the Roe-vs.-Wade approach: demagogue on the issue while trusting all the time that the adults have made any real policy change impossible. Of course, that golem, like so many others the Right Wing have conjured, has gotten away from them and will shortly bite them on the ass (one of these days the SCOTUS is going to uphold one of the bans-in-all-but-name pieces of legislation like the one we just saw out of ND).
But, very fortunately, it turns out the way these lawsuits are crafted only invalidates DOMA and Prop. 8; it does not make marriage equality automatic in all states. That means the GOP will still have to stand up and make a political choice (and LOSE).
Isn't that what years of BS rhetoric about 'not legislating from the bench' and 'allowing the political process to go forward' is all about? No, I'm not advocating making basic individual rights subject to majority rule, but it never hurts when those rights are upheld not just in the courts but by a majority at the ballot box - it removes the incentive for sleazeballs to exploit hatred, bigotry and discrimination as a tool for organizing and mobilizing the population.
If we didn't have the talibangelicals out there fear mongering and whipping up a froth over teh gays and abortion, these issues would have vanished much, much faster.
On the upcoming SCOTUS ruling. On the surface the GOP might feel it could adopt the Roe-vs.-Wade approach: demagogue on the issue while trusting all the time that the adults have made any real policy change impossible. Of course, that golem, like so many others the Right Wing have conjured, has gotten away from them and will shortly bite them on the ass (one of these days the SCOTUS is going to uphold one of the bans-in-all-but-name pieces of legislation like the one we just saw out of ND).
But, very fortunately, it turns out the way these lawsuits are crafted only invalidates DOMA and Prop. 8; it does not make marriage equality automatic in all states. That means the GOP will still have to stand up and make a political choice (and LOSE).
Isn't that what years of BS rhetoric about 'not legislating from the bench' and 'allowing the political process to go forward' is all about? No, I'm not advocating making basic individual rights subject to majority rule, but it never hurts when those rights are upheld not just in the courts but by a majority at the ballot box - it removes the incentive for sleazeballs to exploit hatred, bigotry and discrimination as a tool for organizing and mobilizing the population.
If we didn't have the talibangelicals out there fear mongering and whipping up a froth over teh gays and abortion, these issues would have vanished much, much faster.
7
I came to the comments to point out that the girls were arrested for threatening the *victim*, not the rapist, but i see that's been noted. While i'm here though, elizabeth warren didn't seem to be speaking to state voters as a whole--she seemed to be speaking to voters in the republican primary. More of an attempt to short circuit a candidate who might be more viable in the general against a dem, i would venture.
9
@4 Are you sure it wasn't due to Anakin Skywalker tampering with your memories of the destruction of the World Trade Center? That's just the sort of collateral damage I've seen in other such cases of control by the New World Order
[/sgtdoom]
[/sgtdoom]
10
um I would support more height for bigger setbacks, and I would support massive investment in train lines, while I support efforts to stop the ugly buildings being built today, so we would have more beautiful buildings built today. instead of the blank 20 foot wall say on the vitamilk building, I would require varied storefronts, differnet kinds of doors, not the ubiquitous identical smoky glass sing;le door that seems perfect for appointment based business and hostile to street level greengrocers or other true commercial that lends vibrancy. I'd also support ending most rules about sidewalk cafes, I think businesses can be trusted to figure out where to put the table and chairs without a $20K permit process. also: apodments.
satisfied?
satisfied?
11
I think many at the federal level see Washington and Colorado's pot laws as a path out of a legal nightmare that's too expensive in many ways. That a Republican is running on legalization is encouraging. But, yeah, I think Warren was being funny.
12
Yes, the SCOTUS could settle the whole marriage equality thing, just like they settled the whole abortion thing.
For Republicans, who prefer campaigning to governing, a supreme court ruling won't slow them down at all.
For Republicans, who prefer campaigning to governing, a supreme court ruling won't slow them down at all.
13
I hope Equality House has infra-red CCTV and the local prosecutor on speed-dial. There be some vandalizin' comin'. Oh, and don't forget civil suits! That'd be some nice turnabout. I hear Westboro Baptist makes a living suing people that fight back. It's about time someone reverses that.
15
Suppose some guy got drunk at a party, and two female athletes picked him up and took him to bed and had sex with him all night and videoed it and put it on YouTube.
16
@15: I'd be pissed if that happened to me. One, I'm already taken. Two, I'd really rather not experience that burning sensation during urination (or worse).
17
@12: I'm quite certain that Republicans prefer governing to campaigning, it is you that prefers them to campaign and not to govern.
18
If you think you're going to combat "rape culture" by throwing more and more teenagers in prison, you're nuts.
19
@Dom, who is growing dumber by the minute,
Elizabeth Warren, Why'd You Have to Be an Idiot?
Has it ever occurred to your lame butt, Holden, that not everyone is fixated on the more minuscule aspects of life, like your lamer self, but concentrate on the more important aspects, as does Professor/Senator Warren?
Huh, douchetard?
Perhaps you need to read more of your staff member, Eli:
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
All the studies and investigations are in, Phil Angelides' and Brooksley Born's Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission Report (I've linked to this too many times, so look it up yourself now, doodettes), the various and paltry SEC investigations, etc.
The global financial meltdown was to due to a combination of global financial fraud: ultra-leveraging coupled with the greatest insurance fraud in human history, plus use of that ultra-leveraging by hedge funds, private equity banksters, and other banksters, in mass speculation on oil, energy, oil refinery-related substances, freight forward futures (transporation of said oil), foodstuff commodities, gold, etc., etc.
Elizabeth Warren concentrated on this, the important stuff, while mindless douchebaggers like Holden berate her --- so kindly STFU about your pot obsessions, dood!
Elizabeth Warren, Why'd You Have to Be an Idiot?
Has it ever occurred to your lame butt, Holden, that not everyone is fixated on the more minuscule aspects of life, like your lamer self, but concentrate on the more important aspects, as does Professor/Senator Warren?
Huh, douchetard?
Perhaps you need to read more of your staff member, Eli:
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
All the studies and investigations are in, Phil Angelides' and Brooksley Born's Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission Report (I've linked to this too many times, so look it up yourself now, doodettes), the various and paltry SEC investigations, etc.
The global financial meltdown was to due to a combination of global financial fraud: ultra-leveraging coupled with the greatest insurance fraud in human history, plus use of that ultra-leveraging by hedge funds, private equity banksters, and other banksters, in mass speculation on oil, energy, oil refinery-related substances, freight forward futures (transporation of said oil), foodstuff commodities, gold, etc., etc.
Elizabeth Warren concentrated on this, the important stuff, while mindless douchebaggers like Holden berate her --- so kindly STFU about your pot obsessions, dood!
20
You're being an asshole Dominic.
We make a few promises to our veterans, and despite our dismal record of honoring our word, we should make an exception in this case.
Further, your portion of those benefits is so infinitesimal that it boggles the mind. Even at Unpaid Intern's pay rate, the amount of time it took you to write that dickish sentence would have covered your contribution.
Shit, why don't you advocate kicking some "undeserving" families off of WIC next.
You're usually better than this and I am disappointed.
The relevant passages from the article:
There are 10 living recipients of benefits tied to the 1898 Spanish-American War at a total cost of about $50,000 per year. The Civil War payments are going to two children of veterans — one in North Carolina and one in Tennessee— each for $876 per year.
Surviving spouses can qualify for lifetime benefits when troops from current wars have a service-linked death. Children under the age of 18 can also qualify, and those benefits are extended for a lifetime if the person is permanently incapable of self-support due to a disability before the age of 18.
We make a few promises to our veterans, and despite our dismal record of honoring our word, we should make an exception in this case.
Further, your portion of those benefits is so infinitesimal that it boggles the mind. Even at Unpaid Intern's pay rate, the amount of time it took you to write that dickish sentence would have covered your contribution.
Shit, why don't you advocate kicking some "undeserving" families off of WIC next.
You're usually better than this and I am disappointed.
The relevant passages from the article:
There are 10 living recipients of benefits tied to the 1898 Spanish-American War at a total cost of about $50,000 per year. The Civil War payments are going to two children of veterans — one in North Carolina and one in Tennessee— each for $876 per year.
Surviving spouses can qualify for lifetime benefits when troops from current wars have a service-linked death. Children under the age of 18 can also qualify, and those benefits are extended for a lifetime if the person is permanently incapable of self-support due to a disability before the age of 18.
21
Oh, no, say it ain't soooo, Goldy (true hardcore believer in Korporate Amerika's honesty ONLY with regard to the Big Pharma industry)?
http://www.propublica.org/article/burn-t…
(From the article above)
In 1994, a scientist studying her company’s new medical imaging dye reached troubling findings. Her boss, she recalls, told her to “burn the data.”
That alleged request surfaced this week in a groundbreaking trial over the dye, which is injected into patients to sharpen MRI scans and has been owned since 2004 by GE Healthcare. At issue is whether GE did enough to protect patients from a rare but devastating side effect of the dye: a disease that causes large areas of the skin to become thick and hard. ProPublica investigated the dye in 2009 and 2010, revealing that GE ignored the advice of its own safety experts to “proactively” restrict its use.
GE’s lawyer, John Fitzpatrick, didn’t dispute the request to burn the data in his opening statement to the jury on Tuesday. But after this story was published, the company told ProPublica that the scientist’s boss denies having told her to destroy data. Fitzpatrick also confirmed that an outside researcher will testify that he would not have published a study stating the dye was safe if he had been shown certain internal company research.
And because doods & doodettes sometime (like in ALWAYS) require their memories to be refreshed, this bears repeating:
The Baxter Company has been associated with two deadly scandals. The first occurred in 2006 when hemophiliac components were contaminated with HIV virus and injected into tens of thousands of people, including thousands of children. Baxter continued to release the HIV contaminated vaccine even after the contamination was known. Baxter also released a seasonal flu vaccine containing the bird flu virus to 18 countries, which would have produced a world pandemic if lab workers in the Czech Republic hadn’t blown the whistle. Despite these two deadly events, WHO maintains an agreement with Baxter Pharmaceuticals to produce the world’s swine fu pandemic vaccine.
(Thanks to the site:)
http://www.geekation.com/?p=4281
Not included at this site's blog posting was the earlier "accidental" release of 16,000 active Anthrax samples in the early 2000s by Baxter. (Said samples being shipped to various labs in Europe and Asia.)
Quite the history, huh?
More...
http://www.propublica.org/article/burn-t…
(From the article above)
In 1994, a scientist studying her company’s new medical imaging dye reached troubling findings. Her boss, she recalls, told her to “burn the data.”
That alleged request surfaced this week in a groundbreaking trial over the dye, which is injected into patients to sharpen MRI scans and has been owned since 2004 by GE Healthcare. At issue is whether GE did enough to protect patients from a rare but devastating side effect of the dye: a disease that causes large areas of the skin to become thick and hard. ProPublica investigated the dye in 2009 and 2010, revealing that GE ignored the advice of its own safety experts to “proactively” restrict its use.
GE’s lawyer, John Fitzpatrick, didn’t dispute the request to burn the data in his opening statement to the jury on Tuesday. But after this story was published, the company told ProPublica that the scientist’s boss denies having told her to destroy data. Fitzpatrick also confirmed that an outside researcher will testify that he would not have published a study stating the dye was safe if he had been shown certain internal company research.
And because doods & doodettes sometime (like in ALWAYS) require their memories to be refreshed, this bears repeating:
The Baxter Company has been associated with two deadly scandals. The first occurred in 2006 when hemophiliac components were contaminated with HIV virus and injected into tens of thousands of people, including thousands of children. Baxter continued to release the HIV contaminated vaccine even after the contamination was known. Baxter also released a seasonal flu vaccine containing the bird flu virus to 18 countries, which would have produced a world pandemic if lab workers in the Czech Republic hadn’t blown the whistle. Despite these two deadly events, WHO maintains an agreement with Baxter Pharmaceuticals to produce the world’s swine fu pandemic vaccine.
(Thanks to the site:)
http://www.geekation.com/?p=4281
Not included at this site's blog posting was the earlier "accidental" release of 16,000 active Anthrax samples in the early 2000s by Baxter. (Said samples being shipped to various labs in Europe and Asia.)
Quite the history, huh?
22
Yo, Holden,, you want to go back and closely review the voting records in the US Senate of Hillary Clinton, Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, then get back to us on who the IDIOT is (we realize you consistently sound like one lately, but I'm now referring to the other three women who vote Wall Street, as opposed to Professor/Seantor Warren).
23
Why that Irish clown, Bono, is nothing more than an ignorant stooge of the Gates Foundationa and Wall Street (and the World Bankster):
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/03/19/f…
(Please note that bimbo Bono's advisor is Jeffrey Sachs, one of those clowns Naomi Klein described in her book on the "Chicago boys" and the economic destruction in the former Soviet Union --- and Sachs is still unrepetent about it.)
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/03/19/f…
(Please note that bimbo Bono's advisor is Jeffrey Sachs, one of those clowns Naomi Klein described in her book on the "Chicago boys" and the economic destruction in the former Soviet Union --- and Sachs is still unrepetent about it.)
27
17, oh, that is rich. this is coming from the same person who defended Sarah Palin, the woman who resigned her Governorship mid-term so she can give speeches and appear on Fox more often.
seriously, Phoebe, you will not believe how much brighter the world looks once you pull your head out of your ass.
seriously, Phoebe, you will not believe how much brighter the world looks once you pull your head out of your ass.
30
@27: There you go again. Typically you extrapolate from the specific to the general in contorted ways to build your rant, this time it's the same thing but from the general to the specific.
31
@27, seeing as "Phoebe in Wallingford" is using a photo of the character "Phoebe Tyler Wallingford" from "All My Children" as her profile pic, I think she's a fake-o. To what end, I can't imagine, since "she" plays it so close to the vest that the satire, if any, is undetectable.
33
@31: And why shouldn't I use Ruth Warrick's pic? We look alike in a way, but my first name is Phoebe (I used to be 'Phoebe on NE 79th' when I joined Slog years ago. I moved to Wallingford to be closer to my daughter and the play on 'Phoebe in Wallingford' was irresistible. In all these years, you're the second to notice.
BTW - 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live' did finally get that Internet broadcasting deal going with Prospect Park - airing this spring I believe.
BTW - 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live' did finally get that Internet broadcasting deal going with Prospect Park - airing this spring I believe.
34
This is way below the fold at this point but it is interesting to note that out of nearly every online left-leaning community blog out there today SLOG is the only one that doesn't mention the 10 year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.
And of all those left-leaning community blogs SLOG is the only one with a sitting editor that was FOR the invasion of Iraq. Huh.
Interesting coincidence.
And of all those left-leaning community blogs SLOG is the only one with a sitting editor that was FOR the invasion of Iraq. Huh.
Interesting coincidence.
35
@24 Not a coincidence, Savage & Frizzele both have gone back to what they know, sex advice and name dropping literary celebs, thankfully leaving political commentary to people who actually give a shit what's going on in the world.
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