In the news today

[Assertn]

I'm against it, though I wouldn't know about how it's used recreationally. I'm not buying "boosting the economy" as a reason, or an incentive to do so. Black markets exist for anything you can't get legally. Just because you can't stomp it out doesn't mean you should embrace it.
It would also significantly reduce crime and violence, but the government at least knows whats best for you, right?

Alcohol is worse than marijuana. Why is it legal? It's legal because of all the crime that occurred during the prohibition. Think about it.

[Kraco]

Over here the legislative tendency has been for a while to make even regular smoking harder and less desirable, so allowing new forms of smoking isn't really a hot topic of discussion, except for those individuals mostly outside of politics who would like it for personal reasons.

What comes to alcohol, the topic brings up a couple of aspects about laws in general: It's counter-productive to have laws impossible to enforce efficiently because it leads to people getting used to breaking laws without consequences and on the other hand for a democracy it's troublesome to have laws that a clear majority doesn't support.

Edit: Typo...

[XanBcoo]

I'm against it, though I wouldn't know about how it's used recreationally. I'm not buying "boosting the economy" as a reason, or an incentive to do so. Black markets exist for anything you can't get legally. Just because you can't stomp it out doesn't mean you should embrace it.
I've got no stake in the success of the bill because I don't smoke, but why is it something that needs to be stomped out? Why would you argue that it should be kept illegal?

Assertn mentioned the crime thing. Think about the effect it would have on prisons. How many people are in there because of drugs?


I'm against the legalization of weed for two reasons.
Your first reason is as good as any, but could you not extend the same argument to alcohol or tobacco? I don't like being around people who are completely wasted (though I do enjoy being drunk myself) and I hate hate hate the smell of smoke. Should beer and cigarettes be illegal because I don't like the effects it has on people? At least the legality of tobacco and alcohol means that their use can be regulated to some extent. That's why there are smoking bans in several cities and the reason people can't go waltzing down the street with a drink, rude and raunchy and completely sloshed.


It's counter-productive to have laws impossible to enforce efficiently
Good point. That line of reasoning is the same reason why things like "abstinence only" sex education are flawed. Trying to control something that can't be controlled is a wasted effort. Why not work with and around the reality of the situation?

[The Heretic Azazel]

What you have to realize is marijuana is already a driving economic force in areas of California like Mendocino County. There pot reportedly accounts for 75-90% of the economy and the growers generate somewhere around $1 billion every year.

Barles, there is no middle ground here because, as we all know, if the government is going to let us do something they have to make sure they get their hands in our pockets. Well if they're going to do that, at least it will be put to good use. That's the only reason it isn't legal. There is no, I repeat no valid argument against at least some reformation of marijuana laws. Politicians would rather lie to you about the situation than to admit that legalization could be used to drive our economy, to create jobs, to fund schools and improve our childrens' education (because we have the dumbest fucking kids walking the face of God's green Hell.) There is no shame in that in the least. In fact macro economically, it would go a long way to, as George Carlin would put it, balance the stupid fucking budget.

As Assertn said, the crime and violence would go down; most people would be growing their own. And you don't have to think of Obama as the President associated with drug use, it's common knowledge that all drugs are not the same (and the legal ones are the real killers.) Times change and he would do well to embrace them. This is supposed to be a progressive administration and I would love if they would just tell it like it is, instead of still catering to these unproven fears. He is already pissed at the DEA for raiding legal marijuana clinics in California, which they can do because federal interests conflict with state laws. people have voted for medical marijuana in California and apparently their say doesn't mean shit in the eyes of the DEA.

Barles do you not have an indoor smoking act in your state? No one should have to smell smoke if they don't want to. I find myself going to restaurants more often now.

[itadakimasu]

I'm 100% for legalizing and regulating marijuana in the united states. I'm actually going to do my persuasive speech for my speech class about legalization. Especially in our current financial crisis. Legalization would create jobs, rid the prisons and jails of people only in prison for marijuana ( millions of dollars per day to keep them all in prison ) and the tax from the sale of the marijuana could be a very helpful source of income for america.

The sale would be regulated, and thereby eliminate the possibility of people buying "laced weed"

It should be treated like alchol, open container and all. Police should still ticket any people openly smoking it in public, and take or dispose of their stuff just like they would probably make somebody poor out their beer for drinking in public.

We're in the year 2009 and its time for our lawmakers to realize this. We are not a church state, and somebody should be able to smoke marijuana in their home if they want to.

If Michael Phelps were photographed drinking a beer, would there be public outcry? sponsors cancelling his contracts? don't think so...
It bothers me how it is always termed Drugs and Alcohol, as if alcohol is a seperate category when it is a drug itself.

Anyhow : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7907483.stm

US to donate $900 million in gaza aid. Aren't we still giving israel money for being our friend? it doesn't make sense that we(america ) back israel, and then pay to repair the destruction from their attacks.... doesn't make any sense at all.

[Pandadice]

i thought something like this already happened somewhere? >.<.

i thought some state had it legal on a state level, but not on a federal level, so you still couldn't smoke it..

[Xelbair]

Is it true that Cannabis type that dosen't have hallucinogens in is is forbidden in us too?(it is used here commonly for making cheap ropes and securing pipes)

Think of Netherlands, they have it legal there and there are no problems in local population, but the biggest mess is being made by tourists.

[itadakimasu]

xelbair,

thats the strongest evidence for legalizing. Where it is legal, its not really abused by the local population. some people try to say that if it were legal in the US, usage would sky rocket.... i don't think it would go up very much.

[Uchiha Barles]

I'll be the first to admit that on the basis of harm it does relative to other drugs, including alcohol, there's no reason weed ought to be illegal. Also, I've no doubt that it would "help" the economy with giving the government another way to dip into your pockets yet again and spend the cash on shit you probably don't give a fuck about (btw, if I did smoke weed, that'd be my argument for not legalizing it).

My first reason against legalization is kind of silly in that it's only a "problem" when I'm hanging around people smoking. I can generally up and leave, but the other things happening make it a minor issue I'm willing to deal with. It's when I encounter it randomly while walking in a building, or out of an apartment, or past a bench hidden by trees and bushes while chasing a bunny. The no indoor smoking laws in my state get ignored by the people at a good deal of the places I frequent. Again, I'm not being super bitchy about this, just a little bitchy.

The second reason is...and I hate to sound like a fangirl because I didn't even vote for the guy, is that I kind of don't want Obama's presidency tainted....more than it's already going to be. This may sound stupid, and it probably is stupid, but the last thing I want to hear anyone say is "Change eh? Well good going, the nigger in the office WOULD be the one to legalize drugs."

[Buffalobiian]

I thought I'd refresh my knowledge on this, so I dug up some papers about Cannabis.

The effects of weed is comparable to that of alcohol, except chronic use will also lead to:

1) increased risk of psychiatric diseases
2) respiratory diseases associated with smoking
3) subtle forms of cognitive impairment, most particularly of attention and memory
4) modest cardiovascular risks

Also, I'm not sure what the word out there is, but cannabis IS addictive.

After reviewing this, I'm somewhat less against legalising it than I was before. In fact, right now I don't really give a damn what its legal standing is.

If there was a referendum here, my vote would still be a No. I think my main problem with this is that alcohol can be considered a beverage. You can go to the bar and have a drink without wanting to, nor physically getting drunk.

Prove me wrong, but the whole idea people to to smoke weed is to get high on it, is it not?

[Animeniax]

Marijuana is a gateway drug. Legalize it and you're going to have an epidemic of hardcore drug abuse on your hands. People need to find better ways to stimulate or depress themselves.

[Pandadice]

Marijuana is a gateway drug. Legalize it and you're going to have an epidemic of hardcore drug abuse on your hands. People need to find better ways to stimulate or depress themselves.

lol. even though it's actually never been proven to be a gateway drug... that's literally nothing more than anti-marijuana propaganda. people made it up to keep marijuana banned because it was more of a black persons drug. while alcohol, being a white person drug, was made legal..

[Animeniax]

Oh here we go with the race card. So marijuana is now a "black man's drug?". What a load of bs. And how do you "prove" marijuana is or is not a gateway drug? Do you hold polls and hope for legitimate responses from some wigged out pothead? The only reason people stop at marijuana is because the harder drugs cost too much.

[Dark Dragon]

lol. even though it's actually never been proven to be a gateway drug... that's literally nothing more than anti-marijuana propaganda. people made it up to keep marijuana banned because it was more of a black persons drug. while alcohol, being a white person drug, was made legal..

Yes lets pull race into this because the topic wasn't already controversial enough.

I am personally not for the legalization of marijuana. It's my personal belief that marijuana is not nearly as harmful as many people claim but the last thing we need right now is to add another harmful drug into the long list of addictive substances that are already available.

Deny all you want about marijuana being a gateway drug but the fact of the matter is that many people do not just start smoking stuff crack, quite a significant number of them start out with weed. It's pretty similar to how many people start with light alcohol and eventually move to stronger stuff. That isn't to say that smoking marijuana will automatically incite you to try stronger drugs, but to clearly state that there isn't a relation is also stretching the truth.

I do however believe that we need to decriminalize it, some of the punishment for owning or purchasing marijuana far out weight the "crime" in question.

Edit: I also forgot to mention that certain alcohol like red wine are actually beneficial to your health if it is taken sparingly on a regular basis. I've yet to see any actual positive benefit from getting stoned.

[itadakimasu]

i came home a little bit ago to find my neighbors from downstairs rolling a blunt on the steps leading to my apartment... hopefully he picks up the blunt guts when he's done.

if marijuana were legal, i don't think the gateway drug argument would hold as much water.

if there is better parenting than it will be less of a problem if kids learn about things like moderation.

*just a note, that the people rolling the blunt outside my apartment are black... not that it matters at all. i had a black friend who taught me how to roll blunts and now that I think about it.... that was a long time ago! jesus.... im getting old.*

If marijuana were legal, I would smoke every once in a while, just like how i only drink every once in a while.

[The Heretic Azazel]

Sorry to say Buff, your post is mainly what I talk about when it comes to drug war enthusiasts spreading falsehoods, which isn't surprising since it can be hard to find an unbiased argument on the subject online, at least without some kind of personal agenda. There is some truth, I have smoked almost everyday since I was 18 and it takes a little bit of training to retain my short-term memory, I tend to have to pay more attention to my surroundings than the next guy. On the other hand it really helps me to smoke before a test to alleviate anxiety (I have an awful habit of going blank before I take an exam.)

There is no link whatsoever to cardiovascular problems and respiratory problems are probably equal in tobacco, BUT if you smoke weed out of a vaporizer it filters the tars and toxins and gives you straight THC (which isn't dangerous as opposed to the other possible compounds in your herb) and vaping helps break up the crud in your lungs.

People consider marijuana a gateway drug for a couple of reasons: one is coincidental, there is no cause and effect. There are people who will always grow up to be junkies, and marijuana happens to be the first drug people use (especially when they start young). The other is pot dealers often dabble in other drugs, so if you're going to your man to get some herb and he happens to sell coke on the side, yeah you're going to be exposed to that element of the game. That's all the more reason to legalize, it cuts out a certain portion of the black market and people don't have to be around that sort of thing. The problem is people who don't mind smoking bud but want a different, more sustained high. If you have an addictive personality you're better off not doing anything at all.


Edit: I also forgot to mention that certain alcohol like red wine are actually beneficial to your health if it is taken sparingly on a regular basis. I've yet to see any actual positive benefit from getting stoned.

There's always an exception to the rule, no alcohol except red wine has any useful properties so it's kind of pointless to make that relation. However cannabis is all that will relieve the pain of many terminally ill patients across the country, and the DEA tried to take that away from them too.

And truthfully I too would rather have it decriminalized than legalized. The shit would be too expensive for me.

[Buffalobiian]

The "cardiovascular risk" was something taken from my lecture handout, as was all the other points. It wasn't elaborated on however, and I slept through that class anyway, so I can't go any further.


Prove me wrong, but the whole idea people smoke weed is to get high on it, is it not?

People need to find better ways to stimulate or depress themselves.

This is pretty much my biggest problem with it.

[darkshadow]

Marijuana is a gateway drug. Legalize it and you're going to have an epidemic of hardcore drug abuse on your hands. People need to find better ways to stimulate or depress themselves.

Its legalized here and there is no epidemic whatsoever, people who buy it just smoke it at home or the coffeeshop they got it from, there is also a smoking ban in effect almost everywhere, you can only smoke outdoors here now.
People here got better shit to do then stand around outside and smoke their weed, only people smoking(cigarettes) outside are the ones that are waiting for someone or are one a break from work.
Its the tourists that try the smoke all the weed they can in the least amount of time they can.

[Animeniax]

Its legalized here and there is no epidemic whatsoever, people who buy it just smoke it at home or the coffeeshop they got it from, there is also a smoking ban in effect almost everywhere, you can only smoke outdoors here now.
People here got better shit to do then stand around outside and smoke their weed, only people smoking(cigarettes) outside are the ones that are waiting for someone or are one a break from work.
Its the tourists that try the smoke all the weed they can in the least amount of time they can.
Yes but that's the Netherlands and this is the US. We also have problems with crime, obesity, and waste that you can't compete with.

[Mr Squiggles]

The only reason people stop at marijuana is because the harder drugs cost too much.
Or, you know, maybe because most marijuana smokers recognize the much more tangible and severe dangers of the harder drugs and so they choose not to do them. I'm not really sure what exactly makes you think that every pot smoker would take harder stuff if he could afford it.


As for the addiction thing, I'm sure some people do get addicted, but these are the same people incapable of self-control who get themselves addicted to extreme sports/adrenaline, porn, gambling, and videogames. My friend who has access to medical databases told me you need to smoke at least 5grams a day in order to be considered physically addicted to the stuff. I dont know if you guys realize how much that is, but you've got to be pretty god damn hardcore to smoke that much on a daily basis.

heres a pic i found on the webs for comparison
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/6357/cuts.th.jpg (http://img144.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cuts.jpg)
this is 3.5 grams. You need to smoke about 40% more than this every single day in order to be considered addicted

I've yet to meet a single pot-head who smokes that much.

[Marik]

Brazilian Man Holds Woman Hostage For 10 Hours... With A Sega Light Gun (http://kotaku.com/5160608/brazilian-man-holds-woman-hostage-for-10-hours-with-a-sega-light-gun)

lol. Now I understand why they made the NES gun red/orange.

[Nadouku]

Brazilian Man Holds Woman Hostage For 10 Hours... With A Sega Light Gun (http://kotaku.com/5160608/brazilian-man-holds-woman-hostage-for-10-hours-with-a-sega-light-gun)

Hilarious article. That woman sure knew what to look out for. :p

Injured good Samaritan ticketed for jaywalking (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090226/ap_on_fe_st/odd_good_samaritan_ticketed)


DENVER – A good Samaritan who helped push three people out of the path of a pickup truck before being struck and injured has gotten a strange reward for his good deed: A jaywalking ticket.

Seriously? Saving the lives of people is deserving of a ticket for jaywalking? Not to mention that you almost lost your life in doing so! Sheesh, these policemen are so troubling.

[Uchiha Barles]

This certainly seems absurd, but there's the question of "would the women have been fine if it wasn't for the bus driver's interference?" I guess the ticket is a bit overkill, but if the cop was watching the entire situation, and saw that the answer to the question was "yes", then I can understand how he'd be annoyed.

[Assertn]

Nah, it does annoy me when people put themselves in danger and then expect to be considered a hero afterward. The two guys seem to be responsible for putting the old ladies in danger in the first place.

[Nadouku]

3 reasons your workouts aren't working (http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/3-reasons-your-workouts-arent-working-376716/)


Your time is valuable, and for each precious moment you put into your workouts, you want to ensure you get the best possible return on your investment. So, are you getting the results you want? If your body isn't as lean or toned as you'd like, it may be that you're committing some key training mistakes, which can sabotage the efforts of even veteran exercisers.
This article was interesting because of the information it contains about the different errors of exercise and how to correct them or take note for future references. What do you think?

[Buffalobiian]

'Dumb and Dumber' bank robber comes home (http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/758766.html)

Boy, first I've heard of this case. It made me laugh.

So who was this guy? Dumb or Dumber?

[Animeniax]

3 reasons your workouts aren't working (http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/3-reasons-your-workouts-arent-working-376716/)


This article was interesting because of the information it contains about the different errors of exercise and how to correct them or take note for future references. What do you think?
Very interesting article. I gave it a try slowing down the workout and I definitely feel like I'm getting more of a workout. The problem is time. I work-out at the office during work and I'm usually pressed for time which is why I normally run through the reps.

Also, it's a mental factor that I feel like I've accomplished something just from completing the full number of reps, even if they were rushed and in poor form and I didn't realize maximum gains from the workout. Just knowing that I completed the routine means something. If I did a slow workout and couldn't complete the routine, it would hurt my confidence and ability to continue working out.

[Uchiha Barles]

3 reasons your workouts aren't working (http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/3-reasons-your-workouts-arent-working-376716/)


This article was interesting because of the information it contains about the different errors of exercise and how to correct them or take note for future references. What do you think?

That article is pure gold, the first four reasons in particular. I've actually noticed that I'm getting in better shape than I was in highschool because of the fact that for any body part I'm working out, I have two different workouts. For example, I have two work outs for my biceps that I alternate. One day I do bicep curls, and the next, chin ups. The P90X guys term this type of thing "muscle confusion". The results really do seem to be everything they're clamoring about. I'm considering adding a third work out for certain muscle groups.

Also, I suggest training your muscles in antagonistic pairs. Staying with the above example, if you do a bicep workout, say chin ups, immediately, without break, you should do some kind of tricep exercise, like push ups with your hands placed close to your torso.

Ani: The end of the article is right. Don't focus so much on the number of reps that you do, so much as doing whatever number of reps you do, correctly. The feeling of satisfaction you mentioned is important, but you can get that another way. Spend a day figuring out how many reps you can do properly (i.e. slowly and with good form), and do 70% of those reps in sets. That gives you a goal to achieve, and achieving it will net you both a sense of satisfaction and a superior work out. The number of reps should turn out less than what you're currently doing.

[Nadouku]

'Dumb and Dumber' bank robber comes home (http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/758766.html)

That was sure retarded of them to leave so many evidence for the police. I guess Dumber would suit them both very well. :p

Card Issuers: How Can We Make You Go Away? (http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/106646/Card-Issuers:-How-Can-We-Make-You-Go-Away)


Consumers who carried a big balance and made the bare minimum payment each month used to be a credit-card issuer's dream. Now, they are their worst nightmare.

Looks like people with a huge balance are being pressured to "zero" it out and preferrably close their accounts. Wonder how this will affect the economy?

[Pandadice]

SMALL ASTEROID NARROWLY MISSES EARTH (http://www.nypost.com/seven/03022009/news/worldnews/small_asteroid_narrowly_misses_earth_157694.htm)


A 200-foot wide asteroid zoomed past Earth today at an altitude of 40,000 miles - swerving far enough from our planet to avoid total destruction, officials said.

whoa, that's just an unexpected story to see.

[darkshadow]

That's interesting, though I doubt a "large nuclear blast somewhere in the Pacific Ocean" would cause total destruction of the planet though >_>.

[XanBcoo]

That's interesting, though I doubt a "large nuclear blast somewhere in the Pacific Ocean" would cause total destruction of the planet though >_>.
It's easy to underestimate the effect of tsunami, but lots of studies suggest otherwise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv_JhYnzKqM&feature=related

Granted, that video is a little sensational, and the La Palma case probably won't turn out that way, but other studies show that Tsunami can have a greater impact on the environment than you'd probably assume.

[darkshadow]

Thats nice and all, but a nuclear blast in the pacific still wouldn't trigger a world destroying wave.

[XanBcoo]

Eh, I'm not saying that article wasn't poorly written. Just that, theoretically, a meteor crashing into the ocean isn't much better than it crashing on dry land.

[Nadouku]

A meteor crashing on Earth wouldn't be any bit of better in any way possible. At least the meteor doved to somewhere else, saving us from a shockwave of horror.

The Worst Cars for the Money (http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/866/the-worst-cars-for-the-money/;_ylc=X3oDMTE3YzgwdjdrBF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLXRv ZGF5BHNsawN3b3JzdC1tb25leQ--)


No carmaker is perfect. Each has best and worst sellers, hits and misses. And while plenty of cars are generally good values, there are a few that don't make as much sense when you work out the calculations over time. That's where our new list comes in: the Worst Cars for the Money.

Never thought some of the cars that I took a slight interest in would be critically judged. What do you think about the article?

[masamuneehs]

Federal Reserve Officials: US Economy not likely to recover until 2010 (http://uk.reuters.com/article/companyNews/idUKN045282420090304)
Gonna be a long year folks. I know I'm glad I'm holding onto this job I've found.

Ruling Sets Precedent for Law Suits by Individuals Against Medicine Companies over Ill Effects (http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/triage/2009/03/patients-can-sue-drug-companies-supreme-court-rules.html)
This, my friends, is going to be the next big wave of law suits in America. You thought malpractice, injury, discrimination law suits were big? This is going to blow the roof off of those. Dumb Americans take drugs for EVERYTHING, and there are always, always, always some people who suffer ill side-effects. There was even an FDA approved warning label on the medicine about this particular application of the drug!

Overall, I can't help but think that there is something wrong with this...

New Vaginal Gel Stops AIDS Virus in Study (http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/news/20090304/new-vaginal-gel-stops-aids-virus)
Note, the "in study" I had to add on to the article title... But, this seems like an actual bit of good news!

Designer Babies on the Way? (http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=designer-babies-preimplantation-genetic-diagnosis-pgd)
I do believe, whether or not the clinic in this case is full of shit or not, this will be an issue we'll be seeing a lot of in our life time. Allowing people to "shop" for their baby is already a problem adoption agencies have complained about, and this takes it one step further.

Personally, I believe abortion is a good and lawful option to have. If a person does not think they are able to bring up a child, they should not be forced to try to do so, risking both their well-being and the child's. (I also dislike one of the "cases" for giving up kids for adoption, that, if the natural parents can't raise the kid, "let somebody else worry about it"). The practice of pre-screening fertilized embryos for serious diseases and other problems is, I think, in both the best interest of the parent and future child. It's sorta like pre-emptive euthanasia.

But this! This is truly "playing God". Throwing together a bunch of potential life forms and then saying, "Oh, I like this one best, the others can die" is a selfish and disgusting concept that borders on private genetic cleansing, which before we had the term 'ethnic', was what they called race wars. I, for one, am completely against this kind of thing, as I believe it will lead to a value system that is even more warped than our current one.

FOR A PURE AND BLUE WORLD!

[Animeniax]

Federal Reserve Officials: US Economy not likely to recover until 2010 (http://uk.reuters.com/article/companyNews/idUKN045282420090304)
Gonna be a long year folks. I know I'm glad I'm holding onto this job I've found.
The Japanese are notorious about taking care of their own at the expense of foreigners in their midst. You should save and be ready to flee the country. To be honest in this time of harsh economic struggle, I think Japan should expel all foreigners and give the jobs to Japanese people.

[Animeniax]

http://uk.gamespot.com/news/blogs/sidebar/909182374/26390271/wii-fit-tells-10-year-old-shes-fat.html

[itadakimasu]

does this mean american kids are more accepting that they're fat asses?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7928353.stm
Cocaine Cast Man !

better idea than this guy they had on the homeland security show who was trying to smuggle cocaine inside of 4 wooden cabinet doors. He was taking a bus from mexico into the US, and his only luggage was 4 wooden cabinet doors.... filled w\ cocaine.

[Nadouku]

The Wii is so detrimental to every splastic flail that it's like playing any game on another console but with all the buttons randomly reassigned every now and then. Wii Fit's no exception either, and misjudging a small girl as fat shouldn't be a major problem; of course, that didn't happen. :o

7 best part-time jobs (http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/7-best-part-time-jobs-391805/)


The common perception is that part-time jobs have less to offer than full-time positions.

That may be true in terms of hours in the work week, but many part-time jobs pay just as well as a traditional 40-hour week ones and a number of positions come with health insurance coverage, paid vacation days and employee discounts.


Interesting article about what good part-time job to look for when you're looking for extra cash. Sounds like a good deal to me.

[itadakimasu]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090313/ap_en_ce/eu_britain_michael_jackson

I'm guessing a large percentage, more than half are ticket brokers... so... isn't jacko bankrupt? or is he just broke?

and my final thought... come showtime, I hope the seats are half empty because all the people who bought the tickets only bought them to try and sell them for thousands of dollars days before showtime.

[Munsu]

Paraplegic walks again, click to see how:
http://cbs13.com/local/Paraplegic.Man.Suffers.2.958151.html

In other news, Spider-Man IV should come out on 2011.

[Nadouku]

David's dream is to see his 14-year-old twin daughters grow up and get married so he can walk them down the aisle and have that first dance.

Aw, that's pretty sweet of him. Yea, it sucks to have to be confined to a wheelchair for 20 years of your life, but that's kind of odd how a spider bite, especially from a Brown Recluse Spider, would give his legs a jump start. I guess the venom must have neutralized or "gave life" to something.

[XanBcoo]

I wish that article had gone into more detail about the events. Was it the spider bite that "woke up" his nerves or was it simply that they were already awake and the tests run because of the spider clued doctors in on that fact?

It's also written really oddly. Read it out loud. It sounds like beat poetry.

[Buffalobiian]

I wish that article had gone into more detail about the events. Was it the spider bite that "woke up" his nerves or was it simply that they were already awake and the tests run because of the spider clued doctors in on that fact?

I'm wondering about that too. I'm surprised there wasn't a doctor's comment on this neither, just a nurse giving a general "asleep" comment. (They always dumb it down to normal people can understand.)

[Nadouku]

8 Brilliant Scientific Screw-ups (http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/23600.html)


Hard work and dedication have their time and place, but the values of failure and ineptitude have gone unappreciated for far too long. They say that patience is a virtue, but the following eight inventions prove that laziness, slovenliness, clumsiness and pure stupidity can be virtues, too.

Interesting article talking about the screw-ups of history that lead to these innovative discoveries. I particularly liked the Photography section of the article.

[enkoujin]

I like how that paraplegic man who learned to walk again after a spider bite was recently arrested for domestic violence.

'Brain decline' begins at age 27 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7945569.stm)


Peak of intelligent mind is age 22
Memories stay intact until age 37
General information and vocabulary stays until age 60


Obama 'outraged' at AIG bonuses (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7945774.stm)

Even I, a fiscal conservative, am outraged by this outrageous scandal. It is ridiculous how we are even nationalizing corporations that are failing while still leaving most of the very same CEOs who caused this entire mess, but this issue transcends all.

[Kraco]

Obama 'outraged' at AIG bonuses (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7945774.stm)

Even I, a fiscal conservative, am outraged by this outrageous scandal. It is ridiculous how we are even nationalizing corporations that are failing while still leaving most of the very same CEOs who caused this entire mess, but this issue transcends all.

Apparently those pre-crisis contracts they are "only honouring" didn't have a clause that if the services of these fine individuals were to drive the company onto a brink of bankruptcy, the bonuses wouldn't need to be paid. I bet the one who wrote those contracts is also among the recipients...

[itadakimasu]

I'm outraged as well...

I think if any of those people actually receive any of that money that they should be made an example of. If your business has gone under and the government is paying to keep you afloat, how the F@#% can you even think about giving even 1000th amount of that money in bonuses... wtf is that.

We've got enough problems paying for octomom and her 14 kids... we don't need to have tax payers paying extra money for years so some douche ceo's can be even more rich than they already are.

[enkoujin]

More atrocities

Fannie plans bonuses of $1M for 4 execs (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Fannie-plans-bonuses-of-up-to-apf-14679491.html)

[itadakimasu]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7954942.stm

Government imposing 90% tax on big bonuses at companies who receive bailout money... Way to go. If anybody is getting a million dollar bonus, that means they already have more than enough money anyhow.

I'd like to think that I could live for a very long time on a million dollars, as long as I don't move to somewhere like California where cost of living is high.

[Animeniax]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/crime/stories/031909dnmetcagefight.3dfc1c3.html

Not sure if this should be here or in the MMA thread, but this school in Dallas is accused of making students involved in disputes "duke it out" in a cage in the school's basement.

[itadakimasu]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/crime/stories/031909dnmetcagefight.3dfc1c3.html

Not sure if this should be here or in the MMA thread, but this school in Dallas is accused of making students involved in disputes "duke it out" in a cage in the school's basement.
Oh wow... cage fights in a school basement ^^

Oak Cliff has a bad reputation w\ a high crime rate. It's a predominantly black/hispanic area of South Dallas ( no race card being played.. just facts )

[Paper]

Oh wow... cage fights in a school basement ^^

Oak Cliff has a bad reputation w\ a high crime rate. It's a predominantly black/hispanic area of South Dallas ( no race card being played.. just facts )


The race card wasn't played in the article so why do you assist on bringing it to our attention? it's funny, you made the statement
"Oak Cliff has a bad reputation w\ a high crime rate" follow by
"it's a predominantly black/hispanic area" hence
"Just facts" ... so in reality what are you trying to say? Are you trying to say "since" its a predominantly black/hispanic school, that is the reason why there is a higher crime rate? I wasn't really gonna call you on that itadakimasu, but i've seen previous post were you belittle certain areas then procedding to cover yourself. Its 2009 why be around the bush? that's all im saying

back on topic- Intersting that the School had let the students held cage fights. It seems that is one way to work out thier difference but at the same time holds no morals. when I read the article it kindof remind me of the movie Fight Club for some reason .

[Abdula]

Lol, poor Itadakimasu never gets a break. The article is astonishing, I'm having trouble believing this actually happened, couldn't imagine something like that in a high school.

[itadakimasu]

I'm saving people from doing any research about oak cliff, since if you don't live in the dallas area you probably have no idea.

Oakcliff has mostly been in the news for shootings, and having school sports championships taken away because alot of the players were academically ineligible to play.

[darkshadow]

shootout threat in dutch school (http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=hp&hl=nl&u=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DA0geu6HE.cNJ pZkAsq9XNyoA%3B_ylu%3DX3oDMTBybnZlZnRlBHNlYwNzcgRw b3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkAw--%2FSIG%3D14qssmi38%2FEXP%3D1237666628%2F**http%253 a%2F%2Fwww.gooieneemlander.nl%2Fnieuws%2Fregionaal %2Fhilversumplassen%2Farticle4494169.ece%2FBedreig de_Hilversumse_school_wist_zelf_nergens_van_&sl=nl&tl=en&swap=1)

It's not translated really well, but it should be clear, nasty thing is, thats my school ;[.

[Buffalobiian]

From CEO to Pizza Man (http://www.yahoo.com/s/1046721)

[Assertn]

From CEO to Pizza Man (http://www.yahoo.com/s/1046721)
Damn....that reminds me of an onion video from a while back:
http://vodpod.com/watch/34074-immigration-the-human-cost-the-onion-americas-finest-news-source

[Nadouku]

Controversial Games (http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/controversial-games/controversial-games/1298246)


Despite good intentions, some games push all the wrong buttons. And with a new Grand Theft Auto hitting the kid-friendly Nintendo DS this week, another firestorm of controversy could be on the horizon. Brace yourself with this look back at some of the touchiest titles in gaming history.

I knew some of the games would be on this list, but the others seem like a stupid reason to be on there, for religious or racial reasons. What do you guys think?

[Buffalobiian]

I'm fine with all games, really, as long as they've got the appropriate rating - which really should be a max of 15. When you think about it, from movies and highschool life, what hasn't a 15-year-old been exposed to?

They're bashing the move to the DS here since it's more "child friendly", but again, the correct rating and restrictions at sale should be enough to filter out "those who shouldn't play".

As for parents who buy such games for their kids, irresponsible or not, that's the parent's call, and not much can be done about it, other than more explicitly warning parents of the content.

The only type of games I do have some form of objection to are rape simulators. I can't come up with a decent argument as to why hentai is okay, but yeah....the idea just seems a bit too hard-core.

[XanBcoo]

Damn....that reminds me of an onion video from a while back:
hahaha, I watched the Onion video first, then the Yahoo one. I couldn't stop laughing at the yahoo video because everything had a sarcastic tone to it after watching the first. That purple freeze-frame was hilarious.

I knew some of the games would be on this list, but the others seem like a stupid reason to be on there, for religious or racial reasons. What do you guys think?
I can't honestly believe that people are calling Resident Evil 5 "racist". How many games have there been so far? How long has the franchise been around? Now there are black zombies and the game is suddenly politically incorrect? Really??

The only type of games I do have some form of objection to are rape simulators
I was happy living in a world where I didn't know those existed. Come on, Japan...

[Nadouku]

I can't honestly believe that people are calling Resident Evil 5 "racist". How many games have there been so far? How long has the franchise been around? Now there are black zombies and the game is suddenly politically incorrect? Really??

Yea, and there are other people present in the game that aren't black, aside from the obvious shown people from the trailers and demo.

Thai fireman in 'spider-man' rescue of autistic boy (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090324/od_afp/thailandchildrenoffbeat;_ylt=AtJhmk9WY4mD5OzDRsz1_ 4IazJV4)


BANGKOK (AFP) – A Thai fireman turned superhero when he dressed up as comic-book character Spider-Man to coax a frightened eight-year-old from a balcony, police said Tuesday.

I thought it was hilarious how the fireman dressed up as Spiderman to rescue the boy. He says he keeps that and Ultraman costume to "liven" up his fire station drills. :o

[darkshadow]

I can't honestly believe that people are calling Resident Evil 5 "racist". How many games have there been so far? How long has the franchise been around? Now there are black zombies and the game is suddenly politically incorrect? Really??



Yeah it's rediculous, I did a small paper on it last year for a class called "Game, Culture and Society", but it's in dutch so its kinda useless to post here, but the bottom line was that it[racism] was spawned by a single retarded "black community" website/blog that didn't even knew of the series and passed judgement on the second trailer of the game.

@nadouku
That is pretty awesome actually, superheroes ftw ;P.

[itadakimasu]

RE5 takes place in africa...

[XanBcoo]

Hahah, I heard about the Spider-man story. I'm laughing so hard at the whole thing. I mean, it's basically what this guy has been waiting his entire life to do.

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8846/spidermanz.jpg

That's the culmination of years of keeping a Spider-man costume in your locker. That's 2 life dreams fulfilled right thar.

[Buffalobiian]

Beware Conficker worm come April 1 (http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/128643/beware-conficker-worm-come-april-1/)

The article almost sounds like an April 1 hoax itself. I suppose the worm is detectable, but simply dormant and irremovable?

Edit: Looks like it's removable, but new variants keep coming out. Oh well, I'm clean...for now.

[Buffalobiian]

Pizza vending machine (http://www.yahoo.com/s/1049410)

If this catches on, some professionals and school boys alike will be looking for another job. :o

[Kraco]

That's quite impressive automation and robotics, but considering how complicated it is and how it must be storing and processing easily spoiled ingredients, I wonder how much heavy maintenance it requires to keep it running and prevent it from producing pizza spoiled by bacteria.

[Buffalobiian]

Yeah. I can only imagine it being used in high-demand locations where the turnover rate would be high to keep ingredients fresh. It won't be like your regular coke vending machine at the local bus stop that needs refilling once a fortnight, but I could replace kitchen staff.

Heck, if people find the results satisfactory enough, you could open up a store with just a good dozen of these machines and a guy to refill when needed, and just sit and read manga when not.

[enkoujin]

Quite an interesting story, however, I doubt it will replace the old-fashioned human labour pizza - which can be easily compared to today's modern e-books and a book/newspaper, the modern TV and the radio and other artificial machinery evolution.

[Nadouku]

It is a pretty interesting concept, but like they said, I worry about the quality of the pizza.

[XanBcoo]

I'm envisioning something similar to Cheeseburger in a Can (http://www.avclub.com/articles/taste-test-cheeseburger-in-a-can,2183/).

I can't imagine it tasting amazing. That's really the only reason people eat pizza, aside from the convenience of it.

[itadakimasu]

cheeseburger in a can, that's so gross... it made me think about MRE's that people in the military eat. I Think they have just about anything you can think of in a little pouch.

[Nadouku]

Stress is Sabotaging Your Diet Success (http://health.yahoo.com/experts/healthieryou/9061/stress-is-sabotaging-your-diet-success/)

Stress! We've all been subjected to its effects. However, this article shows you how much stress can affect your daily life and might put on some weight into your body. Do you think this article seems helpful? I find it pretty useful.

[itadakimasu]

http://www.tmz.com/2009/03/27/shamwow-pitchman-beats-hooker-to-the-punch/


Shamwow salesman punches hooker to get her to stop biting his tongue...

[XanBcoo]

The joke's been beaten to death by now, but I really want to say it: I guess she didn't love his nuts.

Edit: and here's an original quip:

One slap, salad!
Two slaps, prison sentence!

[Buffalobiian]

*shakes head*....customer service these days.........

[Nadouku]

That's quite painful. I think they both deserve what they got, though, for obvious reasons.

[enkoujin]

'Dozen dead' in NY state shooting (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7982444.stm)

Seriously? Didn't we already have a shooting this week in North Carolina?

[Nadouku]

I don't get these shooters. Some kind of grudge, perhaps?

[IFHTT]

Sorry to butt into the tragic shooting news with an unsavory post, but...


http://www.tmz.com/2009/03/27/shamwow-pitchman-beats-hooker-to-the-punch/


Shamwow salesman punches hooker to get her to stop biting his tongue...

ROFL... How did I miss this??? This is the stuff that makes life worth living.

But yeah, now that that's out of the way, that shooting business is terrible...

[The Heretic Azazel]

I'll bet anything the shooter's job was outsourced. What other reason would someone have to shoot up a place full of immigrants?

[Animeniax]

Well he went from being an engineer to a vacuum shop repairman. He was an immigrant himself, a crazy asian if you will. Maybe he blamed new immigrants for his current lot in life, or maybe he wanted to spare them the problems he had by killing them.

I love this line from the CNN article on the incident:

Police are still investigating motives but said the use of a car to block the back door of the building suggested premeditation.I guess the 2 hand guns, satchel of ammo, and knife weren't enough evidence to definitively conclude premeditation. If he had parked legally then the police would be stumped.

[Buffalobiian]

http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/799358.html

~"Crabbe, you idiot!"

[Nadouku]

Heh, growing drugs and hiring strippers? The life of a Harry Potter star. :p

[Psyke]

I don't even remember him from the movies.

[Animeniax]

http://www.tmz.com/2009/03/27/shamwow-pitchman-beats-hooker-to-the-punch/


Shamwow salesman punches hooker to get her to stop biting his tongue...
Has anyone actually tried this product and can they say if it works as well as advertised? I'm in the market for cleaning products.

[XanBcoo]

Has anyone actually tried this product and can they say if it works as well as advertised? I'm in the market for cleaning products.
The Shamwow is just a knockoff of the pretty standard cleaning product, chamois.

As good a salesman as Vince is, don't believe him when he says you're paying $20 a month on paper towels, and don't believe him when he tells you you need to pay $20 for a cloth set you could easily buy for 10.

The only advantage of buying a Shamwow is being able to say "I bought a Shamwow, yeah, a Shamwow, from Vince."

I'm buying a Snuggie for my best friend's birthday for that very reason.

[The Heretic Azazel]

And don't let him tell you a sponge typically lasts you a week.

[Xelbair]

http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/04/09/lego-battleship-yamato/
not serious news but look at size of this thing - its awesome!
I envy that guy for having so many lego bricks.

Oh and new catalyst for ATI is released (9.4)
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx

[itadakimasu]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090409/ap_en_ot/people_britney_spears

I heard it was alot of marijuana smoke

[itadakimasu]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6062648.ece

This is pretty disturbing. I saw it posted on another forum and they have security footage of it...

[The Heretic Azazel]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090409/ap_en_ot/people_britney_spears

I heard it was alot of marijuana smoke

I'm sure if everyone had a big bag of blow this has-been cunt wouldn't have a problem with it.

[Buffalobiian]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6062648.ece

This is pretty disturbing. I saw it posted on another forum and they have security footage of it...


I'm surprised such a problem existed in the first place. No background check for lending someone a gun? Whether you're going to own a gun or just use one, you should have the same requirements for both. You need a license to drive, whether it's your own car or a mate's, so I don't see why it should be any different.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Dad hammers Wyo. teen's phone after mega-bill (http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_12097656)

"Since she lost her phone, Dena's grades have gone up, and the texting is down to zero."

[Pandadice]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=93966

Senate bill introduced could give Obama the freedom to shut-down the internet in America if he sees fit.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8003799.stm

TPB (The Pirate Bay) founders convicted over copyright infringement.

r.i.p. tpb :(

mmm.. well, there's always more torrents out there.

[darkshadow]

Lol rip? PirateBay isn't going anywhere.

[Buffalobiian]

Well, an appeal is certainly in order. Isohunt and iinet (Australian ISP) are in lawsuits too against "facilitating" copyrighted material. iinet's pretty safe I reckon, but this ruling could have some influence over Isohunt's case.

[Xelbair]

Well, according to Swedish law i have no idea how they lost. They were only hosting torrent files - which does not contain any copyrighted data...someone must have paid huge sum of money to judge...

[Buffalobiian]

Facebook - one man's downfall:

http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/803123.html

You know I was boycotting facebook until a few days ago, going against the "everyone has it" trend. I knew my previous decision was right :(

[darkshadow]

@Xel

Yes, and that's why they aren't going anywhere, appeals will be made for years until in the end they are found not guilty. This whole thing is just stupid.

[Buffalobiian]

To quote from the article:

"The court first tried whether there was any question of breach of copyright by the file-sharing application and that has been proved, that the offence was committed.

"The court then moved on to look at those who acted as a team to operate the Pirate Bay file-sharing service, and the court found that they knew that material which was protected by copyright but continued to operate the service," he said.

It's not being very specific about how the court came to the decision that PirateBay was infringing copyright, and if the point DS stated was brought up, how they handled it. Without knowing that, I don't think we can accurately predict whether or not the appeal change the decision.

[XanBcoo]

Facebook - one man's downfall:

http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/803123.html

You know I was boycotting facebook until a few days ago, going against the "everyone has it" trend. I knew my previous decision was right :(
Unless you're a moronic drug trafficker who decides to plaster his picture all over the place, I doubt facebook will be your downfall.

What secrets are you keeping, sir?

[Buffalobiian]

Unless you're a moronic drug trafficker who decides to plaster his picture all over the place, I doubt facebook will be your downfall.

What secrets are you keeping, sir?
:rolleyes: Pharmacy does give me a lot of opportunities....:P

[Assertn]

:rolleyes: Pharmacy does give me a lot of opportunities....:P
:rolleyes:

[itadakimasu]

:rolleyes: Pharmacy does give me a lot of opportunities....:P
Hook me up w\ some xanax, 1mg x 200 plz.

[Nadouku]

Record attempt reaps 217K texts, $26K phone bill (http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090422/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd217)


PHILADELPHIA - Their thumbs sure must be sore. Two central Pennsylvania friends spent most of March in a text-messaging record attempt, exchanging a thumbs-flying total of 217,000. For one of the two, that meant an inches-thick itemized bill for $26,000.

Texting is a serious business.

[Xelbair]

http://zaba.pl/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/double-facepalm.jpg

[Animeniax]

They misspelled "with" but otherwise that's an awesome picture!!!!!

[Xelbair]

and related to the topic too.

[XanBcoo]

Saudi police 'stopped' fire rescue (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1874471.stm)


Saudi Arabia's religious police stopped schoolgirls from leaving a blazing building because they were not wearing correct Islamic dress, according to Saudi newspapers.

In a rare criticism of the kingdom's powerful "mutaween" police, the Saudi media has accused them of hindering attempts to save 15 girls who died in the fire on Monday.

About 800 pupils were inside the school in the holy city of Mecca when the tragedy occurred.
...
One witness said he saw three policemen "beating young girls to prevent them from leaving the school because they were not wearing the abaya".


Holy shit.

Also the school was locked at the time, to ensure segregation of the sexes.

[Nadouku]

Wow, beating people up because they're not wearing the right clothing is just madness.

[Kraco]

At least the leader of the said religious police got fired not long ago. The man was born a few hundred years too late; he would have been in high demand in Spain's inquisition during the darkest centuries.

Honestly, somebody who prevents students from leaving a burning building because of a missing scarf, or something, and watches them to die is no longer a human being. Saudis should feel really sorry for themselves for raising such generations of citizens. A doomed country, no matter how much oil they have.

[XanBcoo]

Saudis should feel really sorry for themselves for raising such generations of citizens. A doomed country, no matter how much oil they have.
Meanwhile, American feminists complain about the misrepresentation of women in the new Zac Effron movie 17 Again...

http://www.feministing.com/archives/014993.html

Not to say that just because some other country has it worse we should ignore our own problems, but Goddamn. I'm glad my nutzo feminist acquaintance posts stuff like this on her facebook. Otherwise I'd have no way to confirm my suspicion that feminists in America will whine about anything.

[Xelbair]

I don't know if i should feel sad for them, or just anger on that damned policeman.
And in my opinion feminists are just plain stupid - they complain that they are not equal etc etc, but look at that - they have other privileges than we, man, do not have. I would understood that they would want to exchange them for "equality" but(at lest the ones here) want to have those privileges and be "equal" - so they get same as us and want even more.

[Ryllharu]

And in my opinion feminists are just plain stupid - they complain that they are not equal etc etc, but look at that - they have other privileges than we, man, do not have. I would understood that they would want to exchange them for "equality" but(at lest the ones here) want to have those privileges and be "equal" - so they get same as us and want even more.Yeah, there may be plenty of feminists like that, but the worst part is they give the moderate and reasonable feminists a bad name. I've known a few real feminists (yes, some were lesbians) and they really didn't care about having privileges as well as equality. One told me outright that if she wanted equality, she'd have to accept that things like chivalrous behavior would die too.

I've always liked to distinguish the "have their cake and eat it too" feminists as femnazis. It's just another sad case of the vocal minority giving the whole crowd a bad name.

[XanBcoo]

I've always liked to distinguish the "have their cake and eat it too" feminists as femnazis
Yeah, sorry. Let me backpedal a bit and say that that's who I was referring to. Women who start feminist blogs and argue that because rape occasionally occurs in fiction then that means we as a society completely condone it.

Guess I was just trying to put their complaints in perspective against, you know, actual sexism like in Saudi Arabia.

[Buffalobiian]

One told me outright that if she wanted equality, she'd have to accept that things like chivalrous behavior would die too.

Exactly, which reminds me of that post where someone argued that in a relatively equal society such as ours, we should take "women" out of "women and children first". :p

Otherwise, it's amazing how people can uphold ideals written in a book (are they even written in there, or simply inferred?) over the value of a human life.

[Kraco]

Yeah, there may be plenty of feminists like that, but the worst part is they give the moderate and reasonable feminists a bad name. I've known a few real feminists (yes, some were lesbians) and they really didn't care about having privileges as well as equality. One told me outright that if she wanted equality, she'd have to accept that things like chivalrous behavior would die too.

I guess a part of the problem is that women got the right to vote, work independently, not to be married against their will, and other such basic rights already a hundred years ago (in the West), so now they are anymore fighting for what could be called much smaller things. Thus they look a lot more petty, no matter how good intentions some of them might still have, like the same pay for the same job.

I have never supported complete, dull equality, because it would indeed destroy some good cultural differences, like some of those chivalrous manners. As long as there are no real obstacles for either sex, little differences should remain for a more interesting world.

[darkshadow]

Japan Pays Foreign Workers to Go Home (http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/106964/Japan-Pays-Foreign-Workers-to-Go-Home)

That's pretty terrible, especially with statements like this:

But Mr. Kawasaki said the economic slump was a good opportunity to overhaul Japan’s immigration policy as a whole.

“We should stop letting unskilled laborers into Japan. We should make sure that even the three-K jobs are paid well, and that they are filled by Japanese,” he said. “I do not think that Japan should ever become a multiethnic society.”

[Kraco]

It's quite funny an export and import dependent country is so hostile toward foreigners. But then again, it's extremely efficient popularistic domestic politics.

Well, whatever, as long as new anime and manga are being produced.

[Pandadice]

you know, when you read something like that, "I don't want japan to be a multiethnic society" statement, at first I was like super disgusted and ready to complain about the xenophobes. but i can kinda see what they mean.. and agree with it.

Japan has such a rich and unique history and culture, even modern culture, and I'd hate to see that get suppressed because other ethnicities start moving in.

[Buffalobiian]

Funny that this topic gets discussed again:

http://forums.gotwoot.net/showthread.php?t=15821&highlight=japan+culture

While it's good and all to say "we should protect something by not letting in outside influence", who are we to say that? You might as well leave it up to natural selection to decide what goes and what stays.


It's sad to see people rejecting each other's cultures on such grounds, but I can still see it as a controversial topic. While I don't think we should distance ourselves like this, in general we as humans are all about protecting native flora and fauna by keeping foreign "pests" out.

I don't know what to think anymore.

[Nadouku]

Diet vs. Exercise for Weight Loss (http://health.yahoo.com/experts/gabbyguide/10934/diet-vs-exercise-for-weight-loss/)


Everyone likes to attack weight loss differently. There are those who like to combine exercise and nutrition; others change their eating only; and some would rather hit the gym and run rather than give up their favorite foods.

I don't know much about dieting, since I never tried it before. All I know is that exercising is much, much better than dieting alone. The foods you eat is probably a nutritional benefactor to your daily needs, but it could also be harmful if you intake too much unwanted fat.

[poopdeville]

I'm surprised such a problem existed in the first place. No background check for lending someone a gun? Whether you're going to own a gun or just use one, you should have the same requirements for both. You need a license to drive, whether it's your own car or a mate's, so I don't see why it should be any different.


You don't need a license to own or use a gun in the US. Heck, in Florida and other states with big hunting grounds, you can own a gun at any age, if your parents buy it for you. Gun safety is important and can be taught to children, but this lady wasn't interested in that.

Depending on the state, you might need a license to conceal a gun. (That is, wear it in a hidden holster.) Depending on the state, you may not need a license to wear one in a non-hidden holster. You do not need a license to carry a gun in a gun box. Or to use it (but you better make damn sure you know what you're doing, because you are liable for your actions)

[Ryllharu]

Japan Pays Foreign Workers to Go Home (http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/106964/Japan-Pays-Foreign-Workers-to-Go-Home)
It's not going to matter in a couple of years. Japan already has 70 year olds caring for their 90+ year old parents. The bubble in Japan is going to pop so badly that they will be forced to do exactly what they are trying to prevent here. Why do you think that Japanese scientists are pushing the limits of robotics so hard? It's not for the technology, or the pleasure of accomplishment. It is so that the elderly (http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2003/04/58593) will be taken care of (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/international/asia/05JAPA.html?ex=1393822800&en=eb854fe2a4e6c9bd&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND) by robots (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299677,00.html).

As a country, they are killing themselves due to longevity as absurdly low birth rates. Guess where they rank on birth rate? 191 out of 195 according to the UN, or 191 out of 191 by the CIA Factbook.

One way or another, their xenophobic policies are not long for this world. One more generation, tops.

[XanBcoo]

Japan needs to get their shit together and stop being afraid of the outside world. What a ridiculous, short-sighted, and borderline racist thing to say. Ryllharu is right. They are going to learn the hard way soon enough.


Diet vs. Exercise for Weight Loss (http://health.yahoo.com/experts/gabbyguide/10934/diet-vs-exercise-for-weight-loss/)

I don't know much about dieting, since I never tried it before. All I know is that exercising is much, much better than dieting alone.
Sorry, you've got it completely backwards.

Eating healthily and not exercising is so much more beneficial to you than exercising and eating terribly.

Also man, there's a thread for diet and exercise in this here forum. Lots of good information there, too.

[Nadouku]

Also man, there's a thread for diet and exercise in this here forum. Lots of good information there, too.

Hmm, I see.

But, who wouldn't want to do both the "good" for the greatest factor? :p

[XanBcoo]

Someone who has very little time or money to go to a gym or exercise properly.

[Pandadice]

Japan needs to get their shit together and stop being afraid of the outside world. What a ridiculous, short-sighted, and borderline racist thing to say. Ryllharu is right. They are going to learn the hard way soon enough.

I think it'd be wrong to simply write it off as racism. though i can definitely see why you'd say that.

I think that there is a very fine line here between preserving cultural points, and xenophobic racism. It's not that they're trying to get rid of, or ignore, or diminish other cultures. they're just trying to keep them definably different, and keep them separate.

it's like, if you want to enjoy Korean ethnic culture, then you can visit them and experience it. but here in Japan, we're going to try and keep our authentic ethnic culture alive and unique, so that not only us, but others can learn of it and experience it too.

I think, looking at it in the way I just explained it, I can definitely understand where they're coming from, and support it.

[Ryllharu]

I think that there is a very fine line here between preserving cultural points, and xenophobic racism. It's not that they're trying to get rid of, or ignore, or diminish other cultures. they're just trying to keep them definably different, and keep them separate.
...
but here in Japan, we're going to try and keep our authentic ethnic culture alive and unique, so that not only us, but others can learn of it and experience it too. Bullshit.

You just described a consdensed version of the justification that all too many have used for ethnic clensing. You did a pretty admirable job not using the word, "Purify," while still hitting on the concept. They're just not using lethal force to do it.

If they want the international business, and they want the tourism, Japan needs to stop acting so two-faced.

It's this kind of behavior that also has the Chinese pissed off at them all time. Like their new PM making an offering to the Yasukuni Shrine (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i8Oy2FrFTtrHM6snWqY9OjCrurSQ) a few days ago (almost always after they promise not to go for the improvement of international relations) or the issues the Chinese made a fuss about textbooks watering-down the attrocities (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_history_textbook_controversies) that the international war criminals honored at the Yasukuni shrine committed.

[Kraco]

Like their new PM making an offering to the Yasukuni Shrine (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i8Oy2FrFTtrHM6snWqY9OjCrurSQ) a few days ago (almost always after they promise not to go for the improvement of international relations) or the issues the Chinese made a fuss about textbooks watering-down the attrocities (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_history_textbook_controversies) that the international war criminals honored at the Yasukuni shrine committed.

As far as I know, the shrine isn't there to honour war criminals but all those who died fighting for the Japanese Empire. According to Wikipedia it lists 2.5 million names. War criminals make up a tiny portion of it. Most of those people never committed any war crimes and deserve to be remembered by the progeny. I'm not saying it wouldn't be better if the criminals were somewhere else instead, but this is how they decided to do it.

[Ryllharu]

It was just a recent example, probably not the best one to prove my point in retrospect.

Furthermore, for me (see location at left) to remark negatively on their form of nationalism is the ultimate pot calling the kettle black. The term may not have originated in the US, but the US is the first country most people think of when they use the term "Jingoism."

[XanBcoo]

it's like, if you want to enjoy Korean ethnic culture, then you can visit them and experience it. but here in Japan, we're going to try and keep our authentic ethnic culture alive and unique, so that not only us, but others can learn of it and experience it too.

Ryllharu said it very well. It's one thing to honor and preserve a culture's rich history, but it's another thing altogether to try and prevent outside sources from "tainting" it.

[Xelbair]

http://kotaku.com/5229190/in-poland-pismo-swiete--holy-bible
it is damn wierd...

[RyougaZell]

Don't have a link (and even if I had it would be in spanish so meh...) but every school level (from kindergarden to college) is suspended on Mexico City and Monterrey Nuevo Leon until May 6th. San Luis Potosi seems to have this as well.

Restaurants, Movie theathers, parks, concerts and sport events are also cancelled until may 6th.

We at work have to have our mouths covered, wash our hands upon entering and most importantly we can't shake hands or have any kind of physical contact with co-workers.

Reason? The Influenza Porcina (I am too lazy to seek a translation). It seems there are about 90 dead and 2000 infected people already. It infects only through saliva contact, so people need to sneeze directly to their elbows or a tissue.

Interesting situation here in Mexico. LOL.

Seems this virus began on USA and came here. I've heard there are infected on New York and California as well.

[Ryllharu]

Don't have a link (and even if I had it would be in spanish so meh...)

Reason? The Influenza Porcina (I am too lazy to seek a translation). It seems there are about 90 dead and 2000 infected people already. It infects only through saliva contact, so people need to sneeze directly to their elbows or a tissue.

Interesting situation here in Mexico. LOL.

Seems this virus began on USA and came here. I've heard there are infected on New York and California as well.
It's not hard to find a link to English media, it is all any of them are talking about today. You probably don't even need to list a specific link, it'll be a top page item on all of the regular scaremongering outlets (CNN, MSNBC, FOX, ABC, etc). It's a gold mine for them, since bird flu and SARS didn't pan out for them the way they wanted. It's kind of disgusting the way they are treating this, especially considering the death toll in Mexico. Very few of them are actually admitting that most (if not all) of the victims in the US are making a complete recovery due to a pretty good supply of Tamiflu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oseltamivir) (Oseltamivir) that we had left over from flu season.

They've been calling it "Swine Flu."

Here's the CDC's link though.
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

Funny thing is, United States media is blaming Mexico as the origin of the flu, and saying anyone infected here is because they came back from Spring Break down in Mexico. Homeland Security says they are exaggerating the threat in the US to get health care providers and hospitals off their ass.

Stay healthy RZ!

[RyougaZell]

Thanks for the link Ryll.
It seems though that the media is saying this isn't the swine flu though, but a mutation that came from it (and the aviar one). I don't really know what is going on though.

Rumor says that this infection began several months ago, but that it was kept in the dark because Obama was coming to Mexico.

Either way... there a lot of rumors flying around. There's been one death on Monterrey so far, while there are over 90 at Mexico City.

[Xelbair]

Its on the news here too, well i hope that people 'll do what Japanese do when they are ill - they wear a mask to not infect anyone.

[Buffalobiian]

Good thing that this shutdown happened AFTER you B'day I suppose, Zell? Anyways, just make it to your next :D

[Cal_kashi]

Is this thread, just about what is in the news generally, or does it have a more specialized purpose? To be honest, thinking about going over some thousand posts scares me and I have work to do while I play.

[Nadouku]

What's in the general news, basically.

[enkoujin]

...

A lot of the time, I'll come across articles where I think, "People at gotwoot might find this interesting" but I don't feel like creating a thread just for that one little article.

So, here we shall have a thread for all those news articles that are [b]not quite thread-worthy, but still fun to post and share with each other. This isn't meant to encompass all news topics, since many do have enough discussion around them to merit dedicated threads. For everything else though, the random, silly, and interesting, let's keep each other informed about what's going on in the world!

Regarding the swine flu, from what I heard from CBC and one of the experts working on this, the swine [pig] flu came from the pigs [suggestively in Mexico]. The pig acts like a "gateway vessel" for virus strains from other animals to humans.

Birds may have flown around and secrete their "essences" [bodily fluids] in the environment, some coincidentally transferring to the pigs. A pig farmer may be exposed to the secretions of the pig, exposing the avian-swine virus to the humans. Then, the pig farmer may have spread it to other people through human secretions (sneezing, coughing, etc.).

That's just an example of an origin, but that is how this virus is making the headlines. A possible outbreak pandemic caused by a strain that we have never seen before is a juicy media headline that has exponentially increased the public fear in the US and Canada.

As Ryllharu said, these people are recovering their mild symptoms from antibiotics and there is nothing much to worry about if you're living in those two countries.

Just wash your hands regularly with soap and cough or sneeze into your elbows. An advisory warning has gone out to inform people not to travel to Mexico unless it is absolutely essential.

A tunny tidbit spawning from all of this is that any food-farming stocks has fallen due to public fear of this swine flu when it is clearly the case that you do not contract swine flu from eating pigs.

[Cal_kashi]

I'm getting the general feeling that the MSM is crying wolf with this swine flu, and that it's pretty much just a nasty strain of influenza. Also, that the deaths in Mexico are the result of third world health care exasperated by the air quality there. I doubt the strains in the US and Canada are much different, if different at all. Though this strain does seem to share the characteristic of H1N1 to be worse for healthier individuals, there seems to be no reason to believe catching it is the end of the world. We certainly aren't looking at another Spanish flu, or anything close to it's virility.
Further. someday we will have a pandemic outbreak like the Spanish Flu, it's as certain as there being war in our future, chaos and natural disasters. But this is not the virus we should be scared of, and the MSM is hurting their ability to express danger in the future when it becomes truly necessary. Then again, I don't think we'll need the MSM to tell us Captain Tripps is around the corner.

[Cal_kashi]

current fun.
Go to espn.com, click on an article like "Gordon's MRI good news for Bulls"
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4104307

type up up down down left right left right b a enter

watch the magic. ... No seriously, go do it.
(I'm sure you all know and remember that code)

edit: I didn't post this multiple times (or at least not intentionally excepting my pos pc burping) , and have no idea why it happened.
Sorry all.

[Nadouku]

Dang, straining his left hamstring must be tough.

I tried it, but it didn't work. The link that you gave me did, however, show the functionality. Unicorns and rainbows? What a way to advertise!

[Cal_kashi]

did you try typing up up down down left right left right b a enter? Did it work for you

Here's some proof of the hack so you don't all think I am insane
http://www.i4u.com/article24406.html

[itadakimasu]

current fun.
Go to espn.com, click on an article like "Gordon's MRI good news for Bulls"
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4104307

type up up down down left right left right b a enter

watch the magic. ... No seriously, go do it.
(I'm sure you all know and remember that code)

edit: I didn't post this multiple times (or at least not intentionally excepting my pos pc burping) , and have no idea why it happened.
Sorry all.


Wow... thats funny....

how exactly does that work?

[rockmanj]

Ryllharu said it very well. It's one thing to honor and preserve a culture's rich history, but it's another thing altogether to try and prevent outside sources from "tainting" it.


The funny thing is that similar things are happening just across the Yellow Sea. Low birth rates, and the cutting down of foreign labor here (http://big5.people.com.cn/gate/big5/english.people.com.cn/90001/90778/90858/90863/6619057.html); and even though there are not a lot of big press releases about it, the sentiments there are basically the same.

It seems a bit like a double-edged sword (in terms of population growth) check 215 and 218 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_territories_by_fertility_rat e). Both of those places are overcrowded, yet they need more babies. I actually LOL'd at one of the article Ryl posted which suggested shipping the elderly to Thailand and the Philippines. However, if neither of these countries does something about this, their cultures won't exist at all in a few generations.

[Nadouku]

There's No Place Like (Someone Else's) Home (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124051998145749625.html?mod=yhoofront)


OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- The fragrance of sage-scented candles and sounds of jazz fill the air of a 2,600-square-foot house a block from the beach. Tiger-striped chairs flank tables crafted from exotic woods. Photos of a chubby baby hang on the walls. Whoever occupies 211 Windward Way, they seem to live the good life.

This house sounds pretty sweet. I wish I could live in a house like that and try to sell it.

[Sapphire]

http://www.mosnews.com/weird/2009/04/13/firtree/
WTF HOAX
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-246381

It was on the Colbert report, but apparently is a hoax. How scarrrry if it were true!!

[Nadouku]

IT'S A HOAX!?

[Abdula]

That's actually pretty funny.

[Sapphire]

Come to think of it it would be weird to get a biopsy/exploratory surgery of a suspected tumor without something like an MRI first.... the thought in general is terrifying though x___x

[Kraco]

A tree growing inside a lung? A fir seed is actually very small and hardly could provide enough energy and building materials for the tree to grow that large. Not to mention in dark places plants try to grow tall to reach light, not short and full of needles.

But then again, in soviet Russia trees grow you.

[Buffalobiian]

Wal-Mart's new marketing idea: What's in a box!

http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/plugged-in/florida-teen-finds-rocks-in-nintendo-ds-box/1308945

For $139, I would expect some very good porn.

[Nadouku]

Heh, a box full of rocks and a Chinese newspaper? Someone will pay for this. :p

[Kraco]

Heh, a box full of rocks and a Chinese newspaper? Someone will pay for this. :p

According to the article two people have already paid for it. Neither was very happy with the purchase.

[Assertn]

According to the article two people have already paid for it. Neither was very happy with the purchase.
Either that or one person paid for it and the previous person got a free DS.

[Ryllharu]

True, you could always find Chinese newspapers in the library of the university I went to. It wouldn't be too hard to fake this at all.

To use the old meme:

1. Snag one of the papers.
2. Wait several weeks for the paper to get believably old.
3. Purchase DS
4. Fill with rocks and newspaper.
5. Return
6. Profit!

No ??? about it now.

[Animeniax]

True, you could always find Chinese newspapers in the library of the university I went to. It wouldn't be too hard to fake this at all.

To use the old meme:

1. Snag one of the papers.
2. Wait several weeks for the paper to get believably old.
3. Purchase DS
4. Fill with rocks and newspaper.
5. Return
6. Profit!

No ??? about it now.
Yes but according to the article, the box was sealed and had to be opened with a knife. If it was sealed, that would explain why the Walmart returns employee did not open the box to confirm it's contents when accepting the return. It's possible the thief used a fake sticker to seal the box. Otherwise it came from the manufacturer that way.

[Pandadice]

dude, looking at my DS box right now, the only sealing it has are like two transparent circular stickers at either end. it'd be crazy easy to reseal it and return it.

[Animeniax]

Are they the type where the box material adheres to the sticker when you peel it?

[darkshadow]

Are they the type where the box material adheres to the sticker when you peel it?

When my first xbox360 crashed, I actually bought a new one, opened the box VERY carefully, and replaced it with my old one, brought it back and the guy thought I never opened it lol. Free new xbox360 in a like an hour ;P.

If you peel those stickers off very carefully, they will stick to the box again as if you never opened it.

[Buffalobiian]

When my first xbox360 crashed, I actually bought a new one, opened the box VERY carefully, and replaced it with my old one, brought it back and the guy thought I never opened it lol. Free new xbox360 in a like an hour ;P.

If you peel those stickers off very carefully, they will stick to the box again as if you never opened it.

Don't they, you know, make you sign the receipt when you return it? That's what they do here, and even if they don't open it upon return, they should be able to track back to your purchase should any problem come up.

[Kraco]

Yeah. You'd think they would be less than forgiving when they notice the serial numbers on the box and the device don't match. Although if they thought you never opened it, they might just throw it back onto a shelf, and then some poor bastard buys it, tries it, and returns it only to be told it's not the same machine he and they think he bought. I wouldn't want to be that poor bastard.

[darkshadow]

Not really, and if they do ask for your name, you can just give a fake one, they don't ask for ID.
And the x360 box doesn't have the serial number, its only on the 360 itself, also the receipt only has the product ID, no serial either.

[Kraco]

And the x360 box doesn't have the serial number, its only on the 360 itself, also the receipt only has the product ID, no serial either.

I find that extremely hard to believe. It would mean the shop wouldn't have any idea which individual machine was sold to a customer and thus a customer could return any machine found from a trashcan for warranty repair/replacement, to gain an additional unit. You only managed to do it, because they thought the box was unopened.

[darkshadow]

You might find it hard to believe, but thats how it is, they don't need to keep track of each individual machine, its a HUGE electronics store, all the electronics only have one tag on it, which is the product ID for price and stock. There is no time to individually put all the machines in the system based on serial numbers.
They get brought in by the supplier, get tagged and shelved.

[Animeniax]

Yes these huge retailers could care less. Faulty returned equipment is simply returned to the vendor for credit. Normal unopened returns go back on the store shelf. Really the only person who is bothered is the poor bastard who buys this returned system and thinks it's a lemon from the manufacturer, at which point he'll return or exchange it, and the retailer will simply return it to the vendor for credit.

[darkshadow]

Indeed, plus I could've easily send it to ms since it was still under warranty, but the damn thing broke right after I booted up a game I JUST bought, I simply couldn't stand waiting a week.

Also I normally don't respond to reps but this is just rediculous:

so not only you steal games, but you steal consoles as well? you sir are an ass
first off I didn't steal anything, it was still under warranty.
And second, dude where the fuck did you get that I steal games?
I've got 44 retail x360 games, 5 retail ps3 games, 15 xbla games, and I don't know how many on pc, I even recently bought lost planet: colonies for pc, and I didn't even install it yet, Now lets do the math shall we?

360 = 399 + 43*60 + 100 = 3079 + xbla (15*10) = 3229 euro for 360.
ps3 = 430 + 3*65 + 180 = 805 + blu-ray ( 11*22) = 1047 euro for ps3
for pc we will just take the recent stuff since I haven't bought a lot recently
pc = 1500 + 2*45 + 2*30 + 5 = 1655 + 300 = 1955 for pc
That's 6231 euro just to entertain myself with games, that sure is a whole lot of stealing right? Piece of shit, if you got something to say just post it.

[Buffalobiian]

Man killed deaf boy's dog as revenge (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/809552/man-killed-deaf-boys-dog-as-revenge)

Anyone else feel like rocking up at his house and go "for revenge". WACK!

[Assertn]

Anything seems more tragic when you just look at one side of the story. Who knows what the mom did to piss the guy off so much.

[XanBcoo]

She probably killed his blind daughter's pet cat.

[itadakimasu]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090506/ap_en_ot/us_people_sutherland

you don't just walk up to jack bauer and ask for an autograph... what was this guy thinking?!!?

[Nadouku]

A headbutt, eh? I'm sure he could have thought of worse things to do to him.

[Kraco]

Yeah. The dude should be happy he didn't lose any fingers.

[XanBcoo]

Sutherland must be a method actor. That's pretty funny.

[Assertn]

I didn't read anything about an autograph...

[Buffalobiian]

Boy risks suspension if he attends girlfriend's prom (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090508/ap_on_re_us/us_school_dance_flap)

I feel sorry for the guy. Seriously, who is it to say what will and will not please a divine entity? To my knowledge, the Ten Commandments are the standard, and he ain't breaking any of them by simply attending.

Funny thing is, the principle still signed it.

[Nadouku]

Dang, these people are serious about their religion.

[Kraco]

This is a very classic case of people using religion as nothing but a tool of power. The principal was an expert at using the power as well, demonstrating the devious cunning of making it look like it's all the student's own fault, should he not comply. It's all still highly understandable seeing how isolated and ignorant people are far easier to rule than those with experience and knowledge. Better try to keep their students as blissfully oblivious of the real world as possible to keep them tame.

[Cal_kashi]

In all likeliness retribution by the principal would have no bearing. He does have substantial authority AT school, but he should have none when the day is over and the kid is already home. What if the kid went to a high school dance in another state? What if he was on vacation half a world away, and went with a cousin to his school spring dance to hang out?
I doubt anyone would argue that in these cases the principal has no power, however why should the proximity of the two schools have any bearing.

This principal is a bully. I don't think he cares about this kid as much as he cares about appearing to have authority.
"In life, we constantly make decisions whether we are going to please self or please God. (Frost) chose one path, and the school committee chose the other," England said.
God isn't happy unless you aren't happy. what bullshit.

The handbook for the 84-student Christian school says rock music "is part of the counterculture which seeks to implant seeds of rebellion in young people's hearts and minds." BWaaaaaahahahhahahahahahahhahahahah

[Cal_kashi]

To balance out the infuriating religious article here's one everyone will laugh at.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6412895

"Provo police are investigating ... a van parked in a residential neighborhood with a sign on it, reading: 'free candy inside.'

... for neighbors who live in Provo's Grandview neighborhood, it raised serious concerns with them that a child predator could be targeting kids on the street.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Y4wE1e9WkKs/Sbhg_J7NweI/AAAAAAAAABY/3xDX0n7cNu8/s320/740.jpg

...

Adults looked inside and did not see any candy, but they did see a mattress and some clothes in the back of the van. ...

... the van's owner, who is a college age student. He told officers he put up the sign a few days ago as part of a prank with his friends."

Not the actual van below, but close.


http://hesitating.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/pedobear_22.jpg

[Xelbair]

Free candy van - classic - only thing it misses is pedobear inside.

[Nadouku]

Heh, that's actually funny. At least the man was harmless.

[Cal_kashi]

most college students are ;)

[Yukimura]

The end of trolling in America???? (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/05/trolling-someone-online-bill-would-slap-you-with-jail-time.ars)

I would love to see this bill enacted just for the lulz of the potential situation where a person gets trolled, then they troll back using the threat of the law and then both end up getting thrown in jail for trolling each other. But realistically, this is a crazy idea, as much as I dislike trolling behavior if you can't accept that people might make it their business to screw with you online as much as possible then don't go where they are online or convince someone with some clout to get rid of them, don't go running to Uncle Sam.

I would probably be guilty of this law on multiple counts for some of the things I've said on IRC and I consider myself one of the nicer members of the channels I frequent. Just imagine trying to enforce this law on a place like 4chan.

[Kraco]

That would be a crazy law. It won't probably pass. A law that could suddenly make millions of ordinary people criminals isn't a very wise one in any case, not to mention impossible to enforce.

[Nadouku]

It's too unrealistic, alright. Even if it did pass, it's just impossible to enforce it.

[Yukimura]

I don't see what's so unenforceable about this. It's fairly vague as to what would constitute a violation thus any conviction would essentially come down to a roll of the jury selection dice. As for finding people to prosecute they found the mom who created the fake myspace account which lead to the Meier girl killing herself. If this law was on the books they could charge that mother criminally under it instead of trying to use the nonsensical violation of MySpace ToS argument that they are/were trying to get her under. At the same time, anyone could log negative internet conversations directed towards them, get someone to diagnose them as mentally disturbed and then have the owner of the account which originated the negative comments sent to jail.

Plenty of stupid pieces of legislation have been passed because the politicians voting on them didn't know or didn't care about the effect such legislation might have on people due to the affected people not being considered important voting blocks. It is my belief that despite the success of President Obama's internet campaigning the internet demographic is still not taken particularly seriously by politicians.

[Nadouku]

Well, this law would potentially "jail" so much people that the system can't even handle it and would also depend on the case on how they even interpret trolling, like the article states. It's just how life goes: someone trolls you, you get emotions, and you deal with it. If you win, then you move on. If you lose, then it ends there.

[Ryllharu]

This woman was a bitch, she deserved every single nasty remark pointed at her, but putting her in jail for something stupid like this is a violation of every freedom that we stand for in this country. When you can't make nasty remarks over the internet, you can't make nasty remarks to someone's face. When you can't make nasty remarks to someone's face, you can't make disparaging remarks about those who govern you. When you can't do that, you are powerless before them.

Megan Meier had mental issues. It's a tragedy that her parents never noticed it, and that she never talked to them about it. There wasn't anything that woman did that pushed her over the brink that wouldn't have happened sooner or later if Lori Drew hadn't done anything at all. The girl needed help, no one gave it to her.

This is a law that will only be used (read: abused) by those with enough power or wealth to have it enforced. A modern lettres de cachet.


The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.
- H. L. Mencken

She's a bitch, and a childish one at that, but she's not a criminal.

We've already got one nanny state across the pond, we don't need to follow their example. People here need to start sucking it up. People are mean, life is harsh, school is not meant to be easy. Grow up.

[XanBcoo]

Megan Meier had mental issues. It's a tragedy that her parents never noticed it, and that she never talked to them about it. There wasn't anything that woman did that pushed her over the brink that wouldn't have happened sooner or later if Lori Drew hadn't done anything at all.
Oh my dear Lord, I didn't even read the article. Are they really citing Megan Meier's case as a cause for this law?? That depressed little so and so killed herself because she was a nutcase, not because she was "trolled."

Like you said, she had psychological issues before, but her parents actually were aware of that fact, and did nothing more to prevent her from using myspace except saying "don't go on myspace."

You're absolutely right. She would have offed herself anyway.

[Ryllharu]

Are they really citing Megan Meier's case as a cause for this law?
Worse yet.

It's named after her.
"HR 1966, the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act"

[bagandscalpel]

It's named after her.
"HR 1966, the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act"
Could this possibly be the pinnacle of "trolls trolling trolls?"

I really want to believe that people aren't so obtuse.

[Death BOO Z]

I really want to believe that people aren't so obtuse.

I don't know yet what obtuse means, but whenever a sentence like this comes up, as in "God, I can't believe people are this stupid", the answer is usually yes


oh, so this (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/obtuse)is what it means... that sharpened my mind.

[Assertn]

In support of this, however...it does kinda suck ass when normal peoples' personal lives are mercilessly ruined due to trolls. The internet is a scary place sometimes.

[bagandscalpel]

In support of this, however...it does kinda suck ass when normal peoples' personal lives are mercilessly ruined due to trolls. The internet is a scary place sometimes.
I don't know.

You may as well say that it does kinda suck ass when normal people's personal lives are mercilessly ruined due to other people. The only difference between online and offline abuse is that the other party can't physically hurt you. Guess that means internet connections should come with something akin to the surgeon general's warning.

Prioritization.

[Assertn]

Depends on the ruining involved, but most stuff that comes from, say, 4chan would result in restraining orders IRL. People get away with a lot more over the internet, and the anonymity of it makes it all the more easier/tempting.

[Kraco]

Office refrigerator stench caused an evacuation of 325 people from the building.

CNN article (http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/13/foul.refrigerator/index.html)

Must have been majorly rotten food. It's a good question why it all had been left there and not eaten. Bad and wasteful habits. Or maybe AT&T people are too busy to eat.

[Nadouku]

Oh my, I wonder what kind of rotten food they left in the refrigerator to smell that bad.


"Someone also took some spray and tried to deodorize the air," Stallard said. "And it turned out that was spot cleaner, not a deodorant. So it made people very sick."

So, a person confused deodorant with spot cleaner and just made it worse. How does that happen? I guess AT&T people are really binded to their work to even notice that small difference of a spray.

[Ryllharu]

So, a person confused deodorant with spot cleaner and just made it worse. How does that happen? I guess AT&T people are really binded to their work to even notice that small difference of a spray.
They say she either had surgery recently or really bad allergies, I've heard both accounts from two news outlets. She couldn't smell a thing. Not reading the labels is still no excuse.

[IFHTT]

Ran across this on IRC a few minutes ago...

http://decentcommunity.org/2009/05/05/women-dies-after-using-jackhammer-as-dildo/

...

[bagandscalpel]

http://decentcommunity.org/2009/05/05/women-dies-after-using-jackhammer-as-dildo/
Your avatar sums up my feelings upon reading this better than I can make do with words.

Bet this is going to earn her a stellar Darwin Award of excellence.

[Nadouku]

Seriously? That desperate?

[Buffalobiian]

What's funny is she's not the first one to die of a big slong.
Seriously though, does that feel good?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Pinyan

[IFHTT]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Pinyan

Ah yes, lest we forget Mr. Hands and death by horse cock.

Some people just have some extremely retarded fetishes, I guess..

[itadakimasu]

The french legislation passed an anti-piracy bill where they will basically use a 3 strike system. They will warn people who are dl'ing "illegal content" and the third time they will be cut off from the internet for 1 year.

I'm not sure how they will be enforcing this..

[XanBcoo]

They might as well just sit you in the corner or send you to bed without dinner.

[Cal_kashi]

The french legislation passed an anti-piracy bill where they will basically use a 3 strike system. They will warn people who are dl'ing "illegal content" and the third time they will be cut off from the internet for 1 year.

I'm not sure how they will be enforcing this..

http://www.bootlegsbypeoplewhocare.net/together/Good_Luck_I%27m_Behind_7_Proxies.jpg

[Nadouku]

Boom in tiny bedbugs is causing big trouble (http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20090515/sc_mcclatchy/3234191_1;_ylt=AiSyHAwQ_1GXZg3kkqWTKzQazJV4)


WASHINGTON — The biggest bedbug outbreak since World War II has sent a collective shudder among apartment dwellers, college students and business travelers across the nation.

Oh god, bedbugs are prowling again. Better clean your sheets carefully and don't let the bedbugs bite! This article is kind of informative, in a way.

[XanBcoo]

Boom in tiny bedbugs is causing big trouble (http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20090515/sc_mcclatchy/3234191_1;_ylt=AiSyHAwQ_1GXZg3kkqWTKzQazJV4)



Oh god, bedbugs are prowling again. Better clean your sheets carefully and don't let the bedbugs bite! This article is kind of informative, in a way.
Thanks man, now I won't be able to sleep tonight.

You think I'm joking. My skin is crawling right now :(.

[Buffalobiian]

Thanks man, now I won't be able to sleep tonight.

You think I'm joking. My skin is crawling right now :(.

It's only a problem when you actually GET bedbugs, right?

Is there a way to prevent them?

[Nadouku]

I never got bedbugs before because I clean my sheets like every two or three weeks. My brother and sister has gotten a case of them, but that's long history now. I only know proper cleaning is the way to prevent them, and that's from personal experience.

[Kraco]

DDT will do the trick just fine. Search your grandfather's attic or garage for a canister.

[Pandadice]

Mayor abruptly resigns to pursue relationship with gay partner, who's also an illegal immigrant. (http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/gen/ap/TX_Mayor_Resigns.html)

Soldier figthing in Afghanistan fights terrorists in flip-flops and pink boxers (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090522/lf_nm_life/us_afghanistan_gates_pink)

I seriously thought that the second one had to be a shop, but they've got a whole story and name and everything.. so I guess it's not :\

[Buffalobiian]

All that stimulus money had to come from somewhere you know ;)

[Nadouku]

Soldier figthing in Afghanistan fights terrorists in flip-flops and pink boxers

Oh my goodness! I haven't smiled like that in a while. :p

[Buffalobiian]

Gay couple purchase babies from baby factory.

http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/817385.html

[Nadouku]

A baby factory? They have those? Interesting...

[enkoujin]

North Korea conducts nuclear test (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8066615.stm)

...which ultimately led to the following:

"Shares on the South Korean stock market drop 4% following news from North".

I foresee a downturn reaction in the Dow Jones on Monday (tomorrow)...

[Kraco]

You'd think North Korea's biggest problems would lie in feeding its starving and impoverished population, not in nuclear technology...

[Uchiha Barles]

What, you mean the "ruling class" giving a fuck about the people of it's nation except to the extent that said people is useful to it's agenda? Nah. They can starve for all N. Korea's politicians care. Or anywhere for that matter.

[Buffalobiian]

Ninja robbery (http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/818442.html)

Risking armed robbery charges for $500? At least he's getting the "don't get caught" bit right :p.

Mike Tyson's four-year-old daughter dies (http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/818443.html)

Not much to say about this one...don't leave your kids unsupervised....

Runaway NZ millionaires hit Macau casinos (http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/818022.html)

Yet another fugitive using facebook....*sigh*

[Kraco]

Risking armed robbery charges for $500? At least he's getting the "don't get caught" bit right :p.

What's so hard about finding a ninja? Surely the town is not teeming with people only showing their eyes, covering the rest of their body...

[Nadouku]

Oil is Plentiful, Demands Weak, Why Are Gas Prices Going Up? (http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090529/wl_time/08599190144600)


Storage tankers across the globe may be brimming with oil that no one is buying because of the global economic downturn, but the traditional laws of supply and demand don't always apply to oil prices. Drivers have faced rising prices at the gas pump in recent months, as investors and oil-producing countries hoard supplies in anticipation of a global economic recovery later this year.

I was wondering why the oil prices were going up and now I know. They were like $1.47 a few months ago, and continued to rise ever since. I guess we'll have to wait a few years for the oil prices to either diminish or peak itself.

[Buffalobiian]

I don't know whether I like that move right now. Cheaper petrol would help us in general, but I'd also like the prices to stay high as an incentive to drive research into alternative energy sources, getting us off the stranglehold of high petrol.

[Psyke]

Next generation of PSP (http://www.the-magicbox.com/0905/game090530a.shtml) revealed!

[Penner]

I like the design ^^

[Kraco]

Yeah. It doesn't look bad. Seems like they have been studying cell phones over at Sony to end up with a design like that.

[Death BOO Z]

wait, they're going to drop the analog sticks?

that's the best feature of the PSP

[Nadouku]

I thought the analog stick was right next to the movement controls, unless that's a different thing. Anyway, it looks cool.

[Buffalobiian]

Yep, that black dot/button between the D-pad and start/select buttons seems to be the left (and only) analogue stick to me. From the way the hand holds the PSP-GO, it doesn't look left-aligned enough to be comfortable. Hopefully they've put enough thought into the design so it's not so in practice.

Dropping the disc function and adopting the slider certainly allows for a bigger screen and lighter unit compared to its 3000 brother. Those who live in cities with abundant and cheap wifi connections would notice no loss of convenience at all.

Otherwise, looking snazzy indeed.

[Animeniax]

Next generation of PSP (http://www.the-magicbox.com/0905/game090530a.shtml) revealed!
Sweet, looks good. Great idea with the sliding screen, and it doesn't seem much thicker than the first-gen PSP.

Here's hoping they line up more developer support for games and apps.

[Ryllharu]

Dropping the disc function and adopting the slider certainly allows for a bigger screen and lighter unit compared to its 3000 brother.
The screen is actually smaller (Psyke's link lists it at 3.8 instead of the 3000's 4.3), but the resolution might be higher, that was not disclosed.

[Buffalobiian]

The screen is actually smaller (Psyke's link lists it at 3.8 instead of the 3000's 4.3), but the resolution might be higher, that was not disclosed.

Ah, for some reason I read it the other way around. I'm somewhat disappointed, even if a little bit.

[Pandadice]

Man convicted on 6 accounts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The deadly weapon? his penis. (http://current.com/items/90131287_texan-gets-45-years-for-spreading-hiv.htm)

Womans virginity auctioned off for 3.8mil. Though the winning bidder has had to pull out (http://www.nypost.com/seven/05302009/news/nationalnews/deflower_deal_guy_pulls_out_171718.htm)

[Pandadice]

.. would double posting be okay here if I had two new news stories to post?

Stretch Armstrong movie in the works (http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2009/06/02/Stretch-Armstrong-movie-in-the-works/UPI-69921243999518/)

You know that toy from the '70s that you could stretch a good 4 feet? he's getting his own movie.

New condition: "Cell Phone Elbow", damages nerves. (http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/02/cell.phone.elbow/index.html?cnn=yes)

guys, I totally have this. I don't get it from talking on my cell, but I totally get it when I clock too many hours on an MMO/on my computer in general, or play my DS too long.

[Buffalobiian]

New condition: "Cell Phone Elbow", damages nerves. (http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/02/cell.phone.elbow/index.html?cnn=yes)

guys, I totally have this. I don't get it from talking on my cell, but I totally get it when I clock too many hours on an MMO/on my computer in general, or play my DS too long.

Wow. I don't know if I'm happy to hear that or not. I've had that before one time, a (previously) unexplainable tingling in my bottom 2 fingers of one arm that lasted for like 18hrs. I didn't know what was going on, and thought one of my nerves died or something, but it was over after a night's sleep.

Now that I read that, I might be because I had my arm bent when I was sleeping. After all, I did sleep on my propped up arm for a few hours at that lecture :o.

If was just confusing because the numbness didn't go away quickly like it usually does.

[Assertn]

My appendages tend to feel like they're tingling or numb just by reading about a condition that would cause them to tingle or go numb. lol...goddamn psychological symptoms.

[Penner]

Already posted this in the TV-Movies section but i'll post it here aswell..

Actor David Carradine found dead (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8083479.stm)

[Jman]

Already posted this in the TV-Movies section but i'll post it here aswell..

Actor David Carradine found dead (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8083479.stm)

Damn...He was a fine actor.

[Buffalobiian]

Woman 'made porn in childcare centre' (http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/809075.html)

Way to kill someone's business.

[Marik]

Woman 'made porn in childcare centre' (http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/news/articles/809075.html)

Way to kill someone's business.

Wow, way to go ruin the lives of those children. They should both be covered in gasoline and be set ablaze.

[Nadouku]

What kind of messed up shit is that?

[Buffalobiian]

On a slightly different note, which sex knows when to stop regarding enlargements?
To some, the answer might sound surprising:

Man With 25cm Penis Implant Begs for Reduction

Source: *Explicit*http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/05/05/man-with-25cm-penis-implant-begs-for-reduction/ *Explicit*


A man who insisted on plastic surgery to augment his penis from its original 15cm to a gargantuan 25cm is now begging doctors to undo the surgery, as no woman will have anything to do with him.

The 40-year-old man underwent the surgery against the advice of doctors at a Moscow clinic, as he insisted 15cm was just too small. He demanded doctors enhance his member to near equine proportions of 25cm.

Doctors tried to dissuade him, showing him a model of what such a grotesquely oversized member would look like (and hopefully explaining to him that such sizes would prove very difficult for most women to accommodate), but he was adamant that he needed such a colossal appendage.

Eventually doctors relented and decided to take his money anyway.

Two operations later and he was nearly twice his original size, and was eager to return to his presumable life of romance.

However, barely had a month passed and he was back at the clinic, this time begging for a reduction:

“He said no woman wants to be with him anymore. He came here several times, begged us for new surgery, swore he would never be so stupid again.”

Doctors are however powerless to help; he must wait at least six months before new surgery can be undertaken safely.

The doctors are not entirely sympathetic: “If there was a surgery to enlarge brains, we would offer him a free trial,” they quip.

Via MosNews.

The ancients millennia ago left us with the Delphic formula “Know thyself, nothing in excess”, and it seems the importance of those words has not diminished.

If only some would take these words to heart…(see below)

38KKK Idol Demands Bigger Implants: “They May Explode!”


Oppai idol Sheyla Hershey, whose silicone inflated breasts have reached a staggering 38KKK cup size thanks to possibly the world’s largest implants, totaling some four litres of silicone, has defied the warnings of doctors and now seeks even larger breasts, despite being told of the danger of the inflated mammaries exploding grotesquely.

“To me, big is beautiful,” she says, though most observers would likely disagree in this instance.

The 28-year-old idol’s breasts are some of the largest on the planet, all thanks to hours spent under the surgeon’s knife, and many tens of thousands of dollars in fees.

Still, she is not satisfied, and demands ever larger breasts for some reason. Responsible (or rather, lawsuit shy) US doctors refused to operate when she reached 34FFF, so she ignored them and went to her homeland of Brazil, where doctors are happy to pump her full of as much silicone as she has money to pay for.

She is blase about the risk of her breasts exploding: “I don’t think I have anything to worry about. To me big is beautiful.”

She yearns to have the largest breasts on the planet, an aspiration she developed after her first boyfriend unwisely paid for her initial implants. Soon her growing obsession and chest repelled even him, and he left her, but she is unrepentant: “I loved him very much, but I had to leave him to follow my dream.”

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/2774/39440468xsheylahersheyo.jpg
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4334/39441468xsheylahersheyo.jpg
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3017/39442468xsheylahersheyo.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7829/39443468xsheylahersheyo.jpg

[Penner]

Lol, ridiculous ;P

[Nadouku]

These news just keep getting ridiculous every day.

[darkshadow]

Those breast seem awesome for a certain kind of sexual activity though :x