tvashtarkatena

The only arms I take up are my baby's. The self-replicating doomsday robot in my basement will remain inactive until Chiggerpocalypse warrants its deployment.

"Strike another match, go start anew It's all over now, baby blue"

Writing history usually goes better if you read history beforehand. Including the phrase "then a miracle happens" in your plan, or lack thereof, certainly does save time up front, but...

This is the first bit of decent information on this thread. Luckily, the family arsenal already includes two out of the three recommended technologies.

I'm more concerned about the NOAA coverup. MERMAIDGATE.

"seemed to indicate"? That doesn't equate to "none", scientist. I've read two articles recently where the WA MJ businesses owners had had these issues, but found banks (credit unions, most likely) - but they would not reveal the names for the obvious aforementioned reasons. It's happening, but much of it "seems to be" on the QT. Like I said, speculation is rampant. You've been a "this ain't gonna fly" kinda guy, but then, you're not the most informed source for such a prediction, either. These growing pains happen when society begins to tear down 4 decades of shitty policy. The ambiguity caused by the DOJ's lack of clarity isn't desirable for law enforcement, businesses, or state governments. They're under a lot more pressure to clear things up, one way or the other, since the election. So my prediction is: we'll see.

The more salient question is what it would take for anyone here to click on one of your links. Severe, traumatic brain injury and an utter lack of anything else to do, in combination? For some, the threat of being stabbed through the scrotum with a barbeque fork may need to be added.

Overstated and not entirely accurate. Yes, there are many problems with banking and paying taxes for an MJ business, and yes, MJ business owners have found banks/credit unions who will do business with them without lying. There are an estimated 2500 to 3000 dispensaries nationwide and not all of them are cash n carry or lying about the nature of their business. There may or may not be court battles. Law enforcement activists , including former FBI agents, federal attorneys, and city attorneys, have delivered a letter (and set up a conference call) to urge Holder to not interfere with state level weed laws. Congressional reps have also weighed in, as have the governors of CO and WA. So far, the DOJ has issued a statement that they will not bust operations in compliance with state law, and a later statement that they will not bust medical MJ patients. Speculation is rampant, of course. The informed opinion of I 502's leadership is that the fed is unlikely to sue WA. We'll see as events unfold and the DOJ figures out how its going to proceed. They've given no clear indication of that yet since the election.

The Maine and Rhode Island legislatures are considering legalization bills for next year. So far, 23 states have legalized medical MJ, decriminalized MJ, or legalized MJ - all in violation of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Most are blue or swing state, but not all - NE, AB, Not all are blue states, either - NE, AL, AZ, and MT (although the latter has been the first and only state to repeal most of its medical MJ law, although sheep shagging remains legal). 8 states have both medical and decriminalization laws, making them arguably the most likely to take that next step: They are CA, OR, NV, AK, ME, RI, MA, and CT. AR's med MJ initiative was narrowly defeated this year. OR's defeated legalization initiative, despite being poorly drafted and, as a result, poorly funded, garnished 47% of the vote. Let the games begin!

Focus on what can be, rather than what isn't.

You seem to be feeling Bonely, so... Mermaids!

75 years of slavery strongly suggested that it would continue beyond the 1860s. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance, particularly with regards to long term, fundamental cultural and demographic changes. Historical patterns happen until they don't anymore. Wildcard events can spice things up a bit, however. A particularly weak Dem against an R whose good at faking centrism could conceivably win the day next time, but the liberal public, unlike the conservative one (apparently), is getting aaaawwwwefully hard to bullshit these days.

"In fact, the rising American electorate represents a direct threat to the striking array of government benefits for the affluent that the conservative movement has won over the past 40 years. These include the reduction of the top income tax rate from 50 percent in 1986 to 35 percent; the 15 percent tax rate on dividend and capital gains income, which was 39.9 percent in 1977; the lowering of the top estate tax rate from 70 percent in 1981, with just $175,000 exempted from taxation, to a top rate of 35 percent this year with $5.1 million exempted from taxation." Link When you wage war, the other side eventually returns fire. Conservatives will likely continue to bullshit themselves that they 'work harder' than liberals. They don't. If recent history of innovation is any guide, they certainly don't work smarter, either.

When you excise the parts of the GOP platform that aren't based on myth (tax breaks for the rich create jobs), pure partisan interest (anti-vote by mail, pro voter suppression policy), religious bigotry (marriage, abortion), or just plain mean spirited (health care), there isn't much left. So, yeah, I'd say the GOP is probably in for some tough times for a long time. People said that after 08, however - then the Teatards mobilized. There isn't another massive group of untapped morons to organize this time around (the Thumpers shot their wad in record numbers and still failed), so it looks like the GOP will either have to (gulp) actually reform, not likely considering that group's 'data driven' nature, or continue to experience shrinkage. At the state level, the reddest states will likely continue to fall behind economically, educationally, and from a civil liberties standpoint, as they have been. FL and TX will become blue soon, and GOP administrations will become so many unhappy memories. The GOP decided to go to war with the middle class, minorities, gays (est. 7 to 10% of the pop), women, and science. Not the best long term strategy, really.

Auto-elected, dysfunctional dinosaurs like McCain feel threatened by young, smart, competent women like Rice. They should. She's the agent of their extinction.

OUCH

We should have never privatized the Strategic Custard Reserve.

I'm for blasting a Hostess sampler, and 'Hark', if you will, into outer solar system orbit so that we never lose what we once had. Perhaps we could stow some vaccines on board, in case they're banned by some future idiocracy.

Dayumn. Had d 'lection gone de uthuh way, we coulda put dem black peepo in prison.

Fluid dynamics, brought to you by the Rescue Rooter guy.

I'll miss thee! The media narrative is that the (one week long) strike from those evil, selfish bakers KILLED HOSTESS. That Hostess executives massively jacked their own compensation, even in the face of reduced demand for their products, while slashing baker's pay by 8% is conveniently omitted in many news stories. Fuck a company's financial health over years with asset stripping, calcified policies, bonehead marketing, no innovation, and beak dipping executive compensation, and don't forget to blame lowest paid employees when the shit comes down.

And have that bowl full of incompetent, pompous, clueless assholes decide everything? Fuuuuuuuck that. The States have always been a our best hope for progress and reform. They can solve problems that the fed can't, won't, or isn't even aware of. The latest election in WA comes to mind. A healthy dose of local control, tempered by civil rights guarantees for all, seems like a good formula to me.

Well, here's where it gets interesting. If there is no majority (50+%), and it's not a tie (the House chooses between the two), then the House chooses the prez from among the top 5 runner ups: "The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse [sic] by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse [sic] the President. But in chusing [sic] the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice." So, the Constitution does (imperfectly) allow for a competitive 3...or 4, or 5, party election that does not involve a majority win - but the voters are kind of ushered out the door at that point. You can imagine the fun and games that would follow if this little know clause is ever put into practice. Perhaps characteristically, the framers misused the term 'majority' to describe a tie - perhaps conflating it with 'plurality' just that once - but then, they also authored the retard's stream of consciousness cone that is the 2nd Amendment, as well.

50,000 BC - The Sick Cave "Dog, I feel like shit today" "Really? I was run through by a mastodon so my clan left me here to starve" ................................."That sucks"

Bipolar/BPD ovah heuh!