The Daily News

[Heald]

British government in Stalinist, police state accusation

The UK took another big step towards becoming a fascist state as an opposition MP was arrested, four of his homes and offices (two of each) raided and his DNA added to the criminal database after the government found out he might have discovered leaked information damaging to the government.

Most MPs from all parties called for a review of police powers and for the government to stop taking these steps towards a police state.

The Home Secretary denied saying that the UK was becoming a police state. Her reasoning? She, er, redefined what a police state is. Someone had better call Oxford and tell them to update the dictionary, because apparently a police state isn't when the government abuses their powers over the police but is when Parliament tries to change the law so the government cannot abuse its powers.

It's a good thing tickets to the USA are now cheaper, because I might be moving soon, before thought-crimes become a reality.

[Roy Karrde]

Atheists work to help further the Holiday Spirit

Atheists decided to set up their own sign at a Christmas Nativity scene that just fills you with the Holiday spirit!

"There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

[Katie]

I really wish there were two different words for the two different types of atheists: the ones who have a live-and-let-live thing going, and the ones who are constantly annoying people trying to prove that religion is bogus, mostly for attention I've noticed. Christianity has fundies; we need a word for those guys.

[Heald]

Landmark ruling on UK's fascist database

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that retaining DNA samples of innocent people on a criminal database infringed their human rights. As the UK is part of the EU and has signed up to the Human Rights Act, it is legally obliged to obey the ruling, or face expulsion from the EU.

Typically, our fascist home secretary says the law will remain in place until they've had time to consider the judgement. This is newspeak for: we'll maintain our fascist policies for as long as humanly possible.

Meanwhile...

China bans lip-syncing at shows

I thought this was quite funny, considering China used lip-syncing during the Beijing opening ceremony.

[mr_pikachu]

O.J. gets at least 9 years for armed hotel robbery

LAS VEGAS – A weary and beaten-looking O.J. Simpson was put away Friday for at least nine years — and perhaps the rest of his life — for an armed robbery in a hotel room, bringing a measure of satisfaction to those who believed the football star got away with murder more than a decade ago. The 61-year-old Hall of Famer listened stone-faced, his wrists in shackles, as Judge Jackie Glass pronounced the sentence — 33 years behind bars with eligibility for parole after less than a third of that.

[classy_cat18]

Wow. He's already that old? Yeah, he won't make it.

[Heald]

He's an idiot. He must've known that if he committed any offence that could land him a jail sentence, he'd be serving some long, hard time.

I kinda feel bad for him. I don't have an opinion on his murder trial, I don't know whether he did it or not and I probably never will, and I'm not going to judge him. However, he was never going to get a fair trial here. I guess if he did do it, he deserves it. There's probably no way he'll ever get out of there alive.

[Drago]

I don't know about y'all, but the concept of escaping something for all those years, and then for it to finally come out and grab you by the throat after 13 long years, scares the hell out of me.
As a football fan, I feel a little sad to see such a talented man end up in such a way, but I have little doubt that he actually did it (you know what I mean by it), which outweighs anything he ever achieved in football. Similarly, I hadn't realised he was so old either. He sure looks good for a 61-year-old. Well, looked good anyway. He's gonna age real fast from here on.

[Roy Karrde]

You know its funny, if the murder trial had been held ten/fifteen years later now that we have CSI on TV and everything. Simpson would be in jail for life and possibly be heading to the execution chamber. But noooo back then you had idiots on the Jury that thought DNA was as common as blood types, and wasn't very accurate.

Of course it also helps that just a few years before hand LA had been lit up by the Rodney King Riots and there were thousands of angry blacks outside that could have charged the court house.

Only real good things is you got a bunch of inmates in Nevada that are sharpening up their shivs, just waiting to see which one can kill Simpson.

[Mew Master]

I really wish there were two different words for the two different types of atheists: the ones who have a live-and-let-live thing going, and the ones who are constantly annoying people trying to prove that religion is bogus, mostly for attention I've noticed. Christianity has fundies; we need a word for those guys.

Well, in all fairness, every system for correlating one's relationship to the rest of the world (Catholosism/Christianity, Judisim, Islam, Hinduism, Atheism, Agnosticism [if that's even a word]) has it's "fundies," I prefer to call 'em "extremists" or "zealots" which is kinda equal across the board.

On one hand I couldn't care less what some people do around the holidays, I'm personally angered by a good chunk of it, and others shouldn't attack others based on one belief. However, it is a counter to many attacks on science, claiming that Science itself is a Religion system (which is something that some atheists [some, not all] don't even accept [Science that is]).

Honestly. I'm glad that these guys are making a nod to the natural processes that we really should be embracing (Winter Solstice imo). However, there is still the bias there about Jewish holiday's getting over-shadowed, while Catholic/Christian holidays are paraded around like they're more important.

And that also 'grinds my gears.'

EDIT: UPDATES! Sign stolen! Missing atheist sign found in Washington state. What was that about 'fundies'?

[mr_pikachu]

You know its funny, if the murder trial had been held ten/fifteen years later now that we have CSI on TV and everything. Simpson would be in jail for life and possibly be heading to the execution chamber. But noooo back then you had idiots on the Jury that thought DNA was as common as blood types, and wasn't very accurate.

I disagree, if only because a bad enough prosecutor and judge can blow any case. I seem to remember some rather interesting interviews with jury members after the case... it was amazing how many basic pieces of evidence they'd never seen.

[Roy Karrde]

"Any preacher who dares to point out the simple ugly facts found in every field imaginable is demonized as volatile, controversial, incendiary, inflammatory, anti-American and radical," Wright said, taking time out to note the thousands of Japanese civilians who died 67 years to the day when American warplane dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. (Actually, Dec. 7 marks the day when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.)

Everyone at the same time.

EPIC FAIL

[Heald]

Heh, speaking of crazy racists, Another racist fails to get Obama disqualified on the grounds that he isn't American

[Jeff]

Found this after clicking Heald's link: Cartoons are people too!

[Heald]

Found this after clicking Heald's link: Cartoons are people too!

[Roy Karrde]

Heh, speaking of crazy racists, Another racist fails to get Obama disqualified on the grounds that he isn't American

You do realize this guy isn't racist, or at least I havn't heard him as one. He is just a Uber PUMA that was pissed at Obama after he beat Hillary. Or atleast one of the main pushers of this was. I don't know there were two or three major idiots that were pushing these through the courts.

[Heald]

You do realize this guy isn't racist, or at least I havn't heard him as one. He is just a Uber PUMA that was pissed at Obama after he beat Hillary. Or atleast one of the main pushers of this was. I don't know there were two or three major idiots that were pushing these through the courts.

Even if it isn't explicit, it is probably implied; if Obama wasn't black, there would have never have been a debate regarding his heritage, and anyone who fuels the debate is a racist. It's same old small-minded racist America.

Also, regarding Jeff's story on cartoons now being child porn, then surely here are the implications: if a cartoon simulates murder, surely then that's murder. If a cartoon shows rape, isn't that then rape?

[Roy Karrde]

Even if it isn't explicit, it is probably implied; if Obama wasn't black, there would have never have been a debate regarding his heritage, and anyone who fuels the debate is a racist. It's same old small-minded racist America.

Also, regarding Jeff's story on cartoons now being child porn, then surely here are the implications: if a cartoon simulates murder, surely then that's murder. If a cartoon shows rape, isn't that then rape?

It isn't his heritage and more that it's something embarrassing and he may not legally be a US Citizen, which thus means he cannot become President because of Constitutional Law. Injecting racism into it just because he is black is stupid and will probably cause alot of annoy arguments between a lot of people these next 4 years. People tried to challenge John McCain's Citizenship as well, and if you remember 4 years ago people were going after George W Bush for not releasing his air force papers. One of the things that fueled this was Obama being somewhat secretive about the Birth Certificate and his past in what ever foreign country he was raised in. When public officials start being secretive about a already stupid thing, it only gives credibility to the original stupid idea. As we saw 4 years ago, and as we now see.

People will go after a Presidential Candidate that they hate for the most insane things, and 99.9% of the time it has nothing to do with his race.

Edit: Apparently, and I may be misreading this, Leo Donofrio first filed his lawsuit in New Jersey to get both Obama AND McCain off the ticket in New Jersey, as well as Nicaraguan born Roger Colera. So yeah he may be a nut job, but atleast he is a Bi-Partisan one.

As for the Child Pornography Cartoon all I have to say is a quote from another site that picked it up:

"We proscribe child pornography to keep children from getting sexually exploited. Cartoon characters aren’t real people, and we don’t need to protect them from predators. Extending the definition to fiction makes a mockery of the law and the real damage done to real children by actual violations."

[Heald]

I'm well aware of the (ridiculous) law that only natural-born citizens can become Presidents. There is no 'injecting' racism into it; it was racists who began the argument in the first place. When it first became apparent that America could have a black president, every racist out there hurried to question his heritage. None of them had any proof that Obama was not a natural-born citizen, their entire basis was formed on 'He's black, therefore he's American'. Them and everyone who followed them were racially motivated, and I doubt the debate would have picked up any steam (like it didn't pick up steam with McCain) if he wasn't black. There was no injecting racism into this; the mere fact that Obama was black was what fuelled these people to seek his birth certificate.

Now, why didn't Obama publish it straight away? If a bunch of small-minded, stupid, ignorant racists demanded to see your birth certificate, why acknowledge them? The people that demanded to see his birth certificate and demanded to know of his past were a very small, very ignorant minority, and the best way to deal with ignorant people is to ignore them. Acknowledging ignorant people only serves to make them think their opinions matter.

The fact that Obama got so far in his Presidential race without someone who mattered pointing out he wasn't eligible is more or less proof. I doubt any major party would let a candidate run in the Primaries without at least doing a check that they're eligible, whether they're black or white, male or female, Christian or otherwise.

I'd hope that eventually someone would call to have this idiotic part of the constitution removed in order to stop these ridiculous debates happening again.

EDIT Made an edit but you've probably already quoted this in an upcoming post so I doubt it will matter.

[Roy Karrde]

I'm well aware of the (ridiculous) law that only natural-born citizens can become Americans. There is no 'injecting' racism into it; it was racists who began the argument in the first place. When it first became apparent that America could have a black president, every racist out there hurried to question his heritage. None of them had any proof that Obama was not a natural-born citizen, their entire basis was formed on 'He's black, therefore he's American'. Them and everyone who followed them were racially motivated, and I doubt the debate would have picked up any steam (like it didn't pick up steam with McCain) if he wasn't black. There was no injecting racism into this; the mere fact that Obama was black was what fuelled these people to seek his birth certificate.

Umm it did pick up Steam with McCain, as I have already said this guy's original law suit was also originally against McCain as well. Once a winner was decided the guy went on to fire another suit against the winner. And in the case for the other Obama Lawsuiter, Berg I believe his name was. It also had nothing to do with Racism and everything to do with a heated Democrat Battle that saw one side absolutely hating the winner.

You are looking for Racism where there is none. Not in Leo's lawsuit, and not in Berg's.

Also please do not look ignorant by just saying the lawsuit was racially motivated just because Obama was black, and that anyone that filed such lawsuit was racist even if they also fired one against McCain. Not only is that a blanket statement on your part but a massive leap to conclusions. I've sat through this crap for the past 6 months, yes they are nut balls, yes there is some legal gray area, and such gray area has about as much to do with Obama's Blackness as McCain's whiteness.

Now, why didn't Obama publish it straight away? If a bunch of small-minded, stupid, ignorant racists demanded to see your birth certificate, why acknowledge them? The people that demanded to see his birth certificate and demanded to know of his past were a very small, very ignorant minority, and the best way to deal with ignorant people is to ignore them. Acknowledging ignorant people only serves to make them think their opinions matter.

Agreed but it also will shut them up.

The fact that Obama got so far in his Presidential race without someone who mattered pointing out he wasn't eligible is more or less proof. I doubt any major party would let a candidate run in the Primaries without at least doing a check that they're eligible, whether they're black or white, male or female, Christian or otherwise.

Maybe it wasn't obvious in Britain but atleast in the Political Sphere in the US, there was a bit of a stink and always a underlining question about McCain's Citizenship and Obama's Citizenship. No matter who won, there was going to be further law suits because both of them had a bit of a gray area as to if they were legally born in the US.

I would assume that if McCain won, and Leo furthered his lawsuit against McCain (At this point we have no proof he wouldn't) you would also claim racism? As well as the various law suits filed by Obama supporters against McCain's citizenship?

[Heald]

I'll admit now that I never actually heard the news about McCain's citizenship coming under fire until you mentioned it today, so perhaps the British media just didn't choose to publish it, hence why I didn't think it picked up steam. We got a lot of Obama stuff though, lots of stories about how people saying he's not really American and all that stuff. There was also a documentary about Obama and it featured a lot of interviews from people who misunderstood his heritage, a lot of people saying he wasn't really American, hinting because he was black and because he had a funny name and all that jazz. I just assumed any idiot who questioned Obama's citizenship was doing it on race alone.

You misunderstand what I'm saying though. It wouldn't be racist to try and disqualify McCain, because if you're unsure of the law, then you might think a Panama-born person is ineligible (clearly he wasn't aware that he was still born on US territory and both his parents were American, therefore on two counts he counts as an American citizen). Whereas with Obama, Obama said he was born in Hawaii, so fair enough. So what are the main grounds for trying to question Obama's citizenship? I can't see any obvious reason to question Obama when he says he was born in Hawaii other than his race.

That's the difference between McCain/Colera and Obama. McCain and Colera were both born outside of the 50 states and to someone unsure of the constitution might think they're ineligible. Obama was born in one of the 50 American states, so why would someone question his natural-born status? Regardless of colour, Obama had as much eligibility to run as Bill Clinton, both Bush presidents and Nixon, and no one ever questioned their natural-born status (at least not to my knowledge). If you tried to say Clinton wasn't really American, you'd get laughed at. Say the same about Obama and some people think, 'Well, he's black, better check'.

[Roy Karrde]

You misunderstand what I'm saying though. It wouldn't be racist to try and disqualify McCain, because if you're unsure of the law, then you might think a Panama-born person is ineligible (clearly he wasn't aware that he was still born on US territory and both his parents were American, therefore on two counts he counts as an American citizen). Whereas with Obama, Obama said he was born in Hawaii, so fair enough. So what are the main grounds for trying to question Obama's citizenship? I can't see any obvious reason to question Obama when he says he was born in Hawaii other than his race.

Well apparently on the McCain thing the territory may not have been 100% US, as well, the NY Times points out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/us.../28mccain.html

As for Obama there are various questions here is what I have been able to gather.

A: His father was a British Citizen giving Obama British Citizenship.

B: Obama wasn't born in Hawaii

C: When Obama moved to Indonesia as a child, he renounced his American Citizenship infavor of Indonesian Citizneship.

That's the difference between McCain/Colera and Obama. McCain and Colera were both born outside of the 50 states and to someone unsure of the constitution might think they're ineligible. Obama was born in one of the 50 American states, so why would someone question his natural-born status? Regardless of colour, Obama had as much eligibility to run as Bill Clinton, both Bush presidents and Nixon, and no one ever questioned their natural-born status (at least not to my knowledge). If you tried to say Clinton wasn't really American, you'd get laughed at. Say the same about Obama and some people think, 'Well, he's black, better check'.

Except you are again coming at this with out any real research on the subject. And jumping to conclusions thinking these lawsuits are only done out of racism and not actual facts or what they believe is facts.

If say Bill Clinton had two parents, one of which wasn't a US Citizen, and then moved to another country when he was a child where a few documents say that he was a Indonesian Citizen. There would have been questions about Clinton. Just as there are questions about McCain, based on different possible facts.

[Heald]

A: His father was a British Citizen giving Obama British Citizenship.

B: Obama wasn't born in Hawaii

C: When Obama moved to Indonesia as a child, he renounced his American Citizenship infavor of Indonesian Citizneship.

These three things are lies though (Obama didn't get British citizenship, he was born in Hawaii and he never renounced his citizenship), and the only reason why someone would make up these lies about someone who is quite clearly an American citizen is because he's black. In fact the first point was originally that his dad was Kenyan, and when that didn't work, said he was British instead.

[Roy Karrde]

These three things are lies though (Obama didn't get British citizenship, he was born in Hawaii and he never renounced his citizenship), and the only reason why someone would make up these lies about someone who is quite clearly an American citizen is because he's black. In fact the first point was originally that his dad was Kenyan, and when that didn't work, said he was British instead.

* Shakes head * Okay now this is getting beyond absurdity and into the realm of stupidity.

I have proven that Leo's lawsuit had nothing to do with racism, but you seem to continue on the misguided belief it actually does.

Is it so absolutely inconceivable that people would either A: actually believe that one of those is true. I mean you denounce all three of them as lies with a flick of a wrist. or B: That they hate the person NOT because of his race, but because of his Political Beliefs? or last but not least C: Because he defeated Hillary Clinton for the nomination.

As for the three arguments, I don't put much credence or research into (A). But I have heard alot about (B and C). B is the main reason for the Birth Certificate scandal, and apparently C dates back to a few documents saying Obama actually was a Indonesian citizen as I have already said.

I mean honestly do you think these people would spend as much time, effort, and money, in something that could be dismissed as a lie with just a flick of the hand?

[Heald]

I mean honestly do you think these people would spend as much time, effort, and money, in something that could be dismissed as a lie with just a flick of the hand?

Never underestimate the stupidity of the human race.

[Mew Master]

Never underestimate the stupidity of the human race.

Second.

[Blademaster]

Never underestimate the stupidity of the human race.

Second.

Third.

[MToolen]

So my governor just got arrested.

Seems he was trying to sell Obama's vacant Senate seat, among other stupid things (e.g., trying to get Chicago Tribune editors critical of him fired, working from Chicago instead of the capital and flying down when it can't be avoided). I guarantee his approval rating is terrible here. Apparently, though, he can't be impeached unless he himself calls an emergency meeting of Illinois Congress.

[Roy Karrde]

So my governor just got arrested.

Seems he was trying to sell Obama's vacant Senate seat, among other stupid things (e.g., trying to get Chicago Tribune editors critical of him fired, working from Chicago instead of the capital and flying down when it can't be avoided). I guarantee his approval rating is terrible here. Apparently, though, he can't be impeached unless he himself calls an emergency meeting of Illinois Congress.

Some one is going to jaillllll

And the subpoenas will go flyin!

The Obama Campaign better start hiring independent council and fast. One thing about Patrick Fitz is that he digs and digs and digs until he gets what he wants. And as the Times put it today, this could haunt Obama's first year.

Who in his Campaign knew about this? how high up were they? When did they know this? Did Obama know about this?

The words "Grand Jury" is even being tossed about, and we will probably see Axlerod and Obama appear since Axlerod already made the dumbass comment weeks ago about how Obama has met with the Gov about his Senate Seat. Not to mention you have to know the Campaign was watching the backroom dealings for that seat VERY closely.

[mr_pikachu]

Canadian Man Builds Himself Robot Girlfriend

I knew nerdiness had an upside!

[Jeff]

A Canadian man, apparently unable to find the perfect woman, has done the next best thing — he's built himself one.

Le Trung, a 33-year-old software engineer who lives with his parents in Brampton, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto, says he's spent about $20,000 so far on Aiko, a 5-foot-tall female android with clear skin, a slim if shapely figure and a wonderful disposition.

I sense a connection here...

*cries*

[Bulbasaur4]

Canadian Man Builds Himself Robot Girlfriend

I knew nerdiness had an upside!

I want one! : D

[classy_cat18]

"Can you **** it?"

"Excuse me?"

"Can you **** it?"

"No!"

"Awwww!"

[mr_pikachu]

Well, you can... but it's best to wait until the third date.

[Jeff]

You know, if this relationship works out, what happens if he proposes? At the wedding, no one will be able to tell if that toaster sitting on the table is a wedding present, or a member of the bride's family.

[Asilynne]

I sense a connection here...

*cries*

this made me sad!!!!! lol ;<

[Bulbasaur4]

That toaster was a whore anyway...

[Jeff]

I know there are plenty of people out there that like to criticize President Bush for everything he does. But you gotta admit, the man sure can dodge a shoe.

[Ultimate Charizard]

You can Freeze it, you can boil it, you can even Microwave it but nothing can kill the SUPER-SPIDER!

[PancaKe]

You can Freeze it, you can boil it, you can even Microwave it but nothing can kill the SUPER-SPIDER!

waaaah. can you step on it??