Terrible Editorials, Opinion Pieces and Letters to the Editor

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Terrible Editorials, Opinion Pieces and Letters to the Editor

«‹›106 »

turn it up TURN ME ON: Mar 19, 2012; In the Grim Darkness of the Future, there is only war.

...and delicious ice cream.

rkajdi posted:

That article is serious stuff. Starting using body reactions as the basis for legal proceedings is drat close to, if not actually, thought crime. And throwing an extra level of pseudo-science on top of it makes the whole article seem one degree removed from phrenology.

Using body reactions is the entire thought behind lie detectors, which I'd consider this akin to. I seriously don't know what to make of it though. While I like the idea that this was used to help put a Bad Man in jail for a long time, I hope that some real research is put into that device before it ruins someone's life.

# ? Jun 14, 2012 19:51

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Apr 18, 2024 14:12

I AM GRANDO: Aug 20, 2006

rkajdi posted:

That article is serious stuff. Starting using body reactions as the basis for legal proceedings is drat close to, if not actually, thought crime. And throwing an extra level of pseudo-science on top of it makes the whole article seem one degree removed from phrenology.

Not to mention that body reactions can have more than one cause and don't necessarily indicate the beliefs or intentions of the mind inside the body. This is exactly why lie detectors give false positives, and why we don't dismiss rape cases if it can be demonstrated that the victim experienced physical arousal.

# ? Jun 14, 2012 19:57

I AM GRANDO: Aug 20, 2006

SquadronROE posted:

Yeah, I also found an article more fully explaining the device being used. While it seems a bit arcane, it doesn't sound stranger than any other first-generation device being used to try to quantify a qualitative analysis.

http://www.readability.com/articles/u8y2wvlq

Full disclosure: The reporter is someone who I know personally, and tries quite hard to remain neutral. I'm planning on trying to give him specific feedback, and posted the article here since I'd rather not be accusing him of being biased out of hand. Any suggestions would be interesting.

Something does sound really fishy about that entire quote though.

I'd advise the reporter to knock it off with the religious language of sin and devil and stuff, as that makes it sound as if the reporter shares and endorses the beliefs of the community--which, even if true, make the article seem untrustworthy. I get that it could be a neat narrative hook for the article since the rapist was a religious person, but it comes off like Jerry Falwell.

I might also add that it might be good to limit confusion by giving some other sources on the nature of the abuse and the difficult times the victim likely face moving ahead, since it could seem like the article is stigmatizing them and saying that now they're damaged and wrong just like their abuser.

That second one is also a larger issue with journalism that covers rape, though.

# ? Jun 14, 2012 20:06

turn it up TURN ME ON: Mar 19, 2012; In the Grim Darkness of the Future, there is only war.

...and delicious ice cream.

I'd be willing to bet that the reporter was simply channeling what people were talking about. I bet there was a lot of "God" and "Devil" in that courtroom.

# ? Jun 14, 2012 20:19

rkajdi: Sep 11, 2001; by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

SquadronROE posted:

Using body reactions is the entire thought behind lie detectors, which I'd consider this akin to. I seriously don't know what to make of it though. While I like the idea that this was used to help put a Bad Man in jail for a long time, I hope that some real research is put into that device before it ruins someone's life.

Lie detectors are what I'd compare it to. They aren't used in courts because they have no scientific validity. Nothing in this case shows any level of real scientific rigor, but instead looks like a bunch of folk science bullshit.

Also, I sort of think that using someone's sexual proclivities versus actual evidence is incredibly prejudicial. I really couldn't care if someone's a pedo as long as the don't peep, molest, or watch kiddy porn, but I expect most people would convict just on attraction instead of actual evidence of a crime. If the Bad Man did the act, there have to be multiple witnesses or some other level of evidence.

# ? Jun 14, 2012 20:51

turn it up TURN ME ON: Mar 19, 2012; In the Grim Darkness of the Future, there is only war.

...and delicious ice cream.

rkajdi posted:

Lie detectors are what I'd compare it to. They aren't used in courts because they have no scientific validity. Nothing in this case shows any level of real scientific rigor, but instead looks like a bunch of folk science bullshit.

Also, I sort of think that using someone's sexual proclivities versus actual evidence is incredibly prejudicial. I really couldn't care if someone's a pedo as long as the don't peep, molest, or watch kiddy porn, but I expect most people would convict just on attraction instead of actual evidence of a crime. If the Bad Man did the act, there have to be multiple witnesses or some other level of evidence.

Thankfully this sort of technology wasn't crucial, it was just used as supporting evidence. There were witnesses and other pieces of evidence as well. The tech is getting more widespread though, so we might see it hit the same wall as lie detectors.

# ? Jun 14, 2012 20:54

rkajdi: Sep 11, 2001; by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

SquadronROE posted:

Thankfully this sort of technology wasn't crucial, it was just used as supporting evidence. There were witnesses and other pieces of evidence as well. The tech is getting more widespread though, so we might see it hit the same wall as lie detectors.

You mean be used a bunch to limit careers and ruin people's lives, but just stay this side of the courts and be considered real science by the general population?

EDIT: And it's not even supporting evidence, since there's nothing showing it's scientifically valid. Even allowing it as supporting evidence is a quarter step away from saying "I can tell this guy's a liar/pedo/sociopath because of the shape of his skull"-- it has no actual bearing on anything involved.

rkajdi fucked around with this message at 21:06 on Jun 14, 2012

# ? Jun 14, 2012 21:04

Bruce Leroy: Jun 10, 2010

SquadronROE posted:

Using body reactions is the entire thought behind lie detectors, which I'd consider this akin to. I seriously don't know what to make of it though. While I like the idea that this was used to help put a Bad Man in jail for a long time, I hope that some real research is put into that device before it ruins someone's life.

But "lie detectors" are complete bullshit because they lack construct validity. "Lie detectors" are really only "detecting" certain physiological changes like heart rate and blood pressure, but they don't establish the reason(s) for those changes. Sure, many people become agitated when they're lying, but you could also see the same responses from sheer anxiety of being subjected to the test, embarrassment due to the sensitivity of the topics being discussed (e.g. crimes, cheating on your spouse, etc.), the presence of powerful authority figures like cops, or that there are serious consequences for the test (e.g. prison, divorce, etc.), none of which are reflections of honesty. All a "lie detector" is really telling you is what a person's body is doing, not "why" it is doing it.

SquadronROE posted:

Thankfully this sort of technology wasn't crucial, it was just used as supporting evidence. There were witnesses and other pieces of evidence as well. The tech is getting more widespread though, so we might see it hit the same wall as lie detectors.

But the problem with that is it's lending credibility to the device when there isn't much research supporting it. It's basically saying, "Look, we have physical evidence of rape/molestation AND they failed this test, so the test must be valid and reliable." It's a classic correlation fallacy and demonstrates why this device shouldn't be used in probation hearings and other legal proceedings until it has been properly researched. It most certainly shouldn't be that people are using this device/test while the jury is still out on it, that's not how science, especially human-centered health science, is supposed to work.

rkajdi posted:

You mean be used a bunch to limit careers and ruin people's lives, but just stay this side of the courts and be considered real science by the general population?

EDIT: And it's not even supporting evidence, since there's nothing showing it's scientifically valid. Even allowing it as supporting evidence is a quarter step away from saying "I can tell this guy's a liar/pedo/sociopath because of the shape of his skull"-- it has no actual bearing on anything involved.

And this is what's really bothering me about that article and this device/test. If this were my field of expertise, I'd sure as gently caress be interested in rigorously testing my device/test and submitting articles about it peer-reviewed journals to get as close to definitive answers about this device and it's potential problems as possible. Instead, this guy chooses to rake in $2,200 per test, which to me seems like a pretty glaring conflict of interest and a motive to keep using the device despite the paucity of evidence supporting it. It'd be one thing if these tests were part of some research being done on the device/test and its efficacy, and the results weren't necessarily being used against these participants, AND there also wasn't an obvious profit motive for the administrators, but this guy is raking in the dough using a device/test which is controversial at best.

# ? Jun 15, 2012 09:00

turn it up TURN ME ON: Mar 19, 2012; In the Grim Darkness of the Future, there is only war.

...and delicious ice cream.

Yeah, I agree. I don't think it's a good idea to be using that test inside of a courtroom, although I hadn't thought about it being used outside of that setting. You're right, it would be pretty terrible if this got more media/press and started getting used by companies as part of a screening to keep them free from sexual harassment litigation or protect them from liability in the case of day cares.

Personally, I think the counselor employing these tests is doing a great disservice by not pursuing far more rigorous testing prior to letting this thing out into the public. I also think it was a bit irresponsible of the reporter to not vet out the technology behind this, but I can understand the pressure he was under to get something out quickly rather than fully. I'm currently encouraging him to push out a further piece about the controversy surrounding this topic.

Also, I got some further information from the author about the original article (about the court case). Apparently, he really was simply quoting his sources. He said that at times the prosecution made it seem like the crime was against the Church rather than the State (or the kids). Unsurprising, considering the area we're in, but startling regardless. I also passed on the criticism that he be more conclusive in trying to establish that he was reporting on what people were saying in the courtroom rather than showing his own bias. Seems like in this instance, the courtroom itself provided all the bias necessary.

# ? Jun 15, 2012 14:02

Frog Act: Feb 10, 2012

One of today's letters to the editor in the local paper threw me at first, I was stunned it wasn't a generic ARE TROOPS, but actually much, much more reprehensible.

quote:

Heroism is not for the faint of heart

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

I thought the age of heroes died out several generations ago. I was wrong.

Consider Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin. One doesn't have to agree with his politics to recognize the courage he exhibited by risking his career and, yes, perhaps even his life and the lives of his family in order to break the hold of the unions in the state of Wisconsin. Yes, Scott Walker is a hero.

The strength and dedication he showed to the people of Wisconsin is an example to others who might feel the call to serve their country by putting self last. Heroism is not for the faint of heart.

Barbara Hutton.

Waynesboro.

Every day when I wake up, I pour myself a cup of coffee, step outside and light a cigarette, and crack open the editorial page. Starting every day with a dose of pure :psyduck:

can't possibly be healthy.

So it's pretty rare that I find myself wanting to write in and respond, but this undoubtedly rascal-bound degenerate's dismissal of 200 years of progress is probably the worst thing I've ever read. Idolizing strike breaking teachers? What in the absolute gently caress?

It's terrible that generations bled so this rear end in a top hat could feel this way.

# ? Jun 15, 2012 15:23

Political Whores: Feb 13, 2012

Fandyien posted:

One of today's letters to the editor in the local paper threw me at first, I was stunned it wasn't a generic ARE TROOPS, but actually much, much more reprehensible.

Every day when I wake up, I pour myself a cup of coffee, step outside and light a cigarette, and crack open the editorial page. Starting every day with a dose of pure can't possibly be healthy.

So it's pretty rare that I find myself wanting to write in and respond, but this undoubtedly rascal-bound degenerate's dismissal of 200 years of progress is probably the worst thing I've ever read. Idolizing strike breaking teachers? What in the absolute gently caress?

It's terrible that generations bled so this rear end in a top hat could feel this way.

Even if you agree with his position, why would categorize him as a hero?

"It is heroic to use your power as a government official to enact sweeping legislation that affects hundreds of thousands, then spend millions of dollars fighting off a legitimate attack on your power through established means codified in state law"

There's nothing heroic about the man on top kicking people off the hill. Call me the next time it's revealed unions tried to assassinate a right-wing politician, instead of the other way around.

# ? Jun 15, 2012 16:23

OJ MIST 2 THE DICK: Sep 11, 2008; Anytime I need to see your face I just close my eyes
And I am taken to a place
Where your crystal minds and magenta feelings
Take up shelter in the base of my spine
Sweet like a chica cherry cola
-Cheap Trick; Nap Ghost

quote:

Bryce Harper is a conservative hero. The star rookie for the Washington Nationals has woken up Major League Baseball, and watching it unfold has reminded me of nothing so much as the collapse of the old political paradigms and the inevitable and upcoming rebirth of conservatism in November.

This became clear to me on May 26 of this year. The Nationals were playing Atlanta, and in the fifth inning Harper, with his team leading by two, singled to right. The ball was hit to Braves right fielder Jason Heyward. Heyward strolled up to the ball as if he were walking to the corner for a paper.

Harper promptly headed for second base. Heyward suddenly woke up and fired to second base, but too late.

More than one sports writer has noted that this moment was no small thing for baseball. It was like the part in the movie �Awakenings� when the guy who was asleep for 30 years wakes up.

To me, the play carried even greater symbolic importance. Heyward�s bungle showed a complacency, if not indolence, that Harper threatens to destroy, but it also could be a metaphor for the collapse of the old liberal order. Heyward was like one of those public school teachers who, because they are a union member, can�t be fired and so are relegated to the �rubber room� to sit and read the paper and gather a check for the rest of their lives. Or even Obama, who went from Hawaii to Harvard to the White House and never seems to have had to slide head-first into a base his entire life.

Then there was Harper�s recent retort, which went viral, to an idiot question asked by a member of the media: �That�s a clown question, bro.� Chris Matthews� career in five words.

Watching Bryce Harper play is like listening to an economic speech by Paul Ryan: It�s long on reality and short on excuses. Harper has slapped baseball awake, and every time he steps up to the plate, years of crusty baseball routine no longer apply. He swings the bat with a blinding snap of force, and in the outfield dives for balls that bored veterans would let go. When he hits a double he usually tries to stretch it into a triple. Manager Davey Johnson tries to bench him for being hurt, and Harper confronts him and says, like a person with enough dignity to refuse welfare: Let me work. Then he wins the game with a crucial hit.

Harper also adapts. When pitcher Livan Hernandez froze the 19-year-old Harper with a slow curve ball, Harper adjusted his batting and next time up Harper hit a game-winning home run.

Ironically, it is modern conservatives who have embraced change more than liberals, who are dogmatic in their adherence to old ways of doing things. The left, like Jason Heyward dozing in the outfield, sees nothing wrong with the way things have worked, or even not worked, for the past 40 years. Teachers should never be fired, no matter how incompetent. It is anathema for public-sector union members to pay for even a small percentage of their own health care. Sex-ed taught without reference to the human soul can only do good, and has nothing to do with promiscuity and the collapse of female self-esteem. And we can spend all the money in the world and never have to pay it back.

http://dailycaller.com/2012/06/15/bryce-harper-conservative-hero/

It really is a thing of beauty

# ? Jun 16, 2012 00:55

JohnClark: Mar 24, 2005; Well that's less than ideal

Truly Bryce Harper is the first player in the history of baseball to think, "you know, I bet I could leg out a double on this hit".
Jesus loving christ, how desperate do you have to be to latch onto an ESPN webgem to bolster your political positions?

# ? Jun 16, 2012 01:22

Bruce Leroy: Jun 10, 2010

Toffile posted:

http://dailycaller.com/2012/06/15/bryce-harper-conservative-hero/

It really is a thing of beauty
quote:
Ironically, it is modern conservatives who have embraced change more than liberals, who are dogmatic in their adherence to old ways of doing things. The left, like Jason Heyward dozing in the outfield, sees nothing wrong with the way things have worked, or even not worked, for the past 40 years. Teachers should never be fired, no matter how incompetent. It is anathema for public-sector union members to pay for even a small percentage of their own health care. Sex-ed taught without reference to the human soul can only do good, and has nothing to do with promiscuity and the collapse of female self-esteem. And we can spend all the money in the world and never have to pay it back.

The gently caress?

# ? Jun 16, 2012 01:36

VideoTapir: Oct 18, 2005; He'll tire eventually.

A teacher was fired for incompetence from my high school in 1994.

There were two others fired from the same department that year, for unrelated reasons.

# ? Jun 16, 2012 05:37

Bruce Leroy: Jun 10, 2010

VideoTapir posted:

A teacher was fired for incompetence from my high school in 1994.

There were two others fired from the same department that year, for unrelated reasons.

Yeah, teachers get fired all the time, despite the conservative strawman, but I'm more angered by the characterization of teachers in the "rubber rooms." All of those teachers would rather be in classrooms rather than sitting in the same room for 8 hours a day, five days a week with very little to do. Most teachers love teaching and want to be back at work but administrators don't want to risk any lawsuits from students' parents if a teacher who has already be accused of malfeasance or incompetence is accused of similar things again. If anything, those rubber rooms are kind of good things because at least they prevent teachers from immediately being fired just because they are accused of something, irrespective of the merits of their cases. At least the rubber rooms allow them to keep their jobs while the school districts investigate the charges against them.

Wouldn't this be good for all jobs? Wouldn't you want to be able to keep your job while someone else in your company and/or from your union is investigating a charge made against you by your boss, coworker, or customer?

# ? Jun 16, 2012 08:14

Arglebargle III: Feb 21, 2006

I agree with the letter. What have teachers ever done for us? Always sitting around at school, doing nothing, yet simultaneously pumping our children full of lies. drat them and their lazy and yet also tireless lifestyle!

# ? Jun 16, 2012 09:32

Orange Devil: Oct 1, 2010; Wullie's reign cannae smother the flames o' equality!

Bruce Leroy posted:

Wouldn't this be good for all jobs? Wouldn't you want to be able to keep your job while someone else in your company and/or from your union is investigating a charge made against you by your boss, coworker, or customer?

Show me where in the Constitution it says that you are innocent until found guilty when accused by a corporation of not being a perfect worker drone?

Can't do it can you? That's right, that's because the Founders knew that the only threat to liberty is from big government, whereas corporations are forced to serve the interests of the common man through a little thing I like to call the market. Now kneel down before your corporate overlords and pray to the market and its prophet, Ronald Reagan.

# ? Jun 16, 2012 10:39

Boxman: Sep 27, 2004; Big fan of

Toffile posted:

http://dailycaller.com/2012/06/15/bryce-harper-conservative-hero/

It really is a thing of beauty

Pfft, everyone knows Mike Trout is the Randian ubermensch of the MLB.

# ? Jun 16, 2012 22:43

constantIllusion: Feb 16, 2010

Toffile posted:

http://dailycaller.com/2012/06/15/bryce-harper-conservative-hero/

It really is a thing of beauty

This is bordeline written fellatio with the amount of :swoon:

in this piece.

# ? Jun 17, 2012 04:29

OJ MIST 2 THE DICK: Sep 11, 2008; Anytime I need to see your face I just close my eyes
And I am taken to a place
Where your crystal minds and magenta feelings
Take up shelter in the base of my spine
Sweet like a chica cherry cola
-Cheap Trick; Nap Ghost

Also if you are unaware of baseball, Jason Heyward, the lazy good for nothing in that story is black.

(He's not really a lazy good for nothing)

# ? Jun 17, 2012 04:44

blackmet: Aug 5, 2006; I believe there is a universal Truth to the process of doing things right (Not that I have any idea what that actually means).

Toffile posted:

Also if you are unaware of baseball, Jason Heyward, the lazy good for nothing in that story is black.

(He's not really a lazy good for nothing)

That was the first thing I thought when I read this. Thinly veiled racism. And Heyward is a pretty good ball player.

That, and Harper just has this look and personality to anybody that has watched him for more than 30 seconds that screams "multiple DUI's, cocaine abuse, strippers, illegitimate children." Not exactly things that are "conservative." I can't guarantee that's the road he'll head down, but it sure looks like a possibility.

# ? Jun 17, 2012 05:25

zeroprime: Mar 25, 2006; Words go here.; Fun Shoe

blackmet posted:

look ... that screams "multiple DUI's, cocaine abuse, strippers, illegitimate children." Not exactly things that are "conservative."

Actually, that's pretty spot on conservative.

# ? Jun 17, 2012 14:23

PeterWeller: Apr 21, 2003; I told you that story so I could tell you this one.

blackmet posted:

That was the first thing I thought when I read this. Thinly veiled racism.

Yeah, I can't help but think the real reason why that guy is calling Harper a conservative hero is because he's young, talented, white ballplayer.

# ? Jun 18, 2012 04:43

sexpig by night: Sep 8, 2011; by Azathoth

Also to be clear he wasn't 'dozing' in the outfield, he was pretty goddamn awake and on the ball, and of course Harper is a a dumbass who, of course only got 'famous' for being a cock to a reporter who asked a valid question.

Of course, that means he's a hero to the right.

# ? Jun 18, 2012 05:16

Xombie: May 22, 2004; Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery

I really need to stop reading the Dispatch's letters to the editor.

quote:

I respond to the Saturday letter �Discrimination against gays can't be tolerated� from Lee Taylor. Jesus wasn't actually silent on homosexuality. Taylor cannot use Jesus' alleged silence on the issue in her argument.

Jesus was a Jew, and Jewish scripture is clear on the issue. It has nothing to do with choice/no choice; it is contrary to God's design of people being made in His image.

Jesus didn't talk about it because he was a Jew speaking to other Jews. He was the one who said �not one stroke or letter of (Old Testament) law would pass until all was fulfilled.� When Christians who were Jewish converts began reaching out to non-Jewish people, the issue of homosexuality came up regularly and had to be addressed by the Bible writers because non-Jewish people didn�t view it as wrong.

Think what you want about homosexuality; just don't count on Jesus to help make your point.

MARIA LARET

Canal Winchester

Raze the suburbs, salt the earth

# ? Jun 18, 2012 05:24

Bruce Leroy: Jun 10, 2010

Xombie posted:

I really need to stop reading the Dispatch's letters to the editor.

Raze the suburbs, salt the earth

I totally agree with Ms. Laret. It's not like Jesus ever said:

Totally NOT Jesus posted:

�Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 �Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother�s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, �Let me take the speck out of your eye,� when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother�s eye.

Nor did he say:

Totally NOT Jesus posted:

7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, �Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.�

I'm also quite sure that Ms. Laret follows every Hebrew law as well. I'm sure that she never eats shellfish, pork, or cheeseburgers and doesn't wear fabrics of mixed fibers. Yep, she's totally not picking and choosing the Old testament passages she likes and discarding those that are inconvenient and those that she just plain doesn't like.

But seriously, do I get some special brownie points from God for being an atheist who knows the Bible and Jesus better than avowed Christians?

# ? Jun 18, 2012 07:56

Kugyou no Tenshi: Nov 8, 2005; We can't keep the crowd waiting, can we?

Bruce Leroy posted:

I'm also quite sure that Ms. Laret follows every Hebrew law as well. I'm sure that she never eats shellfish, pork, or cheeseburgers and doesn't wear fabrics of mixed fibers.

Honestly, she's probably one of the people who believes that either Luke or Acts - or, worse, the Epistle to Romans - abolishes Kosher dietary law for Christians. I was going to get into the historical, lexical, and theological problems with that view, but it would have been a lovely derail.

# ? Jun 18, 2012 08:42

Goatman Sacks: Apr 4, 2011; by FactsAreUseless

Bruce Leroy posted:

I totally agree with Ms. Laret. It's not like Jesus ever said:

Nor did he say:

Technically he didn't since he never existed.

# ? Jun 18, 2012 18:41

Leon Einstein: Feb 6, 2012; I must win every thread in GBS. I don't care how much banal semantic quibbling and shitty posts it takes.

Goatman Sacks posted:

Technically he didn't since he never existed.

The Romans kept very meticulous records,so an event big enough to make an impression for thousands of years after the fact must have been mentioned somewhere by secular sources, right?

# ? Jun 18, 2012 18:47

redmercer: Sep 15, 2011; by Fistgrrl

Leon Einstein posted:

The Romans kept very meticulous records,so an event big enough to make an impression for thousands of years after the fact must have been mentioned somewhere by secular sources, right?

I'm pretty sure he just searches for "Jesus" and swoops in to post that where-ever.

# ? Jun 18, 2012 19:00

OJ MIST 2 THE DICK: Sep 11, 2008; Anytime I need to see your face I just close my eyes
And I am taken to a place
Where your crystal minds and magenta feelings
Take up shelter in the base of my spine
Sweet like a chica cherry cola
-Cheap Trick; Nap Ghost

Glitterbomber posted:

Also to be clear he wasn't 'dozing' in the outfield, he was pretty goddamn awake and on the ball, and of course Harper is a a dumbass who, of course only got 'famous' for being a cock to a reporter who asked a valid question.

Of course, that means he's a hero to the right.

Harper was already kinda famous before a reporter asked a devout Mormon about if he was going to drink.

It's a very rare occurrence in baseball to see a player make the jump that quickly and there was a ton of hype surrounding him as a result.

# ? Jun 18, 2012 19:04

Goatman Sacks: Apr 4, 2011; by FactsAreUseless

redmercer posted:

I'm pretty sure he just searches for "Jesus" and swoops in to post that where-ever.

Pretty much the first post I've ever made w/r/t Jesus?

# ? Jun 18, 2012 19:24

PeterWeller: Apr 21, 2003; I told you that story so I could tell you this one.

Glitterbomber posted:

and of course Harper is a a dumbass who, of course only got 'famous' for being a cock to a reporter who asked a valid question.

Of course, that means he's a hero to the right.

Nah, he got famous because he pulled some amazing base running and stole home after taking that "Welcome to the Show" drilling by Hamels. The kid's a great ballplayer, and I see no reason why we should hold a dumb article written by a conservative hack against him.

# ? Jun 18, 2012 19:49

CellBlock: Oct 6, 2005; It just don't stop.

Toffile posted:

Harper was already kinda famous before a reporter asked a devout Mormon about if he was going to drink.

It's a very rare occurrence in baseball to see a player make the jump that quickly and there was a ton of hype surrounding him as a result.

I don't even think the question had anything to do with him being Mormon, either, but was really about the fact the Nationals were playing in Canada where the drinking age is lower. (I didn't even know Bryce was Mormon.)

# ? Jun 18, 2012 20:54

OJ MIST 2 THE DICK: Sep 11, 2008; Anytime I need to see your face I just close my eyes
And I am taken to a place
Where your crystal minds and magenta feelings
Take up shelter in the base of my spine
Sweet like a chica cherry cola
-Cheap Trick; Nap Ghost

CellBlock posted:

I don't even think the question had anything to do with him being Mormon, either, but was really about the fact the Nationals were playing in Canada where the drinking age is lower. (I didn't even know Bryce was Mormon.)

You're correct in why he asked it...but asking a Mormon about drinking alcohol is a really stupid question to begin with.

# ? Jun 18, 2012 21:11

Bruce Leroy: Jun 10, 2010

I'm not sure how familiar you all are with infamous anti-Muslim bigot Pam Geller, but she runs the Atlas Shrugs website where she spews her hateful invectives on a daily basis.

Here's a great post from today where she was probably either drunk or stoned while writing. It's since been edited, but it's still pretty loving crazy and hateful, e.g. "Hitlerian stomping jig."

Associated with terrorists Press Sues NY police department over successful counter terror policy posted:

Decades ago we cringed when any news story of corruption and collusion broke about our long venerated trusted newsmen We trusted those powerful subversive like Walter Cronkite, Dan Wallace, etc, These men with enormous power weilded it, abused it, and disseminated one of th =e world�s great campaigns of anti0merican disiinformation and propaganda. We remember Walter Chronkite, as a grandfather figure trusted iconclast when in fact he wa a red and did the country incalculable harm.

Twenty years of the Chroncrite legacy and we ahve gonthat much further of the deep end. Media ia a propactvisit arm whose one goal - shape the news, change the ness, even live about the news to advance a collectivist, pro-sharia agandena. How else culd an unqualfied, bitter Ameria hater hold the eat in the Obama office.

They are out of control And it is only a matter of time before the Davids in the blogosphere rip their masks of civility off and unmosks the who the monsters are. And for the their flagrant violation of the public trust, they shall rot in prison.

The mardcore Hama scruops in thr US HAMAS CAIR, MSU,MSA, ICNA are doing thr Htiler stompin jig to get these conter terrorim messures removed so that devout Muslims can roam freeem to plan the next 911.

And he AP, in a crushing violnation of �jounalistic integrity, has filed suit aganst agaianst law enforcement to disarm the numner one greatest counter terrorism usint in the world. The DoJ is finished.Corrupt. Destroyed. House to vote on contempt charge against Eric Holder‎. Tehy refuse to uphold rule of law. It�s red and green madness, collectivists and Islamic supremaicts have the run of the place. Where is our society�s first most critical line of defense? The DoJ is AWOL The Department of Justice is engaging in collusion with the country�s most dangerous and subversive jihadist groups.

And this is not just Department of Justice (DoJ) policy. It�s the policy of the Obama administration.

For years Atlas readers wanted to know why there were no indictments and prosecutions of the Muslim Brotherhood co-conspirators (CAIR, ISNA, ICNA, MAS) named in the largest terror funding trial in US history (here, for example). Obama and Holder have scuttled them, much the same way as they dropped the voter intimidation charges against the Black Panthers (a case that was, by and large, already won).

But those indictments were scuttled last year at the direction of top-level political appointees within the Department of Justice (DOJ) � and possibly even the White House.

Included in those indictments was at least one of the co-founders of CAIR, based on �Declination of Prosecution of Omar Ahmad,� a March 31 DOJ legal memo from Assistant Attorney General David Kris to Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary Grindler. A second DOJ official familiar with the investigation independently confirmed these details. Omar Ahmad is one of CAIR�s co-founders and its chairman emeritus. He was personally named, along with CAIR itself, as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror finance trial in 2007 and 2008. During the trial FBI Agent Lara Burns testified that both Omar Ahmad and current CAIR executive director Nihad Awad were caught on FBI wiretaps attending a 1993 meeting of Hamas leaders in Philadelphia.

Finally, lawmakers in Washington are pursuing justice and demanding answers from an AWOL Departmetn of Justice. Last Thursday, Members of the House Judiciary Committee on oversight on Thursday called on U.S. Attorney General to provide documents and evidence relating to the landmark Holy Land Foundation trial � the largest terrorism financing trial in U.S. history.

And now the media is doing the DoJ�s bidding suing the NYPD for proecting all of i citizens fromcertain death in the coming jihad attacks.

# ? Jun 20, 2012 07:18

Precambrian: Apr 30, 2008

Xombie posted:

I really need to stop reading the Dispatch's letters to the editor.

Raze the suburbs, salt the earth

Wonder if she wants to know what Jews have historically thought about abortion. You know, the tradition that predates Jesus, that almost certainly was part of his worldview, even if he never commented on it?

# ? Jun 20, 2012 17:47

Bruce Leroy: Jun 10, 2010

Precambrian posted:

Wonder if she wants to know what Jews have historically thought about abortion. You know, the tradition that predates Jesus, that almost certainly was part of his worldview, even if he never commented on it?

My favorite is basically The Book of Job, where God lets Satan kill Job's entire family, but because Job is such a great guy, God replaces his family with different people.

# ? Jun 20, 2012 21:42

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Apr 18, 2024 14:12

Lee Harvey Oswald: Mar 17, 2007; by exmarx

quote:

'Nation under God' is our heritage

Freedom from Religion Foundation [members] are bottom feeders. No prayer at ballgames. Now our leaders can't pray?

I was made to learn Darwinism in school and the "theory" that humans evolved from apes. Bible study was an elective for students, if chosen. Christ was never forced on anyone.

Jesus says be angry but sin not ... and I'm angry! Christians should stand up and be "one nation under God." That is our heritage. Last time I checked, those folks from the FFRF are spending money that says "In God We Trust."

If they don't trust in God, don't spend our money. If you don't like this nation under God, make a new nation for yourselves. Freedom from oppression in religion is what founded this country. Even in our courts we are sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God! Because it means something!

Are they afraid that by using Jesus' name, someone may believe? Possibly! Many already do. Those who don't believe, those who do, are praying for you. You can tell me not to pray, but you will never stop my praying. I'll do it until I die, in Jesus' name! Amen!

CANDY JENKINS, Soddy-Daisy

Gotta love Soddy Daisy :banjo:

# ? Jun 24, 2012 21:29

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Terrible Editorials, Opinion Pieces and Letters to the Editor

«‹›106 »