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[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yep, we're all gonna die.

Which is why it's VERY IMPORTANT to get as much fossil fuel out of the ground and burn it as quickly as possible. Hurry! We're running out of time!

[Salty]

Yep, we're all gonna die.

Which is why it's VERY IMPORTANT to get as much fossil fuel out of the ground and burn it as quickly as possible. Hurry! We're running out of time!

*nods sagely*

Do your duty, citizens, leave car running every single moment. It comes down to individual efforts.

[Telarus]

What do you all make of this?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324634304578539823614996636.html
OPINIONJune 19, 2013, 7:34 p.m. ET
David Rivkin and Elizabeth Foley: An ObamaCare Board Answerable to No One

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

Actually kinda wondering if the "he should rot in hell" contingent even actually read the article...

Yeah. I did. It was a moment of bitter, salty angst on my part. I'm okay with having that moment. Do I think he did a good thing? Yeah. Do I hope he keeps on in this direction for making good things? Yeah? Does it make things all better now? No and it doesn't have to. But I'm allowed to be affected by all the harm he did.

So that means that you read that the organization was founded in 1976, which means that he couldn't have founded it, and that the article stated that over the last year he's caused a lot of controversy for challenging their policies? And you just keep referring to the organization as "him" because, as the most recent president of the board of directors, he is symbolically responsible for all the organization's past sins and should rot in hell on behalf of all his predecessors?

Or...?

I'm just confused by why several people seem to be holding the guy responsible for the positive change personally morally responsible for all the things the organization did before he assumed control of it. Makes me kind of think you might be accidentally falling into scapegoating mode.

Well initially I said 'those guys' not just him.  Hold on, I've forgotten most of the conversation. Let me reread.

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

Actually kinda wondering if the "he should rot in hell" contingent even actually read the article...

Yeah. I did. It was a moment of bitter, salty angst on my part. I'm okay with having that moment. Do I think he did a good thing? Yeah. Do I hope he keeps on in this direction for making good things? Yeah? Does it make things all better now? No and it doesn't have to. But I'm allowed to be affected by all the harm he did.

So that means that you read that the organization was founded in 1976, which means that he couldn't have founded it, and that the article stated that over the last year he's caused a lot of controversy for challenging their policies? And you just keep referring to the organization as "him" because, as the most recent president of the board of directors, he is symbolically responsible for all the organization's past sins and should rot in hell on behalf of all his predecessors?

Or...?

I'm just confused by why several people seem to be holding the guy responsible for the positive change personally morally responsible for all the things the organization did before he assumed control of it. Makes me kind of think you might be accidentally falling into scapegoating mode.

Well initially I said 'those guys' not just him. Hold on, I've forgotten most of the conversation. Let me reread.

Regarding him, specifically: When I replied to your statement, I was feeling irritated by his apologies to people who blew their money and spent years trying to fix something that isn't broken. How many lives were just thrown in complete disarray . . . again. It doesn't seem like enough. I don't know what 'enough' would be and it frustrates me because there should be something to DO that would make things right. So I guess mostly I was feeling that there should be an easy fix for people who were screwed over and are back at square one.

What he did was right. It was definitely necessary to do. I'm not saying it wasn't. I just feel horrible for all the people who are going to be so lost over all of this.

It shouldn't have ever been a thing, but it was, and now it's over so . . . now what? It's disturbing and scary to be in that place and I've been there more than once. That's what I was reacting to, concerning him specifically. And yeah, it was a reaction, not critical thought or a well-reasoned response. I own that.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What do you all make of this?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324634304578539823614996636.html
OPINIONJune 19, 2013, 7:34 p.m. ET
David Rivkin and Elizabeth Foley: An ObamaCare Board Answerable to No One

1. WSJ has been a Murdoch propaganda culvert for the last three years or so
2. The article is a badly-written uncited right-wing opinion piece that uses "talking point" language.

It might be worth researching the Independent Payment Advisory Board, which I did briefly and found several interesting articles such as these: http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2013/01/11/the-independent-payment-advisory-board-why-it-is-so-difficult-to-kill-the-death-panel-myth/

http://www.healthbeatblog.com/2013/05/the-independent-payment-advisory-board-and-medicare-spending-new-research-suggests-a-change-in-our-medical-culture/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/05/03/as-health-care-costs-slow-ipabs-launch-is-delayed/

[Junkenstein]

Nigel's two points are dead on. I'm pretty wary of any discussion like this regarding health services as the language tends to become similar to talking about benefits and welfare. When you're spending trillions on bombs and drones, how is there even a discussion about universal healthcare? Ah, yes. Personal profit.

For your consideration today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23024666

An Italian court is expected to rule whether ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi paid for sex with an underage prostitute and abused his office as prime minister.

Prosecutors at the trial in Milan are demanding a six-year sentence and a lifetime ban from public office.

The 76-year-old media tycoon denies all the allegations.

Mr Berlusconi, who is already embroiled in several court cases, was given a four-year sentence for tax fraud in October 2012.

Last chance to place bets on how guilty he is.

Mr Berlusconi is also charged with abusing his power of office after calling a police station to press for the release of Ms Mahroug from custody when she was arrested in Milan in a separate petty theft case.

He has acknowledged the phone-call but says it was made as a favour to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, whose granddaughter he believed Ms Mahroug to be.

He told a TV programme about the "bunga-bunga" broadcast on one of his Mediaset channels that he had "absolutely never had intercourse with Ruby".

Prosecutors, whom Mr Berlusconi accuses of waging a politicised campaign against him, want him to serve a one-year jail term on the charge of paying for sex with an underage prostitute and five years for abuse of office.

It's an impressive level of corruption that this implies. The Granddaughter lie seems made up on the spot and would indicate Mubarak as being present at least one of these gatherings. It's also interesting to see the Italian view on under-age prostitution.  I wouldn't be surprised if a sympathetic jury just let him off with that charge entirely.

[Junkenstein]

The UK's been investigating and writing reports on its self a lot of late. The cost?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-23011509

investigations prompted by revelations of phone hacking by the media have cost the Metropolitan Police a combined £19.5m so far.

The inquiries into phone hacking, corrupt payments to public officials and computer hacking have 155 officers and staff working on them.

So far 15 people have been charged with phone hacking, 24 for corrupt payments and none for hacking emails.

Meanwhile, the inquiry into sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile has cost £1m.

The figures released to the BBC under a Freedom of Information request show Operation Weeting, which is looking at phone hacking, has 84 people working on it and had cost £12.2m to the end of the financial year 2012-13.

Operation Elveden - into corrupt payments - has 67 staff and a bill of £5.7m. The probe into computer hacking - Operation Tuleta - is staffed by 15 people and has so far cost £1.6m.

I can't help but wonder how much of that £20 Million has gone on "Overtime" or similar. The UK does have a tendency to throw money at a problem to fix it, but not really look at where the cash is going or to who, or on what. Capita, for example still takes a scary chunk of government contracts despite it being a watchword for "Incredibly shitty". Even their own employees call it Crapita. They've grafted pretty much every government department you can mention at some point.

This is only a few investigations, so the total bill for the UK to slap it's self on the wrist again is still unknown.

[Pergamos]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/21/19063292-mixed-reactions-to-exodus-group-leaving-gay-therapy?lite

Those Exodus guys deserve to burn in their own Hell.

Well, this Chambers guy seems to have had a change of heart.  Pissed off all the other "straight therapy" assholes in the process.

Yeah. That's a good thing. He's got a long way to go, though, if he's going to try and undo the damage he did.

I don't think he can undo the damage.  That he has made it harder for others to do damage is good though, and he himself is actually one of the damaged, he tried to pray the gay away and failed, there is undoubtedly someone else who convinced him that would work.

Right, then.  Any volunteers to haul him behind the chemical sheds and put a bullet in his neck?

I don't think I understand this response.  I said he can't undo the damage, but that he is helping to keep more damage from occurring, and that he himself is a victim of the same system that he recently denounced and you read that as advocation for a quick execution?

[Junkenstein]

Ahem.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/21/woman-dressed-as-giant-vagina-stops-street-attack-on-giant-penis/

A woman dressed as a giant vagina reportedly saved a man dressed as a giant penis who was being attacked on a street in England.

"He started shouting at me, saying it was disgusting and children could see us," Murray recalled. "I could tell by his body language that he was really angry. I tried to calm him down, I wasn't looking for a fight; but he grabbed my hat, tore it off and chucked it on the pavement."
That's when Joanne Tremarco stepped in dressed as female genitalia to calm the situation and save her friend.

The Nomadic Academy of Fools has agreed not to do any more street performances dressed as penises and vaginas.

Video at the link.

[Cain]

Berlusconi was found guilty:

Italy's former PM Silvio Berlusconi has been sentenced to seven years in jail and banned from public office for having sex with an underage prostitute.

However, don't get too excited, because:

The Milan court ruling is not effective until several appeals have been heard.

Berlusconi does not need to hold public office to continue as head of his political party.  And, as always, the wheels of justice in Italy turn slowly, with frequent stoppages and more than the occasional backslip.

[Junkenstein]

Well minor progress at least.

I assume actual jail is off the table? The appeals process seems designed to keep you out of it as far as I understand.

Either way, hopefully this is the start of the process to find him under a bridge with bricks in his pockets.

[Junkenstein]

An unusual mix:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23027492

Burmese President Thein Sein has defended a Buddhist monk accused of fomenting a wave of anti-Muslim violence in the country.

US Time magazine currently has Ashin Wirathu on its front cover under the title "The face of Buddhist terror".

Thein Sein said the report undermined efforts to rebuild trust between faiths and that the monk's order was striving for peace and prosperity.

The monk has called Muslims a scourge threatening Burma's Buddhist character.

Helps to remember that Buddhists can be crazy people too.

[Junkenstein]

Almost worth starting an "Italy Unlimited!"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23044332

he US has blocked the sale of an $11.5m (£7.4m) Picasso painting at the request of the Italian Government.

The 1909 work Compotier et tasse or "Fruit bowl and cup", had been offered for private sale in New York.

Its owner, Gabriella Amati and her late husband, Angelo Maj have been charged with embezzling $44m (£28.5m) of tax revenues from the city of Naples.

The US Justice department said the work was purchased with money allegedly obtained through criminal activity.

The charges against Ms Amati include avoiding taxes and forging accounting records.

Starting to think corruption is the national hobby in Italy. Getting stories through daily at the moment with with this kind of stuff.

[Junkenstein]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-23059542

A mosque in Worcestershire has been broken into and graffiti including swastikas sprayed on to the walls.

The damage at the mosque, which is still being built, in Jinnah Road was caused between 0200 BST and 0430 BST. Graffiti was sprayed over walls and at least six windows.

The intruders forced their way through a gate and broke into the main building.

Police have increased patrols in the area and are now guarding the site.

It is not yet known if anything was stolen.

Supt Kevin Purcell, of West Mercia Police, said that because of incidents "happening nationally", targeted patrols had been put in place.

Partly an aftermath of the Machete terror incident, and partly business as usual in the UK. This does seem like an unusally bold step though. The area has had issues with racially orientated crime but this is a fair step up from the norm. Will be keeping an eye out to see what action is taken.