SAR #15062

“The trouble with presenting evidence and appealing to reason is that it assumes that evidence and reason will have any effect.” Paul Krugman

Tryouts: If the Republican leadership can't even get enough votes to fund Homeland Security for three weeks, why should we think the Republicans are grown up enough to govern the country?

En Passant: By the end of this year, largely as a result of Western sanctions and the fall in world oil prices, average Russians will be spending about half their income on food. Another triumph for America – hungry Russians.

Lots'a Luck: The French government wants obsolescence to be unplanned – or at least it wants companies to make appliances that will last longer and for the consumer to have idea of how long things will last. Incurable romantics.

Evidentially: Some time ago scientist and science commentator Bill Nye expressed some strong reservations about the safety of GMO use, noting that it had not been tested well enough nor long enough. Now he has changed his mind. Why? Because he did the necessary investigation to learn the results of peer-reviewed experimentation and found sufficient data to reverse his previous view. No, he's not wishy washy; he's a scientist. That's the way it's supposed to work.

Your Results May Vary: It seems that whoever it is that makes these sort of judgments may once more promote Pluto to the status of 'planet'. In interviews, Pluto cites a diet of cabbage soup and vitamin supplements....

Recovery: It seems that in banking/investment circles, 'normal' has come to mean 'like it was just before the last crash.'

First Do No Harm: Michigan's Republican-led House has approved a bill that would give doctors and EMT technicians the right to let gays die if rendering treatment would violate their “sincerely held religious beliefs.” According to the convoluted thought processes of Republican Speaker Jase Bolger, “This bill is not a license to discriminate.”

Hmmm: Charlie Hebdo now has 25 times as many subscribers as before deadly attack. Put this under 'clip & save'.

Bastion, Last: By letting stand a lower court ruling, the Supreme Court has essentially said that the police could pretty much collect DNA wherever you may leave it. The ruling did not grant cops the right to compel cheek swabs without a court order. Gotta leave something for next time.

The Master: “Warren [Buffett] buys cheap, and then he owns your ass... and he has been very successful at it.”

Bugged Bunnies: A DEA agent has testified under oath that allowing medically supervised marijuana use would result in rabbits stumbling about the countryside stoned. And that's a fact, because “I deal in science.” claimed special agent Fairbanks, noting that he had “seen rabbits too stoned to run away.” 
 
Porn O'Graph: It's different this time!