Holy fuck. I just remembered that one of my co-workers is an immigrant from Egypt.
Poor guy.
Also, fuck Biden.
Random News Article Discussion
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people are retweeting things like first-aid tips, how to protect from tear gas and how to treat factures.
Also, found this: Not a great sign: http://cairo.usembassy.gov/ is no longer accessible. #egypt @WestWingReport @WhiteHouse
Yep. You can see what happened with the Internet here: http://bgpmon.net/blog/?p=450
At this point egypt.gov.eg is offline. This network, 81.21.104.0/24 was withdrawn at January 27th at 22:28 UTC . Another example is www.ahram.org.eg an Egyptian news paper. This network 196.219.246.0/24, became unreachable at the exact same time, January 27th at 22:28 UTC.
D:
E-mails were sent out yesterday telling protesters to march but without harsh messages on their signs. They were called on to hold flowers, ask the police to join them, and take over government buildings.
This could turn out good and not as bloody as we expect it. If they manage to get the police on their side…
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Do or die time tomorrow.
Aegyptus arsit.
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@dirt:
um …
Not all that unexpected really. The Egyptian government has been the number two recipient of US foreign aid pretty much since the Camp David Accords.
If the military sides with Mubarak and crushes the protests, then it's an important show of solidarity with our Egyptian ally.
If the military sides with the people, then it's just another weird statement from a guy reknowned for that sort of thing and never an official stance of the US Federal Government.
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It's kind of a weird feeling when you're alive long enough to watch history in the making. Tomorrow.
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I know, it really is exciting.
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"Egyptian Christians are protecting the Muslims tomorrow during Friday prayer"
This is probably the coolest thing I ever heard.
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If the military sides with the people, then it's just another weird statement from a guy reknowned for that sort of thing and never an official stance of the US Federal Government.
What really? If the government is overthrown then Obama can just come out and say "Biden's crazy man, we don't endorse any of the shit that comes out of his mouth!" You'd think the Vice President's words would hold a little more meaning that.
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"Police agents are pouring petrol in all main squares to light them up during protests."
"SOS: Police are setting cars in streets on fire. No one knows why. Everyone sure there'll be a massacre tomorrow."
"Video of the moment of killing an Egyptian protester by Egyptian police sniper"
"Communications cut, protests supressed, crashing stockmarket, fleeing tourists, arrests, journalists attacked."
So would it be an overstatement to say that it's like FUCKING ARMAGEDDON over there?
Christ, and I was upset not to long ago about not being able to watch Anime on my fucking DVD player…...I'm ashamed.
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A statement on the Egyptian Association for Change USA Facebook wall reads:“…The situation in Suez copied and translated word for word from an Egyptian living in Suez: Now everything is fully destroyed, it is as if we are in emergency curfew, armored vehicles/tanks are everywhere in the area of ‘Irbieen’ and in the governerate – and we hear the sound of bombs/grenades every few minutes and there is still live ammunition and the protesters are brave men and women and none of them are afraid nor did anyone run or escape, even though they know that alot of protesters are detained in towers since 9 o’clock and there are no networks to confirm that parents are okay and security forces and fully in charge and we have yet to see the mayor, he hasn’t even made a statement about what has happened and to comfort the parents of those who were jailed and the parents are enraged. One of the parents hasn’t even received the body of her daughter until now and chaos is filling the place and we do not know what fate will being to us tomorrow with this government…”
from http://theintelhub.com/2011/01/27/suspected-massacre-in-suez-egypt/
This is also a pretty useful link for the goings-on: http://community.livejournal.com/ontd_political/7634762.html
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…Okay. There goes the little hope I had for not a massacre happening tomorrow. =/
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Damn, more than all hell has broken loose there.
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#Egypt: Biden to PBS: Mubarak is a US ally, has been "very responsible" on Mideast Peace process. "I would not refer to him as a dictator.”
5AM Eastern Time, Noon in #Egypt, is "make or break" time for the revolution. http://www.afrol.com/articles/37144
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What really? If the government is overthrown then Obama can just come out and say "Biden's crazy man, we don't endorse any of the shit that comes out of his mouth!"
Not so much in those terms, but more as some politicized variation of "That was Mr. Biden's personal opinion and does not reflect the official opinion of the United States in any capacity."
If Mubarak prevails, then they'll go the other way while still expressing dismay over the situation. "As always, the United States is a friend of the nation of Egypt though we urge President Mubarak to listen to the complaints of his electorate." Or something like that.
Not that I think Biden said this just for this purpose, but that's how it will be spun.
You'd think the Vice President's words would hold a little more meaning that.
Honestly? Not so much. Until Cheney emerged from his crypt, it was pretty much the Vice President's job to say inane things at the wrong time if they ever said anything at all. That and attend funerals for people who were important, but not important enough for the President to show up.
Sure, it sounds like an important job to people not from this country, but Vice President used to be a job that you dump people into simply because you don't have anything else to do with them. It was hoped that making him McKinley's VP would kill Teddy Roosevelt's political career for instance.
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Let's let this poor thread breathe and move all of this over here.
http://apforums.net/showthread.php?t=31716 -
Anyway, back to regular old news articles.
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to "forcible rape." This would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape, many of which are non-forcible. For example: If a 13-year-old girl is impregnated by a 24-year-old adult, she would no longer qualify to have Medicaid pay for an abortion.
Apparently, date rape doesn't fall into the category of forcible rape either.
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^
Fucking stupid shit right there.
I hate 'moral' idiots and their need to endanger one person's livelihood just so they can 'save a baby', then go on to ruin its livelihood.
Speaking of stupid laws, this is just one of those Facebook chain letters, but God does this bug me:
Kentucky just passed the BEST law EVER!! To be on food stamps, Medicaid, or cash assistance on your children OR yourself, you have to pass a DRUG TEST. Now, every other state should do the same. If you agree, REPOST!!!! IF WE HAVE TO TAKE A DRUG TEST TO WORK, SO SHOULD THEY!!!! This has got to happen before our country goes broke while supporting the druggies!!!!If this is true…well, all of you guys on Facebook know my opinion on this. For the rest of you, I'll summarize:
FUCKING BULLSHIT!!
You want me to buy into how 'good' this is, you'd better bring your best.
I'll start: Saving money? By attacking the lower class and looking over everyone's shoulder?
Kentucky can kiss my ass. -
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to "forcible rape." This would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape, many of which are non-forcible. For example: If a 13-year-old girl is impregnated by a 24-year-old adult, she would no longer qualify to have Medicaid pay for an abortion.
This is just a proposal right? It wasn't accepted…right? 0.o; I may be against abortion as in I do not approve of it and would never do it myself but I can see how in certain cases it's just plain cruel to force a woman keep the baby. A 13 year old teenager being basically raped (no matter how the republicans want to name it it IS rape since we are talking about an underage kid here) by a 24 year old, is neither a woman nor capable of taking care of a child. Also childbirth in very young ages where the body has not yet fully developed, is quite dangerous for both the mother and the child. =|
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/28/afghan-suicide-bomber-kabul-supermarket
An attack by a suicide bomber on a busy Kabul supermarket close to the British embassy has killed eight people, including one child and wounded six, including up to three foreigners.
Taliban claims to be responsible for the attack.
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I can't believe date rape is not covered by that. What the hell is wrong with them.
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Theyre rapists, plain and simple. There's no middle ground here. You can't be like "oh id never rape but i can totally understand if someone did".
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This is just a proposal right? It wasn't accepted…right?
No matter what happens in the House, it won't make it through the Senate and would be vetoed by Obama anyway. On the other hand, it's a pretty good reminder of what these people will try to do if they ever gain back the level of control they had between 2002 and 2006.
@JERK:
I can't believe date rape is not covered by that. What the hell is wrong with them.
Keep in mind that this is an attempt to curry favor with the nutbaggiest segments of the religious rightwing. No sanity need apply.
Considering that there are people out there who take the insane position that some rapes occur because the woman dressed provocatively, it's fairly likely they consider date rape as at least partially being the woman's fault in the first place because she went out to a place where something like that could happen unescorted.
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Interesting that our American religious fundies are seeming to support a position similar to what we are told the religious fundamentalists in Muslim countries want–i.e. making women conceal themselves so men won't be tempted by them, as if just being female is somehow something bad in and of itself. I'll take "Blaming the Victim" for 200 Alex.
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This is bringing up lot of anti-US centiments here. i am expecting mild level protests in comming days. The accused has been charged with 302. Which means if proven gultiy he will recieve capital punishment.
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Ok. I knew there were some religious nuts in the US but I didn't really know they were THIS nuts. I mean… C'mon! 0.o;
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What exactly are you referring to, Chrissie?
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Ok. I knew there were some religious nuts in the US but I didn't really know they were THIS nuts. I mean… C'mon! 0.o;
Well, we do have an entire network that's supposed to question whether the president is Christian or Muslim, and is stoking fear of Islam among those who can't really think for themselves.
We're also having 'spirituality tests' for soldiers to see how 'spiritual' they are. Basically, it's a test to pressure recruits to become religious, preferably Christian.
And that's only just the religious nutjobs. There's also gun-toting nutjobs who bring guns to campaign rallies because a network keeps telling them that a Democratic Social Nazi president is going to take away there guns and that a revolution against those commie libs might be necessary.
Here's a clip from a talk show talking about it (get a load of the first person having problems):
[hide]clLzCRbjbnk[/hide]
That's not even counting the cops who have died because they were shot at for 'being from the government,' and a near disaster at the Tides Foundation where a man was plotting a massacre because the television told them they were bad.
Don't even get me started on how the most influential people in the media and politics are paid hundreds of thousands to even millions a year to make sure that we don't get public health care, a smaller military spending budget, a clean environment or even aid to the poor.
Feels disjointed
I wish RBoar were here. He'd explain this a lot more clearly. @_@
EDIT: To give credit, Buster and Ubiq summed it up better below. -
Ok. I knew there were some religious nuts in the US but I didn't really know they were THIS nuts. I mean… C'mon! 0.o;
There's really not all that much difference between the crazy jackass wings of Christianity and Islam.
Outside of the more inane pieces of legislation, most of them aren't really all that big a problem. The Dispensationalists and Christian Zionists though, now that's a horse of a different color, since they had a pretty major influence on the Bush Administration's handling of Middle East politics.
A hefty chunk of their beliefs can be summarized with the following bullet points:
- Israel must be occupied by Jews if Jesus is to come back.
- Israel must therefore exist at all costs.
- Attempts to broker peace in the Middle East are futile at best and undermining God's will at worst. Lasting peace cannot be achieved by human effort, but only by the War between Heaven and Hell.
- Likewise increased poverty and human misery are necessary signs of the impending Rapture. Attempts to alleviate them are futile.
- Besides, those suffering are about to get Raptured and enjoy Heaven as their reward. Why worry about this life?
- Unless they're not Christian; if so, who cares?
- The United Nations is essentially a tool to set up the reign of the Antichrist.
- People who do not believe the Bible is the literal, inerrant Word of God aren't Christians.
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What exactly are you referring to, Chrissie?
I am referring to people like
@I:Interesting that our American religious fundies are seeming to support a position similar to what we are told the religious fundamentalists in Muslim countries want–i.e. making women conceal themselves so men won't be tempted by them, as if just being female is somehow something bad in and of itself. I'll take "Blaming the Victim" for 200 Alex.
these who accuse of the female rape-victim at being at fault. I wonder what they say about rape in marriage. =/
@Ubiq: Wow…
Besides, those suffering are about to get Raptured and enjoy Heaven as their reward. Why worry about this life?
Unless they're not Christian; if so, who cares?Wow again… My brain just cannot find something to say... I am.. speechless.
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…@Ubiq: Wow...
Wow again... My brain just cannot find something to say... I am.. speechless.
You have to realize, Chrissie, that it wasn't that clear to people who were not paying attention. These folks didn't act or talk about their beliefs in political circles as openly as the muslim extremists in power. The vast majority of Americans just go about their business without paying much close attention to what's going on in Gov't, and would probably think Ubiq and I were conspiracy nuts if we tried to say otherwise, but yeah, for those of us who did pay attention, it was (and remains) pretty scary that such extremists were in power, and that the danger is far from gone, since they are just a stone's throw away from getting it back, really.
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these who accuse of the female rape-victim at being at fault. I wonder what they say about rape in marriage. =/
Most of them refuse to believe such a thing could exist within a marriage. Those that do likely just blame it on the woman for not fulfilling her wifely duties.
@Ubiq: Wow…
Wow again... My brain just cannot find something to say... I am.. speechless.
For all their talk about being Christians and slavish devotion to the Bible, these people are pretty terrible at actually following the concepts of Christian love and charity.
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I feel rather bad, since it's not a good situation, but I laughed when I read this title:
Tea Partier Who Ran on Tax Revolt Line Causes Massive Local Budget Crisis; Situation a "Black Eye for the Tea Party"
article is here if you want to read it: [hide]
In 2009, Republican Edward Mangano was one of the first politicians to channel the Tea Party’s anti-tax fervor into a political victory when he knocked off Democrat Tom Suozzi for Nassau County Executive in New York State. Suozzi was a major political figure with ambitions for statewide office, and Magnano was a local legislator “given little chance of winning leading up to Election Day.”
Upon taking office, Mangano — who ran on both the Republican and Tax Revolt Party lines — made good on a key campaign promise. On his inauguration day, Mangano signed a repeal of an unpopular home energy tax, instituted by Suozzi. The tax was implemented two years before as part of a deferred-pay deal Suozzi brokered with public worker unions, which was intended to spread around the sacrifice to deal with the county’s budget problems.
In a special report, Reuters details how the repeal of that tax lead to a budgetary crisis and ultimately a takeover of the county’s finances by a state-appointed fiscal overseer. Noting that Mangano’s actions are “a black eye for the Tea Party,” the report explains how the Tea Party county executive had no plans for how to replace the lost tax revenue:The home energy tax cost households on average $7.27 each month — a fraction of most tax bills. But in an area already paying some of the highest taxes in the country, it took on symbolic importance. […][Mangano's] struggle began almost the minute he repealed the energy tax. “I’m not sure that (Mangano) understood the magnitude of the fiscal problems that he faced and he had promises from the campaign that he had to keep,” said Lawrence Levy, a dean at Hofstra University and a former member of the editorial board at Long Island daily Newsday. Eliminating the energy tax “blew a bigger hole in his budget and added to the problem with really no plan to replace the revenue,” he said.Within two working days of Mangano’s inauguration, a letter from [the Nassau County Interim Financial Authority] landed on his desk — the opening salvo of what would fast become a testy relationship. In a two-page letter, NIFA’s chairman Ronald Stack requested a revised multi-year plan and **asked Mangano how he planned to make up for the lost revenue.**He never did provide an answer that satisfied them. On Wednesday, NIFA said the county’s $2.6 billion budget was out of balance by $176 million, meaning it could take control of its finances. Mangano said he would sue NIFA….In November, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded the county and put its finances on outlook negative, citing weak liquidity and an over-reliance on nonrecurring revenues. The rating agency singled out the energy tax repeal as problematic.
A June 2010 study found that 65 percent of counties in the United States are suffering from large budget shortfalls. Reuters quotes Richard Ravitch, who advised New York City during its fiscal crisis in the 1970s, about the situation in Nassau: “It’s a metaphor for what is happening in the Western world,” he said. “People don’t want to tax but there is a point below which they don’t want to cut.”
If politicians like Mangano continue to demagogue against reasonable tax measures, many communities may reach that point and beyond. Last year, for example, the “tax-averse” city of Colorado Springs, CO shut off one third of its streetlights and laid off large numbers of public workers, including police and firefighters, after voters continually rejected tax increases.By George Zornick | Sourced from ThinkProgress Posted at January 28, 2011, 8:20 am [/hide]
Huh… Who'da thunk it? Basic services cost money raised by basic taxes... LOL
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That sort of nonsense is why California is in such a bad way. People want services, but don't want to pay for them and almost nobody is willing to be a grownup about it by pointing out that you have to raise taxes to pay for this stuff.
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More people need to play Sim CIty for at least two weeks.
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So you guys ever hear the joke about this monk from Bhutan probably getting five years of jail for smoking cigaretes ?
Oh wait it's not a joke.
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@No:
So you guys ever hear the joke about this monk from Bhutan probably getting five years of jail for smoking cigaretes ?
Oh wait it's not a joke.
Link pls .
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@I:
I feel rather bad, since it's not a good situation, but I laughed when I read this title:
Tea Partier Who Ran on Tax Revolt Line Causes Massive Local Budget Crisis; Situation a "Black Eye for the Tea Party"
article is here if you want to read it: [hide]
In 2009, Republican Edward Mangano was one of the first politicians to channel the Tea Party’s anti-tax fervor into a political victory when he knocked off Democrat Tom Suozzi for Nassau County Executive in New York State. Suozzi was a major political figure with ambitions for statewide office, and Magnano was a local legislator “given little chance of winning leading up to Election Day.”
Upon taking office, Mangano — who ran on both the Republican and Tax Revolt Party lines — made good on a key campaign promise. On his inauguration day, Mangano signed a repeal of an unpopular home energy tax, instituted by Suozzi. The tax was implemented two years before as part of a deferred-pay deal Suozzi brokered with public worker unions, which was intended to spread around the sacrifice to deal with the county’s budget problems.
In a special report, Reuters details how the repeal of that tax lead to a budgetary crisis and ultimately a takeover of the county’s finances by a state-appointed fiscal overseer. Noting that Mangano’s actions are “a black eye for the Tea Party,” the report explains how the Tea Party county executive had no plans for how to replace the lost tax revenue:The home energy tax cost households on average $7.27 each month — a fraction of most tax bills. But in an area already paying some of the highest taxes in the country, it took on symbolic importance. […][Mangano's] struggle began almost the minute he repealed the energy tax. “I’m not sure that (Mangano) understood the magnitude of the fiscal problems that he faced and he had promises from the campaign that he had to keep,” said Lawrence Levy, a dean at Hofstra University and a former member of the editorial board at Long Island daily Newsday. Eliminating the energy tax “blew a bigger hole in his budget and added to the problem with really no plan to replace the revenue,” he said.Within two working days of Mangano’s inauguration, a letter from [the Nassau County Interim Financial Authority] landed on his desk — the opening salvo of what would fast become a testy relationship. In a two-page letter, NIFA’s chairman Ronald Stack requested a revised multi-year plan and **asked Mangano how he planned to make up for the lost revenue.**He never did provide an answer that satisfied them. On Wednesday, NIFA said the county’s $2.6 billion budget was out of balance by $176 million, meaning it could take control of its finances. Mangano said he would sue NIFA….In November, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded the county and put its finances on outlook negative, citing weak liquidity and an over-reliance on nonrecurring revenues. The rating agency singled out the energy tax repeal as problematic.
A June 2010 study found that 65 percent of counties in the United States are suffering from large budget shortfalls. Reuters quotes Richard Ravitch, who advised New York City during its fiscal crisis in the 1970s, about the situation in Nassau: “It’s a metaphor for what is happening in the Western world,” he said. “People don’t want to tax but there is a point below which they don’t want to cut.”
If politicians like Mangano continue to demagogue against reasonable tax measures, many communities may reach that point and beyond. Last year, for example, the “tax-averse” city of Colorado Springs, CO shut off one third of its streetlights and laid off large numbers of public workers, including police and firefighters, after voters continually rejected tax increases.By George Zornick | Sourced from ThinkProgress Posted at January 28, 2011, 8:20 am [/hide]
Huh… Who'da thunk it? Basic services cost money raised by basic taxes... LOL
we pay more taxes here in canada. and i am absolutely happy to fork it over. hearing from a few friends how much it costs to go to emergency, or I'm in pain but not sure if I should spend money to seek help, is really scary. I'd rather pay 13% (different by province) on everything to know I can go get medical help when ever I need.
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The sort of idiotic results of the Tea Party so hilariously mirror the kind of things Communist Idealogues try doing when they first get power.
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Wow… Poor guy. But 5 years in jail for a ridiculous law like that? Are they really going to ruin 5 years of his life like that? =(
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There's also a super star in Indonesia who was jailed under anti-porn laws for the distribution of his tape.
Seriously, he was convicted because he distributed it, but he claims it was stolen.
It's funny because the whole reason he was caught in the first place was because everyone was watching it everywhere. On the train, in the office, in the park.
The main reason why this went to court is because it reached the vice-president. I'm not joking. It was like this:
Attendant: Sir! I've brought a tape!
VP: What kind of tape!
A: A PORN TAPE!!
VP: My god…
WTF kind of government needs a porn type brought to their VP? -
China's state broadcaster China Central Television reportedly uses footage from the 1986 Top Gun film as a substitute for its coverage of the country's air force.
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http://news.change.org/stories/yes-chick-fil-a-says-we-explicitly-do-not-like-same-sex-couples
But….but....but why?
I thought we had something special.......
I don't want to quit your chicken biscuits.... :cwy:
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hugs Insider There, there hun. :(
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Delayed, but I found this picture that's relevant to the rape legislation. I by no means intend to offend anyone or agree with the stereotype. It just stood out to me. Found it on tumblr.
Sponsors of the bill:
[hide]
Just a little visual to remind us exactly who is sponsoring the “It’s Not Rape if You’re Not Bruised and Bleeding” Bill.
Shockingly, it’s a whole lot of people who have a 0% chance of ever becoming pregnant.
A number of the "Mr."s weren't highlighted. There are about eight or nine females in there.
[/hide] -
http://news.change.org/stories/yes-chick-fil-a-says-we-explicitly-do-not-like-same-sex-couples
But….but....but why?
I thought we had something special.......
I don't want to quit your chicken biscuits.... :cwy:
your bi, right insider? you should buy a franchise and then cater to the gay crowd. see what they do. :3
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hugs Insider There, there hun. :(
I'll be fine. It just means I'm going to avoid Chick-Fil-A for a while.
your bi, right insider? you should buy a franchise and then cater to the gay crowd. see what they do. :3
I used to be a part of a family bakery (cookies, cakes, wedding cake, milkshake, sandwiches…...the best fucking Cuban sandwich you'd ever have...). That wasn't a fun experience. At all.
But really, even if I were straight, this would upset me. I know that no franchise is perfect, but it just sucks that my favorite fast food chain is connected to that.
I'm sorry, but love is love. Maybe I'm naive, but I'd expect most franchises to be past this point of view by now.
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Gay/bi fast food chain. That sounds amazing. You should totally do it.
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ooh ooh! can you bake, insider? can you decorate cakes? <3 <3
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ooh ooh! can you bake, insider? can you decorate cakes? <3 <3
I bake cookies and cakes pretty well. I'm not the best at decorating them, but it doesn't mean I don't try and perform somewhat well. Definitely can't make icing roses.
My sisters are goddess of cookies and cake though. Not my oldest. Never get a cake from my oldest sister unless you like the bottom of the cake being as hard as a rock. In fact, don't eat anything from my oldest sister.
My two youngest of my older sisters are where it's at, and I'm their apprentice more or less.
Gay/bi fast food chain. That sounds amazing. You should totally do it.
I love food, but I have no career interest in making them.
If my family started a bakery again, sure, I'd help. But unless my career path of being a game developer and a writer goes entirely awry, it's unlikely.