Headshakingly stupid

Second City Cop

What the hell? How do you even begin to defend something like this? You can't. It's impossible. That isn't a world record grizzly bear being put on display there - it's a prisoner, in handcuffs, and the subject of what is probably the largest General Order in existence for the Chicago Police Department (Processing Persons Under Department Control). And he's being posed in front of a group of Chicago Police who were on loan to Pittsburgh for the G-20 summit. Is this fucking Abu Ghraib? Was that your BIG arrest for the entire trip? A 150-pound nimrod?

Predictible yet sad

Charges expected in Colorado balloon case - CNN.com

Authorities in Colorado say criminal charges are expected to be filed against a storm-chasing father whose giant Mylar balloon ascended into the sky earlier this week -- sparking fears that his 6-year-old was aboard.

Comment of the day at balloon juice

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Which one of these idiots asked this?

I think they ought to have two press corps. One for the somewhat sane reporters and their questions and one for the insane. Then have the White House hire Lewis Black as the White House Press Secretary to the Insane.

Not only do I think he can handle it, I think he would volunteer his services for free.

I think I should start running this as a feature.

Cry for Rush Limbaugh

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Better Than Expected

I’m seriously dying over here. I am honest to goodness crying I’m laughing so hard.

Maybe the Red State Strike Farce can do another one of their crack operations and mail oxycontin to Checketts to show their outrage.

Nothing better epitomizes the cult of victimhood that is the US right wing than the reaction to Rush's rich buddies realizing that he would probably be a bit of a distraction if he were part-owner of an NFL team and dropping him on his ass.

Bad Statistics

Ezra Klein - The Shoddy Statistics of Super Freakonomics

But before people begin believing that the problem with Super Freakonomics is that it annoys environmentalists, let's be clear: The problem with Super Freakonomics is it prefers an interesting story to an accurate one. This is evident from the very first story on the very first page of the book.

As someone that deals in numbers for a living, books like this piss me off more than most people. Is nice to see Ezra perform a lovely job of sweeping up the bullshit.

Cry for the rich

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Too rich for my blood

But Sullivan is not asking us to feel sorry for the rich because of any of those things, he’s asking us to feel sorry for the rich because they aren’t quite as rich as they used to be. And, that my friends, is total bullshit.

It’s one thing for Sullivan to write some sob piece about the rich because one of his editors told him to do so. That’s understandable. But when you write an entire column whining about the email you got and accusing your readers of psychological problems, you’re an asshole. It’s that simple.

Hard to disagree with this.