What the character (Virgil Starks in Take the Money and Run) actually said is "It is if you're doing it right." Listen in your mind's ear to Woody Allen saying both of them. "Only if ..." is unnatural and, worse still, not funny.
A porn version of Cheers is semi-original, in that it adds porn to a sit-com.
A porn version of Batman is semi-original, in that it adds porn to a superhero action flick.
A porn version of 50 Shades of Gray is unoriginal, in that it merely adds porn to the porn.
Yes. I'm not trying to say that's it's a legitimate fear or not, but I see what SYG as trying to address is "All I did was defend myself, and now I'm in the system and have to bankrupt myself trying to get back out. And I was the real victim!"
Proceeding just from the story that kicks this post off, hell yes.
When I was at Berkeley, I suggested to one of the ASUC reps pretty much what James said. A large percentage of my money was going to political groups I had no sympathy for, which seemed very wrong. The answer was that a lot of those groups had little support among the students, so they'd get nothing. So? So, they only had tables at Sproul Plaza because they were subsidized. So? So, the Free Speech Movement had fought very hard to give them the right to have tables in the Plaza, and if they went away it would have been all for naught. So? So, did I believe in free speech or not? I snarled something about "free yes, expensive no" and gave up.
You’ll notice prisons are not exactly overflowing with suburban fathers who shot armed murderers and rapists who were coming at them with knives.
I'm not going to defend SYG, which is a horror show, for the reasons you pointed out and others we've discussed these past months. But the thing about it that stands out to me is how it short-circuits the process: even if someone is indicted, if he wins his SYG motion, there is no trial, criminal or civil. What it's intended to remedy, I think, is the suburban fathers who shot armed murderers and rapists who were coming at them with knives and were then bankrupted by attorney's fees and a settlement paid to the criminal's survivors, of which you can find many anecdotes (which I suspect are all exaggerated versions of the same two or three cases, but I don't know this for a fact.)
As I've noted elsewhere, the killing of Jordan Davis hasn't cause one percent of the furor that Trayvon Martin's caused, even though the circumstances are far less equivocal. And that's because the police are seen to have done their job. SYG, which gave those police a reason not to do theirs, is the problem, not the solution.
Sports medicine is quite real, and I hear it advertised (no surprise) on sports stations. I don't know if there are other sorts of narrowcasting (pediatricians on shows about parenting, etc.)
If you command a reasonable wage for part-time work, you'd be more efficient taking a second job and donating the proceeds than volunteering to serve soupk.
On “The Hypocrisy of Hollwood as a Model for American Society”
“Only if it’s done right.”
What the character (Virgil Starks in Take the Money and Run) actually said is "It is if you're doing it right." Listen in your mind's ear to Woody Allen saying both of them. "Only if ..." is unnatural and, worse still, not funny.
"
This is of course far more insightful than when Burt said exactly the same thing.
"
I can sort of see this.
A porn version of Cheers is semi-original, in that it adds porn to a sit-com.
A porn version of Batman is semi-original, in that it adds porn to a superhero action flick.
A porn version of 50 Shades of Gray is unoriginal, in that it merely adds porn to the porn.
On “What risk management has taught me about the Trayvon Martin shooting”
What I mean is, if a perfectly valid self-defense case wasn't going to help him after he shot the chief's son, neither would SYG.
"
Yes. I'm not trying to say that's it's a legitimate fear or not, but I see what SYG as trying to address is "All I did was defend myself, and now I'm in the system and have to bankrupt myself trying to get back out. And I was the real victim!"
"
Maye was at home and had no place to retreat to. He shouldn't have needed a specific SYG law.
On “Taxpayer-Directed Welfare”
It could be code for "Times, [they are] a-ch[anging]".
Or it could be a typo for "Each".
"
Availability, sure. Subsidy is another story.
"
Proceeding just from the story that kicks this post off, hell yes.
When I was at Berkeley, I suggested to one of the ASUC reps pretty much what James said. A large percentage of my money was going to political groups I had no sympathy for, which seemed very wrong. The answer was that a lot of those groups had little support among the students, so they'd get nothing. So? So, they only had tables at Sproul Plaza because they were subsidized. So? So, the Free Speech Movement had fought very hard to give them the right to have tables in the Plaza, and if they went away it would have been all for naught. So? So, did I believe in free speech or not? I snarled something about "free yes, expensive no" and gave up.
"
Why are we stopping at welfare. Do the whole government that way, and deal with the consequences of soldiers being a whole lot cooler than diplomats.
On “What risk management has taught me about the Trayvon Martin shooting”
Arf!
What's that, Timmy? Lassie's puppy is trapped in the well? And are you spending way too much time with that dog?
"
Great stuff. I have one quibble:
You’ll notice prisons are not exactly overflowing with suburban fathers who shot armed murderers and rapists who were coming at them with knives.
I'm not going to defend SYG, which is a horror show, for the reasons you pointed out and others we've discussed these past months. But the thing about it that stands out to me is how it short-circuits the process: even if someone is indicted, if he wins his SYG motion, there is no trial, criminal or civil. What it's intended to remedy, I think, is the suburban fathers who shot armed murderers and rapists who were coming at them with knives and were then bankrupted by attorney's fees and a settlement paid to the criminal's survivors, of which you can find many anecdotes (which I suspect are all exaggerated versions of the same two or three cases, but I don't know this for a fact.)
"
As I've noted elsewhere, the killing of Jordan Davis hasn't cause one percent of the furor that Trayvon Martin's caused, even though the circumstances are far less equivocal. And that's because the police are seen to have done their job. SYG, which gave those police a reason not to do theirs, is the problem, not the solution.
On “Two Lesser Known Freedom of Speech Cases”
Just call Saul!
"
Sports medicine is quite real, and I hear it advertised (no surprise) on sports stations. I don't know if there are other sorts of narrowcasting (pediatricians on shows about parenting, etc.)
"
Here we also have cosmetic surgeons, in particular guys who do hair transplants, and practices that specialize in sports medicine.
On “No Irish Setters Need Apply”
Epoxy. (I'm going to remove the bandage now. You might feel a slight tug.)
"
Congratulations. That's almost impossible to do.
On “Plunk.”
If you command a reasonable wage for part-time work, you'd be more efficient taking a second job and donating the proceeds than volunteering to serve soupk.
On “…no, this isn’t a joke.”
Yeah, the thing is Internal Affairs asked the cops if they were going to change that idiotic story, and the cops said "No, we're standing our ground."
On “How ACORN Stole the 2012 Election”
I don't live either of those places; Larkspur is the ferry terminal.
"
Yeah. When did those guys turn into Strom Thurmond? (Though it was Harry Truman who integrated the US military.)
"
No. One results in news that might be questionable in some aspects, and one results in broadcasting Karl Rove performing mathturbation.
"
Because rich guys can't get girls unless they're good-looking?
"
Just like they should oppose registering at libraries, because you don't have to be able to read.