@enoch - Specifically, what new power has the government gained here?

I'm with you on torture, warrantless wiretaps, illegal wars, assassinations (in general, thought I think Al Alakwi was justified considering the body count he had racked up), persecution of whistleblowers, persecution of journalists

The current NSA scandal encompasses none of these things. If they want to record your phone calls, they need a warrant. They didn't under Bush - but they do now - and PRISM can't go after your internet data at all.

Even if they did want to grab everyones' information, can you see how difficult it would be to pull off? How many phone calls are made in a day? (millions?) How many warrants would it take to get access to all those calls? How many man hours would it take to record and listen to all those calls? Even if the NSA were full of villainous mustache twirlers, doesn't that seem like a futile task? 99.9999% of the information would be useless.

I believe that the NSA genuinely works to stop terror attacks. I know there has been much bullshit done in the name of the "war on terror", but I believe there is a genuine need for an Agency that deals with National Security. I would imagine most countries have some kind of similar body.

I don't have a problem with information gained with search warrants. My major complaint is that this stuff is not better explained to the public. I know that there is plenty of specific information that needs to be kept secret in order to not blow the cover of agents who are wiretapping suspects, but I think the broad strokes should be put out there. Here's what we are doing. Here's why. Here are the problems we've had. Here are the successes we've had. How are we doing? How can we improve this?

I also think there would be far less need to monitor if drugs were legalized and the war on terror ended.

Anyway, I think this kind of surveillance is going to become status quo and will be completely uncontroversial in a few decades. As far as abuse goes, you don't need any of these high tech contraptions to listen to peoples phone calls and track internet usage. These things can be done fairly easily with comparatively primitive tech that can be bought legally at spy stores.

@criticalthud I don't disagree with what you say. My point is that judge approved wiretaps and internet surveillance should be a legal part of law enforcement/National Security arsenal. How to do it best is beyond me. I think warrants and constitutional protections are decent checks and balances, but I know they are not infallible. As I mentioned to enoch, if someone wants to listen to your calls, be that person a high ranking government agent or your grumpy neighbor, it can be done easily with low tech. Killing these guidelines would do nothing to protect you from a rogue agent or personal vendetta.

If all this leads to a real discussion on the war on terror or on the war on drugs, I'd be thrilled. My prediction is that it will just be used as a politicians electoral weapon until everyone gets sick of hearing about it and it slides off the radar screen.

Nice dish rack.

While women are hula hooping, guys are shooting at stuff.

And the payoff was that he got to sit there with that rack in his face for hours...

The guy looks racked with the exhaustion that comes from being used-up...

"and somehow it racked up alot of hits" lol. clueless!!!!

See, the thing is that this is an actual joke. Multiple meanings of the word "knockers", potential embarrassment on the part of Dr. Frankenstein, unexpected grace when Inga accepts the 'compliment'; there's a lot going on in a seemingly simple joke. Too many contemporary movies would just have a big slob walk up to a woman, stare at her breasts, and say, "What a huge rack!" and consider that to be somehow funny.

One would think a couple of hooks or pins at the base of the rack at a point *just* enough to slide one's head out would be advantageous. You could hook up one side at a time and at least get out.

Least he was far enough up the bench to avoid getting it in the neck.

Looks like someone needs to invest in a power rack.

No cup safe implies a ball landing in the big cleavage of some chick (the bride had no rack).

'99 was a horrible year. Audiogalaxy was working properly, yet broadband and flatrates were unavailable. How easy it was to rack up humongous telephone bills... *shiver*

56k be damned.

this is probably the only lamborghini with a roof rack also
I like the custom paint/decals on the car.

All this did was make me want a whole rack of lamb.

Once you spend 10 or so more years into your take on Jesus and his trip downstairs, you may relax into the seasoned believer's shoes, who take to heart Jesus' words in Mathew Chapter 6, verse 6, where the master of life and death implores, "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

Or here, when he encourages his disciples on their proselytizing quest for more guests at the never-ending worship fest and ice cream social in the sky..."Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." -Matthew 7:6

Perhaps this isn't the best place to let your light so shine before men, eh??...Unless of course you have a knack for racking-up crowns online on other rabid-liberal-pseudo-intellectual circle-jerk web forums??

We have another "official" contestant, pumkinandstorm has stepped-up the odds with this simple framework for a spattering of tasty dishes!!




Chinese Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients
2 pork tenderloins (1 -1/2lb or 750g)

Marinade
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sherry
1 tbsp black bean sauce
1-1/2 tsp minced gingerroot
1-1/2 tsp packed brown sugar
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Pinch five-spice powder

Directions
1. Trim any fat from tenderloins. Place in shallow glass.
2. Marinade: Whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sherry, black bean sauce, gingerroot, sugar, garlic, sesame oil and five-spice powder.
3. Pour marinade over tenderloins, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 24 - 48 hours, turning occasionally. Let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature before cooking.
4. Place tenderloins on rack in roasting pan, reserving marinade; Bake, basting generously four times in 375F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted at 20 - degree angle registers 160 F and meat still has hint of pink.
5. Remove to cutting board and tent with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes.
6. Using sharp knife, slice pork diagonally into thin slice

Challenge Accepted!

both racks, by myself, drippin wet, all day, this aint a game... you wanna go jet dry ninja?

skip to 2:10 for ... well, action