Last Call For Brutal Bait

Not content with drawing the US into a bloody war in Syria, ISIS has now beheaded a British aid worker, bringing vows of "justice" from PM David Cameron.

British aid worker David Haines has been executed by ISIS militants, according to a video posted Saturday to a website associated with the group, making him the third Western captive to be killed by the Islamist extremist group in recent weeks.

The ISIS video post showing Haines' beheading called his execution "a message to the allies of America."

It is produced very similarly to the videos that showed the executions of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, the last of which included Haines and the threat that he'd be killed next.

The new video pictures a masked ISIS militant placing his hand on another captive, whom he identified as Alan Henning, a British citizen.

In a tweet, British Prime Minister David Cameron called "the murder of David Haines" an "act of pure evil." 

Cameron added, "We will do everything in our power to hunt down these murderers and ensure they face justice, however long it takes."

I wonder now if Cameron will decide to join the US coalition.  Of course, that's the entire point.  The more, the merrier as far as ISIS is concerned.

Six Californias, Zero Chance

Remember "Six Californias", the ridiculous plan of glibertarian Silicon Valley billionaire Tim Draper to split the state into six smaller ones (while creating both the richest and poorest states in America as part of the process) and how he declared back in July that he had the signatures needed to get the issue on the November 2016 ballot?

Looks like Timmy came up short.

A quixotic proposal to split California into six states failed to qualify for the November 2016 ballot, officials announced Friday.

The initiative, the brainchild of Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, did not have enough valid petition signatures, according to the California secretary of state's office.

Draper argued for his proposal by saying California is too large to have a properly functioning government. He called the initiative an "opportunity to reboot and refresh our state government."

Opponents said the plan was an embarrassing distraction that would cause political chaos and greater inequity.

“Six Californias was a solution in search of a problem that didn’t address any of our state’s challenges," said a statement from Fabian Nuñez, a former Assembly speaker.

The plan never really had a chance, but it's interesting to see that Draper's such a jackass that he couldn't even find enough people to sign up correctly.  I won't miss it either, it would have been a disaster politically for Democrats...and that was the point.

The Mask Slips Again...

...and Republicans once again remind everyone that they are the party of almost cartoonish levels of evil (only it's not even darkly funny).

The recalled Arizona senate president who proposed the state’s controversial anti-immigration law said he could fix public assistance programs by forcibly sterilizing women who receive aid and by requiring drug tests for all recipients. 

“You put me in charge of Medicaid, the first thing I’d do is get Norplant, birth-control implants, or tubal ligations,” said Russell Pearce on his weekly talk radio program. "Then we’ll test recipients for drugs and alcohol, and if you want to [reproduce] or use drugs or alcohol, then get a job.” 

He suggested drastic cuts to food assistance for needy families, reported Phoenix New Times, and he urged strict limits items that could be purchased what little help was available.

“No cash for Ding Dongs and Ho Hos, you’d only get money for 15-pound bags of rice and beans, blocks of cheese and powdered milk – all the powdered milk you can haul away,” Pearce said. “If you want a steak or frozen pizza, then you’d have to get a job.” 

He also suggested Spartan accommodations and strict rules for anyone who received government housing assistance. 

“Ever live in a military barracks?” he said. “You’ll maintain your property in a clean, good state of repair, and your home will be subjected to an inspection at any time, possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or an X-Box 360, then get a job.”

So Pearce effectively wants to round up the unemployed and stick them and camps.  You know, after drug testing them, feeding them nothing but rice and beans and powdered milk, subjecting them to inspections like boot camp recruits and oh yeah sterilizing the women.

That's compassionate conservatism, right there.  Hey, while you're at it, why don't you force them to pick cotton there to earn their keep, man?  Let's do it old school.

You can laugh at Pearce, but if the Tea Party gets control of this country, you'd better believe stuff like this is going to start happening.  The poor and unemployed are vermin to be exterminated to people like Pearce.

Always remember that.  America, you're one lost job away from being sub-human chattel to them.

StupidiNews, Weekend Edition!

• Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has dropped out of his re-election race due to an abdominal tumor, he will be replaced on the ballot by his brother Doug.
• The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals will allow Wisconsin's voter ID law to go into effect for November as the court considers a full ruling.
• US Secretary of State John Kerry is rejecting the notion of Iran joining the coalition of countries fighting ISIS militants, calling Tehran's involvement "not appropriate".
• London-based HSBC will pay $550 million in fines to settle subprime mortgage claims over faulty bonds sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from 2005 to 2007.
• Climate researchers say that the Earth's ozone layer is improving dramatically, but that greenhouse gas emissions are causing far more issues in our atmosphere.