Overnight Open Thread (13 Sep 2013)

Oh crap, it's Friday the 13th! Whatever. Why people think Friday the 13th is unlucky. Meh. I love me some Friday's.

Hellacious Rainfall

A lot of talk about the Colorado deluge being "biblical" or "1000 year event" and that looks like it is true for that specific area based on historical data. However, the greatest 24-hr deluge in the U.S. occured July 24-25, 1979 in Alvin, TX. 43 inches of rain fell in 24 hours back then. Regardless, I hope any morons that are in the area are safe.

Operation Enduring Clusterfuck

U.S. spending roughly $27 million a week to keep the extra ships on watch. I guess with day two of the Russian/Syria chemical weapons talks going no where, the White House wants to keep up pressure on Syria but is it really keeping pressure on when Congress and the Senate have basically said no? I would have to think that Syria is pretty confident the U.S. will not strike, especially when you think about Assad's deamman switch.

The Russian arrangement is not yet official and may be Assad’s play for time. The chemical weapons are potentially more powerful against the US than rebels. Likely, a reality causing Secretaries Kerry and Hagel to eschew the term “regime change” is that the danger of Syria’s chemical weapons (CW) to the US increases as Assad teeters. Though rightfully loathed, Assad and his men secure their CW and have so far resisted handing party favors to associates.

Oh, and the WaPo can't count. It's $33 million based on the numbers in the article. There are 4 destroyers not 1.
Image h/t.

Health Food Choices Act

One would think Michelle O would be for this but I suspect she isn't. It would seem to be right in her wheelhouse. If one actually believed anything she said. GOP bill blocks food stamp users from buying junk food.

A 2012 study found that food stamps enable about $2 billion worth of junk food purchases each year, and that more than half of all SNAP benefits are used to buy sugary drinks.

Dragoncon Cosplay

The Coming Ice Age 70's Style

It sure does feel like the 70's again. The economy sucks. Employment sucks. Our foreign policy is a mess. With arctic ice expanding 1 million square miles more than last year, it is a perfect time to relive The 1970s global cooling scare.

Question Of The Day

So after seeing what happened with the rodeo clown, is robbing a bank while wearing an Obama mask a hate crime?

E-Cigs

I'm sure the politicians will continue to try and get these things banned or try to start to tax the shit out of them. E-cigs as effective as patches in helping smokers quit. Actually, they are a tad bit more effective according to the article. I know they worked for me and many that I know to kick the analog habit.

The results showed that the percentage of e-cigarette quitters was highest, at 7.3%, compared with 5.8% of the nicotine patches users, and 4.1% of the placebo e-cigarette users.

Dog Video

Tonight's ONT brought to you by The Dog House:

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posted by CDR M at 09:59 PM

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