insignificant thoughts - Latest Comments

Re: Voter Fraud: Totally Not a Problem Even When Dead People Can Still Vote You Guys

Jeff Egnaczyk — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:11:07 -0000

For most people the time they spent registering was years ago. I registered to vote once in Massachusetts. Each year I get a form in the mail from the town (or state, I can't remember) asking me to reply with any new information. So if I didn't have an ID that would be an extra trip to a government office to be able to vote. Also, not everyone has a birth certificate or proof of citizenship, or it could be in a different name. And it often costs time and money to get that information.

To me this jibes with what opponents of voter ID laws say: the poor and elderly will have a harder time voting as a result of these laws.

And again, there's the other problem of mistakes or illegal activity by public officials keeping people from voting. A voter ID requirement is just another point in the process where someone could screw up.

Re: Voter Fraud: Totally Not a Problem Even When Dead People Can Still Vote You Guys

Vinny — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:40:11 -0000

Okay lay it out on the table. Who, having spent the time to register, won't get an ID? Stop pussyfooting around the issue. Who will take the time to register, because it's important, but won't take some time to get ID, especially since the states that are requiring it (or seeking to require it) are going to GIVE ID CARDS to the people who can't afford them.

Who is it disenfranchising? Hell, in NYC, the EBT cards have a photo. You need ID (birth certificate, etc) to get it, and yet somehow people who need EBT cards manage to get all of that ID together for their benefits.

Sorry; I don't buy the incredibly idiotic argument that asking people in 2012 to have ID will disenfranchise anyone, especially since most of the people most likely to be "disenfranchised" have government issued IDs that they use for their handouts.

Re: Voter Fraud: Totally Not a Problem Even When Dead People Can Still Vote You Guys

Jeff Egnaczyk — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:35:16 -0000

Come on, man. Voter impersonation fraud is bad. Killing an innocent man is orders of magnitude worse. I don't think that's a fair comparison.

My opposition to increased voter ID requirements is simply about numbers. You keep saying you care about the integrity of elections but keep ignoring the evidence that increased ID requirements will lead to *more* disenfranchisement - either because people won't be able to obtain ID or because public officials will improperly (innocently or maliciously) expunge people from voter rolls. This is why I keep asking you to show real evidence that voter impersonation is happening at a rate that's significant compared to other forms of disenfranchisement. I wouldn't even require them to be equal. Note that I'm not opposed to cleaning the rolls of invalid registrations, but it often results in people being disenfranchised. Increased voter ID requirements will simply add another chance for people to be disenfranchised.

Re: Voter Fraud: Totally Not a Problem Even When Dead People Can Still Vote You Guys

Vinny — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:18:13 -0000

So next time you're going to vote, I'm gonna walk into the booth behind you and invalidate your vote with an illegal one.

If you think your vote matters at all, you'll understand why that's offensive. If you understand why that's offensive, then you understand why we have a need to purge the rolls, fix invalid registrations, and do everything possible to make sure it doesn't happen, particularly in a modern society when you need ID to do anything at all.

Also, I find it laughable that you'll argue that it isn't a significant problem and not worth addressing when you (like myself) will go to the mat to fight against one execution that appears to be incorrect or improper.

It's only one. The percentages are infinitesimally small compared to the number of executions a year, so why worry about it?

If that makes me an absolutist, so be it, but I think the integrity of our elections is worth the people deciding them having to show the ID they show for buying liquor, driving their car to the polling place, or getting their free doritos from the grocery store.

Re: Voter Fraud: Totally Not a Problem Even When Dead People Can Still Vote You Guys

Jeff Egnaczyk — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:13:13 -0000

"Two can play that idiotic game." -Yeah, but the point of doing it that way is to be concise.

And you're wrong about my argument. The argument is that you should demonstrate there is a problem (i.e. voter impersonation actually happens at a statistically significant rate) before you pass laws that will create more barriers that people (who traditionally disagree with you) will have to cross in order to vote and will make it easier for government to incorrectly bar people from voting (either through incompetence or abuse). The onus is on you.

And no, incorrect voter registrations are not the same as voter impersonation fraud. The idea that someone is going to harness those 5 million voter registrations across 50 states to throw an election is laughable. Even at a state level it would be very difficult to get away with.

If you're worried about swaying an election your attention would be better directed at the people who are incorrectly purged every election.

Re: Voter Fraud: Totally Not a Problem Even When Dead People Can Still Vote You Guys

Vinny — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:38:47 -0000

Shorter Jeff: I think having 4% of the voter rolls having invalid registration info isn't alarming enough to do anything about it aside from pretend there's no problem and the fact that 4% of the voting population could've swayed numerous elections in our lifetime alone isn't important to me.

Two can play that idiotic game.

And you still have no argument other than "people who do something illegal aren't telling us they're doing it therefore I can't see it as a problem."

Re: Voter Fraud: Totally Not a Problem Even When Dead People Can Still Vote You Guys

Jeff Egnaczyk — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:12:22 -0000

Shorter Vinny: I haven't been able to find evidence that voter impersonation is anywhere near a significant problem in America, so in conclusion: IT'S A NATIONWIDE EPIDEMIC!!1

Re: Parenting Magazine Says Divorced Males Are Abusers In Waiting. No, I’m Not Kidding.

Steve — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:57:32 -0000

Parenting Magazine is trash filled with liberal propaganda (with solutions that always seem to call for more government) and celeb-u-tard news. Parents Magazine has been around much longer, but it's not a whole lot better.

Re: Student Snaps Pic of Sub Sleeping, Gets Suspended For It

Andrew Case — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:57:22 -0000

Thought I'd go old-fashioned and do it on the blog! Happy Birthday, Cuz! Congrats on the House!!!

Re: Fav’ed On Youtube: Every Presentation Ever: Communication FAIL

Tim Elmore — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:56:56 -0000

We just posted an updated version of “Every Presentation Ever” here:
http://youtu.be/rIABo0d9MVE

Re: Don’t Legislate My Morality (Except Condoms On Porn Stars)

Vinny — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:06:05 -0000

I can argue with that very easily: a contract between consenting adults is not a place for the government unless one party fails to fulfill their obligations under that contract.
Any time government interferes with the execution of contracts by consenting parties, it creates unintended consequences, and this would be no different.And honestly, based on a cursory glance of your Facebook page, your legislation of morality seems, to me, more of a stance against pornography and homosexuality than about regulation. You strike me as the type of person who doesn't like pornography or homosexuality and wants to make it so impossible to make, produce, or distribute, that it goes away. I don't like your type of people or the methods you pursue in your arguments because they strike me as grossly disingenuous.

Re: Don’t Legislate My Morality (Except Condoms On Porn Stars)

David Thomson — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:35:05 -0000

Morality is the actions and behaviors that lead to the good health and well-being of individuals and communities. Every law, rule, and regulation ever legislated throughout history is a legislation of morality. Why should the health and well-being of actors not be subject to legislation in regard to risky behavior?

We legislate safety courses for truck drivers, safety belts for all drivers, car seats for children, sterile bandaids in hospitals and clinics, gloves for food service workers, and numerous other safety and hygienic precautions. Why do you think it would not be in the public interest to ensure the health and well-being of actors?

Be thankful that OSHA has not taken action... yet. As new professions move into the mainstream it becomes the function of the government to regulate their actions and behaviors to prevent injury and the spread of disease. How can you argue with that?

Re: 200 Consenting Adults Arrested In Prostitution Sting

Vinny — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:53:58 -0000

Probably not, but then again how different is it from the groups of teens that sit around in front of your house in an urban neighborhood that swap pot for oral sex? That's the problem, really. We're inconsistent on what an adult can do. My philosophy is that if an adult can vote, fight and die for the country, and pay taxes, what they do in their bedroom is their business. That applies to being gay or being a prostitute; either way, it's not my business.

Secondly, I'd hazard a guess that if adults were allowed to create a business agreement with other adults, the caliber of people doing this would improve because you wouldn't be handing a monopoly on it to the black market. The reason scum runs prostitution rings is because we've driven the business into their hands and guaranteed them no competition except for each other (and don't even get me started on the street violence doing that has created).

Re: 200 Consenting Adults Arrested In Prostitution Sting

Jason Dunn — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:42:22 -0000

So if you had a handful of prostitutes hanging out in front of your apartment or house, you'd be cool with it? It's easy to say it's not a big deal if it's not happening in front of where you live. The article says it was in response to complaints from neighborhoods, so I don't get the sense that this is a crackdown on some "hooker alley" somewhere...more like where people live. I'd complain if hookers were in front of my house.

Re: 12 Girls In Same School Get Random Illness, HIPAA Keeps Other Parents In The Dark

Vinny — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:56:56 -0000

It's absolutely ridiculous. The least they could do is release the common factor!

Re: 12 Girls In Same School Get Random Illness, HIPAA Keeps Other Parents In The Dark

racc00n — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:53:43 -0000

neither the parents or the girls know what is wrong :( the ny department of health is shrouding the problem in secrecy

Re: DAMMIT! WHY IS MY BOYFRIEND NOT A VAMPIRE YET?

Vinny — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:17:13 -0000

You don't know enough fans.

Re: DAMMIT! WHY IS MY BOYFRIEND NOT A VAMPIRE YET?

DannyChadwick — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:03:53 -0000

I have a hard time believing any person could be this stupid.

Re: IT.tv Episode 436: Cars Don’t Stop Here. Ever.

Vinny — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:28:10 -0000

I did exactly that. :-)

Re: IT.tv Episode 436: Cars Don’t Stop Here. Ever.

Anthony Marc — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:54:54 -0000

I think they call that a 'California Stop'. Just roll right on through... It happens everywhere and is ridiculously unsafe. But the police have better things to do like giving out speeding tickets for going 5 over on the freeway that everybody else is going 5 over on and you are in no way posing a risk or danger to anyone.

Tell your local law enforcement to park a police car right in front of that intersection and I'll bet people make a stop. lol

Re: IT.tv Episode 436: Cars Don’t Stop Here. Ever.

Vinny — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:09:12 -0000

I think it's time we started exposing these folks. Screw 'em. And not just exposing them, but exposing the pols and police who do nothing about it.

Re: IT.tv Episode 436: Cars Don’t Stop Here. Ever.

Frank — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:53:12 -0000

We have the same damn problem in my neighborhood...stop signs are now a mere suggestion...and some people really challenge when coming from the right at the 4-way...I wanna smack 'em.

Re: IT.tv Episode 433: Grand Central At Night

Adam Daniel Mezei — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 02:12:15 -0000

I'm a wee bit concerned that Vinny is casing Grand Central so openly. Why didn't his handlers tell him to be a bit more discreet?

Re: Look what wifey got me!!!!

Vinny — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:26:53 -0000

Already made a bottle of "Dr. Pete" (one guess what it tastes like) and it's fantastic. This thing is great!

Re: Look what wifey got me!!!!

Frank — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:18:43 -0000

Tasty, man. It'll be cool to many some tasty soda flavors in that bad boy!