SedanChair posted:

It's my understanding that Zimmerman has been travelling from Wal-Mart to Wal-Mart eating ice cream and has probably reached new heights of obesity. If DMX spends the next few weeks training his left hand and footwork we could be in for the most entertaining/sad spectacle in the history of boxing.

comes along bort posted:

Weird question but have any of the usual suspects gotten pissy over CVS's decision today to stop selling cigarettes and tobacco?

comes along bort posted:

Weird question but have any of the usual suspects gotten pissy over CVS's decision today to stop selling cigarettes and tobacco?

BiggerBoat posted:

Also, gently caress these idiots. Aren't they always all "FREE MARKETS! Companies can do/sell and discriminate in whatever they want!"?

BiggerBoat posted:

I distinctly remember the fact that Obama smoked and was trying to quit being used as an attack against him as being unfit for the Presidency. FOX News ran a poll once titled something like: Obama: would you elect/vote for a smoker? but Google is failing me.

kik2dagroin posted:

He did take a brief moment to whine about how he is being sued for being a climate denier though

Iron Crowned posted:

Talking head for a "smoker's rights" organization was on NPR saying they're hypocritical because they still sell junk food, not sure if that counts.

quote:

The Republican National Committee today excitedly announced the launch of a new startup lab to bring techies and creatives together, Silicon Valley-style, to get Republicans elected. Oh, and they named it for a Nazi gun, a type of ammo, and a philosophy that puts war before peace.

Welcome to Para Bellum Labs, America! “Para Bellum Labs will help create a culture to allow the RNC to innovate faster and recruit more talented people who can build digital platforms to understand public opinion, engage voters and power elections,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus gushed in a press release this morning. Para Bellum plans to recruit on top engineering school campuses and hold fun hackathons.

The charm offensive all starts with the video above, which makes Para Bellum look like a much cooler place than DeVry Institute to get your associate’s degree in IT. “I chose to be a part of Para Bellum Labs because this is something that has never been done before,” says new employee Lauren. (By Republicans, no, this has not been done before. Not successfully. But by Democrats, well, um. Yeah.)

The thing about Para Bellum, though, is that name. In Latin, it literally means “(prepare)* for war.” That’s dumb enough, probably: Hey, idealistic young programmers! Let’s save the world by crushing our enemies, seeing them driven before us, and hearing the lamentation of their women.

In fact, it’s part of an old Roman cliche, “Si vis pacem, para bellum”—if you seek peace, prepare for war. That’s been quite an inspiring little phrase through history, at least to militarists. It was especially inspiring to Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken, the German government’s arms manufacturer from the late imperial era to World War II.

DWM started using the “parabellum” phrase as a name for its signature guns—first, the light machine gun used by the Kaiser’s best during World War I, and then its most iconic gun: the Parabellum Pistole, or the Luger pistol.

quote:

NJDC Condemns RNC For Naming New Innovation Lab After Nazi Pistol

The Republican National Committee (RNC) announced Tuesday the creation of “Para Bellum Labs” – an initiative to describe the work and startup culture of the new Digital and Data Department. According to the announcement, Para Bellum Labs will help create a culture to allow the RNC to innovate faster and recruit more talented people who can build digital platforms to understand public opinion, engage voters and power elections.


“The RNC has a role to lead on data and digital for the good of the Party from the top of the ticket down,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “Through Para Bellum Labs we will continue bringing in top talent to inspire innovative products to power campaigns and change the way we do business in the Republican Party.”

Though ‘Para Bellum’ means “(prepare)* for war” in Latin, the phrase “parabellum” was used by a German arms manufacturer as a name for its signature guns-first, the light machine gun used by the Kaiser’s best during World War I, and then its most iconic gun: the Parabellum Pistole, Gawker immediately noted.

The National Jewish Democratic Committee rushed to call on the Republican Party to apologize for using sensitive term for new innovation. NJDC Executive Director Rabbi Jack Moline said, “Frankly, I am astounded and sorely disappointed that the Republican National Committee would put so little thought into the message of their new venture. Using the phrasing “para bellum” not only exploits horrific symbolism, but also communicates a fatalist &violent message toward any who differ with you.”

“The RNC should immediately repudiate the name of this venture, denounce the approach it suggests, and apologize to all the people this names offends—those of the Greatest Generation, those who have ever been victims of gun violence, and those in the Jewish community and beyond who were victims of the Nazi genocide,” the NJDC statement read.

Asked for a comment by Slate’s Dave Weigel, RNC spokesman Sean Spicer responded with a link to a definition of “gawker”: “Interestingly, a spectator who stares stupidly without intelligent awareness.”

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Spacedad posted:

So right on the heels of Cokegate, the republican research into outreach to the 'hip' electronic-age youth of TODAY is going swimmingly well.


http://blog.maxistentialism.com/post/75728077169/gawker-the-republican-national-committee-today


I am looking forward to republicans wearing their new 'red-state armbands' and nice clean brown shirts to show support to the bright new faces of the GOP, and morale boosting themselves by shouting "seek hail!" - as in, seek a hail of votes!

The Ape of Naples posted:

I can't remember where I saw this earlier on SA or I'd give credit but apparently someone already grabbed http://parabellumlabs.org
Be sure to check out the jobs board.

Spacedad posted:

So right on the heels of Cokegate, the republican research into outreach to the 'hip' electronic-age youth of TODAY is going swimmingly well.


http://blog.maxistentialism.com/post/75728077169/gawker-the-republican-national-committee-today


Edit: But wait! There's MORE!


http://jpupdates.com/2014/02/04/njdc-condems-rnc-naming-new-innovation-lab-nazi-pistol/


I am looking forward to republicans wearing their new 'red-state armbands' and nice clean brown shirts to show support to the bright new faces of the GOP, and morale boosting themselves by shouting "seek hail!" - as in, seek a hail of votes!

Azuth0667 posted:

"Smoker's rights" is stupid but, their complaint has merit. When I worked for a nation wide pharmacy chain they sold junk food, homeopathic medication and tobacco. Those are three things they should not be selling if their goal is to "help people on the path to better health."

Zuhzuhzombie!! posted:

Gretchen Carlson wants to know if it's legal for CVS to not stock cigarettes.

Rorus Raz posted:

Junk food is really lovely, but you're at least getting some cheap calories out of the deal. Tobacco just kills you while being a drain on your wallet, and I guess homeopathic pills don't hurt you but it also doesn't provide any calories so it's literally money for nothing. Of course, a pharmacy shouldn't be selling any of the three, but this is the Land of the Free

Dr.Zeppelin posted:

A little off topic, but I remember one of the very first auto-tune the news episodes had a clip from some congressman saying that the health danger to smoking was the act of smoking and not so much what was being smoked. He said, for example, if you smoked a piece of lettuce it would be just as damaging because of smoke inhalation. I'm going to assume this isn't true because of the damage that chewing tobacco can do but just how much of the damage caused by smoking is a byproduct of the smoke itself?

Lycus posted:

Come on, there's no way this isn't an act. She's just playing the character of a dumb person, right?

Dr.Zeppelin posted:

A little off topic, but I remember one of the very first auto-tune the news episodes had a clip from some congressman saying that the health danger to smoking was the act of smoking and not so much what was being smoked. He said, for example, if you smoked a piece of lettuce it would be just as damaging because of smoke inhalation. I'm going to assume this isn't true because of the damage that chewing tobacco can do but just how much of the damage caused by smoking is a byproduct of the smoke itself?

Dr.Zeppelin posted:

A little off topic, but I remember one of the very first auto-tune the news episodes had a clip from some congressman saying that the health danger to smoking was the act of smoking and not so much what was being smoked. He said, for example, if you smoked a piece of lettuce it would be just as damaging because of smoke inhalation. I'm going to assume this isn't true because of the damage that chewing tobacco can do but just how much of the damage caused by smoking is a byproduct of the smoke itself?

Azuth0667 posted:

I really hope that congressman was openly mocked on the media. The smoke is the vector for all the horrible crap in the cigarettes. So smoke from benign plant material like lettuce, not this kind of lettuce http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactuca_virosa, would be bad wouldn't be as bad as cigarette smoke.

Armyman25 posted:

The 9mm Parabellum round has been around since before WWI. It's NATO's standard pistol round, it's the caliber currently used by the US military in their Beretta's. Calling it a "Nazi" round is ignorant and foolish.

I mean, it's the type of thing that Limbaugh et al would say. German pistol round? You know who else were Germans?

Spacedad posted:

The parabellum pistol AKA the luger has a history that dates back before WW1, but it's become a highly recognizeable icon of the nazis and the holocaust since then. This is definitely not a case of Godwin's law - it's a case of insensitivity and lovely research, which is why people are demanding an apology and a retraction of the name.

Chantilly Say posted:

Nobody's called the pistol the Parabellum in even a Republican's lifetime, so I don't know about even calling it lovely research. I honestly think it's reaching to make a Nazi connection here.

J.A.B.C. posted:

Even then, calling your digital youth outreach 'prepare for war' is a really stupid and short-sighted thing to do, and it shows just how out of touch the Republicans are.

Then again, the last time I heard that phrase was the Punisher movie, so it could just be them clinging to something mildly cool a decade ago in hopes it will cover up that nasty bigotry problem they're having.

Then again, it wasn't used as Nazi symbolism in that movie (just bland action schlock), so your argument has a point.

J.A.B.C. posted:

Even then, calling your digital youth outreach 'prepare for war' is a really stupid and short-sighted thing to do, and it shows just how out of touch the Republicans are.

Then again, the last time I heard that phrase was the Punisher movie, so it could just be them clinging to something mildly cool a decade ago in hopes it will cover up that nasty bigotry problem they're having.

Then again, it wasn't used as Nazi symbolism in that movie (just bland action schlock), so your argument has a point.

Hieronymous Alloy posted:

The phrase is *really* common on right-wing gun nut forums. They're just playing to their base here. It's tone deaf to non-right-wingers because we aren't right wingers.

Forgall posted:

I thought it was supposed to attract young techy libertarians?

Armyman25 posted:

The 9mm Parabellum round has been around since before WWI. It's NATO's standard pistol round, it's the caliber currently used by the US military in their Beretta's. Calling it a "Nazi" round is ignorant and foolish.

I mean, it's the type of thing that Limbaugh et al would say. German pistol round? You know who else were Germans?

Spacedad posted:

The parabellum pistol AKA the luger has a history that dates back before WW1, but it's become a highly recognizeable icon of the nazis and the holocaust since then. This is definitely not a case of Godwin's law - it's a case of insensitivity and lovely research, which is why people are demanding an apology and a retraction of the name.

menino posted:

You know what else pre-dates the Nazis?

卐

J.A.B.C. posted:

Even then, calling your digital youth outreach 'prepare for war' is a really stupid and short-sighted thing to do, and it shows just how out of touch the Republicans are.

quote:

Composer Robert Miller has helped write and produce music for more than 2,000 commercials, television shows and films.

But it is probably safe to say that none of them has struck a nerve quite like the Coca-Cola ad that aired during Sunday’s Super Bowl.

“I expected a strong reaction,” said Miller, 55, of Hartsdale, speaking by phone from his recording studio in SoHo. “But I didn’t expect this much controversy, to be honest.”

A multilingual hymn to the American melting-pot, the ad, titled “It’s Beautiful,” features “America the Beautiful” sung by a chorus of young women in English and seven other languages, including Spanish, Tagalog, Mandarin and Arabic.

Miller said the inclusion of various races and religions was meant to reflect positively on the country’s diversity. The ad also shows two dads rollerskating with their daughter — the first time a Super Bowl ad featured a gay family.

“I wasn’t salivating to make any political commentary,” Miller added. “I was out to show the America I know as a baby boomer who grew up in the Bronx in this very wonderful, diverse mix.”

Along with many positive comments, the ad also spurred criticism on social media sites, including Twitter and Facebook, much of it from people who feel the song should only be sung in English.

“I loved showing people of different ethnicities but I didn’t like hearing ‘America the Beautiful’ in different languages,” said LoHud.com commenter Lisa Morello of Port Chester. “It is a patriotic song. Leave it.”

The 60-second spot was created by the advertising agency Wieden & Kennedy, with music by Miller.

The Hartsdale resident has been scoring Coca-Cola’s ads since 2008. He made his Super Bowl debut that year with an ad featuring two balloons from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade battling for a super-sized bottle of Coke over the skies of Manhattan.

Recording the music for “It’s Beautiful” was very much a family affair.

Miller’s wife, Elena Barere, a violinist for the Metropolitan Opera, can be heard playing on the string section. The couple’s daughter, Carolyn Miller, sang the English-language lines.

“It was really cool to hear everyone do it in their own way, in their own language,” said Carolyn, 15, a freshman at the Hackley School in Tarrytown who is studying at the Manhattan School of Music.

quote:

“Para Bellum Labs will help create a culture to allow the RNC to innovate faster and recruit more talented people who can build digital platforms to understand public opinion, engage voters and power elections,”

Hieronymous Alloy posted: