@Xavoc: Maybe it was "!h3@rtdem0(r@ts."

Rabid Penguin

Well, I haven't looked up any of the laws, and I am really shooting from the hip here, but I think it may be a stretch to really go after the kid, especially as he guessed her password.

It's illegal to intercept several different forms of electronic communication, including e-mail, without the knowledge and permission of at least one party in most states -- take a look at wiretapping laws. Fun enough, it doesn't matter that yahoo is about as secure as yelling information across a street, it just matters if he opened an unopened message. There are some other things that he may have violated, although mostly at a misdemeanor level.

It's a sad day when a kid can get more access than the public to a email account that is being used illegally for govt. use.

To make this clear :
It is illegal to use a wide variety of state or federal government property for personal or political use. That includes governmental e-mail services.

She's supposed to have private e-mail. She can't use it for some governmental records, but having one isn't evidence of some evil, vast, right-wing conspiracy.

gattsuru

@SgtToastie: I'm not so sore it's really about Republicans vs Democrats. It's about the son of a Democrat who hacked an e-mail account, spread the information around, and how media outlets (such as Gawker) have no problem accepting stolen property (information) and reposting it on the internet.

Her using a personal account to possibly skirt the law (which hasn't been proven that this was the reason for doing so) is a side-issue altogether that doesn't have anything to do with information theft.

I just want to know, was her password: love, sex, secret, or god?

Xavoc

@junyo: Seriously, this isn't even a party issue. Within all branches of the govt. we need it to be transparent so "We the People" can throw some of these crooks out on their f@cking asses. There needs to be criminal repercussions for sneaky shit.

johnnyabnormal

@junyo: OMG! Ponies! just answered that one for me.

johnnyabnormal

Um, can we just step back a minute and presume a little innocence here? Maybe use the word "alleged" at least once? Sure, there may be some evidence but as yet he hasn't been charged with a crime and all this speculation seems to be based on is the fact that the feds searched his room. And it's far from being proven in court. I'm not defending any hacker's activity, but let's make sure we have the right guy before we start using headlines like "Sarah Palin E-Mail Hacker is the Son of a State Representative."

weatherman

@junyo: Two Final Words re: the retention of records from the Commander-In-Chief

18 Minutes

OMG! Ponies!

@Rabid Penguin: To be a little more clear about that Palin Yahoo account:

"In response to a request filed by a conservative activist under Alaska's Public Records Act, Palin sought to invoke executive privilege in order to withhold some 1,100 e-mails (PDF):"

[www.motherjones.com]

"Moreover, Palin's appeal to executive privilege appears to be at odds with a strategy she discussed with aides in correspondence obtained by the Washington Post and New York Times: using unofficial e-mail accounts, like "gov.sarah@yahoo.com" and personal devices like BlackBerries to shield communications from subpoenas as official public records. This was the same tactic adopted by White House aides worried that their correspondence could be disclosed to investigators probing the allegedly political firing of US attorneys."

"Even before the US attorney scandal, the present administration had exhibited a spectacular gift for losing track of digital correspondence. Thanks to a purported "upgrade" implemented soon after the Clintons cleared out, the White House e-mail system was left without an effective means of archiving correspondence. Millions of e-mails vanished at least temporarily, and thousands may well be gone for good: A leaked memo suggested, at any rate, that there is little hope of completing the recovery before a new president is sworn in."

johnnyabnormal

@autobott: Don't be so short sighted. It's not like terrorists or secret agents from foreign lands are looking through her private emails of her children's pictures for top secret documents.

venomous_duck41

@junyo: AS 40.21.060:

The chief executive officer of each state agency shall

(1) make and preserve public records containing adequate and proper documentation of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions of the agency, and designed to furnish the information necessary to protect the legal and financial rights of the state and of persons directly affected by the agency's activities;

(2) establish and maintain an active, continuing program for the efficient management of the records of the agency under the procedures prescribed by the department, including effective controls over the creation, maintenance, and use of records in the conduct of current business;

(3) submit to the department, in accordance with the standards established by it, records retention schedules proposing the length of time which records having administrative, legal, or historical value shall be retained;

(4) apply the provisions of approved records retention schedules to ensure the orderly disposition of state records including transfer to a state records center;

(5) identify, segregate, and protect records vital to the continuing operation of an agency in the event of natural, man-made, or war-caused disaster;

(6) cooperate with the department in conducting surveys made by it under the provisions of this chapter;

(7) establish safeguards against unauthorized or unlawful removal or loss of state records;

(8) comply with the regulations, standards, and procedures relating to records management and archives established by the department;

(9) appoint a records officer who shall act as a liaison between the department and the agency on all matters relating to the records management program.

OMG! Ponies!

I always find it funny when replubicans defend thier illegal activity by pointing out the democrats illegal activity. And vice versa.

Johny and Bobby were both caught stealing from seperate houses, but since they both did it that means neither should be punished?

Lupison

@junyo: AS 40.21.060.

Alaska law also requires each state agency to establish a records management program with controls over the creation, maintenance and use of records used in the conduct of current business, again mirroring the federal law. And, like its federal counterpart, Alaska law defines "records" as including emails, which must be preserved as if they were paper records.

OMG! Ponies!

@johnnyabnormal: It's a sad day when a kid can get more access than the public to a email account that is being used illegally for govt. use.
And now you're talking out of your ass. Show me the statute, state or federal, that says that government employees have to use .gov email for all communications. And considering that even the crook here couldn't find any smoking gun or even mildly interesting emails, where is the records retention issue? I don't recall Democrats being so concerned about record retention when Sandy Berger was smuggling records out of the National Archives.

junyo

If Palin had been using the email account to swap photos of her kids and recipes for moose gumbo, I doubt this would still be in the news.

IMHO, the hacker did wrong, but who of us didn't at age 20? Slap him on the wrist, give him some public service hours and forget it. She's a public figure and this would have come out eventually, anyway, courtesy of a more professional (paid) hacker, who knew how to cover his tracks a bit better.

Now, what the heck is she doing, using a personal email account for official business? Isn't that illegal? Nothing says "George Bush, 3rd term" like the same old email shenanigans all over again. One could argue that the hacker actually performed a public service and is not so much a hacker as a whistleblower...

PeterSimpson

@shaithis: I blame Google

Jon B.

@Rabid Penguin: Actually she was using it for state business then using the 'personal' bit of it to protect it from legal procedings.

BTW: I am a democrat and I would throttle the hell out of that kid if I were his dad.

jiffy

@Rabid Penguin: No, she was exclusively using a Yahoo account for govt. business. Rove was using Gmail. You figure it out.

johnnyabnormal

Dumb kids. I blame the parents.

shaithis

"this simple hack may bring both his life and his father's political career to a screeching halt" -- That's right. Don't mess with a potential VP. We all know they have the power to shoot people in the face, and Palin carries a much bigger rifle than Cheney.

sumocat

His life? Are they going to kill him?

point1432

I just hope he deleted all his 'free-time' material before they got to it, especially if he's into freaky stuff.

@mikeg916:
and if he is going into an IT field, if anything he proofed what a great programmer he'd make cause he's able to think outside the box and see potential problems. I'd totally recruit him.

Lupison

I'm sure he'll find plenty of democrats willing to hirer him. His dad will politically distance himself from his son and get reelected. Things will return to the status quo. Pathetic, but true.

usa1

@johnnyabnormal: Oh noes... Palin has a personal email account that she uses for personal emails and she's sent a personal email using that personal email account while on the job... no one has ever done that before... this is just crazy-ness.... oh the humanity!

Rabid Penguin

These comments sound strangely less liberal than when this was first posted. My right arm seems to be getting heavier.

fastm3driver

@autobott: funny, but he didn't guess her password. He used Yahoo's password reset tools to enter her birthday, mother's maiden name, etc...

akiddo

This presidential campaign is becoming more and more like a late night reality tv show than it is an actual race for the oval office. Then again, it has been for the last two terms also. It's a good thing the season comes around only every 4 years, same as the drama for the Olympics.

Trowble (XBL/PSN)

That/s what you get for using an anonymous redirecter inside the U.S. Dumb hack.

VideoVampire

...Really? Again? I have to be the one to say it?

...fine. *a-chem*

"In Soviet Russia... Kernell hacks YOU."

DeusExMach

the lack of knowledge in the comments is even worse.

1. He didn't guess her password. He used the internet to find the answers to the in place security questions to recover a lost password.

2. to autobutt, again he didn't guess a "easily discovered password". For all we know, her password was extremely long and complex. However, the mail provider in this case, made it extremely easy to get around the potentially long and complex password by using easily found information to circumvent this process.

3. to zenpoet, yes you haven't looked up any of the laws. There are three separate laws he potentially violated. One which could result in felony charges, however the DOJ may have shot itself in the foot on that one, and two which would allow for misdemeanor charges.

As to the screeching halt, it depends on his goals and career path.
If he was going to go into IT of any kind, he just killed it most likely as he has demonstrated a lack of trust. Same for many other professions.
If on the other hand, he was going into politics or "journalism", he just proved he's an ideal candidate for either.

mikeg916

@Mith: Edwards run for prez again? Dream on.

@autobott: Ha! Actually, it makes you wonder how much trouble the kid will get into. If her account password reset was that easy to change, doesn't this just highlight Yahoo's lack of security? BUT! It's a sad day when a kid can get more access than the public to a email account that is being used illegally for govt. use. Maybe that will be part of the kid's legal defense...hahaha.

@ViewtifulJason: No, it will start a new Dem ad: "Palin & Bush hide govt. emails from the public. Four more years of the same."

@OMG! Ponies!: Show me a W. Bush and I'll show you a little boy trying to be his father. :)

johnnyabnormal

@greysky: Only if you don't subscribe to the conservative notion that government shouldn't really be transparent ... or liable to subpoenas ... or subject to laws.

TheName

Right now there's a book publisher just drooling and begging to get in touch with these two.

agentUrge

@autobott: BINGO. If there were a comment of the day award, you'd have won it.

Sean Robertson

@Mith: John Edwards is over. When you're excuse for cheating on your wife with breast cancer is "I only cheated when the cancer was in remission", your career is over.

Unless you're John McCain or Newt Gingrich. In which case, leave 'em at the hospital.

OMG! Ponies!

the use of yahoo mail for state business, is pretty fishy.

greysky

I wonder if he went crying to daddy...

exkon

What's the chances he was using TrueCrypt?

Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->

I'm not a fan of either side's slanderous advertising, and the sad thing is, Obama's ads don't necessarily reflect Obama, and McCain's ads don't necessarily reflect McCain....it's the dang 'political ad groups' that cause most of the crap.

Wait til the debates people.

Jon B.

You show me David Kernell and I'll show you a 20 year-old college student who's about to get beaten by his father.

OMG! Ponies!

@Mith: Yeah, but cheating and having a kid out of wedlock isn't a federal offense, unlike the whole cracking a password thing.

Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->

Dun Dun Dunnnn! Way to go 4c3 h4XX0r!

Solaricide

Hurt him? This kid's political career is off to a great start!

svgjjc

Wait, why his dad's career? I thought it was perfectly alright for politicians to secretly read other people's e-mail, expose what they find in an effort to discredit tham, and then get away with it scot-free?

Oh wait, he's a Democrat?! Yeah, he's screwed.

TheName

I think this incident will create a hilarious new smear campaign for the Republicans.

"Obama says he's for change, but things haven't changed at all. Barack Obama hires his liberal lackeys to destroy our personal documents for personal gain. Is that the kind of change you believe in? I'm John McCain and I approve this message."

ViewtifulJason

@junyo: Oh, you have to love the media, its 100% fact :D

rofl...

Jon B.

@Mith: john Edwards is out of the picture. He isn't even in politics anymore. And he is most likely done trying to run for president. His life as of now is far from alright. Yes WE have forgotten him but those involved with baby-gate are still dealing with the fallout.

thechansen

Well, I haven't looked up any of the laws, and I am really shooting from the hip here, but I think it may be a stretch to really go after the kid, especially as he guessed her password.

Now, with that being said, I am going to guess they are going to go after him for some serious felony level crap, and will try to ruin his life, but I ask "to what end?"

zenpoet

@autobott: Lol, I'm sorry, but that was the worst 'campain slogan' I've ever heard. Just add a little epic voice behind it, there ya go :D

Jon B.

@MDIFILM: Yeah, right after monkeys fly out of Chris Matthew's ass, and Olbermann tongue kisses Dubya live on air. The media has been spinning this hard as Palin's fault. And the beauty part is he didn't find anything. If you do a lame 'hack" against a high value target and don't get anything good, put shit back like you found it and walk away. This jackass bragged about it because he knew he'd get cover from the media.

junyo

@Jon B.: I think he meant that Palin is now a martyr to Internet haxors(hax?omfglolwtf!). So now the 'Innocent well-behaved Republicans' have a mail account that has been hacked by the 'Demonic hoards of the Democratic Party'.

SgtToastie

@Mith: Having an affair isn't a felony. While I agree that this guy won't serve the 500 years minimum sentence for hacking, it's not really the same thing.

shockwaver

If she can't come up with a password that's secure enough to protect her email, how can she protect our country?

autobott

daaaaamnnn!

unkpku is sick

@Kaiser-Machead on the Edge:
I think they are gonna give him his 15 mins and then hes gonna end up alright.. I mean geez, John Edwards had a affair and a perhaps a illegitimate child.. but I wont know for sure since no one gives a damn anymore!

Guys prolly gonna run for president again too..

Mith

I would say I feel sorry for him, but he went in with malicious intent so I don't. Even though I don't care much for Palin.

SgtToastie

@MDIFILM: Uhm, last time I checked,

both parties are trying to trash both parties, thats called 'politics'.

Jon B.

Lol, sucks for him, and his dad.

Jon B.

@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->: Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God!

Kaiser-Machead on the Edge

@Kaiser-Machead on the Edge: Screeching? They didn't mention Hillary, did they ;)

Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->

you know that the media is going to stir some more things about how the democratic party is trying to sabotage the republican party... etc...

MDIFILM

D'OH!! . This guy and his kid might want to join a missionary program, and spread the word of Jebus.

Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->

His life won't come to a screeching halt. There may be some screeching, but it'll be moving alright. Uh..ahem..yeah.

Kaiser-Machead on the Edge

Weatherman is correct - Please change the headline to "Son of a State Representative May Be Possible Suspect In Palin E-Mail Hack".

There are no charges yet. There's been no indictment. There's been no arrest.

OMG! Ponies!

Maybe it was just Send-work-related-emails-through-your-private-email-address day, and you guys missed the memo.

Rabid Penguin

The kid is gonna be fine. Now if he wasn't the son of a political figure he'd be in for it.

andrethejesus

@Rabid Penguin: Dang straight! (no pun intended)

Jon B.

@johnnyabnormal: I was thinking Evo_lie_tion myself.

Kaiser-Machead on the Edge

@johnnyabnormal: Also, there is no such thing as a gay penguin.

Rabid Penguin

@Steel_Pelican: I think there's a difference between 17 and 20, legally. It's also not a crime to get knocked up by your hick boyfriend.

johnnyabnormal

Or perhaps "humanscametoearthformouterspaceonthebacksofcrystalsandaredecendantsofkrypton."

Rabid Penguin

@stinkyboy: LOL at the guy who doesn't know the PDF is on hundreds of sites and I just picked the top one off google.

johnnyabnormal

Federal crime, federal time.

dnheller

Sucks to be him, guess he shouldn't have been trying to get into someone elses email and invading their privacy.

Hand_O_Death

Well, I'm sure the GOP will leave Rep. Kernell alone, since the actions of a child shouldn't reflect on a parent, right? That's why they've been telling us about Bristol Palin's baby, right? And how we shouldn't judge Sarah by Bristol's actions?

Right?

/optimism

Steel_Pelican

LOL @ the guy sourcing motherjones.

stinkyboy

@Rabid Penguin: Or "gaypenguins_needtobecured_bymychurch_911" :)

johnnyabnormal

@gattsuru: Let's make this clear: She was using a Yahoo account for govt. business. That is illegal. I refer you to OMG! Ponies! comments above.

johnnyabnormal

@Xavoc: I heard the password was "jesusonadinosaur69"

johnnyabnormal

Well, that was some good O.J..

*grabs popcorn

back to the bloodshed!!

Jon B.

@Lupison: Eh? What does putting in someone else's email address and clicking 'forgot your password' have to do with thinking outside the box?

BaseVilliN

@Rabid Penguin: uhhh.... o.o

Wow, I need a glass of O.J. after that one.

Jon B.

@johnnyabnormal: First of all, I'm not sure I should click on the link at work, because I'm not sure what it is.

But I'm going to assume by your comment you think you have "proof" of gay penguins with a picture or something... Wasn't that how bigfoot was proven to be real as well?

Anyone who thinks there are gay penguins is just confused and misguided. Possibly even gay themselves and looking for acceptance in the animal kingdom because their parents decided to withhold their love.

Also Christ died to save mankind, not animals, so I doubt Palin's church would care much about your gay penguin theory.

Rabid Penguin

@berribrand: The weird thing about the "Troopergate" investigation? The guy definitely should have been let go. Not only did he admit to drinking while driving his police cruiser, he also admitted to tasering his child for fun with his state-issued taser.

The guy really is kind of a POS, and even he supports Palin.

Xavoc

If the facists want the troopergate investigation to be put on hold, I'd say use this as a bargaining chip.

berribrand

@infmom: WHOWWOWWEEWOWOW HE CAN'T CHECK HIS EMAIL OMGLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL THAT MEANS HE CANT USE A COMPUTER!I'mNOT VOTING FOR HIM, OMG SO OUTOFTOUCH FROM SOCIETY!!!!!11!!!11oneone11!!

:)

Jon B.

@Jon B.: Damn gay, you mean: Say hello to Roy and Silo...
[www.sfgate.com]
@Rabid Penguin: I hope this link doesn't give you a boner. If so, contact Palin's church immediately for rehabilitation.

johnnyabnormal

@usa1: No indication his dad even knows how to use a computer.

infmom

@OMG! Ponies!:
"Possible Son of a Possible State Representative May Be A Possible Suspect In Palin's (If That Is Her Real Name) Alleged E-Mail Hack."

fixed.

Rabid Penguin

This new layout is bunk. 20 comments per page? What a pain in the ass.

johnnyabnormal

Oops...Sorry Dad.

Chromeo

@junyo: Did you Google "18 Minutes" yet? If so, let me know what the first hit is.

OMG! Ponies!

Before everybody's pity glands go into overdrive, remember that Palin was (probably illegally) doing state business on yahoo mail. And she announced, in front of her Gawd and everyone, how proud she is of her email password hint (which, coincidentally, sounds like "Wasilla High School"). If any IT guy had been this sloppy with security and passwords he'd be out on his @$$ with a quickness. With SarahTina PalinFey it's just another charming quirk.

Oh, and to the NSA, who's reading this message now! Hi guys!

DangerousLiberal

aw man right when i transfer from UT something cool happens

lite.blu

@OMG! Ponies!: Nice try, but there's nothing in the quoted statute that a) says that business must be conducted on state owned systems or equipment, b) that says that all communication must be on state owned media. It obligates one, without specificity as to the means, to "make and preserve public records containing adequate and proper documentation of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions of the agency, and designed to furnish the information necessary to protect the legal and financial rights of the state and of persons directly affected by the agency's activities;" So unless her kids pictures and conversations about journalists(after all we're not talking in abstract we know the precise contents of the email account) are public record , essential transactions, or impact the legal or financial rights of the state of Alaska the policy has no bearing. Further, even if they did, she merely has to have a records retention program. The records were maintained and archived offsite (by Yahoo) and if the state had a meaningful need to see them they were legally accessible by simple subpoena. I'm pretty sure as the chief executive she was well within her rights to define that as policy for the executive branch, assuming the chief executive's office acts a s a "state agency". Again, you guys are talking out of your ass.

junyo

@Rabid Penguin: Don't worry, I won't tempt you with pictures of hot male on male action. The link is a newspaper article about two penguins who are gay. Yes, it is scientifically proven. Yes, they have sex. Yes, other animals have been observed having gay sex too. Deal with it. Hiding behind your religion won't save you from reality, my friend...for it appears it is you who is "confused and misguided". :)

johnnyabnormal

4chan's loving all this attention... what whores.

tripplehelix

@johnnyabnormal: Agreed, I have to click too much. The new reply system is welcome though, thanks Giz!

Jon B.

@Xavoc:

I agree the guy sounds like a douche. But I don't think he admitted to drinking while driving (source?), and the tasering, in "demo" mode, while stupid, wasn't an act of malicious violence. Should he have been fired? Arguably. Does that make it OK for Palin to use her position as governor to pressure his supervisor to fire him? Definitely not. Does that excuse Palin to fire said supervisor (if true)? Abso-fucking-lutely not.

Dearhaw

@johnnyabnormal:

Right there with ya.

Dearhaw

Doesn't matter if it took months of bleeding-edge hackery or just a lucky guess. It's still hacking, it's still illegal, and it's still wrong.

Peabdog

@Dearhaw: And no, not an act of malicious violence, but it helps establish a record of poor judgement and behavior due to poor judgement by an officer of the law who is entrusted with special powers to enact his duties. Which includes, carrying a taser, operating an official state vehicle, the ability to carry a gun openly.

I've known some pretty stupid cops, but anyone I've ever come across with this kind of judgemental impairment was quickly removed from their job.

Xavoc

@Dearhaw: He was caught w/ open containers of alcohol in the vehicle, and was reprimanded for it.

Some of the documentation is here...

As for whether it makes it OK for her to fire said supervisor, if you felt that such conduct were not OK for your state troopers, and the supervisor who works for you disagrees with you, then really I wouldn't be surprised if you removed the supervisor. Does there appear to be some personal involvement in the case, yes, does the appearance of possible impropriety or personal will being enforced make it illegal? Not necessarily.

Do I like Palin, respect her, or want to vote for her? No. I think her being elected will set women back 50 years as far as rights advancement based upon her personal beliefs and policies. So, I'm not saying any of this because I like her. As a republican I find her repugnant.

Xavoc

He did it all just to find some nudy pics of Palin....completely understandable, she should be flattered.

danatoth

@OMG! Ponies!: I googled it and all I got was porn

taftsearlobe33

@Rabid Penguin: There is no "if". Yes, proof is a beeyach.

johnnyabnormal

@Xavoc:

I don't dispute the likely probability that the douche should've been relieved of his duties, but Palin trying to force his supervisor to remove him appears to have been deeply personal, and the accusations but good excuses for that, which I do believe raises the question of ethics. That's why there's an investigation going on, and we'll see what they conclude.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that the ethics of Palin's involvement in the issue and whether or not the trooper should have been fired are two separate issues. You know, the old adage about two evils not making good, yada yada.

"As a republican I find her repugnant."

I'm very glad there are sane people on the Republican side. Seriously.

Dearhaw

@Rabid Penguin: Come to think of it, why are we even talking about this on a blog about Sarah Palin's email?

Rabid Penguin

@johnnyabnormal: Just because you get the gay porn spice channel and it happens to feature penguins one night doesn't mean that's how it works in the real world. Scientifically proven huh. And if two penguins _were_ found to be gay (and I'm not saying that's possible) what would happen to them? Could the two gay penguins breed with each other to create a whole race of gay penguins?

Rabid Penguin

i still cant comment. jesus h christ

milkmedia

@johnnyabnormal: If you want to call that proof lol. You enjoy your little gay penguin fantasy... just make sure I'm not in it... Look at my avatar - I have a gun :c) and I'm rabid.

And even if some animals were gay (but not penguins, if any animal was gay it would probably be flamingos... or camels) we should not be looking to animals (which live on instinct and lack reason) for our sense of right and wrong.

Rabid Penguin

funny how people are ripping on palin for using a yahoo account. but obamas running mate stole speeches from some guy in Europe when he ran for prez in 88'. Also adopted the guys life story about being a farmer or some rubbish like that and seeing his father wither... but this wasn't biden's life. it was the author of the original speech. And he was called on it. admitted he was a douche bag and dropped out of the race.

aeroworks

@Rabid Penguin: "And even if some animals were gay (but not penguins, if any animal was gay it would probably be flamingos... or camels) we should not be looking to animals (which live on instinct and lack reason) for our sense of right and wrong."

It's not your place to determine whether homosexuality is "right or wrong" for the world at large who may or may not share your personal religious beliefs. It is merely your task to decide if it should prevent another American citizen from having the same Constitutional rights that you enjoy.

Surprisingly, Rev Al Sharpton once made a very insightful comment about this issue to Anderson Cooper.

He said, and I will paraphrase whilst definitely keeping the spirit intact.

He said, "Anderson, I may personally have some very strong religious beliefs that what youn do may send you straight to hell, but I am going to fight for your legal right to get there."

Too bad so many others are too narrow minded to separate their personal religious beliefs from their sense of legal equality.

robinandtami

@Rabid Penguin: Okay.. I'm really not liking this new commenting system... When I submit a comment it takes me to the last page even if my comment is on the first page.

Either way, that's enough about penguins. I'm sure we can find some other topic to talk about endlessly ;c)

Rabid Penguin

@Rabid Penguin: Yeah, moving comments are evil.

johnnyabnormal

@Rabid Penguin: Hubris much? Dolphins have HUGE brains. Maybe we are lucky they don't have opposable thumbs or we'd be screwed. All species have strengths. Without your technology and material belongings, they kick your ass. Sure, we're smart enough to invent stuff, but we still wreck the planet and can't stop fighting wars. At least animals don't believe fairy tales as fact, using religion to brainwash each other with.

johnnyabnormal

@johnnyabnormal: haha... well played sir, well played.

Rabid Penguin

@OMG! Ponies!: True. I keep having to hit "classic view" over and over, then the >>. At least posting images still seems to work.

@Rabid Penguin: This one's for you, buddy:

johnnyabnormal

@OMG! Ponies!: /agreed

Rabid Penguin

@johnnyabnormal: Why do you always bring up gravity? Where does that even come from? But humans do have a superiority to animals. I'm sorry you don't think that.

dammit.. i told myself I'd stop commenting on this :c)

On another note: I HATE the new commenting system. Comments should NOT move.

Rabid Penguin

@robinandtami: Marriage is a religious act. It should be up to one's church whether they want to marry you, and it should be up to one's state whether they want to recognize that marriage. But I don't really want to get into that... I was just responding to johnny about penguin's being gay. oh my... I just had to comment again didn't I :c /

Rabid Penguin

@Rabid Penguin: Yeah, I would call those two penguins having ass sex for the last 6 years proof of their homosexuality. It's not a "fantasy" (like religion). It's actually true and well documented. Monkeys, dolphins, etc. have gay sex all the time. I'm straight as a steel yard stick, but I don't feel threatened by any of this. Neither should you or anyone else who claims to have some sort of imagined moral superiority over other living things. To deny otherwise is like insisting that gravity doesn't exist and we are only held to this earth by choice. :)

johnnyabnormal

This new commenting system is a clusterfuck.

OMG! Ponies!

@johnnyabnormal:
Things have seriously changed since I was last there then. I lived in Alaska for two years and never heard of or saw such a thing. They do get lonely isolated up there in the wind and cold... it can drive you mad.

Rabid Penguin

@Rabid Penguin: "Can you confirm this?" I'm pretty sure I haven't seen any animals running around with Bibles...and then there's all that gay sex they are having too...haha.

"fact. All animals do is poo and eat their poo... we've created art from it"

I heard Alaskans make ear rings from dried moose poo, totally serious.

johnnyabnormal

@johnnyabnormal: "At least animals don't believe fairy tales as fact, using religion to brainwash each other with." Can you confirm this?

"Without your technology and material belongings, they kick your ass." And without our intellect we wouldn't be able to make those things... the fact is we DO have all those things and animals DON'T. We are FAR superior to animals... well, some of us are. It has nothing to do with pride... it's a simple fact. All animals do is poo and eat their poo... we've created art from it lol.

Rabid Penguin

@autobott: You realize that it has nothing to do with how secure her password was, right?

Blinklink11

@OMG! Ponies!: yes it is.

Blinklink11

@OMG! Ponies!: That would seem to be correct. Perhaps we'll get used to it.

GadgetPlay

@johnnyabnormal: "I'm pretty sure I haven't seen any animals running around with Bibles...and then there's all that gay sex they are having too...haha."

Well, then, there's my problem. It isn't my weight (speaking of which, down 46 pounds), I've just needed to be in Alaska.

* quickly emails travel agent *

Alaksa, here I come--popularity at last! (But, umm, minus that whole poo-eating concept.)

bosskev

Nothing's changed. All the same lies and distortions continue to be repeated.

The Democrat son and his father will be heroes to their party, one (at least) being a criminal, and the other father of a criminal.

This new system sucks. It makes it very difficult to navigate or enjoy a thread.

GadgetPlay

@johnnyabnormal: That picture so used to be my MSN icon. Then I switched to a bong smoking Jesus.

robinandtami

@Rabid Penguin: We are so genetically similar to chimpanzees that theoretically you could create a human/chimp hybrid. Chimps have the intelligence level of a six year old child, and can perform some intellectual tasks faster and better than an average adult human. They make and use tools specific to the task they are trying to perform; for instance when going to raid a termite mound, chimps have the forsight to bring their tools with them. This of course indicates foresight and planning and not just "mmmm... termites."

robinandtami

He's 20 years old. WTF does his actions have to do with his father?

JEmlay

@robinandtami: My MSN avatar is a puppy German Shepherd poking his cute little head out of a box... it's a little less sacrilegious.

@robinandtami: If a chimp or a dolphin is the best the animal kingdom has to offer then they need to try a little harder ;c) Don't get me wrong, I love animals - specifically dogs and penguins - but humans are on a whole other level.

I'll talk to you guys later, I think I'm going to go get a nice juicy hamburger.

Rabid Penguin

@robinandtami: Ha!

johnnyabnormal

@Blinklink11: You're right. It has nothing to do with her password It has to do with how secure the answer to her security question was. Unfortunately, it wasn't secure at all once she announced the answer on live television to millions of viewers.

Security Question
Where did you and your husband meet?

Answer
Wasilla High

Sarah Palin at the Republican National Convention
My husband was my high school sweetheart. Please hack me now that I have given you all the info you need right here on live televison as I look like a MILF.

robinandtami

@GadgetPlay:

i gonna hold a good thought on whether the kid gets what's coming to him. mostly for being stupid. and then for not covering his tracks.

godwhacker

@robinandtami: I'm not a big fan of Palin either, but some or most of what you just typed qualifies as unsubstantiated hearsay. Certainly the issue of the librarian has some nasty implications, but she never actually tried to either remove the book or the librarian.

You would do well to examine your approach to politics, because if you just act on the insults and hearsay being thrown around you will be a slave to the political system, and no better than McCain and his mud-slinging cronies.

A much more healthy and helpful approach would be to examine candidates' stances on issues, their history (even if it isn't long, it is important to see what substantive things they have done), their integrity, and their ability to lead.

While I am skeptical of his ability, I have heard some great things come out of Barack Obama. He is an intelligent, articulate, thoughtful candidate who seems to have a lot of great ideas for this country. However, even he is getting far too caught up in petty bickering and mudslinging.

In short, [FactCheck]/a> is a wonderful resource.

josejuan05

After going through troubingly detailed account of homosexual pengiuns, I've found this thread rather informative. I haven't heard of the story (I'm behind the times) and it was explained rather well here.

I like the new comment system, in my RSS reader web window all the comments are on 1 page.

JoshS

@Dearhaw: Especially when you take into account her history of using public office for just such things.

One of the first things she did as mayor? Fire every department head who supported her opponent. Soon after? Attempt to fire town librarian who would not remove the book "Pastor I am Gay" authored by a local minister. That attempt was thwarted by public outcry.

robinandtami

@godwhacker: Awwww, wook at da wittle heart next to your skull & cross bones....so cute!

*pukes*

johnnyabnormal

@Rabid Penguin: Add me to the "agreed" list; nice effort, terrible implementation.

bosskev

@johnnyabnormal:

hahahahhahahhahahahhahahhahhahahahhaha!!!

i like yours too!

*retch*

godwhacker

LOL
David Kernell fails at trying to make his own watergate scandal.
Teenage rebellion ain't what it used to be :P

Craysh

@Xavoc: I suppose what gets me is that Palin is on record saying "hold me accountable." And yet, she and her supporters are crying this as a witch hunt. Palin should have had the decency to just excuse herself from the matter given her sister was in a messy divorce with the said trooper. The trooper was reprimanded previously based on a list of breeches of conduct Palin provided, but apparently the punishement wasn't enough to satiate Palin. Let's not forget that it was the Republicans in the Alaska Legislature that approved this investigation. Let's not also forget that Palin tried to get a librarian fired for upholding the First Amendment by refusing to agree to ban a book Palin didn't like. It was a decision she later retracted due to public outcry.

I can't imagine what kind of "reform" Palin would bring to the White House if we are so unfortunate to have her elected tot he VP slot.

berribrand

@GadgetPlay: You know, I get the feeling most rational people are opposed to invasion of privacy, no matter who does it to whom. It's a grievous ethical breach, and I think most people of both parties recognize that. Your whole "heroes to their party" comment is just another groundless personal attack, as always.

Also, since when is being the "father of a criminal" a crime? You seem to have some hilariously skewed ideas of laws and ethics.

Ubik2501

Haven't they known it was this kid for weeks?

Nemesisesq

If he has or hasn't who really cares. If Palin can't keep her email site secure from the average person, what good will she be for this country. I mean how hard is it to make a strong password. My 10 year old nephew can do that.

drugshovel