What?! The Daily Express is The World's Greatest Newspaper! It says so right on the front page!

Because as everyone knows, getting a fast answer is better than getting a correct one.

(Unless the fast answer is a correct answer you don't like. See: Coleman vs Franken.)

In most situations, I think the tipping point is generally the support -- or at minimum, the lack of opposition -- of the military and/or security service(s). Of course, that just pushes the question back one level: What does it take to get the military and/or security service(s) to walk away from the current regime?

That depends on a mix of factors concerning the priorities of the leadership of services: stability, honor, and personal benefit in terms of power and/or money. The ratio of the mix depends in general on how those leaders came to be leaders, and varies from person to person. Do you appeal to them by convincing them that the current regime can't maintain order? Do you try to make the argument that their honor is not so much about obeying the current regime as about serving the country? Do you convince them that they'd be personally better-off under a new regime?

There's some truth to that, but -- assuming the election was stolen -- it looks like even those small differences were enough for Khomeini to step in, which points up just how short he wants the leash to be.

Huh. Why does that argument sound vaguely familiar?

Well, yes and no. He has spoken in support of the protestors speaking out, while being careful not to publically agree with what they're saying.

This is why Obama has tried to be very careful about what he says. Given that there is a history of meddling by the US (and others), anything he says is going to be seen through that filter. People calling for stronger statements by Obama seem to be unaware of that history ... or are pretending to be.

One of the funny things, Unions, if you want to be a member, well, you are free to sign up for it.

And free to go on unemployment after you do.

Union membership strongly correlates with how well the government enforces regulations against things like firing people for union organizing.

Wealth disparity in society has a strong inverse correlation with union membership.

(Sure, correlation causation ... but the connection looks a lot more likely than the solar cycle.)

Hey, if you live long enough, it could happen.

Don't laugh, or you'll get your cable cut too.

How will Disney survive without Steve Jobs? Where will our children go for disneyfied stories and cheap-shit tie-in merchandise?

WON'T SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?

The real problem was all the zombie processes.

Try adding a reference to "extensions". That'll help.