Obama to Ban Anti-Gay Discrimination by Gov. Contractors, SCOTUS Allows Third-Party Gun Buy Bans, Russia Cuts Off Ukraine's Gas: P.M. Links

• 

  U.S. Army

  The White House announced today President Barack Obama will sign an executive order prohibiting federal government contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Gay activists have been hounding the administration to compose such an order for years.

• The Supreme Court ruled in a close decision, 5-4, that the federal government can ban third-party or "straw" purchases of guns, even if the final recipient of the gun is a legal buyer.
• California lawmakers have passed a $156 billion budget that includes allowing Gov. Jerry Brown to use money from the state's cap-and-trade program to help pay for the $68 billion high-speed rail plan that just will not die.
• Russia has cut off gas to Ukraine over unpaid bills, setting back peace efforts even further.
• The Army has begun its formal probe to determine why Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl left his post in Afghanistan in 2009.
• The Securities and Exchange Commission Monday accused a hedge fund firm of retaliating against an employee who reported inappropriate transactions. Yes, that's right: Officials of the Obama administration are trying to protect whistle-blowers … as long as they're in the private sector.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH GAME OF THRONES?

[Episiarch]

Nothing. Which is why we should talk about GoT more.

[Pro Libertate]

The final book will focus on Ned Stark's floating, disembodied head's revenge.

[Episiarch]

No, the final book will be all about Hot Pie. Nothing but Hot Pie.

[Pro Libertate]

I feel Martin hasn't thoroughly explored the whys and wherefores of Hodor.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

"The Adventures of Hot Pie and Hodor."

[Episiarch]

"The Sexual Adventures of Hot Pie and Hodor". NutraSweet will ghostwrite. I'd read it.

[Auric Demonocles]

He's going to sell so much kidney pie he can buy some armor, and thus become a knight.

[Stormy Dragon]

The series end with Rickon's dire wolf becoming the king of Westeros; fans enraged to discover the whole thing was just a Shaggy Dog story.

[db]

The real world is.filled with power-mad, murderous, conniving politicians conspiring and jockeying for world domination, ready to squeeze the peons for every last drop of taxes to fund their schemes, so I can see why you folks who.are.into Game of Thrones enjoy your lighthearted weekly escape in the story.

[Stormy Dragon]

Because these power-mad, murderous, conniving politicians conspiring and jockeying for world domination, ready to squeeze the peons for every last drop of taxes to fund their schemes can't actually hurt us?

[Ted S.]

Who gives a shit about Game of Thrones?

[MJGreen]

Technically not a first.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Does this mean I win?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Enjoy it.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

2 of the last 3 days. I think I might retire from the Internet.

[Auric Demonocles]

The White House announced today President Barack Obama will sign an executive order prohibiting federal government contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Gay activists have been hounding the administration to compose such an order for years.

Loras gets his due.

The Supreme Court ruled in a close decision, 5-4, that the federal government can ban third-party or "straw" purchases of guns, even if the final recipient of the gun is a legal buyer.

No faceless buyers!

California lawmakers have passed a $156 billion budget that includes allowing Gov. Jerry Brown to use money from the state's cap-and-trade program to help pay for the $68 billion high-speed rail plan that just will not die.

Russia has cut off gas to Ukraine over unpaid bills, setting back peace efforts even further.

Overspending governments? Fear the Iron Bank.

[Auric Demonocles]

The Army has begun its formal probe to determine why Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl left his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

Slynt would be proud.

The Securities and Exchange Commission Monday accused a hedge fund firm of retaliating against an employee who reported inappropriate transactions. Yes, that's right: Officials of the Obama administration are trying to protect whistle-blowers ? as long as they're in the private sector.

The last two whistleblowers in the Westorsi public sector? Jon Arryn and Eddard Stark.

[R C Dean]

The Army has begun its formal probe

They didn't investigate anything at the time? I find that . . . unlikely.

At this point, the only thing left should be to interrogate Bergdahl. They should be able to wrap the whole thing up in a week or two.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

"You said these things and sent these emails, right? OK, so what did you tell your captors, and what did you do during that time."

There, now we are done.

[Jerryskids]

The problem with the Abramski decision:

And in any event, keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals is not ?922's only goal: The statute's record-keeping provisions, as we have said, are also designed to aid law enforcement in the investigation of crime. See supra, at 2?3, 12?13. Abramski's proposed limitation on ?922(a)(6) would undercut that purpose because many would-be criminals remain legally eligible to buy firearms, and thus could use straws to purchase anendless stream of guns off-the-books.

Does this not sound like Kagan is arguing that interpreting a law in a manner that undercuts the cops ability to investigate crimes is good enough reason to reject that interpretation of the law? That those pesky criminals would use "loopholes" in the law if we let them? Does Kagan intend to use this reasoning in any upcoming Fourth Amendment cases? Does she consider the Fourth Amendment proscription of warrantless searches to be one of those legal loopholes that criminals use to hide evidence of their wrongdoing and that undercut the cops abilities to investigate crimes?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hello.

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Russia has cut off gas to Ukraine over unpaid bills, setting back peace efforts even further.

No soup for you.

[Ted S.]

To the neo-Soviets, peace means Ukraine surrendering unconditionally and once again becoming a vassal state.

[Jon Lester]

So what do they want, gas imports from the US, subsidized by US taxpayers, to undercut Russia's fair-market prices? And for what, so Joe Biden's son can hold a job with the largest Ukrainian energy company?

[Almanian!]

"Who run Barter Town?"

[Fist of Etiquette]

Yes, that's right: Officials of the Obama administration are trying to protect whistle-blowers ? as long as they're in the private sector.

Without a hint of self-awareness, to be sure.

[Andrew S.]

I'm sure he's got self awareness about it.

Now his drones like Shriek? They won't have any self-awareness at all.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Army has begun its formal probe to determine why Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl left his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

To get to the other side.

[Big Chief]

* stands and applauds *

[Matrix]

Genetically modified orange bananas are ready to feed humans

It's basically to have bananas produce Beta Carotene so that kids in Uganda can get vitamin A. Pretty cool.

Here's a derptastic comment, though:
thisbymaster
GMO food is good when it is done by scientists to feed the hungry, GMO done by corporations to improve their bottom line are bad.
Could be trolling

This one is great, though:
isuzufan
"For the children in Africa suffering from vitamin A deficiencies, this is a godsend." And for self-righteous hippies in America, this is a rallying point for obstructionism.

lololololololol

[paranoid android]

Every time a scientist helps feed a malnourished child, the Earth dies a little bit, because as many thousands of years of famines, floods, and pestilence can attest to, there's nothing Gaia hates more than poor people.

[Episiarch]

"Orange banana" is also a term used to describe lighting a fart on fire. So there's that.

[Bobarian]

"Orange banana"

Something to do with Cheetos and porn?

Also known as "goldmember"?

[boomslang4]

We always called them "Barking Spiders".

[Ted S.]

"Boranges" or "Onanas"? I prefer the latter.

[jesse.in.mb]

I know a few people who are all panicky about Golden Rice.

Greenpeace opposes the use of any patented genetically modified organisms in agriculture and opposes the cultivation of golden rice, claiming it will open the door to more widespread use of GMOs.

Jesus, Greenpeace, drop fucking dead.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Key word: patented.

[jesse.in.mb]

They're anti-GMO anyway:

These genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can spread through nature and interbreed with natural organisms, thereby contaminating non 'GE' environments and future generations in an unforeseeable and uncontrollable way.

[BakedPenguin]

The left has secularized Original Sin. They really think humans using their intelligence to better human lives is evil.

[Jerryskids]

It should be pretty easy to do some computer modeling that gets rid of all that 'unforeseeable and uncontrollable' business, shouldn't it? I mean, they've got computer models that can accurately show the climatic conditions of the whole planet for the next century or so, don't they? How hard can it be to track some pollen?

I was asking somebody about some of the carbon sink proposals that have been floating around and mentioned the studies that have been done on dumping iron in the ocean to promote algae blooms - he was horrified to think that they would do something this risky since there's no way they could possibly know what the effects of this would be. Not even with computer modeling?

[db]

There is some retard in our parking lot with a "Right to kNOw GMOs" bumper sticker. It infuriates me. I work for.a.chemical company. I don't know who.owns.the car, but I'm afraid it is a particular person who I.have some respect for as an engineer, but I'm almost certainl to be disabused of this.

[db]

Goddammit, I.just confirmed whose.car that.is, and I'm terribly disappointed. The.only possible excuse she has.is that it is actually her.husband's car.

[db]

*yawn* wake me up when they engineer the strawberry banana.

[Almanian!]

*yawn* wake me when they engineer the Purple Banana

/Prince

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I want smoothies straight out of the cow.

[db]

As soon as they figure out how to keep the in-udder refrigerant vessels from plugging and rupturing, you're golden.

[Aloysious]

anti-GMO activists are superstitious Luddites.

Get off my planet.

/cranky butt

[MJGreen]

Do we really want to use these poor African children as lab rats for the corporations? NO! NO GMO food until it can pass common sense testing based on the precautionary principle! Don't let these corporations play with the lives of impoverished African children!

[R C Dean]

Pitch-perfect proggy trolling. Nicely done.

[Palin's Buttplug]

The Army has begun its formal probe to determine why Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl left his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

Too late, he has already been swift-boated.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

Wtf? So he's running for office now?

[Almanian!]

How long till he's appointed Sec'y of State?

[Brandon]

Well, if Fluke can do it...

[Brandon]

You lazy fuck, the proper talking point is "swiftboated by those baby-killing psychopaths."

[Warty]

Salon attempts to have some discussions about libertarianism that are more nuanced than OOGA BOOGA KOCHTOPUSSA, sort of kind of succeeds.

Why I left libertarianism: An ethical critique of a limited ideology

Libertarianism as direct experience: My defense of a misunderstood philosophy

Warning: contain comments.

Sage4 23 hours ago
@ARealNewYorker It's growing for a reason. We are immersed in propaganda. Libertarian Republican web sites keep popping up all over the Internet daily. David Brat was financed by Libertarian plutocrats using dark money. It's unbelievable the extent of the propaganda.

[Warty]

And the links in that comment are not to be missed.

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/1.....t_partner/

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/1.....pocalypse/

[paranoid android]

You know, I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about those headlines makes me think Salon's being a bit too sensational here.

[Episiarch]

They really, really do love apocalyptic fever dreams, don't they. Every single thing that happens is the end of the world, from temperatures maybe going up a little to some schmuck beating Cantor in a primary.

Say, what happened to the Mayans and 2012? Funny, you never hear about that any more. I wonder why?

[Warty]

...Your mom?

[John]

And didn't they hate Cantor? And don't they think anyone who lives outside of a city is a racist, ignorant hillbilly? If those to things are true, how is Cantor losing in a district full of racist tea bagging morons a sign of the apocalypse?

[Ted S.]

It's projection, all the way down.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You go straight to the comments, don't you?

[Ted S.]

Just like at Reason.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Always.

[Almanian!]

I just read it for the pictures...

[Episiarch]

And it's instantaneous, total projection. As always.

[Warty]

Salon has spent the past, what, two years? three? hurling absurd invective at libertarians. Now they want to have a serious discussion about the ethics of libertarians? Fuck them.

[Episiarch]

How can they have a serious discussion about anything when their only default modes are "lying through their teeth", "completely lacking in even the most basic understanding of the subject", and "shitting their pants"?

[Tonio]

That's a tough call Wartster. It seems like we are in the "then they debate you" stage. As tempting as it is to ignore outlets like Salon, it is in our best interests to engage them so that the ill-informed may learn the truth about us.

Then when we win we can ignore them.

[Warty]

I suppose it's good that these idiots are giving us any press. But it gets tiresome to see average morons on the internet who now think that they're experts on libertarianism because they skimmed some bullshit Salon invective against Murray Rothbard.

[Episiarch]

But that's what these types do, so you're never going to get away from that. Remember, they don't think. They go to an approved gatekeeper for talking points and to be told what to think. And that always results in average morons on the internet who now think they're experts on something because they skimmed some bullshit invective from an approved gatekeeper.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

Heh. This was Looming Large Joe's schtick to a T.

[John]

David Brat was financed by Libertarian plutocrats using dark money.

All $200,000 he spent on the campaign. Those plutocrats are sure cheap bastards.

These people really do live in a fantasy world. We think shreek is a bot or just an exceptional retard. No, he is just a typical prog.

[Pro Libertate]

You don't know the efficiency of the libertarian dollar.

[Lady Bertrum]

You don't know the efficiency of the libertarian dollar.

The efficiency of the libertarian dollar to the progressive dollar is 100:1.

The same ratio of Men of the Night's Watch to Wildlings.

[Pro Libertate]

We don't use mere multipliers; we use magnitudifiers.

[Andrew S.]

Stannis Baratheon 2016!

[Lady Bertrum]

"Kneeling when you speak to your king!"

[Stormy Dragon]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/er.....andidates/

[Sevo]

Needs more video games.

[Auric Demonocles]

Now, witness the power of this fully staffed and operational campaign organization!

[paranoid android]

But this was *hushed voice* dark money. It's like regular money, only, you know, dark. The Koch brothers got the Grand Wizards of the KKK to put a hex on it, or something.

[John]

Dark money has the effect of ten times the amount of good money.

[Restoras]

Ahhh, the elusive Multiplier Effect...

[Episiarch]

It's like gold-pressed Latinum!

[mad.casual]

It's like regular money, only, you know, dark.

Money with so much value that light cannot escape its surface.

This stuff is what powers the Fed.

[Marquis of Fantailler]

but if there's dark money then what is the money we see? i thought dark money was like dark matter; never seen directly, but the effects of it can. Guess this means libertarians have invented hyper-dense money?

[Lady Bertrum]

"LIBERTARIAN WEB SITES!!! POPPING UP ALL OVER THE WEB!!!!DAILY.

Oh, the humanity!

[DesigNate]

One look at that tool's picture and I can guess why he left libertarianism.

[R C Dean]

We are immersed in propaganda.

And he got off to such a good start, too.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...that the federal government can ban third-party or "straw" purchases of guns, even if the final recipient of the gun is a legal buyer.

An accurate database is crucial.

[jesse.in.mb]

California lawmakers have passed a $156 billion budget that includes allowing Gov. Jerry Brown to use money from the state's cap-and-trade program to help pay for the $68 billion high-speed rail plan that just will not die.

Kashmiri Mr. Clean wants to help you with that.

[Warty]

Con: Has mediocre woodsplitting technique. Wears gloves. Pro: has pleasantly thick neck. Hates trains. 7/10 would vote for.

[jesse.in.mb]

has pleasantly thick neck

I nearly destroyed my keyboard and monitor, choked instead.

[Warty]

It's nearly as thick as his head. He's very likely to be a useful human with a respectable neck like that.

[Episiarch]

"Gutsy question, you're a shark. Sharks are winners and they don't look back 'cause they don't have necks. Necks are for sheep. I am proud to be the shepherd of this herd of sharks."

[BiMonSciFiCon]

So I made the mistake of reading the comments on a C.H. Sommmers Daily Beast article on the wage gap, and holy shit, Derpologist would have had a field day.

My favorite comments were along the lines of "well even if women choose to enter fields that pay less, it's clear we have a sexist society because we pay people in those fields less. We as a society should value those jobs as much as others."

"We" don't value anything. "Society" doesn't determine the pay of a private school teacher or a petroleum engineer. Complete morons.

Another argument was along the lines of "if all people are encouraged to get high paying jobs, then we won't have people to do the other jobs." Of course, the number of people doing a particular job has no influence on how much those jobs earn, right?

I don't know how you brave souls do it regularly.

[John]

They never learned critical thinking. They live in a world surrounded entirely by people who agree with them and that rewards them for spouting talking points. When you realize that, the idiotic things they say is not surprising.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Top Bush Sr. and Jr. Advisers: Obama to Blame for Iraq

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfro.....z34pvb21mf

Goddmanit, Obama! Why did you lie us into that fucking war?

[John]

BUSHPIG!!!!

[Tonio]

Nope, it's not self-aware. Not quite yet. If it was it would realize the inherent self-parodying nature of posting that.

[GILMORE]

What year is it, shreek?

[Bobarian]

What color is the sky in your world?

[GILMORE]

"Obama will sign an executive order prohibiting federal government contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Gay activists have been hounding the administration to compose such an order for years."

But you see, he was waiting for *just the right moment to POUNCE!*

...saving that policy-lamb chop for when the wolves have him surrounded, and all of his policies are simultaneously blowing up around him, he can suddenly shriek like a banshee, throw the meat-chunk to one side, and in a puff of smoke vanish and re-emerge....

...still surrounded by wolves!

Because really, the real problem at the moment isn't the economy, or the VA, or Iraq/Iran, or Russia, or Obamacare... its that we've deprived so many qualified gays from *working in federal government!* - a problem so urgent, that Executive Authority is required to intervene.

I think the 'mainstream media' is doing its best to help out by focusing on other Gripping News Stories: like, how Humans Got Herpes from Monkeys

[John]

That will be a lawsuit that will go to the court. I don't see how they can force companies to act against their religious conscience as a condition of getting a government contract.

[paranoid android]

Just goes to show, no matter how cute that monkey is when you're drunk, always remember to use a rubber.

[Ted S.]

Serves them right for fucking infected monkeys.

[Lady Bertrum]

Serves them right for fucking infected monkeys.

*takes mental note: don't fuck infected monkeys*

[jesse.in.mb]

don't fuck infected monkeys

Don't dry-hump them either. Herpes transmits skin-to-skin.

Remember if you're going to fuck infected monkeys be sure one of you dresses up in a full body gimp suit.

[Lady Bertrum]

*adds information to Notes app on Iphone and schedules a reminder*

[Paul.]

Wait, what? Straw purchasing firearms is already illegal isn't it? Is there something I've missed?

[Ted S.]

Somebody was challenging the law and the Supreme Court upheld the law?

[Jerryskids]

Oh, you didn't know? It was an ex-cop who got busted for buying a gun for his uncle using his LEO discount. An ex-cop getting busted? Yes, it does happen - but I wonder what this guy did that would make his buddies turn on him.

[GILMORE]

I'm curious if this affects how interstate purchases through FFLs happen.

[Paul.]

I'm guessing it won't have any affect.

I purchase the firearm, but it is simply 'shipped' through the FFL who processes the paperwork and background check. Because that's the law.

But who knows? Maybe Obama will just issue a waver.

[jesse.in.mb]

19yo gets aggressive with protester at gay pride in Pittsburgh, gets a couple of kidney punches from a cop (trigger warning: vertical video):

"Thus to diffuse the situation quickly before I was attacked by the crowd once more, I punched Lawther in the left abdomen several times to distract her enough so I could handcuff her. I quickly moved Lawther and I away from the crowd for her and my safety."

A news report (trigger warning: autoplay video) gives the context that she was playing rough and should have gotten arrested. The cop makes it seem like a mob was about to quarter him, but in the video he's clear of the group before he starts the beatdown and the faces of the people around him are more confused than riotous.

I do like that his police training indicated that giving a girl half his size a bunch of kidney punches is a good way to defuse an upset crowd situation.

[Warty]

I never cease to be amazed at how inept police can be at subduing people. I look forward to the Gracie breakdown of this video.

[BigT]

Zimmerman - Trayvon, deja vu.

[Paul.]

I do like that his police training indicated that giving a girl half his size a bunch of kidney punches is a good way to defuse an upset crowd situation.

Did they riot? No, according to you, they: "...[appear] more confused than riotous."

So it sounds to me like that deployment of a 'distraction device' was 100% successful.

Riot averted... lives saved, officers home safely.

[Ted S.]

Thus to diffuse the situation quickly before I was attacked by the crowd once more,

Screw whether the 19-year-old or anybody in the crowd was being attacked.

[Brandon]

How else is he going to cop a feel on a cute 19-year-old?

[R C Dean]

Multiple kidney punches are a "distraction" technique?

Man, as a licensed attorney I thought I was skilled at deploying euphemism.

Unless he was shouting "stop resisting", though, I suspect he's going to get dinged some style points.

[RBS]

A Kanye show sounds terrible.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

I look forward to his inevitable implosion.

[Aloysious]

A Kanye show sounds is obviously terrible.

[Lady Bertrum]

If the song/video he did with Kim Kardashian didn't already ruin his career nothing short of spontaneous combustion will ruin him.

Ahh haaa honey

[Andrew S.]

When he's on, Kanye can be a lyrical and musical genius more or less unmatched in his genre.

Unfortunately, since he's completely batshit insane, that happens far less often than it should.

[GILMORE]

"Andrew S.|6.16.14 @ 4:55PM|#

When he's on, Kanye can be a lyrical and musical genius more or less unmatched in his genre."

Citation needed.

I call bullshit x1000. i've never heard one case where Kanye did anything exceptional or particularly better than say, 'jay z' - which is not to put that man on a pinnacle, but just as a 'industry standard'.

Kanye is hype personified.

[PD Scott]

Tiny Kanye.

[John]

http://secure.campaigner.com/C.....p6lw7&_v=2

CNN shareholder asks CEO if maybe ignoring otherwise interesting news stories because they might harm the liberal cause isn't the best business practice.

[PD Scott]

"Business practices?! Are you a Republican?"

[Longtorso, Johnny]

FT: The Fed Is Considering Charging Investors Looking To Exit Bond Funds

[Ted S.]

Capital controls for the win!

[John]

Remember regulators always lie in a crisis. They will swear they are not going to do something right up until the moment they do it.

[Ted S.]

Remember regulators always lie in a crisis.

You didn't need the last three words.

[Bobarian]

Well, isn't it ALWAYS a crisis?

[Bee Tagger]

The Army has begun its formal probe to determine why Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl left his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

So, in other words, expect to find out on July 16th, 2015 that he had emailed his reasons and thus we will never know the answer.

[NoVAHockey]

Well, the document was lost because he emailed Lois Lerner.

[Andrew S.]

+1 crashed server

[mad.casual]

Don't worry, we'll have metadata for everyone he might have emailed in country.

That, or you can fantastically laugh your ass off that the one person* the NSA wasn't spying on walked off of a military base in Afghanistan and into the enemies' hands.

*And by "one person" I mean other than Snowden, the Tsarneyevs, etc., etc.

[Carl ?s his privilege]

I finally finished watching Breaking Bad last night.

It was good, but a bit exhausting. My hatred for all the major characters* was at a fever pitch by the end.

My older brother who took those fancy-schmancy film studies classes in college told me "that was the point", but it would have been nice to have just one major character to like, at least, like, 50% of the time.

*except Saul, who I should hate, but is just too goofy to

[Almanian!]

I absolutely loved that show. Great acting, great story - loved it.

[Warty]

I quit watching it after the third season because I hated all the characters so much. It just became unpleasant to watch after a while.

[BigT]

I quit watching it after the third season because I hated all the characters so much. It just became unpleasant to watch after a while.

Just like the real world, huh?

[Episiarch]

That's one of the reasons I stopped watching. The main characters were so self-destructive and stupid at times that it just made it too painful to watch. Good show, but in my opinion that was a major flaw. And then they went and killed off Krysten Ritter, which was the last straw.

[GILMORE]

Interestingly, I got to season 5 and quit before the end because of the same reason as people here = everyones descent into 'total asshole' was getting tiresome.

I don't care how it ends.

[Lady Bertrum]

I don't care how it ends.

But the ending made all the assholeness of the characters worthwhile. The ending was monumental and made the bad parts of the series completely worth tolerating.

[Carl ?s his privilege]

Meh, the finale was good, and made for some good closure, but I don't know about "completely worth tolerating".

I'm glad he said that thing he said to Skyler.

[Overt]

Man I just finished watching about two weeks ago, and I totally agree with you.

I thought the visuals in that show were amazing. So many cool shots where people are out of focus, or half hidden in shadows. Their cinematography was sublime.

But like you I got tired of some of the characters constantly reverting to total idiocy. It seems to me that Jesse was just the writers' way of keeping things unraveling. One day he's a druggy, and the next he is super loyal to Walt, and then the next totally against him. Their dynamic drove the show's plot, but it seemed like they were always miscommunicating.

The first two seasons, the number of escalated situations/misunderstandings caused by someone hanging up the phone on another person rather than just finishing a conversation was groan inducing.

[Bobarian]

"but it seemed like they were always miscommunicating."

No they weren't, Walt was always manipulating Jesse. Walt's evil streak was hidden and slowly revealed as the show progressed.

[Overt]

Had Walt actually had a conversation with Jesse outside of work during the whole "Chicken Man is turning him against me" plot would have never been possible. Instead, he only conversations they had were simple little things.

Further, were Walt really merely evil, Jesse would have been dead. The whole reason Walt was being frozen out by Chicken Man was that he protected Jesse by killing the drug dealers. He didn't need Jesse once he started working with Chicken Man, but for some reason he couldn't let Jesse go.

[GILMORE]

"Overt|6.16.14 @ 6:49PM|#

Had Walt actually had a conversation with Jesse outside of work during the whole "Chicken Man is turning him against me" plot would have never been possible. Instead, he only conversations they had were simple little things."

THIS.

There were whole swaths of plot reliant on long-term deep miscommunication which seemed incomprehensible considering the intimacy with which these people were dealing with one another.

You'd have thought that they'd sit down at some point and have a fucking pow-wow to clear up this 'we nearly killed each other over nothing' thing. Nope. It continues after this and erodes your interest in the character because you don't think they have *believable motivations*

Which i why i stopped caring in season 5. With gustavo dead, there was nothing left to really care about other than their own ability to fuck things up more.

[Auric Demonocles]

I stopped watching in season one because it was boring.

[Warty]

Also, Skylar is the worst character of all. Walt was a dick and was comfortable with it, but Skylar never realized what a total cunt she was.

[Carl ?s his privilege]

Then you are sexist.

No, really.

[Warty]

Well, duh. Of course I am.

[Overt]

I didn't think Skylar was the worst. I mean, at first she was trying to salvage things in a way that her son didn't learn what a real monster his dad was. By the time she realizes that Walt can't be changed, it is too late and she is an accessory.

[R C Dean]

The scene where she finds the big bag o' cash is one of the finest in recent memory. You can just see the wheels turning.

And then, her disappointment when she goes back and its gone.

Good stuff. I quit at the end of Season 3, may or may not pick it up again.

[Jerryskids]

Skyler is the worst? She has a sister, you know. The one who, when her husband busted Walt, couldn't wait to throw a big 'I own you now bitch, 'cause I'm better than you' in her sisters face? Yeah, I sure was hoping to see the scene where Skyler threw that back in her sisters face after she found out how well things worked out for Hank.

[Cytotoxic]

All of you people who stopped watching it are just I don't even

[MJGreen]

Seriously. I may have to abandon libertarianism now...

*calls up Salon.com*

[John]

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-P.....rity-Issue

Forget Russia, Iraq and such. Kerry is working on the real threat to America; climate change.

I know a lot of people on the right think that the Obama people are trying to destroy the country. No, they are just retarded. They honestly think that bitching about global warming is the best thing they can do for the country.

[Almanian!]

What does that have to do with Benghazi/IRS/economy?

Ohhhhhhhhh....

[The Immaculate Trouser]

As we at Reason are united by our love of Game of Thrones (free markets and minds? Meh), I thought we'd all appreciate Amanduh's thoughts on the subject.

Dany's story, which causes me all sorts of grief because it's just so sad, is another example. As Scott notes, she's the "breaker of chains" and yet there she is, locking her dragon-children in chains. I can't even with that. It's just so heart-breaking. Same story, books. The fact that Dany feels the need to lock her own dragons up in this way makes me want to throw things, though obviously there's not really much else she can do at this point in time. Anyway, identity crisis, for sure.

English Major, minor in Valley Girl studies, folks.

I'd take it a step further and argue that everything odious and shameful about Shae, particularly the way she betrayed Tyrion, is a direct result of her being labeled a "whore" from an early age[...] "Whore" is her box, and all her choices, no matter how repulsive they may seem to the rest of us, are a direct result of her not having any choices outside of that box.

Damn, libertarian *and* proggie lessons in the same episode?! Amazing.

[Ted S.]

As we at Reason are united by our love of Game of Thrones

No we're not.

[Almanian!]

Fuck Game of Thrones AND Teh Wurld Cup AND.....homebrewing!

YEAH, I SAID IT!!!

[trshmnster the terrible]

Fuck Game of Thrones

Yes

AND Teh Wurld Cup

Losing me here a little bit, but still on this bandwagon.

AND.....homebrewing!

Gah! Fuck you and your domestic horse piss that you rode in on!! :p

[MJGreen]

But all respect for Lou Reed.

[John]

What Ted said.

[Andrew S.]

It's not our fault the two of you have no taste in television and literature.

[John]

If you want to waste your life reading a 34 volume kids book, have fun. Whatever works for you.

[Ted S.]

Ahem. I have good taste in TV. Why do you think I watch TCM so much?

[Overt]

Thirded

[GILMORE]

Note = Amanda whatshername is dumb.

I think now that this is established, we never ever, ever have to link to her stuff anymore, ok?

[Episiarch]

I've asked this very question several times, GILMORE, and the answer seems to be no.

[Warty]

But reading dumb things written by dumb women gives me an excuse to hate all women!

[MJGreen]

I can't even with that.

FUCK YOU

[Jerryskids]

Does Amanda know she's talking about an imaginary character created by a man?

[jesse.in.mb]

I know Playa has posted about the Great Whites in our local waters, but here's an article with some great video of juvenile sharks hanging around some paddleboarders.

Trigger warning: drone video.

[Almanian!]

I do appreciate your conscientious Trigger Warnings, jesse. Exceptionally thoughtful of you, old man. cheers.

[jesse.in.mb]

I'm mostly worried about Playa. His drone broke and I fear that exposure to drone video might tear open that emotional wound and rape it.

[Raven Nation]

I assume folks saw this drone-related story yesterday:

http://www.espnfc.com/league-n.....3/headline

[Carl ?s his privilege]

Speaking of Breaking Bad: People Say Aaron Paul Is Turning on Their Xbox Ones

Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul's latest role is starring in Xbox One ads. In them, he sits on the sofa, and, according to some, turns on strangers' Xbox One consoles. The nerve!

In the commercial, Paul shows off the Kinect voice command features for Xbox One, saying, "Xbox One on." That command is apparently switching on viewers' Xbox One consoles.

Recently, a thread popped up on popular game forum NeoGAF with member MrPressStart saying, "What the fuck.... Sitting here watching tv and the xbox commercial starring Aaron Paul came on. Next thing I know I am reaching for the controller to turn it off."

[jesse.in.mb]

Collective animal names.

A sloth of bears, prickle of porcupines, worst of Nicoles, a romp of otters.

A DRAY OF SQUIRRELS

The Wikipedia list includes really random ones like a drunkenship of cobblers.

[db]

A Weigel of Buttplugs?

[Episiarch]

You can't have a "worst of nicoles". Like the Highlander, there can be only one. And nicole is it.

"No, Frylock. The Highlander was a documentary and the events happened...in real time."

[jesse.in.mb]

nicole biology is still largely a mystery. I hold with the French naturalists that there isn't a single nicole, but a large collection of nicoles acting as one super-worst organism.

[Episiarch]

It's hilarious that you would dare even question my pronouncement. I have a BS in biology, jesse, with a specialization in female biology and anatomy. What do you have, an advanced degree in Dicknology? If that doesn't make me almost a gynecologist, I don't know what does. In any case, there is only one nicole, and she is the worst. I've investigated theories about her holding a superposition in multiple parallel universes but the math got too hard and I gave up. I blame her.

[jesse.in.mb]

You know I'm a postdoc in Dicknology and I'm working on my MS in Scrotography.

[Episiarch]

Are you telling me that I don't know dick? If anybody knows how to build a ship out of dicks it is me!

[trshmnster the terrible]

If that doesn't make me almost a gynecologist, I don't know what does.

Judging by your affinity for people's moms, you may qualify to be a menopause specialist.

[Episiarch]

You know, that's just what your mom said last night.

[Fr?ulein Nikki]

To be fair, that last was my fault.

[db]

A deepdish of Swiss Servators?

[Restoras]

Holy crap, that might start WWIV...

[db]

No, if I had written "a d**pd*sh of Episiarchs", that would have started a war. But we all know the proper term is a *rather* of Episiarchs.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

I gratefully accept!

*turns for Lou Malnati's menu*

[db]

A legion of Marys?

[Lord at War]

It's obviously a "stack" of Marys.

[Ted S.]

Thank you Iran and Nigeria.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

For?

Mueller was a beast today; even if he fell like a little girl for being nicked.

Seriously. Pepe = selfish idiot.

Mueller got the job done. Got the free kick and even got a guy red carded.

[Ted S.]

M?ller learned from Arjen Robben.

[Andrew S.]

Pepe is one of the bigger morons in the sport. It was only a matter of time before he did something stupid. Sure, Mueller made a meal out of that, but it was probably a red card regardless.

I'm torn between being happy Pepe will miss the USA match (since he's Portugal's best defender) and mad that he won't get a chance to be red carded in that one.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Pepe has been doing that shit for years. Stompin' and hittin' players for no apparent reason.

He's nuts.

And he put his team in a major hole.

Not that it would have mattered. Germany were typically efficient and clinical. Portugal a disjointed mess.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Pepe reminds me of Zidane's headbutt. I remember one commenter saying 'there was nothing in Zidane's past that would suggest he could do such a thing.'

Serie A and Juve fans collectively raised an eyebrow or two at that. Zidane was a vicious player with a track record of violent play.

Some players just play that way. Materrazzi, De Jong, Von Bommell, etc.

[Ted S.]

Even before the first goal, the Portuguese keeper had a howler.

[Ted S.]

Don't forget the two injured players.

The Krauts really sank the Lusitanians.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

They threw them off the pitch is what they did.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

For the record, Croatia and Mexico were hosed with bad calls.

[Andrew S.]

At least Mexico still managed to win. Croatia was hosed twice, both being complete game-changing calls.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

The dive in the box by Fred and the call against Olic negating a legit goal was abysmal.

True about Mexico but they got two goals called off and G/D can still haunt them.

[Jerryskids]

I could see Mexico getting Jos?d with bad calls, but I'm missing the joke about Croatia.

[jesse.in.mb]

Thank you India?

I'm assuming this is something related to sport?

[Ted S.]

It's a sport where the players take their shirts off after the match and exchange them with their opponents.

Does that interest you? :-p

[jesse.in.mb]

There may be some merit in this sport after all.

A straight friend of mine told me that I was required to find Michael Owen attractive on his behalf.

[Andrew S.]

Such a wonderful World Cup until that Nigeria-Iran monstrosity. Both teams should be kicked out of the rest of the World Cup for subjecting us to that match.

Now for revenge on Ghana. Yoo-Ess-Ay! Yoo-Ess-Ay!

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Ha.

Best goal so far: Van Persie.
Best play leading to a goal: Behrami.
Best team goal: Dummy play by Pirlo to Marchisio.

[db]

I knew the World Cup was a joke when I heard the words "THE Americans take on their nemesis, Ghana" on a passing TV ad last night.

[Timon 19]

Why?

[db]

Well, I don't follow soccer, and imagine any other.context in the world where Ghana can be said to be.the nemesis of the US.

[Timon 19]

That sounds much less emphatic than "what a joke".

[Andrew S.]

Ghana knocked Team USA out of both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. So it's definitely a sport nemesis.

[Cytotoxic]

There's a great kittle Kurdish news source called Rudaw that I read sometimes. There's some interesting insight into the Mosul situation. Apparently, the large Kurdish part of town was never stormed by rebel scum, and ISIS control over the part that was is unclear. There is a hodgepodge of tribes exerting less Shariah-tastic rule than ISIS. There is also some shadowy organization of Baathist remnants called the Nashdaq army or something that works with ISIS. One of its members, the son of Sadaam's VP, was killed in an airstrike. It may be that ISIS is not that large in Iraq but is greatly augmented by what is really a large Sunni-tribal uprising that is more interested in overthrowing Maliki than Sharia. It'll be interesting.

http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/160620147

[John]

None of that surprises me. It would be nice if we had some, I don't know, reporters or something who could actually give the public an accurate picture of what the hell is going on.

Or maybe we could have a President who could take his head out of his ass for a few minutes and set down the golf clubs and give the country some explanation of what is happening and what if anything we need to do about it. What a concept.

[Restoras]

De facto partition will turn into actual partition.

[Swiss Servator, CH yeah!]

Kurdistan sounds good to me.

[GILMORE]

" It may be that ISIS is not that large in Iraq but is greatly augmented by what is really a large Sunni-tribal uprising "

This would not be a surprise. These two factions (syrian/jordanian sunni militants, and Iraq ex-mil) were what comprised the main 'insurgency' in anbar province; and it was the fracturing/loss of local sunni support for these outsiders during the surge that brought about the modicum of stability that we called 'success'. There's no way any outside force could exert control over a territory as large as iraq were local populaces NOT providing the bulk of support & manpower for the opposition.

I think the more interesting question is 'how fragmented is the leadership' and who's driving the bus as far as their strategy goes?

[Libertarian]

"Gay activists have been hounding the administration to compose such an order for years."

Man, they have some pull. Too bad they don't protest all these wars we've been getting into.

[mad.casual]

Personally, I can't wait until Michael's or a Church sues to avoid providing them birth control on religious grounds.

If only we could harness the power of spinning rational justifications.

[Carl ?s his privilege]

For all you World Cup weirdos: China's 'most beautiful anchor' is dooming World Cup teams, netizens say

The 5:1 thrashing that incumbent World Cup champion Spain suffered at the hands of the Netherlands last week sent shockwaves throughout the soccer world. It was the biggest loss ever by a reigning champion, and has made fans worldwide wonder how the greatest national team of the last decade could be so resoundingly demolished in the group stage.

China's football followers, however, believe possessive the conclusive explanation: a CCTV sports anchor known as the "team killer." Heralded as "the most beautiful anchor in history," Liu Yuxi has earned a reputation amongst the country's basketball fans for dooming the team whose jersey she wears during the broadcast. "Whichever NBA team's jersey she wears," they say, "that team will be eliminated in the play-offs."

This logic made the leap over from NBA basketball to World Cup football when Liu made the fateful decision to model the Spanish kit on TV during the game. Since Sichuan's Giant Panda Protection and Research Centre was ordered by the government to abandon plans to use baby pandas to predict World Cup match outcomes, "team killer" Liu might be China's closest equivalent to the late, great Paul the Octopus.

[John]

I don't think she is very beautiful.

[Carl ?s his privilege]

That's fine, and not surprising.

Her eyelid surgery is obvious and there's a good chance she's had jaw reduction surgery too. And I doubt her skin is naturally that pale.

Anyway, I personally find her quite attractive, but even if I had the opportunity, I wouldn't go out with an anchor for a Communist Party organ.

[Warty]

That fucking eyelid surgery. I'm not the only one creeped out by it, right?

[Carl ?s his privilege]

It doesn't creep me out. However, I find regular, unmodified Asian eyelids quite attractive, so I don't see the point.

But you know, different cultures, different standards of beauty, whatever.

[paranoid android]

It's like a sci-fi movie director who wants the aliens to look otherworldly, but doesn't have the budget to actually do that effectively, so they just end up as pale humans with disconcertingly proportioned faces.

I mean, she's not necessarily ugly, but if she's their most beautiful anchor, I don't want to see the competition.

[PD Scott]

Well, she could be the most beautiful among a group of very unattractive anchors.

[Auric Demonocles]

She looks like a middle schooler.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Sing Floppin' Robben to the tune of Rockin' Robin.

[OldMexican]

Heralded as "the most beautiful anchor in history," Liu Yuxi

Because only Chinese history is worth recording and reminiscing, I guess.

Granted, she's prettier than Greta van Susteren or Rachel Maddow, but to herald her as the most beautiful anchor in history is a stretch. The most beautiful female news anchors I've ever seen are all Mexican, of course.

[Mike M.]

The Supreme Court ruled in a close decision, 5-4, that the federal government can ban third-party or "straw" purchases of guns, even if the final recipient of the gun is a legal buyer.

Ahhh yes, the good old U.S. Supreme Court, the last bastion of liberty; always standing up for the freedoms and rights of the individual against an overreaching government. What would we do without them?

[Andrew S.]

Leela: Cool your jowls, Nixon. You may not like it that Dr. Zoidberg desecrated a flag. You might even find the image of it festering in his bowels somehow offensive. But the right to freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Earth Constitution.

Nixon: Aroo! Maybe so. But I know a place where the Constitution doesn't mean squat.

[Scene: Supreme Court.]

[Rich]

So cynical, Mike.

I suppose just because the final recipient of a recovered stolen car is the rightful owner you would be fine with legalizing grand theft auto.

[PD Scott]

Buy guns for other people?

[Rich]

The Army has begun its formal probe to determine why Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl left his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

Well, based on the publicized emails, I'm pretty sure if the Army just asked Bergdahl nicely he would gladly provide a definitive answer.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

FLASH: The owners of Hobby Lobby are conservative evangelical Protestants, and want to use their money to spread their ideas -

http://www.politico.com/story/.....html?hp=t1

[Carl ?s his privilege]

PSA:

SSD shadiness: Kingston and PNY caught bait-and-switching cheaper components after good reviews

Over the past few months, we've seen a disturbing trend from first Kingston, and now PNY. Manufacturers are launching SSDs with one hardware specification, and then quietly changing the hardware configuration after reviews have gone out. The impacts have been somewhat different (more on that in a moment) but in both cases, unhappy customers are loudly complaining that they've been cheated, tricked into paying for a drive they otherwise wouldn't have purchased.

A blog post at Tweaktown details a reader's unhappy experience with a new PNY Optima drive. This individual bought the drive expecting that it would feature a Silicon Motion controller, only to discover that the drive they purchased had a different firmware version and a different, SandForce-based controller. When Tweaktown inquired as to the situation, PNY sent back the following: "Yes we did ship some Optima SSD's with SandForce controllers, but only if they meet the minimum advertised performance levels (in most of the benchmark tests, LSI controllers outperform SMI controllers)."

Two instances does not constitute a trend, bro. Still disturbing, however.

[Matrix]

Sounds like fraud to me.

[MJGreen]

Definitely shady shit... but why would anyone buy a PNY SSD?

[Carl ?s his privilege]

If it was the right price and had good reviews?

Though you are right that the SSD lines from manufacturers like PNY are not long for this world.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

From Virginia Postrel's blog (Drink!):

Reflecting a decade later on his conversations with skilled blue-collar workers in America, Weber wrote the following about why they tolerated the corrupt appointees of political machines rather than embracing the technocratic professionalism championed by educated reformers, including Weber.

"Whenever I sat in company with such workers and said to them: "How can you let yourselves be governed by these people who are put in office without your consent and who naturally make as much money out of their office as possible...how can you let yourselves be governed by this corrupt association that is notorious for robbing you of hundreds of millions?", I would occasionally receive the characteristic reply which I hope I may repeat, word for word and without adornment: "That doesn't matter, there's enough money there to be stolen and still enough left over for others to earn something?for us too. We spit on these 'professionals,' these officials. We despise them. But if the offices are filled by a trained, qualified class, such as you have in your country, it will be the officials who spit on us." That was the decisive point for these people. They feared the emergence of the type of officialdom which already exists in Europe, an exclusive status group of university-educated officials with professional training."

[Notorious G.K.C.]

I found it:

http://vpostrel.com/blog/max-w.....-officials

[BigT]

Today's candidate for PEAK DERP:

"The question is not whether we need to act," the president told the crowd of 8,000 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. "The overwhelming judgement of science, accumulated and reviewed over decades, has put the that to rest. The question is whether we have the will to act before it's too late."

Obama bloviates on climate change from about the 7:00 mark. Put on your helmet or your head will explode.

[GILMORE]

"we need to act... we have the will to act"

When asked for more specificity, the president accused his critics of childishly believing in 'moon cheese' and also probably having 'small penises' which is what everyone knows the second amendment is really about anyway.

Supporters of Obama considered these rebuttals "amazing" and indicative of his "mature bearing and intellectual depth"

[jesse.in.mb]

Important question:

Why don't I have a pet owl?

[paranoid android]

Better question: why not an entire parliament of them?

[OldMexican]

"Because we live in an apartment, honey, and the deposit for pets is $400.00, non refundable. Plus, as it always happens, it would be your pet but in the end it is I who takes care of it and I am fed up with that, so... no. You can't have a pet owl."

[db]

You know who else had a pet owl?

[jesse.in.mb]

A bunch of kids who read the Harry Potter books?

[PD Scott]

In case y'all didn't see it, this Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal about commencement speakers was pretty good.

[Carl ?s his privilege]

City Of London Police Claim That 'The Tor' Is 90% Of The Internet, And Is A Risk To Society

Whether it's Bitnet, The Tor ? which is 90% of the Internet ? peer-to-peer sharing, or the streaming capability worldwide. At what point does civil society say that as well as the benefits that brings, this enables huge risk and threat to our society that we need to take action against?

[db]

During the rectification of the Vuldronaii, The Traveler came as a large and moving Tor! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick Supplicants, they chose the form of a giant Slor. Many chavs and zuuls knew what it was to be roasted.in the depths.of the Slor that day!

[robc]

Made it to Group F before the first World Cup draw.

[Raven Nation]

Shit! Dempsey, 41 seconds in.

[OldMexican]

Russia has cut off gas to Ukraine over unpaid bills, setting back peace efforts even further.

An effort towards peace is... free gas?

California lawmakers have passed a $156 billion budget that includes allowing Gov. Jerry Brown to use money from the state's cap-and-trade program to help pay for the $68 billion high-speed rail plan that just will not die.

Maybe governor Moonbeam should consider instead building a fence around California to keep inside those businesses that would make the cap-and-trade payments. You can't have the golden eggs if the goose flies away. Isn't that right?

[trshmnster the terrible]

Guys chasing a tornado live

[trshmnster the terrible]

Currently tracking 2-3 tornadoes on the ground within a 5 mile radius... i think i would shit myself

[Joshua]

I'm surprised that I haven't seen ambulance chaser Chuck Schumer's latest antics highlighted. http://www.nydailynews.com/new.....-1.1831158

He wants to fight the scourge of sleepy drivers because a comedian died.

[Stormy Dragon]

FBI tries to ruin Joe Montana's life for no apparent reason:

http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-trie.....29823.html

[RishJoMo]

Can we like roll with it dude. Wow.

http://www.WentAnon.tk