Latest on the Orlando Shooting, Gun Control Spotlighted Again, Supreme Court Rules on Puerto Rico Debt Restructuring: P.M. Links

• 

  Nelida Bauza / facebook.com

  The latest info on the Orlando shooting: The police have detailed how the attack went down and their responses; more names of victims of the shooting have been released; a former co-worker of shooter Omar Mateen says the guy was a crazy nutjob; and President Barack Obama and the FBI say that, despite Mateen declaring allegiance to the Islamic State during the attack, there's no clear evidence that ISIS actually directed his actions.

• Democrats are again going to try to use terrorist watch lists (which are bureaucratically controlled) to try to restrict individual gun rights on the basis of just suspicion rather than actual conviction of crimes, or even charges. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) seems to think due process is some sort of "loophole," a nice reminder of how awful she is.
• Police are trying to figure out the deal with the guy who brought a bunch of weapons and ammo in his vehicle to Los Angeles' weekend gay pride events, but it seems increasingly likely that he was not planning an attack as had been previously reported by police.
• The Supreme Court declined to hear a case from a group of American Samoans who want to be granted birthright citizenship for being born in a U.S. territory.
• The Supreme Court also ruled, 5-2, that Puerto Rico cannot restructure its debts to public utilities to help ease its financial crisis.
• Microsoft bought LinkedIn, the job-related social media site that you joined and still quite aren't sure why, for $26 billion.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and don't forget to sign up for Reason's daily updates for more content.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

...there's no clear evidence that ISIS actually directed his actions.

Phew. Off the hook.

[AlmightyJB]

And there is no evidence that Trump did not

[Fist of Etiquette]

Has anyone checked Palin for crosshairs?

[Playa Manhattan.]

I checked her for hairs.

It's like a turtle shell down there.

[Citizen X]

[vomits]

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

like a turtle shell

That somebody hit with an axe?

[DOOMco]

"Haha you're it!" And a knife?!

[Lord at War]

I'd eat that furburger...

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

[Idle Hands]

What type of link do they actually expect to find? An email chain from [e-mail] or his personal cell phone? do they think these people haven't developed trade craft after the Snowden revelations or that FBI/CIA didn't update their training?

[Juvenile Bluster]

I'm shocked that Sen. Feinstein hasn't released a statement about how either Apple or Google should be ashamed of themselves for encryption and how they can't get into the shooter's phone.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

Give it time...

[Domestic Dissident]

Ummm, the Notorious B.I.Y. and his underlings don't want to find any evidence of a direct link, and on the off chance someone in the government actually found one, they would almost certainly lie about it the same way they lied about Benghazi.

The unstated official line from the top is: there's no such thing as radical Islamist terrorism, and by the way my fellow Americans, you kind of suck and you have it coming anyway.

[Tonio]

[blows referee whistle] Tweeeeeet! "Block Yomama." Five yard penalty.

[Playa Manhattan.]

He tried to sneak it in. Extra 15 yards for unsportsmanlike.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

I'm assuming Republicans have already been blamed for their homophobic rhetoric, no?

[Zunalter]

Is there any other kind of Republican rhetoric?

[John]

These are the people who think nothing short of "Yes, i will make sure you get the contract as soon as the check to the Clinton foundation clears" counts as proof of Clinton taking bribes. So yes, that is what they expect.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Democrats are again going to try to use terrorist watch lists (which are bureaucratically controlled) to try to restrict individual gun rights on the basis of just suspicion rather than actual conviction of crimes, or even charges.

Without crisitunity, they'd have no -tunity at all.

[AlmightyJB]

The terror watch list spin is just a Trojan horse to add on shit they've wanted all along

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

They're arguing that the government should be permitted to strip citizens of constitutionally protected rights by having an unaccountable bureaucrat add their name to a secret, unchallengeable list without any oversight.

[AlmightyJB]

And when they write that law that won't be the only thing in it.

[Akira]

Remember way back in the Bush days, when the Democrats were throwing a shitfit over Bush creating that watchlist?

Once again, the Democrats prove that they don't care at all about oppression. They just want to trade places with the oppressors.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Right on time, Scott.

So this is going viral on Facebook right now. The dumbest thing I have ever seen.

[John]

What the fuck? I know phrases like "dumbest thing I have ever seen" are thrown around very cheaply, but that might actually be the dumbest thing I have ever seen.

[arbitrary wavefunction]

The only real way to disarm your enemy is to listen to them.

Jesus.

[Ted S.]

Maybe they should have listened to Anders Breivik.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

The only real way to disarm your enemy is to listen to them

And rush them while they're trying to reload.

[R C Dean]

Well, it used to be that killing them worked OK, too.

But now we've got all these damn zombies . . . .

[Ted S.]

I've listened to Hillary enough. I don't need to listen to her any longer.

[Sidd Finch v2.01]

Angling for a TED or Davos speech.

[John]

And considering Islamic attitudes towards women, I am so sure that top shelf white girl was in some deep cover with our Islamic enemies. Girls can you know.

[Playa Manhattan.]

I guarantee you she was a desk jockey in Virginia.

[Sidd Finch v2.01]

These clowns love to play off the general ignorance of the difference between "diplomats" and NOCs.

[Crusty Juggler]

I'd add her to my NOC list.

[Rufus The Monocled]

America hired that girl!

[Crusty Juggler]

Would trim her bangs.

[Idle Hands]

Would bang her trim.

[GILMORE?]

in all of her feelgood jibber jabber she never of course names any single specific policy which she thinks we need to "Listen to"

Because you know what #1 probably is? = Israel must be destroyed.
And #2 is probably that all the despots in the middle east must be killed and replaced with Mullahs.

*I* listened! I know exactly what they want. Yet i don't really feel like it helped all that much in coming to terms with them.

[Playa Manhattan.]

#2 is throwing anyone suspected of being gay off of a tall building. Yes, let's discuss that policy. It's all a big misunderstanding.

[Zunalter]

I kept looking for "The Onion" somewhere in the video...

[(((Renegade)))]

Your post on Facebook was the only thing that gave me any hope for humanity.

[Playa Manhattan.]

It worked for about 24 hours. Meteor(ite) 2016

[TheZeitgeist]

The (suspect's Facebook) page's most recent public post, from June 3, shows a photo comparing Adolf Hitler to Hillary Clinton. An anti-Clinton, pro-Bernie Sanders photo was posted in February.

[rts]

NDP demands immediate decriminalization of marijuana

The federal New Democrats are putting forward a motion in Parliament today to pressure the Liberal government to decriminalize pot before it is legalized.

NDP Justice Critic Murray Rankin says it is not fair to arrest people and give them criminal records for possessing marijuana if the practice will soon be legal.

[Zunalter]

What is the difference between decriminalization and legalization?

[tarran]

Decriminalization = they fine you if you do it but don't throw you in jail.

Legalization = you can do it freely.

[But Enough About Me]

And of course, when the Fiberals get around to it, they're gonna make sure MJ's also regulated, 'cause the CanFedGov always has to get its vig.

[CE]

And taxed.

[CatoTheChipper]

Decriminalization - It's not a crime to buy or possess weed, but it is a crime to sell or produce it.

[Pope Jimbo]

Decriminalization - Fine you when you get caught lighting up.
Legalization - They fine tax you every time you light up.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Microsoft bought LinkedIn, the job-related social media site that you joined and still quite aren't sure why...

Now your networking will be full of bugs.

[Ted S.]

This is why I got a USB hard drive and put Linux Mint on it.

[Ted S.]

And yes, I really am using Linux Mint.

[Pope Jimbo]

The background image looks buggy....

[Tonio]

Shit is a spam-factory. I spamlist any mail I get from them.

[Tonio]

OK, they aren't actually spam, but they are spamlike in their obnoxiousness.

[Playa Manhattan.]

I've had people tell me that Linkedin is very useful. That hasn't been my experience. At all.

If you know what I do, you know where to find me.

[Ted S.]

In the men's room rubbing one out? :-p

[arbitrary wavefunction]

I think he meant on a street corner.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Men's room? That's not very romantic.

[Ted S.]

What if you're Larry Craig?

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

At the receptionist's desk, when she takes a smoke break?

[Citizen X]

Smoking in front of 7-11 in just shorts?

[Brett L]

When I was looking for a technical IT job, it was a goldmine. I got far higher quality opportunities off LinkedIn than Monster or CareerBuilder. It still did not work quickly than my personal network, but it was second fastest. I have two different LinkedIn based applications that resulted in face-to-face interviews in just under three weeks.

[Playa Manhattan.]

I dropped the ball on that. Up 50% in one day.

You know what's not up? The stock for the security firm where the Orlando shooter worked.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Police are trying to figure out the deal with the guy who brought a bunch of weapons and ammo in his vehicle to Los Angeles' weekend gay pride events, but it seems increasingly likely that he was not planning an attack as had been previously reported by police.

The Constitution doesn't require him to have a reason, it dictates that he must be scrutinized no matter what.

[Tonio]

But he was a white male with guns, he must have been up to no good!!1!

[Raven Nation]

He's also a Bernie supporter which muddies the waters.

[DJF]

"""An anti-Clinton, pro-Bernie Sanders photo"""

He had this too, he is a monster!!!!!!

[Akira]

I'm genuinely surprised they didn't just report it as "an anti-Clinton" photo. That would have fit the "right-wing nutjob" narrative much better.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Serious question:

Considering that the shooting was at a gay night club, is it a good idea to release the names of the victims?

Of the 50 dead, you have to assume that at least a couple of the victims might not have been out yet.

[__Warren__]

They're dead, they have no reputation to worry about. Plus, if in the future, somebody asks how they died it's going to be obvious.

[Playa Manhattan.]

They have families.

[__Warren__]

And? Is there some malicious way this can be used against them? Any attempt to use one of these murdered, innocent victims sexuality against their family members will likely rebound against the perpetrator.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

How would you handle that? List cause of death as "unknown; just showed up dead and full of holes of unknown, possibly alien, origin."?

[Playa Manhattan.]

Honestly, I don't know.

[BigT]

So, PM, you think there is some shame in being gay. I hadn't taken you as a bigot, but now we know better.

[Fist of Etiquette]

No one gets to stay in the closet posthumously, I guess.

[The Fusionist]

What about Jeffrey Dahmer's victims?

Or was that a refrigerator?

[John]

That is a good point. And yes, I agree that it is.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

Yeah, I'm kinda wondering how many people on the down-low (do the kids still use that expression?) will be outed as a result of the investigation that will ensue.

[Tonio]

The expression "down low" is mainly used in the black gay male community.

[Tonio]

My understanding is that they release the names once they manage to contact the families. Also, being in a gay club isn't definitive; they do let straight people in.

[Playa Manhattan.]

I wonder if the families have a say in it. Probably not.

[Crusty Juggler]

Some women do like to go dance at gay clubs. A young, underage Crusty was allowed to drink at a gay club, so on occasion he would hang out at a gay club.

[Ted S.]

So that's why you turned out gay?

[Crusty Juggler]

I'm a terrible dancer and I cannot stand antiquing, so I'm not nearly fabulous enough to be gay.

[(((Renegade)))]

I cannot stand antiquing

Bullshit, I've seen some of the women you chase.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

^^This.

The guy who said 'Would' to a link to Roseanne Barr is definitely into trashy antiques.

[Idle Hands]

yeah I've been to plenty of gay clubs/bars and I'm not gay I just like to cruise around town.

[grrizzly]

I'm not gay

Married? Bi? Str8?

[Crusty Juggler]

Just looking for jerk buds, and there's nothing gay about that.

[(((Renegade)))]

Crusty always strives to get the cookie.

[Crusty Juggler]

I am a winner.

[Idle Hands]

Just always on the lookout for good drink specials and brunch locations.

[Akira]

At a previous workplace, there were a ton of girls who would go to the gar bar every weekend (because they apparently love being around gay guys). There was also a horde of guys who would go to the gay bar because they wanted to pursue the girls.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

Yeah, I've definitely been a part of that last group on more than one occasion

[Idle Hands]

I've definitely been kicked out of a bar by lesbians, who told me I was in fact not welcome there.

[Citizen X]

A (male) friend of mine tried to hit on a lesbian at a gay bar once, with the obvious result. "I don't know why i thought i'd get anywhere," he said.

[Idle Hands]

Me and my buddy were bar hopping and walked into the establishment ordered drinks, when like three rather butch ladies walked up to us and told us we were in the wrong spot. I looked to my left and right and quickly realized we were the only guys in there with the exception of the bartender and told the lesbians it looked to me like we were in the right spot. They didn't think I was funny and proceeded to berate me and my friend until we left.

[Akira]

Can you imagine the "progressive" media outrage if a few gay guys went into a non-gay bar and got harangued by customers until they left?

[Ted S.]

Why didn't you tell them you identify as a lesbian?

[arbitrary wavefunction]

Gawker will publish pictures, full bios and addresses for every single one of them next week.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

May as well, they can't get any more bankrupt.

[grrizzly]

Straight people sometimes go to gay clubs too. At least some of the relatives can use it as an excuse.

[Playa Manhattan.]

"In a bizarre twist of fate, 50 straight people were killed at a gay club in Orlando last week..."

[colorblindkid]

CNN's already on it.

[Florida Hipster]

the 50 dead, you have to assume that at least a couple of the victims might not have been out yet.

Especially since a bunch are probably from out of town. Everyone in their home town thinks they're straight, but they cut loose on vacation. Sucks.

[GILMORE?]

Jeezus Playa, are you such a caveman that you can't accept the idea that a straight guy might go out to a gay nightclub with his buddies?

God, join the modern day already. I mean seriously. And take your shirt off.

[Playa Manhattan.]

I've been there, but mostly it was just a question of physics. We rented one of those barcycles, and nobody wanted to pedal. The gay district just happened to be downhill from where we were. Fun, lots of free drinks.

[GILMORE?]

I once spent a whole weekend partying in "Sailors Haven"/The Pines on Fire Island.

With my girlfriend strapped to me like a shield. I was very open-minded up to a point. Only my mind was blown.

[__Warren__]

I like Baylen's stuff too, but he ain't worth 26 billion.

[Crusty Juggler]

* pours a little out for my homey Michu Meszaros*

Rest well, sweet prince.

[Hyperion]

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)

*cringe*

[Crusty Juggler]

She is not in BaBo's league, that's for sure.

[Microaggressor]

*Revs up heavy duty woodchipper*

[See Double You]

I thought this was perfect:

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) seems to think due process is some sort of "loophole," a nice reminder of how awful she is.

I think the Due Process Clause really dumbfounds her.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...a former co-worker of shooter Omar Mateen says the guy was a crazy nutjob...

He must have worked at the obvious factory.

[Ted S.]

Federal employee?

[Doctor Whom]

Common-sense gun control would protect LGBT people. Gay bars have never been bombed or torched. Where is this "Admiral Duncan Pub" of which you speak?

[John]

The police are there to protect you Doctor. I mean it is not like they stood around outside of this bar for three hours after he started shooting.

[Doctor Whom]

When seconds count....

[Playa Manhattan.]

.... there's a 3 hour standoff

[See Double You]

Is there any information available explaining why police waited three hours before engaging? SOP in armed standoffs involving potential hostages?

[John]

He was holding hostages in some kind of horror show. I can understand their desire to be cautious. But this guy was clearly dangerous and the longer they waited to go in the more people he was going to kill.

[Playa Manhattan.]

They engaged at the outset. He holed up inside.

[Brett L]

They actually stood outside of the bathroom he had retreated into for three hours. So if you were wounded in the main rooms, you got evacuated, according to the latest story I read. Which makes WAY more sense. There were still 5-6 hostages, who he for some reason did not execute when the breaching went seriously south.

[tarran]

There were two bathrooms, side by side.

He was in one with a bunch of dead victims and 0 to n hostages (my money is on 0).

The other bathroom had the people the cops were able to free by breaching the wall.

[Brett L]

That is depressingly worse.

[lafe.long]

Jesse Ventura: US Federal Appeals Court Vacates $1.8 Million Awarded to Former Minnesota Governor

The court said the jury's 2014 award fails as a matter of law. Ventura accused "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle of defamation for alleging that Ventura said SEALs "deserve to lose a few" in Iraq.

[bacon-magic]

I like good news. Thanks.

[Florida Hipster]

Some positive news from Orlando. I tried to give blood at 3 locations today and all are booked full for a week.

[Citizen X]

They were just telling you that so you'd leave them alone.

[Tonio]

Thank you for doing that. Even in the absence of high-need events like this, donating blood is a good thing.

[Florida Hipster]

I usually give a double because I'm O negative. I haven't gone in about a year. I feel bad about it now.

[tarran]

AB+, baby! I can live off the blood of any of you! And my blood will kill most of you! Mwa! HA! HA! HA!

[Playa Manhattan.]

I have low grade rabies. I can't donate.

[Florida Hipster]

How...um...how... Never mind, I don't want to know.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Squirrel fight. I won, but I lost.

[Brett L]

I had a co-worker when I was contracted to the FL Bureau of Epi who was attacked by a rabid raccoon. Luckily he knew enough to retain the head for rabies testing after he beat it to death. It had rabies and he became a case in the database I helped build. I think. It's pretty illegal to go and look someone up without a pressing business need, which I never had.

[Playa Manhattan.]

You have to test the head? Interesting.

[Brett L]

I don't think you have to. Its just the part of the body that gets least mushy in a day or two

[__Warren__]

Florida Man Tries, Fails, to Give His Blood Away to Strangers!

[Playa Manhattan.]

That is good news. In a week, it'll be moot. I assume the emergency surgeries will be complete by then.

Did you have to scrub in on any cases?

[Florida Hipster]

No. I left ORMC 2 years ago, which is the level 1 trauma center here. We may get some related surgeries in the Florida system this week.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Maybe the 'meth teeth' and the jaundiced eye-balls gave them a moment to reflect?

[grrizzly]

Brendan O'Neill: The Orlando Massacre And The Crisis Of Humanism.

The West lacks the moral resources to resist ISIS. Let's change that.

The massacre in Orlando reminds us that there are wicked individuals who will mow people down simply for the 'crime' of being gay. It confirms that Islamist violence, fuelled by a profound intolerance of anyone who dares to live freely or irreligiously, is a pressing problem in the 21st-century West. But most tragically of all, it has revealed a deep crisis of humanism in the West. The response to this act of barbarism has exposed the fracturing of human ideals, of the very notion of a human family, and of the West's commitment to trusting individuals to live as they please, to be sovereign over themselves, regardless of who it offends. The awful truth unveiled by the obscenity in Orlando is that we in the West lack the moral armoury and collective spirit to withstand Islamist intolerance.

[Tonio]

^This. Particularly the last sentence. I've felt like puking my guts out every time some gay person lights up my derpbook with "islamophobia" bullshit in reference to this event.

Maybe, just maybe, teh gaze will realize that pandering to islamists is not in their interests.

[Doctor Whom]

Let's pander to people who will clearly not accept us, while alienating people who would otherwise be our natural allies. Sounds like a plan, Stan.

[Ted S.]

A couple of years ago I heard a report on Radio Sweden about Jamaican dancehall artists performing in Sweden, and how their lyrics are very misogynist and anti-gay. Listening to the gay Swedes they interviewed was enlightening, as they twisted themselves into pretzels trying not to blame a racial minority for its anti-gay views.

[ant1sthenes]

The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

[lafe.long]

Goldman Sachs: American Banking Firm Hired Prostitutes to Win Over Libyan Business, Court Documents Say

The Libyan Investment Authority said Goldman Sachs, in exchange for business, paid for prostitutes and luxury travel for the brother of the LIA's former deputy chief, Haitem Zarti, who was interning.

[The Fusionist]

"I think you would be interested in depositing your assets with us."

[Playa Manhattan.]

I have no idea why that's an issue.

[Tonio]

"Trafficking." Duh.

But, yeah, no more an issue than a (non-sexual) massage, or a pedicure.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

The oldest profession negotiating tactic.

[Jerry on the rocks]

Goldman Sachs: American Banking Firm Hired Prostitutes...

But enough about Hillary.

[BigT]

Ewwwwww!!

[Mongo]

Today, you are all gay.

[AlmightyJB]

I'm always gay. Just not homosexual.

[John]

We are all gay now.

[DJF]

I thought we are all Muslims who only commit mass murder because we are crazy or have guns not because we are Muslims.

[Trigger Hippie]

Nope! Still just a pawn in the Game of Life. You understand.

[Juvenile Bluster]

You know, I've seen the joking that the Constitution was "written by white slaveowners like a century ago" and that it isn't relevant today. Never actually saw someone that thought like that in the real world. Thought it a joke. Until... I got this reply today.

Or maybe the Constitution and Bill of Rights are outdated documents written centuries ago by people who had no idea what modern society would look like, and you shouldn't cling to them like some people cling to religion.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

Yes, unfortunately, we bandy that about because we've all seen that argument made at some point or another.

[Juvenile Bluster]

I think I preferred to live in my happy place where I didn't know that. 🙁

[Tonio]

It is a grim path we follow.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Wanting to be left the fuck alone is a religion now?

[B. Woodrow Chippenhaus]

Can I say the same thing about the Communist Manifesto and the writings or Marx and Engels?

[But Enough About Me]

Absolutely. Also, tell them that the concept of democracy is at least 2500 years old, and therefore should be abandoned 'cause it's like, outdated and icky and stuff.

[CE]

So, we're not just bitterly clinging to our Bibles and our weapons anymore, now we're bitterly clinging to the documents that legally govern the way the government operates?

[lafe.long]

Disney Springs: Orlando, Fla., Gunman Reportedly Considered Disney Entertainment Complex as Target

Omar Mateen's wife told authorities he was "scouting [Disney Springs] and Pulse [nightclub] for attacks," an anonymous official told People. Mateen fatally shot 49 people Sunday at Pulse.

[AlmightyJB]

Wow, my boss and her family just got back from Disney the week before. Crazy to think about.

[PBR Streetgang]

If she knew he was scouting locations for a massacre...

[IndyEleven]

Seems like maybe the sort of thing she should have mentioned to someone prior to now?

[This Machine]

"I mean, he talked about it a lot, I just never thought he'd actually do it."

- Family and friends of nutjobs, everywhere.

[Crusty Juggler]

Thanks for the heads up, wife.

[Playa Manhattan.]

If you see something, say something make sure to mention it after the fact.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Disney is a gayer target than the nightclub.

[Florida Hipster]

Fuck. I go there all the time. I wonder if Disney go some sort of heads up. They installed metal detectors this year.

[Playa Manhattan.]

How long do you think the lines at the waterparks will be towards the end of August?

Is it the type of deal where I'll have to spend 100 bucks to get in, only go on 3 slides, and leave really angry?

[lafe.long]

Chris Christie: New Jersey Governor Allegedly Picked Up Donald Trump's McDonald's Order, Report Says

The New Yorker's Ryan Lizza said a Republican source told him a Trump campaign worker saw Christie getting the GOP candidate's food order, adding that the governor has become a "manservant."

[Citizen X]

Paging SugarFree. SugarFree to the brown, sticky phone, please.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Do we want to elect a man president who would trust New Jersey Democrat Chris Christie with his food order?

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

Pretty sure a lot of those nuggets were intercepted by warlords.

[Citizen X]

"Warlords" is a pretty strange euphemism for "Chris Christie's chin-flaps."

[The Fusionist]

"Here you go, Mr. Trump, sir, a single cheesburger with small fries."

"Wait a minute, I ordered a *triple* cheesburger with *biggie* fries."

"They must have heard your order correctly, Mr. [burp] Trump."

[The Fusionist]

must *not*

[AlmightyJB]

And then sent these girls in after he had to wait too long

http://nbc4i.com/2016/06/13/wo.....to-slowly/

[Playa Manhattan.]

I've had that happen before. I was at a McDonalds off of the Taconic State Parkway last month, and it took 15 minutes to get my order. I was the only one there, and there were 10 people behind the counter. High School students with low 70s IQs. So irritating.

I'm used to highly efficient Guatamalans.

[Ted S.]

You take the Taconic? I've always found it a creepy road.

[Playa Manhattan.]

I find them all creepy. In CA, you can see ahead for a hundred miles when it's clear out. On the east coast, you can only see as far as the trees.

[Ted S.]

All politicians should be acting like maids and manservants.

[Idle Hands]

Alternate headline "Chris Christie is buying two meals at McDonalds and claiming one is for Trump."

[Glide]

Don't necessarily believe it but hilarious that it's at least plausible.

And if actually true, DAMN, someone wants that attorney general spot bad.

[CE]

I'm pretty sure Christie was just ordering a lot of food for himself, and when the clerk said, "that's a lot of food", he said, "these burgers here are for Trump".

[Krapulent Kristen]

FaFu is literally everyone's bitch! I love it.

Wonder if he'll stop by Rocklands for me tonight? I need a half rack and some pulled pork egg rolls (don't fucking knock it til you've tried it)

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Supreme Court declined to hear a case from a group of American Samoans who want to be granted birthright citizenship for being born in a U.S. territory.

Get on the other side of the Trump wall, foreigners.

[CE]

So Saul Goodman's law degree is no good after all?

[lafe.long]

Sarah Palin: Former Alaska Governor Criticizes Paul Ryan's Response to Orlando, Fla., Shooting

"Paul Ryan is out of touch with his constituents. Those who have put their faith in him," she said of Ryan on Breitbart News. Ryan said the U.S. is "at war with Islamic terrorists" after the shooting.

[Tonio]

Well, they are certainly at war with us (the secular West).

[The Late P Brooks]

a former co-worker of shooter Omar Mateen says the guy was a crazy nutjob;

"I allus knowed thet boy was trouble."

Thereby proving that background checks don't work, and guns should just be banned.

[Tonio]

I have a feeling this will not end well for the FBI. Looks like they had enough reason to be suspicious of him, but missed the opportunity.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

They'll negotiate a deal with Hillary. She'll get the media to quietly drop the finger-pointing, and this unsavory criminal investigation won't find a colorable criminal claim. Win-win-win.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Democrats are again going to try to use terrorist watch lists (which are bureaucratically controlled) to try to restrict individual gun rights on the basis of just suspicion rather than actual conviction of crimes,

First they came for the Muslim Nutjobs, but I wasn't a Muslim Nutjob, so I said nothing...

[John]

I am now convinced this is why Progs love Muslims so much. Muslims come in and do shit like this. That then allows Progs to expand the powers of government and use shit that was sold as controlling Muslims as a weapon to go after everyone else.

Look for them to start going after "hate speech" over this as well. And that will mean occasionally deporting some Imam who makes the mistake of being caught on tape preaching the jihad and kicking in doors of anyone who objects to their daughter being forced to shower with a boy who thinks he is a girl.

For years Progs have wanted to bring in Hispanics to use for mob violence. That hasn't worked because the country is armed and Hispanics don't like being shot any more than the rest of us. Radical Muslims are happy to die. The progs slobber over themselves at the thought of using Muslims for mob violence.

[tarran]

I think it's stupider than that!

Baci after 9/11, one of the things the USG was really fretting was how uninvolved muslims were with the civil service and military. Bush really pushed for them to volunteer into the foreign service and military and to become civicly engaged.

And the progs discovered a new marginalized constituency. And as Iraq heated up, the progs got a lot of mileage over claiming Bush wanted to kill muslims and positioning themselves as wanting to be their friends.

I don't think the progs have worked out where their love affair is going to take them.

[John]

Yeah. I likely give them too much credit.

[(((Renegade)))]

Muslims come in and do shit like this.

Yes, they plot to be born in New York. They are devious- no wonder DHS is baffled!

[John]

To Afghan parents. God it must be hard being that stupid.

[(((Renegade)))]

Yes, 30 years ago, they said, "I know what let's do, let's go to the USA and bear a sleeper agent for an organization that doesn't exist yet!"

No wonder you're the pride of DHS. Take pride in your 1% status!

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Gilroy, a former Fort Pierce police officer, said Mateen frequently made homophobic and racial comments. Gilroy said he complained to his employer several times but it did nothing because he was Muslim.

Let's hit this one on the political billiards table, see where it bounces around.

[Tonio]

I called this in an earlier thread - diversity hire, quota filler.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Police are trying to figure out the deal with the guy who brought a bunch of weapons and ammo in his vehicle to Los Angeles' weekend gay pride events, but it seems increasingly likely that he was not planning an attack as had been previously reported by police.

Gay people don't hurt other gay people, people.

[Tonio]

Apparently that Gay nightclub that was torched in NOLA back in '73 (thanks, Injun, for the reminder) was done by a disgruntled gay customer.

[Sidd Finch v2.01]

President Barack Obama and the FBI say that, despite Mateen declaring allegiance to the Islamic State during the attack, there's no clear evidence that ISIS actually directed his actions.

We've seen this talking point before. I don't see how ISIS inspiring random lunatics to commit atrocities and being militarily powerful enough take credit is a good thing.

[Tonio]

being militarily powerful enough take credit

WTF? Taking credit just means issuing a statement.

[Sidd Finch v2.01]

Taking credit just means issuing a statement and having the full weight of The Five Eyes on your ass and pissing off whatever intelligence agencies are allowing and/or funding you and pissing off the locals who kinda support you, etc.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

Don't their propaganda videos call for the sort of loner attacks that this worthless fuckwad did?

[tarran]

Yes.

[Gray Ghost]

And they issue "magazines" with moral encouragement and helpful tips on things like bombmaking, E&E, and how not to attract notice from the infidels you're trying to kill.

Didn't he move out of his apartment a few weeks or months beforehand? Where was he living? Was anyone helping him, who could reasonably be expected to know that he was planning some type of violence?

[The Late P Brooks]

Democrats are again going to try to use terrorist watch lists (which are bureaucratically controlled) to try to restrict individual gun rights on the basis of just suspicion rather than actual conviction of crimes, or even charges. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) seems to think due process is some sort of "loophole," a nice reminder of how awful she is.

Precautionary principle at work: It is far better that 9,999 innocent people are deprived of their "privileges" than a single crazy nutjob slip through the loophole. And the voting public approve. I blame the education system.

[The artist known Dunphy]

I am a critic of overuse of swat and over militarization of police but both military style equipment and swat are in my opinion and in my experience overall great benefits to the public , to officers and even in many cases to suspects since swat is often better able to take them in without bloodshed although obviously not the case in Orlando

In Orlando an officer was shot in the head area but saved by his military style helmet. A $227,000 armoured vehicle was used to grin entry and rescue the hostages . This is exactly the type of vehicle that Obama admin has placed further restrictions on distributing to police. This one though was bought by the PD

military style police equipment FTW

[Crusty Juggler]

More boring than usual.

[Playa Manhattan.]

For every appropriate usage, there are hundreds of misuses.

That's they can't have the equipment anymore. We gave it a shot, and the police fucked it up

[B. Woodrow Chippenhaus]

IF IT SAVES EVEN ONE FABULOUS LIFE IT'S WORTH IT!!

[GILMORE?]

it seems increasingly likely that he was not planning an attack as had been previously reported by police.

I was going to mention that the LA Times coverage of this guy went from "OMG PROBABLE JOINT TERRORIST ATTACK" and was subsequently downgraded to "guy with guns being questioned".... but then i decided it was actually understandable to over-react somewhat.

I do think on the twitters there was some relish at the idea they could have some dumb redneck bad-guy along with the apparent ISIS-wannabe.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Some followup would be nice.

Like, maybe mention that the dude was gay, a Bernie supporter, he intended no harm, and it's perfectly OK to have that kind of shit in your car outside of CA.

Oddly, them seem to have lost interest.

[GILMORE?]

yeah, exactly.

[Brett L]

"Where are you going?"
"The Pride Parade?"
"Wy do you have tannerite and guns?"
"I live in rural Indiana."
"Oh. "

[GILMORE?]

I don't know if anyone's been following the Theranos story.... there's a brief update in the WaPo today as their largest and most-important backer cuts ties w/ them

I think its an interesting lesson in investing-hubris, relying on this popular idea of the "next millenial billionaire-genius" like Mark Zuckerberg (whom i've never been entirely confident is all that bright).... but also provides some insight into how the US medical industry presents such obstacles for experimentation and innovation... such that the risks/costs are so high that it becomes an enormous-stakes gamble to simply try to 'change the status quo' slightly.

Meaning, i think her project is/was proabably an interesting idea that should continue to be explored, not just in this one narrow area, but in many others... but that the problem is that, in either drugs or diagnostics or anything that needs FDA approval and jump through a billion$ worth of regulatory hoops.... the cost of "winning" is so expensive, that every attempt at something new is a big-dollar gamble which either makes people into overnight billionaires, or results in catastrophic failure. It shouldn't have to be that way.

[Crusty Juggler]

I did not see the word "turtleneck" once in your post, and my conclusion is that you haveno idea what you're talking about.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Everything about Theranos was fishy. Even the star studded BoD was a red flag.

They're done. Their flagship product doesn't fucking work.
They might be able to salvage some portion of their business by shifting to forensics, but they're done.

[CE]

Or they were crushed by a regulatory agency captured by their entrenched competitors, it's intended purpose.

[GILMORE?]

Both things are mostly true.

which was sort of my point above.

[Warty]

Oof.

Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, a 30-year-old accountant, sought shelter in the bathroom from where he texted his mom:
Mommy I love you
In the club they shooting
Trapp in the bathroom
Call police
Im gonna die
His mother, Mina Justice, tried to reassure him that she'd called 911 and help was coming:
Calling them now.
U still there?
Answer your phone.
Call me.
Call me.
Justice replied: Call them mommy
Now
Im still in the bathroom
Hes coming
Im going to die
He then went silent. He was among the 49 who didn't make it.

[tarran]

My girlfriend teases me about my reluctance to go into victim disarmament zones. But this one of my nightmares.

[Warty]

The shit-cherry on top of the shit-sundae is that if he had stopped panicking, he might have had a chance to wait by the door for the terrorist piece of shit to come in, and try to disarm him, or even just make a break for it.

Although now it occurs to me that he may well have tried and failed. So I shouldn't insinuate cowardice. Not that anyone should look down on anyone who panicked and died because of it. What else is an untrained person going to do?

[John]

That makes me want to vomit. It makes me so angry.

[grrizzly]

I visited the 9/11 museum for the first time a week ago. A lot of phone recordings and voice messages of the people shortly before they died, as you can imagine. But they mostly play the ones where the people sound very composed, almost business-like.

[Warty]

This one is extremely hard to listen to.

[Krapulent Kristen]

If that's the one I think it is, I can. not. I heard it once and I swear mt stomach and heart leapt out of my body at the end. Fuck.

[Mongo]

I don't think good news ever comes from a bathroom.

[creech]

So damn sad. I'm reminded of what Goldwater said: "You don't have to be straight to shoot straight." According to popular perception, guns are everywhere in a heavily armed America. But not in this instance - no guns were used for self defense. Anyone care to guess what the death toll would have been if this had happened in, say, a nightclub in Abilene or Wichita?

[Warty]

The same. The people who are armed and trained aren't the same people who are shitfaced, happy, and dancing at 2am.

[Brett L]

In Abilene, about the same. Its still illegal as fuck for a private citizen to carry a firearm where alcohol is served.

[creech]

Your probably right but I've been in West Texas in a bar with two business colleagues and both had firearms readily accessible in their cars in the parking lot.

[The artist known Dunphy]

'I have a feeling this will not end well for the FBI. Looks like they had enough reason to be suspicious of him, but missed the opportunity.'

They were suspicious ... They interviewed him twice... They did not uncover sufficient cause to arrest or open a 'major investigation'

I've made this point numerous times vis a vis Terry stops

Not developing PC from a Terry doesn't mean the guy is or isn't a criminal (committed already, in process of committing, etc)

It means PC was not developed so we let them go. Letting them go isn't PROOF the RS wasn't an indication something more was going on, it's proof no PC was discovered - huuuuuuge difference

Gary Ridgway, the guy eventually convicted (years later) as a serial killer due to new DNA technology.... During his crime spree was stopped pursuant to Terry ... But no PC was developed

He was even questioned at the station extensively on another occasion. He was able to 'killersplain' away and was not arrested

That's the way the cookie crumbles. Just as beyond a reasonable doubt means plenty of bad guys will get away... RS for s brief detention means plenty will
Also get away who are guilty. Doesn't justify arresting people for less than PC or convicting for less than 'beyond a reasonable doubt'

[Crusty Juggler]

I'm not a big fan of cookies. There, I said it.

[Playa Manhattan.]

One problem with your opinion:

The FBI doesn't give a fuck about PC, and they don't need it to monitor him.

This is a fuckup of colossal magnitude. It really is that simple.

[tarran]

Yeah, they should have recruited him into a terrorist plot to blow up the sears building in Miami!

[Playa Manhattan.]

They should have offered him a job.

[Gray Ghost]

From reading between the lines of Comey's comments today, tarran, I think they tried that. And the FBI, bless their hearts, probably phrased it exactly like that.

They're making up for lost time though: WFTV sources: Arrest of alleged accomplice in mass shooting expected

Better late than never, I guess. I think it's either one of his family members or, more likely, someone affiliated with that ex-Marine's nutbag jihadi church in Florida.

[B. Woodrow Chippenhaus]

Nevertheless, the fact that the FBI couldn't read this guy's mind will the the justification for the government to Do Something (Probably Horrible to Someone's RIghts)

[Mr Lizard]

If he had been a white bitter clinger they would have interviewed him twice without video tape, and then throw a 'lying to a federal agent' charge at him.*

*or if he was black...or Asian, and possibly if Hispanic.

[lafe.long]

Huma Abedin: Political Consultant Roger Stone Says Hillary Clinton Aide May Be a 'Terrorist Agent'

Stone said on Sirius XM's "Breitbart News Daily" that Abedin, who was born in Michigan to an Indian father and Pakistani mother and grew up in Saudi Arabia, may be a "Saudi spy" with terrorist ties.

[Juvenile Bluster]

Obviously no fan of hers. Or Hillary's. But Roger Stone is apparently, just like Chris Christie, Donald Trump's manservant.

[TANSTAAFBOW]

You gotta give it to these ISIS People.

They managed to create an army of people outside of the middle east willing to be soldiers for the ISIS Cause.

It's genius. And no wall or immigration policy can stop this.

We truly have no other choice than to
A> go after the Muslim people in America regardless of the fact that they were born here
B> just live with the fact that every now-and-then, things like this will happen.

Given that we are for freedom, against gun control, against singling people out by race/religion/etc., we have no choice but to choose B. All we can do is hope it doesn't happen to us.

[Pan Zagloba]

Hello, Americans. I'm sure you were eagerly awaiting for Canadians to tell you more about what's wrong with your country, and our State Broadcaster did not disappoint today.

After Orlando, time to recognize that anti-gay bigotry is not religious freedom

We start with infamous Montreal Massacre:

Men who'd never as much as lifted a hand to a woman in their lives were told that even so, if they'd ever smiled at a sexist joke or tolerated discrimination against a woman, they'd done their bit to shape a culture that culminated with the funerals of those 14 women in Montreal.

It was hard to swallow, but only a dullard could reject the logic outright.

Then it's a easy skip to Prop 8 (see if you can spot a missing supporter)

Prop 8 proponents included the Roman Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, the California Catholic Conference of bishops, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons), the Union of Orthodox Jewish Organizations of America and assorted evangelical Christian groups. Together, they poured a fortune into the campaign. The Mormons alone provided $20 million.

[Rufus The Monocled]

STOP EMBARRASSING US!

[rts]

Neil Macdonald, national embarrassment.

[But Enough About Me]

Who works for the Ceeb, Canada's Wretched Hive Of Scum And Villainy?.

[The artist known Dunphy]

In my opinion rubbish but we agree it is a problem we disagree as to the extent and of course I have first hand knowledge having been on a couple dozen SWAT raids myself

I saw 4 or so that were overkill

I've also personally seen at least one situation where if it wasn't a SWAT raid the patrol guy would have been forced probably to have shot the guy

SWAT has the types of equipment and staffing and techniques etc such that it's not at all uncommon for them to be able to not shoot suspect when it was merely a patrol response we would not have had that option

Spotlight fallacy says you almost never hear about those situations you only hear when there is bloodshed

In one situation I was on the front guys had full ballistic shield in front of them and didn't shoot a guy due to the shield protecting them and a patrol guy Probdbly would've had to

You DO NOT EVER HEAR about these

Similar to how I've tackled a person with a knife w/o shooting (good distraction technique by my partner gave me the tactical advantage)

You NEVER hear about this stuff

If I had shot her - you would

Creating an impression we can't take knife wielders into custody w/o shooting

We VERY frequently do

My buddy with SPD was slashed across his shirt when doing so. No injury but scary as fuck

Didn't make the papers ... Of course

[TANSTAAFBOW]

Would you, as an officer, quit your job if we asked you to use a net-gun instead of a lethal firearm or taser?
You can even have the Net-gun that has a taser built into it.

[RBS]

dunphy would never quit, he enjoys the adulation of his subjects too much.

[TANSTAAFBOW]

Would you, as an officer, quit your job if we asked you to use a net-gun instead of a lethal firearm or taser?
You can even have the Net-gun that has a taser built into it.

[creech]

They could have used you in the recent situation where it was "necessary" to gun down a guy throwing a rock at his wife's car at the Dallas airport.

[Juvenile Bluster]

So, do you ever actually respond to the issue, or do you just spew your department-approved talking points regardless of the situation?

[Playa Manhattan.]

My PD has fucking Lenco Bearcat parked in the parking lot. Department is less than 100 sworn.

The only time it has EVER been used is for the LA Kings victory parade when they won the Stanley Cup.

We have an armory with a couple dozen MP-5s, M-4s, and Barret .50s. Also never been used.

Other similar sized departments in my area have the same shit.

And we're less than 3 miles from the 2nd largest police department in the country, and under the jurisdiction of the largest Sheriff's department in the country. If shit goes down, they handle it.

If you want to play GI Joe, go see your local Marine recruiter.

[Animal]

I grew up in a rural Iowa county (Allamakee) that back in the 1970s had a county sheriff and maybe six deputies. When I was in high school a bunch of us who were interested got a tour of the sheriff's office, including the tiny little armory where they stored service revolvers, a couple of shotguns - and an honest-to-gosh 1928 Thompson submachine gun with a big 50 round drum.

I thought that Tommy gun was the coolest damn thing I'd ever seen. Since the county bought it about 1930, it had only been fired a few times on the little "range" they had set up. Mostly just sat in the rack collecting dust - but if trouble had come to town, they damn well woulda been ready.

No tanks, though. Just good old Andy Griffith-style cop cars.

[Krabappel]

I'm having an Office-Space-like / mid-30's crisis. Every day I resent sitting in front of this computer screen a little bit more.

Has anyone decided to just quit their job and go be a construction worker?

[GILMORE?]

My buddy who went to Harvard decided to become a fireman. he's a chief now in ....rhode island i think.

then again, i think he only spent 2 years after college in 'the business world'

[Brett L]

That's pretty much what I did for a year and a half -- was hoping to parlay it into an engineering job. I got laid off when the energy industry shit itself. But fuck, go to welding school. If you can lift 50 lbs above your head and don't mind swamp-ass all day every day, its a good way to make $3500/week for six to eight weeks (working 70 hours or more) and then fuck off until you've spent it all.

[GILMORE?]

File under = Political Bravery

Of all the decisions Obama is trying to stuff into his last months in office... ending the War in Afghanistan (*which was technically supposed to have ended in 2014) is something he will definitely pass on. Mainly because of that very illusion which he wants to maintain. Doing anything new before he left office would acknowledge that 'stuff needs doing'.

I really think the press has been horrifyingly poor on holding BO accountable re: that particular policy. 75% of the casualties happened under his watch (about 1,500 killed), and yet aside from a few pieces in the early days of his candidacy, saying "This is Obama's War".... no one has ever bothered to ask, "What was the point of that?"

[lafe.long]

Washington, DC: Bernie Sanders Gives Support to District for Statehood

"I think it is morally wrong for American citizens who pay federal taxes, fight in our wars and live in our country to be denied the basic right to full congressional representation," he said.

[Playa Manhattan.]

I'd give up my representation if they got rid of the taxes and draft.

[CE]

Wouldn't we all?

[Juice]

I agree. That's why all DC residents are now absolved of all federal taxes and selective service.

[GILMORE?]

"Which is why we need to regulate the internet, naturally"

[GILMORE?]

"There are strong indications of radicalization by this killer and of potential inspiration by foreign terrorist organizations," Comey told reporters in Washington. "We're highly confident this killer was radicalized at least in some part through the internet.

Which is exactly why Obama made sure the headline was, "HOMEGROWN, INDO-EXTREMISM, DUDE"

[Bra Ket]

Well that's settled. After all they've been at it for like a whole day and a half.

[Uncle Jay]

RE: The Supreme Court also ruled, 5-2, that Puerto Rico cannot restructure its debts to public utilities to help ease its financial crisis.

Let's all hope and pray this doesn't mean the socialist turds ruining the beautiful island of PR are going to be held responsible for their incompetence and stupidity.
That might set a dangerous precedence to socialist slavers everywhere in Amerika.

[TANSTAAFBOW]

Don't be too hopeful.

Last week congress did the following:

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/10.....looms.html

[Playa Manhattan.]

The US Virgin Islands are in even more trouble, but they seem to be smart about it. So far.

[GILMORE?]

I learned it from watching you, Tom Brady

[Sevo]

"Democrats are again going to try to use terrorist watch lists (which are bureaucratically controlled) to try to restrict individual gun rights on the basis of just suspicion rather than actual conviction of crimes, or even charges."

As I understand it, under FL law, those guns were already illegal in that location, so I guess adding one more law would have stopped the killing?
Or would it just make it look like a bloody-shirt-waving pol is 'doing something'?

[The Late P Brooks]

"I think it is morally wrong for American citizens who pay federal taxes, fight in our wars and live in our country to be denied the basic right to full congressional representation," he said.

Yeah. Those poor slobs in DC are completely unrepresented.

[OldMexican Trained Philosopher]

President Barack Obama and the FBI say that, despite Mateen declaring allegiance to the Islamic State during the attack, there's no clear evidence that ISIS actually directed his actions.

The open calls for committing terrorists 'attacks' were mere recommendations, I guess?

Police are trying to figure out the deal with the guy who brought a bunch of weapons and ammo in his vehicle to Los Angeles' weekend gay pride events, but it seems increasingly likely that he was not planning an attack as had been previously reported by police.

All gay Bernie supporters are generally nice people, so we're giving him the benefit of the doubt.

The Supreme Court declined to hear a case from a group of American Samoans who want to be granted birthright citizenship for being born in a U.S. territory.

They should've swam over into the States for that.

Microsoft bought LinkedIn, the job-related social media site that you joined and still quite aren't sure why, for $26 billion.

I'm glad I am not alone asking the same question.

[Heroic Mulatto]

The Supreme Court declined to hear a case from a group of American Samoans who want to be granted birthright citizenship for being born in a U.S. territory.

They should've swam over into the States for that.

Well, your average Samoan is buoyant enough to do that.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Bless you, my child.

[RBS]

well, that explains OMWC then.

[Krabappel]

I've built a few pieces of furniture... I made a kitchen island but it was pretty basic. Carpentry doesn't really pay that much, though, does it?

[Crusty Juggler]

You cut me right to the core.

[Playa Manhattan.]

Get your general contractor's license first. If you're a quick learner, it will be really easy.

Be your own boss. You don't want to be building for someone else.

[Krabappel]

I am only half serious about going into construction... but I am really feeling like I need a career change and the hardest part of that seems to be willing to take a massive pay cut to get started in any other field.