52% support marijuana legalization in a new Pew poll, compared with 45% who don’t. It’s the first national poll ever to show majority support for legalization.
We, the largely-bearded staff of SFB, are excited about this news. Also, Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn occasionally sports a beard; will this PAC support his reelection if he pinkie-promises not to shave it again? source
SFB says: Not a bad insight. North Korea never explicitly stated that Austin was a target; this assumption was pieced together by Westerners, who analyzed several blurry photographs released by North Korean state media (photographs that, it should be noted, the DPRK released primarily for domestic propagandistic purposes). That being said, Rick Perry would still like you to keep in mind that Austin is a burgeoning hub for businesses in the US. —Seth @ SFB
I think the individuals in North Korea understand that Austin, Texas, is now a very important city in America, as do corporate CEOs and other people who are moving here in record numbers.Texas Governor Rick Perry, explaining his theory on why Kim Jong-un listed Austin, TX as a possible target for a nuclear strike. source
The public, stated reason for this is to show solidarity with federal workers who were furloughed due to the sequester. An alternate explanation: The President warned for weeks that the sequester would have a disastrous effect on the country, but its effects since hitting haven’t been acutely felt by the citizenry at large. These pledges by the president and his allies serve as a public reminder that yes, the sequester did have tangible, measurable effects—at least for the workers who’ve been furloughed—and thus retroactively lend credence to the president’s warnings. source
To the national party’s credit, Young’s remarks were roundly denounced by Republican leaders, and Kincannon has basically been disowned by the state GOP. But every story like this reaffirms the exact stereotypes the party is working so hard to combat right now, and until the party can get its members under control, even a superficial rebranding is likely to be unsuccessful. The larger issue, though, is whether the Republicans’ electoral base actually wants it to change. The early evidence isn’t very promising. source
I have come to the conclusion that our government should not limit the right to marry based on who you love…Good people disagree with me. On the other hand, my children have a hard time understanding why this is even controversial. I think history will agree with my children.Sen. Claire McCaskill, becoming the 42nd senator to support marriage equality. Extra points for making the announcement on her Tumblr
There’s a wrinkle here: In its recounting of today’s revelations, the Daily Caller writes that the lawyer “blamed four news outlets — CNN, The Daily Caller, Telemundo and Univision — for allegedly encouraging him to fabricate false accusations about Menendez.” This isn’t true; according to the Post, the man only accused the Daily Caller—not the other three outlets—of offering to bribe him (the other three were mentioned as having requested to interview the man after he made the claims). The lawyer’s reliability is already shot, having reversed his story at least once, but the Daily Caller has seriously undermined its own credibility by reporting the original story in such a misleading, and indeed factually inaccurate, way. This is one of those weird news stories where all parties involved seem to have been dishonest to some degree—with the possible exception of Menendez himself.
The bill outlaws abortions from the point at which a heartbeat can be detected in the fetus, which can happen as soon as six weeks into a pregnancy. Doctors performing an abortion after this point would face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, while the woman receiving the abortion would face no penalties. The bill is in direct violation of Roe v. Wade, which permits all women to receive abortions prior to viability (usually 22-24 weeks), and abortions rights groups have already pledged to challenge the law in court if and when Republican Governor Jack Dalrymple signs it. source
I’m moving back to New York in a few days. Unlike past...
OMG. I got so...
In this week’s Newsweek, a little...
Tumblr this morning. [h/t anne]
#@#$%!.tumblr.com
Here’s a hidden feature that shipped in...
Watch: PCB gets a visual shout out on GMA’s Yahoo/Tumblr...
I am sorry that I will not be your president – but I will be your co-worker and I will work shoulder to shoulder alongside you. In the end, we’ll win for the same reason we’ve won before because our cause is just and it is right.Mitt Romney, speaking at CPAC today. While he was respectfully received by the crowd, Politico writes that “indifference pervaded the halls” prior to his speech. source
We are aware of the charges brought by the Department of Justice against Matthew Keys, an employee of our news organization. Thomson Reuters is committed to obeying the rules and regulations in every jurisdiction in which it operates. Any legal violations, or failures to comply with the company’s own strict set of principles and standards, can result in disciplinary action. We would also observe the indictment alleges the conduct occurred in December 2010; Mr. Keys joined Reuters in 2012, and while investigations continue we will have no further comment.A statement by Reuters’ corporate affairs manager David Girardin, made to Politico in response to this morning’s news. source
Rice redux: The Washington Post reports today that Susan Rice, current US ambassador to the United Nations and onetime contender for Secretary of State, is “far and away the frontrunner” to become the next National Security Advisor. This marks a reversal of fortunes for Rice, who withdrew her name from consideration for Secretary of State after several Republicans pledged to block her nomination. The NSA post, however, doesn’t require Senate confirmation, and Rice is apparently still in high standing with the Obama Administration. The National Security Advisor is an extraordinarily powerful position, by the way; they personally advise the president on and play an enormous role in shaping foreign policy, yet unlike Secretary of State, they don’t have to consider or deal with an entire department’s bureaucracy when crafting that advice (Photo: AP). source
Copyright 2009-2013 Ernie Smith • Ask us stuff! • E-mail us • Follow us on Twitter • Follow us on Facebook
