In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

The Supreme Court also ruled unanimously that "President Obama lacked constitutional authority to make high-level government appointments at a time he declared the Senate in recess and unable to act on the nominations." The Republicans will be gloating about this now, but have fun the next time you've got a president in the White House, since recess appointments have been one of your party's favorite ways of sneaking in unfathomably terrible appointees.

In good news: "The House Appropriations Committee passed the fiscal year 2015 State Department and Foreign Operations appropriations bill yesterday with an amendment to remove a provision banning the Peace Corps from funding abortions for its volunteers."

In more good news: Maine Senator Susan Collins is the fourth Republican US Senator to affirm her support for same-sex marriage. Give that woman a domino lapel pin!

Ikea has announced they are raising the minimum wage for their US workers: "Ikea is acting on its own to lift the minimum wage, and it's doing it in a unique way: The U.S. average will be $10.76 and hour, but will be adjusted in different areas for cost of living. Ikea workers in Woodbridge, Va., will get the highest, at $13.22 an hour. Workers in Pittsburgh and West Chester, Ohio, will get the lowest, at $8.69. The changes go into effect on Jan. 1, 2015. ...On average, Ikea's pay change will be a 17% increase, the company said." Because I am an asshole, I will point out that this will give Ikea a lot of good free publicity, but it won't actually give their workers a livable wage. If you want to impress me, give your workers a raise that will meaningfully change their lives.

[Content Note: Child endangerment] This is a really weird story: A man's son missing for 11 days was found alive in his basement, even though law enforcement had searched the basement. And the man was informed live on Nancy Grace's garbage show that his son was found alive in his basement. Just...what? I'm really relieved the boy appears to be physically okay, though!

[CN: Scatological reference] Um: EPA Employees Told to Stop Pooping in the Hallway. "Environmental Protection Agency workers have done some odd things recently. Contractors built secret man caves in an EPA warehouse, an employee pretended to work for the CIA to get unlimited vacations, and one worker even spent most of his time on the clock looking at pornography. It appears, however, that a regional office has reached a new low: Management for Region 8 in Denver, Colo., wrote an email earlier this year to all staff in the area pleading with them to stop inappropriate bathroom behavior, including defecating in the hallway." Welp.

[CN: Fat bias; disablist language] Melissa McCarthy covers People magazine, and they give her the sappiest rubbish headline ever: "My Journey from Tears to Triumph." Oh fuck off, People. That kind of headline is gross when it's about someone who's overcome a disease or catastrophic injury or whatever, but it's SUPER GROSS when the implication is that Melissa McCarthy has triumphed over being fat. It's like they didn't read their own article, either: "A recent reference to her as 'America's plus-size sweetheart' in an article did not go unnoticed. 'It's like I'm managing to achieve all this success in spite of my affliction ... Would you ever put that in the headline for a male star?'" Get it together, People.

And finally! [CN: Home invasion] I love this police officer for letting a cat traumatized by a burglary ride around on her shoulders during the investigation. "I feel safe up here!" Love.