State chemist's addiction may have affected more drug cases than previously known  —  For years, Sonja Farak was addicted to cocaine, methamphetamine, and amphetamines, the kind of drugs usually bought from street dealers in covert transactions that carry the constant risk of arrest.

State Silences Bakers Who Refused to Make Cake for Lesbian Couple, Fines Them $135K  —  Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian finalized a preliminary ruling today ordering Aaron and Melissa Klein, the bakers who refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, to pay $135,000 in emotional damages to the couple they denied service.

Why Is Donald Trump Polling So Well?  —  Name ID and support from the GOP base may be boosting Trump for now, but it will fade.  —  Macy's is ditching him, NBC has let him go, and Univision refuses to broadcast his famed beauty pageant.  But American voters are still entertaining the idea of President Donald Trump.

Can't let go of Joe  —  Biden probably isn't running, but a small group of diehard fans insists he just might.  —  Joe Biden's trial balloon is being inflated without him.  —  Seriously, people who claim to be insiders say, he's going to run.  Probably going to run.  Definitely thinking about running.

TV news crews robbed in S.F.; cameraman pistol-whipped  —  News crews from two television stations were robbed of cameras Thursday morning, and a camera operator was pistol-whipped by a man in a ski mask, as they reported on a homicide at Pier 14 in San Francisco.

For a Better Steak, Cook Directly on Charcoal  —  We've never been the kind of guys to worship outdoor grilling gear and technology.  When we were growing up, Dad set the tone, making do with a rusty hardware store hibachi and a metal chimney.  We've written about the ascetic thrill of using government-issue grills in state parks.

Illegal Aliens Disrupt Ann Coulter Book Signing, Author Fires Back  —  COSTA MESA, CA - Political commentator and author Ann Coulter was signing copies of her new book Adios America: The Left's Plan to Turn our Country into a Third World Hellhole at a Barnes and Noble Tuesday night when the calm …

Scott Brown's Newest Campaign: Shady Diet Pills  —  The short-lived senator from Massachusetts wants the world to know about his new weight-loss scheme via some very strange supplements.  —  Last night, shirtless pictures of former Senator Scott Brown appeared in my inbox.  —  He sent them.

Bobby Jindal administration will start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in downtown New Orleans  —  Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration will start giving out marriage licenses to same-sex couples at the state Department of Vital Records in downtown New Orleans Thursday afternoon …

Smaller Majority “Extremely Proud” to Be an American  —  Story Highlights  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Independence Day approaches, most in the U.S. say they are proud to be an American, including a slight majority, 54%, who are “extremely proud.”  The percentage saying they are “extremely proud” …

Thank You, Donald Trump!  —  You've said some pretty offensive things about Latino immigrants recently, and I think they're worth addressing.  Because, you know, this is the United States of America, where I have a right to speak up even if I'm not a billionaire.  Isn't that awesome?

President Obama Mocks GOP Nominating Contest as Political ‘Hunger Games’ … What if the presidential nominating process were like “Hunger Games”?  —  Well, President Obama suggested today that the GOP field has enough candidates to try it out.  —  “I've lost count how many Republicans are running for this job.

Trump stands behind comments on Mexicans  —  Donald Trump refused to back down in the face of criticism of his recent comments about illegal immigrants in an interview with CNN on Wednesday.  —  The 2016 Republican presidential contender has faced a backlash for saying that Mexico was sending criminals and rapists across the border.

George Takei's Racist Rant: Clarence Thomas Is a ‘Clown in Black Face’  —  Share it Tweet it  —  George Takei unleashed a racist rant against Clarence Thomas, sneering that the Supreme Court justice is a “clown in blackface.”  The Star Trek actor on Monday fumed, “[Thomas] is a clown in blackface sitting on the Supreme Court.

Rick Perry Assails Republicans' Lack of “Moral Legitimacy” on African Americans  —  Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry accused his party of trading its “moral legitimacy” for political pragmatism in abandoning the cause of African Americans and, along with it, the black vote.