Sunday, September 30, 2018

And another day of a sham of an investigation getting orders from a sham of an administration comes a close:

“Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.” -- Charles de Gaulle

The resistance to Donald Trump is not what you think. There is no unified, hierarchical group on the periphery trying to overthrow the U.S. government. There are only regular people, in every city, hoping for better, and trying to rescue the America they once knew. “Everything sounds confusing when you listen for a coherent message, and what you hear instead is an anguished cry. But at least that cry is honest. That cry means people still care. The worst sound, these days, is silence.” Sarah Kendzior’s piece is the must-read article of the day.

White House limits scope of the FBI's investigation into the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. The FBI has not been permitted to investigate the claims of Julie Swetnick, a White House official confirmed to NBC News. They have given the FBI a list of witnesses they are allowed to interview. WTF? They are so terrified of the truth getting out. I’ll say it again: Brett Kavanaugh is a horrible person.

Brett Kavanaugh’s attack on Democrats poses risk to Supreme Court.

Sen. Mazie Hirono said Brett Kavanaugh revealed he is not able to be a "nonpartisan" judge through his "bizarre" claim in his testimony last week that he is the victim of a Democratic "conspiracy to do him in."

Lindsey Graham said he will call for an investigation into Democrats' involvement in a "despicable process" leading up to Christine Blasey Ford's testimony. Lindsey Graham is a horrible person who is acting like he is being blackmailed by Trump.

ACLU breaks nonpartisan tradition by opposing Brett Kavanaugh. Fourth time they’ve done so in 98 years.

Kavanaugh, who said he had “no connections to Yale” before attending, was in reality a legacy student.

While Republicans work furiously to salvage Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, there’s another position he may be struggling to hold on to: lecturer at Harvard Law School.

A former Yale University classmate of Brett Kavanaugh’s says he is ‘‘deeply troubled’’ by what he says has been a blatant mischaracterization by Kavanaugh of his drinking at Yale.

Trump's immigration policies have especially affected women and domestic violence victims. Well, he does view immigrants and women as “lesser” than himself.

US officials say stricter Trump administration immigration policies have stymied Pentagon plans to restart a program that allowed thousands of people with critical skills to join the military and become American citizens.

Cristiano Ronaldo denies rape claim as 'fake news'. But the lawsuit also accuses him and his team of coercing her into settlement that silenced her.

Jerry Brown signs California law banning gun sales to most under 21.

Nobel Prize panel faces questions about why so few women have won; critics suggest gender bias in the nomination process.

Indonesia earthquake, tsunami death toll rises to 832.

Trump administration sues California over new law imposing net neutrality protections. So much for the GOP being all about “state’s rights.”

Elon Musk resigns as Tesla chairman, must pay $20 million fine in SEC settlement over catastrophic "420" tweet.

For the first time, scientists prove human activity is the top cause of warming Antarctic waters.

Two-thirds of Americans say the federal government is doing too little to reduce the effects of global climate change.

The end of HIV transmission may be within reach.

“Politics is for the present, but an equation is for eternity.” -- Albert Einstein

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Friday, September 28, 2018

And another day that proves we really need to just vote out old Republican white men comes to a close:

“Moments of crisis don’t test your character; they reveal it.” -- Anonymous

He let his anger flare, interrupted his questioners and wept. She sought to present herself as cooperative and respectful. The Kavanaugh-Ford hearing provided a tutorial on gender roles and stereotypes.

We should never accept someone on the Supreme Court who acts like Kavanaugh did during his hearing. Kavanaugh is a horrible person who has always relished his privileged life and elite standing. He thinks he’s better than you and I. Is your self-esteem so low you approve of such a man?

The FBI will investigate sexual misconduct accusations against Brett Kavanaugh.

Brett Kavanaugh friend Mark Judge will cooperate with law enforcement investigation.

World media rip Kavanaugh hearing 'spectacle'. "Millions of Americans could follow live something that looked like a search for truth, but only on the surface. ... Power and the fear of losing it were the motivations for the spectacle..."

Brett Kavanaugh's highly partisan opening statement during Thursday's hearing shattered a longstanding norm of judges defending their records without wearing their party affiliation on their sleeves.

GoFundMe campaigns to support Dr. Christine Blasey Ford raise more than $700,000.

American Bar Association urges Senate to delay Kavanaugh vote.

“An FBI investigation is fine and may help develop a factual record. But we don’t need any kind of investigation to know that Kavanaugh’s open partisanship, flagrant disrespect, and basic dishonesty yesterday disqualified him from ever serving on the Supreme Court.” -- Susan Hennessey

"Is there any wonder why we're so frustrated and tuned out of our politics? When a huge chunk of the population sits out of the process, why are we surprised when our politics don't reflect our values?" -- Michelle Obama

George W. Bush called undecided senators to sway them to vote for Kavanaugh. In case you were thinking Bush was not a horrible person.

Federal judge rules congressional Democrats have standing to sue Pres. Trump for allegedly violating emoluments clause.

A woman who said she was inspired by Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony accused a prominent Washington state senator of raping her in 2007.

China challenges President Donald Trump saying it will not be "blackmailed" on trade.

A jury ruling that the Jehovah's Witnesses must pay $35,000,000 to a woman who says the church covered up her childhood sexual abuse puts a rare public spotlight on the normally insular religious organization, experts say.

In the last 40 years, prison populations across the US have skyrocketed. But Arizona has been an outlier. While the national prison population quadrupled, Arizona's prison population grew 12X larger. This is what Arizona's imprisonment crisis looks like.

U.S. slipping further behind other nations in backing education, health care. The two things Republicans don’t give a shit about.

Facebook announced that up to 50 million accounts were breached in a security flaw exploited by hackers.

This is the biggest hack Facebook has seen since Cambridge Analytica.

California tells automakers they must still comply with the state’s strict vehicle mileage standards even if Trump rolls back federal rules.

Report offers disturbing new details on deadly bleeding outbreak linked to synthetic cannabis.

New trial ordered in "Stairway to Heaven" copyright lawsuit.

“Democracy requires an informed citizenry able to question its government.” -- Richard N. Haass

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

And another day of gang rapes, more accusations, an insane press conference, and maybe a bad past, (who knows?) comes to crazy close:

"I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school," Christine Blasey Ford writes in her opening statement.

Christine Blasey Ford's legal team releases polygraph results amid new allegations.

Senate Judiciary Committee asked Kavanaugh about 2 new claims of sexual assault. Investigators with the Senate Judiciary Committee asked Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh about two previously undisclosed accusations of sexual misconduct during a phone call Tuesday, according to a transcript of the call released Wednesday night.

Now, it could be the GOP is releasing these allegations just to confuse the public and make it seem all allegations are frivolous. Keep watching.

Things have changed since the 1700’s. Yes, we’d reject George Washington’s nomination today since he was a slave owner and colonizer. The world doesn’t stand still, Donnie. And time doesn’t give a shit about your feelings.

Kavanaugh accuser Ford provides four sworn declarations supporting her allegation.

No, Donnie, they were really laughing at you. It’s individuals who are morally bankrupt that laugh with you.

Third accuser Julie Swetnick alleges Kavanaugh was present at 1982 party where she was gang raped. “But she said she witnessed efforts by Kavanaugh, his friend Mark Judge and others to get girls “inebriated and disoriented so they could then be ‘gang raped’ in a side room or bedroom by a ‘train’ of numerous boys.”

New calls to impeach Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas after second woman accuses him of sexual harassment.

Even famous people can be assholes, Donnie.

Trump confirmed that he had refused to meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, accusing Canada of treating the United States "very badly". See?

Trump accused China of trying to interfere in upcoming U.S. midterm elections because of his hardline trade policies. He offered no details or proof to support his claim.

A 27-year-old Chinese national was arrested in Chicago Tuesday for allegedly spying on behalf of Beijing.

U.S. farmers will soon begin receiving government checks as part of a billion-dollar bailout to buoy growers experiencing financial strain from Pres. Trump's trade disputes with China.

“Necessity is the mother of taking chances.” -- Mark Twain

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

And another day of prosecutors, lies, and laughter comes to a close:

“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” -- Malcolm X

GOP bringing in Arizona prosecutor Rachel Mitchell to handle questioning during Senate hearing for Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford.

The toughest challenge facing Brett Kavanaugh when he appears at a Senate hearing about allegations of a decades-old sexual assault may be reconciling the two starkly different depictions of his high school and college years, both of which came from him. Kavanaugh is a liar.

UN members laughed during President Trump's #UNGA speech and these experts think the President likely was seething: "One of the phrases to watch for when you're looking at Donald Trump is 'that's okay.' When he says 'that's OK,' he's burning up inside."

Judge cites Donald Trump's vulgar comment about African countries during a hearing over the president's plan to end a program that lets immigrants from four countries live and work in the US.

"Nationalism always leads to defeat." French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a fiery rebuke of US policies under Trump at the UN General Assembly, signaling that he is ready to take up the mantle of global leadership usually assumed by a US leader. Nationalism is a cancer.

Is The Record Number Of Women Candidates A 2018 Blip — Or A Lasting Trend?

Texas is as politically divided as the rest of the U.S.—crackpots have fed its reputation for retrograde thinking. With right-wing zealots taking over the legislature even as the state’s demographics shift leftward, Texas has become the nation’s bellwether.

Alaska's governor is vowing to change laws after a man choked a woman in a sexual attack and got no time behind bars. Victims' advocates are trying to oust the judge.

Bill Cosby sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison for sex assault.

Twitter releases new policy to ban dehumanizing speech.

“There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.” -- Bernard Williams

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Monday, September 24, 2018

And another day of irritating stuff comes to a close:

“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.” -- Robert H. Schuller

Based on Trump’s track record, if he says someone is a terrific person, then that person isn’t.

“The strategy was to try and do something really big.” So they did.

Kavanaugh faces more allegations. We’re up to four, but you know, the day is still early.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's Yale roommate says he believes second accuser.

Amnesty International calls to halt Kavanaugh nomination. The human rights organization wrote in a Monday letter that Kavanaugh might have been involved "in issues related to torture and rendition after 9/11."

Mitch McConnell is a horrible person.

Calls to the National Sexual Assault Hotline spiked last weekend while more Kavanaugh news broke.

Outrage in Alaska after judge sentences no jail time to man who pleaded guilty to felony assault.

Trump says no statehood for Puerto Rico with critics in office. Because he is a tiny, tiny man.

U.S. accuses Myanmar military of 'planned and coordinated' Rohingya atrocities.

John Hancock, one of the oldest and largest North American life insurers, will stop underwriting traditional life insurance and instead sell only interactive policies that track fitness and health data through wearable devices and smartphones. Like no one saw this coming.

Three people whose legs were paralyzed for years can stand and take steps again thanks to this treatment.

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” -- Milton Berle

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Sunday, September 23, 2018

And another day of accusations, denials, and cannabis comes to a close:

“A problem is a chance for you to do your best.” -- Duke Ellington

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is planning to give the Senate Judiciary Committee calendars from his high school years his legal team argues will back up his denial of sexual misconduct allegations, The New York Times reported on Sunday. Seriously, this is just fucking hysterical. Nevermind the fact that someone who wants to be a Supreme Court Justice believes showing a “calendar” will exonerate him. Sheesh.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says he is “not going to ruin” Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s life over Christine Blasey Ford’s accusation. It seems her coming forward has already ruined her life. That should tell you something.

Trump unleashes on Kavanaugh accuser. This is not surprising. He desperately needs Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court.

After Trump’s insensitive tweet, women respond as to why people don’t report sexual assaults. And if you don’t think this shit goes on, then you live a very privileged life and your opinion doesn’t mean shit.

Young people listening to the news right now are learning whether adults in power will take claims of sexual violation seriously, and whether speaking up results in harsher consequences for survivors or for those accused.

A man in Anchorage, Alaska, pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman who said he strangled her unconscious and sexually assaulted her. The man then walked out of court with no prison sentence.

Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has denied an allegation made by a second woman accusing him of inappropriate sexual behavior.

Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump, and the larger crisis of elite impunity in the United States. The elite are somehow frequently allowed to play by different rules.

Trump Campaign Aide Jason Miller Exits CNN Analyst Job After Accusations. Supposedly, Miller had an affair with a woman and when she later found out she was pregnant, Miller “surreptitiously dosed her with an abortion pill without her knowledge,” leading to the end of the pregnancy. Trump always hires the best.

Michael Cohen spoke to Mueller team for hours; asked about Russia, possible collusion.

Trump has so far appointed relatively young judges to the appeals courts. These are lifetime posts, so their impact could be felt for decades.

3-D gun advocate accused of paying for sex with underage girl back in Texas after arrest in Taipei.

The numbers of U.S. priests and seminarians have been plummeting for decades, and it's not just because of the church's sexual abuse scandals.

Judge rules a California kindergartner can keep bringing a cannabis-based drug used for emergency treatment of a rare form of epilepsy to her public school.

As Coca-Cola considers cannabis drinks, hopes for CBD are still higher than the science.

“The art of communication is the language of leadership.” -- James Humes

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Thursday, September 20, 2018

And another day of “bullshit,” walls, and a moron comes to a close:

“That is such bullshit.” -- Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)

President Trump questions why Brett Kavanaugh's accuser Christine Blasey Ford didn't call the FBI after the alleged assault. Because he’s a fucking moron.

Harvard Law students want school to stop letting Kavanaugh teach unless he faces investigation. Brett Kavanaugh is a horrible person.

There have been 263 days in 2018 — and 262 mass shootings in America.

Feinstein’s office receiving ‘threats of bodily and sexual harm against staff’. Because that’s where we are in this country.

The Trump administration moves $260 million from cancer research and HIV/AIDS prevention to cover the rising cost of housing immigrant children in their custody. Of course they did. They made this mess happen.

Trump suggested Spain build a wall across African Sahara to stop migrants, minister says. As I said, he’s a fucking moron.

Coca-Cola, Walmart and other big multinationals pledge to help reduce plastic pollution in the world's ocean.

This August was the fourth hottest on record, resulting in both drought and extreme flooding across the globe.

Number of Americans with Alzheimer's expected to soar in coming decades.

Everyone knows that what you eat can impact your waistline and your overall health, but emerging research now suggests that when you eat can also play a role. “The evidence suggests that our bodies may do best when we eat more in the morning than at night, a pattern that’s vastly different from how most Americans eat.”

558m-year-old fossils identified as oldest known animal.

“I am patient with stupidity, but not with those who are proud of it.” -- Edith Sitwell

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

And another day of the GOP displaying their hatred towards women, along with their fear of us discovering the reality they are so desperately trying to hide, comes to a close:

“No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you.” -- Muhammad Ali Jinnah

"What happens at Georgetown Prep, stays at Georgetown Prep. That's been a good thing for all of us". -- Brett Kavanaugh, 2015

Exactly How Many Women Does a Guy Have to Attack Before You Conclude He's Got Problems With Women? “He’s a Supreme Court nominee, and he has professional security guards standing at the ready to drown out any female voices that disrupt his rise to power.”

Kavanaugh Transcript Submitted to Senate Omits "What happens at Georgetown Prep..." He is a snake. Whether you understand it now or not, the country will suffer with this man on the Supreme Court.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley sets a Friday deadline to hear back from Christine Blasey Ford, Brett Kavanaugh's accuser. Chuck Grassley is a horrible person.

Lindsey Graham is fucking horrible person.

Don't miss Brett Kavanaugh's speech about getting wasted in law school. Following an allegation of a drunken assault, the speech takes on a different light.

“Wait a damn minute! If Bill Cosby can be held liable for a sexual assault from 35 years ago, don’t you think Brett Kavanaugh should be too?” -- Gary Shaw

Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill said she is voting no on Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, citing concerns over his stance on anonymous political contributions. Her decision to vote no is based “on his positions on several key issues, most importantly the avalanche of dark, anonymous money that is crushing our democracy."

599 alumnae from Christine Blasey Ford’s high school sign letter saying they support her. “Dr. Blasey Ford’s experience is all too consistent with stories we heard and lived while attending Holton. Many of us are survivors ourselves.”

Brett Kavanaugh’s fellow alumni at Yale Law School call him ‘morally bankrupt’ in scathing open letter.

Brett Kavanaugh is a horrible human being. You know it. The GOP knows it. The world knows it. But Republican leaders--being horrible human beings themselves--want to rush this thing through. Call your senators and demand they not confirm Kavanaugh. The country deserves better than a rich, privileged, white man who has no respect for women or the law. Oh wait, I just also described Trump. Fuck.

And you know why the rush. The GOP want this horrible excuse for a human being to get confirmed before the midterms, and they need him to be confirmed before Trump gets indicted. That’s what we’re up against. Call your senators.

Opposition to Kavanaugh grows, support at historic low. It looks like the GOP are willing to sacrifice being re-elected in order to get him on the court. That’s interesting. 

"If you feel overwhelmed by the news in America right now it’s ok. It’s not you. The news is a little overwhelming right now and it continues to be. But it is worth paying attention." — Rachel Maddow

There were three shootings today you probably didn’t hear about:

• Man opens fire at his Wisconsin office, 3 seriously hurt.
• 4 shot, suspect dead in shooting outside Pennsylvania judge's office.
• 2 Dead in Shooting at Chester County Senior Home, Gunman on the Loose

Trump is lying 3 times as often as he did last year—and new research shows why that should terrify us all. The president is accelerating a dark phenomenon called “truth decay.”

The Trump administration is proposing to roll back an Obama-era regulation that aimed to curb methane leaks from oil and gas operations on public lands. The Department of the Interior said that rule was "unnecessarily burdensome on the private sector." Because that’s what it’s all about: the “private sector.”

President Trump cannot legally send a personalized cellphone message through FEMA's presidential emergency alert system. Oh, let’s please keep this as it is. Not that he respects the rule of law, anyway.

When most people think about health care, rarely do "discounts" and "low prices" come to mind. But Walmart is looking to change that.

Sessions limits U.S. judges' ability to dismiss deportation cases. Jeff Sessions is a horrible person.

Jeff Sessions is poised to make it vastly harder for asylum-seekers to get out of detention. In case you forgot, Jeff Sessions is a horrible person.

Trump rips Sessions: ‘I don’t have an attorney general’. Jesus Christ, this is leadership?

The Texas man who set off a national debate over plastic guns by posting plans online for making them with a 3D printer has been charged with sexual assault. He appears to be evading authorities. Cody Wilson is a horrible person.

'Killing a generation'. Five million Yemeni children face famine

Trump said the US is considering a permanent military base in Poland, which that country’s leader suggested could be named “Fort Trump.” They obviously know how to feed his pathetic ego.

Prosecutors say a California doctor and his girlfriend used charm and good looks to disarm women, get them intoxicated, and then rape them at his apartment. And video evidence suggests there could be hundreds of other women who may not realize they were victims.

House Republicans Urge Paul Ryan To Reauthorize Violence Against Women Act Before It Expires on September 30.

There is no evidence that letting transgender people use public facilities that align with their gender identity increases safety risks, a UCLA study finds. But facts don’t matter to some people.

Maine restaurant is sedating lobsters with marijuana to ease the pain of cooking.

Maroon 5 to Perform at Super Bowl Halftime. Yeah, it’s not important. And who really cares, anyway. But Maroon 5? Really? As if you needed another reason to stop watching the NFL.

“Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.” -- Susan B. Anthony

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

And another day of being too busy to read much of the news comes to a close...and God damnit cancer takes another one:

“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” -- Paulo Coelho

Note that recently Republicans have endorsed pedophilia, rape, racism, and treason. No, the two parties are not the same. If you support the GOP, then know this is what you support. If you continue to support the GOP, then you, too, are a horrible person.

Kavanaugh accuser calls for FBI investigation into the matter before she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week.

Trump says FBI should not probe allegations against top court pick. He added that he wants his nominee confirmed quickly. I’m sure he does.

Texas Democrats need a big turnout to win. Polls suggest they won't get it. Oh, Texas, please don’t let the country down.

Senior FEMA official suspended in relation to Long investigation.

Coca-Cola is considering a move into the growing market for cannabis-infused drinks.

RIP Tim Marvin.

“It’s sad when someone you know becomes someone you knew.” -- Henry Rollins

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Sunday, September 16, 2018

And another day of sexual assault, book banning, family bibles, and more crap in Texas comes to a close:

“They don't care about us enough to hate us. We are simply a form of livestock." — Gillian Flynn

Call your senators and tell them not to confirm Kavanaugh. Vote is scheduled for Thursday.

Christine Blasey Ford comes forward. And she has everything to lose. Read her letter here.

GOP Senator Bob Corker joins Jeff Flake in saying that Kavanaugh’s accuser should be heard out before panel votes.

The Trump administration plans to triple the size of a tent camp for migrant children.

Why We Should Be Protesting the National Anthem. It’s a very good reason. And yes, I agree.

Because Republicans are hypocrites, and most of them are horrible people. 

West Virginia library: We won't carry new Woodward book. That’ll teach ‘em!

Kansas woman told birth certificate wasn’t enough to prove citizenship for passport. “Border crossing card or green card for your parents issued prior to your birth? My parents were born in the United States….Early religious records? We don’t have any. Family Bible? They won’t accept a birth certificate but they will accept a family Bible?”

Ken Paxton Wants to Eliminate the ACA’s Pre-Existing Condition Protections. How Would That Affect Texans? More than a quarter of adults in Texas have a pre-existing condition that could make them unable to get health coverage without the ACA’s requirements. Ken Paxton is a horrible person. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

In the #MeToo era, can Dallas-based breastaurant chain Twin Peaks survive a wave of allegations? Wow. I recommend not eating at this chain.

A U.S. Border Patrol supervisor was charged Saturday with murder in the deaths of four female sex workers following what authorities called a two-week killing spree that ended when a fifth woman escaped from him at a Texas gas station and found help. It doesn’t matter that they were sex workers.

Nearly one in 10 U.S. houses have negative equity mortgages. That’s double the rate considered healthy by real estate analysts.

Canada court says ISPs can charge studios for hunting pirates.

Scientists have developed a forecast model for predicting mass bird migrations, based in part on weather patterns.

“Truth is power and it prevails.” -- Sojourner Truth

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Saturday, September 15, 2018

And another day of cellphones, ‘freedom cities’, shark attacks, Texas trying to forget history, and, oh yeah, a skewer, all comes to a close:

“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” -- Dwight D. Eisenhower

52 Days

Next Thursday, FEMA will do its first test of a system that allows the president to send a message to most U.S. cellphones. Experts expressed little concern that the wireless emergency alerts could be used for political purposes. Mmm hmmm. Oh yeah, and US cellphone users will not be able to opt out. Ugh. Like we need this shit.

Winners and losers from the Manafort plea deal.

Dallas police accused of smearing man killed by cop in his own apartment.

The crackdown on 'sanctuary cities' gives birth to 'freedom cities': Advocates for undocumented immigrants believe they've found a new — and legal — way to skirt deportation efforts.

Texas board votes to eliminate Hillary Clinton, Helen Keller from history curriculum. WTAF? Reading what they did keep, it’s obvious Texas has its history education priorities all screwed up.

The strongest storm on Earth in 2018 barreled through the northern Philippines before dawn on Saturday, bringing with it ferocious winds and torrential rain.

Jeff Bezos is going to create schools where ‘the child is the customer’.

Man dies after suspected shark attack on Cape Cod. The first fatal shark attack in more than 80 years.

Scientists believe they have discovered three new species in the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

A 10-Year-Old Boy Survived After A Metal Skewer Went Through His Skull. Wow. This is just...wow. Yes, he’s going to be okay.

“Cruelty is all out of ignorance. If you knew what was in store for you, you wouldn’t hurt anybody, because whatever you do comes back much more forceful than you send it out.” -- Willie Nelson

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Thursday, September 13, 2018

And another day of WTF is he babbling on about, all kinds of interesting events with police officers, and five people dead in a shooting comes to a close:

“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” -- Voltaire

Trump rejects widely accepted Puerto Rico hurricane death toll, says without evidence “3,000 people did not die.” And he blames the count on a move by Democrats to make him look “as bad as possible.” Oh he doesn’t need anyone else to do that. Psych-o.

Trump echoes far-right websites on Puerto Rico. Because he’s a horrible person. 

Tentative deal reached between Manafort and special counsel.

Brett Kavanaugh reportedly accused of sexual misconduct in letter flagged to the FBI by Democrats.

DHS transferred $169 million from other programs to ICE for migrant detention.

Bakersfield shooting spree suspect used massive .50 caliber gun in "well-planned" attack, authorities say.

For the first time since 1973, the United States is the world's largest producer of crude oil, according to preliminary estimates published by the Energy Department.

Park officials scrubbed all mentions of climate change from a key planning document for a national park after they were warned to avoid “sensitive language that may raise eyebrows” with the Trump administration.

"They immediately began looking to smear him": Attorney for the family of man killed by a cop in his own apartment says the search warrant showed investigators were immediately looking for drug paraphernalia. This whole thing down in Dallas reeks of bullshit. The police officer murdered the man while he was doing nothing but hanging out in his own home.

Seven NYPD officers were arrested on Wednesday in connection to a gambling and prostitution ring in Brooklyn and Queens. More than 40 civilians were also in custody or being sought in connection with the sting. The officers supposedly provided protection for the activities.

Planned Parenthood just announced its next president—and she's a total badass.

Apple is happy to use women and people of color as art, not authority.

Fox News Reports That Fans Are Just “Furious” Willie Nelson Would Have a Rally With Beto O’Rourke. What a bunch a maroons. They really thought Mr. Nelson was conservative. Wow. True fans there.

Why hurricanes are doing more damage: It’s not the storms. It’s us. We’ve built more stuff in their paths.

Study suggests BPA-free plastics are just as harmful to health.

“Sorrow is so easy to express and yet so hard to tell.” -- Joni Mitchell

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

And another “tremendously big and tremendously wet” day comes to a close:

“People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.” -- John C. Maxwell

17 years after 9/11 and as a nation we’re just as divided as we’ve ever been.

President Donald Trump has been criticised for hailing the US response to the deadly Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico last year as "tremendous". Because the deaths of 3000 people is “tremendous”?

Former President Jimmy Carter is cautioning Democrats about the political consequences they may face if they "move to a very liberal program, like universal health care." Health care is a right, not a privilege, Mr. Carter.

Dear NRA: Putting KKK Hoods on Beloved Childhood Characters Probably Isn’t the Best Strategy. Nobody ever said Thomas the Tank Engine was a racist. WTAF is this? Holy cow, Dana. The NRA is a terrorist organization.

America, 2018

Trump: Hurricane will be 'tremendously big and tremendously wet'. It’s an effing hurricane, oh intelligent one. He talks like a toddler.

Trump administration wants to make it easier to release methane into the air.

Stop buying your kids Dragon's Breath. Liquid nitrogen treats are dangerous, FDA warns.

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man, healthy, wealthy and wise.” -- Benjamin Franklin

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Monday, September 10, 2018

And another day of illegitimacy comes to a close:

“Common sense is not so common.” -- Voltaire

National security adviser John Bolton denounced the legitimacy of the International Criminal Court on Monday and threatened sanctions if the court investigates U.S. troops in Afghanistan. "No committee of foreign nations will tell us how to govern ourselves." Um, like we tell other nations?

President Trump and Republicans are using an impeachment threat as a tool to motivate their base.

I knew Brett Kavanaugh during his years as a Republican operative. Don't let him sit on the Supreme Court. We were part of a close circle of cynical hard-right operatives being groomed for much bigger things.

On abortion, still the most contentious issue before the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh has the same problem that all recent Republican appointees have had: conservatives want to overturn Roe v. Wade but the public, overwhelmingly, does not.

17 years after 9/11, Al Qaeda has amassed the largest fighting force in its existence.

Les Moonves is reportedly out at CBS as more sexual misconduct allegations surface.

Trump Renews Attacks on Kneeling Players as NFL Opts Not to Punish Them. Stop watching the NFL, not because players are protesting--they should!--but because you are getting entertainment from watching people permanently damage their bodies and brains.

Trump will provide written responses to questions in a defamation lawsuit brought by Summer Zervos, a former contestant on "The Apprentice," according to court documents.

“From the state with 84% of the US fresh water but none for its residents!” Miss Michigan called out the Flint water crisis at the Miss America pageant.

Gov. Jerry Brown just ensured all California’s electricity will be emissions-free by 2045.

Living organ donors make up a small fraction of kidney and liver transplants. Some doctors want to change that.

“You have to be smart. The easy days are over.” -- Robert Kiyosaki

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Saturday, September 8, 2018

And another day comes to a close:

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” -- Benjamin Franklin

Thirteen court cases centered on abortion rights have now reached federal courts of appeals, meaning they’re just one step away from the Supreme Court.

Brett Kavanaugh's views on birth control drew scrutiny after he referred to contraceptives as "abortion-inducing drugs". Sheesh. Can he be that stupid, or is he just trying to play you? I’m betting he’s not stupid. Brett Kavanaugh is a horrible person.

Michael Cohen agrees to tear up nondisclosure agreement with Stormy Daniels.

#plaidshirtguy at Trump rally is ... a Billings high schooler. "They told us while we were sitting there, 'You guys have to keep clapping, you have to smile, you have to look enthusiastic,'" Linfesty said. "I had to be honest in my views."

A 2006 letter from a top Vatican official confirms that the Holy See received information in 2000 about the sexual misconduct of a now-resigned U.S. cardinal lending credibility to bombshell accusations of a cover-up at the highest echelons of the Roman Catholic Church.

Scared Straight. “What they were doing to these kids is trying to break them down mentally.” Schools like this shouldn’t even exist. Disgusting.

Why Russian trolls may be more excited that the NFL is back than you are. Don’t watch the NFL. Don’t get entertainment from watching men permanently damage their bodies and brains. It’s a horrible sport.

“My wife wants sex in the back of the car and she wants me to drive.” -- Rodney Dangerfield

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Friday, September 7, 2018

And another day of jail sentences, calls for investigations, and a former president showing us what we’ve been missing comes to a close:

“This November’s elections are more important than any in my lifetime.” -- President Barack Obama

60 Days

Obama gives 'State of our Democracy' speech.

The 7 most important moments in Obama’s blistering critique of Trump and the GOP.

John Dean: If Kavanaugh's confirmed, a president who shoots someone on Fifth Avenue can't be prosecuted in office. And that my friends, is why Trump picked Kavanaugh.

"He put it in a very crude manner...the concept is true but the way it was said was very, you know, hey - I went, like, to the best college." -- Donald Trump on Bob Woodward’s new book.

Trump is calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate the author of the anonymous New York Times op-ed purportedly written by a senior Trump administration official. Which means what’s in the op-ed is true.

NY Times statement: "We're confident that the Department of Justice understands that the First Amendment protects all American citizens and that it would not participate in such a blatant abuse of government power."

Trump frets over "perjury trap" if he sits down with special counsel Robert Mueller. There is no such thing as “perjury trap.” He’s just setting the stage for uncertainty among his base if he is eventually charged with perjury.

George Papadopoulos, the Trump campaign adviser who triggered the Russia investigation, was sentenced to 14 days in prison. Hmmmm, only 14 days...

I Wrote Some of the Stolen Memos That Brett Kavanaugh Lied to the Senate About. He should be impeached, not elevated.

Nike’s online sales jumped 31% after the company unveiled its Kaepernick campaign.

Twitter now lets you launch live audio-only broadcasts from Periscope.

“You need to vote because your democracy depends on it.” -- President Barack Obama

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

And another day where the Democrats finally show some spine, subpoenas are issued in New York, and the passing of The Bandit comes to a close:

“If you hang onto something long enough, it will come back in style...like me.” -- Burt Reynolds

“Bring it.” — Senator Cory Booker

Senator Cory Booker releases 'confidential' Kavanaugh emails in combative Supreme Court confirmation hearing.

Five Times Brett Kavanaugh Appears to Have Lied to Congress While Under Oath. Pesky documents keep surfacing to contradict the nominee’s claims about his past.

The Trump administration is proposing a new regulation that would allow the federal government to detain migrant children with their families indefinitely. This would upend a ban on indefinite detention that has been in place for 20 years.

Amid a Wild Week, What You Need To Know About The 25th Amendment.

Sen. Rand Paul said he believes anyone with a security clearance who works at the White House should undergo a lie detector test to figure out who wrote the anonymous op-ed published in The New York Times.

History suggests that when the government targets universities in ways we are now witnessing in the United States, it is a signal of encroaching authoritarianism.

In Violation of Texas Law, Most High Schools Aren’t Giving Students the Chance to Register to Vote. Voter suppression at its finest.

The New York AG issued subpoenas against the state's Roman Catholic dioceses as New Jersey announced a task force to investigate allegations of sexual abuse of minors by the clergy.

CBS is reportedly offering CEO Les Moonves $100M to leave. WTF?

Twitter permanently bans Alex Jones and website Infowars.

More than 40 million Americans are struggling to pay for enough food month-to-month.

The World Surf League will offer equal prize money to both men and women starting in 2019.

India's top court decriminalizes gay sex in landmark ruling.

Research needed on family-based stigma against LGBTQ youth, study finds. “There’s an urgent need to develop policies and schemes to foster supportive homes and family environments.”

The Predator director Shane Black defends hiring a registered sex offender after Fox found out.

Hollywood redeems men for almost anything and punishes women for almost everything.

Toyota recalls a million Prius vehicles citing a fire risk.

This hyper-real robot will cry and bleed on med students.

New report urges NASA to intensify search for exoplanets and aliens.

Oscars nixes popular film category for 2019 ceremony.

RIP Burt Reynold. He was 82.

“You can only hold your stomach in for so many years.” -- Burt Reynolds

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

And another day of Op/Ed’s, 100 photos, a cage match, “hypothetical" questions, and the shit just getting crazier and crazier finally comes to a close:

“To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.” -- Oscar Wilde

Vote this November

Sen. Leahy: Trump claims he has an absolute right to pardon himself. Does he?
Kavanaugh: “It’s a hypothetical question that I can’t begin to answer in this context.”
Leahy: "I hope for the sake of the country that remains [hypothetical]."

Actually, it wasn’t really a theoretical question. He either does have that right or he doesn’t. Kavanaugh chose not to answer.

Kavanaugh won’t say whether a sitting president should be subject to a subpoena.

Mueller subpoenas Jerome Corsi, birther and ex-Alex Jones associate. His lawyer believes Corsi will be asked about his contacts with former Trump aide Roger Stone.

Trump claims he has 100 photos of Comey and Mueller "kissing." We tried to find some. The shit just gets crazier.

Anonymous Official Blasts Trump in New York Times ‘Resistance’ Op-Ed. “The root of the problem is the president’s amorality,” the person wrote. “Anyone who works with him knows he is not moored to any discernible first principles that guide his decision making.”

Trump is accusing his administration’s anonymous op-ed writer of treason. That’s nonsense.

Election Officials Are Alarmed as Trump Administration Subpoenas Voter Data From 44 North Carolina Counties. The move, two months before the midterms, could interfere with election preparation and intimidate voters.

Facebook, Twitter execs admit failures, warn of 'overwhelming' threat to elections.

Marco Rubio and Alex Jones. Yeah, a cage match. It’s 2018.

New Kaiser poll finds 75% of Americans want to keep ACA protections for pre-existing conditions that GOP lawsuit seeks to overturn. Fuck the GOP.

Amazon's Bezos gives $10 million to bipartisan campaign fund dedicated to electing military veterans to Congress.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals says cities can't prosecute people for sleeping on the streets. It comes as the West Coast struggles with homelessness. We can do better than prosecuting them.

U.S. judge blocks Texas fetal tissue burial laws. A federal judge blocked Texas laws requiring the burial or cremation of aborted fetal tissue, saying in a decision on Wednesday the measures placed substantial and unconstitutional obstacles in the path of a woman’s right to choose an abortion.

Sex Ed Is About More Than Just Sex. Many children may not be hearing about puberty in schools until after a physical and emotional transformation is well under way.

Some high schools are giving out free condoms to combat a spike in STD rates.

Jupiter's "baffling" magnetic field is unlike any other.

After 60 years, Paul Simon has decided he's done writing music.

“Life is either a great adventure or nothing.” -- Helen Keller

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

And another day in “Crazytown” comes to a close:

“I stand by my reporting.” -- Bob Woodward

Bob Woodward has a new book coming out on September 11. Holy shit, we all need to read it. Wow. “Fear: Trump in the White House.”

"Fabricated stories": White House pushes back against Woodward's book. Yeah. Bob Woodward fabricating stories. That’s a good one.

Mueller will accept Trump's written answers to some Russia probe questions. Hmmm, I wonder who’ll write them.

Liberals have wanted Democrats to fight back harder against Brett Kavanaugh for weeks. This morning, Democrats did just that.

"Democrats are driving home that Republicans keep changing the rules with Supreme Court nominations". The opening hours of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s first confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh were not a debate about Brett Kavanaugh. They were about the Senate’s rules — and who’s breaking them.

The Justice Department Was Behind The Decision To Keep 100,000 Pages Of Kavanaugh’s Record Secret.

Parkland Dad Escorted Out of Hearing After Trying to Shake Kavanaugh’s Hand. Kavanaugh refused to shake his hand. Class act, that Brett Kavanaugh. Nice values you’ve got there. The White House spin on this is bullshit. It’s a lie. See the video for yourself. 

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” -- Maya Angelou

Republicans who didn’t even hold hearing on Merrick Garland complain that Democrats are destroying norms. We all lose when you vote Republican.

Zina Bash works in the White House and is tasked with Trump’s immigration policy. She displayed the “white power sign” as she sat behind Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing today. See the video. And here’s another video showing what happened just before she displayed the white nationalist sign. Yeah, like that was an accident. That is not a natural position to keep your hand in. She knew what she was doing.

Call your senators and tell them to vote “no” on Kavanaugh. (202) 224-3121

Apathy has consequences.

Former Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl says he won't serve past year's end in John McCain's Senate seat. He'll be able to vote on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the US Supreme Court.

North Carolina's unconstitutional gerrymandered map will be used in the midterms.

You’re getting desperate Ted--I mean, Rafael Cruz.

Kris Kobach will be investigated by a grand jury as he runs for governor.

People Are Actually Destroying Their Nikes After Colin Kaepernick Was Featured In An Ad. Racism runs high in these people.

Levi Strauss teams up with gun control group: "We cannot stand by silently".

Vladimir Putin is now the star of his own reality show on Russian state TV. Of course he is.

Amazon touches $1 trillion, on pace to overtake Apple.

“Hundreds of studies on sex ed and teen pregnancy prevention programs have been conducted, and what they show is that teaching kids about sex doesn’t make them start breeding like rabbits. Instead, it may prod them to delay having sex. Comprehensive sex education programs that include information about contraception have also been shown to reduce rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and to increase the use of condoms and other contraceptives.” But Republicans refuse to listen.

Quarter of world's population 'not active enough to stay healthy'.

Today's College Students Aren't Who You Think They Are.

First eight bird extinctions of the 21st century confirmed.

Scientists have discovered the first known omnivorous shark.

Vast auroras dance over Saturn's north pole in stunning new photos.

“It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.” -- Mark Twain

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Good night.