Saturday, December 29, 2018

And another day of the President of the United States not taking responsibility for his own actions comes to a close:

“Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.” -- John Steinbeck

The halfway point: what have two years of Trump's wrecking ball done to America? So much time left to do so much more damage.

President Trump issues an executive order freezing federal workers' pay in 2019.

Trump blames Democrats for deaths of migrant children on the border. You know, because Democrats are in charge of so much at the moment. <sarcasm>

Trump threatens to shut border 'entirely' unless Democrats fund wall. If that’s possible, then why do we need a wall?

Americans agree with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, not Trump: Spend money on education, healthcare, not border wall.

Trump EPA Says Mercury Limits On Coal Plants Are Not ‘Necessary’.

Government files sealed response to Supreme Court in mystery grand jury case.

A pro-gun group is challenging the Trump administration's move to ban bump stocks.

Portland, Oregon, hotel calls cops on black guest in lobby.

Oregon hotel says it fired two of its employees for mistreatment of a black guest who was talking on his phone in the lobby when he was asked to leave a week ago.

Washington could soon become the first state to legalize human composting.

These are the animals that went extinct in 2018.

Skipping breakfast even once a week might increase risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a new review of several studies.

A growing number of children and adolescents in the United States are dying from opioid poisonings, a new study shows.

Abused Wolves And Troubled Teens Find Solace In Each Other.

California bans sale of dogs, cats, rabbits not from shelters, agencies.

Stargazers around the world, get ready. 2019 will bring five eclipses, a rare planet transit, one of the best meteor showers and a super blood wolf moon ... and that's not all.

Meet the man in Japan who married a hologram.

Original Woodstock site to host 50th anniversary concert.

“I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” -- Will Rogers

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Thursday, December 27, 2018

And another day comes to a close:

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” -- Confucius

Trump now claims most furloughed workers 'are Democrats'. Anything to sow hatred and foster division.

Trump bragged to troops in Iraq about the 10 percent pay raise he said he gave them. "I got you a big one," he said. In reality, the pay raise he authorized this year was only 2.6 percent. He can’t NOT make shit up.

U.S. acting AG falsely claimed scholar-athlete honor. In other words: he lied.

President Trump visits Iraq in his first war zone visit as president.

Defying pundits, GOP share of Latino vote steady under Trump. Apparently some people like to be abused.

DHS Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen orders mandatory medical checks on all children under 10 in U.S. custody, and says she would send U.S. Coast Guard medical personnel to the border to help.

Palm oil: you may never have walked into a supermarket with it written on your shopping list but you’ve certainly walked out with bags full of it. And our satiable demand is wreaking havoc on the planet.

157 new species have been discovered in Southeast Asia, according to a new report from the World Wildlife Fund. Three mammal, 23 fish, 14 amphibian, 26 reptile and 91 plant species were found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

After H.S. Wrestler Told To Cut His Dreadlocks Or Forfeit, Adults Come Under Scrutiny. Fight against the injustices you see.

By a two-to-one margin, American Catholics now give Francis negative marks for his handling of the sex abuse scandal.

A lesbian couple had the pride flag outside their new home stolen and replaced with an American flag. What their neighbors did in response, however, shocked them. There is good in the world. Hate will not win.

“Technology, like art, is a soaring exercise of the human imagination.” -- Daniel Bell

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

And another Christmas comes to a close:

“Bad presidents don’t deserve holidays. They deserve scorn.” -- Ben Shapiro

Though December 25 is the day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the date itself and several of the customs we've come to associate with Christmas actually evolved from pagan traditions celebrating the winter solstice.

U.S. immigration authorities say an 8-year-old boy from Guatemala has died in government custody. It's the second instance this month of an immigrant child dying while being detained.

One-third of Americans don't believe 6 million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.

Most US transplant centers require patients to verify how they will cover bills that can total $400,000 for a kidney transplant or $1.3 million for a heart, plus monthly costs that average $2,500 for drugs that must be taken for life.

President Trump becomes first president since 2002 not to visit troops at Christmastime. He called though.

Donald Trump's frustration with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is ratcheting up further after markets suffered their worst Christmas Eve drop ever despite Mnuchin's attempts to calm Wall Street, according to a source close to the White House.

A photographer's firsthand look at teachers training to pack heat in the classroom.

Marijuana can age your brain by 3 years, study says.

“I’m not always optimistic, but I am hopeful.” -- Greg Boyle

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Monday, December 24, 2018:

And another “Nightmare Before Christmas” comes to a close:

“The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.” -- George Carlin

"Merry Christmas" or "happy holidays"? A growing percentage of Americans (now about half) say it doesn't matter. Just be kind and respectful toward one another. There are other holidays this time of year than the Christian one.

If You Feel Thankful, Write It Down. It's Good For Your Health.

Dow slides more than 600 points in worst Christmas Eve trading day on record. Merry Christmas.

The U.S. averaged at least one deadly mass shooting a month in 2018.

50 years ago Apollo 8 sent a timeless Christmas gift from the moon. We are capable of doing such great things...if we’d just stop treating each other like shit. Oh yeah, and stop supporting the Republican Party.

New documents show strange handling of absentee ballots in North Carolina.

Republicans and Democrats were more likely to see factual and opinion statements as factual when they favor their side – even if they were opinions. The politically aware, digitally savvy and those more trusting of the news media fare better.

Undocumented immigrants in the U.S. drop to lowest level in 12 years. We don’t need a stupid a wall. This entire “wall” thing is a scam. Don’t fall for it.

A College Student Was Told To Remove A "Fuck Nazis" Sign Because It Wasn't "Inclusive". “This email tells me the university cares more about the feelings of Nazis than the safety of their students." Um, Nazis are NOT inclusive. They shouldn’t be included in anything but the dustbin of history.

Trump: ‘The only problem our economy has is the Fed’. Shut. Up.

Gun deaths in US rise to highest level in 20 years, data shows.

The world's 5 deadliest countries for journalists include 3 — India, Mexico and, for the first time, the US — where journalists were killed in cold blood, even though those countries weren't at war or in conflict. The US being on this list is not a coincidence with the rise of Trump. It’s because of him.

It’s Been a Year Since Trump Enacted Sweeping Tax Cuts. Rich People Won. The GOP said its tax bill would help the middle class. But the rich have reaped the biggest benefits.

ICE drops off large group of migrants (over 200) at El Paso bus terminal, police say. With no plan of how to house them. They had no food, no drink, and no money. Many were young children.

Operators of Texas "Tent City" for unaccompanied migrant children plan to close it.

Violence Against Women Act Expires Because Of Government Shutdown.

"Are you still a believer in Santa? 'Cause at seven it's marginal, right?": Trump asked a 7-year-old NORAD caller if he still believes in Santa. Christ in a manger this guy.

While Sears executives get $25,000,000 in bonuses, laid off workers struggle during Christmastime.

A minimum-wage worker needs 2.5 full-time jobs to afford a one-bedroom apartment in most of the US.

Religion, especially Christianity, is waning in influence among Generation Z. There’s hope yet.

Kevin Spacey is facing a felony charge for allegedly sexually assaulting the teenage son of a former Boston TV news anchor at a bar in Nantucket, Mass., in July 2016, authorities say.

Kevin Spacey tweets bizarre video after sexual assault charge.

New study finds that marijuana can reprogram sperm genes. We don’t know yet if the changes are permanent.

“Let’s be naughty and save Santa the trip.” -- Gary Allan

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Sunday, December 23, 2018

And another day of pauses, firings, and playing video games comes to a close:

“A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or the others crazy?” -- Albert Einstein

An unnamed, foreign government-owned company wants the Supreme Court to pause a subpoena it received related to special counsel Robert Mueller's probe.

Chief Justice pauses contempt order for mystery company in Mueller investigation.

After James Mattis resigned, Trump's America is slinking off the world stage. Thanks all you Trump supporters.

Trump names Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan as new acting secretary of defense effective Jan. 1, earlier than planned February departure for Mattis. So the resignation is now a firing.

Turkey masses troops near Kurdish-held Syrian town.

Documents Point to Illegal Campaign Coordination Between Trump and the NRA.

Trump Is Accelerating the Militarization of the Southwest Border.

77% of American adults think God or a higher power has protected them, and two-thirds say they have been rewarded by the Almighty. One reason why the human race is doomed to extinction.

A former employee of a Wyoming occupational therapy office alleges the owner of the business made her take Scientology courses as a condition of her employment. WTF?

Do you wash your avocados before eating? It’s time to start, FDA warns.

Stop sending regular text messages.

Parents used to discourage their kids from playing too many video games. Now, some are coaching their kids into a professional career in them. Stream “Esports: The Price of the Grind” now.

“Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.” -- William Shakespeare

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Saturday, December 22, 2018

And another day of our country’s government in chaos comes to a close:

“Welcome to the jungle, it gets worse here everyday.” -- Guns N' Roses

The Washington nightmare before Christmas: a government in chaos. Unless you’ve really been paying attention, it’s much worse than you know.

In phone call with President Trump, Turkish President Erdogan reportedly promised that Turkey would take responsibility for finishing off ISIS if the U.S. pulled out of Syria. He’s such an impulsive waste of flesh.

Brett McGurk, special envoy for coalition to defeat ISIS, resigns in protest of Syria decision. Maybe it’s Trump’s plan to get everyone to resign?

President Trump discusses firing the Fed chairman after the latest rate increase. He’s such a horrible person.

How much does illegal immigration cost America? Not nearly as much as President Trump claims.

Putin says U.S. presence in Japan complicates signing of peace treaty. Will Trump give him this, as well?

Russians launched pro-Jill Stein social media blitz to help Trump win election, reports say. Building support for Stein was one of a “roster of themes” the Moscow-sanctioned internet trolls “turned to repeatedly,” report says.

Taliban greets Pentagon's withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan with cries of victory. "We proved it to the entire world that we defeated the self-proclaimed world’s lone super power," says one Taliban commander.

Guns are the second leading killer of U.S. kids, after car crashes. Kills twice as many kids as cancer.

After Voters Passed Progressive Ballot Initiatives, GOP Legislatures Are Trying to Kill Future Ones. Republicans are horrible people.

Supreme Court upholds block on Trump's asylum ban.

Denmark passes Muslim-focused law requiring handshakes in citizenship ceremonies. Idiots.

White referee forces a black high school wrestler to chop off his dreadlocks or lose the match. This is bull...shit.

White voters without a degree remained staunchly Republican in 2018. Stay in school, folks.

Think twice about posting photos of your kid on Facebook.

Researchers have developed a test that detects cervical cancer with a 100 percent success rate.

Last year saw the deadliest flu season in more than forty years in the US. 80,000 Americans died of the flu last winter. Get your flu shot. That’s more than the number killed in traffic collisions, from gun violence, or from opioid overdoses.

Huge Martian Crater 'Korolev' Appears Topped With Miles Of Pristine Snow.

“Behind every cloud is another cloud.” -- Judy Garland

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

And another day of pandemonium comes to a close:

"Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours ... I believe it is right for me to step down from my position," James Mattis wrote to President Trump. We are so screwed.

U.S. to plan withdrawal of 7,000 troops from Afghanistan, official says.

Russia's Putin accuses U.S. of raising risk of nuclear war.

North Korea says it will not denuclearize until the US eliminates its own "nuclear threat.”

Judge Who Invalidated Obamacare Has Been A 'Go-To Judge' For Republicans, Critics Say.

GoFundMe campaign set up by U.S. veteran aiming to raise $1 billion to help pay for Trump's border wall has already earned more than $7 million. Wasn’t Mexico supposed to pay for this stupid wall? Oh that’s right, MAGA supporters don’t care that they are lied to. That sure is some strong kool-aid.

Founder of viral fundraiser for Trump's border wall has questionable news past.

St. Louis County prosecutors vote to join police union. WTF?

The United States led the world in 2016 in the rate of firearm deaths in youth among countries with available data The rate in the US was 36.5 times higher than in a dozen comparable high-income countries around the world.

An Ohio man (yes, a black man) trying to cash his paycheck from a new job was handcuffed after a bank teller called 911 on the false belief the check was fraudulent. Fucking racist.

Trump plans to make more people work for food stamps. As with most shit Republicans believe, it’s just not that black and white.

Trump Quietly Starts Firing Servicemembers Living with HIV Just Before the Holidays.

Former Argentina president Cristina Kirchner, who has been accused of receiving tens of millions of dollars in bribes during her term in office, will go on trial for corruption.

A German policeman has been found guilty of sexual assault for removing a condom during sexual intercourse without the consent of his partner, an act known as "stealthing".

The Justice Department is charging 2 Chinese citizens with carrying out an extensive hacking campaign to steal data from U.S. companies.

Amazon sent private Alexa audio recordings to a random person. Amazon says it was a "human error."

Veterinarians are far more likely to die by suicide than other Americans, research shows.

Fortnite keeps stealing dances — and no one knows if it’s illegal.

The average U.S. adult is overweight and just a few pounds from obese, thanks to average weight increases in all groups, new report says.

It’s been a year of weird news. Here are some of 2018’s most bizarre stories. Some of these are pretty wild.

“I admire all people who are trying to be a good power in this chaotic world.” -- Yoko Ono

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

And another day of leaving, lynching, and a bunch of Facebook crap comes to a close:

“Came here looking for American soul.” -- U2

U.S. troops to rapidly leave Syria as President Trump declares victory over ISIS.

ISIS Is Not Defeated and Pulling US Troops From Syria Would Jeopardize Everything.

Russia praises Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria. You know who’s in charge. It’s not Trump.

Customs and Border Protection will now inform Congress, press of any death within 24 hours. New guidelines say the agency has 24 hours to notify members of Congress of a death, and the news media one hour after that.

A newly obtained document shows Trump signed a letter of intent to move forward with negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Russia, despite his attorney Rudy Giuliani claiming on Sunday that the document was never signed. So many lies...so, many lies.

Paul Ryan is a horrible person. Good riddance.

South Carolina GOP open to canceling state's 2020 primary to protect Trump from challenge. Let’s just flush all of our democracy down the toilet. And for what? A horrible man named Donald Trump.

The number of journalists killed around the world in reprisal for their work nearly doubled in 2018.

Texas Makes Public Colleges Forbid Contractors to Boycott Israel. A Lawsuit Says That Violates the First Amendment.

The Senate votes to make lynching a federal crime -- 153 years after the end of the Civil War. There have been about 200 previous attempts to pass similar legislation.

Britain's House of Commons erupted in anger when Labour opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn appeared to mouth the words "stupid woman" after a lively exchange with PM Theresa May.

Female journalists, politicians received abusive, hostile tweets every 30 seconds, study says. Black women in the study were targeted 84 percent more often than white women.

New Hampshire Police Arrested a Man for Being Mean to Them on the Internet. Should it be a crime to call public officials corrupt? Yes, according to the police in Exeter, New Hampshire. Earlier this year, they arrested a local man for writing a comment on a news website accusing Police Chief William Shupe of covering for a corrupt officer.

Facebook let Russia target African Americans. Now the NAACP is calling for a boycott.

Facebook Will Halt Political Ad Sales in Washington State by the End of This Year.

Facebook is denying it offered fellow tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft broader access to data without user permission.

Facebook admits that it allowed Netflix, Spotify to access your private messages.

Yeah, who the hell knows?

Illinois attorney general's office says it found accusations of child sex abuse against 500 more Catholic clergy than previously admitted by the state's six dioceses. Five. Hundred. Organized religion is not a necessary, nor a sufficient condition to be a decent person.

Nevada becomes 1st US state with female-majority Legislature.

Six baby seals have been found decapitated at a popular New Zealand bay, in what authorities described as a "brutal and violent" crime.

A 16-Year-Old Has Died After Being Electrocuted By His Headphones. The teenager in Malaysia was found dead with blood coming out of his ears.

Adolescent pot use dropped after Washington legalized.

Houseplant with added rabbit DNA could reduce air pollution, study shows.

21 Cool Scientific Discoveries That Prove 2018 Wasn't All Bad. Nope. It wasn’t.

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.” -- Jean-Paul Sartre

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

And another day where “Arguably, you sold your country out,” cops and schools don’t have to protect kids, and a “shocking pattern of illegality” comes to a close...and oh, yeah, “Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenfpfeffer Incorporated. We’re going to do it!”

“I want you to laugh and cry. That’s what I do.” -- Penny Marshall

Flynn sentencing postponed as judge raises doubts.

Court orders an unnamed company to comply with special counsel subpoena in mystery grand jury appeal.

In reversal, White House shifts border wall funding demands, wants to avoid shutdown.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is set to rescind Obama-era guidance intended to reduce racial discrimination in school discipline. Of course she is.

U.S. reverses policy in move to speed release of migrant children.

Under a new federal rule announced Tuesday by the Justice Department, bump stocks will be redefined as "machine guns" and therefore outlawed under existing law.

Cops, schools had no duty to protect students during Parkland shooting, judge rules. Fucker. So parents, know that your kids, no matter how old they may be, must “take care of themselves” if someone starts shooting up their school. It is not the responsibility of the school or any police officer to do so. WTF?

U.S. ranked as one of deadliest countries for journalists for first time in press freedom report.

The Yemeni mother of a 2-year-old boy on life support in an Oakland hospital is being prevented from coming to the country to say goodbye to her son by the Trump admin's Muslim ban, the child's family says.

Then later in the day: Yemeni mother wins visa fight to see her dying child in a California hospital.

The New York Attorney General's office announced Tuesday that the Trump Foundation — which barely donated to any charities — ran a "shocking pattern of illegality" and will be shut down.

Advertisers abandon Fox News host Tucker Carlson's show over anti-immigration comments. Tucker Carlson is a horrible person.

Facebook Allowed Netflix, Spotify, And A Bank To Read And Delete Users’ Private Messages. Facebook gave more than 150 companies, including Microsoft, Netflix, Spotify, Amazon, and Yahoo, unprecedented access to users’ personal data, according to a new New York Times report.

The NAACP is calling for a weeklong Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp boycott.

North Dakota Native Americans fight to protect their right to vote after court ruling.

'No way that's random': NFL kneeler Eric Reid on sixth drug test in 11 weeks.

U.S. judicial council tosses misconduct claims against Kavanaugh.

At this rate, women won't have economic parity with men for 202 years, report says.

Seattle Sex Workers Call for the City to Decriminalize Sex Work.

In a landmark agreement to address climate change, Massachusetts and eight other Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states have agreed to work together to impose regionwide limits on transportation emissions, the nation’s largest source of carbon pollution.

New investigation finds more than a quarter of fish bought in New York supermarkets is labeled as a different kind of fish—a trend that could indicate negligent marketing or even fraud.

More people reported feeling moderate to severe loneliness during their late 20s, their mid-50s and their late 80s than in other life periods, according to new research.

Serious infections during childhood have been tied to a subsequent increased risk of mental disorders in a new study.

One of the deadliest Ebola outbreaks in history continues to worsen in the Democratic Republic of Congo with as many as 319 people now dead, according to health officials.

A federal judge knocked down a New York state law banning nunchucks that dated to the 1970s.

The continental United States as a whole is on pace to have the fifth wettest year on record, and eight states are on track to have their wettest years on record.

Saturn is losing its rings quicker than expected, NASA warns.

Before he died, an elderly man left his 2-year-old neighbor Christmas presents for the next 14 years. There are still good people in the world. Be one of them.

Blind creature that buries head in sand named after Donald Trump. Amphibian’s behaviour compared to US president’s approach to global warming. The newly discovered creature has been named Dermophis donaldtrumpi. That’s simply beautiful.

RIP Penny Marshall. She was 75. Thank you for the many laughs just about every Tuesday night during my childhood.

“If you’re not having a good time, find something else that gives you some joy in life.” -- Penny Marshall

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Monday, December 17, 2018

And another day of falls, rats, and snowpacks comes to a close:

“This is the President of the United States calling a witness, who has cooperated with his own DOJ, a rat.” -- James Comey

Special counsel Robert Mueller releases a memo summarizing the FBI's interview with US President Trump's then-national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

A new report shows that Facebook and Instagram posts from Russian intelligence doubled after Trump won. Content was designed to prey on racial tensions in the United States.

Dow falls 508 points, Nasdaq turns negative for the year.

Two former associates of Michael Flynn have been charged with “covertly and unlawfully” trying to influence US politicians to extradite a Turkish cleric from the US.

Giuliani: ‘Over my dead body’ will Mueller interview Trump.

Trump threatens to sue “Saturday Night Live” over their “It’s a Wonderful Life” parody.

Seeing but not believing: Inside the business of 'deepfakes'. Experts fear that in the wrong hands, "deepfakes" could become the next frontier in fake news – and spark very real consequences.

Oh, Alice Walker...

CBS Denies Former CEO Les Moonves $120 Million Severance Package. Good.

Johnson & Johnson on asbestos report: Our Baby Powder is safe.

Two Jesuit provinces in the United States released lists of 84 clergy credibly accused of sexually abusing minors, the latest revelations in the Catholic Church's long-running sexual abuse crisis.

Study says Sierra snowpack will drop at least 50% by 2050.

California reverses course on plan to tax text messages.

The first ever transgender contestant competed in Miss Universe today.

Data shows political partisanship even seeps into what toys and gifts will be exchanged this season.

Astronomers have spotted the farthest known object in our solar system. They've named the dwarf planet...Farout.

“When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear.” -- Mark Twain

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

And another day of resignations, rulings, and comets comes to a close:

“Peace if possible, truth at all costs.” -- Martin Luther

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is leaving the Trump administration. The former Montana congressman is facing federal investigations into his travel, political activity and potential conflicts of interest.

A Texas federal judge rules Obamacare unconstitutional, but his ruling is such an overreach it may make the law stronger. Ah yes, the GOP and Republicans always at it to kill people.

No immediate health coverage changes from Obamacare ruling: government.

Maria Butina, the woman accused of being secret Russian agent, pleads guilty to conspiracy charge in deal with US prosecutors.

7-year-old migrant girl taken into Border Patrol custody dies of dehydration, exhaustion. She was separated from her father for about eight hours then started having seizures.

Mounting legal threats surround Trump as nearly every organization he has led is under investigation. Read that again. Nearly every organization he has led. And you thought he’d be different when you voted for him. Silly fools. People don’t change their stripes.

Trump confides to friends he's concerned about impeachment. Shouldn’t be an asshole.

Gun deaths in US reach highest level in nearly 40 years, CDC data reveal.

Collin County College plan to train armed staff is a necessary progression of campus carry. The first community college district in Texas to do so. This means teachers, administrators, and others on campus could be armed.

George Papadopoulos says he'll run for Congress in 2020. Like that’ll make things better?

Nearly 200 nations agree on rules implementing 2015 Paris agreement at UN climate conference after marathon talks.

The Death Penalty May Be on the Decline, But It’s Still Really Racist. In Texas, black people make up 44% of the state's death row, but only 12.6% of the population.

Beaten, raped, set alight: rough sleepers tell of the horrific rise in violence against those living in the streets.

Tech giants block sex ed content because algorithms think they're porn.

Johnson & Johnson Knew for Decades that Asbestos Lurked in its Baby Powder. And they hid it from the public and regulators.

There’s now plenty of evidence that regular exercise during a normal pregnancy is good for parent and baby.

California considers charging residents a tax for sending text messages.

Taylor Swift reportedly used facial recognition to try to identify stalkers.

Consumers Urged To Return Tampons After "Pieces Left In The Body".

'Christmas Comet' to be 10th-closest to Earth since 1950, visible to naked eye. It’s tomorrow, December 16. Try to catch it.

“Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.” -- William Blake

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

And another day of all kinds of fun and games comes to a close:

“Dirty deeds, done dirt cheap.” -- AC/DC

Michael Cohen sentenced to three years in prison. "Recently the President tweeted a statement calling me weak and it was correct but for a much different reason than he was implying. It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds.” -- Michael Cohen

Remember, Michael Cohen was Republican National Committee Deputy Finance Chairman until June 2018.

National Enquirer publisher AMI strikes deal with prosecutors in Michael Cohen probe.

Trump sets 'terrible precedent' by crossing red line on Huawei case.

Alleged Russian spy Maria Butina has been offering investigators info on the American she conspired with to infiltrate US political circles and the Russian official who directed her activities, as she prepares to make her guilty plea official.

Trump says 'people would revolt' if he were impeached. He misspelled “rejoice.” In any case, he’s a one-trick pony that uses fear to try and get what he wants.

Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker signals support for a series of bills that would curb the power of his Democratic successor. The GOP refuse to support democracy when they lose.

Opponents of immigration often claim that migrants spread disease. This two-year-long study by a team of experts shows the claims are untrue. Migrants don't bring disease. In fact, they help fight it, report says. Migration also boosts economies, the new report notes. But, you know, science and all.

House Republicans lead vote to label Rohingya crisis "genocide" in rebuke to Trump administration's silence.

Under Trump, the U.S. debt grew by the size of the Brazilian economy in just two years. U.S. government debt is on track this year to rise at the fastest pace since 2012, as a stronger economy fails to keep pace with the wave of red ink that’s rising under the administration.

Tennessee U.S. Rep.-elect Mark Green alleges vaccines may cause autism, questions CDC data. Jesus Christ. Vaccinate your children, people, and don’t listen to the crap guys like this spit out.

An 11-year-old boy with the last name Trump will now be going by a different name at his Delaware middle school after being bullied by his peers. Disgusting.

Health law sign-ups lagging as Saturday deadline is looming. If you need healthcare coverage, there’s still time. Get on it.

A Rhode Island School District Is Sending Debt Collectors After Families Over Unpaid Lunches. Debts could now impact the credit scores of parents who don’t pay, according to a local news report.

Many teens say they’re constantly online – but they’re no less likely to socialize with their friends offline. In fact, when taking into account both online and offline interactions, highly connected teens report more contact with their friends compared with other teens, according to the analysis, which comes amid concerns that screen time is taking away opportunities for teens and others to socialize face-to-face.

Once rural students get to college, they are more likely to drop out. Colleges are trying to change that by offering them more support.

FCC will allow carriers to block spam text messages.

It's official: Voyager 2 has entered interstellar space. We are capable of doing such great things.

Deep Earth is Teeming with Mysterious Life. The interior of the planet contains up to 23 billion tons of carbon mass, dwarfing the weight of humanity.

I cuddled with strangers at a Cuddle Party, San Francisco's latest wellness trend.

“If you want to know who your friends are, get yourself a jail sentence.” -- Charles Bukowski

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Sunday, December 9, 2018

And another day of “shrugged shoulders,” weathering the storm, horrible people, and yes, hating on butterflies comes to a close:

“There’s nothing in the Constitution that prohibits the President from being indicted.” — Jerry Nadler

And there never should be.

“The White House is adopting what one official termed a “shrugged shoulders” strategy for the Mueller findings, calculating that most GOP base voters will believe whatever the president tells them to believe.” And that’s what’s wrong with the people who still support Trump. They don’t care about law and order. They only thrive on hatred of others, believing anything their cult leader tells them to believe. Such horrible people.

Kushner offered advice to Saudi crown prince after journalist's death on how to “weather the storm”. Disgusting.

"I can't breathe." These were the final words uttered by Jamal Khashoggi after he was set upon by a Saudi hit squad at the country's consulate in Istanbul, according to a source briefed on the investigation into the killing of the Washington Post columnist.

Tucker Carlson is an asshole. He’s one of the biggest reasons we’re in this mess and now he’s acting all innocent. He’s such a horrible person. "Who knew that the oily rags and road flares I put under an abandoned mattress I was flicking lit matches at could cause a fire?" — Richard Kadrey in response to Carlson’s tweet.

Trump hates butterflies. Bulldozers are expected to tear through a protected butterfly habitat tucked along the Rio Grande to make way for President Trump’s border wall after the United States Supreme Court brushed off legal challenges from several environmental groups.

Why the case for election fraud in North Carolina is strong. Wow. The GOP is horrible. They play all of their supporters for fools.

Researchers have found strong evidence that racism helps the GOP win. For those of us that have been paying attention the last decade or so, this does not come as a shock. But here’s some data showing it.

Texas police made more than $50 million in 2017 from seizing people’s property. Not everyone was guilty of a crime. Civil asset forfeiture is seen by police as a tool for fighting crime, but the innocent too often are its victims.

There’s Almost No Data About What Happens When Catholic Hospitals Deny Reproductive Care. That's partly because Catholic institutions may not want it known.

Today’s 6- to 21-year-olds are already America’s most racially and ethnically diverse generation – and more of them are heading to college than previous generations.

Older Americans Are Flocking to Medical Marijuana. Doctors warn that popularity has outstripped scientific evidence.

A Danish photographer has triggered outrage in Egypt after images of him having sex atop the Great Pyramid of Giza circulated on social media.

Kid Rock has paid off layaways for 350 families (about $81,000) at a Nashville Walmart after saying he was inspired by Tyler Perry who recently did the same in Atlanta.

“Three things cannot be hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” -- Buddha

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

And another day of cheating, emails, resignations, protests, incels, a 51 year prison sentence, and disturbing info on mass extinctions comes to a close:

“My role in society, or any artist’s or poet’s role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all.” -- John Lennon

Friday was a very, very bad day for Donald Trump.

Chief of staff John Kelly will leave the White House towards the end of the year, Trump said on Saturday.

The GOP Election Plan Is Simple: Even When You Don’t Win, Cheat. What we’re witnessing in Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina will disenfranchise voters for years to come.

The Wisconsin power grab is part of a bigger Republican attack on democracy. "In the long run, the GOP’s turn against democracy could well be a greater threat to the American experiment than anything President Donald Trump has done."

Ex-EPA chief Scott Pruitt used personal email for government work. It was never about Hillary’s emails. It was about misogyny.

Missouri lawmakers keep resigning ahead of voter-approved lobbyist limits.

The GOP Sees Rural Voters as More Legitimate Than Urban Voters.

Right-wing propaganda is still doing great on Facebook. But journalism, not so much. From our editor-in-chief and CEO, here is how Facebook's algorithm changes have affected Mother Jones.

Texas woman with four children gets eight years in jail for voter fraud. She claims it was a mistake.

Ammon Bundy Quits Militia Movement in Solidarity With Migrant Caravan. Well there’s a twist. His supporters were not pleased.

Paris on lockdown as police clash with 'Yellow Jackets' and protests sweep France.

Police Deploy Armored Vehicles Tear Gas Against Paris Protesters, Detain Hundreds.

Survey reveals 'alarming' attitudes of Britons on rape.

A woman who was 16 when she killed a Nashville man who solicited her for sex must serve at least 51 years in prison before she's eligible for release, according to the Tennessee Supreme Court.

"Incels" are members of a male community that are unable to find a partner and often feel they are entitled to sex. Some believe the government should provide women for sex. The Southern Poverty Law Center categorizes this subset of male supremacy as a hate group.

A 13-year-old with autism died after being restrained at school.

For the first time, a baby has been born to a woman who received a uterus transplant from a deceased donor, according to a new study.

A New Study About the World’s Worst Mass Extinction Should Make You Very Nervous for Our Future.

Doctors believe a woman who died from rare brain-eating amoebas used tap water to rinse her sinuses. There’s a bit more to the story than the headline.

AI desperately needs regulation and public accountability, experts say.

“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” -- John Lennon

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Friday, December 7, 2018

And another day with “Individual #1” who is “dumb as a rock” and “doesn’t like to read” comes to a close:

"Right now, we have a sitting president of the United States who committed two felonies while running for President." -- Rep. Ted Lieu

Mueller opened the floodgates on Cohen and Manafort.

Federal Prosecutors say Donald Trump Directed Michael Cohen to Commit Crimes.

Cohen wanted to obscure from Congress and the public that if the Trump Tower Moscow project had gone through, Trump's company "could have received hundreds of millions of dollars from Russian sources in licensing fees and other revenues," prosecutors said.

The Mueller filing and a separate filing also filed Friday by federal prosecutors in New York essentially place President Trump as a key figure in multiple federal investigations.

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort lied about his contacts with a Russian associate and Trump administration officials.

Here are key takeaways from the new Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort filings.

Rex Tillerson and Donald Trump today...well...um...here ya go.

A Haitian Asylum-Seeker Did Everything Right. ICE Sent Him to a Windowless Jail Cell. “I have not been outside for more than a year. I have not even glimpsed natural light.” America, 2018.

White nationalist convicted of murdering protester in Charlottesville, Virginia.

A federal appeals court said it would not lift an injunction that is blocking the Trump administration's asylum ban from going into effect.

Republicans and Democrats agree: They can’t agree on basic facts.

EPA rolls back coal rule despite climate change warnings. Because your children’s future is not worth protecting.

Childhood antibiotics could raise risk of mental illness, study finds.

A Quiet War Rages Over Who Can Make Money Online. “ThotAudit”? Incels are fucking whacked.

New NASA lander captures 1st sounds of Martian wind.

“When you blame others, you give up your power to change.” -- Robert Anthony

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

And another day comes to a close:

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” -- George Bernard Shaw

Remember, saying “Happy Holidays” isn’t about not offending someone. It’s about acknowledging that there are other holidays being celebrated at this time of year besides the Christian one.

“I am fleeing because they killed my mom and my brother. I am in danger too.” —Kenia Arias. Here are some of the people traveling north in the migrant caravan, as photographed by Brett Gundlock. They are people trying to escape horrors that you will hopefully never have to endure.

Special counsel Robert Mueller asks for no prison time for former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, citing his "substantial assistance" in the Russia investigation.

Republicans Brazenly Gut Voting Rights in Lame Duck Before They Lose Power. Four states are taking unprecedented steps to strip power from Democrats and make it harder to vote. Republicans don’t follow the rule of the people. Don’t forget that.

Wisconsin Republicans moved to strip power from newly elected Democratic leaders.

There’s evidence of election fraud to benefit a Republican congressional candidate... and now all of a sudden Republicans don't want to talk about fraud. Shocking, I know.

19 of 20 world leaders just pledged to fight climate change. Trump was the lone holdout.

Tackling climate change could save millions of lives, report says.

‘Damn Right, I'm a White Nationalist And Very Proud of It.’ Declares Texas GOP Platform Committee Member. The GOP, a racist haven for decades.

Younger Americans are better able to distinguish between factual and opinion news statements.

"Ninety-nine percent of parents will say, 'No way, not my kid' and get defensive," family therapist Jennifer Cannon says. "But every kid is capable of bullying, even the kid you think is an angel."

New Universal Cancer Test Takes Only Ten Minutes. The Secret Ingredient? Gold.

Plastic was found in the gut of every single turtle examined in a new study spanning the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean.

PETA says phrases like 'bring home the bacon' are comparable to racism and homophobia.

Medieval skeleton wearing leather thigh-high boots found in River Thames.

Dating culture has been observed among fruit flies.

“Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.” -- Wayne Dyer

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

And another day (several of them) comes to a close:

“It is a tragedy for the entire planet that the GOP is impervious to science and reason.” — Max Boot

Let me be clear: Many Americans are racist.

George H.W. Bush's legacy includes a War on Drugs stunt involving a fake cocaine deal.

Migrants seeking asylum are given a number — written on their arms — and sent away to wait.

'We are last generation that can stop climate change' – UN summit

I was wrong on climate change. “I admit it. I used to be a climate-change skeptic. I was one of those conservatives who thought that the science was inconclusive, that fears of global warming were as overblown as fears of a new ice age in the 1970s, that climate change was natural and cyclical, and that there was no need to incur any economic costs to deal with this speculative threat. I no longer think any of that, because the scientific consensus is so clear and convincing.”

The United States Is Becoming a Two-Tiered Country With Separate and Unequal Voting Laws.

US nixed FBI checks for teen migrant camp staff. A new government watchdog memo says the Trump administration waived rigorous background checks for all staff working at the nation’s largest detention camp for migrant children. Abuse and human horror in the making.

Families are still being separated at the border, months after “zero tolerance” was reversed.

"It’s still a blast beating people": St. Louis cops indicted for assaulting undercover officer posing as protester.

NRA revenue plummets $55 million from last year. The NRA is a terrorist organization.

House Democrats’ 1st bill aims for sweeping reforms. House Democrats on Friday unveiled more details of their first bill for the new Congress, a good-government package that would limit big money in politics, make it easier for citizens to vote and require presidents to disclose their tax returns.

With Democrats set to take over top statewide offices next year, Michigan GOP moves to dilute power of governor, AG, Secretary of State. Because the GOP doesn’t believe in government for the people, by the people.

Cambridge Analytica used fashion tastes to profile Facebook users.

You’ve heard that women make 80 cents to men’s dollar. A new report says it’s much worse than that. When you compare men’s and women’s earnings across a 15-year period, women make just 49 cents for every dollar men make, according to a new report. The system is misogynistic.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson accused of sexual misconduct, investigation underway.

Neil deGrasse Tyson Responds To Claims Of Sexual Harassment.

DC clerk stalls marriage over ‘foreign’ New Mexico ID card. A District of Columbia clerk and a supervisor refused to accept a New Mexico man’s state driver’s license as he sought a marriage license because she and her supervisor believed New Mexico was a foreign country. WTF?

Two more blood pressure drugs recalled for potential cancer risk.

A credit union will launch a pilot program to begin serving marijuana businesses in Alaska, giving the cash-reliant industry a financial option after banks shunned the industry.

Number Of U.S. Kids Who Don't Have Health Insurance Is On The Rise.

Video games consume more electricity than 25 power plants can produce, new study shows.

Blue light from phones and tablets can speed up blindness, study finds. It's best not to stare at your phone screens in the dark.

The "Siberian unicorn" -- actually an extinct giant rhinoceros -- once roamed among humans.

New NYC bill would criminalize AirDropping unwanted dick pics. Yes, this is a thing.

“The sun is new each day.” -- Heraclitus

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.