Wednesday, July 31, 2019

And another day that proves the Republican Party has been the party of racists for decades comes to a close...oh yeah, and Happy National Orgasm Day!

“Although slavery may have been abolished, the crippling poison of racism still persists, and the struggle still continues.” -- Harry Belafonte

National Archives releases Reagan's racist call with then-President Nixon, ex-Nixon library director says. Republican blood runs deep with racism. Has for decades. Don’t be a Republican.

Trump rewards conspiracy theorist with key national security job.

Festival gunman's social media suggests white supremacy ties.

California has some of the strictest gun laws. In Nevada, you don't need a permit to buy one. Another reason why this issue needs to be dealt with at the national level.

California's governor signs law requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns if they want to appear on the state's primary ballot.

Trump aide submitted drafts of 2016 "America First" energy speech to senior United Arab Emirates officials for edits, according to emails and text messages uncovered by a House Oversight Committee investigation.

Trump complained about Baltimore in 2015 but blamed the 'African American President'. He has always hated people of color. What?

Marianne Williamson isn’t funny. She’s scary. Williamson’s views on depression and illness are dangerous. The media is complicit in spreading them. “..she looms as a menace to public health — someone who has attacked antidepressants and vaccination in a manner that “can literally kill people,”” No. Just, no.

Poland faces threat of water crisis as rivers dry up.

Ebola: second death confirmed in Goma.

‘You're gonna kill me!': Dallas police body cam footage reveals the final minutes of Tony Timpa's life. He was afraid and asked for help. The police killed him. Their behavior both during and after the murder is disgusting. Then they lied about it during the investigation. Police don’t get a free pass just because they are the police.

A bodycam caught a deputy shooting a man in his South Carolina home. It contradicts the initial police narrative.

Pink seesaws appear at border, allowing children in US and Mexico to play together. We’re all pretty similar and just trying to make it through this crazy thing called life.

Equifax might run out of settlement cash, FTC warns. The regulator said that consumers rushing to get a $125 check from Equifax as restitution for its 2017 cybersecurity breach should consider the credit monitoring option.

Brazil police recommend no charges for soccer star Neymar in rape case.

Wealthy parents in Illinois are giving up legal guardianship of their children in order to "scam" universities into qualifying them for need-based financial aid money, report says. Disgusting.

The Trump administration has taken hesitant first steps to allow the importation of certain drugs from Canada and other countries.

Several dozen patients with sickle cell disease will be among the first in the US treated for a genetic disease with the experimental gene-editing technology CRISPR.

200 reindeer died on an Arctic Island -- and researchers think climate change is to blame.

Potentially habitable 'super-Earth' discovered just 31 light-years away.

NASA’s newest planet-hunting satellite finds three new worlds.

Happy National Orgasm Day. Now go have one...or many.

Majority of women have better sex with marijuana, according to study.

What are the benefits of having an orgasm?

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

And another day of racism, mosquitos, and another shooting comes to a close:

“Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?” -- Ernest Gaines

“Finally, while we would not sink to name-calling in the Trumpian manner — or ruefully point out that he failed to spell the congressman’s name correctly (it’s Cummings, not Cumming) — we would tell the most dishonest man to ever occupy the Oval Office, the mocker of war heroes, the gleeful grabber of women’s private parts, the serial bankrupter of businesses, the useful idiot of Vladimir Putin and the guy who insisted there are “good people” among murderous neo-Nazis that he’s still not fooling most Americans into believing he’s even slightly competent in his current post. Or that he possesses a scintilla of integrity. Better to have some vermin living in your neighborhood than to be one.”

Partisan differences on impeachment remain after Mueller testimony, as nearly half of Americans show little movement.

Trump just fired his top intelligence official for telling the truth. Daniel Coats said what’s happening in the world. In the Trump era, that’s an act of defiance.

New GDP data confirms Trump’s tax cuts aren’t working. Growth is slowing and business investment is actually negative.

Multiple victims reported in shooting at Gilroy Garlic Festival.

Trump blames White House air conditioning on Obama.

'Unprecedented': more than 100 Arctic wildfires burn in worst ever season.

Alaska defunds scholarships for thousands of university students ahead of fall semester.

A deadly mosquito-borne virus that causes brain swelling in humans has been detected in Florida.

How hospitals are using AI to save their sickest patients and curb 'alarm fatigue'.

Isolated And Struggling, Many Seniors Are Turning To Suicide.

Textured breast implants are being recalled over a link to cancer. Here's what to know if you have them.

Want To Feel Happier Today? Try Talking To A Stranger.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Friday, July 26, 2019

And another day of claims, divides, ballots, segregation, glaciers, asteroids, and evolution comes to a close:

“There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.” -- Nelson Mandela

The Democratic divide over impeaching Trump, explained.

Who In The House Is Calling For Impeachment? There are now over 100.

Democrats Say Their Impeachment Inquiry Has Already Begun.

Supreme Court allows Trump to tap $2.5B in Pentagon funds for border wall. Not voting has consequences.

What happens if you don't claim your $125 Equifax money? You lose it -- and your chance to sue in the future.

Utah to test out smartphone ballots with absentee voters. Experts in voting integrity and technology have raised security and practical concerns about the plan.

Florida officials failed to act on warnings about 2016 Russian hacking, a Senate report finds.

A new paper found that many birds are adapting to climate change –– but probably not fast enough. It comes to a stark conclusion: "The temperature is changing so fast that evolution isn't able to keep up." Um, think about that.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg defends Kavanaugh, Gorsuch as 'very decent and very smart'.

"Open carry is legal in 45 states. In Colorado, you can walk up and down Pearl Street with an A/R 15 strapped to your chest but not a dog. That’s the absurdity of the gun laws in our country."

Emmett Till memorial in photo of gun-toting Mississippi students will be made bulletproof. Because there are horrible people on the planet

How segregation keeps poor students of color out of whiter, richer nearby districts.

South Dakota Public Schools Add 'In God We Trust' Signs To Walls. WTF?

Apple contractors 'regularly hear confidential details' on Siri recordings.

Glaciers are melting underwater. It's worse than previously thought.

A heat wave is headed to the Arctic.

Trump administration starts paying $14.5 billion to farmers hurt by the trade war. It’s the second time the Trump administration has paid them. Oh, look everyone. Socialism.

Girls are reporting three times as much harassment online as boys amid a nationwide rise in cyberbullying, new data shows.

How To Bring Cancer Care To The World's Poorest Children.

Juul exec says he never intended the electronic cigarette to be for teens. Mmm hmmm.

A “city-killing” asteroid just zipped by Earth. Why didn’t we see it coming? NASA tracks big asteroids. Small ones — which can still do damage — are harder to spot. It’s just a matter of time.

Poll: Two in five Americans still believe God created humans 10,000 years ago. Jesus Christ these people.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

And another day where “I’m begging the American people to pay attention” comes to a close:

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” — George Orwell, 1984

Mueller reminds the public: Trump betrayed the United States.

House Democrats authorize subpoenas for top White House officials' private communications.

Senate report warns of ongoing election threat as Republicans block security bills. Mitch McConnell is a horrible person.

Conspiracy theories, excusing Russians, attacking Mueller: How low can Republicans go? They find a way to always go lower.

No shower for 23 days: U.S. citizen says conditions were so bad that he almost self-deported.

Thousands of unaccompanied migrant children could be detained indefinitely.

Active-duty U.S. troops are now just feet away from migrants in Texas. The troops "monitor" migrants at a Texas facility. One congressman said they shouldn't be prison guards, and are close to breaking the posse comitatus law.

Treasury pick Monica Crowley spread Obama smears: 'Can he be both loyal to Islam and loyal to the United States?' Such racist assholes that pollute the highest levels of our government.

16 US Marines arrested for alleged crimes including human smuggling and drug-related offenses.

AG Barr orders reinstatement of the federal death penalty.

A Quarter of All State Supreme Courts Have Never Had a Justice of Color. A new report confirms what you probably suspected: Judicial diversity is bad. But you probably didn’t know it was this bad.

Puerto Ricans pushed out a sitting governor for the first time in history. The massive protests worked.

Raid removing 27 kids from Montana ranch 'may be the tip of the iceberg,' lawmaker says. For more than a decade, religious-affiliated private treatment homes were unregulated and unlicensed. It took only three weeks after a new state law went into effect for the state to crack down.

Temperature records broken in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Europe's heat wave shatters temperature records and cities are struggling to cope.

Record heat in Alaska melts glaciers, hints at bigger problems that may be to come. Alaska's temperature has risen by 4 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 50 years, that's compared with 2 degrees for the rest of the planet.

A New Jersey school board member is facing calls to step down after he posted that his life "would be complete" if Rep. Tlaib died. Such horrible people in the world.

Exploited at every turn: The lives of Italy's Chinese prostitutes. Female migrants quit factory labour for sex work to survive and provide a better life for relatives back home.

Central African Republic 'not prepared' for Ebola wave.

FBI finds bucket of heads, cooler of penises, sewn "Frankenstein" corpse at body donation center.

A petition to move Halloween to the last Saturday of October is picking up steam.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

And another day comes to a close. “I take your question.”

“Most of the real bad guys in the world are people like you and me; they’re not stupid, and you can’t smell their horns.” -- Rutger Hauer

“It’s not a witch hunt.” Robert Mueller told Congress on Wednesday that his investigation did not exonerate President Donald Trump of wrongdoing and found that Russia worked to boost his election in a "sweeping and systematic fashion" as the former special counsel defended his nearly two-year probe.

"Based on Justice Department policy and principles of fairness, we decided we would not make a determination as to whether the President committed a crime. That was our decision then and it remains our decision today."

Robert Mueller Says Trump Is Lying About His Report. “That is not what the report said.”

‘Very Innocent President’ Greets Mueller Testimony With Unhinged Tweetstorm.

Jeffrey Epstein found injured with marks on his neck in New York jail cell.

How Trump took over America's courts. How Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell are changing the country for a generation.

'Watermelon smiles' and 'piccaninnies': What Boris Johnson has said previously about people in Africa. Boris Johnson has emerged as the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after a leadership contest and could prove to be as divisive a figure in Britain as President Trump is in the United States. Boris Johnson is a horrible person. My heart aches for the United Kingdom.

Climate change: 12 years to save the planet? Make that 18 months.

Climate scientists drive stake through heart of skeptics' argument. But a pair of studies published Wednesday provides stark evidence that the rise in global temperatures over the past 150 years has been far more rapid and widespread than any warming period in the past 2,000 years.

US fertility rate falls to 'all-time low,' CDC says. Why have babies when the future looks so bleak.

Montana removes 27 children from youth treatment ranch, alleging 'egregious' abuse. Officials say children at the Ranch for Kids were alleged to have been beaten, psychologically abused and forced to go on miles-long "disciplinary walks."

A daredevil French inventor said he is ready to realise his dream of flying between France and Britain across the Channel on a jet-powered "flyboard" after overcoming bureaucratic obstacles.

RIP Rutger Hauer. He was 75.

“If you’ve done what you need to do, you need to go bury yourself, because what else are you going to do? I think that’s where life stops.” -- Rutger Hauer

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

And another day of more power, detaining citizens, filing suits, protests, and The Great Hack comes to a close:

“Their intention is to kill and they will, they will.” -- The Pretty Reckless

ICE gets expanded power to swiftly deport more undocumented immigrants. Which means ICE can demand to see “papers” from anyone they choose. America, 2019.

A Dallas-born citizen picked up by the Border Patrol has been detained for three weeks. Yes, his skin is brown.

Trump speaks at third- to seventh-grade reading level, new analysis finds. Trump may call himself a genius on Twitter, but his spoken statements say otherwise.

Democrats and the White House strike a budget and debt ceiling deal. The Democrats once again get played. Either that or their leadership is completely stupid.

Trump made 61 false claims last week. We're going to keep count. Because they all count. Why do this? Because facts matter. Whatever voters think of the President, they should know when he is deceiving them -- and they should know the truth that is being obscured by the deception.

NAACP calls for impeaching Trump.

The Great Hack Is A Terrifying Warning & The Most Important Doc This Year.

Trump has filed suit in federal court in Washington, DC, against the House Ways and Means Committee, the New York state attorney general and the New York tax commissioner to preemptively prevent the disclosure of his tax returns. Like you do when you’re all innocent and stuff.

FBI director touts nearly 100 domestic terrorism arrests this fiscal year. The majority of the arrests were related to white supremacy.

Former Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis is running for Congress, challenging Republican Rep. Chip Roy.

Puerto Ricans gather for massive protest to expel governor.

Demonstrations against a giant telescope planned for Hawaii's tallest peak have spread to New York, Las Vegas and Waikiki as Native Hawaiians push to protect what they say is a sacred place.

Dallas Police Department officers’ racist, misogynistic social media posts are no joke. Such behavior can’t be tolerated from those empowered to protect us.

Senate passes bill making 9/11 victims compensation fund permanent by a vote of 97-2.

3 Million Could Lose Food Stamp Benefits Under Trump Administration Proposal.

Trump campaign and RNC spend more than $600,000 on law firm representing Hope Hicks.

Libra scammers are promising early access to Facebook's digital currency to steal private information.

Doctors warn that inaccurate at-home cancer screenings are causing misguided panic.

What Gets To Be A 'Burger'? States Restrict Labels On Plant-Based Meat.

U.S. Beaches Are So Full of Sewage Pollution, They Are Often Unsafe for Swimming, New Report Finds.

New York becomes first state to ban cat declawing.

Pet rabbit owners worry as deadly disease confirmed on Orcas Island.

Scientists discovered a new species of tiny sharks that glow in the dark.

The Darkest Town In America. Gerlach, Nevada.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

And another day of understanding the way the game is to be played comes to a close:

“After all, tomorrow is another day.” -- Margaret Mitchell

Trumpism and 2020. The rules are different. Will the Democrats change the way the play? This is an important read regarding Trumpism and 2020. Read it. All of it.

By Republican Standards, Almost Nothing Is Racist.

President Trump's approval ratings in the South have ticked upward, with 54% of voters giving a thumbs-up to the way he's handling his job. But of course it did.

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler says Robert Mueller's report presents "very substantial evidence" that President Trump is "guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors" — an impeachable offense.

George Nader, Witness in Mueller Probe, Hit With New Charges of Sex Trafficking and Child Pornography.

Fact check: President Trump falsely accuses Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of calling Americans "garbage". In both cases, he was twisting a quote to bolster his allegation that "they hate our country."

13 Philadelphia police officers who made racist, offensive Facebook posts to be fired after internal investigation.

Americans could be a bigger fake news threat than Russians in the 2020 presidential campaign.

In some states, GOP sees the recall as its way back to power. Democrats say GOP is using recalls in certain Western states as a way to undo regular election results.

Katie Porter isn't part of 'The Squad.' But the freshman House Democrat is stirring up trouble for Trump.

Pre-Crime: Has Minority Report-style Policing Become a Reality? How "pre-crime" can violate privacy, enable racial profiling, and heighten surveillance in poor neighbourhoods. Police are using technology and data to predict behaviour and prevent crime - but are innocent people being targeted? Police in the United States and the United Kingdom are using mathematical algorithms, which rely on data collected from social media, surveillance cameras, and police records, to take what they say are proactive measures against crime. They use software to generate subject lists of people who are at the greatest risk of being party to violence or committing a crime.

Los Angeles police admit in court that it spied on anti-Trump protesters: “Case is one of several across the US of police targeting anti-Trump and anti-fascist groups with monitoring and criminal trials.”

American and Taliban negotiators are thought to be close to a deal that would see the 14,000 American troops remaining in Afghanistan return home. It’s America’s longest war.

A Pennsylvania school district is coming under fire for sending letters to parents threatening to put their children in foster care if lunch debts remain unpaid.

After at least 7 children diagnosed with cancer, parents eye chemical in city's water.

Trump’s EPA Just Made Its Final Decision Not to Ban a Pesticide That Hurts Kids’ Brains. Dow Chemical gave $1 million to Donald Trump's inaugural committee. Now the Trump administration says it won't ban one of the company's pesticides that is linked to brain damage in children.

Autistic children more likely to be involved in bullying – study.

Two people have died and hundreds more have become ill in an ongoing outbreak of salmonella linked to backyard chickens, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

A new law in Oregon allows students to take "mental health days" just as they would sick days.

Whether we're aware of it or not, we're closely connected to one another, and we contract the feelings and thoughts of the people around us, almost like a virus. So, even though we all walk through the world thinking of ourselves as individuals, Rapson and Hatfield think that is an illusion. "We're going to slip into being like the company we keep.”

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

And another day of implications, denials, searches, and flame-throwing drones comes to a close:

“The propagandist’s purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human.” — Aldous Huxley

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” — George Orwell, 1984

Michael Cohen Files Implicate Trump, Hope Hicks and David Pecker. They discussed via a phone call ways to keep Stormy Daniels from going public about their affair.

Michael Cohen search warrant documents released.

Child Rapist Jeffrey Epstein denied bail while awaiting sex trafficking trial. Federal judge rules financier is a ‘danger to others’ while awaiting trial for the alleged sexual abuse of underage girls from 2002 to 2005

Racism, xenophobia, bigot among Merriam-Webster's top searches on Wednesday night.

Store clerk fired after telling customers to ‘go back to their country’ in viral video.

U.S. Marines jam an Iranian drone in the Gulf, destroying it.

Here’s where the US government is using facial recognition technology to surveil Americans. A new map shows how widespread the use of facial recognition technology is. Some examples: In several states, including Texas, Florida, and Illinois, the FBI is allowed to use facial recognition technology to scan through DMV databases of drivers’ license photos. In many US airports, Customs and Border Protection now uses facial recognition to screen passengers on international flights. And in cities such as Baltimore, police have used facial recognition software to identify and arrest individuals at protests.

Flame-throwing drones are real. And they’re now for sale. Holy. Shit.

Inventions we use every day that were actually created for space exploration. We should be investing more in space exploration.

Florida will become the third state in the US to require students to learn more about mental health, behind Virginia and New York. For students in sixth grade and above.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

And another day where racism being such a good distraction from pedophilia comes to a close. Grab a drink or a bong, this shit ain’t for the weak. These are dangerous times.

"You don't choose the times you live in, but you do choose who you want to be." — Grace Lee Boggs

Trump is selling the only thing he has: hate.

With Latest Nativist Rhetoric, Trump Takes America Back To Where It Came From. That was what was always meant by “Make America Great Again.”

The American Right Defines Patriotism As Complacency About Racism.

Republican support for Trump rises after racially charged tweets. Republicans show their true colors.

Trump tweets send stinging message to countless Americans. That was the point of his tweets.

Trump said 'many people agree' with his racist tweets. These white supremacists certainly do.

Trump continued his now days-long attack on four Democratic congresswomen at his rally in North Carolina on Wednesday night, eliciting chants of "send her back" from the crowd. There are no more decent Republicans remaining.

Federal agency (EEOC): "Go back to where you came from" is discrimination.

Trump Wants to End Asylum at the Border—and Quickly Deport Migrants to the Countries They’re Fleeing. “If the administration successfully implements this, I think we’ll see a decrease in how many people are applying for asylum.” Remember, the cruelty is the point.

"While Republicans fear Trump’s base, the truth is “deeper and darker”, Bardella said. “It’s not that they’re at Trump’s mercy; they agree with him. The Republican party practices racism and white nationalism. It’s not fear; they approve of it.” They just haven’t had a leader bold enough to let them show their full colors until now.

93 percent of Democrats found the president’s racist tweets to be offensive, while only 37 percent of Republicans felt the same way. Because 63 percent of Republicans are racists.

White GOP congressman says he isn't offended by racist Trump tweets because "I'm a person of color. I’m white.”

“If you are offended by Rashida Tlaib's colorful language but not Trump's, your problem might not be the language.” — Holly Figueroa O’Reilly

Has the media 'sanitized' the accusations against Jeffrey Epstein? “The media has been blasted for using terms such as "underage women" instead of "children," for saying "sex with minors" instead of "rape," for using the phrase "paid for sex," which they say erases coercion.”

Tape shows Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein discussing women at 1992 party. But Trump says he never liked Epstein? Please.

Threats against members of Congress are increasing, Capitol Police chief says. Color me surprised.

Lindsey Graham Under Investigation For Campaign Finance Violations And Ties To Russia.

House of Representatives votes to kill effort to impeach President Donald Trump.

The House just voted to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt of Congress. It’s the first time the full House has voted to hold members of the administration in contempt.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has blocked an attempt to pass an extension of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, pointing to the country's growing debt and arguing that any new spending should be offset by cuts to other spending.

South Bend's police department was a mess. Mayor Pete didn't notice until he ran for president.

Climate change is leaving the farmers of Central America with a choice: Wait for rain or migrate.

California's Wildfires Are 500 Percent Larger Due to Climate Change.

Americans will need to cut their beef consumption by about 40% and Europeans by 22% for the world to continue to feed everyone in the next 30 years.

White House projects $1 trillion deficit for 2019.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill says World Cup coverage shows media preoccupation with "homosexual activities."

The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared Congo's Ebola outbreak an international health emergency, sounding a rarely used global alarm after the virus threatened to spread to a major city and into neighbouring countries.

Parents in Germany who fail to vaccinate their children could face hefty fines after the German government backed a bill requiring all children to receive a measles jab before entering school or kindergarten.

Trump administration to ban abortion referrals at taxpayer-funded clinics.

On July 11, the House of Representatives stealthily voted to support a measure ordering the Department of Justice to look into whether the DoD released weaponized ticks in the US.

FaceApp has everyone doing a double-take over how they might look 50 years in the future—but users might want to take a closer look at the privacy policy first. FaceApp goes viral with old-age filter, but spurs privacy concerns with Russian roots. But America has embraced Russian ideology.

Futurist entrepreneur Elon Musk revealed that his secretive Neuralink startup is making progress on an interface linking brains with computers, and said they hope to begin testing on people next year.

This Map Paints a Grim Picture of America’s Economic Divides. Colleges Shouldn’t Run From Them. Automation could displace nearly 15 million jobs now held by people ages 18 to 34, and 11.5 million more held by workers over age 50.

Three Republicans stand in the way of federal weed legalization. Senators Mike Crapo (ID), Lindsey Graham (SC), and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY). Of course.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Sunday, July 14, 2019

And another day of unabashed, even celebratory, racism, misogyny, and xenophobia comes to a close:

“I hate a bully, and I hate racists.” -- Roddy Piper

I thought it was a bit extreme for her to say at the time, but Hillary Clinton was not wrong except for one thing: it’s not half his supporters, it’s all of them that are all “deplorables.” You’ve had your chance to prove that you’re not. If you still support this man, then you have failed.

Trump says progressive congresswomen should 'go back' where 'they came' from. What a racist, misogynistic, disgusting waste of flesh.

AOC responds to Trump's racist attacks: 'You cannot accept that we don't fear you'.

Not one Republican called Trump out on his racists tweets today. Not one. Fuck Republicans. They’re horrible people.

House report: At least 18 migrant children under the age of 2 were separated from parents for 20 days to 6 months. Shit being done in our name.

The Cruelty Is the Point. Trump and his supporters find community by rejoicing in the suffering of those they hate and fear. “It is not just that the perpetrators of this cruelty enjoy it; it is that they enjoy it with one another. Their shared laughter at the suffering of others is an adhesive that binds them to one another, and to Trump.”...”This isn’t incoherent. It reflects a clear principle: Only the president and his allies, his supporters, and their anointed are entitled to the rights and protections of the law, and if necessary, immunity from it. The rest of us are entitled only to cruelty, by their whim. This is how the powerful have ever kept the powerless divided and in their place, and enriched themselves in the process.”...”Trump’s only true skill is the con; his only fundamental belief is that the United States is the birthright of straight, white, Christian men, and his only real, authentic pleasure is in cruelty. It is that cruelty, and the delight it brings them, that binds his most ardent supporters to him, in shared scorn for those they hate and fear: immigrants, black voters, feminists, and treasonous white men who empathize with any of those who would steal their birthright. The president’s ability to execute that cruelty through word and deed makes them euphoric. It makes them feel good, it makes them feel proud, it makes them feel happy, it makes them feel united. And as long as he makes them feel that way, they will let him get away with anything, no matter what it costs them.”

The Handmaid's Tale 'could be instruction manual', says Atwood. Atwood was asked by an audience member if she feared the book could be used as an instruction manual and said: "Yes, there is that problem...if Mike Pence gets his hands on the controls, just you wait."

Tennessee governor signs proclamation honoring early KKK leader, sparking backlash.

Contrary to industry claims, the $15 minimum wage in New York City has not brought a pox upon the booming restaurant sector.

Amazon and Facebook listed among the dozen most dangerous workplaces.

The first case of Ebola has been confirmed in Goma, now the biggest city to have been affected by the disease since its outbreak in eastern DR Congo last August.

How beneficial are vitamins? Not very, according to a new study.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Saturday, July 13, 2019

And another day of delays, going broke, preparing for raids, failing the mentally disabled, making a draconian copyright law, losing your job to robots, and storming Area 51 comes to a close:

“We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.” -- Aristotle Onassis

Immigration raids scheduled to take place in at least 9 US cities Sunday could be mass, indiscriminate roundups that target entire families rather than those who pose a threat, says a former acting director of ICE.

US Labor Secretary Alex Acosta resigns amid pressure over his brokering of plea deal for pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Congress Delays Robert Mueller Hearings Amid Dispute Over Time For Questions.

Steven Mnuchin warns Congress the government is running out of money faster than expected.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are two of the most ideologically aligned candidates in the Democratic primary — both left-wing populists who rail against a “rigged” economic system. In poll after poll, Sanders appeals to: lower-income and less-educated people, men and younger people who vote less frequently. While Warren's camp consists of: people with postgraduate degrees, women, and seniors who follow politics closely.

Tennessee Lawmakers Aim To Ban Weddings By Internet-Ordained Ministers.

Many US jails fail to stop inmate suicides. It’s a problem commonly blamed on the mere fact that more mentally ill people are landing behind bars, a trend that started after state psychiatric hospitals began closing in the 1970s and promised alternatives failed to emerge.

Seattle Faces Backlash After Easing Up On Punishing Crimes Involving Mental Illness. “Seattle is grappling with a crisis of what is sometimes called "visible homelessness" — people who live in the street and struggle with mental illness or drug addiction. It's a population that often commits small crimes, such as disorderly conduct or shoplifting to pay for drugs. And public frustration is growing. Some accuse a reform-oriented local criminal justice system of becoming too tolerant.”

Survivors of gun violence in US face lifetime of pain and expense.

EPA expands use of pesticide that can be toxic to bees.

A new copyright bill would mean anyone who's ever shared a meme, shared a photo that isn't theirs, or downloaded a photo they didn't take could find themselves owing $5,000. “Every single person who uses the Internet and regularly interacts with copyrighted works (that’s everyone) should contact their Senators to oppose this bill.”

Facebook Will Now Show You How To Opt Out Of Targeted Ads.

Robots could take over 20 million jobs by 2030, experts say. The trend could boost productivity and economic growth but also bring greater income inequality.

Autistic Londoners issued with 'autism alert' cards by police.

States Are Ratcheting Up Reading Expectations For 3rd-Graders. Nineteen states have passed laws requiring third-graders who aren't proficient in reading to repeat the grade. The policy started in Florida 17 years ago.

Thousands of people have taken a Facebook pledge to storm Area 51 to 'see them aliens'.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Thursday, July 11, 2019

And another day of victims, power, subpoenas, silence, bees, and eavesdropping comes to a close:

“We’re going off the rails on a crazy train.” -- Ozzy Osbourne

It Sure Looks Like Jeffrey Epstein Was a Spy—But Whose? “He’d [Acosta] cut the non-prosecution deal with one of Epstein’s attorneys because he had “been told” to back off, that Epstein was above his pay grade. “I was told Epstein ‘belonged to intelligence’ and to leave it alone,” he told his interviewers in the Trump transition, who evidently thought that was a sufficient answer and went ahead and hired Acosta. (The Labor Department had no comment when asked about this.)” Wait, what? Holy shit.

3 alleged victims are mentioned in the indictment against Jeffrey Epstein. There are dozens more.

Jeffrey Epstein's attorneys propose home detention at his $77 million mansion ahead of bail hearing.

Trump’s latest morning of tweets was off the rails, even by his standards. Insults, lies, gaslighting, authoritarian threats — all before the coffee even hit.

Trump issued an executive order directing the Commerce Department to obtain citizenship data through means other than the US census, dropping a controversial plan to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census after the Supreme Court blocked it.

Nationwide immigration raids to arrest and deport families with court-ordered removals will begin on Sunday.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi reads from a "Know Your Rights" sheet during a press conference as major cities across the U.S. brace for sweeping deportation raids this weekend.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York suggested that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been "singling out" freshman congresswomen of color.

House Judiciary Committee votes to authorize subpoenas targeting current and former Trump administration officials. They’re approving subpoenas for 12 Mueller witnesses.

The Obamas' silence on Joe Biden is deafening. Yes. Yes it is.

Warren's new U.S. immigration policy would end border crossing as a crime.

The world's population is nearing 8 billion. That's not great news. It took thousands of years for the global population to hit 5 billion, which happened in 1987. Some 32 years later, we're closing in on 8 billion. And by 2050, the world is projected to add another 2 billion people.

World Population Day: These are the countries where women outnumber men the most.

Conspiracy theorists, far-right agitators head to White House with social media in their sights.

White House hosts social media summit without social media companies. The summit is basically a way for the Trump administration, yet again, to seize on the uncorroborated narrative that big tech and social media companies are engaged in some coordinated conspiracy against them. It lets conservatives fire up supporters, but in terms of accomplishing much, well, it probably won’t.

Trump rips tech firms at 'free speech' summit.

Increasing Support for Religiously Based Service Refusals. Holy cow these numbers are disgusting. Religion is often used as nothing more than a cover to express one’s hatred of others while simultaneously stroking the feeling of superiority among the oppressor.

“Allowing yourself to feel your righteous anger about the state of the country your kids are growing up in — no matter what cause may be fueling your passion — makes you more powerful, not less.”

Numerous charities say they never received donations touted by financier and registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

School by day, assembly line by night: How teachers in South Carolina make ends meet.

Honeybees are getting hit by the Trump administration, as the US Department of Agriculture suspended data collection for its annual Honey Bee Colonies report, a critical tool for understanding the plummeting honeybee population. Um, no bees will leave us in trouble.

New Orleans faces a never-before-seen problem with Tropical Storm Barry.

The climate change policy with the most potential is the most neglected. Public clean energy R&D is overlooked and underfunded.

If you like women's soccer, you should know about Title IX.

How seizures can kill people with epilepsy in their sleep.

Google admits workers listen to recordings from some smart device.

Amazon wants to retrain a third of its US workforce to adapt to an economy increasingly disrupted by automation and new technology.

Toxic plant that causes blindness, 3rd degree burns spotted in Clark County (WA).

NFL player asks 'If the sun is hot how is outer space cold?' OMG this Twitter exchange.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

And another day of “pedophile island,” the GOP completely on board with child sex trafficking and rape, and truth you should not be trying to hide from comes to a close:

“Your message is excluding people.” — Megan Rapinoe

Read this. Just, read this. At least Parts 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. There is so much to this story. A deep well of lies, manipulation, and abuses many will not want to believe. But the truth must be known. Don’t hide from it.

Donald Trump once hosted a party with a guest list made up of just himself, Jeffrey Epstein, and “28 girls,” according to The New York Times, and ignored an organizer’s warning about Epstein’s conduct.

Even from jail, sex abuser [Jeffrey Epstein] manipulated the system. His victims were kept in the dark.

Whispers, suspicion about Epstein on Caribbean island. “Ask about Jeffrey Epstein on St. Thomas and rooms go quiet. Some people leave. Those who share stories speak in barely audible tones...Then, when Epstein pleaded guilty in a 2008 to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution, his need for privacy began to appear more sinister. “Everybody called it ‘Pedophile Island,’” said Kevin Goodrich, who is from St. Thomas and operates boat charters. “It’s our dark corner.”” Jeffrey Epstein is a horrible person.

New Jeffrey Epstein accuser: He raped me when I was 15.

Acosta Defends His Handling of the Jeffrey Epstein Case. Asked if he had a message for the victims, he responded, “The message to the victims is that you need to come forward.” Easier said than done, Alex. Stop blaming the victims.

Former Palm Beach State Attorney says Acosta ‘completely wrong’ on Epstein. “If Mr. Acosta was truly concerned with the State’s case and felt he had to rescue the matter, he would have moved forward with the 53-page indictment that his own office drafted. Instead, Mr. Acosta brokered a secret plea deal that resulted in a Non-Prosecution Agreement.”

Alexander Acosta, the US labor secretary under fire for having granted Jeffrey Epstein immunity from federal prosecution in 2008, after the billionaire was investigated for having run a child sex trafficking ring, is proposing 80% funding cuts for the government agency that combats child sex trafficking. Priorities and all. Alexander Acosta is a horrible person.

Miami Herald Editorial Board: Alex Acosta made an ethically compromised decision 10 years ago. Today, he should resign.

In short: Trump and Epstein hung out a couple of decades ago and “partied” with--assaulted and abused--“young girls.” Epstein eventually got busted. Acosta bailed him out with a sweetheart deal. Ten years later Trump becomes President. Acosta becomes U.S. Labor Secretary. And here we are.

As Labor Secretary, Alexander Acosta Is Still Shielding the Wealthy.

Speaking directly to the camera, Rapinoe delivered a searing message for Donald Trump: "You’re excluding me. You’re excluding people that look like me. You’re excluding people of color."

Appeals court sides with President Trump, dismisses 'emoluments' lawsuit involving his DC hotel.

DC mayor says President Trump's July Fourth bash drained the city’s budget for security.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggests getting rid of entire Department Homeland Security.

Mississippi politician says female reporter must be accompanied by a male. According to Campbell, Foster's campaign director, Colton Robison, said she could not be alone in a car with Foster because "they believed the optics of the candidate with a woman, even a working reporter, could be used in a smear campaign to insinuate an extramarital affair."

In California, Obamacare Rates Are Going Down. The bottom line is that nearly everyone will pay less for insurance in 2020 than in 2019. This is what can happen when a state is actually serious about making Obamacare work as well as possible for everyone.

California has become the first state in the country to offer healthcare coverage to undocumented adults age 25 and younger.

Flash flooding hits New Orleans as Mississippi River forecast to rise to dangerous levels.

The federal government is warning Americans to brace for a "floodier" future. Government scientists predict 40 places in the U.S. will experience higher than normal rates of so-called sunny day flooding this year because of rising sea levels and an abnormal El Nino weather system.

Nearly one-quarter of Americans say they never plan to retire.

Trump invites conservatives, including fringe figures, to White House for social media summit. It's perhaps the clearest example yet of President Trump legitimizing fringe political allies. Neither Twitter nor Facebook received invitations to the event.

The University of Texas-Austin has announced it's offering full tuition scholarships to in-state undergrads whose families make $65,000 or less per year.

A new study has linked drinking just a small glass of a sugary drink per day to an 18% increase in overall cancer risk and a 22% increase in risk for breast cancer.

Can You Hear It? Sonic Devices Play High-Pitched Noises To Repel Teens.

Video of sharks interacting off Massachusetts coast is a first, scientists say. "Based on scarring patterns and wounds, we know white sharks off Cape Cod frequently bite each other. However, until this video was shot, we had never witnessed any sort of social interaction."

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

And another day of more disgusting treatment toward migrant children, more attacks on the ACA, and more on the sex-trafficking of under aged girls comes to a close:

“No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot” — Mark Twain

Migrant children held in Yuma, Arizona, report sex assault and retaliation for protests in addition to unsanitary conditions and overcrowding. This is disgusting. It must stop.

The Affordable Care Act Is Back In Court: 5 Facts You Need To Know. Healthcare is right. Not a privilege.

The Jeffrey Epstein Case Is Like Nothing I’ve Seen Before. Great wealth insulates people from consequences, but not always, absolutely, or forever.

Labor Secretary Acosta defends Jeffrey Epstein deal as Democrats demand his resignation.

Miami Herald editorial board calls for Trump Labor chief to resign.

Trump is standing by Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta amid calls for his resignation over his work overseeing a plea deal that allowed Jeffrey Epstein to avoid federal prosecution and plead guilty to lesser state charges in 2007.

No One Is In The Mood For Alex Acosta's Gaslighting Ways. “This is, of course, BS. Acosta had plenty of evidence to put Epstein away for good and chose instead to give him a sweetheart deal which was so horrible he intentionally did not notify Epstein's victims because he knew beyond all doubt they would have raised hell over it.”

Despite calling billionaire Jeffrey Epstein a "terrific guy" in the past, President Trump now says he's not a fan and hasn't spoken to him in a long time. Mmm hmmm.

The true origins of the Seth Rich conspiracy theory. It was a fake story planted by Russian foreign intelligence and promoted by Trump’s White House and Fox News.

Amy McGrath announces bid to take on Sen. Mitch McConnell in 2020. Get him, Amy.

Mitch McConnell just got a serious Democratic challenger.

Appeals court rules Trump can’t block users on Twitter.

Nearly all the people who carried out mass attacks in the US last year made threatening or concerning communications beforehand, and more than three-quarters prompted concern from others, the US Secret Service says in a new report Tuesday.

A housing development planned for the Arizona desert was put on hold due to environmental concerns. Then came a secret meeting between the developer and the man Trump would appoint to run the Dept. of Interior, and suddenly the project was back on track.

Ross Perot, the self-made Texas billionaire who twice ran for president as an independent, has died at age 89.

Disney Channel star Cameron Boyce suffered from epilepsy, family says. He was 20.

CDC urges doctors to learn to recognize early signs of a polio-like condition in children, called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), and move quickly to collect lab samples for investigators.

Boys aged 12 and 13 will be offered the HPV vaccine in all British schools, in a move health officials say will prevent thousands of cancer cases.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Monday, July 8, 2019

And another day of the rich trafficking young girls, “Unalienable Rights,” embracing religion, and giving birth to the wrong children comes to a close:

“Nothing disturbs me more than the glorification of stupidity.” — Carl Sagan

Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein is accused of running a sex trafficking ring and paying girls as young as 14 for sex, an unsealed indictment says.

All the assault allegations against Donald Trump, recapped. “She claims she was repeatedly raped by Trump and Jeffery Epstein at Epstein’s New York City apartment in 1994, when she was 13 years old.” Do MAGA lovers really love child rapists?

Justin Amash on what his GOP colleagues say behind closed doors. "(Trump) thinks people owe loyalty to him, but people are elected to Congress with an oath to support and defend the Constitution, not an oath to support and defend one person, the President who happens to be from your own party," Amash said.

Nancy Pelosi has chosen her war, and it’s with her own party’s future. To be clear: none of these freshmen Democrats have personally attacked Pelosi and all four of them backed her bid for the speakership. As CNN’s Nathan McDermott tweeted, “It is pretty notable that the most vocally anti-Pelosi Democrats (ala the moderates in swing districts who opposed her leadership) don’t get as much criticism from her as the left-wing of the party.” Yep. Worth the read.

Mitch McConnell's great-great-grandfathers owned 14 slaves. McConnell has opposed paying reparations to descendants of slaves, though census records show his family, like many others, benefited from their labor.

Congressional Democrats subpoena Trump businesses in an escalation of the fight to get his financial records. The DOJ wants a court to block them. Hmmm, isn’t that weird?

Mike Pompeo unveils new "Unalienable Rights" commission — and progressive groups fear what it might do.

Trump tweets that his administration will no longer deal with UK ambassador. Trump is so “inept” and “insecure.”

A matter of faith: Democrats embrace religion in campaign.

The USWNT lawsuit isn't just challenging pay disparity -- it also claims the US Soccer Federation has denied women equal playing, training and travel conditions, as well as equal promotion, support and development for their games.

$15 Minimum Wage Would Boost 17 Million Workers, Cut 1.3 Million Jobs, CBO Says.

The biggest lie in Trump's environmental speech today.

The best way to fight global warming? A new study suggests planting at least a trillion trees.

Florida principal refused to call the Holocaust a 'factual, historical event'.

Teen odds of using marijuana dip when states legalize recreational use. The new results echo a study showing a decline in teen use after sales of recreational pot began in 2014 in Washington state.

US couple say they gave birth to the wrong children. A lawsuit filed by the couple in New York states that the couple was shocked to give birth to two boys who were not of Asian descent.

On average, older adults spend over half their waking hours alone.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Saturday, July 6, 2019

And another day of kissing, arrests, double standards, brain drains, and a vaccine for fake news comes to a close:

“And if it takes forever, forever it’ll be.” -- OK Go

Today is International Kissing Day. Happy Kissing!

The Privilege of Positivity. The very idea that we can have the option of escaping terrible news or sidestepping difficult conversations or limiting disturbing information, is itself confirmation that we are buffered from a good deal of struggle. That we can tire of a story or an issue—likely means we have no real personal stake in it...To me, activism is pure positivity. It is passionately affirming humanity by taking note of the places it is most endangered and assailed...But as often as we share beautifully crafted Instagram images, we need to make sure we’re showing people reality completely unfiltered as well. The world needs this too.

The More You TV Watch, the More You Vote Populist. Does watching television make people stupid? Are stupid people more likely to vote for populist parties? And can these effects linger for years, or even decades? Apparently it does.

“Outbreaks of scabies, shingles and chickenpox were spreading among the hundreds of children who were being held in cramped cells, agents said. The stench of the children’s dirty clothing was so strong it spread to the agents’ own clothing — people in town would scrunch their noses when they left work. The children cried constantly. One girl seemed likely enough to try to kill herself that the agents made her sleep on a cot in front of them, so they could watch her as they were processing new arrivals.”

Jeffrey Epstein arrested in New York, charged with sex trafficking.

New York federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered the unsealing of up to 2,000 pages of judicial documents that are expected to show evidence relating to whether New York financier Jeffrey Epstein and his partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, were recruiting underage girls and young women as part of an international sex trafficking operation.

Trump Is Going to Brag About All He’s Done for the Environment. No. Really. On Monday, he’s giving a speech about America’s clean air and water. And his environmental leadership.

Flashback: Plastic straw ban? Cigarette butts are the single greatest source of ocean trash.

Second CBP-linked Facebook group shows derisive images of migrants.

New study shows Russian propaganda may really have helped Trump. The study does not prove Russian interference swung the election to Trump. But it did find Trump's poll numbers improved when Russian trolls were active. The study found that every 25,000 re-tweets by accounts connected to the Internet Research Agency, a troll farm led by an oligarch close to President Putin, predicted a 1% increase in opinion polls for President Trump.

Iran Could Surpass Uranium Enrichment Limits On Sunday.

Thousands of extended family members are arriving at the border with children in tow, hoping to give them a better life in America. What many don't know is that they may never join those children in the U.S.

Indianapolis church puts holy family in ‘ICE detention’ in bold statement about immigration policy.

Nancy Pelosi dismisses Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Tlaib, Pressley as just "four people" after Democrats split on border bill.

Customs and Border Patrol agents at a migrant processing center in Texas allegedly attempted to humiliate a Honduran migrant by making him hold a sign that read, "I like men," according to emails written by an agent who witnessed the incident.

American Medical Association Wades Into Abortion Debate With Lawsuit.

Alex Morgan says criticism of her tea-sipping celebration illustrates a double standard. "I feel that there is some sort of double standard for females in sports, to feel like we have to be humble in our successes and have to celebrate, but not too much or in a limited fashion.” She’s not wrong.

Starbucks barista asks police officers to leave because customer 'did not feel safe,' police union claims. But if the police officers were LGBTQ, Republicans wouldn’t have found what happened “offensive” at all.

NYPD officers were called to a Whole Foods about suspected shoplifter. Then they paid for her groceries.

U.S. Representative Amash, the only Republican supporting impeaching Trump, quits Republican Party on July 4. "Today, I am declaring my independence and leaving the Republican Party. No matter your circumstance, I’m asking you to join me in rejecting the partisan loyalties and rhetoric that divide and dehumanize us.”

Alaska fears 'brain drain' after 41 percent proposed cut to university system. The cuts could close campuses, shut down departments, and force 1,300 layoffs. "We may not even be able to mow the lawns," one administrator said.

Researchers have created a 'vaccine' for fake news. It's a game.

Drug prices in 2019 are surging, with hikes at 5 times inflation.

Teachers are 3 times more likely to need a second job to make ends meet.

Lesbian visibility at Women's World Cup has impact far off the field. Excellent.

Disney’s live-action Little Mermaid will star a black Ariel. Every Disney princess for the past 30 years has had Ariel’s face. Now Ariel has a new face.

Here's why we call the open-mouth smooch a 'French kiss'.

8 health benefits of kissing. So get to kissing!

Mad magazine to come off newsstands, largely end publishing new content.

Swearing good for people, says Ukrainian health minister. Fuck yeah!

Cockroaches are becoming immune to insecticides. Have a great day.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.