Sunday, April 8, 2018

And another day where Orwell rolls in his grave and an NRA Board Member tells us exactly what he believes should be done comes to a close:

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

Department Of Homeland Security Compiling Database Of Journalists And 'Media Influencers'. As part of its "media monitoring," the DHS seeks to track more than 290,000 global news sources as well as social media...The successful contracting company will have "24/7 access to a password protected, media influencer database, including journalists, editors, correspondents, social media influencers, bloggers etc." in order to "identify any and all media coverage related to the Department of Homeland Security or a particular event." There’s more. Read it yourself. This is the most important news in quite awhile. The question, of course, is what does the government plan to do with this information?

Trump uncharacteristically criticizes Putin after reports of chemical attack in Syria.

U.S. confirms North Korea's Kim Jong Un willing to talk denuclearization.

EPA chief Scott Pruitt spent millions on security and travel.

Investors spent most of last year ignoring the president’s antics. They’re not anymore.

Ted Nugent, NRA Board Member and a person Trump calls a friend, Calls for Shooting “Half of Our Government”. “Just know that evil, dishonesty, and scam artists have always been around and that right now they’re liberal, they’re Democrat, they’re RINOs, they’re Hollywood, they’re fake news, they’re media, they’re academia, and they’re half of our government, at least. So come to that realization. There are rabid coyotes running around. You don’t wait till you see one to go get your gun. Keep your gun handy, and every time you see one, you shoot one.“ Fucker. Anyone promoting violence or the murder of those with differing opinions is not a true American--or a true human being for that matter.

Assault weapons ban doesn't violate 2nd Amendment, judge says.

“Police said two men were involved in a verbal altercation inside a gas station. One man grabbed a handgun from his vehicle. He fired several shots at the other man, who hid behind a vehicle where a mother and child were. The child was shot in the head.” Yep, everyone should carry a gun.

Three dead in Germany as van ploughs into crowd in Muenster.

Facebook admitted that most (most!) of its users could have had their profile data harvested.

If taxes aren’t working, will desperate Republicans keep turning to race-based attacks? Of course they will. The GOP promotes racism and hatred, in general.

Fox News claims that Melania Trump is treated more harshly than Michelle Obama. Bull. Shit.

The New Midlife Crisis. Why (and how) it’s hitting Gen X women.

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

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Friday, April 6, 2018

And another day of tariffs causing “pain” in the markets comes to a close:

“Everything is awful, everything is awful, everything is.” -- The Decemberists

Scott Pruitt can relax, he’s probably not Friday’s news dump. “Pruitt has delivered a long set of easy wins for Trump. The EPA chief has rolled back dozens of regulations, curtailed environmental enforcement, and limited the role and quality of science in the agency’s decisions. There’s still more for Trump to celebrate this week: Pruitt rolled back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards and has adopted House Science Chair Lamar Smith’s (R-Texas) push to ban air pollution studies that rely on confidential data from being used in EPA regulation.” Scott Pruitt is a horrible person.

New Russia sanctions will likely target oligarchs with ties to Putin. One U.S. official noted that the delay in initiating sanctions against the oligarchs responsible for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election has muted their effect. He said that the oligarchs have had a year to restructure their U.S. holdings. "They had to know these were coming," he said.

US sanctions several Russian officials and entities, including oligarch linked to former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort.

Trump begins informal prep for potential Mueller interview.

Trump admits tariffs could cause 'pain' in markets.

Dow Jones dives more than 550 points on fears of a trade war.

China vows to fight US 'at any cost' as trade spat worsens. Nice going there, Donnie.

Teachers make less on average today than they did in 1989.

Trump is wrong about Amazon and sales tax, but on April 17 the Supreme Court's getting involved.

While we hammer Facebook, our personal data is leaking from stores left and right.

After one year of Trump, Obamacare is actually doing fine.

In just four years you’ll be able to visit the first luxury hotel in space--if you have a spare $9.5 million in your pocket.

“Humility is attentive patience.” -- Simone Weil

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

And another day of rambling, corruption, and “nightmare bacteria” comes to a close:

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” -- Anais Nin

A rambling Trump tosses out the script — literally — in West Virginia. Among other things, he went off on women being “raped at levels that nobody has ever seen before” as they head to the US on the “caravan” from Central America; illegal voting in California; and attacking Joe Manchin (D-WV). He’s a vindictive, lying, piece of shit. Those who voted for him should never be forgiven unless they regret their decision and choose to vote a Democratic in November.

YouTube shooter legally bought handgun, reloaded at least once during attack.

Trump estimated that he could send anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 troops, and that they would remain indefinitely.

The New York Times Just Reported That 5 EPA Employees Were Sidelined After Questioning Scott Pruitt. (Demoted, reassigned, or were forced out.) Wow. Scott Pruitt is an asshole. I know, I know, but sometimes I have to state the obvious.

Trump proposes $100 billion more in tariffs on China, cites Intellectual Property. Isn’t this called a trade war?

EPA ethics official says he didn't have all the facts on Pruitt's lease. Hmmm, that seems awfully convenient.

John Bolton runs into potential ethics issues before he becomes Trump’s national security advisor. Shocker, I know.

Hundreds rally on streets of Brooklyn to protest police shooting of Saheed Vassell, who officers thought was holding a gun.

Why it’s perfectly fine to ask about citizenship status on the census.

A new study finds that men in STEM subject areas overestimate their own intelligence and credentials, underestimate the abilities of female colleagues, and that as a result, women themselves doubt their abilities — even when evidence says otherwise.

Your Alexa and Fitbit can testify against you in court.

“Nightmare bacteria" with unusual resistance to antibiotics of last resort were found more than 200 times in United States last year in a first-of-a-kind hunt. Evolution in action.

A record 64 million Americans live in multigenerational households.

“It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.” -- Rene Descartes

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

And another day comes to a close:

“When you see something that is not right, something that is not fair, something that is not just, you have a moral obligation to say something, to do something. You cannot be quiet.” -- John Lewis

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. “We’re not where we’re supposed to be.”

Millions of viewers of Sinclair stations have no idea that they’re watching conservative editorials rather than normal local news — giving the company incredible power to persuade viewers. Sinclair reaches 40 percent of households — and soon will reach 72 percent. See if they own your station. Refuse to watch any local news broadcast that’s on a station owned by Sinclair.

The scariest part of Sinclair's attempted local news takeover: most people won't notice it. And that’s why I’m here to help.

Trump administration says National Guard troops could head to US-Mexico border as soon as Wednesday night.

Now Facebook says it shared the data of "up to 87 million" users with Cambridge Analytica.

Facebook will let you check if Cambridge Analytica could have gotten access to your data.

Oklahoma State Representative Kevin McDugle ( R) is a horrible person.

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin ( R ) compares teachers to “a teenage kid that wants a better car.” HTF do these people get into office? Stop voting for them.

Oklahoma House approves education tax bill amid teacher walkout.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is worse than a horrible person. His Twitter meltdown last night was fun to read, though.

Of the 26 email domains managed by the Executive Office of the President, 18 are not in compliance with a DHS directive to implement a security protocol that verifies the emails as genuinely from the White House. But what about her emails!!

A bill announced today would require California police to use deadly force only when necessary mand not whenever “reasonable.” Jesus Christ. How was this not the case in the first place?

Donald Trump’s attacks this week on Amazon and its C.E.O., Jeff Bezos, are a reminder that the President’s seemingly boundless corporate favoritism is actually favoritism of a much more narrow and fickle kind.

Twitter cracks down on accounts accused of spreading false info after YouTube shooting.

Can you believe your own ears? With new ‘Fake News’ tech, not necessarily. “David Doermann, who runs the program, imagined a disaster scenario: a collage of fake audio, video and photos that come together in a mass misinformation campaign — and create the impression of a major event that never even occurred.” Coming soon!

Colorado lawmakers again say no to cannabis clubs.

Some researchers believe that doses of “superblood” could work against potentially deadly malignancies, including triple-negative breast cancer and pancreatic cancer as well as cancers of the liver, ovary, and colon.

“We’ve got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end … either we go up together, or we go down together.” -- Martin Luther King Jr.

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

And another day of tariffs, corruption, and yes, another shooting, comes to a close:

“As history has repeatedly proven, one trade tariff begets another, then another--until you’ve got a full-blown trade war. No one ever wins, and consumers always get screwed.” -- Mark McKinnon

At least four people wounded at YouTube HQ. Suspected shooter is dead after she apparently shot herself.

Suspected YouTube shooter has been identified as Nasim Najafi Aghdam. Cue the racist bullshit in 3...2...1

Sinclair Chairman Claims Entire Print Media Has ‘No Credibility’. David Smith, the executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group, said he dislikes and fundamentally distrusts the print media, which he believes “serves no real purpose.” And the drive to get us to read even less continues. Again, these are dangerous times we’re in.

Mueller said last month Trump not a criminal target at this point.

Today, April 3, was declared “Punish a Muslim Day” in the UK and US by, you know, fucking assholes. The Muslim community responded with #LoveAMuslim. To my knowledge no “butchering” a Muslim for points actually happened in either country today, so who knows if it was meant to inspire violence or just incite terror.

Fear-based gun buying is back. Fear sells--and a large number of people buy.

MSD Students protest using their new backpacks.

Police shootings stir outrage among some, but not the Supreme Court. In a scathing dissent, Sotomayor said the ruling tells police they "can shoot first and think later" and the public that "palpably unreasonable conduct will go unpunished."

No, the Postal Service isn't losing a fortune on Amazon. The orange one is just being vindictive.

President Trump says he'll send the military to the border. Former presidents Bush and Obama did, too.

White House releases tariff list for Chinese imports. Within weeks a 25 per cent tariff on 1,333 products from China (ranging from industrial robots and electric cars to locomotives, jet engines, and snowblowers) will be imposed by the Trump administration in retaliation for what it says has been decades of state-backed intellectual property theft by Beijing.

President Trump's personal lawyer asks a federal judge to force adult film star Stormy Daniels to use arbitration to settle a dispute over an agreement to keep quiet about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump. The actions of a guilty man.

Scott Pruitt Bypassed the White House to Give Big Raises to Favorite Aides. He used a Safe Drinking Water Act loophole, intended to quickly hire water quality experts, to give an extra $84,000 to his aides from Okla.—after the White House explicitly said no. Of course he did. He’s always been a horrible excuse for a human being.

Millennials are the only generation in which a majority holds consistently liberal or mostly liberal positions across 10 measures tested. There’s hope, yet. Now if they’ll just get out there and vote.

There’s a Growing Movement to Let 16-Year-Olds Vote. It Would Change Everything.

Idaho GOP candidate for lieutenant governor suggests women who have abortions should get death penalty. Fuck you, Bob.

17 states sue the Trump Administration over census citizenship question.

The Head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Asks Congress to Gut His Own Agency. He calls the bureau “the very definition of tyranny.”

Judge to decide if Nazi 'troll storm' is protected speech.

Walmart is in discussions to acquire medication delivery service PillPack for under $1B.

CDC: Drug-resistant 'nightmare bacteria' pose growing threat.

UK to introduce 'one of world's toughest' ivory bans. Good.

The grounding line retreat reinforces concerns about a worst-case Antarctic meltdown scenario, with global sea level rising 10 feet by 2100.

A massive crack has suddenly appeared in Kenya, prompting new discussion on the breakup of Africa into two land masses.

Just 66 Percent Of Young Adults In America Accept That Earth Is Round. Um...ouch.

“A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money.” -- John Ruskin

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Monday, April 2, 2018

And another day of SBG, clear backpacks, teachers on strike, and...wait for it...human head transplants comes to a close:

“I think it’d be great if the evening news broadcast, for instance, were unsponsored and unrated.” -- Walter Cronkite

Why Sinclair’s company-mandated “false news” promotion matters: Local news is Americans’ No. 1 news source. Stop watching (and listening) to any station owned by the Sinclair Broadcasting Group.

Trump defends conservative media company after it orders anchors to bash 'biased' news. These are very dangerous times we’re in. You can feel it in the air.

Flashback: Kushner: We struck deal with Sinclair for better coverage.

Trump proposed hosting Vladimir Putin at the White House during a recent call with the Russian leader, a Kremlin aide told Russian media today. A wannabe dictator wishes to see his idol.

How Parkland students feel about their new mandatory clear backpacks.

Russian bots are rallying behind embattled Fox News host Laura Ingraham as advertisers dump her show.

White House chaos jeopardizes war on ISIS, U.S. commandes warn.

Teachers in Oklahoma and Kentucky have gone on strike, asking for better pay in states where teacher compensation has essentially been falling.

Most Americans don't think teachers in their community are paid enough.

EPA moves to cut Obama’s auto mileage rules. Of course it does.

Mike Pence's home town is getting its first gay parade--thanks to a high school girl. Some things make me smile.

The edibles market is exploding. You can bet big corporations are watching.

Two surgeons are preparing for the first human head transplant. It’s time to talk about it.

Apple Watch health data is being used as evidence in an Australian murder trial.

Who is the most addicted to their phones? Not millennials, but their parents. (By only about 40 min per day though).

You may live longer by severely restricting calories. Research has shown that sharp reductions in food amounts can help fish, rats and monkeys live longer. But there have been very few studies in humans.

“I am a teacher born and bred, and I believe in the advocacy of teachers. It’s a calling. We want our students to feel impassioned and empowered.” -- Erin Gruwell

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

And another day of tirades, propaganda, and super gonorrhea comes to a close:

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.” -- Richard P. Feynman

Trump: 'NO MORE DACA DEAL'. Decent Americans: ‘NO MORE TRUMP’.

In Easter Sunday tirade, Trump says he will make no deal to help Dreamers, threatens again to scrap NAFTA.

Sinclair tells stations to air media-bashing promos - and the criticism goes viral. As it should. This is worse than Fox News, and is extremely dangerous to the country.

Caravan Organizers Are Blaming The US For Migrants As Trump Lashes Out.

White House says former Veterans Affairs Secretary Shulkin resigned. He insists he was fired.

New book alleges Kellyanne Conway is the 'number one leaker' in Trump White House.

China imposing new tariffs on U.S. products in retaliation of Trump tariffs.

Missouri Senate considers banning touchscreen voting.

Alarm as government rewrites UK 'torture guidance' in secret.

Amazon wants to get to teenagers before the banks do.

Jim Carrey has been trolling Trump and the GOP with paintings. Here are the top 11.

Life for residents near hog farms just got much, much worse. It just became much easier for large livestock operations to pollute near people’s homes.

Hospitals, already wary of Walmart's advances into the heath-care sector, could face greater competitive pressure if the retailer completes its tie-up with insurer Humana.

For two months in 2015, a neuroscientist developed symptoms similar to dementia and schizophrenia — only to learn they were the effects of cancerous tumors in her brain.

Kentucky Lawmakers Limit Black Lung Claims Reviews Despite Epidemic.

China's Fake Boyfriends. Under immense pressure to get married, Li Chenxi rents a fake boyfriend to meet her family and friends.

The era of super gonorrhea is here.

RIP Steven Bochco. He was 74.

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.” -- Jimi Hendrix

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

Until next time, my friends. Good night.