No Accident

  He has the political acumen of a third grader.

MSNBC: GOP leader accidentally tells the truth about Benghazi committee

“What you’re going to see is a conservative Speaker, that takes a conservative Congress, that puts a strategy to fight and win. And let me give you one example. Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right?

“But we put together a Benghazi special committee. A select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because she’s untrustable. But no one would have known that any of that had happened had we not fought to make that happen.”

Every Single Time A Republican Interrupted The President Of Planned Parenthood

Kangaroo Court

Ring Of Fire: GOP Benghazi Probe Now Longer than Watergate, Pearl Harbor & JFK Assassination

Spending by the Benghazi Select Committee has already outpaced the entire annual budget of the House Intelligence Committee, with the Benghazi Committee’s 18 GOP staffers enjoying an average full-time salary of more than $128,000 per year.

More Equals Less

Gallup: The More Americans Know Congress, the Worse They Rate It

Cratering The Government's Finances Into Fiery Rubble.

Slate.com: A Conservative Group Analyzed Donald Trump’s Tax Plan. The Results Are Kind of Hilarious.

Oil

WSJ: Oil Prices Flip-Flops on Mixed Inventory Data - Traders have been expecting stockpiles to grow after the summer driving season ended

U.S. production also continued its gradual decline, though the change was small, down 0.4% from last week at 9.1 million barrels a day.

NYT: Ecuador’s President Warns of a Surge in Oil Prices

Have A Great Wednesday

work by Fernando Bottero

The Borowitz Report - Kochs Hope to Be First to Pollute Water on Mars

New Yorker: Kochs Hope to Be First to Pollute Water on Mars

Memory

Science Daily: Scientists to bypass brain damage by re-encoding memories - New prosthesis aims to help people living with memory loss

Researchers are testing a prosthesis that translates short-term memories into longer-term ones, with the potential to bypass damaged portions of the brain.

TRNN - Black Activist Host Venezuelan President Maduro In Harlem

The Drought

USA Today: Video shows dramatic water drop in California lake

Global Warming - A Warning From Mark Carney

BBC: Bank of England's Carney warns of climate change risk

"In other words, once climate change becomes a defining issue for financial stability, it may already be too late."

The Most Effective Liar

The Nation: How the Media Gave Carly Fiorina a Free Pass to Lie About Planned Parenthood - In the world according to Fox News, the debate champion is the candidate whose lies are considered to be the most effective. But Roger Ailes always wins. By Eric AltermanTwitter

5 Simple Reasons

AlterNet: Donald Trump’s Appeal Explained in 5 Simple Steps -Donald Trump didn't come from nowhere. These passions drive his base, and will still exist even if Trump implodes.

Planned Parenthood Before Congress

NPR: 6 Clips Of Audio You Should Hear From The Planned Parenthood Hearing

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. It is 59 degrees and raining here in the Upper Hudson Valley. We had a ton of rain over night, it's pretty soggy out there. I was watching Maddow last night interview Cecile Richards from Planned Parenthood. Cecile was testifying before a hostile GOP Congressional panel yesterday and I must say I had two take-a-ways. First is that Cecile acquitted herself very well and with conviction. The second take-a-way is that the GOP is one hostile violent bunch. The dirty tricks and the utter lack of actual information is stunning given that these people are alleged leaders. These people are leaders? God help us.

  At 8:50 a.m. ET futures are significantly higher and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open higher.

  I can't explain today's early lift and I have my doubts about it staying through the day. The market has been in correction mode and the fundamental problems which made that arise - oil, China, the Fed base interest rate hike fear, are all still there. One good thing - today is the technical end of the third quarter.

CNN: 4 things to know at the open

New data shows the eurozone is experiencing deflation again, with prices dipping by 0.1% in September.

Crude inventories data will be released at 10:30 a.m.

Creationist Ben

New Yorker: Ben Carson’s Scientific Ignorance

Catastrophe

Ring Of Fire: The Fiorina Catastrophe Continues, Defends Waterboarding

The Liberal Mars Water Agenda

  What a strange little man...

Mediaite: Limbaugh: What If NASA Made Up Water on Mars to Help Push Liberal Agenda?

Denial

Raw Story: Yale prof opens can of whoop-ass on Fiorina: She has an ‘almost psychopathic denial of reality’

Bait And Switch

Salon: Donald Trump’s tax scheme screw-up: Why his plan is bad for him and the GOP both - His tax plan was a plutocratic bait-and-switch. But here's why it may be "the Donald" and the GOP who end up hurt

Trevor Noah Debut - The Daily Show

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Get More: The Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook,The Daily Show Video Archive

Have A Great Tuesday

work by Fernando Bottero

The Onion - Nation Demands NASA Stop Holding Press Conferences Until They Discover Some Little Alien Guys

The Onion: Nation Demands NASA Stop Holding Press Conferences Until They Discover Some Little Alien Guys

Positive

Science Daily: Particular brain connections linked to positive human traits - Those with classically positive lifestyles, behaviors had different brain connections to those with classically negative ones

summary - There is a strong correspondence between a particular set of connections in the brain and positive lifestyle and behavior traits, according to a new study. The researchers point out that their results resemble what psychologists refer to as the 'general intelligence g-factor': a variable first proposed in 1904 that's sometimes used to summarize a person's abilities at different cognitive tasks. While the new results include many real-life measures not included in the g-factor -- such as income and life satisfaction, for instance -- those such as memory, pattern recognition and reading ability are strongly mirrored.

TRNN - Leftists Love Bernie Sanders, But Here’s Why Many Won’t Be Voting For Him

The Drought

NPR: Drought Is Driving Beekeepers And Their Hives From California

US Strikes In Afghanistan

Guardian UK: US strike targets Taliban as Afghan troops mount Kunduz counterattack - US airstrike hits Taliban position on outskirts of city that was overrun by militants on Monday

The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary

Guardian UK: New Zealand's new ocean sanctuary will be one of world's largest protected areas - The Kermadec ocean sanctuary, in the South Pacific and spanning 620,000 sq km, expands an existing reserve surrounding the Kermadec Islands

Global Warming - South Florida

CBS Local: Global Warming Blamed For South Florida Severe Flooding

Krugman On The GOP

NYT: The Blackmail Caucus, a.k.a. the Republican Party

Yes, the G.O.P. has become an “insurgent outlier” that is “ideologically extreme” and “unmoved by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science.” And Mr. Boehner did nothing to fight these tendencies. On the contrary, he catered to and fed the extremism.

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. It is 70 degrees, damp, and overcast here in the Upper Hudson Valley. The forecast has rain for the next 10 day period. We see that Trump released his tax plan for the USA yesterday. It looks to me like a formula for complete disaster with virtually everyone getting a tax cut especially the rich and corporations. I'm sure our crumbling infrastructure, what remains of any alleged safety net, education, and on and on would fall into further non existence under Trump. That's a plan alright.

  At 8:45 a.m. ET futures are moderately higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open higher.

The same set of concerns hovers over the market - oil, China, and the eventual Fed base interest rate hike. Meanwhile the market is in a correction phase as the DOW is now below 16K. Look for more of the same.

CNN: 5 things to know before the open

Top worries include slowing growth in China, uncertainty over when the Federal Reserve will begin raising U.S. interest rates, depressed commodity prices and "continual concerns over the pace of economic recovery in both Japan and Europe..."

The latest Case-Shiller housing price index comes out at 9 a.m. ET, giving a snapshot of the health of the U.S. housing market.

Gossip

  I'm reading that Jindal may be ready to call it quits.

HuffPo: 'Duck Dynasty' Star Ditches Bobby Jindal For Donald Trump - But Jindal's campaign denies that they've lost their most high-profile endorsement.

'It Would Grow Budget Deficits By Trillions Of Dollars Over A Decade'

NYT: Trump Plan Is Tax Cut for the Rich, Even Hedge Fund Managers

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver - Migrants And Refugees

Water

Guardian UK: Nasa scientists find evidence of flowing water on Mars - Researchers say discovery of stains from summertime flows down cliffs and crater walls increases chance of finding life on red planet

Pope Francis Sides With Kim Davis

Reuters: Govt. workers have right to refuse gay marriage licenses: pope

Briny Water

CNN: Wondering about NASA's Mars mystery? We may have found the answer

... proves that seasonal dark streaks on the Martian surface are the result of briny water periodically flowing across the planet's surface.

Have A Great Monday

work by Fernando Bottero

The Onion - Boehner Resignation Leaves Massive Leadership Vacuum In Congress Intact

The Onion: Boehner Resignation Leaves Massive Leadership Vacuum In Congress Intact

Pacific Sea Levels

Science Daily: Extreme Pacific sea level events to double in future

summary - Many tropical Pacific island nations are struggling to adapt to gradual sea level rise stemming from warming oceans and melting ice caps. Now they may also see much more frequent extreme sea level swings. The culprit is a projected behavioral change of the El Niño phenomenon and its characteristic Pacific wind response, according to recent computer modeling experiments and tide-gauge analysis.

TRNN - Pope Calls UN To Focus On Climate Solution Not Just Commitments

The Drought

The Sacramento Bee: Exports suffer as Sacramento Valley rice crop takes hit in drought

The Scorecard

Guardian UK: Pope Francis scorecard: liberals take away biggest wins from pontiff's US visit - Religion correspondent Harriet Sherwood recaps pope’s stance on climate change, immigration, poverty and other key themes of his six-day trip

Abortion In Mississippi

Guardian UK: Owner of Mississippi's last abortion clinic won't stop fighting for her patients -The Jackson Women’s Health Organization is threatened by a 2012 Mississippi law that would limit access to abortions. With the clinic’s fate in the supreme court’s hands, Diane Derzis is focused on the survival of ‘a place that cares’

Global Warming - Jeb Vs Francis

The Nation: On Climate Change, Listen to Pope Francis, Not Jeb Bush - The politician says we should disregard the pope because “he’s not a scientist.” But the pope’s background is in chemistry and his counselors are top scientists. By John Nichols

Robert Reich - Saving Capitalism Promo

The Market On Monday

  Good morning. It is 62 degrees and the sun is starting to make its way out from behind some clouds here in the Upper Hudson Valley. The weather logos are indicating it could be a very wet week. I hope you had the chance to see last night's spectacular eclipse. Many people in my neighborhood were out on their lawns watching the moon turn orange/reddish in color. At the same time the initial look of Fall is beginning to descend on the foliage. I look forward to NASA's announcement later this morning on Mars.

  At 8:50 a.m. ET futures are moderately lower and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open lower.

  The market is churning out a sea of red lately and the price of oil continues to decline. The story about Shell shutting down Alaska offshore drilling is good environmental news although I'm sure those workers are wondering how they will provide. This oil glut reconfiguration looks like it's here to stay for a while. I'm reading 2016 may not be much different although I have my doubts about the accuracy of long term projections.

CNN: Stocks: 4 things to know before the open

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell announced overnight that it would stop all offshore drilling in Alaska for the foreseeable future after a key exploration well did not yield sufficient amounts of oil and gas.

Indeed

In These Times: Ralph Nader: The Incredible Vacuousness of the Race for the Republican Presidential Nomination - The mainstream media is complicit in the circusization of the Republican debates.

Closed On Sundays

This blog is closed on Sundays, see you bright and early on Monday morning, and have an excellent Sunday.

Mars Monday

  Water, life, bacteria, global warming, what's it going to be? I'm going to go with water. Wager anyone?

CNN: NASA to reveal 'Mars mystery solved'

The space agency is scheduled to announce a "major science finding" on Monday.

A special news conference is slated for 11:30 a.m. ET, and will be broadcast live on NASA Television as well as its website.

Melt

NBC News: Lindsey Graham: Don't Let John Boehner's Resignation Cause Party 'Meltdown'

Catholic School Trend

Slate: Catholic School Is Dying. The School the Pope Is Visiting Is Attempting to Buck That Trend.

'Without Boehner, It May Get Even Worse'

Ring Of Fire: Bernie Sanders Explains Why Boehner’s Resignation is a Bad Thing

Have A Great Saturday

work by Paul Noble

The Onion - How To Get A Guy To Notice You While You're Having Sex With Him

The Onion: How To Get A Guy To Notice You While You're Having Sex With Him

Concerned Fish

Science Daily: I've got your back: Fish really do look after their mates

summary - When it comes to helping each other out, it turns out that some fish are better at it than one might imagine. New research has found that pairs of rabbitfishes will cooperate and support each other while feeding.

TRNN - Is The Pope A Man Of The Left?

The Drought

  I posted an article on the developing conspiracy theories about the California drought a few days ago. Initially I thought it was just a passing story, but there appears to be more to it as The Guardian is now reporting on it as well. Can you imagine, some people are pushing this. The theories are not unified except under the broad idea that it is the government/military at the root of the problem. This is sad. In a way this partially explains Fiorina's absurd claims that the drought was the fault of the Democrats. She's just a few tiny strands of tin foil short of some of this stuff

Guardian UK: Drought blamers: California conspiracists see government's hand in arid climate - A lack of rain is way too simple an explanation for these conspiracy theorists – it’s why it hasn’t rained much in four years that matters: the US government is geoengineering the California climate

Cut And Grow

Guardian UK: Cutting greenhouse gas emissions won't slow global economic growth — report - New report from green think tank Heinrich Boll shows OECD countries grew their economies 16% in last decade – and cut greenhouse gas emissions 6.4%

Jeb

Think Progress: Somebody Tell Jeb Bush That The Pope Actually Is A Scientist

Oil

Reuters: Oil up after Wall Street rally, drop in U.S. rigs

Global Warming - Mont Blanc

BDLive: Mont Blanc glacier: a striking example of reality of global warming

Trend

AlterNet: To Cut Costs, College Students Are Buying Less Food and Even Going Hungry - Recent research shows an alarming trend on college campuses.

Boo

  It is Trump's glaring lack of political acumen while simultaneously seeking the highest political office that will sink him.

CNN: Conservatives boo Trump after Rubio 'clown' insult

Sunday's Super Moon

NBC News: Watch Sunday's Supermoon Total Lunar Eclipse - or Wait Until 2033

It's Going To Get A Lot Worse

CNN: Begala: With Boehner out, can GOP be cured?

And so the House -- and to a great extent Washington itself -- will continue to spiral into dysfunction. We will look to the presidential election to fix that, but who are we kidding? The three leading GOP candidates are running on a pledge to be more intransigent, more belligerent, more bellicose. Anyone who dares suggest compromise is banished to the kiddie debate.

Liar

BBC: The best and worst ways to spot a liar - Forget body language or eye movements. There are much better ways to identify the deceitful.

...shift the focus away from the subtle mannerisms to the words people are actually saying, gently probing the right pressure points to make the liar’s front crumble.

McCarthy

McClatchy: California’s Kevin McCarthy could step in as House speaker falls - As House majority leader, Kevin McCarthy is next in line for top job

Jeb Messes Up Romney Style

  Turns out Jeb just pulled a Mitt Romney and came out with a totally polarizing and pointless statement.

WaPo: Why Jeb Bush’s ‘free stuff’ argument about black voters is so off-the-mark

Shake Up

WaPo: House Speaker John Boehner to resign at end of October

Following Boehner’s announcement, House Republicans said there was agreement to pass a clean spending bill to avert a government shutdown.

Have A Great Friday

work by Paul Noble

The Onion - GOP Candidates Fiercely Divided Over How Much Voltage Border Wall Should Be Electrified With

The Onion: GOP Candidates Fiercely Divided Over How Much Voltage Border Wall Should Be Electrified With

Tumor Autophagy

Science Daily: Antidepressants plus blood thinners cause brain cancer cells to eat themselves in mice

summary - Antidepressants work against brain cancer by excessively increasing tumor autophagy (a process that causes the cancer cells to eat themselves), new research shows. The scientists next combined the antidepressants with blood thinners -- also known to increase autophagy -- as a treatment for mice with the first stages of human glioblastoma. Mouse lifespan doubled with the drug combination therapy, while either drug alone had no effect.

TRNN - The Pope Is Dishonest About Zero Tolerance For Child Sex Abuse

The Drought

CS Monitor: California drought: Why a fire might be good for giant sequoias (+video) - Experts are using the drought to map different responses within the sequoia forests, signifying specific areas that will need a fire after the drought.

Francis To Harlem

CNN: East Harlem: The Pope's 'most important stop'

Majed Abdulaziz Al Saud

Guardian UK: Saudi prince arrested in LA over alleged sexual assault - Reports say Majed Abdulaziz Al Saud held after police swooped on exclusive estate in Beverly Hills after woman seen screaming for help

Pot Forest

Guardian UK: Cannabis 'forest' discovered in south-west London

Global Warming - Jersey

Climate Central: Jersey Shore Eyed for Offshore Wind Farms

...the U.S. Department of Interior has announced that it will auction 344,000 acres of open ocean off the coast of Atlantic City next month for future offshore wind development.

Why Indeed

AlterNet: Why Conservatives Are So Filled With Hate - The GOP race sheds frightening light on the deep archetypes of American conservatism. By Arthur Goldwag

work by Hanksy

The Market On Friday

  Good morning. It is 56 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley. We are in for a gorgeous day with temperatures in the 70s. Next week looks to be a little cooler, so enjoy it while it's there. The Pope is in NY this morning and shortly he will be addressing the U.N. I watched Pope Francis address Congress on Thursday and I have to admit that as much as I liked it, one has to wonder what type of effect his presence will ultimately have. As the political spectrum is so savagely divided with extremism on the right being the central fundamental problem in this country, you would have to be foolish to think that anything got into those Tea Bag fundamentalist little brains. I like the present description of the right - it is no better than a authoritarian insurgency.

  At 8:50 a.m. ET futures are significantly higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open higher.

  It's been a tough week of Wall Street, perhaps Friday can produce something other than red. The second reading of the second quarter GDP has been revised up to 3.9% growth. That's rather remarkable.

CNN: 5 things to know before the open

The iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus hit stores Friday...

The U.S. government will issue new estimates for second-quarter GDP at 8:30 a.m. ET....

Shocker...

  For someone who likes to proudly spout off about the lofty heights of his own intelligence, Trump seems to have lost an ability to learn, fundamentally learn. Apparently his gray matter already contains the sum total of human knowledge and can no longer fit anything else. It must be something to be that brilliant...

Politico: Trump: Pope is wrong on climate change

'Complete Nonsense'

  Marsha Blackburn is in the US Congress representing - wait for it - Tennessee. She is a powerful politician, the Vice Chairman of the Energy And Commerce Committee. Just in case you were wondering what kind of effect Pope Francis would have on Congressional policy regarding global warming, rest assured that it's all in good, capable, and competent hands...

BBC: Ignore Pope on climate, says Republican Marsha Blackburn

Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, the second-highest ranking member on the House energy committee, says the jury is out on global warming.

She also rejected the theory of evolution. Scientists say her views are "complete nonsense".

"The jury is still out saying man is the cause for global warming, after the earth started to cool 13 years ago," she says.

House GOP To Honor Francis...

Al.com: Food stamp payments could stop with Oct. 1 government shutdown

Read A Transcript

ABC News: Read Pope Francis' Speech That He Gave at the White House

Have A Great Thursday

work by Paul Noble

The Onion - Gallup Pollster Forced To Cut Off Another GOP Voter’s Enraged Rant In Order To Get To Next Call

The Onion: Gallup Pollster Forced To Cut Off Another GOP Voter’s Enraged Rant In Order To Get To Next Call

Carbon Capturing Micromotors

Science Daily: Tiny carbon-capturing motors may help tackle rising carbon dioxide levels

summary - Machines that are much smaller than the width of a human hair could one day help clean up carbon dioxide pollution in the oceans. Nanoengineers have designed enzyme-functionalized micromotors that rapidly zoom around in water, remove carbon dioxide and convert it into a usable solid form.

TRNN - A Progressive Pope Or Greenwashing The Vatican?

The Drought

The Aggie: How the California drought has affected the Davis community

Francis To Visit Family Faced With Deportation

Guardian UK: Pope Francis to meet New York family that faced deportation – video

Crushed

Guardian UK: More than 453 dead in crush near Mecca during hajj pilgrimage - Hundreds more injured in crush in Mina, outside holy city in Saudi Arabia

Clinton - Incentivize Clean Energy

Guardian UK: Hillary Clinton unveils her plan to make US 'clean energy superpower' - Presidential hopeful builds on Keystone pipeline stance to outline agenda to create climate change compact with Canada and Mexico and incentivize clean energy

Global Warmiing - Save The Planet Idiots!

Mother Jones: Pope Francis Forcefully Urges America to Save the Planet

Pope Francis To Address Congress At 10 A.M.

  I'll be watching, this is just too fascinating.

WaPo: Pope Francis to address divided Congress

At 10:01 a.m., the House sergeant-at-arms is scheduled to announce, “Mr. Speaker, the pope of the Holy See.”

The GOP War On Humanity And Common Sense

  I watched Trump live on MSNBC yesterday as he spoke to a crowd in South Carolina. I mean what the hell is this? All he did was complain about his paranoic perception of how the media is being unfair to him. Then he went on to extol his position as the present top polling GOPer, and to knock his opponents. There was nothing there that spoke to the job of being president, it was astounding. This guy is viewing his candidacy as if it were a Miss Universe Pageant. This guy is in for a huge meltdown if his lead continues to dwindle. He's about as electable as Sarah Palin.

NYT: A Day of Empty Seats and Donald Trump in Full Attack

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is 50 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley. We are in for a very sunny day with temperatures in the 70s. I would call it an exquisite day. Yours truly is working through a very obnoxious flu that really wants to hold on. It's okay on one hand because I am not adverse to relaxing and bed rest. We see that there was literally a human stampede at the Hajj in Mecca resulting in 450 deaths and many more injuries. That is discouraging and one hopes that whatever conditions arose that allowed the stampede to occur will not happen again. What a horrible way to go, trampled to death by many of your fellow religious travelers.

  At 7:45 a.m. ET futures are significantly lower and the price of oil per barrel is slightly higher. The market is poised to tank at the opening bell.

  Looks like BMW is suffering from VW disease as that car makers autos are also failing emission standards. Is the no corporate sanctity in this cruel world! Apparently not.

CNN: 5 things to know at the open

Shares in BMW are falling sharply in Europe as investors worry that the luxury German automaker may be caught up in a widening scandal over diesel emissions. A German magazine reported that one BMW model breached European pollution limits in road tests.

Mike

  Desperate words from a candidate squirming to gain traction with the extremist faction of his party.

Mediaite: Mike Huckabee: Obama ‘Pretends to Be’ a Christian

Horns, Spiked Tail, Red Smoking Carson

  Look at the set of jaw dropping things that need to be checked in order to get square with the GOP. Here Ben Carson goes on about evolution - short story, it's the work of the devil.

MSNBC: Ben Carson argued evolution was ‘encouraged by’ Satan

The retired right-wing neurosurgeon...called the science surrounding the big bang “ridiculous,” and added in reference to evolution, “I personally believe that this theory that Darwin came up with was something that was encouraged by the adversary.”

In context, “the adversary” appears to refer to Satan.

Color Change

  What comes after orange?

The Hill: Boehner coup talk has House GOP on edge

FOX News - Loses It After Pope Francis' Climate Remarks

  If it were not for the sad reality that people like Varney feed misinformation to people minute by minute, this would be funny.

Nope

Politico: Trump says he won't appear on Fox News

House Democrats Ask Pope Francis To Address Ways To Combat Climate Change

The Threat

bridgeproject.com: How The Kochs Have Attacked Pope Francis While Pushing A Self-Enriching Agenda That's On The Wrong Side Of The Holy Father

The Koch brothers are terrified of the pope's teachings because they threaten what they worship most, their bank accounts. Ever since Pope Francis signaled that he would be issuing an encyclical definitively stating that climate change is man-made and calling for swift action, the Koch network has been trying to get ahead of the narrative. This week, during Pope Francis' visit to the United States, just how far the Koch's self-enriching agenda is on the wrong side of the pope's teachings will be on full display.

Have A Great Wednesday

work by Paul Noble

The Onion - House Lawmakers Brainstorming Some Good Things To Say About Poor People Before Meeting Pope Francis

The Onion: House Lawmakers Brainstorming Some Good Things To Say About Poor People Before Meeting Pope Francis

Eat Your Veggies

Science Daily: Eating more fruits and non-starchy vegetables is associated with less weight gain

summary - Increased consumption of fruits and non-starchy vegetables is inversely associated with weight change, according to a new study. The longitudinal study shows differences by type of fruit or vegetable, suggesting that characteristics of these foods influence the strength of their association with weight change.

TRNN - Price Gouging In Health Care Is The Rule, Not the Exception

The Drought

CBS Sacramento: Growing Number Believe California’s Drought Is A Government Conspiracy

VW F's Up Royally

Guardian UK: VW scandal caused nearly 1m tonnes of extra pollution, analysis shows - Emissions could have far greater impact in Europe, where almost half passenger cars are diesel, than the US - Company bosses to meet on Wednesday to decide response to emissions-rigging scandal

Global Warming - Bill McKibben On Clinton And Pope Francis

  How about that Hillary doing a real solid. The distinction between the GOP and Democrats in the 2016 election is really taking stronger shape. It's not that the GOP favors Keystone, they want several Keystones...

Guardian UK: With Clinton and the Pope on board, the climate movement has wind in its sails - Tuesday’s announcement that Hillary Clinton opposes Keystone XL might not be a miracle, but it’s a step in the right direction by Bill McKibben

The Ultimate Clown

  It's a hard article to resist posting.

Ring Of Fire: Carly Fiorina’s Ex-Husband: “She’s The Ultimate Clown.”

Yoga Berra Dies

  I loved this guy, who didn't.

HuffPo: Baseball Legend Yogi Berra Dead At 90 - The Hall of Fame catcher played on 10 World Series championship teams.

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. It is 48 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley. We are in for another lovely day with temperatures in the 70s. Today is the first day of Fall in fact the equinox officially occurred early this morning. Fall here we come and people around here know what's in store after that. Pope Francis is making a splash as he will be doing major events in DC today and I hope to tune in and watch him address Congress Thursday morning. The outpouring of GOP backlash and condemnation of this Pope is unfortunate, somewhat juvenile, and completely expected in my opinion.

  At 7:50 a.m. ET futures are modestly higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open higher.

  It looks like Chinese President Xi Jinping did a solid for the investment community yesterday by reassuring the world about China's economic growth. Vulnerability in Chinese equities along with a glut of oil have pressured all equities lower over the past several months and with oil diving since last year. Oil presently is trading in the $46 to $47 dollar range.

CNN: Six things to know before the open

Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to reassure investors, saying that China's economy is operating "within the proper range." Beijing has maintained its 7% annual growth target for this year.

The weekly update of crude oil inventories is expected at 10:30 a.m. ET. The U.S.'s crude stockpile 80-year high for this time of year.

Chomsky On The GOP Field And More

Bill Moyers: Noam Chomsky on Trump: “We Should Recognize the Other Candidates Are Not That Different”

Disease

Salon: The GOP’s absurd anti-Pope crusade: The bizarre spectacle of Republicans turning on a religious leader - Conservative are up in arms over the pontiff's impending visit to the nation's capital

At the root of the venom directed against Francis is the fear that he will decouple the carefully cultivated alliance between free-market, anti-government conservatives here in the U.S. and the leadership of the Catholic Church, which for decades has assured Catholics that they could merrily back anti-redistributive, anti-environmental, and anti-labor policies as long as they opposed abortion. The removal of the anti-abortion trump card is an existential threat to the existing political alignment and the free reign of the free market. As Mullarkey warns, the “endgame” of Francis’ view is a “transfer of wealth”—and that’s an endgame that conservatives can’t tolerate, even if a comes from a leader they once considered infallible.

Ahmed Withdraws

Guardian UK: Ahmed Mohamed withdraws from Texas school that suspended him over clock - After his homemade clock was mistaken for a possible bomb by a teacher, Ahmed says ‘I don’t want to go to MacArthur high school any more’

U.S. Congress - Party Composition By State

Ring Of Fire: Interactive Map Shows How Conservative or Liberal Your State Really Is

Carly Fiorina Sings Songs About Her Dogs On Fallon

Power Ranking

USA Today GOP Power Rankings: USA TODAY GOP Power Rankings, Week 4: Fiorina is queen of the hill

1. Carly Fiorina (Last week: 3)
2. Donald Trump (1)
3. Marco Rubio (6)
4. Ben Carson (2)
5. Jeb Bush (4)
6. Ted Cruz (5)

President Obama Roasts Donald Trump At White House Correspondents' Dinner - 2011

  For my money this is why Trump will not defend Obama from the ranting Muslim hating people in Trump's audience. Trump is a bitter fellow and he can hold a grudge similar to the way Rudy Giuliani holds a grudge against Biden. Watch the clip to the end, Obama makes Trump out to be a complete and utter fool here to the roaring delight of the crowd all while Trump sits there and has to silently take it.

'Open G Blues'

Hotte Miller - one of those gems on Youtube.

Have A Great Tuesday

work by Paul Noble

The Borowitz Report - Kochs Demand Walker Return Nine Hundred Million Dollars

New Yorker: Kochs Demand Walker Return Nine Hundred Million Dollars

Millennials And Gen Y Obesity

Science Daily: Millennials, Gen Y need to eat less, work out more to stave off obesity, researchers say - The study results suggest that if you are 25, you'd have to eat even less and exercise more than those older

summary - If you are struggling with weight gain, you might be surprised to know that your parents had it easier - they could eat more and exercise less, and still avoid obesity, according to a recent study.

"Ultimately, maintaining a healthy body weight is now more challenging than ever."

TRNN - Skin In The Game - Poor Kids And Patriots

The Drought

Smithsonian Science News: Drought slows wildlife reproduction on California’s Channel Islands

We are not sure why they (Island Scrub Jay) forego breeding; if it is to conserve resources for themselves or they just assess resource availability and say there’s just not enough food here to raise young and so why bother. We call that plastic behavior.

island scrub jay

Iran In Syria

Guardian UK: How Iran's shadowy role in Syria fuels paranoia and wariness - Tehran has few boots on the ground but it nevertheless plays a critical role that unnerves its allies in the Assad regime as much as its enemies

It is led by the elite Quds force of the Islamic revolutionary guards corps (IRGC) and thought to number in the hundreds. Still, dozens of its men, including at least seven senior officers, have been killed in Syria since 2012. Iran also works with Hezbollah, its close Lebanese Shia ally, and with units of Shia fighters from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. General Qassem Suleimani, the famous Quds force commander, visited the Idlib area in June amid talks of a counter-offensive against advancing anti-Assad rebels.

Betting On Francis

Guardian UK: US progressives hope Pope Francis can bring moral force to key issues - Campaigners believe the pontiff’s visit can lift their work on climate change, income inequality, immigration and mass incarceration above partisan swamp

...a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll that shows that while 86% of Catholics predictably view him favourably, so do 70% of all Americans and 65% of non-Catholics. Though some conservative critics have attempted to distance themselves from the pope’s visit – one Arizona Republican congressman, Paul Gosar, says he is boycotting the trip – they are out of step with the majority of US opinion, the poll suggests.

Global Warming - The Melting Permafrost

Climate Central: Researchers Tally the Global Cost of Melting Permafrost

...permafrost soils contain roughly 1,700 gigatonnes of carbon locked in frozen organic matter, which has begun to thaw as the globe warms.

Outside In

AlterNet: What People Around the World Think of America After Trump's Bewildering Rise - 'Trump represents the America we love to hate.'

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. It is 56 degrees and overcast here in the Upper Hudson Valley. The weather logo is predicting the sun comes out today and the temperature stays in the 70s. Quite a day on Monday, the big news being the shakeup of the GOP candidates with Walker quitting the race, for now at least. It's not really good news as the entire field is weighted with candidates that live in the GOP echo chamber of fact free reality. Walker was probably one of the scarier candidates, but seriously now, which one of this bunch is not scary.

  At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are significantly lower and the price of oil is down. The market is poised to open significantly lower.

  The only bit of positive news that I can make out of this morning's article is the part where there is worry that $1.5 trillion in new oil projects may be shelved if the price of oil remains under $50 a barrel. That is good news for the environment, however having looked at this stuff now for several years on a daily basis oil usage is still increasing every year, not decreasing. So green house gas emissions continue to pile up leading to extreme weather and temperatures. This is what the powers that be are producing, people can pretend it's not happening, the earth doesn't care.

CNN: 5 things to know before the open

Worries that the Volkswagen scandal could affect other carmakers hit auto stocks across the region, while oil and mining stocks were pulled lower by falling crude and metals prices. Copper traded 1.7% lower in London.

Now a new report is warning that $1.5 trillion in new oil and gas projects are at risk if oil prices remain below $50.

Allergic

Boston Globe: The Republican Party has an allergy to facts

The Republican Party is dominated by candidates who are proudly, even boastfully ignorant.

Walker Is Out

  Outstanding!

BBC: Scott Walker drops out of US 2016 presidential race

IS Defectors

BBC: More Islamic State defectors speaking out - report

Negative

NBC News: First Read: Trump's Negative Impact on the GOP Race

Cashing In On Suffering

Raw Story: Ex-hedge funder buys rights to AIDS drug and raises price from $13.50 to $750 per pill

'They're Trying To Get Rid Of Donald Trump'

  I personally believe that yes, establishment Republicans want Trump gone ASAP. However Trump will take care of that on his own, all by himself.

Mediaite: Limbaugh: The Media’s Hyping Up Fiorina Because They Want Her to Take Out Trump

...they want her to “get rid of a Republican who can win.”

Migrants

Reuters: In Mediterranean, commercial ships scoop up desperate human cargo

Road Rage Alive And Well

NBC News NY: Man Charged in Jaw-Breaking Road-Rage Assault: NY State Police

Andy Samberg Opening Monologue 67th Primetime Emmy Awards 2015

  Samberg gets political.

Have A Great Monday

work by Elizabeth Price

The Onion - Top Snake Handler Leaves Sinking Huckabee Campaign

The Onion: Top Snake Handler Leaves Sinking Huckabee Campaign

Nerve Injury

Science Daily: 3-D printed guide helps regrow complex nerves after injury

TRNN - The Case Of A Clock - America's School To Prison Pipeline Personified

The Drought

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune: How much rain will it take to end California’s drought?

Francis In Cuba

Guardian UK: Pope meets Fidel Castro in 'intimate and familial' encounter

Radically different men finally meet and exchange books - Meeting came shortly after the pope’s mass in Revolution Square - Pope Francis says failure not an option in Colombia peace process - Francis’s Cuba mass seeks audience beyond the faithful

Walker Demoted To The JV Team

  Update - Walker has dropped out!

  The Koch Brothers are having another mini-meltdown here; makes you feel a little weepy doesn't it. Unfortunately there is not one reasonable candidate out of the bunch anyhow with the minor exception of Rand Paul's talk on the war on drugs and the Iraq War. Paul is the only one that actually gets that right.

Guardian UK: Scott Walker 2016 presidential campaign in crisis after plunge in polls - CNN polls puts former frontrunner in bottom tier with less than 0.5% - Wisconsin governor cancels events as rumours of staff turmoil swirl

Voting Fiasco In 2016

  As we Americans have so little interest in the voting process and only a fraction of the number of voters eligible to vote show up to do so, why not just eliminate voting completely. Seriously, isn't this what the GOP wants anyhow. We're practically at that point as it is. Americans take voting about as seriously as they take the need for diet, exercise, and stress reduction.

AlterNet: A Voting Machine Meltdown in 2016 Is Likely, Investigation Warns - "We don’t want to be another Florida."

Global Warming - 'This Changes Everything'

trailer - from the work of Naomi Klein, this film is just starting to debut.

The Market On Monday

  Good morning. It is a chilly 48 degrees and it is sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley. We are in for a delicious week of temperatures in the 70s during the day. Wednesday is the first day of Fall and time is flying. We see that Trump's hold over the GOP is starting the get slightly strained and who is gaining on him - Carly Fiorina. It's like one crazy following another. On the other hand Hillary Clinton's overall lead over Bernie Sanders is increasing as it should. I like Bernie a lot, believe me, but I also don't believe he can win. Prove me wrong please. I am waiting to see Trump's numbers go down and down and down as they should, no need to go over the many flaws involved with that.

  At 8:00 a.m. ET futures are significantly higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open higher.

  The article really offers no significant explanation for this morning's opening numbers. We know that things went to hell real fast last Friday when Yellen announced no base rate interest rate hike. It was her reasoning that spooked investors - turbulence in the global economy especially in China. Let's see if the opening holds through the day.

CNN: Stocks: 4 things to know before the open

However, the main indexes in China closed with gains.

Speaking Of Hypocrites

Ring Of Fire: As CEO of HP, Fiorina Violated U.S. – Iran Sanctions: Selling Millions of Computers to Them

Closed On Sundays

JCSande.blogspot is closed on Sundays. See you bright and early Monday morning.

Queen Of Ditz

  Why have conservatives evolved into these beings that just keep drumming up fear and suspicion and then when the facts come to light, they disbelieve and double down on fear and suspicion. To GOP conservatives if you don't have the letters 'GOP' tattooed on your forehead and you are not white, then you are guilty and worthy of high suspicion. At its fundamental core, this is juvenile behavior. Somebody needs to tell Sarah Palin that the adults in this country are over sick of her adolescent nonsense.

Raw Story: ‘That’s a clock and I’m the Queen of England': Ranting Sarah Palin thinks Ahmed Mohamed was up to no good

'Nobody To Blame But Me'

Chris Stapleton

Trump Supporter Goes Bonkers

A Toast

  Ever so slowly we are seeing articles like the following and with a similar message creep into the MSM.

Reuters: Might as well butter him, Trump is toast

Have A Great Saturday

work by David Shrigley - 'Conveyor Belt'

The Onion - Extension Cord On Stage Steals Spotlight From Jeb Bush During Campaign Rally

The Onion: Extension Cord On Stage Steals Spotlight From Jeb Bush During Campaign Rally

Invisibility

Science Daily: Making 3-D objects disappear: Ultrathin invisibility cloak created

summary - Researchers have devised an ultra-thin invisibility 'skin' cloak that can conform to the shape of an object and conceal it from detection with visible light. Although this cloak is only microscopic in size, the principles behind the technology should enable it to be scaled-up to conceal macroscopic items as well.

TRNN - Is The U.S. Secretly Welcoming Increased Russian Syria Involvement?

The Drought

NYT: A Wet Winter Won’t Save California By NOAH S. DIFFENBAUGH and CHRISTOPHER B. FIELD

Our research has shown that global warming has doubled the odds of the warm, dry conditions that are intensifying and prolonging this drought, which now holds records not only for lowest precipitation and highest temperature, but also for the lowest spring snowpack in the Sierra Nevada in at least 500 years. These changing odds make it much more likely that similar conditions will occur again, exacerbating other stresses on agriculture, ecosystems and people.

CTE In The NFL

  Yours truly deplores football and this is the reason. You are watching human beings play a game that essentially mutilates their brains and bodies. If you keep that fact out front, what is there to enjoy about football. Are we a nation of psychopaths or do we care about humanity.

Guardian UK: Report: 87 of 91 former NFL player brains have tested positive for CTE - New report says 87 of 91 former NFL players tested positive to CTE - Doctors focusing less on concussions and more on constant contact

...chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. The degenerative condition, which has been linked to early onset Alzheimer’s and dementia, is often considered a factor in the mental deterioration of former players.

Global Warming - Oh Yeah, He's Real Smart...

HuffPo: Nobody In Trump's Crowd Believes In Global Warming, Trump Tells Crowd - "You believe, huh?"

Chomsky On GOP Opposition To The Iran Deal

  Excellent background information, a must read.

AlterNet: Noam Chomsky: Why the Republican 'Radical Insurgency' Is So Panicked About the Iran Nuclear Deal - Chomsky lays out aid the geopolitical and historical context for this important agreement

...(Republicnas) have become a “radical insurgency” that scarcely seeks to participate in normal parliamentary politics...

...Iran hardly ranks high in support for terror worldwide, even within the Muslim world. Among Islamic states, Saudi Arabia is far in the lead as a sponsor of Islamic terror, not only by direct funding by wealthy Saudis and others in the Gulf but even more by the missionary zeal with which the Saudis promulgate their extremist Wahhabi-Salafi version of Islam through Quranic schools, mosques, clerics, and other means available to a religious dictatorship with enormous oil wealth. The ISIS is an extremist offshoot of Saudi religious extremism and its fanning of jehadi flames.

Reich's Latest

Robert Reich: 4 Reasons Why The Wall Street Journal’s Attack on Bernie is Bogus

Non Existent Video

MSNBC: Fiorina defends citing nonexistent abortion video

On Wednesday night, this was pointed out by numerous sources, including The Washington Post’s fact checker, who wrote, “No video has surfaced showing the scene Fiorina describes taking place inside a Planned Parenthood facility.” Politifact rated the statement “mostly false,” and a Vox reporter, Sarah Kliff, who watched all twelve hours of the footage, wrote, “What she says happens in the Planned Parenthood videos simply does not exist.” Planned Parenthood sent out a memo, headlined simply, “Carly Fiorina lied.”

Name That Narcissist

NYT: What Italy Can Teach America About Donald Trump

“People take pleasure in giving power to the indecent,” wrote Seneca, 2,000 years ago. But they pay for this, sooner or later. And with Mr. Trump, it may be sooner.

Croatia - Migrants

BBC: Migrant crisis: Neighbours squabble after Croatia U-turn

Croatia reversed its open-door policy after 17,000 arrivals since Wednesday. It is now sending thousands of migrants north, angering Slovenia and Hungary.

In Pictures

Seattle Times: Photos of the Day: Sept. 18, 2015

Perished In Fires

The Sacramento Bee: Retired journalist, composer among 5 dead in Northern California fires

Francis

Have A Great Friday

work by David Shrigley -'Life Model - Art Basel 2015'

The Onion - GOP Promotes Carly Fiorina To Male Candidate After Strong Debate Showing

The Onion: GOP Promotes Carly Fiorina To Male Candidate After Strong Debate Showing

Ocean Wildlife Declines

Science Daily: Ocean’s wildlife populations down by half

summary - A new report reveals an alarming decline in marine biodiversity over the last few decades. According to the report, populations of marine vertebrates have declined by 49% between 1970 and 2012, with some fish species declining by almost 75%.

TRNN - War Profits Drive GOP Hawks - Wilkerson On GOP Debate

The Drought

NBC: Drought, Beetles Exacerbate California's Wildfires, Including Valley Fire: Govt.

A report released earlier this year from the U.S. Forest Service estimated the drought has killed off at least 12.5 million trees in California's national forests.

Stretch And Spin The Truth, Carly

Ring Of Fire: Carl Fiorino’s Debate Statements Prove She’s GOP Worth: Warmonger & Pathological Liar

Pantsload

  Even John McCain had the authority and decency to squash this kind of nonsense back in 2008. Not Trump, he's actually one of the people that promotes it. Pathetic, what a joke, Trump is a clown.

Guardian UK: Trump's Rochester rally: furor over anti-Muslim bigotry and a shot at the pope - It was just another Thursday night for Donald Trump, from the victory lap at the start to the media storm at the end

The first person to ask a question told Trump “We have a problem in this country, it’s called Muslims. We know our current president is one.”

At that point, Trump said “right” uneasily. The questioner then added: “You know he’s not even American, birth certificate man.” At that point, Trump said somewhat resignedly “we need this question” to scattered laughter at the audience.

Global Warming - No Pause

Guardian UK: In a blind test, economists reject the notion of a global warming pause - Four separate studies have now demolished the myth of a global warming ‘pause’

Fact Free Debating

AlterNet: 11 Distortions, Misrepresentations and Outright Lies in the GOP Debate - The three-hour horror show featured whopper after whopper.

1. Insisting That Hispanics Used to Love Republicans

The Market On Friday

  Good morning. It is 62 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley. We are in for another exceptional late Summer day. We really want to get solar panels on the house but there's an obstacle. We have a massive oak tree in front of the house that is interfering with sunlight on the roof. So we are in the process of contemplating what to do. It is a gorgeous tree, I like the tree. On one hand we can look into removing the offending branches, on the other that operation might be harmful to the tree's health and balance. We shall ponder.

  At 8:10 a.m. ET futures are significantly lower and the price of oil per barrel is down, now trading just above $46. The market is poised to tank at the opening bell.

  I did not see this one coming that's for sure but Yellen's announcement to keep the base interest rate the same is being met with fear. Investors are not reacting to the rate remaining the same but to the reasoning for keeping it there. The fear is on the global economy with China leading the pack. Volatility is back and there's no quick fix here.

CNN: 4 Thing to know before the open

"Leaving U.S. interest rates unchanged would normally be enough to see markets cheer at the prospect of cheap money for longer, but heightened concerns about external factors such as China, market volatility and deflation derailing a stateside recovery has resulted in an understandably cautious stance being adopted..."

No Rate Hike Yet

Reuters: Fed holds rates steady in nod to global economic weakness

Overall, It Was Another Mess

Rolling Stone: Top 10 Zingers of the Second GOP Debate - Carly Fiorina was aggressive and confident, while Donald Trump alternated between brash and oddly subdued

7. Hitting Jeb on family values, Trump also gave it to Bush over running the Republican brand into the ground: "Your brother gave us Barack Obama," Trump insisted. "Such a disaster those last three months, Abraham Lincoln couldn't have been elected."

Understandably Bored

NPR: Bernie Sanders Live Tweets GOP Debate, Gets Bored, Goes Home Early

Have A Great Thursday

work by David Shrigley - 'The Door'

The Borowitz Report - Millions Watch American Democracy’s Final Episode

New Yorker: Millions Watch American Democracy’s Final Episode

Aropax, Paxil, Seroxat

Science Daily: Antidepressant was misrepresented as safe for adolescents

summary - A new study has found that a psychiatric drug claimed to be a safe and effective treatment for depression in adolescents is actually ineffective and associated with serious side effects.

TRNN - Australian PM Tony Abbott Toppled By His Own Former Communications Minister

The Drought

Think Progress: Climate Denier Candidate Opens Debate By Making Joke About California’s Drought

Playground Antics

  The Guardian is in my opinion one of the top five news sources out there, bar none. When I want some honest perspective on US mischief I read the U.K.'s Guardian.

Guardian UK: Playground atmosphere at Republican debate puts antics ahead of substance - Mike Huckabee may have called the heavyweight field of five governors, three senators, two business leaders and a neurosurgeon ‘the A team’, but after two debates it’s time to wonder: will there ever be a serious discussion among them?

Chile Earthquake

Guardian UK: Chile earthquake: one million people evacuated after 8.3 magnitude quake – live updates - Waves of up to 4.5m high reported in some parts of Chile as tsunami warning issued for Peru, Chile, New Zealand, California and Hawaii

Idiot

Mediaite: Donald Trump Dismisses Global Warming Threat: ‘Weather Changes’

Global Warming - Heat And Drought

Guardian UK: Global warming's one-two punch: extreme heat and drought

Crazy Indeed

AlterNet: GOP Debate Shows a Party Where Crazy Is the New Normal

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is 62 degrees and overcast here in the Upper Hudson Valley. The weather logo indicates we are in for a full sunny day. I watched almost all of the debate last night. If there was one candidate that I felt expressed a modicum of reasonable sense out there, it would have to be Rand Paul. Paul was the only candidate with reasonable talking points on domestic issues especially as they pertained to the poor and inner city people along with ways to think about drug use and the war on drugs. I listened to Paul on these issues and thought, hey he seems to get it. No other Republicans got anything, it's all wild stuff surrounding the absurd notion that Obama has ruined America and they are going to fix the disaster. There's lots of bombastic talk with these people about raising the US military from the dead - how absurd, how utterly absurd. Yet GOP people believe this. Clearly this is not the party of factual information, it is the party of pretend and make believe. Incidentally I think Trump's 15 minutes is up. He was ridiculous, beyond ridiculous actually. However, given what I saw and heard last night, I'm not sure if GOP people see and hear in a way that corresponds to normalcy so his ridiculous presence may go unnoticed.

  At 8:50 a.m. ET futures are lower and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open lower.

  Today is the day that Janet Yellen will make an announcement on interest rates. I have not read into it deeply but I suspect there is much pressure on her to go either way. My own thought is that if there is a rate hike it will be very soft, like .10% to .25% - something that has less sting. Weekly first time layoff numbers came in at 264,000, so the job market continues to show signs of life.

CNN: 4 things to know before the open

Expect the news (Fed rate hike or not) at 2 p.m. ET, and brace for a swift market reaction.

Migrants Tear Gassed

  Sounds like the present regime in Hungary is right wing extremist.

BBC: Migrant crisis: Clashes at Hungary-Serbia border

Pap Attack - Right Wing Hate Is The Republican Brand

Top 1%

  Guess which tax bracket gets the juiciest cut.

Ring Of Fire: Jeb Bush’s Tax Plan Follows the Dubya Model, More Cuts for the Wealthy

The Nightly Show - Trickery Dickery Fox

Get More: Comedy Central,Funny Videos,Funny TV Shows

Have A Great Wednesday

work by David Shrigley - 'New Friends'

The Onion - Experts Refuse To Warn Of Any New Health Hazards Until Americans Deal With Current Backlog

The Onion: Experts Refuse To Warn Of Any New Health Hazards Until Americans Deal With Current Backlog

Saturn's Moon Enceladus

Science Daily: Cassini finds global ocean in Saturn's moon Enceladus

summary - A global ocean lies beneath the icy crust of Saturn's geologically active moon Enceladus, according to new research using data from NASA's Cassini mission.

TRNN - The Guardian Reveals The West Ignored Russian Offer To Depose Assad In 2012

The Drought

CBS News: First drought, now fires threaten California wine

France And Iran

Guardian UK: French hotel chains open in Iran as nation braces for wave of tourists - Accor group brings Ibis and Novotel brands to Tehran as travel agents prepare for rush of visitors wanting to see country after 30 years in diplomatic exile

Modern Paranoia

  The kid is an engineering hobbyist. Let's trust that his parents have more wisdom than the authorities who arrested him and the parents give him comfort for this traumatic nonsense. On the other hand, even my dog has more wisdom than the authorities who arrested him.

Guardian UK: Sudanese-American boy handcuffed for bringing homemade clock to school - Ahmed Mohamed was handcuffed after his school called police over the digital clock which ‘looked like a bomb’ to a teacher

Global Warming - The Arctic

Climate Central: Arctic Sea Ice Hits Annual Minimum, 4th Lowest on Record

The Most

  I'm praying for a 10 on 1 blood bath.

AlterNet: The Most Abrasive Politician Ever? Trump's Insults Have Belittled and Smeared Almost All the GOP Candidates - Will anyone put Trump in his place at Wednesday's debate? By Steven Rosenfeld

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. It is 60 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley. We are in for a spectacular late Summer day, there's only a handful left so get outside. Tonight is the night, get your popcorn and prepare for great amusement. The clown car will be on full display tonight in what is euphemistically being called a "debate". No, it will not be a debate, it's more like a shooting range booth at the county fair except the targets are shooting each other as rapidly as possible. There is not one single person up there who does not terrify me when I imagine them as president. This is the worst field of candidates yet, perhaps ever.

  At 8:50 a.m. ET futures are flat and the price of oil is slightly higher. The market is poised to open in the flat to slightly higher area.

  Aside from a huge beer company merger which is always a welcome thing on Wall Street, Thursday is what everyone is thinking about. On Thursday Janet Yellen will announce whether or not there will be a base interest rate hike. If she says yes, expect the market to drop, if she says no hike, expect the market to rally. End of story.

CNN: 5 things to know before the open

Fed chairwoman Janet Yellen will announce on Thursday afternoon whether the Fed will hike interest rates.

Francis

Guardian UK: Pope Francis tells priests to pardon women who have abortions - Pontiff overrules traditionalists within Catholic church, before Vatican clarifies it does not condone abortion

Flash Flood

NBC News: Utah Flash Flood Kills 8, Leaves 5 Missing: Officials

More Trump Trash

  As I mentioned in my market recap earlier today, last night I listened to some of Trump's stump speech in Dallas. I suggested that someone should take it apart line by line and show the nonsense contained in each line. One can easily count a good 80% of the speech as nothing more than hot air ego tripping self-aggrandisement which is obviously the heart and soul of the Trump campaign.

  Of the remaining 20% of the speech, most of that margin was spent by Trump leveling nastiness at his opponents and their alleged incompetence versus Trump's magnificence along with kissing Cruz's crazed behind a tad. The tiny fraction that addressed policy surrounded two things - the absurd wall and taxes. People have remarked that Trump sounds progressive on taxes - not so, not so indeed. For all of his b.s. on taxing the rich and more, Trump last night said that corporate taxes need to be lowered. Lowered!

  Anyone, virtually anyone familiar with the incongruous nature of taxes knows that corporations are not paying their fair share, not by a long long long shot. So how does Trump plan on making up for the loss of revenue by lowering taxes on corporations AKA billionaires and the middle class? He plans to stop foreign aid!

  Never in my day have I heard such utter nonsense. He claimed that the figure was $2 Trillion in foreign aid and his stupid head nodding band of followers agree. That $2 T number is a massive exaggeration. This is one of the absurd memes that the GOP believes - the US is giving away their hard earned taxes on welfare queens in other countries! This is nonsense. The majority of American aid is military aid, got it morons, it's weapons, to prop up our corporate entities around the world. Call it our security system. The other tiny portion of development aid amounts to a few billion dollars hardly hardly enough to offset anything whatsoever.

  To my GOP Trump loving friends - do some homework, this carnival barker is pulling the wool over your eyes and you're falling for it.