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Friday, December 30, 2016

Happy New Year!

  The blog is closed on weekends. See you bright and early Monday morning. Be safe and have a great New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

work by Paul Sérusier



'Lazarus'

David Bowie - my pick for song of the year.

Intersex

NBC News: Nation's First Known Intersex Birth Certificate Issued in NYC
Hers is believed to be the first birth certificate ever issued in the United States that reads "intersex" in the gender field, instead of "male" or "female."

Trump's Behind

The Washington Post: David Fahrenthold tells the behind-the-scenes story of his year covering Trump By David A. Fahrenthold

The Onion - NASA Launches First Cordless Satellite

The Onion: NASA Launches First Cordless Satellite

In The Gut

Science Daily: Your microbiota's previous dining experiences may make new diets less effective
summary - Your microbiota may not be on your side as you try improving your diet this New Year's. In a new study, researchers explore why mice that switch from an unrestricted American diet to a healthy, calorie-restricted, plant-based diet don't have an immediate response to their new program. They found that certain human gut bacteria need to be lost for a diet plan to be successful.

Have An Excellent Friday

work by Federico Uribe

Sanctions

MSNBC: Trump reacts to Obama's Russia sanctions - MSNBC terrorism analyst Malcom Nance joins Ayman Mohyeldin to discuss how the Donald Trump administration will address cyber security and relations with Russia after President Obama issued retaliatory sanctions against the country for its election hacks.

Women, Stress, Work

Guardian UK: Women suffer much more work stress than men, says psychiatrist - Sexism in the workplace and family responsibilities add to pressure as they face unequal pay and lack of support
...official figures show that women aged 25-54 are more stressed than their male colleagues, with this pressure peaking for those aged 35-44...

The Antibiotic-Resistant Bugs Pandemic

  Think about it for a second, who will be president over the next period of time.

Guardian UK: Bill Gates: world faces decade at risk from antibiotic-resistant bugs- Philanthropist says he believes ‘better medical tools’ will come, but until then the world is vulnerable to a pandemic

Follow The Trail

NY Times: Following the Links From Russian Hackers to the U.S. Election - The Obama administration announced sanctions on Thursday against Russia and released a report that stated that the Russian government deployed computer hackers to attack the Democratic Party’s computers.

Krugman On Obamacare

NY Times: Snatching Health Care Away From Millions by Paul Krugman
They’ve spent seven years promising something very different from yet better than Obamacare, but keep failing to deliver, because they can’t...

The Market On Friday

  Good morning. It is 30 degrees and cloudy here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a cloudy day, maybe some snow, with temperatures in the mid 30s this afternoon. Have an excellent New Year's holiday weekend. Hold onto your hats for 2017, it's going to be an interesting year to say the least.

  At 9:15 a.m. ET DOW futures are up +38, and oil per barrel is down, last I looked, trading at $53.71. The market is poised to open moderately higher.

  It is the last trading day of 2016. The DOW is flirting with 20,000 and will they or won't they push it over that record number. It's been a helluva year.

CNN: Stocks near 2016 highs; Support for Italy's banks; Toshiba rebounds by Alanna Petroff
It's worth noting that Russian stock markets were among the best performing in the world this year.

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Sanctions

ABC News: Obama Issues Sanctions for Alleged Russian Hacking By Mike Levine, Jack Cloherty, Meghan Keneally, John Parkinson

Repress

Salon: Sex in the cornfields: The agony and ecstasy of dating at a strict Christian college - We knew next to nothing about sex, except that it was a sin outside of marriage. So we kept our pleasures secret by Dan Rousseau

Hands

Science Daily: Thinking with our hands can help find new ways of solving problems, research reveals
summary - New research by two cognitive psychology experts is demonstrating how our decision making is heavily influenced by the world around us, challenging the traditional idea that thinking takes place strictly in the head.

'If 100 People Lived On Earth'

Have An Excellent Thursday

work by Federico Uribe

Oh No You Didn't

MSNBC: Taking credit where credit is NOT due - Vice President Biden’s Former Economic Advisor Jared Bernstein talks to Ari Melber about how Trump is trying to take credit for job growth when his policies could very well undermine his constituents.

Debbie Reynolds Dies

Guardian UK: Debbie Reynolds dies one day after daughter Carrie Fisher - Oscar-nominated star told her son ‘that she would like to be with Carrie again’, 15 minutes before she had a severe stroke

Deadly Violence Is Normal - Chicago

NY Times: As Chicago Murder Rate Spikes, Many Fear Violence Has Become Normalized By JULIE BOSMAN and MITCH SMITH
More than 750 people have been murdered in Chicago in 2016, the police said, a 58 percent increase over last year and the highest total since 1997. There have been more than 3,500 shootings in the city this year.

Chicago Needs Safe Passage

NY Times: America’s third-largest city is dangerous enough that more than a fifth of Chicago’s 652 public schools have Safe Passage routes to help children travel safely. The routes were chosen in areas with some of the highest concentrations of violent crime, particularly on the West and South Sides.
According to the city, no child has ever been a victim of a serious incident while Safe Passage workers have been on duty.

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is 30 degrees and snowing here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts the temperature to go above freezing into the high 30s this afternoon and that we'll have snow and rain. It's not the greatest day for traveling around here, so drive slowly and give yourself a lot of car space between you and the next guy.

  At 9:20 a.m. ET futures are flat and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open in the flat area.

  Notice that the Obama administration is readying sanctions against Russia for meddling in our election, the bastards. Would you just look at what we are getting for a president. God help us. The sanctions seem to have no relevance as Trump will no doubt dismiss them within 24 hours of being sworn in. Trump is grateful as are his minions, elections be damned.

CNN: Sprint in spotlight; Toshiba tanks again; Russia braces for U.S. sanctions by Alanna Petroff
The Obama administration is preparing to announce, as soon as Thursday, a series of retaliation measures against Russia for meddling in the 2016 election, according to U.S. officials briefed on the plans.

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

'Weightless'

Marconi Union

Read This

A STATEMENT BY FEMINIST SCHOLARS ON THE ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

Digby's Latest - Principled

Salon: Cowardly lions on parade: One after the other, anti-Trump Republicans have fallen in line behind the Great Leader - What conservative principles? Donald Trump humiliated his GOP opponents, and now they grovel before him by Heather Digby Parton

The Onion - Facebook Version Of Marriage Going Great

The Onion: Facebook Version Of Marriage Going Great

TRNN - Syria, Mosul, War

Cancer Treatment

Science Daily: Treating cancer with drugs for diabetes and hypertension
summary - A combination of a diabetes medication and an antihypertensive drug can effectively combat cancer cells. The team of researchers has also reported that specific cancer cells respond to this combination of drugs.

Have An Excellent Wednesday

work by Federico Uribe

Taste That

MSNBC: Democrats consider giving Republicans a taste of their own...DNC Chair candidate Jaime Harrison talks to Ari Melber about Democrats stopping the Trump agenda using the same obstruction tactics Republicans used against President Obama.

Bernie

Guardian UK: Progressives see a leader in Bernie Sanders as they prepare to fight back - Sanders supporters ready to take on Trump as progressives’ voices grow louder after the election: ‘We have to do what the Tea Party did’

Tech Valley Homeless

Guardian UK: More than one-third of schoolchildren are homeless in shadow of Silicon Valley - Tech economy is drawing new inhabitants and businesses but is contributing to dislocation, leaving families, teachers and even principals with housing woes

The Pay-For-Play President

NY Times: Sell the Business, Not the Presidency, Mr. Trump By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Some legal experts believe that Mr. Trump will be in violation of...the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause prohibits American officials from receiving any gifts or income from foreign governments without permission from Congress...the moment he takes office...

Lots Of Luck

NY Times: John Kerry, in a Final, Pointed Plea, Will Outline a Vision of Mideast Peace By DAVID E. SANGER
He (Trump) denounced the United Nations on Twitter on Monday, calling it “a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!”

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. It is 34 degrees and cloudy here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a cloudy day with temperatures in the high 30s this afternoon. Believe it or not, the sun is ever so slowly getting brighter in the sky although to me it's really not till February where it becomes noticeable. But take heart, February is not that far off and by then we'll have a new president, President Donald Trump. Yes, this is real.

  At 9:15 a.m. ET DOW futures are up 39 points and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open moderately higher.

  The DOW is flirting with 20,000 once again and that would be serious record territory. Toshiba is in really bad shape after some unwise business moves and scandals. Oil is down but still trading between $53 and $54 dollars. The bull market pushes on.

CNN: Toshiba shares plummet; Qualcomm in trouble; Aviation watch by Alanna Petroff
The National Association of Realtors releases November data on pending home sales at 10 a.m. ET.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Age 60 And Over Muscle

NY Times: Can You Regain Muscle Mass After Age 60? By Gretchen Reynolds
“Our lab and others have shown repeatedly” that older muscles will grow and strengthen...

Digby's Latest

Salon: Now all news is “fake news”: The right’s war against truth goes back long before 9/11 - Donald Trump and his media allies have convinced millions of Americans that there's no such thing as the truth by Heather Digby Parton
Overall, 42 percent of Americans believe that U.S. forces found active weapons of mass destruction program in Iraq. Republicans are more likely to hold this belief than Democrats: Fifty-one percent of Republicans think it’s “probably” or “definitely” true that an active program was found after the 2003 invasion, with 14 percent saying that it was definitely true. Still, large portions of other groups think that the WMD program, a major part of the justification for the invasion, was actually found, including 32 percent of Democrats.

The Onion - Obama Finally Fulfills Campaign Promise To Spend One Night In Abandoned Amusement Park

The Onion: Obama Finally Fulfills Campaign Promise To Spend One Night In Abandoned Amusement Park

Challenged

Science Daily: Hard-wired: The brain's circuitry for political belief
summary - When people's political beliefs are challenged, their brains become active in areas that govern personal identity and emotional responses to threats, neuroscientists have found.

Have An Excellent Tuesday

work by Federico Uribe

Election Hack

MSNBC: Could the US be prone to new election hacks? Terrorism Analyst Malcolm Nance discusses the Russian hack during the November presidential election and why it could happen again in future elections.

India

Guardian UK: Arrests after US tourist alleges she was drugged and gang raped in India - Alleged attack took place in hotel room over several days after woman claims her water was spiked by a local tour guide
The suspects, all aged between 20 and 24, have told investigators they are being falsely accused, the Press Trust of India reported.

The alleged assault as one of the latest in a series of sex attacks on foreigners in India, reigniting concerns about women’s safety in the country.

The White Embrace

Guardian UK: 'Alt-right' groups will 'revolt' if Trump shuns white supremacy, leaders say - Prominent members of the American far right predict that waning influence on the president-elect could trigger discord and vengeance within the movement

A Jerk, But Our Jerk

NY Times: Sorry, Liberals. Bigotry Didn’t Elect Donald Trump. By DAVID PAUL KUHN
Bluntly put, much of the white working class decided that Mr. Trump could be a jerk. Absent any other champion, they supported the jerk they thought was more on their side — that is, on the issues that most concerned them.

Dr. Price

NY Times: Trump’s Health Secretary Pick Leaves Nation’s Doctors Divided By ROBERT PEAR
“Dr. Price has been an outspoken opponent of the Affordable Care Act, which has done so much to address the needs of our most vulnerable patients and reduced the uninsured rate to the lowest level on record..."

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. It is 45 degrees and hazy cloudy here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a cloudy day with temperatures in the high 40s this afternoon. The warmer temperatures have taken care of most of the snow in my area although I suspect there's still more of the white stuff up in the hills. One of the prominent headlines this morning was 'Fights break out at malls across United States'. Malls are really becoming quite the unusual places for human activity. Would you agree? This mall fighting business seems to be on the upswing. The mall brawl is big.

  At 9:25 a.m. ET futures are slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open slightly higher.

  Notice that oil is now trading at $53 and change, that is relatively high for the last two years. Italian bank Monte dei Paschi is in trouble and looking for a bailout. The bank was founded in 1472 and is the world's oldest bank. Today we get numbers on homes sales and on consumer confidence, which is my favorite metric of all. Because what is confidence if not for consumerism. Consumer confidence is almost a modern psychological state of being, we find our confidence in our material possessions and our ability to buy those possessions. What better way to describe life in a materialistic, consumerist society than to call it consumer confidence. Be confident oh consumer, be very confident.

CNN: Toshiba shares tank; A bailout gets bigger; Consumer confidence by Alanna Petroff
The world's oldest operating bank -- Monte dei Paschi -- continues to work on securing a bailout from the Italian government.

Monday, December 26, 2016

Oops

  We all make mistakes, and we cringe in retrospect, but this is special.

Empathy

  Fascinating read

Psychology Today: The Decline of Empathy and the Appeal of Right-Wing Politics - What child psychology can teach us about the current GOP. by Michael Bader
On nearly all measures of social life, Americans tend to have fewer and lower quality interactions with one another than their parents or grandparents did. Isolation has grown along with inequality. They go together. Societies with more economic fairness and equality are ones that encourage and privilege cooperation and mutuality. Societies like ours that are so exceptionally unequal encourage and privilege aggression, paranoia, and competitiveness, traits associated with the so-called “rugged individualist.” While sometimes adaptive, such an ideal also makes a virtue out of disconnection and trauma.

20 Points

Quartz: A Yale history professor’s powerful, 20-point guide to defending democracy under a Trump presidency

Judicial

Washington Post: Trump to inherit more than 100 court vacancies, plans to reshape judiciary

The Borowitz Report - Inauguration Protesters Plan To Surround White House To Keep Obama From Leaving

New Yorker: Inauguration Protesters Plan to Surround White House to Keep Obama from Leaving

Pay Off

Science Daily: Helping pays off: People who care for others live longer
summary - Older people who help and support others live longer, a new study has concluded. The results of these findings show that this kind of caregiving can have a positive effect on the mortality of the carers.

We Have A Winner

  Out of 100 cities, Albany/Schenectady/Troy rank at the very bottom, 100th out of 100 cities! I'm beginning to like this place more and more.

The American Bible: America's Most Bible Minded Cities
100. Albany/Schenectady/Troy, NY 10%

Have An Excellent Monday

work by Federico Uribe

Get Some Sleep

  I've said this before and it's worth repeating. If you dislike Trump and feel that his presidency represents the worst, that's one thing. However, do not let Trump's presidency take your own personal happiness. Why give your power away to someone, Trump or anybody. Trump's president, okay, sleep better than ever, make yourself happier than ever. If you're going to get so bent out of shape that you lose sleep and get all messed up, then all you can do is simply work to manage your new health problem. Don't do that, get happier, then you can take on challenges. It's easier said than done, I know, but don't use Trump as an excuse. Why would you want to hand your happiness over to Trump?

Salon: Suffering from Trumpsomnia? “Now I feel like a madman has taken over” - Since the primaries, and the November election, political anxiety is keeping people up by Scott Timberg
Bannister finds that writing and avoiding news on the Internet helps, and looks forward to getting back to swimming. Echo Park musician Azalia Snail recommends “Mary Tyler Moore” reruns and a purring cat.

Possible

Big Think: Researchers Find the 1st Possible Negative Side Effect of Marijuana Use in Adults by Philip Perry

Left Over

Guardian UK: Claire Ptak’s baking recipes for Christmas leftovers - The dishes are washed, the games packed away and all that remains is some broken mince pies and a wedge of stilton. The time has come for some bakes – one sweet, the other savoury – that make heroes of your Christmas leftovers

Donations

Guardian UK: Progressive causes see 'unprecedented' upswing in donations after US election - Nonprofits such as Planned Parenthood and ACLU saw more fundraising as they approached end-of-year drives, with many donating instead of gift-giving

If It's Not Conservative, It's Fake

NY Times: Wielding Claims of ‘Fake News,’ Conservatives Take Aim at Mainstream Media By JEREMY W. PETERS
And conservatives, seeing an opening to undermine the mainstream media, a longtime foe, are more than happy to dig the hole deeper.

Global Warming - The States

NY Times: States Will Lead on Climate Change in the Trump Era By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
The people he (Trump) has chosen to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and the Department of Interior — the three agencies with the greatest influence on energy policy — have either denied or expressed skepticism that human activity is causing global warming, something that virtually all scientists agree on.

The Market Is Closed Today

  Good morning. It is 21 degrees and mostly cloudy here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts rain and temperatures in the 30s this afternoon. I hope everyone had a good holiday and if you celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas to you. Lots of people exchange presents regardless of their beliefs. I hope everyone met with some happiness. I've taken a break from the news over the weekend, let's see what's going on.

  Wall is closed today, December 26th. Since Christmas occurred yesterday on Sunday, they take the holiday today.

Friday, December 23, 2016

Closed Through The Holiday Weekend

  Have an excellent holiday! See you bright and early Monday morning.

  work by Paul Sérusier



Find Out


Rockettes

NY Times: Rockettes Won’t Be Forced to Dance at Trump Inauguration, Company Says By KATIE ROGERS

'Bang On The Drum All Day'

  Ted to the rescue. Looks like redneck America along with gawking sick to their retching stomach America is in for a little Ted time.

Salon: Jilted by Garth Brooks: Donald Trump’s inaugural pathos gets worse - Kid Rock and Ted Nugent are good to go! Trump's star-free inaugural may mark a new low in celebrity culture by Gary Legum

The Borowitz Report - Obama Signs Executive Order Requiring President Of United States To Be Taxpayer

New Yorker: Obama Signs Executive Order Requiring President of United States to Be Taxpayer

Solid-State Thermoelectrics

Science Daily: One step closer to reality: Devices that convert heat into electricity
summary - The same researchers who pioneered the use of a quantum mechanical effect to convert heat into electricity have figured out how to make their technique work in a form more suitable to industry.

Have An Excellent Friday

work by Robert Rauchenberg

God Help Us

MSNBC: Trump tweet startles with apparent nuclear policy reversal - Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President-elect Trump, talks with Rachel Maddow about what Donald Trump meant to say in a new tweet that seems to reverse U.S. policy on nuclear weapons.

Perfect

  Don't watch the inauguration.

Guardian UK: The Beach Boys consider playing at Trump inauguration - After a string of music stars decline the president-elect’s invitation to perform, a spokesperson for the band says no decision has yet been made

Freedom Indeed

  The freedom to be racist, homophobic, anti-union, misogynistic, sexist, ageist, and a climate change denier - now that, is freedom eh...

Guardian UK: Freedom Caucus wish list: policy areas conservatives want Trump to roll back - The rightwing group suggested 228 regulations for the president-elect to revoke to undo Obama’s legacy in climate change, net neutrality and workers’ rights

Montana, Bullock, Democrats, Trump

NY Times: Red State Hope for Democratic Blues by Timothy Egan
But it was historic — no president has ever lost the popular vote by a larger number, almost 3 million votes. And yet half of Republicans believe that he won the popular tally.

Help

  Oh yeah, this is really going to help.

NY Times: Trump Says the U.S. Should Expand Its Nuclear Capacity By MICHAEL D. SHEAR and JAMES GLANZ

The Market On Friday

  Good morning. It is 34 degrees and mostly hazy sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a cloudy day with temperatures in the 40s this afternoon. Here we are poised just before the holiday weekend of Christmas, once again. People are out and about gathering food and gifts, and there's a buzz in the air. The stock market will be closed on Monday for the holiday.

  At 9:15 a.m. EST futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open slightly lower.

  Hopefully we'll have a light day on Wall Street. Notice that Deutsche Bank came up with a deal with the US Treasury over the financial crisis of 2008. Recall that Trump owes millions and millions and millions to Deutsche Bank. Meanwhile the DOW is very close to hitting the 20,000 mark, and how long will the bull market continue.

CNN: Stocks react to bank bailout and fines; Lockheed stung; Dow record still in sight by Alanna Petroff
Deutsche Bank (DB) and Credit Suisse (CS) have just announced deals with the U.S. government worth a total of $12.5 billion to settle claims over their roles in the U.S. mortgage meltdown of 2007 and 2008.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Registry

Slate: Obama Dismantles Program That Could Be Trump's Muslim Registry Prototype By Jeremy Stahl

'Gypsy Guitars'

Debarre, Camps, Anastasio

Helen Mirren's Christmas Message

Inconsistent, Forgetful, Chaotic

Salon: Who’s in charge here? Donald Trump’s regime-in-waiting has a vacuum at the top -Since Trump has no idea what he said yesterday, or might say tomorrow, it's no wonder our politics is total chaos by Gary Legum

The Onion - Obama Clears 2,000 Square Miles Of U.S. Airspace For New Free-Range Drone Preserve

The Onion: Obama Clears 2,000 Square Miles Of U.S. Airspace For New Free-Range Drone Preserve

Sound, Mood, Emotion

Science Daily: Music in the brain: The first imaging genetic study linking dopaminergic genes to music
summary - Sounds, such as music and noise, are capable of reliably affecting individuals' moods and emotions, possibly by regulating brain dopamine, a neurotransmitter strongly involved in emotional behavior and mood regulation. However, the relationship of sound environments with mood and emotions is highly variable across individuals. A putative source of variability is genetic background, a study shows.

Have An Excellent Thursday

work by René Magritte

Nothing

MSNBC: 74 seconds of Trump saying (almost) nothing - It wasn't a press conference. He hasn't done one of those for 146 days. But that doesn't mean it wasn't illuminating.

Prince Charles Gets Real

Guardian UK: Prince Charles: rising intolerance risks repeat of horrors of past - Heir to throne talks of ‘disturbing echoes’ and rise of populist extremism, with what some will see as veiled reference to Trump
"We are now seeing the rise of many populist groups across the world that are increasingly aggressive to those who adhere to a minority faith. All of this has deeply disturbing echoes of the dark days of the 1930s."

"My parents’ generation fought and died in a battle against intolerance, monstrous extremism and inhuman attempts to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe."

Navarro

Guardian UK: 'Brutal, amoral, ruthless, cheating': how Trump's new trade tsar sees China - Peter Navarro has been picked to lead US trade and industrial policy – a move that may upset Beijing
The Chinese government is a despicable, parasitic, brutal, brass-knuckled, crass, callous, amoral, ruthless and totally totalitarian imperialist power that reigns over the world’s leading cancer factory, its most prolific propaganda mill and the biggest police state and prison on the face of the earth. (thinks Peter Navarro)

Perfection In Human Form

NY Times: Trump Suggests Berlin Attack Affirms His Plan to Bar Muslims By MARK LANDLER
“All along, I’ve been proven to be right. One hundred percent correct.” (said Trump)

GOP Says F.U.

NY Times: Health Exchange Enrollment Jumps, Even as G.O.P. Pledges Repeal By ROBERT PEAR
...the percentage of those without insurance has dropped to record lows.

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is 31 degrees and very lightly snowing here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts snow and temperatures in the 30s this afternoon. We see that Cinton won the popular vote in a landslide. How archaic and useless is our voting system when the landslide winner of the popular vote is the loser. Imagine the type of outrage we would hear from the right if the shoe were on the other foot. This is an illegitimate election.

  At 9:20 a.m. ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open slightly lower.

  Notice that the GDP grew at the stunning rate of 3.5% during the third quarter. As many of our faithless ever hating GOP brethren do not know what that means especially in the context of the massive hole dug by Bush 2 and now ready to be repeated by Trump 1, take time, explain it to them. They'll resist but by the time the economy is wrecked again in 2 to 4 years, maybe a little light will shine in. Maybe not.

CNN: U.S. economy grew strong 3.5% in third quarter by Patrick Gillespie
The Federal Reserve sees the economy growing around 2% for the next few years.

A major, one-time, increase in soybean exports helped explain why the third quarter was so good.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Clinton Swamps Trump

CNN: It's official: Clinton swamps Trump in popular vote By Gregory Krieg

Clinton By 2,864,974

  We are captive to an outdated repressive system, what a disgrace.

New York Magazine: The Final, Final, Final Results for the Presidential Popular Vote Are In By Ed Kilgore
Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 2,864,974, which is 2.1 percent of the total vote.

Three Hours Of Django

'Landslide'

Salon: Donald Trump’s continuing war on reality: The president-elect and his online lackeys keep claiming a “historic” victory - For Donald Trump and Breitbart, winning isn't enough, so they invent a "landslide" to intimidate potential critics by Simon Maloy

Private Security

Politico: Trump private security force ‘playing with fire’ - The president-elect continues to employ a battalion of retired cops and FBI agents to protect him and clamp down on protesters. By Kenneth P. Vogel

The Onion - Electoral College Does What It Was Either Designed To Do Or Explicitly Designed To Prevent

The Onion: Electoral College Does What It Was Either Designed To Do Or Explicitly Designed To Prevent

Signs Of Life

Ranker: Hobo Signs and Code Symbols You Didn't Know Existed

Run, Run, Run

Neuroscience News: Runners’ Brains May Be More Connected
If you’re thinking about taking up running as your New Year’s resolution and still need some convincing, consider this: MRI scans reveal that endurance runners’ brains have greater functional connectivity than the brains of more sedentary individuals.

Have An Excellent Wednesday

work by René Magritte

Chris Hayes - Why Democrats Can't Just 'Get Over It'

Shocker!

  I'm shocked and I know you are too...

Guardian UK: Donald Trump on tape saying 'every racist thing ever', claims actor Tom Arnold - The actor claims confidentiality clause prevented release of Apprentice outtakes that reportedly show president-elect using ‘offensive’ slurs and insulting his son
"...It was him sitting in that chair saying the N-word, saying the C-word, calling his son a retard, just being so mean to his own children...”

Death Penalty

  Yours truly is opposed to the death penalty. This is good news.

Guardian UK: Death penalty slowly disappearing from the US, end-of-year report suggests - Twenty prisoners have been put to death in 2016, far below the peak of 98 in 1999, with 80% of executions taking place in just two states by Ed Pilkington

Obama And The Environment

NY Times: Obama Bans Drilling in Parts of the Atlantic and the Arctic By CORAL DAVENPORT
...he tried to nail down an environmental legacy that cannot quickly be reversed by Donald J. Trump.

Losing It

NY Times: Trump Is Going After Health Care. Will Democrats Push Back? By THEDA SKOCPOL
Under the (ACA) act, some 468,000 low-income Pennsylvanians had gained Medicaid coverage by August 2016, and another 439,000 bought private coverage on the Obamacare marketplace, with more than three-fourths of those people getting tax credits averaging $251 per month.

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. It is 23 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts the temperature will go into the high 30s this afternoon and that it will get cloudy. That 30s number is a welcome relief as it has been very cold, freezing recently. Well hold onto your hats, after today, little by little, the days begin to get longer and longer and longer. Time is flying and before you know it, Trump will be president and the daylight will be back.

  At 9:20 a.m. ET futures are slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open slightly higher.

  One thing that caught my attention this morning is how the US Department of Treasury is attempting to get Deutsche Bank to pay for that bank's involvement in the financial crisis which as we know started with the Bush 2 administration. Recall that Trump is highly in debt to Deutsche Bank. I'm going to make a little side bet here that Deutsche Bank gets a little under the table 'quid pro quo' from the Trump administration over those billions that Deutsche owes. Stay tuned.

CNN: Stocks set to shine; Coca-Cola deal; Watching the banks by Alanna Petroff
...Deutsche Bank (DB) could face a massive penalty from the U.S. Department of Justice over its involvement in the U.S. mortgage market meltdown of 2007 and 2008.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

The Dog Father

BBC News: The man who looks after 735 dogs

Grilled

  This is the Vanity Fair article that Trump went ballistic over.

Vanity Fair: Trump Grill Could Be the Worst Restaurant in America - And it reveals everything you need to know about our next president. by Tina Nguyen
...molded into a sad little meat thing, sitting in the center of a massive, rapidly staling brioche bun, hiding its shame under a slice of melted orange cheese.

'My Little Suede Shoes'

Charlie Parker

TRNN - Greg Palast On Why Clinton Won't Push For Michigan Recount Part 1

The Onion - Report, There Still Time To Convert To Christianity Before Christmas Starts

The Onion: Report: There Still Time To Convert To Christianity Before Christmas Starts

Advance

Science Daily: Alzheimer's advance: Early stage study in mice show new drugs restore memory loss and prolong life
summary - Breakthrough findings demonstrate a possible target and potential drug treatment to restore memory loss and extend life span in mice with neurodegeneration.

Strange Bedfellows - Samantha Bee

Have An Excellent Tuesday

work by René Magritte

Not

MSNBC: Trump's electoral win is anything but a historic landslide - Donald Trump has received the 270 electoral votes needed to make his win official, but the win was not the landslide as Trump has stated.

Vascular-Targeted Photodynamic Therapy

Guardian UK: Laser-activated drug a 'leap forward' for prostate cancer treatment - New therapy does not cause side-effects such as impotence and urinary incontinence, researchers say

Global Warming - Canada's Hudson Bay

Guardian UK: This is the polar bear capital of the world, but the snow has gone - Canada’s Hudson Bay is as ice-free in November as on a summer’s day and polar bears could be extinct here by mid-century. If the bears are in trouble, so are we

Defections

  Two of the electors defected from Trump, and five defected from Clinton.

NY Times: A Historic Number of Electors Defected, and Most Were Supposed to Vote for Clinton - The Electoral College on Monday voted for Donald J. Trump to win the presidency. Seven electors, the most ever, voted for someone other than their party’s nominee By KIERSTEN SCHMIDT and WILSON ANDREWS

'The Market Near The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church'

NY Times: Berlin Christmas Market Was Target of Terrorist Attack, Angela Merkel Says By ALISON SMALE and MELISSA EDDY

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. It is 10 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a partly cloudy day with temperatures around 30 degrees this afternoon. The longer range forecast has it up into the 40s right through Christmas. Well it's official, the electoral college did Trump a solid while giving Clinton a Bronx cheer, and voted him in as our next president. We are headed into some crazy times. Speaking of time, the Winter Solstice occurs on Wednesday morning and then, then, the days slowly, ever so slowly get lighter and brighter.

  At 9:15 a.m. ET futures are moderately higher and the price of oil per barrel is up around $53 and change. The market is poised to open moderately higher.

  The bull market continues to chug along. Oil seems to be settling into the $48 to $53 a barrel range for the time being. The Italian banks are happy now that the Italian government is ready to bail them out, meaning Italians will bail them out. It's the time of Trump, America has got the DT's.

CNN: Markets shrug off attacks; Banks rally; FedEx and Nike earnings by Alanna Petroff
...reacted calmly to deadly attacks in Germany and Turkey, and a shooting at an Islamic center in Zurich, Switzerland.

Monday, December 19, 2016

'Woke Up This Morning'

Lightnin' Hopkins

'Rewired' Cells

Northwestern Now: 'Rewired' cells show promise for targeted cancer therapy By Megan Fellman

Flint

Salon: House Republicans shut down investigation into Flint water crisis, blame EPA instead - After three hearings about how thousands of residents had their water contaminated, the GOP is satisfied by Sophia Tesfaye

Update

  If you are getting that sinking queasy feeling, you're not alone.

ABC News: The Latest: Trump Has 215 Electoral Votes of 270 to Win By The Associated Press

On Guitar

One of my favorite painters, Frida Kahlo on guitar (Mexican vihuela perhaps)



'Brené Brown On Blame'

Warped

NY Times: Ben Carson’s Warped View of Housing By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

The Borowitz Report - Putin To Sing At Trump Inauguration

New Yorker: Putin to Sing at Trump Inauguration

Lutein - 'A Neuroprotective Role'

Science Daily: Nutrition linked to brain health and intelligence in older adults
summary - A study of older adults links consumption of a pigment found in leafy greens to the preservation of 'crystallized intelligence,' the ability to use the skills and knowledge one has acquired over a lifetime.

Have An Excellent Monday

work by René Magritte

The Land Of The Free

NBC News: Poll: 50 Percent Approve of Trump's Transition Handling So Far

'Faithless Electors'

Guardian UK: 'Faithless electors' explain their last-ditch attempt to stop Donald Trump - With the body poised to confirm Donald Trump as the next US president on Monday, a handful of ‘faithless electors’ explain why they’re putting up a fight

No Idea

Guardian UK: Trump has no idea how to run a superpower, say Chinese media - Communist party-controlled Global Times says Trump ‘is not behaving as a president who will become master of the White House’

The Electoral College Briefing

NY Times: The Final Lap to the White House By THE NEW YORK TIMES

Krugman's Latest

NY Times: How Republics End

The Market On Monday

  Good morning. It is 14 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a sunny day with temperatures in the 20s this afternoon. It's cold out there. Well today is the day the electoral college officially makes Trump the new president. It's a new world.

  At 9:20 a.m. ET futures are slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open slightly higher.

  The indexes continue to hover around record highs. Of note, Janet Yellin will be speaking on the state of employment in the US. Investors will be carefully listening for signs or indications of any further interest rate hikes.

CNN: Janet Yellen in focus; Dow flirts with new record; Nintendo crushed by Alanna Petroff
...Janet Yellen -- is scheduled to give a speech about the state of the American job market at 1:30 p.m. ET...

Hammer Time

NY Times: ‘S.N.L.’ Hammers Donald Trump as a ‘Gift’ to Vladimir Putin for Christmas By DAVE ITZKOFF

Engage

NY Times: How to Have More Engaging Conversations in Everyday Life By JONAH ENGEL BROMWICH

Friday, December 16, 2016

Closed Weekends

  The blog is closed on weekends. See you bright and early Monday morning.

work by Paul Sérusier



'Make Dating Great Agin'

This is real.

Trump Singles.com

53,000 Pounds Of Coke

CNN: Coast Guard seizes 26.5 tons of cocaine By Dalila-Johari Paul

Ice Swimming

NY Times: For Swimmers With Ice Water in Their Veins, an Event to Match - The sport of ice swimming, done in water about 41 degrees or less, is attracting interest in spite of its dangers, or perhaps because of them. By ANDREW KEH

'Walkin Blues'

Roy Rogers

Good Luck With That

Salon: The Hamilton Electors don’t have enough Republicans to stop Trump — but they’re getting there - The Hamilton Electors say they're getting closer than ever to stopping Donald Trump by Matthew Rozsa

The Onion - Christ Does Soft Return To Gauge Interest

The Onion: Christ Does Soft Return To Gauge Interest

Cellular Reprogramming

Science Daily: Cellular reprogramming slows aging in mice
summary - Scientists have rolled back time for live mice through systemic cellular reprogramming, according to a new study. In mice carrying a mutation leading to premature aging, reprogramming of chemical marks in the genome, known as epigenetic marks, reduced many signs of aging in the mice and extended their lifespan on average from 18 weeks to 24.

Have An Excellent Friday

work by Dave Cooper

Not Welcome

MSNBC: Trump creates conditions in which dissent is not welcome By Steve Benen

Winter

  Well okay then, humanity is now sanctioning this type of degradation for amusement. Humanity of course has a history of turning torture and abuse into amusement, we politely call it sadism or abuse even. But here we get to see it on TV 24/7. Is humanity degenerating?

Guardian UK: Russian reality TV show Game2: Winter to 'allow' rape and murder in Siberia - Contestants sign waiver acknowledging they may not survive nine-month Siberian wilderness challenge, and if crimes are committed, they will be arrested
Contestants will each sign a waiver acknowledging that they might be raped or killed but the rules also state that police are free to arrest anyone who commits a crime on the show.

'Arrest-Related Deaths'

  Quite a term, would you agree - 'arrest-related deaths'. It reminds me of 'collateral damage', another way to redirect, rethink, or make polite murder and killing. We talk about being politically correct, how about we start with these kinds of terms - throw them out the window, and call it what it is instead of sugarcoating it.

Guardian UK: Killings by US police logged at twice the previous rate under new federal program - US government pilot program, which draws on information collected by the Guardian, publishes first data gathered under new ‘hybrid’ counting system

Retaliation

Guardian UK: Barack Obama promises retaliation against Russia over hacking during US election - Outgoing president says US will respond to cyberattacks by Moscow ‘at a time and place of our choosing’, as Donald Trump rejects reports of interference

David M. Friedman

NY Times: Trump Chooses Hard-Liner as Ambassador to Israel By MATTHEW ROSENBERG
...a bankruptcy lawyer aligned with the Israeli far right...

Hackers

NY Times: U.S. Faces Tall Hurdles in Detaining or Deterring Russian Hackers By ADAM GOLDMAN and MATT APUZZO

The Market On Friday

  Good morning. It is 5 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley, and that is not a typo, it is 5 tiny freezing degrees here. The forecast predicts snow and temperatures in the 20s this afternoon. Take heart, it's supposed to warm up on Saturday and by warm up we mean it goes into the 30s.

  At 9:30 a.m. ET the DOW is modestly higher and the price of oil is up at $51 and change per barrel. The market is opening modestly higher.

  There a huge big pharma merger happening in Europe - Sanofi and Actelion. But relatively speaking the consensus is more about it being a calm ordinary day on Wall Street. Hopefully I didn't jinx it and the DOW drops 500 points out of nowhere! Enjoy the weekend.

CNN: Hot health care stock; Wells Fargo update; Real estate data by Alanna Petroff
Details on housing starts and building permits from November will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Pure Sadness

attn.com: What Trump Supporters Did at a High School Basketball Game Is Terrible
...a great portion of the student body of Warrensburg physically turned their backs on the players, while holding up a Trump sign.

TRNN - White Collar Crime Will Have A Field Day Under Trump

'Rogue One'

trailer

Thornier

Washington Post: On the day Trump said he’d clarify his business dealings, his conflicts of interest look thornier than ever By Drew Harwell

'Her Friend Adam'

Her Friend Adam from Ben Petrie on Vimeo.

The Borowitz Report - Putin Agrees To Receive Intelligence Briefings In Trump’s Place

New Yorker: Putin Agrees to Receive Intelligence Briefings in Trump’s Place

Later

Science Daily: Teens benefit from later high school start times - Teens may get more sleep, have fewer motor vehicle accidents when school starts later
summary - Later high school start times are associated with positive outcomes among teens, including longer weekday sleep durations and reduced vehicular accident rates, research suggests.

Have An Excellent Thursday

work by Dave Cooper

Putin

MSNBC: Putin directly involved in US election hacking: NBC News

No GOP Defections

Guardian UK: Republicans do not plan to defect from Trump in final electoral college vote - Only one GOP electoral college member refuses to ratify state election results while others say thousands of appeals have not shaken their sense of obligation

Damage

Guardian UK: Donald Trump risks damaging intelligence agencies, warns former CIA chief - Michael Hayden says disparaging comments about US spies could hurt the moral authority of their leaders

Tillerson

NY Times: For Republican Russia Hawks, a Dilemma Named Rex Tillerson - 点击查看本文中文版 - By JENNIFER STEINHAUER

Lawsuits Galore

NY Times: To Combat Trump, Democrats Ready a G.O.P. Tactic: Lawsuits By VIVIAN YEE

Albany New York's Times Union

  The Albany New York Times Union, has issued an editorial asking for electors to reject Trump on Monday. The T.U. is one of the first papers in the nation to do so.

Times Union: Editorial: Electors, reject Mr. Trump

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is 20 degrees, partly cloudy, and windy here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the 20s this afternoon. Winter is here but good.

  At 9:15 the DOW is modestly higher and the price of oil per barrel is down just above $50 per barrel. The market is poised to open modestly higher.

  The Fed did indeed hike the interest rate on Wednesday and that move was not popular among investors. Notice that Yahoo is reporting a hack of 1 Billion accounts, that's a lot of accounts.

CNN: Yahoo hacked; Fed reaction; Venezuela's new cash by Alanna Petroff
Investors were in a negative mood yesterday after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates, which was widely expected.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Battle

wbur.org: Former CIA Officer On Trump's Battle With Intelligence Community
"Mike Morell, former acting director [of the CIA], whom I overlapped with in my career, said that this is the equivalent of a 9/11 moment for the intelligence community. Others have called it the gravest crisis since World War II facing the republic. All of these statements are true."

'The Hours'

Phil Glass

Global Warming - The Arctic

Time: It’s Hard to Describe Just How Badly the Arctic Is Doing by Justin Worland

The Onion - More Realistic Meat Substitute Made From Soy Raised In Brutally Cruel Conditions

The Onion: More Realistic Meat Substitute Made From Soy Raised In Brutally Cruel Conditions

TRNN - Chris Hedges - America Is A Tinderbox

This is from November 14, 2016

How Your Breath Affects Memory And Fear

Northwestern U: Rhythm of breathing affects memory and fear

Have An Excellent Wednesday

work by Dave Cooper



Good Luck With That

MSNBC: Michael Moore to Electoral College: Resist! - Filmmaker Michael Moore gives an impassioned plea to the Electors who will choose the American President on December 19th to think hard about the security of the United States.

Blurred Boundaries

Guardian UK: Why Donald Trump's potential conflicts of interest are so important - Trump’s cancelled news conference heightens concerns over possible consequences of blurred boundaries between presidency and business dealings

Extrajudicial

Guardian UK: Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte says he personally killed criminals - Controversial leader – who has endorsed extrajudicial executions of drug offenders – says he killed to show police officers ‘if I can do it, why can’t you?’

House Hack

NY Times: Democratic House Candidates Were Also Targets of Russian Hacking By ERIC LIPTON and SCOTT SHANE

'The Dukes'

  We ended up with the worst, most unqualified, and dangerous president elect in US history, winning through the most tainted election in US history. You would think people would be up in arms. But no, the president elect thinks this is all swell and naturally his supporters do too. Just smile, move along, and have a nice day. Everything will be fine.

NY Times: The Perfect Weapon: How Russian Cyberpower Invaded the U.S. By ERIC LIPTON, DAVID E. SANGER and SCOTT SHANE
“This was not something that was done casually, this was not something that was done by chance, this was not a target that was selected purely arbitrarily,” he said. “This was a conscious effort by a nation-state to attempt to achieve a specific effect.”

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. It is 30 degrees and it is sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the low 30s. We are heading into the below freezing part of the program, there's still a thin layer of snow on most of the lawns. It's looking like Winter. Well, yours truly made a delicious gluten-free lasagna yesterday and it was a hit. I used rice lasagna noodles and most of the usual stuff cheese-wise and sauce-wise but I also threw in some onions, broccoli, and hold onto your hats, bok choy. I finely chopped the bok choy and added it to the ricotta. It was good.

  At 9:20 a.m. ET futures are modestly lower and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open modestly lower.

  The Fed is highly expected to announce a base interest rate hike this afternoon. Could anything be more meaningful to Wall Street - maybe not. Regardless a decent line of credit will be a little more costly.

CNN: The Fed decides; Techies meet Trump; Pharma deal collapse by Alanna Petroff
After the interest rate decision is announced at 2 p.m. ET, market attention will turn to Fed chair Janet Yellen's press conference at 2:30.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Two Minutes

  Bernie Sanders convinces a Trump voter she voted for the wrong person — in less than 2 minutes.

'Marguerite'

trailer

Oops

  Secretary of Energy wants to see the energy department shut down. The EPA head does not believe in global warming. The Secretary of Education opposes public schools. And the Secretary of State is all about big oil. It's quite a list.

NY Times: Rick Perry, Ex-Governor of Texas, Is Trump’s Pick as Energy Secretary By CORAL DAVENPORT

Charge

NPR: 'Pizzagate' Suspect Faces Federal Charge
Edgar Welch faces one charge of interstate transportation of a firearm with intent to commit an offense in connection with his alleged firing of an AR-15 rifle inside the Comet Ping Pong restaurant earlier this month.

If convicted, the 28-year-old could see up to 10 years in prison along with financial penalties, The Associated Press reports.

Debunk

  This is for Facebook.

Slate: Only You Can Stop the Spread of Fake News - It’s not enough to ignore bogus stories. Help slow their proliferation with Slate’s new debunking tool. By Will Oremus

The Onion - Mom Holds Knife To Throat Of Dinner Guest Who Offered To Help With Dishes

The Onion: Mom Holds Knife To Throat Of Dinner Guest Who Offered To Help With Dishes

HAT-P-7b

Science Daily: Winds of rubies and sapphires strike the sky of giant planet
summary - Signs of powerful changing winds have been detected on a planet 16 times larger than Earth, over 1,000 light years away -- the first time ever that weather systems have been found on a gas giant outside our solar system -- according to new research.

Job Complete

Salon: After Republicans’ five-month stall, the House Benghazi Committee is no more - Committee Democrat Elijah Cummings called it "a prime example of how not to conduct a congressional investigation" by Matthew Rozsa

Have An Excellent Tuesday

work by Dave Cooper

Hack

NBC News: Why the CIA Thinks Russia Wanted Trump to Win by Ken Dilanian and Pete Williams
"If you provide proof, you provide a roadmap to show the Russians how we caught them," he said, "including intelligence sources and methods."

The Rupture

Guardian UK: Chinese state tabloid warns Donald Trump: 'Pride goes before a fall' - Global Times attack comes as experts say Beijing will be looking for president-elect’s ‘pressure points’ before inauguration
“It could be a rupture in the US-China relationship that we haven’t seen yet,” she said. “I’m not at all optimistic”.

Aleppo - 'Complete Meltdown Of Humanity'

Guardian UK: Children trapped in building under attack in Aleppo, doctor tells UN - Spokesman describes ‘complete meltdown of humanity’ as troops loyal to Syrian president close in on last opposition-held areas

Flawed

NY Times: Flawed Choices for the State Department By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Steve Coll...wrote...“the goal of Exxon Mobil’s independent foreign policy has been to promote a world that is good for oil and gas production.”

Rex Tillerson

  Big oil here we come!

NY Times: Rex Tillerson, Exxon C.E.O., Chosen as Secretary of State By MICHAEL D. SHEAR and MAGGIE HABERMAN

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. It is 34 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a cloudy day with temperatures in the high 30s this afternoon. There is a thin layer of snow out there, Winter is here. Watching the news yesterday, there appears to be more interest in the Russia-hacking-the-election-gate with several people suggesting that Trump is involved. Can it get any uglier? Yes it can.

  At 9:20 a.m. ET futures are moderately higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open higher.

  The Fed begins a two day meeting today and it is generally believed that the meeting will end with the announcement of a base interest rate hike. With the DOW close to 20,000 and unemployment below 5%, yes interest rates will creep up. Trump should bless his predecessor for leaving him with a significantly improved economy. Let's not forget that he convinced his followers that the economy was falling to crap. No doubt he will soon take credit for the economy. Now will Trump screw it up? The answer is not if, but when.

CNN: Fed meeting begins; Bank cuts 14,000 jobs; Beer deal hangover by Alanna Petroff
The Fed has not raised rates since December of last year.

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to serve as secretary of state.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Joy Behar - Trump, Russia, The Election

With A Little Help From My Friends

  Well, well, it's nice to see there is at least a minimum amount of interest in Russia hacking and throwing our election. You'd think people would be in the streets demanding justice, oh no, we'll settle for Trump they say.

Salon: Nate Silver, Harry Reid agree: Hillary Clinton isn’t president because of James Comey’s letters - Nate Silver and Harry Reid both believe that James Comey, the FBI director, threw the election to Trump by Matthew Rozsa