Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Chaos
Salon: Donald Trump isn’t taking the Paul Manafort indictment too well: report - A White House in chaos by Matthew Rozsa
"The walls are closing in. Everyone is freaking out," one senior Republican told The Washington Post.
Wave Energy
Science Daily: Robotics principles help wave energy converters better absorb power of ocean waves
summary - Compared to wind and solar energy, wave energy has remained relatively expensive and hard to capture, but engineers are working to change that by drawing inspiration from other industries. The engineering team has designed, modeled and tested a control system that doubles the amount of power a wave energy converter can absorb from ocean waves, making electricity produced from wave energy less expensive.
Bad Hair Day
NY Times: Is the White House Scared Yet? By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
You know it’s a bad day for the White House when the president’s former campaign chairman is charged with money laundering, tax fraud, making false statements and failing to register as a foreign agent — and that is only the second most damaging story of the morning.
Dangerous
NY Times: Why George Papadopoulos Is More Dangerous Than Paul Manafort By HARRY LITMAN
This paints perhaps the clearest picture so far of Russia’s attempt to provide assistance to the Trump campaign — and the willingness of at least some campaign staff members to accept that assistance.
Trump Belittles
NY Times: Trump Belittles ‘Low Level’ Adviser Who Tried to Connect With Russia By PETER BAKER
“Few people knew the young, low level volunteer named George, who has already proven to be a liar,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter.
The Market On Tuesday
At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are +29 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open modestly higher.
CNN: Tech talks about Russia; Qualcomm gets quashed; Earnings galore by Alanna Petroff
CNN: Tech talks about Russia; Qualcomm gets quashed; Earnings galore by Alanna Petroff
Monday, October 30, 2017
Mars
Science Daily: Martian landscapes formed from sand 'levitating' on a little boiling water
summary - Scientists have discovered a process that could explain the long-debated mystery of how land features on Mars are formed in the absence of significant amounts of water. Experiments reveal that Mars' thin atmosphere (about 7 mbar -- compared to 1,000 mbar on Earth) combined with periods of relatively warm surface temperatures causes water flowing on the surface to violently boil. This process can then move large amounts of sand and other sediment, which effectively 'levitates' on the boiling water.
Transhumans
Guardian UK: When man meets metal: rise of the transhumans - At the borderline of technology and biology, ‘bodyhacking’ pioneers are defying nature to redesign their own bodies. Is this really the future? by Tim Adams
The headline acts of the conference were mostly bodyhackers – DIY experimenters who, in their basements and garages, seek to enhance their own flesh and blood with biometric implants and cognitive enablers. These brave pioneers were extending their senses, overcoming physical limitation, Dan-Daring themselves and the rest of us into the future.
Global Warming - Stupidity Prevails
Guardian UK: Global atmospheric CO2 levels hit record high - UN warns that drastic action is needed to meet climate targets set in the Paris agreement
“Globally averaged concentrations of CO2 reached 403.3 parts per million in 2016, up from 400.00 ppm in 2015 because of a combination of human activities and a strong El Niño event,” according to The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, the UN weather agency’s annual flagship report.
The Market On Monday
At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are -60 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open moderately lower.
CNN: GOP tax reveal to set off 'corporate hunger games' by Matt Egan and Danielle Wiener-Bronner
CNN: GOP tax reveal to set off 'corporate hunger games' by Matt Egan and Danielle Wiener-Bronner
Friday, October 27, 2017
Attack
Extremist GOPers have adopted Muslim terrorist tactics. Recall the Charlottesville attack.
Salon: Driver plows into pro-immigration protesters in Orange County - Protesters assembled outside a GOPer’s office to oppose his anti-immigrant policies, when they were targeted
Salon: Driver plows into pro-immigration protesters in Orange County - Protesters assembled outside a GOPer’s office to oppose his anti-immigrant policies, when they were targeted
He Did It
NY Times: Talking Points Brought to Trump Tower Meeting Were Shared With Kremlin By SHARON LaFRANIERE and ANDREW E. KRAME
Natalia V. Veselnitskaya arrived at a meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 hoping to interest top Trump campaign officials in the contents of a memo she believed contained information damaging to the Democratic Party and, by extension, Hillary Clinton.
Outside The Solar System
Science Daily: Small asteroid or comet 'visits' from beyond the solar system
summary - A small, recently discovered asteroid -- or perhaps a comet -- appears to have originated from outside the solar system, coming from somewhere else in our galaxy. If so, it would be the first "interstellar object" to be observed and confirmed by astronomers.
React
NY Times: Right and Left React to the Republican Push to Cut Taxes By ANNA DUBENKO
“Quietly, Republicans are also pushing a territorial taxation provision that would make it far easier for multinational corporations to avoid paying even a new 20 percent rate by providing further incentive to stash profits in offshore tax havens.”
Antarctica
NY Times: In Antarctica, Two Crucial
Glaciers Accelerate Toward the Sea By JUGAL K. PATEL
The Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers are among the most critical in world. They are currently holding back ice that, if melted, would raise the world’s oceans by nearly four feet over centuries, an amount that would put many coastal cities underwater.
The Market On Friday
At 9:30 a.m. ET DOW futures are +21 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is opening moderately higher.
CNN: Economy posts impressive growth despite hurricanes by Patrick Gillespie
CNN: Economy posts impressive growth despite hurricanes by Patrick Gillespie
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Impeach
I just saw the ad on MSNBC and wanted to check out who was behind it. I liked the ad.
Forbes: This Billionaire Is Spending More Than $10 Million Calling For Trump's Impeachment
Forbes: This Billionaire Is Spending More Than $10 Million Calling For Trump's Impeachment
Spinal Injury Rehab
Science Daily: Individual with complete spinal cord injury regains voluntary motor function - Extended activity-based training with epidural stimulation resulted in ability to stand and move without stimulation
summary - A man with a complete spinal cord injury, who had lost motor function below the level of the injury, has regained the ability to move his legs voluntarily and stand six years after his injury.
Collaboration
CNN: Trump campaign analytics company contacted WikiLeaks about Clinton emails
The attempt at collaboration raises fresh questions about the willingness of people associated with the Trump campaign to work with Wikileaks for political gain.
Regrets And No Regrets
This is a very telling article.
Guardian UK: No regrets: one year after they voted for Trump, has he delivered? Some who backed him at the last moment now have buyer’s remorse, but while the stock market lifts their pension funds, Trump loyalists are unwavering by Tom McCarthy in Bangor, Pennsylvania
Guardian UK: No regrets: one year after they voted for Trump, has he delivered? Some who backed him at the last moment now have buyer’s remorse, but while the stock market lifts their pension funds, Trump loyalists are unwavering by Tom McCarthy in Bangor, Pennsylvania
“But there are those folks that made the call last fall – because they didn’t like Clinton, or they just wanted to blow things up – now a year in, that aren’t enamored any more. They kind of have a bit of buyer’s remorse.”
The Party Of Trump
NY Times: As G.O.P. Bends Toward Trump, Critics Either Give In or Give Up By JONATHAN MARTIN and JEREMY W. PETERS
“There is zero appetite for the ‘Never Trump’ movement in the Republican Party of today,” said Andy Surabian, an adviser to Great America Alliance, the “super PAC” that is aiding primary races against Republican incumbents. “This party is now defined by President Trump and his movement.”
The Market On Thursday
At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are +56 and the price of oil per barrel is flay. The market is poised to open moderately higher
CNN: 8 stocks that could cash in on Trump's tax overhaul by Matt Egan
CNN: 8 stocks that could cash in on Trump's tax overhaul by Matt Egan
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Curb
I'm a big fan of 'Curb', I'm happy to see it back for a new season.
Salon: How “Curb Your Enthusiasm” captured the black audience - Actor JB Smoove reflects on how his character changed the the audience demographics of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Salon: How “Curb Your Enthusiasm” captured the black audience - Actor JB Smoove reflects on how his character changed the the audience demographics of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Daydream
Science Daily: Daydreaming is good: It means you're smart - Brain study suggests mind wandering at work and home may not be as bad as you might think
summary - A new study suggests that daydreaming during meetings isn't necessarily a bad thing. It might be a sign that you're really smart and creative. People with efficient brains may have too much brain capacity to stop their minds from wandering.
Rev Dr William Barber
Guardian UK: Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr, a new civil rights leader takes center stage
“We’ve got to break through the silence. We’ve got to break through the hate. A breakthrough until every poor person has a guaranteed income.”
Beyond Sad
NY Times: Boko Haram strapped suicide bombs to them. Somehow these teenage girls survived.
They came for her at night, she said, grabbing a suicide belt and attaching it to her waist. The fighters then sent her and the 12-year-old girl out on foot, alone, telling them to detonate the bombs at a camp for Nigerian civilians who have fled the violence Boko Haram has inflicted on the region.
Who Will Follow
NY Times: Another Republican Call to Arms, but Who Will Answer? By CARL HULSE
But who — if anyone — will follow?
The Market On Wednesday
At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are -4 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open in the flat area.
CNN: China power; U.K. GDP; Earnings bonanza by Ivana Kottasová
CNN: China power; U.K. GDP; Earnings bonanza by Ivana Kottasová
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Appetite Control
Science Daily: Drug can dramatically reduce weight of people with obesity
summary - A drug that targets the appetite control system in the brain could bring about significant weight loss in people with clinical obesity, according to new research.
Krugman's Latest
NY Times: The Doctrine of Trumpal Infallibility
We are ruled by men who never admit error, never apologize and, crucially, never learn from their mistakes.
Fanatic
NY Times: How to Engage a Fanatic by David Brooks
You engage fanaticism with love, first, for your own sake.
The Market On Tuesday
At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are +143 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open significantly higher.
CNN: McDonald's earnings; Stock streak ends; Trump and the Fed by Ivana Kottasová
CNN: McDonald's earnings; Stock streak ends; Trump and the Fed by Ivana Kottasová
Monday, October 23, 2017
Pollution
Science Daily: Pollution responsible for 16 percent of early deaths globally
summary - Diseases caused by pollution were responsible in 2015 for an estimated 9 million premature deaths -- 16 percent of all deaths worldwide, according to a report.
Charles M. Blow's Latest
NY Times: Trump’s Boogeymen? Women by Charles M. Blow
Donald Trump has a particular taste for the degradation of racial, ethnic and religious minorities and women...
Jimmy
NY Times: Jimmy Carter Lusts for a Trump Posting by Maureen Dowd
Carter noted that in the primary, “We voted for Sanders.”
The Market On Monday
At 9:30 a.m. ET DOW futures are +36 and the price of oil per barrel is up. the market has opened moderately higher.
CNN: Japan election landslide; Chaos in Catalonia; European populism by Ivana Kottasová
CNN: Japan election landslide; Chaos in Catalonia; European populism by Ivana Kottasová
Friday, October 20, 2017
Selfish
Science Daily: 'Selfish brain' wins out when competing with muscle power, study finds
summary - New research on our internal trade-off when physical and mental performance are put in direct competition has found that cognition takes less of a hit, suggesting more energy is diverted to the brain than body muscle. Researchers say the findings support the 'selfish brain' theory of human evolution.
2024
NY Times: Trump’s Road to 2024 by Roger Cohen
Trump winks at white supremacists, thrives on confrontation and debases the Oval Office. But it would be a huge mistake to conclude from this that his defeat is inevitable; or that his supporters do not include millions of decent, smart Americans who just view the world differently.
It's A Secret
These hucksters are the worst, they're about to pass a tax cut that nobody has seen. It's just like the magic health care they almost foisted on America.
NY Times: Republicans Ready to Move on a Tax Plan Few Have Seen By JIM TANKERSLEY
NY Times: Republicans Ready to Move on a Tax Plan Few Have Seen By JIM TANKERSLEY
The Market On Friday
At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are +92 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open significantly higher.
CNN: GE's nightmare just got worse by Matt Egan
CNN: GE's nightmare just got worse by Matt Egan
Thursday, October 19, 2017
GW Bush Goes After Trump
Politico: Full text: George W. Bush speech on Trumpism By POLITICO STAFF 10/19/2017
"We have seen our discourse degraded by casual cruelty. At times, it can seem like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together. Argument turns too easily into animosity. Disagreement escalates into dehumanization. Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions – forgetting the image of God we should see in each other."
"We’ve seen nationalism distorted into nativism – forgotten the dynamism that immigration has always brought to America. We see a fading confidence in the value of free markets and international trade – forgetting that conflict, instability, and poverty follow in the wake of protectionism."
"We have seen the return of isolationist sentiments – forgetting that American security is directly threatened by the chaos and despair of distant places, where threats such as terrorism, infectious disease, criminal gangs and drug trafficking tend to emerge."
Branded
The group is based in Albany NY.
NY Times: Inside a Secretive Group Where Women Are Branded By BARRY MEIER
NY Times: Inside a Secretive Group Where Women Are Branded By BARRY MEIER
Lucid
Science Daily: Want to control your dreams? Here's how you can
summary - New research has found that a specific combination of techniques will increase people's chances of having lucid dreams, in which the dreamer is aware they're dreaming while it's still happening and can control the experience.
Dire Ecological Warning As Insect Numbers Decline
Guardian UK: Warning of 'ecological Armageddon' after dramatic plunge in insect numbers - Three-quarters of flying insects in nature reserves across Germany have vanished in 25 years, with serious implications for all life on Earth, scientists say
“Insects make up about two-thirds of all life on Earth [but] there has been some kind of horrific decline,” said Prof Dave Goulson of Sussex University, UK, and part of the team behind the new study. “We appear to be making vast tracts of land inhospitable to most forms of life, and are currently on course for ecological Armageddon. If we lose the insects then everything is going to collapse.”
Charles M. Blow's Latest
NY Times: Trump Isn’t Hitler. But the Lying...
...Trump’s use of the phrase “a lot of people are saying”:
“Trump frequently couches his most controversial comments this way, which allows him to share a controversial idea, piece of tabloid gossip or conspiracy theory without technically embracing it. If the comment turns out to be popular, Trump will often drop the distancing qualifier — ‘people think’ or ‘some say.’ If the opposite happens, Trump can claim that he never said the thing he is accused of saying, equating it to retweeting someone else’s thoughts on Twitter.”
Grind
NY Times: Signaling Frustration, Senior House Republican Plans to Quit Early By ALEXANDER BURNS and JONATHAN MARTIN
...the grind of their jobs had gotten no better since Donald J. Trump’s election last year, giving Republicans full control of Washington.
The Market On Thursday
At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are -87 and the price of oil per barrel is down. the market is poised to open significantly lower.
CNN: These airline stocks have doubled while rivals go bust by Alanna Petroff
CNN: These airline stocks have doubled while rivals go bust by Alanna Petroff
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Code
36 U.S. Code § 301 is about the National Anthem and it's big in the news as we know. President Trump is real big on 36 U.S. Code § 301.
But check this out, 36 U.S. Code § 303 - signed legislation in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan to make the rose the floral emblem of the United States. I hope all patriots out there understand that when you are standing by a rose, you are standing next to the floral emblem of the USA. The rose has not quite risen to the level of concern that we now have for the National Anthem, but just give it time. Music, once again, usurps flowers.
Next time you smell a rose, do it with a little dignity please...
But check this out, 36 U.S. Code § 303 - signed legislation in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan to make the rose the floral emblem of the United States. I hope all patriots out there understand that when you are standing by a rose, you are standing next to the floral emblem of the USA. The rose has not quite risen to the level of concern that we now have for the National Anthem, but just give it time. Music, once again, usurps flowers.
Next time you smell a rose, do it with a little dignity please...
Trumpian
The Daily Beast: Gold-Star Mom: Yes, Trump Disrespected My Son in Phone Call
...she looked at me and said, ‘He didn’t even remember his name.’
Squirm
Politico: Dems look to make GOP squirm on budget By ELANA SCHOR, SEUNG MIN KIM and SARAH FERRIS
“I don’t think any voter likes the idea that very wealthy people are going to get a tax break while they’re cutting Medicare, and that’s essentially the design of this bill..." - Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen
Forests And You
Science Daily: Life in the city: Living near a forest keeps your amygdala healthier - MRI study analyzes stress-processing brain regions in older city dwellers
summary - A new study examined the relationship between the availability of nature near city dwellers' homes and their brain health. Its findings are relevant for urban planners among others.
Have An Excellent Wednesday
work by Joep van Lieshout, 'Domestikator'. The work was deemed too risque for The Louvre.
Morning Joe - Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson And Trump's Insane Speech To His Wife
I implore you to watch this.
One Can Hope
I've said it before, please take Bill's work with a little skepticism. One thing is true though, in many instance's Bill is way ahead of the curve.
The Palmer Report: Robert Mueller probe reaches the point of no return, and Donald Trump now has no chance of surviving this
The Palmer Report: Robert Mueller probe reaches the point of no return, and Donald Trump now has no chance of surviving this
Self Absorption
NY Times: Trump’s Self-Absorption on War Deaths by Andrew Rosenthal
Then, in true Trump fashion, he made it all about the most important person in any conversation, himself. Saying that those notifications are “a very difficult thing,” the president started whining, “Now it gets to a point where you make four or five of them in one day, it’s a very, very tough day.”
The Market On Wednesday
At 9:30 a.m. ET DOW futures are +108 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open significantly higher.
CNN: We've found Trump's perfect pick for Fed chair: Janet Yellen by Matt Egan
CNN: We've found Trump's perfect pick for Fed chair: Janet Yellen by Matt Egan
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
But, But, But, Benghazi
FYI Trump is the President of The United States which includes The Virgin Islands.
“I will tell you I left Texas and I left Florida and I left Louisiana and I went to Puerto Rico and I met with the President of the Virgin Islands," President Donald Trump said at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, last Friday. “The Virgin Islands and the President of the Virgin Islands, these are people that are incredible people, they suffered gravely and we’[ll] be there, we’re going to be there, we have really, it is not even a question of a choice.”
Titan
Science Daily: Intense storms batter Saturn’s largest moon, scientists report - Extreme methane rainstorms appear to have a key role in shaping Titan’s icy surface
summary - Titan, the largest of Saturn's more than 60 moons, has surprisingly intense rainstorms, according to research by a team of UCLA planetary scientists and geologists. Although the storms are relatively rare -- they occur less than once per Titan year, which is 29 and a half Earth years -- they occur much more frequently than the scientists expected.
Austria
NY Times: In Election, Austria’s Nazi Past Raises Its Head By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
An anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim party won the Austrian elections on Sunday, and its leader might form a government with a party founded by ex-Nazis.
The Market On Tuesday
At 7:20 a.m. ET DOW futures are +4 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open in the flat area.
CNN: Dow eyes 23,000; Airbus-Bombardier deal; Brexit pain by Ivana Kottasová
CNN: Dow eyes 23,000; Airbus-Bombardier deal; Brexit pain by Ivana Kottasová
Monday, October 16, 2017
Shape Up
Science Daily: Learning and staying in shape key to longer lifespan, study finds
summary - People who are overweight cut their life expectancy by two months for every extra kilogram of weight they carry, research suggests. A major study has also found that education leads to a longer life, with almost a year added for each year spent studying beyond school.
Doesn't Understand
NY Times: Five Climate Truths Donald Trump Doesn’t Understand
1. Trump can’t save coal. He only claims he can.
The Market On Monday
At 7:15 a.m. ET DOW futures are +16 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open modestly higher.
CNN: Netflix earnings; Catalonia deadline; Nasdaq record by Ivana Kottasová
CNN: Netflix earnings; Catalonia deadline; Nasdaq record by Ivana Kottasová
Friday, October 13, 2017
Worst
John Mclaughlin tweets on Trump's Iran speech - "Iran speech, one of Trump's worst decisions: feeds Iran hardliners, splits allies, shreds US credibility, roils congress, gift to Russia."
Mars
Science Daily: New insight into the limits of possible life on Mars
summary - Researchers investigating whether liquid water could exist on Mars have provided new insight into the limits of life on the red planet.
The Market On Friday
At 7:55 a.m. ET DOW futures are +28 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open modestly higher.
CNN: Trump acts on health care; Bank earnings; Retail sales by Ivana Kottasová
CNN: Trump acts on health care; Bank earnings; Retail sales by Ivana Kottasová
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Please Read This
The Intercept: The Airport Bomber From Last Week You Never Heard About
The story didn’t go viral and Trump didn’t tweet about it because the bomb was not placed by an immigrant, or a Muslim, or a Mexican. It was placed there by a good ol’ white man, Michael Christopher Estes. Unlike the Las Vegas shooter, Stephen Paddock, whose motive is still hard to discern, Estes wanted to be very clear that his ultimate goal was to accelerate a war on American soil.
The Moon
Science Daily: The moon once had an atmosphere
summary - A new study shows that an atmosphere was produced around the ancient Moon, 3 to 4 billion years ago, when intense volcanic eruptions spewed gases above the surface faster than they could escape to space.
Danger
NY Times: Trump’s War Games by Charles M. Blow
Rand Paul (on Trump having the nuclear codes)
“I think really there’s a sophomoric quality that is entertaining about Mr. Trump, but I am worried. I’m very concerned about him, having him in charge of the nuclear weapons, because I think his response, his visceral response to attack people on their appearance — short, tall, fat, ugly — my goodness, that happened in junior high. Are we not way above that? Would we not all be worried to have someone like that in charge of the nuclear arsenal?”
North Korea
NY Times: Trump’s Scary Strategy on North Korea by Nicholas Kristof
On just the first day of a war between the United States and North Korea, according to a Stanford University assessment, one million people could be killed.
The Market On Thursday
At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are -20 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open modestly lower.
CNN: Bank earnings; NAFTA threat; Finance chiefs meet by Ivana Kottasová
CNN: Bank earnings; NAFTA threat; Finance chiefs meet by Ivana Kottasová
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Unraveling
Vanity Fair: “I Hate Everyone in the White House!”: Trump Seethes as Advisers Fear the President Is “Unraveling” - In recent days, I’ve spoken with a half dozen prominent Republicans and Trump advisers, and they all describe a White House in crisis as advisers struggle to contain a president that seems to be increasingly unfocused and consumed by dark moods. by Gabriel Sherman
It brought into the open what several people close to the president have recently told me in private: that Trump is “unstable,” “losing a step,” and “unraveling.”
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