Sande: April 2018

Monday, April 30, 2018

This is the site Stormy Daniels is using to raise money.

crowdjustice: Clifford (aka Daniels) v. Trump et al.

Yeah, But

Ryan Knight writes -

Donald Trump:
— “Grab em by the pussy”
— “I moved on her like a bitch”
— “Blood coming out of her wherever”
— “I would bomb the shit out of them”
— “If she wasn’t my daughter I’d date her”
— “African countries are shithole nations”

Republicans:
— “Michelle Wolf was over the top”

Another Take

Salon: End this charade: Donald Trump, Michelle Wolf and the White House Correspondents’ Dinner - Here’s one thing Trump is right about: It’s time to shut down this shameful, pompous D.C. bonding ritual by Heather Digby Parton

The Onion - Pilot Shudders To Imagine Why Passengers Taking Red-Eye To Atlantic City

The Onion: Pilot Shudders To Imagine Why Passengers Taking Red-Eye To Atlantic City

The Hunt

NPR: In Hunt For Golden State Killer, Investigators Uploaded His DNA To Genealogy Site

New

The Paler Report: New controversy surrounding Donald Trump’s physical, cognitive, and mental health by Bill Palmer

A selection -

"She has the perfect last name for what she does, Conway ... You guys have got to stop putting Kellyanne on your shows. All she does is lie. If you don't give her a platform, she has nowhere to lie. It's like that old saying, if a tree falls in the woods, how do we get Kellyanne under that tree? I'm not suggesting she gets hurt. Just stuck. Stuck under a tree."

"10 years too young to host this event and 20 years too old for Roy Moore."

"It's 2018 and I'm a woman so you cannot shut me up. Unless you have Michael Cohen wire me $130,000."

"Of course, Trump isn't here, if you haven't noticed. He's not here. And I know, I know, I would drag him here myself, but it turns out the president of the United States is the one pussy you're not allowed to grab."

"Fox News is here. So you know what that means, ladies. Cover your drinks. Seriously. People want me to make fun of Sean Hannity tonight, but I cannot do that. This dinner is for journalists."

"Democrats are harder to make fun of because you guys don't do anything. People think you might flip the House and Senate this November, but you guys always find a way to mess it up. You're somehow going to lose by 12 points to a guy named Jeff Pedophile Nazi Doctor."

Have An Excellent Monday

work by Remedios Varo

Morning Joe - Former US Attorneys Weigh In On Judicial Attacks

Morning Joe - The Problems With The White House Correspondents Dinner

Rules To Live By

Guardian UK: The five habits that can add more than a decade to your life - Major study calculates effect on lifespan of habits including healthy eating and not smoking

...followed a healthy diet, controlled their weight, took regular exercise, drank in moderation and did not smoke.

Wolf Vs Sanders

Guardian UK: Michelle Wolf White House routine ignites backlash and defence of Sanders - Reporters and conservatives condemn jokes about press secretary - Michelle Wolf shocks media with Sarah Sanders attack

Phil Bredesen

NY Times: Can a Tennessee Democrat Pull a Doug Jones? By Steve Cavendish - Mr. Cavendish is the former editor of The Nashville Scene.

...Phil Bredesen, a former Democratic governor of Tennessee, has a chance of winning this year’s race to replace Bob Corker as the junior senator from this deep-red state...

No Intelligence

NY Times: Michael Hayden: The End of Intelligence By Michael V. Hayden - Mr. Hayden is a former director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.

It was no accident that the Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year in 2016 was “post-truth,” a condition where facts are less influential in shaping opinion than emotion and personal belief.

It is fair to say that the Trump campaign normalized lying to an unprecedented degree.

The Market On Monday

Good morning. At 915 a.m. ET DOW futures are +126 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open significantly higher.

CNN: Sprint and T-Mobile; Walmart deals in Europe; WPP earnings by Ivana Kottasová

Friday, April 27, 2018

Weekend!

Enjoy the weekend, see you bright and early Monday morning.

work by Jo In Hyuk

Meehan

The Daily Beast: GOP Rep. Patrick Meehan Resigns Amid Harassment Claims - The Pennsylvania lawmaker previously announced he would not seek re-election. by Gideon Resnick

Morning Joe - Trump's FOX Rant, Cohen, Stormy Daniels

Disaster

Salon: Donald Trump’s “Fox & Friends” debacle: President throws himself under the bus - Fox News’ morning talk-show hosts ultimately pulled the plug on a disastrous Trump interview. Was it too late? by Heather Digby Parton

The Onion - Tucker Carlson Unsure Why He In Middle Of 20-Minute Rant Against Croutons

The Onion: Tucker Carlson Unsure Why He In Middle Of 20-Minute Rant Against Croutons

Mars

BBC: Space agencies aim to deliver rocks from Mars to Earth By Paul Rincon

Have An Excellent Friday

work by Mikhail Gernashev

Lawrence O'Donnell - Trump TV Rant Opens Him Up To Being Deposed

Rachel Maddow - Trump Stomps On Own Legal Strategy With Blurting Rant On Fox News

Soccer?

The Palmer Report: Donald Trump tried to create a distraction with bizarre rant about soccer. It didn’t go well. by Bill Palmer

Inept

As long as someone kisses Twittler's backside, they may very well get the plum job. No other qualifications are necessary. When Trump means he is going to drain the swamp, that means he is going to fill government positions with people who will kiss his backside, and that is how an egomaniac rolls.

Guardian UK: Ex-Fox News contributor confirmed as Trump's ambassador to Germany - Richard Grenell, who is the first openly gay Trump appointee, faced opposition from Democrats over controversial remarks

Pruitt

Guardian UK: 'If I were the president, I'd get rid of you': Scott Pruitt lacerated at ethics hearing - EPA administrator blames media and his job’s learning curve as lawmakers grill him over lavish spending and ethical controversies

McConnell

NY Times: The Obstinacy of Mitch McConnell By David Leonhardt

“We’ll not be having this on the floor of the Senate.”

That’s Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, describing a bill meant to protect Robert Mueller from being fired by President Trump.

War On The Poor

NY Times: Trump’s War on the Poor by Paul Krugman

At this point, our default assumption should be that there’s something seriously wrong with anyone this president wants on his team.

The Market On Friday

Good morning. At 9:20 a.m. ET DOW futures are -46 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open moderately lower.

CNN: Amazon soars; Korea summit; Oil earnings by Ivana Kottasová

The Daily Beast: Trump Interview Devolves Into Random Shouting as ‘Fox & Friends’ Hosts Sit There Stunned - Even the hosts of ‘Fox & Friends’ couldn’t quite believe what they were hearing Thursday morning while talking to the president by phone. by Matt Wilstein

The key, he said, is coming up with a way to optimize what's known as "probability density functions in chemical space."

Guardian UK: 'We're doomed': Mayer Hillman on the climate reality no one else will dare mention - The 86-year-old social scientist says accepting the impending end of most life on Earth might be the very thing needed to help us prolong it By Patrick Barkham

The Daily Beast: Macron Disses Trump in Front of Congress - After a while during the French president’s speech to a joint session, the standing ovations started to look like calisthenics. But what happens if the Trump love-fest sours? by Christopher Dickey

Does Trump, who is always jealous of attention, and who demands unquestioning loyalty from the people around him, not see how powerfully opposed to his policies on trade, on the Iran nuclear deal, on climate change Macron really is?

...a controversial new concept is emerging that claims gut bacteria are an invisible hand altering our brains.

Guardian UK: Flint crisis, four years on: what little trust is left continues to wash away - Since 2014, Flint has received millions of dollars in aid, and the state of the water is improving – but residents are still left with physical ailments and lifelong fears

DACA

NY Times: U.S. Must Keep DACA and Accept New Applications, Federal Judge Rules By MIRIAM JORDAN

In the biggest setback yet for the Trump administration in its attempt to end a program that shields some undocumented young adults from deportation, a federal judge ruled Tuesday that the protections must stay in place and that the government must resume accepting new applications.

Jackson

NY Times: Flattery Got Ronny Jackson Only So Far By Frank Bruni

...Ronny Jackson, the president’s hasty, irresponsible and — the way things are looking now — doomed choice to lead the Veterans Affairs Department.

The Market On Wednesday

Good morning. At 9:20 a.m. ET DOW futures are +17 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open slightly higher.

CNN: Facebook faces Wall Street; Shire deal; Credit Suisse soars by Ivana Kottasová

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

This Is Serious

Take this seriously. It is suggested that tick born diseases are the first epidemic of global warming.

Forbes: New Jersey Is Dealing With A Tick Species That Is New To America

...the East Asian or Longhorned tick. This tick is usually found in East Asia (Russia, Japan, China, and Korea), New Zealand, parts of Australia, and several Pacific islands (New Caledonia, Fiji, Western Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu).

The Daily Beast: Porn Industry Feels the Heat After Stormy Daniels-Trump: ‘This Is Not Helping’ - The Stormy Daniels-Trump affair scandal has shined a spotlight on the adult-film industry—but not in a good way, say performers and publicists. by Aurora Snow

Politico: Trump’s false claims to Comey about Moscow stay could aid Mueller - James Comey says the president told him that he never spent the night in Moscow in 2013, but flight records, social media and his bodyguard's testimony show otherwise. By BEN SCHRECKINGER

Does anyone think Hannity is not dirty? I didn't think so.

Guardian UK: Sean Hannity's real estate venture linked to fraudulent property dealer - Shell company tied to the Fox News host bought homes through Jeff Brock, who was charged in 2016 with fraud and conspiracy for his role in a scheme to rig auctions on foreclosed properties - Michael Cohen case shines light on Sean Hannity’s property empire - Will Sean Hannity’s ties to Michael Cohen be his undoing?

Your Travel, Your Plate, Your Home, What To Buy

NY Times: How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint By Livia Albeck-Ripka

For that reason, eating a vegan diet is likely to be best for the environment, say experts.

Hand It Over

NY Times: Do Taxpayers Know They Are Handing Out Billions to Corporations? By Nathan M. Jensen

Maryland is even offering to give 5.75 percent of each worker’s salary back to the company, which is the maximum state income tax rate for individuals. Employees will pay taxes that will be routed back to Amazon.

The Market On Tuesday

Good morning. At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are +103 and the price of oil per barrel is flat. The market is poised to open significantly higher.

CNN: Earnings galore; Spotify announcement; Wells Fargo anger by Alanna Petroff

Monday, April 23, 2018

Divisive

NY Times: Thank Trump, or You’ll Be Sorry By Diana Butler Bass

Donald Trump has made “thank you” divisive.

The Onion - ‘Politics Was Never This Toxic In The 2010s,’ Says Future American While Watching Candidates Battle In 2048 Debate Pits

The Onion: ‘Politics Was Never This Toxic In The 2010s,’ Says Future American While Watching Candidates Battle In 2048 Debate Pits

AI Mayor

Newsweek: AI Candidate Promising ‘Fair and Balanced’ Reign Attracts Thousands of Votes in Tokyo Mayoral Election By Brendan Cole

This would involve using AI to analyze the positive and negative aspects of petitions, calculating the best way to implement what residents want and resolving disputes.

Donald Trump tweeted about the suit over the weekend, seemingly promising a legal counter move. “So funny, the Democrats have sued the Republicans for Winning,” he wrote on Saturday. “Now he [sic] R’s counter and force them to turn over a treasure trove of material, including Servers and Emails!”

Hannity And Hud

Guardian UK: Michael Cohen case shines light on Sean Hannity's real estate empire - Fox News host who said Trump’s fixer ‘knows real estate’ has a portfolio that includes support from Department of Housing and Urban Development, a fact he did not mention when interviewing secretary Ben Carson last year

Late last month, Hannity’s mortgages were replaced with loans for $22.9m that were rewritten with Carson’s Hud and a new bank. There was no indication that Carson was personally involved in the process. Carson does, however, have the authority to allow Hannity from 2019 to convert the rental complexes into condominiums for sale, which could be lucrative for the television host.

The Swamp

NY Times: Mueller Guides Us Through the Swamp By The Editorial Board

Three years ago, about three months before Mr. Trump announced his candidacy for president, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network fined the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City $10 million for “willful and repeated violations of the Bank Secrecy Act” for failing to report suspicious transactions and failing to properly file currency transaction reports and keep proper records.

Impeachment

NY Times: America Abhors Impeachment By Charles M. Blow

But, although a perspicuous case can be made for his removal, that is an uphill battle because enough of the public and the political class abhor impeachment...

The Market On Monday

Good morning. At 8:35 a.m. ET DOW futures are +25 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open moderately higher.

CNN: Trade tensions ease; UBS dips; Google earnings by Ivana Kottasová

For years Mr. Trump treated Mr. Cohen poorly, with gratuitous insults, dismissive statements and, at least twice, threats of being fired, according to interviews with a half-dozen people familiar with their relationship.

Conspiracy

NY Times: D.N.C. Lawsuit Alleges Trump-Russia Conspiracy By MICHAEL D. SHEAR

Bigger

The Daily Beast: The Democrats’ War Chest to Take Back the House Just Got Even Bigger - The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee outpaced its Republican competitor and raised record cash last month, but still trails narrowly in cash on-hand. by Gideon Resnick

“When we talk about arming teachers, you’re not just asking me to protect the Rachels of this world, you’re asking me to kill the Dylans,” she said.

“Do you understand what you’re asking of me? You’re asking me to kill one of my students,” she said, her voice trembling. “It’s too much to ask.”

Takeaways

NY Times: 6 Takeaways From the James Comey Memos By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT

Mr. Comey depicts Mr. Trump as a man engrossed to the point of distraction with political rivalries and fears that bureaucrats and government officials, including in the F.B.I., were trying to undermine his legitimacy.

Memos

NY Times: Comey Memos Provide Intimate Look Into Trump Presidency By NICHOLAS FANDOS

The memos are exacting in their specificity, including details about who was sitting where, the precise times that conversations began and their durations. In some cases, Mr. Comey shared his accounts with others immediately afterward.

Read

Read the memos here

The Market On Friday

Good morning. At 9:15 a.m. ET the DOW is -9 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open slightly lower.

CNN: GE earnings; Wells Fargo fine; Pound pummeled by Ivana Kottasová

The next stage will be expanding the machines’ intelligence to be able to assemble a chair just by looking at a photograph of the final product, Wired reported.

Guardian UK: Pity lonely James Comey. Republicans aren't joining his fight for decency - Plenty of high-level Republicans privately think Trump should be removed from office. But they remain silent, even as the former FBI director tries to lead the way by Jill Abramson

People, which part of this makes you most unnerved? The fact that the president doesn’t make any sense when he talks or the fact that he devoted a large part of a press conference with the head of one of our most important allies to promoting his resort?

The Market On Thursday

Good morning. At 9:15 a.m. ET DOW futures are -94 and the price of oil per barrel is up, closing in on $70. The market is poised to open significantly lower.

CNN: P&G vitamin deal; Amazon's Prime number; Qualcomm's Chinese hurdle by Ivana Kottasová

The Onion - Hannity Claims Relationship With Cohen Never Went Past Payment For Legal Advice, Defense Strategy In Criminal Cases

The Onion: Hannity Claims Relationship With Cohen Never Went Past Payment For Legal Advice, Defense Strategy In Criminal Cases

Broken laptops, books held together with duct tape, an art teacher who makes watercolors by soaking old markers.

No Apologies

NY Times: Barbara Bush, a First Lady Without Apologies By Jon Meacham

The Market On Wednesday

Good morning. At 9:15 a.m. ET the DOW is +88 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open significantly higher.

CNN: Trump bashes TPP; Tesla's Model 3 ambitions; Starbucks shutdown by Ivana Kottasová