Weekend!

  Have an excellent weekend and see you bright and early Monday morning. Be safe, and be well.

work by Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen

 

All

Raw Story: Pentagon cancels all of Trump’s border wall contracts: report by Bob Brigham

'Ramble On'

Robert Plant, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller

RoF - Mitch McConnell Finally Takes A Shot At Donald Trump

Lure

 Washington Post: From memes to race war: How extremists use popular culture to lure recruits By Marc Fisher

Updates

 NY Times: Covid-19 Live Updates: U.S. to Restrict Travel From India Starting Tuesday, White House Says AstraZeneca’s vaccine generated $275 million in sales. The British government is piloting a program to monitor mass gatherings and see how they can happen safely.

'Ramble On' - Live At Wembley Stadium

Foo Fighters with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones

Stephanie Ruhle - 'Utter Nonsense' - Chuck Rosenberg Blasts Giuliani's Search Warrant Protests

The Lincoln Project - 'First 100'

Drop

 Washington Post: U.S. coronavirus cases drop as spring wave of infections ebbs By Joel Achenbach, Dan Keating and Jacqueline Dupree

Move

 NY Times: Want to Move to Our Town? Here’s $10,000 and a Free Bike. With offers of cash, housing and a budding talent pool, smaller cities and states hope to get in on the ground floor of a new era for remote workers. By Alyson Krueger

The Onion - Democrats Throw Justice Breyer Surprise Retirement Party Hoping He’ll Just Go With It

 The Onion: Democrats Throw Justice Breyer Surprise Retirement Party Hoping He’ll Just Go With It

Excellent

Axios: Merrick Garland rapidly erasing Trump effect at Justice Department by Zachary Basu

Have An Excellent Friday

 embroidery work by Stephanie K Clark

 

MSNBC - Arizona Secretary Of State On The GOP Audi - It Is 'Designed To Continue The Big Lie'

Brian Williams - Will 'America's Crazy Uncle' Rudy Giuliani Flip On Trump?

Rachel Maddow - Actual Elections Experts Head To Arizona As Trump, GOP Fixates On Clumsy 'Audit' Stunt

Raid

 The Palmer Report: Rudy Giuliani pathetically begged FBI agents to investigate Hunter Biden when they raided his home by Bill Palmer

Legacy

Guardian UK: California’s legacy of DDT waste: underwater dump site uncovers a toxic history -  A team of scientists discovered tens of thousands of barrels containing what is believed to be chemical waste Aaron Cantu in Los Angeles

Repair

 Guardian UK: ‘We no longer fear the tweet’: Biden brings US back to world stage in first 100 days - The president has personally moved to repair partnerships, presenting himself as the anti-Trump, but some fear compromises have felt like business as usual Julian Borger in Washington

Israeli Tragedy

 Washington Post: Stampede at religious festival in Israel leaves at least 44 dead, dozens injured By Steve Hendrix, Miriam Berger, Shira Rubin and Jaclyn Peiser

Manipulated

 Washington Post: FBI warned Giuliani, key Trump ally in Senate of Russian disinformation campaign targeting Biden By Ellen Nakashima, Shane Harris and Tom Hamburger

...Giuliani...was being manipulated by the Russian government to promote its interests and that he appears to have brazenly disregarded such fears.

Brutal

NY Times: America Is Brutal to Parents. Biden Is Trying to Change That. by Michelle Goldberg

On Wednesday, Joe Biden unveiled his American Families Plan, which would, among other things, fund paid leave for caregivers, subsidize day care and institute universal preschool.

Europe Recession

NY Times: Europe’s Economy Shrank in First Quarter, Revealing a Recession - Europe’s economy shrank by 0.6 percent in first quarter.

The Market On Friday

  Good morning. At 7:10 a.m. ET DOW futures are -162; the market is poised to open significantly lower.

CNBC: Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt’s family to seek $10 million from USCP in lawsuit by Kevin Breuninger

Maloney On The GOP - You’re Seeing The Death Of A Party That Has Chosen A Path That Is About Nothing

The Lincoln Project - 'Florida Man'

Ari Melber - Trump's 'Scared!' - Michael Cohen Says Rudy 'Knows He's In Trouble' And Will Flip On Trump

Bombshell

Yahoo News: Bombshell Letter: Gaetz Paid for Sex With Minor, Wingman Says by  Jose Pagliery and Roger Sollenberger

Prediction

CNN: Michael Cohen makes prediction about Trump and 2024

CBS News - Giuliani Search Warrant Means 'Sufficient Evidence A Crime Has Occurred'

MSNBC - Prosecutors Ramp Up Criminal Probe Of Rudy Giuliani

CNN - Trump Responds To Giuliani Raid

Meaningless Nonsense

 Washington Post: As Trump seizes on Arizona ballot audit, election officials fear partisan vote counts could be the norm in future elections By Rosalind S. Helderman and Josh Dawsey

Back But Different

 NY Times: The Economy Is (Almost) Back. It Will Look Different Than It Used To. The recovery is profoundly unequal across sectors, unbalanced in ways that have big implications for businesses and workers. By Neil Irwin

Humanity

 Guardian UK: ‘We are witnessing a crime against humanity’: Arundhati Roy on India’s Covid catastrophe - It’s hard to convey the full depth and range of the trauma, the chaos and the indignity that people are being subjected to. Meanwhile, Modi and his allies are telling us not to complain by Arundhati Roy

MSNBC - President Biden Tells NBC He Was Not Aware Of FBI’s Search Of Rudy Giuliani

RoF - Rudy Giuliani's Legal Problems Are Worse Than You Think

Biden

Axios: Biden bets big by Jonathan Swan, Mike Allen

Video

 Washington Post: U.S. prosecutors release video of rioters spraying Officer Brian Sicknick in Jan. 6 Capitol attack By Spencer S. Hsu, Aaron C. Davis, Dalton Bennett, Joyce Sohyun Lee and Sarah Cahlan

GDP

 NY Times: U.S. Economy Rebounds as Pain Caused by Pandemic Eases: Live Updates

The Onion - Biden Names Career Diplomat To Serve As White House Pet

 The Onion: Biden Names Career Diplomat To Serve As White House Pet

Still

CNN: Joe Biden warns democracy is still threatened and Trump's looming shadow proves it by Stephen Collinson

Have An Excellent Thursday

 work by Steve Wheeler 1912 - 1992

MSNBC - Chuck Rosenberg Responds To Federal Agents Executing Search Warrants On Giuliani

MSNBC - Surge Of DOJ Actions On Policing As Biden Nominees Settle In

Nicolle Wallace - GOP Rebuttal Was From A World Where 'Facts Don't Matter'

Of Course

 The Palmer Report: Rudy Giuliani issues completely whacked out late night response to raid by Bill Palmer

Takeaways

Guardian UK: Joe Biden’s speech to Congress: five key takeaways - The president introduced his $1.8tn plan to invest in America, funded by raising the capital gains rate for the wealthy by Maanvi Singh

About two-thirds of Americans support tougher gun laws...

Historic

 Guardian UK: Biden flanked by two women as he addresses Congress in historic first - Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi sit behind the president, in a measure of progress for gender equality in the US by Adam Gabbatt

Momentum

 Washington Post: Opinion: Biden is going big, and momentum is on his side by Gary Abernathy

Adult

Washington Post: Opinion: Biden’s address to Congress proves we have an adult back in the presidency by Jennifer Rubin

Full Transcript

 NY Times: Biden’s Speech to Congress: Full Transcript President Biden unveiled a major proposal to invest in education and families, describing it as “a blue-collar blueprint to build America.”

Ambitious

NY Times: Biden Seeks Shift in How the Nation Serves Its People - The president’s costly proposals amount to a risky gamble that a country polarized along ideological and cultural lines is ready for a more activist government. By Peter Baker

...financed with increased taxes on the wealthiest earners.

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. At 6:40 a.m. ET DOW futures are +159; the market is poised to open significantly higher. Looks like Wall Street is responding well to Biden's speech.

CNBC: There are 7 money personality types, says psychology expert—how to tell which one you are (and the pitfalls of each) by Ken Honda

Satire

 Chicago Tribune: Column: Rudy Giuliani is INNOCENT. (Please ignore the file marked ‘Rudy’s List of Crimes He Did.’) By Rex Huppke

RoF - Trump Loses In Court Again And May Have To Testify Now

Zero

 CNN: Fed leaves rates near zero, reiterates it's not worried about inflation By Anneken Tappe

Gordon's Guide To Mushrooms

RoF - Fox News Tries To Wiggle Out Of Lawsuit By Throwing Trump Lawyers Under The Bus

Reinstate

NBC News: Democrats move to reinstate methane rules loosened by Trump - Democrats and environmentalists called the methane rollback one of the Trump administration’s most egregious actions to deregulate U.S. businesses. By The Associated Press

Read This

 Washington Post: Opinion: Chicken Little learns that Joe Biden wants to take away your hamburgers by Alexandra Petri

Don't Bother

 NY Times: You Don’t Actually Need to Reach Across the Aisle, Mr. Biden By John Lawrence - Dr. Lawrence, a former chief of staff to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has written extensively about Congress and American politics.

Searched

 NY Times: Federal Investigators Search Rudy Giuliani’s Apartment and Office - Prosecutors obtained the search warrants as part of an investigation into whether Mr. Giuliani broke lobbying laws as President Trump’s personal lawyer. By William K. Rashbaum, Ben Protess and Maggie Haberman

The investigators seized Mr. Giuliani’s electronic devices and searched his apartment...

Morning Joe - DC Police Officer Relives January 6 Attack

The Lincoln Project - 'McCarthy'

  Interesting how the name McCarthy has been connected with authoritarianism in America.

This Shoud Be Good

 Axios: Marty Baron writing book on running a newsroom during Trump era by Orion Rummler

Michael Collins Dies

 Washington Post: Michael Collins, Apollo 11 astronaut, dies at 90 By Sarah Kaplan

While Armstrong and Aldrin took their giant leap for mankind, in Armstrong’s memorable phrase, Mr. Collins circled the moon alone...

Updates

 NY Times: Covid-19 Live Updates: As India’s Deaths Surpass 200,000, Focus on Variants’ Role Grows - Scientists are trying to determine what role the coronavirus variants might be playing in driving transmission in India. Germany’s domestic intelligence agency is monitoring a protest group which, in rallying against restrictions and spreading conspiracy theories, has found common cause with extremists.

Shooting

Daily Press: 1 dead, 4 others injured – including 2 teens, infant – in Richmond shooting by Associated Press

The Onion - Researchers Determine Coelacanth Faked Own Extinction To Escape Massive Gambling Debt

 The Onion: Researchers Determine Coelacanth Faked Own Extinction To Escape Massive Gambling Debt

Have An Excellent Wednesday

  'Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth set to Jackie Wilson's 'Higher And Higher'

Brian Williams - Graham Claims His Old Friend Biden Is Destroying America

Rachel Maddow - GOP Incapable Of Assailing Biden Agenda Resort To Made-Up Controversies

Rachel Maddow - Trump's Inability To Accept Election Loss Is A Legal Drag For Some Capitol Riot Defendents

Cruz

 The Palmer Report: Ted Cruz goes berserk after getting fact checked by Bill Palmer

Arizona

 Guardian UK: Arizona passes sweeping anti-abortion bill banning procedure for genetic issues - Under bill signed by the governor, doctors can in some cases face felony charges for performing the procedure

Quits

Guardian UK: New York Post reporter quits citing pressure to write incorrect story about Kamala Harris - Laura Italiano claimed she was forced to write a report about migrant children being given a copy of the VP’s book as part of a welcome kit

Insanity On Full Display

  Truth is I'm not paying attention to the right so much these days. Apparently the right decided that Joe Biden wants Americans to stop eating meat. Biden, of course, never said anything about taking away meat in his proposal to cut carbon emissions. But that doesn't matter to the right, as the right wing went about the process of amplifying and continually replaying this lie. But hey, that's how the right rolls and unfortunately half the country believes the lie. Meanwhile more and more damage is done to the country and the partisan divide deepens.

Washington Post: Opinion: Conservatives serve up a scary dish of nothingburgers by Molly Roberts

“Joe Biden’s climate plan includes cutting 90 percent of red meat from our diets. They want to limit us to about four pounds a year,” tweeted Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).

Package

 Washington Post: White House proposes $1.8 trillion package that would dramatically expand education, safety net programs - Universal preschool and free community college are among a plethora of initiatives that would be paid for by tax increases and IRS changes. By Jeff Stein, Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Laura Meckler and Caroline Kitchener

Why

NY Times:  ‘Why Is It So Expensive?’ We Asked People From Around the World What They Think of U.S. Health Care. Video by Chai Dingari, Adam Westbrook and Brendan Miller

Oregon

 NY Times: Coronavirus cases are surging in Oregon.

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. At 6:35 a.m. ET DOW futures are -37; the market is poised to open moderately lower.

CNBC: India reports record new cases and fatalities, official Covid death toll surpasses 200,000 by Saheli Roy Choudhury

Dave Chappelle - This Industry Is A Monster

NBC News Poll - Trump's Favorability Wanes After Almost 100 Days Out Of Office

Support

MSN: Republicans support the GOP more than Trump for the first time in 2 years, a new poll shows

Competence

 Washington Post: Opinion: Trump’s first 100 days were sheer craziness. Biden’s are sheer competence. by Max Boot

Lifeline

NY Times: Extremists Find a Financial Lifeline on Twitch - QAnon adherents and other far-right influencers are making thousands of dollars broadcasting election and vaccine conspiracy theories on the streaming site. By Kellen Browning

Morning Joe - Majority Supports President Biden's Spending Plan - Poll

Steve Rattner - Biden Second Only To FDR In Number Of Executive Orders

Stephanie Ruhle - Republican-Backed Arizona Election Recount Is A 'Rogue Audit'

Big

 Washington Post: Opinion: On ABC and Fox, a big day for the Big Lie caucus by Erik Wemple

India

 NY Times: ‘This Is a Catastrophe.’ In India, Illness Is Everywhere. As India suffers the world’s worst coronavirus crisis, our New Delhi bureau chief describes the fear of living amid a disease spreading at such scale and speed. By Jeffrey Gettleman

A new variant known here as “the double mutant” may be doing a lot of the damage.

Outside

Axios: CDC: Fully vaccinated people don't need to wear masks outside by Marisa Fernandez and Oriana Gonzalez

Indeed

 Washington Post: Opinion: Biden’s biggest accomplishment is returning sanity to the White House by Eugene Robinson

Ray Bolger - Dance Scene From 'The Harvey Girls' 1946

Have An Excellent Tuesday

work by Sybil Andrews 1898 - 1992 

Rachel Maddow - Company Hired For AZ Republican Ballot Audit Stunt Abandons Pretense Of Transparency

Rachel Maddow - Republicans Put On Show Of Outrage Over Fabricated 'Meat Ban' Boogeyman

The ReidOut - Chauvin’s Violent Track Record As A Police Officer Long Preceded Killing George Floyd

CNBC - India's Health Care System Near Collapse

Rachel

 The Palmer Report: Rachel Maddow just destroyed Kevin McCarthy by Bill Palmer

Dark

 Guardian UK: Republicans still orbiting Trump dark star fail to derail Biden’s first 100 days by David Smith

Staggering

  This atrocity really hurts.

Guardian UK: Thousands of barrels of toxic DDT found dumped in California ocean - Extent of possible toxic waste site near Catalina Island ‘staggering’, says chief scientist on sea survey by The Associated Press

The 27,345 “barrel-like’” images were captured by researchers at the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Draconian

 Washington Post: Opinion: Florida’s new ‘anti-riot’ law is vague and draconian by Lizette Alvarez

Commission

 Washington Post: Opinion: Kevin McCarthy shows why the country needs a Jan. 6 commission by the Editorial Board

(Republicans) insisting that any such panel also investigate far-left antifa violence unrelated to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Drawing this false equivalence would play down the significance of the Capitol’s desecration and the attempted negation of a democratic election.

Failing

NY Times: The Republican Party Is Failing in Too Many Ways By Peter Suderman - Mr. Suderman, an editor at Reason Magazine, has written extensively about politics and the Republican Party.

...the party no longer has a cognizable theory of government.

Updates

 NY Times: Covid-19 Live Updates: Crisis in India Deepens as Countries Pledge Aid - Oxygen and other supplies are unlikely to spare India further catastrophe. In Brazil, Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine isn’t recommended. Greece eased its quarantine requirements for visitors.

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. At 6:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are -1; the market is poised to open flat.

CNBC: Fauci says U.S. should see a turning point in the pandemic ‘within a few weeks’ by Berkeley Lovelace Jr.

MSNBC - 'Dangerous' Trumplicans - GOP Leader Defends Trump Out Of Fear

'Skyscraper'

Elephant

Italian Property Virtual Tour

  This is kind of fun. Hey I can dream, a villa in Italy, why not...

NBC News - House Republicans Gather In Florida For GOP Policy Retreat, Trump Not Invited

Policy? What policy?

Louisville

 Washington Post: Justice Dept. to investigate Louisville police practices after Breonna Taylor’s fatal shooting By David Nakamura

Congress

NY Times: Which States Will Gain or Lose Seats in the Next Congress By Weiyi Cai and Reid J. Epstein

MSNBC - Arizona Republicans Recounting Presidential Election Votes In Maricopa County

  Anyone else have the feeling that the outcome of this dog and pony show will go against Biden. It's amazing what can happen when the judge is ever so biased.

Perseverance Rover's Mastcam-Z Captures Ingenuity's Third Flight

How

 Washington Post: ‘How did that happen?’ Catching covid-19 even after being vaccinated. By Steven Findlay

India

 NY Times: India’s Fashion Artisans Face ‘Extreme Distress’ in Pandemic - The working conditions of the so-called karigars, who make handicrafts for luxury brands, have long been an issue. Now many have no job at all. By Elizabeth Paton

The Onion - Biden Claims It’s Unfair To Attack Administration Over U.S. Borders That Were Created By James K. Polk

 The Onion: Biden Claims It’s Unfair To Attack Administration Over U.S. Borders That Were Created By James K. Polk

Case

 Axios: Supreme Court to hear major NRA-backed gun rights case by Orion Rummler

Have An Excellent Monday

Them - 'Gloria' (live in France)

MSNBC - College Student Invents Safety Pouch To Help Reduce Confrontations During Traffic Stops

MSNBC - Republican States Are Clamping Down On Your Right to Protest

540 Miles - A Colorado Trail Bikepacking Documentary

Stone

 The Palmer Report: Roger Stone is playing a dangerous game by Bill Palmer

Despicable

 Guardian UK: How US chemical industry lobbying and cash defeated regulation in Trump era - Industry’s congressional allies defeated nearly all PFAS legislation while the Trump EPA killed, watered down or slowalked new rules by Tom Perkins

Bold

 Guardian UK: Biden’s 100 days: bold action and broad vision amid grief and turmoil - Biden’s solution to the myriad crises is an ambitious economic agenda that promises to ‘own the future’ by expanding the role of government in American life by Lauren Gambino in Washington DC

Defending The Indefensible

 Washington Post: House Minority Leader McCarthy defends Trump’s response to Jan. 6 insurrection By Amy B Wang and Marianna Sotomayor

Trump released a video statement the day of the attack, but long after the worst of the siege had subsided. The taped message reiterated the lie that the election had been stolen and ended with Trump telling his supporters: “We love you. You’re very special.”

Oscar

 Washington Post: At a subdued but innovative Oscar ceremony, Hollywood affirms a message of inclusion By Paul Farhi

Venezuela

 NY Times: Armed Groups Step Into Venezuela as Lawlessness Grows - With Venezuela in shambles, criminals and insurgents run large stretches of the nation’s territory. We traveled through one of the regions under their control. By Anatoly Kurmanaev

Organized and well-armed, the ELN quickly displaced the local gangs that terrorized villages.

Updates

 NY Times: Covid-19 Live Updates: A Billion Shots, but Global Cases Keep Rising - India continues to set new daily infection records as lower-income countries are left behind richer nations in the inoculation drive. Vaccinated tourists from the United States can visit Europe this summer.

The Market On Monday

  Good morning. At 7:00 a.m. ET DOW futures are +5; the market is poised to open flat.

CNN: India reports record Covid cases for a fifth straight day with more than 350,000 new infections by Saheli Roy Choudhury

Bloomberg - World Pledges Aid For India As Covid-19 Cases Surge

Theory And Practice

 Get Pocket: Why I Hate Living In My Tiny House - Small backyard houses get a lot of attention as a solution to the housing crisis, but it’s a different idea in theory than it is when you try to put it into practice. by Adele Peters

Weekend!

  Have an excellent weekend and see you bright and early Monday morning.

6 Unique Small Homes - Ingenious Fast Construction Housing Technology

Befriending Panic - Body Scan Meditation

Originate

 Newsweek: One-Fifth of QAnon Posts in US Originated in Foreign Countries like China, Russia, Analysis Shows By Jon Jackson

Our Only Home

Ari Melber - Trump’s Legal Tsunami! 45 Facing Pressure With Growing Lawsuits

  Good!

Preview

Lawfare: A Preview of Post-Withdrawal Problems in Afghanistan By Bryce Klehm

Oscar Time

 Washington Post: Fill out your Oscars ballot - Can you predict who will take home the biggest awards of this unusual movie year? By Washington Post Staff

Highest

 NY Times: ‘Excess Deaths’ in 2020 Surpassed Those of 1918 Flu Pandemic By Denise Lu - The U.S. death rate in 2020 was the highest above normal ever recorded in the country — even surpassing the calamity of the 1918 flu pandemic.

Stealth Minivan Dwelling Tour 3.0

  This young man is living in a interestingly decked out mini-van. Although I would never do this, I find it appealing.

Morning Joe - President Biden Gets High Marks From Young Americans In New Polling

  Must admit I am tremendously surprised by Joe Biden. I like everything he has done and he is attempting to do - what a dramatic and important shift.

Arrest

 Axios: Capitol rioter arrested after Bumble match turns him in by Ursula Perano

Scam

 Washington Post: Opinion: The hidden scam behind Tucker Carlson and the right’s ‘replacement’ game by Greg Sargent

The aging Whites this story targets will be relying on social insurance programs whose durability will heavily depend on immigrant taxpayers to sustain it, meaning they have a great deal to lose from decreased immigration.

Brazil

 NY Times: Ravaged by Covid, Brazil Faces a Hunger Epidemic - Tens of millions of Brazilians are facing hunger or food insecurity as the country’s Covid-19 crisis drags on, killing thousands of people every day. By Ernesto Londoño and Flávia Milhoranc

The Onion - Anyone See ‘Ted Lasso’?’ Biden Asks World Leaders, Trying To Steer Conversation Away From Depressing Topic Like Climate Change

 The Onion: ‘Anyone See ‘Ted Lasso’?’ Biden Asks World Leaders, Trying To Steer Conversation Away From Depressing Topic Like Climate Change

Disgraceful

 Yahoo News: Number of Capitol riot arrests of military, law enforcement and government personnel rises to 52 by OLIVIA RUBIN

Have An Excellent Friday

'Who Drew The Map of Canada??' - Jim Gaffigan

Al Franken - Republicans, Dark Money, And Corporate America's Role In Politics

Lawrence O'Donnell - Biden Combats Climate Change With Jobs

Rachel Maddow - Arizona Republicans Embrace The Ridiculous Pursuing Recount For Trump

Gift

 The Palmer Report: This is a huge gift to us by Bill Palmer

Tracking

Guardian UK: Outcry over US Postal Service reportedly tracking social media posts - Report obtained by Yahoo says USPS surveilling via covert program social media activity it describes as ‘inflammatory’ by Coral Murphy Marcos

Now This

 Guardian UK: Climate crisis has shifted the Earth’s axis, study shows Massive melting of glaciers has tilted the planet’s rotation, showing the impact of human activities by Damian Carrington

R And R

Washington Post: Opinion: Everyone is tired. We need to give ourselves an actual break. by Christine Emba

Still

 Washington Post: As economy spikes, Republicans are still waiting for the ‘Biden depression’ that Trump predicted Stock market ‘collapse’ also has yet to materialize By David J. Lynch

Germs Are Good

NY Times: Can We Learn to Live With Germs Again? The health of our bodies and microbiomes may depend on society’s return to lifestyles that expose us to bacteria, despite the risks. By Markham Heid - Mr. Heid is a longtime health and science journalist who has written extensively about the microbiome.

They say that excessive hygiene practices, inappropriate antibiotic use and lifestyle changes such as distancing may weaken those (microbiomes) communities going forward in ways that promote sickness and imperil our immune systems.

Not Content

 NY Times: Republicans Aren’t Done Messing With Elections - Not content with limiting voting rights, they are threatening the integrity of vote counting itself. By Richard L. Hasen - Mr. Hasen is the author of several books about elections and democracy. Last year he proposed a 28th amendment to the Constitution to defend and expand voting rights.

The Market On Friday

  Good morning. At 6:45 a.m. ET DOW futures are +45; the market is poised to open moderately higher.

CNBC: New batch of $1,400 stimulus checks includes more payments for people who recently filed their tax returns by Lorie Konish

Stacey Abrams - Why Republicans Are 'Hysterical' About Suppressing The Vote

'The Hero'

  trailer - One of the better films I've seen on Amazon Prime lately. If your looking for a decent flick this might be it.

Tumble

 AP News: COVID-19 hospitalizations tumble among US senior citizens By MATTHEW PERRONE and CARLA K. JOHNSON

Relevance

 CBS Sports: LeBron James on Knicks' return to relevance: 'League is simply better off' when they're winning James sees New York's winning streak a great thing for the NBA By Sam Quinn

'Intro Delta River Band'

Enriclinare is a friend from Spain, quite a guitar player.

Forbes - Biden 'Strongly Supports' DC Statehood

The Hill - Josh Hawley Is The Only Senator To Vote Against Anti-Asian American Hate Crime Bill

Crime

 Washington Post: Bill to combat hate crimes against Asian Americans passes Senate with bipartisan support By Paul Kane

The vote was 94 to 1. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) was the lone no vote.

Why Indeed

 NY Times: Why Trump Is Still Their Guy - You don’t hear his name as much. But as far as the G.O.P. is concerned, the former president rules. By Thomas B. Edsall

Twisted

 NPR: Q&A: Documentary Unravels Twisted Knots Of QAnon Movement by Domenico Montanaro

MSNBC - Tim Miller Says Republicans Are 'Stuck Between This Rock And A Hard Place'

Lie

 Washington Post: Opinion: The Big Lie has gotten so bad that even some Republicans are running from it by Greg Sargent

“The 2020 election was judged to be the most secure in U.S. history, with no evidence of widespread voter fraud, and the highest turnout in 120 years..."

World Economy

 NY Times: Climate Change Could Cut World Economy by $23 Trillion in 2050, Insurance Giant Warns - Poor nations would be particularly hard hit, but few would escape, Swiss Re said. The findings could influence how the industry prices insurance and invests its mammoth portfolios. By Christopher Flavelle

The Onion - EPA Hoping To Streamline Ecosystem By Hosting Team-Building Lunch Meet-And-Greets Between Species

 The Onion: EPA Hoping To Streamline Ecosystem By Hosting Team-Building Lunch Meet-And-Greets Between Species

Hmm

 CNN: US Capitol Police officer allegedly told units to only monitor for 'anti-Trump' protesters on January 6 By Zachary Cohen

Oxygen

 CNN: Perseverance rover just made oxygen on Mars By Ashley Strickland

End

 Axios: Russia announces end to massive troop buildup near Ukraine by Zachary Basu, Dave Lawler

Have An Excellent Thursday

work by Tiffany Alfonseca

 

Rachel Maddow - Republican Bills Attack Protest Rights - Wink At Running Over Protesters

Ari Melber - Sex Crime Probe Takes Weird Twist - Gaetz Taps Indicted MAGA Megaphone Roger Stone For Help

Brian Williams - Senator John Kennedy Tries (And Fails) To Stump Stacey Abrams

Hammer Time

 The Palmer Report: CNN’s Jim Acosta drops the hammer on Marjorie Taylor Greene by Bill Palmer

Radical

 Guardian UK: The Guardian view on an America First Caucus: a warning democracy is under siege - No one can be sure how far might a radicalised Republican party go

Recognize

 Guardian UK: Joe Biden set to formally recognize Armenian genocide, officials say - The anticipated move could further complicate an already tense relation ship with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish leader

Paper

 Washington Post: How to kick your paper towel habit: It’s easier than you think by Tim Carman

My second step was to buy a stack of flour-sack dish towels. They’re super cheap, super absorbent and super dependable for just about any mess.

India

 Washington Post: India announces most daily new infections in history of pandemic, with nearly 315,000 By Erin Cunningham

Continues

 NY Times: With the Chauvin Verdict, One Battle Is Won. The War Continues. The fight for equality doesn’t end after a single conviction. By Charles M. Blow

Climate

 NY Times: Live Updates: Biden Reasserts U.S. Leadership on Climate Change - President Biden will commit the United States to cutting emissions by half by the end of the decade at a virtual Earth Day summit. Some 40 world leaders, including from China and Russia, will address the conference.

Biden will commit the U.S. to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. At 6:35 a.m. ET DOW futures are -6: the market is poised to open flat.

CNBC: Scientist who helped develop Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine agrees third shot is needed as immunity wanes by Berkeley Lovelace Jr.

Disappear

 Get Pocket: How to Disappear - Is it possible to move through a smart city undetected? by Jessica Leigh Hester

LOL

 

'Fanny - The Right To Rock'

trailer

MSNBC - David Henderson On Potential Derek Chauvin Appeal

Link

 Washington Post: Opinion: The disturbing link between Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene by Greg Sargent

Broad Verdict Agreement

 Yahoo News: 55% of Republicans agree with Chauvin's guilty verdict, poll says by Shawna Chen

The majority of participants who identified as Democrats (85%) or independents (71%) strongly agreed with the verdict.

Chauvin's Pattern Of Abuse

 NY Times: ‘Don’t Kill Me’: Others Tell of Abuse by Officer Who Knelt on George Floyd -  Firsthand accounts accuse Derek Chauvin, the police officer who pressed his knee into George Floyd’s neck in Minneapolis, of using similar tactics on detainees over the years. By Jamiles Lartey and Abbie VanSickle

ROF - Right-Wing Media Disgusted By Chauvin's Guilty Verdict

Lawrence O'Donnell - If Not For A Teenager’s Recording Of Floyd’s Murder, The World Would Have Believed The Police Lie

AG Garland Announces 'Comprehensive Review' Of Minneapolis Policing Practice

Justice

 Washington Post: Opinion: Philonise Floyd: For my brother George Floyd, this is what justice feels like

WTF!

 NY Times: G.O.P. Anti-Protester Bills Include Immunity for Hitting Them With Cars - As the nation reacts to the guilty verdict a jury handed to Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd, Republican-led states are introducing punitive new measures governing protests By Reid J. Epstein and Patricia Mazzei

Republican legislators in Oklahoma and Iowa have passed bills granting immunity to drivers whose vehicles strike and injure protesters in public streets.

The Onion - Elon Musk Unveils Urban Slingshot System Able To Move 6 Pedestrians Across Street Per Hour

The Onion: Elon Musk Unveils Urban Slingshot System Able To Move 6 Pedestrians Across Street Per Hour

Summit

Axios: White House unveils plans for high-profile climate summit by Andrew Freedman, Ben Geman

Where Indeed

  Something smells a little rotten here.

NBC News: Trump administration awarded a firm $1.3 billion to make Covid vaccine syringes. Where are the syringes? The Covid vaccines are here, but the ApiJect syringe is not yet approved by federal regulators and a new factory in North Carolina is not yet built. By Andrew W. Lehren and Laura Strickler

Have An Excellent Wednesday

work by Lorenzo Lotto 1480 - 1556/57

 

 

Rachel Maddow - Bravery Of Witnesses Made The Difference In Chauvin Trial

CNN - Here's What's Next For Derek Chauvin

Reuters - Tears, Joy, Call To Action As Chauvin Is Convicted

Joe

 The Palmer Report: Joe Biden nails it by Bill Palmer

Senseless

 Guardian UK: ‘Enough of the senseless killings’: Biden calls Chauvin verdict ‘a start’ as Democrats demand action - Lawmakers echo Kamala Harris’s call for passage of George Floyd Justice in Policing Act by Maanvi Singh

Darnella Frazier

 Guardian UK: ‘I cried so hard’: the teen who filmed Floyd’s killing, and changed America - Darnella Frazier’s video of Floyd gasping for air became a key piece of evidence in the trial of Derek Chauvin by Gabrielle Canon in San Francisco

Got It Right

Washington Post: Opinion: Unlike so many other times when Black people died at the hands of police, the Chauvin jury got it right by the editorial board

One Step Forward Two Backwards

 Washington Post: Ohio police fatally shoot Black teenage girl just before Chauvin verdict By Randy Ludlow, Hannah Knowles, Reis Thebault and Teo Armus

Now What

NY Times: The Death of George Floyd Reignited a Movement. What Happens Now? Calls for racial justice touched nearly every aspect of American life on a scale that historians say has not happened since the civil rights movement of the 1960s. By Audra D. S. Burch, Amy Harmon, Sabrina Tavernise and Emily Badger

The Knicks

  In a pretty dismal pandemic year, a bright spot for me is that my favorite pro sports team, The Knicks, are having an unexpected great year. They've gone way beyond my expectations. It's a beautiful thing.

 NY Times: Nobody Saw the Knicks Coming Behind Julius Randle, the Knicks have become one of the N.B.A.’s most surprising — and best defensive — teams. Kristaps Porzingis, who? By Marc Stein

Randle’s improvement from deep, after all, is the most significant midcareer increase in long-distance shooting proficiency in league history.

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. At 6:55 a.m. ET DOW futures are +9; the market is poised to open flat.

CNBC: Here’s everything Apple just announced: New iPad Pros, colorful iMacs, AirTags and more by Kif Leswing, Jessica Bursztynsky, and Todd Haselton

Foo Fighters With Rick Astley - 'Never Gonna Give You Up' - London O2 Arena

Chris Hayes - Tearful Celebrations Across U.S. After Chauvin Guilty Verdict

Joy Reid - The Guilty Verdict

MSNBC - Philonise Floyd - 'We Are Able To Breathe Again'

Guilty

 NY Times: Derek Chauvin Trial Live Updates: Chauvin Found Guilty of Murdering George Floyd - Mr. Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was found guilty on all three charges. He stood trial for three weeks in the death of Mr. Floyd, which spurred the largest civil rights protests in decades.

Fallen

 Washington Post: Opinion: George W. Bush shows how far the GOP has fallen by Jennifer Rubin

Verdict Today

 NY Times: Derek Chauvin Trial Live Updates: Jury Reaches a Verdict - The jurors, who deliberated for four hours on Monday then returned to the task on Tuesday, have made a decision on whether to convict Mr. Chauvin of murder. It will be read between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Central.

Soon

 

Good Morning America - Possible New Treatment For COVID-19

MSNBC - State Department Expanding Its ‘Do Not Travel’ List - Urges Against International Travel

MSNBC - Police - Active Shooting Situation At Long Island Grocery Store, Suspect Still At Large

Roaring

Axios: Carbon emissions are roaring back from COVID-19 by Ben Geman

Percy

 Washington Post: What’s new with Percy the Mars rover? By Nick Kirkpatrick, Frank Hulley-Jones and Laris Karklis

Babylonians named it (Mars) Nergal.

Move

 NY Times: How the Pandemic Did, and Didn't, Change Where Americans Move By Jed Kolko, Emily Badger and Quoctrung Bui

...30 million change-of-address requests to the U.S. Postal Service in 2020...

The Onion - Woman Reassures Boyfriend That Just Because She’s Not Screaming Doesn’t Mean She’s Not Enjoying Roller Coaster

 The Onion: Woman Reassures Boyfriend That Just Because She’s Not Screaming Doesn’t Mean She’s Not Enjoying Roller Coaster

Blah

 NY Times: There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing - The neglected middle child of mental health can dull your motivation and focus — and it may be the dominant emotion of 2021. by Adam Grant

Fit

 Esquire: This 5-Move, No-Gym Workout Got Matt Damon Fighting Fit in His Forties - Hollywood PT Jason Walsh reveals the back-to-basics workout that healed Jason Bourne's battered body By Tom Ward

Have An Excellent Tuesday

 work by Florence Pindrys

 

Chris Hayes - Far-Right Republicans Try To Distance Themselves From ‘America First’ Caucus

Ari Melber - 'Lifting Up White Supremacy' - Leaked Doc Shows Trumpian 'America First' Caucus Too Crazy For GOP

CNN - Brianna Keilar - Fox Is Not News No Matter What It Calls Itself

Diving

The Palmer Report:  Kevin McCarthy goes dumpster diving by Bill Palmer

Hopes

 Guardian UK: ‘It would be glorious’: hopes high for Biden to nominate first Black woman to supreme court by Tom McCarthy

Custody

Guardian UK: Judge orders two Proud Boys leaders held in custody over Capitol attack - Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs charged with conspiring to stop 2020 election certification and leading Proud Boys to Capitol by Jada Butler

Wait

 Washington Post: Opinion: All we can do for George Floyd now is wait and worry Opinion by Eugene Robinson

India

 Washington Post: India’s devastating outbreak is driving the global coronavirus surge - Those on the country’s front lines say the wave is worse than anything they have seen before. By Joanna Slater

India is adding more than 250,000 new infections a day — and if current trends continue, that figure could soar to 500,000 within a month...

Change

 NY Times: No, We Don’t Know if Vaccines Change Your Period - We do know that researchers do not study menstruation enough. By Alice Lu-Culligan and Randi Hutter Epstein - Ms. Lu-Culligan is an M.D.-Ph.D. student at Yale School of Medicine, where she studies the immunobiology of pregnancy and fetal development. Dr. Epstein is the writer in residence at Yale School of Medicine and the author of “Aroused: The History of Hormones and How They Control Just About Everything.”

Biden

 NY Times: What’s the Secret of Biden’s Success? The president’s party is finally comfortable in its own skin. By Paul Krugman

The modern version of “only Nixon could go to China” may be “only an old white guy can sell a new New Deal.”

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. At 6:45 a.m. ET DOW futures are -134; the market is poised to open significantly lower.

CNBC: 1 in 4 workers is considering quitting their job after the pandemic—here’s why by Jennifer Liu

Grief

 Get Pocket: Elizabeth Gilbert on Love, Loss, and How to Move Through Grief as Grief Moves Through You - “Grief is a force of energy that cannot be controlled or predicted. It comes and goes on its own schedule. Grief does not obey your plans, or your wishes. Grief will do whatever it wants to you, whenever it wants to. In that regard, Grief has a lot in common with Love.” by Maria Popova

New

  To be released on May 7th.

 

'Fools And Dreamers'

Man spends 30 years turning degraded land into massive forest - full documentary

MSNBC - Michael Eric Dyson - There Is A ‘Race Quake’ Happening In This Nation

The ReidOut - Biden To Deliver Remarks After Verdict In Chauvin Trial .

Not Freedom

 Washington Post: Opinion: The car as a symbol of freedom? Not if you’re Black. Opinion by Paul Butler

Walter Mondale Dies

 Axios: Former Vice President Walter Mondale dies at 93 by Orion Rummler and Margaret Talev

Key And Peele - 'Gay Wedding Advice'

60 Minutes - The Oath Keepers Militia Group's Path To Breaching The Capitol

MSNBC - Former FBI Hostage Negotiator On How Washington Can Escape Political Gridlock

White

 Salon: Marjorie Taylor Greene is a problem Republicans want - The far-right Georgia Republican allows the GOP to distance itself from her while she mainstreams white nationalism By Heather Digby Parton

Response

 Washington Post: Opinion: The latest GOP efforts to bury Trump’s insurrection call for a tougher response Opinion by Greg Sargent

The single greatest threat posed by political radicalization in this country comes from violent right-wing extremism.

Threat

 NY Times: Why Political Sectarianism Is a Growing Threat to American Democracy - The country is increasingly split into camps that don’t just disagree on policy and politics — they see the other as alien, immoral, a threat. Such political sectarianism is now on the march. By Nate Cohn

Al Franken - Republicans, Dark Money, And Corporate America's Role In Politics

MSNBC - Legendary Activist Noam Chomsky On Biden’s Presidency And The Modern GOP

The Lincoln Project - 'An Idea Called America'

Now We Wait

 Axios: "Believe your eyes": Prosecutors make closing arguments in Chauvin trial by Orion Rummler

Packs

 Washington Post: Tyrannosaurs likely hunted in packs rather than heading out solo, scientists find - The new discovery in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument could provide Biden with ammunition to restore the Utah site’s boundaries By Juliet Eilperin

DeSantis

 NY Times: Ron DeSantis Is the Republican Autopsy - As their theory of how to move past Donald Trump, G.O.P. insiders have the governor of Florida. By Ross Douthat

Why

 

Have An Excellent Monday

 work by Laura Knight 1877 - 1970

The Dalai Lama - Finding Peace Of Mind

MTP - GOP Faces Massive Realignment As It Sheds College-Educated Voters

MSNBC - Wanna Bet? GOP Tries and Fails to Distract During Historic Confirmation

Imploding

The Palmer Report: RNC is imploding amid battle over whether to let go of the ghost of Donald Trump by Bill Palmer

Without Training

 Guardian UK: Texas bill to carry gun without permit advances to state senate - If passed, Texans over age 21 could carry a gun without training or a background check. The state would be the 14th to have such a law by Erum Salam

Biden

 Guardian UK: ‘Course record still intact’: Biden on first underwhelming golf outing as president - In contrast, the golf-loving Trump by this point of his presidency had already recorded 19 separate visits to golf courses by Richard Luscombe

Minneapolis

 Washington Post: Minneapolis braces for unrest as Derek Chauvin trial enters final phase By Tim Craig and Holly Bailey

Mars Helicopter

 Washington Post: NASA flies a helicopter on Mars, the first time an aircraft has flown on another planet - The small, four-pound helicopter was to fly to an altitude of just 10 feet in what NASA called a “Wright brothers moment” By Christian Davenport

Perspective

NY Times: My Second Phase of Adulthood - How I’m changing my perspective on life. By Charles M. Blow

...how important it is to live boldly, bravely and openly, to embrace every part of me and celebrate it, to say and write the important things...

Chilling

NY Times: Minnesota Governor Calls Alleged Assaults on Journalists ‘Chilling’ - Gov. Tim Walz said he had told police officers to “make changes” that would allow reporters to do their jobs. By Kellen Browning

The Market On Monday

  Good morning. At 7:00 a.m. ET DOW futures are -89; the market is poised to open significantly lower.

CNBC: Workers are a year into collecting unemployment benefits. It’s causing problems by Greg Iacurc

Eighty

 Get Pocket: 8 Over 80: Fascinating Exploits of People in Their 80s and Beyond - There’s no age limit to embarking on captivating, inspiring adventures. Author and activist Simran Jeet Singh spotlights eight stories about people of a certain age. by Amy Maoz

Weekend!

  Have an excellent weekend and see you bright and early Monday morning.

Valaida Snow - 'Patience and Fortitude' 1946

'Heart Sutra'

Modern Cave House

Craig Melvin - First Guilty Plea Entered In January 6 Capitol Riot Cases

The Lincoln Project - 'The Vote'

Incompatible

 Politico: The GOP-Big Business Divorce Goes Deeper Than You Think - It’s not just about voting rights; it’s that businesses and the Republican Party increasingly care about incompatible things, says Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. By ZACK STANTON

Thoughts And Prayers...

 Washington Post: Liberty University sues ex-president Jerry Falwell Jr., alleging breach of contract and cover-up of scandal The Lynchburg, Va., university is seeking more than $10 million in damages By Nick Anderson

Message

 NY Times: In Russia, a Military Buildup That Can’t be Missed - Russia’s massing of tanks and infantry along its southwestern border with Ukraine was meant to send a message, analysts say. By Andrew E. Kramer

Morning Joe - President Biden's Approval Remains High Approaching 100th Day

The Lincoln Project - '100 Days'