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Thursday, April 27, 2017

Enjoy The Weekend

 I'm taking a rare Friday off this week. Enjoy the weekend, see you bright and early Monday morning, May 1st.

work by Paul SĂ©rusier

Update

The Palmer Report: Second report says Donald Trump and advisers caught on tape plotting treasonous deal with Russia

Flynn

LA Times: Trump's former national security advisor under Pentagon investigation for Russia payments

Guild T-50

  R.J. puts a new reisuue Guild T-50 through some paces. Good player. The T-50 is my latest guitar crush.

Erosion

CNN: Trump's rhetoric is eroding America's moral authority By Leslie Vinjamuri

Seth Myers - Trump Pushes Executive Orders And Tax Cuts

Making A Mockery Of It All

Salon: Donald Trump’s North Korea briefing was a political stunt to get senators to come to him - "I didn't hear anything new," John McCain told CNN about Trump's emergency North Korea summit at the White House VIDEO by Matthew Rozsa

The Onion - Nation’s Sanitation Workers Announce Everything Finally Clean

The Onion: Nation’s Sanitation Workers Announce Everything Finally Clean - ‘Please Try To Keep It This Way,’ Say Workers

Smoking

Science Daily: Diagnosed autism linked to maternal grandmother's smoking in pregnancy
summary - Scientists have looked at all 14,500 participants in Children of the 90s and found that if a girl's maternal grandmother smoked during pregnancy, the girl is 67 percent more likely to display certain traits linked to autism, such as poor social communication skills and repetitive behaviors.

Have An Excellent Thursday

work by Ishikawa Torajii

Rachel Maddow - Jared Kushner courts Scandal With Sketchy Business Backers

Dealmaker - Meh

Axios: The one big thing to understanding Trump

Stress Test

Guardian UK: Donald Trump's first 100 days were a stress test for democracy - We’ve learned a crucial lesson in the past few months: our democracy is not as easily ‘deconstructed’ as Steve Bannon might have hoped by Lawrence Douglas

'Divided As Ever'

Guardian UK: One nation, two Trumps: America as divided as ever after first 100 days - We asked two neighboring communities in Ohio what they make of the president’s first 100 days in office. Their answers paint a disparate picture by Ed Pilkington in Warrensville Heights and Chardon, Ohio

Heist

NY Times: This Isn’t Tax Policy; It’s a Trump-Led Heist by Nicholas Kristof
This isn’t about “jobs,” as the White House claims. If it were, it might cut employment taxes, which genuinely do discourage hiring. Rather, it’s about huge payouts to the wealthiest Americans — and deficits be damned!

Ridiculous

NY Times: President Trump’s Laughable Plan to Cut His Own Taxes By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Borrowing trillions of dollars to provide a huge windfall for people at the top is not one of those reasons.

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is cloudy and 63 degrees here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts maybe some sun later and temperatures in the 70s this afternoon. They're saying we get 80 degrees on Saturday, and generally the trend predicted over the next week has temperatures in the 60s and 70s during the day. This is the sweet zone, it's not too hot and not too cool.

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

  Trump is truly a nut. He says NATO is obsolete, knows nothing about NATO, then decides that he is now responsible for NATO fighting terrorism and therefor NATO is now all of a sudden good, not obsolete. I mean what do we do with this type of nonsense. He doesn't know anything, he makes it up on the fly, he takes credit for things that he has no involvement, he's totally out of touch. This is ridiculous, he's got to go.

CNN: Trump targets NAFTA; Tech earnings; U.S. tax plan by Ivana Kottasová

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Unitelligible

from a deep operative

New Yorker: Donald Trump’s Unintelligible PresidencyBy Amy Davidson

Sunk

The Daily Beast: President Trump’s Tantrums Sink Him in Court Again

Quadros Modernos

Simply outstanding

Block Party

NY Times: Judge Blocks Trump Effort to Withhold Money From Sanctuary Cities By VIVIAN YEE
...multiple jurisdictions have already backed away from sanctuary-style policies since Mr. Trump was elected.

The Onion - Christ Appears In Roman Court To Contest 2,000-Year-Old Riot Charges

The Onion: Christ Appears In Roman Court To Contest 2,000-Year-Old Riot Charges

Facebook Helps

Science Daily: Facebook can function as safety net for the bereaved
summary - Neuroscientists have long noted that if certain brain cells are destroyed by, say, a stroke, new circuits may be laid in another location to compensate, essentially rewiring the brain. Researchers have found that social networks respond similarly after the death of a close mutual friend, providing support during the grieving process.

Have An Excellent Wednesday

work by Ishikawa Torajii

Rachel Maddow - Russians Behind Payments For Flynn's Work For Turkey

Oh Yeah, This is Going To Work....

Axios: White House: GOP botched health care so Trump is taking over

Ripping Up The Environment

Guardian UK: Trump review threatens to rip up Obama protections for wilderness areas - Interior secretary to review past presidents’ national monument designations - Designation of monuments could be ‘rescinded, modified or resized’

Waste Of Money

Guardian UK: Mexico talks tough to Trump as border wall funding appears to stall - Foreign minister called plans ‘hostile’ and an ‘absolute waste of money’, as Trump appears to back down on demand for funding from Congress

Rising Seas

NY Times: As Rising Seas Erode Shorelines, Tasmania Shows What Can Be Lost By JUSTIN GILLIS

The Worst

NY Times: Donald Trump’s First 100 Days: The Worst on Record by David Leonhardt
And I expect that a couple of his biggest so-called accomplishments — aggravating climate change and treating nonwhite citizens as less than fully American — are likely to be judged very harshly one day.

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. It is 52 degrees and raining here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a rainy day with temperatures in the 60s this afternoon. Just wait till tomorrow, 70s and sunshine, works for me.

  At 9:10 a.m. the DOW is +4 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open in the flat area.

  We see that Trump wants to cut corporate taxes to 15% and that is going to do a great job of completing wrecking the American economy. If you think the divide between rich and poor is extraordinary right now, wait till this disaster hits the air waves. You aint seen nothing yet.

CNN: Trump's tax plan; Boeing in focus; Earnings deluge by Ivana Kottasová
Businesses will be interested to see if Trump explicitly pushes for the 15% corporate tax rate he promised during the campaign.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Boris

Palmer Report: Report: Boris Epshteyn was running Russian counterintelligence op within Trump White House

Fight

The Chronicle Of Higher Learning: Meet the Math Professor Who’s Fighting Gerrymandering With Geometry By Shannon Najmabadi

Flowers Bloom Timelapse

Flowers Timelapse from Katka Pruskova on Vimeo.

Flynn Update

NPR: Lawmakers Say It Appears Michael Flynn Acted Illegally In Taking Russian Payments

Keith Olbermann - How The Ouster Of O’Reilly Offers A Roadmap For Removing Trump

  He's got a point, use the same model that took down O'Reilly to damage Trump, consumer pressure as it were.


Korea

BBC: North Korea tensions: US submarine arrives in South Korea

A Tremendous Champion Pussy Grabber

Huffington Post: Ivanka Trump Booed For Claiming Donald Trump Is A ‘Tremendous Champion’ For Women - The first daughter was on a panel with Angela Merkel and Christine Lagarde in Berlin. By Marina Fang

The Onion - Trump Promises Government Will Continue To Fund All Essential Mar-A-Lago Staff During Shutdown

The Onion: Trump Promises Government Will Continue To Fund All Essential Mar-A-Lago Staff During Shutdown

One Thing At A Time

Science Daily: Movie research results: Multitasking overloads the brain - The brain works most efficiently when it can focus on a single task for a longer period of time
Summary - Previous research shows that multitasking, which means performing several tasks at the same time, reduces productivity by as much as 40%. Now a group of researchers specializing in brain imaging has found that changing tasks too frequently interferes with brain activity. This may explain why the end result is worse than when a person focuses on one task at a time.

Have An Excellent Tuesday

work by Ishikawa Toraji

Rachel Maddow - Comey Politics Undercuts Confidence In Trump Russia Investigation

Republicans Wake Up

Axios: Poll: Most Republicans think Trump lies or exaggerates
...but they don't care.

Hanging Onto Stupid

Guardian UK: Would Trump supporters elect him again now? For some Trump voters in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, their new president has already done more than Obama – but others have had enough
“Please, give him a second. He’s already done more than Obama ever did.” (sic)

Back it Up Cupcake

Guardian UK: Trump signals delay on border wall funding to avoid government shutdown - President tells conservative media his $1.4bn demand could be pushed to September, avoiding a spending freeze on his 100th day in office

Get A Job In Solar

NY Times: Today’s Energy Jobs Are in Solar, Not Coal By NADJA POPOVICH

Feeding The Demon

NY Times: Money Talked Loudest at Trump’s Inaugural By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Coal, oil, gas and chemical industries, technology and pharmaceutical companies contributed a big chunk of the record $107 million collected to pay for the inauguration, according to numbers released by the inaugural committee last week.

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. It is 46 degrees and rainy here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a rainy day with temperatures in the low 60s this afternoon. The long range forecast shows a warming trend over the next few days and also quite a bit of rain over the next seven days. Get used to the gray.

  At 9:00 a.m. ET DOW futures are +153 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open significantly higher.

  There's a message floating around on Facebook that nails it. If Trump wants to build his stupid wall, he should start a Go Fund Me page and get his supporters to pay for it.

CNN: Nasdaq near 6,000; Earnings bonanza; Fashion deal by Ivana Kottasová
A banner day for U.S. stocks on Monday pushed the Nasdaq to within striking distance of 6,000 points.

Monday, April 24, 2017

The Borowitz Report - Obama’s Barrage Of Complete Sentences Seen As Brutal Attack On Trump

New Yorker: Obama’s Barrage of Complete Sentences Seen as Brutal Attack on Trump

Why

The Palmer Report: The real reason Donald Trump’s co-conspirators in the Russia scandal were so sloppy By Bill Palmer

TRNN - Temporary Truce In A Democratic Party Civil War - The Sanders And Perez Unity Tour

John Oliver - Ivanka And Jared

The AP Interview

Salon: Donald Trump’s Associated Press interview: 10 things we learned (but may have already known) - Trump brings up the 9/11 terrorist attacks while discussing his ratings. Here's 10 takeaways from a weird interview by Jeremy Binckes
6. Donald Trump has no idea about how drugs come into the country.

The Budget Wall

The Hill: Trump steps up calls for border wall as shutdown looms By Rebecca Savransky

The Onion - U.S. Postal Service Appoints First Leather-Clad Postmistress General

The Onion: U.S. Postal Service Appoints First Leather-Clad Postmistress General

'Restoring Active Memory'

Science Daily: Brain stimulation restores memory during lapses, research shows
summary - Electrical stimulation delivered when memory is predicted to fail can improve memory function in the human brain, a team of neuroscientists shows for the first time. That same stimulation generally becomes disruptive when electrical pulses arrive during periods of effective memory function.

Have An Excellent Monday

work by Glenn Klotz

MSNBC - Marine Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron To Face Off In French Election

AM Joy - Trump’s Approval Slips To Record Lows

Friday At Midnight

Guardian UK: Trump push for border wall threatens to cause government shutdown - Officials unsure if president will sign funding bill without money for wall - Congressional deal to fund government expires at midnight on Friday
“Eventually, but at a later date so we can get started early, Mexico will be paying, in some form, for the badly needed border wall,” the president tweeted, without offering a plan or timeline.

Mexico - Widespread Surge In Drug Gang Violence

Guardian UK: Mexico: surge in drug gang violence leaves 35 dead in one weekend - Fights between gangs have increased since the arrest last year of Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman

Paul Krugman's Latest

NY Times: Zombies of Voodoo Economics by Paul Krugman
His supporters should therefore be dismayed, not just by his failure to actually close any deals, but by the fact that he evidently has no new ideas to offer, just the same old snake oil the right has been peddling for decades.

Business Insider - Animated Map Of What Earth Would Look Like If All The Ice Melted

Charles M. Blow's Latest

NY Times: Resilience of the Resistance by Charles M. Blow
Not only is the movement still strong, it appears to be getting stronger. People have found a salve for their sadness: exuberant agitation. Far from growing limp, the Trump resistance is stiffening and strengthening.

The Market On Monday

  Good morning. It is hazy and 52 degrees here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a hazy day with temperatures in the low 70s this afternoon. That temperature will feel good on the bones as it were. I hope you had a good weekend. Activity has definitely moved to the outdoors, I spent a lot of time outside over the weekend.

  At 9:00 a.m. ET Dow futures are +211 (!) and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open significantly higher.

  The first 100 day reviews of Trump are coming in. What do you think? I think he is an unmitigated failure, it is more than being an unmitigated failure. Trump is dividing the country in a way that is hard to describe. It is extreme, it is ugly, it is thoughtless, it's crude, and above all, it's dangerous. The man clearly is in over his head, he runs on his massive ego anxiety propelled narcissistic energy, and he seems to have no ability whatsoever to keep a lid on his speedy zippy, strange thought process. He just spouts out nonsense. Expect to see the government shut down this week. God help us.

CNN: French election rally; China stocks plunge; Oil stabilizes by Ivana Kottasová

Friday, April 21, 2017

Have An Excellent Weekend

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

work by Paul SĂ©rusier

Mercy

Media Matters: Breitbart Is Not Independent, It's The Communications Arm Of The Mercers' Empire - Top Editors Use Their Roles At Breitbart To Flack For Other Mercer Ventures They Also Work For

Historical

The Hill: Poll: Trump gets historically low approval ratings By Brooke Seipel

Rick Wilson On The Trump White House

The Daily Beast: The Trouble With Trump’s White House Is Donald Trump - If Bannon is cut loose, the old Washington adage of ‘better to have your enemy inside the tent pissing out’ will come into play.

Warn

  The latest in a series of similar topic articles

The Independent: Donald Trump has 'dangerous mental illness', say psychiatry experts at Yale conference - Mental health experts say President is 'paranoid and delusional' by May Bulman
James Gilligan, a psychiatrist and professor at New York University, told the conference he had worked some of the “most dangerous people in society”, including murderers and rapists — but that he was convinced by the “dangerousness” of Mr Trump.

EC

  Matthew Schoening loops his electric cello dance hall style.

The One Hundred

Salon: Donald Trump’s 100 days flip-flop: After campaigning on a “100-day plan,” Trump now calls it a “ridiculous standard” - "Americans will be voting for this 100-day plan," Trump said while campaigning in Gettysburg by Sophia Tesfaye

The Onion - Bill O’Reilly Tearfully Packs Up Framed Up-Skirt Photos From Desk

The Onion: Bill O’Reilly Tearfully Packs Up Framed Up-Skirt Photos From Desk

Fungi Us

Science Daily: Fungi have enormous potential for new antibiotics
summary - Fungi are a potential goldmine for the production of pharmaceuticals. This is shown by researchers who have developed a method for finding new antibiotics from nature's own resources. The findings could prove very useful in the battle against antibiotic resistance

Chaffetz

Palmer Report: Report: former staffer confirms Jason Chaffetz is under FBI investigation

Have An Excellent Friday

work by Edvard Munch

Lawrence O'Donnell - Three O'Reilly Sexual Harassment Accusers Speak Out

French Far-Right Populist Marine Le Pen

Axios: How Trump and Brexit could predict the French elections

God Help Us

Guardian UK: Sarah Palin, Ted Nugent and Kid Rock use White House visit to mock Clinton - Nugent celebrates ‘glowing all American over the top time’ with Donald Trump after Palin says she extended invitation to controversial musicians

Arkansas Begins Conveyor Belt Executions

Guardian UK: Arkansas executions: first prisoner killed after legal challenge fails - Ledell Lee, who maintained his innocence in a brutal 1993 murder, becomes the first to die in state’s historic attempt at quickfire executions

Roger Cohen's Glimpse Of The Future Under President Ivanka

NY Times: Life, Liberty and Ivanka by Roger Cohen

Krugman's Latest

NY Times: The Balloon, the Box and Health Car
(GOPers propose) Millions will lose coverage; or they’ll keep coverage, but it will become so threadbare it’s almost worthless; or premiums will skyrocket for the most needy unless vast sums — hundreds of billions of dollars — are devoted to those high-risk pools.

The Market On Friday

  Good morning. It is cloudy and 50 degrees here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts rainy clouds and temperatures in the 50s this afternoon. The long range forecast has temperatures rising over the next week and sunshine over the weekend. It's nice looking out the window and seeing the leaves and color making their way back into the field of vision.

  At 9:05 a.m. ET DOW futures are +11 and the price of oil per barrel is flat. The market is poised to open ever so modestly higher.

  All these working class people voted for Trump and yet he has come out of the gate removing protections that helped these same people. Trump has given more power and control to corporations. He is giving them the green light to pollute the communities that all of us live in including Trump supporters. Trump would be happy to remove the tiny health care benefits that poorer working class people get from Obamacare and that includes Trump supporters. Trump is removing access to health care for working class women who voted for Trump. We can talk about people in all sorts of ways. One way is that there are two types of people in this particular category. There are people who believe that what happens in the world that does not include themselves and only themselves, does not matter. The world could be burning but as long as they are relatively safe, nothing else matters. And then there are people who feel inclusion, feel that they are one little part of a big entity, and that big entity needs to be healthy and cared for.

CNN: Paris attack; Market whiplash; Samsung's new phone by Ivana Kottasová

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Arrest

Palmer Report: Trump-Russia scandal: U.S. announces it’s seeking arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

A 'Grand Theory'

  The 'Grand Theory' has to do with Trump-Russia gate. Here you will find details.

Medium.com: Grand Theory - Supp.1

Democracy Now - Noam Chomsky On Trump's First 75 Days And Much More

   Chomsky laughs at the notion of Russian interference in the US election. He points out America's history of deliberately overthrowing governments and such. No, Chomsky is not on board with Russia-Trump-Gate, he actually favors Russian American improved relations.

A Farewell To Bill O'Reilly From Stephen Colbert And 'Stephen Colbert'

The Onion - Oklahoma State Penitentiary Unveils New In-Chamber Entertainment System To Keep Inmates Occupied During Lethal Injections

The Onion: Oklahoma State Penitentiary Unveils New In-Chamber Entertainment System To Keep Inmates Occupied During Lethal Injections

Cabozantinib

Science Daily: By boosting innate immunity, researchers eradicate aggressive prostate cancer in mice - Drug activates neutrophils instead of T cells, leading to cancer clearance
summary - Cabozantinib, an FDA-approved drug for patients with certain types of thyroid or kidney cancer, was able to eradicate invasive prostate cancers in mice by causing tumor cells to secrete factors that entice neutrophils -- the first-responders of the immune system -- to infiltrate the tumor. This novel approach, utilizing the innate immune system, produced near-complete clearance of invasive prostate cancers within 48 to 72 hours.

Have An Excellent Thursday

work by Edvard Munch

Rachel Maddow - Erik Prince Acted As Trump Envoy in Russian Meetings - Report

Boat-Gate

Palmer Report: You lost your boat in the wrong part of the world, Mr. President

'Heartless'

Guardian UK: Mother of four deported to Mexico as lawyer decries Trump's 'heartless policy' - Maribel Trujillo deported from Ohio to Mexico, in latest sign Trump administration is indiscriminately targeting undocumented immigrants

Anti-Semitism

Guardian UK: I was the target of a neo-Nazi ‘troll storm' - Tanya Gersh was targeted by the ‘alt-right’ for being Jewish after getting caught up in the notoriety surrounding Richard Spencer. She tells Lois Beckett about the trauma of her experience and the antisemitism leveled at her

Trump In North Korea

NY Times: The North Korea-Trump Nightmare by Nicholas Kristof
...the most frightening nightmare is of him blundering into a new Korean war.

Charles M. Blow's Latest

NY Times: A Fake and a Fraud
He isn’t cunningly unpredictable; he’s tragically unprepared and dangerously unprincipled.

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is 48 degrees and overcast here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a rainy day with temperatures in the 60s this afternoon. The long range forecast is predicting that next week will be sunny.

  At 9:15 a.m. ET DOW futures are +34 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open moderately higher.

  Do not forget that one of Trump's main techniques for gaining support from people, was the way that he would trash everything. This was the worst deal, this was the worse this, this was the worse that. And then he would insert that only he, Trump, could fix it. This is simply a technique that he utilized over and over. You can try it yourself. It works with people who are suspicious and don't really have good explanations, people who are struggling, people who are overwhelmed with emotional issues and such, people who are fed up and have no specific grievance but just a general grievance. Don't forget this.

CNN: Oil drops; Verizon reports; U.S. futures rise by Ivana Kottasová

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Something's Up

Palmer Report: Something new is afoot between Paul Manafort and the FBI in Trump-Russia scandal

'Life Accordion To Trump'

Comment

  Naturally, we are seeing the radical right blame O'Reilly's firing on the left. It couldn't possibly be O'Reilly himself who ultimately gets the credit.

  Meanwhile, many of us nostalgically long for a period when any well known figure like O'Reilly actually owns up to his or her vile actions. I won't hold my breath as this is the era of more than disturbing narcissism, billionaire egos, and god complexes. Hopefully his victims can find some relief.

'Burn'

Norah Jones

Bye Bye Gasbag

NY Times: Bill O’Reilly Is Forced Out at Fox News By EMILY STEEL and MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT

Radio Lab - Killer Empathy

Gratitude

  It’s taken me a while but I now realize that there is something to be grateful for about Trump. Trump believes that his experience as a real estate mogul and TV personality makes him suitable to be president and 40 percent of the country agreed. Mix that exalted job experience with his noteworthy narcissistic personality and voila, we got a president.

  However, take that same degree of unparalleled narcissism and mix it with another profession; say world’s largest pig slaughtering executive and you can see where I’m going with this.

  This is where my gratitude starts. Trump definitely could have been in a different profession to use as his springboard into leader of the free world. Pig slaughterer would be much much scarier and consequently we can take some measure of comfort with this knowledge.

Over Billed

  You know damn well this turd is not flushing, he'll be back somewhere.

Salon: Bill O’Reilly’s Fox News tenure is finished: report - The former host of "The O'Reilly Factor" could not survive the sexual misconduct scandals by Taylor Link
...O’Reilly hopes to host one last show so that he can say goodbye to his loyal viewers. As of right now, it appears as if Fox executives will deny O’Reilly this request...

The Onion - Pastor Talking To Non-Christian Who Just Lost Wife Can Smell Blood

The Onion: Pastor Talking To Non-Christian Who Just Lost Wife Can Smell Blood

Beetroot

Science Daily: With beetroot juice before exercise, aging brains look 'younger'
summary - Drinking a beetroot juice supplement before working out makes the brain of older adults perform more efficiently, mirroring the operations of a younger brain, according to a new study.
Eating Well: Ginger-Beet Juice

Tuttle

Art Space: Richard Tuttle on Why He Finds Solace in the Spirituality of Art—Not Religion

Have An Excellent Wednesday

work by Jim Sande

Rachel Maddow - Trump Foreign Policy Antics Raise Question, Stupid Or Nefarious?

Next

Axios: What happens next in the high-stakes Georgia runoff

The Dude Is Losing It

Palmer Report: Brain specialist doctor believes Donald Trump’s frontal lobe is failing By Bill Palmer
“Cognitive failure in Trump: naming functions located frontotemporal regions of brain. Recall and reasoning fail concurrently”

Moving On

Guardian UK: These Americans moved to Canada for political reasons. They don't regret it - Starting over in a new country is never easy, but for these Americans it was the only choice that made sense – and they haven’t looked back since
Obtaining citizenship is a six-month to two-year process that costs, on average, $4,000 to $5,000 in legal fees, says New Jersey-based immigration lawyer Veronique Malka. Applicants are evaluated on a 100-point system based on English and French language skills, education, work experience, age and employability.

Trump's Brutal Deportation Policy

Guardian UK: Deportation of 'Dreamer' to Mexico appears to be first under Trump - Juan Manuel Montes has lived in the US since age nine and was supposedly protected by Obama-era policy, prompting an outcry from activists

A Solid Maybe

NY Times: Georgia Didn’t Affirm Trump by Frank Bruni
It’s a very loud maybe: a question mark in a situation where many partisans and prognosticators itched for an exclamation point.

48.1 Percent

NY Times: Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, Narrowly Misses Outright Win in Georgia House Race By JONATHAN MARTIN and RICHARD FAUSSET
Mr. Ossoff received 48.1 percent of the vote, just short of the 50 percent threshold needed to win the seat, and he will face Karen Handel, the top Republican vote-getter, in a June runoff.

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning it is 48 degrees and cloudy here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a mostly cloudy day with temperatures in the high 50s this afternoon. Looks like we're in for temperatures in the 50s and 60s with plenty of rain over the next week.

  At 9:10 a.m. DOW futures are +38 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open moderately higher.

  Jon Ossoff almost got over the finish line last night. There will be in a final election for the Georgia Congressional slot in June. Hopefully he can gain a few more points and win. Notice that Bill O and FOX are in end of the road talks. As I never listened to the guy, it's meaningless to me. The only time I paid any attention to him is when his misery nonsense seeped out beyond his miserable show and made some sort of noise in the media. At that point I simply think of him as a hopeless windbag.

CNN: Bank earnings; Pound hangover; French election thriller by Ivana Kottasova
The French presidential election is heating up ahead of a first round vote on Sunday. Four leading candidates are fighting for two spots in a runoff scheduled for May 7.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Lapses

Palmer Report: Donald Trump’s mental lapses rapidly worsen as he keeps calling Paul Ryan by wrong name

Her Photos

Medium: Fairytale Prisoner by Choice: The Photographic Eye of Melania Trump

Et Tu Rudy?

Palmer Report: Intel source: in Russia scandal, Rudy Giuliani has now flipped on Donald Trump after all By Bill Palmer

Mob Boss

Salon: Trump’s deep links to organized crime: Federal investigators know and the public is catching on - As Trump built his empire, he attracted a criminal element whose ties still bind by Jefferson Morley

The Onion - Trump Administration Refusing To Disclose Names Of White House Diamond Elite Members

The Onion: Trump Administration Refusing To Disclose Names Of White House Diamond Elite Members

The Pill

Science Daily: Oral contraceptives reduce general well-being in healthy women
summary - One of the most common combined oral contraceptive pills has a negative impact on women's quality of life but does not increase depressive symptoms. This is shown by a major randomized, placebo-controlled study.

Have An Excellent Tuesday

work by Edvard Munch

Lawrence O'Donnell - Trump Faces New Resistance And Low Poll Numbers

Morning Joe - Trump Loses Ground In Key Character Traits - Poll

Georgia

Axios: How to watch today's Georgia special election

Loss

The Daily Beast: Hillary Clinton to President Obama on Election Night: ‘I’m Sorry’ I Lost - A dishy new book details the avoidable missteps—and the unstoppable forces—behind Hillary Clinton’s shocking campaign loss.

Fight Back

Guardian UK: Bernie Sanders and Tom Perez rally red and swing state liberals to 'fight back' - Vermont senator and DNC chairman embark on eight-state, 6,000 mile ‘come together, fight back’ tour to unify the party after a stinging election night loss

Arkansas Conveyor Belt Executions

Guardian UK: Supreme court blocks Arkansas from flurry of executions - Late-night decision stays death of Don Davis, and prevents start of schedule that planned killings of several prisoners this month

Drift

NY Times: As Trump Drifts Away From Populism, His Supporters Grow Watchful By PETER BAKER
“As long as he does his hard-line stuff on immigrants, he’s going to hold onto a lot of those people,” said John B. Judis, author of the new book “The Populist Explosion.”

Taxes

NY Times: Trump’s Unreleased Taxes Threaten Yet Another Campaign Promise By ALAN RAPPEPORT

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. It is 45 degrees and mostly sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a sunny day with temperatures in the 60s this afternoon. Looks like we might have a couple of very pleasant Spring days, then it's rain, rain, rain. We are beginning to also see the return of leaves to some trees, their buds are swelling and the leaves are soon to be seen. Spring is great.

  At 9:10 a.m. ET DOW futures are -64 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open moderately lower.

  Looks like Trump is not going to reveal his taxes, and what exactly is he hiding. He wants tax reform yet without his taxes we are unable to see exactly how much reform would directly benefit himself. Bottom line, it's looking like Trump wants tax reform with one main point in mind, that is to benefit himself. He wants to pay even less than the apparent nothing he pays now, all while you and I pay our taxes and it costs us a lot.

CNN: Tax reform delays; U.K. election, United analyst call by Ivana Kottasova
Speaking of taxes -- Tuesday is the final day to file 2016 U.S. tax returns with the IRS.

Monday, April 17, 2017

Belief

Washington Post: This brutal new poll shows that fewer and fewer people believe Trump’s lies By Greg Sargent

Winning

NY Times: Trump Voters in a Swing District Wonder When the ‘Winning’ Will Start By MATT FLEGENHEIMER

Digby's Latest

Salon: Maxine Waters, Donald Trump and impeachment: One Democrat is ready — her party and the American people may follow - A California Democrat calls for impeachment, and the world says it's too early. That might change — and quickly by Heather Digby Parton

David Brooks Writes

From April 7th

NY Times: The Coming Incompetence Crisis by David Brooks
...is too incompetent to recognize his own incompetence. He mistakes his catastrophes for successes and so accelerates his pace toward oblivion. Those who ignore history are condemned to retweet it.

Racism 2016 Style

Washington Post: Racism motivated Trump voters more than authoritarianism By Thomas Wood
The biggest movement was among those who voted for the Democrat, who were far less likely to agree with attitudes coded as more racially biased.

The Onion - Whale Won’t Shut Up About Time It Was Beached

The Onion: Whale Won’t Shut Up About Time It Was Beached

Totally Random

Science Daily: 25 is 'golden age' for the ability to make random choices - At their peak, humans outcompete many computer algorithms in generating seemingly random patterns
summary - People's ability to make random choices or mimic a random process, such as coming up with hypothetical results for a series of coin flips, peaks around age 25, according to a study.

Have An Excellent Monday

work by Edvard Munch

Lawrence O'Donnell - Trump Flips 4 Opinions In 7 Days

Disgusting

NBC News: Trump Calls for Investigation Into Tax Day Protesters, Tweets ‘Election Is Over!’ by Daniella Silva

Easter Rant

Palmer Report: Donald Trump’s Easter morning Twitter rant is his strangest holiday meltdown yet By Bill Palmer
Trump tweeted - "Someone should look into who paid for the small organized rallies yesterday. The election is over!"

Treason

Palmer Report: Intel sources: Donald Trump and three advisers caught on tape committing Russian treason By Bill Palmer

Mental Health

Guardian UK: Healthcare for Americans with mental illnesses worsened after recession - Study finds people still had limited access to mental healthcare from 2008-2014 as Affordable Care Act and other laws unable to overcome financial downturn

'Trump's Resolve'

Guardian UK: Mike Pence warns North Korea: do not test Trump's resolve - US vice-president cites the missile strike against Syria during a visit to South Korea and says ‘all options are on the table’

Justice Assailed

NY Times: 100 Days of Horror by Charles M. Blow
But somewhat below the radar, or at least with less fanfare, our access, inclusion and justice are being assailed by a man who lied on the campaign trail promising to promote them.

Reckless

NY Times: President Trump’s Loose Talk on North Korea By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Mr. Trump needs to be firm, not reckless in his talk, ratchet up sanctions and find a way to engage the North in negotiations.

The Market On Monday

  Good morning it is 57 degrees and sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley. The long range forecast has temperatures in the modest 60s over the next week. I hope you had a good holiday weekend, it's always nice to get together with family members and share food.

  At 9:10 a.m. ET, DOW futures are +45 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open moderately higher.

  Reports are coming out with more news about Trump-Russia. It looks pretty damning and one suspects that there are many people at this point who have highly detailed information about Trump's inner circle colluding with Russia. It was a quid pro quo arrangement. Russia would hack away and assist Trump in gaining the White House. Trump would reciprocate by loosening up USA - Russia policy. This certainly explains the softer Russia language we've heard from Trump. The question now is, how will this play out. With Trump focusing on war with North Korea, we may have found the Reichstag moment. It's war.

CNN: China GDP; North Korea tensions; United Airlines results by Ivana Kottasova
Pence, who was in South Korea, said that Pyongyang should not test the resolve of the U.S. "or the strength of our military forces."

Louise Mensch Writes

  If true, holy shite.

Patribotics: Carter Page Went to Moscow With a Tape of Donald Trump Offering Treason For Hacking

Friday, April 14, 2017

The Weekend

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

work by Paul SĂ©rusier

Scandal

Palmer Report: Intel sources: first big arrests in Donald Trump’s Russia scandal could come next week

P.J. O'Rourke On Trump's Demise

Salon: WATCH: Humorist P. J. O’Rourke on Donald Trump’s impending doom: “You could be really unpleasantly surprised” by how it happens - Conservative humorist P. J. O'Rourke has made no peace with Trump — and sees little hope on either left or right by Andrew O'Hehir

Morning Joe - Pentagon Releases Footage Of Afghan Bomb Strike

Flake

Salon: “You work for us”: Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake faces hostile town hall - Flake, a vulnerable Republican, was flamed over Trump's border wall, the secretary education and climate change by Matthew Rozsa

The Onion - Woman Happy To Have Such Good Takeout Places She Can Call When Feeling Low

The Onion: Woman Happy To Have Such Good Takeout Places She Can Call When Feeling Low

Enceladus And Europa

Science Daily: New insights into 'ocean worlds' in our solar system
summary - Two veteran NASA missions are providing new details about icy, ocean-bearing moons of Jupiter and Saturn, further heightening the scientific interest of these and other "ocean worlds" in our solar system and beyond. Scientists announce that a form of chemical energy that life can feed on appears to exist on Saturn's moon Enceladus, and researchers also report additional evidence of plumes erupting from Jupiter's moon Europa.

Have An Excellent Friday

work by Jean Dubuffet

The Wall

ProPublica: Trump’s Wall: How Much Money Does the Government Have For It Now? $20 million. That’s enough to cover the cost of seven miles of wall. by T. Christian Miller

Win At All Costs

Axios: Trump's desire to win is shaping his presidency

Hmm

Palmer Report: Source: foreign intel gives tape to FBI of Donald Trump’s kids engaging in criminal behavior By Bill Palmer

Rachel Maddow - British Intel Agency Reported Trump Campaign Russia Ties

$16 Million Per

Guardian UK: MOAB attack on Isis was a baffling choice in cold-blooded terms of cost - Using ‘mother of all bombs’ in Afghanistan to kill 36 militants – at $450,000 each – will not change its reputation as a white elephant
Each MOAB, or massive ordinance air blast – nicknamed the “mother of all bombs” – costs $16m out of a total program cost of $314m which produced about 20 of the bombs.

Pro Kremlin Page

Guardian UK: Former Trump adviser Carter Page held 'strong pro-Kremlin views', says ex-boss - Page left the consulting firm Eurasia Group in 1998, suggesting his Russian sympathies were known for nearly two decades before he joined Trump campaign

Krugman's Latest

NY Times: Can Trump Take Health Care Hostage? by Paul Krugman
Implicitly, he’s saying that hurting innocent people doesn’t bother him as much as it bothers his opponents. Actually, this is probably true...

Fixation

NY Times: Jeff Sessions, Unleashed at the Border By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
It reflects his long fixation — shared by his boss, President Trump — on immigration not as an often unruly, essentially salutary force in American history, but as a dire threat. It denies the existence of millions of people who are a force for good, economic mainstays and community assets, less prone to crime than the native-born — workers, parents, children, neighbors and, above all, human beings deserving of dignity and fair treatment under the law.

Markets Are Closed On Good Friday

  Good morning. It is sunny and 45 degrees here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts sunshine and temperatures in the 60s this afternoon. Looks like we are back into the 80s on Sunday, the greening of the Northeast is on track.

  Certainly one of the more noteworthy reveals on Thursday was this line from the Guardian:

"“They now have specific concrete and corroborative evidence of collusion,” the source said. “This is between people in the Trump campaign and agents of [Russian] influence relating to the use of hacked material." 

  Trump could be in some deep hot water, however Presidents are given an awful lot of latitude and deference. I suspect he would never get jail or any of that, but his popularity, effectiveness, and viability are faltering. He's definitely giving a boost to left wing activism.

Reuters: U.S. retail sales fall for second straight month on weak automobiles
The Atlanta Federal Reserve is forecasting GDP rising at a 0.6 percent rate in the first quarter. This would be the weakest performance in three years and follows a 2.1 percent growth pace in the fourth quarter.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

'In Order Of Disappearance'

trailer

Prediction

Politico: Prediction prof: Trump will be impeached By Edward-Isaac Dovere

GBU-43

ABC News: US drops 'mother of all bombs' on ISIS forces in Afghanistan By Luis Martinez

Wikipedia: GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast
The basic operational concept bears some similarity to the BLU-82 Daisy Cutter, which was used to clear heavily wooded areas in the Vietnam War and in Iraq to clear mines and later as a psychological weapon against the Iraqi military.

Guilty

Guardian UK: British spies were first to spot Trump team's links with Russia - Exclusive: GCHQ is said to have alerted US agencies after becoming aware of contacts in 2015

The Most

The Sydney Morning Herald: 'The most ill-informed, under-prepared, and psychologically ill-equipped president in US history' by Fergus Hunter
Former Australian foreign minister Mr Evans labelled Mr Trump as "manifestly the most ill-informed, under-prepared, ethically challenged and psychologically ill-equipped president in US history"

Demagogues

From Jeff Guinn author of 'Manson' on demagogues

"Almost all Demagogues appeal to the worse side of their potential followers. They simply think that if together, they can represent the best in humanity, then everyone else will want to follow suit. At the same time, more and more they have to forgive the demagogue’s excesses. He can convince people that if outsiders are attacking or criticizing him, then what they are really doing is criticizing the greater mission and the thing that is bigger than any individual."

The Onion - Man Knows He Must Ride Unexpected Urge To Clean As Far As It Will Take Him

The Onion: Man Knows He Must Ride Unexpected Urge To Clean As Far As It Will Take Him

DeeDee

Science Daily: Meet 'DeeDee,' a distant, dim member of our solar system
summary - Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers have revealed extraordinary details about a recently discovered far-flung member of our solar system, the planetary body 2014 UZ224, more informally known as DeeDee.

Have An Excellent Thursday

work by Jean Dubuffet

Rachel Maddow - Trump's 'Not Going Into Syria' Vow Ignores 1000+ US Troops There

Lawrence O'Donnell - The Madman Is Still Loose In The White House

Global Warming - Trump

Axios: Trump administration vs. global climate accord

Private Email Server In Trump Tower for Russia

Palmer Report: Was Trump Tower’s Russian email server really located in Carter Page’s adjacent office? By Bill Palmer

Idiot

NY Times: Sean Spicer’s Teeny Little Slip-Up by Andrew Rosenthal

But...

Guardian UK: 'I like Steve, but ...': Trump gives tepid approval of Bannon amid staff infighting - President downplayed top adviser’s contribution to campaign with lukewarm interview response a week after removing Bannon from national security council

Conveyor Belt Executions In Arkansas

Guardian UK: Mentally ill man set to die in Arkansas 'conveyor belt' executions - The case of Bruce Ward, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, is glaringly at risk of flouting constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment

Out For Blood

NY Times: Can the G.O.P. Turn Back the Tide of Town Hall Anger? by Arthur C. Brooks
Many are facing large, well-organized crowds who are out for blood. Even in deep red states like Utah and South Carolina, progressive groups are making these events a living hell for the Republicans...

Stand Up

NY Times: How to Stand Up to Trump and Win by Nicholas Kristof

Sharp and Raqib: 198 Methods of Nonviolent Action
31. “Haunting” officials
32. Taunting officials

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is 43 degrees and overcast here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the 60s this afternoon. It is definitely getting greener around these parts. The shrubs are getting green, the grass is green, the early flowers are out, and the forsythia is out. Now we need to get our minds around living with the upcoming warm weather, Winter is gone.

  At 9:10 a.m. ET DOW futures are -35 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open moderately lower.

  Another day living under the thumb of Trump the dictator. What will this man do today. We are seeing more of an evolution in the Trump Russia connection. I was speaking with a friend from NYC yesterday, someone I have not spoken with in a while, and I asked if he thought that Trump worked in collusion with Russia to help throw the election. His reaction was telling, he is absolutely certain that Trump worked in collusion with Russia to throw the election. It's important to know that many many people believe this, as do I. The evidence is not smoking, it's on fire. It's not about if there's smoke there's fire, there's fire.

CNN: Bank earnings; U.S. dollar slips; China trade booms by Ivana Kottasova
New data from the International Energy Agency show that OPEC countries are sticking with an agreement reached with other producers aimed at cutting production.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

'They’ve Been Had'

Palmer Report: FBI isn’t just outing Carter Page. It’s signaling to his Trump-Russia co-conspirators they’ve been had. By Bill Palmer

Pope

Guardian UK: Pope opens free launderette for Rome's homeless people - Pope Francis Laundry – which provides detergent, irons and tumble dryers – is latest papal initiative to help city’s poor

Manafort

Huffington Post: Trump’s Former Campaign Manager Paul Manafort Registers As Foreign Agent - Manafort is the second former Trump adviser to emerge as a foreign agent. By Paul Blumenthal

O What

NY Magazine: Bill O’Reilly Is Going on Vacation. Will His Show Return? By Gabriel Sherman

Digby's Latest

Salon: Donald Trump is coming for your Social Security: How the GOP plans a bait and switch to cut taxes — and pensions - Republicans have not given up on their dream to kill the social safety net while cutting taxes by Heather Digby Parton

The Onion - Man Tries Using Pink 6-Pound Bowling Ball To Great Amusement

The Onion: Man Tries Using Pink 6-Pound Bowling Ball To Great Amusement

Exercise And The Heart

  If this sounds like you, then please also consult your cardiologist or physician first.

Science Daily: Exercise associated with improved heart attack survival - Chances of survival increased as amount of exercise rose
summary - Exercise is associated with improved survival after a heart attack, according to research. The chances of survival increased as the amount of exercise rose, the investigators report.

Have An Excellent Wednesday

work by Jean Dubuffet

James Renne

Pro Publica: Official Involved in Bush-Era Purge of Gay Employees Now in Trump Administration - A government investigation found that Jim Renne was a key player in a scandal in which staff were targeted on the basis of sexual orientation. by Justin Elliott
James Renne was appointed to the Trump “landing team” at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence...

Out

Axios: Trump kneecaps Bannon
Allies of Steve Bannon fear the White House chief strategist is about to be pushed out...

Lawrence O'Donnell - The World Tests Trump

Rachel Maddow - White House Ineptitude Represented In Its Spokesman Spicer

Bannon

Guardian UK: 'I like Steve': Trump gives tepid approval of Bannon amid White House infighting - President downplayed top adviser’s contribution to campaign with lukewarm interview response a week after removing Bannon from national security council

Ron Estes Wins In Kansas

Guardian UK: Kansas election: Ron Estes scrapes Republican victory deep in Trump heartland - Both president and Mike Pence joined last-minute effort to get out vote in Congressional election that hinted voter loyalty may be shifting

Carter Page

Good recap -

Palmer Report: FBI obtained damning enough evidence to get FISA warrant on Carter Page renewed at least twice By Bill Palmer

Why

NY Times: Why Is Trump Fighting ISIS in Syria? by Thomas L. Friedman

Shift

NY Times: Trump’s Shift on Russia Brings Geopolitical Whiplash By PETER BAKER
Either way, it suggested that the relationship between the two powers could be volatile in the months to come, subject to the impulsive reactions of a president with no prior experience in foreign policy...

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. It is 55 degrees and raining here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts rain and temperatures in the 60s this afternoon. I'm not seeing anything that looks like snow or freezing temperatures in the long range weekly forecast. Spring is here.

  At 9:05 a.m. ET DOW futures are -18 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open slightly lower.

  In the last 24 hours we re-learned that Spicer is an utter thoughtless moron or he is truly an evil pig or both. We learned that Trump pulls it all out of his behind and this is especially in reference to his absurd claim that Obama bugged his lying behind. We learned that Carter is under a FISA warrant investigation by the FBI and that this is the most clear evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Also we are heading into deepening waters with Russia over Syria (conveniently we might add) and deepening waters with North Korea. Trump has got to go, he must abdicate the throne, he is in over his head and he is seriously flawed as both an individual and as a politician of any sort let alone president.

CNN: Airlines in focus; OPEC report; China trade by Ivana Kottasova
The oil cartel will release its latest monthly oil report later on Wednesday.

The main focus for investors is whether top producers are keeping their promise to slash output.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Trump's B.S.

  He pull this shite out of his behind and then throws it out there. He's like a monkey throwing shite out at the gawking public.

CNN: CNN Exclusive: Classified docs contradict Nunes surveillance claims, GOP and Dem sources say By Jim Sciutto, Manu Raju and Eric Bradner
Their private assessment contradicts President Donald Trump's allegations that former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice broke the law by requesting the "unmasking" of US individuals' identities. Trump had claimed the matter was a "massive story."

'Liars, Fires, And Bears'

trailer - very solid indie film. *** three stars

Clearest Evidence

Washington Post: FBI obtained FISA warrant to monitor former Trump adviser Carter Page
This is the clearest evidence so far that the FBI had reason to believe during the 2016 presidential campaign that a Trump campaign adviser was in touch with Russian agents.

Morning Joe - Trump Steps Into Kansas Special Election Fray

Ivanka Said So

Telegraph UK: Donald Trump's action in Syria proves he is not in league with Putin, says his son Eric
He (Eric Trump) also confirmed that President Trump’s decision to bomb a Syrian airbase to punish President Bashar al-Assad for a nerve gas attack last week was influenced by the reaction of his sister Ivanka, who said she was “heartbroken and outraged” by the atrocity.

The Onion - Study - ‘Hangin’ In There’ Best One Can Now Feel

The Onion: Study: ‘Hangin’ In There’ Best One Can Now Feel

Mars

Science Daily: NASA's MAVEN reveals Mars has metal in its atmosphere
summary - Mars has electrically charged metal atoms (ions) high in its atmosphere, according to new results. The metal ions can reveal previously invisible activity in the mysterious electrically charged upper atmosphere (ionosphere) of Mars.

Have An Excellent Tuesday

work by Jean Dubuffet

Trump-Russia Update

Palmer Report: Trump-Russia investigation is picking up steam. Cable news just isn’t talking much about it this week. By Bill Palmer

Rachel Maddow - Spammer's Arrest Eyed For Trump Russia Ties

Ayn

  Amazing, we still have to talk about this bitch.

Guardian UK: The new age of Ayn Rand: how she won over Trump and Silicon Valley - Her novel The Fountainhead is one of the few works of fiction that Donald Trump likes and she has long been the darling of the US right. But only now do her devotees hold sway around the world

North Korea

Guardian UK: North Korea 'ready for war' after US redeploys navy strike team - Pyongyang cites ‘reckless moves’ by US and says it will defend the country from invasion ‘by powerful force of arms’, according to reports

David Brooks' Latest

NY Times: This Age of Wonkery by David Brooks

Of Course

  Why would he have anything to say? He doesn't know anything.

NY Times: On Trump’s Syria Strategy, One Voice Is Missing: Trump’s By PETER BAKER and GARDINER HARRIS

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. It is 64 degrees and mostly sunny here in the Upper Hudson Valley, the forecast predicts rain later on and temperatures in the low 80s this afternoon. It's been a while since we've had 80 degree temperatures around these parts. The forsythia is blooming and that is a sure sign of Spring.

  At 9:00 a.m. ET DOW futures are -2 and the price of oil is slightly lower now trading around $53 a barrel. The market is poised to open in the flat territory.

  Another day, another 24 hours of severely being disgusted by Trump and company.

CNN: Trouble at United; What Yellen sees; Toshiba fears by Ivana Kottasova
Shares in United Continental, the owner of United Airlines, were down more than 5% premarket after a video clip that showed a passenger being forcibly removed from an overbooked flight went viral.