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Friday, May 31, 2019

Weekend!

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

work by Yuko Shimizu



Good News

538: The Movement To Skip The Electoral College Is Picking Up Steam By Nathaniel Rakich

May 31 - America

Heavy: Virginia Beach Victims: Mass Shooting at Municipal Center

Bonehead

The Daily Beast: David Letterman: ‘Bonehead’ Trump Used to Be Able to Take a Joke—Now He’s a ‘Goon’ - The former ‘Late Show’ host also pushed back on Meghan McCain’s argument that late-night TV has become too ‘one-sided.’ by Matt Wilstein

Degrowth

Vice: The Radical Plan to Save the Planet by Working Less - The degrowth movement wants to intentionally shrink the economy to address climate change, and create lives with less stuff, less work, and better well-being. But is it a utopian fantasy?

Laws Please

Salon: Mueller bears witness: His dispute with Barr is a turning point on the road to impeachment - Barr and Mueller throw shade at each other as impeachment looms: Are we a nation of laws or an empire? by Heather Digby Parton

The Onion - Tearful Meghan McCain Opens Up About Father’s Dying Wish That She Be Given Her Own Daytime Talk Show

The Onion: Tearful Meghan McCain Opens Up About Father’s Dying Wish That She Be Given Her Own Daytime Talk Show

Despair

Rolling Stone: All-American Despair - For the past two decades, a suicide epidemic fueled by guns, poverty and isolation has swept across the West, with middle-aged men dying in record numbers By Stephen Rodrick

Irony


Have An Excellent Friday

work by Evelyn De Morgan 1855 – 1919




Rachel Maddow - Rep. Mike Quigley Joins Calls For Opening Donald Trump Impeachment Inquiry

Lawrence O'Donnel - Jeff Daniels - ‘We Can't Go On Like This’

Burn It Down

The Palmer Report: Donald Trump decides to burn it all down by Bill Palmer

Good Idea

Guardian UK: Elizabeth Warren says she'd reverse policy on indicting presidents – live - The Senator and 2020 Democratic candidate says she’d push legislation to make it so that a sitting president may be charged with a crime

Terrible

Guardian UK: US checking reports North Korea executed envoy, says Pompeo - South Korean paper claims Kim Hyok-chol has been killed and a negotiator put in forced labour

Miracle Indeed

NY Times: Tariffs, Mr. Trump’s Miracle Cure - The president appears to view tariffs as the solution to a wide range of foreign policy problems. It isn’t working. By The Editorial Board

Idiot Move

NY Times: Trump Says U.S. Will Hit Mexico With 5% Tariffs on All Goods By Annie Karni, Ana Swanson and Michael D. Shear

The Market On Friday

  At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are -265 and the price of oil per barrel is way down. The market will tank at the opening bell and you can that Trump for that.

CNN: Dow set to fall 300 points on Mexican tariffs By Matt Egan

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Former Republican Federal Prosecutors Speak Out Against President Trump's Obstruction Of Justice

Robert De Niro And Former Federal Prosecutors On The Mueller Report

Deer

Get Pocket: The Deer in Your Yard Are Here to Stay - The deer population of the eastern U.S. has exploded and cities are trying to keep it in check. But the options available to them are limited, and fraught. by Amanda Kolson Hurley
There are about 1.25 million collisions between cars and deer, elk, and moose annually in the United States, according to the insurer State Farm, and these cause around 150 human fatalities, and countless animal deaths, each year.

'Avalon'

Roxy Music

The Truth Hurts

Salon: Confused about what Mueller meant? Right-wing media — and Donald Trump — heard him loud and clear - Donald Trump and Fox News understood Mueller's message clearly. He wants impeachment, and they're pissed by Amanda Marcotte

The Onion - Amazing! This New Gmail Feature Will Let You Know If You’re Being Normal In An Email

The Onion: Amazing! This New Gmail Feature Will Let You Know If You’re Being Normal In An Email

NAD

Scientific American: Cancer Research Points to Key Unknowns about Popular “Antiaging” Supplements - The health promises of boosting an important metabolic molecule may be clouded by its possible role in promoting cancer-cell growth By Helen Shen

Impeachment Win

CNN: Professor: Dems need to impeach Trump to win 2020 - Professor Allan Lichtman, who correctly predicted the last nine presidential election wins, says Democrats will only have a chance at winning in 2020 if they impeach President Donald Trump.

Russia

NY Times: Trump Admits to Russia ‘Helping Me to Get Elected’ By Eileen Sullivan

Trump Admits Russia Helped Him Get Elected


Have An Excellent Thursday

work by Robert Strong Woodward 1885 - 1957




Rachel Maddow - Robert Mueller Makes Clear Onus For Trump Accountability Is On Congress

Lawrence O'Donnell - Impeach Donald Trump And Pence? Fmr. GOP Congressman Says It Should Happen

The Show

The Palmer Report: Welcome to the Donald Trump impeachment show by Bill Palmer

Trump World Is Crumbling

Guardian UK: Epic floods and trade wars - how politics and climate beats up US farmers by Art Cullen - The weather is wild, the tariffs are rising, and as frustration ripples through the Iowa corn fields, rural America is ready to confront its 2020 candidates

Pelosi Says No

  If Trump does not deserve to be impeached, then exactly what does a president have to do to get impeached?

Guardian UK: Pelosi resists call for impeachment as more Democrats join chorus - Three 2020 candidates and more than 40 representatives call for impeachment, but Pelosi reportedly says it’s a ‘fool’s errand’

Decoding

NY Times: Decoding Robert Mueller - In short: No exoneration. (And please don’t make me testify!) By The Editorial Board
Mr. Mueller was careful to emphasize that if his office “had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”

Translation: There’s a decent chance the president committed a crime.

Robery DeNiro On Mueller

NY Times: Robert De Niro: Robert Mueller, We Need to Hear More - You said that your investigation’s work “speaks for itself.” It doesn’t. By Robert De Niro - Mr. De Niro is an actor, producer and director.
While I and so many Americans have admired your quiet, confident, dignified response in ignoring that assault, it allowed the administration to use its own voice to control the narrative. And those voices are so loud and so persistent that they beat even reasonable people into submission. The loudest, most persistent voice belongs to the president himself, and under most circumstances, we want to believe our president.

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. At 9:10 a.m. ET DOW futures are +51 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open moderately higher.

CNN: Rare earths could be the next front in the US-China trade war. Here's what you should know By Sherisse Pham and Julia Horowitz

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

A New Low


As We Know

CNN: Differences between Barr and Mueller are telling

Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi: Pelosi Statement on Special Counsel Mueller’s Press Statement Reiterating the President’s Obstruction
“It is with the greatest respect for Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the deepest disappointment in the Department of Justice holding the President above the law, that I thank Special Counsel Mueller for the work he and his team did to provide a record for future action both in the Congress and in the courts regarding the Trump Administration involvement in Russian interference and obstruction of the investigation.

“Special Counsel Mueller made clear that he did not exonerate the President when he stated, ‘If we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.’ He stated that the decision not to indict stemmed directly from the Department of Justice’s policy that a sitting President cannot be indicted. Despite Department of Justice policy to the contrary, no one is above the law – not even the President.

“The Special Counsel’s report revealed that the President’s campaign welcomed Russian interference in the election, and laid out eleven instances of the President’s obstruction of the investigation. The Congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power.

“The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy. The American people must have the truth. We call upon the Senate to pass H.R. 1, the For The People Act, to protect our election systems.

“We salute Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his team for his patriotic duty to seek the truth.”

Art

The Independent: A pair of glasses were left on the floor at a museum and everyone mistook it for art - The teen behind the hoax had similar success with a baseball cap and a bin by Christopher Hooton

Impeach!

NY Times: Mueller, in First Comments on Russia Inquiry, Declines to Clear Trump By Sharon LaFraniere and Eileen Sullivan
Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, on Wednesday characterized for the first time his investigation of whether President Trump obstructed justice, saying “if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”

Mueller Speaks

NY Times: Robert Mueller Says He’s Resigning and Closing Special Counsel’s Office
“The matters we investigated were of paramount importance,” Mr. Mueller said, rebutting President Trump’s claims that the investigation was a “witch hunt” motivated by politics.

The Onion - Ultrasound Technician Asks Pregnant Woman If She’d Like To Know Baby’s Name

The Onion: Ultrasound Technician Asks Pregnant Woman If She’d Like To Know Baby’s Name

How To

Lithub: Ian Fleming Explains How to Write a Thriller - "You have to get the reader to turn over the page." By Emily Temple

Read It

NY Times: Read the Mueller Report: Searchable Document and Index

Susan Moss

  Susan Moss is a dear person and a vibrant singer songwriter who is making waves on the global indie music scene. Susan is based in New Jersey and her work is listened to throughout the world. Susan is a romantic whose music speaks to love and eros, and in this particular time in history, that's a welcome addition. Susan is also a generous playlist curator, meaning that she helps many musical artists including myself get heard as well. You can listen to Susan's music catalogue on Spotify - Moondreams Music. Billboard Top hits and Indie is Susan's very popular Spotify playlist. Posted here are ‘Tropical Breeze’ and ‘Diamond Dreams’.




  MoonDreams Music is Singer/Songwriter Susan Moss, whose first release was Carousel Dreams - A Collection of Lullabies, a multi award-winning cd of original, ethereal, dreamy style lullabies on her independent record label, MoonDreams Music Recording Group. Susan wrote all the music on the album, and co-wrote three of the songs with former MoonDreams partner and lyricist Donna Martin. The music was recorded with various session musicians. Carousel Dreams won a Parents' Choice Award, as well as iParenting Media and NAPPA awards. It was also reviewed as a Parenting Pick in Parenting Magazine, and the School Library Journal. Diamond Dreams is MoonDreams Music's second release, a single in the style of soft rock, written by Susan Moss. It was recorded and produced by Dean Bailin, award winning guitarist and producer, who played on the Rupert Holmes 70's hit, the Pina Colada song. MoonDreams Music’s most recent release is the ambient Tropical Breeze - recorded, mixed, mastered and co-produced by Vince Carducci.

Have An Excellent Wednesday

work by Patrick Markle





Ari Melber - New Low? Donald Trump’s Profane Tirades Make White House History

MTP Daily - Former Republicans Question What Happened To Their Party

'And I Love Her'

Pat Metheny

Really

The Palmer Report: What Justin Amash is really trying to do here by Bill Palmer

Toxic America

Guardian UK: 'I wash all my food like crazy': scientists voice concern about nanoparticles - US foods are increasingly full of nano-scale additives, even as researchers raise alarm bells about their safety
This suite of ingredients, engineered to almost atomic scale, might have unintended effects on cells and organs, particularly the digestive tract. There are also indications that nanoparticles might get into the bloodstream and accumulate elsewhere in the body. They have been linked to inflammation, liver and kidney damage and even heart and brain damage.

'Just Another Scumbag'

Guardian UK: Bannon described Trump Organization as 'criminal enterprise', Michael Wolff book claims - Former White House adviser says financial investigations will take down president in sequel to Fire and Fury
The former White House adviser Steve Bannon has described the Trump Organization as a criminal entity and predicted that investigations into the president’s finances will lead to his political downfall, when he is revealed to be “not the billionaire he said he was, just another scumbag”.

Trump Makes China Great Again

NY Times: Trump Hands China an Easy Win in the Trade War - The president’s tough rhetoric plays into Chinese economic nationalism. By Kevin Rudd - Mr. Rudd, a former prime minister of Australia, is the president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.
The Chinese media is now full of accounts of the country’s economic resilience and appeals to patriotism, even invoking the spirit of the Korean War, when, according to the official narrative, China was able to stare down the vastly superior American military.

Tornades

NY Times: Kansas City-Area Tornadoes Add to 12 Straight Days of Destruction By Kevin Williams and Alan Blinder
On Tuesday, his home was a shambles: walls bent, doors tilted, the roof gone — another house crippled amid a stretch of severe weather that has tormented communities from the Rocky Mountains to the Mid-Atlantic in recent weeks.

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. At 9:10 a.m. ET DOW futures are -190 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open significantly lower.

CNN: Retailers report; Stocks slide; Exxon meeting By Julia Horowitz

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Cool

Popular Science: Cool Your Home Without Air Conditioning - Strategies for chilling out

'Big New Prinz'

The Fall

Live Well

Guardian UK: Happy ever after: 25 ways to live well into old age - Determined to enjoy longer and healthier lives, two women researched the science to find the key. Here, they share what they discovered
(20.) Meditate

Meditation isn’t just hippie woo woo: research shows it has a powerful effect on the brain. It appears to reduce stress and promote empathy, and regular practitioners seem not to lose grey matter, or suffer reduced concentration, as they age. Just 15 minutes a day is enough to strengthen telomeres, the “caps” that protect our DNA and, according to a Harvard study, to have a positive impact on blood pressure levels.

NXIVM

The Daily Beast: NXIVM ‘Sex Cult’ Leader Forced 3 Sisters to Get Abortions, Ex-Follower Testifies - A woman gives the most-shocking testimony yet in the trial of the alleged cult leader. by Pilar Melendez

America's New OJ

Salon: Think Donald Trump wants to be impeached and acquitted? Consider his old friend O.J. Simpson - "Not guilty" doesn't always mean you're not guilty. Trump knows an impeachment trial could destroy his reputation by Heather Digby Parton

The Onion - Struggling Single Mother Seriously Considering Putting Baby Up For Audition

The Onion: Struggling Single Mother Seriously Considering Putting Baby Up For Audition

The New Dinosaur

The Atlantic: The Books of College Libraries Are Turning Into Wallpaper - University libraries around the world are seeing precipitous declines in the use of the books on their shelves. by Dan Cohen - Vice Provost for Information Collaboration at Northeastern University
College students at UVA checked out 238,000 books during the school year a decade ago; last year, that number had shrunk to just 60,000.

Before you tsk-tsk today’s kids for their lack of bookishness, note that the trend lines are sliding southward for graduate students and faculty members, too

Have An Excellent Tuesday

work by Jim Sande - quick finger paintings oil paint on paper 24" x 30" circa 1995 - 2000









Morning Joe - You Don't Attack A Former VP On Foreign Soil

'Across The Universe'

Aurora

Watch The Bread

Guardian UK: Banned bread: why does the US allow additives that Europe says are unsafe? China, Brazil and members of the EU have weighed the potential risks and outlawed chemicals found in US loaves
Potassium bromate, a potent oxidizer that helps bread rise, has been linked to kidney and thyroid cancers in rodents. Azodicarbonamide (ACA), a chemical that forms bubbles in foams and plastics like vinyl, is used to bleach and leaven dough – but when baked, it, too, has been linked to cancer in lab animals.

War

Guardian UK: Christian rightwingers warn abortion fight could spark US civil war - Wave of extreme bans seems to have amped up predictions of coming conflict

Whoa!

Guardian UK: Mueller drew up obstruction indictment against Trump, Michael Wolff book claims
...the first count, under Title 18, United States code, Section 1505, charged the president with corruptly – or by threats of force or threatening communication – influencing, obstructing or impeding a pending proceeding before a department or agency of the United States.

The second count, under section 1512, charged the president with tampering with a witness, victim or informant.

The third count, under section 1513, charged the president with retaliating against a witness, victim or informant.

Pure Unabashed Short Sighted Stupidity

NY Times: Trump Administration Hardens Its Attack on Climate Science By Coral Davenport and Mark Landler
And, in what could be Mr. Trump’s most consequential action yet, his administration will seek to undermine the very science on which climate change policy rests.

What Black People Want

NY Times: Dear Candidates: Here Is What Black People Want - We long for the same things as everyone else, and yet few campaigns treat us as if our experiences matter. By Alicia Garza - Ms. Garza, a founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network, is the head of the Black Futures Lab.
The most common response among people who were politically engaged was that no politician or pollster has ever asked them what their lives were like. Fifty-two percent of respondents said that politicians do not care about black people, and one in three said they care only a little.

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. At 9:15 a.m. ET DOW futures are +19 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open slightly higher.

CNN: Fintech arms race heats up with $21.5 billion takeover By Matt Egan

Monday, May 27, 2019

Allan Thomas

  One of the most talented and gifted musicians I've met in recent months is vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, Allan Thomas. Allan's work is bluesy, soulful, funky, nuanced, and instantly catchy. Based in Hawaii and with an audience that extends around the globe, Allan produces both vocal music and instrumental music. I've posted two of Allan's songs. The first 'It All Comes Down To Love' is a personal favorite and features Allan on vocals, the second 'El Sueno De Repitido' is an instrumental, pure funky jazz with a deep Latin twist. You can hear more from Allan Thomas on Spotify - Allan Thomas




THE MUSICAL JOURNEY of ALLAN THOMAS

Allan Thomas’ musical adventure began in Brooklyn, NY when, at age 12, he joined a doo-wop vocal group, performing at local events. At age 18, he signed his first solo record deal with famed producer Huey P. Meaux, and released his first single on Scepter Records.

Becoming a songwriter at 19, Allan soon played the coffee house circuit in Greenwich Village backing himself on acoustic guitar. In 1971 Sire Records released his first album of original songs ‘A Picture’ produced by Richard Gottehrer. To support the album he toured the US opening for acts such as Cannonball Adderley Quintet, Weather Report, Richie Havens, and elder blues men Bukka White and Arthur Crudup.

In 1972, Mr Thomas was invited to improvise vocals on the Cannonball Adderley Quintet song ‘Behold’ under the nom de plume Arthur Charma, which appeared on the groups ‘Soul of the Bible’ concept album, featuring Cannonball and Nat Adderley, and George Duke. Subsequently he sang improvisational vocals with the quintet at the Troubadour and Lighthouse clubs in Southern California.

In the late seventies Allan lived in Malibu, CA was staff songwriter for ABC Music. Seeking fresh inspiration he moved to Kauai, Hawaii in 1983 and never looked back. He released his second album ‘The Island’ on his Black Bamboo Recordings label in 1989. The CD was produced and mixed by Stephen Barncard (Grateful Dead-Crosby and Nash) and featured Russell Ferrante of The Yellowjackets, Michael Ruff on piano and keyboards and his life-long sidekick in music, Bryan Kessler on Guitar.

‘Coconut Culture’ Allan’s 3rd album released in 1997 was produced, recorded and mixed by another industry heavy the much respected Mike Shipley. The record featured a duet with Graham Nash of Crosby Stills and Nash on the song ‘The Navigator’. On this record Allan begins utilizing several alternate guitar tunings that were gifts from David Crosby.

From 1998 to 2004 Allan moonlighted as a DJ at KKCR Kauai Community Radio.

Allan Thomas was assistant engineer on Donald Fagen’s (Steely Dan) third solo CD ‘Morph The Cat’ He also had the great fortune to play rhythm guitar and sing backing vocals for both Fagen and Todd Rundgren in a benefit concert in March of 2005.

Allan’s fourth album ‘Making Up For Lost Time’, was released in 2007. Once again joined by Graham Nash on backing vocals, it featured James Taylor’s bassist Jimmy Johnson, and Tris Imboden of Chicago on drums. The self-produced record also features Kauai musicians extraordinaire Ken Emerson on slide guitar and lap-steel, and Michael Ruff on keyboards and backing vocals.

In 2009 Stephen Barncard released Allan’s Brooklyn Boy In Paradise – The Unreleased Collection – 14 songs from 1980 – 1994.

2011 saw the release of Allan’s fifth studio album ‘Deep Water’. Produced and recorded by AT and Mixed by 2012 Grammy award winner Mike Shipley. The CD features David Crosby, Graham Nash, and members of the Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Neil Young, CSN, Van Morrison and Yellowjackets bands.

In 2012 ‘Deep Water’ was nominated for Rock Album of the Year in the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts 2012 Na Hoku Hanohano Music Awards.

In August of 2018 Black Bamboo Recordings released Mr Thomas’ 6th studio album ‘Two Sides To Every Story’. Culminating 50 years in the art of making records and written and recorded over the previous six years, this collection of songs aims to be his most far-reaching and diversified album yet.

Blending elements of rock, blues, jazz, singer/songwriter and soulful vocals the album contains 8 songs with voice and 7 instrumentals. Ranging from a solo acoustic guitar slack-key instrumental to full-blown ensemble tracks featuring Keith Carlock of Steely Dan (drums) Jimmy Johnson (bass) of the Steve Gadd and James Taylor bands. Plus Grammy award winning jazz men Russell Ferrante (Piano) and Will Kennedy (drums) of the Yellowjackets.

‘Two Sides To Every Story’ was produced and recorded By Allan Thomas and mixed in Montreal by multi-platinum engineer Paul Northfield. At present the album is gaining radio momentum both in the US and Europe, and Allan’s songs are being added daily to Spotify playlists in a variety of genres. 'Two Sides To Every Story’ won best engineered album in the 2019 Nā Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawaiian Grammy’s).

Have An Excellent Memorial Day

work by Joy Feasley




Secession

The Atlantic: The New Secession - Residents of the majority-white southeast corner of Baton Rouge want to make their own city, complete with its own schools, breaking away from the majority-black parts of town. by Adam Harris

Food, Greed, Sex, Revenge

NY Times: Crazy Is as Crazy Does By Maureen Dowd
“One of the biggest motivating factors in Trump’s life — other than food, greed, sex and revenge — is mythmaking. Deep down, he knows he’s a pathological liar and he’s not the person he says he is. But any time anyone pierces that veil, it sends him into a rage.”

Dwell

Inc.: How to Stop Thinking About Something That's Bothering You - Dwelling on something unpleasant will drag you down and keep you stuck. Use this strategy to get some relief. By Amy Morin

Friday, May 24, 2019

Weekend!

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

work by Yuko Shimizu



'Love Bite'

Hanna

The Failure

The Atlantic: A Single Scandal Sums Up All of Trump’s Failures - The president has been intervening in the process of producing a border wall, on behalf of a favored firm. by David A. Graham
...Trump has repeatedly pressured the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Homeland Security to award a contract for building a wall at the southern U.S. border to a North Dakota company headed by a leading Republican donor.

Hannity - The King Of Fake News

The Daily Beast: Out-of-Control Hannity Thumbs His Nose at Fox News Bosses - Despite reportedly being told to stop referring to dubious pundits as ‘investigative reporters,’ the prime-time star has continued to do so. Does anyone at Fox control Hannity? by Justin Baragona

Missouri

Salon: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signs bill banning abortions at or beyond eight weeks into law - The bill bans the procedure even in cases of rape, incest or human trafficking by Shira Tarlo

The Onion - Corner Store Customers Saddened By Sight Of Frantic Trump Doing Scratch-Off Tickets Right On Counter

The Onion: Corner Store Customers Saddened By Sight Of Frantic Trump Doing Scratch-Off Tickets Right On Counter

No Sleep

Get Pocket: What Happens to Your Body on No Sleep - In short, nothing good—and just one bad night can trigger a cascade of scary side effects.

Have An Excellent Friday

work by Don Hong-oai





Ezra Klein - Robert Mueller Wants To Testify In Private

Brian Williams - After Saying He Never Lost His Temper, Donald Trump Rages At 'Crazy Nancy

Lawrence O'Donnell - Donald Trump Calls Rex Tillerson ‘Dumb As A Rock’

The Ending

The Palmer Report: For Donald Trump, it was always going to end like this by Bill Palmer

'Stable Genius'

Guardian UK: Trump v Pelosi: how a 'stable genius' president met his match - Analysis: With calls for an intervention on his behalf, the House speaker has knocked an ‘extremely calm’ leader off balance

Mueller

Guardian UK: Mueller 'wants to testify in private' to Congress, Democrat says – live - Jerry Nadler, the House judiciary committee chair, told Rachel Maddow the special counsel doesn’t want ‘a political spectacle’

Impeach

NY Times: Impeaching Trump Is Risky. So Is Refusing To. - Nancy Pelosi’s case against impeachment is growing incoherent. By Michelle Goldberg
If Trump’s outrageous misdeeds are visible for all to see — and they are — you don’t need further investigation to justify beginning an inquiry into whether impeachment is justified.

Theresa May Resigns!

NY Times: Theresa May Resigns: Live Updates
Mrs. May said on Friday that she would step down as leader of the Conservative Party and then as Britain’s prime minister, after repeatedly failing to get her Brexit plan through Parliament.

The Market On Friday

  Good morning. At 9:10 a.m. ET DOW futures are +126 and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open significantly higher.

CNN: Brexit fears have already trashed the pound. May's exit offers little relief By Julia Horowitz

Thursday, May 23, 2019

T-Rex

December 13th 2016 - "Through hard work, dedication, and smart deal making, Rex rose through the ranks to become CEO of ExxonMobil, one of the world's largest and most respected companies." "His tenacity, broad experience, and deep understanding of geopolitics make him an excellent choice for secretary of State…” "He will promote regional stability and focus on the core national security interests of the United States." “I have chosen one of the truly great business leaders of the world, Rex Tillerson.”

May 23, 2019 - “Rex Tillerson, a man who is “dumb as a rock” and totally ill prepared and ill equipped to be Secretary of State, made up a story (he got fired) that I was out-prepared by Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Hamburg, Germany. I don’t think Putin would agree. Look how the U.S. is doing!”

Broken

The Atlantic: How Trump Broke the Freedom Caucus - Its members were once champions of ideological purity. But as their treatment of Justin Amash suggests, they’re now whatever the president wants them to be. by Elaina Plott

Solitary Confinement

CNN: A federal prisoner believed to have spent the longest time in solitary confinement has died By Steve Almasy and Madeline Holcombe
He had lived in solitary confinement since killing a prison guard in 1983, a span of more than 35 years. Much of that time he was subject to an unusual no-contact order in which he had little interaction with other people.

Have An Intervention

  Pelosi is sticking it to Trump and it's great, it's a beautiful thing. I hope she continues and digs even deeper to get under Trump's spineless skin.

Salon: Nancy Pelosi urges Trump's family to have an intervention with him "for the good of the country" - "Maybe he wants to take a leave of absence," the speaker of the House adds during her weekly news conference by Shira Tarlo

The Onion - Trump Warns China Not To Underestimate His Willingness To Sacrifice Every American’s Well-Being

The Onion: Trump Warns China Not To Underestimate His Willingness To Sacrifice Every American’s Well-Being

Learn

Get Pocket: How to Activate Your Brain’s Ability to Learn - The power of practicing well beyond mastery.

'Achomlishments'

The Daily Beast: Sneaky Photo Captures Trump Handwritten Notes Saying Dems Have ‘No Achomlishments’ by Jamie Ross

Collapse

The Intellectualist: GOP Senator Asks Trump To End Trade War, Says U.S. Farming Is About To Collapse

Have An Excellent Thursday

work by Rafał Olbiński




Rachel Maddow - President Donald Trump Losses Mount As Cracks Form In Dam Of Secrecy

Seth Meyers - Trump Lashes Out After Pelosi Accuses Him Of A 'Cover-Up'

Rachel Maddow - Chuck Schumer - Donald Trump Bailed On Meeting To Throw Rose Garden Tantrum

Stephen Colbert - Stop Investigating Me! Or Else!

Surrender

The Palmer Report: Donald Trump just surrendered by Bill Palmer

The Petulant Toddler

Guardian UK: Trump refuses to work with Democrats unless they stop investigating him - President halted infrastructure meeting and condemned Pelosi in a snap press conference after she said he was ‘engaging in a cover-up’

The Baby President

Guardian UK: Trump calls former secretary of state Rex Tillerson 'dumb as a rock' – live - Comment comes after reports that Tillerson testified this week that Putin was more prepared than president for their 2017 meeting

Nowhere Man

NY Times: Trump’s Bridges to Nowhere - Just don’t mention the “I-word” around the White House. By Gail Collins
Farewell, poor bill. And if you’re driving anywhere this weekend, remember the P-word is pothole.

The Criminal President

NY Times: Trump’s Financial Secrets Move Closer to Disclosure By Emily Flitter, Jesse McKinley, David Enrich and Nicholas Fandos

The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. At 9:15 a.m. ET DOW futures are -268 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to tank at the opening bell. When you have an inept president who has virtually no idea about economics, this is the result.

CNN: Indian stock market party for Modi is brief as big challenges remain By Rishi Iyengar

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Trump's Amazingly Bad Day Gets Worse

Reuters: Trump loses court round in U.S. Democratic lawmakers demand for bank documents on his businesses

Ha!

CNN: NY state passes bill allowing Congress to request Trump's tax returns By Evan Simko-Bednarski and Sonia Moghe
...would require the state's tax commissioner to provide New York state tax returns to Congress upon request from the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, or the Joint Committee on Taxation.

'The Universal Saltarello'

Jim Sande

Baby Trump

NY Times: Trump Walks Out on Pelosi and Schumer After 3 Minutes By Peter Baker, Katie Rogers and Emily Cochrane

Laughable Trump Conduct

Reuters: Trump blasts Pelosi 'cover-up' accusation, balks on infrastructure By Steve Holland, Jeff Mason and Richard Cowan

Who, Me?

Salon: President Trump denounces Democratic investigations in Rose Garden: "I don't do cover-ups" - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi earlier claimed that Democrats believe the president is "engaged in a cover-up" by Shira Tarlo

The Onion - Freedom-Wielding High Schooler Freedoms Down 16 Classmates In Latest Mass Freedoming

The Onion: Freedom-Wielding High Schooler Freedoms Down 16 Classmates In Latest Mass Freedoming

Cool, Clear

Get Pocket: What Happens When You Drink a Gallon of Water a Day? Notes from a month-long hydration quest.

Best Redneck Fails Compilation

Have An Excellent Wednesday

Diana Keys, aged 70, who has spent the last 40 years painting her own version of the Sistine Chapel in her council flat, Hemel Hempstead, UK



Brian Williams - Val Demings - Trump Has A Total Disregard For An Equal Branch Of Government

Morning Joe - Mayor Pete Buttigieg Reacts To President Donald Trump's Rally Remarks

Stephen Colbert - Trump's Records Are In Merrick Garland's Hands

Pennsylvania

The Palmer Report: The real reason Donald Trump is putting down so many of his 2020 election chips on Pennsylvania by Bill Palmer

What Is Important

Guardian UK: Climate crisis more politically polarizing than abortion for US voters, study finds - Democrats ranked global heating as the third most important issue on their list, while Republican voters ranked it last in a Yale poll
When voters were asked to rank topics important to them for the 2020 presidential election, conservative Republicans put global warming last out of 29 issues. Liberal Democrats placed the issue third, behind only environmental protection and healthcare.

Pills

Guardian UK: Revealed: 21,000 US women order abortion pills online in past six months - Three-quarters of mail order requests came from states with strict anti-abortion laws
Data shared with the Guardian reveals that 21,000 women requested abortion medication between October 2018 and March this year from the charity Aid Access. Between a third and a half of the women who made the requests were then sent abortion pills in the mail. The majority of the recipients live in states with hostile abortion policies.

I.R.S.

NY Times: I.R.S. Memo Undercuts Mnuchin on Withholding Trump’s Tax Returns By Alan Rappeport
The Internal Revenue Service has no choice but to honor congressional requests for President Trump’s tax returns unless he invokes executive privilege to protect them, according to a draft legal memo written by agency staff members.

Long March

NY Times: China Faces New ‘Long March’ as Trade War Intensifies, Xi Jinping Says

The Market On Wednesday

  Good morning. At 9:10 a.m. ET DOW futures are -84 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open significantly lower. Bad things happen when an ignorant blowhard is the president.

CNN: More China friction; Amazon meeting; Fed minutes By Julia Horowitz

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

'Particle'

Jim Sande

Insults

May you melt off the earth like snow off the ditch.

May your pipe never smoke, may your teapot be broke.

The Pressure Is Working

CNN: First on CNN: Justice Department willing to hand over counterintelligence if Schiff backs off 'enforcement action' By Laura Jarrett

Healthy

Get Pocket: 6 Healthy Relationship Habits Most People Think Are Toxic - Some traits that don’t fit our traditional narrative for what love is and what love should be are actually necessary ingredients for lasting relationship success. by Mark Manson
1. Letting Some Conflicts Go Unresolved

Dangerous

Fortune: Experts Ranked the Most Dangerous Countries for Women. The U.S. Made the Top 10

Simmering

The Atlantic: It’s Time to Hold American Elites Accountable for Their Abuses - If Democrats want to address simmering middle-class anger, they need to deliver justice. by Rahm Emanuel

President Bolton

  This is a subscription only article. I do not have a subscription to The Daily Beast, but I did like the title of the article.

The Daily Beast: President John Bolton Tries to Start a War. Can Little Donald Trump Stop Him? Without a real chief of staff in Trump’s White House, his national security adviser is trying to do double duty as commander in chief. by Margaret Carlson

Defy

Salon: Dan McGahn defies congressional subpoena after President Trump orders him not to testify - A chair where McGahn was supposed to sit was left vacant as House Democrats threatened to enforce the subpoena by Matthew Rozsa

Th Onion - Chase CEO Giving Commencement Speech Pledges To Double Whole Class’s Student Loan Debt

The Onion: Chase CEO Giving Commencement Speech Pledges To Double Whole Class’s Student Loan Debt

Kilo

Vox: The new kilogram just debuted. It’s a massive achievement. The new definition represents a victory of humankind over chaos in the universe. Really. By Brian Resnick
The new definition anchors the value of the kilogram to a constant in nature, which can never, ever change

Have An Excellent Tuesday

work by Rene Magritte

MSNBC - Is Donald Trump's Biggest Impeachment Problem Inside His Own Party?

Rachel Maddow - Michael Cohen Transcript Puts Spotlight On Trump Tower Moscow Deception

Stephen Colbert - Justin Amash, The Only Republican Of His Kind

Impeach TMFA

The Palmer Report: Welcome to the impeachment show by Bill Palmer

Sekulow

Guardian UK: Michael Cohen: Trump's lawyer advised me to lie about Moscow tower project - Recently released transcripts of a closed-door meeting show Cohen accusing Jay Sekulow of telling him to lie to Congress

McGahn

Guardian UK: Don McGahn expected to be held in contempt over refusal to testify – live - The former White House counsel had been subpoenaed to appear before the House judiciary committee but Trump blocked his testimony

Subpoena Upheld

NY Times: Trump’s Secrecy Fight Escalates as Judge Rules for Congress in Early Test By Charlie Savage and Nicholas Fandos
The fight over President Trump’s systematic stonewalling of Congress escalated on two fronts on Monday, as a federal judge upheld a subpoena for his financial records even as the White House instructed its former top lawyer to defy a subpoena to testify before lawmakers.

Pay Attention

NY Times: How Trump Is Outspending Every 2020 Democrat on Facebook By THOMAS KAPLAN and SARAH ALMUKHTAR

The Market On Tuesday

  Good morning. At 9:25 a.m. ET DOW futures are +147 and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open significantly higher.

CNN: Why American steel stocks plummeted in the past year, despite tariffs By Chris Isidore

Monday, May 20, 2019

Catastrophic Tornado

  Notice that the religious right is not mentioning these catastrophic tornadoes, ripping through red states, as god inspired revenge for gay marriage or some other such nonsense. God only enacts revenge when something disastrous hits a blue state apparently.

CNN: 2 million people are at 'high' risk for catastrophic tornadoes in parts of Oklahoma and Texas By Holly Yan and Christina Maxouris

Unchecked Corruption

The Atlantic: The Unchecked Corruption of Trump’s Cabinet - The lavish spending of top officials rarely makes headlines anymore, but that doesn’t mean the problem has gone away. by David A. Graham

Stunner

The Daily Beast: Terrence Malick’s Anti-Nazi Film Stuns Cannes - The celebrated filmmaker’s latest, starring August Diehl as real-life Austrian conscientious objector Franz Jägerstätter, marks a dazzling return to form. by Richard Porton

Trump Is A Public Health Crisis

Salon: Neurologist Robert Sapolsky on stress and Donald Trump: Humans are not "inherently rational beings" - MacArthur-winning scientist on Trump as a public health crisis, and why "stress management" isn't enough by Chauncey DeVega

The Onion - Candidate With No Chance Of Winning Nomination Settles On Goal Of Crushing Hickenlooper Campaign

The Onion: Candidate With No Chance Of Winning Nomination Settles On Goal Of Crushing Hickenlooper Campaign

Average

Get Pocket: How Our Totally Average Runner Broke the Sub-Five-Minute Mile - Sometimes setting an unreasonable goal is the only way to jump-start your fitness.

Have An Excellent Monday

embroidery work by Ruth Miller