Tuesday, June 06, 2017

The #Resistance will not be televised; however, it will be tweeted and blawgged!

8 June 2017 update:

Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Fighters, and Truth Crusaders!

Walp, yesterday's hearings with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and the three Intel Chiefs--NSA chief Mike Rogers, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe--was a big fat nothing-burger. All four dodged questions, refusing to say whether or not they had been asked to interfere in the Trump-Russia investigation. Coats clearly committed contempt of Congress, which reacted by pouting and mewling with ever-so-slight discontent.

Ehhh, whiskey tango, over?

Seriously--if tRump HADN'T pressured these men to interfere with the tRump-Russia investigation, they would have been shouting it from the rooftops.

Get it?

They COULD have DENIED tRump's behavior, but THEY DIDN'T.

That should tell you something.

To me, it means that tRump HAD to have pressured them--he obstructed justice by pressuring them to obstruct justice.

Welcome to the cover up, assholes.

Think about it...

If tRump were innocent, he wouldn't have one of his PACs take out political attack ads against Comey, duh. And he wouldn't have asked intel and DOJ professionals to back off the tRump-Russia investigation. And he wouldn't have done a million things he HAS done since the inAUGHuration.

And there's no way in hell Comey was going to chop of tRump's haid, either.

Comey did, however, testify that tRump asked him to lay off investigating Flynn. And Comey was smart enough to release his seven-page statement yesterday so that everyone would know what he had to say and tRump couldn't derail the testimony.

And, on top of that, Comey was smart enough not to read his prepared statement--preferring instead to drop a few bombshells. Like knowing that, if tRump wasn't under investigation for collusion yet, there was a good chance he would eventually be. And how the FBI knew enough not to give Sessions critical information because the FBI knew that Sessions would recuse himself long before he announced it.

According to Republicans, this is all perfectly fine--"it could have been worse"..."tRump is st00pit"..."the self-proclaimed billionaire who claimed that he alone could fix the federal government is too much of a neophyte to know that obstructing justice is wrong"...and other such bullcrap basically constitute the "defense" they are using for their fat, orange Russian boi in the White House. For fuck's sake...tRump has spent more time in court than Perry Mason, as one astute Tweep pointed out. tRump knows it's wrong to obstruct justice, and I can prove it to you: if tRump hadn't known he was about to break the law, then why did he ask everyone but Comey to leave the room?

In short, friends, we are well and truly skr00ed.

According to Twitter user alt_fec, there simply isn't a mechanism to undo the election, even if there were all the evidence of Russian hacking in the world. There is nothing we can do to invalidate the election, hold a special election, or anything else until or unless tRump is impeached and removed from office--at which point, we'll have to do the same for penis pence and so on down through the entire GOP until we get to Orrin Hatch. And we'll have to wait until 2018 before we can even start--and that assumes that we take back the House despite all the Republican gerrymandering.

Friends, we are up shits creek without a paddle...or a canoe.

SMH.

All snark aside, if you want the Cliff's Notes version of what went down in yesterday's hearing, listen to Randi. It's too good to wait for todaze m00bies.

Come to think of it, so's Randi's vid from today:

*****
Did you know that ickle donnie and eric  tRump siphoned money off St. Jude's charity for children with cancer and put that money
into their own pockets?
*****

Choo choo time headlines

N00z you can use

The American Prospect: Ashcroft's Interest
...Read it and weep for what it says about Christopher Wray.

WaPo: The other shoes start falling
...Teaser: "As the briefing was wrapping up, Trump asked everyone to leave the room except for Coats and CIA Director Mike Pompeo. The president then started complaining about the FBI investigation and Comey’s handling of it, said officials familiar with the account Coats gave to associates..."

Wanna see tRump's ad against Comey?
Go to Great America PAC's FB page and scroll down to 2:33 p.m., 6 June 2017 on the timeline:
https://www.facebook.com/GreatAmericaPAC/
...Don't forget to take a shower to wash off the filth when you're done. Ick.

Popular Science: Six irrefutable pieces of evidence that prove climate change is real

WaPo: White House touts the ACA's demise even as insurers seek help in stabilizing its marketplace

MoJo: The Trump Organization won't say how it's vetting deals for conflicts of interest

Indivisible guide: The RAA: The Worst Bill You've Never Heard Of 

War on the rocks: Washington and the Latest Qatari Row
...According to Reuters, Iran blames Saudi Arabia for the two-pronged attack yesterday in the Parliament and Khomeini's mausoleum--both of which symbolize key democratic and political aspects of Iranian governance. Since Saudi Arabia cut off Qatar and Iran sided with Qatar, it makes sense that Iran would think the Saudis were behind the attack. Meanwhile, tRump crowed that he instigated the split--that the Saudis cut off Qatar because he "advised" them to. That sounds like bullshit, but if it-snot, it begs some interesting questions...like why would tRump want to cut off Qatar when it's not only the biggest American military base in the Middle East but also the site of one of his hotel "deals"? And why does tRump NOT know that Iran doesn't support ISIS and that ISIS HATES Iran?

NPR: Asked About Discrimination, Betsy DeVos Said This 14 Times
...As I called DeVos on Twitter: evil masked behind a benign smile.

ACLU: ACLU Statement on Nomination of New FBI Director
...Friends, this will give you pause. In addition to concerns about tRump and his demands of fealty, the ACLU had this to say about tRump's nomination of Christopher Wray to head the FBI: "“Christopher Wray’s firm’s legal work for the Trump family, his history of partisan activity, as well as his history of defending Trump’s transition director during a criminal scandal makes us question his ability to lead the FBI with the independence, even-handed judgment, and commitment to the rule of law that the agency deserves. Given that Wray touts his deep involvement in the Bush administration's response to the 9/11 attacks, which includes his connections to some of the most unlawful legal memos on Bush-era torture programs, the Senate should press Wray to come clean about his role in the programs. In this important moment for our country, the American people deserve a commitment from any nominee for FBI director to the foundational principles of our Constitution, and that that commitment outweighs any loyalty to a political party or a single politician. We will be watching closely in the coming days to ensure Wray makes these commitments and earns the trust of the public."
[Emphasis mine. -- Dot Calm's shadow]

Senate Select Committee on Intelligence: Opening Statement - Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
...These are Comey's statements, all seven pages of 'em. He confirms that tRump cornered him, demanded fealty, and pressured him to back off the investigation of Flynn. As I understand it all, he also intimates that Rosenstein was set up for the job...that Flynn lied about Kislyak...and that Sessions is a slimeball who can't be trusted to do the right thing for the country.

The Atlantic: The Scandal of Trump Is What's Already Known

Daily Kos: DHS withholding grants aimed at countering white supremacist violence

ABC News: India's rising temperatures are already deadly, study shows

The Globe and Mail: At long last, a forum where Trump cannot escape the truth

BoingBoing: Russian malware communicates by leaving comments in Britney Spears's Instagram account

Medium.com: 16 Policies to Combat the Kremlin's Playbook – Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Foreign Policy: Why Is Putin's 'Private Slush Fund' Courting Jared Kushner?

WaPo: How cable news networks are reacting to Comey's hearing
...From network to network, the wording changes from a definitive accusation leveled at tRump...to a mild accusation of tRump...to "And now for something completely different...." You can guess which network is which, but, if you can't, the graphics tell the story.

VICE: Al Jazeera Says It's Under a Massive 'Cyber Attack'
...The back story is that Al Jazeera is headquartered in Qatar, which is one reason Saudi Arabia wants to take Qatar out, and I don't mean on a date. Al J is the only voice in the region that dissents against Saudi Arabia, and the network has the trust of audiences worldwide. If you like BBC and Sky News, you'll love Al Jazeera.

Bill Moyers: Worried About Election Hacking? There's a Fix for That

Reuters: Republicans take knife to post-crisis Wall Street reforms
...Remember what I said about Republicans axing Dodd-Frank while we were all mesmerized by Director Comey? There's a reason they do this: they engineer the economy to crash so that they can extract all the money from it. Like in the 2008 crash, the plutocrats crashed the market, which killed our jobs, so they could foreclose on our homes...which means that they got not only our houses but our equity in them...and then, when they deigned for us to become re-employed, they sold us our houses back at full price. It's a win-win-win for them...not so much for us. Dodd Frank was a modest measure to keep the banks from gambling with OUR money...but then the plutocrats can't crash the economy with pesky regulations like that in place...so it had to go.

Links you can use

Here's how to report election fraud: https://transition.fec.gov/
...follow alt_fec on Twitter for a great thread regarding the rules.

Here's a hilarious video comparing the intellect of Justin Trudeau with the "intellect" of tRump:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVBjbosl8kp/?taken-by=sillyrepublicans

TaxMarch.org: The American Health Care Act: An $800,000 Annual Tax Cut for Greg
...There's a file on that asshole Issa, too.

tRumpcare Toolkit: Trumpcare Toolkit | Home
...Because, while we were all glued to the Comey hearings, Republicans were voting to foist tRumpcare on us and strip us of what little consumer protections we have under Dodd-Frank

Don't forget to check out the repository set up by Scott Dworkin (Twitter user funder) regarding all the Greedy Oily PEWtineers Russian-funded malfeasance:
The Dworkin Report: Evidence Tying Donald Trump to Russia
Trump Dossier Analysis: Corroborating Evidence in the Trump-Russia Dossier

*****
Ruh roh, Reorge--itz Twitter Warz...
When Stonekettle accused me
 of living in a yurt
because I don't have cable and thus watch MeTV,
I replied,
"My dad pedals the bicycle to power the teevee,
but the teevee is in the teepee
because the yurt is hurt."
*****

Daily Kos, AlterNet, and Democracy Now! headlines

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Reports suggest president is buckling under the pressures of governance and a looming investigation. READ MORE»


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She went there, whether the panel was ready to hear her not. READ MORE»


By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
With each passing day, the president becomes a greater danger to America and the world. READ MORE»


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A new study suggests the 2016 election has taken a steep toll on our physical and psychological health. READ MORE»


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The president is taking a page out of Vladimir Putin's media playbook. READ MORE»


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It’s not only with whites. It reaches well into the party’s base. READ MORE»


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People don't like to admit they were wrong, which is what they would be doing if they concede that Trump is not up to the job. READ MORE»


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Billionaires now buying local influence to push controversial school “reforms.” READ MORE»


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There is a creeping (and creepy) version of authoritarianism that anyone who lived through the Cold War years should recognize. READ MORE»


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Students are the new NINJAs: No Income, No Jobs, no Assets. READ MORE»


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A weird premise. Unnamed, unverified sources. Yep, this Us Weekly profile of Ivanka Trump is trolling. READ MORE»


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Sports personalities are important in breaking down stereotypes and normalizing Muslims to fans.  READ MORE»


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Corporate news media blames the working class. We shouldn't be surprised. READ MORE»


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Former US spy chief calls James Comey's firing "inexcusable." READ MORE»


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Rep. Francis Rooney leaves Alisyn Camerota at a loss for words. READ MORE»


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The star of the new box-office hit reveals she was five months pregnant during reshoots.  READ MORE»


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The president plans to put white supremacists to work. READ MORE»
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Leaked NSA documents show Russians could access voting infrastructure. What impact they had is unknown. READ MORE»


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In Danny Goldberg's new book, he explores the world-famous "Be In," the giant talent of Allen Ginsberg, and 1967, the year of the "Summer of Love." READ MORE»


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A new Twitter account is giving the president's social media missives their proper place. READ MORE»


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Banking on a coveted demographic that is increasingly in the bluest cities, brands are "trying to make their toilet paper save the world." READ MORE»


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The education secretary struggled to defend her draconian budget cuts. READ MORE»


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GOP game plan for the Russia hearings: smear Obama, demonize Samantha Powers and change the subject. READ MORE»


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Dylan connects his inspiration and his craft to the literary and cultural canon. READ MORE»


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Doctors say it reduces paperwork and frees up time to interact with patients. READ MORE»


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The paper invented a problem with disability benefits to fit their false, predetermined narrative. READ MORE»


By Brad Reed, Raw Story
Kletocracy at the expense of sick children. READ MORE»


By Brian Tashman, Right Wing Watch
Many thought the end was nigh under Obama. People who profit off them have had to adapt under Trump. READ MORE»


By Andrew O'Hehir, Salon
There's no pathway to power outside party politics -- but let's try to avoid being delusional. READ MORE»


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The Palestinian territories have become a testing ground for new weapons and surveillance tactics, which are then exported to other countries. READ MORE»


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Read the facts and come to your own conclusion. READ MORE»


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Surprising results when Oakland overhauled its lunch menu by serving less meat and more fruits and vegetables. READ MORE»


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It's likely to lead to stagnating wages and growing inequality for another four years. READ MORE»

***

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Headlines →


*****
My tweet on Republican logic 101:
Pro-life = pro-death
*****
 
Moar m00bies!

Friends, I have great m00bies...the best m00bies...to show you today, but Blogger is being a horse's ass and won't let me post them! GRRRRR!

I will post them separately--maybe we'll luck out, and they and this humongo post will both display.

GRRRRR!!!!!

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

6 June 2017 post:

Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Fighters, and Truth Crusaders!

Today, I have a special treat for you: no essay!

Nope--today, allow me to present a poem written by my friend Jim Stahler...the first installment of a few he graciously sent me.

-----

BACK TO WHERE THEY BELONG
©Jim Stahler

[11-27-14 This is a response to those who think that illegal aliens should all be deported because they broke the law. The problem is worse than anyone can imagine.]

Driving down the highway
Those cars go zooming past,
Changing lanes without signaling
While they go way too fast.

They must be illegal aliens.
Send them back to where they belong.
A native born American
Would never do anything wrong.

In high school and in college
Getting drunk is all the rage,
Imbibing too much alcohol
Even though they’re under age.

They must be illegal aliens.
Send them back to where they belong.
A native born American
Would never do anything wrong.

In the hallowed halls of congress
They’re doing what they should not.
Taking bribes and having sex
And stupidly getting caught.

They must be illegal aliens.
Send them back to where they belong.
A native born American
Would never do anything wrong.

A red, white, and blue American would never do anything wrong.
You and I are true Americans; we would never do anything wrong.


-----

Hopefully, that made you smile and fortified you to face the n00z I've got lined up today...

And with that less-than-happy thot, allow me to slawg on with the blawg.

- Dot Calm's shadow

*****

Choo choo time headlines

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll see that these stories comprise a sample of what I retweet. I like collecting them here on the blawg for easy long-term reference.
-- Dot Calm's shadow

The Guardian: The six questions Nigel Farage won't answer on Trump-Russia

WaPo: Fact-checking President Trump's claims on the Paris climate change deal

MediaMatters: NRA board member Ted Nugent stands by call for Hillary Clinton to be hanged

EPA.gov: EPA FACT SHEET: Clean Power Plan BY THE NUMBERS--CUTTING CARBON POLLUTION FROM POWER PLANTS

Reuters: Trump's continued search for new FBI chief seen as chaotic
There's also this from Reuters: U.S. lawmakers ask Trump to turn over any Comey tapes

Rewire: The Breach: In the Shadow of Putin With Sarah Kendzior

ABC News: DOJ never told Comey of concerns before axing him and now he's angry
...Spoiler: the government has processes and procedures for firing career public servants. The fact that tRump never told Comey a single "concern" tells me that said "concerns" are bogus--a pathetic excuse made up after the fact to rationalize the decision to obstruct the tRump-Russia investigation.

WaPo: Scientists just published an entire study refuting Scott Pruitt on climate change

Newsweek: Putin Vows Military Response to 'Eliminate NATO Threat is Sweden Joins
...Spoiler: Sweden gave PEWtin the big FUCK YOU and joined NATO anyway. Good!

Slate: The Weather Channel's response to Trump's Paris Agreement pullout was powerful
...Spoiler: it was awesome...
Dame Magazine: The Silencing of the Hillary Clinton Supporter
...In other words, Democrats and Republicans alike are wringing their hands to figure out how to get fewer than 25% of the American populace--the so-called Working Class White Man--to vote for them while ignoring the more sizeable proportion of male and female Hillary supporters.

Chicago Tribune: Emanuel backs off from commitment to court oversight of Chicago police reform

Parthian Arrow blog: Unintended Presidential Resignation

Stonekettle.com: Stonekettle Station: The Hubris of Ignorance

Lawfareblog: A New Jurisprudence for an Oathless Presidency
...In other words, nobody takes tRump seriously as "president." It's clear that he is completely divorced from his oath of office. So, what else will the courts decide they can safely ignore?

Bill Moyers: A Tax on Wall Street Trading is the Best Solution to Income Inequality

The Guardian: Far right raises £50,000 to target boats on refugee rescue missions in the Mediterranean

Adelphi: Insurgency, Terrorism and Organised Crime in a Warming--I read a piece with this title as originally posted on the New Climate for Peace blog, but it seems to have been taken down.

Paste Magazine: How the Trump-Russia Data Machine Games Google to Fool Americans

Reuters: Deutsche Bank ignores U.S. Trump/Russia query: Democratic staffer

WaPo: How to teach kids about climate change where most parents are skeptics

GWU: Nazis vs. ISIS on Twitter - The George Washington University

Daily Kos: 99 "coincidences" connecting Trump and Putin

Wired: A Retiree Discovers an Elusive Math Proof—And Nobody Notices

The Daily Beast: John Oliver Goes Off on the Media for 'Insulting' London Attack Coverage

McClatchy: GOP strategists plot anti-media strategy for 2018 elections

MoJo: Trump's Tortuous Path to Firing James Comey

New Yorker: How President Trump Could Seize More Power After a Terrorist Attack

All That Is Interesting: Dinosaur 'Mummy' Unveiled With Skin And Guts Intact

Boston Globe: Donald Trump's airline went from opulence to crash landing

The Guardian: My best friend was killed by a terrorist – I can't work for the Saudi regime any more | Alastair Bealby

The Intercept: Top-Secret NSA Report Details Russian Hacking Effort Days Before 2016 Election
...Nutshell: Reality Winner is a 25-year-old who had access to top secret information and who leaked it to The Intercept, apparently without any concern for getting caught. The NSA's attention to what she leaked verifies that the information is accurate. However, it does not show evidence of Russian hacking of our actual voting machines--which makes sense because they're not connected to the Internet--EXCEPT that Russia DID hack into the software company that makes the software IN our voting machines (see todaze DN! headlines below for the full story on that). We're not sure yet what exactly Russia did--it could all just have been exploratory this time around. However, the document and NSA's reaction to it do confirm that PEWtin LIED when he denied Russian interference with our election in his interview with Megyn Kelly. As if we didn't expect as much.

ProPublica: Here Are the Financial Disclosures of 349 Officials Trump Has Installed Across the Government

WSJ: Trump Hotel Received $270,000 From Lobbying Campaign Tied to Saudis
...Say it with me now, boyz 'n' goilz: "EMOLUMENTS"!

Reuters: California, China defy US climate retreat with new cleantech tie-up

Brookings Institute: The $110 billion arms deal to Saudi Arabia is fake news
...In other words, tRump is trying to take credit for and build up something that existed before he came into the picture. It's barely a promise for the Saudis to browse our military-industrial-complex wares. Note to self: don't believe ONE WORD spewed forth by the orange face anus in comrade twAtler's orange face.

MoJo: Donald Trump Just Slammed Qatar for Terrorism. So What's Up With His Big Hotel Project There?

Forbes: How Donald Trump Shifted Kids-Cancer Charity Money Into His Business 
...In other words, tRump funneled money from St. Jude's charity to fight childhood cancer into his own pockets. Not only is this repulsively unethical, but it's also likely illegal.

Reuters: Deutsche Bank ignores US Trump/Russia query: Democratic Staffer
...Friends, this is gravely troubling...gravely troubling. I wonder whether Angela Merkel can help.

Reuters: Trump's blocking of Twitter users violates US Constitution : rights institute
...tRumplethinskin has already blocked a lot of libs trying to get under his skin, but that's apparently unconstitutional because his Twitter account constitutes an official channel between him and the public! Can you imagine the class lawsuit? I'm trying to piss him off and get blocked myself....

CNN: US suspects Russian hackers planted fake news behind Qatar crisis
...So, first, tRump claimed that Saudi et alia were following his "advice" to cut ties with Qatar. Then, we find out that the so-called crisis tRump based his first tweet on was fake news planted by Russia...which only goes to prove that tRump explicitly followed PEWtin's orders in the matter.... But, wait--there's moar! Wanna know how the Russkies got orange twAtler's goat and goaded him to dismantle our alliance with Qatar? They planted insults from Qatar directed at him in their fake news article! tRumplethinskin ain't nuthin' if not predictably malleable....

CNN: Trump claims credit for Arab rift with Qatar

NY Times: Comey Told Sessions: Don't Leave Me Alone With Trump
...Preet Bharara tweeted in reponse: if tRump tells everyone else to leave the room, then leave the room with everyone else. (In other words, leave the naughty ickle toddler alone!)

WaPo: Trump jumps into worsening dispute between Qatar and powerful Arab bloc
...And thus doing PEWtin's bidding of weakening our alliances and thus weakening the United States of America.

BuzzFeed: The Most Important Donald Trump Campaign Adviser You've Never Heard Of

ShareBlue: Trump blows off military experts on Qatar, endangers largest US base in the Middle East
...But not to worry--Qatar won't have to tolerate the vacuum of losing our support for very long...Iran will gladly step in and fill the void. What could go wrong?

And now...here are a couple or three things to do while you wait with bated breath for my next post:

Click through and sign up to #Resist at https://resistancenearme.org

Tell these bastards to quit with the st00pit Ivanka puff pieces:
Feedback CNN - Videos, Pictures, and News - CNN.com

Are you a STEM professional looking to skip town and head to greener pastures abroad? Start your job search here: Jobs Search | EURAXESS

*****
*****

Daily Kos, AlterNet, and Democracy Now! headlines

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Daily Kos Special Coverage

Yesterday, Donald Trump announced his decision to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement. Here are the top stories regarding the proclamation:


Daily Kos Recommended



***
By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
This is what a faux infrastructure plan looks like. READ MORE»


By Heather Digby Parton, Salon
His NATO speech, Paris Agreement withdrawal and London tweetstorm suggest he has no use for advisers. READ MORE»


By Michael Moore, AlterNet
Patriotic Americans need an outlet to help protect their country from tyranny. READ MORE»


By Brad Reed, Raw Story
"The guy won’t pay and he won’t listen." READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
Sadiq Khan has "better things to do" than argue with the president on social media. READ MORE»


By Travis Gettys, Raw Story
Scarborough has previously raised the possibility the president is suffering from dementia. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
Washington Senator Patty Murray on the Trump Administration's perpetual transparency fear. READ MORE»


By Brad Reed, Raw Story
“World leaders who stoop to attack municipal politicians in foreign cities look small." READ MORE»


By Celisa Calacal, AlterNet
Florida is one of the easiest states to buy a gun. READ MORE»


By Jason Wilson, The Guardian
Recording reveals county chair urged attendees to run for local office. READ MORE»


By Lauren Kaori Gurley, AlterNet
A new bill would extend coverage to all residents, regardless of health or age. READ MORE»
By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
A GOP-sponsored bill finds more ways to starve traditional public schools. READ MORE»


By Jonathan Cook, AlterNet
The resulting anti-Muslim rhetoric helps radicalize other disillusioned Muslim youth. READ MORE»


By Heather Digby Parton, Salon
Trump's petty, self-serving reaction to the London tragedy was bad enough. On guns, he's simply stupid and wrong. READ MORE»


By Spencer Sunshine, Truthout
The Portland attacks are just the tip of the white supremacist iceberg.  READ MORE»


By Jefferson Morley, AlterNet
Scorning serious proposals, the White House offers a Trump University plan for employment. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
He's already formed his own super PAC and made several trips to battleground states. READ MORE»


By Paul Blest, AlterNet
Jim Johnson lays out his vision for the future. READ MORE»


By Travis Gettys, Raw Story
Mili Hernandez said the situation was unfair, but she wouldn’t let discrimination dampen her enthusiasm.  READ MORE»


By Katie Serena, Salon
Freshman hopefuls had their acceptances rescinded after sharing lewd and racist photos in an online chat room. READ MORE»


By Susan Levin, AlterNet
To protect our warming planet, we must start taking animal products off our plates. READ MORE»


By Lauren Kaori Gurley, AlterNet
From climate change to immigration, the U.S. is no longer a world leader. READ MORE»

By Ilana Novick, AlterNet
The Trump administration and its enablers are warping reality to their own twisted politics. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
The president's miniscule attention span and penchant for conspiracy theories could ruin the planet. READ MORE»


By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
The leader of the free world thinks collaboration is a con, and life is a zero-sum game.  READ MORE»


By David Ferguson, Raw Story
Rogers will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. READ MORE»


By Harriet Sinclair, Newsweek
MSNBC commentator Thomas Roberts makes a compelling case. READ MORE»


By Bob Cesca, Salon
His presidency is a crisis in itself. READ MORE»


By Travis Gettys, Raw Story
Senior White House officials describe Priebus as a dead man walking. READ MORE»


By Tom Tomorrow, AlterNet
What if the 2016 election were an experiment to see how much stress America can take? READ MORE»

By Alex Henderson, AlterNet
The GOP has outed itself as the party of cruelty and willful ignorance. READ MORE»


By Julian Borger, The Guardian
America braces for an historic political moment, READ MORE»


By Patricia Miller, Religion Dispatches
As Offred says, an erosion of rights so gradual that many aren’t even aware it is happening. READ MORE»


By Rajan Menon, Tom Dispatch
Possible war with Korea is the most frightening situation on the planet. READ MORE»


By Arie Perliger, The Conversation
The Trump administration may deny it, but the numbers are there. READ MORE»


By David Ferguson, Raw Story
Uber is being criticized for charging riders inflated rates during the attacks. READ MORE»


By Phillip Smith, AlterNet
Some get in the pot business to do good. Some get into it hoping to do good and do well. Others are just looking to do well.  READ MORE»


By Keith A. Spencer, Salon
A new Uber-esque school model turns teachers like me into on-demand contractors for the children of the 1 percent. READ MORE»


By Jim Hightower, AlterNet
Hint: it's not natural. READ MORE»


By Sue Sturgis, Facing South
A recent Supreme Court case might unwind GOP gerrymanders. READ MORE»


By Melanie Tait , The Guardian
Food is the great love of my life. I’ve forsaken everything else for it. I’ve chosen it over lovers, over experiences, over family, over my career. READ MORE»


By Dina El-Rifai, OtherWords
The "war on terror" has killed millions of innocent people. You don't have to be a "bad Muslim" to oppose that. READ MORE»


By Sarah Angle, Texas Observer
Compounding the financial struggles is the loneliness and separation from community. READ MORE»


By Benjamin Dangl, Toward Freedom
In one year alone, $230 billion dollars of African resources was taken by overseas governments and corporations.  READ MORE»
By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
Surprise! White supremacy is a fraud. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
This administration's legislative agenda is uniquely cruel, even for the far right. READ MORE»


By Anna Sanford, AlterNet
The number of American atheists may be significantly underreported. READ MORE»


By Erin Keane, Salon
We are finally coming to terms with the reality that Ivanka's influence is mostly a liberal fantasy. READ MORE»


By Jeremy E. Sherman , AlterNet
The list of authoritarian characteristics is pretty universal. READ MORE»


By Noor Al-Sibai, Raw Story
“The triumph of the oligarchs may spell the end of America as we have known it.”  READ MORE»


By Robin Scher, AlterNet
By being mindful about the food they eat, OCD sufferers can actually reduce their symptoms. READ MORE»


By Amanda Marcotte, Salon
Much of what Donald Trump does is fueled by the desire to uproot or undo Barack Obama's legacy.  READ MORE»


By Jefferson Morley, AlterNet
Back in the 19th century, the bodyslamming congressman from Montana might have faced a trial on Capitol Hill. READ MORE»


By Todd Gitlin, BillMoyers.com
A note on the uses of stupefaction. READ MORE»


By Dana R. Fisher, Dawn Marie Dow, Rashawn Ray, The Conversation
The demographics of the resistance. READ MORE»


By Wayne Pacelle, AlterNet
The nation is waking up to animal cruelty as an indicator of social pathology.  READ MORE»


By Eliza Newlin Carney, The American Prospect
Faced with GOP-drawn electoral maps that are rigged against them, Democrats are pouring millions into a campaign to fight back. READ MORE»


By Nancy Matsumoto, YES! Magazine
Each generation has had one common desire: to live a more honest, ethical life of self-sufficiency and oneness with nature. READ MORE»


By Angela Jackson, Beacon Press
Her poetry portrayed African American life growing up on Chicago's South Side in a complex and vulnerable way. READ MORE»

By Michael Bader, DMH, AlterNet
Mental health professionals have a "duty to warn" people about the danger posed by Trump’s mental illness. READ MORE»


By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
The president is a sore loser, and the world is going to pay for it.  READ MORE»


By Ilana Novick, AlterNet
On June 3, protesters will march to demand Trump's Russia connections don't escape accountability. READ MORE»


By Tom Engelhardt, Tom Dispatch
He’s teaching us just how deeply disturbed our American world actually is, or he wouldn’t be where he is. READ MORE»


By Heather Digby Parton, Salon
Right-wing "thought leaders" face a quandary: Follow "our general" with no questions, or admit he's a disaster? READ MORE»


By Robin Scher, AlterNet
About 100,000 bugs are killed to produce a little over 1 pound of shellac flakes, a main ingredient in confectioner's glaze. READ MORE»


By Vijay Prashad, AlterNet
More than 42 percent of the Indian population are Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis, Christians and Sikhs. None are put off by the consumption of meat. READ MORE»


By Phillip Smith, AlterNet
The guys at ASAP Science take on this burning question in an entertaining, science-based, three-minute video. Enjoy.  READ MORE»


By Nives Dolsak, Aseem Prakash, The Conversation
Will this withdrawal derail global efforts toward climate mitigation? READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
"The Blood Is at the Doorstep" tells a shocking tale of police brutality and a family's struggle years since. READ MORE»


By Harriet Sinclair, Newsweek
Trump's hard stance with Cuba could threaten jobs. READ MORE»


By Jeff Bryant, Education Opportunity Network
Years of fiscal backsliding has reduced local school budgets to skin and bones. READ MORE»
By Jacob Sugarman, AlterNet
The president's decision to pull out of the Paris agreement has nothing to do with putting America first.  READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
The French president responds to the United States' withdrawal from the Paris agreement. READ MORE»


By Brad Reed, Raw Story
Official claims restrictions are justified because Republicans control all three branches of government. READ MORE»


By Pritha Paul, International Business Times
"Actions speak louder than words." READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
"If climate change destroys human life on Earth, it could be bad for business." READ MORE»


By Celisa Calacal, AlterNet
Carl Dabadie says terminating the officer would be "improper." READ MORE»


By Dan Roberts, Anushka Asthana , The Guardian
"He has taken on the establishment [and] transformed his party." READ MORE»


By Rachael Link, Authority Nutrition
They're low in calories but high in many important vitamins and minerals. READ MORE»
By Celisa Calacal, Lauren Kaori Gurley, AlterNet
A frightening crackdown on free speech is underway across the country. READ MORE»


By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
DeVos has invested millions in the brain-training company NeuroCore.  READ MORE»


By Reynard Loki, AlterNet
Can the global climate be stabilized without American participation? READ MORE»


By Haroon Siddique, The Guardian
Only other UN members not party to Paris agreement never signed up, but for reasons of war and principle, not disbelief. READ MORE»


By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
His silence is deafening. READ MORE»


By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
A work-in-progress? A model for the nation? Or a step off the fiscal cliff? READ MORE»


By Adele M. Stan, The American Prospect
The president is a danger to the nation and the world. And everyone in his administration is enabling him. READ MORE»


By Phillip Smith, AlterNet
Legal pot sales alone swamp some surprising product lines, but when you add in estimated black market sales, marijuana is a real monster.  READ MORE»


By Chauncey DeVega, Salon
Trump’s detractors are keen to jump on his gaffes to enjoy a moment of liberal schadenfreude, as they signal their superiority. It is not helping. READ MORE»


By Bob Johnson, DailyKos
Short of firing Mueller, the president can't do anything to stop him. READ MORE»


By Chris Riotta, Newsweek
And with every misstep, there is a little more erosion and disdain. READ MORE»


By Ben Norton, Max Blumenthal, AlterNet
Against an unprecedented wave of smears, the socialist Labour leader has bucked the consensus and slashed his opponent's lead. READ MORE»


By John Feffer, TomDispatch
American elites tremble before China, which has already surpassed the United States in gross economic output, while steadily enhancing its military capabilities. READ MORE»


By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
The Trump Doctrine: Benefit the most comfortable Americans and stick it to the most vulnerable. READ MORE»


By Heather Digby Parton, Salon
Barely two years ago, both parties had agreed to roll back mandatory minimum sentencing. Well, forget all that. READ MORE»


By Craig Aaron, OtherWords
The rules are being changed as conservative Trump supporters, like Sinclair Broadcasting Group, are pushing out local media. READ MORE»


By Peter Dreier, AlterNet
The players union could do more to help its image as a union for “spoiled brats” if it showed some solidarity to ordinary people. READ MORE»


By Zen Honeycutt, AlterNet
Congress must investigate obvious collusion between the EPA and Monsanto. READ MORE»



***

Stories


Will a defense attorney with a long record of standing up to prosecutors and police soon head one of the nation's busiest district attorney offices? We speak with civil ... Read More →

A military intelligence contractor has been arrested and charged with leaking a top-secret NSA report to the media that reveals Russian military intelligence ... Read More →

We continue our coverage of the Philadelphia district attorney's race with Republican nominee Beth Grossman, a prosecutor with more than 20 years' ... Read More →

Headlines →


Stories


Twelve people have been arrested in London after three attackers killed seven people and injured 48 more on Saturday night. The three attackers were shot dead by ... Read More →

Following the attacks in London on Saturday night, President Trump launched a tweet storm calling for the United States to impose his proposed Muslim travel ... Read More →

Is the Trump administration attempting to erase history? On Friday, congressional officials confirmed the administration has begun returning to Congress copies ... Read More →

We speak with Shayana Kadidal, senior managing attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, about an often overlooked footnote in the history of ISIS. ... Read More →

As President Trump announced the United States will pull out of the Paris climate agreement, California's state Senate has passed legislation to put the state on a ... Read More →

Headlines →


Stories


President Donald Trump announced Thursday he will withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris climate accord that was signed by nearly 200 nations in ... Read More →

We host a roundtable discussion on President Trump's announcement Thursday that he will withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris climate accord ... Read More →

The very same day President Trump announced he is pulling the United States out of the landmark 2015 climate accord, oil began flowing through the $3.8 ... Read More →

Headlines →


*****

M00bies










Just one thing, Keith--London is not "reeling." Otherwise, you're golden.


 






My dad wants to see Wonder Woman--guess we'll go after brunch on Fathers' Day!


Can't help popping this one back in

And, of course, this one


*****

Well, friends, that's it for today. Until we meet again, don't forget to RESIST with Resistbot:

text "Resist" to 50409

And check out the Electronic Frontier Foundation's website so you can protect your online privacy:
https://www.eff.org/

Remember to boycott all the tRump shills on the boycott list below and tell them why.

And don't forget to read Dot Calm's shadow's favorite independent sources of news and information:
  
Randi Rhodes's Homework page
DCReport.org
Open Secrets
Democratic Coalition Against Trump
MaddowBlog
Daily Kos
AlterNet
Democracy Now!
Democratic Underground
Boing Boing
Vox
Conservatives are Destroying our Future
Conservative Clown Car
God, the Good Lord Above
...skip the media outlets in the boycott list below unless you want trump propaganda. And TELL their advertisers WHY you are boycotting those media outlets!

On the lighter side:
McSweeney's Internet Tendency
      
And check out these great YouTube channels:
...or, if you just want something mindless and fun, try Tested

Also, don't forget to add these to your Twitter feed if you haven't already:
@joyannreid
@georgetakei
@malcolmnance

And now you can add me, too!

@dotcalmsshadow

And don't forget to follow

@AlexJonescopy

unless, as he says, you're a total globalist. "It's not a parody account--it's performance art!" He also urges us to retweet everything he says unless we want the globalists to win. (Srsly, friends--he's a riot. Don't drink coffee while reading his tweets.)

Peas, friends. Take care of yourselves for me. Trust me--you're worth it! And go have a Fireball and some chocolate while you still can, will ya? Time is short now that the mouth of trump hell has opened...
  
- Dot Calm's shadow

Consider the preemptive Blogger phuqued-up phormatting disclaimer to be in effect. Grrr.
-- Dot Calm's shadow
      

*****


*****
     
Boycott List

Boycott media!

Don't bother with these media outlets any more unless you want trump propaganda--these media outlets have whored themselves out to trump for access for the low, low price of "fancy" cocktails and a "fancy" dinner, consisting of Donald's shriveled orange acorn dick, at chump's "fancy" (aka FAKE PLASTIC, just like everything else about trump and his FAKE PLASTIC family) "resort" in Florida. What an upstanding, responsible response to trump's denying press conferences since 27 July 2016...retch. So much for comforting the afflicted, afflicting the comfortable, and speaking truth to power to keep that power reined in and in check...!
  • Axios
  • Bloomberg
  • Breitbart because duh--according to AlterNet, Howard Dean Lends Voice to Consumer Activist Group Hitting Breitbart in the Wallet—And It's Working
  • CNN
  • FOX because of course
  • MSNBC (includes Joe Scarborough, but Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes may still be OK as long as their corporate overlords allow it)
  • NBC (they also have the reality TV show conflict of interest--and they just hired a couple of FUX Noise escapees, so beware a hard swing to the far, far right)
  • POLITICO--their top editor(s) went and paid to party with trump, so now more and more trump propaganda has been showing up there, to my infinite disgust
Don't forget to contact these media outlets and their ADVERTISERS and TELL them all why you're boycotting them! So what if we spend a little less money overall? The money we save now may give us enough breathing room to jump ship before trump crashes the economy.

Boycott vendors that support trump, sell trump shit, and otherwise pander to hate!

Boycott Victoria's Secret--they kick out shoppers who are guilty of shopping while Black!
    
Here's a twofer: let's save our money for when dump tanks the economy and grab the trumpussy grabber-in-thief where it hurts most--by his wallet!

Want to boycott trump? There's an app for that!

And here's a list of trump companies.

There's also a spreadsheet of trump supporters and vendors that carry trump merch that includes the vendors below.
Don't forget New Balance, who praised and supported trump: 1 (800) 595-9138.

Here's the list from Mindy Fischer, featuring 28 vendors that sell trump merchandise. BOYCOTT them all and TELL them why!

6pm
Contact info: (888) 676-2660, HQ- (702) 943-7777
cs@6pm.com

Amazon--pressure them to DUMP BREITBART, while you're at it!
Contact info: (888) 280-4331 HQ- (206) 266-1000
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/contact-us/general-questions.html?skip=true

Belk
Contact info: (866) 235-5443 HQ- (704) 357-1000
http://www.belkfeedback.com/(X(1)S(sbbxm3z11e1guxbtctk2wdkc))/Index.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Bloomingdale's
Contact info: (800) 777-0000 HQ- (212) 705-2000
http://survey.medallia.com/?blm-tuwyt-com

Bluefly
Contact info: (877) 258-3359 HQ- (212) 944-8000
flyrep@bluefly.com

The Bon-Ton
Contact info: (800) 233-7626 HQ- (800) 937-5449
http://investors.bonton.com/contactus.cfm

Bed Bath and Beyond
Contact info: (800) 462-3966 HQ- (908) 688-0888
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/selfservice/ContactUs?…

Burlington Coat Factory
Contact info: (855) 355-2875 HQ- (609) 387-7800
http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com/contactus.aspx

Carson's 
Contact info: (800) 945-4438 HQ- (317) 971-6200
http://investors.bonton.com/contactus.cfm

Century 21 department store
Contact info: (877) 350-2121 HQ- (888) 221-2551
https://www.c21stores.com/contact

Dillard's
Contact info: (800) 345-5273 HQ- (501) 376-5200
http://www.dillards.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContactUs

DSW Shoes
Contact info: (866) 379-7463 HQ- (614) 237-7100
http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/customer_service/send_email.jsp

Hudson’s Bay
Contact info: (800) 521-2364 HQ- (800) 521-2364
https://www.thebay.com/webapp/wcs/stores…

HSN
Contact info: (800) 284-3900 HQ- (727) 872-1000
https://www.hsn.com/cs/email_us/default.aspx

Jet
Contact Info: (855) 538-4323 HQ- (844) 538-2255
help@jet.com

Joss & Main
Contact info: (866) 263-8325 HQ- (617) 532-6100
https://www.wayfair.com/help/faq.php

Lord & Taylor
Contact info: (800) 223-7440 HQ- (212) 391-3344
https://www.lordandtaylor.com/webapp/wcs/stores…

Macy’s
Contact info: (800) 289-6229 HQ- (513) 579-7000
http://survey.medallia.com/?mcy-tuwyt-com

Marshalls and TJ Maxx
Contact info: (888) 627-7425 HQ- (508) 390-1000
https://www.marshallsonline.com/contact-us

Neiman Marcus WE WON! Needless Mark-up DUMPED TRUMP, w00t!
Contact info: (888) 888-4757 HQ- (562) 463-9333
https://www.neimanmarcus.com/assistance/contactUs.jsp

Nordstrom WE WON! Nordstrom DUMPED TRUMP, w00t!
Contact info: (888) 282-6060 HQ- (206) 628-2111
https://nordstrom.custhelp.com/app/ask/incidents.c$sent_queueid/12

Overstock.com
Contact info: (800) 843-2446 HQ- (801) 947-3100
https://help.overstock.com/app/ask

Perfumania
Contact info: (866) 557-2368 HQ- (800) 228-3489
http://perfumaniaholdings.com/contact

Saks Off Fifth
Contact info: (877) 551-7257 HQ- (212) 320-4700
https://www.saksoff5th.com/contactus

Stein Mart
Contact info: (888) 783-4662 HQ- (904) 346-1500
http://ir.steinmart.com/contactus.cfm

Wayfair
Contact info: (866) 263-8325 HQ- (617) 532-6100
https://www.wayfair.com/help/faq.php

Winners
Contact info: (514) 788 4949 HQ- (905) 405-8000
https://www.winners.ca/en/contact

Zappos
Contact info: (800) 927-7671 HQ- (702) 943-7777
https://secure-www.zappos.com/contact

Zulily
Contact info: (877) 779-5615 HQ- (206) 724-0500
http://www.zulily.com/contacts

OK, friends--let's get busy!

#covfefe, when the walls fell...