Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Ross Barkan: The liberal punditocracy thinks Donald Trump is toast. Not so fast (The Guardian)
To watch Fox News on Monday night or peruse rightwing outposts like Breitbart and the Drudge Report was to find an America that will always be to Donald Trump's liking. "Deep State Strikes," blared Breitbart, perhaps Trump's most ardent media defender. "Leaks Classified Info to Washington Post to Smear Trump."
Danuta Kean: "Cheap books, high price: why Amazon.com's 'one-click' sales can cost authors dear" (The Guardian)
It is a hard sell: the idea that cheaper books might be a bad thing. But an adjustment to how Amazon sells books on its site is being attacked by authors' groups, which claim secondhand copies of new books sold at rock-bottom prices are selling in such high quantities from the retailer that authors are unable to earn a living.
Suzanne Moore: Clothes moths are driving me mad. How can I be free of these insidious pests? (The Guardian)
These tiny colourless flickers bring up a nameless anxiety, that even my small world cannot be controlled. I catch one and squash it between my fingers and it turns to dust. These pests are made of nothing. Nothing at all.
Stuart Jeffries: "'Godard is not God!' … Michel Hazanavicius on his film about France's most notorious director" (The Guardian)
Hazanavicius has sympathy for the diabolical genius of the nouvelle vague. "His fans want him to keep making the same movies," he says. "They want Breathless 2. They can't bear that he wants to change. I've been through that. I get that. All artists get that."
Sarah Boseley: No such thing as 'fat but fit', major study finds (The Guardian)
'Metabolically healthy obese' are 50% more likely to suffer heart disease than those of normal weight, finds University of Birmingham study.
Jill Freedman's best photograph: the Easter Bunny riding a tricycle through Manhattan (The Guardian)
This was taken in the 1970s, when I was in love with New York. The place was full of soul back then: there was life on the streets, eccentric characters on every corner, millions of people with colourful stories to tell. I mean it's not every day you go out and see an Easter bunny on a tricycle, is it?
Joseph Epstein: How Cool was That? (Weekly Standard)
Not especially, in retrospect.
19 Real Customer Service Horror Stories (Cracked)
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Presenting
Michael Egan
took the day off.
took the day off.
has returned to semi-retired status.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
from Marc Perkel
Patriot Act
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT FOR DONALD J. TRUMP.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTING AGENCY.
A NEW SITE. CHECK IT OUT.
MAY HE ROT IN HELL!
A SHORTCUT TO FASCISM.
"ALL THE KINGS HORSES AND ALL THE KINGS MEN…"
"WHERE WATERGATE GOES TO DIE"
Visit JD's site - Kitty Litter Music
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Now there's a war on cocoa? Oh no!
Good-Bye Net Neutrality
FCC
A federal agency voted to kick off the repeal of "net neutrality" rules designed to keep broadband providers like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from interfering with the internet.
It's the latest change that the Federal Communications Commission has made to ease regulation of the phone, broadcast and cable industries.
Undoing the net neutrality rules - which, for instance, block providers from favoring their own apps and services over those of competitors like Netflix - may be the biggest battle yet triggered by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai (R-Verizon). The tech industry, which sees net neutrality as necessary to innovation, is already pushing back by lobbying politicians, sending letters of protest to the agency and starting to rally supporters.
The FCC's three commissioners voted 2-1, with the lone Democrat opposed, to start a process aimed at unwinding the net neutrality rules. It will be months before final rules are up for a vote.
FCC
Branded 'T-rump A Bullshitter'
Obama
Barack Obama reportedly branded Donald Trump a "bullsh***r" after the pair's election night phone call.
Mr Obama congratulated Donald Trump (R-Delusional) on his win after he won the election in November and it has now emerged the billionaire property tycoon professed his newfound veneration for former President Obama during the phone call.
Two friends of the former President have now told People magazine Mr Trump suddenly professed his "respect" and "admiration" for him despite their years-long feud and fraught relationship.
But the former President is said to have been so vexed by the flattery that he argued Mr Trump was being disingenuous.
"He's nothing but a bullsh****r," Mr Obama reportedly told two friends early last November while describing the election night call.
Obama
Desperately Tries
Merriam-Webster
Donald Trump (R-Buffoon) isn't great at spelling - or Twitter for that matter - so it's no surprise that when he tries to do both at the same time, disaster ensues.
For reference, let us look to President Trump's Thursday morning tweet to the world. In attempting to write about a "special counsel," the leader of the United States misspelled the simple word, instead writing, "councel."
It was only a matter of hours before the country's faithful educator, Merriam-Webster, chimed in, revealing there had been a ridiculously yuge spike in searches for the misspelled word.
To make matters more embarrassing, this isn't even the first time the president had trouble with the word. Just 10 days ago, Trump used the incorrect version of "counsel" when tweeting about the "W.H. Council."
Once again, Merriam-Webster attempted to teach Trump right from wrong by defining the homophones, but it doesn't appear he got the message.
Merriam-Webster
Passes One Million Signatures
Impeachment Petition
More than one million people have signed a petition to impeach Donald Trump (R-Crooked) as scandals continue to befall the White House.
Petition organiser John Bonifaz, a Massachusetts-based lawyer, has been heading one of the campaigns to impeach Mr Trump for allegedly violating the US Constitution's foreign and domestic emoluments clause and other federal laws, according to publication MassLive.
The Emoluments Clause says that the president should not accept, without the consent of Congress, any present or payment from any king, prince or foreign state.
Private citizens are not the only ones calling for an impeachment of Mr Trump. A vocal group of congressional Democrats are also suggesting the idea, and several members of both parties are beginning to grapple with the possibility that impeachment proceedings may loom in the not-too-distant future.
Impeachment Petition
Retracts More False Stories
Alex Jones
The brief statement read by Jones at the end of his radio show was a reversal from previous claims that he would never back down in the defamation case.
Chobani had argued in its lawsuit that Jones and his InfoWars website posted fabricated stories in April that linked Chobani owner Hamdi Ulukaya and the company to a sexual assault case involving refugee children. The company filed the lawsuit in Idaho district court in Twin Falls, where it operates the largest yoghurt plant in the world.
Jones said during his broadcast: "During the week of 10 April 2017, certain statements were made on the InfoWars Twitter feed and YouTube channel regarding Chobani that I now understand to be wrong.
This is not Jones's first apology over a false story. In March, Jones also apologized for promoting the "pizzagate" conspiracy rumors that led to a gunman firing an AR-15 rifle in a Washington DC pizza restaurant as he "self-investigated" a bogus theory that the Comet Ping Pong restaurant was at the center of a child sex-abuse plot and Democratic leaders.
During the recent US presidential race, Donald Trump (R-Mountebank) took the unprecedented step of appearing for an interview on Jones's site. Trump was interviewed for about 30 minutes by Jones in December 2015, and later called Jones a "nice guy".
Alex Jones
Joining DHS
Milwaukee Sheriff
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke has said he will join the Trump administration as an assistant secretary to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Mr Clarke - a prominent, controversial Trump surrogate during the 2016 campaign - made the announcement to conservative radio host Vicki McKenna. Mr Clarke said he will work in the Office of Partnership and Programs, which coordinates outreach efforts to local authorities.
"I'll be a liaison with state and local governments, with the private sector and - one that's really near and dear to me - liaison to state and local and tribal law enforcement," Mr Clarke said.
Aside from his role as Milwaukee county sheriff, Mr Clarke is perhaps best known for his controversial political statements. He maintains a prolific Twitter account, where he has encouraged Americans to take up "pitchforks and torches" against the government and suggested that Black Lives Matter will soon join hands with Isis to bring down America.
At one point, Mr Clarke compared former President Barack Obama's management of the Department of Justice to Adolf Hitler consolidating all police forces under one commander.
Milwaukee Sheriff
Misogynistic Lawmaker Quits
New Hampshire
A Republican lawmaker who was criticized for creating a misogynistic online forum resigned Wednesday, citing concerns for the safety of his loved ones and himself.
The resignation of Rep. Robert Fisher of Laconia (R-Creep) came shortly after his Republican colleagues voted to recommend the full House take no action against him and after Democrats said they would ask the attorney general to investigate him.
Fisher had come under fire after a recent article on The Daily Beast revealed him as the creator of a Reddit forum called "The Red Pill," which bills itself as a discussion of sexual strategies for men and includes a post in which users debate whether "every woman wants to be attractive enough to be raped."
He resigned less than an hour after a Republican-led committee voted 8-6 along party lines to recommend that the full House take no action against him.
Fisher, 31, said that in his early 20s he went through a "nightmare situation" where "false rape accusations became a very real concern." He told the committee he doesn't hate women or condone rape, and he believes it's a waste of lawmakers' time to dig into his past comments. But in a recent piece he wrote for his local newspaper, Fisher defended and doubled down on some of his statements. In one past comment, he said videotaping sexual encounters with women may be the only way for men to defend themselves against fake rape allegations.
New Hampshire
Will Resign Next Month
Chaffetz
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Weasel) said Thursday he will resign from Congress next month, a move that calls into question the future of the House Oversight Committee's investigation of Donald Trump (R-Corrupt) and his campaign's ties with Russia.
Chaffetz, a Republican, said in a letter sent to media and constituents that his last day will be June 30. He said last month that he would not seek re-election in 2018 and that he was considering leaving office early.
The statement did not mention the investigation he is overseeing as the oversight committee chair into President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey and the Trump campaign's role in Russia's alleged efforts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election.
Chaffetz said in the letter he wants to spend time with his family, return to the private sector and possibly run for Utah governor.
Chaffetz
Education Department May Cut Program
Student Loan Forgiveness
Documents from a preliminary Education Department budget obtained by The Washington Post reveal Donald Trump (R-Grifter) plans to put the Student Loan Forgiveness Program on the chopping block.
The program, which is also known as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF), was signed into law under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (CCRAA) by former resident George W. Bush and popularized by the amendments introduced in it by former President Barack Obama.
It allowed students to have the remainder of their federal education loans waived after 10 years of making payments.
According to the rough draft of the budget, Trump is planning to cut $10.6 billion from federal education initiatives, and the first program to bite the dust, as a result, would be PSLF, according to the Washinton Post
If the proposed budget cut is finalized, funding used by higher education institutions for their work-study programs. Public schools use the money towards assisting students suffering from mental health issues while promoting advanced coursework would also be drastically cut short.
Student Loan Forgiveness
In Memory
Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell, the emblematic grunge rock singer whose sweeping voice masked lifelong struggles with drugs and depression, hanged himself late Wednesday moments after finishing a concert. He was 52.
A statement from the singer's publicist said his widow, Vicky Karayiannis Cornell, and the rest of the family "were shocked to learn of his sudden and unexpected passing" and thanked fans for "their continuous love and loyalty."
Cornell, with little formal training, possessed one of the music world's most wide-ranging voices -- it could swing nearly four octaves, moving from a deep baritone to a screechingly high tenor with a chilling vibrato.
Cornell, a Seattle native, wrestled with heroin and other drugs as well as depression most of his life, once even calling a metal magazine to confirm a tour cancellation from a payphone at a rehab clinic.
Besides Soundgarden, Cornell founded the early grunge band Temple of the Dog and sang with Audioslave -- a supergroup with members of Rage Against the Machine.
With Audioslave, Cornell took a leftist political slant and the band in 2005 became the first US rockers to play a major concert in Cuba.
Cornell is survived by three children. Two are with his second wife Karayiannis, a Greek music publicist whom the singer met when she was working in Paris.
Chris Cornell
In Memory
Roger Ailes
Roger Ailes, who as a political consultant helped elect Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush before joining Rupert Murdoch's empire as the hard-charging founding CEO of the Fox News Channel, a conservative counterweight to what perceived was a liberally biased mainstream media, has died, his former network Fox News announced Thursday. He was 77.
Ailes resigned as CEO of Fox News in the wake of numerous sexual harassment allegations last summer. The network's Fox & Friends morning show anchors reported on Ailes' death, reading a statement obtained by Matt Drudge, from Ailes' widow Elizabeth.
Ailes wielded outsized power in U.S. politics and culture. He introduced the populace to Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Megyn Kelly and other right-leaning hosts who drew massive audiences and, in doing so, became a notorious figure among progressive activists eager to discredit him and his top-rated network.
Ailes was an NBC executive who ran CNBC in the 1990s before Murdoch hired him to launch Fox News in 1996 to a mere 17 million cable homes. Conservatives embraced the upstart news network, and within a decade it was routinely drawing more viewers than competitors CNN and MSNBC - combined.
In recent years, Fox News has earned more than $1 billion annually as the most profitable asset at Murdoch's 21st Century Fox conglomerate.
Ailes was born and raised in Warren, Ohio. He suffered from hemophilia so didn't participate in recess at school and was hospitalized because of the disease. His father, a maintenance man for General Motors, was abusive, and he kicked his son out of the house after he graduated high school. Ailes studied radio and television at Ohio University but later admitted he "was hammered all the time" as a young man.
The Air Force ROTC rejected him because of his health, so he joined the college radio station and did some acting in collegiate stage plays. After graduating, he took a low-level job on The Mike Douglas Show, working his way up to executive producer by age 25.
The position afforded him the opportunity to meet powerful people, including Nixon, who told Ailes that he considered television a "gimmick" that had cost him his 1960 presidential bid. Ailes cautioned the candidate to have more respect for TV, and Nixon hired him as his media consultant during his successful run in 1968.
After he was elected, Nixon discarded Ailes, who by then had founded Ailes Communications, and he was soon consulting for numerous political candidates and other high-end clients. In the early 1970s, he turned his attention, once again, to theater, co-producing a flop called Mother Earth before scoring an off-Broadway hit with The Hot L Baltimore (later adapted by Norman Lear for an ABC sitcom). Ailes also produced and directed a 1984 TV special, Television and the Presidency.
In 1992, Ailes encouraged radio star Rush Limbaugh to try television, resulting in a syndicated half-hour show that Ailes produced for four years. "I had to learn how to take being hated as a measure of success," Limbaugh said at an awards dinner for Ailes in 2009, "and the person that taught me to deal with this and to remain psychologically healthy was Roger Ailes … The things I've learned from him about being a man, about the country, about how to be a professional, nobody else taught me."
Roger Ailes
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