Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Parker Molloy: She's an expert at spotting fake news. This is what she wants you to know (Upworthy)
The truth matters because without being able to agree on the most basic facts, there is no democracy. Democracy depends on an informed, educated populace in order to survive. To actively suppress curiosity or obscure facts is to actively suppress democratic norms. … The basic take-aways for the average person? Get your news from trusted sources, confirm it with a second source, check your own confirmation biases, and get familiar with reverse image search tools.
Helaine Olen: The Trump administration's scandalous handling of student loans (Washington Post)
Monday's resignation of Seth Frotman, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's student loan ombudsman, should be a scandal of the first order. In an incendiary letter, Frotman claims the bureau's political appointees are "undercutting enforcement of the law," ending effective oversight of the student loan industry. He alleges "current leadership" suppressed a staff report documenting "the nation's largest banks were ripping off students on campuses across the country by saddling them with legally dubious account fees." But don't expect the Trump administration to care. This is exactly what it wants.
Greg Sargent: A new way to slay Trumpism? The shocking Florida outcome sets up a big test. (Washington Post)
[Andrew] Gillum also talked about the need to raise corporate taxes, but he put that in the context of the urgency of raising abysmally low teacher pay, framing the relevant question as "whether we're going to give major tax breaks to corporations" or "whether we're going to invest that money in our children." He added that investing more in education would "produce good educated talent" that "provides a great workforce" for corporations, which he said would make them "want to locate" in Florida.
Matthew Rozsa: GDP grows as new report shows nearly half of Americans can't afford basic needs (Salon)
It is also worth noting that, although Trump boasted about his trade policies with China helping ordinary Americans, the administration had to approve $6 billion of bailouts for farmersto avoid them being economically harmed by Chinese retaliation to his tariffs.
Chap P. Brown: Sweating the Auto Details of Trump's Trade Deal with Mexico (PIIE)
But these "gains" are more than likely offset by their economic downside. Rising costs imply higher prices for American consumers. Equally important is North America's deteriorating competitiveness as a global export platform for carmakers. As consumer growth in North America slows, these companies are evaluating where they can produce competitively in order to access emerging markets in Asia, South America, and elsewhere. Clunky new rules and higher costs make America, Mexico, and Canada a considerably less attractive hub. Trump's success at bullying another country to accept a mutually bad trade deal is not an economic achievement. Foreign politicians may appease the White House to avoid a worse outcome. But that should not be confused with good policy.
Andrew Kaczynski: Mike Pence's moral case for removing a president from office (CNN)
Dismissing the idea that the president is "just the like the rest of us," Pence wrote, "If you and I fall into bad moral habits, we can harm our families, our employers and our friends. The President of the United States can incinerate the planet. Seriously, the very idea that we ought to have at or less than the same moral demands placed on the Chief Executive that we place on our next door neighbor is ludicrous and dangerous. "Throughout our history, we have seen the presidency as the repository of all of our highest hopes and ideals and values. To demand less is to do an injustice to the blood that bought our freedoms."
Mike Pence Once Made Moral Case For Removing A President | Morning Joe | MSNBC (YouTube)
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Presenting
Michael Egan
took the day off.
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
from Bruce
Alcohol Anecdotes
• Some American towns are wet (they allow alcohol); other American towns are dry (they don't allow alcohol). During his 1885 American tour, Colonel James H. Mapleson had the misfortune to stop in Topeka, Kansas, a dry town. His opera troupe had drunk all the wine available on their train, and they were very displeased when water was placed before them while they dined at their Topeka hotel; in fact, Colonel Mapleson's baritone drew his knife and said that unless he had something suitable to drink soon, he would not perform that evening. Hard pressed, Colonel Mapleson sought a physician and explained the situation to him. The understanding physician wrote a prescription in Latin, Colonel Mapleson took it to a pharmacist, and the pharmacist filled the prescription by giving him three bottles of something much more stimulating than water.
• Golfer Walter Hagen had a reputation for partying. According to legend, he sometimes showed up at tee time in a wrinkled tuxedo because he had been partying all night and didn't have time to change. The truth is quite different. Mr. Hagen was often seen at parties with a glass in his hand, but when he had to play in a tournament the next day, he tossed the drink into a potted plant, then went home to get a good night's sleep. His tuxedo got wrinkled because he ordered his chauffeur to roll it into a ball and throw it against the car until it was wrinkled enough to carry on the legend.
• New Zealanders apparently don't drink martinis-or at least they didn't. When comic singer Anna Russell was performing in New Zealand, she threw a party, giving instructions to a bartender to make martinis using Fleischmann's gin. Halfway through the party, however, the martinis began to be dark brown instead of clear. She investigated and discovered that the bartender had run out of Fleischmann's gin, so he was using Fleischmann's whiskey instead. (The party was a success nevertheless.)
• Playwright John Mortimer once stopped for gasoline at a station near Covent Garden. The attendant pumping his gas recognized him, saying that he had seen Mr. Mortimer in the seats behind him at a performance of the opera Aida. This surprised Mr. Mortimer, as those seats were very expensive, so he asked the gas station attendant how he could afford the tickets. The attendant explained that he hadn't spent any more for the tickets than any other pump man would spend getting drunk Friday night.
• Some preachers at a restaurant were served the wrong dessert-watermelon spiked with alcohol. Learning of the mistake, the maitre d'hotel asked a waiter to get the dessert back if the preachers hadn't already started eating it. However, the waiter reported that the preachers had already started eating the dessert. "In that case," said the maitre d'hotel, "do they like it?" "They didn't say," replied the waiter. "They were too busy putting the seeds in their pockets."
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Current Events
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REMEMBERING MARC PERKEL
Marc Perkel
Marc died August 1st after a brave battle with lung cancer.
Marc was one of the good guys. The REALLY GOOD GUYS.
WHO THE HELL IS MARC PERKEL
Marc has hosted this site on his server for 15 years.
He will be greatly missed.
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
FRACK YOU!
HIDE THE MILITARY.
Visit JD's site - Kitty Litter Music
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
If you've ever thought about sending good old Marty a donation this would be an excellent time.
What Other Dirt
'National Enquirer'
Late last month, CNN released a recording of then-candidate Donald Trump (R-Grifter) and his then-attorney Michael Cohen (R-Gonif) discussing a deal to acquire the rights to former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal's story of her alleged affair with the future president. Trump ally and National Enquirer owner David Pecker (R-Appropiately Named) had purchased the story in August 2016 in an effort to bury - or "catch and kill" - the juicy piece of dirt on his longtime friend. But the McDougal story was only part of a trove of damaging Trump material possessed by Pecker. The Associated Press reported last week that the media executive even kept the stories in a literal safe to prevent them from seeing the light of day. According to the New York Times, Trump and Cohen's pre-election discussion wasn't just about the McDougal story; they wanted everything Pecker had on the future president.
According to the Times, the impetus to buy the sensitive Trump stories owned by American Media, the Enquirer's parent company, was a concern over what would become of them should Pecker leave the company. Or, as Trump put it during his discussion with Cohen, "Maybe he gets hit by a truck." If a less-loyal executive were to take Pecker's place, there wouldn't have been anything preventing them from publishing the mountain of dirt that reportedly dated back to the 1980s.
Though it wasn't confirmed until Thursday, Cohen suggested on the recording that the deal being discussed was for more than just the rights to McDougal's story. "It's all the stuff," he said of what they were looking to acquire. Cohen also mentioned that he spoke with Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg about "how to set the whole thing up." It was reported last week that federal prosecutors granted Weisselberg immunity in their investigation into the pre-election hush-money payments. Pecker is also reportedly cooperating with investigators. The deal to buy the stories was never consummated.
The president's pre-election dealings were brought back into focus last week when Cohen pleaded guilty to a number of financial crimes, including two counts of campaign finance violations - one for the $130,000 payment he made to Stormy Daniels, and one for the $150,000 payment to American Media. Cohen testified on Tuesday that the payments were made at the direction Trump, implicating the president as an unindicted co-conspirator in a felony. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
'National Enquirer'
Adult Beverages
Disneyland
Disneyland will sell liquor publicly for the first time in its 63-year history, officials announced Thursday, Aug. 30, though it will really only be available in outer space, also known as the Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu, in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge when it opens next year.
The decision to break with tradition and sell alcohol to the public is a landmark one, because Walt Disney always opposed selling liquor in the world's first theme park, which he wanted to be a wholesome, family-friendly experience. However, booze and cocktails have been big money-makers at Disneyland's sister theme park, Disney California Adventure, which opened in 2001, where the cocktail menu even changes with the seasons. Starting next summer, visitors who want an adult beverage at Disneyland can find one inside the new Oga's Cantina, among smugglers and aliens, from a special menu of proprietary beer, wine and outer-space-themed cocktails.
Libations must be consumed inside the cantina only, leaving the rest of Disneyland alcohol-free, except for the park's secretive private Club 33, which also offers liquor to its members. Kids drinks will also be available.
The new Star Wars land is being carved out of a portion of Frontierland, and will include two new dark rides as well as a themed planetary experience. It's expected to open in summer 2019. Visitors can see construction that is well underway by standing on the roof of the Mickey & Friends parking garage.
A 2016 analysis by BevSpot blog found that bars average 80 percent profit on their liquor sales, based on the cost of the ingredients, also known as the "pour cost." With the high volume at Disneyland, the profit could be even higher.
Disneyland
Denied Request For Dismissal
Jones
Alex Jones will have to answer for at least one of his conspiracy theories. The right-wing media host on Thursday was denied in his motion for dismissal of a defamation lawsuit against him, forcing him to address the claims of two parents of a child killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, the Huffington Post reported.
Judge Scott Jenkins of the 53rd District Court in Austin, Texas, rejected Jones' argument that, as a citizen exercising his First Amendment rights, he was protected from lawsuits by the Texas Citizens Participation Act.
Jones, whose Infowars media group is based in Austin, was also seeking more than $100,000 in court costs from the parents.
Instead, he faces more than $1 million in damages claimed by Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, whose 6-year-old son, Noah, was among the 20 kids and six adults slain at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, on Dec. 14, 2012.
Jones has repeatedly said that mass shooting was an elaborate hoax perpetrated by the government. He has also maintained that the students who spoke out after the Feb. 14 school shooting that took 17 lives in Parkland, Florida, were actors, and that the rampage was orchestrated by gun-control advocates.
Jones
Unveil Blackened American Whiskey
Metallica
First watches, now whiskey! Move over Kiss, Metallica are becoming big players in the branding game. Their latest endeavor is their own brand of whiskey - and it's not in a jar, it's in a bottle.
Metallica have unveiled Blackened American Whiskey, which sees the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame metal band partnering with master distiller Dave Pickerell. Part of the process actually involves utilizing sound waves from the band's music.
The band writes in an official announcement, "'Blackened' isn't just the name of a song on …And Justice For All and now on the bottle; it literally helps to shape the flavor! That's right, the blend of bourbons, ryes, and whiskeys from all across North America, carefully selected by Dave himself, is housed in black brandy barrels and inundated with low hertz sound waves so intense that it actually enhances the molecular interaction and ultimately the finish of the whiskey."
They add, "We are fortunate to have a long-time collaboration with Meyer Sound, who have engineered a proprietary subwoofer that amplifies the low frequency sound waves and all the planets aligned. It just so happens that the low-frequency range needed for Dave's vision was the range you hear in our music and the process of sonic-enhancement we call 'Black Noise' was born. A patent-pending process, the playlists that we create helps to shape the flavor of the whiskey."
Blackened American Whiskey will be available this fall in liquor stores and restaurants, but fans and liquor connoisseurs will be able to sample the beverage at events located near Metallica's shows on their upcoming U.S. tour. The first events take place in Madison, Wisconsin, and surrounding areas, with Metallica set to kick off the trek there on September 2nd.
Metallica
Baseless Claim
'Fudged'
President-for-now Donald Trump (R-Fabulist) is making a baseless charge that NBC News somehow doctored an interview in which he cites the Russia investigation as a factor behind firing FBI director James Comey.
In a tweet Thursday, Trump claims that NBC anchor Lester Holt was "caught fudging" the May 2017 interview.
No evidence has been put forward by Trump or the White House showing that.
TRUMP: "What's going on at @CNN is happening, to different degrees, at other networks - with @NBCNews being the worst ... When Lester Holt got caught fudging my tape on Russia, they were hurt badly!" - tweet Thursday.
THE FACTS: There is no evidence of the NBC interview having been "fudged" or doctored in any way, and the White House didn't immediately respond to requests regarding what Trump was referring to. NBC declined to comment.
'Fudged'
Pre-Dates Arrival Of Baltic Amber
Sicilian Amber
Amber and other unusual materials such as jade, obsidian and rock crystal have attracted interest as raw materials for the manufacture of decorative items since Late Prehistory and, indeed, amber retains a high value in present-day jewellery.
'Baltic' amber from Scandinavia is often cited as a key material circulating in prehistoric Europe, but in a new study published today in PLOS ONE researchers have found that amber from Sicily was travelling around the Western Mediterranean as early as the 4th Millennium BC-at least 2,000 years before the arrival of any Baltic amber in Iberia.
According to lead author Dr. Mercedes Murillo-Barroso of the Universidad de Granada, "The new evidence presented in this study has allowed the most comprehensive review to date on the provision and exchange of amber in the Prehistory of Iberia. Thanks to this new work, we now have evidence of the arrival of Sicilian amber in Iberia from at least the 4th Millennium BC."
"Interestingly, the first amber objects recovered in Sicily and identified as being made from the local amber there (known as simetite) also date from the 4th Millennium BC, however, there is no other evidence indicating direct contact between Sicily and Iberia at this time."
"What's peculiar is that this amber appears as associated with iron, silver and ceramics pointing to Mediterranean connections. This suggests that amber from the North may have moved South across Central Europe before being shipped to the West by Mediterranean sailors, challenging previous suggestions of direct trade between Scandinavia and Iberia."
Sicilian Amber
Top 20
Global Concert Tours
The Top 20 Global Concert Tours ranks artists by average box office gross per city and includes the average ticket price for shows Worldwide. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers. Week of August 29 2018:
1. Taylor Swift; $11,238,382; $127.21.
2. The Rolling Stones; $8,968,275; $155.26.
3. Jay-Z / Beyoncé; $6,575,209; $111.42.
4. Celine Dion; $4,782,217; $212.19.
5. Guns N' Roses; $4,127,170; $96.46.
6. U2; $3,617,679; $140.39.
7. Eagles; $3,349,047; $154.68.
8. Kenny Chesney; $2,900,256; $87.69.
9. Justin Timberlake; $2,681,176; $125.92.
10. Pink; $2,672,981; $137.77.
11. Roger Waters; $2,099,342; $99.51.
12. Foo Fighters; $2,093,808; $92.38.
13. "Springsteen On Broadway" ; $2,065,946; $508.70.
14. Dead & Company; $1,851,279; $71.04.
15. Iron Maiden; $1,748,291; $80.16.
16. Journey / Def Leppard; $1,558,021; $92.14.
17. Katy Perry; $1,481,306; $78.56.
18. Paul Simon; $1,451,357; $101.41.
19. André Rieu; $1,414,093; $90.57.
20. Luis Miguel; $1,326,472; $107.50.
Global Concert Tours
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