The rescue in Laos of three endangered red pandas trafficked from China has raised fears the rare animals are increasingly being coveted by exotic pet owners. Landlocked Laos, which borders China and Vietnam, is a key transit hub in the global trade in illegal wildlife, but experts say the discovery of red pandas there is virtually… … [Read more...] about Red pandas rescued in Laos stir fears over exotic pet trade
The problem with Trump’s parade
WASHINGTON -- Military parades, "treasonous" opponents -- do you sense a pattern here? President Trump is such a master of the politics of distraction that everything he says and does is assumed to be a diversion from something more important, the Russia collusion issue above all. It's certainly true that in Trump's exotic circus of scandal and outrage, many stories that … [Read more...] about The problem with Trump’s parade
Melania Trump May Be The Only Person Capable Of Blowing Up The Presidency
In another time, the overwhelming amount of crap and corruption that Donald Trump has brought to the Oval Office and compounded since his "election" would spell the premature end to a presidency. Imagine, for example, if Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton had committed only a fraction of the crimes or ethical and moral breeches as has Trump. But instead, we live in an era … [Read more...] about Melania Trump May Be The Only Person Capable Of Blowing Up The Presidency
Report: Russia ‘Successfully Penetrated’ US Voter Systems in 2016
A senior U.S. cybersecurity official has told NBC News that Russian hackers successfully penetrated the voter registration rolls of several U.S. states prior to the 2016 presidential election. Jeanette Manfra, head of cybersecurity at the Department of Homeland Security, said Russia targeted 21 states, and "an exceptionally small number of them were actually successfully … [Read more...] about Report: Russia ‘Successfully Penetrated’ US Voter Systems in 2016
Right-wing media hypes FBI text story — then the story is debunked
There's a terrible old joke: "Incest is relative." These days, it increasingly seems, "truth" is relative in an age of narrowcasting and tribal politics. Yes, there is indeed a Twilight Zone reality out there, where a piece of info surfaces, then it's picked up and hyped by hyper-partisans. And today they saw a story they were hyping deflate as quickly as President Donald … [Read more...] about Right-wing media hypes FBI text story — then the story is debunked
Cartoon: Parade Clappers
Ode To Retirement (in Haiku Variant)
Desk of Rosewood age Empty chair and fading thoughts Idle now I flee … [Read more...] about Ode To Retirement (in Haiku Variant)
The Genie in the White House
There’s a genie in the White House that inhabits Donald Trump’s body instead of an oil lamp. Few Americans know about it (a transgender genie). And you don’t have to rub Donald Trump the wrong way for the genie to pop out with explosive words and actions. The genie decided to visit Trump’s corpus and remain because of Trump’s love for oil and fossil fuels which mirror’s the … [Read more...] about The Genie in the White House
It’s treason not to applaud Trump. Join AmeriClaps and avoid execution
By DANA MILBANK "I got a standing ovation. In fact, they said it was the biggest standing ovation since Peyton Manning had won the Super Bowl, and they said it was equal. I got a standing ovation. It lasted for a long period of time." -- President Trump "I live for the applause, applause, applause "I live for the applause-plause, live for the applause-plause" -- … [Read more...] about It’s treason not to applaud Trump. Join AmeriClaps and avoid execution
A Treasonous Cartoon
It’s ironic that the symbol for the Republican Party is an elephant. An elephant is known for having a great memory, as in an elephant never forgets. Republicans, especially Donald Trump, have the worst memories. They forget that illegal immigration decreased yearly during Obama’s presidency. They forget that unemployment, even black unemployment, was dropping for the past … [Read more...] about A Treasonous Cartoon
Take a Memo, Devin Nunes
by Michael Winship Watching the saga of the Nunes Memo and the constant Republican attempts to protect and cover for Donald Trump and his minions, no matter how great the purported crime, I keep thinking back to a 2004 movie that didn’t get the attention it deserved. “Millions,” directed by Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting,” “Slumdog Millionaire”) and written by Frank … [Read more...] about Take a Memo, Devin Nunes
5 Companies Racing to Build the First Autonomous Car
Autonomous cars have been in the news off and on for the last five years, for both positive and negative reasons. One thing remains the same, no matter the connotation of the story — it seems like everyone is racing to be the first company to build a marketable autonomous car. How have automotive manufacturing technologies changed in recent years to allow for the creation of … [Read more...] about 5 Companies Racing to Build the First Autonomous Car
Reality is catching up with Trump — everywhere
By DANA MILBANK WASHINGTON -- President Trump, in his State of the Union address last week, boasted to the nation about stock market gains: "The stock market has smashed one record after another, gaining $8 trillion and more in value in just this short period of time." He has boasted about the booming market in tweets no fewer than 54 times since taking office. Including … [Read more...] about Reality is catching up with Trump — everywhere
If football is so deadly, why did 103 million people watch the Super Bowl?
By John Affleck, Knight Chair in Sports Journalism and Society, Pennsylvania State University. A hit from Malcom Jenkins sidelined the Patriots' Brandin Cooks for the night. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez During the second quarter of Super Bowl LII, the party stopped, if just for a second. Tom Brady found Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks downfield with a… … [Read more...] about If football is so deadly, why did 103 million people watch the Super Bowl?
Russia Scandal Blockbuster: Trump To Kind Of Sort Of Plead The 5th Amendment
In a telling and extremely important Russia scandal development, Donald Trump's criminal lawyers have decided that he should refuse to talk to Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller under any circumstances. Let's be very clear about why they have reached that conclusion since it is established law that a president cannot plead the 5th Amendment. It is because they know Trump is … [Read more...] about Russia Scandal Blockbuster: Trump To Kind Of Sort Of Plead The 5th Amendment
Memo proves how far GOP has plunged into madness
WASHINGTON -- For the sake of argument, let's take President Trump and his Fox News cheerleaders at their word that they really believe that the memo Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., released Friday reveals a serious assault on our freedoms by the FBI and the Justice Department. Nah. Just kidding. It's simply not possible, on any level, to take seriously the histrionics from … [Read more...] about Memo proves how far GOP has plunged into madness
Cartoon: Fox News
Leading ivory trade investigator murdered in Kenya
A world-renowned ivory investigator whose detailed reports contributed to the fight against elephant poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, was killed at his home in Kenya, police said Monday. Esmond Bradley Martin, a 76-year-old American geographer who had lived in Kenya for decades, died after being stabbed in the neck at his house in the Nairobi… … [Read more...] about Leading ivory trade investigator murdered in Kenya
Color My Memo (Column and Cartoon)
According to Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, the key to destroying the Trump campaign was through….Carter Page. Yeah, OK then. The Republican talking point is that the FBI had it out for Trump and was trying to elect Hillary Clinton. That ignores the fact the FBI made a huge statement about reopening the investigation into Clinton (mere days before the … [Read more...] about Color My Memo (Column and Cartoon)
History as seen through memos
WASHINGTON -- Wouldn't it be great to be Devin Nunes? Not only does the California Republican get to be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, but he simultaneously gets to serve President Trump by making public tidbits of classified information given to him by the White House. He is recused from the Russia investigation but still gets to use committee staff to … [Read more...] about History as seen through memos