Streaming now on Netflix: The Prestige

Two stage magicians engage in competitive one-upmanship in an attempt to create the ultimate stage illusion.
https://www.netflix.com/search?q=the%20prestige&jbv=70047095&jbp=0&jbr=0

False Claims From The White House, Messages To Our Allies, And Supreme Court Hearings (Diane Rehm Show)

False claims from the White House, President Trump’s communications with foreign leaders, and Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch: Join us for insight into this week’s news.

In “From the Archives” this week, more on the Supreme Court. Diane listens back to this 2010 interview with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. He was on the show to talk about his new book “Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge’s View”.
Interview:
https://dianerehm.org/shows/2017-03-24/healthcare-supreme-court-hearings-and-president-trump-doubles-down

After A Heated Hearing, What We Know About Russian Intervention (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

We do not know what we’re going to learn in the end, but that was some kind of hearing yesterday with FBI chief James Comey before the House Intelligence committee. The FBI chief affirming that the FBI is investigating associates of Donald J. Trump, president of the United States, and whether they colluded with Russia to swing the 2016 US presidential election. Republicans wanted to know about leaks. Who’s talking. This hour, On Point: Where these investigations go. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2017/03/21/russia-hearing-fbi-house-intelligence

The Trump Presidency, After The American Health Care Act (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Well, that was incredible. After months of promising so much winning people would tire of winning, President Donald Trump straight up lost last week on one of the biggest promises of his campaign. Lost starkly, plainly, publicly on replacing Obamacare – and at the hands of his own party. So now what? For American healthcare? For the Trump agenda? The GOP and Democrats? This hour On Point, what now for healthcare and Trump? And we’ll look at Trump, pipelines, and climate change. — Tom Ashbrook

Interview: 

http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2017/03/27/ahca-trump-ryan-house-vote

Russians, in peaceful protest, call for Putin to quit

Russians, in peaceful protest, call for Putin to quit
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-opposition-protests-idUSKBN17V0A8

10 of the best signs from the People’s Climate March -- Vox

Marchers were explicitly anti-Trump and brought social justice and environmental messages to Washington...
http://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/4/29/15486370/peoples-climate-march-signs-live-stream 

Donald Trump is taking on Michelle Obama's healthy food legacy -- Vox

3 battlefronts in Trump's effort to make American food unhealthy again...
http://www.vox.com/2017/4/29/15479488/donald-trump-michelle-obama-school-lunch-menu-labels

Trump’s CDC and USAID Vacancies Are a National Security Risk -- VICE

At a public talk in January, Amy Pope, deputy homeland security advisor to President Obama, highlighted what she considered "the most significant threat that we need to be prepared for" in the United States: emerging infectious disease. "Pandemics don't know borders," she said during a forum hosted by Georgetown University Medical Center. "Border security is an issue I've spent a lot of my time on and I will tell you we have not found an effective way to keep out a pathogen." The best way to...
https://impact.vice.com/en_us/article/trumps-cdc-and-usaid-vacancies-are-a-national-security-risk

Trump says Michael Flynn got security clearance because 'Obama didn't vet' him -- Business Insider:

President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday that Michael Flynn was "already approved by the Obama administration at the highest level" when he was hired to serve as national security adviser in January. Flynn, who headed the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2012 to 2014, came under renewed scrutiny earlier this week when the House Oversight Committee revealed that he did not disclose his payments from Russia's state-owned news agency, Russia Today, when he was renewing his security clearance...
http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-obama-michael-flynn-security-clearance-2017-4

Bill O'Reilly's Fox News Replacement Is a Favorite Television Personality of Neo-Nazis

Fox News host Tucker Carlson doesn’t identify as a neo-Nazi — but the neo-Nazi movement absolutely loves him and his show....
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/bill-oreillys-fox-news-replacement-favorite-television-personality-neo-nazis

IRS, Postal Inspectors Raid Benny Hinn Ministries in Texas

Federal agents descended on the North Texas headquarters of television evangelist Benny Hinn and took boxes out of the offices....
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas/articles/2017-04-26/irs-postal-inspectors-raid-benny-hinn-ministries

Why Trump Had an Edge in the Electoral College

With an expected win in the Electoral College today, Donald J. Trump will seal his presidential victory — despite losing the national popular vote by a significant margin....
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/upshot/why-trump-had-an-edge-in-the-electoral-college.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_up_20170426&nl=upshot&nl_art=3&nlid=78638145&ref=headline&te=1&_r=0

Anti-Obama Legal Tactics Come Back to Haunt Trump on Immigration -- Bloomberg

The legal tactics conservatives used against Barack Obama are coming back to haunt Donald Trump.

In winning court orders to halt President Trump's travel ban and his crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities, opponents happily borrowed from the playbook that years earlier helped undercut President Obama's health-care and immigration policies.

The latest ruling, issued Tuesday by a federal judge in San Francisco, blocks the new administration from threatening to revoke funds from cities that don’t cooperate with federal efforts to deport undocumented immigrants....
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-04-26/anti-obama-legal-tactics-come-back-to-haunt-trump-on-immigration?utm_campaign=pol&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews

FCC clears way for big TV mergers, eases broadband price limits

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday accelerated its deregulation push under Republican control, voting to ease limits on broadcast TV ownership and prices that large telecom companies can charge businesses and governments for bulk broadband services....
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fcc-deregulation-20170420-story.html

Ted Cruz challenger Beto O’Rourke plans to beat the conservative senator without PAC money

Rep. Beto O'Rourke is madly popular with liberals right now, mostly because he will race against Sen. Ted Cruz for his incumbency in the 2018 elections. The 44-year-old Democrat was in Austin, Texas Friday to speak with former Obama-speechwriter Jon Lovett about his bid to unseat one of the country's least popular politicians. ...
http://www.salon.com/2017/04/22/ted-cruz-challenger-beto-orourke-plans-to-beat-the-conservative-senator-without-pac-money/

9 easy things you can do to stay safe on your Android phone -- Digital Trends

If you're concerned about your Android smartphone, or the data on it, being stolen, then you need to take some precautions. Check out our guide to Android security and take steps to protect yourself today....
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/android-security-guide/

The First Atheist - #NormalizeAtheism

A brief look at Diagoras of Melos, "the first atheist," and how his story relates to the lives of modern nonbelievers. Be a part of the Normalize Atheism campaign by posting on social media using the hastag #NormalizeAtheism.

Interview: 

https://youtu.be/zNSWMuBkV1s

Another Anti-Science Bill Surfaces In Oklahoma

Oklahoma legislators are considering a bill that would undermine sound science education in public schools. Senate Bill 393, which has passed the state Senate and will soon face a vote on the floor of the state House of Representatives, would encourage public school teachers to teach “scientific controversies.” That may seem innocuous enough. But here’s the catch: there is no scientific controversy surrounding the issues this bill is targeting. “Teach the controversy” is actually code for undermining the scientifically-sound theory of evolution with religious concepts like intelligent design and creationism....
https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/another-anti-science-bill-surfaces-in-oklahoma

Rivers vanishing into thin air: this is what the climate crisis looks like

A Canadian river was the first observed case of ‘river piracy’. When nature’s thresholds are passed, landscapes can transform in the blink of an eye...
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/21/rivers-vanishing-thin-air-climate-crisis?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+USA+-+Collections+2017&utm_term=222636&subid=22113254&CMP=GT_US_collection

Apple will return heat generated by data center to warm up homes

A new Apple data center being built in Denmark is focused on returning to the community....
http://www.macworld.com/article/3191487/data-center/apple-will-return-heat-generated-by-data-center-to-warm-up-homes.html#tk.rss_all

Is It Safe To Eat Moldy Bread?

Like politics and music, the question of whether to eat moldy food can divide families, with relatives' admonishments reverberating in one's head for years.

"Every time I throw out moldy bread, I can still hear my dad lecturing me: 'That's perfectly good! Just cut that part off! It's penicillin!' " says Shawna Iwaniuk, a graphic designer in Alberta, Canada. "But ... I just can't."

So, who's right? Is the furry green stuff a death knell for a baguette, or just a minor setback?

For food safety experts, the answer is clear: Moldy bread is bad news.....
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/04/21/523647669/is-it-safe-to-eat-moldy-bread?ft=nprml&f=1001

Trump Cabinet has Bible study meetings with pastor who wants ‘disciples of Christ’ to take over the government

Cabinet officials in the President Donald Trump’s White House meet for a weekly Bible study group led by a right-wing pastor dedicated to “making disciples of Christ in the Capitol” and spreading Christian fundamentalism among U.S. leaders.

Fusion.net reported Thursday that Energy Secretary and former Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry attends the weekly prayer and Bible study meetings which are held in the Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday mornings....
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/04/trump-cabinet-has-bible-study-meetings-with-pastor-who-wants-disciples-of-christ-to-take-over-the-government/

Trump suggests Middle East peace should... -- MSNB

Donald Trump believes there is "no reason there's not peace between Israel and the Palestinians." Actually, there are all kinds of reasons. ...
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-suggests-middle-east-peace-should-be-easy-too

Tillerson's Asia Strategy (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson heads to a volatile Asia. We’ll look at his agenda when it comes to North Korea, Japan and China.
Interview:
http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2017/03/15/tillerson-asia

Podcast Ep. 150: The Week in Politics and Atheism

"In our latest podcast, Jessica and I discussed the past week in politics and atheism. We spoke about:
— A Danish man charged with blasphemy.
— Death threats to a mother who fought to take down a Ten Commandments monument outside her daughter’s public school.
— The Broken Windows Theory of Church/State Separation
— How Christians still feel persecuted despite having all the power.
— The Pope’s backhanded compliment to atheists
— What happens when a fake psychic pretends to be a real psychic (who’s not really psychic).
— Communion: Is it really haunted bread?
Interview:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/02/26/podcast-ep-150-the-week-in-politics-and-atheism/

Summarizing the Proof that God is Evil

The point of this video is to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that IF the God of the Bible exists, he is necessarily evil—the most evil being to ever exist, in fact. Reuploaded with permission of Underlings. Check out his channel for more excellent videos!
Interview:
https://youtu.be/cLIK8UamkeI
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsVQ...

Elizabeth Warren: This Fight Is Our Fight | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) joins Bill to discuss her new book, "This Fight Is Our Fight," and her progressive vision for America.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/zX099yxeOdI

Week In The News: Tax Plans, Government Funding, NAFTA (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Good cop, bad cop on North Korea this week and on the eve of Donald Trump’s 100th day in office. Rex Tillerson talks, talks. The president talks “major confrontation.” We’ll see. At home, the mother of all tax plans – on one page. Trump’s back and forth on NAFTA. Gen. Michael Flynn in trouble. No money yet for the wall. We’ve got a big French election, the pope in Egypt. Up next, On Point: Our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines. -- Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2017/04/28/week-in-the-news-tax-plans-government-funding-nafta

Friday News Roundup – Domestic (Joshua Johnson, 1A) 2017-04-28

President Trump’s 100th day in office is coming up, but we’ll focus on the past seven days for this week’s Friday News Roundup. Trump went big on tax cuts and has promised to either renegotiate NAFTA or terminate it. And the health care overhaul is back on the table.
Interview:
http://the1a.org/shows/2017-04-28/friday-news-roundup-domestic

Friday News Roundup – International (Joshua Johnson, 1A) 2017-04-28

How is the rest of the world reacting to President Trump’s first 100 days? Why does the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan want more troops? And why is Mexico talking about boycotting American corn?

Interview: 

http://the1a.org/shows/2017-04-28/friday-news-roundup-international

Republicans’ Fiscal Discipline Wilts in Face of Trump’s Tax Plan -- The New York Times

Some G.O.P. lawmakers are rallying around the idea that less taxation is more important than less debt, in a break from their party's vocal deficit hawks....
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/27/us/politics/deficit-tax-cuts-republicans.html

TRUMP: I'm 'disappointed' in how Republicans have handled big issues so far -- Business Insider

President Donald Trump, in an interview released Friday, suggested he was "disappointed" with how the Republican-controlled Congress has handled big issues like healthcare during his administration.

In an interview with Fox News' Martha MacCallum, Trump said he was "disappointed" that Congress had not handled what MacCallum called the "big issues" during the president's first 100 days in office....
http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-fox-news-ahca-republicans-congress-paul-ryan-2017-4

Trump Tax Plan Would Shift Trillions From U.S. Coffers to the Richest

The vast majority of benefits would go to the highest earners and largest holders of wealth, analysts said, setting up a battle over the government's strained resources. ...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/27/us/politics/individual-business-tax-wealth.html

Second Law Enforcement Agency Joins Federal Investigation Of Fox News

A second law enforcement agency has joined the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into Fox News, according to a CNN report published Thursday.

Financial crimes experts from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service — which investigates mail and wire fraud and identity theft cases — are involved in the federal investigation into the network, CNN reported, citing four unnamed sources connected to the investigation....
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/cnn-federal-investigation-fox-second-law-enforcement-agency

O’Reilly protégée makes oral sex joke about Ivanka Trump

Jesse Watters is in his first week on The Five following his former boss’ ouster amid a sexual harassment scandal....
https://thinkprogress.org/jesse-watters-sexual-joke-ivanka-trump-microphone-fox-news-15c729a0d062

The Democrats’ hypocrisy fest: Disingenuous attacks on Bernie Sanders persist — and his popularity climbs

If there is one thing that Hillary Clinton's loyalists can never resist, it is a chance to sully the name of Sen. Bernie Sanders, who continues to be a thorn in the Democratic establishment's side. Last week it was no different, when Democratic partisans seized on an opportunity to vilify and paint the Vermont senator as a cultural reactionary who is willing to sacrifice women's reproductive rights if it means advancing his populist economic agenda. ...
http://www.salon.com/2017/04/25/the-democrats-hypocrisy-fest-disingenuous-attacks-on-bernie-sanders-persist-and-his-popularity-climbs/

Neocons ride again! With Paul Wolfowitz whispering in Trump’s ear — and claiming Iraq was not a failure — what fresh hell awaits? -- Salon

It was entirely predictable that as soon as President Donald Trump decided to drop some bombs on a Middle Eastern country the neoconservative claque that had rejected him during the election would slither back into the GOP orbit. It's true that Trump himself had nixed the appointment of Elliott Abrams, the man the Republican establishment chose to be Rex Tillerson's right hand man. That rejection had some people hopeful that Steve Bannon (whom Abrams blamed) would at least prove useful in keeping architects of the GOP’s tragic adventures in Central America and the Middle East out of this White House. ...
http://www.salon.com/2017/04/25/neocons-ride-again-with-paul-wolfowitz-whispering-in-trumps-ear-and-claiming-iraq-was-not-a-failure-what-fresh-hell-awaits/

Marijuana may be a miracle treatment for children with autism

Israeli breakthrough suggests cannabis oil is helping children deal with severe autism. ...
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/04/25/marijuana-pot-treatment-children-autism-cannabis-oil/100381156/

Here's how the Senate's Trump-Russia probe stacks up to past investigations -- Business Insider

The Senate's main investigation into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election is equipped with a much smaller staff than previous high-profile intelligence and scandal probes in Congress, which could potentially affect its progress, according to sources and a Reuters review of public records. With only seven staff members initially assigned to the Senate Intelligence Committee's three-month-old investigation, progress has been sluggish and minimal, said two sources...
http://www.businessinsider.com/senate-intelligence-committee-trump-russia-probe-stalled-2017-4

America’s real first freedom? Secular government

Earlier this month, 18 U.S. senators wrote a letter to President Trump urging him to issue an executive order “that would require the agencies of the federal government to respect religious freedom.”

Their letter began: “The free exercise of religion — the fundamental right guaranteed to Americans to practice any faith or to chose no faith at all — is enshrined as the first freedom in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”

While it is unclear precisely what order the senators seek, one thing is clear: They are wrong about the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution....
http://religionnews.com/2017/04/24/americas-real-first-freedom-secular-government-commentary/

The clever strategy

http://imgur.com/24WQnGR?r

Angela Merkel reportedly had to explain the 'fundamentals' of EU trade to Trump 11 times

Angela Merkel reportedly had to explain the 'fundamentals' of EU trade to Trump 11 times
http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-trade-merkel-germany-eu-2017-4

Mystery Shell Company Snapped Up 11 Trump Condos Before Election

A mysterious shell company formed just weeks before the Republican National Convention dropped $3.1 million to purchase 11 luxury condos in a Las Vegas tower co-owned by Donald Trump in the months leading up to his election, USA Today reported Friday. No one will acknowledge who is behind the company, known only as Milan Investment Limited....
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/usa-today-shell-companies-purchasing-trump-properties-milan-investment

Why Some Cities and States Are Footing the Bill for Community College

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Grab Your Pitchforks, America, Your 401(K) May Need Defending from Congress -- The Wall Street Journal

Congress is considering whether to reduce the benefits of contributing to a 401(k) and similar retirement plans -- even as U.S. representatives and senators bask in the safety of the pension system that taxpayers fully fund for federal employees. ...
https://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2017/04/21/grab-your-pitchfork-america-your-401k-may-need-defending-from-congress/

The Climate Denier Caucus in Trump’s Washington

There are 180 climate deniers in Congress, and one in the White House.
https://thinkprogress.org/115th-congress-climate-denier-caucus-65fb825b3963

7 Times Richard Dawkins Offended Your Idiotic Beliefs

Richard Dawkins at his best - exposing faith, religion, revelation, authoritative truth and belief without evidence as only he can.

Interview: 

https://youtu.be/_pdDJzwgVrA

Far from Standard

The Idaho Legislature recently voted to remove the requirement to teach climate science to the state’s students. How did the state get here and what happens next?

http://features.weather.com/us-climate-change/idaho/

Study: DC Voucher Program Shows Poorer Math Results

A federal study shows that students enrolled in a private school voucher program in the nation's capital are doing worse in math than their peers.
https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-04-27/study-dc-voucher-program-shows-poorer-math-results

What Trump’s Tax Proposal Will Cost

The one-sheet plan, released Wednesday, was light on details but promised to be “the biggest tax cut and the largest tax reform in the history of our country.” Here’s a breakdown of the estimated cost for specific changes proposed in the White House’s plan.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/04/26/us/politics/what-trumps-tax-proposal-will-cost.html

Winners and Losers in the Trump Tax Plan

...It is striking how many of the categories listed ... affect the president and his family...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/26/upshot/winners-and-losers-in-the-trump-tax-plan.html

How Much Of Trump's 100 Day Action Plan Has He Completed?

The Presidential backpedaling is in full swing as Trump approaches the end of his first 100 days in office.
https://youtu.be/q2Dop7haDnY

What Would Trump’s Immigrant Ancestors Say? | The Resistance with Keith Olbermann | GQ

They were once exiles and refugees and deportees with nowhere to turn.
Interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlNJKCoqvbc

Top U.S. & World Headlines — April 28, 2017

Interview:
https://youtu.be/TxuCfSKMhQU

When it's OK to lie: When you're lying for Jesus

The editing of the Ben Stein interview with Richard Dawkins is analysed in my video "Golden Crocoduck nominees 2012 (Part 3)" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8btZ0K...

The uncut version of the Comfort interview shown in this video can be found at: "I would murder for free" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xTLkv...

The dishonestly edited version of the same video is at: "Genius -- the movie" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7pe3_...
https://youtu.be/GW05npbQHVs

Doctor, Hospital Groups Say GOP's Health Bill Worse With Changes -- Bloomberg

The U.S.'s biggest groups representing doctors, hospitals and older Americans came out against changes Republicans have proposed to get their health-care bill more support from conservatives, saying the amendments make the proposal worse.

The groups, which opposed the original GOP bill, said the alterations will make it harder for people with pre-existing conditions to buy coverage and will raise insurance costs for older Americans. ...
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-04-27/doctor-hospital-groups-say-gop-s-health-bill-worse-with-changes?utm_campaign=pol&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews

Trump says he's 'absolutely' considering proposals to dissolve court blocking his executive orders

Donald Trump's so-called "travel ban" barring Muslim visitors and refugees from entering the country has been blocked by several courts. Because Donald Trump is (1) incompetent, (2) an idiot, and (3) under the impression our nation should grant him dictatorial powers, Donald Trump has a solution to this: Simply dissolve the courts causing him trouble, thus making the law whatever he wants it to be....
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/1656782

Obamacare insurer to Congress: Fund our payments or as many as 700,000 lose insurance—immediately

Molina Healthcare, a major insurer in the Obamacare exchanges, has now issued a major threat of its own: if Congress doesn't fund the Affordable Care Act cost-sharing reduction subsidies, the company will leave the markets immediately. That would result in about 700,000 people losing their insurance now....
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/1656900

Robert Reich: Trump's Latest Tweetstorm Is Grounds for Impeachment

An assault on the federal judiciary is an abuse of the president's constitutional authority....
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/robert-reich-trumps-assault-judiciary-grounds-impeachment

Trump Allies with Far Right to Toss Mods Off the Island

This piece by TPM’s Tierney Sneed is really a must read for understanding the current situation with Trumpcare 2.0. The key issue is that this exercise is really not about passing a law that repeals or in some limited sense replaces Obamacare. It’s really about getting the Freedom Caucus (the far-right group among House Republicans) off the hook for failing to repeal Obamacare. And also, the 100 Days....
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump-allies-with-far-right-to-crush-the-moderates

Ryan: People With Pre-Existing Conditions Are 'Better Off' With GOP Plan

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) asserted Thursday that people with pre-existing conditions would be better off under Republicans’ amended health care bill.

An amendment penned by Reps. Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) would allow states to waive Obamacare’s community ratings for health status, which currently prevent insurers from charging higher prices for consumers with health problems including pre-existing conditions. 

Moderate Republicans are still largely hesitant to back the effort, though they are beginning to feel the pressure from their party....
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ryan-pre-existing-conditions-better-off

Mnuchin can’t promise Trump’s ‘middle-income tax cut’ won’t raise taxes on middle class people

The Treasury Secretary also won’t rule out a cut for the rich — something he explicitly promised wouldn’t happen....
https://thinkprogress.org/mnuchin-trump-tax-cuts-middle-class-8feb66363e6c