Fox News reporter gets Trump to admit that his wall will do nothing to stop immigrant 'caravans' - Raw Story:

President Donald Trump has been using the supposed threat of migrant "caravans" to push Congress to fund his border wall -- but on Friday, even a Fox News reporter got him to admit that the wall would do nothing to stop them. ....
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/02/fox-news-reporter-gets-trump-admit-wall-will-nothing-stop-immigrant-caravans/

Internet unloads on Trump's wall hypocrisy after Border Patrol seizes largest-ever fentanyl stash — at a legal port of entry - Raw Story

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol announced it had made its largest-ever fentanyl seizure at a legal port of entry Thursday — and Twitter users noted how ironic that reality was. ....
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/01/internet-unloads-trumps-wall-hypocrisy-border-patrol-seizes-largest-ever-fentanyl-stash-legal-port-entry/

GOP Megadonor Gives $500,000 to Legal Fund for Trump Aides Caught Up In Russia Probe - FORTUNE

Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam Adelson have donated $500,000 to a fund that helps pay the legal fees of those caught up in the Russian investigation, CNN reports. ....
http://fortune.com/2019/02/01/adelson-donation-fund-russian-investigation-legal-fees/

Netflix in February: Here are the best new family movies and shows to stream - USA TODAY

"Hairspray," "Pretty in Pink," "Free Rein: Valentine's Day," and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" are among the new February movies for kids and families. ....
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/allthemoms/2019/02/01/best-netflix-shows-movies-kids-and-families-watch-february-2019/2705790002/

Donald Trump Attacks Nations Supporting U.S. on Venezuela: ‘They Do Nothing for Us’ - Newsweek

President Donald Trump called Guatemala and Honduras a "disgrace," despite the fact they were supporting his recognition of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó. ....
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-attacks-nations-us-venezuela-1315275

Did The FBI Use Unusual Force When It Arrested Roger Stone? - NPR: FACT CHECK

The FBI and the Justice Department have been criticized for what some Republicans say was an excessive presence. But law enforcement veterans called it standard operating procedure.....
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/01/690305364/fact-check-did-the-fbi-use-unusual-force-when-it-arrested-roger-stone

Border Patrol Agents Find Another Tunnel At U.S.-Mexico Border, Texas Tunnel Nears 60-Feet In Length - Newsweek:

The tunnel, located outside of Hildago, Texas, is near a portion of border wall put up about 10 years ago, the Rio Grande Guardian reports. ....
https://www.newsweek.com/border-patrol-agents-find-another-tunnel-us-mexico-border-texas-tunnel-nears-1314143

It remains unclear if Trump fully understands how the federal debt works - The Washington Post: Analysis

Two incidents on Thursday raise the question yet again. ....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/02/01/it-remains-unclear-if-trump-fully-understands-how-federal-debt-works/

Ann Coulter completely unleashes on Trump: "We put this lunatic in the White House for one reason" | Salon.com

Coulter is angry — and threatening to back a right-wing challenger to the GOP president, who she used to "trust"....
https://www.salon.com/2019/02/01/ann-coulter-completely-unleashes-on-trump-we-put-this-lunatic-in-the-white-house-for-one-reason_partner/

Trump Thinks the Fed Could Use an Accused Sexual Harasser with a Pizza Hookup - Vanity Fair

Herman Cain—yes, that Herman Cain—is reportedly under consideration for a Federal Reserve Board seat. ....
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/01/herman-caine-trump-federal-reserve-board

Another one of Trump's big deals flops as Foxconn says 'We're not building a factory' in Wisconsin - Daily Kos

Who didn't see this coming? The massive Foxconn factory touted by Donald Trump and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker isn't going to be a factory, after all. ....
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1830912

Freedom Caucus plots with GOP leaders to cause Dem misery - POLITICO

The conservative hard-liners are teaming up with House Republican leadership in a bid to climb out of the minority in 2020. ....
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/01/congress-house-freedom-caucus-republicans-1140679

McConnell just made it much easier for Democrats to accuse Republicans of voter suppression - The Washington Post: Analysis

Senate Majority Mitch McConnell appears to be against making voting easier for many Americans.....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/31/mitch-mcconnell-just-made-it-much-easier-democrats-accuse-republicans-voter-suppression/

Germany to close all 84 of its coal-fired power plants, will rely primarily on renewable energy - Los Angeles Times

Germany, one of the world’s biggest consumers of coal, will shut down all 84 of its coal-fired power plants over the next 19 years to meet its international commitments in the fight against climate change, a government commission said Saturday. ....
https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-germany-coal-power-20190126-story.html

A Tiny Screw Shows Why iPhones Won’t Be ‘Assembled in U.S.A.’ - The New York Times

Apple decided several years ago to produce a high-end Mac in Texas. The problems that surfaced illustrate the challenges of domestic manufacturing. ....
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/technology/iphones-apple-china-made.html

UN court judge quits The Hague citing political interference | Law | The Guardian

A senior judge has resigned from one of the UN’s international courts in The Hague citing “shocking” political interference from the White House and Turkey. Christoph Flügge, a German judge, claimed the US had threatened judges after moves were made to examine the conduct of US soldiers in Afghanistan....
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/jan/28/international-criminal-court-icc-judge-christoph-flugge-quits-citing-political-interference-trump-administration-turkey

Treasury to borrow $1 trillion for second straight year to finance deficit: report - The Hill

The Treasury Department is projected to borrow $1 trillion for the second year in a row to finance the deficit, according to Bloomberg News. ....
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/budget/427295-treasury-projected-to-borrow-1-trillion-to-finance-deficit-for-the

Last expedition to the North Pole: The here-and-now consequence of a dramatic global change -The Hill

Several women in my team were the first person from their country to ski to the North Pole. It was sobering to wonder if they might also be the last. ....
https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/427211-last-expedition-to-the-north-pole-the-here-and-now-consequence-of

Donald Trump Is Denying U.S. Intel And Reality

The President's rejection of U.S. intelligence speaks to his larger inability to accept reality.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/W2yAAGQLE1o

Howard Schultz’s own advisers just unmasked his cynical game. Trump will cheer - The Washington Post: Opinion

Schultz's only viable path depends on splitting the anti-Trump vote. ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/01/31/howard-schultzs-own-advisers-just-unmasked-his-cynical-game-trump-will-cheer/

Sarah Sanders says reporters are ‘angry’ in the briefing room. Here are 34 possible explanations - The Washington Post: Opinion

The problem could be one of many, many considerations. Or some combination. Let's have a look. ....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/01/31/sarah-sanders-says-reporters-are-angry-briefing-room-here-are-possible-explanations/

Donald Trump Admits He Didn't Read Intelligence Report, Then Criticizes Reporting On It - Newsweek

"I didn't see the report from the intelligence," Trump said referring to the Worldwide Threat Assessment report. ....
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-intelligence-report-read-threats-1313799

How the religious right gained unprecedented access to Trump | US news | The Guardian

As the president offers a sympathetic ear – and policies to match – critics see a de facto advisory committee, violating federal law....
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/30/donald-trump-administration-religious-right-access

Laura Ingraham: Trump, Republicans must get the facts out about disastrous socialist solutions - Fox News Opinion

Let the fear mongering propaganda begin!
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/laura-ingraham-trump-republicans-must-get-the-facts-out-about-disastrous-socialist-solutions

Texas Officials Begin Walking Back Allegations About Noncitizen Voters - NPR

Just a few days after alleging nearly 100,000 Texas voters may not be citizens, officials now concede their list may not have been accurate...
https://www.npr.org/2019/01/30/690023531/texas-officials-begin-walking-back-allegations-about-noncitizen-voters

McConnell says bill that would make Election Day a federal holiday is a ‘power grab’ by Democrats - The Washington Post

The Senate majority leader's remarks drew strong criticism online from advocates and lawmakers. ....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mcconnell-says-bill-that-would-make-election-day-a-federal-holiday-is-a-power-grab-by-democrats/2019/01/30/57421dd6-24bd-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html

A War for Oil? Bolton Pushes Privatization of Venezuela’s Oil as U.S. Ratchets Up Pressure on Maduro

As the Trump administration continues its attempt to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the U.S. has imposed a de facto embargo on oil from Venezuela’s state-run oil company. The new sanctions include exemptions for several U.S. firms, including Chevron and Halliburton, to allow them to continue working in Venezuela. We speak with prize-winning investigative journalist Allan Nairn about the push to privatize Venezuela’s oil....
Interview:
https://youtu.be/wifJII9W6ZI

After threat assessment, Trump criticizes 'naive' intelligence officials - PBS NewsHour - News Wrap:

In our news wrap Wednesday, the Federal Reserve kept a key interest rate unchanged and pledged to be patient about ordering future rate hikes. Chair Jerome Powell insisted the cautious response reflects changing economic conditions, not fear of political criticism. Meanwhile, President Trump fired back at intelligence chiefs who contradicted him before Congress on global security threats Tuesday. ....
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/news-wrap-after-threat-assessment-trump-criticizes-naive-intelligence-officials

Retired Admiral Says Donald Trump's 'Willful Ignorance' in Disregarding Intelligence Community 'Really Scares Me' - Newsweek

"I worry that it sends a strong message to our adversaries out there, particularly Russia and China, that there are huge gaps remaining in the national security decision-making apparatus in this country," John Kirby said. ....
https://www.newsweek.com/admiral-donald-trump-willful-ignorance-intelligence-community-1312193

Elliott Abrams, Trump’s Pick to Bring “Democracy” to Venezuela, Has Spent His Life Crushing Democracy - The Intercept

The choice of Abrams sends a clear message: The Trump administration intends to brutalize Venezuela, while proclaiming our love for human rights...
https://theintercept.com/2019/01/30/elliott-abrams-venezuela-coup/

Sarah Sanders: God 'wanted Donald Trump to become president' - CNN Politics

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said she believes God wanted President Donald Trump to win the 2016 election, the Christian Broadcasting Network reported on Wednesday. ....
https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/30/politics/sarah-sanders-god-trump/index.html

Trump’s latest rage tweets give Democrats an opening. Here’s how they’ll respond. - The Washington Post

President Trump is once again raging about his wall. Apparently he heard something during his morning excursion into the right-wing media house of horrors that persuaded him he’s in danger of looking weak, as conference committee negotiations over a border funding bill begin:....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/01/30/trumps-latest-rage-tweets-give-democrats-an-opening-heres-how-theyll-respond/

Trump Threatens Military Action in Venezuela: A Closer Look

Interview:
https://youtu.be/6PZw-11rmyY

Schultz deletes tweet of column calling Warren 'fauxcahontas' and Harris 'shrill' - The Hill

Howard Schultz, the former Starbucks CEO who has floated an independent run at the White House, deleted a tweet Wednesday in which he praised a column that insulted other 2020 contenders. ....
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/427750-schultz-deletes-tweet-of-column-calling-warren-fauxcahontas-and-harris

An angry historian ripped the ultrarich at Davos. Then one was given the mic. - The Washington Post

"We can talk for a very long time about all these stupid philanthropy schemes, we can invite Bono once more, but come on, we got to be talking about taxes," the historian said...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/01/31/an-angry-historian-ripped-ultra-rich-over-tax-avoidance-davos-then-one-was-given-mic/

We weren’t always so divided on climate - The Hill

In these polarizing times, often forgotten is that Republicans of the past had been at the forefront of championing environmental values. ....
https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/427179-we-werent-always-so-divided-on-climate

Dem pollster says Americans 'are more interested than ever' in politics in the age of Trump - The Hill

Pollster Nancy Zdunkewicz on Monday said that in the age of the Trump administration Americans "are more interested than ever" in becoming politically active. ....
https://thehill.com/hilltv/what-americas-thinking/427313-dem-pollster-says-americans-are-more-interested-than-ever-in

How to prevent a cold? Don’t bother with the folklore strategies your parents promoted - The Washington Post

“Don’t go outside with wet hair, you’ll catch a cold!” “Take vitamin C to ward off the sniffles.” “Stay inside during cold season.”

Chances are, you’ve heard these words of advice before, probably from your parents when you were little. Indeed, a survey published last week, shows that many parents have tried these strategies to keep their kids from getting sick — even though little evidence exists that they work.....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/how-to-prevent-a-cold-dont-bother-with-the-folklore-strategies-your-parents-promoted/2019/01/25/fee5db66-1f56-11e9-8e21-59a09ff1e2a1_story.html

Trump claimed women were gagged with tape. Then Border Patrol tried to find some evidence - Vox

An internal email, sent 2 weeks after Trump started making the claim, asked agents for "any information" about what Trump was describing.....
https://www.vox.com/2019/1/27/18198729/women-tape-truck-smuggling-trafficking-border

Trump tweeted misleading voter fraud statistics, claiming non-citizens voted in Texas - Business Insider:

President Donald Trump tweeted misleading statistics Sunday morning in his latest claims about massive voter fraud in American elections, claiming that 58,000 non-citizens voted in Texas.....
https://www.businessinsider.com/illegal-texas-immigrants-voting-trump-claims-on-on-alleged-misleading-2019-1

Food Politics by Marion Nestle » Palm oil politics: corporate effects on health

The World Health Organization is about to publish a report on how the palm oil industry is promoting obesity and chronic disease as well as environmental degradation as integral parts of its business model....
https://www.foodpolitics.com/2019/01/weekend-reading-palm-oil-politics/

New campaign aims to promote atheism and humanism in Pakistan | Barry Duke

THE US-based Brighter Brains Institute – best known for promoting humanism and freethought Africa with a variety of life-improving initiatives including non-faith-based education – has unveiled plans to empower non-religious Pakistanis.....
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thefreethinker/2019/01/new-campaign-aims-to-promote-atheism-and-humanism-in-pakistan/

800 Free eBooks for iPad, Kindle & Other Devices | Open Culture

http://www.openculture.com/free_ebooks

I was a PC diehard for most of my life, but I now own Apple products across the board. Here's why I made the change and stuck with it - Business Insider:

I grew up using PCs, but even well into my college years I never mastered their use; when I switched to Apple, I found myself instantly comfortable with the Mac hardware and software. Among other advantages, Apple products allow for easier cross-platform access to data, seamlessly transferring files from phone to computer to tablet. ....
https://www.businessinsider.com/switching-from-pc-to-apple-products-mac-2019-1

Top U.S. & World Headlines — January 31, 2019

Interview:
https://youtu.be/hVObw7ztzxc

The Trump-Putin Meeting We Didn't Know About

We're just learned about a private meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. And we learned it from Russian intelligence.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/ldwa4mme6rg

U.S. intelligence chiefs’ de facto message to allies around the world: You’re right; Trump is wrong - The Washington Post: Analysis

Startled reactions by U.S. allies have had little impact on the commander in chief. But on Tuesday, his own intelligence chiefs handed them some powerful arguments. ....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/01/30/us-intelligence-chiefs-de-facto-message-allies-around-world-youre-right-trump-is-wrong/

Officials say Russia stepped into North Korea nuclear talks with a secret offer - The Washington Post

The proposal marks Moscow's latest attempt to reassert itself in geopolitical flash points. ....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/russia-secretly-offered-north-korea-a-nuclear-power-plant-officials-say/2019/01/29/d1872588-a99b-4b68-ba34-9ce1bc95b573_story.html

U.S. Midwest freezes, Australia burns: This is the age of weather extremes - The New York Times

Numbing cold hit parts of the United States as wildfires raged in Australia's record-breaking heat. Here's the climate change connection...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/climate/global-warming-extreme-weather.html

Kids Explain Climate Change to Donald Trump

More than 83 million Americans are expected to experience subzero temperatures this week and Donald Trump weighed in on the weather AGAIN today on Twitter implying that global warming isn't real. Since he doesn't seem to understand science and he doesn't know that climate change is responsible for extreme temperatures, including cold, we invited a couple of kids who do, to break it down for him...
https://youtu.be/0sdqNR_s6LQ

Dem senators question Zuckerberg over report that Facebook tricked children into spending parents' money - The Hill

Democratic Sens. Ed Markey (Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) on Tuesday sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding answers about recently unsealed court documents that show Facebook knowingly tricked children into spending their parents' money without permission....
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/427472-dem-senators-question-zuckerberg-over-report-that-facebook-tricked-children

AMC theaters to show ‘Black Panther’ for free to celebrate Black History Month - The Hill

The huge blockbuster superhero film "Black Panther" will be returning to select AMC theaters for a week in February to celebrate Black History Month — and tickets will be free. ....
https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/427308-black-panther-will-be-shown-at-amc-theaters-for-free-for-a-week

'They’re real bad at apologizing': Detroit police officers charged with crimes at record rates - Daily Kos

As police departments across the country continue to struggle with public trust issues—often of their own making—a local investigation has uncovered an undeniable pattern among those who vow to protect and serve Michigan's Motor City.....
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1829515

Trump on crusade to create 'white, Christian, male-dominated national community' for his followers: Historian Richard Frankel - Raw Story

Hitler couldn't do anything without people who helped him ... and those people were not all Nazis. ....
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/01/trump-crusade-create-white-christian-male-dominated-national-community-followers-historian-richard-frankel/

1,150 Free Movies Online: Great Classics, Indies, Noir, Westerns | Open Culture

http://www.openculture.com/freemoviesonline

A productivity scorecard for the 115th Congress: More laws than before, but not more substance - Pew Research Center

The last Congress was the first one in more than a decade in which Republicans controlled both the House and Senate while a president of their own party sat in the White House. And while the 115th Congress was more legislatively active than its recent predecessors, the proportion of substantive to ceremonial legislation was much the same....
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/25/a-productivity-scorecard-for-115th-congress/

Trump's Pointless Job Boast - FactCheck.org

President Donald Trump lamented that the "media barely covers" the fact there are "More people working in U.S.A. today than at any time in our HISTORY." It's probably because, with the U.S. population increasing every day, the statistic is fairly pointless as a measure of economic success. ....
https://www.factcheck.org/2019/01/trumps-pointless-job-boast/

2018 was the fourth warmest year on record -- and more evidence of a ‘new normal,’ scientist group reports - The Washington Post

The year was one in a string that have been a full degree Celsius, or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, warmer than temperatures in the late 19th century, the report found.....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/01/24/was-fourth-warmest-year-record-more-evidence-new-normal-scientist-group-reports/