Linkee-poo stumbles into Monday, doesn't apologize

"'The safety net? It has too many holes in it for me.'" The Guardian reports on Philip Alston's, UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, trip across America. This is the anti-story to the American Dream, except this one is truth whereas the American Dream is both an aspiration and fiction for the majority. "… But what I see is the failure of society. I see a society that let that happen, that is not doing what it should. And it’s very sad.'" (Grokked from John)

"Dutch police say they have shot and arrested a man who wielded a knife at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport." So it's true that banning guns won't deter violent crime, but it would make them less bloody.

"Overall, the residential solar market is expected to fall 13 percent this year, according to GTM’s quarterly solar market report, released on Thursday. That compares with a 19 percent rise last year and four straight years before that of increases above 50 percent." Basically after Tesla acquired (or folded in depending on whom you believe) SolarCity they stopped aggressively marketing.

"Track Palin, the son of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, was arrested on burglary and assault charges in Alaska on Saturday, December 16, according to multiple reports." What a wonderful family.

"Russia’s Defense Ministry has criticized the U.S. over what it claims are mixed messages about its fight against the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in Syria." Stealing Putin's thunder.

"Some countries, such as France, Austria and Poland, prohibit removing people from their homes when it's so cold. But that's not the case in the United States. A few places, like Maryland and Washington, D.C., postpone evictions when it's below freezing and over the holidays, although those places are the exception rather than the rule."

"Democrat Andrea Ramsey has dropped out of the race to take on GOP Rep. Kevin Yoder in Kansas after The Kansas City Star began questioning Ramsey about accusations made against her in a 2005 sexual harassment lawsuit." Again, sexual assault is a power thing, not a sex thing.

"President Trump, minutes before heading to speak at the FBI's National Academy, lashed out at the bureau, saying "it's a shame what's happened with the FBI" and claiming there are 'a lot of very angry people that are seeing it.'" I wonder if Kelly has even broached the subject of how Trump's unscripted moments betray his inner thoughts? Worst president ever. Of course Trump didn't mention the "deep state" he believes is running the government (another projection of what conservative really want, see behaviors of GW Bush appointees who in the last few months of that administration used their positions to be hired on in career positions).

"Facing bipartisan hostility over high drug prices in an election year, the pharmaceutical industry's biggest trade group boosted revenue by nearly a fourth in 2016 and spread the millions collected among hundreds of lobbyists, politicians and patient groups, new filings show."

"Matthew Petersen has been nominated for a judgeship on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, one of the nation's most important federal courts… But his trouble began during Wednesday's confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee when, among a panel of five nominees, he alone told Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., that he had never tried a case in court… It was all downhill from there." As it was explained in other places, the questions Sen Kennedy asked could be answered by first year law students (no matter what their career focus). But of course they'll vote him in. (See earlier comment about who is instilling a "deep state", also see the Federalists Society)

"President Donald Trump said Friday that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday to thank him for comments he made about the President's efforts to grow the American economy." For there being no collusion, there sure are a lot of Russians hanging around.

"President Donald Trump’s mining regulators are reconsidering rules meant to protect underground miners from breathing coal and rock dust -- the cause of black lung -- and diesel exhaust, which can cause cancer." How do you like him now, coal country? "… (C)oal miners are suffering from the most serious form of the deadly mining disease black lung in numbers more than 10 times what federal regulators report, an NPR investigation has found." Note that those are with the "debilitating regulations" that Trump wants to roll back.

"Opponents of special counsel Robert Mueller ramped up their attacks over the weekend with a new claim that he improperly collected thousands of emails from President Trump's transition team and is using them as an illegitimate basis for much of his investigation." How do you spell "bullshit"? If Mueller didn't obtain the documents legally, he can't use them in court and can't even use evidence discovered based on those emails in court. So do you really think one of the brightest legal minds in the US would have obtained anything illegally? What the Trump camp is very upset about is Mueller obtained the emails back in August, and started interviewing staff members in September. Which means Mueller when into those interviews fully armed with the intelligence from the emails (which is also how the Trump team worked back and figured out he had the emails to begin with). Expect more people to be charged with lying to the FBI.