Linkee-poo there's got to be a morning after

"Scientists have found a biological clue that could help explain why African-Americans appear to be more vulnerable than white Americans to Alzheimer's disease."

"The Consumer Entertainment Show gave a digital sex toy an award. Then it rescinded the award because sex toys are "immoral, obscene, indecent [or] profane" and banned it from the trade show floor. Katie Notopoulos reports, however, that they've given such toys awards in the past." Ah, I see we're back to the puritanical stage of social growth. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)

"Carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. are on the rise again after several years of decline, and a booming economy is the cause." We're boned.

"As Sears Holdings Corp teeters on the brink of liquidation, its employees are pushing for a hardship fund they hope can replicate the success of bankrupt retailer Toys 'R' Us, whose workers collected $20 million in severance pay from its former owners." Good luck with that.

"While Americans consumed nearly 37 pounds per capita in 2017, it was not enough to reduce the country's 1.4 billion-pound cheese surplus, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The glut, which at 900,000 cubic yards is the largest in U.S. history, means that there is enough cheese sitting in cold-storage to wrap around the U.S. Capitol." Oooo, might there be government cheese handouts?

"A self-proclaimed member of the far-right Proud Boys group who also believes in the QAnon conspiracy theory allegedly… killed his brother in Seattle on Sunday night by stabbing him in the head with a four-foot long sword… Wolfe, who prosecutors say exhibited signs of mental illness…" Um, you repeat yourself. Mental illness is a serious issue and we shouldn't make light of it, and an organization shouldn't be judged by the whackaloons who adhere to its message, but seriously. This Q Anon movement is appealing to people who have mental problems and is using them for support. This is why is should be a concern, and it should be ended by publicly denouncing and exposing the manipulation and lies. So far it has been treated as a sideshow (which is really is), but it's going too far and needs to be addressed head-on. (Grokked from Chip Dawes)

"The bill would allow lynchings—bias-motivated mob killings without legal authority—to be charged as a federal hate crime for the first time… However, evangelical law firm Liberty Counsel is upset because a portion of the bill includes protections for LGBT people as well as ethnic minorities." Now their argument is more that the proposed law recognizes that LGBTQ people exist than to just exclude them from lynching laws, but just how mindfucked do you have to be to oppose a law designed to keep people from hanging other people just because you don't want LGBTQ people to have rights. Liberty Counsel you should really be doing everything you can to keep Jesus from coming back, because he's gonna be pissed with you all. (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)

How goes Brexit? "The UK's leading business and industry groups are set to make major public interventions on Brexit next week amid growing panic over the prospect of leaving the European Union without a deal." Ah, panic mode.

"The EU's ambassador to Washington, David O'Sullivan, had not been invited to some events last year, DW reports, and an open sign of his new status came as diplomats were called up to pay their respects to the late President George H.W. Bush in early December 2018. Prior to the change, O'Sullivan would have been among the first 20 or 30 ambassadors to be called up, in line with his fairly senior status as a diplomat serving in his post since 2014. DW reports he was called up last and that he had not been notified of the change." We downgraded the EU, but forgot to tell them (or anyone).

"As the government shutdown continues into its 18th day, some TSA screeners are quitting their jobs and calling out sick, not knowing when they will receive their next paychecks, according to a union representing the TSA. The union sued the federal government last week on behalf of its members." (Grokked from someone, sorry, lost the link)

"So what did we learn from the president's address and the rare Democratic response. Here are seven insights…" We're boned.

"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has had no shortage of attention since she became, at 29, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, one who is unafraid to push controversial progressive policies… Sunday, she got a new surge of attention calling for a tax rate as high as 70 percent for the rich on the CBS's '60 Minutes' in an interview with Anderson Cooper." Taxes will have to go up. I'm okay with people who make more than $10,000,000 a year paying 70% starting with the ten-million and first dollar. But with the article I'm sad to see it switch quickly to an old, rich white guy and use just his perspective for over half the content.

"In November, Missouri was one of four states that voted to change how political boundaries are drawn in order to limit gerrymandering. The constitutional amendment passed in all corners of the increasingly conservative state. Now some members of both political parties want to scrap the new system before it even launches." Again, not all gerrymandering is bad, but when it's solely for the purpose of political party dominance (as REDMAP was), then it must go. When it'd done to increase representative democracy, it can be used for good.

"Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is planning to leave the Justice Department shortly after William Barr, the President's nominee for attorney general, is confirmed, according to a source familiar with his thinking." Note this isn't coming from Rosenstein and smacks of him being shown the door.

"The hidden text reveals that Mueller believes Manafort shared 'polling data' that was 'related to the 2016 presidential campaign' with Konstantin Kilimnik, a former colleague of his who Mueller has claimed is tied to Russian intelligence." Supposedly internal campaign polling data. Which is (wait for it) collusion. But seriously, for submitting redacted text, print out the material, mark over the redaction parts, then scan it back in to send (actually you may want to print the scan out, then scan that printout back in).