Cruz: President Trump would nuke Denmark

Wow, who knew Ted Cruz was Nostrafuckingdamus back in 2016?

"I don’t know anyone who would be comfortable with someone who behaves this way having his finger on the button,” Cruz continued. “I mean, we’re liable to wake up one morning and Donald, if he were president, would have nuked Denmark."

https://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/ted-cruz-donald-trump-denmark-218694

Fake News Can Lead to False Memories

One has to keep vigilant for one's own biases:

https://scitechdaily.com/fake-news-can-lead-to-false-memories/

Here’s what new tariffs will cost the average American household

Thanks a pant-load, Drumpf:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/19/heres-what-new-tariffs-will-cost-an-average-american-household.html

Why Some White Liberals Will Probably Vote For Donald Trump

Not all assholes are conservatives:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/white-liberals-racism-trump_n_5d5aaec5e4b056fafd0f07e1

European wind farms could meet global energy demand, researchers now say

"A new study found that maximizing onshore wind potential could enable Europe to generate 100 times more electricity than it currently does. That's enough to cover energy demand for the entire world from now until 2050, according to the researchers."

https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/europe-wind-potential

The new threat to capitalism

Capitalism may have to change:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-future-489aac29-de2c-4b91-bb92-dd90f2e6f68c.html?chunk=0&utm_term=twsocialshare#story0

Record-Breaking Temperatures Around the World Are 'Almost Entirely' Due to Climate Change

And there will be many more record-breaking Julys in the future:

https://time.com/5652972/july-2019-hottest-month/

Fracking boom tied to methane spike in Earth’s atmosphere

A good reason to phase out natural gas, too:

https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2019/08/fracking-boom-tied-methane-spike-earths-atmosphere

This Land Is the Only Land There Is

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/08/how-think-about-dire-new-ipcc-climate-report/595705/

Climate change: German MPs want higher meat tax

Well, this is the first of four climate change articles I'm posting (it's also the least depressing of them). Taxing climate-damaging products makes a lot of sense:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49281111

The Biggest News of the 21st Century

I am SO happy to see this and to be a part of it:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2019/08/the-biggest-news-of-the-21st-century/

The Coming Secular Era, Continued

This warms my heart. :-)

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2019/08/the-coming-secular-era-continued/

July 2019 Was the Earth's Hottest Month Ever Recorded, NOAA Says

This just keeps getting scarier:

https://time.com/5652972/july-2019-hottest-month/

Conspiracy Theories Can Have Dangerous Consequences. Here’s Why Experts Say We Can No Longer Ignore Them

About damn time:

https://time.com/5541411/conspiracy-theories-domestic-terrorism/

Everyone will eventually turn on Trump. Even Steve Doocy.

The feel good story of the day:

https://theweek.com/articles/858707/everyone-eventually-turn-trump-even-steve-doocy-

Except that isn't it supposed to be the other way around?

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/456997-scaramucci-fires-back-at-trump-he-will-turn-on-everyone-and-then

Extreme climate change is here

The East Coast and Southwest are in dire straights. Texas is schizophrenic:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-c5f11d78-b572-4f3b-9705-00b9b938948f.html?chunk=1&utm_term=emshare#story1

Climate Change Threatens the World’s Food Supply, United Nations Warns

This is bleak. Really bleak:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/climate/climate-change-food-supply.html

21 States Sue Trump Administration Over Relaxed Coal Restrictions, Citing 'Climate Crisis'

Good!

https://time.com/5651229/states-sue-trump-climate-rule/

Even a Small Change in Earth’s Carbon Dioxide Makes a Big Difference – Here’s Why

Interesting. I had no idea CO2 was only a fraction of one percent of our atmosphere...nor how little it takes to massively change our climate:

https://scitechdaily.com/even-a-small-change-in-earths-carbon-dioxide-makes-a-big-difference-heres-why/

Trump's trade war could spark a recession, Goldman Sachs warns

The shitbird is his own worst enemy, although we get the blowback:

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-s-trade-war-could-spark-recession-warns-goldman-sachs-n1041501

'A brutal dinner': celebrities talk about meeting Donald Trump

No surprises here:

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/aug/12/celebrities-meeting-trump-stories-woody-harrelson

Trump Administration Weakens Endangered Species Act Amid Global Extinction Crisis

Yet another reason to despise Trump:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-endangered-species-rule_n_5cf7b7b4e4b01713bed4df9b

The rural America death spiral

One good thing about this is that it means Trump supporters are a dying breed:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-ba4976ca-244a-4d4b-a7fc-e5860caebd34.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

SE Cupp makes plea to her fellow Republicans

One of the few Republicans (and she claims to be an atheist) coming out for gun control:

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/08/10/se-cupp-monologue-we-must-do-something-about-guns-unfiltered-vpx.cnn

New UN Report Puts A Dagger Through Climate Deniers’ Favorite Argument

No, rising CO2 levels won't help the world's crops:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ipcc-climate-report-co2-crop-yields_n_5d4de3d9e4b0fd2733f06150

Evangelical Christians Are the Least Trusted Religious Group in New Zealand

Well this is a nice switch to see--it's almost the opposite of the US:

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/08/09/evangelical-christians-are-the-least-trusted-religious-group-in-new-zealand/

Report: Trump Happily Employing Undocumented Workers While ICE Rounds Them Up

Just more Trump hypocrisy:

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/trump-organization-undocumented-workers

How Trump Is Trying—And Failing—To Get Rich Off His Presidency

Old article but enjoyable:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2018/10/02/how-trump-is-tryingand-failingto-get-rich-off-his-presidency/#9cea063b1aa0

After Sandy Hook, we said never again. And then we let 2,179 mass shootings happen.

A very effective infographic:

https://www.vox.com/a/mass-shootings-america-sandy-hook-gun-violence

Nadler: ‘This is formal impeachment proceedings’

About damn time!

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/08/nadler-this-is-formal-impeachment-proceedings-1454360

Iraqi man dies after Trump administration deports him

This is just sad. How emblematic of the Trump administration:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/07/iraqi-man-dies-deportation-trump-administration-1643512

‘We Are Being Eaten From Within.’ Why America Is Losing the Battle Against White Nationalist Terrorism

Yikes. US law enforcement is hobbled in its fight against white nationalist terrorists:

https://time.com/5647304/white-nationalist-terrorism-united-states/

If We Want to Stop Climate Change, Now is a Moment of Reckoning for How We Use the Planet, Warns U.N. Report

This is getting dire:

https://time.com/5646787/ipcc-climate-change-land-report/

It Might Be Time To Cut My Right-Wing, Trump-Loving In-Laws Out Of My Kids’ Lives

This hits close to home with my own experience with my father:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-cutting-off-relatives_n_5d448ed4e4b0ca604e31f5ba

'Good Guys With Guns' Can Rarely Stop Mass Shootings, and Texas and Ohio Show Why

Excellent point. I think banning semi-automatic weapons would make mass shootings much more difficult (revolvers and lever action rifles would be the fastest shooting weapons, with limited ammunition and relatively long reload times), while having essentially no negative impact on hunting or sport shooting.

https://time.com/5644578/good-guys-with-guns-el-paso-dayton/

Trump Sues California Over Law Requiring Candidates to Reveal Tax Returns

Of course Trump is suing. I REALLY hope he fails:

https://time.com/5645909/trump-sues-california-tax-returns/

These Countries Are the Most at Risk From a Water Crisis

Well, the US is reasonably safe, but a lot of Europe isn't. Neither is Chile, my birthplace. Canada, Brazil and parts of Africa look pretty safe:

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2019-countries-facing-water-crisis/

Excellent explanation for why climatologists accept human-caused climate change as real

Most profound point: “In the past, when CO2 levels rose higher than they are today, it often happened over millions of years and the various forms of life on earth were able to evolve and adapt. But there were a number of times when CO2 levels and temperatures rose as quickly as they have risen in the last 100 years. These changes had profound consequences leading to mass extinctions. For example, 252 million years ago there was a rapid rise in CO2 due to a series of volcano eruptions, and global temperatures rose 11 deg. C wiping out 95% of all species on earth.”

https://www.quora.com/Considering-that-the-Earth-has-always-warmed-and-cooled-naturally-do-you-believe-that-human-actions-are-mainly-responsible-for-present-day-accelerated-global-warming-Why-why-not/answer/Roger-Fjellstad-Olsen?ch=99&share=294aec04&srid=uBhZO

Mitch McConnell's obstruction in the spotlight following massacres

Finally there is at least SOME blowback against Mitch the Bitch:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/06/politics/mitch-mcconnell-gun-control/index.html

Exxon's Own Research Confirmed Fossil Fuels' Role in Global Warming Decades Ago

Their assessment in the 1970s was pretty much on the mark:

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15092015/Exxons-own-research-confirmed-fossil-fuels-role-in-global-warming

'Should Send Shockwaves Across the Nation': Grave Warnings as McConnell Accelerates Right-Wing Takeover of US Courts

Even if Mitch the Bitch is ousted in 2020, he's done SO MUCH damage to the courts already:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/08/01/should-send-shockwaves-across-nation-grave-warnings-mcconnell-accelerates-right-wing

Atmospheric carbon last year reached levels not seen in 800,000 years

Without technology to the rescue, we're screwed....

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/08/atmospheric-carbon-last-year-reached-levels-not-seen-800000-years

The Race to Zero Emissions: how the US lost its battery lead

Well, we won't get back in the lead with this president....

https://qz.com/emails/the-race-to-zero-emissions/1679337/

The Return of Doomsday

As if we don't have enough to worry about, nuclear war is back on the table:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-773cbba9-5fba-40cb-83a5-2a8643ef062d.html?chunk=3&utm_term=emshare#story3

Malaysian senator drops proposed anti-seduction law after backlash

Hard to believe there are still politicians in the world who think this way:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-harassement/malaysian-senator-drops-proposed-anti-seduction-law-after-backlash-idUSKCN1UR370?il=0

The White House Blocked My Report on Climate Change and National Security

Have I mentioned how much I despise Drumpf?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/30/opinion/trump-climate-change.html

Mitch McConnell Lashes Out At Critics Who Called Him A ‘Russian Asset’

He was the one who prevented Obama from doing more to stop Russian interference in the 2016 elections, so yeah...

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mitch-mcconnell-russia-election-security_n_5d3f4edbe4b0db8affaca5fa

164 Environmental Activists Were Killed While Protecting Their Homes Last Year, Watchdog Says

Who knew environmental activism was deadly?

https://time.com/5638438/global-witness-environmental-activists-murdered/

GOP Lawmaker Who Wants Mandatory Church Attendance Warns Of ‘Browning Of America’

WTF? After all these whackjob beliefs and statements she was STILL voted into office:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2019/07/gop-lawmaker-who-wants-mandatory-church-attendance-warns-of-browning-of-america/

The new social movement on climate change

Nice to see youth getting into this:

https://www.axios.com/new-social-movement-climate-change-f510b35e-835e-4a29-97b7-98f372506ed8.html

After Scorching Europe, Heat Wave Is Poised to Melt Greenland

This is really bad news, because Greenland melting would add a significant amount to sea level rise:

https://www.livescience.com/66041-heatwave-europe-greenland.html

Why We’re Moving Forward With Impeachment

Nice, simple justification:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/07/why-were-moving-forward-impeachment/594931/

Civilization-Collapsing Megadroughts of Medieval Times Could Be in Store for a Warming Earth

This is seriously depressing and worrying. I live very close to this region:

https://www.livescience.com/66032-medieval-megadroughts-return-global-warming.html

This Might Be the Most Important Exchange in the Mueller Testimony

https://time.com/5635276/mueller-testimony-obstruction-conspiracy-analysis/

Election Warnings Blare, But Action Stalls In Congress

This is dangerous and criminal. How is McConnell NOT putting our nation at risk?

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/congress-election-mueller-interference_n_5d3a7663e4b0a6d6373d830d

Mueller's Testimony Didn't Move Us Toward Impeachment. But It Should Make Us Determined to Vote Trump Out

A good summary opinion piece:

https://time.com/5635599/mueller-testimony-trump-2020/

Climate change: 12 years to save the planet? Make that 18 months

By the end of next year we may be fucked:

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48964736

A Republican has done the most damage to Trump at the Mueller hearing

Mueller may look the part, but his gravitas and delivery are weak at best. Still, something good came of his congressional grilling:

https://qz.com/1673937/republican-ken-buck-did-most-damage-to-trump-at-mueller-hearing/

Chances are, you’re not as open-minded as you think

This is why it always pays to exercise critical thinking and reevaluate your convictions:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/chances-are-youre-not-as-open-minded-as-you-think/2019/07/20/0319d308-aa4f-11e9-9214-246e594de5d5_story.html

Exposing the Truth: House Democrats Act to Safeguard Our Democracy and Protect Our National Security

This is worth taking the time to read:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6209547-House-Democrats-Mueller-memo.html

15,000 Americans Died So Republican Governors Could Stick It to Obama

Pro-life my ass:

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/15-000-americans-died-republican-205000693.html

Implementing The One Viable Solution To Climate Change

The needed path to solving the climate change problem:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2019/07/21/implementing-the-one-viable-solution-to-climate-change/#f4c9acc11f5f

Former Texas judge writes a scathing Facebook post on why she’s leaving the GOP and voting Democrat in 2020

Nicely said:

https://www.good.is/articles/texas-judge-quits-gop-trump-racism

'The Numbers Are Just Horrendous.' Almost 30,000 Species Face Extinction Because of Human Activity

This is just painfully sad:

https://time.com/5629548/almost-30000-species-face-extinction-new-report/

A Fascist Trump Rally In Greenville

If there are any doubts that Trump is a fascist:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fascist-trump-rally-greenville-ilhan-omar-send-her-back_n_5d30529fe4b0419fd328b270

Republicans Want a White Republic. They'll Destroy America to Get It

This explains a lot of their behavior:

https://time.com/5628283/trump-tweets-racist-white-america/

What happens when parts of South Asia become unlivable? The climate crisis is already displacing millions

This is one of the many reasons why climate change should be THE #1 issue for the foreseeable future:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/17/asia/india-nepal-flooding-climate-refugees-intl-hnk/index.html

The GOP’s demographic decay

Very encouraging. No wonder Republicans are fans of gerrymandering and voter suppression:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-20a19a61-74df-4f39-9c75-627e59f287a7.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

Trump Campaign Staffer Claims 'Twitter Is Lying,' Says President Never Tweeted 'Go Back' To House Democrats

Gaslighting:

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-go-back-staffer-twitter-lying-matt-wolking-native-countries-birther-1449167

Trump's most openly racist rhetoric yet is not at all surprising

When will his vileness finally bring him down?

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/14/politics/trump-racist-tweets-progressive-democratic-congresswomen-aoc/index.html

Leaked cables show British ambassador saying Trump abandoned Iran deal in act of 'diplomatic vandalism' to spite Obama

Trump's pettiness vies with his racism, ignorance, narcissism, authoritarianism, sexism, etc. for worst attribute:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/13/politics/daily-mail-trump-iran-nuclear-deal-leaked-cables/index.html

Greenland’s Superfast ‘Ice Slides’ Could Be Bad News for Climate Change

More reason to be deeply concerned:

https://www.livescience.com/65930-greenland-ice-sheet-sliding.html

The future began 40 years ago

To those who claim industrialization and automation ends up creating more jobs for humans, keep in mind that A.I. will eventually supersede anything and everything human minds are capable of doing...so there is a jobs crisis looming:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-future-df4ad85b-918c-4e67-b5d9-388cd9a4ca94.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

MAGA Cultist Admits Lying: “It Doesn’t Have To Be True; It Just Has To Go Viral”

Yet another reason to despise Trump supporters:

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/07/12/maga-cultist-admits-lying-it-doesnt-have-to-be-true-it-just-has-to-go-viral/

Trump's most openly racist rhetoric yet is not at all surprising

How does he get away with being so loathsome?

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/14/politics/trump-racist-tweets-progressive-democratic-congresswomen-aoc/index.html

SCOTUS's Ruling on Gerrymandering Endangers U.S. Democracy

Damn straight it's dangerous!

https://time.com/5623638/scotuss-ruling-on-gerrymandering-endangers-us-democracy/

No, Mr. Putin, liberalism is not dead

Liberalism is actually rising:

https://bigthink.com/politics-current-affairs/putin-liberalism-dead

Leave the US, Trump tells liberal Democratic congresswomen

Our Racist in Chief is back at it again:

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2019/07/14/leave-the-us-trump-tells-liberal-democratic-congresswomen/23769281/

Sen. Tina Smith: Mitch McConnell's leadership has been a big, fat waste

Mitch is a bitch:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/09/opinions/mcconnell-leadership-senate-waste-smith/index.html

When Does America Reckon with the Gravity of Donald Trump’s Alleged Rapes?

This SHOULD have sunk him two years ago....

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/does-america-reckon-gravity-donald-191337659.html

UK secularism on rise as more than half say they have no religion

Nice milestone:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/11/uk-secularism-on-rise-as-more-than-half-say-they-have-no-religion

A Glacier the Size of Florida Is Becoming Unstable. It Has Dire Implications for Global Sea Levels

More yikes:

https://time.com/5622632/thwaites-glacier-antarctica-melting/

By 2050, London's climate will be as warm as Barcelona's, says new study

Along with the droughts....

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/11/europe/climate-cities-report-intl-hnk/index.html

The Rise of Non-Religious Americans is Occurring All Over the Country

Very nice to see:

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/07/09/the-rise-of-non-religious-americans-is-occurring-all-over-the-country/

White evangelicals are least likely to say U.S. should accept refugees

Christian hypocrisy at its finest:

https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/evangelicals-immigration

Trump dossier author Steele gets 16-hour DOJ grilling

His testimony was deemed credible:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/09/christopher-steele-trump-dossier-doj-1403318

Whistleblower says he was pressured by Trump administration to reverse environmental decision

Because of course:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/08/politics/interior-department-arizona-development-bernhardt/index.html

Yet Trump boasts about his environmental record:

https://time.com/5622374/donald-trump-climate-change-hoax-event/

But even Fox News calls him out on that:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-fox-news-fact-check_n_5d23ef40e4b0cfb595faeac7

Epstein Arrest Is a Worry for Donald Trump

Bringing down Trump with that child rape allegation is what I have been hoping for for a long time:

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-07-08/jeffrey-epstein-arrest-is-a-worry-for-donald-trump

Why Do Liberals Hate The United States?

Excellent points:

https://www.thebipartisanpress.com/opinion/why-do-liberals-hate-the-united-states/

Seth Abramson on "The Scary Truth"

From https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1146569608691965953

THE SCARY TRUTH

If a POTUS a) has absolute control over his branch, b) is willing to defy the judicial branch, and c) knows the legislative branch won't stop him, he can do...

...*whatever the hell he wants*.

That's *always* been the case—we just never elected a madman before.

Scorching Temperatures Smash Records In U.S., Europe

And the tangerine dictator in the White House continues to fiddle while the world burns:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/record-heat-europe-france-alaska-climate-change_n_5d1cf9bbe4b04c48140e23fa

The U.S.-China long game

Seems like China is actually in big trouble and may not be able to continue its domination streak for long:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-future-274f0d5c-7354-4ef3-8122-5e172476a4ac.html?chunk=0&utm_term=emshare#story0

Democrats Take Trump Tax Return Fight To Court

Finally!

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-tax-returns-democrats-sue-court_n_5ce82d8fe4b0a839e8605b0c

The problem isn't mental health—it's access to guns, says a new study

Well, well...looks like a major conservative talking point is false:

https://bigthink.com/politics-current-affairs/gun-violence?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3

Is Trump Toast? Data Model That Predicted 2018 Midterms Says He’ll Lose In 2020

Well this is encouraging:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-2020-prediction_n_5d1ae3fbe4b03d611640b0df

30% of Americans believe it's okay for businesses not to serve gay folks

...or atheists. 

This is NOT going in the right direction, but I am pretty sure it is part of the "two steps back" part after the "three steps forward" of social progress:

https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/discrimination

The American Medical Association is no Longer Neutral on Abortion

When laws are passed that say doctors are REQUIRED to lie to their patients, the AMA can no longer remain neutral:

https://time.com/5617960/ama-abortion-lawsuit/

The Sack Of Washington

Reason #4,598 to despise Drumpf:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/epa-trump-pollution-science_n_5d163910e4b082e5536893ee

‘Angry’ Rex Tillerson Says Jared Kushner Hijacked U.S. Foreign Policy

Another Seth Abramson piece:

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1144362691873660928

Early Alaska melt alarms islanders

This is getting serious:

https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-d10ddb2e-17e8-4245-8906-6c77aeeb1a36.html?chunk=2&utm_term=emshare#story2