- Trump’s Voter Fraud Example? A Troubled Tale With Bernhard Langer (NYT) "On Monday, President Trump gathered House and Senate leaders in the State Dining Room for a get-to-know-you reception and quickly launched into a story meant to illustrate what he believes to be rampant, unchecked voter fraud. When one of the Democrats protested, Mr. Trump said he was told a story by 'the very famous golfer, Bernhard Langer,' whom he described as a friend, according to three staff members who were in the room for the meeting. The three witnesses recall the story this way: Mr. Langer, a 59-year-old native of Bavaria, Germany (Mr. Langer is, by law, barred from voting)
was standing in line at a polling place near his home in Florida on Election Day, the president explained, when an official informed Mr. Langer he would not be able to vote. Ahead of and behind Mr. Langer were voters who did not look as if they should be allowed to vote, Mr. Trump said, according to the staff members — but they were nonetheless permitted to cast provisional ballots. The president threw out the names of Latin American countries that the voters might have come from. The anecdote, the aides said, was greeted with silence, and Mr. Trump was prodded to change the subject by Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff, and Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas."
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT:
- Donald Trump’s Assault on the Enlightenment (Foreign Policy) "Trump’s campaign and philosophy of governing aim to associate art and intellectualism with out-of-touch elites who have broken the trust of rural and less educated populations. For the Trump administration, the attacks on NEH and NEA form part of a wider assault on intellectualism itself. The reasons for cutting these agencies cannot be fiscal; combined, they constitute less than .01 percent of the federal budget."
HEALTH:
- Your smartphone could soon be the first step for diagnosing skin cancer (TechCrunch) "Utilizing machine learning, a Stanford team was able to match the accuracy of dermatologists at identifying skin cancer. The classifier the group built is in no way a panacea offering people a precise and irrefutable cancer diagnoses. But even matching fallible human accuracy, the model could pave the way for a less costly, highly-scaleable, solution to get more people taking life-saving preliminary screenings."
BUSINESS/INVESTING:
- The Stock Market's On An Epic Upswing. Here's Why It Probably Hasn't Benefitted You (NPR) "For those who have maxed out contributions to 401(k)s or socked away money in a brokerage account, the stock market has been a godsend. But only 52 percent of Americans have money in the stock market, matching the lowest rate in 19 years, according to a Gallup Poll from April. In 2007, according to that same poll, 65 percent reported investing in the market. Based on those Gallup numbers, many Americans lost faith in the market at exactly the wrong time — just as it was staging a powerful comeback."
NEWS:
- Mattis, Pompeo stunned by CIA 'black sites' report (Politico) "Trump himself did little to quell the unease about the document on Wednesday, telling ABC News he believes waterboarding 'works,' though he added he would defer to Mattis and Pompeo on the issue. The defense secretary and CIA director have signaled they oppose reinstating Bush-era interrogation practices. The CIA declined to comment on the draft executive order on Wednesday, and a Pentagon spokesman pointed to Spicer's remarks."
- An Interview with Stanley McChrystal (PRISM) "There are two characteristics of concern. First is the reemergence of great power nationalism; the rise of China, the reemergence of Russia, both with enough power and self-confidence to go back to traditional nationalist objectives. The second area of concern is that technology and globalization have been great equalizers. Modern technology has given individuals extraordinary power."
- America’s New President Is Not a Rational Actor (Foreign Policy) "So where does this leave us? Way too soon to tell, but I’ll hazard two guesses. First, foreign and defense policies are going to be a train wreck, because they don’t have enough good people in place, the people they have appointed don’t agree on some pretty big issues (e.g., NATO), the foreign-policy 'blob' will undercut them at every turn, and Trump himself lacks the discipline or strategic vision to manage this process and may not care to try. Even if you agree with his broad approach, his team is going to make a lot more rookie mistakes before they figure out what they are doing. Second, get ready for a lot of unexpected developments and unintended consequences. If the United States is giving up its self-appointed role as the 'indispensable nation' and opting instead for 'America First,' a lot of other countries will have to rethink their policies, alignments, and commitments. Unraveling a long-standing order is rarely a pretty process, especially when it happens quickly and is driven not by optimism but by anger, fear, and resentment."
- Maybe Trump isn’t ‘lying’ (WaPo) "Putting aside the psychiatric lingo, Cruz’s essential point — Trump cannot tell what is real and what is not — surely looks right on point less than a week into the presidency. In the campaign, he became convinced, for example, that Arab Americans in New Jersey celebrated after 9/11. Now he becomes convinced of other, equally ludicrous assertions. Kellyanne Conway, Sean Spicer and others know what he is saying is nonsense ('Alternative facts'? Puh-leez.) They do not have the nerve to tell him that what he believes cannot be true. and therefore cannot be uttered by the president of the United States without raising questions about his mental/emotional stability. They are lying if they repeat his claim, but maybe he is sincere.
- The leaks coming out of the Trump White House cast the president as a clueless child (WaPo) "Time and again, the image of Trump pushed by his 'aides' is one of a clueless child -- someone who acts on impulse, disregarding the better advice of people who know better. We know he needs to be managed or else he will say and do stupid things, the message seems to be. We're working on it. The frequency -- and nature -- of these leaks are yet another reminder that the Trump presidency is nothing like anything that's come before it. There is no blueprint. We're through the looking glass."
- Trump is getting payments from foreign governments. We have no idea what they are. (WaPo) "After the election, Trump had several months to move toward liquidation and putting his assets in a truly blind trust. He has chosen, instead, to keep his ownership interests in his businesses, turning over operating decisions to his children but remaining an owner. His decision threatens the integrity of American democracy and national security, and it should ring alarm bells for all citizens, regardless of political party. The framers were trained to be wary of how human nature can be tempted, and of international incentives to tempt. As George Washington said later, 'Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.' The framers understood that humans are inclined to look more favorably upon those who are responsible for their wealth. These are not trivial potential conflicts. They strike at the heart of what it means to be president: undivided loyalty to one’s country."
- What’s the method in Trump’s madness? (WaPo) "Or is the country confronting something even more troubling: a president unhinged from any realities that get in the way of his impulses, unmoored from any driving philosophy and willing to make everything up as he goes along, including 'alternative facts'? On the one hand, he has continued to make himself out as a 'populist'. On the other, he has been promising corporations the moon. In principle, it’s possible that Trump is returning to the days of William McKinley and Calvin Coolidge. From the 1890s to the Great Depression, Republican presidents pursued policies that were simultaneously pro-business and protectionist. But it’s also possible that he will offer mostly words on one side of this equation and a lot of benefits on the other. The world of finance seems to be wagering that Trump’s pro-corporate side will dominate. If there is any consistency here, it lies in the right-wing nationalism of his senior adviser Stephen K. Bannon."
- Mattis is trying to repair the damage Trump is doing (WaPo) "While the president fans the flames of intolerance, Mattis tells the military and civilian employees to be an example to the rest of the country. We hope the White House is listening and watching. Mattis is the only one in the administration so far to act, well, presidential and responsible. He knows we need allies. He knows the intelligence community is vital to our security. And he knows American values must be reinforced and celebrated. He knows our diversity is an asset, not a threat."
- Donald Trump gets serious about building a border wall (Economist) "Within the ranks of the Republican party, many are critical of Mr Trump’s wall. Will Hurd, a Republican congressman who represents the Texan borderlands stretching from San Antonio to El Paso, released a statement on January 25th saying that 'building a wall is the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border. Each section of the border faces unique geographical, cultural, and technological challenges that would be best addressed with a flexible, sector-by-sector approach that empowers the agents on the ground with the resources they need.'"
- Trump White House senior staff have private RNC email accounts (Newsweek) "The system (rnchq.org) is the same one the Bush administration was accused of using to evade transparency rules after claiming to have “lost” 22 million emails. It’s not clear whether or how Trump staffers are using the RNC email addresses. If they are using them, they are subject to the 'Disclosure Requirement For Official Business Conducted Using Electronic Messaging Accounts,' a law, 44 U.S.C. 2209, that went into effect in 2014."
- Rogue National Park Accounts Emerge On Twitter Amid Social Media Gag Orders (NPR) "If Twitter accounts fall silent in the woods, can they still make a sound? Turns out, yes — lots. Tuesday afternoon, a new Twitter account called 'AltUSNatParkService' appeared and began tweeting out facts about climate change, support for the National Parks and comments in opposition of President Trump, who has called climate change a hoax created by China."
- Media Reports State Dept. 'Mass Resignation,' Officials Actually Fired (Breitbart) "This is not some shocking walkout by a defiant Resistance speaking truth to power – it is President Trump fulfilling a campaign promise on his fourth day in office." and Trump administration choosing to replace several senior State Department diplomats (WaPo) "It was not immediately clear how many people were affected, but officials said the White House had accepted a “handful” of resignations this week, while deferring action on others." and The State Department’s entire senior administrative team just resigned (WaPo) "One senior State Department official who responded to my requests for comment said that all the officials had previously submitted their letters of resignation, as was required for all positions that are appointed by the president and that require confirmation by the Senate, known as PAS positions."
- Steve Bannon Torches New York Times: 'You Have No Power' (Breitbart) "'The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile,' Mr. Bannon said during a telephone call." and Trump’s Chief Strategist Says News Media Should ‘Keep Its Mouth Shut’ (NYT) "'I want you to quote this,” Mr. Bannon added. 'The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.'"
- In his first major TV interview as president, Trump is endlessly obsessed with his popularity (WaPo) "The lengthy interview, which aired late Wednesday night, provided a glimpse of the president and his state-of-mind on his fifth full day in office. It revealed a man who is obsessed with his own popularity and eager to provide evidence of his likability, even if that information doesn't match reality. The interview revealed just how preoccupied Trump is with two variables that are gumming up his claim of being widely beloved: Losing the popular vote to Clinton and hosting an inauguration crowd that was smaller than in previous years."
TECHNOLOGY:
- This pair of glasses can change focus based on what you look at (Mashable) "The lenses are made out of the liquid glycerin — a substance common in moisturizers and other beauty products — enveloped on both sides by "flexible, rubber-like membranes." The back of the membrane links to a series of three mechanical actuators that move the membrane back and forth, which changes the curve of the lens, which in turn adjusts how it refracts light to the eye."
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS:
- Sleep peacefully in these germ-free bed sheets (Mashable) "By infusing copper threading in bamboo sheets, '29 linens' claims they can kill 99.9% of the bacteria on your sheets in just 30 minutes."
Sign up for email distribution of the Day's Most Compelling News below or by visiting Top of the News
- Donald Trump’s Assault on the Enlightenment (Foreign Policy) "Trump’s campaign and philosophy of governing aim to associate art and intellectualism with out-of-touch elites who have broken the trust of rural and less educated populations. For the Trump administration, the attacks on NEH and NEA form part of a wider assault on intellectualism itself. The reasons for cutting these agencies cannot be fiscal; combined, they constitute less than .01 percent of the federal budget."
HEALTH:
- Your smartphone could soon be the first step for diagnosing skin cancer (TechCrunch) "Utilizing machine learning, a Stanford team was able to match the accuracy of dermatologists at identifying skin cancer. The classifier the group built is in no way a panacea offering people a precise and irrefutable cancer diagnoses. But even matching fallible human accuracy, the model could pave the way for a less costly, highly-scaleable, solution to get more people taking life-saving preliminary screenings."
BUSINESS/INVESTING:
- The Stock Market's On An Epic Upswing. Here's Why It Probably Hasn't Benefitted You (NPR) "For those who have maxed out contributions to 401(k)s or socked away money in a brokerage account, the stock market has been a godsend. But only 52 percent of Americans have money in the stock market, matching the lowest rate in 19 years, according to a Gallup Poll from April. In 2007, according to that same poll, 65 percent reported investing in the market. Based on those Gallup numbers, many Americans lost faith in the market at exactly the wrong time — just as it was staging a powerful comeback."
NEWS:
- Mattis, Pompeo stunned by CIA 'black sites' report (Politico) "Trump himself did little to quell the unease about the document on Wednesday, telling ABC News he believes waterboarding 'works,' though he added he would defer to Mattis and Pompeo on the issue. The defense secretary and CIA director have signaled they oppose reinstating Bush-era interrogation practices. The CIA declined to comment on the draft executive order on Wednesday, and a Pentagon spokesman pointed to Spicer's remarks."
- An Interview with Stanley McChrystal (PRISM) "There are two characteristics of concern. First is the reemergence of great power nationalism; the rise of China, the reemergence of Russia, both with enough power and self-confidence to go back to traditional nationalist objectives. The second area of concern is that technology and globalization have been great equalizers. Modern technology has given individuals extraordinary power."
- America’s New President Is Not a Rational Actor (Foreign Policy) "So where does this leave us? Way too soon to tell, but I’ll hazard two guesses. First, foreign and defense policies are going to be a train wreck, because they don’t have enough good people in place, the people they have appointed don’t agree on some pretty big issues (e.g., NATO), the foreign-policy 'blob' will undercut them at every turn, and Trump himself lacks the discipline or strategic vision to manage this process and may not care to try. Even if you agree with his broad approach, his team is going to make a lot more rookie mistakes before they figure out what they are doing. Second, get ready for a lot of unexpected developments and unintended consequences. If the United States is giving up its self-appointed role as the 'indispensable nation' and opting instead for 'America First,' a lot of other countries will have to rethink their policies, alignments, and commitments. Unraveling a long-standing order is rarely a pretty process, especially when it happens quickly and is driven not by optimism but by anger, fear, and resentment."
- Maybe Trump isn’t ‘lying’ (WaPo) "Putting aside the psychiatric lingo, Cruz’s essential point — Trump cannot tell what is real and what is not — surely looks right on point less than a week into the presidency. In the campaign, he became convinced, for example, that Arab Americans in New Jersey celebrated after 9/11. Now he becomes convinced of other, equally ludicrous assertions. Kellyanne Conway, Sean Spicer and others know what he is saying is nonsense ('Alternative facts'? Puh-leez.) They do not have the nerve to tell him that what he believes cannot be true. and therefore cannot be uttered by the president of the United States without raising questions about his mental/emotional stability. They are lying if they repeat his claim, but maybe he is sincere.
- The leaks coming out of the Trump White House cast the president as a clueless child (WaPo) "Time and again, the image of Trump pushed by his 'aides' is one of a clueless child -- someone who acts on impulse, disregarding the better advice of people who know better. We know he needs to be managed or else he will say and do stupid things, the message seems to be. We're working on it. The frequency -- and nature -- of these leaks are yet another reminder that the Trump presidency is nothing like anything that's come before it. There is no blueprint. We're through the looking glass."
- Trump is getting payments from foreign governments. We have no idea what they are. (WaPo) "After the election, Trump had several months to move toward liquidation and putting his assets in a truly blind trust. He has chosen, instead, to keep his ownership interests in his businesses, turning over operating decisions to his children but remaining an owner. His decision threatens the integrity of American democracy and national security, and it should ring alarm bells for all citizens, regardless of political party. The framers were trained to be wary of how human nature can be tempted, and of international incentives to tempt. As George Washington said later, 'Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.' The framers understood that humans are inclined to look more favorably upon those who are responsible for their wealth. These are not trivial potential conflicts. They strike at the heart of what it means to be president: undivided loyalty to one’s country."
- What’s the method in Trump’s madness? (WaPo) "Or is the country confronting something even more troubling: a president unhinged from any realities that get in the way of his impulses, unmoored from any driving philosophy and willing to make everything up as he goes along, including 'alternative facts'? On the one hand, he has continued to make himself out as a 'populist'. On the other, he has been promising corporations the moon. In principle, it’s possible that Trump is returning to the days of William McKinley and Calvin Coolidge. From the 1890s to the Great Depression, Republican presidents pursued policies that were simultaneously pro-business and protectionist. But it’s also possible that he will offer mostly words on one side of this equation and a lot of benefits on the other. The world of finance seems to be wagering that Trump’s pro-corporate side will dominate. If there is any consistency here, it lies in the right-wing nationalism of his senior adviser Stephen K. Bannon."
- Mattis is trying to repair the damage Trump is doing (WaPo) "While the president fans the flames of intolerance, Mattis tells the military and civilian employees to be an example to the rest of the country. We hope the White House is listening and watching. Mattis is the only one in the administration so far to act, well, presidential and responsible. He knows we need allies. He knows the intelligence community is vital to our security. And he knows American values must be reinforced and celebrated. He knows our diversity is an asset, not a threat."
- Donald Trump gets serious about building a border wall (Economist) "Within the ranks of the Republican party, many are critical of Mr Trump’s wall. Will Hurd, a Republican congressman who represents the Texan borderlands stretching from San Antonio to El Paso, released a statement on January 25th saying that 'building a wall is the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border. Each section of the border faces unique geographical, cultural, and technological challenges that would be best addressed with a flexible, sector-by-sector approach that empowers the agents on the ground with the resources they need.'"
- Trump White House senior staff have private RNC email accounts (Newsweek) "The system (rnchq.org) is the same one the Bush administration was accused of using to evade transparency rules after claiming to have “lost” 22 million emails. It’s not clear whether or how Trump staffers are using the RNC email addresses. If they are using them, they are subject to the 'Disclosure Requirement For Official Business Conducted Using Electronic Messaging Accounts,' a law, 44 U.S.C. 2209, that went into effect in 2014."
- Rogue National Park Accounts Emerge On Twitter Amid Social Media Gag Orders (NPR) "If Twitter accounts fall silent in the woods, can they still make a sound? Turns out, yes — lots. Tuesday afternoon, a new Twitter account called 'AltUSNatParkService' appeared and began tweeting out facts about climate change, support for the National Parks and comments in opposition of President Trump, who has called climate change a hoax created by China."
- Media Reports State Dept. 'Mass Resignation,' Officials Actually Fired (Breitbart) "This is not some shocking walkout by a defiant Resistance speaking truth to power – it is President Trump fulfilling a campaign promise on his fourth day in office." and Trump administration choosing to replace several senior State Department diplomats (WaPo) "It was not immediately clear how many people were affected, but officials said the White House had accepted a “handful” of resignations this week, while deferring action on others." and The State Department’s entire senior administrative team just resigned (WaPo) "One senior State Department official who responded to my requests for comment said that all the officials had previously submitted their letters of resignation, as was required for all positions that are appointed by the president and that require confirmation by the Senate, known as PAS positions."
- Steve Bannon Torches New York Times: 'You Have No Power' (Breitbart) "'The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile,' Mr. Bannon said during a telephone call." and Trump’s Chief Strategist Says News Media Should ‘Keep Its Mouth Shut’ (NYT) "'I want you to quote this,” Mr. Bannon added. 'The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.'"
- In his first major TV interview as president, Trump is endlessly obsessed with his popularity (WaPo) "The lengthy interview, which aired late Wednesday night, provided a glimpse of the president and his state-of-mind on his fifth full day in office. It revealed a man who is obsessed with his own popularity and eager to provide evidence of his likability, even if that information doesn't match reality. The interview revealed just how preoccupied Trump is with two variables that are gumming up his claim of being widely beloved: Losing the popular vote to Clinton and hosting an inauguration crowd that was smaller than in previous years."
TECHNOLOGY:
- This pair of glasses can change focus based on what you look at (Mashable) "The lenses are made out of the liquid glycerin — a substance common in moisturizers and other beauty products — enveloped on both sides by "flexible, rubber-like membranes." The back of the membrane links to a series of three mechanical actuators that move the membrane back and forth, which changes the curve of the lens, which in turn adjusts how it refracts light to the eye."
BOTTOM OF THE NEWS:
- Sleep peacefully in these germ-free bed sheets (Mashable) "By infusing copper threading in bamboo sheets, '29 linens' claims they can kill 99.9% of the bacteria on your sheets in just 30 minutes."
Sign up for email distribution of the Day's Most Compelling News below or by visiting Top of the News
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