Me, I was 17 and I liked Ike

The Decay of American Politics - BillMoyers.com from BillMoyers.com's Tweet

To contrast the virtues and shortcomings of Stevenson and Eisenhower with those of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Donald Trump is both instructive and profoundly depressing. Comparing the adversaries of 1956 with their 2016 counterparts reveals with startling clarity what the decades-long decay of American politics has wrought.

OK, I'll bite (sigh)

Do You Eat Like a Republican or a Democrat? | TIME from TIME.com's Tweet

Why didn't I do this a long time ago?

Just too traditional, I guess. But the other day I broke down and bought a can of hot Spam. It's flavored with Tabasco. And good.

I'm just saying, if the taste of just plain Spam day after day is getting you down, you've got to try this stuff.

I woke up this morning and looked at all the Olympic stuff in the newspaper…

…and went right back to bed and slept for the rest of the day. Wore me out, it did. I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. How long does the Olympics thing go on? It's bad enough with the Hill and Donald show, but now this?

River ducks

Thousands of rubber ducks dive into Chicago River

Some 50,000 rubber ducks are dumped into the Chicago River for the annual Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby. Multimedia Display (no reporter narration).

Mutant mosquitos! OMG! OMG!

These mutant mosquitoes will kill Zika | New York Post

The new breed of mosquito won't negatively effect other species in the area, the FDA found after studying the insect. "[It]will not have significant impacts on the environment," it said.

http://goo.gl/ncwy2B

Riiight. 

A "tangled thicket of weaselspeak"

Hillary Clinton Answer on E-mail, FBI, James Comey at Press Conference Not Good Enough from Charles P. Pierce's Tweet

If you think this administration is going to investigate a Clinton—any Clinton for anything—you really need to get out of that hot sun right away

Hillary's campaign denies FBI, IRS investigations into Clinton Foundation | Washington Examiner from Mike Walker's Tweet

You can't read anything at all into Director Comey's inability to answer that question," Fallon said.

Also, you can't read anything at all into Director Comey. Period. .

The politics (and theology) of a chicken sandwich

Chick-fil-A Was Served at the Democratic Convention.…

Christian Post 

Massachusetts delegate Katie Sorensen, a Bernie Sanders supporter, said that despite her support for gay marriage, she agrees on other matters with Chick-fil-A, such as the way in which they treat their employees.…

Yes, Virginia, we are totally doomed.

Of course there is a bright spot here. When we are forced to parse a half dozen or so political and theological (and don't forget to save the planet!) questions just to order lunch we are going to lose, collectively, a whole lot of weight.

Forget it. We'll just have double fries.

Oops

Rio officials had to open Olympic Stadium with bolt cutters after losing key - The Washington Post

Fortunately, the first Olympic event being held at the stadium was a sparsely attended women's soccer match between Sweden and South Africa. 

Read the full story

Today's weather

"I like hot," the guy says. "You don't have to shovel hot."

Good point!

On balance, less than a rave review

'Suicide Squad' is as bad as you've heard

What takes a few sentences to summarize in print becomes a mostly thankless chore for the audience to decipher in writer-director David Ayer's carelessly plotted, murky-looking, sloppily choreographed and largely fun-free interpretation of the DC Comics antihero-adventure saga.

https://goo.gl/icdELQ

Also looks good around the pool

Olympians can wear this suit to fight the Zika threat | New York Post
http://goo.gl/dgYBC8

Some gap

A secret group easily bought the raw ingredients for a dirty bomb – here in America | Center for Public Integrity from Public Integrity's Tweet 

"GAO's covert testing identified a regulatory gap…"

Goldwater girl makes good

From Reuters News:

Wealthy Republicans campaign for Clinton

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON - Groups of wealthy Republicans unhappy with Donald Trump have been privately courting prominent peers to join them in backing Hillary Clinton, several people involved in the effort told Reuters.

Sunny morning coffee

A biscuit in his pocket

Nervous about nukes again? Here's what you need to know about The Button. (There is no button.)

Your official guide to starting a nuclear war in 2017.

https://goo.gl/yWHSek

This is something you DO NOT want to read.

Who are these liberals of whom you speak?

Why Do Liberals Keep Calling Donald Trump a Dove? | New Republic from New Republic's Tweet

Only in America could proposals to bomb at least three nations and indefinitely occupy another be labeled "isolationism."

And it's not even real football

BBC News Britain's women's football team were knocked out by Canada…

Ouch. 

This Hillary…

Why Hillary's Candidacy Is More 'Historic' Now Than in 2008
National Review Online

Among the innumerable flip-flops, course corrections, and reinventions that have come to define Hillary Clinton's three decades in public life, perhaps the most interesting one is her decision in 2016 to go all in as the woman-candidate. 

 Read the full story

… is beginning to remind me of the encyclopedia salesmen who comes to your door and says he only needs one more sale to win the big vacation package to Aruba.

No place to hide

The Washington Post: Snapping up cheap spy tools, nations 'monitoring everyone'

The purchase from Israeli-American company Verint Systems, chronicled in documents obtained by The Associated Press, offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look into how easy it is for a country to purchase and install off-the-shelf surveillance equipment. The software allows governments to intercept voice calls, text messages and emails.

https://goo.gl/I1kvKu

Go ahead, try to unread this

Australia's bad luck continues with four Olympic water polo players in quarantine
The women's players caught a bug in Rome.

…athletes found that toilets in the Olympic Village could not pass a stress test. 

https://goo.gl/8NYaNz

OK then, let's move on

Could an inversion trap enough pot smoke to get all of Anchorage high?
Alaska Dispatch News

The short answer is no. 

Read the full story

Shared from Apple News

Stuff we quit reading right there

Today.com Celebrity dentists share 19 drugstore favorites for a mega-watt smile

Sort of like a fight club for billionaires

From Reuters News:

Buffett rebukes Trump, questions his business skill

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett on Monday campaigned alongside U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at a rowdy rally in his home state of Nebraska, where he challenged Republican Donald Trump to release his tax returns and questioned Trump's business acumen.

"I'll bring my tax return, he can bring his tax return ... and let people ask us questions about the items that are on there," Buffett added, saying Trump was "afraid" not of the tax-collecting IRS but of voters.

Why is this not on the comedy channel?

Where Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump Stand on Tech Issues
NBC News

When it comes to the issues dear to Silicon Valley, technology-minded voters may not find the perfect match in either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Read the full story

The rust belt: coming soon to a suburb near you

NYTimes: Why Corporate America Is Leaving the Suburbs for the City

Companies including McDonald's and General Electric are moving headquarters to cities like Boston and Chicago, partly as a lure to younger employees.

The return of a top echelon of executives to American cities reflects — and may well reinforce — disparities driven by widening inequality, underscoring how jobs are disappearing in other locales.

http://goo.gl/g8Hxq5

Wait…not ever?

Nice Cargo Shorts! You're Sleeping on the Sofa - WSJ

"Men want to be like James Bond," Mr. Haglin said. "Bond never wears cargo shorts."

Read the full story

The real question is, does Batman fly coach?

Batarangs: Batman's Weapons Are Not Allowed on Airplanes - Hollywood Reporter

"They can be placed in your checked baggage along with your grapple gun, bat-saw, collapsible bat-sword, and other utility belt items," says the TSA.

Read the full story

You no longer have to buy a ticket for a thrill ride

WIRED At the Black Hat security conference later this week, automotive cybersecurity researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek will present a new arsenal of attacks against the same 2014 Jeep Cherokee they hacked in 2015.…

Some days, good news just won't quit

http://goo.gl/Ei5Vnh

Aww come on, is nothing sacred?

Medical benefits of dental floss unproven
SF Gate

HOLMDEL, N.J. (AP) — It's one of the most universal recommendations in all of public health: Floss daily to prevent gum disease and cavities. Except there's little proof that flossing works.…

"The majority of available studies fail to demonstrate that flossing is generally effective in plaque removal," said one review conducted last year. Another 2015 review cites "inconsistent/weak evidence" for flossing and a "lack of efficacy."

Read the full story

Our bargain of the week

Irony Alert: Clinton Campaign to Host 'Cybersecurity' Themed Fundraiser
Heat Street

Hillary Clinton has become known for her tone-deaf approach to grassroots politics. From her weird references to Pokemon Go to her Scandal-themed fundraiser, Team Clinton has been bizarrely obtuse when it comes to the public face of her campaign. This time, though, Team Clinton might have made its weirdest move yet.…

If you're looking to witness the lack of irony first-hand, you can purchase tickets through Clinton's website. Tickets start at $100 for "young professionals." Clinton herself will not appear.

 Read the full story

Where's the freakin' porridge, dude?

Mama Bear Breaks Into California Home, Chases Guy Around Like She Owns The Place
The Huffington Post - US

A California man returned home to find some unusual houseguests: a mother bear and two cubs. ... Read the full story

The socks might work, but…

McDonald's has launched a breakfast-themed athleisure clothing range for the Olympics
Business Insider

Lara O'Reilly Aug 2, 2016 | 5:38 AM ET "Legendswear." McDonald's McDonald's has launched a small athleisure range to celebrate the Rio 2016 Olympics, AdNews reported. The fast food retailer has been an official sponsor of the Olympics since 1976. The range, dubbed "Legendswear," ties in with one of its marketing tagline for this year's event: "We're for Legends." It includes a $70 (Australian dollars) hooded vest top and a $50 (Australian dollars) pair of track pants, daubed in a floral pattern…

 Read the full story

Some pretty nifty graphics here

Only 9% of America Chose Trump and Clinton as the Nominees - The New York Times

Read the full story

For the historical record let me mention…

…that I completed the New York Times crossword puzzle this morning in 25 minutes. Which is not that big a deal, given that Monday is the easiest day of the week. Still, for a geezer, it's not bad.

Gotta love that academic research

What abandoned Olympic venues from around the world look like today
Business Insider

Emmett Knowlton Aug 1, 2016 | 3:47 PM ET REUTERS/Dado Ruvic We're less than a week away from the start of the 2016 Summer Olympics from Rio, and officials are scrambling to put on the finishing touches. The Olympic Village has been called "uninhabitable", though athletes are moving in nonetheless, and a ramp at the sailing venue was destroyed by 10-foot waves. The overall budget has skyrocketed. 

…academic research suggests spending billions on a two-week event is not a wise investment.

 Read the full story

I say let's build a giant mosquito net across our southern border

Senate Dems: Cancel recess to deal with Zika 'emergency' - POLITICO

"Inexplicably, Speaker Ryan refused to bring this legislation to the Floor and Republicans consistently defeated amendments to stave off this crisis from reaching our shores."

Sure, that would be my solution: Take a nap

Some fish tackle ocean global warming by pretending it's night

Some fish may cope with the changing chemistry of the oceans linked to global warming by permanently setting their body defenses to night-time levels, the time of day when they find sea water least hospitable, a study said on Monday.…

The study of spiny damselfish, a small species from Australia's Great Barrier Reef, found that those best able to tackle high carbon levels in the water produced offspring with flexible body clocks that helped adapt to acidification.

Also, spiny damselfish sound just plain prickly, don't they?

And you, you're gonna believe your lying eyes?

Clinton's claim that the FBI director said her email answers were 'truthful' - The Washington Post

https://goo.gl/iI4Pvo

A lot of long, long noses on this one. 

Personally, I'm dropping out

Guns go to college: Everything you need to know about campus carry - The Washington Post

While the loudest debates over firearms in recent years have been about banning semiautomatic rifles, the campus carry movement has played out in the background, at times even more contentious.

Read the full story

And cool it with the splashing

Expert to Rio athletes: 'Don't put your head under water'
SF Gate

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Just days ahead of the Olympic Games the waterways of Rio de Janeiro are as filthy as ever, contaminated with raw human sewage teeming with dangerous viruses and bacteria, according to a 16-month-long study commissioned by The Associated Press.…

 Not only are some 1,400 athletes at risk of getting violently ill in water competitions, but the AP's tests indicate that tourists also face potentially serious health risks on the golden beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana.

Read the full story

Shared from Apple News

Haiku for Windows

Chaos reigns within,
Reflect, repent and reboot,
Order shall return.

Scared is the thing this year

Paris Hilton Thinks ISIS Will Target Her Because She's Famous from Esquire's Tweet

Former reality star and current who-knows-what Paris Hilton told a Spanish newspaper she is afraid that she could be a target for ISIS.

Dream. Responsibly. (Whaaat?)

Darlin, if there was ever a thing to not do responsibly, it's dream.

Can't be too careful with the FBI

FBI warned Clinton campaign last spring of cyberattack

"The FBI’s request to turn over internal computer logs and personal email information came at an awkward moment for the Clinton campaign, said the source, familiar with the campaign’s internal deliberations.…

"There were already press reports, to date unconfirmed, that the investigation might have expanded to include dealings relating to the Clinton Foundation."

You can almost hear the heavy breathing here, can't you?

Opinion: How to make democracy harder to hack - CSMonitor.com

"With the alleged Russian government hack of the Democratic National Convention email servers, and further leaks expected over the coming months that could influence an election, the drama of the 2016 US presidential race highlights an important point: Nefarious hackers don't just pose a risk to vulnerable companies, cyberattacks can potentially effect the future of the free world. "

Not that it’s entirely unwarranted. But what I get a kick out of is how, after many—many—of us have been talking about this—yea, yelling—since the days of hanging chads, suddenly—just this moment—it becomes news.

Volunteering in style

Olympic executives cash in on a ‘Movement’ that keeps athletes poor - The Washington Post

"At the very top of 'the Movement' sits the International Olympic Committee, a nonprofit run by a ‘volunteer' president who gets an annual ‘allowance' of $251,000 and lives rent-free in a five-star hotel and spa in Switzerland."

The glory of American medicine

Doctors Are Improperly Billing Some on Medicare, U.S. Says - The New York Times

"'I’m afraid that I’ll be thrown out of the doctor’s practice for making a fuss about co-payments,' said Ms. Kaltenbach, who added that her income was less than $900 a month. 'The office manager suggested that I was taking food out of the doctor’s mouth if I don’t pay the co-payment.'"