SMITHBITS RADIO MAGAZINE

Friday, August 30, 2019

‘Her hands are tied’ Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam

‘Her hands are tied’
‘Her hands are tied’
Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam tried to formally withdraw a contentious extradition bill which sparked protests and a political crisis. But Beijing rejected the plan.
'Monster' hurricane
'Monster' hurricane
As it sucks up the warm waters in the Atlantic, Hurricane Dorian is expected to swell into a dangerous Category 4 storm just days before hitting land. 
Onshore arrivals
Onshore arrivals
After sailing into a standoff with the Italian authorities, migrants from the Open Arms rescue ship dock in Spain as the dilemma of how to handle new arrivals continues to trouble Europe.
Brexit gloom
Brexit gloom
At the French-UK border, Brexit is being rehearsed. But despite reassurances that everything will be ok, figures show that British consumers and businesses are proving harder to convince. 
Deforestation concern
Deforestation concern
Chronic shortages of natural gas in Venezuela - the country with the world’s largest oil reserves - mean that cooking fuel is increasingly coming from trees. 
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Thursday, August 29, 2019

MSNBC caves on Legal Suit against Lawrence O'Donnell's Banking Statement


APACHE JUNCTION AZ (IFS) -- As NBC Universal backs down from the legal threat from Donald Trump's legal team, about the con-signature loans from the Russians, it would have been a great occasion for Trump to testify under oath and produce the papers in questions.  But no.  The powers that be are scared stiff of Trump and his lawyers.  O'Donnell will be vindicated in full one day, and his bosses will pat him on the back and tell him -- that they were with him all the way!!  But for now, he will have to eat "crow"; it's the corporate way.  Corporate never stands up for its talent -- never.   They only get the glory of missing the chance to be first, and after the facts are presented by someone else, as they go chasing the dust down the road. - KHS
One of MSNBC’s hosts walked back Wednesday an incendiary claim he had made the previous night about President Trump being controlled by the Kremlin.
Lawrence O’Donnell retracted his claim that Russian oligarchs had co-signed Mr. Trump’s loans with Deutsche Bank, saying the claim hadn’t been vetted and was based on hearsay.
“The source says that Deutsche Bank is in possession of loan documents that show Donald Trump has obtained loans with co-signers, and that he would not have been able to obtain those loans without co-signers,” Mr. O’Donnell said on fellow host Rachel Maddow’s show. ‘The source close to Deutsche Banksays that the co-signers of Donald Trump’s Deutsche Bank loans are Russian billionaires close to Vladimir Putin.”
On Twitter, teasing the segment, Mr. O’Donnell wrote that “if true, that explains every kind word Trump has ever said about Russia and Putin.”

The Air Conditioning Trap: How Cold Air Is Heating The World


Digg Editions
Morning · Thu, Aug 29
WE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK
PAID TIME OFF? NEVER HEARD OF IT
What Does America Have Against Vacation?
washingtonpost.com
As summer-getaway season draws to a close, it's time to face a tough reality: America is not a great vacation nation.
RUNNING HOT AND COLD
The Air Conditioning Trap: How Cold Air Is Heating The World
theguardian.com
The warmer it gets, the more we use air conditioning. The more we use air conditioning, the warmer it gets. Is there any way out of this trap?
THE MEAT OF THE ISSUE
When Vegan Influencers Quit Being Vegan, The Backlash Can Be Brutal
vice.com
Popular YouTubers like Rawvana and Bonny Rebecca gave up veganism to save their health. But the fallout from their fans has been immense.
DIGG PICKS
Once You Try Towels With a Waffle Weave, You Won't Go Back
huckberry.com
Made from super soft long-staple cotton, these towels from Onsen use a large waffle weave to quickly grab the moisture off of your skin. And since they're designed to dry quickly too, you won't have to deal with smelly towels.
END OF THE ROAD
IN HIS DEFENSE
The Man Who Couldn't Take It Anymore
theatlantic.com
"I had no choice but to leave," General James Mattis says of his decision to resign as President Trump's secretary of defense.
END OF THE FEVER
What Happened To John Travolta's Career?
theringer.com
Twenty-five years ago, "Pulp Fiction" revived John Travolta. Now, after decades of hits, he's stuck in a straight-to-video void. Is Travolta's phenomenal movie-star run finally finished?
'MY COMPANY HAS GONE TO SHIT'
The Rapid Rise And Sudden Fall Of A Kratom Kingpin
narratively.com
He built at $60,000-a-month business selling opioid alternatives out of his apartment. His clients say he saves lives. The government wants to shut him down.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
GLENDORA FOOTBALL RULES
This Unearthed Footage From Glendora High School In June 1999 Is Like Stepping Into Another Dimension
digg.com
1999 was only 20 years ago, but the teens back then seem so different.
IN THE NEWS
Trump Administration To Reverse Limits On Methane, A Powerful Greenhouse Gas
Hurricane Dorian Is Getting Stronger And Could Hit The US As A Category 3
Scientists May Have Detected A Black Hole So Big It 'Should Not Exist'
Trump Administration Ends Automatic Citizenship For Some Children Of Military, Federal Workers Born Abroad
Kirsten Gillibrand Drops Out Of The Presidential Race
DIGG PICKS
Digg Book Picks: Warehouse Retail Dystopia, Confronting Our History And Navigating Between Cultures
digg.com
This month's picks involve living in a hyper-capitalist retail nightmare, dealing with a history of racism, and struggling with cultural identity.
We might not be able to take a vacation anytime soon, but something called the weekend is coming.