Uh-oh, a robot just passed the self-awareness test: Roboticists at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York have built a trio of robots that were put through the classic ‘wise men puzzle’ test of self-awareness - and one of them passed. Another robot is speaking in an Austrian accent and has taken up bodybuilding. (TechRadar)

400 lb Florida Man Arrested After He Urinates On His Pregnant Girlfriend: A hulking McDonald’s employee was arrested yesterday after allegedly urinating on his pregnant girlfriend during an argument in their Florida home. (The Smoking Gun)

What would an E.Coli do if it were much, much bigger? Researcher models bacteria-controlled robots. “We found that robots may indeed be able to have a working brain,” said Warren Ruder, a professor of biological systems engineering at Virginia Tech. (Popular Science)

Austerity will wreck Europe: Greece and the scary new European ultra-nationalism: “Europe, much less Germany, is not a good place to play with the social dynamite of prolonged depression.” (Salon)

Right-wing racist whack-a-mole: Confederate flag comes down, Donald Trump pops up: Take down the rebel flag and then Trump’s anti-immigration flag goes up. Such hatred is the GOP’s only strategy: Must-read essay from Rick Perlstein. Here’s a quote: “Conservatives understand that the direction of human history is not on their side—that, other things equal, civilization does tend toward more inclusion, more emancipation, more liberalism. That is the great source of their anger. And that, too, is the source of the compulsion to dress reaction in the raiment of liberation. Politically, it is the only way.” (Salon)

The Bernie Sanders Surge Is About Bernie, Not Hillary: Not everyone in the media understands that. Feel the Bern. (FiveThirtyEight)

Science Finds Even More Evidence That Anxiety Isn’t Just ‘All In Your Head’: Thank your genetics. (Huffington Post)

Here’s How Hillary Clinton Thinks Corporate Profit-Sharing Should Work: Candidate announced on Thursday the details of a corporate profit-sharing proposal, part of the slow drip of policy plans the Democratic frontrunner will unveil as part of her plan to boost middle-class incomes. (TIME)

Earl Sweatshirt on Hollywood parties, deconstructing Hermann Hesse and therapy: Once the world’s most notorious teenage rapper, the 21-year-old is back with a second full-length album – and a more mature outlook. (Guardian)

Ben Carson Set To Join Pastor Who Wants Gays Put To Death: Later this year, far-right Colorado radio host and homeschooling activist Kevin Swanson will be attempting to expand his national profile by organizing a “National Religious Liberties Conference” in Des Moines, Iowa. Dumb-dumb former brain surgeon Ben Carson will be there to lend a helping hand! (RightWing Watch)

Tuesday’s Iran deal confirms something that has been clear for a while now: Barack Obama is one of the most consequential presidents in American history — and he will be a particularly towering figure in the history of American progressivism. Obama has reestablished productive diplomacy as the central task of a progressive foreign policy, and as a viable alternative approach to dealing with countries the GOP foreign policy establishment would rather bomb. (Vox)

Five reasons why LePage’s impeachment has become more likely: Maine’s fascinatingly idiotic Tea party governor has really stepped in it this time. (Bangor Daily News)

Micro-Apartments Are Coming to the Midwest: Smaller rental units (think 300 square feet) are popping up in cities with plenty of space. (Bloomberg)

Remember Amy’s Baking Company, the most nightmarish Kitchen Nightmare of all? After two years they’ve gotten the hint and closed, but they’re blaming it on their landlord and a bad odor, not being rageaholic lunatics who made complete asses of themselves in front of millions of people. Best of all? They’re starting another company with the same name. (Phoenix Business Journal)

Bill Clinton: ‘I signed a bill that made the problem worse, and I want to admit it’ On Thursday former President disavowed a tough crime law that he signed in 1994, saying it made the problem of mass incarceration worse. Clinton made his remarks at the NAACP’s convention in Philadelphia, one day after President Obama highlighted criminal justice reform there. (The Hill)

Below, the trailer for Takashi Murakami’s feature film debut, ‘Jellyfish Eyes’:

 
The end of capitalism has begun: Without us noticing, we are entering the postcapitalist era. At the heart of further change to come is information technology, new ways of working and the sharing economy. The old ways will take a long while to disappear, but it’s time to be utopian. (The Guardian)

Republicans back a bill that could make it legal to fire single women because they’re pregnant: A number of Republicans in the House and Senate have backed a measure that would shield employers from legal action if they act—say, fire someone—in accordance with their belief that “marriage is or should be recognized as the “union of one man and one woman.” Aren’t Republicans awesome? (Fusion)

Hillary Clinton Declines To Support A National $15 Minimum Wage: Clinton says she supports raising the national minimum wage, but adds that “what you can do in L.A. or in New York may not work in other places.” (Buzzfeed Politics)

Ben Carson Burned a Ton of Cash on Live Music and Private Jets: The conservative rockstar is spending money like one. I wonder how all of his good Christian followers feel knowing that their donations have gone towards keeping Ben and his cronies living in luxury? (Mother Jones)

Off-grid ‘Rambo’ plotted to spark violence against Ferguson protesters by gluing gun to black man’s hand: Prosecutors say the 53-year-old man made racist statements as he discussed his plans, which led to a March raid of his St. Louis home that investigators say turned up more than 20 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition. (The Raw Story)

Dead Andrew Breitbart’s derpy “Low T” sidekick Ben Shapiro tries — and spectacularly fails — to humiliate trans woman Zoey Tur: “What are your genetics, sir?” “You should cut that out now,” an unshaken Tur replied, “or you’ll go home in an ambulance.” I’d pay good money to see someone beat the living shit out of Ben Shapiro. (Salon)

Donald Trump illuminates the GOP’s dark soul: You might think that the recent poll showing Trump spiking among Republicans is about Trump. It is not. It is about the GOP and its very dark soul when it comes to immigration. The rank and file didn’t much care for Trump as recently as May. It swooned this month when it discovered he’s a bigot.” (Washington Post)

There’s a simple way to end gerrymandering. Too bad Congress made it illegal: A fair system, in which the number of seats in a legislature that a party receives is proportional to the number of votes it receives, is a solved problem. But don’t even think about going there. (Vox)

Donald Trump feuds with Rick Perry, calls him dumb: How many times were Perry’s name and the word ‘dumb’ used in the same headline today? I cannot wait for debates. Trump and a bunch of “losers” and “dummies.” It’s gonna be EPIC. (Politico)

Mike Kelley’s “Little Friend” commercial:

 
Was Jesus Queer? “He broke the rules of his culture, of heteronormativity. He subverted masculinities and gender codes in his culture.” (VICE)

Facing ‘Retirement Crisis,’ Sen. Bernie Sanders Leads Charge for Social Security Expansion: On the eve of a once-in-a-decade White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA)—and in the face of what they describe as the “impending retirement savings crisis facing this nation”—a group of 70 Democratic lawmakers led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) on Sunday called on President Barack Obama to expand Social Security benefits. (ENews Park Forest)

Iran nuclear deal: Conservatives have opposed every diplomatic breakthrough for decades: It’s what conservatives do, of course. How, you might wonder, could Barack Obama be so naive? And what a strange coincidence that his naiveté was shared by David Cameron, Angela Merkel, and François Hollande such that a completely preposterous deal could be agreed upon despite possessing holes that are both massive and invisible to everyone other than American conservative activists? (Vox)

Hardly Any Women Regret Having an Abortion, a New Study Finds: The conclusion comes after a three-year research period involving nearly 670 women of all social backgrounds. (TIME)

GOP poll: Donald Trump at 17%: Beats Paul, Huckabee, Christie, Perry, Santorum, Jindal, Fiorina, Kasich, Graham and Pataki—combined! Trump has effectively turned this into a two-man race. Looks like it’s him and Jeb(!) and… the rest of these “losers,” ain’t it? Trump himself would still lose to Hillary Clinton. (Suffolk University/USA Today poll)

$2 gas will be back after Iran nuclear deal: Expect to see prices falling right after Labor Day. By Christmas prices will be hovering around the $2 a gallon mark again. Maybe less. (CNN/Money)

The Republican Party’s secret motto: “Don’t tread on my right to tread on you”: “Small government” conservatives talk about limiting federal power — except when it comes to the stuff they want. (Salon)

Scott Walker calls minimum wage a ‘really lame’ idea from Democrats: It was not the first time that Walker called into question the need for a minimum wage. Walker previously raised the issue at last year, saying he didn’t think it “serves a purpose.” Is there ANYONE who doesn’t think this guy would do exactly what his corporate patrons would want him to do, over the will of the people, were he to be elected President? Thankfully, that’s never going to happen. (Journal-Sentinel)

‘Homosexual behavior leads to death’: Ford engineer sues for religious right to harass gay co-workers. “I was stunned to realize that I was fired over expressing my faith in a single comment,” a statement from the unemployed bigot said. (The Raw Story)

Why the Iran Deal Makes Obama’s Critics So Angry: The nuclear agreement highlights the limits of American power—something the president’s opponents won’t accept. (The Atlantic)

Dick Clark introduces the 13th Floor Elevators on ‘Where the Action Is’:

 
Wake Up, Sheeple! The Military Exercise That Drove Texas Insane Is Finally Here: The multi-state U.S. military training exercise dubbed “Jade Helm 15,” which has spawned myriad conspiracy theories and vexed public officials who struggled to allay the concerns of constituents, is finally here. (Talking Points Memo)

‘Kiss My Rebel Ass’: Ted Nugent and Kid Rock have teamed up to record a song in support of the Confederate flag. “When you get a text from the Nuge, you know you’ve done something right,” laughed Rock. Really, asshole? Most people would have the opposite reaction. Kid Rock, even dumber than he looks! (Ultimate Classic Rock)

Fugitive drug kingpin busted with 9 kilos of heroin: Alexander Dume-Santana, 35, was arrested Thursday afternoon after cops said they noticed him driving recklessly. When they stopped him, they said they discovered seven kilos of heroin in his vehicle. They later searched his house, where detectives discovered another two kilos of heroin, a 9 mm handgun and $340,000 cash. (Boston Herald)

In Fiery Speeches, Francis Excoriates Global Capitalism: Pope Francis does not just criticize the excesses of global capitalism. He compares them to the “dung of the devil.” He does not simply argue that systemic “greed for money” is a bad thing. He calls it a “subtle dictatorship” that “condemns and enslaves men and women.” (New York Times)

Clinton speech reaction: ‘Is that it?’: Hillary Clinton gave a big economics speech in NYC today and the snap reaction among Wall Street investors, economists and ardent financial reformers who thrill to the soak-the-rich rhetoric of Bernie Sanders was a collective: “Meh. What’s next?” (Politico)

‘Hackers’ give orders to German missile battery: German-owned Patriot missiles stationed in Turkey were briefly taken over by hackers, according to media reports on Tuesday. (The Local.de)

50 Cent Files for Bankruptcy: 50 Cent has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as an individual, court papers uncovered by the Wall Street Journal indicate. Though the rapper is and has been engaged in a number of prominent business enterprises—he was said to have made at least $60 million off Coca-Cola’s 2007 purchase of Vitamin Water—a box is checked on the filing which attests that his debts are “consumer debts” that were “incurred by an individual primarily for a personal, family, or household purpose.” The form says he has both assets and debts in the $10-$50 million range. Idiot. (Slate)

Fox & Friends rips ‘Mockingbird’ sequel as ‘revisionist fiction’ for making white hero into a racist: Whoever called Steve Doocey “dumb as piss” is… absolutely 100% correct. (The Raw Story)

Another Dumb A-Hole Is Going To Not Be President, And This Time It’s Scott Walker: Compared to Donald Trump, Walker looks like Charlie Brown. Jeb Bush as Linus? When Trump can turn the entire the entire GOP slate into Peanuts characters, the Republicans have got a real problem on their hands. (Wonkette)

Strunk and White’s Macho Grammar Club: The sleek, no-frills esthetic of Modernism and the gray-flannel ’50s both influenced the utilitarian mindset that dictates the rules of usage in ‘The Elements of Style.’(The Daily Beast)

The thing Bernie Sanders says about inequality that no other candidate will touch:  America’s leaders shouldn’t worry so much about economic growth if that growth serves to enrich only the wealthiest Americans. (Washington Post)

After Laying off 175 Workers, J.Crew Exec Celebrates at a Bar, Jokes About ‘Hunger Games’: You have to wonder what Alejandro Rhett was thinking when he Instagrammed his fun night. #fuckyoulittlepeople (Alternet)

Jeb Bush’s ‘Longer Hours’ Remark Will Haunt Him: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush seems to have earned what is now a rite of passage for White House hopefuls: the out-of-context quote that will be replayed thousands of times. On Wednesday, Bush was speaking to the conservative editorial board of the New Hampshire Union Leader when he seemed to say Americans need to work harder if they want the economy to grow: “It means that people need to work longer hours.”  The comment comes the week after Bush released tax returns that show he made almost $29 million between 2007, when he left the Governor’s office, and 2013. (TIME)

Shirley Bassey brings the house down with an unbelievable rendition of “I, Who Have Nothing”:

 
48 Years Ago: Jimi Hendrix Joins the Monkees Tour: What do you get when you cross a psychedelic guitar genius with one of the world’s bestselling pop bands? A frustrated guitarist, a disappointed band and a bewildered and confused audience. (Ultimate Classic Rock)

Mysterious Children’s Paralysis Tied to New Virus: Puzzling cases of paralysis in U.S. children over the last year have researchers searching for the cause of the illness. Now, a new study suggests that a new strain of a polio-like virus may be responsible for some of the cases. (Livescience)

Surge in L.A. violent crime ends more than a decade of declines: Gang violence up sharply. “This is bad news,” Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters Wednesday. (Los Angeles Times)

The radical Bernie Sanders idea that could reclaim America for the 99 percent: Bernie Sanders has brought new attention to the perils of inequality. What if he could do even more? (Salon)

It’s No Myth: Robots and Artificial Intelligence Will Erase Jobs in Nearly Every Industry: Policy makers will have a big new problem to deal with: the disappearance of human jobs. Not only will there be fewer jobs for people doing manual work, the jobs of knowledge workers will also be replaced by computers. Almost every industry and profession will be impacted and this will create a new set of social problems — because most people can’t adapt to such dramatic change. (Singularity HUB)

Poll: Trump leads GOP field in North Carolina: Oh yes he does! How dare the mainstream media try to tear The Donald down. He’s doing God’s work, destroying the GOP, once and for all! (The Hill)

Wil Wheaton talks about anxiety and depression: Geek culture hero wants to help others and erase stigma around mental health issues. (Slate)

On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs: In the year 1930, John Maynard Keynes predicted that technology would have advanced sufficiently by century’s end that countries like Great Britain or the United States would achieve a 15-hour work week. There’s every reason to believe he was right. In technological terms, we are quite capable of this. And yet it didn’t happen. Instead, technology has been marshaled, if anything, to figure out ways to make us all work more. (STRIKE!)

Louisiana Justice Refuses To Obey Supreme Court, Writes Opinion Implying Gay People Rape Their Children: A routine order issued by the Louisiana Supreme Court on Tuesday transformed into a flame war among four of the court’s members, one of whom claimed that he is not obligated to follow the United States Supreme Court’s decisions. (Think Progress)

Warren, McCain introduce bill to bring back Glass-Steagall: Sens. Elizabeth Warren and John McCain are reintroducing legislation to revive the Glass-Steagall Act, which would force big banks to split their investment and commercial banking practices. Glass-Steagall was first passed in 1933 but repealed during the Clinton administration, leading many progressives to argue that it contributed to the 2008 financial collapse. (The Hill)

The Troubling Question in the French Jewish Community: Is It Time to Leave? Antisemitism on the rise sharply in France. (Vanity Fair)

Oregon Will Become Second State to Offer Free Community College: Lawmakers approve new program in last minute pre-holiday vote. (Willamette Week)

It’s official: Latinos now outnumber whites in California: The demographers agreed: at some point in 2014, Latinos would pass whites as the largest ethnic group in California. It should have happened in 2013, but birth rates slowed down. (Los Angeles Times)

White House Petition Asks Obama to Revoke the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Bill Cosby: The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest award bestowed on civilians for their contributions to society. Bill Cosby does not deserve to be on the list of distinguished recipients. (We The People)

Eric Holder, Wall Street Double Agent, Comes in From the Cold: Barack Obama’s former top cop cashes in after six years of letting banks run wild. (Rolling Stone)

We’re Old and We are F**king Angry: Haunted by Post Post-Punk. (Now That’s What I Call History)

Fox News built a f**ked-up Frankenstein, dumb, angry and divorced from facts. Now Donald Trump will devour them: Conservative media destroyed conservative politics. The right’s impossible to take seriously. Then came Trump! (Salon)

I Get Knocked Down (The Untold Story of Chumbawamba): The story you never knew, behind the song that you’ve danced to more than you care to remember. (Kickstarter)

Tennessee Ernie Ford sings “Sixteen Tons” (The Go-Go version):

 
Harry Shearer—Voice of Mr. Burns, Flanders, More—Is Coming Back to ‘The Simpsons’: Excellent! (Slate)

Some people age three times faster than others, study finds: Other individuals barely age at all in almost a decade, scientists discovered. (The Independent)

Look Who’s Cutting Checks to Republicans Who Fight Climate Change: A donor has given a little bit of money to a lot of Republicans and a lot of money to support one person—Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire—to draw the whole party’s attention to her approach. (Bloomberg)

45 Years Ago: The Stooges Release Second Album, Pre-Punk Milestone ‘Fun House’: 1969, okay? All across the USA… (Ultimate Classic Rock)

Stocks Plunge as Investors Flee From All Things China: U.S.-traded Chinese stocks plunged the most in four years as the rout that’s wiped $3.2 trillion from the value of mainland equities spreads. (Bloomberg)

The Christian Terrorist Who Vowed to Kill Muslims and May Go Free: Robert Doggart was caught by the FBI planning a terror attack on New York Muslims. But a judge still isn’t sure he’s a ‘true threat.’ If this were a Muslim guy vowing to kill Christians, he would not be freed. Double standard much? (The Daily Beast)

Enter Sandman: Why have Democrats fallen in love with Bernie Sanders? Well, for one, no one is afraid of the word “socialist” anymore thanks to Fox News and Republicans neutering this once fail-safe political epithet by calling a centrist like Obama one for the past seven years. The public has become more sophisticated about the language of manufactured moral panic. (Guardian)

Posters threatening gays with death appear in Turkish capital: An Islamist group has pinned posters to walls and posts in Ankara threatening gays with death, adding to concerns over growing intolerance against homosexuals in the country. (Lebanon Daily Star)

Bernie Sanders breathes life into Democratic presidential contest: Left-wing Vermont senator is drawing huge crowds to his meetings as Democrat voters consider alternatives to Hillary Clinton. (Telegraph)

Anxiety is hereditary: Brain scans reveal anxious parents are more likely to have nervous and depressed children. Researchers studied 600 rhesus monkeys from a multi-generational family. Monkeys, like humans, can be temperamentally anxious and pass their anxiety-related genes on to the next generation. (Daily Mail)

Scott Walker Tries To Use A Back Door To Get Rid Of Wisconsin’s Living Wage Law: What’s Walker got against working people being able to eat, anyway? (Think Progress)

Man who was struck and killed by lightning ‘was carrying a selfie stick’: Vanity kills. (The Independent)

 
Why this drummer was kicked out of the Cramps: “They guarded their image to the utmost degree – almost to the point where they seemed imprisoned by it .” (Critical Angst)

‘Tapers’ at the Grateful Dead Concerts Spread the Audio Sacrament: It’s the last stand of a dying breed. (The New York Times)

Your Wi-Fi Network’s Soft Underbelly: You probably don’t even think about this easy way for hackers to sneak in. (Slate)

Donald Trump gets into Twitter war with Modern Family writer—is obliterated: Trump’s idea of a “sick burn” is on the level of a Depends-wearing Breitbart commenter. (Daily Kos)

Democrats edge past the GOP in party affiliation. Does it matter? A plurality of American voters identify themselves as Independents, eschewing the two major political parties. Still, more voters are registering as Democrats than as Republicans, which could impact the 2016 presidential race. (Christian Science Monitor)

Bobby Jindal’s aides complain the governor is being excluded from Koch brothers events, CNN reports: He’s a fucking asshole, who can blame them? (Nola.com)

The Idiot Thug Running Maine: Maine’s ultra-conservative governor might have finally messed with the wrong people: a school for disadvantaged kids. Now, he could get impeached for it. (The Daily Beast)

Holly Woodlawn, the beloved, iconic transgender pioneer and Warhol superstar is very ill: She is undergoing investigative measures to determine exactly the nature of the lesions discovered on her brain and lungs. Holly’s has made it clear that she wants to return home, surrounded by friends and if she must die, she doesn’t want to die in a nursing home. Friends of Woodlawn hope to raise enough funds to continue her care and hopefully bring Holly home with 24 hour nursing care, after she recuperates. (Bring Holly Woodlawn Home)

Greenland’s ice is melting faster this summer under a dome of high pressure: The heat wave in Europe has hogged all the attention, with Germany and other countries setting all-time national heat records. Yet the same weather pattern that has brought the furnace-like heat to France, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland and other countries has also been kicking the Greenland ice sheet melt season into high gear after a slightly delayed start. (Mashable)

‘Bernie Sanders CAN Become President’ Has Replaced ‘I Like Him, But He Can’t Win’: Bernie Sanders has cut the former Secretary of State’s lead in New Hampshire from 38 percentage points down to just 8. (Huffington Post)

Watch The Rejected, the very first TV documentary about homosexuality. Fascinating San Francisco public television-produced time capsule film from 1961, found after being lost for decades. Features famed anthropologist Margaret Mead.

 
Sticky Fingers: Unzipped: The 40-year-old mystery of ‘who’ is really gracing the famous Warhol-designed cover of the Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers LP is finally put to rest. (Radio Basecamp)

Jim Morrison’s X-rated ‘Peanuts’ cartoon for sale: “The first frame depicts Snoopy growling at Pigpen, who replies, “If you bite my balls, I’ll suck your cock.” The second frame shows Lucy pleading with Charlie Brown: “I’ll give you 15 [cents] if you’ll fuck me, Charlie Brown,” to which he replies: “Throw in your tricycle and it’s a deal, Baby.” In the third frame, Charlie Brown asks Linus, “What’s wrong kid?” to which Linus answers: “I think I got Syphilis from that whore down the street.” Snoopy gets the last word, er, sort of: “Arf, growl, ruff, bark,” to which Pigpen replies: “Cut that damn swearing out dog.” (Lelands Auction House)

Republicans for Bernie: Republicans for an avowed democratic socialist. How did that happen? (LA Progressive)

Before WIRED, there was Mondo 2000: The magazine fused counterculture and technology together into a surreal glossy magazine that first appeared on newsstands in 1989. A typical issue would cover everything from DIY micro-satellites to smart drugs to weird bands like The Residents. (WIRED)

Donald Trump: A farce to be reckoned with: The one thing Trump can accomplish is to bring the Republican campaign down to his level. A party that allows such a travesty deserves to lose. (Washington Post)

Obama badgers Scott Walker in Wisconsin: Obama employs some of the finest trolling tools imaginable. (Politico)

Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder, denied asylum in France: Assange is living in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden. (CBC News)

Japan’s population decline the steepest on record: Japan’s population fell 271,058 in 2014, the biggest drop on record and the sixth straight year of decline, to 126.16 million, according to the internal affairs ministry. The ministry’s population census released July 1 also showed that 25.90 percent of the population were 65 years old or older. (The Asahi Shimbun)

Bacteria ‘Fight Club’ could help find new cures for disease: New antibiotics can’t come soon enough. (Popular Science)

Entire Tenn. county clerk’s office resigns over same-sex marriage licenses: There’s something totally Darwinian about the way this whole matter is shaking out, isn’t there? Okay, quit your job then, bigoted idiots. Cut that nose right off to spite your mean face. (WKRN-ABC News)

Bernie Sanders’ $15 million fundraising haul is a really big deal: Bernie Sanders now has hard numbers — in dollars and donors — to back up the idea that he can run a serious campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016. I’ve donated to him twice so far. If you believe in what he stands for, you should too. (Vox)

YouTube editing genius Vic Berger‘s “Chris Christie’s Presidential Announcement (short version)”

 
Barack Obama is the new Ronald Reagan: “President Obama in many ways has helped start the same kind of political revolution that Reagan did,” Obama’s former campaign manager Jim Messina said. The change, he argued, has been “driven by demographic changes and driven by President Obama” himself. (POLITICO)

A Dutch city is giving money away to test the “basic income” theory: Basic income is an unconditional and regular payment meant to provide enough money to cover a person’s basic living cost. (Quartz)

Frozen fruit fly sex is as freaky as it looks: But it could reveal more about how life is made. (Popular Science)

Rand Paul Met Privately With Far Right Racist Rancher Cliven Bundy for 45 Minutes: A chip off the old block. Talk about the dumbest dog whistle the guy could possibly blow! (Little Green Footballs)

Donald Trump has some enthusiastic new admirers: White supremacists: “The Donald” may have lost millions in high profile contracts after major television networks cut ties with him over racist remarks about Mexicans. But he gained some new fans: the Nazis and other racists. (The Raw Story)

Vatican hosts anti capitalism activist Naomi Klein:  Author said the Pope’s manifesto should inspire those who use the Bible to defend human domination of nature and deny climate change to change their ways. (AP)

Why I’m leaving London: My family is moving to Los Angeles in two weeks. Many Londoners understand intuitively why we’re going. (bOING bOING)

The only person who really loves Chris Christie ... is Chris Christie: The New Jersey governor has finally made it official that he’s running for the Republican nomination ... or at least for conservatives’ speaking fees. Does anyone care? (Guardian)

Hottest day in July in London history: That they know of. Certainly it’s the hottest since they started keeping records. Yikes! (Standard)

The GOP Base Loves Trump: It sees itself in his foreign policy belligerence, anti-elite agitation, and raw bigotry. (Slate)

Celebrate “Canada Day” with BJ Snowden’s mighty number, “In Canada.”

 
Journey drummer Deen Castronovo ‘charged with rape’ after being arrested following altercation with wife: The musician has had more charges added after being arrested for a domestic violence-related incident earlier this month. (Mirror)

‘The poor, the young, the black and the stupid’: Inside Big Tobacco’s plans to kill a billion people. (Pando)

Trump near top of the Republican pack in Michigan: This is getting better and better by the day. (Public Policy Polling)

Atheists Remind People of Death: New research shows that atheists trigger death-related thoughts, which can cause some people to cling even more tightly to their religious values. (Smithsonian)

US military teams up with British company to create hoverbike technology: The US Department of Defense has joined forces with Britain’s Malloy Aeronautics to develop flying motorcycles as military reconnaissance vehicles. Flying motorcycles! (BT.com)

9,500 expected at Wisconsin rally for Bernie Sanders: Sanders says he believes the progressive movement that existed for years in Wisconsin is now spreading throughout the country. (Fox News)

Who thought that an #AskBobby Jindal Twitter dialogue would be a good idea? “When you disband the Supreme Court for disagreeing with you, will the Koch brothers buy you another?” (Salon)

Phyllis Schlafly Proposes Congressional Resolution Affirming The Dignity Of Straight People: She has a proposal for Congress: Pass a resolution affirming the “dignity of opposite-sex married couples,” especially that of couples where “a provider-husband is the principal breadwinner and his wife is dedicated to the job of homemaker.” She’s 90 now. Bless. (Right Wing Watch)

Cop Resigns After Being Arrested on Battery Charges For Pepper-Spraying an Infant Girl: Charles Edelen pepper-sprayed the baby during a domestic dispute involving his estranged wife. (Alternet)

The Saddest Story You Will Ever Read About Keith Urban: If you enjoy people vastly overestimating the size of their own celebrity, you will enjoy it. (Defamer)

Curing the Redneck Mindset: When right-wing revolutionaries burn up churches—why aren’t we asking where are the fathers? (Alternet)

Buy a Bernie shirt. (Bernie 2016)

Our outrage over China’s Yulin dog meat festival exposes a disgusting hypocrisy: “What really matters is the ability to suffer and feel pain. In those respects, scientists agree, the animals we love and the animals we eat are all the same.” (New York Daily News)

The first trailer for Oliver Stone’s ‘Snowden’ biopic with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Out this Christmas:

 
The mysterious tragedy of Tim Buckley: Julian Cope on the folk-singer who died 40 years ago today on June 29, 1975 from an accidental heroin overdose. (On This Deity)

Government Study Casts Doubt on Legal Definitions of Stoned Driving: Simulator tests also confirm that marijuana impairs drivers less than alcohol. (Reason)

NBC to Donald Trump: You’re fired! Trump’s the “new” Confederate flag, ain’t he? I thought he’d take at least a little while longer to implode. Asshole. (New York Times)

Mom Pleads Guilty to Killing 2 Kids Found in Home Freezer: A Detroit woman pleaded guilty Monday to killing two of her children, telling a judge that she had no remorse for beating and suffocating the “demons.” (ABC News)

Ted Cruz insists “religious liberty” is different from bigotry — but refuses to say how:“Bigotry is wrong,” he said, before telling NBC he’d dismantle the Supreme Court over same-sex marriage decision. (Salon)

Why Bernie Sanders Will Become the Democratic Nominee and Defeat Any Republican in 2016: It’s not the first time in recent memory that a challenger to Hillary Clinton was once thought of as a long shot. (Huffington Post)

If you haven’t seen that video of the disgusting pulsating “Frankenstein meat” then here’s your chance: How vegetarian are you feeling after that clip, eh? (The Mirror)

Coheed And Cambria Sings Justice Scalia’s Dissenting Opinions Coheed and Cambria perform an original song with excerpts from Justice Scalia’s dissenting opinions on the Affordable Care Act and Same-Sex Marriage. (Funny or Die)

NASCAR bans Confederate flag: Might even confiscate them from fans Dale Earnhardt Jr. supports: ‘It’s offensive to an entire race.’ (USA Today)

What’s Killing the Babies of Vernal, Utah?: A fracking boomtown, a spike in stillborn deaths and a gusher of unanswered questions. Earthquakes. Dead babies. Lots of money. What do these three things have in common? (Rolling Stone)

Meet Jeff Rense—The Velvet Voice of Conspiracy Theory Radio: He’s the “velvet voice” playing in your head deep into the night. He’s never rude. He never interrupts. And he seldom voices even the slightest hint of skepticism with his often weird, sometimes creepy call-in guests. Though the show sounds strange and oddly comical, pandering and providing goods and services to an aging population of mostly white, postmillennial conspiracy cranks is one of the fastest-growing cottage industries in America. (Alternet)

Below, a nineteen-year-old Tim Buckley sings “Song to the Siren” on ‘The Monkees’ in 1968:

 
New Syd Barrett Documentary Scheduled for Summer Release: The film is called Have You Got It? — a title that hardcore Floyd fans will recognize as being inspired by the final song Barrett wrote for the band before leaving the lineup in the spring of 1968. (Ultimate Classic Rock)

You Can Freeze Your Fat and Poop It Out: Some doctors say that patients pass the fat out through urine, not turds, but nobody knows exactly. It’s a gross mystery. (Gizmodo)

Bernie Sanders closes on Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire Democrats poll: Vermont senator on 35%, behind former secretary of state on 43%. Clinton’s lead is slimmer than that held over Barack Obama in 2008 (The Guardian)

Donald Trump bump terrifies GOP: Insiders worry the mogul will damage the eventual nominee and hurt a party struggling to connect with women and minorities. Ya think? (Politico)

Winona Ryder to star in new Netflix paranormal TV show: Winona Ryder signed on as star of a forthcoming Netflix drama about the high weirdness, conspiracy theories, and paranormal reports around the Montauk Project, alleged US government experiments on Long Island involving time travel, psi-ops, and teleportation. (bOING bOING)

Sanders Proposes Tax on Billionaires to Reduce Wealth Inequality: Presidential campaigner introduced legislation to increase estate tax rates on the top three-tenths of one percent of Americans who inherit more than $3.5 million, while eliminating loopholes that have allowed the wealthiest Americans to avoid billions in taxes. Sanders said the legislation was needed to reduce the massive gap between the very rich and working class Americans. (Bernie Sanders)

Phil Austin, 74, Loopy Detective Nick Danger on Firesign Theatre, Dies: Read the New York Times obit for the brilliant humorist, actor, musician, writer… (NY Times)

$200 million went to House members who voted for fastrack on the TPP: John Boehner (R) got $5.3 million for his “yea” vote. Kevin McCarthy (R) received $2.4 million for his “yea” vote. Paul Ryan (R) received $2.4 million for a “yea” vote and came in at the third highest paid legislator. (Occupy)

How the Back to the Future Cast and Crew Knew Eric Stoltz Would Be Fired: As any true fan of the film knows, Michael J. Fox was not the first actor cast as Marty McFly. (Vulture)

Ikea’s Minimum Wage Hike Was So Successful, It’s Raising Wages Again: Under the system that the furniture maker uses, the starting wage for any given store in the U.S. reflects the cost of living in that particular area as determined by the MIT Living Wage Calculator, which takes into account the local cost of rent, food, transportation and the like. (Huffington Post)

Barack Obama is officially one of the most consequential presidents in American history: He’s also had a very good week. (Vox)

Jon Stewart shreds newly minted candidate Bobby Jindal: You may be in trouble “when you cannot carry a majority of your immediate family”: The 2016 GOP race is filling up faster than the toilets at Arby’s. (Salon)

London’s Tube will soon run all night, fixing a longstanding, ludicrous problem: Which is not to say that the night buses didn’t have their psychotic charms... (Quartz)

Olive and Mocha steal a car to go to the George Michael concert:

 
Nina Simone child abuser? Daughter reveals singer’s shockingly violent temper in upcoming Netflix production. (Hollywood Reporter)

Northern California man exposes himself to woman just minutes after registering as a sex offender: Minutes later, he was, you guessed it, back behind bars. (The Raw Story)

Whole Foods Overcharging Customers for Pre-Packaged Foods, Department of Consumer Affairs Finds: Whole Food’s New York City stores have been overstating the weights of pre-packaged products — including meats, dairy and baked goods — resulting in customers being overcharged. (NBC News)

Many in nation tired of explaining things to idiots: Particularly when the things in question are so painfully obvious, a new poll indicates. According to the University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute, while millions have been vexed for some time by their failure to explain incredibly basic information to dolts, that frustration has now reached a breaking point. (The New Yorker)

The ‘Next’ Seinfeld Has Already Been on TV for a Decade: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has more than lived up to the “no hugging, no learning” mantra since its debut in 2005. Plus crack addiction! (TIME)

Pill makes you forget to be addicted to drugs: Already prescribed for high blood pressure, but shown to help addicted rats. Because isradipine is already on the market, FDA approval of the drug to treat addiction could be fast-tracked. (Popular Science)

The Righteous Logic of the Neo-Confederate Watershed: This is probably the very best essay I’ve read yet about the backlash against the Confederate flag. (Talking Points Memo)

Here’s How Men Make 200 Million Sperm Every Day: It’s actually a 64 day process. Who knew? (Throb)

Bernie Sanders wants to talk about marijuana and looks to Colorado: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said he plans to make marijuana an issue in the 2016 presidential campaign. (Denver Post)

Bill O’Reilly freaks out when guest asks: ‘How many black friends do you have?’ “The world is being told by anti-American haters that we are a rank racist society, and that is a lie,” said Papa Bear. (The Raw Story)

Mother Rabbit Goes Berserk On Snake: An incredible video shows a mother rabbit relentlessly pursuing the snake who killed her babies. You’ve never seen a more badass rabbit, trust me. (The Dodo)

Millennials are just as racist as their parents: Research has found racially prejudiced attitudes to be surprisingly persistent among the youngest generation of white Americans. (Washington Post)

The South Shall Not Rise Again: The North has the money and the culture, but the South has defined the limits of our politics. That may finally and blessedly be ending. (The Daily Beast)

Bernie Sanders & Cornel West: The radical alliance that could change everything: As the democratic socialist from Vermont tries to do the impossible, the firebrand academic could help. (Salon)

Are you sad? Are you lonely? Do you wake up each morning waiting for the next big thing? Fear no more! Tim and Eric’s Zone Theory: 7 Easy Steps to Achieve a Perfect Life is a brand new, revolutionary life system that guarantees to improve you, and everything around you. Start your journey at zonetheory.net

 
Skinny Jeans Cause Nerve and Muscle Damage: Pants caused one patient’s legs to stop working: (Popular Science)

The Wachowskis’ Sense8 Is the Philip K. Dick Adaptation We Always Wanted: Okay, this makes me really wanna watch it now. (io9)

The 8 Minute Surgery That Will Give You Superhuman Vision. Forever: The Ocumetics Bionic Lens, currently in development, would give humans 3x 20/20 vision, at any age. (Collective Evolution)

Universal Basic Income—The Foundation of a Technically Advanced Society: This is not welfare, or assistance, or social security. This is a guarantee that every single human being in our society has shelter, food and health care. UBI is a call to finally use our technology to provide the most basic needs to all our citizens. (IEET)

Can too much sitting make you anxious? People who spend much of their day sitting may be more likely to feel anxious, a new review suggests. (Fox News)

Speed the Galapagos Tortoise Dies at 150: Speed’s slow but epic journey on Earth has come to an end. The Galapagos tortoise died at the San Diego Zoo on Friday. (People)

David Bowie’s early years chronicled in new 12-disc box set: Five Years 1969 - 1973 features newly remastered recordings, live albums, and previously unreleased outtakes. (Consequence of Sound)

Venezuelan veterinarian arrested​ for allegedly smuggling heroin in puppies: Andrés López Elorza was a member of a drug-trafficking gang that used dogs to send liquid heroin from Colombia to the United States (The Guardian)

Punk and metal music makes you calmer, new study finds: Researchers in Australia reveal that ‘extreme music’ helps individuals ‘process’ anger (NME)

Did Stanley Kubrick Invent the iPad in 2001: A Space Odyssey? Well, it’s fairly undeniable that he and his production designers anticipated it decades before the fact! (Open Culture)

This is not a test: Kevin Spacey and Megyn Kelly are developing a TV show together: The project is being described as a cross between Downton Abbey and House of Cards. (Salon)

Marijuana Mastermind Arrested At Newark Airport For Hiding Weed In Mary Jane Candy Wrappers: Now that was smart, Dad! (Gothamist)

MOTÖRHEAD Announces U.S. Tour: Seriously, this may be your last chance to see ‘em…. (Blabbermouth)

Laura Antonelli, Italian Actress and Sex Symbol, Dies at 73 (Variety )

The trailer for Netflix’s ‘Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp:

 
Misshapen Penis Corpse Flower Blooms At Cornell University: The Sumatran titan arum’s species name – Amorphophallus titanum – means “giant misshapen penis”. Guess what its flower looks like? At full growth, the flower stands 3 meters high, pulses with heat, and smells like rotting meat. The heat and stench attracts flies and beetles, which pollinate the plant. The whole show lasts 2 days. (Throb)

Harmony Korine on ‘Kids’: ‘It would be impossible to make that film now’: In 1995, photographer-turned-director Larry Clark and a bunch of novice actors made Kids. On its 20th anniversary, writer Harmony Korine and actor Leo Fitzpatrick remember the film dubbed a ‘wake-up call to the modern world’ (The Guardian)

A Chimpanzee Has Rattled Off a Drum Solo: Buddy Rich he’s not, but he’d be good enough for the average punk band. (Real Clear Science)

Spider-Man Miles Morales — popular biracial version of the hero — joins main Marvel comics universe this fall: After battling evil-doers in an alternate comic book line, a popular biracial version of Spider-Man is getting a promotion to the official Marvel Comics universe. (NY Daily News)

Kanye West Eats Crow, Says He Was Wrong About Beck: “I think I was inaccurate with the concept of a gentleman who plays 14 instruments not respecting artistry.” Ya think? (SPIN)

What?!? Private prisons suing states for millions if they don’t stay full: Low crime rates bad for business for white-owned private prisons; they demand states keep them full. Private prisons in some states have language in their contracts that state if they fall below a certain percentage of capacity that the states must pay the private prisons millions of dollars, lest they face a lawsuit for millions more.(RollingOut)

Bernie Sanders Rally in Denver Draws One of Biggest Crowds in Election Cycle: Massive turnout is latest sign the Vermont senator is gaining on Hillary Clinton: Sanders drew the same number—5,5000 people—as Clinton’s New York rally. “This campaign is not about me,” he said. “It is not about Hillary Clinton or any other candidate. This campaign is about you, your kids and your parents. It is about creating a political movement of millions of people who stand up and loudly proclaim that this nation belongs to all of us and not just a handful of billionaires.” (Common Dreams)

Extreme Exercise Can Poison the Blood: Even four hours of intense activity may be enough to let bacteria escape from the gut into the blood, setting off a chain of inflammation. (Scientific American)

Elizabeth Warren’s last stand on trade: Liberal groups are ready to make a last stand against President Obama’s trade agenda in the Senate with Elizabeth Warren, on of their strongest allies on the issue. Warren can galvanize the Democrat base on the issue. It’s a fool’s errand to fight these political headwinds. Obama and the GOP on the same side of the issue? The TPP must suck! (The Hill)

‘Liberal’ Isn’t a Bad Word Anymore: Democrats are moving left. And America may be too: There’s now a senator who admits to being a socialist. He’s been welcomed by the Democratic Party into the presidential primary. And it isn’t hurting the party’s standing with the public one bit. (Politico)

Desperate Republicans scrambling to prove that large swaths of their base aren’t racist: Good luck with that bigoted cretins! Even Ben Carson acknowledges that they’re afraid “of offending a particular segment of the electorate.” (Salon)

Some members of Congress say comedian John Oliver and his HBO show influenced the 2016 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that a House subcommittee just passed: Oliver took up the cause of the chicken farmers in a 18-minute segment that has gotten nearly 3 million views on YouTube. A draft of the 2016 Agriculture Appropriations Bill was unanimously approved by a House subcommittee Thursday. (Scripps-Howard Foundation Wire)

Hillary Clinton is going to lose: She doesn’t even see the frustrated progressive wave that will nominate Bernie Sanders: Clinton’s positioning on TPP is way too cute. When it passes with Dems’ implicit support, grass roots will explode. (Salon)

Stay with it.