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About 900 State Department officials sign protest memo: source

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - About 900 U.S. State Department officials signed an internal dissent memo protesting a travel ban by U.S. President Donald Trump on refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, a source familiar with the document said on Tuesday, in a rebellion against the new president's policies.

A senior State Department official confirmed the memorandum had been submitted to acting Secretary of State Tom Shannon through the department's "dissent channel," a process in which officials can express unhappiness over policy (http://bit.ly/2jOYW0y" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Monday he was aware of the memo but warned career diplomats that they should either "get with the program or they can go."

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Democrats are becoming the party of secession | New York Post

No, no, no. On the contrary, we must say that Trump aide Steve Bannon was on target when he called the Washington media “the opposition party.”

Don’t take his word for it. Stick a toe into the toxic sludge that passes for straight-news coverage in the Washington Post, the New York Times and others.

Look for the use of tell words like “Muslim ban” to describe an executive order that is no such thing. Look for hero worship of protesters, immigrants, refugees, lawyers rushing to the barricades and congressional critics.

. . .

Things never seen in the modern era are now rapidly becoming common. Impeachment talk already is rumbling in the party’s hothouses, and Trump was met with a lawsuit the minute he took the oath.

Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the top Dems in Congress, led a raucous demonstration Monday night, as if they are community organizers. And Obama couldn’t bear the irrelevance after eight days out of office and felt compelled to encourage disruptions.

This is Third World behavior and it’s now the M.O. of one of America’s two political parties.

. . .

If California secedes and its 55 electoral votes come off the board, Dems will never win another American election. On the other hand, Hillary Clinton could become president of the breakaway state and the rest of us would be free of the Clinton stain.

Secession is one way the swamp could drain itself. Sally Yates’ way is another.

The acting attorney general was rightfully sacked the instant after she climbed a soapbox and refused to defend Trump’s executive order in court. It would have been a more admirable gesture if she had the decency to resign. Instead, she thought she could defy the president and keep the job.

Her choice was not a minor act of insubordination. It was a public challenge to the constitutional authority of the president, a power left to Congress and the judiciary.

As a result, she was shunned and hid in disgrace. Oh, wait, that’s what would happen in a better world.

In this one, Democrats hailed her as a “patriot” amid predictions a political star is born.

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Nigel Farage accuses London Mayor Sadiq Khan of hypocrisy | Daily Mail Online

Nigel Farage hit out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Twitter last night 
He accused him of being a hypocrite over his stance on US immigration ban
Mr Farage said Mayor invited countries that 'ban Jewish Israelis' to meeting
More than 100 countries were represented at summit in London last night 

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From book to boom: how the Mormons plan a city for 500,000 in Florida | Cities | The Guardian

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long influenced urban developments in America through specific ideas about town planning. In the 1830s, the church’s founder, Joseph Smith, laid out a vision for compact, self-sufficient agrarian cities. These were utopian in conception and have been hailed as a “precursor to smart growth” planning.

The plans for the Deseret ranch in central Florida have shone a spotlight on another side of the church’s influence: its investments in land and real estate. Today, the church owns land and property across the US through a network of subsidiaries. Its holdings include farmland, residential and commercial developments, though it remains notoriously tight-lipped about its business ventures.

The church has been buying up land in central Florida since the 1950s, starting with 50,000 acres for Deseret Ranch – since expanded almost sixfold. Its most recent major acquisition, by the church-owned company AgReserves, was another 380,000 acres in the state’s north-western panhandle – the strip of land that runs along the Gulf of Mexico. Deseret Ranch’s website quotes the late church president, Gordon B Hinckley, as saying that farms are both a “safe investment where the assets of the church may be preserved and enhanced” and an “agricultural resource to feed people should there come a time of need”.

Across America, subsidiaries of the church reportedly hold 1m acres of agricultural land. This is thought to include land in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah and Texas. Church companies are also thought to hold land outside the US, including in Canada and Brazil. In 2014, when church-owned farms in Australia were put up for sale, reports estimated their worth at about $120m (£72.8m).

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In corruption-riddled Romania, officials now allow some room for abuse - The Washington Post

Corruption now comes in two forms in Romania. There is the big kind that can still land an official in jail. Then there's the acceptable type that will bring nothing more than a knowing shrug.

The country's governing Social Democratic Party shocked domestic and international observers Tuesday when it adopted an emergency measure to decriminalize official misconduct causing damage worth less than about $48,000. Thousands of Romanians protested the decision, calling it a blow to recent progress in fighting chronic corruption in a European Union nation where accusations of bribe-taking, favor-trading and bureaucratic abuses are part of everyday life.

The directive will stop ongoing investigations and prevent new ones from being launched. Another decree might end up freeing convicted officials from prison.

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Left-Wing Journalist: Violence Against "Racists" to Stop Trump Should be Tolerated » Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!

A video commentary published by the London Guardian makes the argument that violence against “racists” should be tolerated in order to stop Donald Trump.
The video features Nesrine Malik, a Sudanese journalist living in London, arguing that physical attacks on Trump supporters should not be condemned because his voters are bigots.
Physical violence to advance a political goal – more commonly known as terrorism – has been embraced by segments of the left in the aftermath of Richard Spencer – a leading “alt-right” figure – being punched in the face by an Antifa protester during the the inauguration last month in Washington DC.
“When they go low, going high is not enough,” argues Malik, adding, “When Richard Spencer was punched in the street, it was a cathartic moment for many.”

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Why are modern tomatoes flavorless? Scientists have figured out the genetic changes that robbed tomatoes of their taste and aroma. — Quartz

They discovered that decades of breeding tomatoes to make them grow larger and more resistant to disease has depleted many of the chemicals that gave tomatoes their distinctive taste and aroma, which combine to form their flavor. The scientists were able to identify specific genetic changes as the culprits.

But it’s not all bad news. The researchers say seed providers could easily make commercially grown, supermarket tomatoes flavorful again using some basic cross-breeding techniques. The process would be similar to natural cross-pollination, except it would happen in a lab environment. Essentially, scientists would cross old tomato varieties with new ones, and select the offspring plants closest to what they want. After a few generations, that would result in better tomatoes, without any of the gene splicing that alarms anti-GMO activists.

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Eating vegetable oils could lead to fatigue, migraines and dementia | New York Post

In the middle of the 20th century, concerned by the growing heart-attack epidemic, Americans ditched butter and other saturated fats in favor of vegetable oils.

According to Dr. Catherine Shanahan, author of the new book “Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food” (Flatiron Books, out now), that was a fatal mistake.

Shanahan — a family physician based in Denver with a degree in biochemistry and genetics — has built a career around bucking the nutritional norm. Unlike many doctors and dieticians who suggest diets packed with fruits and vegetables, Shanahan recommends an eating plan based on animal fats and proteins, along with traditional healthy foods such as vegetables and nuts.

She began her career practicing medicine and studying traditional diets in Hawaii, and gained a fan in Kobe Bryant. She overhauled his diet, taking out vegetable oils and sugar and adding in foods such as bone broth, and went on to became the director of the Lakers’ nutrition program, a position she still holds. With the release of “Deep Nutrition,” she’s made it her mission to get Americans to ditch vegetable oils — or, in her words, “your brain’s worst enemy.”

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Researchers find ‘another reason’ to avoid fast food: Chemicals in the packaging - The Washington Post

Chemicals that have been associated with cancer and other health problems have been found in some fast-food packaging, according to a new study. Researchers found the substances, which can leach into food, in sandwich and dessert wrappers and paperboard containers.

“We have more than one reason to try to eat more fresh food, and to reduce our consumption of fast food,” said Laurel Schaider, one of the study’s authors, and a research scientist for the Silent Spring Institute. “This is another reason.”

The chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), are used in nonstick, stain-resistant and waterproof products. Fast-food packaging manufacturers might use them to keep sauces or grease from leaking through the wrapper. (Consumers are also exposed to them in other products, such as certain types of cookware, coats and carpets.) Some of the substances in this category are associated with kidney and testicular cancer, low birth weight, thyroid disease and immunotoxicity in children, among other outcomes.

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Democrats are becoming the party of secession | New York Post

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California Lawmakers Want 'Third Gender Option' for Drivers’ Licenses

Legislation introduced in California would create a third gender option on drivers’ licenses and expedite the process for individuals to change their sex on their birth certificate without undergoing a sex change.

The "Gender Recognition Act," sponsored by state senators Toni Atkins of San Diego and Scott Weiner of San Francisco, would add "nonbinary" to the list of male and female genders on state identification documents.

"Our society is becoming more enlightened every day about gender identity," said Atkins when introducing the bill last week. "It’s time for our state to make it easier for transgender Californians and those who don’t conform to traditional notions of gender to have state-issued identification documents that reflect who they truly are." She added: "This bill will help them avoid the discrimination and harassment that too many of these residents face in their daily lives.”

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Donald Trump vows to 'totally destroy' Johnson Amendment that stops churches funding political parties | The Independent

President Donald Trump has announced he will "get rid of and totally destroy" a 60-year-old rule that blocks tax-exempt religious groups from endorsing or opposing political candidates.

The so-called Johnson amendment was introduced by then-Senator Lyndon B Johnson in 1954. It threatens churches and other religious institutions with the loss of their tax-exempt status should they overstep the mark.

At the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC on Thursday Mr Trump said: "Jefferson asked, 'Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?' Among those freedoms is the right to worship according to our own beliefs. That is why I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution—I will do that."

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The End of Employees - WSJ

Never before have big employers tried so hard to hand over chunks of their business to contractors. From Google to Wal-Mart, the strategy prunes costs for firms and job security for millions of workers

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Federal workers turn to encryption to thwart Trump - POLITICO

Agency employees are turning to Signal and other incognito forms of communication to express their dissent.

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Antifa Threatens Young Daughter of Pro-Trump Journalist » Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!

A member of the violent Antifa movement publicly threatened a pro-Trump journalist’s young daughter, vowing to target conservative commentators “and their kids”.

Cassandra Fairbanks, a reporter who formerly identified as a Bernie-supporting Democrat but later switched her allegiance to Trump, received the threat from a group identifying itself as the ‘Arizona Antifa Front’.

“Some of us know you very personally cass, and know just how afraid you can really get. Be careful doll, for ur duaghters sake,” the tweet read. The word ‘daughter’ was misspelled.

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Over 12,000 tweets are calling for Trump's assassination. Here's how the Secret Service handles it

In the 12 days since Donald Trump took the oath of office, a steady stream of social media posts have called for the new president's assassination.

The posts are pretty basic and many are jokes or sarcastic or hyperbolic — but there are a lot of them. In a Dataminr search of Twitter posts since Inauguration Day containing the phrase "assassinate Trump" more than 12,000 tweets came up.

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Homemade Explosive Thrown Into Crowded Pasadena Cheesecake Factory | NBC Southern California

Authorities Thursday night were searching for a man who threw a "homemade pyrotechnic device" containing gunpowder into a crowded downtown Pasadena restaurant that sent diners scrambling for cover, police said.
Nobody was hurt in the explosion after 6 p.m. at the Cheesecake Factory on Colorado Boulevard in Old Pasadena, police said.

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Mayor: Phoenix can't be a sanctuary city

PHOENIX — Mayor Greg Stanton responded Thursday to calls for the city to defy state law on immigration issues, saying he wouldn't ask local police officers to do what activists say it will take to make Phoenix a sanctuary city.

Stanton responded in a statement to a citizen petition presented to the City Council on Wednesday asking to change Phoenix Police Department policy and stop cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. While no exact definition exists of a sanctuary city, local activists have said it requires ending a department policy regarding immigration enforcement.

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Baltimore Coffee Shop Going Cashless To Deter Robbers « CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — After being robbed a handful of times in the past few months, one Baltimore coffee shop is no longer accepting cash to stop the robberies and keep their staff safe.

Nowadays, many people don’t carry cash in their wallets day-to-day, and at Park Cafe in Bolton Hill, cash payments are no longer on the menu.

“We’re not going to accept cash anymore,” said Park Cafe & Coffee owner David Hart. “I’m going to take that out of the equation.”

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NYU Professor Curses Out NYPD For Not Beating McInnes [VIDEO] | The Daily Caller

Vice News co-founder and frequent Fox News guest Gavin McInnes was speaking at an event at New York University when violent left-wing protesters attacked him and the crowd with pepper spray.

The ensuing melee was broken up by police. But outside the event, a woman who identified herself as an NYU professor could not contain her anger over the police protecting some she accused of “hate” from physical violence and went on a tirade against the cops.

“You are @#$!%&! assholes!” the unidentified professor shouted at the NYPD. “You’re protecting the Nazis!”

“You should kick their @#$!” she screamed.

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GOP RUNNING INTO OPPOSITION FROM GOP ON TAX OVERHAUL

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans face opposition to their plan to overhaul the way corporations pay federal taxes from a powerful group of lawmakers - other Republicans.

"I'm not very enthused about it," said Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, the chairman of the Finance Committee and the Senate's top tax writer.

Another skeptic is John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate.

"The question is, who is going to pay the tax?" Cornyn asked. "Is it going to be our citizens?"

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Supermarkets ban online sales as rationing buying spreads | Daily Mail Online

Shoppers in the UK are being stopped from bulk-buying certain vegetables
Growing fresh produce shortage has been blamed on extreme weather in Spain
Despite shortage, Spanish supermarkets have abundance of fresh vegetables

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Leftist Magazine Shows Trump In Crosshairs: 'Why Not' | Truth Revolt

Leftist magazine The Village has come under heavy fire for lacing their cover with a picture of President Trump in crosshairs with the caption, "Why Not."

Dubbing itself "Ireland’s political and cultural magazine," The Village crossed a tasteless line with an article that asks several questions about the potential assassination of Trump. Though the magazine never openly endorses it, The Village clearly wants to throw the carrot out there to see if the rabbit will come and take a bite.

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