SoylentNews

The fine pieces of shit over at Rolling Stone recently interviewed Billy Joel:

Critics used to give you a hard time. But it seems like in the past few years you've become cool.
Look, man, Trump is president, so all kinds of weird shit can happen.

What do you make of that?
I'm still flabbergasted. I try to stay out of politics. I am a private citizen and I have a right to believe in my own political point of view, but I try not to get up on a soapbox and tell people how to think. I've been to shows where people start haranguing the audience about what's going on politically and I'm thinking, "You know, this isn't why I came here." As a matter of fact, one of the biggest cheers of the night comes when we do "Piano Man" and I sing, "They know that it's me that they're coming to see to forget about life for a while," and the audience lets out this huge "ahhhh" and I say, "OK, yeah, don't forget that." We're more like court jesters than court philosophers.

Normally I wouldn't even pay attention to some celebrity spouting off on politics (Because who gives a damn?) but Joel absolutely nails what a whole lot of folks are thinking on the matter. Tip of the hat to the Piano Man for keeping it classy.

In light of the horrible attack in Alexandria on MY BIRTHDAY, I've signed an executive order declaring next week National Liberal Violence Awareness Day. Eric Bolling on @FoxNews said something very smart:

How many innocent people have to die before we realize that words do matter? Crazy people act on the crazy things they hear from politicians and celebrities. Think before you utter those blind, hateful words next time, liberals, because there are crazy people out there taking your metaphors literally. https://t.co/nKWid37odD

Wear my favorite color, orange, and be aware of the hatred the liberals (and Dems) spew and the violence they do. #WearOrange

I talked with Malcolm Turnbull on the phone. With the Prime Minister, the disgusting Prime Minister, of Australia. Of all the phone calls I've been on, it was the worst call by far. Believe me, folks, it was a terrible phone call. That happened in March. He asked me to take in Australia's refugees. I said we'll do it, but we have to vet them. Refugees, for America, are a huge problem. They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists. Even with extreme vetting, they're making big problems for America. And Australia doesn't want them either. So they made a deal, Australia made a deal, with Obama. Who came to America as a refugee. And let me tell you, folks, the deal they made is terrible for America. Totally one-sided. But I said I'd stick to the deal. Because promises are important. Even when I didn't make them. Very reluctantly, I'm sticking to the deal. But now Malcolm is making fun of me and it's very hurtful. My wife, Melania, and my son, Barron, heard about the way Malcolm made fun of me, how he mocked me, and they are very hurt by it. He's hurting my family. He should be ashamed of himself. He has no shame, but he should be ashamed.

Trump's Name Will Be Bleeped Out In The Next "Broad City" Season

Would I have seen this important news if I hadn't accidentally opened BuzzFeed? I'm not so sure.

Russia protests: Opposition leader Alexei Navalny sentenced

Russia protests: Kremlin critic Navalny jailed, hundreds arrested

Will Navalny make it into the Kremlin or get shot in the night?

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/ames/kepler/media-invited-to-nasa-s-kepler-and-k2-mission-science-conference

NASA invites members of the media to attend the fourth Kepler and K2 Science Conference to be held June 19-23. The weeklong science conference will take place at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.

Probably a good time to look for exoplanet-related announcements.

Exclusive: U.S. special forces helping Philippines troops to end city siege

U.S. special forces are helping the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to end a siege of the southern town of Marawi by militants allied to Islamic State, a U.S. embassy spokesperson in Manila told Reuters.

From one "strong man" to another.

UK election 2017: Conservatives 'to fall short of majority'

The Conservatives are set to be the largest party in the UK parliament, but without an overall majority, says the latest BBC forecast. It shows gains for the Labour Party after Thursday's general election.

[...] Prime Minister Theresa May - who had a small majority in the previous parliament - called an early election to try to improve her negotiation positions on Brexit. But analysts say it now appears the PM made a serious miscalculation. The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg says Mrs May's decision may prove to have been one of the biggest political mistakes of modern times.

This goes out to all my supporters in great, great, Great Britain, and I know there are a lot of you. All my great supporters in England, in Ireland, in Scotland, and in Wales. In part of Wales, I think. In the U.K. Don't forget, today, June 8th, is your election. Very important that you go to your polling centers and vote today. And you've got a lot of choices to choose from. You've got the Conservatives, great name, the Conservatives. But look at what they've done. It's a total disaster. And you've got the BNP, the British National Party. They have some great ideas, the BNP. But the party you need to vote for, to vote for today, is UKIP. Because you voted, last year you voted, to leave the EU. To leave the European Union. And UKIP is the party that will do it right, that will get you out cleanly and completely. Believe me, folks, I've been to Europe and it's not pretty. Been to Brussels. There's carnage going on there and they don't know how to fix it. Don't know how, or won't fix it. And when Europe sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're bringing crime. They're bringing drugs. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people. But you've got to pull out, all the way out. And UKIP will pull you right out. Plop! And you'll be out, cleanly. No mess. Nigel Farage is a great fellow, a great chap as you say over there. Like a brother to me. Like a twin brother, an identical twin brother. He's been a tremendous part of my campaign, he's a huge part of why I'm your President. Resigned from leading UKIP so he could join my campaign. And the guy he picked to take his place, Paul Nutall, is great too. Haven't met him, but I heard about him and what I heard is great. Paul understands that torture works. That's something I've always said and it's something that's very important to understand right now. Right now when London Bridge is being attacked, when Manchester is being attacked. And Paul understands it. And he's going to ban veils, ban veils that cover the face. Very important to taking your country back, to taking back your countries (England, Ireland, Scotland, and part of Wales). So you need to make Paul your Prime Minister. And to do that, I'm told, you need a lot of UKIP MPs, lots of UKIP Members of Parliament. So go, get out there and vote them in! Make Britain Great again. And when you're in Scotland, play a round at Turnberry. Beautiful, beautiful course. Great views. #BritainTogether #TrumpResorts