Good morning, 99percenters! How's it going in your neighborhood today so far? Hope all is well with everyone.

It's a rainy Memorial Day weekend here. I'm preoccupied with the weather because there are flowers to plant! We've had rain every day for at least 2-1/2 weeks. Maybe more; I've lost track. And, the forecast doesn't look hopeful. I try to appreciate it because other areas such as California would love to have it. But, enough already.

This is a closeup of the flower on the first plant shown below.
Come inside and take a look.

This evening's music features the blues rock band Canned Heat.

Republican candidates have decided to use the recent setbacks against ISIS as a winning issue in the 2016 election, and it seems to be working.

This evening's music features Chicago blues guitarist and singer Andrew Brown.

Good morning 99percenters!
Morning news dump and music by Lucinda Williams.

As Spying Foes Look to 'Sunset' Patriot Act, White House Turns up the Pressure
Justice Department memo reveals pressure campaign as two competing spy bills head to vote

With key provisions of the Patriot Act set to expire at the end of the month and congressional in-fighting over the legality of government surveillance continuing to rage, the National Security Agency (NSA) will reportedly begin "winding down" bulk surveillance operations this weekend.

Right-wing articles are very entertaining. Did you know that we won the Iraq War?
I didn't.
At least Bush won Iraq before Obama lost Iraq.
I've discovered from reading right-wing sources that Iraq was perfectly fine until President Obummer fouled it up.

This evening's music features New Orleans piano player, singer and songwriter Fats Domino.

Even before the Fall of Ramadi the GOP presidential candidates were foaming-at-the-mouth war hawks. It'll only get worse.

Good morning 99percenters!
A morning news dump and music from The Band.

How America’s ‘News’ Media Killed America’s Democracy: TPP & TTIP

by Eric Zuesse
“TTP & TTIP will produce ‘a dystopian future in which corporations and not democratically elected governments call the shots.’”

A deal was worked out in the U.S. Senate on the early afternoon of May 13th to "Fast-Track" through to approval U.S. President Barack Obama’s proposed trade deals, TPP with Asia, and TTIP with Europe. (It should have been reported on the nightly TV news programs, but most of them ignored it then, and reported the news only the next day when the Senators made it official.)

This evening's music features early blueswoman Ida Cox.