Open Thread for Monday, February 13, 2017

Not a very newsy Monday, but we’ve got what we’ve got:

  1. Flynn’s Position as Security Adviser Grows Tenuous — That’s the WSJ’s take on it, to which I think, really? I mean, if Trump were to back away because someone in his circle did something inappropriate, that would certainly be news. And promising…
  2. Standing Rock chairman looks to history as divisions emerge among activists — This, which isn’t even a breaking news story, is currently the lede on The Guardian. You know why? Because it fits that paper’s “America the Oppressor” narrative. Also above the fold (or I guess I should say, “before the scroll”) — a piece headlined, “Chelsea Manning: to those who kept me alive all these years, thank you.” Doesn’t that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? I enjoy reading The Guardian, but I have to overlook the quirks, of which the most glaring is anti-Americanism.
  3. Meet the WWII computer programmer whose name will replace white supremacist’s at Yale — All those words, when the headline could have said “Grace Hopper” and “John C. Calhoun.” (And “white supremacist?” Seems kind of anachronistic for Calhoun. Like saying Attila the Hun had self-esteem issues.) We know who those people are, right? I may have told this story before, but: My Dad was sent to take a course taught by Adm. Hopper back in the 1950s. He kept thinking, I’m a naval officer. Why do I need to know about computers? How will they ever affect my life?
  4. Trump turns Mar-a-Lago Club dinner table into open-air situation room — Security breach was on the menu as the North Korean missile launch was discussed in front of waiters and other non-cleared personnel. Welcome to the exhibitionist presidency.
  5. The Fix: We’ve never seen anything like Trump’s rough treatment of his White House staff — Just in case you were wondering where all those leaks were coming from, here’s an explanation.
  6. Gerrymandering is the biggest obstacle to genuine democracy in the United States. So why is no one protesting? — Because people who take to the streets to protest things usually don’t understand what’s actually wrong, that’s why. But yeah, this is what’s wrong. By the way — did y’all see about Nikki Setzler’s reform bill? Good for him. Of course, it’s going nowhere since he’s a Democrat, but who else is going to bring up the real problem?
Nikki Setzler/2016 file photo

Nikki Setzler/2016 file photo

5 thoughts on “Open Thread for Monday, February 13, 2017

  1. Claus

    Maybe the Standing Rock chairwoman should go out and help pick up the tons of trash left by the protestors.

    This whole ordeal is just stupid. The oil company offered $22 million to the reservation tribal council to run it through their land. The tribal council got greedy and said $50 million. The oil company figured it was cheaper to run it north of the reservation and told the tribal council to forget it, that they had found a cheaper alternative. Enter the protestors. So in a nutshell the tribal council was okay with taking $50 million, but not $22 million… at $50 million all of the concerns they are protesting went away.

    1. Bryan Caskey

      GROUCHO (to woman seated next to him at an elegant dinner party): Would you sleep with me for ten million dollars?

      WOMAN (giggles and responds): Oh, Groucho, of course I would.

      GROUCHO; How about doing it for fifteen dollars?

      WOMAN (indignant): Why, what do you think I am?

      GROUCHO: That’s already been established. Now we’re just haggling about the price.

  2. Claus

    5. I hear Hillary would have been making her staff cookies and planning family play dates.

    Fact is, some people are genuine A-holes as bosses. One of the guys I worked for and probably respect from a business perspective more than any other is a guy you walk away from wanting to punch him 9 times out of 10 when interacting with him. I don’t know how many times I drove home threatening to quit. He got things done though, which is what Trump is doing.

    1. Dave Crockett

      I would agree that Mr. T. is causing a great many things to happen. i’m not sure, though, if that is equivalent to getting things done.

      1. bud

        Actually compared to Obamas first month Trumps list of actual accomplishments are thin. Remember the travel ban is on hold so that gets a zero. The alleged increase in deportations by ICE is not corroborated by Mexican authorities who say there really isn’t. Nothing on health care. Nothing on taxes. TPP was largely dead anyway. There is the keystone pipeline and a somewhat vague executive order on regulations. Heck he’s some utterly incompetent he can’t even get his cabinet confirmed. Not really a rip roaring record of accomplishment.

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