*1. Unattractive losers
Ugh... It's already started and we haven't really even started. I guess the question is: which Clinton is Trump running against? Hillary or Bill? This is going to be UGLY.
From WaPo - Trump escalates attack on Bill Clinton
"Trump’s latest shot came Monday when he released an incendiary Instagram video that includes the voices of two women who accused the former president of sexual assault, underscoring the presumptive Republican nominee’s willingness to go far beyond political norms in his critique of his likely Democratic rival."
+ From WaPo - Donald Trump once called Bill Clinton's women unattractive losers
"In other words, Trump is indicting both Clintons for their treatment of women such as Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, and Juanita Broaddrick, and positioning himself as their chivalrous defender — in order to defuse attacks on his own misogyny."
"It turns out, though, that Trump did not think much of those same women at the time: He dismissed Paula Jones as a “loser” and suggested that Clinton would have gotten into less trouble over Monica Lewinsky if he had had an affair with a woman who was more 'beautiful.'"
And the hits keep coming. You can't make this stuff up...
+ From WaPo - Donald Trump calls global warming a hoax, until it threatens his golf course
"The Trump International Golf Links Ireland, a golf course by the sea in Ireland’s County Clare, faces the Atlantic’s pounding waves and coastal erosion. As Politico reported Monday, the Trump Organization has submitted a permit to build a sea wall, which cites rising sea levels from climate change as a threat. Not just any wall will do — one plan called for a limestone barricade 20 meters wide, what Friends of the Irish Environment’s Tony Lowes described to CNBC as a “monster sea wall” in March."
Finally, in a strange twist of fate...
From NYT - Kenneth Star, Who Tried to Bury Bill Clinton, Now Only Praises Him
"An unlikely voice recently bemoaned the decline of civility in presidential politics, warned that “deep anger” was fueling an “almost radical populism” and sang the praises of former President Bill Clinton — particularly his “redemptive” years of philanthropic work since leaving the White House."
Those around during the Lewinsky/Whitewater investigation know how big of a debacle that was.
*2. What's a Brexit?
Ok, I've been trying to avoid this topic, but it just keeps popping up, and as the vote gets closer (23 June), it will probably only get worse. So, here's the Top of the News piece on Brexit.
Ugh... It's already started and we haven't really even started. I guess the question is: which Clinton is Trump running against? Hillary or Bill? This is going to be UGLY.
From WaPo - Trump escalates attack on Bill Clinton
"Trump’s latest shot came Monday when he released an incendiary Instagram video that includes the voices of two women who accused the former president of sexual assault, underscoring the presumptive Republican nominee’s willingness to go far beyond political norms in his critique of his likely Democratic rival."
+ From WaPo - Donald Trump once called Bill Clinton's women unattractive losers
"In other words, Trump is indicting both Clintons for their treatment of women such as Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, and Juanita Broaddrick, and positioning himself as their chivalrous defender — in order to defuse attacks on his own misogyny."
"It turns out, though, that Trump did not think much of those same women at the time: He dismissed Paula Jones as a “loser” and suggested that Clinton would have gotten into less trouble over Monica Lewinsky if he had had an affair with a woman who was more 'beautiful.'"
And the hits keep coming. You can't make this stuff up...
+ From WaPo - Donald Trump calls global warming a hoax, until it threatens his golf course
"The Trump International Golf Links Ireland, a golf course by the sea in Ireland’s County Clare, faces the Atlantic’s pounding waves and coastal erosion. As Politico reported Monday, the Trump Organization has submitted a permit to build a sea wall, which cites rising sea levels from climate change as a threat. Not just any wall will do — one plan called for a limestone barricade 20 meters wide, what Friends of the Irish Environment’s Tony Lowes described to CNBC as a “monster sea wall” in March."
Finally, in a strange twist of fate...
From NYT - Kenneth Star, Who Tried to Bury Bill Clinton, Now Only Praises Him
"An unlikely voice recently bemoaned the decline of civility in presidential politics, warned that “deep anger” was fueling an “almost radical populism” and sang the praises of former President Bill Clinton — particularly his “redemptive” years of philanthropic work since leaving the White House."
Those around during the Lewinsky/Whitewater investigation know how big of a debacle that was.
*2. What's a Brexit?
Ok, I've been trying to avoid this topic, but it just keeps popping up, and as the vote gets closer (23 June), it will probably only get worse. So, here's the Top of the News piece on Brexit.
First, what is a 'Brexit'? It's the British vote on whether their country should leave the European Union.
From WaPo - What's a 'Brexit'? A guide to Britain's E.U. drama for confused non-Europeans
"No country as large as Britain has voted to leave the union before. By proving that membership in the union is reversible, a Brexit could severely damage the very foundations of the E.U., itself a hugely important attempt to create unity on the continent after the ravages of World War II."
And if you are still interested in Brexit...
+ From New Yorker - The Economic Arguments Against Brexit
"But despite the critiques, the central argument that the Treasury report makes is a sound one. Britain has been a member of the E.U. for more than forty years, and a decision to go it alone would create a period of economic uncertainty for businesses and households, which could in turn have a negative impact on spending. Whether this negative shock would be sufficient to cause an economy that grew at a rate of 2.2. per cent last year to fall into recession can be debated—a lot would depend, as the Guardian’s Allen pointed out, on the policy response. But the effect would be considerable."
Once again, an overarching theme for a Brexit appears to be a rising right-wing "migrants are taking local jobs argument." (@ Also, see "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free")
*3. The Great (Fire)Wall
I think the key here is that you can try to keep the information barbarians at the gate, but people will not be denied information in the information age.
From WaPo - China's scary lesson to the world: Censoring Internet works
"What China calls the “Golden Shield” is a giant mechanism of censorship and surveillance that blocks tens of thousands of websites deemed inimical to the Communist Party’s narrative and control, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and even Instagram."
"Indeed, China’s Firewall is far more sophisticated and multi-tiered than a simple on-off switch: It is an attempt to bridge one of the country’s most fundamental contradictions — to have an economy intricately connected to the outside world but a political culture closed off from such “Western values” as free speech and democracy."
*4. Steak and Eggs for Breakfast
I'm not a big breakfast eater. If it comes to a choice of a few extra minutes of sleep or breakfast, I opt for the sleep.
From NYT - Sorry, There's Nothing Magical About Breakfast
"The bottom line is that the evidence for the importance of breakfast is something of a mess. If you’re hungry, eat it. But don’t feel bad if you’d rather skip it, and don’t listen to those who lecture you. Breakfast has no mystical powers."
*5. It's a small world, after all...or is it the Veteran's Affairs?
From NYT - Veterans Affairs Leader Compares Health Care Delays to Disney Lines
"'The days to an appointment is really not what we should be measuring,” Mr. McDonald responded. “What we should be measuring is the veteran’s satisfaction. What really counts is how does the veteran feel about their encounter with the V.A.? When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? What is important is, what is your satisfaction with the experience.'"
Whoa! What a poor choice of an analogy. After more than 15 years of constant fighting, and thousands of deaths and combat related injuries, the U.S. military service members deserve better than this. The VA should be measuring everything to try to right this ship. What's measured is managed.
BONUS MATERIAL
* Which Rock Star Will Historians of the Future Remember (Hint: Think Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Rolling Stones) (@ Also, see Walk This Way and A Question)
* Neighborhoods Can Shape Success Down to the Level of a City Block (Hint: It's about $$ and education)
From WaPo - What's a 'Brexit'? A guide to Britain's E.U. drama for confused non-Europeans
"No country as large as Britain has voted to leave the union before. By proving that membership in the union is reversible, a Brexit could severely damage the very foundations of the E.U., itself a hugely important attempt to create unity on the continent after the ravages of World War II."
And if you are still interested in Brexit...
+ From New Yorker - The Economic Arguments Against Brexit
"But despite the critiques, the central argument that the Treasury report makes is a sound one. Britain has been a member of the E.U. for more than forty years, and a decision to go it alone would create a period of economic uncertainty for businesses and households, which could in turn have a negative impact on spending. Whether this negative shock would be sufficient to cause an economy that grew at a rate of 2.2. per cent last year to fall into recession can be debated—a lot would depend, as the Guardian’s Allen pointed out, on the policy response. But the effect would be considerable."
Once again, an overarching theme for a Brexit appears to be a rising right-wing "migrants are taking local jobs argument." (@ Also, see "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free")
*3. The Great (Fire)Wall
I think the key here is that you can try to keep the information barbarians at the gate, but people will not be denied information in the information age.
From WaPo - China's scary lesson to the world: Censoring Internet works
"What China calls the “Golden Shield” is a giant mechanism of censorship and surveillance that blocks tens of thousands of websites deemed inimical to the Communist Party’s narrative and control, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and even Instagram."
"Indeed, China’s Firewall is far more sophisticated and multi-tiered than a simple on-off switch: It is an attempt to bridge one of the country’s most fundamental contradictions — to have an economy intricately connected to the outside world but a political culture closed off from such “Western values” as free speech and democracy."
*4. Steak and Eggs for Breakfast
I'm not a big breakfast eater. If it comes to a choice of a few extra minutes of sleep or breakfast, I opt for the sleep.
From NYT - Sorry, There's Nothing Magical About Breakfast
"The bottom line is that the evidence for the importance of breakfast is something of a mess. If you’re hungry, eat it. But don’t feel bad if you’d rather skip it, and don’t listen to those who lecture you. Breakfast has no mystical powers."
*5. It's a small world, after all...or is it the Veteran's Affairs?
From NYT - Veterans Affairs Leader Compares Health Care Delays to Disney Lines
"'The days to an appointment is really not what we should be measuring,” Mr. McDonald responded. “What we should be measuring is the veteran’s satisfaction. What really counts is how does the veteran feel about their encounter with the V.A.? When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? What is important is, what is your satisfaction with the experience.'"
Whoa! What a poor choice of an analogy. After more than 15 years of constant fighting, and thousands of deaths and combat related injuries, the U.S. military service members deserve better than this. The VA should be measuring everything to try to right this ship. What's measured is managed.
BONUS MATERIAL
* Which Rock Star Will Historians of the Future Remember (Hint: Think Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Rolling Stones) (@ Also, see Walk This Way and A Question)
* Neighborhoods Can Shape Success Down to the Level of a City Block (Hint: It's about $$ and education)
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