There's battle lines being drawn.
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong.
Young people speaking their minds
getting so much resistance from behind

Friday, January 3, 2020

Linkee-poo Friday, I think

Serious alligators today. Sorry. I guess everybody finally figured out they needed to write 2020 on the checks and suddenly panicked.

"Iran’s top security and intelligence commander was killed early Friday in a drone strike at Baghdad International Airport that was authorized by President Trump, American officials said." I'm not sure anyone understands proportional and appropriate response anymore.

"U.S. forces assassinated Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike early Friday near the Baghdad International Airport, an escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran that is prompting concerns of further violence in the region." There's the word. Now it just remains to be seen as who "signed" the order and who was directing the drone operation.

"A US drone strike ordered by President Donald Trump on Baghdad airport has killed a top Iranian commander, in a major escalation in regional tensions that have pitted Tehran against Washington and its allies in the Middle East."

And in case you're wondering, yes, this is very bad. It's even worse because Trump himself complained about President Obama possibly getting us into a war with Iran in 2012 just to win re-election.

"Australian authorities are launching naval and air rescue operations along the country's southeast coast as deadly wildfires intensify, stranding residents and tourists in towns that may be wiped out by Saturday." Okay, who had Australians as the first major climate change refugees? Cause they might win the office pool.

"An enormous number of tumbleweeds blew onto a road in eastern Washington state on New Year's Eve, piling up into a mountain of tangled branches that blocked traffic and even buried some cars, trapping travelers inside." Tumblegeddon. Even the plants are attacking us.

"If you've decided to take a break from drinking alcohol, you're not alone. Breaking the booze habit, whether it's for 30 days or longer, has its benefits. But for many people, the challenge is getting started… Here are six strategies and tips to get you on your way." And here is one more tip, but for those who are quitting. If someone in your group is not drinking, don't make a stink, don't even mention it at all. Give them your support for their choice and have their backs. Oh, and don't expect them to be your designated driver. Finally, whatever you do, don't recommend non-alcoholic beer. Because friends don't force that junk on anyone.

"A former Senate candidate and participant in the deadly 2017 'Unite the Right' rally in Virginia was arrested Wednesday in Brevard County, Florida, on kidnapping and domestic violence charges, according to the Miami Herald." This is my shocked face. (Grokked form Jim Wright, I think)

The rich are just like you and I. "A wanted notice was delivered to Lebanese authorities on Thursday by Interpol for Carlos Ghosn, three days after the former head of Nissan jumped bail in Japan and surreptitiously fled to Beirut via Turkey… In addition, seven people suspected of being accomplices in Ghosn's escape to Lebanon have been detained in Turkey." Don't we all have a private jet and multiple passports, residences, bank accounts, and citizenships?

"Thirty-nine Republican senators and 168 members of the House of Representatives, almost all of them Republicans, signed a so-called 'friend of the court' brief filed on Thursday by the national anti-abortion group Americans United for Life in connection with a challenge to a Louisiana abortion access law due to be heard in March." Of course they did. They're running out of time and they believe they've finally stacked the court the way they wanted to all along.

"Fabricated or misreported quotes by Democratic politicians continue to circulate on social media." Ah, I see we've hit Stage 3 a little earlier than I thought. (Grokked from Jim Wright)

"In the face of warnings from the Pentagon that the hold on military aid to Ukraine could be illegal, an official from the Office of Management and Budget made it clear that the order to keep the freeze in place came directly from President Donald Trump, according to unredacted documents reviewed by Just Security." So much for the "nobody complained at the time" defense. Also there are now questions why the documents released to Congress and under FoIA were redacted. Also there was bickering about who would be held responsible if the money wasn't distributed by the end of the fiscal year.

"Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) seized on newly released emails surrounding President Trump's decision to delay aid to Ukraine, arguing they underscored the need for witnesses and documents as part of an impeachment trial." Unforced errors.

"President Donald Trump berated his former national security adviser Michael Flynn and other senior staff members for holding off on arranging a phone call with the Russian president in January 2017, according to a new book." Again there's a fucking lot of Russians hanging around.

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