chasfh

Do you think China would prop up Russia economically in the face of US sanctions? That seems so unlikely to me.

As I read this, it occurs to me that sanctions work differently against different countries. In the old days, whenever we put sanctions on countries like Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or other small countries, they could run into the arms of another superpower like USSR or China to bypass it. These days, those same small countries need only open up to China to bypass them. And putting sanctions on China itself would be pointless these days since their economy is basically self-sufficient. But putting sanctions on Russia should hurt them a lot, because not only is their economy is teetering, but also, there are no other superpowers who will prop them up in the face of our sanctions. I could see sanctions working under this circumstance.

It’s all about perception to Trump. Sometimes it is better to look badass than to be badass.

Trump was hoping they would all look like badasses. I think this is more what he had in mind.

The system works.

I think talks will start in earnest once the Super Bowl is done.

Yet another compromise, this one to mollify the small states in the union who were used to the one colony-one vote scheme under the Articles of Confederation.

In my Axios Sports newsletter this AM. 5. ⚾️ The problem with league-owned media Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images MLB insider Ken Rosenthal is out at MLB Network after more than 12 years, reportedly due to critical stories he wrote about commissioner Rob Manfred, Jeff writes. The backdrop: In the summer of 2020, Rosenthal's columns for The Athletic analyzing the stalemate between MLB and the MLBPA "featured some light criticism [of Manfred]," writes NY Post's Andrew Marchand. June 16, 2020: "Rob Manfred finally seems to be figuring out he has no choice: Strike a deal with the union and salvage the 2020 season, or ruin his legacy as commissioner of baseball," wrote Rosenthal. MLB Network unofficially suspended Rosenthal following that piece, keeping him off the air (with pay) for nearly three months. When his contract expired at the end of 2021, the network didn't renew it. Of note: Rosenthal, 59, is still a senior baseball writer for The Athletic and an on-field reporter for Fox Sports, so he and his famous bowties aren't going anywhere. What they're saying: "I worked for Turner Sports, which operated NBA TV and NBA.com in partnership with the league, for 14 years. You know what David Stern did when I wrote or said something he didn't like? He called me up and cussed me out. But he didn't go to my bosses and try to fire me." — David Aldridge, The Athletic The big picture: We don't know if the decision to part ways with Rosenthal came directly from Manfred, but the fact that it's even a possibility highlights the problem with league-owned media.

Or, when I was in school:

These are purported to be the leaked finalists for the WFT name, as reported by a newsletter I get from The Athletic: Let's name a football team The Washington Football Team, complete with its shoddy stadium railings, will announce the new team name Feb. 2, per a release. The reported finalists: Commanders Armada Admirals Red Hogs Presidents Sentinels I’m voting for Red Hogs, simply because it is the coolest of those choices and it's a callback to the Washington teams of the late 80s and early 90s. I doubt they’ll use it — something stately like Commanders or Admirals will win. Snooze.

I think a lot of us would like to hear exactly what you mean by this. I can think of a few things about the American political system that I would to tear down and rebuild. The way we vote for president, for one thing: in my opinion, the electoral college is an anti-democracy institution that was devised as a bald compromise to ensure that southern states would stay in the union. I would advocate totally eliminating the EC and going to direct popular vote to choose our president. But I would't blow up the idea of democracy altogether, because I believe that "democracy" and "American political system" are not interchangeable. They are totally different concepts. So please, JBK, can you clarify what you mean?

As you get closer to retirement, you'll want to move an increasing amount of your retirement funds from equities to money markets. Heck, given how old I know you are, you should probably start doing that today! 😃

What, so this isn't a second-grade teacher training to return to the classroom in Colorado?

The problem with the Hannity situation is not whether he is or is not technically a journalist. The problem is that because he works for an outlet who uses the word "News" in their name, while sitting behind a desk blowing hard about topics in the news with chyrons screaming headlines in news-like fashion, his viewers truly believe he is more legit journalist than everyone at literally every major news organization in America put together. To the red hats, Hannity has the credibility of being a truth-telling journalist without having to put in that work, despite his employers' assertions, made well out of earshot of his viewers, that he's not.

And a reason it took six takes to get a message they felt they could even put out there.

I will grant that she is speculating, since she wasn't there, but I totally buy her hypothesis.

Maybe he's cancelling so he can claim that he and his red hat base are being muzzled by the Deep State™ and the Fake Media™.

Being neutral is what got Rosenthal shit-canned.

He survives this because the owners think he's just peachy. The only way Manfred could get the axe is the lose the CBA negotiations to the Players.

And now that Rosenthal is gone, it's become even more of a garbage network.

Watch Hannity claim executive privilege

“They shouldn’t be allowed to do business in this country.” Determining who can have a business in America and who can’t is the power Trump 47 is seeking. Tens of millions want to give that to him. Welcome to America.

Both sides

Speaking of which: So, this is happening next month: I still believe the most obvious win-win is to name the team something military. Make them the Washington Minutemen, or the Washington Calvary or Washington Infantry or Washington Brigade, something along those lines. Or, if you prefer something more elite-sounding, how about the Washington Green Berets or Washington Fighter Pilots or even the Washington Marines? I'm not particularly good at naming teams, but you get the idea. Renaming the team after the military is a win-win, not only because American Indians no longer have to withstand a racially offensive term thrown in their faces every Sunday, but also because football fans, at least the ones who abhor political correctness and who generally love everything military anyway, would receive in return a badass, kickass team name they can really embrace, and after a very short period of adjustment they will forget all about the "tradition" of the Redskins name. It does appear, though, that one name I thought was a pretty obvious candidate—Warriors—is off the table because it's too close to being offensive in the same way "Redskins" is.