The new strategy in Afghanistan, same as the old

I just finished listening to Donald Trump’s highly promoted speech about what he plans to do in Afghanistan and to say that it was underwhelming is to put it mildly. There was absolutely nothing concrete in his 25-minute speech. About half of it was devoted to the obligatory pandering to the military and America, saying how they are the greatest and noblest fighting force in the world protecting the greatest and noblest nation on Earth.
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Another Leopold and Loeb-type murder?

Some readers may be aware of the infamous Leopold and Loeb murder case where two young undergraduates at the University of Chicago who came from wealthy families kidnapped and murdered a 14-year old boy in 1924 just for the hell of it. They felt that with their superior intellect, they could get away with carrying out the perfect murder. They were found and convicted.
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What Trump hates most is happening to him

We know that Donald Trump knows little about policy and seems to care even less. What drives him seem to be greed and a pathetic need for approval, blended in with some nasty instincts. But we do know that he seems to enjoy most the pomp and ceremony of his office, as evidenced by his eagerness to be given the full royal treatment on his visit to the UK. He has always been driven by a desperate need for acceptance by those whom he seems to consider his betters, those who are more successful than him in business and those who belong to high society. Becoming president would enable him to feel superior to all those whom he felt had looked down at him all these years.
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That nice young neo-Nazi next door

The Vice News video of the events that unfolded in Charlottesville by reporters embedded among the marchers has had over 46 million views. When I was watching it, I was struck (and depressed) by the fact that most of the white supremacists and neo-Nazis marching with tiki torches and chanting racist slogans seemed to be young people. I like to think that the younger generation is more enlightened and tolerant than their predecessors, but of course that is an extremely broad generalization. There will always be those who are throwbacks to the past, embracing old abhorrent views even more strongly than their ancestors did.
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The attempts to sabotage Obamacare

Now that the attempts to repeal Obamacare failed in the US Senate, a peevish Donald Trump vows to sabotage it by cutting off administration support for it, mainly by withdrawing the subsidies for the program that made it affordable. The problem for Trump is that some of the Byzantine features of Obamacare that are embedded in the law will tend to neutralize his efforts. For example, if the subsidies are cut, then the tax credits get increased, resulting in a net loss for the government. Kevin Drum tries to explain this trade-off and why cutting the subsidies may actually be a good thing.
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Should I stay or should I go?

As Donald Trump continues to make statements that signal support of neo-Nazis and white supremacists, already we have seen one presidential advisory panel after another being disbanded as people try to disassociate themselves from the toxic cloud that has enveloped the administration. Various charities have withdrawn from using Trump’s Florida resort for their fund-raisers. However, evangelical leaders are remaining steadfast.
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Soundtrack for the gathering clouds

The old song For What It’s Worth by the group Buffalo Springfield in 1967 was symbolic of the turbulent 1960s when there were riots and clashes between police and the public as the Vietnam war raged and the Civil Rights movement fought for equal rights. I can see this song returning to vogue as we head into another turbulent time where street clashes become the norm.
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I really do not understand this

I came across this BBC news item about Lele Tao, a 24-year old Chinese woman who reportedly earns about $450,0000 per year live streaming. What does she do? This is not a porn site nor is there any nudity or sex. Instead she talks, she sings, she eats, and chats to her fans, and in return her fans, mostly male, send her gifts. Apparently this is a huge business in China.
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