Breaking News from A-FNN — 5.26.17

May 26, 2017 Joe AuBuchon

Breaking News — from A-FNN

Dateline — Washington DC

A-FNN White House correspondent Amber Gris reports that unnamed, but highly placed, sources within the Trump White House have confirmed our earlier reports about President Trump’s decision to cut funds from the Federal Budget for California’s earthquake early-warning system. Also included was the decision to eliminate funding for tsunami-monitoring stations in oceans.

When asked about this President Trump replied: “Yes, we intend to focus on core USGS science and efficiency. While California (a state in which millions of illegals voted for my opponent in the last election) will lose funding, states which sit astride the New Madrid fault in the interior of our nation (and legally voted for me) will see earthquake research monies increased.

“Most of the rest of our great nation cares nothing about “Blue California” and will little mourn its loss in a major earthquake. Besides, I and many of my colleagues own land in California’s interior, and its neighboring states which will become valuable coastal resort properties when California slides into the Pacific.”

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-trump-budget-earthquake-early-warning-20170525-htmlstory.html

A-FNN: Alternative-Fact News Nutwork

Breaking News from A-FNN

May 23, 2017May 26, 2017 Joe AuBuchon

Breaking News — from A-FNN

Dateline — Washington DC

A-FNN White House correspondent Amber Gris reports that unnamed, but highly placed, sources within the Trump White House have confirmed our earlier reports about President Trump’s about-face regarding the current investigations regarding his campaign’s and administration’s ties to Putin and Russia.

According to these sources, Mr. Trump will issue instructions on his return to the United States that all members of his administration cooperate fully and openly with any and all queries issued by the special prosecutor’s office regarding ties to Russia. Also, included in this are those active who were in his campaign but not currently employed by his administration.

“Openness and transparency in government are important to the working of our political system,” said Mr. Trump. “I am therefore instructing all of those associated with my administration and campaign to fully and truthfully answer all pertinent questions posed to them by Justice Department and Congressional investigators.

“Also, hiding behind the Fifth Amendment is unacceptable. A person who hides behind the Fifth Amendment is merely confirming his guilt.

“Truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is the only acceptable behavior for those entrusted with running the government of the United States. Only through the truth will we be able to Make America Great Again.”

A-FNN: Alternative-Fact News Nutwork

Sunday Morning Newspaper Headlines

May 1, 2016 Joe AuBuchon

Those of you who occasionally read my ramblings know that I subscribe to and read two newspapers: The Orange County Register (OCR) and the Los Angeles Times (LAT). Each has its good and bad points and between them, knowing their biases, you can get a pretty good handle on current events both here and abroad.

Sometimes it’s easier than that — just read the headlines (later you can read the articles and see if you conclusions were “right” or not).

Register Headlines

OCR – Real Estate: No homes available to buy? Affordability may be the culprit — No s–t, Sherlock! The house is not available for me to purchase because with a spouse and two kids I cannot afford the Orange County median price for a home of $630,000 (up from $580,000 a year ago). Orange County Register headlines

OCR – Real Estate: DUAL AGENT or double agent? — One agent to represent both the buyer and seller or one agent to represent the buyer and another to represent the seller? This is a hard one. Let’s see, both are paid on commission. Therefore, the higher the price the higher the commission. A higher price benefits the seller and his agent. A lower price benefits the buyer and . . . no, it doesn’t benefit his agent — a higher price does. Hmmm . . . Three of the four parties benefit from a higher price — what happens to the price? One agent represents both the buyer and seller: the seller gains from a higher price; the agent(s) gains from a higher price; the buyer gains from a lower price. Two of the three benefit from a higher price — gee, do we get a higher price or a lower price?

OCR – Business: California optimism tops among big U.S. states — Gee, maybe all of those “scare” stories about businesses moving to Texas and other states because California is bad for business aren’t completely true?

OCR – Opinion: Why the establishment wants Ted Cruz — They don’t, really. But they figure both Trump and Cruz are losers to Hillary Clinton in the general election. With Trump as the nominee, the establishment still has a raging Cruz to deal with after Trump loses. However, if Cruz is nominated, and loses, he just may disappear from the national scene and the Republican establishment won’t have to deal with his ilk for a couple of decades.

OCR – Local: Why Universal Studios Hollywood has gone Disney — $

OCR – Local: O.C. child molester released from state mental hospital jailed in Pa. — We’re surprised? Only that it took two years.

OCR – News: Weak audits endanger public purse — A public employee may walk off with public money if he, or she, isn’t watched?

OCR – News: New force in politics: Millennials — There are 75.9 million of them, and they are only a force if they vote. (Or is it that they become a force when they have enough wealth to contribute to the right candidate/politician?)

OCR – News: Big GOP names loath to join Trump ticket — They figure he’ll lose and who wants to be associated with a “great” loser?

OCR – News: Man who burned puppy alive gets nearly 4 years — . . .

Times Headlines

LA Times headlines LAT – Business: Tech start-ups discovering frugality — People aren’t throwing enough money at them any more?

LAT – Sports: dodgers can’t get rid of an unsettling pattern — Yeah, even with their outlandish payroll they lose six in a row.

LAT – California: Scoring big — Elected politicians get free tickets to sporting events. Gee, we’re surprised again.

LAT – California: Idle engines are costing Metrolink — We leased train engines, and we’re not using them. You mean we still have to pay for them?

LAT – News: An academic slowdown (Nationwide, test scores have stalled.) — We’re surprised? This ain’t Lake Woebegone. Scores cannot keep going up to perfection and beyond, no matter what laws, standards, carrots and sticks are brandished.

LAT – News: Syrian city lives in ‘state of terror’ — Aleppo is in the middle of a warzone in a country torn by civil war and outside intervention, and we’re surprised life there isn’t calm, cool and collected?

LAT – News (Op-Ed): Why ‘gender neutral’ is a better way to pee — . . .

And I’ll take a moment to remind you, especially those who have or work with children: news is often just a matter of perspective — http://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/2016/05/01

News Commentary for a Rainy Day

April 7, 2016October 9, 2017 Joe AuBuchon

News Commentary

It’s been a while since I’ve let my cynical side out in public–so today a few comments on this week’s news stories.

News stories from the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register

Lawsuit tossed in actor’s death (LA Times 4.6.16): It seems as though traveling too fast killed the people in the Porsche. The deaths couldn’t be blamed on the lack of a crash cage or a racing car fuel cell. Let’s see: drive too fast — hit object — die. If you can’t fault gun makers, when people are killed by their weapons, how can you fault car makers?

Remember The Shawshank Redemption? His Judgement Cometh and that Right Soon. . . .

Ex-undersheriff’s obstruction case handed to jurors (LA Times 4.6.16) & Jury finds (Paul) Tanaka is guilty of obstruction (LA Times 4.7.16): Gee, it seems the jury didn’t believe that it was all (Lee )Baca’s fault and Tanaka was an innocent bystander kept out of the loop by his boss. Possible 15-year sentence in federal prison. Baca made a deal with prosecutors and will get a maximum of six months. Hmmm, doesn’t sound too just to me.

Surprising News? People in power and their relatives aren’t always honest . . .

Relatives of China’s top leaders are identified in Panama papers (OC Register 4.7.16): We’re surprised that the relatives of people in power are creating secretive offshore companies to, maybe, hide ill-gotten funds? Yeah, right.

Icelandic leader quits over ‘Panama Papers’ (LA Times 4.6.16): Iceland? Heavens is nowhere safe?

Secret money is U.S. problem too (LA Times — Op-Ed page 4.6.16): Gee, really? 215,000 offshore shell companies, 14,000 clients — Putin, Poroshenko, Assad, Salman — and billions of dollars. “Nevada, Wyoming and South Dakota have all passes laws making it easier to set up shell companies. . . .” Can someone say Ka-ching?

Taxes

Let the Fed handle tax rates (LA Times — Op-Ed page 4.6.16): Don’t let Congress raise and lower taxes; pass the job off to un-elected, appointed bureaucrats. Wow, great solution.

Partisanship

Women should vote for women (LA Times — Op-Ed page 4.6.16): Women vote for women, men vote for men, whites vote for whites, blacks vote for blacks, browns vote for browns, gays vote for gays, bigots vote for bigots. What a great solution for a polarized country where our leaders in government can’t seem to compromise. This will help.

Guns

More in O.C. are Turning to Guns (OC Register 4.6.16): 8000+ people in Orange County can now legally carry concealed weapons (guns) — 0.35% of our adult population. I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel safer to know that all of these people are secretly carrying guns. And, according to the article, that’s far below the national rate of 5.2%. Safer? Yeah, right.

Voting

Officials warn of voter ‘surge’ for June 7 primary (LA Times 4.7.16): Gee, more people are registering to vote. Hmmm . . . wonder why. Could it be that there are actual differences between our two major parties and their candidates in this year’s election. Maybe, people are interested in an election that promises to be more than just choosing between Dum and Dee.

More taxes

U.S. imposes tougher rules on inversions (LA Times 4.6.16): You’ll have to pay more taxes that you can’t re-coup by just raising the price of the drugs you sell. Ahhh . . . what a shame–no merger between Pfizer and Allergan to create another monster-sized monopoly.

[Related to the above: Pfizer deal was tax dodge LA Times 4.7.16]

Natural gas

Gas leak slows housing market (LA Times 4.6.16): The Porter Ranch natural gas leak, which lasted months, lowered the number of houses in the area being sold. Gee, contact Captain Obvious–would you want to buy a home there for $670,000?

Retirement News

U.S. adds retirement advice rules (LA Times 4.7.16): “For decades, many investment advisors have been required under federal law to put the best interest of their clients first.” Gee, who could be against that?

“But other retirement advisors, such as brokers and insurance agents, have a lower standard.” Gee, you mean they can put other things, like maybe, their own profits before the best interests of their clients?

“They are required only to make sure investments are suitable for their clients. That allows those advisors, who often receive commissions for the sale of specific investments, to recommend investments that benefit heir bottom line as well–sometimes even more than the client’s.” Hmmm . . .