Category: links

The country of Venezuela has descended into the worst kind of chaos, with fighting over every last scrap of food. Even the rats fear for their lives. All walking food/near-food is. And some feathered food, too.

Click on over to Townhall, then come back here.

• Common Sense: The Weight of Politics
• UPI: In Venezuela, 75% of population lost 19 pounds amid crisis
• Miami Herald: Hungry Venezuelans killing flamingos and anteaters for food, biologists say
• El Estímulo: “Maduro’s diet makes you tough,” says the President
• TeleSUR: The US Media’s Latest ‘Alternative Fact’ on Venezuela – Eating Flamingos
• Washington Post: Trump has a chance to correct Obama’s mistake on Venezuela
• Organization of American States: Report on Venezuela
• Human Rights Foundation to OAS Members: Do Your Job, Apply Democracy Clause in Venezuela
• Washington Post: On Venezuela, a surprise stand from Trump
• Newsbusters: Four Outrageous Celebrity Supporters of Venezuelan Socialism
• Washington Post: As Venezuelans starve, the generals grow fat

We like to think we have the facts on our side. When we are confused, or do not know what to do, we seek facts. The Fourth Estate says that it is ideally situated to find those facts for us, and disseminate them.

But, as we all know now, “Fake News” is a real problem. Sometimes untruths are deliberately spread. Other times it is the result of error. But, whether a factoid be true or not, it remains a “meme,” replicable in our many heads often regardless of truth value.

But if you wonder if you are paranoid for thinking that the media’s established fact-checkers are pointing at your head and shooting … memes … well, you aren’t paranoid enough: the government shoots too.

Click over to Townhall. Then come back here. For memes about memes about memes:

• “The Deep State Exposed,” yesterday’s video on this site
• An image from the Vault7 release
• Politifact on Rand Paul
• Daily Wire summary of fact-checking fails
• NBC gets in on the fake fact check farce
• Washington Examiner: Emily Jachinsky on a literal truth downgraded
• “Effrontery Propaganda” from this very site
• “The Revenge of the Gatekeepers,” more from the same familiar source
• “Fact Checking for Partisan Fun and Profit,” from Yours Truly (again!)

The new president delivered a fairly successful first address before Congress. But it was not without its problems. One big one serves as this weekend’s subject at Townhall. Click on over, then come back here.

https://youtu.be/QN1tjLs777s

• FEE: Why the Joint Session Standing Ovations Creeped Me Out
• Miami Herald: How Carryn Owens ended up at Trump’s speech to Congress
• YouTube: The Americanization of Emily
• The Atlantic: Fighting Terrorism With a Credit Card
• Van Jones: Trump became President in that moment
• Time: The State of the Union’s Most Despicable Moment
• NPR: In Emotional Moment Of Speech, Trump Addresses Navy SEAL’s Widow
• Miami Herald: Slain SEAL’s dad wants answers

On behalf of the Academy of Motions Pictures Arts and Sciences, we’d like to extend a little advice to Hollywood’s best and brightest. Click to Townhall; come back for more abuse.

• Salon: “Hollywood is a cesspool of misogyny and racism. Bring on the lawsuits”
• Newsweek: Daniel Radcliffe says Racism In Hollywood Is ‘Undeniable’
• Inequality in 700 Popular Films: Examining Portrayals of Gender, Race, & LGBT Status from 2007 to 2014
• Entertainment: Spike Lee won’t attend after #OscarsSoWhite
• Time: Zoe Saldana Talks Battling Racism and Sexism in Hollywood
• Reuters: Hollywood’s gender pay gap is ‘crazy’: Natalie Portman
• Forbes: Everything You Need To Know About The Hollywood Pay Gap
• Forbes: Women Still Ridiculously Underrepresented In Movies
• Hollywood Reporter: Sally Field, Jeffrey Wright, Other Hollywood Stars Urge Congress to Block Discriminatory Actions by Trump
• US: Chris Rock Knocks #OscarsSoWhite Controversy, Jada Pinkett Smith’s Boycott in Oscars 2016 Opener: Watch All His Best Jokes!
• Fusion: Women working in Hollywood: The numbers are dismal
• Los Angeles Times: From actor to actress and back again

The high cost of our public servants can be shown beyond their mere inflated paychecks. Click on over to Townhall, then come back here.

• Washington Post: This suburb spends more than $110,000 a year on cars for its lawmakers
• Fox-5 (D.C.): Prince George’s County Council Member Mel Franklin charged with drunken driving
• Washington Post: Md. politician Mel Franklin has wrecked a government vehicle before
• Baltimore Sun: Four charged in alleged Prince George’s County liquor board conspiracy
• WTOP: Ex-Md. delegate admits to accepting bribes; more officials investigated in corruption probe
• NBC: Prince George’s County Delegate Resigns Before Session Start
• Washington Post: Johnson tells wife to put money in bra on FBI phone tap
• Townhall: Stupid . . . Or Worse?
• Wall Street Journal: The Risk of Giving Lawmakers a Raise
• Common Sense: Politicians Must Suffer
• Prince George’s County: Legislative Branch
• MdCounties.org (see page 5): REPORT OF COUNTY EMPLOYEE SALARIES, HEALTH BENEFITS & PENSIONS – FISCAL YEAR 2016