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... The reality fell far short of Musk's goals, with DOGE ultimately reporting it saved $214 billion"an amount that may be overstated by nearly 40 percent, critics warned earlier this year.
How much talent was lost due to DOGE cuts?

Once Musk left, confidence in DOGE waned as lawsuits over suspected illegal firings piled up. By June, Congress was drawn, largely down party lines, on whether to codify the "DOGE process""rapidly firing employees, then quickly hiring back whoever was needed"or declare DOGE a failure"perhaps costing taxpayers more in the long term due to lost talent and services.

Because DOGE operated largely in secrecy, it may be months or even years before the public can assess the true cost of DOGE's impact. However, in the absence of a government tracker, the director of the Center for Effective Public Management at the Brookings Institution, Elaine Kamarck, put together what might be the best status report showing how badly DOGE rocked government agencies.

In June, Kamarck joined other critics flagging DOGE's reported savings as "bogus." In the days before DOGE's abrupt ending was announced, she published a report grappling with a critical question many have pondered since DOGE launched: "How many people can the federal government lose before it crashes?"

In the report, Kamarck charted "26,511 occasions where the Trump administration abruptly fired people and then hired them back." She concluded that "a quick review of the reversals makes clear that the negative stereotype of the paper-pushing bureaucrat'" that DOGE was supposedly targeting "is largely inaccurate."

Instead, many of the positions the government rehired were "engineers, doctors, and other professionals whose work is critical to national security and public health," Kamarck reported.

About half of the rehires, Kamarck estimated, "appear to have been mandated by the courts." ...


Another view ...

Top Trump aide Steve Witkoff coached Russians how to win over US president with flattery during Ukraine peace talks: report
nypost.com

... A leaked phone call revealed a top aide of President Trump helped coach the Russians on how to win the commander in chief over with flattery while navigating negotiations on a Ukraine peace deal, according to a report.

The call between Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Yuri Ushakov, the top foreign policy aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Oct. 14, discussed the possibility of Putin and Trump hopping on a phone call to discuss a peace plan, according to the transcript of a recording obtained by Bloomberg. ...




... Dean Obeidallah: The best part of the Trump-Zohran meeting was what happened immediately afterwards! ...

Nah, the best part is how Pres Trump seemed to have turned against his MAGA supporters.

Trump backs Cuomo for New York City mayor and threatens to cut funding if Mamdani wins (November 4, 2025)
www.bbc.com

... "Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job," Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday evening. "He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!"

The president earlier said he would be reluctant to send more than "the very minimum" level of federal funding to his hometown of New York if Mamdani was elected.

This echoed comments he made in a television interview on Sunday, during which he referred to Mamdani as a communist -- a label that Mamdani rejects.

"It's gonna be hard for me as the president to give a lot of money to New York," Trump said in the interview. "Because if you have a communist running New York, all you're doing is wasting the money you're sending there". ...


... and then ...

Trump's wild Mamdani flip -- the insults that came before the love fest
www.foxnews.com

... From "nut job" to "communist lunatic," Trump over the past year has lobbed a series of attacks against Mamdani " targeting his appearance and intellect.

"He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he's not very smart," Trump said in a social media post in June after Mamdani became the Democratic candidate for mayor.

Trump once threatened to arrest Mamdani if he refused to comply with federal immigration officials. The comment came after Mamdani said in June that he would stop "masked" U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials from "deporting our neighbors."
Oval Office meeting between Trump and Mamdani

"Well, then we'll have to arrest him," Trump told reporters at the White House July 1. "Look, we don't need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I'm going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation. We send him money. We send him all the things that he needs to run a government." ...

...
 

However, the two appeared to forge a new path for their relationship as they found common ground on affordability issues and improving conditions in New York. Trump admitted that the two had more in common than he thought -- despite their different views -- and that he would be "cheering" for Mamdani as he leads the city.

"I expect to be helping him, not hurting him -- a big help," Trump said Friday. ...



... Usage of TikTok and Instagram Reels is damaging cognitive performance ...

imo, TikTok usage can be considered an addiction.

It seems to be coming the new opiate for the masses.

TikTok Addiction
www.addictioncenter.com

... The signs of a TikTok addiction include spending excessive time on the app, being unaware of how long you have been scrolling, and feeling irritable or stressed when unable to use the platform. A TikTok addiction can significantly interfere with a person's daily life. ...



The billionaire who fueled JD Vance's rapid rise to the Trump VP spot -- analysis (July 2024)
www.cbsnews.com

... Former President Donald Trump's selection of Ohio GOP Sen. JD Vance to be his running mate shows one thing remains constant, even in a presidential race upended by an attempt to assassinate one candidate and doubts about whether the other is fit to run: money in presidential politics is still king.

Vance, a relative newcomer to national politics, has assiduously courted billionaires and Silicon Valley titans to bankroll his unlikely rise from bestselling memoirist of despair, drugs and generational poverty in Appalachia to a ticket that could seat him a heartbeat away from the presidency.

During his rapid rise, he has emerged as an ardent and effective defender of Trump, putting an intellectual gloss on the former president's raw MAGA populism. But Vance may never have been in serious consideration for the No. 2 spot on the ticket had he not won elective office in a major Rust Belt state in the first place.

And big donors, particularly from the tech sector, provided the rocket fuel he needed to advance in electoral politics.

Vance's most prominent benefactor over the years is Peter Thiel, the iconoclastic tech pioneer and investor.

Thiel hired Vance at his global investment firm in 2017, and then nurtured Vance's political rise, donating $15 million to his 2022 Ohio Senate campaign and helping him win a closely fought GOP primary before going on to capture the seat in the general election. ...


How J.D. Vance's Silicon Valley connections helped launch him into Trump's VP slot (July 2024)
finance.yahoo.com

... Donald Trump's selection Monday of Senator J.D. Vance to be his running mate elevates a figure with long-standing financial connections that are sure to play a role in the rest of the 2024 campaign.

And if Trump wins in November, Vance will instantly become a key conduit to wide swathes of the business world -- from powerful corners of Silicon Valley to manufacturers he championed both as a venture capitalist and as a senator. ...

Time living in San Francisco

After graduating from Yale Law School in 2013, Vance spent time living in San Francisco, where he worked at Mithril Capital. That firm was co-founded by Peter Thiel, the former PayPal CEO who has long been a major giver to Republicans, and Ajay Royan. ...


Browns -- The Old Lamplighter (1960)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
He made the night a little brighter
Wherever he would go
The old lamplighter
Of long, long ago

His snowy hair was so much whiter
Beneath the candle glow
The old lamplighter
Of long, long ago

You'd hear the patter of his feet
As he came toddling down the street
His smile would hide a lonely heart you see
If there were sweethearts in the park
He'd pass a lamp and leave it dark
Remembering the days that used to be

For he recalls when dreams were new
He loves someone who loves him too
Who walks with him alone in memory
He made the night a little brighter
Wherever he would go
The old lamplighter of long, long ago

Now if you look up at the sky
You'll understand the reason why
The little stars at night are all aglow
He turns them on when night is here
He turns them off when dawn is near

The little man we loved of long ago
night a little brighter
Wherever he would go
The old lamplighter
Of long, long ago...
...


I readily admit, I am not a reggae fan. I dabble in listening to some reggae tunes from time to time, but it is not the main music genre I listen to.

But this song from Mr Cliff stands out for me.

I still remember it quite distinctly from back in the day...

Jimmy Cliff - Wonderful World, Beautiful People (1969)
www.youtube.com

en.wikipedia.org

... "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" is a single by Jimmy Cliff. Released in October 1969, it became a top-ten hit in the UK. It was a hit in other countries as well.
Background

"Wonderful World, Beautiful People" was released by Trojan Records on October 24, 1969.[1]

The song was composed by Jimmy Cliff and produced by Leslie Kong. The song is about what the world could be. Politicians Harold Wilson and Richard Nixon are mentioned in the song.[2] It was a first hit for the Trojan label ...


Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
[Verse 1]
Take a look at the world
And the state that it's in today
I am sure you'll agree
We all could make it a better way
With our love, put together
Everybody learn to love each other
Instead of fussing and fighting
Cheating, backbiting
Scandalizing and hating
Baby, we could have a

[Chorus]
Wonderful world, beautiful people
You and your girl, things could be pretty
But underneath this there is a secret
That nobody can reveal

[Verse 2]
Man and woman, girl and boy
Let us try to give a helping hand
This I know and I'm sure
That with love we all could understand
This is our world, can't you see?
Everybody wants to live and be free

[Pre-Chorus]
Instead of fussing and fighting
Cheating, backbiting
Scandalizing and hating
We could have a

[Chorus]
Wonderful world, beautiful people
You and your girl, things could be pretty
But underneath this there is a secret
That nobody can reveal

[Outro]
Talking about the
Wonderful world, beautiful people
You and your girl, talking about you
Things could be pretty, talking about me
Wonderful world, talking about Nixon
Beautiful people, Harold Wilson
Wonderful world, power too
Beautiful people, and the Seagate
...


Yeah, that song made an impression upon this teen back in the day.

R.I.P. James Chambers, and thank-you for the inspiration.


... Over the weekend, Donald Trump amplified posts from pro-Trump X accounts that the platform identifies as operating from outside the United States. ...

Is he blissfully unaware of the source of those accounts, maybe because they say things he likes and they praise him?

Perhaps a song that Pres Trump likes?

Mac Davis - It's Hard To Be Humble (1980
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
[Chorus]
Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror
'Cause I get better lookin' each day

To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man
Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble
But I'm doin' the best that I can!

[Verse 1]
I used to have a girlfriend
But I guess she just couldn't compete
With all of these love-starved women
Who keep clamoring at my feet

Well I probably could find me another
But I guess they're all in awe of me
Who cares? I never get lonesome
'Cause I treasure my own company
...



@#6 ... Two weeks.

Just give him two weeks. ...

Found this ...

18 Confusing Things Donald Trump Has Said About Health Care (2017)
www.politico.com

... During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump railed against the "failing" Obamacare and said he would replace it with "something terrific" once in office. He's pushed Congress hard to overhaul a law that he says is "collapsing" and hurting American families.

But it's never been clear just what, exactly, Trump had in mind. He's praised single-payer systems in Canada and Scotland and said that Australia's government-run approach produces "better health care than we do." ...


@#61 ... Even Trumpy got the point. Which is why he is furious. How dare anyone question the Kings authoritay!

The point is it as much is your responsibility and duty to Not follow illegal orders as it is to follow legal orders and to know the difference.

And you will not be protected from prosecution if you knowingly follow illegal orders when this hateful regime collapses as it eventually will.

"I was just following orders" is not an excuse. ...

Superior orders
en.wikipedia.org

... Superior orders, also known as just following orders or the Nuremberg defense, is a plea in a court of law that a person, whether civilian, military or police, should not be considered guilty of committing crimes ordered by a superior officer or official.[1][2] It is regarded as a complement to command responsibility.[3]

One noted use of this plea or defense was by the accused in the 1945"1946 Nuremberg trials. These were a series of military tribunals held by the main victorious Allies of World War II to prosecute, among others, prominent members of the political, military and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany.

Under the London Charter of the International Military Tribunal that established them, the trials determined that the defense of superior orders was no longer enough to escape punishment but merely enough to lessen it.[4] ...


News Article
Trump Envoy Advised Russia on Putin Call, Ukraine Deal: Report
www.newsweek.com

... U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russian officials on how to pitch a Ukraine peace deal to President Donald Trump, according to an audio recording reported by Bloomberg.

Witkoff, a property developer and longtime Trump associate, played a pivotal role in shaping the White House's current Ukraine peace proposal, as well as the ceasefire deal between Israel and Gaza.

Late in October, Witkoff met with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, an economic adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Florida to discuss and begin drafting an agreement that would prioritize Russian interests.

In a conversation reviewed by Bloomberg, Witkoff is heard telling Yuri Ushakov, Putin's most senior foreign-policy adviser, "We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace, and I'm thinking maybe we do the same thing with you."

In another conversation on October 29, Dmitriev told Ushakov that he could "talk later with Steve" about a paper.

The White House responded to the report, with communications director Steven Cheung telling Newsweek in a statement: "This story proves one thing: Special Envoy Witkoff talks to officials in both Russia and Ukraine nearly every day to achieve peace, which is exactly what President Trump appointed him to do."

Dmitriev denied the Bloomberg report, labeling it as fake, according to a report from the Russian state RIA Novosti news agency. ...


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