More from the article ...

... The Post's poll found that 65 percent of American adults surveyed have a negative view of the president's projects -- the new White House ballroom, a proposed triumphal arch and renovation of the Reflecting Pool -- with 38 percent of Americans saying they are "upset" about the projects and 27 percent were "dissatisfied."

Less than half of that total percentage viewed the projects in a positive light, with 12 percent being "enthusiastic" and 19 percent "satisfied."

Over half of those surveyed said Trump had a "different goal," other than making "Washington more beautiful."

Of the 51 percent who said the president has a different goal, 42 percent of that group said the president was trying to "glorify himself/vanity/ego." Twenty-two percent said Trump wants to "leave his mark/name on Washington/U.S./history." ...

imo, it is not "yet another reason."

There is one reason, and only one reason, why the US needs universal health care.

What is that singular reason?

Simple: It helps US citizens to stay healthy, happy and productive.

What other reason is needed?

@#13 ... Currently All the dictators are laughing at America right now ...

"Right now?"

I'd proffer that any laughter generated from this episode may be more of a continuation of the ongoing laughter that other dictators have been exhibiting for months, if not years, regarding Pres Trump.

imo, ...

Yeah, prior automation forays have targeted those who did the work. Can you say Unimation?[1] I knew you could.

But now, automation, driven by AI, is going after those who sit for a living.

So, there should be no surprise that those folk want to unionize.

Related ...

More from the article ...

... The best time for tech workers to unionize was 20 years ago, when they had plenty of leverage. The second-best time is now, when they don't.

Mass layoffs, AI-driven displacement, corporate surveillance, workplace disillusionment have created conditions that have made organizing compelling for tech professionals. But the federal labor board that has historically protected workers' right to organize has been weakened, and the companies that once feared it are openly defying it.

Here's how organizers and labor experts describe the pros and cons to organizing " and how you can get started. ...

@#34 ... The agreement, which could let Riyadh enrich its own uranium within a decade, is sparking warnings that Turkey, Egypt and others could soon demand the same deal, unraveling years of U.S. nonproliferation policy. ...

So, allow me to ask once again...

How might Trump Inc. be benefiting from this "deal?"

@#25 ... It is more of a district or town-level thing. ...

i.e., the wealthy just seeking to perpetuate their wealth.

@#24

oops, keyboard had issues... lemme try again ...

Here in Connecticut, I see high schools that resemble a college campus in the wealthy towns. While the less wealthy towns struggle to hire talented teachers.

So, yeah, it is not a state-level thing.

It is more of a district or town-level thing.

@#3 ... It's nonsense to say which state when within the states huge disparities exist between school districts. ...

Nonsense?

I'm not there yet.

But I do take your point.

Here in Connecticut, I see high schools that resemble a college campus in the wealthy town. While the less wealthy town struggle to hire talented teacher

So, yeah, it is not a state-level thing.

It is more of a district or ton-level thing.

@#9 ... Anyone recall Trump claiming the plane was just being sent to Europe so US troops could tour it? ...

I saw him saying that.

At the time my first thought was along the lines of... ~what's he covering up?~

Now Pres Trump finally seems to admit the real reason.

Qatar 1 was a civilian aircraft that was attempted to be at the capability level of a usual Air Force 1.

And it failed in that aspect.

OK, let's take a step back here, and look at things ...

Qatar 1 was originally a civilian Boeing aircraft.

The Air Force 1 planes start out as military planes.

OK, from the get-go, there is a huge difference in the planes, military vs civilian usage.

So, then the question becomes, how much money needs to be spent upon a civilian aircraft, Qatar 1, in order to bring it up to the standards of a military Air Force 1 aircraft?

So far, I see $400 million, and counting.

@#7 ... Everyone says that, no one says what really needs cutting. ...

I do not disagree.

However, as a director in a corporation, I saw excesses from prior management.

So, my view is that there are always excesses in an organization.

But to your point, how to identify those excesses as detrimental to the organization?

Yeah, that is the main issue.

Destroying CISA?

imo, that was not the best of choices.

Unless, of course, there was an alternative goal like, say, reducing the ability to see and report election fraud?

@#12 ... These people won't actually learn anything from Trump's destructive policies. ...

imo the question is not what they may have learned, but how might they vote?

MAGA supporters have shown that they do not appear to have a problem with voting for policies that hurt them.

That, in and of itself, is a curious topic of discussion. Why might voters actually vote against their own interests? Perhaps a different thread. ...

... Talarico also pledged to reverse DOGE cuts ...

I'd prefer if he had said that he would reverse the manner in which the DOGE cuts were performed, i.e., imo, a reckless manner.

Did the Fed government need cuts? imo, yes.

But those cuts should have been performed with a view towards how the cuts would affect the Country in the future.

Now we have explosive-diarrhea, et al.

Thank-you chain-saw Musk (who, fwiw, apparently admitted to his failure in this regard.)

@#29 ... Now, if I was in charge I'd eliminate food stamps entirely - and replace them with a much larger no questions asked cash benefit. And institute a wealth tax to pay for it. ...

OK, I admit that I am not yet fully there with that opinion.

But I'm close.

Then, I see things like this ..

@#17 ... Canada's military was the only nation that stuck with us in Afghanistan until nearly the end. They have a whole bunch of veterans of that conflict "burdening" their medical system too. They fought against the Nazis for two years before the USA. ...

I agree.

But that long-term friendship of Canada towards the US does not seem to make a difference in our current ~how can I profit~ "leadership" in the Oval Office.

As a result of these types of whimsical international actions, the US is becoming more and more isolated upon the world stage.

China seems to be the main beneficiary.

@#3

... The White House appears to be shielding China from scrutiny in President Donald Trump's push to get to the bottom of what he has declared an official cover-up of Chinese interference in the 2020 presidential election. ...

Of course Pres Trump is going to TACO in accusations against China.

There's the upcoming summit between Pres Trump and Pres Xi in September, and Pres Trump may not want to do anything to upset the early negotiations for that summit meeting.

... The Pentagon insists the Strait of Hormuz remains open ...

Before Pres Trump's war of choice against Iran, there were 130+ ships per day traversing the Strait of Hormuz.

If, as Pres Trump's administration say, the Strait is now open ...

Then how many ships per day are traversing the Strait of Hormuz today, or yesterday?

More from the article ...

... Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Thursday morning local time that it stopped three oil tankers from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

In recent weeks, Iran has hit tankers using a route hugging the Omani coast to traverse the strait, in a bid to strongarm vessels into using its own waters and pay for safe passage.

"Three oil tankers, provoked and tempted by the child-killing American army, were trying to pass through the mine-laid route south of the Strait of Hormuz, but after one of them exploded and caught fire, the other two quickly turned around and turned back," the Guard said in a statement quoted by Iranian state media.

The statement did not say when the incident happened.

"The powerful IRGC Navy emphasizes that the Strait of Hormuz is under our control... and any ship that is deceived by the US and intends to pass without coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran will suffer the same fate," the Guard added. ...

I'll ask again ...

Of course, that raises the question (again!) ... where have the Venezuelan oil revenues been going?

@#2 ... The Orleans Parish Court is a schittshow. ...

Why?

Please be specific.

thx.

Saw this today ...

@#19 ... It seems the biggest lesson in both is low tech, low cost drone warfare is in and big, expensive missiles blowing up bigger, more expensive missiles/tanks/targets is out. ...

Bingo!

A $10k drone can take out a $1M missile is a significant thing.

One that should not be a topic of trivialization.

Our weapons stockpile is based in expensive per-unit item. Missiles and the such.

Ukraine has shown the US that much lower-cost drones are now a capable defensive weapon.

But our stockpiles of counter-defensive (and expensive) measures has been diminished because of Pres Trump unprovoked war.

To the point that our defense abilities in the eastern Pacific are being questioned.

How many military units have been moved from the Pacific to fight in Pres Trump's war of choice against Iran?