An overwhelming majority of Canadians believe the country's relationship with the US has permanently changed, as President Donald Trump's tariffs and sovereignty threats spark widespread fury in the northern nation. read more
In the last year of Joe Biden's presidency, some members of his Cabinet lacked confidence the president could be relied on to respond to a crisis in the middle of the night, CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson write in their new book, "Original Sin." CNN on Wednesday first reported that revelation from the book, which also describes how Biden's inner circle shielded him from several Cabinet members "for months" at a time in 2023 and 2024.
fcil ter respeito por aqueles que pensam de forma parecida com a nossa, mas preciso aprender que o fundamento da democracia o respeito por quem pensa diferente. --- Jos Mujica "Estou morrendo", diz Mujica ao anunciar que no tratar mais o cncer. Exame, 9 jan. 2025.
As Jeanine Pirro prepares to become U.S. attorney in D.C., Trump loyalist Ed Martin is taking over the Justice Department's effort to investigate Trump's investigators.
When the Washington Post reported via anonymous sources that a government intelligence assessment concluded the Venezuelan government was not directing the migration of members of the Trenreport de Aragua gang to the United States ... read more
@#3 ... deported a father and family man from Maryland to a foreign gulag but let these people in ...
And Pres Trump is deporting Afghans who helped the US Military.
Trump turns America's back on another ally -- Afghans
www.palmbeachpost.com
Trump's Qatari 747 may need fighter escorts to serve as Air Force One
www.reuters.com
... A Boeing 747 jet offered to President Donald Trump by Qatar as a temporary flying White House might need fighter jet escorts and could be restricted to flying inside the U.S. unless significant costly security upgrades were made, aviation experts and industry sources said.
Even if numerous improvements to the plane's communications and defenses are made over the coming months once any deal is completed, the military escort and domestic restriction could remain in place, the experts and sources said.
As the commander-in-chief, however, Trump could waive any and all requirements like these, a former Air Force official noted. ...
Another view ...
US retail sales rise slightly as tariffs start to curb demand
www.reuters.com
... Retail sales increase 0.1% in April; March data revised up
Core retail sales decrease 0.2%; spending still holding up
Producer prices drop 0.5%, travel category leads plunge in services
U.S. retail sales growth slowed in April as the boost from households front-loading motor vehicle purchases ahead of tariffs faded and consumers pulled back on spending elsewhere against the backdrop of an uncertain economic outlook.
The apprehension over the economy's prospects, sparked by President Donald Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs policy, was underscored by retail giant Walmart which on Thursday joined the list of companies from airlines to auto manufacturers that have either withdrawn or refrained from giving financial guidance.
Wholesale prices for services like airline tickets and hotel rooms fell last month, other data showed, also flagging softening demand, which does not bode well for an anticipated rebound in growth this quarter after the economy contracted in the January-March period for the first time in three years.
"We are now witnessing the first-order effects of tariffs on the economy through reduced spending," said Tuan Nguyen, a U.S. economist at RSM US. "While a recession is no longer our base case over the next 12 months due to the recent reduction in tariffs, the likelihood has increased that the U.S. economy will experience several quarters of sluggish growth."
Retail sales edged up 0.1% last month after an upwardly revised 1.7% surge in March, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales, which are mostly goods and are not adjusted for inflation, would be unchanged after a previously reported 1.5% jump in March. Estimates ranged from a 0.6% decline to a 0.4% gain.
Retail sales have see-sawed this year amid Trump's announcements of import duties. Though Washington and Beijing struck a 90-day truce in their trade war last weekend, slashing tariffs on imports, uncertainty remained over what happens thereafter.
Sales at auto dealerships dipped 0.1% after accelerating by 5.5% in March. Receipts at sporting goods, hobby and musical instrument stores slumped 2.5%, while receipts at miscellaneous store retailers fell 2.1%. ...
... Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Wednesday defended his recent decision to move his wife from a flight that was to take off from troubled Newark Liberty International Airport to one departing from New York's LaGuardia Airport " saying he did it to ensure she could make an event, not because of concerns about safety. ...
Yeah, from what I have been seeing on the local NYC news, he may not be alone.
Traveling out of Newark Airport? Nina Pineda has tips to save you time and money
abc7ny.com
... The disruptions continue at Newark Liberty International Airport.
So far, 7 delays and 78 cancellations have been announced on Wednesday, according to Flight Aware.
So, what should you do if you're holding a ticket for EWR?
Newark Airport delays are being blamed on a combination of federal budget cuts, FAA equipment problems, air traffic control staffing shortages, and ongoing runway construction.
The delays are part of the reason that United is encouraging passengers to consider going out of different airports.
Since Newark -- the 14th busiest airport in the country -- is cutting dozens of flights daily, to get yourself rebooked, rescheduled, and reimbursed requires you to be your own agent. ...
Yeah, it looks like a mess there at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Sec Duffy's only prior experience in the transportation industry seems to be his stint on MTV's Road Rules series.
Sean Duffy
en.wikipedia.org
... Sean Patrick Duffy (born October 3, 1971) is an American politician, lawyer, former prosecutor, and former television personality who has served as the 20th United States secretary of transportation since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district from 2011 to 2019.
After graduating from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota and William Mitchell College of Law, Duffy first gained fame as a cast member on The Real World: Boston, Road Rules: All Stars and Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Seasons, before going on to serve as district attorney of Ashland County, Wisconsin, from 2002 to 2010, and as congressman from Wisconsin from 2011 to 2019. After resigning from Congress, he became a lobbyist and a Fox Business television co-host.
On November 18, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump named Duffy to be his nominee for U.S. Secretary of Transportation in his second presidency. ...
&bsp
@#1 ...Can the FA-18s the noxious orange pedo keeps dumping in the Red Sea be recovered in time ...
Here's How Much An F-18 Super Hornet Jet Actually Costs To Build
www.slashgear.com
... In March 2024, the Navy secured a deal that would acquire 17 Block III F/A-18 Super Hornets from Boeing for a grand total $1.1 billion. This purchase will give the Navy 12 F/A-18F and five F/A-18E on top of a technical data package for both Hornet variations and the EA-18G Growler. Rear Adm. John Lemmon, the program executive officer for tactical aircraft at NAVAIR told USNI News, "The technical data package was a crucial part of this negotiation; it is necessary for naval aviation's operational readiness and post-production sustainment." This comes after negotiations stalled in 2023 due to the cost of each individual Super Hornet.
Articles from 1977 released by the US Government Accountability Office state that each individual original F/A-18 Hornet came in at $13 million. If you adjust for inflation, that puts the cost of the current Super Hornet at $72 million, but that's without considering all of the updated technology as well as different materials used for the fuselage. There are a lot of variables that dictate the cost of a product. Estimates from 2023, however, list the naval strike fighter at $55.7 million. It's likely that the real price is higher than that as the original package included 20 Super Hornets, not 17.
The Super Hornet's price tag has been growing ...
@#3
Yeah.
Possibly the thoughts of Pres Trump?
Frank Black - [I Want to Live on an] Abstract Plain (1994)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
...
I've had it with this town
I never saw those shifting skies
I never saw the ground
Or the sunset rise
I want to live on an abstract plain
I'm building a frame
A place to put my ten-yard stare
Thinking of that paint
Painted in plain air
I want to live on an abstract plain
I need a new address
I want some new terrain
Is it North or South?
I want to live on an abstract plain
I could sit on the roof
On top of that abstract house
See my abstract view
An abstract mouse
I want to live on an abstract plain
...
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