Not wishing at all to jump on anybody's bandwagon the verb `to brief` has no connotation to the adjective `brief` much like the prefix `extra-` as in extraordinary has no connection to `extra` when used as a noun or adjective. The verb comes from the latin breve which was a letter of authority (originally) from the pope, the adjectve comes from the Latin brevis which means short. You are welcome!
Rubbish, I am commenting on the information you quoted and commented on. If you want to make comments on fuller facts, then do so, but give us those facts. I know that there are 24 hours in a day and that the figures you quote include every single hour in a month, including sleeping, sitting on the toilet, showering, etc. It may also include many hours of just working at home. We dont know. "Briefings" does imply brevity. They are mostly one way conversations to inform rather than meetings designed to fully discuss. If you want to try and be the comedian, fair enough, there is room on a forum for laughs and jokes - even cheap laughs. But if you have a serious point to make, then tell us what your comments is based on instead of making pathetic comments such that you see in the gutter press. As for educating myself, I have experience of being placed in new employment positions almost completely different from my previous role. What my experience tells me is that, in my first month, I am trying to take in the whole system, the culture, putting everything into perspective, what relies on me, what I rely on others for, etc, etc. On one occasion, I just told everyone that I was going to be at home just reading, reading and reading, past figures, past meeting minutes and reports. It took me several days. Different newcomers need different ways of adjusting as we all have different ways of learning. I also know that on one occasion I learnt far more about an important colleague over a game of golf than I ever did by actually working with him(he was a cheating bar steward). If I had someone following me round checking what I was spending my time on over my first 31 days in a new job, then I am sure that there would have been plenty of opportunities for cheap jokes made about me as well. But I am not defending him. I dont like him. You are right, I have not been following either him or other new Presidents around and until then I do or either you or some other person enlighten me, I will just stick with the basic arithmetic that he has been identified as working something like 10 or 11 hours a day, without even knowing how much of his "free time" at home he also spends working. But until then, cheap comments made on scanty info deserve little respect and do you no favours.
I dislike Trump for his attitude towards several minority groups and even some non minority. I think he was helped in becoming President by so many people hating Clinton but in fact his campaign was just successful in getting those people he appeals to out to vote. He was helped by the electoral college system but as everyone knew how that operated you cannot say it would have been a surprise. Clinton needed to have spread her 3m extra votes out. Also jobs and the standard of living in America have stagnated for a long time and politicians have not "solved" the problem so many seem to have thought that perhaps a businessman could - and overlooked the personality. Beyond that it does not matter how you break down the hours he works or does not - he is there to do a job and if he does it then hours worked is irrelevant. For some younger posters here Watford used to have a very effective striker called Billy Jennings - lazy but scored goals. After a game (I think against Southend) where he scored 3 goals the opposing manager said - "yes - but what else did he do?"
I don't think Trump has an 'attitude' to minorities. I don't think he has an attitude to, or knowledge about, anything. All he cares about is 'winning' and 'The Donald'. Whatever it takes to get into power and to get his way he will do or say. Consequences to real people are totally incidental. A textbook sociopath.
Probably agree and maybe the word rhetoric rather than attitude would have been better. What he says influences others of course.
For those interested - all this week's Daily Shows are retrospectives of their Trump coverage: Mondays' was "Barack Obama UNpresidented", Tuesday's was "The Celebrity APpresident" and last night's focussed on his inauguration. There should be Youtubes around. EDIT: I also advise watching the Adam Curtis's exceptionally tinfoil hatty HyperNormalisation on iplayer which looks, in part, at Putin's media guru (an "acclaimed" director/producer of surrealist/absurdist theatre) and its parallels to Trump's use of media.
I think he is quite disgusted by vocal minorities, like transgender groups and the disabled. He will penalise them because he doesn't like dissent and because it sends a message to the rednecks 'NONE OF THIS **** TOLERATED ANYMORE'. With the subtext that vocal minorities stop Amerika being 'great'.
Has to be brought down first. **** him. Still, he's managed to overturn guidelines on bathrooms for transgender kids in school, so he's certainly addressing the issues that matter.
How the paranoia about immigrants impacts on ordinary Americans Yes, they shoot each other in true Orson Welles, War of the World's, radio broadcast style. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-each-other-a7591471.html?cmpid=facebook-post
Decent analysis of the revised travel ban order. https://www.lawfareblog.com/trumps-revised-refugee-and-visa-order-quick-and-dirty-analysis
Is he jumping the shark over these "wire-tapp" allegations? Apparently Obama by-passed US security and called in a favour from GCHQ...
The GCHQ and therefore the Government response is as near to '**** off' as it can get without actually saying so.
Trump has given Congress an ultimatum : vote for Trumpcare as it stands, or get stuck with Obamacare forever. I wonder what sort of tantrum he'll throw if Congress stands up to him (please please please)
I'd say he speaks like a 6 year old, but that would be unfair to 6 year olds. He's borderline incoherent. "I'm the President and you're not" has to go down as one of the most juvenile things any world leader has ever said. An utterly pathetic man-child. Pretty sure the bill is going to fail based on current info. The Freedom caucus have dug their heels in and you know all of the Democrats will vote against it. What's interesting is that the Republican watchdog groups are split on how to vote on the bill. Some of the religious-based groups are going to mark down any Republican who votes against the bill, while others (e.g the Heritage Foundation) are going to mark down any Republican who votes for it. They're in a classic "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation; no matter which way each individual votes, they're going to **** off a section of their voters.
Gaff by Trump or clever politics? If the vote goes his way he looks strong. If it fails those Republicans who vote against will be blamed and they face the voters sooner than Trump. He may be a git of the highest order but he knows how to play the politics game.
It's not a clever move, it's a very risky one. If the bill fails he'll look weak and will find it increasingly difficult to push his agenda. The Never-Trumpers in the Republicans will see an opportunity to embarrass him early on and are unlikely to fall into line. The moderate Republicans won't vote for this bill. The only question is whether or not the Freedom Caucus will take him at his word and consider half a victory better than none, but I don't think that's likely. They know they can introduce their own bills. It's worth bearing in mind that Trumpcare is incredibly unpopular and is currently polling a mere 17% approval rating nationwide. As things stand, its a vote loser for sure.
I hope you are right. Isn't there a danger though that if the bill fails Trump has to drop his unpopular bill but they will also be 'stuck' with the unpopular 'Obamacare'. Won't Trump be able to say that despite campaigning to get rid of Obamacare for 7+ years these few anti Trump Republican representatives let you down. Could it be enough to push the party further to the right come the next election? Surely someone behind Trump has some strategic thinking behind this ultimatum? Stop laughing...
Obamacare isn't all that unpopular anymore. Public polling has been steadily rising since Trump was inaugurated. Many of the individual provisions facing repeal are very popular on an individual basis, too. Ironically, if the Republican plan goes through those impacted the most negatively will be the demographics that heavily voted Trump. He could say that, but the problem is that, as I mentioned, various Conservative watchdog groups are strongly divided over the new bill. It's also not difficult to coutnerpoint that replacing a bad bill with another bad bill makes no sense, no matter how much you dislike the original. Seems highly unlikely. Trump is treating the Presidency like his own private company: my way or the high way. That just doesn't fly in politics, as he seems to be realising quite belatedly. He's so used to be being surrounded by yes men that the very concept of building consensus is beyond him. The executive is generally considered to be the weakest branch of US government for good reason. The President is neither King nor Dictator, and cannot create new laws.
I thought Trump would be a disaster. When he was elected, I was hoping that he would calm down a bit and at least attempt to be Presidential. But, I am now back to thinking he will be a disaster. But I'm sticking with my prediction that he'll be impeached.
I too thought he would have more control of himself or at least take more advice before speaking/acting. The tweeting and cries of 'fakes news' can only fool so many of the people for so much of the time. I still think losing Trumpcare may not be such a big disaster for him. If it is becoming so unpopular before it starts and most people are starting to think it will be a disaster if enacted, perhaps it may be help his already fading hopes of a second term if it he goes down in glorious defeat.
Trumpcare bill pulled before the vote because it wasn't going to get enough votes to pass. An enormous early defeat for Trump here.
Samantha Bee's excellent Full Frontal took a look at Trump's security advisor Sebastian v. Gorka - what a nice bloke.
I couldn't read that trump/timeout interview. I'd get more sense out of my 3 year old if I asked her to tell me the plot of a Kafka novel
I see Mike Flynn is making noises about immunity if he will testify to House and Senate committees. Quote Flynn 4 months ago re Hilary aides: "If someone asks for immunity, they've probably committed a crime"
The only reason immunity is ever given in the US is in order to catch an even bigger fish. If he gets it, expect fireworks.
US just launched at least 50 tomahawks at Syrian military infrastructure. We could be looking at the start of WW3 here if things deteriorate.
Thanks for the heads up Arakel. A specific strike against a Syrian airfield with chemical weapons delivery capacity apparently. Russians advised in advance. Doesn't look like we're in Cuban missile crisis territory yet then. Haystack Head isn't mucking about though. And certainly not p.ssyfooting around in the United Nations.
