[remus]

Potential that Trump himself engineered the leak so that a) he would have opportunity to overtly deny the allegations / claim as "fake news" in press conference and b) mitigate any possibility of The Kremlin having anything on him?

Or just to give him another chance to talk about himself. He's turned the presidency in to the X-factor.

[Oldmanmatt]

Scottish Evening Herald TV guide:




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[battery]

Genius!

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[slackline]

What will Donald Trump's presidency mean for health? A scorecard

The US signed up to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) listed in the right-hand column.

[petejh]

I'd be interested to see that list in the context of all the major economies to see how the US compares.

[slackline]

I'd be interested to see that list in the context of all the major economies to see how the US compares.

The goals were only set in 2015 and came into force in 1st January 2016 so there is little evidence on any countries progress towards achieving them.  The paper sets out possible threats to the US achieving them.  I can't find anything on how other current policies in other countries line up with achieving them at the moment (might be something in the references section perhaps, not looked), but the second Article listed on the right hand side of the linked Lancet page for the article is....

Measuring the health-related Sustainable Development Goals in 188 countries: a baseline analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

...which would show how they compare at the outset.

If you want to keep track then you could use the "Create Citation Alert" to be notified when the article is itself cited, no doubt in related work.  Probably worth keeping an eye on the website too.

[petejh]

Here's how they currently compare (from that report).

Some interesting info on those tables. The correlation between affluence and poor diet/obesity is stark to see if you look at the 5th column ('Overweight) and scroll through all 170-odd countries in the report. The poorest-performing countries (in terms of the other health indicators) tend to be the poorest in terms of economy. But 'Overweight' looks like an inverse trend - the poorest countries have better stats, with a few exceptions (e.g. Japan).

Also 'air pollution' is hard to say for a whole country. If you live in London or Beijing you're breathing poison compared to living in rural north Wales/rural China.

[slackline]

 

[Oldmanmatt]

So the empty seat thing is real. Even close to the Whitehouse private stand, as the cavalcade passed, there was almost no one there.
Given that a large number of people in Washington that day were there to protest the man, it seems like his Nuremberg moment fell a little flat.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/01/20/inaugural-parade-crowd-size/96855252/

It's also been highly amusing as my U.S. friends share screen caps of FB and Twitter posts of their friends/relatives who supported trump; but are only now realising that the "Affordable Care Act" IS Obama Care! The panic! Some genuinely believed the ACA was a Republican  introduced alternative and have only just realised what they're losing.


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[andy popp]

Reporting from the frontline: I was privileged to be able to attend the march in Washington yesterday, alongside six "nasty" women friends. It was a phenomenal day - yuuuuge numbers, much great good humour, brilliant homemade signs (one favourite: "If I wanted the government in my womb I'd fuck a senator"). Its important to stress that this was not an anti-Trump protest per se, so much as a rallying cry around a series of issues seen now to be in critical danger under the new dispensation (reproductive rights being central amongst them). It was a demonstration that voices will not be silenced and that changes will not be steamrollered through without resistance. People are determined to not simply roll over and give up. The fight back starts here.

If these words sound over dramatic, then its important to stress that this is not a normal transition in government. The stakes are very high First, there are to my mind important questions about the legitimacy of the election. There seems little doubt there was Russian interference, largely through propaganda and disinformation. Second, the actions of FBI director James Comey 11 days before the election undoubtedly had a significant impact. Moreover, Trump's moves to deal with his conflicts of interest were utterly inadequate and, I think, place him in breach of the constitution. More importantly, this deeply compromised election - and president - is serving as a vehicle for governmental capture, as demonstrated by Trump's cabinet choices. What those now in power want to achieve would see a deeply radical transformation of American society and would also carry profound implications for international relations.

Its important to stress that the Trump presidency and the Republican congress/government are two almost completely separate things - their interests and priorities are very different (in so far as its actually possible to determine what his interests and priorities are). No doubt that during the primaries Republicans viewed Trump as joke, along with the rest of us, and were dismayed when he was picked. Now, I suspect, they can't believe their luck. They've managed to ride the populist tide he created to control of both houses. He has been a very useful idiot for them. But now he has probably pretty much served his purpose for them. If Trump doesn't serve a full term - and odds are already being given - then any impeachment process is probably as likely to be initiated by Republicans as it is by Democrats. Certainly, Republicans will be very happy to collude in an impeachment. Both Trump and his press secretary have told blatant lies since the inauguration (in other words, during the presidency). Its kind of incredible that senior Republicans are not reining him in; but perhaps they're simply giving him enough rope?

[fried]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/21/letter-to-donald-trump-president-armando-iannucci

As you'd expect. I won't make the usually apology for pasting Guardian articles.

[mrjonathanr]

More importantly, this deeply compromised election - and president - is serving as a vehicle for governmental capture, as demonstrated by Trump's cabinet choices. What those now in power want to achieve would see a deeply radical transformation of American society and would also carry profound implications for international relations.

Exactly so.
cf Brexit. Who does it serve?

[Will Hunt]

Did a minor new boulder problem today and called it United Hates. So yeah, that'll show him.

[Oldmanmatt]

Dan Rather has produced some of the most profound commentary of this debacle.



Not surprising considering this shit:

http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/conway-press-secretary-gave-alternative-facts-860142147643


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[mrjonathanr]

The Guardian commentator who termed the press briefing more 'Pyongyang than Washington' summed it up well I thought.

[SA Chris]

Change thread title to just "Donald Trump"?

[Oldmanmatt]

When I read the article, I thought it was probably partisan bunk and wilfully misinterpreted.
Then I listened to his speech. The bloke's a nut Job. He's fucking crazy. Rambling like a loon. "America never lost a war, when I was young" he says. So what the fuck was Korea? Vietnam? I mean, I know they managed to beat Panama and Grenada fairly soundly, but given the size of the US military; that's not a huge surprise... like France invading Monaco or Russia invading Shetland.

http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/politics/trump-tells-cia-staff-they-may-get-another-chance-to-invade-iraq-room-falls-dead-silent-video/


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[Oldmanmatt]

Things look pretty black in the US right now.

Imagine this:

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/trump-administration-orders-communications-blackout-for-us-scientists/

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/donald-trump-environmental-protection-agency-website-climate-change-global-warming-a7544621.html

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/trumps-freeze-on-epa-grants-leaves-scientists-wondering-what-it-means/

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/01/national-park-service-defies-trump-gag-order-tweets-climate-change-facts

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/24/journalists-charged-felonies-trump-inauguration-unrest?CMP=share_btn_tw

Happening here...


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[slackline]

US Defense Department seem on the ball though...

Social media postings sometimes provide an important window into a person’s #mentalhealth. Know what to look for. https://go.usa.gov/x9yVB

...although its not actually aimed at who you might think it is.

[slackline]

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/01/national-park-service-defies-trump-gag-order-tweets-climate-change-facts

Not all of BadLands NP tweets were deleted...

Fun Fact: In the Cretaceous Period, BadlandsNP was covered by a shallow sea. Our New Prez' climate policies will RESTORE them to that state!

There is also now @AltNatParkSer

[andy popp]

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/01/national-park-service-defies-trump-gag-order-tweets-climate-change-facts

Not all of BadLands NP tweets were deleted...

Fun Fact: In the Cretaceous Period, BadlandsNP was covered by a shallow sea. Our New Prez' climate policies will RESTORE them to that state!

There is also now @AltNatParkSer

Golden Gate NPS were also tweeting climate change facts earlier today.

[andy popp]

Things look pretty black in the US right now.

Imagine this:

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/trump-administration-orders-communications-blackout-for-us-scientists/

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/donald-trump-environmental-protection-agency-website-climate-change-global-warming-a7544621.html

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/trumps-freeze-on-epa-grants-leaves-scientists-wondering-what-it-means/

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/01/national-park-service-defies-trump-gag-order-tweets-climate-change-facts

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/24/journalists-charged-felonies-trump-inauguration-unrest?CMP=share_btn_tw

Happening here...


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You have no idea ...

[Oldmanmatt]

It's just bat shit! Just been messaging a retired US Army Colonel, people are genuinely starting to panic.
See the senators who have brought the bill to prevent Trump authorising a Nuclear first strike (she just told me about it, I'll find a link) and the growing suspicion that his new "investigation " into voter fraud will result in him being cemented into office a la Putin...

Then Radio 4 were talking about reinstating rendition and Black Sites etc and how it all feels like a bad episode of Homeland.


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[Oldmanmatt]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/democrats-introduce-bill-to-curb-trumps-ability-to-launch-a-nuclear-strike-2017-1


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[andy popp]

people are genuinely starting to panic.

People are very frightened. Day to day life is going on, of course, but this does not feel normal, very far from it. But I think there is going to be resistance.