“My best friend, my doctor, won’t even tell me what it is that I got.” — Bob Dylan
***
So let’s say, for argument’s sake, that the Big Man is bluffing. That all of his bluster about invading Panama and Greenland, annexing Canada, blowing up the Middle East, slapping massive tariffs on virtually everybody, and so on is merely a bargaining tactic to get a better deal.
There is one problem with this strategy. What if the rest of the civilized world calls his bluff? What then?
Well, that’s the way the cards are being played. When it comes to the world stage, the Big Man is way over his head. By overplaying his very first hand, he risks getting his clock cleaned. And yes, that is a mixed metaphor.
We live in a time of mixed metaphors, and mixed-up thinking and mixed-up half-truths and conspiracy thinking. At such a time, what you end up with is somebody like the Big Guy.
A man who doesn’t have a clue.
***
My heart goes out to those suffering the effects of the wildfires in Southern California. A lot of dreams are going up in smoke down there. People say that the only thing that matters is getting out with your life, but it’s way more complicated than that. Meanwhile, the Big Man plays politics with the tragedy, revealing once again what a small person he truly is.
HEADLINES:
At least 5 dead in L.A. County firestorms; more than 2,000 structures lost (LAT)
Three wildfires rip through Los Angeles as hurricane-force wind gusts spread flames (WP)
Pacific Palisades wildfire is most destructive in LA history (AP)
Trump Blames California’s Governor, and His Water Policy, for Wildfires (NYT)
A tale of two presidents: How L.A. fires show the difference between Biden and Trump (LAT)
Germany and France warn Trump over threat to take over Greenland (BBC)
Panama Canal CEO Says Meeting Trump’s Demands ‘Will Lead to Chaos’ (WSJ)
Trump says ‘all hell will break out’ if no hostage deal by inauguration (WP)
Garland prepares to release Jack Smith’s report on 2020 election subversion case against Trump (Politico)
Aileen Cannon’s Obstruction of Jack Smith’s Report Is Literally Lawless (Slate)
The Strange Triumph of a Broken America — Why Power Abroad Comes With Dysfunction at Home (Foreign Affairs)
What if ICE Agents Show Up? Schools Prepare Teachers and Parents. (NYT)
Italian journalist Cecilia Sala lands back in Rome after being freed from detention in Iran (CNN)
A record 24 million people now get Obamacare health plans. Will it last under Trump? (NPR)
New Warnings About Alcohol Hit Restaurants at a Tricky Time (NYT)
Shrinking trees and tuskless elephants: the strange ways species are adapting to humans (Guardian)
UC Berkeley’s Jennifer Doudna receives National Medal of Technology and Innovation (UC, B)
How Mark Zuckerberg pivoted Meta to the right (NBC)
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalate amid border clashes (WP)
NASA defers decision on Mars Sample Return to the Trump administration (ArsTechnica)
The Incredible, World-Altering ‘Black Swan’ Events That Could Upend Life in 2025 (Politico)
Roman Empire’s lead pollution was high enough to lower IQs, study says (WP)
Sam Altman Stirs Mighty Waves With Tweets Of AI Singularity Staring Us In The Face (Forbes)
The fight over robots threatening American jobs (Financial Times)
AI means the end of internet search as we’ve known it (MIT Technology Review)
Anthropic Makes OpenAI Look Cheap—Again (The Information)
The AI arms race costs money (Financial Times)
I talked to Meta’s Black AI character. Here’s what she told me. (WP)
Report: Terrible Thing That Just Popped Into Your Head Would Make Loved Ones Turn On You Immediately (The Onion)
LYRIC:
“But the joke was on me. there was no one even there to bluff” — Bob Dylan
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