Monday, March 31, 2025

Sure, service members like it when senior leaders work out alongside them, but they like it much more when senior leaders live by the same standards they impose on their troops. They also like it much more when senior leaders can keep the nation’s most precious secrets.

 

What Rusting Russian Tanks Can Teach Us About the Pete Hegseth Group Chat


Opinion Columnist

Before Russia invaded Ukraine, several leading Trumpists developed a strange fascination with the Russian Army. They contrasted masculine Russian recruitment ads, which featured chiseled Russian soldiers displaying their martial prowess, with much softer American ads on social media.

The Russians were masculine and tough, they said. Americans were woke and weak. But the illusion of Russian prowess was shattered on those battlefields north of Kyiv. There is much more to military strength than physicality and bravado. Ukraine, the much smaller representative of the so-called woke West, has turned much of Russia’s conventional arsenal into smoking ruins.

It’s telling that Hegseth is turning to martial, masculine symbolism to save his career. He’s putting out images of himself working out with Navy SEALs, as if his fitness can cover for his carelessness and incompetence.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

As the Trump administration has responded with a mixture of denials, brush-offs, lies and vitriolic attacks on Mr. Goldberg, I’ve found myself worrying less about the leak and more about the character of the people in charge of our nation’s defense. The breach is serious, but security breaches can be plugged. Men and women who have shown themselves to have no character, though, can never be trusted. Not with national security, not with anything.

 

Security Breaches Can Be Fixed. People Without Honor Can’t Be Trusted.


Mr. Klay is a novelist and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq war.

Its so French

 

They Want More Babies. Now They Have Friends in the White House.


The American conservative movement has long worked to put the nuclear family at the center of cultural and economic life. Lately, it has added a twist. It wants to make those families bigger.

Neighborhood Grocery

 Dear Diary:

It was 1987. I had just moved to New York from Texas. I loved going to small neighborhood grocery stores in the city. They were so different from the huge suburban ones I was used to.

One day, when I was in Grace’s Marketplace on the Upper East Side, I overheard a customer addressing the man behind the counter.

“Do you have fresh escargot?” the customer said.

“No,” the counterman said. “But we have snails in a can.”

— Kate Marcus

Saturday, March 29, 2025

Personally I'm keeping my Rover another three years despite its ridiculously high costs

 

Trump’s Tariffs Leave Automakers With Tough, Expensive Choices


Carmakers are likely to face higher costs regardless of how they respond to President Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on cars and auto parts.

Again its Saturday morning when I post this and I can't wait for Saturday Night Live

 

Vance Makes Quick Trip to Greenland, a Place That Doesn’t Want Him


Vice President JD Vance’s trip to an island that President Trump wants to “get” was a scaled-back version of the original White House plan. “He’s not welcome,” one Greenlander said.


Jeffrey Gettleman and 

Jeffrey Gettleman reported from London, and Maya Tekeli from Nuuk, Greenland.



It's Saturday morning while I write this but I can't wait for Saturday Night Live

 

Hegseth Seeks to Reassure Allies on First Official Trip to Asia


At his first stop in the Philippines, the U.S. defense secretary promised to strengthen deterrence against Chinese “threats” in the region. He also plans to visit Japan.

Current Price of Tesla reflects a 100 Price Earnings ratio which is five times higher then a well priced stock and ten times higher than dreary auto stock like GM or Ford and which Elon is working hard to sink to to

 

They Loved Their Teslas. Now They’re Too Embarrassed to Drive Them.


Fury at Elon Musk emerges as vandalism, protest and buyer’s remorse.

Friday, March 28, 2025

By imposing secondary sanctions unless the Russia universal tariff is paid, the United States would be taking a cut of the revenues, effectively increasing the discount on Russian oil. Russia’s continued exports, despite facing large discounts over the past three years, suggest it would continue exporting the same volume. That would keep global oil supply stable and help keep oil prices in check. Oil and gas in Russia are inexpensive to produce, and it relies heavily on the income they generate, so it has little option but to keep selling, even at lower prices.

 

How to Punish Russia, Make Money and End the War

Glenn Hubbard and 

Dr. Hubbard, a former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, is a professor at Columbia University. Dr. Wolfram, a former deputy assistant secretary for climate and energy in the Treasury Department, is a professor at M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Management.

“It’s so beyond what I would expect from anyone in the military,” said Commander Kuldau, who also flew combat missions in the Middle East. “The idea that the secretary of defense, who should know better, has done this, is just mind-boggling.”

 

Signal Chat Leak Angers U.S. Military Pilots


Monday, March 24, 2025