Here’s a simple test for the Washington Post. Given its new bedrock commitment to “personal liberties and free markets,” will it come out strongly against Trump teaming up with Russia against Ukraine? Russian society and economics are the opposite of the Post’s values. Let’s see if they say so.

I keep looking at X because there are a lot of interesting posts. The problem is the comments are full of right wing vitriol. So actually, it remains a pretty good platform for information if you follow the right people but it’s just a sad place for commentary.

Is there any less useful of a headline or phrase than “experts say”? Republicans see that and disregard everything that follows. Can’t there be stronger language?

I saw the headline about the California water discharge. “Experts say it wastes water.” No, it actually does waste water. Say it.

Did any of you see the interview with Vivek right after the election when he asked Democrats to give Trump a chance to unify the country? I think he even meant it. It was a laughable request — Trump had no intention of trying. It’s always interesting to see an intelligent person be delusional.

I still check out X on occasion. Less so than BlueSky but reasonably often because there are some interesting people who do not post here. But the ratio of dreck-to-quality keeps going up and it’s only a matter of time before I pull the plug there. Ugh.

Here’s the interesting question. Trump and his crew want to be authoritarians. They plan to take complete control. And that worries me. But much of his crew are incompetent and loopy, and the overall plan is unpopular. Will he succeed? How long before they face real world crises?

I just read Andrew Witty’s guest essay in the NYT that the mission of UnitedHealth Group is to care for patients and make the health system work better. Does anyone believe that? I know he has to say it but does even he believe it? Is there any evidence? This is a massively flawed industry.