Category Archives: Clown

Nikki Haley’s View of New York Is Priceless. Her Curtains? $52,701. – The New York Times

The State Department spent $52,701 last year buying customized and mechanized curtains for the picture windows in Nikki R. Haley’s official residence as ambassador to the United Nations, just as the department was undergoing deep budget cuts and had frozen hiring. The residence, in a new building on First Avenue, has spectacular views, and Ms. Haley is the first ambassador to live in it. For decades, her predecessors lived in the Waldorf Astoria hotel. But after the hotel was purchased by a Chinese insurance company with a murky ownership structure, the State Department decided in 2016 to find a new home for its top New York diplomat because of security concerns. The government leased the apartment, just blocks from the delegation’s offices, with an option to buy, according to Patrick Kennedy, the top management official at the State Department during the Obama administration. The full-floor penthouse, with handsome hardwood floors covering large open spaces stretching nearly 6,000 square feet, was listed at $58,000 a month.

Detention of Migrant Children Has Skyrocketed to Highest Levels Ever – The New York Times

Population levels at federally contracted shelters for migrant children have quietly shot up more than fivefold since last summer, according to data obtained by The New York Times, reaching a total of 12,800 this month. There were 2,400 such children in custody in May 2017.

Chemnitz fact check: Were foreigners chased down during protests? | Germany| News and in-depth reporting from Berlin and beyond | DW | 09.09.2018 – yes

Based on the evidence, Maassen’s assertions that the video was “deliberate misinformation” do not stack up. The timing, location and perpetrators all indicate that the incident did take place in Chemnitz on August 26, as the right-wing demonstrations began to break out. After Maassen’s interview with Bild was published Friday, the premier of the state of Lower Saxony, Stephan Weil of the center-left Social Democrats, said “question marks were starting to mount up” with him as to whether the BfV chief was up to his job. Several lawmakers have also denounced Maassen’s comments, while journalist Lars Wienand, who has led efforts to verify the footage, described Maassen’s assertion as “absurd” and “gaga.”

Source: Chemnitz fact check: Were foreigners chased down during protests? | Germany| News and in-depth reporting from Berlin and beyond | DW | 09.09.2018

America last: Trump has brought US to irrelevance in Syria | World news | The Guardian

Yet Trump has furthered weakened the US position through his kowtowing to Russia. Attention in Washington is focused on Russian subversion of the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion. The furore has obscured Russia’s many malign activities elsewhere, notably in Syria. Trump’s irrelevance will be highlighted on Friday when Iran hosts a summit in Tehran with Russia and Turkey to discuss a “phased” Idlib offensive and what Moscow calls “long-term normalisation” in postwar Syria. The US is not at the table. Its views on Idlib or the country’s future will not be heard.

Source: America last: Trump has brought US to irrelevance in Syria | World news | The Guardian

Trump to chair UN security council meeting on Iran | World news | The Guardian – it will be the height of clownishness 

President will highlight Iran’s ‘violations of international law’ during gathering this month, US ambassador Nikki Haley said

Source: Trump to chair UN security council meeting on Iran | World news | The Guardian

The New Yorker has dropped Steve Bannon from its festival – and played right into his hands | Arwa Mahdawi | Opinion | The Guardian

The New Yorker’s decision to give Bannon a platform was irresponsible and immoral. While it has rescinded the invitation, harm has already been done. Indeed, I imagine that getting invited and then uninvited from the festival was Bannon’s dream scenario. First he gained intellectual legitimacy by having the New Yorker announce him as a headliner. Then he got to do what the far right seems to enjoy doing the most: play the victim. No doubt extremists everywhere are dashing off opinion pieces about how conservative views are being censored by the liberal media.

Source: The New Yorker has dropped Steve Bannon from its festival – and played right into his hands | Arwa Mahdawi | Opinion | The Guardian

Ron DeSantis tells Florida voters not to ‘monkey this up’ by choosing Gillum | US news | The Guardian

Racism immediately became an issue in the Florida governor’s race on Wednesday as both nominees made predictions: the Democrat said voters aren’t looking for a misogynist, racist or bigot, while the Republican said voters shouldn’t “monkey this up” by choosing his African American opponent.

Source: Ron DeSantis tells Florida voters not to ‘monkey this up’ by choosing Gillum | US news | The Guardian

White House wobbles on U.S. flag after McCain death | Reuters

Trump’s White House lowered its flag on Saturday, then raised it back following the minimum period under law. Trump also delayed issuing the customary proclamation for flags to remain at half-staff for longer than the two-day minimum. Finally, under pressure from veterans and members of Congress, Trump said in a statement later on Monday that he respected McCain’s service to the nation and ordered flags to half-staff. “Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country and, in his honor, have signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff until the day of his interment,” Trump said. In the interim, through most of Monday, confusion reigned across the federal government, with flags flying at half-staff over the U.S. Capitol and at hundreds of national parks, but at full-staff over the Pentagon and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Source: White House wobbles on U.S. flag after McCain death | Reuters

Archbishop Claims Pope Francis Long Knew of U.S. Cardinal’s Abuses – The New York Times {Nothing more vile than accusations from the right-wing of the church that hid most of the crimes for hundreds of years!}

Carlo Maria Viganò, formerly the Vatican’s top diplomat in the United States, charges that Francis was complicit in covering up abuses by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.