It is almost unfair to present a compare and contrast amid various power-play scenarios when the characters within the comparisons are titans of industry and the puppets known as politicians.  Rex Tillerson, Wilbur Ross, Steven Mnuchin and Donald Trump will forget more about titanic power-playing warfare than any of their current political colleagues will ever know; it’s the underpinning of their capacity to outwit all opponents.

The inequity factor increases when the worlds merge and one of the most instinctually well versed industrial titans decides to enter the sphere of politics.  However, when the life-long instincts of the Titanic spouse(s) are contrast with the spouses of the professional political class, well, the inequity of the dynamic rises exponentially.

It is not coincidental that amid the G7 group Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Trump are both friends, giants in capitalistic enterprise, and -quite simply- in a league of their own.   The same exponential contrast of significance exhibits itself with first spouses Melania Trump and Akie Abe.

While Canada’s Justin Trudeau and France’s Emmanuel Macron, brothers in skinny jean modern metrosexuality and pajama-boy-ism, try desperately to appear as though they deserve a place at the G7 grown-up’s table, the optical contrasts amid the spouses are necessarily synonymous.

(more…)

The G7 is a financial-centric group of world leaders from seven countries which expanded to include the interests of the European Union:  The United States – President Trump; the UK – Prime Minister Theresa May; France – President Emmanuel Macron; Germany – Chancellor Angela Merkel; Japan – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe; Canada – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; and Italy – Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni make up the central nations.

The European Union is additionally represented by Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

(more…)

26 people have been killed and 25 wounded after masked gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians in central Egypt. The terrorist attack happened in Minya province, about 220km (140 miles) south of the capital city of Cairo. The bus was headed to the Monastery of St Samuel.

The bus was ambushed by masked men in three 4 wheel drive vehicles. An immediate response by Egyptian military and security forces is underway, while units of the police special forces closed all exits to Minya.

According to Egyptian media – the terrorists had driven from the Western Desert to a nearby location of the attacked bus then walked to ambush the bus, where they sprayed the bus with gunfire indiscriminately. During the terrorists exit, they found another group in another bus, which they stopped, killed everyone aboard and fled.

(more…)

With Brexit as the backdrop it is in the U.K.’s best interest to cozy up to the United States. It is particularly important for the U.K. to remain close to the United States with looming trade and economic decisions on the horizon.

[Transcript] FOREIGN SECRETARY JOHNSON: Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you very much for coming. Over the last few days I have, as foreign secretary, have been the channel for innumerable expressions of condolences from around the world in the aftermath of the terrorist atrocity in Manchester, and I’ve been struck by how often our international friends and supporters have mentioned not so much the crime as the response: the acts of instinctive kindness by people in Manchester; the holding of hands; the gathering of thousands of people in the center of the city to show their indomitable pride and resilience; and in their unity and their determination to show that it is by coming together that we can beat this scourge.

(more…)

Too funny.  Um, I don’t think the political opinion writers at ABC are “writing” that headline with the same perspective as voters “reading” it.  [Story Here]

Republican candidate Greg Gianforte easily won his election bid for congress.   The media are apoplectic about the brazen victory – without even considering the possibility that Gianforte is less angry with national media than the voters who elected him.

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sean Spicer Twitter @PressSec

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

The national media are full of anticipation to see which candidate comes out on top in the Montana special election.   National and local media went all-in to generate as much controversy as possible amid the race between Greg Gianforte (R) and Rob Quist (D).

The national media are transparently desperate for a Democrat win, so they can push the an anti-Trump/damaged-Trump narrative.  Polls closed at 10:00pm – customary reporting shenanigans anticipated.

Greg Gianforte, Republican (left) – Rob Quist, Democrat (right)

RESULTS HERE

JoeDanMedia’s latest episode of Intellectual Froglegs:

Visit Website HERE

(more…)

The non-elected bureaucratic and intelligence gathering system known simply as “Deep State” has been attempting to undermine the Trump administration since the moment of the election.  However, the recent leaks surrounding the Manchester bombing have brought a new sense of urgency in identifying the participants.

WHITE HOUSE – The alleged leaks coming out of government agencies are deeply troubling. These leaks have been going on for a long time and my Administration will get to the bottom of this. The leaks of sensitive information pose a grave threat to our national security.

I am asking the Department of Justice and other relevant agencies to launch a complete review of this matter, and if appropriate, the culprit should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

(more…)