Lt. General lowers the boom on Air Force Academy's preparatory school over racist messages.

Courtesy of NPR:

After racial slurs were scrawled outside black students' doors at the U.S. Air Force Academy's preparatory school, Superintendent Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria gathered all 4,000 cadets in a hall Thursday so they could hear one message: Treat people with dignity and respect — or get out. 

"That kind of behavior has no place at the prep school, it has no place at USAFA, and it has no place in the United States Air Force," Silveria said, in a speech that has found an enthusiastic reception after it was recorded and published online. "You should be outraged not only as an airman, but as a human being." 

Speaking to a crowd of some 5,500 people that included faculty, coaches, airstrip personnel, and senior officers and staff of the 10th Air Base Wing that includes the academy, Silveria urged them not to let their institution be taken away from them. 

"The appropriate response for horrible language and horrible ideas — the appropriate response is a better idea," Silveria said. "So that's why I'm here. That's why all these people are here."

Did you notice he vaguely referenced Donald Trump while talking about what's going on in this country?

Because I noticed he vaguely referenced Donald Trump while talking about what's going on in this country?

I really like the fact that they addressed what happened in Charlottesville and Ferguson, that is good leadership.

And I would hate to the be the asshole who scrawled those racist messages on the white board, because clearly this man is looking for an ass to kick. 

(Perhaps that was the guy who opened fire on campus yesterday.)

Germany and China to join forces and take on the role traditionally filled by the United States, now that there is a lunatic in charge of that country.

It's up to us now.

Courtesy of Bloomberg: 

The U.S. traditionally takes point in the search for common approaches to the big global issues of the day at G-20 summits. Not this time. 

When world leaders meet in Hamburg on Friday, China and Germany will move in to usurp the U.S.’s role.

The two industrial powerhouses of Asia and Europe are being nudged into an informal alliance to pick up the leadership baton that the U.S. is accused of having dropped since President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this year, according to diplomats and officials from several Group of 20 members. 

The situation has crystallized ahead of this year’s annual G-20 meeting, which will be held in Germany’s busiest commercial port. That’s in part because, for the first time since the group’s founding, the U.S. will be represented by a president who embraces protectionism, abandoning decades of American cheer-leading for free trade.

Boy color me confused.

What part of Make America Great Again is played by having German and China usurp America's role as the leader of the free world?

And while this is going on Trump will be backstage playing footsies with Putin and getting instructions on how best to damage America next.

French President Emmanuel Macron has a message for the United States.

To all scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, responsible citizens who were disappointed by the decision of the US: pic.twitter.com/qxjPX8MhKt

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 1, 2017

Courtesy of Share Blue:  

Tonight, I wish to tell the United States: France believes in you. The world believes in you. I know that you are a great nation. I know your history – our common history. 

To all scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, responsible citizens who were disappointed by the decision of the President of the United States, I want to say that they will find in France a second homeland. I call on them: Come and work here with us, to work together on concrete solutions for our climate, our environment. 

I can assure you: France will not give up the fight.

First thing I notice is that the President of France has a much better command of the English language than does our current American president.

And secondly I once again find myself green with envy toward the people of France. 

I'm REALLY getting tired of that.

Trump's team skipped ethics course that teaches about laws, judicial appointments, and executive orders. Seriously, anybody surprised?

"Ah, we don't need it. Besides no one knows more about ethical behavior than I do. Believe me, no one."

Courtesy of Politico: 

President Donald Trump’s team rejected a course for senior White House staff, Cabinet nominees and other political appointees that would have provided training on leadership, ethics and management, according to documents obtained by POLITICO. 

The documents suggest the program could have better prepared officials for working within existing laws and executive orders, and provided guidance on how to navigate Senate confirmation for nominees and political appointees, how to deal with congressional and media scrutiny, and how to work with Congress and collaborate with agencies — some of the same issues that have become major stumbling blocks in the early days of the administration.

But the contract was never awarded because after the election the transition team shifted its priorities, according to a letter the General Services Administration sent to bidders such as the Partnership for Public Service. The program was expected to cost $1 million, the documents show. The contract-based training program was authorized in 2000, and the Obama and Bush transitions both received the training. 

“It has been determined that the requirements as defined in the RFQ do not accurately reflect the current needs of the Presidential Transition Team,” the GSA contracting officer, Matthew Gormley, wrote in the Jan. 10 letter.

Well this explains a lot.

I wonder if the course included direction to NOT select cabinet members compromised by a foreign intelligence agency?

Cause that might have been useful.

But to be fair WHY would the Trump transition team care to take a training on ethics when they had no intention of being ethical?

I mean that's just silly.

Let's end our day with some video and pictures of our President demonstrating what public service is all about.

Here are some pictures courtesy of The Obama Diary:

Greatest President of my lifetime.

Hey, the Brits are trying to steal Obama away from us!

Can the UK have an ex US president as a prime minister??? Cause if ur done with Obama we'll have him pls

— khrismassy kenna??🎄 (@Kenna_Lily) November 8, 2016

Can we sign some sort of petition to get Obama to come be our prime minister? A do not care how impossible that is lets make it happen

— Amba 🐾 (@stotty_x) November 9, 2016

So America have decided to trade Obama in for Trump. The UK will have Obama thanks.

— connah (@ConnahTilley) November 9, 2016

Pls can we have Barack Obama as our prime minister if America don't need him anymore

— alice (@alicefortune_) November 8, 2016

can obama come to the uk after he's done being president and sort us out pls

— francesca clarke (@francescalaaand) November 8, 2016

Look I cannot say that I blame these folks, after all President Obama is fucking amazing!

And I bet he really could fix their country.

(Hell they already have universal health care so that is one less fight to worry about.)

But I think we are still going to need him here.

President Obama is going to be very important to our political process in the years to come, and I feel his leadership will be invaluable to America's future as well.

So sorry Britain, but you just can't have him.

P.S. Hey maybe when Canada is through with Justin Trudeau you could get HIM!

Worth a shot.

(H/T to Indy 100)

Sarah Palin's definition of "leadership" and mine could not be any more different.

Yes because rolling over like a beaten cur while sharing the stage with the man you have been talking smack about for over a year, only to puff out your chest like a playground bully when back in front of your supporters and completely misrepresenting that interaction, is exactly what comes to mind when one thinks of the word "leadership."

Though to be fair a woman who quit her job at around the mid-way point to run off to make money from ghostwritten books and poorly produced reality shows may not be the best person to define that word for all of us.

If Sarah Palin is REALLY looking for somebody who exemplifies leadership I think I have her man.

Standing firm against impossible odds? Check.

Leading the country out of a recession? Check.

Inspiring loyalty in those around him? Check.

Leaving the country in far better shape than how he found it? Double check.

Having the right color of skin to win support from the white nationalists, like Sarah Palin? Oh, that's right.

Sarah Palin shares a mash letter she received from one of her fans. A 90 year old fan.

"I've still got it!"

Courtesy of Palin's Facebook page:

Received this very kind comment from 91-year-old Iwo Jima veteran Mr. George Monta… 

"Sarah, you are precious to me, a Iwo Jima Veteran, 91 years old and hoping you know how much America needs you!" 

Of course I'm kind of teasing about the mash letter part, this seems like a genuinely nice old man, however I am not joking about the age of the folks who still believe that Sarah Palin is worthy of their respect or affection.

Of course due to this man's military service and history, Palin's ghostwritten response was syrupy sweet: 

Mr. George Monta, YOU and your fellow veterans are the heroes America has always relied on. You kept us safe and fought selflessly for our freedoms, and literally brought the world back from the brink. The Greatest Generation is truly that; our leaders in Washington and those seeking to lead must be mindful of the true American spirit within you. YOU are precious to our great nation. God bless you, sir.

Now I agree that Mr. Monta is indeed a hero and deserves our respect. 

However I would suggest that the entire reason Palin made such a big deal about receiving this comment is because, well first because it makes her feel wanted, and secondly because she thinks that it helps paint her as a supporter of the military.

However in truth she, and her fellow conservatives, are constantly looking to start some shit in the Middle East to find reason to send our soldiers into the middle of some firefight in a god forsaken desert where they can die for the "glory of their country."

People who support our military members do not constantly look for ways to end their lives. Just saying.

Sarah Palin is no supporter of the military. She is an opportunist who believes that associating herself with soldiers, and ex-soldiers, somehow makes her seem knowledgeable about war and foreign affairs. (Spoiler alert: She is knowledgeable about neither.)

And yes she dresses like this in order to carbonate the hormones of men, most of whom have not been able to get their little soldier to salute in decades, and to make them feel similar to the way strip club customers feel when the dancers rub boob glitter on their faces during a lap dance even though there is no way in hell they would ever go home with them.

And personally I am sickened by the fact that men like Mr. Monta, who really should know better, are so easily fooled by the magically inflatable chest, the store bought hair, and the poorly applied patriotic camouflage.

President Obama. Sometimes it is just the small things that signify his courage.

Courtesy of Slate:  

Barack Obama displayed inspiring leadership on Friday. He also promoted public health, fought bigotry, and helped calm raging paranoia. His heroic act? He hugged somebody. 

Nina Pham, the first person to be infected with Ebola within the United States, had just been declared disease-free and discharged from the National Institutes of Health. Obama is a rational, science-friendly guy, so he knew she wasn’t any danger to him. It didn’t take courage to hug her. 

And yet, another modern president failed a similar test. Facing the greatest public health crisis of his administration, Ronald Reagan was not heroic. He was a dithering coward. 

The hateful, homophobic, racist response to the AIDS crisis is one of the most shameful episodes in recent American history. Within a few years after the first AIDS cases were reported in 1981, scientists knew the disease was transmitted primarily by sex, blood transfusions, and shared needles.

The article goes on to revisit the fear mongering and hatred displayed by the conservatives, while others worked diligently to provide accurate information to help put American minds at ease.

Sadly when the country needed a strong leader there were none to be found.  

But Ronald Reagan? He didn’t do a goddamn thing. He was president when the first cases were reported. He was president when Congress, the National Academies of Science, and anybody with a sick loved one or a conscience called for the federal government to do more to fight the medical and social crisis. 

Reagan could have spoken out against panic and called for compassion; the man knew how to give a powerful speech. He could have hugged an AIDS patient, or at least shaken hands. He knew (or should have known) that wouldn’t have been dangerous—just as well as Obama knew hugging a recovered Ebola patient wasn’t dangerous. It would have made a difference.

I love pointing out all of the ways that Barack Obama is a better President than Ronald Reagan. Partly because it drives conservatives crazy, but mostly simply because it's true.

Thankfully we have a leader like Barack Obama in these troubled times and not a "B" actor playing the role of a leader like we did back in the 80's.

The face that now sends a tingle of fear through the spines of Republicans

This is a picture of the intensity on President Obama's face while he and his security team were monitoring the success of JSOC Seal Team 6 as they landed in Bin Laden's compound, and engaged the enemy in a firefight, before ultimately taking the Al Qaeda leader's life thus ending his reign of terror.

That face is the face which will haunt the dreams of the Republican party these next two years.

That is the face which will make those who considered taking President Obama on in 2012, think again. And perhaps even again.

And that is the face which our enemies will picture when they consider their plans to attack this country going forward.

Because THAT is the face of determination which hides behind our President's easy smile, calm demeanor, and self effacing personality.

For anybody who thought this President was a push over, or unfit to command, or lacking the steel spine to stand up against our enemies, I urge you to look at that face again.

Any questions?