CAN WE SAVE MONEY BY SPEEDING UP THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS? My guest Gerard Scimeca is Vice President of Consumer Action for a Strong Economy and we're talking environmental review. Why? Because there is a move afoot to speed up the process. I think this is a good thing because I've seen how environmentalists who may have no real concern about a project except it inconveniences THEM will use the process to stop a project by a death by a 1,000 cuts rather than by a legitimate environmental complaint. Find out more about Consumer Action for a Strong Economy by clicking here.
DID JOHN BOLTON JUST CREATE A HUGE PROBLEM FOR DONALD TRUMP? The New York Times has a story today based on a manuscript being circulated by John Bolton about his time in the White House. They say it says that Bolton heard Trump say that he was withholding aid until the Ukrainians did him a solid by investigating the potential corruption around the Biden boys. Does this mean anything? I don't think so. I think this whole thing is a big waste of time, even if the Times isn't ready to admit that yet.
CAN ISIS MUCK UP A PALESTINIAN PEACE PLAN? They seem to be trying to do just that by encouraging Muslims to attack Israel as the next wave of their war against everything. We'll see if the Palestinians really want their own country or whether they just want to continue calling for the elimination of Israel when Trump offers his "Deal of the Century" today to Netanyahu.
KOBE BRYANT IS DEAD And everyone is not sure how to handle his legacy as not all of it is good. His helicopter flew in bad conditions and that may have lead to the crash that killed Bryant and his 13 year old daughter and many others yesterday. My heart goes out to his wife and children and family.
MATHEMATICIANS SAY WE'RE MAKING COFFEE WRONG At least espresso, which I rarely drink by itself anyway. They say a slightly rougher grind and LESS coffee is the key to a consistent cup of espresso. Fun fact: if you're drinking espresso to get the most caffeine, you're failing. Percolated coffee has the highest percentage of caffeine out of all methods of making coffee.
ONE DAD SENT FOR HELP ON A SNOW DAY And it's really funny. Check it here.
NOW LOOKING POOR IS FASHIONABLE And this is such a First World Problem it's almost laughable. Fashion houses are selling dirty, distressed, holy and otherwise gnarly looking fashion for a pretty penny and now people are mad about people appropriating poverty? I can't make this up.
GEN Z IS KEEPING DRAGON DANCING ALIVE I had the great pleasure of attending a Chinese New Year celebration Friday night (I learned to make dumplings!) and this story is a wonderful example of younger people not only respecting but working to keep traditions alive.
IF YOU'RE NOT WORKING IN COLORADO YOU'RE NOT TRYING Because our unemployment rate is a record 2.5% right now. That is BEYOND what is considered full employment. If you aren't happy where you are, look for something else RIGHT NOW.
TRANSWOMEN ARE MEN...SAYS TRANSWOMAN Well this sure got interesting quickly. As straight, not trans woke people run around and deny basic science and demand tampons in men's rooms to declare trans women ARE women, one trans woman has stood up to say no. And her argument, which I'm sure is already resulting in death threats and whatnot, is that when you deny basic science how are people not like you supposed to trust you?
WANT TO BAN DOLLAR STORES? ELITIST PIG. I shop at dollar stores. I have lived in areas where the Dollar General WAS the store. I have a bag that I use that I get compliments on ALL THE TIME from the DG. (that's what we call the Dollar General where I'm from) Now I hear that well meaning (read: SNOBS) people are moving to stop the rise of the dollar stores and anything else that might bring great prices to an area that is traditionally underserved. This column explains it perfectly.
NOW AN OCTOPUS THAT HEADS ON LAND TO HUNT
HEADED TO A CLASS REUNION? GO AS IRONMAN That's what this dude did and it's pretty freaking cool.
BUT SHE DIED DOING WHAT SHE LOVED, AMIRIGHT? An Australian woman is dead after collapsing during a cake eating contest.
PRINCE CHARLES IS A GIANT CLIMATE HYPOCRITE WHO SHOULD SHUT HIS PIE HOLE As he flew around in numerous private jets to the tune of 11,000 carbon full miles before he zipped over to Davos to take a picture with the dour little Greta Thunberg. Pardon me if I don't take his scary exhortations about climate change seriously.
YES, WE NEED TO MOVE BACK TO INPATIENTS MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES This article begins to go down the rabbit hole of disappearing in-patient treatment for mentally ill people but doesn't really tell the whole story. We started shutting down mental hospitals for two reasons: One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and pharmaceuticals. The drug companies kept telling politicians (who LOVED to have the money being spent housing mentally ill people on other pet projects) that drugs could cure mental illness. And then One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest painted a picture of mental hospitals that caused many well-intentioned people to demand they be closed down. So now we are using our streets as mental institutions.
HUSBANDS CAUSE MORE STRESS THAN CHILDREN? At least according to one study done recently. Wives say dealing with their husbands causes more stress than dealing with their children. Sometimes this is true. But I'm sure it's true the other way too. Marriage is hard and sometimes it's really hard, and in a totally different way that parenting is hard. And men just want some thanks. That part gets to me, because not all men do the same for their wives.
AND NOW 12 OF THE DUMBEST INTERNET CHALLENGES OUT THERE for your information in case your kids are stupid.