DramatistDreamer

Nobody actually ever "released" this information to the general public. It was leaked (and most likely with a pointed purpose), which actually makes a difference. ETA: I missed the press conference today. After such a late night and early rising this morning, I couldn't imagine trying to actively seek a livestream to listen to all of that! Nope.

This is an opinion piece but makes some valid points questioning the optics of Stuttgart offering Sharapova a wildcard into the tournament that begins while she is technically still banned. Some people defend the tournament's decision by saying the first round begins on Tuesday and she wouldn't be playing until Wednesday. Others ask how Maria will sign up if she is not allowed on-site until her ban expires. (I was not aware that players had to be onsite to confirm singles participation, I know that doubles sign ups are required at the tournament sites). If she does get to confirm entry some other way, like e-mail/online, perhaps this time she'll clink the link. OPINION: Maria Sharapova and her shambolic foray back to top-level tennis

This is very unsettling any way you look at it. The fact that it is uncorroborated yet cannot be dismissed because the person who gathered this information is not just any hack (pardon the pun) but a highly regarded former M1-6 officer with extensive experience and particular expertise in Russia. Honestly, these feels worse than when Bush got into office. Of course, I had no idea of the tragedy to come then but now knowing what can happen when incompetence takes office, this just stirs a wave of thoughts and emotions to the fore, none of them good. Trump hasn't even been sworn in yet and I'm already weary of him and the possibilities of what's to come. It's not just this latest scandal, it's the way this man conducts himself, his aura, his entire demeanor. Trash, sorry but no other word comes to mind. Trash. Hopefully I can have a change of mindset and summon some strength to gird myself in the future for the resistance. Right now though, this feels like a drain.

Oh my!

I agree. I think I am keeping emotions locked inside and as a result, my head is starting to hurt. It hasn't altogether hit me, the absence that will befall us and I was so locked into every word and image, I wanted to stay in the moment. I'm going to need to hold onto those words and images in the future for those times I really need them.

One of them is The Daily Beast. U.S. Spies Warn Trump and GOP: Russia Could Get You Next

This is really about Solange but Beyoncé did conduct the interview. I posted this mainly because there is a reference to Syreeta Wright, which I think @amybrickwallace would appreciate. http://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/solange/#_ " As you said, I have always loved Minnie Riperton, and I loved Syreeta Wright and really identified with a few of her songs that she and Stevie Wonder did. She was saying some really tough [!@#$%^&*], but the tone of her voice was so sweet that you could actually hear her more clearly. I wanted to find a happy medium, feeling like I was being direct and clear, but also knowing that this was a conversation that I was very much in control of—able to have that moment, to exist in it, to live in it and ponder it, not to yell and scream and fight my way through it—I was doing enough of that in my life, so I wanted to make a clear distinction of me controlling that narrative. "

If there is any merit to the allegations of Trump's lawyers meeting in Prague with Russian reps and associated hackers, those golden showers will be the very least of Trump's problems.

I wish more people had watched the PBS special The Choice pre-election Day. It talks about how incensed Trump was at being the butt of jokes at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and it almost played like Trump sought revenge against Obama ever since and getting the Presidency was part of that revenge. At the time, I thought it was a bit dramatic, perhaps trying to create some type of compelling narrative in the absence of one. Now, I think that PBS was spot on, in this assessment. Even Omarosa's words in that documentary (which sicken me to this day) have proved apt.

Is that why the words "golden showers" is being mentioned on social media. Lawd, this is all so disgusting!

We all thought that this is more than a strong possibility.

These anti-vaxxers are responsible for the comeback of measles and mumps when those diseases had been all but totally eradicated. Rubella is fittin' to make a comeback. God help us if polio...oh, nevermind. Speaking of diseases you hoped would go away but won't, did Trump just say that his inauguration will be "soft sensuality" and not "circus-like celebration" with celebrities?! Yuck. It's also obvious that he's still pissed that he can't get any real celebrities within 100 feet of him?

Bill O'Reilly turns my stomach. Onto a palate cleanser: Remember when many of us were discussing the Chinese economy over the weekend? This is an interesting addendum. Chinese official: Economy grew about 6.7% in 2016

I know that Eric H. Holder actually started the group and Obama is joining him. I've read that the group is currently developing its team, which is encouraging since it's well needed. I just assume that most of the work that this group does won't receive much media attention, which is fine, the objective is to make those changes whether it is done quietly or not. Yes, I think I may have heard something to that effect about Perez, which, if true, is also good news. For now, it seems that he may be the frontrunner for Chairman of the DNC, so if this is a platform that is given priority, so much the better.

I agree about the need for the restoration of the VRA @JaneAusten. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen under Trump's watch, IMO. I don't know why people don't want to acknowledge the role of gerrymandering and voter suppression. It's as if those concepts are somehow too complex to dissect therefore it gets diminished, if not completely ignored.

I'm similar to where you are @marceline but for those who have anger, it can be a productive emotion to work with, if directed correctly. Speaking of which, I came across this.

Don't let go, just maybe shift it into something productive. There's good reason to feel disgusted, it's pretty darn disgusting. On a slightly positive note, Did I mention that Howard Dean is taking on Breitbart by targeting their advertisers? Howard Dean rallies the Internet with plan to ‘destroy’ Breitbart — and it’s already working

Well, we knew this was coming but Jared Kushner has been named Senior Advisor to the president. I assumed she was talking about the "unseen" Hollywood, the grips, the craftservice people, the carpenters, makeup artists, PAs, etc. not the "stars".

Also, Russia is just climbing out of its second recession in the past six or seven years and still teeters on the edge economically. That oil money doesn't have the same value it once had.

Also incredible yet unsurprising is how muted the right-wingers have become on this since they've been unable to tie Santiago to ISIS. They tried by showing a picture of him wearing what supposedly a kaffiyeh, only to discover that it was bought as a souvenir on his way home from his first stint in service. Even the Florida PD are flummoxed as to why Alaskan PD gave someone who had submitted himself to a psychiatric facility was given his gun back. Santiago was said to rave about how the CIA was sending him secret messages- but I guess no ISIS, no problem. Even the obvious right-wingers who sometimes post onto this board...*crickets*. I guess no jingoistic slogans to parrot by way of Breitbart this time. M'kay. Just obvious failure of our gun laws and mental health infrastructure, nothing to see here but by all means, stripping Obamacare and Medicare/Medicaid to nothing takes priority so we can give the wealthy another tax break, right? Let's have the next POTUS attack Meryl Streep (but side-step the actual content of her speech). As long as we have our priorities as a nation set, I guess.

A picture of Grigor with the winner's trophy.

Is that why he can't pay his transition team? "Billionaire" Trump Can't Pay His Transition Team's Salaries

I'm far from one of her biggest fans, but even I saw the progress she made with Kamau Murray. With Annacone, Sloane didn't win anything, with Murray, she won four tournaments- he's no nonsense and let her know from the very beginning. I read that she had the foot injury from the time of the French Open and played until the Olympics, which was a bad decision. Yes, I didn't like her attitude at times, and she got a big head after she "beat" a clearly hobbled Serena but I thought she bought into some of the media hype that blinded her to the fact that a few of her biggest wins were either to hobbled or past prime players- but I did see some progress and some positive changes under Kamau Murray's tutelage. Unless she gives me a reason to dislike her again, I'm going to put that past attitude and remarks under youthful indiscretion. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion but I've decided not to hate her because of some mistakes she made when she was barely out of her teens. Now if she shows a similar attitude now...that'd be a different story.

Honestly, I think it's much more than that. Why would she fly 16+ hours from Florida to Sydney, only to withdraw? I know that Sloane always came off as unbothered to the point of appearing indifferent but I think this is different, given that she flew all the way to Australia and tried to practice. She probably felt alright during practices but discovered that her foot couldn't get through a full match. Match conditions are much different than practice and Sydney Australia is not Coral Springs, Florida.

So let me get this straight: After the FBI decides that there are no links between Esteban Santiago (AKA, the Florida airport shooter), the Alaskan police decide to return his gun to him?? So now, only terrorist links are the qualifying factor for whether someone is deemed dangerous? What about plain old mentally unstable? What about in the cases of domestic violence? Those don't qualify as enough of a threat? Anchorage police returned gun to Florida shooting suspect after ‘mental health crisis’