SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:36 P.M. ET: 

WARNING ON IRAN – The UN's nuclear inspection agency warns that there's a gap in the interim nuclear agreement with Tehran that can prove deadly.  From Reuters:  "The U.N. nuclear watchdog's increased access in Iran to monitor a landmark agreement with world powers still falls short of what it says it needs to investigate suspicions that Tehran may have worked on designing an atomic bomb.  It is also a far cry from the wide-ranging inspection powers the International Atomic Energy Agency had in Iraq in the 1990s to help unearth and dismantle Saddam Hussein's clandestine nuclear program after the first Gulf war."  In other words, the interim agreement doesn't do the job.  Iran can still secretly develop a nuclear bomb.  And Obama yawns.

BLACKS SUFFER UNDER OBAMA – He was supposed to be "the brother."  He was supposed to be Barack, come to save us.  But the Obama administration has actually been a disaster for blacks.  From Gateway Pundit:  "Five years in to Barack Obama’s presidency, the number of African-Americans participating in the labor force has hit rock bottom.  The news media has ignored this stunning revelation from Friday’s monthly jobs report by the Labor Department."  And... "While black support for Obama is over 80%, some in the African-American community put their desire for a job ahead of their pride in the first black president in the 2012 election. According to Pew Research, 19% of young black men voted for Republican Mitt Romney—a loss of 14% for Obama from 2008."  There are some signs that black Americans are awakening to what their own leaders have done to them.  If that continues, it could have profound political implications.

MORE OBAMACARE HEADACHES – From The Politico:  "Just under a quarter of Obamacare sign-ups so far have been in the critical 18-to-35-year-old age range, the Obama administration revealed Monday, the first time officials have given demographic data about health plan enrollees.  The administration had set a goal of around 38 percent to 40 percent of the enrollees in that age bracket by the time the sign-up season ends March 31."  If the goal isn't reached, premiums for Obamacare will go up, possibly by dramatic amounts.  It's the payments from the young that are counted on to balance the greater services required of older participants.  It's pretty clear that, so far, the young aren't buying.  And we're not even sure if a number of young "enrollees" are actually going through with premium payments.  Mess.

NUTS – Chris Christie's current troubles have inspired a host of political theories as to what they mean for the future of the world.  Probably the nuttiest is this – that weakening Christie strengthens a potential presidential run for Donald Trump.  I'm not kidding you.  Some presumably serious people are saying that.  Yes, all over America there is a wanting for Donald.  Can you sense it?  Can you feel the beat?  If you find it, let me know.  You can send an anonymous e-mail.  I want to be sure to be the third person on the bandwagon, of three.

January 13, 2014