SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

AS THEY WERE SAYING – The New York Times wrote early last year:  "Officials canceled two Olympic test events last February in Sochi after several days of temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit and a lack of snowfall had left ski trails bare and brown in spots. That situation led the climatologist Daniel Scott, a professor of global change and tourism at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, to analyze potential venues for future Winter Games. His thought was that with a rise in the average global temperature of more than 7 degrees Fahrenheit possible by 2100, there might not be that many snowy regions left in which to hold the Games. He concluded that of the 19 cities that have hosted the Winter Olympics, as few as 10 might be cold enough by midcentury to host them again. By 2100, that number shrinks to 6."  The reporter might visit New York and New England in the next few days.  We're exporting snow.

OBAMA APPROVAL UP – From The Hill:  "Half of Americans approve of President Obama's job performance for the first time in 19 months, according to a new poll released Monday.  It is the first time that Obama has held a 50 percent approval rating in the Gallup daily tracking poll since June 2013. He's now 5 percentage points above water, with 45 percent of Americans disapproving of his job performance."  It's depressing, considering Obama's dismal performance.  But I'm guessing events will overtake the president once more and send his numbers down to their usual levels.

A MYTH DEBUNKED – From Breitbart:  "It looks as though the Left and the mainstream media gathered in their hollowed-out volcano over the weekend to cook up another anti-science Narrative to destroy Clint Eastwood’s 'American Sniper.'  The latest lie is that the film is inspiring a surge of death threats against Muslims. A thorough search of the countless stories launched by this well-coordinated Narrative found exactly three Twitter examples in a country of nearly 350 million."  Americans reacted toward Muslims with great restraint after 9-11, and they are reacting with great restraint now.  The "death threats" surge appears to be propaganda.

ON GUARD, HO HUM – From The New York Times:  "WASHINGTON — A White House radar system designed to detect flying objects like planes, missiles and large drones failed to pick up a small drone that crashed into a tree on the South Lawn early Monday morning, according to law enforcement officials. The crash raised questions about whether the Secret Service could bring down a similar object if it endangered President Obama.  The drone, which was about two feet in diameter and weighed about two pounds, was operated by a government employee whom the Secret Service did not identify. The agency said the employee was flying the object near the White House around 3 a.m. for recreational purposes when he lost control of it. Officials did not explain why the man, who does not work at the White House and who has not been charged with a crime, was flying the drone at that hour."  Oh, come on.  Flying drones near the White House at 3 a.m. is a national tradition.  Everyone does it. 

January 26, 2015