SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:45 P.M. ET:

ANOTHER BRILLIANT DECISION – From Breitbart:  "The Los Angeles NAACP chapter that withdrew its lifetime achievement award to embattled Clippers owner Donald Sterling last month honored Al Sharpton with its 'Person of the Year' award on Thursday evening, in Sterling's absence.  Sharpton took a dig at Sterling in his acceptance speech, according to Frank Stoltze of Southern California Public Radio. 'Sterling may be rich but he’s not as rich as the history of this organization,' Sharpton told guests at the gala dinner.  I guess some bigots are a little more acceptable than other bigots.

MAJOR EDUCATIONAL NEWS – The complex issue of chocolate milk is now at the fore.  From Fox: "A ban on chocolate milk may be too much for the governor of Connecticut to stomach.  The state General Assembly earlier this week approved nutrition legislation that threatened to remove chocolate milk from public schools. But, drawing a line in the sand in the nanny-state debate, Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy announced Friday that on the matter of lactose legislation -- he is intolerant.   'This specific bill has not yet come to the Governor’s desk and will be reviewed in detail when it arrives,' Malloy spokesman Andrew Doba said in a statement.  'However, on the broader topic at hand, the governor is not supportive of banning chocolate milk in public schools. While we must be extremely mindful of the nutritional value of what’s offered to students, ensuring an appropriate array of options helps to ensure that kids received the calcium and other nutrients they need.'"  Finally chocolate milk has its MacArthur.  We are saved.

NOT THAT HOT – From Reuters:  "Most Americans have a favorable view of former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and think she will win the 2016 presidential election, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday.  Fifty-seven percent of Americans who were aware of Clinton hold a favorable opinion of her, compared to 43 percent who see her negatively, according to the online survey. Nearly one-quarter of Republicans said they had a favorable view of Clinton, a Democrat."  Frankly, for a woman who's been a national figure for as long as FDR was when he died, those aren't great numbers.  She was polling in the 60s not long ago.  If she slips another five points to, say, 52%, the party elders will start to worry.  And candidates almost always slip as soon as they declare their candidacy and the other side opens fire.

May 16,  2014