Esther

Nicknames and invented terms might get a chuckle, but they can also obscure reality. Venezuelans deserve respect in language as much as in policy.

Fetterman refers to Venezuelans as "Venezwainians"

Venezwainians’? Creative, sure — but maybe stick to actual demonyms when discussing real people facing real crises. Precision matters when lives and politics are on the line.

Intimidation is no substitute for leadership or strategy. Attacking or threatening a nation rich in resources and determination is unlikely to yield compliance — it only strengthens resolve.

Angus: We see this attack as setting the stage for an attack where Trump could go anywhere. The same language he’s used against Venezuela, he’s used against Canada—and he sees that we have immense resources. The difference is, good luck thinking that you are going to break the Canadian people.

Language meant to instill fear can sometimes reveal the speaker’s own insecurities more than any real leverage. Canada’s strength lies in its people and institutions, which no amount of posturing can easily undermine.”

No political talking point justifies amplifying false claims about the death of loved ones. Sophie and Colin’s plea is a reminder that real people bear the consequences of reckless rhetoric, and decency demands we listen.

Screenshot of a Facebook post written by Colin Hortman. The post begins by stating that his father and mother, Mark Hortman and Melissa Hortman, along with their dog Gilbert, were killed by a man influenced by conspiracy theories and fake news, emphasizing that words matter and that sharing misinformation is dangerous. Colin describes part of his grief process as understanding the last conversation he had with his mother, noting that she loved her job and was respected for her work. He recounts calling her after a legislative session and asking why she voted for a bill referenced in a video shared by President Trump, explaining that she became emotional because the vote had nothing to do with fraud and was instead cast to prevent a government shutdown. He explains that his mother had witnessed the harm caused by shutdowns, including people losing health care, jobs, and even their lives, and that the vote put her in an extremely difficult position that went against her conscience. Colin writes that seeing her struggle makes conspiracy theories about her vote even more painful. He asks President Trump to remove the video and apologize for spreading misinformation and for using his mother’s words in a way that dishonors her memory. The post includes a statement from his sister, Sophia Hortman, who is not on social media, calling the video shared on Truth Social a painful and false twisting of their mother’s final vote. Sophia explains that the vote was incredibly difficult, not made with malice, and was intended to prevent a government shutdown because their mother believed the state helps and protects Minnesotans. The statement calls for a society that does not harbor hatred or violence toward political opponents and says the video fuels political division. It concludes by saying the reposted video is another burden on the family as they grieve the loss of their parents and dog, and asks President Trump to consider their pain and take down the post.

Photo of Melissa Hortman

NEWS: Colin and Sophie Hortman, the children of Mark and Melissa Hortman, released statements after Trump reposted false claims about their parents’ deaths. Sophie Hortman urged Trump to remove the post, saying, “I ask President Trump to please consider the pain and sadness we have faced.”

This is beyond insensitive — it’s cruel. Using someone’s tragedy for misinformation or political gain is unconscionable. The Hortman children deserve privacy, respect, and compassion, not exploitation.

From Iraq to Libya, history offers countless warnings: without a clear post-intervention plan, well-intentioned action quickly becomes humanitarian disaster. Yet the pattern persists, as if history itself is optional.

So we conducted regime change with no clear plan for what happens after. Seems like we’ve done this a few times before.

Regime change without foresight is a gamble with millions of lives. The repeated pattern — intervene, destabilize, then shrug at the consequences — reveals a dangerous combination of hubris and short-term thinking.

This is the danger of mixing hubris with authority. While leaders should respect other nations’ precautions, here we see them belittled instead, revealing a mindset that prioritizes ego over diplomacy and global safety.

Trump Mocks Denmark Increasing Greenland Security After US Threats: ‘They Added One More Dog Sled’ President Trump mocked Denmark for allegedly increasing security around Greenland, telling reporters on Sunday that the country merely "added one more dog sled." The post Trump Mocks Denmark Increasing Greenland Security After US Threats: ‘They Added One More Dog Sled’ first appeared on Mediaite.

Trump Mocks Denmark Increasing Greenland Security After US Threats: ‘They Added One More Dog Sled’

Mocking a country’s legitimate security measures isn’t clever — it’s childish. Greenland and Denmark are responding to real threats, not punchlines, yet the response is treated like a joke by someone with power to do real harm.

History has taught us that bluster and impulsive threats often escalate conflicts rather than resolve them. Naming six countries in one gaggle isn’t a show of strength — it’s a warning sign of dangerous mismanagement.

Trump in a single gaggle on Air Force One just threatened:

-- a second strike against Venezuela
-- Cuba
-- Mexico
-- Colombia
-- Iran
-- Greenland (which in turn would be an attack on the EU and Denmark)

Threatening multiple countries in one breath isn’t leadership — it’s recklessness. Every name on that list represents millions of lives and complex international relations, yet the threats are delivered like a tweet, not a strategy.

Hype and visionary leadership can sustain a stock for years, but eventually performance has to match expectations. If standard variants aren’t filling the gap, the market is starting to price in the risk that Elon’s magic has limits.

HSBC Sees 70% Downside on Tesla, Says Standard Variants 'Failed to Fill the Gap' | EV HSBC analyst Michael Tyndall maintained his Reduce rating and $131 price target on Tesla, implying a 70% downside from Friday's closing price of $438.07.

HSBC Sees 70% Downside on Tesla, Says Standard Variants ‘Failed to Fill the Gap’

HSBC analyst Michael Tyndall maintained his Reduce rating and $131 price target on Tesla, implying a 70% downside from Friday’s closing price of $438.07.

It’s one thing to admire Tesla for innovation, and another to overvalue it in the market. Analysts are warning that the gap between ambition and reality is catching up — a reminder that even iconic brands aren’t immune to correction.

A Prime Minister needs to inspire confidence, not just followers. Poilievre’s approach, while loud and performative, doesn’t convey the steady hand a great country deserves. It’s heartening to see that Canadians are weighing substance over spectacle.

🔴 I'll say it till I'm blue in the face: the mental underling, Poilievre, is severely UNFIT to be Prime Minister of a great country such as Canada. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Fortunately, Canadian voters know it too.

Leadership isn’t just a title; it requires judgment, temperament, and vision. From what we’ve seen, Poilievre falls short on all three. It’s reassuring that voters seem to recognize the gap between rhetoric and competence.

Intervening with bombs and arrests may seem decisive from afar, but it rarely delivers safety, stability, or prosperity for the people on the ground. True change comes from governance, accountability, and the consent of those affected, not military coercion.

Venezuelans braced for uncertainty after the U.S. launched airstrikes on the capital and seized the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro. In Venezuela, the government's official line remains fierce resistance to the U.S. Follow live updates. www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...

Airstrikes and leadership seizures aren’t liberation — they’re destabilization. Venezuelans are facing uncertainty not because of Maduro alone, but because foreign intervention has turned their country into a battlefield for outside agendas.

Distractions will come, but the victims and the truth deserve our unwavering attention. Walking and chewing gum isn’t a metaphor — it’s the standard we must uphold if justice is to be served.

To be clear, we have not forgotten and will not forget about the Epstein files. We can walk and chew gum.

Keeping attention on the Epstein files while navigating other pressing matters isn’t just possible — it’s necessary. Vigilance and follow-through are the only ways to ensure transparency and accountability.