The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump

[LawBeefaroni]

Not sure where to put this or how it fits in the fiscal strategy but it's significant.

US health insurers jump as 2026 Medicare payment rates exceed expectations

April 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. announced a 5.06% average increase in the government's final reimbursement rates for 2026 Medicare Advantage health plans run by private insurers, more than double the increase it proposed in January.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees Medicare and Medicaid health insurance programs, had earlier proposed a 2.2% increase in 2026 payments.
...
Shares of UnitedHealth rose 6.5%, Elevance Health (ELV.N) gained 8.7%, CVS Health (CVS.N) added 7.4% and Humana jumped 12.7% in extended trading.

[Holman]

Looks like he'll get his authoritarian birthday parade after all. Will Musk offer cash to attendees?

More importantly, will the troops be allowed to carry live ammo?

[LawBeefaroni]

Looks like he'll get his authoritarian birthday parade after all. Will Musk offer cash to attendees?

More importantly, will the troops be allowed to carry live ammo?

The Russian ones will.

[Max Peck]

The purges will continue until morale improves.

US fires Greenland military base chief for 'undermining' Vance

The head of the US military base in Greenland has been fired after she reportedly sent an email distancing herself from Vice-President JD Vance's criticism of Denmark.

The US military's Space Operations Command said Col Susannah Meyers had been removed from her role at Pituffik Space Base due to a "loss of confidence in her ability to lead".

Last month, Vance said Denmark had "not done a good job" for Greenlanders and had not spent enough on security while visiting the Danish territory.

The alleged email, released by a military news site, told staff Vance's comments were "not reflective" of the base. A Pentagon spokesman cited the article, saying "undermining" US leadership was not tolerated.

[$iljanus]

The purges will continue until morale improves.

US fires Greenland military base chief for 'undermining' Vance

The head of the US military base in Greenland has been fired after she reportedly sent an email distancing herself from Vice-President JD Vance's criticism of Denmark.

The US military's Space Operations Command said Col Susannah Meyers had been removed from her role at Pituffik Space Base due to a "loss of confidence in her ability to lead".

Last month, Vance said Denmark had "not done a good job" for Greenlanders and had not spent enough on security while visiting the Danish territory.

The alleged email, released by a military news site, told staff Vance's comments were "not reflective" of the base. A Pentagon spokesman cited the article, saying "undermining" US leadership was not tolerated.

I think she knew this would be a career ending move. But sometimes you just can't stay quiet with the amount of bullshit that gets thrown around. Good on her for speaking truth to power. From the Military.com site:

Col. Susan Meyers, the commander of the 821st Space Base Group who also oversees the Pentagon's northernmost military base, sent a March 31 message to all personnel at Pituffik seemingly aimed at generating unity among the airmen and Guardians, as well as the Canadians, Danes and Greenlanders who work there, following Vance's appearance. She wrote that she "spent the weekend thinking about Friday's visit -- the actions taken, the words spoken, and how it must have affected each of you."

"I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base," Meyers wrote in the email, which was communicated to Military.com.

And knowing her fate she closes her email with class and honor:

"I commit that, for as long as I am lucky enough to lead this base, all of our flags will fly proudly -- together," Meyers' email message to the base read.

[Holman]

I'm pretty sure that any female commanding officer who draws this administration's attention will be fired.

Hegseth is against the idea of women serving in the military at all.

[Max Peck]

Why do you even need wolves, let alone dire wolves, if you can just gene-hack dogs to look like wolves?

Trump team cites wolf ‘de-extinction’ as it seeks to cut endangered species list

The Trump administration is trumpeting a biotech company’s claim of reviving a long-lost wolf as an argument for slashing endangered species protections.

Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences said Monday that it used gene editing to create “de-extinct animals” in the form of three pups with the light-colored fur and musculature of a dire wolf.

Many scientists expressed skepticism that the pups could be classified as part of a canine species that went extinct over 10,000 years ago. But Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the achievement demonstrates that it is not government regulations but innovation that will save species.

“It’s time to fundamentally change how we think about species conservation,” Burgum wrote in a post on X. “Going forward, we must celebrate removals from the endangered list — not additions.”

He has already met with the company about using its animals in federal conservation efforts, as well as for potential species restoration.

“If we’re going to be in anguish about losing a species, now we have an opportunity to bring them back,” he told Interior Department employees during a live-streamed town hall Wednesday. “Pick your favorite species and call up Colossal.”

[Holman]

I'll quote myself from the Direwolf thread in EBG:

The institution where I work has the holotype (the original animal specimen used to distinguish and describe the species) of the Dire Wolf in our collection.

As somebody here put it, "the company is promoting misinformation to gain publicity and funding. They've established that common gene editing tools work on Grey wolves, which is hardly unexpected. Dire wolves are still extinct."

[LawBeefaroni]

Why do you even need wolves, let alone dire wolves, if you can just gene-hack dogs to look like wolves?

Trump team cites wolf ‘de-extinction’ as it seeks to cut endangered species list

“If we’re going to be in anguish about losing a species, now we have an opportunity to bring them back,” he told Interior Department employees during a live-streamed town hall Wednesday. “Pick your favorite species and call up Colossal.”

Simplistic, anti-science thinking.

If it looks like a 10,000 year old wolf species, it's a 10,000 year old wolf species. Then why bother keeping gold in the Treasury when you can just gold-plate lead bars? As long as it looks like gold, it's gold apparently.


Also, does this mean that genocide is not genocide if you save some of their DNA?

[Holman]

Also, does those mean that genocide is not genocide if you save some of their DNA?

Musk and RFKjr are both eugenicists. I'm sure they think individual lives don't matter the way some abstract "health of the species" does.

[Isgrimnur]

[Kraken]

Why do you even need wolves, let alone dire wolves, if you can just gene-hack dogs to look like wolves?

Trump team cites wolf ‘de-extinction’ as it seeks to cut endangered species list

“If we’re going to be in anguish about losing a species, now we have an opportunity to bring them back,” he told Interior Department employees during a live-streamed town hall Wednesday. “Pick your favorite species and call up Colossal.”

Simplistic, anti-science thinking.

If it looks like a 10,000 year old wolf species, it's a 10,000 year old wolf species. Then why bother keeping gold in the Treasury when you can just gold-plate lead bars? As long as it looks like gold, it's gold apparently.


Also, does those mean that genocide is not genocide if you save some of their DNA?

Didja notice they aren't going to let their "dire wolves" breed? That's because they would whelp ordinary gray wolves. Their designer genes aren't heritable.

[Drazzil]

"I find your lack of faith disturbing"

[Holman]

I'm astonished that this hasn't received more attention.

AP: Trump targets ‘Anonymous’ author and former top cybersecurity official in escalation of retribution

Spoiler:

Taylor, who left the Trump administration in 2019, was later revealed to be the author of an anonymous New York Times op-ed in 2018 that was sharply critical of Trump. The person writing the essay described themselves as part of a secret “resistance” to counter Trump’s “misguided impulses,” and its publication touched off a leak investigation in Trump’s first White House.

Taylor later published a book under the pen name “Anonymous” and publicly revealed his identity days before the 2020 election.

Trump said Wednesday that Taylor was “like a traitor” and that his writings about “confidential” meetings were “like spying.”

“I think he’s guilty of treason,” he said.

Taylor responded by saying Trump had proved his point.

Trump named Krebs the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency but became angered with him after he declared the 2020 election that Trump lost to be secure and the ballot counts to be accurate.

Krebs did not respond to a message seeking comment, but late Wednesday he shared on X a message he originally posted when he left government in 2020: “Honored to serve. We did it right.”

Trump has falsely claimed he was cheated out of reelection in 2020 by widespread fraud, despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary. Recounts, reviews and audits in the battleground states where he disputed his loss all affirmed Biden’s victory. Judges, including some he appointed, rejected dozens of his legal challenges.

This is Authoritarianism plain and simple. Trump is executive-ordering the DOJ to "investigate" (i.e. harrass, bankrupt, and make unemployable) two former government officials for the crime of criticizing Trump and calling out his election lies, and he suggesting that at least one them has committed "treason" by doing so.

[Unagi]

It was on NPR the other day. It's terrifying - but I admit to growing numb as my nerve endings fry out.

[hepcat]

Can we get a wellness check on Melania?

[msduncan]

Can we get a wellness check on Melania?

I'm guessing she's ignoring stuff while living a lavish lifestyle. Money can do wonders for distraction.

[msduncan]

It was on NPR the other day. It's terrifying - but I admit to growing numb as my nerve endings fry out.

My biggest fear is all of this in some form becoming the new norm for both parties.

[Smoove_B]

Can we get a wellness check on Melania?

[Holman]

Good news, everyone! The President's latest health report has been released!

Some highlights:

He is 6 feet 3 inches tall
He weighs 224 pounds
Resting heart rate is 62 bpm
Blood pressure is 128/74
Temperature is a perfect 98.6
He does have "scaring" [sic] on his right ear from a gunshot wound
His good health is attributed to his participation in golf

Also, he can fly, he has never lost a single hair from his head, and he has muscles like 1970s Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[Drazzil]

Good news, everyone! The President's latest health report has been released!

Some highlights:

He is 6 feet 3 inches tall
He weighs 224 pounds
Resting heart rate is 62 bpm
Blood pressure is 128/74
Temperature is a perfect 98.6
He does have "scaring" [sic] on his right ear from a gunshot wound
His good health is attributed to his participation in golf

Also, he can fly, he has never lost a single hair from his head, and he has muscles like 1970s Arnold Schwarzenegger.

I cant wait for the cheeseburger that does him in.

[hepcat]

He weighs 224 pounds

And I weigh 32 pounds...when wet.

[Hyena]

He weighs 224 pounds

[hepcat]

Damn, Harvard is pushing back against Trump.

In a letter on March 11, the Trump administration argued that the school "failed to live up to both the intellectual and civil rights conditions that justify federal investment" and proposed terms including changing the school's governance, adopting merit-based hiring, shuttering any DEI programs and allowing "audits" to ensure "viewpoint diversity."

In response, Harvard's president said the school is committed to making changes to create a "welcoming and supportive learning environment" and reaffirmed the school's vow to fight antisemitism. However, he argued the Trump administration's requests would go too far.

"The administration's prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard's First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government's authority under Title VI," Garber wrote. "And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government -- regardless of which party is in power -- should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue."

The list of things Trump wanted from Harvard was incredible. At one point they were demanding that Harvard report any student or staff that didn’t adhere to “American values”. That’s some straight up Orwellian shit.

[Holman]

I'm glad they're pushing back. Every institution should.

Compliance with tyranny will not save you.

[hepcat]

The amount of life saying research they’re doing is substantial. Cutting their funding is going to seriously hurt those endeavors. An image of every person that dies from illnesses and diseases they’re researching should be projected onto the White House.

[Holman]

The amount of life saying research they’re doing is substantial. Cutting their funding is going to seriously hurt those endeavors. An image of every person that dies from illnesses and diseases they’re researching should be projected onto the White House.

This goes for most of what DOGE and Trump are cutting.

American science (medical, technological, theoretical, practical) is being crippled in all areas. It's really hard to understand why.

Trump himself is motivated by pure hatred of people smarter than him, sure. He's a big dumb ape. But it's difficult to see why so many others in his orbit are so excited to destroy America's great advantages in research and development. What do they think they are gaining?

(I won't even mention the humanities, because the fascist animus against that speaks for itself.)

[Blackhawk]

Smart people question authority, question facts as presented, find alternate solutions, communicate effectively with others, and are generally a thorn in the side of authoritarians. The more they vilify scientists and build up anti-intellectualism, the easier their goals will be to reach.

[naednek]

Damn, Harvard is pushing back against Trump.

In a letter on March 11, the Trump administration argued that the school "failed to live up to both the intellectual and civil rights conditions that justify federal investment" and proposed terms including changing the school's governance, adopting merit-based hiring, shuttering any DEI programs and allowing "audits" to ensure "viewpoint diversity."

In response, Harvard's president said the school is committed to making changes to create a "welcoming and supportive learning environment" and reaffirmed the school's vow to fight antisemitism. However, he argued the Trump administration's requests would go too far.

"The administration's prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard's First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government's authority under Title VI," Garber wrote. "And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government -- regardless of which party is in power -- should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue."

The list of things Trump wanted from Harvard was incredible. At one point they were demanding that Harvard report any student or staff that didn’t adhere to “American values”. That’s some straight up Orwellian shit.

On Monday afternoon, Harvard became the first university to directly refuse to comply with the administration. By the evening, federal officials said they would freeze $2.2 billion in multiyear grants to Harvard, along with a $60 million contract.

[hepcat]

Harvard has a lot of rich alumni in powerful positions that I’m hoping take up the battle now.

[Max Peck]

On Monday afternoon, Harvard became the first university to directly refuse to comply with the administration. By the evening, federal officials said they would freeze $2.2 billion in multiyear grants to Harvard, along with a $60 million contract.

I'd keep an eye open for news of a surge in deportations targeting Harvard students, faculty and employees. If Harvard is the first to refuse to capitulate, then I expect the regime is going to do everything it can to make an example of them.

[Kraken]

They also have a $58B endowment that, while rife with restrictions on spending it, enables them to make a stand. I hope other, less capitalized universities will stand with them.

[Max Peck]

Harvard has a lot of rich alumni in powerful positions that I’m hoping take up the battle now.

Or they'll apply pressure to the university administration to get with the program. I don't have much faith in the rich and powerful these days. For some inexplicable reason...

[LordMortis]

Harvard has a lot of rich alumni in powerful positions that I’m hoping take up the battle now.

Or they'll apply pressure to the university administration to get with the program. I don't have much faith in the rich and powerful these days. For some inexplicable reason...

This ^^^


Also From the Declaration of Independence.

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

Just saying...

[Rumpy]

On Monday afternoon, Harvard became the first university to directly refuse to comply with the administration. By the evening, federal officials said they would freeze $2.2 billion in multiyear grants to Harvard, along with a $60 million contract.

I'm glad to see them push back against the administration, but yeah, I was worried that the administration would fire back with funding cuts.

[Victoria Raverna]

Homegrown criminals are next.

Trump brought up the idea ‒ which he's discussed previously ‒ to Bukele in the Oval Office before reporters entered the room for a bilateral meeting. The exchange was captured in a livestream video published on the X account of Bukele's office.

"Homegrown criminals are next," Trump said to Bukele. "I said homegrowns are next, the homegrowns. You've go to build about five more places."

"Yeah, we've got space," Bukele responded as Trump officials in the room could be heard laughing.

"It's not big enough," Trump said.

[Alefroth]

Winning! America First!

https://www.securityweek.com/mitre-sign ... g-expires/

The non-profit MITRE Corporation says uncertainties around US government funding may lead to the disruption and “deterioration” of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program.

In a letter to the CVE board, VP and Director at MITRE’s Center for Securing the Homeland Yosry Barsoum said the contract with the US government to manage the program will expire on April 16 and there’s no word on funding moving forward.

[LawBeefaroni]

Winning! America First!

https://www.securityweek.com/mitre-sign ... g-expires/

The non-profit MITRE Corporation says uncertainties around US government funding may lead to the disruption and “deterioration” of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program.

In a letter to the CVE board, VP and Director at MITRE’s Center for Securing the Homeland Yosry Barsoum said the contract with the US government to manage the program will expire on April 16 and there’s no word on funding moving forward.

This is the equivalent of saturation bombing before an attack to soften a target. The first strike in any future war will be a cyber attack.

[Alefroth]

CISA steps in to protect the CVE program.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/s ... -services/

Thank goodness there are still some adults around.

[Blackhawk]

(The acronyms in this thread are starting to make my head spin.)