Morning Politocadoes!
Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day today with a spasm of gluttony so profound it brings a tear to our country’s collective eye. Unless something really stupid happens, I suspect that activity on the thread will be relatively low. Since many of us will likely be having dumb arguments about domestic politics with family today anyway, I encourage us to look at other dumb happenings around the world.
I will only say this: Trump pardoned a couple of turkeys and neither were named Stone or Flynn. Also President Grandpa is under the impression that there’s a War on Thanksgiving.
North Korea launched two projectiles to telegraph it’s frustrations with the United States over sanctions relief. This continues a more aggressive posture from the nation since they know they can get away with it now.
North Korea launches two projectiles in Thanksgiving message to Trump
Iraqi protesters burn down the Iranian embassy in Najaf. This follows a similar incident in the city of Karbala, which is all happening in the midst of two months of government protesting high unemployment, corruption, and poor government services.
Iraqi protesters burn down Iranian consulate in Najaf
Over in Japan, their longest-serving, yet unpopular, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been utilizing a industrial-size shredder to get rid of important documents. An 800-page guest list for a state-funded party that may or may not have included members of the Yakuza? Shredded. Important documents related to the sale of land to an educational institute that could bring down Abe? Shredded.
The Nakabayashi NSC-7510 Mark III, has become something of a symbol for cover-ups in Japan. A shredder of this size exists in every cabinet office. It’s website boasts that it dispose of 1200 lbs of paper in one hour.
Retention of documents for public records has always been something that Japan has lagged behind. The US has its faults on the issue certainly, but the Presidential Records Act does exist, and up until recently taken very seriously by the Executive Office. Japan has something similar that was passed in 1999 but in Abe’s tenure as Prime Minister there has been a certain gusto to roll-back or otherwise outright ignore the law.
The strange tale of Japan’s prime minister, official documents and a very large shredder
Alright, enjoy today everyone!
Welcome to Thursday! Please be excellent to each other! The Mayor McSquirrel Rule is in effect because we’re better than him. If you notice a news item being posted too often, alert a mod so it can be pinned to the top of the thread.