Tuesday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Tuesday, January 20, 2026
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17 comments
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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BlueSky.
Dow down 760 points thanks to guess who?
Well, it’s about time. Sheesh
The Chinese are not dumb. Unlike a certain President. It is why we got rid of the Iowa-class battleships in the first place.
China calls Trump battleship ‘easier target’ amid mixed US reception
A little history.
Dr. Gladys West, Mathematician Whose Work Made GPS Possible, Dies at 95
BTW, FYI, Dr West was not one of the mathematicians memorialized in the film Hidden Figures. Those women worked at Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA.
@CSK:
Being stuck on Monday is just like being stuck in a nightmare, but with more Monday in it (shudder).
It’s girl scout cookie season! (It always is somewhere.) I’m sure many of you have daughters, grand daughters, nieces, and neighbors who are selling them, but for those who do not and who want some refreshing thin mints or scrumptious samoas, here is my daughter’s cookie sale page:
https://digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/cecilia648139
@Neil Hudelson:
Just bought four boxes to be donated locally. Best of luck to your daughter!
@EddieInCA:
Thanks so much, Eddie!
@Neil Hudelson:
i would, but customs coming into Portugal would be a nightmare.
@Michael Reynolds:
I am personally tarrifing Portugal until they remove these ridiculous trade barriers!
@Neil Hudelson:
Michael, I see that a Socialist (Seguro) and a far-rightist (Ventura) will face each other Feb. 8 in a run-off for the presidency of Portugal. What are your views on this? If Ventura won, would you and Katherine leave?
@CSK:
Dammit, I intended my last for Michael Reynolds.
Headline of the day:
‘This is sell America’ — U.S. dollar, Treasury prices tumble and gold spikes as globe flees U.S. assets
The world is voting with their wallets.
@Scott:
Two major reasons, imho:
– Trump’s incipient confrontation with the Fed (I beleive a Supreme Court juddgement re that is imminent) coupled with his apparent insouciance about the value of the dollar.
Depreciating dollars make foreign holders of trasuries look at the yields more intently.
– Possible full-on trade war with Europe. Again, subject to the Supremes possibly taking away his tariff toys in an upcoming decision.
Related, Europe seems to clearing the dacks for trade war.
And there are of course reports that if things really go sideways, Europen Central Banks will engage in coordinated dumping of Treasuries.
@Scott: I think we have Mark Carney to thank for this in no small part.
And I mean that unironically. Maybe this will get through to people.
For next week, I want to cook burger patties with black pepper sauce. the problem is figuring out a recipe for the sauce. It’s supposed to be thick but fluid, maybe a little creamy.
I think I should sauté some garlic in a little butter, then add beef stock, pepper and a little mustard. most recipes then add heavy cream, but that would make it too creamy, and would greatly reduce the bite form the pepper. Instead, I’ll try reducing the sauce, and maybe add some cornstarch slurry at the end. This tends to work rather well in other of my recipes.
Some recipes use brandy added and partly reduced before the beef stock. I may try that as well.
Aw, it’s so sweet Ryanair is recognizing Adolf Muxk’s achievements by launching a Great Idiots Sale in his honor. There will even be a press conference by Michael O’Leary to “address (undress) Adolf’s latest Twitshit.”