SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

A GENDER OFFENSE – FROM FOX:   There was a little bit of confusion during the medal ceremony for Men’s Olympic Curling on Saturday at the Pyeongchang Games.  After the victorious American teammates took their place on the top step of the podium and gold medals were draped around their necks, they noticed they'd received the awards engraved for the women's winners.  Only Joe Polo, the team’s alternate, received the correct men’s medal, WNBC reported.  No sweat, though. The mixup was quickly fixed and the men got the appropriate medals they deserved.  I am militant.  I see anti-male sexism here.  Heads must roll.  This is a grave offense.  Do not accept apologies.

THE FUTURE? – FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE:  Robot cars without drivers could be on California streets by early spring.  Long-awaited state regulations for autonomous cars without human drivers may be approved Monday by a legal compliance agency, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles, which submitted the rules to the Office of Administrative Law on Jan. 11.   A thumbs-up would open a 30-day public notice period, during which companies can apply for permits to test the cars. California could begin issuing such permits April 2, according to spokeswoman Jessica Gonzalez.  “I think we’ll definitely see some companies applying for driverless testing permits right away,” she said. “Manufacturers will want to be the first ones.”  Who wants this?  All the fun is being taken out of driving.   

HYPOCRISY LIVES – FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES:  As France, Germany and Italy chastised President Trump for rejecting the Paris climate accord in June and mocked the U.S. for turning its back on the environment, their nations were busy importing record amounts of American coal.  The U.S., federal data show, is seeing something of a coal renaissance, but the boom — partly the result of Mr. Trump’s aggressive policies to roll back Obama-era regulations on the fuel — largely has benefited foreign markets. Some of the biggest buyers are also the biggest critics of the Trump administration’s climate policy, including China and leading European nations that now claim to be the world’s leaders on fighting global warming.  The U.S. last year produced 773 million short tons of coal, 45 million more than 2016. That was the largest year-to-year increase in nearly two decades, government numbers show.  Does anyone still care what Western Europe thinks?   It's a great museum, but the civilization is dying. 

February 24,  2018