SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 10:46 P.M. ET: 

IS THIS SERIOUS? – From the New York Daily News:  The United States showed off its own military might by buzzing North Korea with a B-52 Bomber.  The Guam-based Stratofortress had an entourage as it cruised 60 miles south of the North Korean border on Saturday, near the city of Osan. The aircraft was flanked by an American F-16 Falcon and a South Korean F-15 Eagle.  Though the U.S. government has not confirmed that North Korea detonated a nuclear weapon at its underground test site Tuesday, U.S. Pacific Command officials said the show of muscle was prompted by the incident.  "This was a demonstration of the ironclad U.S. commitment to our allies in South Korea, in Japan, and to the defense of the American homeland," said U.S. Pacific Command Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. in a statement.  I'm sure the North Koreans are shivering in their boots.  Not.  They know we won't do a thing.

A STUNNING RECORD – From the Daily Signal:   Emanuel Lutchman was arrested on Dec. 30 for his support of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and planned attack for New Year’s Eve in Rochester, N.Y.  Lutchman planned to attack a local restaurant/bar armed only with a machete, knives, and supplies to take hostages.  This marks the 76th Islamist-inspired terror attack/plot on the United States since 9/11 and the 13th in 2015—making 2015 the year with the greatest number of attacks or plots over the past 14 years.  And it is likely to get worse.  ISIS is far more relentless than Al Qaeda, and much more shrewd.

KERRY ROARS – THAT IS A JOKE – From AP:   WASHINGTON — The State Department said Saturday that Secretary of State John Kerry will respond “as appropriate” to a letter from executives at 25 news organizations, including The Associated Press, asking him to press Iran to free jailed Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian.  The department is “working very hard to get our citizens back home and we call again on Iran to release them,” spokesman John Kirby said.  Besides Rezaian, three other Iranian-Americans are known to be held by Iran. Separately, a former FBI agent disappeared in Iran in 2007 while working for the CIA on an unapproved intelligence mission.  How pathetic.  Our secretary of state will respond "as appropriate."  Meaning he will do nothing to upset our precious "relations" with Iran.  North Korea all over again, as noted above.

January 9,  2016