SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:53 P.M. ET: 

SOCIETY NEWS – FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER:  Former President Barack Obama is spending a month at a luxury resort near the tourist island of Tahiti.  He checked into the Brando, a luxury resort on French Polynesia's atoll of Tetiaroa according to local TV channel Tahiti Nui TV, AFP reported. Not much is known about the nature of Obama's visit. He arrived without his family and has no political meetings planned.  Rates at the villas on the atoll, purchased by Hollywood star Marlon Brando in the 1960s, run anywhere between 2,000 euros (about $2,150) to 12,300 euros ($13,241).  I'm sure he's there to plan his comeback in isolation.  Either that or Michelle is elsewhere spending the first chunk of the $65-million he's getting for his memoirs.  Just a man of the people.

ARTIST AT WORK – FROM THE WASHINGTON FREE BEACON:   Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.) has previously accused President Donald Trump of being part of a "Kremlin Klan" beholden to Russian interests, but she took the charge a step further on Thursday, disseminating a graphic she created of Trump associates who she has deemed part of this group.  The graphic, with Moscow in the background and an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin looming overhead, pictures several senior Trump administration officials and other associates of the American president labeled with their names.  Waters tweeted out the image from her official account, with the note "Prepared by Rep. Maxine Waters" in the bottom right corner of the graphic.  Okay, so she has a career as a graphic artist after she retires from Congress, but she apparently also has dreams of being the next Joe McCarthy.

BAKE SHOP CONSPIRATORS – FROM THE MIAMI HERALD:   Facing a bread shortage that is spawning massive lines and souring the national mood, the Venezuelan government is responding this week by detaining bakers and seizing establishments.  In a press release, the National Superintendent for the Defense of Socioeconomic Rights said it had charged four people and temporarily seized two bakeries as the socialist administration accused bakers of being part of a broad “economic war” aimed at destabilizing the country.  In a statement, the government said the bakers had been selling underweight bread and were using price-regulated flour to illegally make specialty items, like sweet rolls and croissants.  The government said bakeries are only allowed to produce French bread and white loaves, or pan canilla, with government-imported flour. However, in a tweet on Thursday, price control czar William Contreras said only 90 percent of baked goods had to be price-controlled products.  Socialism is great, isn't it?  Can't you wait for it to come here?  Better get your quota of cookies before that day arrives.  And nothing culturally insensitive.

March 16, 2017