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

CREEPY – FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES:   CAIRO — In an eerie coincidence, the EgyptAir jetliner that plunged into the Mediterranean on Thursday was once the target of political vandals who wrote in Arabic on its underside, “We will bring this plane down.”  Three EgyptAir security officials said the threatening graffiti, which appeared about two years ago, had been the work of aviation workers at Cairo Airport. Playing on the phonetic similarity between the last two letters in the plane’s registration, SU-GCC, and the surname of Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, some workers also wrote “traitor” and “murderer.”  There is still nothing definitive about what caused the crash, but the informed speculation includes the possibility of terrorism or an attempted hijacking. 

A BLOW AGAINST TERROR – FROM THE HILL:   Microsoft is updating its terms of use to specifically ban the posting of "terrorist content" on its services.  The company is also considering whether to prominently display "positive messaging" in its Bing search results when users look for terror-related materials. However, it will not hide results for terror content on its search engine unless it is banned by local governments.  "Terrorism is one of the truly urgent issues of our time," the company announced Friday. "We are committed to doing our part to help address the use of technology to promote it or to recruit to its causes."  The announcement follows a number of steps by other tech companies like Twitter. Earlier this year, the Obama administration began publicly pressuring tech companies to help combat the spread of terror-related content online.  Freedom of speech or press, as guaranteed by our First Amendment, has never included the freedom to advocate criminal violence.  I'm glad that tech companies are finally concluded that their own freedoms depend on defeating the terrorist scourge. 

MORE "SETTLED SCIENCE" – FROM LONDON'S DAILY MAIL:   It has long been held that a diet high in salt is dangerous to the heart, raising the risk of heart attack and stroke.  But, in a dramatic U-turn, the scientific evidence has suggested the opposite can also be true.  A global study has found that, contrary to past belief, low-salt diets may not be beneficial.  Rather, they can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and death, compared with average salt consumption.  The study, published in the reputable Lancet journal, has garnered strong reaction, with one expert declaring his 'disbelief', while others are critical of the study's methods, and calling its findings into question.  I have absolutely no knowledge of this subject, but I do find it interesting that conventional wisdom is often questioned in science, and is sometimes overturned.  Whenever someone says "settled science" to you, run in the other direction.

May 21,  2016