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

IT'S COME TO THIS – FROM THE INDEPENDENT:  A student who mocked Isis on Facebook is being investigated over claims his post put "minority students at risk and in a state of panic and fear."  Robbie Travers, a 21-year-old third-year law student, is being probed by the University of Edinburgh over claims he committed a "hate crime," even though no criminal investigation by the police has taken place.   Yeah, you're reading it right.  This story is being covered in many places.  Apparently, mocking one of the bestial groups in existence places minority students at risk.  Universities are becoming places of embarrassment.

TRUMP AND HURRICANES – I've been monitoring news coverage of the hurricanes, with an eye, as we pointed out this morning, to their political and economic impact.  I am struck by the number of public officials, regardless of party, who are praising President Trump and his cabinet officers.  Trump is coming through, and apparently we're getting some of that well-experienced businessman's way of handling things.  Sometimes, sadly, it takes a crisis or a disaster to reveal a leader's abilities.  If Irma hits Florida, Trump's skills will be put to the test once more.  We hope it misses us.

SOMEONE FINALLY NOTICED – FROM McCLATCHY:  Under a crushing backlog in the issuing or renewing of security clearances, federal authorities have given interim clearances to people they later discovered were murderers and pedophiles, a senior government official said Wednesday.  “This is very, very dangerous,” said Daniel E. Payne, head of the Defense Security Service, a federal office that oversees the granting of temporary clearances.  Payne said roughly 100,000 people hold interim clearances while working for companies with Defense Department contracts or at 13,000 cleared facilities and plants around the country and as they await a full comprehensive background investigation.  A national scandal.  Congress must investigate.  We have entrusted important classified information to individuals who were major security risks.

September 6,  2017