Luminous and Ashen, 7th of Childwinter, 526 M.E. (Aldebaran): The Stable Genius says that Venezuelan oil will be sold at market price, "and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America." More evidence, as if it were needed, that the irresistible lure of Venezuelan oil isn't as an energy source to the U.S. or elsewhere, but as a means of propping up the failing U.S. petrodollar.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military announced that forces had seized the Marinera, a Russian-flagged tanker, in the North Atlantic between Scotland and Iceland for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions. The ship, which was not carrying oil, had previously tried to sail to Venezuela to pick up crude and had been eluding U.S. forces for more than two weeks. The Coast Guard separately intercepted another tanker that was under sanctions, the M Sophia, in a pre-dawn operation in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, the Stable Genius is renewing his threats to acquire Greenland either through purchase from Denmark or by military force. Little Marco, his Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, and Viceroy to Venezuela, said he will be meeting with Danish officials regarding a potential acquisition, but isn't ruling out use of military force. Obviously, an invasion would be another and even more egregious violation of international law, as we would be going to war with a NATO ally, which would effectively be the end of a 70-year-old, highly successful alliance. All for the delusional whim of a malignant narcissist. Be sure to reset your doomsday clock before going to bed tonight.

Meanwhile, ICE thugs killed a woman, apparently a bystander, in Minneapolis today,  shooting her multiple times as she was in her car. ICE, Republicans, and of course, the Stable Genius have branded the woman a "domestic terrorist," but the mayor of Minneapolis called ICE's account, "bullshit," and told ICE to "get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.”

Meanwhile, the Stable Genius announced that he was withdrawing the U.S. from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the bedrock international agreement established in 1992 that was the legal foundation for the Paris agreement and forms the basis for countries to rein in climate change. Also, the White House Council on Environmental Quality rescinded the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal agencies to consider a project's possible environmental impacts before it is approved. In essence, Environmental Impact Statements are now a thing of the past. A spokesperson said, "NEPA's regulatory reign of terror has ended."

Meanwhile, the Stable Genius today halted more than $10 Billion for childcare and family assistance funds in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, citing concerns about fraud and misuse. Can't help millions of families get by if someone, somewhere is misusing some of the money now, can we?.  

We're not even at the one-year anniversary of the Stable Genius' second term yet, and already both the country and the world are going off the rails.