by John Walters

Tweet du Jour

 

Trump’s new econ adviser Larry Kudlow: The wealthy “have no need to steal or engage in corruption” because “they know how to achieve goals and convince skeptics that good deals can be made to the benefit of both sides.” https://t.co/Q1KT62zhw2 #11MSNBC pic.twitter.com/omniLjYRDn

— 11th Hour (@11thHour) March 16, 2018

Ha! Bernie Madoff. Charles Keating. Donald Trump. Vladimir Putin. Martin Shkreli. Etc, etc.

From The National Review piece Kudlow penned…

Why shouldn’t the president surround himself with successful people? Wealthy folks have no need to steal or engage in corruption. Their business success demonstrates that they know how to achieve goals and convince skeptics that good deals can be made to the benefit of both sides. Isn’t this just what America needs?

How does someone get this far in life with this little understanding of human nature? Or is he just the latest duplicitous “public servant” out here conning the public?

Starting Five

Contact Bridge

A pedestrian bridge on the campus of Florida International University in Miami collapses and at least six and as many as 10 people perish. The bridge only opened on Saturday.

A 950-ton span over busy Tamiami Trail was installed just five days ago. The bridge collapsed while vehicles were stopped at a red light. They never had a chance.

2. Buffalo Bullish

It wasn’t just that Arizona, armed with the likely No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the upcoming NBA draft, DeAndre Ayton, lost. It’s that the Cats got absolutely declawed by Buffalo, who used outstanding guard play/shooting and a brilliant collapsing defense to rout No. 4 Arizona, 89-69.

The Bulls and that 98 year-old nun were the story of Day 1 of March Madness. Also, the Pac-12 is already out. All three Pac-12 schools were eliminated by upstate New York schools because if you’ve been in upstate New York in mid-March, the hell you wanna be home.

Pac-12 still alive and well in the NIT, though.

3. You’re Ired!

The next contestant to be booted from The Apprentice: West Wing looks to be National Security Adviser H.R. Pufnstuf McMaster, who will likely evacuate a few days after Rex Tillerson and a few days before Chief of Staff John Kelly (who succeeded Reince Priebus). McMaster, a USMA grad who also has a PhD in military history, succeeded Michael Flynn. You may recall that, but who can keep track any more?

 

Just spoke to @POTUS and Gen. H.R. McMaster – contrary to reports they have a good working relationship and there are no changes at the NSC.

— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) March 16, 2018

We’ll see. What did Donald mean by “all the best people” when he said it at the advent of his presidency, anyway?

DID YOU KNOW? The “H.R.” stands for “Henry Rollins,” but he’s no relation to the musclebound punk rocker of the same name.

4. Military Crashes

Former Navy linebacker Caleb King (2008-2011) was one of two Navy fliers who perished two days ago when an F-18 crashed near Pensacola. King and the pilot, Brice Johnson, both ejected but neither survived.

And in western Iraq, seven Army personnel died when a Black Hawk-like helicopter crashed.

5. The Bachelor: Weinstein

Arie Luyendyk, Jr., and Harvey Weinstein both spend most of their time in Scottsdale, Arizona, or at least both have called it home the past five months. Both treat women as disposable objects. Both say things to lure them to locations under false pretenses. One is a monster; the other is a TV star.

We mean, they’re not exactly the same, but they’re more alike than most fans of The Bachelor would care to admit. The Bachelor: Weinstein” would be a fantastic show, somewhere along the lines of “MILF Island.”

Knockout Pool Results (Day 1)

Remember, you must submit a new school each day—not each round. Today we are taking Xavier:

Jacob A.: Arizona (BXYHT…thanks for playing)

Inconvenient Ruth: Gonzaga

MH Staff: Michigan

Sean: Gonzaga

Brian R: Duke

Kayleigh: Texas Tech

Brian C.: Arizona (BXHT!)

Reserves

Gold Rush

A plane taking off in Siberia and carrying more than 9 tons of silver and gold had its cargo door slide open and at least 3 tons of the precious metals fell out for as far as 16 miles from the takeoff point. And there’s the opening scene of your next James Bond/Jason Bourne (hey, they’re both J.B.’s….coincidence?) film.

Music 101

Shine On You Crazy Diamond

If you’ve got 13-plus minutes to devote to Pink Floyd‘s 1975 devotion to their founder and lead singer, Syd Barrett, who was briefly hospitalized for mental illness before leaving the band for good before they really hit it big. Barrett, who is credited with naming the band, died in 2006. The song’s title is a reference to him and a quasi-acronym for S.Y.D.)

Remote Patrol

NCAA Tournament, First Round

Noon ish CBS/TNT/TBS/TRU

Yesterday had most of the player stars:  Trae Young, Marvin Bagley, DeAndre Ayton, Jalen Brunson, Grayson Allen, even Mike Daum. Today is more about the coaches.