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Science!

Dr. Saleh said: "In engineering, the reliability of a component or process is defined as the probability that it is still operational at a given time. The time it takes for a component or process to fail is referred to as its time-to-failure and this shows similarities to the time-to-violent-death of Roman emperors."

Dr. Saleh found that Roman emperors faced a high risk of violent death during their first year of reign, a pattern also seen when engineering components fail early, often as a result of a failure to function as intended or, in the case of an emperor, meet the demands of their role. The risk of death stabilised by the eighth year but increased again after 12 years of rule, a pattern similar to the failure of components because of fatigue, corrosion or wear-out. When data points were aligned on a graph, the failure rate of Roman emperors displayed a bathtub-like curve, a model widely seen with mechanical and electrical components.

Classy

President Trump took a swipe at the late Rep. John Dingell during his Battle Creek, Michigan rally Wednesday evening, drawing a quick rebuke from the widow of the longtime Michigan Democratic congressman, who succeeded him in the House. Mr. Trump claimed Debbie Dingell had thanked him profusely for providing "A-plus treatment" after her husband's death in February, including ordering flags flown at half-staff.

He quoted her as saying, "Thank you so much. John would be so thrilled. He's looking down." Then he added: "I said, 'That's OK. Don't worry about it.' Maybe he's looking up. I don't know."

The representative was quick to respond:

Mr. President, let’s set politics aside. My husband earned all his accolades after a lifetime of service. I’m preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder.
— Rep. Debbie Dingell (@RepDebDingell) December 19, 2019

Boot!

Max Boot sounds an awful lot like me, today.

Oh, I know this looks bad. It looks like Republicans have no principles and no core beliefs. But there you are wrong, my friends. They do have a principle. Here it is: Whatever helps the Republican Party is good. Whatever hurts the Republican Party is bad. To understand the modern GOP, you don’t have to study unitary executive theory, supply-side economics, Burkean philosophy or anything else. All you have to do is remember those 14 words.

Once you understand that is Republicans’ sole philosophy, everything else clicks into place.

I mean...

From The Record

Congressional Record, Volume 144 Issue 154 (Friday, December 18, 1998):

PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE--IMPEACHING WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS

Mr Everett [Terry Everett (R:AL)]:

...

This graphic definition is one that we have always accepted and known. A grown man like Clinton surely knew he was lying to everyone that day, for we have been taught that oral sex is sexual relations. What if he found out that Chelsea, his own daughter, was having oral sex with here boyfriend? As a dad, I'm sure that he would consider it sexual relations. Although he has twisted all his lies around to sound like he was telling the truth, we all know that he can never be trust again.

...

By the way, I don't believe for a minute that Hillary was unaware of your sexual misadventures, abuses of power and pattern of lying. She has been a party to your wrongdoings since Whitewater and Gennifer Flower just as surely as she lied about the Rose law firm's billings and hid the Vincent Foster evidence in your bedroom for two years. Why? So she could share in the raw power that your office carries. The two of you probably lied to Chelsea but that is a matter among you, your family and your God.

Pearls were clutched.