It seems odd to me that it would cost 10x as much in a country like France, but I can assure you one thing. It is not the professional services (engineering services) driving this cost discrepancy. We are paid well relative to other professions as a whole but not THAT well and typically account for only ~10-25% of the entire project cost depending upon complexity.

 

And it's not like France doesn't have public unions.

 

That's why a report is necessary. We know that the buy american laws are so hamhanded they are causing some cost issue. But I'd guess some other mix of NIMBY, supply regulations, and poor decision structures are creating it.

 

But LA just did it a lot cheaper. So that's why it may be something solveable.

Earlier today, SoS Tillerson released a statement urging Saudi Arabia et. al. to 'ease' their blockade on Qatar. Trump is now back to bashing them in a speech.

 

Qatar contains a US CENTCOM base that is the largest in the region and is critical for operations in the area. It seems like Trump hates them now because the Saudis put on a good show for him.

 

Edited June 9, 20178 yr by StrangeSox

straight forward committal to Article 5 of NATO

 

still thinks NATO "pays" the US though

 

completely bonkers press conference

Edited June 9, 20178 yr by StrangeSox

straight forward committal to Article 5 of NATO

 

still thinks NATO "pays" the US though

 

completely bonkers press conference

 

Felt sorry for Romanians caught in middle of that mess...

A lot of people have been worried about Russian influence over the government, but who knew that what would really be worrying was a full conversion to Wahhabism after a single trip to Saudi Arabia?

Off for a 24th round of golf at one of his clubs this weekend.

 

https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/873275397345079296

https://twitter.com/ianbremmer/status/873281668420956161

 

Trump to Saudis: Beat up Qatar

Tillerson: Not the face

https://twitter.com/nbcnightlynews/status/873271359480246272

 

White House: the president is not a liar

https://twitter.com/nbcnightlynews/status/873271359480246272

 

White House: the president is not a liar

 

The sound you're hearing an editor at politifact slowly descending into madness

 

https://twitter.com/nbcnightlynews/status/873271359480246272

 

White House: the president is not a liar

 

I'd bet Trump wasn't paying any attention to the meeting and has no idea what was discussed

Kudos to Republican senator Grassley for blasting the Trump DoJ's "nonsense" letter that claimed the administration can ignore oversight requests from anyone who isn't a committee chair, which would render Democrats powerless.

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/09/c...requests-239354

https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-rep...-202451439.html

 

In his speech in Brussels, Mr Trump had also reprimanded members, visibly unsettling heads of states, and demanded that they pay more toward Nato's costs. But according to Foreign Policy magazine, he took it a step further at a confidential dinner with leaders following his remarks, saying that 2 per cent wasn’t enough and that allies should instead spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence.

 

The President also apparently threatened to cut US defence spending and have Europeans shell out “back pay” to make up for their low defence spending if they don’t dole out money quickly enough.

 

One former senior US government official briefed on the dinner described the event to FP as “a train wreck”.

 

“The dinner was far worse than the speech,” the person said.

 

According to FP, Mr Trump had two versions of prepared remarks for the dinner, one that took a more traditional approach and another that was formulated by his more Nato-skeptic advisers, Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon.

 

“He dumped both of them and improvised,” one person briefed on the dinner told the magazine.

 

Nato headquarters declined FP’s request for comment on the dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

Former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo compares meeting with Trump to waterboarding

 

Good Morning America

DAVID CAPLAN

 

Former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo apparently isn't a fan of President Trump -- nor his meetings.

 

In fact, Costolo equates attending one of the president's meetings to physical torture.

 

In response to a tweet Friday night about an unconfirmed upcoming White House meeting with tech leaders -- similar to the one the president hosted in December -- Costolo wrote, "If you don't get invited to this meeting and want to know what it was like, just drink a bottle of gin and then waterboard yourself."

 

"Trump is such a wimp. He cowers from any fight, points fingers in a loss but takes credit for any win. A coward, a loser, a two-bit punk."

Edited June 11, 20178 yr by caulfield12

Trump's UK visit postponed indefinitely as he can't handle protestors being mean to him. Maybe once they jail all dissent like Saudi Arabia, he'll feel comfortable enough to go.

Trump administration takes a 'drastic' step to stop youth climate lawsuit

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-administra...-180943362.html

Trump's UK visit postponed indefinitely as he can't handle protestors being mean to him. Maybe once they jail all dissent like Saudi Arabia, he'll feel comfortable enough to go.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40241220

No change to state visit plans, according to 10 Downing

Trump attorney won't rule out firing Mueller

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/11/t...-239396?ref=yfp

 

 

Two major companies end theatre sponsorship over Trump "killing scene" in Julius Caesar

https://www.yahoo.com/news/delta-ends-spons...-002912904.html

Edited June 12, 20178 yr by caulfield12

Matt Ford‏Verified account

@fordm

 

Growing theme amomg pro-Trump allies and media figures in recent days: laying the groundwork for ousting Mueller.

https://twitter.com/fordm/status/874234381484929024

Trump attorney won't rule out firing Mueller

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/11/t...-239396?ref=yfp

 

 

Two major companies end theatre sponsorship over Trump "killing scene" in Julius Caesar

https://www.yahoo.com/news/delta-ends-spons...-002912904.html

SHockingly the base has never read Julius Caesar, oh and also didnt care when it was Obama-themed

Surprised that one doesn't have its own thread by now...

SHockingly the base has never read Julius Caesar, oh and also didnt care when it was Obama-themed

 

Omg such snowflakes.

 

And if Trump fires Mueller, hell will be unleashed.

Trump insider pursuing bid for $2+ billion FBI building contract, raising questions of conflict of interest

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/trump-insider-pur...topstories.html

honestly, if Trump fired Mueller what would be the recourse?

honestly, if Trump fired Mueller what would be the recourse?

So he's gone from totally vindicated, would 100% testify under oath, to possibly firing Mueller.

 

It's only Russia. Why do democrats even care?

honestly, if Trump fired Mueller what would be the recourse?

Impeachment (lol, Republicans will never, ever impeach him), or massive civil unrest and the unraveling of the legitimacy of the US government.

honestly, if Trump fired Mueller what would be the recourse?

 

Civil unrest would be huge. I could see lawsuits start flying like DC and Maryland are putting forth.