Fifty-Fifty: President Trump said yesterday the chances of congressional negotiators reaching a deal to end his border wall standoff are “less than 50-50.” As 800,000 furloughed federal workers return to paid work, Trump told The Wall Street Journalthat he doesn’t think the negotiators will strike a deal that he’ll accept. 

  “I personally think it’s less than 50-50, but you have a lot of very good people on that board,” Trump said in an interview with the newspaper. He was referring to a joint committee of Democrats and Republicans trying to resolve the issue. Trump said if he doesn’t get his deal he’s going to  use his executive powers to declare a national emergency and build the wall.

  The President gave no indication he’s willing to bargain. He wants $5.7 billion to start his border wall and will not trade it for immigration reform or protection for the young illegal immigrants known as Dreamers.

  He was up last night touting his popularity among Hispanic voters, although his overall approval rating is 39 percent.

  Humility is not his strong point. He tweeted, “After all that I have done for the Military, our great Veterans, Judges (99), Justices (2), Tax & Regulation Cuts, the Economy, Energy, Trade & MUCH MORE, does anybody really think I won’t build the WALL? Done more in first two years than any President! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Trust but Verify:American officials say they have reached agreement on a framework for peace with the Taliban in Afghanistan.American envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, said in an interview with The NY Timesin Kabul, “The Taliban have committed, to our satisfaction, to do what is necessary that would prevent Afghanistan from ever becoming a platform for international terrorist groups or individuals.”

Smell the Coffee: Howard Schultz, the former executive who put a Starbucks on every corner, says that he’s preparing to run for president as an independent. Let’s see if he can put a chicken in every pot.

  Schultz told The NY Times, “We have a broken political system with both parties basically in business to preserve their own ideology without a recognition and responsibility to represent the interests of the American people.”

 Declared candidate Kamala Harris delivered her first major speech as a runner yesterday in Oakland, Calif. CNN’sBrian Stelter notes that, “She used the word ‘truth’ 21 times by my count. ‘Fight for the truth,’ she said. And: ‘Let’s speak some truth.’ And: ‘I will speak the truth.’”

Polar Express:A winter storm is dumping snow on the Midwest this morning and will move east during the week. Snow is falling at the rate of one inch an hour in Chicago. Six inches have already fallen in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

  The storm is being chased by some of the coldest weather to hit the country in 20 years. It’s eight below this morning in Marquette, Mich. on the shores of Lake Huron. Chicago, 24; New York, 27; Burlington, Vt., 3; Boston, 28. 

Police Blotter:Police in New Orleans have arrested 21-year-old Dakota Theriot in the weekend murders of his parents, his girlfriend, her father and brother. Theriot had driven all the way to Virginia to take refuge with relatives.

  Investigators say Theriot had been kicked out of his parents’ house and had gone to live with the girlfriend.

The Obit Page:Former Army Maj. Charles Kettles, who was awarded the Medal of Honor 49 years after he led daring helicopter rescues of troops caught under fire in Vietnam, has died at age 89.

  On day in 1967 Kettles and his helicopter squadron were called to pull out troops trapped under fire from bunkers and tunnels. He made four trips into the area, the last after American air support had departed. His windows were shot out and his helicopter heavily damaged.

  Kettles was given the Distinguished Service Cross in 1968 and President Obama awarded him the Medal of Honor in 2016.

  He once told USA Today, “I just walked away from the helicopter believing that’s what war is.” 

The Japanese Martha:Suddenly the Japanese personal organization goddess Marie Kondo is all over the news. Huffington Post, CNN, the NY Times. She was mentioned on “Saturday Night Live”. Kondo is teaching America the Zen of organization and decluttering, what she calls “KonMari.”

  Kondo’s fame has been peaking for several years. She wrote a bestsellerin 2014. Now she has a show on Netflix, “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.”

That’ll do it.

  It’s counter-culture in an economy based on buying and storing useless stuff. Kondo says that if something doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it. “Cultivate empathy for the things that surround us,” she says.“When folding, it’s important to convey love to your clothes from the palms of your hands.” 

  Her big thing is getting rid of stuff. “Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.”

  We made a note to do that, and it’s around here somewhere.

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