Out Like Flynn: President Trump waited weeks after he was told about Michael Flynn’s conversation about US sanctions with the Russian ambassador before firing the National Security Adviser, according to the White House. Trump was told on Jan. 26^th that Flynn had engaged in a conversation that could make him vulnerable to Russian blackmail, but kept him close and didn’t ask for Flynn’s resignation until the story hit the Washington Post Monday night.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the President’s lawyers determined that Flynn had committed no crime, but that it was a matter of “trust” because Flynn lied about his conversations with the Russians. “The evolving and eroding level of trust as a result of this situation, and a series of other questionable instances, is what led the President to ask for General Flynn’s resignation.” Spicer didn’t elaborate on what the other instances were.

Flynn lied to Vice President Pence and other officials. The White House has not described his conversations with Trump.

The NY Times reports that the FBI interviewed Flynn about his talk with the Russians only several days into the Trump administration.

Trump’s only direct communication about the scandal three weeks into his administration was to complain about leaks to reporters. He tweeted, “The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?”

News leaks tend to increase when people who work for the government disagree with or don’t trust their leaders.

The Russia Connection: The exit of Michael Flynn is the second time Trump has had to fire an aide because of connections to Russia. Campaign manager Paul Manafort was let go after reports that he may have received illegal payments from Ukraine.

Several news outlets report today that, according to multiple sources several Trump campaign aides were in contact with Russian intelligence agents before the November election. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies discovered the phone calls while investigating Russian hacking to influence the election.

After intelligence reports that Russia meddled with the US election, Trump has been amazingly accepting of Russian behavior. He’s criticized NATO, Japan, North Korea, and Mexico, but not Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Despite this, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, “The President has been incredibly tough on Russia,” a declaration that once again comes with no evidence.

Michael Flynn’s firing is not likely to end questions about Trump’s relationship to Russia and Putin. Did he authorize the conversation and did he plan to keep Flynn, despite his lies, until it hit the news? The Russia question is going to dog President Trump.

Madness: In an article for New York magazine titled, “The Madness of King Donald,” writer Andrew Sullivan says journalists have been timid about tackling the real issue regarding President Trump. “There is no anchor any more,” Sullivan says. “At the core of the administration of the most powerful country on earth, there is, instead, madness.”

Sullivan says of Trump’s serial lies and fantasies that, “They are attacks on the very possibility of a reasoned discourse, the kind of bald-faced lies that authoritarians issue as a way to test loyalty and force their subjects into submission.”

He writes, “When the linchpin of an entire country is literally delusional, clinically deceptive, and responds to any attempt to correct the record with rage and vengeance, everyone is always on edge.”

Missing: One of the most infamous missing child cases in US history has resulted in the conviction of a former New York bodega clerk 38 years later. Pedro Hernandez was tried twice after he confessed to luring 6-year-old Etan Patz into the store’s basement and killing him back in 1979. The boy was walking alone to the bus for school for the first time.

Hernandez’s confession was always questioned. The first jury was unable to reach a verdict after 18 days, and the second took 10 days.

The case gained national attention as the missing Etan’s floppy blonde hair and wide smile haunted people from “missing” posters and television screens. Etan Patz was the first missing child to have his picture on milk cartons.

Clothing Optional: It appears that Playboy Magazine admits to having made a mistake akin to the legendary error when Coca Cola reformulated to “New” Coke.

For more than a year Playboy models have kept their tops on and the magazine has avoided explicit nudity. It has also avoided subscribers.

Cooper Hefner, a son of the Playboy founder  Hugh Hefner announced Monday that “I’ll be the first to admit that the way in which the magazine portrayed nudity was dated, but removing it entirely was a mistake.” Hefner said, “Nudity was never the problem because nudity isn’t a problem. Today we’re taking our identity back and reclaiming who we are.”

They’re a magazine for 13 year-old-boys.

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