Open Thread - Love Those Odds!

“Israel, early Friday morning local time, launched missiles in a retaliatory strike against Iran,” ABC News reports. “The missile launches follow Iran’s attack last Saturday, where the country sent a volley of more than 300 uncrewed drones and missiles toward targets throughout the country, Israeli military officials previously said. All but a few were intercepted by Israel and its allies, including the United States.” CNN: “Iran’s air defense systems have been activated in several provinces of the country.” Bloomberg reports Israeli officials notified the U.

“In its first week, Donald Trump’s criminal trial is forcing the former president, a man who famously surrounds himself with sycophants, to sit quietly and listen to the unfiltered opinions of those typically kept at arm’s-length: People he might call his ‘haters,'” Politico reports. “During jury selection, Trump has heard himself described by those under consideration as racist and sexist and a narcissist.

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura (I) said he could beat both President Biden and former President Trump in a hypothetical match-up Thursday, The Hill reports. Said Ventura: “If I had ballot access in all 50 states and I were allowed to debate, I could beat these two major party candidates.”

Michael Douglas speaks with Fareed about inhabiting the role of Benjamin Franklin.

Rep. Anthony D'Esposito speaks with CNN's Jake Tapper

Colorado will distribute $24 million in one-time funding to public school districts and charter schools impacted by the unprecedented influx of immigrant students who arrived after the annual October headcount that determines districts’ state funding. Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday signed the bipartisan bill, HB24-1389, authorizing that money to be distributed this fiscal year from the State Education Fund. The Colorado Department of Education now will determine how much school districts receive using a multi-tiered funding model that’s based on how many new-to-the-country students they enrolled following the count. “What is going on now really has been quite substantial and unusual in terms of scope, and these thousands of new students coming require services,” said Rep.