SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

SIGN OF THE TIMES – FROM THE DAILY MAIL:  For the last 10 years, the number of American millennials who have failed to move out of their parents or grandparents homes has climbed steadily, according to new data.  Nearly 40 per cent of young adults are either living with their parents or other relatives, which is the highest point in over seven decades, new data from real estate analytics company Trulia states.  This is the highest point in 75 years where young adults have just stayed at home with no plans on moving out.  The only other time in American history where the share has been higher was back in 1940, when the economy was recovering from the Great Depression.  Not exactly a sign of a booming job market. 

GETTING ACTION – FROM FOX:    The CEO of Boeing told President-elect Donald Trump Wednesday that his company can build a new Air Force One for less than originally quoted -- after Trump complained about the cost.  Earlier this month, Trump made headlines for blasting the company on Twitter for alleged cost overruns with the new fleet of Air Force One planes.  Trump called on the government to cancel the contract and called the supposed $4 billion price tag out of control.  Boeing’s Dennis Muilenburg, who met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., addressed the media after the meeting and said, “We’re going to get it done for less than that, and we’re committed to working together to make sure that happens.”  Hand it to Trump:  He gets action and he's a public-relations genius.  I hope it continues.

ANOTHER HOAX – FROM DAILY CALLER:   A Muslim University of Michigan student who said a man threatened to light her on fire after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory was lying about the whole thing, police said Wednesday.  The student grabbed national headlines in the days after Trump’s election victory when she claimed she was stalked by an intoxicated 20-something man with bad body odor and an unkempt appearance. The man, she said, forced her take off her hijab and threatened to set her on fire with a lighter if she did not.  Despite the lack of evidence for the woman’s claims, they were immediately treated as true by various media outlets, as well as by the university itself, which immediately condemned the incident as a “hateful attack.” The incident was also seized upon by the Center for American-Islamic Relations, which tried to explicitly tie the supposed attack to Trump’s election as president...The Michigan student’s story is just the latest high-profile “hate crime” to fall apart under scrutiny. Other bogus hate crimes have been exposed in Louisiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, California, and elsewhere.  We should tighten our false- reporting laws against things like this.  False reports create social tensions and burn police resources.  Penalties for making false reports should be increased.  And the media should be put on sharp notice that they, too, are responsible for spreading false reports.

December 21, 2016