Brexit Fog

I don't think I am alone in having lost the plot on Brexit. Exit day is slated for March 29, which hits the Regional Weekend of March Madness and is right after Opening Day in baseball. Then April is big: baseball settles in, the NBA Playoffs, Avengers: Endgame, Game of Thrones... who has time for Brexit? Pushing it back a few months (or years!) is a great idea.

Comments

[jim nj]

Daddy,

“That idiot Trump somehow now agrees with us on confronting China.”

That quote really hits home. I've lost count of the number of articles that echo that view.

I have reassessed my views on China, but Trump had nothing to do with it. Over and over again. Technology, military, economic, geo-political, etc.

China is an economic powerhouse, well maybe it isn't. North Korea is a Chinese pawn, well maybe it isn't. China's island defenses extend their military's reach, well maybe they'd just make really good US Marine bases after they are captured. Ad Infinitum.

[jim nj]

https://www.axios.com/inflation-national-debt-federal-reserve-98098d5d-a655-4f6c-9ee2-a70314827fee.html

Axios, meh, but I do like their inflation chart.

[jim nj]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
56m56 minutes ago

I have now spent more time in Vietnam than Da Nang Dick Blumenthal, the third rate Senator from Connecticut (how is Connecticut doing?). His war stories of his heroism in Vietnam were a total fraud - he was never even there. We talked about it today with Vietnamese leaders!

[Pinandpuller]

But I don't wanna be a girl!

Charlize Theron saves an African child from masculinity

[jim nj]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
4m4 minutes ago

Michael Cohen was one of many lawyers who represented me (unfortunately). He had other clients also. He was just disbarred by the State Supreme Court for lying & fraud. He did bad things unrelated to Trump. He is lying in order to reduce his prison time. Using Crooked’s lawyer!

[jim nj]

https://www.foxnews.com/world/trump-meets-with-vietnams-president-ahead-of-hanoi-summit-with-north-koreas-kim

Trump has nice words for Vietnam. Boeing to sell 110 aircraft to Vietnam air carriers.

[jim nj]

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/26/fed-chief-says-economic-theory-of-unlimited-borrowing-supported-by-ocasio-cortez-is-just-wrong.html

Powell smacks down Modern Monetary Theory. Hasn't even read the theory, but knows it's nonsense.

[jim nj]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
31m31 minutes ago

Fiat Chrysler will be adding more than 6,500 JOBS in Michigan (Detroit area), doubling its hourly workforce as part of a 4.5 Billion Dollar investment. Thank you Fiat Chrysler. They are all coming back to the USA, it’s where the action is!

[jim nj]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
6m6 minutes ago

All false reporting (guessing) on my intentions with respect to North Korea. Kim Jong Un and I will try very hard to work something out on Denuclearization & then making North Korea an Economic Powerhouse. I believe that China, Russia, Japan & South Korea will be very helpful!

Over to you MM. Nytol.

[hoyden]

jim nj, thank you for the links.

[MissMarple2]

Good morning and good work, jim nj!

I see that if the dems thought Trump would miss what's going on in DC, they were wrong! HA!

[peter]

Article about the starting location of this Sunday's New York City JOM meet-up, the Strand bookstore:

https://reason.com/archives/2019/02/23/leave-the-strand-alone

[MissMarple2]

From a WaPo reporter:

David Nakamura
‏Verified account @DavidNakamura

NEW: Trump's summit with Kim Jong Un is at risk of being overshadowed back home by Michael Cohen's congressional testimony. And the president isn't happy about it. @PhilipRucker @jdawsey1

=================================

The bat signal has gone up. Wall-to-wall Cohen coverage will be the order of the day.

[MissMarple2]

IndyStar
‏Verified account @indystar
5m5 minutes ago

Exclusive: Pentagon spent nearly $8 million to treat 1,500 transgender troops since 2016 http://dlvr.it/QznHmR

[MissMarple2]

Reuters Top News
‏Verified account @Reuters
7m7 minutes ago

MORE: European agency says Pakistan airspace closed amid Kashmir tensions https://reut.rs/2Tjoacl

[MissMarple2]

#CBP #USBP #YumaSector continues to try to cope with endless groups of Central American families surrendering to agents. Recently Yuma has had an average of 100-200 daily with almost 300 yesterday. #NationalSecurity #SouthwestBorder pic.twitter.com/0YNZV6sR8u

— CBP Arizona (@CBPArizona) February 26, 2019

Video at link showing numbers crossing.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-27/boeing-wins-15-7-billion-vietnam-orders-on-trump-s-hanoi-visit

[MissMarple2]

Who gets more respect as our @POTUS again🧐 pic.twitter.com/AusmKcog1r

— Rosie memos (@almostjingo) February 27, 2019

Link goes to comparison photos of Obama and Trump arrivals in Hanoi.

[MissMarple2]

The India=Pakistan thing is really heating up. Both sides have shot down planes.

[RattlerGator]

Good morning!

I'm going to try and hangout here today as much as I can for international reasons (might be some interesting stuff going on today), for national reasons (anybody seen Stepin Fetchit Jussie, lately?), for Florida reasons (legislative session starts next week) but also for personal reasons.

Today is the birthday of my Georgia Peach; she would have completed her 86th year today. I had a professional videotape her funeral back in December 2017 and I only picked up my copy last week. Still can't watch it.

So . . . my mind will be drifting through memories all day. What better way to snap back to the here and now than to engage with you beautiful folks (and you rascals, too).

With that said, it's a beautiful day in creation and our President is making the most of it; let us do so as well as we rejoice and be glad in it.

[hoyden]

I like that when Trump is attacked by Democrat media he responds in Mink Mode rather than Bush's Opossum Mode.

[MissMarple2]

Oh, welcome and good morning, RG!

This should be an interesting day. I am trying to keep track of what's going on in Hanoi, PLUS there is a mini-war between India and Pakistan and Cohen is going to make snide accusations about the President, but there is really nothing there.

"I have no direct evidence of Russian collusion, but I have my suspicions." That's a quote! You can insert my eyeroll here.

[MissMarple2]

hoyden,

Me too!

[MissMarple2]

The TRUMP PAGE
‏ @MichaelDelauzon
3m3 minutes ago

Kim Jong un's motorcade has left his hotel en route to the summit venue.

[hoyden]

President Donald John Trump doing the work Obama couldn't and wouldn't do.

[anonamom]

PIn, can't translate. I'll speculate--for a very long time, Pope Pius was thought to be a Nazi sympathizer. Current research shows just the opposite. But may have been chosen by white nationalists as "patron saint" if they thought so.

[anonamom]

RG--so touched that you chose to spend your momma's birthday here at JOM.
Not to mention it being a great news collator site.

[RattlerGator]

is he ever going to respond to the thoughtful (AND SOBER!) economics comments i had posted months ago or blow it off with an aw'man sorry.

dude, i'm a gator!

orange and blue.

Posted by: rich | February 26, 2019 at 11:55 PM

Now them thar be fightin' words, Brother Gator. They also be invitin' words.

Link, please. We shall have some comment this here day on that there polemic!

If I remember correctly, rich can be a latenight guy. Does anyone know what he's referencing or have an idea the week or the particular post by TM where the comment occurs ??? I usually don't shy away from an opportunity to talk some yang and I'm not about to start now.

[MissMarple2]

From local news:

WISH-TV
‏Verified account @WISH_TV
4m4 minutes ago

Michael Cohen is preparing to tell a House committee Wednesday that Trump knew ahead of time WikiLeaks had emails damaging to rival Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign & that he's a “racist,” a “conman” and “cheat.” @BrennaWISHTV has more. https://bit.ly/2tHdwOd #daybreak8

==========================

Script no doubt provided by Adam Schiff.

I would also like to say that it is disgraceful this is going on while the President is in Hanoi trying to denuclearize North Korea and selling US planes to Hanoi. The democrats truly do hate Trump more than they love the country.

[henry]

Happy memories on your mother’s birthday, RG.

[henry]

The words “disgraceful” and “Schiff” bond at a molecular level.

[henry]

Cohen’s opening statement (all lies):

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/27/michael-cohen-read-the-statement-about-donald-trump-here.html

[MissMarple2]

Wikileaks is denying Cohen's accusation that they gave Trump advance notice.

https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/1100715129258295298

[MissMarple2]

Jordan Schachtel
‏Verified account @JordanSchachtel

Jordan Schachtel Retweeted Yashar Ali

🐘

The idea that Assange — someone whose comms are monitored by western governments 24/7 — would *call* Roger Stone and tell him he was about about to release Hilary's emails is absolutely preposterous. Come up with a better story, Michael Cohen.

[MissMarple2]

https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/14333

Look at the very bottom of this email. It's comments like this that have given rise to the suspicion that some of the dems are involved in child trafficking.

I don't know whether I believe that or not; there are a considerable number of people on Twitter who do.

[Captain Hate]

rich, in case you read this, I snagged one immediately and will sample it shortly.

Ol' Yeller has no use for a lying POS like Cohen and his doofus "attorney", Lanny Davis, or any Congress critters that would have that unethical turd violate attorney/client confidentiality.

[MissMarple2]

Shem Horne
‏ @Shem_Infinite
29m29 minutes ago

President Trump has left and is headed towards the meeting place. People are waving NK and American flags they are saying. President Peace!

[MissMarple2]

Catturd
‏ @catturd2
30m30 minutes ago

Good morning to everyone except Democrats and Fake News media who are openingly cheering for President Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong Un to fail.

These scumbags are pure trash and the enemy of the people.
===============================
Catturd always echoes my innermost thoughts.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.apnews.com/726be65d13bb4c058cec1a4d9e2fa043?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP&utm_campaign=SocialFlow

Headline:The Latest: Pakistani PM Khan calls for talks with India

[henry]

Even the “capcha, I am not a robot” button spies on you.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/575112/why-are-bots-unable-check-i-am-not-robot-checkboxes

[MissMarple2]

https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/terence-p-jeffrey/warrencare-brainwashing-babysitter

A little-discussed program Elizabeth warren is pushing: federal day care centers everywhere, accessible to all incomes. Unionized babysitters and little parental control.

[henry]

Federal day care, for when the parents are sent to the camps for voting R.

[MissMarple2]

.@POTUS @realDonaldTrump en route to the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam. #HanoiSummit pic.twitter.com/66mCQcoSJM

— Dan Scavino Jr. (@Scavino45) February 27, 2019

Short video clip. Look at the crowds!

[anonamom]

I've got a way better idea than government camps for small children---let's have an economy where one parent can stay home.

Which happens to be the desire of a huge segment of mommas of 0-3 year olds, according to a poll I read somewhere on this internet thing the other day.

[MissMarple2]

henry,

No doubt. I kept my grandkids for many years so that they could be in their own home, and when they got older, come home from school to do their homework and then play.

I was grateful to be able to do that as I remembered when my son was small and worrying about child care.

I have no interest in a government-run child care system which will brainwash kids as early as 2 and will be supervised as well as the FBI.

[MissMarple2]

anonamom,

Agree 100%! When my daughter-in-law went back to work, even though I was caring for the new baby (3 total over the years) she cried, even though she had a relative watching them in her own home. She really wanted to be home, but they couldn't afford it.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.barstoolsports.com/boston/an-anonymous-white-house-insider-knew-about-the-tug-rule-before-mr-kraft-was-charged?fbclid=IwAR1G-or_Qfsl548ctPeBAp34ajwBvL2MT0wy0RMoiSaqadhOmb7MBtor4CA

Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/02/26/convicted-liar-disbarred-lawyer-michael-cohen-to-tell-house-trump-racist-conman/

I am like Mark Levin. When I see Lanny Davis I get enraged.

Why is he representing Cohen? One would think he would stay far away. The entire thing is a fraud.

[Buckeye]

when I was a freshman in high school, we were privileged to have Jesse Owens come speak to us. He was the black athlete from The Ohio State University who won the Gold Medal at Hitler's 1936 Olympics.

FIFY MM

[MissMarple2]

Buckeye,

Sorry! I didn't know that!

[Buckeye]

Just teasing MM:)

If you ever come to Columbus, I will show you the Track & Field facility at the University named after him.

[MissMarple2]

Buckeye,

He was a really impressive speaker. I can still see him sitting in the gym just chatting from his memories. He held us middle school kids spellbound.

I still remember it even though it was in 1962!

[rse]

RG-

There is no greater tribute to how a person lived their life than to be remembered so fondly when they are gone.

[MissMarple2]

Photos from moments ago: President Donald J. Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un meeting in Hanoi. pic.twitter.com/cWQNOLVecK

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 27, 2019

Three pictures at the link.

[clarice]

daddy, at 12:56--he did say he had to take a leak, didn't he?

[MissMarple2]

The Hill
‏Verified account @thehill
10m10 minutes ago

Trump meets Kim under looming Cohen testimony http://hill.cm/TG12jB5

===================================

I haven't read this article. All of the liberal media are taking this line. Apparently they think Cohen's testimony will overshadow the summit, because they will make sure it does.

Screw them.

[Account Deleted]

I'm gonna try my hardest not to click on ANYTHING about Cohen.

I've got no interest in participating in or amplifying the latest Democrat/media phony show.

It's be satisfying for the MFM to find out that not many people are even interested in their latest 'production'.

[clarice]

MM, the conservative Methodists won.

[Account Deleted]

--It's be satisfying--

It WOULD be satisfying....

[henry]

typical lefty, complains about everyone else eating hamburgers.

Twitchy Team
@TwitchyTeam
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is furious at these photos of her and a staffer eating a hamburger and killing the planet

https://twitter.com/TwitchyTeam/status/1100732826129960962

[MissMarple2]

clarice,

Yes, they did, because the African Methodists are conservative! Irony of ironies!

[henry]

I give Evers credit for sticking to the script (under current law the legislature makes the districts, and they are R):

15m
This is NOT- a non-partisan proposal, or board. It's a POLITICALLY APPOINTED board.
Tony Evers to propose nonpartisan redistricting process in budget

https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/tony-evers-to-propose-nonpartisan-redistricting-process-in-budget/article_5e6512a4-94cd-5bcf-bbcf-4459e422a1a6.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

[MissMarple2]

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kamala-harris-calls-for-decriminalizing-sex-work-insists-trump-is-racist

Now why would she call for decriminalizing sex work all of a sudden?

My antenna raised on that one!

[James D.]

Looks to me like the student loan thing is causing a lot of people to have second thoughts about signing up for a private, expensive school. That's a lot of people to lay off, and it seems to me that the school is getting smart before the bottom falls out.

Take the federal government totally out of all college aid, and universities will have to either lower costs dramatically (laying off large numbers of useless or actively harmful administrators and professors of toxic subjects), or go out of business.

[henry]

moar lefty script:

46m
BREAKING ON WISN: New Milw Co Sheriff Earnell Lucas is changing policy and refusing to cooperate with ICE and hold illegals, unless there was already a bench warrant out for that illegal alien that his deputies ran across.

[James D.]

I've got a way better idea than government camps for small children---let's have an economy where one parent can stay home.

Which happens to be the desire of a huge segment of mommas of 0-3 year olds

It's a better idea if the goal is stronger families, and emotionally healthy, well-adjusted children who are more likely to become self-sufficient adults.

But that is very clearly NOT the goal of anyone in government. emotionally healthy and self-sufficient citizens are not what any of our so-called "leaders" actually want.

[RattlerGator]

Thanks, henry.

And rse, she was such a phenomenal woman. Late into life she worked as a domestic for a fairly prominent Jacksonville / Orange Park blended family; white folks. Two attorneys, both Gators.

The couple were blessed with twins, a boy and a girl, just as my mother began her job with them. Their mother was overwhelmed by the twins, and the boy initially had a physical issue that required tremendous attention but between the two women, they shepherded him back to good health.

Both kids are now attorneys working in Jacksonville, both loved our mother as we did and both mourned her passing as much as we did.

A God-fearing woman, she was a seemingly bottomless pit of love and caring. But she had a bite, and when she balled up her fist with her index finger knuckle protruding just bit, you knew your ass had better cease and desist immediately!

What a chick, man, what a chick. What a chick, man, what a chick.

I appreciate y'all allowing me room to reflect.

[anonamom]

rse--validate my post--when did you stop practicing?
(or maybe more correctly, stop leaving home every workday to go to an office?)

[MissMarple2]

https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2019/02/27/reporters-who-shouted-questions-about-michael-cohen-at-trump-during-kim-jong-un-photo-op-barred-from-dinner/

Ask me if I care. I am sick of them acting like Acosta.

[MissMarple2]

RG,

I value your memories of your mother. It's good to know about people like her, as a balance to people like AOC.

[Porchlight]

I'm the primary breadwinner as well as a mom. Of course I would like to have stayed home with my kids. Oh well. We all make choices.

We had the most wonderful daycare provider anyone could have asked for.

[anonamom]

^^^^ It's very important that children learn behavior choices have consequences.

[Captain Hate]

Trump inspires hate the way highly successful and psychologically intrepid men do. I learned this personally by having an extremely successful and unorthodox father (a Manhattan CEO who reached a career pinnacle in his late 30s and was fulsomely praised and secretly despised, as I came to understand). There is no end they will not go to drag him down. This is a detestable fact of the human condition. Trump has chosen to operate in a power milieu of a particularly fierce and smelly orthodoxy (in Orwell's words) and of vindictiveness toward outsiders. They will not stop, and Trump has very little recourse within the system because they ALL are corrupt and resent and despise him as the outsider. He's in the toughest position imaginable for a leader in the modern world.
Posted by: Dan Smoot's Apprentice at February 27, 2019 08:01 AM (H8QX8)

[anonamom]

A God-fearing woman, she was a seemingly bottomless pit of love and caring. But she had a bite, and when she balled up her fist with her index finger knuckle protruding just bit, you knew your ass had better cease and desist immediately!

Oh, that every child be blessed with such a mother!

Seriously---love and boundaries--that is what it is all about.

[Porchlight]

Thanks for that Olga Korbut video. She was marvelous. Just a couple of pigtails, no makeup, no glitter outfit, perfect performance, big smile. What a contrast to today.

[Buckeye]

It's a better idea if the goal is stronger families, and emotionally healthy, well-adjusted children who are more likely to become self-sufficient adults.

Exactly right JamesD.

Mrs. Buckeye never went back to work after Jr. was born.

My prospects of having a Ferrari in the garage aren't very good, but neither are my prospects of having to support my adult children.

She deserves most of the credit.

[MissMarple2]

henry,

Can you post that tweet that ChiTown sent? I cannot get it to come up on my Twitter feed.

[MissMarple2]

henry,

Never mind. I finally got it.

An actual quote from the "Journal of Medical Ethics": "Merely being human is not in itself a reason for ascribing someone a right to life."

The German is more concise: Lebensunwertes Leben. https://t.co/9PTxW3IixW

— Mark Krikorian (@MarkSKrikorian) February 27, 2019

Link goes to a tweet and a link to a Spectator article.

[MissMarple2]

NBC News
‏Verified account @NBCNews

Across the U.S. transgender athletes are breaking barriers in high school, college, and pro sports and being embraced by teammates and fans. But resentments can still flare when transgender women start winning and dominating their sport.

==============================

Do tell. I am sure if I had trained all my life to perform at championship level and then a person who had matured AS A MAN with bigger bones, better upper body strength, and a longer stride came in and beat me, I would be a little bit resentful, especially since for years international sports tested testosterone levels of female athletes to make sure they weren't female impersonators.

[Porchlight]

^^^^ It's very important that children learn behavior choices have consequences.

Thanks, anonamom. My husband has been able to be the home parent most of the time, so the kids have benefited there.

[Porchlight]

"Breaking barriers." Nonsense. It's called "cheating."

[Porchlight]

Can we at least get rid of Title IX, then, if all these barriers are to be broken? TIA

[Porchlight]

RG, great to see you.

[Captain Hate]

Has the IOC weighed in on this transgender bullshit? Because if something can give the Olympics a permanent dirt nap, I'm all for it.

[henry]

CH, they allowed East Germany.

[Momto2]

RG - Welcome home! Thanks for sharing the memories of your mom with us. She was a jewel and I know you miss her so!

I loved the photos and videos of how President Trump is being received in Vietnam. May God bless this summit and may his enemies be exposed and hung on their own gallows as was Haman! I cannot imagine hating one person so much that you desire your entire country to fail.

Cohen and the MSM are pathetic. I agree with Janet - No Clicks for Cohen!

[Extraneus]

Average Tax Refunds Plunge 17%, but Trump Isn't to Blame

Grrr.

[Buckeye]

Next week Cohen will be a nobody preparing for prison.

[hoyden]

MM, Liberals know female athletics are soft targets that are no match for their weaponized trans advocacy regime. Who has the fortitude and deep pockets to afford to resist? Liberalism is a cancer that ultimately destroys its host.

[Jim Eagle]

Good morning.

Catch up is a b@#$h.

Look squirrel is the Dems QB sneak in their playbook. They all need DIAF as JamesD would say. Preventing wars and denuclearization is not as important as having a convicted liar testifying to Congress and lying again since he has nothing to lose.

Basta!

[MissMarple2]

http://thefederalist.com/2019/02/27/andrew-mccabes-media-tour-confirmed-fbi-no-basis-investigating-trump/

This is pretty good.

[Captain Hate]

henry, didn't they retroactively take away some of East Germany's medals?

[D]

Welcome RG!
Your mother raised a wonderful son and she is an inspiration to all here who have raised children.
Porch:
I also was the main source of income and having relatives help out and good pre-school was a godsend.
Cohen was and always will be a sideshow.
Today no questions on fake Russia collusion are permitted.
Mainly it is about his secretive illegal taxi business and other lies about his former client.
Meeks has leaks from his testimony yesterday when all other channels had the President and Kim speaking.

[rse]

a'mom-

I think your point fits with this from Harvard https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/what-is-epigenetics-and-how-does-it-relate-to-child-development/ . It also fits with the whole Social Determinants of Health theories being pushed to create program after program at all levels of government.

To answer your question, the public Company I was General Counsel of was bought out in 1997 when I was pregnant with my 3rd child. I got a nice severance as they wanted to pick my brain and the acquiring company became a member of S & P 500 about a week after merger agreement with stock conversion ratio finalized was signed. Later one of my kids developed health problems that needed my full-time attention for a number of years.

I fell into the healthcare story because the analysis I had done in healthcare that let us create very effective contracts at controlling risk made me aware that a shift was going on in ed. Now I know why, health and education are two prongs of subjective well-being, the supposed purpose of governments in the 21st century.

On the issue of staying home, at a certain point you realize how many costs can be controlled by an ability to control expenses, such as always cooking at home instead of eating out.

[Momto2]

Truth~

Donald Trump Jr.
@DonaldJTrumpJr

Only Democrats could hate someone so much that they would try to disrupt nuclear peace talks with testimony from a convicted felon.

[MissMarple2]

Richard Baris
‏ @Peoples_Pundit

When asked why Democrats picked today to split screen slimy Michael Cohen when Donald Trump is in Vietnam trying to prevent nuclear war, @RoKhanna said, "The president picked today to go to Vietnam."

Oh wow. 🙄

[rse]

That should read I fell into the education story, not healthcare. My ability to ask questions in public forums when I decided to shift the child with medical issues to a public high school started the process of politicians coming up to me afterwards and asking more questions. They then kept putting me in more situations where I had access to non-public info and I just started putting the pieces together.

The book was written because people kept saying to my face that "everyone needed acccess to what you just told me."

[henry]

CH, take back E Ger medals? I suppose if someone bribed them to do so. Seems to be the only reason they do anything.

[henry]

BREAKING:

Indian and Pakistani armies exchanging heavy fire at Krishna Ghati and Mendhar sector of Poonch along LoC. There are also UNCONFIRMED reports of clashes breaking out at multiple other locations.

https://twitter.com/natsecjeff/status/1100752103587368961?s=21

[D]

Should be Meeka