Who Did the Hobbits?

This article at Dienekes' Blog sat in the sidebar for a couple days, and I had every good intention of getting around to it, so here goes.

Did Men cause the demise of the Hobbits?

An interesting tidbit from an interview with Chris Stringer:

There was also a population of a very small human-like species on the island of Flores in Indonesia—often called "hobbits." It had been thought they were around until about 17,000 years ago, but unpublished evidence suggests they could have disappeared earlier, in which case the spread of modern humans might correlate with their demise.

and:

My model is that modern humans came out of Africa 60,000 years ago and moved very quickly into the territory of the Neanderthals, later into the territory of the Denisovans, and soon after that into the territory of the "hobbits." Within 20,000 years, as far as we can tell, those other populations have gone, all of them.

But we also know that there are detectable traces of Neandertal and Denisovan DNA in the human genome, so while there may have been an aspect of "conquer and replace" in the modern human expansion into the only extant species of hominid, there was also a degree of cross breeding and hybridization that went on as well, with the result that somewhere near 20% or more of the Neandertal genome, at least, remains embedded in our own. Could the same have happened to the "hobbits" of Flores?

Given the size of Flores, and the number of individuals the island would support, it's doubtful we'll ever know, unless we get lucky and find a skeleton from Flores with extractable DNA and detect that DNA in the local population, but given modern humans established propensity for interbreeding with similar primates, it's not beyond the realm of possibility. Significant size differences don't prevent various breeds of dogs from successfully interbreeding.

So did we out simply kill them out right, out compete them, or just incorporate and dilute them out into our growing gene pool? As usual, all of the above is an acceptable (and likely) answer.

I would also like to highlight this second article on Dienekes': Archaic admixture in Eurasians with hominins that diverged 0.9 and 3.5 million years ago?

We found that detected introgressions shared more archaic-specific mutations with Altai Neanderthal than they shared with Denisovan, and 60.3% of archaic hominin introgressions were from Neanderthals. Furthermore, we detected more introgressions from two unknown archaic hominins whom diverged with modern humans approximately 859 and 3,464 thousand years ago. The latter unknown archaic hominin contributed to the genomes of the common ancestors of modern humans and Neanderthals. In total, archaic hominin introgressions comprised 2.4% of Eurasian genomes. Above results suggested a complex admixture history among hominins. The proposed approach could also facilitate admixture research across species.

860,000 and  3.5 million years ago are well before the estimate of the evolution of "anatomically modern humans", approximately 200,000 years ago in Africa.

Reconstruction of Homo Floriensis

The hobbits of Flores might have been better catches than you might initially think. This article on the Flores hobbits credits them with a larger brain than had been thought previously: Hobbit Humans Had Big Brains, and provides a couple of possible "hobbit" reconstructions.

Hobbit humans, the tiny folks who lived on the remote Indonesian island of Flores until about 12,000 years ago, had bigger brains than previously thought, according to a new paper that strengthens the theory that hobbits evolved from own own ancestor, Homo erectus.

Reconstruction of Homo Floriensis head

I think I saw her in Walmart in Prince Frederick just last week. Of course, she was dressed slightly better . . . slightly.

Homo erectus, in turn, is thought to have evolved into our own species in Africa. The new study, published in the latest Proceedings of the Royal Society B, reveals how location and environment could mean the difference between an individual who looked like us, and someone who wound up a hobbit.

"They were extremely short (about 3'6"), much shorter than any healthy living humans," co-author Yousuke Kaifu told Discovery News. "Their legs were short relative to their arms and feet, (features that) some researchers think were primitive."

The three used high-resolution micro-CT scanning to study the brain regions of hobbit human skulls. The scans found that the brains measured 426 cc, as opposed to earlier estimates of around 400 cc. The former is still not huge by modern standards, and was about the same size as a chimpanzee's brain.

But it's not all about brains, then, is it?



Wombat-socho has The Other McCain's grand compendium "Rule 5 Sunday: Insert Appropriate Song Title Here" up on time and within budget.

Old Man Yells at Clouds, Mayra is In, J6 Committee Takes a Snow Day, Fed Hikes the Rate

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.15.22 (Afternoon Edition), Louder With Crowder, Reset The Clock – Biden Has Another Senile Meltdown. 'Bonchie' at Red State, Biden Unleashed: Geriatric President Screams and Rants Uncontrollably While Addressing Union Members. Breitbart, Joe Biden Calls it a Day Before 2:00 pm. It must be nice. Leah Barkoukis at Town Hall, Press Sec Wants Americans to 'Remember Where This Country' Was When Biden Entered Office. RNC Reminds Her. RNC Research@RNCResearch. "Karine Jean-Pierre says "we have to remember where this country was" when Biden "walked into office." Yeah, gas was $2.39/gal, inflation was at 1.4%, the markets were higher, and Trump was leading a great American comeback." Breitbart Reports DNC Reschedules Fundraiser with Kamala Harris for Lack of Ticket Sales. Liz Shield at Am Great, Morning Greatness: WH Says Biden Will Run for Re-Election in 2024, Also from the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.15.22 (Afternoon Edition),Victory Girls: Is Occasional Cortex Thinking Of Running For President In 2024?. And from Summit News, Trump Could Launch His 2024 Presidential Campaign Next Month, "Wants to show DeSantis “who the boss is”. At Al.com. Mo Brooks: ‘Donald Trump has no loyalty’

Mayra Flores

It seems like everybody's talking about the newly elected Representative from Texas, Mayra Flores, born in Mexico, married to a border patrol agent, and ran as a Republican. A nice antidote to AOC. At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.15.22 (Evening Edition) The Geller Reports Republican Maya Flores Beats Democrat In District Held By Democrats For Over 150 Years and EBL: Republican Mayra Flores Wins Special Election In Texas Democrat Stronghold. Capt. Ed at Haut Hair, Red wave alert: Republicans flip Texas House seat in special election. Sundance at CTH, Mayra Flores Victory in Rio Grande Valley Election Highlights Latino Rejection of Democrat Gender Sexuality Nonsense. At the Wa Free Bee, Here’s Why the South Texas Special Election Spells Doom for Dems in November, "Republicans send first Mexican-born woman to Congress in Dem stronghold." Ace, GOP Flips a Texas House Seat from Blue to Red. Progressives were predictably livid. Capt. Ed, Politico: Latino Dems furious at DCCC, party leadership over Texas loss.  

“The border’s a big deal, and they’re not doing anything about it,” the National Republican Congressional Committee chief said. “We are actually more in touch with the voters than our colleagues on the other side of the aisle.”

That’s not entirely fair. Democrats are also talking about “drag queens in every school,” too. Now that’s an issue that preoccupies voters in the RGV and in American households everywhere.

At Based-Politics, Democrat Congressman Calls Elon Musk ‘White Supremacist’ For the Dumbest Reason Imaginable. Voting for Mayra Flores. Dan Crenshaw@DanCrenshawTX "US House candidate, TX-2, When you think an African American immigrant voting for a Mexican-American woman is “white supremacy,” it might be an indication your brain is broken."

AllahPundit at Haut Hair worries Does Elon Musk's support for DeSantis 2024 matter?. Well, it won't hurt.  And  "The View" is in deep, deep, deep denial about the coming red wave.  "Most of us have no idea what we’re talking about. Annnnnnnd these idiots clearly have no idea either."  The Buwark Girlz fret How Big Is the Red Wave Going To Be?. AllahPundit also sees Bad vibes: Dr. Oz is underperforming Doug Mastriano in a new Pennsylvania poll. "How despairing you feel about these results depends on how charitable you want to be to Republican voters." He's not very charitable. 538 whines The New National Congressional Map Is Biased Toward Republicans, "Neither party was a clear winner in redistricting, but competition and people of color definitely lost."  Moshe Maryles at HE on  How One Congressional Primary May Determine the Fate of the Republican Party "If Katie Arrington were to win, this would just add to the allure of the Trump endorsement, and further cement the former President as the clear leader within the Republican party. If, however, Congresswoman Mace, who is endorsed by former South Carolina Governor and former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, were to hold on and defeat her Trump backed challenger, this would lend itself to a growing trend of the waning Trump endorsement." Mace won. Virginia Kruta at Da Wire, Democrat Predicts ‘Impeachment,’ ‘Violence,’ And ‘Even Civil War’ If Republicans Win In November

Paul Bedard at WaEx GOP presses for truth on Biden misinformation spy shop. "Talking points prepared by Ms. Jankowicz, the Board’s then-Executive Director appear to show that the department does in fact monitor American citizens and that the board’s work is concentrated on domestic threats." And speaking of misdismal information, Capt Ed points out how Unbelievable: DHS still looking to punish mounted Border Patrol agents falsely accused of "whipping"

Stacy McCain takes on The J6 Smear Machine

The actual purpose of Nancy Pelosi’s J6 Committee is not to “investigate” what happened during the riot, since we all saw what happened with our own eyes, but rather to scapegoat and smear Republicans as part of the propaganda operation aimed at shifting votes in this fall’s midterm elections. They intend, furthermore, to intimidate anyone who might raise questions about the fairness of future close elections that Democrats win, and beyond that, to promote the impression that any Republicans who complain too much are potential “domestic terrorists.”

Mike LaChance at LI notes Democrats’ January 6th Show Trial Episode 2 Falls Dramatically in Ratings and Episode 3 is Postponed. Julio Rosas at Town Hall, J6 Committee Throws Temper Tantrum After Capitol Police Debunks One of Their Claims, but predictably, AllahPundit is holding out hope that they've got something, Jan. 6 committee video: Who were the "tourists" filming inside the Capitol complex the day before the insurrection? At the Right Scoop, BREAKING: Steve Bannon to go to trial, so he says he’s gonna have Pelosi subpoenaed to testify…. Now that could prove amusing.

Insty, ROGER SIMON: Liz Cheney and Jan. 6 Committee Demonstrate How Hate Makes You Stupid.

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo., for now) is an object lesson. Cheney comes from a rich conservative tradition. Her mother Lynne wrote an estimable biography of James Madison. Early in her career, Liz herself consistently voted for and advocated for conservative causes.

Then, along came Mr. Hate.

The instigator: Donald Trump said mean things about her father, blaming him for the Iraq War. I will admit that Trump’s statements were a tad excessive since Dick Cheney, although clearly a key player, was far from alone in supporting that ill-conceived war. An extraordinary percentage did, including most of Washington, the pundit class (yours truly included), and, on occasion, Trump himself.

Rick Moran at PJ Media, Liz Cheney Will Not Win Re-Election to the House but She May Run for President and No Criminal Referrals to Justice Department From J6 Committee. Matt Margolis at PJ thinks Honest Liberals Know Trump Is Innocent and the J6 Hearings Are a Sham "Honest liberals?" More in sorrow than anger, at Town Hall, VDH on What the January 6 Committee Might Have Been. Jordan Boyd at Da Fed swears Clinton’s Debunked 2016 Russia Hoax Was Far Worse Than What Happened On Jan. 6. Via the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.15.22 (Afternoon Edition), Adam Piggott thinks The J6 Protesters Took Aim At The King & Missed.

The general consensus is that the January 6th event was a protest that got out of hand. A protest against the stealing of the presidential election from Donald Trump. There is also much chatter that the FBI orchestrated the invasion of Capital Hill by encouraging and provoking the crowd with agents and paid agitators planted in their midst.

While all of this may be accurate, it doesn’t take away from the very great folly of the protestors who found themselves marching into the government buildings. For they entered with no clear idea of their goals, nor even of their intentions. If your own intentions are so opaque as to render you uncertain of them, what then to your opponents’ minds in the heat of the moment? Caught up in an event that is on its way to getting seriously out of hand, the politicians who were the target of the misdirected frustrations could only speculate in real time at just what was coming for them.

There are photos of politicians in the House cowering in fear while lying prone on the benches where they usually sat in vainglorious pride while luxuriating in their own power. They were terrified because they did not know what was coming and thus they only had their own guilty consciences to examine in real time. No doubt as their imaginations ran riot with detailed knowledge of their crimes and betrayals of the American people, they would have easily convinced themselves that the protestors that were making their way through the politicians’ sacred ground were hell bent on inflicting the most terrible revenge.

It must be a terrifying thing to feel the gallows approaching and discovering that what you had always suspected about your true nature in the face of mortal peril to be true. Cowards really do die very many small deaths as they scramble to avoid the inevitable. They thought they knew what was coming and they knew that they deserved their fate.

But instead, the protestors were merely letting off steam. They had risen far enough to the bait to enter the buildings, but not far enough to do the FBI’s dirty work for them. They had come at the king and missed, not because they had swung in error, but rather because they had never been sure of what they were there to do.

The Peacoock  Feds indict man found with gun, pepper spray, knife near Kavanaugh's home. "Nicholas John Roske of California, 26, was charged with attempting to murder a Justice of the United States. Note how they avoid the word "assassination". At Da Caller, Despite Left-Wing Opposition, House Passes Security For Supreme Court Justices Via the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.15.22 (Afternoon Edition), at This Ain't Hell (but you can see it from here), Growing pressure to enforce law prohibiting picketing the justices’ homes. Shawn Fleetwood at Da Fed argues John Roberts’ Refusal To Release Dobbs Opinion Is Jeopardizing The Lives Of His Colleagues. John Sexton at Haut Hair, Unintended consequences: Since the SCOTUS leak, some states are acting as if Roe has already been overturned. 

James Varney at RCI, Beyond the Kavanaugh Scare: Dozens of Incidents Targeting Pro-Lifers Nationwide. AllahPundit pleased, "Open season": Pro-abortion radicals threaten violence against pro-life outfits after 30-day "deadline" expires  At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.15.22 (Evening Edition)  Victory Girls: Yes, Taking Your Kids To Pride Makes You A Bad Parent, also, Jane’s Revenge Plans More Attacks On Pro-Life Centers. At Da Fed Madeline Osbourne notes Corporate Media, Law Enforcement Uninterested In Political Violence When It Involves Pregnancy Centers. Jerry Dunleavy at WaEx, Garland should investigate attacks on anti-abortion groups as domestic terrorism: GOP. He should, but he won't. 

Breitbart, Jim Banks Presses Biden DOJ for Answers After BLM Rioter’s Arson Charges Dropped. Hmm, from NYPo, Explosive device found at home of California councilwoman. Although city council elections in San Jose are officially nonpartisan, Davis was previously known to be affiliated with the Republican Party, In June 2018, Davis re-registered as no party preference."

And some DIY on the Stupid Economy

Biden Gets Visibly Angry, Yells In Microphone Over Accusations Of ‘Reckless Spending’ | The Daily Caller
Biden: I'm demanding more output from greedy refiners to fight inflation – HotAir
Washington Free Beacon busts Ron Klain and Biden admin for lying about domestic oil production – twitchy.com
Ace of Spades HQ Biden Threatens Oil Companies That He Will Punish Them If They Don't Start Producing More Oil, As His Policies Have Made It Impossible For Them to Do
Here's everything the Fed is expected to announce, including the biggest rate hike in 28 yearsFederal reserve raises interest rates .75 points
Going big: Fed issues largest interest-rate hike in 28 years -- with more coming – HotAir
Ace of Spades HQ Consumer Sentiment Hits Absolute Rock-Bottom All-Time Historic Low as The Economy Enters a Recession
American Power: Why Aren't Democrats Dancing for Joy About Sky-High Gas Prices?
John Kerry Speaks at the 2022 TIME100 Summit | TIME
Dan Crenshaw on Twitter: "In the midst of record inflation, a border disaster, and a supply chain crisis - the Democrats thought today would be a good day to have us vote on…. Mandating the Federal Reserve to *solve racism.* Can’t make this stuff up." / Twitter
You Think Times Are Hard Now? Buckle Up, Buttercup – PJ Media
Wholesale Prices Rise Almost 11%, Setting Records
Inflation: Return of a Plague | City Journal
California Regulations Have Helped Kill the Golden Pig
Russia cuts gas supply to Germany and Italy, blaming a technical problem caused by sanctions – HotAir
CNN Puts Inflation into a Political Context - The Last Refuge
Get Beyond the Gaslighting - Media Now Falsely Claim Biden Administration Underestimated Negative U.S. Economic Impact from Russian Sanctions - The Last Refuge
GOP: Democrats choose Fido and Muffy over inflation-shocked public | Washington Examiner

And the Culture Wars:

Ace of Spades HQ Megyn Kelly Rips Fox For Putting Pro-Trans Propaganda on the Air: "Dangerous" and "Irresponsible"
Marjorie Taylor Greene Slams Kids at Drag Shows: 'Needs to Be Illegal'
The Gayest Generation - The American Spectator | USA News and Politics
Libs of TikTok—Over the Groomer Target and Doing God's Work – PJ Media
Leaked Internal Twitter Slack Chat: 'I Don't Think Deplatforming Libs of TikTok Is Going to Cause a Mass Exodus' – PJ Media
Instapundit » Blog Archive » OKAY, GROOMER: Michigan AG says ‘drag queens make everything better,’ suggests ‘drag queen for every…
Poll: Record-high 50% rate U.S. values as poor – HotAir
Backlash Against NSBA Letter Accusing Parents – PJ Media
Academics: Cancel culture is beneficial for ‘social and racial justice’ | The College Fix

The Wombat has Late Night With Rule 5 Sunday: Paige Spiranac up at The Other McCain.

Hobbits Predated Humans

We've seen news about the "hobbits" (diminutive fossil hominids of the Indonesian island of Flores) before. Now, new fossils suggest that they were present on the island for a long period, starting before modern humans evolved in Africa. Miniature 'Hobbit' Humans Had Even Smaller Ancestors

A recent full-body reconstruction of LB1,
 the ‘little lady of Flores’,

Ancestors of the mysterious extinct human lineage nicknamed "hobbits" may have been discovered, a new study finds.

The newfound individuals may have been even littler than the hobbits, and date much further back in time (from some 700,000 years ago), scientists added. This suggests these ancestors may have shrunk rapidly after reaching the islands where the hobbits lived, the scientists said. Those islands include Flores, where the hobbit remains were originally found.

"These are priceless treasures that provide the first real insight into the evolutionary history of the mysterious 'hobbits' of Flores," said Adam Brumm, an archaeologist at Griffith University in Nathan, Australia, and co-lead author of one of two studies on the new finding published in the June 9 issue of the journal Nature.[See Images of Homo floresiensis, the Hobbit]

Island or insular dwarfism is a well known phenomenon, where populations of large animals on small islands tend to evolve towards smaller sizes, and populations of small animals tend to evolve towards larger sizes, producing mini-mammoths and giant rats.

Scientists have proposed that H. floresiensis evolved from a group of Homo erectus, an extinct human species that is the earliest undisputed ancestor of modern humans. Scientists also proposed that this population shrank in size either shortly before or after reaching Flores.

Another possibility is that H. floresiensis evolved from even more primitive hominins with more ape-like skeletons and smaller brains, such as the extinct human species Homo habilis or even the prehuman Australopithecus species. Researchers have argued that if the hobbit did have such ancient origins, this would reveal that hominins left Africa much earlier than previously thought.

The new discovery — which includes seven fossils that date back a half-million years earlier than those of H. floresiensis — points to the H. erectus link, the researchers noted.

Initially when H. floresiensis was found, some proposed that they were really abnormal modern humans. The new dates make that impossible.

The fossils include an adult jaw fragment and six teeth from at least three individuals, including two tiny "milk teeth" from separate infants. The researchers found that these remains are at least 700,000 years old, dating to a time "when there were no modern humans on the planet," Yousuke Kaifu, a paleoanthropologist at Japan's National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo and co-lead author of one of the two studies, told Live Science. (Previous research has suggested that modern humans arose in Africa about 200,000 years ago.)

So, there really were hobbits. Now we need to find some elves, or dwarves. Maybe the Denisovans were the dwarves.

 Alongside the Mata Menge fossils, the scientists found stone tools that were markedly similar to artifacts found with the Liang Bua hobbits. The researchers also noted that previous research unearthed stone tools on Flores that were at least 1 million years old, suggesting that hobbits and their ancestors lived on the island for at least that long.

The researchers noted these fossils are less ape-like than Australopithecus and H. habilis, suggesting that H. floresiensis is a dwarfed descendent of H. erectus, van den Bergh said. "The Mata Menge fossils are intermediate in shape between Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis from Liang Bua," van den Bergh said.

More Bad New for Biden, The Push Seen Round the World, J6 Calls 'Surprise' Witness

We 'll start this morning with Capt. Ed (Haut Hair) noting Slidin' Biden sinks in CBS/YouGov poll -- and even Dems agree economy is getting "bad". How low can he go? Mike Ginsberg at Da Caller finds a Top Pollster Gives More Bad News For Democrats’ Midterm Chances. Little steps. 

Joe Szymanski, the lead elections handicapper at Elections Daily, shifted three Democrat-held seats Monday from “lean Democratic” to “tossup” and two from “safe Democratic” to “likely Democratic.” He also shifted a Republican-held seat from “likely Democratic” to “lean Democratic.” The five Democrat-held seats were the subjects of heated GOP primaries, while Republican Mayra Flores won a special election to represent Texas’ 34th District through January.

Haut Hair reads the NYT, Biden irked by Dems who won't take "yes" for an answer on 2024 "Mr. Biden has been eager for signs of loyalty — and they have been few and far between." Dave Drehle at WaPoo opines Ron DeSantis’s snub of Trump is a 2024 challenge, "The first rule of bar fighters, so I am told, is: Always land the first punch." Kyle Smith at NYPo reports CNN gives Kamala Harris the easiest layup — and she still misses

At RCP,  More Than 1M Voters Switch to GOP in Warning for Dems. "over the last year, roughly two-thirds of the 1.7 million voters who changed their party affiliation shifted to the Republican Party. In all, more than 1 million people became Republicans compared to about 630,000 who became Democrats." Capt. Ed chortles about The Million Voter March: Guess who's winning the party-switching sweepstakes this cycle?. Eric Lendrum at Am Great, Over One Million Voters Switch From Democrat to Republican Ahead of Midterms. At the Wa Free Bee, Blue Exodus: More Than a Million Democrats Switch to Republican Party, "Republicans win back suburban voters." Ace, Walk Away: One Million Voters Flip From D to R Nationally, Some suburban Karens are getting a little freaked out by how freaky-deaky the Democrat Party has become, reports AP. Althouse, more in sorrow than in anger, "More than 1 million voters across 43 states have switched to the Republican Party over the last year...". At NYPo, Democrats cater to the woke at their electoral peril. 

At NR (cited at Haut Hair), the sometimes readable Kevin Williamson asks Will Dobbs matter in November?  He seems to think it's not as big as they hope. I agree. Haut Hair also cites the NYT, The ruling was just the beginning: Both sides mobilize over abortion. Anxious anxiously warns Democrats bet on Roe's ballot power. AllaPundit at Haut Hair  pleased as punch that in a Post-Roe NPR poll: Dems surge to seven-point lead on generic ballot, but he is honest enough to point out it leaned heavily Democrat before the ruling. "Ed reminds me that NPR’s polling also found Biden enjoying a huge eight-point bounce in job approval after the State of the Union in March. How has that worked out?" PJ Media's Stacey Lennox reports Allen West Says Dobbs Won't Prevent a Red Wave in November. Chris Queen at PJ Media, issues a Red Wave Watch, and I issue a counting chickens warning. 

Sundance at CTH is unhappy about A Combative Interview Between Bret Baier and Arizona Governor Candidate Kari Lake, Video. All politicians deserve tough interviews. At the Wa Free Bee, ‘Desperate’: Democrat Who’s Been in Congress Since 1983 Goes After ‘People in Washington,’ "Ohio's Marcy Kaptur distances herself from D.C. after serving for nearly four decades." Did she get a far out of town as Germantown? Also, Illinois Dem Releases Comically Bad Campaign Ad, "This is the worst political ad I've ever seen."

Nick Arama at Red State thinks Pelosi's Response About Pushing Mayra Flores' Daughter Makes It Worse. She claims she was pushing her out "into the picture." Virginia Kruta at Da Wire reports on how Mayra Flores Responds To Video Of Pelosi Elbowing Her Daughter “I am so proud of my strong, beautiful daughter for not allowing this to faze her. She continued to smile and pose for the picture like a Queen. No child should be pushed to the side for a photo op. PERIOD!!” Sundance, Daughter of Mayra Flores Stands Her Ground After Shove from Nancy Pelosi. Lou Aguilar at Am Spec takes on Latinos Versus the Demoncrats, "An exorcism might be in order for the Democrat party."

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.27.22, The Geller Report: Biden Is Hiding His Plan To Rig The 2022 Midterm Elections and New York Supreme Court strikes down law that allowed non-citizens to vote, and  BattleSwarm  Texas Woman Pleads Guilty To 26 Counts Of That Voter Fraud Democrats Swear Doesn’t Exist. Spence Brown at Town Hall reports a Judge Rules New York City Election Law Unconstitutional. Jazz Shaw At Haut Hair fills in the blank, NY Supreme Court strikes down law allowing non-citizens to vote. At Am Think, Andrea Widburg is outraged at A South Carolina Democrat strategizes about sleepers in Republican campaigns. Breitbart, Listen: South Carolina Democrat Senate Candidate Krystle Matthews Pushes ‘Sleeper’ Republicans in Leaked Call. I ain't skeered, they couldn't pretend to be Republicans long enough.

In J6 Committee "news", CNN reports on what they hope to be riveting new drama, Former Meadows aide will testify before January 6 committee on Tuesday, sources say. Breitbart, Jan. 6 panel calls surprise hearing to present new evidence. At Twitchy, Dan Rather calls the suspense behind today’s surprise January 6 witness a ‘who shot J.R.?’ moment. Who did shoot JR, does anyone remember, or care? Apparently she will claim that several Trumpies sought or at least considered getting pre-emptive pardons. Rep. Andy Biggs at HE, Media Inflation Surrounding the January 6 Committee Distracts Americans From Democrats’ Failures.   

At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.27.22, the The Federalist: J6 Committee Ignores Witness’s Ties To Zuckerberg-Funded Group That Manipulated 2020 Election, FBI Raids Target Democrats’ Political Foes Instead Of True Criminals, and Democrats Have Become A Serious Threat To The RepublicMargot Cleveland at the Fed reports Former White House Staffer Confirms Jan. 6 Committee Lied About DOJ Attorney. At Breitbart, Ken Klukowski Accuses January 6 Committee of Withholding And Misrepresenting Critical Evidence, Challenges It to Release His Full Transcript. I&I opines on Jan. 6, Adam Schiff, And The Real Big Liars — And Why It Matters. At Da Fed, Olivia Hajicek notes how the J6 Committee Ignores Witness’s Ties To Zuckerberg-Funded Group That Manipulated 2020 Election. 

At Am Great, Lloyd Billingsley calls it More Than a Stalinist Show Trial "Beyond the January 6 committee hearings, Stalinism advances on other fronts. . . . Stalin aimed to eliminate his rivals, and the January 6 session targets Donald Trump, first and foremost." At Breitbart, Raskin: ‘Not My Principle Interest’ Trump Criminally Charged. Kenneth R. Timmerman at Am Think, Gaslighting Committee Attempts Launch of Banana Republic. The redoubtable Julie Kelly at Am Great warns the January 6 Committee Ignores Key Questions About FBI. "Jeffrey Rosen and current Justice Department officials do not want Americans to know about the agency’s deep involvement in the events of January 6." At CNN, John Eastman searched and had phone seized by federal agents last week, he says

Last Wednesday, about six federal investigators approached Eastman in New Mexico when he was exiting a restaurant after dinner with his wife and a friend, according to the court filings. He was patted down, and "forced to provide [facial] biometric data to open" the phone, Eastman's court filing said.

Agents were able to get access to Eastman's email accounts on his iPhone 12 Pro, the filings said.

More from WaPoo, Agents seize phone of lawyer who pushed Trump false elector claims

In court papers seeking the return of his phone, Eastman argues that because he was never a Justice Department employee, he is “outside of the OIG’s jurisdiction.”

The court papers say that when Eastman asked to see the warrant, the request was refused. He was frisked, his iPhone taken from him, and he was “forced to provide biometric data to open” the phone, the filing says.

That claim may become a matter of dispute, since the warrant for his phone explicitly states that he may be asked to willingly provide a password or biometric data but cannot be forced to provide that information.

WaPoo whines They backed a Jan. 6 commission. Now, they face heat in GOP primaries. "Next test comes Tuesday, when five of 35 House Republicans who voted for commission will be on ballot" Matt Margolis at PJ Media Liz Cheney Gets a Rude Awakening, when she finds her role on the J6 Com won't counteract her support for Dobbs with the Democrats and the media (but I redund). AllahPundit fears, The big winner from the January 6 hearings: Ron DeSantis?. Whipping a dead horse, I&I reports Pelosi Readies New Articles of Impeachment Against Trump, Says ‘Third Time’s The Charm’  

Althouse, "We’re never going to be the ones to cross the police barrier or cross something in order to get to somebody."

Said Enrique Tarrio, the chairman of Proud Boys, in a recorded video conference on Dec. 30, 2020, quoted in "Proud Boys Ignored Orders Given at Pre-Jan. 6 Meeting/The directives, given during a video conference, included obeying police lines and keeping away from ordinary protesters. But members of the far-right group played aggressive roles in several breaches at the Capitol" (NYT).

Lawyers for the Proud Boys say the recorded meeting is a key piece of exculpatory evidence, contradicting claims by the government that a conspiracy to attack the Capitol was hatched several weeks before Jan. 6.

In court filings, prosecutors have claimed that the Proud Boys began to plan their assault as early as Dec. 19, 2020 — the day that President Donald J. Trump posted a tweet announcing his Jan. 6 rally and saying it would be “wild.” But the video conference shows that, just one week before the event, when Mr. Tarrio and other Proud Boys leaders gathered their team for a meeting, they spent most of their time discussing things like staying away from alcohol and women and taking measures to ensure their own security....

Ace, Seventy-Two Hours Later, and The Left is Still Reacting Perfectly Calmly and Normally to the Dobbs Decision. Paul Krause at Am Think thinks The Left-wing Insurrection Intensifies. At Da Wire, In The Wake Of Roe v. Wade, Attacks On Churches, Pregnancy Centers Escalate. "Data compiled by the Susan B. Anthony List and CatholicVote has found that dozens of centers have been attacked since the the early May leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion indicating that Roe v. Wade might be overturned." Breitbart has PHOTOS: Christian Pregnancy Center in Colorado Set on Fire After Roe v. Wade Decision. Breitbart, Pro-Abortion Protesters Arrested in Oregon for ‘Night of Rage’ Violence. Forget it Jake, it's Portland. KT at Haut Hair, Rudy Giuliani assaulted in New York grocery store, worker arrested. Bob Spencer at PJ Media, Leftist Assaults Rudy Giuliani in Grocery Store, Claiming He’s ‘Gonna Kill Women.’ At Wa Free Bee a Transgender Activist Who Created ‘Gender Unicorn’ Calls for ‘Supreme Court Assassination Challenge’. From the Wombat's In The Mailbox:  06.27.22, EBL, Democrat Days Of Rage and Louder With Crowder notes Leftists Call for a ‘Sex Strike’ in the Wake of Dobbs, Totally Miss the Irony, and Leftists Cry Bloody Murders After a Man Drives Truck Through Protest, no one hurt.  At Da Caller, Patagonia To Bail Out Employees Arrested At Pro-Abortion Protests. PJ Media's Stephen Kruiser says  Unhinged Abortion Left Should Probably Focus on Mental Health Care for a While, their own. John Hinderacker at Power Line wonders Why the Abortion Hysteria?

I think several elements are at work here, but the most basic is that liberals (Democrats) do not want to take the issue of abortion to the voters. They do not want to have to make their case. They do not want to have to argue and persuade. Rather, they want all views opposed to their own to be banned and unheard. Delegitimized.

This is perhaps the dominant fact of 21st Century politics. Liberals don’t want to debate, they don’t want to persuade. They want to censor. They want some higher authority, whether the Supreme Court, Twitter, or corporate America, to declare all views but theirs out of bounds. They don’t want to participate in democratic politics, they want to rule by fiat. For all their wailing about “our democracy,” the last thing liberals want is the actual give and take of a democracy, which usually entails compromise.

And in the interest of getting on with life, DIY on the Stupid Biden Economy:

Just How Bad Is the Economy Really? - American Thinker
Powell’s path to 2% inflation needs luck or, failing that, pain: 'We can’t afford to be fooled again on this, or else it’s going to get beyond us' | Fortune
US is already in a 'soft' recession: Economist Stephen Moore | Fox Business
Most Americans Are 'Concerned' About Their Ability to Afford 'Day to Day Things'
The Middle Class Needs to Start Thinking About Asset Protection - American Thinker
Last Year, Biden Bragged About 16 Cents In Fourth Of July Cookout Savings. This Year, Prices Rose By Double Digits. | The Daily Wire
Gavin Newsom, Democrats to Send Cash to California Residents to Buy Gas
‘Ten Policies to Unleash American Energy and Fuel Recovery’ (API gets nine of ten right) – Watts Up With That?
Shortages of Neon, Other Rare Gases Likely in Wake of Russia Limiting Exports

And the Culture Wars:

Adult Biological Man Beats Teenage Girl To Win Women’s Skateboarding Contest
The Groomer ‘Panic’ Is a Hill Worth Dying On › American Greatness
What Do 'Men Give Birth' and 'Defund the Police' Have in Common? - FrontpageMag
A Gay Activist Group Gave Free Bus Tickets to Minorities and Trans People. It Likely Violated Civil Rights Law.
Biden Official Levine: Sex Reassignment Surgery Is “Life-Saving” And “Medically Necessary” For Kids… - Weasel Zippers
Pennsylvania Drag Queen Arrested and Charged With Possessing Child Pornography – Summit News
Twitter Says Calls to Kill Thomas Don't Violate Their Rules – PJ Media
Stop the 'Ministry of Truth' (Again) - The Pipeline
Anti-Semitic death threats found on Lee Zeldin lawn sign
‘You’re Not My Lawyer’: Bill Maher Breaks Down Exactly Why Americans Are Fleeing The Left - The Daily Wire
Companies That Vow To Cover Abortion Travel Costs Silent On Helping Mothers Pay For Baby Formula - The Daily Caller
'Top Gun' Hits Over $1 Billion, and the Left is Going Nuts – PJ Media
Ace of Spades HQ The Morning Rant: Is There An Emerging Trend of Small Businesses “Canceling” Woke Corporations Because Of ESG Requirements?

A Tuesday Tune - XXXHIBITIONIST

Romy Maxine Flores (born December 19, 1999), known professionally as DeathbyRomy, is an American singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she began performing music professionally at age 15.  Since her debut LP Monsters came out in 2018, Flores has released five albums, with the most recent one being 2025's Hollywood Forever. She is most known for her 2019 single "Problems", which amassed over 70 million streams on Spotify following its success on the video-hosting service TikTok.

Flores was born on December 19, 1999, in Los Angeles, California. She is of mixed heritage; her father's family is Mexican, and her mother is European. She wrote her first song at the age of 5.

Flores released her first song at the age of 15. Her first single on Spotify, "Tiempo", was self-released. She continued to release music independently for another year, in which time she also released her debut album Monsters, which included features from other singers such as Lil B and Yung Bans. Her stage name, DeathbyRomy, comes from her past struggles with suicidal tendencies and is an attempt at "claiming personal love".

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Fish Cops Arrests Four Poachers, Three Drug Dealers and a Tree Trimmer

or at least a tree trimmer: Officers Arrest Striped Bass Poachers, Drug Dealers and a Fugitive

Officers conducting surveillance early Sunday morning at the Ferry Bridge on Hooper Island saw two groups of recreational fishermen catching and keeping striped bass. One group had 16 fish and the other group had nine fish. The rockfish season is closed.

Edgar Fuentes DeMata, 37, and Lenin Gonzalez Fuentes, 34, both of Bladensburg, were each charged with possessing eight striped bass in a closed season. They are required to appear in Dorchester District Court rather than being allowed to pay a fine. Their hearing is scheduled for May 18. If found guilty, they each could be fined as much as $1,500.

Joel Ramos Campos, 49, and Jorge Widmar Flores, 36, both of Hyattsville, were each charged with possessing four fish in a closed season. Flores also was charged with fishing without a license. Their hearing is scheduled for May 18. Campos can avoid a trial by paying a fine of $1,000. Flores must pay a fine of $1,075 to avoid trial.

Something about those names? What do you suppose the chances of the ones released on bond will show up for trial? And the numbers of fish don't add up. What happened to the extra fish.

Three juveniles found in Assateague State Park after hours on Friday were arrested for attempted drug dealing and turned over to the state Department of Juvenile Services.

Officers on park patrol just before midnight noticed a car at the marina and pulled up to check it out. They smelled marijuana as they talked to the vehicle’s driver and then found two other juveniles hiding in the nearby reeds.

While searching the car, the officers found marijuana in plastic bags and vacuum-sealed bags, several packages of concentrated tetrahydrocannabinol, two digital scales and three grinders.

 Yep, we see that at our beach too.

A Westernport man was charged on Saturday with running an unlicensed tree contracting business and was subsequently arrested when an officer found he was wanted under two warrants.

Another day in the life of a fish cop. I got stopped out on the Bay last week. After showing I had enough life jackets for Trevor and I we parted amicably.

Denisovans in Paradise

Or at least Denisovan genes. From Dienekes' Blog: Denisovan ancestry in Oceanians (and some in South Asians). As usual, I continue my assumption that Denisovan women were hot, which is why they became bread into the human line, until fossil evidence proves otherwise.

The Combined Landscape of Denisovan and Neanderthal Ancestry in Present-Day Humans

Sriram Sankararaman et al.

Some present-day humans derive up to ∼5% [ 1 ] of their ancestry from archaic Denisovans, an even larger proportion than the ∼2% from Neanderthals [ 2 ]. We developed methods that can disambiguate the locations of segments of Denisovan and Neanderthal ancestry in present-day humans and applied them to 257 high-coverage genomes from 120 diverse populations, among which were 20 individual Oceanians with high Denisovan ancestry [ 3 ]. In Oceanians, the average size of Denisovan fragments is larger than Neanderthal fragments, implying a more recent average date of Denisovan admixture in the history of these populations (p = 0.00004). We document more Denisovan ancestry in South Asia than is expected based on existing models of history, reflecting a previously undocumented mixture related to archaic humans (p = 0.0013).

So the ancestors of modern man, so called "anatomically modern men" had already encountered Neandertal Men, and incorporated some of their genes, when they moved into Southern Asia and encountered the Denisovans, who they also fell in love with, or something. Early modern man was apparently not very discriminating, NTTAWWT. Or is there?

Denisovan ancestry, just like Neanderthal ancestry, has been deleterious on a modern human genetic background, as reflected by its depletion near genes. Finally, the reduction of both archaic ancestries is especially pronounced on chromosome X and near genes more highly expressed in testes than other tissues (p = 1.2 × 10−7 to 3.2 × 10−7 for Denisovan and 2.2 × 10−3 to 2.9 × 10−3 for Neanderthal ancestry even after controlling for differences in level of selective constraint across gene classes). This suggests that reduced male fertility may be a general feature of mixtures of human populations diverged by >500,000 years.

Denisovan genes caused men to be less fertile? Well, it doesn't seem to have been a big problem, as their are now a lot of people in the world with a share of Denisovan genes. You know, China.

Another interesting article at Dieneke's, this one concerning the Hobbit of Flores, that we've seen previously. New results narrow down the range of time of their occurrence: Middle (not Upper) Paleolithic hobbits

Revised stratigraphy and chronology for Homo floresiensis at Liang Bua in Indonesia

Thomas Sutikna, Matthew W. Tocheri, . . . and a bunch of other people.

Homo floresiensis, a primitive hominin species discovered in Late Pleistocene sediments at Liang Bua (Flores, Indonesia), has generated wide interest and scientific debate. A major reason this taxon is controversial is because the H. floresiensis-bearing deposits, which include associated stone artefacts and remains of other extinct endemic fauna were dated to between about 95 and 12 thousand calendar years (kyr) ago. These ages suggested that H. floresiensis survived until long after modern humans reached Australia by ~50 kyr ago. Here we report new stratigraphic and chronological evidence from Liang Bua that does not support the ages inferred previously for the H. floresiensis holotype (LB1), ~18 thousand calibrated radiocarbon years before present (kyr cal. BP), or the time of last appearance of this species (about 17 or 13–11 kyr cal. BP). Instead, the skeletal remains of H. floresiensis and the deposits containing them are dated to between about 100 and 60 kyr ago, whereas stone artefacts attributable to this species range from about 190 to 50 kyr in age. Whether H. floresiensis survived after 50 kyr ago—potentially encountering modern humans on Flores or other hominins dispersing through southeast Asia, such as Denisovans—is an open question.

Did we get it on with the hobbits too?

Wombat-socho has "Rule 5 Sunday: Time Begins on Opening Day"  ready for sampling at The Other McCain.

Russiagate: Roger Gagged

Garrett Graff at Wired has 7 Scenarios for How the Mueller Probe Might End. In other words, he doesn't know either, but he offers something for everybody. Dr. John at Flopping Aces fears Robert Mueller may be teeing up Adam Schiff. Ann reads the NYT so you don't have to "The [Mueller] report is unlikely to be a dictionary-thick tome, which will disappoint some observers. But such brevity is not necessarily good news for the president." Rep. Meadows Says Democrats Won’t Accept Mueller Report If It Finds No Collusion. Well, duh. At WaPoo, Adam Schiff affirms that in An open letter to my Republican colleagues

A reminder of something we already knew from Ace FBI's Top Lawyer Thought Hillary Clinton Should Be Prosecuted Over Email Crimes, But Was Talked Out Of It. Talked of "talked?"

CNN IRS analyst charged in leak of Michael Cohen's bank records, but Stacy McCain notes Ace noting, ‘There Is No Deep State’

So says Ace of Spades, remarking on the astonishing report that an IRS bureaucrat has been charged with leaking Trump attorney Michael Cohen’s bank records to reporter Ronan Farrow and attorney Michael Avenatti last year. The bureaucrat, based in the IRS San Francisco office, was evidently in the throes of Trump Derangement Syndrome, telling Farrow: “To say that I am terrified right now would be an understatement. This is a terrifying time to be an American, to be in this situation, and to watch all of this unfold.”

Yeah, and you know what else is terrifying? The idea that our government hires criminals to spy on the financial records of their enemies.

Also terrifying: Federal prison. Bon voyage!

From Vanity Fair: “She Was Pitching Her Intimate Knowledge of the Mueller Probe”: Sarah Isgur Flores, Former Trumper, Talked to MSNBC Before Signing with CNN A lot of media types are concerned, because they don't want any contamination of CNN's version of the truth:

CNN’s hiring of Sarah Isgur Flores, a longtime G.O.P. operative who has worked for Carly Fiorina and Ted Cruz, and most recently served as a spokeswoman for Jeff Sessions in the Justice Department (a position that reportedly involved a loyalty pledge to Donald Trump), caused an immediate and fairly predictable media firestorm. Unlike Corey Lewandowski, who was hired to great consternation during the 2016 election cycle (and then terminated), Flores won’t simply be an ideological talking head—she’ll be playing a larger role in the editorial process. Despite a lack of journalism experience, she will be helping to coordinate CNN’s political coverage across platforms, as well as occasionally appearing on-air as a political analyst, which is the more customary role for former politicians and government officials. Within the media world, she is seen as a controversial and unorthodox appointment. Moreover, Isgur apparently has a history of lambasting the mainstream media on Twitter, including CNN, which she once termed the “Clinton News Network.”

How quickly they fall, McCabe Book Bumped From #1 Spot On Amazon Best-Seller List. Another one from Hot Air, Pompeo: Can’t Talk About Gang Of 8 Claim Except To Note McCabe’s A Liar. What happens in the Gang of 8 stays in the Gang of 8. Charles Lipson, Da Spectator USA, Andrew McCabe is the new Joe McCarthy "Serious charges need serious proof. Simple fairness demands it. But McCabe presents none." WaPoo, McCabe says 25th Amendment talk was exploratory; no effort launched. Maybe he realizes he looks like the crazy guy shouting at clouds now.

And speaking of known liars, Cohen visits Senate offices ahead of congressional testimony Getting his stories aligned with their desires?

And what can you say about Roger Stone, who's old enough to know better. Da Mail, 'I’m not giving you another chance!' Judge imposes total gag order on Roger Stone despite apology for posting 'sinister' image of her with rifle crosshairs near her head – and says she'll throw him in JAIL if he defies her.  Da Caller, Roger Stone Unexpectedly Takes Witness Stand In Hearing Over Controversial Instagram Post

Roger Stone admitted to making an “egregious, stupid error” on Thursday during a court hearing which saw the longtime Trump confidant barred from making public statements about his case before the special counsel.

Stone apologized over a graphic he posted to his Instagram account on Monday which depicted the judge handling his case, Amy Berman Jackson, placed in front of what appeared to be a set of crosshairs. “I am kicking myself over my own stupidity,” Stone said from the witness stand, according to reporters at the hearing.

“I recognize that I let the court down. I let you down. I let myself down. I let my family down. I let my attorneys down. I can only say I’m sorry. It was a momentary lapse in judgement. Perhaps I talk too much,” said Stone, who chalked his post up to an “outgrowth of the extreme stress of the situation.”

Jackson was seemingly unmoved by Stone’s apology, saying that his mea culpa “rings quite hollow.” She imposed a gag order on the longtime GOP operative prohibiting him from speaking about his case beyond proclaiming his innocence and raising money for a legal defense fund.

Jackson also suggested that jail time could be in Stone’s future if he violates the gag order. “I want to be clear today. I gave you a second chance. But this is not baseball. There will not be a third chance,” she said.

So why does the Judge intervene when the defendant is clearly hurting his own case? To me this is a first amendment issue.