Flotsam and Jetsam - Do I Really Need a Title?

I find yesterday's news and commentary without much outstanding by way of a theme. So I guess I'll just start at the top and work my way down. But it was a good day for drive-by Rule 5 posts.

Hat Hair's Capt Ed sees IRGC Desperately Trying to Get the 'Death to America' Band Back Together, with the encouragement from America's Democrats and media, but I redund. From Ace, UK Prime Cuck Andy Burnham: Iran's Terrorist Army the IRGC Was "Almost Certainly" Behind the Seven Shirtless Men Casing the Air Force Base. "Tell me something I didn't already know, Cuck." But what's not clear is if they knew they were Iranian catpaws. Cathy Gyngell at Right Times insists America Is Winning, Whatever the Media Tell You. "Iran crushed, Maduro toppled, Panama reclaimed: far from being outsmarted by Xi Jinping, Trump has put America back on top." Driscoll at Insty wonders WHY MAKE HASAN INTO A VIDEOTAPED MARTYR? "Trump ‘losing enthusiasm’ for live-streamed execution. He’s not alone: Scott Jennings and Van Jones Agree Islamic Terrorist Nidal Hasan’s Execution Should Not Be Broadcast." I don't feel strongly, but put a woman on the firing squad, just because some Muslims believe they can't achieve paradise if they're killed by a woman.

Leslie Eastman at LI hear Russia Denies Second Illness, Lifts Quarantine After Unexplained Death at Plague Research Lab, "World Health Organizations says it’s still unsure what caused pneumonia that killed plague-lab worker from Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia." Well, I'd like to believe we don't have to worry about an epidemic of pneumonic plague, but who believes WHO? Not China apparently, The Telegraph, China increases border security over Russian plague. VodkaPundit at Insty sees Ukraine Knocked Out Russia's Biggest Data Centers, and the Internet Got 17% Better. Matt Tardio @angertab, "Following Ukrainian strikes on Russian data centers: Tucker Carlson's views dropped 71% Douglas Macgregor's views dropped 62% TCN views dropped 34%." Maybe there is something behind the anti-data center movement. John Sexton at Hat Hair reports Amid Blackouts and Boredom, Cuba Is Slowly Changing.

Mary Chastain at LI Kimberly Guilfoyle Resigns as U.S. Ambassador to Greece, "A Wall Street Journal report said Guilfoyle apparently asked a donor to President Donald Trump for $100,000." Hat Hair's Beege Welborn says And Bye, Bye to Miss Kimberly's Big Greek Slice of Pie. From Ace, Former Fox Host and Wife of Grifter Gavin Newsom, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Resigns as Ambassador to Greece After Caught Asking for $100,000, "Once a grifter..." As usual Althouse resorts to the NYT, "She wasn’t a member of my family. She, I guess, dated my son a long time ago.", "Said Trump, about Kimberly Guilfoyle, who was engaged to Don Jr. from 2020 to 2024. Trump's cold distancing is quoted in "'Honey Please’: The Steep Rise and Sudden Fall of Kimberly Guilfoyle. President Trump cut her loose after damaging news reports about her tenure as ambassador to Greece. Once a prominent Trump insider, she suggested she will now fight to defend her reputation" (NYT). "Great. All the Trump haters will want to talk with her now, and why wouldn't she tell all the worst of what she knows? She's free and motivated. But Democrats must take care. She knows all about Newsom too. It will only be fun for us distanced onlookers."

Also at Althouse, "She spent... eight minutes reading nervously from a script, looking up at the cameras every couple of lines." ""Then she said she was ready to take some questions. She called on only three reporters, dropped one wild piece of news, made a slip mixing up her husband and her president, then darted out of there after just five and a half minutes, leaving the White House press corps to scratch its collective head." Writes Shawn McCreesh, in "Katie Zacharia Stepped to the Lectern for the First Time. It Was a Bumpy Ride/Ms. Zacharia spent eight minutes reading from a script, called on only three reporters and made an awkward slip-up" (NYT). This doesn't seem likely to go well. Hard to brush it aside as beginner's nerves. There was also this:" The NYT doesn't approve of Trump's new press secretary? Color me shocked. Give her a week or so. But Karoline Leavitt left big shoes to fill. Kyle Becker at RedState hears 'Look Out': Former White House Press Secretary Has Stark Warning for Katie Zacharia Dana Perino: "Also, just take it from me—I was press secretary the last two years of a second term," she added. "Those are usually very tough years, especially if the midterms don’t go your way. The fact that she is a lawyer is a great skill. I had only worked at DOJ for a year, so I’m like a one-year law student. I do think that could come in very handy for her because almost every story does have a legal component." Megyn Kelly @megynkelly, "These left wing pundits so horrified by Katie Zacharia’s performance at her FIRST press briefing are the same ppl who told us Karine Jean-Pierre was amazing at the job and that if you disagreed you were sexist/racist/bigoted against lesbians. Please."

Hat Hair's Dave Strom posts Marc Andreessen Explaining the Problem With Affordability in America in 3 Minutes, housing, health care and education regulation. At TownHall, Dmitri Bolt says Singapore Has a Lesson for America’s Affordability Crisis, and The Left Won’t Want to Hear It. Mark Tapscott looks at Economic Growth As The Solution to The National Debt? Better Think Again, Mr. President. "‘Not to Worry’ — President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are confident that the record-setting National Debt of $40.3 Trillion can be overcome with record-setting economic growth." But it must be, because politicians won't stop spending.

Ace wakes up to The Mystery of the Talarico Disappearance. "I say it's the AIDS Crazies, but other people have their own theories." Capt. Ed translates the NYT: Trust Us – Talarico Goldbricked at Home While AWOL "Spoiler alert: No one trusts the New York Times. And while this article – based on 'evidence' they refuse to share – intends to scold online speculateurs (to coin a term) and rumor-mongers, it still doesn't actually settle the real question at hand." Mary Katharine Ham @mkhammer, "The generational pussy shit explanation may indeed be the real one." Quote Sohrab Ahmari @SohrabAhmari, "I wonder if the online Right is missing the Occam's-razor explanation that Talarico is just a professional-class Millennial and thus accustomed to taking a good chunk time for self-care." Jeff Charles at TownHall, 'I'm the Vice President': JD Vance Just Humiliated James Talarico "He will not shut up about how, quote, ‘God is nonbinary.’” I don't know what the hell that even means, my friends. He won't shut up about how having traditional Christian values makes you a bigot. And I got to say, a guy that age who is so obsessed and focused on transgender children, I don't know about you, but I never want to see that guy's web browser history." Kalshi Politics @KalshiPolitics, "BREAKING: In new ad, James Talarico calls out Joe Biden “for failing us at the border”." Apparently he realized the Democrat stand on illegal immigration is a loser in Texas. Jason Corley @JasonCorley78, "Four months ago we had the Texas Senate race at Paxton 45, Talarico 43, with 7 undecided and 4 going elsewhere. Today it’s 47.2 to 46.7, with 3.9 undecided and 2.2 for the Libertarian. Talarico gained 3.7 points, Paxton 2.2. The undecided and third-party pool shrank from 11 to 6 and split roughly 60/40 toward Talarico. Clearly we found Talarico momentum. Independents are 52 to 37 Talarico; the suburbs are 50 to 45 Paxton. The two candidates are in different positions. Talarico has 95 percent of Democrats and little left to consolidate; his path runs through independents and turnout..." PJM's Scott Pinsker explains Why the Midterm Polling Is Absolutely, Positively, 100% Wrong. (Maybe.)

Capt. Ed remembers El-Sayed in 2020-1: Disarm the Police! (And Defund Them, Too). PJM's Cathy Salgado hears El-Sayed Wants 'Money Out of Politics.' But A New Ad Shows Who’s Funding Him. They want your money out of politics, not their money. From Prolife, Billionaire Donors Behind Idaho Prop 1 Did Not See the LDS Church Coming Ace finds out Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed's Mother Was an Active Member of the Muslim Brotherhood In College. "You don't say." From Twitchy, Ziwe Cooked Hasan Piker So Thoroughly He Didn’t Even Realize He Was the Meal. emilie @emiliepfrank, "“you once said let the streets soak in red capitalist blood. how were the oscar parties this year?” whack him again omg." yeet @Awk20000, "Ziwe grills Hasan Piker over his champagne socialism." Damn girl! 

Auguste Meyrat at Da Fed, Socialism And Islam Are Both Religions Based On Pillaging The West. From Memri, UK Islamic Content Creator: I’d Execute Gays, Apostates, Adulterers. Beege Welborn, The Evolution of German Childhood Hazards: Forest Witches in 1812 to Forced Marriage in 2026. Marina Medvin @MarinaMedvin, "LMAO. This is who is getting the Nobel Peace Prize. Because leftism is brain rot."

Beege Welborn hears a MN Senate Candidate Reveal Her Elizabeth Warren Name - 'Lie-A-Watha' Was Taken. Kate @kate_p45, "Peggy Flanagan’s Ojibwe name is Gaa-gikendamaasikwe, which means “Woman Who Cannot Define What a Woman Is Without Three Lawyers and a Pronoun Workshop.”" Quote Peggy Flanagan\ @peggyflanagan, "My Ojibwe name is Gizhiiwewidamookwe, which means ‘Speaks in a Loud and Clear Voice Woman.’ I’m going to be Minnesota’s voice in the U.S. Senate — not Donald Trump’s." From Da Caller, Dem Candidate Approved Tens Of Millions To His Wife’s Employer While In Office. PJM's Stephen Kruiser has the audacity to notice Lawlessness Is the Dems' Most Coherent and Consistent Policy Pitch.

Vic Nava at NYPo hears Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, doesn’t want her running for president in 2028. Capt. Ed calls it 2028 Bad News: We May Be Unburdened by What Has Been. Ace hears Democrats to Kamala Harris: Get Bent and Get Lost, but they were nicer about it. Speaking of old losers WFMD sees Hillary Clinton includes 2016 loss in ‘hard times’ list for Dem voters, including 9/11, 2008 financial crisis.

And the award for best post title goes to Don Surber for Raid on Omar-a-Lago. "No excitement without an indictment, but break out the popcorn anyway because liberals are freaking out." PJM's Bob Spencer reveals Ilhan Omar Was 37 When She Entered Congress. Soon, She Became 36. It matters whether she was 17 or 18 when she applied for citizenship. Ace cites the Feds: We Have Probable Cause to Show That America's Sweetheart Ilhan "Omar" Committed Immigration Crimes, "That's not a surprise -- you need probable cause to obtain a warrant, and a judge found that DHS did have probable cause. And that judge was probably a leftist." Maybe they pulled a Jack Smith and didn't explain that the subject was a congresswoman. Auron MacIntyre @AuronMacintyre, "I think it’s because she lied during immigration, married her brother, and wants to hijack my country in the interest of her Somalian coethnics while demonizing white people." Quote hasanabi @hasanthehun, "ilhan omar is a naturalized black muslim woman & an outspoken critic of trump and us foreign wars. its not an accident that they're targeting her with lawfare to engage in electioneering. this is unprecedented. this is a perversion of justice that further erodes our social fabric." Dave Strom, Democrats on Ilhan Omar: No Republican Is Above the Law, No Democrat Is Required to Follow It... with a bunch of examples. Military.com tells the tale of Air Force Major Who Called for Trump’s Impeachment is in Solitary Confinement 24 Hours a Day: "Maj. Jason Watson has been jailed since August after publicly opining on the president and his administration, drawing a big legal battle.."

From Quartz, Federal judge ordered Trump's $20M taxpayer-funded TV ads off the air "About $19 million of the $20 million allocated for the campaign had already been spent before the court acted." "The ads, which began airing in late September, feature footage of President Donald Trump and text highlighting what the administration describes as its accomplishments. One ad was identical to a spot Trump ran during his 2024 presidential campaign, with only the funding disclaimer changed to read "Paid for by the United States Government," according to the coalition's complaint. The administration described the spots as public service announcements." Hans Mahncke @HansMahncke, "One can debate whether the Senate’s advice and consent role under Article II, Section 2 has anything to do with scrutinizing the judicial philosophy of nominees. But one thing it is unquestionably supposed to do is prevent insane and otherwise mentally unstable people from reaching the federal bench. And by that measure, the system is failing spectacularly." Quote Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney, "A lot of people saying they’ve never heard a judge as furious as Judge Reyes was today … have probably never heard Judge Reyes before. This is maaaybe top 5 for her." At Twitchy, Screaming Judge ‘Beyond Furious’ She Wasn’t Informed of Removal of Trees at DC Golf Course. Who put judges in charge of federally owned golf courses? Stephen Miller @StephenM, "Also, notice that leftist judges are never “enraged” when Democrats free illegal alien rapists and murderers. That kind of anger is reserved solely for improving long-neglected public golf courses." Victory Girls sum it up, Activist Federal Judges Seek to Hamstring the President.

Althouse hosts The 911 calls in the aftermath of the failed execution of Christa Pike. And I learned a new thing, the execution team was all women, by request of Christa Pike. Death sentences need to come with a built in DNR order. 

Ace, TikTok Feminists Try to Cancel Shane Gillis Again, This Time for Stating the True Fact that Slutty Women are Dressing Like Whores at the Gym. Wilfred Reilly @wil_da_beast630, "The funny thing is that this is ALL fake. The Cornell 7 thing turned out to be scuzzy on all sides, but no kind of prosecutable rape. The other #NewMeToo cases ("62 million man rape academy") ALL fell apart or duly ended with the men in jail. Gillis didn't say women ARE working prostitutes: he said they dress slutty in mixed gyms - an innocuous Chapelle's Show joke. Almost all left wing modern rage boils down to this. "How can you ignore Michael Brown, and Freddie Gray, and Rayshard Brooks, and Trayvon Martin, and Kyle Rittenhouse, and Pretti/Good, and the Duke Lacrosse rape, and the Chi Phi 7 hour rape, and the Rolling Stone rape, and the Rape Academy, and Yasmin Seweid, and Jussie Smolliet, and Covington Catholic, and Air Force Academy, and the dozen lynchings?" Because either almost every one of literally every one of those cases was bullshit. The goal is presenting such a mass of angry text to the world that good faith people think there must be something there. But, there really isn't." Quote Katie Campione @katie_campione, "We are in the middle of one of the largest nationwide reckonings with sexual assault ever and this guy gets on stage and calls women whores for wearing shorts at the gym? You think he doesn’t know what he is saying? It’s not only unoriginal and unfunny, it’s really disgusting." Quote drew @ImNotOwned, "Genuinely confused about the reaction this Shane Gillis monologue is getting. No one can seriously be that upset about this." Lisa Britton @LisaBritton, "All we hear all day every day is how men should “be better.” But the moment you mention how women could “be better” too, the internet breaks and there’s a wave of rage. I got a heavy round of insults this afternoon for simply saying we should have a conversation about how, in many ways, women need to take accountability for their actions. Fortunately, I’m used to insults. You’re not going to shame me into silence! Yes… Women can “be better” too, and it’s about time we had that conversation!" Christina Buttons at CJ discourses on The Concept Creep of Nonconsent, "Affirmative-consent activism has broadened the meaning of sexual assault and encouraged the retroactive reclassification of past encounters—with serious consequences for individuals, society, and the law." Consent can be revoked at any time, say years later, for example.

Newsweek whines DHS Says Immigration Fine Blitz Helped Spur 82,000 Self-Deportations. Amy Curtis at TownHall says Here's How Many ICE Detainers Sanctuary State New York Has Rejected. At least 16k more criminals roaming the streets. Dave Strom's irony meter gets a stress test, Old Hotness: Immigrants Stealing Jobs From Natives; New Hotness: Natives Stealing Jobs From Migrants. Bernie @Artemisfornow, "Ok you have to laugh … the out of work immigrant population in Birmingham are complaining. “In Birmingham, our reporter interviewed a local man named Mohammad Khan. And he said: “Here it is hard to get a job. A lot of students come and pick up part-time jobs. They take over the housing. They work for a lower rate and they can speak English.” “ In a …how dare British students who speak English come here and take our jobs - sort of way" Full very funny article from the Telegraph."

Charles Glasser at Insty notices SELECTIVE OUTRAGE? "Of course, IMHO the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is absolutely right about this, but I can’t help but remember that they were conspicuously silent when the Obama/Biden admin actually hired that nutjob Nina Jankowitz to become the Disinformation Czar. It’s too easy to attribute political fear or agendas to organizations (which is 96% of social media) but it bears noting nonetheless." CPJ, Turkey: 4 more journalists arrested for ‘spreading disinformation’ as media crackdown intensifies. You don't have to look as far a Turkey, at Reclaim the Net, Jury Convicts Blogger After Ohio Senator Reports Crude Political Joke. "In Ohio, an insult aimed upward came back down as a criminal case." Glenn Greenwald @ggreenwald, "The Brazilian Left spent the last 7 years building an oppressive and aggressive censorship regime commanded by the globally notorious, scandal-ridden Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes. It was particularly intensifed during the 2022 campaign to suppress all sorts of criticisms of Lula, who won by a very small margin. Now a Bolsonaro-appointed judge is using that same machine built by the left to censor all sorts of material used to support Lula's candidacy. And now the left is suddenly screaming about the evils of censorship and waving the banner of free speech: a value they spent years denigrating and mocking as an instrument of fascism or some kind of foreign/American concept that has no place in Brazil. Even if you can't find any constitutional, ethical or moral reason to avoid building censorship regimes, your own self-interest should guide you away from it: it will be fun when you get to forcibly silence (or even imprison) your political enemies, but far less fun when that machine is controlled by those political enemies and, as is inevitable, then turned against you." Quote Folha de S.Paulo @folha, "Translated from Portuguese Kassio once again takes down Janones' channel and says that Lula could be held responsible for the channel's use."

John Sexton notes Thanks to Tenure, M.I.T. Is Stuck With Activist Professor, which is not the least of tenure's faults. Timur Kuran @timurkuran, "“Diversity is our strength” became a DEI dogma rather than a testable claim. Demographic diversity by itself rarely improves outcomes and can reduce trust, cohesion, and performance. What sometimes helps decision-making is intellectual and political diversity: clashing ideas expose blind spots, challenge groupthink, and force better arguments." Quote Steve Stewart-Williams @SteveStuWill, “A review of 104 studies found little evidence that demographic diversity makes scientific teams more productive or influential: Only 15-28% of reported results clearly supported the idea, while most found no effect or the opposite.” Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley, "Divinity Schools have shown the same radical shift to the left as other schools in higher education. That was evident this week at Point Loma Nazarene University, where Dean of Students Jason Cha warned students that saying “in Christ alone” is a sign of “white privilege.”" At the Telegraph, Greta Thunberg joins Paris student protests. Are there any leftist causes the autist hasn't endorsed yet? Da Caller reports Democrat Senator Ed Markey Goes Fishing For DEI Interns. That shouldn't be hard.

Dave Strom hears Never Let Fairness Get in the Way of DEI Agenda, Says London's Police Chief. Driftwood @buc97552, "Somali jailed for raping FIVE women wins a case against the NHS because his painkillers were dispensed during Ramadan fasting hours with the court ruling that his ECHR rights had been breached. Five rape victims, and he’s the one winning a human rights case." Quote GB News @GBNEWS, "Somali migrant rapist wins court battle against NHS after painkillers proscribed in prison during Ramadan." Matt Vespa at TownHall tells the one about A White Couple Moved Into a Black Neighborhood in Austin and It Turned Into a South Park Episode. Go watch the video, it's great! Catturd ™ @catturd2, "Yes - the movie Idiocracy wasn't fiction. And it's already here." 

In solidarity with the African migrant who set a french lady's face on fire leftists are trying to prove it's not that bad. Spoiler, it is! https://t.co/twU3LU9R9g

— ♧²M⁰C²C⁶♧ (@MDot_Cartier) October 12, 2026

The Wednesday Wetness

WBAL, Montebello plant starts Susquehanna River water blend for Baltimore amid drought

Baltimore's Department of Public Works has started blending water from the Susquehanna River with reservoir water to combat drought conditions and low water levels at the Prettyboy Reservoir and other locations.

The process began Friday with the opening of a valve at the Montebello Water Treatment Plant in East Baltimore.

Currently, 20% to 40% of Susquehanna River water is being added to the system, supplying households in eastern Baltimore City and Baltimore County. The blended water is undergoing a series of treatments to ensure it is safe for consumption.

"The big thing here is we are blended and so we are bringing in a small amount of the river water and it's being blended with the Loch Raven water. So, we're constantly measuring it. We are also putting something in place that if the quality degrades up at the site, we will shut those pumps down until it gets down to a good quality,” DPW Director Matthew Garbark told 11 News last Friday.

Maryland, My Maryland

From the Balmer Sun, Howard County launches online form for residents to report ICE activity. "Calvin Ball says anonymous submissions will help ensure federal immigration agents act lawfully." Calvin Ball? Now that's funny!

Howard County announced on Friday the launching of an online form in which people can report the activities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the county, according to a news release from County Executive Calvin Ball.

“We believe every resident, regardless of immigration status, deserves to be treated with respect. Unfortunately, we have seen horrific incidents unfold between ICE agents and members of the public,” Ball said in the release. “Like any other federal agency who conducts business in Howard County, we want to make sure any actions are lawful. This tool helps provide information to us about alleged ICE activity in the County.”

Ball stressed the form is not a way to request emergency services. Residents should call 911 in the event of an emergency.

The form asks for the date, time and location as well as a description of the observed incident. It also allows for anonymous submissions.

Howard County officials were not available to comment Monday due to the holiday.
ICE officials did not respond to a request for comment Saturday. The agency has been widely criticized for enforcement operations.

No chance of abuse with anonymous submissions, am I right? 

Flotsam and Jetsam - DHS Raids Ilhan Omar's House

First, from Matt Margolis at PJM, Federal Agents Raid Ilhan Omar's D.C. Home. At Da Caller, DHS Raids Ilhan Omar’s Home Amid Criminal Investigation. News Wax, Feds Search Rep. Ilhan Omar's Home in Criminal Probe and Trump Calls Omar 'Totally Crooked' in Remarks on Raid. Sundance at CTH, Federal Agents Execute Search Warrant on Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Home. "The political left is going bananas, the socialists are having fits, the Islamists are in a rage and the communists are apoplectic about the news that federal law enforcement has executed a search warrant at the home of Representative Ilhan Omar. However, there are no specific details about the nature of the federal action." From Pirate's Cove, Wow: Federal Agents Searched Ilhan Omar’s House. Althouse posts "Federal agents search Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home as part of a criminal investigation, AP sources say." "AP reports." Ace, DHS Agents Execute a Search Warrant on Ilhan "Omar's" DC Home, Seeking Her Old Immigration Paperwork. "Deport." Gina Milan @ginamilan_, "Just so we’re clear… A federal judge in D.C. signed off on the search warrant for Ilhan Omar’s home. The DOJ had to show probable cause as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into her immigration paperwork. In a district full of liberal judges, that doesn’t happen without serious evidence. Today is a very good day for America." and a Friendly reminder… The Biden DOJ launched an investigation into Ilhan Omar in 2024 over her finances, campaign spending, and dealings with a foreign citizen. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius, "If you didn't want the DOJ to prosecute jihadist Congresswomen who illegally obtain citizenship and commit criminal immigration fraud, perhaps you should not have rifled through Melania's underwear drawer at 3 a.m." RedState's Kyle Beck says Holy Moly: The Code Name for Ilhan Omar Raid Is Just Too Funny. Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_, "WaPo reports that the federal criminal fraud investigation investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is called “World War 11”, an apparent reference to a recent comment Omar made when she said the Alien Enemies Act hadn’t been used since “World War Eleven”." Shipwreckedcrew says Yes -- Minn. Rep. Ilhan Omar Can Be Denaturalized And Deported If Her Original Immigrant Visa Was Obtained Via Fraud By Her Father. "This is a story that has been around for many years, with evidence being produced in the country of Somaliland where Omar’s father is reported to have served while in the Somali National Army." Roger Simon wonders if Ilhan Omar was Investigated in Time for... My Book?, "Something larger is at stake."

At PJM, VodkaPundit reminds us So the FBI Did Another Big Raid You Might Have Missed.... "Did you hear the one about the FBI investigation in the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners that caught one of them with his hand in the cookie jar of his own nonprofit?" I didn't miss it.

Rabbi Mike Barclay connects Houthi Attacks and New Archaeological Discoveries in Israel. Duane Patterson at Hat Hair wonders what it take Getting the Iranian Regime to Cry 'Uncle' in Farsi. Fox opines The Iran war didn't make your heating bill this high. Blue-state energy policy did. "The US has just 130 operable refineries, down from 301 in 1982." At CTH sundance hosts Barbara Boyd Explores the Ramifications of the Trump-Putin Energy Deal. From Jamestown, Xi’s Purge and the War Over Taiwan. "The purge shows political will emphasized over military professionalism. Military conflict is less likely in the short term while new officers enter their posts, but gray-zone pressure will likely escalate. A leadership consisting of compliant subordinates makes war increasingly likely over time." Hat Hair's Dave Strom thinks Carney is Committing Commercide, to gain politically. 

Fox hosts Trump warns of a 1929-style depression if Dems win. From NewsWax, Musk Pours $276 Million Into GOP Midterm Push. From CJ, Trump’s Census Proposal Is a Big Step in Restoring National Unity, "Eliminating race and ethnicity tabulation from the decennial questionnaire will help dismantle identity politics and the grievance industry." Eric Trump @Eric_TrumpRv, "JUST IN: President Trump alludes to possibly appointing Ron DeSantis to a CABINET POSITION “I like him a lot!” I’m ALL for this. Ron DeSantis is one of the best executives in America, and his term is up in just months." 

Security and Cigars explains An Oath is a Terrible Thing, "Why Former Major Nidal Hasan Must Be Executed."

The Victory Girls opine, Kimberly Guilfoyle Is A Headache The Administration Doesn’t Need. From News Wax, Kimberly Guilfoyle: 'Where's the Beef' in Allegations? "Guilfoyle's attorneys offer a sharply different account: Rather than receiving improper payments, Guilfoyle was attempting to collect money owed for legitimate work performed before entering diplomatic service. At no point has anyone claimed she received private money while serving as a U.S. ambassador. A disputed private business arrangement predating public service is not, by itself, evidence of corruption. Then there are the questions about private-aircraft travel. Sources close to Guilfoyle's team state that she sought and obtained State Department guidance before using private aircraft and complied with applicable travel, ethics, gift, and reporting rules." Both can be true, it's a headache for Trump, and the allegations can be overblown. I resent the media forcing these choices. UPDATE from Da Caller, White House Asks Scandal-Ridden Kimberly Guilfoyle To Resign. Don Surber has The story ABC does not want you to see, "The Disney subsidiary went after Trump’s sons and failed. ABC scrubbed the URL. I found it."

At Hat Hair Capt. Ed calls it Too Weird to NOT Check First: Did Talarico Have a Mental Health Crisis? Althouse has the Tweet found after prompting A.I. with "get me up to speed on the Talarico-had-a-nervous-breakdown craze." James Talarico @jamestalarico, "I’ve never even been to Ohio." Quote Lindner Center HOPE @LindnerCtrHope, "Representative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope." and comments "What?! Never been to Ohio? That's got to be disqualifying. How can we have a Senator who's never been to Ohio?" I've been to Ohio. He didn't miss much. Richard Grenell @RichardGrenell, "Jacqueline and the NYT have tracked down a disputed bakery bill from 6 years ago…but let James Talarico disappear this month for 12 days with no curiosity. Journalism is dead." Quote Jacqueline Alemany @JaxAlemany, "Six years later, Sen. Roger Marshall settles a $700 bakery bill for 50 frosted sugar cookies, 100 mini strawberry muffins and 100 fudge brownies. " So both Talarico and the Ohio funny farm deny that he went there. Now, we all know politicians lie, alot. But it occurs to me that under HIPAA, the hospital may be legally obligated to lie, if the patient does not want his stay there revealed. I'm going to stick with this might be true.

Hat Hair's Beege Welborn sees El-Sayed Has a Sudden, Fierce Case of Amnestic 'Who's My Buddy? Who's My Pal? Obama Is!' while Capt. Ed says Oh Brother(hood) II: El-Sayed's Islamist Boogaloo. From the Free Bacon, Abdul El-Sayed’s Family Has ‘Long Been’ in Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, Senate Candidate’s Sister Said in Unearthed Social Media Posts. "El-Sayed said on 'Meet the Press' that neither he nor any of his family members have ties to the Islamist group." Charlie LeDuff @Charlieleduff, "No BS Newshour Episode #427 El-Sayed Scampaign Donors Elizabeth is a true believer in liberal causes and continues to make small political donations by way of ActBlue—the Democrat online fundraising platform. (4:36) But somehow, those few dozen small donations she has made have transmogrified into 14,696 donations totaling more than $150,000—the equivalent of eight donations a day, every day for the past five years averaging $9.18. She says she has contributed to Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Socialist running for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat, but not 47 times spanning the last TWO YEARS, as federal filings show..." TownHall's Dmitri Bolt Debunks Another Socialist Lie: Abdul El-Sayed Thinks Billionaires Make Money by ‘Doing Nothing.’

At Victory Girls, Mamdani Monday: DSA Demands And The Italian Snub. He boycotted the annual Columbus Day Parade, probably fearing boos. NYPo, Gov. Kathy Hochul booed while marching in NYC’s Columbus Day parade: ‘You’re a disgrace’ PJM's Stephen Kruiser says Columbus Day Always Puts Me in a Land-Stealing Mood and Bob Spencer hears The Democratic Socialists Are Furious With That Far-Right Extremist, Zohran Mamdani. The Center Square cites a Poll: Majority of voters concerned about socialists running for office. Wilfred Reilly @wil_da_beast630, "Men respect an honorable enemy." Quote Mike "Wild Horse" Kobe @Wild_Horse, ""Hey Mike, I know you CLAIM that Native Americans are mostly patriotic Americans, but I'm just not convinced." This is the 2026 powwow for the Northern Cheyenne, the Arapaho, the Dakota and the Lakota, the largest Plains Nation, the one that fought the US Army to the bitter end and defeated Custer. This is them. Today." The Wombat has In The Mailbox: 10.12.26 (Annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea Appreciation Post). 

From NRO, Dem Campaign Ads Cite Soros-Backed Fake News Sites to Sway Voters in Key Races. From Fox, The blue wave looks real until you look a little closer. "The Democrats need a net gain of four seats to control the Senate, and while some are prematurely sipping Champagne, nobody really knows if they can draw that kind of inside straight. If they tell you they do, they’re lying." At ¡No Pasaran! "Happy to Mail That Ballot for You"?! What the right to vote does NOT require is governments providing every possible personal convenience imaginable.

Inez Stepman @InezFeltscher, "I wrote for @NRO about the mysteriously absent “no” in the Cornell 7 case : “The end result of liberal sexual ethics writ large — according to which women seldom say no and they can be, or should be, every bit as debauched as men — has not been a joyful bacchanal but a minefield. It’s a two-tiered system for the sexes. Female sexuality is practically unlimited, but it’s not coupled with an expectation of responsibility or agency, or even the minimal requirement to know and clearly communicate one’s own mind. On the other side of the ledger, male sexuality is maximally constrained. In a reversal of biological fortune, men are now expected to be the brakes on sex, even when women directly advertise that they are eager and open to all comers. In the face of “free p****,” to quote one defendant’s vulgar chat message, they must either be rapists or monks…" Matt Vespa at TownHall says I Can't Believe the Media Admitted They Left Out These Cornell Texts in Their Reporting. Collin Rugg @CollinRugg, "NEW: Texts from 'Jane Doe' following the alleged "r*pe" show her calling the incident a "gamgbang," saying it was "our body our choice," according to TMZ. Doe also appeared to console the man (who she later accused of r*pe). "aw jonathan i really appreciate this text... i don't think we should feel any shame for the part. our body our choice asf," Doe said, according to TMZ. Doe also appeared to acknowledge that a fourth person was involved in the encounter. She also said they were "super out of it."..."

Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal, reports the Montana AG Asks Supreme Court to Revive Case Against DEI Training That Allegedly Declared ‘All Caucasians’ Racist. At CFACT, Feds defy Supreme Court ban on labeling every puddle a ‘protected wetland’. Bureaucrats are gonna be bureaucrats as long as their not held to account, and then maybe a little longer.

At Am Great, DOJ Launches Antitrust Investigation Into Major TV Networks Over White House Coverage Boycott. "DoJ officials contacted the networks Friday, requesting communications and documents concerning the coordinated suspension of coverage." Did they conspire, or was it a decision they all made separately?

The Manhattan Contrarian looks at Two Versions Of The Story of the ICE Arrest In Far Uptown Manhattan that Ended In Shooting: Dave Strom says As New York Politicians Complain About ICE Shooting, They Ignore That It Is Their Fault. New York Post @nypost, "NY rejects 16,000 Trump ICE detainers for illegal migrants accused or convicted in over 52,000 crimes https://trib.al/wlDa7cB."
DHS, DHS Issues Statement After ICE Arrests Illegal Alien from Nigeria Who Exposed Himself in Public While Working for Congressional Campaign in Pennsylvania.

At Campus Reform, Gallup: Belief in college importance hits record low. From the College Fix, Harvard will stop granting internships to foreign law students and Publisher removes 200 papers University of Chicago statistician wrote in under 1 year. "Scholars say situation adds to larger concerns about AI usage producing high volume, low quality articles." But, are they right? If he's using AI to publish junk that wasn't actually done, throw him out. But if he's using AI just to do the bullshit work of writing, and getting real work published, more power to him.

From the National Interest, France’s Riots Stem from a Deep Rot, and a lot of Muslim immigrants. John Davidson at Da Fed observes In France And Britain, Multiculturalism Is Leading To Authoritarianism. Buck Throckmorton at Ace's takes from From Peter Clack - “A society dismantled simultaneously by energy delusion and the abandonment of its sovereign borders.” From VodkaPundit at Insty, THE GOOD NEWS, MR. POTENTIAL ASYLUM-SEEKER, IS THAT THE GAZA ARABS MIGHT NOT HAVE ANY BUILDINGS LEFT TALL ENOUGH TO BOTHER THROWING YOU OFF OF…:

🇪🇸 A member of the Spanish LGBTQ+ community, draped in a Palestinian flag, says he'll seek political asylum in Gaza if the right wins the election 🙄 https://t.co/JfOgbmFzrk

— Prof. Math & CS (@Zeev81309559) October 12, 2026

Tattoo Tuesday

Nine.com (Au), Scientists develop tattoos you can turn on and off

A new study in Cell Press journal Matter and Light reveals the new inks could help people conceal their tattoos when they feel the need, such as for a job interview. 

“Tattooing is a very ancient technology that remains mostly untapped as a platform for today’s technologies,” lead author Carson Bruns of the University of Colorado said.

The new inks, known as PhotoTat, are made from dyes and a plexiglass-like material common in many medical technologies on the market today, including dermal fillers.

The research is a passion project for Bruns, who has a lot of his own tattoos, including a green lion on his arm. “I love body art because of how personal it is,” he says.