Random Celebrity News

For the usual values of random, celebrity and news. I haven't done one of these in a while, so some of the stories are, shall we say, well aged:

From Ace, DEI Actress: DEI Has Become a Bad Word in Hollywood and We Have to Use Different Words Now to Push Our DEI Grift  Good. Until now, she was just a frequent crossword answer.

Issa Rae says DEI has become a 'bad word' in Hollywood as executives of color 'tiptoe' to keep jobs

'Insecure' actress spoke at TheWrap's Creators x Hollywood Summit about the rollback of DEI initiatives

Actress Issa Rae said Thursday that she believes diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has become a toxic topic for the entertainment industry.

"I'm seeing it," the "Insecure" actress said while participating in TheWrap's Creators x Hollywood Summit. "Just blatantly. People are scared and just not necessarily investing the same way that they would have before. Even executives who, you know, are of color are also like tiptoeing like, 'Well, I can't co-sign you because I'm going to lose my job.' And that's scary to see and sad to see because it's kind of like a bad word now."

In other words, moneylosing grifter projects had previously been greenlighted due to the DEI lobby's power and now that lobby has lost power and DEI projects aren't getting greenlighted and DEI hustlers aren't getting paid.

At Althouse, "There is supposed to be an esprit de corps between artistic colleagues."

Link to X.  What exactly did Arquette say? I found this paragraph, from 3 days ago, in the London Times, "Rosanna Arquette: ‘I paid a price for saying no to Harvey Weinstein’/The actress shot to fame 40 years ago alongside Madonna — and is back in a film, The Moment, with Charli XCX. She talks marriage, motherhood and surviving Hollywood":

In 1994 Arquette had a minor but memorable role in Pulp Fiction, playing the drug dealer Eric Stoltz’s wife and telling John Travolta why she’d pierced her tongue (“Sex thing. Helps fellatio”). “It’s iconic, a great film on a lot of levels. But personally I am over the use of the N-word — I hate it. I cannot stand that he [Tarantino] has been given a hall pass. It’s not art, it’s just racist and creepy.”

I don't think she's saying the whole film is "not art." She's rejecting the idea that the "n-word" can be used if only it's within what is genuinely art. She's saying it's still "racist and creepy" — even when the work of art was made at a time when the taboo on saying the word wasn't so strong. I note that Tarantino himself avoided any use of it in his last film, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2019).

Page 6 has Heather Graham slams ‘awkward’ new reality of Hollywood sex scenes. It's No fun anymore.

Heather Graham shared mixed feelings about Hollywood’s “awkward” new approach to filming sex scenes.

Graham opened up about working with intimacy coordinators in the wake of the #MeToo Movement.

“I think the MeToo movement was amazing [and] I think there is a very good intention behind intimacy coordinators. But it is odd when you come up without having them, and suddenly there’s this random person in the room just staring at you when you’re, like, pretending you have sex,” she told Us Weekly. “It’s kind of awkward.”

“I know that they have a beautiful intention, and they really want to help and protect actors,” Graham continued. “But as the actor, sometimes I’m like, ‘Can you just get all these people out of the room?’”

At OutKick, Sophie Cunningham Had A White-Hot SI Swimsuit Debut, Kay Adams Is On Bikini Time

Welcome to a Hump Day Nightcaps – the one where Sophie Cunningham dumps out new SI Swimsuit content on the eve(ish) of the WNBA season.

 

 

What else? I've got Vrabel/Russini drama (duh), Kay Adams turned 40 in a bikini this week, and it was a BANNER night for major league baseball last night.

And by that, I mean fists were flying and managers were ON FIRE.

Grab yourself some headgear just to be safe, and strap in for a violent Hump Day 'Cap!

Another from Page 6, Sydney Sweeney has the last laugh in second American Eagle ad campaign

She’s back.

Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle are back together, with the “Euphoria” star modeling a selection of summer-ready jean shorts in her second campaign for the retailer.

Dubbed “Syd for Short: American Eagle Jean Shorts,” the ads see Sweeney ditching the second half of her name and the lower half of her pants, posing in cutoffs, a baby tee and breezy button-up shirt.

“What brand am I wearing?” the star playfully asks the camera in the accompanying campaign video. “Yeah, that one.”

And hot off the presses at Hat Hair, John Sexton has 

Russian Beauty Influencer Warns Putin: 'People Will Get Tired of Being Afraid'

Victoria Bonya is a former model an TV star from Russia. She was on the Russian equivalent of Big Brother back in 2006 which is how she first became famous inside Russia. These days she apparently lives in Monaco and travels the globe as a kind of fitness and beauty influencer.

We might as well just get it out of the way. She is quite good looking...
...

The 18-minute Instagram critique was a surprise pivot for Victoria Bonya, a Monaco-based Russian influencer whose videos are better known for their lifestyle tips...

“There is a big, fat wall between you and us, the ordinary people,” Bonya, 46, said in a direct address to Putin earlier this week as she accused top officials of being too afraid to tell him the truth.

She rattled off to her 13 million followers a number of problems that she said were facing Russia — the major curtailing of digital freedoms, mass extermination of livestock in Siberia, deadly flooding in the southern Dagestan region and the oil slick drifting off Russia’s Black Sea coast.

“People will get tired of being afraid,” she said in the video, which has now been viewed more than 26 million times and liked by 1.4 million. “They’re being compressed like a spring, and one day, that spring will just snap.”

Oregon, My Oregon

From the Cowboy State Daily, Tourists Try To Ride Elk Which Are Taking Over Beaches In Coastal Oregon Town

It’s a sight most in Wyoming would consider extremely odd: herds of elk lounging around the beach.

That’s what’s happening in the small Oregon coastal town of Cannon Beach, where elk are taking over the beaches, looking completely out of context in the sand and surf.

And as in Yellowstone National Park, Estes Park, Colorado and other places where people and elk are in close proximity, some people behave stupidly, said James Paino, executive director of the local chamber of commerce.

“We have a lot of visitors who just don't think that it (an elk) is a wild animal,” he said. "I’ve seen people try to put their kids on an elk’s back, or walk up and feed them carrots."

The elk could possibly drawn to the beach seeking saltwater therapy for biting pests.

“It’s not uncommon to see elk going out into saltwater. It’s commonly thought to be therapeutic for external parasites, such as fleas,” said Paul Atwood, a district wildlife biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The Roosevelt Elk live in many regions of Oregon, including Southern Oregon, where we used to own land. We occasionally saw them there, but more often just ran across hoof prints or poo. 

My late lamented brother Ted had an unusual encounter with a big bull in rutting season, once, out of hunting season. He was out hiking the back hills, with his dog Spook, a notorious killer of game and vermin up to the size of White-tailed Deer, and carrying, as was his habit, his rifle (.257 Roberts, IIRC). They encountered the bull in a clearing. Spook chased the bull, the bull chased Spook, Spook chased the bull, the bull chased Spook, and Spook went back to Ted, who stood there with his rifle ready until the bull decided that maybe that wasn't the hill to die on and wandered off.

The elk are also very common at Prairie Creek State Park in Calif, where the often congregate in large numbers near the Park entrance off Highway 101 in the Redwood country. A fair amount of tourist stupidity occurs here as well I've heard.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Strait of Hormuz Constipated Again

It only takes one asshole to stop up the works. A day after Trump and the Iranians declared the Strait of Hormuz open for business again, the IRGC started firing on shipping to other gulf ports, claiming that by maintaining the blockade on Iranian traffic, Trump has violated the terms of the ceasefire. I sort of get the point, but they need to be made to come to the realization that they're not dictating the terms. They also need to figure out who's really in charge. NYPo, Iran fires on at least two ships near Oman after re-closing Strait of Hormuz — as Trump warns Tehran against ‘blackmail’. I think he means extortion. At DW.com, Iran war: Trump says Tehran cannot 'blackmail us'. Dave Strom at Hat Hair reports IRGC Closes Strait Again, Calls Iran's Foreign Minister an 'Idiot,' Fires on Oil Tankers. TownHall's Joe Chalfant says The Iranians Are at It Again in the Strait of Hormuz and This Radio Chatter From the Iranian Attack on an Oil Tanker Is Crazy. سيف الدرعي| Saif alderei @saif_aldareei, "The Indian tanker captain in the Strait of Hormuz explodes in anger over the radio, confronting the Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats: “You gave me clearance to pass! My name is listed as number 2 in your papers! Now you’re firing on me?! Give me a chance to turn around and go back!” This is the reality in the Strait of Hormuz today. The Iranians… as naturally as they breathe… they lie… they betray… and they stab you in the back." At Althouse, "Merchant ships were sent scrambling to retreat after Iran fired on multiple vessels on Saturday morning, part of its sudden decision to re-close the Strait of Hormuz." "The Washington Examiner reports." and "Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement!" At RedState, Nick Arama hears a Report: Trump Planning to Drop Another Hammer on Iran and Their Ships. "The U.S. military is preparing in coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, according to U.S. officials, expanding its naval crackdown beyond the Middle East." "if the regime is sane, there's only one way out of this. But it's the Iranian regime, so it isn't, and they keep stepping in it. and picking the insane option." It's only a day late, but still stale from sundance at CTH, With Strait Open, British Prime Minister Kier Starmer Says He’s Organizing EU Security Force in Effort to Remain Relevant, maybe next time, say Monday. The Great Victor Davis Hanson at Am Great explains Trump’s Weeklong Strategy to Bleed Iran Dry.

Scott McKay at Am Spec, No, You Morons, Iran Has Not ‘Won.’ "The final chapter in this war has yet to be written." Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "CNN's Melissa Bell reveals she doesn't know what a navy is." Quote Furkan Gözükara@FurkanGozukara "CNN's Melissa Bell reveals the world is completely bypassing the United States. Over 30 global leaders met in Paris to secure the Strait of Hormuz, deliberately excluding Washington. The international community is actively organizing to survive Trump's disastrous war." Dave Strom notes Iran Giving Mixed Signals, But Europeans Are Talking Tough, So US Must Have Won. From Da Blaze, CNN's Christiane Amanpour issues crazed response to Hegseth criticism of the media. "And finally an observation: the current Secretary of War, f/k/a Defence, left the military with the rank of Major," she added. "I recall my dogtag in the first Gulf war had the rank of major ... the very same rank. Just sayin'!" Jerry Dunleavy IV @JerryDunleavy, "I am told Amanpour may have been referencing a press ID she was given during the Gulf War, which listed the fake administrative rank of "major" for access purposes, which is actually more insane, becuz she is comparing that to U.S. troops who actually achieve the rank of major..." Dave Bernstein at Insty, SO, WE SHOULD HAVE A FORMAL DEFENSE TREATY WITH ISRAEL AND STATION THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS THERE: "The latest meme among Democrats (and some Republicans) is that we should treat Israel “like every other ally,” i.e., no military aid. I think US aid to Israel is a mixed blessing for both countries, but I want to focus here on the underlying dishonesty. Yes, Israel officially gets “foreign military aid” and the others don’t. But that’s an artifact of budget shenanigans, in particular Democrats historically insisting that our military relationship with Israel be put in the foreign aid budget to help get the rest of the (unpopular) foreign aid budget passed. But the US provides massive in-kind subsidies to our other allies in the form of US soldiers stationed there and mutual defense pacts, allowing countries like Canada to freeload off US defense. And then they won’t even let the US use their bases when needed." Steve Cortes at Am Great, thinks It’s Time to Rethink NATO, "NATO won the Cold War—but clinging to it now drains U.S. power from the Indo-Pacific, where the real contest for the future is unfolding."

Ryan Gerritsen @ryangerritsen, "“An RBC report released Tuesday confirmed that new investment in Canada has completely collapsed during the Liberals’ tenure in power” Trudeau cost our Country 1 TRILLION DOLLARS in investments. Just a reminder, he was taking advice from the “master economist” currently running our Country." John Sexton sees Signs That Things Could Be Ramping Up in Cuba.  

NYPo, String of missing or dead scientists ‘too coincidental’ not to be major concern, congressman says — as 11th mystery emerges. Atop Da Hill, White House, FBI looking into case of missing scientists: ‘No stone will be unturned.’ I remain unconvinced, but convincible.

Trump's ballroom has been on off on off on. The Peacock whines Appeals court allows Trump's White House ballroom construction to continue into June "The decision came a day after a federal judge halted aboveground work on the project." Althouse, "A federal appeals court on Friday allowed construction to continue on President Donald Trump’s new White House ballroom until June, just a day after a federal judge halted progress." "NBC News reports. Meanwhile, The Washington Post has just come out with an "analysis" of the quantity of Trump's "fixation" on building the ballroom: "Trump’s fixation on White House ballroom is increasing, Post analysis finds/The president has publicly highlighted his ballroom project on roughly a third of the days this year.""

Dave Strom thinks the Catholic Charities 'Scandal' Is an Object Lesson on How Coordinated Propaganda Campaigns Work. Althouse shares "President Trump has been rampaging around the globe like Grendel at dinner time, a rapacious, feral creature. Who could stand up to him?" "The soft-spoken, humble Leo, who strives to unify, squared off against the bombastic, solipsistic Trump, who strives to divide. And watching the saintly pope school the amoral president is a blessed sight...." Writes Maureen Dowd, in "The Pope Bedevils Trump" (NYT)."

Libs: “we need to make Trump look bad”

Journalist: “hey get a shot where he’s wearing royal purple and looks taller than a jumbo jet and has a 10 foot dick and everyone around him is kneeling or staring in awe” pic.twitter.com/4pK5znxeMT

— Lee (Greater) (@shortmagsmle) April 18, 2026

Jesús Enrique Rosas @Knesix, "Trump is going to frame this and put it in the Oval Office, isn't he?"

Bryan Jung at PJM, 6,000 Apply as Air Traffic Controllers After DOT Secretary Duffy Proposes Recruiting Gamers. At Althouse, "I got a call from a number of people, including the great Joe Rogan, and he said we have to do something about this." "The executive order I'm signing... today.... directs the FDA to expedite their review of certain psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapy drugs...." and "The Trump administration has urged professional football’s leaders to induct Theodore Roosevelt into the sport’s hall of fame..."

Althouse opposes The notion that Swalwell was "flirty.", "I'm seeing this inane word "flirty" in the context of Swalwell's downfall. In the Politico article "'I fell for it:' Gallego gives emotional remarks following Swalwell sexual assault allegations/The Arizona Democratic senator said he regrets not seeing the signs that his colleague was “a predator'" (Politico)." At NYPo, the Divine Miranda Devine: Eric Swalwell’s fall from grace was by design — and so Dems can keep their grubby hands on California. Matt Taibbi at Racket says Public Stonings are Not "Accountability" "The high-speed demolition of Eric Swalwell is being celebrated as appropriate "accountability," but removing due process isn't justice." Hey, don't short circuit my schadenfreude!

Kevin Dalton @TheKevinDalton, "Gavin Newsom just used his own PAC to buy $1.5 million worth of his own book. Even more comically, that accounts for 2/3 of the entire print sales." Shooting News Week explain Why California’s ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ Should Worry Gun Owners. Althouse, "If that’s what 'woke' means, it explains why most Americans don’t want to be woke." ""Transgender adults should have the freedom to live as they see fit and that includes the option to pursue elective medical procedures. But why should that choice come at taxpayer expense, especially for noncitizens? If the fiscal well-being of California isn’t incentive enough to crack down on such wasteful mismanagement of tax dollars, then maybe Newsom’s political future is. The outgoing governor seems determined not to learn from the failure of another California Democrat. The most devastating attack ad against Kamala Harris in 2024 featured her saying during her previous presidential campaign that she supported taxpayers picking up the tab for federal prisoners to receive gender transition care...." Writes the Editorial Board of The Washington Post, in "Gavin Newsom chooses the wrong side of gender politics again/Sex changes for illegal immigrants might sound like a Republican ad, but it’s California policy.""

Habeas Corpus Linguistics @HabCorpLinguist, "Average Mamdani scandal: High level staffer discovered to have anonymous account where he posted "Wallahi, we will wage jihad on the zionists of Crown Heights" Average Eric Adams scandal: I approved a permit for a guy who gave me a free plane ticket upgrade." Quote 𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖊 @atlanticesque, "That’s the thing about Adams, most of his “scandals” were actually just the hijinx and misadventures of his ratchet ass staff But the man was loyal to his people, for better and for worse x.com/daniela__127/s…" VodkaPundit at Insty says MOVE ALONG, NOTHING TO SEE HERE: "Ilhan Omar Says She Isn’t a Multimillionaire, Blames Accounting Error. "An Omar disclosure filed last year showed she and her husband held assets of between $6 million and $30 million, a massive rise in wealth from her previous annual filing. That jump triggered questions among Republicans eager to scrutinize a critic of the president." Republicans pounce!" At the Free Bacon, Michigan Senate Hopeful Abdul El-Sayed Blamed US for 'Creating' Terrorism: 'What Happens When People Are in Pain?' "The remarks came at a sparsely attended campaign stop in July, where El-Sayed questioned how the US might cause a terrorist to 'think that we don't see them.'"

Althouse highlight's a Supreme Court leak to the NYT, "Secret memos obtained by The New York Times illuminate the origins of the court’s now-routine 'shadow docket' rulings on presidential power." Conn Carroll @conncarroll, "This is an odd way of saying, “How the Obama administration gamed the appeals process to enact costly and illegal regulations on the energy sector.”" Quote The New York Times @nytimes "Secret memos by Supreme Court justices, obtained by The New York Times, show how they decided to bypass time-tested procedures and create the modern “shadow docket,” a controversial new way of doing business. https://nyti.ms/4csrD0l" At Twitchy, From Whose Office Could the NYT Have Obtained Classified SCOTUS Memos? Sotomayor and Jackson are the leading candidates. 𝔻𝕠𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣 𝔽𝕒𝕥𝕖 @georg3, "It’s a real mystery who dislikes the shadow docket and would leak this information. I hope we can find out one day. In other news, KBJ has thoughts…" Sunny @sunnyright, "Another leftist presumably employed in the chambers of the Supreme Court has leaked confidential court items to the media to help the left. Fire everyone below Justice who had access. Start new." Austin Justice @AustinJustice, "The judge who kept a criminal on the street -- until he killed 26-year-old UT engineering grad Larissa Herold -- was accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old Brazilian foreign exchange student living in her home. In 2006, Chantal Eldridge gave the student alcohol and asked him to play strip poker with her, before they had sex in his bedroom. Her 8-year-old son was in the house..."

Sundance is worried, Miami Prosecutor Moved from Brennan Conspiracy Investigation.

Clint Brown @DissidentClint "Hey @S_Fitzpatrick I was Kash Patel’s Sherpa on the transition. I spent nearly all day everyday with him for 3+ months and have been with him frequently since. I have never seen the type of behavior that you’re describing from him. Your anon sourced story is BS...." quote Sarah Fitzpatrick @S_Fitzpatrick, "EXCLUSIVE @TheAtlantic On multiple occasions Patel’s security detail had difficulty waking him because he was seemingly intoxicated, according to info supplied to DOJ and White House officials. A request for “breaching equipment”was made because Patel had been unreachable behind locked doors."

Gitmo (Health is a Wealth) @Gitmo99, "Proud Boys were innocent The star witness who convicted the Proud Boys of seditious conspiracy just recanted. His name is Jeremy Bertino. He was the entire case. The prosecution had nothing without him. Here's what he's now saying publicly: The FBI threatened him with 25 years in prison. Told him what to say. Coached him until he said it the way they needed. Then put him on the stand." Oilfield Rando @Oilfield_Rando, "The Proud Boys just went around beating up violent communist terrorists. That’s it. They just beat up communist domestic terrorists. And that made them public enemy number one, because Antifa’s whole organizing strategy fails if CIVILIANS bash them up instead of police."

At Da Caller, Harriet Hageman Unveils Bill To Protect American Energy From ‘Leftist Legal Crusades.’

Stacy McCain is on fire with The Ivy League Is Decadent and Depraved and Guess Who Made an Interesting Point? "Where do I start in explaining my hatred of Nick Fuentes? That this preposterous Jew-hating homosexual has been elevated to podcast royalty — the Pied Piper of 21st-century neo-Nazism — is one of those phenomena that makes me despair for the future of humanity. And I honestly fail to see what it is that makes Fuentes so appealing to younger people, but then again, I don’t understand the appeal of Ariana Grande or Sabrina Carpenter, either." Tits? "The truth is still the truth, even if the person saying it — Nick Fuentes or David Frum or Donald Trump — is someone you loathe. And as for J.D. Vance, why should I condemn or distrust him for having abandoned his earlier Frum-approved establishment beliefs, when I wish everyone else (including Frum) would do the same? We are supposed to be living under a representative government, and yet Frum seems to believe that people who disagree with him don’t deserve representation."

Camus @newstart_2024, "Helen Andrews dropped a blunt explanation for why wokeness proved so hard to kill: It’s rooted in feminine patterns of conflict — where disagreement isn’t debated, it’s treated as emotional harm that must be punished or silenced..." Because that's how you have to deal with children, but not adults. VodkaPundit at Insty, SO MANY OF OUR CURRENT ILLS STARTED WITH OBAMA: Zineb Riboua @zriboua, "I’ve warned you all. Third-Worldism is the fastest growing ideological movement in the United States."

NYPo, Lefty love boat: Greta Thunberg’s freedom flotilla rocked by sexual misconduct allegations. "“A senior leader within the flotilla — a member of the steering committee, the highest governing body of the organization — engaged in sexual relations with multiple activists while on the boat heading to Gaza. Not one person. Not two. Three different individuals,” claimed Palestinian group Heart of Falastin in a social media post earlier this week ... One Brazilian group named the alleged horndog as activist Thiago Avila, in an X post unearthed by media watchdog Honest Reporting and shared with The Post." I'm shocked, shocked!

Sunday Sunrise

Your last chance to see Comet Pan-STARRS is probably past already:

Comet C/2025 R3 (Pan-STARRS) is visible from about 90 minutes before sunrise until early next week. It’s a realistic binocular target for anyone with a clear eastern horizon and a bit of patience.

On Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, the comet lies due east close to bright star Algenib at the lowest corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.

My Eye Has Seen the Glory

Of a world in focus. Another brief update on the progress on my recovery from the retinal detachment, reattachment and vitrectomy surgery I had 4 weeks ago Thursday. When last I posted, about a week ago, the affected left eye was still completely blurry due to the bubble of Freon 12 they put in it to hold the retina in place, but that bubble was obviously shrinking by absorption, as it was expected to do over approximately 6 weeks. The evening after I made that post, I began to get narrow glimpses of focused (or at least, much better focused) reality as the bubble shrank to the point of exposing some of the pupil to eye fluid, allowing a normalish light path through the pupil, the liquid, and to the retina. At first, I wasn't even sure, and I had to hold my hand over my eye to make sure I wasn't blinking and catching the image with my OK right (and dominant) eye.

Over the course of the last week, that window has expanded. The bubble now occupies the lower half of my vision in that eye excluding apparently the macula, and a broad band above it is in approximate focus on the world. I can read text on the computer with it, better using my glasses, which are almost certainly not the appropriate prescription. However, the text looks as if it was typed on a piece of paper which was then crumpled and mostly re-flattened and tilted to the right, like Fox News. If I use both eyes simultaneously, it seems somewhat better, but it's a little disconcerting. I'm hoping more healing will fix that, or that my brain will somehow learn about the distortions and apply a software patch.

Colors seem to be correct, although yesterday, in the dark waiting for Pete to pick me up, it seemed white lights or areas of low light (like a gray house across the street), were brighter in the left eye. There might be a residual area of slightly darkened vision in the lower right, where the retina first detached, but I'm not convinced. It has improved drastically since I could see a little dark animal in that corner. 

The bubble continues to shrink more or less as advertised, which means I have a couple of more weeks until it's completely gone and I can cut off the green tag on my wrist which warns first responders not to airlift me out, or drive above 2000 ft for fear of the bubble expanding and bursting the eye, not that the wrist band is still legible.  If I look down, the circle of the bubble has visibly shrunk. I have a retina doc appointment at Wilmers about then, and I'm hoping for continued good news, and continued, albeit slow improvement until then.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Iran Opens the Strait

From News Wax, Trump to AFP: Iran Deal 'Very Close' as Hormuz Chokepoint Reopens. From Althouse, Trump's 9 posts of the last hour... including, at #7, "A GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD!" "From his account at Truth Social: 1. "The U.S.A. will get all Nuclear 'Dust,' created by our great B2 Bombers - No money will exchange hands in any way, shape, or form. This deal is in no way subject to Lebanon, either, but the USA will, separately, work with Lebanon, and deal with the Hezboolah situation in an appropriate manner. Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!! Thank you! President DJT" 2. "Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL. They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger! President DJT" 3. "Thank you to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar for your great bravery and help! President DONALD J. TRUMP" 4. "Iran, with the help of the U.S.A., has removed, or is removing, all sea mines! Thank you! President DJT" 5. "Again! This deal is not tied, in any way, to Lebanon, but we will, MAKE LEBANON GREAT AGAIN!" 6. "Thank you to Pakistan and its Great Prime Minister and Field Marshall, two fantastic people!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP" 7. "A GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD! DJT" 8. "Iran has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again. It will no longer be used as a weapon against the World! President DONALD J. TRUMP" 9. "The Failing New York Times, FAKE NEWS CNN, and others, just don’t know what to do. They are desperately looking for a reason to criticize President Donald J. Trump on the Iran situation, but just can’t find it. Why don’t they just say, at the right time, JOB WELL DONE, MR. PRESIDENT, and start to gain back their credibility???" and "The Strait of Hormuz is 'completely open' for all commercial ships after the agreement of a cease-fire in Lebanon, Iran’s foreign minister said on Friday," "The NYT reports." At Ace, Iran Claims They Have Completely Opened the Strait of America, Claims They're Ready to Turn Over All Uranium and Give Up Their Nuclear Ambitions, "I believe neither of these things. I do believe they've said these things, but I think they're lying." Weijia Jiang @weijia, "NEWS President Trump tells me: -No ground troops will be required to remove enriched uranium from Iran -Iran has agreed to stop backing all proxy groups like Hezbollah and Hamas -I asked if Iran has agreed to stop enriching uranium *forever.” He said, “They’ve agreed to everything.”" The Iran Watcher @TheIranWatcher, The Islamic Republic is showing a MAJOR internal fracture at the highest levels in real time. After Araghchi and Trump both claimed the Strait of Hormuz is “open,” IRGC-linked Fars News is now openly questioning officials, warning of confusion inside the country, and demanding explanations for the silence. At the same time, IRGC messaging via state TV makes clear that passage is still controlled, restricted, and under military oversight. Across the regime’s support base, pro-Basij and IRGC-aligned channels are fuming, with visible anger over this so-called agreement to open the strait. This exposes a direct contradiction between the diplomatic narrative and the military reality. Even regime-aligned media is now signaling that something doesn’t add up." Nioh Berg @NiohBerg, "I'm almost 100% this is what's happening. One regime figure had a meltdown and then deleted his X account. Others are calling for Araghchi to be impeached. Ghalibaf is calling all of Trump's posts lies. Regimi twitter in absolute shambles." Quote Nioh Berg @NiohBerg "I think Trump's strategy right now is to loudly declare that the IR has agreed to everything, then lean back and watch them tear each other apart in confusion and fingerpointing." Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "IT'S OFFICIAL: SecWar Pete Hegseth announces Operation ECONOMIC FURY from Scott Bessent against Iranian leadership Hell yes "Secretary Scott Besant and our friends over at Treasury are launching Operation Economic Fury as well, maximizing economic pressure across the entirety of the government." "To Iran, choose wisely."" LHGrey @grey4626, "Scott Bessent is a goddamn economic warlord… the kind of apex predator who doesn’t just play the markets…he weaponizes them into precision-guided ordnance that leaves entire regimes bleeding out in the dirt." I hope this is on the level, and Iran is really in the process of bending the knee. But if it's only the opening of another, more psychological front on them, that's OK too.

From RCP, The Hormuz Blockade Is Not About Iran — It’s About China. At News Wax, Trump Tells NATO to 'Stay Away' After Strait Reopens. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn asks 'You and What Navy?' French Presidential Poof de Crème Plans to Cut Trump Out of Hormuz Patrols and sees the Aussie Fuel Situation Just Got a Little Spicier. George MF Washington @GMFWashington, "This is a bit like my wife and me meeting to discuss the unsuitability of a particular lunar landing location." Quote Defiant L’s @DefiantLs, "Keir Starmer and French President Macron meet to talk about the Strait of Hormuz." Ezra Levant @ezralevant, "The UK can't deploy a single ship. Spain and France won't let America fly from their airbases. Germany buys its energy from Russia. I think Europe are the ones who have "pulled out of the alliance."" Quote The Wall Street Journal @WSJ, "Exclusive: Europe is accelerating a fallback plan for NATO in case President Trump pulls out of the alliance ." Javier Blas @JavierBlas, "Spot on from @JasonBordoff: "... Others should prepare for a world in which energy crises are less of a brake on American power than they once were..." AP, AP Exclusive: Europe has ‘maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left,’ energy agency head warns. Victoria Coates@VictoriaCoates, "But remember, Iran is not Kier Starmer’s war." Quote The Telegraph @Telegraph, UPDATE: Counter-terror police are investigating whether Iranian-backed proxies are behind a spate of firebombings in London." Dave Strom at Hat Hair thinks Canada Provides an Object Lesson in What NATO Without US Looks Like. Don Surber notes Brits poorer than Mississippians, "But the British refuse to believe they are poor."

Lorenzo from Oz has Two simple tests for bad commentary on the Iran War "And a more subtle test." "Would this commentator ever admit that Trump had done something positive? If the answer is no, ignore them." "Does this commentator pay any attention to the record of the Islamic Regime? Its record of domestic repression, including various mass executions and mass killings of protesters?... If the answer is no, ignore them." "The third test is about how wars work. Does the commentator understand that good strategy in war is a decision-tree? If you do X and Y happens, then follow up with Z. If you do X and A happens, follow up with B. If they do not understand that, if they treat successful war strategy as being able to operate according to some plan so what the opponent does in response to it does not matter, then they do not understand war, and you can ignore them." At Am Con, Media Coverage of the War Has One Target: Trump. Flopping Aces @FloppingAces, "For weeks the New York Times screamed Trump’s Iran strike would crash the economy, send oil to $150, and hand victory to the mullahs via the Strait of Hormuz. Today? S&P 500 just smashed another all-time high. NASDAQ at record levels. Gas prices falling. Oil stabilized and dropping. Meanwhile Iran’s economy is in smoking ruins ... worse than the entire Iran-Iraq War ... with their core industries obliterated and Tehran now desperate to crawl to the negotiating table. The same “experts” and black-pillers who swore we had “no plan” and Trump was leading us into economic armageddon just got absolutely nuked by reality. Trump was right. The doomsayers were clowns. The media doom narrative is officially obliterated. Let the man work. (article below)." Flopping Aces @FloppingAces, "Media Panic vs Reality: Markets Rip, Oil Stabilizes, and the Doom Narrative Gets Obliterated https://floppingaces.net/most-wanted/me" Mehek Cooke @MehekCooke, "Every foreign policy genius who spent a decade collecting paychecks to tell us Iran was untouchable just watched a real estate developer from Queens reopen the waterway that moves a third of the world's oil. The credential class should be embarrassed into silence." Matt Vespa at TownHall wants you to Look at Scott Jennings' Face When Kamala Harris Former Comms Director Said This on CNN About Iran. At Insty, A FRIEND WRITES: "I am shocked at how the service academy pages and other military-directed sites are absolutely overrun by angry progressives. I mean, is this just what they do now? “Like” pages just to vent incessantly? I’m usually just scrolling cooking reels so apparently I’ve missed the real action online. Mind numbing." They’re super upset that we’re winning a war and not taking heavy casualties." Althouse finds "The shift to drilling holes in fuel tanks comes as an old method of stealing gas has faded: siphoning...." ""Most newer vehicles have narrow, curved filler necks leading to the gas tank, making it difficult to force a tube inside. Some vehicles also have internal flappers or baffles to thwart siphoning. And anti-pollution regulations mean fuel systems are often better sealed. Gas thefts of all kinds tend to follow pump prices...."" From "As fuel prices rise, a new technique of gas theft is spreading/With simple tools, thieves are 'drilling and draining' fuel from vehicles, leaving drivers with costly repair bills" (WaPo). I don't like that phrase "As fuel prices rise," which seems to assume the rising trend will continue. Right now, I'm seeing this:" Oil prices decline. Of course, they never noticed it when Joe's autopen was producing even higher gas prices. News Wax cites GOP Senators Want Iran Exit Strategy featuring Lisa Murckowski. I'm not sure she qualifies.

Sarah Anderson at PJM, cites the State Department on Venezuela: No Trust, Just Leverage.. and a Plan for Elections? and likes The New Monroe Doctrine: So… Here’s Everything That Happened. Yes, Everything. Dave Strom at Hat Hair observes This Piece From the NYT Drips With Contempt for Him, So You Gotta Love Him. Steven Edginton @StevenEdginton, "The NYT reports British officials were "left stunned" by the State Dept when they raised concerns about free-speech and migrant crime. British diplomats' "jaws dropped" when confronted on these issues."

NYPo's Rich Lowry thinks Pope Leo needs to brush up his Bible — and its lessons on war and peace. Capt Ed at Hat Hair cites the Miami Herald: Trump Must Be Clairvoyant In His Papal Pique, or Something! Theophilus Chilton (Scots-Irish Supremacist) @Theo_Chilton, "The timing on this story is interesting because Trump *actually* canceled this contract with CC two weeks ago, before the kerfluffle with the pope took place. Kinda makes it seem like the kerfluffle is a *response* to Trump taking steps to stop the flow of "refugees"", Quote David J Harris Jr @DavidJHarrisJr, "BREAKING: The Trump administration just canceled an $11 million contract with Catholic Charities to shelter and care for unaccompanied migrant children. Do you support this decision?" Jonathan Turley points out New York Versus the Nuns: The Dominican Sisters Face Penalties for Refusing to Yield on Religious Values. "New York has been a godsend for gun rights in passing a series of unconstitutional limits on Second Amendment rights only to result in major adverse rulings. It may soon do the same for the free exercise of religion."

From Fox,  Missing general, scientist deaths tied to secret US work prompt White House probe. Leslie Eastman at LI, Concern Grows Over 10 Missing or Deceased NASA, Nuclear, and Defense Researchers "Trump: “Well, I hope it’s random, but we’re going to know in the next week and a half. I just left a meeting on that subject. So, pretty serious stuff.”" I'm not convinced there's a there there yet, but if there is, it's China.

Matt Vespa notes RFK Jr. Had No Idea What This Dem Rep Was Saying...and He's Not Alone. Gobbledygook! From Twitchy, Where Are They Now? NY Post Catches Up With Porn Star Stormy Daniels and Ex-Attorney Michael Avenatti. New York Post @nypost, "Stormy Daniels looks dramatically different in new photos- as disgraced ex-attorney Michael Avenatti moves to halfway house" The wages of TDS.

 PJM's Vicky Taft says Check Nancy Pelosi's Back for Tire Marks Because Kevin McCarthy Just Pulled a Swalwell Hit and Run and Stephen Kruiser on Journalisming: WaPo Mystified About Why No One Ever Noticed That Swalwell Was a Creeper. EducatëdHillbilly™ @RobProvince, "Still blows me away the press held this until he wasn’t needed anymore. Really tells you how completely cooked we are as a country that it’s all this corrupt and fixed." Quote New York Post @nypost "Eric Swalwell donors footed $500K in hotel bills, including rooms where alleged rapes happened https://trib.al/oIXKxqn" Brandi Kruse @BrandiKruse, "The first frontrunner for CA governor poured hot mashed potatoes on her husband. The second frontrunner turned out to be a sexual predator. The third frontrunner wants to arrest ICE agents. In case you're wondering how the Democratic Party is doing." Sister Toldja at RedState, Here We Go: Luna Goes to Thune About Gallego, and It May Be Time for Swalwell's Bestie to Lawyer Up. At the Free Bacon, On Ruben Gallego, We Told You So. Ace cites Anna Paulina Luna: A Woman Is Coming Forward With Lawyers to Make a Complaint Against Ruben Gallego of a Violation That is "Sexual In Nature" and Also Human Trafficking Plus: FBI to Investigate Deaths and Disappearances of 10 Top-Secret Clearance Scientists. "Now, we have seen fakers and grifters come forward to make false claims in the wake of a high-profile accusation. A bunch of psychopaths and schizophrenics made up claims against Brett Kavanaugh after Hysterical Hippocampus made her false claims WITHOUT EVIDENCE. On the other hand, Anna Paulina Luna is hot enough to roast a dolphin." Kostas Moros @MorosKostas, "Giffords supported Justin Fairfax, Jay Jones, and Eric Swalwell. Maybe they aren't the best judges of character?" Quote, Rob Romano @2Aupdates "Giffords writes a press release to "highlight[] the dangerous and extreme record of Texas congressional candidate and 'GunTuber' Brandon Herrera, known online as The AK Guy." Damani Felder @TheDamaniFelder, "Imagine watching the Deep State torpedo Eric Swalwell in less than 7 days, and still thinking there's a magical career-ending bombshell they've had on Trump but not released over the past 11 years."

At Unherd, California governor’s race declares war on Big Tech. Kevin Dalton@TheKevinDalton, "Gavin Newsom just used his own PAC to buy $1.5 million worth of his own book. Even more comically, that accounts for 2/3 of the entire print sales." Kevin Killough at JTN, sees California ‘running out of fuel’ as imports dry up, Trump needs to act to prevent crisis: experts "Trump to rescue California? Professors estimate that California’s inventories are as much as 30% below normal because of the state's climate policies. California faces severe supply disruptions to diesel, jet fuel and gasoline. This not only impacts California, the professors argue, it poses a grave national security risk to the country."

Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley, "Democrats are discussing plans after retaking power to change the system so they never lose it again. Carville (curiously on a national podcast) told Democrats to keep the plans quiet: “Don’t run on it. Don’t talk about it. Just do it.” ..." Jim McGhee at Am Spec on Gerrymandering and the Tyranny of Big Cities "Virginia’s redistricting battle mirrors a national struggle over urban dominance and republican balance." Dr Manhattva @Manhattva, "If they can eliminate low testosterone, A Democrat would never win another presidential election. This is a scientific study, and I’m not being facetious." ABC whines that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas blasts progressivism as threat to America. "He said values in the Declaration of Independence have "fallen out of favor." Kosher @koshercockney, "Holy f*ck. Word for word. Ana Kasaparian (Extreme Left Wing) and Nick Fuentes (Extreme Right Wing) paint themselves as polar opposites on the political spectrum. However, listen to them here, side by side. This is horseshoe theory on fully display."

Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, " HOLY CRAP! Former Ft. Deposit, Alabama Mayor Jacqulyn Boone has been arrested for MAIL-IN BALLOT FRAUD, along with city council candidate Steven Thigpen They face FELONY charges for unlawful use of absentee ballots They "won" the Aug. 2025 municipal election but it got THROWN OUT due to "voter irregularities" Then they had to hold a special election. That thing Dems say never happens, HAPPENED AGAIN." From Fox, Noncitizen charged with voting in Minnesota 2024 election after admitting ‘mistake’ to investigators. "The charges come as Republicans push voter ID legislation against Democratic pushback that noncitizen voting is rare." Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "You are not going to believe this Utah Supreme Court ruled against a Republican-led amendment tied to a redistricting effort... just TWO weeks after a judge attended a party at the home of the lawyer who fought against it She’s now UNDER INVESTIGATION for allegedly having a romantic relationship with this lawyer. Nothing to see here…"

Stacy McCain sees Fear and Loathing at Mar-a-Lago? Freaky Friday Flashback to ‘Big Ed’ Muskie. Didn't they warn you about the brown acid? Tim O'Brien at PJM wonders When Did America Quit Electing Adults? Political Sock @politicalsock, "Allie, ever so gently but thoroughly, pressed French (heh) She showed how French dishonestly claimed she was champion of political cruelty. How French could not rationally justify a vote for Kamala Harris. And finally how French ignores heresy from Talarico because he’s “polite”." Quote Allie Beth Stuckey@conservmillen, "I asked David French about his article calling James Talarico a Christian example in light of Talarico’s statements in support of transing kids, abortion, and God being “non-binary.” French: “I’m just not willing to say James Talarico is not a Christian.”"

Rusty Weiss at RedState thinks Mamdani’s ‘Happy Tax Day’ Video Backfires Big Time Thanks to His Family’s Massive Uganda Compound. From Ace, Communist Zohran Mamdani Is Taxing All Luxury Part-Time Homes in NYC. "Filthy Terrorist Theater Kid is imposing a so-called pied-a-terre tax on millionaire's apartments, if they only live there part of the year. In other words, if they're a pied-a-terre, a little place in the city to take your mistresses to. A foot on the ground, the term means, approximately. A little place in the city you can visit when you're bored of your country estate. He's bragging about this and grinning like a chimp. In other words, he's directly taxing his bicoastal/bisexual celebrity supporters. Do I even object to this? I think this makes me happy."

Sean Davis @seanmdav, "In 2019, during the peak hysteria of the Ukraine whistleblower impeachment hoax, I exclusively reported for The Federalist that the Intelligence Community Inspector General secretly gutted internal whistleblower rules requiring firsthand evidence of wrongdoing. I had the whistleblower forms, the revisions, and the dates for all of it, and I conclusively proved all of it. All hell broke loose after I published my report, with Deep State assets and their media lickspittles accusing me of lying, of fabrication, and of botching the facts. I was 100% right, and they all knew it. How do we know this? Because the IG himself admitted under oath in testimony for Congress. And his staff, despite the fact of his testimony, lied about it for years, knowing that the proof of their conspiracy would be hidden within his classified testimony..." LHGrey @grey4626, "They don’t play nice. They never have. They never will. This is the iron law of the Left’s permanent bureaucracy...the deep-state priesthood that has metastasized inside the CIA, FBI, DOJ, and every other alphabet fortress since the Wilson administration first dreamed of an administrative state unaccountable to the rabble. John Kiriakou laid the autopsy on the table: his own crucifixion was the beta test, the polished prototype for the lawfare machine that later chewed up Flynn, Manafort, Trump, and anyone else who dared color outside their lines. They don’t debate. They don’t persuade. They prosecute, leak, indict, bankrupt, and bury...because power is their sacrament and dissent is blasphemy. It's a malignant fusion of narcissistic personality disorder and paranoid authoritarianism..."

Daniel Greenfield - "Hang Together or Separately" @Sultanknish, "Massive conflict of interest." Quote Jessica Costescu @JessicaCostescu, "NEW from me: George Washington University has hired the federal judge overseeing its own antisemitism lawsuit—to teach a course on "Ethics and Discretionary Judgment." Biden-appointed Judge Loren AliKhan still hasn't recused herself from the..." John Sexton says Oh, to Be a Fly on the Wall in the Supreme Court.

Oilfield Rando @Oilfield_Rando, "Wow it turns out they can leave ICE detention whenever they want! Wow! Weird how the media hardly ever mentions that little fun fact!" Quote Newsweek @Newsweek, ""I gave up and chose to self-deport, not because I wanted to but because I felt like I had no other choice," the student said." Coach Harry Ellis @Jetspete, "This is just like the Holocaust. I remember the vicious scene in Schindlers List when Ralph Fiennes gave Jews 3000$ and let them fly home." The College Fix reports Trump admin rejects 35% of student visa requests, can we make it 50%? Commonplace says Just Abolish the H-1B Visa. "When a program is rotten to its core, reform isn’t enough." Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "JUST IN: HHS Sec. RFK Jr. CONFIRMS nearly ALL of the 1.4 million people purged from taxpayer healthcare are ILLEGAL ALIENS Holy crap. We gave welfare to THAT MANY ILLEGALS?! "They're almost ALL illegal immigrants!" "We found ~1.5 MILLION illegal immigrants illegally collecting Medicaid."" Sister Toldja hears Brandon Gill, Angel Moms Just Level Hank Johnson for 'Disgusting' Claim During Sanctuary City Hearing. "Democrat Rep. Hank "Guam" Johnson (GA-04) characterized the hearing as a theatrical production whose sole purpose was to stir up "bias and prejudice against immigrants who are people of color," and even suggested it should be about other topics. He also complained about the seating order for the witnesses:"

BoiltOwl @nealjclark1, "I mean this probably is the best tweet ever produced. It’s perfect like a diamond." Bill Woodruff at Da Fed observes Crewmen Waiting To Be Rescued Don’t Need DEI, They Need A Competent Military.

Lisa @Lisa9Sophia, "If true, this is the most significant corruption scandal in Australian history Afghan villagers are PAID to testify against war hero Ben Roberts-Smith The villagers are then coached The government in return offers the villagers ASYLUM - which presumably is like winning the lotto - given it involves free housing, a pension and free medical funded by taxpayers for life…" Quote Senator Gerard Rennick @S_GerardRennick "Australian special forces soldier reveals that a major Australian news network paid Afghan villagers to testify against Ben Roberts-Smith Witnesses say that these villagers were coached and ultimately given asylum status in Australia."

And much much more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.16.26, In The Mailbox: 04.16.26 (Evening Edition) and In The Mailbox: 04.17.26, but I've already spent too much time in this chair today.

Rule 5 Saturday - Austin White

 The weeks Rule 5 lucky winner is Austin White:

International pinup and fetish model, retro style Burlesque performer, and retro-inspired latex clothing designer for Rogue Glamour who has been published and has made many appearances for magazines, websites, and events. Her modeling fame has led her to amass over 1.3 million followers on her Instagram page.

She has millions of hits on her website that are dedicated to the art of burlesque tease, pin-up, and fetish art. One of her most popular Instagram reels features her modeling in the snow. It has gained over 600,000 views.