Chesapeake Bay's Growing Islands

Chesapeake Bay Mag, 

Ariel view of Barren Island

The Bay’s Reappearing Islands

In September 2022, a $43.1 million contract was awarded to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the restoration. The funds, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will restore up to 2,072 acres on James Island and 72 acres on Barren Island. The projects should be completed by 2067 at an estimated total cost of $4 billion.

“We are very happy to be working on this exciting project with our great partners at the Army Corps of Engineers,” says Richard Scher of the Maryland Port Administration – Port of Baltimore. “Rebuilding James and Barren Islands is an environmental and commerce win-win.”

James Island in 1999

Situated along Maryland’s Eastern Shore near Upper Hooper Island, Barren Island was popular farming and hunting grounds until around the early 1900s when significant erosion began. By 1916, most families had left, but hunting remained popular. Eventually, humans left the island for good, and in the early 2000s a hunting lodge, one of the last remaining structures, was swept away. The island has lost 42 acres over the past two decades alone.

James Island in 2022

 

James Island, a short boat ride north of Barren Island toward Little Choptank River, was once a vast 1,300 acres in the mid-1800s. The islands share a similar story. By 1910, most families (primarily farmers) were gone, but it wasn’t completely abandoned. In 1916, local Clement Henry released imported Sika deer on the island in an attempt to make the spot a hunting destination. While his wish did come true, nature slowly reclaimed James Island until it was only 550 acres by the 1990s and eventually deserted. Stone sills and breakwaters are currently being built around Barren Island. The structures help protect the restoration area from strong waves and wind. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

While the Bay has slowly devoured these islands, engineers are planning to use dredged material to reverse the process. Dredging is a common practice around the Bay, where silt washed from the shores by wind and wave action tends to fill up the channels. This is especially true in Baltimore Harbor, where channel depths and widths need to be maintained for safe ship navigation.

“Dredging will keep happening because channels need to keep being dug,” says Jackie Specht, The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient Coasts Program Director for Washington, D.C. and Maryland. “Rather than just putting the material in storage on land it’s used instead to create habitats and marshes across the Bay.”

The USACE dredges around five million cubic yards each year from these channels and anchorages—material that needs to be disposed of in an eco-friendly way. “This project implements a long-term strategy for providing viable placement alternatives to meet the dredging needs of the Port of Baltimore while maximizing the use of dredged materials as a beneficial resource,” says Mitchell.
. . .
 Barren Island is the project’s current focus and will be restored to its original footprint. Once completed, up to 83 acres of wetlands and 1,325 acres of nearby seagrass beds will be established. The island’s first reconstruction phase began earlier this year and involves installing breakwaters and stone sills to contain the dredged material. The process is estimated to last until October 2024. Depending on how things go, dredged material might also start being added next year. One of the biggest hurdles will be safely transporting equipment and supplies to the land. “It’s a complex process due to the remote nature of the project and poses an added challenge,” Mitchell says. 

James Island won’t receive attention until 2030 and will undergo a much more extensive rebuild. Once complete, the island will be 2,100 acres—800 acres bigger than its original size. It will be a mixture of upland and wetland habitats. 

Both islands are being designed with sea level rise in mind and should last for at least 50 years. 

When I visited James Island with Pete this year I was shocked at how littles was left at this point, a few small islets. But one of them held good fish. On the other hand, every time we went past Barren Island, there were work boats adding rocks to the sills and jetties, totally ruining the fishing.

I do wonder why they decided to rebuild Barren Island first. Its not as badly eroded, and it's a another few miles down Bay from the source of the fill, Baltimore Harbor. 

Beach Report 11/30/23

It was much warmer today than yesterday, under a mostly cloudy sky, and with a bit of a SE breeze. Sky and I got a late start again, but worked our way well up past Matoaka.

There was a lot of gravel and shell hash showing, and I did pretty good, 11 shark's teeth and one pretty decent Ecphora.

 

But the winner by far was this big honking Snaggletooth lower I found tucked up against a big log. It doesn't quite make the kitchen window shelf, but it was a contender.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Jack Smith Is Makin' a List, He's Checking it Twice

He's already found out whose naughty or nice. If you've liked, disliked, followed, unfollowed, or in any way had anything to do with President Trump's TwitterX account, you're in the Special Counsel's list as a person of interest. Not Orwellian at all, is it? Shawn Fleetwood at Da Fed, Special Counsel Jack Smith Sought Info On Anyone Who ‘Favorited Or Retweeted’ Trump Tweets

According to the heavily redacted document issued to then-Twitter in January, the court ordered the social media giant to forfeit a bevy of information regarding Trump’s account, including “advertising information, including advertising IDs, ad activity, and ad topic preferences,” as well as IP addresses “used to create, login, and use the account” and privacy and account settings.

The warrant also demanded information such as Trump’s search history, direct messages, and “content of all tweets created, drafted, favorited/liked, or retweeted” by his account from October 2020 to January 2021.

Though the warrant was first covered in August, it was again released as part of a court order after numerous media organizations filed to obtain the document to shed light on the Smith-led special counsel’s “investigation into Trump’s actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol,” according to the New York Post. Smith previously indicted Trump in August on several bogus charges related to the former president’s challenging of the 2020 election results in the lead-up to Jan. 6, 2021.

But it wasn’t just Trump’s Twitter account that Smith and his cronies were targeting. The special counsel’s warrant also sought data on Twitter users who interacted with the former president’s account. Among the information Smith sought was a list of every user Trump “followed, unfollowed, muted, unmuted, blocked, or unblocked” during the aforementioned timeframe. Smith similarly demanded that Twitter, which has since rebranded as X, fork over a list of users who took any of the same actions with Trump’s account.

Smith and his team went even further, seeking to acquire data on Twitter users who engaged with Trump’s tweets in the months leading up to Jan. 6, 2021. This included “all lists of Twitter users who have favorited or retweeted tweets posted by [Trump], as well as all tweets that include the username associated with [Trump’s account] (i.e. ‘mentions’ or ‘replies’).”

According to the Post, Smith’s warrant was issued to then-Twitter “along with a nondisclosure order, instructing the company not to notify Trump about the search.” Twitter initially bucked Smith’s demand, arguing that to forfeit such information to the government constituted a violation of the First Amendment. The social media giant ultimately complied with the warrant but was fined $350,000 for failing to meet the special counsel’s demands by deadline.

Of course, Judge Shitcan agreed.  Dave Strom at Hat Hair, calls it More Police State BS. "Chances are good that you are on some watchlist, it appears, because you like Donald Trump." At Twitchy, Shocker! DOJ's Search Warrant for Trump's Twitter Account Wasn't ONLY About Trump. So, while I never liked, followed, etc, etc, Trump's Twitter account, I did occasionally embed one of his tweets in a blog post. I'm quite confident that Google and Facebook were sent a similar subpoenas regarding Trump.  At ABC, Attorney warned Trump 'it's going to be a crime' if he didn't comply with subpoena for classified docs. Capt Ed, no Trump fan, comments Interesting if true, for three reasons. "First, it corroborates Corcoran’s reported testimony. Second, it establishes a criminal intent, if the allegations themselves are proven. And most of all, Little *still represents Trump*. She’s one of his attorneys in the Georgia RICO case. I wonder how long that will last."

'Bonchie' at Red State records how Joe Biden Suffers Severe Confusion Over Donald Trump, and That Was Just the Beginning. Called Trump a congressman. Capt. Ed sees the White House Retreat on Biden Tweet Endorsing Cease-Fire. I can't believe he does his own Tweets. Spencer Brown at TownHall finds the White House in Disarray As TikTok Turns Against Biden. Dave Strom notes how Democrat Support for Israel Is Beginning to Crumble. Hat Hair's Jazz Shaw warns Republicans Stop Fighting Over Arab-American 'Defector' Votes. "There may or may not be some “defections” among these Arab-American voters next year, but before anyone gets too excited about it, they should consider where such defectors might go. The people out there marching in the streets and calling for Palestine to be “free” are not a collection of conservatives in waiting. These are the people of AOC and Ilhan Omar. They are so far to the left that even Bernie Sanders probably looks at them and wonders if they might be a little too socialist." Ace rolls over and notices the Deputy Director of Analysis at the CIA, One of Two Officials Responsible for the Presidential Daily Briefing, Publicly Posts Her Support of the Officially-Designated Terrorist Group Hamas. "Of course, of course." Hat Hair has the good headline when it cites JTN,  CIA to Employees: Maybe Just Stick with Kitten Memes on Social Media, mm-kay?

Phil Pilkington at Unherd sees Joe Biden is tanking the US Treasury. At MarketWatch, Treasury’s $39 billion auction of 7-year notes was poorly received, trader says. What happens when they stop buying altogether? Twitchy wonders What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Biden Tells Merchants To Lower Prices, Will Use Defense Production Act. "It's almost as if shutting down the economy for a long time has far-reaching, long-lasting consequences, no? It also shows Biden, and his administration, have no idea how businesses are run, or why prices are the way they are." American Made@Brain_Pwr, "The guy who caused inflation now asks businesses to sell merchandise at a loss to help him politically. That's some great leadership from our vegetable-in-chief."

But thank goodness, the climate crisis is over, as Kevin Killough at  JTN reports After criticism for Biden skipping global climate summit, White House to send Kamala Harris, "Biden reportedly decided to opt out of the conference to focus on the conflict in the Middle East and his reelection campaign." She'll fix it, just like the border. Tom Knighton at Bearing Arms, Biden Wants to 'Finish the Job' on Guns, but that pesky 2nd Amendment keeps getting in the way. At PJM VIP Matt Margolis explores How and When Could Democrats Dump Biden Before the Election?

Hat Hair's KT examines the important issues, like Jill Biden vs Melania Trump: Who Decorated the White House Better? Meanwhile, at Reason, Do You Still Have the Right to a Jury Trial? "The Supreme Court will consider whether federal agencies’ administrative judges violate the Seventh Amendment."

Althouse highlights Trump's op-ed in Newsweek: "I Will Make America Great Again for Young People." Link. Excerpt:

Under Joe Biden, we are a nation in decline and rapidly losing the American Dream. But Biden's destruction of the American economy is just the beginning of his war on young people. The Radical Left has also unleashed shocking waves of violent crime and bloodshed...
[T]he Democrats' radical promotion of Critical Race Theory, transgenderism, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, and political content in our schools has divided our communities and frayed the bonds of national unity....
I will also restore law and order in our nation's cities, empower our men and women in law enforcement, and stop the Radical Marxist prosecutors surrendering our cities to violent criminals.... American voters have it within their power to quickly return our country to peace, prosperity, and strength—and no one will benefit from bringing that change to our nation's capital more than young people.....

At the WSJ (archive) How Elon Became an ‘Antisemite’. "‘Tristram Shandy’ is the press’s handbook for whipping words to obey a narrative." Josh Kraushaar@JoshKraushaar, "One of the key lines from Schumer's landmark speech on antisemitism today: He emphasized the current wave of antisemitism isn't coming primarily from the far right, but from “people that most liberal Jewish Americans felt previously were their ideological fellow travelers."" From Behind the Black, Blacklisting is no longer enough, now the goal is justifying mass murder.

From the College Fix, After Iowa Board of Regents abolish higher ed DEI initiatives, high-paid deans on chopping block. Learn to plumb. As the James Martin Center notes in The Real World Confronts the Ivory Tower, "Campus ideology can go only so far before the public pushes back." 

At NYPo, Deadspin reporter blasted by mom of young Kansas City Chiefs fan he falsely shamed for wearing ‘blackface’: ‘He is Native American’. Capt. Ed says "Get ready for the smell of defamation lawsuits, Deadspin! And good luck on convincing a court to apply the Sullivan standard to a six-year-old football fan." I love the smell of defamation suits in the morning. 

Mary Margaret Olohan is outraged Google Maps Removed DC Pregnancy Center. They claim it was an accident

Tattoo Thursday

Morgan Wade

Bravo, Go Inside the Moment Kyle Richards Gave Morgan Wade a "K" Tattoo

Kyle Richards' fans — and friends — have taken a notable interest in the details of her friendship with Morgan Wade, including the country singer's "K" tattoo on her arm. While Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave recently offered her perspective on why Morgan has the tattoo, a recent episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills showed exactly how the moment happened.   

During the Season 13 Episode 6 of RHOBH, which aired on November 29, Morgan joined Kyle as she got a new tattoo. "I overthink these things...you clearly just don't overthink," Kyle said to Morgan, referencing the musician's numerous tattoos. "I'm all covered," Morgan said.  

Well, not all covered. Later in the episode, it was revealed that Kyle wasn't the only one who walked away with a tattoo that day. While Kyle had hers done by a professional tattoo artist, Morgan told Kyle, "I will let you tattoo me."

"What do you want me to do?" Kyle asked. "What if I just surprise you?"

Morgan agreed, telling Kyle, "That's fine." After the tattoo of a "K" was finished, Morgan laughed and declared, "You know what? No one else can say they've been tattooed by Kyle Richards."

Later, as the two chatted about the moment via FaceTime, Kyle noted that the "K" tattoo was just one of several on Morgan's body. "You have so many things on there, you've got a trout and a roll of toilet paper. I can't think of one thing you actually don't have on you. So what's one extra little thing?" she said, to which Morgan quipped, "This is true, and it's the only thing you can draw."

Beach Report 11/29/23

Clear and cool today, struggling to get to 40 when Skye and I got to the beach around 2:30.

For the first time in several days we were able to get past Calvert Beach thanks to a decently low tide. There was a lot of shell and gravel.

Last night was the first hard freeze of the year, hitting a low of 21 F at home, the end of the Impatiens, and ice lingered where the sun didn't reach today.

On the way up, that looks interesting . . . 

A pretty decent Mako lower tooth.

Then, on the way back, as I rounded a boulder, a Snaggletooth lower, in really good shape, with two little tiny cusps at near the root.

And even more, rolling around in the light surf on Calvert Beach, another Snaggletooth lower. So, for only finding 6 teeth total, the quality was good.

Maryland, My Maryland

Zainab Chaudry

 From Da Signal, Maryland Hate Commissioner Compared Israel to Nazi Germany

Maryland’s new commission to “prevent and respond to hate crime activity” has met only once, but one member already has been suspended—for comparing Israel to Nazi Germany. This incident seems to echo a trend: Many of those on the Left who rush to police “hate” often spread their own kind of hate.

Zainab Chaudry, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Maryland chapter and one of the commission’s first 10 members, described the Hamas terror attacks of Oct. 7 as an “uprising” and condemned the state of Israel as oppressive and worse.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, a Democrat, last week suspended Chaudry from the newly launched Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention.

The Maryland Legislature passed HB 1066 in April and Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, signed it into law in May. The law established the Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention to prevent and respond to hate crimes and “evaluate state laws and policies relating to hate crimes.”

“The commission has only met once, with its inaugural meeting on Sept. 6, 2023,” Brown noted in a Nov. 21 press release. “Ms. Chaudry’s posts on her personal social media since Oct. 7, in these very early days of the commission, have challenged the commission’s ability to do its work.”

Brown said he determined that Chaudry’s “social media posts risk disrupting the work and mission of the Commission,” so he temporarily suspended her, assigned staff to write a values statement to protect the commission from similar scandals, and urged members of the panel to “exercise great care in their communications and conduct.”

What led Brown to this conclusion?

On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists slaughtered about 1,200 Israelis, including women and children, and took more than 240 hostages. Horrific videos of terrorists bragging about killing Jews hit social media.

Hamas terrorists slaughtered parents in front of their children and children in front of their parents. They raped women before killing them and mutilating their bodies. Terrorists bragged about this in horrifying detail when questioned after the fact by Israel Defense Forces.

On social media, Chaudry described these horrific events as “the uprising in Palestine,” urging readers to “keep in mind that they are a people who are illegally occupied.” She added that “the thirst for freedom is an innate instinct we’re born with.”

“Resistance is a reminder that it can’t be quenched through might and force,” she wrote.

Chaudry did not condemn the Hamas terrorists or lament the Israeli dead. Rather, she apparently praised the attacks in Israel as an “uprising” of freedom. . . .

Say what you want about that old RINO Larry Hogan, but he wouldn't have appointed her to this post. 

Science, Unsettled

At Study Finds, Why eating red meat and dairy could actually prevent cancer

Eating red meat and consuming dairy might aid in cancer prevention, a surprising new study reveals. Researchers found that trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), a fatty acid in beef, lamb, and dairy, enhances the ability of immune cells to combat tumors.

This study also indicates that higher TVA levels in the blood correlate with better responses to immunotherapy, proposing TVA as a potential nutritional supplement to augment cancer treatments.

“There are many studies trying to decipher the link between diet and human health, and it’s very difficult to understand the underlying mechanisms because of the wide variety of foods people eat. But if we focus on just the nutrients and metabolites derived from food, we begin to see how they influence physiology and pathology,” says Jing Chen, PhD, the Janet Davison Rowley Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine at UChicago and one of the senior authors of the study, in a media release. “By focusing on nutrients that can activate T cell responses, we found one that actually enhances anti-tumor immunity by activating an important immune pathway.”

The research team began by creating a “blood nutrient” library from approximately 700 known food-derived metabolites. They screened these for their effects on anti-tumor immunity, identifying TVA as the most effective among the top six candidates in both human and mouse cells.

“After millions of years of evolution, there are only a couple hundred metabolites derived from food that end up circulating in the blood, so that means they could have some importance in our biology,” Prof. Chen continues.

“To see that a single nutrient like TVA has a very targeted mechanism on a targeted immune cell type, with a very profound physiological response at the whole organism level—I find that really amazing and intriguing.”

The study showed that a TVA-enriched diet in mice significantly reduced tumor growth in melanoma and colon cancer, and improved tumor infiltration by the body.

Blood samples from lymphoma patients undergoing immunotherapy revealed that higher TVA levels were associated with better treatment responses. Additionally, TVA improved the efficacy of an immunotherapy drug in killing leukemia cells in patients.

OutKick,  United Nations Pushes For Americans To Stop Eating Meat Because Of Climate Change 

Why, it's almost like the want you to get sick and die.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Hunter Demands Open Hearing

At PM, BREAKING: Hunter Biden agrees to testify before House Oversight Committee, "Mr. Chairman, we take you up on your offer. Accordingly, our client will get right to it by agreeing to answer any pertinent and relevant question you or your colleagues might have, but—rather than subscribing to your cloaked, one-sided process—he will appear at a public Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing," The Messenger reports." Mary Chastain at LI, Oversight Chairman Comer Shoots Down Hunter Biden’s Offer to Publicly Testify, 'Hunter has never played by the rules. Why would he want to start now?" Ace, Hunter Biden Refuses to Testify Behind Closed Doors; Representative Comer Tells Him He Will Either Observe the Subpoena or Face the Consequences "The impeachment committee wants to ask Hunter Biden about his money-laundering and influence-peddling behind closed doors, so they can get a real deposition. They have factual questions they want answers to, be they accurate answers or be they perjurious. Hunter Biden doesn't want to do that. He wants to have a monkey-flinging spectacle. He says he'll only appear for a public questioning with the cameras rolling. James Comer rejects this "offer."" At the NY Sun, From ‘You Are a Biden’ to He’s ‘an Inmate’ — Hunter Throws Devon Archer Under the Bus. James Lynch at Da Caller says National Archives Identifies Key Documents Related To Joe Biden’s Apparent Email Aliases, which doesn't mean they'll let anyone see them. At Da Signal, Heritage Identifies Documents That Could Speed Up Investigation Into Biden’s Alias Email Accounts. Ryan King at NYPo, White House ditches Biden grandkid stockings after finally acknowledging Hunter love child. Ace notices Surprise! The Only American Hostage Released by Hamas Just Happens to be... the Niece of a Big Democrat Donor Who Bought Hunter Biden's "Art." From the Free Bacon, Republicans Demand White House Withdraw Nomination of Hunter Biden Crony. "Following Free Beacon report, senators oppose Hampton Dellinger's appointment to the Office of Special Counsel."

Ed Driscoll at Insty has a METAPHOR ALERT: National Christmas Tree does best Biden impression by falling over ahead of president’s lighting ceremony, may not be salvageable. Breitbart claims an Exclusive Poll – Voters’ Top 3 Descriptions of Joe Biden: Old, Weak, Tired

Paul Bedard from WaEx finds a Washington Post reporter who says ‘sources’ fret public’s lack of credit for Biden 'successes.' Fox, want you to WATCH as Biden shifts blame away from administration after admitting prices 'still too high' "Biden similarly blamed oil companies for the record-high gas prices under his administration in 2022." The Grand Canyon Times  hears As Biden touts economic platform, new poll finds Arizona voters seeing "Bidenomics" negatively. At Zero-Hedge, 64 US Bank Branches File To Shut Down In A Single Week; Are You Affected? Sundance at CTH hears Stunning Gaslighting – Joe Biden Says Food Inflation Nonexistent, Claim: “Thanksgiving Prices Fourth Lowest in History.” At Am Think Monica Showalter thinks Under Biden, America skids towards poverty -- government data show median wage has fallen to just $40,847.18 from about $60k. Sarah Hoyt say the economy feels Mushy. VodkaPundit at PJM VIP, The Left Wants to Force You Into Scarcity, so you'll be grateful when they 'give' you things. Which is may be why, as Steve Cortes at Am Great says the  Hispanics Reject Biden’s Agenda "Bad Hombres continue to move politically to the Right."  Christian Datoc at WaEx, Biden emails nearly 1 million student loan borrowers to take credit for debt forgiveness, a campaign add from the government. 

Scott McKay at Am Spec, On Foreign Policy, Dirty Joe Piles Up the Ls "You only find out after the fact, when the price of incompetence and betrayal can no longer be hidden." Da Signal sees Less Than Nothing to Show for Failed Biden-Xi Summit. 

The Messenger predicts Kamala Harris v. Gavin Newsom: The Coming Democratic Civil War. Don Surber thinks Democrats are splitting up, "Bad policies on inflation, immigration and Israel catch up with the party."

At RCP, Not Only Can Trump Win, Right Now He's the Favorite To Win. From Breitbart, BLM Leader Mark Fisher Endorses Trump — ‘Democratic Party Is Not for Us’ Not the finest endorsement. Never-anybody-but-Trump sundance informs us Moms For America Endorses President Donald Trump. At PJM Wayne Gudrum worries Trump's Legacy Is at Stake if he runs again, but Stephen Kruiser sees the Relentless Efforts to Derail the Trump Train Are Failing Bigly. At Da Sun, Melania Trump’s outfit sparks outrage at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral as viewers ask ‘why did she even bother coming’. Dark gray instead of black! At Althouse, "With political sexual fetishes, Republicans and Democrats are reduced to caricatured sexual imagery: the macho posturing of Republican politicians..." "I'm trying to read this Washington Post article: "Does a forced ‘vote’ for Trump sound kinky? There’s a dominatrix for that. Being ordered to cross the political aisle is fueling fantasies in the world of sexual fetishes."" Sundance, again, Mitt Romney Says He’d Vote for a Democrat Before Trump or Ramaswamy "This is an exceptional moment of mask dropping for those of us who tried desperately to get people to understand the nature of the UniParty and Mitt Romney in 2012."

From NYPo, Haley campaign hopes Koch backing, ‘grassroots army’ bests DeSantis Iowa push. Ace has Another Surprise! Liberal Oligarch Charles Koch Backs Liberal Neocon Retread Nikki Haley for President "I did not see this coming." Capt. Ed comments "I don’t think the Kochs move the needle on the Right much these days. AFP also endorsed Haley, which I think has more reach, but it’s not even close to dispositive. In fact, endorsements like these matter much less than local/regional endorsements such as those from governors like Kim Reynolds in Iowa and Greg Abbott in Texas, who endorsed DeSantis and Trump, respectively." Never-anybody-but-Trump sundance has After Pledging $70 Million, Charles Koch Selects Nikki Haley as the Vessel to Remove His Trump Problem and Ron DeSantis Paid Evangelical “Indulgency Fee” for Bob Vander Plaats’ Iowa Endorsement.

At PJM VodkaPundit wonders How Will They Game the Election This Time? Any way they are allowed to get away with. Da Caller, BETSY MCCAUGHEY: The Left Conspires To Keep Election Fraud Quiet. Wonder Why? MSNBC whines Conservative judges have come for what’s left of the Voting Rights Act, "If a recent appellate court decision stands, it will eviscerate the ability of minority voters to vindicate their right to vote." Breitbart reports Republicans to Unleash 150 Subpoenas if Democrats Target Friends of Conservative Supreme Court Justices. From Natalia Mittelstadt at JTN, Court papers say ex-Virginia election official on trial 'altered election results' in 2020 election "Former Prince William County general registrar Michele White was indicted by a grand jury on two felony counts alleging corrupt conduct as an election official and making a false statement, and one misdemeanor charge of willful neglect of duty by an election officer last year. She has filed for a "Bill of Particulars" which requires prosecutors to provide more detail about her alleged wrongdoing." Matt Margolis at PJM, Virginia Election Official ‘Altered Election Results’ in 2020. Sundance hosts Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon Discuss What Happens Within a Democracy When Voting No Longer Works.

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, Willis: No Plea Deal for Trump -- or Giuliani and Meadows. From ET, Gag Order Reveals Partisan Nature of Trial, Trump Attorneys Argue, "'Supreme Court has ignored with impunity clear, and troubling, evidence of partisan political bias,' the court filing reads." The Peacock whines Trump will be final defense witness at New York fraud trial, lawyer says. At PM, DC Judge Chutkan refuses to allow Trump attorneys to gain access to 'missing materials' they say were hidden by J6 Committee. Breitbart is amused that New York’s #MeToo Law Ensnaring Hollywood Celebrities Was Originally Created to Hurt Donald Trump. New York’s #MeToo law known as the Adult Survivors Act has ensnared a  number of Hollywood celebrities and prominent Democrats who are facing accusations of sexual misconduct, assault, and rape dating as far back as the 1980s. Why is that? Because the law, which Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed last year, lifts the statute of limitations on such complaints — with no time limit on when the alleged actions took place. . . . Under the Adult Survivors Act, plaintiffs have had a one-year time period that started November 24, 2022 in which to file their complaints. The past few weeks have seen a flurry of suits against prominent celebrities including Jaime Foxx, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Bill Cosby, punk rocker Justin Sane, and musician Axl Rose."

ABC claims to know Pence told Jan. 6 special counsel harrowing details about 2020 aftermath, warnings to Trump: Sources. At Am Think, Albin Sadar says the With more information about January 6, why it happened is now obvious and Jack Cashill asks Did Democrat ‘Bird-Doggers’ Disrupt Congress on January 6? At Am Great Nice Deb reports on how a Trad Catholic Family was Dragged Out of Home at Gunpoint, Locked in Van After FBI ‘Goaded’ Teen to Post Offensive Memes, Dad Says. Ooooh, bad memes! From TNP, Govt Surveillance Program Gives Law Enforcement Access to TRILLIONS of Phone Records Without Suspicion of Criminality. 

Da Caller would like you to Meet The Senior CIA Official Caught Posting Pro-Palestinian Content On Social Media.

Paul Bedard at WaEx finds Top journalism school pushes taxpayer funding of reporters and media outlets. Ace, Now That Their Leftwing Allies are Facing Cancelation -- I Mean, "Accountability" -- Leftwing Propaganda Media Begins Decrying "the New McCarthyism," "Is it new, though? Well -- it's new that the left is now facing (checks notes) "Consequences Culture."" Also, You're Not Going to Believe This, But the Deadspin "Journalist" Who Attempted to Ruin a White Child's Life Has a History of Being Triggered by the Mere Existence of White People. "Who else would fucking hunt a child?" From Da Wire, an Australian Court Says Media Outlets Defamed Conservative Economist, Orders Them To Pay Massive Settlement. "The IRS targeted economist Peter Schiff for tax evasion, and found nothing." From Hollywood in Toto, Whitney Cummings: ‘The Left Wants to Silence People’ "Comedienne's latest special focusing heavily on trans-related material"

In the new special I try and figure out what in the sam hell is happening with everyone. https://t.co/Dxwexq30Ff - free and very uncensored ❤️ pic.twitter.com/z0fwS0ROHN

— Whitney Cummings (@WhitneyCummings) November 18, 2023

Eleanor Barton at Da Fed warns Disney’s New Christmas Movie Sexualizes Kids. Capt. Ed comments "Disney clearly hasn’t learned the lesson of its 2023 box office yet. The lessons need to keep coming."

At the Free Bacon, Meet the Professors Arrested for Blocking San Francisco's Bay Bridge in Anti-Israel Demonstration "San Francisco State University 'social justice educator' Rayan El-Amine has likened Israel's supporters to white supremacists." Mary Chastain at LI, Anti-Israel Protesters Plan to Interrupt Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. "Of course these people want to interrupt the biggest tree lighting ceremony in the country." PJM's Stephen Kruiser, Hamas Lovers Want to Ruin Christmas Now. Hat Hair's KT is outraged at how Women's Groups are Silent As Rape Is Used As an Act of War. ADN America, notices the same Disney actress who vandalized Israeli defense contractor welcomed Cuban communist leader Diaz-Canel during U.N. visit, Calla Walsh.

Stacy McCain is puzzled that the media hasn't really tried to pin this on conservatives, Suspect in Shooting of Palestinian Students ‘Struggled With Depression’

(This phrase — “struggled with depression” — could be used to describe tens of millions of Americans who never opened fire on three strangers for no discernible reason.)

Eaton’s resume states that he went to the University of Idaho for a bachelor’s in general studies in 2001, where he focused on natural resource ecology and conservation biology but was seven credits short of graduating. He also got a graduate certification at the University of Idaho in environmental education, which is pending his undergraduate completion, as well as a pro-professional forestry degree at Paul Smith’s College, according to the document. . . .

(“Environmental education”? Hmmm.)

According to NBC, Eaton appears to have a YouTube account that has playlists with videos that include “Expose Fauci,” long COVID, economics, and how to use brain crystals for “psychic powers.” An Instagram account that appears to belong to him also shows him on a farm and cooking.
In an X account that appeared to belong to Eaton, he describes himself as a “radical citizen…patrolling demockracy and crapitalism for oathcreepers.” A 2022 archived version of that same account, which contains the same photo, has a more subdued bio that describes him as a Vermont dad and part-time farmer. The archived X account also provides a link to a Substack, with the “wandering ramblings of a reformed broker on the ADHD/ASD spectrum.” . . .

(The hints of kookiness begin to proliferate.) . . . Have I mentioned lately that Crazy People Are Dangerous?

Cathy Slagado at PJM,  Professor Calls for Reform of ‘Failing’ Woke Education System. 

The Wednesday Wetness

 with Gabriella @ggerbasi

waterwoman living life in shades of blue | here to make you fall in love with the ocean 🌊 | Diving 🤿 Spearfishing 🐟 Travel 🌺 Sustainability 🌎

Extinction is Forever

Except when it isn't. From Science Alert, Egg-Laying Mammal Recorded Only Once by Scientists Rediscovered After 60 Years

Attenborough's long-beaked echidna has been feared extinct for over 60 years, but researchers just provided video evidence that this bizarre egg-laying mammal is still alive in Indonesia's Cyclops Mountains, known to locals as Dafonsoro or Dobonsolo.

The international team of researchers was euphoric at the sight of the small, spiked, and fuzzy mammal wobbling awkwardly across their hard-earned, grainy, black-and-white footage.

"The discovery is the result of a lot of hard work and over three and a half years of planning," explains Oxford University biologist James Kempton.

His team endured an earthquake, malaria, and even a leech to an eyeball, all to obtain these tiny snippets of footage from just one of over 80 trail cameras. It was only on the last day of their four-week expedition that the rare echidna even appeared.

Only a handful of egg-laying mammals remain on Earth, including one species of platypus and three other species of echidna. Monotremes survived the mass extinction that took out non-avian dinosaurs, but all of Earth's most ancient surviving mammals are declining in numbers now, except for Australia's short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus).

Zaglossus attenboroughi, named for the British broadcaster and biologist David Attenborough, is the most critically endangered of them all.

"Attenborough's long-beaked echidna has the spines of a hedgehog, the snout of an anteater, and the feet of a mole. Because of its hybrid appearance, it shares its name with a creature of Greek mythology that is half human, half serpent," says Kempton, in reference to the name 'echidna'.

"It appears so unlike other mammals because it is a member of the monotremes – an egg-laying group that separated from the rest of the mammal tree-of-life about 200 million years ago."

Rumors from hunters and indirect signs of the rare monotreme kept hope of its existence alive, including snout 'pokings' identified by scientists in 2007. Thanks to Kempton and his team's dedication we now have the first scientific evidence in 62 years that these unique creatures are not gone forever. At least not quite yet.

We still have no idea how few are out there.

I wonder how they taste? 

The Blue Catfish Diet

From the Bay Journal, Blue catfish stomachs reveal ecological toll of their appetite

“They're eating everything, anything they can get their mouths around,” said Noah Bressman, a fish biologist at Salisbury University in Maryland.
. . .
Bressman’s study concentrated on the Nanticoke River, one of the Chesapeake’s largest tributaries east of the Susquehanna River. Researchers also analyzed Marshyhope Creek, a stream that branches off the Nanticoke.

They examined 1,049 catfish, ranging from 3.5 inches to 43 inches in length. A little more than half had food in their stomachs, including nearly 80 different types of fish.

The results showed that their diet varied throughout the year and by their size. Compared with other Bay rivers that have been studied, blue catfish in the Nanticoke complex preyed more heavily on river herring, blue crab, white perch and menhaden.

The search only turned up two striped bass, suggesting that blue catfish may not pose as big of a threat to that species as feared, Crum said in the paper. No sturgeons were found.

Secor isn’t ready to let blue catfish off the hook, though. The catfish are so ubiquitous that it doesn’t take many feeding on a certain species to have an impact, he said.

Among the strangest items discovered was a partially digested wood duck. “We didn't see any signs of birdshot, like it was a duck that maybe got lost after it was shot,” Bressman said. “So, it seemed like [the catfish] actively preyed upon this.”

But at least they taste good. The Potomac, at least supports a pretty good sport and commercial fishery for Blue Cats. Alas, they don't get the good prices that Striped Bass do. If we could do a better job of marketing them, we might get a fishery that could at least keep them under control. Eliminating them is too much to ask.  

Flotsam and Jetsam - Can Joe Win by 4.4 Percent?

Mary Chastian at LI is outraged by a Report that Biden Apologized to Muslim-American Leaders for Questioning Death Tolls Given by Hamas. “I’m sorry. I’m disappointed in myself. I will do better.” Matt Vespa at TownHall points out the Family of the First American Released By Hamas Bought Hunter Biden's Art. A really odd coincidence, or proof the fix was in? Remember, they slaughtered her parents in front of her. From PJM Rabbi Michael Barclay says Biden's Foreign Incompetency Is a Jimmy Carter Replay. Worse. Bruce Bawer at Front Page excoriates Antony Blinken, Iranian Tool "Is there a U.S. enemy that the Biden administration doesn't take orders from?"

At RedState Mike Miller cites Dr. Jackson, 'Happening Quickly': Former White House Doctor Goes Bottom Line About Biden's Deteriorating Mental State. Duane Patterson at Hat Hair VIP, Joe Biden's Only A Pawn In the Game Of Life. Ryan King at NYPo, Trump says he’s not ‘impaired’ after seemingly confusing Obama and Biden at campaign stops. Maybe he's just color-blind.

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 11.27.23 Jordan Boyd at Da Fed says The White House’s Black Friday Spin Can’t Blind Voters To Our Bad Economy. Capt. Ed comments "The bill is coming due, both literally and figuratively. And it will come due at the worst time for Biden — early in an election year. That’s one reason why Democrats want to frame 2024 as a referendum on Trump rather than Biden." And at The Federalist, House Republicans: Force Joe Biden To Explain Why Israel And Ukraine Are More Important Than America, Ace notes a Poll: Voters See The American Dream Dying Under Biden. "The American Dream is dying faster than Biden's frontal cortex. "Nate Silver advances The McDonald's theory of why everyone thinks the economy sucks. "Americans are spending as much of their paychecks as ever on fast food — and everything else." Chris Roach at Am Great asks Who You Gonna Believe: Your Wallet or Your Lying Eyes? "Biden thinks he can strongarm us into believing in Bidenomics." Jeff Anderson at CJ, Another Year, Another Trillion "America has racked up more inflation-adjusted deficit spending since 2009 than in the 220 years before then—with no end in sight." Breitbart Business Digest: Democrats Should Panic Over the Economy. Nick Pope at Da Caller noticed the Biden Admin Rolled Out A Massive Highway Emissions Rule On Thanksgiving Eve. Kim Strassel at WSJ (archive) opines on The Biden Energy Slush Fund "A $400 billion pile of cash dwarfing most private green investment vehicles." Mary Chastain again, Education Sec. Miguel Cardona Thinks Reagan Said, ‘We’re From the Government. We’re Here to Help!’ "Can we *please* destroy the department of education?" 

Am Spec's JT Young thinks For Victory in 2024, Biden Must Win by 4.4 Percent "Democrats fear that Biden's poll numbers are even worse than they appear." From Breitbart, Report: Young Americans Sour on Joe Biden, Threatening Reelection Chances. It doesn't mean many will vote for Trump, but they may sit it out, or go third party. At Althouse, "Could President Biden and Donald J. Trump really be locked in a close race among young voters — a group Democrats typically carry by double digits...?" Asks Nate Cohn (at the NYT). TownHall's Kurt Schlichter analyzes The Guy Who Can’t Win v. the Guy Who Will Lose "But someone has to win, and it will not be that RFK weirdo." At Am Con, liberals fear Apocalypse Trump "What to expect in the second term, per the fourth estate." Mostly sounds good to me. 

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 11.27.23 The Victory Girls see Nikki Haley Is Making Her Move. Paul Ingrassia at Am Great claims that By Debating Newsom, Ron DeSantis Proves He Is a Subversive Force on MAGA "If DeSantis were truly America First he'd be registering voters in Georgia." Hat Hair's Dave Strom says SeeUNextTuesday, Roger Stone. Not a fan. 

From TNP, PA Dem Admits No Way to ‘Restore Trust’ With Voting Machines. Hat Hair's Jazz Shaw wonders Are the Voting Machines in Pennsylvania Still Screwed Up? Probably. At Da Caller, Ashley Hayek dissects Michelle Obama’s Magical Turnout Machine. At HE Martin Baker thinks Black Americans are being led astray by politicized pastors.

At Da Caller, Federal Judge Tosses Trump 2024 Ballot Lawsuit In Rhode Island. There should be some kind of penalty attached for all these suits. Joy Pullman at Da Fed, Constitution Scholar: Lawfare Punishing Me For Advising Trump Will Cost Me $3 Million, John Eastman.

At WSJ (cited at Hat Hair) Instagram Panders to Pedos? Capt. Ed  "I’ve only been active on Instagram recently and don’t see a lot of weird content in the Reels, but I do find myself popular with accounts of barely-dressed women for some reason. I think it’s my scalp that turns them on. More seriously, it’s pretty clear that while Meta bars porn on its platforms, porn producers and honeypot scammers are very active on Instagram. This doesn’t surprise me, but it’s not clear what Meta will be able to do to tame it."

Mark Judge (remember him?) at Stream, WaPo Poster Girl Ruth Marcus Wrote a 500-Page Book on Brett Kavanaugh. It Took One Sentence to Implode. At Da Fed, Margot Cleveland notes NewsGuard Is Selling Its Government-Funded Censorship Tool To Private Companies. 'Bonchie' at RedState sees how Deadspin Tried to Destroy a Kid for Wearing 'Blackface,' Then the Real Story Came Out. 

At Da Caller, GOP Rep Demands Air Force Investigate Text Threatening Troops’ Careers For Attending Conservative Rally. Da Fed's Shawn Fleetwood claims Biden Air Force Nominee’s ‘Pride’ Antics Prove Leftists Have Ideologically Captured The Military.

At Hat Hair Beege Welborn wants to tell you About That Manhattan Bridge Hamas Supporters Shut Down Yesterday. From NYPo, Two women arrested in NYC attack on Jewish victim who confronted them for tearing down hostage posters: cops. Madeleine Hubbard at JTN reports New York City Mayor Adams slams 'vile show of antisemitism' at Queens high school. "One student was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment for allegedly making threats over a group chat." Capt. Ed says "Kudos to Adams for speaking out about this. I’m not sure that the NYC public schools are “better than this,” though. Or for that matter, most public schools these days. We already know that Academia isn’t." At Campus Reform, As Dept. of Ed launches investigation into Cornell, still no word on consequences for prof 'exhilarated' by Hamas terrorism. From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 11.27.23  Louder With Crowder hears Susan Sarandon's son wants you to stop sharing this video of his mom with her boobs out in support of her anti-Israel remarks. I hadn't seen this before, but here it is:

susan sarandon uncompromised and absolutely thriving https://t.co/k1S7u3N2T0 pic.twitter.com/fTND4gjAMM

— gato fumador (@KweenInYellow) November 21, 2023

At YaHoo! Suspect charged over shooting of Palestinian students in US "Vermont state attorney Sarah George said there was not yet sufficient evidence to support a hate crime enhancement of the charges against the suspect, identified as Jason Eaton, 48. But "I do want to be clear," George told reporters in Burlington, the northeastern US city where the shooting occurred. "There is no question this was a hateful act."

From Da Signal, Tyler O'Neil, Atlanta Rioter: ‘My Gender Is a Loaded Gun Pointed at Capitalism’s Heart’. PJM's Ben Bartee wants you to WATCH: Trans Discovers the Quran, Soon to Be Tossed From Rooftop. 

RedState hosts Jordan Peterson Schooling Bill Maher Panel on What’s Really Happening on College Campuses. "Jordan Peterson was invited on Bill Maher’s show to discuss the problem with higher education and offered up a harsh lesson to the rest of the panel and the audience." From Da Caller, Businesses Ditch ‘Diversity’ Initiatives In Droves Amid Economic Uncertainty. Ace, New Jersey Teachers Union: Not Only Do We Not Want Basic Skills Test For the Children We Supposedly Teach, We Want An End to Basic Skills Tests for Teachers, Too. "You can always tell who the good employees are. They're the ones crying out, "We demand an end to objective evaluation of our job qualifications and job performance!" Joanne Jacobs, Lonely on campus: "Students are siloed, silenced" by DEI. At Am Think, Bob Kingsley tries to figure out How the Liberal Mind Views Book-banning, fails. 

Ryan Grim at Slow Boring examines The implosion of the climate left. Great (and appropriate) name for the blog, by the way, if this is an example. I fear their demise may be overestimated.