Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Maryland Crabbers Abandon Bushel Baskets

WBOC, Maryland DNR To Discuss Changes for Blue Crab Containers, Limits, etc.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is revisiting discussions on blue crabs, this time focusing on the containers. A public hearing is scheduled later this week to clarify regulations before any formal proposals are considered. The primary topic of discussion revolves around the use of plastic lugs, which have the capacity to hold significantly more crabs than traditional wooden bushel baskets.

These plastic lugs boast a weight capacity of about 60 pounds, a notable increase of 20 pounds compared to the typical wooden bushel basket commonly used in commercial crabbing for generations. But those generations of using bushel baskets could slowly come to an end because bushel baskets are breaking faster than they can be made. It's also largely in part that there is only one more distributor that makes them.

Incorporating both containers on a boat is also cause for discussion and possible reevaluation of existing regulations, as acknowledged by the DNR.

 

Michael Luisi, the Department of Natural Resources' Assistant Director of Fishing and Boating Services, emphasized the challenges posed by differing volumes between lugs and bushel baskets. "When a lug or a barrel is not equivalent to a bushel, as far as volume, we then have challenges as to what those conversions look like. If we establish a bushel limit and fishermen are using lugs, we have to have some conversions," explained Luisi.

One significant factor contributing to the complexity is that one lug is equivalent to 1.5 bushels, prompting the need for a comprehensive discussion on potential conversions. Additionally, the DNR is exploring the possibility of allowing watermen to use a combination of containers, meaning they could have both lugs and bushels aboard their vessels.

Jeff Harrison, a commercial crabber and president of the Talbot Watermen Association, expressed satisfaction that these discussions are taking place with the involvement of industry stakeholders. "You still can't mix them like in the same container, but you can put all your females in lugs and you can have all your males in bushel baskets. We're glad they kind of got on top of this," stated Harrison.

While watermen have expressed confidence going into the meeting, concerns may arise between crabbers and buyers. Harrison highlighted the difficulty of precisely packing 60 pounds of male crabs into lugs, because the male crabs are much bigger. So, they're anticipating discussions about how full the lugs really need to be for buyers to get their money's worth.

I'm going to miss the old wooden bushel baskets. A fair number of them would wash up on the beach, mostly in fall, near the end of crabbing seasons. I think the crabbers conveniently lose of few of the ones in poor repair over the side as the season end nears. We have a few in the garage holding some sort of junk. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Monday: The Master Race Strikes Again up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

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Flotsam and Jetsam - Biden Delays Unpleasant Phone Calls

At Da Caller, Harris Faulkner Appears Stunned When Reporter Says Biden Hasn’t Yet Contacted Families Of Slain US Service Members. According to  Olivia Murray at Am Think, Gold Star parents of soldier killed in drone strike required to fill out ‘paperwork’ to get a condolences call from Slow Joe Biden. Fox, Parents of fallen soldier remember daughter killed in drone strike: 'I just miss her' "White House said Biden spoke with families of fallen US soldiers Tuesday." I guess it took a while to fill out the paperwork. Charlotte Hazzard at JTN reports Biden says he's decided on fatal drone strike response, US doesn't need 'wider' Middle East war "Biden has not elaborated on what the response would look like." Althouse, "Mr. Biden did not specify what the U.S. response would be. Some Republican lawmakers have urged him to attack Iran directly..." The PM reports White House admits US has troops on the ground in Yemen. Anxious anxiously touts Biden's Middle East moonshot: Behind the Curtain.

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 01.30.24 (Evening Edition). Vox Popoli discusses Great Replacement Reality, Don Surber: Turning the border against Trump, at da Fed Jordan Boyd writes Biden Has The Power To End The Border Crisis Without Congress. He Just Doesn’t Want To and John Davidson adds Rep. Ilhan Omar Represents Everything Wrong With America’s Immigration System. The Divine Ms. Devine at NYPo says Joe Biden now doing what he does best — weaseling out of the blame for US border crisis.   At TownHall Cutie Pavlich, Biden Can Stop the Flow of Illegal Immigration Now. He's Refusing and Selene Rodriguez  Under Biden, We Don’t Know Who’s Coming Into the US. Mark Krikorian at compact decries Biden’s Border Chutzpah. PJM's Chris Queen says Say Goodbye to America. From the Free Bacon, Immigration Officials Met With Leading ‘Abolish ICE’ Organization Amid Border Surge. TownHall's Jeff Crouere claims the Goal of Open Border Is to Turn Texas Blue. Breitbart, Soros-Funded Group Seeks to ‘Turn Texas Blue’ with Mass Immigration. At Am Con, Governor Greg Abbott Is Right About the Texas Border Standoff "The Lone Star State is perfectly within its rights to defend its own borders and enforce its own laws." Fox, Texas Gov. Abbott sends stark message to sanctuary cities as migrant crisis continues, expect more buses. Hat Hair's John Sexton listens to DHS Officials: Biden's Promise to Shut Down the Border Makes No Sense. 

Ace, Axios: "Trump, Republicans Plot to Kill Border Deal" "The verb plot connotes secrecy and skulduggery. But Trump and the anti-"deal" Republicans are announcing their position and their intent publicly, with no deception. But Axios, aka Politico for Kidz!, thinks it's just generally underhanded to oppose leftwing Democrat propagandists and traitors." Sundance at CTH, Republican (UniParty) Senators Deeply Worried Border Deal Collapsing, Subsequently Their Ukraine Money Is at Risk. Dan Chaitin at Da Wire writes Speaker Johnson Draws Red Line On Border ‘Shutdown’ Authority “Any border ‘shutdown’ authority that ALLOWS even one illegal crossing is a non-starter. Thousands each day is outrageous. The number must be ZERO,” also, 56 Dems Help Pass Another House Border Measure "The legislation, which seeks to establish new penalties for individuals who engage in high-speed vehicle chases while fleeing Border Patrol agents within 100 miles of the border, secured a 271-154 majority vote." It's not much, but it's something. From the Center Square, Texas sheriffs to trucker convoy heading to border: 'Don’t come to Texas'. At Breitbart Randy Clark says ‘Texas Border Showdown’ Wrought with Political Spin and Misinformation, so, like most "news?"

Stephen Kruiser at PJM claims The Joe Biden Traveling Senility Circus Is Tedious and Tyrannical. Hat Hair's KT is amused when Jill Biden Goes on the Attack in Houston: Trump Wants to Make Joe Biden Look Bad. Sundance, A Troubled, Perhaps Desperate Clyburn, Reminds Young Black Voters if They Don’t Vote Biden “They Ain’t Black”. Detroit News' Bankole Thompson: Biden campaign Achilles' heel is Black voters. Dan Greenfield at Front Page, Biden Asked Xi Not to Hurt Him in 2024 Election. "This exchange alone should probably be impeachable, but won't be." Hat Hair's Jazz Shaw documents How Venezuela's Maduro Keeps Fooling Joe Biden. At Breitbart, a Survey: One in Five Democrats Disapprove of Joe Biden’s Job Performance. 

At Da Mail, Senator Joe Manchin says Biden's White House is dominated by 'far-left liberals' and admits he could 'absolutely' see himself as president. I can't. 

From TNP, Trump’s Lead Over Biden Grew Again After the E. Jean Carroll Verdict. Breitbart, South Carolina Poll: Trump Leads Haley by 35 Points in Her Own Backyard. Off The Press, Trump Holds Massive Lead In Latest Poll In Haley’s South Carolina. Althouse "Mr. Trump’s wing is, by a comfortable margin, the largest and most dominant force in his party." ""No power center in the Republican Party can exist without the blessing of his movement, and we have yet to see a national political figure who can survive even the slightest bit of conflict with it. If there is any remnant of a pre-Trump Republican establishment, the trajectories of the campaigns headed by Ms. Haley and Mr. DeSantis illustrate its imminent fate." From "Trump Has Devoured the Republican Establishment" (NYT)." Hat Hair's KT, Once More With Feeling: New York Congresswoman Nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize "Will this time be the time he is awarded the prize? Nah. We all know that Trump won’t ever receive the recognition he deserves in some areas. That includes the strides he made in the Middle East peace process." Insty, WHEN DID GARCIA START TRYING TO DRUM UP VOTES FOR TRUMP? Greg Price@greg_price11, "Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA): "The Donald Trump and MAGA plan for the border: Alligator moats, bombing northern Mexico, shooting migrants in the legs, and electrifying the fence and putting spikes on them." At Am Think G. Murphy Donovan is Assessing Donald J. Trump. At Breitbart, Bolton: Second Trump Term ‘Could Cause Government Functions Almost to Break Down’. Stop, I already like him! Don Surber has suggestions for Trump's next Cabinet, "Senators need not bother to apply." At Hollywood in Toto, Is This the Taylor Swift vs. Joe Rogan Election? "Two pop superstars. Two very different takes on America in 2024."

At Off the Press, Haley Goes There, Claims Trump Is In Mental Decline. Sundance asks How RINO Is Texas? – Almost 1 in 5 Support Nikki Haley. Tom Jackson at Hat Hair VIP calls Ron DeSantis the Morning-After Pill for GOP.. PJM's VodkaPundit, We Are So Over Lauren Boebert. I'm not. PM reports Cori Bush faces DOJ probe for alleged misuse of federal funds. Ace, The House Democrat Under Investigation By the DOJ for Taking Taxpayer Money for Security and Paying It To Her Husband is... Cori Bush, Of Course. "I mean, obviously. Duh. She's a fat stupid thug and racist gangster. Lock her up. Lock her up. Lock her up." Insty, Shot: Rep. Cori Bush Doubling Down on ‘Defund the Police’ Despite Requests From Fellow Progressives. —Legal Insurrection, February 10th, 2022. Chaser: As RedState reported on Monday, a House Democrat is currently under criminal investigation for the misuse of government funds under the guise of paying for “security” services. Heavy speculation revolved around that Democrat being Rep. Cori Bush, and that has now been confirmed. —Confirmed: House Democrat Being Criminally Investigated Is ‘Squad’ Member Cori Bush, RedState, today."

Da Caller has schadenfreude as Stacey Abrams’ Nonprofit Implodes After Shelling Out Millions In Failed Election Fights. The James Martin Center speaks out Against Voter-Friendly Campuses. "In North Carolina and elsewhere, Republican taxpayers are turning out the Democratic vote. PJM's Stephen Kruiser says Forget Leftist Voter Fraud — Republicans Are Great at Losing Elections All by Themselves.

At PJM Matt Margolis thinks a Bombshell Discovery Could Save Trump $83.3 Million in Carroll Case, and Vicky Taft says Trump 'Victim's' Cringeworthy Laugh Over Legal Victory Shows How Unserious She Really Was. Matt Vespa thinks E. Jean Carroll Delivered the Sound Bite That Could Win Trump the Election. "Carroll says she and Maddow will "go shopping, get completely new wardrobes, new shoes...Rachel, what do you want, penthouse?" Da Fetched, E. Jean Carroll: I’ll Use ‘Trump’s Money’ to Go Shopping. Jeff Lord at Am Spec, E. Jean Carroll Reelects Trump? "The legal targeting of the former president keeps raising his poll numbers."


Embattled Georgia DA has a 'pattern' of 'ethical violations, abuse of power' and misusing funds, whistleblower says.  Sundance, Trump’s Atlanta Prosecutor and DA Boyfriend, Nathan Wade, Settles Divorce on Eve of Explosive Hearing to Avoid Testimony. Jazz Shaw, AP Admits Trump's NY Prosecution Would Be Unprecedented. At WaEx, Kaelen Deese reports the Supreme Court interrupts its break for landmark Trump ballot case. TNP documents 3,000+ Leftist Groups Involved in Anti-Trump Efforts. Madeleine Hubbard at JTN reports Illinois election board allows Trump to remain on ballot, appeal expected. Greg Byrnes at PJM snarks Trump Stays on Illinois Ballot Despite Belly Button Lint Charge. At Racket, Matt Taibbi remembers The Anti-Democratic Movement Targeted Ralph Nader First. We Should Have Paid More Attention "The recent ballot access challenges, political investigations, and canceled primaries are just an extension of a phenomenon we should have seen coming twenty years ago."

Gateway claims evidence that January 5th Pipe Bomber Was a “Former” FBI Official. Or, at least, an ex-military guy working for a contractor, and with a security clearance. At Stream, When Will the January FIFTH Insurrectionists Go to Prison? "January 5, 2017 was when the real coup was launched, by Obama and Biden against the American people. Newt Gingrich at Am Spec,  Washington Is Waging a War: First Nixon, Now Trump. "The bureaucratic Left has always resisted reform."


Insty, CENSORS, STALINISTS, PATERNALISTS, FAUX-LIBERALS, AND OTHERS WHO WOULD SUPRESS FREE SPEECH: YOU’RE ON NOTICE. "The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on March 18 in Missouri’s lawsuit alleging the federal government colluded with social media companies like Twitter and Facebook to suppress conservative and libertarians’ freedom of speech. And a lot of us are watching. The Missouri Independent, explains the matter before the court, about which I and my fellow Insta-team members have written before:"  Ace, The Super-Smart Thinkfluencers at Saturday Night Live Have Never Heard the Term "De-Banking" Before, and Think Trump Made It Up. "So smart. Please teach me all of your knowledges." Breitbart, Atlantic Contributor Wants Taxpayers to Save Media from ‘Extinction Level Event. "In other words, the taxpayers should now prop up a rotting and corrupt institution that hates us. You’ll note that Farhi doesn’t want the media to change, or to improve, or to become something Americans might find valuable, useful, honest, and worthy of a subscription. No, he wants a taxpayer bailout, so the liars responsible for this…
…can continue to go right on doing it."


Herr Professor Jacobson at LI reports Cornell Board of Trustees “Unanimous Vote in Support of President Martha E. Pollack”. "DEI is a religion at Cornell. People don’t give up their religion easily." Jazz Shaw hears Cornell: We'll Keep Our Antisemitic President, Thanks. Campus Reform, Dept. of Education investigating University of Wisconsin over anti-Semitism complaint. Hahvahd Crimson, Billionaire Megadonor Ken Griffin Says He Will Stop Donations to Harvard. CJ, Opportunity, Not Tragedy. "The DEI ship at Harvard and other elite universities is probably too big to turn around—it’s time to look elsewhere." Connor Friedsdorf at the Slantic worries about ‘A Constant Drumbeat’ of Racial Essentialism "A lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in Penn State’s approach to DEI can go to trial, and could shape the future of diversity programs on campus." Bruce Thornton at Front Page, The Incredible Denseness of the Academic Mind "Our institutions of higher learning have degenerated into satiric parodies." At the College Fix,  GOP lawmakers try to tax ‘woke’ private universities’ massive endowments. Marty Hackworth, Monday musings: I hate to burst your bubble... "When facing potential annihilation, the DEI industry doubles down. Let's discuss." HE reports New York City doubles down on woke activist education. Mike LaChance at LI  School Board in Stamford, CT, Votes to Remove Veterans Day and Columbus Day From School Holidays "“Honoring Christopher Columbus in statues, parades or the holiday has become a divisive issue given his role in the evolution of colonialism and slavery.”" To be replace with George Fentanyl day? mrcTV hears Milwaukee Public Schools Teaches Staff to 'Decenter Whiteness'. 


The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: F*** Snow up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.
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The Wednesday Wetness

WHRO, Sea level rise will swamp Norfolk nonprofit’s $8 million new headquarters. That’s the whole point.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Monday: The Master Race Strikes Again up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

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Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Flotsam and Jetsam - A Trashy Tuesday

Lots of links, but nothing really sticks out as title worthy material. At Breitbart, Three Soldiers from Georgia Identified as Troops Killed in Jordan, "Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia, and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia." Althouse "The United States believes Iranian-backed militants were behind the drone strike, and Biden is ramping up a reelection campaign against a leading Republican opponent who boasts of his toughness against Iran, making any option politically perilous as well as militarily fraught." "A deeply disturbing statement. Please note the word "believes." Dave Strom at Hat Hair not enthused by KJP's wording,  Killed Soldiers 'Military Folks' Who Died For the Administration, could be because of instead of for. CDR Salamander explores Tower 22's White Swan, "only a matter of time." Duane Patterson at Hat Hair VIP, Joe Biden Warned Iran Not to Do Anything. Iran Did Something. Again. So Now What? From Da Wire, Biden Admin Accused Again Of ‘Previewing’ To The Enemy Its Response To 3 Dead U.S. Soldiers. Twitchy,  OOPS! Joy Reid's 'Hot Mic Incident' About Biden Differs From MSNBC's Usual Hackery (She Apologized). Robby Starbuck@robbystarbuck "Joy Reid caught on a hot mic calling out Biden for "starting another f**king war" Out of all the stuff she’s done, this is both the most sane thing she’s ever said AND the most likely to get her into real trouble with her bosses at MSNBC."  Snark from The Babylon Bee@TheBabylonBee. "Biden Cleverly Distracts From Civil War By Starting World War https://buff.ly/3SC8j6D"

At the Volohk Conspiracy, Jon Adler explains No, Texas Has Not "Defied" The Supreme Court. Am Great's Chris Roach calls it Fort Sumter on the Border. "A more robust federalism that empowers states to act where the federal government is overburdened or unwilling to enforce its own laws would relieve some pressure on the existing system."  Breitbart,  69% Side with Texas over Biden in Southern Border Battle  At CJ,  Dave Seminara calls it Biden’s Border Catastrophe, "The president’s recent pledge to “shut down” the border suggests that, if nothing else could, his political survival might finally motivate him to enforce the law." From Da Caller, Biden’s Border Crisis Exposed America’s Dirty Foreign Agent Secret. Hat Hair's Jazz Shaw, About That Letter From National Security Leaders. Breitbart, Joe Biden’s Unvetted Afghans to Score Green Cards as Part of Senate Deal. Ace, Pro-American-Invasion Biden Begs Congress to Pass His Mass Amnesty Bill. "Fuck you. Note that Biden is eager to play footsie and cut deals with his Iranian frenz -- but refuses to negotiate with Republicans in good faith about the border." Jed Babbin at Am Spec explains Another Bad Border Deal. "Biden would do nothing to secure the border with the new powers provided in the Senate bill." PJM's Rick Moran sees Chicago Mayor Johnson Now Hiding the Welcome Mat For Illegal Aliens. At Da Blaze, Awkward silence hits CNN airwaves when Gov. Kristi Noem confronts host for defending Biden on border crisis. Lawrence Pierson's Battleswarm Blog is Debunking The “700,000 Truckers To Texas” Story "Sometimes a story comes along that’s so ludicrous that you rush to debunk it. Such as with the “700,000 truckers are descending on the Texas border to protest Biden’s refusal to halt the flood of illegal aliens” story."

Dave  Catron at Am Spec, Is This What Biden Meant By ‘Unity’? "The only thing Americans are unified about is that Biden needs to retire." Ace, Biden's Third-Year Approval Rating the Worst Since... No, Guess. "I mean, you know, the thing." Breitbart has a Report: Manchin to Launch 2024 Bid If Biden Has ‘Health Scare.’ CNN worries Joe Manchin could upend Biden’s reelection campaign – and blow up No Labels along the way. Bob Spencer at Front Page, Wisdom from Old Joe Biden: ‘Oooh, Earth Rider, Thanks for the Great Lakes’. "The confused Figurehead-in-Chief." At PM, Biden declares Donald Trump is 'sitting president' in latest gaffe, or is he looking ahead? At Da Fed, Tristan Justice reminds us Five Years Ago Today, Joe Biden Spread The Jussie Smollett Hate Crime Hoax. Mike Cantrell at PJM, The Biden Campaign Is Planning to Deploy a Secret Weapon to Re-Ignite Voters, Taylor Swift?  What if Kelsey picks Trump? 

Matt Margolis at PJM, No Evidence? Biden Associate Testifies That Joe Biden Met with China Energy President. To discuss weather? 

PJM's Cathy Salgado figures out The Economy Isn’t Growing. The Government Is Just Adding Debt, and Matt Margolis says Ouch: Janet Yellen Threw Joe Biden Under the Bus Over Inflation. No, prices aren't coming down, ever. mrcTV notices Energy Sec Plays Dumb Over Biden's Vow To 'End' Fossil Fuels. Will Kessler at Da Caller is outraged that Dems’ Energy Permitting Reform Bill Includes Billions For Eco-Activist Groups, business as usual. The Free Bacon is happy that Biden Admin Backs Off From Proposed Aggressive Gas Stove Ban. 

Pete Van Buren at Am Con say simply Trump Will Win. "The fundamentals simply do not favor Biden." Paul Ingrassia at Am Great warns Attention, Deep State: You Are Headed for a Shellacking Come November, "The Trump Train’s momentum cannot be stopped." No Pasaran reminds us When the transnational left regurgitates that Trump threatens “democracy,” they are not speaking of true democracy, but of “their own democracy”, i.e., their dictatorship. Breitbart, Prediction Market Gives Donald Trump 94% Chance of Securing GOP Nomination, 55% Chance of Beating Joe Biden. At Hat Hair, Salena Zito says Trump's Inflection Point Began Where No One Was Looking, East Palestine. No, Joe has not visited yet.   Fox reports the Trump admin cut funding to UN agency now accused of participating in Hamas attack ‘for reason.’ "'The previous Trump administration cut all funding for a reason,' Rep. McCaul said of Trump ending funds to the UN agency." 

Sundance at CTH Dr Ben Carson Responds to Suggestion He Is Possible VP Selection. OK with me, but I still think it's Elise Stefanik. John Sexton at Hat Hair, Vivek Ramaswamy Joins the Taylor Swift 'Psy-Op' Bandwagon (Update). The Babylon Bee, Trump Promises If Elected He Will Ban Taylor Swift From Football Games. Me? Now that Tom and Giselle broke up, I'm looking for a new couple for the breeding program. 

At Breitbart, Exclusive: Turning Point Action Identifies 4.5 Million ‘Disengaged’ GOP Voters Across 10 Battleground States, but how to engage them? Karl Pfefferkorn at Am Spec on The Heartbreak of the Brideshead Republicans "The neocons lost their party after melding with the Washington elite and ignoring concerns of the average American." Sundance, Alright, Alright, Alright – Carlson and Peterson Agree on the Foundational Principle, STOP PRETENDING, SPEAK TRUTH. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair is outraged by Ilhan Omar: US Gov't 'Will Only Do What the Somalians in the US Tell Them to Do.'  At Am Think Steve McCann thinks about The Death of Citizenship. ET explains How Courts are Reshaping 2024 Congressional Races. "Since 2022, court rulings in at least eight states have revamped congressional districts or allowed challenged districts to remain in place for 2024 election."

Matt Margolis notices Trump Prosecutor Fani Willis's Troubles Just Got Much Worse. Nick Arama at Red State, More Heat Just Dropped on Fani Willis With Move by Georgia State Senate. Leading Report
@LeadingReport "BREAKING: Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones to announce the members of a new investigatory committee that will have subpoena power and will be looking into Fulton County DA Fani Willis. With six Republicans and three Democrats on the bipartisan committee, it will investigate Willis’ relationship with her alleged lover, Nathan Wade, and the alleged misuse of taxpayer funds." Henry Rogers at Da Caller, EXCLUSIVE: GA Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones Announces Members Of New Investigatory Committee Looking Into Fani Willis. Ace, Georgia Senate Approves Special Investigatory Committee to Find Out What the Hell Is Going on With Fani Willis' Pustular Snootch. "Hear, hear."

ABC is thrilled that Dissolving Trump's business empire would stand apart in history of NY fraud law. "Within days, Donald Trump could have his sprawling real estate business empire ordered “dissolved” for repeated misrepresentations on financial statements to lenders, adding him to a short list of scam marketers, con artists and others who have been hi..." Matt Margolis again, Did E. Jean Carroll Admit Her Real Motivations for Her Accusations Against Trump?  Hat Hair's KT reports Retired Republican Judge Argues Trump Should Not Appear on Illinois Primary Ballot. At TNP, Judge Who Says Trump Should Be Off Illinois Ballot Was Appointed By RINO Who Backed Clinton in 2016. Kurt Lash at The Volokh Report on Section Three and the "First Insurrection" … That Wasn't. Ted Noel at Am Think thinks about Grammar for Attorneys "I just received one of my daily emails from “Justia Verdict,” a legal blog. In it, Dean Falvy lays out a number of legal questions regarding the Supreme Court case to resolve the Colorado effort to remove Donald Trump from the ballot. His leftist leanings should not be surprising, given his legal heritage in the Poison Ivy League (Harvard) and position on the Left Coast (University of Washington). Twice he is unable to hide his prejudice and says the quiet part out loud. . . "
Sundance grudgingly notes IRS Contractor Receives 5 Year Sentence for Stealing President Trump Tax Returns Along with Thousands of Other Taxpayers. CNN whines Man who stole and leaked Trump tax records sentenced to 5 years in prison. Da Wire, Man Who Leaked Trump Tax Returns Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison. I wonder if Joe will pardon him? WaEx, Judge questions DOJ leniency in Trump tax leaker case, gives five-year prison sentence. Nicholas Ballasy at JTN, Justice Department hands House grand jury subpoena, purportedly over member misuse of security funds  "Just the News has confirmed with a congressional source that the subpoena pertains to a DOJ investigation of a House Democrats' misuse of federal funds allocated for personal security purposes." Margot Cleveland at Da Fed sees Texas AG Ken Paxton Seeks Help From State Supreme Court To Halt Lawfare.

Ace, Nancy Pelosi: I Reject That These Pro-Palestinian Protesters Are Real. They Must Be Russian Stooges. I Demand an Investigation Into These Russian Agents. "I demand an investigation into the funding of the domestic terrorist groups antifa and BLM. How's that grab ya, Granny Rictus McBotoxImplants?"  In San.com, Pelosi team clarifies calls for FBI probe into Palestinian protesters. Bob Zimmerman at Behind the Black explains why he thinks The FBI must be wiped clean, or wiped out, on Day One of the next Repubican administration. 


At the Free Bacon, a report that Not Just Claudine Gay. Harvard's Chief Diversity Officer Plagiarized and Claimed Credit for Husband's Work, Complaint Alleges, also  National Republican Club Speakers Call for ‘Dismantling’ Jewish State and Deny Hamas Atrocities, "Author Max Blumenthal and Israeli-American activist Miko Peled spoke at Capitol Hill Club." John Sexton wonders Has Anything Really Changed at UPenn? Prolly not. At Campus Reform, Binghamton University facing federal civil rights investigation over anti-Semitism complaint: "The Department of Education Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into Binghamton University in New York over its alleged failure to respond to harassment of Jewish students." Capt. Ed adds "Alinsky’s Rules advises anti-establishment activists to apply their own rules against them. Hopefully that works as well when it’s the establishment that’s radical." Herr Professor Jacobson at LI, It’s Cornell Trustees Time For Choosing Whether To Rescue The Cornell Brand From The DEI Downward Spiral. 


Bethany Hamilton
Spiked wonders Why is a full-grown man competing against teenage girls in swimming? "A 50-year-old professor has been allowed to identify himself into a swimming league for schoolgirls." Capt. Ed, "He’s competing against adolescent girls because he’s a narcissistic scumbag who only acts out of his desire for self-gratification. He’s only allowed to do so because Canadian authorities lack the sense and the will to tell him to pound sand … and it’s not much better south of the border, either." Mary Chastain at LI hears  Oregon High School Girls Tennis Coaches Resign Because of ‘Boys Playing Girls Tennis’
“They’re boys saying they’re girls. They’re playing a fall sport, come back and playing a girl’s sport and go back to playing a boy’s sport. All they have to do is change the paperwork in the district office.” From OutKick, Bethany Hamilton Doubles Down On Trans Stance After Rip Curl Women Promotes Male Surfer. Capt. Ed adds "Good for Bethany Hamilton, whose life story was immortalized in the film “Soul Surfer,” which is well worth another watch these days. Shame on RipCurl for selling out girls and women to score a few extra DEI/ESG points."  Sky News Australia, ‘Go woke, go broke’: Rip Curl scorched for promoting trans woman surfer. 



The Wombat has Rule 5 Monday: The Master Race Strikes Again and FMJRA 2.0: F*** Snow up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.
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Tuesday Tanlines

Health, Do Tanning Beds Really Help With Psoriasis Symptoms?
Kim Kardashian made headlines last week when she revealed she has a tanning bed inside her office—but the reality TV star said she uses it for medical purposes. The saga started when Kardashian, 43, shared a video on TikTok. “I’m Kim Kardashian, of course I have a tanning bed—and a red light bed—in my office,” she said to viewers. That was enough to rile up concerns.

“Please, Kim Kardashian, don’t try to normalize tanning beds,” Allure magazine said on Twitter, sharing a link to an article on the controversy.

Kardashian responded to the outlet. “I have psoriasis and it really helps when it’s bad,” she wrote on Twitter. “But I don’t use it too often.”

Allure was right—indoor tanning is linked to skin cancer. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, indoor tanning increases the risk of the two most common types of skin cancer—squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma—by 58% and 24%, respectively. And using tanning beds before the age of 20 increases your chances of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 47%—a risk that increases with each use. 

But was Kardashian right as well? Could indoor tanning help manage symptoms of psoriasis? Here’s what dermatologists want you to know before getting those artificial rays.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in the skin—skin cells multiply too quickly, and form scaly, inflamed patches. Ultraviolet (UV) light, according to Gary Goldenberg, MD, board-certified dermatologist and co-owner of Goldenberg Dermatology, can tamp down the skin’s immune system, which can then help decrease inflammation in the skin. 

But, while the UV light may help relieve psoriasis symptoms, dermatologists do not recommend using tanning beds as a treatment for the condition.

“Tanning beds could result in some improvement of psoriasis symptoms,” said Ife J. Rodney, MD, board-certified dermatologist, dermatopathologist, and founding director of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics, “but there’s a big downside because you’re also getting other rays we don’t necessarily recommend.”
The Wombat has Rule 5 Monday: The Master Race Strikes Again up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.
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Monday, January 29, 2024

VA Moves To Ban Driveway Sealer

 CBF, Virginia Bill Proposes Ban of Toxic Pavement Sealant

Toxic products used mainly to seal asphalt driveways for homes and neighborhoods would be prohibited in Virginia under legislation introduced by Del. Kathy Tran (House Bill 985). The bill, expected to be considered by the House Natural Resources subcommittee Jan. 24, prohibits the sale, distribution, and use of toxic pavement sealants.

“Toxic pavement sealants put our children’s lives at risk and pollute our waterways,” Delegate Kathy Tran (D-Fairfax) said. “Banning their sale is a commonsense action to ensure clean, safe water. I am so proud to work with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to pass our bill and prohibit selling this harmful product.”

Applied both commercially and privately, the sealant is a black liquid marketed as a pavement protector. These products contain high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that can harm people, birds, amphibians, fish, mammals, and plants. The bill would prohibit any pavement sealant with a PAH concentration greater than one percent by weight. 

“Any parent would agree that their child’s health is more important than their driveway,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Senior Scientist Joe Wood said. “The good news is that there are effective alternatives to these toxic pavement sealants and that communities that have banned this harmful product elsewhere have seen the benefits. This legislation would have profound effects on Virginians’ health and the environment.”

A USGS fact sheet shows that the excess cancer risk for people living adjacent to pavement treated with toxic sealants was 38 times higher, on average, than for those living near unsealed pavement.

OK, this "statistic" I strongly question. Roughly 25% of US deaths are due to some kind of cancer. I don't think there's room for 38 fold greater risk. 

Dangerous chemicals can enter the environment through skin contact, such as a child sitting on a coated driveway. They can also be loosened when a car drives over pavement, then be washed off by rain or transported by the car’s tires.  

“When they look to seal or repair their driveway, many parents and Virginia residents don’t realize they might be applying a toxic product that causes cancer in people and in fish. Kids are the most vulnerable,” Wood said. “This legislation is a cost-effective way to protect the health of Virginia’s waterways and people.”

Stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot have stopped the sale of such sealants. Other types of asphalt sealants are available that are significantly less toxic, are priced similarly, and are widely available. Most highway departments and road agencies, including the Virginia Department of Transportation, have not used toxic pavement sealants on asphalt pavement for many years. Virginia’s neighbors, Maryland and Washington D.C., have both instituted bans.

PAHs have been detected in several fish and waterways throughout Virginia, correlating to freshwater mussel decline in the Clinch River. PAHs have also been a driver of fish cancer in the Elizabeth River. In addition, three experiments indicated significant negative impacts of PAHs on various early life stages of the Bay’s native oyster.

I'm generally not in favor of bans, but I don't have a problem with this. It's nasty stuff. 

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Went Fishin'

A while ago Pete told me he wanted to borrow my slip at Flag Harbor for the winter season, I told him fine, but I would take it out in trade. Yesterday, he moved his boat in, and this morning he texted to ask if I wanted to go. It was blowing a gale, almost literally (20 with gusts to 35) but with enough west to get a little cover. We went. 

It was tough, but on the lee side of the outflow, he spotted some fish on the sonar, and:

You can see the "rip", power plant outflow in the back ground. We caught a few of these this size, no giants. We also took a big wave over the side and soaked my jeans on one side. The wind kept rising, and the area we could fish got smaller, so having proved that fish were there, and an amateur (albeit, an experienced amateur) could catch them, we came home.
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Flotsam and Jetsam - Iran Proxies Kill Three US Soldiers in Jordan

Fox, 3 American troops killed, 25 injured in attack on Jordan base near Syria border, "Biden blasts 'radical Iran-backed militant groups' after deadly drone attack on US personnel." Jazz Shaw at Hat Hair, Drone Strike Kills U.S. Soldiers in Jordan "It’s clear that what Joe Biden has been doing thus far with these various Iran-backed militant groups is not working. Iran does not fear us. But now they’ve killed three of our soldiers. That’s supposed to be the bright red line in the sand. You kill three of our people, we kill three hundred of yours. But will Biden have the stomach to give the order?" Dan Greenfield at Front Page, 3 U.S. Soldiers Died Because Biden Won’t Stand Up to Iran, They attack, we retreat and they attack some more. From Breitbart, Republicans Hit Biden for U.S. Military Deaths in Jordan: ‘He Left Our Troops as Sitting Ducks’ and Flashback: Biden in 2020 Criticized Trump for Soldiers Being Injured in Iraq by Iran. Matt Vespa at Town Hall, Wait, Did Joe Just Say Beau Biden Was Killed in Normandy? At this point, I don't think he can tell fantasy from reality, and it's never been his strong suit. PJM's Matt Margolis asks if you Need More Proof That Joe Biden Knows He’s Going To Lose in November? Here It Is.

John Kass calls Texas Gov. Greg Abbott a Hero on the Border. Gateway, Joe Biden Announces Border Is Broken After He Broke It – Says He Can Fix It When He Hasn’t – Asks for Authority Which He Already Has – Wants You to Believe He Will Take Action When We All Know He Won’t. PJM's Rick Moran wonders Will Biden Make the 'Boneheaded' Move of Nationalizing the Texas Guard? Matt Boose at Am Great says America’s Immigration System Is Cruel—to Americans "The federal government is in a state of rebellion—against the American people. The costs of this betrayal will keep mounting until something breaks." Herr Professor Jacobson at LI notes Former National Security Officials Warn of “Multi-division Army of Young Single Adult Males” Illegally Crossing Border. “These men are potential operators in what appears to be an accelerated and strategic penetration, a soft invasion, designed to gain internal access to a country that cannot be invaded militarily in order to inflict catastrophic damage if and when enemies deem it necessary.” Monica Showalter at Am Think thinks Joe Biden's legal win against Texas has one problem: The Border Patrol doesn't seem to want to cooperate. At Da Wire, Border Patrol Union Backs Texas National Guard, Slams ‘Catastrophe’ Biden ‘Has Unleashed On America.’  At Am Think Gary Gindler thinks Biden is Denationizing the United States and Clarice thinks about Biden, the Border, and Tik Tok Too. Mark Hemingway at Da Fed says The Immigration Crisis Shows Just How Much Contempt America’s Establishment Has For Democracy. From TNP, The Compromised Battle for Justice in Texas. From Breitbart, Oklahoma Republican Party Ends ‘All Support’ for Sen. James Lankford over Senate Deal to Expand Immigration. At Mediaite, GOP Senator Flat Out Accuses His Republican Colleagues of Tanking Border Deal "‘Because It’s a Presidential Election Year’"  Joe Klein at Front Page tells Congress  Say No To Any ‘Bipartisan’ Border Deal Negotiated With Biden White House. "What is needed to really secure the border." At Da Caller, Turley Explains Which Party Has ‘Upper Hand’ In Texas-Biden Showdown. It Comes Down To One Word. "The law professor added while judges may be sympathetic to Texas being overwhelmed by migrants, “the federal government has the upper hand legally. They tend to get a lot of deference along the border.”|

Hat Hair's KT, House Republicans Release Articles of Impeachment Against DHS Secretary Mayorkas. “Alejandro N. Mayorkas willfully and systemically refused to comply with the immigration laws, failed to control the border to the detriment of national security, compromised public safety, and violated the rule of law and separation of powers in the Constitution, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.” NewsMax, House Republicans Unveil Articles of Impeachment in Bid to Oust Homeland Security Chief over Border. At ET, House GOP Unveils Mayorkas Impeachment Articles.

Hey there Rubber Duckie, it looks like we got ourselves a convoy! As Leslie Eastman at LI observes a  Trucker Convoy Heading to Southern Border Hotspots to Protest Biden Border Crisis, "Take Our Border Back Southern Border Convoy protests slated for Jan. 29 to Feb. 3." Hat Hair's KT, Trucker Convoy Heading to Border States to 'Take Our Border Back'


Da Beast claims Donald Trump’s Team Reportedly Tapped RFK Jr. as Potential Vice President. {JM\s Bob Spencer, A Trump/RFK Ticket? ‘I Wouldn’t Write It Off’ I would be surprised. From Da Caller, the most important recommendation Snoop Dogg Changes Course On Trump, Says He Has ‘Nothing But Love And Respect’. At The Messenger, Joe Concha says The Vice Presidential Picks Matter More Than Ever Before in This Year’s Election. Matt Vespa again sees Bill Maher Is the Dems' Canary in the Coal Mine Regarding Trump, "Rips Apart Democrats' Trump Strategy for 2024." At Da Wire, Tim Scott Gives Two Reasons Why He Says Nikki Haley Should Drop Out Of Race. Tristan Justice at Da Fed  hears Liz Cheney Urge Warmonger Nikki Haley To ‘Stay In The Race’ To ‘Defeat’ Trump. She has daddy issues. Matt Margolis thinks Nikki Haley Botches Response to $83.3 Million Jury Verdict Against Trump. From Da Caller, The Next Early Nominating State Is Just Around The Corner — And It’s Not South Carolina, Nevada. 


The Great Victor Davis Hanson says Trump Has Reason to Rage—But Needs to Stay Calm and Get Even Rather than Mad "Trump must concentrate on the disaster of the Biden administration and reiterate nonstop the agendas of 2025 that will save us from tottering on the brink." From TNP, Trump-Carroll Judge Was ‘Mentor’ to E. Jean’s Lawyer, Conflict of Interest Appeal Expected. "Habba says neither the judge nor Roberta Kaplan revealed this professional history. “It was never disclosed. It’s insane and so incestuous,”" From Breitbart, Fani Willis Defends Her Man Nathan Wade, Stonewalling Jim Jordan Probe. Four months in jail for contempt of Congress sounds about right. At the Volokh Conspiracy, Josh Blackman notices  Professor Akhil Reed Amar and Professor Vikram Amar Retreat From Their "Global" Rule for the "Offices" and "Officers" of the Constitution. "Their amicus brief endorses the view that members of state legislatures are officers. They took the exact opposite position in 1995 and in subsequent publications." TNP, Ben Carson Warns If Trump Is Kicked Off 2024 Ballot ‘America Will Never Be The Same Again.’


The Free Bacon reports the Head of Harvard's Anti-Semitism Task Force Backs Out of Panel on Anti-Semitism. From the College Fix, Lawsuit accuses UC Berkeley of not protecting Jewish students. Fuzzy Slippers at LI says This Is How You Do It: NYPD Stops Hamas Supporters From “Flooding” JFK Airport “Trying to shut down an airport? You will be the one getting shut down! We respect peaceful protest but will not tolerate lawlessness.” 

At CJ, “We Thought She Was a Great Teacher” "How a Washington public school’s transgender secrecy policies drove an immigrant family out of the country. . . . Tia, who was ten, had apparently just gone through a social gender transition at school, encouraged by her teacher. Olympia School District is one of at least 1,000 districts nationwide that have enacted secrecy policies for kids who express gender dysphoria; so for months." From Da Caller, Docs Reveal VA Hospital’s Plan To Ramp Up Sex Change Surgeries, Double Down On Gender Ideology. Brian C. Joondeph, M.D. at Am Think thinks Boys Will be Boys, Not Girls, on the Golf Course. Darel E. Paul at Compact discourses on The Failure of Feminist Natalism.
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