Flotsam and Jetsam - No Bottom for Blue California

John Solomon at JTN reports Death toll soars to 24 in Los Angeles wildfires as intensifying winds raise concerns "Winds are expected to pick up after a brief lull as the National Weather Service issued a red flag alert through Wednesday." Joe Huffman at the View from Central Idaho (great name!) has a look at the Great Los Angeles Fire. "Underground bunkers are relatively immune and more easily defended from fires. Just saying…" Open Source Intel@Osint613, "WATCH Los Angeles is witnessing one of the largest aerial firefighting operations in history. Incredible footage" at link. PJM's VodkaPundit sees Ugly Trucks to the Rescue!, Elon's Cybertrucks. At the California Globe, The Abundance Choice, Part 9: Can Reservoirs be Part of the Solution? "The 1957 Water Plan called for construction of 376 new reservoirs to be in addition to those already built." Of course they can. Global Shipping on YouTube, Using Seawater To Fight Fires in SoCal. Yes, I can (and is) being used. Jen O'Connell at RedState, on Feel-Good Friday: As Fires Rage in LA, Precious People Ensure the Animals Are Not Forgotten. Da Mail reports California National Guard protecting designer boutiques from looters after LA fires. Fox, California relying on prisoners, Mexico to provide firefighters to battle Los Angeles wildfires, "California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing criticism for cutting funding for wildfire and forest resilience." At Hat Hair, Muh Inequity: California Wildfires Could Be Leaving Deeper Inequality in Their Wake. Sean Davis@seanmdav, "They’ve gone from blaming muh climate change and saying it’s not the fire’s fault, to saying water wouldn’t have helped to put out the fire, to claiming the real problem is that fire is racist." Quote The Associated Press@AP "The California wildfires could be leaving deeper inequality in their wake https://apnews.com/article/califo."

VodkaPundit, Karen Bass: Part-Time Mayor. From Ace remembers that Karen Bass Pledged That, If Elected, She Would No Longer Travel Internationally. She, Get This, Lied. "I know you're all stunned." Tom Tradup at TownHall, Save Los Angeles? Karen Bass Is Not Ghana Do It. Babalú Blog, Surprise! Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is a life-long rabid supporter of communism and the Cuban dictatorship. The Peacock reports LA Times owner regrets paper endorsing Mayor Karen Bass: 'That's a mistake'. Sarah Arnold at TownHall, LA Mayor Recall Petition Gathers Momentum, Exceeds 60,000 Signatures Amid Devastating Fires and L.A. Water Chief Knew Fire Hydrants Were Broken, Yet Earns Nearly $800K Annually. 

Rhea Durham

Breitberg reports Mark Wahlberg’s Wife Rhea Durham Blasts Newsom for ‘Standing Around Laughing’ During Cataclysmic Fires. Margot Cleveland@ProfMJCleveland "Newsom: "We've got a Marshall plan." NBC: "Tell us about that Marshall plan." Newsom: "Okay, we've got a name for a plan."" Dan Greenfield at Front Page, Gov. Newsom Reacts to Wildfires by Launching Campaign Website, "Worst governor in America." From WaEx, NBC fact-checks Gavin Newsom after he accuses Trump of misinformation. At Althouse, Governor Newsom's seesawing shoulders inject horror into the phrase "some ideas around some land use concerns... around speculators coming in." "That shoulder action seems to say: Everyone has always found me so cute, so I'll try being extra cute. It's all I've got." Dave Strom at Hat Hair sees Leftists Already Planning L.A. 2.0; The WEF Will Like It. Never let a good tragedy go to waste. Susi Moore at Red State hears 'I Think That They Were Very Prepared' from FEMA Admin. Criswell on 'Face the Nation' on the LA Wildfires. Well, they had enough lesbians in place. Chris Brat at Da Fed explains that California’s DEI-Obsessed Anarchotyrants Threw Money At Everything But Water And Firefighters. Vicky Taft at PJM has a Video: Is Woke ‘Equity’ the Reason Why Pacific Palisades Is Now a Moonscape? Professor Ornery Dragon Talks Politics sees Government Incompetence and Malice. VodkaPundit at Insty, Competence isn’t high on the list of California Democrat voters’ concerns so California Democrat politicians aren’t concerned with it, either. They aren’t even capable of it. Chamath Palihapitiya@chamath, "The lack of funding for critical infrastructure in LA sits against the following backdrop: The State’s revenues are staggering yet our infrastructure is crumbling, new housing is unaffordable and nonexistent, crime is rampant, schools are mediocre and companies are fleeing in droves. So what exactly does the cartel that runs California actually accomplish with so much of our money? When will this stop being ok? If this were a private company, we’d send in auditors, demand answers and fire management."

'Bonchie' at RedState, Biden and Harris Hold a Wildfire Briefing, and It Turns Into a Total Disaster. One time payment of $700! RNC Research@RNCResearch, "Kamala to wildfire victims: "It's critically important that, to the extent you can find anything that gives you an ability to be patient in this extremely dangerous and unprecedented crisis, that you do."" Tom Knighton at TAW, Well, that's a take. PJM's Matt Margolis is astonished a Democrat Senator Blames Trump for California Wildfires. Sarah Arnold, Dem Claims LA Fires are Preview of What's to Come Under Trump. Dan Chaitin at Da Wire hears Vance Rip ‘Serious Lack Of Competent Governance’ In California As Wildfires Destroy LA Area "VP-elect also says "the federal government has to do a better job.""rnia-wildfire-pacific-palisades-pasadena-altadena-inequality-63ea76d186740359f7f5dd188896354f?taid=6783fc27ea12d90001b35a8b&utm_campaign=trueAnthem_manual&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

JD Vance calls it like it is:

“I wish Joe Biden all the best but the fact is, he has left us a dumpster fire.”
pic.twitter.com/UlzHUICypU

— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) January 12, 2025

Insty cites KURT SCHLICHTER: There Is No Bottom for Blue California. Jessica@RealJessica05, "I’m hesitant to feel optimistic about left-wing Californians calling for resignations from the LA Mayor and Governor Newsom. In NY, they got rid of Andrew Cuomo and ended up with Kathy Hochul. In Chicago, they recalled Lori Lightfoot and elected Brandon Johnson. If it’s up to the Democrats, they’ll almost always respond to the failures of their elected officials by electing somebody worse."Tony Kinnett@TheTonus, "What's the difference between fact-checkers and fire departments? Democrats will fund fact-checkers." Quote Brian Stelter@brianstelter, "Cutting fact checkers from social platforms is like disbanding your fire department." Capt Ed at Hat Hair has Monday's Final Word: John Ondrasik on Fires, Failure, and the Future.

Dan Greenfield, Biden Refuses to Endorse Kamala for 2028 Campaign. "Biden warned he was “not going to be out of sight or out of mind.” Sauron's Eye claims Harris declines to invite Vance for courtesy visit to vice president's residence before inauguration. It takes time to hide all the wine bottles. James E. Fanell and Bradley A. Thayer at Am Great, see Biden Lying About History: Efforts to Whitewash Biden’s Foreign Policy Failures. At Blaze, Michael Cohen asks the president for the Hunter Biden treatment in cringeworthy appeal on MSNBC. Driscoll at Insty has a SHOCK: BIDEN NAMES AIRCRAFT CARRIER AFTER HITLER! Biden names Navy aircraft carriers after Bill Clinton, George W. Bush. Mary Chastain at LI, Biden Claims He Brought Down Illegal Crossings, Wanted More ‘Secret Service’ on Border, "Bill Melugin: “It is such an alternate reality. That it’s just jaw dropping he would make such a claim.”" Fox, Major blue city mayor silent after illegal immigrant uses shelter for criminal activity. "Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a 28-year-old illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic, is facing criminal charges in federal court for illegally possessing an AR-15 and ammunition and over 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. Boston 25 News also reported that Sanchez was also caught possessing cocaine with "an estimated street value of at least $750,000." He is currently being kept in custody by state authorities." Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog reports a Russian Mercenary Captured At Border. AP, Prosecutor who investigated Hunter Biden defends probes, denounces president’s remarks in new report.

At NYPo Michael Goodwin, The world has now seen the ‘Trump Effect’ on full display. Ace likes it that Politico Panics: Trump Set to Unleash "Shock and Awe" Executive Orders, "Hello, everyone. It's the last week of the Biden Usurpation. Aww. Is this like Joe Biden tyrannically changing the actual law at his whim, or just rolling back Joe Biden's executive orders?" Natalia Mittelstadt at JTN reports on the Deep state? Most pro-Harris government managers plan to resist Trump's efforts, poll finds "The biggest way to address those problems with the federal government managers who are going to be resisting is to succeed." Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal sees the DEEP STATE GEARING UP: Nearly Half of Federal Employees in the Swamp Plan to Resist Trump, Poll Finds. Paul Bedard at WaEx, Unelected ‘swamp’ takes control, imposes 19 rules for every law passed. 

Sundance at CTH, Confirmations Hearings for Trump Cabinet Nominees Begin Tomorrow (today), "The senatorial snakes will each take up careful positioning. Doug Collins for Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Burgum for Secretary of the Interior, and Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense are each scheduled for confirmation hearings in the Senate tomorrow." Breitbart reports Hundreds of Navy SEALs, Veterans to March in D.C. to Support Pete Hegseth’s Confirmation as Defense Secretary. At Real Clear Defense, Hegseth Will Implement the Trump Doctrine "Its essence will be “America First” and “peace through strength.” Its focus will be the global challenge of China." Seth Mandel at Commentary calls it The Most Important Moment of Marco Rubio’s Career. At the Freep, The Tiger Mother Roars Back. "Yale tried to run Amy Chua out. Now her former students, J.D. Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy, are headed to Washington. So is she."

Sundance, Melania Trump Discusses Priorities of Term Two – Inauguration Schedule Released. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair notices Meow, Meow, Hiss - The Fashion Cats Come Out to Fight. Matt Margolis, Trump's Trolling Will Rise to Another Level During the Inaugural Parade "According to reports, the same garbage truck that Trump rode in during the campaign, provided by the company Loadmaster, will be featured in his inaugural parade." Ready to take out that trash! Insty, CHANGE: Despite Long-Standing Tradition, Texas Gov. Abbott Orders Flags to Full-Staff for Trump’s Inauguration. "Abbott’s concern may well be that the left will conflate the symbology of commemorating the death of one president with the inauguration of another, and, in all candor, some on the left will certainly try to make that comparison. The president-elect certainly is; he took to his Truth Social platform to express that view: . . . Given how that certainly foretold of worse things to come, I can understand Gov. Abbott’s decision." Cutie Pavlich at TownHall, DeSantis Just Made an Announcement About Trump's Deportation Program. "When President Trump takes office again on January 20th we are going to see a sea change of policies, particularly on illegal immigration and the border," he added during remarks. "This is the time to get it right once and for all. The state of Florida stands ready, willing and able to be able to help facilitate these polices...we have a responsibility to be in this fight." From Twitchy, Scott Jennings to John Avlon: Did Dems Promote Unity by Voting $50 Million to Fight Trump’s Deportations?

Atop Da Hill, 1 poll finds majority of Greenland respondents support joining US. WSJ, Greenland to Trump: ‘We Don’t Want to Be American’ "Prime Minister Múte Egede says his country plans to seek closer defense and business ties to the U.S."

Ben at LI reports on how J.D. Vance Takes Center Stage in Debate Over January 6 Pardons. At NYPo, FBI Director Wray explains why he’s resigning, defends feds’ raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago. "But you know the president-elect had made clear that he intended to make a change, and the law is that that is something he is able to do for any reason or no reason at all,” Wray told Scott Pelley. “My conclusion was that the thing that was best for the bureau was to try to do this in an orderly way, to not thrust the FBI deeper into the fray.”"

At ONT, Judge Rules Jack Smith’s Final Report Can Be Released. "U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who dismissed Donald Trump’s classified documents case, has ruled that the Justice Department can publicly release Volume One of special counsel Jack Smith’s report, covering his election interference case against Trump — but is reserving ruling on whether the DOJ can make Volume Two, on the classified documents case, available to congressional leadership for review. Cannon has scheduled a hearing on that matter for Jan. 17, three days before Trump’s inauguration." Matt Vespa thinks Special Counsel Jack Smith's Report Reveals He Was Supremely Confident About One Thing, "Smith was also confident that he could’ve convicted Trump." Well, with a DC judge and jury, that's probably true. WaEx, Trump condemns ‘disgrace’ Jack Smith after resignation: ‘Accomplished nothing’ At Althouse, "Deranged Jack Smith was unable to successfully prosecute the Political Opponent of his 'boss,' Crooked Joe Biden, so he ends up writing yet another 'Report'..." ""... based on information that the Unselect Committee of Political Hacks and Thugs ILLEGALLY DESTROYED AND DELETED, because it showed how totally innocent I was, and how completely guilty Nancy Pelosi, and others, were. Jack is a lamebrain prosecutor who was unable to get his case tried before the Election, which I won in a landslide. THE VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN!!! Writes Donald Trump at Truth Social. And then: "To show you how desperate Deranged Jack Smith is, he released his Fake findings at 1:00 A.M. in the morning. Did he say that the Unselect Committee illegally destroyed and deleted all of the evidence."" From WokeSpy, Adam Schiff Can’t Wait to Launch Another Trump Impeachment Push.

Brandon Morse at RedState VIP, Jen Rubin's Independent Move Is Living in the Future, But Her Mind's in the Past. Virginia Kruta at Da Wire, WaPo’s Pretend Conservative Resigns — And Rage-Quits X — Over Trump-Musk Alliance. From the Free Bacon, Trump's Worst Nightmare: Jennifer Rubin Leaves Washington Post To Launch 'Pro-Democracy' Website. "New outlet 'The Contrarian' vows to 'confront' Trump voters 'with the consequences of their presidential pick'" Althouse, This announcement of the founding of The Contrarian would be fantastic if it were a comedy sketch, "But these people are for real..." and Glenn Greenwald waves a cranky goodbye to Jennifer Rubin. Glenn Greenwald @ggreenwald, "Given Jen Rubin finally quit the WashPost -- to start a blog called "The Contrarian" with @NormEisen, Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution, totally known for contrarianism -- here's my absolute favorite TV clip from the Queen of Partisan Dreck:" Ace, Jen Rubin "Exits" the Washington Post; Chuck Todd "Exits" NBC, "Maybe they can do a show together. Can you imagine the sexual heat that would convect out of your TV? NBC wouldn't agree to Chuck Todd's terms, so his contract his ending. I assume that NBC wanted him to take a pay cut, because no one's watched him in eight years, and he refused, as he couldn't suffer that indignity." Insty, NEWEST MARVEL SEQUEL SOUNDS TERRIBLE. ONE STAR OUT OF FOUR. CANNOT RECOMMEND: MSNBC Ups Rachel Maddow to Five Nights, Sends Alex Wagner Into Field for Trump’s First 100 Days.

Bloomberg, China Weighs Sale of TikTok US to Musk as a Possible Option. Althouse, Will Elon Musk buy TikTok? "I'm seeing "China Weighs Sale of TikTok US to Musk as a Possible Option/ByteDance’s preferred strategy is to fight ban, people say Trump has said he would like to delay ban to seek resolution" (Bloomberg).The Supreme Court has not (yet) upheld the ban, but, we're told, "Senior Chinese officials had already begun to debate contingency plans for TikTok as part of an expansive discussion on how to work with Donald Trump’s administration, one of which involves Musk, said the people, asking not to be identified revealing confidential discussions...."

Across da pond Da Telegraph complains Elon Musk ‘putting children at risk’ on X, "Social media site criticised over child safety as its billionaire owner demands grooming gangs inquiry." Beege Wellborn adds "A friend points out that Elon is 'falling afoul of the UK's Online Safety Act' but is also in danger of doing the same here if the KOSA or Keep Our Children Safe Act ever makes its way out of Congress (already passed thru the Senate from what I understand, just didn't make it into the continuing resolution). While well-meaning, it also has significant censorship issues." Sawyer Merritt @SawyerMerritt "NEWS: Europe’s largest pension fund says it sold its entire $585M stake in $TSLA in Q3 partly due to Elon Musk’s compensation package. The fund voted against it and thought it was "exceptionally high.” If they had held, their Tesla stake would now be worth over $1.1 billion. 72% of voting Tesla shares supported Elon's pay package ratification vote in June 2024, excluding shares voted by himself and his brother, Kimbal Musk. It is "high," but it's hard to argue he's not worth it.

O'Keefe Media Group, LEAKED: Bureau of Prisons Insider Exposes Documents Inside DOJ Proposing Policy Downgrading Child Exploitation from a “High Severity” to a “Low Severity” Offense. NewsMax sees Women Saying No to Transgendered Sports. Ace is giddy when a Judge Knocks Down Biden's Unconstitutional Effort to Rewrite Title IX's Protections Based on Sex to Protect "Gender Expression." "The Senile Tyrant has spent his entire four year fraudulent term attempting to rewrite law-- which the Constitution demands be written by Congress -- with his new laws."

Buck Throckmorton has Aces MORNING RANT: Major Federal Court Ruling - Corporations Allowing Their 401(k)s to be Used for ESG Purposes Are Engaging in Illegal Fiduciary Misconduct. YouTube, Tyrus: They just don't get it:

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