Maryland, My Maryland

 WBAL-TV,  First-of-its-kind PFAS study finds 'potentially harmful' levels of forever chemicals in Marylanders, which isn't surprising since the EPA has said there is no safe level of PFAS.

A first-of-its-kind study testing the blood of Maryland residents for toxic forever chemicals found every participant had it in their blood — with nearly all of them at risk for health problems due to their levels of PFAS contamination.

Johns Hopkins University and the Maryland Pesticide Education Network collaborated for the study, which was obtained by 11 News Investigates before its publishing date, testing 41 volunteers from across the state during the fall. 

Dr. Ana Rule, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, told 11 News Investigates that even with the study's small sample size, it's clear "that most people in Maryland have this in their blood."

The study's average result was 10.4. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) considers a value above a two as carrying potential health risks.

10.4 whats? Units are important. I'm still skeptical of the severity of the problem with PFAS. The data showing them to be harmful at the concentrations commonly encountered are just not that convincing. I think the efforts to regulate them are an example of the environmental movement seeking a new problem to continue funding after the majority of toxic contaminants have been shown to be minor, localized problems. 

GORE-TEX® Stretch Essence
Snow Jacket for Women

The Guardian, Lawsuit claims Gore-Tex poisoned drinking water near Maryland facilities

The makers of Gore-Tex, a popular product commonly used to waterproof clothing by companies such as the North Face and Mountain Hardware, poisoned drinking water and sickened residents around their facilities in rural Maryland, two lawsuits allege.

The facilities, about 90 miles north-east of Baltimore, polluted drinking water with levels up to 700 times above federal limits with some kinds of Pfas, a group of toxins known as “forever chemicals” due to their environmental longevity. The tainted water caused high rates of cancers and other diseases linked to Pfas exposure in the area, a class action suit alleges.

 

Pathfinder GORE-TEX Shell Rain Jacket

Meanwhile, Maryland is suing WL Gore and Associates, Gore-Tex’s parent company, over alleged environmental violations. Each suit claims Gore knew about its products’ dangers as early as the 1980s, but continued to put Pfas into local waters, which drain into the Chesapeake Bay, and emit the substances from smokestacks.

The company has said it only learned about PFOA, a common type of Pfas compound, in nearby groundwater two years ago, and has suggested it is not responsible for at least some of the pollution.

Philip Federico, an attorney for the plaintiffs, dismissed the idea, noting the chemicals in the water match what Gore used. “They’re really not in a position to say it’s not their Pfas – they know it is, and everyone else knows it,” Federico said.

Much to my chagrin, Grok informs me that Al Gore is not in any way related to Gore-Tex.

Beach Report 4/5/25

I was back in shorts, t-shirt and bare feet today after a couple of cool days in long sleeves, jeans and boots, with temperatures in the lower 60s, a light  north wind, and overcast skies.

It was a pretty decent low tide, and a pretty gravelly and shelly beach.

Not the biggest, but my favorite of the 20 teeth I found (counting one tiny drum tooth), this little Sand Tiger tooth is not very common on our beach and measure 9/16th of an inch.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Stocks Dip in Reaction to Trump Tariffs

Not unexpectedly, the stock markets reacted to Trump's new tariffs with a selloff of around 3%, reducing the amount of funny money in stock values by something like $3 trillion, the largest since the Covid crash. I've lived through more than one of these, and I expect the market to recover in due time. People who sell stocks for a living gotta eat. Dave Strom at Hat Hair looks at the question Are Trump's Tariffs a Good Idea or Not? At PJM , VodkaPundit make The Case For (and Against) Trump's Tariffs (VIP), Matt Margolis explains Here's Why Trump Will Win the Tariff Standoff and Scott Pinsker claims Trump Is Now a Wartime President, trade war. Sundance at CTH has a bunch, hosting President Trump Remarks at Make America Wealthy Again White House Event, Vice President JD Vance Outlines Expectations of Tariffs and Global Trade Reset, USTR Jamison Greer Discusses Tariffs and Trade Policy with Senior White House Team, President Trump Global Trade and Tariff Reset – Resources and Discussion, President Trump Ends Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Chinese Goods and Canadian PM Mark Carney Says Will Match Trump Auto Tariffs at 25%. Matt Vespa at TownHall, Sen. Bernie Moreno Had the Perfect Response to a CNN Host's Questions About Trump's Tariffs Rapid Response 47 @RapidResponse47, "Sen. @berniemoreno: "If one car goes up in price because there's a tariff, that person will just buy the other one that doesn't have a tariff, which is your American-made automobile — and places like Ohio benefit because your neighbor is employed as a result." Fox, Some countries targeted by Trump tariffs seek negotiations, China says 'no winners in trade wars', "Global leaders react to Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs with disappointment, threats and calls for negotiation." At Da Fetched, 4 GOP Senators Side with Dems, Vote to Undo Trump’s Canada Tariffs. From NewsMax, Trump Can Expand U.S. Energy Independence Exponentially. From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.03.25 (Morning Edition), Twitchy, IT’S ALL A PLOT! LOL! Chris Murphy's Thread 'Exposing' Trump's REAL Tariff Plan Is Accidentally HILARIOUS, Former Anti-Trumper Shocks Lefties With Straight Fire Pro-Tariff Rant, and Angry Staffer Calls BS On Gas Under $3 And It Goes Impressively Bad.

Dave Strom at Hat Hair, has BREAKING NEWS: Elon Musk Is Doing Exactly What He Said He Would And We Are SHOCKED!, will step down as special employee after the legislatively mandated 130 day term passes, will remain advisor. Stephen Kruiser at PJM says  I'll Just Be Over Here Relaxing While Media Dems Read Too Much Into WI Supreme Court Race. TNP has DOGE Data: Almost 50% of National Jobs Cuts are DC Govt Workers. I can almost hear the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth from here. From Ace, DOGE Discovers That the VA Was Paying $350,000 - $380,000 Per Month For Minor Tweaks to Its Website. "This was almost certainly a payoff. I don't know many website managers who charge $350,000 - $380,000 per month to give the hamsters a kick. The contract has now been cancelled." At the Free Bacon, Green Energy Company on Brink of Bankruptcy Months After Winning $375 Million Biden Loan. "Biden's green energy loan czar personally urged Li-Cycle holdings, which recycles lithium batteries, to apply for the funds." It was a grift. From WokeSpy, Gavin Newsom Rages as Trump Cuts Planned Parenthood Funding in California. Dave Strom again, The NGO Complex Is Irredeemably Corrupt. I don't see it that way, they're just acting as social parasites taking advantage of their host's vulnerabilities. Even tapeworms have to eat. From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.03.25 (Morning Edition), Louder With Crowder, Don’t let the media lie, Donald Trump and MAGA had a huge victory in Wisconsin, also, CNN’s Abby Phillip repeats lie after lie about Elon Musk, but her GOP guest refuses to let her get away with ANY of them.

At Da Blaze, Tesla owner vows to 'make an example' of masked intruder who wrecked his Cybertruck: 'That's basically declaring war on me'. At Am Great, Nice Deb reports Texas Tesla Owner Sues Vandal for $1 Million For Keying His Model X. "Nachawati told CBS Texas that his client wants to “send a message” with the lawsuit to discourage further acts of political violence." It's Texas; he might win. Vicky Taft at PJM says Well, Lookie Here: Congresswoman and Harvard Prof Are Caught Planning Massive Anti-Trump Riots? "Rep. Pramila Jayapal (☭-Wash.), who just left her perch as chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Harvard professor Erica Chenoweth are holding “resistance” training sessions to get leftists “street ready” for mass protests against President Donald Trump. The goal is to cause so much unrest that Trump would be forced to resign."

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.03.25 (Morning Edition), Louder With Crowder: The Media Wants You To Believe Trump Deported A Loving Father – They’re Lying. Pop Times, Obama Judge Defies Trump, Rules 350,000 Illegals Can Stay in U.S. At Drew Berquist, Homan Slams ‘Stupid’ Ruling on Temporary Protected Status, ‘Not Meant to be Decades Long’. From Da Caller, Gingrich Says Federal District Judges Aren’t Just Tying Up Trump But Another Branch Of Government As Well. At the Center Square, Gingrich: Sobering rebuke to judges will rebalance Constitutional authority. At Althouse, "[Al] Gore said he believed the courts would prevent Trump from implementing some of his most extreme moves," ""I don’t think he’s going to be able to get away with that,' he said. 'I think we’re more resilient as a constitutional, representative democracy than a lot of people of fear,'" From "Why Al Gore Is Shifting His Climate Activism Abroad/Given the Trump administration’s recent moves relating to climate, the former vice president is looking to the developing world for the next generation of climate activism" (NYT)," and "The long con of the left is corruption of the judiciary.... It has been brewing in legal academia for 20 to 30 years." "Says Elon Musk." Ann Coulter at TownHall asks Who's Defying Court Orders Again? Not Trump. Jim Hoft at GateWayPundit reveals Chief Justice John Roberts Caught in Elitist Club of Judges and Lawyers That Includes James Boasberg, Beryl Howell, Amit Mehta and Ketanji Brown Jackson. At AMAC, Left-Wing Lawfare Goes Global with the embezzlement conviction and banning of Marine Le Pen. 

Atop Da Hill, Man to plead guilty to attempting to kill Kavanaugh at home. "Court documents show Roske had told authorities he was suicidal and wanted to assassinate the justice to “make the world a better place.” He also connected his desire to the leaked draft opinion showing the court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade and the court’s forthcoming gun rights decision, according to the documents." At Althouse, "While in [Justice] Kavanaugh’s neighborhood, Roske kept the gun, unloaded, in a locked box in the suitcase." ""When police searched the luggage, they also found 37 rounds of ammunition, according to earlier court filings, along with a tactical flashlight with a laser that could be mounted on the gun, a 'James Bond' lock pick set, a black face mask, a pair of 'hard-knuckled' tactical gloves, four black zip ties and hiking boots with padded soles affixed to their bottoms that police earlier said were for stealthy movement...." From "Man accused in 2022 Kavanaugh assassination plot to plead guilty, lawyers say/Nicholas Roske, 29, was accused of flying from California and approaching Brett Kavanaugh’s Maryland home with a gun before turning himself in" (WaPo)."

From Fox, FBI flooded with record number of new agent applications in Kash Patel's first month leading bureau. "The FBI saw 5,577 new agent applications in March alone and more than 10,000 since January." At NYPo the Divine Ms. Devine reports New FBI chat logs reveal extraordinary ‘gag order’ senior leadership used to shut down any Hunter Biden laptop discussion. I would hope most of that senior leadership is gone, and any left that participated in this will go soon. Da Caller claims Nina Jankowicz Defends 51 Former Intel Officials Who Cast Doubt On Hunter Laptop. The Queen of Fake News, "Nina Jankowicz, previously the head of former President Joe Biden’s administration’s short-lived “Disinformation Governance Board,” defended the 51 former intelligence officials who signed the letter casting doubt on the Hunter Biden laptop emails during a Tuesday hearing. . . Jankowicz, during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, said the former officials were merely using their “right to free speech” and asserted their claim was accurate “based on the evidence at the time.” Except, that the intelligence agencies knew the laptop was real, and Hunter's and if their security clearances (now revoked) were worth the toner to print them, they would have (and almost certainly did) know it.

At Da Fetched, JD Vance Slams Media’s Deportation Narrative: “We Do What the American People Want.” From Da Wire, Trump Immigration Agency Halts Biden Era Gender Policy ‘Effective Immediately’ "Data collected from immigrants should have "meaningful and useful basis for identification," agency states." Da Blaze, Boston judge holds ICE agent in contempt for depriving illegal alien of due process by detaining him in the middle of his trial. "The judge also dropped the charge against the suspect because he was unable to attend the trial." At TownHall Tom Knighton says This Explains the Left's Immigration Policies Completely "See, the influx of illegal immigrants was to try and create a new voter base that would support the left indefinitely. Trump's executive order means those people can't, in fact, become the voting base Democrats so deeply desire." Peechy Keenen at Tom Klingstein says The Cruelty Is the Point."One of the Left’s favorite talking points is that the Right is cruel, heartless, uncaring. How dare Republicans deport murderers and gang members? Won’t someone think of the poor child rapists? How dare Elon Musk volunteer to eliminate waste and fraud from the federal budget and prevent economic collapse? Who does this monster think he is? "

VodkaPundit at PJM hears TikTok Might Have Found an American Buyer, and It's a Perfect Match, Amazon? Da Caller notices Zuckerberg’s Right-Wing Metamorphosis Still Has A Long Way To Go. Althouse hears Elon "Tesla is the only company with all the ingredients for making intelligent humanoid robots at scale." "My prediction is that Optimus will be the biggest product of all time by far. It will be 10 times bigger than the next biggest product ever made." Dave Strom notices Geez, Man. Even Tech Blogs Are Lying Because They Are Too Political. 

Dave Strom says like skinning a cat, There's More Than One Way to Shape a Narrative™. Matt Vespa interprets the NPR CEO: We're Not Biased in Our Coverage, but We'll Drag Our Feet on Stories That Make Dems Look Bad. Ace, A Consensus of Experts: French Academy of Medicine Agrees Near-Unanimously That Covid-19 Leaked from the Wuhan Lab. "It's so strange how the media and Deep State only credit some consensuses of experts but not others. Like: There are two sexes."

Da Caller reports Elite University Targets Student For Trying To Uncover Where Millions In Federal Funds Are Going. From the College Fix, Brown U. student journalist started looking into administrative bloat. Now he’s being investigated. At Hat Hair, John Sexton reports a Wisconsin University Professor Suspended After Overturning College Republican's Table, Trump Gives Public Schools 10-Days to Certify They Have Done Away with DEI and Dave Strom asserts Universities Are Beyond Repair. 

Ward Clark at RedState reports Shocker: Covenant School Shooter Final Report Released - Attack Was Plotted for Years. "Rather than a highly anticipated manifesto, the report found that killer Audrey Hale left behind numerous notebooks, art books and computer documents about her plans to commit the attack and gain notoriety, partly inspired by the Columbine school shooting in 1999. Hale, the 28-year-old attacker and biological female, began "fantasizing" about and researching mass shootings as far back as 2017, according to investigators. A year later, she wrote "detailed fantasies" about shooting up the Isaac T. Creswell Middle Magnet School for the Arts, killing her father and killing her psychiatrist." Ace, Nashville Trans Shooter Plotted Attack for Years, Was Obsessed with Other School Shooters "I'm starting to think that maybe treating juvenile mental illness with powerful exogenous hormones and telling kids they were "born in the wrong body" isn't as medically effective as our "experts" believe." Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal thinks the Police Report on Nashville Transgender Shooter Plays Into Left’s Narrative "The police report seems to follow the same trend Americans have seen from the “experts” time and again. Whenever a mass shooter can conceivably be connected to a conservative cause, be it anger at illegal immigration or a hatred of certain types of people, the manifesto appears almost immediately, and the Left pounces on evidence of “right-wing extremism.” Yet, when a shooter motivated by gender ideology or hatred against Christians carries out an act of evil, the “true motives” remain a mystery." At Da Wire, Nashville Police In Final Report Downplay Covenant Shooter’s Transgender Identity, Hatred Of Christianity. "Nashville police said the attacker was motivated by "notoriety.""

At Twitchy, 'Will You Side With the Truth?' Matt Walsh BLISTERS California Legislature on Trans Ideology. NotTheBee, New Colorado bill would penalize "misgendering" in public places, use it as justification to take your kids away. WokeSpy, Georgia Dems Walk Out of Chamber in Support of Sex-Changes for Criminals. From Breitbart, Lia Thomas Feels ‘Devastated,’ Stricken with ‘Grief’ Over Trans Athlete Ban (wah!) and Women’s Fencer Takes a Knee in Protest, Refuses to Face Trans Opponent: ‘This is a Man’, Unilad, Female fencer handed severe punishment after refusing to partake with transgender opponent, "Just as Redmond warned, referees at the event responded by giving Turner a black card; the most severe penalty in the sport, which can lead to expulsion from the event for serious rule infractions or unsportsmanlike behavior. In a statement to UNILAD, a spokesperson for USA Fencing said Turner was not penalized for her protest, but for simply refusing to fence an 'eligible opponent'."

At Da Caller,  Army Reserve ‘Taking Appropriate Action’ Against Captain Who Accused Trump Admin Of Erasing Trans People "Captain Winters slammed the Trump administration for its recent actions related to transgender individuals, including a prohibition on transgender people serving in the military and a ban on medical facilities providing sex changes for minors. . . Although the post included a disclaimer noting it does not “represent the views or opinions of the U.S. Army,” Winters wore an official uniform in the video. The Army Reserve said it is “taking appropriate actions” in response to the post. “Army regulations prohibit soldiers from wearing official uniforms when speaking in an unofficial capacity. As such, Capt. Winters’ command is taking appropriate actions. Under the Privacy Act, the Army Reserve cannot comment on those actions,” the public affairs office for the Army Reserve said in a statement to the Caller . . . While the Army used female pronouns, Winters appears to be a biological man." 

Christina Winters, a man pretending to be a woman, is a Captain for the US Army Reserve.

He claims that the Trump administration is trying to remove trans people from their homes and is encouraging individuals to be "annoyingly" proud during Trans Day of Visibility. pic.twitter.com/Y0eeCePlag

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 31, 2025

Fish Pic Friday - Stephanie Hutcheson

Stephanie Hutcheson@stephanie_hutchesonfishing Entrepreneur

Flotsam and Jetsam - Liberation Day!

Thank God Ahmighty we're free at last. No, but seriously, President Trump announce his tariff plan yesterday, which he called liberation day. They are reputed to be reciprocal tariffs, half the other countries tariffs, but the calculations are 'funny', taking into account the trade deficit with each country. I assume these are largely bargaining points, but we shall see. Jeff Charles at TownHall, Trump Announces Sweeping Global Tariffs. ET, How Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs Are Set to Reshape Global Trade, "The president will reveal the long-awaited details of his tariff plan at a White House Rose Garden event, set to take place after stock markets close." Atop Da Hill, Watch Trump gives remarks on ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs. Sundance at CTH also hosts the video at White House Message: “Happy Liberation Day, America!”. Jeff Charles again, Guess Who Is Already Backing Down After Trump's Tariff Threats, "Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday suggested that Canada would drop its tariffs on U.S. goods if President Donald Trump eased up on his tariffs on Canadian goods," and Trump Rakes Democrat Senator Over the Coals for Trying to Stop Tariffs. Hat Hair interprets Anxious, Phrasing Is Everything: Trump Fears Sank Stocks in First Quarter. At WUWT, Alaskan Tribes ‘Applaud’ Trump Admin Revoking ‘Deeply Flawed’ Biden Admin Energy Policy.

At PJM VodkaPundit thinks Trump's Latest Move Ought to Keep Iran up at Night. B2 bombers on Diego Garcia. Sauron's Eye reports Trump envoy Steve Witkoff to meet Russian negotiator at White House. From the Telegraph, How Russia and China are seizing on Canada’s carelessness in the Arctic, "Moscow and Beijing are attracted by the shiver of a weak flank in the Nato security alliance."

Hayden Daniel at Da Fed notices National Review Is Indistinguishable From A Leftist Rag On ‘Signal Gate’. Many National Review writers that I long liked have fallen deeply into TDS. From Da Signal, Be Careful What You Wish For: Biden’s Firing of a Trump Appointee Boomerangs Big Time: Roger Severino @RogerSeverino_, " HUGE. DC Circuit holds @POTUS can fire holdover Biden appointees at “independent agencies.” Cites Severino v. Biden after DOJ worked itself in knots defending Biden’s firing of me before my Trump-appointed position at ACUS expired. Turnabout is fair play." Beege at Hat Hair cites Reuters, Trump Uses Power Against Foes Unlike Any Other Modern US President. "All this 'in the light of day' scares the crap out of these people. They would much rather have a shadow operation snatching people off the streets for wrong-think and kowtowing to foreign adversaries politely while handing over our national sovereignty to international courts." He's pretty much doing unto them what they did to him. From the Guardian, Neil Young says he may be barred from returning to US over Donald Trump criticism, "The US-Canadian dual citizen speculates he may be ‘barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor’ after his European tour, after years of speaking against Trump." A world class whiner. Finally, an April Fools leftover at WUWT, Trump Signs Executive Order: Fahrenheit Now “AmeriTemp”

At LifeZette, ‘FAFO Tesla Terrorist’ Caught on Camera, Gets Confronted by Driver Before Arrest. John Sexton at Hat Hair documents how numerous Tesla Vandals Keep Getting Caught, Democrats Keep Staying Silent. Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal reports Tesla Owners Not Connected to DOGE or Musk Are Acceptable Victims, According to 31% of Democrats. More insidiously from ZeroHedge, "Evil People": Organized 'Bankrupt Tesla' Group Tied To Formerly USAID-Funded Disinfo Queen, Nina Jankowicz. Debra Saunders notices Musk Touts DOGE on Fox News. Matt Margolis at PJM thinks Elon Musk Destroys Jessica Tarlov With Two Minutes of DOGE Truth. A Larry video at Hat Hair, Jessica Tarlov Tries (& Fails) to Trap Elon Musk! John Sexton at Hat Hair, With Tesla Sales Down, Will Musk Leave DOGE Soon? (Update: Musk Calls Politico Report 'Fake News'). From Fox, Liberals admit to shoplifting from Whole Foods as a way to stick it to Jeff Bezos. Beege Welborn, "Is there anything these scumbags can't rationalize? BLM burns your building down? You have insurance. That mentality needs to be wiped."

Duane Patterson at Hat Hair sees Cory Booker Personifies April Fool's Day with a Talking Filibuster. From Althouse, "That speech puts Cory Booker as one of the leaders for the Democratic Party for 2028." "Said "Frank Luntz: Booker marathon speech 'may have changed the course of political history'" (The Hill)." Jimmy Failla @jimmyfailla, "Corey Booker is speaking for 24 hours straight because he’s upset that Elon is taking social security away from DEAD PEOPLE. Gotta admire his commitment to the Democrat base." Jim Banks @Jim_Banks, "Here's what Cory Booker has been speaking out against: 1. Securing our borders 2. Deporting illegal alien criminals 3. Peace through strength 4. Rooting out fraud & waste 5. Unleashing American energy 6. Ending government weaponization It's no wonder Democrats have 27% approval rating." Sister Toldja at RedState, CNN Host Flattened After Whoppers Told About Musk, DOGE in Tense Exchange on Wisconsin Court Race. Twitchy, Martha MacCallum Had ENOUGH of Dem Sen. Chris Coons' Denials About Gov't Waste and Fraud. Mark Lewis at TownHall, Why Are Democrats So Opposed to Eliminating Waste, Fraud, and Abuse? "3.  The waste, fraud and abuse are mostly from the Left’s creations.  And one final reason I suggest Democrats are so opposed to eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse is that they are the ones most guilty of it.  Their sins are being exposed by the light of DOGE—things like money for transgender mice.  They don’t want people knowing that because they know most people would be, rightly, horrified to learn that their tax dollars are being spent on such revolting, useless activities."

Cathy Salgado at PJM, RFK Calls HHS Layoffs a ‘Win-Win for Taxpayers.’ From the Free Bacon, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab Laid Off 900 Workers Due to Budget Cuts—But Hasn’t Fired Its Top DEI Officer. "Neela Rajendra said that 'extreme deadlines' hinder 'inclusion' because some people can’t keep up." From Fox, Musk says Social Security scammer who allegedly ripped off 400K Americans faces imminent arrest, "  "I believe someone is going to be arrested tomorrow, because there's someone who actually stole 400,000 Social Security numbers and personal information from the Social Security database," Musk said during a tele-town hall with Wisconsin voters Monday evening. Wisconsin is holding a high-stakes state Supreme Court election Tuesday that will determine if the state's highest court will hold a liberal or conservative majority by filing a retiring justice's seat.  The person was "selling Social Security numbers and all the identification information in order for people to basically steal money from Social Security," he continued."

Bonchie at RedState sees A Seemingly Inebriated Kamala Harris Chimes in on the Wisconsin Election, and She Really Shouldn't Have.  Matt Margolis, Is She Drunk? Kamala's Latest Public Appearance Was… Yikes…  RBe@RBPundit "With four other billionaires’ money." Quote Tim Walz @Tim_Walz "Wisconsin beat the billionaire." Ace, Republicans Boost Their Razor-thin Majority With Two Wins in Florida "Republicans had held these seats, but Matt Gaetz resigned and Mike Waltz joined the Trump Administration as NSA. So both seats, while won by Republicans, were empty. Now two more actual Republican Representatives are in the House." Sundance points out Republicans Retain Two House Seats with Florida Special Election Victories. Atop Da Hill whining that Wisconsin passes ballot measure requiring photo ID to vote. Catturd ™ @catturd2, "We won 2 of 3 special elections and secured voter ID in the state of Wisconsin. And some people are acting like with lost 0-4. lol" At Insty, I’M NOW SKEPTICAL ABOUT IT ALL: Liz Harrington @realLizUSA, "What a neat trick! GOP turn out is off the charts and mobilization “did succeed” but, vou la!, they still lose! It’s not a turnout issue, it’s a fraud issue." Rasmussen Reports @Rasmussen_Poll, ""The data I'm looking at is showing absentee ballots being fed into the system to keep liberal Susan Crawford ahead at a certain rate .. almost as if an algorithm was at work." But that would be totally impossible. Right @CISAgov ?" Quote Peter Bernegger@PeterBernegger, "2025 WI Supreme Court election - Republican Brad Schimel 1,063,244 votes he lost, by 10% points 2023 Democrat Janet Protasiewicz 1,021,370 votes she won, by 10% points, 2 years ago."

Rusty Weiss at RedState, Of Course They Are: Democrats Suing Trump for Trying to Prevent Non-Citizens From Voting. Steve Richards at JTN reports ActBlue adopted 'more lenient' donation standards, received foreign money during 2024 election cycle, "Three House Committees launched probes last year after reviewing evidence that the platform accepted donations from foreign sources and employed lax verification standards."

Ace, Quinippiac Poll: Democrats Fall to Lowest Approval Level Ever, Now at 21% Approval, "A lot of their disapproval comes from fanatical extremist Democrats (also known as "Democrats") who demand that the Democrat Party double down even harder on the 20 side of every 80/20 issue. CNN showed the Democrats at 29%, then NBC showed them at 27%, now they're down to 21%."

From NYPo, Ex-Biden aide Ron Klain was alarmed by ‘out of it’ prez ahead of disaster debate, book says. Ace, Brave and Righteous Reporters Finally Report on Biden's Mental Incapacity, After It No Longer Matters, and They Can Grift Money Off of Information They Hid for Six Years, "Politico: The Biden camp braces for a "book storm" now that reporters have updated their NPC programming and decided that the fact that the president was a mental invalid is now finally newsworthy." Bob Spencer at PJM claims It Was All Fake: Far-Left Billionaires Astroturfed the Tidal Wave of Early Enthusiasm for Harris. Fox, Obama was working against Kamala Harris behind the scenes, didn't think she could win, new book reveals; and he was right. But who did he want? 

Lots more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.02.25.

More later? 

Tattoo Thursday

The Peacock whines Govt. immigration scorecard for deportations relied on tattoos and social posts, court filings show.

I don't really  care, Margret. 

Crab Season Open

At the Southern Maryland Chronic, more than you need to know: Get Ready: Blue Crab Season Hits Maryland April 1

The Chesapeake Bay blue crab season officially opens on April 1, 2025, ushering in a beloved Maryland tradition that runs through December 15. For recreational crabbers, this marks the start of prime time to harvest the iconic “beautiful swimmer,” Callinectes sapidus, known for its sweet meat and vibrant blue claws. With the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) overseeing regulations, the 2025 season brings updated rules, time-honored crabbing tricks, and some of the best early-spring hotspots across the state.

The Chesapeake Bay, the heart of Maryland’s blue crab fishery, supports over 50% of the U.S. harvest, making it a cultural and economic cornerstone. After a record low of 227 million crabs in 2022, the 2023 winter dredge survey showed a modest rebound to 323 million, though juvenile numbers remain below average. This has prompted careful management to ensure sustainability, blending science-based limits with the traditions of watermen and recreational enthusiasts alike.

 

2025 Recreational Crabbing Regulations

The Maryland DNR sets strict guidelines for non-commercial crabbers to protect the blue crab population and other species, like the diamondback terrapin. Here’s what you need to know for 2025:

• Season Dates and Times: April 1 to December 15 in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. From April 1 to December 15, crabbing with gear like trotlines or crab pots is allowed from one half hour after sunrise to sunset (April, October-December) or one half hour before sunrise to sunset (May-September). Handlines and dip nets can be used 24 hours a day. Wednesday crabbing is prohibited, except when a state or federal holiday falls on a Wednesday or Thursday.
• Size Limits: Hard male crabs must measure 5 inches across the carapace from April 1 to July 14, increasing to 5¼ inches from July 15 to December 15. Male peelers require 3¼ inches (April 1-July 14) or 3½ inches (July 15-December 15), while soft crabs need 3½ inches year-round. It’s illegal to keep egg-bearing (sponge) crabs or female hard/peeler crabs.
• Catch Limits: Unlicensed individuals can take one bushel of male hard crabs daily or two bushels per boat with two or more people. Licensed crabbers face gear-specific limits (e.g., 10 pots yield one bushel).
• Gear Rules: Handlines, dip nets, trotlines, and collapsible traps are permitted, but crab pots require annual registration and must feature two cull rings and a turtle reduction device (TRD)—a rectangular wire or plastic piece (1¾ inches high by 4¾ inches long) at each funnel entrance to prevent terrapin bycatch. Traps that auto-close, like the “Crab Alert,” are illegal. Gear must be marked with the owner’s DNRid or name and address and kept 100 feet from others’ setups.
• Licensing: No license is needed for handlines or dip nets. A recreational crabbing license ($5-$15) is required for trotlines, net rings, or more than two pots. Waterfront property owners can register up to two pots license-free.
• Prohibitions: Selling crabs, harvesting while SCUBA diving, or tampering with others’ gear is banned. Fines for violations, like missing TRDs, can reach $1,000.

The Natural Resources Police (NRP) will ramp up enforcement in 2025, following a 13.6% increase in citations from 2022 to 2023. Compliance with TRDs remains critical, with past checks showing rates as low as 53%.

 Time for the Bay to start filling up with crab pots. I like to eat crabs, but fishing is more fun.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Special Elections, Win Some Lose Some

Yesterday, April Fools Day, special elections were held in Florida, to replace two Republican Congressmen how had bowed out to join the Trump cabinet (Matt Gaetz, of course, didn't make it), and a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, of national interest largely because another Democrat on that court could lead to redistricting and gerrymandering away Republican seats. I'm happy to report Republicans held the Florida seats, but lost the Wisconsin justice contest. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair, Early Election Day Musings and Hello, Wisconsin! Althouse was watching Turnout in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election. Stacy McCain reports Liberal Wins in Wisconsin After GOP Wins Two Florida Special Elections, "Something like $100 million has been spent on the Wisconsin Supreme Court special election between liberal Susan Crawford and conservative Brad Schimel, making it the most expensive judicial election in American history." Cathy Salgado at PJM, Crucial Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Decided. Dave Strom at Hat Hair, Election Results – 2 FL Wins, Voter ID Won in WI; WI Supreme Court Seat a Likely Loss. 'Becca Downs at TownHall, Dems' Hopes Dashed in Florida's 6th Congressional District. PJM's Chris Queen had LIVE RESULTS: Special Elections in Wisconsin and Florida.

JTN's Natalia Mittelstadt reports GOP-led states remove hundreds of thousands from voter rolls, finding non-citizens had registered. "The GOP-led states of Idaho and Missouri took nearly 300,000 registrations off their voter rolls after finding inactive, ineligible, or deceased voters, in addition to duplicates and voters who moved. Non-citizens ineligible to vote under those states' laws have also been removed." Great, now find a way to do it blue and purple states. 

NewsMax hears Trump Says He Will Be 'Kind' With Tariffs as Deadline Looms. Sundance at CTH, Looks Like Wall Street and GOPe Has Picked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to Attack for Tariffs They Hate. Speaking of hating tariffs, from Reason, Peter Navarro Says Tariffs Will Be a $6 Trillion Tax Increase, but Also a Tax Cut, "If true, then these tariffs would be the biggest peacetime tax increase in American history," The Hidden Politics of Whiskey Prices, "Donald Trump is determined to make everything from Canadian whiskey to Mexican avocados more expensive. Can anyone stop him?" and To Remain Canadian, Our Northern Neighbors Should Become a Little More American.

At JTN Misty Severi  Trump creates 'investment accelerator' that fast-tracks approval for investments over $1 billion, "The order creates a new office within the Department of Commerce that will speed up the approval process for investments, and encourage countries to invest in the U.S. by reducing regulatory burdens," and Kevin Killough, Trump announces plan to roll back to 2020 automobile 'environmental standards.' "Trump said his administration would "probably go back to a 2020 standard."

From NYPo, China delays $23B sale of Panama Canal ports to US-backed consortium led by BlackRock. Beege Welborn, Chinese Water Torture: CCP Blocking the Sale of the Panama Canal Ports. Cathy Salgado, Trump Delivers Deadly ‘Either/Or’ to Houthi Terrorists.

At the Pop Times, Billion-Dollar Survey? Musk’s DOGE Exposes Even More Shocking Federal Waste. LifeZette, Musk Debunks Liberal’s Fake News on Medicaid, Social Security Cuts “DOGE will make sure you get your Social Security,” Musk declared, earning loud applause from the crowd. “DOGE will make sure you get your Medicaid. There will be no cuts to legitimate payments—whatsoever.” From Fox Business, Can DOGE dent inflation? Elon Musk says yes, "Musk said he thinks DOGE's spending cuts will slow the pace of inflation, helping consumers." At NYPo the Divine Ms. Devine wants you to Meet DOGE’s patriotic Musketeers — led by Elon and the belief that America needs their expertise, now. "For starters, they look nothing like the image that has taken hold in the public imagination, driven by a story in Wired about a group of pimply teenage nerds with online nicknames like “Big Balls” running riot through government systems." Beege Welborn is DOGEing the Question: Yo, USIP - Is That a Taliban in Your Pocket or You Just Glad to See Us? AMAC, DOGE Sparks International Government Efficiency Push. From Ace, Musk: DOGE Is Now Investigating How So Many Congressmen Become "Strangely Wealthy." "He says that the US government gives billions to NGOs, who then transfer it to other NGOs, who then transfer it to other NGOs -- you know, like a criminal mafia organization laundering money through shell companies -- before that money is ultimately paid into the accounts of congressmen." At Rasmussen, Anti-Musk Message Taking Its Toll. "The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters view Musk favorably – down slightly from 48% earlier this month – including 28% with a Very Favorable impression. Fifty percent (50%) now view Musk unfavorably, including 41% with a Very Unfavorable opinion of the tech mogul tapped by President Donald Trump to lead DOGE."

At Breitbart, Man Arrested for Allegedly Tossing Nails and Screws in Driveways of Trump Supporters. Greg Price @greg_price11, "This is a completely batsh*t insane story. A lib psychopath from my hometown in Bucks County, PA has been arrested for throwing nails and screws on the driveways and under the cars of people with Trump signs. He got caught because he came to a grocery store FIVE TIMES to throw nails under the car of one of the employees because he overheard her talking about supporting Trump while shopping." Steve Huntley at John Kass, Are Democrats Whitewashing Hitler with Lame Attacks on Trump? Gorka to Newsmax: 'Tolerant Left' Burning Teslas. Da Fetched, Pam Bondi Cracks Down on Domestic Terrorism: Tesla Firebomber Faces 20 Years. "US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced federal charges against Cooper Frederick, 24, in the firebombing of the Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado." The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Due To Tough Economy, Professional Tesla Bomber Forced To Take Second Job As Bernie Rally Attendee."

From ET, Court Halts Trump Admin’s Move to Revoke Protected Status of Venezuelans. LifeZette, Trump Blocked by Obama-Appointed Judge Over 350K Deportations. NewsMax, US Judge Blocks Trump From Firing Federal Employees on Probation. At PJM, Matt Margolis wants you to WATCH: Sen. John Kennedy Destroys Nationwide Injunctions, so:

At WaEx, Newt Gingrich calls recent federal rulings against Trump a ‘judicial coup d’etat.’ Sundance at CTH, Former Speaker Gingrich Outlines Judicial Coup D’etat to Congress. Matt Vespa at TownHall wants you to Watch Darrell Issa Obliterate Jasmine Crockett's Self-Righteous Performance About Protecting Judges. NewsMax, Nonprofit Groups, Dems Sue Over Election Executive Order. ET, DNC, Schumer Sue Trump Over Order Targeting Illegal Immigrant Voting. They really want illegal aliens to be able to get away with voting. I wonder why? Mike Davis @mrddmia, "The Chief Justice's approach has been to incrementally move the Supreme Court to the right--but to appease the leftist media elite on high-profile cases, like ObamaCare. He believes he is protecting the Court's legitimacy, which he conflates with his reputation in outlets like the New York Times. But the Chief Justice must understand and appreciate these lawless and dangerous orders by Democrat activist judges who sabotage the duly-elected President as he is carrying out his core Article II executive duties is the breaking point for the federal judiciary's legitimacy. If the Chief Justice doesn't stop these judicial saboteurs, the federal judiciary will lose its legitimacy--which is all that it has. Will the Chief Justice side with the Constitution--or protect his DC buddy Jeb Boasberg? We will likely find out this week." 

Atop Da Hill, Trump announces $100M deal with law firm tied to Doug Emhoff, Jan. 6 House panel. ET, What to Know About Trump Admin’s Actions Against Certain Law Firms, "While one has negotiated a deal with the White House, three other firms have filed lawsuits in federal court." 

From Ace, An FBI Employee Confirmed the Authenticity of the Hunter Biden Laptop in October 2020.
The FBI Immediately Slapped a Gag Order on the Entire Matter to Keep Anyone from Repeating the Confirmation to Anyone Else. "This isn't the FBI trying to remain non-partisan. Remember, they organized a "tabletop simulation" which coached the media on how to suppress a "hypothetical" story about Hunter Biden's laptop being revealed to the public by, supposedly, Russian hackers. The FBI really set up this "hypothetical" wargame to coach the media to be prepared for this eventuality and censor the story when it came out." At Twitchy, Catherine Herridge and Michael Shellenberger Team Up to Prove the FBI Interfered In the 2020 Election. From Ars Technica, FBI raids home of prominent computer scientist who has gone incommunicado, "Indiana University quietly removes profile of tenured professor and refuses to say why." I'm going to guess Chinese espionage. At Da Caller, Conservative Org Urges Congress To Root Out Biden Officials Who ‘Ruthlessly’ Waged War On Christian Schools.

Dave Strom, The Democrats Assume That a List of Credentialed 'Experts' Is Convincing. At Da Caller, Researchers Axed Data Point Undermining ‘Narrative’ That White Doctors Are Biased Against Black Babies, cited by Justice Katanji Brown Jackson.

Misty Severi at JTN reports one less dishonest lawyer in Washington DC, as Hunter Biden agrees to give up law license in Washington DC. "The board on Tuesday recommended that the D.C. Court of Appeals, which has final say on all attorney discipline cases, accept Biden's consent to disbarment."  TownHall's Guy Benson reads a New Book: Yes, There Was a Massive Internal Cover-Up of Biden's Deterioration. At PJM VodkaPundit want to Stop the Presses: Joe Biden Had 'Frailties' Even BEFORE That Debate! andStephen Kruiser, says its a shame that Apparently It's Illegal to Tase Journalists Who Write Tell-All Books About Biden's Dementia, now that the Democrats lost. 

At Da Caller, Chuck Todd Issues ‘Warning’ To Kamala Harris About Political Future, don't run for CA Gov. Scott Jennings @ScottJenningsKY, "Turns out when you die on every 80-20 hill, you wind up at roughly 20% approval. Who could’ve known?" Quote The Patriot Oasis™@ThePatriotOasis, " #BREAKING: per CNN, Democrats in Congress now have a whopping 21% approval rating. Democrats are self-combusting." Jeff Charles at TownHall reports Sen. Cory Booker Has Been Railing Against Trump on Senate Floor for 16 Hours. Dave Strom digs into Anatomy of a Propaganda Campaign. Stephen Kruiser has Your Friendly Reminder That There Are No Grassroots Efforts on the Left. Cynical Publius at Am Great defines Grifterism: The Economic Engine of Democrats, "Democrats run an economy of 'Grifterism,' where Billionaires, Productives, and Dependents fuel a system designed to keep the ruling class in power while stifling real economic freedom."

The WSJ whines Trump Sends More Migrants to El Salvador Prison. "Bukele’s notorious maximum-security facility has become a cornerstone of the U.S. president’s deportation strategy." Stop using the euphemism "migrants" and start calling them the legal term for what they are, illegal aliens. Misty Severi, Trump administration deports more than 100,000 illegal migrants in first 70 days of second term. "The numbers are a combination of arrests and deportations by both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an ICE official told Just The News on Tuesday." Matt Margolis, The Atlantic Caught Pushing Another Anti-Trump Hoax Story. Matt Vespa, The Atlantic Got Caught Lying Again. This Time on a Deportation Fake News Sob Story. Tricia McLaughlin@TriciaOhio, "The individual in question is a member of the brutal MS-13 gang— we have intelligence reports that he is involved in human trafficking. Whether he is in El Salvador or a detention facility in the U.S., he should be locked up. Remarkable @TheAtlantic and other MSM continue to do the bidding of these vicious gangs and ignore their victims." Quote The Atlantic @TheAtlantic, "EXCLUSIVE: The Trump administration has acknowledged that it grabbed a Maryland father with protected status and mistakenly deported him to El Salvador—but claims that courts are powerless to order his return, @NickMiroff reports: https://theatlantic.com/politics/archi" Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "The Atlantic: Trump deported a poor father from Maryland to an El Salvador prison! Reality: He was an MS-13 gang member. You don’t hate the media enough." Dave Strom, Deported 'Maryland Father' Was MS-13 Gang Member and Had Deportation Order. Jordan H Knight @jhk_______ "The fundamental challenge for every left-leaning managerial government in the West today is whether you can bring in migrant voters at a faster rate than your current voters turn against you." Quote "The Noticer@NoticerNews, "Australia has added 740,000 new voters in just three years." Scott Adams@ScottAdamsSays, "MSNBC is pretending this isn't their fault. All they had to do was tell the truth about The Fine People Hoax in 2020. None of this would have happened. And they know it." Quote Steve Cortes@CortesSteve, "Watch MSNBC’s Morning Joe show highlight a damning chart of the illegal immigration spike over the last four years under Joe Biden’s failed policies: “The border was not Biden’s finest moment, frankly. You can see what happened here. And Trump is not wrong when he talks about."

Bob Hog at RedState, CBS Faceplants Yet Again—Lesley Stahl Asks Freed Hamas Hostage Jaw-Dropping Question About His Captivity

Unbelievable.

Leslie Stahl looks straight into the eyes of a Hamas hostage and ask him if Hamas really intended to starve him — or whether they just didn’t happen to have that much food. pic.twitter.com/VTUUb5IEYE

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 31, 2025

Sarah at Insty, THAT WAS BACK WHEN HE WAS A RELIABLE DEM: Democrat Lawmaker Smears Journalist Matt Taibbi As ‘Serial Sexual Harasser’ During Censorship Hearing. CHASER: Matt Taibbi Lays Out Biden-Era Censorship of Conservatives on Social Media.

NewsMax, Trump Admin. Pauses $210M to Princeton Over Antisemitism. John Sexton reports Universities are Suspending Students for Justice in Palestine Chapters. 

Misty Severi again, with a report that Over a dozen Democratic lawmakers join rally in support of transgender rights on National Mall, "Democratic California Rep. Sara Jacobs reintroduced her legislation on Monday to formally recognize March 31 as "Trans Day of Visibility."" John Sexton believes We're About to Find Out What Gov. Newsom Really Believes About Trans Athletes.

Ace, Pete Hegseth: We're Restoring Old Combat Standards, and Will No Longer Have Different Standards for Men and Women. "Oh no anything but this. Note that the physical standards will be higher for "combat arms" MOS's (military occupational specialties), as opposed to support/technical MOS's. Will women be able to qualify for combat roles... if they meet the same standards demanded of men. We'll soon have a very large-scale study about whether it's true that there is no difference in the physical abilities of men and women, as the leftists and Trans Cultists insist." At Real Clear Defense, U.S. Naval Academy Ends Affirmative Action in Admissions.

Ace, cites Industry Analyst: Hollywood's Long String of Bombs Is Creating Negative Feedback Loop Which Will Further Depress Theater Attendance. "In other words, they're pumping out so much bad product that theaters will go bankrupt, and then Hollywood will have fewer "stores" to sell their future terrible products at."

At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.01.25 (Morning Edition), EBL: Winning Elections By Disqualifying Your Opponent, and Wisconsin: Vote for Brad Schimel for Supreme Court
Twitchy: WI Vote Turnout May Exceed November’s, And That’s Great News For Brad Schimel, Cory Booker Starts Yelling Like A Crazy Person on The Floor Of The Senate, and Now That The Media Doesn’t Have To Cover For Biden, The Bizarre Truth Is Coming Out, Louder With Crowder: Jasmine Crockett, new head of the Democratic Party, goes on racist rant about who a Congressional colleague is married to, “This is mind-blowing”: Elon Musk drops disturbing data on the massive social security fraud committed by non-citizens (and how), Stephen A. Smith goes scorched Earth on media’s SignalGate obsession, JD Vance GOES THERE, torches media over SignalGate after they shilled for Joe Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, and RFK Jr. is fat-shaming governors to their faces, and it’s amazing, Vox Popoli: Diversity Was Not Their Strength, A WORKING MAN Wins, The Retardery is Relentless, and Europe Gambled and Lost, CDR Salamander: No, The European Strategic Autonomy Drive Is Not Trump-Related, and Don Surber: Vance destroys anti-tariff argument.