Flotsam and Jetsam - Better Late Than Never DIY

I was just about ready to start the morning post when I got a text from Pete, who needed someone to drive him home from the Solomon, where he was dropping off his boat for a new motor (after 4,000 hours), and needed to leave his truck there, so we could drive a borrowed boat around from Flag Harbor to Solomons for him to use in the meantime. We fished a bit on the way around. It wasn't on fire, but we caught two nice Bluefish, (one of which just provided dinner), and an over-slot rockfish. So, this post is late and DIY. Sorry, not sorry.

Trump 

Trump Says China ‘Totally Violated’ Tariff Agreement | The Epoch Times
Bessent Says US–China Tariff Talks ‘a Bit Stalled’ | The Epoch Times
Trump Suspended Sales of Jet Engines to China – HotAir
China Says Kicking Their Student Spies Out of U.S. Is 'Discriminatory.'
Says He'll Double Steel Tariffs To 50% During US Steel Speech
Trump Makes the Deal of a Lifetime for U.S. Steel | Newsmax.com
Pa. Governor: Trump's US Steel Deal 'Is A BFD'
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer Explains Current Status of Trade Negotiations, EU Trade Barriers and Court Tariff Challenges - The Last Refuge
Trump's Economy Just Hit a Key Factor for Success
Silverloch | Core Inflation Falls to Lowest Rate in Four Years - Wage Growth Outpaces Inflation
Time for a ‘Big, Beautiful Deal’ for Greenland - The American Conservative
White House Senior Advisor Stephen Miller Outlines Facts Behind Deportation Effort, SCOTUS Recent Affirmation Therein, and Other Matters - The Last Refuge
Ukraine warns of Russian summer offensive; Moscow rejects meaningful talks | Fox News
Neocon Hal Brands Says Ukraine Is Trump’s War » The American Spectator
In The Mailbox: 05.30.25 : The Other McCain

Biden and the Democrats

Uh-oh. Jake Tapper Has a New Problem. – PJ Media
Instapundit » Blog Archive » JIM TREACHER: Everybody Hates Jake. Who is the audience for Jake Tapper’s new book, Original Sin
Althouse: "But I think the meta text of why it was so shocking was all of the people that were waved off as conspiracy theorists. Right wing fever swamp people were completely right."
Biden Responds To Book: "I'm Mentally Incompetent, I Can't Walk, And I Could Beat The Hell Outta Both Of Them" RealClearPolitics
Report: Biden's WH Physician Makes Next Move As Oversight Committee's James Comer Turns Up the Heat – RedState
A Secret Service Whistleblower Dropped a Damning Account of Joe Biden at the White House
The Bombshells Keep Dropping As USSS Agent Reveals Biden Would Get Lost in Most Absurd Place Imaginable – RedState
Biden Whines About 'Divided' America In First Speech Since Cancer Diagnosis
Biden Didn’t Investigate 65K Endangered Migrant Children Reports – PJ Media
Democrats Spend $20 Million to Figure Out How to Talk to Men – HotAir
(1) Roman Helmet Guy on X: "Every post by a Democrat about White guys is like, "We have to figure out how to appeal to White men, but it's hard because they're evil."" / X
Dems Lure Young Men Back With Hambeast Influencer – WokeSpy
Dems' Support Among Hispanics Craters: New Data
Democrat-Led States Lead in Unemployment Rate Hikes, BLS Data Shows
Taylor's Takes: Dems keep trying to rebuild their Death Star – HCRN
It's Democrat policies, stupid - Don Surber
David Hogg targets Pelosi, unwittingly deals Democrats more damage ahead of likely DNC ouster | Blaze Media

The Justice System

Supreme Court hands Trump win on revoking parole for 500K | Fox News
SCOTUS Sides With Trump, Revokes Protected Status for Half a Million Aliens – PJ Media
NEW: SCOTUS Allows Trump to End Temporary Protected Status for 530K Migrants – HotAir
BREAKING: SCOTUS Backs Trump's Migrant Boot, Ketanji Jackson-Brown Throws Epic Tantrum – Twitchy
Supreme Court Rules 7-2 to Permit Removal of 500,000 Migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela - The Last Refuge
Ace of Spades HQ The Supreme Court Has Deigned to Allow Trump to Be President On a Case-by-Case Basis
Trump Tears Into Leonard Leo, Federalist Society After Tariffs Decision | Newsmax.com
Saving the Court from Itself - Chronicles
Judge dismisses suit that threatened wetlands on farmland
Judge Demands 'Absolute Immunity' For Helping Illegal Alien Try To Flee
Trump Nominates ‘Enforcer’ Emil Bove To Be Third Circuit Judge | The Daily Caller
(1) Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 on X: "Dozens were denied release following armed predawn FBI raids including those accused of non violent offenses such as the unlawful 1512c2 count and those without any criminal record. J6ers were then hauled—some cross country stopping at 4-5 other prisons along the way to add to" / X
West Coast, Messed Coast™ — Well, Well, Well, Look Who the FBI Is Investigating – PJ Media
Bongino Opens Up About FBI Gig – HotAir
Bongino: 'You're Going to be Stunned by This Stuff Coming Out' That Comey Hid [WATCH]
LAWSPLAINING: Margot Cleveland Suggests That the FBI Has Systematically Violated Defendants’ Rights – Twitchy
FBI Reports Surge in Threats Against President Trump.
Miranda Devine: The left's assassination fixation only further normalizes political violence
Trump Pardons Former Army Officer Convicted of Disobeying COVID-19 Safety Rules – HotAir
President Trump Uses the Pardon to Undo Deep State Damage–This Time for Gov. John RowlandGovernment Worker Caught Leaking Classified Material To FBI In Sting Operation
New York Times Suddenly Concerned About Palantir Data Compilation and Building of Surveillance State - The Last Refuge
US Launches Investigation Into Alleged White House Chief Of Staff Impersonation
WSJ: US Probes Effort to Impersonate WH Chief of Staff | Newsmax.com

DOGE

Elon Musk is Out at DOGE: Stephen Miller and Karoline Leavitt Reveal What’s Next [WATCH]
Althouse: "Billionaire Elon Musk stunned the White House press corps Friday by sporting a black eye to an Oval Office event to mark the end of his 130 days in the Trump administration."
Elon Musk Cooked The New York Times in the Oval Office...and Trump's Face Said Everything
President Trump and Elon Musk Press Conference - 1:30pm ET Livestream - The Last Refuge

Illegal Immigration

Watch: CNN Reporter Tried to Play the Ol’ ‘Undocumented Migrant’ Game and Stephen Miller Ain’t Having It – RedState
The Morning Briefing: Open Borders Dems Can Never Wash the Blood Off of Their Hands – PJ Media
DHS Releases List of ‘Sanctuary’ Jurisdictions That Could Lose Federal Funding | The Epoch Times
DC mayor proposes repeal of sanctuary city law | Just The News

Freedom of Speech, Media and Censorship

NPR CEO Mocked for Claiming Outlet Is ‘Non-Partisan’ During PBS Interview
Ace of Spades HQ NPR Sues the Trump Administration, Alleging They Have a First Amendment Right to Have Their Radical Marxist Agenda Funded by the American Taxpayer
Ace of Spades HQ LOL: Fake Jake Tapper's Ratings Plunge to Their Lowest Levels in 10 Years
CBC Brags About Shutting Down Popular YouTube News Channel
Judge rejects claim AI chatbots protected by First Amendment | Florida Record | legalnewsline.com

The Great Culture War

Campus Reform | Rubio announces intent to 'aggressively' pull Chinese student visas
Campus Reform | Self-described 'social justice advocate' prof arrested on child pornography chargesUNC Employee Caught in Undercover Video is Fired – HotAir
Wesley Yang on X: "The waning of public opinion matters, but wokeness is a non-electoral politics of institutional capture that focuses on controlling institutions insulated from the popular will. Only an organized faction capable of either reaching inside the redoubts where wokeness is endemic or" / X
DEI is a Con: Five Hallmarks of a Hustle | The Daily Economy
WV Gov Vows to Protect Women’s Sports as Trans Athlete Competes in State
After ex-ESPN Host’s Public Insult, Riley Gaines Demands Swim-Off to Settle Score
Columbia investigates student for criticizing transgenderism on social media | The College Fix
Ace of Spades HQ The "Moderate" Governor of Colorado, Championed by NeverTrump as a Solid Conservative-Leaning Libertarian, Mandates That All Coloradans Will Be Forced to Pay for the Sex Change Surgeries of Children (and All Others)
Watch: Absolutely Must-See Exchange Between CA Attorney and Defiant CNN Host on 'Transgender' Athlete – RedState
He's a MALE: Julie Hamill SCHOOLS CNN's Brianna Keilar Over Trans California Track Athlete (WATCH) – Twitchy
HHS Directs Hospitals to Stop Mutilating “Trans” Children – The Populist Times

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and linkfest. 

Rule 5 Saturday - Rachel Jones

A very simple Rule 5 post. 

Rachel Jones @rachel_joneslia
beacons.ai/racheljoneslia

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and linkfest. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Lewis Grizzard Memorial Post and FMJRA 2.0: The Agony of Defeat ready on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Oregon My Oregon

 From OutKick Oregon Added To States Being Investigated By DOJ For Allowing Males In Girls' Sports

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to "keep men out of women's sports" in January and his federal government has held true to its promise. However, several states have openly flouted the order, deciding that it's more important to be "inclusive" than to be "fair" or "safe."

Add Oregon to the list of states now under investigation by the Department of Justice for potential Title IX violations related to allowing males to compete in girls' and women's sports. The state was already under investigation by the Department of Education, but it appears next steps are being taken.

Assistant AG @HarmeetKDhillon confirms the DOJ is now investigating Oregon for potential Title IX violations after many female athletes have filed complaints.

GOOD. Bring down the hammer of justice on all the blue states.👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/zophcaTkPP

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 28, 2025

My libertarian side says the Feds have no business telling schools how they conduct their sports programs, but that went out the window in the Biden politburo administration.

MDDNR Looking at New(er) Striper Regs

WBOC, Maryland DNR Considers New Striped Bass Regulations, Sparking Debate

To address declining striped bass populations, DNR is proposing changes that would allow catch-and-release fishing in April and the first two weeks of May, when the species is typically off-limits during its spring spawning season. In exchange, the department wants to close the fishery for the month of August. “The spawning population of fish is relatively healthy. It is the resident fish in Maryland that live here for the first five years of their life—those are the fish that are in most trouble,” said Mike Luisi, branch director for Management and Science with Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources Fishing and Boating Services.

 

Luisi said the proposal is based on water temperatures and survival rates of released fish. “Water's cold [in April], the water is well oxygenated during that time of the year. So catching a bigger fish and releasing it—there's less probability that that fish will die in April than it will in August,” Luisi said. But some charter boat captains disagree, arguing that targeting striped bass during spawning season does more harm than good.

“Manipulating them, targeting them in a river system, when they're getting ready to spawn, doesn't do anything for the female spawning stock biomass,” said Capt. Jason Seman, who operates the charter boat, Maryland Fishing and Hunting. Seman also said the proposed closure in August could deal a financial blow to an industry still reeling from past restrictions. “A large portion of our current business happens during the summer months. There's 59 boats as of today that have sold since the regulations have changed on our charter boats,” he said.

Maryland DNR is continuing to discuss the proposed changes with the federal Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The public will have an opportunity to comment this fall. A final decision is expected in October. If approved, the new regulations would go into effect in spring 2026.

This is pretty much what Pete would like to see happen. The ban on catch and release fishing in April and half of May is pretty much honored in the breach anyway. To be guilty of targeting rockfish at those times, you would either have to be camped on a big school of stripers (if you could find them), if you were jigging, or trolling with heavy tackle that would really only be appropriate  for stripers or the blues which have yet to show up at that point in the year. 

August is a lousy month in Maryland anyway, hot, humid, and boring. A good time to go striper fishing in Maine. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Lewis Grizzard Memorial Post ready on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Appeals Court Overturns Trade Court Tariff Ban - Comey's Covert Files Uncovered

From NewsMax, Stephen Miller: Tariffs Ruling 'Judicial Coup' and VP Vance to Newsmax: Tariffs Ruling Wrong; We'll Win Case on Appeal. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, White House on Tariffs: We'll Be Back. Ace, Federal Trade Court Judges Elevate Themselves to the Presidency (Again), Rule That Trump Doesn't Have the Power to Set Tariffs as Joe Biden and Barack Obama Did Update: Injunction Stayed, Tariffs Back On (For Now) "On May 15th, Deb Heine wrote a story for American Greatness reporting that three judges had been "hand-picked" to hear the case on Trump's tariffs -- judges who were guaranteed to overrule the elected President." Matt Vespa at TownHall, Trump Scores BIG LEAGUE Win in Tariff Fight With the Courts. Capt. Ed again, BREAKING: Appeals Court Lets Tariffs Remain in Effect ... For Now and Boston Federal Judge Blocks Suspension of Harvard's Access to Foreign Students. From NYPo, Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump admin from banning Harvard international students and Trump has other ways to impose tariffs despite US court ruling, Wall Street analysts say. Dave Manney at PJM, When Presidents Are Right and Courts Are Wrong: Defying the Bench to Save the Nation. From the UTex Civitas Inst, President Trump Has to Obey the Constitution, But So Does Chief Justice Roberts. Varad Mehta@varadmehta "John Roberts has a lot of hard and serious thinking to do in the weeks ahead. I hope he doesn't have fixed summer vacation plans." Quote Damon Linker @DamonLinker "Prediction: SCOTUS will not allow this ruling to stand. See @jacklgoldsmith's comments below on the president's tariff authority, from his NYT interview with @DouthatNYT. https://nytimes.com/2025/04/17/opi" Natalia Mittelstadt at JTN reports SCOTUS limits judicial authority to block infrastructure projects over environmental concerns ""Courts should afford substantial deference and should not micromanage those agency choices so long as they fall within a broad zone of reasonableness," Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote." C3 @C_3C_3 "A party with less than 20% approval is using unelected Judges to deny the will of the American people. I never want to hear the term “Constitutional Crisis” ever again." From Twitchy, AG Pam Bondi Kicks ABA's Snooty Nose Out of Judicial Nominee Access ... Finally. The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Trump Leaves Presidency To Become Even More Powerful District Court Judge https://buff.ly/H21WmoH"

ALX @alx "FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino says they found a room with evidence that seemed to be intentionally mishandled and hidden: "We found it in bags, hiding under Jim Comey's FBI, you're going to be stunned." At TNP, Bongino, Patel Discover ‘Stunning’ Comey-Era Files in Room ‘Hidden From Us’ at FBI HQ. Matt Margolis at PJM, Bongino Discovered Comey’s Secret FBI Files: ‘You’re Gonna Be Stunned.' At Ace's, Dan Bongino: We're Discovering Lots of Evidence Deliberately Hidden by James Comey Updated, "Bongino says the FBI is "closing in" on at least one of the criminals who committed one of three deliberately-unsolved crimes: who planted the DNC/RNC "pipe bombs," who leaked the Dodds decision, and who smuggled Hunter Biden's cocaine into the White House." A Larry video at Hat Hair, James Comey Is in Deep Trouble: FBI Drops 'Comey Files' Bombshell. From Twitchy, Not So Brave Now, Huh? Watch James Comey SQUIRM When Asked About GOP 'White Supremacist-Adjacent' Remark. Communist adjacent James Comey. Rusty Weiss at RedState reports on an Intel Official Busted for Selling Top Secret Info to Foreign Nation Because He Was ‘Disturbed’ by Trump, "Nathan Vilas Laatsch, a 28-year-old IT specialist with Top Secret clearance for his role at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), has been arrested for attempting to turn over classified military intelligence to a foreign nation." Matt Vespa, Here's the Other Kennedy Who's Found Her Home in MAGA Land...For Now. "Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, who has taken up the task of getting the intelligence community’s “black budgets” under control. She’s a former CIA agent, the youngest to get nonofficial cover at 22." At Da Blaze, Justice for victim’s severe injuries is elusive after he was shot point-blank by police on Jan. 6.

Hat Hair's Beege Welborn informs us Tish James Colleague Says Razzle Dazzle Real Estate Queen 'Abused' Her Prosecutorial Power.

Newt Gingrich is green with envy at President Trump’s Stunning Poll Numbers. At LifeZette, WATCH Trump Shuts Down CNBC Reporter’s ‘Chicken TACO’ Question with a Powerful Rebuke “Don’t ever say what you said. . . . “It’s called negotiation. ” Benny Johnson @bennyjohnson, "BREAKING: Personal income skyrocketed by 0.8% in April which is 3x the expectation. The Trump Effect." Don Surber says I won't side with Dems on BBB, "Where is Rand Paul's Big Beautiful Bill? He's had 14 years to write it." "Paul and the other RINOs offer no alternative except codifying the DOGE cuts, but under Senate rules, the Big Beautiful Bill cannot be used to codify DOGE cuts. That requires a separate bill. Either Paul does not know the rules after 14 years in the Senate or he is being dishonest in siding with Democrats." Leslie Eastman at LI reports the Trump Administration Expedites Approval for New Uranium Mine in Utah, "The reopening of this mine aligns with Trump administration push to expedite the development of U.S. nuclear energy capacity."

Austin Bay, Dealing Don and Bad Vlad Head for a Showdown. At Am Con, a prediction Trump Will Walk Away From Ukraine. "And that’s a good thing." "The Europeans, America’s supposed allies in this shambolic proxy war, lack any significant military capacity on their own but are willing to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian. Once that last Ukrainian us killed off, the Europeans will giddily fight Russia in Ukraine to the last American GI. Trump understands this. He won’t play along forever with a delusional Europe and a recalcitrant Ukraine." From the Brussels Signal, Ukraine could collapse. What will that look like?

From Ace, a Report that  Israel Has Accepted the White House's Ceasefire Proposal, "Now Hamas will pretend to agree to it, and then not agree to it, and immediately violate it." And Israel can go back to killing Hamas. 

From Breitbart, North Korea, Which Regularly Threatens to Nuke U.S., Condemns Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’. At Da Caller, Washington’s Bureaucratic Machine Could Chew Up Trump’s Golden Dome Dreams, as Democrats side with the Norks.

John Sexton at Hat Hair finds The Media Just Isn't Skeptical Enough of Democrats (Update)

nion/ross-douthat-interesting-times-jack-goldsmith.html

CNN’s @JakeTapper: Those smeared as right-wing conspiracists were “100% right” about Biden’s mental decline.

“We all should, in retrospect, have been much quicker to label what we saw.

There was a reluctance to say, ‘He seems addled. He seems like maybe he can't do the job,’… pic.twitter.com/0NX453lwoC

— Honestly with Bari Weiss (@thehonestlypod) May 29, 2025

Bonchie at RedState, Jake Tapper and His Co-Author Get Nuked Into Orbit Over Insulting Interview With Bari Weiss. Stephan Kaputska at Am Spec, Joe Biden, Jake Tapper, and the Lampshading of America. "The press is desperate to rebuild its credibility." Megyn Kelly, So, Did Jake Tapper Actually Apologize to Lara Trump for Their Viral Biden Decline Interview or Not? “Jake Tapper saying this is a Watergate-type situation now that he played a role in it, it feels a little bit too late to me,” she added. “I do appreciate that he did keep his word though and come out and say that I was right.” At LifeZette, Biden Autopen Scandal Explodes as Watchdog Group Says ‘No Evidence’ He Knew. Driscoll at Insty, MICKEY KAUS ON BIDEN’S “MODERATE” POLITBURO: Mickey Kaus@kausmickey "Yglesias asks the right question--how did a WH run by a moderate "Politburo" of aides turn out so left wing? But on the key example of this--immigration--he takes leave of his senses, endorsing Sen. Bennet's view that Biden's policy was "muddled and murky." No it wasnt! It was focused like a laser on one goal: Letting as many unauthorized migrants into the country as possible. Murkiness was merely what was required to con the courts and voters. https://slowboring.com/p/what-we-dont."

Matt Walsh@MattWalshBlog "This is why the Democrats are doomed. They're turning to an overweight 22 year old feminist woman as their masculinity expert. I can't think of anyone on Earth less equipped or qualified to speak for men. It's like consulting me as an anime expert." Quote, Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "Democrat activist Olivia Julianna is now advising Democrats how to win over young men— says Conservative men are pro-choice, pro gay marriage, and pro BLM." Driscoll snarks, TO BE FAIR, I’M SURE SHE RUNS A MEAN PICK SIX. Ace, Democrats Totally Understand Straight Men: An Evolving Series. "Scott Jennings hints that Tim Walz might not be well-equipped to talk to straight men." Scott Jennings @ScottJenningsKY, "First it was Tim Walz “code talker.” Now it’s $20 million to “study” men. The Dems are truly lost when it comes to dudes who just want to be dudes." And, Pete Bootyjudge: Now That I'm Running For President (LOL), I've Decided I Have to Pull a Jake Tapper and Admit Some Things In a Patently CYA Manner, "Bootyjudge now says "Gee willickers, I sure wish we could have opened the schools earlier than Never."" From Fox, Conservative women scare Democrats like Hillary Clinton for good reason. "From Hillary Clinton's recent 'handmaiden' comments to fashion critiques, Republican women face increasing derision from Democrats."

John Sexton at Hat Hair hears David Hogg: Nancy Pelosi Really is Remarkably Good at Trading Stocks.

Dave Strom at Hat Hair, No, Elon Isn't Leaving Government Because He Is Upset. VP Vance to Newsmax: 'Totally Wrong' Musk Era in Trump Admin Over. At OTP, Top DOGE Officials Leaving Along With Musk. Althouse finds rhetorically wonders Why doesn't the phrase "Special Government Employee" appear in the NYT article about Musk's "distancing" himself from Trump? "I've been trying to read "A Disillusioned Musk, Distanced From Trump, Says He’s Exiting Washington/The billionaire has made clear he is frustrated with the obstacles he encountered as he tried to upend the federal bureaucracy."" DogeDesigner@cb_doge "In the coming days, legacy media will try to convince you that President Trump and Elon Musk are no longer friends and that’s why Musk left. What they won’t tell you is that Elon was a Special Government Employee, limited to 130 days of service and that term ends tomorrow." Althouse also has "[Musk] told people he was taking so much ketamine, a powerful anesthetic, that it was affecting his bladder, a known effect of chronic use." From the NYT. Could it be true? Yes, but having it reported by NYT makes it less rather than more likely. Matt Margolis reports Chris Cillizza's Tesla Vandalized... And He's SHOCKED It Wasn't Done by Conservatives. Jeff Charles at PJM, WINNING: DOGE Just Scored a Tremendous Victory in Federal Court The judge noted that there is “little utility in having this Court function as Treasury’s de facto human resources officer.” From the Babylon Bee, Elon Musk Leaves Job Of Making Government More Efficient For Much Easier Job Of Sending Humans To Mars.

Fox, Labor Dept to suspend Job Corps centers it says put students in danger, cost taxpayers $1.7B, "The graduation rate of the program is just 38.6% and costs as much as $155,600 per student." The education grift. 

Pop Times, Yet Another Illegal Alien Arrested — This Time in the Hit-and-Run Death of Air Force Cadet Ava Moore. Ward Clark at RedState, Two Arrests in Fatal Texas Jet Ski Crash: One Suspect in the Country Illegally.

Driscoll, LESLEY STAHL HAS A SAD: It’s Hopeless, ‘I Don’t See a Path Out.’ "America has no reason for hope – and there’s no way the nation can escape hopelessness – “60 Minutes” Correspondent Lesley Stahl says in a fearmongering PBS special purporting to examine the boundaries of presidential authority." Capt. Ed hears Florida Appellate Court to Pulitzer Board: Stand Up And Take Your Medicine in Trump Defamation Case. Freddy DeBoer, If Publishing's Efforts to Diversify Haven't Done Anything, Why Did You Fight for Them? Why Do You Defend Them Now? ""this isn't happening, also it's happening and it's good," part a billion." Da Caller worries KOSA Brings European-Style Speech Suppression Onto US Shores.

Dave Harsanyi says No, David French, we have no constitutional duty to subsidize Harvard. From the College Fix, Yale dean emails everyone anti-Trump essay: ‘I know you share my concern’. 

Sarah A. Hoyt@SarahAHoyt "Do publishing houses next. Find out where the advances come for the leftist politician books!" Quote Eagle Wings@CRRJA5, "Ric Grenell Reveals Insane Amount Of Fake Revenue Reportedly Discovered in Kennedy Center's Books. "What we just found, and we're going to turn over to DOJ and the FBI for an investigation …our forensic new CFO went through the books for '24 and '25, found $26 million in phantom revenue," Grenell said. "And so the problem that we have with $26 million in phantom revenue is they were telling the board that we had this revenue–We're going to release all of the details to the FBI and to DOJ to look at this because it's fraud." The Patriarch Tree@PatriarchTree, "At one level, Black Lives Matter was merely a get-rich-quick swindle ... At another level, however, it was about converting accusations of racism into political capital for Democrats." Ace listens to NPR: Companies Are Ending Fake DEI Jobs and That's Sad! "I'm not even sure these "jobs" are even being "lost." We see in government that these lefties just rebrand the DEI jobs as something else. Anyway, this is a terrible thing."

At Hat Hair, Dave Strom finds California: BDSM Training for LGBTQ+ Students Is Great! and Duane Patterson, sees California Interscholastic Federation Taking Baby Steps in Girls' Triple Jump Finals. Blaze, California school sports officials announce change in trans rules after Trump threatens to end federal funding. From Campus Reform, Illinois Wesleyan University promotes 'Gender Diversity' with 'Rainbow Floor,' 'Universal Bathroom Map'. How about unicorns. Don't they need unicorns? From OTP, Nebraska Lawmakers Approve Bill Banning Biological Males From Women’s Sports.

There are lot's of untapped links at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.29.25, but it's time to finish up. The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: The Agony of Defeat ready on time and under budget at The Other McCain.=1ehke&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Fish Pic Friday - Kelly Black

Kelly Black@misskellyblack 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔽𝕚𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕃𝕚𝕟𝕖 @4pm Fri. Coastal Living📺
𝔽𝕚𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕋𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕖 𝕊𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕤 Farris Brothers🐟 𝕁𝕃ℂℂ𝕋𝕏 Communications Chair

 Linked at The Right Way in Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Lewis Grizzard Memorial Post ready on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Trade Tribunal Rules Against Trump Tariffs

Matt Vespa at TownHall reports a Federal Court Might Have Just Shut Down Trump's Tariff Policies, apparently only Democrat presidents are allowed to change tariffs. "“The Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariff Orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs,” the New York-based federal court said in its opinion, referring to the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The court also ordered that the tariffs that the Trump administration has collected so far be “vacated.”" James Lynch at NRO, Federal Court Blocks Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs. Sundance at CTH, Federal Trade Court Rules President Trump Cannot Initiate Tariffs Under International Emergency Economic Powers Act, All Tariffs Blocked. "We all knew the system would strike back. There are trillions at stake." Jeff Carter at Points and Figures says we're Down To The Banana Republics. From ET, Judge Rules Lawsuit Filed by 14 States Against DOGE and Musk Can Proceed. "A coalition of state attorneys general are challenging the ‘virtually unchecked authority’ they claim was granted to Musk by the Trump administration." But in one courthouse victory, AP whines that a Judge refuses to temporarily block the Trump administration from removing Copyright Office director. Mickey Kaus @kausmickey "If you think of immigration as basically a social good--elite CW that many judges, even on SCOTUS, buy into--then sure, the only irreparable harm possible is to the individual immigrant. TRO granted! But if you think excessive immigration is bad--lowers wages, raises rents, creates cultural tensions, imposes expenses--you might well think the "irreparability" balance favors Trump. One way unexamined conventional bias may shape court decisions." Quote Mickey Kaus @kausmickey, "On judges issuing injunctions: Key element of an injunction is showing "irreparable harm." Courts clearly think being deported is "irreparable harm." But letting illegals stay in the US knowing it will increasingly be near-impossible to get them out--isn't that irreparable too?"

Mike LaChance at LI, For First Time in Rasmussen’s Polling History, 50 Percent of the Country Says America is on Right Track. “Never thought I would see it. I don’t think the Republican Party understands the gravity of the gift which Trump has given them. Unprecedented presidency.” Hat Hair's Dave Strom notices Trump Job Approval Is Rising. Ace, Polls, Schmolls: Trump Rises on Huge Boost in Consumer Confidence and National Mood. "Polls show a Trump Bump."

PJM's Sarah Anderson likes Rubio's New Rules: If You Do This One Thing, You Can No Longer Enter the U.S. Sundance has Secretary of State Marco Rubio Announces VISA Restrictions for Foreign Nationals Who Censor American Speech and Rubio: State Dept Will Begin Revoking Chinese Student Visas. Ace, Rubio Announces Ban on Visas for Foreigners Who Work to Suppress Free Speech in America "This won't affect too many people, but I do think it's healthy to begin expressing the correct level of hostility and contempt for people who attempt to subvert Americans' right to free speech."

PJM's Matt Margolis hears rumors Is Canada Now Interested in Becoming the 51st State? To get under the "Golden Dome." “I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They are considering the offer!” Open Source Intel@Osint613 "Former Israeli hostage says the terrorists were “very scared” of Trump. “More food, treated me better, stopped cursing me, stopped spitting on me.”"

At TownHall, Jeff Frankel hears Speaker Mike Johnson Defends House Budget From Claims of Adding to National Debt "I agree wholeheartedly with what my dear friend, Rand Paul, said. I love his conviction and I share it. The national debt is … the greatest threat to our national security and deficits are a serious problem. What I think Rand is missing on this one is the fact that we are quite serious about this. This is the biggest spending cut, Shannon, in more than 30 years, we’re going to cut over $1.5 trillion in spending, and it’s a big leap forward . . .” " At Da Signal, How a ‘Nonpartisan’ Government Budget Office May Be Misleading Lawmakers on Spending as GOP Megabill Looms Large. CBO projections lean left. Insty, HAHA, SO LONG AS THEY JUMP OVERBOARD: Tim Burchett @timburchett "So the rats have time to get off the sinking ship." Quote, "Peyton Blakney-Moore - Houston Luxury Real Estate @peytonbmoore Replying to @timburchett "WHY DOES COMMON SENSE SHIT TAKE SO LONG TO GET PASSED?? Dave Strom, Elon Unhappy With Big Beautiful Bill. Sundance, Musk Out ~~datahazard~~ @fentasyl "Somehow the AP forgot to mention that it has now been 130 days, the maximum number of days permitted for a "Special Government Employee" under law." Quote The Associated Press @AP "BREAKING: Elon Musk leaves the Trump administration after turbulent effort to slash government." Hat Hair's Capt. Ed, BREAKING: White House Finally Ready to Send *Some* DOGE Rescissions to Congress. Among Ace's Quick Hits, Trump says he'll ask Congress to codify his DOGE cuts to make them legislatively-endorsed cuts. "Which a district court cannot undo with an injunction." No, they'll just declare the law unconstitutional. Then who cares if it takes 4 years to adjudicate it. Ben Whedon at JTN, Tool to make it easier for Trump to return excess funds to Treasury without Congress gains steam "Essentially, if executive agencies were to certify that they had managed to accomplish all of the objectives that Congress had set for them in allocating their funding, the president could unilaterally return the excess funding to the Treasury without the need for a rescissions package or impoundment." Nick Arama at RedState says Whoa: Hegseth Makes Big Announcement About DOGE Findings at Pentagon - They're Massive. Cuts in contractors and consultants. 

Hat Hair's Capt. Ed cites Tapper: The Biden Fraud May Be Worse Than Watergate. John Sexton, Tapper: 'This is Why You F***ers Are Losing Elections.' Ace, Jake Tapper Is Sad, "People on an unnamed leftwing podcast said that Tapper's son must be a "racist" because he wants to be a cop and Tapper wants to know who is responsible for smearing any normie as a racist." Pop Times hears Lara Trump Skewer Jake Tapper Over Late Apology for Biden’s Decline Cover-Up. John Sexton, David Hogg on Who Was Really Running the Biden White House, Jill Biden's Chief of Staff. "When the PV journalist said he'd never seen Anthony Bernal before, Jones replied, "Exactly. He's just a shadowy, Wizard of Oz type figure."" Twitchy, David Hogg Drops a Bombshell: Jill Biden’s Aide Secretly Ran White House, Per Veritas Bombshell. Ace, Project Veritas Undercover Sting Video Catches David Hogg Naming Names About Who Controled the White House. "Per The Times of London, he was the chief spy and heretic-hunter." Libs of TikTok@libsoftiktok "WHOA David Hogg just admitted to Project Veritas that Jill Biden’s top advisor Anthony Bernal was really running the White House during dementia Joe’s regime WH staff described him as the “worst person they had ever met” according to Jake Tapper’s book" Matt Vespa, Liz Warren Named As the Person Who Really Controlled the Biden Autopen. Guy Benson at TownHall wonders Will the Biden Decline Scandal Hurt Democrats with Voters? Some, but voters memories tend to be pretty short, and focused on recent problems.

Across da pond at Da Mail, Former Biden staffers deny whistleblower claims the administration secretly discriminated against white farmers. "A USDA employee told NewsNation that the agency, while under Biden, radically profiled farmers and only forgave loans of minority borrower." Blaze calls it Horrifying: Biden administration turned a blind eye to deadly child trafficking by illegals.

Da Caller hears ‘Not Normal’: Dems Say Their Party Members ‘Have Begun To Speak Like Professors.’ A fine diatribe from TownHall's Kurt Schlichter, If You Think the GOP Is Screwed Up, Check Out the Democrats. Dave Strom hears Buttigieg: Gee, I Wish We Had Opened Schools in 2020. He's running to be the first openly gay preznit.

At OTP, Trump Issues Pardon For Army Officer Court-Martialed Over COVID Shot Refusal. Michigan News Source reports Trump Says He’ll Take a Look at Pardoning Leaders of Whitmer Kidnapping Plot, ‘It Looked to Me Like a Railroad Job.’ Jeff Charles at TownHall says Democrats Should Shut the Hell Up About Trump's Pardons @amuse @amuse "COVERUP: Three of President Biden's top aides: deputy chief of staff Anthony Bernal, deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini, and senior adviser Ashley Williams have until tomorrow to agree to testify about their knowledge of the autopen pardons and who was actually running the government. If they refuse Republicans on the House Oversight Committee will issue subpoenas for the conspirators."

Sundance is keeping score, President Trump Participates in Swearing-In Ceremony for Interim DC Attorney Jeanine Pirro – W/ Media Presser, FBI Director Kash Patel Gives Interview on Fox News to Instill Confidence in FBI Mission and Senator Chuck Grassley Declassifies FBI Files on Nellie Ohr, Including Lies Told to Congress.

At Hat Hair VIP, Beege Welborn sees Female Secret Service Officers Cover Themselves in Glory Yet Again. The full story, including the video from Ace, DEI Is Our Strength: Two Totally-Qualified Female Secret Service Agents Get Into a Hair-Pulling Catfight Outside the Obama Residence. Update: The Fight Was Over Who Got Which Car? "So professional. I guess they can't just call "shotgun!" Also from Ace, Susan Crabtree: The Secret Service Cover-Up of Hunter Biden's Cocaine Was Worse Than We Thought:

First, the Secret Service "destroyed" the cocaine, thus stopping anyone from checking up on their claims that there was too little DNA on the coke-bag to test. And they made sure no one could test it by destroying it. The destruction of the actual contraband would also make it hard to prosecute anyone for having it, as a prosecutor would just have to assert it existed and any defense attorney could claim whatever they wanted about the coke, and no one could dispute them.

Second, the Secret Service says it did not conduct interviews with White House staff about who smuggled Hunter Biden's cocaine into the White House because it would be, get this, "a civil rights violation to interview the White House staff" about the coke.

Third, the White House staff moved the cocaine from the library, which relatively few people have access to, to the cubbies in the entrance hall, which more people have access to. The obvious reason for this illegal action is to expand the number of suspects who could have smuggled in Hunter Biden's cocaine and thus protect the actual culprit.

People need to go to prison. And I mean the Praetorian Guard Bureaucrats who covered this up.

Dave Strom sees Bezos to WaPo Opinion Page Staffers: We're Changing, and It Is a Good Time to Leave. Max Tani @maxwelltani "New: Jeff Bezos emails staff at the Washington Post announcing that the Post opinion pages going forward are largely going to focus on personal liberties and free markets. Current opinion section editor David Shipley is out." Beege Welborn, NPR Head Maher the Grouch Is Suing Trump, the Count. "This is a novel approach to doing battle with someone who doesn't like you very much and can pretty much prove the bias he's claiming you openly display without so much as breaking a sweat - file a First Amendment lawsuit." The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee "The Babylon Bee Would Like To Announce We Are Joining NPR In Suing The Government For Not Giving Us Millions Of Dollars https://buff.ly/OzwWxla." Misty Severi at JTN reports Paramount offers Trump team millions of dollars to settle CBS lawsuit: Reports "The two parties have a meeting for continued negotiations tentatively scheduled for Thursday." Over their remaking of the Kamala interview.

From the Pop Times Trump Delivers the Final Blow to Harvard. Punch 'em in the money sacs. Chris Arnade@Chris_arnade "Harvard surprised/outraged it’s being attacked by Trump is laughable. I don’t care if 98% of he faculty and research is non-political, you let the other 2% of crazies define who you are because you’re either your too lazy to care, quietly agree with them, or are lost in your ivory tower. This backlash has been brewing for a long time, and the more surprising thing is it hasn’t happen earlier." Chris Arnade@Chris_arnade "I don’t think academics realize how useless most people think they are. They don’t genuinely hate them, and often have a gentle respect for most. However, they think they’re not equipped to deal with the world, and certainly not tell them how to live their lives. They only really deal with them when an academic needs help doing something they see as obvious life skill. Like changing a tire or something like that." Insty, I THINK HE’S MOSTLY RIGHT. I’M ALWAYS SURPRISED HOW IMPRESSED SOME PEOPLE ARE WHEN I CAN PERFORM ORDINARY PHYSICAL TASKS AS AN ACADEMIC. At Hat Hair, Capt. Ed, Garbing Away in Margarita-Vard: Hell, It Could Be Our Fault and a Larry video, President Trump's War Against Harvard Is Working. Mark Hemingway @Heminator. "I agree it shouldn't have come to this, but why is the onus all on Trump when universities could make this go away by simply stopping their egregiously discriminatory practices?" Quote Quantіan @quantian1, "Blowing a $50 billion hole in the budget of every state flagship and top private university in America. Gunshot wound to the head of the best education system in the world and the crown jewel of American soft power. Absolute madness." At Da Caller, ‘Devastating Piece Of Legislation’: Wealthy Universities Fret Over ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill’s Endowment Tax Proposal. Driscoll at Insty, AS ALWAYS, LIFE IMITATES THE BABYLON BEE: Shot: The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Harvard Warns Loss Of Federal Funding Will Cripple Their Ability To Find A Final Solution To The Jewish Problem https://buff.ly/RUeDIlC" Chaser: “Germany offers to host Harvard ‘exile campus,’” the London Telegraph today." Twitchy, University Admin Caught Bragging About Doing DEI Work That Is 'Covert' Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist @DeAngelisCorey "BREAKING: Undercover journalists caught an administrator at UNC bragging about pushing DEI despite it being banned. She says staff just "FINESSE" the language. They do "work that is COVERT." The university provost RAN AWAY when confronted. I have the video. Buckle up."

At RCP, The DEI Generals Need To Be Fired.

Ryan King at NYPo reports Trump threatens to cut Calif.’s federal funds if trans athletes ‘illegally’ compete in women’s events. WokeSpy, Trump Threatens CA School Money Over Boy Sweeping Girls’ Track Team Records. John Sexton, California Sports Federation Kinda Sorta Admits Trans Girls Aren't Girls. Trans "records" won't exactly count. 

Stacy McCain discusses George Floyd and the ‘Backlash’ Narrative. "So here’s the New York Times headline: 5 Years After George Floyd’s Murder, the Backlash Takes Hold The Black Lives Matter movement, kicked into high gear after Mr. Floyd’s murder on May 25, 2020, has given way to the politics of “white grievance” championed by President Trump. You see? It’s all about politics." At Hollywood in Toto, Gad Saad Gently Shreds Kyra Sedgwick’s Anti-Trump Fears "The star said she could lose her right to vote, along with “bodily autonomy,” under the current Trump regime. Also at risk? Food banks may be emptied, leaving countless people to starve."

RedState's Brandon Morse thinks you should watch. Watch: Antifa Surround, Charge at Mother Holding a Baby and Frightened Toddler After Worship Service at the Seattle church meeting that turned into a riot. The Democrat's Brownshirts. 

There are lot's of untapped links at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.28.25, but I'm the on the clock. The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: The Agony of Defeat ready on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

A Thursday Tune - I Don't Mind

Jimi

As a 25-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter and producer, Jimi balances nuanced storytelling, soulful guitar lines, and an intimacy of voice with a musical maturity beyond her years. Inspired by a childhood listening to Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and the Eagles’ records, her debut album exhibits a musicality and artistic clarity unparalleled by her contemporaries in the music world. With impeccable attention to production and dynamics inspired by the legends of pop, soul, and R&B, Jimi’s latest work mediates that delicate line between pushing the sonic boundaries of genre and performance and positioning her firmly among the musical greats of Canada’s pop rock and songwriting worlds.

TikTok tiktok.com/@iamjimi
Instagram instagram.com/jimisound
Facebook facebook.com/songsbyjimi

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Lewis Grizzard Memorial Post ready on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Are the Ospreys Starving?

Another article on the possible connection between Menhaden fishing, and the struggling Osprey populations in the Bay. At What's Up Media, The Osprey-Menhaden Bay Connection

Each spring, birders eagerly await the return of ospreys to the Chesapeake Bay—a welcome sight that signals the end of winter. An estimated 8,000 to 12,000 breeding pairs of ospreys live in the Chesapeake Bay, which is home to the largest breeding osprey population in the world. Since ospreys are sensitive to changes in their environment, they serve as a monitor of the health of the Bay.

So, when 2024 breeding performance results released by the College of William & Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) showed that osprey chicks continue to starve in their nests in portions of the Bay where they typically depend on menhaden—a small, silvery, nutrient-packed fish—for food, the findings intensified ongoing, decades-long concerns.

 

According to a press release issued on September 13, 2024, by the CCB, osprey chicks aren’t surviving at rates that sustain the population. A survey monitored 571 osprey pairs in 12 sites in Virginia and Maryland during the nesting season (March through August). Ten study areas were located within the main stem of the Bay, where salinity exceeded 10 parts per thousand (ppt), and ospreys are highly dependent on menhaden. Two additional study areas (used for comparison) were located on upper tributaries within tidal fresh waters, where salinity was less than 1 ppt, and ospreys feed primarily on catfish and gizzard shad.

The generally accepted reproductive rate for population maintenance is 1.15 young/pair. Breeding performance varied between the higher-salinity sites—ranging from minor, moderate, and major deficit. However, the reproductive rate within the tidal freshwater sites was 1.36 young/pair, which is above the maintenance target (surplus).

“It’s clear to researchers that ospreys are struggling due to food stress, but the starvation issue is mostly confined to the main stem of the Bay, where waters are greater than 10 ppt salinity,” says Bryan Watts, Ph.D., director of the CCB. “We do not know why menhaden have become less available to ospreys. The osprey-menhaden issue is a moving target. Some have suggested that ongoing harvest, warming waters, water quality, or other factors are impacting menhaden in the Bay. However, we do know that osprey broods [groups of chicks] are starving in their nests and that there is not enough menhaden in their diet to support sustainable reproductive rates.”

Snakehead! It's what's for dinner!

 

In addition to starvation, scientists and researchers are also observing uncharacteristic behaviors among ospreys. According to Watts, a large number of osprey pairs didn’t lay clutches during the 2024 nesting season. This is the first time that this behavior has been documented on a large scale within the Chesapeake Bay. Researchers believe that the most likely explanation is that the females didn’t reach the nutritional condition required to produce eggs.

Single-chick broods and asymmetric broods were also widespread throughout the Bay in 2024. Asymmetry develops when food coming into the nest is inadequate to feed all of the chicks—resulting in a dominance hierarchy, which allows the dominant chick to monopolize access to food. Depending on the available food supply, one or all of the chicks may starve.

For what it's worth, I'm beginning to give this hypothesis a little more credence. Ospreys have been noticeably in short supply in our neighborhood this year. I've seen them a couple of times, but usually, by this time of year, Ospreys would be hunting out in front of the beach almost constantly.  Ospreys return to the same nest every year, which suggests that one or more pairs failed to return from their winter vacations. I do wonder about the role of Bald Eagles in this matter too. Ospreys bringing food back to the nest have to run the gauntlet of hungry eagles to get to the nest. From what I've observed, about one in ten catches results in a steal from an eagle. If fish are a limiting resource, that could definitely affect the Osprey nesting success.