Watermen Want More Time to Get That Last Oyster

 Sauron's Eye, Frozen Chesapeake Bay leaves Maryland watermen struggling during peak oyster season

Many Maryland watermen have been stuck on land for weeks because parts of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries remain frozen over, leaving some oystermen out of work during peak season. Life-long waterman John Clopine said conditions have not been this bad in decades. "Us watermen can't get out and go to work and we've got bills to pay," Clopine said. "You can't pay bills"

Parts of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed are still iced over, keeping watermen like Clopine on land during commercial oyster season, which runs from October through the end of March. "The ice would sink the boat basically," Clopine said.

My marina is still totally iced in. 

Clopine and fellow Eastern Shore waterman Tyrone Meredith said they have not been able to work in weeks, missing out on critical income. "You can't make money; you can't pay bills. We're not getting any oysters to the market," Meredith said.

Last week, Maryland congressman Andy Harris asked the federal government to step in. Rep. Harris sent a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration requesting an economic fishery disaster declaration, which could open the door to emergency relief for Maryland oystermen under federal law. Harris said severe weather, reduced market access and competition left many crews able to fish only one or two days all season. NOAA has not yet announced whether it will approve that disaster request.

From UnDark, An Effort to Ease Water Pollution With Oysters Fizzled. Why?

Years ago, the state of Maryland adopted a plan to capitalize on those environmental benefits. Under the Water Quality Trading Program, established in 2018, farms, sewage and wastewater treatment plants, and stormwater treatment facilities could earn credits by implementing certain management practices that reduced nitrogen, phosphorous, or sediment loads within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. They could then sell those credits on a state-run market to companies or municipalities looking to offset their own nutrient emissions to meet permit requirements or sustainability goals. For the oyster fisheries that later began participating in the program, this meant allowing them to claim and sell credits for the nitrogen and phosphorous they extracted from the watershed with each harvest.

The idea was to create opportunities for farmers like McClarren “through market-based approaches” to take advantage of their environmental assets, in order to “unleash the full strength of markets,” said Greg Allen, a former environmental scientist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office.

But McClarren has yet to earn or sell a single nutrient credit on the state market. And he is not alone.

According to a registry maintained by Maryland’s Department of the Environment, there have been just three trades involving oyster aquaculture over the program’s lifetime, and none since June 2020. Oyster farmers have been slow to participate, and would-be buyers of nutrient credits even slower. The vast majority of nitrogen and phosphorous credits generated through oyster farming have languished on the market unpurchased.
. . .
Allen attributed the disappointing performance to a shortfall of demand to buy credits. Indeed, roughly 90 percent of the nutrient reduction credits certified through the program have languished on the market without a buyer, according to the state registry.

Ya gotta have someone to buy the product.

Beach Report 2/10/26

The temperature actually broke freezing today, up to 33 F! That, and winds that were not too onerous, only about 7 kts from the east, encouraged us to actually try a walk on the beach.

The tide was stupidly high, well above astronomical high tide, and the beach was littered with big chunks of ice, but a least the floating ice out many yards was finally gone, and there was even a little bit of beach exposed. 

I even managed 3 shark's teeth, the best of which was this Snaggletooth lower.  These are the first teeth since the storm on Jan. 25.

Flotsam and Jetsam - WaPoo Openly Worries About Hot Trump Economy

From Fox, Treasury secretary predicts blockbuster 2026 for US economy as Dow hits historic milestone, "Bessent says cooling inflation, record stock gains signal a recovery is headed for American wallets." Meanwhile, the WaPoo complains Trump wants to run the economy hot, as midterm elections approach, thereby showing progressives would rather kill the economy to save the party. Cathy Salgado at PJM, Trump White House Touts Wins as Dems Gripe and Moan. At ET, TrumpRx: How to Access Discounted Drug Prices on the Platform "The website launched on Feb. 5 with more than 40 prescription drugs on the platform."

Sundance at CTH reports President Trump Threatens Blockade of Almost Completed Michigan-Ontario Bridge, just to piss them off, I suspect. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair hears from Iran: How About We Dilute Our Enriched Uranium For A New JCPOA? From News Wax Trump Signs Order Threatening Tariffs on Nations Doing Business With Iran. Laughing Wolf has some Iran Thoughts: "I have suspicions as to what has been going on, and I truly hope that Qatar does not have its hooks into certain members of the administration. Sadly, there is a lot of damage done right now regardless of the source. A promise was made, a red line set, and nothing done when the mullahs gleefully crossed it. There is still time, but a lot of damage has been done and it will take more than words to undo it." Hat Hair's John Sexton is predicting Communist Cuba's Last Year. I hope so. From Ace, Japan's "Ultra-Right-Wing" Extremist PM Wins a Shockingly Large Victory By Running on Promise to Seriously Restrict Immigration to the Island Nation. "NPR is of course very sad and rushes to soothe its meltbrain medicated AWFUL readers about all the way this crushing victory could turn in a huge disaster!"

PJM's Matt Margolis hears Nicki Minaj Fans Are Flipping Republican. Should Democrats Be Afraid?

Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, " BREAKING: Files confirm Donald Trump BLEW THE WHISTLE on Jeffrey Epstein's disgusting activities in a 2006 phone call with the police, "TRUMP was one of the very first people to call." Trump said Ghislaine Maxwell is "evil" and "focus on her" Democrats are SPEECHLESS." According to Matt Margolis at PJM, The Epstein Cover-Up Just Got So Much Worse. Capt. Ed believes the FBI: Epstein Didn't Run a Sex-Trafficking Ring for the Powerful, just an influencing op. Ace, FBI: Jeffrey Epstein Was a Child Sex Abuser But He Wasn't Running a Pedophile Sex Ring for the World's Rich and Famous. "He certainly does seem to have made young women available for the use of his pedophile pals. But this seems to have been a matter of ingratiation and favor-banking rather than a quid pro quo with billionaires paying Ghislaine Maxwell at the till before passing the turnstile and entering Pedo Island." Dinesh D'Souza @DineshDSouza, "Isn’t it interesting that your newspaper is reporting this now, decades after the fact? Are you guys so incompetent you couldn’t trace this connection earlier? Or were you covering up for the Clintons all that time?" Quote Peter Baker @peterbakernyt, "Ghislaine Maxwell played a substantial role in supporting the creation of the Clinton Global Initiative, one of Bill Clinton’s signature post-White House endeavors, documents show. " At Am Mind, Hillary Clinton’s Failure of Empathy. Power Line's John Hinderacker on The Vapidity of Jeffrey Epstein’s Friends. At Fox, Ghislaine Maxwell told lawmakers Trump, Clinton 'innocent of any wrongdoing' regarding Epstein, "Maxwell appeared virtually before the committee on Monday morning." Capt. Ed interpretes, Ghislaine to Trump: Pardon Me And I'll Clear You. Sabine Hossenfelder on YouTube explains why I'm in the "Epstein files." Here is the story.

Dave Manney at PJM, The Man Who Always Has Proof Tomorrow: Adam Schiff Cries Election Fraud Again. Scott McLallen at TownHall hears Jeffries Calls Citizenship Proof ‘Voter Suppression’ As Majority of Americans Back Voter ID. At Culturcidal by John Hawkins So Much of Liberalism Really is Them Pretending Not to Understand Things, like voter fraud and ID. PJM's Stephen Kruiser fears Dems' Election Fraud Fetish Will Be What Ends America. Jen Van Laar at RedState says Yes, a Pakistani Citizen, Living in Pakistan, Voted in CA's 2020 Election: Here's the Rest of the Story. 

From Cathy Salgado, Chicago Mayor Confesses to 30 Percent Drop in Homicides After Trump Crackdown.

At Fox, JONATHAN TURLEY reveals Grandstanding Newsom will stop at nothing to ride the rails to glory in 2028. "California governor uses diesel freight train on conventional track to create appearance of progress on high-speed rail boondoggle." Hat Hair's Dave Strom thinks California Has Become Uninvestable. Mike Netter @nettermike, "Valero just paid a $1.1 billion breakup fee to leave California. When a company is willing to absorb a billion-dollar write-down just to exit a market, that’s not a routine business decision. It’s a signal that the operating environment no longer works. Valero is shutting down its Benicia refinery by April 2026 rather than continue operating under California’s current regulatory and economic framework." Hat Hair's John Sexton hears Karen Bass Faces Last Minute Challenge from Former Supporter, but she's probably not much improvement. At NYPo Michael Goodwin claims The Democratic Party we once knew is dead and Rich Lowry sees Virginia Democrats aim to ‘protect’ democracy — by screwing voters.

Mary Chastain at LI, Judge Grants Preliminary Injunction to Pause California Law Banning Masks on ICE Agent. "Snyder denied to issue a preliminary injunction to stop the No Vigilantes Act." Cathy Salgado, Judge Stops California From Un-Masking ICE Agents Amid Increased Dem Violence. Capt. Ed, Fifth Circuit Lowers Boom On Dems Over Immigration. Ace, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Overrules Lawless Lowly District Court Judges, Rules that Illegal Aliens May Be Held Without Bond While They Fight Their Deportation Orders. From Da Blaze, Mamdani cites the Quran and quotes Muhammed while announcing order to protect illegal aliens from ICE.

John Sexton reports ICE is Still Operating in Minneapolis and Local Activists Aren't Happy. Matt Vespa sees Some Guy Wanted to Test Something at an Anti-ICE Rally. Their Reaction Says It All, sheeple. Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "BREAKING: Random Americans have begun to siphon away the paid anti-ICE protestors' goods in Minnesota — pretending they're anti-ICE but then enjoying the snacks and leaving "Just to piss him off" More of this! Use it all up!" John Hinderacker sees More Dildos at anti-ICE "protests." Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "Anti-ICE activists in Minneapolis are now sticking dildos to their own heads to protest against arresting criminal illegal aliens. They're also throwing the dildos at federal agents and assaulting federal vehicles." Dickheads. From Fox, Far-left group with foreign ties undermining US under guise of protest, report warns. "House Ways and Means Committee set to investigate alleged 'malign foreign influence' in US nonprofits in Tuesday hearing." Kurt Schlichter @KurtSchlichter, "I’m stunned" Quote Chris @chriswithans "Wow, in the most shocking turn of events imaginable, the so-called Real Conservatives at the National Review are coming out against deportations. Who could've seen this coming. What a surprise. But thEy aRe aLl thE rEaL coNseRvaTivEs?"

At the Wash Stand, regarding Don Lemon, Neither Law nor Common Sense Gives Journalists a ‘Get-out-of-Jail Free’ Card in News Reporting.

Dave Strom sees CBS News Tries to Parse What Kind of Crimes Should Lead to Deportation, and it Is Bizarre. @LeighWolf, "There’s a reason they never link to the article or full videos. “His criminal history includes domestic assault, criminal trespass, reckless conduct, deposit account fraud, violation of probation, multiple arrests for driving on a suspended license.” "In 2014, an immigration judge ordered him removed after he failed to show up for his immigration hearing.” You have to wonder what, precisely, democrats are so desperate to protect that they would lie in such a comically absurd manner." Quote Congressman Seth Magaziner @Rep_Magaziner, "They are still deporting veterans." Twitchy sees Bill Melugin FINISHES the Dem/Media's Desperate and Dishonest 'Non-Violent Illegal' Spin. Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_, "None of Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, & Rachel Morin’s illegal alien killers had any “violent” criminal history beforehand." Quote CBS News @CBSNews, "DHS data show 14% of immigrants arrested by ICE in the past year had been charged or convicted of violent crimes."

Bonchie at RedState, That Tulsi Gabbard 'Whistleblower' Story Just Completely Fell Apart. From Sundance, DNI General Counsel Sets Record Straight – NSA Whistleblower Claims are Baseless and NSA “Whistleblower” Attorney Andrew Bakaj Appears on Video Making False Claim About “Underlying Intercept” and explains Why is the Deep State Targeting DNI Tulsi Gabbard with Such Ferocity? Svetlana Lokhova @RealSLokhova, "The @guardian are now dissembling because in their attempted hit on @TulsiGabbard, they relied on the word of the CIA operative "lawyer" Andrew Bakaj, who worked for Hillary and Schumer on the Hill and represented the Vindmans in the fake Ukraine impeachment. Bakaj has now walked back the whole story. The British intelligence-ran Guardian are now having to "correct" i.e. retract." InfantryDort @infantrydort. "Tulsi Gabbard must be so close to the target it’s not even funny. The amount of heat on her and her team is being revved up to unforeseen levels. BS hit pieces to be sure. But they smear who they fear. And filth media is going hard in the paint right now." Quote Alexa Henning @alexahenning "Your story is false. This headline is not accurate. Your leaker lied to you. And you ignored our requests to give us time to get you accurate information and published your story before we could respond. You are a total loser being used by your sources (likely Congress) to leak highly classified information." Quote Cate Brown @catebrown12 "SCOOP: The NSA detected a phone call between foreign intelligence and a person close to Trump last spring. Whistleblower says that @DNIGabbard blocked agency from sharing report and delivered it to White House chief of staff." Ace, Left-Wing "Scoop" That Tulsi Gabbard Was on a Secret, Traitorous Phone Call with a Foreign Person Blows Up Within Hours, Exposed As Another Schiffian Hoax. "The "story" was broken by Cate Brown -- formerly of the Washington Post. She's a Deep State operator programmed by her masters to take out Tulsi Gabbard." Bob Hoge at RedState, Tulsi Gabbard Comes Out Swinging Against Mark Warner, Says Senator's Whistleblower Tale Is 'Blatant Lie'.

Josh Blackmun at The Volokh Conspiracy reads history, Seven Pages Of Nixon Grand Jury Testimony Reveal The Real Threat Of the Deep State.

Matt Margolis hears The Trump Administration FINALLY Tells Boasberg to Pound Sand “The Trump administration will not comply with a court order requiring due process for hundreds of Venezuelan migrants deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador last year, DOJ lawyers said,” reports Fox News Digital. “It sets up a heated clash in court next week in a case that is almost certainly headed back to the Supreme Court.” ET sees Federal Judge Order Transportation Department to Restore Hudson Tunnel Project Funding "The two states were challenging funding cuts tied to federal scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion contracting rules." End Wokeness @EndWokeness, "Judge: He's just a hurt black man Suspect: I would do it again, b*tch." Quote End Wokeness @EndWokeness, "BREAKING: Judge Tracy Davis cuts in half a 65 year recommended prison sentence for r*pist kidnapper She portrayed his as a black victim."

Dave Strom, WaPo Lionizes Adam Schiff as a Democratic Leader in the Age of Trump. Elon Musk @elonmusk, "CBS (prior to current ownership) engaged in deliberate election interference." Quote Stand Up For Trump @StandUpForTrmp, "BREAKING: In a bombshell revelation, CBS investigative journalist Catherine Herridge has gone public with explosive allegations: "CBS executives deliberately buried the 'Hunter Biden laptop story' and ordered her to wait until AFTER the 2022 midterms to help the Democratic Party . . ." alexandriabrown @alexthechick, "The use of seize to refer to election results reveals the assumption that there is something illegitimate about parties on the right winning elections." Quote Sky News @SkyNews, "BREAKING: Japan's ultra-conservative prime minister is set to seize more power after an exit poll had her securing a big majority in the country's lower house." "Readers added context: Wording is misleading. « Seizing » power is commonly used for forcefully taking power. The Prime minister is set to gain more power after wining the vast majority in an election." Matt Vespa thinks Why This Former CNN Reporter Saying He'd Fire Scott Jennings Is Amusing. Joe Concha @JoeConchaTV, "Legacy media: “The First Amendment is under attack!” @acosta: Let’s fire people our team disagrees with! Irony- all three people on this stage found a way to get fired from CNN and MSNBC…" Quote Western Lensman @WesternLensman "Jim Acosta tells Mehdi Hassan and Joy Reid: "If @ScottJenningsKY worked for me, I'd fire his ass."

At TownHall, Joe Chalfant laughs at WaPo Claims That Bad Bunny's Profane Performance Represented 'Wholesome Family Values', Amy Curtis wonders how John Kasich Called Bad Bunny's Show a Celebration of Latino Culture. Did He Read Some of the Lyrics? and Matt Vespa wants you to Notice Where This Ex-ESPN Reporter's Attempt to Mock Conservatives Over Bad Bunny Laughably Derailed. Bob Salera @BobSalera, "The last, and funniest, stage of Trump Derangement Syndrome: being forced to pretend you like Bad Bunny as a 73 year old white guy." Quote John Kasich @JohnKasich "Love the halftime show which celebrates the wonderful Latino culture. Great pick and great show. Bad Bunny hit a grand slam home run!" In at Hat Hair video Larry sees Joe Scarborough Melt Down As Americans Tune Out Woke Super Bowl Halftime Show.

From the College Fix, UMN professor allegedly conducted ‘ICE drill’ in class, had students shield ‘targeted’ peers: report. Campus Reform reports the U.S. Justice Department joins lawsuit against UCLA medical school over use of race-based admissions, "The U.S. Department of Justice has joined a lawsuit against UCLA’s medical school over the alleged use of racial discrimination in application processes."

Matt Margolis sees We Finally Have a Trans Athlete Whom the Media Isn’t Gushing Over. "You may or may not have heard about Elis Lundholm, a 23-year-old Swedish mogul skier. There's a reason for that. Lundholm is the first and only openly trans athlete competing at these Winter Games, but outside of a handful of puff pieces, the mainstream media seems to want nothing to do with this story. Why? Because it exposes every contradiction and shred of hypocrisy baked into their gender ideology crusade. Lundholm is a biological female who "identifies" as a man but is competing in the women's category at the Milan-Cortina Games." At UnDivided, Teen athlete says she was sexually violated by trans wrestler – and the school district did nothing "Checking the oil." Now that's a euphemism to remember! At Ace's THE MORNING RANT Buck Throckmorton sees Trans-Children Advocates Are Back-Tracking to Salvage Their Reputations as Lawsuits and a Preference Cascade Bring the Butchery to an End. 

Kurt Schlichter at TownHall warns Men Are Going to Strike Back

White Liberal Woman smacks coffee out of a guy’s hands because she believes he is an ICE officer. pic.twitter.com/GX6UbQjpj9

— Red Line News (@RedLineNewsUSA) February 2, 2026

A Tuesday Tune - Interceptor

Becky Baldwin:

Proud endorser of D’Addario Strings, Neural DSP modelers, Darkglass Amps, Seymour Duncan Pickups, Richter Straps and Alperious Pickguards.

Becky Baldwin is one of the UK’s busiest rock bassists, currently working with legendary Danish heavy metal band Mercyful Fate, Birmingham based hard rock/metal band Fury and hip hop / nu metal artist Delilah Bon. She is also known for her work with multiple previous rock and metal bands, including grunge/alt rock band Hands off Gretel between 2018-2021, before the band went on hiatus.

Maryland, My Maryland

From the Free Bacon, ‘We’re Not Criminalizing the Unhoused’: How a Homeless Encampment and Drug Dealers Are Destroying a Local Condominium Complex and Turning Its Residents’ Lives Upside Down

The sign outside the Marylander Condominiums, a 200-unit complex in Prince George’s County, Md., describes it as a "private community."

But for members of a homeless encampment in the condo’s backyard, the complex also serves as a crackhouse, a bathroom, and the entrance to an open-air drug market, which has become a magnet for organized crime and caused millions in property damage.

Transients break into buildings and smoke crack in the stairwells. Tenants traversing the property must navigate needles, feces, and sleeping bodies as addicts nap half-naked in the hallways and sprawl themselves like welcome mats outside residents’ doors.

Half of the complex has gone without heat since Thanksgiving after vagrants allegedly vandalized the boiler room, causing pipes to burst in several buildings. Some units have lost electricity, too, due to the overuse of space heaters. Though the county instructed those without heat to "vacate immediately" in December, most have defied the order and tried to weather the cold. They say they have nowhere else to go. . . .

Long and short?  "Prince George’s County, Md, is going to court to evict legal residents over damage allegedly caused by the camp."

Flotsam and Jetsam - Lindsey Vonn Crashes Out

The most conspicuous news of the day was American skier, gold medal winner 41 year old Lindsey Vonn crashed out of her attempt to win the women's downhill race at the Milan/Cortina Olympics, and had to be airlifted out. Reports are she needed emergency surgery. I was on a bathroom break during Lindsey's run and missed it live, but suspect it will be rerun many times. It's quite likely an unfortunate end to a long, successful athletic carrier, but plagued with injuries. The event was eventually won by fellow American skier Breezy Johnson. David Manney at PJM on Lindsey Vonn’s Crash and the Brutal Truth About Olympic Risk. "Mountains don't care about medals or legacy; they respond only with gravity, speed, and error." A YouTube of the crash is on the post. Althouse on the trivial, Aging is sad in a new way now.

Hoy, Lindsey Vonn compite en sus quintos JJOO.

📷 Foto ficha olímpica Turín 2006 (21 años)
📷 Foto ficha olímpica Milán-Cortina 2026 (41 años) pic.twitter.com/jQotPOJrsa

— David Orenes (@david_lrl) February 8, 2026

Breezy Johnson

So, yeah, she grew up. Kids do that. Modelling became part of her life. Changed her hair color, had professional makeup, maybe even had some "work" done, (I mean other than all her leg surgery). Her face looks thinner, but then I am reminded of Catherine Deneuve's famous quote: "At a certain age, you have to choose between your face and your ass." I don't think competitive downhill skiers have much choice. Many are criticizing Lindsey for taking the spot on the Olympic team and even making the run after an ACL injury a few days before. Not I. Ultimately the Olympics are about individual accomplishment. She won her spot on the team fairly, and was trying her best when she failed. You can't ask more. At Breitbart, Team USA Olympic Skiers ‘Heartbroken,’ Say They Don’t Represent ICE Operations by Wearing American Flag “I feel heartbroken about what’s happened in the United States ….. I’m pretty sure you’re referencing ICE, and some of the protests and things like that,” Lillis stated." As some TV pundit pointed out last night, reporters didn't run around asking athletes if they supported the US during the Biden, Obama or Clinton administrations. Stupid politics from someone who has spent their whole life running down mountains is to be expected. 

Oh, and I guess there was an important football game last night.

Sundance at CTH hosts President Trump's Superbowl Day Interview and Sunday Talks – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Discusses Trump Economic Plan and Growth Forecast. At Am Con, Trump Didn’t Destroy the ‘Rules-Based International Order’ "It was always a fraud." Nick Ballasy at JTN reports House Intel chairman warns China may be setting up illicit biolabs in U.S. to seed next pandemic. “Why would you have some illicit labs set up in an Airbnb, except for, maybe, you’re trying to create some sort of, you know, patient zero scenario, that you might infect someone, that you might create another COVID-like scenario." At TownHall, Scott McLallen notices TrumpRx Triggers TDS in Elizabeth Warren.

Mike Benz @MikeBenzCyber, "Wow. The Epstein Files just took down the architect of CCDH! The censorship self-described “black ops” firm whose self-described mission was to “Kill Musk’s Twitter.” Thank you" @RepThomasMassie! Quote Paul D. Thacker @thackerpd, "Goodbye, Morgan McSweeney, founder of the censorship NGO, Center for Countering Digital Hate."

The woman on the right is Ghislaine Maxwell. She trafficked children for Jeffrey Epstein. The woman on the left owns your magazine. https://t.co/rNWc7gcnj4 pic.twitter.com/dl7V7E6km7

— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) July 20, 2025

From Twitchy, Whoa, His Eyes Get BIGGER? Adam Schiff's Reaction to ABC's Jon Karl Pushing Him on Voter ID Is HILARIOUS. Western Lensman @WesternLensman, "Karl: What about requiring a photo ID to vote. Are you in favor of that? Schiff: The SAVE Act is a voter suppression law. Karl: But 71% of Democrats favor requiring photo ID. Is that something that you can support? And if not, why not? Schiff: This is another way to suppress the vote. Translation: We’re going to ignore the wishes of our own voters who don’t understand that more secure elections will destroy our party." Ian Jaeger @IanJaeger29, "BREAKING: Democratic Senator John Fetterman joins the Republicans and comes out in favor of requiring an ID to vote in every election across the country. “I do not believe that it’s unreasonable to show an ID to vote.” Fetterman is right once again."

At NYPo, Bjorn Lomberg observes Reality is finally crashing New York’s utopian green-energy party "Facing a court-imposed Friday deadline, New York has effectively conceded that its green goals would pose “costs consumers simply cannot bear.”"

Buzz Patterson @BuzzPatterson, "This is absolutely delicious! Karen Bass is suing Gavin Newsom over the Palisades Fire. They’re eating their own!" Quote Jeremy Padawer @JeremyCom, "The City of Los Angeles is now suing the State of California. And they called the fire victims “opportunists,” “profiteers,” and “conspiracy theorists.”"

Lawsplainer Shipwreckedcrew sees An Earthquake Ruling From The Fifth Circuit Court Of Appeals On An Important Immigration Issue -- Detention of Aliens Without Bond Is Lawful. "Thousands of illegal aliens have been ordered released on bond by federal judges based on.established practice of almost 30 years -- but the Fifth Circuit holds that is not required by the statute." CIS is Going Back to the Past to Explain ‘Administrative Warrants’, Immigration Enforcement, "The Fourth and Fifth Amendments, and an administrative arrest and removal process that provides greater constitutional protection than opponents appear to appreciate." Commonplace on The High Cost of Immigrant Welfare. "There’s a bigger story behind the Minnesota fraud scandal." At Hat Hair, Larry Elder compares Mass Deportation: Who Was More 'Inhumane' -- Obama or Trump?

From WJ, Tom Homan Reveals How Many Anti-ICE Agitators Have Been Arrested: Many Are Paying the Price "Border czar Tom Homan told reporters that over 150 people had been arrested for trying to thwart United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers." Not enough yet. Campus Reform reports University of Minnesota arrests 67 at hotel protest, leftist student group slams school. Vicky Taft at PJM, Out of Control: Leftist Shoots Right-Wing Livestreamers in Portland in Drive-By Attack Near ICE HQ, with a BB gun. It would be funny if they fired back with a deer rifle. TownHall's Matt Vespa, Wait, That's Why Dems Are Scared About ICE Agents Wearing Body Cams R A W S A L E R T S @rawsalerts, "#BREAKING: Democrats are expressing concerns and fear that body cameras could be ICE's new Mass Surveillance tool and could infringe on the privacy rights of protesters." Steve Guest @SteveGuest, "HAHAHAHAHAHA. Democrats now oppose body cameras on law enforcement." Quote POLITICO @politico "Democrats fear body cameras could be ICE’s new mass surveillance tool." At Front Page, Dems Decide ICE Body Cams Are Bad. "ICE body cameras are a means of capturing evidence of their crimes." So they want them on during ICE arrests, but off during demonstrations. From Shooting News Week, Life in Chicago: While the Mayor Attacks ICE Agents, Gangs Shoot Up Their Rivals in Broad Daylight. Don Surber reports hilarity, White saviors are flinging dildos in ICE capades "Zak X mimics anti-ICE neighborhood patrols by sounding alarms that draw crowds, then reveals himself and mocks them for responding. His videos, amplified since early February 2026, have gained millions of views amid Operation Metro Surge, where ICE targets criminal noncitizens in the area. While right-leaning accounts praise the stunt as clever distraction from real raids, critics call it dangerous provocation in a tense city scarred by the fatal shooting of two watchers in January. Wall Street Apes tweeted, “This is hilarious. An American went to a location where he saw a member of the Minneapolis ICE Watch. He brought his own whistle. “He blows it and waits for all the ICE Watch activists to come running to waste their time. This is gold. You blow that whistle and next thing ya know you’re surrounded by retards. . . .Competing Antifa groups are slinging dildos at one another." Amanda Stulman at LI sees a Texas Lawmaker Go Mask Off: Non-Whites Can “Take Over This Country”
Gene Wu, member of the Texas House of Representatives, encouraged select racial groups to engage in an intersectional struggle against their shared “oppressor.” Stu Smith at CJ worries about An Anti-ICE Movement Increasingly Run by Revolutionaries. "The Freedom Road Socialist Organization and allies have played a key role in opposing immigration enforcement."

Driscoll has a Driscolly post at Insty, starting with PEGGY NOONAN: "A Lament for the Washington Post." Mary Katharine Ham @mkhammer, "The moment was Covid. It happened. Almost every journalist in the nation failed to relay reliable information, instead succumbing to panic and the widest-spread daily curtailment of civil liberties in my lifetime. The rare figures who didn't were silenced or stifled or removed." Quote Lulu NYT @LuluGNavarro "Every single word of this fantastic column by @Peggynoonannyc ‘I fear sometimes that few people really care about journalism, but we are dead without it. Someday something bad will happen, something terrible on a national scale, and the thing we’ll need most, literally to survive, is information. Reliable information—a way to get it, and then to get it to the public. That is what journalism is, getting the information." Stephen L. Miller @redsteeze, "And then every major journalistic institution said it was OK to go out and protest two minutes after telling us if we're outside together we're all going to die. That was it." Sundance The IC Nut is Cracking – Washington Post CEO, Will Lewis Quits. Gray Connolly @GrayConnolly, "Hang this WaPo in the Louvre." Insty sez BEZOS HASN’T GUTTED THE POST ENOUGH YET: "Colin Kaepernick Washington Post story on Super Bowl Sunday draws social media backlash. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was top of mind for The Washington Post ahead of Super Bowl LX on Sunday. . . ." Sauron's Eye whines Atlanta Journal-Constitution to lay off about 50 employees as it restructures for growth. "Restructures for growth," that's a nice euphemism. I hope they appreciate it. Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley, "It is hard to say when the NY Times hit rock bottom, but this may be the conclusive landing spot." " NY Times columnist Jamelle Bouie joked how Vance's mother should have sold him to feed her drug addiction. She recently celebrated 10 years of sobriety..." Fox is outrage when a NYT columnist says JD Vance should have been sold by his mother for drugs. "The vice president celebrated his mother's 10th year of sobriety in April" . Betsy Stauffer at LI hears a CNN Political Analyst Calls for ‘Fumigation’ to ‘Surgically Remove the Cancer’ of MAGA. “Joe Biden was … supposed to be a bridge or a palette cleanser. Or somebody who morally and ethically was antithetical to who Donald Trump was.” Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius, "This is the shortest and most precise explanation for the downfall of journalism that I have seen thus far." Quote Kurt Schlichter @KurtSchlichter, "I have yet to see a single journalist publicly wonder what role journalists themselves played in the decline of journalism. x.com/JoshKraushaar/…"

From the College Fix, Arkansas State U. protesters want ‘accountability’ following alleged racist incidents "Want a ‘commitment’ administrators ‘will not use the First Amendment to defend ‘derogatory’ speech.’" It's a good bet the incidents are hoaxes. They usually are. Rob Henderson @robkhenderson. "My latest for @thetimes "Many educated elites have long excused rule-breaking among people in more disadvantaged communities, arguing that the system is stacked against them...Now, bizarrely, they are extending that same moral leniency to themselves."

At Spiked, Trans surgery is medical malpractice, "Fox Varian’s successful lawsuit against the doctors who removed her breasts needs to be a turning point." AMAC predicts The Transgender Industrial Complex Is Collapsing Josh Hammer at Hat Hair wonders Is This the End of Transgender Hysteria? It may be premature; from Da Caller, Infamous School Board Trains Staff To Fight ‘Terrorist’ Parents Angry About Trans Bathroom Policy, Loudoun County, VA, over the river and through the woods.

Among Jen Van Laar's RedState HOT TAKES: Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance Was a Middle Finger to America. I didn't watch it; did you? At the Mix, Chris Pratt Defies Hollywood To Praise Military Veterans.

The Monday Morning Stimulus

With some help from Victoria Vesce:

From Science Alert, Caffeine in Your Blood Might Affect Body Fat And Diabetes Risk, Study Shows

"Genetically predicted higher plasma caffeine concentrations were associated with lower BMI and whole body fat mass," the researchers wrote in their paper, published in March 2023.

"Furthermore, genetically predicted higher plasma caffeine concentrations were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Approximately half of the effect of caffeine on type 2 diabetes liability was estimated to be mediated through BMI reduction."

Super Bowl LX

My prediction, Seattle by 3 in overtime. Not because I have any special insight or particularly care about either team, but because it seems to me, more and more games are being decided in the last few seconds by a field goal in the last few seconds. It's beginning to smell a bit like professional wrestling.

UPDATE: I was wrong. Super Bowl 2026 live updates: Seahawks defeat Patriots 29-13.

If Only

WUWT, Climate Scientist Who Predicted End Of “Heavy Frost and Snow” Now Refuses Media Inquiries

More than two decades ago, renowned climate scientist Mojib Latif of Germany’s Max Planck Instiute for Meterology, based in Hamburg, warned the climate-ambulance chasing Der Spiegel that, due to global warming, Germany would likely no longer experience harsh winters with heavy frost and snow as it had in previous decades.

Spiegel reported climate scientist’s prediction of harsh winters disappearing due to man’s activities.

In light of the current severe winter weather in Germany, Latif’s statements are facing renewed scrutiny. An article appearing in the Berliner Zeitung here notes that Latif’s prophecy has “aged poorly” and he appears to want to have nothing to do with them.

 

According to the Berliner Zeitung, the former Max Planck Institute scientist has recently stopped responding to media inquiries regarding his past claims. Critics argue that such drastic predictions damage the credibility of climate science, while others point out that extreme weather events—including intense cold snaps—can still occur within the broader context of climate change.

Latif also claimed he recalled snow in the past occurring at Easter time, implying this no longer happens today. But that too was a false claim. perhaps prof. Latif will answer phone calls in April?

We still have plenty of "snowcrete" on the ground after the storm on Jan. 25, since only a few days since then has the temperature ventured above freezing, and then, only for an hour or so. This makes it a remarkably cold winter by Slower Maryland standards.

Random Celebrity News

For the usual values of random, celebrity and news. First, at Breitbart, Former Gymnast Slams ACLU Trans Ad with Megan Rapinoe: ‘Sports Are Not About Inclusion’

Former gymnast Jennifer Sey rebuked the ACLU and Megan Rapinoe after the organization posted a video supporting delusional males who believe they have a right to women’s sports and spaces. . . .Sey, who is a USA National artistic gymnastics champion and the founder of XX-XY Athletics, an activewear company that advocates for protecting women’s sports and spaces, told Fox News Digital the video made her “so angry.”

“Sports aren’t about any of those things. Sports are about competition. Sports are not about inclusion. Not everybody makes the team,” Sey told the outlet. “Sports are competing and striving to get better, and it’s about self-reliance and picking yourself up when you fall down. They’re not about freedom. There’s rules in sports. Three strikes and you’re out,” she added. “There’s rules across every single sport. So I don’t know what these people are talking about, and to make it about this idea that sports aren’t about competition.”

Sey went on to say that males have biological advantages over women that are greater than performance-enhancing drugs, and said she believes Rapinoe would have wanted a fair playing field during her soccer career.  “Megan Rapinoe has to be one of the most competitive women on the planet. She was on Olympic teams and World Cup teams. She’s one of the most famous soccer players ever. She’s full of it. It just makes me angry, and she’s pulling up the ladder behind her,” Sey said. “And I’m sure she would not have tolerated a single player taking performance-enhancing drugs because that provides an unfair advantage.”

At Althouse,  That can't feel good. Attention gained, mission accomplished.

"Her custom negligee dress and matching cape were crafted in silk georgette in a deep red garnet. But once Roan removed the cape, the result was a naked dress that seemingly exposed her breasts, with the silk georgette suspended by nipple rings."

I'm reading "Chappell Roan’s Naked Dress at Grammys Shocks Social Media/The double Grammy nominee created what was arguably the night's first viral moment when she turned up in a sheer look by Mugler" (Hollywood Reporter).

Congratulations on getting attention. It's quite a look, and it kind of looks good. But I'm just worried about that kind of weight suspended from pierced nipples. You're treating your breasts like hooks on the back of a bathroom door, things to hang clothing on.

Here's a closeup (on X) that highlights the pulling. It's not just an illusion that the whole bottom of the dress is hanging from those nipple rings. You can see the distortion from the weight. You can see the risk of injury. The viewer is drawn into the experience of pain and danger. Who is that for?

PJM's Mike Cantrell hears Nicki Minaj Calls Out Christian Voters Supporting Democrats After Minnesota Church Chaos

In a post on X following the Grammys, Minaj wrote, “Any Christian who votes democrat again is a fool. They’re showing people that it’s ok to disrupt a church during worship. This is how they truly feel about you. The veil is lifted. No morals. No integrity. It’s not enough for them to have an opinion, they’ve escalated to physical intrusion of places of worship. The demons inside of them are so bothered. All the time.” 

Grammy host Trevor Noah — perhaps one of the least funny people in Hollywood, even worse than Stephen Colbert — took shots at Minaj and her recent expression of admiration for President Donald Trump. Keep in mind, Noah left hosting Comedy Central’s Daily Show after the program lost 75% of its viewership.

“Nicki Minaj is not here,” Noah said during the broadcast. “She is still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing very important issues.” Queer artist and actor Billy Porter also slammed Minaj during a red-carpet interview, bluntly saying, “f**k her.”

Minaj, much like the president, does not sit back on her haunches when critics unfairly target and attack her. Much to the chagrin of the left, she punches back — hard. The rapper tore into Noah, referring to him as a closeted gay man and saying, “Trevor refuses to come out the closet when everyone in the industry knows his boyfriend. Allegedly.” 

Insty, I ALREADY LOVE HER, YOU DON’T HAVE TO KEEP SELLING ME:

 

Flotsam and Jetsam - Super Olympic DIY Edition

I'm not sure what it is, but the news doesn't seem very cohesive today. Maybe it's the Olympics and the Super Bowl distracting people. But whatever it is, I'm not feeling it either:

Trump and the Republicans

Trump Had an Epic Response Regarding the Video Showing the Obamas as Monkeys
Founder member of Time's Up movement advised Jeffery Epstein before launching organization
Lyndon LaRouche Team Very Excited About Epstein File Release Creating Chaos in British Circles - The Last Refuge
wretchardthecat on X: "The background of this whole British drama is depicting New Labour and everything that went with it as the moral downfall of the British left. https://t.co/tyisW9qH38"
Althouse: "Is it inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women carrying a surfboard for my 15 yr old sons wallpaper?"
Europe Furious as U.S. Subsidy Ends - President Trump's Demand for Lower Rx Prices Means Immediate European Price Increases - The Last Refuge
Project Vault: Strategic Reserve is Next Step in U.S. Shift to Self‑Reliance in Critical Minerals
‘There'll Be Consequences’: Trump WH Warns Defense Contractors - RealClearPolitics
The Road to Pax Americana Runs Through Congress - The American Mind
Oilfield Rando on X: "David French went to a protest where they were celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk and yet he still has the audacity to morality-police the right."
Kurt Schlichter on X: "She’s not just a bad lawyer. She’s a freaking idiot. Understand why they do this – by pretending to be resisting some sort of all encompassing evil, it makes them the heroine in the young adult novel that is their life. She’s ridiculous. All of them are ridiculous."
Another Shutdown Looms & The AMA Caves On Gender Surgery – HotAir
Ernst Wants to Make It Easier to Sell Off Unused Federal Buildings
Midterm Palpitations - American Greatness
Trump Officials Have Been Working Hard to Alienate a Critical Core Constituency They’ll Need in November - Gun Owners - Shooting News Weekly
Ohio man charged with threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance and possessing child abuse files
Cynical Publius on X: "RE: Vance Getting Booed at the Winter Olympics So a bunch of Eurotards from Europe’s fashion capital booed our Vice President and Second Lady at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Democrats, of course, are thrilled by this because they too hate America. I, of course, could"

The Disloyal Opposition

Jim Hanson on X: "When even Joe Scarborough is forced to acknowledge it You know you knocked it out of the park. @Heminator dissects the diseased carcass of once-great Portland."
Instapundit - IT’S COME TO THIS: Somalis sign up for IDs, voter cards, but not all are sold on universal suffrage
The Babylon Bee on X: "Democrats Push For Death Certificates To Be Accepted As Voter ID https://t.co/2B0auATVZZ https://t.co/omBcRnvJFI" / X
Heartland Signal on X: "A Dane County (WI) judge granted a temporary restraining order for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brett Hulsey against State Sen. Cory Tomczyk (R-Mosinee) after the Republican started a physical altercation last month. Here's Hulsey's video of Tomczyk shoving him. https://t.co/pqiIAfMPCj"
Why America's women are flirting with political violence
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues – HotAir

Immigration Legal or Not

Hundreds Of Truckers Taken Off Road For English Proficiency Concerns In Nationwide OperationWatch: MN Anti-ICE Crew Has a Bad Day With Police, and They're Not Very Happy With Tim Walz – RedState
Woman With Autism Testifies She Wasn’t Trying to Interfere With ICE, Which Brought Receipts – Twitchy
Kurt Schlichter on X: "I’m not sure they understand who the good guy in the gospels is."
Some LA migrant protests fueled by taxpayer-funded group with Dem ties, another with CCP linkCounty Attorney Incensed That ICE Arrested Sex Offenders Outside Court – HotAir
The Choices That We Make – HotAir
Instapundit - PAST PERFORMANCE IS NO GUARANTEE OF FUTURE POLITICO:
The Trump White House Declares War on This Little District Judge
Immigration Enforcement Makes America More Affordable

The Just Us System

Senator Mark Warner and/or His Collaborator, NSA Whistleblower Lawyer Andrew Bakaj, Enlist British Intel and UK Media to Promote Impeachment Effort Against DNI Gabbard - The Last Refuge
The Underlying NSA Intercept - Whistleblower Claims Against Tulsi Gabbard Get More Absurd in Context - The Last Refuge
InfantryDort on X: "Tulsi Gabbard must be so close to the target it’s not even funny. The amount of heat on her and her team is being revved up to unforeseen levels. BS hit pieces to be sure. But they smear who they fear. And filth media is going hard in the paint right now."
TheLastRefuge on X: "This is what happens when you stop teaching civics in high school. This is why they stopped teaching civics in high school."

Media Matters

Don Lemon Gets the First Amendment Wrong - First Things
You Can’t Go on Destroying Wealth Forever, You Know. Ultimately, There Are Consequences. - The American Spectator
Just Days After Mass Layoffs, WaPo Returns to Lying About the Trump Admin
Lying 'Journalists' Are Never Punished – HotAir

Culture and Education

Instapundit - THE POWER LINE WEEK IN PICTURES: Get Off My Land Edition.
Matt Burgess on X: "Has any dean, provost, or chair been fired (even just sent back to the faculty) over this type of explicitly illegal behavior? Has any department been put in receivership for breaking these laws serially for years? It's striking that--in the context of the past decade in"
Fourth Circuit Rejects Facial Challenge to Two Trump Anti-DEI Executive Orders
American Olympians Bash Their Own Country As Democrats and Media Gush
Girls vs. Boys – HotAir
Olympic ‘Women’s’ Boxing ‘Champion’ Imane Khelif Admits the Obvious And Conservatives Take a Victory Lap – Twitchy
Althouse: "The reaction from the student body points to a larger issue: many people my age don’t want to take the easiest path but..."
Imane Khelif Admits to Having Male Chromosomes – HotAir
Eric S. Raymond on X: "This is the face of evil. Smiling, modern, technocratic evil, talking biological warfare all wrapped up in green/therapeutic language. Recognize it. Hate it as it deserves to be hated. Destroy it."
Parents of Public School Students: Do you know what their teachers are doing with, and to them? – Calling-all-RushBabes
Instapundit - HE’S SUPER-CEREAL, YOU GUYS: Bioethicist: Government Whole Milk Push Is Racist. The noted bioethi