MDDNR Looking at Striper Bass Reset

A pretty good discussion for From Kent County News, Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Allison Colden discusses DNR's striped bass reset

Since 2019, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has implemented numerous changes to recreational and commercial fishing regulations in their efforts to improve striped bass survival rates. While these measures have helped reduce overall mortality, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation said they've created "a complex patchwork of time and area closures that can confuse anglers." According to the Foundation, the existing closures also don't necessarily align with the times when striped bass face the greatest stress from low oxygen and high water temperatures, prompting DNR to propose a "baseline reset" of recreational fishing seasons. Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Maryland Executive Director and fisheries expert Allison Colden, discusses these potential new regulations and their implications for both fish and fishermen.

What changes is DNR proposing to the striped bass fishing season?

Colden: As you can see in the charts above, Maryland DNR is proposing to reopen a few days of catch-and-release fishing in April and enforce a no-target closure for the entire month of August. The red sections of the timeline represent when water temperatures are highest and striped bass are most at risk of dying when caught.

That'll make Pete happy. Maybe he won't go to South Carolina for April like he's been threatening. 

What do anglers and the public think about the proposed changes?

Colden: Maryland DNR has solicited public feedback on the baseline reset proposal through several venues. First, to develop the proposal, DNR convened a workgroup of fishing stakeholders that provided input on how best to balance access to fishing opportunities with the need to conserve striped bass.

The proposal was then included in an update of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) coastwide striped bass management plan, which went through public hearings and an open public comment period last year. Through that process, the majority of public comments supported the baseline reset versus maintaining existing seasons.

I really haven't heard fisherman complain too much about the regs. Maybe some grumbling about the complicated system of time and area closures for the springtime. Simpler is better. Head boat charter fisherman are upset with the 1 fish limit, as it really does affect the willingness of their clientele to pay for a trip. Light tackle guys like me for the most part, don't really care if we can't take one home. 

What is the point of these adjustments if they likely won’t result in any more or fewer fish deaths?

Dr. Colden: From a technical standpoint, the baseline reset is considered “equivalent” to the current fishing seasons. Using the current models we have for striped bass, there’s no functional difference between the current season and the new proposed season, which begs the question—why make a change at all?

Well, we need to consider what we know is true for Chesapeake Bay versus the entire Atlantic coast. For example, managers assume that nine percent of striped bass die after being caught and released across all seasons, based on estimates developed for the full Atlantic coast. However, studies conducted in Maryland show that, in the summer, the mortality rate is closer to 30 to 40 percent due to the additional stress of low oxygen and high water temperatures. These hot conditions are most prevalent from mid-July to August, which is why a longer closure in August, as proposed in the reset, will likely have significant conservation benefits for the striped bass population, even if they aren’t captured by the coast wide model.

Additionally, the current fishing calendar looks like a confusing checkerboard—some days open for harvest, some catch-and-release, and some closed entirely for a few weeks at a time. DNR’s proposal would simplify that schedule immensely. This leaves less margin for error and can help improve angler compliance with fishing regulations. Our understanding about the health of the striped bass population is based on the assumption that anglers are fishing according to regulations, so ensuring the rules are clear and easy to follow is key.

 

Why are striped bass so vulnerable in the summer?

Colden: High water temperatures put a lot of stress on striped bass, and when they’re in this stressed state, additional exertion from being hooked and reeled in can just be too much to bear. Even if handled properly, striped bass are much less likely to survive being caught under hot conditions.

As mentioned above, studies indicate that 30 to 40 percent of striped bass can die when caught and released in Maryland in the summer. More specifically, according to a Maryland Department of Natural Resources study, when air temperatures are above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, about 17 percent of shallow-hooked striped bass died after being caught and released. A full August closure would help mitigate those high risks.

 

Are there concerns about expanding fishing in the spring during spawning season?

Colden: The Chesapeake Bay is where up to 90 percent of all striped bass along the Atlantic coast are spawned. Therefore, protecting spawning striped bass in Maryland waters is critical.

Some have expressed concern with the baseline reset’s allowance for additional catch-and-release fishing in April and early May when spawning fish are traveling up the Bay. In terms of catch-and-release, striped bass are much less likely to die from stress during this time, when air and water temperatures are significantly cooler, and estimates of catch-and-release mortality are less than one percent.

Fortunately, large adult spawning fish have actually seen a rebound in recent years due to conservative management, unlike the small young fish which have seen multiple consecutive years of low numbers. The baseline reset maintains closure of the striped bass “trophy” fishery, which traditionally targeted the largest spawning fish. Instead, it limits fish harvested to 19 to 24 inches in length, consistent with size limits throughout the rest of the season.

Right now, the big fish seem pretty plentiful, but there don't seem to be very many smaller fish following them up.

Why not put a moratorium on striped bass fishing until they can recover?

Colden: Many remember the historic moratorium Maryland put on striped bass fishing in the 1980s. That action is broadly considered a conservation success story.

We can and should learn from that success, but it’s also important to consider the circumstances of what we’re seeing today and the real underlying issues striped bass face. In the 1980s, we saw a low number of spawning adult fish, with overfishing as the primary culprit. Striped bass’s severe downturn led to the moratorium, which explains why when fishing stopped, the population rebounded quickly.

Juvenile striped bass, which stay in the Chesapeake Bay year-round, are enduring a number of environmental challenges that are contributing to their high mortality. The major trends we’re seeing right now are high rates of summer mortality and low recruitment of young fish. In fact, the number of spawning adult fish is on the rise, thanks to conservative actions taken in recent years. But young striped bass are not surviving the challenges of early life, due to habitat loss, pollution, and invasive predators like blue catfish. These impacts are driven by the environment, not by overfishing. The proposed baseline reset is intended to try to mitigate these environmental impacts by reducing fishing pressure on resident fish when they are most stressed. 

The moratorium was a success. Until it wasn't. But if we don't get some decent YOY soon, it may be necessary. 

What else can anglers do to help the striped bass population?

Colden: Anglers are the first line of defense in protecting striped bass. In addition to ensuring compliance with fishing regulations, anglers can:

Avoid fishing for striped bass when air temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Even during the fishing season, anglers can and should reference Maryland DNR’s Striped Bass Advisory Forecast to determine if air and water temperatures are safe to catch and release striped bass.  Practice ‘Careful Catch’ fish handling techniques to minimize stress and increase survival of fish that are caught and released. Utilize circle hooks, barbless hooks, and other tackle that minimizes gut hooking and damage to fish. Target other species, like invasive blue catfish, instead of striped bass. Think of it as a challenge!

Who wants to go out when the air temperature is 90+, which usually means the humidity is also about 90.

What’s next?

This month, DNR submitted their proposed regulatory change to Maryland’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review (AELR) to begin the administrative process. AELR Committee members are currently reviewing the proposal, and Maryland DNR plans to share the regulations publicly on Jan. 23. Members of the public will be able to review and provide input at that time.

Flotsam and Jetsam - DIY Tuesday Don Lemon Steps in it Edition

Got a lot to do today, and a bunch of articles in the fridge:

Don Lemon, Minneapolis and Illegal Immigration

Don Lemon And Rabid Anti-ICE Loons Invade Minneapolis Church Service - Victory Girls Blog
End Wokeness on X: "Don Lemon on church members upset that he stormed their church: "They're entitled, white supremacists"
Don Lemon Digs the Hole Even Deeper With Vile Comments About Parishioners in MN Church Incident – RedState
Cynical Publius on X: "Democrats storm Baptist church on the eve of Martin Luther King Day. Don Lemon likely to be charged with violations of the Ku Klux Klan Act on MLK Day. History is not without a sense of humor. But the one thing in history that never changes is the sheer evil of the Democrat"
Chuck Ross on X: "It's hard to narrow down the worst thing that Don Lemon did yesterday. But it might be this moment, when after the church pastor asked Lemon to leave -- he asks for "likes" and "subscribes" to his monetized YouTube channel from inside the church.
DOJ to Investigate and Arrest Don Lemon and Minneapolis Church Stormers
DOJ Likely to Prosecute Don Lemon and the People Who Stormed Church in Minneapolis, and They Should – HotAir
Don Lemon Facing Arrest: Minneapolis Church Stormed by Nutjob Protestors – HotAir
Don Lemon, Leftists In Minneapolis About To FACE Justice? – HotAir
DOJ Vows to Press Charges After Minnesota Church Protest Over ICE Ties - Newsmax.com
Benny Johnson on X: "BREAKING: DOJ Announces Intention to Charge Don Lemon under the Ku Klux Klan Act. The KKK Act makes it illegal to threaten, hurt, or intimidate people to prevent them from exercising their God-given rights. HARMEET DHILLON: "The Klan Act is one of the most important federal
Instapundit - AND THEY ALL NEED TO BE JAILED OR HANGED: Don Lemon, Boko Haram, and the KKK All Attack Churches fo
Don Lemon Needs a Lesson in YOUR Rights (Courtesy of MLK on His Day) – PJ Media
Minneapolis Leftists Who Stormed Cities Church in St. Paul (Led by Don Lemon) Face Pending Federal Indictment - The Last Refuge
Ace of Spades HQ Harmeet Dhillon Prosecuting Church-Terrorists Under the KKK Act?
Ace of Spades HQ "Protesters" Now Assaulting Random People on the Streets of Minneapolis Hunting for ICE Agents and Invading Churches
Auron MacIntyre on X: "Next time they will be there to kill the parishioners This is not a joke, Don Lemon may be an effeminate clown but he is setting the stage for regular anti-Christian violence and he knows it"
Kurt Schlichter on X: "Let me do the competent lawyer thing again. No, the DOJ has not arrested anybody yet. You are absolutely correct that that is not happened yet. That’s because this isn’t a TV show and the DOJ under @AGPamBondi and @AAGDhillon are attempting to actually build cases rather than"
Don Lemon, Boko Haram, and the KKK All Attack Churches for Spreading the Wrong Word – HotAir
Roving Bands of Leftist Brownshirts Attacking Random People in Minneapolis – HotAir
Legal Phil on X: "What a perfect encapsulation of the progressive left: a bunch of white people threatening and assaulting a non-white dude, in the name of tolerance." / X
Nick Sortor on X: "BREAKING: A group of liberal white women (mostly) have taken over a Target in St. Paul DEMANDING Target stop letting ICE and Border Patrol agents use their bathrooms I kid you not. We live in freaking clown world
Joseph Massey on X: "I think we can all agree that the most deranged white liberal woman in Minneapolis is Don Lemon." / X
DERANGED: Acosta Floats Choking CBS’s Dokoupil, Welch Says ICE Is Like ISIS
Insurrection: Bombshell Email Shows How Minneapolis City Employees Are Instructed to Work Against ICE – PJ Media
This Is the Biggest Self-Own by Leftists in This Entire Minneapolis ICE Charade – PJ Media
Ilya Shapiro on X: "The problem is that the MN authorities are on the side of the interrupters."
I am Ken on X: "2 democrat run cities. Memphis and Minneapolis. ICE went to both In Memphis, the mayor asked the police to cooperate with ICE. The result was-ICE was in and out of Memphis in a matter of days. The mayor admitted, they did a good job and his city was safer. Why is Minneapolis a
While Minneapolis Self Destructs, Memphis Lookin' Pretty Sweet – HotAir
Ace of Spades HQ Illinois Governor (and Possible Presidential Candidate) JB Pritzker Signs Law Sealing Criminal Records to Protect Illegals from Deportation by the Feds
Althouse: "The Minnesotans I met on the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul were determined to resist and fight back."
And Suddenly, About 100 Minneapolis Cops Disappeared – PJ Media
Sólionath on X: "Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne to suppress peaceful protest, and desegregate Little Rock, Arkansas, at gunpoint. Not the National Guard, but the U.S.’s plain old Regular Army. Equipped with live rounds. For 1/1,000th of what leftists are currently doing in Minneapolis."
It Was Always Going To Look Like This - by Dylan Housman
Child Abusers Top ICE's List Of 'Worst Of The Worst' Illegal Aliens
Some Anti-ICE Protesters in Minnesota Are Openly Carrying. What Does the Law Say? – Bearing ArmsA Modest Proposal From Tom Homan – HotAir
Q1 border crossings plummet 95% from Biden era, lowest in history - thecentersquare.com
Matt Whitlock on X: "Wild shot/chaser. Liberal: ICE BROKE DOWN A DOOR AND DETAINED A US CITIZEN DHS: The citizen lives with / is harboring 2 convicted sex offenders (one a pedophile) who have final orders of removal - and he refused to be identified or cooperate. This is who they’re defending.
Bill Melugin on X: "How long & complicated can the deportation process be? Remember this Haitian gang member w/ 17 convictions who went viral for yelling “Fuck Trump, Biden forever” during my embed with ICE Boston 1 year ago? He’s still in ICE custody in the US. Despite having a deportation
There Are So Many Insanely Stupid Arguments About ICE Arrests – HotAir
If Republicans Really Want "Mass Deportations," They Better Have the Stomach for It. – HotAir
All Volume, No Content Eric Swalwell Vows to Revoke ICE officers’ Driver’s Licenses – HotAir
Campus Reform - America First Legal sends letter to Boston University defending student who received death threats after ICE report

All Things Trump and Republicans

Iran plans 'absolute digital isolation,' will break permanently from global internet
Trump: No Longer Obligated to Think Only of Peace | Newsmax.com
Althouse: "U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that it would be 'completely wrong' for President Donald Trump to slap tariffs on European nations opposing his plan to take over Greenland...."
¡No Pasarán!: In 2024, the EU Had a Surplus of 200 Billion Euros with the U.S., says Sébastien Laye; What This Means Is That the Europeans Need the Americans More than the Other Way Around
Greenlanders speak out against Danish rule: 'They stole our future’ - New York Post
Alberta Separation Petition Drive Got a Bad Case of 'Holy SMOKES, We Got This Thing in the Bag' – HotAir
Kurt Schlichter on X: "I thought a functioning republic elected its leaders and allowed them to pursue the policies they promised, but I guess not."
Althouse: "The Kremlin has announced that Vladimir Putin has been invited to join Donald Trump’s 'board of peace'..."
Trump Wants Gaza Board Constitution and Remittance Agreement Signed in Davos - EU/Macron Flips Out, "No Way" - The Last Refuge
President Trump Invites Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko to Join Gaza Board of Peace - U.N. Now Having Fits - The Last Refuge
🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 on X: "We have not had a single murder this month in DC. First time since 2013. Trump’s federal takeover and surge of federal law enforcement have saved black lives in violent DC neighborhoods. This makes Democrats angry. Because they do not actually believe black lives matter."
Instapundit - SO WHEN WE ELECT MAGA, CORPORATIONS BECOME LESS GREEDY? GOOD TO KNOW. https://twitter.com/tedfra
Peace Activist Finds Herself on the Receiving End of Treatment She Gave Stephen Miller's Family – HotAir
Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA on X: "Senator…. The US spends $5T on healthcare. We spend more on healthcare than the entire GDP of all but two countries on earth. The problem isn’t that we don’t spend enough on healthcare. The problem is that the money goes to your political donors instead of to patients."
Crazy Professor Claims Trump Will Cause Global Weather Catastrophes – PJ Media
Car Prices Hit $50,000. Now the U.S. Wants to Ease Emissions Rules - Autoblog
Interior Secretary Orders Federal Lands to Effectively be ‘Shall Issue’ Hunting- and Fishing-Friendly Spaces - Shooting News Weekly
Peter St Onge, Ph.D. on X: "America's trade deficit plunges by half to the smallest in nearly 2 decades. - Chinese imports crashed - American exports grew - Tariff inflation was absorbed by exporters - Trillions of investment incoming Instead of importing Chinese junk we’re importing factories.

The Disloyal Opposition

We Knew Kamala's VP Search Was Bad. Turns Out, It Was Straight-Up Unhinged. – PJ Media
Kamala Harris's Presidential Campaign Was Run by a Bunch of Lunatics - National Review
Too Fun to Check: Kamala's an 'Exalted' Frontrunner for 2028! – HotAir
Josh Shapiro: Team Kamala Asked If I Was an Israeli Double Agent; UPDATE: Biden Advisor Erupts – HotAir
Amy Curtis on X: "Here's something I can't stop thinking about. Kamala Harris' team either didn't properly vet Tim Walz and his involvement in the massive Somali fraud in Minnesota. OR Kamala Harris' team did vet him, knew about the fraud, and made him her running mate anyway. Mind-boggling."
Ace of Spades HQ As Part of the VP Candidate Vetting Process, Kamala Harris's Staff Asked Josh Shapiro If He Was a Double Agent for Israel
Hunter Biden’s Baby Mama Wants Him Jailed Over Broken Child Support Deal
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to install bidets at Gracie Mansion | Fox News
Zohran Mamdani hopes for bidets at New York mayor's residence
Mamdani’s equity czar faces backlash over deleted anti-white X posts: ‘Tax them to the white meat!’ - The Post Millennial
Blinking Red: A third of federal agencies in audit lacked regular fraud monitoring or evaluation | Just The News
Instapundit - “IF THEY TAX THE BILLIONAIRES WILL I GET TO KEEP MORE OF MY MONEY?” “ALSO NO.”
California Billionaires: 'Get Me the Hell Out of Here' – HotAir
Wall Street Apes on X: "Independent journalist was able to gain access to a building in Los Angeles, California because the page-in system to get in was broken What he discovered was DOZENS of home healthcare and hospice businesses IN ONE BUILDING Some of the doors don’t even have signs for the
Christian Heiens 🏛 on X: "Democrats take absolute power in Virginia and the first thing they do is introduce the “Legalize Crime”, “Steal All Future Elections”, and “Duplicate Somali Daycare Fraud” Acts. https://t.co/qwLglzinfU"
Axios: Dems Still Struggling With Basic Trans Rights Questions – HotAir
Ace of Spades HQ Quick Hits Democrats are dodging the question, "Can a man become a woman?"
Eric Swalwell Could Be Ineligible for Governor or Face Jail Time – PJ Media

The Just Us System

Progressive activist calls for prosecution of Trump and his allies if Dems take majority in Congress - Just The News
Ketanji Brown Jackson Still Doesn't Know What a Woman Is

Censorship and Freedom of Speech

Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives on X: "🔥🚨BREAKING: Miami police are now flagging residents Facebook posts and sending police to their homes to intimidate them for talking badly about the mayor. We never thought this would be possible in America.
Miami Beach police chief defends detectives’ visit to activist over Facebook post about mayor
Censorship Backfires: Germany's Assault on Press Freedom ━ The European Conservative
Two Tier Keir Has a Problem Called 'Waifu Amelia' and It Is Screamingly Funny – HotAir

One Random FMJRA

Ludicrous Irony: Life Advice for Young Men from the Former John Walker Flynt : The Other McCain

A Tuesday Tune - Wildflower

Zandi Holup:

Singer/songwriter Zandi Holup has the kind of voice that instantly cuts to the heart's deepest corners: enchanting, enigmatic, profoundly world-weary but radiant with raw feeling. After building grassroots following by sharing her demos and song fragments online, Holup landed a deal with Big Loud Records and set to work on her debut album, Wildflower: a revelatory body of work born from embracing her singular eccentricity, ultimately bringing an incandescent beauty to the most painful of experiences. Holup joined forces with producer Ryan Hadlock (Zach Bryan, Brandi Carlile, The Lumineers, Wyatt Flores) on the record, captured during a month recording at Bear Creek Studios in the woods of northwest Washington.

Cut from the same cloth as legendary folk singer-songwriters like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, Holup's raw brand of original folk country flourishes through unfiltered storytelling reminiscent of Dolly Parton and emphasized by her emotive vocals. A mesmerizing performer, Holup has opened for the likes of country legend and Grand Ole Opry member Steve Earle, Amanda Shires, Midland and more. “It's almost like my voice is the embodiment of who I am as a person, and when I sing, I feel like it's my soul coming out,” Holup shares.

Flotsam and Jetsam - MN Mob Invades Church, Confronts Congregation

A bunch of Minnesota "protesters", egged on by failed journolist former CNN talking butthead Don Lemon, invaded a Baptist church in Minneapolis yesterday and confronted the congregation, following word that the name of the pastor was the same a one of the ICE agents that had been doxxed by the media. This is a plain and obvious violation of federal FACE Act, widely used by the Biden administration to jail grandmothers protesting at abortion clinics, but which at the behest of Republicans in Congress, also forbids the same acts at churches. At Twitchy, Don Lemon Leads ICE Protestors to Church - Just NOT How You Think: Right Angle News Network @Rightanglenews, "BREAKING - Anti ICE agitators, led by failed CNN host Don Lemon, stormed a Minneapolis church this morning, halting services and holding members hostage because they believed the pastor was ICE affiliated. “The whole point of it is to disrupt and make people uncomfortable.” (video at link). Dave Strom at Hat Hair, ICE Protesters Storming Churches Now; Hotels Kicking People Out. John Hinderacker at Power Line, More Minneapolis Madness: Collin Rugg @CollinRugg, "NEW: Don Lemon tries lecturing a pastor on the First Amendment after a mob of far leftists stormed a church in Minneapolis. Pastor: “This is unacceptable. It's shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship…” Lemon: “Listen, there's a constitution, the First Amendment to freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest.” Pastor: “We're here to worship Jesus because the hope of the world is Jesus Christ…” Lemon: “But did you try to talk to them?” Pastor: “No one is willing to talk. I have to take care of my church and my family so I ask that you would also leave this building.” Imagine storming a church mid worship and thinking you are the good guys." Insty says HEY, WITH DON LEMON I’M JUST GRATEFUL IT’S NOT SEXUAL ASSAULT. Greg Price @greg_price11, "I'm no historian but I don't think there's ever been a situation in the last 100 years where the people storming the churches were the good guys." Quote End Wokeness @EndWokeness "BREAKING: Anti-ICE mob storms church in St. Paul, MN and shuts service down." Betsy Stauffer at LI, Anarchy: Minneapolis Activists Harass And Attack Anyone They Suspect of Being ICE, "One beating of a passerby stopped when one of the attackers told his comrades, “He’s one of us.”" Seamus (FreedomToons) @seamus_coughlin, "Me and my street militia are going around demanding to see people's papers and shutting down churches. You know, to fight fascism" Auron MacIntyre @AuronMacintyre, "Every protester in this video has committed a federal crime They can all be easily identified Don Lemon needs to be in custody by the end of the day if the administration is to ever be taken seriously again." ABC whines DOJ vows to press charges after activists disrupt church where Minnesota ICE official is a pastor. "U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said her agency is investigating federal civil rights violations “by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”" RushBabe, *No more subterfuge. The Leftist insurrection is blatant and dangerous.

At CIS, Is a ‘Civil War’ Brewing in Minnesota over Immigration? "Either get smart or stop lying, because the mullahs are watching." Phil Labonte @philthatremains. "my first impulse is to say, “it’s just talk, for now.” but then i remember the murders of Charlie Kirk, and Aaron Danielson, i remember Alvarado where 11 individuals ambushed officers at an ICE facility, i remember McAllen where a gunman fired dozens of rounds at a Border Patrol facility, injuring a police officer and an employee, i remember Dallas in September where a shooting at an ICE facility left one detainee dead and two others wounded where the attacker used ammunition marked with "anti-ICE" messages, i remember the guy that went to J.D. Vance’s home, and i remember the two attempts on Donald Trump. then i think, “oh, they’re already doing it.”" Quote Reddit Lies @reddit_lies, "Bluesky skeeters are discussing making IEDs to hit ice btw." Matt Vespa at TownHall, The Latest Trump Move Involving Minneapolis Is Going to Trigger a Lib Meltdown. Insider Wire @InsiderWire, "#BREAKING: 2 U.S. Army battalions on standby for possible deployment to Minnesota amid anti-ICE unrest." From News Wax, Pentagon Readies 1,500 Soldiers to Possibly Deploy to Minnesota. Sundance at CTH hosts Sunday Talks – Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche Discusses Minneapolis Investigations and Violent Protests and Sunday Talks – DHS Secretary Kristi Noem -vs Margaret Brennan Discussing Minneapolis Violence and reports Minnesota Governor Activates National Guard. "According to the Minnesota Dept of Public Safety, Governor Tim Walz has activated the national guard. However, in a statement on their X account the officials note, the guard “are not deployed to city streets at this time, but are ready to help support public safety, including protection of life, preservation of property and supporting the rights of all who assemble peacefully.”" Ward Clarke at RedState sees a Mic Drop Moment: Noem Calls Out Brennan's Border Blindspot. From Da Caller, ‘As A Muslima’: Rashida Tlaib Blows Gasket Over ‘Neo-Nazi’ DHS Post Of Man Riding Horse. 

Kim "Katie" USA @KimKatieUSA "Sheriff Grady just dropped the truth: 76% of illegals detained in his county have criminal charges. The other 24%? Riding with the criminals. He explains exactly why ICE is flooding Minneapolis, LA, and other sanctuary cities and how easy it is to stop." The Victory Girls report Child Abusers Top ICE List Of Most Wanted. 

Da Caller, Renee Good’s Partner Reportedly Under Investigation By Federal Authorities To Determine If She Impeded ICE Agents. From Breitbart, Judge Bars LAPD’s Use of Less-Lethal Foam Bullets on Protesters. Elizabeth Barcohana @E_Barcohana, "The ICE raids will continue just until we flatten the curve of illegal immigration. We’re all in this together." Katie Zacharia @KatieZacharia, "Stay at least 6ft away from ICE officers as they socially distancing from those infected with the woke mind virus."

News Wax has a Report that At Least 16,000 Killed in Iranian Protests. From 1945, Coercion Without Ownership: The Real Trump Playbook on Iran. Sundance reports Israel Not Happy with Trump Appointed Turkey and Qatar Roles in Assisting Gaza Stabilization and Executive Board. Kareem Rifai @KareemRifai, "They don't teach this in law school, but a feature of international law is that it hibernates and only wakes up when it can be used to defend the hypothetical sovereignty of people guilty of mass crimes against humanity." Quote Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan, "Assassinating Khamenei wouldn’t just be illegal under international law, wouldn’t just be a betrayal of antiwar, anti-regime change MAGA voters, but, with Khamenei also being a religious leader, it could lead to all sorts of terrorist blowback against US interests and civilians. x.com/danielbshapiro…"

John Sexton at Hat Hair wonders How Will China Try to Take Control of Taiwan (Can It Be Stopped?). Driscoll at Insty says BOMB CANADA — THE CASE FOR WAR: Blume Industries CEO Balding 大老板 @BaldingsWorld, "It is truly mind boggling the absolute memory hole Canadian activity has disappeared into because people hate Trump so much. Canada for years has had massive Chinese money laundering, drug, intel, and security issues with regards to China something everybody should know. They are not an ally they literally let the PLA train in China a few years ago. The idea that Trump took his actions in a vacuum and that is what prompted everything is just completely afactual ignorance. . . ." Quote Chris McGuire @ChrisRMcGuire, "Canada's agreement to let Chinese cars into their market is an extremely poor strategic decision. But it also shows that without strong and consistent messaging from Washington, even our closest allies will sacrifice long-term strategic interest for short-term economic or. . . "

From Da Mail, European diplomats reveal the 'tough guy' US negotiator leading the charge on Greenland: 'He hates us,' JD Vance. Sundance has Sunday Talks – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent -vs- NBC Kristen Welker, Topics: Greenland and The FED. News Wax, Europeans Reeling as Trump Imposes Tariffs on 8 Countries Over Greenland Dispute. Susie Moore at RedState, Bessent on Greenland, Tariffs, and Why Jerome Powell Is in a Pickle. From Althouse, "Is President Trump serious about annexing Greenland?"/"President Trump strongly believes that we cannot outsource our security." CBD at Ace's, Greenland, NATO, The EU...The Clownshow Continues "So...everyone calm down. Greeenlanders? Take nice big checks written by America, and maybe some good high-paying jobs in our expanding military infrastructure and mining efforts. Denmark? Smile, cash the check, and relax now that you don't have to deal with Greenland. And the EU? Just sit down and shut up. Nobody cares what you think."

Sundance, The Norwegian Nobel Committee Have an Important, Albeit Hilarious, Announcement. "A Nobel Peace Prize laureate receives two central symbols of the prize: a gold medal and a diploma. In addition, the prize money is awarded separately. Regardless of what may happen to the medal, the diploma, or the prize money, it is and remains the original laureate who is recorded in history as the recipient of the prize. Even if the medal or diploma later comes into someone else’s possession, this does not alter who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. A laureate cannot share the prize with others, nor transfer it once it has been announced. A Nobel Peace Prize can also never be revoked. The decision is final and applies for all time."

Bill Murry at Da Fed, How Trump’s Foreign Policy Is Delivering 120 ‘Marshall Plans’ To The U.S. Driscoll sees CNN POLL: 58% declare Trump’s second term so far a “failure.” "The only Republican at CNN disagrees with his employer:" Scott Jennings @ScottJenningsKY, "I was reliably told by Democrat pundits that all of their Trump voting friends had abandoned him." Quote InteractivePolls @IAPolls2022, "WSJ POLL: 92% of people who voted for Trump in 2024 are giving him a positive job rating today, including 70% who “strongly approve”" From RCP, The Fed’s Job Isn’t Finished Until Hiring Comes Back.

At Twitchy, FAFO in Real Time: Leftist Gets Secret Service Visit Over 'What She Deserves' Threat to Press Sec: Jamie Bonkiewicz @JamieBonkiewicz, "The Secret Service came to my door today because of a tweet. No threats. No violence. Just words. That’s where we are now." DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican, "You are doing the favorite trick of the left: playing victim and crying tyranny at the slightest bit of accountability. You do deserve to be locked up forever, because it’s clear you enjoy nothing more than seeing people die for disagreeing with you. And instead you are free — because the people you so wish death upon are far too generous, far too nice, and far too tolerant. . . .”

Fox 4, Foods that Americans were told to avoid for decades are back under Trump's new nutrition rules. Nora Dimitrova Clinton at LI, sees Cowboys Versus “Soy Boys”: The Politics of Food, Alcohol, and Tobacco.

Matt Margolis asserts Democrats Are So Screwed and a Former Obama Advisor Just Proved It. "In a New York Times op-ed titled “Democrats Will Lose in 2028 Unless They Change Course Now,” Plouffe warns that the party’s long-term future looks bleak. He says the electoral map itself is shifting out from under their feet—and unless Democrats overhaul everything, they’re heading for years of political pain." Josh Barro at Very Serious, The Cult of Jasmine Crockett Shows Democrats are Still Trapped in the Dumbest Form of Identity Politics. "Comedians Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers were right to tell people not to waste money on her campaign. But they had to apologize anyway." Salena Zito at Hat Hair hears that In Reelection Launch, Josh Shapiro Admits Violent Attack Almost Drove Him From the Race, from Democrat anti-semite. 

Insty cites CHRIS BRAY: What Blue Zone Collapse Looks Like: “In my last post, I said that the Blue Zones are functionally insolvent. ‘The well is dry.’ Several commenters responded with the observation that they’ve been hearing this story for twenty years or more, but the Blue Zones are still going, so what insolvency and collapse are you talking about? But the collapse of the Blue Zones doesn’t look like Enron or K-Mart; California doesn’t shut down. The state has 39 million golden geese to cut open. There’s a lot of ruin in a state. But the collapse remains real, and it’s already happening. It looks like this.” Billy Binion @billybinion, "The entitlement here is astounding. California didn’t make these people money. These people made money for California. No one “deserves” it. When faced with crushing financial losses, it’s entirely rational for business owners to move elsewhere. Wealth taxes inevitably fail." Quote Chief Nerd @TheChiefNerd, " Kara Swisher on California’s Wealth Tax “You made all your money in California, you ungrateful piece of sh*t. You could figure out a way to pay more taxes, and we deserve the taxes from you.”" Michael Guimarin on X: "I’m coming off private for about an hour so you can read this. The billionaire tax in CA is an example of an irregular warfare action by the Chinese Communist Party on the United States. What it does is push out the people who would fight CCP encroachment into CA. The CCP" / X. Back on private. At Liberty Unyielding, Virginia state tax rate could rise from 5.75% to 13.8%, highest in the nation. Good and hard. Betsy McCaughey at Hat Hair says Time to Crack Down on Fraud. Shouldn't it always be time to crack down on fraud? From the Daily Economy, The Public School Shell Game Makes Phantom Daycares Look Tiny. 

Hat Hair's Larry Elder takes issue with Mamdani's Fantasy World of Equal Outcome as does John Stossel in The Warmth of Collectivism. "In my new video, TikTokers claim capitalism is "ending." They sing about the beauty of communes. One asks, desperately, "Where is my commune?!" Good question. They're hard to find because they keep failing."

Michael Sebastian @HonorAndDaring, "Either we crush the nice guy loser mindset of Republicans or we lose our civilization. The nice guy losers who want to be loved by their enemies are selling us out." Quote Oilfield Rando @Oilfield_Rando, "Democrats take power and immediately disenfranchise their opponents. Red state republicans can either disenfranchise them first, or end up living in a vassal district of a blue state." Atop Da Hill, Authorities’ inaction on threats against Trump voters is alarming. Insty hosts a video, STALIN’S AUTHORITARIANISM WAS LEFT AUTHORITARIANISM, AND THE AMERICAN LEFT WAS LARGELY OKAY WITH IT: Jeffery Mead @the_jefferymead, "That’s the same logic used by Stalin’s secret police. “Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime.” You pick the target first, assume guilt, then dig through everything until you can justify a charge. That isn’t the rule of law. That’s prosecution as a weapon. Very authoritarian from the side who is always warning us about authoritarianism.." At Althouse, "Mr. Trump does not attempt to hide his use of law enforcement powers for vengeance. He glories in it...." "His usurpation of law enforcement power threatens us all.... His move to control investigation and prosecution from the White House portends an America where the state uses force to promote the political interests of its leaders, rather than uphold the laws passed by our representatives. . . . Writes The Editorial Board of The New York Times, in "For Trump, Justice Means Vengeance.""

RCW warns The UK’s Free Speech Act is a Paper Tiger — And America is Next.

From TCW, DEI and a stark admission – it’s a war against straight white males. Campus Reform reports ‘LaWhore Vagistan’ to lead Harvard lecture linking drag, politics, and Kamala Harris’ ‘chitthi brigade’, "Kareem Khubchandani is a drag queen who calls himself 'LaWhore Vagistan.' He is teaching two classes at Harvard on drag and 'queer ethnography.'" At Hat Hair, Stephen Moore says we need to Stop Pretending That Colleges Are Nonprofit Institutions.

The Monday Morning Stimulus

With Cheyenne Swenson:

Epoch Times Health, Caffeine Gum: Fast Energy, Faster Absorption—but Not Without Risks "Caffeine gum fits in your pocket, making it convenient for people who want a controlled dose of caffeine for a mental or physical edge." No thanks, but if you want to, go for it.

Random Celebrity News

For some values of random, celebrity and news. It's been a while and there's been a bit of build up in my digital fridge. At the Fiction Horizon, Sydney Sweeney Sparks Backlash After Cozy Moment With Freed Israeli Hostages Leaves Fans Divided.

"Sydney Sweeney is facing strong reactions online after meeting with two Israelis who were previously held hostage by Hamas. The moment came to light after pro-Israel advocacy group StandWithUs shared a photo of the actress standing with Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or. According to the group, the pair were taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks and later freed from Gaza in June 2024 during an Israeli military operation. In the photo posted by StandWithUs, Sweeney stands between them, smiling, with her arms placed behind their backs.
. . .
not everyone reacted positively. Many users criticized Sweeney for appearing with a group tied to pro-Israel advocacy. Others brought up her rumored connection to music executive Scooter Braun, who has previously helped raise funds for both Israeli hostage families and Palestinians in Gaza. One comment simply read, “Ewww.” Another said, “That’s the disappointment of the year.”

AlphaFox @alphafox "If you missed the full Sydney video, here you go:" At BIS, Paige Spiranac Says She’s Getting Death Threats Over Cheating Scandal. Some people take golf seriously. I don't

Paige Spiranac was recently caught in some controversy. She was accused of cheating during a tournament, confronted about it right on the green during match play, and reduced to tears. And now, she’s saying things have gotten even worse for her.

During the Internet Invitational, a Barstool Sports-sponsored golf tournament featuring 48 influencers competing for a $1 million prize, Spiranac was caught on camera during the final match brushing down tall grass in the rough. The move helped improve the lie for her teammate Malosi Togisala.

Even the most casual of golfers knows that improving a lie in any manner is a violation of golf rules. You can’t alter the course conditions. How Paige, an accomplished golfer, wouldn’t know that is anybody’s guess.

From Atop Da Hill, Lady Gaga Suffered Psychotic Break After Filming ‘A Star Is Born. How could she tell?

Lady Gaga says she had a “psychotic break” after filming “A Star is Born.” In an interview published Thursday by Rolling Stone, the “Abracadabra” singer said she was on lithium while filming the Bradley Cooper-directed movie to treat and prevent manic episodes.

Once the movie finished filming, Gaga went on a world tour to support her “Joanne” album, where she said that her mental health had taken an extreme hit.

“There was one day that my sister said to me, ‘I don’t see my sister anymore.’ And I canceled the tour,” the singer, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, told the publication. “There was one day I went to the hospital for psychiatric care. I needed to take a break.”

Mike Cantrell at PJM hears  Billionaire Elon Musk Strikes Back Against Billie Eilish for Calling Him 'Pathetic Pu**y' Maybe, but he's a rich pathetic pussy.

Billionaire Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk struck back at pop superstar Billie Eilish after she recently launched an unhinged rant against him, calling him a “f***ing pathetic p***y b***h coward” for not bankrupting himself to help the poor. Eilish should probably stick to making music, because her foray into politics continues to make her look painfully uneducated. 
. . .
On Monday evening, Musk responded to Eilish’s comments, saying, "She's not the sharpest tool in the shed." When the topic is politics, especially poverty, the issues run far deeper than the singer understands. First of all, while the rich certainly should, morally speaking, use their wealth to improve the world around them, that moral duty doesn’t require them to support someone from cradle to grave.

Pro Football Network, BKFC Ring Girl Makes Feelings Known on Working for Co-Owner Conor McGregor

Alyssa Spivack is an Argentinian social media influencer, model, and BKFC ring girl. She is also a licensed Florida realtor and an ambassador for companies like Fashion Nova and Impossible Kicks. Currently, she has over 219k followers on Instagram and over 156.9k followers on TikTok. Recently, during an “Ask me anything” interaction with her followers, Spivack was asked, “What’s it like working for Conor?” She replied, “I love working with BKFC! @thenotoriousmma definitely brings an incredible energy to the fights that is totally unmatched! Always a fun time.”

McGregor uses his flamboyant style and social media presence to promote BKFC fights and events. He is also seen drinking, dancing, and partying with the ring girls and other BKFC members and fighters, sometimes even feuding with some, like Mike Perry. “The Notorious” has not been active inside the octagon since his 2021 leg injury. However, the buildup for his fight with Michael Chandler has been going on for a long time, and recently, both have teased that it will happen soon.

Mike Cantrell again,  Actress Raises Concern With Nude Content, Erratic Behavior in Strange Social Media Posts. Since when is that unusual in Hollywood? 

Actress Taryn Manning, most well known for her role in the hit Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, is causing concern among many of her fans after she posted a bunch of naked images and videos that also show her exhibiting bizarre behavior. For a lot of folks, it echoes the weird content pop sensation Britney Spears has posted on Instagram in recent years, worrying fans that Manning might be heading straight into a serious mental health crisis. 

Things took a strange turn on Monday, when Manning posted a video on Instagram of herself dancing around barefoot with her breasts playing peek-a-boo from within an unbuttoned shirt. Not long after the initial clip, she posted another, this time doing a strip tease and ditching her top completely. She captioned the video, "We have zero control of the outcome. Your birthday suit is yours. Remember we only became self-conscious after EVE messed up. Go back to the roots. Be free again."

The Jerusalem Post admires how Scarlett Johansson refused to remove Holocaust plot from Eleanor the Great. Good for her. It must be nice to have FU money.

Scarlett Johansson, whose films have grossed more than those of any other actress in history, put her clout to good use to save Eleanor the Great, her directorial debut, after a backer pulled out at the last minute, demanding that she change the Holocaust storyline that is central to the plot.

The movie stars 96-year-old June Squibb, who plays the best friend of a Holocaust survivor and who finds an unusual way to honor the memory of her friend’s family: Stumbling into a Holocaust survivor’s group, Eleanor pretends that the survival story is hers. In an interview with The Telegraph done at the Cannes Film Festival, where the film had its world premiere, and published ahead of the film’s UK premiere, Johansson said that with just weeks to go before filming began, a backer demanded that the Holocaust references be cut, or they would pull their funds.

The article quotes Johansson as saying, “I mean, if they’d said, ‘I’ll only back this if you shoot in New Jersey,’ or ‘We need to get this done by the spring’, then that would have been one thing. But they were objecting to what the film actually was. It had to be about what happens when someone gets caught in the worst lie imaginable; if not the Holocaust, then what could it be? They offered no alternative. It was just, ‘This is an issue.’”

Twitchy says Amanda Seyfried Says Socialism Is a Gorgeous Idea Because She’ll Never Actually Have to Live Under It. You never lose money betting on the ignorance of Hollywood stars.

Amanda Seyfried is a Hollywood actress. She was in Mamma Mia and Ted 2 to name a few of her projects. She should stick to acting because her political opinions are garbage.

Variety @Variety "Amanda Seyfried says “socialism is a gorgeous idea” as she grapples with the current state of America: "How about we all don’t have any kind of agendas? How about our agenda is take care of each other? I know [socialism] doesn’t work perfectly, or that people understand what the word actually means. For me, it’s taking care of each other. If I have more money, I can spend more money on other people" https://variety.com/2025/film/news"

From NYPo, Zoe Saldaña sparks backlash for claiming her ‘Avatar’ character is ‘racist’ Everything is racist. Even blue aliens.

Zoe Saldaña made a bold statement about her “Avatar” character, Neytiri. “Let’s face it, Neytiri’s a racist,” the actress, 47, said in a recent interview with CinemaBlend while promoting “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” “And she just… and she loses sight because of this blind fury that she has,” Saldaña continued.

The Oscar winner explained how Neytiri’s behavior affects her relationship with Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington. “She loses sight that the person that she loves the most and respects the most in her life is her husband, and he is human, he’s a sky-person and I think it takes a lot of courage for Jake to be honest with her and to force her — even knowing that she is broken, that he knows that she needs to face this, because he sees in the direction that she’s heading and I think it’s much more familiar to him where Neytiri’s heading than for Neytiri herself,” she said.

Pop Culture, Kate Hudson Responds After Being Called ‘Monster’ by Real-Life Son of ‘Song Sung Blue’ Musician. Really, all she does is read the script.

Kate Hudson is weighing in after being called a “monster” by the real-life son of Song Sung Blue musician Mike Sardina. The actress, who plays Claire Sardina opposite Hugh Jackman’s Mike in the true story of Neil Diamond cover band Lightning & Thunder, has responded to criticism from Mike’s son, Michael Sardina Jr., who told the Daily Mail that the film is “all lies” and that he was “purposely cut out of the film,” despite being paid to consult on it.

“Honestly, I don’t even know — out of respect for our filmmakers, I’m not the right person to speak to it,” Hudson told The Hollywood Reporter in a new interview, adding that she had gotten to know the real-life Claire throughout the process: “I’m so happy that I got to know Claire, who’s such a wonderful woman, and she’s so happy with the movie.”