Flotsam and Jetsam - Fauci Takes the Stand and the 5th

It's on C-Span now. Rand Paul is setting the stage. Leslie Eastman at LI, Sen. Rand Paul Releases Document Trove Detailing Pre-Pandemic Biosecurity Breaches. "New document release shows Customs and Border Patrol intercepted undeclared biological materials tied to this network of American and Chinese coronavirus researchers in 2018, and the FBI stopped the agency from intercepting a key covid researcher in 2021." Rand Paul @RandPaul, "If Anthony Fauci comes before my committee tomorrow and perjures himself, his preemptive pardon from Joe Biden will not protect him." Quote Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, " JUST IN: Sec. RFK Jr. just said Dr. Fauci can be prosecuted on PERJURY — DESPITE the pardon — if he lies in front of Rand Paul's committee this week "He has immunity against all of the things that he did prior to President Biden signing or the electronic pen signing his pardon, but he could perjure himself now. There are many things that he said that we know are lies, and @RandPaul presumably is going to ask him about those things." "And if he lies again, then he could be subject to perjury prosecution." Fauci has not faced a SINGLE ounce of credibility. We need it, badly!" At PJM, Stephen Kruiser notes it Turns Out Fauci Is an Even Bigger Donkey's Derrière Than We Thought and Sarah Anderson thinks Anthony Fauci Just Handed Marco Rubio One Heck of a Campaign Ad. NYPo's Divine Miranda Devine: Anthony Fauci was the ‘big head’ of COVID response. Matt Vespa at TownHall, This Fauci Diary Entry Will Cause Your Blood to Boil. Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_, "NEW: Dr. Fauci writes in his diary that in June 2021, he received a (classified?) briefing from the CIA on the origins of COVID-19 while in a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) at NIH, and reveals that the CIA told him they had intercepted Chinese communications in Wuhan, including indications that the Chinese had transferred pangolin viruses from Beijing to Wuhan. Additionally, Fauci writes that the CIA had information from sources that the Chinese military had conducted unknown experiments in Wuhan, and that the CIA had information about a "super spreader" event in China in July 2020 in relation to "passage of a virus in a laboratory." Fauci writes that the CIA briefer, who he names, was "almost pathetic in her naivety and obvious lack of appreciation of any of the science of what she was talking about."" Liz Wheeler @Liz_Wheeler, "We were… right. - Social distancing was a hoax - Masks were a joke - Lockdowns were worthless - mRNA jabs were dangerous - Case fatality rate was low - Ivermectin worked - Hydroxychloroquine also worked - Remdesivir was a killer - COVID came from the Wuhan lab - Fauci funded it Fauci lied about it all. Fauci lied to profit himself. Fauci abused YOU to bolster his ego, money, and power. Put the despicable villain in prison." Elaine @elbh, "Fauci broke our societal trust in ways we will never regain. As confidence was lagging anyway, he caused the collapse. Science. Journalism. Government. Hollywood. Culture. Economics. Law Enforcement. Judicial System. Our fellow Americans. All of it. It will not return in our lifetime."

Dave Strom at Hat Hair, Pravda Totally Buries Fauci Diary Revelations. Mike Lee @BasedMikeLee, "Hats off to @bariweiss and CBS This is news And yet it doesn’t read like it was sanitized by the DNC." Quote CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil @CBSEveningNews, "Diary entries by Dr. Anthony Fauci are shedding light on his soaring notoriety during the COVID epidemic. The documents, released by Republican Sen. Rand Paul, include Fauci's reflections about being invited to a-list parties, but also some uncertainty about the origin of COVID." Hans Mahncke @HansMahncke, "Perhaps surprisingly, both the New York Times and the Washington Post have now published articles on the Fauci diaries. Unsurprisingly, both are complete whitewashes. They sanitize his record and reduce the criticism to the suggestion that he may have been a little too narcissistic. Neither outlet confronts the diaries’ central revelation, which is that Fauci repeatedly said one thing in private and another in public..." Matt Vespa, Why a Former FDA Official Got Very Uncomfortable During This Interview on CNBC. Glenn Greenwald @ggreenwald, "It was well-demonstrated that US and EU elites who imposed strict lockdowns during COVID deemed themselves fully exempt. Countless examples, including Gavin Newsom having a nice maskless dinner with lobbyists, and Pelosi in the hair salon. But @JakeTapper should explain this:" Quote a newsman @a_newsman, "Jul 27Has Jake Tapper addressed why he was having Anthony Fauci over for dinner while husbands and wives of seventy five years were saying goodbye to each other over zoom?" At Althouse, "[His diary] paints a portrait of Dr. Fauci as obsessed with himself, reveling in his own importance and the celebrities he knows..."

From Ace, Revealed: Five Months After Fauci Got Vaccinated, He Suffered a Pulmonary Infarction, an Adverse Effect Associated With the "Vaccine." He Kept This a Secret. "Anthony Fauci is Science, you know. He suffered the exact kind of adverse effect millions of other people were experiencing. Rather than reporting this, he kept it secret from the public." Mike Davis @mrddmia, "Of course, Trump was right. And undermined constantly by government bureaucrats who worked for him." Quote CNN Politics @CNNPolitics, "President Trump contradicts the US intel community by claiming he's seen evidence that the coronavirus originated in a Chinese lab https://cnn.it/3d7KSuC."

Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius, "I had a dream last night that Michael Crichton was still alive and he wrote a book called “Two Weeks to Stop the Spread.” The book’s main character was a megalomaniacal, narcissistic senior US health official who was using NIH funds to work with China to engineer a virus designed to wipe out the world’s elderly and infirm populations, thereby decreasing the public health and expense burden foisted on younger generations...."

Fauci just took the 5th, after an opening statement blasting Rand Paul. Now, Rand Paul reminded him he was unconditionally pardoned by Biden, and therefore the 5th amendment doesn't apply, but Fauci is sticking to it.

Picture of the Day: “Hegseth”

Sundance at CTH hosts President Donald J Trump Attends Memorial Service for Senator Lindsey Graham. At Althouse, Trump at the funeral. Aaron Rupar @atrupar, "Trump takes issue with the Lindsey Graham eulogy he's reading: "Virtually everyone liked Lindsey. Well, not everybody. But it sounds good. I have to be honest. I have to veer from this for a second."" And hosts Kaitlyn Collins talking to Jon Stewart about Trump, "There are times when I watch him, and I think to myself, this can't be real. Like, this can't be America. America. You've heard of us. We're great...."

Ben Whedon at JTN sees Thune pours cold water on canceling recess to pass SAVE America Act. "Trump on Monday called for Thune to cancel recess to pass the bill, but Thune said nothing had changed." From the Victory Girls, John Thune: Pass The SAVE America Act Already. Sadly, even if they busted the filibuster, I don't think they have the votes, thanks to Sen. Murkowski, Collins and Paul. From Ace, Mitch McConnell Released from Hospital, But Still Not "Medically Cleared" to Do His Job; Democrat Governor Andy Beshear Demands He Return to Senate or Resign. "It was so important to McConnell to remain in office forever. Even after he'd been kicked out of the leadership position due to his opposition to most mainstream Republicans."

Amanda Head at JTN, From proving ground to payday, Trump’s Michigan trip shows auto industry shifting into high gear. "Under Trump’s trade policies, companies such as General Motors (GM) are shifting production of certain vehicles stateside." Carlo Carrasco is happy Japan Determining Lifting Import Prohibition On Fresh US Potatoes. From Da Caller, Trump Admin Putting Major Medical Association’s Billing Code ‘Monopoly’ Under The Microscope. 

From WaEx, House Administration Committee chairman doesn’t rule out mail-in ballot restrictions in third party-line bill. From Fox, NJ Republican says motor voter scandal vindicates years of election integrity warnings, pushes for legislative probe. Larry at Hat Hair, AARP's John Hishta Reveals the Polling Data That Could Decide the Midterm Elections. From the Crimson Hub, Whatley (Literally) Blurring the Trump Line in NC Race and People Have Noticed.

Dave Strom at Hat Hair wonders Is Socialism Really Gaining Steam, or Are Socialists Just Gaming the System Better? Da Wire, Mamdani Just Handed The Internet Thousands Of Names And Addresses. "The Department of Finance uploaded a searchable database including the addresses and names of property owners." Jack Posobiec @JackPosobiec, "Anyone who has read the history of communism knows what step comes after naming the enemy land owners." Quote Bernadette Hogan @bern_hogan, "The city published a list of all properties -- and the names of the owners -- that *could be* subject to the new pied a terre tax in a very easy to search Excel sheet:" VodkaPundit at PJM, NYC: Begun, the Class War Has. Alex Berenson @AlexBerenson, "Last week, my mom got a "pied-a-terre" tax notice. She has lived full-time in her townhouse FOR 30 YEARS (she and my dad bought it for under $1 million). She has no other residence. Is NYC not bothering with basic checking of its own tax lists? She's 81 and has three weeks to get her name off the list or she owes $56,000. (Yes, I said I'd help.) Thanks, Zohran Kwame." Ace notes Mamdani Publishes Names of Property Owners Whose Estates Will be Confiscated, "The list of properties to be hit with a huge tax penalty, large enough so that the owners will mostly be forced to sell, turns out to be a bigger list than the laughing boy socialist demon had promised."

John Sexton asserts The DNC Is a Broke, Phone-Throwing Mess With a Kamala Harris Hangover. Cathy Salgado at PJM reveals Nebraska Dem’s Hot Mic Revelation: A Dem Plan Boosting ‘Independent’ Senate Candidate.

Vic Nava at NYPo reports a Confused Biden admitted he discovered classified materials ‘downstairs’ in bumbling chat with ghostwriter: ‘So many pauses and ums’. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair says Just Like POTATUS' Brain, Biden Tapes Have Big Holes Where Ghostwriter Did Some Erasing. Ace highlights that the Zwonitizer Tapes Demonstrate Biden's Serious Cognitive Decline; Massive Amount of NSA/CIA Redactions Show Biden Sharing Tons of Classified Information with a Civilian. "I don't think the tapes have been released yet to the public, but the Oversight Project has heard them and is releasing information about them."

Ruby Rippey

From Althouse, "One afternoon he brings matzo ball soup from Max’s deli, my favorite. Another time, a mixtape." "Writes Ruby Rippey, in "How I Blew Up—Then Rebuilt—My Life/When news of her affair with Gavin Newsom exploded into the public eye, it was only the outward mark of a long-rippling private implosion. In the wreckage of the scandal, Ruby Rippey faced her demons but lost her voice. Twenty years later, she is ready to share her story" (Vanity Fair). Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "Residents in the Palisades put up Mad Max barricades because construction site theft is so rampant since Karen Bass directed LAPD to remove police patrols from the neighborhood. As if the fire victims haven't dealt with enough...the vile communist is punishing us further." From Reason, California's War on Goats Could Worsen the Wildfire Crisis "Standard minimum wage and overtime laws now apply to the state's goat herders, whose animals clear brush and reduce fire danger. The costs are unsustainable." 

Jeffrey Rosen takes on Birthright Citizenship and Presidential Removal: A Historical Deep Dive. Kyla Becker at RedState sees a Rogue Judge Finally Gets an Act Named After Him - What It Does Is Hilarious. "Schmitt is calling it the BOASBERG Act. It stands for the Blocking Overt Attempts at Shopping By Enforcing Randomization Guidelines Act. ... Fox News Politics @foxnewspolitics, "BOASBERG ACT: Sen. Eric Schmitt introduces legislation named after the federal judge who has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration — designed to end judge shopping in federal courts by requiring random case assignment. The bill would prohibit chief judges from influencing which cases they oversee, require public disclosure of assignment practices, and create penalties for anyone who meddles with the process. Courts would have 120 days to comply. Schmitt called Judge James Boasberg "the poster child for a rogue judge" who "exposed serious loopholes in our judicial system." Boasberg, an Obama appointee, has blocked Trump's deportation efforts, halted visa restrictions, and landed the Signalgate case — drawing impeachment calls from Trump and a misconduct complaint from the Justice Department."

Sundance reports on his final day, Acting DNI Bill Pulte Notes an Additional 30 Percent Staff Reduction. CNBC, Senate confirms Jay Clayton as Trump's director of national intelligence, replacing Pulte.

Stacy McCain sees ‘Suburban Teens’ Make Headlines. "In addition to Vanessa Morales, whose father doesn’t speak English, the other “suburban teens” killed in the crash were identified as Cristofer Lopez Montan, 19, and Yuarem Garcia-Pena, 18, both of Woodstock, and Yaritza Martinez Villeda, 17, of Crystal Lake. So these kids weren’t exactly the cast of Sixteen Candles or Pretty in Pink. On the one hand you can understand that, on those rare occasions when the perpetrators of crime in Chicago aren’t “urban youth,” the local media are eager to convey the message that it wasn’t the usual suspects this time."

From CIS, DOJ: Fifth Circuit ‘Rules Illegal Aliens Do Not Have a Constitutional Right to Roam Free.’ "Did four immigration judges in Tacoma know they would trigger a legal firestorm and likely SCOTUS review?" Sassafrass84 @Sassafrass_84, "Just a psa: You came here screaming “they’ll kill me if I go back!” Ok. You can stay and seek asylum. The asylum ends the second you send cash back, wave their flag, or book a vacation to the “death trap”you escaped. Pick a lane. We’re not running a hotel for frauds."

Dave Strom realizes DEI Requires 'Good' People to Lie. Wall Street Apes @WallStreetApes, "This should horrify every American A man tries to walk through Minneapolis with an American Flag He immediately gets harassed, threatened with physical violence. Shortly after a car pulls up quickly and a man gets out to rush him to cause harm. He has to run and yell he’s calling the cops The American can’t even sit in his car without worried about being assaulted “This sh*t hurts my heart, man. ..." Lisa Britton @LisaBritton, "One minute we’re being told air conditioning is sexist towards women. The next we’re being told women are the true victims of heat waves. It just never ends!" From Da Mail, Plagiarism or jealousy? Youngest black professor in Cambridge history set to publish extraordinary life story - including how he couldn't speak, read or write during childhood - as he's now accused of copying others' work.

At WaEx, Teachers union uses felons to attack school choice in Arizona. Matt Van Swol @mattvanswol, "My story about pulling our son out of NC public schools to homeschool him reached far more people than I expected. So I owe you the full explanation. Fair warning: it's worse than you think. ..." Really long but worth it.

From Twitchy, Berlin Pride Killer Attended Three-Day Deradicalization Course Run by Progressive White Women. John Sexton sees Tim Horton's Announces Harry Potter Donuts and Some People Are Angry. Some people are always angry.

And more from the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 07.28.26 (Morning Edition). 

The Wednesday Wetness

 Kelia Moniz, Professional Surfer, WSL World Longboard Champion, Roxy team rider & model

Bay Journal, Study searches for alternatives to Potomac River water supply

A two-year study, called Secure the Source, will look at large solutions that could provide emergency water supply for weeks to more than 5 million people in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The $25 million study, announced in June, is aimed at finding potential alternatives to the Potomac River water supply. Project partners include water utility leaders from WSSC Water, Fairfax Water, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.

Maryland, My Maryland

 Balmer Sun, Boy, 13, airlifted after beaver attack at Maryland state park: officials.  

A 13-year-old boy was flown to a Baltimore hospital after he was bitten by a beaver Sunday morning at Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County, according to officials. The incident occurred around 9:10 a.m. in the William Houck Area near the lake’s North Beach, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The boy suffered injuries to his hands and chest and was flown to Johns Hopkins Hospital for treatment.

The swimming beach was closed immediately as Maryland Park Service staff and Maryland Natural Resources Police searched for the beaver so it could be tested for rabies. Officials said one beaver had been located, but crews continued searching the area to determine whether additional beavers were present and to confirm the captured animal was the one involved in the attack. Rabies testing will be coordinated through the Frederick County Health Department.

The Department of Natural Resources said its Wildlife and Heritage Service provided support and guidance throughout the response and will work with the Maryland Park Service and Natural Resources Police to determine when the swimming area can safely reopen. All other areas of Cunningham Falls State Park remain open to visitors.

Those teeth are no joke. But you wonder what a 13 year old boy might have done to provoke that response.  I know I might have at that age.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Fauci Files Freed

Rand Paul, who as a fellow Dr., has had it in for Anthony Fauci for quite a while for lying to Congress about the origin and seriousness of Covid, got his hands on Fauci's private diary somehow (he probably kept it at work), and it revealed the either Fauci was lying to Congress and the public or himself, was a double-dealing little glory hound weasel while also being the most highly paid government employee ever, while leading the effort to fight the disease. Fox, Fauci's newly released COVID diaries reveal bizarre fixation on fame as pandemic deaths mounted. "Fauci wrote that his "national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable" and that it was "not hyperbole" to say he was "the most famous and talked about person in the country."" Hat Hair's Dave Strom hopes Will Fauci Fall Finally? From Breitbart, Fauci, CNN Condemned ‘Small Household Gatherings’ Week Before Fauci-Tapper Dinner. From Sundance at CTH, Ahead of Anthony Fauci Testimony to Senate, Rand Paul Releases Files Outlining Serious Manipulation of COVID-19 Information. At Ace's they're charged up, Rand Paul Publishes Anthony Fauci's Private Diaries, In Which He Confesses He Knows Covid Didn't Come from "The Wet Market" and Has a Lethality of Only 0.2-0.3%; "The Media Refuses to Cover. And they won't cover it because the diaries also expose this deranged dwarfish narcissist as being their dinner-guest and "friendship building" pal." And THE MORNING RANT: As Bombshell Fauci Docs Drop, Faux-Conservative Media Indignantly Covers Story It Suppressed in 2020. Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_, "NEW: On page 302 of the new personal records of Dr. Fauci released by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Fauci complains that in 2013, HHS didn't let him do a CNN television interview because of "pure jealousy", adding that it was because he's a "rockstar" who was "stealing their thunder."" C3 @C_3C_3, "Photo 1: A man who claimed Covid had a mortality rate of a flu in his diary. Photo 2: A man who claimed Covid had a mortality rate 10X of a flu under oath in front of Congress." Tara Servatius @TaraServatius, "DAMN. In early 2020, Fauci recorded in his diary how much he was able to make the stock market drop with his lie that covid was 10x more deadly than the flu. At the same time, in the same diary, he wrote that covid wasn't any more deadly than the seasonal flu. While he was going on TV saying the opposite to terrify the public into shutting down the economy. It was all a lie designed to take out Trump's most formidable weapon for reelection: his booming economy." Clay Travis @ClayTravis, "Fauci claimed he didn’t shut down schools. Then bragged in his diary that California and New York shut down schools based on his recommendations." Quote, "Tom Elliott @tomselliott, "Dear Diary, Today I shut down NYC and all California. Tony." KanekoaTheGreat @KanekoaTheGreat, "Fauci’s own diary just dropped. Feb 1, 2020. The secret call that produced "Proximal Origin." 12 scientists on the line. Only 2 thought the virus was natural. The other 10 — per Fauci's own notes — "felt that deliberate insertion was possible." They flagged Shi Zhengli's gain-of-function work on coronaviruses in Wuhan by name. 8 days later, Fauci went on Newt Gingrich's podcast: "I've heard these conspiracy theories. And like all conspiracy theories, Newt, they're just conspiracy theories." Then Facebook and Twitter banned you for saying the same thing his own scientists were telling him privately." Hans Mahncke @HansMahncke, "It is a new week, but I still do not think it has sunk in for most people, and perhaps it never will, that the event that upended our lives and changed the world was man-made. Some of us understood that from the beginning. Rand Paul’s recent document releases have now put the case beyond any doubt. The Wuhan lab created Covid and unleashed it on the world. And it could not have done so without Fauci’s help. Those are the facts. So what happens now? When does accountability begin? ..." Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "From the Russia! Russia! Russia! conspiracy, through Covid, through the 2020 election fraud and the suppression of Hunter Biden's laptop, through Joe Biden's cognitive decline, they've learned that simply ignoring massive scandals works." Quote Jimmy Dore @jimmy_dore, "What is most amazing is not that we have the black-and-white evidence of Fauci being a criminal lying fraud maniac mad scientist who operated on fear and lies. But the fact that the people who worshiped him in the first place are not going to take in any of this information nor going to take in any of this information nor get angry or upset. Their worship of Fauci, and all the lies, he told about: -masks, -the infection fatality rate of the virus, -the vaccines stopping transmission, stopping contraction, -the toxic side effects that are off the chart, -the excess deaths caused by the vaccine, -the damage to children’s hearts, kidneys, neurological disorders from the vaccine, -the lies about NOT inventing the virus in the first place. Will still be ignored by the people who most ardently enforced the Fauci Covid narrative because to admit to themselves, all these lies, would mean that they were monsters acting in an evil way and poisoning themselves and their own children, and they just can’t live with that..." The Great Victor Davis Hanson @VDHanson, "Dr Fauci and Mr. Science The Fauci files reveal not just a sociopathic narcissist, but also a pathological schizophrenic. For years, Fauci was assuring the public of Covid narratives that he either knew were untrue, or knew little about. He posed as a non-partisan, even as he collaborated with the leftwing cable news grandees and liberal columnists to hound his enemies and magnify his godhead. From the virus’s origins and effects of the lockdowns, to the efficacy of the mRNA vaccinations to the always changing 0/1/2 masks wearing protocols, Fauci used his massive government agency, and sycophantic media, to promote his always fluid narratives by punishing enemies and rewarding friends—on the basis of their loyalty to Dr. “I represent science”. He seemed to be obsessed with firing White House Covid advisor Scott Atlas, and demonizing Jay Bhattacharya, Sunetra Gupta and Martin Kulldorff—for the crimes of questioning the Fauci party line..."

And a bit more recent Covid news, From Fox, Alleged $32M COVID-19 fraud fugitive captured in Jamaica and returned to US, FBI says, "Elaine Angene Escoe was charged in a $32M COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud scheme allegedly involving wire fraud, money laundering." Matt Vespa at TownHall, There Was a Huge Win for Those Screwed Over by the COVID Vaccine Mandate. Appeals court rules a woman was wrongfully terminated for refusing the vaccine for religious reasons.

PJM's Stephen Kruiser argues John Thune Is the Most Effective Democrat in Congress Right Now. To be fair, he has poor material to work with. Rep. James Comer to Newsmax: Senate Stalling Trump's Agenda. Ace, Thune Schemes to Put the Senate Into Recess Until Late August, Ending Any Chance of Passing SAVE Before the Elections. In a Hat Hair vid Johnson Delivers House Wins as Pompeo Warns: Iran Still a Threat. Politico crows about the power of propaganda, Poll: Republicans’ gas price problem is even worse than it seems. "Three in five Americans believe gas prices in their area have risen by more than they actually have, according to a POLITICO analysis." But Dave Strom sees Americans Sour on Trump, Still Trust Him More Than Democrats.

ABC whines that Alaska sends 3,000 letters asking voters to verify their citizenship ahead of this year's elections.

Kyle Becker at RedState reports U.S. Ambassador Storms Out of U.N. Meeting After France Says Unthinkable About Trump Administration. France ONU Genève @FranceONUGeneve, "The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia, isolated. And the world no longer listens to it." But they sure want our money, and help when the chips are down.

Jen Van Laar at RedState reveals, Biden Ghostwriter Tapes, Transcripts Are Out - and They're Already Raising Big Questions. He openly bragged about telling his ghostwriter classified information, and revealed he knew about the classified files in the garage. Matt Vespa, The Biden Ghostwriter Tapes Are Out...and They Confirm What We've Known for a While.

The Democratic National Committee Is Imploding says PJM's Matt Margolis, hopefully. "According to a New York Times report, the Democratic National Committee can't pay its bills and Chairman Ken Martin is paranoid and unhinged. In other words, the committee is drowning in internal chaos."

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair cites the DSA Co-Chair: You're Darned Right We'll Order the Code Red on America! RNC Research @RNCResearch, "DSA Co-Chair Megan Romer confirms their platform includes: - Abolishing the Senate, presidency, & Supreme Court - Abolishing ICE, borders, & prisons - Defunding the Pentagon - Mass amnesty for illegals." VodkaPundit at PJM puts it this way, DSA's Solemn Vow: We Win an Election, You Lose a Country. Steve Cook at RCD, From Ration Stamps to DoorDash: How Comfort and Socialism Are Disarming America. Dave Strom, For Some Strange Reason, Utopian Ideas Keep Failing. PJM's Eric Florack, Six Times the Bodies, Half the Outrage: Communism's Missing Reckoning. Joe at The View From North Central Idaho says They Never Stop Lying.

RedState's Rusty Weiss outraged, What in the Actual? Mamdani Doxxes NYC’s Wealthy by Publishing Their Names and Addresses. "How? By publishing a searchable database of properties that could fall under the new pied-à-terre tax, complete with the owners’ full names and addresses." Capt. Ed thinks it's Too Dumb to Check: Did Maine Dems Anoint an Ineligible Jackson to Replace Platner? Eric W. @EWess92, "Maine has a "sore loser" law that says a candidate that runs for one office and loses cannot run for another office in the same cycle. After Graham Platner dropped out, Maine Dems are poised to nominate Troy Jackson. But Jackson ran for Governor (and lost the primary). Eligible?" Quote Kat @katagious2, "GOP Rep. James White (Maine) points out that Troy Jackson may not legally be eligible to be the nominee for Senate." "However, as we saw in the Robert Torricelli switcheroo, any ambiguity in these statutes will provide the excuse needed for Bellows and state courts to refuse to enforce those standards. That's especially true given today's deadline for ballot changes in the general election. Enforcing these statutes properly, as White demands in his challenge to Bellows, would leave the Democrats without a challenger to incumbent Republican Susan Collins. Even if the statutes had no ambiguity, the courts would moan about robbing the voters of a choice in the general election, even though Maine Democrats actually robbed those same voters of their choice by pushing Platner out in the first place." 

From Da Caller, Karen Bass Blames Trump Administration For Increasing Homelessness In LA Ahead Of New Count. Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "It's adorable you think people are stealing because they're hungry. They're stealing because they're feral and don't care about civilized society." Quote Ashton Forbes @AshtonForbes, "Downtown St. Paul Whole Foods closed last year. Too much crime. It's heart breaking watching people steal food because they're hungry. Cities can't even keep them open with subsidies."

Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "33 counties in Illinois have already voted to separate themselves from Illinois 7 more counties just approved to add the referendum onto the ballot JB Pritzker and Brandon Johnson are total failures!" They're a little far away to join Greater Idaho, but perhaps they can get together with Ohio to make a Grander Ohio!

At 1945, Trump Has Already Won the Iran War, a Twenty-Five-Year Army Veteran Argues — ‘the Enemy Gets a Vote’, "In a new analysis, national security expert James Jay Carafano argues President Trump has already achieved America’s key objectives against Iran and is de-risking rather than escalating — stripping Iranian assets with every exchange, discounting the midterms, and fighting the rest of the war on what he calls Trump Time." CDR Salamander is Squinting at the Iran Decision Brief. Reason whines about Waltz: Interceptor Shortage Is Biden's Fault, Fake News, and Illegal To Discuss, "The Trump administration official contradicted himself as he tried to explain away bad news from the Iran war."

At RCW, Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act Is a Win-Win-Win. Aust BC, Israeli air strike kills top Hamas official in Gaza, Wael El-Ledawi. Another Dorito gone from the bowl.

From Althouse, "Critics say T.P.S. is a problem because it’s not really temporary. Look at the Salvadorans, they say." "They first became eligible for T.P.S. in 1990 because of the violent civil war in their country. Another wave came after two devastating earthquakes in 2001. Decades on, there are about 190,000 of them here, living and working legally. (At least for now — their protected status is slated to end in September.)" From "Protected No More" (NYT gift link)."

Don Surber on Journalism 2026, "Any time President Trump gives a speech, it must be described as rambling." To be fair, it usually is, but he knows where he's going.

At Hat Hair, Capt. Ed says Quelle Surprise: Berlin Terror Perp Killed; Known Wolf With Long Track Record while Beege Welborn has Some Last Minute Updates and Thoughts on the Islamic Attack in Germany Yesterday and Dave Strom notes on the Berlin Pride Attack: Organizers Worry About Islamophobia, Blame White Men. At Althouse, "[A]nti-queer' crimes more than tripled in [Berlin] between 2016 and 2025. Violent anti-queer crimes rose by half." "Some people at the memorial on Sunday said German leaders had contributed to a sense of insecurity. They singled out the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which has climbed in national polls with a platform that defines a family as a man and a woman with children. Others criticized Friedrich Merz, the chancellor, who defended a decision not to fly a Pride flag over the federal parliament building last year by saying Parliament was 'not a circus tent.'..." The New Reform Club notices the BBC’s Passive Voice, ‘A van drove into a crowd ....’ Gad Saad @GadSaad, "Ahmad attacks people at a Pride Parade because Islam. White liberal woman with aposematic hair coloring concludes white men are to blame. Suicidal Empathy is a fatal disease of the human spirit." Quote American AF @iAnonPatriot, "OMG. Liberal women are blaming “white men” for the Islamic extremist who ran over people at an LGBTQ parade in Berlin. “You’re not going to scapegoat the Muslim community like they’re the violent ones, when it’s actually you (white men).”" Ace sees another Maryland Man Goes on Stabbing Spree in Paris, Saying Allah Sent Him to Kill Women, "The police say that you should ignore his self-stated motive. It doesn't matter that he says Allah sent him to kill women. The man, you see, is "crazy."" "The suspect, Lebanese-heritage Abdul Ballut, 21, was shot and killed by police on Sunday after a 20-hour manhunt in the German capital." So, not really a Maryland Man, rather a "Maryland Man."

At the College Fix, Left-wing activist turns out to be professor. Insty at his NYPo gig notes Even the left is now flagging the gross bias at America’s universities. Beege Welborn notes In the Pantheon of Worthless Degrees to Waste Money on, This Is Up There "Arizona State launches degree on becoming an influencer — exactly the career more than half of Gen Z adults dream of." It helps to have big tits. Dave Strom calls the University of Minnesota: Taxpayer-Funded Groomers. VodkaPundit at Insty, WELL, WHEN YOU PUT IT LIKE THAT…: End Wokeness @EndWokeness, "This is who's calling you an extremist on the internet."

From ZeroHedge, Activists Target WNBA Player After She Takes Stand Against Trans Agenda. 

Tattoo Tuesday

South Carolina Daily Gazette, Tattoo parlor sues SC over 22-year-old law requiring distance from churches. "Lawsuit also challenges state ban on tattooing anyone’s face, head or neck."

Whether tattoo artists have a constitutional right to ink near churches and schools is the central question of a federal lawsuit challenging a decades-old state law.

South Carolina became the second-to-last state in the nation to allow tattooing in 2004, following only Oklahoma. The law legalizing the practice set parameters, including that parlors needed to stay at least 1,000 feet away from any nearby churches, schools and playgrounds, and no artist could tattoo on the neck, face or head.

In a lawsuit filed July 17 in federal court, a tattoo shop and two people who want to get inked are arguing those rules violate the First Amendment right of self-expression. The state Department of Public Health and attorney general’s office, named as the defendants, have not yet filed responses.

“Whether artwork appears on canvas, paper, or skin, the Constitution protects both the artist’s right to create it and the customer’s right to receive it,” the lawsuit reads.

Well, duh! What if you want to get a head and neck tattoo after church! 

Maryland, My Maryland

 At the Balmer Sun, Could small modular reactors help ease Maryland’s energy crisis? 

As Maryland grapples with soaring electricity demand and rising energy costs, a Rockville-based nuclear company is betting that a new generation of small reactors could eventually help power the state — even as its first projects are being developed hundreds of miles away.

X-Energy Inc., with a Rockville headquarters and Frederick testing center, has plans in Texas and Washington state to generate electricity for chemicals giant Dow Inc. and retail behemoth Amazon. But its technology could be a fit for Maryland’s energy landscape, the company said in a recent interview with The Baltimore Sun.

The company is among developers of a range of new nuclear reactor technologies touted as compact, safe and flexible enough for a variety of sites but not yet in commercial use in the United States.

“Small modular reactors” cost less to build than traditional plants but can operate around the clock to generate carbon-free electricity, proponents say. Much smaller than conventional nuclear plants (typically under 300 megawatts), SMRs can be factory-built and assembled on-site, potentially reducing costs and construction time. They can be added in stages as electricity demand grows.
...
Baltimore-based Constellation, for one, the nation’s largest operator of nuclear plants, is in talks with developers about co-locating modular reactors at power plants across its U.S. portfolio, including at Calvert Cliffs Clean Energy Center in Calvert County. No deals have been announced.

“New nuclear and SMRs are going to be part of America’s future, and, we’re very hopeful, also part of Maryland’s future,” said David Dardis, a Constellation senior executive vice president and chief external affairs and growth officer. “Maryland has some pretty great advantages.”

“New nuclear” is a broad term for a new generation of nuclear energy technologies and business models that differ from the large, traditional nuclear power plants built mainly between the 1960s and 1990s.

Locating small reactors at existing plants makes sense, Dardis said. Calvert Cliffs would offer adjacent land, existing electrical infrastructure and water, used as a coolant.

I would be shocked if the regulators would let them tap into Calvert Cliffs cooling water. I thought many of the "small" reactor designs  used air cooling systems. I could see a small reactor on the Calvert Cliffs reservation, which is pretty big, right next to the AI data center that is also being considered on the the site.

A friend, and neighbor, former nuclear navy, works at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and is gung-ho for small reactors. I hope he gets to see this.

Flotsam and Jetsam - In Spite of Our Selves

From Da Caller, Mark Sanford Announces Bid For Lindsey Graham’s Senate Seat (just say no) and Conservative Leaders Call GOP-Led Amnesty Bill ‘Betrayal’ To Voters (it is). Shawn Fleetwood at Da Fed notices that Cornyn, Tillis Drag Their Feet On Blanche Nomination After Voting For Obama, Biden Appointees out of spite. From Campus Reform, House Republicans advance package to shrink Education Department "Education Secretary Linda McMahon says the legislation would reduce bureaucracy as Republicans seek to return more education authority to the states." Eliminating it altogether would be better. At Am Spec, Jeff Lord discusses Sally Quinn and the Establishment Blues, "It’s all about the power. ... Ms. Quinn’s column epitomizes that sense of Washington’s permanent power brokers that they are somehow, in their world of power elites, deserving of their place and have a right to be running the rest of the country and telling everybody else what to do. Whether the rest of the country likes it or not." TownHall's Joe Chalfant sees The Left Is Going All in to Take Out One of America's Favorite Conservatives, Rep. Andy Ogles, D-Cal.

TownHall's Kurt Schlichter issues a spoiler alert, It’s Going to Be JD and Kamala, So Calm Down. Hey, I'm not done deciding between JD and Marco!

Gina Milan @ginamilan_ "Trump jokes that Kaitlan Collins looks like Dylan Mulvaney. Media: “Disgusting. Mean. Unacceptable.” Jimmy Kimmel mocks Charlie Kirk’s murder, calls Melania an “expectant widow,” and airs a “Trump’s gonna kill you” shirt. Media: “Relax. It’s comedy. It’s free speech.” Got it." Bad Hombre @Badhombre, "Democrats: Dylan Mulvaney is a beautiful woman. Trump: Kaitlan Collins looks like Dylan Mulvaney. Democrats: How dare Trump compare Kaitlan Collins to an ugly man!" Gina Milan @ginamilan_, "Can someone explain this to me like I’m five? Trump compared Kaitlan Collins to Dylan Mulvaney and the media is losing its mind calling it an “attack.” But wait… don’t they constantly tell us that trans women are beautiful? That they’re real women? That we should celebrate them? So why is comparing a woman to a trans woman suddenly an insult? Wouldn’t that be a compliment in their world? I’m genuinely confused." Andrew Isker @BonifaceOption, "It’s the perfect joke. They can’t articulate why it is offensive without admitting their beliefs are fake. What is she supposed to say? “How dare you compare me to a man pretending to be a woman?”" At Twitchy, Fellow Americans: Trump Doubles Down on Comparing CNN’s Kaitlan Collins to Trans Icon Dylan Mulvaney.

Jesse Singal @jessesingal, "DSA folks: Democrats are are the enemy Some Dems: DSA folks view us as the enemy and are therefore not our allies -- they could help wreck the party DSA folks: Holy shit how could you say that??? Unbelievable slanderlibel," Quote Mike from PA@Mike_from_PA, "Personally it’s time that we stop pretending that liberals like Jon Ossoff, Gretchen Whitmer, Mayor Pete, etc. are anything but enemies. She was literally recruited into politics by a Blue Cross/ Blue Shield health insurance executive. They are not progressive." PJM's Rick Moran explains why Why Every Young DSA Member Needs to See 'Star City'. Hat Hair's Josh Hammer asserts the DSA Assault on Prisons Is Rooted in Third World-ist Lust for Barbarism. Don't worry, they'll save prisons for "enemies of the people," ie, conservatives.PJM's Bob Spencer wonders Is Zohran Mamdani Mentally Ill? Not by normal definitions. Stephen L. Miller @redsteeze, "New York under Mamdani is going to become London under Sadiq Khan, if it hasn't already." Quote Roger Zakheim @RogerZakheim Replying to @RogerZakheim, "Rabbi Levine: “When I was growing up the only time we saw security outside of my synagogue or my Jewish day school was when the mayor came to speak. The police were there to protect him. Today every time the mayor speaks we need the police to protect us.”" Just wait until all the Jews move out and take their money with them. From Twitchy, GOOD! Families of 9/11 Victims Want Mayor Zohran Mamdani BANNED From 25th Anniversary. Shooting News Week says Oh Look! Another Bloomberg Mayor Would Rather Limit Gun Rights Than Jail Criminals. Criminals are their voters, gun owners are not. That McCotter at Am Great, ‘Meet the New Boss, Worse Than the Old Boss’: Welcome to Ortega-Murillo’s Nicaragua, the socialist end game.

At Althouse, "The Democratic Party is so short on cash that leaders at its headquarters have undertaken a new gambit to mask the severity of the problems: asking vendors not to send bills until after the midterm elections...." "From "Inside the Phone-Throwing Drama at the Troubled, Broke Democratic Party/The Democrats should be well positioned to make gains in this year’s midterms. But inside party headquarters, every week brings paranoia, worries about money and, on occasion, emotional eruptions" (NYT gift link)." I'm sure some billionaires will step up.

News Wax hears CENTCOM Chief Urged Iran Strike Halt. "Cooper told administration officials that most of the military's designated targets in the Strait of Hormuz region had already been struck, leaving relatively few remaining objectives." Make the rubble bounce. Responsible Statecraft sees Aiming at the Gulf, Iran shoots itself in the foot. "Tehran's attacks on its Arab neighbors have increased their reliance on the US rather than reducing it." RedState's Nick Arama hears Mike Waltz Reveals Why Iran's Regime Is in Even Deeper Trouble "President Donald Trump announced that they were going to use any of the Iranian regime money they could lay their hands on to pay off any damage that Iran was causing, such as with shipping. And they've been going after Iran's money big time, as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has explained, even tracking down Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei's "money man," and freezing regime-related accounts. Bessent said they were preserving that money for "the American people." Bessent explained how they've been tracking accounts all over the world, and now they've also frozen a crypto wallet containing about $130 million linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)." Trump and Bessent understand money can be a weapon. At Hat Hair, Larry Elder notices Trump's War Critics Discuss Everything -- Except the Point, stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and the means to use them. News Wax cites Waltz: Saudi Nuclear Deal Includes 'No Enrichment' Capability, not that Waltz, the other Waltz.

Fox, Rand Paul releases documents on intercepted COVID research materials, "CBP intercepted biological materials tied to US–China virus network before COVID, new documents show. A DHS report details a coronavirus research network centered around University of Minnesota virologist Fang Li." At Insty, a Driscolly post, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has released another batch of documents related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Robby Soave @robbysoave, "Privately, in his diaries, Doctor Fauci admitted he no longer believed the wet market was the origin of covid. A week later, he convenes a call with 12 scientists, and only two of them think it's definitely animal spillover. Publicly, he comes out against lab leak and presses the Proximal Origins paper to find in favor of animal spillover. Seems bad." Tom Elliott @tomselliott, "Wow, @Alyssafarah -- formerly of the Trump Admin, currently of The View -- emailed Fauci in 2020 saying she's trying to get Dr. Scott Atlas fired: "He goes rogue and it’s wildly unhelpful. I’m so sorry you have to deal with this. I’ve advocated for his dismissal for months to no avail.."

John First at Energy, Security and Freedom is elated by That PA Supreme Court Case Finding Land Is A Possession and Rights to It Cannot Be Erased by Agency Eager Beavers! Jon Adler at The Volokh Conspiracy, sees Brian Fitzpatrick Makes the Case for Callais "There appears to be an academic consensus that the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana in Callais is incorrect. But does this tell us more about the decision or about the legal academy?"

Bill Ackman @BillAckman, "It is incredible how far the Democratic Party has moved politically. Just listen to @BarackObama on immigration 20 years ago. @HillaryClinton spoke similarly back then. The question of course is why. The answer I believe is not a change in fundamental views, but rather a tactical one. At some point, the Democratic Party believed it had a higher likelihood of staying in power if our country had open borders. When did this take place? What was the catalyst for this reversal of views?" Quote MAZE @mazemoore "This might be the most amazing one yet. More from Senator Obama on immigration. Obama not only said that illegals must not be allowed to work here, he went one step further and said that employers should be forced to prove that they offered the job to American citizens before they are allowed to hire guest workers. Democrats today would call this racist and xenophobic." Andrew Ireland @AndrewIrelandIN, "The H-1B program is a total scam. Purdue University is hiring a foreigner to help make newsletters and social media posts even though thousands of qualified Americans live within a 30 minute drive of this job. As a state lawmaker, I will do everything I can to end this next session." Quote indy reporter @Indy_reporter_, "Purdue University filing an H-1B for an “Assistant Director” of Communications & Marketing in Hammond, IN. Because nothing says “we couldn’t find a single American who can write a press release” like importing one for $55k–$87k starting in 2027." Sundance at CTH suggests The Scale of Ineligible People Called for Jury Duty Starts to Highlight Number of Illegal Aliens Currently on Voter Rolls. "About 75,000 noncitizens are summoned for jury duty in New Jersey each year, based on data from three state government agencies, including the Motor Vehicle Commission — a stunning figure that widens the scope of a growing controversy over government databases that may incorrectly identify noncitizens as eligible voters and jurors." At News Wax, Trump Admin to Review ICE Vetting After Shooting.

PJM's Matt Margolis observes Tucker Carlson Has Gone Bat Poop Crazy, Wants Trump Tried for Treason. Stacy McCain has his Own Tucker Carlson Theory, which basically boils down to spite. "And it seems to me that such strictly personal grievances, related to his being fired from Fox News in 2023, make much more sense in explaining what happened to Carlson than any speculation about secret payments from Qatar."

Greg Lukianoff at the Eternally Radical Idea has more free speech news, Fed withdraws New York Times subpoenas, CA tries to speech code-ify campus AI, “Wait, Community Had a Season SIX!?”, & more!

At Hat Hair Mark Judge has Questions for Tom Rosenstiel and the Students at the Philip Merrill School of Journalism regarding his usual (and well earned) obsession, the Kavanaugh nomination. "Here’s the question I’d like to ask Tom Rosenstiel and his students: Why did Washingtonian magazine recently spike a planned profile of me? A profile that writer Cathy Alter had begged me to do for six years?"

Dave Strom at Hat Hair, Terror in Berlin as Member of the Religion of Peace Slams Van Into Pride Festival. Driscoll at Insty, AND AGAIN: Terror Attack in Berlin. “Fifteen people were injured, with one having died so far. "MORE: Suspect in Berlin Pride attack identified as ‘Islamist.’ “‘Based on the investigators’ initial findings, we have already identified a suspected perpetrator,’ Florian Nath, a spokesman for Berlin police, said, adding that the force’s search for the suspect was ‘proceeding at full speed’. ‘He is known to us as a member of Islamic circles here in Berlin … we still have no information whatsoever regarding his specific motives, the exact sequence of events, or his role in the crime itself.’”... UPDATE (1:50 PM): Suspect in deadly Berlin Pride attack is killed in a confrontation with police." Andy Ngo @MrAndyNgo, "Organizers of the Berlin Pride that was targeted in a deadly attack by a Muslim Arab man read off a speech saying that the Islamic terror incident shouldn’t be politicised. The problem is with cowards like this. They want to stand in the way of those who seek to address deadly problems and danger stemming from radical Islam." Suicidal empathy. Ace, As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap: The Failure Of Western Europe To Defend Itself From Invasion "US State Department Issues Travel Advisory for Belgium."

Shawn Fleetwood at Da Fed, Congress Spotlights American Bar Association’s Dance With The DEI Devil. Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "Live by the DEI, die by the DEI." Quote Toby Young @toadmeister, "The youngest black professor in Cambridge University's history, Jason Arday, is at the centre of a plagiarism row after academics came forward claiming large parts of his work are copied almost verbatim from others." Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "Once again, I’ll remind you the Smithsonian said the anti-slavery Benjamin Franklin conducted electroshock experiments on slaves. With no evidence to prove it. And boatloads of evidence to the contrary." Quote Fox News@FoxNews, "Rep. Brandon Gill says it's time to "clean house" at the @smithsonian. The Texas Republican is backing President Trump's executive order directing warning signs to be posted outside the National Museum of American History highlighting what the White House calls ideological bias."

From NYPo, Taxpayer-funded trans dolls with removable genitalia to hit classrooms this fall for kids as young as 4 to ‘learn about different options’ Dave Strom at Hat Hair, Use the Word 'Man?' That Will Be $95,000, Please. REDUXX @reduxx, "A women's rights campaigner in Australia found guilty of "vilifying" two trans-identified males has lost her appeal. @KirralieS has been ordered to pay them $95,000 for referring to them as "men" and condemning their participation in female sports."

The Monday Morning Stimulus

From People, via Insty, Coffee Company Recalls More Than 3,000 Gallons of Cold Brew Concentrate Over Botulism Risk, "Brooklyn Roasting Company has recalled more than 1,200 units of cold brew concentrate due to botulism risk from improper storage."