Showing posts with label AI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AI. Show all posts

Saturday, August 29, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - Iran Used Trash Bags to Simulate Mines in the Gulf of Hormuz

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair cites Axios: Trump Has the Upper Hand in Hormuz. VodkaPundit at PJM, hears Iran Mined the Strait of Hormuz With… Trash Bags? "According to reporting cited by CNBC's Brian Sullivan, shipowners said many suspected mines were decoys, including inflated trash bags," the IW post continued. "Separate reporting citing U.S. officials said more than 200 mine-like objects were cleared from the main shipping lane, but only around 11 were actual mines." Such deceptions have a long history in warfare. I reluctantly award them points for creativity. At Twitchy, People Are LOVING the Faces a CNN Panel Makes As Scott Jennings Explains Trump's WIN in Iran. Scott Jennings @ScottJenningsKY, "By any meaningful metric, we have won this war. Now it's time for the president to formally announce it to the American people." It's sad to see the CNN panel sad to hear America is winning." Insty, TRUMP IS CRUSHING IRAN WITH ALMOST NO (U.S.) CASUALTIES, AND PEOPLE ARE BITCHING: Kurt Schlichter @KurtSchlichter, "FACT CHECK: True." Quote Marc Thiessen @marcthiessen, "Trump’s attack on Iran was not a blunder; it was the bravest foreign policy decision any president has done in my lifetime. He is the first president to take the words of our enemy seriously — and act before they were able to kill millions."

Sundance at CTH is happy to say Goodbye Canadian Oil – President Trump Announces “Biggest Oil Deal in World” with Venezuela. Trump: "The United States of America has just entered into an Agreement with the Country of Venezuela on, THE BIGGEST OIL DEAL IN WORLD HISTORY! At my direction, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, working closely with Highly Respected Interim President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, and, through a partnership with private business, have secured majority U.S. control of more than 65 BILLION BARRELS of proven Oil Reserves in Venezuela, at no cost to the American Taxpayer."" OilPrice, U.S. In Talks To Take Direct Ownership Of Venezuelan Oil Fields. Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "It’s the Venezuelan dividend. Take out the brutal dictator who turned a prosperous nation that pumped money out of the ground into a wretched impoverished third world hellhole. Welcome Venezuela back. Cut China and Cuba off from a cheap oil source. The other part. No accident this happened months before Iran. The IRGC had a presence in Venezuela. Supplied Venezuela with weapons, patrol craft. You want that in striking range of the southern coast of America?"

Sundance reports Russia Begins Targeting Dual Use Infrastructure in Kyiv, Tens of Thousands Flee the Region. Begins?

Don Surber predicts the Saudis will build nuclear reactors, "The only question is if they are build by Westinghouse or Red China. Democrats don’t want Westinghouse to land the contract." From Resp State, Trump wants to stabilize Libya. Militants have other plans. Of course they do.

From Space.com, 'It's going to be beautiful': President Trump signs order to create US Space Academy. "It'll attract, train and graduate the very, very best of our nation." Sundance, President Trump Announces the United States Space Academy. At Insty, VodkaPundit quips "It’s a shame the name Starfleet Academy is sullied."

Kurt Schlichter @KurtSchlichter, "Caring about Donald Trump's idiosyncrasies is a waste of time. I care that the border is shut. That DEI is dying. That we're rebuilding our military. If he wants to say he's renaming a lake to freak out the squares, that's a bargain." Quote Emily Zanotti @emzanotti, "Just...just one shred of dignity. One. Please. x.com/Republicans/st…" The Appalachian Podcast @GetOnTap, "#BREAKING President Trump just announced that his administration is moving to allow farmers the ability process their own meat. This is huge for farmers, the economy, and for rural Americans who should be able to get meat from their neighbors. Long overdue, but these are the decisions we were hoping to see." Heather Champion @winningatmylife, "It was easy for Trump to walk right in and take over the Republican Party bc they were all false fronts. Kristol, Tucker. I resent this tremendously." Quote Bill Kristol @BillKristol, Replying to @BillKristol, "MAGA is a Red Scare, a Race Scare, and a Gender Scare all at once." To be fair, he was the man who put "neo" in neocon. Dave Hoile at Am Great says The International Criminal Court Is a Woke NGO. Shut It Down. "Secretary Rubio’s pledge to dismantle the ICC brick by brick will be easier to execute than many may think."

At Twitchy, Trump Blasts NYT's Maggie Haberman for ‘Sources Say’ 9/11 Smear, CNN’s Jake Tapper Rushes to Rescue "Maggot Hagerman, the Fake Reporter from The Failing New York Times, an unattractive person both inside and out, and who knows less about me than most reporters on the beat (She’s a SCAMMER!), made up a story that on September 11th, I’m not going to the World Trade Center, in New York City, because they won’t let me make a speech, and I’m going to the Pentagon in D.C., because I’m a featured speaker." "This is more Corrupt News, I’ve been to New York many times over the years, and no one ever speaks, it’s a “solemn ceremony!” I never even thought of what Maggot made up, and besides, I would love not to speak, because I’m speaking all the time, and this is a day to remember the victims, and their beautiful family members."" Insty says YOUR TERMS ARE ACCEPTABLE: Jelly Roll Dares Trump Fans to Stop Listening After Playing Court Jester for Jimmy Kimmel.

Matt Vespa at TownHall, That PA Measles Story Just Took a Wild Turn, At Hair Dave Strom looks at The Lie Buried in the Truth of Measles 'Associated' Deaths. A newborn died of a broken spleen, tested positive for measles. Commissioner Josh Parsons @CommissionerJP, "Correct. This is a point I have been making. The PA Sec of Health says she "thoroughly" reviewed the two cases. At the press conference they emphasized the two individuals were "unvaccinated." The underlying assertion was that this status was by choice. We later learned that one case was the infant who died at birth. The infant obviously had no opportunity to be vaccinated. A thorough review of the case by the PA Secretary of Health would obviously reveal this. Thus, stating it the way they did is an attempt to deceive the public. If there is one attempt to deceive the public in this matter, it is fair to ask if there are other attempts." Quote Madhava Setty @Madhava_Setty, "Replying to @AboutPediatrics @CommissionerJP and @SecKennedy You do realize that if the death was in a newborn calling it an unvaccinated death is ridiculous." Cary Kelly @CaryKelly11, "Blaming measles for a death a coroner said was caused by a lacerated spleen is stupid. Community notes, where are ya?" Quote Geraldo Rivera @GeraldoRivera, "Kids dying because they weren't vaccinated for measles is stupid." Also at Hat Hair, Beege Welborn on The Mystery Measles of Lancaster County", Unless someone coughs up a red, spotty corpse pretty quickly, power-mad Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro is going to have some serious 'splainin' to do." Secretary Kennedy @SecKennedy, "Governor Shapiro's unseemly rush to Lancaster County to convene a national press conference and his giddy delight in announcing two measles deaths was a morose commentary on the contemporary political dialogue. The performance was a replay of the Democrats' COVID playbook: fearmongering, misinformation, finger-pointing, and the weaponization of infectious disease fears for political gain..."
At Am Mind, John C. Eastman stares down The $40 Trillion Hole "Time to revisit the Constitution’s Spending Clause limits." Politicians just can't control their urge to give away taxpayers money.

Dmitri Bolt is happy to hear Scott Bessent Is Coming for Soros, CAIR, the SPLC, and the Left’s Tax-Exempt Empire. It's time to get rid of tax-free NGOs entirely, left, right or center. Make them part of the regular economy.


Susie Crabtree at RCP reports the Secret Service Spokesman, Two Others Suspended Amid Leak Probe  "All three employees are based in the communications office. Placing Secret Service agents or officials on administrative leave and suspending security clearances is standard practice during an investigation and not a confirmation of wrongdoing."

Dave Strom, Abdul El-Sayed Will Save Jews From Global Warming! Jarvis @jarvis_best, "I was pleasantly caught off guard by the argument of former journalist Peter Beinart who responded to a group of Michigan Jewish Dems who were uncomfortable with El Sayed by telling them that El Sayed will stop global warming and global warming will be Bad For Jews." Capt. Ed, Piker Melts Down As Michigan's Jewish Dems Fight Back. Dave Strom again, Yes, It Matters Who You Embrace and Campaign With. Insty says NO. NEXT QUESTION? "Can Abdul el Sayed be trusted with intelligence community secrets?  To be fair, these days I’m not sure the intelligence community can be trusted with that stuff."A Hat Hair vid claims to know The Bloc of Michigan Voters the GOP Must Win Over. Am Con calls Alaska The Sleeper Race That Could Decide Senate Control, "Name confusion and the Last Frontier’s ranked-choice system may spell trouble for Republicans." CDM @CDM_PRESS, "NYT Killed A Story That Exposed How Democratic Spam PACs Drain Elderly Donors — And A Stanford Professor Had To Publish It Himself. A surprisingly concentrated group of elderly donors are responsible for the lion’s share of money raised by these groups. Full story in comments..."

At AMAC, Blue-City Blackouts Expose the Left’s Race Hustle. "In response to power outages in two blue cities, some liberal activists are blaming "racism" for delays in getting the lights back on. But there is one glaring problem with that theory." Black looters shooting at repairment and Blacks run the system from top to bottom. Being Democrats, you can be sure the system is being looted at the expense of maintenance. 

West Coast, Messed Coast™– Califraudia's Protection Act for Billion-Dollar Robber Barons. Bob Hoge at RedState sees Nick Shirley Leave a NYTimes Reporter Sputtering As He Educates Her on CA's 1st Amendment Assault. If I understand the law correctly, he should immediately file a complaint against her, and any other "unfriendly" new reporter that seeks to interview him, just as a lesson.

Matt Vespa reports  A Top FBI Official's Remarks About Running a Secret Government Are Now More Chilling. Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal says the FBI Followed Catholic Priests, Continued Richmond Memo Work After Removal Order: DOJ Report Finds.

Yashar Ali @yashar, "BREAKING via TMZ Milo Yiannopolous has been apprehended by ICE and is currently in a detention center." From Not The Bee, Former Trump supporter Milo Yiannopoulos has been arrested and detained by ICE. Sundance provides some details, ICE Arrests Milo Yiannopoulos for Overstaying Visa Pending Deportation and Removal. "Yiannopoulos legally entered the country on May 14, 2019, through New York City, New York. He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws.   Yiannopoulos was issued a final order of removal by an Immigration Judge on July 22, after failing to show up for his immigration hearing. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal." Dave Strom says  This Is Pretty Funny, Actually...  MILO @Nero, "California needs ICE checkpoints at supermarket entrances, gas stations, strip malls, intersections and government buildings, with on the spot deportation for anyone who can’t prove they are in the US legally."

From Ace, Rubio Suspends All H-1B Visa Processing, "Rubio tried to ban visas for citizens of countries who tend to abuse our welfare system. A Biden judge named Jeanette Vargas, get this, blocked this necessary measure." Mike Letts at PJM sees Minnesota Just Got Handed a Loss Following Its Absurd Request Over ICE Agent Christian Castro. "a federal judge who delivered the latest blow to the state of Minnesota, calling them out on the same insanity that Abbott saw. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. rejected Minnesota’s requests for a temporary restraining order, allowing Castro to walk free. That’s not to say he won’t face the charges down the road, but this is a step in the right direction."


NiohBerg @NiohBerg, "Reminder that in both Libya, Syria and Iraq, the moment civil war broke out and the ruling regimes lost control over entire regions, the locals immediately reopened slave markets. As if it was the most natural thing to do. Not all cultures are equal." Bob Spencer at PJM, Trump Says He’d ‘Absolutely’ Ban Sharia. From NYPo, CAIR blamed 9/11 on US support for Israel, recommended bin Laden’s writings in back-to-school guide: ‘Evil propaganda.’  Kyle Becker @kylenabecker, "Any “feminists” care to comment? Or is “feminism” just a Marxist scam to poison sexual relations and attack Western culture? It’s interesting what radicals attack and don’t attack. Because it exposes them all as frauds." Quote Faraz Pervaiz @FarazPervaiz3, "Canadian Islamic scholar Dr. Shabir Ally says: “A Muslim man can have 4 wives and an unlimited number of female sex slaves (concubines). The four wives are also slaves, but with higher status.”" At Hat Hair, Mark Judge writes on Jews, Literacy, and American Freedom.

James McGee at Am Spec looks at Iryna Zarutska, Lindsay Clancy, and the Politics of Who Gets Mourned. "Our culture has its victims and villains backward." Our culture doesn't. The left does. 

Capt. Ed, Nihilists, Man: WPATH Goes the Full Lebowski. "Now that it faces action from the Federal Trade Commission for fraud, however, WPATH suddenly wants to wrap itself in the First Amendment. All of those claims about a scientific basis for chemical and surgical sex changes on children? That was just their opinion, man! Call it the Full Lebowski." ripx4nutmeg @ripx4nutmeg, "At least four women's golf tournaments in Canada have been won by men this summer." Well, Cana Duh. 

Even more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 08.28.26! Linked at the Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. 

Friday, August 28, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - Lake America

Trolling level extraterrestrial. From Althouse, Oh, no! Now, we have to call Lake Ontario "Lake America.", "I'm reading "Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America, escalating Canada feud/President Donald Trump called Canadian officials 'nasty people' and said the country 'has been ripping us off for a long time on trade, very sadly.'" “We filed all the necessary papers, documents, everything else,” Trump said. “We notified all the various people that we have to notify. So we’ve done everything that you have to do. And this is official, effective immediately.” I would point out that "America" refers to both North and South America, and so includes Canada. Don't we want everything to be inclusive? Scott McKay at Am Spec, Mark Carney’s Smuggler’s Blues, "Canada’s tariff tantrum has a China problem." Steel to be precise. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair sees the Carney Sideshow Continues - What Interesting Things We're Learning During the Syrupean Snit Fit MORE. Department Of Deportations @DoDeportations, "Here’s the key issue: Canada was bringing in Chinese steel and aluminum and selling it as Canadian steel to help China avoid tariffs When told to knock it off, they refused. This is why the trade deal collapsed We cannot allow China to build a proxy state on our border.

IQ 583 | Cody Penn-Dent | Effluencer @codypd, "Picture of how Canada gets oil from Alberta to Ontario and Quebec Canadians are talking about “cutting off” the US from Canadian petroleum and natural gas What they will end up doing is cutting Canada off from Alberta’s petroleum and natural gas." wealthmoose @wealthmoose, "Scott Bessent just went straight at Carney’s political incentives. His point: Carney won by campaigning against Trump and selling “Canada vs. America.” So here’s the uncomfortable question: When the trade deal was on the table, was Carney negotiating for Canada or protecting the political narrative that got him elected? If anti-American politics became part of the bargaining strategy, Canadians may be paying for it in jobs, investment and higher costs. That deserves scrutiny." At TownHall, Kurt Schlichter says It’s Always Cute When Canada Thinks It Matters

Bloomberg, US Aims to Revive Civil War-Era Court to Claim Iran Oil as Prize. Eric S. Raymond @esrtweet, "Prize courts? For real, prize courts?" Quote Ben Penn @benjaminpenn, "SCOOP: Justice Dept. plans activating long-dormant maritime war court to streamline capture of Iranian oil tankers as US prizes. Legally uncertain plan intended to bolster blockade of Iran. A feature of 1700s naval combat, prize courts set to return." Demiurgent @tr0g, "Guess which country is not a signatory to the Paris Declaration of 1856 that banned privateers! You only get one guess." Is there an on-line application for letters of marque?

Driscoll at Insty calls it TROLL LEVEL: POTUS DJT. "The obvious lack of Reagan anywhere on the chart and the inclusion of Woodrow Wilson as a “great” president are sure signs that The Donald, or whoever assembled this chart wants to do some serious trolling." Enguerrand VII de Coucy @ingelramdecoucy, "Okay, Trump’s Tier List just being a 1948 poll of 55 top historians historians conducted by Arthur Schlesinger Sr with his own picture slapped on top as “The Greatest” and Biden, Obama, and Carter added to the bottom as “Failures” along with Grant and Harding is objectively funny." If you're going to be President, you might as well have some fun too.

PJM's Stephen Kruiser thinks Trump Might Just Have Enough Spine for the Entire GOP. That would be good because they need it. Nicole Russell at USA Today says Harp is a loyal Trump aide, not a scandal. Get over it. "To the media, Harp's devotion, her mere existence, is an anomaly. But zealous workaholism and admiration are not unusual in politics, particularly when your boss is the leader of the free world." 

AP hears How to avoid a Social Security cut? Lawmakers are floating ideas for what to do, c'mon you idiots, it's getting urgent. "The measure that Durbin, D-Ill., and Cassidy, R-La., are pushing would not dictate an outcome, but instead set up a process for Congress to take action. It calls for the bipartisan Social Security Advisory Board to collect public input and submit draft legislation to Congress that would keep the program’s retirement trust fund solvent for at least 50 years." Oh boy, another Bored. From WSJ, Think Treasurys Are Having a Rough Summer? It’s Even Uglier Abroad. "Countries with large debt burdens—France, Italy, the U.K., Japan—have come under the heaviest pressure in recent months." What can't be sustained won't be.

Jonathan Schanzer at Pundit City sees Obama Figures Chastising Trump on Iran Have Zero Self-Awareness. Hat Hair's John Sexton cites the WSJ: CIA Director Went to Moscow to Issue a Warning (Update) "Russia can't fire missiles at targets inside NATO countries because that could trigger a wholesale NATO response including from the United States. But Russia can quietly offer people money to carry out attacks it wants to see happen. These attacks give Russia plausible deniability in case they are caught. Instead of refusing to identify who is behind these attacks, Germany and others need to say openly what they already know is true and hold Russia accountable. Director Ratcliffe's visit to Russia is America showing Europe how it's done. Just confront the problem directly and stop showing weakness in the face of attacks." IOW, stop fucking around. From 1945, Germany Is Becoming Ukraine’s Most Important Ally in Europe — and Poland Is Paying the Price. Germany never gets tired of fucking with Poland. From Ace, On the Fifth Anniversary of the Disasterous Biden Bug-Out of Kabul, Pete Hegseth Upgrades the Honors for Three Heroes of Abbey Gate. "He didn't just give them new medals. He also said that the Biden Administration downplayed their heroism, because Biden, and his corrupt media allies, didn't want the public to know how very bad the terrorist attack at Abbey Gate really was."

WyoFile, How did data center skepticism impact elections in southeastern Wyoming? "In Wyoming hot spot for data center development, many candidates who touted tough positions against the boom fell to those with more moderate positions." AG @AGHamilton29, "X has now confirmed a Chinese bot farm of 200K fake accounts intentionally trying to manipulate public opinion against data centers. People might want to consider how common this has become and how it is manipulating multiple policy discussions on social media."

PJM's Rick Moran warns For Midterms, Democrats Will Make an Extreme Effort to Sound Like Normal People, but will they remember how to? New York Post @nypost, "Mamdani posts emotional message mourning accused knife-wielding killer — and is slammed by victim’s family. Read today's cover here: https://trib.al/urHXDgr." At NYPo, Immigrant businesses who spoke out against Mamdani supermarkets say they’re getting hit with NYC sanitation fines. Nah, Democrats never target their political opponents. From Twitchy, Mehdi Hasan Flips Out on Dana Bash for Telling the TRUTH About Hasan Piker's UGLY October 7 Comments. Dan McCarthy at the Chronic tries to explain Why Hasan Piker Mocks a Murdered Man. Because he's an asshole? TownHall's Jeff Charles sees a Democrat Senate Hopeful Bankrolled by Same Donors Funding Neo-Nazi Candidate, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Said. From the Free Bacon, 'We Are in Chains': Florida Socialist Angie Nixon Rants Against 'False Capitalistic American Dream,' Praises Marxist Cop-Killer on CAIR Speech Circuit "Nixon, Florida's Democratic Senate nominee, praised CAIR as the 'right vehicles' to secure electoral victories for the party during fundraising events for the pro-Hamas advocacy group." Pat Ruffinni at the Intersection explains Why Senate polling is always worse in summer "For four cycles in a row, the polls have overestimated Democrats. Here’s what history shows us happens next." John Davidson at Da Fed thinks The Senate Race In Alaska Is What A Rigged Election Looks Like. How many Dan Sullivans can you cram onto one ballot?

At Twitchy, Los Angeles Socialist Nithya Raman Brags About Getting Crosswalk Done, There's Just ONE Big Problem. Hey, to be fair, it's an earthquake zone, no point in fixing the street. Hat Hair's John Sexton sees Scott Wiener's SF Legacy is Still Making People Miserable. From AMAC, The Unholy Alliance You Weren’t Supposed to Notice, "The morning after Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis, progressive activists marched beside Islamist organizers, transgender flags next to keffiyehs, united by one shared enemy," normies. TownHall's Amy Curtis sees Why Ben Rhodes Is So Mad at Democrat Party Leadership. They supported a Jew. 


Calling all RushBabes is shocked The Attorney General of Washington State has been planning lawsuits against President Trump…since before he was even elected in 2024!! At Althouse, "A man who parked a truck carrying a guillotine in the heart of Washington was arrested by the United States Capitol Police on Tuesday...." "Is "being in possession of a guillotine" a crime? There's this at Law Commentary..." "The police asked Le if it worked and he said, "Yeah, it’s the real deal, man."" It's not like you can run somebody down and guillotine them. Joe at The View From North Central Idaho is thrilled, Waiting Periods Ruled Unconstitutional. I can hardly to read Justice Jackson's dissent when this is upheld by the Supreme Court. Ilya Shapiro at CJ is feeling punny, Democrats Are Courting Disaster, Again. "“Reform” has become the Left’s preferred remedy for losing cases at the nation’s highest court." NYPo reports Amish threaten mass exodus from New York over vaccine fight —which is heading to the Supreme Court.


Stacy McCain is still pissed, Did You Know That @ElonMusk Has Reinstated the @X Accounts of ‘Noted Neo-Nazis, Anti-Semites, and More’? and hasn't gotten around to fixing Stacy's original account.

New York Post @nypost, "CNN forced to apologize to Dolly Parton's family for using photo of Vegas impersonator in covering icon's death https://trib.al/QhC6htU." Nothing but the best fact-checkers. 

I'm surprise the Slantic takes on The Jason Arday Truthers, "The concerted effort to airbrush the late fabulist’s life." Plagiarist, too. "“To be honest with you, I thought you’d just believe me,” he told a Guardian reporter who challenged him."

From CJ, WPATH: It’s Just Our Opinion, Judge, "The World Professional Association for Transgender Health now claims that its recommendations are merely one view in a debate over gender-affirming care." But under the Biden admin, they were the guiding body. Dave Strom wonders Did You Know That a Trans Man Has Already Played in the WNBA? A woman transitioning to a "man." "The player in question is Layshia Clarendon, who underwent top surgery and perhaps hormone therapy (this is unclear, but Layshia specifically referred to a future mustache that should grow in)." Layshia revealed the transition in 2021 and continued playing until retirement in 2024. Clay Travis @ClayTravis, "The @wnba has a major legal problem. They already allowed a player who identified as a man to play in the league for years. They celebrated it publicly. So how can they keep @EnesFreedom & @Highway_30 out now. Read & share this:" Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "Eleven Lakes Brewing, a business in North Carolina, is hosting an "all-ages" drag queen show to raise money for illegal aliens. Yes, this is real. They want to groom your children while donating money to fund foreign criminal invaders. Would be a shame if they went viral!" Wilfred Reilly @wil_da_beast630, "An interesting result of taking the 4th Wave "sex you did not particularly want, or had while you were high" definition of rape seriously is that it produces this result - 47% or so of "rapists" are female. Is this true, or is the definition worthless?"

And still more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 08.27.26 (Early Evening Edition) and In The Mailbox: 08.27.26 (Evening Edition). The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Embracing The Suck up on time and under budget at The Other McCain (if you count Megan).

Sunday, August 23, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - Just Another Sunday in the South

And the pickens are kinda slim. And I'm OK with that.

From Twitchy, Hypocrite 'Eat the Rich' DSA Leader Caught Lying and Living Off Mom & Dad’s Manhattan Money. The Manhattan Contrarian is outrages Democratic Socialists Commemorate Fidel Castro's 100th Birthday. The Free Bacon reports the El-Sayed Campaign Gets a $175,000 Boost From CAIR, Whose Leader Was 'Happy' About Oct. 7, After Alleging Primary Opponent's AIPAC Support Constituted 'Foreign' Intervention in Election. At the JPo, Mohammed El-Kurd laments not being allowed to hijack planes in protest "Last month, El-Kurd called on pro-Palestinian supporters to 'Normalize the massacres as the status quo' at a rally in London.." Mohammed El-Kurd @m7mdkurd, "You can’t protest peacefully. You can’t boycott. You can’t hunger strike. You can’t hijack planes. You can’t block traffic. You can’t throw Molotovs. You can’t self-immolate. You can’t heckle politicians. You can’t march. You can’t riot. You can’t dissent. You just can’t be." NYPo Opines on Why the DSA’s Medicare-for-All dream threatens us with a real-life nightmare. At Althouse, "The rollout could’ve been better. Absolutely, I said the rollout has to be cleaned up and fixed." "Said Governor Kathy Hochul, quoted in "How New York’s Second-Home Tax Turned Into a Headache for Mamdani/The bumpy rollout of the tax created an opportunity for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s opponents to fight him in court and in the City Council" (NYT gift link)." "I did finally watch the whole minute. From the transcript: "This pied-a-terre tax is specifically designed for the richest of the rich, those who store their wealth in New York City real estate, but who don't actually live here.... This is a fundamentally unfair system that hurts working New Yorkers." What's "fundamentally unfair"? It's a child's reasoning: If someone has something that he's not using, it should be mine."

Hat Hair's Beege Welborn, sees Desperate Measures for Desperate Times: Dem Primaries Magically Become a Blue Wave. Democrats @TheDemocrats, "The blue wave is here—and these wins prove it." Queen Velvet @TMIWITW, "Democrats won Democrat primaries. Are democrats voters actually this stupid or do you just treat them as if they are?"

Joe Chalfant at TownHall rejoices that Elon Musk Just Gave Republicans Unbelievable News Heading Into the Midterms. "Elon Musk, who briefly became the world’s first trillionaire after SpaceX went public in June, is expected to spend up to $200 million on boosting the electoral prospects of Republicans across the country." He just looked between the cushions on the couches. 

Tweets that didn't age well: Dr. Richard Harambe @Richard_Harambe, "Happy two year anniversary of Joe Biden challenging Trump to a debate for those who celebrate." Quote Joe Biden @JoeBiden, "Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again."

From Breitbart Bus Dig, The Sky Isn't Falling in the U.S. Treasury Market. News Wax notices Newsom Touts Trump Accounts for California Families. Matt Vespa at TownHall heard Trump Went Nuclear on Some Familiar Names Last Night. Here's What He Said. "President Trump seems to have had it with Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie."

ZitoSalena @ZitoSalena, "It's impossible to have a nuanced, conversation about data power centers on social media; the politics right now is to demonize them, call them predators rather than show there are also examples of good industry stewards. Few have the courage to raise the consequences of that. Except Fetterman." Quote U.S. Senator John Fetterman @SenFettermanPA, "AI supremacy and energy dominance underpins our national security. China continues to fuel and benefit from our overreaction. I reject the political pandering and hyperbole over data centers or AI." Steve Moore at Hat Hair, Net Zero Is Dead and Gone. "Much of this never made sense given that AI and data center energy needs will double or triple our electric power demands over the next two decades. That will require an all-of-the above approach to meet those needs and to keep power affordable for our businesses and families."

At Althouse, "[T]his relationship is pathological, and a source of great irritation among other courtiers. It is Trump distilled to his essence..." "... cult leader and his most rabid follower, narcissist and his most flattering mirror. The daughter of a devoutly Christian real estate broker who died by suicide during the pandemic, [Natalie] Harp idolizes Trump with a rare fervor.... ... Trump told his staff that Harp was the only one who loved him as much as his wife and kids did. 'She’ll never leave me,' he would tell other staffers.... It’s a perfect (taxpayer-funded) relationship. She thinks he’s amazing. And he agrees." Writes Maureen Dowd, in "Natalie’s Magnificent Obsession" (NYT gift link)." She's so jealous! Eric Florack at PJM sees the The '34 Felony Convictions' Mantra Just Disintegrated as President Trump makes peace with Michael Cohen. "President Trump was interviewed by his former attorney, Michael Cohen, the star witness in the hush money case, which verdict is under appeal. Trump said Cohen was weaponized against him by the Justice Department. Cohen agrees, adding that he felt coerced by the Feds. The case stems from the president's effort to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 during the 2016 election."

1945 notes US Navy Nuclear Aircraft Carriers Were Not Needed to Bomb Iran. They Were Needed to Blockade It. "A B-2 flying from Missouri and a Tomahawk launched from a destroyer two hundred miles offshore can both hit a target that once required a carrier. An F-35C off a flight deck does roughly what an F-35A does from a Gulf air base. The blockade was different: no target list to exhaust, only a duration set by Tehran." Mike Lee @BasedMikeLee, "MSM spin narrative incoming." Quote New York Post@nypost, "Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz skyrockets nearly 400%, as analysts say Iran's grip on critical waterway weakens https://trib.al/ZwiB1KE." 

News Wax reports US Imposes Tariffs on $20 Billion of Canadian Products as Canada fails to come to terms with Trump. Sundance at CTH, Trade Talks Collapse – Prime Minister Carney Talking Alot, President Trump Remains Quiet "Canada wants unlimited and unrestricted access to the U.S. market as if they were a 51st state. However, Canada will not permit unlimited and unrestricted access to their market for U.S. companies. This, Carney says, compromises the sovereignty of Canada."


News Wax notes Trump Asks Supreme Court to Revive CNN Lawsuit "Trump said in the lawsuit that CNN defamed him through reports that said he had no evidence to support his claims of improprieties in the 2020 presidential election and repeatedly characterized his claims as the "Big Lie," a phrase Trump said was intended to link him to Hitler and Nazi propaganda."

C3 @C_3C_3, "It’s been a year since DeCarlos Brown murdered Iryna Zarutska and he hasn’t even had a trial yet. Shiloh Hendrix has already been tried, found guilty and sentenced for saying a word. I never want to hear about white privilege ever again." To be fair, murder trials tend to take a long time. 

Wall Street Apes @WallStreetApes, "WOAH Oakland Democrats PASSED legislation banning citizenship checks for police jobs and city jobs City Employees and Oakland Police will be prohibited from asking about a person’s immigration and legal status when applying for jobs The Public Safety Committee passed the ordinance unanimously Democrats want to arm illegals in the police force against American citizens Everything that passed - Restricts collection of immigration status on applications - Ban on asking about legal status and sharing info with ICE agents - Officers prohibited from enforcing federal immigration rules - ICE agents blocked from entering non-public areas of city buildings without a warrant." At State of the Day, the State of Thursday: THE GREAT BETRAYAL. "News broke Tuesday night that a woman had been fatally stabbed near Great Falls national park. By Wednesday, our suspicions had been confirmed. “The killer was an illegal alien,” my wife said, even as I was still carrying my kids through the door."

At Hat Hair Dave Strom says Nuke Academia From Orbit. It Is the Only Way to Be Sure. "Critical Theory, I keep reminding you, does not seek to communicate anything we understand as "truth" or "reality." It is about asserting power. The goal here is to intimidate everybody with an accusation of racism. To call you a Nazi. To make you quail in terror at the thought that you will face social opprobrium." Melissa Chen @MsMelChen, "You guys realize that the leftist reaction to the Jason Arday case is going to incentivize more and more people to just "self-ID" as autistic or neurodivergent right? Why? Because it instantly unlocks two-tier judgment. There will be massive upside to identify as "neurodivergent" and no downside. It's a choose-your-own-adventure but this time you're just choosing your own alibi. No one challenges the claim, and you might even score an endorsement from figures like autism expert Simon Baron-Cohen. The same excesses that distorted the trans movement will now come for "neurodivergence." Increasingly, mental health status is treated as a moral free pass - permission to act like an asshole or commit crimes (see the Lindsay Clancy case)." Kamel Amin Thaabet @K_AminThaabet, "Israel is murdering children!!!! Now excuse me, I have to go to the rally for Lindsay Clancy." Hat Hair's John Stossel on Racist Tests. At NYPo, Hofstra professor facing possible termination over discrimination claim for saying ‘word salad’, because "racism" of course. From the College Fix, Judge dismisses pro-Hamas professor’s discrimination lawsuit against Columbia. “I’m with Hamas and Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad,” he said on social media." A Driscolly post at Insty starts with CHRISTIAN TOTO: Pop Culture Puts Antisemitism on Blast (Finally).

At the Chronic, Ian Smith offers A Novel Explanation for Woke Culture. "My colleagues would rather I not say this, but I will: As access to mental health care has expanded, so have rates of mental illness. And this isn’t simply a matter of greater awareness leading to more diagnoses. The more therapy people get, the more fragile, anxious, and dysfunctional they seem to become. This isn’t just an individual crisis—it’s a societal one. Which raises an uncomfortable but urgent question: Is modern therapy not only failing patients, but making them—and the culture at large—sicker?"


The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: More Coffee, Please and FMJRA 2.0: Embracing The Suck up on time and under budget at The Other McCain (if you count Megan).

Saturday, August 22, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - Justice Roberts Gives Trump Ballroom Go Ahead

No doubt liberals are gnashing there teeth. Susie Moore at RedState says SCOTUS Cuts In on Ballroom Battle, Lets Construction Proceed - for Now. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair hears SCOTUS to Trump: Build, Baby, Build. Sundance at CTH, Chief Justice Roberts Stays DC Appellate Court Ruling – White House Construction of Ballroom Can Continue. Althouse likes her NYT, "The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily allowed President Trump to continue construction of a luxury White House ballroom to replace the East Wing he demolished last fall." "The NYT reports. In a one-sentence order, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., acting on his own, issued a place holder that gives all nine justices additional time to more fully consider whether construction of the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom can proceed. The chief justice’s order did not provide a timeline for when the court would act next, stating only that a lower-court ruling against the Trump administration was paused “pending further order of the undersigned or of the court.”" So, the suit against Trump is on hold pending a decision from the whole court, but the presumption is that Robert feels the whole court is likely to agree. Besides, the ballroom is more than half complete (Trump doesn't waste time), and by the time the court gets around to it, it will be fait accompli. 

Speaking of building, NYPo opines Trump is right to put his neck on the line for data centers. Scott Pinsker at PJM notes Republicans Are Pandering to Data Center Hysteria — and Helping China Win the AI War. It's always easy to gin up opposition to something new. Zarathustra @zarathustra5150, "It’s very much an out-group phenomenon. Over the last decade, Big Tech has managed, in different ways, to deeply alienate both the political right & political left, and most of the American public to boot. Much of it returns to the same enduring problem: techies are tragically inept at understanding people, politics, persuasion & culture; while cocooning themselves away from the rest of society inside an extremely tiny, insular, out-of-touch milieu that leaves them unable to grasp the consequences of their own behavior, particularly just how thoroughly they have made themselves disliked by nearly everyone else in America at this point. And I say this as a long-time friend of techies & tech, and someone who loves AI & is generally supportive of data centers. Y’all have a truly massive PR problem, and much worse: you don’t even seem to realize it." Sonny Bunch @SonnyBunch, "Free messaging tip: instead of saying data center opponents are Chinese dupes, scare them with horror stories about how their Netflix streams will degrade to 480p or, gasp, occasionally crash entirely if we don’t have capacity. Americans will not stand for mild inconvenience."

JT Yung at Am Spec, thinks Republicans Can’t Win Telling Only Half the Story. "The GOP’s strongest case isn’t just what it accomplished. It’s the Democrat agenda it prevented." 

Four from sundance at CTH, JD Vance Delivers Remarks on Jobs and the Economy from His Hometown in Middletown, Ohio, President Trump Lifts Tariff Quota on Imported Beef for 90 Days to Relieve Price Stress, Talks Collapse – Tariffs Begin Now – A Direct and Confrontational U.S-Canada Trade War is Now a Reality and President Trump and Former Antagonist Michael Cohen Have a Conversation.

Dave Manney at PJM observes The Left Suddenly Loves the Troops, As Long As It Hurts Trump. In his HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK, Don Surber observes "The New York Times quoted the mother of a sailor who said, “They Didn’t Sign Up to Be on a Ship in the Middle of the Ocean.” Hegseth should add a question to the application to join the Navy, “Is your mother an idiot?”" Hat Hair's John Sexton hears Russia Is Out of Gasoline, but Complaining Is Not an Option and Germany Finds a Stash of Weapons in a Forest. "While Alexander Dobrindt, the interior minister, was careful not to point a finger at any nation, the news came amid increased fear of destabilizing “hybrid” attacks that European governments have blamed, publicly and privately, on Russia." I think Putin wants NATO to rescue him from the Ukraine quagmire.

Cathy Salgado at PJM hears Democrat Voter and Rabbi Will Not Vote for El-Sayed, Says He’ll Support Republican. Too soon old, too late smart. At Hat Hair, Capt. Ed worries 'America, We Have Lost This City': The Battle for Dearbornistan. Vick Nava at NYPo takes note that Members of Mamdani’s DSA pledge to ‘support’ and ‘defend’ China: ‘Survival of Chinese socialism is a crucial matter.’ Beege Welborn, PSA: There Will Be No Sympathy Note From the Mayor If You're Killed BY an Illegal Alien in His City, and probably many more cities. Homeland Security @DHSgov, "This illegal alien KILLED a 27-year-old MOTHER and her BABY. Manuel Hernandez, from El Salvador, was illegally piloting a boat when he capsized the overloaded vessel in New York Harbor. Thanks to the hard work of the men and women of @ICEgov, this criminal is off our streets and out of our waterways - and he will be DEPORTED after he faces justice." "Mamdani has restricted the NYPD from working with ICE to find these guys. A Coast Guard investigation discovered the truth and, when Hernandez was released on $50,000 bail, ICE was there to snatch him up." Eyal Yakoby @EYakoby, "BREAKING: A new report completely exposes what everyone has known for a long time. More extreme candidates, specifically linked to the DSA, are getting massively boosted by non-Americans on X." Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "It’s not hypocrisy, it’s hierarchy. Spoiled rich kids become socialists because they hate themselves for not being as successful and worthy as their parents, so they seize the power they couldn’t obtain. It’s all just self-loathing being projected onto society. Scammers." Quote New York Post @nypost, "Gustavo Gordillo, NYC DSA's phony union champion, is doing $1.4M in repairs on home - and permits reveal hypocrisy."

From the Crimson Hub, AOC says lockdowns made ‘Woke 1’ insane. Her old tweets show she got an early and eager start. Hat Hair's Dave Strom says No, Ro, You Won't Outflank AOC to Snag the Democratic Nomination for President. Amy Curtis at TownHall sees Ro Khanna Gets Roasted for His Lies About What 'Medicare for All' Would Do. From Reason, Universal Healthcare Sounds Great. Here's What's Happening in Countries That Have It. "With calls for “free healthcare” growing louder in America, countries with universal systems offer a warning: long waits, rationed care, and unmet medical needs." In a Larry vid at Hat Hair, AARP's John Hishta Reveals the Michigan Polling Data Both Parties Are Watching Right Now. From Da Signal, Backlash Against Ossoff Continues to Grow After Trump Aide Remarks, Collins Increases in Poll. Remember, for some odd reason, polls favor Democrats in summer, and tighten considerably towards the election. I suspect enemy action. The Guardian notes the Website behind widely shared fake election polls run by 21-year-old, "Exclusive: Rahil Prakash tells the Guardian: ‘I wanted to see if fake polls could penetrate the ecosystem that easily’" Yes, it could. 

Stacy McCain looks at Democrat bloviation on What ‘Our Democracy’ Really Means. Susie Crabtree at RCP thinks Florida Democrats Hand Republicans a November Gift. At PM, Islamic advocacy group demands James O’Keefe be prosecuted after team dressed as Muslims to expose Minnesota elections. "They claim "Using fake Muslim identities, accents and religious stereotypes as part of a political stunt is not a harmless prank or political stunt" and don't seem to be concerned with 1A protections." Matt Vespa at TownHall sees Lisa Murkowski Was Not Amused by James O'Keefe's Latest Video "O’Keefe was voting in the state under Murkowski’s brother, who now lives in Texas. When he said he left his wallet in the car, they allowed him to obtain Brian Murkowski’s ballot. He now lives in Texas, but his name is still on the rolls, and election workers here said it wasn’t a problem that O’Keefe had no identification." Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "BREAKING UPDATE: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)'s team is FURIOUS, indicating that James O'Keefe should face PROSECUTION because he simply exposed Alaska's voter vulnerability Poll workers were going to let O'Keefe vote as Murkowski's BROTHER, Brian. MURKOWSKI'S OFFICE: "Voter impersonation is a crime and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." She opposes the SAVE America Act And now is ATTACKING the journalist exposing why we need it. OVER TARGET, @JamesOKeefeIII."

Capt. Ed has Today's Deeeeeep Question: Did Trump Slip Biden a Mickey at the Debate? "When I say "Deeeeeep," I of course mean deeeeeeply stupid." Ace hears a Leftwing Podcaster Suggests That Joe Biden Had Been Rufied for the Presidential Debate; Jill Biden Agrees It's Possible, Saying "Who Knows?" "I wonder if Noted Reporter of Things We All Knew Ten Years Ago Jake Tapper will fact-check Jill Biden and call her a liar, which is what he does for every Republican who shades the truth (or tells the truth that the leftwing cult denies). Actually I don't wonder that. I was just bein' silly." Don Surber wonders (rhetorically) Does Swalwell still say believe all women? "He needs a lawyer familiar with celebrities accused of spiking drinks and rape. Is Bill Cosby’s legal team available?"

Leslie Eastman at LI looks at A Suspected Arsonist, a Wildfire, and California’s Failure to Protect the Public, "Suspected arsonist Brandon Glasgo is homeless with a history of arrests and mental health problems." Calling all Rushbabes sees *More evidence that Washington State is encouraging forest fires, rather than preventing them.

Mike Benz @MikeBenzCyber, "The irony of The Russiagaters being foreign-funded themselves and pleading the Fifth when asked about it." Quote Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "BREAKING: ActBlue cofounder Matt DeBergalis just PANICKED and PLEADED THE 5TH in a closed-door deposition with House committee investigators — Fox News This comes after ActBlue is accused of allowing FOREIGN DONATIONS INFILTRATE US politics for Democrats, without proper measures to stop it. Here's the shocking exchange between Rep. Jim Jordan and an ActBlue official when they also pleaded the 5th. SHUT IT DOWN." Steve @SteveLovesAmmo, "2021: Riots 2022: Riots 2023: Riots 2024: Riots 2025: Riots 2026: SPLC indicted, Act Blue under investigation, USAID defunded — no riots." From Ace, Paul Sperry: Federal Prosecutors Reveal Evidence That James Comey Knew Full Well That "86" Was Code for "Murder," and Actually Wrote a Whole "Novel" Whose Plot Revolved Around Stirring Up Public Passions to Get Someone to Assassinate a Politician. Sundance is still beating that horse, Why Does James Comey Matter?

Sundance seems disappointed President Trump Announces Departure of Ed Martin from DOJ, to go outside to fight for the GOP in elections. "Many people, CTH included, hoped Ed Martin would be a man inside the DOJ machine that could bring accountability for prior govt wrongdoing. That hope never materialized. Today, President Trump announces Mr Martin’s departure." Senator Rand Paul @SenRandPaul, "For years we were told Fauci was the infallible expert who never made a mistake and never lied. Now his lawyers are admitting the legal exposure is so large they need a special fund to handle it. You can’t fundraise the truth away." Quote NEWSMAX @NEWSMAX, "Lawyers for Anthony Fauci have launched a legal defense fund for the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, saying that the need to respond to a growing number of state and federal investigations related to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic will require substantial resources." Dave Strom sees The Science™ Strikes Again at the BMJ Jeffrey A Tucker @jeffreytucker, "Unbelievable that a paper would be retracted because "this publication may give the impression that the importance of vaccinations is being questioned." What in the hell is going on? BMJ Retracts 2024 Excess Deaths Paper for the Sin of Spreading "Misinformation", by @sonia_elijah."

Capt. Ed wonders Will Karmelo Anthony Get a New Trial – and Should He Want One? UPDATE "The hearing is still underway, but Nate the Lawyer breaks down the new evidence on both Metcalf and Anthony. The victim is no saint, Nate concludes, but Anthony's first defense team made the right call. "Karmelo Anthony was a walking felony" before the murder, Nate says, and was a straight-out "thug." Watch it all:" Robby Starbuck @robbystarbuck, "In the most predictable update of all time, it turns out the sweet, misunderstood boy that the Democrats have been defending, is in fact a complete piece of shit who hits women, got in fights regularly, wanted to lick a victims blood off his knife and threatened to kill people. Karmelo Anthony deserves the electric chair." Quote Sarah Fields @SarahisCensored, "On the day Karmelo Anthony fatally stabbed Austin Metcalf, prosecutors report he sent a text message at 1 a.m. that read, “I’m lowk on the verge,” and then stressed the point further. Later that morning on April 2, 2025 - only hours before Karmelo Anthony stabbed Austin Metcalf to death at a high-school track meet - prosecutors state that Karmelo Anthony’s girlfriend told a Centennial High School staff member he was “engaging in stalking behavior, to include, but not limited to, driving by her home and refusing to allow her to end their relationship.”..." Ace, Poor Innocent Baby-Lamb Karmelo Anthonhy: "When I Stab Someone I'm Going to Lick the Blood Off the Blade". "This evidence wasn't introduced at trial, because prosecutors and defense agreed that no "character evidence" about any parties in the case, including the victim, would be introduced." I predict the defense and press will continue to press to suppress negative information on Anthony, while introducing anything positive. 

Ilya Shapiro @ishapiro, "This is terrific. As I wrote last year in @CivitasOutlook, “One of the underappreciated aspects of what’s gone wrong [in higher ed], especially with law schools, is accreditation. Analyzing the rules governing legal education may not be as attention-grabbing as showing how critical theory has perverted pedagogy or documenting the inquisitions of DEI offices, but it’s crucial for understanding underlying pathologies and thus for any possibility of reform.” 1/2" Quote May Mailman @MayMailman, "Holy smokes! The Trump Administration just moved to terminate the ABA's status as a law school "accreditor." This will be one of the most meaningful changes to open doors for Americans and steer legal culture toward justice, not radical indoctrination. The American Bar Association (ABA) is a left-wing advocacy group, filing 80% of its amicus briefs for liberal arguments and 0% for conservative. It uses its monopoly on recognizing which law schools are "accredited" (get student loans) to force DEI hiring, recruitment, and inflate the cost of education."

From Shooting News Week, Federal District Court Judge Rules Biden-Era ‘Frame and Receiver’ Rule is Unconstitutional. “The decision of when a hunk of metal or plastic ‘may readily be completed, assembled, restored, or otherwise converted to function as a frame or receiver’ is left to the subjective determination of the ATF and does not provide fair notice to the reader about when a component becomes subject to enforcement,” O’Connor wrote. “Having found that the Final Rule is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment and void for vagueness under the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment the Court GRANTS Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment.”

RedState's Ward Clark sees Trump’s Epic Border Win Hits Cartels Where It Hurts: in the Wallet. Teri Christoph says Another 'Sanctuary Spanberger' Nightmare Is Coming to a Head in Fairfax County.Nick Minock @NickMinock, "New: the 19-year-old illegal immigrant WJLA was the first to tell you about, who groped several girls in Fairfax High School, is scheduled to be released on 09/03/26. Will the Fairfax Sheriff honor ICE’s detainer? Will Fairfax County Public Schools re enroll him as a student for his senior year?" At Twitchy, Favreau Frets Over Illegal’s Kid Starting School — Owned by Angel Dad Whose Daughter Never Came Home. HA! ICE BRILLIANTLY (Politely) Shuts Down UNHINGED Dem and Her Facility Visit Stunt With JUST 1 Post: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement @ICEgov, "We were glad to host you, Congresswoman. For those curious, here’s what happened: Prior to the visit, the Congresswoman signed ICE’s Facility Visitation Agreement form, indicating she would abide by all processes and policies governing personal conduct at ICE facilities. One of these policies is that meetings with detainees must be scheduled in advance, both for the privacy of detainees and the safety of visitors. Field leadership welcomed the Congresswoman and led a comprehensive tour tailored to the specific areas she had requested to see, including visitor check-in, intake, kitchen/food preparation and medical services. During a tour of the kitchen area, the Congresswoman asked to speak with certain detainees in the area and was reminded that without prior consent from detainees, her request could not be accommodated at that time. Instead of accepting this guidance, the Congresswoman began talking and shouting to them from a distance, telling the detainees who she was and attempting to get closer to them. This disrupted operations and required intervention by facility leadership...." At Ace's Morning Rant, Buck Throckmorton sees Governor Abbott vs Texas State University: The Taxpayer-Funded School Is Determined to Staff a University P.R. Position with a Foreign H-1B.

The Victory Girls hear CNN: Kristen Holmes Rudeness Is Trump’s Fault, of course. Christian Toto @HollywoodInToto, "The media ignored Biden's dementia They lied about Russian collusion They've downplayed the massive Fauci scandal This ... this is their focus." Quote Mediaite @Mediaite, "Natalie Harp Seen Running Behind Trump's Golf Cart in Newly Unearthed Photo." John Sexton, NYTimes Found Liable for Defamation of College Basketball Player. "Yesterday, a jury in Alabama sided with a college basketball player who had sued the NY Times in 2023 over a false story claiming he was present at the scene of a shooting. The Times has been ordered to pay him $9.25 million, though it appears the paper is planning to appeal."  

Insty, THE E.U.’S MAIN FUNCTION IS TO ENABLE AND DEFEND ESTABLISHMENT WRONGDOING: "Arday Affair Erupts Into U.S.-Belgium Diplomatic Dispute.
It’s a big deal that the U.S. is objecting:" Auron MacIntyre @AuronMacintyre, "This may seem like small ball but you need to grasp what a seismic shift this is No previous GOP administration would have ever touched Cofnas with a ten foot poll but the Trump admin is offering a full throated defense in the name of free speech ... You can be frustrated with the foreign policy decisions, but never let anyone lie to you and tell you that there is no difference with Trump in charge." Quote, U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White @USAmbToBelgium, "The United States Mission to Belgium condemns, in the strongest terms, Ghent University’s retaliation against an American scholar following his accurate whistleblower reporting on academic fraud. The United States government regularly funds and supports research, academic exchanges, and other engagements with overseas universities. Dishonest, corrupt institutions that engage in, or reward, scapegoating mob behavior are not desirable partners for us. This is particularly true where the purpose and effect of the scapegoating is to punish accurate journalism unearthing academic dishonesty. We are therefore reviewing any relationships we have with Ghent University..." From CJ, John H. McWhorter on The Arday Tragedy: from Tokenism to Wokenism "His blackness was the crucial factor in his elevation to the pinnacle of academia by whites eager to feel good about themselves and secure that they couldn’t be called racist." Driscoll at Insty cites (and quotes heavily from the paywalled) WSJ, NATHAN COFNAS: How I Became the Scapegoat in the Jason Arday Affair. At Max Klinger's Newsletter "I studied in Jason Arday’s department at Cambridge. Here’s the crap I was taught. "What institutional capture looks like in practice." 

From the College Fix, Justice Department investigates College of William & Mary over alleged ‘race-based’ scholarships and Florida State U. removes ‘correct language’ threat after College Fix inquiry. Campus Reform, Amherst professor’s forthcoming book argues Asian American success is tied to ‘white supremacy’. Owen Gregorian @OwenGregorian, "Education Department Breaks Left-Wing University Accreditation Cabal | Breccan F. Thies, The Federalist The Department of Education on Wednesday announced a new rule that would allow more organizations to accredit universities, stripping the left of one of its most potent tools for enforcing its worldview through higher education. President Donald Trump set his sights on going after accreditors early in his second term, saying having more accreditors — or limiting current accreditors’ ability to inject left-wing ideologies into the official standards for accreditation —is the “secret weapon” to breaking their stranglehold on American universities."

Stacy McCain takes a long look at The Lindsay Clancy Feminists. Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "Women who spent years saying they wouldn’t date conservative men are now being held accountable for their dangerous opinions on Lindsay Clancy. I love it." Quote Evita Duffy-Alfonso @evitaduffy_1, "Men are now breaking up with girlfriends who support Lindsay Clancy, and honestly, good for them. A Lindsay Clancy defender is not who you want as the mother of your own future children."

Basil the Great @BasilTheGreat, "NEWS: Melbourne Airport has been slammed after it was revealed it has Unisex Toilets but Gender Segregated Islamic Prayer Rooms So the only women who get any privacy are Muslims." Dave Strom thinks He Did What Was Right, Not What Was Easy: Matt Calkins @Matt_Calkins, "After 11 years as a sports columnist at the Seattle Times, I have decided to resign. It was entirely my choice, and it was not an easy one. The impetus was the Times declining to run a column I wrote from the perspective of two female student athletes who were opposed to competing against biological males. It was one of several pieces of mine that had been spiked, and I no longer felt like I could properly do my job as a columnist. I lay out the situation in greater detail in the link below, but I want to say that I enjoyed my time with the paper, find the talent there to be immense, and have no animosity toward anyone who works there. It was just time for a change." Also from Dave Strom, Never, Ever Say 'It Can't Get Worse, Can It?' Diana Alastair ⚢ @sappholives83, "It takes a lot to really shock me. I get pissed off about horrible things, but they don’t really shock me. This does. This paper in the Journal of Medical Ethics draws a comparison between female genital mutilation and “gender affirming” surgeries — and uses the latter as justification for the former. To be clear: after pushing an entire generation of gay and autistic children to volunteer for genital mutilation, these people are using that as an excuse to cut up little girls‘ vulvas with neither consent nor the presence of a medical professional, let alone any kind of pain management. And just like that, gender ideology has become justification for the most barbaric custom on planet Earth."

And even more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 08.21.26 (Afternoon Edition) and  In The Mailbox: 08.21.26 (Evening Edition)! The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Embracing The Suck up on time and under budget at The Other McCain (if you count Megan).