Tattoo Thursday

At Israel National News, Former hostage begins removing tattoo. "Freed hostage Rom Braslavski removes tattoo he says Hamas terrorists forced him to hide during captivity because it identified him as Jewish."

The Wombat has Rule 5 Monday: Redhead in Denim up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Trump Returns

Trump is home from China, and if there was a big outcome, I have yet to see it, as I expected. At RCP, Trump Has Historic AI Opportunity in Beijing–He Must Take It. The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Faux Pas: Trump Gifts President Xi With Pot Of Honey From White House Beehive.

Sauron's Eye whines U.S. moving to indict Cuba's Raúl Castro, sources say. OK, but don't expect to ever hold a trial. At Am Spec Martin Arostegui sees The ‘Donroe’ Doctrine Comes Into Its Own. "Spain and the UK are emerging as the big losers." Speaking of the UK, Hat Hair's Beege Welborn predicts Tomorrow's 'Unite the Kingdom' Rally Looking Like Starmer's Planning Something Today MORE. Will he get his very own Charlottesville or J6? Sasha Stone says Surprise, Trump Isn’t Hitler After All.

At ToI, Saudi warplanes struck Iran-backed militias in Iraq during war, sources say "Riyadh said to have targeted sites near the kingdom’s northern border from which drone and missiles were launched at Gulf states; Kuwait also said to have fired on Iraq." and UAE secretly launched strikes on Iran during war, attacked oil refinery — report. Maybe it wasn't such a smart move to missle everybody in range. Hat Hair's Capt. Ed has 'Ceasefire' Updates: Israel Hits Top Hamas Commander; Iran Escalating Executions and Trump Offers Iran 20 Years – Or Annhilation. Door #2. Bob Spencer at PJM fears Trump is Waging War on the Time Clock.

To no one's surprise, SCOTUS has just unanimously declined Virginia's plea for them to step in and overrule SCOTVA's ruling again the Spandander redistricting. Capt. Ed, BREAKING: Unanimous SCOTUS Rejects VA Dems Attempt to Reinstate Referendum Matt Vespa at TownHall notes The Supreme Court Just Ruled on VA's Motion Over Their Redrawn Map. Meltdowns Are Coming. Nick Sortor @nicksortor, "IT'S OFFICIAL — Virginia Democrats have just been dealt the FINAL BLOW in their attempt to illegally force through their gerrymandered map for the 2026 US House elections SCOTUS just UNANIMOUSLY denied their request to hear the case on the map. MASSIVE blow to the Dems!" PJM's Stephen Kruiser, We Never Want to Hear 'House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries'. At NYPo, Jonathan Turley frets Virginia’s gerrymander flop leaves Democrats frustrated — and dangerous. AMAC thinks Democrats Reveal “Rule or Ruin” Core on Virginia Redistricting. In response, Ro Khanna proposes packing the court. FischerKing @FischerKing64, "Court-packing is a completely mainstream view on the political left now. They see it as entirely justified because they are unhappy with recent decisions. They're not interested in the "judicial philosophies" behind the opinions - they just want their way. They're refreshingly honest about this." Quote Rep. Ro Khanna @RepRoKhanna, "The Supreme Court has engaged in an ugly recidivism that has marked the fastest rollback of Black political rights since Reconstruction. 18 year terms limits on Justices now. Expand the court from 9 to 13 Justices now." Hat Hair's Dave Strom says Your Offer Is Accepted, let's do it now while Trump is in office, and the Republicans (nominally) control the Congress. Bad Hombre @Badhombre, "The same Congressional Black Caucus that refuses to admit Byron Donalds, Wesley Hunt, John James, and Burgess Owens because they don’t consider them Black since they’re Republicans. Good. It’s a total joke. It can’t go away soon enough."Quote ABC News @ABC, "Almost a third of the membership of the Congressional Black Caucus are at risk of losing their seats through the 2028 election cycle as Republicans in southern states where they control the legislature move swiftly to redraw congressional maps." Breaking911 @Breaking911, "BREAKING: Longtime Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) announces he will not seek re-election." Now that he's been Gerrymandered out. At Data Republican's substack, The "Fourth Founding": How our Unelecteds Plan to Rewrite the Constitution (Part 1) "Inside the Foundation-Funded Blueprint to Restructure American Governance by the Nation's 250th Birthday."

Driscoll at Insty envisions 21st CENTURY HEADLINES: AI Might Make Campaign Ads Halfway Tolerable. Ace, Foreign Communist Candidate for LA Mayor Nithya Raman Wants to Ban Backyard BBQs Because the Transnational Invaders Instinctively Make Endless War on American Normies, "Their absolute hatred of anything normal and wholesome, and their absolute determination to steal away any simple pleasure from the working and middle classes, is demonic. I'm sure you remember this same instinct in full effect during the lockdown." Liz Wheeler @Liz_Wheeler, "Spencer Pratt: I will clean up homeless encampments, address drug addicts, & prevent fires from burning down people's homes. Karen Bass: I will spend your money on teeth for meth addicts. Nithya Raman: I will ban grilling burgers in the backyard. Your choice, Los Angeles." Capt. Ed, LA Mayoral Race Focuses On the Big Problem Facing Angelenos: Grilling! UPDATE: 'Everything Is Awful'

This
is
AMAZING pic.twitter.com/f5Gj1TAgP8

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) May 15, 2026

At Da Signal, the Great Victor Davis Hanson explains The Newsom Nightmare: Why California’s Elites Refuse to Face Reality. Matt Vespa hears What If Dems Are Shut Out of the CA Gov Race? Newsom Says There's a 'Break-the-Glass' Contingency Plan. Why should they live with the rules they created to govern others?

Dave Strom at Hat Hair says Say What? 1 in 5 Fairfax County Residents Is Deportable? Cam at BA notices the Virginia Governor Admits She Just Banned Guns 'Frequently Used for Hunting' Tyler Englander @TylerEnglander, "Here is @GovernorVA's statement on her decision to sign the assault weapons ban. “I am signing this bill into law because firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong on our streets. We are taking this step to protect families and support the law enforcement officers who work every day to keep our communities safe,” said Governor Spanberger. “While the General Assembly chose not to adopt my amendment that specifically carves out certain firearms frequently used for hunting, I will work with the patrons to clarify this language.” She could have vetoed it. From Shooting News Week, One Loser Got Far Too Close…So What Happens When Four Pros Show Up?

The Peacock whines Vance announces suspension of $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments to California. "As part of his role as the fraud czar, Vance said that the administration is targeting California because the state isn’t taking fraud seriously." Charles C. W. Cooke @charlescwcooke, "He literally says “fraudsters” in the video that this tweet sits above." Quote Headquarters @HQNewsNow, "JD Vance appears to call for jailing Democrats who oppose MAGA: “We gotta get them out of this country and we gotta get them in prison.”" Democrats = fraudsters seems a fair conclusion. From Ace,Congress Rejected Biden's Demand for $50 Billion in Extra Spending for Medicaid Programs. On His Own Tyrannical Authority, Biden "Authorized" $46.5 Billion of That Spending Anyway. "This Saved Democracy, you know. It just so happens the money he spent on his own authority is exactly the money currently being looted from the American taxpayer by Democrat parasite groups." PJM's Cathy Salgado notes 425 Groups With CCP Ties Are Getting $1B Annually to Organize Against Israel and the U.S. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair has The Fix for Homelessness? Get Rid of All the Big Money to 'Fix' Homelessness.

Erick Florack at PJM sees COVID-19 Lies Exposed, Democrats Go Into Hiding.

Althouse finds "President Donald Trump is expected to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service in exchange for the creation of a $1.7 billion fund to compensate..." ""... allies who claim they were wrongfully targeted by the Biden administration, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The commission overseeing the compensation fund would have the total authority to hand out approximately $1.7 billion in taxpayer funds to settle claims brought by anyone who alleges they were harmed by the Biden administration's 'weaponization' of the legal system, including the nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack as well as potentially entities associated with President Trump himself." ABC News reports." Nick Sortor @nicksortor, "BREAKING: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has now CONFIRMED he has commuted Tina Peters’ sentence, saying he believes the election whistleblower’s free speech rights were violated Polis says the judge “held her speech against her.” Peters will OFFICIALLY be free in just a couple weeks, with a release date of June 1."

Driscoll says HOORAY FOR PALLYWOOD! Why would the NY Times make such horrific claims about Israel? The reasons are several-fold. "Nicholas Kristof raped my dog. At least that is what I have heard, from an anonymous source. A source who is intensely hostile to the New York Times columnist. And that’s good enough for me. Now I come to think of it, my pet pug has had a strange look on his face lately. As it happens, the rumor that I have just attempted to spread is far less lurid and fanciful than the one that the New York Times chose to spread around the world this week..." Dave Strom calls it The Big Tell: NYT Not Reporting Kristof Accusations on its News Pages. At NRO, Israel Knows a Defamation Case Won’t Fly. That’s Not the Play. It's the joy of discovery.

Matt Margolis at PJM was impressed when Jessica Tarlov Had a Complete On-Air Meltdown, and Then Greg Gutfeld Torched Her. A day ending in "Y". And then, Greg Gutfeld Destroys Whoopi Goldberg After Her Unhinged Rant About Donald Trump.

InfantryDort @infantrydort, "18 months ago we were doing diversity and inclusion vignette training. Today we’re obliterating terrorists, sinking entire navies, and snatching rogue leaders during their sleep. Fort Benning is using bayonets again. Understand how far we’ve come. Not a step back." Steve McGuire @sfmcguire79, "A committee of the American Bar Association has voted to eliminate its already suspended DEI accreditation requirement. A final decision depends on a future vote by the ABA House of Delegates. One member of the committee said, “Even though I personally agree with [the diversity and inclusion standard] and what it tries to achieve, I think it’s appropriate as an accrediting body that we eliminate that standard so we don’t inhibit the diversity of ideas out there in various types of legal education environments.”" Ed Carson @IBD_ECarson, "@jonhaidt says college students are coddled. Boy did they prove him wrong." Quote Benjamin Ryan @benryanwriter "NYU professor @JonHaidt, who has stood at the forefront of the movement to challenge academia’s culture of suppressing the free exchange of ideas, is facing a campaign to cancel his graduation address."

Stacy McCain, This Should Not Need to Be Said. Cotton-Pickin' is not racist. 

Althouse finds "Texas Children’s Hospital will create the nation’s first 'detransition clinic,' fire five physicians and pay the state $10 million..." ""... under an unusual settlement announced Friday by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R). The clinic would focus on providing [free] medical care to patients who had undergone gender-affirming healthcare and work toward reversing its effects, Paxton said.... The move follows an investigation that began in 2023 after Texas passed a law banning health providers from facilitating gender-affirming medical care for minors.... In a statement, representatives from the hospital system insisted they had been compliant with all laws but were settling to 'protect our resources from endless and costly litigation.'" The Hill reports. I'm also reading the Axios report of this story." 

And, "A judge in Manhattan declared a mistrial on Friday after the jury in Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial was unable to reach a verdict..." "... on the charge that the disgraced Hollywood producer raped an aspiring actress in a hotel room in 2013. It’s the second time a jury has not been able to reach a verdict on this charge." The NYT reports." He may have been a boor, but everyone in Hollywood was well aware of what going to his room entailed.

And oh, so much more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.15.26 (Afternoon Edition) and In The Mailbox: 05.15.26 (Evening Edition). Linked at The Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Writing Until Dawn up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Strait of Hormuz is Open

Just look at Marine Traffic.com. Leslie Eastman at LI, It Appears Ships are Sailing, Once Again, Through the Strait of Hormuz "As Washington underwrites safe passage and “privateer” tankers steam through silently with transponders off, the ayatollahs are reduced to offering bribery coupons for “safe passage” to any government willing to dump U.S. and Israeli diplomats, advertising weakness to friend and foe alike." Nick Arama at Red State, Here's What Iran Just Said About the Strait of Hormuz - It Sounds Like a Huge Cave After Trump Threat. Open to all save Israel and the US, who they can't stop. Andrew Clark @AndrewHClark, "In 72 hours we went from: Trump never expected the possibility of Hormuz closing, To: Trump was briefed Hormuz could close but riskily did it anyway, To: Trump bombed Kharg Island but it likely won’t force Iran to open the Strait To: Iran opened the Strait." John Ʌ Konrad V @johnkonrad, "Let me tell you the secret difference between a Navy and merchant ship captain that goes beyond the obvious..."

The Scuttlebutt

From Scott McKay at Am Spec, Five Quick Things: How’s the Iran War Actually Going? "It is being run by professionals, which is more than you can say about the Senate." Oh no, they're professional politicians; that's the problem. At Hat Hair, Dave Strom Pravda and the Democrats Are Lying: Operation Epic Fury Strategy Is Brilliant; UPDATE: Iran Opens Strait and Duane Patterson, Donald Trump Checkmates Iran On Day 14. wretchardthecat @wretchardthecat, "As I have often pointed out, the administration deliberately conceals its direction of advance in OEF, like an NBA player faking and feinting to throw of the defense. There is a long list of "would never" actions that the administration has started, breaking every taboo, only to not quite go down and veer in an unexpected direction. Everyone is still guessing: 1) Are the Kurds going in? 2) Is there going to be a superadvanced drone attack on the IRGC? 3) Will the administration declare victory and leave? 4) Will the US spare the ayatollahs and negotiate? 5) Will US proxies and marines take an Iranian port? Damned if I know and one suspects this is deliberate. They have a goal, but are advancing toward it in a heuristic manner." James Fay at RCD attributes it to Getting Inside the Enemy’s Mind with superb intelligence. Kyle Moran at RCP says Finish the Job, Mr. President.

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair finds this Too Fun to Check: Hamas Condemns Iran? Plus, Israel Tees Up 'Massive' Invasion. Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "That is definitely the Hitler Bunker. Iranian dude's making demands from the Hitler Bunker. Like, "We will consider ending the war when we receive full compensation from Russia, the United States and Britain for all our damage, and Russia withdraws from Berlin." Skinny nervous dude next to loudmouth looks like, howTF do I get out of here? Kinda looks like he's about to hurl." Quote Defiant L’s @DefiantLs, "Senior Iranian official Mohsen Rezaee: We will consider ending the war only when, first, we receive full compensation for all our damages from the United States, and second, we obtain a 100% guarantee for the future.. US withdraws from the Persian Gulf." Tim O'Brien at PJM sees the Rats Are Jumping Ship: Is the Iranian Regime Relocating to Canada? Will the Mossad follow them? Almost for sure.

From NewsBusters, CNN Officials Caught Celebrating Regime at Iranian Embassy Party in U.K. Matt Vespa, So, That's Who CNN Was Busted Partying With in London Last Month End Wokeness @EndWokeness, "MSNBC anchor: Trump's attacks on Iran are "racism."" Nick Arama can't believe it Did They Really Say This? CNN Issues Incredible Statement About Their Horrible Week of False Stories. Matt Vespa, So, That's Who CNN Was Busted Partying With in London Last Month. Nick Arama can't believe it Did They Really Say This? CNN Issues Incredible Statement About Their Horrible Week of False Stories. Deputy Press Sec Joel Valdez @JoelValdezDOW, "Can the following reporters from the major cable news networks please confirm you were at today's Pentagon press briefing? Jim @Acosta still doesn't believe you were there. @LMartinezABC (ABC) @Ellee_Watson (CBS) @halbritz (CNN) @JenGriffinFNC (Fox) @JulesJester (MS NOW) @ckubeNBC (NBC) Thank you!" Quote Jim Acosta @Acosta "The major networks and news outlets were not participants in that Pentagon “briefing.” Lindell TV, One America News, Real America News all asked “questions.” This is happening in the United States. Fills you with confidence?" At Twitchy, Veterans on X OBLITERATE Bond Trader Rando For Claiming That 'No One In the Military Wants to Serve'. Defiant L’s @DefiantLs, "Bill Maher: "Don’t take that the wrong way. I’m on our side, okay? I’m for us winning. I’m not on that page of ‘Trump did it, so I’m with the Ayatollah now.’ No!"" Charles C. W. Cooke @charlescwcooke, "This is so cheap. He actually said, “War is hell. War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them.” Bertrand knows that, which is why she disabled replies." Quote Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand Replying to @NatashaBertrand, "Hegseth on the KC-135 crash: “Bad things can happen” in war. Caine starts out with a tribute to those killed." Readers added context, "The quote above was taken out of context. The full quote honors the dead and their service. ""War is hell. War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes - all of them." The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "To Save Time, CNN Will Now Run Retractions Simultaneously With News Stories https://buff.ly/qEWLcI1"

On a serious note, an anti-Iran war lib, doxxed Cynical Publius, and earned a stunning rebuke from Data Republican. DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican, "Hello Brad Duplessis, You pre-emptively blocked me here on 𝕏, so I am forced to make this "Hello" a standalone post. You are a retired Army infantry officer. You served in Iraq and Afghanistan. You graduated from the National War College in 2018. You are now an Assistant Professor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Thank you for your service. But reputations are not defined by resumes. They are defined by choices. Today, you chose to doxx @CynicalPublius. Today, you published your debut article on War on the Rocks. You published his legal name. His profession. His pseudonym. All in one sentence. Indexed, archived, permanently searchable. You have changed the course of his life forever, and revealed him to the leftist ghouls who will demand his blood for forever. It doesn't matter if he was planning to reveal his identity eventually. You still made that choice. And I will make sure you are remembered for this. So, what was CP's sin such that you saw it fit to throw him to the wolves? Last month, he dared to write an article for American Greatness, centered around nine recommendations for War College reform. The recommendations included firing most civilian faculty and ending permanent military faculty positions. You hold a permanent civilian faculty position at a War College. You did not mention this in your article. In short, you named him, exposed his life to danger, because you really are arguing for your job and self-preservation. ..." It's worth reading the full thing. All hail autism! Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius, "Today has been pretty intense. Thank you all for your support. I'm going to sign off for a bit, but I want to leave everyone with some thoughts. People on the Right tend to use pseudonyms on social media because we have well-founded concerns of death threats, attempts to get us fired from our jobs, attacks on family members, hacking, SWATting and all other manner of evil (and often illegal) mischief from those on the Left, up to and including being murdered for our free speech. People on the Left tend to use their real names on social media because they know that people on the Right tend to respect the rule of law and the basic dignity of other human beings. We are not the same."

At Twitchy, Sen. Mark Kelly (Almost) Catches Pete Hegseth Giving an Illegal Order. Senator Mark Kelly @SenMarkKelly, "“No quarter” isn’t some wanna be tough guy line - it means something. An order to give no quarter would mean to take no prisoners and kill them instead. That would violate the law of armed conflict. It would be an illegal order. It would also put American service members at greater risk. Pete Hegseth should know better than to throw around terms like this." Quote Acyn@Acyn, "Hegseth: No quarter, no mercy for our enemies. Yet some in the press just can't stop. More fake news from CNN reports that the Trump administration underestimated the Iran war's impact on the strait of hormuz. The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better." Complete BORE @BulletboyDesign, ""Hyperbole is a figure of speech using deliberate, often dramatic exaggeration—not meant to be taken literally—to emphasize a point, evoke strong emotions, or add humor." However, people suffering from even mild cases of TDS are incapable of understanding this. Stop digging." Prompt Critical HY80 @DeckplateOpsO, "“If iraq rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear: victory. And victory means total victory. No concessions. No quarter.” -Joe biden."

Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "OK, so the Abraham Accords. Taking down the Venezuelan cartel/dictatorship. Finally a response in the Iran War, the mullahs thought we were stupid and weak, they were right. Now Cuba. You do get he's basically walking on water. Making every elected hack, bureaucrat and diplomat of the last 40 years or so look like dithering incompetent fools, when they weren't actively and despicably enabling said dictatorships, that is. Could it all go wrong? Yeah. But for the first time since Ronald Reagan blew up the Soviet Union, someone's trying." Quote New York Post @nypost "Cubans chant 'Down with Communism' and attack government building during violent night of protests https://trib.al/EODsODx" Marc J. Randazza @marcorandazza, "while new yorkers vote in communists." The Miami Herald, Havana is expected to allow Cubans in Miami, elsewhere to own businesses on the island. AP whines Young Cubans turn to church and state as cheap, synthetic drugs flood the streets. Nioh Berg @NiohBerg, "This is Cuba now. Cubans and Venezuelans are some of the only people on Earth who really truly understand Iranians, and vice versa. Freedom inspires freedom. May all our countries be liberated this year." Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "I love the optics of a bunch of white, rich American socialists going to Cuba to tell them not to overthrow communism." Quote DSA @DemSocialists, "DSA is going to Cuba! 20 DSA members are joining the Nuestra America Convoy this March 21st. We’ll bring much-needed material aid, volunteer our labor in solidarity, and show the world that Cuba is under siege, but they are not alone." Sarah Anderson at PJM likes The New Monroe Doctrine: The Fear Is Gone.

Martyupnorth®- Unacceptable Fact Checker @Martyupnorth "A stupid Canadian general wanted to show the Americans how tough our soldiers are, and ordered them to stay out on exercise during dangerously cold weather. The Americans went home. It cost dozens of our guys fingers and toes. But that's not the worse part. The army tried to keep this secret, and under-reported the severity of the injuries. This story is not over." There's brave, and there's stupid. Sometime it's hard to see the line.

From NYPo, President Trump orders oil drilling operations to resume off California and Stunning turnaround for California’s oil industry after Trump’s surprise executive order to help ease gas prices. 

At Breitbart, The U.S. Really Does Have a Balance-of-Payments Problem "The establishment case against tariffs got a polished restatement in the Financial Times this week. It is worth examining carefully because it gets the problem wrong, gets the causation wrong, and offers wishes in place of solutions."

Richard Grenell @RichardGrenell, "Your buffoonery knows no limits. You sat silent while the place went into total disrepair. You sat silent while the staff was paid with monies designed to pay off the future $30 million loan coming due in 2030 because there was no money in the bank to pay salaries. You sat silent while corporations left because of the hard left woke programming. We fixed it. ... You are welcome." Quote Sheldon Whitehouse @SenWhitehouse "Like a mob bust-out gone wrong, Trumpsters’ looting of the Kennedy Center has put it out of business, and now it needs to be “closed for renovations” as cover-up. No surprise he’s being replaced."

Joe Chalfant at TownHall, So, That's How Republicans Just Lost a Long-Held Mayoral Seat By a Single Vote. The Biz Doc @TomEllsworth, "Boca Raton Republicans just lost their mayor seat for the first time in 30+ years. Won by a Democrat with under 40% of the vote. How? Two Republicans: • Establishment insider (Vice Mayor) • Outsider businessman Neither would drop out. Combined Republican vote: 11,534 (60%) Winning Democrat: 7,572 (39%) Margin of victory: 1 vote. Ego > party." And Matt Vespa, This Quote From Gov. Stitt Is NOT Good News Regarding Who He'd Pick to Replace Markwayne Mullin.

Stacey Matthews at LI, Democrat Senator Suddenly Open to DHS Funding After Michigan Synagogue Attack “Certainly, we need to fund the Department of Homeland Security, and we need, in my view, to cut away all the conversation on ICE, which is its own conversation, from all the core missions of the DHS.” At Calling All RushBabes *Delayed Reaction. Islamic Terror Attacks in the United States. Daniel Friedman @DanFriedman81, "The Left is so committed to the position that bad guys are actually good guys and good guys are actually bad guys that multiple major media outlets tried to justify and rationalize the actions of a terrorist who drove a truck full of explosives into a pre-school full of babies."

Hat Hair's John Sexton is amused by the Washington Post: Republicans Are Seizing on Talarico's Past Statements. Damn right! Matt Boose at the Chronic, James Talarico and the Anti-White Cult of the Left. KT at Ace's notes that Talarico's bots are appearing on social media. 

From the Free Bacon, Bond Market May Be a Last Guardrail on Far-Left Mayors as Moody’s Goes 'Negative' on Mamdani’s New York, "Chicago also under pressure as Fitch cautions about 'management ineffectiveness.'"

Chris Rufo and Haley Strack at CJ go Inside San Francisco’s Racialist Slush Fund. "The city’s revived “Dream Keeper” initiative is spending millions on groups that have offered an all-black drag show, “ancient Egyptian” healing, and free doulas for “Black birthing people”—potentially in violation of federal law."

Chris Chmielenski at Am Great on The Path to a Million: Why Mass Deportations are the Key to 2026 "Trump’s base didn’t elect him for half measures on immigration; they expect mass deportations—and the scale of enforcement between now and November may decide the 2026 midterms." Matt Van Swol @mattvanswol, "I regret to inform you that white liberal women are now SINGING, DANCING, AND GRINDING on ICE agents in order to protest the removal of dangerous criminal illegal aliens from the country. You cannot make this up... Absolutely insane behavior on display here."

Jonathan Turley is flabbergasted by a Former Columbia Professor who Calls for Violence and Glorifies the Murder of Jews: “We Need to Destroy” At Quotulatiousness the QotD: “Bludgeonspeak” "I’m coining a term today: “bludgeonspeak”. Bludgeonspeak is the use of invented terminology, or historical terminology that has been hijacked and corrupted, and then emptied of all meaning except as an attempt at moral blackmail. Here are some notable bludgeonspeak items in 2025: “racist”, “fascist”, “homophobe”, “transphobe”, “islamophobe”, “far-right”. Also, the term “genocide” might not be quite there yet, but it’s being pushed in that direction pretty hard. Some bludgeonspeak terms, like “fascist” and “racist” and “genocide”, used to have substantive meanings which have been destroyed by persistent abuse. It may be appropriate to recognize and use those meanings if you are reading or writing or speaking about history. Others, like “homophobe”, “transphobe”, and “islamophobe”, were bludgeonspeak from birth. There are no circumstances in which these have substantive meaning, and it is unwise to treat them as though they do."The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Tragedy: Liberal Gets Stabbed Before Finishing Telling People How Peaceful Islam Is https://buff.ly/wiBh5F0."

Josh Blackmun at The Volokh Conspiracy, The Penis Mightier, "Why is it worse to use problematic language to describe something than to acknowledge that thing is actually problematic?" "I think most people have missed the point of Judge VanDyke's "swinging dicks" dissental. Of course he used vulgar and coarse language. (I for one would not use this approach in my writing.) That was VanDyke's point. He was trying to draw a double standard. Thirty members of his court expressed their outrage at VanDyke writing about "swinging dicks," but not one of them was willing to review a case that involved actual "swinging dicks." How can it be that describing "swinging dicks" in a women's spa is a bigger problem than the state permitting actual "swinging dicks" in a women's spa? Judge VanDyke proves the old saw is true: "The pen is mightier than the sword." Or, as Sean Connery would say on SNL Celebrity Jeopardy!, "The penis mightier."

Tablesalt @Tablesalt13, "Average wait times by specialist in Canada: (There's a surprise at the end) Neurosurgery: 49.9 weeks Orthopaedic Surgery: 48.6 weeks Otolaryngology: 43.8 weeks Plastic Surgery: 41.5 weeks Gynaecology: 40.6 weeks General Surgery: 31.8 weeks Ophthalmology: 20.8 weeks Urology: 25.7 weeks Cardiovascular Surgery (Elective): 19.6 weeks Internal Medicine: 21.2 weeks Medically Assisted Dying: 0 days."

Flotsam and Jetsam - Trump Walz Cut Minnesota Deal?

A bracing 9.5 F in Slower Maryland as we woke up. It's very rare to see single digits here, but not unheard of. We spent a couple of hours yesterday chipping out a path to get Corwin's car out to the street yesterday. There's only about 3-4 inches of white stuff on the ground, but it's well protected by a thick rind of consolidated sleet and freezing rain. The best strategy we could find was to cut squares in the rind with a deshingling tool, and then lift the resulting chunks with a snow shovel. Maybe sometime today we'll finish getting the way clear for our car. Maybe.

 Color me skeptical. Matt Vespa at TownHall characterizes it this way, Tim Walz Caves, Will Work With Trump and Tom Homan. Is This Why? The Signal chat revelations, that show some of Tim's administration working with the mobs to obstruct ICE. I would call that a conspiracy to obstruct the Federal government from carrying out it's legislatively defined mission. But I'm not a lawyer. At Hat Hair, a Larry video, Tim Walz Bends the Knee To Trump: Radical Protestor Network Infiltrated, Capt. Ed has BREAKING news Walz Reaches Out to Trump on Cooperation? UPDATE: Signal? UPDATE: Walz Confirms, De-Escalation? Trump Sends Homan to Minnesota; UPDATE: Republicans Rally to Homan, and Trump: Want to End Major ICE Operations? Make This One Change and Dave Strom explains Why I Am Skeptical That Walz Will Acquiesce and thinks Tim Walz Acts as a Local Warlord. Driscoll at Insty sees CHANGE: Trump says he’s sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight, saying Homan will “report directly to me.” "That should certainly soothe Obama’s nerves about the Minneapolis situation, right? In 2015, he awarded Homan “the Presidential Rank Award, [which] is bestowed each year by the President upon a small group of career employees and is the nation’s highest civil service award.” At Althouse, "Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota. It was a very good call..." ""... and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength. I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession. The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future. He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I! . . . That's from PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP at Truth Social. That's nice. I can think of a couple cynical things to say, but I'll leave them unsaid." And "Gregory Bovino has been removed from his role as Border Patrol 'commander at large' and will return to his former job in El Centro, California, where he is expected to retire soon..." ""... according to a DHS official and two people with knowledge of the change." Sundance at CTH thinks A Domestic Insurgency Has Erupted – President Trump Sending Tom Homan to Minneapolis. Don Surber asserts Time is on Trump’s side in Minneapolis, "Wait them out. As Saul Alinsky said, a tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag."

Hat Hair's John Sexton gives My Take on the Pretti Shooting, "This situation just looks less defensible than the previous one and that matters," and Duane Patterson calls it Finding Out What Happens When You Bring A Gun To An ICE Fight. At the San Diego Union-Trib, a report that San Diego County flags to be lowered in recognition of ICE-related deaths in Minnesota. Asra Nomani @AsraNomani, "Two things can be true at the same time. Alex Pretti’s death is a real and devastating tragedy, and there are several investigations appropriately occurring into the circumstances behind his killing. A far-left organizing network put Pretti in harm's way and then turned him into a martyr for their own agenda to sow the perception of chaos in America Both truths can be said at the same time." PJM's Cathy Salgado hears Minneapolis Police Chief Says It Doesn't Matter if Shooting Was Justified. Fusilli Spock @awstar11, "Because they want martyrs." Quote Chad Felix Greene @chadfelixg, "If they're convinced Trump is sending bloodthirsty, untrained, maliciously motivated executioners into the streets, why aren't they warning their own residents to stay home where it's safe?" PJM's Stephen Kruiser has A Friendly Reminder That Murderous Chaos Is ALWAYS the Dems' Endgame. Mark Hemingway @Heminator "The idea that Pretti and Good were living in some "normative state" is insane; knowingly or unknowingly they both volunteered for an organized counterinsurgency engaged in militarized tactics to stop democratically passed laws from being enforced. Pretti even had a gun." Quote, Alec MacGillis @AlecMacGillis, "This is quite an exchange with @DavidAFrench about whether we are witnessing the emergence of a "dual state."" PJM's Matt Margoli observe The Left’s Gun Rights Hypocrisy Just Hit a New Low. Matt Walsh @MattWalshBlog, "This is retarded. Rittenhouse wasn’t interfering with law enforcement. He was only there because law enforcement was nowhere to be found. It’s literally the exact opposite situation." Quote Jake Shields @jakeshieldsajj, "I supported Kyle Rittenhouse being armed at a BLM riot so it would be hypocritical If I opposed a leftist doing the same Laws need to apply equally to all Americans x.com/libertylockpod…" From No Pasaran! Law Enforcement Officers and Police Shootings: Try Comparing Those of January 6 to Those in Minnesota. At News Wax, WH: 3 Investigations of Minnesota Shootings Underway, as they should be, and Noem to Testify Before Senate Judiciary Committee. 

Betsy Stauffer at LI claims Obama, Clinton Statements About Minneapolis Reveal Democrats’ Midterm Playbook, "But where Obama truly goes off the rails is in his appeal to Trump administration officials to “… start finding ways to work constructively with Governor Walz and Mayor Frey.”" VodkaPundit at PJM, Just When You Thought You Couldn't Get Any More Sick of Barack Obama... The Victory Girls see Kamala Adds Fuel To The Fire In Minneapolis. Dave Harsanyi at NYPo says Sorry, AOC — protest culture is un-American. Matt Vespa cites Law Professor Rips Apart Dems Over Latest Remarks on the Border Patrol Shooting in Minneapolis, Jonathan Turley. From RCP, The Campaign Against ICE Is All About Open Borders. Mitch Bert at Hat Hair VIP, Minnesota: Let's Not Forget The Crisis Before The Crisis, massive fraud.

Jen van Laar on the Anti-ICE Signal Chats: Walz Administration Implicated, Foreign Funding Revealed. Dr. Sydney Watson @SydneyLWatson, "At this point, it is not surprising at all that all of this is state sponsored and goes all the way to the top." Quote 0HOUR1 @0hour1, "Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is one of the admins of Signal Chat. This means the State of Minnesota is behind the protests. Its not organic its a insurrection at the very top." VodkaPundit at PJM, Minnesota Insurrection: A Special Forces Operator Has Seen This 'From Anbar to Helmand'. Eric Schwalm @Schwalm5132 "As a former Special Forces Warrant Officer with multiple rotations running counterinsurgency ops—both hunting insurgents and trying to separate them from sympathetic populations—I’ve seen organized resistance up close. From Anbar to Helmand, the pattern is familiar: spotters, cutouts, dead drops (or modern equivalents), disciplined comms, role specialization, and a willingness to absorb casualties while bleeding the stronger force slowly. . . " Stephen Miller @StephenM, "If you are surprised to see such a large volume of professional class leftists acting in psychotic fashion in response to routine immigration enforcement, remember the conduct of this same group during covid: masking babies, terrifying children, boycotting family, shuttering schools, purging dissenters, and signaling their “virtue” to in-group peers with ever more extreme, painful and draconian measures." Kevin Bass @kevinnbass, "I am horrified. I cannot believe it. I analyzed public databases and media reporting on violent confrontations with ICE over the past year. Just 9 counties accounted for TWO-THIRDS of violent confrontations with ICE in America. This is twice all violent confrontations in the remaining 3,134 counties COMBINED. A violent confrontation in these 9 counties was 590 TIMES more likely than any of these other 3,134 counties. 590 times. I plotted these 9 counties, and I found that all 9 counties are sanctuary jurisdictions run by Democrat politicians that resist immigration law enforcement. These violent confrontations are RARE in states and cities where local officials cooperate with law enforcement." DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican, "BREAKING: SIGNALGATE DONORS LIST AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD; POLITICIANS + FOREIGN LEADERSHIP CONFIRMED? In one of the files revealed by @camhigby , a resources file directs people with money to a website, Stand with Minnesota, which in turns directs donors to a campaign ran by Tending the Soil on Chuffed. More about Tending the Soil later. What to know: the campaign is hosted by Chuffed and the first donation came from Jonny Soppotiuk, a Canada-based community organizer who is part of Chuffed leadership and specializes in fundraising. He is most likely a central figure in raising money. So, yeah. Starting to look like foreigners are playing a key role in all of this. That's not all. I've put together a spreadsheet of 4000+ donors and their possible identities. Download in the next link below."

At Hat Hair, Dave Strom interpretes the Minneapolis Police Chief: Yes, the Mob Should Rule and Twin Cities Law Enforcement Abandons Hotel to Mob (looking for ICE officers), and John Sexton hears Minneapolis Has a New Autonomous Zone with Armed Guards. Open Source Intel @Osint613, "In Minneapolis clashes, an anti-ICE protester was severely injured after trying to throw a flashbang back at federal agents, losing part of her fingers in the explosion." FAFO. Wall Street Apes @WallStreetApes, "Wheelchair bound ICE protester seems to temporarily have a divine intervention and is able to stand up out of his wheelchair and grab what he dropped These are paid actors." Eddie Scarry at Da Fed, Here’s How The Media Are Lying Right Now: ICE And ‘5-Year-Old Boy’ Edition. NYPo remembers how Gavin Newsom ignored calls to help girl, 5, left with half a skull in crash caused by illegal immigrant, dad says. TownHall's Joe Chalfant hopes This Inspiring Testimony From a DHS Hero Will Strengthen Your Resolve on Immigration. From Da Signal, EXCLUSIVE: ICE Arrests Foreign Terrorists Living in US.

From Ace, New Details on Church Invasion Prove It Was a Straight-Up Hate Crime, "Tyler O'Neill's thread has the supporting charging documents. This behavior would not be tolerated if a mosque was invaded." Volokh at the Volokh Conspiracy, No Detention Hearing or Bail Required for Two Women Charged with Disrupting St. Paul Church Service. 

Quantus Insights @QuantusInsights, "One year into President Trump’s presidency, several key indicators have shifted meaningfully: • Net illegal immigration has turned negative for the first time in ~50 years; border encounters are down ~93%. • Violent crime is falling, with homicides down ~21%. The largest annual drop on record. • Drug outcomes have improved, with overdose deaths down ~25% and fentanyl seizures halved. • The economy remains strong, with ~4.4% GDP growth or higher and equity markets at record highs. For voters focused on border security, public safety, and economic stability, these figures show delivery on stated priorities. For Americans in general, they point to broadly healthy national metrics." Law and Liberty compares him to Teddy Roosevelt, The American Grizzly. Sundance, Ted Cruz Attacks Trump and JD Vance During Conversation with “Donors”

Carlo Carrasco is happy Trump’s America Urges Allies To Increase Defense Spending To 5% Of GDP. CEPA, Poland Prepares for Drone War With Russia. "Europe needs to get on the front foot to tackle Russia’s hybrid warfare, a Polish deputy defense minister warned as he unveiled details of a new anti-drone systems." Sundance at CTH hosts NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte Delivers Brutally Honest Message to Virtue Signaling Brussels. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn takes A Peek in as Canada Ducks: Dropping That China Trade Deal Like a Hot Won Ton. Riviera Maya News, U.S. accepts 92 high profile drug kingpins from Mexico. At Da Signal, ‘All Signs Point’ to End of Communist Cuba, GOP Officials Say. John Sexton, Trump Administration Wants to See Cuba's 'Incompetent Marxists' Gone. From NewsWax, Trump Hikes Tariffs on South Korea "In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the decision follows what he described as South Korea's failure to fulfill its obligations under a trade deal negotiated between the two countries." From the Free Bacon, Solar Companies Scramble To Hide China Ties As Trump Readies Rules Barring Chinese-Owned Green Energy Firms From Receiving Taxpayer Funds "Under Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, companies with more than 25-percent Chinese ownership can't claim green energy tax credits." Capt. Ed, Israel Recovers Final Hostage; Gaza Readies for Phase 2 of Trump Plan.

NYPo, California’s massive fraud is way worse than Minnesota’s — totals $7 billion: JD Vance.   Ace, JD Vance: California's Fraud Dwarfs Minnesota's. memetic_sisyphus @memeticsisyphus, "You can’t show a random video from the streets of Minneapolis without capturing a 7 figure Somali fraud operation."

Elon Musk @elonmusk, "True" Quote Arthur MacWaters @ArthurMacwaters, "Holding secure elections is a civilizational IQ test > 14 states don't require any ID at all to vote > it's impossible to say that "cheating is rare" if you don't measure the thing at all > requiring proof of citizenship is incredibly popular among all Americans > yet, the x.com/BasedMikeLee/s…Show more"

NRO happy, At 88, D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton Will Not Run for Reelection. I don't know why; brain dead represents the state pretty well.

Dr. John Eastman at Julie Kelly's substack, takes on the Century-Old Case Law Lurking in the Disqualifications of Trump’s Interim U.S. Attorneys "The Supreme Court is slowly returning executive power back to the president related to political appointees? Will a pending decision do the same for U.S. Attorney picks? Dr. Eastman explains."

John Sexton hears the Washington Post Braces for Massive Layoffs, or as we call it "Yesterday's news, tomorrow," Driscoll is not sympathetic, OLD AND BUSTED: "“Yeah, I’m In the Media. Screw You.” —The late Ginny Carroll, a bureau chief with the then-Washington Post-owned Newsweek, who admitted on C-SPAN that she wore a button with the above message at the 1992 Republican convention. The New Hotness? Washington Post Braces for Massive Layoffs." Neither is Ace, Stephen Colbert's Ratings Hit New All-Time Low, Update: Washington Post Braces for a FIFTY PERCENT Cut in Jobs "Remember, six months ago, in the immediate aftermath of his cancellation, Colbert's ratings rose based entirely on Sympathy Viewing and liberals all claimed he was going to build the show into a juggernaut that CBS would have to un-cancel. I've got a special delivery: Six barrels of 100% pure pesticide-free Nope Juice." "Brian Stelter whines that Bezos isn't being a good "steward" of the Washington Post. Jon Podhoretz responded that he's not a "steward," he's the owner. But the bratty, underperforming losers at the paper think that Daddy Warbucks should just keep bailing them out forever." From NewsBusters, More of This, Please! CBS Invites Conservative Dana Loesch to Debate Minneapolis.

From the College Fix, Govt gave $3.3 million science grant to Northwestern for ‘safe space ambassadors’: report. Beege Welborn thinks Peak Woke Achieved: Fairy Pronouns. Oh yee of little faith, they can go higher, I'm sure.

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: One Big Crunch ready for your clicks at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Heavens to Betsy

I received a brief note from Elizabeth Stauffer from the Federalist Legal Insurrection yesterday, noting that I had cited her in one of my "Flotsam and Jetsam" posts, and had several times in the past (I would guess many), and thanking me. She signed the note Betsy. I had been calling her Liz, so I apologized, and promised to use Betsy henceforth. I'm sure some automated search tipped her off, but it was nice that she reached out, and I was gratified that somebody (or perhaps an AI) slogs through these.

And now on with to today's wrack line. This weekend's "No Kings" protests are still dominating. As the Babylon Bee notes The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee "Millions Gather To Express Total Ignorance About Political System https://buff.ly/dXnriSU." Insty, at his NYPo gig says the ‘No Kings’ crowds don’t want more democracy — they want LESS. Roger Kimball at Am Great, The ‘No Kings’ Protests Against Democracy Itself "Trump’s decisive 2024 victory exposed the irony of the left’s “No Kings” protests—an anti-democracy tantrum against the most democratic act of all: an election." John Hinderacker at Power Line, Elderly White People Protest Against Democracy. Driscoll at Insty, STUFF WHITE PEOPLE LIKE: Kristin Sokoloff @ksoklower48, "BREAKING: Atlanta’s “No Kings” Protest Was 90% White — Despite City’s 47% Black Population. Even locals are calling it out — real Atlantans have jobs, families, and priorities, not time for another elite Saturday stunt." At Twitchy, Scott Jennings Reminds a ‘Karen’ America Is Not a Monarchy and ‘No Kings’ Protesters Wasted Their TimeAce, "No Kings" Rally More Like "No Thanks" Rally Am I Rite. Hat Hair's Duane Patterson adds No Kings Is A Bad Poker Hand And A Worse Protest. Right Angle News Network @Rightanglenews, "BREAKING - Countless leftist mouthpieces on X, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, have been caught sharing a 2017 MSNBC video from a Boston counter-protest to make it appear as footage from the 2025 “No Kings” rally after lower-than-expected turnout." Crowd estimates came from the organizers, so swallow at your own risk. As Hat Hair's Beege Welborn notes Pretty funny. AI toted up all the reports and came up with a 650K nationwide attendance figure, just a tad less than the 7 MILLION progressives are claiming they had out. At Althouse "Have you heard this idea that if 3.5% of a population protests nonviolently, social change is a slam dunk?..." "It's a "No King's Day reality check" from AntifascistDad:" From PJM, David Manney, 'No Kings Day' Street Theater Meets Shutdown Politics: A March for Democracy or a Midterm Ad Buy?, Matt Margolis, The ‘No Kings’ Protesters Are Even Dumber Than You Thought and Stephen Kruiser asks Dude, Where's My King? Kurt Schlichter @KurtSchlichter "This is idiocy, but OK" Quote Max @minordissent, "Conservatives will never admit this but it is true. The founding fathers were the radical leftists of their time. The way the average con feels about crazy leftist transgender activists today is the way the average con of the 1700s felt about American Revolutionists. x.com/jessicausaf/st…" 

While billed as a non-violent protest, Hat Hair's Dave Strom notes The Radicals Were Out in Full Force at 'No Kings' Rally. NYPo reports a Chicago elementary teacher mocks Charlie Kirk’s assassination with vile gun gesture at No Kings protest. Cernovich @Cernovich, "They get to hold their protests without a care in the world. No snipers on buildings shooting at them. No masked thugs attacking them. Every media outlet fawning over them. Irony levels fit for a King." PJM's Vicky Taft smells Rain, Tear Gas > Violent 'No Kings' Militants Outside Portland ICE HQ. From PM, Rioters attack federal agents outside Portland ICE facility during ‘No Kings’ protest "Footage from the scene showed transgender-identifying Antifa militant Michelle “Michael” Backes sucker-punching a pro-ICE counter-protester outside the facility."

The Peacock crows The 'No Kings' protests, like the tea party of 2009, are a warning to Trump: WaPo editorial board. But Ward Clark at RedState hears Dem Senators Now Fear Fallout of 'No Kings' Absurdity. From Fox, Trump reacts to 'No Kings' protests by saying 'I'm not a king, I work my ass off' "President dismisses demonstrations as 'very small, very ineffective' with protesters who are 'wacked out'" Ace cites The Divine Ms Devine at NYPo Miranda Divine: Trump Derangement Fever Is Breaking, "I don't believe this, but what do you think?" I think it's more of a chronic disease, like cancer.

At OTP, Government Shutdown Reaches 20th Day With No End In Sight. Misty Severi at JTN reports the Senate Democrats block Republican plan to end government shutdown for 11th time. "Seven senators did not vote in the latest round, including Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, who has been siding with Republicans to end the shutdown." News Wax hears Chip Roy Suggests 'Nuclear Option' to End Senate Stalemate. Dave Strom is happy to report Trump is Riding Out Shutdown in Good Shape. A Larry video at Hat Hair suggests Trump, Johnson Strong-Arm Schumer: Shutdown Might End This Week? From Fox, House GOP announces $24M cash haul as government shutdown drags on and Trump calls Democrats ‘kamikaze pilots’ as shutdown standoff hits third week with no end in sight "President vows to permanently eliminate welfare programs Republicans 'never wanted' on 'Sunday Morning Futures'." At NYPo John Stossel says The shutdown proves it: We don’t need so much government after all. But OTP says Air Traffic Control Staffing Issues Cause Flight Delays Across US. And Virginia Allen at Da Signal sees ICE Agents Still ‘Risking Their Lives’ Despite ‘Working Without Pay’ Amid Shutdown.

Da Algemeiner claims Trump Urged Zelensky to Cut a Deal with Putin or Risk Facing Destruction, FT Reports. At Da Blaze, Trump gives Zelenskyy reality check in alleged 'shouting match' before sending him on his way. From the Free Bacon, New Poll Finds Soaring Approval for Trump's Handling of Israel-Hamas War. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, Ho Hum, Yet Another 'Ceasefire' Day in Gaza; Don't Blame Trump Or Israel, Says ... WaPo? Don Surber, I agree with the Washington Post. “Consider this a win for President Donald Trump, who brought about the ceasefire.”

Buck Throckmorton at Ace's notes Trump & Rubio Prevent UN’s Global Climate Tax on Shipping; “Principled Free Traders” Are Mute About Stopping this Tax on Consumers. "Thank you President Trump and Secretary Rubio for continuing to put America first." From ET, US, Australia to Invest Over $3 Billion in Critical Minerals Over Next 6 Months. "The deal comes amid China’s weaponization of global supply chains via significantly expanding its export controls on minerals."

In misc Trumpiania, Newsweek, Student Loan Forgiveness Update: Trump Admin Cancels Debt For Millions. Ace, Trump Invites Former Navy SEAL and Army Ranger to Primary Flaky Libertarian Saboteur Thomas Massie "I've had it with this grandstanding college-dorm bullshit artist." Fox Bus, From the gilded Oval Office to a new monument: A look at Trump's renovation projects. From Althouse "Donald Trump is considering commuting Diddy's sentence as early as this week, according to a high-ranking White House official." ""According to our source, the President is 'vacillating' on a commutation. We're told some of the W.H. staff are urging Trump not to commute the sentence. But, our source states the obvious -- 'Trump will do what he wants,' and we're told Trump could set Diddy free as early as this week." TMZ reports. I hope Trump does commute this sentence. Sean Combs was acquitted on the charges that embodied the evil things they said he did, and the sentence feels like an effort to punish him for those things anyway. He's already been in custody for over a year."

From WokeSpy, Kamala Harris Calls Biden’s Snub of Elon Musk a ‘Big Mistake’ at 2021 EV Event, almost certainly. The Center Square has a Poll: Kamala Harris still Democratic favorite for 2028 "California Gov. Newsom is second choice." NewsBusters says OUCH: KJP Gets SLAMMED by CBS Hosts for Defending Biden, Claiming to Be an Independent.

Hat Hair's John Sexton hears Mamdani Backs Away From Destroying New York City's Elite High Schools. OTP thinks an NYC Mayoral Poll Delivers Bad News For Mamdani In Cuomo Face-Off. "Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo could be in a virtual dead heat with lefty frontrunner Zohran Mamdani in the Big Apple mayoral race if Republican Curtis Sliwa drops out, a stunning new poll determined." At Fox, FBI agents from '93 WTC attack blast Mamdani for embracing radical imam "Frank Pellegrino stated this choice was an example of Mamdani's "ignorance of history."" NYPo, Andrew Cuomo touts Jessica Tisch as NYPD commish, reveals he’d ‘ask her to stay’ if elected mayor. Whatever happened to Frank Reagan?

Chris Queen at PJM hears a Virginia Democrat Donor Shouts Racist Slurs at Winsome Earle-Sears — at His Son’s Football Game. Tells her to go back to Haiti (she was born in Jamaica). NOVA Campaigns @NoVA_Campaigns "The white, liberal Dem at @JMUFootball game, shouting racist slurs at @WinsomeSears is Scott Pogorelc, of Centreville, VA Go back to Haiti!” “Traitor!” An engineer with Zera Associates, a @LockheedMartin subsidiary." LifeZette claims a ‘MASSIVE Election Security Scandal’ Erupts in Democrat Stronghold Fairfax County, Virginia.

Gene Volokh at the Volokh Conspiracy reports the Ninth Circuit Panel (by 2-1 Vote): President Trump Likely Lawfully Ordered National Guard to Portland. Capt. Ed, BREAKING: Ninth Circuit Overturns Lower Court on Nat'l Guard Deployment ... Again. Sundance at CTH, Federal Appeals Court Overturns Lower Court Ruling – President Trump Can Deploy National Guard to Portland. Shipwreckedcrew the Lawsplainer -- The Venezuelan "Temporary Protective Status" Case And The Supreme Court's Decision On Friday Bringing It To An End "The problem arose from the illegal acts of former DHS Sec. Mayorkas three days before the end of the Biden Administration." Natalia Mittelstadt at JTN reports Appeals court to hear DOJ defend Alina Habba's appointment as New Jersey's acting US attorney. "The DOJ argued in court filings that Alina Habba is validly serving in the role." WUWT, Obama Judge Dismisses Youth Climate Court Case. At USA Today, US judge to block Trump directive to cut 'gender ideology' from states' sex ed materials "US Judge Ann Aiken in Oregon said she intends to issue a preliminary injunction at the behest of 16 states and the District of Columbia." A Clinton judge.

From OTP, Trump Admin Reportedly Fires Two Prosecutors Who Opposed Charges Against Letitia James and DOJ Moves To Remove Comey’s Lawyer Over Leak Conflict. Likely a material witness. 

John Hinderacker asks Who Funds Antifa? Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog claims Patel Close To Cracking Antifa Funding Sources. Da Caller reports a Shadowy Foreign Tech Group Keeps Police Off Antifa’s Trail News Wax reports Trump Vows to Make San Francisco 'Great Again'. Augean stables anyone? From Twitchy, 'We Don't Answer to You': Dan Bongino DROPS THE MIC on Gavin Newsom About Law Enforcement. Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, " BREAKING: FBI's Dan Bongino DROPS THE MIC on Gavin Newsom after the derelict California governor claimed "nobody wants" federal police to save San Francisco "That's a BS REMARK." "We don't answer to the governor of California...really? Ask the 67-year-old woman living in a drug-ridden area of LA or San Francisco or what else." "Who's had some guy slinging crack on the corner for 10 years now harassing her grandkids. You go ask her if she wants us and the FBI, the US Marshals and the DEA and all the operations of the federal government in there to clean up the city. Go ask her. Go find her. I promise." "There's not a limited sample size of people...The people DO want us there." @dbongino" Ohio News, Vice President J.D. Vance’s half-brother ‘will not be intimidated’ after church window hit by bullet. At OTP, North Carolina Accountant Arrested After Allegedly Opening Fire On Trump Supporter. Ace, After October 7 and the Anti-Jewish Violence and Harassment That Followed It, Biden's DOJ Rushed Into Action... to Defend Muslims Against "Backlash" "Of course." And, FBI Now Investigating a "Hunting Stand" With a Clear Line of Fire to Air Force One's Landing Strip at Palm Beach Airport "What are these youthful No Kings Q-tip scamps up to now?" Probably just an innocent tree stand, but they have to check.

Sundance at CTH hears Steve Bannon is Very Upset About CIA Lying to Special Envoy During Israel/Hamas Negotiations. But is he surprised? Matt Taibbi at Racket claims an Exclusive: FEMA Workers Improperly Collected Data About Politics of Disaster Victims "Politicized distribution of hurricane aid money before the 2024 election was no "isolated incident," a Homeland Security follow-up report sadly concludes."

The Center for Immigration Studies is trying to Understand Pritzker’s Dangerous Immigration Game. "Egging on anti-ICE rioters, then hoping state troopers will keep the rioting contained." Secretary Sean Duffy @SecDuffy, "My team has reached out to the trucker who recorded this chilling video. He did the right thing reporting the trucker driving the wrong way to police. This easily could have ended in disaster. Foreign truck drivers not being able to understand the rules of our roads is a crisis that is putting lives in danger. @USDOT is doing the work to fix it and SAVE LIVES!" UPI, Border agents find dangerous insect species seen in U.S. for first time.

A Driscolly post at Insty, A WAKE TO REMEMBER: MSNBC Bids Farewell to Its Dying Audience. "It was quite a weekend for MSNBC. Are they trying to get all the craziness out of their systems as the iceberg hoves into view? ● MSNBC Compares ‘No Kings’ Critics To Nazis. ● Robert De Niro slams Stephen Miller — who is Jewish — as a ‘Nazi’ in MSNBC rant. ● Enraging Bull: Actor Robert DeNiro Says Rural Americans Need the ‘Truth’ from MSNBC and Legacy Media. ● Actor Robert De Niro drops f-bomb on MSNBC’s ‘The Weekend.’" Da Signal explains The Sneaky Way Corporate America Blacklists Conservatives, and How Some Are Fighting Back.

Driscoll cites JULIE BURCHILL: How do so many women end up as ‘Feminists for Islam?’ 

Capt. Ed, 'F*** That Racist B***': Hollywood Stunt Coordinator Exposes Cheers for Kirk's Death. At Da Mail, Chicago teacher accused of mocking Charlie Kirk's assassination as school suddenly pulls website.

At Da Signal, Trump’s War on ‘Illegal DEI’ Leaves Diversity Industry in Ruins, Study Shows. From Breitbart, Lia Thomas Unrepentant over Taking Titles from Women: ‘It’s Easier to Fight the World Than Fight Yourself.’

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Breaking Even On The Road up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.