Showing posts with label espionage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label espionage. Show all posts

Monday, October 26, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - Elon Explains Starlink Ukraine Link

At ZeroHedge, Musk Clarifies Why Starlink Speed Limits Were Throttled In Ukraine: "May You Burn In Hell". Elon Musk @elonmusk, "Correct. Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be. Starshield, a different system, is controlled by the US government. What they decide to do is up to them. Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week. Starlink remains critical to the defense of Ukraine, as it is the only system that cannot be jammed or blown up, at least for now. Were Starlink to be turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately. This is NOT a threat, it is simply a statement of fact. Starlink was also crucial to preventing Russia from overrunning Ukraine in the early days of the war, as all other means of communication were destroyed or jammed by Russia. SpaceX has done more to defend Ukraine than any private company on Earth BY FAR. That said, I have nothing but UTTER CONTEMPT for the virtue-signaling evil warmongers who push for endless slaughter and offer no realistic solution to the conflict. May you burn in hell. End of story." Quote varifrank @varifrank, "STARLINK WORKS THE SAME WAY ITS ALWAYS WORKED. ITS NOT A WEAPONS SYSTEM, NO MATTER HOW MUCH UKRAINE WANTS IT TO BE. From a commenter at Althouse "x.com/CNBC/status/21…" “If Russia decides that the civilian Starlink satellite network is weaponized and fair game, we risk a serious Kessler syndrome. First modeled by NASA’s Donald Kessler and Burton Cour-Palais in 1978, it describes a scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit gets so high that collisions start producing debris faster than natural processes (mainly atmospheric drag) can remove. Each collision creates more fragments, which raise the odds of further collisions, leading to a self-sustaining cascade, a runaway cloud of satellite debris that can make certain orbital bands increasingly hazardous. Space could become unusable for years to centuries. You like driving around with GPS? Starlink MUST remain a civilian entity.”Elon Musk’s response: “This is indeed one of the main reasons that Starlink must remain a civilian operation. It can be used for infrastructure that is military, but it cannot be used for unequivocally offensive strikes that make it fair game to be struck back. An adversary blowing up Starlink satellites would create a domino effect of destruction that would generate a vast field of debris making space unusable.” John Hawkins @johnhawkinsrwn, "Ukraine would have been overrun 10 times over if not for Musk giving them Starlink early on and denying Russia Starlink. The whole idea that he's some kind of monster because he also doesn't want people dying by the tens of thousands for nothing is insanity pushed by bad actors." Quote Josh Kraushaar @JoshKraushaar, "all of Musk's money can't change the fundamental reality of American public opinion:" Quote ian bremmer @ianbremmer, "50% of maga voters sympathize with ukraine, 5% (!) with russia."

Mashable notes the Critical 'Musk' documentary pulled from theatres after just two weeks, "The film concludes its theatrical run with a $571,902 box-office performance." George MF Washington @GMFWashington, "Wait… was it pulled or did it just get a 2 week Oscar-qualifying run?"

Sundance at CTH hosts Attorney General Todd Blanche -vs- CBS Margaret Brennan, Video and Transcript and Sunday Talks – AG Todd Blanche -vs- CNN Dana Bash on Alaska Election Fraud. Kyle Becker at RedState appreciates how Blanche Torches Dana Bash for Insane Remark on Next 'January 6': 'That's Not a Real Question!' At Da Caller, ‘Oh, Stop It!’: Todd Blanche Cuts Off Dana Bash’s Speculating How Trump’s Alaska Election Lawsuit Could Lead To Another Jan 6. 

At Da Caller, Jared Kushner’s Phone Was Hacked — It Exposed An Alleged $2 Billion Foreign Money Web. "In an official statement, Mizelle said the book’s central allegation is false, as “there are no bank accounts.” Mizelle continued, saying no evidence has been produced that his client’s phone was ever hacked, and noted that the Jerusalem Post took down its reporting on Cole’s claims after identifying “significant factual questions about the alleged financial transactions.”"

The Left is celebrating as Lula wins shock Brazil election but Bolsonaro refuses to concede. As Beege Welborn at Hat Hair notes The Fix Is In: Judge Who Was Lula's Personal Lawyer Extends Brazil's Voting for Two More Hours WELP, so that they could manufacture the votes they needed. Nick shirley @nickshirleyy, "Brazil's right wing revolution has begun... Thousands upon thousands of people took to the streets in Rio de Janeiro in support of Flavio Bolsonaro as he attempts to take down Lula and declare war on the gangs of Brazil. Under Lula a Supreme Court judge put former president Jair Bolsonaro in prison and then house arrest for the next 20+ years. His son Flavio is running to free his father and free Brazil from Lula’s communist-like government. Brazil's right wing movement is being led by the Bolsonaros, 30 year old Nikolas Ferreira, and 28 year old Lucas Pavanato. Something incredible is taking place as millions reject the ideas of socialism and communism. VAMOS BRAZIL!" Nancy Pearcey @NancyRPearcey, ""When the left loses an election, it tries to destroy the country; when it wins, it succeeds." — Friedrich Hayek."

Sister Toldja at RedState, sees Mike Rogers Shuts Down Kristen Welker's Gotcha Games in Contentious 'Meet the Press' Interview. At Twitchy, Dana Bash Presses Haley Stevens on 'Stepstool' Abdul El-Sayed ... Her Response Is Brutal. From Da Wire, Abdul El-Sayed, You’re No Jack Kennedy, "By claiming the mantle of JFK, El-Sayed implies his critics are bigots." Renewed Right reports An Abdul El-Sayed Operative Was Caught on Camera Saying Three Words That May Cost Democrats the Election. James O'Keefe @JamesOKeefeIII, "BREAKING NEWS: Abdul El-Sayed Campaign Official Reveals El-Sayed Receives Overseas Donations, Admits Foreign Contributions Are Illegal Under Federal Law, Warns Denouncing Hamas Could Cost Support “You know, he [Abdul El-Sayed] has people from overseas that donate to him...No it is not allowed." “He [Abdul El Sayed] can't just say, you know, no, I don't support Hamas, you know, I reject all of them, because he's going to lose the people that brought him up in the first place.” At TownHall Amy Curtis lays out All the Documented Ties Between Abdul El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood. Driscoll at Insyt cites CHRISTIAN TOTO: Spencer Pratt, Gad Saad Slam Princess Bride Alum Over El-Sayed. Gad Saad @GadSaad, "Here we go: @PatinkinMandy is a Self-Loathing Degenerate, Lobotomized Wood Cricket Jew. I despise Patinkin more than I do @AbdulElSayed."

At NYPo, Miranda Devine says Dems know Ilhan Omar is in deep trouble — that’s why they had Obama parachute in. At Althouse wonders Does Obama even know what cheesecake is? "I've listened to this 20 times: ... I believe he's trying to talk like a standup comedian. I feel as though he's been coached on how to sound like a standup comedian who is also the Obama who once presided over what's now supposed to be remembered as a golden age. That's not easy, but when he gets to his big punchline — "He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory" — it's like he doesn't even know what cheesecake is let alone have any familiarity with the restaurant chain a lot of Americans regard as a pretty nice place to go out to eat." Mickey Kaus @kausmickey, "Did a memo go out to Dems: "We're going to win this mid-term on Design!" Quote Aaron Rupar @atrupar, "Bill Clinton: "I think Congress made a mistake not protesting turning the Rose Garden into what looks like the entrance to Liberace's bathroom."" Mickey Kaus @kausmickey, "“The hard fact is that Nixon lacks taste”--Arthur Schlesinger Jr., 1960. (That was designed to win over skeptical Adlai voters, I believe. But class snobbery is still one theme of Dem politics and policy--eg. screw those hillbillies if they won't learn to code when migrants do their former jobs.)" Lance Gooden @Lancegooden, "Democrats and Barack Obama told us American manufacturing jobs “are just not coming back.” President Trump just announced Audi is building a $4.2 billion manufacturing plant in the United States. Turns out putting America First works!" Hat Hair's Larry Elder disputes a Trump Critic: He's 'Racist' Because He 'Demeans' Black Politicians, who happen to be Democrats. Jordan Briskey @JordanBriskeyWI, "I did it today. I went and voted. I voted against fascism. I voted against racism. I voted to protect my rights and all rights for all, the Constitution, and for democracy. That’s why I voted to a straight Wisconsin Republican ticket +1 ‘If fascism ever comes to America, it will come in the name of liberalism.’ -
@RonaldReagan"

Stacy McCain takes on Fake Polls, Real Bias: ‘Shaping the Narrative’ and the Bandwagon Effect. "The polls may be fake, but the bias is real. Once you recognize how these influence operations function — once you start noticing the sneaky ways in which journalists smuggle their own prejudices into allegedly “objective” news coverage — you become skeptical about everything you see in the news media. Be not deceived!" The Manhattan Contrarian shows how The New York Times Shows Democrats How To Run On "Energy Affordability", by ignoring the inconvenient fact that most of the high cost of energy is caused by Democrats. And just some flat out lying. Tim O'Brien at PJM looks at The Lindsay Clancy Effect and How the Democrats Are Courting the Psycho Vote. At Da Signal, LA Registrar Says Citizenship Check Stops at Voter’s Word—Even After Federal Charges and an 8-1 Supreme Court Decision Upends Student ID Fight in Battleground Days Before Key Senate Election. The Supreme Court, in an 8-1 decision, allowed New Hampshire to block student IDs as a valid form of voter identification. In an unsigned order released Thursday, the justices paused Oct. 2 and Oct. 5 orders by U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante, a George W. Bush appointee, that prevented the state from enforcing its restrictions on student IDs. Justices cited past precedent, noting, “This Court has repeatedly emphasized that lower federal courts should ordinarily not alter the election rules on the eve of an election.” They added, “Here, the District Court did not point to anything that would justify deviating from that principle.”" Anyone care to guess who the lone dissenter was?

Breccan Thies at Da Fed hears CIA Spook Slotkin Doubles Down On Threat To Destroy Young Conservative Staffers. Da Caller notes Ex-USAID Officials, Military Brass Reportedly Discussed ‘Extra-Constitutional’ Plans For America. Shipwreckedcrew Answers The Question Of Why Kash Patel And Dan Bongino Set About To Fire Many Senior FBI Officials, "Deputy Assistant Director and HQ Section Chief Led “Operation Round River” To Deflect Any Derogatory Information About Hunter Biden As “Russian Disinformation” After His Laptop Contents Were Known." Because they deserved it. Josh Hammer at Hat Hair outlines November's Stark Choice: Two Visions for Justice and the Rule of Law.

Charlie Martin at PJM reports Ian Brinksman Arrested: Caught in a Honeypot? "Ian A. Brinksman, a government contractor, was arrested by the FBI on October 23 after a search of his residence and charged criminally under the Espionage Act, specifically 18 USC 793(d). I won't quote the whole paragraph, but I will note the last sentence of paragraph (f): Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.... Allegedly, Brinksman was passing TOP SECRET /Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) to someone identified only as "Individual 1" for publication. "Individual 1" is reportedly Brinksman's girlfriend, whom several news reports have identified as Aida Chavez, a journalist who has a Substack and reports on national security stuff. She has previously been associated with The Nation, The Intercept, More Perfect Union, and The Hill." "After my own divorce, a cynical friend commented that the question every divorced man has to deal with is whether the screwing you get was worth the screwing you got. Brinksman should be asking himself that question."

From Da Caller, ICE Nabs Violent Illegal Who Came Back After 2 Deportations. Joe Chalfant at TownHall thinks This Admission Shows Why Trump Was Right to End TPS for Haiti. Insider Wire @InsiderWire, "#BREAKING: Haiti says it's “overwhelmed” by illegals deported from the United States." CBD at Ace's documents how Modern Immigration Is A Far Cry From That Of Our Ancestors. Old immigrants came to make a better life, new ones come to get a better life, at our expense. 

At NYPo, Top LA journalist had fling with Dem SoCal lawmaker, let her write his stories. "A high-profile Los Angeles immigration reporter has been fired amid allegations of ethical breaches, including claims he had a secret romantic relationship with a rising California state senator and allowed her to help write stories published under his byline. Memo Torres, 46, abruptly parted ways with left-leaning news outlet L.A. TACO this week after an internal investigation that the publication says followed nearly five months of discussions over repeated violations of its policies and journalistic standards, according to LA Material. ... The publication said it gave Torres multiple opportunities to take responsibility and improve, insisting his departure had nothing to do with its immigration coverage. “The rumor that we’ve turned our back on ICE coverage is a lie. And a dangerous one,” the statement said. But according to the outlet, sources have raised questions about Torres’ coverage of Democratic state Sen. Sasha Renee Pérez, 34, including allegations that the pair had a personal relationship while he reported on her political agenda."

From eugyppius: a plague chronicle, New German legislation will require that social media platforms massively boost “diversity-promoting” content. "The regulatory war on the demon social media algorithms continues." The Alliance Defending Freedom warns Defend the right to speak the truth about gender.

Amy Denton at PJM observes France Is on Fire Again, with emphasis on again. Greg Lukianoff at The Eternally Radical Idea explains Why Macron is MacWRONG about the France Riots, FIRE West Coast, Busting the Filibuster & more! The Brawl Street Journal, Fueling the Next Riot, "How Europe’s energy policies set up a hot winter." Driscoll at Insty cites JULIE BURCHILL: The ‘homicidal empathy’ of the Islamo-left. RadioGenoa @RadioGenoa, "This video is very important for Europe. It shows that those who loot, destroy cars, set fires and cause chaos speak Arabic. And if they speak Arabic, they are not Europeans. Let's assume many people won't want this video to spread, because it tells too much truth." And, THE BBC BOLDLY GOES WHERE CNN HAS GONE BEFORE: BBC News (World) @BBCWorld, "Clashes erupt in Paris after largely peaceful protests across France" At Am Think JB Shurk think Many Western Governments Won’t Survive, "Why would citizens defend governments that abuse them?" At Da Signal, the Great Victor Davis Hanson: Why Western Civilization Is Fighting Back.

From Campus Reform, Federal judge upholds Trump admin executive order banning federal contractors’ DEI initiatives, "A Biden appointee has upheld an executive order from President Donald Trump, further eroding federal contractors' ability to promote DEI initiatives." Betsey McCaughey at Hat Hair calls out Hollywood Lawyers Perverting Justice in the Cornell 7 case. (Shouldn't that be the Cornell 8?)

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Last of the Autumn Light and FMJRA 2.0: The Continuing Crisis up on time and under budget.

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - Hello, I Must Be Going DIY

Trump, Republicans and Foreign Affairs

It Looks Like President Trump Is Kicking Katie Zacharia to the Curb – PJ Media
Today's Deep Question: Is Zacharia 'Cooked' After Tough Hannity Interview? UPDATE: Out, Per Fox – HotAir
Is Katie Zacharia a Lawyer? - Power LineKatie Zacharia dropped as press secretary after one week on the job - Fox News
Althouse: I don't know, and I don't like that language. I just want her to withdraw back into obscurity. Please.
Rumor Has It Skittish EU Leaders Want Zelensky to Stuff a Sock in It – HotAir
How Dumb Is Canada? Carney Spent Nearly $1 Million for Gaza Elections That Were Never Happening. – PJ Media
Oilfield Rando on X: "Top tier geopolitical troll"
Breitbart Business Digest Prescription Drug Prices Just Saw the Biggest Decline Ever
Elon's Forgotten Success: DOGE – HotAir
In The Mailbox: 10.16.26 : The Other McCain

The Disloyal Opposition

The Morning Briefing: El-Sayed Goes Full Talarico. Never Go Full Talarico. – PJ Media
Ace of Spades HQ - MSNOW Of All Outlets Challenges Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed's Lie About Having No Familial Connections to the Muslim Brotherhood
The Left’s Choreographed ‘Lifelong Republican’ Demoralization Campaign Is Underway – PJ Media
Next News Network on X: "AOC gets roasted in a brutal new meme as Tesla's flying Roadster soars right past her. The internet showed no mercy on this one. Somewhere, the Green New Deal just got lapped. 
Compassionate Socialism? It’s Time to Have a Sit-Down With That Young Socialist You Know. – PJ Media
Two-thirds of Americans want government help with surging healthcare costs — but 'Medicare for All' isn't it
Dem Challenger Tells Collins to 'Shut Up.' Nevertheless, She Persisted. – HotAir
Alaska Senate Candidate Cues Viral Reaction With Embarrassing Thing She Brought to Live Debate – RedState
Sherrod Brown Wanted Our Vietnam POWs Kept Captive to Protect Hanoi From US Bombs – HotAir
RNC Research on X: "White House instructions to Biden: "YOU take YOUR seat."

Matters of Just Us

Ace of Spades HQ - Ilhan "Omar" Disappears; Husband Asked If She's Fled the Country
Ilhan Omar Sure Sounds Worried With What She Says and Does in Latest Remarks – RedState
The Drunk Republican on X: "Ilhan Omar’s staff deleting her “no one is above the law” posts
Instapundit  - I LOVE COMMUNITY NOTES: There are more Notes where that one came from, if you’d like to rate
Wall Street Apes on X: "White liberals gathered in a Minnesota park to demand “Hands off Ilham Omar” and “Hands off the Somali community” Look at this crowd, there is literally zero diversity, they’re all white liberals This event was organized by an NGO, its name is Freedom Road Socialist
The Babylon Bee on X: "Ilhan Omar To Be Deported To Dearborn, Michigan

Immigration Legal and Otherwise

How Many Foreign Workers at US AI Firms Are Spies? – HotAir
The 'Nonissue' Of Noncitizens Voting Is Becoming A Bigger Issue

Freedom of Speech and Media Bias

Brit Hume on X: "Sometimes bias gives itself away in the most subtle, but telling ways."
C3 on X: "513 days after Elon’s decline and fall… He’s the World’s first trillionaire, National Medal of Science Award winner and just unveiled his flying car. The Media truly does suck.

Culture, Education and Entertainment

Campus Reform - Columbia Journalism School hosts discussion of book arguing 'White America' was conditioned to lynch black children
Penn State may cut 47 programs over low interest, weak employment opportunity - The College Fix
Defiant L’s on X: "Resurfaced clip of Kathy Griffin in 2004 talking about muslims "It's such a wonderful culture for women, unless you have a clitoris and you're 13... the muslims are not your friend" I guess this is before TDS took over
The Babylon Bee on X: "'Ugh I Can't Believe Men Are Looking At Me At The Gym,' Says Woman Who Went To The Gym Specifically So Men Would Look At Her
The Problem With Cornell Is That Men Never Hear That Women Are Victims – HotAir
Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 on X: "Imagine being in a coma for the past 20 years and waking up to read this headline."

Actually, this was what I was looking for. It's funny what the internet turns up.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Casual Friday Redux and FMJRA 2.0: Better Than Nothing up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Sunday, October 11, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam on a Rainy Sunday Morning

As the remains of Hurricane Isaias blankets us with tropical moisture. 

Power Line's The Week in Pictures:
Electile Dysfunction Edition
Joe Chalfant at TownHall reports a Houthi Missile Strikes Saudi Arabian Airport, Resulting in 'Mass Casualty Incident'. 3 dead, and an Airbus A310-200 destroyed. It's time to get the players together and eliminate the Houthis. At Da Signal, the Great Victor Davis Hanson says the Iranian Regime Has Only One Way Out "they only have one chance, and that is now to call off the United States military and the United States financial architects of this embargo and somehow squeeze or slither out of the noose that they put their head in. Let’s hope that does not happen."

Loay Alshareef لؤي الشريف @lalshareef, "The Flydubai co-pilot was radicalized in Qandahar, Afghanistan. The Flydubai co-pilot was radicalized in Melbourne, Australia by a mosque linked to the Muslim Brotherhood organization. Let that sink in. People of Australia, wake up."

Rob Lee @RALee85, "In Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, we are seeing early drone warfare. I would equate this to where Ukraine and Russia were in 2023. The diffusion of drone technology and tactics will increase, particularly whenever the Russo-Ukraine war ends. I doubt that we are prepared." Quote Ryan O'Leary @RyanO_ChosenCoy, "One thing that is becoming more common is “PMC” type and drone companies hiring foreigners who did drones in Ukraine for work. The main problem with that, is that anyone can learn to fly a drone in 14-21 days. Give them 6 weeks and they’ll be hitting targets. What they don’t learn in-depth typically is the tactics behind drones (especially for the 6 monthers) or get a good grasp on signals/frequency and all the overly nerdy shit involved in that realm...."

Jeremiah Fowler Security Researcher @yoda69, "According to Cloudflare Data Explorer the amount of russian bot traffic has dropped to 49% after Ukraine struck a yandex data center. Could this disrupt the midterm elections in the US?" Disrupt US election by cutting down Russian bots? Please explain that? At Da Caller, ‘It’s Time For Ukraine To Get A New President’: Trump Signals End Of Patience With Zelenskyy As War Stretches On. Sundance at CTH also hears President Trump Says It’s Time for Zelenskyy to Be Replaced. They could hold an election.... Also, Zelenskyy Urgently Attacks Russian Oil/Fuel Export Terminal "The intention of Zelenskyy’s targeting is obvious to anyone who has followed the conflict between Russia-Ukraine and the involvement of EU-NATO countries in keeping maximum conflict at the forefront. They do not want a strategic agreement between Putin and Trump." John Ʌ Konrad V @johnkonrad, "Why are we importing ANY petroleum products? BUILD MORE DIESEL REFINERIES AND SHIPS TO MOVE IT This is a military priority. If Cali and Mass refuse then build DoW refineries on federal land. If Delta Airlines can own and run a refinery then the USAF can too."

Michael Ron Bowling @mrbcyber, "Disturbing news that the former German spy chief arrested for treason had close relationship to a Chinese general. Western intelligence appears to be deeply compromised. This comes shortly after a report that a senior CIA official had stolen millions from the agency. He also shared information with a foreign intelligence agency. Western democracies believed they had won the cold war and let their defenses down. The CCP never believed the war ended and has been compromising officials the whole time." And this is why you spy on allies (among other good reasons).

Althouse goes to the NYT for their coverage of Hassan's upcoming execution, "Legal experts say that Mr. Hasan could challenge the government’s decision to livestream his execution, perhaps by asserting..." "... that a public broadcast would violate prohibitions on cruel and unusual punishment in the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution." Well, you can find a legal expert to say anything you want. Also, "If Hegseth were not a musclebound intellectual void, he would know this." "He would know that the Fort Hood killer told the mental health panel that he wanted to die. Writes London Times columnist Matthew Syed." We should should help him along.

From Commonplace, The Gen Z Blue-Collar Jobs Boom "A new generational opportunity is taking shape in the skilled trades." At Hat Hair Steven Moore asks Why Are Americans So Pessimistic? "But it's weird that the richer and wealthier we get, the more people complain," and Larry Elder answers The Anti-Trump Media and 'Economic Pessimism'. Nick Arama at RedState, Bessent Goes Beast Mode on Elizabeth Warren in Letter That's Pure Gold — Especially the Note at End "Finally, my Offer of a Foreign Exchange for Dummies tutorial still stands, and if you receive a passing grade on the Yale metric, not the Harvard curve, I would be happy to also include a Fixed Income for Dummies. ... "Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day in advance to you and your family."" Da Caller, Secretary Bessent Wishes Heritage-Adopting Senator A ‘Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day’ Amid Flurry Of Snarky Affordability Letters.

Also from Da Caller, Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle Reportedly Boasts Of Elites Bankrolling Her Luxury Travel At Globalist Retreat. "A recording from the January World Economic Forum captured the comments, according to The Wall Street Journal. On it, Kimberly Guilfoyle flaunted her closeness to two Greek tycoons. She was lobbying to get into a dinner for Eric Trump." Isn't that what ambassadors do, fly around and put meetings together? And she's getting someone else to pay for it! But she has shown questionable judgement in the past; she did marry Gavin Newsom. Best occupant of "The Five's" leg chair ever.

At Twitchy, Manlet MI Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Mocks Dave Portnoy’s Body After Being Called a Terrorist. Campus Reform reports a Conservative student says he was threatened after pressing El-Sayed on Iran "“Since that day, people have threatened me, doxxed my friends, even harassed my family,” Dashti said." Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "What’s terrifying about this clip isn’t their ideals…these sweet gals’ hearts are certainly in the right place. What’s terrifying is they have the civic, political, and economic literacy of a 9 year old. When a charlatan like Abdul comes along with the Jr High class president schtick of “no more homework and the vending machines are all free!”, they fall for it...." From RCP, Chicago Chases Away the Rich. Miami Says 'Thank You'.

Sarah Anderson at PJM, says Talarico Has Been Spotted. His Appearance Creates More Questions Than Answers. "Either Talarico is hiding something or whoever is running his campaign is a complete and total idiot. Possibly, both things are true." 

Dan McCarthy at Chronic says Liberal Doves Are No Answer to Liberal Hawks. "Liberal doves have failed almost as badly as liberal hawks over the past three decades, and their failures are inextricably related. The fundamental problem isn’t hawkishness or dovishness, but liberalism. It is incompatible with realism."



Betsy McCaughey at Hat Hair, says it's Time to End Democrats' Lynch-Law Justice for College Boys. At Althouse, "You don't have to look at the facts and the law. All you have to do is study what they do." "Letitia James offers a gift to Saritha Komatireddy:" Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "Because young men have learned that if they date a girl and it goes bad, she can come back and accuse them of rape two years after the fact. She can strangle his children and the media will circle the wagons to protect her. She can divorce him and take half of everything. That’s why." Quote Chris Hatch @Dirtdog, "Attention Young Men: I am surrounded by 20 year old girls in my life that are smart, capable, hard working and cute. Nobody is dating them. Not sure what the deal is, but I don’t get it."



Driscoll at Insty thinks ELON MUSK’S ENEMIES MAKE HIS BEST CASE: "In 2023, Alex Gibney, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker, announced that he was working on a documentary about Elon Musk. He asked Musk for an interview. The answer was delivered on X: “Gibney,” Musk informed his 241.5 million followers, “is a douche.” You could take the world’s richest man at his word. Or you could spend three hours and 55 minutes watching Gibney do his best to prove Musk right. ... The real America, the one we know from discernible and observable facts, is nowhere on display. In Gibneystan, no record exists of Musk the champion environmentalist, hailed by the left until he refused to continue and parrot its platitudes. Nor is there any mention of Big Tech’s frequent and egregious collusion with Democrat-controlled administrations; the sin of seeking proximity to political power is unique to the devilish Musk himself."


Riley Gaines @Riley_Gaines_, "Sophie responds to the article from @TheAthletic demanding Fever to drop her "If you're going to live by the praise, you'll die by the hate.....I'm going to continue to do me.....suck it" This is the appropriate response. We should all be more like this."

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning

And not a lot of material! Maybe I didn't keep up with the reading. From Althouse, "They were going to build an F.B.I. headquarters three hours away in Maryland, a liberal state. We’re going to stop it.", "Said Trump, last year, quoted in "Judge Rules Trump Administration Can’t Scrap F.B.I. Move to Maryland/The ruling is almost certainly not the end of the lengthy fight over the F.B.I.’s future headquarters, which has lasted for years" (NYT gift link). In a 47-page ruling, Judge Theodore Chuang of the Federal District Court in Maryland wrote that “the F.B.I. erroneously concluded” that it could select a new headquarters for itself without consulting Congress. In reality, Judge Chuang wrote, Congress had already approved the Biden administration plan for the F.B.I. to move to Maryland...." Of course, it's nowhere near 3 hours from DC to Greenbelt, except when traffic snarls (not all that uncommon). I don't care, move the seat of government to Fargo, ND, just to see who really wants to be there.

Red State's Teri Christoph is happy to report Trump Humiliates Obnoxious CNN Reporter After Oval Office Outburst: Ouch! Rapid Response 47 @RapidResponse47, "@POTUS: "You're very disrespectful in front of this young man... You're a loud, boisterous person. You're Fake News. Be quiet. Be quiet. Be quiet. You're a fake reporter and you report FAKE NEWS." I don't think they're capable of shame.

At TownHall Matt Vespa thinks You Won't Believe It, A John Cornyn Staffer Pulled a Benedict Arnold Move. Here's His New Boss, James Talarico campaign. How to admit you have no sincere beliefs in one easy career move. John Waters at RC History, looks at The Next American Right.  "Today, the insurgency has won. What remains is not a bold, dramatic second act, but the far more familiar (and mundane) work of routine governance. We have entered the revolution’s mopping-up phase."

Vicky Taft at PJM asserts Trump's Messaging on the Mullahs Could Be as Powerful as a GBU-57. A bomb is only as good as it's aim. Victory Girls sees Iran Move To Crack Down On Civilians And Survive The Midterms. Armed Forces Press is angry the Media is Pushing the Carrier Crew Mental Health Story As Iran Blockade Is Working. From Althouse, "I just do not understand the mentality. If this is a representation of who our military is now… we’re just Rome sitting here waiting to burn. We’ve got nothing left." |From "Fox Host Trashes U.S. Sailors as ‘Weak’ for Speaking Out About Dire Conditions/Fox News host Joey Jones mocked service members speaking out about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln" (MTN)." At Twitchy, Messages Scrawled on Aircraft Flap by Service Members Show No Morale, Says Iranian Propagandist. Hat Hair's Capt. Ed wonder if it's Mixed Signals or Taqiyya? Hamas Pledges Disarmament As Iran Plots Wider War. TownHalls Matt Vespa looks at That Time Bill Maher Challenged This Former CBS News Anchor to Find a 'Moderate' Muslim.

Drew Bond at Am Mind assures us of America’s Winning Playbook Against China.

Capt. Ed calls it Off the Deep End: Dems Make 'Abolish ICE' Official Position. Matt Yglesias at Slow Boring asserts Woke 1 is dead. We’ve learned nothing. Documenting Saylor @saylordocs, "Javier Milei: “I thought being on the left was a mental problem. The empirical evidence is so overwhelming that it never worked anywhere, and they refused to accept it.” “But what I discovered is that being on the left is a disease of the soul. The left is built on envy, hatred, resentment, and unequal treatment under the law. They are very violent, and since they have no way or arguments to answer, they go for physical violence.”"

Mediaite watches CNN Data Guru Flags ‘Troubling’ Number for Democrats That May Predict Mike Rogers Victory, "Enten noted Rogers is leading El-Sayed by four points overall and five points among independents." But is it outside the margin of fraud?  Capt. Ed calls her the Spitting Image: El-Sayed Sis Charged With Assault on Illinois State Trooper. I hope she got properly thumped. PJM's Chris Queen thinks Jon Ossoff Sure Seems to Think He's the Next Barack Obama.

Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_, "NEW: The company behind a recent poll that showed Karen Bass with a 12-point lead over Nithya Raman for LA mayor & showed Bass collecting most of Spencer Pratt's prior support has admitted their poll was FAKE and was intended as a "social experiment" to see how a poll could spread in the media ecosystem without verification. The company, Median Strategies, also conducted a recent poll in Wisconsin that had socialist gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong up by 20 points. Hong lost her primary. It was all bogus. Wild story via @Noah__Goldberg at LAT." At Althouse, Comedian strategies. So polls are often bogus? Who knew? Now let's not always see the same hands.

Capt. Ed calls it a Bombshell: FBI Knew Swalwell Got Illegal Donations From Fang Fang – and More. Julie Kelly @julie_kelly2, "And Jim Comey’s FBI tried to convert Fang Fang into an FBI informant. That should tell us something about the CHS program under Comey." Quote John LeFevre @JohnLeFevre, "The FBI framed a sitting US President for treason, dropped an investigation into Eric Swalwell for having an illicit affair with a Chinese spy, planted fake stories with the media and FISA court, and forced Big Tech to censor critics to influence the 2020 election." Western Lensman @WesternLensman22h, "Fang Fang once approached Victor Davis Hanson and tried to work her magic. VDH: “You would have to be a stupid, narcissistic idiot to fall for that." He's talking about Eric Swalwell."

At NYPo, A liberal journalist just exposed lying Fauci’s toxic relationship with the media. Exposed is a little strong, affirms comes closer. 


At Insty, Driscoll is still following the strange case of Dr. Arday, JULIE BURCHILL: "The True Tragedy of the Death of Jason Arday." Hat Hair's Dave Strom believes Racism Did Not Kill Jason Arday. 

Internewscast reports Harvard Professor Faces Backlash for Allegedly Using AI to Draft Anti-Trump Op-Ed. At least he didn't plagiarize it; there are plenty of templates to follow. Dave Strom wonders, rhetorically, How Endemic Is Fraud in Prestige Academia? Pretty endemic, I know of a few cases in my field, but it's exponentially worse in the "soft sciences" because the consequences are so low. Capt. Ed asks Has Texas Succeeded in Decolonizing Academia? It's doubtful. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn notes that When Even Basic Fractions Are a Math Problem Too Far for College Students. Sadly, my own math skills have begun to degrade from disuse.

Dave Strom hears Don't Say Sophie! Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "Atlanta Dream refused to stand on the court for the National Anthem and then honored Stacey Abrams They ended up LOSING to Indiana Fever 95-91 Lmaooo." BrickCenter @BrickCenter_, "WNBA security told 2 fans to cover their “XX/XY” and “For the girls” shirts or LEAVE the Fever-Dream game. Meanwhile, a “Protect Trans Rights” shirt was featured on the Jumbotron." And Deconstructing Deconstructionism: Royce White and Enes Freedom Tying WNBA Into Knots "Defenders of the WNBA are pointing out, I assume rightly, that the two are just pretending to be women and therefore have no business being in the WNBA. Enes Kantor Freedom and Royce White, on the other hand, are demonstrating by persisting in their efforts that the same is true for every other man who is pretending to be a woman, and they, too, have no business being in women's sports."

Sunday, July 26, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - “Easy Like Sunday Morning”

It's kind of a themeless Sunday morning, cleaning up debris from the week. Either that, or I did a less than thorough job of collecting links. In misc Trumpiania, Matt Vespa thinks This Image Says Everything About Trump's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner Speech. RedState's Nick Arama likes how Trump Delivers a Funny Joke About Nicki Minaj at the WHCD - She Drops a Humorous Reply. Pop Base @PopBase, “After hearing the gunshots, many people yelled ‘Get down!’ which caused Nicki Minaj to start twerking. Can you believe it? She’s the only one that really understood what that meant.” 

At Hat Hair, Salena Zito has an American Dream: Trump, McCormick and Dimon Unveil a Massive Manufacturing Push in Pennsylvania. USTR Takes Action in Forced Labor Section 301 Investigations, raising tariffs on countries that allow imports of the products of slave labor. “President Trump recognizes that decades of moral suasion have not eradicated forced labor from global supply chains. The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same.”

Sundance at CTH sees the Plot Thickens – New Jersey Data Contractor Says Noncitizens Registering to Vote Not Our Error, they deliberately registered noncitizens.

Switching gears to foreign affairs, sundance has President Trump Notes Europe’s Refusal to Accept Elimination of Marshall Plan – New EU Scheme to Fine U.S. Tech Companies, Zelenskyy Pledges to Share Exclusive Ukraine Satellite Intelligence to Assist NATO/USA in Defeating Iran and Canadian NATO Intern at Military HQ Arrested for Spying for China. At Am Con, The Fight Inside Trump’s State Department Is About Power—Not Expertise, "The president needs diplomats willing to advance his America First agenda."

I&I asks a rhetorical question, Why Are Dems Dodging Questions About The DSA’s Radical Platform? PJM's Matt Margolis sees Jessica Tarlov Thought She Was Schooling Her Co-Hosts. She Got Humiliated Instead. ""You've been calling every Democratic candidate for over a decade a socialist or communist," Tarlov said. Gutfeld wasn't having it. "The socialists are calling themselves socialists! We didn't name them the DSA," he said." Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "We know Hollywood is filled with commies. Funny how they don’t redistribute their wealth to the rest of us." Quote Nicholas Fondacaro @NickFondacaro, "Actress Molly Ringwald whines about McCarthyism and defends the communist ideology. She tacitly admits that Hollywood is filled with communists."

From the Victory Girls, Jewish Democrats In Michigan Plan To Back Republican If El-Sayed Wins Primary. We've been waiting for the majority of Jews to wise up for a long time. Data Republican at Substack, explore Chinese infiltration of US politics, Apax Partners: The Money Linking Singham and the DNC, "Apax Partners, Neville Roy Singham, and the sovereign investors surrounding the DNC’s most important political database." "Apax Partners’ management company — the entity that sits above every fund, including the one holding Democratic campaign infrastructure — counts China’s CIC and Singapore’s GIC among its owners. CIC is subject to China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law, which requires all organizations to “support, assist, and cooperate with national intelligence work.” GIC’s board is chaired by Singapore’s sitting Prime Minister, who also oversees the country’s intelligence services."

At Da Wire, Rubio Lays Down ‘Trump’s Law’ In 5 Words When Asked About Iran, "They are suffering billions of dollars in damage, and their economy’s a disaster." "“I saw Araghchi, the [Iranian] Foreign Minister, the other day say something about their policy is ‘an eye for an eye,’” Rubio told reporters. “The president’s policy is ‘a head for an eye.’" Gary Anderson at Am Spec worries Our Generals Are Failing Us in Iran and elsewhere. "The U.S. military excels at tactics and technology but too often fails at operational art, strategic thinking, and developing bold leaders."

Althouse is especially interested in the protests in Madison after the death of Corey Ruiz after he stabbed a policeman in Madison, Wisconsin. "I just wanted to get to my house — that is it"/"We all just want to do something in this world." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Opinions @jsonlinemkebs, "Madison protestors have now shut down the main drag entering in and out of Madison's East side. Shutting this road down would delay first responders significantly if they were responding to a medical emergency. This is lawlessness and is putting innocent lives in danger." "The protesters are not just expressing themselves but demanding that other people stop living their lives freely and become one with the protest." And "The Dane County Farmers’ Market will still take place Saturday morning on the Capitol Square, though organizers say the market 'will look different.'" "'It is not a celebration of local food, but a space where everyone can find food grown in their community to sustain themselves and be together,' the market said in a social media post.... That's from "'My family needs justice': Relatives of Corey Ruiz speak out for first time since police shooting/Family members spoke at press event with civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who previously represented George Floyd's family" (WPR)." Stacy McCain covers the Criminal Carnival in Madison, Wisconsin. "Amy Curtis: “If you don’t know Wisconsin, let me explain that Madison is so left-wing it flies in circles.” Indeed."

At Coffee and Covid News, "You had to scroll all the way down this morning’s New York Times web page to find it, but the story reported, “Hawaii Lt. Gov. Is Indicted in Corruption Investigation.” The short article is almost mind-numbingly boring, packed with passive-tense, soft verbs, and a distinct absence of outrage. Maybe the reserved tone was because the indictments were more Democrats, including the highest-ranking Democrat official under indictment yet."

This leads us to a larger point about Trump 2.0’s Department of Justice. While many in the MAGA base are still spreading “waiting for someone to get arrested” memes, high-profile, state-level arrests are happening all over the country.

How? The Trump administration systematically dismantled the so-called “ethical” gatekeepers in D.C. The DOJ’s Public Integrity Section —which historically acted as a brake and a bottleneck, protecting favored politicians and shutting down local investigations— was slashed from 36 lawyers down to just two. The long-standing requirement that local prosecutors consult with D.C. before indicting any local political figures was suspended.

By removing the federal roadblock, the Trump DOJ effectively unleashed state-level corruption prosecutions. The Hawaii case, for example, is being prosecuted by the state Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division, using evidence provided by the feds.

Leslie Eastman at LI is gratified Trump Demands Review of ‘Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence’ Used by Federal Judges, "Meanwhile, the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology investigates the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) over its stewardship of this nation’s scientific efforts." Conquest's Second Law: Any organization not explicitly and constitutionally right-wing will sooner or later become left-wing. With Fritz's addendum, "With explicitly right-wing organization, it takes a little longer."

From Twitchy, Convicted Murderer Karmelo Anthony Seeks a New Trial, Claims Judge Was Biased, a routine procedural step. Jay Rogers at TownHall thinks The Carroll Case Still Deserves a Second Look, it didn't even make sense as fiction.

At Twitchy, Judges Enter Orders Preventing DHS From Terminating TPS for Ethiopia, South Sudan , despite the Supreme Court telling them, more or less directly, to cut that shit out. John Hinderacker at Power Line, compares Trump’s Success, and AI’s Bias on immigration. "My colleague David Zimmer dug into the data to assess the success of President Trump’s immigration policies. He found them to be very successful, indeed:... I thought I’d put AI to the test to see what its response would be regarding the data I presented above. It responded twice that I was misrepresenting the data relevant to both the number and percentage of illegal aliens detained who had either a criminal history or pending criminal charge. AI referenced the CATO Institute and the Migration Policy Institute as source documents for refuting my conclusions. I then provided the link to the DHS raw data and asked AI to calculate the figures and get back to me. Here’s AI’s response – I’ll take the win!..."

From Shooting News Week, Congress Moving to Block Gun Purchase Tracking Causes a Major Media Meltdown, but then, they melt down over nearly everything.

Sundance reports a Terrorist Attack at Berlin Gay Pride Event. Those damn white sup.... oh wait, Yashar Ali @yashar, "BREAKING via AP Berlin police say they have identified a suspect with ties to Islamic extremist circles after a van plowed into crowds at the city’s major LGBTQ celebration Saturday night. The suspect, who is known to police, remains at large as authorities conduct an intensive search. One person was killed and at least 16 others were injured."

From Michael Shellenberger at Public News, Radicalization Of Universities Behind Smithsonian’s Attack On History And Biological Reality "If museums continue to refuse to reform themselves, Congress should cut their funding." Museum curators thinks of themselves as college professors, not public servants. Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "Springtime for Hitler in Ithaca." Quote New York Post @nypost, "Ivy Leaguer who's 'not interested in working for a Jew' says Cornell is welcoming him back https://trib.al/e3GExwA."

Driscoll at Insty has the QUESTION ASKED AND ANSWERED: What Broke Black America? A Review of Howard Husock’s The Projects" I credit "The Great Society," LBJ's plan to buy Black's for the Democrats.

Insty says LET’S HOPE: SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM IS THE ANGEL OF DEATH FOR CANCEL CULTURE. The subtext was clear to her aspirant cancelers: I hear you, I see you, and I don’t care. This is 2026, not 2016. Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "WOW! Sophie Cunningham's shoes sell out in 1 HOUR after she went viral for saying "no men in women's sports, I said what I said" "It sells out in ALL SIZES" "She had the guts to stand up and say, males do not belong in women's sports! She stood by it."" Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias, "Cunningham is articulating a view that 70-80 percent of Americans share, that reflects the law in many states, and that has been adopted by the IOC and the NCAA." Quote Billy Fleming @JooBilly, "It's kind of incredible to spend years building yourself up as one of the most likeable figures in the WNBA and then burn it all down to pick on a tiny and extremely vulnerable group of young, trans athletes. x.com/ComplexSports/…"


The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: On The Beach and FMJRA 2.0: In The Bowels of the Draft up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.