"Science" is Dead, Long Live Science

Via Insty, THIS IS WHAT YOUR TAXES FUND: Get a load of the website of URGE. It’s all about “unlearning racism” in science. Yes it is funded by the National Science Foundation (as the web site proudly declares).

Notice they all have masks?

Flotsam and Jetsam - One American Hostage Released, 40 FBI Agents Tasked with Biden Crime Family

Anxious anxiously reports 4-year-old American Abigail Edan among hostages Hamas released. Hat Hair's KT, Third Release of Hostages By Hamas Includes Four-Year-Old American Girl. Sundance at CTH notes First Israeli American Released by Hamas – Biden Takes Much Needed Victory Lap. Before getting too weepy-eyed about Hamas' humanitarianism, remember, they killed her parents in front of her. Reagan Reese at Da Caller hears ‘I Cannot Prove What I’m About To Say’: Biden Says His Own Diplomacy May Have Triggered Hamas Attack, by having too much success, of course. Unexpected agility, at PJM Rick Moran catches Biden Talking Out of Both Sides of His Mouth on Israel. "Joe Biden wants it both ways and very soon, he's going to have to decide which way it will be: destroying Hamas or allowing the terrorists to regroup and repeat their October 7 attack on Israel over and over again." Sarah Arnold at TownHall sees Biden Hit With Criticism for Failing to Stand Up to Iran to Get American Hostages Freed.

At WJ,  Biden Risks Losing It All as US Adversary Shreds Trump-Era Agreement: 'Our Army Will Never Be Bound', Norks. At Da Caller, The World Is On Fire And Biden’s Spineless Foreign Policy Isn’t Helping. Hat Hait catches the AP, Did You Know GOP Insisting on Biden Border Policy (OUR Border) Changes is 'New'? From PM, Biden's DHS requires border agents to use 'preferred pronouns' of illegal immigrants, "DO NOT" begins a section of don'ts, "Question the authenticity of a person who tells you that he, she or they identify as LGBTQI+." Heaven forfend we should offend some transitioning wetback. At RedState Nick Arama thinks he Smells  a Cover-Up: Some Border Patrol Social Media Accounts Go Dark, Bill Melugin Has Big Questions.

Matt Vespa at TownHall says Wait, The FBI Had 40 Confidential Informants Tracking the Biden Family's Shady Deeds? I suspect half of them (at least) were tasked with covering them up. From the Babylon Bee, Hunter Biden Disappointed To Learn White Powder All Over White House Just Fake Snow. 

High dudgeon at Politico as The polls keep getting worse for Biden "Trump’s vote share in national polls is higher than at any time in the past year." Harold Hutchinson at Da Caller, Things Are Going From Bad To Worse For Joe Biden, Polls Show and Dem Presidential Candidate Dean Phillips Says ‘It’s Delusional’ To Think Biden Can Beat Trump  From the TN Star, Biden, Democrat Donors Reportedly Do Not Consider Georgia ‘Top Tier’ Priority for 2024. Have they abandoned it altogether, or are they confident in their fraud machine? 

From Hat Hair, Taylor Lorenz Strikes: How Much Again is That Big Mac in the Window?  Tom Bevan@TomBevanRCP "I'm no math major, but comparing the price of a single burger to the price of a meal with fries and a drink isn't really apples-to-apples. Taylor Lorenz is either incredibly stupid or, more likely, she thinks her readers are." Accept the healing power of "and." At Twitchy, Byron York Calls Out Latest Biden Admin Attempt To 'Counter Misinformation' About Increased Food Costs. Helen Raleigh at Da Fed worries The Biden Administration’s Electric Vehicle Subsidies Are Becoming Another Solyndra. Becoming?

At Da Fetched, Salon Magazine Warns of ‘Democracy’s Last Thanksgiving’ If Trump Becomes President. At Business Insider, Here's what happens if Donald Trump dies while running in the 2024 presidential election. Hat Hair wonders What Exactly Are They Setting the Table for? 'Here's What Happens if Trump Dies Running for Office'. Beege Welborn, asks "Is it a warning to Biden bros who might be considering taking a shot at him of the ramifications, or a simple exercise in succession for information sake, as in “He’s old, too, man”? Rather weird as I’m not sure I read many speculative articles like this when POTATUS ran in 2020." Atop Da Hill, Christie says Trump’s ‘intolerant language and conduct’ contribute to rise in antisemitism. Say anything you want, you'll never be President. From Da Caller, Romney Would Support ‘Anybody’ Except These Two GOP Candidates. Trump and Ramaswarmy. Hat Hair's KT, Conservative Party Humiliates Trudeau - Blames American MAGA Infiltration in Canada. Never-anybody-but-Trump sundance reports Billionaire “Never Trump” Group Dumps DeSantis for Nikki Haley… and After Demanding Texas AG Ken Paxton Resign to Support George P Bush, Congressman Chip Roy Endorses Ron DeSantis. WaEx sees House incumbents stepping down to run for state or higher office in 2024

Althouse endoreses An ambiguous "ought" in The New Yorker's "Why Trump’s Trials Should Be on TV." "This is an opinion column — subtitled "The conduct of the trials, their fairness, and their possibly damning verdicts will be at the center of the 2024 election. Transparency is crucial" — by Amy Davidson Sorkin. . . . I agree that the trials should be televised, as I wrote in "The ACLU sides with Trump: The gag order is unconstitutional" (October 26, 2023) and — quoting Trump's lawyers — "The prosecution wishes to continue this travesty in darkness. President Trump calls for sunlight" (November 11, 2023).

At Am Think, David Lanza worries they're Legalizing Ballot Fraud in Pennsylvania. Da Caller explains Who Is Driving Ranked-Choice Voting Initiatives.

Neil McCabe at RedState sees Steve Bannon Launches Epic Rant Against General Milley's 'Treason'. At Am Think Eddie Willers thinks about Eric, Merrick, and Jeff, but not much of. 

The Bleeding Fool notes Rumble Takes Up Amanda Milius’ Donald Trump Doc After Amazon Censors It. The Fool Upon the Hill Univision anchor questions network’s ‘independence’ after Trump interview, only negative coverage allowable. James Lynch at Da Caller, Dana White Removes Peloton Equipment From UFC Gym After Company Allegedly Threatened Comedian For Interviewing RFK Jr.

At Campus Reform, Harvard won't say whether anti-Semitic students will be punished under anti-discrimination policy. And here I thought anti-white male was the last acceptable prejudice. The Free Bacon notes Wary of Deportation, Elite Colleges Won't Expel Anti-Semitic Foreign Students. Expel them and deport them. Front Page, Samantha Pearson, Head of Sexual Assault Center, Fired For Denying Hamas Nazis Committed Any Rapes "Sensitivity to rape accusations - except when Jews are the victims." Hat Hair read the LAT, USC Professor Said Hamas Were 'All Murderers' and Hoped They Would Be Killed - Guess Who's Jobless Now? On the other hand, HE reports a United Airlines pilot who called Hamas 'brave people' suspended.  At LI Mike LaChance sees an Emerging Anti-Israel Protest Tactic: Disrupting American Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonies. "Anti-Israel protesters heckled Joe Biden at Christmas Tree Lighting on Nantucket, while ceremony disrupted also in Seattle." Ace wakes up and notes the pro-Hamas riot in a Queens High School, Those Who Are Ignorant Of History Are Doomed To Repeat It...Or...Our Education System Is Irrevocably Broken. Either Or Both Work! "So a presumably Jewish high school teacher went to a rally in support of Israel, ersand that is beyond the pale for the current crop of multicultural leftist fascists in our nation's schools." From Twitchy, RedSteeze, Others Point Out Why 'Pro-Hamas' Rioters In NYC Are Able To Get Away With It. Stephen L. Miller@redsteeze is "Beginnng to think releasing BLM rioters with almost  no legal penalties in 2020 was a mistake." 

From the TN Star, Would-Be Copycat Transgender Killer Charged in Illinois. Across da pond at Da Mail, Transwoman footballer forced to quit women's league when rivals refused to play her has secret past as sex worker listed as a 'naughty schoolgirl' with a 'surprise under my skirt' on escort site. Ugh. 

Charlotte Hazzard at JTN reports Air Force base walks back statement encouraging soldiers not to attend a conservative rally ""The message was based on incorrect data and sent outside of official base messaging platforms," the base wrote in an updated statement." In other words, they got caught.

ET, Forbes's Pro-DEI Article on How to 'Decenter Whiteness' Draws Conservative Backlash. "An article in Forbes that focuses on DEI and discusses how to 'decenter whiteness' in the workplace has sparked conservative backlash." Mike LaChance takes note that U. Tennessee is Rebranding DEI Department as ‘Division of Access and Engagement’ to Fool Public and Lawmakers. “The university’s commitment to the Board of Trustees’ Diversity Statement has not changed.” After the policy falls into disrepute, change the name, but not the policy. At Breitbart, Disney Report Warns Investors Social Goals Take Priority over Profits. Remember that when you invest.

At Brownstone, None So Blind: New York Wants Children Masked at Schools Again

Flotsam and Jetsam - FBI Searched Biden UDel Digs, Biden Calls Gov. Moore "Boy"

Balloon activity is dying off, or at least they're not saying anything anymore. According to a NewsMax Source: Biden May Give Speech on Balloon, Unidentified Objects. Yippee! Mary Chastain at LI reports U.S. Tracked China’s Spy Balloon as it Lifted Off of Hainan Island "So they knew all along? What a shock." A podcast at Town Hall, posted at Hat Hair, Ballooning Biden leaves America in the dark. Don Surber opines on The hot air of spy balloons. At Breitbart, U.S. Intel Says Biden Likely Shot Down Three ‘Benign’ Objects. Well, they missed a basically stationary target once, they need the practice.Scott McKay at Am Spec says Nobody Believes John Kirby and Karine Jean-Pierre, "Here’s where a complete lack of credibility becomes a problem." Generally good advice for presidents and press secretaries. 

NYPo reports Biden refers to Maryland’s first black governor, Wes Moore, as ‘boy’ in speech, but I assume our governor groveled properly. But how did he know he was male? Ace, Ex-DHS Head Says That Biden Is Manipulating Border Stats So That Border Agents Don't Know Where to Find the Illegal Aliens "Not only will Border Agents not know where the illegal aliens are, but Biden is deliberately blinding our surveillance system so that it can't detect so-called "gotaways" -- and can then present to the public falsified data showing that "gotaways" have been reduced in number. No, Joe. Gotways will increase -- you'll just reduce the number of gotaways that we detect." Also, Biden's Former Top Official For the Security of Nuclear Materials Is Due to Appear in Court Today "Biden's non-binary top official for the security of nuclear materials -- or ex-top-official -- Sam Brinton is due to appear in court for his theft of women's baggage.  . . . The Biden Administration refuses to cancel Sammy the Sneak-Thief's security clearance. Because honestly, isn't just being LGBTQ the highest security clearance there is?!" Mike LaChance at LI is not amused by how the Defense Department DEI Chief Made Disparaging Remarks About White People on Twitter "“I’m exhausted with these white folx in the [professional development] sessions.” At Hat Hair, David Strom details how DEI ideology creates racism and John Sexton reports CBO: Deficits will rise to $2 trillion per year over the next decade. Thanks, Brandon! Insty, WELL, YES: Equity is Marxism re-branded. At the Free Bacon, House Majority Whip Says Biden Had SOTU Outbursts Coming, "Tom Emmer defends Republican behavior during Biden's speech." A little light-hearted heckling never hurt a politician.

At Fox, FBI twice searched University of Delaware for classified Biden docs and Mary Chastain at LI, FBI Searched U. Delaware’s Library for Potential Classified Biden Documents ‘in Recent Weeks’ "Another search kept secret from us plebes." And if they found more, I doubt we will be told. Breitbart claims an Exclusive—Secret China Donations to University of Delaware Soared After the Opening of the Biden Institute. Jordan Boyd at Da Fed observes that To Distract From GOP’s Biden Family Business Investigation, Media Dredge Up More ‘But Trump’ Excuses. The Free Bacon takes note of Intel Officials’ Fresh Laptop Baloney "After calling the Hunter Biden laptop Russian disinformation in 2020, Jim Clapper and co. set about restoring their tarnished reputations." Some things you just can't unlearn. 

Aaron Maté at RCI, Unchastened by Russiagate, the NY Times Doubles Down in Its Special Counsel Coverage. They would have to be capable of shame. Harold Hutchinson at Da Caller, ‘I Knew The Truth’: Former Intel Chief John Ratcliffe Calls Out James Clapper Over Hunter Biden Laptop Letter. John Sexton continues  Looking back on the media's Russia narrative - part four (The hacked election and the Mueller fizzle): Collusion. Also from Da Caller, Pence Will Use Novel Legal Argument To Fight Special Counsel Subpoena

At JTN, Trump vows to mount major ballot-harvesting campaign 'in every state we can', "Analysts have said Democratic vote-gathering efforts explain major wins, midterm successes" PM, Trump announces he is embracing ballot harvesting,  "Our path forward is to MASTER the Democrats’ own game." Althouse sees "Our path forward is to MASTER the Democrats’ own game of harvesting ballots in every state we can. " "Says fundraising email from Donald Trump, quoted in "Donald Trump Changes Tune on Mail-in Voting, Ballot Collection/After years of attacks on early voting, Trump follows other Republicans in suggesting party should embrace tactic" (Wall Street Journal). Is this really a contradiction? You have to play the game by the existing rules even if you are also attempting to change the rules."You can't unilaterally disarm. Politics is Calvinball. Breitbart hears ‘Ridiculous and Fake News’: Trump Team Refutes Claim He Wants Video Campaign to Hype Firing Squads, Group Executions. Well it was Rolling Stone, not actually known to be a pillar of truth.

At Hat Hair Capt. Ed reports Trump hits Haley: She wants to go after Social Security and Medicare ... and me (Don't act so surprised!), and KT Nikki Haley: We need term limits and competency tests for lawmakers over 75 years of age. Twitchy claims Mary Trump owns ‘racist, anti-American’ Nikki Haley with a giant ‘F**k you, Nimrata. Kurt Schlichter at Town Hall is not a fan either, No to Nikki Harris. Frankly, I think wasting any digits on her is boosting her. 

At Am Think Matt Kane thinks The ‘DeSantis Is Trump Without the Baggage’ Crowd is in for a Rude Awakening, when the press starts to focus on him as the Republican contender. They're not above making stuff up. Tom Jackson at Hat Hair VIP notes DeSantis rejects College Board's New Woke, may take all of Florida's business elsewhere. Starve the beast. Julio Rosas at Town Hall catches a Reporter Caught on Hot Mic Making Embarrassing Admission About DeSantis Coverage,""My job here is to ask tough questions and make him uncomfortable, I guess. I'm gonna try! Gonna try to at least get one," Collins said, adding she would like to run up and yell questions at him." which would be OK if they also treated Democrat politicians the same way.

Too funny to let go, Fox, Sen. Dianne Feinstein appears unaware of her retirement announcement during reporter gaggle: reports and sundance at CTH, Apropos of DC – Senator Dianne Feinstein Says She Was Unaware of Retirement.

Athena Thorne at PJ Media reports SCOTUS Will Decide Whether to Take up a 2020 'Rigged Election' Case on Friday "On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) will consider for a second time whether to hear Raland J. Brunson v. Alma S. Adams, a case that alleges Congress had a duty to investigate claims of fraud and impropriety in the 2020 national election, and that member votes against doing so amounted to treason." That might be a little harsh. WaPoo tries to argue Election deniers face a nationwide wave of pushback "The growing effort by election officials and others is intended to counter mistrust arising from Donald Trump’s claims of a rigged 2020 vote"

At ZeroHedge, Bankman-Fried's Bail Guarantors Revealed. "The guarantors were identified in the unredacted bonds as Andreas Paepcke, a Stanford research scientist......and Larry Kramer, former dean of Stanford law school..." Damn, Stanford Profs must make pretty good bank.

David Strom again,  We don't need no stinkin' science! As the CDC continues to push masking despite new evidence that masks are ineffective.

Now, after systematic analysis of RCTs proves masks don’t work, the CDC is standing firm: toddlers should be forced to wear masks despite the obvious fact that they don’t do anything at all, and toddlers are at less risk from COVID than from SIDS. About twice as many kids die of SIDS in any given year than have died from COVID since the pandemic began. So…masks don’t work, kids don’t die from COVID, and their learning is harmed by masks. Hence we should mask kids. OK.

At the Free Bacon, Virginia's Embattled Loudoun County Votes Against Release of Sex Assault Report and WATCH: Preschool Teachers Drill Students in 'Woke' Gender Language "Teachers told to teach kids as young as four about transgenderism and Black Lives Matter. . . . A group that accredits North Carolina day-care centers encouraged early childhood educators to teach kids as young as four about transgenderism and the Black Lives Matter movement." 

WaPoo whines as GOP targets drag shows with bills in at least 14 states. Ace, Tennessee's Governor Signs Bill Outlawing "Gender Therapy" for "Prepubescent" Children (But Not Any Children Who Have Begun to Go Through Puberty) Kristi Noem Signs a Real Law into Effect

Lot of transgender news today. I didn't make the schedule. Note that the fact that this bill only applies to prepubescent minors means it barely protects any children at all. It's a hoax. It's another Con the Rubes play by our repulsive and treasonous "leaders."

But check out the incredible bias in this AP "news" article about a law that actually aids and assists the cause of Transgenderism for Children. (his bolds)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- After signing two bills into law targeting transgender people over the past week, Tennessee's Gov. Bill Lee has approved legislation that bans gender-confirming treatment for young minors despite objections that the series of bills unfairly discriminate against an already vulnerable population.

At Am Think James R. Harden thinks Justice is Not Fully Served in Acquittal of PA Pro-Life Activist. It rarely is. Kevin Downey perceives Medical Tyranny! The Feds Are Tracking the Unvaccinated, and You Won't Believe 'WHO' Is Telling Them to Do It. 

Nick Givas at JTN reports Rep. Jim Jordan to subpoena execs from Big Tech firms: 'First step in holding Big Tech accountable'. Gabe Kaminsky at WaEx, writes of Disinformation Inc: Rubio and Johnson demand investigation into conservative media blacklists. Jonathon Turley fears Free Speech is Futile: Gates Goes Full Borg on AI Censorship "In an interview on a German program, “Handelsblatt Disrupt,” Gates calls for unleashing AI to stop certain views from being “magnified by digital channels.” The problem is that we allow “various conspiracy theories like QAnon or whatever to be blasted out by people who wanted to believe those things.”" SF Gate whines Elon Musk reportedly got fewer views than Joe Biden, so he changed Twitter algorithm. $40 Billion speaks loudly. 

VodkaPundit at Insty, MICROSOFT RARELY GETS IT RIGHT BEFORE VERSION 3.0: Bing’s ChatGPT experiment is deeply flawed, and is the future of search. Microsoft never gets it entirely right, but good enough to take over a lion's share of the market. At City Journal, Yes, This Time It’s Different "ChatGPT and automation come to knowledge work." You can't tell them to learn to code, because that's going to be automated too. What will the robots do when they don't need us anymore?

No, Just No

Masks Off!

Ace, NPR Pushes The Idea That There Are "Some Places" -- Leftwing Enclaves Controlled by Hysterical Obese Karens -- Where We Must "Mask Forever"

Literal state media.

There are still hundreds of thousands of COVID cases reported in the U.S. each week, along with a few thousand deaths related to COVID.

But with mask mandates a thing of the past and the national emergency health declaration that will expire in May, we are in a new phase of the pandemic.

Life looks a little more normal here in the U.S. than it did a few years ago, but decisions on how to deal with the virus aren't over yet.

China had a huge increase in cases last month after abandoning its zero COVID policy, and another variant prompted renewed recommendations in some airports. Researchers estimate that more than 65 million people are struggling with the effects of COVID -- a disease we still have to learn about.

 

Wondering if and when you should still be masking up? NPR asked some experts.

Some experts that NPR was pretty sure would agree with their Mask Forever Protocol.

Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says he and his wife are still playing it conservatively. He cautions people to stay "careful, not carefree."

He says that "older" people and the immunocompromised should still wear masks.

Nowhere in this article, by the way, is there any acknowledgement that masks have repeatedly found to be ineffective against "stopping the spread."

The masks were a quick, and largely useless response to the demand that we do something, anything about WuFlu. They became a shibboleth, a class and political marker. 

The Wombat is a day late and a dollar short with Rule 5 Monday: Rebecca Bagnol.

The Mask is Off Masks

At the Free Bacon, This Study Could Be 'Scientific Nail in the Coffin' for Masks, "Masks make 'no difference,' according to study by world-renowned medical database"

One of the largest and most comprehensive studies on the effectiveness of masks found they do almost nothing to reduce the spread of respiratory viruses.

Military Finally Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon After Biden Let It Float Across Entire Country

The study reviewed 78 randomized control trials—experiments that have long been considered "the gold standard" for medicine—which assessed the effectiveness of face masks against flu, COVID-19, and similar illnesses. It found that wearing masks "probably makes little or no difference" for the general public, no matter what kind of mask is used. Even N95 masks, considered the most effective at filtering airborne particles, showed no clear benefit for health care workers.

The study was published on January 30 by the Cochrane Library, a world-renowned medical database that is famous for its high-quality evidence reviews. It comes as a battering ram to the recommendations of the U.S. public health establishment, which urged children as young as two to wear masks throughout the pandemic.

"This amounts to the scientific nail in the coffin for mask mandates," said Kristen Walsh, a clinical professor of pediatrics in Morristown, New Jersey. "I just can't wrap my mind around the fact that some schools are still actively forcing children to wear masks, much less children who need to see faces to learn."

Though most Western countries opted against masking kids—in part due to concerns about speech and social development—many blue school districts mandated face coverings for toddlers, citing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Both organizations have maintained the masks are effective at curbing COVID-19, including in schools. But the guidance was typically based on weak studies with small sample sizes and few controls, limitations that critics said biased their findings. Many of the studies just compared places with mask mandates with those without them, making it hard to sort out whether it was masks that reduced COVID or other factors, such as that COVID-cautious people were more likely to wear masks.

The sorts of experiments Cochrane canvassed—in which subjects were chosen at random to receive masks—were designed to avoid that problem. They helped researchers isolate the effects of masks from the caution levels of the people wearing them, providing a clearer picture of how well the masks themselves work.

That makes the Cochrane review, which is based exclusively on randomized trials, far more rigorous than the studies typically cited in defense of masks.

At Summit News,  It’s Official: Ugly People More Likely To Wear Masks – University Study

Aggravated by the holdouts who keep wearing face masks despite mounting evidence that they’re essentially useless against Covid-19? Maybe you should be a little grateful.

According to findings published at Frontiers in Psychology, people who consider themselves less attractive are more likely to continue wearing face masks.

“Our findings suggest that mask-wearing can shift from being a self-protection measure during the COVID-19 pandemic to a self-presentation tactic in the post-pandemic era.”

The findings spring from a trio of studies using American subjects, conducted by researchers at Korea’s Seoul National University. The studies found that people with high self-perceived attractiveness are less willing to wear a mask, and vice versa.

They also found that each groups’ respective anti- and pro-mask inclinations are intensified in situations where their attractiveness is important — such as a job interview, versus simply walking a dog. That is, someone who considers themselves relatively unattractive is more likely to mask up at the interview.

Earlier studies found that unattractive people are indeed considered more attractive when wearing masks, while the good-looking crowd is perceived as less attractive, the researchers noted.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Christina Ricci up on time an under budget at The Other McCain.

 

Maryland, My Maryland

 At Da Wire, Maryland County Brings Back School Mask Mandate

A Maryland county is bringing back the school mask mandate as the 2022 school year starts, citing an uptick in COVID cases.

Prince George’s County Public Schools announced Friday that face masks will be mandatory again at all schools and facilities in the district.

The policy took effect on Monday, and it will stay in effect until further notice, the district said.

School officials said in a statement that the mask mandate is back in effect “in light of the highly contagious COVID-19 BA.5 variant,” and said the district is following county health department recommendations.

 

“When responding to public health threats like COVID-19, Maryland school districts have flexibility to determine mask-wearing policies,” the district said in its statement, which was posted to Facebook.

“The mask policy is subject to change according to local and/or state health departments guidelines, and the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),” the district said.

 

As of Friday, the CDC ranked the county’s COVID community level as high. Prince George’s County, less than 20 miles outside Washington, D.C., has about one million residents, the majority of whom are black, and another 20% of whom are Latino. The county’s school district is the second largest in the state and serves about 130,000 students with a $2.3 billion annual budget.

In July, the district made face masks optional in Prince George’s County schools for the first time since the pandemic began, but Friday’s announcement reverses that decision.

Students return to classrooms on August 29.

This, after the CDC basically admitted they screwed the pooch on the WuFlu pandemic, CDC director orders reorganization, saying COVID-19 response 'did not reliably meet expectations' (Fox).

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Yanet Garcia up on time and under budget.

Oregon, My Oregon

Christine Drazan

Breitbart, Shock Poll: Republican Leads Oregon Governor Race

A shocking new poll puts Republican Christine Drazan just slightly ahead of Democrat Tina Kotek in the Oregon governor’s race.

Conducted between May 25-27, the new poll from Nelson Research showed Drazan had 29.5 percent of support out of 516 likely voters, while Kotek had just 27.5 percent of support with a margin of error of 4.3 percent. Independent Betsy Johnson trails with just 19.4 percent of support.

The poll did not explore the top reasons for Drazan’s support, though it might stem from the fact that Oregon had some of the strictest coronavirus policies in the nation, which Drazan has outright opposed. Per her website:

Governor Brown made the wrong decision when she chose a never-ending state of emergency and heavy-handed mandates. I opposed her mask and vaccine mandates and repeatedly urged her to repeal them. Oregonians understand how to make decisions for themselves and their families – they don’t need their state government telling them how to live their life.

Violent crime in Oregon is out of control, especially in Portland, which is experiencing an all-time high in murders. When police were being attacked, Kate Brown and Portland politicians ignored it. Under my administration, the days of treating police like criminals and criminals like victims will end.

I will support law enforcement, the overwhelming majority of whom do their jobs with courage and distinction, and I will increase funding for our state troopers. I will ensure that laws are being enforced fairly. And when Portland politicians refuse to stop the nightly riots and bring peace to the streets, as Governor, I will.

Drazan has also described herself as being pro-second amendment and pro-life.

Republicans have not won a gubernatorial race in Oregon in 40 years.

Don't get too excited until after they count the "mail-in" votes from Portland and Salem. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Penelope Cruz on time at The Other McCain.

Vance Advances, Ortagus Out, Recession Looms

Yesterday the primaries for Ohio, Indiana and other states were held for congressional seats, with a number of races touted as potential heralds of the continued popularity of Donald Trump, most notably author JD Vance for Rob Portman's Ohio seat. So how did that work out? Never-Trump AllahPundit at Haut Hair has the play-play Live results thread: MAGAgeddon in Ohio?. On the other side, sundance at CTH,  UPDATE, Primary Election 2022 – May 3rd, Ohio and Indiana – Results and Open Discussion Thread "UPDATE: President Trump endorsed J.D. Vance wins the republican senate primary. The Trump endorsed candidates are so far winning every seat in the primary. Media melting down because MAGA remains strong!" WLWT5, JD Vance wins GOP nomination for Ohio US Senate, with 32% of the vote (in a race with 7 candidates), about where the last round of polling predicted. Michael Ginsberg at Da Caller, JD Vance Wins Hard-Fought GOP Senate Primary, Will Face Off Against Rep. Tim Ryan In November. Tulsa World, Election 2022: JD Vance wins Ohio's GOP Senate primary. Jeff Shapiro at YaHoo! warns Trump was wrong. Why Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance didn't deserve his endorsement. Maybe. Only time will tell. Breitbart reports a Clean Sweep: All 22 Trump-Backed Candidates Win Primaries in Ohio, Indiana. So, does his support help, or is he picking people he thinks will win in hopes of getting their support later? Whatever. At Wa Ex, Paul Bedard thinks Trump endorsement helps far more than Brandon's Biden’s.

At Am Think, Frank Friday explains why he thinks  the Democrats Can Expect to Lose a Lot of Elections. The NY Sun predicts the Leak of Supreme Court Abortion Decision Threatens To Upend Coming Midterm Elections, "Politicians in both parties seemed caught off-guard, and political analysts began rethinking their predictions for close races across the country if abortion becomes a central focus." Bloomberg fervently hopes Abortion Rights to Reshape Election With Roe Precedent at Risk. I dunno, I suspect most pro-abortion radicals vote two or three times already. 

Morgan Ortagus

TNP hears OUT! – Trump-Backed Morgan Ortagus Scrubs Ex-Prez from Website, Appearing to Abandon Challenge to State Party Disqualification. Which I think is too bad. Republicans can't run too many good looking women.

Paul Bedard (again) reports Sen. Ron Johnson first to feature Biden’s laugh at voters’ economic pain, from the White House Correspondents Dinner. NYT, High Electric Bills Get Ready for Another Energy Price Spike: High Electric Bills. Thanks Brandon. Breitbart claims  Bidenflation Fuels Sharp Rise in Factory Orders. Buy before the price rises even more. John Sexton at Haut Hair listens to the Experts, No soft landing, predict the Fed's efforts to curb inflation will result in a recession. Oh, goody. Jeff Anderson at Am Great, King Joe Can’t Transfer Student-Loan Debt. What? He can't just use his pen and phone?

From Natalia Mittelstadt at JTN, DOJ Voting Section has long record of working in concert with left-wing legal advocacy groups, "A federal judge called the communication between the ACLU and the DOJ "disturbing," saying the relationship was "that of peers working together, not of an advocate submitting proposals to higher authorities."" Speaking of which, Star News has Report: Stacey Abrams’ Business Received Special Treatment, Government Program Protected Private Investment. Take this one with the usual ration of tinfoil, sundance at CTH sees no coincidences, Convenient Timing, Supreme Court Leak Simultaneous With 2020 Election Fraud Documentary Release. 

Breitbart natters DeSantis Spox Calls Out Disney Owning an Island in the Bahamas: No Same-Sex Marriage, No Gender Bending while Politico whines ‘DeSantis seems unstoppable’: Florida Dems worry they can’t beat the governor. NewBusters has a Study: Media 12 Times More Likely to Use Dems 'Don't Say Gay' Label for New FL Law. No one ever accused them of being fair. Edward Teach at Pirate's Cove, Calling Groomers Groomers Is Upset The LGBT Community Or Something. Betsy McCaughey at NYPo thinks Teachers unions are indoctrinating kids — with Biden’s support. Herr Professor Jacobsen at LI rhetorically wonders Should American Bar Association Be Stripped Of Its Monopoly Law School Accrediting Power? Debate: “Most recently, the [ABA] Council adopted new ‘anti-bias’ educational requirements as part of its accreditation standards.” Yes, they should. 

Sundance at CTH notes that Mandatory Mask Theater Returns, CDC Announces Long Term Extension for Biden Transporation Mask Mandate, No Expiration Date, Planes, Trains and Busses even though they're going to let Title 42 expire. 

Going to do DIY on Jan. 6 and  free speech stuff today; I let it slide yesterday, and some of it getting stale:

Judge rejects RNC request to block email records from Jan. 6 committee
Hmmm: Trump-appointed judge tosses RNC lawsuit against Jan 6 committee subpoena – HotAir
Evidence mounts of GOP involvement in Trump election schemes | AP News
Proud Boys' Lawyers Say Discovery Access Limited in Jan. 6 Case
Study: Half of US Doesn't Trust FBI | Newsmax.com
Striking similarities between two Michigan FBI undercover plots | Michigan | thecentersquare.com
January 6 Committee Targets GOP Donors Ahead of 2022 Elections › American Greatness
Federal Judge Rejects RNC Lawsuit Against House Jan. 6 Inquisition
Slight majority say Trump should be charged with crime over Jan. 6 role, poll finds - The Washington Post
Sounds Like 'Insurrection': Kamala Ticks off Everyone With Her Statement on SCOTUS Leak – RedState
D.C. judge rejects RNC suit against January 6 select panel | Just The News
Jan. 6 committee asks three recalcitrant House Republicans to testify | Washington Examiner
House Jan. 6 Inquisition Asks GOP Reps. Brooks, Biggs and Jackson to Testify
Sen. Markey Is A Dangerous Insurrectionist — Says The Supreme Court Was ‘Stolen’! – Issues & Insights

Local Carpenter Continues To Spread Disinformation Deemed Harmful By Religious Experts | The Babylon Bee
SCOTUS Issues 9-0 Decision Regarding Free Speech – RedState
DHS: Nina Jankowicz's Ministry of Truth will "absolutely" protect free speech – HotAir
Instapundit » Blog Archive » IT’S COME TO THIS: Free Speech as a ‘Right Wing Value.’ “I know everything is polarized thes…
Mayorkas Claims the Disinfo Board Is Only For Foreigners – PJ Media
Panicked CNN Guest Wonders “How We’re Going To Control The Channels Of Communications In This Country” – Summit News
Instapundit » Blog Archive » ELON MUSK IS TIRED OF YOUR BULLSHIT, NBC: …
Instapundit » Blog Archive » PAST PERFORMANCE IS NO GUARANTEE OF FUTURE RESULTS: She Warned Against Government Control Over Free …
Elon Musk trashes NBC News for 'basically saying Republicans are Nazis' – HotAir
Beyond a Slush Fund, Biden $33 Billion Ukraine Package Includes $8.8 Billion to Establish State Dept Global Disinformation Bureau, and International Civil Asset Forfeiture - The Last Refuge
Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal admits regrets during all-hands meeting
Ron Johnson Blasts DHS's Disinformation Governance Board -- 'This Is Orwellian'
The Musk acquisition of Twitter continues to panic the left – The New Neo
EBL: Biden's Disinformation Czar Nina Jankoweiz is a Scary Freak
In The Mailbox: 05.02.22 : The Other McCain
Baghdad Bob does DHS | Power Line
Only Internet Fascism Can Save Democracy | FrontpageMag
Psaki Dodges Direct Question On Whether Disinfo Board Will ‘Censor’ Americans — Twice | The Daily Wire
60 Minutes Spotlights a Disinformation Absurdist as DHS Launches 'Disinformation Governance Board' – PJ Media
Obama’s Fundamental Manipulation of Free Speech - American Thinker
Big Other - The American Mind
How GOP Senators Can Defund Biden's Dystopic 'Disinformation Board'
‘Ministry of Truth’ Reveals Ruling Class Weakness - American Thinker
Inflation Can’t Be Censored - The American Spectator | USA News and Politics
Food Shortages Surge to Record High, Food Price Inflation 2nd Highest Ever
Biden Revoked Trump’s ‘Energy Dominance’ Agenda. Now It’s Coming Back To Haunt Him | The Daily Caller
Mayorkas: Disinformation Board Will Not Target US Citizens | Newsmax.com
Ace of Spades HQ Taylor Lorenz Straight-Up Lies About Drudge Harassing Her; Washington Post Taking No Action
Musk Goes Full Galt, Challenges Woke Activists Who Pressure Corporations with Sunlight - The Last Refuge
EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Introduce Legislation To Defund Biden’s Disinformation Board | The Daily Caller
Controlling the narrative: slip-sliding away? – The New Neo
Today’s blacklisted American: College fires director of its free speech institute for advocating free speech – Behind The Black – Robert Zimmerman
‘Half-Baked’: DHS Admitted Some Stunning Details About Its ‘Disinformation’ Board To Congress | The Daily Caller
Watch Journalists Cheer The Biden Admin’s Disinformation Board
6 Dystopian Things Biden's 'Disinfo Board' Pick Nina Jankowicz Did
Bromide Politics: A Language Mauled In Service Of Power – Issues & Insights
Will a New Republican Majority Finally Walk the Talk? – PJ Media
Democrats Want DHS to Protect Blacks and Hispanics From “Disinformation” | FrontpageMag
Group of Truckers in People’s Convoy Sue D.C. Over Free Speech Violation
Conservative Speaker Ousted From Saint Louis University By Campus Police | The Daily Wire
WaPo Reporter Says She Was ‘Joking’ When She Accused Drudge Report Editor Of Vowing To ‘Blast My Name’ Until It ‘Ruins My Career’ | The Daily Wire

At The Other McCain, the Wombat sneaks under the wire with Rule 5 Sunday: Maid In Latex and FMJRA 2.0: Silhouettes. 

Democrats in the Dumps and More

 At the Wa Free Bee, Poll Shows Just How Weak Americans Think Biden Is on Russia, "36 percent back the president's approach." At Am Great Jeff Anderson hopes GOP Gains Could Be Twice What the Cook Political Report Predicts. Well, it could happen, but I'm not holding my breath. Don't get cocky! KT at Haut Hair hears Dem Rep. Cuellar call out Biden for hurting party - "look at the polls" and  Biden White House preps for pain of GOP victories in November, familiar face returns (Anita Dunn). Tom Joyce at WaEx says Democrats are losing Hispanics on culture. At Da Mail, White House claims approval polls don't matter and Biden CAN win in 2024: Chief of Staff Ron Klain points to French President Emanuel Macron's reelection with just 36% approval rating. Indeed, if the media can make the public hate the other candidate more. To that point, Mike LaChance points out the Democrats are leaving nothing to chance, Here Comes the ‘DeSantis is Worse Than Trump’ Narrative, "DeSantis presents an even clearer present and future danger than Trump does”" 

And more bad polling for Democrats, Breitbart reports Most Identify Economy as the Top Issue Determining How They Will Vote in Future Election. Ed Driscoll at Insty reminds us of THE FORGOTTEN ECONOMIC CRISIS OF ’68. Welcome back, Carter LBJ! At Fox Business, The Fed wants to raise rates quickly but may not know where to stop 'The Fed only knows where neutral is in retrospect.' “It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” From the Hahvahd Gazette, Summers says pandemic only partly to blame for record inflation, "Former Treasury secretary lays out need for Fed intervention, political costs of higher prices" At the Tampa Freep, Unsatisfied With Mounting Tax Revenue Created By Trump, Biden Demands Higher Taxes While Ignoring Budget Deficit. “Biden is not a champion of the middle class. He is a champion of big government.” Fox noted Liz Warren wants to double down on stupid, "Warren says ‘Democrats are going to lose’ if ‘we don't get up and deliver’ before election"

In miscellaneous political crap, Fox also "reports" Jill Biden's anger at Harris detailed in new book: 'Do we have to choose the one who attacked Joe?' "Joe Biden reportedly thought Harris' past romantic relationship with a mentor should be something 'off limits'" Who doesn't love a good cat fight? News Busters much watch MSNBC: Black Republicans Like Herschel Walker 'Shucking and Jiving' for White Handlers. WaEx claims a Northeast Ohio House seat, a longtime Democratic redoubt, is shifting to GOP. At Da Beast, Elizabeth Warren Tears Into Kevin McCarthy, Calls Him a ‘Liar and a Traitor’ but 'Fuzzy Slippers' at LI debunks the notion, Media Hoax: No, Kevin McCarthy Did Not Say Trump Should Resign Over J6, "McCarthy says he would recommend to Trump that he resign rather than face the humiliation of his Cabinet and Congress deeming him unfit to serve and removing him without his consent," which is very different from how it's being widely reported. At Breitbart, Piers Morgan Stands by Claim Trump Walked Off of Interview Despite Audio. If you shout loud enough and long enough. at RCP, Trump: Our Biggest Threat Remains The Sick, Sinister, And Evil People From Within Our Own Country. It's the well meaning idiots that scare me the most. 

Andrea Widburg at Am Think thinks There's a reason Democrats are desperate to stop Marjorie Taylor Greene, with a fine thread of tweets to show she's not as crazy as she's being portrayed. CBD at Aces details why We Need More Firebrands Like Marjorie Taylor Greene! "

Do I support everything they say? Nope. But I support their full-throated attacks on the Democrats, the Democrat party, the socialist agenda, the deep state, the corporate-government revolving door, and a host of other things that make our current political structure an existential danger to America as founded and as imagined for generations.

But at NR (cited at Haut Hair), never-Trumper (never-Greene?) Kevin Williamson says  Marjorie Taylor Greene should go

So, either charge Marjorie Taylor Greene under the federal insurrection law — or at least start treating January 6 as an insurrection as a matter of law — or defeat her at the polls. The last thing this country needs is another disreputable, sneaky, underhanded, pretextual legal case. The end is a worthy one, but the means would be corrupting.

'Becca Downs at Town Hall has the scoop that Judge Dismisses Lawsuits Trying to Bar Reps. Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs from Running for Re-Election

Morgan Ortagus

At NYPo, the divine Ms. Devine wonders Are Democrats and Joe Biden up to their old election tricks? Why would they stop now? It worked last time. At the Tampa Freep again, REPORT: GOP Warns Raffensperger Of Stacey Abrams’ Voter-Education Initiative For GA Students. At Da Caller, Jim Jordan Says IRS Can’t Be Trusted After ‘Partisan’ Leak Investigation Stonewalls.  Look, I just saved five words. Tennessee Star claims to tell The Real Story of How the Tennessee GOP Followed the Party’s Bylaws to Disqualify Three Candidates from the TN-5 Primary Ballot. From sundance at CTH, Dinesh D’Souza Releases Expanded Preview Trailer for 2000 Mules, The Ballot Harvesting Story of the 2020 Election

From Twitchy, Much stunning, so BRAVE: Taylor Lorenz tells CNN potato Brian Stelter she doxed Libs Of Tik Tok because she ‘COULD’VE been a foreign actor’, also, Taylor Lorenz says she’s been suspended by Truth Social, Trump's social media company. She is a confirmed doxxer, after all. HE, Unsocial Media Monitor: Lefty Twitter revels in WaPo’s threat to safety of individual behind Libs of TikTok account. Thomas Lifson at Am Think observes how the NYT offers doxxing bait on Christopher Rufo. The Daily Caller notices The Media Doesn’t Want To Talk About Why These Educators Featured On ‘Libs Of Tik Tok’ Got Booted From The Classroom. Derek Hunter at Town Hall wonders Liberals Can’t Be This Stupid, Can They?

Brad Slager at Red State is amused that The Disney-DeSantis Dust-up Leaves the Left Outraged Their Tactics Were Used Against Them. The AP whines DeSantis tests limits of his combative style in Disney feud. Deroy Murdock at NYPo sees hypocrisy, ‘Don’t say gay’? Hypocritical Disney makes money in countries that ban homosexuality. The Imain Herald, Is Florida’s rapid-fire smackdown of Disney even legal? Experts raise questions, an issue never raised when liberal governments punish businesses for their stances. At WaEx, Colorado moves to cast itself as the anti-Florida. Just bake the damn cake, will you? 

"If Disney did come here and want to stake a claim for a 40-square-mile piece of ground, [Colorado] would put so many restrictions on them and be concerned about contamination of the environment by the lights and noise and other pollutions, they'd quickly drive Disney back to the friendly confines of Florida," he said. "It's just wacky, the longer you think about it."

Matt Margolis at PJ Media see Libs Throw Tantrum Because No More Pride, BLM Flags Can Be Displayed at ExxonMobil HQ. Look how many words I save there! Kurt Schlichter at Town Hall says Liberal Corporations Are Confused and Scared Because Conservatives Now Fight Back and the NYPo ed board says Hail the new fight to stop burning corporate cash on pushing woke idiocy.

AP Dillon, Orange County (NC) school board member harasses parent handing out info in carpool line
Former OCS board chair and current board member Hillary Mackenzie is seen in the video calling the parent a "fascist." WSMV (Nashville), New bill to not require education leaders to use students’ preferred pronouns. PJ Media's Kevin Downey on why Libs Spending the Weekend Licking Their Wounds While the Good Guys Rejoice

Tristan Justice observes that L.A. Leftists Embrace Permanent Pandemic With New Mask Mandate. That reminds me, I need to call Mark and harass him for living in a stupider state than mine. Richard Shinder at Am Spec on Mask-Shaming, Hypocrisy, and Second-Order Negative Externalities, "There’s no joy in mask-shaming country." At Am Great, Ken Masugi discourses on Masking the Mask Mandate Morass, "Legitimate government must be based on the consent of the governed. And the anti-COVID regime failed this test."

It looks like Elon Musk is still serious about buying Twitter. WSJ, cited at Haut Hair, Twitter reexamines Musk bid, may be more open to a deal, also NYT, Twitter in advanced talks to sell itself to Elon Musk.  Reuters, Twitter, under shareholder pressure, begins deal talks with Musk. At Da Wire, Twitter Facing Mounting Pressure From Shareholders To Take Specific Action Over Potential Buyout: Report. At NR, cited by Hot Hair, Kevin Williamson, who says sensible things sometimes, when he's not talking about Trump on Why it’s so much fun watching Elon Musk slap Twitter in the face. Dan Chaitin at WaEx, Elon Musk sends cryptic 'moving on' tweet, later clarifies it's about Bill Gates. WaPoo's Megan McArdle opines Buying Twitter is one thing. Changing it? Good luck with that.

The Wombat has Rule Five Sunday: Lisa Gerrard and FMJRA 2.0: RIP Klaus Schulze up and running at The Other McCain.