Palm Sunday

Again, with Damla Durgun:

newstalkzb.co.nz, Why are these dangerous trees allowed to exist in New Zealand?

Yesterday, my five-year-old niece had to have surgery. She was bumped up the priority list at Nelson Hospital by an orthopaedics team who were a bit concerned about her condition. Her ankle hurt, and her mum reckoned it was looking swollen and feeling a bit hot, the telltale signs of infection.
...
And what was it, you’re wondering. Why did your sweet, cheeky, little 5-year-old niece have to go forego her breakfast and anything by mouth, and endure all the stress of being poked and prodded, the fear of being put to sleep, why did she have to be forcibly held down so the anaesthetist could get the mask on her face and the surgeons could cut open her little ankle and slice down into the flesh?

The reason is that as a result of an innocent accident when she was playing with her friends, she ended up with what the surgeon told her mum is the single most common foreign object their team gets called on to remove. No, it wasn’t Lego. It wasn’t a rusty nail or drawing pin gone bad. It was a spike from the frond of a Phoenix palm tree.

Now this is either yet another example of my ignorance, which I’ll concede is fairly likely, or maybe this comes as a surprise to you too. I had absolutely no idea that Phoenix palm trees posed such a serious risk.

They’re obviously an exotic. They’re originally from the Canary Islands of all places, but you see them all the time in coastal parts of New Zealand. They look tropical and quite attractive in the right setting, but their structure is downright sinister. At the end of their fronds are long, sharp spikes. The spikes are poisonous. They snap off under the skin. And that, as it turns out, is a very nasty combination.

As I've mentioned before, my parent's house in Los Angeles had several large palms, including two Canary Island Date Palms, and I can attest to the very pointy and annoying spike, which are actually at base, and not the tip of the fronds. Neither are they venomous (if you bite it and you die, it's poisonous; if it bites or sticks you and you die, it's venomous). We used to play with them as swords. I'm sure I was stuck more than 10 times (I can be a slow learner), and one never broke off, and I never got an infection. Actually, it's kind of a miracle I survived to adulthood, if that's what this is.

Palm Sunday

 With Jessy Hetten:

Another innocent man saved from the clutches of man-eating palm trees, ABC 10, Watch Sacramento firefighters rescue tree trimmer stranded high in palm tree.

Linked at the Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Nice Flex up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Dali Engineer Admits Fault

 GCaptain, Dali Chief Engineer Admits Criminal Conduct in Baltimore Bridge Allision

Federal prosecutors have reached a deferred prosecution agreement with the chief engineer of the containership Dali, with the veteran Indian mariner admitting to conduct constituting a criminal violation of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act for failing to report a known hazardous condition aboard the vessel before its catastrophic allision with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The agreement, announced Friday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, marks the first admission of criminal wrongdoing by an individual directly involved in operating the vessel at the center of one of the worst maritime disasters in recent U.S. history.

Chief Engineer Karthikeyan Deenadayalan admitted that he was aware the Dali and two sister ships—the Maersk Saltoro and Cezanne—were operating with an unsafe fuel supply arrangement that lacked redundancy and could impair the vessels’ ability to recover from a power loss.

According to the statement of facts filed with the agreement, the vessels used a flushing pump as part of their fuel supply system even though it was not designed to automatically restart following a blackout. Deenadayalan admitted he understood that the lack of redundancy posed a hazard to the safe navigation of the vessels and could endanger bridges, structures and shore facilities, yet failed to report the condition to the U.S. Coast Guard as required by law.

The deferred prosecution agreement allows prosecutors to suspend criminal prosecution provided Deenadayalan complies with the terms of the agreement. The criminal information filed against him alleges a violation of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act, though prosecutors emphasized that criminal charges remain allegations unless proven in court.

The irresistible force met the immovable object. Both lost. 

Key Bridge Settlement Reached, Operators Charged Criminally

 gCaptain, Record $2.25 Billion Settlement Reached in Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse Case

The State of Maryland has finalized a $2.25 billion settlement with the owner and operator of the containership Dali, marking the largest legal recovery in maritime history and a major milestone in the aftermath of the catastrophic collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The agreement resolves claims brought by Maryland against Singapore-based Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte. Ltd., the owner and operator of the Singapore-flagged M/V Dali, which struck the bridge on March 26, 2024, causing its collapse and killing six construction workers.

The settlement was announced Tuesday by law firm Kelley Drye, which served as assistant counsel for the State of Maryland alongside the Maryland Attorney General’s Office and several outside law firms.

The recovery covers claims tied to the destruction of the bridge, environmental damage, lost toll revenues, disruption to the Port of Baltimore, and broader economic losses suffered across the state.
...
The final figure dramatically exceeds the roughly $43.7 million liability cap sought by Grace Ocean and Synergy under the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, a maritime law allowing shipowners to limit liability to the post-casualty value of the vessel.

The settlement was reached only weeks before trial proceedings were set to begin over whether the vessel owner and operator could invoke those protections.

Further:

The legal and technical battle surrounding the casualty intensified further this week after federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges against Synergy Marine, related management entities, and technical superintendent Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair.

Prosecutors allege the companies knowingly operated the Dali with unsafe modifications that undermined critical electrical redundancies aboard the vessel and contributed to the blackout sequence that left the ship without propulsion or steering moments before impact.

According to the indictment, investigators allege operators relied on a flushing pump not designed to automatically restart after a blackout, contributing to a second power loss following the initial electrical failure.

Shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has separately alleged the vessel’s operators bypassed built-in safety redundancies after delivery by replacing automatic fuel supply pumps with the non-redundant flushing pump configuration.

The National Transportation Safety Board previously identified a loose signal wire in a high-voltage switchboard as the initiating cause of the first blackout aboard the nearly 1,000-foot containership.

I'm glad the state has recovered this money from the ship's company. $44 million wouldn't even begin to cover the losses. There is no way to hide the fact that the ship had previous power losses, up to the day before they cast off their lines. Clearly a problem existed, and they did not have it fixed when they left the dock. 

Forget It Jake, It's Baltimore - Key Bridge Contract Cancelled

Balmer Sun, Key Bridge contract canceled: Moore’s ‘fastest-moving’ claim tested 

Maryland’s plan to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge hit a major setback Tuesday, as state officials abruptly canceled a key construction contract, undercutting Gov. Wes Moore’s repeated claim that the project was the nation’s “fastest-moving” large infrastructure effort. The decision to off-ramp contractor Kiewit Infrastructure Co. from the project’s critical second phase came after its proposals “far exceeded” state estimates, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

The move forces Maryland back into the market for a new builder at a pivotal moment, as project costs have surged from roughly $1.8 billion to more than $5.2 billion. It transforms what Moore has framed as a model of speed into a high-stakes test of the administration’s ability to manage one of the most expensive and politically scrutinized infrastructure projects in the country.

In a major joint announcement through separate releases on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), the State of Maryland has canceled its contract with the Key Bridge’s construction contractor, Kiewit Infrastructure Co., for Phase 2 of the project.

Phase 2 of the project focused on finalizing the new Key Bridge’s design, driving steel piles into the Patapsco River, and beginning construction of the roadway approaches and spans. This phase also granted Kiewit exclusive rights and transitioned from preliminary plans to a guaranteed maximum price for construction.

MDTA said in its release that it is “off-ramping” Kiewit, forcing the state back into the market to find a new contractor for the most critical phase of work. This decision comes after negotiations over cost failed, with Duffy pointing out that Kiewit’s proposals “far exceeded” independent state estimates.

Maryland transportation leaders framed the move on Tuesday as a necessary step to protect taxpayers and keep the project on track. Maryland Transportation Secretary Katie Thompson said in MDTA’s announcement that safety, speed and cost efficiency remain top priorities. “At the governor’s direction, MDTA will aggressively protect and advance the interests of Maryland,” Thomson said.

In a statement on Tuesday, Moore said that since the beginning, he has “been unequivocal: we will rebuild this bridge safely, quickly, and cost-effectively. And we will never settle for less.” “As we prepare to enter Phase 2 of construction, our team approached negotiations with our contractor with clear eyes and firm imperatives,” Moore said in his statement. “But after weeks of engagement, it became evident that the contractor’s proposed price and timeline for moving forward was unreasonably high and therefore unacceptable.” “This was informed by the state’s independent cost estimates,” Moore added.
...
In a separate federal announcement, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy painted a starkly different picture: a project plagued by ballooning costs, delays, and the need for aggressive federal oversight. Duffy also claimed victory in delivering on his promise of vigorous oversight of the costs to rebuild the Key Bridge. “The Trump Administration is always working to secure the best possible team for hardworking American taxpayers,” said Duffy in the release. “It’s my job to ensure the American people’s tax dollars are used efficiently and that major projects are completed on time and on budget.”

Late and over budget in Baltimore? Whoda thunk? 

Palm Sunday

 With Georgiana Rosas:

Man saved from clutches of man-eating palm. At NYPo, Dramatic footage shows daring aerial rescue of worker stranded atop towering palm tree.

An unconscious tree trimmer stranded high above a San Jose neighborhood was dramatically airlifted to safety Friday after suffering a medical emergency while working roughly 75 feet up a palm tree. Emergency crews rushed to the 2900 block of Sunburst Drive around 10 a.m., where the worker had become incapacitated while cutting the tree, according to the San Jose Fire Department.

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links.

Palm Sunday

With Cheyenne Swenson:

Villages News, Villager to lose driver’s license after crashing into palm tree

A Villager will lose his driver’s license after crashing into a palm tree.

Salvatore Stanzione Jr., 62, of the Village of De La Vista West, pleaded no contest this past week in Sumter County Court to a charge of driving under the influence. He will lose his license for six months, has been placed on probation for one year and has been ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.

No fair! We know it was the palm trees fault!

Linked at the Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: All You Can Eat marinated and ready for consumption at The Other McCain.

Palm Sunday

With more of Virginia Sanhouse:

Meanwhile, palm trees continue their relentless war on humanity. From KTLA, Tree trimmer fatally impaled on iron fence after 35-foot fall in L.A.

Fire officials said the approximately 44-year-old man was trimming a palm tree when he fell some 35-feet and landed on a 10-foot iron fence.

“Tragically, this fall rendered the patient beyond medical help. An LAFD [Urban Search and Rescue] team will utilize a high angle rope system to carefully recover his body, which is currently covered by a sheet and shielded from public view by a tarp to preserve the decedent’s dignity,” officials said in a news release.

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Probably Not Mrs. Santa up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Musical Interlude

Something to listen to while I sort through the flotsam and jetsam. I missed the anniversary by one day. 

Billy Strings is amazing.

Palm Sunday

 With Jala Sue:

Meanwhile, palm trees continue their war on humanity, NBC Miami, Miami-Dade deputy hurt in rollover crash after crashing into palm tree

It happened at around 3:25 a.m. in the area of Northwest 21st Avenue and Northwest 74th Street in Gladeview. The sheriff's office said the on-duty deputy was driving north on Northwest 22nd Avenue when they hit the tree, causing the vehicle to rollover. The deputy was able to get out of their marked vehicle "with lacerations to the upper extremities."

No word yet on how the dastardly palm tree caused the collision.

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: It’s Always Warm & Sunny Somewhere up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

CBF Boat Runs Aground, Injures Farmers

No, they didn't hit farmers on the land: Lancaster Farming, Farmers Injured in Chesapeake Bay Foundation Boat Accident

A Chesapeake Bay Foundation vessel carrying a group of farmers from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, ran aground Oct. 9 on Grey’s Inn Creek off the Chester River in Maryland. 
“We had three employees down in Chesapeake Bay with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation,” Lancaster County Conservation District Manager Chris Thompson said shortly after the incident occurred.

U.S Coast Guard officials confirmed receiving a call that the 42-foot vessel Marguerite was stranded with 22 people on board. My the time the agency was able to dispatch assistance from Annapolis, Maryland, the aluminum hull jet boat was back at the dock under its own power. The incident is still under investigation.

“They had several Plain Sect members and conservation consultants with them for an educational meet and greet, trying to show them the big picture of conservation and how it impacts areas outside of the county,” Thompson said.

Several people were knocked down when the vessel hit a sandbar, he said, citing information he had received while waiting for a report from the hospital regarding an injured employee early Thursday evening. Although several people received scrapes and bruises from the accident, those willing were seen by a doctor and released, Thompson said Oct. 10. “All are home now, sore and stiff but seem to be suffering no long-term issues.”

“Two adults reported minor injuries following the boat’s grounding,” read a prepared statement released the day after the incident from Chesapeake Bay Foundation Vice President for Education Tom Ackerman. “One person sought additional medical attention as a precaution. CBF staff accompanied that participant to the hospital, where they were discharged that same day.”

I assume by "plain sect" they mean Amish, Mennonite or some similar sect, which have large numbers of farms in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Getting them to agree with Bay diet restrictions is a significant problem. I wonder if they are allowed to use a boat with a gas motor themselves? 

A few years ago, a CBF boat carrying school kids ran into one of the submerged tanks off Bloodsworth Island and sank, requiring rescue. Boat long enough and something like this is likely to happen. I ran aground in the Anacostia years ago. To be fair, I was trying not to run across the fisherman's lines from shore. 

Mexican Tall Ship Strikes Brooklyn Bridge - 2 Dead Many Injured

NYPo, Mexican navy tall ship smashes into Brooklyn Bridge, shears off masts after losing power, 2 dead, 17 hurt 

A massive Mexican navy tall ship on a goodwill visit to New York slammed into the Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday — toppling its huge masts in a horrifying scene that left two dead and 17 injured, including two critically, according to fire officials and sources.

The majestic Cuauhtémoc — which has a crew of 277, mostly cadets — apparently lost power as it was sailing out of New York on its way to Iceland and the current carried it into the road deck of the bridge around 8:30 p.m., according to Mayor Eric Adams and footage of the crash.

The collision sheared off the ship’s 147-foot masts – with alarming footage capturing numerous crew members dangling for their lives from the sails and booms after the boat hit the bridge, which has a max clearance of 135 feet.

In an absolutely stunning modern metaphor a ship blaring Mexican music and flying a massive Mexican flag just got destroyed by the Brooklyn bridge.

Can’t make it uppic.twitter.com/AUJy0q3oFB

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 18, 2025

It might just be a little too early for this headline from Driscoll at Insty, KAMIKAZE MEXICAN NAVY SHIP ATTACKS BROOKLYN BRIDGE! 23 injured after Mexican navy tall ship slams into Brooklyn Bridge in horrifying scene. Have a little respect for the sailors. Notice the death and injury toll is different, as might be expected early on. 

Unlike the devastating strike on the Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor by the container ship Dali, the Brooklyn Bridge sees to have suffered only minor damage. Still, the cause of the accident appears to be the same, loss of engine power while navigating close spaces in a harbor while leaving port. Ships should be in top operating condition when leaving port, and big ones should be accompanied, if not towed by tug boats until safely away.

The ship clearly hits the bridge stern first, which I assume means it was driven into the bridge by strong tidal currents in the East River after it lost power. Why no tug boats?

Palm Sunday

 With Rayna Vallandingham:

Another man-eating palm tree thwarted, Tree trimmer pulled from top of palm tree in extremely critical condition, Phoenix fire department says

A man is in extremely critical condition after he was rescued from the top of a palm tree in west Phoenix by fire crews Saturday morning, according to authorities. The Phoenix Fire Department responded to 67th Avenue and Thomas Road after reports of the incident came in at 9:30 a.m.

The fire department said the 40-year-old man was working as a tree trimmer and had climbed up the 50-foot-tall palm tree when the incident happened. Two other employees were with him at the time. 

Crews used an aerial ladder and platform to get to the man. A chainsaw was used to cut away some of the dried fronds on the palm. After working for several minutes, the firefighters were able to get to the man, who was near the trunk of the tree.

Linked at The Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Head On ready and willing to accept your clicks.

Palm Sunday

 With Rachel Pizzolato:

Villages News, 95-year-old Villager dies after car crashes into palm tree "A 95-year-old Villager died Monday morning after his car left the roadway and crashed into a palm tree." I think I see the problem. That damn palm tree didn't move out of his way!

Linked at the Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: In & Out up at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Trump Drops Tech Tariffs on China

From Power Line's Week in Pictures

Apparently the whines of the "lap-top class" became too insistent, and President  Trump exempts smartphones, laptops, and semiconductors from new tariffs (TechCrunch). At Hat Hair, Capt. Ed  Trump Exempts Hi-Tech Items From China Tariffs, Josh Hammer sees  Trump's Life's Work Culminates in Confronting Communist China,  Larry Elder notes the irony as The Left Discovers Milton Friedman, except all the inconvenient parts. and Salena Zito celebrates the Reversal of Fortune in Homer City: New Manufacturing Project a 'Game Changer'. MSN, In Secret Meeting, China Acknowledged Role in U.S. Infrastructure Hacks. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair Feels an Oligarchy Coming On - I Hope It's Not Painful. Matt Taibbi at Racket says Burn it all Down "Globalization, once hailed as a panacea, has proven to be fundamentally corrupt and needs to be blown to kingdom come."

Ksenia Karelina

Sundance at CTH reports Steve Witkoff Has Third Meeting in St Petersburg, Russia with President Vladimir Putin. From Da Wire, Trump Calls On Russia ‘To Get Moving’ On Peace Deal: ‘Too Many People Are Dying’. "The president's frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin has grown in recent weeks." From Fox, Russian American ballerina Ksenia Karelina has message for Trump after release from Russia, "President Donald Trump says he is ‘glad to have’ Karelina back home."

Hat Hair, Bill Maher Discovers Trump Doesn't Eat Small Children, Honest Enough to Admit It, Beege Welborn Maher's entire 'Book report on My Visit to the White House' is here: Capt. Ed, Bill Maher: My Visit With Trump Shocked Me. Matt Vespa at TownHall, Here’s What Blew Bill Maher’s Mind After Having Dinner With Trump. Sundance also hosts Bill Maher Describing His White House Dinner with President Donald Trump. Althouse likes "He's much more self-aware than he lets on in public.... Everything I've ever not liked about him was — I swear to God — absent at least on this night with this guy...." ""I've had so many conversations with prominent people who are much less connected... And he mostly steered the conversation to: What do you think about this?... There were there were so many moments when I hit him with a joke or contradicted something and no problem.... I never felt I had to walk on eggshells around him.... I voted for Clinton and Obama, but I would never feel comfortable talking to them the way I was able to talk with Donald Trump.... I feel it's emblematic of why the Democrats are so unpopular these days...." Nick Arama at RedState thinks you should Watch Bill Maher Brutally Shut Down a WaPo Reporter After He Attacks Meeting With Trump and reports Gretchen Whitmer's Very Embarrassing White House Picture Goes Viral. 

Matt Margolis thinks What Trump Did With Obama's White House Portrait Is Epic. Moved it from the front entrance and replaced with the classic Trump assassination photo "Predictably, critics immediately began claiming this was some sort of breach of protocol, suggesting the Obama portrait had been removed entirely. White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung swiftly shut down that narrative with characteristic directness: Steven Cheung @StevenCheung47 "Pipe down, moron. The Obama portrait was just moved a few feet away. Quote Chris D. Jackson @ChrisDJackson, "So Trump ditched tradition, broke protocol, and took down Barack Obama’s portrait—just to hang his own. Straight-up tin pot dictator energy. Insecure and petty to the end." It's perfectly normal for administrations to move pictures around. Did they think that was sacred? Sundance hosts President Trump Delivering Remarks on Air Force One Following Physical at Walter Reed.

At Twitchy, OOPS! End Wokeness DEMOLISHES the Left's Gaslighting About Plane Crashes With a Simple Chart. End Wokeness @EndWokeness, "You will not see this plane accident chart on TV because it doesn't fit the narrative." Kurt Schlichter @KurtSchlichter, "If you want to know why we haven’t won a war in 30 years, it’s officers thinking that what they feel is important and needs to be shared with the wide wonderful world" Quote Thomas Doherty @dohertytjp "Replying to @infantrydort. She told the base staff (Danes, Canadians, and Greenlanders included) that she didn't feel the same way as Vance. So what. What Trump and Vance are saying is borderline illegal - implicit threats of force. Col. Meyers parroting that shit would not be moral or ethical. . . "

Da Caller reports Musk Slashes DOGE Savings Forecast By 85%. It's harder than they thought. Also,  GOP-Ordered Audits Find Wisconsin Universities, State Agencies Failed To Track DEI Spending. If you want to brag about it, you track it. From Fox, Dem states to blame for most of the nearly $400 million in unemployment fraud over last 4 years, DOGE says, "California, New York and Massachusetts doled out more than $300M in improper unemployment payments over the last four years, according to DOGE." Payoffs to the base. Francis Menton, the Manhattan Contrarian wonders Is There Any Fraud In The Medicaid Program? Here's A Place To Start Looking. John Sexton at Hat Hair reports EV Sales Continue to Climb in the US, Except for Tesla. 

Adrian Vermeule @Vermeullarmine, "The problem with SCOTUS’ whole approach to this case — and the point generalizes to other cases as well — is that it is too clever by half. Subtle distinctions (“facilitate” vs. “effectuate,” release from custody in El Salvador vs. return to the US) are trampled over by district judges, like this one, who are obviously gripped by a sense of mission to #resist the administration." Quote Margot Cleveland @ProfMJCleveland, "Just dripping with mutual respect, don't you think? x.com/ProfMJClevelan…" Adrian Vermeule @Vermeullarmine "This is now a real mess, caused by over-finessing by SCOTUS in a situation that called for clarity and decisiveness, combined with patently unreasonable behavior by the district court - weakness at the top and willfulness at the bottom." Adrian Vermeule @Vermeullarmine, "Unreal" Quote Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney "XINIS begins by summing up SCOTUS order, which she notes "affirmed all aspects of my decision and prior orders save for requiring clarification." "This court amended its prior order and made clear what the government must do consistent with the Supreme Court’s directive."

Sarah Arnold at TownHall reports Kash Patel Releases 700 Pages of Crossfire Hurricane Docs. Matt Margolis, Here We Go! Kash Patel Releases Massive Trove of Crossfire Hurricane Docs, more to come I hope. 

More "stochastic terrorism" from the left, MD Kittle at Da Fed reports Another Day, Another Alleged Would-Be Trump Assassin Charged. From Butler PA of all places. 

At WokeSpy, Adam Schiff Scrambles on Biden Cognitive Decline Question, Rants About Trump Golfing. Fox, Kamala Harris stays in the game as the former VP mulls next step: Washington or Sacramento?  Harold Hutchinson at Da Caller hears Doug Schoen Tells Harris Faulkner  the‘Far Left’ Made Democratic Party ‘Unrecognizable’: ‘The Party Has Been Taken Over’. Pop Times, Ideal America? Protesters Pitch Utopia Where Government Pays and Feelings Trump Freedom.

Da Wire explains Why Trump Is Reclassifying Illegals Who Were Given Social Security Numbers As Dead, "Many of the illegal aliens were receiving Medicaid benefits or other taxpayer-funded assistance programs " and having a "dead" social security number will stop that, eventually.

The NYSun reports More Bad News for CBS News as Ratings for Gayle King’s ‘Alienating’ Morning Show Plummet Amid Looming Settlement With Trump. "‘CBS Mornings,’ one of the network’s main money-making programs, saw its average total viewers drop below 2 million for the last two weeks of March."

From NYPo, NASA axes ex-DEI chief after giving her new job title in apparent effort to evade Trump crackdown. From the Free Bacon, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab Parts Ways With Top DEI Officer In Wake of Free Beacon Report. "Neela Rajendra said deadlines are an obstacle to ‘inclusion.’" Good, now fire whoever let it happen. At Da Fed, Shawn Fleetwood sees How DEI Left Service Academies In A ‘State Of Decay,’ And How Trump Can Fix It.

Campus Reform asserts Most Americans support Trump crackdown on anti-Semitism on campus, new poll shows. John Sexton reports Stanford Activists Charged with Felonies for Building Takeover. Deport any non-citizens involved. Insty, SHOW THEM THEY’RE OUTNUMBERED:

Look at what happened when terror supporters tried to have a protest at Ole Miss.

American patriots will never be intimidated.

pic.twitter.com/baPQIDs5N5

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) April 11, 2025

The Wombat has Rule Five Sunday: Bunny Season! and FMJRA 2.0: No Grandeur, Lots of Misery, Just One Victory awaiting your attention at The Other McCain.

Palm Sunday

With more Rachel Cook:

Another man-eating palm found, this time in Las Vegas: Review Journal, Man dies after being found stuck in palm tree in Las Vegas.

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Demure, Relaxed, & In Her Lane ready and waiting at The Other McCain.

Maryland, My Maryland

Balmer Sun, Maryland probe of Key Bridge collapse leads to safety violation for construction firm

Maryland labor regulators fined the construction company that lost six workers in the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse after investigators determined the firm violated an occupational safety standard for protecting workers from falls.

The $2,100 penalty, which Brawner Builders is contesting, was the only citation issued by Maryland Occupational Safety and Health in their investigation of the March 26, 2024 bridge collapse, according to a report obtained by The Baltimore Sun . Labor officials noted the violation of a fall protection standard, while serious, did not cause or contribute to the deaths of six Brawner employees who were filling potholes on the Key Bridge. They also called on the Maryland Transportation Authority to improve communication at work zones.

The construction company’s general counsel, Jeff Pritzker, said the firm’s work on the bridge was done “in a safe and prudent manner” that was “consistent with the standard work practices of all bridge and highway contractors” working in Maryland. He noted investigators’ finding that the violation “was in no way causally related to the tragic loss of life and injuries to our employees,” and that Brawner’s crew was working in the presence of a safety inspector that night.

Pritzker said the company “has taken all steps to vigorously dispute this citation.” The firm, and the families of the employees who died, sued the ship’s owner after the safety investigation concluded in September.

That seems like gratuitously adding insult to injury.

Thursday Tanlines

People, Woman Lays on Wrong Side of Tanning Bed for Stronger Tan. 2 Days Later, She Is Abruptly Rushed to Hospital

After severely burning her skin, Natalia Armstrong is warning her followers against any irresponsible uses of a tanning bed.

In a 5-minute tell-all, the British TikToker, 23, explained how she ended up damaging her skin, as seen in blistered, red and peeling patches across her face as she recorded the video. Armstrong said she entered the sunbed for 20 minutes but placed her feet under the facial tanner, where the tanning effect is stronger. Though dangerous, she says several of her friends lay in the bed this way.

"Loads of people have always done it, so me being me, I did it. Everyone else does it," Armstrong said in her video. "I didn't know this [was] going to happen to my face. Otherwise, I'd never have done it."

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: F**k Art, Let’s Dance up and running at The Other McCain. 

The Wednesday Wetness

Health Day, Parents Call for Water Bead Ban After Child’s Brain Injury

They're small, colorful and marketed as safe sensory toys but water beads have sent thousands of kids to the emergency room -- and now, experts and parents want their sale to be banned.

Water beads can expand up to 100 times their size when exposed to water. If swallowed, they can cause intestinal blockages, breathing problems and even toxic effects on the brain, according to a study published Jan. 28 in the journal Pediatrics.

In fact, one of the study's authors, Ashley Haugen, knows the risks firsthand. When her daughter, Kipley, was a toddler, she developed a rash, began vomiting and started struggling with coordination. Doctors later discovered she had swallowed water beads, which caused a severe blockage in her intestines.

"Because the water beads were marketed as non-toxic eco-friendly and biodegradable, everybody thought that she would be fine," Haugen told CBS News. Instead, Kipley was diagnosed with toxic brain encephalopathy, a condition that can cause developmental delays and long-term neurological challenges.

"Water beads are made of poly acrylamide and acrylamide is a known neurotoxin. Our consumer products and the chemicals used to make them are not well regulated," study co-author Dr. Elizabeth Friedman, the medical director for environmental health at Children's Mercy Kansas City, told CBS News.

Yes, acrylamide is very toxic, but polyacrylamide, when the acrylamide monomers are linked together, is not. It's used in a variety of things as a solidish water holder.

An estimated 7,800 cases of water bead ingestion were treated in U.S. emergency rooms between 2016 and 2022, according to the study. In 2023, a 10-month-old child died after swallowing the beads, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Now 8 years old, Kipley is still recovering but has joined her mom in calling for banning water beads. "Please work together to ban water beads. Lots of kids like me got hurt," CBS News reported.

If we banned everything that kids have managed to hurt themselves with, there wouldn't much left on the shelves.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: F**k Art, Let’s Dance up and running at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Air Disasters Updates, Trump Storms Washington DC

While the tragedy value of the recent plane crashes has not diminished in any way, the news value has decreased sharply as the NTSB begins the agonizingly slow process of attempting to put together all the pieces (literally and figuratively) to figure out why they occurred. Meanwhile, at TownHall, Matt Vespa reveals that the Army Releases Name of the Female Black Hawk Helicopter Pilot in Reagan Air Disaster. Matt Margolis at PJM, Female Pilot on Doomed Black Hawk ID'd, Was Former Biden White House Aide, "Lobach also served as a White House social aide during the Biden administration, Brown said. Just last month, she escorted Ralph Lauren through the White House when he was among those awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Joe Biden." Not going to say it. Althouse, "'I was so distraught when I heard this news last night,' said Senator Tim Kaine... who for years has opposed adding flights at Reagan..." ""... and warned of the dangers posed by overcrowding the D.C. airspace. 'I will not be able to rewatch the speech I gave on the Senate floor about it because it would make me too upset.'" . . . From "Congress Approved More Flights at Reagan Despite Warnings of Danger/Lawmakers repeatedly added flights despite fears of delays and accidents" (NYT)(Congress has repeatedly voted to increase the number of daily flights at Reagan National Airport, adding departures that made life more convenient for lawmakers...)." He doesn't have to fly home after sessions of Congress. Insurrection Barbie @DefiyantlyFree, "1 year ago 11 Republican Attorneys General wrote a letter to the Biden administration, expressing their frustration with the new DEI practices affecting the Federal Aviation Administration. Nothing was ever done about their concerns by the Biden administration." TNP, Defense Sec Hegseth Backs Trump on DEI Following D.C. Air Disaster. RedState's Nick Arama sees Bill Maher Come to Trump's Defense on DCA Crash, Decimates Biden on Border, and How Broken Our Gov't Is and Sister Toldja remembers How Patty Murray Accidentally Helped Expose the Dangers of DEI Within the FAA Back in 2014. And, of course, Sarah Arnold at TownHall hears a Far-Left Squad Member Blames Trump for DC Plane Crash. And a totally bizarre one from the Philadelphia crash at Crankers, Chilling audio reveals Air Traffic Control trying to reach plane before Philadelphia crash, listen closely at 56 seconds.

At the Annapolis Cap Gaz, Federal workers have less than a week left to take Trump’s buyout. Maryland leaders are warning against it. "U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, went a step further during a speech on the Senate floor. “Don’t be fooled. He’s tricked hundreds of people with that offer,” Kaine said, referring to longtime reports that Trump sometimes refused to pay contractors who worked for his real estate company. “If you accept that offer and resign, he’ll stiff you just like he stiffed the contractors. He doesn’t have any authority to do this.”" But ET reports Large Number of Federal Workers Taking Buyout Offer, White House Official Says "Millions of federal workers received deferred resignation offers in a memorandum distributed on Jan. 28." Capt. K's Corner, Census Director Abruptly Resigns: 3 Reasons Why This is Massive News. Remember, the census recently undercounted Red States, resulting in about a 12-13 swing in the House of Reps and Electoral College. 'Bonchie' at RedState, Trump-Subverting GSA Surrenders, and You Won't Believe Some of the Insane Stuff Being Deleted. At WUWT, “Draining the Swamp of Climate Hysteria: Trump’s USDA Scrubs Climate Change from Public Websites”. Robby Starbuck @robbystarbuck "USAID essentially functions as one of many money laundering machines for Democrats in DC. Here’s how it works: • Activists create obscure NGO • Dems fund it lavishly • NGO does bare minimum (or actively hurts the United States) • Activists get paid and donate to Dems . . . That’s why Democrats are freaking out about the possibility that USAID’s being shut down by President Trump. It needs to be done." Latin Times, DHS Ends Funding Of NGOs Aiding Migrants, Says They 'Abused' Grants To 'Facilitate Illegal Immigration', ""We are not spending another dime to help the destruction of the U.S.," said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during an appearance on Fox News." Ward Clark at RedState, Pro-Illegal Alien Legal Aid Groups Sue After the Trump Admin. Ends Federal Gravy Train. Insty, "Actually, as many NGO flunkies and government bureaucrats lose their jobs in the coming months, it’s wise to remember Eric Hoffer’s words: “Nothing is so unsettling to a social order as the presence of a mass of scribes without suitable employment and an acknowledged status.” There needs to be a plan, as their response is likely to be drastic, and possibly dangerous." Maybe Homan can leave some room at Gitmo? Thomas Massie@RepThomasMassie, "I just reintroduced H.R. 899, a one sentence bill to TERMINATE the federal department of education and return power back to teachers and parents. This is it, the entire bill:" Short and to the point. Stephen Moore at Hat Hair has A Smart Way to Pay for the Trump Tax Cut: Auction Federal Assets. Buildings, land, old furniture and office equipment. I once visited the government surplus warehouse in Springfield VA. It's like the warehouse at the end of Indiana Jones I where they stuck the Ark of the Covenant. 

Scott Adams@ScottAdamsSays "We are entering the "WTF" discovery phase of DOGE." Quote Elon Musk@elonmusk, "The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career . . ." Off The Press @OffThePress1, "JUST IN: The federal government has saved over $1 BILLION by ending DEI-related contracts, according to a new breakdown released by @DOGE. That includes a staggering $228 million at USAID and $110 million at the Department of Agriculture." Da Wire, ‘Triggered’ No More: Federal Tech Arm Deletes ‘Inclusion Bot’ After Musk Takeover. "Federal office overrun by "they/thems" surrenders after resisting in Trump's first term." Luke Rosiak@lukerosiak, "DELETED: GSA's tech arm, a far-left agency that viciously subverted Trump during his first term, surrendered after an @elonmusk deputy took over. It deleted huge swaths of code dedicated to virtue-signaling rather than mission, such as its "inclusion bot" that lectured staff." Twitchy, DOGE Locks Out OPM Officials by Changing Their Passwords Ian Miles Cheong@stillgray "Incredible. DOGE has take command of the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and changed all the passwords of every employee who has been working from home. These employees have lost all access to personnel databases and are no longer in control. This is the reckoning." Department of Government Efficiency@DOGE "This is the split of administrators vs. teaching staff at the top 25 endowed universities. We are investing in bureaucracy over actual education. Source: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacent" At Althouse, "Mr. Musk, who has been given wide latitude by President Trump to find ways to slash government spending, has recently fixated..." ""... on Treasury’s payment processes, criticizing the department in a social media post on Saturday for not rejecting more payments as fraudulent or improper. It is not clear whether the team led by Mr. Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, has blocked any payments since gaining access to the system." From "Elon Musk’s team has gotten access to the Treasury Department’s payments system" (NYT). This continues the story discussed earlier today in "What the DOGE team discovered."" At ET, Replace the Income Tax With Tariffs? "No matter how you do the math, there is simply no way that the tariff can make up the difference. The only solution, then, is massive cuts in government spending, which people like Elon Musk have promised but we are waiting to see the plans." 

Hat Hai cites DoD, 'Identity Months Dead at the DoD' "Going forward, DoD Components and Military Departments will not use official resources, to include man-hours, to host celebrations or events related to cultural awareness months, including National African American/Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and National American Indian Heritage Month. Service members and civilians remain permitted to attend these events in an unofficial capacity outside of duty hours." From WokeSpy, Trump Reinstates Military Personnel Who Refused COVID Vax. Steve Hayward at Power Line, Trump and the First Rule of Politics "Trump never plays defense. Yesterday he issued a proclamation of Black History Month, and note who he singles out for recognition . . ." Twitchy, DEI Obsessed Lefty Political Activist Tells the Whole World She Has NO IDEA What the ADA Is or Does: Olivia Julianna@0liviajulianna "The man is literally disabled and in a wheelchair. DEI is literally the reason the Capitol building is accessible to him." Quote Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, " JUST IN: Texas Governor Greg Abbott signs order to ensure DEI is nowhere to be found in all state agencies." NYPo, Trump administration removes transgender references from federal government websites. Jeff Charles at TownHall, Hospitals Are Pausing 'Gender-Affirming Care' for Minors After Trump Executive Order. Misty Severi at JTN reports Trump foreign aid freeze pulls over $1 million in funding for LGBT programs in Ireland, Serbia, "The revelations additionally come after the Trump administration found the USAID earmarked $15 million for contraceptives and condoms last year for Afghanistan." At Real Clear Markets, Stefan Padfield believes The Excuses For DEI Programs Get Worse and Worse.

At TCW, Robert F Kennedy Jr’s magnificent fight back against the demented Democrats. At Fox, GOP senator faces intraparty criticism after saying he is 'struggling' with RFK Jr's confirmation. "'RFK is going to run HHS whether you like it or not,' says GOP Rep Clay Higgins." Sara Arnold at TownHall, Why This Billionaire Is Putting Far-Left Sen. Warnock on Notice “Man do I regret ever helping you,” Shanahan said. “The only reason you’re in that seat is because I sent massive financial support to Shirley Sherrod’s c4 to mobilize rural Georgia during the 2020 runoff. I’ll be correcting that massive mistake asap. You’re awful.” Althouse, "I mean, when you talk to these Republican lawmakers privately, they all understand a vote against something that Donald Trump really cares about is a vote to end your career." "Said Jonathan Swan, on yesterday's episode of the NYT's "Daily" podcast, "Trump 2.0 Arrives in Force."" cold@coldhealing, "chevron using the term "gulf of america" repeatedly in their earnings press release is the equivalent of bank of america putting up their pride month flag profile picture but for our new antiwoke overlords."

From NewsMax, Venezuela Frees 6 Americans After Trump Envoy Visits, Ric Grenell. Breitbart sees Trump Double Down on U.S. Retaking Panama Canal: ‘They’ve Totally Violated the Agreement’. Hat Hair cites the AP, Quelle Surprise: Arab Nations Are a 'HELL, NO' on Accepting Palestinians From Gaza. Beege Welborn snarks "BWAHAhahahaha! I will lay a big, fat donut on the bet that Trump just threw that out there to prove the point that there ain't NOBODY wantin' these homicidal psychopaths anywhere near them. And now that we've established they're absolutely incorrigible, untrustworthy savages, plans can move forward from here how to deal with them." Rebeccah Heinrichs at NYPo, Trump is killing terrorists again and cleaning up Biden’s disastrous mistakes — it’s glorious. Althouse, "This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia." ""These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done. I did! The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that 'WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!'" Writes President Trump, at X, just now." Tom Knighton at TAW thinks Trump's strength highlights Biden's weakness.

Tom Knighton at Bearing Arms Brandon Herrera Has Interesting Take on What ATF Should Do. "In short, instead of making the ATF continue along the current track of pushing unconstitutional laws just to justify its existence, use the ATF to dismantle the gun regulatory scheme. He figures that it can be accomplished in a couple of years."

Susan Crabtree@susancrabtree, "Important Clarification: 88 is the number of FBI agents and top managers who ACTUALLY were walked out of their offices today, including those at the Washington Field Office, Palm Beach, and Miami FBI offices. That number also includes special agents in charge of various field offices around the country." At TNP, Trump’s FBI Cleans House, At Least 20 Senior Officials Dismissed. Bob Hoge at RedState, Friday Night Smackdown at the DOJ—Dozens of J6 Prosecutors Sent Packing. WaPoo whines the new D.C. U.S. attorney fires Jan. 6 prosecutors, launches new probes, "Ed Martin has fired Jan. 6 prosecutors, launched investigations of Capitol riot prosecutions and threatened the nation’s top elected Democrat with an inquiry." When you strike at a king . . . Beth Brelje at Da Fed sees the irony that Dems Worry Kash Patel Could Weaponize FBI Against Political Enemies Like They Did. At the 4th Rail, Former FBI Director Sucked at His Job, Now We're Vulnerable.

Matt Margolis is pleased This Top Senate Democrat Is Now Under Federal Investigation, Schumer. Roger Kimball at Am Great, Schumer Under Investigation While Trump Reshapes Washington. "Schumer faces scrutiny over past threats to justices, while Trump dismantles DEI, deports migrants, and strikes ISIS, signaling a shift in Washington’s priorities." Twitchy, 'The Hits Just Keep on Coming!' DOJ Hints About Probe of Chuck Schumer Over SCOTUS Threats. US Homeland Security News @defense_civil25, "Update: Senator Chuck Schumer is now officially under investigation by the Department of Justice for making threats against conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justices!" TMK @TheMagaKing2_0 ""I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard." – Donald J. Trump "We're going to fight it in the streets." – Hakeem Jeffries See the difference?"

At NewsMax, Ill. Gov. Pritzker Bars Jan. 6 Pardonees From State Jobs. Fox, Anthony Fauci may be deposed as GOP intensifies COVID investigations in new Congress. "'There are still questions to be answered,' Sen. Rand Paul said after announcing his plan to subpoena 14 agencies" Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley "Sen. Paul appears ready to take on Biden' s preemptive pardons with new demands for the deposition of Anthony Fauci. https://foxnews.com/politics/anthony-fauci-deposed-gop-covid-investigations-congress… As noted earlier, the pardon will not protect Fauci from new claims of false statements. Indeed, the pardon could make it more difficult to claim the privilege against self-incrimination."

Hat Hair reports The ICEman's Reach Is Long - Immigrant Arrests in Guam. Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_ "ICE and HSI even arresting criminal aliens in Guam" Quote HSI Honolulu @HSIHonolulu, "In Guam on Jan. 30 HSI, ERO, and USMS Deputy Marshals conducted a joint operation to protect the community by apprehending immigrants with outstanding criminal warrants. @HSI_HQ." Breitbart has more ICE: Fentanyl-Dealing Tren de Aragua Gang Members Arrested in South Carolina.

Althouse, The Democrats have elected their party chair. See my discussion of the race for the chair, earlier today, here. ADDED: Here's the NYT article on the subject, "Democrats Elect Ken Martin, a Party Insider, to Lead the D.N.C./The Democratic National Committee chose Mr. Martin, the leader of the Minnesota Democrats, to help oversee a demoralized national party split over its future and its response to President Trump." Mr. Martin defeated seven other candidates, including his top rival, Ben Wikler, the energetic chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. Mr. Wikler’s base of support came from the party’s biggest donors and institutional players in Washington.... There's a lot of room between starting over and denying that you've got anything wrong with you. Defending former Vice President Kamala Harris’s performance as a candidate reminds me of a big flaw in her performance: defending Joe Biden's performance as President." Buck Sexton@BuckSexton "Whenever you think Democrats have screwed up so badly, they’ll finally learn their lesson- they dig in and find a way to make it worse." At RVN, Kamala Was ‘Traumatized’ By Joe Rogan Interviewing Donald Trump: Report. “Trump spent three hours with Rogan in an interview that instantly went viral. The contrast amounted to a ‘traumatic event,’ said one Harris aide, ‘that I will never forget,’” Allen and Parnes wrote." WUWT sees a ‘Revolving Door’: Biden’s Ocean Energy Chief Went To Work For Major Offshore Wind Company After Admin Boosted Industry.

George@BehizyTweets, "BREAKING: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth just kicked The New York Times, NBC, NPR, and Politico out of their Pentagon press offices to give space to the New York Post, Breitbart, OANN, and HuffPost. Hegseth must be attempting to set the world record for the most transformational changes made in a single month. WOW!" At Da Caller, Defense Department Orders ‘Unique’ Move Against Media Establishment Entrenched In Halls Of Pentagon.

From the Free Bacon, Contrarians, Assemble: Chuck Todd's Exit From NBC Fuels Speculation of Resistance 'Dream Team.' "Gonna take misinformation down to zero." At Da Fed, Elle Purnell lists The 12 Worst Fails Of Media Propagandist And Toilet Paper Bandit Chuck Todd’s Career. Phil Kerpen @kerpen, "Harwood is a known moron, but there is an interesting insight here. The left thinks it's fascism when their unelected permanent bureaucracy is placed under the control of the people's elected chief executive." Quote John Harwood@JohnJHarwood, "Trump is plunging the United States into fascism x.com/brianschatz/st…" At Twitchy, Mollie Hemingway & Others Point and Laugh at Defense of Continued Funding for 'Unbiased' NPR. Shashi Bellamkonda @shashib "NPR is a crucial resource for listeners of all economic groups and ages because it provides unbiased news, fosters thoughtful discussion, and covers important stories that might otherwise be overlooked. Its coverage of remote American communities and global issues is essential Show more" Mollie @MZHemingway, "You meant to say "spews daily propaganda, shuts down thoughtful debate, and censors important stories."" Jon Levine at NYPo is pretty happy that CBS agrees to hand over ’60 Minutes’ Harris interview transcripts to FCC. Matt Taibbi at Racket, About Those Onesies "A brief note to Senator Bernie Sanders." "Regarding your “Are you supportive of these onesies?” questioning: the organization that makes those products, Children’s Health Defense, does indeed list Kennedy as a founder and former CEO. It’s also one of the most censored organizations in the world, a distinction the group shares with Kennedy, one of the most censored individuals. You and Mr. Kennedy were both cited by one of the leading government-partnered “anti-disinformation” groups during the pandemic, the Stanford-based “Virality Project.”"

At the College Fix, Professor says monuments to American pioneers ‘reinforce white supremacy. Toni Airakinsen, finds a STUDY: Objectivity and Rationalism Now Signs of "White Supremacy." The Victory Girls sees Columbia: Ivy League Communist Fangirls Strike Again. 

John Sexton at Hat Hair enjoys his schadenfreude as The First Trans Person Nominated for an Oscar is Being Canceled Over Tweets.

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Return to Mediocrity up and running at The Other McCain.

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