Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Flotsam and Jetsam - DIY Wednesday

 It's been a while since I've had to dump them like this, but it's just one of those days:

Trump and the Republicans

Carney says Canada 'never for sale' after Trump again suggests 51st state plan
Althouse: "I look forward to meeting the new Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney. I very much want to work with him, but cannot understand one simple TRUTH..."
The Best Press Availability Ever Held in the Oval Office - The Last Refuge
Trump Just Made This Nation Drop its Tariffs to Zero
Trade War Fallout in China a Mystery; Beijing Stopped Reporting Key Economic Data
Treasury Secretary Bessent and USTR Jamieson Greer Will Meet Chinese Trade Counterparts in Switzerland - The Last Refuge
Lithuania knows how to have a backbone against China, the EU should take note - Brussels SignalSouth Korea Invests Big in Texas - RealClearWorld
Trump Tells Hollywood to Make Movies in America or Pay the Price [WATCH]
Hollywood Panics After Trump Proposes 100% Tariff on Movies Filmed Outside the U.S.A.
Strong European Demand Pushes U.S. LNG Exports Up by 20% – HotAir
Up next: the deregulation of America - Don Surber
Ace of Spades HQ Trump: I'll Stop Bombing the Houthis Because They Called Me Up and Totally "Capitulated"
BREAKING: Trump Pauses Houthi Campaign After 'Capitulation'? – HotAir
The Trump-Iran Deal Explained – HotAir
Starmer Preparing for War With Russia – HotAir
Hegseth orders Pentagon to cut number of senior generals by 20% - LocalNews8.com - KIFI
(1) Cynical Publius on X: "Pete, I know you got this and you are totally awesome, but I also know the Joint Staff is going to come up with a bunch of COAs on how to make these cuts that will be presented in a 120-slide PowerPoint deck after 9 months of coordination with the Services and USD (P&R), so can I" / X
Pete Hegseth - "Less Generals, More GIs Policy" - Victory Girls Blog
Trump Envoy Witkoff Signals Potential Breakthrough In Abraham Accords
Hegseth Directs Pentagon To Reduce Senior General Ranks By 20%
Border Czar Homan Reacts to Plan to Reopen Alcatraz Prison
(1) The Babylon Bee on X: "Trump To Expand Alcatraz By Putting Up Fence Around San Francisco https://t.co/GwypfUUa4o https://t.co/EsVL6oww3q" / X
DC Mayor Looks Hilariously Uncomfortable Standing Behind Trump As He Rips Biden, Illegals – RedState
Trump Responds to AI Pope Image: "My Wife Thought It Was Cute"
FDA’s Chief Inspector Abruptly Steps Down
All GOP Senators Have to Do Is Not Be Dumb, So We’re in Trouble
Shock Poll: Majority of American Muslims DON’T Oppose Trump’s Gaza Plan; Take Anger Out on DEMOCRATS! – PJ Media
Althouse: "Until now, arguments for limiting consumption have tended to come from the left rather than the right."

The Democrats

Biden Aides Privately Feared His Decline: 'There’s No Obama Out There. Who’s Going to Do It?'
Biden memo let feds target Americans for 'non-criminal behavior' before Catholics, parents probed - Just The News
Biden Fudged the Numbers—Trump’s Deportation Machine Sets the Record Straight
Sit Down, Stolen Valor: Tim Walz Weighs In on Trans Military Ban and Whew ... That Was a BAD IDEA – Twitchy
Charlie Kirk: ‘We Are Seeing the Base of the Democrat Party Evaporate’ [WATCH]
DNC Vice Chair David Hogg Turns on His Own Party: “Clearly Something Is Not Going Right Here” – WokeSpy
Grab the Popcorn: Reps. Jasmine Crockett and AOC Squabble Over House Oversight Leadership – The Populist Times
Federal student loans are due again. A record percentage of borrowers are seriously delinquent | CNN Business
Democrats Feeling Hopeful About 2026 Senate Map – HotAir

The 'Justice' System

Supreme Court rules to allow, for now, Trump ban on trans military members - Fox News
Supreme Court Issues Ruling on Trump's Transgender Military Ban
(None Dare Call It) Treason of the Judiciary – HotAir
Breaking: Supreme Court Hands Down Momentous Decision on Transgenders in the Military – RedState
(None Dare Call It) Treason of the Judiciary - RealClearPolitics
NEW: SCOTUS Reinstates Ban on Trans Troops; Tide Turning On the Left? – HotAir
Supreme Court Affirms President Trump Can Block Mentally Unstable People from the Military - The Last Refuge
Stephen Miller’s AFL Files Bombshell Lawsuit Against Chief Justice Roberts for Violating FOIA
Grassley Moves to End Rogue District Judges Blocking Trump’s Orders Nationwide [WATCH]
Could 'President' Boasberg Pick His Own US Attorney for DC? – HotAir
Trump’s Nominee For DC Prosecutor Faces Uncertainty
Ace of Spades HQ Leftwing Saboteur Tom Tillis is Blocking the Appointment of Ed Martin to be Trump's US Attorney for DC -- an Absolutely Critical Position -- and Will Allow Leftwing Judge Boasberg to Pick the US Attorney
A Republican turncoat courts a Trump judgeship - Blaze Media
FBI ‘misled the public’ in claiming 2017 GOP baseball shooting wasn’t domestic terror: House Intel - Just The News
Ace of Spades HQ House Report: FBI "Butchered" Fake Investigation Into Softball Shooter James T. Hodgkinson, Lied About His Motives for Shooting Up GOP Congressmen
House Releases New Report on Congressional Baseball Shooting – HotAir
Tulsi Gabbard Reacts to Pulling Hillary Clinton’s Security Clearance: “I Smiled” – The Populist Times
Trump calls NY AG Letitia James ‘a total crook’ — says DOJ will ‘do what’s right’ on fraud criminal referral
Trump Orders DOJ To Take ‘All Necessary Action’ To Secure Release of Tina Peters Over 2020 Election Charges

DOGE

NSA Expected To Cut Up To 2K Civilian Jobs
Foreign Aid Official Who Resisted DOGE Took Secret Payments After Steering Africa Money To Friend

Illegal Immigration

DOJ charges roughly 1,300 illegal migrants with immigration crimes during first week of May - Just The News
Corrupt Venezuelan officials ‘facilitated’ Tren de Aragua gang’s reign of terror in US – DNyuz
JD Vance Torches Ilhan Omar! Immigration Game-Changer Sparks Liberal Meltdown! – HotAir
Why the Husband of a Top CBS News Correspondent Just Had His Business Raided by ICE

Media Matters

They Hate Trump SO Much, They Gave the Pulitzer to the Bullet – HotAir
Kash Patel Vindicated: MSNBC Forced to Retract False Claim About the FBI Director [WATCH]

The Great Culture War

Building Occupation Leads to Arrests at University of Washington – HotAir
The Long Shove Back Out Of The Institutions – HotAir
Dave Portnoy Gets Mixed Reviews for Handling of Antisemitic Incident in His Bar
Bill Ackman says Harvard not 'entitled' to federal funds
Women Swimmers File Complaint After Unknowingly Competing Against Trans Athlete
We have met the pigs… - by Benjamin Kerstein

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: A Week of Wins! ready and awaiting clicks at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

Richmond's surrounding counties are annoyed with the city for not telling them quickly enough about a water event — again.

Why it matters: The issue was a fluoride spike in the local water supply, and city officials didn't tell Richmonders or the counties about it for nearly five days.

State of play: Last Wednesday, employees at Richmond's water plant had issues installing a new fluoride pump, leading to excess fluoride accidentally being pumped into the drinking water for about five hours, per a city release.
  • City levels were four times higher than the optimal target of 0.7 milligrams per liter during that period, but the water was safe to drink and below the maximum allowable limit set by federal standards, Richmond officials say.
  • Because Hanover, Henrico and Chesterfield share the city's water supply, the counties also had increased fluoride levels last week.
Zoom out: The counties didn't find out about the issue until late Sunday night, per Monday afternoon statements.

Fluoride is insanely toxic. Which is the reason we, as a small water co-op are not permitted to add flouride to our water. If you can screw up and add four times too much, you can screw up and add 1000x too much. Who hasn't lost a decimal or three? 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: San Romero Knights ready and awaiting clicks at The Other McCain.

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Beach Report 5/6/25

What a gorgeous day!

Do you see it?


The best of 23 shark's teeth (although there were a couple of close runner ups), a nice clean upper Snaggle 

Flotsam and Jetsam - Bannon Credits God with Saving Trump for a Second Term

Althouse, "I can tell you... '16 was providential. That was the hand of God.... The pandemic and the stealing of the 2020 election was also the hand of God." ""At the time, it didn't seem that [way] but if we had gone right into a second term, it would have been like trench warfare. It would have been like the Western Front in World War I, just two sides dug in, and they kind of had Trump surrounded. God's hand worked that we would step back.… We had the time to regroup. Trump had the time to think.... You had those four years of preparation." Said Steve Bannon." Dan Chaitin at Da Wire, Trump Drops Two Names When Asked About A Successor. Vance and Rubio. I could live with either one. 

Fox reports Trump's 16th week in office to include WH meeting with Canada, ongoing trade negotiations. "Trump's week to also include talks about ending Russia-Ukraine war." Sundance at CTH sees the American Consumer Market Just Too Valuable – India Agrees to Align with Trump Tariff and Trade Terms and German Automaker Smartly Shifts Business Plan in Response to Tariffs – Mercedes Will Make More Vehicles in USA. John Sexton at Hat Hair hears Tariffs Are Having a Dramatic Impact on China's Economy. "Estimates of China's annual growth are already being cut sharply." Althouse highlights the plight of "The tariffs have made it impossible for Mr. Liu to continue selling on Amazon, where he previously made about $1 on every garment but now just 50 cents." ""And he felt he could not cut his employees’ pay, Mr. Liu said, as workers at a labor market crowded past his motorbike, which he had parked on the sidewalk with a dress sample draped over the handlebars. 'You can’t sell anything to the United States right now,' Mr. Liu said. 'The tariffs are too high.'" From "China’s Garment Factories Face a Tipping Point After New Tariffs/As a U.S. tax loophole ends, the apparel makers that sell to America are forced to consider alternative markets or cheaper locations in and outside China" (NYT)." At Da Caller, Bessent Demands Europe Scrap ‘Unfair’ Regulatory Shakedown. CNN whines Trump says he would extend TikTok deadline if no deal reached by June 19. Dave Strom at Hat Hair wonders Did the Media Notice That the Stock Market Recovered? They noticed, and scrupulously avoided pointing it out. 

Paul D. Thacker@thackerpd "Trump signs Executive Order to end federal funding for gain-of-function virus research which many now believe caused the COVID pandemic." It seems nearly certain that gain-of-function research made COVID, the big remaining question is how much American money contributed to the effort. UPI, Trump honors space exploration on National Astronaut Day. "Observance marks 64th anniversary of Alan Shepard becoming first American in space." Katy Perry not invited. Sundance hosts President Trump Announces Location for 2027 NFL Draft, and Takes Media Questions, "on the National Mall Washington DC". I guess if I can sing and play guitar there, the NFL can use it for the draft. Dave Strom presents A Unified Theory of Trump Trolling. The Dank Knight @capeandcowell, "Tell AI to make you the pope and post it. Every lib will suddenly become pro catholic. Trust me."

'Becca Downs at TownHall sees Judge Boasberg Keeps Getting Assigned Trump Cases. Lawmakers Want to Know Why. Just Facts Dayly looks at all the Misinformation About the Arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan. Seth Barrett Tillman has some PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON THE RECENT LITIGATION INVOLVING SECTION THREE OF THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT. 


Althouse catches a weird story about Elon Musk, "Neighbors soon grew frustrated with the constant hubbub at the house. They saw people coming and going carrying gun holsters..." "... as the security team ballooned along with Mr. Musk’s safety concerns. Though Texas has permissive gun laws, the activity stood out. 'I call that place Fort Knox,' said Mr. Hemmer, a retired real estate agent who lives across the street and is president of the neighborhood homeowners association.... Mr. Hemmer, who has long owned a Tesla, grew so frustrated with his neighbor that he began flying a drone over the house to check for city violations, and he keeps a video camera trained on the property around the clock. Last year, he complained to West Lake Hills officials about Mr. Musk’s fence, the traffic and how he thought the owner was operating a security business from the property. Mr. Musk’s security team also contacted the West Lake Hills Police Department about Mr. Hemmer, according to city records. One security official accused Mr. Hemmer last year of standing naked in the street, according to the records. Mr. Hemmer denied that he was naked and said he was on his property wearing black underwear. On another night, he said, he was walking his dog fully clothed and stopped when he suddenly needed to urinate — which Mr. Musk’s camera captured. 'The cameras got me,' Mr. Hemmer said. 'It’s scary they have guys sitting and watching me pee.'"

Leslie Eastman at LI, rejoices as EPA Cancels All Environmental Justice Grants "These grants fund many “panda” projects that sound good but actually direct monies to eco-activsts and their anti-American antics." "$52 million EPA “Environmental Justice” grant for Minneapolis Foundation, in partnership with NDN Collective, a communist org that wanted to close Mount Rushmore because it’s a “symbol of white supremacy”."

Rasmussen has a REMINDER: Rasmussen Reports @Rasmussen_Poll "propaganda - noun - prŏp″ə-găn′də - the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person STILL no explanations - no apologies - no comments Harris was never ahead, they knew it, and they did this:" Possibly related, from John Sexton, Biden's Team Decided Not to Give Him a Cognitive Test in Early 2024. Gee, I wonder why. AOL, Former First Lady Jill Biden Finds A New Gig In The Swamp, Miranda Devine@mirandadevine, "Grifters gonna grift." Quote Matt Stoller @matthewstoller, "Jill Biden is going to work for billionaire ex-con Michael Milken - who got pardoned for securities fraud - to work on ‘women’s health.’ That’s DOCTOR Jill Biden, good sir." Liz Stauffer at LI, Breathtaking Remarks from Dem Leaders Reveal Precisely Why Party Is in the Wilderness "“People say to me all the time, ‘James, why don’t we just do like the Republicans do, just stand up and lie?'” Remember, for Democrats telling an inconvenient truth is lying. Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal worries about How Many Biden Appointees ‘Burrowed in’ to the Permanent Bureaucracy? Both parties do it, of course.

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, DHS: We'll Pay You to Self-Deport! NYPo, Trump admin set to pay illegal migrants $1,000 to self-deport, and DHS says it will save taxpayers a ton. It would save a lot of work, but wonder how many will take them up on it.

Jorge Bonilla @BonillaJL, ""EDITED FOR CLARITY": NBC News cuts President Trump's mention of the emergence of damning evidence against Kilmar Abrego García from the Meet the Press broadcast." From Twitchy, WOW: CNN Officially CROSSES A LINE In Their Trump Hate With Disturbing Interview of Drug Cartel. Pop Times, My Respect: CNN’s Interview with Sinaloa Cartel Member About Trump Backfires, Internet Claps Back "Seemingly, the reporter did not get the answer she wanted and thus, asked follow-up questions to strike the right note. However, even the bloody Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, against which the Trump administration has declared war, does not hate the president as much as the left does." Insurrection Barbie @DefiyantlyFree, "CNN is now interviewing cartel members to ask how they feel about being labeled terrorists. You cannot make this stuff up." Mary Margaret Olohan @MaryMargOlohan, "Remember when angel mom Patty Morin emotionally described to the White House press how an illegal immigrant brutally raped and murdered her daughter? CNN cut away from Patty to air segments about Gavin Newsom and the NBA." Monica Showalter at Am Think notices the Pulitzer judges pass over iconic AP photo of Trump defiantly waving his fist with blood running down his face after assassination attempt.  
At Splice Today, Mark Judge (remember him?) explains Why NPR Refuses to Have Me on the Air. "One more reason to defund public radio." Dave Portnoy@stoolpresidente "So @6abc begged me to do an interview about the incident at our bar. Since it was local I agreed. Then the reporter tried to say Barstool and I and white men were responsible for the incident. Austin started recording once it got contentious."

From the Remodern Review, Trump Takes Aim at National Endowment for the Arts. PJM's Rick Moran wants to know What Is the Government Doing Funding 'Art' in the First Place? It's another leftist grift. 

SAN, NYU bans dozens of pro-Palestinian students, requires pledge to stop protests. At Am Great Roger Kimball analyzes The Politicized Mind: How the University Lost Its Way. "Academia’s collapse stems not from too much politics, but from the absence of anything but politics—and the virtues needed to resist it are in dangerously short supply."

Jeff Charles at TownHall HHS Releases Damning Report on 'Gender-Affirming Care'. Of course, in a Biden Admin the HHS would release the opposite. The mere fact that the direction of the report depends on who is in office explains why you should heavily discount any government report. At Da Wire, Janet Mills And Her Family Get Rich Off The Maine Governor’s Transgender Stance. ""All a coincidence, I'm sure." There's plenty good money to be made mutilating kids. PJM's Vicky Taft thinks California Democrats Prove Again That They Care More About Perverts Than Kids, "state Assembly Democrats have fought to keep sexual predators from facing felony charges when they approach or victimize 16- and 17-year-old Californians. Republicans want to include much tougher penalties for victims up to the age of 18."

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: A Week of Wins! ready and awaiting clicks at The Other McCain.

Tattoo Tuesday

Archaeologists from universities in the United States and Denmark found, deep within the Actun Uayazba Kab cave in Belize, two small stone tools dated between 250 and 900 AD that could be the first Maya tattoo instruments ever discovered.

The pieces are made of obsidian and have an elongated shape with a sharp tip. Researchers believe they were used to create permanent tattoos by piercing the skin and introducing pigments with them.

 

Interestingly, these tools are not regular knives but stone fragments specifically modified for this purpose. Under microscopic analysis, researchers found wear marks consistent with repeated use on skin, as well as traces of a black pigment, possibly carbon-based ink or soot.

From historical sources, we know that the Maya practiced tattooing, but until now no tools had been found to confirm it. The Spanish documented that tattoos were symbols of bravery for men and beauty for women, and that they featured animal figures such as snakes or eagles, sometimes also incorporating sacred glyphs. On some occasions, they were also used as punishment, to mark the faces of thieves.
We're so much more civilized. Our criminals pay for their own tattoos. 


The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: San Romero Knights ready and awaiting clicks at The Other McCain.

Monday, May 5, 2025

MDDNR Seeks Women

MDDNR. ‘Women on the Water’ Fishing and Boating Workshop Welcomes New and Returning Anglers

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is hosting “Women on the Water,” a free introductory workshop on boating and fishing for women and girls 12 and older, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on May 7 at Seneca Creek State Park. While designed for women and girls, this program is open to anyone 12 and older. Registration is available now on the “Women on the Water” event page.

New or returning boaters and anglers can receive information about boating opportunities followed by fishing and kayaking instruction. Department staff will provide fishing gear for the event and teach the basics of fish identification, rigging a rod, and casting techniques.

 

Following instruction on land, participants can take to the water in a kayak, which will be provided along with required safety equipment. Kayak instructors will teach the basics and guide participants onto Clopper Lake for an evening of paddling and fishing. Participants who prefer to stay ashore can practice casting into the lake from shore.

Anglers aged 16 and older must possess a Maryland non-tidal/freshwater fishing license prior to attending if they wish to fish in the lake. Licensing will NOT be available at the event. Fishing licenses can be purchased online, at DNR service centers, or at sport license agent retailers.

Questions about the event can be emailed to Donna Morrow at donna.morrow@maryland.gov.

Maryland DNR needs to sell more fishing licenses and boat registrations. What better way than to make boating and fishing more with the distaff half of the population.  

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: San Romero Knights ready and awaiting clicks at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Trump Meets the Press

Bob Hoge at RedState 'Such a Dishonest Interview Already'—Trump Sits With NBC, and the Media Response Is Utterly Predictable Rapid Response 47 @RapidResponse47 "Meet the Fake Press: "Prices are already going up..." @POTUS: "This is such a dishonest interview already. Prices are down on groceries. Prices are down for oil. Prices are down for all energy. Prices are down at tremendous numbers for gasoline."" Althouse posts Trump on "Meet the Press." "Watch the whole thing. I did." Sundance at CTH hosts Sunday Talks – NBC Extensive Interview with President Trump – Video and Transcript and President Trump Delivers Brutally Honest Impromptu Presser Aboard Airforce One. Matt Vespa at TownHall, What These Black Trump Supporters Said on CNN Obliterated This Anti-Trump Myth. At OTP, Trump Says Will Be ‘Eight-Year President,’ Touts Vance, Rubio As Future Of GOP. Don Surber says They fear something greater than Trump. They fear you. Alex Berenson at Unreported Truths explores the question, Did Covid lockdowns and school closures swing young people sharply right? Larry Eldar at Hat Hair marvels at The First 100 Days For The Trump-Hating Left. "Suddenly, Democrats are pro-"insurrection."" 

At NYPo, Despite their denials, China is losing the tariffs war and retreating as fast as it can. Da Blaze, China blinks first, quietly drops tariffs on some US products. Leslie Eastman at LI, China Poised to Address Fentanyl Crisis in Gambit to Start Trade Talks with Trump. "It appears that Trump is open to considering the next move." ET, Most US-Bound iPhones Will No Longer Be Made in China, Says Apple, "Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors in a second quarter earnings call that the company will import the bulk of its phones for the American market from India." WokeSpy sees JD Vance Saves the Day After 3 Republicans Side with Dems to Stop Trump’s Tariffs. Dave Marcus at Fox, The Americans I talk to will sacrifice for real change. At Althouse, "The client, a townhouse owner in Williamsburg, had a vision of a rooftop greenhouse for morning yoga and coffee." ""Dankman had been hired on in January and the initial estimate for the project was around $55,000 — $40,000 for materials alone. But by the time he started placing aluminum orders in April, Trump had kicked off his chaotic tariff spree, and the cost of materials jumped to almost $50,000. This is a tricky thing to have to tell someone, even if that someone has the sort of funds to build a yoga gazebo on their roof. 'Some of our clients are understanding the situation; some of them are just expecting us to eat the cost,' says Dankman...." A rooftop greenhouse for morning yoga and coffee.... yes, this is exactly the point at which I'm going to start caring about the tariffs." I almost started caring a few days ago when I heard a story about a young woman who ordered 4 dresses because they only cost $8 each and might later cost $12 each. Are these tariff empathy stories trying to get us not to care?"

The NYPo ed board says Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget plan delivers for America. At ET, Democrats Decry Spending Cuts in Trump’s 2026 Budget Proposal. "The proposal seeks $163 billion in cuts to non-defense programs, a 22.6 percent decline from 2025. Many progressive policy initiatives would be eliminated."

From OTP Zelensky Says Ukraine Reaching Ceasefire Deal With Russia ‘Possible At Any Moment.’ Josh Hammer at Hat Hair looks at The Art of a Second Iran Deal. WokeSpy, “Will be Punished”: Consequences Arrive Early for Canadian Voters after Doubling Down on Wokeism, "the globalist Prime Minister has unveiled a raft of left-leaning policies that threaten to damage the Canadian economy than the much-feared Trump tariffs ever could." Sundance has a Sunday Funny – President Trump Supports Plan for Alberta, Canada to Secede and Become U.S. 51st State and Călin Georgescu’s Replacement in Romania, George Simion Wins First Round of Voting in Critical Battle Against EU Intelligence Apparatus.

AP whines Trump says he’ll reopen Alcatraz prison for ‘America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders.’ Bob Hoge, Trump Has Big Plans for Notorious Alcatraz Prison—'This Will Be a Huge Win!’ Sundance, President Trump Proposes Reopening Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco. Stray voltage, although it would be a good place to send some Democrats to. At the Midwesterner, Trump sues Dana Nessel, Gretchen Whitmer over lawfare targeting the fossil fuel industry. Cam Edwards at BA is happy Trump Calls For Big Cuts to ATF Budget, Citing Attacks on Second Amendment. From NewsMax, Trump Moving Healthcare Debate Away From Heavy Handed Gov't and Trump Media Quits Delaware for 'Pro-business' Florida.

Da Wire, Trump Rips Judiciary After Judge Nixes Mass Deportation Plan, "Can it be so that Judges aren't allowing the USA to Deport Criminals, including Murderers, out of our Country and back to where they came from?" From RedState Bonchie sends Obama Judge Goes Full Theater Kid, Declares It 'Unconstitutional' for Trump to Pull Security Clearances and Becca Lower sees the Trump Administration Files an Emergency Appeal With SCOTUS After Fed Judge Blocks DOGE From SSA Access. Alan Dershowitz to Newsmax: Justice Ignored Precedence of Attacking Judges.

Sarah Arnold at TownHall reports Tulsi Gabbard Opens Probe Into Fauci’s Role In Gain-of-Function Research, COVID Origins. Sundance sees the Deep State Weigh In – Mike Turner Interviewed by CBS Margaret Brennan.

From Da Caller, Over 15,000 USDA Employees Take Trump’s Resignation Offer. Sarah Arnold again, State Department Analyst Busted for $650K Embezzlement In Stunning Breach of Public Trust. Insty reports ELON WINS HIS FIRST ELECTION: gorklon rust @elonmusk, "Starbase, Texas Is now a real city!" Nick Sortor @nicksortor "It was a freaking LANDSLIDE! The people voted 173-4!"

From LifeZette, Jen Psaki Denies Seeing Biden’s Obvious Issues, Claims it’s Dangerous to Call it a ‘Cover Up.’ At USA Today, Walz's weird 'code talk' moment exposes why Democrats keep losing. From WokeSpy, Swalwell Busts Out Tinfoil Hat: Claims Musk’s Starlink May Have Rigged 2024 Election for Trump, (Election denier!) and Gretchen Whitmer Now Declares Trump Triggering “Constitutional Crisis” — Day After Tarmac Hug! At PJM, Scott Pinsker says The Coup Against Sen. Fetterman Is Officially Underway.

Nick Ballasy at JTN hears Trump says he's not lifting emergency declaration on southern border ""We have a massive emergency overall. It’s an overall emergency on immigration," Trump said." Why would he? It's working. AP is happy to report Mexico’s president says she rejected Trump’s plan to send US troops across the border. Then stop sending your criminals. PJMs Kevin Downey speaks for all of us Dear Democrats, We the People Have Had Enough of Your Illegal Immigrants' Violence, with a list of examples. At Hat Hair, AZ Gov Katie Hobbs Vetoes Legislation Requiring Her to Follow Federal Law, but she still has to. Benny Johnson @bennyjohnson, "BREAKING: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoes a bill ordering her and the Attorney General to enforce federal immigration laws." That's kind of insurrectiony. At Breitbart, Showdown Looms as Tom Homan Explores Case Against AOC for Obstructing Immigration Enforcement. Try her in Texas. From Fox, Illegal immigrants accused of pocketing thousands by smuggling hundreds of aliens each week from Canada to US, "4 suspects were arrested at various locations in the US, according to DOJ."

A Driscolly post at Insty, A PINCH OF PROJECTION BY THE GRAY LADY: "How odd that the New York Times, which arbitrarily decided in 2019 that America’s real founding was 1619, not 1776, and got a number of schools to sign on that notion, is angry about Trump arbitrarily renaming the Gulf of … Oh wait, I don’t want to deadname something that has fully transitioned to its new aquatic identity" PJM's Matt Margolis thinks Media Corruption Hits a New Low With Emmy Nomination For Manipulated Harris Interview. They're just winding up. Brownstone has a whole article on The Perfidy of 60 Minutes. Althouse likes this SNL skit, "This order would reduce the number of interracial couples in TV commercials"/"Oh, it's just too many, right?" ""You see them in the kitchen together making meals from HelloFresh. He's wearing loafers, she's got tight braids. You're like: Where'd they meet, you know, what do they even talk about? It's insane."" Pedro Santana Jr @Titx1300 "To everyone complaining about Pope Trump, you were all silent during this… We see right through you!"

Twitchy, Barstool Philadelphia's Appalling Antisemitic Display and Dave Portnoy's Surprising Response. From Da Mail, Dave Portnoy vows to 'come for throats' over vile antisemitic act at his Philadelphia Barstool bar and Dave Portnoy announces fitting punishment for bigots who launched vile anti-semitic attack on his Philly bar. "He also revealed the two waitresses serving the table which ordered the sign have been fired. The Barstool boss then added that he was waiting for ideas on a solution from the perpetrators before he began publicly shaming them. Over an hour and a half later, Portnoy posted a follow-up video saying that he has spoken to to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft - who runs the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism - and will be sending the culprits to tour the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland."

ET looks at What Loss of Federal Funding and Tax-Exempt Status Could Mean for Harvard. "Historically, private, for-profit colleges have had a difficult time remaining financially stable." I'm not worried for Harvard. Maybe they'll just stop teaching altogether and go into arbitrage. 

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: A Week of Wins! ready and awaiting clicks at The Other McCain.


The Monday Morning Stimulus

Fox, What is mushroom coffee? Caffeine alternative offers surprising health benefits. "Fox News' Dana Perino says she drinks the coffee substitute daily"
Mushroom coffee is gaining ground as a substitute for the morning caffeine fix. While drinking mushrooms might not sound like the most appealing thing in the world, the trend has attracted attention for its array of health benefits and added energy boost.

Mushroom coffee proponents have said it promotes better sleep — plus provides more energy, improves focus, boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation, according to a Harvard Health publication. Some mushroom coffee makers also claim the drink can boost mood and gut health. Most mushroom coffees do include caffeine but contain about half the amount of a regular cup of coffee.

The brew is typically made with medicinal mushrooms, including common varieties such as chaga, lion's mane, reishi, cordyceps, king trumpet and turkey tail, Harvard Health noted. These are considered adaptogens as part of the "adaptogenic mushroom coffee" infusion that's meant to provide health benefits.

I like mushrooms, and I like coffee, but I'm pretty sure I don't want mushroom coffee, especially if it's only half caffeinated.  Dana Perino seems a little peppy, though, so maybe it helps. I've never heard of "adaptogens," but I'm pretty sure it's a bullshit concept.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: San Romero Knights ready and awaiting clicks at The Other McCain.

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Flotsam and Jetsam - So Looking Forward to the Next 100 Days

The Great Victor Davis Hanson at Am Great discourses on The Trump Counterrevolution and the Moral Ledger. "Trump’s counterrevolution presses on—quietly, methodically, and morally—while a flailing opposition offers only chaos, debt, and deflection in response." From Da Wire, Here’s What Trump’s Team Wants To Accomplish In the Next 100 Days, "trade deals, peace deals, and tax cuts." Da Signal points to The Most Unsung Victory of Trump’s Administration, toppling the tyrannical bureaucracy. But they aren't done yet. At Insty, DEMOCRATS SEE “HISPANICS” AS A UNIFORM WHOLE MOTIVATED ENTIRELY BY RACIAL GRIEVANCE: Catturd ™ @catturd2, "Trump has a 62% approval with Hispanics. Democrat gaslighting over deportations is not only not working, it's backfiring." Rasmussen Reports @Rasmussen_Poll "Trump Daily Job Approval - Full Week, Likely Voters All: 50% Men: 55% Women: 45% 18-39: 50% 40-64: 52% 65+: 46% White: 49% Black: 39% Hispanic: 62% Other: 51% DEM: 24% IND: 46% GOP: 79%" PJM's Matt Margolis asks if you Want To Know The Truth Behind Those Anti-Trump Polls? “The fact is, and I talked to John McLaughlin and I talked to Matt Towery about this, they have some polls there that are like 27% Republican when Trump got 50% of the vote. So if you add the 23 points they didn’t test, suddenly he’s in great shape. This is deliberate. It is willful.”

Da Caller reports China Erupts: Furious Workers Riot As Factories Collapse Under Trump’s Tariffs. They need to sell to use worse than we need to buy from them. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair, Wow - Who Knew Hitler Had Tariffs, Too?, a grab bag of good economic news you won't find at the WaPoo or NYT. TNP, Trump Poised to Strike Another Minerals Deal Amid African Peace Push. "The U.S. is encouraging Congo and Rwanda to sign a peace agreement at the White House within roughly two months, which will include bilateral mineral deals attracting Western investment." NYT proud that their boy in Ukraine Rejects Russian Call for a Three-Day Cease-Fire, "President Volodymyr Zelensky called the proposal a “theatrical show” and said that such a short truce would not bolster negotiations for a lasting peace."

Anxious anxiously goes Behind the scenes: How Waltz got the boot. Cockburn at Spec World, How do you get fired from the Trump administration? Maybe you shouldn't have Jeffrey Goldberg in your contact list. AMAC says The Military’s Back, Baby: Why America’s Youth Are Signing Up Again. "What liberals fail to understand is that young people don’t join the military for endless diversity seminars or to learn how to use “preferred pronouns.” They’re signing up to fight for the United States of America and test their mettle alongside the toughest men and women in the country. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gets it." WJ reports Army Confirms Massive DC Military Parade to Be Held on President Trump's Birthday. "Plans for the parade, as first detailed by The Associated Press on Thursday, call for about 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles and 50 helicopters to follow a route from Arlington, Virginia, to the National Mall. Until recently, the Army’s birthday festival plans did not include a massive parade, which officials say will cost tens of millions of dollars . . . In comments to Fox News Digital, White House officials confirmed a commemorative parade would take place and said it would be one of the first events to kick off a yearlong celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary." I can envision the fainting spells already.

Althouse is amused by Trump as Pope — posted by Trump himself and by The White House. "Well, it seems pretty simple. Someone asked him who should be the next Pope. He made an offhand comment, which makes some sense, in that he feels capable of running things and he knows himself and doesn't know much about the various cardinals. Then someone made the AI image, and he passed it on because it was funny and provocative. It's something to think about and to distract us from other things. Look, here I am posting it first thing this morning instead of something else. It will get his haters running down a blind alley. An insult to the just-deceased pontiff? How is it an insult? The President of the United States is essentially saying there is one job in the world that's a step up from mine." JD Vance @JDVance, "As a general rule, I'm fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen." Quote "Bill Kristol @BillKristol, "Hey, @JDVance, you fine with this disrespect and mocking of the Holy Father? x.com/whitehouse/sta…" From Twitchy, Amy McGrath Asks If Catholics Are Cool With What Trump Posted (and Won't Like the Replies). The Gormogons @Gormogons "RX Catholic here. This is just funny stuff that everyone is laughing at, @AmyMcGrathKY. Live, laugh, love. It might just help your next campaign." Quote Amy McGrath @AmyMcGrathKY "To all my fellow American raised and practicing Catholics, are you cool with this? Is this just funny stuff that everyone is laughing at? I follow a lot of Catholic priests in this platform. I wonder if there will be any response at all to this. x.com/whitehouse/sta…"

Also at Twitchy, Sour Psaki: Former Biden PressSec Takes Aim at Karoline Leavitt but Misses Due to Her Own History of Lies. Gunther Eagleman™ @GuntherEagleman "@jrpsaki calling @PressSec a "propaganda projector" is rich, especially considering Psaki actively covered up the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, the mental decline of Biden, and every other scandal up until 2022. These people act like we didn't have eyes or ears." TownHall's Matt Vespa has several recent cases where Trump's Top Hatchet Man Once Again Obliterated the Liberal Media.

Susie Moore at RedState says Wow: D.C. Circuit Hands Trump Administration a Huge Win That Will Have Far-Reaching Implications. Circuit court told the District court to butt out. The Impressive Margot Cleveland has a huge thread explaining, Margot Cleveland @ProfMJCleveland "BREAKING: HUGE win from Trump Administration and D.C. Circuit enters stay of lower court injunction. Lower court barred Trump Administration from managing Voice of America. D.C. Circuit stayed decision allowing Trump to move forward w/ firings/grant terminations. 1/" " "12/ In sum, this opinion is a HUGE win for Trump because it establishes 3 key principles that apply to many of the other cases being brought against Trump Administration: a) no jurisdiction over firings; b) no jurisdiction over grant terminations;" 13/ c) you can't get around Congress limiting district court jurisdiction by creative pleading of claims under other theories;  d) with no bond harm to government will outweigh other harm; e) public has interest in Article III obey Article I." From Breitbart, Trump Admin Asks SCOTUS to End Amnesty for over 300K Venezuelans. Hat Hair's John Sexton say The Case Against Judge Dugan is Strong But Wonders Will a Jury Care About the Facts? So we have a judge praying for jury nullification? How ironic. From ET, Supreme Court Justice Jackson Says Criticisms of Judges Are ‘Attacks on Our Democracy’ "The justice directed her comments at ’the elephant in the room.’" Also,   Trump Announces 1st Judicial Nomination Since Returning to White House. "Trump said he’s nominating Whitney Hermandorfer to the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit." 

Jeff Charles at TownHall sees a Fired DOJ Attorney Throws $1 Billion Tantrum Because of Trump's Pardons "In a recent video, she claimed Trump “has granted pardons that have wiped out over $1 billion in debts owed by wealthy Americans.”" From WaEx, CIA fired its top doctor after she appeared on ‘Deep State Target List’: Lawsuit. "Adirim’s firing was reported first by Breitbart News in April, noting that she was one of the top officials behind the controversial COVID-19 vaccine mandate for military service members when she worked at the Department of Defense. The report said her firing was due to her role in the vaccine mandate, which saw many service members booted for not complying." @amuse @amuse "DOGE: How do you get half of the woke lawyers in the DOJ to quit? Tell them they're going to have to combat antisemitism and keep men out of women's bathrooms. Assistant AG Harmeet Dhillon managed to get 50% of the woke lawyers in the Civil Rights Division to voluntarily resign." At Am Think, Andrea Widburg thinks A NeverTrumper’s disingenuous attack on Bondi’s fentanyl testimony demands attention. Nope, still not tired of that joke. From RCP, If Trump Wants To Back Blue, Start With These Unjust Prosecutions. At Da Caller, Hunter Biden’s Former Attorney Creates Law Firm To Oppose Trump Administration.

MSN, The Next 100 Days: Democrats Have a Problem. “I think Democrats have to do a better job of focusing on our basic message,” Sell the same old shit better? Better lipstick on the pig? That's it? Mitch Berg at Hat Hair hears Tim Walz sell America short, Tim Walz Stock Tip: Sell Short. All of a sudden Democrat's seem concerned with John Fetterman's mental acuity. Nick Pope at Da Caller, Fetterman Reportedly Walked Into Traffic, Was ‘Manic’ And ‘Unhinged’ During Mental Health Crisis, but they needed the Senate seat so they ignored it at the time. Driscoll at Insty, ANNALS OF LEFTIST AUTOPHAGY: The New Democratic Purity Test: Anti-Israel Or Else. "Let’s be honest here: the timing of these “concerns” and the article’s publication is suspicious. The same media figures who vigorously defended Fetterman’s fitness for office during his campaign are now wringing their hands over his mental state. What changed? Obviously, his positions on key issues like Israel and border security didn’t align with the radical left’s agenda." . . . As Jim Geraghty wrote yesterday: "Let me get this straight: Back when Fetterman could barely speak during the debate, his medical condition was no big deal, and certainly not a reason to keep him out of elected office. But now that he’s speaking more clearly, but taking positions that irritate progressives, now his staffers think something’s not right with his brain? From what everyone else can see, Fetterman’s in significantly better shape than he was in 2022 and early 2023. (Last year I interacted with him briefly in the Fox News green room.)" Bob Hoge at RedState, Reaping What You Sow: AOC Town Hall Descends Into Chaos As Protester Shrieks, 'You're a Liar!' "The Democrats love chaos and unhinged protests—except when it’s directed against them. But sometimes, the chickens come home to roost, and NY Dem Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez found that out the hard way as she was heckled and shouted down at her town hall Friday night." From WokeSpy, Ilhan Omar Confronted by Journalist – Gets Vulgar FAST. "“Do you think more of your Democratic colleagues should be traveling to El Salvador to advocate on behalf of Abrego Garcia?” She was asked. “I think you should fuck off,” Omar said." Her command of English is pretty good. 

From the Free Bacon, HHS To Reevaluate $89 Billion Contract Awarded to Shadowy University of California Nonprofit "The National Cancer Institute, a subsidiary of the NIH, awarded a 25-year, $89 billion contract to the Alliance for Advancing Biomedical Research to operate a cancer research lab at Maryland’s Fort Detrick on January 17, just three days before Biden left office. The reward marked a remarkable turn of fortune for the nascent nonprofit organization, which shares close ties to the University of California’s National Laboratories but hadn’t raised or spent a penny since its founding in 2022, according to its available Form 990 tax filings." From the College Fix, NIH investigates Biden last-minute $89 billion grant to ‘seemingly dormant’ University of California nonprofit. Last minute grift.

At the Center Square a Report that DOGE cuts are behind nearly half of all layoffs this year. Richard Grenell @RichardGrenell "Government spending drops 5.1% in first quarter. Amazing. Every American should celebrate the shrinking of Washington, DC spending." From Da Caller, Trump Admin Wants To Abolish National Endowment For The Arts. I'm OK with that. NewsBusters reports Trump Signs Executive Order to End Tax Money for 'Radical, Woke' PBS and NPR. NYPo, Trump administration to shrink workforce at CIA, other spy agencies. That too. Ars Technica sees the White House budget seeks to end SLS, Orion, and Lunar Gateway programs. ""SLS alone costs $4 billion per launch and is 140 percent over budget."" Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal, ‘We Will Not Be Bullied’: EPA Head Lee Zeldin Calls Out Media Bias Denying Biden Waste. It wasn't really waste. It was handing money to political allies. OK, maybe some was waste.

NewsMax has a Report: Trump Officials Explore Challenging Tax-Exempt Status of Nonprofits. Oilfield Rando@Oilfield_Rando, "You can get your student loans forgiven by working for NGOs because it’s considered “public service” by the PSLF program. Trump should end that immediately."

At Da Fed John Davidson says Mass Immigration Without Assimilation Is A Recipe For National Suicide and Eddie Scarry says Upset About Trump’s Aggressive Deportations? Thank A Democrat. From Da Signal, Illegal Immigrants Are My Constituents, California Democrat Says. "Torres, D-Calif., held the event to promote her Fairness to Freedom Act, which would require the government to pay for the legal defense of any immigrant facing deportation who cannot afford counsel." Eddie Scarry at Da Fed NewsMax sees Trump Proves Biden Blew It on Border. It didn't take a new law, it took a new President. NYPo, AOC taunts Tom Homan after DOJ referral threat over deportations: ‘Come for me, do I look like I care?’ "“Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dared border czar Tom Homan to haul her to court on Friday, months after he threatened her with prosecution for trying to impede President Trump’s mass deportations." From Am Mil News, Dozens of gang members arrested at US-Canada border under Trump admin. Those Canuck gangs are the worst! Roger Kimball at Da Spec, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is no martyr, "The Dems have seized upon Garcia as a moral life jacket whose buoyancy they are counting on to save them." 

At Insty Charles Glasser explains WHY NEW MEDIA IS WINNING: "JustTheNews is a straightforward news site, and not surprisingly, the basement-dwellers at Wikipedia (often the go-to grazing spot for legacy media and their scripted narratives) smear them as “right-wing.” The fact is that many New Media outlets (like The Daily Caller and The Daily Signal) don’t slant the news: They report on facts and issues of interest to center-right readers traditionally and intentionally ignored and insulted by the Dinosaur Media. That cadre has left a legacy of genuine propaganda and genuine disinformation: Laptop? What laptop? 51 “experts” say it’s Russian disinfo. Biden was “sharp as a tack” until he wasn’t, and then, “we were badly misled.” Trump and Musk often give crowds a Nazi salute. Biden never got involved in Hunter’s crooked business dealings. “Very fine people.” Putin has embarrasing info which he uses to extort Trump. Kamala Harris’ loss was a result of racism and misogyny. That’s just the tip of the iceberg that sank the Titanic of legacy media." I wouldn't say they're exactly winning, but at least they're making a good account of themselves.

From ET, Judge Skeptical of Meta’s Claims It Did Not Violate Copyright Law in AI Lawsuit. "The lawsuit was filed by authors who claim Meta used their work to train its large language model without informing them."

The Free Bacon reports Harvard Law Review Asked Prospective Editors To Disclose Their Race Days After It Was Hit With Civil Rights Probes. "Experts say the journal’s personal statement appears to violate federal law." Kansas City Star opines Trump might have a strong case in his attack on Harvard’s nonprofit status. Campus Reform claims Kentucky universities cancel LGBTQ, black grad ceremonies to comply with anti-DEI law. 

Glenn Stanton at Da Fed hears ‘Tolerant’ Leftists Shout Down Gen Z Lawmaker For Saying Boys And Girls Are Different. From RVM, Cheers Erupt as Donald Trump Vows to Keep Men Out of Women’s Sports at Alabama Commencement. From Fox, Maine drops lawsuit vs. Trump admin amid trans athlete feud after federal funding is unfrozen, "The state is still facing other legal battles related to the issue." 

Stacy McCain is onto the case of The $500,000 N-Word: Shiloh Hendrix Becomes a 21st-Century Legend "Shiloh Hendrix was at a park in Rochester, Minnesota, when she says a child stole something from her infant son’s diaper bag. In response, she called the child the n-word, and was then confronted by a man who recorded her on video. That video went viral, as a result of which Hendrix was doxxed and threatened. So she put up a fundraiser with a goal of $1,000 to enable her to relocate for her family’s safety. As of 9 a.m. ET this morning, she’d raised more than $500,000. Man, if saying the n-word is worth $500,000, I know some people who would be richer than Bill Gates. But beyond the cheap laughs, what exactly is going on here? In part, I think it’s a reaction to the absurdity of a Kamelo Anthony fundraiser that collected more than $500,000. Some people are just fed up — they are sick and tired of being sick and tired."

Linked at 357 Magnum in the Wednesday Link Roundup - 7 May. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: San Romero Knights and FMJRA 2.0: A Week of Wins! ready and awaiting clicks at The Other McCain.