Saturday, April 4, 2026

Rule 5 Saturday - Nicky Whelan

This week's Rule 5 exemplar is
Nicky Whelan (born 10 May 1981) is an Australian actress and model. She is best known for her roles as Laurie Mitchell in Chosen (2013), and Pepper Steiger in Australian soap opera Neighbours (2006–2007).

Before Neighbours, Whelan hosted a number of shows, including Coxy's Big Break (Seven Network), Beyond the Boundary (Network Ten), and Melbourne Woman (Seven Network), and played the fictional celebrity "Chrissie Grant" on Russell Coight's Celebrity Challenge, a spin-off of All Aussie Adventures. Whelan is also known as the face of the rural Victorian city, Shepparton, and she hosted the night racing at Moonee Valley for eight years. Whelan has also posed for a number of Australian magazines, including FHM (in October 2007), Ralph (in November 2005) and Inside Sport.

After leaving Neighbours, Whelan moved to Los Angeles. She made guest appearances in episodes of Entourage and Melrose Place, before securing a role in the ninth season of Scrubs as Maya, an Australian medical-school student. Whelan also stars in the 2010 film Hollywood & Wine alongside David Spade.

Linked at The Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and linkfest. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor and FMJRA 2.0: O’s, Yeah! up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain. Linked at The Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama.

Friday, April 3, 2026

Environmental Impact Concerns Prevented Potomac Sewer Fix

By way of John Sexton at Hat Hair, Massive DC Sewage Spill Caused by Environmental Review That Dragged on for Years

So this was one of the worst sewage spills in American history and naturally people wanted to know why this happened. Today the Washington Post has a story answering that question. It turns out the damage to the section of the pipeline that failed had been known since 2018. But instead of immediately getting to work, the National Part Service decided it needed to perform an environmental review which dragged on for years and prevented the repairs from being made.
D.C. Water asked the National Park Service for permission to fast-track repairs in 2018, after inspectors found widespread corrosion and detached rebar in one area of the six-foot-wide concrete pipe that runs under federal parkland in Maryland, records show. The utility sought to strengthen a three-quarter-mile section that included the point that later ruptured...

But the National Park Service’s environmental review dragged on for years and was still not complete when the pipe collapsed — a delay that experts said appeared to flout a 2020 federal rule requiring such examinations be done within one year...

A review by The Post of more than 2,600 public utility documents reveals how concerns about the removal of trees and vegetation, along with other environmental impacts, postponed repairs to the Potomac Interceptor. The pipe continued to degrade for more than seven years before it failed on Jan. 19 and released one of the largest spills of untreated wastewater in U.S. history.

Northern Long-eared Bat
 

This happened because the NPS was concerned about the trees and an endangered bat species.
In September 2021, during President Joe Biden’s first year in office, the utility informed the Park Service that the project would probably require removing not three trees, but about 260. The utility promised to replant hundreds of trees, replacing the diameter of those lost, inch-for-inch.

Park Service officials replied that they had “critical concerns” about the trees, partly because they might serve as a habitat for the endangered northern long-eared bat.

The bat typically lives in caves and mines but can rest in shaggy bark and crevices of trees along the C & O Canal in warmer months.
Ultimately, the Park Service decided it needed to do a major review of the site because the plan involved work at another spot a short distance away thus compounding the environmental impact.

A law passed under the Trump administration required the NPS to finish its review in one year from the date it announced it was necessary, but instead the review just dragged on for years even as continued inspections of the pipeline showed it was deteriorating. In fact, the section which eventually failed was cause for an emergency meeting in December 2024.
On Dec. 12, 2024, D.C. Water officials met with Park Service officials to deliver an urgent request, according to a D.C. Water presentation prepared for the meeting. The utility said it needed approval to begin repairs on the most critical 800 feet that appeared to be in imminent danger of failing.

The Potomac Interceptor “needs immediate repair in which the rapid degradation of the pipe has made it a high priority task to prevent collapse,” read the first item on the meeting agenda.
Crews finally got to work last fall and finished a small section. The plan was to continue the work on the next section of the pipe this summer. Instead, the pipe failed in January. So this disaster was the direct result of an ecological review that took seven years.

The tendency for government to put off needed work is just astounding. I wonder how are the trees and bats getting on now? 

Flotsam and Jetsam - Bondi Out at DOJ

First a rumor, then officially announced, Pam Bondi is to leave the job of Attorney General at DOJ for an unspecified private sector job. Asst AJ Todd Blanche, a former Trump lawyer will replace her at least temporarily although EPA Admin Lee Zeldin is thought to be a strong possibility for a permanent replacement. Both Trump and Bondi are being nice about it, but I suppose there's plenty of time for a nasty tell all book later. Reasons for her dismissal are vague, most speculate it percolated up from the way she botched the Epstein files releases, saying she had the file of Epstein clients "on my desk," when it turned out there really isn't such a file. It could have just been unfortunate bureaucrat speech, but it makes it much too easy to charge a cover up. Or it could have been her failure to exact legal vengeance on those who committed lawfare against Trump. One odd rumor suggests she tipped off Eric Swalwell to the investigation coming his way over Fang Fang. Fox, Pam Bondi already fired as attorney general, cabinet official teed up as replacement: sources. Jeff Charles at TownHall, President Trump Fires Pam Bondi. Sarah Anderson at PJM, Pam Bondi Fired, Todd Blanche to Replace Her as Acting Attorney General. Sundance at CTH is not sad, Bondi Out. "Readers of CTH will likely not see this as a surprise. {Go Deep}Pam Bondi was the second sequential cabinet level removal prediction we made after she was announced. {GO DEEP} The first person we predicted to be removed was National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Susie Wiles should be embarrassed." Althouse likes her NYT, "Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year. Pam did a tremendous job..." ""... overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900. We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future, and our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP" Trump, at Truth Social." Ace, Breaking: Multiple Reports That Trump Has Told Pam Bondi That Her Time as AG Is Coming to an End "Update: She's been fired now?" and Bondi's Out. Is Tulsi Next?! "As you know, Pam Bondi was fired today. This article repeats the rumor that Trump believed she was leaking to Eric Swallwell:" Matt Vespa at TownHall, Pam Bondi Reportedly Isn't the Only One on the Chopping Block, with picture of Tulsi. At Hat Hair Capt. Ed calls it Too Weird to Check: Trump Canned Bondi Over ... Swalwell? Sundance, No, Bondi Was Not Fired for Leaking to Swalwell and Bondi’s Replacement is Important, But Not as Important as Perceived. Reason whines Pam Bondi's Loyalty to Trump Wasn't Enough To Save Her Job "Ultimately, Bondi's fulsome defense of the president could not overcome blowback over her handling of the Epstein files."

I've got little reason to diss Bondi, though I do think she botched the Epstein matter. But the job of AG is a very important one, particularly in the era of lawfare. If Blanche or Zeldin would be better for the administration, yes, make the change. As for Tulsi, I would not be in a rush to dump her. She and RFK Jr are the evidence that Trump is willing to work with the principled opposition. Moreover, both Pam and Tulsi were dropped into snake pit; both Justice and the intelligence community are seething masses of anti-Trump fervor. It's hard to know which snakes are the King Snakes and which are the Coral Snakes.

Mike Davis @mrddmia, "The Colorado Court of Appeals confirms what we’ve said for years: Mesa County District Court Judge Matthew Barrett illegally persecuted Tina Peters for her First Amendment-protected political views. 9 years in prison. For a 69-year-old woman. Because Barrett didn’t like her political views. Barrett is a garbage human being. He shouldn’t be on the bench. He should be in prison. https://coloradojudicial.gov/system/files/o"

The Archdude @The_Archdude, "I want Canadians to land on the moon just so that their first words on the surface are forced to be a land acknowledgment to the native indigenous people of the United States." Beege Welborn at Hat Hair, Got a Major Charge Seeing Artemis Zoom Off? Progs Are Here to Tell You It Was ALL Bad. M.A. Rothman @MichaelARothman "𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐁𝐂 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐒 “𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍” 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐒 BBC Radio 4 is running a premiere of 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘢𝘻𝘦 asking whether the Artemis 2 moon mission raises “𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴” — including whether humanity risks “𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.” The moon. 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. On the moon..."

From Twitchy, Chuck Schumer Admits Dems Held Up TSA Funding and Now He's Upset Trump Took Away Their Leverage. Oilfield Rando @Oilfield_Rando, "All this because Thune let Schumer renege on the appropriations deal, while still giving Democrats everything they wanted in the other appropriations bills. Thune sucks." Quote Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_ "According to a memo that OMB sent to Congress, it appears the White House plans to take “additional executive action” to pay civilian support employees at ICE & CBP via the OBBB since they aren’t being paid now and won’t be paid through appropriations because the Senate DHS bill. Republicans are agreeing to provides no funding for ICE & CBP.It appears the WH intends to get those support employees paid via OBBB so they don’t want to wait until June for a reconciliation bill. They haven’t been paid since mid February. pinions-2026-04/24CA1951-PD.pdf" PJM's Stephen Kruiser thinks Dems' Ballroom Hate Is the Saddest Proof Yet of Their State of TDS Mental Unwellness.

Hat Hair's Dave Strom sees EU Pokes the Bear Again: Bragging About Sending Aid to Cuba. "Do European leaders WANT Donald Trump to leave NATO?" The Euro Con, Brussels-Funded NGO Attacks Conservative Governments, Again. Nick Arama at RedState has a Report: Our 'Ally' France Just Made Another Incredible Move Regarding the Strait of Hormuz "The Gulf countries were trying to advance a resolution drafted by Bahrain in the United Nations Security Council that would allow the use of force to defend their shipping in the Strait of Hormuz...But the effort was effectively stymied on Thursday by three countries. You could probably guess two of them - Russia and China. But the third was ridiculous: France. They opposed any authorization of military action or use of force, according to a diplomat and a senior U.N. official." No soup oil for you! Tom Sauer @thomasbsauer, "Like we haven’t been planning for this event and what we’d do for DECADES. It’s practically US 5th Fleet’s raison d’etre Go ahead, Iran. Try it." Disclose.tv @disclosetv "JUST IN - Iran has moved to close the Strait of Hormuz, with ships reportedly receiving VHF transmission from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warning "no ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz." — Reuters"

Iran International, Dubai crackdown hits Iran’s economic lifeline, squeezes IRGC networks. wretchardthecat @wretchardthecat, "To understand why Saudi Arabia and Israel are urging Trump not to relent on Iran it is important to understand the military term "pursuit phase". Pursuit is the phase which follows a breakthrough designed to catch or cut off a hostile force that is attempting to escape (retrograde), with the aim of destroying it before it can reorganize or establish a new defensive position. It begins when the enemy breaks contact and tries to withdraw, often after losing cohesion..." and "If this deck of cards tally is accurate the Iranian Regime is not so much being changed as shaped. At least that's what they seem to be doing." I assume the Israelis are not yet done. Apranik @patriot_apranik, "A host went on live TV begging ordinary Iranians NOT to leak the hiding locations of regime officials to Israel! He literally cried that if the people expose their coordinates, “it's over” and they will be eliminated. The Islamic Republic is terrified because they know the ultimate truth: millions of Iranians are acting as the eyes and ears of Israel on the ground. The Iranian people are actively cooperating to hunt down their oppressors. We are allies in this fight." From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.02.26 (Evening Edition), Don Surber notes Trump predicted this in 1987.

Nick Arama White House Humorously Skewers Remarks Kamala Harris Decided to Put Out Before Trump's Iran Speech "Kamala Harris oversaw the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and ushered in an invasion of migrant criminals into our homeland. She should listen to the overwhelming majority of Americans who want her to crawl under a coconut tree and go away." From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.02.26 (Evening Edition), Twitchy, Expert on Grand Strategy Can't See the Rationale for Blowing Up a Bridge in Iran. "Mehdi Hasan, who's definitely not a terrorist supporter, called the destruction of the bridge state terrorism and a war crime." Bonchie @bonchieredstate, "The current state of The Bulwark. People who spent a decade promoting the Iraq War are now certain that a month-old conflict of total military domination has been lost because it's not over yet." At WUWT, The Iran War Reveals Who Is Living In A Fantasy World.

From Ace, As Part of JD Vance's Anti-Fraud Task Force, Feds Raid Fake Hospice Fraudsters In California. PJM's VodkaPundit asks The $196 Billion Question: Where Did California’s Medi-Cal Money Go? Coddled Affluent Professional @feelsdesperate, "I’m not a blackpiller but the web of corruption that extends between the Democratic Party, the public sector, NGOs, and various connected cronies is worse than anyone can imagine. We’re probably talking about hundreds of billions $ stolen nationally each year." Quote Christopher F. Rufo @christopherrufo... "In Gavin Newsom's California, the officials who are in charge of investigating fraud are committing fraud against the very programs they are supposed to protect. "Sacramento is pervaded by a culture of corruption."" PJM's Rick Moran pens Gavin Newsom, 'The Celebrated Jumping Fraud King of Calaveras County'. Charles C. W. Cooke @charlescwcooke, "Did you pay your federal taxes?" "They're . . . delayed." "They're delayed?" "Yes.""So you haven't paid them?" "No." Replying to @charlescwcooke Charles C. W. Cooke @charlescwcooke, "Just read this. A combined income of nearly $400,000/year. $60,000 of childcare paid for from campaign funds each year—three times as much as the next congressman. And his finances still look like this. These are the people who want to raise taxes. Crazy." Eric Swalwell. 

Sean Cooksey @SeanJCooksey, "A bombshell NYT report on the major legal jeopardy ActBlue is facing! ActBlue allegedly failed to investigate potentially illegal foreign political contributions and then misrepresented its safeguards to Congress. As a former FEC Chairman, I can tell you this is a big deal." Quote Shane Goldmacher @ShaneGoldmacher "NEWS: ActBlue May Have Misled Congress on Vetting Foreign Donations, Its Lawyers Warned From @reidepstein and me:" Nathan Brand @nathanbrand, "Worst kept secret in DC… ActBlue failed to vet for foreign campaign donors."
 
At NYPo, Mamdani shows no respect for older New Yorkers who are killed — but he has plenty of sympathy for law breakers. Swann Marcus @SwannMarcus89, "Extremely underrated Hasan Piker moment was when he went on a five minute rant about how the streets should run red with the blood of landlords and like five days later everyone found out his mom owns and manages commercial real estate."

From PM, HUNDREDS of companies provide BIRTH TOURISM for foreign moms who want US citizen babies ""There are more than 500 firms in China that facilitate people coming from the Chinese Communist Party to give birth here in the United States."" At Tom Klingstein Alex Petkas thinks birthright citizenship was The Breaking Point of a Republic, the Roman Republic. NYPo notes a ‘Breakfast Club’ host confused by ‘extra nice’ ICE agents at airports acting ‘like Chick-fil-A workers’ "Charlamagne tha God said Tuesday he saw ICE agents picking up the slack of TSA agents so efficiently and friendly that he suspected there was a government “psy-op” at play." College Reform reports University of Utah signals unwillingness to cooperate with ICE, posts guide for dealing with agency. From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 04.02.26 (Evening Edition), EBL, Birthright Citizenship at the Supreme Court and Twitchy: NBC News Reports Death of “Refugee” Released By Border Patrol is Homicide and New “Maryland Man” Joins “Virginia Dad” In the Headlines.




The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: O’s, Yeah! up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Fish Pic Friday - Jenny Barrett

Jenny Barrett@gritngloryguidedfishing, Grit N Glory Guided Fishing
Revelstoke | Sicamous 🇨🇦

Linked at The Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Thursday, April 2, 2026

A Walk in the Park

As I alluded to in today's Flotsam and Jetsam, it is Spring Break for schools here, and Georgia got a notion that we should take Gabby on a hike. She selected a trail at Calvert Cliffs State Park, a few miles south, which has a number of trails from the main park area down to a short beach. It is one of the few truly public access to the beach in the County. 
Using the shortest trail, the red trail, it's still a 1.8 mile hike down to the beach. It's an easy trail, which starts along a small stream, which then widens out into a vast, beaver pond filled wetland before finally emptying into the Bay. 
Gabby did pretty well on the way down, only getting a case of the "are we there yets" around 2/3ds of the way down. Mostly, she looked for fallen trees (lots), and butterflies (the Spring Azures and Tiger Swallowtails are out), water beetles, frogs and turtles.
Duck tails. 
We reached the beach in due time, and given the warm weather, there were lots of visitors. Not that I really needed to, but I did make a couple of passes up and down the short beach and found 8 sharks teeth, all small and pretty worn. I would say it's easier here than our home beach. 
Despite the slight uphill, we made the walk back up pretty easily, with Gabby leading the charge, with energy to spare to spend a half hour at the playground at the park.


Flotsam and Jetsam - Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Free Speech 8-1

I'm starting off today where I cut short yesterday. It's Spring Break, and Georgia thought we should take Gabby on a hike to burn off some energy. More on that later?

Anyway, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 against the state of Colorado's ban on therapists questioning someone's claim of gay or trans identity on free speech grounds in minors. I don't think you'll have any trouble guessing who the lone dissenting justice was. SCOTUSblog @SCOTUSblog, "The court's first and only opinion for the day is in Chiles v. Salazar, on whether a Colorado law barring conversion therapy violates free speech. The opinion is from Justice Gorsuch and the vote is 8-1, with Justice Jackson dissenting." Greg Price @greg_price11, "BREAKING: The Supreme Court just ruled 8-1 in Chiles v. Salazar that Colorado's law banning "conversation therapy" for sexual orientation or gender identity is unconstitutional. Jackson was the lone dissent." Amy Curtis at TownHall, SCOTUS Rules 8-1 Against Colorado's Conversion Therapy Ban. Twitchy, SCOTUS Hands a Giant L to LGBTQ+: Colorado's Ban on So-Called 'Conversion Therapy' Is Unconstitutional. John Sexton at Hat Hair, Supreme Court: States May Not Ban 'Conversion Therapy' for Minors. Althouse, "Justices Reject Colorado Law Banning ‘Conversion Therapy’ for L.G.B.T.Q. Minors." ""Colorado and more than 20 other states restrict therapists from trying to change the gender identity or sexual orientation of L.G.B.T.Q. clients under the age of 18." The NYT reports." Ace is taking it seriously, Supreme Court Rules That Free Speech Still Exists; Ketanji Brown Jackson Doesn't Understand, "This should have been a 9-0 unanimous decision. It has been the rule of the land since the founding of the Republic that the Constitution's stricture against passing "any law" limiting speech meant that no government, federal or state, could impose "viewpoint" restrictions on speech -- disfavoring or even criminalizing a specific view, argument, or belief." Sam Mirejovsky @whatsrightsam, "I went to law school People like KBJ are insufferable in class, they’re insufferable in practice, and they’re DANGEROUS on the bench High ideology Low IQ." Quote The Rabbit Hole @TheRabbitHole, "KBJ speaks more then all of the male Supreme Court justices combined." The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "In Powerful Dissent, Ketanji Brown Jackson Simply Writes 'Wakanda Forever' https://buff.ly/t65MTJZ"

Yesterday, the Court heard arguments for and against Trump's EO denying Birthright Citizenship to the children of illegal aliens. From most reports, the reaction of the court was not favorable to the EO, which was my expectation. Stacy McCain, ‘Subject to the Jurisdiction Thereof.’ At Althouse, "President Donald Trump plans to sit in on Wednesday’s Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship, making him the first sitting president to attend oral arguments at the nation’s highest court." AP reports." Whining that his appearance at the court is an attempt to bully the justices. If so, good. Also, "Key Justices Skeptical of Limiting Birthright Citizenship." "The NYT opines." WSJ opines Trump Is Right on Birthright Citizenship, "The 14th Amendment’s authors would exclude illegal and visiting aliens from U.S. ‘jurisdiction.’" Matt Margolis at PJM, Justice Jackson Gets Clobbered During Oral Arguments on Birthright Citizenship.

John Sexton notices an Obama Appointed Judge Sides with PBS, NPR, but it really doesn't matter since Congress withheld funds. Betsy Stauffer at LI calls it a Ballroom Blitz: Judge Orders Halt to Construction, Trump Not Amused “The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!”

Stacy McCain, Because You Asked: ‘What in the Actual Hell is Happening in North Carolina?’ "The headline question was asked in the wake of this: "The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is searching for the woman who stabbed a pregnant woman outside the Harris Teeter [grocery store]." ... Readers will recall that Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., who fatally stabbed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte, also had an extensive criminal history. It is natural that readers wonder why such leniency toward habitual offenders — a “revolving door” policy — has become standard practice in North Carolina. One word: DEMOCRATS." Ace, Providence Mayor Calls Mural Showing Face of Slaughtered Iryna Zarutska "Divisive," Wants It Taken Down, "He wants the mural destroyed. He does not want to say her name." Kyle Becker @kylenabecker, "It reminds Democrats of how horrible they are. That's why they don't like it." Quote The Drunk Republican @DrunkRepub, "If a mural of a young, innocent woman killed in cold blood divides your community, you have a shitty community."

Sundance at CTH is skeptical when John Solomon and Donald Trump Jr Discuss Solomon’s Report of Ukraine Plan to Fund Biden Campaign Through USAID Scheme. However, "In support of what Solomon/Dunleavy have outlined, the possibility of corrupt Ukraine officials working with USAID to launder funds back to the 2024 U.S. election just makes buckets of Occam’s Razor sense." WSJ looks at The Unlikely Ensemble Leading Trump’s Hunt for 2020 Election Fraud "Senior officials are pursuing theories the Trump campaign had earlier dismissed."

Sundance also contributes President Trump Delivers a National Address, President Trump, Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune Organize Legislation to Fund Border Patrol and ICE for Three Years, EU Leaders Utterly Bewildered at Energy Vulnerabilities Now Evident and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Question Must be Asked: “Why are we in NATO”? Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "While NATO has proven to be largely a one-way street, with the US footing the bill to defend an ungrateful, obstructionist continent, the alliance still has value. It allows the US to maintain a large armed presence on a continent lurching dangerously toward a dark age. And aids to varying degrees in projection of US power out into the world. Which is necessary because the world isn't grown up enough to police itself. The world, to include all of Europe, has benefited greatly both economically and in raw freedom under this largely benign, selfless stewardship these last 80 years. Europe's recalcitrance is more of an inconvenience than anything, militarily. Plus an opportunity to remind Euros of their alternatives. As Europe wobbles, in any case, US relations with key states in the Middle East, Latin America and Asia grow stronger. And once the war is over, the posturing is done, the Euros will quietly seek to get back in good graces." Quote The Telegraph @Telegraph, "EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump has told The Telegraph's @connor_stringer he is strongly considering pulling the United States out of Nato after it failed to join his war on Iran. Read the US president's thoughts on what Putin thinks of the alliance and the..." At the Brussels Signal, Europe must rejoin history with military might and political will. 1945, The Ukraine War Has Cost Russia Everything — and Putin Still Thinks Stopping Would Cost More.

Brad Slager at RedState, Is the 51st State Dream Closer to Reality? A Secession Movement in Canada Is Gaining Traction "Alberta, Alberta, where you been so long?"

Beege Welborn is delighted by April 1 With an Administration That Has a Sense of Humor.

NYPo, Trump admin live updates: House holds off on bill to fund DHS — without money for ICE & CBP "Stay up to date with live coverage of the Trump administration and national politics Thursday as President Trump vowed to bomb the Iranian regime “back to the stone ages” during his primetime address to the nation." PJM's VodkaPundit, Europe Needs to Hear This Harsh Truth, "The harsh truth is that Hormuz is their priority, not ours, and yet they refuse to make any serious contribution to the war effort." TowhHall's Matt Vespa wants you to Watch CNN's Scott Jennings Shred This Dem's Take on Iran. It Was Embarrassing. NYPo sees Sen. John Fetterman bash US media, says press is helping Iran with ‘selective coverage’ of Operation Epic Fury. Kurt Schlichter at TownHall notes Our Own Ruling Class Desperately Wants to Lose This War.

Red States Nick Arama thinks Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's Letter to the American People Is Something Else. Hey, about that 'Death to America' stuff? April Fool! "The Iranian people harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighboring countries...For this reason, portraying Iran as a threat is neither consistent with historical reality nor with present-day observable facts." Trent Telenko @TrentTelenko, "This fact: "Oil revenue collapsed to roughly 5% of the national budget, down from 32% the prior year. Taxes increased over 60%. Food prices climbed at least 50%. ATMs across major cities are running out of cash." Underlines a major point of mine. 1/" Quote William Thibeau @WilliamThibeau, "B-52s overland describe the ceiling of what airpower can achieve. Here is what is happening beneath it. Two developments from the past 72 hours, one that validates the air campaign and one that complicates its trajectory." Sundance, Australian Prime Minister Albanese Gives National Address – Conserve Fuel, or Else! Hint, you might want to help in the Strait of Hormuz.

John Sexton has hopes, Will 2032 Be a Cliff Democrats Can't Avoid? Althouse worries "It’s Not Going to Get Any Easier for Democrats After Trump." "That's a NYT headline for a column by Thomas Edsall. Key sentence: "The precariousness of the Democrats’ position in the coming decade hit home for me after reading 'The 2026 Midterms Are Critical. But 2032 Could Be Existential,' a March 24 essay that Steve Schale, a Democratic strategist based in Florida posted on The Bulwark."" Stephen Moore @StephenMoore, "Voters may not love Republicans, but increasingly, they fear Democrats. A new @YouGov deep dive shows support for Democrats slipping across almost every demographic. The AOC/Mamdani takeover is driving voters away!" Matt Vespa thinks The Dem Operative Class Is Risking Death Threats With This 2028 Advice "Democratic strategists are reportedly pushing for the 2028 presidential candidate to be a "straight, White, Christian man" after recent losses, an Axios report alleged." A Larry vid at Hat Hair alleges Pelosi's ‘False Count’ Vote Scam Unravels As Ilhan Omar Folds Under Pressure.

Greg Price @greg_price11, "'Virginians For Fair Elections' is the entity leading the effort to turn Virginia's congressional delegation from 6D-5R to 10D-1R. They have raised $38 million-- over 90% of which have come from five sources: - $20M from Hakeem Jeffries' 501(c)4 - $10M from the left-wing dark money giant 'The Fairness Project' - $5M from the Soros-funded 'Fund for Policy Reform.' - $1M from the Bloomberg-funded 'American Opportunity Action' - $1M from the 'Global Impact Social Welfare Fund'" John Lucas at Bravo Blue, notes Obama Lies to Sway an Election "More proof that there is no reason to believe anything that Obama says." AP whines that a Wisconsin judicial panel dismisses Democratic attempt to redraw congressional maps.


TCW notices Pathological narcissists have taken over the political left. I&I, Hey, New York, Had Enough Of Your New Mayor Yet? Nope, they need to suffer more consequences. Mike LaChance at LI, Former CNN Employee Don Lemon Signals He’s Open to Running for President, “I think I could be President of the United States. I could definitely run this country better than Donald Trump.” At Da Wire, ‘F*ck Him To His Face’: Democrat Lawmaker Deletes Unhinged Late-Night Post About Trump, “Sorry, I say f*ck a lot these days.” Jonathan Turley hears a Leading Democrat Calls for Reparations for Illegal Immigrants, Pramila Jayapal (D, Wa.).

Dave Strom finds A Perfect Example of How Lefties Think. Shai Davidai @ShaiDavidai, "Her response to accusations of stifling free speech? Stifling the accuser's speech. No self-awareness. No sense of irony. Welcome to academia." Quote Stu Smith @thestustustudio, "My first batch of public records requests to @UCLA just came back, and the emails are revealing. UCLA’s Margaret Peters was working behind the scenes to keep the Burkle Center for International Relations out of Bari Weiss’s scheduled Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture." Batya Ungar-Sargon @bungarsargon, "This is such a perfect example of how Trump broke the brains of so many on the Left. In the name of opposing "totalitarianism" and "defending democracy," DeNiro thinks there should be a body of elites who bar people from running for office, including someone who went on to win the popular vote. What's sad is that DeNiro is obviously experiencing immense, totalizing pain, genuine psychic distress at the outcome of an election. So much of their hatred of Trump is just an attempt to evade recognizing that democracy—their neighbors getting what they want when they vote in greater numbers—causes them searing psychic pain." Quote Freddie Hayward @freddiejh8, "I recently managed to ferret my way into a green room where Robert De Niro was waiting to speak at an anti-Trump rally. I found a man confused, angry and bewildered at what America had become. He just could not understand who or what Donald Trump really was. He thinks someone like Trump should’ve just been banned from standing. After all this time, that was his solution:" Andy Grewal @ProfGrewal, "It continues to amuse me that Blueskyers abandoned twitter to avoid the toxicity, only to discover that they *were* the toxicity." Quote Benjamin Ryan @benryanwriter, "Mark Joseph Stern, who reports on legal news for Slate through a strictly liberal lens, routinely weighing in that liberal decisions are invariably correct, has nevertheless been subjected to brutal purity-test pile-ons on Bluesky and has resolved to dial back his presence there." Tom Bevan @TomBevanRCP, "I find it fascinating that the three guys responsible for the vast majority of "professional election analysis" in this country over the last 40+ years - Charlie Cook, Larry Sabato, and Stu Rothenberg - all had their brains utterly broken by Donald Trump."


Alfa News, DOJ sues Minnesota, state high school league for allowing boys to compete in girls’ sports. "MDE and MSHSL have openly defied Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity that receives federal funding, the DOJ said." I'd ask, "what's the problem with Minnesota," but, Tim Walz etc, etc.

And still more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.31.26. The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: O’s, Yeah! up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Thursday Tanlines

The Bulwark whines RFK Jr., Creature of the Tanning Salon, Throws the Industry a Bone, by not promulgating a ban on teenage use of tanning beds.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - Judge Blocks East Wing Ballroom

Probably not the most important story of the day, but easily the most irritating. Sarah Anderson at PJM, Judge Stops Trump's Construction on White House Ballroom "U.S. District Judge Richard Leon determined on Tuesday that no statute comes close to allowing Trump to carry out this project  of his own accord, and that construction must be halted until Congress approves the completion. So, I guess we're just stuck with a half-finished project?" At Althouse, "A federal judge ordered on Tuesday that construction be halted on President Trump’s proposed White House ballroom... saying work must come to a stop until the project receives a go-ahead from Congress." "The NYT reports. In a 35-page opinion, Judge Leon wrote that Mr. Trump likely did not have the authority to act without consulting Congress to replace entire sections of the White House — changes that could endure for generations. We're told there are 19 exclamation points in the opinion." Bonchie @bonchieredstate, "The East Wing is already gone. What exactly is the plan here? To just leave a half finished ballroom because some lib group sued out of spite?" Quote The Hill @thehill, "#BREAKING: Judge halts White House ballroom construction project https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5809614-trump-white-house-ballroom-construction-halt/." So now, everytime the executive branch want's to modify an executive branch building, it needs an act of Congress, and agreement from the judicial branch up to the Supreme Court? Well, that'll throw some sand in the gears! I suppose, it's a restriction intended to apply only to Donald Trump. I think we should put a sign up calling it the "Judge Leon Crater."

In other Donald Trump building news, the admin released a vision of the Trump Library to be built in Miami, and designed to drive his critics mad. Sundance at CTH, Eric Trump Shares Remarkable Preview for Trump Presidential Library, Located in Miami. At Althouse, Let's judge the architecture of The Donald J. Trump Presidential Library.

AOL, Kristi Noem's husband seen 'pouting in photos with fake breasts.' Sundance, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Husband Had Secret Life as Crossdresser Pretending to Have Large Breasts. Daily Mail @DailyMail, "Secret double life of Kristi Noem's crossdressing husband Bryon: The pouting 'busty bimbo' photos and trove of explicit messages." At Insty, IT’S COME TO THIS: Weird, just weird.

Joe Chalfant at TownHall thinks Trump Just Issued His Most Consequential Executive Order Yet. "President Donald Trump has just issued an executive order requiring that states impose strict restrictions on mail-in ballots ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, and has tasked the administration with creating a new database of U.S. citizens who are confirmed to be eligible to vote." Disclose.tv @disclosetv, "NOW - Trump signs executive order curbing mail-in ballot fraud, requiring Homeland Security to prepare a list of citizens eligible to vote in each state, require the Postal Service to only send absentee ballots to voters on the list and mandate those ballots have envelopes and barcodes for tracking." I imagine a district court judge will have something to say about that. Sundance hosts President Trump Holds Oval Office Presser During Executive Order Signing.

Ars Technica, Trump convenes “God Squad” to override Endangered Species Act, up oil production. Seems fair. They don't care about endangered species when it comes to wind or solar.

PJM's Stephen Kruiser is running a Fun Thought Experiment — Vance and Rubio As 'Co-Presidents'. I have a slight preference for Vance, but Marco is really showing his stuff too. Remember, the Clintons ran on a co-President plank. At NYPo the Divine Miranda Devine: Cowardly GOP senators run home, after gumming up the DHS shutdown. 

SpinStrangnessandCharm, “No Kings” explained to unwitting CCP dupes, and which kings they’re actually marching for: Yogi @Houseofyogi, "No Kings explained for people who think they're fighting fascism. You're standing in a crowd on Saturday. You look around and think yeah. No Kings. This is what democracy looks like. Bro. You're holding a sign made by a communist billionaire who lives in Shanghai. You live in a constitutional republic. Elections. Term limits. A free press that spent four years calling the president a fascist without one journalist being arrested. The modern left's definition of fascism: You love your country? Fascist....:" and much much more. 

Beege Welborn at Hat Hair is happy, A British Judge Lays a BOOMITY on Starmer's Diego Garcia Give Away. What does he think he is, king? The Manhattan Contrarian explains Why Ukraine Wants So Badly To Be Independent Of Russia. Because Russia killed a few million of them in the past? olymarket @Polymarket, "BREAKING: Alberta now projected to schedule a referendum to secede from Canada this year. 60% chance. Offer theme statehood. 

From Sundance, Secretary Marco Rubio Outlines Reason for U.S. Military Action in Iran, Lindsey Graham Wants Trump to Hurry and Wrap Up Iran War – Need to Avoid Exposing NATO Weakness, Secretary Hegseth and Joint Chief Chairman Caine Hold a Press Briefing and President Trump Tells EU Leaders to “Go Get Your Own Oil” from Gulf – In Interim, Welcome King Charles. Ace, Trump To Cowardly Countries Complaining They Can't Get Their Oil Through the Strait of Hormuz: If You Want Your Oil, Send In Your Navy and Take It Yourselves, Tough-Guys. Merryn Somerset Webb @MerrynSW, "Is there a small silver lining watching the just stop oil people understanding what happens if you do indeed just stop oil." Althouse hears Trump, "The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!" The White House @WhiteHouse, "“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you…” - President Donald J. Trump." Bonchie at RedState, The French Straw Just Broke NATO's Back. Ahmed Khalifa @_A_khalifa, "The craziest discovery from this war: Iran’s regime has way more fans in Europe than in the entire Middle East. Europe.. what on earth is going on with you!?" Steve Hou @stevehou, "It turns out the whole Iran conflict is a loyalty test for the Europeans and everybody failed."  Jack Prandelli @jackprandelli, "In January I asked, did Trump capture Maduro to choke China's oil? 3 months later the answer is becoming clearer. Venezuela now selling at FULL market price (Rubio confirmed) China's discount: gone. Forever. Iran at war. Kharg Island threatened. 4.6M bpd to China disrupted. China's 2nd discount supplier gone. Hormuz China's main supply route: blocked. Bab el-Mandeb Houthis threatening China's alternative route In January this was a wild theory. Today it's the actual map. China imports 11.31M bpd. Every discount supplier is going offline. Every single route is threatened. Wild theory? Or the most precise geopolitical chess move in decades? have a look at my latest analysis here https://themerchantsnews.substack.com/p/if-this-is-a-crisis-why-the-market?r=tf0g2" wretchardthecat @wretchardthecat, "The terrible thought is starting to cross the mind of people who celebrated the ayatollahs controlling the Strait of Hormuz that control of that chokepoint could pass to a regime friendly to Washington." Driscoll at Insty, HMMM: Trump “is priming the the public (and world) with a new mental frame: the Strait of Hormuz is not Iranian sovereign territory anymore:

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair cites Hegseth: 'Decisive' Days Ahead for Iran; Regime 'Fractured'? VodkaPundit at PJM parodies the media Stock Market Up! Hormuz to Open! Trump and Hegseth at Odds! CHAOS! Driscoll at Insty says KABOOM! "Trump posts clip of massive blast after 2,000-lb bunker buster bombs rip through an Iranian ammunition depot." From Fox, Iran's internet blackout hiding strike damage and suppressing dissent, Israeli officials say, "Israeli intelligence claims Starlink jamming and mass detentions are preventing Iranians from seeing or sharing what is really happening." 

Eyal Yakoby @EYakoby, "BREAKING: A new Harvard/Harris poll reveals that a majority of Americans support the Trump Administration’s Operation Epic Fury." Open Source Intel @Osint613, "NEW Harvard Harris Poll: Key Takeaways on Iran & the War: •76% say the U.S. is currently winning the war against Iran •64% say Iran violated its nuclear deal •62% view Iran as a direct U.S. national security threat •67% say Iran is a leading source of instability, terrorism, and war •68% believe the Iranian people do not support the regime •73% support Israel over Hamas •51% support U.S. Israel strikes on Iran, 54% say the campaign is justified Support for the war is heavily split politically, Republicans strongly back it, Democrats largely oppose" From Gateway Pundit, Gallup Poll: Americans Largely Unbothered by Gas Spike After Iran Strikes. At the Free Bacon, Iranian Missile Strikes Fall to Lowest Level Seen During War As ‘Widespread Desertions’ Squeeze Regime’s Fighting Force, Hegseth Says, "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen Dan Caine added that B-52 bombers are now conducting their first 'overland missions' of Operation Epic Fury." From the Small Wars Journal, Attack Helicopters Remain Vital to the American Way of War. PJM's Cathy Salgado is pleased to report U.S. Pilots Shot Down Over Kuwait Are Back to Dropping Bombs on Tehran.

PJM's Scott Pinsker explains How to Disagree With the Iran War Without Being a Duplicitous Dirtbag, like Tucker. From Providence, Robert Nicholson sees The Two Ways to Win in Iran. Gummi @gummibear737, "Western civilization may never win another war if this keeps up This is maddening. The radical left, mainstream media, and the woke right are running the exact same playbook with the US/Israel campaign against Iran as they did with Israel in Gaza They create impossible standards in terms of: -Zero Casualties -Zero Economic Disruption -Zero Uncertainty -Zero Time to Accomplish the Mission -Zero Collateral Damage And everything the bad guys do is actually our fault because we made them do it….same script as Gaza…the bad guys have no agency and it’s actually our fault..." Stranger Ranger @couragemerry, "There has never, in recorded history, been a war wherein one side lost its entire chain of command—including its supreme political and religious leader—on the first day of fighting. In response to this, the entire foreign policy establishment has suffered a psychotic break." Quote Financial Times @FT "Iran could emerge from the war stronger and more dangerous https://ft.trib.al/tYTRJjL | opinion." Max Abrahms @MaxAbrahms, "Iran is winning the war if its goal is to have its military power smashed while inflicting very minimal damage to an ever increasing multinational coalition." Will Chamberlain @willchamberlain, "I'm trying to imagine the alternative history of WW2 if it looked like this war, and what the coverage might look like "It's January 11th, 1942, one month after Hitler declared war on the United States. Hitler, Goering, Bohrmann, and Himmler were all killed in an allied bombing attack on Hitler's headquarters, along with fifty other members of the German High Command. 95% of entire German navy is resting at the bottom of the North Sea. The Luftwaffe is no more. Allied aircraft achieved complete air superiority over Germany within 48 hours of the war's start. Still, many sophisticated commentators are saying that the Third Reich has the upper hand, because they have shut down travel through the Danish straits."" Roger Kimball at Am Great, The First Alt-War: Online Fantasy vs. Reality in the Iran Campaign "While commentators trade in familiar fears, events on the ground point to a far more decisive outcome than the online debate suggests."

Mossad Commentary @MOSSADil, "PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU SIGNALS DIRECT COOPERATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA AND OTHER GULF STATES Netanyahu: Post-war plans include energy and economic cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including pipelines to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. “Iran must be stripped of this leverage.” He says Arab leaders now understand the threat and are ready to align. Stay connected, follow @MOSSADil." Capt. Ed calls it Too Grim to Check: IRGC Calling Iraqi Militias To Iran For Rescue? UPDATE: Executions Accelerating and Pezeshkian to US, Israel: Call Me, Maybe?  Open Source Intel @Osint613, "Channel 14 says it obtained an exchange among Iranian leaders: President Pezeshkian: “I want to be involved in the negotiations with the U.S. Without a quick deal, our entire economy will collapse in 3 weeks.” IRGC chief Vahidi: “That’s exactly why you can’t be involved. You’ll give up everything for a deal.” After the call ended, the report says the Iranian president told his companions he feels like a ‘hostage’, “I’m unable to resign, I cannot make my own decisions, all I can do is read from a script I’m given” Channel 14 concludes its report by saying that the IRGC is effectively running the country now." Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "Excuse me, that's mullahphobic. You think the Japan-America lovefest is fun, wait til the Iranian people have unfettered X access" Quote Tousi TV @TousiTVOfficial,  "Iranians are putting up posters of Mojtaba Khamenei with the LGBT flag across the country." Some people are so stupid, Geiger Capital @Geiger_Capital, "Justice for the Gays of Hormuz."


More at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.30.26 and In The Mailbox: 03.31.26 but it's Spring Break! The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: O’s, Yeah! up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

The Wednesday Wetness

ToI, Iranian media says desalination plant on Gulf island non-functional after airstrikes. "Iran’s foreign minister had said a US strike took place on March 7 on Qeshm Island, a popular yet heavily militarized tourist destination for Iranians."

Aljazeera, Iranian attack damages Kuwait power and desalination plant, kills worker. "Kuwaiti authorities say Indian worker killed in attack that also caused ‘significant material damage’ to building."

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.