Palm Sunday

 with Jade Amber

ESPN, Buffalo Sabres clarify stance on fans' inflatable palm trees

The Buffalo Sabres have deflated their fans' hopes amid another losing season -- potentially their 14th straight campaign without a playoff berth, the longest active streak in the NHL.

But the Sabres say they're not trying to deflate the palm trees that fans are bringing to games as a symbolic reaction to that futility.

"I have never seen so much unity across Sabres fans as I have with these stupid palm trees," said Rebecca Way, a Buffalo season-ticket holder. "I hate it because we are a joke, but I love it because it's funny. It brings us together."

Linked at the Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Smoke Break up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Professor Proves Offshore Wind Kills Whales

It's all sciency, with graphs and maps. At Climate Change Dispatch, Professor Makes Stunning Discovery: ‘Absolutely, 100 percent, Offshore Wind Kills Whales’

For the best part of half a century, a 41-foot humpback whale named Luna swam up and down the East Coast. Then on Jan. 30, 2023, Luna washed up dead on Long Island, New
York. He was the tenth whale to strand on beaches in New York and New Jersey in nine weeks. Environmentalists, politicians, and ordinary citizens loudly wondered if the construction of offshore wind turbines was killing them.

Apostolos Gerasoulis, a Rutgers professor emeritus of computer science who co-created the search engine that powers Ask.com, now says the answer is yes. ‘Absolutely, 100 percent, offshore wind kills whales,’ he says.

Early in 2023, Gerasoulis began researching whale deaths. That summer he started building a software system to identify any relationship between the dead whales and offshore wind survey vessels, which use loud blasts of sonar to map the seabed for the installation of offshore wind turbines and high-voltage cables. He named the system Luna.

 

But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is responsible for protecting marine animals and their habitats insists there is no connection. ‘To date, no whale mortality has been attributed to offshore wind activities,’ said Lauren Gaches, NOAA Fisheries public affairs director shortly after Luna’s body was found.

Whale deaths had started increasing several years earlier. NOAA declared ‘unusual mortality events’ for humpback whales in 2016, minke whales in 2017, and North Atlantic right whales also in 2017. The death count is now up to 534 for these species. Wind farm developers started sending out sonar vessels to blast the ocean floor with high-intensity sound waves to map it for offshore wind farms in 2016. But NOAA still denies any connection.‘At this point, there is no scientific evidence that noise resulting from offshore wind site characterization surveys or pile driving could potentially cause whale deaths,’ Katie Wagner, NOAA public affairs specialist, told DailyMail.com. ‘There are no known links between large whale deaths and ongoing offshore wind activities.’

However, according to Gerasoulis, NOAA data reveal that humpback whale deaths in New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island waters went from an average of two per year before 2016 to 10 in the years since. Last year, 21 humpback whales died in the region. ‘You have 20 dead whales. You used to have two, and now it’s 20,’ Gerasoulis said. ‘So I started looking at this from every perspective.’

He loaded NOAA data on whale deaths, the zigzag courses of survey ships, and even wave action into his computer system. Luna revealed patterns that Gerasoulis believes point to offshore wind survey vessels as the cause of the whale deaths. Gerasoulis is an expert in computational sciences, search engines, high-performance computing, and data analytics. ‘There are five people in the world who build search engines,’ Gerasoulis says. ‘I’m one of them.’

 

Last year he founded Save the East Coast to investigate the impact of offshore wind on oceans, marine life, fishermen, and shore communities. The Luna software system that Gerasoulis built integrates NOAA data on whale, dolphin, and porpoise deaths with vessel traffic data from MarineCadastre.gov. He believes it is the first system of its kind. Luna generates maps of the U.S. East Coast and plots the locations of offshore wind farms; the deaths of whales, dolphins, and porpoises; and the routes taken by various survey ships. Luna can display any specific geographic area, time frame, marine mammal species, or ship, depending on the query.

For example, from 2017 through 2023, a total of 286 whales, dolphins, and porpoises died along the New Jersey and New York shores. Luna shows exactly where they were found.

FWIW, I'm still not convinced the various offshore wind activities are killing whales, but I'm also not convinced it's not. It's a difficult question to prove definitively, with the test subjects so big, rare and valuable, and the environment they dwell in unconducive to controlled experimentation.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Smoke Break up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Did Liz Lose It for Kamala?

At WaEx, ‘Uncommitted’ voters blame Harris ‘choosing path of Liz Cheney’ for their turn to Trump. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, Did Liz Cheney Cost Kamala Harris the Election? Ace calls it Delicious: An Analysist Suggests That Not Only Did Liz Cheney Not Help Kamala Harris, But Might Have Actually Driven Muslims to Vote for Trump (or Jill Stein), "Liz Cheney isn't a zero, she's a negative." From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 12.27.24, Louder With Crowder, MSNBC guest demands we “acknowledge” Kamala’s “extraordinary contributions, then was asked to name one. 'Bonchie' at RedState sees Tim Walz Returns and Promptly Gets Destroyed for Insane Post.

Gallup reports Trump Transition Ratings Better the Second Time Around. At WaEx, Schumer says federal judiciary will be Democrats’ strongest defense against Trump, since they can't get the people to agree. At OTP, Trump Set To Inherit Fiscal Mess Requiring ‘Extraordinary Measures’. At NewsNation, Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January, maybe even before the inauguration, requiring the Treasury Dept. to resort to accounting tricks. Don Surber wants us to Primary Democrats, too "In 24 days, Donald Trump will be your president again." 23 now, but who's counting? 

At Responsible Statecraft, Tulsi smears are an American tradition. They shouldn't be. "Calling Trump's DNI pick an 'asset or a dupe' has its roots in a long history of chilling anti-war speech." At Hat Hair, a Larry video, Did Elon Musk & Vivek Ramaswamy Ignite a MAGA Civil War? Sundance at CTH sees President Trump Indicates Bill Gates is Going to Mar-a-Lago, to kiss the ring? At Twitchy, ‘Pop’ Goes the Weasel! Dem TikToker Harry Sisson Loses It Over Trump’s Oval Office Diet Coke Button.

Rusty Weiss at RedState hears Mexico Braces for Trump’s Mass Deportations, Set to Open 25 New Shelters for Illegals on Inauguration Day. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, Mexico: On Second Thought ... "Now that the American electorate voted for real border security and an end to narco-trafficking, the Mexican government has decided to act -- before Donald Trump and his hardliners act first:" ET, Sheriffs Say They Can Help ICE in Trump’s Mass Deportation Plan, "‘Who in this country knows their counties better than the sheriff?’ says former sheriff and founder of a Constitutional sheriffs organization." Rambo Van Halen@RamboVanHalen "Illegal immigration isn't just some abstraction. It's directly affected me and my family several times in the last 12 months. And the local authorities don't want to do anything about it . . . " At NewsWeek, Josh Hammer calls for an Immigration Moratorium Now. 

Insty, YOUR QUADRENNIAL/OCTENNIAL REMINDER THAT HOMELESSNESS IS ONLY A PROBLEM WHEN THERE’S A REPUBLICAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE: NeverTweet @LOLNeverTweet, "ahhhhh right on time, the media rediscovers these strange GOP cicadas emerging from hibernation" Quote The Associated Press@AP "BREAKING: The U.S. saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness this year, with more than 770,000 people counted as homeless." 

From WaEx, Wisconsin officials find nearly 200 missing absentee ballots weeks after election. Ooopsie!

Breitbart cites Gallup: Only 19% Satisfied with Joe Biden’s America. WaEx looks at The friends Biden lost this year. Scott Johnson at Power Line, This just in, "Peggy Noonan devotes her weekly Wall Street Journal column of 2024 to “the decline of Joe Biden’s mental acuity.” In her last column of his final year in office, she takes notice that Biden is “The President who wasn’t there.” Published online today, it will appear in Saturday’s hard copy of the Journal tomorrow." At RedState, Nick Arama wants you to WATCH Scott Jennings Drives CNN Panel to Fits As He Nukes Biden's Time in Office Into Next Week and Sister Toldja hears Byron Donalds Float a Theory About the Biden Death Row Commutations, and He Might Be Right on the Money. "Look, I think what’s happening with Joe Biden, nobody thinks he even knows about these clemencies or these pardons. This is the radical left staff that has been running this administration for the last four years." Twitchy, Talk About DAMNING! TODAY'S New York Post Cover Gives Away Who Was REALLY Calling the Shots During COVID. Driscoll at Insty, ASSESS THIS: "According to “the dominant view” of the American intelligence community, the presence of the Wuhan Virology Institute in the town where the Covid virus originated was just a big coincidence. That’s how I would paraphrase this paragraph from the Wall Street Journal “Exclusive” “Behind Closed Doors: The Spy-World Scientists Who Argued Covid Was a Lab Leak.” The Journal reports . . . " WaEx, Intelligence community’s COVID-19 origins division ran deeper than previously thought. Ace, WSJ: The "Intelligence" Community Knew or Should Have Known Covid-19 Was Made in the Wuhan Lab, "The "intelligence" agencies acted as de facto propaganda ministries for China in willfully covering up for that communist country." Mary Chastain at LI, Pictures Show Then-VP Biden Meeting Hunter’s Chinese Associates, "Of course the National Archives release the photos after the election and less than a month before Joe leaves office." Nick Pope at Da Caller, Biden Admin Invoked ‘Indigenous Knowledge’ To Cut Alaska Drilling, But Some Tribal Leaders Are Ready For Trump. At the Center Square, DOE natural gas analysis draws disbelief from Republicans, industry.

At WaEx, Illegal immigrant charged with murder for setting woman on fire on NYC subway. From the Center Square, Violent Venezuelan prison gang members expand operations in western states.

Mary Chastain at LI reports Georgia Lawmakers Can Subpoena Fani Willis Over Trump Case. "Willis faces allegations of wrongdoing while investigating and prosecuting Donald Trump and others for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election in Fulton County." Sundance at CTH is happy Judge Rules Fani Willis Will Have to Comply with Georgia Senate Subpoena Demand for Testimony and Documents. "It will be interesting to see if the Georgia Senate can extract details of contacts between Fani Willis and people in Washington DC (Mary McCord). It is almost a guarantee at this point, that somewhere in the early planning stages of the Georgia Lawfare operation, Mary McCord had contact with Willis or her office."

Da Caller hears Mark Halperin Warn ‘We’re Gonna See More’ Advocacy To Stop Trump From Taking Office As Inauguration ‘Gets Closer’. At Da Blaze, Obama ally pushes Raskin plan for Congress to nullify election, install Harris: 'Insurrectiony.'

Benny Johnson@bennyjohnson, BREAKING: Over 100 January 6 defendants are filing a $50 billion class action lawsuit against the Department of Justice."

Dave Strom at Hat Hair has Just a Small Reminder of How Smart the Media Is: Ryan Saavedra@RealSaavedra "MSNBC’s Brian Williams reads a tweet: "Bloomberg spent $500 million on ads. U.S. Population, 327 million. He could have given each American $1 million" NYT Editorial Board Member Mara Gay: “It’s an incredible way of putting it. It’s true. It’s disturbing” It's $1.53 per person." Jounolists didn't take math. At Twitchy, Lying Legacy Media: Grabien Releases Its Ten Most Mortifying Media Moments of 2024 Supercut Video. Da Fetched, Deluded CNN ‘Journalists’ Blame Sinking Ratings on ‘Not Being Tougher on Trump.’ John Sexton at Hat Hair is hopeful that We May Finally See the End of PBS and NPR. Buck Throckmorton at Ace's Morning Rant covers Undocumented Texans, Festive Live Trees, and the Ongoing Euphemism Treadmill.

At Althouse, "There is a jarring parallel between the D.C. Circuit's near-plenary deference to national security officials calling for social-media censorship..." "... and the recent, well-documented history of federal officials' extensive involvement in social-media censorship efforts directed at the speech of tens of millions Americans. This recent history sheds new light on the [TikTok] Act's stark restriction — a restriction which impacts the free-speech interests of over 170 million Americans.... [T]here are compelling reasons to stay the Act's deadline and allow President Trump to seek a negotiated resolution once in office...."From Donald Trump's amicus brief in TikTok v. Garland. The brief, filed with the Supreme Court yesterday, supports neither party.

Mia Cathell at TownHall, 'Never Say You've Seen It All': Judge Hands Down Sentences to Men Convicted of Abusing Their Adopted Sons. Read this only if you have a strong stomach. John Sexton, says This Opinion Piece on the Supreme Court Case Over a Ban on Gender Affirming Care is Awful. Would we expect any less of Politico? 

A Spiked, The death throes of the university are upon us. "Mounting financial pressure and a crisis of purpose spell serious trouble for higher education."

Jonathan Turley is disappointed Amazon Shortens Christmas Classic By Cutting Key Scenes: It’s a Wonderful Hour. It never did that much for me, but I did force myself to watch it all the way through a few years ago.

Linked at the Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Giant Killers up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

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Rule 5 Saturday - Jade Amber

Her parents must have been geologists who couldn't agree on their favorite gemstone. 

Jade Amber Williams

I'll start by saying I am a self made Model and Love to be in front of the camera. I have been signed with L.A Models for two years and Elite for two as well. I have worked with several Salons for advertisements one of which is Kenra Hair Care. I also have expierence in promotional modeling from Brand Ambassador to Spokesmodel for IMIS and Toyota.

Please like my Fan Page!!! http://www.facebook.com/#!/jadeamber4
http://www.Ammanii.com jewelry campaign
Nordic jewelry campaign http://www.ellenkvam.com
Connect with me on Instagram as well @Jade__Amber
My Fashion Film  http://vimeo.com/79923978

Linked at the Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: At The Pump & Munch and FMJRA 2.0: An Unpromising Start In Kansas City up on time and under budget at The Other McCain. Linked at The Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama.

No Chesapeake Bay National Park

 At least this year. Capital Gazette, Bill creating Chesapeake National Recreation Area dies in Congress

After passing the U.S. Senate, a bill that would have established the Chesapeake National Recreation Area fell short in the 118th Congress. But advocates are hoping to ride the momentum into next year.

The bill would have linked natural and historical sites in the Chesapeake Bay watershed under the banner of the National Park Service, including several sites in the Annapolis area.

“We’re closer than ever to elevating the Chesapeake Bay to iconic American landscapes like Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Great Smoky Mountains and the Grand Tetons,” wrote Joel Dunn, outgoing president and CEO of the Chesapeake Conservancy, in a statement. “As advocates look to the next Congress, this momentum has brought together a bipartisan coalition of elected officials, local communities, national and regional advocates with a shared goal.”

On Dec. 18, the bill received unanimous support on the floor of the U.S. Senate, but the House of Representatives did not vote on the bill before leaving Washington for the holidays.

I can't say I'm heart broken. While the plan for the various sites for the Chesapeake Bay National Recreation Area weren't too intrusive, I worry about mission and area creep, and the tendency for advocacy groups to attempt to ban activities they deem unpark like in areas adjacent to said parks. 

Forget It Jake, It's Baltimore

   Mark Manley and family

But really, in this case, it's the Biden administration's ATF. From Shooting News Weekly, Why Did the ATF Raid Baltimore Gun Rights Advocate Mark ‘Choppa’ Manley’s House?

This is how the federal agency that’s charged with regulating firearms conducts its business. According to the Washington Times, “ATF agents announced themselves to Mark ‘Choppa’ Manley and his family by tossing a flashbang into his living room and ordering everyone out at gunpoint during the predawn search days before Thanksgiving.”

Manley, who is described as a gun rights advocate and lives in Baltimore, thinks the raid by agents in battle rattle was an attempt to send a message to other black gun owners.

“I do feel like I was targeted. I do feel like the amount of guns I have made me a target and [put] me on their radar,” Mr. Manley told The Times. “Especially being a minority from the inner city.”

It isn’t really clear what the feds were looking for in the raid. They spent hours tossing Manley’s home, checking gun serial numbers, and ultimately confiscating his phone. But no one was charged or arrested and no guns were confiscated.

Harassment has been a hallmark of the ATF since the Biden administration launched its war on legal gun ownership not long after it took office. And the agency is, of course, refusing to comment on the case.

Mr. Manley’s growing profile put him in a league of gun owners, dealers and advocates who have either been monitored, approached or, arguably, harassed by the ATF in recent years.

Was ATF acting on bad information? Were they trying to provoke Manley into breaking the law? Whatever their motivation, the raid could have gone much, much worse. It wasn’t long ago that ATF decided that an early morning raid on the home of Bryan Malinowski was preferable to stopping him on his way to or from his place of work. Malinowski thought it was a home invasion, armed himself, and the ATF’s finest shot and killed him.

[Gun rights advocate Maj] Toure said the raid at Mr. Manley’s home was likely done in hopes of provoking the advocate into doing something criminal. At the very least, he said the ATF is putting on a “poker face” to try and intimidate Mr. Manley from organizing gun owners in the future.

“What’s happening is they’re trying to scare people — bluff them — into thinking ‘I better not do this. I better be quiet about it.’” Mr. Toure said. “The wrong party here is the ATF. Not the Constitution, not the Bill of Rights, not the American people that are safe and responsible firearms owners.”

January 20th can’t get here soon enough.

Owning a gun while off the plantation?

The View of Stripers from Delaware

 Eric Burnley at the Cape Gazette talks about Striped bass regulations and Christmas memories

I attended the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting Dec. 16, when the 2026 regulations for striped bass were decided. This was a hybrid meeting. I attended virtually. There were 515 people in attendance, with six staff members from the ASMFC.

The meeting began at 10 a.m. and ended at 2:30 p.m. There was considerable discussion about the regulations, and one disappointment was the change in the number that each sector – recreational and commercial – must give up in 2026 in order to comply with the rebuilding plan.

At first, the commercial representatives moved and seconded a motion to reduce the amount of their catch from 9% to 1%. When that motion failed, they came back with another to reduce their catch from 9% to 5%. That motion passed.

The recreational sector will still have to give up the entire 9%. The good news is the current regulations will remain the same in 2025.

About typical. 

Each state and area will have different regulations. Delaware will have to figure out a system to reduce its take of striped bass by 9% via seasonal closures in Delaware Bay. The coastal waters from Connecticut to North Carolina will be regulated by no-harvest days.

Maryland will have seasonal closures in the Chesapeake Bay, with no-harvest and no-target fishing, and no-striped-bass-only fishing trips from for-hire boats. Virginia will have pretty much the same conditions as Maryland for its portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

In the past, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia have come together and made the regulations the same for summer flounder and black sea bass. I doubt this is going to work for striped bass. There is just too much difference in the methods employed for fishing for stripers in the Chesapeake and Delaware bays.

I must admit, I was expecting a harsher reduction than 9%. We will probably lose a few days of the Delaware Bay summer season and the same for our ocean season. Otherwise, things should pretty much remain the same, and that’s a good thing.

Until they have to shut it all down. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: At The Pump & Munch up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - The Dark Days are Gone and the Bright Days are Here

Roger Kimball at Da Spec reminds us Trump was elected to change the status quo, "The campaign was the easy part." At PJM's Stephen Kruiser has The Morning Briefing 'Classic' — Dreams Can Come True. Doug MacKinnon at TownHall calls it The Best Christmas Gift of All: Trump Saved The United States of America. At Althouse, "Merry Christmas to the Radical Left Lunatics... "I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky 'souls' but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL! We had the Greatest Election in the History of our Country, a bright light is now shining over the U.S.A. and, in 26 days, we will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Said Trump, yesterday, on Truth Social." And, "President Trump has ushered in an age of political theatre – a collective adrenaline rush that has enabled him to not only move masses of people into his camp..." ""... but also masses of people away from ours. It does not serve us to underestimate the historic nature of what he has achieved. . . Writes Marianne Williamson, announcing that she's running for chair of the Democratic National Party. ADDED: I like how she spelled "theatre"... especially while touting herself as in touch with the mind of America. "Theatre" is British English. "Theater" is American English." OTP, Former Trump Haters Flock To Help Inaugural. WaEx, These large companies are funding Trump’s inauguration despite pledge to withhold support after Jan. 6. At Breitbart, Donald Trump’s Day One Executive Orders: Promises to Fulfill on January 20. At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 12.26.24 (Evening Edition),  Twitchy: Did Americans Vote For Trump Or Is Something Darker Going On? Political Post-Mortem, American Greatness, Could 2024 Trump’s Victory Counter a 2026 ‘Midterm Curse’?, What Was So Different This Time About Trump’s Election? and Trump-mentum!, The Lid, also, Jerrold Nadler’s Anti-Trump Manifesto, Da Fed explains How Trump And The Republicans Became The Party Of George Bailey.

At ET, Grassroots Groups Focus on Getting RFK Jr. Confirmed as HHS Secretary. Sundance at CTH, Donald Trump Jr Outlines Background of How He Extensively Negotiated with RFK Jr to Join Trump Team and Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and the Silicon Valley Tech Millionaire Group Continue Lambasting Americans While Advocating for Expanded Foreign Worker Visas. Hat Hair's Dave Strom sees Elon and Vivek Under Fire From the Right. A nuanced view by Eric S. Raymond @esrtweet "Today's big beef is between tech-success maximizers like @elonmusk and MAGA nationalists who think the US job market is being flooded by low-skill immigrants because employers don't want to pay competitive wages to Americans. To be honest, I think both sides are making some sound points. But I'd rather focus on a different aspect of the problem. . . ." Virginia Kruta at Da Wire reports The New Yorker Reinvents J. Edgar Hoover To Attack Kash Patel. From Da Caller, Linda McMahon Can Help Make Our Schools Safer and Trump’s Border Czar Has Plan For ‘Super’ Sanctuary County Wanting To Shield Its Criminal Migrants From ICE . At WaEx, Reviving family detention centers is part of Trump deportation push: Homan. Beege Welborn at Hat Hair, In My Little Homan Eye, I Spy Something Beginning With...San Diego. Becca Lower at RedState sees Trump Double Down on Panama 'Ripping Off' America With New Ambassador Pick. From the Babalú Blog Trump taps another Cuban American for his administration as ambassador to Panama. At OTP, 51st State: President-Elect Trump Is Serious About Canada, Greenland, well, maybe Greenland. Da Mail, Donald Trump makes astonishing offer to people of Canada in strongest bid yet to 'take over'. 'Also, to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high, but if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World.'

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 12.26.24 (Afternoon Edition). Dana Loesch: The Matt Gaetz Ethics Report Is Out There, Chaz Lipsom at Spec World sees The winners and losers in the fight to keep the government open. "They cut the pork but signaled problems for the Trump administration." At WaEx, Jim Justice to delay Senate swearing-in to finish governor’s term. That won't help. Da Signal has a SHOCKER!: PolitiFact Tags Trump for ‘Lie of the Year’ for Seventh Time. NYSun, Senator Fetterman Is Emerging as the Leading Voice Among Democrats Wrestling With How To Handle Trump, "Democrats’ new maverick urges party to pull its head out of the sand. . . “You gotta chill out’” about Trump, he said. “The constant, you know, freak out, it’s not helpful. So, you know, pack a lunch — pace yourself — because he hasn’t even taken office yet.”" Breitbart, Texas QB Quinn Ewers Shows Support for President-Elect Trump Before Historic Bowl Game.

At the Pop Times Nevada Investigates Incidents of Double Voting Amid Skyrocketing Election Integrity Violation Reports.

At Da Caller, Liberal Lawyers Urge Longshot Nuclear Option To Stop Trump From Taking Office. Atop Da Hill, Congress has the power to block Trump from taking office, but lawmakers must act now. Matt Vespa at TownHall sees Libs Demand Congress Do Something That Was Considered an Act of Armed Rebellion Not So Long Ago. PJM's Matt Margolis, The Left Is Pushing Congress for an Insurrection on Jan. 6, 2025. At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 12.26.24 (Evening Edition), American Greatness: Lefty Legal Experts Call on Congress to Disqualify Trump in Last Ditch Effort to Keep Him From Taking Office, Legal Insurrection, Congress Must Stop Trump From Being Sworn In, Argues Column in The Hill,

At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 12.26.24 (Evening Edition), Chicago Boyz, January 6th and the Dog That Didn’t Bark. Rusty Weiss at RedState, Dem Lawmaker Says She's Fleeing Congress Because Trump Tried to Kill Her on J6 "I just felt like, he tried to kill me once. I’m not available for it again."

WaEx has a list of Biden’s 10 most notable gaffes of 2024. The Free Bacon names the 2024 Man of the Year: Jill Biden. At Althouse, Top headline at the London Times (as if it's something new!): "Joe Biden accused of ‘quiet quitting’ as he heads to the beach," "Aside from joking about his wealth, Mr. Biden has openly stewed over one of Mr. Trump’s flashier — and apparently effective — stunts as president." and Politico finds what it calls "9 Political Issues That Bit the Dust This Year." "How do "issues" die? Based on this article, issues "die" when they don't work as Democratic Party hacks hoped." Da Fetched reports Joe Biden Removes $10 Million Dollar Bounty on Terrorist Abu Mohammed Al-Jokani. “The bounty on Jolani was removed as US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf met with him and other Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leaders in Damascus on December 20.” Jon Adler at the Volokh Report, White House Vetoes Bipartisan Bill to Create Needed Judgeships. "It is apparently unacceptable that some of the new judges would be appointed by a Republican." James Varney at RCI, Trump's Going Places With Energy, but Biden's the Backseat Driver. NewsMax reports Continuing Unemployment Claims Rise to 3-Year High and Biden WH Cocaine Mystery Remains Unsolved. Trust me, they know. 'Bonchie' at RedState, Extensive COVID-19 Origins Cover-Up Revealed, and the Biden Admin Was Pulling the Strings. The Center Square, Bah, humbug! Rand Paul report details 'waste' in federal spending.

At Twitchy, a Political Post-Mortem: Pet Rocks, Chia Pets, Furbys, Brat Summer, Coconut-Pilled and Kamala Harris. End Wokeness@EndWokeness "Kamala: "I grew up celebrating Kwanzaa" Kwanzaa was invented in 1966 by Marxist professor Maulana Karenga to undermine Christmas, 2 years after Harris was born. 5 years later he was jailed for kidnapping, torturing innocent women in California. Karenga also founded the United Slaves Organization, a violent black nationalist organization with ties to the FBI." Insty reminds us KWANZAA is A Fake Holiday With A Racist Goal, Created By A Criminal Madman.

PJM's Rick Moran claims It's Even Worse for the Dems Than They Thought and It Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better. Breitbart cites CNN’s Jennings: ‘Democrats Are the Party of Uncommon Nonsense.’ Speaking of nonsense, WaT, Former Democratic presidential candidate Williamson wants to run DNC. Francis Sempa at Am Spec, Saving Murderers and Killing Babies "Progressives extend “mercy” to heinous killers, but not innocent babies." Olivia Murray at Am Think thinks Violent and very male Tren de Aragua gangbanger dressed in drag to evade cops and almost did—but his voice gave him away. BeGee Welborn sees a Political Earthquake Rocks San Diego County. From Da Fetched, MTG Demands Death Penalty for Illegal Alien Who Burnt NY Subway Passenger Alive. International Roundtable@IRRonNTD "500k illegal immigrant children missing in America. No U.S. authority can say for sure where they are. @taraleerodas @laralogan @called_out_DHS @MaryFlynnONeil1 join hosts @CindyDrukier & @JanJekielek for an essential International Roundtable panel: Where Are The Children?"

AP whines that Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they’re tuning out. PJM's VodkaPundit sees Trump's New FCC Chief Just Read the Riot Act to Disney's Bob Iger. "In an official FCC letter dated Dec. 21 (and just released on X by Rasmussen), Carr opened by reminding Iger that "Americans no longer trust the national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly" and that "ABC's own conduct has certainly contributed to this erosion in public." Jesse Kelly @JesseKellyDC "All communism is about destruction therefore all communism requires lies at all times. That’s why communists have been more obsessed with controlling information than anyone else in history. And it’s why our media is the devil. Without lies, there is no communism. Anywhere." Walter Kirn@walterkirn "No greater nightmare. This is the window they want to break through into the house. Then they will own it and you'll be in the wilderness, being tracked by drones." Quote Owen Gregorian @OwenGregorian "Bill Gates Calls for ‘Anti-Vaxxers’ to Be Censored by AI: Questioning ‘Vaccines’ Is ‘Inciting Violence’ | Frank Bergman, Slay News Billionaire Bill Gates is calling for members of the general public to be censored by artificial intelligence (AI) if they question the official." Insty, DEEP STATE UPDATE: Jeffrey A Tucker@jeffreyatucker "Brownstone Institute has been tracking a little-known federal agency for years. It is part of the Department of Homeland Security created after 9-11. It is called the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency or CISA. It was created in 2018 out of a 2017 executive order that seemed to make sense. It was a mandate to secure American digital infrastructure against foreign attack and infiltration. And yet during the Covid year, it assumed three huge jobs. It was the agency responsible for dividing the workforce between essential and nonessential. It led the way on censorship efforts. And it handled election security for 2020 and 2022, which, if you understand the implications of that, should make you spit out your coffee upon learning. More than any other agency, it became the operationally relevant government during this period. It was the agency that worked through third parties and packet-switching networking to take down your Facebook group. It worked through all kinds of intermediaries to keep a lid on Twitter. It managed LinkedIn, Instagram, and most of the other mainstream platforms in a way that made you feel like your opinions were too crazy to see the light of day. The most astonishing court document just came out. It was unearthed in the course of litigation undertaken by America First Legal. It has no redaction. It is a reverse chronicle of most of what they did from February 2020 until last year. It is 500 pages long. The version available now takes an age to download, so we shrunk it and put it on fast view so you can see the entire thing. The Spies Who Hate Us https://brownstone.org/articles/the-spies-who-hate-us/… via @brownstoneinst."

Duane Patterson at Hat Hair on Christmas Day Culture Wars. At Twitchy, The Face of Bravery: German Woman Triggers the Left With Silent 'Rape Is Not Resistance' Protest. Spiked covers the The cult of the keffiyeh "How pitying Palestine and hating Israel became the ultimate luxury belief. . . Whatever happened to the sin of cultural appropriation?"

At Campus Reform, DOJ holds University of Delaware accountable for failing to disclose professor’s affiliation with Chinese government in NASA grant "The University of Delaware will pay over $700,000 to settle with the DOJ after failing to disclose a professor's affiliation with the Chinese government while receiving NASA grant funding."

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: An Unpromising Start In Kansas City up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Fish Pic Friday - Breonka Carlo

Breonka Carlo@breonka_carlo: real estate sales & yacht sales Owner/Realtor: @buythesearealty

Linked at The Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: At The Pump & Munch up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Oregon, My Oregon

From Fox, Oregon AG creates sanctuary ‘toolkit’ ahead of likely Trump-Homan illegal immigration crackdown

Oregon’s top law enforcement officer rolled out what she called bilingual "Sanctuary Promise Community Toolkit" to help residents refresh their knowledge of the Beaver State’s relevant laws. "Every person has the right to live, work, play, and learn safely in Oregon, period," Oregon Democratic Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said in a statement announcing the toolkit.

In 1987, Oregon lawmakers passed then-Rep. Rocky Barilla’s HB 2314 in response to several raids by INS – the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service, which transformed into USCIS, DHS and ICE in 2003. The law is largely considered the first "sanctuary state" policy in the country.

Rosenblum explicitly acknowledged Oregon’s place in that regard, noting the law prohibits state and local law enforcement resources from being used to apprehend suspects charged solely with being present in the U.S. without papers.

A press release from the attorney general’s office noted Barilla’s bill passed "nearly unanimously" in 1987 but that by 2024, sanctuary laws have become an "intensely partisan issue." "I asked my Civil Rights Unit here at the Oregon DOJ to do whatever we could to provide the people, businesses, and local governments of our state with easy-to-read materials to help them know their rights and educate others, and I’m so pleased with what they’ve put together," Rosenblum said in her statement.

In the toolkit, documents relating to the 1987 law’s passage are available for easy public consumption, along with a "conversation" with figures involved in getting the law passed. The toolkit includes several FAQs, including "how do I prepare myself and my family for encounters with ICE or other federal immigration authorities?" – "Is there a place I can call to report ICE or other federal immigration authorities active right now in my community?" and "After an encounter with ICE or other federal immigration authorities, what information should I write down?"

I sincerely hope Tom Homan puts a few recalcitrant politicians in the pokey for blocking his enforcement efforts. They could throw away the key like they did for some of the J6 defendants. Oregon would be a decent place to start.

Flotsam and Jetsam on The Feast of Stephen

Also known at Boxing Day.

Jeff Charles at TownHall hears  a Poll that Shows Americans Are Hopeful For 2025, and the Reason Why Might Make You Smile. At RedState, Bob Hoge posts the Best Trump Impersonator Delivers Christmas Message That You Won't Want To Miss.

TRUMP READS: "TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS🎄🇺🇸" pic.twitter.com/N8kAyZoqt2

— Shawn Farash (@Shawn_Farash) December 25, 2024

Cutie Pavlich at TownHall, Here's the Final Tally on How Much Money Trump Raised for Hurricane Victims. "President Trump announced over $8 million in donations for victims of Hurricane Helene raised through his dedicated GoFundMe. As reported by Fox Business, President Trump’s Hurricane Helene relief was the top fundraiser on GoFundMe in 2024, and supported nearly 50,000 people across all 50 states and more than 50 countries. These funds were distributed to charities including Samaritan's Purse, Water Mission, Mtn2Sea, the Clinch Foundation, and Sweetwater Mission to uplift impacted families and communities," the Trump transition team released in a statement." Breitbart reports Ford, General Motors to donate to Trump’s inauguration, out of purely altruistic motives, no doubt. 'Bonchie' at RedState hears Anthony Scaramucci on CNN Makes Weird Mob Boss-Esque Threat Against Elon Musk. 

"He's just got to be very, very careful because he's making enemies that he doesn't realize, and the incentives in Washington are totally different than those in business, and so everybody's incentivized in a different and sometimes irrational way, and I think the power that he's wielding right now, Washington has a great neurological system, and I think they'll find a way to rebut him. So I'd say to Elon Musk, not that he would listen to me, stick to business, you've done great, you've made a couple hundred million dollars since the election. Lay off the gas on politics a little bit because these people can hurt you, and there's no need for you to get hurt. You're doing so well in life."

At the Pop Times, I’m Safe, You Know Why? Trump Blasts the Left on “President Musk”:  Autism Capital@AutismCapital: "TRUMP: “No, Elon Musk is NOT going to be President, that I can tell you. And I’m safe, you know why? Because he can’t be, he wasn’t born in this country. HAHAHA!” lmao" Nick Arama at RedState, has a MUST SEE: Elon Drops Powerful Video of Reagan That Is True Now More Than Ever. 

Reagen Reese and Henry Rogers at Da Caller conspire to write Despite Democrat Screeching, Years Of Hill Work Has Kash Patel Cruising Toward Confirmation. Sundance at CTH worries, Unfortunately, The Trump Cabinet Will Likely Expand the Surveillance State. Don't worry, as soon as we turn it on the Democrats, they'll shut it down. At NYPo, Trump buying Greenland would be largest US territory acquisition ever — topping even these massive gains and Denmark ramps up security —and calls in the sled dogs — in Greenland after Trump threatens takeover. "In addition to more sled dog patrols, Denmark also plans to increase staffing at its Greenland command post and upgrade the island’s airports to handle F-35 fighter jets, according to the BBC." Umm, just where do think you get those jets? Also at NYPo, Trump trolls Trudeau by promising Canucks he’ll lower taxes if Canada becomes ‘51st state’ — and backs hockey legend Wayne Gretzky as PM. Sundance, President Trump Reports Border Wall Auction Has Been Stopped. John Sexton at Hat Hair notes Trump Sides with Crime Victims as Biden Sides with Activists. Breitbart cites Homan: Suspected Subway Killer Got Benefits the Homeless Aren’t. NewsBusters sees ABC Still SILENT on Horrendous Immolation of Woman on the F Train by an illegal alien.

Reagan Reese at Da Caller has JOE BIDEN WRAPPED: How Delaware’s Favorite Son Fared During His Final Year In Office. Cutie Pavlich wonders Are Biden's Latest Pardons Legit? Because of Joe's advanced senility? The should should be revocable, but I don't see an easy way to get there. Da Caller,  In Memoriam: A Look Back At KJP’s Greatest Fibs As Her Time In The White House Ends. At PM, Oversight Project vows to get, release recordings of Biden’s interview with ghostwriter "Our team will get the audio tape of Joe Biden’s interview to you. This recording is yours. It belongs to you. You deserve to know." From Reason, A Decaying Joe Biden Underlines the Need for a Less Powerful Presidency, "The power of the office is excessive, and we don’t even know who is wielding it." At WaEx, Here’s what’s among the 50 bills Biden signed into law on Christmas Eve. I'm impressed he had the stamina, or did he use the autopen? Adam Pack at Da Caller, calls ‘Partisan Politics At Its Worst’: Biden Fuels ‘Judicial Crisis’ By Vetoing Bill That Would Let Trump Tap New Judges. Dan Chaitin at Da Wire, Biden Vetos Bipartisan Bill That Would Give His Successors, Including Trump, More Judgeships To Fill "Republicans and at least one Democrat expressed disapproval of the outcome." The Democrats were all in until Kamala lost. At Da Signal a report that the Biden Admin Rushes to Hire DEI Staff Ahead of Trump Inauguration. More to fire. Da Wire, BUCKING DOGE: CA Dems Beg Buttigieg To Give $536M To High-Speed Rail Before He’s Gone. "DOGE: "Zero passengers have been transported and the majority has not even been fully designed"" Campus Reform reports the Biden administration throws out proposed Title IX transgender sports rule "The Biden administration has scrapped plans to prohibit states from banning transgender athletes from participating in school sports." The Victory Girls take heart that the Bald Eagle Is At Long Last Our National Bird. I thought that was a done deal, but "Although the iconic bird of prey is featured prominently on symbols, including the government’s official seal adopted in 1782, the U.S. did not have an official national bird." Given their predilection for stealing from Ospreys, I always thought it was appropriate that the IRS used them on their logos.

Misty Severi at JTN reports Teamsters' boss Sean O'Brien torches Kamala Harris 'who does this f***ing lady think she is?' "O'Brien, who spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention in August, recounted moments when Harris and her party attempted to push his group to endorse her by telling one of his union representatives to "get on board," and to do it soon." Pop Times is being sarcastic, Shocker: Red States Far Outperform Blue States in Job Creation. Maryland is fifth from the bottom. Rick Moran at PJM hears TSA Nightmare Security Lines 'Inevitable,' Says DHS Secretary. TSA delenda est.

The Peacock reports Trial of man accused in Trump assassination attempt in Florida is pushed back, as "Ryan Routh’s attorneys had asked for a delay, saying they needed more time to review the evidence and decide whether to mount an insanity defense." He's certainly a nut, but is it enough to be an excuse? 

Logan Washburn at Da Fed reveals that the Leftist Group That Drew Up Blueprints For ‘Get Trump’ Prosecutions Was On Retainer To ‘Advise’ Arizona AG.

Nick Arama sees John Harwood Gets Nuked Into Next Week for Tweet About Trust in Media That Has a Big Problem In It.

Stacy McCain, ‘I Am Trying, and Admittedly Failing, to Understand How This Makes Sense’

One should never try to “make sense” of Amanda Marcotte. Ever since she first burst upon the national consciousness in 2007 — as one of two feminists (the other being the execrable Melissa McEwan) hired to blog on behalf of Democratic presidential aspirant John Edwards — Marcotte has been an inspiration for mockery hereabouts, and it is still difficult for me to imagine that anyone actually takes her seriously.

Nevertheless, Dana Pico has undertaken to analyze one of Ms. Marcotte’s recent outbursts, concluding that her enthusiasm for transgender athletes is rooted in a secret fear of inferiority: “To Miss Marcotte, any differences [between men and women] at all are a mark of inferiority, and she just can’t let the facts get in her way.” Yes, exactly so.

Mary Margret Olohan at Da Fed,  A Daily Wire Investigation: Are There Really 15K Trans Military Members? "The Defense Department says it does not track how many trans-identifying service members it has."

At Hat Hair, John Sexton hears DEI Supporters: Corporate DEI is a Mess. Because they're not getting everything they want. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: At The Pump & Munch and FMJRA 2.0: An Unpromising Start In Kansas City up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Tattoo Thursday

Radio New Zealand News, Hawaiian Airlines employee terminated for her traditional Samoan tattoo

A Samoan woman is calling for greater acceptance and awareness around cultural tattoos after she was terminated from her workplace due to her tualima, a traditional hand tattoo. Samoan-American Tracy Sialega-Fili worked with Hawaiian Airlines for nearly four years but was terminated this month after getting the tatau in May to honour her father, who has been seriously ill.

The tualima is an important part of Samoan culture, signalling lineage and family. For the Samoan diaspora, it holds an even more special meaning - a reaffirmation of identity and a tribute to one's ancestral homeland.

"The tualima is basically a tatau that we get," she told Pacific Beat. "It holds a lot of significance, a lot of importance. It could represent anything as far as your journey, your ancestors, where you came from. "Mine in particular speaks on the journey my dad takes with his medical struggles, his health struggles, as well as my journey in taking care of him throughout his entire journey with his health."

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: At The Pump & Munch up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Christmas Music - The Christmas Song

 What a generic name!

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: At The Pump & Munch up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Christmas DIY Edition

Just like picking up the old Christmas wrappings.

Incoming Trump Administration

Scott Jennings: Why CNN Covering Gaetz When Biden Just Commuted Prisoners’ Death Sentences? – Twitchy
Whatever Happened to the Presumption of Innocence? - American Thinker
Althouse: "[W]hile naming a new ambassador to Denmark — which controls Greenland’s foreign and defense affairs — Mr. Trump made clear on Sunday that his first-term offer to buy the landmass could, in the coming term, become a deal the Danes cannot refuse."
Here's the Message Trump Gave to Pete Hegseth When He Nominated Him for Secretary of Defense
The Republican Party Has Two New High Profile Members
Ace of Spades HQLeft's Newest NPC PsyOp: Trying to Get Trump to Turn on His Most Persuasive Ally Elon Musk by Claiming That Elon Musk is the President Now
Musk Derangement Syndrome - American Greatness
Did Musk Derangement Syndrome Inspire Me to Buy a Tesla?
Ace of Spades HQ - Some NeverTrumpers Giving Up The Old Grift, Starting Their New Grift
The Morning Briefing 'Classic' — Revisiting Liz Cheney's Trainwreck 2022 Concession Speech – PJ Media
How Big Cities Are Dealing with Sanctuary City Status as Trump's 2nd Term Approaches – HotAir
Tom Homan Shreds Kathy Hochul Over 'Tone-Deaf' Post After Illegal Immigrant Sets Subway Passenger on Fire

Outgoing Biden Administration

The Joy is Gone: A Liberal Hate-Fest for the Holidays – JONATHAN TURLEY
New research shows the massive hole Dems are in - POLITICO
Dems Wonder: Should We Actually Talk to Conservatives? – HotAir
After Four Years of Hiding Biden's Disaster, Eugene Robinson Thinks the Media Must Grow a Spine – Twitchy
NEW: Photos of Hunter and Joe Biden Meeting With Chinese Officials Emerge, Massive Cover-Up Exposed – RedState
Poll Analyst Nate Silver Gets Flamed on Twitter/X for Downplaying New York City Crime
Althouse: "Biden did the right thing granting clemency to 37 federal death row inmates."
Althouse: "The accused firebug, who has not yet been charged, first entered the US illegally at the Arizona border in 2018, but was nabbed just days later and shipped back home."
The Tale of When the Teamsters Met Ms Harris – HotAir
The Real Takeaway From Kamala Harris and Her Glock – Bearing Arms

J6 and Political Violence

Althouse: Rose and Valerie screaming from the gallery say he must go free....
Mark Steyn Outlines the Problem of the DC Corrupt Courts - The Last Refuge

Freedom of Speech

The Return of Free Speech - American Greatness

The Great Culture War

Insanity: CA Judge Orders Victims to Use Rapist's Preferred Pronouns – HotAir
Texas AG Sues NCAA Over Transgender Athletes – HotAir
Princeton gender studies program to offer sex work and queer spaces courses
Here's the Latest on That University of Oregon Employee Who Said Trump Supporters Should Kill Themselves
Bill Maher to the Left: 'F**k Off, You F**ks'

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: An Unpromising Start In Kansas City up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.