Flotsam and Jetsam - Talarico Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest?

Matt Margolis at PJM, Journalist Puts Talarico on the Clock, Threatens to Expose Where He Really Was. At Twitchy, 'You Tell Them OR WE WILL': Nick Sortor Drops the Biggest TIK-TOK We've Ever Seen on James Talarico. Nick Sortor @nicksortor, "Good morning, @JamesTalarico! Would YOU like to reveal where you *actually* were these past couple weeks, or should me and @RheinAmacher do it? Please let us know by 1pm ET today! Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Kyle Becker at RedState, says the Mystery of 'Missing' Talarico May Be Solved After Journo Seemingly 'Confirms' Whereabouts. Nick Sortor @nicksortor, "BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Ohio mental hospital CONFIRMS James Talarico was discharged from the facility earlier this week The “flu” thing was a BIG FAT LIE Following reporting by @SaraGonzalesTX and @CarolineWren, a hospital employee told @RheinAmacher and I that Talarico had in fact been a patient at the Lindner Center of Hope near Cincinnati, Ohio, which specializes in around-the-clock mental health treatment. While I sympathize with those dealing with mental health crises, this man is CLEARLY not suited to become a US Senator representing over 30 MILLION TEXANS. The job doesn’t get easier after being elected — it only gets MORE stressful. And Talarico clearly can’t handle it. I pray he gets the help he needs, but Texans need a real representative they can rely on." The hospital denies it, however. Matt Vespa at TownHall wants to know Was James Talarico Admitted to a Mental Health Facility in Ohio? Matt Margolis, Audio Appears to Confirm Talarico’s Stay at Mental Health Facility; Campaign Denies It and Talarico FINALLY Speaks, and I Think He Just Made Things Worse. Rasmussen Reports @Rasmussen_Poll, "Texas Senate Update - The Ohio mental health center denies treating James Talarico" Quote Lindner Center HOPE @LindnerCtrHope, "Representative James Talarico has never received treatment from Lindner Center of Hope." Stephen L. Miller @redsteeze, "I wish I could give the benefit of the doubt on this one, but these are the same people who called us liars and conspiracy theorists for 4 years with Joe Biden. You don't get that grace anymore." Quote Just the News @JustTheNews, "Newly released audio raises questions about Talarico’s absence from campaign trial (sic)." Byron York @ByronYork, "Seems odd that Talarico stayed off the trail for so long because of illness without explaining to the public what was going on. Why not just say, I've got the flu, and I can do some brief virtual appearances, but mostly I need to rest for a while?" Quote NBC News @NBCNews, "Democratic state Rep. James Talarico has been off the trail for 12 days. His campaign says he is suffering from the flu and expected to be back in action this weekend." So, we know he's crazy, but did he actually seek treatment? From Twitchy, Uhh, They're Not Here for You: Team Talarico Tries to Take a Victory Lap at Kacey Musgraves Concert. "We won't deny that some people next to the rail as Talarico made his way to the front row (of course) recognized him and were taking videos. But we're pretty sure that most of the cheers in the arena were for Musgraves. Since, you know, that's who the crowd paid to see." Joe Chalfant at TownHall reveals some Influencers Got Payouts to Post Pro-Talarico Content. ATX data @data_atx, "The Talarico influencer army is NOT organic and real NYTimes report out today says tiktokers are being paid $4 per 1000 views for positive Talarico content Back in the day, the Beto fans posted for free!" So, maybe I'll put up a Talarice ad in a Rule 5 post.

Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "While Nithya Raman is desperately trying to delete videos of her recklessly calling people fascists like a psycho, don’t forget…she called me, a fire victim with zero institutional power, a fascist…all because I wanted to get naked drug zombies into rehab so my kids don’t have to see psychos jack off in public. She is just the worst." Quote TheBlaze @theblaze, "LA mayoral candidate Nithya Raman says Spencer Pratt represents “fascism” and calls him “Mini Trump”" Will she be worse than Zohran? Scott McKay at Am Spec calls him The Enemy Within, "Mamdani certainly sounds like he’s in league with the enemy." Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal explains The Quiet Rise of Democratic Socialism: How DSA Built Power Across America. I&I explores the question What Do South Americans Know That U.S. Voters Don’t? They tried socialism, and it made things worse. Bob Hoge at RedState, Liberal Anchor Drops a Clownish Line About Communists. House Majority Whip Steamrolls Him on Air.

Politico crows Wall Street and Big Tech’s blue wave nightmare: Elizabeth Warren working with Republicans. "Warren is likely to chair the Senate Banking Committee if Democrats take back the Senate." The Manhattan Contrarian wonders How Can Democrats Possibly Run On "Affordability"? when seemingly all their policies are designed to make things more expensive? Simple, by lying. To wit, from the Free Bacon, Colorado Dem Manny Rutinel Takes Credit for $350 Million Police Fund Proposed by Conservative Group and Passed by Voters, "‘Manny never once reached out to support the campaign for prop 130, which was a ballot measure passed by voters, not legislators,’ Advance Colorado VP says."

PJM's Kathy Salgado report Iran-Backed Houthis Kill American in Saudi Airport Strike. "At least 12 people died and over 300 suffered injuries after Houthi terrorists struck the airport in Saudi Arabia’s capita, Riyadh. One of the victims was an American." Another good reason to eliminate the Houthis. At Homeland Security Today, Terrorism-Related Encounters Surge at Southwest Ports of Entry, Analysis Finds. Now that the porous border has been hardened. "U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Southwest border ports of entry recorded more than 11,250 “terrorism-related encounters” in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2026 — more than twice as many as in FY 2025 and more than 100 times the previous administration’s record, according to a new analysis by Center for Immigration Studies." 

From Forbes, Russian Anti-Plague Laboratory Death Raises Questions On Biosafety And Global Health. The Russians are acting suspiciously, but then, they always do. At Am Great, the Raw Egg Nationalist (great name BTW) wishes A Plague on Your House: What’s Really Going on in Russia? "Russia claimed its offensive biological weapons program ended with communism, but there’s no clear proof it did." Sundance at CTH sees Zelenskyy Runs to Mark Carney for Support Against Donald Trump, I'm sure they'll be a big help. Oil Price.com warns Europe’s Diesel Woes Just Got Even Worse. "Europe’s diesel supply crunch is worsening, with imports hitting a record September low as China suspends fuel exports and Russian supplies remain constrained." At Breitbart Bus Dig, The Weekly Wrap: People Are Worried About Diesel Prices and AI Crowding Out Everything. Speaking of AI, Sarah Hoyt hosts Artificial Stupidity, The Prodigal Frankenstein’s Monster, and a Dead Irishman- A Guest Post By Thomas Kendal. It's actually pretty good. He thinks the AI companies are blackmailing the government to set their monopolies up by threatening an AI catastrophe in the next year.

Hat Hair's John Stossel defends Trillionaires. As Tom Lehrer sang of the "Old Dope Peddler" doing well by doing good. Sundance warns of A Sovereign Economic World Under Construction to Replace Globalist “Western Market Pricing.” At WUWT, Secretary Brooke Rollins Shepherds Another Anti-ESG Reform for USDA. "Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) enacted sweeping reform that will help heal America’s wounded dairy industry by ensuring that the fees farmers pay to advance farming interests no longer go to advancing ESG-related activities and subsidies often directed by interests outside the United States." 

Hat Hair's Duane Patterson still has high hopes Why the 2026 Midterms Might Fool Us All. 

Da Wire sees New Evidence In The Cornell 7 Case that Completely Blows The Accuser’s Story. "We will go into the text messages and this whole timeline." Kyle Becker sees Bill Maher Goes All-In on Cornell 7 Story. It's Enough to Make You Wonder If Frats Should Be Banned,he's not exactly a fan of free association. "Everything that’s inherently bad about men gets worse if you put them in a fraternity. The drinking gets worse, the cruelty, the treatment of women, the tribalism, the peer pressure, one-upmanship, conformity, segregation, nepotism, bullying, elitism, and just general a**holery — boat shoes, for example." Lisa Britton @LisaBritton, "This Reddit user is right… There’s been a war on male spaces for decades now. Fraternities are one of the last still around. We only hear about the negative things regarding fraternities, never the positives, and there are so many positives. Abolishing fraternities is not the way to go!" At Althouse, "What Cornell Teaches Its Students About Sex/From feminist porn awards to guides on group sex, Cornell has promoted sexual liberation as a virtue." "An article by Jared Lederman, a senior at Cornell, in The Free Press. Lots of links to the University's sex guides, such as "Yes, No, Maybe So: A Sexual Inventory Stocklist"."" Do what you want, you can always blame men in general and President Trump in particular later.

MD Kittle at Da Fed thinks Jack Smith’s Twisting Of Justice Makes The Case For Anti-Weaponization Fund. Prolife Press reports Pritzker Threatened Catholic Doctors Who Refuse Assisted Suicide Until a Federal Judge Stepped In. At Hat Hair, Josh Hammer asserts The Left Has Made It Harder to Kill Christa Pike. She Must Die Anyway.

From NYPo, NYC DSA darling Darializa Avila Chevalier claims it ‘doesn’t even matter’ that gangbanger shot by ICE has violent criminal record. No, but his attempt to run over ICE officers does. Sundance hosts Sunday Talks – DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin Sets the Record Straight on ICE Shooting in New York. Tyler O'Neil, The Activist Pipeline That Explains Why Biden’s DHS Only Investigated 496 Visa Overstays Despite Getting 3.1M Tips. Tierney's Real News looks at America’s Long History of Removing Threats, "Why the Communist Ban Still Stands and How Sharia Could Be Stopped."

Nick Ballasy at JTN reports DOJ investigating whether media outlets violated antitrust law after refusing pool coverage. "The investigation follows a move last month by the five broadcasters in the White House television pool to stop pool coverage of Trump after the administration restricted CNN, MS NOW and Politico’s access to the White House." 

Basil the Great @BasilTheGreat, "Andy Burnham is changing the law You will need an I.D to use social media You will no longer need an I.D to vote in elections We can all see what is happening here right?" Greg Lukianoff at the Eternally Radical Idea, Rooster convicted for Shrexting, MN school board censors parents, FIRE sues LA City Council, & more! 

From United with Israel hears Hamas Hails Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Israel Blasts ‘Moral Failure.’ From Ace, The Nobel Peace Prize Is Neither Noble Nor Supportive Of Peace! "Navi Pillay just won the Nobel Peace Prize, and for those of you who are thinking..."Who," (I'm one of them) you would be entirely correct. She is an apparatchik in the international justice racket, first serving as a judge in South Africa..a well-known bastion of the rule of law! She then moved on to the UN, the International Criminal Court, and the International Criminal Tribunal For Rwanda ... Her record is depressingly consistent, and it is focused not on freedom, but on her 3rd World sensibility of Western responsibility for the ills of the world.And the Nobel Committee gobbles up that sort of crap! Have there been deserving winners? Sure, but just glance at the list of winners and it is obvious that it is usually hyper-political, self-serving, anti-Western, and also impossibly silly." NYPo opines France’s insane student protests are really about a growing radical Muslim population that wants to get rid of democracy. From the College Fix, Several universities cut ties with foreign groups following Department of War audit. 

From CJ, Harvard Medical School vs. Weight Loss, "A recent panel examined how to treat fat patients “more ethically.”" Defense Opinion opines Weak Math means Weaker National Defense. 

If Sophie Cunningham said black players should shut up and no one cared about their opinions, she’d be kicked out of the league in two minutes. But black players can say white players need to shut up? The WNBA is filled with racist morons. https://t.co/dQdPFPiYeY

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 11, 2026

The Monday Morning Stimulus

With some help from Maya Allegra, who seems to like coffee OK, but likes that green stuff (chai?) even more:

Science Alert claims Decaf Coffee Might Have A Surprising Advantage Over Caffeinated, Study Finds

In a recent small experiment, neuroscientists found that only participants who drank decaffeinated coffee showed significant improvements on two memory tests. Those who drank caffeinated coffee did not.

The findings, published in Nature Communications in April, suggest that something beyond caffeine is also impacting our brains when we drink coffee.

But what if you drink to forget?

Forget It Jake, It's Baltimore

Mujahid Muhammad
He dresses like a pimp.

At the Balmer Sun, An FBI raid exposes Baltimore’s nonprofit oversight problem

Baltimore did not need another governance scandal, but it has one. The abrupt resignation of school commissioner Mujahid Muhammad after an FBI search of his nonprofit offices is more than an uncomfortable headline. It is a clear example of how Baltimore’s nonprofit sector has grown large, politically connected and poorly scrutinized. It now spills directly into public oversight. It also reflects poorly on Mayor Brandon Scott’s judgment, and it cannot be brushed aside with a short statement.

Federal agents executed a court-authorized search at the Liberty Road building that houses KEYS Empowers, the nonprofit Muhammad leads. Witnesses described a dramatic scene with armed agents, a battering ram and a full street shutdown. The FBI has not disclosed details, but the timing was unmistakable. Within hours, Muhammad resigned from the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, and the district removed his biography from its website.

The mayor confirmed he accepted the resignation but offered no explanation. City Hall often defaults to silence when the issue involves politically favored nonprofits, and this moment followed the pattern.

The facts surrounding Muhammad’s organizations are not subtle. KEYS Empowers and its related entities have received millions in public funding, including a million dollars in federal COVID relief for a community center that still has not opened. Tax filings reviewed by multiple outlets show more than $4.7 million in government contracts and grants in recent years, along with expenses that exceeded revenue. One analyst described the filings as containing every red flag imaginable.

Baltimore City Public Schools has now terminated its contract with KEYS Development. The district cited ethics concerns and incomplete financial disclosures that Muhammad amended only years later. But the decision highlights a larger truth. The city has been outsourcing critical youth development work to nonprofits that operate with far less transparency than public agencies, even as they receive public money.

This is not a blanket criticism of all nonprofits in Baltimore. Many provide essential services. The problem is the city’s growing reliance on nonprofit executives in public roles without rigorous vetting or clear boundaries. When Scott appointed Muhammad in 2023, he praised his commitment to young people. Good intentions do not qualify someone for public oversight, especially when the appointee runs organizations that depend on government contracts.

Spotlight on Maryland’s Thursday reporting, showing that Baltimore City awarded millions to a nonprofit run by a convicted felon who filed for bankruptcy three times, only further exposes the lack of controls and vetting in the city’s nonprofit system.

Baltimore’s nonprofit ecosystem is sprawling, politically intertwined and often shielded from scrutiny. It functions as a parallel governance structure that elected officials use to fill gaps in city services. When the mayor repeatedly selects nonprofit operators for powerful public positions, he brings their conflicts of interest directly into government. Muhammad’s downfall shows how quickly that can create problems.

The deeper issue is structural. Baltimore has built a system where nonprofits act as extensions of city government but without the accountability mechanisms that government requires. This arrangement may be politically convenient, but it is not sustainable. It erodes public trust, blurs lines of responsibility and creates fertile ground for the kind of scandal now unfolding.

Scott now faces a question he has avoided. Why is the city’s leadership pipeline so dependent on nonprofit figures whose organizations rely on public dollars? He also must explain why his administration consistently responds to controversy with opacity instead of candor.

Muhammad’s resignation is a warning. Baltimore cannot continue outsourcing public responsibility to private entities and treating the risks as hypothetical. They are visible, they are costly and they now sit squarely on the mayor’s desk.

Of course, if you follow this blog, or even news in general you know that corruption in the NGO game is not restricted to Baltimore. It's very wide spread in the US, with countless non-profits sailing pretty close to, or across the wind with regard to their legal requirements. They've largely been a tool of the left to funnel money back to Democrat supporters and politicians, or to evade disclosure rules on disclosure. I'm the sure the right has a few as well. You can't unilaterally disarm. 

I would be in favor of abolishing the tax free status of NGOs. Let them do what they're going to do with post-tax money.

Maryland, My Maryland

Local woman caught doin' the Toobin. At the Cap. Gaze, Edgewater woman accused of lewd act on BWI-to-Miami flight

A Maryland woman is reportedly under FBI review after authorities said she removed her pants and engaged in a sexual act during an American Airlines flight from Baltimore to Miami. Katy Inzer, of Edgewater, was met by law enforcement when American Airlines Flight 1779 arrived at Miami International Airport on Sept. 11, according to a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office incident report cited by The Smoking Gun.

In the report, police said a passenger told a flight attendant that Inzer removed her pants about 20 minutes after takeoff “and began to actively masturbate while making inappropriate sounds.” The flight attendant approached Inzer and told her to stop, authorities said in the report. She complied, put her pants back on, and “fell asleep for the remainder of the flight,” the report noted.

Deputies who spoke with Inzer, 46, after the plane landed reported that she appeared intoxicated, noting that she “had a strong odor of alcoholic beverage” and bloodshot eyes. “Ms. Inzer stated that her flight was delayed for two hours in Baltimore; as a result, she had several drinks before boarding the flight,” the report noted, adding that she said “she does not remember what occurred during the flight because she fell asleep.”

The case was referred to the FBI because the alleged conduct occurred during the flight, the report noted.

Is this really a federal case?  I'll bet she's a ton of fun at a crab feast. Get that woman another beer!

Flotsam and Jetsam on a Rainy Sunday Morning

As the remains of Hurricane Isaias blankets us with tropical moisture. 

Power Line's The Week in Pictures:
Electile Dysfunction Edition

Joe Chalfant at TownHall reports a Houthi Missile Strikes Saudi Arabian Airport, Resulting in 'Mass Casualty Incident'. 3 dead, and an Airbus A310-200 destroyed. It's time to get the players together and eliminate the Houthis. At Da Signal, the Great Victor Davis Hanson says the Iranian Regime Has Only One Way Out "they only have one chance, and that is now to call off the United States military and the United States financial architects of this embargo and somehow squeeze or slither out of the noose that they put their head in. Let’s hope that does not happen."

Loay Alshareef لؤي الشريف @lalshareef, "The Flydubai co-pilot was radicalized in Qandahar, Afghanistan. The Flydubai co-pilot was radicalized in Melbourne, Australia by a mosque linked to the Muslim Brotherhood organization. Let that sink in. People of Australia, wake up."

Rob Lee @RALee85, "In Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, we are seeing early drone warfare. I would equate this to where Ukraine and Russia were in 2023. The diffusion of drone technology and tactics will increase, particularly whenever the Russo-Ukraine war ends. I doubt that we are prepared." Quote Ryan O'Leary @RyanO_ChosenCoy, "One thing that is becoming more common is “PMC” type and drone companies hiring foreigners who did drones in Ukraine for work. The main problem with that, is that anyone can learn to fly a drone in 14-21 days. Give them 6 weeks and they’ll be hitting targets. What they don’t learn in-depth typically is the tactics behind drones (especially for the 6 monthers) or get a good grasp on signals/frequency and all the overly nerdy shit involved in that realm...."

Jeremiah Fowler Security Researcher @yoda69, "According to Cloudflare Data Explorer the amount of russian bot traffic has dropped to 49% after Ukraine struck a yandex data center. Could this disrupt the midterm elections in the US?" Disrupt US election by cutting down Russian bots? Please explain that? At Da Caller, ‘It’s Time For Ukraine To Get A New President’: Trump Signals End Of Patience With Zelenskyy As War Stretches On. Sundance at CTH also hears President Trump Says It’s Time for Zelenskyy to Be Replaced. They could hold an election.... Also, Zelenskyy Urgently Attacks Russian Oil/Fuel Export Terminal "The intention of Zelenskyy’s targeting is obvious to anyone who has followed the conflict between Russia-Ukraine and the involvement of EU-NATO countries in keeping maximum conflict at the forefront. They do not want a strategic agreement between Putin and Trump." John Ʌ Konrad V @johnkonrad, "Why are we importing ANY petroleum products? BUILD MORE DIESEL REFINERIES AND SHIPS TO MOVE IT This is a military priority. If Cali and Mass refuse then build DoW refineries on federal land. If Delta Airlines can own and run a refinery then the USAF can too."

Michael Ron Bowling @mrbcyber, "Disturbing news that the former German spy chief arrested for treason had close relationship to a Chinese general. Western intelligence appears to be deeply compromised. This comes shortly after a report that a senior CIA official had stolen millions from the agency. He also shared information with a foreign intelligence agency. Western democracies believed they had won the cold war and let their defenses down. The CCP never believed the war ended and has been compromising officials the whole time." And this is why you spy on allies (among other good reasons).

Althouse goes to the NYT for their coverage of Hassan's upcoming execution, "Legal experts say that Mr. Hasan could challenge the government’s decision to livestream his execution, perhaps by asserting..." "... that a public broadcast would violate prohibitions on cruel and unusual punishment in the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution." Well, you can find a legal expert to say anything you want. Also, "If Hegseth were not a musclebound intellectual void, he would know this." "He would know that the Fort Hood killer told the mental health panel that he wanted to die. Writes London Times columnist Matthew Syed." We should should help him along.

From Commonplace, The Gen Z Blue-Collar Jobs Boom "A new generational opportunity is taking shape in the skilled trades." At Hat Hair Steven Moore asks Why Are Americans So Pessimistic? "But it's weird that the richer and wealthier we get, the more people complain," and Larry Elder answers The Anti-Trump Media and 'Economic Pessimism'. Nick Arama at RedState, Bessent Goes Beast Mode on Elizabeth Warren in Letter That's Pure Gold — Especially the Note at End "Finally, my Offer of a Foreign Exchange for Dummies tutorial still stands, and if you receive a passing grade on the Yale metric, not the Harvard curve, I would be happy to also include a Fixed Income for Dummies. ... "Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day in advance to you and your family."" Da Caller, Secretary Bessent Wishes Heritage-Adopting Senator A ‘Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day’ Amid Flurry Of Snarky Affordability Letters.

Also from Da Caller, Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle Reportedly Boasts Of Elites Bankrolling Her Luxury Travel At Globalist Retreat. "A recording from the January World Economic Forum captured the comments, according to The Wall Street Journal. On it, Kimberly Guilfoyle flaunted her closeness to two Greek tycoons. She was lobbying to get into a dinner for Eric Trump." Isn't that what ambassadors do, fly around and put meetings together? And she's getting someone else to pay for it! But she has shown questionable judgement in the past; she did marry Gavin Newsom. Best occupant of "The Five's" leg chair ever.

At Twitchy, Manlet MI Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Mocks Dave Portnoy’s Body After Being Called a Terrorist. Campus Reform reports a Conservative student says he was threatened after pressing El-Sayed on Iran "“Since that day, people have threatened me, doxxed my friends, even harassed my family,” Dashti said." Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "What’s terrifying about this clip isn’t their ideals…these sweet gals’ hearts are certainly in the right place. What’s terrifying is they have the civic, political, and economic literacy of a 9 year old. When a charlatan like Abdul comes along with the Jr High class president schtick of “no more homework and the vending machines are all free!”, they fall for it...." From RCP, Chicago Chases Away the Rich. Miami Says 'Thank You'.

Sarah Anderson at PJM, says Talarico Has Been Spotted. His Appearance Creates More Questions Than Answers. "Either Talarico is hiding something or whoever is running his campaign is a complete and total idiot. Possibly, both things are true." 

Dan McCarthy at Chronic says Liberal Doves Are No Answer to Liberal Hawks. "Liberal doves have failed almost as badly as liberal hawks over the past three decades, and their failures are inextricably related. The fundamental problem isn’t hawkishness or dovishness, but liberalism. It is incompatible with realism."

Bob Spencer at PJM, likes how Trump Mocks Hochul, and It's a Riot: ‘Hi, Gestating.’

Ben Weingarten at Da Fed asserts If Jack Smith’s Goons Don’t Pay For Their Crimes, Innocent Americans Will. Sundance hosts Former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard Delivers Speech Warning About the Modern Surveillance State and the Threat of Islamic Extremism.

Betsy McCaughey at Hat Hair, says it's Time to End Democrats' Lynch-Law Justice for College Boys. At Althouse, "You don't have to look at the facts and the law. All you have to do is study what they do." "Letitia James offers a gift to Saritha Komatireddy:" Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "Because young men have learned that if they date a girl and it goes bad, she can come back and accuse them of rape two years after the fact. She can strangle his children and the media will circle the wagons to protect her. She can divorce him and take half of everything. That’s why." Quote Chris Hatch @Dirtdog, "Attention Young Men: I am surrounded by 20 year old girls in my life that are smart, capable, hard working and cute. Nobody is dating them. Not sure what the deal is, but I don’t get it."

Kyle Becker at RedState sees a Tech Titan Go Scorched Earth Over Hit Job on Trump's Sons, Even CNN Suspects Dirty Pool. Richard Grenell @RichardGrenell, "Editors need to stop assigning political reporters to do finance and economic stories. The WSJ now employs a bunch of former Politico and Huffington Post bloggers who don’t understand basic finance issues." Quote Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius, "Wow. Read the article. (Link below.) What a stunning set of mistakes by ABC News."

Dave Strom at Hat Hair looks at French Street Protests and sees It's Not Many Students, and Lots of Leftists and Islamists and She Got the Nobel Prize for Hating Israel; UPDATE: Elisha Wiesel Condemns. From Althouse, "Language and Linguistics for Decolonization and Liberation and for Peace and Community Building — From the River to the Sea in Palestine and Israel to the Mountaintops of Haiti and Beyond." "That's the name of the class discussed in "The Controversial Class That M.I.T. Is Paying a Professor Not to Teach/Michel DeGraff, a vocal pro-Palestinian activist, can’t be easily fired because he has tenure. But he has been kicked out of his department" (NYT)."

Driscoll at Insty thinks ELON MUSK’S ENEMIES MAKE HIS BEST CASE: "In 2023, Alex Gibney, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker, announced that he was working on a documentary about Elon Musk. He asked Musk for an interview. The answer was delivered on X: “Gibney,” Musk informed his 241.5 million followers, “is a douche.” You could take the world’s richest man at his word. Or you could spend three hours and 55 minutes watching Gibney do his best to prove Musk right. ... The real America, the one we know from discernible and observable facts, is nowhere on display. In Gibneystan, no record exists of Musk the champion environmentalist, hailed by the left until he refused to continue and parrot its platitudes. Nor is there any mention of Big Tech’s frequent and egregious collusion with Democrat-controlled administrations; the sin of seeking proximity to political power is unique to the devilish Musk himself."

From the College Fix, University of Kansas removes menstrual products from men’s bathrooms.

Riley Gaines @Riley_Gaines_, "Sophie responds to the article from @TheAthletic demanding Fever to drop her "If you're going to live by the praise, you'll die by the hate.....I'm going to continue to do me.....suck it" This is the appropriate response. We should all be more like this."

Palm Sunday

 With Maya Allegra:

At Reuters Connect, A small palm tree is submerged in water outside the Destin - Fort Walton Welcome + Adventure Center the morning after Hurricane. 

If that's the worst they could come up with, they did well.

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

Maryland, My Maryland

 From the Balmer Sun, Rockville man indicted for alleged $100 million COVID fraud scheme

A Rockville man was indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday in connection with an alleged COVID-19 fraud scheme of more than $100 million, the U.S. Attorney for Maryland said.

Marc Aaron Potash, 57, of Rockville, was charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, seven counts of healthcare fraud and five counts of conducting transactions in criminally derived proceeds, the federal prosecutor’s office said.

Between January 2022 and May 2026, according to the office, Potash allegedly conspired to enrich himself as well as a Gaithersburg-based company he founded and served as its CEO, Tiero, LLC, by submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and other insurers for self-administered COVID-19 tests.

The office said that Potash and his co-conspirators sent false emails, letters and other documents to the Maryland Department of Health to get a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certification for the company. Those documents falsely claimed Tiero’s medical providers were performing on-site COVID testing at the company, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said, and used the CLIA license to make claims to insurers. 

Instead, they were shipping over-the-counter COVID tests to insured people across the country, and submitting more than $100 million in fraudulent claims that resulted in more than $50 million in insurance payments to Tiero, the office said.

Prosecutors allege that Potash bought a Range Rover, a Mercedes-Benz and $4 million in property in Beallsville, in Montgomery County, and made security transfers totalling more than $12 million.

If convicted, Potash faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and each count of healthcare fraud and conducting transactions in criminally derived proceeds, the office said, although it noted that actual sentences typically are less than the maximum.

$100,000,000? The man thinks big. I guess it's a little late to expect to get much of it back.

Flotsam and Jets - Talarico Turns Up

As soon as they noticed he had been absent for 10 days he showed up. Stacy McCain is on it, Rumors Swirl: Where Is James Talarico? UPDATE: Talarico Appears in Public "The Talarico campaign had been stonewalling and making excuses, but as soon as I took notice of the candidate’s mysterious absence, they wheeled him out in public ... So I guess he got a day pass from the psych ward." Kyle Becker at RedState, We May Have an Answer to the 'Missing' Talarico Mystery. This Looks Bad. Really Bad. "former L.A. mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, who is not the only one who has sources making this assertion, says that Talarico appears to have checked into a mental health facility." Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "My sources are telling me Talarico is in a mental health facility. His campaign has stopped actively planning events in the vital homestretch of the campaign. If this is true, this is actually a time to pray for Talarico. We should, of course, savagely mock his smug, awful campaign advisors, by all means...and while yes, of course, this would be disqualifying for Talarico's aspirations to be a Texas Senator, we must hold empathy for anyone undergoing crisis. Campaigns are brutal, and not everybody is cut out for it. You need very thick skin. As much as I don't want Talarico anywhere near government, I also don't want wish him harm, and no political office is worth having a breakdown. His awful advisors are at fault for this. They pushed him to be something he isn't, and it didn't work. I'm praying that this isn't true, and he's OK. You want to win these fights on the battlefield of ideas, not the minefield of poor health." PJM's Matt Margolis, If This Is True About James Talarico, He's Finished. Kurt Schlichter at TownHall, So Where Did Talarico Go? "He’s been missing in action since the end of September — time to send out a search party. Maybe we can help, but looking for him is like playing Where’s Waldo, except easier, because you can safely avoid barbecue joints, gun ranges, or churches that actually believe in Jesus." So Talarico might actually be crazy? It's so hard to tell with Democrats.

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, Mamdani: I Demand Trump Release Illegal Alien, Gang Member, and Felon! UPDATE. That's just insane. Bret Stephens at NYT opines on Zohran Mamdani’s Moral Obscenity. I'm surprised they let him. Mike LaChance at LI hears Only 300 Attend Hasan Piker Event at UT-Austin After Thousands Sign Up. At Insty, Dave Bernstein, GOD SAVE THE JEWISH PEOPLE FROM RABBIS WHO CAN’T RECOGNIZE EVIL LITERALLY STARING THEM IN THE FACE and Sarah Hoyt at Insty says I CAN DISTINGUISH. THEY MADE ME STUDY IT IN HIGH SCHOOL. I KNOW THE THEORY. FOR THE PRACTICE, DATAREPUBLICAN IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT: Up front, here are the definitions (plus bonus Leninism definition): Communists = Strive for a classless society with common ownership of production. Marxists = Communists who believe in a classless society as the end of history. Leninists = Those who idolize the man who operationalized Marxism to its logical conclusion. Socialists = Fake meaning (Berniebros): Kids who like free stuff. Real meaning (PSL, DSA): Communists who pretend to tolerate dissent.

At ¡No Pasaran! Election Protection helps prevent legal votes being cancelled by cheaters and elections being rigged by powerful interests

Ace hears Workers At Obama's Soviet Concrete Butt Plug Tower of Ego Threaten to Unionize Over Low Wages and Long Hours. "Here's my guess: They don't work very hard and they're paid more than they're worth. I hate to defend the Stuttering Clusterf*** of a Miserable Failure like that, but I bet he hired a bunch of DEI dregs who are surprised they're being "coerced" into working at all. We'll have to see, though. Either way, I'm glad to see the SCOAMF is being inconvenienced by the Marxism he champions." John Stossel @JohnStossel, "Seattle city council wanted to help "exploited" gig workers. So they forced delivery apps to pay drivers MORE. "I wouldn’t assume that prices are going to go up," said one politician. But prices DID go up. @judgeglock of @ManhattanInst explains how regulation backfired." At PJM another West Coast, Messed Coast™ Vicky Taft claims A Foolproof Test to Confirm If Elected Leaders Are Unserious Boobs. You should presume they are until the prove otherwise. Also, Nick Shirley Does It Again: A $120 Can of Spam Busts Open Seattle's Food Stamp Fraud. At Ace's, Trump Announces That Almost 500 Criminal Fraudsters Have Been Arrested While Living in Taxpayer-Funded Public Housing, "Outstanding."

At Shooting News Week, Kurt Schlichter expounds on This is How the Execution of Nidal Hasan Should Be Carried Out. Old school. Eric S. Raymond @esrtweet, "I'm opposed to the death penalty, because I want to allow governments as few pretexts for murdering people as possible. Criminals should be executed by their intended victims at the time of the intended crime. On the other hand, I'm hearing so much butthurt screaming about the upcoming public execution of the Fort Hood terrorist, uniformly from people that I despise, that I feel kind of like supporting it." From Twitchy, Sit This One Out, Lady: Hillary Clinton Is Aghast That America Is Publicly Executing a Terrorist. "There's "sit this one out," and then there's "STFU, you reprehensible harridan!""

From the National Security J, A Disaster Is Coming for Iran: The Economy Is Tanking At Warp Speed as Donald Trump Squeezes Tehran More and More. "One of Iran’s top security officials says the country is going through one of the most difficult periods in its history, as the rial hits record lows and Iranians drain their savings. Iran’s oil minister also resigned on Sunday, though Tehran says it was for personal reasons." AG @AGHamilton29, "OpenAI has revealed Iranian operatives used AI to create and plant articles claiming to be from Western journalists. They also created social media accounts for the fake journalists and flooded related social media posts with comments. https://openai.com/index/disrupting-ai-enabled-false-front-operations."

Sundance at CTH hears President Trump Announces Diesel Supply Agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. OSINTtechnical @Osinttechnical, "Just hours after the U.S. eased sanctions on Russian fuel exports, Ukrainian attack drones struck the NZNP Rostovsky oil products export terminal in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. The Russian fuel export terminal was set ablaze." wretchardthecat @wretchardthecat, "SpaceX satellites to "drop like flies" should they interfere with Russia says Medvedev." Quote Dmitry Medvedev @MedvedevRussiaE, "Kiev moron's request to “block” Russia’s Rassvet satellites can only imply their destruction, a sure way to a full-scale space war. I hope the US gets this. Otherwise, Starlink satellites will drop like flies. Space is a cramped place so it's a must to be mutually polite." Elon Musk makes Starlink satellites like Frito makes Doritos.

Mary Chastain at LI reports Rubio Sanctions ICC: The Court ‘Will End Its Threats or We Will End the ICC’ “Our message is clear: the United States and its people are not subject to the jurisdiction of the ICC.” Sundance dances as President Trump Sanctions Politically Motivated International Criminal Court (ICC).

Sundance not unhappy that Canada Loses 68,000 Jobs in September After Losing 41,700 Jobs in August, Keep keeping those elbows up!

Leslie Eastman at LI, Hegseth Puts Warfighting Skills at the Center of Military Promotions, "The proposed Joint Warfighting Evaluations are envisioned to be something along the lines of the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers, which showcased the skills of Eisenhower and Patton….but with AI!." Ace thinks
AI Companies are Wargaming a Public Relations Campaign to Assauge (sic) Citizens After a "Catastrophic" AI Event -- Which They Predict Will Happen Next Year, "This is worrying."

Katie Zacharia allegedly

Sundance hosts President Trump Announces Katie Zacharia as White House Press Secretary, I hope she's as good a Karoline Leavitt, and President Trump Celebrates Columbus Day at the White House, with the restored statue of Columbus that vandal protesters broke up and dumped in Baltimore Harbor. Quoth the Raven at QTR’s Fringe Finance, Judy Shelton, Scott Bessent And The Coming Gold Revaluation?. "The Treasury Secretary just brought one of America's most prominent gold advocates into his inner circle. ... About a week ago, I wrote an article exploring what would happen if the United States decided to revalue its enormous gold reserves, which are still officially carried on the government’s books at the absurd price of $42.22 per ounce. I explained how a revaluation could potentially create trillions of dollars in new Treasury financing capacity and, taken to an extreme, fundamentally alter the relationship between the dollar, gold and the national debt."

Gunther Eagleman™ @GuntherEagleman, "IT WAS ALWAYS A SCAM. A whistleblower inside Letitia James’ own office says investigators spent a year on the Trumps, found no evidence, and still got ordered to keep digging because “what Tish wanted, Tish got.” No case. No crime. Just a vendetta with a badge. This is lawfare and the New York Post just put it on the front page." Ace says Oh, No! DOJ Seeks Perjury Indictment Against January 6th Fabulist Madison Cornbread, "Not Madison Cornbread! Madison Cornbread, no! Noooooo!" His name for Cassidy Hutchinson. Also, Three "Students" Arrested for Threatening to Murder the President. "CNN won't cover this. But I do remember CNN hyperventilating that a meme showing Trump beating up a wrestler with "CNN" superimposed upon his head was an unbearable threat to kill a reporter, and that a Trump crowd chanting "CNN Sucks!" was a direct threat against noted tough-guy mike-grabbing-woman-harasser Jim Acosta."

On Deep Background, Will the Court Stop Climate Lawsuits From Becoming a National Carbon Tax? I expect so.

Regarding the "Cornell 7" + 1, Inez Stepman @InezFeltscher, "I predict my comments to The Hill will age well: “I’m on the opposite side of whatever narrative is going on about Cornell here. Cornell would have bent over backwards to make sure that there were consequences, even to the point of violating probably some of these young men’s due process rights, if they were able to do so,” said Inez Stepman, senior legal and policy analyst at Independent Women’s Forum, a conservative women advocacy group. The case “should not be going through trial by mob,” Stepman added. “The environment in which we talk about these issues is frankly hostile to getting to the truth of them, and extremely and unnecessarily reputationally damaging for everybody involved, and it’s kind of a disgrace, honestly, the way these cases blow up, the way that the student newspaper published the names, that the whole thing, to me, is a disgraceful way to treat like a serious issue.” Quote Inez Stepman @InezFeltscher, "I have said since day one of this Cornell 7 thing that it's far, far, FAR more likely that the school violated the Constitutional due process rights of the boys involved than that it downplayed or brushed aside the allegations of sexual misconduct. Feeling really good about that."

Sarah Hoyt at Insty, SERIOUSLY? CONSIDERING HOW MUCH THE LATEST WAVES OF ILLEGALS WERE DRAWING ON THE SYSTEM THEY NEVER PAID INTO: "because they were being signed on for disability and other benefits at the border, this is highly improbable: NEW REPORT: Trump’s Mass Deportation Agenda Could Cut Social Security Retiree Benefits by $2,152 a Year, Economists Find. And if you dig to find who these economists are… A brand new firm this year that is apparently all about enforcing immigration is bad for the economy? All 3 (three) of them? I’d bet money they’re ex-government employees!" Jihad Watch watches UK Plans to Welcome ‘Palestinian’ Migrants. To be fair, the mess in the mideast owes a lot to British intervention. 

Dave Strom wonders if it's Time to Blast Strasbourg? Brit Hume @brithume, "Excellent thread on the forces involved in the riots in France." Quote Fox News Politics @foxnewspolitics, "A Fox News Digital investigation traces how France's student protests over education cuts are being hijacked by a sprawling network of communist activists, labor unions and far-left political parties — all amplified by a transnational propaganda machine funded by Neville Roy." Andy Doyle at WaPoo opines John Cleese is not a terrorist, "The former Monty Python star’s criticism of Islam is a free-speech matter, not one for government intrusion."

From the Free Bacon, Harvard Celebrates Its Boycott-Israel, Blood Libel Nobel Laureate. "Prize winner is Harvard Law grad who returned to campus in 2022 to demonize Jewish state." At Campus Reform, EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Pro-Palestine students destroy October 7 memorial, allegedly set conservative's clothing on fire. "Anti-Israel students at a New Mexico university vandalized a memorial honoring victims of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Expression expresses, Acceptance of violence and shoutdowns fell in 2026, but so did tolerance. "A breaking wave?" From Da Signal, What Has Become of Charlottesville, Virginia? "... now that a 37-year-old schoolteacher from Albemarle County, named Michael Swiney, is facing 20 charges of sexual misconduct involving elementary school students, where are FOX News and ABC and CNN these days?" Luke Rosiak @lukerosiak, ""Never give up": A sex investigation found a male professor innocent, so the college just kept redoing it with new investigators as activists fished for a different result. A different result never came, but the college paid the accusers $10M anyway."

Buck Throckmorton at Ace's Morning Rant, The Memphis Situation: Tennessee Shouldn't Need Federal Help; “Bake the Cake” Rules Should Apply to Pizza Parlor Denying Service to Guardsmen.

Plus plenty more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 10.09.26! Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. 

Rule 5 Saturday - Maya Allegra

This week's Rule 5 choice is Maya Allegra

AI Overview - 

Maya Allegra (@mayaallegra02) is a fitness model, fashion influencer, and pageant titleholder. 

Name: Maya Allegra

Handle: @mayaallegra02 on Instagram and TikTok

Occupation: Fitness model, fashion and lifestyle influencer

Pageant Title: Won 1st place as Miss Las Vegas, Nevada.  

Career & Brand Collaborations:

Swimwear & Fitness Brands: Frequently collaborates and models for brands like Skinz Swimwear & Gymwear, Boutinela, and the Black Tape Project.   

Runway & Events: Walked in events like Sin City Swim Week at the Sahara Las Vegas and Miami Swim Week.  

Fashion Partnerships: Features faith-driven lifestyle content and collaborations with labels such as Fashion Nova and White Fox Boutique. 

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: No Fishy Just Sexy and FMJRA 2.0: A Winning Homestand up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Oregon, My Oregon

From the College Fix, Protesters outside U. Oregon Hillel praise Oct. 7 terrorists, demand ban on Jewish student group 

A group of pro-Palestinian protesters descended on Hillel at the University of Oregon on Wednesday — the third anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks — to demand the Jewish student group be banished from campus. 

Chants from the group of roughly 25 protesters included praise for those who conducted the “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” incursion that killed more than 1,200 Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, according to videos of the protest obtained by The College Fix. “Hillel off campus,” the group chanted. “Glory to the martyrs of the Al-Aqsa Flood.” “No more IDF on campus,” was another chant led by the Anti-Imperialist Front group. It’s unknown how many students took part in the demonstration.

There was no movement visible from inside the Hillel house as the chants continued from the protesters, most of whom donned masks and hoodies to conceal their identities. Two Israeli flags hung from windows of the two-story house, and candles flickered in each of its window sills to memorialize the victims of the terrorist attack. The house is located at the western edge of the University of Oregon campus in Eugene.

On Wednesday afternoon, protesters also burned an American flag along the sidewalk near the house’s front porch.

Well, Eugene.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Where in the World is James Talarico?

Suddenly, someone noticed the Democrat candidate for Texas Senator has been missing from the campaign trail for more than a week, and his campaign has been substituting old footage for news to try and paper over his absence. At PJM, Chris Queen wonders Where in the World Is Jimmy Talarico? We Miss Our Favorite Heretic!, Matt Margolis asks Are We Really Supposed to Believe Talarico Has the Flu? and Cathy Salgado thinks Talafreako Is ‘Sick,’ Becerra Is Hiding, and Dems Know Their Candidates Are Too Dumb to Campaign. Jen O'Connell at RedState sees Paxton 'Milk Cartons' Talarico's Absence From the Campaign Trail As Dem's Staffers Let the Mask Slip. Matthew Foldi @MatthewFoldi, "#TXSEN NEWS: In the closing days of James Talarico's race against @KenPaxtonTX, Talarico's own staffers could cause major problems for the Texas Democrat -- in this exclusive footage, one of Talarico's Marxist field organizers explains how she views him as the "vehicle" to push Texas drastically leftward, and that Talarico is actually far more anti-Israel than he publicly claims to be..." Stephen Green @VodkaPundit, "10 days isn't the flu. 10 days is "caught in bed with a live boy AND a dead girl."" At Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog, Trump Texas Trip Targets Talafreako. Trans-Touter? Truant. America @america, "Democrat Nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas James Talarico: “I don't care where you get the revenue, I don't care what taxes you have to raise.”

Scott McLallen at TownHall reports Rogers, El-Sayed Clash in First Michigan Senate Debate. Cathy Salgado again, 'He's Lying!' Rogers Exposes El-Sayed’s Terror Ties and Deception During Debate. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn says If Snippets I'm Seeing of the MI Senate Debate Is How the Whole Thing's Going? YOICKS. RedWave Press @RedWavePress, "OH MY: Mike Rogers takes Abdul El-Sayed to the WOOD CHIPPER, CLAPPING BACK after the Muslim progressive hits him for owning a home in Florida: “He owns a home in the United Arab Emirates. At least Florida’s in the United States.” Alana Goodman @alanagoodman, "El-Sayed refuses to publicly support the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, because, as he admitted on leaked audio, he doesn't want to alienate radicalized pro-Khamenei/pro-Hezbollah voters in Dearborn. Great questioning from @AudreyFahlberg , one of the few reporters to press El-Sayed on this very important issue!" Quote Audrey Fahlberg @AudreyFahlberg, "There hasn’t been much reporting follow up on @alanagoodman’s scoop about a private Abdul El-Sayed campaign comms strategy call following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during which he said "there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad" about his death." From Twitchy, OUCH! New Video of El-Sayed Roasting Obama Just Made the Upcoming Campaign Stop AWKWARD. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair cites El-Sayed: You Know Whose Health Care Policy Stunk and Gave Us Trump, Right? From Ace, El-Sayed, Ready to Campaign with Shit-Fingered Midas, Previously Said Obama Was a Failed President Who Left the Country Off Worse Than When He Found It. "We have something in common with Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed: We agree that the SCOAMF was a disaster." At PJM, VodkaPundit looks at Barack Obama and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad News Cycle. From Da Mail, an Embarrassing blow for Barack Obama as workers at his 'death star' presidential center are already so fed up they're leaving in droves... as stern letter is released.

Hat Hair's Dave Strom notices Mamdani Doesn't Hate Jews Enough for His Supporters... No, he really does, it's just an act. Jarvis @jarvis_best, "He’s gotta be concerned at this point about a primary challenge from his wife." Quote Peter Sterne @petersterne, "Mamdani is stone-faced as the protesters call him a traitor and sellout." The Drunk Republican @DrunkRepub, "You almost have to admire Mamdani. Dude just walks around NYC smiling and shitting on everything because the place is so far gone that he’s untouchable, and he knows it. Like John Gotti wearing a keffiyeh." PJM's Stephen Kruiser, October 7 vs. January 6 — Guess Which Date the Dems Think Is Worse. 

Steve Calabresi at the Volokh Conspiracy explains The Democratic Socialists of America Platform. "The DSA would abolish the police, open borders, socialize medicine, abolish the Department of War, and abolish the Senate." From Da Signal, Bill to Strip DSA of Party Rights Picks Up Steam in DC. “The DSA has made clear that it wants to abolish and fundamentally change the 250-year American experiment of self-government,” Fuller told the Daily Signal. “The organization’s co-chair has confirmed support for abolishing institutions like the Senate, presidency, and Supreme Court, abolishing ICE and our borders, defunding the Pentagon, and mass amnesty for illegal immigrants.” Wake me up when a Democrat signs on. At Quotulatiousness, Central planning also centralizes the importance of “who you know” "Maria Gabriela Chavez holds assets estimated at $4.2 billion, making her Venezuela’s wealthiest individual by a comfortable margin. Her father nationalized over 1,200 private companies between 2002 and 2012."

Matt Margolis thinks These Numbers Should Terrify Democrats Ahead of the Midterms. Which is why they're already talking about the election being stolen (I mean, aside from the usual projection). "when you take a look at how people are actually registering, this is not polling data, compared to where we were eight years ago, Republicans are doing considerably better in what are the swing states, at least normally in presidential elections," Enten said." Don Surber is hopeful Democrats may blow it. "There is a 13% chance they will pick up fewer than 3 seats in the House." "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.." From ¡No Pasaran! Vote Red — Or America's Dead: It's your year to save this country.

The inimitable Kurt Schlichter at TownHall, Trump Has Reset the Strategic Chessboard and People Are Blackpilling? "Oh no, gas is a little more expensive per gallon, and a bunch of Democrats haven’t been thrown into jail yet. I guess the only thing to do is vote for a bunch of communists." At Insty VodkaPundit says BUCKLE UP: "China’s Build Up of Nuclear Forces. ... The Pentagon called it a “strategic breakout” five years ago, and Beijing’s pace has only accelerated since then." Stephen Fleming @StephenFleming, "It’s possible that the First Space War has already started and they’re just not telling us." Quote LeoLabs @LeoLabs_Space "LeoLabs has detected another debris-generating event in orbit. This is the latest in a series of events we've seen over the last 6 months. Together, they point to a worrying trend for space safety and security, and underscore the critical need for persistent sensing."

Glenn Greenwald @ggreenwald, "The third-place finisher behind Bolsonaro and Lula -- Augusto Cury -- has just come out and endorsed Flavio Bolsonaro in the run-off. Lula's prospects for overcoming his first-round deficit grow dimmer by the day." Quote Sam Pancher @SamPancher, "Augusto Cury has decided to support Flávio Bolsonaro, according to an investigation by @igorgadelham Support video is expected to be released in the next few hours." Time for the lefty judge to jail the son! From Twitchy, European Parliament Displays Statue of Naked, Gold-Plated Trump Called ‘The Orange Plague.’ Wrath Of Gnon @wrathofgnon, "The US should simply remove all military protections and aid to the EU and its member states. What is the point of all this if even the people who tell us loudly they are the good guys can't follow basic human decency?" Naomi Seibt @NaomiSeibt, "A German artist was allowed to display a NAKED TRUMP STATUE at the EU parliament. Meanwhile, it is ILLEGAL to “damage the reputation of a politician” in Germany. Imagine the uproar if Trump put a naked Angela Merkel statue in the White House!" Good idea, let's try it! Hat Hair's Dave Strom thinks Rubio's Excellent Speech on Western Civ Is a Rorschach Test. Mark Paolette at Da Fed swears Trump’s Triumphal Arch Completes A Longstanding National Aspiration. I can live with or without it. Just another thing to move when we make Fargo ND the capitol city. At Am Great, the Great Victor Davis Hanson wonders Are We Becoming Gondor? "J.R.R. Tolkien’s vision of a declining Gondor offers a warning for the troubled West—but also a message of hope that renewal remains possible."

Insty calls it SETTING AN EXAMPLE: Fort Hood Shooter’s Execution Will Be Public and Streamed Live, Pentagon Says. Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "Must see TV. But yeah, there’ll be hating. More public executions please. More executions. Murderers, rapists, terrorists and traitors. (We have quite a few of the latter as yet uncharged. Not a good idea. Charges, executions, get people’s attention.) Gibbeting. Old American and English tradition. Let them rot in public view." Quote wretchardthecat @wretchardthecat, "The livestreaming of Hasan's execution is likely to generate strong emotions on all sides. Western societies now look away from death, sanitize it, medicalize it and move on. For all its negatives a firing squad puts it right in our face again. It was not always so. ..." InfantryDort @infantrydort, "This monster shot many people. Among them, a pregnant woman who cried out “My baby, my baby!” before she died. In case any of you are feeling sorry for this miserable fuck being executed in 1080p." At Althouse, "We'll make sure that people are able to watch it — that it's public — because people need to understand that there are serious consequences for these types of things.", "Said Pete Hegseth, promising a public execution. ... So we are called to contemplate something that we have long believed to have been abandoned. There is some excitement — I see it in Hegseth's body language — over the return of the spectacle of imposing the death penalty." Twitchy, TDS Accounts Try to Dunk on Pete Hegseth Running With Troops and Faceplant on the Previous SecDef. The Tennessee Holler @TheTNHoller, "This is the funniest shit of all time… wait for it… Quote FactPost @factpostnews, "Pete Hegseth trails behind the crowd while running with troops in San Diego." Bravo Charlie Mike @brent_maz, "Can you run? Or are you pointing out that the mid-40’s side doesn’t run as fast as the 20 something’s?"

505 days after Elon’s decline and fall… He’s the World’s first trillionaire and National Medal of Science Award winner. The Media truly does suck. https://t.co/9eceZ1x5Oz

— C3 (@C_3C_3) October 8, 2026

The Free Bacon highlights how Wall Street Journal vs. Treasury Secretary Bessent Erupts as Pre-Election Blood Feud. At Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog, Trump Tightens SNAP Requirements As Nick Shirley Demonstrates EBT Fraud.

The Chicago Boyz, About That Night in Cornell "Third, the timing of the claim is suspicious. I know her suit was technically filed in September, but coming as it does shortly before an election it qualifies as an “October Surprise.”" Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "100% convinced that Cornell is little more than a Democrat psyop weeks before a midterm election that’s shaping up to be brutal for them." Quote Matt Walsh @MattWalshBlog, "So the Cornell accuser called it a “gang bang,” specifically stated that nothing illegal occurred, and said “our body our choice.” Ok. Case closed. Let’s move on to the next hoax please." Lisa Britton @LisaBritton, "When I got into an argument with the late Senator Dianne Feinstein in front of a room full of constituents, accusing her and the party of using women (their pain and trauma) to get votes, this is the kind of stuff I was referring to." Quote Women's March @womensmarch "The epidemic of sexual violence holds auditions in the frat house and does prime time in the White House. Cornell and LSU are not exceptions, they are examples of rape culture on campuses and communities across the country. Thursday, we bring the rage about this case and many..." Matt Vespa at TownHall, sees The Cornell Case Takes Another Turn, and Letitia James Is Involved. Lauren Conlin @conlin_lauren, "SCOOP: CORNELL SEVEN: Gillio Lopes, one of the seven men accused in Jane Doe’s civil lawsuit, has filed an Article 78 challenge looking to REMOVE NY Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in the criminal investigation. His attorneys argue James showed bias toward Jane Doe in a Sept. 28 social media post, three days before Gov. Hochul appointed her to lead the reopened criminal investigation. Lopes wants the appointment overturned and a different prosecutor assigned. A judge has not yet ruled. More details via @lamag shortly." alexandriabrown @alexthechick, "As someone who has spent 30 years *stares bleakly into the distance* serving defendants, it is basic, basic competence to make sure you have the right address for the defendant. In a case of this notoriety, there is no excuse for failing to make sure that is the right person." Quote Michael Tracey @mtracey, "Jane Doe lawyer Thomas Giuffra was already notorious for not doing basic due diligence to check stuff in his sensational rape-alleging lawsuits. Now he's got a random Marine he tried to serve, because he happens to have the same name as a defendant, begging the Court for relief..." AG @AGHamilton29, "This is part of why I said the public mob mentality on here based on allegations in a lawsuit was extremely inappropriate and unhelpful. The texts directly contradict claims in the lawsuit. We don’t know what’s true, but that’s why people should wait for the facts." Quote TMZ @TMZ, "EXCLUSIVE: Cornell alleged sexual assault, Jane Doe says "gangbang ... our body our choice." We can't wait for the facts! There's an election coming! Stacy McCain sees The Wrong Matthew Ingalls, the Correct ‘Jane Doe’ and the Cornell 7 Case and finds Amanda Marcotte ‘A Reliable Barometer of Wrongness’ on the Cornell case and just in general. He also outs 'Jane Doe.' Wilfred Reilly @wil_da_beast630, "I almost literally cannot think of a worse idea than paying college women tens of thousands of dollars to make Cornell-quality rape claims." Quote New York Post @nypost, "NYS lawmaker pitches bill to give sex assault victims tuition reimbursement in wake of Cornell 7 case." From the Free Bacon, Cornell’s President Misses the Point—In a Telling Way; "'Body autonomy' is not the key issue." Lisa Britton @LisaBritton, "When you realize that most of “female empowerment!” is actually big business in many ways, then the escalating gender war starts to make more sense." Quote Christina Buttons @buttonslives, "She’s right of course. There really is a campus rape industry whose objective is to convince women they’ve been raped. There’s an entire ecosystem of advocacy groups, lawyers, researchers, victim-services programs, and the Title IX bureaucracy that has a financial and..." Quote Heather Mac Donald @HMDatMI, "A real rape victim is not going to initiate friendly (and possibly sexual) contact again with her alleged rapist, as Jane Doe did. ..."

Susie Moore at RedState hears ‘Make the Supreme Court Say It Twice’: Roberts Blocks 4th Circuit's Extraordinary Election Order. At Shooting News Week, With Yesterday’s SCOTUS Denial, Concealed Carry Reciprocity is Now Up to Congress. At Da Caller Harold Hutchinson says Anti-Gunners Reveal Motive Behind Their Under-The-Radar Involvement In Supreme Court Climate Case. They want lefty cities setting national policy. Also from Da Caller, DOJ Seeking Criminal Indictment Of Cassidy Hutchinson Over Jan. 6 Testimony.

At Twitchy, Norm Macdonald Meme Plays Out in MN As ‘Journo’ Frets Over Somali Gangs Being Called ‘Somali Gangs.’ Nick Sortor @nicksortor, "So basically, we took his family in from Somalia, cared for them, allowed them to stay here PERMANENTLY, and how does their son repay us? BY ATTEMPTING TO KlLL 60 NON-MUSLIMS AT THE MALL The “melting pot” experiment has failed. SEND THEM ALL BACK!" amanda @amandatalks__, with a Friendly reminder that the most ISIS recruits in the entire country during the height of the caliphate came from this cluster of buildings in Minneapolis." Ace says Don't Call Them Somali Gangs. Call Them Well-Armed Doctors and Engineers. "The Somali community, and the left generally, continues to rage that Somali gang members are called Somali gang members. They want them called "American" gang members. And they insist that the problem isn't Somalis, it's just guns. FoxNews..."

Mary Chastain at LI, Trump Admin Suspends Microsoft, Others From PERM Program Over Alleged Visa Abuse. "JD Vance: “In other words, if you do the math, for every worker that Microsoft laid off, they replaced that worker with one and a half foreign indentured servants.”" From Da Caller, White House Suspends Microsoft From Green Card Program Over H-1B Fraud. Dave Strom says BOOM! Administration Shutting Down Foreign Worker Flow to Companies That Abuse Programs. Ace, Citing Microsoft's Practice of Laying Off American Workers and Replacing Them With H-1B "Indentured Servants," Trump Suspends Microsoft's Ability to Use the Green Card Program. "Niiiiice. Should have been done long ago. Hit Disney next. The terrorist-aligned AP is sad."

Mary Chastain, Trump Admin Investigating Nine Universities for Alleged Visa Fraud. “We will investigate whether foreign influence, improper financial relationships, or visa abuse are compromising federally funded research.” Rapid Response 47 @RapidResponse47, "@USLaborIG: "I am announcing a historic investigation into the J-1 visa fraud involving nine major American universities — Pit, Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Brown, UC Davis, Caltech, Arizona State, and MIT. Subpoenas have been served; investigations are underway.""

From Twitchy, WHOA. Never Seen THAT Before: ABC So SCREWED UP Their Trump and Sons Hit Piece They Just DELETED It. Brent Scher @BrentScher, "Damn, ABC completely took this down. No editor’s note, no nothing, just deleted." Quote Amy Siskind @Amy_Siskind, "ABC News reported that AI defense company Anduril Industries, a company in which Donald Jr.’s 1789 Capital has a major investment, was awarded a multi-billion deal announced by Trump on Tuesday, and had been awarded 135 other contracts with the government." John Sexton sees The NYTimes Offers a Defense of the Prairieland Antifa Gang. Adam Carolla @adamcarolla, "All the liars and hustlers want to move on." Quote Dr Charlie Ward @DrcharlieWardQ, "MUST WATCH : CNN’s Dana Bash: “I really want to move on [from talking about the mistakes during COVID] HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: “Of course you want to move because you were part of the problem.”"

Althouse finds The Nobel Peace Prize as a "grotesque weaponization of an award to legitimize anti-Israel hatred and prejudice." "I'm reading "Live Updates: Human Rights Lawyer Navi Pillay Is Awarded Nobel Peace Prize/Ms. Pillay has served as a judge in her native South Africa and on international courts investigating war crimes. She led a U.N. panel that determined that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a finding the Israeli government rejected" (NYT):" Cathy Salgado explains Why Anti-Israel Is Anti-American: We Face the Same Enemy. The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Hamas Disappointed Leftists Don't Believe They Massacred Jews After They Went To All The Trouble To Livestream It."

At Da Signal, France Bowed by School Riots.This has very little to do with schools and a lot to do with mass immigration. The 74, wonders Do Americans Worry About Schools Becoming Too White? Too Asian? "Hartney: New survey finds Republicans and Democrats support merit-based admissions, but they react very differently depending on which groups benefit." Jonathan Turley dissects The Education Cartel and the Blue State School Scam. "Families and students have become largely irrelevant to an education cartel, a self-sustaining, self-perpetuating political alliance of unions and politicians."

Defiant L’s @DefiantLs, "British teen arrested after Facebook post criticizing British politician for being on his phone instead of working The new Britain ladies and gentlemen Illegals are murdering people in the street but Facebook posts can get you arrested." Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "Seems like a reasonable expectation, given…" Quote The English Crusader @andrewc44104127, "ARE THEY PLANNING TO PUT THE ARMY ON THE STREETS OF BRITAIN? Our Source | Warned us that a regiment that has been waiting to deploy all year abroad, has had their plans cancelled, and the whispers in the chain of command is it is because they think there is going to be major civil unrest. Meaning, they are keeping the regiment in the UK to deploy on UK streets if needed, and if there is their massive civil unrest. This is highly unusual and not normal. We went and did research and there are in fact multiple regiments that have been waiting to deploy abroad, having their plans cancelled..." Mrs. Rutter ™ @lindarutter, ""I never thought I'd live to see the day when the right wing would become to cool ones giving the middle finger to the establishment, and the left wing become the sniveling self-righteous twatty ones going around shaming everyone." ~John Lydon AKA Johnny Rotten The Sex Pistols"

Kyle Becker at RedState thinks Caitlin Clark Gets the 'Last Laugh' on WNBA After Her Team Is Eliminated. Christine Brennan @cbrennansports, "A bit of good news for the WNBA: Instead of losing 55% of TV audience when Fever go out (info below), the drop for semis Game 1 vs Game 1 of Fever-Aces a week earlier is 44-47%: 2.11M Fever-Aces ABC 1.17M Liberty–Dream ABC 1.12M Aces–Valkyries NBC/Peacock All Sun vs NFL games." Quote Christine Brennan @cbrennansports, "There’s joy among anti-CC WNBA fans but no joy among TV execs and sponsors. Sad reality hits the W with Fever now out: based on three seasons of viewership data, when Caitlin Clark leaves, half of W’s TV audience leaves as well. Maybe this month is different? From On Her Game:" But they don't really care because the WNBA is supported mostly by the NBA.

There's still more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 10.07.26 and In The Mailbox: 10.08.26. The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: A Winning Homestand up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.