Another Bad Year for Striped Bass in the Bay

MDDNR, Maryland Striped Bass Reproduction Index Higher for 2026 But Below Average For Eighth Straight Year

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) 2026 juvenile striped bass survey recorded a young-of-year index of 5.5. Although it marks the eighth consecutive year of low spawning success for striped bass, this is the highest index recorded since 2018. The survey tracks the reproductive success of Maryland’s state fish in Chesapeake Bay.

During this annual survey, fisheries biologists sample 22 sites located in four major striped bass spawning areas: the Choptank, Nanticoke, and Potomac rivers, and the upper Chesapeake Bay. Biologists visit each site three times per summer, collecting fish with two sweeps of a 100-foot beach seine net. The index represents the average number of 3-inch or smaller juvenile striped bass caught in 132 sweeps of the net. The survey, one of the longest-running continuous fish surveys in the United States, has been conducted in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay since 1954.

 

This year’s survey captured 723 juvenile striped bass. The highest performing areas were the upper Bay and Choptank River. Although striped bass catches were below average, the fish were more widely distributed than in recent years, indicating suitable habitat throughout the nursery areas. The long-term average index for the survey is currently 10.8, while the index was 4.0 in 2025 and 2.0 in 2024.

“We are encouraged to see some improvements to the numbers of juvenile striped bass this year, while it wasn’t as robust as we would like,” said Maryland DNR Fishing and Boating Services Director Michael Luisi. “Ongoing low recruitment is anticipated to impact rebuilding of the coastwide striped bass population. Results from coastwide juvenile indices will be incorporated into the ongoing work to produce the benchmark stock assessment expected to be completed in 2027.”

 

Efforts to rebuild the Atlantic Coast population of striped bass to previous high levels have been underway for several years and are ongoing. Through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Maryland and other states that border the Atlantic Ocean have implemented management measures, including reductions to catch limits, tighter slot limits, and season closures. Continued low levels of reproduction will influence future conservation measures under consideration by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Recent population estimates indicate healthy adult populations of striped bass, despite the downturn in juvenile spawning success. A rebuilt adult population should reproduce successfully when conditions like river flow, temperature and food availability are favorable for striped bass eggs and larvae.

 

Multiple factors affect striped bass spawning success in the Chesapeake Bay. Cold winters and wet springs tend to be beneficial for spawning, and while Maryland experienced a cold winter, the prolonged regional drought and resulting low river flows may have led to unfavorable conditions for striped bass eggs and larvae. High river flows increase spawning habitat, allow eggs to remain suspended in the water column, and bring larvae closer to food sources. Other variables, including a shortened spawning period, could also influence spawning success.

These consecutive below-average year classes will likely become more apparent among the adult population of striped bass in the coming years, as the juveniles reach maturity. A benchmark stock assessment for the coastwide population of Atlantic striped bass is underway and expected to complete peer review in spring 2027. The stock assessment will evaluate the condition of striped bass from Maine to North Carolina and inform future management actions.

Everybody who fishes for stripers in the Bay is well aware of the dearth of small fish, the very fish that are needed to keep the population moving forward. And you have to go farther, and fish longer to catch the same number of fish that you used to. 

Oregon, My Oregon

 Griffin J. John II, the suspected shooter

Eric Florack at PJM says Bring the Charges, Oregon. I’ll Bring the Popcorn.

Let me get one thing out of the way before the hate mail starts: Kaylub Giamanco is a hero. Full stop. Understand that right now before reading further.

Giamanco is the 36-year-old father who grabbed his pistol from his truck, followed a 16-year-old gunman into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Ore., and put him down. Three children and a teacher died before he got there. Nobody knows how many more would have died if he hadn't.

And I want Oregon to charge him for carrying a loaded firearm on school property.

Yeah, I know. “Say what?”

Hear me out, because my reasons aren't what you might expect. What Giamanco did saved lives, and I hold that his actions were justified, both morally and legally. Oregon law even has a name for it: the "choice of evils" defense, which excuses breaking a law to prevent a greater, imminent harm. If a 16-year-old firing a shotgun into a classroom full of special-needs kids doesn't qualify, nothing does. I don't lose a minute of sleep over the idea of a jury convicting him, even in deep-blue Oregon.

Here's the problem, though. Bend-La Pine Schools bans guns on all district property, concealed-carry license holders included. The district passed that ban after the state legislature handed every school district the option in 2021. For a licensed carrier, breaking it is a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail. By the letter of the law the Left wrote, Giamanco should have stayed in the parking lot.

Think about what staying in the parking lot would have meant. Police say the gunman fired roughly 15 rounds inside that classroom. Officers arrived within about three minutes, which is a fine response time by any standard, and still not fast enough. When seconds count, police are minutes away. That isn't a slogan. It's arithmetic.

Kaylub Giamanco shot the killer

 

The district had done everything the safety consultants recommend. Secure vestibules at every entrance. A classroom door-locking system. None of it mattered. According to police, the gunman shot out the glass panes in a set of outside doors and walked in. Locks buy time. They don't end an attack. Two people ended this one. One was a teacher who, according to police, threw her phone at the gunman, tackled him, and fought him for the weapon with her bare hands. The other was a dad with a .40-caliber pistol; the law said he had no business carrying it through that door.

So charge him. Make a Soros-paid prosecutor stand up in open court and argue that a father had a legal duty to wait outside while a teenager with a shotgun worked his way through a classroom. Make the gun-grabbers defend their gun-free zone with the bodies still warm. Put the district's own policy into evidence and read it aloud to the jury. They'd have to admit what we've said all along: the good guy with a gun saved lives, and their law stood in his way. Make the whole thing public on national TV and do it before the election.

They won't, of course. Nobody has announced charges against Giamanco, and nobody will, because the trial would be the best pro-gun ad ever produced. So the Left does the next best thing. It talks around him.

Take Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who still harbors presidential ambitions for reasons I can't fathom. Kelly and his wife, Gabby Giffords, posted Thursday that "extremists keep blocking critical, lifesaving laws." Not a word about the lifesaving, law-abiding gun owner who ended the attack. That's about as thin as a statement gets. Because you see, in light of these events, it’s Kelly that’s the extremist, and he knows it.

Kelly has company. Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.), who represents Bend, flew home and told reporters the laws "don't go far enough, fast enough." Funny thing about that. A law enforcement official told reporters the shotgun belonged to the gunman's mother, who bought it. Oregon already rates among the strictest gun-law states in the country, according to the Giffords Law Center itself. The laws on the books didn't stop a 16-year-old from getting his hands on that shotgun. The only law in this story that worked as written is the one that tried to keep Giamanco out.

If it happens, and I don't believe it will, Kaylub will not have any trouble raising money for his defense. 

Flotsam and Jetsam - Ukraine Russia Still Fighting, France Still Burning

WaEx reports Blaze at St. Petersburg oil sites as Kyiv launches more than 1,000 drones at Russia. Jen Kavanaugh at Am Con proposes A Long-Term Plan to Secure Peace for Ukraine, "The brutal, yearslong war might end in 2027—if the White House plays its cards right." Ace looks at The Cognitive Dissonance Of The Pro-Ukraine/Anti-Russia Commentariat. "There is a default assumption among the vast majority of the media, both the mass-market variety and the supposedly high-minded elites who comment on everything, no matter their expertise. Ukraine GOOD! Russia BAD! That sums it up nicely. And they are half correct! What they seem to miss is that Ukraine is a kleptocratic cesspool of corruption, and their only saving grace is that they were attacked by Putin's Russia, and not by Poland or Belarus, which would have elicited a giant yawn in western capitals. And they also miss the provocation from the West that probably began with Bush senior, when Russia was still the Soviet Union. They were promised that NATO had no plans to expand east, so the buffer between western Europe and mother Russia that the Soviet Union had created wasn't necessary." And Sundance at CTH, well, sundance has Sunday Talks – Treasury Secretary Bessent: “Zelenskyy Needs to be Very Careful About Making Statements That are Not True”…, Zelenskyy is Lying – Secretary Marco Rubio Responds to False Claims About Ukraine, Starlink and Starshield, President Trump Points Out Zelenskyy’s Financial Motivation to Keep War Going and Mike Steger Interprets President Trump Ukraine and Russia Policy Objectives. The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Man Frustrated By Gas Prices Votes To Start Castrating Kids Again."

Also at CTH, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Confirms 4 Dead, Several Dozens Injured, During Military Live-Fire Exercise, live fire hit a natural gas wellhead, started a wildfire in a drought with high winds. What the...? Did they hire Karen Bass to advise?

At Da Wire Trump Lays Out Why He’s Canceling Plans To Live-Stream Terrorist Execution, "The decision came after days of speculation on whether the administration would follow through on Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's announcement." Don Surber explains How Trump got Hasan’s execution accepted, "Cartoonist Scott Adams saw him as a wizard who got people to think through the sale. Trump did." He starts by asking for the moon and stars, and settles for the moon.

Dave Strom sees Radicals Burning France Down. From Driscoll at Insty, IS PARIS SCUFFLING? Government Buildings Torched As French Riots Reach the ‘Point of No Return.’ "Related: Very fine people on both sides..." EuroNews reports a Euronews' crew assaulted by masked individuals while covering protests in Paris. At Althouse just Paris. Visegrád 24 @visegrad24, "Galeries Lafayette in Paris is being looted tonight. It’s the French equivalent of Harrods in London or Bergdorf Goodman in NYC," and BREAKING: The looters in Marseille have started targeting private homes villas in affluent areas. They are breaking into large villas in the 7th arrondissement of Marseille." Cathy Salgado at PJM hears a Report: Marseille Rioters Burned Jewish-Owned Shops, Left Muslim-Owned Ones Untouched. Nick Arama at RedState, Macron Faces Fury When It's Revealed What He Was Doing As Riots Escalated in France; "Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were spotted at Dion’s concert at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, according to French media reports. The couple reportedly arrived and left discreetly and were among roughly 35,000 spectators at the performance." From sundance, During National Address to France President Macron Says He “Doesn’t Know What is Going On” but He’s Sure President Trump is to Blame. At the Telegraph, Trump blames France violence on immigration, "US president urges country to ‘close your borders and take control’ as cost-of-living demonstrations turn violent."

From the Manhattan Contrarian, France Is The Future Of The Progressive Project. Geiger Capital @Geiger_Capital, "Europe gives them free healthcare, free housing, free education, every social program, and a quality of life they could never have back home… yet they will still loot and destroy the West into the third-world. There is no magic soil. A nation is simply it’s people." Twitchy finds @IsraelWarRoom Has Some Interesting Suggestions on How France Should Address Its Riots (LOL). Israel War Room @IsraelWarRoom, "We call on France to exercise restraint when dispersing the freedom fighters on the streets of Paris. These brave warriors for justice must receive immediate humanitarian aid, and their safety must be guaranteed in accordance with international law. Failure to comply will leave us no choice but to bring a case before the ICJ, in close cooperation with that renowned champion of human rights, Afghanistan."

Hat Hair's Josh Hammer calls Abdul El-Sayed A Muslim Brotherhood Puppet and a Grave National Security Threat. Sister Toldja at RedState hears 'No': Mike Rogers Shuts Down Reporter's TDS in Exchange on El-Sayed's Muslim Brotherhood Ties. From the Crimson Hub, Profiting from Socialism: Meet the DSA lobbyists set to make bank if DSA-dominated Dems win big next month. At Althouse, "The D.S.A.’s rise is at once a story of party-blobification and of a revolt against it. Like the conservatives of the 1970s..." "... the group frankly views the party it occupies as a host for an ideological movement rather than as a partner...." From "Is Anyone Actually in Charge of the Democratic Party? And Does It Matter? This year’s midterm elections are a test of whether a party can be a success and a failure at the same time" (NYT)." Nicolle Russell at USA Today warns Texas, don't let James Talarico's charm fool you. "Like former President Barack Obama, Texas state Rep. James Talarico sells unity to cloud his progressive record. Conservatives who believed Obama know how that ends." 

At Am Think Monica Showalter thinks about Is Rep. Ilhan Omar a U.S. citizen? "So, not Somali-American anymore, just Somali?" From Twitchy, Welp, This Tidbit About the Ilhan Omar Raid BLOWS the Left's Trump Targeting Claims Out of the WATER. Fox News Politics @foxnewspolitics, "The judge who signed the warrant to raid Rep. Ilhan Omar's DC home is a Hillary Clinton donor who clerked for an Obama appointee. That fact alone demolishes the left's claim that this is some Trump-orchestrated political hit job. Mike Davis argues the opposite is true: the evidence against Omar must be so overwhelming that even a judge with deep leftist ties couldn't refuse to sign off. The Fourth Amendment requires probable cause of at least one federal crime inside that home, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh — appointed by a bench dominated by Obama and Biden picks — found it was there...." Joe Chalfant thinks Obama's Comments on the Ilhan Omar Situation Are Absolutely Insane. Will Ricciardella @WillRicci, "FLASHBACK: Obama’s IRS singled out Tea Party and other conservative groups for heightened scrutiny based on their names and political positions, delayed tax-exempt applications for years and demanded unnecessary donor information. The IRS ultimately admitted wrongdoing and apologized. Obama insisted there was “not even a smidgen of corruption.” Quote Barack Obama @BarackObama, "It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say. But that’s exactly what the Trump Administration is doing to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota."

Atop Da Hill, Read this before you buy the ‘blue tsunami’ hype, "4 reasons why we should treat midterm polls with caution." Eric S. Raymond @esrtweet, "We've seen this movie before, it's a very common attempt to manipulate the voter pool. Phase 1: Bogus polls put the Democrat way ahead during most of the run-up in an attempt to demoralize Republican voters. Phase 2: Bogus polls are allowed to tighten to a very narrow D lead just before the election. An honest poll would show a huge R lead. Phase 3: Ballot fraud steals the election. The purpose of the bogus polls was to supply top cover for the fraud. It's a tale as old as time." Quote Kostas Moros @MorosKostas, "Texas polls converging on much smaller Talarico leads than they showed a month ago. From 5-7 point leads down to just 1-3 points. Either the massive Paxton rescue effort is working, or the Talarico leads were always BS." Commonplace urges Confidence, Not Faith, in the Ballot Box, "An election system should provide something that transcends disagreements: a process that can be examined."

DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican, "The past few days, I got my hands on thousands of new transcripts and hundreds of recordings, thanks to leads from @SKDoubleDub33 and @iamlisalogan . You've heard that the DSA is proposing structural reforms to America, including abolishing the Senate and imposing term limits. What you not have heard is - there is an operational plan to put it all into action. If the Democratic Party sweeps 2026, then DSA will become "foot soldiers" in constant clashes with the administration to cross a "red line" or invoke a "doomsday scenario" - meaning, President Trump invokes the Insurrection Act, probably sometime in 2027...." ((( Charlottesville ))) @CvilleBubble, "Heads Up, Virginia: AG Jay Jones’ 10-page election directive is the DataRepublican blueprint in real time. @DataRepublican laid it out: coordinated clashes with the federal government to delegitimize it and hand legitimacy to Democratic state officials -- specifically governors & AGs Virginia’s AG just ordered election officials to: • Deny ordinary DOJ monitors access to polls • Tell federal agents to leave and call local police • Document badges, weapons, vehicles & movements • Challenge federal subpoenas • While eliminating Election Day voter eligibility challenges. No specific unlawful federal operation identified—just preemptive resistance that sets up the “red line” showdown and shifts authority to the state and transfers legitimacy and control to Democratic state officials -- in Virginia's case, leftwing extremists Governor Abigail Spanberger and Attorney General Jay Jones --This is an operational plan, not theory. The conditions for escalation are being set in advance. SHARE with your friends. VOTE REPUBLICAN..."

There were a veritable plethora of responses to Elissa Slotkins stated plan of going after Republican youth to discourage them from supporting Trump. PJM's Matt Margolis, Democrats Just Cranked Their Government Weaponization Agenda Up to 11. Hat Hair's Dave Strom, Elissa Slotkin to Young Republicans: We Are Coming for You. Insty collected a number of tweets, Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius, "I honestly do not understand how any American who is not already a literal Communist or a literal Jihadist could vote Democrat after hearing what Slotkin said below. This is LITERALLY totalitarianism. It's not the fake "fascism" the Left likes to accuse the Right of, it is the REAL THING. Undeniably. Irrefutably. This is a sitting member of Congress who was in the CIA saying that dissent from what she believes will result in imprisonment. ..." Karol Markowicz @karol, "They told me the US was heading toward fascism and they were right," Quote New York Post @nypost, "Sen. Slotkin urges Dems to use prosecution to make young people afraid to serve in Trump admin." Hon. Vickie Paladino @VickieforNYC, "It’s a very short jump from here to reeducation camps, gulags, and mass graves." Quote The Chicago Thinker @ThinkerChicago, "ON UCHICAGO CAMPUS: U.S. Senator from Michigan Elissa Slotkin hopes planned political prosecutions of republican leaders will scare young conservatives from getting involved in politics." Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "Really looking forward to the David French column about how Slotkin is right."

Dan McLaughlin @baseballcrank, "Make no mistake: this sort of conspiratorial hyperbole, utterly disconnected from the actual written Constitution & aiming at its marginalization, is agitprop aimed at the destruction of our constitutional order." Quote Josh Marshall @joshtpm, Replying to @joshtpm, "2/ Supreme Court in American history with the possible exception of the Roger Taney's Dred Scott court. The Roberts Court has spent the last 15 years tearing up the constitutional order and the last seven or eight years being little more than an extra-constitutional veto for ..."

Greg Lukianoff at The Eternally Radical Idea declares FIRE victory in NJ! Deplatformings hit all-time high! The impending (and ongoing) ‘Academic Filibuster’! & more! From The Telegraph (UK) Mother referred to Prevent for ‘over-identifying with Israel’ Coming to New York soon, I expect. 

Charles Murray @charlesmurray, "Starting with the Coleman Report in 1966, continuing with studies of prison rehabilitation, job training programs, causes of poverty, race differences in IQ, and causes of sex differences in occupational preferences. To name a few." Quote Steve Sailer @Steve_Sailer Replying to @ArtemisConsort, "Almost nobody realizes that just about every liberal feel-good nostrum has been tested by liberal social scientists over the last 60 years, with practically none of them turning out true. That was already fairly well established when I started reading social science in 1972."

At Althouse, "If sexual misconduct prevents a victim from taking full advantage of her education, then the institution has to address it." ""That responsibility is an awkward fit in some ways, but it reflects the reality that colleges are not just classrooms; they are a very particular kind of community in which all members have a duty of care toward one another. The Cornell case shows how hard it can be for universities to enforce Title IX well and also why they have to keep trying...." Writes Emily Bazelon, in "This Is One of the Saddest Facts About the Cornell Rape Case" (NYT). The sad fact in question is that Jane Doe dropped out, and she did not complete her degree elsewhere. Her education — her path to a career — was disrupted." By actions she initiated and participated in willingly. One of the commenters suggested OnlyFans. 

The Monday Morning Stimulus

With a lead off from Damla Durgan:

From Flow Space, Your Coffee Habit Could Actually Help Slow Aging

Then why am I getting old?

Oregon, My Oregon

Oregon politician Nafisa Fai just held a rally in MN, speaking Somali, with an American flag UPSIDE DOWN. Enough with the pretending already. These are not Americans. https://t.co/UwBbhxOn1h

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) October 15, 2026

Flotsam and Jetsam - France on Fire

But first, Hat Hair's John Sexton hears Iran Denies Pursuing a Bomb, Makes Fresh Threats Against US, so just another day ending in Y. Roger Simon has a source On Location in Kermanshah: Behind the Iranian Curtain, "Out of research comes friendship and concern." From JihadWatch, Saudi Arabia: A nightmare for pilgrims traveling to holy sites amid Houthi strikes. A second world problem.

Sundance sees Riots, Looting and Arson Erupt in France with Chaos across Urban Regions in Western Europe. Dr. Eli David @DrEliDavid, "As France is burning, I keep thinking of what the UAE Foreign Minister said a few years ago He accurately predicted this." Lara Logan @laralogan, "Wow. What will the French do? Fight for France or take a knee?" Quote Houman David Hemmati, MD, PhD @houmanhemmati, "In case you were wondering what @ZohranKMamdani & others means when they say “Globalize the Intifada,” it’s this. Coming soon to a DSA-run city and state near you." Quote Shai Goldman @shaig, "Marseille city hall has fallen & they have put up Palestinian flags inside." Rod Dreher @roddreher, "If this isn’t civil war, what is it?" Quote Inevitable West @Inevitablewest, "BREAKING: The historic Limoges town hall has just completely collapsed after far-left rioters set it on fire It was built in 1876. It survived World Wars. It did not survive modern France." Driscoll at Insty, IS PARIS SCUFFLING? "Or to paraphrase CNN in 2020, mostly peaceful but surprisingly fiery scuffles." Kurt Schlichter @KurtSchlichter, "You have to have a heart of stone not to laugh." Quote The Beringer Project @BradBeringer, "A liberal French women explains to these African Islamic invaders robbing her family’s store that she’s on their side & voted for them to come here & voted to defund the police They laughed and mocked her and stole all her merchandise & probably r_ped." Jonah Goldberg, occasionally sensible when not talking about Trump, calls Greta Thunberg Addicted to Protest. 

John Sexton heard a Report Musk Suggested Cutting Ukraine's Starshield Access, as a way of getting Ukraine's attention. Sundance at CTH sees New York Times Leads Leftist Media Movement to Target Trump for Exempting Russia from New U.S. Sanctions Regime. Despite the Ukraine war, Europe is dependent on Russian oil.

Sundance also hosts USMCA Update – U.S. Trade Representative Discusses Canada with Glenn Beck. E.J. Antoni, Ph.D. @RealEJAntoni, "The manufacturing recovery cont'd in Sep w/ industrial production up 0.7% M/M and 2.2% Y/Y, fastest annual increase in 4 yrs and closing in on record high; capacity utilization also cont'd marching higher, up 1.2 percentage points Y/Y".

Matt Margolis at PJM, Here’s How White House Insiders Engineered Zacharia’s Exit. "Two people told the outlet that Wiles helped arrange the Sean Hannity interview that sealed Zacharia's fate, and that Zacharia was never Wiles' preferred choice for the job. Meanwhile, Trump officials texted CNN hosts about her weak first briefing, and some may have been acting on orders. One person familiar with the internal dynamics, speaking anonymously to Politico, called the Hannity appearance a "sanctioned hit" on Zacharia." Eric W. @EWess92, "In the wake of "lawyer v. attorney" kerfuffle, I learned folks feel very strongly about people claiming to be an attorney/lawyer if not able to practice law. I also learned that commentator Elie Mystal (who self-describes as an attorney) never got admitted in NY. It's the same" The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Trump Criticized For Choosing New Press Secretary Jessica Rabbit." At RedState Nick Arama sees CBS Tries to Trap Vance With Guilfoyle Question, but They Go Down in Flames From His Great Reply. "First of all, if somebody's selling access to the White House, that's disgusting and despicable and they should suffer consequences," Vance responded. He went on to say, "I want to make those judgments based on the facts and not based on a random news media report that I read."

National Interest think Even by Recent Standards, This Year’s Continuing Resolution Is a Disaster. The ability of Congress to govern spending is reaching a breaking point.

Matt Margolis sees Jessica Tarlov Defend El-Sayed in Front of Gutfeld and Watters. Big Mistake! From Hat Hair's Dave Strom, You Can't Hate the Media Enough: Reason # ∞. Drs Abdul El-Sayed and Jill Biden vs "Mr" Ben Carson. "Byron York brought the receipts, and his point is dead on. People in the cultural elite love to focus on credentials as a class signifier, but it's easy to miss that class comes first, and the signifier is just the endorsement that a person belongs. If somebody has the credential — even a far better one by normal standards — but isn't seen as a member of the class, the credential gets memory-holed." From Shooting Newsweek, Is Anyone Surprised the Gun Control Industry Has Gotten Behind Michigan Islamist Abdul El-Sayed? At the Chronic, Mamdani’s Sanctuary House of Cards Will Collapse.

Nick Arama thinks Tafoya Trounces Flanagan in Minnesota Senate Debate, Ends Her With a Memorable Line. "My goodness, she was second in charge in this state, and she's just going to point her finger at Gov. Tim Walz...when she demanded to be in the room where everything happened. But, suddenly, she has nothing to do with this. Again, my goodness! Sell it to someone else." Capt. Ed, 'Sell It to Someone Else': Tafoya Blows Up Flanagan Over Massive Fraud. The polls are within the margin of error, thus not beyond the margin of fraud. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn is upset Chicago Hands Out 'Lifetime Achievement Award' to Convicted Terrorists, Grooms New Ones. Well, they have a reputation to uphold. 

From Twitchy, Sen. Alex Padilla Schooled After Complaining Trump Admin Is Bullying CA Election Officials. Mike Lee @BasedMikeLee, "Senator Padilla claims the DOJ offered “no evidence” and no details. That’s false. Completely false. Federal agencies (USCIS + HSI) conducted a multi-stage data match of California’s voter rolls against immigration records, naturalization data, State Department records, and SSA data. The federal agencies involved used confidence-level matching, secondary review, and further investigation before identifying roughly 20,000 likely noncitizens who were mailed (or set to receive) ballots. The DOJ then provided California officials a specific list of those names on a password-protected drive and asked them to segregate the ballots pending verification—not cancel them. California refused to even *review* the list. “No evidence” is just the talking point they use when they don’t like the evidence. But that talking point is demonstrably false. Noncitizen voting in federal elections is a federal crime. Demanding basic verification isn’t baseless—it’s the law." Quote Senator Alex Padilla @SenAlexPadilla, "First, they offer no evidence to try to block 20,000 ballots from being counted. Now, the Trump Administration is threatening California election officials with criminal investigations without any legal basis. The Constitution gives states the authority to administer elections" Beege Welborn, The Over/Under on That Thing That 'Never Happens' Is Suddenly Tightening Up.

TownHall's Matt Vespa hears Federal Agents Are Searching Ilhan Omar's Trash. Something Else Might Be Going On. Defiant L’s @DefiantLs, "The CNN panel did not like when being hit with the facts about Ilhan Omar What's funny to me is they would fight tooth and nail and do anything to defend a Democrat." Nick Adams @NickAdamsinUSA, "Rashida Tlaib after Mar-a-Lago was raided: "No one is above the law, no matter how rich or powerful they are. Let justice be served." Rashida Tlaib after Ilhan Omar's house was raided: "DHS raiding a Member of Congress's home is exactly what a fascist police state does.""

John Sexton reports Los Angeles DA Considers Bringing Charges Against Eric Swalwell. Just another Democrat rapist (allegedly), ho hum.

At the Spec, Roger Kimball looks at Jack Smith’s plot against the republic. Evita Duffy-Alfonso @evitaduffy_1, "Sen. Slotkin just openly threatened to persecute anyone who worked for Trump, with the explicit goal of intimidating young conservatives." Quote The Chicago Thinker @ThinkerChicago, "ON UCHICAGO CAMPUS: U.S. Senator from Michigan Elissa Slotkin hopes planned political prosecutions of republican leaders will scare young conservatives from getting involved in politics." Miranda Devine @mirandadevine, "What a piece of work. And this is what the Democrats present as a "moderate." A moderate CIA operative. C3 @C_3C_3, "Like it never happened. Insane." Quote Gain of Fauci @DschlopesIsBack, "“Governor Tim Walz ordered me to assassinate Amy Klobuchar.” - Vance Boelter" Gina Milan @ginamilan_, "Never forget: Democrats were throwing Molotov cocktails at Teslas because Elon Musk wanted to DOGE government fraud."

From RCE, Courts Need to Remove Climate Activist Thumb From the Scales of Justice. "At the request of 27 states’ attorneys general, the Federal Judicial Center recently removed the manual’s chapter on climate science because it did more to influence judicial outcomes than to help federal judges evaluate scientific evidence. And the reference guide’s chapter called “How Science Works” is guilty of a similar offense." John Lucas at Bravo Blue looks at The Constitution’s Red-Headed Stepchild -- The Second Amendment "Rights? Rights? Constitutional rights? You ain’t ‘got no stinkin’rights!" CIS explains Why New York Won’t Honor ICE Detainers for Criminal Aliens "Most ICE arrests traditionally have been ‘custodial’ ones — except under Biden — so sanctuary politicos who want to end agency enforcement prevent immigration officers from taking their alien criminals." They want to make it as hard as possible so they have more "victims" to showcase.

From the NY Sun, Harvard’s Faculty Lead Academia in Record Donations to Democrats in Key Senate Races, "With large donations coming in at unprecedented levels, employees at colleges and universities under investigation by the Trump administration are focused on trying to turn the Senate blue." From the College Fix, Baylor accused of ‘mission drift’ after high-profile Christian apologetics event canceled. Jonathan Turley, Religiously Woke: Dean of Students Warns that Saying “In Christ Alone” Constitutes “White Privilege.” Amy Curtis at TownHall sees Former Congressman and Retired Army Lt. Col. Allen West Was Barred From Speaking on College Campus. Leslie Eastman at LI reports Native American Warriors Shatter Academia’s Colonialism Narrative. "On this Columbus Day, I am celebrating patriotism that is more powerful than the politics of resentment."

David M. Sabatini @DMSabatini, "Today I smiled for real for the first time in more than 5 years. Thank you to the jury, judge, court officer and clerk. And of course to my rockstar legal team. I truly wish the best for everyone involved." Quote The Boston Globe @BostonGlobe, "A civil jury ruled in favor of ex-MIT scientist David Sabatini, who was accused by a younger colleague of inappropriate sexual conduct in his Cambridge research lab, and awarded him $6 million in damages." At Althouse, "It’s surreal. I’ve been dreaming about this moment for all this time, but often thinking I might not make it, financially, emotionally or physically." "Said David Sabatini, after the verdict, quoted in "M.I.T. Scientist Wins $6 Million in Sexual Harassment Defamation Suit/David Sabatini, once a prominent scientist at M.I.T., sued a former colleague who accused him of inappropriate behavior. A jury found in his favor" (NYT)." Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley, "Michael S. Roth, the president of Wesleyan University, is calling for fraternities to be forced to admit women to change the culture. It is a call that is feeding a familiar mob forming over a case before any charges or evidence is established ..." Cadbury Cream James @James_PA10, ""Fraternities are raping us women repeatedly! Let us in!"" Quote, "Michael S Roth @mroth78, ""where all-male fraternities play an important role..there are just too many horror stories waiting to happen. Forcing these organizations to admit women, as well as trans &nonbinary students, can make campuses safer for all...whatever their gender"" Hollywood in Toto notes Shane Gillis Must Be Stopped! (But Not Hasan Piker?). "Woke 2.0 is as fraudulent and hypocritical as first, insidious wave."

Palm Sunday

Again, with Damla Durgun:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flotsam and Jetsam - Hello, I Must Be Going DIY

Trump, Republicans and Foreign Affairs

It Looks Like President Trump Is Kicking Katie Zacharia to the Curb – PJ Media
Today's Deep Question: Is Zacharia 'Cooked' After Tough Hannity Interview? UPDATE: Out, Per Fox – HotAir
Is Katie Zacharia a Lawyer? - Power LineKatie Zacharia dropped as press secretary after one week on the job - Fox News
Althouse: I don't know, and I don't like that language. I just want her to withdraw back into obscurity. Please.
Rumor Has It Skittish EU Leaders Want Zelensky to Stuff a Sock in It – HotAir
How Dumb Is Canada? Carney Spent Nearly $1 Million for Gaza Elections That Were Never Happening. – PJ Media
Oilfield Rando on X: "Top tier geopolitical troll"
Breitbart Business Digest Prescription Drug Prices Just Saw the Biggest Decline Ever
Elon's Forgotten Success: DOGE – HotAir
In The Mailbox: 10.16.26 : The Other McCain

The Disloyal Opposition

The Morning Briefing: El-Sayed Goes Full Talarico. Never Go Full Talarico. – PJ Media
Ace of Spades HQ - MSNOW Of All Outlets Challenges Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed's Lie About Having No Familial Connections to the Muslim Brotherhood
The Left’s Choreographed ‘Lifelong Republican’ Demoralization Campaign Is Underway – PJ Media
Next News Network on X: "AOC gets roasted in a brutal new meme as Tesla's flying Roadster soars right past her. The internet showed no mercy on this one. Somewhere, the Green New Deal just got lapped. 

Compassionate Socialism? It’s Time to Have a Sit-Down With That Young Socialist You Know. – PJ Media
Two-thirds of Americans want government help with surging healthcare costs — but 'Medicare for All' isn't it
Dem Challenger Tells Collins to 'Shut Up.' Nevertheless, She Persisted. – HotAir
Alaska Senate Candidate Cues Viral Reaction With Embarrassing Thing She Brought to Live Debate – RedState
Sherrod Brown Wanted Our Vietnam POWs Kept Captive to Protect Hanoi From US Bombs – HotAir
RNC Research on X: "White House instructions to Biden: "YOU take YOUR seat."

Matters of Just Us

Ace of Spades HQ - Ilhan "Omar" Disappears; Husband Asked If She's Fled the Country
Ilhan Omar Sure Sounds Worried With What She Says and Does in Latest Remarks – RedState
The Drunk Republican on X: "Ilhan Omar’s staff deleting her “no one is above the law” posts
Instapundit  - I LOVE COMMUNITY NOTES: There are more Notes where that one came from, if you’d like to rate
Wall Street Apes on X: "White liberals gathered in a Minnesota park to demand “Hands off Ilham Omar” and “Hands off the Somali community” Look at this crowd, there is literally zero diversity, they’re all white liberals This event was organized by an NGO, its name is Freedom Road Socialist
The Babylon Bee on X: "Ilhan Omar To Be Deported To Dearborn, Michigan

Immigration Legal and Otherwise

How Many Foreign Workers at US AI Firms Are Spies? – HotAir
The 'Nonissue' Of Noncitizens Voting Is Becoming A Bigger Issue

Freedom of Speech and Media Bias

Brit Hume on X: "Sometimes bias gives itself away in the most subtle, but telling ways."
C3 on X: "513 days after Elon’s decline and fall… He’s the World’s first trillionaire, National Medal of Science Award winner and just unveiled his flying car. The Media truly does suck.

Culture, Education and Entertainment

Campus Reform - Columbia Journalism School hosts discussion of book arguing 'White America' was conditioned to lynch black children
Penn State may cut 47 programs over low interest, weak employment opportunity - The College Fix
Defiant L’s on X: "Resurfaced clip of Kathy Griffin in 2004 talking about muslims "It's such a wonderful culture for women, unless you have a clitoris and you're 13... the muslims are not your friend" I guess this is before TDS took over
The Babylon Bee on X: "'Ugh I Can't Believe Men Are Looking At Me At The Gym,' Says Woman Who Went To The Gym Specifically So Men Would Look At Her
The Problem With Cornell Is That Men Never Hear That Women Are Victims – HotAir
Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 on X: "Imagine being in a coma for the past 20 years and waking up to read this headline."

Actually, this was what I was looking for. It's funny what the internet turns up.

Rule 5 Saturday - Damla Durgun

Damla Durgin, a Turkish model

She works as a digital content creator and fashion/lifestyle model.

She frequently posts modeling portfolios, travel content, and fashion clips on platforms like her Official Facebook Page and her private Instagram account.

Her work often features aesthetic travel destinations (such as Bali), lifestyle updates, and professional portrait photography setups.

Oregon, My Oregon

 At Am Great, School Shooting in Bend, Oregon Leaves Four Dead, Others Wounded

An armed Good Samaritan fatally shot a teenage gunman who opened fire at an Oregon elementary school Thursday afternoon, ending a deadly attack that claimed the lives of three young children and a teacher, authorities said.  The 16-year-old suspect reportedly began shooting at a vehicle outside Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend before forcing his way into the building by firing at locked doors.

A community member who witnessed the suspect entering the school pursued him inside and confronted him with a firearm, fatally shooting the teenager before responding officers could intervene. Police credited the armed citizen with stopping the attack, which unfolded in just minutes.

“We received the first report at 12:59 of a shooter outside of the building shooting into a car, and within about a minute, we were receiving multiple 911 calls from within the school,” Bend Police Department communications manager Sheila Miller said. Officers arrived at 1:02 p.m., and the gunman was dead seconds later.

The victims included children ages 5, 8 and 11, along with an adult teacher.

Investigators have not determined whether the suspect had any connection to the school. Authorities also declined to identify the type of long gun used or disclose how many rounds were fired.

Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek expressed condolences to the victims’ families and acknowledged the citizen who intervened. “And to the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life, your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well,” Kotek said.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that federal agents were assisting local authorities and pledged additional resources.

Silver Rail Elementary serves approximately 438 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Officials established a family reunification center at a nearby church.

Vicky Taft at PJM, has a West Coast, Messed Coast™ — Let's Hear It for an Oregon Good Guy With a Gun. Ace, Child Killer in Oregon Shooting Spree Identified. "He was himself killed by a good guy with a gun. Alas, the killer murdered three children and an adult before he was cut down. ... The killer has been identified as John J. Griffin." zach bitango @ZachBitango, "#UPDATE: Christina Aguayo is now reporting that the bystander who stopped the Silver Rail Elementary shooter is Kaylub Giamanco. According to a family member, Giamanco was heading home on his lunch break when he heard gunshots near the school where his two daughters attend classes. He lives nearby and rushed toward the scene after seeing the suspect moving toward or entering the building. Bend Police have NOT yet officially confirmed his identity and continue to describe him only as an armed community member. The name continues to circulate based on family statements." From Althouse "Thank God we had him. Otherwise, it would have been much worse. It's a terrible thing, but thank goodness for a man that had a gun and knew how to use it." "Said President Trump, quoted in "Hero bystander who took down Oregon school shooter comes forward"" (CBS News).  And it would not be a complete tragedy without Adam Schiff making an ass out of himself. From Twitchy. GHOUL: What Adam Schiff Is Saying About Oregon School Shooting to TRASH the GOP Pisses Everyone OFF

Flotsam and Jetsam - Has the Iranian Revolution Begun?

Nioh Berg@NiohBerg, "Iran Update: There is an absolute IRGC bloodbath happening in the Iranian region of Sistan & Balochestan. Assassinations everywhere and almost daily. I haven't spoken much about this particular battlefield. As an Iranian nationalist I will never approve of separatism, nor will I blindly praise the JMM militant group. I don't know this group, and as of writing this I don't trust them either. They claim to fight for all of Iran after merging several militant groups together, but at least one faction among them are historically Baloch separatists. They are also very conservative sunni muslims ... Regardless of what I think of JMM, their targets have Iranian blood on their hands and undoubtedly deserve it..." Revolutions are rarely started by the right people. PJM's Aaron Hanscom suspects Is Iran Planning an Attack to Bring Down Netanyahu? Almost certainly. The real question is how realistic is their plan. From Ace, Iran Sentences Woman to Death For Insulting Their "Prophet;" Activists Attack Pete Hegseth For Making War on This Enlightened Regime, "The mullahs will hang a woman for insulting the leaders of Iran, which they then trumped up to insulting the "prophet."" From RCW, Armenia and Azerbaijan Achieved Peace Despite the Conflict Resolution Industry.

Sundance at CTH reports Zelenskyy Urgently Sits Down for Interviews as Trump Begins Highlighting “The Zelenskyy Problem”…

VodkaPundit at PJM calls it Mustn’t-See TV: Trump Cancels Livestream of Fort Hood Killer Execution. Althouse approves "Trump cancels Hegseth’s plan to live-stream Fort Hood shooter’s execution/The decision is a rebuke of the defense secretary, who has remained in the president’s good graces through numerous controversies." "The headline at WaPo. Good!" Make it pay-per view with the money going to his victims. I'd stream it, and not watch.

The Gray Wave at the Wash Stand, Turnout Surge among GOP Seniors Could Be Midterm’s Biggest Surprise. PJM's KurtSchlichter hopes/wonders Did the Democrats Peak Too Soon? Sundance has True The Vote's 2026 Action Plan: “7 Votes” to Make a Difference. ThePersistence @ScottPresler, "Pennsylvania Ballots Returned, (Democrat) 243,560, (Republican) 74,709. As of right now, Republicans are going into Election Day with a deficit of -168,851 votes in PA. I strongly encourage you to visit your county elections office TODAY to vote “On-Demand.” Most offices are open until 4 p.m." Vote early and often, like the Democrats.

From Reason, The Federal Government Collected $5.4 Trillion. It Still Can't Pay Its Bills. "Entitlement spending, defense spending, and interest payments on the debt continue to climb." Carlo Carrasco, $1.5 Billion Obamacare Waste Targeted by Trump Administration. It's only a start. There's an enormous amount of outright fraud, and a much larger target of legal, but wasteful spending. Dave Strom at Hat Hair, Feds Crack Down on Fraud, Get Governor Healey Former Aide in Dragnet. At Hat Hair, VodkaPundit to Tim Walz, So Long, and Thanks for All the Learing Centers. Ace, Trump Fines Bank of America $1.2 Billion Over Money Laundering for China. "Bank of America is one of the worst offenders for closing bank accounts for conservative and religious groups, claiming that working for such groups causes them too much "reputational risk." They debanked people to curry favor with the Biden gangsters. But working with China to launder money and evade sanctions? No reputation risk worth talking about." From NYPo, Deep blue Minnesota is fed up with fraud — and may derail Dems’ midterm dreams. At the Wash Stand, Republicans Dominate 5 Financially Healthiest State Governments, Democrats Run the 5 Worst. PJM's Stephen Kruiser says Let's Hope Enough Americans Are Sufficiently Afraid of Communism.

PJM's Matt Margolis, If This Is True About Susie Wiles, It's Not Good News. Trump shopping for a new Chief of Staff? Will Steakin @wsteaks, "NEW in @Playbook: Trump is asking close allies about CoS Susie Wiles, and floating possible future successors, per sources Knives are out for Wiles—with rivals privately putting recent headlines surrounding her daughter’s foreign lobbying in front of POTUS urging he make changes, per sources One senior elected GOP official who received a call from Trump said the president had raised “the first honest questions about Susie” Wiles has survived past efforts, and so far has yet to discuss how long she’ll remain chief of staff with the president, per source familiar Trump in statement to Playbook forcefully stood by his longest serving CoS."

From Ace, Anthony Fauci Blamed Trump for the Spread of the Completely-True Lab Leak Theory Fact, "Trump rarely gets credit from the establishment, but here, his evil malignant dwarf nemesis gives him full credit for getting the truth out."

The Free Bacon is all over Abdulramen El-Sayed with Meet Abdul El-Sayed's Academic 'Inspiration': A Muslim Brotherhood Scion Barred From Entering US Over Terror Ties, "Tariq Ramadan, known for his diatribes against 'Jewish intellectuals,' was recently sentenced to 18 years in prison in France for raping three women," Uncovered Video: El-Sayed Was Radical ‘Queer’ Sister’s Guardian and Dowry Manager in Her Sharia Marriage–Years After She Said Family Had ‘Long Been Muslim Brotherhood’ and El-Sayed Ad Features 'Lifelong Republican' Who Endorsed Kerry and Obama, Writes 'White Man's Burden' Substack, "Richard Perlberg, who says he voted 'nine times' for Republican Mike Rogers, has called for 'embracing progressive values' and endorsed Medicare for All." Hat Hair's Beege Welborn hears El-Sayed Wants to Do a 'Little' Constitutional Twerking...Um...Tweaking. Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley, "A video shows Abdul El-Sayed suggesting a little "tweak" to the Constitution. That "tweak" would be the elimination of the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. https://foxnews.com/opinion/el-sayed-words-reveal-radical-plan-dismantle-second-amendment The 40% of Michiganders who own guns might find this a bit more than just being tweaky." John Sexton noticed Mamdani's Grin Was Gone, as his supporters called him a traitor and sell-out. Lawrence Person's BattleSwarm Blog asks Did Biden Subsidize Importing Jihadis? Yes, of course. Diversity über alles!

Hat Hair's Capt. Ed has a thing for Talarico, Talarico: You'd Better Believe I Want Amnesty and Open Borders, More Talarico: Gaslighting Texas About the SAVE America Act and Voter ID and Even More Moloch, er, Talarico: 'The Bible Is Silent on the Issue of Abortion'. From Campus Reform, Resurfaced video shows Talarico telling educators 'white supremacy' has 'colonized our own minds.' At Twitchy, Brandon Gill RUTHLESSLY Compares James Talarico to Ken Paxton As Only HE Can and HOT DAAAMN (Watch). Nick Arama at RedState, Steven Crowder Has a Message for CNN and Talarico After Their Town Hall: 'Lawyer Up', for using "Change My Mind."

'Becca Downs at Da Signal hears Sherrod Brown Taking Heat for Comments on ‘Trump Judges’. Steve Cortes @SteveCortes, "Democrat lapdog Sherrod Brown tells MSDNC he'll only support radical left-wing activist judges: "We're not obviously confirming Trump judges." Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley, "Ohio Democratic Senate nominee Sherrod Brown just pledged that he will not vote to confirm any Trump judicial nominees regardless of their qualifications. So not only would the Democrats pack the Court, but they will block any new judges to purge the courts through attrition." Beege Welborn takes a crack at Angie Nixon: RNC Research @RNCResearch, "Florida Democrat Angie Nixon claims that rolling back racist DEI policies kills people. “This 'stop woke' agenda...that's nothing more than a racist dogwhistle...Florida is where woke or black people go to die."" Betsie Stauffer at LI sees a Florida Democratic Senate Candidate Wants Opponent ‘Locked Up and Punished in Jail’
“You know, she — yeah, basically yes, because of what she did, yes. I absolutely would want that to happen, yes. … I have been perfectly clear.” At least she's honest about it.

Beege Welborn again, says Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before: Wind's Gonna Blow, the Grass Is Dry, the Reservoir Is Empty, and hills are going to burn in California. The only question is how bad will it be.

Capt. Ed cites the WSJ: The Real Goal of Operation World War Eleven Is ... Denaturalize and deport Ilhan Omar. From Ace dances with joy, YES: Trump's DHS Is Preparing a Case for Deporting the Foreign Agent of Influence Ilhan "Omar" "I'm so happy." PJM's Eric Florack notes Democrats Discover the Fourth Amendment, Just in Time for Ilhan Omar. "Unprecedented? Let that one marinate. I mean, they keep using that word; I don’t think it means what they think it means. We both know why." Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, "Agreed. It is a constitutional crisis that we have someone who is not eligible for citizenship voting in Congress, funneling tens of millions in taxpayer funds to her corrupt relatives and friends and on to Somalia. That on top of untold numbers of illegal aliens, dead people, non-existent people voting. Corrupt feds who spied on Congress and amassed a political hit list of more than 100,000 everyday Americans based on their purchases. A corrupt finance sector that debanked them. More than $50 billion a year in taxpayer funds being laundered through NGOs for political ends. Entirely agreed. ....Glad to see it is finally being addressed. This constitutional crisis." Quote Jonathan 'Boo and Vote' Cohn @JonathanCohn, "How is this not constitutional crisis territory?"

Dave Strom on Jack Smith calls The Silence of the Media Deafening.

Eddie Scarry at Da Fed thinks The ‘Cornell 7’ Fallout Is Infantilized Women And Villainized Men. Althouse resorts to the NYT, "The university decided to halt parties at fraternity houses, he said, because Cornell doesn’t 'have the full ability to be confident that what goes on in those houses is safe...." "The pause, he added, was also a chance to 'take a step and carefully study' the issue of banning fraternities altogether, a step some have called for. Addressing a speaker who supported such a ban, Dr. Kotlikoff said he had just spoken with alumni who said that 'their sorority and fraternity experience was a very important part of their life at Cornell.' 'If at the end of the day, the fraternities cannot exist in a safe environment, and we can’t be convinced that they can be safe, then we should make that decision,' he said." From "Cornell’s President Grilled by Faculty Senate Over Handling of Crisis/Ahead of a vote on a resolution of no confidence in Michael I. Kotlikoff, some faculty members said they were not swayed by steps he announced on Tuesday, including banning fraternity parties" (NYT)." Angela Morabito @AngelaLMorabito, "If you are a Cornell athletics recruiter, how much do you hate your life right now? "We might not have the football, the weather, or the women they have down South, but check out our shrieking bisexuals! They already hate you. Also, we banned frat parties."" Quote, "Oliya Scootercaster @ScooterCasterNY, "BREAKING: Cornell University protesters SCREAM en mass as they protest for Jane Doe. Cornell has banned all frat parties as investigation into alleged sexual assault continues."

From Ace, Nancy Mace Was Right? Police Arrest Her Ex-Fiance and Three Other Men for Sexually Abusing an Unconscious Woman, "She originally Soft Opened these charges with surveillance camera video from a gym. I thought she was complaining that the surveillance camera photographed her wearing her gym clothes. I don't know why she didn't lead with the real story, the sexual assault on an unconscious woman." Crémieux @cremieuxrecueil, "It's hard not to notice that every hateful statement becomes OK if you say it's about Whites." Quote Jamie Bonkiewicz @JamieBonkiewicz, "I’m so fucking sick and tired of the entire planet being destroyed by old white, insecure, abusive men."

Porter @ParkSlopeFlngsm, "Women are dishonest about this stuff because they’re programmed to be. Their greatest weapon is their sexuality, but they also face social backlash for being too overtly transactional with sex, so women embrace ambiguity where they’re able to use sex to their advantage while maintaining plausible deniability Some examples: -Wearing sexy is outfits isn’t for the male gaze or to flex on other women for status, it’s just to feel good about themselves apart from any social factors -Dancing provocatively is not a sexual display, it’s just recreational fun -Marrying a rich guy isn’t about the money, he’s a good guy who provides security for their family -Wearing makeup and high heels to work isn’t to impress men and sway them, it’s just to feel confident ..."Quote Lisa Elizabeth @Lisaelizabeth, "I just don’t get why women are so dishonest. Like — just admit that you dress like that because you want people, especially men, to think that you’re hot. And by hot I mean sexually attractive. That’s why the shorts are short and tight and scrunch up around your butt to make your... "

Mary Chastain from LI reports Trump Admin has Arrested 1,296 Tren de Aragua Gang Members, "The admin has charged almost 350 members and associates with federal crimes." Irons in the Fire notices We're not the only ones seeing the threat, "Mr. Huffman's quote of the day: Americans — a confession from Japan you were never meant to hear. We are terrified of fascism. Not the version in your textbooks. The version that lives inside us.In 1941, no dictator dragged the Japanese people into the dark. We dragged each other. Neighbor watched neighbor. Mothers reported their own sons. One doubtful word at the fish market and the police came in the night. The village went silent. That silence lasted four years and killed millions. That is how a free nation dies. Not with jackboots. With whispers. And right now — the same silence is being built again in Japan. Not by the right. By the Left. They throw our gates open. Strangers pour in by the millions — Muslims, Africans, people who will never bow to our dead. And when a Japanese grandmother dares to say, “wait — slow down — let us think,” she is dragged into the public square and branded a fascist. A racist. A monster. Hear me clearly: in our country, “racist” is no longer a moral word. It is a muzzle. A weapon. A silencer pressed to the mouth of every citizen who still loves Japan..." I didn't know Japan was being besieged by Muslim immigrants too.

Michael Shellenberger @shellenberger, "Well, that was wild. I'm at the Australian Parliament and just left a meeting with two staffers for the governing party. They told us that the government needed more power to censor things like the upcoming US execution of Nidal Hasan. When I asked why they needed to censor that video, one said it was to prevent copycat killings. Copycat killings by governments? I asked. Er, no, they said. Copycat killings like of a backpacker, several decades ago. So, under that logic, I pointed out, the government should censor things like last year's Bondi massacre, where two Muslims killed 15 people, no? Well, that was news, they said. Didn't they realize their bill would allow the government to censor news? They didn't seem to know, or care. They also admitted that they did not know that the bill would allow the government to create and operate an unlimited number of fake social media accounts to attack its political enemies and spread disinformation. Having presented them with information they had never heard about a bill they had clearly not read, they emphasized to us, strenuously, that they were moving forward with the bill..."

And more still, at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 10.14.26 (Evening Edition) and In The Mailbox: 10.15.26.