A View from the Beach

Monday, November 9, 2026

Maryland, My Maryland

Matt Vespa at TownHall, Maryland Dem. Governor Might Have Lied About His Military Service

Is it a Danang Dick lie? No. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore served this nation with distinction. That’s not the basis of the attack, but his claim of leading men into combat has struck a nerve with some folks who were also there, because he didn’t do that in Afghanistan (via WJLA):
For years, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has described his Afghanistan deployment as the experience of an 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper who led soldiers in combat. Now, the Army officer who supervised Moore daily says his accounts of what happened there in 2005 and 2006 are unequivocally false.

“Be honest,” retired Lt. Col. James A. “Jamie” Gottschling said when asked what he would tell Moore. “His service in Afghanistan was good. He was a valued member of the brigade staff.” But he added, “It’s disingenuous to say that you led paratroopers in combat or that you did what would be direct action activities in a combat zone.”

When Spotlight first cast doubt on Moore’s claims of leading soldiers in combat, it had not yet learned about Moore’s direct supervisor, Gottschling, who has participated in two interviews with Spotlight. Gottschling’s knowledge of Moore’s daily activities in the combat zone adds a firsthand perspective to three Spotlight articles published in May that examined Moore’s path to Afghanistan, his duties and his false combat claims.

Moore’s office did not respond to Spotlight on Maryland’s offer to sit down with the governor and give him an opportunity to dispute his former supervisor’s statements or any of Spotlight’s reporting to date.

Moore received an Army reserve commission in May 1998 but did not complete his initial officer qualification for more than seven years until graduating from the Military Police Officer Basic Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in June 2005. By then, the 1st Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division had already deployed to Afghanistan. Moore arrived Aug. 15, nearly five months after the brigade arrived in country.

Spotlight reported on May 10 that Moore’s records showed no prior troop-leading experience or information-operations training. His placement came through then-Lt. Col. Michael Fenzel, the brigade’s deputy commander and Moore’s longtime friend and mentor, who arranged a by-name deployment request for the newly qualified Army Reserve officer. For years, before attending his officer basic course, Moore largely disregarded the reserve military obligations he had undertaken as a commissioned officer, failing to fulfill the fundamental duties and training requirements that accompanied his commission.
Moore at least served and deployed overseas, whereas Sen. Dick Blumenthal (D-CT) outright lied and survived this embarrassing Temu G.I. Joe tale because his state is D+500000. If Moore does run in 2028, he better be prepared for this.

I guess we can start calling him Mazar-i-Sharif Moore.

DNR Proposes to Ban Catching Lizards and Snakes

MDDNR, Public Comment Sought for Proposed Changes to Regulations on Maryland Native Reptiles and Amphibians

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting public comment on proposed changes to the native reptile and amphibian regulations, designed to protect the species.

Due to conservation concerns including collection pressure, disease transmission, and illegal trade, DNR is considering changes to regulations under COMAR 08.03.11.

These changes would prohibit collection of native reptiles and amphibians from the wild – including turtles such as diamondback terrapins and box turtles, plus most native snakes and frogs – and limit possession, breeding, sale, and trade except by special permit. The public can view the proposed regulations, FAQs, and comment online now through November 27, 2026.

The regulations would only apply to amphibians and reptiles native to Maryland. Also, anyone who legally possesses any native reptile or amphibian species under the current regulations can qualify for a free grandfather permit to maintain possession of their pets.

Educational facilities and animal rescue organizations will still be able to obtain a Captive Reptile and Amphibian Permit to possess reptiles and amphibians.

In drafting these changes, DNR considered expert advice from wildlife veterinarians, scientific studies, and assessments by law enforcement that reflect changes since the reptile and amphibian regulations were last updated in 2016.

Public comments providing additional information and perspectives will help refine and finalize this proposal.

There should be a little boy exemption. Little girls too, if they want. And I guess I'll just have to let those baby snapping turtles I find in the cold bay in spring die.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Is Trump Reheating the Iran War?

Trump promised no new fighting in Iran until after the midterms. The midterms are over. Does that mean Trump thinks it's time to end it for good? I hope so. The Iran Watcher @TheIranWatcher, "The United States appears to be clearing the battlefield for a larger military campaign against the Islamic Republic. In recent days, American forces have been systematically degrading the regime’s air-defence and missile belt along the Strait of Hormuz. These are not isolated retaliatory strikes. They constitute a sustained shaping operation against surface-to-air missile batteries, associated radars, anti-ship systems and mobile launchers across Qeshm, Larak, Sirik, Jask and the southern Iranian coast..." and BREAKING: American fighters are reportedly operating over Qeshm as explosions and fires erupt across the Islamic Republic’s strategic military corridor from the Strait of Hormuz to Bandar Jask. Iranian state media have confirmed explosions or explosion-like sounds on Qeshm Island and around Sirik, Jask and Bandar Abbas. Images attributed to Jask show flames and a large column of smoke rising over the area. Opposition and OSINT channels are reporting American strikes. Iranian outlets have offered incomplete or conflicting explanations, including possible Iranian military activity around the strait. The precise targets and damage remain unclear..." Harold__Finch @HaroldWren22, "We waited to do this deliberately. It was strategic. We let the naval blockade start to crush Iran’s ability to get goods in/out & shut down its income. We knew they would adapt to overland routes for everything they could, & whats left of their entire economy would become 100% dependent on those routes. Now they just vanished overnight..." Quote The Iran Watcher @TheIranWatcher, "Pakistan is closing a critical land trade corridor with Iran as the United States expands its blockade of the Islamic Republic. Commercial traffic through the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan crossings was suspended on October 17, disrupting one of the regime’s most important" At OilPrice, The Iran War Isn't Over, but Oil Traders Are Already Pricing In Peace. Fleitz to Newsmax: Dems Could Cut Off Iran War Funding.

At Hat Hair, a video GOP Gets a Midterm Wake-Up Call: What Went Wrong and What Comes Next? Fred Fleitz at Am Great has Tough Love for President Trump: Reclaiming America First After the Midterms. Josh Hammer at Hat Hair thinks The MAGA Movement Forgot What Populism Is. TownHall's Kurt Schlichter sees One Big Midterm Lesson: No More GOP Zombie Hacks. PJM's Matt Margolis hears Greg Gutfeld Has a Theory About the Midterms. "President Donald Trump has crammed so much into his second term that people have lost track of how much he's actually done." News Wax says Trump Vows Comeback as Bitter Showdown With Congress Looms. TownHall's Larry Elder begs Calmate, Republicans, Calmate!!! Scott McKay at Am Spec wonders Why Is There No Accountability for John Thune? "The Senate GOP’s biggest failure shouldn’t get a promotion to minority leader." From the Chronic, Florida Conservatism Is Now American Conservatism. TownHall's Matt Vespa in encouraged that John Thune's Push to Lead Senate Republicans Again Is Getting Bogged Down. The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Republicans Unsure Why Voters Are Mad At Them As They Literally Haven't Done Anything These Past Two Years."

Put on your tinfoil hat, Truth Is Freedom @TruthAnswersAll, "THE 15% BAND Look at this chart. 59 races. Senate and governor. States ordered from reddest to bluest in 2024. The solid lines are 2024. The dashed lines are 2026. The shaded bands are what moved. One formula fits all of it: Republican 2026 = 0.85 × Trump 2024 Democrat 2026 = Harris 2024 + 0.15 × Trump 2024 For every 1,000 Trump points, 850 stayed Republican. 150 landed on the Democratic side. ...." Calling All Rushbabes looks at the data and concludes there is a *Whole Lotta Cheatin’ Goin’ On. FWIW, I don't believe the election was stolen, but I could be convinced by evidence.

At Twitchy, BOOYAH: AG Todd Blanche Wipes the Smug Off Dana Bash's Face So BADLY She Cuts Interview OFF (Watch). Sundance at CTH hosts Sunday Talks – AG Todd Blanche VS CNN Dana Bash, Video and Transcript and Former HHS Senior Advisor Calley Means Says Susie Wiles and Fellow Lobbyists Subverted Trump Interests.

News Wax, DeSantis, Kemp, Cruz Eye 2028 Challenge to Vance. I welcome DeSantis and Cruz to the race; Kemp not so much. Susie Moore at RedState, Burchett Eyes Blackburn's Senate Seat, Takes Aim at Democrats' Hegseth Impeachment Push.

From Da Caller, Democrat Senator Who Called For RFK Jr To ‘Resign Or Be Fired’ Is Backed By Big Pharma, Records Show. Nick Arama are RedState, New: Robert Garcia's Remarks About Targeting Trump Officials Go Completely Off the Rails. James Lilek at NRO thinks It’s All Elon’s Fault, "Blaming Elon Musk: Democrats’ Midterm Victory Fuels Calls to Target His Businesses." Roger Kimball at Am Great calls them Robespierres With Guillotines: Lust for Revenge Could Fuel the Next America First Resurgence. "The insanity of the Democrats and their lunatic NeverTrump fringe transformed Trump from a pariah into a victim." Data Republican, In our Republic, Power Argues with Power. "Power is not made for coalition-building, deal-making, or "transpartisanship."" Scott Jennings @ScottJenningsKY, "So he sold a car to someone after placing his feces in the front seat and this is a very serious person that we need to take very seriously because of his very serious thoughts." Quote Western Lensman @WesternLensman, "Scott Galloway says he owned a Tesla, but sold it because of Elon. "Not before taking a giant dump in the passenger seat. True story." He's gone from suggesting Elon be executed to telling stories of taking dumps."

Sundance notes Running Out of Internet Capacity? Elon Musk Has a Solution. At Not The Bee, FAA says air traffic control will phase out floppy disks in the next two years. So, they're going to go to CDs?

At Da Signal, the Great Victor Davis Hanson fears America Faces a Radical New Political Reality. The Manhattan Contrarian whines There Is No Understanding The Voters. Betsy Stauffers at LI hears ‘Now It Can Be Told’: Van Jones Reveals the Democrats’ Coordinated Messaging Machine. “The Republicans never figured out what we were doing.” Susie Crabtree at RCP, Newsom’s Prop 50 Pays Off as GOP Gerrymanders Flop. Matt Vespa, We All Know Dems Want to Nuke This Procedural Hurdle From Orbit, the filibuster. At Fox, JONATHAN TURLEY worries the Midterms empower Democrats to target the Electoral College. "After a huge midterm win and with a slew of new Democratic governors, Democrats now believe they may have enough states to sign on to a compact to effectively nullify the Electoral College."

Jay Rogers at TownHall observes Your 401(k) Just Met the New Congress. At RCE Paul Bledsoe claims After Huge Election Win, Democrats Hold Key to Lowering Energy Prices, but do they really care? Tim O'Brien at PJM sees Gas Prices are Dropping Fast. I Have Questions. Oilfield Rando @Oilfield_Rando, "The most retarded people in the country are going to regulate nuclear power plants. Think about that." Quote FOX 5 Atlanta @FOX5Atlanta, "Georgia Attorney General-elect Tanya Miller plans to target grocery store price gouging and unjustified utility rate increases as core priorities of her incoming administration." EducatëdHillbilly™ @RobProvince, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." Yall are fucked…." Quote End Wokeness @EndWokeness, "Georgia's new insurance commissioner says credit scores will be banned from insurance evaluations, along with ZIP codes. Good luck, Georgia. You finna need it."

From Shooting News Week, Armed Illegal Arrested Near White House, Says Voices Told Him to Kill Trump. Did he have MSNOW in his earbuds?

Tom's Hardware reports Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits to an affair with a suspected Chinese spy — Jensen apologizes in letter to staff, company board forms independent committee to investigate. Ryan King at NYPo, Nvidia CEO faces probe over affair with alleged Chinese spy — as Rubio memo warned about her months ago. Joe Chalfant at TownHall, Nvidia CEO Comes Under Investigation After Affair With Suspected Communist Spy. Sundance calls it a Wild Backstory – Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang Requested to Appear in Closed Session to GOP Congress.

PJM's Cathy Salgado is scandalized that an Obama Judge Takes Off Jihadist’s Ankle Monitor So He Can Focus on Romance and a New School Job.

From NYPo, Mamdani admin must hand ICE the names of NYC homeless shelter residents: court.

At Rackett, Matt Taibbi is hopeful that Free Speech Will Survive. But Greg Lukianoff at the Eternally Radical Idea thinks Every media threat matters, California targets chatbots, new data on friends and tolerance, & more!

Catturd ™ @catturd2, "You mean, the case where the girl (Crystal Gail Mangum) who lied about the entire hoax, destroyed innocent lives, and then later she went to prison for second-degree murder for stabbing her boyfriend to death? Fake news media is trash." Quote Mediaite @Mediaite, "FLASHBACK: Unearthed Video of Stephen Miller Defending Duke Lacrosse Players Accused of Rape:" "Readers added context IMPORTANT CONTEXT: Duke Lacrosse Allegations Were a Hoax en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_lacr… espn.com/college-sports… The City of Durham and Duke University were forced to settle law suits from the innocent players, and the DA was charged criminally for misconduct. cnn.com/2014/05/16/jus… Do you find this helpful?

Insty, AS A FORMER PRESIDENT SAID, GET IN THEIR FACES, SHOUT THEM DOWN, PUNCH BACK TWICE AS HARD: "Philly ‘Kristallnacht’ protests at Jewish-owned businesses drowned out, shouted down by huge crowds. UPDATE (From Ed):"Byl Holte @SirBylHolte, "My Lyft driver to the airport said “OMG did you see the Muslims marching against us today?” ME: “Against who.” HER: “They staged a bicycle boycott ride against Jewish-owned restaurants and businesses.” ME: “Well didn’t you vote democrat?” HER: “Of course.” ME: “Well if you voted democrat, you voted for that.” HER: “Hell no, I voted against Trump’s war.” ME: “That’s what they told you. Part of that was Muslims taking over. If you voted democrat you voted for your own demise. We’ve been telling you that for years.” She shut up." Driscoll at Insty cites CHRISTIAN TOTO: Pop Culture Proves It: The Left Loves Political Violence. Jeremy Kauffman @jeremykauffman, "The hatred of Kirk is just this. Many people are just filled with seething envy and rage towards anyone decent, especially if they don't apologize for it." Quote Melissa Chen @MsMelChen, Replying to @robkhenderson, "honestly, wtf did Charlie do on this earth to inspire such virulent hatred and evil from people? I cannot help but think we don’t hate the other side enough. We can’t live with an asymmetry like this, I’m sorry. We just can’t. They will kill us with glee and dance on our graves."

From Campus Reform, EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Rick Scott fires shot across the bow of wealthy universities over tax-exempt status "Asked directly whether Congress should consider revoking wealthy universities' nonprofit status, Sen. Scott answered, 'Absolutely.'"

The Monday Morning Stimulus

With just a bit of help from Seyla Zanon:

At Island News, New Miss Kona Coffee 2027 crowned at cultural festival

Leilani Bond, Miss Kona Coffee 2027,

and (right) Haweo Easley,Miss

Kona Coffee's Teen 2027.

A new Miss Kona Coffee has been crowned! Leilani Bond was named Miss Kona Coffee 2027 on Saturday, November 7, during the annual competition held as part of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.

Bond, whose talent was spoken word, competed alongside fellow delegates Malie Lee and Maianna Taylor for the title. Haweo Easley was also crowned the next Miss Kona Coffee’s Teen 2027.

The Miss Kona Coffee competition is an official local preliminary competition for the Miss Hawaii and Miss America organizations, offering delegates opportunities to earn scholarships and advance to the Miss Hawaii competition.

Kona coffee is great, but way too expensive for our house.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Dana White for Press Secretary?

But first, some continued ruminations on the selection of Stephen Miller for Chief of Staff. As usual, Althouse resorts to the NYT, "People close to Mr. Miller said he had shown no interest in compromising with congressional Democrats and was ready for a fight over subpoenas and investigations..." "From "In Elevating Stephen Miller, Trump Doubles Down on Hard-Line Agenda/The new White House chief of staff is responsible for some of the most provocative policies of President Trump’s second term, as well as an aggressive approach to executive power" (NYT)." Mike Davis @mrddmia, "This former illegal immigrant is threatening to jail the new White House chief of staff for helping the President execute federal law? Import the third world, become the third world." Quote Oversight Dems @OversightDems, "Official statement from incoming Oversight Chairman @RepRobertGarcia on Stephen Miller being announced as White House Chief of Staff:" "... Stephen Miller should lawyer up." Rusty Weiss at RedState sees Democrats Melt Down Over Stephen Miller, Then He Takes the Mic and Gives Them a Reason to Be Nervous. PJM's Matt Margolis explains Why Democrats Are Crashing Out Over Stephen Miller. "They wanted a chastened president who would spend his final two years tiptoeing around them. Instead, Trump handed the most powerful staff job in Washington to a man they deeply despise, and they read the move as defiance. They read it correctly." At the WaSun, How Stephen Miller’s Fixation on Minnesota’s Somalis Became a Full-Scale Crackdown. "The new White House chief of staff has spent the last year moving the federal government against one community in one state." News Wax reports Stephen Miller Pledges 'Absolute Loyalty' to Trump, like a good consigliere should. Insty, notes AND THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT TRUMP’S LANGUAGE: Benny Johnson @bennyjohnson, "The Democrat leader of the U.S. House, Hakeem Jeffries, just called for White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to be “eradicated like a malignant tumor”. Jeffries is part of the same death cult whose rhetoric inspired the violence that led to the assassination of Charlie Kirk and shooting of President Trump. The Democrat Party is the part of political violence." Quote Hakeem Jeffries @RepJeffries, "Stephen Miller is a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands. His presence in government should be eradicated like a malignant tumor. Fire him today." At Althouse, Real Trump and Fake Trump confront the reality of "Talafreako." 60 Minutes @60Minutes, "In an interview airing Sunday on 60 Minutes, correspondent Ross Douthat asks President Trump: If it took six months of not insulting the Democrats to get a deal done, do you think you could do it?" My response: Would top Democrats refrain from insulting Trump for six months too, or would this just be the usual unilateral "truce?"

News Wax reports UFC's Dana White Says He Will Meet With Trump Monday. Althouse finds "I am pleased to announce that the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior, has been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States.", "Wrote President Trump, quoted in "UFC’s Dana White says he will meet Trump on Monday to discuss press secretary offer/Trump’s previous press secretary, Katie Zacharia, left the role in October after just five days on the job" (NBC). Violent!" I don't follow UFC, or know much about Dana White, but I have my doubts. But then, I had my doubts about Pete Hegseth, and he's turned out well as far as I can see. Maybe Trump is a better judge of ability than I am.

Doug Truax at RCP says Democrats Didn’t Win – Republicans Lost. There’s a Way To Fix This. "Republicans must thrust truth to the forefront. They must stand firm in their convictions and offer a clear contrast to the coming Democrat overreach. They must offer plans that are clear, concise, and doable. They cannot waver. This isn’t a time to compromise our values." At News Wax, Trump Vows to 'Veto, Veto, Veto' Democrats at CPAC. Mark Tapscott blames it on abortion. Trump, GOP Apathy on Mifepristone is a Huge Problem, Helps Explain 2026 disaster. "Turnout among conservative Christians was down big-time on November 3, and the reason is linked to one that’s haunted Republicans for decades." So do I, not enough liberal mothers aborted 20-30 years ago. At Da Signal the Great Victor Davis Hanson: What Trump Must Do After the Midterm Losses. Shipwreckedcrew @shipwreckedcrew, "The GOP is going to get a look in the weeks and months ahead at just how ruthless the new Dem majorities in Congress are going to be in trying to press their sudden advantage that is greater than they expected. The GOP should take notes and learn some lessons from what they are about to experience being in the "last" end of the whip while the Dems have the handle. Politics is no longer a "polite" business and the GOP has take too long to adapt to the fact that the "gentlemanly" way of engaging with "colleagues" from the other party is long outdated." At Althouse, "He's surrounded by demons who want him out and want him just destroyed. That's his staff... all completely compromised...." ""They were sending around a memo, a CIA manual about how to be a bad bureaucrat and subvert an institution from within. That's like sent around by all the career officials. They hate President Trump....Said Calley Means, on the new episode of Joe Rogan, which you can watch here (scroll back to the beginning if you want)."

Lara Logan @laralogan, "If you really care about this country, this is one of the areas where your attention should be right now. @DataRepublican is exactly right. The greatest obstacle they face to a complete power grab is the Sec of War, Pete Hegseth. He has rebuilt a military that will stand by the constitution & is comitted to the oath every member takes. Hegseth does not back down or fear his enemies because he what he fears is God. They need him out of the way so badly - which should tell you just how important it is to stop them. Read the thread. The truth always matters but it is more important now than ever." Quote DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican, "THREAD: The true reason Pete Hegseth is being targeted is because he's standing between President Trump and a coup @PeteHegseth named the institutions... CFR, Brookings, the general class... in 37 seconds in a video by @Liz_Wheeler . Within 72 hours of his nomination, a..."

At Ars Technica, After Texas’ blue wave, what happens to Elon Musk and SpaceX?, “Data centers in space looking pretty appealing right now.” Bobby @bobbymorris280, "NOW: SpaceX officially suspended all launch pads, rocket telemetry codes, and orbit integration for European government satellites. Elon Musk canceled the launch contracts after the EU slapped X and Starlink with arbitrary billions in fines. The European Space Command labeled it an "act of war" and threatened to freeze bank accounts, prompting Musk to fire back that bureaucracy won't launch a 5-ton defense satellite. Globalist bureaucrats are finding out the hard way that weaponizing regulations against private innovation will leave their entire space defense infrastructure grounded. Do you back Elon Musk for cutting off the hostile EU? #AmericaFirst via @dessere88fenice REPLY." Leslie Eastman at LI, Voters Pull the Plug on Big Tech’s AI Data Center Boom. "China may have been the biggest winner November 3rd." Jordan Schachtel at Am Great looks at The Midterms and AI’s Credibility Problem, "If AI dangers are truly grave, why do they keep building?" Hat Hair's Salena Zito finds While the Public Fears AI, These Ohio and Iowa Business Owners Are Finding Relief. At the Volokh Conspiracy Gene Volokh celebrates an Attorney Fee Award Cut from $100K to $50K, Partly as Sanction for Hallucinated Citations. They need to fix the hallucination problem, ASAP.

Sundance at CTH announces Labor Report Shows Strong Job Gains +165,00 in October, with Revisions to August +53,000 and Sept +31,000. Breitbart Bus Dig, What Really Drove the GOP Midterm Losses?. "The fanatical foes of tariffs have been loudly announcing their explanation for the much larger-than-expected Republican election losses in this week’s midterm elections to anyone who will listen. Naturally, it’s the tariffs." John Hood at RCP swears In Ballot Items, Fiscal Conservatism Beats Socialism. "Well, examine the 2026 results more closely. The overriding issue was affordability, about which victorious Democrats talked incessantly and doomed Republicans never found their voice. What was the single most potent Democratic attack? That President Trump had raised rather than lowered consumer prices by socking Americans with tariffs. It was an anti-tax message! It was correct on the merits. And it worked brilliantly."

Reponsible Statecraft says Three cheers for Melania Trump-led ceasefire in Ukraine. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn sees Poland Simmering Away still.

Matt Margolis thinks The Democrats' Coming Civil War Is Going to Be Lit! Jeff Charles at TownHall believes Debbie Wasserman Schultz Showed Why Democrats Might Not Hold Congress for Long. Hat Hair's John Sexton sees Progressives Had a Tough Election Night... in San Francisco. Have they hit bottom yet, or is this just their first attempt at rehab? Victor Davis Hanson @VDHanson, "The Midterm is Not the Endterm It is too soon to calibrate the direction of the post midterm Democratic and Republican Parties. But if the first 72 hours are any indication—and despite the soon to be Speaker’s denials—the Left is already bragging about subpoenas, and it is intoxicated by the notion of investigations and impeachments. Heady Democrats have entirely forgotten the politically suicidal fashion of the 2021-4 five civil and criminal courtroom circuses, the Mar-a-Lago raid, and the blue state deballoting efforts..." At Althouse, "In 2018, there was still a sense that Trump was an aberration or a fluke; that he’d gotten lucky in 2016 and Democrats could double down on who they were already..." ""... and end MAGA without changing much themselves. Democrats won power in 2018 and 2020 and wielded it so unconvincingly and alienatingly that Trump and his movement roared back, stronger and more dangerous, than ever. The Democratic Party that emerged from that bruising is chastened in a way its predecessor wasn’t. Democrats know they need to appeal to voters who mistrust them. They are not as liable to mistake Trump’s unpopularity for their popularity. All they have won is a chance to prove themselves. And so they may be more willing to learn lessons that this election had to teach." Writes Ezra Klein, in "A Stake Through the Heart of Trump’s Red Map" (NYT). I understand why they make headlines like that but it's SO out of line with the tone and substance of the article." At Shooting News Week, Liberal Gun Owner Worries Politicians He Just Elected Might Enact New Gun Control Laws.

Don Palmer at Da sees Signal Election Integrity Scored Big Wins Despite the Blue Wave. Kyle Becker @kylenabecker, "BREAKING: A missing memory card has FLIPPED the apparent outcome of a Georgia House race. Republican Gerald Greene went from trailing Democrat Harry James by 58 votes to LEADING by 262 after uncounted votes were discovered in Seminole County. Officials found a 388-vote discrepancy during routine checks. If the result holds, Democrats will have just a ONE-SEAT majority in the Georgia House. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has launched an investigation into the error. Maybe Democrats can agree that we should now go to ALL PAPER BALLOTS?" Oilfield Rando @Oilfield_Rando, "USPS has a labor union that endorses one party every election. The fact that we let them transport ballots is banana republic insanity." Quote News 4 San Antonio @News4SA, "Dozens of undelivered ballots were found among mail discarded in a park dumpster." From Campus Reform, FIU Election Day event distributes SPLC voter guide as affiliated political arm backs Democrats. "An SPLC flyer distributed at the campus event obtained by Campus Reform warned voters about an environment created by ‘ICE, law enforcement, extremists this year.’"

From Twitchy, Boycott Backfire: PA Leaders, Citizens Condemn Antisemitic Philly Bike Rally. From the Free Bacon, Abdul El-Sayed Taps Egyptian-American Attorney Who Accused 'Zionists' of 'Controlling' American Politics as Transition Director, "Brenda Abdelall has also accused Israel of 'ethnic cleansing' and 'terrorism'. Fox News @FoxNews, "WATCH: A former police officer accused of fatally stabbing a New York City jogger is escorted from a Brooklyn precinct by NYPD officers. Sayed Mohassib is seen walking alongside police Saturday as he faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with the killing. New photos show Mohassib appearing emotionless while in police custody. See the latest details in the case: https://foxnews.com..." Dr. Maalouf @realMaalouf, "Two Muslim cops in New York stopped a nurse for no apparent reason other than that she was walking her dog. They cornered her and threatened to seize her dog. When confronted, they got angry and couldn’t say what law she had broken. This is what happens when you give these people power. All I can say is that she was lucky there were passersby, because it was 3 AM and things could’ve ended much worse." At Althouse, The community note is back... and how embarrassing for The Free Press! The Free Press @TheFP, "Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed gave his victory speech in Arabic last night. Rep. Ilhan Omar addressed her victory party in Somali. And this morning, Iran's supreme leader posted that America's collapse "has accelerated." What should we make of these acceptance speeches? @SulkinMaya" Readers added context to this video, "Abdul El-Sayed gave his victory speech in English."

At Newsweek, Supreme Court Under Criminal Probe by DOJ—Which Laws May Have Been Broken. Who leaked the Dobbs decision? Matt Margolis sees Democrats Told Trump to 'Lawyer Up.' He Just Flipped the Script on Them. Sundance likes how President Trump asks DOJ to Investigate Threats from Congress.

Tyler O'Neil at Da Signal, Judicial Insurrection Breaks New Ground as Judge Defies Supreme Court Itself on immigration. From Althouse, "Van Der Merwe’s family of white South Africans arrived during Donald Trump’s first term..." ""... but they had good reason to expect that they would be granted asylum after Trump returned to office last year and signed an executive order saying the US would 'promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees,' based on the false claim that they would be 'escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination' at home..." From "Wisconsin state patrol trooper detained by ICE released from custody/Carel Aaron Van Der Merwe immigrated to US at 14 and has been waiting seven years for asylum case to be heard" (The Guardian). That's a pretty casual flinging of the expression "false claim." There should at least be a link to something explaining the basis for rejecting the position taken in the executive order. The word "claim" alone is enough to avoid expressing agreement."

John Sexton thinks Jennifer Welch Finally Goes Too Far for Advertisers. At Althouse "I know I shouldn't say that. But it's just a feeling." Benny Johnson @bennyjohnson, "Dave Chappelle: “Ever since that guy Charlie Kirk got murdered, and I shouldn’t say this publicly but…. I feel better.” This isn’t even comedy. It’s just sick…"

From the College Fix, Wisconsin voters approve amendment to ban preferential treatment based on race, sex at public colleges, universities

Start Your Engines: Liberal Women Announce They're Ready To Have Sex Again Now That Abortion Will Be Legal https://t.co/o8dQCRcJ7m
— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) November 7, 2026

Palm Sunday

With some assistance form Seyla Zanon:

El Paso News, Lightning causes palm tree fire in El Paso’s Upper Valley. God stepping in on the palm tree menace?

True, But You Don't Have To Sound So Happy About It

USGS

The BBC has an article on the Chesapeake Bay Meteor Crater: “It carved a crater twice the size of Rhode Island and as deep as the Grand Canyon." This 35-million-year-old asteroid impact wrecked the United States

In the Late Eocene, roughly 35 million years ago, a 5km-wide asteroid smashed into the eastern United States, just off the coast of what is now Virginia. At the time, sea levels were unusually high and the shoreline was more than 100km inland from where it lies today. This meant that the asteroid landed in the ocean, colliding with the carbonate-covered continental shelf that lay beneath. The impact created a crater 85km in diameter and 1.3km in depth, which is twice the size of Rhode Island and as deep as some of the deepest parts of the Grand Canyon!

Another two devastating asteroid impacts are also believed to have occurred during the Late Eocene: the Popigai impact in Siberia, Russia, and the Toms Canyon impact in offshore New Jersey, US.

Several studies have suggested these asteroid impacts may be associated, pointing towards a disturbance in the asteroid belt approximately 35 million years ago that sent multiple giant space rocks hurtling towards Earth.

How devastating was the impact? During the Late Eocene, North America was covered in open woodlands and savannah-like habitats, creating an environment that would have looked a lot like today’s Great Plains.

This environment supported a rich diversity of mammals, including early horses like Mesohippus, strange, cat-like animals called nimravids, and deadly predators commonly known as bear-dogs. Any animals that were living in the immediate vicinity of Chesapeake Bay 35 million years ago would have faced a similar fate to the dinosaurs that were incinerated by an even more devastating asteroid impact 66 million years ago.

Those that weren’t vaporised by the initial impact blast were arguably subject to even worse fates, falling victim to a giant tsunami hundreds of metres high or the many wildfires that erupted along the East Coast. A 2025 study presented evidence of tsunami deposits in the Sandhills of North Carolina, nearly 400km from the impact site!

While it didn’t trigger a global mass extinction and its ecological devastation was largely localised, some research suggests that the impact, along with other impacts that occurred around the same time, may have initiated a long-term pulse of global warming. This warming episode eventually dissipated two million years later, coinciding with the Eocene-Oligocene extinction event.

35 million years? That doesn't sound too frequent, but just in case, how's that asteroid intercept program coming?

Flotsam and Jetsam - Susie Wiles Out, Stephen Miller in as Trump's CoS

Since Susie Wiles was thought to be the one keeping the crazies away from Trump, and Stephen Miller is widely considered (at least by Democrats) as one of the crazies, this suggests a shift in urgency at the White House. Matt Vespa at TownHall reports Trump Announces a New White House Chief of Staff. Susie Moore at RedState has Big News: Susie Wiles Out As WH Chief of Staff. Matt Margolis at PJM, Susie Wiles Out as Chief of Staff, Trump Names Replacement. From Da Caller, Trump Taps Top Immigration Adviser As New Chief Of Staff. At Althouse, "Stephen Miller to Replace Susie Wiles as Trump’s Chief of Staff.", "The NYT reports. ... As for Miller: Stephen Miller, a deputy chief of staff, has been the architect of some of the most radical domestic policies in Trump’s second term, particularly on immigration. He has also served as a fiery surrogate for the president’s most divisive moves." Sundance at CTH says President Trump Removes Susie Wiles, Moves Wartime Consigliere Stephen Miller to Chief of Staff and hosts President Trump Delivers Remarks on Susie Wiles and Stephen Miller Departing the White House. That's a clumsy title; he means Trump was departing as he was giving the remarks.

Jacob Heilbrunn at Da Spec claims Stephen Miller as chief of staff reveals Trump’s bunker mentality. From AJ Christopher at PJM, Your Honeymoon Is Over, Democrats. Look Who's Here. Anthony @AnthonyG0528, "Stephen Miller being announced as President Trump's chief of Staff certainly killed the mood for Democrats." Bad Hombre @Badhombre, "They’re calling it the shortest-lived celebration of all time. Democrats were so happy a few hours ago. I wonder what changed." Mixy Pisa @MixyPisa, "Thanks for confirming this was the right choice. We already knew that, but thanks all the same." Quote Hakeem Jeffries @RepJeffries, "Stephen Miller is a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands. His presence in government should be eradicated like a malignant tumor. Paige W. Cunningham @pw_cunningham, "SCOOP: Stephen Miller -- today appointed the WH chief of staff -- has repeatedly sought to wield the full weight of the federal government against Somalis in Minnesota. Proud to work with @AlmsNatalie @jstein_sun @EricM_Katz on this one. Bob Hoge at RedState hears Robert Garcia Threatens Stephen Miller, Todd Blanche Ends the Conversation in Two Brutal Sentences, "The Chief of Staff already has a lawyer. The Attorney General of the United States and the Department of Justice." "...That’s all he needed. It’s almost as if he’d said, “Pipe down, Robert. You’re interrupting the adults.”" Benny Johnson @bennyjohnson, "Hi. Want to see a murder on live TV? I give you New White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller vs. Jake Tapper on CNN. Tapper said we need illegals here to pick our crops. Then, Fatality."

At PJM, Stephen Kruiser says OK Patriots, That's Enough Moping. Hugh Hewitt @hughhewitt, "Lame duck priorities: 22 judicial nominees need all 53 GOP senators back or their lives’ ambitions are crushed as the Dem senate will not confirm a one of them. The country as a whole needs every Republican in House and Senate to come back and do Reconciliation 3.0 for our troops. Some legislators will be angry or embittered but they need to keep those warriors and their families front of mind and run through the tape." Ace cites Sen. Harriet Hageman: With What Few Days We Have Left Being in Control of Congress, We Should Go Hog-Wild and Push the Republican Agenda to the Max, "Well, sure, I'd like this. She wants to use budget reconciliation to fund the priorities, like border security, that Democrats intend to defund. But John Thune and his Confederacy of Cucks will not do that. It would upset their liberal sex-partners!" Grassroots Army @GrassrootArmy, "Roll in the cots. Work around the clock. Leave nothing on the table. That's the mindset. We activate, we organize, we keep fighting. Sunday night — LIVE. Gov. DeSantis via @EricLDaugh" Gunther Eagleman™ @GuntherEagleman, "Texas Republicans aren't rolling over. Hours after Dan Patrick lost, GOP state senators are meeting to rewrite the rules and strip the new Democrat Lt. Gov. of her control over committees, bills and the floor. Simple majority vote. Totally legal. That's how you fight back." Brad Watson at Am Mind, A Congress, If We Should Keep It. Randy Barnett @RandyEBarnett, "Legislation? In Congress? Oh you sweet summer child." Quote Orin Kerr @OrinKerr, "One suggestion for legislation in a new Congress: A statutory Bivens remedy."

Dmitri Bolt at TownHall hears This Theory Could Explain Why So Many Trump Voters Abandoned Republicans on Tuesday National Review @NRO, "@CarolineDowney_: "Horseshoe theory explains why Trump voters can flip to Democrats—and why former Bernie Sanders supporters can move toward MAGA." DC_Draino @DC_Draino, "Let’s call a spade a spade. In addition to the reasons listed below, a big part of why we lost the midterms is because of John Thune and the RINO Swamp. Trump won the popular vote and we gave the GOP full control of DC. And what did Thune do? Blocked Voter ID. Prevented recess appointments. Slow walked the MAGA agenda. He must be primaried next election." And Here’s why we lost: -Iran war -Diesel prices -Gas prices -Housing prices -Food prices Here’s why America is not over: -We control the White House -6-3 Supreme Court -We control the Executive branch (DOJ, FBI, DHS, ICE, HHS, State etc) -We control the military -We have the biggest right wing, independent media machine in history that now has a true enemy to fight -We have free speech on the internet If we fix most of the reasons why we lost, we’ll do a lot better in 2028. Let the new fight begin." At Althouse, "Voters want normal people in charge, and they took their wrath out on otherwise normal Republicans who refused to push back..." "Writes Erick Erickson, in "I’m a Republican. We Have Let Too Many Weirdos Into Our Party" (NYT)."

Scott Pinsker at PJM asserts JD Vance Just Revealed His 2028 Presidential Platform — and MAGA’s Ideological War Is Underway "1.End the war 2. Focus on cost of living/inflation 3. Put America First 4.Change our relationship with Israel." Joel Pollak @joelpollak, "The Iran War is not a war of choice. Any president who would allow Iran to go nuclear would be a failure. But Trump kept boots off the ground, and tried diplomacy, in deference to public sentiment and to his campaign promises. The blockade is the winning move. It just takes time." At NYPo Karol Markowics explains How Ron DeSantis transformed swing-state Florida into the GOP’s best hope.

From Twitchy, 'Shut Up and GO HOME': Thom Tillis Tries Lecturing Pete Hegseth ... Guess How That Turned Out. Senator Thom Tillis @SenThomTillis, "@PeteHegseth, cabinet secretaries shouldn't be wasting taxpayer dollars on campaign style videos. Kristi Noem learned that the hard way. This is about you: the incompetence you’ve displayed, the bad advice you’ve given to president, and your shameful and embarassing episodes..." Quote Secretary of War Pete Hegseth @SecWar, "At the War Department: We Stand. We Fight. We Defend the Republic." Chet Hayes @ChetHayes73, "No one respects you loud mouth . Pete Hegseth has done an excellent job . You will be remembered for nothing Tillis not even a footnote in the history books . Pete on the other hand will be in the history books." DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican, "Hegseth is the most important man in the country right now and for the foreseeable future." Maybe, maybe not.

Rick Moran at PJM, claims AI Spending and Hiring Are Driving the Economy As Jobs Growth for October Is 'Unexpectedly' High. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair says Now They Tell Us: 'Strengthening' Jobs Market Blew Out Expectations in October. Catturd ™ @catturd2, "The midterms are over so they can start releasing real numbers again." Quote The Associated Press @AP, "U.S. employers created a surprising 165,000 new jobs in October and the unemployment rate dipped to 4.1%."

Hat Hair's John Sexton reports the Triumphal Arch Wins Final Approval; Obama-Appointed Judge Blocks It, the infamous Judge Tanya Chutkan. "That same issue went to the Supreme Court two months ago with regard to the ballroom being built at the White House and the Supreme Court said it would not fly. But Judge Chutkan clearly didn't care much about that. Last week, she argued that maybe SCOTUS would feel differently this time." Althouse goes with WaPoo, A federal judge late Thursday halted construction on President Donald Trump’s planned 250-foot-tall triumphal arch...". and opines, "Trump needs to think through what he wants to do on his way out. It's crushingly clear that building the arch should not be one of those things. Finish the ballroom and do it well and in time to throw some dignified events before your term is up, but let the arch go. Leave it as an idea of something that could be done. If it's really worth doing, it will happen later. If it doesn't, it wasn't." I don't give a damn about the arch, but I do care whether unelected judges get to rule the country from the bench. Ace, Trump vs. the Bureaucracy, "Trump is the first president in living memory to actually cut the federal work force. Reagan tried. Reagan failed. Trump actually delivered."

Dave Manney at PJM notes Melania Helped Civilians Escape Oleshky, and Now Both Sides Have Met at the White House. "Families who escaped Russian-occupied Oleshky didn’t need a sweeping peace agreement before they could welcome a chance to leave. They needed a workable route, a pause in the fighting, and people willing to arrange both." Ben Poulin at RCP expounds on The Russian State and Its Expendable Soldiers. Down through history, Russia has been a great place to leave.

Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_, "Rep. Laura Gillen’s (D-NY) first post after the Democratic sweep Tuesday night isn’t about affordability - it’s about extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians with the new Democratic majority in Congress." Quote Congresswoman Laura Gillen @RepLauraGillen, "The fight to protect our Haitian neighbors and pass my bill extending TPS for Haiti will gain even more momentum with a Democratic majority in Congress. I’ve stood by our Haitian community and now look forward to working with my new colleagues to get this done." Sean Davis @seanmdav, "I love that just two days after winning an election by promising to focus on affordability, Democrats immediately pivoted to putting dicks in chicks’ bathrooms." Quote Breitbart News @BreitbartNews "One of the first acts of the Democrat-controlled Congress will be a rule change so transvestite Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) will be able to use the women’s bathroom in the halls of Congress."

Hat Hair's Dave Strom looks at Democrat's Campaign to Kill Elon. Hon. Vickie Paladino @VickieforNYC, "The New York Times is going to do everything they can to help leftists murder Elon Musk. Because let’s face it, that’s what they really want. They know the hearings and subpoenas will go nowhere. All this is just about getting as much rage content out into the leftist terrorsphere as possible in hopes of inspiring a Louie Mangione or Tyler Robinson to get the job done. The left celebrates assassinations. They’ve worked very well for them. And they’re going to escalate." Quote, Grace Kay @graceihle, "This week is my first @nytimes as a tech reporter covering Elon Musk's companies with a focus on AI and emerging technologies. If you're a current or former employee, please reach out. I'm also in SF this week and would love to connect. You can reach me via cell/Signal at..." At Twitchy, Scott Jennings Makes Lefty RAGING About Elon Musk Look STUPID, Not That It Took MUCH (WATCH). Nick Arama at RedState likes Elon Musk's Brilliant Reply to Dems Who Want to Cut Off His Companies' Government Contracts. Elon Musk @elonmusk, "Exactly Tesla has no government contracts and President Trump ended federal incentives for electric vehicles. SpaceX contracts with the government are BOTH the best product AND the lowest price! Moreover government revenue will be less than 10% of SpaceX revenue this quarter and less then 5% a year from now. Happy to cancel any that the government doesn’t want. Just say the word!" Quote Warren Redlich - Chasing Dreams @WR4NYGov, "Elon please send this January 1: Dear Senate & House Democrats, Many of you criticize my companies receiving federal contracts." At Not the Bee, After warning about fascism, the Left proposes seizing private corporations.

Nellie Bowles at the Freep, TGIF: We’re Going to Toss Out Subpoenas Like Mardi Gras Beads. Mark Judge at Hat Hair, Conservatives Still Don’t Understand the American Stasi. Sundance sees 2027 Investigative Roadmap Against President Trump Previewed by FOX News. Milei in English - Official Account @jmilei_english, "Socialism is fascist in politics, and fascism is socialist in economics. Both hate the free market and worship state intervention. LONG LIVE FREEDOM, DAMN IT...!!!" The Patriarch Tree @PatriarchTree, "The Democratic base demands blood." Dave Strom says Behold the Empathy of the Left Brittany @brittanycover, "The correlation between people who have “hate has no home here” signs in their yard and agree with these ladies is probably close to 100%." Quote Collin Rugg @CollinRugg, "Podcasters Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan can't stop laughing at the thought of digging up Charlie Kirk's corpse and "doing it" again to him. After laughing for 30 seconds straight, the women falsely claimed that Tyler Robinson was a 'MAGA person.'" Kyle Becker @kylenabecker, "It looks like it is possible for the left to be too demonic and hateful for corporate sponsors. Thanks @CashApp" Quote Collin Rugg @CollinRugg, "NEW: Cash App has severed ties with the 'I've Had It' Podcast after hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan laughed uncontrollably at the thought of digging up Charlie Kirk's corpse and killing him again. Cash App says they are no longer a sponsor of the show." Inez Stepman @InezFeltscher, "I realize this increasingly puts me in nobody’s little camp on the right, but I happen to think the most pressing issue is that the left is going to gulag all of us " and Inez Stepman @InezFeltscher, "I always enjoy it when the people mocking me for using the word gulags have a hammer and sickle in their handles." Quote DenttDentt ☭ @DenttDentt, "Replying to @InezFeltscher, "ENJOY IT WHILE IT LAST! THEY GUNNA BE COLLECTING LEAVES IN THE GUUUUUUUUUUULAGS." Jonathan Turley is dismayed, A Dangerous Woman: Democrats Adopt Soviet Rhetoric to Condemn Stevens as Mentally Ill.