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A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published.
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The Republican primary for United States Senator in Texas is a snapshot of the tension between the entrenched interests of the corporate branch of the Republican Party, and a younger, aggressive, and unabashedly MAGA-adjacent conservative wing. The corporate Republican party (GOPe) has been the only game in town for many years, and their complacency in the face of the progressive onslaught on traditional America has created the existential issues we face today.
John Cornyn is a star of GOPe policies and attitudes, and his bristling antipathy toward President Trump should be enough for the good voters of Texas to boot him to the curb.
The idea of collegiality within the Senate is an antiquated idea that is used as a tool by the Democrat Party to undermine the Republican majority, yet Cornyn stubbornly insists upon a world-view that simply does not exist. The acquisition of power is the only driving force behind Democrat behavior, but Cornyn pretends that the traditions of the Senate are still powerful. Whether he believes it is secondary to his tepid support for the President's policies, and his embrace of some of the talking points of the progressive forces acting against the President.
"Insurrection?" No, Senator Cornyn. It wasn't an insurrection, and nobody was charged with it, so stop parroting your buddies across the aisle. And the filibuster is a marvelous tool to protect Democrat interests and subvert the will of the American people with respect to voting in America, yet you support it?
Begone with you! And let us discard your supporters for good measure. You know, like conservative stalwart Hugh Hewitt! Or the fine, upstanding Senator Thune! Or the United States Chamber of Commerce!
Support for President Trump and his policies should be axiomatic for the Republicans in the United States Senate. That there is a group of senators who are actively antagonistic is an affront to the concept of a political party and the obvious idea that the president is the leader of the party. These effete and out of touch senators have an inflated sense of their own importance, and if the people of Texas slap down Cornyn today, it will be a powerful message to the others.
So...you Texans out there...vote early...vote often!
[Crossposted at CutJibNewsletter and X/Twitter]. If you folks who are on X/Twitter would follow us it would be much appreciated!
Here is a good example of the difference between seeing a painting in person, and seeing it on a phone or computer screen. In person, this is a wonderful and evocative painting, with subtlety and depth. On a screen? It's nice, but not nearly as powerful.
FYI: The Dallas Museum of Art does not allow concealed carry of weapons! Whether that prohibition is legal is a different question...
Good morning kids. And so it seems as if it's the same old shit vis a vis the situation with Iran. On the one hand we had President Trump and team confident of an imminent resolution and conclusion of hostilities. And yet:
Fresh strikes on southern Iran were launched by U.S. military forces early Tuesday morning targeting Iranian missile sites and vessels attempting to lay anti-shipping mines in the contested Strait of Hormuz.
The targeted strikes were done “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” but the military was “using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” Capt. Tim Hawkins, the spokesman for the U.S. military’s Central Command, said in a statement as reported by AP. Following the strikes, the BBC reports U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a deal was still possible and pointed to talks on Tuesday between Iran’s top negotiator and foreign minister and Qatar’s prime minister.
“We’ll see if we can make progress. I think it’s a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it’ll take a few days,” Rubio told reporters during an official visit to India.
Well, first we have the President insisting that Iran turn over all of it's enriched Uranium, but considering the Mullah du jour along with the IRGC are still in charge and are still the same dark age Armageddon-seeking Shiites they've always been, if they turn over a moldy hunk of Halvah that would be a miracle in and of itself. But the President went on to push for a number of Muslim states to join the Abraham Accords.
Mentioning Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and Pakistan, President Trump suggested that it should be “mandatory” for countries involved in the Iran negotiations to endorse the Abraham Accords, a series of U.S.-brokered agreements designed to normalize trade and diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab states.
Writing on Truth Social, he said that “it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously sign onto the Abraham Accords.”
According to President Trump, refusal to join the accord would be seen as a sign of “bad intention” on the part of these states. “It should start with the immediate signing by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and everybody else should follow suit. If they don’t, they should not be part of this Deal in that it shows bad intention,” he continued.
The ayatollah and leading mullahs live in the holy city of Qom. It’s also the location of the most important madrassas (religious training colleges), and many venerable holy sites.
As Iran’s Islamic headquarters, Qom must be a major target for destruction because it houses the religious leaders who are Iran’s center of gravity. Iran can only be defeated by their destruction at a sufficient level that they can no longer effectively control Iran’s population. Yes, this is bloody, brutal and necessary.
It is also the only way to defeat religious fanatics that use terrorism and deceit as their world conquest tactics of choice.
It’s also the only way we can neutralize Shia Iran’s lying promises.
Unfortunately, Western fantasies of fair play probably prohibit President Trump from doing the necessary killing.
In other words, as I and others have been saying all along, this is, or should be a war against Islam. Islam is at war with the world and unless and until we and the rest of the civilized world recognize this, sooner or later we and the civilized world will be subsumed into a new and permanent dark age. And this is not just the Shiites but the Sunnis as well.
This Memorial Day, as we approach our 250th anniversary of being a nation, feels and looks much different than it did 50 years ago. I remember it well. In the lead-up to the Bicentennial, red, white, and blue was everywhere.
Every brewery and soft drink manufacturer had special edition bicentennial cans. Parades were ubiquitous, with seemingly every third person dressed up as Uncle Sam.
Today? Nothing. For example, Starbucks, which always has a coffee blend or merchandise collection for every holiday occasion ,has ... something called a 'Miffy' collection for the summer. America 250?
Nothing.
Even shortly after coming out of a war which we did not win in 1975, there was far more unity in the nation in 1976 than there is in 2026.
The newly elected vice president of Massachusetts's top teachers' union is a longtime left-wing activist who has denounced the United States as a "fascist oligarchy," objected to national borders as a "construct of colonizers," and pushed resolutions condemning Israel as "genocidal."
Massachusetts, where, 250 years on, the shot heard round the world is a myth, or worse. If you wonder why multiple assassination attempts can happen and be cheered on, this is why.
The targeted strikes were done “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” but the military was “using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” Capt. Tim Hawkins, the spokesman for the U.S. military’s Central Command, said in a statement as reported by AP. U.S. Launches Fresh Strikes on Iran Hitting Missile Sites, Minelaying Vessels
Trump’s comments followed a report Saturday from the New York Times citing two U.S. officials who said Iran had broadly agreed to surrender its near-weapons-grade uranium stockpile. Trump: Iran’s Enriched Uranium Will Be Turned Over to U.S. or Destroyed (if we get a chunk of moldy Halvah that'll be it - jjs)
His promise highlights the rising concern among middle-class voters that they and their children are being sidelined by local use of the federal government’s various visa-worker programs. Merrick is pledging to support Donald Trump’s immigration policy and to oppose doling out more H-1B work visas for migrants who are hoping to take jobs from Oklahomans. Migrant Work Visas: Oklahoma GOP Gov. Candidate Jake Merrick Slams H-1Bs
The pope entitled his first papal encyclical Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity: On the Protection of Human Dignity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence). At over 42,000 words in English across an introduction, five chapters and a conclusion, it represents the Church’s most extensive response to the effects of generative artificial intelligence — popularized by ChatGPT’s November 2022 release — and other contemporary technologies on human civilization and interpersonal relationships. Pope Leo (the Lip) Issues Sweeping Teaching On Upholding Human Worth In A World Embracing Artificial Intelligence
America cannot win the AI race by handing the future to woke monopolists using “safety” rhetoric to rig markets, crush competition, and protect power. Anthropic and the Rise of Woke AI
With Election Day just over five months away, the 2026 midterm election cycle has already seen a wide range of stunning upsets at the ballot box. The 10 Biggest Election Upsets Of 2026 — So Far
Democratic Socialist candidate Janeese Lewis George, 38, has emerged as the frontrunner in the city’s mayoral primary race. Uh Oh: DC May Be Poised to Elect a Mamdani of Its Own(what have they had since forever?! - jjs)
Federal investigators served subpoenas to Piker and Code Pink’s Medea Benjamin as part of a probe into the “Nuestra America Convoy,” according to Fox News. The convoy consisted of a group of North American and European activists who traveled to Havana in March, purportedly to offer humanitarian aid and protest President Donald Trump’s blockade of the island. Hasan Piker Admits Treasury Subpoena Over Cuba Trip ‘Not Great’
Victor Davis Hanson: Israel is condemned for surviving a massacre while regimes guilty of actual ethnic cleansing and mass slaughter escape outrage and scrutiny. Spare Us the Selective Outrage
The longer Pennsylvania waits, the more children will be placed on a “transgender” path they cannot reverse, and the more taxpayer dollars will be spent funding it. The cost of doing nothing
ALSO: The Morning Report cross-posts at CutJibNewsletter.com usually within an hour or so of posting here, if you want to continue the conversation all day.
The warning signs have been there for decades. Back in 1983, American author Barbara Ehrenreich wrote a powerful book — The Hearts of Men: American Dreams and the Flight from Commitment — arguing that a male revolt was underway. Since the 1950s, she suggested, men had begun rebelling against the breadwinner ethic, inspired by Playboy culture, the counterculture and a desire for personal freedom. They were rejecting the cultural ideology that had shamed them into tying the knot and becoming a good provider, lest they be seen as immature, irresponsible and less than a real man.
Ehrenreich understood that marriage was the mechanism by which society harnessed male productivity. Remove the shame and the yoke comes off.
Forty years on, the yoke has disappeared. In April 2026, the American male labour force participation rate hit its lowest level since records began in the 1940s, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics. One in three American men — roughly 33% — were not working or actively looking for work. The overall male participation rate for men aged 16 and over stood at just 67%, down from 73.5% two decades ago and from 87% in the postwar years when Ehrenreich’s story begins.
The trend is not confined to America. Similar declines — though less dramatic than in the United States — have occurred in the UK, Australia and Canada.
The marriage collapse runs in lockstep with the workforce data. According to US Census Bureau data, married-couple households made up 71% of all US households in 1970; today it’s just 47%. As University of Virginia sociologist Brad Wilcox documents in his 2024 book Get Married, the marriage rate has fallen 65% in the last half century.
TSA Says You Can Carry a Rotisserie Chicken in Your Carry-On: 'As Many as You Can Fit'
Exploring the TSA's quirky security rules that allow rotisserie chickens but restrict protein shakes.
Shortly after noon on Saturday, officers with the Scottsbluff Police Department responded to Short Stop, located at 2002 Avenue I, after receiving a report that an individual had been shot by a BB gun. While officers were en route, updated information indicated that the incident involved a shotgun.
Upon arrival, officers located a truck with an attached camper. The passenger side door panel of the vehicle had sustained damage consistent with a shotgun blast.
Through the preliminary investigation, officers determined that the owner of the truck had pulled into the convenience store to purchase merchandise. While the passenger of the truck was standing near the front passenger side door, a dog in the back seat moved from one side of the vehicle to the other. During that movement, the dog triggered a shotgun that had a live shell in the chamber, causing the firearm to discharge.
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Tonight's ONT has been brought to you by Case Examples.
Notice: Posted with permission by the Ace Media Empire & AceCorp, LLC. The ONT is solely powered by tanned and rested hamsters. None of the little rodents were injured in the production of this masterpiece.
A Memorial Day tribute to a fallen comrade – “Arnie Nakkerud, You Are Not Forgotten”
—Buck Throckmorton
An Ace of Spades reader sent me this touching essay written by her husband this Memorial Day to keep alive the memory of a fellow Army helicopter pilot who did not return from Vietnam.
I was a 20 year-old kid when I first met you at Ft. Wolters, Texas. We were both arriving to the base, young Army helicopter pilot cadets, class of 66-15. You were from Seattle and I was from a little coastal town, Hoquiam, in Washington State. Being from the same state is what we first had in common entering this new world of helicopter pilot training. That first meeting found us together through the checking-in process, being assigned rooms in the same barracks and attending classes together. We ran together when off-duty and also flew together during training.
We voluntarily held back a month after completing Fort Wolters training as our flight class was larger in numbers than Ft. Ruecker could accommodate. After that month of downtime, we arrived together with the class of 66-17 at Ft. Rucker, Alabama to complete our training. Through all of this, we continued as roommates, flying mates and running weekend trips to Panama City in my red 1963 Corvette. Memories of you, my friend, are many, some stories I can tell and some stories I will not tell.
To this day, your presence continues within me as a great friend who had a truly positive impact on my life and times while in the Army helicopter flight program.
You taught me how to be me and to open up and enjoy life. You taught me that in your presence, I was always laughing at your antics and wantings to bend the rules just enough to afforded us getting away with living the colors of life, closer to the edge. How many weekends we danced and drank the nights away on the beaches of Panama City, Florida.
I remember the trip one weekend when we hopped in the Corvette, top down just after being released Saturday morning. We skipped breakfast, threw some clothes in the back, topped off the gas tank and left Ft. Rucker for Panama City. We stopped in a small store for a quart of milk and a bag of Oreo cookies that we shared as our breakfast while driving south down the back roads. The weekend was ahead of us and we owned it!
A few miles down the road and in one of the dry counties, an old Sheriff pulled us over to check the car for alcohol. He found us drinking milk from a quart carton and finishing off a bag of Oreo cookies. We explained to him that we were helicopter flight cadets at Ft. Rucker and were on our way to spend the weekend at Panama City. The sheriff checked our milk carton for alcohol as that would have been the things young guys like us would do. But no. We were indeed telling the truth, milk and cookies.
There were many cars that day pulled off the road and being checked for alcohol. Folks were out of their cars as sheriff deputies checked their vehicles. The sheriff tipped his hat to us for being the "outstanding young men we said we were" and let us leave the line-up to get back on the road.
You and I laughed so hard several miles down the road when you pulled out the 5th of whiskey you had tucked under your seat. To this day, I still laugh about so many of those moments we shared.
The last time I saw you my friend was while placing a photo of you at the "Wall" in Washington DC, 2005. To this day, I weep as I am now.
I do look forward to the day when I do get to see you again. I am hopeful we are afforded the time to sit, talk and catch up on stories. Knowing you as well as I did here, I bet you have stories and stories to tell. You are not now nor never will be forgotten, my friend.
Young Americans are saddled with extraordinary amounts of the worst type of debt, student loans, and it is one of the reasons that they are delaying the most-important debt they can take on, specifically mortgage debt.
There are two debt trends that intersect at about the age of 40. This is the average age now of first-time mortgage borrowers, and it is also the average age of those defaulting on their student loans. There is correlation between these two problems. In 1990, the average age of first-time home buyers was under-30.
Home ownership, even with a mortgage payment, builds wealth. Unsecured student loan debt that discourages home ownership impedes wealth-building.
According to the Liberty Street Economics website published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the average age of those defaulting on student loans is now 39-years old. But unlike traditional bankruptcies which relieve the debt burden, student loan debt is never relieved. Its default is subject to garnishment of wages, social security payments, and tax refunds. It also soils the credit rating of those defaulting, making it extremely difficult to ever obtain a mortgage.
There are so many variables at play in this mess, including the suspension of student loan repayments during the Covid panic and President Biden’s campaign promise”to forgive all undergraduate tuition-related federal student debt from two-and four-year public colleges and universities.”
How to fix the student loan debacle is complicated, but one place to start is to immediately stop fueling the problem. Let’s stop loading up today’s 18-year-olds with crushing debt that enriches bloated colleges, many of which are left-wing indoctrination factories.
If universities had to provide guaranies for the student loans from which flow the tuition and fees the universities collect, they’d necessarily become more interested in limiting their dollar exposure. Even more important, they’d want to ensure that their students are getting degrees that lead to income-producing careers that will make possible repayment of their debt.
If the universities were to choose to start restricting credit-access to incoming students, that would then incentivize cost competition among colleges, and possibly even steer higher-education toward other models than the brick-and-ivy campus. If we’re honest, the traditional university model isn’t even about education, it’s about “the college experience,” making contacts, and obtaining an increasingly irrelevant credential. The actual education can inexpensively be obtained online for most areas of study.
Way too many young adults are starting their working careers with a “mortgage payment” worth of student loan debt, but the beneficiary is the university industrial complex. Student loan debt is destructive. Mortgage loan debt is beneficial. Let’s stop incentivizing the former at the expense of the latter.
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Throckmorton’s First Law of Live Music: “If there’s an upright bass in the band, it’s probably going to be good”
Today is Memorial Day, a sacred day in which we honor those who gave their lives in service to our country. There is no need to implore the readers of this blog to remember the purpose of this holiday, because you don’t need reminding. You are already patriots who revere those who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the United States.
My childhood best friend lost an uncle in Vietnam. 59 years later Uncle Jack is still remembered and revered in the family. Jack’s sister, my best friend’s mother, still grieves the loss of her only brother.
Here is Kathy Matea singing a sweet, sad song from the Civil War era titled “The Vacant Chair” about a family’s first Thanksgiving after their beloved Willie was killed in the fighting.
We shall meet but we shall miss him.
There will be one vacant chair.
We shall linger to caress him
While we breathe our evening prayer.
When a year ago we gathered,
Joy was in his mild blue eye.
But the golden cord is severed,
And our hopes in ruin lie.
Chorus:
We shall meet, but we shall miss him.
There will be one vacant chair.
We shall linger to caress him
When we breathe our evening prayer.
At our fireside, sad and lonely,
Often will the bosom swell
At remembrance of the story
How our noble Willie fell.
How he strove to bear our banner
Through the thickest of the fight
And uphold our country’s honor
In the strength of manhood’s might.
Today is of course Memorial Day, but the news does not take time off as is amply demonstrated by the lead story.
Maryland man was shot and killed by U.S. Secret Service agents Saturday evening after allegedly opening fire near a White House security checkpoint, triggering a lockdown and a massive federal law enforcement response in the nation’s capital.
Multiple sources identified the suspect as Nasire Best, 21, of Maryland.
According to the United States Secret Service, the shooting unfolded around 6 p.m. near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW when the suspect allegedly removed a handgun from a bag and began firing toward officers stationed near the White House perimeter.
A senior administration official said Best fired approximately three shots before Secret Service agents returned fire and killed him. Authorities said the suspect never breached the White House grounds.
An adult bystander was struck during the exchange of gunfire, though the person’s condition was not immediately known.
Hasan Kwame Jeffries, the younger brother of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, is a professor of history at Ohio State University. In a recent social media post, he invoked the violence of John Brown, suggesting ‘white supremacy’ should be ended “by any means necessary.” Jeffries cited John Brown, an American abolitionist known for advocating violence to end slavery. One quote from Brown that describes his philosophy states: “I am quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood. I had, as I now think vainly, flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done.”
One person commented on the post, jokingly asking, “Are these ‘white supremacists’ in the room with you now?” Jeffries responded, “Nah. They’re in the White House.” The post further suggests that Jeffries was referring to President Trump and his administration in the original post.
In any case, and sincere apologies for that pornographic debasement as this is Memorial Day so let us remember all those who gave their llives in defense of this country and let us beg their forgiveness for allowing the cancer of the Hakeem Jeffries' in our midst to have gained positions of power and influence to the extent that the cause of freedom and the nation our loved ones gave their lives to defend and preserve is closer than ever to being lost.
I can only imagine my dear uncle, for whom I was named and who was cut to ribbons by a Jap machine gun on Saipan, looking down from Heaven and weeping at how low we have sunk.
Let us do what we can to ensure the sacrifices he and all who gave their lives were not in vain. God bless their memories.
Have a great day, one and all.
ABOVE THE FOLD, BREAKING, NOTEWORTHY
The Navy will bury Fireman 3rd Class Royle Luker with full military honors on May 30 at New Bethel Cemetery in Plainview, the Arkansas town he left to enlist in June 1941, Stars and Stripes reported. Rear Adm. Michael Van Poots, deputy commander of Submarine Forces, will preside over the ceremony. (RELATED: Nearly 150 Dead From Pearl Harbor Attack Could Be On Track For Identification After Milestone Reached) Arkansas Teen Sailor Killed At Pearl Harbor Will Finally Be Laid To Rest After Nearly 85 Years
Memorial Day means little if America cannot preserve the monuments honoring the men who gave their last full measure of devotion. Remembering the Memorials on Memorial Day
Pride in past valor may be best expressed in the St. Crispin’s Day speech from “Henry V” (Act IV, Scene iii), delivered by the young king on the eve of the Battle of Agincourt. . . ‘We band of brothers:’ A Memorial Day meditation
An adult bystander was struck during the exchange of gunfire, though the person’s condition was not immediately known. Witnesses reportedly heard as many as 30 shots near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building as federal agents rushed to secure the area. Gunman Killed After Opening Fire Near White House Checkpoint
The Iranians are clearly not negotiating in good faith, and they never will. The New Barbary Pirates
The rapid rebuilding undermines claims that U.S.-Israeli strikes have caused long-term damage to Iran’s military capabilities. If hostilities resume, Iran’s restored drone and missile systems could pose significant threats to Israel and Gulf nations, complicating regional security dynamics.
CIVIL WAR 2.0, LEFTIST PERSECUTIONS, DEMOCRAT PUTSCH, AMERICAN DISSOLUTION
Ocasio-Cortez spoke May 16 at the “All Roads Lead to The South” rally in Montgomery, the New York Post (NYP) reported. She called on progressives in northern states to head to Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Mississippi to push against what she labeled political injustice. Online afterward, she added, “If you’re not from these states, it’s time to pull up.” (Dear Southerners - aim between the eyes, [rhetorically speaking wink-wink] - jjs) TItty-Caca AOC Takes Heat After Telling Northerners To ‘Pull Up To The South’
Polling has Vang running even with Matsui and slightly ahead of Republican Zachariah Wooden, the NYP reported. Conservative-leaning Lodi, Placerville and El Dorado Hills became part of the district through the recent redraw, joining portions of Sacramento and Elk Grove. California Congressional Candidate Turns Back On Flag, Refuses To Say Pledge Of Allegiance
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced Friday new guidance directing immigration officers to treat the transition from temporary nonimmigrant status to permanent immigrant status under Section 245(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as a process that should generally take place outside the United States, according to a document obtained by the Daily Caller. EXCLUSIVE: Trump Admin Closes Loophole Letting Migrants Stay In US While Awaiting Green Cards
It’s not crazy to suggest that if immigrants will not assimilate then they shouldn’t be allowed to serve in Congress. (Should be stripped of citizenship - jjs) America Is A Nation Of Settlers, Not Immigrants
Before she leaves, she plans to release investigative findings in weekly installments over the next month. The topics on the docket are not small: Havana Syndrome, the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government’s weaponization of intelligence agencies, and the 2020 presidential election. If Democrats thought they could breathe a sigh of relief with her gone, they were sorely mistaken. Each of these has been a political flashpoint for years, and Gabbard is positioning her office to put official findings on the record while she still has the authority to do it. Tulsi Gabbard Teases Major Bombshells Before Leaving Trump Administration
Brandon’s sentencing is scheduled for September 3. She will be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg in federal court. She is permanently banned from federal employment or contracting with the federal government and its agencies, as part of her plea agreement with the court. The case underscores vulnerabilities in federal payment systems and highlights the need for stricter internal controls to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Former CDC Official Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Government Funds.
RED-GREENS, CLIMATE CHANGE HOAX, DEMOCRAT-LEFT WAR ON FOSSIL FUELS,
Repealing the EPA’s biofuel boondoggle ought to be a no-brainer—but can reformers overcome the “liquid pork” regime? A Simple Policy to Reduce Food Prices
New EV sales in April – the second full month of the war – were down 6.2% compared with March, and down a whopping 23% from the year before, according to Cox Automotive. The Iran War Sounds The Death Knell Of EVs
Massie said, “I will not rule out anything. And right now, I’m not going to rule in anything. Look, I’ve spent the last five days on my farm with my grandkids and my cattle and my peach trees, and it’s a pretty nice life. COMEDY GOLD: Massie Doesn’t Rule Out 2028 Presidential Run
The Seventeenth Amendment reshaped the Senate from a body tied to the states into a national political arena defined by permanent ambition and escalating federal power. The Progressive Senate and Its Discontents
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, INTERNATIONAL
Key organizations and activists tied to the CCP-linked Singham Network rapidly moved to defend former Cuban dictator Raúl Castro following this week’s Justice Department indictment tied to the 1996 shootdown of civilian aircraft flown by Brothers to the Rescue. Singham Network Mobilizes to Defend Raúl Castro after DOJ Indictment
A Convergence of Law, History, and Leadership Signals that Cuba’s Long Night May Be Ending Will Cuba Taste Freedom Soon?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in India on Friday for his first official visit there, and the trip carries more than ceremonial value. Rubio met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The four-day visit includes Kolkata, New Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. . . Rubio Tries to Put U.S.-India Relations Back on Solid Ground
Reform UK’s strong showing could thwart Burnham’s parliamentary entry and his Prime Ministerial ambitions. Meanwhile, Restore Britain, led by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, is polling at 7%, potentially aiding Burnham’s campaign. If Burnham wins, the Labour Party increases its likelihood of governing past 2029, and potentially even until 2034, albeit in a theoretical coalition with the far-left Greens. Reform Surge Puts PM-Wannabe’s Ambitions At Risk In Knife-Edge Makerfield Race.
China expands abroad without moral baggage while America ties itself in ideological knots that weaken its ability to compete for global influence. Trump, China, and the Third World
While observational, the studies suggest that weight-loss drugs could be used to fight cancer. GLP-1 drugs are normally used to treat diabetes and weight management. The findings could lead to controlled medical trials to establish a more reliable connection between reduced progression and GLP-1 drugs. Further positive findings could heavily influence the pharmaceutical market, given that such drugs are already growing in popularity. Popular Weight-Loss Drugs May Fight Cancer.
I’ve seen new NASA administrators do the same time after time, without actually accomplishing any real change. In a sense this is no different than rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic as it sinks. You aren’t really fixing the problem, you are making believe you are doing so. Isaacman rearranges the deck chairs on the Titanic of NASA
Space will not be settled by treaties and committees, but by pioneers willing to claim, build, and risk everything on worlds no one owns. Space Squatters Will Open the Final Frontier
FEMINAZISM, TRANSGENDER PSYCHOSIS, HOMOSEXUALIZATION, WAR ON MASCULINITY/NORMALCY
Thad McCotter: At an alumni dinner meant to celebrate achievement and tradition, one aging mentor delivered a quiet confession that revealed just how profoundly America has changed. An Evening for Reflection
ALSO: The Morning Report cross-posts at CutJibNewsletter.com usually within an hour or so of posting here, if you want to continue the conversation all day.
Sunday Overnight Open Thread - May 24, 2026 [Doof]
—Open Blogger
Howdy Hordelings! Welcome to the Sunday night ONT. Appreciate you spending some of your holiday weekend here. Open thread, as always. Fashion and music, as always. What's on YOUR mind tonight?
Farrells is the one I remember most. The one near me was in Golden Ring Mall, in eastern Baltimore County. There was an arcade next door. Such great times!
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How about old, cheap beer? Which one was your go to? One of these or a different one?
In Baltimore, our go to was National Bohemian - "Natty Boh" for short. We also had Milwaukee's Best (The Beast) and Shaeffer. What was the bargain beer in your neck of the woods?
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'Ette Couture (Courtesy of Piper)
It's that time of the week - when we turn the ONT over to our good friend Piper for a bit. Here's this week's fashion pr0n.
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My Birthday Wishlist: “Practical” Gifts? Probably not.
I’ve been asked a few times now what I want for my birthday, and it looks like successfully ignoring the whole thing isn’t going to work this year.
So here’s the current lineup. No quiet luxury snoozefest here. I’m going with fun, wearable, “yes I’m extra” energy only.
1. A Lady Dior Bag
The iconic Dior Lady Dior in classic black cannage lambskin. Medium size, please. Big enough for my essentials, lipstick, and snacks, but not so huge I look like I’m smuggling baguettes. Those D.I.O.R. charms? Chef’s kiss.
Why it’s on the list: Because it’s classic, and gorgeous.
2. Christian Louboutin Strappy Sandals
Louboutin Marilyn Slingback Sandal. Ideal for a birthday dinner where I plan to sit dramatically and pretend this is how I dress daily.
Why it’s on the list: Because nothing says glamorous like shoes that make you walk like you own the sidewalk.
3. A sundress from Zimmerman that made me gasp
A Zimmermann Indra Metallic Stripe Print Silk and Cotton Halter dress. It’s breezy, but elevated. It has such interesting details- subtle cutouts, a flattering twist, the color blocking.
Why it’s on the list: This one would be worn on repeat for summer brunches where I pretend I have my life together.
4. MOUSSY Vintage Jeans
Perfectly faded Deltona Straight selvedge jeans with a lived-in look. The kind that make you feel effortlessly chic even when you’re just running to Target.
But Piper, you may be thinking, Why these? Don’t you already have a few pairs of MOUSSY jeans hanging in the closet? Yes, but not these ones in particular!
Why it’s on the list: because I love a rigid, 100% cotton jean with a button fly.
Bonus Wishlist Wildcard:
Luxury sunglasses in a modern cat eye because I keep looking at them.
There you have it — my very mature, very reasonable birthday wishlist. Here’s to another trip around the sun in style!
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Thanks, Piper. Hope you have a wonderful birthday tomorrow!
Doof Enterprises, LLC hopes you are having a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. Please remember to take a few moments tomorrow to remember why we have the day off..
Your feedback may or may not be very important to Doof Enterprises. Follow Mr. Doof on X @doof2112 or do the email thing – doof2112 at proton dot me.
Howdy, Y'all! Welcome to the wondrously fabulous Gun Thread! As always, I want to thank all of our regulars for being here week in and week out, and also offer a bigly Gun Thread welcome to any newcomers who may be joining us tonight. Howdy and thank you for stopping by! I hope you find our wacky conversation on the subject of guns 'n shooting both enjoyable and informative. You are always welcome to lurk in the shadows of shame, but I'd like to invite you to jump into the conversation, say howdy, and tell us what kind of shooting you like to do!
Holy Shitballs! How in the ever-loving Hell did it get to be the Fourth May Edition? Going to be a little bit of a quick one again tonight - I'm traveling and naturally left this until the last minute.
With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?
When was the last time you focused on fundamentals? Please say it was the last time you went to the range. Please? Lie if you have to.
More revolver fundamentals.
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Weird Stuff
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Revolver Cleaning
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Our Pal Sodium Reactors
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What??!!
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Civil Defense After The Bomb!
Protect your hearing in this case, too!
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NoVaMoMe 2026
What - you thought there wasn't going to be a NoVaMoMe in 2026?
Note: One of the great joys of NoVAMoMe season, at least for me, is being able to cut and paste the entire block of text below and haranguing you to attend the event. Are you attending? Are you focusing on the fundamentals of attending?
Alright, guys and gals, the long awaited and highly anticipated details of the 2026 NoVAMoMe are here! That's right, I finally got my act together and updated the information page for 2026, and need to go over a few details. First, the date is June 20th, 2026 from 11am to 3pm. Nextly, my bestest blog buddy bluebell and I have decided 2026 will continue the longstanding tradition of NoVAMoMe simplification, and want to pass along the changes from prior years.
First, no registration and no advance charge for food. If you would like to attend, send an email to WeaselBell Productions, and let us know. You will be directed to a sekrit webpage with all of the details. We do ask once you have decided to attend to let us know so we can coordinate an expected count with venue management. Once there if you are hungry or thirsty simply order from the onsite menu and pay separately. Cash and credit cards accepted. Next, although fun, we have decided to again take a break from the raffles and mug sales this year. Depending on how it goes, that may be something we bring back in future years. While your generosity is always appreciated, with no prize table, please leave donations and contributions at home, but bring your appetite for a great afternoon spent with your imaginary online friends.
Next, a NoVAMoMe PSA from our pal bluebell
Hi folks - just a quick PSA. If you write for info about the MoMe, please give us a few words in the body of the email just so I know you are a Moron and not a spammer (moron). I do receive spam on this email account because it's sitting right here in my nic, so that's why I'm asking. I don't want to give our details to a spammer. Also, remember to check your spam folder if you don't receive a reply email.
Thanks.
bluebell
Seriously, just send an email then go to the website with the password provided. If you forget, a link to the email is on the main page, left sidebar. If you do not sign up, bluebell will be disappointed. Weasel will be disappointed, too, but it's bluebell you need to worry about.
Here are some different online cigar vendors. You will find they not only carry different brands and different lines from those brands, but also varying selections of vitolas (sizes/shapes) of given lines. It's good to have options, especially if you're looking for a specific cigar.
A note about sources. The brick & mortar/online divide exists with cigars, as with guns, and most consumer products, with respect to price. As with guns - since both are "persecuted industries", basically - I make a conscious effort to source at least some of my cigars from my local store(s). It's a small thing, but the brick & mortar segment for both guns and tobacco are precious, and worth supporting where you can. And if you're lucky enough to have a good cigar store/lounge available, they're often a good social event with many dangerous people of the sort who own scary gunz, or read smart military blogs like this one. -rhomboid
Anyone have others to include? Perhaps a small local roller who makes a cigar you like? Send me your recommendation and a link to the site!
Please note the new and improved protonmail account gunthread at protonmail dot com. An informal Gun Thread archive can be found HERE. Future expansion plans are in the works for the site Weasel Gun Thread. If you have a question you would like to ask Gun Thread Staff offline, just send us a note and we'll do our best to answer. If you care to share the story of your favorite firearm, send a picture with your nic and tell us what you sadly lost in the tragic canoe accident. If you would like to remain completely anonymous, just say so. Lurkers are always welcome!
That's it for this week - have you been to the range?
Food Thread: You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start In The Morning!
—CBD
Why is it that we suspend all of our eating and drinking rules when in airports?
That's a glass of champagne and a Bloody Mary at 6:45AM.
While I will occasionally have a Bloody Mary, and I try to drink champagne as much as I can, I never combine the two...except when flying. And the crap food in airports, especially the jumped-up steamtable stuff in the airport lounges? Yeah...I'll eat that too, and have seconds!
If you look closely at the glass of champagne, or simply the blurred background, you will see what sane people drink at that hour...a cup of hot tea. But that seems so wrong to me, especially when the booze is free, and the champagne is good!
I wrote on Thursday about the the EU regulatory state that was designed to replace innovation and competition with regulation, and here it is in all its glory!
An EU committee made up of experts from member states voted on Tuesday to ban imports of Brazilian meat starting 3 September due to the use of antimicrobials to stimulate animal growth.
Oh look! Experts! I'll bet they went to all the best schools!
I don't much care whether Brazil abuses the use of antibiotics to promote cattle growth. Is it a bad idea? Probably. But anything the EU does is by definition anti-competitive, so I am on Brazil's side.
Meat is very expensive in the EU. In my limited experience, it is at least double or triple what we pay here. But those experts don't want the peasants to be able to eat meat, so they limit imports and protect their own inefficient and expensive industry. That is functionally identical to the way the people were treated by the Church and by royalty...in the Middle Ages!
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That's a whole bone-in pork loin that was so big it wouldn't fit on my half-sheet pan for a reverse sear! So I had to cut it into two chunks, which is fine...that means double the number of end pieces! That fed 11 people with a ton of leftovers. Granted, I had some tasty and filling sides, including my world-famous Cauliflower Gratin that I supercharged with some (a Lot) bacon. And crunchy Rosemary and Garlic roasted potatoes that were delicious, and got gobbled up before I could get a second helping.
It is possible, even in these post-Biden-inflation times, to feed a bunch of people tasty, wholesome food without breaking the bank. That pork roast was about 13 pounds, and while not on sale, it was reasonably priced for our area. All the other stuff was not particularly pricey, and If I don't count the booze (damn, they drank a lot!), it was probably less per person than my everyday meals!
And it was a rollicking good time to boot!
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Vegetables? Yuck!
Except when cooked correctly, with flavor rather than some nebulous concept of healthful eating in mind.
I bought a head of broccoli, peeled the stem as much as I could, then sliced it into 1" steaks....whatever the hell a broccoli steak is. Then I microwaved them with a bit of water, just to soften them a bit. three minutes, covered.
The next step is going to disturb you healthful eating types, so...piss off. I brushed them with a liberal amount of melted butter, salted them, and grilled them on high heat until they got a bit toasty and charred.
They were great! Easy, delicious, and I didn't feel like I was being punished.
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I love them, but I have had more than my share of woody, overcooked stalks, which is particularly galling because I cooked a fair number of them!
Part of that is the massively long supply chain for asparagus, which limits my access to really fresh stuff. The other is my fixation on roasting them in very high heat. It makes sense to me, but as Richard Feynman famously said:
It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.
And my theory was wrong. So I finally gave up on it and started roasting asparagus at 350 degrees, bathed in butter and with a pinch of salt, and cooked just until tender.
And what do you know! They taste great that way!
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It sounds better in French: Champignons à la Savoyarde, but Creamy Mushrooms on Toast tastes just as good in English. He uses Morels, which are grand! And tough to find. And expensive. But any mushroom will do. Just don't use sour cream...heavy cream makes a better dish!
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The garlic is doing well! I know all of you are worried, but it is tall and green and healthy! I even fertilized them! And if they survive the deer and squirrel apocalypse, and actually grow into something edible, I will be in garlic heaven! In case it doesn't, send all of your excellent home-grown garlic to: cbd dot aoshq at gmail dot com.
Rumor has it that the Bourbon Bubble is bursting. I have seen no evidence of decreasing prices, but maybe the bursting started somewhere else! I think the sweet spot is $40-$60 for excellent and interesting bottles, and bumping that to $100 gets you an incremental improvement in quality, but nothing mind-blowing. More than that and I think you are paying for hype and rarity, which may look good in your liquor cabinet, but doesn't translate to more quality in the bottle.
The problem...or the solution...is to buy lots of bourbon, take tasting notes, and eventually arrive at your favorites! It should take forty or fifty years, but it is worth it!
What the hell am I going to do with this thing? First of all, it weighs 17 pounds. Second, film was last made for it in 1977 (total guess*). Third, modern digital cameras produce superb quality photographs, and my eye for the fine points of photography does not extend to the qualitative difference between film colors and digital colors.
And all of this means nothing, because it was my wife's grandfather's camera, and we can never discard it.
This x 1,000 is why I want to burn the place down and start over!
*Ooh! I was close. The last color film was manufactured in 1977, and the last black & white film was made in 1992.
The All-Encompassing Naïveté of The True Believers
—CBD
Nicholas Kristof is entirely unimportant. His laughable article claiming that Israel uses trained dogs to sexually assault Palestinian prisoners is clownish and will disappear without a trace, except for a small group of rabid Jew-haters who will dredge it up occasionally, even though it has been thoroughly debunked.
He is a reliable leftist who has spent his entire professional life cultivating an air of moral superiority, coupled with the arrogance to claim that he is in fact detached...merely an observer of the human condition.
He is unimportant because there are thousands of people exactly like him who produce a fungible product for their media masters. One ardent progressive's article about [fill in the blank] is functionally and stylistically identical to the next. Whether it is Palestine or Global Warming or EVs or clean water or racism in American policing; the stories are all the same blend of pseudo-intellectual rigor combined with hyper-emotional rhetoric designed to do one thing...sway the reader toward the progressive cant.
And they reek of that moral superiority and smugness that is so, so grating to the observant consumer. But it is mostly honest and heartfelt. Sure, some of these progressive drones pumping out identical articles about X or Y or Z are in it for the influence they believe they can exert on the body politic to sway them, and their manipulation of reality is entirely intentional.
But Kristof is almost certainly an earnest and honest reporter. That he is an ignorant fool without any understanding of the human condition is secondary to his feeling that his reporting is absolutely correct on his elevated moral plane, even if that pesky thing called "fact-checking" is conspicuously absent. Is he an anti-semite? Maybe? But he is certainly a fool.
No...the blame for that ridiculous but politically expedient article lies with the senior management of the New York Times, who knew quite well that the article was mostly nonsense...but published it anyway!
And why? Because they have a carefully constructed and longstanding policy of antagonism toward Israel and traditional Judaism. They also have a curated list of other causes that they support, including socialism. And that goes back a very long way. The editors of the New York Times were aware of Stalin's systematic starvation and murder of millions of Ukrainians in 1932-1933, yet they chose to ignore it because it guaranteed them access to Soviet leadership, and it furthered the cause of world socialism. Walter Duranty, the correspondent, was a useful idiot in the process.
So the next time the NYT or the WaPo or any number of reliably leftist rags and media outlets publishes such a rank and obvious propaganda piece; don't blame the writer or talking head. He may very well be complicit, but it is also likely that he is an ignorant, poorly educated, insular knucklehead who simply doesn't know enough to have an educated opinion on anything other than ketchup or mustard on a hot dog.
Blame the media bosses who have a plan, and execute it very well.
Those of you who are longtime Not Watchers of Stephen Colbert will not enjoy this flashback of Colbert dancing with Chuck Schumer while wearing ostentatious covid masks
Rush Limbaugh was an innovator in so many ways, including being among the first to not watch Stephen Colbert
DNI Tulsi Gabbard tenders her resignation for June 30, says her husband has been diagnosed with a rare bone cancer and she will have to help him through this
Podcast: CBD and Jim Lakely of The Heartland Institute chat about Heartland's two recent discussions: The affordability crisis in America, and The UN retreating from their most maniacal climate projections. Along the way we talk Democrat insanity and the changing electoral map...and more!
After threatening that the "clock is ticking" for renewed strikes on Iran, Trump once again calls them off to give negotiating a chance. I can't even cover this any more. It's embarrassing. It's like covering the endless negotiations over DHS funding. Trump is going to drag this out through the midterms and then lose them.
Note to the president: At some point, allowing the Regime to remain in power without actually forcing them to give up nukes is just a back-door, unacknowledged renewal of the Obama policy. Well, I guess we just have to wait for their economy to collapse and their troops to desert.
Podcast: Sefton and CBD are joined by Jeff Carter, candidate for NV treasurer, and seasoned finance professional, for a discussion of the issues facing Nevadans, and the larger financial challenges in America.
Few people remember that Norm MacDonald began his career as a ventriloquist MacDonald's old partner Adam Egot revealed that MacDonald repurposed a bit with one of his ventriloquist dolls -- that he was a "bad guy" who "didn't believe the Holocaust happened" -- for the Norm MacDonald show, in which he claimed Egot didn't believe in the Holocaust.
Funniest thing I've read about the Virginia mess. Back when they were hustling the referendum through the assembly both Senators, Warner and Kaine, advised them to go slow and play by the rules. Louise Lucas said she respected them but didn't need advice from the "cuck chair" in the corner. The gerrymandering was overturned and Louise is heading for the big house. Edward G. Robinson voice "where's your cuck now?"
Posted by: Smell the Glove
"Ahhhhh ahh I put my career on the line for Louise Lucas and Jay Jones thinking they'd vault me into presidential contention and we ended up costing Democrats 20 House seats and unleashing a Reverse Dobbs ahhhhh ahhh"
"It's f**king f**ked." -- reportedly a genuine comment offered by a "senior Labour source" Correction: I wrote that Labour is losing 88% (now 87%) of the seats it is "defending." I think that's wrong. The right way to say it is the seats they are contesting -- that is, they don't necessarily already hold these seats, but they have put up a candidate to run for the seat. It's still very bad but not as bad as losing 87% of the seats they already held.
Basil the Great
@BasilTheGreat
🚨ED MILIBAND [a Minister in Starmer's government] SAYS KEIR STARMER WILL RESIGN AS PRIME MINISTER
He has reportedly reassured Labour MP's that Starmer will be resigning following the disastrous results tonight
It's over
"The end of the two party system in the UK" as first the Fake Conservatives and now Labour chooses political suicide rather than simply STOPPING THE INVASION Incidentally, the only reason this didn't already happen in the US is because of the Very Bad Orange Man (who is right on 85% of all policy calls and extremely, existentially right on 15% of them)
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