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Arrogant Smug Liberal RINO Bill Cassidy Not Only Loses Primary, But Loses It to Two Different Candidates, Getting Shut Out of the Run-Off
—Disinformation Expert Ace
Mitt Romney
@MittRomney
The Senate to now lose an exceptionally brilliant and creative mind, an MD who chairs healthcare, and a person of character. Bill Cassidy's departure is a loss for the country.
If it makes this smug Elmer Gantry pissant cry, it must make the angels smile.
Trump sent a message by targeting Bill Cassidy. In defeat, Cassidy delivered one back
Oh it's a moral victory. Awesome.
Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy wanted his reelection campaign to be about the "present and the future." President Donald Trump had other plans.
Oh he was fighting for the future while Trump only cared about the past. Awesome.
Cassidy offers two contradictory claims, both which, get this, attack Trump and elevate Cassidy's ego.
First, he says that the honorable thing to do after a loss is to just accept it and not whine and make excuses and attack one's opponents as dirty schemers.
"You don't pout, you don't whine, you don't claim that the election was stolen ... you don't manufacture some excuse," Cassidy said. "You thank the voters for the privilege of representing the state or the country for as long as you've had that privilege. And that's what I'm doing right now."
Okay I get it, you are better than Trump. Awesome.
But then Cassidy immediately... bitches and whines and claims that Trump is a schemer who unconstitutionally used "the levers of power" to defeat a political opponent.
"Let me just set the record straight: Our country is not about one individual. It is about the welfare of all Americans and it is about our Constitution," Cassidy said. "And if someone doesn't understand that and attempts to control others through using the levers of power, they're about serving themselves. They're not about serving us. And that person is not qualified to be a leader."
Which is what politics is, defeating political opponents.
Isn't it, Bill? You sure thought so when you attempted to boot Trump out of the White House.
He's a loser and always has been and I hope his defeat sends a message to the other arrogant, egotistical Fussy losers.
...
Cassidy became the first GOP senator to lose renomination in close to a decade, a remarkable downfall that shows again how Trump dominates the party.
Cassidy refused to answer questions about whether he'd vote again to convict, now knowing that the entire impeachment case as an op and a frame-up. He's just too egotistical (unwarrantedly so) to ever admit error.
He dodges those question by saying he doesn't want to talk about the past, only the future, in a line cribbed from noted moral stateswoman Hillary Clinton.
Trump wasn't buying it. And he's now saying: ON TO MASSIE!
"His disloyalty to the man who got him elected is now a part of legend, and it's nice to see that his political career is OVER!" Trump wrote Saturday night on social media.
In backing Letlow against Cassidy, Trump achieved something he has not done yet in his extraordinary political career: defeat a senator from his own party in a primary. It came as he looks to unseat one of the biggest GOP mavericks in Congress -- Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie -- in a House primary Tuesday.
Trump was quick to draw a connection between Cassidy and Massie. In a Truth Social post early Sunday morning, Trump said Massie "is an even bigger insult to our Nation than" Cassidy and reiterated support for Massie's primary challenger, Ed Gallrein.
Cassidy, who pats himself on the back for not whining and making excuses, whined some more and made some more excuses by complaining about people "attacking me on the internet," which is totally the sort of thing that a forward-thinking future-focused statesman should spend his nights obsessing over.
"Insults only bother me if they come from somebody of character and integrity," Cassidy said. "I find that people of character and integrity don't spend their time attacking people on the internet."
Bill Cassidy's wife's dance card is going to be so filled this weekend you guys.
Don't imagine that Bill Cassidy is some kind of rock-ribbed True Conservative who only voted to convict Trump because Sacred Honor Compelled Him and He Could Not Do Otherwise.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on Saturday expressed concern about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) reputation following another fatal shooting in Minnesota.
"The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing. The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake. There must be a full joint federal and state investigation. We can trust the American people with the truth," Cassidy said Saturday in a post on the social platform X.
He has thwarted the MAHA agenda, insisting that every single one of the 70 vaccines a kid gets in the first months of his life are all 100% necessary and that any questioning of this Religious Command from the Gods of The Science (TM) is blasphemy.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his followers scored a big win Saturday when Kennedy's nemesis, Sen. Bill Cassidy, went down in his Louisiana primary.
The cherry on top for Kennedy and his Make America Healthy Again movement would be if another Republican doctor in the Senate, Kansas' Roger Marshall, replaces Cassidy next year as chair of the Health Committee.
Marshall, unlike Cassidy, is a big Kennedy fan, having founded a MAHA caucus to promote Kennedy's push to combat chronic disease.
Whereas Cassidy in confirmation hearings last year grilled Kennedy on his longstanding skepticism of vaccines and has given him a hard time about vaccine policy ever since, Marshall asked God to bless Kennedy and said he'd "never seen a person whose words, written and spoken, have been so misattributed, exaggerated, sensationalized and taken out of context."
Three people familiar with Marshall's plans, granted anonymity to discuss his thinking before Cassidy lost his primary, told POLITICO he's been angling for the Health Committee chair for months.
An OB/GYN before he got into politics, Marshall has criticized vaccine mandates and supported nutrition-forward health reforms, including a focus on chronic disease prevention.
At a Senate Finance Committee hearing in September, Marshall endorsed Kennedy's view that the hepatitis B vaccine is given to babies who don't need it because their mothers don't have the disease. "It makes no sense to me. I've only delivered five thousand babies, but we do a hepatitis test on every mom," he said.
.@seanspicer On @BillCassidy 's loss: “Look he didn’t even come close. The guy didn’t get a 1/4 of the vote… You voted to impeach the guy (Trump) and then you came back and said I’d like your endorsement.” pic.twitter.com/Sj3dCO6J6v
TEXAS SENATE RACE: Louisiana Republican voters sent Leader Thune a very clear message by defeating incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy. Starting tomorrow Texas Republicans can send him another message by defeating John Cornyn. Early voting starts tomorrow. Get to the polls and get… pic.twitter.com/Y3ufTUkqez
Jason Chaffetz just torched Senator Bill Cassidy, straight-up calling him out as a fraud for voting to impeach and convict Trump. He asked if Cassidy would take it back now that we know the entire Russia impeachment push was a complete hoax.
A couple of weeks ago I celebrated the necessary medicine of expelling the Indiana RINO self-imagined Philosopher Kings from the legislature. All of that goes for Cassidy and the Senate liberals as well:
The establishment types, like the "journalists" whose good opinion they so desperately crave, falsely believe that they are some really smart customers. No one believes they are smart, except for they themselves. But they are absolutely convinced on this point. They have argued with themselves about how genius they are and they won that argument with themselves, because they're so wise and persuasive.
This leads to their theory of respresentational governance: We, the stupid people who are incapable of higher-level, abstract, future-oriented thought, have elected these Sages and Philosophers to do our thinking for us.
When we elect these c**ts, that is the end of our involvement in the political process. Our further thoughts are not welcome because we are so gosh-darn bad at thinking we would just exhaust the lucid minds of Philosopher Kings with our retarded ramblings. The establishment does not seek our counsel, it only seeks our grant of power to it, One Time, after which they will literally never again check in with us.
And I say "One Time" because of the fact -- which may be changing (Spoiler Alert) -- that once an establishment c**t has Conned the Rubes into granting them perpetual unchecked power, they essentially have it for life, or until they're found balls-deep inside a 15-year-old boy, because it's very hard to boot an incumbent out of office, particularly in a district or state that is strong for one party.
Contrasting with this theory of governance in which the brain-damaged troglodytes of the dirty masses grant power to establishment Philosopher Kings a single time and then let them do what their massively-powerful brains and consciences compel them to do, the brain-damaged troglodytes have a different theory altogether.
We don't think we elect these pissant mediocrities to do our thinking for us. We think we've done the thinking ourselves. We think we've done the thinking, and we elect these no-talent, no-accomplishment Student Council Vice Treasurers and Disappointed Theater Kids to heed our thinking and merely do our voting in legislative bodies for us.
Now I realize we probably "think" this because our Retard-Brains are glitching and misfiring as usual, but still, we would like to be heard on this point.
But, because it's almost impossible to get voters animated enough to vote these self-declared Philosopher Kings out of office in one-party states or districts, the establishment types who believe we've elected them to do our thinking for us been permitted to carry on acting as if we elected them to do our thinking for us, and we have not had any practical, repeatable method of correction and punishment for this grievously false conception of their role in government.
The Philosopher Kings serving as state representatives and senators in Indiana, which, let's face it, is the government equivalent of a job as Arby's Night Manager, decided that comity with the Democrats and the good opinion of the leftwing media was far, far more important that the voters' decision that redrawing congressional districts was imperative as we close in on the most important midterms in a century.
The voters finally got their say. We won't get those lines redrawn, but we will have no representation going forward.
...
I'm not so big on praising Trump here, because I didn't really elect him to do my thinking for me, either. But he's right on this issue and extremely right on the question of disciplining and ejecting arrogant, defiant "representatives."
THE MORNING RANT: Supreme Court Rules that Freight Brokers Can Be Sued for Hiring Negligent Trucking Companies; Shady Foreign Carriers Hardest Hit?
—Buck Throckmorton
There was a blockbuster 9-0 Supreme Court ruling last week that may cause a major shakeout in the trucking and logistics industries. It should also help in further ridding our roadways of unqualified foreign drivers.
As a result of this unanimous ruling, if trucking brokers* don’t perform some “reasonable” level of due diligence on the safety of the carriers they hire, those brokers can be held liable for damages caused by the trucking companies whom they have contracted.
(*The role of a trucking broker is to match those who are shipping goods with freight haulers who have available capacity. The broker’s cut is the difference between the amount paid by the shipper and the amount accepted by the freight carrier.)
With the complicity of blue states that have pretty much been granting CDLs (commercial driver’s licenses) to any foreign national requesting a license, our highways have been overrun with unsafe rigs driven by non-citizens. Many of these drivers can’t even read English road signs, and many clearly don’t know how to operate the trucks they’re driving. The highway carnage has forced President Trump’s Transportation Department to aggressively push back against this foreign invasion.
The SCOTUS ruling is certainly going to help, as it will disincentivize brokers from hiring the “chameleon carriers” that keep springing up whenever a shady operation is shut down. The way the system had been operating is that if a high-risk carrier using an unqualified driver was in a bad wreck, the operation would technically go out of business, but it would immediately re-brand with the same drivers and equipment as a new legal entity with no operating history.
The lack of an operating history should now be a non-starter for those brokers who might hire these chameleon trucking companies.
Wrecks have always happened and always will. There are typically several hundred thousand accidents of some sort each year involving large trucks, and several thousand deaths. A broker should not be held liable for occurrences that are statistically guaranteed to happen. But some carriers have much worse records than others. A broker can and should be held liable for disregarding a poor safety record. As Justice Kavanaugh noted, “they [brokers] have a strong incentive to do business only with safe and reliable motor carriers.”
The question a jury will now be permitted to ask in every state in America is whether the broker exercised reasonable care in selecting the carrier. That means: Did you check the carrier’s safety record? Was the carrier’s FMCSA data available to you? Did the data show elevated crash rates, conditional safety ratings, high out-of-service percentages, or prior enforcement history? Did you have a documented process for evaluating carrier safety? Or did you book the cheapest truck and move on?
----------
If a broker has no documented carrier vetting process, that absence is itself evidence.
----------
The Supreme Court told the freight industry something today that it should have already known. If you pick the carrier, you own the choice. Document it. Defend it. Or answer for it.
There is going to be a great deal of confusion in the short term. There is concern that legitimate small carriers will have difficulty booking loads if brokers are scared of not hiring highly-vetted, large-scale carriers. Meanwhile, brokers have generally only had nominal amounts of liability insurance, so they’ll be scrambling in coming weeks to obtain new liability coverage from insurance providers who will also need to sort out just what it is they’ll be insuring.
Amidst all this chaos I see a great opportunity for some entity to create a ratings agency for trucking companies. I’ve spent much of my career looking at business reports from Dunn & Bradstreet and credit ratings from Moody’s and the like. If I were an executive at one of those companies, I’d already be organizing a team to create a trucking carrier credit rating system. It would be a one-stop website where trucking companies could upload their organizational and operating histories, and where brokers could subscribe to verify that a carrier meets the broker’s risk appetite. If the big credit agencies aren’t going to create such a clearinghouse, there is an entrepreneurial opportunity waiting there for some tech bro (or gal) with an understanding of the trucking business.
Despite the short-term upheaval, this Supreme Court ruling is welcome, since the old system had incentivized the explosion of illegitimate trucking companies using unqualified foreign drivers.
If Americans won’t have the meekness to get sick enough ahead of the midterm elections to justify lockdowns and all mail-in ballots, it seems globalists might be willing to manufacture another “global health emergency.” Hopefully Donald Trump and We the People are too smart to fall for that destructive nonsense twice.
Well, I fear that that might be putting hope over experience. I'd like to think the sentiment of "We won't get fooled again!" is indeed our collective watchword. Well, we shall certainly see, although color me skeptical, and yet maybe just maybe?
Dr. Anthony Fauci deserves to be indicted — but he probably won’t be, because his role in the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic that he fought so hard to cover up opens up a can of worms that nobody wants to confront.
He has his great patron Joe Biden’s blanket preemptive pardon to keep him safe from federal charges. But the recent indictment of his former factotum, David Morens, on federal charges of conspiracy and record-destruction for scheming to cover up Fauci’s role in funding the risky gain-of-function research on bat viruses at the notorious Wuhan lab in China, where the COVID-19 outbreak almost certainly began, has raised hopes that Fauci is still in the crosshairs of the DOJ.
President Trump has declared Biden’s last-minute autopen pardon of Fauci invalid, which would make it possible that he could be prosecuted for perjury over his 2024 testimony to Congress.Fauci’s boss, Francis Collins, didn’t receive an autopen pardon, so he also is fair game.
Then there is the bombshell testimony last week from CIA whistleblower James Erdman, who alleged a multi-agency coverup involving Fauci, who was then the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“Dr. Fauci’s role in the coverup was intentional,” Erdman testified, alleging that Fauci inserted himself into CIA deliberations about the origins of the virus — once on Feb. 3, 2020, and again on June 4, 2021 — to try to influence the analysis away from the lab-leak hypothesis most CIA analysts were leaning toward and instead persuade them to accept the farcical “natural origins” narrative, in which the virus bubbled up from an animal in a wet market fully adapted to infect humans.
According to Erdman, Fauci provided the Intelligence Community with “a conflicted list of curated subject matter experts, public health officials and scientists,” several of whom were involved in publishing the notorious discredited Nature Medicine paper, “The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2,” which dismissed the accidental lab leak theory.
Well, as fictional lawman William Munny would coldly state "Deserves got nothing to do with it!" Our all too real corrupted justice system will shield Fauci until the day he draws his last breath likely a free man and rolling in ill-gotten wealth from a career of inflicting, pain, misery and death on countless innocent people.
During this week’s broadcast of Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche discussed the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to uncover evidence that the 2020 election was “rigged.”
The acting AG vowed to make public his agency’s findings.. . “And the reality of the answer to that is because it takes a lot of work to uncover what happened in 2020,” he continued. “It takes a lot of old, good old-fashioned law enforcement, police work, which is what we’re doing. And we have great prosecutors working on it as well. And I expect that — and I assure you, I assure the American people that as soon as we have something to say for it, whether it’s charges, whether it’s a report, whether it’s the results of an investigation, the American people will learn about what we uncovered.”
Let 's assume for argument's sake that the evidence is indeed released what justice/restitution is there for President Trump and the American people? The only thing we can hope for is that it has a salutary effect going forward. But considering the cancer that is Leftism and the Democrat Party will require the equivalent of a radioactive stake through its black heart for anything resembling justice and the prevention of 2020 ever repeating.
The same people tagging their social media with ‘8647’ as they fume from their Northern Virginia bedroom communities over federal government reforms can hardly claim that they don’t want Trump dead. It’s as implausible as their companion claim that Iran’s chant of ‘Death to America’ is a metaphor for geopolitical change and not a call for war and destruction. They’d like us to believe that they want Trump dead badly enough to buy a $12.95 ‘Made in China’ sign wishing for that happy outcome, but that they don’t actually want to see it happen.
They’re not denying the three official Trump assassination attempts by their own faction (not counting the Iranian ones) because they don’t want Trump dead, but because they don’t want their side to suffer the political fallout and they don’t want Trump to pick up political sympathy.
It’s not the murder they object to, it’s taking the blame for it, and the victim becoming a martyr.
And so New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (R-Queens) quite correctly observed that “Democrats have declared the entire electoral process illegitimate because they sometimes lose elections. They are prepared to torch the entire country in order ‘neutralize red states’. This is the language of civil war.” Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch noted thatTop of FormBottom of Form “@KamalaHarris doesn’t think it is a ‘bad idea’ to destroy our constitutional republic.”
Indeed. That is exactly the case. And it’s not just Harris alone. The Democrats in general have now refined their hatred of America’s Founding Fathers to include a determination to destroy the system they built. They constructed a vehicle for limited and responsible government. But for Harris and the left, it’s all about raw power: getting it, and keeping it. Forever.
Because they will never just leave us alone to live our lives in peace, It's us or them. Either we submit or die. And neither of those options are acceptable to me. So unless there is a massive sea change in their worldview an stranglehold on the cultural/educational system as well as preventing them from attaining any position of political power, from president all the way down to town dog-catcher, for at least a generation, we face an existential threat, my friends.
Have a good day.
ABOVE THE FOLD, BREAKING, NOTEWORTHY
If Americans won’t have the meekness to get sick enough ahead of the midterm elections to justify lockdowns and all mail-in ballots, it seems globalists might be willing to manufacture another “global health emergency.” Hopefully Donald Trump and We the People are too smart to fall for that destructive nonsense twice. (sadly, IMHO that is TBD! - jjs) Here We Go Again: WHO Says Ebola Is Global Emergency as U.S. Virologist Smuggles in Pathogens
The Iranians are generating cash flow, planning for the future, and taunting Trump. It’s time for his patience to end. Will Trump finally act against Iran?
Obama and his team marketed the JCPOA as a landmark diplomatic achievement. What they actually delivered was a massive financial gift to Tehran. Sanctions were lifted, granting the Iranian regime access to an estimated $150 billion in previously frozen assets. The U.S. also covertly sent the mullahs $1.7 billion in cash. Every major concession in the deal strengthened Iran, giving the regime money and breathing room to develop nuclear weapons, instead of constraining its behavior. Obama Just Claimed His Iran Deal Worked. Here’s the Proof It Didn’t.
CIVIL WAR 2.0, LEFTIST PERSECUTIONS, DEMOCRAT PUTSCH, AMERICAN DISSOLUTION
85% of Democrats don’t believe the Democrat attempts to murder Trump were real. Party of Lies and Murder
Effectively, what the modern college-bred left has produced is a novel means of maintaining political discipline. And it’s pretty creepy. The Left’s Oedipus Racket
The sharp drop in illegal crossings has allowed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents to redirect resources to frontline enforcement, leading to a 61 percent increase in drug seizures compared to the same period in Fiscal Year 2024. This shift underscores the administration’s emphasis on border security and the dismantling of “catch-and-release” policies.Illegal Border Crossings Drop 94% as Trump Admin Hits 12 Months of Zero Releases.
The court’s unanimous 9-0 decision in Montgomery vs. Caribe Transport II, issued Thursday, cleared the way for victims to sue freight brokers for alleged “negligent hiring.” Trucking industry veterans and victim advocates who have been ringing the alarm on Wall Street brokers’ shady practices are rejoicing in response. Justice is coming for victims of dangerous illegal-migrant truckers
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS, THE COURTS, WASTE/FRAUD/ABUSE
Beset by rising taxes, wage mandates, and regulation, restaurants have struggled to recover from their pandemic-era woes. Devoured by Bad Government
There is nothing new about America’s conflicts with Islam. That aggressive theocratic system has been at war with America almost since the U.S. was born. Islam And The American Experiment
OFFICIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY/LEFTIST-ENDORSED ANTI-SEMITISM, ANTI-CHRISTIANITY, PLUS VARIOUS & SUNDRY GODLESS HEATHENS
After COVID failed to end the American experiment, antisemitism became the new front in the left’s endless war against Western civilization. End Judaism, End Western Civilization
The decision to commute Peters’ sentence comes amid ongoing legal battles and appeals regarding her conviction. Last month, a Colorado appellate court upheld her conviction but overturned her nine-year sentence, ruling that the trial judge had infringed on her free speech rights by criticizing her belief that the 2020 election was stolen from President Trump. She was awaiting resentencing when Polis intervened, saying he agreed with the appellate court. Governor Finally Commutes Sentence of Tina Peters.
FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, CENSORSHIP, FAKE NEWS, MEDIA, BIG BROTHER TECH
The findings are unlikely to improve relations between Anthropic with the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the company filed a federal lawsuit against the Pentagon after it was labeled a “supply chain risk” by the administration. Claude-Based Radio Station Urged ICE Agents to Refuse Orders.
THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Thad McCotter: Free trade hollowed out American industry while enriching global elites; Trump’s tariffs aim to make economic nationalism work for US workers again. The ‘Free Trade’ Tax on Americans
. . .costs from frivolous lawsuits and rising settlements are being passed down to consumers through elevated insurance premiums, higher transportation costs and inflated prices for everyday goods. They argue those costs are especially hitting the trucking industry, where rising commercial insurance premiums can ripple through freight rates, grocery bills, consumer goods and even personal auto insurance premiums. The Hidden ‘Tax’ That’s Bleeding Your Wallet Dry
The administration deserves credit for using the Brazil case to put down a marker that digital protectionism dressed in regulatory clothing is still protectionism, and that Section 301 is the right tool for confronting it. The House Judiciary Committee even underscored that point in a letter to Brazil’s finance ministry, warning that the proposed competition bill would “mainly capture American platforms” and amount to a non-tariff trade barrier, with the same logic applying with even greater force across the Atlantic. From Brasília to Brussels: Trump Should Broaden His 301 Offensive.
RED-GREENS, CLIMATE CHANGE HOAX, DEMOCRAT-LEFT WAR ON FOSSIL FUELS,
“For far too long Climate Activism has been used by Dumocrats to scare Americans, push horrible Energy Polices, and fund BILLIONS into their bogus research programs. Unlike the Dumocrats, who use Climate Alarmism nonsense to push their GREEN NEW SCAM, my Administration will always be based on TRUTH, SCIENCE, and FACT! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” ‘GOOD RIDDANCE!’ — President Trump: United Nations’ Lead Climate Committee Admits Projections Were Wrong
CRIME & PUNISHMENT, NON-DOSTOYEVSKY
San Francisco’s top prosecutor says a new California Supreme Court bail ruling will free the career criminals her office spent years locking up. The state’s high court ruled unanimously April 30 that judges must set bail at amounts defendants can actually afford and may only deny bail outright for violent or sexual offenses, CalMatters reported. Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero wrote the 7-0 opinion in a case born from a homeless man’s arrest for buying a $7 cheeseburger with a found credit card. California DA Slams State Supreme Court After ‘Devastating’ Ruling On Bail
AMERICA AND THE WORLD IMPRISONED: CHINESE CORONAVIRUS FICTIONS AND FACTS
Dr. Anthony Fauci deserves to be indicted — but he probably won’t be, because his role in the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic that he fought so hard to cover up opens up a can of worms that nobody wants to confront. He has his great patron Joe Biden’s blanket preemptive pardon to keep him safe from federal charges. But the recent indictment of his former factotum, David Morens, on federal charges of conspiracy and record-destruction for scheming to cover up Fauci’s role in funding the risky gain-of-function research on bat viruses at the notorious Wuhan lab in China, where the COVID-19 outbreak almost certainly began, has raised hopes that Fauci is still in the crosshairs of the DOJ. Miranda Devine: Anthony Fauci can’t escape his ‘origin’al COVID lie
Just the News reports that the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division completed a year-long investigation into the admissions policies and practices and found that the institution had intentionally selected applicants based on their race. Justice Department: Yale Medical School Discriminated Based on Race
DEMOCRAT/LEFTIST AND RINO SCANDALS, MESHUGAS, CHUTZPOCRISY, INSANITY
The felony warrant accuses Stephen Cloobeck, 64, of trying to stop three male witnesses from testifying against his fiancée, Adva Lavie. Prosecutors allege the offenses involved “force and an express and implied threat of force and violence upon a victim,” the Los Angeles Times reported. Cloobeck, the real estate billionaire who bankrolled Swalwell’s gubernatorial bid before cutting ties, turned himself in Tuesday at the West Hollywood sheriff’s station, according to the Times. The Scandal Involving Eric Swalwell’s Ex-Sugar Daddy Is Even Worse Than We Thought
Sen. Bill Cassidy, RINO extraordinaire, who joined Adam Schiff in his vote to impeach President Trump, has gone down in political flames. Louisiana throws the bum out
Per the outlet, Cassidy’s defeat in the election comes as “Trump has targeted Cassidy for years” after the Louisiana senator, along with six other Republicans, voted to convict Trump after the (Pelosi-orchestrated) riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021: Rep. Letlow, John Fleming Advance In Runoff, Sen. Cassidy Loses Louisiana Senate Race
Trump aired his frustration on Truth Social, calling Boebert “Weak Minded” and labeling her a “Carpetbagger” for relocating to Colorado’s 4th Congressional District. “Boebert is campaigning for the Worst ‘Republican’ Congressman in the History of our Country, Thomas Massie, of the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky, and anybody who can be that dumb deserves a good Primary fight!” he wrote, adding that he would consider it an “Honor” to pull his backing if a viable alternative stepped up. Trump Threatens To Primary GOP Rep For Supporting ‘Worst Republican Congressman’
Asked whether he would want to be vice president, Rubio replied, “I want to be the secretary of state, and I’ll worry about the future in the future. I’m not telling you that that’s what I’m aiming for. You know, I’ve been doing this for a long time, too. I was in the Senate starting in 2010 so I’d like to do some other things with my life at some point, although public service is an honor to be able to be involved in.” Rubio Backs Vance in 2028
So, Xi pretty much said to Trump and the rest of the world: “We are the ascending power about to overtake you. Let’s make sure you don’t have a temper tantrum and start World War III because your global dominance has waned.” Interestingly enough, Trump and the White House thought it required an official response. But unsurprisingly, they said Xi was referring to the Biden Junta. Xi Insulted Trump With Just Two Words. Trump Was Forced To Respond
The exchange between Trump and Xi over Lai highlights ongoing international concern over political prisoners in China and the challenges in negotiating their release. It underscores the fundamentally totalitarian nature of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime, and the limited influence of international diplomacy in altering its stance against basic civil rights. Trump Suggests Xi is Unlikely to Release Catholic Publisher Jimmy Lai.
“This interpretive move risks mistaking form for substance...Revisionist interpretations share a tendency to privilege analogy and symbolism.” Did Christianity Inspire North Korea?
Russian defenses shot down 81 drones headed for Moscow overnight, state agency Tass reported, citing Sobyanin, marking one of the largest attacks on the Russian capital since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Ukraine Escalation of Drone Strikes on Russian Territory Kills at Least Four
DEFENSE, MILITARY, SECURITY AFFAIRS
. . . an 11-month foreign deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War. During its overseas journey the mighty vessel supported the U.S. war with Iran and the capture of Nicolás Maduro as he was ousted as Venezuela’s president. USS Gerald R. Ford Home After Record-Breaking 11-Month Deployment
Alex Saab (Nicolás Maduro's Bagman)...Jose Enrique Martínez Flores (Senior Tren de Aragua Leader)...Gerardo Mérida Sánchez and Enrique Díaz Vega (Sinaloa State Officials)...None of these guys are small fish. They're men who have propped up the widespread organized crime that plagues the Americas, and, hopefully, they're just a small sample of what's to come. It's nice having a president who actually punishes criminals. In Case You Missed It, We've Been Taking Down Some Really Bad Guys Lately
ƒ HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE
The trend of healthcare providers consolidating into behemoth hospital centers has increased in recent years, and hospital administrators have defended the move by saying it’s essential for the survival of medical companies. But many lawmakers and analysts say the mergers have been driving up costs and reducing competition in the healthcare market. Hospitals Promised Less Expensive Care After Merging Into Behemoths. The Opposite Happened.
The most common form of cancer among men in the US, after skin cancer, prostate cancer often comes with traditional treatments that cause difficult side effects. Now, a recent study may have found a potentially easier, less disruptive and more effective way to treat the second leading cause of male cancer deaths. Doctors may have found an easier way to treat prostate cancer — could become new ‘standard of care’
I ask my readers to once again look at this panorama. It shows an utterly barren terrain. There is no life here, and if there ever was it was gone billions of years ago and never did much to shape the landscape. The barren hills west of Jezero Crater
FEMINAZISM, TRANSGENDER PSYCHOSIS, HOMOSEXUALIZATION, WAR ON MASCULINITY/NORMALCY
The terms of the settlement are extraordinary, starting with the hospital’s commitment to open a detransition-support clinic for the growing number of young people who were given the false promise that they could change their sex or “gender.” Destransitioners, who decide to abandon transgender identity, often have surgical wounds and developmental harm from puberty blockers. Paxton Scores A $10 Million Victory In The Fight Against The ‘Trans Kids’ Industrial Complex
CULTURE WARS, NATIONAL SUICIDE
“Israel was founded on the idea that antisemitism made a Jewish state [necessary] because Jews would never be safe without one. Can you honestly listen to this rhetoric and not see why that turned out to be true?” Bill Maher Slams the Mainstreaming of Antisemitism and Israel Hatred
Roger Kimball: Western civilization survives only if each generation rejects egalitarian vandalism and relearns its duty to preserve, cultivate, and pass on greatness. The Golden Thread and the Defense of the West
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.
It does remember articles it has already created - mostly - but it fills them with links to related articles that it may or may not have created, and if you click through to a never before seen page it fills it in for you.
It's a lot like the SCP Project but faster and less coherent and lacking the bits of whimsy and beauty amid the cosmic horror.
Also, don't ask about 1788. We don't talk about 1788.
Leave aside for the moment the sorry state of gaming on MacOS generally, it has about one third the graphics performance of the iPad Pro. On the CPU side, while the single-threaded performance is quite good, it is so power-constrained that it runs slower than a Ryzen 5 1600 from nine years ago. Great for a phone CPU, but it is what it is.
Howdy Hordelings! Welcome to the Sunday night ONT. You made a great choice for how to end your weekend. Open thread, as always. Fashion and music, as always. What's on YOUR mind tonight?
In a commencement speech at Valley Forge Military Academy on May 9, Gov. Wes Moore told graduates the academy had taught them “something that I wish more people in this society understood — that we will not lie, cheat, nor steal, nor tolerate those that do.”
For two decades, Moore’s own accounts of his Army service and Afghanistan deployment have tested whether he lives by that standard.
In an April 2014 interview with the USO’s magazine”On Patrol,” Moore was asked about his duties in Afghanistan. “I was an infantry officer, military police officer and then became special ops when I joined the 82nd Airborne Division,” Moore said.
Based on Army records, his answer was not true.
Those records show Moore was not an infantry officer, was not qualified in any special operations field and did not deploy to Afghanistan to perform either role.
Check out the whole thing. Very detailed article.
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Dino -- you here tonight? Maybe you can answer this question?
One T. rex mystery has to do with this giant predator’s relatively tiny arms. Why would it have arms so short that it couldn’t even reach its own mouth? How did it use them?
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Some scientists have recently hypothesized that T. rex‘s short arms were an adaptation to competition with other carnivores. If multiple predators were feeding on a carcass, one could get hurt by accidental bites or even intentional warning bites for getting too close. Shorter arms would be less likely to get chomped. Similar things occur today with territorial carnivores, like Komodo dragons.
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Another possibility is that the arms served little or no purpose at all, so over time, they became vestigial. That’s the scientific term for body parts that don’t have clear purposes anymore, but are still passed down through evolution.
On the subject of "maybe there's no reason" - here's a classic from Bill Engvall
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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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The Sunny (and Slightly Scandalous) Rise of the Sundress
Long before morons debated what counts as a “sundress,” the idea was simple: something light, sleeveless, and waiting to welcome the gloriously warm weather. The term “sundress” popped up in the early 1940s, but the garment we know today was born from wartime rationing and postwar relief. Women were done with restrictive corsets and heavy fabrics. They wanted clothes that breathed and looked cute doing it.
The real birth happened mid-1940s, thanks to American sportswear pioneers. Claire McCardell (often called the mother of American sportswear) and Carolyn Schnurer designed easy, unfussy dresses with soft silhouettes, lightweight cotton, racerback straps, and room to actually move. No restrictive foundations, no Paris-level drama, just practical, flattering pieces for active postwar women.
Claire McCardell in one of her signature easy pieces, and period patterns showing the breezy direction fashion was heading.
These were the anti-New Look dresses. Dior’s structured extravagance was for the runways; McCardell and Schnurer were dressing real American women who wanted to hop in a convertible or chase kids at the beach.
By the 1950s, the sundress was everywhere. Lightweight cottons, ginghams, and playful prints ruled the day. Women wore them to picnics, beach days, and backyard barbecues. They were flattering on most figures, easy to sew at home, and perfect for the explosion of leisure time and family travel.
1950s real-life and catalog sundresses
Then came the 1960s and the queen of the sundress, Lilly Pulitzer. The story is pure gold: A Palm Beach socialite running a juice stand in the 1960s, she asked her dressmaker for a shift dress that would hide the inevitable orange and pink stains. The result? Bright, bold, sleeveless wonders in wild florals and patterns. Jackie Kennedy (a friend) helped popularize them, and suddenly every woman wanted that carefree, colorful vibe. Lilly’s dresses were double-lined so you could skip underwear. Scandalous! And liberating.
Lilly Pulitzer and the bold, joyful prints that defined 1960s resort wear.
By the late 1960s, the sundress had cemented itself as the ultimate summer uniform: short A-lines, wild florals, worn with sandals, cat-eye sunglasses, and smiles. It captured postwar optimism—more freedom, more fun, and clothes that finally worked with women instead of against them.
The sundress is still winning today. You will find them in breezy linen and cotton, in both minimalist neutrals and bold patterns. The versatility make them work for everything from beach days to city sightseeing to backyard barbecues
Current Lilly Pulitzer and Farm Rio
The sundress didn’t chase trends; it survived them. From wartime necessity to Palm Beach icon, it remains one of the smartest, most packable, and most flattering pieces in any vacation wardrobe. It is timeless and cheerful after all these decades.
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 Third May Edition?
Programming Note: I'll be in and out (mostly out) of the comments tonight, so pease don't burn the place down. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?
We have discussed handgun fundamentals a lot, but not necessarily those specific to revolvers. Let's fix that.
and...
Anything new to you in either of these vids? Where are you in your Fundamentals Journey?
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En-Scopifying Your AR
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Another Over-Polished Pimp Gun
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Aiming Torpedoes
If I get one question a week about aiming torpedoes, I must get a dozen.
Part Uno
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Part Two-o
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Our Pal Psychotic Patients
Helpful when evaluating blog comments.
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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.
AJ Fernandez is a giant among current cigar blenders, and he's teamed with Rafael Nodal, another prominent tobacco craftsman, to create a line that uses another Cuban legacy brand name, Trinidad. There are 3 sticks in the series so far. No. 2 I have tried but will revisit; No. 3 I just smoked (robusto, 5 X 50) and really enjoyed. It's a dark brown softly box pressed cigar with a bit of tooth to the Mexican San Andres wrapper. Under the wrapper are Nicaraguan binder and fillers. Burn line required little management, draw was perfect, and smoke abundant. For once I picked up several of the flavor notes found in reviews - primarily earth and coffee, with a hint of sweetness and very very smooth. A very nice cigar, available online for $11 and up.
Excellent, rhomboid! Thank you!
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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?
I went to my local (and fantastic) fish store for a piece of tuna to grill, because it was a beautiful day that would soon melt into a gorgeous evening. Along with the excellent tuna steaks they had just cut, they had trimmed out a piece of the belly from the loin, and had put it in the display case for a few intrepid souls, one of whom was me!
I guess that is the equivalent of Wagyu beef, and it is every bit as rich. I ate it as sashimi...sliced thin and served with a bit of soy sauce and some Japanese horseradish. The fancy stuff at sushi restaurants is cut perfectly and often frozen for perfect texture. This was fresh, and surprisingly firm, but still absolutely delicious!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared that a Salmonella Newport outbreak traced to cantaloupe has ended. At least 70 people across 25 states were affected by the outbreak, although the actual number is likely much higher since many people don’t seek medical attention or testing specifically for Salmonella when they get sick. The outbreak was traced to cantaloupes imported from Guatemala by Ayco Farms Inc. of Pompano Beach, FL.
Maybe outsourcing food production isn't such a good idea? And maybe importing third world savages to do the processing in this country isn't such a good idea either.
Making manual labor farm work a career is a terrible idea for most people, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing it for a few years to make some money while you figure out what to do. And working in food processing plants could be a lot worse.
The paradigm shift in America from sneering at the trades and manual labor has already begun. I'll bet a combination of increased mechanization and the entry of young Americans into farm and food processing labor could solve our agricultural labor issues.
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I had a nice correspondence with a lurker we will call, "JC." I sent him one of my favorite chicken stew recipes: Chicken Verde Stew with Hominy. And of course he made it better!
The store had a sale on turkey thighs so I went with that. Only later did I realize that the recipe called for skinless, boneless thighs. So I baked them 2/3rds until there was crispy skin. Then I removed the skin and chopped it. I put the thighs in the stew until I could pick the meat off and then served it with sour cream, cilantro and chopped crispy skin.
What a good idea!
By the way, if you do make the recipe, ignore the silliness about cooking "light." Use as much sour cream and fat and oil as your heart desires!
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At first glance, that dish looks like a mess, but as I think about it, I find it more and more appealing. I think I will try it.
Even with his irritating lilt that I know irritates you as much as it does me.
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That's a scampydog pizza being baked in his outdoor pizza oven. And that's scampy with a "y," not scampi with an "i," so there is no shrimp that I can see!
Thin crust with a heavy topping is not a beginner pizza, so don't try this at home until you have practiced a bit, otherwise you will be cleaning pizza topping out of your oven for a few weeks. And don't ask me how I know this.
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Here's a fun video from Chuds BBQ for BBQ Duck With Dirty Rice. It's long and involved because he starts with the raw duck. And that's the interesting part. Look how big it is? I think it's a Muscovy duck, which are known for large breasts, but the one he butchered is a monster!
[Hat Tip: Scuba Dude]
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Yes, that is an orange that has been harvested for its skin...specifically for stirred Manhattans (is there any other kind?). There is nothing special about that, except for my thought process as I removed the last bit for a twist: "Hmmm, I think I'll go get a pork butt so I don't waste all of that orange!"
Remember, I am a cheap bastard, so I am perfectly willing to spend $20 for a large chunk of pig just so that I don't waste part of a $1 orange.
Anyone else do that, or am I the only lunatic?
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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!
Well...I guess it still works...a bit. That's a finishing nail punch that has seen barely 20 years of use. I am offended by the shoddy craftsmanship and substandard metallurgy!
Harrumph!
This isn't really a problem. In fact, I had exactly the correct two sizes of Allen wrench I needed to remove a fixture. Sadly, it was a German engineered and manufactured shower head, so the coupling between the shower head and the water line is impossibly complicated and would need to be cut off. You know..unique attaching systems are always cool! I am sure the engineer who designed it is pleased with himself.
It really is a pleasure having the correct tools, even when the end result is bitter disappointment.
Allies Are To Be Cherished, Not Sidelined And Treated Like Enemies!
—CBD
There is a vast difference between our allies in Eastern Europe, and the apathetic, post-modern, welfare-addicted haters of Western Europe.
According to NATO, Poland spent 4.5% of GDP on defense in 2025, while the UK spent 2.3%, France spent 2.1%, Germany spent 2.0% and Spain spent 2.1%.
That is huge gap, and signals a clear dedication to the defense of the West on the part of Poland, and a mealy-mouthed, backstabbing, weaselly political game on the part of the nations of western Europe.
Poland has announced plans to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP. And while the rest of NATO is mouthing platitudes and spouting grandiose plans about increasing defense spending to NATO's long-term plan of 3.5%, the reality is that it is just words. They have been shirking their responsibilities for 80 years, so why would now be any different?
So why send a message that Poland is to be lumped in with all of the rest of the malingering welfare queens of Western Europe?
The Trump administration is facing criticism from lawmakers in both parties after the Pentagon canceled the deployment of an armored brigade of 4,000 troops to Poland, a move lawmakers said caught them and U.S. allies by surprise.
The administration has long signaled it wants European nations to take greater responsibility for their own defense and that the U.S. will reduce its military presence on the continent.
Yes, and Poland is doing exactly that! And their stance on Ukraine is perfectly understandable if one simply glances at a map. Poland is square in the path between Russia and the soft, squishy underbelly of Europe. Will Russia pivot and invade? No...almost certainly not, but Poland has some unpleasant history with Russia, and would rather be in the position to deal with them effectively. And one way to do that is to support Ukraine. Any differences compared to the Trump administration's stance on the Ukraine-Russia border war is easily understood.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a retired Air Force brigadier general, said the decision was "reprehensible" and an "embarrassment to our country." He said Polish officials told him Thursday they were "blindsided" by the decision.
Of course Mr. Bacon's hysteria is counter-productive, and a bit embarrassing. It is not an existential shift, and it can be remedied quickly and effectively, so Mr. Bacon... calm down.
There is a difference between expecting Europe to be the primary defender of itself, and America withdrawing completely from the continent. I am 100% in support of drawing down our troops and spending in France, UK, Spain, Germany, and any other European country that does not take seriously its own defense, and does not support the American effort in Iran and elsewhere. But isolationism is not the answer, and Having a military presence in Europe that rewards our stalwart allies is smart, both militarily and politically.
Poland will remain an an ally, and this mistake will be forgotten, but it is important to keep sight of the larger game, which is the defense of America AND the West, because we are inseparable.
Sunday Morning Book Thread - 5-17-2026 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]
—Open Blogger
(HT: Biden's Dog)
Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading. Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants... (goblin status--FOUND!)
So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?
Even authors need a vacation. Here we see perhpas the most famous mystery author of all time relaxing over tea at the British School of Archaeology in Iraq in the 1950s. You have heard of her, even if you've never read one of her books. I had not read any of her stories until fairly recently, though I was familiar with her style through her influence on countless movies and television shows. Truly a Grand Dame of the mystery genre. I have a couple of her books sitting near the top of my TBR pile right now. Once I'm through with my current reading project, I will definitely be picking up those books...
ANALYSIS OF A GENRE: Techno-Thriller
The techno-thriller is a genre that I've only recently started reading, thanks in no small part to recommendations from the Moron Horde.
Strictly speaking, it's a subgenre of science fiction, as it always involves some sort of "phlebotinum" that sounds plausible, but isn't quite within our grasp just yet.
By now, I think I've read enough techno-thrillers to understand the formula--and there IS a formula to them, which isn't a bad thing. If you've watched Jurassic Park or read the novel on which the movie is based, you'll already know the formula, which shows up in a number of movies and television shows in addition to novels.
The techno-thriller involves a Project of some sort, one that's technically very complicated and requires outside assistance to solve certain problems. During the story, the Project starts falling apart, sometimes literally, as things continue to go wrong. Characters die in bizarre ways, underscoring the fact that the people behind the Projet don't really understand the Project. In the end, the entire Project goes haywire, and it's only through the heroic efforts of the protagonists that the entire world isn't destroyed. That's more or less how these stories go. Let's look at the elements in a bit more detail
CHARACTERS
The Project almost always has a Financier, someone providing the financial backing and resources to support the Project. They might be a CEO of a major corporation or work for the government in some capacity. They are the main driver of the plot, as the Project reaches a point where only outside Consultants will be able to solve the mysteries plaguing the Project workers. The Consultant will always have scientific knowledge and skills that are highly relevant to the plot, as well as a traumatic or tragic backstory that's also relevant. If multiple Consultants are hired, at least one of them will be female, if only to provide dramatic sexual tension with the other Consultants. The Project will have assorted Experts involved, but they serve mainly as "red shirts" who are expendable to the demands of the plot once the Project starts going out of control. For some Projects, a Chief of Security will serve as the main enforcer for the Financier or Project Director. EVERYONE has secrets that will be dragged out into the light throughout the story. The Financier is always holding back key information from the Consultant.
SETTING
The story almost always takes place in a remote location. It could be a permanent underground facility or a temporary research base. In both cases, the characters will have access to the top-of-the-line technological gadgets. Note that this will vary depending on when the story is set, which is always during "current year" aligned with the date of publication of the book. The remote location means that the characters are largely cut off from any assistance once they encounter difficulties. Expect the natural environment to play a key role in the plot. Weather will disrupt communications and prevent any assistance from reaching the main base. This can also be used to set up a "countdown" until a key event. The base might have a self-destruct capacity that WILL be used at the end of the story, if only to save the rest of the planet. Or it might have one and the Project has a way to destroy the self-destruct sequence to preserve itself.
PLOT
A research or exploration Project serves as the main element of the plot, the reason why the characters are at that location and why they are engaged in their activities. The nature of the Project varies, but it's usually tied to a scientific or technological breakthrough, one that will revolutionize our understanding of the universe once the Project is completed. Naturally, the Project also poses a grave threat to our existence, which is why the research must be done in secret at a remote location. There may be competing factions, both internally and externally, as those involved with the Project begin to understand the true nature of the Project. Some characters may want to shut down the Project. Others will drive forward towards its completion. This is a dynamic conflict that ebbs and flows throughout the story. The side that wants to shut down the Project is almost always proved to be correct in the end, as the Project is simply too dangerous for us.
THEME
Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
--Proverbs 16:18 (NIV)
If there is one theme above all others for a techno-thriller, it's the proverb above. The Project wouldn't exist if it wasn't for hubris. Pride is at the center of the motivations of most of the main characters, including the protagonists. The reason why the protagonists succeed in stopping the Project is because they, at least, are able to overcome their own pride and recognize the recklessness inherent in continuing the Project. The antagonists, by contrast, are bound and determined to see the Project through to completion, whatever the cost. The lives of their workers are expendable so long as they fulfill their own vision. Their lack of humility in the face of the awesome power they have unleashed is their undoing.
I find the techno-thriller to be an engaging way to pass the time. I also learn things about science and technology. Successful writers of techno-thrillers, like Michael Crichton, will do A LOT of research and show off what they've learned. They also acknowledge the scientists, engineers, and other experts they've consulted while writing the book. In many cases they include a list of recommended reading for anyone interested in learning more about the subject. These can be actual academic papers or technical manuals from respected experts in their field. Good stuff if you are interested in the subject and want to know more. Of course, since science marches on, it's also possible that the recommended reading has been superceded by advancements in science/technology. But that's OK.
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(HT: Sharon (willow's apprentice))
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QUICKIES FROM THE MORON HORDE
Sharon (Willow's Apprentice) sent me the image below, which is also posted on "X." (Click the image to go to the X thread.)
Personally, I'm firmly in the camp of ALWAYS using the Oxford comma when listing a series of items, as that eliminates ambiguity. That comes from my background in technical writing, where we prefer our writing to be as clear and precise as possible. I used to work with a woman who has a background in journalism, so preferred to use the AP style for her writing, which tends to eliminate the last comma when listing a series of items. At the risk of burning down the blog, where do you stand on the issue?
Meanwhile, Doof sent me the following X thread, which explains where the terms "upper-case" and "lower-case" letters comes from. I suppose it makes sense. (Click on the image to go to the X thread.)
Quite a few terms that are used in desktop publishing applications like InDesign owe their origin to old-school printing processes. "Leading," for instance, refers to the spacing between lines within a text and comes from the fact that printers would use strips of actual lead in different thicknesses to set spacing between lines of typeface for a print job.
MORON RECOMMENDATION
Sam Kean's The Disappearing Spoon about the discovery and uses of elements in the periodic table, including the table itself.
Like Kilgoolie in Australia, where real gold was discarded because it came out as an alloy of tellurium. When tellurium was identified they tore up their own town to search the trash and get the gold out of it.
Posted by: gKWVE at May 10, 2026 09:32 AM (iJNux)
Comment: This is one of my favorite nonfiction books. It's quite entertaining, with lots of humorous facts about how the different elements of the periodic table were discovered. I've read it a number of times and have always enjoyed it. It's written for a general audience, so you don't need to know much about chemistry. A high-school chemistry class or a first year university chemistry course will be helpful, but not necessary for enjoying the book. One year I managed to convince a student in my class to read it, as it was available in our campus library.
MORON ANTI-RECOMMENDATION
I read Yesteryear...complete trash. The premise that it was sold on was not what the book was about. I finished it because of my book club. It was a very woke book. After I started reading it, I found out it was classified as "dark humor/satire". It was neither, it was more of a very un funny parody/caricature of tradwives, Christians, conservatives, men, children, mental health, etc. The book jumped around a confusing timeline. It was not well researched as there were several glaring errors. The ending was a hot confusing mess that was not logical.
Highly DO NOT recommend!
I'm now listening/reading Larry Correia's "Magic and Bullets", which is way more enjoyable!
Posted by: lin-duh is offended at May 10, 2026 09:19 AM (VCgbV)
Comment: From time-to-time I like to include ANTI-recommendations. It's useful to know which books to avoid. One of the problems with any book club project is that you run the risk of encountering a book like this, but you feel obligated to read it any way, if only because you are part of the group.
Mount Dragon is a techno-thriller that conforms to the tropes and expectations you'd find in such a novel, but Preston and Child know what they are doing, so the story flows nicely. Lots of twists and turns as the protagonist figures out what's really going on at a remote research location in New Mexico that's developing a means of curing the flu once and for all by manipulating the genetic code of humanity. Naturally, things don't go smooth.
The Dragonrealm - Shadowsteed by Richard A. Knaak
One of the more unusual characteristics of The Dragonrealm series is that it's not focused entirely on one character. Instead Knaak has assembled an ensemble cast of characters and uses the novels to focus on each of them in turn. Here, we turn to Darkhorse, the Child of the Void, a sentient bit of emptiness that perfers to assume the shape of an ebony stallion. He's been summoned by the King of Talak who wishes to use Darkhorse's powers to remove the dragons from his kingdom once and for all.
For a story that's less than 300 pages long, there's a surprisingly dense plot, far too much to go into here. We learn about Darkhorse's origins, as well as the origins of Shade, which will be explored in more detail in the next book in the series.
The Dragonrealm - The Shrouded Realm by Richard A. Knaak
Thousands of years ago, the race of Vraad sorcerers destroyed their world of Nimth through reckless use of magic. Now they seek to escape their ravaged world and start anew, like magical locusts. They discover a "shrouded realm" overlaying their own reality that appears to be pristine and immaculate compared to the twisted, nightmarish reality they created on their homeworld. Barakis Tezerenee is leading the efforts to transport his clan to the new world. Meanwhile, Dru Zeree has found an alternate path that will be much more promising to the future of the Vraad race, though both plans will lead to tremendous sacrifice. The Dragonrealm is much more than it seems...and has its own agenda for the Vraad sorcerers...
The Dragonrealm - Children of the Drake by Richard A. Knaak
Barakis Tezerenee and Dru Zeree have succeeded in transplanting their race to the new world. Unfortunately, their Vraad sorcery is compatible with the magical forces of their new home, and both struggle with adapting to the Dragonrealm's peculiar nature. They are also plagued by the inhabitants of the Dragonrealm, who don't take kindly to the intruders. We learn the truth behind the Dragonrealm's existence and what it means for humanity and dragons going forward to the present day.
The Ice Limit by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Thomas Paine recommended this book a few years ago and I've only just now read it, though I've read many, many books by Preston and Child in the meantime. A book about moving a large rock shouldn't be this entertaining, but somehow Preston and Child maintain the dramatic tension throughout the story.
Also, there are different layers of preparedness. There is "Boy Scout prepared", "Batman prepared", "Crazy prepared," and "Eli Glinn prepared." Eli Glinn is the leader of the expedition to recover the meteorite and he demonstrates levels of preparedness that are nearly supernatural. He's tasked with moving a rock that's around 10,000 tons, but when they find out it's over twice that mass, he's ready for it, since his engineering company firmly believes in over-engineering to account for nearly any circumstance. They would have succeeded, too, if it wasn't for the fact that the meteorite had its own agenda.
The Dragonrealm - The Crystal Dragon by Richard A. Knaak
The Crystal Dragon is the most enigmatic of all Dragon Kings. He lives on the inhospitable Legar Peninsula, home to the remnants of the armadillo-like Quel race. Now, the wolf raiders from across the seas have entered his domain, looking for something they can use to wage war on the Dragonrealm and rebuild their empire. The Gryphon has followed them back across the oceans as he has a personal score to settle with their leader. Master sorcerer Cabe Bedlam has been "summoned" to the Legar Peninsula to uncover the threats, one of which was spawned by the Crystal Dragon in a misguided attempt to detroy the wolf raiders.
The Dragonrealm - The Dragon Crown by Richard A. Knaak
At the end of Ice Dragon, the heirs of the Dragon Emperor Gold were collected by Cabe Bedlam and the Green Dragon. The goal was to raise them among humans and dragons so that they would serve as a bridge to the future between humans and dragonkind. Now Kyl, the young heir to the Emperor's throne, is going on a goodwill tour among the human and dragon kingdomes before his ascension to the throne. Lurking in the shadows is Duke Toma, who hasn't been seen in decades, but still poses a real threat to all that Cabe and the Green Dragon have worked for.
Riptide by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Pirate treasure! Preston and Child admit they were inspired by Oak Island when writing this story. Centuries ago the pirate Edward Ockham buried treasure valued at nearly $2 billion on a small island off the coast of Maine. Efforts to recover the treasure have been stymied by an elaborate system of traps designed to keep the treasure buried forever. Now, armed with modern technology, a group of treasure seekers attempts to reclaim the loot once and for all, but they, too, will find dark secrets are still in effect behind the scenes to thwart their efforts. A curse?
Both have six full-speed cores and the AMD chip has an extra 64MB of cache, making it 10% faster for games.
However, the Intel chip is 28% faster for single-threaded productivity tasks, which don't often take great advantage of the larger cache.
And for multi-threaded tasks the Intel chip is 114% faster.
On the fourth hand, AMD's socket AM5 platform currently supports Zen 4 and 5, and will see Zen 6 and probably Zen 7 in the future, so you have a plenty of upgrade options if you start with the 7600X3D. Intel's Socket 1851 ends with the 250K and 270K, there's a new socket and chipset out later this year.
All the hard stuff is running in remote datacenters anyway, but that doesn't mean the easy part should be pure slop with vulnerabilities oozing from every pore looking at you OpenClaw.
Or even Claude Code, which is no paragon of efficiency or of safety.
Zerostack uses 12MB of RAM. Not gigabytes, megabytes.
A man and his wife are playing their usual course when the man slices one far right. It lands with a maintenance shed between his ball and the hole. He tells his wife to open the double doors on each end of the building and he will skull one through, saving at least a stroke.
One door on the nearest end won't stay open so he gets the wife to hold it open. He closes the club to shoot a very low shot. Unfortunately, he hits his wife in the head, killing her instantly.
Years later, same course, the man is out with friends. One of the buddies slices to almost to the same spot as before. They walk over to look at it. The buddy says he thinks he can shoot low through the building if the door is held open.
The man who tried the first shot tells him to NOT try it.
"A few years ago, I tried that shot and had to take an eight!"
(H/T - LRob in OK)
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A man received the following text from his neighbor:
“I am so sorry, Bob. I’m riddled with guilt and I have to confess. I have been tapping your wife for many weeks now. I’m not getting any at home, but that’s no excuse. I hope you will accept my sincerest apology and my promise that it won’t happen again.”
The heartbroken man, enraged, went into his bedroom, grabbed his wife, and threw her out the back door. Then he locked the door. A few moments later, a second text came in:
Wisconsin Brewing Company will brew the final batch of Schlitz beer, ending the legacy of the 177-year-old beer that made Milwaukee famous.
Pabst Brewing Company discontinued Schlitz in 2026, but the company is allowing Wisconsin Brewing Company to brew a final, limited amount of the beer in Verona starting May 23.
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Brewmaster Nelson will start “The Last Schlitz” brewing at 12:30 p.m. on May 23, and the public can pre-order packs of the beer.
“The Last Schlitz” beers will be available on tap and for sale at the Verona location only on Saturday, June 27 as part of a celebration at Wisconsin Brewing Company.
Did you even realize Schlitz was still around?
Let's look back at some old Schlitz commercials
First up - from 1977 featuring a moron favorite, Teri Garr
Here's a dramatic one from 1971
According to The Commodores - Beer makes it good, Schlitz makes it great!
Finishing up with a little Steely Dan!
So long, Schlitz!
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Club ONT Department of the Future
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Club ONT Department of Saying it Without Saying It
It was 1994 when Alan Jackson protested being forced to lip-sync at the ACM Awards by having his drummer play without drumsticks to expose the fake performance. pic.twitter.com/eh6JFIxDgf
— Rock'n Roll of All (@rocknrollofall) May 11, 2026
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Club ONT Restroom Envy
There are 2 gas stations in Florence, Kentucky that appear to have cameras above the toilet stalls
If you look closely they’re not actually cameras, they are lights. The lights point at reflective disco balls
Club ONT is brought to you tonight by: Career downgrades
*****
Beneath this neon thread where morons play,
Management disclaims all woes come dawn—
The filters lost, the dances gone astray,
The friendships forged (or shattered) before yawn. Opinions here are chaos dressed as wit,
Half brilliance, half the bottle’s reckless fire.
What lingers in Club ONT stays hid…
Unless it’s gold—then we’ll retell it higher. So raise your glass, you glorious, rowdy crew,
Tip the ghost who poured your final round.
Sleep deep, dream weird, and wake renewed—
We’ll save your seat when Saturday rolls ’round.
Boy George and Culture Club were not on my playlists when they were big, and they aren't now. Except...politics has destroyed my naiveté when it comes to entertainers, so I am in the unpleasant position of minimizing my consumption of certain people's work if they are vociferous in shoving their personal politics in my face. And the converse applies too.
Here is Boy George talking about Jews and Jewish friends. Is he a deep thinker? Uh...no. Clearly not. But he is clear in his rejection of antisemitism, and for that I respect him, and will consume his musical product. Just a little bit though; I am not going to become a born-again 1980s British (or any other) Pop Music aficionado. But I will put him on a playlist or two, and toss him a few cents pence.
Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. For this week, the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) decided on a church theme for this Hobby Thread.
A church theme? What does that mean? Going to church is a "hobby"? The ways of the Wheel are strange and mysterious but there is a method to the madness.
As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. All (legal) hobbying is welcome. We have a theme, but no need to stick with the theme. Even if the theme does not speak to you, find something else or offer something else relating to hobbying. Leave politics to threads elsewhere. Religion is difficult to avoid with a church theme, but just don't be a jerk. Pants are optional. As always, puns are welcome and encouraged.
Play nice and do not be rude. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls.
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Think of this as a travel themed Hobby Thread with a focus on memorable churches. You may have your home church, but the good book says "where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am with them." As a matter of theology, the physical structure doesn't matter but the venue serves as a place for the faithful to gather and mechanism to focus on the act of worship. Church construction itself is also a form of tribute and worship.
Looking back over our travels, we've had some amazing experiences. In some cases, the architecture, artistry, stonework, and/or stained glass was the feature. In other cases, a thundering organ made the walls shake. Some were notable for their history. Some had memorable services and others offered a quiet place for individual respite and solace. We've walked through immense cathedrals and also been in chapels designed for individuals or a small family. There are many different ways to address the same objective and so many different approaches that speak to so many different people.
What churches are memorable for you and what made them memorable? Are there churches you would like to visit?
Should we talk about architecture and design? Art and stained glass? Gargoyles? Location? History?
Has anyone been part of building a new church?
For the record, churches do not have to be fancy or large or expensive (just ask Luther). Several notable churches are included in the content for discussion purposes, but please do not take that as theological commentary.
The Cadet Chapel is the most recognizable building at the U.S. Air Force Academy and, before the current renovation closure, the most visited man-made tourist attraction in Colorado. This aluminum, glass, and steel structure features 17 spires that shoot 150 feet into the sky. It is considered among the most beautiful examples of modern American academic architecture.
According to legend, this unique cliffhanging chapel, known as the Felsenkirche (also called "Chapel-in-the-Rocks" and "Crag Church"), was built to atone for the murder of a prince by his jealous brother.
Supposedly, Wyrich and Emich, two brothers who lived in the castle atop of the cliff, were both in love with a beautiful woman named Bertha, each unaware of the other's affections for her. When Wyrich was away, Emich married the object of the their affection. Upon the jilted brother's return, he launched his successful rival from a castle window in a fit of rage. In penitence for his crime, Wyrich singlehandedly excavated the Felsenkirche's cavern on the spot where his dead brother’s body had been found, 165 feet below the castle.
Sadly for fans of medieval romanticism, there is no historical evidence for the legend.
With two lanterns shining from its steeple on April 18, 1775, Old North Church lit the way for the American Revolution.
Old North's iconic steeple may be one of the most memorable images along the Freedom Trail - but did you know that the steeple you see today is actually Old North's third steeple? Yes, that's right! Not once, but twice, powerful storms have blown down the spire (the wooden section atop the brick tower), resulting in community efforts to rebuild.
Trinity Church has been at the heart of New York City for over 300 years.
Our story began with a small group of Anglicans (members of the Church of England), who wanted to form their own parish in what was then the mercantile colony of New York.
The first Trinity Church was erected on Wall Street in 1698, facing west toward the Hudson River. ... The first Trinity Church building was destroyed during the Revolutionary War in the Great Fire of 1776. The second church, which opened in 1790, faced Wall Street and was both longer and wider than the first, with a steeple that soared to 200 feet. ... The church stood until 1839, when heavy snow caused the roof's support beams to collapse. The third Trinity Church was consecrated on Ascension Day 1846 and is considered one of the first and finest examples of Neo-Gothic architecture in the country. With its 281-foot-high steeple, Trinity Church was the tallest building in the United States for 23 years and remained the tallest building in New York City until 1890.
Alexander Hamilton is buried in the church's graveyard.
It was on December 24th of the year 1818, when the assistant priest Mr. Joseph Mohr at the newly established parish of St. Nicola in Oberndorf handed over a poem to Franz Gruber (who was also a schoolteacher in Arnsdorf at the time) who was substituting as organist, with the request to write a suitable melody for 2 solo voices with chorus and guitar accompaniment.
The latter delivered his simple composition to this musically knowledgeable clergyman on that very evening, according to the request, which was immediately performed with great approval on Christmas Night.
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Alles schläft, einsam wacht
nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh.
The Dresden Frauenkirche looks back on a long history. The various previous churches were already consecrated to Mary, Mother of God, and were named Frauenkirche. In the 18th century, the famous George Bahrs domed building was built, which shaped the cityscape of Dresden for two hundred years. Destroyed shortly before the end of the Second World War, the ruins of the Frauenkirche remained as a memorial in the heart of the city until the unique reconstruction project began in 1993. Since 2005 the Frauenkirche has once again been an open church for the city.
On February 13, 1945, the war that started in Germany returned to Dresden. The Frauenkirche survived the bombing of the city, but collapsed two days later after being burned out.
After the ruins were cleared in 1993/4, the first stone was placed on May 27, 1994. In 1996 the lower church was completed; the outer walls grew up to 28 meters in height. In 2000 the new tower cross was donated.
The church continued to grow in height until 2004. When the tower hood was added on June 22, 2004, the external shape was restored. The interior work followed. The Frauenkirche was consecrated on October 30, 2005.
The Frauenkirche remained a pile of rubble for years after the 1945 collapse. It wasn't until the Berlin Wall fell that reconstruction was feasible. The rebuilt church used bricks that were saved from the rubble of the old church - look for the dark stone blocks.
In 1239, after two years of negotiation, Louis IX acquired the Crown of Thorns from Beaudouin II of Courtenay, Latin emperor of Byzantium.
Other relics (22 in total, including a fragment of the True Cross) were acquired in 1241, and Louis IX decided to build a monument worthy of this treasure.
With this extraordinary acquisition, 135,000 livres tournois, or half the annual income of the kingdom, Saint Louis expressed his piety, but also increased the prestige of France.
The tribune of the relics, installed in the 1260s and reconstituted during the 19th century restoration, supported the large silver and gilded copper shrine that held the holy relics. The shrine and the reliquaries (casket, intended to contain one or more relics) were melted down during the Revolution and most of the relics have disappeared. The crown of thorns, however, was preserved and joined the treasury of Notre-Dame Cathedral in 1806.
Although the reliquary function of the monument has disappeared (the Sainte-Chapelle is no longer used for worship since the Revolution), the monument still shines today as one of the most extraordinary masterpieces of the High Gothic style.
Immerse yourself in this vessel of light and admire the exceptional set of stained glass windows that constitute the most complete example of 13th century stained glass art. Indeed, two-thirds of the windows are original. The flamboyant style rose window is an extraordinary testimony of the 15th century.
Let yourself be dazzled by 15 exceptional stained glass windows of breathtaking dimensions (15m high in the nave and 13m in the choir!). The windows are composed of 1113 scenes of the Old and the New Testament telling the history of the world, according to the Bible, until the arrival of the relics in Paris then the Apocalypse is represented in the rose window.
Orval makes this list because of a ruin rather than an intact church. Orval Abbey (Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval) is a Cistercian monastery founded in 1132. The abbey is well known for its history and spiritual life but also for its local production of the Trappist beer Orval.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the various wars between France and various neighbouring regions had an important impact on Orval. At one stage a foundry was established on the site. In 1637, during the Thirty Years' War, the abbey was pillaged and burnt by French mercenaries.
In the 17th century, the abbey converted to the Trappist branch of the Cistercian order, but reverted to the Rule of the main order in around 1785. In 1793, during the French Revolution, the abbey was completely burnt down by French forces, in retaliation for the hospitality it had provided to Austrian troops, and the community forcibly dispersed.
Between 1926 and 1948, under the direction of the Trappist monk Marie-Albert van der Cruyssen, the new monastery was constructed, and in 1936 Orval regained the rank of abbey. On September 8, 1948, the new church was consecrated.
The medieval tradition of brewing beer at the Abbey was revived in 1931 to generate funds for the rebuilding. The ruins of the medieval buildings remain on the site and are available to view.
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If you are wise in the ways of motorsport, you know that this weekend is the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. Are you following the race? If you are wise in the ways of motorsport and have not attended the race, get thee to Germany and experience it for yourself. It is madness, but glorious madness. 161 cars entered in over 20 different classes. 15.7 mile track length. There is literally nothing else like it.
Photo credit: Porsche
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Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did an Montana theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.
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Notable comments from last week:
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Words of wisdom:
"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).
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If you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, contribute your own. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.
This magical piece of art is inspired by our late, great Delilah. It captures perfectly her beauty, dignity and pride. It was given to Her Majesty at our National Specialty this week. She cried whenever she saw it.
Meanwhile, we have had reports of lizard hunters among our PetMorons, including some of our own kittens, who left one (no tail) in a food dish and another by the door. To show their love.
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PetMoron Adjacent Animals
Gioia, our official AoSHQ Swiss Guide Dog, takes us on a little country visit to a farm:
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Swiss cows usually seem nice.
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Thank you for sharing your pets and animal photos and stories with us today.
If you would like to send pet and/or animal stories, links, etc. for the Ace of Spades Pet Thread, the address is:
petmorons at protonmail dot com
Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known when you comment at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.
Isn't the iris above from badgerwx gorgeous? I was finishing a spring update from her, and somehow the entire thing was deleted. Drat! Even from the HTML translator! As she noted, gardening always comes with surprises! Next week, I hope! Here's another of her irises:
It is blistering hot here and I have put up many shade cloths in the garden and mulched everything. I am not sure if you have ever heard of perpetual spinach but I always have at least 6 plants going and it is pretty good at self seeding so I usually end up with more. I picked this today and even though it is over 100 degrees, the perpetual spinach just shrugs off the heat and it doesn't get bothered by pests. If I haven't planned well, I know I can always go pick some for a side for dinner. This bowl is a mix of red chard and perpetual spinach which I am doing with the recipe below. Here is a bit about perpetual spinach
Perpetual spinach (Beta vulgaris) is a variety of Swiss chard, not true spinach, providing a heat-tolerant, high-yielding "cut-and-come-again" green that tastes similar to spinach but lasts for months. Unlike true spinach, which bolts (seeds) quickly in heat, perpetual spinach thrives in warmer weather, features smaller, tender stems, and lacks the intense, earthy taste of traditional chard.
https://pin.it/3DcHOemMC
Perpetual Spinach sounds great! Looks good!
I also harvested my garlic. We had such a hot March that it was ready to be pulled. The heat in March decimated my mulberry harvest. I usually am drowning in mulberries but this year I got none. They set fruit just as it was super hot in March and they just shriveled and dried on the tree. I was hoping the trees would bud out again but they didn't. Hopefully I will get an epic harvest next year.
Hope everyone is busy with their garden plans. I look forward to seeing what you all grow.
Weekreekfarmgirl
Thanks for sharing your updates!
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Ah, Nature
One reason we spend time in the garden:
Did you know we find birdsong relaxing because our brains associate it with safety since birds stop singing when predators are near?
On top of this, their songs are particularly pleasant to your ear also because of the striking similarities between theirs and human music. pic.twitter.com/Lf6JnDtU7G
We have had a lot of discussion and more than a few laughs over AI in the past couple of years, but things are starting to get serious. Tucquer Carlson recently raked an investor in a huge data center campus and energy infrastructure in Box Elder County, Utah over the coals. Kevin O'Leary, a Canadian, does not have a sterling background.
But Tucquer sort of suggested that investors like him should know what kinds of jobs AI would lead to in the future, and perhaps even have those jobs ready for new graduates from college. That seems sort of unrealistic. On the other hand, new graduates in certain fields face some real problems. Anybody see these students booing?
Journalism. Creative writing. Film production. Advertising.
People who spent 4 years and serious money training to write, produce, and publish.
The floor on junior creative work is collapsing in real time. Their anger is legitimate. Their response is the problem.
Photography didn't kill painting.
It killed portrait painters who refused to evolve.
The internet didn't kill journalism. It killed the business model that paid reporters to rewrite press releases.
Every wave does this. Technology bifurcates the room. Adapters move up. Resisters get displaced. . .
Who told these kids that a degree would guarantee a good job for them?
Here's a voice from yesteryear:
Eric Hoffer:
“Nothing is so unsettling to a social order as the presence of a mass of scribes without suitable employment and an acknowledged status…The explosive component in the contemporary scene is not the clamor of the masses but the self-righteous claims of a multitude of graduates from schools and universities. This army of scribes is clamoring for a society in which planning, regulation, and supervision are paramount and the prerogative of the educated. They hanker for the scribe’s golden age, for a return to something like the scribe-dominated societies of ancient Egypt, China, and the Europe of the Middle Ages. There is little doubt that the present trend in the new and renovated countries toward social regimentation stems partly from the need to create adequate employment for a large number of scribes…Obviously, a high ratio between the supervisory and the productive force spells economic inefficiency. Yet where social stability is an overriding need the economic waste involved in providing suitable positions for the educated might be an element of social efficiency.
It has often been stated that a social order is likely to be stable so long as it gives scope to talent. Actually, it is the ability to give scope to the untalented that is most vital in maintaining social stability…For there is a tendency in the untalented to divert their energies from their own development into the management, manipulation, and probably frustration of others. They want to police, instruct, guide, and meddle. In an adequate society, the untalented should be able to acquire a sense of usefulness and of growth without interfering with the development of talent around them. This requires, first, an abundance of opportunities for purposeful action and self-advancement. Secondly, a wide diffusion of technical and social skills so that people will be able to work and manage their affairs with a minimum of tutelage. The scribe mentality is best neutralized by canalizing energies into purposeful and useful pursuits, and by raising the cultural level of the whole population so as to blur the dividing line between the educated and the uneducated…We do not know enough to suit a social pattern to the realization of all the creative potentialities inherent in a population. But we do know that a scribe-dominated society is not optimal for the full unfolding of the creative mind.”
Of course, eliminating human beings from media outlets also means losing human brains and the interesting ways that their firing synapses, loaded memories, passions and prejudices and even personal quirks can take the “basic information” on offer and fine-tune it to a particular issue, bringing nuance to a headline or making a vital connection to historical trivia that can change the conversation on some hot topic about which too many are “feeling” and too few are seeking clarity and depth.
Only the human brain, coupled to human spirit, human emotion and development can take the headline, the social notion, the conversation and -– with an assist from the God-spark that resides in all of us — send it careening off into something else — even something altogether new and enlightening.
Without that God-spark, all that is left of thought becomes non-thinking: commonplace, empty, dull and sterile.
Two years ago my friends chuckled at me for my instinctive distrust of AI, my wary refusal to experiment with emerging tools, and my worry that ChatGPT had the potential to make parents expendable. They chided me for being paranoid, teasing that I sounded like Kathy Bates in “Waterboy,” mindlessly crowing “AI is the devil!”
Recently, a very level-headed friend confessed that she too was becoming concerned; she wondered whether AI might be a sort of antichrist, or a forerunner — a contributor to the sort of chaos (or “chaos magick”) that might usher in precisely such a dark energy.
As extreme as that sounds, I didn’t shrug it off. It’s too apparent that while some advances in Artificial Intelligence can clearly benefit civilization, it has already begun to warp our understanding of human relationships, inducing a corrupt funhouse distortion to the complex realities of love, or the mysteries of love when it is present and unconditional, and not at all connected to one’s image of oneself.
Distortion at that level, minute and personal and all about love, is what can break us completely, individually and as a society, because being created in the image and likeness of the triune God (who is 100% Love), means our brains are a triune wholeism involving body, mind, and spirit and rooted in that love.
Through our human brokenness we carry our imperfect comprehensions into every part of that wholeism. So, if we permit our understanding of authentic love to be messed with, we will participate in the shattering of our own foundations.
“Foundations once destroyed,” the psalmist asked, “what can the just do” (Ps 11:3)?
Nothing will be left standing.
AI cannot pray. It can compose but lacks that broken human element -– and the God-spark — that connects the words to the Word, in whom things all hang together. . .
So, what do you think? We don't want to give up the human voice, do we?
Here's a non-scribe use of AI:
This is awesome.
These guys used AI to discover a new molecule for treating MRSA and then instead of just going 'Look, we found a potentially helpful molecule' they went and tested it.
AI vs. Woke?
Should we consider a past French Connection?
Elon Musk re-tweeted a couple of threads by a French guy which are kind of interesting in both English and French. The first one apologizes for three French philosophers, plus 1968:
Je veux présenter mes excuses, au nom des Français, pour avoir enfanté la French Theory (qui a enfanté la pire des merdes idéologiques : le wokisme).
Nous avons donné au monde Descartes, Pascal, Tocqueville. Et puis, dans les ruines intellectuelles de l'après-68, nous avons…
I want to offer my apologies, on behalf of the French, for giving birth to French Theory (which in turn gave birth to the worst of all ideological monstrosities: wokism).
We gave the world Descartes, Pascal, Tocqueville. And then, in the intellectual ruins of post-1968, we gave Foucault, Derrida, Deleuze. Three brilliant men who forged, in the elegance of our language, the ideological weapon that today paralyzes the West.
We must understand what they did. Foucault taught that truth does not exist, that there are only power relations disguised as knowledge. That science, reason, justice, the medical institution, the school, the prison, sexuality—everything is merely a staging of domination. Derrida taught that texts have no stable meaning, that every signifier slips away, that every reading is a betrayal, that the author is dead and the reader reigns supreme. Deleuze taught that we should prefer the rhizome to the tree, the nomad to the sedentary, desire to the law, becoming to being, difference to identity.
Taken individually, these are debatable theses. Combined, exported, and popularized, they form a system. And that system is a poison.
For here’s what happened. These texts, unreadable in France, crossed the Atlantic. The departments of Yale, Berkeley, and Columbia absorbed them in the 1980s. They found there a soil that did not exist among us: American Puritanism, its racial guilt, its obsession with identity. French Theory married this substratum, and the child of that union is called wokism. . .
read the rest by clicking translate on the tweet above.
The second thread picked up by Musk discusses socialism:
Le socialisme n'est pas une théorie économique.
C'est une structure morale qui a besoin de trois choses pour exister :
1. De la rareté à redistribuer 2. Des victimes à défendre 3. Une classe d'intermédiaires pour orchestrer le tout
It was a busy week in the news, although, to be honest, a relatively quiet one in meme-world. Trump went to China, the New York Times sank to what could be a new low even for that despicable rag, the Spencer Pratt campaign took Los Angeles by storm, a Hollywood director unveiled a new adaptation of The Odyssey in which Helen is black and Achilles is a woman, the Democrats’ redistricting scheme blew up, for the most part, in their face. But meme-makers responded most to another story, the appearance of the dreaded hantavirus. Here, as someone once said, we go again.
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Music
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Hope you have something nice planned for this weekend.
The Classical Saturday Morning Coffee Break & Prayer Revival
—Misanthropic Humanitarian
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Good morning boys and girls and everything in between. Before we enter the Prayer Revival just a few house keeping matters to go over. (Rulz for those of you in Plymouth)
1) This is an open thread. Feel free to lurk, opine and/or bloviate.
2) Be kind, be nice.
3) No running with sharp objects save that for next weekend.
4) Have a great weekend!
Please submit any prayer requests to me, “Annie’s Stew” at apaslo at-sign hotmail dot com. Prayer requests are generally removed after four weeks unless we receive an update.
Prayer Requests:
3/10 – Update on Susan, who we have been praying for as she battles cancer. She is hospitalized again with an infection in her colon that quickly turned bad. The doctor says the signs are sepsis but they are running tests to make sure. The good news is that the pancreatic cancer was and is responding to the chemo and her cancer numbers are going down. God bless and thank you!
4/18 Update – Susan is doing outstanding. Her weight is better than expected. They have increased her dosage for chemo, and her cancer numbers are the lowest they have been since they started keeping track of them. They are so thankful for the mercy they have received. Thanks to everyone for the thoughts and prayers.
3/28 – Hrothgar asked for prayers for a dear and long time close friend and former neighbor, Daniel, who is scheduled for open heart surgery in mid-April. Prayers for his wife would be appreciated as well, as she will be carrying a heavy load for the next few months.
4/18 Update – Daniel survived his complex open heart surgery. He is sitting up and it seems like it went well, but they are not going to release him as quickly as he would like, so he is not happy. Thanks to the Horde for the prayers and please keep praying for his dear wife, who now has even more to put up with.
3/28 – Jordan61 posted that Mr. Jordan61 is back in the hospital. His sepsis has returned and gotten into where his compression fracture is, and he has vertebral osteomyelitis. The doctor is supposed to come in today and let them know the plan.
4/9 Update – On 4/1 Mr. Jordan61 was released from the hospital with six weeks of IV antibiotics, which Jordan61 is administering every 8 hours. He’s in a lot of pain; they’ve given him oxy, fentanyl, and dilaudid, and nothing seems to touch it. From what they were told, the pain won’t subside until the infection is cleared up. For the time being, he is bed-bound and they are limiting his movement as much as possible to keep the pain to a minimum. Jordan61 will send updates with progress.
4/25 Update – Mr. Jordan61 is making slow but steady progress. He can get up and walk for short periods of time, and can sit in the living room for an hour or so per day. He is halfway through the IV antibiotics, with 3 weeks to go. A physical therapist will be coming to help him build strength and learn how to move without aggravating his back injury. Thank you all for the prayers!
4/3 – Teresa in Fort Worth posted an update. Her chemo seems to be holding things steady for now. Unfortunately, as she is receiving a steroid, she has gained about 25 pounds. Her blood sugar has also jumped up about 40 points (which only happens when she is on steroids).
4/24 Update – Teresa in Fort Worth provided an update: The pump that was put in to battle cancer in December can only be used for 6 months. After that, it starts to damage the liver. So she may have to go back onto the medication that made her lose her hair and messed up her vision and nails, and then return to this medication after a break. This is not good news, since this new medication is working so well. But for now, she is doing well and is incredibly grateful for the time that she has been given so far.
4/11 – Eromero craves prayers for Mrs. E., as she has been diagnosed with lymphoma. She begins infusions on 4/23.
4/25 Update – Mrs. E. reports that she feels fine. Praise be to God that she has had only one distressful episode during the infusions. Thank you for all the past and continued prayers.
4/18 – Vmom deport deport deport asked for prayers for Captain Whitebread, who is back in ICU with a leg infection that sounds very serious. She also asked for prayers for her husband’s mental and emotional well-being as he faces transition of a possible forced retirement in 3 months.
4/29 Update Captain Whitebread’s son posted that Captain Whitebread had several more infections and passed away on 4/29.
4/18 – Warai-otoko offered a prayer of thanksgiving that he got a new job that he is really enjoying. Wifey also got an offer for a new job that sounds great, after a decade of putting up with her old job.
4/18 – neverenoughcaffiene asked that Devyn be kept in prayers. She is a young mother of 2 with a mass on her esophagus. The Doc said it was scar tissue and hopefully the second opinion will agree.
4/18 – Smell the Glove could use some prayers as therapy and rehab occur after gout/sepsis.
5/2 Update – The gout has cleared and the infection in the lower back is healing.
4/18 – PA Dutchman asked for prayers for his family. His dad passed away on 4/9 after complications from a fall. He was 95 and a veteran of the Korean War, 34th Inf Rgt. Mostly prayers are need for PA Dutchman’s mom, who is absolutely heartbroken.
4/18 – PabloD has been having dizzy spells for the past few weeks. He is seeing a doctor soon, and is requesting prayers that figure it out and that it’s nothing too serious.
4/18 – Sam Adams requested prayers for a friend, Mary F, who was just sent to a long-term recovery facility after having a tracheostomy.
5/2 Update – Mary’s breathing is improving, and they are weaning her off assisted breathing. She is now off the ventilator for 12 hours a day, and they are aiming for 14 hours soon. Many thanks to all of the Moron Horde for the prayers.
4/18 – Doof provided an update on his mother. She is doing better. She moved into her own room in an assisted living facility. It’s walking distance from Doof’s house, which is great. Her mental state has improved dramatically. She can no longer walk but she does stand with some assistance and can transfer between a wheelchair and bed or a lift/recliner chair. This facility is more of a home and less of a hospital, which hopefully will provide a good opportunity for her to enjoy life. He appreciates the Horde’s prayers and asks for prayers that she settles in comfortably and develops new friendships.
4/24 – Notsothoreau asked for prayers for a friend’s father (Cory), who needs prayers for strength and peace as he is going through some troubled times.
4/27 – Matthew Kant Cipher sent his thanks to those who prayed for his friend Layne (who is also his son’s FIL). The Horde may recall that in August, Layne was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He has since undergone courses of chemo, immunotherapy, and radiation. His latest scans came back clean. The cancer is in remission; praise be to God! Prayers are also humbly requested for Mrs. MKC, who is dealing with a new flare-up of a GI condition that had been leaving her alone until a recent procedure re-aggravated it. It is very frustrating/discouraging as she waits to see a new GI doctor.
4/25 – Retired Buckeye Cop asked that we would continue to lift his 16 year old grandson (LH) up in prayers, as LH continues to consider the call to priesthood in the Catholic Church. LH recently went to a meeting with a group of young men who are considering the priesthood.
4/25 – Fenelon Spoke asked for prayers for “I”, who Fenelon visited and anointed with oil, and prayed for healing of her health concerns.
5/2 – neverenoughcaffiene requested prayers for parishioners at her church, who lost their newborn daughter, Astrid.
5/7 – turambar asked for prayers for relatives. Mom needs prayers as she was admitted to the hospital to check her heart and cardio. They did not find pneumonia. Two months ago, she fell at her assisted living place, and broke her hip. She also has dementia. Turambar’s uncle fell recently and broke his hip, too.
5/9 – D asked for prayers. He was let go from his IT job and has started a business making and selling lens cleaners to make ends meet. Please contact Annie’s Stew if you’d like more information – either to order lens cleaners, or if you’d like to contact him related to IT job openings (DBA/Network Admin).
5/11 – rez986 asked if anyone had an update on Neidermeyer’s Dead Horse’s health. The last info Annie’s Stew has was from January, 2026, that he’d been given 6 months to live due to heart failure and was being treated and waiting for a transplant at Mayo.
For submission guidelines and other relevant info, please contact Annie's Stew, who is managing the prayer list. You can contact her at apaslo at-sign hotmail dot com. If you see a prayer request posted in a thread comment, feel free to copy and paste it and e-mail it to Annie's Stew. She tries to keep up with the requests in the threads, but she's not here all of the time, so she may not see it unless you e-mail it to her. Please note: Prayer requests are generally removed after four weeks or so unless we receive an update.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.
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)
No political party that is NOT also a doomsday religious cult would EVER choose a cataclysmic loss -- and possible extinction as a party -- to support a toxically unpopular favoritism of NON-CITIZEN ILLEGAL MIGRANTS over actual citizen voters.
Only a cult does this.
Now they've lost 84%.
Annunziata Rees-Mogg
@zatzi
If this continues Labour loses 2,148 seats tonight.
That is much worse than the worst case predictions I’ve seen.
Cataclysmic
Update: They've now lost 88% of the seats they're defending. As I mentioned earlier, I think I heard that London will not bail them out, as many of those Labour seats will probably flip to "Muslim Independent" or Green. Detroit's 5am vote will not save them.
Yup, Labour is losing 80% of its seats...
The British Patriot
@TheBritLad
🚨 BREAKING: Labour have lost 80% of all seats contested as of 2:25 AM.< br>
If this continues, Keir Starmer will be out of office next week.
Reform has surged and projected to pick up between 1700-2100 seats.
Wow, up to 1700-2100 seats. It's not incredible that this is happening. It's incredible that the Davos crowd is so absolutely determined to privilege Muslim "migrants" over the actual native population who elects them, no matter how loudly the natives scream that they want to be prioritized, that they will gladly self-extinguish as a party rather than simply representing the interests of their own voters. Astonishing.
Remember, when they call other people "cultists" -- they are the ones so imprisoned in their social reinforcement and discipline bubbles that they will choose political death rather than dare upset the Karen Enforcement Officers of their cult. Update: Now they've lost 83% of the seats they were defending.
(((Dan Hodges)))
@DPJHodges
Reform are basically wiping Labour out in the North. It's not a defeat. It's not even a rout. Labour are simply ceasing to exist.
Nick Lowles
@lowles_nick
Tonight’s results are calamitous for Labour. Not just for Keir Starmer's leadership, but for the very future of the party
STARMERGEDDON: In early returns, Reform gains 135 seats, Labour loses 90, the Fake Conservatives lose 36 (and I didn't even know they could fall any further), the Lib Dems lose 4, and the Greens gain 6. Note that the only other party gaining seats is the Greens and they're only gaining a handful of seats.
Update: Reform now up 145, Labour down 98. Labour projected to lose Wales -- where they've ruled for 27 years. Fulton County Georgia just discovered 400 boxes of ballots for Labour
Update: REF +156, LAB -107, CON -45
Brutal: In four out of five council seats where Labour is defending, they've lost. 80%.
I'm sure it's not this simple, but Reform is straight taking Labour's and the "Conservatives'" seats. They've lost almost exactly what Reform gained. If understand this right (and warning, I probably don't), all of London's council seats are up for election, and Labour might lose hugely there, as their old voters abandon them for Reform, Muslim Indenpendents, and the Greens.
REF +190, LAB -134, CON -56.
Updates on the Labour collapse in council elections -- which wags are calling #Starmergeddon -- from Beege Welborne. There are about 5000 seats up for grabs, Labour is expected to lose 1,800, Reform will probably gain 1,580, up from... zero. So this would be more than that. People claim that while Labour has adopted the Sharia Agenda to appeal to the million Muslims it allowed to migrate to the country, those voters are ditching Labour to vote for the Muslim Independent Party or the Greens. Delicious. This shadenfreude is going straight to my thighs. Oh, and if Starmer loses about as badly as expected, Labour will toss him out of a window Braveheart style and replace him. He will announce he is resigning to spend more time with his Gay Ukrainian Male Prostitutes.
Media bias and senationalism are as old as, well, the media:
That was written by Denny O'Neill and illustrated by, get this, Frank Miller. Editor to the Stars Jim Shooter was in charge at the time. I always thought the gag was original to the comic book, but in fact the "Threat or Menace" headline was a satirical joke about media bias and sensationalism for a long while. The Harvard Lampoon used it in a parody of Life magazine: "Flying Saucers: Threat or Menace?"
