Ace of Spades HQ

December 07, 2025

Sunday Morning Book Thread - 12-07-2025 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]

—Open Blogger

(HT: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing)
(Click image for larger view.)

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 (sonic screwdriver not included). 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...

So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, pour yourself a nice cup of eggnog (with a dash of cinnamon and vanilla), and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?

Posted by Open Blogger at 09:00 AM Comments

Daily Tech News 7 December 2025

—Pixy Misa

Top Story

That mini-PC I just bought increased in price by 25% the next day. In fact, the 32GB model now costs more than I paid for the 64GB model.

Which is not a huge surprise - it was markedly cheaper in Australia than on the British Minisforum store, and a key reason I bought it in the first place was because the price was so low compared to the current cost of RAM.

I'll post a quick review once I get it - or at least, next weekend once I have a chance to set it up. But if you're impatient Notebook Check just covered it in detail.
Speaking of which are the Chinas set to rescue the world from its folly?

Taiwanese memory maker Nanya has seen revenues soar 300% in the past year - and 30% in just the past month - as it scrambles to fill the gap left open by the Big Three.* (Taipei Times)

Nanya mostly produces older DDR4 memory but about 10% of their sales are already DDR5, and they've had an opportunity handed to them gift-wrapped.

Meanwhile West Taiwan's leading memory maker CXMT has entered mass production of DDR5 and LPDDR5X chips itself. (Trendforce)

CXMT was previously accused of dumping DDR4 RAM on the market at lower prices than even second-hand products. (Tom's Hardware)

Oh, how the turns have tabled. CXMT can only produce 16Gb chips, not the latest 32Gb models - so 32GB modules and 64GB dual-channel kits - but 64GB of memory you can buy is a lot better than 128GB you can't.

There may only be three big memory manufacturers, but that doesn't mean there aren't little ones looking to get big.

* Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix, formerly Hyundai Semiconductor.

Posted by Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM Comments

Saturday Night "Club ONT" December 6, 2025 [The 3 Ds]

—Open Blogger

Welcome to Club ONT. A collaboration the 3D's - The Disco, The Dino, and The Doggo. We are officially in the "Turkey-to-Tinsel Gap" portion of the holiday season. People are pretending to work, and many are in the early stages of convincing themselves they will "begin eating healthy tomorrow" - which means Monday, or later. The Club does not endorse such ideas of slimming and trimming over the holiday season.

The 3D's are here to help you slide into a bit of mischief, joy, and lighthearted fun. The doorman? We don't think the doorman is coming back from vacation. Please see yourselves in.

Posted by Open Blogger at 10:00 PM Comments

Saturday Evening Movie Thread [moviegique]: Rental Family

—Open Blogger

If he hadn't had his career derailed by a series of mishaps and downright evil, Brendan Fraser would be alongside Tom Hanks in terms of being the modern equivalent of a Golden Age actor like Jimmy Stewart or Henry Fonda. The difference between the two is that I will go see a movie just because Brendan Fraser is in it, which is not at all true of Hanks.

The excesses of The Whale aside—and its director, Darren Aronofsky, whom Ken Russell calls from the grave to say "Settle down"—Fraser was terrific. A well-earned Oscar.

This is probably a double-edged sword in that we probably permit a character played by Fraser to get away with things he really shouldn't. In fact, despite the very strong marks for Rental Family, all I could see as the movie started rolling, was all the many, many ways this movie could go bad.

Gaijin on the train.

Fraser plays Phillip Vandarploeg, an American who moved to Japan seven years prior after becoming a sensation as the star of a toothpaste commercial, has fallen on hard times when he's called by his agent to play—well, I'm not going to say what, exactly, because while this movie doesn't have really big twists or surprises, the ones it does have shouldn't be spoiled. Despite not doing very well at the gig (because he's completely unprepared) he's approached by Shinji, the owner of a company called Rental Family. They need a token American.

Philip is obviously used to this, although I can't help but note that he's not a token at all.

You see, the business that Shinji has is that he supplies people to act out parts in other people's lives for various reasons. One of their most popular jobs is euphemistically called "Apology Services", where a woman (Aiko, played by Mari Yamamoto) pretends to be a man's mistress and apologizes to his wife for having an affair.

This is the important thing about this job: He's lying to someone, and he has considerable issue doing so. The first job he has seems relatively harmless. And he has a kind of nice one where he plays video games and acts friendly toward a shut-in. But the first big job he gets is pretending be a girl's father.

The girl's mother is trying to get her into an elite private school, and the school isn't interested in single mothers. The mom doesn't want to force the child to have to lie, so instead has Philip pretend to be her father to her.

Philip's inability to FAKE attachment is very American, and of course why we like him.

This, and another job, where Philip pretends to be a journalist interviewing an old, forgotten actor (played by Akira Emoto, who has over 700 credits to his name) are the ones where you can see the train wreck coming. As light a touch as the movie has, you just wanna yell "Don't do it! You're not cut out for this, Brendan Fraser!"

Because there are two main ways you can go with a story like this, right? You can pull a Rain Man and have your Tom Cruise character be a semi-sociopath/narcissist who learns a little something about being human.

But Philip is alone in Japan. He has no family. The only people we see him interact with are his agent (on the phone) and a prostitute. Professional relationships, in other words.

You know, immediately, that Philip is going to end up caring too much, and possibly caring in ways that are culturally inappropriate.

The director (the mononymic Hikari) handles this with a deft touch: Very light, very Japanese, able to clearly communicate the issues that arise from arrangements like these without being moralizing or heavy-handed. This might not be "true" on some level, I wouldn't know. But it makes for a pleasant and emotional experience that still manages to avoid being mawkish.

This gig, which happens immediately after Philip accepts the job, made me a bit nervous about what might come next.

Seriously, I look more for (and celebrate) movies avoiding pitfalls these days than achieving high aesthetic points. This does both. The cinematography of Japan is perfect in that sense: It shows lovely shots of Tokyo and the countryside—but it isn't a fairy tale like (e.g.) Amélie. The wonderfully scrubbed and saturated views of France worked perfectly for that film: This one looks like a Tokyo you could actually go visit.

Terrific acting. Good story structure. Strong ending. Highlighting the issues with these arrangements but still managing to pull out a happy ending.

It's an increasingly rare "general recommendation". If you like movies about people with humor and drama, the only negative (for the average moviegoer) is the use of subtitles. I would argue the film excels at that, too, though because there are just enough subtitles to make you remember where you are. There are a lot of excellent touches that enhance the fish-out-of-water feel, like Fraser being 6'3" and having a pot-belly. (Although Takehiro Hira is six-feet tall, Fraser is always bigger and taller and paler than everyone else.)

It probably won't get a lot of award nominations, but it should.

Oh, there is a theoretical negative that filled me with dread: The idea that somebody would remake this movie, but base it in America, and have it star, I dunno, Kevin James and Adam Sandler. Or Vince Vaugh and Chris Pratt.

One of the best movies of the year and a rare mix of award and box office bait. You know, what used to just be known as "a good movie". And one of three in 2025 I would recommend for general audiences—which, honestly, is two or three more than I'm able to recommend in the past few years. The other two are Mission: Impossible 8 - The Final Reckoning and The Naked Gun reboot.

Destined to be crushed by Wicked, Zootopia and Five Nights at Freddy 2, and to under-perform Bugonia, Heart Eyes, Chainsaw Man, the re-release of Wicked—all of which serve as a challenge of my ability to estimate what "general audiences" will go for.

It's nice to see small businesses thriving in Japan. Even if they're fundamentally very weird.

Close it up

Posted by Open Blogger at 07:30 PM Comments

Hobby Thread - December 6, 2025 [TRex]

—Open Blogger

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. A spin of the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies (TM) landed on scavenging and scrounging.

Are you thinking "I'm not into scavenging and scrounging and I really don't know what that means, but I am eager to learn more. I can't wait to get into the content!" I knew it. Enjoy.

Posted by Open Blogger at 05:30 PM Comments

Ace of Spaces Pet Thread, December 6

—K.T.

Courtesy Jack Jackson

* * *

Good afternoon and welcome to the almost world famous Ace of Spades Pet Thread. Thanks for stopping by. Kick back and enjoy the world of animals.

Would you like a treat?

Let's relax a little with the animals and leave the world of politics and current events outside today.

* * *

Posted by K.T. at 03:31 PM Comments

Gardening, Home and Nature Thread, Dec. 6

—K.T.

Not a lot happening hee in the chilly DMV but I do have two spots of color. My Encore Azalea has not disappointed. Not a lot of blossoms but it's been in the thirties and I am still getting new buds and blossoms. My Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter cactus is also in blossom. I will literally have flowers til Spring. Sharon(willow's apprentice)

Posted by K.T. at 01:34 PM Comments

Why THIS Story NOW?

—K.T.

Ken Burns' Egregious Omission

This week, I have been thinking about how issues which have been in the background for a considerable amount of time suddenly become part of "The Narrative".

First up today, Ken Burns' new series on The American Revolution.

Timing: just before Christmas.

Questions:

Why does this series seem different from, say, his Civil War epic?

It's not long now until the 250th anniversary of the country. Has anything else about the Founding of the Country made the news lately? Why is Ken Burns introducing the subject?

Burns’ latest PBS six-episode documentary, The American Revolution, explores the founding of the United States and the subsequent war with the British Empire. It could have been an excellent start to the upcoming celebration of America’s 250th anniversary of the founding, but sadly, it steers away from celebration and emphasizes both explicit and implicit criticism of the Founders.
Within the first five minutes of the first episode, we are told that the Founders (specifically Benjamin Franklin) used the Iroquois “flourishing democracy” as a blueprint for the United States Constitution. The evidence, however, is sparse, if non-existent, in the documentary.

Franklin frequently commented on the lives of Native Americans, but we have to be careful how we evaluate Franklin’s words on the subject. He was famously satirical, whether he spoke about the British, Americans, or Indians. In a letter to James Parker, dated 20 March 1751, Franklin writes,
It would be a very strange Thing, if six Nations of ignorant Savages should be capable of forming a Scheme for such an Union, and be able to execute it in such a Manner, as that it has subsisted Ages, and appears indissoluble; and yet that a like Union should be impracticable for ten or a Dozen English Colonies, to whom it is more necessary, and must be more advantageous; and who cannot be supposed to want an equal Understanding of their Interests.
Much later, in 1784’s “Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America,” Franklin speaks highly of the “Civility” of Indians in comparison to the Americans. However, he ends up satirically and equally alluding to a hypocrisy of both groups, as well as the human need to praise the group that he or she is part of.

But Burns doesn’t seem to be interested in nuance and leaves out certain complexities of political and philosophical thought. The entire series is devised around an oppressor-oppressed dialectic.

Concerning Benjamin Franklin and satire, I just read somewhere that the Founders didn't allow Franklin to write the Declaration of Independence because they thought he might include a joke in it somewhere.

Concerning Ken Burns, we do not need another oppressor-oppressed dialectic at this time.

Posted by K.T. at 11:20 AM Comments

The Classical Saturday Coffee Break & Prayer Revival

—Misanthropic Humanitarian

*****

The way I drink coffee you think I was from Luxembourg and/or the world's richest man. H/T Helena Handbasket

*****

They told us that Joe Biden was sharp as a tack. So are you going to believe them when it comes to coffee consumption? I think not.

*****

Good morning boys and girls and everything in between. Since it is the Christmas Season, classical tunes will be shelved until 2026 or whenever it happens. Before entering the Prayer Revival just a few housekeeping matters to go over. (Rulz for those of you in Minneapolis)

1) This is an open thread. Feel free to lurk, opine and/or bloviate.
2) Be kind, be nice.
3) Running with sharp objects will not be tolerated unless you have a note from a responsible adult.
4) Have a great weekend!

*****

AoSHQ Weekly Prayer List

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:

10/22 – Pennsyltucky requested prayers for his dad, who underwent cancer surgery on 10/21. Everything seems to have gone well (they’re confident they got it all!) but due to his age, his hospital stay and convalescence will be longer than usual. Dad is doing well, is awake and alert. A full recovery is anticipated but it will take a while. Thank you so much.
11/6 Update – Pennsyltucky’s dad is out of the hospital and is now convalescing at home with the aid of home care nurse visits. He’s not able to walk very well, having spent so long in a hospital bed, but he’s in good spirits and improving daily. Thanks for your prayers!

10/27 – Polliwog the ‘Ette asked for prayers for her youngest daughter, "LK", who needs prayers for safety and peace, and her best friend "C" for health and that stress not cause a flare up of psoriatic arthritis as they and another roommate work with the police and the landlord to have the 4th roommate "M" evicted because she is threatening them and making the living situation a nightmare. “M” is bipolar and medicating with alcohol. Prayers for her healing and that she find salvation from the self-destructive path she's on would also be appreciated.
11/8 Update – The situation still needs lots of prayer. LK sand C have been staying at a hotel to avoid M, who wants to fight whenever she sees them. M is supposed to move out the end of Dec. but that seems like a very long time when C still needs to attend class and keep her arthritis in check.

11/5 – Mary Poppins’ Practically Perfect Piercing said he could use a prayer or two. He has a pain in his head which, it seems, is occipital neuralgia. It’s not fatal, thank heavens, but is painful until a proper treatment course is settled upon. Many thanks.
11/12 Update – Pronouns corrected above.

11/6 - D sent an update on his wife Susan, and her battle with cancer. He sent his thanks to everyone for the prayers. They are helping and much appreciated. Susan had an infection which is being treated, but her sodium levels are bad again. She will be sent home soon, but is on restrictive fluids until this is cleared up. The good news is that she has gained some weight back and her voice is much stronger now. Thank you, and please keep up the prayers. They appreciate everyone!
11/20 Update – Susan is out of the hospital, after 2 weeks. For the first time in months, she doesn’t have any drainage tubes. Chemo is on hold for the next 2 weeks, to give her time to rest, recover, and gain some weight back. Thank you, everyone, for your prayers – please continue them!

11/7 – BarelyScaryMary requested prayers for a friend, RJ, who is having heart issues. She will likely get stents or a bypass soon. Prayers are needed for RJ’s recovery, and also that she is able and willing to make the lifestyle changes necessary for her health.
11/13 Update – Stents were not an option for RJ, so she needs a bypass. She is waiting for the surgery to be scheduled. She is apprehensive about the surgery and recovery. Prayers are also needed for BarelyScaryMary’s dad, who is also having heart problems. Her mom could use prayers, too, as she is watching her husband of 60 years decline.

11/8 – Dash my lace wings had an urgent request for prayers for a co-worker and friend who is hospitalized with sepsis. It is extremely resistant to antibiotics and has attached to the artificial heart valve she got less than a year ago. Her situation is tenuous.
11/15 Update – The co-worker is healing. She was released from the hospital and is on IV antibiotics for 6 weeks. Thank you for your prayers. We nearly lost her.

11/8 – Farmer Bob asked for prayers for his Uncle Richard’s MIL who passed away on 11/7, and for Richard’s wife Linda. Linda’s putting on a brave face and it was not unexpected, but it’s hard to lose your mother.

11/14 – Halfhand requested prayers for a sister whose husband recently passed away unexpectedly in his sleep. They had just upended their lives to move from California to Tennessee; now she is all alone.

11/15 – Smell the Glove asked for prayers for an 81 year-old aunt who has colon cancer. She is stopping chemo, since it’s not working and it’s tiring her out. Doctors will determine if any other treatment is proper.
11/29 Update – Thank you all for the prayers. The good Lord had another plan and the aunt passed away. She had taught at a Catholic school for over 20 years, raised 3 daughters and had 8 grandchildren. She also babysat Smell the Glove the first couple of years of life.

11/15 – Sponge posted an update on the “First lady”. She is doing OK from the surgery pain-wise, however it appears her compromised immune system from chemo is susceptible to viruses. She has been spiking a fever all weekend.

11/20 - Bluebell sent an update on grammie winger - good news! At her appointment, the doctor said her bloodwork is nearly perfect and her cancer cell count is dropping. She is in minimal pain. The chemo is working, thanks be to God! She will go back in 3 weeks for another round of chemo and then they will do a CT scan to see if she can have surgery to clean out the rest of the tumors. She is convinced – CONVINCED – that this is due in no small part to the treasured prayers of friends and family! They gave her weeks, and now she is looking at possible remission.

11/22 – Duke Lowell posted an update. He said that he is gradually starting to feel normal again, two months after his surgery. The main problem is that the effects of anesthesia are still suppressing his appetite.

11/22 – Commissar Hrothgar posted prayers for President Trump, to keep him safe from harm and may the many forces of evil arrayed against him and our country be made ineffective and come to naught.

11/22 – Oddbob requested prayers. He found out that his job is going away the end of December. They are a one-income family. He also requested prayers for another co-worker, who is in the same situation.

11/22 – Cosda sent an update on his wife’s condition. She started a year of immunotherapy in June for cancer. She is doing well with her treatments every three weeks, but her follow up dermatology scan found another mole with melanoma and 2 other abnormal and suspicious spots. She will be having more tissue removed from those areas for lab tests. Prayers are appreciated.

11/22 – The Walking Dude sent an update. We prayed for his mom in August, when she fell and broke her hip. She is 90 years old. She is still in the hospital but has been transferred to a better rehab run by the Masons. They are unsure if she will ever get out. Please pray for her recovery and return home.

11/24 – Bulg requested prayers for a neighbor who has cancer, and also prayers for his son and two of his friends, who are moving into a rental house in Arlington, VA on 11/28. Prayers for the 3 of them, that they may live together contentedly, and prayers for Bulg and his wife as they adjust to their son’s absence.
11/26 Update – The neighbor passed away on 11/24. Prayers are needed for the neighbor’s husband, Steve, as he grieves. They had no children.

11/29 – From about That Time asked for prayers after a lymphoma diagnosis. From about That Time has already begun chemo, and the kids and granddaughter had fun cutting off a ponytail and shaving hair in preparation.

12/1 – P received news that her 24 year old daughter has changed her name to a male name and had “top surgery”. P needs wisdom as to how to speak to her, and also how to speak with P’s other children, in a loving but honest way. Also, that God will use this to turn all their hearts back to Him.

12/3 – Teresa in Fort Worth posted an update. She had an MRI on 12/3, and will meet with the oncologist on 12/4, the surgeon on 12/8, and the surgery on 12/11. This is a good thing, because it looks like more tumors are starting to crop up in her liver. It doesn’t appear to have spread beyond there yet, thank goodness.

12/4 – E asked for prayers as she will be having surgery in two weeks. She is nervous, but everyone she has spoken with has nothing but good things to say about the surgeon, and she is looking forward to being on the other side of it. Please pray that all will go according to God’s will and that His name will be glorified.

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.

Close it up

Posted by Misanthropic Humanitarian at 08:00 AM Comments

Daily Tech News 6 December 2025

—Pixy Misa

Top Story

I bought myself a mini-PC for Christmas. Minisforum X1-255.

Not because I particularly need a new system, though this one is a lot better than my two existing Beelink units (twice the speed, memory*, and storage).

Mostly because it comes with 64GB of RAM and only costs $50 more than the RAM alone.

Looks like it's completely sold out in the US already.

Update: Placed the order just four hours ago and it's already shipped. Should have it by Friday.

* The existing units only came with 8GB of RAM, so as shipped the new one has eight times as much. But I already had RAM for those left over from upgrading my laptops, back when that was cheap to do.
AI gadget makers are chasing problems that don't exist, says the CEO of AI gadget maker Logitech. (Tom's Hardware)

That's a little unfair. Logitech's webcams use discriminative AI to keep you centered in the frame, for example, and to mute background noise. Other companies, though:
Faber argued that the wave of AI-first gadgets released over the past year remains untethered from a clear purpose. Products such as the Humane AI Pin - acquired by HP in February - and Rabbit R1 launched with the promise of replacing parts of the smartphone experience, only to draw criticism for slow performance, limited features, and subscription-driven pricing.
The upcoming unnamed product from OpenAI looks to be another screenless phone piece of overpriced junk.
Their reception has shaped the debate around whether a general-purpose assistant belongs in a dedicated device at all. According to Faber, these early efforts solve little that a phone or PC cannot already handle, which is a view that has gained traction as both devices incorporate larger on-device models and tighter integrations with cloud assistants.
As annoying as AI is, dedicated AI devices are even worse.

Posted by Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM Comments

For Unlawful Carnal ONT

—WeirdDave

Howdy all! Boy, the left is really in a tizzy about ICE, aren't they?

Posted by WeirdDave at 10:00 PM Comments

Unconscious Body Surfing Cafe

—Ace

Sunset photographed from under water, by Dan Legend

Tiger gives some tourists a story to tell their families once they've recovered from their heart attacks.

Re-post: horse racing through sea caves.

Hula Baloo.

What is this thing?

Lazy horse doesn't want to give rides. So any time you approach him to get on him, he flops over and pretends he just died.

Life with huge dogs who still think they're little puppies.

Soulful dog.

Baby and dog play.

A torrid affair that scandalized the barnyard.

Weekend plans.

Steve Inman:

Old pervert gets Instant Justice. If only this guy were around during Biden's political career.

This has to be the sloppiest public brawl ever.

Purse-snatcher learns that not only does crime not pay, but it results in serious and possibly permanent physical injury.

Season's beatings.

Would be carjacker gets jacked by a car.

This better not be AI.

Posted by Ace at 07:20 PM Comments

Here We Go Again: Leftwing Propaganda Media Claims the Anti-Trump, Anti-ICE BLM Supporter Is Akshually MAGA

—Ace

Of course. Of course.

The Daily Wire reported Thursday evening that Cole comes from a family deeply entrenched in left-wing activism.
Weeks before the alleged bombings, Cole worked for his father's bail bond company, which specialized in freeing illegal immigrants and even sued the Trump administration's DHS over immigration enforcement.

...
Later in 2021, the company held a press conference bemoaning anti-black racism with a left-wing attorney. Cole Sr. and Benjamin Crump, who represented the family of Trayvon Martin, attempted to sic the Biden Department of Justice on a local Tennessee prosecutor who had raised questions about the bail bond company.

Cole and his father ran multiple bail bond companies specializing in helping illegal immigrants avoid jail. Public records show the father relocated to Knoxville, Tenn., around 2017. One company even sued the Trump administration's DHS over immigration policies, claiming its clients were unfairly penalized when they missed court dates, but the D.C. Court of Appeals rejected all their claims just weeks before Cole allegedly planted pipe bombs. In fact, Cole Jr. had already been buying bomb-making parts as early as May 2019 -- long before any disputes over election results.

But on Friday morning, the mainstream media started pushing the narrative that Cole is a Trump supporter who "believed conspiracy theories about the 2020 election."

"The man charged with planting two pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican party headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol told the FBI he believed conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, according to two people familiar with the matter," NBC News reported.

CNN published the same story. See the link for that.

Noted Fusion Slut and RussiaGate Hoaxer Natasha Bertrand is pushing this story too:

Posted by Ace at 06:30 PM Comments

The Week In Woke

—Ace

How many trillions does the Racism, Inc. grift cost us?

[T]here's one aspect of this industrial-scale robbery of the American people that feels especially chilling: It's this: When officials raised concerns about one of the Somali scams, the scammers threatened to publicly brand them as "racist."
You will be tarred with the brush of "racism," the fraudsters warned, and it will be "sprawled all over the news."

And here's the thing: it worked.

The officials crumbled in the face of the scammers' shameless playing of the "racism" card.

They carried on funding what they suspected was a sketchy outfit, so desperate were they to avoid being called "racist.".

This reveals a chilling truth not only about Minnesota but about the West more broadly.

It speaks to the lethal power of the racism grift.

It confirms that accusations of "racism" have become a key weapon in the armory of the duplicitous.

Even the state itself can now be cowed by mere whispers of the r-word.

It was Feeding Our Future that aroused the suspicion of state officials.

The Minnesota Department of Education was alarmed by the number of "feeding sites" that were popping up.

Yet the Somali scammers knew how to silence their doubters -- just cry "racism."

You will be in trouble if you fail to fund "minority-owned businesses," they said, and the Department of Education buckled.

"The money kept flowing," as one report says.

It was blackmail. Minnesota officials essentially handed wads of cash to the scammers to buy their silence, to shush their talk of "racism."

They gave away the taxes of working-class Americans in order to save their own bureaucratic skin -- such is the hypnotic power of the "racism" panic.

And it's not just in the United States; throughout the Western world, state officials are so scared of being called racist that they'll even turn a blind eye to criminal behavior.

Here in the UK, the "grooming gang" scandal was underpinned by the same moral cowardice.

White working-class girls in towns across England were raped by gangs of men from mostly Pakistani backgrounds, and everyone from cops to politicians looked the other way.

Why? Because, as one inquiry found, they feared "being thought of as racist."

Forget the trillions of dollars stolen -- how many needless deaths does the Racism, Inc. scam cost us?

A new book about George and Alexander Soros' project to elect leftwing anti-justice prosecutors notes their success, as they define it.

As Soros spokesman Michael Vachon admitted, "We started a movement . . . the knee-jerk, so-called tough-on-crime philosophy has been discredited in many communities."
He is right, and the results are catastrophic.

The foundational belief these progressive DAs share is that systemic social change, not aggressive prosecution, is the answer to crime.

...

It meant the effective elimination of criminal justice, putting more criminals -- even repeat offenders -- back on the streets.

This week an NYU student was assaulted in Greenwich Village by James Rizzo, a recidivist criminal with 16 arrests and a lengthy record of assaulting women.

Last week in Chicago Lawrence Reed, a man with a 72-arrest record and eight felony convictions, set a young woman on fire on the CTA Blue Line.

In Denver last month, repeat offender Charles Cooley broke into the home of Kevin and Sarah Root. After posting a $500 surety bond, Cooley is back on the street ("awaiting trial").

And these harrowing stories aren't one-offs; they reflect the data showing how Soros-backed prosecutors worsened crime.

In 2021 Philadelphia, under Soros DA Larry Krasner, broke its all-time murder record -- as did 12 other cities with progressive DAs.

In Chicago under DA Kim Foxx, overall reported crime skyrocketed by 369% between 2019 and 2023, driven largely by huge jumps in property crimes like motor vehicle theft.

Other major cities saw similar spikes.

In Oregon, under the direction of Soros-funded DA Mike Schmidt, drug decriminalization policies coincided with a huge spike in drug overdose fatalities, which more than tripled from 280 in 2019 to 956 in 2022.

I have never seen a man crush his testicles harder than this dude. pic.twitter.com/rey7LBeSOa
— BORED (@BoredElonMusk) December 4, 2025

Adam Carolla has been pointing out that ball-less leftist "men" have been crossing their legs like women for years.

Tim Walz, who has joked about "getting some news" about Trump being murdered and never apologized for it, is now complaining that people are shouting out "Retard!" at him after Trump declared him to be "seriously retarded."

People are driving by his house and shouting "Retard!" And this fat retarded queen is very angry about it.

JUST IN: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is now whining that people are driving by his house yelling “retard” and pouting that Republicans won’t rush to defend him.

Did he not forget he was calling Trump and his supporters fascists and equating them to Hitler? This guy is a joke! pic.twitter.com/GEdcNjU4yK
— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) December 4, 2025

He is claiming that calling him a retard is "dangerous" and incites violence.

And he still hasn't apologized for wishing for Trump's murder.

BREAKING: Governor Tim Walz asks you to stop calling him "retarded", saying it might "incite vioIence" pic.twitter.com/EFX2HXaNM8
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) December 4, 2025

Don't click this, it might incite violence.

Camus
@newstart_2024

Bret Weinstein just said something that won't leave my head:

For the first time in 300,000 years of human evolution, we removed the cost from the single biggest reward nature ever invented -- sex and pair-bonding.

Reliable birth control + abortion = you can now cash the evolutionary lottery ticket without paying the 20-year mortgage of pregnancy, diapers, sleepless nights, and college funds.

Result? An entire generation of 18--35-year-olds walking around with the energy, libido, hormones, and protective instincts that evolution spent millions of years calibrating for child-rearing... but with zero actual children. That energy didn't disappear. It got redirected.

Heather Heying's observation is brutal: young women especially began treating ideologies the exact way evolution wired them to treat babies. Climate change, social justice, whatever the cause of the month is -- it gets defended with literal mama-bear ferocity, the same neurochemistry that once guarded a toddler from predators now guards an abstract idea from wrong think.

And now Elon is promising the second shoe is about to drop: AI-driven abundance will make money as "free" as sex became in the 1970s. Both of evolution's primary carrots -- mating and resource acquisition suddenly cost almost nothing.

Weinstein's ice-cold question: When producing and protecting actual children is no longer the central organizing principle of adult life... and when creating wealth is no longer required for status, security, or attracting a mate...What is left to give a human life direction, meaning, and structure?

Are we about to become a species that invents bigger and bigger dragons to slay just to feel alive? Or do we drift into total listlessness? This 3:52 clip is genuinely haunting.

Watch it all the way through, then tell me -- honestly -- does this explain the absolute intensity we're seeing in culture right now, or is Bret completely missing something?

Video here.

Work hard. Remember, there are foreign layabouts on food stamps and Somali pirates depending on you!

“Some days I want to give up but there’s people on benefits depending on me.”

People who graft and work in all conditions to help fund Migrant benefits.

I mean you would laugh if it wasn’t so sad and true. pic.twitter.com/h8PuZgRBM7
— Benonwine (@benonwine) December 2, 2025

Close it up

Posted by Ace at 05:30 PM Comments

Quick Hits

—Ace

A liberal grand jury has refused to indict Big Tish James for her obvious, blatant mortgage fraud.

A leftwing judge dismissed the first indictment, claiming that the prosecutor was illegally appointed.

Another prosecutor brought the charges to a new grand jury.

Now that the left has made Big Tish a cause celebré, they're determined that she should go unpunished.

A federal grand jury in Virginia refused Thursday to bring charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, shutting down -- at least for now -- the Justice Department's revived attempt to prosecute her over mortgage fraud allegations. According to sources familiar with the closed-door proceedings, prosecutors empaneled a new jury to review revised charges, only to have them tossed a second time.
James, 67, had previously been hit with two felony counts for alleged bank fraud and submitting false statements tied to a six-figure loan she secured in 2020 to buy a second home in Norfolk. She has repeatedly dismissed the accusations as political and baseless. In a Thursday statement, James thanked the jurors, adding she was "humbled by the support I have received from across the country" and would continue "standing up for the rule of law and the people of New York."

The first indictment -- returned Oct. 9 in Alexandria -- never got off the ground. On Nov. 24, U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie threw it out entirely, ruling that acting U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan was improperly appointed and had "no lawful authority" to bring charges in the first place. The decision blindsided DOJ leadership, prompting Attorney General Pam Bondi to announce that the department would pursue "all available legal action, including an immediate appeal." Bondi also vowed to challenge separate lying-to-Congress and obstruction counts against former FBI Director James Comey, which prosecutors have six months to revise or refile.

That six-month window applies here as well. Because the judge dismissed James's case without prejudice, prosecutors could return with yet another indictment -- though Thursday's outcome makes that path steeper. Abbe Lowell, the high-profile Democrat attorney representing James, told CNN the decision "should be the end of this case," claiming that continued pursuit after a judge's ruling and a grand jury's rejection would be a "shocking assault on the rule of law and a devastating blow to the integrity of our justice system."

Note that no one is reporting the grand jury is liberal. I make this assertion based on the fact that it sits in one of the most liberal areas of the country -- northern coastal Virginia, where all the leftwing federal bureaucrats live, the reason that former Confederate state Virginia is now as blue as Brian Stelter's withered balls -- and that they rejected a slam-dunk indictment. Only a political jury nullification can explain this.

In better legal news, an appeals court has reversed a Lowly Lawless District Court judge who blocked Trump's firing of an "independent" board member, claiming the Executive cannot fire Executive branch employees. By 2-1, the three judge appeals panel asserted that yes, the Executive, get this, has power over the employees of the Executive Branch.

The Supreme Court will probably finally overrule the bad decision in the Humprhey's Executor case that claimed the President cannot fire his subordinates. The Supreme Court has largely hollowed that ruling out by finding exceptions her and exceptions there; they may now take the necessary step of just wiping this bad precedent off the books.

Warner Bros. has been up for sale for a while. Skydance/Paramount tried to buy it, but their offer was rejected.

Now Netflix has bought Warner Bros., further consolodating the media into a few left-wing hands.

Netflix @netflix
4h

Today, Netflix announced our acquisition of Warner Bros. Together, we'll define the next century of storytelling, creating an extraordinary entertainment offering for audiences everywhere.

On Black Friday, there was an offer for 12 months of HBO Max for $3/month. I said "what the heck" and signed up, mostly for the very big library of older movies that HBO offers. Those are all (or mostly) Warner Bros. movies. I wonder if this deal will wind up taking those older movies off of HBO's servers to save them for Netflix.

Amusing... but Warner Bros. was already doing this. In their very unnecessary Harry Potter remake series -- commissioned purely to exploit Warner Bros' existing IP and get Warner/Discovery a little bit closer to solvent -- they already announced that Hermoine and Snape would be black.

Under pressure from the FCC, AT&T says it's abandoning illegal DEI race discrimination.

The move follows years of controversy, much of it fueled by revelations that AT&T's internal training materials pushed the notion that racism was a "uniquely white trait" and urged white employees to accept blame as part of a broader critical-race-theory framework. Those claims first surfaced in 2021 through documents obtained by researcher Christopher Rufo, who reported that the company's curriculum told white staffers they "are the problem." The backlash never fully subsided -- and with Carr signaling that companies seeking key FCC licenses would need to demonstrate they are not running discriminatory programs, the pressure point became impossible for AT&T to ignore.
In a letter sent Monday to Carr, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel David McAtee said the company has overhauled its employment and business practices "to ensure compliance with all applicable laws," emphasizing that the changes would be substantive, not cosmetic. According to AT&T, that means no hiring quotas, no supplier-contract quotas, no race-based training, and no positions devoted to policing identity-based metrics. DEI courses have been stripped from employee requirements, and the company says it will not resurrect them.

We'll see if they just continue the illegal race and sex discrimination under a different name.

Eric S. Raymond
@esrtweet

I'm coining a term today: "bludgeonspeak".

Bludgeonspeak is the use of invented terminology, or historical terminology that has been hijacked and corrupted, and then emptied of all meaning except as an attempt at moral blackmail.

Here are some notable bludgeonspeak items in 2025: "racist", "fascist", "homophobe", "transphobe", "islamophobe", "far-right". Also, the term "genocide" might not be quite there yet, but it's being pushed in that direction pretty hard.

Some bludgeonspeak terms, like "fascist" and "racist" and "genocide", used to have substantive meanings which have been destroyed by persistent abuse. It may be appropriate to recognize and use those meanings if you are reading or writing or speaking about history.

Others, like "homophobe", "transphobe", and "islamophobe", were bludgeonspeak from birth. There are no circumstances in which these have substantive meaning, and it is unwise to treat them as though they do.

The only way to win is not to play. When somebody throws bludgeonspeak at you, call it out. State that you will not be controlled by their language, and you refuse to be assigned to a category you reject.

The key thing that people who employ bludgeonspeak don't want you to grasp is that these words only have the power over you that you allow them.

Once a term has been generally recognized as bludgeonspeak, it not only loses its power as direct moral blackmail, it can no longer be used as a social attack.

So: learn to recognize bludgeonspeak. Shut down the people who use it by refusing to give it power. And educate other people about this manipulation tactic, so that they too can reject it.

You can prevent semantic manipulation. All it takes is the will to do so.

This must hurt: Because Trump pardoned a pair of J6 non-insurrectionists, they're entitled to have the money they paid for restitution and fines given back to them.

The judge forced to order their restoration of funds is the corrupt, highly-impeachable rogue Judge Boasberg.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has ordered that a couple pardoned by President Trump for their convictions regarding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot be refunded their restitution payments and fines, reversing his earlier decision.
On Wednesday, Boasberg ruled that because of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision, Cynthia Ballenger and her husband, Christopher Price, are to be refunded the $570 each in restitution payments and other fees paid as a part of their convictions, Fox News reported.

Gavin Newsom is shielding the killer of an 11-year-old boy from deportation.

ICE announced Tuesday that it lodged an immigration detainer with the San Diego Sheriff's Office for 44-year-old criminal Mexican national Hector Balderas-Aheelor after he was arrested for a felony hit-and-run that killed 11-year-old Aiden Antonio Torres De Paz a day before Thanksgiving. The DHS' press release said the arrest detainer would not be honored because California is a sanctuary state.
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Newsom's press office responded in a post calling the allegation a "complete lie."

"As we have repeatedly said: The state coordinates with ICE on the deportation of convicted criminals. California honors federal criminal warrants. Nothing prohibits the federal government from doing its job in this case," the post states.

Just over an hour later, DHS responded in a follow-up tweet claiming the governor's office was "playing word games to keep an illegal alien murderer in America."

"California REJECTED the ICE detainer for an illegal alien charged with killing an 11-year-old boy. Gavin Newsom says he'll only cooperate with ICE if the criminal illegal alien is CONVICTED, meaning California will let him roam free even though he's been arrested for FELONY hit-and-run," the department wrote.

Along with its criticism, DHS included a cropped picture of an immigration detainer's rejection on Sunday, with a note reading, "No qualifying criminal history, however current charge would qualify upon conviction with a new 1247 from ICE."

Following publication, the department provided the Daily Caller News Foundation with the full filing, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issuing a statement calling out Newsom and the state's politicians.

"The sanctuary politicians of California and Governor Newsom once again REFUSED to protect the safety and security of American families," McLaughlin told the DCNF. "It's despicable that our ICE arrest detainer of a criminal illegal alien who killed an 11-year-old boy would be rejected. When will Governor Newsom and his fellow sanctuary politicians stop releasing criminals into our neighborhoods and putting American lives at risk?"

The left has new book out about the sacrament of killing an unborn child: Abortion is Everything.

The book isn't intended for 21 year old women already on their third abortion.

It's intended for 5-to-8 year olds.

Get 'em while they're young.

The Shout Your Abortion IG post celebrates this book as a way to “normalize” abortion for children in kindergarten through 2nd grade.

But why even introduce such a violent, adult topic to kids who still sleep with stuffed animals and ask for night lights?

Because reshaping… pic.twitter.com/8MZ5WcSM9g
— Jenna Ellis 🐊 (@realJennaEllis) December 3, 2025

If you had any doubt, the book is hardcore pro-abortion propaganda designed to appeal to little children in ways designed to appeal to child-like mind.

The official book description proudly states:
"Abortion Is Everything speaks directly to five to eight-year-olds about what abortion is, how it might feel, and why people have abortions. With accessible, inclusive language, Abortion Is Everything frames abortion as the actualization of a uniquely human superpower: our capacity to imagine the future and make choices that lead us towards the life we envision. Abortion is a tool that allows human beings to shape our destinies, and which has shaped the entire world around us."

She has mostly been spared the embarrassment of this performance by mainstream coverage. But it should be clowned on bc it’s very dumb that she put on a Nudie Suit and sang Dolly on the last night of the campaign after being caught on tape saying she hates country music. And you… https://t.co/NSYRsI9rNS
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) December 4, 2025

America First or something. https://t.co/d7TenzFW0e
— Chris Loesch 𝕏 (@ChrisLoesch) December 4, 2025

Close it up

Posted by Ace at 04:30 PM Comments

DOJ Sues Six Democrat-Controlled States to Force Them to Clean Up Their Dirty Fraudulent Voting Rolls

—Ace

The DOJ is suing six Democrat-controlled states for refusing to turn over their voter registration rolls for checking for fraud.

Gee I wonder why they're refusing. I was informed, for example, that 2020 featured the most secure and honest vote in history.

The Justice Department has sued six Democrat-led states for refusing to provide their voter registration rolls.
The department announced Tuesday that it filed all six lawsuits against Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

"Accurate voter rolls are the cornerstone of fair and free elections, and too many states have fallen into a pattern of noncompliance with basic voter roll maintenance," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. "The Department of Justice will continue filing proactive election integrity litigation until states comply with basic election safeguards."

...

"Our federal elections laws ensure every American citizen may vote freely and fairly," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division said.

"States that continue to defy federal voting laws interfere with our mission of ensuring that Americans have accurate voter lists as they go to the polls, that every vote counts equally, and that all voters have confidence in election results. At this Department of Justice, we will not stand for this open defiance of federal civil rights laws."

John Solomon says the actual number of Democrat states being forced to clean up their voter rolls is 26. I suppose that twenty agreed to do so when demanded, and six refused, necessitating the suit.

He says this will have big implications for 2026.

Posted by Ace at 03:30 PM Comments

We Absolutely Must Defund the "Universities"

—Ace

A trans professor -- we're already off to a great start -- failed a student for disagreeing with him that trans women are women (snap!)

A freshman at the University of Oklahoma says she was punished in the classroom not for poor writing or missed instructions, but for quoting Scripture -- and now the school is scrambling to contain the fallout.
On Sunday, officials in Norman confirmed they had placed a graduate instructor on administrative leave after 19-year-old Samantha Fulnecky filed a complaint alleging she was failed on an essay because she cited the Bible to defend traditional gender roles. The instructor, identified in university records as Mel Curth -- a biological male who identifies as a woman -- gave her zero out of 25 points on a psychology assignment that asked students to respond to an article about how society perceives gender.

Fulnecky told The Oklahoman that she argued gender isn't a social invention at all, but part of God's design. She quoted Genesis directly: "God says that it is not good for man to be alone, so He created a helper for man (which is a woman)." She even went deeper into the Hebrew, explaining that ezer kenegdo doesn't mean a subordinate assistant but "helper equal to," a description the Bible also uses for God Himself. In her view, rejecting the concept of gender erases moral truth: "Eliminating gender in our society would be detrimental, as it pulls us farther from God's original plan for humans."

Curth reportedly dismissed her analysis outright, insisting she failed because she didn't use "empirical evidence" and labeling parts of her faith-based argument "offensive." Fulnecky pushed back, noting the prompt never required empirical sourcing and that university policy explicitly protects religious expression. "To be what I think is clearly discriminated against for my beliefs and using freedom of speech, and especially for my religious beliefs, I think that's just absurd," she told the paper.

The university appeared to sense the legal danger immediately. In a Sunday post on X, OU said it "takes seriously concerns involving First Amendment rights, certainly including religious freedoms," and stressed that once Fulnecky complained, the school "acted swiftly to address the matter." Officials said she was contacted the same day they received her letter and that a formal grade-appeal process "resulted in steps to ensure no academic harm to the student." The school also confirmed that its discrimination review process -- the one specifically designed for cases involving alleged violations of religious liberty -- "has been activated."

Most notably, OU announced that Curth had been pulled from the classroom pending the outcome of the investigation and replaced by a full-time professor to "ensure fairness."

90% of college dummies believe that "words can be violence."

Which then leads to the conclusion favored by Marxists: And you can use actual violence to stop "word violence."

Nine out of ten undergraduate students think that "words can be violence" at least "somewhat," according to a new Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression survey.
The poll also showed that ideological gaps between left-leaning and right-leaning students are widening.

When respondents were asked how much the statement "words can be violence" describes their thoughts, 47 percent answered with "completely" or "mostly." Twenty-eight percent said it describes their thoughts "somewhat," and 15 percent said "slightly."

Additionally, around 59 percent of students said "silence is violence" describes their views at least "somewhat," though only 28 percent said it describes their thoughts "completely" or "mostly."

"When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words," FIRE Chief Research Advisor Sean Stevens said in a news release following the poll.

"Even after the murder of Charlie Kirk at a speaking event, college students think that someone's words can be a threat. This is antithetical to a free and open society, where words are the best alternative to political violence," Stevens said.

The poll also showed that moderate and conservative students have grown less supportive of disruptive or violent tactics to stop campus speakers, while liberal students' support for those tactics has stayed the same or risen slightly compared to the spring.

At the same time, moderate and conservative students have become more open to allowing controversial speakers, while liberal students have maintained or increased their opposition to those speakers.

Not coincidentally, Americans now understand that paying for a four year degree in Transgender Studies -- and all colleges now teach is Transgender Studies of various flavors, like Science Transgender Studies, Law Transgender Studies, Math Transgender Studies, etc. -- is an "expensive scam."

More Americans are wising up to the fact that higher education has become a raw deal for all too many young people.
A new NBC News poll finds that a full 63% of voters believe a four-year college degree now isn't worth it, since many students graduate with "a large amount of debt" but no "specific job skills."

That's up markedly from 2013, when a majority took the opposite view, as 53% called a degree "worth the cost because people have a better chance to get a good job and earn more money over their lifetime."

That was the case for generations of Americans, who saw college as a key step to higher-paying jobs and a better life: "Upwardly mobile" was almost entirely synonymous with "college-educated."

But over the last few decades, the dynamic has shifted: Far too many college degrees guarantee nothing ... except onerous debt.

Tuition costs have skyrocketed, doubling over the last 20 years (a redoubling from two decades earlier), as universities jacked up prices to match increased "help" such as federal aid and ever-larger government-facilitated student loans.

But in return for 70 grand or more a year, students today too often don't get prepared for a lucrative or even stable career.

Countless colleges have transformed into woke indoctrination factories that churn out grads with liberal arts degrees and zero specialized skills.

A report last year found that two-thirds of colleges require DEI-related courses to graduate, offering classes like "Understanding Diversity in a Pluralistic Society" and "Abolition of Whiteness."

Why take on huge debt to be pummeled nonstop with identity politics?

Meanwhile, grade inflation and faculties increasingly dominated by leftist ideologues reduce the return even on "real" classes.

Plus, a rapidly changing economy is making white-collar jobs an increasingly unsafe bet.

Prospective students once could safely bet that a hard science or math degree was a sure winner, but the rise of AI is already wiping out options for recent grads in countless sectors, including tech.

Americans have noticed: College enrollment has plummeted these last few years, while numbers of Gen Zers are eyeing high-paying, high-demand careers as welders, plumbers and electricians.

Trade school was once stigmatized as a less-appealing option than the hallowed halls of the Ivy League, but a less expensive, more focused education that teaches a highly valuable skill now often seems the far wiser choice.

This is the "science" that we are now paying universities to produce.

🚨BREAKING: @Nature has just published one of the most insane papers imaginable. In woke studies, “feminist queer crip theory” leads the pack in terms of derangement.

But Nature has now embraced it, publishing an autoethnographic paper about “crip guts,” “queer stoma pride,” the… pic.twitter.com/MdprVLEMzR
— Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) December 1, 2025

The word "stoma" means an opening in the body, particularly in the digestive tract. I think They/Them means the anus, because the "pride" this pyrsyn wants to discuss is the pride in They/Them's queer poop.

No, that's not a joke, that's what the paper is about.

The retard wrote a paper about how They/Them has "crip guts" and can't shit straight and all the world needs to know about that and that will upend how we practice colonialist Western science.

Colin Wright @SwipeWright
BREAKING: @Nature has just published one of the most insane papers imaginable. In woke studies, "feminist queer crip theory" leads the pack in terms of derangement.

But Nature has now embraced it, publishing an autoethnographic paper about "crip guts," "queer stoma pride," the "intergenerational trauma" inflicted upon the author's guts by "British colonialism in Ireland," and how crip guts bestow people with "situated ways of knowing" that undermines "Western biomedical models of knowledge production."

A real quote from the paper:

"I was processing some memories around my gut condition and became overwhelmed with sadness and grief. It felt ridiculous explaining to the (English) therapist what had come up because the only way I could describe it was famine grief. The Irish Famine of the 1800s is of course before my time, but in that therapy session I felt overwhelmed with a grief that felt larger than my own. I made sense of this feeling through the framework of intergenerational trauma and described it as feeling the pain of the famine lingering in my guts."

The author calls for "queer stoma pride," which celebrates "the leakiness of bodies which disrupt boundaries" and "requires more collective and relational modes of knowledge production which value embodied experiential knowledge, holistic healing, and reject the idea that normality is a neutral desirable location." It further "focuses on imaginings of alternative, more expansive bodily futures which foreground agency and a joyous plurality of bodies beyond category, refusing the idea that non-normative bodies are a site of unwantedness."

She hopes that the concept of "crip guts" will "disrupt epistemic injustice and challenge Western biomedical models of knowledge production," though she gives no concrete instructions about how that looks in practice.

Ultimately, she says "queer stoma pride" is "about talking about poop at conferences and in journal articles," and "revelling in not being normal, being unexpected or disruptive, and rejecting colonial, queerphobic and ableist discourses around returning to normal, passing as normal, and aiming for normal, as if normal was ever a good thing."

BTW, I finished up all the day's posts at 2pm. I'm taking the rest of the week off.

Best time of the week!!!!

Close it up

Posted by Ace at 02:30 PM Comments

Ilhan "Omar" Nur, Immigration Fraudster and America's Sweetheart, Just So Happeened to Have Ties with the Somali Pirates Behind the Biggest Theft of Taxpayer Funds in American History

—Ace

Throw her in jail, then deport her.

US Rep. Ilhan Omar's close ties to the $1 billion welfare scam in her Minnesota congressional district are being uncovered.
Omar (D-Minn.) held parties at one of the key restaurants named in the fraud, knew one of its now-convicted owners, and one of her own staffers has also been convicted -- both for stealing millions.

Ilhan Omar, the far-left "Squad" congresswoman, has been eerily silent on the billion-dollar welfare fraud scheme that was centered in her Minnesota district.
Omar even introduced the bill that led to $250 million in fraud. Yet she claims to have been completely unaware of it.

"[Rep. Omar] knew who these people were. People she personally knew were making tens of millions of dollars in this program," claimed Bill Glahn, a policy fellow with the Minnesota-based Center of the American Experiment, to The Post.

"She had been inside the [Safari] facility on numerous occasions and couldn't put 2 and 2 together? Either she's terminally naive, or knew and didn't care," Glahn added.

Around $250 million was handed out by the Minnesota government to provide meals to schoolchildren during the pandemic from 2020 onward.

Instead, it was pocketed by corrupt business owners, including Salim Ahmed Said. He's the co-owner of Safari Restaurant, where Omar held her 2018 congressional victory party.

Said was found guilty in August of stealing over $12 million for serving 3.9 million "phantom" meals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He blew much of the money on a $2 million Minneapolis mansion and a $9,000-a-month shopping habit at Nordstrom, according to prosecutors.

Said ran a fake food site called Advance Youth Athletic Development, where he falsely claimed to serve 5,000 meals a day -- and pocketed $3.2 million from the food program.

Omar has not been directly linked to the scandal, according to prosecutorial documents. Her office did not respond to a request for comment from The Post.

The free meals were made possible by the 2020 MEALS Act, which was introduced by Omar and passed with bipartisan support.

Most of the money in Minneapolis was funneled through the now-defunct nonprofit Feeding Our Future.

It allowed both nonprofits and for-profit businesses to be reimbursed with taxpayer money for feeding kids by dramatically loosening oversight, waiving site inspections, and allowing bulk take-home food, with almost no verification.

...

In 2021, when Minnesota's Department of Education (MDE) flagged that organization for irregularities and "serious deficiencies" such as incomplete audits, a top aide to Omar, deputy district director Ali Isse, came rushing to their defense, in a newly resurfaced video.

He spoke at a gala praising the "vital work" of Feeding Our Families and blasted state agencies for asking too many questions.

"I'm tired of the MDE thing. How many more do we have to fight against?" the top Omar associate, who has not been indicted or directly linked to the fraud, said during the impassioned speech.

He also blamed the unwanted attention from authorities on racism and rallied the "community" to stick together. Isse did not immediately return The Post's request for comment.

Plot twist. Are you as surprised as I am?

Select your answer below:

"After Obama's staffer blame criticism of the Somali pirates and raiders on racism, I am...

A) "less surprised than Ace"

B) "more surprised than Ace"

C) "equally surprised as Ace"

D) "The Joe Bloggs Answer"

Whistleblowers have claimed the fear of being called racist meant government officials were reluctant to prosecute the scheme to its full extent early on.

It's almost as if killers, rapists, and thieves use the "Muh Racism" accusation to continue committing heinous crimes without punishment.

...
A different Omar campaign official, a Democratic activist named Guhaad Hashi Said, pleaded guilty in August to running a fake food site called Advance Youth Athletic Development, where he falsely claimed to serve 5,000 meals a day and pocketed $3.2 million out of the food program.

Said worked on Omar's 2018 and 2020 campaigns as an "enforcer" who oversaw aggressive voter mobilization in the Somali community, according to local Alphanews.org.

Somali immigrant Mukhtar Shariff was one of the 78 people to be convicted to date.

...

Omar and Said frequently attended events together. Numerous Facebook photos apparently shared by Said show him with Omar, including a smiling selfie together.

"This is a clan-based society, everybody knows everybody else and it's only open to those folks in that clan," Gaither said of the Somali immigrants.

Others receiving fraudulent money from the charity scam were donors to Omar's campaign.

A few months ago we learned that Ilhan "Omar" Nur's net worth had absolutely skyrocketed in the past few years.

C3 @C_3C_3
Dec 2

Ilhan Omar's net worth...

1995: Arrives in America in with 0 wealth.
2020: -$65K
2021: $65K
2022: $115K
2023: $205K
2024: $30 million

Evil America and the white man must not be that bad.

29 years in America and Ilhan is now worth $30 million dollars.

What a scam.

She claims her wealth came from her "husband's" company or investments or some obvious bullshit like that. Given the timing of her explosion in wealth, let's just say I suspect a different source.

This isn't just an idle speculation. Somali pirates have "donated" -- paid in bribery -- $50,000+ to Democrat politicians for protection, and that's just the money reported in FEC filings.

Minnesota Democratic lawmakers, including the Attorney General, were handed over $53,000 in campaign contributions by fraudsters who ripped off taxpayer cash meant to feed children.
AG Keith Ellison, his councilman son, mayor Jacob Frey, Representative Ilhan Omar and others received cash from the scammers who siphoned off some $250 million, largely through nonprofit Feeding Our Future. Many did so after meeting the crooks, raising questions about how much they knew.

"I'm not here because I think it's going to help my re-election," Ellison said during an encounter with Somali business leaders, two of whom later became criminal defendants linked to the scandal, according to audio obtained by the Center of the American Experiment.

However, days after the December 11, 2021 meeting, Ellison's campaign took in $10,000 from the businessmen. Gandi Mohamed made a maximum $2,500 donation to Ellison's re-election campaign. He was indicted on federal bribery and fraud charges last year.

Three more $2,500 donations linked to Feeding Our Future were also accepted by Ellison's campaign on the same day.

President Trump delivered a blistering rebuke of Minnesota's Somali migrant community during a cabinet meeting Tuesday, arguing that those who "come from hell" should return home and rebuild their own country rather than "complain" about the United States. His remarks cut sharply against years of Democrat-backed refugee policies that brought nearly 100,000 Somali migrants to the state despite persistent concerns about crime, fraud, and cultural assimilation.
"They come from hell and they complain and do nothing but bitch," Trump said, declaring, "We don't want them in our country. Let them go back to where they came from and fix it." He described Somalia as a nation that "stinks" and has remained broken for decades, adding that its dysfunction is no accident: "Their country is no good for a reason."

.@POTUS tells it like it is about ungrateful Somali refugees amid the Minnesota fraud scandal:

"When they come from hell and they complain and do nothing but bitch — we don't want them in our country. Let 'em go back to where they came from and fix it." 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fuaAKP8VsW
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 2, 2025

Also related: Minneapolis' chief of police tells his Somali pirate constituents that if ICE attempts to arrest them, call 911, and the police will come to... openly make war on federal agents?

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara knows exactly what he’s doing and he should be held accountable for it. pic.twitter.com/dea0Gl0dwF
— Todd Pryll (@ttpryll) December 2, 2025

He says "intervene." Intervene how? By attempting a false arrest of federal agents? And when they draw weapons to stop the attempted kidnapping of them by lawless local police, what then?

BREAKING: MPD Police Chief O’Hara asks for forgiveness for exposing the reality of Somali criminal activity in Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/SFkWW2ZSXy
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 21, 2025

We cannot live like this.

Close it up

Posted by Ace at 01:20 PM Comments

The Media Doesn't Know the Politics of the J5 Bomber, But They Can Say Defnitively That Brian Cole, Jr. is "A White Man"

—Ace

The FBI traced electronic credit card purchases to find the J5 Bomber.

As you know, credit card receipts first started being kept by banks and vendors earlier this year -- I think it was late August -- so obviously Christopher Wray's Straight Shooters couldn't have taken this very obvious investigatory step.

The FBI carefully analyzed the Jan. 6 pipe bomber suspect's credit card purchases to isolate the components allegedly used to manufacture the two bombs, the newly filed criminal complaint obtained by Just the News shows.
The complaint, filed secretly on Wednesday, provides a detailed account of how the FBI identified and tracked the prime suspect in the case. It shows the FBI relied on a bank checking account and six different credit cards associated with suspect Brian Cole Jr. to the break in the case.

Notably, Cole appears to have compiled some of the materials the FBI alleges he used to construct the bombs long before the 2020 presidential election, the results of which preceded the Capitol riot which took place on Jan. 6, 2021, the same day the pipe bombs were discovered at the Democratic and Republican National Committees. The pipe bombs allegedly place the night before.

"During 2019 and 2020, COLE purchased multiple items consistent with the components that were used to manufacture the pipe bombs placed at the RNC and DNC. COLE used the Accounts to purchase these items from physical retail locations in northern Virginia," wrote an FBI special agent in the affidavit submitted to the court.

According to the charging document, Cole appears to have purchased "six galvanized pipes" matching those used in the pipe bombs on or about June 1, June 8, and November 16, 2020 at two different Home Depot locations in Northern Virginia. Cole also allegedly purchased "a mix of both black and galvanized end caps" on or about October 22, 2019, and March 10, June 20, July 8, and November 16, 2020.

The timers identified in the FBI laboratory analysis of the pipe bombs were allegedly purchased by Cole in June 2020 from a Walmart in northern Virginia.

Who could have imagined that a case about timer-detonated pipe bombs would be cracked by searching credit card purchases of pipes and timers? I award Christopher Wray the Straight Shooter Hypercompetent Professional Medal.

I don't like jumping on a conspiracy theory but I'm beginning to actually wonder if Biden and Wray deliberately tanked this investigation.

People on X are making claims about the bomber that I don't see being reported by the media yet. But given the media's credibility, I'm provisionally trusting X posters.

Benny Johnson @bennyjohnson
14h

The January 6th pipe bomber terrorist was...

- a young black guy
- radical anti-Trump activist
- sued Trump & ICE & DHS
- extreme racial justice advocate
- works at his family bail bonds company that frees criminal aliens from ICE custody

Yeah, this explains exactly why the FBI & DOJ could not "find" this guy for 4 years. The Biden FBI had mountains of evidence against Brian Cole. Receipts, cell data, license plate, photos and videos of the crime. They knew exactly who did it!

But Brian's profile destroys their entire 'MAGA white supremacist insurrection bomber' narrative in one blow.

The FBI didn't "fail" to catch him.

Leftists protected their own.

This is the biggest FBI cover-up scandal in history. What a nightmare...

@C_3 C_3
The J6 Pipe Bomber Brian Cole Jr comes from a far Left BLM family whose father sued the Trump Administration and wanted the Biden Administration to address "racism".

He had the same attorney as Trayvon Martin.

Does Chris Wray not arresting him make sense now?

Julie Kelly points out that the bomber bought the pipes for the pipe bombs, surprise, during the peak of the George Floyd Mostly Peaceful Riots. Months and months before he planted them in January. Suggesting he might have wanted to bomb targets during the riots.

Jake Tapper immediately pronounced Brian Cole, Jr., known for playing "Urkel" on Family Matters, guilty of the worst crime: Tapper claimed Cole was "a white man."

CNN anchor Jake Tapper was ripped by critics Thursday after he wrongly referred to accused DC pipe-bomber Brian Cole Jr. as "a white man."
Tapper made the cringeworthy gaffe while discussing the arrest of Cole, who is black, during his opening segment on "The Lead."

His "white man" comment came at 5:01 p.m., around the time CNN was the first outlet to publish a photo of Cole's face that originated from the suspect's mother's Instagram account.

Cole's father is also black and once enlisted the services of Ben Crump, an attorney best known for his racial discrimination cases.

Viewers were stunned by Tapper's misrepresentation of the alleged pipe bomber.

"You can't make this stuff up," conservative pundit Benny Johnson wrote on X.

"Jake is sharp as a tack. Nothing gets past him. Dude's elite!" another deadpanned.

"Its impossible that he does not know what he is doing," one user speculated.

Conservative influencer Nick Sorter accused CNN of pushing "anti-white rhetoric."

But others were more understanding.

"Not a fan of Jake, but the guys name is Brian -- that may be a top 3 white name. So understandable mistake," one user joked.

"Clearly he never looked at the graphics. Probably just read a script," another suggested.

Posted by Ace at 12:10 PM Comments

THE MORNING RANT: I’m Missing Classic Christmas Hymns at Church Christmas Concerts

—Buck Throckmorton

One of the seasonal treats I have always enjoyed is Christmas performances put on by choirs and orchestras, be they schoolchildren singing at the mall, or a church’s big annual Christmas concert, or a highly trained college troupe. At the risk of sounding too “Bah, humbug,” my enthusiasm for attending these performances is waning. It’s not because I no longer like the traditional Christmas standards, it’s because I miss those old Christmas standards.

While I don’t mind that choir directors want to “challenge” the audience with some new or unfamiliar Christmas tunes, I am annoyed that some of the shows I’ve attended in recent years have been virtually devoid of any familiar tunes. Even worse, some of the unfamiliar music is truly awful.

The big, local, Protestant church in my town has a beautiful tradition of putting on a Christmas show that the whole community is welcome to attend. It features an orchestra and three choirs (adult, youth, and children.) It has been a source of civic pride for many years, and my wife and I never miss it. But I may skip it this year, because if I want to hear what I consider “Christmas music” I might do better streaming a Christmas channel at home.

I’m not even saying that the show should only be songs like “Joy to the World” or “The First Noel.” I’d be thrilled to occasionally hear “Once in Royal David’s City” or some such. And if the choir director wants to challenge the audience, perhaps instead of doing some awkward patois to a Christmas calypso, the choir could perform the “Coventry Carol” with an explanation of Herod’s wrath upon hearing of the newborn king.

Back a decade ago, the performance I’m referencing included about 20 songs, of which about ten were very well-known Christmas hymns (“O Come All Ye Faithful” “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,” etc), five lesser-known but recognizable songs (e.g. “Bring a Torch,” “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” ) and five completely unknown songs, several of which deserved to become better known. That was a good mix, and I enjoyed being exposed to a few new-to-me songs.

But I’d guess that last year’s show included approximately 18 unknown songs, including several “folk songs” from developing countries. The only familiar tune before the finale was one sing-along medley of favorites such as “The First Noel.” The finale was a beautiful arrangement of the Hallelujah Chorus, which was much appreciated by the crowd hungering for a familiar melody.

Among the most awkward moments were the children’s choir singing a song no one in the building had ever heard before. If there was an actual melody, it was not discernible. All that needed to be done was to let the children sing “Away in a Manger” like thousands of other children’s choirs have done before. The kids would know the tune, as would everyone in the crowd, and the parents would beam with pride watching their kids singing that beloved song.

In that same show, the youth choir tried to phonetically sing in Latin to a song no one had ever heard before, which was also difficult to watch, and difficult to listen to. Please, just let them sing “Do You Hear What I Hear.” They’ll enjoy it more, and the audience will appreciate a simple song sung well.

There is so much beautiful Christmas music out there. Having that music performed live by talented singers and musicians is a gift from the performers to the audience. That is all that is expected.

I suppose it’s sort of like attending the touring show of a prominent band or musician. The audience loves the famous hits, performed the way they have always been played, and that is what the audience has shown up to see. Being introduced to some new stuff is expected and appreciated, but there is an obligation by the performer to play the greatest hits.

Let’s keep the great canon of Christmas music alive, and let’s hear those songs performed with the dignity and reverence they deserve!

On that note, here are a few old classics that I’d love to hear performed live by a choir and orchestra:

Posted by Buck Throckmorton at 11:00 AM Comments

Sunday Morning Book Thread - 12-07-2025 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]

—Open Blogger

PIC NOTE

REAL MEN BUILD LIBRARIES

WHY IS READING SO COMPETITIVE NOW?

MORON RECOMMENDATIONS

WHAT I'VE ACQUIRED THIS PAST WEEK:

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING THIS PAST WEEK:

Daily Tech News 7 December 2025

—Pixy Misa

Saturday Night "Club ONT" December 6, 2025 [The 3 Ds]

—Open Blogger

Saturday Evening Movie Thread [moviegique]: Rental Family

—Open Blogger

Hobby Thread - December 6, 2025 [TRex]

—Open Blogger

Ace of Spaces Pet Thread, December 6

—K.T.

Gardening, Home and Nature Thread, Dec. 6

—K.T.

Why THIS Story NOW?

—K.T.

The Classical Saturday Coffee Break & Prayer Revival

—Misanthropic Humanitarian

Daily Tech News 6 December 2025

—Pixy Misa

For Unlawful Carnal ONT

—WeirdDave

Unconscious Body Surfing Cafe

—Ace

Here We Go Again: Leftwing Propaganda Media Claims the Anti-Trump, Anti-ICE BLM Supporter Is Akshually MAGA

—Ace

The Week In Woke

—Ace

Quick Hits

—Ace

DOJ Sues Six Democrat-Controlled States to Force Them to Clean Up Their Dirty Fraudulent Voting Rolls

—Ace

We Absolutely Must Defund the "Universities"

—Ace

Ilhan "Omar" Nur, Immigration Fraudster and America's Sweetheart, Just So Happeened to Have Ties with the Somali Pirates Behind the Biggest Theft of Taxpayer Funds in American History

—Ace

The Media Doesn't Know the Politics of the J5 Bomber, But They Can Say Defnitively That Brian Cole, Jr. is "A White Man"

—Ace

THE MORNING RANT: I’m Missing Classic Christmas Hymns at Church Christmas Concerts

—Buck Throckmorton