Climbing Problems

Kids in the UK can't climb:

a survey from research group Savanta, for early years charity Kindred, has found that nearly half of the teachers in Wales and England in the poll reported a further decline in school readiness in the last year. As well as around one in four children reportedly not potty trained when they started school last September some also arrived with poor basic motor skills and underdeveloped muscles – thought to be the result of excessive screen use. Clumsiness, delayed walking, and pupils using Americanisms picked up from being online were also reported among school starters. Teachers agreed that lockdown restrictions had been a factor but one senior teacher told the survey: “There’s only so long you can blame Covid for that. I’m sorry but a lot of it comes down to parenting as well." Less than half (44%) of the 1,000 parents of reception-aged children who replied to a parallel survey said they thought children should know how to use books correctly, turning the pages rather than swiping or tapping as if using an electronic device, when they started school. But most, three in four, agreed that toilet training was something a child should have achieved before reception. Parents appeared to be over-confident though with nine in 10 judging their child ready for school against one in three teachers who said not. But both groups agreed that lack of access to health visitors was a factor.

Blame it on the screens...

No More Pronouns

Pronouns not required:

“Pronouns and any other information not permitted in the policy must be removed from CDC/ATSDR employee signatures by 5 p.m. ET on Friday,” the message stated. “Staff are being asked to alter signature blocks by 5 p.m. ET today (Friday, January 31, 2025) to follow the revised policy.” Similar Directives Across Federal Departments The Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a similar order to employees on Thursday, the same day the agency was dealing with the aftermath of the plane crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. According to sources familiar with the situation, employees were instructed to remove pronouns from all official communications, including government grant applications and email signatures. The Department of Energy (DOE) also issued a comparable notice on Thursday. Employees were informed that the change was necessary to comply with Trump’s executive order, which called for the elimination of DEI-related “language in Federal discourse, communications, and publications.” Extent of Policy Implementation Unclear It remains uncertain whether employees in other federal agencies received similar instructions. Spokespeople for the DOT, DOE, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and CDC did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment. The directive is the latest action in the Trump administration’s broader efforts to dismantle diversity and equity initiatives within federal institutions.

Leave your pronouns at the door...

Media Cheaters

Oh, my:

Harwell sought to pick apart Musk’s X posts and comments to podcasters Joe Rogan and Lex Friedman flexing his gaming bona fides on noted titles such as “Diablo IV,” “Tier 100 Nightmare,” and “Path of Exile 2.” In the process, Harwell just provided more evidence why The Post is virtually obsessed with Musk: “But after poring over his live-streamed gameplay, online sleuths recently made a shocking accusation: Musk had cheated.” Wow, what a revelation! Well, not really, considering that about 57 percent of Americans who game “revealed that they have used either single-player or multiplayer cheats while playing a video game,” according to a 2022 study by YouGov and PLITCH. As PLITCH summarized, “Using Cheats is Common.”

Ah, yes, the important things...

Canal Zoning

Why it should be ours:

“They made a commitment, number one, that the Panama Canal would remain neutral, that it would not allow another foreign power to have control over it, to have military access to it,” Cruz said. “And number two, they made a commitment in treaty that they would charge fair and equitable fees.” “On both ends of the Panama Canal, on the Pacific side and on the Atlantic side, China controls, Chinese corporations, control massive ports that are right there that give them access and give them the ability to observe all traffic going through the canal, and potentially to shut down all traffic going through the canal,” Cruz said. “As I mentioned, also in my opening, they are building a bridge across the canal, they are spending over a decade building that bridge.” He noted that Panama brings in nearly $3 billion a year from fees charged to ships transiting the canal. “75% of those transits are American ships,” he continued. “So, they are either American cargo ships, commercial ships, going across or they’re American military ships, the US Navy going across. But either way, Panama is making billions, and the testimony we heard in the hearing today is that on both of those grounds, there is a strong argument that Panama is in violation of the treaty.”

Time to hand over the keys to the locks...

The Contract

They don't want to lose their contract:

Acacia Center for Justice, based in Washington, D.C., is one of the largest federal immigration contractors, overseeing a $769 million program that provides lawyers for unaccompanied alien children and adults in immigration court hearings and deportation proceedings. The group says its aim is to provide due process rights for illegal aliens. But it also calls for a radical upheaval of the immigration and deportation system—goals that are starkly at odds with the Trump administration's objectives. Launched in 2022, Acacia Center argues that "no immigrant should be detained" and that electronic surveillance to track illegal aliens "must be abolished." According to the center, "the use of local law enforcement for immigration purposes … must be dismantled." It maintains that the immigration detention and deportation system is "intentionally designed to exploit, exclude, criminalize, detain and deport" people deemed to be "undeserving of inclusion in our national fabric, particularly Black and brown people." That puts it squarely at odds with the Trump administration, which has pledged to increase deportations of illegal aliens dramatically. The administration has threatened to pull federal funds from sanctuary cities and states that prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Trump has ordered federal agencies to shut down the kinds of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies pushed by the Acacia Center.

Illegal immigration is good for their business...

Meta Marked

Meta has to pay up:

President Trump signed a settlement agreement at the White House Wednesday to end the lawsuit he brought against Meta after the company suspended his account in the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, according to a person familiar with the matter. Trump signed the agreement that, according to a preliminary draft, requires Meta to pay out roughly $25 million, $22 million of which will go to a fund for Trump’s forthcoming presidential library. The remaining amount goes to attorneys’ fees and the other plaintiffs, a person familiar with the matter said. The settlement comes after Zuckerberg has worked to ingratiate himself with Trump since he won the 2024 election, donating $1 million to his inauguration and then attending as he sat alongside Cabinet members. He also relaxed new content moderation rules on Facebook, Instagram and Threads, scrapping partnerships with third-party fact-checking groups and move toward an X-style “community notes” system instead.

X marks the spot...

Boardroom Brawl

The circus is still in town:

School Session

Choice is back:

The executive order bars federal funding for schools that adopt critical race theory (CRT) and gender ideology in classroom learning, according to fact sheets provided by the White House. The secretary of education is expected to publish a strategy for ending the ideological programs in K–12 schools within 90 days. The U.S. attorney general will work with state attorneys general and local district attorneys to enforce these measures and take legal action against school personnel who advocate gender transition. The anti-indoctrination order also reinstates the 1776 Commission, which was implemented during Trump’s previous term but was removed under an executive order by President Joe Biden. The 1776 Commission published a scholarly report that called for a national renewal of education centered on teaching the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

The spirit of '76 lives...

Federal Fear

They're scared:

Just a few days into Trump’s second term, some federal workers are contemplating quitting. Others are preparing to file grievances with their unions or moving communications with each other to secure platforms like Signal. Some, fearing they’ll be caught up in the White House’s purge of diversity programs, are leaving their names off of memos and documents they worry could be labeled as DEI-adjacent. As federal employees searched this week for clues within the orders to see how they’ll be affected, a staffer with the Environmental Protection Agency said they were cleaning out their inbox and waiting for information about early retirement and buyout programs. “Trump version 1.0 was bad,” said the EPA employee. “I’m already done with version 2.0.”

Oh, the horror of having to hit the bricks...

Bad Grades

American students aren't making the grade:

Results from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test – administered to fourth and eighth graders — showed at least a third of America’s students failed to demonstrate “basic” reading skills expected for their age group. With 51.5 million students enrolled in public school across America, that represents potentially tens of millions of kids failing to make the grade. Just 67% of eighth-graders were able to meet or exceed basic skills on the 2024 test, 2% fewer than in 1992 when NAEP testing began. Fourth-graders’ reading proficiency was also lower than in 1992, with just 60% meeting basic skills in 2024. Math scores were somewhat less dire but still remained below pre-pandemic levels. Fourth-grade math improved by two points from 2022 to 2024 with 77% of students reaching basic proficiency — but still down from 80% in 2019. Eighth-grade math levels from 2022 to 2024 dropped by one point, from 62% to 61%. They are down by nine points from 2019. Education groups are blaming the Covid-19 pandemic and kids continuing to fall behind. Republicans say it’s the result of policies of the Biden administration that has bogged down teachers with “woke” lesson plans, instead of focusing on reading, writing and arithmetic.

Liberals never want to accept responsibility for the problems they cause...

Beggars Choosers

Africa needs to beg off, he says:

Former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta spoke at the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit this week, and he told foreign leaders, at least the ones in Africa, that maybe they need to stop panicking and find better ways to take care of themselves. It was actually pretty amusing: People the other day crying, 'Oh, I don't know, Trump has removed money. He said he's not giving us anymore money...' Why are you crying? It's not your government. It's not your country. He has no reason to give you anything. You don't pay taxes in America. He is appealing to his people... This is a wake-up call for you to say, 'Okay, what are we doing to do to help ourselves'? Instead of crying, what are we going to do... to support ourselves? Because nobody is going to continue holding out a hand there to give you — it is time to use our resources for the right things. We are the ones using them for the wrong things. His speech was met with some laughter and applause.

No more filthy imperialist money, please...

Bag Man

Chicago's mayor likes his luggage:

The OIG released the report Wednesday, accusing the Chicago mayor’s office of accepting gifts, including Hugo Boss cuff links, a personalized Montblanc pen, a 2023 U.S. National Soccer Team jersey, a Gucci tote bag, a Kate Spade red purse and Carrucci size 14 shoes from Feb. 2, 2022, through March 20, 2024. The report notes that almost 70% of the 380 logged gifts received from Feb. 2, 2022, to March 20, 2024, do not list the identity of the donor. The city received the national soccer team jersey June 16, 2023, from a representative from Nike. On Oct. 3, 2023, the city received Airpods, a tote bag and a notepad from an executive with the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Being fashionable is expensive...

Gold Barred

Bob Menendez has been busted:

The ex-senator was sentenced along with two co-conspirators, New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, who received more than seven years and eight years respectively, on Wednesday, federal attorneys in New York announced. In exchange for the money and luxury items, prosecutors said the Democrat lawmaker “agreed and promised to use his power and influence as a Senator to seek to protect” his co-conspirators, including taking actions to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar on their behalf. He also attempted to disrupt the subsequent criminal investigations into his associates, and “conspired and endeavored to obstruct justice in connection with the federal investigation” into his entire scheme.

Too many bribes to keep...

Medicine Rants

Why Democrats are scared of RFK Jr.:

Although Wyden attacked Kennedy for allegedly chasing “money and influence,” it appears that Wyden has raised significant sums from the healthcare industry, which has a vested stake in the potential confirmation of Kennedy. In the five years between 2019 and 2024, Wyden, has received sums to his campaign committee and his leadership PAC. They include: $749,316 from health professionals $539,242 from health services and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) $502,063 from pharmaceutical companies $375, 951 from hospitals and nursing homes “You’re asking me to not sue drug companies, and I’m not gonna agree to that subject,” Kennedy said in response to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) questioning. Warren went on a rant after her questioning of Kennedy, claiming that, if confirmed, he could “bankrupt” vaccine manufacturers: Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) on Wednesday pointed out that Warren received over $5 million from the healthcare industry during her Democrat presidential primary run.

Fake Indian speak with forked tongue...

Lunatic Leader

The Democrats are truly becoming unhinged:

A Lenawee County Democrat who posted an unhinged rant denying the 2024 election results and labeling immigration officials as “Nazi collaborators” is doubling down. Lenawee County Democratic Party Chairman Bill Swift called in to Talk Back Radio with Doug Spade and Mike Clement on Saturday to discuss the post, which was deleted from the party’s Facebook page shortly after it was posted last week. Swift on Saturday also called for the death penalty for the president’s supporters. Swift alleged the party removed the post over concerns supporters of President Donald Trump “might do violence to people in our community,” but made it clear “we as a party and I as an individual absolutely 100% support the statements that we made.” He described the post as “outlining a very rational argument” about Trump’s inauguration and the president’s immediate move to crack down on illegal immigration. Swift alleged Trump-supporter and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, “performed two Hitler salutes, two Nazi salutes” during the Jan. 20 inauguration. Swift then extrapolated that to build an argument that Trump and those who support him are Nazis, pointing to Trump’s social media missteps during his campaign and alleged “Nazi imagery and Nazi language” at conservative events. He concluded his comments by highlighting another recent post by the Lenawee County Democrats that calls for the death penalty for Trump’s supporters. “They should be arrested, and they should be facing the death penalty,” he said. “They should be hanged by the neck until dead. I believe this is one of the few areas of the law where I believe the death penalty should be imposed.”

No crime needed...

Drone Report

The secret of the drones:

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorized the drones to fly for “research” and were “not the enemy.” A brief panic ensued among the public and lawmakers over the mysterious drones in December, which was aggravated by hobbyists flying their own over the area, according to the White House. In December, residents of Morris and Somerset counties in New Jersey saw what appeared to be flashing and darting lights overhead, with some appearing to travel in formations. Lawmakers began to ask federal agencies for answers, which were met with silence at the time. Republican New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew said Dec. 11 that the drones were launched by Iran from a “mothership,” citing “qualified” and “responsible sources.” The Pentagon quickly shot down Van Drew’s assertions that day, saying there was “no truth” to the rumor while also saying they were not “U.S. military.” Trump called for the drones to be shot down in a Truth Social post Dec. 13, saying the public deserved to know what the objects were and adding that the incidents couldn’t “be happening without our government’s knowledge.”

They were just looking around...

Therapy Sessions

They need their therapists:

Salon’s Chauncey DeVega lamented: “The shadow of Jan. 20, and the cruel coincidence that it fell this year on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s remembrance day, hung over us all. King was among American history's great defenders of democracy and human rights; Trump is a committed enemy of those values.” This only makes sense when you remember that for the left, “democracy and human rights” means the left winning every election and restricting the speech of those whom it fears and hates. Trump is for a free society with a robust opposition and no restrictions on speech, and so for leftists, “democracy” is under threat. And so, DeVega tells us, “millions of Americans who voted for Kamala Harris, and who believe in American democracy and the common good, remain collectively stuck in the various stages of grief.” Like all totalitarians, they expect us all to march in lockstep; they’re even sadder because of the fact that some Americans aren’t sad at all: “That grief is made even more painful by the fact that tens of millions of other Americans are jubilant at Trump’s return to the White House and his vows of revenge against ‘the enemy within’ as part making America ‘great again.’” That’s right, Chauncey: he is promising to take action against the people on your side who really did act against our free republic by moving to criminalize legitimate opposition. If you’re weeping for the likes of Adam Schiff and Merrick Garland, you’re no friend of freedom. DeVega, however, vows that the work to subvert Trump and America-First policies will go on, no matter how hard it is: “It is grinding and emotionally difficult work that often feels futile and can lead to PTSD, substance abuse and mental health issues.” Awww, poor thing. Apparently a typical leftist narcissist, DeVega claims that everyone shares his bad mood: “Considered in the aggregate, America's public mood is negative, anxious, and discontented.” Even worse, the evil Orange Man Bad has done nothing less than rob life of its very meaning: “this crisis of democracy is also a crisis of the collective ‘life force,’ meaning the sense of purpose and the drive to lead a meaningful life.” Without a trace of irony, DeVega writes about “widespread fear among ordinary people who are trying to survive financial precarity and avoid total household collapse and homelessness,” not seeming to realize that that’s why Trump won. And so leftists, driven round the bend by Trump, are consulting the priests of their secular religion, only to find them just as depressed: “Many reports suggest an increase in people seeking therapy and counseling. Mental health professionals are also seeking help for their own heightened anxiety and emotional challenges in the aftermath of the presidential election and the heightened demand for their services. Crisis lines have seen an increase in callers.” Growing up might be a good solution, but these poor people can’t do that without rejecting all the lies they’ve told themselves.

The truth is hard...

Dutch Steal

Bernie Sanders wants America to go Dutch:

In a recent social media post, Sanders suggested the United States adopt the Dane’s system wherein steep taxes ensure citizens may enjoy universal healthcare, a college education at no cost, and guaranteed paid leave, Shore News Network reported. Denmark controls Greenland, and President Donald Trump said in December prior to his inauguration that American ownership of Greenland is an “absolute necessity” for national security and freedom, per Breitbart News. Sanders appeared to be referring to that issue in his social media post. He wrote, “Mr. President: Instead of stealing Greenland from Denmark, I have a better idea. In Denmark, everyone is guaranteed health care, college education is free, parents receive 1-year of paid paternity leave & workers don’t make less than $22 an hour.” “Let’s steal those ideas,” he added. .... According to the Shore News Network article, “Danish citizens face an income tax rate as high as 55.9%, alongside a 25% national sales tax. Critics of Sanders’ position argue that implementing similar policies in the United States would place undue financial strain on American taxpayers.” In a 2015 report, the Associated Press (AP) questioned whether Denmark was a “fairytale” nation and said “Danes get free or heavily subsidized health care, education and job training and compensation when they’re unemployed, out sick from work or on parental leave. That, however, comes at a cost that not all Americans might be willing to accept: high taxes.”

Don't steal bad ideas...

The Invisibles

NY Magazine doesn't like black people:

CJ Pearson, who is the black co-chair of the GOP Youth Advisory Council, found the cover especially objectionable. “This is insane,” he xweeted after becoming aware of NY Mag’s deliberately misleading cover. “I hosted this event and @NYMag intentionally left me out of their story because it would have undermined their narrative that MAGA is some racist cult.” A black man hosted this event. He hosted it. “They also didn’t include the fact that @WakaFlocka and @Gervontaa were also there,” Pearson added. “You don’t hate the liberal media enough.” No, you don’t. Rob Smith, a decorated Iraq veteran and TPUSA staffer who happens to be black xweeted, “I was at this party as were MANY other Conservative media influencers who are Black, Latino, Asian, etc.” He added, “@NYMag used a whites-only photo to push the media narrative that diverse Republicans don’t exist and weren’t welcome. You don’t hate the media enough.” No, you don’t. Erasing black people used to be wrong.

What was wrong is now okay again...

Disaster Belief

The rubes can't handle disasters, she says:

Brennan was asking Vance about President Donald Trump possibly “reforming or getting rid of” FEMA. “Instead of sending emergency responders, he may start to send a percentage of money to states to take care of themselves,” Brennan said, before claiming southern states are not competent to manage the funding themselves. “The way that we administer these resources — some of which is coming from the federal level, some of which is coming from the state level — we’ve got to get the bureaucrats out of the way and get the aid to the people who need it most,” Vance said. “But these are the first responders,” Brennan interrupted. Vance said while Brennan may “talk about expertise from FEMA,” the agency has “been a disaster” in places like California, Florida, and North Carolina due to “bureaucratic red tape and garbage” keeping resources from “people who need it most.” “But the states are now going to have to do this themselves?” Brennan asked — as if they couldn’t. “The president is trying to encourage us to reform the way that we deliver emergency response,” Vance said. He added that when he visited North Carolina as a vice presidential candidate, “FEMA would get resources — food, medicine, water — to a warehouse but then would have no plan to get it from the warehouse to the people in the mountains who were literally starving and thirsting to death. We can do so much better.”

Certainly better than wealthy Califoria did...

They're Fired

The Trump purge continues:

The decision appears to affect nearly every career staffer who holds a top leadership role at the agency, at least in Washington — around 60 officials, the current and former officials said. The cuts have left many offices within the agency entirely devoid of senior non-political leadership. The entire cadre of leaders who run USAID’s bureau for global health, for example, was put on leave, according to two of the officials. “This is a huge morale hit,” said a former senior Trump administration official who was also told of the move. “This is the leadership of the agency. This is like taking out all the generals. I don’t know what they hope to accomplish by it.”

To prevent a coup, you have to take out the ones who could lead it...

Egg Man

Somebody's shell got cracked:

Mystal began by expressing frustration over what he described as predictable developments under Trump’s administration. “We tried to tell you all,” he said. “Ali, I wrote specifically about this issue, what he was going to do to the Department of Justice multiple times during the election cycle. Because as you pointed out in your open, this was all written down.” He continued, “I don’t like the shock and awe version of this because if you had been paying attention, they wrote it down. They told you exactly what they were going to do and exactly how they were going to do it. A majority of White people voted for this. This is the disgusting version of America that people want.”

A President doing what his voters wanted? Oh, the horror...

Oil Slickers

California knows who to blame:

State Sen. Scott Wiener has introduced a bill that would create a pathway for Californians affected by fires, floods and other climate disasters to sue fossil fuel companies for damages. The bill would also let insurers do the same to recover costs. Senate Bill 222, introduced Monday by the San Francisco Democrat and state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Pasadena, accuses gas and oil companies of deceiving the public about the impact of their products on climate change. Supporters argue it would provide relief from California’s home insurance crisis by explicitly allowing insurers to recoup costs from fossil fuel companies, rather than solely by raising their rates. “Californians are paying a devastating price for the climate crisis, as escalating disasters destroy entire communities and drive insurance costs through the roof,” Wiener said in a statement. “By forcing the fossil fuel companies driving the climate crisis to pay their fair share, we can help stabilize our insurance market and make the victims of climate disasters whole.” While a number of state officials have filed lawsuits against oil companies in recent years, it’s much rarer for non-officials to attempt the same. Erik Mebust, a spokesperson for Wiener’s office, said that SB222 would “provide a clear legal recourse for victims and insurers.”

They have to keep the green scam going somehow...

School Lessons

Palo Alto makes ethnic studies mandatory:

The Palo Alto school district went on an emotional roller-coaster ride over ethnic studies this past week. Administrators first rejected a state mandate to add the course as a graduation requirement — a win for critics of the class — and then days later a contentious five-hour public meeting ended with the school board pushing the mandate through. The vote to officially add ethnic studies to the Peninsula district’s graduation requirements, starting with the fall’s freshman class, seemingly ends a bitter two-year battle over what topics the semester-long course should include. Palo Alto’s curriculum is already fully developed, which reflects the state’s model curriculum, and is considered inclusive, district officials said... Critics, however, feared there were elements that would be considered more divisive, pitting racial groups against each other.

As is their intent...

Crazy Boots

So this is happening on Tik Tok:

The irony is lost on them that TikTok routinely hoovers up their information and hands it over to one of the most repressive censorship regimes on the face of the earth. Also lost on them is the fact that Joe Biden's federal thugs spent the last four years pushing American social media platforms to censor anyone who disagreed with them. Now that Donald Trump is president, these brainwashed harpies believe their freedom is slipping away, thus the coded speech. Serial hysteric Taylor Lorenz (remember her? She's the one who doxed Libs of TikTok's Chaya Raichik) described the trend on her Substack:

As the U.S. government seeks to enact stricter controls over speech online, TikTok users are adopting more coded language specifically aimed at criticizing the government and alerting others to government surveillance of online spaces... Some mentions of “cute winter boots” appear to be a direct reference to firearms. Users have posted phrases including "you need cute winter boots so you don't slip on ice," which people have taken to mean that you need a gun to resist ICE. "They're using it to talk about constitutionally protected items and certain constitutional amendments that protect your rights to possess certain constitutionally protected items," said Diana.

Suddenly, the Left wants to talk about constitutional rights.

These boots weren't made for walking...

DEI Panic

Why white liberals are scared:

According to BLS, the average U.S. salary in 2024 was just under $60,000, mostly paid to people who have to get things done to earn it. The average DEI CDO salary is 50% higher and goes overwhelmingly to white people, mostly women, who accomplish little but cause headaches for everyone else. It's all about the money, honey — just like always. There are dicey legal issues, too. When everybody was busy establishing DEI programs during the BLM madness of 2020, they were apparently too convinced of their political invulnerability to care that DEI is inherently discriminatory — and illegal. "Everyone understood that [illegal discimination] was going on, in private business as well as universities," Megan McArdle posted on X. "Acquaintances would just outright say 'We're looking to hire a woman of color/queer person/etc for this position.' I never figured out how to politely ask why they were confessing a crime to someone they barely knew." Times change, and they changed bigly on Jan. 20. The CYA efforts will be a joy to watch, assuming schadenfreude is your thing. Then again, it would be unfair of me to deny the True Believers™ who are deeply committed to the rot that is DEI. They're in the Air Force, they're in Silicon Valley, they're in your local school district.

They all need to go...

Justice Served

Trump's house cleaning continues:

"Today, Acting Attorney General James McHenry terminated the employment of a number of DOJ officials who played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump," a DOJ official told Fox News Digital. "In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda." This action "is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government," the official told Fox News Digital. The move comes after the Justice Department reassigned more than a dozen officials in the first week of the Trump administration to a Sanctuary City task force and other measures. It also comes after Trump vowed to end the weaponization of the federal government.

Putting the law back in law and order...

Hollywood Humiliation

Hollywood has been humbled:

The entertainment industry is now facing a moment of introspection, with many in Hollywood acknowledging that the celebrity-driven political activism seen during Trump’s first term, often referred to as the “Trump Resistance Playbook,” is unlikely to be repeated. There’s a growing consensus that the industry had leaned too heavily into woke politics, potentially alienating a significant portion of the American audience. In the aftermath of the election, Hollywood insiders predict a shift in strategy. With Trump’s re-election, there’s an expectation of less political sermonizing from the industry, a move away from the “woke” narrative, and possibly more media mergers as studios reassess their direction. The departure of executives who were specifically hired to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in film and TV has already begun, signaling a possible retreat from the social justice focus that characterized much of the last decade’s content. This election has served as a wake-up call for Hollywood, highlighting that while celebrities can command attention, their political endorsements might not translate into electoral influence.

They're not all that...

Green Breakers

Greens would rather let the world be broke:

Alarmist campaigners and credulous journalists fail to account for the simple fact that people are remarkably adaptable and tackle most climate problems at low cost. Take food: Climate campaigners warn we’ll starve, but research shows that instead of a 51% increase in food availability by 2100 if there were no climate change, we are on-track for “only” a 49% increase. Or weather disasters: They killed half a million people annually in the 1920s, whereas the last decade saw fewer than 9,000 fatalities each year. The 97.5% reduction in mortality is because people are more resilient because they’re richer and can access better technology. Extremist climate campaigners and far-left politicians reveal their true colors when they push for “de-growth” to cut emissions. Making people worse off and reversing gains against extreme poverty would be a tragic mistake, making it harder to address all our other problems.

But at least the planet would be "saved..."

Red Retreat

Trump might be back, but the Republicans still surrendered:

It's not so much a question of which party is in power. The problem is as much the Republicans' fault as the Democrats'. The Republicans gave up competing in big cities so that now, the only ideas that are debated and voted on in those cities are radical left policies — policies that aren't working and are, in fact, making the problems they claim to be addressing worse. Add to that a suicidal inability to change, to reform, to do what's necessary, and you have a recipe for total disaster. Rather than admit they could be wrong about illegal aliens, crime, race, or schools, these mayors double down and pretend that things aren't as bad as the media is making them out to be. The people in those cities have given up, moved out, or sought to benefit from the chaos. It was the same in Russia at the end of Communism. The system got more and more corrupt as people gave up trying to do what was right and simply stuck their hands out to profit from the mess.

The GOP needs to make a comeback, if they're willing to fight...

Office Panic

Government workers are scared:

“Just a few days into Trump’s second term, some federal workers are contemplating quitting,” reports Politico. “Others are preparing to file grievances with their unions or moving communications with each other to secure platforms like Signal. Some, fearing they’ll be caught up in the White House’s purge of diversity programs, are leaving their names off of memos and documents they worry could be labeled as DEI-adjacent.” .... In conversations with Politico, nearly two dozen federal employees shared their concerns, and many chose to speak under the radar to avoid potential repercussions. Will there actually be a mass exodus of federal workers? One can only dream, right? Maybe we’ll get lucky and the cold pool of Trump’s executive orders will cause significant shrinkage of the federal bureaucracy. “Most of us are watching cautiously and letting the dust settle,” remarked an employee from the U.S. Agency for International Development. “We recognize there’s a wide range of possible outcomes, and while some are panicking, most are opting for a wait-and-see approach.” Frankly, this is long overdue. Federal workers have gotten used to having cushy jobs with no accountability, and the era of bloated government has to end.

Time to get real jobs...

Money Walks

No more for them:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday issued new guidance halting spending on most existing foreign aid grants for 90 days. The order, which shocked State Department officials, appears to apply to funding for military assistance to Ukraine. Rubio’s guidance, issued to all diplomatic and consular posts, requires department staffers to issue “stop-work orders” on nearly all “existing foreign assistance awards,” according to the document, which was obtained by POLITICO. It is effective immediately. It appears to go further than President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, which instructed the department to pause foreign aid grants for 90 days pending review by the secretary. It had not been clear from the president’s order if it would affect already appropriated funds or Ukraine aid. The new guidance means no further actions will be taken to disperse aid funding to programs already approved by the U.S. government, according to three current and two former officials familiar with the new guidance. The order shocked some department officials for its sweeping mandate. “State just totally went nuclear on foreign assistance,” said another State Department official.

Trump dropped a money bomb on them...

Lab Rats

From theory to fact:

Notably, the FBI already supported the lab leak theory, so did figures in the Defense Intelligence Agency, but an official linked to WHO, which Trump just withdrew from, managed to bias the official Intel Community assessment. The CIA assessment isn’t even a product of the new Trump administration but took place under the Biden administration. It’s just being released now by the new incoming Trump administration team. Within a matter of years we’ve gone from the lab leak theory being so dangerous that even mention of it had to be banned, to the FBI and the CIA both endorsing it.

After they denied it...

Better Red

Red is better:

Only three Democrat-run states debuted on the list of the top 20 performers. Two were Democrat trifectas at that time (Colorado and Delaware), while one was a lean Democrat (Nevada), which also appeared the highest on the list at position nine. Unsurprisingly, Blue states, mostly with Democrat trifectas, dominated the list of poor performers on job creation. In contrast, Idaho, Utah, and Florida, all Republican trifectas, dominated the top three positions on job creation. Most of these states take pride in lower taxes and fewer regulations in opening and maintaining businesses. Among the bottom ten performers, three were Republican trifectas (IA, WV, and LA), while twice as many were Democrat trifectas (NY, MA, IL, MD, D.C., and HI), and one was lean Democrat (Vermont). Most bottom performers have very draconian regulations and crushing taxes, which result in an unfavorable business environment that discourages investment.

This is why Blue states have the blues...

Dutch Retreat

Danes are panicking:

“It was horrendous,” a source said. Another source said Trump “was very firm. “It was a cold shower. Before, it was hard to take it seriously. But I do think it is serious, and potentially, very dangerous,” the person said. A third source told the outlet, “The intent was very clear. “[Trump officials] want it. The Danes are now in crisis mode.” A fourth said, “The Danes are utterly freaked out by this.” Trump’s team had previously relayed to The Post that the president was “100% serious” in his intentions on Greenland and also retaking the Panama Canal. The president has said his interest in mineral-rich Greenland comes from needing “economic” and national security in the Arctic, as both Russia and China are gaining interests in the region. “President Trump has been clear that the safety and security of Greenland is important to the United States as China and Russia make significant investments throughout the [Arctic] region,” National Security Council rep Brian Hughes said in a statement to The Post.

Time to take the green...

Woke Removal

Woke is dead:

On Monday, January 20th, 2025, his first day back in office, Trump didn’t just fire a warning shot across the bow – he launched a full broadside attack on the administrative state’s DEI infrastructure. With Executive Order 24, he rescinded Biden’s day-one 2021 directive that had mandated racial preferences throughout the federal government. What happened next was nothing short of a bureaucratic blitzkrieg. Over the next 48 hours, Trump systematically demolished the entire federal DEI apparatus through a series of executive orders that sent diversity bureaucrats scrambling. Sources within the administration estimate the reforms will save taxpayers upwards of $1 billion annually. The coup de grâce came Wednesday, January 22nd, at 5:00 PM Eastern when DEI offices across the federal government received notice that their employees were being placed on immediate administrative leave. “The message wasn’t just clear – it was constitutionally crystal,” noted one senior administration official. .... According to a January 2025 Fox News poll, ending DEI programs ranked as the sixth-highest priority for voters nationwide, with an astounding 29% listing it as their top concern. “The American people demanded a return to merit-based opportunity and equal treatment under law,” declared Trump during a White House ceremony. “Today, we’re not just keeping promises – we’re restoring the American Dream.”

The dream is alive, DEI is dead...

No Blame

It's his own fault:

Pokemon No

The follies of Pokemon shopping:

The Post reported:

People began ordering other shoppers to call the police because of the unruly crowd. Police were not called to the store, and no arrests were made, TMZ reported. Additional footage from the LA-area store captured store employees yelling at the anxious alleged scalpers to walk as the store opened. The hyper-fixated shoppers were seen pushing and shoving in the store, attempting to get the limited box set, Pokémon forum, PokéBeach reported. A separate view captured the mad dash as people grabbed entire boxes full of the packs. Costco has since implemented a “1 unit per membership per day” policy for the packs.

And that, kids, is where Harris voters come from.

Some people never learn...

Land Grab

The South African government wants land:

The law, which replaces the pre-democratic Expropriation Act of 1975, "outlines how expropriation can be done and on what basis" by the state, the government says, according to the BBC. Ramaphosa's party, the African National Congress, or ANC, hailed the law as a "significant milestone." However, some members of the government have signaled they will challenge the legality of the law. The country's majority Black citizens own just a small fraction of farmland more than 30 years after the end of apartheid. Most landowners are part of the White minority, according to the news report. The new law allows for the expropriation of land without compensation only in circumstances where it is "just and equitable and in the public interest." That includes when the property is not being used and there's no intention to either develop it or if it poses a public safety risk.

Real estate, Communist style...

Normal Time

America now has a normal President:

“Back to normal. Real answers. Normal gait,” the New York Post‘s Miranda Devine posted on X. “No group of staffers to shield POTUS. No falling up stairs. No aviators to hide dilated pupils. Etc.” “HISTORIC,” Townhall posted. “Donald Trump successfully walks up the main steps of Air Force One.” “Historically, the previous president struggled to do the same,” it mocked Biden. The contrast caught several other users on X: During the past four years, Biden found it difficult to stay upright.

No more falling down on the job...

Bank Buster

Let them in, he said:

In Davos, Switzerland, Brian Moynihan, the CEO of Bank of America, asked Trump a fairly vanilla question about his plans for the economy. Trump ended his remarks by calling for Wall Street’s largest banks to platform conservatives. “By the way, speaking of you — and you’ve done a fantastic job — but I hope you start opening your bank to conservatives, because many conservatives complain that the banks are not allowing them to do business within the bank, and that included a place called Bank of America,” the 47th president said. Then, referring to JPMorgan chief executive Jamie Dimon, Trump said, “You and Jamie and everybody, I hope you’re going to open your banks to conservatives, because what you’re doing is wrong.”

Open up the bank...

No Thanks

None for them:

Twenty-four percent of males in this age bracket had reported not having sex between 2022-2023, which is up nine percent compared to 2013-2015. For women, that figure is up 13 percent from eight percent. When asked if he or she had sex in the last three months, 35 percent of men and 31 percent of women said that they had not. Among those that are having sex aged 22-34 years-old, more are finding less love. The Institute of Family Studies blamed a lack of matrimony as one of the biggest drivers for lack of sex. “One of the biggest drivers of declining sexual activity is the decline in marriage. Married people have more sex, and for most young adults, marriage is occurring later or not at all. As a result, sex is declining,” the IFS wrote.

They're the turned-off generation...

California Confederates

Some Californians want to leave:

If the measure makes it onto the November 2028 ballot, it would ask voters: “Should California leave the United States and become a free and independent country?” local news outlet KCRA3 reported on Friday. The guidelines would require 50 percent of registered voters to participate and a “yes” vote from 55 percent of voters, which would indicate “a vote of no confidence in the United States of America,” according to the report. The measure would further show that the “will of the people of California” is to become a country. “According to the initiative’s language, it would not change California’s current government or relationship with the U.S. However, it would create a commission to report on California’s viability as an independent country,” the report states. “The initiative estimates one-time election-related costs, and forming a commission on national sovereignty and independence would cost $10 million. It estimates that operating the commission would take another $2 million in annual state costs.” The circulation deadline is July 22, and the initiative requires 546,651 valid signatures. “Legally seceding the country would require a constitutional amendment, which would require the approval of Congress and 38 states,” the report notes.

I'm sure there are some who won't mind them splitting...

Mr. Spaceman

Starman has been found:

Seven years after the SpaceX CEO launched a Tesla Roadster into orbit, astronomers from the Minor Planet Center at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Massachusetts confused it with an asteroid earlier this month. A day after the astronomers with the Minor Planet Center registered 2018 CN41, it was deleted on Jan. 3 when they revealed that it was in fact Musk’s roadster. The center said on its website that 2018 CN41’s registry was deleted after "it was pointed out the orbit matches an artificial object, 2018-017A, Falcon Heavy Upper stage with the Tesla Roadster. The designation2018 CN41 is being deleted and will be listed as omitted."

He's waiting in the sky...

Blue Bust

She's going to jail:

Elite Defeat

President Trump puts elitists on notice:

Appearing virtually, Trump listed off a number of the executive orders on energy, spending, and the economy. “What the world has witnessed in the past 72 hours is nothing less than a revolution of common sense,” Trump said. “Our country will soon be stronger, wealthier, and more united than ever before and the entire planet will be more peaceful and prosperous as a result of this incredible momentum.” Trump also slammed Biden’s handling of the border and economy, citing $8 trillion in “wasteful deficit spending,” “crippling regulations,” and sky-high inflation. “My administration is acting with unprecedented speed to fix the disasters we’ve inherited from a totally inept group of people, and to solve every single crisis facing our country,” he said.

It's America's world now...

FEMA Review

FEMA is in for a few changes:

"We're going to fix it, and we're going to fix it as fast as you can," Trump said. "It's a massive amount of damage. FEMA has really let us down. Let the country down. And I don't know if that's Biden's fault or whose fault it is, but we're going to take over. We're going to do a good job." Trump also said he would like to see the states assume more responsibility when disaster strikes, arguing those familiar with the state are better equipped to provide disaster response and relief.

Time for an overhaul...

American Energy

American energy is back:

Gregory Wrightstone, the executive director of the CO2 Coalition, highlighted the restoration of “common sense to energy policy and environmental protection.” He also emphasized the fact that carbon is not a planet-killing pollutant but the building block of all life on Earth. Thus, of Trump’s policies, “none are more welcome than those that would reverse the treatment of carbon dioxide as a pollutant and a threat to humankind. CO2 is a beneficial gas critical to all life and should be treated as such.” Indeed, increased carbon is beneficial for humans and especially for plants, including food crops. Since Communist China dominates the mining and manufacturing involved in falsely named, toxic “green” energy, the Biden-Harris green craze benefited the Chinese Communist Party. But no more. “President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Accords is a victory for American workers and families, rejecting policies that prioritize the Chinese Communist Party’s interests over our own,” stated American Energy Institute CEO Jason Isaac. Isaac expanded on this point. “The Paris framework does nothing to mitigate a changing climate but drives up energy costs and burdens Americans with decarbonization mandates rooted in the climate hoax. By making American energy more affordable and accessible, President Trump is benefiting not only our nation but the world.” He hopes to see the Trump-Vance administration implement “a whole-of-government approach to eliminate the climate hoax at every level and push financial institutions, and the companies they invest in, to abandon their ESG-driven political agendas.” Americans aren’t the only ones celebrating. Canadian Tom Harris, executive director of the International Climate Science Coalition, highlighted the hypocrisy of the Paris accord that “imposes no greenhouse gas emission limits on developing countries, now the world’s largest emitters, while expecting harsh and unachievable targets for the US and indeed all western nations.” Harris said that Trump was right to reject it.

No green equals more green for the people...

Walking Papers

They're fired:

Trump World

President Trump goes to Davos:

Farmed Out

American farms are often no longer American:

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's most recent report, "46 million acres of crop, pasture and forest lands were held by investors from outside of the United States" at the end of 2023, and that number, which totals about 3.6% of all private land, seems to be rising. Canada is the largest foreign landholder in our country by far, followed by European countries like the Netherlands, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Between 2022 and 2023, Chinese land ownership actually declined a bit, though 2024 numbers aren't yet available. Land ownership by Iran and Cuba also declined, but Canada and Australia have increased their stake with plans to use the land for renewable energy purposes. While the federal response to the situation has been slow and controversial, about half of all states have put restrictions in place to prevent or limit foreign entities from owning American land. In 2023 alone, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana, Montana, Idaho, Utah, North Dakota, and South Dakota all passed such laws. Detractors say that these limitations will actually hurt the states' and federal economies. On Wednesday, in a bipartisan effort to combat this growing trend of foreign land ownership in the U.S., Senators John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) joined together to reintroduce the Foreign Adversary Risk Management or FARM Act. According to a press release from Tuberville's office, the bill would "permanently add the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS), the governmental body that oversees the vetting process of foreign investment and acquisition of American companies. Currently, CFIUS does not directly consider the needs of the agriculture industry when reviewing foreign investment and ownership in domestic businesses."

They literally bought the farm...

Secret Files

Trump orders the truth to come out:

During his first administration, Trump had promised to release all the files related to John F. Kennedy, but an undisclosed amount of material remains under wraps more than six decades after Kennedy was killed Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. The primary suspect, Lee Harvey Oswald, was killed two days later by Jack Ruby. After appeals from the CIA and FBI, Trump blocked the release of hundreds of records. Trump said at the time the potential harm to U.S. national security, law enforcement or foreign affairs is "of such gravity that it outweighs the public interest in immediate disclosure." "I have now determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is not consistent with the public interest and the release of these records is long overdue," Trump's order states. "And although no Act of Congress directs the release of information pertaining to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I have determined that the release of all records in the Federal Government’s possession pertaining to each of those assassinations is also in the public interest."

No more conspiracy theories...

Losers Club

Kamala Harris wanted advice:

Harris reportedly slipped out of her official residence at the Naval Observatory to visit Clinton, who lived only a few blocks away, to chat in December. The two also celebrated together during a private reception for Clinton, who was awarded the Medal of Freedom by then-President Joe Biden. The relationship between the two began in 2017 when Harris first got to Washington, DC. On occasion, Harris would call on Clinton for advice when she was the senator for California and then as vice president, according to New York Magazine. When Biden suddenly dropped out of his 2024 presidential reelection bid in July, Clinton almost immediately endorsed Harris replacing him at the top of the ticket. Both women lost to President Donald Trump. Clinton, a long time political insider and former secretary of state, lost to Trump, an outsider and businessman with no history of serving in political office, in an upset election in 2016. Clinton lost the electoral college votes handily and won more total votes than Trump.

Welcome to the losers' circle...

Marriage Blues

Their love story might be over:

The chatter started when Michelle Obama was conspicuously absent from former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral. As PJ Media reported, her team offered no detailed explanation, citing only a "scheduling conflict," though, according to CNN, she was in Hawaii on an "extended vacation." I know Michelle loves her vacations almost as much as Joe Biden does, but even she should have taken a break from being a lazy beach bum to pay respects to Carter. Then there was her absence at Trump’s inauguration this week. This was less suspicious, and sources close to her suggest the move was a political statement. This was, of course, extremely believable, but coupled with her absence from Carter’s funeral, her choices have prompted deeper questions about the image she’s projecting. Rumors of a romantic relationship between Barack Obama and actress Jennifer Aniston have stirred up controversy since last year. “The couple have also had to contend with lingering rumours of Barack’s wandering eye. Last October, Friends star Jennifer Aniston publicly dismissed as ‘absolutely untrue’ claims by a US gossip magazine that she and Barack were in a relationship – making Michelle feel ‘betrayed,’” reports The Daily Mail. “The rumour was compounded by the hosts of a popular pop culture podcast – Who? Weekly – who claimed that the Obamas were ‘living separate lives’ while he and Aniston were having a full-blown affair. Aniston told a US TV chat show host: ‘I’ve met him once. I know Michelle more than him.’” Contrary to the public perceptions of a fairy tale marriage, there have long been reports and claims that their marriage isn’t much better than the Clintons. Michelle revealed in a 2022 interview that she "couldn't stand" Barack for a decade during their early years as parents.

Neither could anyone else...

World Winner

Guess who else was the biggest loser:

In a WEF panel discussion on the incoming administration, Yale University Professor Walter Mead said that the Davos class needs to understand “who’s won, which is Trump, but who’s lost, which is to say us.” “Who is losing here is Europe. The European Union, and by and large, it’s member states, have misread the direction where events were going.” “The causes that it is interested in; climate, human rights, some others, as well as the methods of diplomacy that it prefers, are simply being gradually kind of marginalized as something new — not necessarily something better — but something new, moves into the centre.” Professor Mead pointed to a general failing at the heart of the globalist philosophy, that modern man had somehow reached the “end of history” and, therefore, merely needed a group of international bureaucrats to manage and tinker with “incremental shifts.” “That’s not how things work and especially not how things work at this kind of moment when a technological transformation is really biting into the economy on all kinds of levels in a transformational way,” he said.

The real world returns...

School Lessons

DEI is dead in school:

Under an order Trump signed Monday, all prior U.S. Department of Education guidance documents relevant to gender ideology are rescinded, including a tip sheet on implementing Title IX regulations, a toolkit for creating “inclusive and nondiscriminatory schools environments for LGBTQI+ students,” guides for supporting transgender youth in schools, and a back-to-school message for transgender youth from the U.S. Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services. Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, issued a statement in support of the executive order after it was signed. “As PDE’s recent polling shows, opposition to progressives’ gender ideology spans both racial and political lines - and indeed, it was one of the issues that propelled President Trump to the White House,” the statement read. “We ... look forward to the Department of Education putting in place policies and procedures that provide clarity to schools and families alike.”

Their eyes will be opened...

Dad's Back

Daddy's literally home:

“I’m terrified. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have taken as many precautions I could,” he continued. “I’ve picked up a gun, I’ve moved, and I’ve gotten myself away from what I thought would be a dangerous situation and staying [away from] where I thought my dad could find me or other people, people that are going to feel so validated by these actions, by this pardon.” He also threw the whole family under the bus by accusing them of being involved in militia activity. He accused his father of calling him a traitor and saying that “traitors get shot.” “My dad is still involved with these militias. He still talks with a martyr status. He has no change. He’s more galvanized than ever,” Jackson added. “My mom too. My sisters are waiting outside the jail cell right now. “I know who they are and I love them, but I can’t feel safe.”

He'll have to find his own basement...

Biology Lessons

Men and women are still differnt:

Trump plans to realign the country with truth and the will of the people by purging the federal government of any of its accommodations and advances of radical gender ideology. Under the new administration, the departments and agencies running the country are barred from pretending people can switch their sex and prohibited from bypassing the First Amendment to force the Orwellian use of “preferred pronouns” at jobs and in schools. The executive overhaul goes even further by specifically seeking to universally recognize a “woman” as an “adult human female.” As The Free Press exclusively reported on Sunday, this change will effectively “end the practice of housing men in women’s prisons and taxpayer-funded ‘transition’ for male prisoners” and ensure that government-issued IDs like passports “will reflect biological reality and not self-assessed gender identity.” “Radical gender ideology has devastated biological truth and women’s safety and opportunity,” the executive order will declare. Trump’s action starkly contrasts the declarations and decisions of outgoing President Joe Biden, who routinely used his White House power to muddy the waters on the indisputable differences between the sexes.

The waters have been cleared...

Pulpit Platform

One more woke sermon:

Trump sat stony-faced in the front row, next to First Lady Melania Trump, as the prelate told him illegal immigrants were not criminals and he shouldn't deport those with children. Bishop Budde, 65, addressed Trump directly in a highly political speech from the pulpit during a traditional inaugural prayer service at Washington National Cathedral. She told Trump: 'I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country that are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives.' The liberal clergywoman then asked Trump to have mercy on illegal immigrants. She said: 'The people who pick our crops, and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants, and work the night shifts in hospitals, they might not be citizens or have the proper documentation. 'The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. I ask you to have mercy Mr. President on those in communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away.' Trump maintained his calm and appeared to look on slightly wearily after a full day and night of Inauguration festivities.

The woke will not go quietly...

Efficiency Monitors

The usual suspects come out against efficiency:

In its suit, the AFGE, which represents some 800,000 federal workers, said it wanted to ensure that DOGE complies with the requirements for federal advisory committees. “The advice and guidance that Mr Trump has charged DOGE with producing is sweeping and consequential,” the complaint said. “DOGE — the members of which currently do not represent the interests of everyday Americans — will be recommending cuts to government agencies and programs that protect health, benefits, consumer finance, and product safety,” it added. The AFGE said federal regulations authorize an administration “to establish and use commissions or task forces to obtain advice and recommendations from the private sector on a variety of topics.” But the regulations impose “various guardrails to prevent them from turning into vehicles for advancing private interests in the federal decision-making process,” it said. “Those guardrails include the requirements that advisory committee have a fair balance in viewpoints represented, that they do not meet in secret, and that their records and work product be made available for public inspection.” The AFGE urged the court to prevent DOGE from acting as an advisory committee until it complies with federal regulations. In addition to the AFGE, several other watchdog and public interest groups filed suit against Trump over DOGE on Monday.

The "experts" are weighing in...

Dream Over

DACA dies slowly:

DACA, as the Texas judge ruled (Surprise Court Ruling Lands a Major Blow Against Joe Biden and Illegal Immigration Advocates – RedState), has no basis in law. It does not even rise to the level of a regulation. DACA started out as a 2012 memorandum signed by Obama DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. It was never an executive order. It never went through the rule-making process required by the Administrative Procedure Act. It has never been enacted into law by Congress. Ordinarily, any memo by a cabinet secretary ceases to have validity when they leave office, not so with DACA. When President Trump’s DHS secretary rescinded the DACA memo based on the advice of the Attorney General of the United States, the Supreme Court held, in a 5-4 vote (guess how the Chief Justice voted), that the Trump administration was required to follow the Administrative Procedure Act to withdraw a memo that was never subjected to that act.

They literally didn't get the memo...

Secrets Without Lies

No more secrets:

Trump made the announcement during a speech on Sunday night, the eve of his second inauguration, which coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In his remarks, Trump emphasized the need for increased transparency and accountability in government, pledging to reverse what he described as “over-classification” of government records. “As the first step toward restoring transparency and accountability to government, we will also reverse the over-classification of government documents,” Trump said during his address. He continued, “And in the coming days, we are going to make public remaining records relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy, as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”

The truth may finally out...

Blogging In The Years: 1985

President Reagan returns to the White House:

Mom and Dad

The parents are back in charge:

Poker Face

You've got to know when to fold 'em:

SCOTUSblog publisher Tom Goldstein, who is also charged with making false statements to two mortgage lenders, has appeared before the Supreme Court more times than nearly any other attorney in private practice in modern times. The indictment alleges that for the tax years 2016 through 2021, Goldstein willfully failed to pay more than $5.3 million in taxes he owed the IRS. Goldstein, 54, has taught at Harvard Law School and was one of several lawyers who represented then-Vice President Al Gore in the Bush v. Gore case at the Supreme Court, which ceased the recounting of Florida ballots in the disputed 2000 presidential election. He has also successfully represented Google at the Supreme Court in the case where its use of Oracle software code in Android was accused of violating U.S. copyright law. In November, Goldstein authored a New York Times guest essay that called for the end of criminal cases against President-elect Donald Trump. Goldstein also has been “an ultrahigh-stakes power player, frequently playing in matches or series of matches in the United States and abroad involving stakes totaling millions, and even tens of millions, of dollars,” according to the 22-count indictment against him in U.S. District Court in Maryland. In a series of matches against a foreign gambler in Asia in 2016, the indictment says, Goldstein won about $13.8 million. Several months later, in a series of matches against a California businessman in Beverly Hills, Goldstein won $26.4 million, according to the indictment.

The gambler seems to have lost this bet...

The Wanderers

TIME magazine suggsts unhappy liberals literally get lost in the woods:

The piece asks “Why so much distress after months of processing the outcome of this divisive election?” Maybe it’s because the legacy media told fragile leftists that it would literally be the end of the country and the world if Trump won? The article then lists 11 ways to avoid seeing Trump take the oath, consulting “experts to share their favorite science-backed suggestions.” OK, this should be funny. Along with smiling, dancing and journaling, it suggests blue haired people gather in groups to have a communal cry, or go ‘forest bathing.’ It’s basically, “walking aimlessly and slowly” through the woods.

The longer, the better...

Blue Trip

Another Democratic mayor is having problems:

Members of the public in South Fulton, along with City Councilwoman Helen Willis, believe Kamau used a city-issued card to make what appears to be thousands of dollars of personal purchases between October and December 2024. According to WSB-TV, he used the card for multiple Amazon purchases, a $1,300 drone, and travel expenses, including over $5,000 in airplane tickets. Most notably, Kamau spent 20 days in Ghana in December — what's with all these majors going to Ghana lately? — and it's believed that he may have used taxpayer money to fund the trip. Some of the mayor's trip has been documented on Instagram. "I wanted to find out if taxpayers paid for this trip,” South Fulton resident Reshard Snellings told a WSB reporter, adding, "We should not be asked to go without something so that our elected officials can travel all over the globe." That same reporter asked Councilwoman Willis if the trip had anything to do with Kamau's job as mayor, and she said she didn't think so. "We need more economic development here and we don’t need to go to Africa in order for the city to have a multi-business deal," Willis also said, adding that the situation is currently under investigation. Other members of the city council have asked that the mayor make a public statement, but he has yet to do so, even after numerous South Fulton residents packed City Hall last week demanding answers. Willis also told Atlanta's Fox 5 that city officials have 72 hours to justify any expenses made with the card, but "there are 112 receipts that have not been reconciled or submitted." Both WSB and Fox 5 say they've reached out to the mayor, who calls himself a "college-educated, community activist and Southern, Black, Christian Socialist," about the allegations, but he hasn't responded.

He was probably on another trip...

Quiet March

The pink hats sort of return:

The smaller, quieter march is a reflection of the muted exasperation and a likely symptom of political fatigue that has settled in among anti-Trump forces that were once the driving force of American politics. Democrats are wondering how to reassemble a winning coalition that was once organized around opposition, with many pondering if they should just find a way to work with the figure they once called a threat to democracy itself. “The time to express outrage in that way has passed,” said Vanessa Wruble, who was one of the original organizers of the 2017 protest. She doesn’t plan to march this year, and spoke to POLITICO from the animal sanctuary she now operates in Joshua Tree, California, where a double yellow-headed Amazon parrot named Hot Pants squawked in the background. When asked why she’s forgoing protesting this time around, Wruble said she’s “not that type of progressive anymore” frustrated at what she views as a political left that is “completely cannibalizing itself.”

When you eat your own there's no one left...

Right World

It's not their world anymore:

Globally, as well as in the United States, the left has, in recent years, engaged in some historic overstepping. They advocate for: Unlimited illegal immigration and open borders. Support for Islamic radicals and condemnation of Israel, the only democratic country in the Middle East. Boys and men on girls and women's sports teams - and in their showers and locker rooms. DEI hiring and promotion practices in law enforcement, education, and even the military. We could go on, but you get the idea. The really fun part is that people whose politics lean right sure seem to be happier and more upbeat than those on the left. The left is not just unhappy – they are angry. Witness the 2020 destruction of billions of dollars of private property in street riots largely ignored or even tacitly supported by leftists in all levels of government. And very few on the left would dare to propose what seems obvious to those of us on the right – that maybe, just maybe, if these people had ever achieved anything in life, they wouldn’t be so angry. Right now, the pendulum is swinging to the right. And there's this: The oversteps mentioned above would have been unthinkable to even the most leftist politicians only a generation ago. These oversteps, these idiotic policy proposals, may have doomed the political left to a prolonged time in the political wilderness.

From overstepping to stepping back...

Georgia Bust

So this happened in Georgia:

Fire Watch

Bill Burr delivers some hard truths about California's fires:

Closed For Reality

DEI is dead at the FBI:

The agency didn't specify why it had closed the office, although many Republicans have been critical of it prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion, saying that had overshadowed national security. Earlier this month, Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray claiming that "radical" DEI practices had "endangered" Americans following the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans. "I am deeply concerned that—under your leadership—the Bureau has prioritized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives over its core mission of protecting the American people," Balckburn wrote in the Jan. 3 letter after referencing the attack. After the announcement, Blackburn said in a post on X: "The question is why were they allowed to be focused on DEI in the first place? The FBI should be focused on catching criminals, not winning participation trophies."

Nobody wins with DEI...

Her Dishonor

Oakland's former mayor is in trouble:

The FBI conducted a raid at Thao's home and three properties that were associated with members of the Duong family, who were awarded a curbside recycling contract by the city of Oakland. The raids occurred last June, and federal agents seized phones belonging to Thao and her boyfriend, Andre Jones. Days after the raids, a federal grand jury subpoenaed all "documents and communications related to Andre Jones" and "calendar entries or records" of meetings involving Thao or Jones dating back to June 2022. The subpoena sought documents concerning the Oakland Army Base and Evolutionary Homes, a project to construct container homes that involved the Duongs and Mario Juarez, a man who is accused of violating the law in an attempt to assist Thao in winning the 2022 election, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Additionally, Oakland's Public Ethics Commission has been conducting an inquiry into the Duong family. They have been accused of using straw donors to provide financial support to Thao and other politicians. The city of Oakland released hundreds of documents in November, revealing that Evolutionary Homes representatives lobbied for $90 million in city funding to construct 300 tiny homes using shipping containers. Thao directly supported the venture, as evidenced by emails. On September 7, 2022, Evolutionary Homes was established in California. Juarez was listed as the organizer and a member of the Duong family as its agent. However, the company fell through.

Corruption is all in the family...

Pay The Piper

CNN has to pay up:

The six-person jury ruled Young was awarded $4 million in lost earnings, $1 million in personal damages such as pain and suffering and said that punitive damages are warranted against CNN. As the jury was gearing up to determine punitive damages, 14th Judicial Circuit Court Judge William S. Henry announced that Young and CNN reached a settlement for the amount that would be awarded to the Navy veteran. The settlement amount was not disclosed. The settlement announcement came after an expert witness suggested $150 million was a fair amount to punish CNN.

They deserve far more...

Amendment Amiss

Biden claims that the ERA has been ratified. There's just one problem:

Congress proposed the ERA in 1972 as a top priority of the Far Left. It says, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” While officially it would ensure that men and women have equal rights, legal scholars and top elected Republicans explain in great detail how it would instead abolish all sorts of vital legal distinctions and protections. These would range from blocking even the most modest restrictions on abortion through the moment of birth, to allowing men in women’s sports and locker rooms, to making it potentially illegal to have a Father’s Day and Mother’s Day on the calendar as holidays. But as in several other proposed amendments, such as the Eighteenth Amendment (Prohibition) and the Twenty-First Amendment (repealing Prohibition), Congress’s proposed resolution included a seven-year deadline for states to ratify the ERA. And in later amendments, Congress continued to insert this deadline language in the joint resolution proposing the amendment, as Congress did in 1972 with the ERA. In its 1921 decision Dillon v. Gloss, the Supreme Court held that it is constitutional for Congress to attach such deadlines to proposed amendments. The ERA’s seven-year deadline came and went with only 35 states ratifying the proposal. In fact, during that time five states that originally voted to ratify then voted to rescind that ratification, so it is likely that only 30 states voted to ratify before the deadline.

Like his other false memories, it never happened...

Power Principles

People without power always want yours:

Swamp Things

The swamp is woke, or something:

As a nonbinary space that is neither land nor water but both, the swamp serves as the material grounds—as the “terra infirma”—for a series of considerations about transformation and difference. Drawn from Professor C. Riley Snorton's new work, Mud: Ecologies of Racial Meaning, this lecture weaves together the insights of Black ecologies and trans studies through a nonbinary analytic to raise questions about the coloniality of climate (change) and being. In this talk, Professor Snorton will juxtapose three swamp narratives—the Wild Man of the Green Swamp, the Honey Island Swamp monster, and the Amazonian plant-spirits to discuss how swamps confound common sense notions of difference, especially in terms of racial and gender categorization. Ending with a meditation on the Brazilian film, Uyra: The Rising Forest, this talk also highlights how Black and Indigenous queer, trans and nonbinary artists and activists are redefining the terms of their difference.

Don't offend the ghosts...

Trucked Out

No green trucks for California:

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) pulled back its request to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a waiver that would have allowed the state to require massive increases in sales of electric or zero-emissions truck models over the coming decades. As of 2023, only 0.3% of all registered heavy-duty vehicles in the U.S. were zero-emissions models, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation. CARB’s Advanced Clean Fleets rule would have mandated California’s truck fleet to move to zero-emission models starting in 2024, ending with the fleet going 100% zero-emissions between 2035 and 2042, according to Commercial Carrier Journal. The proposed regulations would have also required 100% of all new heavy-duty vehicles sold in the state to be zero-emissions models by 2036 if implemented.

The greening will have to wait...

Dark Blue

Biden gave an award to a dark money master:

Millions of dark money contributions link back to Hungarian-born Soros, who quietly financed soft on crime district attorneys, radical left candidates, and a host of Democrat initiatives. “In my farewell address tonight, I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And that’s a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra wealthy people,” Biden said Wednesday. “The dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked.” “Today, an oligarch is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” he added.

Dark money makes the liberal world go 'round...

Tax Appeal

People are going where it's cheaper:

"For the second year in a row, South Carolina saw the greatest population growth attributable to net inbound domestic migration (1.26%)," the Tax Foundation data showed. The Palmetto State was followed by Idaho (0.83%), Delaware (0.79%), and North Carolina (0.76%). It used to be that people's most significant reason for moving was the climate. The "Sun Belt" migration in the post-World War II era changed the face of American politics and culture. Climate is still a big attraction, especially for an aging population. But as companies relocated to red states, workers naturally followed. "Americans are continuing to leave high-tax, high-cost-of-living states in favor of lower-tax, lower-cost alternatives. Of the 26 states whose overall state and local tax burdens per capita were below the national average in 2022 (the most recent year of data available), 18 experienced net inbound interstate migration in FY 2024," Loughead wrote. "Meanwhile, of the 25 states and DC with tax burdens per capita at or above the national average, 17 of those jurisdictions experienced net outbound domestic migration," she added.

The great tax exodus continues...

Press Poll

People just don't trust the media:

In a national survey, conducted December 2-18, 2024, Gallup asked respondents to “rate the honesty and ethical standards” of 23 professions. “TV reporter” was one of just three professions distrusted by a majority of Americans. Only 13%, or about one in eight, rate the trustworthiness of TV reporters as either “high” or “very high,” while more than four times as many (55%) think it’s “low” or “very low” (55%). Similarly, nearly half (45%) of U.S. adults rate the honesty and ethics of newspaper reporters as either low or very low, while only about one in six (17%) give them a positive score. “TV reporters, whose nine-point slide since the 2000s reflects the decline in Americans’ broader confidence in the news media,” Gallup reports. “Americans’ trust in newspaper reporters…has been consistently low over the years, with little change.” Indeed, trust in mass media hit a record low for the third straight year in 2024, as Gallup’s annual survey on trust found that less than a third of Americans (31%) say they believe what they’re being told by the media, compared to 69% who say they don’t, including 36% who have no trust at all.

It's a matter of distrust...

Pub Police

Big Brother is in the pub:

Under plans to supposedly protect workers in customer-facing jobs, such as pub staff, the Labour government of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has proposed reforms mandating employers protect workers from harassment by “third parties,” such as customers. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) watchdog has warned that impending “worker’s rights” legislation threatens to “disproportionately curtail” freedom of speech, the Times of London reported. The ECHR raised particular concern over how the legislation could impact “overheard conversations” in places like pubs where patrons may discuss controversial issues such as issues surrounding gender or religion, which employers may not recognise should be allowed as protected “philosophical beliefs”. “The legal definition of what amounts to philosophical belief is complex and not well understood by employers,” the watchdog said. “It is arguable that these difficulties may lead to disproportionate restriction of the right to freedom of expression under Article 10 ECHR.” Government ministers have acknowledged that freedom of speech issues may arise, “particularly in areas of legitimate debate which are carried out in a contentious manner”. However, it argued that the definition of harassment in its legislation: “unwanted conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating the recipient’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment”, is limited enough to prevent overreach.

That's how it starts...

No, Minister

Corruption comes home:

Labour politician Tulip Siddiq, appointed anti-corruption and city minister by the Sir Keir Starmer government last year, resigned Tuesday. The news came just hours after she was named in a corruption probe in Bangladesh, investigating whether her family had illegally acquired land during the rule of Siddiq’s aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who had been Bangladesh’s longest-serving Prime Minister until she was ousted in a coup last year. The corruption row follows years of claims about Siddiq’s use of various expensive London properties, including apartments and houses gifted or owned by her aunt’s political allies. It also came after a letter from the Prime Minister’s independent advisor on ministerial standards published today. He said he found it “regrettable” that “conclusive information” about how the Siddiq family came to own some London properties was not found. The ministerial standards advisor also noted an “unfortunate misunderstanding” which led to the public having been “inadvertently misled” about the origin of the ownership of a flat in King’s Cross. He stated: Given the nature of Ms Siddiq’s ministerial responsibilities, which include the promotion of the UK financial services sector and the inherent probity of its regulatory framework as a core component of the UK economy and its growth, it is regrettable that she was not more alert to the potential reputational risks – both to her and the Government – arising from her close family’s association with Bangladesh. I would not advise that this shortcoming should be taken as a breach of the Ministerial Code, but you will want to consider her ongoing responsibilities in the light of this. Siddiq had previously distanced herself from claims about her links to the despotic former Bangladeshi regime, insisting she — a dedicated politician — never discussed politics with her aunt, the Prime Minister of a Commonwealth state. Yet in recent days, The Times of London has revealed campaign literature from Siddiq was found in the abandoned palace of her aunt in Dhaka, looted by rebels after she was removed in a coup last year.

The things you leave behind...