Ace: aceofspadeshq at gee mail.com
Buck: buck.throckmorton at protonmail.com
CBD: cbd at cutjibnewsletter.com
joe mannix: mannix2024 at proton.me
MisHum: petmorons at gee mail.com
J.J. Sefton: sefton at cutjibnewsletter.com
Jewells45 2025 Bandersnatch 2024
GnuBreed 2024
Captain Hate 2023
moon_over_vermont 2023
westminsterdogshow 2023
Ann Wilson(Empire1) 2022 Dave In Texas 2022
Jesse in D.C. 2022 OregonMuse 2022
redc1c4 2021
Tami 2021
Chavez the Hugo 2020
Ibguy 2020
Rickl 2019
Joffen 2014
AoSHQ Writers Group
A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published.
Contact OrangeEnt for info: maildrop62 at proton dot me
Google pays 80% of the budget for Safari and Mozilla, Edge is just Chrome, and Chrome actually is Chrome. So with Google's illegal practices on multiple fronts coming to a head with the company losing two antitrust cases, the whole metastatic structure is set to implode.
More than that, Google's payments to Apple, which are likely to end abruptly, cover 60% of the latter company's total R&D budget.
That's accurate in itself, but the main story is don't even think about buying the 8GB model.
For example, playing Dragon Age Veilguard - which nobody does; the game flopped hard - the 16GB card achieves a reasonable 57 fps at 1440p, dropping very slightly to 56.9 fps when using a PCIe 4.0 slot. Fair enough and in line with other tests. Even the 5090 only loses a couple of percentage points in performance with a PCIe 4.0 slot.
With the 8GB model, performance drops to just 34 fps. And with the 8GB model in a PCIe 4.0 slot, it can't even manage 5 fps.
Most games cope better than that, but some games were even worse. The new Indiana Jones game would not run at all on the 8GB version with the same settings used on the 16GB card, and Spider-Man 2 ran but crashed often enough on the 8GB card to make it a truly miserable experience.
The two 5060 Ti models share a name, but the 16GB model is adequate, while the 8GB model is simply inadequate.
(Photo from the Makers Mark distillery in Loretto, KY)
Welcome to Club ONT! A collaboration of your Sunday through Wednesday ONT Crew - The Disco, The Doggo, and The Dino. Tonight's 'mane' attraction, The Kentucky Derby. Did any of you watch the race? Yay or neigh?
A preacher wanted to raise money for the local church and, upon hearing that there was a fortune to be found in horse racing, he decided to purchase one and enter himself. Unfortunately, the going price for a horse at the local auction house was too high so he ended up getting a donkey instead. He decides that, because he has it, he might as well try his luck so he enters it in the horse race and, to his great surprise, it comes in third place.
The newspaper headline the next day read, "Preacher's ass shows."
The preacher was quite pleased with this turn of events, so he decided to enter the donkey in the race again and this time it won.
The newspaper headline the next day read, "Preacher's ass out front."
The bishop was rather unhappy that the church was getting this kind of publicity, so he commanded the preacher to get rid of the donkey.
The newspaper headline the next day read, "Bishop scratches preacher's ass."
After some careful thought, the preacher agreed to give the donkey to a nun in a nearby convent.
The newspaper headline the next day read, "Nun has best ass in town."
This was too much for the bishop. He commanded the nun to get rid of the donkey again. She sold it to a local farmer for the price of $10.
The newspaper headline the next day read, "Nun sells ass for $10."
The bishop fainted. When he regained consciousness, he told the nun to buy the donkey back from the farmer and to then release it into the nearby fields.
The newspaper headline the next day read, "Nun announces ass is wild and free."
The bishop was buried the next day.
*****
Club trivia.
The craziest stat I’ve seen about this year’s Kentucky Derby is that every single horse in this year’s race is a descendant of Secretariat.
Whether you're hosting a Kentucky Derby party or you're just craving a refreshing bourbon cocktail, this mint julep recipe is sure to hit the spot.
The key to making a great mint julep is making fresh mint flavored simple syrup.
Mint Simple Syrup:
2 cups water
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
Cocktails:
8 cups crushed ice, or as needed
32 fluid ounces Kentucky bourbon
8 sprigs fresh mint for garnish
Once you have your mint flavored simple syrup -
Fill eight glasses with crushed ice
pour 4 ounces bourbon and 1/4 cup mint syrup into each cup
Top each drink with a mint sprig
Crushed ice works best. It allows for dense packing in the glass / cup.
When it comes to bourbon and horse racing, most people don't look past The Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, and the mint julep. This combination seems to be inexorably intwined. However, the story of bourbon and horse racing goes much deeper, and is much more vast than this one drink on this one day.
While a lot of focus is given to Louisville, where Churchill Downs is located, the real headquarters for racing in Kentucky lies in the area surrounding Lexington, where many of the world's top race horses are bred. Ironically, it's the Kentucky Bourbon Trail that connects these two cities, a nearly 80 mile stretch bookended on one side by Jim Beam, not too far from Louisville, and on the other by Wild Turkey, Four Roses, and Buffalo Trace, which are closer to Lexington.
It's in Lexington, not Louisville, where one of the crown jewels of the racing world lives: Keeneland Racetrack.
It's amazing that most people who are familiar with Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby have never heard of Keeneland, but it's importance and connection to Kentucky Bourbon is significant. Many of the distilleries near Lexington feature bottlings featuring horses and horse racing, most notably the running horses atop Buffalo Trace's Blanton's Bourbon. Keeneland is the home to the Bourbon Stakes race held every October, as well as the Maker's Mile (which is now the Maker's 46 Mile).
Perhaps Keeneland's most significant connection and contribution to Kentucky Bourbon is that the track was the first customer of a little emerging whiskey brand in the late 1950's called Maker's Mark.
***
There's no denying the importance of the Kentucky Derby and the mint julep, but the world of racing and bourbon extends far beyond that classic pairing. Those in the know, skip the insane crowds of Churchill Downs and make their way down to a little magical race track, right out side of Lexington, where champions run, and a little wheated bourbon got its start.
Read the whole thing for more fascinating history. And if you find yourself in central Kentucky on a weekend in April or October, do yourself a favor and visit Keeneland!
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*****
Horses are fine but don't forget about dino racing!
or weiner dog racing!
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Bar games? Pool, darts, and Fingerhakeln (finger wrestling).
The sport dates back to the 17th century and whilst historically, finger wrestling is said to have been a method of solving disputes among men, today it is an organised sport featuring annual competitions for varying age and weight categories in Bavaria (Germany), Austria, and the alpine regions of western Europe.
At its core, finger wrestling involves two men sitting at opposite sides of a wooden table, middle fingers interlocked in a leather band, attempting to drag their opponent across the table. On either side sits a spotter ready to catch a backwards fall, and an umpire decides a winner after two defeats in an extended K.O. format.
Club Music
[Disco says: Long Hard Times to Come is the theme song to the show Justified (the greatest TV show ever), coincidentally set in Kentucky]
A whiskey river wasn't on Austin Contegiacomo's mind when he found an ocean of it - a Prohibition-era stash, to be exact - washed up on a New Jersey beach while he was walking his dog last month.
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Club ONT is not responsible for gambling losses. If you tend to bet on a horse based on a cute name or a hometown reference, consider giving that money to Club ONT staff as a tip instead. At least you'll know where the money went and maybe get a "thank you" in return. You may refer to Club ONT bartenders and servers as "drink jockeys" but giving them the whip or spurs will not get your drink delivered faster.
Howdy Hordelings! CBD let me take control of the AOSHQ jukebox tonight. Despite his complete lack of appreciation for my favorite band, I want to thank him for allowing me to play music director. Won't ya step on in and rock out for a while?
The term "classic rock" is really difficult to define in a consensus building way. Some folks would say it only applies to a time period of the mid 60s through the late 70s. British invasion, Woodstock, stadium/arena rock. Others (like myself) believe "classic rock" is a broad category which continues to evolve and add sub-genres - soft rock of the late 70s / early 80s (essentially what is called "yacht rock" today), New Wave, hair bands, and grunge.
As some of you know, I host a monthly Classic Rock Trivia event at a local brewery. Sometimes I will feature a question that evokes a "That's not classic rock!" response. What say you, Hordelings? What are your thoughts on the definition of "classic rock"?
Whatever your definition, the rock of yesterday remains strong - not only within the Boomer and Gen X age groups, but also among the yutes up through Gen Z. Now, the younger folks are certainly more likely to also listen to newer music, including more hip-hop and electronic styles. But play bands like Van Halen, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, or even Lynyrd Skynyrd around them, and they are likely to recognize those songs and even sing along.
Sirius XM has several great channels dedicated to classic rock (Classic Vinyl, Classic Rewind, The Bridge, Ozzy's Boneyard, Hair Nation - to name just a few). Streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music have tons of rock channels and playlists available. And there's lots of good new / current rock out there. You just have to want to find out. More on that in a bit. Let's get to some actual music here!
I previously mentioned Skynyrd. While songs like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird" are likely the first to come to mind for many folks, I offer this mellower track.
Here's another perhaps lesser known track from a well known classic rock band. It too is a storytelling type of song.
Let's stay with perhaps some lesser known tracks from well known bands.
This one from Van Halen just simply RAWKS. So many early Van Halen songs became big radio hits, but this one never really did. I guess it's not really "single worthy" - but it's an outstanding song!
This one was the 3rd single released from Foreigner's debut album. Perhaps overshadowed in familiarity by "Cold as Ice" and "Feels Like the First Time", I contend this one is the best of the three.
An often overlooked but outstanding Led Zeppelin track - Out on the Tiles
An early (overlooked?) track from Def Leppard - Let it Go
What are some of your favorite lesser known tracks from well known rock bands?
***
Is There Any Good New Rock?
Earlier I mentioned streaming music services. One thing I really enjoy about my Spotify account is the algorithm which suggests music to me based on my listening history. I used to have the premium version of Amazon Music, which was also good at suggesting music to me. Here are 2 current bands that I discovered this way. They are both putting out some outstanding rock music.
As I said, there is some great new rock out there - you just have to WANT to find it and know WHERE to find it!
How about you -- any newer rock bands you have to suggest to the Horde?
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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Class of 2025 inductees:
Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes.
Whatever. Bad Company should have been inducted a long time ago. Soundgarden definitely belongs. The others - I say no.
The RR HOF is a joke. It took until last year to induct Peter Frampton and Foreigner. Iron Maiden is still not in there. Oh well. Gives us something to bitch about, I guess.
***
Thank you all for tuning in and jamming out with me. Hope to be invited back for another musical interlude!
Should you feel so inclined to reach out to me with comments or suggestions - do the email thing at doof2112 at proton dot me
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. We gave the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies(TM) a spin and it came up with traveling to Canada!
Been a while since we have done a travel theme on the Hobby Thread. As winter recedes and spring and summer emerge (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), wanderlust starts to emerge. Where to go?
Since Canada has been in the news for a variety of reasons, let's take off to The Great White North. What are your favorite places or events to visit? Lots of variety and lots of places to visit. Everyone knows about Niagara Falls, but what else should be on a travel bucket list for Canada?
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Lake Louise was developed as a tourist resort by the Canadian Pacific Railway. The luxurious Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise may be one of the most well-known and photographed locations in Canada. The Canadian Rockies include places like Banff, Jasper, and the national parks of Yoho and Kootenay.
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The Calgary Stampede takes center stage in Alberta each July. The ten-day rodeo is world famous and apparently the largest outdoor rodeo in the world. The event has expanded beyond horse riding to become a cultural event with plenty of music. Shania Twain will headline in 2025. Rodeo activity happens each afternoon leaving the evening for hooting and hollering.
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The Royal Canadian Pacific train is the Orient Express of Canada. If you're looking for a unique bucket-list way of seeing Canada in style (and if your budget is generous), the train may be for you.
The Canadian Pacific Railway was formed to physically unite Canada and Canadians from coast to coast. Construction was difficult at best. In 1885, the east and west portions of railroad track where joined with the last spike in Craigellachie, British Columbia.
Five star hospitality means stellar accommodations and cuisine. Train trips these days typically do not cross Canada, but instead tour western Canada for five days/four nights at a time. Trips start out of Calgary. If you're really a big deal, you can charter the train for 30 guests. There are other train trips in Canada but this is the most luxurious. Has anyone done a tour on this line or others?
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Victoria, the capital of British Columbia sits on beautiful Vancouver Island and is arguably one of Canada's most picturesque cities. British heritage and history is everywhere, such as in the form of double decker buses. Museums, waterfront attractions, Parliament buildings, scenic day trips, and amazing gardens make it a tourist attraction. Its weather is also more mild than many other parts of Canada.
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In more urban terms, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg get the attention. Montreal is known for its French language and influence, the 1976 Summer Olympics and F1 racing each year. Toronto is the financial hub and destination of teenagers in the US looking for alcohol. What urban places in Canada are your favorites?
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Canada has many other attractions. Northern Lights? Panning for gold in the Yukon? Sled Dog Racing (not the Iditarod - that is in Alaska, not Canada)? Walking on glaciers? Whale watching? Scenic drives in Nova Scotia? Wild Polar Bears? Historic Quebec city? Thousand Island National Park? Winter sports at Whistler? Lighthouses on Prince Edward Island? Cruising the inside passage?
Where have you gone or would like to go? Horde from or in Canada - where do you recommend visiting? What hidden gems or little known spots should be on a touring list?
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I was going to put this in an ONT, but the Hobbying Horde might have thoughts. Never thought of such a thing before. Is this real or AI? Even if AI, is this possible? Just need some patience and superglue?
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Horde Hobbying update from polynikes - this one is called "Chambers Lake"
Good stuff as always. Thank you!
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What are you hobbying these days? Does spring weather open up new options for your hobbying? As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. Your participation does not need to limited to the theme. All hobbying is welcome. However, politics, current events and religious debates can live in threads elsewhere. Play nice. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls. Pants, as always, are optional.
Best wishes to those with Hobbies of the horse racing variety. Looks like it is going to be a muddy race today.
***
Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We talked automata. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.
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Notable comments from last week:
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Words of wisdom:
"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).
***
If you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, hijack the thread for your hobbying as you see fit. We will feature a different theme next time. What are you hobbying? We love showing off Horde hobbying. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things. Lucky horseshoes to all.
Good afternoon and welcome to the almost world famous Ace of Spades Pet Thread TM. The answer is "Yes". Today's opener photo is a rerun. But, it is classy. And you know the Pet Morons are classy.
Your's truly is sitting in for the lovely and talented KT. Let's take a look at the world of animals.
Please leave the current events and politics out at the curb. Or you might find yourself at the nearest shelter.
Meet our one-year-old Australian Cattle Dog mix (Red Heeler variety) who was named Piper by our granddaughters. She came to us at three months of age after having been found abandoned at about 6 weeks old on the nearby Navaho Reservation in Utah. A rescue group called Underdogs took her in, fostered her and rehabbed her for several weeks. She has fit in well with our senior citizen Australian Shepherd Buckley who showed up on the Pet Thread some years ago. They spend a lot of time rough housing and play fighting. He teaches her all his old bad habits and she teaches him a few new ones of her own. All in all a positive lift for the old boy. She stands about 16 inches at the shoulder and weighs about 50 lbs. She has freakishly long legs. She is not the smartest dog I've ever had but the d'awwww cuteness factor is off the charts. Who's a good girl?
regards,
muldoon
Good looking pup Muldoon. That dog certainly hit the lottery finding you! Good luck with your pair of pups.
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The following scene was captured by Mindful Webworker.
After Easter supper, sonM tried to lay down on the couch. He was immediately joined by (left to right) Daughter & Son-in-Law's main dog Chowie, our fine Malinois Daisy, SonM's auxiliary dog Bandit, and SonM's primary dog the enormous Jarl. Not shown: daughter & s-i-l's auxiliary dog Maya. Very restful.
Looks really relaxing after a wonderful Easter dinner. Thanks for sharing.
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Last but not least comes a wonderful story of love for a mixed family.
Hi KT:
Long-time semi-Lurker Lisan here. Here are pictures of Billy the Dog, an Australian Kelpie mix; Bella, the Tortie cat; and Sophia, a very ancient Tabby. I brought all three animals home after my aunt passed away and no one could take them. Originally, I was taking only the two cats, but Plan A for the dog fell through and I was Plan B. Since Billy is a very good dog, and especially good around cats, it wasn’t stretch to include him as part of the pet horde. He is the most well-behaved dog-polite, good on a leash and incredibly, he never barks. The puzzle with him is that he has none of the herding dog breed characteristics, and while he looks like he has some husky or malamute in him, he doesn’t act like it. Will just be thankful he is such a well-behaved little guy, and do a DNA test at some point to confirm his breed.
Bella is about 14 years old, she was exclusively an outdoor cat, but not feral. She is adapting well to being indoor only, meaning she isn’t complaining with howling cat noise or violence. She is actually a quiet cat, very amenable to being handled and petted-I think she is secretly happy to be warm and safe inside. We are letting her set the pace for ratcheting down her flight response, and she is slowly exploring beyond the safe places she has picked in the house. Sophia is confirmed at 22 years old, which is the oldest cat I have ever had. Apparently, she was also an outdoor only cat, brought inside to die when she began to look frail—this was an unknown number of years ago, and she is still hanging on. She is creaky, cranky, and old-thin, but moves around well from nap spot to nap spot, almost trotting when food is on offer. We are treating her for the typical old cat problems, namely hyperthyroidism (medicated), kidney failure (subQ fluids), with her diabetes testing still inconclusive. I know she is on borrowed time but I am terribly happy we could give her a final landing place that is peaceful and quiet and safe.
Thanks for all you do for the Ace of Spades weekend edition.
Well that wraps up another Pet Thread. Hopefully your regular host KT will be back next week. Hoping you a wonderful week ahead.
The tall, beautiful iris flower, named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows, comes in many magical colors. Despite its divine origins, this beautiful flower is rugged, reliable, and easy to grow. Learn to plant and care for irises for long-term success in your gardens.
About Irises
More than 250 species make up the genus Iris. The most familiar irises are the tall bearded irises (I. germanica), which reach 2 to 3 feet tall. Their distinctive six-petaled flowers have three outer hanging petals (called falls) and three inner upright petals (called standards).
We have a few here at Casa Misanthrope. Bulbs were from my fishing buddy's wife. They seem to be a tough bullet proof type of plant. Just my .02 worth.
Posted by Misanthropic Humanitarian (ONT Cob Emeritus) at 12:05 PMComments
Mid-Morning Art Thread
—Misanthropic Humanitarian (ONT Cob Emeritus)
*****
Good morning folks. KT is out on medical leave but is on the road to recovery and is feeling better. So you get me today on several threads.
I'm really not feeling politically engaged at the moment. So you get some art today.
Posted by Misanthropic Humanitarian (ONT Cob Emeritus) at 09:30 AMComments
The Classical Saturday Coffee Break & Prayer Revival
—Misanthropic Humanitarian (ONT Cob Emeritus)
*****
Good morning boys and girls and everything in between. Before we enter the Prayer Revival just a few housekeeping matters to go over. (Rulz for those of you in Edgar)
1) This is an open thread. Feel free to lurk, opine and/or bloviate.
2) Be kind, be nice. Splash the trolls with sarcasm and wit.
3) No running with sharp objects.
4) Have a great weekend!
Please submit any prayer requests to me, “Annie’s Stew” at apaslo atsign hotmail dot com. Prayer requests are generally removed after four weeks unless we receive an update.
Prayer Requests:
3/24 – Update on Jewell45. Her daughter posted an update, with approval to share: "Okay. Need to do a life update for mama. She hasn’t been doing so hot the last couple weeks. Like I said last month, the cancer has been spreading. She’s been declining quite a bit since then. Her energy level is very low and she’s struggling with breathing after the smallest tasks or even if she talks too much. The decision has been made to transition to hospice care. I want to be clear here about a couple things. Number one, she is NOT in her final days although her oncologist estimates with how the cancer has progressed that she is probably down to several months, 6-9 maybe more. Number 2. She is up for visitors but not much. Please contact myself, dad or her first. She won’t last much longer than 15-20 minutes if you do stop by, so keep your expectations low. Other than that, continued prayers and good vibes are always appreciated. Much love to you all. If you have questions, feel free to contact me privately. This is obviously a difficult time as you can imagine but I’ll do my best."
4/15 Update – Jewells passed away. Members of the Horde are donating to her favorite charity; please contact Annie’s Stew for more information.
4/12 – Ace-Endorsed Author A. H. Lloyd requested prayers for Mrs. Lloyd, for her healing and comfort for the family, especially the grandchildren who greatly miss the woman who has been the most constant and consistent presence in their young lives.
4/19 Update – Mrs. Lloyd has spent the last week in the hospital, and it is a very good thing. For too long she had ignored her health, her diet, etc. and now she is faced with irrefutable proof that she must make serious and immediate life changes. This is a great blessing for Holy Week. Had things not happened the way they did, she might have left us quite soon.
4/26 Update – Mrs. Lloyd is home from the hospital and things are settling down again.
4/12 – Intruder Driver requests prayers for friend Ron and his wife Sherry, as Ron’s Parkinson’s is getting worse.
4/12 – Sharon (willow’s apprentice) greatly appreciates prayers as she recovers from cataract surgery.
4/12 – Ben Had sent an update on Jim SND. He had surgery to implant a feeding tube, and he hopes to go home soon.
4/16 Update – After 3 weeks in the hospital, Jim SND has been released to go home. He has both a vent tube and stomach tube to assist him in breathing and getting nourishment. Jim and Iris appreciate your prayers.
3/24 Update – Jim SND is home and regaining some strength.
4/14 – Grateful – the range bag lady posted: T-Rex’s mother, MommaRex, was rushed to the hospital over the weekend and was diagnosed with Parkinsons. The family is asking for prayers for God’s strength in dealing with the disease and challenging family situation.
4/19 Update – MommaRex is currently in a rehab facility and they are trying to find an assisted living facility for the next step. She has been blessed with good health, so this has truly thrown her in so many ways.
4/15 – Salty Dog requested prayers for his wife, who underwent triple-bypass open heart surgery on 4/9. Her recovery will be a steep uphill climb to the uplands of better health.
4/17 Update – Mrs. Salty Dog was life-flighted to KU Medical in Kansas City. They are to create a new plan of action, as there was a new issue with her heart on 4/16.
4/20 Update – Mrs. Salty Dog (Linda) passed away on Easter. Salty Dog said our prayers were answered, as she passed quickly, without pain or struggle, under the comfort of good drugs. Her last complaint was that the lights were so bright. (This was after he had closed the blinds and made the room as dark as possible.) Easter i the answer.
4/15 – Matthew Kant Cipher asked for prayers for “Dee”, an 88 year-old who has been caring for her quadriplegic son, who was injured in a car accident when he was 17. Dee had a couple of people helping her take care of him, but they are no longer able to do so. Now she is having to care for him herself, while still working as a receptionist for a local meat processing company. Please pray that the Lord provides for her and her son.
4/16 – TecumsehTea requested prayers for a grandson, age 15. The grandson had been sick with a fever and headache since 4/13, and took a turn for the worse. He was taken to the ER on 4/16.
4/19 – Eromero posted his praise for God for healing, comforting, and blessing our brothers and sisters here. He is always with us, even if we are too stressed to feel his presence.
4/22 – FenelonSpoke requested prayers for M, who sometimes fills in as the organist. He has to have vein surgery on his feet, and he needs to have his feet work well to play the organ pedals. Also, prayers for J, who is having a stent put in her heart.
4/26 Update – M’s surgery was successful. J is having setbacks and is still in the hospital. She has not been able to have her heart surgery. Thanks for the prayers!
4/23 – Trudy asked for prayers for her husband, Bill, who is having persistent pain that may well be heart-related.
4/26 Update – Trudy and Bill sent their thanks for the prayers. He had suffered a moderate heart attack. He received 3 stents, and came home on 4/26. They are very thankful for their 54 years together, and are delighted that there will be more! They have been truly uplifted by the prayers.
4/25 – MkY sent thanks for the prayers for his wife Judy, and asked for continued prayers. She has stage IV renal cancer. The tumors have shrunk, but not significantly. Every ER visit has been related to pain management, and it has not been going well. Please pray for help with the pain, and for MkY – that he can be strong and steady even though he feels helpless.
4/26 – Commissar Hrothgar asked for prayers for his elderly sister-in-law, Elizabeth, and her battle with a persistent foot infection, and for blessings on her church friends that are helping her in so many ways!
4/26 – Bif gave an update on Smash. Her abdominal issues are getting closer to full diagnosis. They are waiting on some specialists. She will probably need some surgery to fix what the MRI radiologists say is a necessary repair. Also, she has cataract surgery coming up.
4/26 – Oddbob requested prayers for his daughter’s MIL, Elaine, who was diagnosed with ALS this week.
4/26 – John the River asked for prayers. His girlfriend and partner of the last 10 years passed away suddenly and without warning on Easter Sunday. He went to her house with dinner and found her on the bedroom floor. Her name was Marsha.
4/26 – L asked for prayers for R, her granddaughter.
4/27 – NemoMeImpuneLacessit would appreciate prayers, for laparoscopy surgery on 4/27.
4/27 – Teresa in Fort Worth sent an update with great news – all of her tumors have shrunk by half! The plan now is to continue on this chemotherapy medication until it stops working; no idea how long that might be. When that does happen, they will look at whether or not surgery can be done. (Right now, it cannot, due to the fact that there are multiple tumors.) The surgeon did say that her response to chemo has been “dramatic”, and he is “cautiously optimistic” that surgery will be an option in the future. Her case and the good response to the medication has been extremely rare – such a blessing.
4/30 – “…” posted that she could use some prayers for her good friend Emm, who is starting five months of chemo, followed hopefully by surgery, then radiation.
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.
Vibe coding is a term where a developer has no idea how to program - let alone build a complete application - and also no idea about the problems inherent in the application domain. So someone trying to launch, say, an app to guide mining of rare earth elements when you not only can't program but also have no idea what an element is.
Apple's own vibe coding platform was quietly scuttled last year when it turned out to be completely worthless, so they're doing it again.
Train songs have played a major role in American culture and they also play a prominent role in the canon of 20th century American music. From “Chattanooga Choo Choo” and “Wabash Cannonball” to “City of New Orleans” and “Folsom Prison Blues,” songs about passenger trains captured a sense of their eras.
But by the 1960s, jet airplanes started to replace trains as the dominant form of commercial travel, and the romance of air travel was starting to capture the nation’s fancy. Popular music embraced this exciting new era of travel – along with the heartbreak of a broken relationship ending with the former lover flying off into distant skies.
Here is a bit of the musical magic from that era…
I still hum this song on those infrequent occasions when I change planes at LAX…
”L.A. International Airport” [Susan Raye]
With silver wings across the sky, vapor trails that wave goodbye
To those below who've got to stay at home
I wish that I had flown at night, so I could take that champagne flight
Rid myself of every tear I own.
Soaring high above the heaven, in a 747
Fighting back the tears that curse my eyes
Captain's voice so loud and clear, amplifies into my ear
Assuring me I'm flying friendly skies.
L.A. International Airport
Where the big jet engines roar
L.A. International Airport
I won't see him anymore
*****
Who better than Merle Haggard to sing a country song about airplanes and broken hearts…
”Silver Wings” [Merle Haggard]
Silver wings
Shining in the sunlight
Roaring engines
Headed somewhere in flight
They're taking you away
And leaving me lonely
Silver wings
Slowly fading out of sight
*****
John Denver really should have recorded a sequel to this song to let us know if he ever came back…
”Leaving on a Jet Plane” [John Denver]
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go
*****
Airplane songs weren’t all country and folk. Rockers were singing about air travel too.
Economic News, or We're All Going to Die!!!! Or Not. I'm not a Psychic.
—TheJamesMadison
April 2, 2025 was Liberation Day, the day that Trump's tariff offensive against the world started. Absent any real numbers, the press focused on the stock market's reaction as proof that it was a bad and destructive thing. Well...
There goes that narrative. Stocks are now back to where they were on April 2 one month later.
Are stocks the economy? No. It's somewhere between investment, speculation, and gambling, and the more time goes on, the more I think it's closer to gambling than anything else. What else is there?
Well, how about this? The below is the 2-year bond yield on US Treasuries over the last three months.
This is important because the 2-year bonds are the main vehicle of financing US debt, and it's lost 50 basis points since Trump took office. The US has a current debt of nearly $37 trillion. 50 basis points saved on that matters when refinancing bonds and directly affecting the amount of interest payments. We're currently at a point where interest payments on debt are probably going to be more than $1 trillion a year. That's more than the DOD's entire budget of about $850 billion.
Shaving down interest rates has an outsized effect on our deficit, and it's why Trump has been so vocal against Fed Chair Powell, an officer who reports to Secretary of the Treasury, Bessent. (Tangentially, Trump does have the power to fire Powell. It's a minor theme of the employment lawsuits going around right now.) The Fed directs interest rates, and the Fed's rates are well out of alignment with market rates, indicating a necessary cut (you know, what Powell rushed to do in October of last year in order to try and help Kamala Harris win the presidency).
Okay, but what else? Who cares about interest rates? I don't really care, even though I know I should. How about this:
There it is: Native-born workers: +1.04 million Foreign-born workers: -410,000 pic.twitter.com/SkHM1GnTgN
One of the lesser talked about parts of the Biden economy was the growth of jobs at the expense of people who were born here in favor of those who weren't. You can see that in the graph where the red line (foreign workers) was consistently above the growth of the green line (native workers), but this last month saw a sharp change, news brought about by the 177,000 April employment numbers.
There is no one number that can indicate the strength of the economy, but the GDP numbers for Q1 (when you actually look under the baseline -.3%) was actually pretty good, employment seems to be moving in the right direction, and bond yields seem to indicate better management of federal debt.
We are just over 100 days into Trump's presidency. He walked in with what he saw as a mandate to shake things up. We've gotten a lot of noise about how it's all bad, but...all I'm really seeing is signs of hope.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has officially classified the right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) as extremist.
Having regarded the AfD as a suspected extremist movement since 2021, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), on May 2 designated the populist party as “right-wing extremist,” following an “intensive and comprehensive expert examination.”
This means that intelligence services now have the right to keep it under surveillance.
BfV said in a statement that AfD’s approach to ethnicity is “not compatible with the free democratic basic order.”
According to BfV’s statement, AfD does not consider German nationals with a migration background from Muslim-origin countries as equal members of the German people.
I know...I know... it's impossible for the 4th Estate to be anything but perfectly neutral and aboveboard. Yet here we are!
The German people made AfD one of the most popular parties in Germany, and clearly the elites in Germany can't tolerate having mere citizens deciding the fate of the country.
Are there true extremists in AfD? Of course. Just like there are true extremists in every single political party on earth. But it is curious that the lunatic violent environmentalists who want Germany back in the stone age aren't classified as extremists. And it is curious that the remnants of the communists who routinely surveilled, tortured, imprisoned, and murdered their fellow Germans aren't classified as extremists. And it is most curious that the Muslims openly advocating for sharia law in Germany are not classified as extremists.
And AfD and Israel have common cause...they both see militant Islam as an existential danger. And that is in stark contrast to the ruling party: CDU never met a murdering Islamist they didn't like!
So maybe Germany should be allowed their opinions on foreigners taking over their country. Obviously they need Donald Trump to run for Chancellor. Maybe he can clean up Germany's border after he fixes ours!
It is common for people to draw parallels and comparisons between whatever or whoever is happening now and whatever and whoever happened before. The greater the event or the man, the more people will go looking for historical parallels. Even loose parallels are still embraced as a way to contextualize and explain whatever is happening now. We see this all the time with events and men alike. "Not since X" or "best since Y" or "worst since Z" are all very normal things to see.
When something becomes a cultural touchstone, it will inevitably become a common point for drawing historical parallels. COVID was compared to the 1918 Spanish Flu (or less often, the 1968 flu outbreak). 9/11 is the touchstone for terror attacks here and abroad. The October 7 attacks were described in many countries as "Israel's 9/11" because 9/11 is the touchstone. Depending on your political preferences, Biden was the worst president since Carter or the greatest president Roosevelt (or various others). The comparison made most often and most loudly for the past decade, however, is also the stupidest.
That comparison is, of course, between Trump and Hitler. This is a histrionic and profoundly stupid comparison. The two are nothing alike. If they were anything alike, those making this common and loud comparison would have been liquidated close to a decade ago, followed by total political persecution and slaughter of their fellow travelers while amping up state control of industry, social programs and wars of conquest. These, of course, did not happen. They couldn't. Trump is not at all like history's greatest boogeyman. But Trump, whether one likes him or not, is a great man, and great men invite comparison. This particular comparison, despite being very common, is quite stupid - but that doesn't mean comparison as such is stupid.
There are others. A lot on the right like to compare Trump to Reagan. Those on the left pretending to be edgy will sometimes say that Trump isn't really like Hitler, because he's really much more like Mussolini. One of our esteemed Morons (h/t whig), however, drew a historical comparison that I found compelling. It is a man who was profoundly different and Trump's opposite in virtually all of the particulars, but who shares very a common theme: Mikhail Gorbachev.
Like Trump, Gorbachev was a loyal patriot of a system that was approaching end-stage corruption and incompetence. Like Trump, Gorbachev took control in an attempt to salvage the system to which he was loyal by instituting reforms and making sweeping changes in an effort to arrest the decline. Like Trump, Gorbachev was the target of endless intra-Party attacks and coup attempts. The men are nothing alike in the specific. Gorbachev was a communist and Trump is not, as an obvious example.
But in a broader sense, the two are in similar situations, and trying to do essentially the same thing: fix the problems are arrest the decline. Both the USSR of the 1980s and the USA of the 2020s are empires in decline. Both are being consumed by corrupt and incompetent petty kinglets. Both countries have (or had) a decrepit, criminal ruling elite and a growing underclass increasingly mired in malaise and that is actively hated by its rulers. The USSR was further along then than the USA is now (and started from a much lower point), but the parallels are there and, I think, it is not hyberbolic to say that the situations rhyme. Things are not as bad here as they were in the USSR at its end, but we're on a similar glide path, with many commonalities.
The situation in both countries demanded - and got, at least in part - new leadership. Those leaders are not so dissimilar to each other. Gorbachev was not a revolutionary. At his core, Gorbachev was a loyal Communist Party member and Soviet. He did not want revolution and he did not want to tear down the Soviet Union. He wanted to reform the Soviet Union, to clear out the worst of the corruption and incompetence, clear out the deadest of the dead wood and in so doing, try to guarantee the Soviet Union's survival. He knew and was not alone in his knowledge that the USSR was teetering on the edge of collapse. His entire agenda was geared toward saving the system to which he was loyal, however damaged it had become.
Sound familiar? I think so. I think it sounds a lot like Donald Trump. Like Gorbachev, Trump is a reformer and not a revolutionary. He is thoroughly patriotic, loves the United States and is loyal to her and her people. He is trying to clear out the worst of the corruption and incompetence and clear out the deadest of the dead wood so as to ensure the recovery and re-ascendance of the United States. Unlike the USSR, the USA is (probably) not on the razor's edge of collapse but nonetheless, Trump - like Gorbachev - is having to beat back coup attempts and a continuous full-scale Party counter-assault by and on behalf of the politically-powerful established interests feeding on the body.
There are, of course, meaningful and important differences between the two that go far beyond one being a communist and the other being a human. Gorbachev was often fairly timid and Trump is brash. Gorbachev tried to be a "team player" and Trump does not. Gorbachev gently implemented many halfway measures, and Trump tends to go - or at least try to go - whole-hog. At the micro level, the two are radically different men with radically different approaches and diametrically opposed philosophies.
At the core of it, though, the two are quite alike. All of the particulars are different, but the themes are not. Both of these men tried (or are trying) desperately to fix and salvage their countries. To invert the normal form, they came not to bury Caesar, but to praise him. Gorbachev failed and ended up burying him anyway, though Trump so far has not. That's another fairly important difference.
Job growth was stronger than expected in April despite worries over the impact of President Donald Trump's blanket tariffs against U.S. trading partners.
Nonfarm payrolls increased a seasonally adjusted 177,000 for the month, slightly below the downwardly revised 185,000 in March but above the Dow Jones estimate for 133,000, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. [Bolding mine]
Do you want direct evidence of the media's hatred of President Trump and their manipulation of their reporting to demonize him?
There it is!
The administration is not enacting "blanket tariffs." The news is filled with their constant offers to negotiate, their willingness to change tariffs based on actual data, and their obvious recognition that tariffs are both an economic and geopolitical tool.
"Blanket tariffs" is simply wrong, and an obvious attempt to reduce the efforts of the administration to simplistic, jingoistic, and rigid.
And there is more! Think back to the years of Glorious Leader Biden...how often did the media cite downward revisions in data? I can't recall a single report! They simply glossed over the constant revisions, because they were in the bag for the administration.
Every time the media vomits up this sort of manipulative nonsense, remind yourself that it is bought and paid for by the Democrat/Progressive apparatus. The media are whores, and cheap ones at that.
NY Times is Concerned About China Dumping Subsidized Goods on Europe Due to Trump’s Tariffs
—Buck Throckmorton
The New York Times has excoriated President Trump for trying to disengage the US economy from our mercantilist reliance on cheap Chinese goods. But for all its enmity toward Trump and his trade policies, the Times is concurrently worried that Europe might find itself in an unfavorable trade relationship with China – a trade relationship like the awful one from which President Trump is trying to extract the U.S.
Other than being driven by intense, partisan animus toward Donald Trump, it seems inexplicable that the paper of record would be concerned about Europe surrendering economic sovereignty to China, while at the same time being passionately opposed to America exerting its own economic sovereignty. Isn’t the Times being hypocritical?
No, the NY Times is not being hypocritical. It is very consistent in being rabidly anti-American. Therefore, being concerned about Europe retaining an industrial economy while cheering against American industry is quite principled for the voice of the left. It may be vulgar and offensive, but it’s consistent with the Times’ America-Last principles.
First off, here are some of the typical recent headlines the NY Times has been running as it contemptuously covers Trump’s economic agenda:
Just a quick fisking of that headline and sub-headline is revealing.
“Europe fears a flood of cheap Goods from China.” I don’t blame them, because a flood of cheap Chinese goods has done great harm to America.
“A hazardous scenario for European countries: The dumping of artificially cheap products that could undermine local industries.” Correct! China dumping artificially cheap products on America has undermined local American industries. What is so telling is that the Times is OK with cheap, subsidized products undermining American industries, and they want it to continue. Their concern is that Donald Trump may make it impossible for China to dump on us any longer, and that China may start dumping on Europe instead. That is a problem to the NY Times.
Here is some of the body of that story.
China has for years presented an economic challenge for Europe. Now, it could become an economic disaster. It produces a vast array of artificially cheap goods — heavily subsidized electric vehicles, consumer electronics, toys, commercial grade steel and more — but much of that trade was destined for the endlessly voracious American marketplace.
Per the Times, it’s OK for China to dump subsidized goods on the U.S. because we have a “voracious” marketplace. Their fear is that Europe might also have a voracious appetite for goods subsidized by a communist country artificially supporting its manufacturing.
With many of those goods now facing an extraordinary wall of tariffs thanks to President Trump, fear is rising that more products will be dumped in Europe, weakening local industries in France, Germany, Italy and the rest of the European Union.
Again, the Times is OK with China having already weakened local industries in the U.S. Their concern is that Trump’s tariffs might cause China to weaken local industries throughout their beloved European Union.
“The overcapacity challenge has taken a long time, but it has finally arrived in European capitals,” said Liana Fix, a Washington-based fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “There is a general trend and a feeling in Europe that in these times, Europe has to stand up for itself and has to protect itself.”
So we’re now acknowledging that China has overproduction, that it subsidizes the dumping of its excess production on other countries, and that Europe has to stand up and protect itself. But for some reason these same people are apoplectic that Donald Trump and a majority of U.S. voters feel the same way about protecting the United States from China.
“We cannot absorb global overcapacity nor will we accept dumping on our market,” Ms. von der Leyen [President of the European Union] said as Mr. Trump’s tariffs went into effect.
You’re right, Ms. van der Leyen! And neither can the United States absorb global overcapacity, nor should we accept dumping in our market either.
“The worst-case scenario is high U.S. tariffs” while at the same time “China is flooding the European market,” said Noah Barkin, a senior adviser for the Rhodium Group, a policy research organization. He said that would be “a double whammy for European industry. That is what Europe wants to avoid.”
Can a Principled Free Trader please explain to me why it’s a “worst case scenario” for Europe to be both the dumping ground for subsidized Chinese products while also being the victim of having its exports blocked by high foreign tariffs. I’ve been regularly assured by Principled Free Traders that that exact scenario is a desirable occurrence when that double-whammy of dumping and protective tariffs is inflicted on U.S. manufacturing. Doesn’t Europe benefit from the same “lower consumer prices” that the free traders are always touting when they promote American surrender to foreign mercantilism?
But trade experts say the economic relationship between Europe and China is rooted in a decades-old reality: a Chinese marketplace that is effectively closed to many European companies because of regulatory burdens and the Communist Party’s buttressing of Chinese companies. The European trade deficit with China was nearly $332 billion (€292 billion) in 2023.
Again, Chinese trade barriers and government subsidization of industry, along with the resulting trade deficit are bad for Europe. Correct. They’re just as bad when the U.S. is being victimized by China.
There is much more in this article that keeps hammering these same points about how unfair Chinese dumping would be for Europe, which are coincidentally pretty much the same points Trump and MAGA have been making about unfair, unreciprocal, unilateral trade that destroys American industry and economic sovereignty.
Jeffrey Tucker asks the question in the tweet below, “I’m trying to understand NYT economics. How can what’s good for the US be an obvious disaster for Europe.?”
The answer, of course, is that the New York Times does not want what is good for the U.S. It conveys a globalist disdain for America and wishes it harm. Unfair trade with China that harms the US is good for the left’s ultimate vision for the U.S., but our country must be harmed economically for the left’s vision to be fulfilled.
I would also argue that all “conservatives” and libertarians who similarly preach unilateral surrender by the United States to foreign mercantilism are just as antagonistic to a strong, independent Unites States as is the New York Times and their crowd.
A high school English teacher in Maine has allegedly called for the Secret Service and U.S. military to assassinate President Donald Trump, his supporters, and top Trump advisors.
JoAnna St. Germain, who teaches at Waterville Senior High School, appears to have made the concerning remarks on her Facebook page, prompting investigations by police and the school district where she is employed.
I doubt she'll receive anything more than a slap on the wrist, but in the highly unlikely event she does lose her job, she can always go teach at Harvard or Berkeley. Where she can be free to teach Jew-baiting, anti-Americanism and Chi-Com indoctrination to her black heart's delight. Unless of course President Trump's efforts at exposing and dismantling of the Pre-K to Post-graduate indoctrination machine can run unimpeded for the remainder of his term and continue indefinitely. the destruction of American academia has been going on for nearly a century or more, from Horace Mann and John Dewey to Herbert Marcuse and Theodor Adorno and the Frankfurt School and through the malign influence of Bill Ayers and his coven of corruptors. So, preventing further brainwashing and hopefully deprogramming the past two or three generations of those who came through the school systems is not going to happen overnight, and certainly not without a fight, that given the words of this stain in Maine, could and likely will get physical. Burning tesla dealerships, and sleeping subway riders, if not entire cities circa the summer of 2020 should be your first hint.
The Trump administration this week slashed $1 billion in so-called “mental health” grants for educational institutions, many of which were going to promote leftist ideology and train leftist activists.
The Education Department confirmed Wednesday that it was making cuts to grants handed out by the Biden administration ostensibly for the purpose of “mental health” because of the focus of many of the recipients on racially-focused programs. In a notice to Congress, the administration said it was going to “re-envision and re-compete” the funds allocated for mental health at schools in a gun control bill signed by former [puppet] President Joe Biden. . .
. . . The move was first reported on Tuesday by Christopher Rufo, who wrote on X that there would be “no more slush fund for activists under the guise of mental health.”
Larry Kudlow says the recession talk sweeping through Wall Street and the press is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the latest GDP numbers — and a refusal to acknowledge the early effects of President Trump’s economic agenda.
On his Fox Business Network show Wednesday, Kudlow took direct aim at what he described as a “media and Wall Street obsession” with the headline 0.3 percent decline in real GDP during the first quarter of 2025. . .
. . . Kudlow pointed to what he called “core GDP” — a measure that strips out volatile components like inventories, government spending, and net exports. That narrower but more stable measure, known formally as real final sales to private domestic purchasers, rose at an annual rate of around 3 percent in the first quarter.
“Mr. Trump has barely begun, but take a look already at core GDP — which takes out the fluky trade import numbers from tariff front running and looks at just the heart of GDP, which is private sector consumption plus private sector business investment,” Kudlow said. “Well, looking at core GDP, you see an actual increase in the first-quarter economy — of 3 percent, no less.”
Of course Kudlow is a friend and ally of Trump having served in his first term. But he's also a shrewd and astute business guru who wouldn't stick his neck out for no good reason, as he does value his own reputation.
And as you can see from the links, there are major companies coming back to the US and once again setting up shop, which means jobs and long term investment here in the USA.
As we all know, or should know, economics and geopolitics are tied at the hip. It's no secret that the Chi-Coms have long sought to dethrone America and become the preeminent global superpower. Trump knows this and much of what he is doing vis a vis tariffs and other moves (such as the Panama Canal, Greenland and in the Middle East are intended not only to boost our domestic and foreign positions but to check the ChiComs.
Workers throughout China are flooding the streets in revolt as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs slam the fragile Chinese export economy.
From the cramped streets of Sichuan in the southwest to the cold outskirts of Inner Mongolia in the northeast, furious workers are demanding backpay and protesting mass layoffs as factories shutter under pressure from Trump’s tariffs. . .
. . .The wave of anger sweeping across China today echoes the uprising in 2022 when Chinese citizens protested President Xi Jinping’s COVID lockdown orders. Xi’s forces quickly cracked down on dissent, leading to violent clashes across the country. China watchers anticipate Xi will take action again. “Xi today has the same mentality as Mao. His bottom line is that no major crisis will be allowed to endanger his hold on power,” an adviser to the Chinese government told the Journal.
There are a lot of internal problems within Red China that potentially pose a threat to the CCP. The one-child policy means a majority of the population will be elderly and not able to keep their industry and economy going and growing. The introduction of even very tightly controlled capitalist reforms instituted under Premier Deng Xiaoping a generation ago have given Chinese youth a taste of western freedom and they prefer it. The level of corruption in their government down especially to the local levels. Over the past few years there have been many mass-stabbing attacks primarily aimed at the children of local party bosses and politburo members.
There are also reported morale problems in their military as well as graft and incompetence that is reflected in their military readiness and quality of their arms and armed forces, and a gigantic real estate bubble that when it bursts could crash their economy big time. Now Trump comes along and the anticipated Chinese century that was supposed to happen with the coming of the new millennium could go up in smoke. This kind of situation on the mainland could also put Taiwan in the crosshairs perhaps sooner than expected.
I'm not predicting the Chinese Communist Party will collapse any time soon. But who knew that the Soviet Union would ever fall when it did, if at all. Hopefully, for the sake of the suffering Chinese people, the CCP disintegrates. And let's hope our own egghead schmucks in Foggy Bottom don't repeat the same insanity in dealing with whatever government arises from the ashes as it did with Russia post the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yeah, that is too much to ask for.
And lastly, a quick shout-out and thank you for your continued support in hitting our tip jar. It truly is appreciated more than you can know.
Have a great weekend.
ABOVE THE FOLD, BREAKING, NOTEWORTHY
Welcome to a community in Texas - where the Constitution is not welcome. (Meh, AKA every Democrat run city and state - jjs) EPIC City – Caliphate Blueprint USA
The wave of anger sweeping across China today echoes the uprising in 2022 when Chinese citizens protested President Xi Jinping’s COVID lockdown orders. Xi’s forces quickly cracked down on dissent, leading to violent clashes across the country. China watchers anticipate Xi will take action again.
. . . the supposed culprit of the import surge—consumer panic buying—simply isn’t real. Consumers are not front-running the tariffs. And that, too, is good news. If they were, demand would be pulled forward and set to sag in future quarters. But it hasn’t been. That means the runway ahead may be longer than expected. Consumers Aren’t Front Running Tariffs
SiriusXM CFO Dismisses Tariff Concerns on Earnings Call: ‘We Sleep Well at Night.’ text
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Thursday that she has held conversations with U.S. President Donald J. Trump on trade, revealing, “We agreed that the secretaries of the Treasury, finance, economy and commerce will continue working in the coming days on options to improve our trade balance and advance outstanding issues for the benefit of both countries.” Sheinbaum Agrees She Will Work to ‘Improve’ US-Mexico Trade Balance.
“The liberal press and their pals on Wall Street are talking about recession — because the first quarter GDP was scored with a slight decline of three-tenths of 1 percent,” Kudlow said. “Yet if you look under the hood of the GDP report, and carefully parse through the numbers, what you actually come up with is a rather strong economy, that’s growing at something like 3 percent.” Kudlow Says Real GDP Is Booming Beneath the Surface of Q1 Data
CIVIL WAR 2.0: J-6 FBI FALSE FLAG "RIOT" & AFTERMATH, LEFTIST PERSECUTIONS, DEMOCRAT PUTSCH, AMERICAN DISSOLUTION
The details of the settlement have yet to be announced, with both parties saying they “need more time to finalize documentation,” the outlet reported. The city filed suit against the “Mighty Ducks” alum in January 2019 after his claim to be the victim of a homophobic, racist attack at the hands of two MAGA-heads prowling in the dark of night was exposed as a poorly crafted charade. Jussie Smollett and city of Chicago reach settlement in lawsuit over hate crime hoax
A former judge from New Mexico, Joel Cano, along with his wife, Nancy Cano, has been released on $10,000 bonds after facing charges of tampering with evidence and allegedly harboring a Venezuelan gang member, following a federal raid on their residence. The couple was apprehended in Las Cruces, New Mexico, after Homeland Security Investigations got a tip-off in January 2025 concerning Cristhian Ortega-Lopez. Ortega-Lopez is an alleged member of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang designated as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). Ex-Judge and Wife Accused of Harboring Foreign Gang Member Released on Bond
Morell asked Omar if more Democrats should be traveling to El Salvador to advocate for the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged MS-13 member deported by President Donald Trump’s administration. Omar, without answering the question, repeatedly told Morrell to “fuck off.” Bro-Fo Omar Tells Reporter To ‘F*ck Off’ Over Basic Question About El Salvador
Kilmar Abrego Garcia allegedly threatened and repeatedly abused his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, according to a protective form she filed in August 2020. Included in her domestic abuse allegations are claims that Abrego Garcia dragged her out of a vehicle by her hair and left her on the street in December 2019, broke her son’s tablet and broke down doors in their house in January 2020 and pushed her against a wall while breaking TVs and phones in March 2020. Suspected MS-13 Gangbanger Democrats Rushed To Defend Named In Second Domestic Abuse Case
“On the eve of Israel’s 77th Independence Day, massive fires rage near Jerusalem, forcing evacuations and closing major highways,” the state of Israel posted on X April 30. “Our firefighters and security forces are working tirelessly to protect lives. We are grateful for the support of all our friends offering assistance. We pray for everyone’s safety.” Did Terrorists Start Jerusalem Fires Before Israeli Independence Day?
Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), and Robin Kelly (D-IL) all submitted official requests to have their support withdrawn from the India-born congressman’s impeachment proposal on Tuesday, stating they had been mistaken on certain aspects of it. 3 Democrats Withdraw Support for Rep. Thanedar’s Trump Impeachment Proposal
FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, CENSORSHIP, FAKE NEWS, MEDIA, BIG BROTHER TECH
Michael Walsh: Whether the patrician Walter Lippmann would have admired the wishful handiwork he espoused in Public Opinion (1922) now that it is a reality is open to question, but surely he would celebrate the intrusion of the American federal government, along with governments around the world, into both de facto and de jure informational control of cyberspace. In many countries around the world, the press and attendant broadcast media are now directly and unabashedly controlled by government entities which, in many cases, openly fund and censor them. THE CONVERSATION: 'A Higher Loyalty'
RED-GREENS, CLIMATE CHANGE HOAX, DEMOCRAT-LEFT WAR ON FOSSIL FUELS,
The mainstream media’s refusal to adopt a neutral stance on climate change has transformed a complex scientific debate into a monolithic narrative of impending catastrophe. How Media Exploits Climate Catastrophism
The news comes days after the Trump administration launched an investigation into UC Berkeley for allegedly failing to disclose funding from China, including a $220 million government investment in Berkeley’s joint research institution with Tsinghua University. UC Berkeley Received Six-Figure Donations From CCP Officials, Records Show
Harris rattled off a list of Democrat leaders who really inspire her: “Corey Booker, Chris Van Hollen, Chris Murphy, Jasmine Crockett, Maxwell Frost, AOC, and Bernie Sanders.” Kamala’s Return Speech Sparks Secondhand Embarrassment
Douglas Murray: . . . the true highlight of Kamala’s speech came when she dug into her familiar wine-mom technique. Then the memories really came flooding back. To the public — if not to her. Flailing around with her hands and laughing before she had even said anything funny she invoked the behavior of animals in the zoo. Quite literally. Kamala Harris reminds everyone why we didn’t elect her president
The apparent suicide attempts, in February and April, involved high doses of prescription medication that prompted emergency responses to her home and congressional office, according to The Colorado Sun. Both events were previously undisclosed to the public and only came to light as Caraveo announced a new bid for Congress this year. (Dear Democrat voters . . . - jjs) REPORT: Former Democrat Congresswoman Tried To Kill Herself Twice Ahead Of Election
Waltz’s reassignment reflects Trump’s strategic reshuffling to optimize his administration’s efficiency, ensuring America First policies are advanced at the UN while national security gets a reset following ‘Signalgate.’ Trump Nominates Mike Waltz to Become UN Ambassador.
Romania had elected hardline conservative anti-globalist Calin Georgescu late last year, but the election was called off and nullified after he was accused of being pro-Russian. Romanians scheduled a new election for May, and Simion—who has promised Georgescu a position in his government if he wins—has emerged as the front-running candidate. Protests have erupted across Romania with people objecting to interference in their elections from Brussels, globalist plotters who canceled Georgescu’s victory. Exclusive — Leading Romanian Presidential Candidate George Simion: Let’s ‘Make Europe Great Again’ (MEGA! - jjs)
DEFENSE, MILITARY, SECURITY AFFAIRS
Waltz came under scrutiny after he put together an encrypted Signal group chat that mistakenly included the Atlantic‘s Jeffrey Goldberg, which inadvertently disclosed discussions with top Trump administration officials about plans to strike Houthi targets in Yemen. One source familiar with the situation told CBS News that the president believes that enough time has passed since the controversy that Waltz and Wong’s departure can be framed as part of a reorganization and that he initially resisted efforts to remove his national security adviser to avoid the appearance of bowing to outside pressure. Reports: National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Deputy Alex Wong Out at National Security Council
Cool image time! The false-color X-ray picture to the right, reduced and sharpened to post here, was released today by the science team for the Chandra X-ray Observatory, showing some interesting astronomical features about 26,000 light years away near the galactic center. Giant galactic magnetic filament disturbed by pulsar
The cluster is about 650 light-years away in Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer, and has been nicknamed “Ophion” in honor of its resident constellation. “Ophion is filled with stars that are set to rush out across the galaxy in a totally haphazard, uncoordinated way, which is far from what we’d expect for a family so big,” said Huson in a statement. “What’s more, this will happen in a fraction of the time it’d usually take for such a large family to scatter. It’s like no other star family we’ve seen before.” Astronomers discover a cluster of a thousand very young stars that is flying apart for unknown reasons
FEMINAZISM, TRANSGENDER PSYCHOSIS, HOMOSEXUALIZATION, WAR ON MASCULINITY/NORMALCY
Podcast: CBD and Sefton are joined by Vox Clamantis, a career federal prosecutor. We discuss what Due Process actually is, and how it applies to deportation, what the Trump administration can do to combat judicial overreach, and more!
Stephen Miller: The courts are attempting to unconstitutionally enshrine open borders into law by imposing an "infinite process" on deportations. They're too cowardly to admit what they're doing and just say, "We don't like the way they people voted and who they voted for, so we're deposing the president through a judicial coup." Instead, they're just making it so that we can have a nominal law that allows the deportations of foreign criminals and gang members, but we're also going to impose "due process" requirements that will guarantee all illegals a lifetime residency in the US.
George Clooney now looks like Bela Lugosi from Ed Wood In this "interview," Jake Tapper claims that Clooney writing an op-ed at the instigation of Barack Obama was "brave," and Clooney returns the favor by telling Jake Tapper that "journalists" are brave and irreplaceable. It's the world's least enticing gay porn.
However, D'Onofrio isn't some dispassionate observer. He's not just some random FSU student. It doesn't sound like he was anywhere in the neighborhood of the shooting, either. He was brought on primarily to talk about the politics, but was presented as an FSU student to try and leverage sympathy for his position.
But let's also remember, once again, that the alleged killer was prohibited from buying any kind of firearm in the state of Florida. He stole a firearm owned by his police officer mother. He carried a firearm into a gun-free zone. Florida's permitless carry only applies to people over 21, so he wasn't covered by that. No one used a red flag law to disarm him.
At every level, he broke the law. None of the laws sold to the people of Florida as necessary to prevent a tragedy worked to prevent this tragedy, and yet it's somehow the fault of people who recognize that?
The price of eggs has dropped from an average of $8/dozen to $3.13/dozen but Democrats are claiming Easter eggs prices are up. I guess all of the non- or anti-Christian "fact" checkers in the media are taking the day off, for some reason.
Trump offers Easter wishes Happy Easter! BTW, I read that this is the first time in years the White House website has offered an Easter prayer. Every other religion and fake religion got promoted by Biden, but not Christianity. Oh, and NPR's Easter story is that "Trump seeks corporate sponsors for Easter egg roll." Obviously every president does this, but this communist propaganda organization only points it out now, after having denied the Biden's family influence-farming operations for a decade.
An idiot congressman tries to get us into a shooting war with Russia!Brian Fitzpatrickrepresents Pennsylvania... very, very poorly. [CBD]
Bill Melugin
@BillMelugin_
BREAKING: Police say the suspect in the FSU shooting is 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, the son of a Leon County, FL Sheriff's deputy. Police say he "unfortunately" had access to her gun, and the gun was used in the shooting.
2 deceased -- not believed to be students.
Podcast: CBD and Sefton chat about Iran, and the unfortunate fact that only America can deal with them militarily, the nonsense that the media are spewing about the illegals being deported, Harvard's pomposity, and more!
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