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
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
Before that: Anderson Cooper, who was almost certainly about to be let go by Bari Weiss for being an expensive semen-hued Nepo Boomer who contributes nothing to the network, now lets it leak that he doesn't want to work for the Jew anyway.
And I don't mean that he doesn't want to work for Weiss at 60 Minutes, which is already a fait accompli. He already didn't sign a renewed contract, probably after Weiss offered him a lowball, "I want you to reject this" kind of offer.
I mean he says he wants to leave CNN, too.
Which is also probably a fait accompli.
CNN star Anderson Cooper has privately told colleagues he does not want to work for CBS News boss Bari Weiss if she is ultimately put in charge of the cable network following Paramount Skydance's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a report.
Cooper has made his feelings known internally as Paramount chief executive David Ellison weighs whether to give Weiss oversight of both CBS News and CNN once the roughly $111 billion merger closes, the New York Times reported.
Cooper's reported opposition comes as other top CNN figures are also signaling resistance to a potential Weiss-led future.
According to the Times, CNN chief executive Mark Thompson has told Paramount officials he will not share oversight of the network with another executive, while longtime anchor Jake Tapper recently met with Ellison in Los Angeles.
The Times said it was not known what the two men discussed.
What they almost certainly discussed is the fact that they're making $3-7 million per year to deliver moderate YouTube-level ratings, and how they could either reduce that salary or increase those ratings.
The report says Ellison remains supportive of Weiss despite months of upheaval at CBS News, where she has overseen a sweeping overhaul of the news division since taking over as editor-in-chief last year.
One option under consideration would pair Weiss with a seasoned television executive responsible for the operational and financial side of the combined news organizations while she retained editorial oversight, according to the Times.
...
Not long afterward, Cooper also chose not to renew his contract with "60 Minutes," ending a nearly two-decade run as a correspondent for the iconic newsmagazine while remaining at CNN.
Now on to Bill Maher:
Maher made the claim that Trump hadn't done anything about Iran's nuclear program.
Now, I'm very dissatisfied with Trump's jerky prosecution of this non-war, but I'd never say he did nothing about Iran's nuke program.
When Vance challenged him on this daffy claim, Maher resorted to typical shitlib CNN talking points that because Trump had not sent in ground troops to seize "the dust" (the buried radioactive residuum of Iran's nuke program), this means that Trump had effectively done nothing at all and Iran's nuke program was still at full force.
Vice President JD Vance argued during an interview with Bill Maher Friday that "America wins" even if Iran refuses to sign a deal that would end the war.
"If we don't make the final deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed, they're still much weaker as a country," Vance said during his appearance on "Real Time with Bill Maher."
"So my attitude is America wins either way," he added.
Vance noted that President Trump tasked US negotiators with "something that frankly, nobody in 47 years of dealing with the Iranians has done, which is offer them an opportunity to fundamentally transform how they behave with the West."
"If they're willing to change, we're willing to change, too," the vice president said, adding, "If they're not willing to change, we still fundamentally have all the cards.
"I think it's a good place for us to be."
The 41-year-old veep jetted off to Switzerland last weekend for high-stakes meetings with Iranian representatives mediated by Pakistani and Qatari officials.
During his face-to-face remarks with Tehran's top negotiators last Sunday, Vance declared the Trump administration's goal was to "transform our relationship" with Iran.
"What the president has asked us to do is turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran, and to extend an outstretched hand that says to the people of Iran that if your leadership is willing to give up being a driver of regional instability," Vance said.
"If they are willing to give up nuclear weapons ambitions for the long term, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with that country," he went on. "That is certainly our goal."
Of course, Iran once again fired on a ship in the strait. As anyone not part of the Trump Administration said they would.
The MOU between President Trump and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian was meant to stop fighting and kick off 60 days of talks for a grand deal to end Tehran's nuclear program.
On Friday, hours before Vance's sit-down with Maher, Trump claimed Iran had violated the cease-fire after an Iranian drone struck Singaporean-flagged ship M/V Ever Lovely.
The attack came after Iran warned vessels to ignore a US-approved shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz, along the Omani coast, instead hoping for the ships to use a passage of their choosing.
Following the "foolish violation," US forces conducted military strikes in Iran, targeting Iranian drone storage facilities and coastal radar sites.
On Saturday, Iran claimed it had struck targets linked to the US in response to Friday's strikes but didn't identify the targets, according to Reuters.
Not that I care about Bill Maher, but he did say that the left's headlong embrace of communism, Third Worldism, Hamas-ism, and antisemitism might make him vote Republican in 2028.
Overton
@overton_news
Jun 27
WHOA: Bill Maher looks JD Vance dead in the eye and says his "vote is in play" for 2028.
Maher openly admitted to Vance that if socialists take over the Democratic Party, he's likely voting for him or Rubio.
MAHER: "Like, if this is where the Democratic Party is going, where this Democratic socialist, this obsession with Israel, with the Jew hating, they don't believe in capitalism, no prisons..."
"If this is where they're going, my vote is in play."
VANCE: "Okay, I like to hear that."
MAHER: "It actually always has been. Every year, I don't make my decision by who has an R or a D, I actually always came to the conclusion that the Democrat was probably better and voted for them."
"And Trump can't run again and he'd be a little too exciting for me anyway."
"So it's either going to be you or Rubio."
Maher of course had to virtue signal about he and his fellow liberals are completely honorable about accepting the results of elections and demanded to know why Trump and Vance won't "concede" the 2020 election.
RedWave Press
@RedWavePress
Bill Maher: "Can you tell me you will do that? Will you bring us back to the middle at least on that, where we concede elections, where it's not either one of those two options?"
Vice President JD Vance: "So this is where I'm probably going to lose you here."
Bill Maher: "That happened about eight minutes ago."
Vice President JD Vance: "I don't think that we should not concede elections, but I don't think that's what's going on... The president and I have talked a lot about this."
"Is it true that large technology companies, some of whom have financial interests that exist outside the United States of America, were they censoring information in the run-up to an election?"
"The biggest criticism I had of the 2020 election is that you had technology companies that were quite literally censoring negative information about the left and promoting negative information about the right."
"If the First Amendment says we have a free and open debate and the American people judge on that free and open debate, the sense in which I think the election in 2020 was rigged, I'm sorry, is that you had technology companies that were putting their thumb on the scale in a way that completely obliterated the real open exchange of ideas."
Nine Democrat-Led States, Plus Vermont, Refuse to Send any Delegation to the Nation's 250th Anniversary "National State Fair"
—Disinformation Expert Ace
Julia 🇺🇸
@Jules31415
10 states--Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Pennsylvania--have confirmed they will not send an official delegation to the "Great American State Fair" on the National Mall in celebration of America's 250th.
9 of the states are led by Democratic governors, with Vermont being the only Republican-governed state to decline involvement so far.
Notably, PA Gov. Josh Shapiro tops the list of highest paid governors.
It's the countdown to the nation's 250th anniversary, but it doesn't feel like it. The left is doing a good job of what it always does, ruining things with their endless, insatiable hatred and drive to destroy.
Here's some of what Wikipedia has to say about the bicentennial celebrations of 1976:
1976 events
1976 festivities included elaborate fireworks in the skies above major US cities. President Ford presided over the display in Washington, D.C., which was televised nationally. Celebrations in cities and towns across the nation opened into full effect including celebrations such as Operation Sail (Op Sail), a large international fleet parade of tall-masted sailing ships gathering first in New York City on Independence Day and then in Boston about one week later. Other large-scale events, such as reenactments, parades, and booms in commercialized commemoration, spread across the nation as the year went on.
New York
In addition to the presence of the 'tall ships', navies of many nations sent warships to New York harbor for an International Naval Review held the morning of July 4. President Ford sailed down the Hudson River into New York harbor aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Wainwright to review the international fleet and receive salutes from each visiting ship, ending with a salute from the Royal Navy guided-missile destroyer HMS London. The review ended just above Liberty Island at around 10:30 am.
Washington, D.C.
Johnny Cash served as the Grand Marshal of the US Bicentennial parade.[24]
The event was attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The royal couple made a state visit to the United States, toured the country, and attended other Bicentennial functions with President and Mrs. Ford. Their visit aboard the British royal yacht HMY Britannia included stops in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Virginia, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
The Smithsonian Institution opened a long-term exhibition in its Arts and Industries Building replicating the look and feel of the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, including artifacts from earlier exposition. The Bicentennial Festival of American Folklife, a collaboration of the Smithsonian with thousands of national and international scholars, folk artisans, and performers, hosted programs in the western part of the National Mall five days a week for twelve weeks in the summer of 1976.[25] The Smithsonian also opened the new home of the National Air and Space Museum on July 1, 1976.[26]
Government celebration
George Washington was posthumously appointed to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States by the congressional joint resolution Public Law 94-479 passed January 19, 1976, with an effective appointment date of July 4, 1976.[27] This restored Washington's position as the highest-ranking military officer in US history.[a]
NASA commemorated the Bicentennial by staging a science and technology exhibit housed in a series of geodesic domes in the parking lot of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) called Third Century America. An American flag and the Bicentennial emblem were also painted on the side of the VAB; the emblem remained until 1998, when it was painted over with the NASA insignia. NASA planned for Viking 1 to land on Mars on July 4, but delayed the landing to July 20, the anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. On the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, NASA held the rollout ceremony of the first Space Shuttle (which NASA had planned to name Constitution but was, instead, named "Enterprise" in honor of its fictional namesake on the television series Star Trek[29]).
Delaware crossing reenactment
On November 20 and 21 of 1976, participants immersed themselves in the era by donning period-accurate uniforms and equipping themselves with the tools and weaponry characteristic of that Christmas night over two centuries prior.[30] The reenactment unfolded as a grand spectacle, featuring a flotilla of boats navigating the icy currents of the Delaware River.
Since then, the Crossing the Delaware reenactment has occurred every year to relive and recognize this moment.[31]
Trump is trying to do something with this National State Fair concept but the left is boycotting as usual.
A new survey from Elon University found that a majority of Democrats would prefer living in another country rather than the United States, underscoring growing ideological divides over patriotism, national identity, and perceptions of the American Dream.
One of the June 2 survey's most notable findings showed that 55 percent of Democrats answered "yes" when asked whether there is another country where they would rather live today than the United States. Only 10 percent of Republicans responded similarly.
The result suggests that many Democrats view the United States less favorably than Republicans, despite Democrats continuing to participate in the country's political and cultural institutions.
The survey found even more dramatic differences regarding America's upcoming 250th anniversary.
Sixty-eight percent of Republicans reported feeling proud about America250, while only 18 percent of Democrats said the same. Likewise, 75 percent of Republicans agreed that the American Dream remains achievable regardless of circumstance if people work hard enough, compared to just 25 percent of Democrats.
The gap suggests that attitudes toward America's history and founding ideals increasingly break along partisan lines, even as universities and civic organizations prepare for the historic anniversary.
Are you seeing any bunting or just feeling the 250th coming?
While the left refuses to celebrate America's Independence Day, they celebrate Somalia's.
One of the dumbest things about the debate over “nationalism” is that the same people who tell you it’s toxic and dangerous in the West will then dance on stage in a nationalistic frenzy over a country so dangerous they can’t even live there. https://t.co/Y9Zd7AtEbt
Below, pro-trans, pro-gay, pro-sex-offender, pro-pedophile senator Scott Weiner is harassed and driven out of a "Pride" month by militant Hamas supporters who claim he's, get this, a "center-right shill."
No one more richly deserves this humiliation than Scott Wiener, who learns the hard lesson that you can be a militant for trans radicalism, a full-scale Israel-hater, and an all-around moral derelict...and the hard Left will still yell at you for being a Jew. 10/10, no notes. https://t.co/MVhv1TUqEw
Oh hey, HasBen - he's not an Israel hater (more anti-Netanyahu) and his initial stance on Gaza is what riled the activists. And, of course there's this. And we know you work for Netanyahu and the @GOP. Fuck you. pic.twitter.com/HFkxZyk9JL
— Bruce (He/Him/His) 🇺🇸 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️ 🇺🇦 🟧 🌊 (@BruceBa21417771) June 29, 2026
PoIiMath
@politicalmath
Jun 28
This is such an interesting scissor moment. Is it bad that Scott Wiener is being verbally and physically assaulted for participating in an ostensibly non-political event?
Oh yeah. Yes it is. That's very bad.
But this has been happening to the people Scott hates for close to a decade and Scott has encouraged it. The best option would be to stop it completely. But we all know that if we stop it for Scott, he will simply tell everyone to do it to his political enemies.
Oh well. It sucks that we eroded the norms that are necessary for a functional society. Have fun with that, Scott! I hope no one treats you as badly as you have encouraged people to treat your political enemies.
Deport the Third World. They're not ready for the first world. We'll check back in 50 years.
And I know that most Third Worldism is currently being pushed by trust-fund white lefties. I wish I could deport them too, but for now I'll have to settle for arresting their recruitment of foreign allies.
Supreme Court Rules That the Chief Executive Does In Fact Have the Power to Fire His Own Executive Branch Employees
—Disinformation Expert Ace
Liberal congresses passed laws to establish so-called "independent agencies," which are executive branch agencies intended to be independent from the very executive they're part of.
This is plainly unconstitutional. The Constitution establishes that there is an Executive branch headed by a Chief Executive, the president, who is vested with all of the power of the executive branch of government. Congress may not set up fakey-fake "independent" agencies which are part of the Executive and yet not part of the Executive.
Today, an hour ago, the Supreme Court re-introduced the Constitution into constitutional law about firing the heads of "independent" agencies.
Benjamin Ryan
@benryanwriter
1h
NEWS: Supreme Court overrules a 90-year-old precedent and frees the president to fire independent agency heads
The Supreme Court ruled today that President Trump can remove Federal Trade Commission members at will, and in doing so it overruled Humphrey's Executor, the 1935 decision that has protected independent agencies for nine decades. The case is Trump v. Slaughter, and it reshapes the federal bureaucracy.
The fight began when Trump fired the FTC's two Democratic commissioners, Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, early in his second term. He did not claim cause. He simply said their service no longer fit his administration's priorities. Federal law says FTC commissioners can be removed only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance. Slaughter sued to get her job back and won below.
The Court reversed. Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the majority, said the Constitution vests executive power in one president who must be able to remove the officers who wield that power on his behalf. Because the FTC clearly exercises executive power, he wrote, its commissioners answer to the president. Humphrey's Executor, he said, has long been a result in search of a rationale, and the Court let it go.
The vote was 6 to 3. Roberts was joined by Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett. Sotomayor dissented, joined by Kagan and Jackson.
The Federal Reserve, however, keeps its unconstitutional independence from the Executive:
It's worth noting alongside the Cook decision handed down the same day. The Court protected the Federal Reserve's independence there while stripping it from the FTC here, drawing an explicit line around the central bank as a historical exception. So independent agencies lose their shield, but the Fed keeps its own.
In the typical way, Roberts and Coney Barret sided with the liberals in holding, 5-4, that the "Election Day" mentioned in the Constitution doesn't actually mean Election Day at all and that ballots can be counted no matter how long after Election Day they're received.
They do have be postmarked by Election day, though.
And no one could possibly fake a mail stamp.
SCOTUS Wire
@scotus_wire
🚨 In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that federal law does not require mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day, holding that states may count ballots postmarked by Election Day but received afterward if state law allows it.
THE MORNING RANT: Trump-Bashing Felon John Bolton is Scheduled for a Fireside Chat Today with National Review to Discuss Character and Leadership
—Buck Throckmorton
John Bolton is a megalomaniac felon who compromised national security by illegally retaining and sharing confidential documents. But he is also a Trump-basher who once served as National Security Adviser, therefore he is now a hero to the left and to the faux-conservative media that is still desperate to remove the elected President from office.
If you consider Bolton’s criminal behavior and hatred of President Trump to be inspiring, you have company – so does “conservative” publication National Review. Unless Mr. Bolton’s guilty plea last week has changed anything, you have the opportunity today to listen to Mr. Bolton discuss leadership and national security in a “virtual fireside chat,” courtesy of National Review.
But first, in case you missed the news last week, John Bolton has just pleaded guilty to illegally retaining and sharing classified national security documents. This is a felony offense.
For his criminal behavior, Mr. Bolton faces penalties including:
• Up to 5 years in prison.
• Forfeiture of his government pension.
• Fine of $2.25 million.
The National Review Institute is hosting an “American Leadership & National Security” seminar in Newport Beach today. Jim Geraghty, Noah Rothman, and other Trump-hating “conservatives” are scheduled to join Mr. Bolton in discussing character and leadership.
Below the fold is the actual invitation from National Review inviting people to hear Mr. Bolton discuss the character he brings to the battle. National Review praises the felon for his “distinguished public service” and for his “principled leadership.”
For some inexplicable reason, National Review and its writers are still held in esteem by many actual conservatives. This is despite National Review’s false-flag effort to elect Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris over the past three presidential elections (for the alleged purpose of “saving conservatism.”)
NR’s writers also sneer at Trump’s character, yet they embrace a felon such as John Bolton because he is willing to commit national security crimes to take down President Trump. There is little difference at this point between Tucker Carlson and National Review. Both are wearing the skinsuit of their former conservative identities while trying to help the left derail the conservative agenda at a time when conservatives have the electoral upper hand in Congress and the White House.
National Review announced it is hosting soon-to-be convicted felon John Bolton in a “virtual fireside chat” at its next major fundraiser.
Is it virtual because Bolton has to Zoom in from a prison cell? What will the topics be? How to steal national security information and get… pic.twitter.com/c8rJcFFVRT
Good morning kids. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, but there's lots to get to so let's dive right in. And given the insane deranged reactions over President Trump's renovation of the Capitol Reflecting Pool, the metaphors write themselves. And speaking of Scum on Parade...
Two of the “Team Algae” demonstrators photographed in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool wearing pro-algae tee shirts earlier this month, were also involved in loud and disruptive pro-abortion demonstrations outside of Justice Brett Kavanaugh home in 2022. Pro-abort agitators terrorized the entire neighborhood for weeks after the Supreme Court’s draft majority opinion overturning of Roe v. Wade was leaked to the media. A neighbor told Fox News in June 2022 that the agitators would show up at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
“It’s a horrific experience,” the neighbor told Fox. “It’s not great if you have kids of any age, but it’s unbelievably stressful, and the kids are very upset. The kids have to be sent inside, and it’s so loud you can’t put your kids to sleep.” “They have drummers. They have a megaphone, and they chant. They yell all kinds of things … They have told neighbors ‘F-ck you, f-ck your children,’ things like that—and, so they’re abusive toward the neighbors and intimidating,” the source told the outlet. “They were very, very loud, very, very aggressive. They dance in the streets as well,” the person added.
“These are not social Democrats, these are hard core, godless Communists. This is the most serious threat to our Country since its existence 250 years ago. Isn’t it ironic, we’re celebrating a very important Birthday, and instead of speaking about Christ, Freedom, and Victories of all different kinds, we’re speaking about yet another threat to the Foundations of America. These ruthless Communists will attack all Religions but, in particular, Christianity – They always do.” – President Trump. . .Trump’s statement follows recent New York primary wins for Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) backed candidates Claire Valdez, Aber Kawas, and Darializa Avila Chevalier, known for publicly criticizing black and Arab men for “fetishizing ugly colonizer [white] women,” in New York this week. This prompted longtime Democrat strategist James Carville to say on Wednesday that he is “done” with the Democrats if there is no “schism” with the far left. President Trump said on Friday that the Democrats are “afraid” to take on communist entryists, adding: “They’re not smart enough or tough enough to fight this plague. If they fought them the way they fight Republicans, or me, they’d be victorious, but they don’t have the courage to do so.”
Well, the problem Mr. President is that they do not want to fight the "plague" as you describe it because the Democrat Party as a whole is the plague, and always has been.
Just like there is no such thing as radical Islam but Islam itself, there is no moderate or sane Democrat Party just a party that has historically sought the destruction of the American experiment and with it the complete subjugation of the American people under Democrat control, forever. Period full stop.
The framework aims to restore Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, with hopes of a permanent cessation of hostilities. Lebanon has been subject to intense air strikes, criticized as overly “vicious” by President Donald J. Trump, and ground incursions by Israeli forces, which are seeking to rout out Iran-backed Hezbollah forces in its northern neighbor. Notably, Lebanon’s official government has outlawed Hezbollah, but it has so far demonstrated little capacity to disarm it. The exclusion of Hezbollah from the trilateral talks poses significant challenges to the agreement’s success. Rubio Unveils Israel-Lebanon Peace Framework, Cutting Out Iran-Backed Hezbollah.
CIVIL WAR 2.0, LEFTIST PERSECUTIONS, DEMOCRAT PUTSCH, AMERICAN DISSOLUTION
The district attorney’s office expressed concerns that the sentence is too lenient, given the severity of the planned attacks. Abdul-Rahman planned to bomb high-profile targets such as the Valley Forge Military Academy, the Army-Navy game, the Philadelphia Pride Parade, multiple nuclear power plants, and a historically black university. He was initially facing 24 to 48 years in prison. Terrorist Gets Soft Sentence for Plot to Bomb Targets Including Army-Navy Game, Pride Parade, and Nuclear Plants.
“The court finds there is a manifest necessity to declare a mistrial because the jury is deadlocked… We have people on both sides that are dead set, unwavering, and unwilling to change their opinion.” – Judge Anne Hwang, reading a note from the jury Mistrial Declared in Case of Alleged Palisades Fire Arsonist.
“They have drummers. They have a megaphone, and they chant. They yell all kinds of things … They have told neighbors ‘F-ck you, f-ck your children,’ things like that—and, so they’re abusive toward the neighbors and intimidating,” the source told the outlet. “They were very, very loud, very, very aggressive. They dance in the streets as well,” the person added. (never bring a drum to a gun fight - jjs) Scoop: ‘Team Algae’ Agitators Previously Protested Outside Justice Kavanaugh’s Home
Every Democrat who insists it’s a deeply inhumane offense to send Haitians temporarily in the U.S. back to their country should be required to admit what they previously denied: that Haiti and so many others like it really are, as President Trump so eloquently put it, “sh-thole countries.” Democrats Suddenly Agree With Trump: Haiti Is A ‘S-hole Country’
Democrats are not simply furious at the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Trump administration on removing temporary protected status for Haitians and Syrians because this cuts cheap foreign labor and is a win for law and order over mass migration. It’s also because Democrats specifically weaponize mass migration to change the demographics of red states. Brandon Gill Shows How Dems Used Temporary Protected Status to Change Red States
Los Angeles once thrived on competence and civic pride, but today it faces decline driven by failed leadership, repeated policy choices, and voters unwilling to change course. LA Does Not Love LA
FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, CENSORSHIP, FAKE NEWS, MEDIA, BIG BROTHER TECH
Beware: Silicon Valley is still training up badly biased AIs. Ask your favorite chatbot for objective info on politics, culture or current events, and you may well get undiluted leftist propaganda. Your helpful robot pal may secretly be a DSA member
AMERICA AND THE WORLD IMPRISONED: CHINESE CORONAVIRUS FICTIONS AND FACTS
‘Now is the time is do what you’re told,’ Dr. Anthony Fauci, the ‘Covid Czar’ said at the height of the pandemic. His command proved costly. Never Forget What The Covid ‘Experts’ Did To Us
EDUCATION, AND WHAT PASSES FOR IT
Faculty members who failed to use specified pronouns could face penalties “up to firing or expulsion.”
The rising abortion rate is likely a consequence of the decision to approve medical abortion pills for home use. The pills were intended as a temporary measure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but were ultimately approved permanently across England and Wales. The pills can be taken without having to attend a hospital or clinic beforehand. The data shows that the rate of abortion has been steadily increasing over the last decade. DATA: Record Number of Pregnancies Ending in Abortion.
Americans like Newsom shouldn't need to be reminded of this one of many "inalienable rights" enjoyed by Americans that are unknown elsewhere in the world. That we still after 250 years enjoy these rights, even against so much unconstitutional official interference in recent decades, is worth celebrating. When Reality Bites: Gavin Newsom Has No Clue on Concealed Carry
The “Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act” would ban payment card networks from assigning specific codes to track lawful gun transactions or identify firearm retailers as being engaged in the business of selling firearms. Firearm retailers would not be required to use a separate merchant category code (MCC), a multi-digit code used to classify merchants into a specific category based on the type of business, trade or services supplied. Here’s What 2A Orgs Are Saying About GOP-Led Gun-Purchasing Privacy Bill Making Its Way Through Congress
DEMOCRAT/LEFTIST AND RINO SCANDALS, MESHUGAS, CHUTZPOCRISY, INSANITY
There’s a particular dangerous breed of dishonest Democrat politician who speaks in moderate terms to get elected, only to govern as a radical. Trojan Horse Politicians
Now, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is 38 years old. She graduated from the whacked-out, farther-left-than-Che Guevara Reed College in (where else?) Portland, Ore. fourteen years ago. Many people have college antics that they would rather forget, and no one wants to be held accountable, after growing up and becoming sober as a judge, for some outlandish thing he or she did on one crazy night in the dorms. You May Have Been Wild in College, But You Weren’t As Wild As This Dem Rep
The socialist left wants a revolution inside America: to tear down and replace the system that delivered unparalleled freedom and prosperity. Should the Democrat Party fully surrender to the DSA, it will not merely seal its own fate. It will threaten to pull the entire American experiment into decline at the very moment we should be celebrating and renewing what made the last 250 years extraordinary. Democrats’ Communist Revolution Will Destroy America If The Right Doesn’t Take It Seriously
Letlow won 56.5% of the vote in the Republican primary runoff to Fleming’s 43.5%, The Associated Press reported with 69% of ballots counted. Given Louisiana’s strong red lean, the 45-year-old congresswoman thereby becomes the heavy favorite in the upcoming November general election to succeed outgoing two-term Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy who, coming in third place during the May primary, failed to make the runoff. Trump-Backed Julia Letlow Defeats Freedom Caucus Co-Founder In Race To Succeed Pro-Impeachment GOP LA Sen Bill Cassidy
Back in April, a 16-year-old student at Thomas Stone High School in Maryland was hospitalized after using a vape laced with THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. The vape was obtained from another student. Teen Psychosis Spike Tied to Illegal Spice-Laced Vapes Sold to Kids.
America’s greatness is not found in the perfection of its Founders, but in their unprecedented commitment to the universal ideal that all men are created equal. America’s Universal Aspiration at 250
Given the facts, it’s impossible to hold up Alan Turing as a historical figure to be admired and imitated. Alan Turing: The Truth>/ul>
ALSO: The Morning Report cross-posts at CutJibNewsletter.com usually within an hour or so of posting here, if you want to continue the conversation all day.
The company positions its higher-end 3C6000 against the low-end Intel Xeon 4314, or about half the speed of an AMD 16 core laptop CPU. Presumably it will be faster than last year's 3A6000, which was dogshit.
The second-best time is in 2028 when the M7 Ultra CPU is expected to make an appearance. There may yet be an M5 Ultra, but that will drop into an otherwise unchanged MacStudio.
Sunday Overnight Open Thread - June 28, 2026 [Doof]
—Open Blogger
Howdy Hordelings! Welcome to the Sunday ONT. Hope your weekend has been a good one. Open thread, as always. Fashion and music, as always. What's on YOUR mind tonight?
The seven-day week is so deeply baked into modern life that it feels almost inevitable. Workdays, weekends, school schedules, streaming release dates — nearly everything runs on the same seven-day rhythm. But there’s nothing especially natural about a week. Unlike a year, a month, or a day, it doesn’t neatly correspond to a major astronomical event.
While a year is tied to Earth’s orbit around the sun, a month is roughly one full cycle of moon phases, and a day is one rotation of Earth on its axis, the length of a week isn’t cut and dry. So why is it seven days instead of, say, five, eight, or 12?
The seven-day week has endured for thousands of years, surviving empires, revolutions, religious shifts, and even a few determined attempts to replace it. Its origins lie in a mix of astronomy, astrology, religion, and ancient practicality — with a healthy dose of historical debate.
Check out the whole thing. Be a history nerd!
-----
My predecessor as Sunday Night ONT host would often feature a "Genius Award Winner" segment. I'd like to foray into those waters tonight.
Doctors Niamh O’Connell and Ashraf Khan were shocked when the unnamed patient showed up at an eye treatment center in the Scottish capital, because both of his eyes were in terrible shape. His right eye had multiple retinal tears, widespread retinal bruising, and a condition called retinal dialysis, while the left eye also had significant retinal bruising and six small horseshoe tears.
***
Left without a real explanation, the doctors asked the patient about anything “untoward involving the eyes,” and that was when he reluctantly told them that he had been using a percussive massage gun both around and directly on both eyes, on a weekly basis, for around three months. He hadn’t noticed anything unusual until a few days prior to his visit to the eye treatment center, when he started seeing floaters and flashing lights in his right eye.
***
The young patient reportedly used the massage gun on his eyes to relieve the feeling of tiredness, but the percussive action had unintended consequences. The massage gun is believed to have rapidly compressed the eyeballs back, causing them to squish out from the sides, leading to retinal dialysis.
It's that time of the week - when we turn the ONT over to our good friend Piper for a bit. Here's this week's fashion pr0n.
-----
The Evolution of Eyeglasses
Eyeglasses have transformed dramatically over eight centuries from clunky medieval tools reserved for scholars to sleek, high-tech accessories.
Long before modern spectacles, people experimented with magnification. Ancient Romans and Greeks used polished crystals or water-filled globes as simple magnifiers. In China, smoky quartz panes served as early eye protection as far back as the 12th century.
The first true wearable eyeglasses emerged in northern Italy around 1286–1290. These “rivet spectacles” featured two convex lenses set in frames connected by a rivet at the bridge. Worn by balancing them on the nose or holding them by hand, they primarily were used by scholars for reading.
The 18th century introduced temple glasses with side arms. However, many preferred discreet handheld styles like lorgnettes, elegant opera glasses with a handle. Monocles emerged as a sophisticated accessory for the upper class. Benjamin Franklin’s bifocals (around 1784) added functionality.
Mass production made glasses more accessible. Pince-nez (“pinch the nose”) became hugely popular; spring-loaded clips gripped the nose without temples. Often attached to a chain or cord, they projected an intellectual or bourgeois image. Monocles reinforced upper-class sophistication. Glasses increasingly signaled education and refinement.
The 20th century marked the true shift from medical necessity to style statement.
1920s–1930s:
Round metal or tortoiseshell frames dominated, evoking the Jazz Age and intellectual chic. Women began wearing them more openly as fashion accessories.
1940s–1950s:
Browline frames (half-rim with prominent upper plastic or horn) became iconic for men, think Buddy Holly, projecting a smart, modern masculinity. For women, dramatic cat-eye frames symbolized femininity and confidence. Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe helped popularize upswept, playful shapes
1960s:
Round wire-rim or teashade glasses exploded with the counterculture movement. John Lennon’s round frames became synonymous with peace, rebellion, and artistic expression. Oversized and geometric shapes also emerged.
1970s:
Aviator styles exuded cool, adventurous masculinity. Oversized square or geometric frames captured the disco era. Sunglasses trends heavily influenced ophthalmic eyewear.
1980s:
Large, colorful plastic frames dominated, think bright reds, neons, and geometric shapes. They matched the era’s bold power suits and shoulder pads. Oversized was in for both men and women.
Late 20th to Early 21st Century:
Designer brands (Gucci, Chanel, Ray-Ban) turned glasses into luxury items. The 1990s favored thin metal frames and minimalist looks, while the 2000s saw hipster revivals of round and Wayfarer styles.
And in 2026? Oversized and architectural frames dominate, but with more thoughtful proportions than previous years. Expect deep bevels, volumetric acetate, thick fronts, and sculptural details that play with light and shadow. These create strong presence while remaining wearable.
The palette leans toward calm sophistication with new neutrals taking center stage:
Soft sage, sand, dusty rose, powdery olive, and slate metallics
Warm tortoise remains a perennial favorite
Tone-on-tone combinations (frame and lens in harmonious shades) create refined cohesion
Bold accents appear as pops: rich reds, teals, purples, and metallic shines.
Current trends build on historical evolution: the cat-eye glamour of the 1950s, the counterculture rounds of the 1960s, and the bold plastics of the 1980s all echo in today’s revivals, now elevated with better materials, comfort, and technology - something that is a discussion topic on it’s own.
Howdy, Y'all! Welcome to the wondrously fabulous Gun Thread! As always, I want to thank all of our regulars for being here week in and week out, and also offer a bigly Gun Thread welcome to any newcomers who may be joining us tonight. Howdy and thank you for stopping by! I hope you find our wacky conversation on the subject of guns 'n shooting both enjoyable and informative. You are always welcome to lurk in the shadows of shame, but I'd like to invite you to jump into the conversation, say howdy, and tell us what kind of shooting you like to do!
Holy Shitballs! How in the ever-loving Hell did it get to be the Final June Edition? Adios June! Coming soon: July Editions!
With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?
I will begrudgingly admit that gun cleaning is a sort-of fundamental. For a long time I was a "clean it after every range session" kind of guy, but have since been cured of that affliction. OK, I am a little bit kidding. Truth is, firearms will keep working as advertised with a fair amount of neglect, so my range guns don't typically see a lot of regular deep cleaning, but I do make sure they're properly lubricated. The exceptions are my carry guns, which I keep pretty clean.
Anyhoo, do you clean your firearms after every trip to the range? I think for many that's just part of the fun of shooting and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Regardless of frequency, you do need cleaning stuff and there are a bunch of products available. Do they all work the same and are they worth the money?
Let's find out.
So which cleaning frequency camp do you fall into, and what products do you use?
******
S&W Model 52
I am pretty certain I need one of these.
******
.950 Caliber
A muzzle brake? Seriously? Have we become a nation of girly-men?
*****
.22LR Revolvers
Our pal Hickok45 takes a look.
Why don't you put a muzzle brake on these too?
******
Protection Against Atomic Attack!
******
Our Pal The American Farmer
******
Highway Patrol!
This week's episode: Dan Hostage!
******
Creature With The Atom Brain!
******
Cigar Central
Here are some different online cigar vendors. You will find they not only carry different brands and different lines from those brands, but also varying selections of vitolas (sizes/shapes) of given lines. It's good to have options, especially if you're looking for a specific cigar.
A note about sources. The brick & mortar/online divide exists with cigars, as with guns, and most consumer products, with respect to price. As with guns - since both are "persecuted industries", basically - I make a conscious effort to source at least some of my cigars from my local store(s). It's a small thing, but the brick & mortar segment for both guns and tobacco are precious, and worth supporting where you can. And if you're lucky enough to have a good cigar store/lounge available, they're often a good social event with many dangerous people of the sort who own scary gunz, or read smart military blogs like this one. -rhomboid
Anyone have others to include? Perhaps a small local roller who makes a cigar you like? Send me your recommendation and a link to the site!
Please note the new and improved protonmail account gunthread at protonmail dot com. An informal Gun Thread archive can be found HERE. Future expansion plans are in the works for the site Weasel Gun Thread. If you have a question you would like to ask Gun Thread Staff offline, just send us a note and we'll do our best to answer. If you care to share the story of your favorite firearm, send a picture with your nic and tell us what you sadly lost in the tragic canoe accident. If you would like to remain completely anonymous, just say so. Lurkers are always welcome!
That's it for this week - have you been to the range?
Food Thread: Don't Rib Me About My Failed Garlic Adventure!
—CBD
I like lamb. I like lamb ribs. I like lamb ribs slowly grilled on indirect heat and then finished on high direct heat to get them nice and crispy!
But these did not satisfy! They are from a sort-of-local hipster company that my SiL enjoys, and she gave them to me, so who am I to say no?
But I should have. They were incredibly gamey, and not in that delicious lamb way that many people enjoy so much. They were greasy and strong-flavored and reminded me a bit of aged beef that is just a bit too old for consumption.
And the frustrating thing is that I cooked them perfectly!
Well, our long national nightmare is over, and the garlic project has been a complete and total failure. And I have nobody to blame but myself...I just have to figure out what I did wrong!
******
I recently had a very pleasant email exchange with a lurker who is as much of a loon when it comes to Manhattans as I am! Obviously he stirs his Manhattans because he is not a savage, and he uses Rye, not Bourbon, because he is not a savage.
[A friend] and I decided to craft the perfect Manhattan. It took 18-months of back and forth travel between [our homes]. We tasted 20+ ryes, 6 different sweet vermouths, 5 different cherries, and at least a dozen bitters. We could not use anything more expensive than $75 for the rye. Who wants to mix an 18 y/o Sazarac with anything?
This is the best Manhattan according to our pallet.
2 parts - 6 y/o Piggyback Rye
Honorable Mention- Sazarac OB 100pf, Basil Hayden’s Dark Rye, Mitchers Rye, Rittenhouse Rye BinB
1 part - Carpano Antica
Nothing else comes close, the complexity and depth blow everything else away.
Angostura Bitters - double shot in the glass. The original is the best for this! Tried boutique styles and walnut and orange and others but none are as good.
Amarena Fabbri cherry. One per serving. Add juice to change the sweetness to your liking. Much better than Luxardos.
STIR the rye and vermouth over ice gently until cold and pour into a rocks glass with the bitters and cherry(ies) already in the glass.
So I made a couple! The first was true to his recipe, and it did indeed make an excellent Manhattan. The second night I bumped the Rye up to 3:1, because that's just the way I roll! And it was also a delicious and pleasing cocktail.
Were they better than my recipe? No, and they were different. But I would happily drink them without looking back, especially since he introduced me to those cherries, which absolutely blow Luxardos out of the water. I think that Luxardo has ramped up production recently and their quality has suffered. Amarena Fabbri is simply much, much better!
As for the Vermouth? Carpano Antica is the class of Vermouths...of that there is no doubt. And it is also very rich and intense, so it makes a Vermouth-forward drink. If you like that, then go for it. If you like a more spirit-forward Manhattan, then you will have to play around some.
Which is the point! I had a blast trying this recipe!
******
The peanut butter dilemma has been solved!
[Hat Tip: Misanthropic Humanitarian]
******
I have discussed the glory that is hush-puppies, but last week I wanted to jazz them up a a bit and thought about adding shrimp. My plan was to peel raw shrimp, cut them up into small but recognizable pieces, and simply mix them into the batter. Of course I could also mince the shrimp, but I like the idea of texture, so that might be for a future experiment. The question is: will the shrimp cook in the few minutes the hush-puppies are in the hot oil?
The garlic is harvested! And it looks...well...sigh. Send all of your excellent home-grown garlic to: cbd dot aoshq at gmail dot com.
Rumor has it that the Bourbon Bubble is bursting. I have seen no evidence of decreasing prices, but maybe the bursting started somewhere else! I think the sweet spot is $40-$60 for excellent and interesting bottles, and bumping that to $100 gets you an incremental improvement in quality, but nothing mind-blowing. More than that and I think you are paying for hype and rarity, which may look good in your liquor cabinet, but doesn't translate to more quality in the bottle.
The problem...or the solution...is to buy lots of bourbon, take tasting notes, and eventually arrive at your favorites! It should take forty or fifty years, but it is worth it!
The patio is shielded from the sun by a tall and dense canopy of trees. It's lovely, but these chairs take longer to dry after a rain than is normal, so they quickly pick up a patina of green mold. It is easily scrubbed off, but it is a task that one cannot ignore...like I did all of last summer.
I figure the best way to deal with this is to rent a Caterpillar 350 and dig down about 25 feet, dump in the furniture, then fill with gravel.
Socialism is communism with a pretty face, and Democratic Socialists of America are simply socialists wearing expensive clothing paid for by mommy and daddy. That they sound like stoned college sophomores sitting around getting stoned and talking politics is in part because that is exactly who they are. The recent primary in NYC is a sad example of how an organized socialist movement can co-opt the vote. Turnout was just 17%, and they carefully cultivated the young and the stupid, pumping them full of nonsense, promising nirvana paid for by billionaires, and a shift in NYC's foreign policy (hah!) to a vitriolic hatred of Jews, Israel, and the West.
That is about as far from a democratic result as one can imagine, and in the 13th Congressional district it was even worse!
Avila Chevalier drew roughly 33,000 votes from 449,000 active voters in the 13th House District covering much of Upper Manhattan, including Harlem, and a swath of the Bronx, preliminary election data shows.
Steve Rattner, an economic analyst, posted on X that election data showed college-educated, non-Hispanic voters were more likely to vote for Avila Chevalier.
“Last night’s big wins for Mamdani-backed candidates were driven by young college grads, often at odds with the party’s traditional working-class & minority base,” he wrote.
That is the fruit of all of the left's work taking over higher education, beginning in the 1960s. We have two generations of college professors who have been carefully indoctrinated into the socialist mindset, and their students are voting in the socialism that will eventually get them stood up against a wall. They have been taught to accept Marx's labor theory of value as gospel which, in addition to being arrant economic nonsense, creates unmanageable conflict between worker and owner. They have been taught to accept uncritically the concept of immutable class and race division within society, which flies in the face of American Exceptionalism and the principles upon which our country was founded.
And let us not forget the concomitant destruction of basic education in America. Many of us are of an age to remember civics classes in grade school and high school, reciting the Pledge Of Allegiance, studying the failures of socialism in history class, etc. But those college professors whose political philosophy was forged in the 1960s have also trained our teachers, and many of today's elementary school teachers are dyed-in-the-wool socialists, whose world-view of class and racial conflict is the backbone of their instruction.
Of course the conventional wisdom is that these people are too far to the left for the Democrat Party. But that is nonsense. The singular goal of the Democrat Party has always been and will always be the accumulation and use of power over us. The schism between the DSA and the traditionalists in the Democrat apparatus is one of strategy and tactics, not of political philosophy. James Carville's hysterical screeching is simply frustration that these young "Democrats" are saying the quiet part out loud. He and his ilk will never leave the Democrat Party, and his dishonest criticism of a DSA candidate ignores the long and sordid history of his own branch of the Democrat Party.
But all is not lost. The exposure of higher education in the wake of the Covid fiasco as a bald-faced money grab and indoctrination scheme has increased the number of young Americans who will forego college and actually do something worthwhile. And that exposure to the world outside of the cloistered and insular campuses is vital, since they will see reality, and not the nonsense of a socialist dream. And as AI gradually does more and more entry-level drone work, those college educated fools will scramble for employment.
AI cannot wire a home or fix plumbing or frame a wall or build a highway, so the demand for skilled labor will continue to grow, while the demand for useless "Studies" degrees will shrink. How many baristas does America need?
That, coupled with the demographic shift away from blue cities and states may be the tipping point that moves America firmly to a right-of-center country. Yes, NYC will probably always be socialist, but hopefully it will be isolated, and a prime example of the abject failure of its political philosophy.
Sunday Morning Book Thread - 6-28-2026 ["Perfessor" Squirrel]
—Open Blogger
Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading. Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants...
So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?
It's the end of June so we all know what that means--PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK SALE!
These books represent my haul this year. Not too shabby.
Galactic Empires Volume Two edited by Brian Aldiss -- An anthology of short stories about galactic civilizations.
Saucer: Savage Planet by Stephen Coonts
The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- A classic adventure story about dinosaurs and exploration.
Willful Child by Steven Erikson -- The creator of the Malazan world has written a few parodies of Star Trek. This is the first entry in that series.
Dune: House Atreides by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson -- I'll give this a shot though I don't have high hopes for it.
Cold Fire by Dean Koontz
Dark Rivers of the Heart by Dean Koontz
Mr. Murder by Dean Koontz
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson -- A classic of the horror genre.
Parsival, or A Knight's Tale by Richard Monaco
Fleet of Worlds by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner -- This takes place in Niven's Known Space future history series.
Inverted World by Christopher Priest -- He also wrote The Prestige, which was made into a movie by Christopher Nolan.
The Mask of the Sun by Fred Saberhagen
Why Call Them Back From Heaven? by Clifford D. Simak -- I'm a sucker for all things Simak.
The Worlds of Clifford Simak by Clifford D. Simak -- I said I'm a sucker for all things Simak.
The Fifth Heart by Dan Simmons -- A Sherlock Holmes mystery where the main character suspects he's fictional.
I also found three issues of Weird Tales magazine. My boss was a bit upset with me for that find, but I read them and decided to give them to her. They only cost $2.50 for the three of them.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS THAT INSPIRE US
What books inspired YOU as a child?
I was surprised by just how much I had in common with his selections. I did not read all of the same books, but he and I clearly had the same tastes when we were children.
I gravitated early towards the mystery genre in the form of The Hardy Boys and The Three Investigators.
I also dabbled in the supernatural and suspense genres by reading a number of Alfred Hitchcock anthologies.
In nonfiction, I enjoyed reading about science and nature (and dinosaurs, of course!). I also enjoyed reading some histories and biographies that were aimed at children. I bet I would have really enjoyed Rush Limbaugh's Rush Revere series.
Sadly, far too many libraries have rid themselves of timeless classics in favor of "modern" stories, which will end up being very dated over time.
What did YOU like to read when you were growing up? Have you passed on these books to your children or grandchildren? We moved around a lot so my parents got rid of most of their books that they enjoyed when they were younger, though I did have an opportunity to read many of them at one point. My grandparents also had a lot of great books that I was able to read. In recent years I have collected a few of my childhood favorites such as the Louis Barnavelt stories by John Bellairs and The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. They still hold up for me after all these decades.
++++++++++
++++++++++
BOOKS BY MORONS
Moron Author James Cambias has a new book out in his Billion Worlds series:
It's called The Ishtar Deception and it's part of a series I've been writing since 2022, called "The Billion Worlds."
At the end of the Tenth Millennium, Sabbath Okada, agent of a nameless branch of Deimos' labyrinthine government comes to the vast city of Ishtar on Venus to investigate the suspicious death of an undercover agent. His companion, Daslakh, is an old and cunning AI with its own self-imposed mission: to act as Okada's conscience.
Searching for the truth takes Sabbath and Daslakh to the glittering towers of Ishtar's elite, a brutal combat sport arena, and the unforgiving, wind-lashed face of the highest peak on Venus. Along the way they face ruthless Lunar Republic spies, double agents, and sadistic Ishtar police, but Sabbath's greatest challenge comes from Meili Tewa, his deadliest enemy—and his only love.
Each twist in the case reveals a new layer of deception, another betrayal. Hunted and on the run, with no one he can trust and no help from home—it's time for Sabbath Okada to remind everyone why he's the greatest spy in the Billion Worlds of the Solar System.
I've been reading Anthony Horowitz' A Deadly Episode, the latest in his Hawthorne and Horowitz series. The series is surreal in that the author himself is a character and he skillfully mixes fiction and fact. The premise is that Horowitz is drafted into chronicling disgraced and rather disagreeable detective Hawthorne's investigation despite preferring to do almost anything else. The latest book takes it one step further in that the murder occurs during the production of a movie about the first H&H book so there's real Horowitz, the character Horowitz, the movie Horowitz, and the actor Horowitz and, of course, there are similar Hawthornes. It's like Into the Spider-Verse.
It's interesting that Horowitz, in this and other books and series, does not present writers, including himself, in a very good light. The character Horowitz allows himself to be bullied into into Watsoning to Hawthorne's Sherlock, has his book butchered by a woke young radical feminist vegan global warmist (who's friends with Greta Thunberg) screenwriter, and is treated by everyone as Hawthorne's servant, and is again bullied into shadowing Hawthorne's investigation of the murder of the actor portraying Hawt
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Fat, Dumb, and Happy at June 14, 2026 09:11 AM (ndZc7)
Comment: This actually sounds pretty neat! I may have to give it a whirl. I enjoy surrealistic meta-fiction, when you, the reader, aren't quite sure what's going on because of an unreliable narrator or the layers of the story get more and more complex as you dive deeper into the book. Also, from what I can tell, the publishing world is not as glamorous as we might have been led to expect. Any number of authors have horror stories about what it's like inside that meat grinder.
++++++++++
I just finished Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi. I recommend it to anyone who's interested in watching the progression of a very devout Muslim who starts to -- over a period of years -- unravel the lies he was brought up to believe about the Bible, Jesus, his Koran, and Mohammed. An extremely intelligent man who used to relish taking on anyone of the Christian faith in a test of historical facts and the entire basis for Christianity. He did so not combatively, but was so firm in his belief in Islam that he welcomed the challenge to "debunk the lies" of the Bible. He became true friends with a few notable Christians who ultimately pushed back and gave him a vastly different view of Jesus, as well as the Old and New Testaments. As a true truth seeker, he spent years trying to come to terms with what he started seeing as problematic with all he'd been taught to believe. He accepted Christ as his savior and became a minister for Christianity. His transformation was profound, and he suffered deeply when his family was torn apart from his decision. He died in 2017 at age 34 from cancer. You can find him on YouTube and hear his testimony.
Posted by: Lady in Black at June 14, 2026 09:36 AM (qBdHI)
Comment: We don't hear about it much, but Christianity is very much on the move in the Islamic world. The Powers That Be over there do not want the word getting out. Being a Christian can be a death sentence. However, that doesn't change the fact that many Muslims are converting to Christianity, even in the face of persecution from their government and their own family members. From what I've heard, many, many Muslims have encountered Jesus Christ in their dreams, which has led them to accept Jesus as their Savior.
++++++++++
A very interesting fantasy/scify/horror universe is Hodgson's The Night Land. I don't know if I can recommend the book as it is difficult, in many cases tedious to read. It's set at the twilight end of the earth, and this section of the universe. All the light is dying out, the whole world is shrouded in eternal darkness, no sun, moon or stars. There are many evil malevolent spirits in complete dominance over most of the planet. Humanity is gathered in these giant fortresses he calls redoubts. The main character is a citizen of one of the last redoubts trying to find his love which he believes is in danger so he has to go out into "the night land" to find her. Also she was his wife he lost in a past life, occult stuff popular in Hodgson's time.
His story universe really intrigues me. There have been a few authors that have revisited it since, for a modern audience. Not too many. But I think it is a fertile ground for ideas and adventures.
Posted by: banana Dream at June 14, 2026 11:05 AM (3uBP9)
Comment: I read John C. Wright's Awake in the Night Land and was captivated by the horrific setting. Hodgson is one one of those relatively unknown authors that nevertheless had a huge influence on later authors such as H.P. Lovecraft. I have a copy of The Night Land and I agree it's a challenging book to read. Very archaic language and speech patterns. James Stoddard is one of the authors that has attempted to repackage the story in a form that's a bit easier to read. Although the Night Land is full of terrors, it's also full of hope, even as darkness encircles the Earth.
The Medusa Chronicles by Stephen Baxter and Alastair Reynolds
This is a sequel of sorts to Arthur C. Clarke's short story "A Meeting with Medusa." Due to a horrific accident, astronaut Howard Falcon has become a cyborg, mostly machine with only a few remaining organic components. However, he's now effectively immortal and uniquely qualified to explore the interior of Jupiter's harsh environment. The Medusa Chronicles is about his continuing journey through time and space as Machines rise to take over the solar system and kick us off our own planet because they need the resources of Earth. Because this is written by Stephen Baxter and Alastair Reynolds, this story gets very, very wild as both authors love to probe the limits of our understanding of science and technology.
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
This was the first Agatha Christie novel I've read. What I find most interesting about it is that it seems to be filled with cliches. But that's because this is where the cliches began. The Agatha Christie-style mystery has been imitated and parodied in countless stories and television shows. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia even mocked this style of mystery with their classic episode "Who Pooped the Bed?"
I was surprised that the actual murder doesn't take place until halfway through the novel. Until then, Christie spends a great deal of time setting up the possible motives from each of the suspects so that the reader is not quite sure who could have done it. Naturally, Poirot sorts everything out at the end, though it really wasn't too much of a surprise to me. Total body count is about five or so by the end of the book.
Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker
This is the first book I've read where it commanded me to burn the book before reading it. That's because it's not a book at all. It's a demon that's trapped in book form. It wants to be freed from its prison and it believes that burning the book will finally kill it forever. It's a humorous dark fantasy about the demon's life that led it to be trapped in a book for all time.
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
Technobabble: The Novel
Seriously. This book is approximately 80% technical mumbo-jumbo and 20% plot. Stephenson spends page after page explaining what's happened to the Earth-Moon system after the Moon simply blew up for no reason. There's a loose plot about humans surviving the end of the world, but there's a massive time skip about 2/3 through the book (5000 years) where humans go from just a handful of survivors to a thriving civilization in space. No real explanation of how that happened other than the desperate plan of the final seven survivors just worked.
Why Call Them Back From Heaven by Clifford D. Simak
In the indefinite future, humans are promised immortality by the global megacorporation Forever Center. Everyone works to buy shares in Forever Center because they believe that they will emerge into their "second life" richer than ever thanks to the magic of compound interest.
As near as I can tell, Forever Center really can't deliver on their promises, only stating that they are working on the problem of immortality, the solution of which is just a few years away.
This is one of Simak's darker stories. Most of his stories are pretty optimistic in the end, but not this one. Still a pretty good read, as Simak explores issues surrounding the ideas of physical immortality vs. the spiritual immortality promised by Christianity.
Tips, suggestions, recommendations, etc., can all be directed to perfessor -dot- squirrel -at- gmail -dot- com.
Disclaimer: I see your billion worlds and raise you two trillion galaxies...
Langford's basilisk is a science fiction concept where images can be crafted specifically to rewire the brain.
This doesn't work well on humans - and a good thing too, because in the original story it was instantly fatal. But guess what can also see and in some sense understand images and has no separation of instructions and data?
The charcoal was originally a scroll from Herculaneum, destroyed along with the rest of the city in the eruption of Vesuvius in the year 79. And much of it was destroyed again in 19th and 20th century attempts to decipher the carbonised chunk.
If you think I'm exaggerating the scroll's condition, the article has pictures.
Maybe. And you can run Windows 11 on it if you can find the rest of the parts in working order. IoT Edition, anyway, which doesn't have the pointless restrictions of the desktop version.
That's for an entry level computer that is already wildly overpriced at $1349 thanks to the DRAM Apocalypse. Not clear if that includes the cost of the Gabe Cube or if it's just the reservation.
Welcome to Club ONT - a collaboration of The Disco and The Dino. We built this place for you so you can have some fun. Come in in, grab a drink or 3. Keep it light and friendly. Jerks need not enter the premises (the moose out front is keeping track and you do NOT want to disappoint the moose).
Four Catholic Men and a Catholic Woman Were Having Coffee in St. Peter's Square...
The first Catholic man tells his friends, "My son is a priest; when he walks into a room, everyone calls him 'Father'".
The second Catholic man chirps, "My son is a Bishop. When he walks into a room, people call him 'Your Grace'".
The third Catholic gent says, "My son is a Cardinal. When he enters a room, everyone says, 'Your Eminence'".
The fourth Catholic man then says, "My son is the Pope. When he walks into a room, people call him, 'Your Holiness'".
Since the lone Catholic woman was sipping her coffee in silence, the four men gave her a subtle, "Well..."?
She proudly replies, "I have a daughter, slim, tall, 38D - 24 - 36.
When she walks into a room, people say, "Jeeeeeeeeeesssssssuuussss!"
-----
Two men and a woman are going to hitman school...
Their teacher takes one of the men out into the hallway, points at a door and says, "In this room, we have your wife. Here's a loaded pistol, go in and kill her."
The guy says, "OK." He goes into the room and comes out a few minutes later. He says, "I love her, I can't do it."
The teacher says, "You don't have what it takes to be a hitman, get out of here."
The teacher then does the same thing with the other guy, with the same result.
He then takes the woman out into the hallway, points at a door and says, "In this room, we have your husband. Here's a loaded pistol, go in and kill him."
She goes into the room, and he hears a gunshot, and then all hell breaks loose. There's yelling and screaming plus furniture being broken. After about 15 minutes of this, the woman comes out looking dishevelled and says, "Why the hell did you put blanks in the gun? I had to beat the son-of-a-bitch to death."
*****
Drink of the Night
The 2026 World Cup is well underway. And as luck would have it, a new "official"?? (probably not) cocktail has come about!
The Buchanita cocktail mixes Scotch with pineapple juice. (We’ll wait while our Scottish ancestors roll over in their graves.) But don’t mind them—Scotch doesn’t need to be fussy or only consumed neat in a Glencairn glass beside a pipette of water. That’s especially true when you’re dealing with an easygoing blended Scotch like Buchanan’s 12-Year. The 80-proof whisky has a light profile that’s full of orange, honey and mild chocolate, and it mixes well with fruit juices like citrus and pineapple. You can score the refreshing drink at stadium concessions, bars and fan zones throughout the World Cup, or make it yourself for at-home watch parties.
***
How to make the Buchanita cocktail
No one wants to play mixologist at their World Cup watch party. So stock a cooler with beer, then grab a bottle of Buchanan’s 12 and some fresh pineapple juice, and you’ve got everything you need to watch soccer for the next five weeks.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Buchanan’s 12 Year DeLuxe Blended Scotch Whisky
5 oz fresh pineapple juice
pineapple leaf for garnish
Combine Buchanan’s whisky and fresh pineapple juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a lowball glass over fresh ice, and garnish with a pineapple leaf.
*****
Club ONT Department of International Relations
New song out from ShyHippieGirl from TikTok called Best Sleepover It’s pretty catchy, give it a listen 🎧 pic.twitter.com/2FruRJCOub
*Club ONT management is not responsible for sleepover shenanigans
*****
Club ONT Department of Cinema Milestones
Mel Brooks turns 100 on Sunday, June 28. In his honor:
*****
Club ONT Summer Shopping Guide
*****
Club ONT Department of Full Service Health Care
Please make sure to be clear to the Club ONT technician which specific problem ails you. Otherwise they'll guess...and they may not guess correctly.
*****
Club ONT Department of Music
Note: this is not asking about your favorite song, but a song you could listen to 100 times. Those may be different. This is also not a song that you would wish on others, so no "Baby Shark for my neighbor" responses.
*****
Club ONT Jukebox
Club regular "tankdemon" has taken over the jukebox tonight. As today is the 27th of the month, he's featuring members of The 27 Club
Robert Johnson died in 1938, and the cause of death is as mysterious as much of his life. The official death certificate attributes it to complications from syphilis, but many of his friends and contemporaries say it was murder — whiskey laced with strychnine, courtesy of a jealous husband of one of Johnson’s lovers. He was set to play Carnegie Hall just a few months later, but instead he was laid to rest in an unmarked grave.
Robert Johnson was the first, but unfortunately not the last, important musician to pass away at 27, becoming the founder of a club no one wants to join — and one that has captured the popular imagination for decades.
Many thanks to tankdemon for being on time with the tunes tonight!
*****
Top 10ish Comments of the Week
*****
Club ONT is brought to you by Rube Goldberg.
*****
Contrary to rumor, the Triscuits have been re-stocked. Repeat - the Triscuits have been restocked. Please form an orderly line for Triscuit distribution. There is enough for everybody. Truscuits are part of a whelming experience at Club ONT, so enjoy.
Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. For this week, the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) is taking flight. It spun and spun and landed on a flight simulator theme for this Hobby Thread.
[Photo credit: National Air and Space Museum Dulles annex at the Udvar-Hazy Center]
Flight simulators are not just for those that are into gaming. Many have tinkered with basic flight simulators on a home computer. Many have crashed in the virtual world, but others have gotten the flying bug and built foundations that took them into the real life skies. "I believe I can fly..."
Technology has advanced. Flight simulators have become more sophisticated and capable with graphics sharp enough to rival the real world.
As with anything else, flight simulators can be basic or complicated. A basic home computer can get you flying but you can spent a lot of money on a rig. If you get really fancy, you get into the world where the seat or floor moves along with the movement of the aircraft. Auto racing simulators are no different.
While flight simulators can be entertaining, they also have become training grounds for pilots. Better to learn in a simulator than encounter problems for the first time in the real world. The correlation between the simulated and real worlds have become closer and closer.
Are you wise in the ways of flight simulators? How did you get started? Do you have a fancy home rig? Have you flown in a larger commercial training simulator? Do you have a favorite simulated flight over a landmark or landing at an airport? Did flying on a computer spark a journey to flying in real life? If you fly as a hobby or profession, how big of a role did simulators play in your life? For the gamers of the bunch, have you gotten into dogfighting games or other flying games?
Large dinosaurs are not known for flight. A small brain and short arms means that TRex will need help in the gray boxes for this one.
***
What are you hobbying?
The thread is not limited to to the theme. Anything (legal) you are hobbying is welcome. Even if the theme does not speak to you, you might learn something. If not, find something else or offer something else relating to hobbying. If all of that fails, just check in and say hello.
As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. Leave politics and religion to threads elsewhere (unless your hobby is building or restoring churches). Pants are optional. As always, puns are welcome and encouraged.
Play nice and do not be rude. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls.
***
Evolution of Microsoft Flight Simulator (1982-2023):
***
Pretty amazing:
This is the most realistic LAX landing simulator video I could find:
***
Simulating specific real-life routes and aircraft:
***
Learn from Lufthansa - an inside look at Lufthansa's Frankfurt training facility:
***
As with anything, better equipment alone won't make you a better sim pilot, but this seemed like a methodical overview for people looking to get a little deeper into the hobby:
This guy is way, way down the home flight simulator rabbit hole:
***
Why let the fixed wing gang have all the fun? Try helicopters (aka beating the air into submission). Besides the simulator aspect, this is a good tutorial on helicopters in general.
***
Never realized that there were air traffic control simulator games, but here we are. Playing a game where you are ATC at Chicago O'Hare seems a bit mad.
***
I like projects that take the worst materials and turn them into something good. This video should appeal to both the woodworkers and the drummers of the group.
***
More an old school craftsmanship theme than a hobby theme, but thought this group would appreciate:
***
"Got any hobbies?"
***
Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did an candle theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.
Notable comments from last week:
Bonus notable comment from the Thursday night ONT with space knowledge:
***
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).
***
Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.
I had a magical experience with a bumblebee yesterday. I saw her on the bike path and thought she was a goner, she couldn’t move her front legs but I still didn’t want her squished so I tried bringing her to a flower and she starting eating! But the coolest thing was… 1/ pic.twitter.com/gNhT5TywI5
— Danica Priest🦇🦎🦇🦎🍃💚🍃 (@DanicaPriest) June 20, 2026
* * *
Meet The PetMorons
Hi KT,
Here you see Purry trying to get the bird (you can see the nest on the drain pipe under the eaves).
He's a very springy cat!
Miley
That's where Publius and I were married, right there on the screen porch.
Springy, indeed! And ambitious!
* * *
Precious:
&&&
Boo-Boo:
&&&
Two's Company:
&&&
Alcatraz Farewell
&&&
HISS:
&&&
Cupboard Cat
Dear K.T.,
Meet Precious (f) and Booboo (m), born in '88. Both Siamese mix, one "seal point", one "flame point". When I picked them up from a Humane Society associated lady they were from two different litters nursing on the same female. I was told they were ready to adopt, but the vet I took them to told me they were barely five weeks old. It was only several years later that I discovered by accident that Booboo was deaf. Thank goodness I'd raised them as indoor cats, or he wouldn't have survived long.
They lived for almost twenty years, dying a year apart from kidney failure. Nothing prepared me for the end. My heart and soul went with them, and I still can't talk or write about them without weeping.
I know space is limited, so I'll leave you to select the images that may appear in Pet Thread. Bless you and all the fine pet-lovers whose babies grace your pages.
My AofS handle is "Born Free".
So sorry to learn that you have lost Precious and BooBoo, such good friends for so long. They were clearly loved well. Thanks for letting us get to know them.
* * *
&&&
&&&
&&&
About ten years ago a cocky little three-legged pit bull walked into my condo as my latest foster dog. Nobody had shown interest in her in the 18 months she’d been in the rescue, mainly because she was obstinate, judgmental, and wholly untrainable.
So of course I adopted her. My only foster fail in the ten years (thus far) that I’ve fostered.
She spent the next 9+ years antagonizing the most socially awkward dogs at the rescue’s weekly socialization training sessions, turning 30 minute walks into two hour exasperating marathons as she would randomly sit down and refuse to get up until she was good and damn ready, and eating the sausage off my pizza. She also regularly chewed on rocks, tried to kill all the squirrels and possums, and took naps in the middle of the road in my condo association, occasionally at midnight. And never once listening to me.
In short, she was the best damn dog ever.
On Tuesday, 23 June we took our last ride to the vet. She could deal with being a tripod, the arthritis and the hip dysplasia, but kidney failure was the last straw. I held my Eartha Kitt in my arms as she crossed the rainbow bridge.
Long ago I told myself that once Eartha passed I would stop fostering. I’d taken a break from it as her health declined, and thought it might be nice to have some time to myself.
After one night in a dog-free house I was on the phone to the rescue director, telling them in 4 weeks I’d be resuming full-time fostering.
It’s amazing how empty an 1100 square foot condo is without a dog.
Longtime lurker Rabidsquirrel
Thanks for the wonderful photos and description of Eartha. We love her now, too. And it's understandable that you want to foster again. You will be a blessing to another dog.
* * *
Thank you for sharing your pets and animal photos and stories with us today.
If you would like to send pet and/or animal stories, links, etc. for the Ace of Spades Pet Thread, the address is:
petmorons at protonmail dot com
Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known when you comment at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.
I closed the comments on that post so you wouldn't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway. Last comment, by EyeofSauron, noted a connection to a charming bear hunter in the thread.
Happy Saturday! Don in Kansas has posted severa; interesting recent snapshots, some of which remind me of fireworks. Flower fireworks could come in handy where sensitive pets live, or where drought has resulted in restrictions on noisy fireworks.
Balloon flowers are easy from seed and can bloom their first year, as can Silene regia.
The place I live is allegedly the real "Smallville," Superman's home town. Every June there is a "Smallville Festival" here celebrating comic books and related cultural matters. This year's festival was smaller than usual, with less cosplay than I expected, but at least there was Supergirl.
Braille flag
I spotted this flag near the festival site.
Sounds interesting! Love the Braille flag. Click on the link for more great photos of Supergirl and Krypto, Don's delightful daylilies at their peak, fiery-looking Asclepias tuberosa and more.
Another daylily expert in The Horde!
*
Edible Gardening/Putting Things By
By-Tor has more milestones from his container garden:
June 4:
A warm almost summer day calls for a fried green tomato sandwich, straight from my garden.
It's sweet, it's sour, it's salty, it's perfect. Slice, dip in flour, salt and pepper then fry until crispy. Eat on white bread. Nothing fancy here.
Not fancy, just good.
*
June 22 Garden is progressing nicely. One tomato plant is almost as tall as me.
Also, this week’s haul.
RED TOMATOES IN JUNE! And more! Impressive for a container garden!
Is there anything better than a homegrown tomato out of your own garden?
Here I had two tomatoes, Greek olives, pepperoni and Korean pickled radishes, drizzled with olive oil.
So the answer is no, nothing better.
Mmmm Thanks for the recipe!
*
Puttering
Surviving the summer heat in the UK
Good morning. I’m on my way to the fair to see if there’s any treasure to buy! Then back to just finish off the flowers I cut yesterday evening. I’ll catch up later ☀️☀️☀️ pic.twitter.com/nQisXK93ep
An Update about Grammie Winger: She is doing poorly...she is in the hospital and is having a tough go of it. She would love to hear from you folks, so anyone who would like to contact her is welcome to her address! Please contact Bluebell at moroncookbook@gmail.com for her contact info. (I expect her local post office to be furious with us!) [CBD]
Podcast: Sefton and CBD commiserate about the NYC primaries and whether the contagion will spread, J.D. Vance is becoming a cypher, Texas Antifa gets a wake-up call, and more!
NEW: Just heard something extraordinary from a former White House official who worked with former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster in Trump45's NSC: "McMaster had weekly phone calls with George Soros. We have no idea why." Neither could be reached for comment.
Podcast: CBD and Sefton dissect the Iran treaty but praise the great U.S. military, decry the deep state's influence on SAVE and FISA, talk marijuana and guns, mock the Northeast's racism, and Go Knicks!
Update to Gavin Newsom Under Investigation story: This investigation was begun under Senor Dementia:
Adam Housley
@adamhousley
As I have reported several times and now acknowledged by the Governor of California... Gavin and his wife are under federal investigation... what he failed to tell you... This began during the Biden Admin. Kind of a big detail.
