Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

Happy Sunday! Another great day in Returned America. A nice cool day, we get the 1st Pick Bowl (Giants vs Raiders), and I got some great advice on changing how I do some chest exercises*. This pinup is by Pearl Frush, with a wee bit of help

What is happening in Ye Olde Blogosphere? The Fine 15

  1. Watts Up With That?: Contrails and their claimed climatic effect
  2. American Greatness: The Pence Mirage: Why the Right Isn’t Leaving Trump
  3. Bearing Arms: Everytown’s Defense of ‘Vampire Rule’ Renders the Second Amendment Meaningless
  4. Campus Reform: Department of Education stopped $1 billion in student aid fraud, promises more crackdowns in 2025
  5. Doug Ross @ Journal: Tim Walz and the Somalis – The Infographic
  6. Gates Of Vienna: “Foreigners Should Not Vote in Swedish Elections”
  7. Gatestone Institute: Few on the ‘Far Right’ Turn Against the Jews
  8. GeeeZ….: Sunday Faith Post
  9. Geller Report: CULTURE JIHAD: Muslims Attack Catholic Bookstore For Selling the Bible, Christian Books, Statues of Jesus and Mary
  10. IOTW Report: Chevron CEO Responds to Newsom After Leaving California
  11. Jihad Watch: Tucker Carlson Doesn’t Know Anyone Who’s Been ‘Killed by Radical Islam’
  12. Legal Insurrection: “Where Are the Children?” Minnesota Daycare Fraud Caught on Video
  13. Moonbattery: Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan Wears Hijab While Pandering to Somalis
  14. Pacific Pundit: Ilhan Omar’s husband has name quietly removed from venture capital firm’s website after revelations of Minnesota charity and welfare fraud
  15. And last, but, not least, Sultan Knish has “The Somalization of North Dakota”

As always, the full set of pinups can be seen in the Patriotic Pinup category, or over at my Gallery page (nope, that’s gone, the newest Apache killed access, and the program hasn’t been upgraded since 2014, so, most are hosted internally). While we are on pinups, since it is that time of year, have you gotten your Pinups for Vets calendar yet? And don’t forget to check out what I declare to be our War on Women Rule 5 and linky luv posts and things that interest me. I’ve also mostly alphabetized them, makes it easier scrolling the feedreader

Don’t forget to check out all the other great material all the linked blogs have!

Anyone else have a link or hotty-fest going on? Let me know so I can add you to the list. And do you have a favorite blog you can recommend be added to the feedreader?

Two great sites for getting news links are Liberty Daily and Whatafinger.

*I learned that you need to keep your elbows in when doing chest presses. I had mine out way too far, which meant I couldn’t come down below a 90 degree angle, and was putting too much pressure on my shoulders and elbows (have a bad spot on the right). Lifting way less weight, but, making a big difference. And for flys, don’t hug a tree, keep those arms straight. Went from 45 to 30 pounds, and, believe me, I can feel it from both.

Read: Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup »

Democrats Re-Introduce Bill To End 287(g) Immigration Program

But of course they want to do this

House Democrats reintroduce bill to end federal immigration enforcement program

A team of House Democrats is reintroducing legislation aimed at ending a federal program that allows state and local law enforcement to participate in federal immigration enforcement.

The “PROTECT Immigration Act” is being reintroduced by House Democrats ahead of the new year. The bill targets the 287(g) program that allows the federal government to deputize local law enforcement for immigration enforcement purposes.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said the program undermines police-community relationships.

“When immigrants and their US citizen loved ones have to live in fear of being abducted off the street and deported, they stop calling the police,” Jayapal said.

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), who has championed the bill since 2017, said the legislation aims to protect relationships between local law enforcement and communities.

“The legislation we are announcing today aims to protect the relationship between local law enforcement and the communities they serve,” Quigley said.

What communities? They are here illegally, in violation of federal law, as we all know, and, further, that the Constitution requires Congress to pass laws to defend the nation from foreign invasion. What this bill aims to do is only allow federal immigration officers and certain authorized DHS employees to engage in investigating, apprehending, and detaining aliens, legal or illegal.

It’s no wonder Jayapal is involved, she wants to make sure as many Islamists as possible make it into the U.S

Meanwhile

DHS arrests 17,500 criminal illegal immigrants under Laken Riley Act

The Department of Homeland Security has arrested more than 17,500 criminal illegal immigrants under the Laken Riley Act since President Trump took office, officials announced Dec. 24.

The law, signed as Trump’s first piece of legislation, requires federal detention of illegal immigrants accused of theft, burglary, assaulting law enforcement officers and any crime causing death or serious bodily injury.

The act is named after Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student killed by a Venezuelan immigrant and member of the Tren de Aragua gang.

The suspect had been previously arrested and released under the Biden administration in September 2022, then arrested again by New York police for acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 before being released back into communities.

Let’s not forget that 159 Democrats voted against this in the House, and only 12 Dems voted for it in the Senate.

Read: Democrats Re-Introduce Bill To End 287(g) Immigration Program »

Experts Stunned By End Of California Permadrought

Remember this?

Thanks El Niño, But California’s Drought Is Probably Forever
Even if you can’t define a drought, you should by now know exactly what one looks like: California.

And this?

A state of permanent drought

And it was all your fault

Experts stunned as US reservoirs reach historically high levels: ‘Incredible’

Reservoir levels in California are at a historical high after years of drought.

According to Newsweek, which cited data from the Golden State’s Department of Water Resources, water levels in all key reservoirs are at or above 100% of the recorded averages for this time of year. The major reservoirs serve as main water sources for almost 40 million Californians in addition to farming operations across the state.

After several unprecedented atmospheric rivers — long, narrow regions in the sky that transport water vapor and can cause extreme rainfall — across the state, particularly in the Sierra Nevada, water levels surged dramatically. (big snip)

With record high heat and this year expected to be the hottest in history, the warming climate is making storms exponentially stronger, creating extreme weather events that are devastating food and water supplies. Small changes in your routine to minimize pollution and use less plastic make a big difference to cool things down and alleviate the stress on the planet.

So, the drought is over (water storage is 115% of normal), and it is still your fault for flood.

Read: Experts Stunned By End Of California Permadrought »

If All You See…

…is horrible snow from the Arctic cold wandering down due to carbon pollution, you might just be  Warmist

The blog of the day is Green Jihad, with a post on the 12 days of global warming.

Read: If All You See… »

Wacko On Meth Steals Washington State Trooper’s Cruiser

This is wild, and wonderful example of failing Police Operations 101

Maniac on meth carjacks state trooper’s patrol cruiser on Seattle freeway

A meth-fueled maniac is behind bars after allegedly dragging a Washington state lieutenant from the driver’s seat of her patrol car on a Seattle freeway and speeding away in the stolen cruiser, police said.

Alexander Eugene Smith, 24, was cuffed after the brazen broad-daylight heist sparked a wild police chase that ended when authorities rammed into the hijacked squad car, bringing it to a halt on the busy Christmas Day highway just before noon, according to an arrest report obtained by KOMO News.

The victimized Washington State Patrol lieutenant found herself lying on the pavement of Interstate 5 after responding to reports that a man was casually wandering across the lanes around 11 a.m.

Let’s watch

I dropped some replies to some of the vids, and I did ask a retired city cop friend of mine, and she agreed. You have

  • Driving forward, back, forward, back, but, failing to park far enough away from the nutter, while also creating confusion for the traffic behind her
  • Allowing the wacko to walk right up to her cruiser.
  • Allowing him to open her cruiser door, which should be locked at all times. Basic police academy knowledge, and rookies get abused if they leave doors unlocked
  • Being dragged out immediately because she was not wearing a seat belt, offering zero resistance

I won’t say that women shouldn’t be police. Many shouldn’t. Many men shouldn’t. But, this woman shouldn’t. She’s a lieutenant, for goodness sakes, and violated so many protocols that, at best, she should be put on permanent desk duty. Three police cars were damaged due to her incompetence. And, as my friend noted, State Police tend to spend a goodly chunk of their time enforcing traffic laws, which seems safe, right? No. Walking up on a pulled over vehicle can be very dangerous. One has no idea what is going to happen. Most of the time, things are fine. But, if things go wrong, there is nowhere to hide. And state troopers tend to operate alone, often with no one close for backup.

One has to wonder, if a lieutenant operates so poorly, what about the rest? Is she an aberration, someone who just flouts the rules, doesn’t care about them? Did she fail upwards? Do the others operate so poorly?

Perhaps she was about to exit the cruiser, but, that means she had horrible situational awareness. This will surely show up as a training video in many police departments as What Not To Do.

Read: Wacko On Meth Steals Washington State Trooper’s Cruiser »

Who’s Up For Some Climate Doom Therapy?

I wonder how much this costs?

Finding healing in the face of climate change: Amherst therapist helps people cope with ‘eco-grief’ as changing landscapes take a toll on mental health

Growing up in Putney, Vermont, Sadie Forsythe loved that every winter brought a foot or two of snow.

“We didn’t see the ground for months,” said Forsythe, an Amherst-based therapist whose certification includes climate psychology, a discipline that helps to address eco-grief.

Eco-grief refers to profound sadness, anxiety and despair related to witnessing or learning about environmental destruction, climate change impacts and the loss of ecosystems, species and landscapes. One of the ways Forsythe offers her services is through climate cafes.

They forget to add “worrying about fake issues irrationally”.

“They’re structured, one-off opportunities held at places like local libraries or environmental centers,” she said. “They’re led by two facilitators and require no commitment for participants beyond the two-hour session.”

Those who attend often report feeling more connected, but Forsythe noted that, “all therapy can feel worse before it feels better, because you’re digging into hard stuff. Yet it can help you metabolize (feelings) and think differently.”

I should start a side hustle where I offer therapy where I advise the Warmists to give up their own fossil fueled travel, eat bugs, only buy 2nd hand clothes, and move into a tiny home. For a price, of course

She noted that many people say they need to talk about (eco-grief) but aren’t doing so in their families and workplaces. “There are cultural barriers to talking about hard things,” she said. “People worry about burdening their spouse or grandchild or whoever they’re trying to protect from difficult feelings.”

They worry about others judging them as wackadoodles.

One response to climate despair is “deepening our connection to nature, and savoring it. The more we invest and connect, the more energy we’ll have to respond.”

Clients arrive in Forsythe’s office with varying concerns, “but (eco-grief) comes up for nearly everyone,” she said. “Concerns about weather, droughts and floods can be tucked into worries like affordability and relationship strain.”

They’ve been indoctrinated to freak out over the weather. They should take up a nice hobby.

Read: Who’s Up For Some Climate Doom Therapy? »

Bummer: 3 in 10 “Immigrants” Avoided Traveling Over The Holidays

Aww, come on, those are rookie numbers. Need to get that up to like 6 in 10 by the holiday season 2026. But, it is a good start

Three in 10 immigrants avoided holiday travel due to immigration fears: Survey

Many immigrants in the U.S. are rethinking holiday travel amid concerns over immigration enforcement and visa scrutiny. A KFF–New York Times survey found that 27% avoided travel this year for fear their immigration status could draw attention.

30-year-old Texas-based IT professional Shikha S. had booked her tickets for traveling to India to meet her parents after a gap of two years. But in the past few weeks, with news circulating about H-1B professionals undergoing additional scrutiny as well as delayed appointments, Shikha had to rethink her plans.

Shikha’s dad, based in Mumbai, India, told the American Bazaar, “My daughter is on an H-1B visa, and even though she does not need an extension or stamping currently, we advised her to postpone her travel. There is too much noise around the possibility of increased vetting of Indian visa holders. And while we will miss her during the only time she can manage a few weeks off from her work, we do not want her to face any unnecessary issues.”

Too bad (BTW, this a poorly written article that repeats information several times

The nationally representative survey, based on responses from 1,805 immigrant adults, offers a detailed snapshot of immigrant life in the U.S. Respondents span a wide range of immigration statuses, racial and ethnic backgrounds, income levels, and political affiliations, helping reflect the diversity of immigrant communities.

The findings shed light on how shifting immigration policies are shaping daily life and travel behavior. The report found that 27% of immigrants said they or a family member avoided travel this year out of concern that someone’s immigration status could draw attention. Among immigrants who are likely undocumented, that share rises to nearly two-thirds (63%). Even immigrants with legal status reported similar concerns, including about one-third (32%) of lawful residents and nearly one-fifth (18%) of naturalized citizens.

I understand the illegals, but, why the rest? Are they doing illegal things? Protesting in favor of killing Jews and destroying Israel?

Specifically, 14% avoided seeking medical care, 14% skipped church or other community events, 13% stayed away from work, and 10% did not take their child to school or attend school-related activities. Overall, nearly three in 10 immigrants (30%) reported avoiding at least one of these activities since January. Among likely undocumented immigrants, that figure rises sharply to nearly three-quarters (74%).

They could do all those things in their home country.

(NPR) Immigrants who are detained by ICE often get deported out of state so quickly that their attorneys don’t have time to file petitions to keep them in the state where they were arrested.

The rest is a 3 minute listen. Good for a laugh.

Read: Bummer: 3 in 10 “Immigrants” Avoided Traveling Over The Holidays »

Democrats Now Defending Ultra-processed Food ‘Cause TDS/KDS

Democrats, and Republicans, have long had an issue with ultra-processed foods. The liberal nags and climate cultists have especially had issues, when they aren’t defending obesity. But, you know, in the Age Of Trump with RKF, Jr at HHs

The ultraprocessed food makers have an answer for RFK Jr.

Makers of ultraprocessed food have struggled all year to find a message to counter Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s, that they are poisoning the American people. They think they’ve hit on one: Kennedy’s plans are going to make already enormous grocery bills even bigger.

Food manufacturers are making that case in an attempt to stop a wave of state moves to regulate food ingredients backed by Kennedy and his Make America Healthy Again movement. The companies think it’ll resonate, considering how affordability concerns dogged GOP candidates in this year’s elections and threaten to again in the higher-stakes 2026 midterms.

“The dynamic here is affordability,” said Sam Geduldig, managing partner at Republican lobbying firm CGCN, which represents Kraft Heinz, the Chicago-based maker of Oscar Mayer hot dogs and Kraft Mac & Cheese. “You have a MAHA movement that would like to accomplish one goal, and then you have an inflation, economic affordability issue on the other side that runs counter.”

See, MAHA is bad, because it could cause junk food prices to rise

At the same time, polls show Americans share Kennedy’s belief that consumption of ultraprocessed foods is making people sick. A survey from health research group KFF and the Washington Post in October found large majorities cite highly processed foods as a major threat to children’s health.

So, don’t feed them that food. Unfortunately, there is so much of it that it is hard to know

Calls for a federal standard that would preempt the states’ have prompted backlash from MAHA supporters and consumer advocates, who warn that leaving the decision to lawmakers in Washington, where the food lobby is powerful, will likely result in a weaker standard, or no change at all.

“A federal standard favors large multinational companies with a lot of money to lobby for less restrictive standards,” said Jennifer Galardi, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation focused on MAHA-aligned issues.

Well, there is the point of wondering whether the federal government, heck, state governments, should be regulating this stuff. If consumers want it, leave it alone. This certainly could be considered a case of too much government. Regardless, it is amusing to see Democrats and their pet media having fits over better food and making America healthy.

Read: Democrats Now Defending Ultra-processed Food ‘Cause TDS/KDS »

If All You See…

The blog of the day is Jihad Watch, with a post on the strikes on the Islamic State in Nigeria.

Read: If All You See… »

Judge Says Hawaii’s Tax On Cruise Ships Is Great

Skeptic Chris Martz tweets: “The government invents imaginary problems, then demands you pay more taxes to solve them. This scam needs to be shut down.”

Federal judge upholds Hawaii’s new climate change tax on cruise passengers

A federal judge’s ruling has cleared the way for Hawaii to include cruise ship passengers in a new tourist tax to help cope with climate change, a levy set to go into effect at the start of 2026.

U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake denied a request Tuesday that sought to stop officials from enforcing the new law on cruises.

In the nation’s first such levy to help cope with a warming planet, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed legislation in May that raises tax revenue to deal with eroding shorelines, wildfires and other climate problems. Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually.

The levy increases rates on hotel room and vacation rental stays but also imposes a new 11% tax on the gross fares paid by a cruise ship’s passengers, starting next year, prorated for the number of days the vessels are in Hawaii ports.

Honolulu’s tide gauge goes back to 1905, and shows just .51 feet of sea rise per 100 years. Exactly average for a Holocene century. It should be way more during a warm periods. Erosion is not ‘climate change’, they are islands. Wildfires are manmade problems

Cruise Lines International Association challenged the tax in a lawsuit, along with a Honolulu company that provides supplies and provisions to cruise ships and tour businesses out of Kauai and the Big Island that rely on cruise ship passengers. Among their arguments is that the new law violates the Constitution by taxing cruise ships for the privilege of entering Hawaii ports.

Plaintiff lawyers also argued that the tax would hurt tourism by making cruises more expensive. The lawsuit notes the law authorizes counties to collect an additional 3% surcharge, bringing the total to 14% of prorated fares.

Look, Hawaiians voted for the people who put this tax in place. Every experiment needs an experimental group, right. Let’s see what happens to the economy of Hawaii, see if the peasants enjoy the fallout. And, anyhow, if the doomsday cultists in Hawaii hate fossil fuels, why not ban cruise ships, gas powered boats, airplanes, and helicopters?

Read: Judge Says Hawaii’s Tax On Cruise Ships Is Great »

Pirate's Cove