Category: Uncategorized

Paul Seems Unaware That Both Sides May Be In The Wrong, As A War Drags On…

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This morning, Paul Mirengoff vainly attempts to cast shame upon those members of the Irish soccer club who’d apparently bowed their collective heads — while the Israeli national anthem was being played, on the pitch.

What he and his fellow hard right frothers almost always fail to grasp… is that both sides in any given conflict can be in the wrong.

That is certainly true — in this one.

I will just stop there, and run the graphic I always run when discussing Netanyahu and his crazy — endless war… it does in fact approach genocide at this point.

And to say that is not to say that I support any terrorist. Each of them too is in the wrong. And certainly Hamas has done more than a share of damage. But if the Irish soccer team was embarrassed by Israel’s tactics, it certainly is appropriate for them to bow their head, Paul. It doesn’t mean they support Hamas.

This sort of black-and-white thinking is why this conflict and the one in the Ukraine and the one now in Iran show no signs of ending.

End, mission transmission.

Oh. And Don’t Look Now, But Moderna Just Hit $201, After We Said “Undervalued”, At $38 Last Year!

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This is real vindication of our long-ago (Fall 2024) rather bold predictions. [I actually think it was around $29, when we first said $85 would be fairer.]

Moderna is a great company, well run and very careful in its research spending. Focuses on things that it believes it truly can tackle. And then it tackles them with gusto.

Here’s the latest from just one of many similar Wall Street “rag” stories over the past three days, so I won’t link it, but this is how they view it — and with that I will be off — gallivanting across the lush green countryside.

…Wolfe Research upgrades Moderna to Peer Perform and describes the melanoma trial as de risking the intismeran platform, with a clearer regulatory path in adjuvant melanoma and estimated unadjusted peak sales across four indications of $9.2 billion….

Barclays, UBS, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and RBC Capital all move price targets materially higher, linking their revisions to the Phase 3 melanoma success and to higher modeled contribution from intismeran….

Here, now, in the land of my ancestors… these extended trips completely renew my soul!

नमस्ते

Trump Truly Abhors… Free Speech/Truth-Tellings

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This is a special edition / vacation breaking blogpost, to note that tonight Hinderaker defends Trump — who has once again (after losing in the courts on this same BS move in Trump 1.0) in completely lawless fashion, barring CNN and other news outlets from the White House — for press events/questions.

Hinderaker (again) refuses to admit what we all now know, two times, and that is that Trump absolutely hates the most sacred of American values: free speech.

This is so, because it leads to truth telling. One can only hide the truth so long when a free press (or a minority party- or other speaker) is able to investigate — and expose these — his lies.

Given that I am touring many of the Catholic church’s most ancient cathedrals, I felt compelled to mention that Trump is no different than the church of 1616 tonight and Hinderaker is even worse — as a lawyer, because he only pretends that he supports free speech and open debate. In fact, he only supports calculated… lying.

You can’t fool all the people… for very long, in any event, Trump. The truth will continue to appear, bearing gossamer veils… that increasingly float off into the wind, revealing nothing but the naked truth.

Onward — to the Uffizi in Florence tomorrow — and Go Buffs; Beat NU!

A Fun [Non-] Report From South Of France… Riviera Edition

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Almost on a weekly basis, Hinderaker writes a story about how “red state” economies are doing “so much better” than blue state ones.

These are actually non-stories — based on statistics of who moves where year to year, or which states provide the lowest level of public service, due to not collecting any income tax — at the state level. That in John’s addled mind is his “progress.” Hilarious.

In fact, it more reliably offers us a “Misery Map” — of where federal aid is most overwhelmingly consumed — because the states do not do their duties to citizens of limited means, when they have “a red monopoly.” [So, in fact it’s just a shifting of the burden — from the state level, to the federal government.]

Well, okay — here in the early morning in France, I have an equally silly non-story for John.

It seems now (via August ’26 data) the areas of the US where home prices are falling most precipitously… are almost all red.

And also amusingly, home prices in Chicago rose by 3.6% last year, putting that deep blue city near the top of the list of “great real estate investments for homeowners”.

Like I say, these are non-stories because they don’t necessarily reflect quality of life or fulfilling jobs at living wages… but I will take it just the same.

Here is that — from the Faux non-news outlet:

…The report found that the median list price per square foot fell in 36 of the top 50 metro areas in the U.S. in August compared with a year ago.

The largest declines were in Austin (-8.1%); Tampa (-5.6%); and Memphis (-4.1%). Metros that saw the largest gains were Providence, R.I., (+9.3%); Indianapolis (+4.4%); and Chicago (+3.6%).…

So real estate prices declined significantly in Texas, Florida, and Tennessee — all largely red states… Though to be fair, the price declines were in the blue islands inside those states.

So — if I were as dishonest as John, I would spin the “story” to say that “life is becoming more affordable” on the blue islands inside red states (while obviously the point is that no conclusion — about politics, at least — can be drawn).

Even so, it always sells papers and draws eyeballs.

Here endeth the lesson.

New Remote Access/Phone Hearing — Against ICE — In Class Action In Chicago: USDC Judge Sara Ellis’ Case 26-cv-321 On September 11…

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On that morning here, I’ll be off grid in the South of France, but you may dial in (on mute), to listen if you choose.

But this case is drawing nearer a finding that would result in payouts to plaintiffs, and injunctive relief to the State of Illinois for the damage the ICE lawlessness engendered in our communities, last year and early in 2026. Here’s the latest order:

…MINUTE entry before the Honorable Sara L. Ellis:

The court sets a Telephone conference for 9/11/2026 at 10:00 a.m.

Attorneys/Parties should appear for the hearing by calling the Toll-Free Number: (650) 479-3207, Access Code: 2314 361 1508.

Entering an attendee code is not required. Throughout the telephonic hearing, each speaker will be expected to identify themselves for the record before speaking.

Please note that the conference call-in will be used by all cases that are on the court’s calendar for the said date, therefore counsel must be in a quiet area while on the line and must have the telephone muted until your case is called. Members of the public and media will be able to call in to listen to this hearing (use toll-free number). Please be sure to keep your phone on mute when you are not speaking. Persons granted remote access to proceedings are reminded of the general prohibition against photographing, recording, and rebroadcasting court proceedings.

Violation of these prohibitions may result in sanctions, including removal of court-issued media credentials, restricted entry to future hearings, denial of entry to future hearings, or any other sanctions deemed necessary by the Court….

Now you know. Smiling — she is one fine federal trial court judge indeed.

नमस्ते

The Trump Anti-Freedom FCC Proposed Rules Are At An End — For Limiting Democratic Committees’ Speech Rights. Solid Decision — From The Supremes.

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So, the Trump FCC attempts — to limit primarily Democratic Committee reach, on a “political ad spending” basis — have now failed. I don’t love committee spending, as a rule — but it is plainly consistent with the free expression / political speech precepts we’ve long held, in the US.

This one involves (in the succint prose of Amy Howe) Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) and three other Democrats who are/were candidates for the House or Senate went to the full FCC on April 29, 2026 — asking it to review the public notice. Approximately six weeks later, before the agency had acted on their application for review, they went to federal court, where they argued that the public notice was inconsistent with federal election laws. That is correct.

But as it now stands, both Democratic and Republican Committees will be able to buy ads at preferential rates (should they wish to) — going into the midterms.

This confirms my view of the First Amendment law. And whatever Trump’s FCC does (or tries to do, more precisely — beyond its charter), after the midterm cycle — will be litigated anew. Here’s the decision, of last evening, from the Supremes (and for the record, KBJ was the lone dissenter — I get her point; but I think freer speech is… better):

…Because the candidates’ application for review was pending when they filed their petition for review, the Fourth Circuit likely lacked statutory jurisdiction to address their challenge. Its holding to the contrary splits with every other Circuit to have considered the issue. Council Tree Communications, Inc. v. FCC, 503 F. 3d 284, 287 (CA3 2007); Alabama Power Co. v. FCC, 311 F. 3d 1357, 1366 (CA11 2002); International Telecard Assn. v. FCC, 166 F. 3d 387, 388 (CADC 1999) (per curiam). Accordingly, the first and second stay factors weigh in favor of granting the application.

The party committees have also demonstrated that they will likely suffer irreparable harm absent a stay. They represent that, in light of the Fourth Circuit’s decision — which the Fourth Circuit likely lacked jurisdiction to issue — broadcasters are already rescinding favorable rates. Current and future recissions will require the party committees to pay more for advertising space, thereby hampering their efforts to reach the electorate in the critical weeks leading up to the midterms. That injury, which implicates their First Amendment rights to speak and coordinate their political activities freely….

Now you know — blog outage begins on early Monday morning, now… flight plans are changing slightly — smile.

नमस्ते

Hold The Phone, Hinderaker — You’re Gonna’ Complain — About… “Criminal Copy-Cats”?!

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Well this is… precious.

John would tell us tonight that it is primarily “liberal women“ who are encouraging mentally ill, and in some cases, deeply depraved women… to murder their children in the most gruesome of ways.

R-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-GHT.

Just two nights ago, he blamed other mental-illness fueled mayhem / violence in Times Square… on the 1960s(!) “liberal judges” — who (he says) “emptied” what were then called insane asylums, all in his telling at least. But that woman hadn’t yet been born, when his supposed proximate cause occurred. Damn.

His theories of sociology / pathological killings are amazingly… pliable (always due to “liberalism, one way or another,” as he sees it) — except when a conservative named Vance Boelter does the serial killing. Of Democratic political leaders, in his own state — with an automatic weapon. That’s just ordinary run of the mill mental illness (for which preventative psychological health screenings might have intervened/avoided, were Obamacare still fully funded — but Trump gutted it) — because in Hinderaker’s telling, no true conservative is… ever profoundly mentally ill.

So… then again — he blames… liberals — in this case, his own MN Governor Walz.

And yet, he regularly covers up, for the Criminal in Chief — his boy, Trump.

The man is… senile — embittered, and lost — that he didn’t actually amount to very much, in life.

Precious. Out.

Paul Mirengoff Is Correct — But It Is His Fault, For Voting For A Known Crook — Three Times.

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I will leave this here, as I fly off to the South of France for a few weeks. Paul is correct, directionally — but in the same breath, utterly shirks his responsibility for voting for the felon who (he agrees!) is plainly acting lawlessly here — and elsewhere.

He made this damn monster — thrice.

Own that, man — but here is his view (hypocritical though it may be):

…I was doubly disappointed when, without congressional authorization, President Trump had the East Wing of the White House demolished so he could replace it with a huge ballroom that would fit in better at Versailles than on the White House grounds. My first disappointment was purely personal. I liked the old structure and dislike its replacement.

My second disappointment was law-based. Congress has prohibited the construction of any “building or structure . . . on any reservation, park, or public grounds of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia without express authority of Congress.” 40 U. S. C. §8106. The White House is a building erected on park ground in D.C. and Congress has not authorized rebuilding it….

Spare me your fainting couch routines man.

This is your mess — get YOUR ppl to clean it (him) up.

Out.

A Very Improbable Comeback — But I Will Take It!

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Strictly speaking, this is off-topic.

But many here will recall that I had closely followed the University of Colorado Buffaloes during the era of Travis Hunter.

It was only a season opener — on the road in Atlanta — but all the critics had predicted that they would lose by a full touchdown, and look ugly doing it. And, at points they did look ugly. But they ran the ball when they needed to and stopped the run — also when they needed to.

They were losing almost the entire game until 30 seconds left — when they took a one point lead with their highly touted but lightly experienced quarterback who’s only made three career starts. He threw several spot on dart passes and managed the field under pressure — perfectly.

But on the ensuing series, Georgia Tech gained an improbable amount of yardage via a pass over the middle. Still 23 seconds on the clock, and in field goal range with their big footed kicker.

And so GT was (with three seconds left) sitting 43 yards away from the winning field goal.

But the Buff defense blocked Georgia Tech’s ace field goal kicker! Game over — CU wins down in Hotlanta — on a steamy night.

नमस्ते