Starting April 20, US Importers Will Be Able To File — For REFUNDS — On Tariffs They Were Lawlessly Forced To Pay, By Trump… A Good Start.

Sure. It is a good start — as the SCOTUS has now clearly ruled Trump’s tariffs were unlawful. That was obvious from the day he “Sharpied” them in — without an act of Congress.

But the idea that the agencies will simply punt on the more deeply involved cases… leaving it for future administrations (likely Democratic office holders) to once again “clean up” Trump’s dirty diapers… is immensely frustrating. Still — here’s the start, at it — from Bloomberg:

…Importers seeking tariff refunds will be able to begin filing their requests on April 20, US Customs and Border Protection said Friday. . . . Phase 1 is limited to certain unliquidated entries and certain entries within 80 days of liquidation. . . [Ed. Note: That is, only the most recent payments (and undisputed ones) will be accepted for processing.]

In the first phase, the CBP’s Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries tool, called CAPE, will process paperwork for certain straightforward and recent import entries — leaving more complex refund scenarios for later….

It strikes me (again!) that the only just answer here is… one way, or another, for Donald Trump to spend some time inside a jail cell, post 2028.

This was reckless, intentional pattern lawlessness.

The defining hallmark — of his entire 50-plus years in public life.

Think of the tens of thousands of businesses injured by the tariffs — and think of the 240 million or so US consumers who’ve paid more than a year of higher prices — due to his blatant violations of law. And that’s all before the 34 felonies. Damn.

नमस्ते

The 2026 Lassa Fever Outbreak In Nigeria Continues To Rumble Onward — Accelerating, Now.

As we mentioned in early March, the Nigerian Lassa fever (viral) outbreak has been accelerating in 2026, through Q1.

That trend is continuing here, in Q2 — with over 660 ill, and 167 deaths recorded, already. Do go read all of the excellent Outbreak News Today story — but here’s a bit of it:

…[T]he Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reports 663 confirmed Lassa fever cases with a quarter of them resulting in death (167). The 167 deaths is a 35 percent increase in deaths as compared to the same period in 2025….

In total for 2026, 22 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 93 Local Government Areas. Eighty-five (85%) of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from 5 states (Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo and Benue)….

Lassa Fever is an acute viral illness and a viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF). The causative agent is a single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus in the family arenaviridae, the Lassa virus. This zoonotic disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality, transmitted by the multi-mammate rat (Mastomys natalensis), one of the most common rats in equatorial Africa….

Now you know. And anyone who thinks Trump’s dismantling of USAID mostly saved America a bunch of money… will soon see that many of these viral outbreaks reach our shores as well, with international air travel now the rule, not the exception.

How much will that cost America, in additional acute health care dollars, disabilities and… young people’s lives? Only time will tell. Damnation. Out — the man has gone completely senile.

नमस्ते

TRIVIA: At ~3 AM This Morning, Trump Himself Posted The Below. But I Fixed It For Him.

The man has positively lost all his marbles. [He posted it about an hour or two after his rant vilifying Pope Leo the Fourteenth. Damn.]

So… even though someone in the West Wing ultimately thought better of it, and deleted it for him by mid-morning DC time, the internet — as ever — kept copies — copious… copies.

At right, I’ve simply made it more accurate. More “truthy”.

He would raise this guy from the dead, if he could — you know he would.

He’d just love to get his pedo gang back in the saddle!

O N W A R D.

[This is his orginal, unedited — for a completely-unhinged record.]

And, out.

The ICE/DHS Team Is Yet Again Wildly Out Of Compliance, With Prior, Crystal Clear Federal Court Orders — In Chicago: 18-cv-3757

The able USDC Judge Cummings has ruled against ICE/DHS (again) in Chicago this morning. [I have not attached the full PDF of Judge Cummings’ order, as it contains sensitive specific ID info on the people still being hounded, and persecuted, lawlessly by ICE/DHS in Chicago. The snippets (redacted) below will have to suffice.]

This is how lawlessness is brought to justice — one order at a time. Slow — but very effective at grinding miscreants to dust:

…On April 6, 2026, plaintiffs filed a motion to enforce consent decree and request for expedited briefing, (Dckt. #344), seeking to have class members A.R.A. (A-yyy) and M.V.M. (A-xxx), released from detention without bond and without conditions based upon the parties’ agreement that they were arrested in violation of the Consent Decree. In their response, defendants state that R.A. has been released from detention without bond and without conditions and they do not dispute that their arrest of V.M. violated the Decree. (Dckt. #346 at 1)….

Defendants further assert that they have filed a motion to reconsider before the immigration court to have that court find that V.M. should be denied release for the additional reason that his release would pose a danger to the community. In their reply, plaintiffs assert that these reasons are insufficient to bar the release of V.M. under the Decree, (Dckt. #347), and the Court agrees.

As plaintiffs pointed out in their reply, this Court has already held that it has the authority to determine who is subject to mandatory detention under the Immigration and Nationality Act within the meaning of Section VI.E.3.e. of the Decree and it rejected the proposition that class members like V.M. are subject to mandatory detention under Section 1225(b)(2)(A). (Dckt. #260 at 11-12, 20). Moreover, the Seventh Circuit declined to stay these rulings based on its finding that plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits as to these issues. Castanon Nava v. U.S. Dep’t of Homeland Sec., 161 F.4th 1048, 1061–62 (7th Cir. 2025)….

The record does not reflect that V.M. has been convicted of any criminal offense. Instead, defendants point to evidence showing that he has multiple arrests for traffic-related offenses between 2012 and 2017 for which no disposition is listed in the National Crime Information database….

Furthermore, defendants’ motion to reconsider before the immigration court lacks merit on its face. As defendants acknowledge, a motion to reconsider must “specify[] the errors of fact or law in the prior Board decision” and that “[t]he very nature of a motion to reconsider is that the original decision was defective in some regard.” (Dckt. #346-2 at 3 (cleaned up)). In their motion, defendants do not assert that the immigration judge’s order contains any errors of fact or law or that it is defective in any sense. Instead, defendants beseech the immigration judge to “reconsider” in order to provide an additional ground in support of a decision that defendants sought and agree with. This is not the purpose of a motion to reconsider.

For these reasons, plaintiffs’ motion to enforce, (Dckt. #344), is granted. Defendants are ordered to promptly release V.M. from ICE detention without bond and without conditions, and to file a certification of compliance with this Order on or before 5:00 p.m. on April 15, 2026….

Onward — shaking my head, silently… who are these… monsters?

नमस्ते

A Potential Unknown Virus In The Wild, In East Africa? Maybe — But More Testing Needed In Burundi, Mpanda District, First…

To be sure, there is a high probability that this is no truly new virus. But ebola, marburg, mpox, lassa and several other likely suspects have been ruled out by RNA tests.

And 35 have been afflicted in the Mpanda District — primarily among a group of close family contacts — without travel histories. Five of the people have already died of what looked like hemorrhagic causes (before the more sensitive tests were being done). Here’s the latest — from the AvianFlu blog — sourcing data out of the WHO, in Burundi:

…Pathfinder posted two reports on a `mystery’ illness affecting several households in Burundi, in east Africa. Since late March, at least 5 deaths, and roughly 3 dozen illnesses have been reported, `…primarily among members of the same household and close contacts….’

So far, tests have ruled out many of the `usual suspects’; Ebola virus disease, Marburg virus, yellow fever, Rift Valley fever, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Further testing is underway.

[And] while this could be something new, there are still a number of diagnoses that must be ruled out including infectious diseases like Severe Malaria, Leptospirosis, Enteric Fever, etc., environmental contaminants (heavy metals or pesticides), or food or alcohol poisoning….

As ever, the old and wise rule is — if one hears hoofbeats in Central Park, New York — think first not of zebras or gazelles, but of… horses. Smile — go, and be excellent to one another — a warm Spring week ahead here.

नमस्ते

Hinderaker’s Preznit… Is A Bitter, Deranged Loser. A Poor Excuse For A Human…

Late night tonight, on a Sunday night, Tangerine 2.0 (apparently while traveling on Air Force One, and returning to DC — from watching MMA fights and golf games)… decided to launch a multi-paragraph attack on his failing social media platform, against Pope Leo the XIV.

Super genius move, dude! No, really… very cool!

It is all so deplorably beyond the pale — that he would attack (with personal insults, no less!) the leader of over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, and perhaps as many as 75 million US Catholics… That I won’t bother to reprint more than a word or two of it.

I will point out that he thought it was more important to attend MMA fights, than to resolve a peace agreement / cease fire in the Middle East. [He sent only his Veep, the mental midget JD Vance — to attempt that task over the weekend.]

But after a weekend of failures, and mindless recreation, for the preznit, he felt the burning need to attack a very well followed spiritual leader of unreproachable morals (born in Chicago) who has criticized his war mongering.

Trump called him “soft on crime”. What a stupid insult.

This is insanity.

And all Hinderaker can manage is more boot licking.

In a fit of unbridled lunacy, Trump went so far as to take credit for the ascendancy of this Pope, the first American-born Pope. What. The actual… Hell?!

Last time I checked the orange dotard did not wear the red hat of any cardinal — let alone control the entire College of Cardinals. This man is a stupid, egotistical, un-self-aware, and now mostly senile nearly 80-year-old drunk on his power as though he were four-year-old.

The 25th amendment is the proper answer here.

And if he thinks he’s done anything but tank the midterms by attacking the peaceful, gentle, and Christian leader of perhaps 75 million voting Catholics in America… He must ALSO be not even listening to his own GOP base, in Congress.

And I’m here for it.

Out.

So… Where (All Else) To Go? Must Be In Nice, France For Sept. 14, 2026… But Will Be Free In Europe From Sept. 1 to 30…

It turns out… that the world championship, for my youngest son’s event is on Sept. 14. He needs from Sept. 1 to race day to acclimate, from the eight hours of time difference between Oregon, and the South of France.

It will also give him plenty of practice reps on the bike-able mountains, and in the water, locally. As well as the street runs. So, the entirely happy problem I face (having already seen most of Europe, with my then-kids about two decades ago)… is where to go — and/or where to return to.

We have a bank of hotel rooms for the few days right at race-time, next to the start/finish lines, on the water… and we are sourcing at least two — and maybe three — separate five bedroom houses… for the first- and last- parts of the month of September.

I will return to Matisse’s chapel (the one he built for the nuns, in Vence — after they nursed him back to health) — and will consider the Greek Isles and Santorini — even if it means more plane rides. Other than that, the month is wide open. Paris is always a favorite — but where… else? My most traveled (eldest) daughter loves Croatia at that time of year (but again that is a probable plane- rather than train- ride, away). And I do love. . . the trains.

At above right was this Sunday afternoon’s library haul — from our excellent Northwestern-affiliated library… to start the ruminations. We do also know we will need polio vaccines, and additional EU travel visas, as a result of new local policies (largely aimed to combat Trumpian idiocy). Feel free to privately email any suggestions — or use the comment boxes. After three days, the postings there will be private — and only seen be me, before an approval routine releases them.

Onward, grinning. Ever grinning / or, perhaps… grimacing [as I really need this exercise, as an escape from all that the dotard is putting all of us through]. Out.

नमस्ते

Back To The M&A Rumor Mill: Many Will Recall That Merck Owned These Women’s Health Businesses — After The Bust Up Of Schering Plough… Now To Be Sold, Again?

The saga of what is now Organon… travels through Schering-Plough, and then on to US Merck — and even through various rumors about Sanofi, more recently. As presently constituted, it is a women’s health set of franchises — primarily the implantable version of birth control.

Now come rumors that the massive Indian generics maker, Sun Pharma is quietly circling it. But at this point, these are strictly only… rumors.

We do know that as a public ’34 Act reporting company (spun out of Merck), Organon will soon have to disclose (at the SEC) — if it reaches an agreement on price and structure. This is at a size — a rumored $12 billion, more or less — that is plainly material. Here’s the rumor piece, from Yahoo Biz:

…Organon surged by 38.8 percent week-on-week, as investors gobbled up shares following reports that it is set to be acquired by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries for $12 billion.

According to a report by India-based The Economic Times, Sun Pharmaceutical submitted an offer to fully acquire Organon & Co., in an all-cash transaction. The two firms have yet to confirm or deny the reports….

The Dutch HQ-ed version of this biz was always very well run, but faced lots of deeply pocketed competitors… and eventually ended up getting sold and resold, by a series of private equity and Wall Street bankers. So it goes.

Onward, to a warm and broken-clouds Sunday, here. Smile.

नमस्ते

The Fourteenth Leo Speaks Forcefully — And Morally — To Donald Trump, Again At St. Peter’s Basilica, This Day. He’s On Fire!

We find ourselves nodding, vigorously, as we read now his fourth address, in two weeks — aimed directly at Tangerine and Hegseth, who’ve both framed the war against Iran as being a divine right — and a Godly action. It is no. such. thing.

And the Chicago-native American Pope, in Italy — the leader of over 1.42 billion religious souls, worldwide, and over 75 million, in the US alone… is no longer mincing his words, thus:

…In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.

Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica… [as the] United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan….

History’s first U.S.-born pope didn’t mention the United States or President Donald Trump in his prayer, which was planned before the talks were announced. But Leo’s tone and message appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials, who have boasted of U.S. military superiority and justified the war in religious terms….

“Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” Leo said. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”….
In the basilica pews was the archbishop of Tehran, Belgian Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu. The U.S. was represented in the diplomatic corps by its deputy chief of mission, Laura Hochla, the U.S. Embassy said….

Praying for peace, Leo said, was a way to “break the demonic cycle of evil” to build instead the Kingdom of God where there are no swords, drones or “unjust profit….”

Now you know: Leo XIV is right.

We are neither omnipotent, nor clearly in the right, any longer.

We need to end this — accept Iran’s offer of… peace. Now.

नमस्ते

So The US “Education” Sec’y… Uses FAKE / AI Colorized Images, To Promote The Idea That Teaching “History” Matters?!? Sheesh!

Look, there is so much else desperately wrong, with this mal-administration’s federal government at the moment — I considered just skipping this one. But it needs to be forcefully called out.

A former professional wrestling executive, Linda McMahon, overnight posted on [UN-]Truth Social — purportedly lauding Ida B. Wells, and her role in truth-telling, to power. She writes that “teaching history… matters.”

I agree. It was probably an “unwise” choice, then — to let AI invent a colorized school-kid fake portrait of Ida, rather than paying a small royalty to get the real historical black and white image of the real historical woman. And she is in charge of our kids’ education?!

And… In. A. Supposed. History. Lesson. No. Less?!

This was a dynamic, proud (and later in life, a powerful) Black woman.

Damn these… miscreants. Damn them.

No truth-tellers among them.

Not a one.

Out.

नमस्ते