Category: Uncategorized

Palette Cleanser?! Let’s Catch Up — On The Science Of Rain, Over Frigid Northern Ocean-Shores, On Saturn’s Moon, Titan…

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We find that the endless bouts of lawlessness… fatigue our sensibilities — so we will now venture off… into space, with NASA’s JWST — for some planetary learnings, this rainy mid-afternoon. [More backgrounders, here.]

Do enjoy the excellent video below, on it all:

…Of all the alien worlds in our solar system, one in particular resembles our home planet. Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is the only other place we know of where you could walk along the seashore or stand in the rain. However, Titan’s exotic seas and its oily raindrops are not made of water, but of the natural gases methane and ethane, super-chilled into liquid form. Now, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a crucial, missing step in how ethane is formed, and its discovery could tell us about the future of Titan’s atmosphere….

Onward, forever grinning….

नमस्ते

The REVOLUTION [Initial McIver Appearance] WILL BE TELEVISED. Hah. Hon. US Rep. McIver To Be Zoomed In From DC Today…

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I can’t emphasize enough what a completely lawless, and idiotic, move this is — by Trumpian Alina Habba.

A political appointee in NJ cannot criminalize oversight by the Congress (just entered as text order this morning in 25-mj-15118):

…Pursuant to Fed. Rule Cr. P. 5(g), at the request of [Hon. US Rep. McIver] due to her need to be in Washington, D.C. for a congressional session, and with the consent of the Government, the initial appearance in this matter shall be held via video conference. A live stream will be available in the courthouse for members of the public to attend and view. So Ordered by Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams on 05/21/25….

Cheers, to one and all — of good will!

नमस्ते

Here’s That Oregon Tariffs Case, Due To Be Argued Tomorrow In NYC — On Injunction, Against Trump’s Lawless IEEPA Invocation.

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As mentioned in the immediately prior post,we will take help wherever it comes from in blunting Trump’s lawless power grab — on tariffs. In the International Court of Trade, in Manhattan tomorrow this motion will be argued, on behalf of state economies being wrecked by Trumpian tariffs.

Here’s to hoping that the CIT judges read (and enforce) the plain text of Congressional Acts, here:

…Congress limited the President’s IEEPA power to dealing with an “unusual and extraordinary threat” because it intended IEEPA to serve as residual authority to address unprecedented circumstances that Congress could not have anticipated through ordinary legislation. A persistent trade deficit for which Congress has already equipped the President with separate authorities that he “must, of course, comply with,” Yoshida, 526 F.2d at 582 n.33, does not constitute an “unusual and extraordinary threat.” Similarly, across-the-board tariffs on products that bear no relationship to the fentanyl crisis do not “deal with” that threat. See id. at 572 (“[T]he primary implication of an emergency power is that it should be effective to deal with a national emergency successfully.”)….

IEEPA is not a blank check for the President to fill out at his whim. As a matter of law, the tariffs that the President imposed fall outside authority Congress delegated under IEEPA. This Court should grant the States’ motion for summary judgment, declare the tariffs unlawful, and permanently enjoin them….

We will follow this one now — as well. Onward.

नमस्ते

So Hinderaker Shills For Trump’s Failures — Twice! — To Release A Full Physical?! Precious.

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Tonight, John Hinderaker would tell us that Joe Biden is somehow a latter-day antichrist, for — in John’s fevered imaginings at least, not disclosing to the world that he had advanced cancer… which (of course!) John, without the benefit of any medical training, claims he has known about for more than four years.

The very notion is preposterous, and thus completely predictable from the malign and senile John Hinderaker.

But as is often the case with senile narrators, John doesn’t realize that the entirety of his belching nonsense does in fact indict Donald Trump.

In both 2016, and 2020 (as well as 2024?!), Donald Trump promised he would release his full physical results. [And tax returns — but why quibble?]

He did none of these things. And to my eye, he looks increasingly feeble, as though he is losing weight in an unnatural way… Not just Ozempic.

How soon will it be, when we learn that Trump‘s long-rumored decades long addiction to Adderall has broken his immune system?

And if Mr. Biden (even speciously) is thought to have committed a stoning offense by keeping private any part of his own long-term health issues in the last six months, should it not be a similar “stoning offense” — for the sitting occupant of 1600 Penn.?

Do tell, Johnnie. Do tell.

The Federalist Society Guy’s Florida Case Against Trump’s Tariffs Will Be Heard In The Court Of International Trade In NYC…

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Well, we have a decision.

I think it unlikely that the [former?] Trump supporter will appeal this decision in North Florida — but he might. Here’s the opinion, and a bit:

…[A]t this point, it makes no sense for this case to remain in this Court because the CIT is already considering multiple nearly identical suits and the panel of judges presiding over two of those cases held a preliminary injunction in one of the cases (V.O.S.) last week and scheduled a preliminary injunction/summary judgment hearing in the other case (State of Oregon v. Trump, CIT Case No. 1:25- cv-77) for tomorrow….

Now you know. Onward. Here’s to opposing the Trump tariffs — via whomever, and wherever that all may go down. Grin.

नमस्ते

The Purported DoJ “Criminal Complaint” Just Dropped, In NJ — Complete With Highly Misleading Still Screen Caps… This Is… Professional Misconduct — By The US Atty.

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Well, one thing is now certain: Alina Habba ain’t remotely the sharpest tool — in the shed.

The criminal complaint she’s filed overnight in Newark’s federal courts… admits that the Mayor COULD NOT lawfully be arrested, for seeking to inspect a non-compliant “ordinary business” — inside his city.

So the subsequent roughing up of the Mayor, by ICE agents, was from the go… unlawful. When a sitting member of Congress tries to defuse the unlawful action of the ICE agents (over whom she herself has oversight authority, under long standing federal law)… a scuffle ensues.

Now the dolt of a Tangerine 2.0 political appointee in New Jersey to the US Attorneys’ offices (Alina Habba)… has sworn out a criminal complaint against the intervening Congresswoman. This is silly — beyond words.

Here is what actually happened, and why Habba will be bounced on the very first motion to toss this case, as a lawless abuse of her office, and preposterously selective / retributive prosecution, based on largely on race, and party politics (in the Congresswoman’s own words):

…Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in my district,” McIver said in a statement. “We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short.

“Instead, ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka. The charges against me are purely political — they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight….”

Hoping to bolster her chances of avoiding a professional discipline complaint — likely now, from the state bar authorities, Alina Habba includes screen caps of the longer video we’ve all seen — and the Congresswoman’s defense counsel will offer the able USDC Judge when s/he hears the matter, very shortly.

But Habba offers no factual connection to any unlawful activity, given that the DoJ now admits it had no predicate authority to try to arrest the Mayor. The doctrine is called “fruits of the poison tree” here. She’s DOA.

Ms. Habba won’t just be embarrassed by the able Judge — she will now face an abuse of process complaint, and a potential loss of her law license — just like Ms. Jenna Ellis (now disbarred — like Giuliani/Powell — Election Deniers, all), in Tangerine 1.0 (Ms. Ellis when still a lawyer — in 2020 — is in black and white, over Rudy’s shoulder, at right).

Hilarious.

नमस्ते

Don’t Believe A Word Of What Alina Habba Says. She Will NEVER Win This Purported “Obstruction” Case, Not Against A US House Member In Good Standing…

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D A M N A T I O N.

A few weeks ago, we mentioned that these Tangerine 2.0 sycophants/jamokes are a-holes — and liars. Now one of them, who happens to be a political appointee in the DoJ, is trying to charge this protest — as some crime — all while admitting that the Mayor of Newark has the absolute right to serve a notice of concompliant business use on any facility in the city. So that cannot ever be any crime.

The idiot Alina Habba tells us that the entirely unarmed foursome of elected leaders “attacked a federal facility“. Flatly false.

The “facility” is a private, for profit contract prison, run by a NY businessman controlling the GEO Group, a New Jersey company.

It recently greatly expanded this previously-acquired private property, inside Newark city limits. As such, it is required to get re-certified by the city — AS A BUSINESS, before re-opening lawfully.

It is NOT a federal prison. At all. It is a for-profit / graft / Trumpian donor’s BUSINESS operation.

For at least four days, lower level local authorities tried to serve papers telling the biz it was out of compliance with local ordinances and laws. The lower level city officers were refused entrance, and left the papers hanging on the concertina wire barriers at the gates.

Then, the Mayor arrived — seeking to inspect the business, along with various members of the US Congress. They are plainly allowed to observe any federal / state dispute on the public sidewalks.

When refused entrance, a small scuffle ensued. No one stormed the Capitol. No one beat officers unconscious. No one shot anyone. No one ransacked the Speaker’s office, or stole the gavel. Or defecated on the marble floors.

In sum — this is fish v. bicycles, compared to J6. [Four people — as opposed to over 4,000 violent insurrectionists, trying to prevent a peaceful transfer of national power.]

And as for the garage lawyer, Alina Habba? She will never win on this charge — it will be dismissed immediately, in the federal courts of New Jersey — the only place she can bring it. This was lawful Amendment One activity. So, do sit this one out — all you morons, on the frothy hard right.

Onward.

नमस्ते

I (For One) Am Unbothered That 23AndMe Is Now Owned By Regeneron. My DNA Data Will REMAIN On File, At The Post Bankruptcy Company…

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Why? Because I trust the ethics of the acquiring entity — Regeneron. It has promised to honor all the privacy and anonymization covenants I long ago signed with the legacy public company. The pedigree of Regeneron could scarcely be improved upon: in business since the early 1980s, and long chaired by a consummate legend, Dr. Roy Vagelos (Merck alum).

We have long covered this story — going back to late 2012. And the bankruptcy has come out about as I expected. In sum, no need to delete my data. Here’s a bit of tonight’s financial news, in the NYT:

…23andMe, the genetic testing company that was once valued at $6 billion but filed for bankruptcy in March, will be bought by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company that has used DNA research to develop new drugs.

Regeneron said it had been named the successful bidder in a bankruptcy auction and would pay $256 million for “substantially all of the assets” of 23andMe, which will continue to offer consumer DNA testing services.

23andMe filed for bankruptcy as it struggled to generate recurring revenue and faced a mountain of concerns over the security of the sensitive genetic information it held.

If approved by a bankruptcy court and by regulators, the sale was expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, Regeneron said….

Onward — smiling ear to ear. Sail on, Dr. Vagelos — now 95 years young! You’ve traveled well, and traveled… light!

नमस्ते

[U: Stupid Hinderaker] This Supremes’ Temp Order Means FAR LESS Than Some Pundits Think: Venezuelans’ Must Still Receive INDIVIDUALIZED Due Process Hearings…

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Updated: 05.20.25 @ 3 pm Central: Hinderaker understands none of the context here. No surprise. Yawn.

End update.

Most of all, whether one is from Venezuela, or anywhere else — if one is present on US soil, the purported asylee must receive a timely and meaningful individual due process hearing, before a judge — before they may be removed. That is what the Supremes held in the JGG, and AARP cases, just days ago.

Second, it is temporary — only while the trial court works on trying the case, may Noem, et al. make preparations for removing asylees. They cannot be removed, and each may challenge Noem’s order as beyond her remit — given Mr. Biden’s prior creation of a quasi-property right, for these same Venezuelans, extending their non-removability, under his executive order, before leaving office (to 2026).

So — rightly understood, in context — this is simply a “go ahead and draw up your goofy papers” order — in the end, no one can be removed without due process (unless there is very competent proof of violent terror activities). Here’s today’s “sturm and drang” order, as a PDF — and in full-text, below:

…24A1059 NOEM, SEC., DHS, ET AL. V. NAT. TPS ALLIANCE, ET AL.

The application for stay presented to Justice Kagan and by her referred to the Court is granted. The March 31, 2025 order entered by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, case No. 3:25-cv-1766, is stayed pending the disposition of the appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari, if such a writ is timely sought. Should certiorari be denied, this stay shall terminate automatically. In the event certiorari is granted, the stay shall terminate upon the sending down of the judgment of this Court.

This order is without prejudice to any challenge to Secretary Noem’s February 3, 2025 vacatur notice insofar as it purports to invalidate EADs, Forms I-797, Notices of Action, and Forms I-94 issued with October 2, 2026 expiration dates. See 8 U. S. C. §1254a(d)(3).

Justice Jackson would deny the application….

~ [And, from the USDC March 31 (Judge Chen’s) order:] ~

…[Noem, and] the government offer no evidence to counter Plaintiffs’ showing of irreparable injury. The government conceded at the hearing that it had no counter-evidence and no basis to doubt the bona fides of the factual declarations filed herein. Its main assertion at the hearing was that most of these facts are not relevant, an assertion the Court rejects. They are indeed relevant to the issue of irreparable injury, the public interest, and the balance of hardships….

By the way, Justice Jackson is right: this is so unlikely to be a lawful removal attempt, that nothing should be done until the SF trial court gets to — and decides — the merits. But it is not the right to start loading planes with purported Venezuelans, any time soon. Not at all. Onward, grinning.

नमस्ते

Paul Mirengoff… Ever So Gingerly… Opines That Trump’s Drug Prices Black Sharpie Scribble… Is Hasty, And Ill-Considered; Thus Likely Impotent.

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Mr. Mirengoff is correct this morning, directionally-speaking: drug prices are high in the US. Then he goes on (mostly accurately), to opine as to why that state of affairs persists. The US also enjoys (if one has enough cash) access to the best health care and most revolutionary drugs on the planet — due to vast R&D spending by pharmacos.

[It costs a little over $2 billion now, per drug candidate on average, to seek market approval.]

Then in a “faint praise — stronger skeptic” mode — he gets the nut of it all right, also: Trump’s Sharpie scribbles will likely be useless, because they do nothing to address root causes of high prices (and that is even assuming away the problem that Trump lacks authority to set prices, at all).

Specifically, in the end — he makes an accurate observation about Trump’s NIH idiocy.

So I repeat his here — though far-too-gently stated — Paul is correct in his conclusions:

…[I]t seems clear that if Trump’s Executive Order has its intended effect, the pharmaceutical industry might very well face a double whammy. It will likely lose much of the money it now spends to fund research and its ability to benefit from government-funded research in the U.S. will be sharply reduced.

I’m not arguing against trying to lower the prices Americans pay for prescription drugs. Trump is right to try to bring these prices down. However, he and his team should think carefully — more carefully than I believe they have — about the consequences of slashing funding for NIH and for biomedical research at university labs….

So… this is some progress, at least — from Paul’s keyboard.