BREAKING CONFIRMATION NEWS: Kennedy confirmed as HHS secretary. Patel nomination advances, full floor vote as early as next week.
LIKE TOSSING GOLD BRICKS OFF THE TITANIC: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin promises to claw back $20 Billion in grants that were rushed out in the last days of the Biden administration. I wonder how many other agencies did similar things? Audit them all. Expose them all. Claw back wherever possible. Notice how coverage of this differs radically in other media outlets.
DWS “GOTCHA” ATTACK ON SEC’Y HEDGESETH FAILS MISERABLY: Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz tries to manufacture scandal about renovations to the SecDef’s residence; turns out the Army selected the building and it was in need of renovation, anyway. It’s atypical, but not unheard of, for cabinet members to occupy official government housing, but otherwise the historic house would have been renovated anyway and assigned to a general. But the cost of the renovations are themselves an issue. Perhaps its time to consider spinning off these government-owned historic houses as museums, or something, but that would be more complicated for those located on military bases, etc.
FOR SOME VALUES OF ASKED: California shakes down insurance companies for damages for uninsured ppl suffering wildfire losses. When the government asks, it’s not like the bum at the stoplight. I wonder what the industry response to this will be? Their collapse can’t come soon enough.
CALM DOWN, TOOTS: The Federalist goes there: “Few men or women have the courage to just let the tantrum run its course and give the unhinged woman a strong NO or, better yet, tell her it’s time to put her childish tactics away and make a real argument, sans tears or terror.” But in all fairness, it’s not just women; I have unfortunately observed this same behavior in ostensible males.
DEMOCRATS’ BIZARRE CHOICE TO DEFEND BUREAUCRACY: Yet another ‘splainer piece about how Democrats have become the party of the elites. Will they listen? My prediction — probably not, but it will take one or two election cycles to figure that out, and by then it will be too late.
SURE, JAN: I’d like to believe it’s really gone, but they’re probably just going to hide it under a different name. But they can do as they wish once Congress hopefully severs ties with them. Then they can accept advertising, and rename themselves Progressive Broadcasting Service.
BYE, NOW: I have (some) sympathy for the federal employees who actually showed up at work and did useful productive things, and even those who did harmless (but still wasteful because unneccessary) things. But, I have zero sympathy for this guy and those like him. Sure, the readers of Federal News Network may be a sympathetic audience, but I’d love to see the pushback if this was published by a major news outlet whose readers consisted of taxpayers and those in private industry.
DOGECLOCK: DOGE website has a page that tracks all the money they’ve saved.
UNINTENTIONALLY FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT: The American Prospect published this nice little exposé on the special free healthcare program for members of congress; but of course they did so only to use this as a platform to whine for taxpayer-funded universal healthcare. Bonus TAP link, for the lulz.
SCIENTISTS ALARMED! Over at the most fluffy and gee-whiz of the space news sites is this science fiction masterpiece. Come for the exaggeration and misstatement, stay for the hysterical shrieking. “The idea that they can somehow obliterate these sources is dead wrong — scientists in general and astronomers in particular are not going to take these threats lying down.” Threats? What threats? They didn’t erase her, or lie and say she was just some broad from the typing pool. The Rubin Observatory still exists, and is still named after her. Her official biography on the Rubin Observatory website still lists her actual scientific accomplishments. What they did do is clip out this bullshit from her official bio. “Science is still a male-dominated field, but Rubin Observatory is working to increase participation from women and other people who have historically been excluded from science.” The Rubin Observatory is a joint NSF and DOE facility in Chile, ie part of the Executive Branch, and therefore subject to executive orders about agency governance. What are you going to do about it, scientists? Quit? [sfx: extended diabolical laughter]
That SES flag looks suspiciously like the EU flag.
“California shakes down insurance companies”
Assessments for private carrier failure and assessments to support insurers of last resort aren’t unique to CA. It’s the price of doing business within a given state. The issue is if you can price it into the return to make it worthwhile.
Or deal with the State altering the terms of the deal because reasons.
That’s priced in too, but plenty of statists work at insurers.
And their bonus is contingent on growth. So they are always optimistic.
Property is a short tailed line. You want to be an executive of a long tailed line. That way you change carriers ahead of your loss ratio!
At what point does “priced in” become “drop dead”?
Because I’m not seeing it possible to price in billions demanded out of thin air like this.
Yeah, you just walk.
But politicians understand that’s bad too, so it’s a game of chicken.
Can you really win a game of chicken against a bunch of chickenshits?
Duh, Juris. Ya shit *IN* the chickens. (I have time.)
Their cloacal clutches are something to behold. I’m too busy aimin’ to see myself. *hits bowl* … *exhales* Dem birds never satisfied. Can’t appreciate the movement(s).
I’m outta consonants/ only got bowels/ Try to flutter but they make no sound
1) “Preferred residence” is doing some heavy lifting here.
2) I’m not seeing any hypocrisy. Maybe Debbie doesn’t know what the word means.
3) “Our families must go without vital funds” — no one’s entitled to other people’s money.
Katie Britt, Ashley Moody, and Pam Bondi demonstrate what happens when SEC sorority girls get interested in politics. It’s probably no surprise to anyone that Debbie Wasserman got rejected by every Greek house at the University of Florida.
“preach to our families that they must go without vital funds and services,”
What the hell is she even talking about? The only cuts we’re seeing are to USAID. Let’s flash back to Biden giving people in Hawaii and North Carolina $700 while sending billions to Ukraine, Debbie.
She may mean military families. If so, I’d like to see her track record advocating for them.
Debbie Wasserman got rejected by every Greek house at the University of Florida.
Given they probably had to tie meat around her neck to get the family dog to play with her, Imma guess there was some greek involved in her getting any attention in college.
“Katie Britt, Ashley Moody, and Pam Bondi demonstrate what happens when SEC sorority girls get interested in politics.”
Pillowfights in their underwear? Sorry, couldn’t resist trolling you straight guys.
Great, forget getting any work done the rest of this afternoon.
You weren’t doing any work anyway.
:: looks over shoulder ::
I’m not even going to think about it, since Katie is married to this guy, and I wouldn’t want him to be angry at me (I like having two arms and two legs).
*hides behind Shpip*
As a Pats fan I confess I have no memory of that guy.
Is that streaming somewhere? asking for ….me.
I’ll be in my bunk. Oh and Tulsi. *explodes like a Democrat about DOGE but the other head***
Has Hegseth accepted the residence? I didnt read far enough to know if they mention that little detail.
Ask her how many billions of dollars hardworking Americans have sunk into, say, that California train to nowhere.
If the scientific, or other, accomplishment can only be stated in terms of some characteristic of the person who accomplished it, it is not impressive. If it can be stated in general terms it diminishes it to highlight the characteristic rather than the accomplishment. Black Nobel prize winner, or female Nobel prize winner, turns the impressive personal accomplishment (winning the Nobel Prize) into some sort of token point in the grievance competition. First X to hold some position just signals that the characteristic impacted their landing the job, which implies that they may not have earned it absent that characteristic.
“…the impressive personal accomplishment (winning the Nobel Prize)…”
Turns out that if you pass those out as affirmative action prizes they are no longer so impressive. I consider the acceptance of a Nobel prize a disqualified.
For certain values of “catastrophic.”
Today Mrs. TOK and I are celebrating our 26th anniversary. Still can’t afford that trip to Tahiti, but we can’t say it’s been boring.
Congratulations!
Congrats
Perhaps some nice vanilla beans or an orchid if you can find one?
Congratulations!
Mazel tov!
Enjoy your traditional anniversary gift of *checks*… “pictures”?! “Pictures”?!
Enjoy the pictures, I guess.
(seriously, congrats)
Congratulations, TOK and Missus TOK.
Still have lots more ahead of you, one day you’ll look back and wonder where all the time has gone. The problems of today will be forgotten and the quiet will have been earned.
When the government asks, it’s not like the bum at the stoplight.
Unless the bum at the stoplight is actually a gobo with a shotgun.
lol OFFS!
aka “prevent disadvantaged groups from accessing cheap energy”
A 25-year federal employee says the evisceration of the federal workforce is happening and every single citizen of this country will feel its effects.
That’s kind of the point kid. This is a good thing.
Less tax burden? Say it ain’t so!
“Thank god almighty”
I was expecting to see a much bigger number, TBH.
You, me, and Winston’s Mom. “AOL Inches,” later “Internet Inches,” was a thing for a reason.
Hey we have to impress those SEC girls pillowfighting in lingerie somehow!
That’s why I use the metric system. The numbers are bigger.
I love Brits (heard on Top Gear) use C for cold temperatures and F for hot. The numbers just sound better. (F makes *MUCH* more sense, outside the freezing/boiling temps.)
“The biggest difference between Britain and America is that Americans think one hundred years is a long time and the British think a hundred miles is a long way.” <– Highly accurate, even more so.
It was 5 years ago to the hour that my dear Wife got out of the mess that is life.
Its been a weird life after her…..
I’m sorry. May her memory be a blessing.
I’m sorry. Bad ‘anniversaries’ hurt, but I concur. Positive memories of her and her accomplishments elevate the memory. She’d want you to remember the peak, rather than the descent.
Her memory lives on and is cherished. Loved ones don’t want you to stew in the juices of loss. (Hard to put into practice, yes.)
But in all fairness, it’s not just women; I have unfortunately observed this same behavior in ostensible males.
Some women have penii, you trans hating shitlord.
Compare the DOGE page of savings with the ‘our great research institutions’ list of actual studies.
Yeah…the free healthcare for life extorted from taxpayers that cant get the treatment they need for their 5yo child with a life threatening disease is gonna be a tough sell….to congresscritters.
I get it but could we get a better simile than the yowling infant at mass? That would piss me off, too.
From my read the kid wasn’t howling. Just making noises and she was standing so she could bolt. Seemed reasonable.
Hegseth tells the Ukes that NATO membership is off the table (just as it always was).
My favorite reaction so far:
WP would like a word.
https://archive.fo/p20dv
They have set the tone for a fun time!
It’s almost like the WaPo is the official organ of the Deep State or something.
Lol as fuck!
Zelenski and his quasi military wardrobe….has the guy ever seen combat?
Makes me think of Hillary and her Mao suits. Hollywood for ugly people..an appropriate descriptions for pols as they are all performers.
Notice that most of them are completely useless having never produced anything or held a real job. Pretenders.
Well, he was (is?) a comedian so he has probably bombed a few times. Does that count?
LOL. Zelensky played Napoleon in a 2012 Russian movie.
Nissan CEO says it will be ‘difficult to survive’ without partnerships after Honda merger collapses
Better bankruptcy than a Honda subsidiary. That’s the implicit meaning here. Hello, Foxconn…
“Perhaps its time to consider spinning off these government-owned historic houses as museums, or something”
If only there were a wealthy, well-connected real estate developer . . . .
Why, one might also ask why a general needs an historic house to live in.
Like office seating fights, some general is pissed that someone higher ranking got the house.
I was never a GO but twice I lived in a set of quarters designated for the position. One time it was an awkward, almost uninsulated crackerbox. The other time it was on the Federal register of historic places. “Unique” and nicer but still cost me more than permitting me to live elsewhere.
The second place was nicer than the new replacement set of quarters that went in. That was an ADA compliant, much smaller, POS nightmare. My successor got the “privilege” of living there.
I don’t begrudge the SecDef living in the quarters….I just wonder why he would want to.
Other than the climate hooey, the guy’s solution seems to be something like “be like Donald”.
lol Good luck with that.
I don’t approve of the EPA, but I strongly approve of the name “Lee Zeldin.” Dammit. Lee Ving uses Zildjians playin’ with Led Zeppelin.
My youngest nephew, 4 and closest to me, is Ezra. We, Ezan, or Ezanevra if ya wanna get saucy, enjoy uncommon letters. Or I do. He can’t yet write his name, which bothers me. My fucking 3yo Asian students could write their ABCs. Perhaps a happy medium can be found between Tiger Moms and Simpy Dads. Such stigpy ‘rents, we need. (Colin’s six years older, and outside of general physical and intellectual ability/acumen, we couldn’t be more different. I know it’s only interesting to me, but we’re a fantastic example of Birth Order Theory, which certainly has its logical place, IMO.)
I was kind of hoping that Lee Zeldin would run for NY governor again instead of getting tapped by Donald. I think he would have a better shot at beating Kathy now that we have had a number of years to see what a disaster she is. She is not reading the room at all; instead veering even harder left if that is even possible.
I don’t think there’s anything stopping him from running for governor again.
Well… “affirmative action” has been a thing my entire life, so yes. That is a different name and they won’t even have to hide it.
I wasn’t really aware that the rankings in the “civil service” were styled after the military.
Puke.
I read that as he’s a C-suite equivalent – but, I’ll wager, with few actual management skills. He’d get killed in the private sector if he weren’t about to go scamper to some NGO.
Pays pretty well. I can understand losing a cushy suit wearing job like that.
Everyone has been tripping over themselves to include “women and other people who have historically been excluded from science” my entire life. Read the room, dope.
People are sick of your shit.
The excluding thing ended many decades ago. The doors have been open for a generation for anyone who wanted to enter. Passing out participation prizes throws shade on every prize and I think that may be the calculated plan.
Foreseeable consequences are not unintended.
If only it was just “the doors are open”. It has been active discouragement of disfavored groups for decades. I’ve been on the receiving end of that bullshit and I’m sure I’m not alone.
There may be a reason that I was excluded from science…
Sounds like the tolerant Left is ramping up again. https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/tesla-cars-threatened-vandalism-california-cities-20161195.php
Its ok, they all have insurance
Parody really is dead.
We must destroy badproperty built by badthinker, it’s the only sane response to not getting our way.
Good God, don’t tell them about Henry Ford.
“Tesla owners trade or sell before Feb 12. After that it is open season.” So then you’ll just vandalize the property of the person I sold it to? How does that make sense?
Analyzing the thought process of gibbering idiots is a fool’s errand.
How dare you own this car that a couple years ago we insisted you buy!
Great Balls o’Fiery Links. There’s a lot going on today.
Governmentium, the heaviest element,
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/scientists-discover-heaviest-known-element-governmentium-1.764295
VERY good copy!
On the precipice
The US Vice President, JD Vance, Ukraine’s President Zelensky and up to 60 other world leaders and decision-makers are due to convene in Munich over the next three days for the annual Munich Security Conference (MSC).
For nearly two decades now I have been attending and covering this event for the BBC and I cannot think of a year when there has been so much at stake in terms of global security. A senior and highly experienced Western official said this week “this is the most dangerous and contested time I have ever known in my career”.
Why?
Put simply, the current world security order – the catchily named International Rules-based Order – is in danger of crumbling. Some would argue this is already happening.
It’s like an old timey melodrama, with heroes and villains and Our Democracy tied to the railroad tracks.
Oh noes, not the end of the International Rules-based order! Send your British sons to die for it then you Limey twat, we’re done god willing.
So the US should just be able to inflict regime change on anybody, and nobody should complain?
There’s a certain class of Internet blowhard out there that unironically uses the term “color revolution” but suddenly has no problem with such revolutions when they’re fomented by people the western foreign policy establishment doesn’t like.
All projection all of the time.
Earlier I heard about how Trump is going to cause war to break out all over the world.
Why should we listen to a BBC reporter or a senior Western official? They are UNELECTED, thus outside the bounds of “Our Democracy.”
Reminds me a bit of this piece from a couple of years ago.
Of course, the author is just putting to words one of last month’s best memes.
https://babylonbee.com/news/mitch-mcconnell-votes-no-for-tulsi-gabbard-confirmation-yes-for-sweet-release-of-death
– “Put McConnell in the ‘Aye’ column for crossing the River Styx.”
If only.
He can’t die yet. I want him to sit there, propped up, eyelids held open as everything he built is dismantled.
^this
Should he croak tomorrow, who does Ky. governor appoint to the seat?
An even greater shock has come with the news that President Trump held an apparently cordial 90-minute phone call with President Putin, thus abruptly ending the West’s three-year freeze in talking to the Russian leader that has been in place since the time of the invasion.
Give him the silent treatment. That’s some grade A diplomacy.
It makes sense when you realize that DC is run by a clique of high school girls.
High school girls bent on grift and world destruction.
High school girls don’t need money to destroy the world. They’ll do it for funzies.
High school girls have somebody else paying the bills. So it still scans for pubsec and quango shrieking harpies.
Not only did they give Putin the silent treatment, they demonized anyone who thought of talking to him.
It wasn’t enough for them to shun him, everyone else had to as well.
Good God, don’t tell them about Henry Ford.
Little Billy has washed away his sins.
Look. Men and women have the same behaviors. They just manifest in different ways.
A women gets hysterical and starts throwing shit at a man or she’s trash-talking to him or she’s pushing all his worst buttons just right. He’s trying to keep his cool so as to not have shit come down on his head.
Across town, a woman’s tiptoeing around her anger- and/or alcohol-addled man who’s about ready to beat the shit out of her for not getting his dinner just right or being unable to quiet a crying child.
Women gossip, sometimes viciously. Men shoot the breeze, not viciously, but the news gets spread nonetheless.
So the more I see “men don’t do that X bad thing women do,” the more I call bullshit. Bad PEOPLE do bad shit. It just gets wrapped up in different patterned wrapping paper and different colored bows.
Very nicely put, Moje. You should be a writer.
Sometimes the words just come out right.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/vigilant-fox-bill-oreilly-drops-bombshell-letitia-james/
Please, please, please.
“ Donald Trump is going to destroy NY Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. ”
Or pigs might fly.
Not seeing a lot of evidence of anything there.
It’s 2025; anything can happen.
And those two deserve a reckoning for what they did.
They certainly do but I dont think Trump is the one to mete it out. He doesnt seem that type anyway.
The worst thing those two shitbirds have done is massively damage the credibility of the courts. That is where the lightning bolt of justice should come from.
I had the impression that the Bar associations primary function was to safeguard that credibility but they seem to be out of a job now. Those two are a big reason for it.
Good kids are out there
It’s old but still awesome.
There are also good boys out there
No! I ain’t crying!
*frantically grabs for a nearby onion*
It’s this dang onjun 🧅!!
I was unaware the SAAB 9000 shared the same platform as Lancia and Fiat. Interesting there were significant changes among all three that likely mooted a lot of the cost save.
When The World’s Fastest FWD Sport Sedans Were Secretly The Same Car
I had a 1989 Saab 9000. It was pretty cool.
My favorite part of the insurance linx
Yeah. I’m not sure it is Climate Change that is making insurers think twice about Cali. I’d wager that it is more that Cali pols are making them think twice.
It’s climate change alright but I dont think it is the ‘weather’ type climate they are talking about, if. you get my drift.
I just got an email from my electric company spinning some klimate katastrophe fantasy as the excuse for some government-mandated fee I’m going to see on my next bunch of bills.
DEAR RHYWUN:
WE MUST SAVE THE FLAT-TESTICLED CHIPMUNKS FROM EXTINCTION! THEIR WAY OF LIFE IS THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE!
WE HAVE ADDED A MANDATORY $10 FEE TO YOUR ENERGY BILL TO BUY AIR CONDITIONING FOR THESE MAJESTIC ANIMALS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING!
-S. SMITH
Every scam has one attribute in common: The urgent need for money. Every scam has it and when you see it you know you are looking at a scam. It is always accompanied by impending doom.
Why the fuck is my PS4 randomly turning on?
Ghosts?
At your age, why do play video games?
Also- you made friends with Derp and they hacked all your shit. Just wait until that VW plays nothing but NPR and the wipers wont shut off.
Its not random. It is only turning on when you sashay past it in your sexy underwear.
What game is in it?
So, now I need to either climb a ladder and paint Mom’s room myself or hire somebody. hiring someone feels both decadent and shameful. Like, I used to do this stuff myself.
You probably have better things to do with your time. If you have the money, hire someone. Don’t let pride get in the way of being sensible.
If you enjoy painting, though, then do it yourself.