In war, truth is the first casualty. Hence, it is going to be extremely difficult to know the truth of the current events in Iran and Venezuela. For now, I’m going with the content of these two videos as a first approximation of background material.
Category Archives: Politics
The Warmth Comes from the Fire of Gunpowder and/or Ovens
Quote of the Day
We will draw this city closer together. We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.
Zohran Mamdani
New York City Mayor
January 1, 2026
Bishop Barron rips Mamdani’s ‘warmth of collectivism’ remark: ‘For God’s sake’ | Fox News
Conservatives sound alarm over Zohran Mamdani’s ‘collectivism’ comment | Fox News
Spell checker wanted to correct Mamdani to “Madman”. I wonder if it there is some significance to that.
If you want an economic argument as to why Mamdani’s plans are a really, really, bad idea read The Road to Serfdom: Text and Documents-The Definitive Edition (The Collected Works of F. A. Hayek, Volume 2): Hayek, F. A., Caldwell, Bruce, Caldwell, Bruce, Caldwell, Bruce: 9780226320557: Amazon.com: Books
If you want to read the detailed results of a real-world test case of this political philosophy read The Gulag Archipelago: An Experiment in Literary Investigation Complete 3 Volumes Collection (Volume 1, 2, 3): Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn: Amazon.com: Books.
I don’t want to read any more about it. I want my underground bunker in Idaho*.
If you follow the X post above, you will find the following means and many more:
The difference between the two:
Ricardo Gomes sums it up for me:
* The night of January 1st, 2026 was the first time I spend the night in my underground bunker in Idaho. It’s not really ready, but for this time of year, it is better than the camping trailer. While it will not be completed, I expect that within a month Barb and I would be comfortable here should the need occur. It is not a minute too soon.
How Long Will this Last?
California’s open-carry ban: Gun law struck down as unconstitutional
California ban on openly carrying guns is unconstitutional, court rules
I expect it will be overturned within a month. Perhaps in as little as a week.
I expect a request for an en banc hearing will be made. Or possibly, the 9th Circuit judges will do it without being requested. The en banc hearing will overrule the three-judge panel and the tyrants will continue to rule unperturbed.
You shouldn’t get upset over it. Just smile and consider the ruling as more evidence to be used at their trials.
Little Willingness to Defend Themselves
Quote of the Day
Europeans are a people with little willingness to defend themselves. They are people who believe that peace treaties, appeasement, and disarmament produce peace.
Walter E. Williams
October 27, 2009
Walter E. Williams: Obama should refuse the Nobel Prize – Orange County Register
This attitude extends to their attitudes toward the natural right to keep and bear arms.
It appears that with the increasing levels of violent crime in Europe and England combined with the specter of a reformulated USSR the attitude may be dissolving. The question is, “Will it be enough and soon enough to save them?”
The Ukraine may have been too late in learning. Israel took a heavy blow before wising up a small amount.
Excellent Point
Via The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee:
If the whole situation were not such a tragic waste of money it would be funny.
My only hope is that the maximum amount of restitution is made by everyone criminally involved — down to the level of auctioning off all their salable body parts. An example needs to be made of these people which will be remembered for generations.
A Partial Explanation for TDS
Quote of the Day
when your subconscious believes something, it will manipulate your perception of reality to reinforce your belief that you’re right
vik @vikhyatk
Posted on X, December 26, 2025
This is known as Confirmation Bias.
This is why potential jurors are rejected if they were exposed to information about the case prior to being selected for the jury. If they have already formed an opinion, it is very difficult for them to be unbiased when hearing the case.
This is why religious beliefs are rarely significantly changed.
You can see it all around you. It probably is the most obvious in the words and actions of your political advisories, religious beliefs of people with a different faith, and in people defending their family members.
A great deal of TDS can be explained this way. It is very difficult to avoid getting caught up in it. You can catch the more egregious cases in yourself if you take a little bit of time to ask yourself, “Is this too good to be true?” If it is, then you should dig deep to make sure whatever it is you want to believe is actually true. A case in point in the comments of this blog.
At work, while I was on the Cyber Threat Intelligence team, we were specifically trained to watch out for this and other biases. In this type of environment, you assemble a team with different backgrounds. Then you review each other’s work. This helps a bunch, but it is not perfect. I doubt anything practical is perfect. But it can help.
Stop Taking the Poison
Quote of the Day
Children. I’d rather live in a low-income trailer park in the US than in a luxury high rise in Europe. Much of the same problems, but in the US there would be a pathway up and out and fairly easy if you stay off drugs, are willing to work your ass off and don’t disdain those trying to help you up.
While in Europe there simply isn’t a way up. They’re bound up with self-righteousness that demands they commit suicide. And their media lies about the US so much they have no idea there is an alternative to their suicide by socialism.
It’s like talking to people who say “Well, of course we drink a little bit of poison at every meal. What would you want us to do? Guzzle the whole bottle at once?” And they can’t hear you when you shout “JUST STOP TAKING THE POISON.” Because they heard that over here where we don’t take the poison — or to be fair, take less poison than they do — we’re dying like flies. AND THEY NEVER CHECK.
Sarah A. Hoyt
December 26, 2025
Europe And Other Lost civilizations – According To Hoyt
I am reminded of people who go into hysterics when it is suggested that the government not be involved in healthcare/education/housing/etc. They can not imagine any sane person could believe that was a good idea and demand, “What would replace it?!!!” Of course, the answer is, “When a fireman puts out the fire consuming your house, what do you replace the fire with?”
Probably Just a Joke
Quote of the Day
Arizona State Senator Janae Shamp (R-Surprise) introduced a bill this month ahead of the 2026 legislative session that would instruct the director of the Department of Health Services to “conduct or support research to advance the understanding of Trump Derangement Syndrome [TDS], including its origins, manifestations and long-term effects on individuals, communities and public discourse.”
Senate Bill (SB) 1070 — a bill number historically associated with Arizona’s landmark 2010 immigration law— lays out the reasons why Shamp believes the research is necessary to investigate those who dislike President Donald Trump, and “declares TDS a public health crisis that affects 10 mental health, social cohesion and political stability in this state.”
Named the “Trump Derangement Syndrome Study Act,” the bill will “Requir[e] the department to collaborate with mental health 16 professionals and other stakeholders to develop interventions for mitigating TDS-related division.”
IC
December 26, 2025
Arizona Sen. Janae Shamp Introduces Bill to Study ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ | IntellectualConservative | intellectualconservative.com
The complete bill is here (or, for backup, here).
Hmmm… I wonder if this is more of a joke than a serious effort to study the problem. There does not appear to be any funding for the study, so I suspect it is just something to get a laugh out of Trump supports and a blood pressure rise out of those suffering from TDS.
We Don’t Want to See That Happen
Quote of the Day
Things like this end up in third world wars. And I told that the other day, I said, ‘You know, everybody keeps playing games like this, you’ll end up in a third world war.’ And we don’t want to see that happen.
Donald Trump
U.S. President
December 26, 2025
Trump issues WWIII warning
I want my underground bunker in Idaho to be finished.
Why We Fight Them Tooth and Nail
Quote of the Day
Nothing outside of a pure ban will satisfy gun banners.
Everything is a red herrings—rate of fire, length of barrel, color, magazine capacity, size of bullet, how loud or quiet it is, everything.
The problem is they are stuck on deodands and the object must be sacrificed for its evilness.
They never focus on the shooter. They never focus on the murderer. It’s always the guns’ fault, never the person using it.
And when they feel they’ve sated themselves on removing one tool, they’ll focus on anything else that could be used as a weapon—knives, clubs, saps, pepper spray, anything.
They do this because their first principle is flawed and they either refuse to see it or are intellectually incapable of doing so.
This is why we fight them tooth and nail, because given their druthers, they’ll ban both of those too.
Robb Allen @ItsRobbAllen
Posted on X, December 22, 2025
Truth.
You can see the evidence in England where they have banned pointy knives and carrying a knife in public without an occupational reason. Canada bans the defensive carry of knives as well. Seattle bans the carrying of air-soft guns and even slingshots.
Into the Woodshed for Long Past Due Education
Quote of the Day
I’m really excited about this. For the first time, the DOJ Civil Rights Division and the DOJ at large will be protecting and advancing our citizens’ right to bear arms as part of our civil rights work. Some of the things we’re seeing, and that is going to be the focus of our work around the country, include multi‑thousand‑dollar costs for citizens to apply for concealed‑carry permits.
Harmeet Dhillon
Assistant Attorney General
December 23, 2025
New federal unit targets state gun rules
See also: DOJ sues DC government over AR-15 ban.
Who could have imagined this just 18 months ago? Agreed, they are not changing Federal laws as fast as I think they should either. Why not let people buy guns in any state? Why not let 18 -> 20-year-old adults buy handguns? But going after the states and D.C. makes the cases much easier because they are so egregious.
30 years ago, we expected the Feds to be going door to door by now in the process of taking AR-15s. Instead, they are taking California and DC laws and politicians into the woodshed for a long past due education.
Merry Christmas to gun owners and those who would like to own guns. A stocking with a single lump of coal for the anti-gun people.
People Problem, not a Gun Problem
Quote of the Day
There’s an illegal flow of guns into states across the country from a couple states with weaker gun laws. We should at least have a penalty to make sure that we can fund enforcement of this common sense idea.
Jack Schlossberg
U.S. Congressional hopeful for New York’s 12th District
December 20, 2025
Exclusive | JFK’s grandson Jack Schlossberg wants to hit some states for guns flowing to NYC | New York Post
One response in the correct direction:
CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb countered, “How about penalizing New York for all the criminals they release on cashless bail, who then commit crimes in other states?”
The veteran gun rights advocate said New York doesn’t have a “gun problem, it’s got a criminal justice problem.”
I don’t think this goes far enough. He is right about the criminal justice problem. We have a people problem, not a gun problem. People like Schlossberg should be referred to the criminal justice system for prosecution.
An Interesting Observation
Quote of the Day
The Leftroids claim that European and American civilization was built by black slaves, and that Africa is a shithole of savagery because of ‘colonization’. Even though it’s been a shithole since long before any European ever set foot there. So, they’re saying that black people can only build a civilization if they’re enslaved and told exactly what to do?
Imaginos1892
Comment to Jingle Memes, Jingle Memes…. – According To Hoyt on December 20, 2025
While this is an interesting hypothesis, I advise against trying to reproduce the results in a controlled experiment.
However, it does explain why they want to enslave everyone.
The Only Question
Via Sarah A. Hoyt:
The thing is though; society is not honest and historically accurate. The anti-gun culture is one of lies and deception.
Related, from Hoyt’s same collection:
Somewhat related and also from Hoyt:
Please note that in addition to creating great collections of memes, she is also the author of some really good science fiction.
Disarming the Slaves
Quote of the Day
Disarming the slaves has always been the policy of the Democratic party — and continues to be.
pkoning
Via email on December 19, 2025
I have nothing to add.
Get Ready for Conflict with Russia
Quote of the Day
European security officials now regularly broadcast a message nearly unimaginable a decade ago: get ready for conflict with Russia.
Rarely a week goes by now without a European government, military or security chief making a grim speech warning the public that they are headed toward a potential war with Russia. It is a profound psychological shift for a continent that has rebuilt itself after two world wars by trumpeting a message of harmony and joint economic prosperity.
…
European security chiefs say that Russia has begun a covert “gray zone” assault on Europe, to try to damage its economy and sow confusion. Russia is suspected of being behind a string of sabotage on critical European infrastructure and military facilities, cyberattacks on businesses, as well as arson attacks on warehouses and shopping centers. Russian drones have disrupted Polish airspace and jet fighters zipped over Estonia.
Max Colchester, Bertrand Benoit
December 16, 2025
After a generation of peace, Europe tells its people to prepare for war
I think this is Europe’s problem to deal with. But it is hard to imagine the U.S. staying out of it if another European country goes all in.
I want an underground bunker in Idaho before things go hot.
Logical and Sensible Gun Control
Quote of the Day
In America, we don’t need to look to our nation’s leader for an explanation of how it happened. We know it will happen again, likely too many times to count.
But America’s deep, stubborn will against any logical or sensible gun control is what keeps us stuck in this cycle. We must not become numb to the grief, loss and horror of gun violence.
Robin Epley
December 16, 2025
Two mass shootings, two responses: Australia acts while America accepts | Opinion
Ms. Epley, we already have a very logical and sensible gun law on the books. And if it was enforced it would dramatically reduce the number of mass shootings. The problem is there is not enough political will to enforce it.
Maybe you have heard of this law. It is called the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It can and should be enforced via 18 USC 241 and 242.
Yall are Held Back by the Shallow Narrative
Quote of the Day
To properly run an incredible sexual fantasy takes a ton of background skill and prep work. You need to be able to handle STI risk, which requires readign a bunch of boring papers. You have to process other people, which requires background checks. You have to be good at basic party design, which requires a very ‘cold’ view into incentives – if you put the furniture here, where do people congregate? You have to test messaging – what kind of opening phrasing sets up what kind of expectations for people? What kind of food selection is best? How do you communicate rules effectively?
And if you want to be truly good, like reach apex levels of hedonism, you need to deeply understand sexuality. Tracking sexual trends, learning stats, doing experiments – all of this helps develop more robust models of human sexual psychology that you can use to help fine-tune the choices you make when building sexual fantasies.
Really, from my perspective, your spontaneous natural little sexcursions are cute and amateur. Yall are like ‘oh we had sexual tension and then banged in the back seat of a car’ like this is the peak sexual heights a human can reach. I think this is perfectly wonderful if that’s what you like, but in the spectrum of possibility you are stuck in child’s play. You have never properly Tried to achieve any sexual greatness. Yall are held back by the shallow narrative that ‘trying is unsexy’
No, I think through a structure of cold analysis and unsexy practice, I have helped create some of the greatest sexual fantasy events currently running on earth (for people with this class of fetish).
Aella @Aella_Girl
Posted on X, December 12 2025
Grok claims, and this is consistent with other of her writings, the type of fetish she specializes in is
Consensual Non-Consent (CNC)
Aella specializes in organizing events centered on consensual non-consent, a BDSM-oriented fetish involving carefully negotiated role-play of non-consensual scenarios (like “rape play”) in a safe, structured environment. This includes background checks, STI protocols, psychological aftercare, and data-driven event design to ensure participant safety and immersion.
In the post, she refers to this as the “class of fetish” for which she creates “some of the greatest sexual fantasy events currently running on earth,” responding to critiques that her analytical approach lacks “Dionysian energy.” She defends the prep work as essential for high-quality experiences, contrasting it with unplanned encounters. Her Substack details how these CNC orgies operate, emphasizing consent tools like safewords, debriefs, and invite-only applications.
This is an alternate reality. An orgy with “rape play” and BDSM? If I were to be exposed to this my impulse would be draw my gun, put a stop to the rape, then use my knife to cut the ropes and other bindings.
I get it that different people are wired differently. But why would it even be possible to route “wires” in this way? What evolutionary advantage did this have? Or is it that evolution found that if all routes were possible then more novel situations can be dealt with?
In the more general case, like all human activities, this phrase is rather profound:
Yall are held back by the shallow narrative.
Adams, Jefferson, Madison, et al. created a new nation with founding principles and documents that led it to become the greatest economic and military powerhouse the world has ever seen with people having the most freedom of any nation that has ever existed. Bill Gates became a millionaire at age 26 and a billionaire at 31. Elon Musk put a Tesla Roadster in orbit around the sun and is now forging a path to Mars.
Some people are not handicapped with shallow narratives.
Argue for the Achievable
Quote of the Day
We are supporting Ms. Gardner’s petition for certiorari because, as we state in the amicus, a general right to publicly carry arms for self-defense cannot coexist with each state having a requirement that visitors from other states first undergo a costly and time-consuming process. The fact she went through the permit procedure in Virginia should be ample proof she is not a criminal, and besides that, she was acting in self-defense from what she believed was road rage and an attempt to do her harm.
If the high court takes this case for review, it could result in a ruling which could mandate national concealed carry reciprocity. Such a ruling would definitely benefit our members and supporters nationwide.
Andrew Gottlieb
CCRKBA Managing Director
December 11, 2025
CCRKBA FILES AMICUS BRIEF IN CHALLENGE OF MARYLAND CCW LAW | Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
That she is an adult, is not subject to involuntary confinement, and not a fugitive from justice should be ample proof of her fitness to exercise her right to keep and bear arms. But, bargaining for what you believe to be achievable and having a good chance of winning is better than demanding something you have a near zero chance of getting and losing.
Let normalcy bias do its thing then get more next time. That is what the anti-freedom people have been doing for a long time. More than one can play this game.
Greatest Financial Fraud Scandal in American History
Quote of the Day
The Somali community has been engaged in massive, endemic, systematic fraud against the American taxpayer for years. We’re going to discover ultimately, and we are in the throes right now of a full-throated all-hands-on-deck federal investigation. Is that the scope, scale, size and sheer magnitude of the fraud eclipses anybody’s worst nightmare.
According to official government records, 90 percent of Somali households with children are on federal welfare. The real number is probably 100 percent, because federal records always under count. You’re talking about a population that has been imported into Minnesota in which virtually every single member of that population is receiving welfare from the federal government, this could very well end up, Laura, being the greatest financial fraud scandal in American history.
Stephen Miller
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
December 13, 2025
Stephen Miller: We’re in the throes of a full-throated, all-hands-on-deck federal investigation into Somalis
We live in interesting times.
Even if we dial rhetoric back by 50%, to compensate for the likely political exaggeration, it is still a big deal. I wonder if we can get some prison time for a bunch of politicians out of this. I’m rather down on politicians. I think sending lots of them to prison will make the world a better place.