I’ve seen this one go around lately, and it has that lovely “feel good” vibe. We need all these touchy feely things, and the future will be just fine.

The problem, of course, is that a colony on mars will help us with drinkable water. Servers orbiting the planet helps us figure out climate issues (because, while I may not see the widespread planet-killing eco disaster the Left claims, we do have things we do poorly, and being able to monitor the planet better would do good things). There’s a non-zero chance that AI might solve our pollinator problem.

I have found that there is a certain part of the Left that seems to believe that if we all just lived on tofu and kale chips, and only drank recycled pee, walked to work, and everyone had a garden, things would immediately reverse and the world would be rosy, and everyone would get along. Cue singing Kumbaya. Oh, I forgot not showering. I’m not sure where that comes in, but they never seem to shower. Ugh.

Now, I have no issue with tofu and kale chips. I rather like both, quite honestly, but I want them when *I* want them, not because nothing else is allowed. I’d rather avoid recycled pee if I can, unless I manage to get shipped off to Mars, in which case bring it on! We almost had most people working from home, and while I am dead set that it should be voluntary and not required (as it was with covid), it did solve a lot of problems. Six weeks into our lovely lock downs, all the smog was gone, plants and bees and gardens and animals were all doing much better. Sort of put shut to the idea that it would take decades if not centuries to repair “all the damage we’ve done.” I do think most people should have a garden, even if all they do is grow some peas or a tomato plant, because it’s good for the soul and it reminds us where food comes from. I think too many people forget that.

The thing is, we can responsibly use modern tools like AI and satellites for many things. I use AI all the time for research, where it cuts down on my “random searching on the interwebz” time. Yes, I verify everything I’m told, because AI is not infallible because WE are not infallible, and it learns from us. But it’s still useful. It takes research from “days or weeks” to “hours or days,” which is huge for me. I use it for organization. I love satellite images, because I can see all sorts of things. I can watch recreations of historical battles done by AI using extant information over real modern maps. It’s amazing. I’m sure people thought gas and electric stoves were the end of the world, at one point. I know that many people fought against the removal of candles and the addition of gas lighting. It’s always hard to accept change when it comes.

But here’s the thing I see… Building a colony on Mars? That means we’ll have terraforming going on, which is absolutely applicable to our own planet. If you can turn Mars red soil into something we can grow in, then we can apply that to the Sahara Desert. If we can explore (in a few decades) the methane oceans of Titan, then maybe we can also create safe ways to navigate the depths of our own oceans. And so on. Progress allows us to learn new things about our own world, even as we explore others.

Then, of course, there’s the idea that was often touted by Heinlein. When humans find a new frontier, they go for it. They go for broke. They do crazy, insane things to go exploring. And there is a certain percentage of our population that are simply wired that way, and no amount of “reprogramming” is going to change them. They SHOULD be encouraged to challenge the new frontiers. The other side of that is that those who leave Earth to go elsewhere will toughen the breed. Those left behind will not advance as quickly as the ones who go out and explore. He believed that those who never face the raw, unforgiving nature of a space frontier are far more likely to embrace socialism, authoritarianism, and conformist rules. (LA Public Library)

The end of the meme says, “That’s the only future I’m interested in.” That seems to be exactly what Heinlein feared, doesn’t it? Because the future I’m interested in includes infinite possibilities. There’s room for those who want to be home bodies, and those who want to explore. For the gardeners and the hunters. For the thinkers and the doers. The burger flippers and the rocket scientists. We need them all, and more. I want to know what’s in the deepest parts of our oceans, and I want to know what’s on that watery planet at the very edge of our telescopic vision. I want to meet aliens, and I want to be at peace with folks at home.

I want all the futures. I’m interested in every single one of them. From AI to pollinators to satellites. All. No boundaries. 🙂

New Poll: Democrats And Republicans Live In Different Moral Universes
https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=10085
A newly released Gallup survey reveals a nation that is not merely disagreeing over policies but increasingly unable to agree on what is right and wrong. The results paint a picture of two Americas operating from entirely different moral frameworks, with Democrats and Republicans often holding views that appear almost irreconcilable. The numbers are startling.

Civil War 2.0 Weather Report: All It Takes Is A Spark
https://wilderwealthywise.com/civil-war-2-0-weather-report-all-it-takes-is-a-spark/
I have maintained the Clock O’Doom at 9, given the open support of assassination and criminality by the GloboLeft and the increase in violence as well as direct interference with ICE and the insertion of the military into law enforcement.
“Avoid crowds – Get Out of the Cities. – NOW. A year/month/week/ day too soon is better than a day too late” – paraphrasing John Wilder @ https://wilderwealthywise.com

SUDDEN LEAD BY UNKNOWN WHO CONCEDED: California’s Big Cheat Run By Fraudster with Shocking Election Recount Past
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/sudden-lead-by-unknown-who-conceded-californias-big-cheat-run-by-fraudster-with-shocking-election-recount-past.html
The fraud is so blatant and brazen that the real scandal isn’t the theft itself—it’s the coordinated effort to silence, smear, and destroy anyone who dares expose it.
pic: https://mail.proton.me/api/core/v4/images?Url=https%3A%2F%2Fgellerreport.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F06%2Fstalin-800×568.jpg&DryRun=0&UID=rh53dyleraqqns7afcfvamp7mj3u3i3v
HERE

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COUNTING UNTIL THEY WIN: They Did it – Spencer Pratt OUT, Mamdani-Socialist Unknown Secures Spot in LA Mayoral Election
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/counting-until-they-win-they-did-it-pratt.html
It’s totally normal for the no-name candidate deep in 3rd place to give a tear-filled concession speech on election night and then miraculously receive almost every Democrat vote in the 2 weeks after the election to defeat the most charismatic Republican candidate in decades.
Just another “safe and secure” election in LA.
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Skid Row Homeless Paid to Vote for Karen Bass and Nithya Raman
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/skid-row-homeless-paid-to-vote-for-karen-bass-and-nithya-raman.html
https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/2064492962323874068
video – 00:01:12 – https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/2064492962323874068/video/1

Gwyneth Paltrow Reveals She Is “Centrist” – Defies Her “Progressive” Hollywood Husband
https://americanjournaldaily.com/paltrow-hollywood-politics/
Key Takeaways
Gwyneth Paltrow identifies as a centrist, and her progressive husband considers that functionally Republican.
The Democrat Party has shifted so far left that moderate positions are now treated as conservative heresy.
Hollywood’s climate of ideological fear pressures even its most privileged voices into self-censorship.
Free thought and open dialogue remain foundational American values worth defending — loudly.

Why We Carry. K9 Version.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/why-we-carry-k9-version

Treason – At Home, at Work, and in the Shipping Department
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/06/treason_at_home_at_work_and_in_the_shipping_department.html
Treason takes many forms, and a recent case in the news shows that it can come through normal-looking business transactions, through regular domestic and international purchases and sales.

It was all Government Fugazi – And others as well.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/it-was-all-government-fugazi

A Serious Country Does Not Swap Its Greatest Leader On Banknotes For Little Animals
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/serious-country-does-not-swap-its-greatest-leader-banknotes-little-animals
The Bank of England has now admitted the quiet part out loud. Historical figures including Winston Churchill were removed from future banknotes after researchers told officials they were “elitist and divisive.”

This is why we don’t care about your outrage
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/this-is-why-we-dont-care-about-your
TDS by proxy is always fun.?

Monday Memes: The Cat Ate My Homework
https://wilderwealthywise.com/monday-memes-the-cat-ate-my-homework/

The Media Wants To Know Why Men Are Walking Away From Liberal Society?
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/media-wants-know-why-men-are-walking-away-liberal-societyRecent surveys paint what might seem like an apocalyptic picture: In the US, around 45% of men ages 18-25 do not approach women anymore to engage in dating or relationships. Over 42% of all men have no interest in seeking out women for relationships or casual dates. Around 30% of men over 40 years old have never been married and are not necessarily seeking marriage…The real reckoning is going to be in the aftermath of Me Too. There is a quiet but simmering movement of young men who are about to reassert their dominance in the society that cast them as monsters. What progressives and feminists still don’t realize is that their actions have set an unstoppable freight train in motion. By alienating men in the pursuit of political gain, they have created a juggernaut with little empathy for self proclaimed “victims”.
(Because far-left liberal women are batsh*t crazy – jlr)

NY Knicks Fans Desecrate National Anthem to Spite Trump
https://www.westernjournal.com/watch-ny-knicks-fans-desecrate-national-anthem-spite-trump/
The vindictive crowd didn’t seem to care that their unpatriotic jeers occurred during a performance of the national anthem.

Muslim Migrant Tries to Behead Man on Belfast Street (VIDEO)
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/belfast-horror-muslim-migrant-tries-to-behead-man-on-belfast-street-video.html/
This is eerily similar to the Islamic beheading of Lee Rigby on a London street in broad daylight.
Qur’an 47:4, “When you meet the unbelievers, strike necks.”
GRAPHIC video – 00:00:54 – https://x.com/triffic_stuff_/status/2064153878900121969/video/1
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(A warning video – no date – jlr)
vide0 – 00:00:50 – https://x.com/ETareqalmulla/status/2064235594210066451/video/1
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Rioting erupts in Ireland over HORRIFIC attack by Sudanese asylum seeker captured on video
https://www.theblaze.com/news/migrant-riots-iran-sudanese-asylum
A horrific attack in Northern Ireland by a Sudanese asylum seeker has led to rioting by anti-immigration protesters. Video of the shocking attack showed the Sudanese man straddling a man on the ground and hacking at his neck with what appeared to be a kitchen knife.
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Diversity is our strength: Beheading attempt in Belfast. – NSFW or other places with weak mental constitutions.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/diversity-is-our-strength-beheading
The video above is what happens when a country refuses to even set and enforce a basic standard of conduct for its immigrants and even go as far as accepting all traits they may bring and eschew and disdain the things and culture that made the country once a palatable place to live. And the final result is extremes that are hard to come back from.
(It seems the rank and file citizens across many civilized countries are starting to rebell against the laissez-faire stance on entitled, violent, jihadist, uncivilized invaders from 3rd world countries that their NWO puppet governments have taken, and are starting to take matters into their own hands and return their countries to the citizens of that country – jlr)
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Beheading in Florence By Immigrant
https://watchdogreport.org/beheading-in-florence-by-immigrant/
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/italy-muslim-migrant-beheads-woman-while-reciting-quran-erses.html/
A Moroccan migrant beheaded a woman near Florence, Italy, while reportedly reciting verses from the Quran — and European media tried to bury the story…Italian authorities have noted the suspect had known mental health problems, which some outlets used to shift focus away from any possible religious motive. Both factors — mental illness and religious ideology — can exist at the same time, and one does not automatically cancel out the other.
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ENGLAND: Muslim Migrant Brutally Stabs 17 Year-Old Girl In the Neck In Broad Daylight
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/england-muslim-migrant-brutally-stabs-17-year-old-girl-in-the-neck-in-broad-daylight.html/
(Of course he did it in broad daylight – how else is he going to get an audience to witness his religious fervor – jlr)
and yet more from Britain and Ireland
https://x.com/tag4UK/status/2065553638177865737
A 17 year old girl, walking down the street, stabbed in the throat.
A 49 year old man, walking his dog, repeatedly stabbed to death.
A 29 year old women, on her way home from work, stabbed 23 times with a screwdriver.
A 18 year old man, stabbed 5 times, died in handcuffs.
A 6 year old girl, a 7 year old girl, and a 9 year old girl, attending a dance party, stabbed over 200 times.
A 15 year old boy, stabbed 13 times, doused in petrol and burned alive.
A 44 year old man, slashed up, lost his eye, tried to cut his head off.

Federal Judge Knocks Down Trump’s Attempt to Put American Workers First
https://americanjournaldaily.com/judge-trump-h1b/
US District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that the fee amounted to an unlawful tax…the H-1B visa program has been a golden ticket for corporations looking to undercut American talent with cheaper foreign labor. What started as a mechanism to fill genuine gaps in the workforce mutated into something uglier — a system that sidelines qualified U.S. employees in tech, engineering, healthcare, and education. Consider this: nearly three-quarters of all H-1B approvals go to workers from a single country, India. This isn’t supplementing the American workforce. It’s displacing it…

Western Governments Endanger Western Citizens
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/06/western_governments_endanger_western_citizens.html
The West is at war with foreign invaders, and Western governments are at war with imaginary ‘climate change.’
The global managerial class of bureaucrats, bankers, politicians, corporate heads, and NGOs are committed to fomenting chaos and violence in Western nations. In the name of fighting the imaginary “climate change” hobgoblin, they outlaw inexpensive forms of energy and push us toward a carbon-tracking system that justifies ever more intrusive forms of mass surveillance. In the name of fighting exotic pandemics, they justify mass lockdowns, central bank digital currencies, and “vaccine” passports. By claiming that man-made “climate change” causes new pandemics and by blaming Western industrialized societies for causing “climate change,” the global managerial class insists that Western nations must accept “climate refugees” as part of their rolling atonement for past industrial “sins.”

Homo Cosmopolitus Won’t Count the Costs
https://chrisbray.substack.com/p/homo-cosmopolitus-wont-count-the
Another four-year term for a Los Angeles Democrat costs about 7,600 deaths.

The Only Ones: P.A.F.A.F.O.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/the-only-ones-pafafo
You don’t play around with guns… unless you are “special.”…PASADENA, Calif. Officer Shot by Fellow Officer During “Horseplay,”…Any civilian would have been in jail within the hour. I believe these two will be reprimanded/suspended with pay or worse case fired…. only to be rehired somewhere else.

200,000 DEAD PEOPLE, USDA Uncovers 700,000 Food Stamp Fraudsters – BLUE STATES SUING TO KEEP THE SCAM ALIVE
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/200000-dead-people-usda-uncovers-700000-food-stamp-fraudsters-blue-states-suing-to-keep-the-scam-alive.html/
…investigators found 200,000 people using dead Americans’ Social Security numbers and nearly 500,000 collecting benefits in multiple states, while some states refuse to share data…millions more fraudulent beneficiaries may be hidden in states resisting federal scrutiny…
video – 00:00:59 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2063808229352583659

El Niño is coming. Changing weather is only part of the story.
https://www.collapselife.com/p/el-nino-is-coming-do-not-panic?publication_id=1904291&post_id=200513216&isFreemail=true&r=3kt8aa&triedRedirect=true&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Every few years, the Pacific Ocean starts behaving strangely and the rest of the world starts to feel it. That’s the simplest way to understand El Niño, which has been coming up in the news a lot lately, with a notable sky-is-falling bent…It’s a natural climate pattern that begins in the tropical Pacific, when sea surface temperatures become warmer than usual and disrupt normal wind and rainfall patterns. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) describes El Niño (and the similar La Niña) as a pattern that shifts irregularly every two to seven years and has global side effects.

Rediscovering the Wisdom of the Older Generation
https://www.thezenparent.com/lifestyle/20-boomer-slang-phrases-that-are-actually-genius/1
It’s easy to poke fun at the way older generations talk, but if you look past the vintage vibes, you’ll find that Baby Boomers actually nailed some pretty specific concepts. Their slang often captures a sentiment with a level of punchy directness that modern internet lingo sometimes misses. You might find yourself wanting to borrow a few of these gems once you realize how perfectly they fit into everyday life.

Hot Mic Moment Exposes Whitmer’s Attitude Toward Voters
https://integritypress.org/hot-mic-moment-exposes-whitmers-attitude-toward-voters/
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was caught on a hot mic at a $16 billion data center groundbreaking saying, “We’re used to people saying ‘f-ck no,’ and doing it anyway” — a stunning admission that local opposition simply doesn’t matter to her.
video – 00:00:12- https://x.com/TheFelix123/status/2064794229256392791/video/1

Gun Manufacturer Bails on Virginia, Heads to Pro-Gun Georgia
https://bearingarms.com/tomknighton/2026/06/11/gun-manufacturer-bails-on-virginia-heads-to-pro-gun-georgia-n1232825
If the firearm industry is as massive as anti-gunners claim, then politicians should be wary about passing gun control. After all, even a little bit of it might be enough to drive the industry from your state entirely, taking jobs and other economic benefits with it…we’ve seen something of an exodus from many anti-gun states as companies decided to not just leave places hostile toward their businesses, but that are also trying to make it easier for them to be sued for the actions of third parties…with Virginia’s anti-gun cabal calling the shots in the Old Dominion State, at least one company has decided to move from there…Rideout Arsenal, the firearms designer and manufacturer launching the new facility, has announced it will be opening its doors in the South Georgia

Ruger shifts headquarters to North Carolina, cuts 100 jobs
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/ruger-shifts-headquarters-to-north-carolina-cuts-100-jobs/gm-GML3B8A2D6?
Ruger confirmed it moved its headquarters from Connecticut to North Carolina, centralizing leadership near its largest manufacturing facility.
The relocation mirrors other gunmakers leaving Connecticut, citing regulatory challenges and shifting industry dynamics…Ruger’s relocation reflects a broader exodus of firearms companies from Connecticut, a state with a long gunmaking history but increasingly strict regulations since the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy. Other firms, such as Stag Arms and PTR Industries, have previously moved to states with perceived friendlier business climates…Ruger was one of the last major legacy firearms brands still closely tied to the Northeast, even if actual manufacturing had left Connecticut years ago.

Democrat ActBlue CEO Invokes Fifth Amendment Over 20 Times in House Hearing
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/democrat-actblue-ceo-invokes-fifth-amendment-over-20-times-in-house-hearing.html/
ActBlue is the Democratic Party political action committee, its largest fundraising platform founded in 2004. ActBlue is a major part of the Democratic Party’s fundraising infrastructure. As of 2025, ActBlue reports that it has raised $16 billion for Democratic candidates and causes since it was established.How much of their largesse is dirty money, laundered money? ActBlue has been a major cash cow for Democrats, with the PAC bringing in $568 million in Q1 2026 (ActBlue). Rep. Jim Jordan summarizes the hearing: ActBlue accepted foreign money and donations under fake names. They knew about it and failed to stop it. And when we asked them about it, they all took the 5th

Trump Pushes $350 Billion Military Bill with SAVE AMERICA ACT Election Security
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/trump-pushes-350-billion-military-bill-with-save-america-act-election-security.html/
President Trump just added the SAVE AMERICA ACT to his $350 billion Pentagon reconciliation package, which only needs a simple majority (50 votes plus VP Vance) to pass. It is only logical that election integrity be treated as a matter of national security. Without free and fair elections, a nation cannot survive. Likewise, without a strong military to defend our country and protect our unalienable rights, the republic is doomed. The ballot box and national defense are inseparable pillars of a free nation—if either falls, the country falls with it.

Portland’s “Peaceful Pacifist” Gets 2.5 Years for Throwing a Rock at an ICE Agent’s Head
https://americanjournaldaily.com/portland-ice-justice/
Key Takeaways
Portland Antifa rioter Robert Hoopes received 30 months for hurling a rock at an ICE agent’s head.
Portland police never responded, leaving outnumbered federal agents to defend the facility alone.
Reed College fired the employee who helped the FBI identify the attacker.
Hoopes is only the second of 30+ defendants sentenced — the crackdown is just beginning.

The Karmelo Anthony Problem
https://pjmedia.com/aj-christopher/2026/06/13/the-karmelo-anthony-problem-n4953923
There is a sickness in black subculture in contemporary America, and the sickness is this: Too many young black males are immersed in a socio-racial ideology that glorifies violence, preaches that only the meanest dog on the block wins, and dictates that any perceived threat from anyone who “steps up to me” must be countered with a wildly disproportionate, overwhelming response. With regards to this latter point, the sole purpose of a disproportionate, overwhelming response is to serve as a warning not only to the victim, but to whoever else is watching or who is later made aware of this incident. If pushing me results in me murdering you, people far and wide will think twice before “stepping up” to me. My reputation as an unpredictable, uncontrollable animal is forged and serves my interests in the long run, even if I’m punished in the short run.

This Is Not a Drill: These Democrat Freakshow Candidates Are a Threat to the Nation
https://pjmedia.com/kevindowneyjr/2026/06/12/this-is-not-a-drill-democrat-freakshow-candidates-who-must-not-win-n4953908

And suddenly a knife is not a deadly weapon.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/and-suddenly-a-knife-is-not-a-deadly
The aftermath of the Karmelo Anthony conviction and sentencing is producing some wild legal re-definitions.

 RETURN TO SENDER 
https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/return-to-sender-friday-june-12-2026
“Postal Service Issues Proposal to Block Mail Ballots in States That Don’t Turn Over Data.” The story referred to a new rule proposed last week by the U.S. Postal Service (but only covered now, since Democrats have realized the risk) that would require states to provide lists of eligible voters, along with unique barcodes, so that mail-in ballots can be processed and delivered. To the Democrats, this is a completely crazy idea that will literally destroy democracy itself. And it’s fascist.

 GOING VIRAL 
https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/going-viral-saturday-june-13-2026
The viral 2022 map that got a man branded a “fringe QAnon extremist” just got confirmed by the DNI
image address – https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YVYz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faf9019f6-cb35-458f-8ef4-f44f704bb8a4_670x1010.png

Britain Goes Full ‘Airstrip One’
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/britain-goes-full-airstrip-one
“Ministers are reportedly drafting a law that would force Apple, Google, and the rest to make it impossible for a child to send, receive, view, or share a single nude image, with the executives who refuse facing up to five years in prison.” That might sound all well and good, but as usual, For the Children™ is little more than the government’s justification for total surveillance.

WATCH: Feral Migrant UK ‘Enforcement Officers’ Threaten to Knock Out Civilian’s Teeth
In a viral video emanating out of the UK, two migrant “enforcement officers” (more on what that means in a moment) are seen threatening to knock out a civilian’s teeth after he begins recording their activities on the street in Harrow.
video – 00:01:01 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2066119066499055681

who knew? – State Department Finds ‘Birth Tourism’ Networks Around the World Exploiting the U.S. – EVERONE with any intelligence, for decades
https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/06/13/state-department-finds-birth-tourism-networks-around-the-world-exploiting-the-us-n4953944

A Leftist Judge Blocks ActBlue Lawsuit to Protect Democrat Candidates
https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2026/06/13/a-leftist-judge-blocks-actblue-lawsuit-to-protect-democrat-candidates-n4953933
Federal District Court Judge Richard Stearns handed ActBlue a get-out-of-jail-free card on Thursday, blocking Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from pursuing a lawsuit against the Democrat fundraising platform. District Judge Richard Stearns decided the lawsuit was political. Specifically, Stearns concluded Paxton filed it to retaliate against ActBlue for raising money for his U.S. Senate opponent, James Talarico……There’s just one problem with that claim. Paxton’s investigation into ActBlue started in Dec. 2023. Talarico didn’t enter the Senate race until Sept. 2025. That’s nearly two years before the “political rival” Stearns claims Paxton was targeting even announced a candidacy. And the judge knows this, because his own ruling says so.

Karmelo Anthony’s Defense in Tatters – Provoked Fight, Was Asked to Leave 15 Times, Wanted to Fight Say Witnesses
https://www.westernjournal.com/karmelo-anthonys-defense-tatters-provoked-fight-asked-leave-15-times-wanted-fight-say-witnesses/
In a stinging rebuke of race-hustlers who claim the murder case is being driven by “racism,” it turns out that four of the six witnesses who testified against Anthony are themselves black.
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‘Only good cracker is a dead cracker’: Karmelo Anthony protests spark riot fears
https://www.theblaze.com/shows/fearless-with-jason-whitlock/dead-cracker-karmelo-anthony-protests-spark-riot-fears
video – 00:30:16 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk23qRMTnGw
Q: What if a guilty verdict sparks mass riots?
(Have the National Guard, the Texas State Guard, the Texas Rangers, State Troopers, and Police tactical units armed and on hot standby. IF a protest becomes a riot, send them in. RAPIDLY. IN FORCE. Cordon off the entire riot area and arrest anyone who is within the area; using whatever force or means necessary to stop the riot- you have the absolute civil right to peacefully protest – rioting/looting/arson/destruction of property is NOT a civil right; it is a criminal act – jlr)
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Closing Arguments in the Karmelo Anthony Case
https://hotair.com/john-s-2/2026/06/09/closing-arguments-in-the-karmelo-anthony-case-n3815769?
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BREAKING: We Have the Verdict in the Karmelo Anthony Murder Trial
https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2026/06/09/we-have-the-verdict-in-the-karmelo-anthony-murder-trial-n4953778
The jury found Karmelo Anthony guilty of murder.
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BREAKING: Karmelo Anthony Prison Sentence Announced, Roughly 4 Hours After Guilty Verdict Read
https://www.westernjournal.com/breaking-karmelo-anthony-prison-sentence-announced-roughly-4-hours-guilty-verdict-read
After roughly two-and-a-half hours of deliberation, the jury reached a sentence of 35 years in prison for the 19-year-old Anthony.
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Austin Metcalf’s Father Pounds Table and Unleashes on Karmelo Anthony in Courtroom: ‘Don’t Look Down’
westernjournal.com/austin-metcalfs-father-pounds-table-unleashes-karmelo-anthony-courtroom-dont-look/
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Verdict in Karmelo Anthony case ignites outrage and bitter debate
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/06/10/verdict-in-karmelo-anthony-case-ignites-outrage-and-bitter-debate-1645155/
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Karmelo Anthony’s Lawyer Said What About the Guilty Verdict?
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/06/11/karmelo-anthonys-lawyer-said-what-about-the-guilty-verdict-n2677566
“Pray for the Anthony family, because they have been legally lynched for the last year and moreso by this slaughterhouse of a courthouse, as well as the family of the Metcalfs.
The energy right now is very white supremacy. They have shown up to be the pigs that they display with hate. They are celebrating the loss of life and a loss of freedom.”
“We have an overzealous prosecutor who lied throughout this trial, who put on liars as witnesses in order to be a saving grace for the white community so that they can win an election.”
“What I heard from this man today is indicative of why it’s important that it’s people that look like us that are in courtrooms like that. This man disregarded human life the entire trial. He invoked race. He equated Dallas County as being the ghetto opposed to Frisco being safe.
They propaganda’d a photo of the deceased with black people around praying, saying, ‘This is community.’ They used us as a prop in order to pitch their lynching.
This man has been known to be an overzealous prosecutor when it comes to us. He see[s] us as free labor. That’s what he see[s] us as. So I’m not surprised that this prosecutor who has unethical background would get up there and ask for the max [sentence] when he know that this was self-defense.”
V
We Now Know What Karmelo Anthony’s Knife Looked Like, and It Was No Quaint Leatherman Multitool
https://www.westernjournal.com/deadly-photo-now-know-karmelo-anthonys-knife-looked-like-no-quaint-leatherman-multitool
Race-hustling apologists for convicted murderer Karmelo Anthony beclowned themselves by insisting that the knife Anthony used to kill high school track star Austin Metcalf was not a “deadly weapon” because it looked like a Swiss Army Knife multitool… when a crime is committed by a white person involving a non-white victim, the incident is immediately treated as a “racist hate crime” committed by a “white supremacist.” (by liberals – jlr)…This sickening double standard demonizes and dehumanizes white people and infantilizes black people
Thanks to local reporter J.D. Miles, we do know what the knife looked like. – https://x.com/jdmiles11/status/2064820484449996811.
pic address – https://x.com/jdmiles11/status/2064820484449996811/photo/1

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The Verdict Was Never the Point
https://michaelsmith.substack.com/p/the-verdict-was-never-the-point
Motivated reasoning turns criminal trials into proxy wars and erodes trust in the institutions that hold American society together
The difficulty is that once a criminal trial becomes a symbolic political event, the facts of the case frequently become secondary to the story that people decided to tell before the trial even began.
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Outrageous: Black Advocates Move to Have Austin Metcalf’s Brother Arrested, Charged as Accessory to Murder
https://www.westernjournal.com/outrageous-black-advocates-move-austin-metcalfs-brother-arrested-charged-accessory-murder/

Karmelo Anthony’s Family Can No Longer Fundraise Off Austin Metcalf’s Death
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/karmelo-anthonys-family-can-no-longer-fundraise-austin-metcalfs-death

‘Terrifying if that is true’: Glenn Beck reveals the chilling reality the Karmelo Anthony trial just exposed
https://www.theblaze.com/shows/the-glenn-beck-program/glenn-beck-reveals-reality-karmelo-anthony-trial-exposed
“If evidence does come out that Karmelo was not in fact fighting for his life when he stabbed and killed Austin Metcalf, do you think that the black community will accept that?”…“No, we going to stand by ours regardless,” she said, acknowledging that the trial “is about race.”…“They want you to ignore that Anthony was asked to leave 15 times, that he put his hand into the bag and dared them. He said, ‘I’m not leaving. F you all,’” he continues. “They want outrage; they don’t want evidence. Division, not truth.”…“a jury of your peers doesn’t mean people who look like you.” “It does mean this: citizens who can set aside their bias — racial, political, cultural — and weigh the evidence with integrity,”…“Perhaps we think that the juror needs to look like us because we don’t think people of other color hold the same values, and that is terrifying if that is true,”
V
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1369593431894434

The Karmelo Anthony Problem
https://pjmedia.com/aj-christopher/2026/06/13/the-karmelo-anthony-problem-n4953923
…There is a sickness in black subculture in contemporary America, and the sickness is this: Too many young black males are immersed in a socio-racial ideology that glorifies violence, preaches that only the meanest dog on the block wins, and dictates that any perceived threat from anyone who “steps up to me” must be countered with a wildly disproportionate, overwhelming response. With regards to this latter point, the sole purpose of a disproportionate, overwhelming response is to serve as a warning not only to the victim, but to whoever else is watching or who is later made aware of this incident. If pushing me results in me murdering you, people far and wide will think twice before “stepping up” to me. My reputation as an unpredictable, uncontrollable animal is forged and serves my interests in the long run, even if I’m punished in the short run…

Talking about taxing the rich made me think about Leftist math, which made me think of New Math and the troubles I had learning it. So this is for all of us who struggled with New Math. 😉

The big noise I hear from the Left is, trickle down economics don’t work. They cite a lot of stuff (Grok can give you a whole explanation, if you care to read it), mostly that cutting corporate tax rates doesn’t stimulate the economy because corporations then invest or spend the money on their executives, and that it “exacerbates inequality.” While I can agree with the idea that a good, effective fiscal policy should include incentives, fiscal sustainability, and broad opportunities rather than just trickle down, I don’t want to throw away the baby with the bathwater.

I look at the shenanigans going on in New York right now, and I can see that at least SOME trickle down works. It seems Mamdani was expecting the “rich folk” to stay and pay exorbitant taxes. When they left, their trickle stopped, and now Mamdani is upset. He ran on the idea of free childcare, free buses, and a bunch of other “free” stuff. The problem, of course, is that none of those things are free. They all require the work of other people, something socialists tend to forget about when they calculate how much to pay for things. Someone’s labor is worth dollars.

Now, please understand me… The person flipping your burgers is giving you labor, too, and that person is worth dollars. Right now, it appears that most people agree (and more importantly, the corporate overlords agree) that their worth is about $15 per hour. That appears, at least for now, to be sustainable for McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and the other burger conglomerates. This is (at least in my state, where the legal minimum wage is $7.25/hr) a decent wage for someone working in food service. Having worked at a McDonald’s in my youth, I can tell you that the training is excellent, the work is hard and exhausting, and the take home pay isn’t too bad. For a youth it’s excellent, and for a young adult it’s truly a living wage if you’re working full time.

One of the big issues I have with some capitalists is that they don’t appear to value the labor of those who are “below” them… the burger flippers, the guy who cleans the bed pans, the gal who greases the gears at the factory. Now, I’m not saying that low skill jobs should be paid the same as high skilled ones (whatever the skill may be). Making burgers is not nearly as complicated as making precision ball bearings (one of the local companies that hires young adults in my area of the world makes these, and provides training AND education to their workers, so that they can improve and better themselves while also doing a good job). Making precision ball bearings with a machine is not as complicated as making a plane engine. Making a plane engine isn’t even close to being as complex as making a rocket engine. And so on. There are tiers, and multiple factors do need to be taken into account… not the least of which is the idea of whether anyone would be anything but mildly inconvenienced by the disappearance of said job. If burgers stopped being made, people would eat at home, and probably gripe less and lose some weight. If precision ball bearings were to stop being made, planes would cease to fly in the sky, and many of our very important machines would stop working. And so on. Some jobs are worth more than others (which, I will also add, is not the same as saying the people in those jobs are worth more or less), simply due to their nature.

But I digress. We were talking about taxing the rich. Oh… no, taxing the ultra-rich. So here’s the thing: the rich (millionaires, for instance) are not the middle class they once were. Largely, they are not paying as much as they did. The ultra-rich (the billionaires, and our one trillionaire) are paying considerably more than their fair share of taxes in the world. Of course, that depends on what you consider fair. Some on the Left consider a 90% tax rate to be perfectly fair of a share. I do not.

In our country, the rich and the ultra-rich pay a lot. “High-income earners contribute the vast majority of U.S. federal income taxes. The top 10% of earners pay roughly 71% of all individual income taxes, while the top 1% alone accounts for approximately 38%. Overall, the top 50% of taxpayers contribute over 96% of the total income tax burden.” (NTUF) A few years ago, Elon Musk paid over $11 BILLION dollars in taxes, which is equal to 0.15% of our country’s budget. A single man. I think that’s considerably more than his fair share.

Now go look at the image above. By making the numbers look incomprehensible (and yeah, they ARE incomprehensible except for a few math geniuses), they make it scary. That makes it easier to get their ideology across. They present it in such a way that it sounds like a) the super rich are not working people, b) that taxing the super rich doesn’t affect other working people, c) that not taxing the super rich means you’re not investing in working people, and that d), all of this means our democracy will die. Because we didn’t tax the ultra-rich.

Fear is a great motivator. Part of the problem we’re seeing now is that, even when people on the Left start to figure out that they’re being duped, the fear kicks in. It’s incredibly motivating. I still get caught in some of the fear traps the Left tosses out, until I go investigate. The problem, of course, is that a single human being simply cannot investigate all of these things. Even doing a few is exhausting and draining.

In the same way Trump overwhelmed the Left’s social media machine in the first few months of his Presidency, by simply being a few steps ahead and tossing out media land mines as he moved, he was able to make certain they were always hours or days behind. By the time they caught onto something, he was already three memes ahead. Well, they’re doing that with fear. They’re chumming the waters of social media with fear bombs. Yes, I can look some up and dismiss them. But I just don’t have TIME to look them all up. And just enough of them have the potential to be real (or have portions of them that are based in reality) that you can’t just write them all off. So what’s a girl to do?

I rely on media that I trust, which is hard, because I just went through the whole “the entire media is lying to me” lesson. But I … trust but verify. When I can. And when I can’t, I move on.

So here’s the thing I keep reminding myself of. Our parents and grandparents and greats, they didn’t have access to the news we have. They lived very different lives, and in some ways, very much happier lives. The problems they had, they didn’t have to do with Iran or Iraq, or mass shootings, or kids eating Tide pods. The reason was, they didn’t KNOW about those things. They only knew what they read in the paper, and unlike the internet, the paper only has so much space. Only the most interesting and useful news goes into them. All the petty stuff? You might occasionally get a special edition on a Sunday that dealt with it, but not everyone read the Sunday paper for just that reason.

So I limit how much “news” I read. I can’t vet it all, so I only read what I can vet. I don’t stress out if I don’t know everything. I share interesting news at breakfast with the family, and they share their interesting stuff. Each of us likes different things, so we get a nice cross-section of the available news of the hour. It’s enough.

And when people ask why I’m not outraged over the fact that the ultra-rich aren’t being taxed until they decide to play Gatsby and stop working altogether? I tell them I don’t know those things, because I’m reenacting or sewing or working in my garden. M’kay, thanks.

FBI Busts NIH Scientists Smuggling Live Monkeypox Through U.S. Airport
https://dailyheadlines.com/news/feds-bust-nih-researchers-smuggling-monkeypox-into-u-s
Two NIH researchers were charged June 2 with smuggling 113 vials of monkeypox from a Congo outbreak on a commercial flight and lying to federal agents about it. Both men work in NIH’s highest-security BSL-4 lab, reserved for research on the most dangerous known and potential human pathogens on Earth, and Munster runs the entire Virus Ecology Section.

rcd via e-mail
Watch “Spencer Pratt’s New Commercial Just Won Him The Election.” on YouTube
video – 00:01:51 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmy0v8JyEK0
The ending is the best part.

Trump’s New Election Order Creates Mail-Ballot Chain of Custody — And Ballot Mills Are Panicking
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/trumps-new-election-order-creates-mail-ballot-chain-of-custody-and-ballot-mills-are-panicking.html

Iran’s President Asks To Resign, Citing Total Takeover By IRGC Commanders
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/irans-president-asks-to-resign-citing-total-takeover-by-irgc-commanders.html/
Iran’s president has reportedly asked to resign, citing a loss of authority inside the country’s ruling system.

MAiD in America – More and more US states are getting on board with ‘death by doctor.’
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/06/maid_in_america.html
In the United States, almost one third of Americans will live where doctors can “assist” a person who wants to die because of their terminal medical ailment. On August 5, 2026, an “aid in dying” bill will take effect in New York State. A similar law will take effect in Illinois in September. When that happens, 13 states plus the District of Columbia will legally allow the medical profession to help kill the dying…About three-quarters of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents see physician-assisted death as morally acceptable (43%) or as a moral nonissue (33%). By comparison, only about half of Republicans and GOP leaners take those positions. Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to call the practice morally wrong (48% vs. 23%).

Islamists are here, and with deadly intent – Islam is fundamentally, violently incompatible with Western Civilization.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/06/islamists_are_here_and_with_deadly_intent.html
…the Muslim Brotherhood is determined “that Islam should be ‘given hegemony over all matters of life.” To accomplish that, the Brother’s credo states:
“God is our objective, the Koran is our Constitution, the Prophet is our leader, struggle [jihad] is our way, and death for the sake of God is the highest of our aspirations.”
CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, postures as a non-violent advocacy group, but as Discover The Networks explains, it’s anything but:
CAIR promotes a radical Islamic vision, as evidenced by the fact that its co-founder Omar Ahmad told a Fremont, California audience in July 1998: “Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran … should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth.”

Sigh…When you’re losing, blame somebody else…
https://oldnfo.substack.com/p/sigh-4ba
Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico said he believes state laws have stacked the deck against him as he looks to become the first Democrat to win statewide office since 1994…he’s claiming the deck is stacked against him, since illegals aren’t allowed to vote legally in Texas.
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Talarico makes stunning claim about why he thinks Texas elections aren’t ‘free and fair’ – Talarico ‘wants illegal aliens to vote in our elections’
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/talarico-makes-stunning-claim-about-why-he-thinks-texas-elections-arent-free-fair
embedded video – 00:01:00

Antifa terrorizes city meeting during motion to recognize Antifa as terror group
https://notthebee.com/article/antifa-terrorizes-city-meeting-during-motion-to-classify-antifa-as-terror-group
Breaking: The City of Battle Ground, Washington, has signed a proclamation officially recognizing the federal government’s designation of Antifa as a terrorist organization. Antifa members interrupt Mayor Overholser, resulting in removal and an arrest.
video – 00:03:53 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2061644435646267535

Massachusetts police respond to call about man in camo with bazooka, find landscaper with leaf blower instead
https://notthebee.com/article/massachusetts-police-respond-to-call-about-man-in-camo-with-a-bazooka-find-landscaper-with-leaf-blower-instead
Hopefully, Bridgewater Police made sure this caller was alright … and banned them from calling the department ever again.

Seattle’s $116,000 smart restroom vandalized two weeks after installation
https://notthebee.com/article/seattles-116000-smart-restroom-vandalized-two-weeks-after-installation
video – 00:01:45 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPbfC2ou29E

Anti-Gun Activist Admits the Endgame: Ending U.S. Gun Production
https://txgunrights.org/anti-gun-activist-admits-the-endgame-ending-u-s-gun-production/
Anti-gun activist Seth Sandronsky recently argued that the focus should shift to American gun production itself. In other words, the problem is not just who buys firearms, how they are transferred, or what paperwork is required. The problem…is that firearms are being made in the United States at all.

Cleveland Official Wants to Ban Gun-Shaped Lighters
https://bearingarms.com/tomknighton/2026/06/03/cleveland-official-wants-to-ban-gun-shaped-lighters-n1232727
…this is just another official trying to grab headlines and attention over what sure looks like a non-issue.

Over 800,000 Inactive Voters on the Rolls in California
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/over-800000-inactive-voters-on-the-rolls-in-california.html

Samsung moving its U.S. headquarters to Plano
https://www.fox4news.com/news/samsung-moving-its-u-s-headquarters-plano

Everything’s bigger in Texas — including Fortune 500 headquarters. State leads nation with 57
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/everythings-bigger-in-texas-including-fortune-500-headquarters-state-leads-nation-with-57/287-ffb2e65b-c84f-47fc-8b9f-955897bc1625
The latest Fortune 500 list puts Texas on top, with Dallas-Fort Worth home to many of the companies driving the state’s economic clout.

Iran Strikes Kuwaiti International Airport, Kills One Dozens Wounded
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/iran-strikes-kuwaiti-international-airport-kills-one-dozens-wounded.html
The most egregious ceasefire violation to date. How long are we allow this bullshit?

‘Islamophobic’ Killer Is Identified — And Shocka! He’s Muslim
https://pjmedia.com/robert-spencer/2026/06/03/embarrassment-of-the-week-islamophobic-killer-is-named-yeah-you-guessed-it-n4953533
But this story reinforces the cardinal rule: when you hear a story about “Islamophobia” being perpetrated, never, ever take it at face value.

Rubio Rips Deranged Democrats During Appearance Before House Foreign Affairs Committee, ‘Is This a Circus?’
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/rubio-rips-deranged-democrats-during-appearance-before-house-foreign-affairs-committee-is-this-a-circus.html/

CHEATING IN CALIFORNIA: Dems Trying to Steal Election Results, Percentage Counted Drops, Democrat Ballot Dump Changes Race, Trump Announces Investigation
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/cheating-in-california-dems-trying-to-steal-election-results-percentage-counted-drops-democrat-ballot-dump-changes-race-trump-announces-investigation.html/

Karmelo Anthony’s Murder Trial Just Started and It’s Already a Circus
https://dailyheadlines.com/news/karmelo-anthony-murder-trial-opens-with-bombshell-jury-and-explosive-opening-statements/
More than 14 months after Austin Metcalf was stabbed to death at a Frisco track meet, the man charged with his murder finally faced a jury Thursday as opening statements began in one of the most racially charged criminal cases in Texas history…The trial is expected to last up to two weeks. Prosecutors have 35 witnesses on their list. Anthony faces up to life in prison if convicted…

rcd via email
Senate Democrats Demand Government Stop Minting Gold Coin With Trump On It
https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump/senate-democrats-demand-government-stop-minting-gold-coin-with-trump-on-it/
(you can’t make this uo, it is just too stupid – jlr) Two Democratic senators have written to the U.S. Mint to urge the institution to halt production of ******gold coins with President Donald Trump on them, citing the possibility that the gold is from cartel-owned mines…“We request that the U.S. Mint halt all production of the 250th anniversary 24-karat Trump gold coin and conduct a public supply chain audit to ensure coins are not composed of illicit cartel-linked gold,”

RINO TRAITORS: Senate Kills Voter ID Bill One Day After California Election Chaos
https://gellerreport.com/2026/06/rino-traitors-senate-kills-voter-id-bill-one-day-after-california-election-chaos.html/
Republican NO votes: Tillis, Murkowski, McConnell, and Collins.

President Trump is an incredible force for good, in my opinion. I’ve watched him troll the Left while he does amazing things for our country. He’s been shot at too many times to count, and yet still gets up there without being in a bullet-proof bubble (probably to the upset of his security team). He’s not afraid to tell it how it is, in plain language that anyone can understand. He’s blunt as a brick (which is good and bad in turns, but the end result is, imo, good).

Mister Trump is something different. Mister Trump puts himself and his brand ahead of the well-being of the country. He thinks of himself first, and the United States second. He gets bored or frustrated or angry at having to follow rules he doesn’t like, and attempts to skip the line using his prestige, name, and influence. He’s always been like this, and it was not my problem when he was a private citizen. But right now, he’s doing it while in office, and he’s muddying the waters. NOW it’s my problem. And yours.

I have stated, and will continue to state, that I support President Trump. I have largely liked his policies, supported the platform he ran on, and find him to be an effective President. But there are moments when he seems to stop being Pres. Trump, and goes back to being Mr. Trump… except he can’t do that while he’s in office. It doesn’t work. It’s not a regular job, where he can go home at night and take off the mask and just be Don the dad and husband. Being President is a 24/7 job, and you NEVER get to truly step away from it. And that’s no secret; everyone knows it, going into the job. So I don’t appreciate those moments when Mr. Trump outshines or pushes aside my President.

The most recent version of this is Freedom 250 versus America 250. Freedom 250 was created by Trump and friends in 2025, to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday. But America 250 was created in 2016 by a bipartisan group, to do the same thing. And now they’re clashing, very publicly. Technically, America 250 should be working with Trump and Freedom 250, but there are issues. A large part of those issues is that Trump touched it, and Orange Man Bad, so people want nothing to do with it. But part of it is that Trump has sort of sidled around the edge of America 250 (which was put in place before Trump’s first term, and so isn’t specifically a “fuck Trump” organization) and done things without coordinating with the group that’s supposed to be in charge.

Freedom 250 got a bunch of musicians to agree to play on the Mall in DC, who then backed out because Trump touched it. This has become a huge embarrassment for the country, in my opinion. There should have been contracts signed that precluded such things. And this is one reason why Trump’s backdoor handling of this has been less than perfect. If it had been done through the America 250 people, there would have been no option (nor an excuse, if we’re going to be honest) for people to back out of America’s birthday party.

The other side of this, is that many of us are planning a birthday party for our country while simultaneously fighting off folks who keep saying they’d rather be anywhere but here and that they hate America. It’s like having a bunch of those grumpy aunts who always show up to say bad shit at your mom’s birthday party. Who invited these folks, you want to ask. The problem is, they’re family (citizens), whether we like them or not, and so we can’t just kick them out. I don’t want Aunt Karen at my celebration, but I am going to have to put up with her and her whinging, because it’s what we do.

I need President Trump to keep doing what he’s doing. I need him to keep taking the heat and distracting the goons so that the government can get things done. It’s something he’s really good at. I need him to keep cleaning up cities, fixing national monuments, and dealing with the drug, alcohol, and mental health issues that are plaguing our cities. I need him to remember DOGE and get that cracking again. I don’t need to see reimbursement checks; I need to see him paying down our national debt. I need our men and women in uniform back home. I know he’s working on all these things and more, and I support what he’s done so far, and even how he’s done it.

But I also need Mister Trump to stop bouncing up and interfering. Every time Mr. Trump comes in, Pres. Trump has to leave, because they can’t co-exist. Until Pres. Trump is done with this job, Mr. Trump *must* take a back seat, and stay out of the way. Most of the checks and balances on our government are there for really good reasons, and if he busts them up, others will do so as well. I need him to stop giving the Dems ideas and ammo.

The fourth week of May is always a pleasant one for me. I abandon the modern world, pack up all my 18th century clothes, and head up to the Fort at No. 4 for a full week of immersion in pre-Revolutionary War British America. My first task upon arriving is always to start a fire, unless someone’s been kind enough to do so for me. Arriving on a Friday morning, as I did, I started my own fire as soon as I was able. The picture is from Friday evening, after the light failed and I was alone and finally finding a moment of peace.

That’s essentially why I like going up to the Fort. The peace just fills the place. Even when it’s busy, as it is during this time, the evenings are quiet. There’s no television, no internet (or very little), nor even any late night chores. Once the light is gone, you’re rather limited in what you can do. While I do have access to a single electric light for emergencies, I rarely use it (it’s over bright and harsh, and I have the fire, and some candles). I do read on my phone while I’m there, but I avoid the majority of social media, the news, etc. The whole idea is to envelop myself in the essence of the 18th century. It takes about 72 hours to purge myself of my modern habits, and then my 18th century self comes out of her shell.

During the time between Friday (May 22) and Wednesday (May 26), there’s a thing going on in our lower field called The Original Rendezvous. It attracts about 150 or so people, all depicting folks from the 1720s through the 1820s. They have contests for the most historically accurate set-up, cribbage tournaments, bragging contests, an amazing potluck, and so much more. I baked 18 loaves of bread on the Saturday afternoon, which was a ton of work but fairly amazing. I went and sold those loaves for $4 a loaf, and the Rendezvous folks came running to buy. Some remembered me from last year, and were ripping into their loaves the second they got them! Such an amazing feeling, feeding so many people and celebrating the trade that would have happened between travelers stopped at the Fort.

About half way through the event, I have to do laundry. This isn’t an option; I don’t have enough appropriate clothing to last a full seven days. I dress the part the entire week, even though the Fort is closed to the public on several of those days, because the Rendezvousers all stay in historically accurate clothes. So on Wednesday, I was out bright and early with soap, a bucket of hot water, and my dirty things. There was much hand scrubbing, washing, rinsing, wringing, and then hanging, but I managed to get enough things clean to make it to the end of my trip.

Of course, now that I’m home, there’s even more laundry to do. Not only am I washing all the things I wore, but also my bed things, my covers (for draping over historically inaccurate Rubbermaid tubs, for instance), and the modern clothing I’d had with me for my dinner out with a friend, and for sleeping in. Yes, in the 18th century, people slept in their shifts. No, I generally don’t, because 18th century people also dealt with a lot of bodily fluids, smells, and other stuff that my modern feelings can’t deal with. That and the idea of a spider getting into my kit while I’m asleep just skeeves me out. LOL! So I have modern sleeping things. I also use underwear, which they did not (at least nothing like we have today), and I’m thankful for that modern underthing which makes my life so much better.

My only other modernity that I always wear is my glasses. While they did have some glasses in period, I don’t have any at the moment (soon, hopefully), and so I just wear my modern ones. Not cutting one’s fingers off while cooking, and not slicing one’s foot off while using an axe are much more important to the Fort and myself than the historically accurate blind bumbling I’d do without my glasses. Still, I plan on getting some more accurate glasses made in the next year or so. While I won’t be purchasing from Townsend, they do have a good image of them here.

Chris also joined me at the fort, which was fun. He now has more accurate pants and a good hat, and I’m working on his vest and shirt. After that, it’ll be moccasins for his feet.  Yes, I’m standing on a high step and I’m still shorter than him in the photo. I’m short. He spent his time in the joinery, working on a bench for use at the Fort. We have some slabs with raw sides, leftovers from his work with the chainsaw sawmill, and those are being flattened and smoothed, and will get four legs put into them. Rough benches, indeed, but definitely historically accurate. He seems to be enjoying working with the hand tools, and it was fun watching him interact with the school kids who came through.

I had long talks with a variety of people while I was at the Fort, all enjoyable. I’ll be going up there to teach bread baking classes again, something I really enjoy doing at the Fort. I’ll also be attending the French and Indian War this coming weekend (June 6/7), if anyone’s local and wants to come find me. I’ll be with the Pequawket Alliance outside the palisade, being a citizen of New France that weekend. After that, it’ll be a while before I’m staying overnight there again. I have a lot of work to do with library presentations and ren faires through the rest of the summer. I’m truly hoping to get some writing time in for my new 18th century cookbook, because I haven’t been able to make the time yet this year. It’s been crazy busy!

The end of my week at the Fort was on Friday the 29th. I was sad to go, but mightily glad to get back to modern showers. I can live with no electricity for most things, and it doesn’t bother me at all. There’s just something about showers, though, that make everything else better. While the Fort does have an emergency shower behind the blacksmith forge, it’s cold water only, and quite… bracing. I did use it once, when the day got up to 86*F, and it was nice to be clean but I think the neighborhood was aware of my shenanigans because I squealed when that icy cold waterfall hit my tender flesh. LOL!

Being at the Fort let me shut down a lot of my inner squirrels. I was able to focus better, breathe deeper, and sleep well. My only issue was that the rope bed I use was badly in need of tightening. Chris and I did get it done on the Friday right before I went home, and we took in over a foot of slack in the ropes! The entire bed is much more solid, and I can’t wait  until I get the chance to sleep in it again.

Even loose, the rope bed with feather ticks (two!!) on top is ridiculously comfortable. I just got tired of swaying when getting in and out (the ropes hold the bed together, so it’s important to keep it tight), and the dip in the center. Now, it’s much more pretty to look at, without the swayback feel to it.

I’ve been home long enough to have recovered from the pack and unpack of the event. I’m missing the quiet of the Fort, but quite enjoying the television and social media. Well, some of it. I think what I miss most, though, is being able to step out of my front door and see the Milky Way, and all the stars and planets hanging above me. My home has too much ambient light to see much in the sky beyond the moon and brightest of the stars. But up at the Fort? You can see SO many stars. It’s gorgeous. I had a great view of not just the moon, but also Mars, Venus, and Jupiter bright in the sky. It was absolutely impressive.

I’ve always liked this song. I think the first time I ever heard it was on the Muppet Show (yeah, I know, I’m dating myself). More than just liking it, I feel like it says so much about today…

There’s a portion of the lyrics that say:

There’s battle lines being drawn
Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Are getting so much resistance from behind

It just resonates. I realize in ’66 it was probably the Left they were talking about, but if you really put your mind to it, the issues of ’66 on the Left are today’s Right leaning issues more often than not.

I’m tired of there being no way to communicate across the great divide. I’m tired of the resistance to facts. I’m tired of the lies. I’m tired of having to police Every Single Thing I read or hear about in a day. It’s just exhausting. I’m sure that’s what it’s supposed to be…

But here’s the thing: I’m not giving up. I might be quiet (because, as I remind myself frequently, I am NOT the idiot-whisperer), but I’m still here. I am not giving in to illustrating “when people are wrong on the internet” (for the most part), because it doesn’t actually fix anything. But I do speak up when it’s important, among my friends and family. I’m not where they are, a lot of the time… but I’m noticing more and more that people are beginning to be more open to talking.

This week at the Fort, I had a long talk with someone whose opinion I value highly. We were not on the same side… but we recognized that our end goal was the same. It led to interesting discussion, which both of us decided was worth looking into. Neither of us changed our opinion, per se, but we heard the other side and granted there was at least a grain of truth that warranted investigation. So it isn’t all bad, folks. It just feels like it is, sometimes.