Althouse: Sunrise.

May 25, 2026

Sunrise.

Write about whatever you want in the comments.

44 comments:

Aggie said...: If Trump manages to get a signed diplomatic deal that is reasonably well-respected enough to end the war in Iran and open up the Strait, accepting that there will be skirmishing that goes on for at least a few months - what happens next?

The price of oil will surely fall. The economies will rebalance. What a nice lead-in to midterms. I am thinking Trump will do something with the banks to ease the pressure on student debt, a lot of which is going toxic now, defaulting, affecting a lot of people. The debt was borderline predatory to begin with, the way it was structured to being accruing interest charges immediately, so I can see a jawboning, followed by a 'deal' to mitigate the pain without erasing the obligation. Wouldn't that be a kick in the head for all those affected?; 5/25/26, 6:09 PM
john mosby said...: Student debt is mostly incurred by better-off people. The main argument against Biden's student debt project is that blue collar workers would have to pay off the debts of blue haired wokies. I don't see how any possible Trump solution would avoid that central problem. CC, JSM; 5/25/26, 6:15 PM
narciso said...: No 2 and 4; 5/25/26, 6:16 PM
narciso said...: All those who were freaking out over tariffs six months ago hace to find something else (theyll make up something); 5/25/26, 6:17 PM
Mason G said...: "followed by a 'deal' to mitigate the pain without erasing the obligation. "

That's fine as long as it's not funded with tax dollars paid by people who didn't take out loans.; 5/25/26, 6:19 PM
narciso said...: So a pluto airing of a classic dr who episode the talons of wang chiang (which is about a robot villain) has a culturally sensitive tag; 5/25/26, 6:23 PM
narciso said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/25/26, 6:23 PM
Saint Croix said...: The Enormous Blast Radius of the NYT's Dog-Rape Debacle.; 5/25/26, 6:24 PM
narciso said...: Of course its set around the time of the sherlock holmes era

So were expected to have 21st sensitivities; 5/25/26, 6:31 PM
imTay said...: Three refueling tankers just took off in the last half an hour from Israel, so we will see if the balloon went up for another try. I guess that Trump called his boss in Tel Aviv, and was told "No deal!"; 5/25/26, 6:35 PM
imTay said...: Imagine buying control of a trillion dollar military for just a couple of billion dollars invested in manipulating our elections. Israel donates to 90+% of Congress, and at leas a quart of a billion to Trump. There is a story out there that Trump told his old supporters, like Tucker, and his crowd, the ones that he has kicked to the curb, that he was going to take the Israeli money and screw them over, and two or three weeks later, his ear gets shot off.; 5/25/26, 6:38 PM
Saint Croix said...: It would be amazing if Trump could get Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Arab states to abandon Hamas. We'll see how Iran's neighbors respond to Trump's tweet. He had multiple diplomatic discussions before the tweet. Already several states have signed the Abraham Accords.

Interestingly, the newest round of negotiations took place in Qatar. Last time, Iran went completely out of the Middle East to meet. Trump dangles normalisation amid pro-Israel criticism of possible Iran deal.

Do you want peace, is the question.

Iran and U.S. agree deal to end war is taking shape, but Iran says obstacles remain

Explosions heard in Iran's Bandar Abbas.; 5/25/26, 6:40 PM
narciso said...: Certainly tom baker could have doubled as sherlock holmes manque; 5/25/26, 6:41 PM
narciso said...: Basically the Turks and Iran; are the only one officially supporting hamas there might be some saudi or gulf royals kicking in some coin; 5/25/26, 6:43 PM
Saint Croix said...: Iran’s Mehr news agency says the situation in Bandar Abbas is under control and there is no cause for concern after the explosions were heard east of the city. It says official sources have not yet commented.

The Tasnim news agency says three explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, while the Fars news agency says similar sounds were heard close to Sirik and Jask near the strategic waterway.; 5/25/26, 6:43 PM
narciso said...: He was the villain in one of the sinbad; 5/25/26, 6:46 PM
narciso said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/25/26, 6:46 PM
Jim at said...: The main argument against Biden's student debt project is that blue collar workers would have to pay off the debts of blue haired wokies.

Not just blue-collar workers but anybody who had to bust his or her ass to pay off their students loans.

In no way should I be responsible for idiots who took out massive loans for worthless college degrees.; 5/25/26, 6:51 PM
Eva Marie said...: “Imagine buying control of a trillion dollar military for just a couple of billion dollars invested in manipulating our elections.”
How do you explain:
1. Mamdani
2. Analilia Mejia - Won the February 2026 Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 11th congressional district. She declared Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
3. Daniel Biss - Won the March 2026 Democratic primary in Illinois’s 9th congressional district. He wants the U.S. to recognize a Palestinian state.
How do you explain the generally anti Israel sentiment controlling the Democrat Party?; 5/25/26, 6:55 PM
narciso said...: In so far, as elon was probably the largest single donor; 5/25/26, 7:00 PM
narciso said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/25/26, 7:00 PM
Aggie said...: What do you do when a debt becomes unmanageable? You re-structure it. The mechanism is usually put together by a panel or team of financial experts. As i understand it (not an expert), a lot of the debt came from financial institutions with no federal backing. The for-profit colleges were the most predatory lenders, I've heard. So they deserve to take the biggest hit, and maybe some of them will fail. Maybe some of them ought to. Re-structuring the debts along the lines of more historical lending and grant structures would mean that the institutions that did the lending, will take a haircut. So what? What kind of bank lends money to a kid that won't start earning for years, and starts charging interest right away? That bank needs a lesson, and a haircut. What kind of kid takes a loan, and then spends it on spring break, Cancun Yeah baby!' The kind of kid that needs a lesson, too, in meeting obligations.

It can be done.; 5/25/26, 7:03 PM
Achilles said...: imTay said...

Imagine buying control of a trillion dollar military for just a couple of billion dollars invested in manipulating our elections. Israel donates to 90+% of Congress, and at leas a quart of a billion to Trump. There is a story out there that Trump told his old supporters, like Tucker, and his crowd, the ones that he has kicked to the curb, that he was going to take the Israeli money and screw them over, and two or three weeks later, his ear gets shot off.

People this stupid are why the NYTs runs stories about dogs trained to rape prisoners and russian collusion and hunter biden's laptop being russian disinformation.; 5/25/26, 7:04 PM
Achilles said...: john mosby said...

Student debt is mostly incurred by better-off people. The main argument against Biden's student debt project is that blue collar workers would have to pay off the debts of blue haired wokies. I don't see how any possible Trump solution would avoid that central problem. CC, JSM

Agreed that trying to make taxpayers pay for it is obviously wrong.

They need to go after University endowments and University pensions.; 5/25/26, 7:07 PM
Achilles said...: Aggie said...

If Trump manages to get a signed diplomatic deal that is reasonably well-respected enough to end the war in Iran and open up the Strait, accepting that there will be skirmishing that goes on for at least a few months - what happens next?

The price of oil will surely fall. The economies will rebalance. What a nice lead-in to midterms.

China is paying dollars for oil now.

The US produces near infinite amounts of oil relative to world demand at ~55-60$ a barrel.

This just means the price of oil will approach 60$ one way or another now that the worlds biggest importer is part of the demand curve and the worlds largest producer sets the floor.; 5/25/26, 7:11 PM
Dr Weevil said...: imTay (6:38pm):
"There is a story out there that Trump . . ." Really? A story is out there? Where did you read this story? Why don't you provide a link to it? Or at least tell us who is telling this story? It's obvious why: you know that the source of the story is an obvious lying shill, so naming the source will entirely discredit it. As with the last time you did something like this, I have my suspicions as to your source. Is it twice-convicted pedophile Scott Ritter? Or morbidly obese fugitive-from-American-justice Kim Dotcom? Or Crowleyite Satanist Aleksandr Dugin? Or was the story e-mailed to you as recommended talking points by someone who may or may not be in Moscow?; 5/25/26, 7:13 PM
Saint Croix said...: Open up the bankruptcy courts, and allow the kids to declare bankruptcy. That's a lesson, both for the banks and the kid.; 5/25/26, 7:16 PM
Mason G said...: " The for-profit colleges were the most predatory lenders, I've heard. So they deserve to take the biggest hit, and maybe some of them will fail. Maybe some of them ought to."

Any way you slice it, people who didn't borrow the money or benefit from receiving the borrowed money need to absolutely NOT be paying to ease pressure on that debt.; 5/25/26, 7:18 PM
john mosby said...: Ciso, I remember the Talons of Weng Chiang. I watched it in about 1980 on WTTW - Channel 11, Chicago PBS. They showed Dr Who just before dinner on weekdays, with half-hour episodes as was done in UK. I was thrilled thirty-some years later when the red letters on a Cumberbatch Sherlock episode spelled Weng Chiang. CC, JSM; 5/25/26, 7:24 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: It never seems to occur to most people to ask: "Why is college so Goddamn expensive?". No they assume "Thats the way it is" and then go and debate Student loans. I was able to pay off my Student loan in the 1980s. It wasn't because I was frugal. Or had a killer high paying job. Its because college cost a fraction of what it does now. Why?

but lets not go into that. Lets just assume if colleges are charging zillions for tution or room/board its all A-OK. Its the "free market" or something.; 5/25/26, 7:24 PM
john mosby said...: Enormous Dog Rape Blast Radius would be a great name for a punk band. CC, JSM; 5/25/26, 7:25 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: A lot of this talk is just old people wanting to wag their finger at young people and say "Why in my day....".; 5/25/26, 7:25 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: I think picture 4 is the best. Ducks add a lot.; 5/25/26, 7:26 PM
Saint Croix said...: I'm seeing reports that the Supreme Leader is still alive, and he's in a bunker, and nobody knows where he is, including the Iranians.

At this point, most Iranian leaders don't see daylight, spending weeks inside highly fortified bunkers and avoiding speaking to each other unless absolutely necessary, the sources said.

"Watching them try to figure out how to talk to each other is almost like watching a sitcom. They are completely exasperated," one official said.

The most cautious measures are being taken by the supreme leader.

By design, even officials at the highest levels of the Iranian government don't know where he is and have no way to contact him directly.

Instead, messages are passed through a network of couriers created to obscure the supreme leader's location.

"This is why you see people saying things like, 'The supreme leader has agreed to the framework,' or 'We're waiting to hear back on the final deal points.' Every piece of information he receives is dated and there's a lot of latency to his responses," one official said.

Pro-tip: Don't hide with the uranium. You want a separate bunker, definitely. Also, add iodine before you drink out of the creek.; 5/25/26, 7:27 PM
narciso said...: He might as well be the nose leader in sleeper; 5/25/26, 7:30 PM
Leland said...: I don't know how it could be done, but if schools were on the hook for student loan debt; then I might be interested in that discussion. Banks and businesses that make loans are usually on the hook in a default.; 5/25/26, 7:31 PM
narciso said...: Or john gill with vahidi playing malakon; 5/25/26, 7:31 PM
Saint Croix said...: Enormous Dog Rape Blast Radius would be a great name for a punk band.

I would shrink it to

Dog Rape Blast Radius. DRBR.

song list

Shedding
Humping
Scratching
Licking
Pink Lipstick
I Will Hump You
We Love the Jews
No Collar For Me
Free Dog; 5/25/26, 7:34 PM
john mosby said...: Ha! "and this dog you cannot chaaaaaaaaange!!!" Get the lighters out! CC, JSM; 5/25/26, 7:35 PM
Saint Croix said...: Subterranean Homesick Blues; 5/25/26, 7:41 PM
Saint Croix said...: ha ha ha; 5/25/26, 7:41 PM
narciso said...: So guy ritchies mobland has fired tom hardy who is one of the key players; 5/25/26, 7:54 PM
Dr Weevil said...: There's a reason college loans aren't dischargeable in bankruptcy. They used to be, and people were taking gross advantage of that. Someone a year ahead of me in college (I graduated in 1975) went off to medical school at Penn, ran up hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition and high living, including eating in fine restaurants while in med school, got a job in a hospital paying $100,000 a year, I think it was (remember: these are ~1978 dollars), quit that job, went bankrupt pleading zero income and massive debts, got them wiped out, went across town and got an equally good job at another hospital. It was disgusting scammers like him who induced Congress to make college loans undischargeable a few years later.; 5/25/26, 8:08 PM
narciso said...: Perhaps but joe biden made it as a favor to the big banks like mbnw; 5/25/26, 8:10 PM