Althouse: Sunrise — 6:55, 7:24, 7:28, 7:32, 7:42.

December 23, 2025

Sunrise — 6:55, 7:24, 7:28, 7:32, 7:42.

Write about whatever you want in the comments.

158 comments:

Clyde said...: Clyde's Top 15 Favorite "New" Songs of 2025 - Part 9 of 16
#8 - The Caulfields - "Devil's Diary" - Whirligig (1995)

The Caulfields were an alternative rock band from Newark, Delaware. I might have heard this song on the radio when it came out in 1995, or I might not have. This song got a little play on MTV, and went to #61 in Australia, leading to a tour there. Lead singer and guitarist John Faye wrote all but one song on the album, including this one.

https://youtu.be/RE-zLNnMxnE?si=-L35v3_nYepIGQ19; 12/23/25, 6:05 PM
Clyde said...: I think I like the second picture the best today.; 12/23/25, 6:06 PM
Josephbleau said...: Today’s theme, darkness at dawn.; 12/23/25, 6:10 PM
Jim at said...: Our poor, poor, struggling economy just checked in at 4.3 percent.

It'll be interesting to hear our resident 'experts' on the left explain why that's a bad thing and/or really isn't happening.; 12/23/25, 6:14 PM
narciso said...: Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers on X: "Today, the United States issued SANCTIONS reinforcing the "red line" I invoked on @GBNEWS. Namely: extraterritorial censorship of Americans. Today's sanctions target the censorship-NGO ecosystem.🧵" / X https://share.google/X1fahYgZO87GG74Eg; 12/23/25, 6:18 PM
narciso said...: Judge ginsberg loved the south african constitution

https://x.com/jayplemons/status/2003556574389010864; 12/23/25, 6:19 PM
narciso said...: They arent paid to be right, they are just paid to sell the lie; 12/23/25, 6:26 PM
James K said...: “It'll be interesting to hear our resident 'experts' on the left explain why that's a bad thing and/or really isn't happening.”

Kaka already had the brilliant insight of dividing 4.3 by 4 to note that it was only a bit over 1% over the quarter. At least he didn’t divide it by 365 to tell us that it was only around 0.01% per day.; 12/23/25, 6:33 PM
Mason G said...: "It'll be interesting to hear..."

That's old news, time to move on- you know, because it doesn't reflect poorly on Trump.

The new topic ("talking point" for leftards) is how criminals who came here illegally from countries other than the US and have been deported to countries other than the ones they are from are being treated by those countries (other than the US) that they're not from. Because the compassionate thing (according to leftards, that is) would be to let them stay in the US, in order that they might have the opportunity to predate on innocent people here, who are racists. At least the white ones, anyway.; 12/23/25, 6:36 PM
stephen cooper said...: Wonderful pictures, I like the one with the sun rising behind the snowy woods. Reminds me of the lyrics of the Swedish song Sankta Lucia .... (Easily found on YouTube); 12/23/25, 6:43 PM
Prof. M. Drout said...: When Recorded Books bought the audio rights to my book, I thought it would be automatic that I would be the narrator. But when I told that to the producer, there was an awkward pause, and then he said "We don't usually have authors read their own books. They tend to not be very good, and we have some excellent narrators for you to choose from."
I pointed out that I'd done 13 audio courses and 40+ hours of recorded Beowulf lectures, but he said that didn't matter: "Reading is VERY different from lecturing." So I had to send in an audition "tape."
I did end up getting hired, but the producer was absolutely right: reading your own work is very different than unscripted lectures. It is MUCH harder.
Or at least that's what I found. You have a have a weird kind of doubled attention, in that you are focusing intently on what you are saying so that you don't miss a word and your pronunciation is precise, but you also have to be looking far enough ahead that you can get the intonation and stress right in sentences and paragraphs.
The producer is managing the sound but also reading along with you to make sure you don't skip or mispronounce words. If you mess up, you stop, they back the sound up by 3 seconds, and you have to smoothly get right back into the sentence. It was amazing how meticulous my producer was--he could catch a missed /s/ at the end of a word or even the slightest mumble or slur or less-than-fully articulated suffix.
It took 32 hours to record the 300-page book, but I was only allowed to do 4 hours per day. According to the producer, after 4 hours your voice gets tired enough that listeners can tell, and they don't like that.
Overall great experience, but totally killed 2 weeks in August, because even though it was only 4 hours per day, those were an exhausting--though fun!-- 4 hours, and I was supposed be on vocal rest for a few hours after each session.; 12/23/25, 6:47 PM
narciso said...: Fascinating professor

https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/john-brennans-lawyers-confirm-he-target-florida-grand-jury-probe; 12/23/25, 7:02 PM
Mason G said...: "Fascinating professor"

From the link:

Former CIA Director John Brennan's lawyers have taken the extraordinary step of confirming their client is a "target" of a criminal grand jury investigation in Florida and are asking the chief federal judge in Miami to stop the proceedings on the grounds that the Justice Department is "judge shopping."

The left objects to being treated the way they treat others? Say it ain't so!; 12/23/25, 7:16 PM
narciso said...: As if they havent done that a dozen time; 12/23/25, 7:18 PM
narciso said...: When judge amy jackson or deborah howell got the call the case was half over

Howell was the one that tried to bankrupt guiliani not allowing actual evidence as we have found out recently; 12/23/25, 7:21 PM
narciso said...: By the way the chinese traitor linda sun got off; 12/23/25, 7:22 PM
Lazarus said...: Are you that M. Drout? I think I listened to your course. All I remember is "wacky Drout theory," but then I don't remember much nowadays.; 12/23/25, 7:31 PM
NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...: Lazarus said...

Are you that M. Drout?

I was about to ask him if he's the Drout that edited the Tolkien Encyclopedia.; 12/23/25, 7:38 PM
john mosby said...: I have an idea for a novel. Running it by you all since, with all the genre reading you lot have admitted, if this idea has already been done, one of you has probably read it.

Working title: "Aztlan."

Basic plot: The US gives the Southwest to Mexico. In a Tom Clancy/Harold Coyle-ish sort of way, I use characters down at the micro level to explore the macro issues.

One main character will be a female lefty mayor of a SW city. Initially enthusiastic, she goes through quite a gauntlet as she is first turfed out in a rigged LatAm election, then her city turns into a narco-run LatAm city. She may wind up as some sort of wife or mistress of a narco. Maybe that's too Mary Sue. A narco in trophy-grabbing mood wouldn't grab a middle-aged successful woman. So maybe she just winds up as a bottom-shelf hooker.

Another main character will be some sort of industrialist guy who flees the SW for the rump USA. All his tangible assets are seized by the Mexican government, and his stocks become worthless. He starts from scratch, coming up with businesses to fill the gaps left by undocumented Mexicans we sent into the SW as part of the treaty.

Of course some other important characters will be lawmen and soldiers, as it becomes clear the narcos just use the SW as a forward base to put even more pressure on the rump US.

Has anyone run across a similar work before? CC, JSM; 12/23/25, 7:44 PM
William50 said...: More great guitar.....

Tico Tico no Fubá // Joscho Stephan feat. Nadia Kossinskaja; 12/23/25, 7:47 PM
narciso said...: Some blend of jerry pouernelle and ayn rand (,atlas shrugged); 12/23/25, 7:48 PM
john mosby said...: 'ciso, yes, I am openly derivative of Rand. I will keep expository soliloquies down to half a page, though! Promise! CC, JSM; 12/23/25, 7:50 PM
narciso said...: I dont think the citizens would not protest however; 12/23/25, 7:53 PM
buwaya said...: Vaguely feels like "Camp of tje Saints".
Not nearly as over the top.; 12/23/25, 7:55 PM
Beasts of England said...: Love the third photo!!; 12/23/25, 7:55 PM
narciso said...: Rand was trying to transpose her experience in Russia, to America i ways that might have seemed crazy then now not so much; 12/23/25, 7:57 PM
narciso said...: The pouernelle part comes from todos santos an archology in the midst of the decaying city; 12/23/25, 7:58 PM
Beasts of England said...: Very fine playing, William50! And it looks like he’s playing a vintage Maccaferri…; 12/23/25, 8:01 PM
narciso said...: Oath of fealty

a clever cartel boss could attempt it, some of them have been ex special forces or ex police; 12/23/25, 8:02 PM
traditionalguy said...: We are in Tampa (Lithia) Florida today for Christmas with Daughter and grandchildren. They just got back from Hawaii visiting 2nd lieutenant O’Leary whose first Ranger posting is there.

Delta is making money big time.; 12/23/25, 8:04 PM
narciso said...: Some states the process might have already progressed quickly rhymes with zona (in a nominally red state); 12/23/25, 8:04 PM
narciso said...: I know new mexico is probably farther along; 12/23/25, 8:06 PM
rehajm said...: I’m going off grid but wish all y’all Althousians a Happy Christmas a bit early. Getting more Merry Christmas here at home this year but UK is way stuck on Happy Holidays…; 12/23/25, 8:06 PM
rehajm said...: Delta is making money big time.

…if I recall my old Michael Porter SWOT it’s tough to make airline profits but when everything aligns they make great money indeed. Now would be one of those times…; 12/23/25, 8:09 PM
narciso said...: A less showy figure unlike guzman loera who believed his own press could atart the process; 12/23/25, 8:13 PM
Gospace said...: Today was work day for the retired guy. Noted water on the bathroom floor 3 or 4 days ago where it didn't belong. Wiped it up, couldn't tell where it came from. Yesterday- more water. Running back to the toilet coming from underneath. Got up today, had a light breakfast, and started disassembling the toilet. And when I started, I noted there was water on the floor of the vanity cabinet after I shut off hot water to the bidet attachment. And I didn't see a drip anywhere... Of course the nuts on the bolts holding the toilet down wouldn't come off- the bolt kept spinning. I bought an oscillating tool about 10 years ago as a present for myself. Today was maybe the 6th time I used it. Cut the bolt off with no problem. Well worth the money I spent for it. As I suspected, the wax ring had given up. Lasted 20 years so can't complain. Headed out to HD to get what I needed- a new waxless wing, and a good set of toilet bolts. And- one company makes a much more expensive set of actual brass bolts, not brass plated. Got help from my son installing it. Turned the water back on and the drip under the vanity cabinet was immediately visible- from the flex line where it attached to the valve. Tightened that up- and all was well with world except for the clean-up. Finished that, showered, now browsing the internet.

So a productive day was had.; 12/23/25, 8:14 PM
narciso said...: He was not the most brutal but he did possess animal cunning
Like the american indian rainwater in yellowstone

Those are just some suggestions; 12/23/25, 8:15 PM
narciso said...: https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2025/12/22/trans-convict-who-fatally-shot-his-parents-in-the-head-converts-to-islam-requests-death-penalty-but-gets-25-to-life; 12/23/25, 8:21 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Happy Festivus!

Festivus for the rest of us.; 12/23/25, 8:36 PM
Beasts of England said...: I think I spent the most ever at the grocery store this morning: $221. But, that’s for two Christmas dinners: one for the kiddos and one for Friendsmas; eleven peeps in total. Of course, that doesn’t include the cost of wines, the total of which will remain classified. lol; 12/23/25, 8:51 PM
Beasts of England said...: And I always make homemade Green Goddess salad dressing, which, although pungent, is divine:

1 clove of garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire
2 tsp. anchovy paste
3 tbsp. tarragon wine vinegar
3 tbsp. chives (chopped)
1/3 cup parsley (snipped)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
salt + pepper (to taste)

Best made a day in advance, and I use Bibb lettuce. :); 12/23/25, 9:00 PM
Wince said...: Initially enthusiastic, she goes through quite a gauntlet as she is first turfed out in a rigged LatAm election, then her city turns into a narco-run LatAm city… Has anyone run across a similar work before?

Yeah, the Biden administration if he or Kamal were elected to a second term.; 12/23/25, 9:28 PM
bagoh20 said...: Have you ever gone down to the lake there in winter and thought "I can see Greenland from my house."?; 12/23/25, 9:38 PM
Original Mike said...: The Fulton County 2020 election fraud is unraveling.; 12/23/25, 10:05 PM
Mark said...: "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed all department heads to recognize “outstanding” Defense Department civilian employees with cash bonuses.

A Dec. 15 memo authorizes Pentagon leaders to award the top 15% of civilian employees bonuses worth 15% to 25% of their basic pay, capped at $25,000."

Damm. a 25% bonus?
The military is just one giant grift ain't it?; 12/23/25, 10:05 PM
Peachy said...: No Mark.
If you want to point to grift - look at Minnesota and California.; 12/23/25, 10:13 PM
James K said...: Pay for performance isn't grift.; 12/23/25, 11:01 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: One way the zillionaires control politics is through the NGO's and corrupt PACs. Just read that Mike Pompeo's PAC has recieved $2 million in the last 3 years to support "Conservative" candidates. And he's given out $10,000. The rest has gone to consultants and whatever.

Look who's "running" him, and you'll find out why he's saying what he's saying. Same thing with Pence. Bought and paid for. Of course, neither of these clowns had any real beliefs to begin with.; 12/23/25, 11:18 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Sasse has stage 4 cancer. Sad.; 12/23/25, 11:19 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: And Miss Lindsey seems to be vacationing in Israel. No doubt enjoying the "sights" of Tel Aviv.; 12/23/25, 11:20 PM
Jim at said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/23/25, 11:31 PM
Michael Fitzgerald said...: Prof. M. Drout said...
When Recorded Books bought the audio rights to my book, I thought it would be automatic that I would be the narrator...
12/23/25, 6:47 PM

Interesting to me. I'd like to know the recording set-up. Back in the early 90's, I volunteered at a place called 'Reading For The Blind" that recorded books for blind people. It was so long ago and I did it so briefly that I don't remember it all that well. As I recall, each pair worked in a booth facing each other at a desk with a tabletop recording device. We wore headphones and used magnetic tape. I recorded and the other person narrated. The recording apparatus looked like a large cassette player. I would clean the heads with alcohol and q-tip, and cue up the tape to where the previous session ended. When the reader/narrator was ready to begin he'd give me a nod and I would hit record then just listen to make sure the sound was clean. The readers were more experienced than me and always knew when they had to re-record a line or stop and erase something, so they were in control of the sessions more or less. Most of the books were textbooks/schoolbooks. Sessions lasted one hour typically.
I imagine that Prof Drout had a more modern set-up in his recording studio, and no spooled cassette tape that wound around metal heads.; 12/24/25, 12:10 AM
Prof. M. Drout said...: Yes, Lazarus, that was me. "Wacky Drout Theory" comes from a very disabled student (physically and 'executive function') who I taught back in the early 2000s.
In a Medieval Lit class I was trying to explain some of my own research and was trying to give the appropriate caveat that my interpretation shouldn't be considered "official," so I said "This is just my own wacky theory." And like Timmy! in South Park, the student would and blurted out "Wacky Drout Theory!" and subsequently would say it at the slightest provocation.
This could have been awkward or disruptive, but because he was such a good-natured person, the other students thought it was funny and would encourage him and thus "Wacky Drout Theory!" became a meme.; 12/24/25, 12:15 AM
Breezy said...: Apparently Alfonsi lied when she said the Trump admin didn’t respond to her requests for comment re CECOT for that 60 Minutes piece. She should be fired for that and for her insubordination.; 12/24/25, 2:19 AM
Jim at said...: Yes, Lazarus, that was me. "Wacky Drout Theory" comes from a very disabled student (physically and 'executive function') who I taught back in the early 2000s.

See, this is why we're here.; 12/24/25, 3:47 AM
john mosby said...: Mark: "A Dec. 15 memo authorizes Pentagon leaders to award the top 15% of civilian employees bonuses"

If this is replacing the normal federal civilian bonus system, where everyone with a slightly-better-than-minimum evaluation (which means everyone) gets a bonus of about $1-2K, it may actually save the government money.

And the evaluations themselves are getting tightened up. OPM is directing supervisors to grade on a much tougher curve, where only (yeah, I know, it's relative) 30% can get the highest evaluation. CC, JSM; 12/24/25, 5:03 AM
Humperdink said...: The Commie left has declared they will reverse all of Trump’s Executive Orders, should they win back the presidency. It will be amusing to watch them attempt to reverse the bonuses Trump awarded all military personnel.; 12/24/25, 5:07 AM
Big Mike said...: Kaka already had the brilliant insight of dividing 4.3 by 4 to note that it was only a bit over 1% over the quarter.

@James K., the total US GDP is estimated to be $30.5 trillion, give or take a hundred billion or so. One per cent of that is a pretty number for one month’s growth. And that’s despite Robin Givhans trying to convince people not to go shopping.; 12/24/25, 5:51 AM
Big Mike said...: Sorry. One quarter’s growth. Still tired and haven’t had my coffee yet.; 12/24/25, 5:53 AM
Humperdink said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/24/25, 6:31 AM
Humperdink said...: A few weeks ago I posted that you could buy a barrel of West Texas crude with an ounce of silver. As we like to say: “Used to be, not no more”.

Silver keeps setting records @$72. /ounce, while crude remains @$58. / barrel. And of course gold is doing the same as silver.; 12/24/25, 6:33 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: 1. Growth is always annualized and if you want to “average” it you don’t divide by 4 until you have added the real 4 quarter results. Q2 grew at 3.8, the quarter before slightly lower. So just follow that trend line from 2ish in Q1 to 3.8 Q2 to 4.3 Q3 to now. Definitely a rising trend line! Before the tax breaks and expensing rules kick in to turbocharge the 2026 economy. We are booming while EU stagnates. If you have index funds you earned 18% on the market this year. Good for you.

Happy Christmas Eve. May not engage much until after the holidays. May God bless you all.; 12/24/25, 6:43 AM
narciso said...: What was wacky about the theory; 12/24/25, 6:47 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: 2. Who had “Dishonest Lefty Disses Civil Service Bonus” on their Trump Derangement Bingo card?; 12/24/25, 6:59 AM
narciso said...: Mike Benz on X: "In the letter to Miami’s Chief Judge demanding he intervene and hand-pick which judge hears his case, CIA Director John Brennan cited CIA mop-up man Ken Dilianian who was fired from his job for helping the CIA shape news stories before he printed them https://t.co/ckxJ2QGl7f" / X https://share.google/QLhaltoKwcuJKxOrH; 12/24/25, 7:02 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: 3. Boy talk about FAFO. Trump is blessed with stupid enemies. Progressives far and wide demanded the National Guard be restrained controlled and kept out of their cities. They sued of course. SCOTUS has now smacked them with the Law of Unintended Consequences. Trump now can exercise full Article 2 powers and deploy the regular army or even Marines WHEREVER FEDERAL LAW encounters RESISTANCE. The court said the record is clear and the INSURRECTION ACT ITSELF is justification for Trump to ensure immigration and other Federal laws are enforced at the local level.

Pritzker Newsome Johnson Tampon Tim et al hardest hit.; 12/24/25, 7:06 AM
Ronald J. Ward said...: Humperdink said...
“The Commie left has declared they will reverse all of Trump’s Executive Orders, should they win back the presidency. It will be amusing to watch them attempt to reverse the bonuses Trump awarded all military personnel.“

Not sure where that unanimous declaration came from but I suspect massive EO reversals. I’m not sure if the Supremes will grant the president powers to void legislated law by that time but it’s quite possible. Or by then, it just might become a thing.

I can see the humor.; 12/24/25, 7:06 AM
narciso said...: Meanwhile peter daszak faucis partner in crime declares hes broke in a lawsuit against his employer ecohealth; 12/24/25, 7:14 AM
Mark said...: Yeah, Mike, active duty troops deployed to Chicago is going to go over well lol.

Your rubber stamp Supreme Court finally found some backbone, active duty troops aren't going to happen.; 12/24/25, 7:20 AM
Mark said...: " Who had “Dishonest Lefty Disses Civil Service Bonus” on their Trump Derangement Bingo card?"

We all know how madly you would howl if that was 25% bonuses to high performing teachers.

Pretending you are not a complete hypocrite here is a joke.; 12/24/25, 7:22 AM
narciso said...: They were wrong in denying texas vs us. In reversing section 32 in allowing the travesties against trump officials to contjnur; 12/24/25, 7:29 AM
narciso said...: https://donsurber.substack.com/p/spinning-a-43-jump-in-economy; 12/24/25, 7:30 AM
narciso said...: As such they invitied these harpies like the now declared transgender shooter to their doorstep

schumer threatened them too; 12/24/25, 7:34 AM
Achilles said...: john mosby said...

Has anyone run across a similar work before? CC, JSM

I can't think of anything off the top of my head.

But it is tangential to Atlas Shrugged. That might have to be a favorite book of one of your characters.; 12/24/25, 7:36 AM
narciso said...: Pouernelle who had been on the la planning commission had plenty of material to draw from

There are also beats from robert ferrignos dystopian tale (which was about an islamicized san francisco); 12/24/25, 7:40 AM
Achilles said...: Mark said...

We all know how madly you would howl if that was 25% bonuses to high performing teachers.

High performing teachers would make more money if we gave the money to parents instead of the teachers union.

I would love to give high performing teachers a raise. School choice is the way to make that happen.; 12/24/25, 7:41 AM
narciso said...: We spend more money and we get lowet results almost a perfect inverse curve; 12/24/25, 7:45 AM
Rusty said...: Mark. Correct me if I'm wrong. Aren't teachers paid from local taxes in their school district? I think if you want your teachers paid more you should raise taxes on your neighbors and yourself.
The armed forces including the National Guard are paid with federal tax money. I know you know that because you are a lawyer and the armed forces are one of those things that our federal government is constitutionally obligated to do.; 12/24/25, 7:50 AM
Ronald J. Ward said...: Achillies said; “ I would love to give high performing teachers a raise. School choice is the way to make that happen.”

Ah, the “affordability” thing. Those who can afford a school of their choice want others to pay for it.; 12/24/25, 7:53 AM
narciso said...: The military is one of the actual enumerated powers in the constitution 'provide for the common defense'; 12/24/25, 7:56 AM
narciso said...: https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/12/supreme-court-rules-on-guard-deployment.php; 12/24/25, 8:06 AM
Rusty said...: I'm thinkin' - shutup- our hostess and Meade must be in transit. I say this because there are any new subjects to comment on.

Anyway.
Merry Christmas to you all. Yes. Even you Fredo.; 12/24/25, 8:10 AM
BUMBLE BEE said...: Tis the season to be scared shitless!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKww5cofNXM&t
Sam Raimi has been busy.; 12/24/25, 8:12 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Like all dishonest leftists Mark forgets what we lived through. Before homeschooling Republicans tried many other ways to motivate good public school teachers and use them as an example to raise outcomes. Democrats and teachers unions blocked every school reform but pushed back exceptionally hard on the idea of pay incentives based on performance. Increasing performance means measuring teachers on outcomes and nyet the unions said. Democrats of course echoed their paymasters in the unions.

So no, contrary to Mark’s uninformed and frankly stupid example, conservatives like me are happy to pay for performance because in the real world that works. Commie idiots never understand incentives.; 12/24/25, 8:19 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: I taught public school students for a decade Mark. Where’d your idiot theory come from?; 12/24/25, 8:21 AM
john mosby said...: RJW: “ Those who can afford a school of their choice want others to pay for it.”

Not with vouchers. Then it’s the opposite. My tax money goes to vouchers for inner city kids to attend independent, parochial, etc schools. Even yeshiva or madrassa! Or secular Black Power academy! The Panther dream could come alive! CC, JSM; 12/24/25, 8:21 AM
narciso said...: They cant possibly be this stupid can they?; 12/24/25, 8:23 AM
Leland said...: Aren't teachers paid from local taxes in their school district?

That’s the case where I live. The benefit is local residents can determine their tax rate, and if they want to pay teachers better to attract higher performers, they can do that.; 12/24/25, 8:27 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Ron is correct (like that spin on the SCOTUS ruling) in one narrow sense. He wrote, “Ah, the “affordability” thing. Those who can afford a school of their choice want others to pay for it.”

That statement perfectly encapsulates the Progressive way of handling schools. Force indoctrination for the poor saps stuck in government schools while they the 1%ers in business academia and especially politics always 100% of the time send their children to private schools NEVER ever to government schools.

So sweet to see a democrat lackey admit the truth accidentally.; 12/24/25, 8:28 AM
Temujin said...: Ronald J. Ward; "Ah, the “affordability” thing. Those who can afford a school of their choice want others to pay for it."

We're already paying for s*** schools.
Our kids cannot read, add, compose a paragraph in proper English, or think for themselves.
Why not use the money being taxed now, and allow a free and competitive market create an incentive for schools to be run by better administrators who hire better teachers? Why not allow the parents and kids in the poorest neighborhoods, locked into the worst schools in the nation, a choice about where they educate their kids?

Why not actually try to break the cycle of poverty and frustration?; 12/24/25, 8:34 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Dumb Mark: I suggest you search the SCOTUS opinion for the phrase “regular armed forces” in Kavanaugh’s concurring opinion if you feel any need to be informed before commenting further about how wrong I am. LOL; 12/24/25, 8:34 AM
narciso said...: Hes like venkman but stupid; 12/24/25, 8:35 AM
Mason G said...: "conservatives like me are happy to pay for performance because in the real world that works."

When leftards say "bonuses", they mean for everybody, no matter how useless they happen to be.; 12/24/25, 8:35 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Yes Mason, and it always bears repeating. That Hegseth is rewarding the top 15% sends marxists cult members over the moon.; 12/24/25, 8:37 AM
Hassayamper said...: Silver keeps setting records @$72. /ounce, while crude remains @$58. / barrel. And of course gold is doing the same as silver.

I have a pretty good pile of Australian silver Kookaburras I inherited from my grandfather. I wonder if now is the time to sell.

I remember he gave me a gold Krugerrand in about 1976 and I failed to sell it when gold spiked to 700 an ounce in 1980 or thereabouts. It went back down as fast as it went up and I eventually sold it at 400 or so.; 12/24/25, 8:38 AM
john mosby said...: Yaphet Kotto Yeshiva Teacher says:

Welcome to Yaphet Kotto Yeshiva, gentlemen. I am Rebbe Chaim Robinson, your headmaster. Yes, that’s right, I said master. Because anyone with a modicum of historical and linguistic education would know teachers were called masters because they had mastered their academic subjects. It had nothing to do with slavery. If you graduate Kotto Yeshiva, you will have mastered a variety of subjects, and you will have more than a modicum of historical knowledge. This will enable you to surpass those goyische ganbangers out on the street, and the race hustlers in the executive suite.

Notice that I said IF you graduate. Because even though we don’t have slaves here at Kotto Yeshiva, you will have to work harder than a slave during your stay. We are in the business of making free Jewish men. And a free man works harder than a slave, because he is working for himself and the people he depends . A slave is always looking for a way to dodge work, because he’s a schmuck who just wants to get through the day. A free mensch busts his Hebrew bottom because he has a long term plan. Your long term plan is to graduate this yeshiva. And your longer-term plan is to get into the tertiary school of your choice, whether it be a college level yeshiva, a trade school, or a secular Ivy.

Yes, I sad be! All of you gentlemen who giggled, drop and give me twenty Baruch atta adonoi’s. O e of the things you will learn here is the proper use of the subjunctive. The other thing you will learn is respect!

Well it is time to turn you over to your homeroom rabbis. They will be issuing your tefillin and tzizot. I will leave you with this advice: in all your endeavors, be a man. And be a Jew!

I am not Laslo. CC, JSM; 12/24/25, 8:38 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: “Original Mike said...
The Fulton County 2020 election fraud is unraveling.”

Didn’t Rudolf Giuliani point this out and almost ended up homeless or something?; 12/24/25, 8:38 AM
Achilles said...: Ronald J. Ward said...

Achillies said; “ I would love to give high performing teachers a raise. School choice is the way to make that happen.”

Ah, the “affordability” thing. Those who can afford a school of their choice want others to pay for it.

And you want to force poor kids into shitty schools because you are a piece of shit who hates poor kids.; 12/24/25, 8:44 AM
Greg The Class Traitor said...: Ia Althouse ok? I do not recall ever seeing her not have posted yet by this point in a day.; 12/24/25, 8:48 AM
Ronald J. Ward said...: Temujin, there’s 2 things wrong with your argument.

First, while no system is perfect, and granted, poorer districts struggle with their quality, the idea that public schools have gone to hell is something that’s been baked in by private school think tanks over the years.

The other problem is that taking money from public schools to give to private schools does nothing to address the problems you’ve been told that exist.

The only way of tax funding private schools is to either legislate more funding for them or transferring funds from public schools (shifting more wealth upward at the expense less fortunate).

If there’s another plan, I haven’t heard it.; 12/24/25, 8:49 AM
James K said...: "Why not allow the parents and kids in the poorest neighborhoods, locked into the worst schools in the nation, a choice about where they educate their kids?"

Because that would make them free and give them agency over their own lives, which people like RJW cannot tolerate. They must be wholly dependent on the state, resulting in more votes for Democrats.; 12/24/25, 8:51 AM
narciso said...: They might be travellimg somewhere; 12/24/25, 8:51 AM
Humperdink said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/24/25, 8:57 AM
Humperdink said...: My brother was a high school principal. I would ask him how low performing teachers he fired in the last 10 years. The answer? Zero. Wait a minute, are you saying you have no under performing teachers? Oh yeah, we have some, just can’t fire them. ….. unless they are sleeping with students.; 12/24/25, 8:59 AM
Beasts of England said...: ’…the idea that public schools have gone to hell is something that’s been baked in by private school think tanks over the years.’

I was gonna type lol, but since it’s the holidays, I’ll go with Ho Ho Ho!!; 12/24/25, 9:01 AM
tcrosse said...: It's possible that Althouse and Meade are on the road to a small town in Indiana, where they can reenact their Hallmark Christmas movie, the one where the high=powered college professor meets the pickup-driving agriculturist, who shows her What Really Matters.; 12/24/25, 9:11 AM
Original Mike said...: "Didn’t Rudolf Giuliani point this out and almost ended up homeless or something?"

I'm not sure. Frankly, I purposely ignored the election shenanigans because I knew there was no redress and didn't want to spike my blood pressure. But there's a lot more going on than the uncertified tapes making the headlines. Hopefully, this DOJ brings it to light.; 12/24/25, 9:18 AM
Beasts of England said...: I have the best recipe for roasted pecans if anyone needs it. Making those this afternoon… :); 12/24/25, 9:21 AM
Original Mike said...: The Christmas salmon jerky is finished and apportioned. All that remains is to gift wrap it.; 12/24/25, 9:23 AM
Peachy said...: Mark - A high preforming teacher in leftist world is someone who abuses our children with gender confusion and sex, and drops actual education from the classroom.

that you think paying our under paid military is "grift" - tells us why you vote Democrat.; 12/24/25, 9:26 AM
Peachy said...: Ron Ward - Democrats have destroyed education - and you're whining again. You're lying again.; 12/24/25, 9:27 AM
Original Mike said...: This seems concerning, Beasts. Apparently, orbit has gotten so crowded, avoidance maneuvers have become commonplace. If the operators were to lose communications with their satellites for a time, such as from a solar storm, the ability to perform those maneuvers is lost and the shit may hit the fan.; 12/24/25, 9:30 AM
Original Mike said...: Darn.; 12/24/25, 9:30 AM
Peachy said...: A professor in CA was harassed and forced to give blacks better grades for lesser work.

White leftists actually think this is a good idea. White leftists(D) think they are helping blacks by treating them as less intelligent.; 12/24/25, 9:31 AM
Beasts of England said...: Thanks, Mike - I’m headed out for last minute errands but I’ll read it when I get back! :); 12/24/25, 9:32 AM
Lazarus said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/24/25, 9:33 AM
Lazarus said...: Hugh Jackman has a Neil Diamond biopic coming out. I hated Neil Diamond's music growing up. It was kitschy. But now I have to confess that he wrote some catchy tunes that can really get stuck in your head. It helps too that his style of performance can be acceptable if its done "ironically."

Agnieszka Holland has a Franz Kafka biopic made in Prague, where Kafka lived. It could be good, it could be bad, but it does seem like the topic has been done before. Still, the biopic is one genre that may still be alive in Hollywood. It doesn't require inventive imagination in the way that other genres do.

The window on musical biopics may eventually close. Who is the Gen Z or Millennial Ray Charles or Johnny Cash or Bob Dylan or Elton John or Freddie Mercury or Whitney Houston? When people who remember them are also gone what's next?; 12/24/25, 9:34 AM
Ronald J. Ward said...: My Christmas Story

Once upon a time and not that long ago in the deep ruby red state of KY, the Republican legislators received their marching orders from special interest groups to join other red states and enact school voucher laws.

While eager to comply, they ran into a snag and had to inform their owners; “but sirs, we can’t do that because school funding is embedded in our constitution and can only be changed by the people’s vote”.

To not disappoint their masters, on the ballot it went- Amendment 2. And the floodgates opened, money poured in and the airwaves promoted a misguided “School Choice” propaganda. State Conservative and MAGA platforms pushed it. In those yards with Chinese made Trump flags and Trump/Vance signs were “Vote Yes A2” signs. Those opposed were painted as haters, against a freedom of choice.

But something very very strange happened that November day. Trump as expected, won the state by around 30 points. Some say like never in history. But A2 went down in flames in every single one of KY’s 120 counties.

The moral has to be that moms and dads, when behind the curtain, will momentarily don the blue jersey when it comes to protecting the best interests of their cubs.

And come next November, I’m sure they’ll still be wearing the Chinese made MAGA hat and cheering the treatment of the Brown people but once behind that curtain will they be asking themselves; will I be able to afford food for the kiddos?

And to all a good night.; 12/24/25, 9:35 AM
Iman said...: Bah scumbag.; 12/24/25, 9:40 AM
Narr said...: IIRC the prof has been late with posts a few times, usually during holiday seasons and travel. I hope and trust that's the case here.

Anyway, Happy Christmas and a belated Merry Hannukah to all y'all as appropriate.; 12/24/25, 9:44 AM
Iman said...: and a Merry Christmas to everyone else!; 12/24/25, 9:46 AM
Original Mike said...: "Hugh Jackman has a Neil Diamond biopic coming out. I hated Neil Diamond's music growing up. It was kitschy. But now I have to confess that he wrote some catchy tunes that can really get stuck in your head. "

I have to turn the TV sound off every time the ad for that thing comes on. I hate "Sweet Caroline" with the passion of a thousand burning suns. And that song is everywhere. I was in a little store in the Australian outback and they were playing it. Nowhere on the planet is a refuge.; 12/24/25, 9:47 AM
Peachy said...: Ron J Ward - where was your concern about "Affordability" during the Crook Joe/ high inflation / mass illegal immigration NGO-grift/ mass tax payer waste years?; 12/24/25, 9:50 AM
Peachy said...: Gas prices are way down and the economy is showing signs of life after 4 years of the absolute worst corrupt president/ Burisma Joe(D) - in history.; 12/24/25, 9:51 AM
Narr said...: The Neil Diamond biopic is directed by Memphis' own Craig Brewer. The joke is that it's not a normal Brewer movie--it has white people in it.

I'm with the non-fans: Diamond's songs are generally awful both musically and lyrically IMHO--at least, the ones that get played are. I've never listened to a whole album and have never understood his popularity.; 12/24/25, 9:57 AM
Iman said...: Diamond was one of the last “Brill Building” songwriters… if memory serves…; 12/24/25, 10:12 AM
Ronald J. Ward said...: Peachie, remind us of the state of the economy when Trump left office on January of 2021.; 12/24/25, 10:19 AM
Humperdink said...: @Ronnie J. Remind us when Covid hit the U.S. economy.; 12/24/25, 10:23 AM
FullMoon said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/24/25, 10:34 AM
FullMoon said...: Ron Ward saaid:
"The moral has to be that moms and dads, when behind the curtain, will momentarily don the blue jersey when it comes to protecting the best interests of their cubs."

Correct. But what you misunderstood is that the people who have "good" public schools , or kids in private schools, did not want the kids from the bad schools to infiltrate, and so voted against.

Sad but true.; 12/24/25, 10:37 AM
James K said...: Actually by January 2021 the economy had largely recovered from all the damage done by Democrat governors. Then Biden poured gasoline on the flame to ignite inflation.; 12/24/25, 10:41 AM
Ronald J. Ward said...: Actually Hump, Covid hit a year prior.

This is the part I find remarkable with the Trumpers. We’re not suppose to blame Trump for the economy that he left shattered because of Covid. But it’s somehow fair game to blame Biden for the economy he inherited because of Covid, even though he repaired it.; 12/24/25, 10:44 AM
Humperdink said...: RJ said: Actually Hump, Covid hit a year prior.

No kidding. What’s your point?; 12/24/25, 10:48 AM
Humperdink said...: The Trump economy was rolling in the first Trump administration. Then Covid hit and the deep state decided it was a great time to shut down the U.S. economy.; 12/24/25, 10:49 AM
Leland said...: The rate of inflation in January 2021 was 1.6%. It peaked at 7.2% in July 2022. Interestingly enough, by 1Q2021, GDP had recovered from Covid drops, meaning the economy was just fine. GDP growth rate in 4Q2020 was 3.9% and 6.3% by 1Q2021 (remember GDP growth is annualized, so most of that 6.3% was from 2020). As a point of comparison, Obama's best quarter was 5.2% in 2Q2014. 3.9% growth moving up to 6.3% is an economy most countries would love to have, especially combined with a 1.6% inflation rate.; 12/24/25, 10:50 AM
William50 said...: Iman said...

Bah scumbag.
----------------

You almost made me shoot coffee thru my nose! :); 12/24/25, 10:50 AM
Peachy said...: Ron Ward (D) lolalist to the lies -
Covid -- ushered in on purpose by the lying "blame the wet market" globalist mob left - crashed the economy.

Idiot.; 12/24/25, 11:08 AM
john mosby said...: Yeah, blaming Trump for Covid is kind of like the abusive spouse saying “look what you made me do!” Or the Delta brothers saying “you fucked up: you trusted us.” CC, JSM; 12/24/25, 11:25 AM
Jamie said...: the idea that public schools have gone to hell is something that’s been baked in by private school think tanks over the years.

Don't be ridiculous. Test scores alone provide this information. When you look at plain old literacy, it's undeniable.

The other problem is that taking money from public schools to give to private schools does nothing to address the problems you’ve been told that exist.

That depends on what you define as the problem. Is the problem that public schools are doing a terrible job? If so, you're correct - school choice will not benefit public schools, in the main. But the mission of public schools is not to ensure their own existence. Is it?

Is the problem that kids are graduating from high school unable to read or do basic math? Nothing in that definition of the problem requires even the existence of public schools. Giving parents school choice can address this problem.; 12/24/25, 11:28 AM
Ronald J. Ward said...: Hump @ 10:49, we’re in agreement here, Trump inherited a “rolling” economy. We part ways on your timeline of when this supposedly “deep state” decided to shut down the economy because that was under Trump’s watch.

So either way, assuming that was the culprit and by your very own logic, he either made a decision or it was poor leadership that allowed it to happen.

Leland, you’re picking and choosing here to build an imaginary picture. While inflation may have been impressively low when Trump left, a quick search tells us the economy was in catastrophic trouble.

I’ll concede- THAT WASN’T Trumps fault- it was out of his hands. But it was something Biden walked into.

Likewise, what drove inflation up was the results of Covid, mainly a global supply interruption, was out of Biden’s hands. The campaign rhetoric made good political hay but it’s inconvenient with reality.; 12/24/25, 11:42 AM
john mosby said...: Lazarus: “ The window on musical biopics may eventually close. ”.

I dunno, Taylor Swift is already the stuff of biopics, and she’s not even 40. With all her boyfriends, she has kind of sailed Zelig-like on the pop culture zeitgeist. The film wouldn’t even have to be about her - just all the things happening around her. Of course, she is such a fierce self-defender that any honest biopic would have to wait for her death. But there would be even more viewers by then, as mums bring their daughters up on her music.

Bryan Ferry would be good biopic fodder. And Brandon Flowers from The Killers. Or the guys from The National.

And of course rap/hiphop biopics. We were just talking about Nicki Minaj yesterday. Would be an interesting journey to put onscreen.

Even younger people: the kid from Greta van Fleet, or sombr.

But I do get your point: music is much more fragmented now. A biopic of most artists would not have the same number of guaranteed viewers anymore. CC, JSM; 12/24/25, 11:46 AM
john mosby said...: And of course a Hugh Jackman biopic…that one also has to wait for the subject’s death. CC, JSM; 12/24/25, 11:47 AM
john mosby said...: RJW: autopen inherited Covid, true. And much of the economic stoppage was done by other countries. But the Pen shut off our domestic oil on day 1 of its presidency. That just exacerbated the damage.

And oh, don’t even mention the possibility that the Pen Luke have led other countries to end the shutdown sooner. Because you’re right, it wouldn’t have been able to fit that between ice cream time, naps, and diapie changes. CC, JSM; 12/24/25, 11:51 AM
john mosby said...: …could have led. Fucking fucking autocorrect. CC, JSM; 12/24/25, 11:52 AM
Original Mike said...: "…could have led. Fucking fucking autocorrect. CC, JSM"

You can turn it off, you know.; 12/24/25, 12:11 PM
Ronald J. Ward said...: James, I hear your talking points but you’re missing the big picture.

In many red states, legislators simply rammed school vouchers down their constituents throats at the order from their donors. In KY, they didn’t have that option.

KY requires a 90 days notice before putting an amendment change on a ballot. Voters had time to read through fog and the happy talk. Obviously, they didn’t like what they saw.

I expect things to get a lot uglier in the new year and predict voters won’t much care for that as well.; 12/24/25, 12:21 PM
Rusty said...: Beasts
Lay it out for us.; 12/24/25, 1:00 PM
Rusty said...: "’…the idea that public schools have gone to hell is something that’s been baked in by private school think tanks over the years.’"

See. This is why the flying monkey isn't taken seriously.; 12/24/25, 1:01 PM
Rusty said...: Inman
Thank you for that Christmas cheer. Merry Christmas to you too.; 12/24/25, 1:02 PM
Beasts of England said...: Enjoyed the article, Mike - especially the CRASH acronym. I knew there was considerable propellant usage for station keeping and avoidance, but a solar storm would be brutal for (the preponderance of) non-autonomous birds…; 12/24/25, 1:52 PM
Achilles said...: Ronald J. Ward said...

Peachie, remind us of the state of the economy when Trump left office on January of 2021.

I remember Democrat governors shutting down the economy and republican states not doing nearly as badly as democrat states.; 12/24/25, 2:08 PM
Mason G said...: "The other problem is that taking money from public schools to give to private schools..."

If kids leave public schools for private ones, the public schools no longer have to (pretend to) teach them. There's no reason public schools should expect to receive taxpayer dollars for (pretending to) educate kids who are no longer attending those public schools.; 12/24/25, 3:16 PM
Mason G said...: "But there's a lot more going on than the uncertified tapes making the headlines."

From the link:

Led by assistant attorney general Harmeet Dhillon, the DOJ has filed a massive lawsuit in the Northern District of Georgia to force Fulton County to surrender every used and void ballot, signature envelope, and digital record from 2020.

If your election was run legally, why would the DOJ have to file a lawsuit in order to examine the records?; 12/24/25, 3:23 PM
Leland said...: Leland, you’re picking and choosing

Nah troll, you choose the time period, “what Biden inherited”. I provided the data from the US Federal Reserve for the time you choose. The data just doesn’t support your blatant lies, and now you want to claim Trump is responsible for the economy well after Biden took over. Yet truth be told; In his first 100 days, President Biden signed 42 executive orders, more than any of his predecessors since Harry S. Truman.. Most of those EOs were intended for their economic impact. In fact, most of those reversed Trump economic policies. Afterwards, inflation rose.; 12/24/25, 4:30 PM
Ronald J. Ward said...: Leland, no one disputes the numbers — the dispute is the interpretation.

A GDP rebound after a historic collapse doesn’t mean the economy was “fine,” it means math works that way after a crash. Employment, supply chains, labor participation, and global logistics were still badly damaged in early 2021.

Inflation that peaked in mid-2022 was driven by global supply shocks, energy prices, pent-up demand, and post-pandemic distortions that began in 2020 — not executive orders signed months earlier. If Biden’s EOs caused inflation, we wouldn’t have seen the same inflation spike across Europe, Canada, and the UK.

Monetary policy is set by the Federal Reserve, operates with long lags, and the inflation surge was global. That’s why nearly every advanced economy experienced it — regardless of who was in office.; 12/24/25, 5:02 PM
Jim at said...: We all know how madly you would howl if that was 25% bonuses to high performing teachers.

Your mind-reading 'skills' suck.

I would gladly accept bonuses for teachers who outperformed stated goals and their counterparts.

But as of right now, I'd be happy if they simply stopped grooming their students.; 12/24/25, 5:25 PM
Mason G said...: "We all know how madly you would howl if that was 25% bonuses to high performing teachers."

The howling would be worse from the teachers who didn't get a bonus. Everybody knows it, even you.; 12/24/25, 5:39 PM
Rusty said...: Quit pissing, flying monkey, we know it isn't rain.; 12/24/25, 6:14 PM