Althouse: Sunrise.

June 30, 2026

Sunrise.

Write about whatever you want in the comments.

85 comments:

Original Mike said...: Early lid.; 6/30/26, 5:31 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: The world cup has become quite exciting. Germanys team, which should be called "Das Afrika Corps" went down to a fiesty Paraguay team. Japan put up a great fight but couldn't overcome Brazil. The Dutch and Morocco played a dull game - but the ending shootout was exciting.

But the highlight so far is Norway defeating Ivory coast. The Norsks lacked foot speed so their win shocked me. Ivory Coast has plenty of chances, but like Germany, couldn't put enough balls in the goal.; 6/30/26, 5:51 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: I'm not a soccer fan, but the world cup is an exciting event. You have the national angle plus this is the game at its best. The amount of flopping and whining has been low. One thing I liked about the Japanese is they just played on, no crying, no flopping. Brazil was a little more..ah..emotional.; 6/30/26, 5:53 PM
Aggie said...: Both Germany and the Netherlands were routed from the World Cup in surprising games, and now they're eliminated.

In other news, Freddy, the German sensation who's been driving throughout the US and Canada has deleted his X account, even though his plans keep him here until the end of the World Cup festivities. No clear word on why he's closed his account down, but suddenly there's a flood of anti-Freddy posts on X that are reminiscent of the cancel culture ambushes we've seen before, for wrong-think. I guess the trolls have decided that Freddy is having too much fun, maybe making us look a little too good. Can't have that, with July 4th & the 250th coming up !

I suppose it will take a few days to shake out. Maybe Freddy's a exploitative fraud, who knows? Or maybe he decided to keep enjoying what he's been doing, and discarding the troll baggage as an unnecessary nuisance, an annoying foetor to his good time.

He's had a few fairly famous people jumping in to grease the wheels when he's run into a problem. Gordon Ramsey just put him up in Boston, where the Germans lost. I feel confident those connections would not have been severed. I hope he continues his trip.; 6/30/26, 5:54 PM
rehajm said...: I’m not rumor spreading about Sen Mitch but three weeks is kind of a long time…; 6/30/26, 5:57 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: The games are best watched on the spanish channel teleomundo. Fox is awful. American sports channels just never quit pushing "Wokeness", female announcers, black commentators. Even when, in this case, American blacks don't a history of playing soccer.

And of course, the non-stop chatter, and general stupidity. The UK channels are far superior, they know the game backwards and forwards.

Reminds me of the old days when the BBC would have this fantasitic coverage of Wimbolten or the British Open and we'd get stuck with "Bud Collins" talking non-stop and some awful USA golf announcers.; 6/30/26, 5:58 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Fox also does this thing of constantly finding some POC fan when the country is white and showing him. The most laughable example was when they showed a reaction shot of one black norwegian fan surronded by 50 white people dressed as Vikings.

Its like Youtube, where every commerical has a black person. Its obvious state propaganda. More evidence, those in power want you replaced.; 6/30/26, 6:01 PM
lonejustice said...: Another sweltering day in East Central Iowa where I live. Severe extreme heat warnings issued by the National Weather Service. Temperature indexes are currently 115 degrees because of the heat, humidity, and dew point. If I had the good fortune to live in a Star Trek universe, I would use the transporter to run off the dock in photo #1 and swim as long as I could.; 6/30/26, 6:06 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: I was hoping France would lose but they're crushing Sweden. Usually, I root for Italy but they didn't make this year. So, my fav is Argentina.

Btw, NPR isnt pushing the world cup like they usually do. Reason? Its become too popular. When average 'muricans start liking something too much then the NPR crowd has to bail. The whole point was to pose as the worldly sophisticate who liked "real football". Now, they cant do that.

At some point if soccer becomes "America's game" they will suddenly decide American Football is the greatest thing ever. Just like they did with Baseball.; 6/30/26, 6:08 PM
Original Mike said...: Ending a game with a shootout is pathetic. It's the World Cup of soccer. Decide the game by playing SOCCER, not some pantywaist guess-which-way-to-jump play.; 6/30/26, 6:29 PM
Iman said...: A Republican has a very good chance of being elected as Superintendent of Public Instruction out here in Calunicornia, so what do Gavin Newsom and the far-left Democrat controlled state legislature do?

They’ve conspired to seize control of the office and structure it as a state controlled commission complete with a commissioner selected (and controlled) by the governor. A bill to facilitate that sits on Newscum’s desk, awaiting his signature.

Dirty Rotten Corksoakers…; 6/30/26, 6:44 PM
rehajm said...: I’ll relay my one NPR story since they’re in the fuckup news- WBUR is the local Boston outlet and back in the day they had some kind promotional contest with a drawing, the winner invited to sit with the Red Sox general manager in his box during a good game. Contest went for weeks. Well, my wife’s business partner had a well connected leftie husband high in the pecking order and the fix was in like Whitey Bulger winning the lottery. Partner’s god children won the contest. They have to do everything crooked, don’t they?; 6/30/26, 6:48 PM
William50 said...: rehajm said...

I’m not rumor spreading about Sen Mitch but three weeks is kind of a long time…
----------------
You mean Sen Mitch McBiden?; 6/30/26, 7:03 PM
Gospace said...: The big lie, written by the Chief Justice of the United States.

𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘴: "𝘕𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴; 𝘯𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 '𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨' 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦: 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 '𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 . . . 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴' 𝘢𝘯𝘥 '𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘧.' 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩."

China does not recognize dual citizenship And, BTW, as popular as it is, I've read the CCP disapproves of birth tourism. The Chinese government, a foreign sovereign, does not want it's citizens to be foreign citizens. And Chief Justice Roberts says they don't have choice, a Chinese citizen, due to birth by a Chinese mother, under Chinese law, is an American Citizen if born our soil, to hell with their interests.

Here's an article on foreign countries that ban dual citizenship, putting a lie to his statement.
https://premierconsultancy.com/countries-that-do-not-allow-dual-citizenship/; 6/30/26, 7:08 PM
n.n said...: A three hour tour.; 6/30/26, 7:10 PM
tcrosse said...: Back in the early 1970s, when I lived in the neighborhood, I would take my dog for a walk at James Madison Park, where there was a pier similar to that in the first picture. As soon as let the pooch of the leash, as everyone did in those days, he would run out the end of the pier and dive in. Then if there was a rotten carp on the shore, as there often was, he would roll in it.; 6/30/26, 7:12 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: The Supremes Title 9 trans decision is ripe for the @ItsBobbyFinn treatment.

Noooo... Why would you think... It's because that's why... Let's take a step back.; 6/30/26, 7:17 PM
Original Mike said...: Supreme Court Rules Any Baby Born At Olive Garden Is An Italian Citizen; 6/30/26, 7:26 PM
Iman said...: The Doctor is in…

https://x.com/DanScavino/status/2071800878508421578?s=20; 6/30/26, 7:32 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: YouTube: The death of speech.
Or, Manosphere straordinarie Orion Taraban get's political.

Warning: Some content may be distressing, unsuitable for general consumption. Viewer Discretion is Advised.; 6/30/26, 7:34 PM
Dave Begley said...: Saw a little bit of Chris Hayes on MS NOW foam at the mouth about SCOTUS. He wants term limits and to pack the Court.

Hayes said it was “absolutely clear” that the 14th Amendment required birthright citizenship.

A young and liberal law professor at Michigan said SCOTUS was undemocratic. That was one of the main ideas. That’s why they have life tenure.

Trump will next require that any female foreign tourists between the ages of 12 to 50 to prove they are not pregnant before they can enter the US.; 6/30/26, 7:43 PM
Original Mike said...: "Trump will next require that any female foreign tourists between the ages of 12 to 50 to prove they are not pregnant before they can enter the US."

Does seem like the logical next step. Won't fix the 10 million Biden invitees, of course.; 6/30/26, 7:50 PM
Original Mike said...: I like the cut of his jib.

The Roberts Requirement – Pregnancy Tests for U.S. Travel Visas

"Make SCOTUS own it.
Sure, there will be legal challenges, all the way up to the same SCOTUS, and what are they going to do?"

"Chief Justice John Roberts created this mess, now put it on his doorstep every day."; 6/30/26, 8:18 PM
Humperdink said...: The DSA reminds of the Ukrainian drones attacking Mother Russia. Small upstarts engaging in asymmetrical warfare against the Democrat behemoth.

It’s early with 28% of vote counted, Senator Michael Bennett (D-Behemoth Party) getting smoked in his race for Governor of Colorado.; 6/30/26, 8:20 PM
narciso said...: Hes an legacy who sought to accomodate the flame; 6/30/26, 8:23 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Just read the wikipedia article on Charles Bukowski. It appears he was - gasp - accused of sexism. Which me laugh at loud, startling my wife. I can think of a more male writer. I'd bet the ratio of men to women readers for Bukowski is 100-1.

Here he is talking about booze and writing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENpcgPaPDeM

Lived to 74 - pretty good for drunkard.; 6/30/26, 8:57 PM
HistoryDoc said...: I think I'm starting to realize that the most difficult job in the world might be mid-field referee at a World Cup soccer match. On one side you have 11 crybabies and mama's boys, and on the other side you have 11 dramatic actors trying to get an Academy award for pain and suffering.

And they are all yelling at you in a foreign language.

And you have to run up and down the field 200 times.; 6/30/26, 9:42 PM
Aggie said...: Looks like another commie has seized the lead in a primary in Colorado, and will be masquerading as the Democratic candidate for the US House seat. But hey - it's only one state, right? And it's just the Denver district, so nothing is assured, right?; 6/30/26, 10:29 PM
Rt41Rebel said...: What is the cause for this rise in the popularity of communism among our educated 20-40 year olds? Two words: student loans. Imagine being told all your life by people you trust that in order to be successful, you must go to college and get a degree. In anything. Imagine signing off on student loans at the age of 18. Imagine graduating with a worthless $200k degree in gender studies. Imagine having to pay 2k a month on those loans for 20 years, and the career you ended up with pays minimum wage plus tips.

Yeah, if I got sold on that, and realized my life was over before it even got started, I’d be thinking that anything is better than what I have. I’d be pissed. And I’d know I’m not getting any relief under anything even close to the system we have now.

What the student loan cabal has done to a generation of Americans is criminal.; 6/30/26, 10:51 PM
Original Mike said...: "I’d be pissed."
I'd be embarrassed.

"What the student loan cabal has done to a generation of Americans is criminal."
Thanks, Obama.; 6/30/26, 11:07 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Remember when Chief Umpire Roberts told senators that he would be calling balls and strikes?
Baseball has changed drastically since that testimony. Balls and strikes are appealable to an AI in the sky. Just saying.; 6/30/26, 11:19 PM
Rt41Rebel said...: @Mike
Embarrassed? Maybe now, after the damage has been done. These kids were told by their own parents and grandparents and guidance counselors that they were being smart and responsible. Yet another reason to say fuck it and fuck you.

The liberals tried to paper it over the problem with DEI programs and hiring worthless degree people into government. These student loans aren’t prime rate loans, the interest is closer to credit card rates than mortgage rates. Who should forgive these loans? Not me the taxpayer. How about the Universities, with billions in endowments, that raised tuition, expanded their worthless staff and padded benefits? How about the loan underwriters?; 6/30/26, 11:24 PM
Original Mike said...: "These kids were told by their own parents and grandparents and guidance counselors that they were being smart and responsible."

And they believed it, which is deserving of embarrassment.
When I went to college I made sure I had a real, marketable degree when I came out. I'm not very sympathetic.; 6/30/26, 11:52 PM
hanuman_prodigious_leaper said...: Is there readily accepted legal definition for "woman"; 7/1/26, 2:09 AM
wendybar said...: Roman Helmet Guy
@romanhelmetguy
·
9h
If you were born in America, you’re an American. You have a right to live here. Unless of course you’re American. In which case you’re living on stolen land.

https://x.com/romanhelmetguy/status/2072089624198132057?s=20; 7/1/26, 3:43 AM
john mosby said...: Rt41: "Two words: student loans."

There is a right-wing alternative to solving those kids' problems. Decry the loans as state intervention in the market. Tell the regulation-capturers - colleges, banks - that they are on their own. Forgive the loans, but repudiate any governmental responsibility for them. Tell the kids that they're not getting any more handouts, but they're also not going to be handcuffed.

In short there is a right-wing populist way to attract the votes of at least some of these kids. Especially since lots of them have kids of their own now and are thinking like citizens and economic actors. CC, JSM; 7/1/26, 4:07 AM
Breezy said...: “What is the cause for this rise in the popularity of communism among our educated 20-40 year olds? Two words: student loans.“

Good point. Could Elizabeth Warren have seen the rise of DSA coming and therefore pushed for student loan forgiveness to prevent it? Nah.; 7/1/26, 4:18 AM
Breezy said...: Illegal aliens are not legitimate constituents but are being treated so at massive expense of both money and time. If illegal aliens can’t vote in our federal elections then no elected federal official can legitimately represent them. It’s a violation of their oath of office to do so. At a minimum anyone advocating for illegal aliens should be censured.; 7/1/26, 4:46 AM
tim maguire said...: Financial aid is the primary reason college is so expensive. Federal guarantees for loans is THE reason they are nearly inescapable, even in bankruptcy court.

The solution, the ONLY solution, is to get government out of the financial aid business and treat student loans like any other kind of loan.; 7/1/26, 5:02 AM
rehajm said...: …there’s no Ec10 micro or macroeconomics core for a gender studies degree. You can warn a minor in economics if you take ‘economics of racism’ and ‘climate disaster’ or ‘gender economic inequality’ but that’s not really economics. If you did fo this stuff if you’re not AOC or work for government in California or Hawaii you’re probably in trouble…; 7/1/26, 5:14 AM
Humperdink said...: Yep, DSA Commie Kiros defeated long term incumbent DeGette in the Dem house seat primary race in Denver.

The bigger story maybe Senator Michael Bennett getting pounded in the primary for governor.; 7/1/26, 5:17 AM
rehajm said...: …there’s zero incentives for institutions to lower their costs. Most need a serious reckoning, downsizing, cuts but as we saw with the schools that went full politics the institutions would rather perish…; 7/1/26, 5:17 AM
rehajm said...: …not much can be done and you can be sure they’ll be instituting any of the crap California does to ensure they stay in power. So long as there’s enough good guts at the Federal level to cut off the money there’s a chance. I’m not holding my breath…; 7/1/26, 5:21 AM
rehajm said...: …they are picking away at the fraud a few billions at a time, like Any Dufresne and a little rock hammer. Hopefully hanging a few gives pause to the honest fraudsters for a multiplier effect…; 7/1/26, 5:23 AM
rehajm said...: Mitch? Mitch?; 7/1/26, 5:24 AM
rehajm said...: Berine?; 7/1/26, 5:24 AM
Humperdink said...: “Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.“ (U.S. Code)

Read: pregnant women.; 7/1/26, 5:44 AM
rehajm said...: optimal immigration policy. His is mine, too…; 7/1/26, 5:47 AM
rehajm said...: It’s an old essay and he didn’t anticipate the cabal importing ten plus million over the raging river of Somali fraud but the solutions are there…; 7/1/26, 5:52 AM
Achilles said...: Original Mike said...

"I’d be pissed."

I'd be embarrassed.

"What the student loan cabal has done to a generation of Americans is criminal."
Thanks, Obama.

Obama is a 3rd order beneficiary.

On the other hand this blog is sponsored directly by student loan debt.; 7/1/26, 6:25 AM
imTay said...: George W Bush and Joe Biden made students loans non dischargeable through the "Bankruptcy Reform" bill. Joe Biden pushed it through the Senate, and in return, Bush gave his 26 year old coke head son a position on the board of AmTrak at 90K per annum, and not for nothing, but the banks gave Joe Biden's coke head son hunter a position as a VP. This level of corruption almost seems quaint today, but there it is. Who knows what George W Bush got. I am betting that it wasn't nothing.; 7/1/26, 6:30 AM
imTay said...: In Vermont there is a historical site which is the farm of Abe Lincoln's son. it was pretty nice for the time. Even Honest Abe's kids did OK, it seems.; 7/1/26, 6:33 AM
imTay said...: I don't know, and I have given up on trying to keep up, but at a high level, it seems like no matter what anybody says, war is going to break out again, because Iran doesn't have to shut down the Strait entirely to choke the west; just cutting off the bulk of the flow is enough, and the US can't guarantee the safety of every ship that wants to run the Strait against the will of Iran.

The best way to keep the Strait open would have been to not start a war to try to slake the thirst for blood of Trump's AIPAC donors.; 7/1/26, 6:37 AM
Achilles said...: LOL! Tim still thinks the west is DOOOOOMED and Iran is winning. This surface level bullshit still keeps the hoi polloi entertained.

Over under on gas being below 3$ in the US: Labor Day.

The strait only reopens when the current rulers of Europe fall. The "leadership" of Iran and Israel are not even in the calculation.

And the primary between Rubio and Vance is occurring in the background as we speak.; 7/1/26, 6:45 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Ah, Trump says* JD and AG Blanche have indeed uncovered “hundreds of billions” in Medicare and Medicaid fraud, coming close to confirming my prediction we would top $200B in uncovered fraud this year. Looking forward to the hard data.

* https://x.com/QuantumGuard17/status/2071408007519306022; 7/1/26, 6:50 AM
Enigma said...: The draw of socialism/communision goes beyond student loans:

1. Teens and young adults either recently or currently depend on parents and adults for food, shelter, allowances, and direction. It's painful for many to become adults and some birds must be pushed from the nest to learn to fly. Others strategize to stay in the nest forever.

2. Global secularization during the 20th century (with cheap printing, radio, film, TV, recorded music) pushed traditional religion into the shadows. Many small town hicks in the USA, USSR, China, etc. were easily led by untested utopian communist promises of a safe, easy childlike adulthood (see #1 above). Another impulsive voting bloc was seduced by aimless hedonism (Playboy; Sex & Drugs & Rock-n-Roll).

3. Generations of grade inflation, academic drift toward unemployable vanity/dilettante degress (i.e., arts, humanities, critical theory, half of the social sciences) had a double impact: (a) ego stroking people with weak skills into a brittle form of ethics and morality -- no, DEI and Noam Chomsky's babble never had any coherence or value, and (2) massive debt where by self-serving government jobs or subsidies are required to survive.

I see it as incrementalism and ratcheting around the competitive spiral: "Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times."

We are at the point where the weak create hard times. Those who do not know history are condemned to repeat it, as academic sophists distracted from function/economics to keep the tuition money flowing and build their prestige in the subculture.

People like AOC, Kamala, and KBJ are both indoctrinated and as dumb as sack of rocks. Even the skills of Nobel winner and rabid partisan Paul Krugman, DEI professor Elizabeth Warren don't match their manufactured Party reputations.

It takes only three generations to regress to the mean. The cry for socialism is an admission of their inability to function as an adult in a tough world, or compete with anyone.; 7/1/26, 7:16 AM
Leland said...: AOC born in the Bronx
Kamala born in Oakland, CA
KBJ born in DC

Not what I would call “small town hicks”.; 7/1/26, 7:32 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Trump esta estrenando un avión nuevo.; 7/1/26, 7:33 AM
rehajm said...: “we would top $200B in uncovered fraud this year”

…good for them. Right direction- keep going. Bessent says if entitlements went only to the people entitled to have them we would balance the budget. I believe him. For perspective, the US budget deficit for 2025 is $1.8 trillion…; 7/1/26, 7:33 AM
Leland said...: Gas was $3.11 at my last fill up, and that was Sunday, after Iran’s attack on Bahrain and US retaliation. Oil is now below $70. Maybe the over/under should be for this holiday weekend.; 7/1/26, 7:35 AM
rehajm said...: my stste shows one station below $3. One city most if the stations are less than $3.10. It’s still $3.20 here…; 7/1/26, 7:39 AM
Clyde said...: Rt41Rebel said...
What is the cause for this rise in the popularity of communism among our educated 20-40 year olds?

I would say another reason is because their education is wanting. They were either small children or not even born yet when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. They have no idea how soul-crushing and immiserating communism has always been. "It's never really been tried; this time we'll get it right" is the hubristic path to perdition.; 7/1/26, 7:45 AM
bagoh20 said...: The counter argument to having more kids is that they are all going to become communists anyway which has a history of reducing the population.; 7/1/26, 7:57 AM
Aggie said...: Prosecutions of the fraud seem to be bearing fruit, as we hear of findings of guilty and see the penalties. These would be for cases that have been progressing for some years, I would guess. So there should be many more.

As for the mysteries of attraction to communism, I don't see any mystery. Free Stuff ! being hawked to the second generation of smart-phone-instant-gratification conditioning. A generation in, for the children of baby boomers, the kids that were never fully weaned. Where's the surprise? Still coming, that's my guess.; 7/1/26, 8:06 AM
Lazarus said...: It is college debt. It's also the fact that their degrees and jobs don't seem to be leading anywhere. They aren't on track to get a home or the lifestyle their parents had. But all that only takes us to "Occupy Wall Street." We had to go through BLM, the trans thing, and anti-ICE riots to get to where we are now. It was years of learning a particular version of American history and not learning the history of communism that led up to this point.

The phones make a big difference from previous generations. A communist society wouldn't have come up with them on its own. Communist states don't develop consumer technologies, and they clamp down hard on media. But the envy and outrage at how much tech billionaires are making and fear at eventually being replaced by AI do a lot to stoke the radicalism of the young. The internet puts a whole world of knowledge in your pocket, but for some people it only tells where the next demonstration will be.; 7/1/26, 8:13 AM
Jersey Fled said...: A couple we know recently announced that they had finished the expensive and legally challenging process of becoming citizens of Croatia. I should add that they also remain American citizens.

I learned that, being of Italian descent, I am entitled to apply for Italian citizenship. Funny thing though. My grandfather Emilio had to renounce his allegiance to Italy when he became a U.S. citizen.

Things were much better then.; 7/1/26, 8:41 AM
rcommal said...: It would be useful if, when reporting local gas prices during recent fill-ups, commenters would include their location (not in detail, just by state, even). Richer information, more compelling.

Just sayin'. I do appreciate these updates, quite a bit actually, but they're of limited use without that info.

Regards,

Lori (reader_iam); 7/1/26, 8:43 AM
Peachy+2 said...: Dems love to steal your money for terror and abuse.
USAID - proudly builds your terrorist walls.; 7/1/26, 8:45 AM
rcommal said...: [start virtual italics]rehajm said...
optimal immigration policy. His is mine, too…

7/1/26, 5:47 AM
rehajm said...
It’s an old essay and he didn’t anticipate the cabal importing ten plus million over the raging river of Somali fraud but the solutions are there…[end virtual italics]

Rehajm, that article you linked is very interested. I hadn't before seen it put in that fairly comprehensive, succinct (given the breadth of the topic) way. I have read it once and will do so again, and then think about.

Thanks for the link.

Regards,

Lori (reader_iam)

7/1/26, 5:52 AM; 7/1/26, 8:47 AM
rcommal said...: Re: the article Rehajm linked:

I'm thinking--just on first, off-the-top-of-my-head quickie reaction--that there might be some real crossover appeal of the approach (at least parts of it; no doubt some refinements etc. might be needed). It might appeal even to crossover and swing voters. I'll need to think about it a lot more, and do some more research on my own, to come to my own analysis and conclusions (and thus opinion)). It sure seems worth analysis and consideration, though. If other commenters here do decide to read it, I'd be interested in their thoughts.

Regards,

Lori (reader_iam); 7/1/26, 8:53 AM
rcommal said...: [start virtual italics] Achilles said

...On the other hand this blog is sponsored directly by student loan debt.

7/1/26, 6:25 AM [end virtual italics]

Ok, curiosity has gotten the best of me. I am overcome. What on earth does this mean? And how do you figure?

I'm a pretty damn good implicational thinker, but in this case, not so much..

Regards,

Lori (reader_iam); 7/1/26, 9:00 AM
rehajm said...: …thanks Lori- Cochrane has other essays re: immigration with other considerations worthy of contemplation. Go to his Substack or his old Grumpy Economist site…; 7/1/26, 9:04 AM
rcommal said...: Enigma's 7:16 a.m. comment (today, July 1) was also very interesting. Due to its length I didn't reproduce its content, but you can use the time info to find it. Lots of good points there.

Regards,

Lori (reader_iam); 7/1/26, 9:05 AM
Curious George said...: "RCOCEAN II said...
Ivory Coast has plenty of chances, but like Germany, couldn't put enough balls in the goal."

I'm pretty sure that's the case for one team in every soccer game.; 7/1/26, 9:14 AM
rcommal said...: Oh, and Lem's 7:33 a.m. comment today, [begin virtual italics] Trump esta estrenando un avión nuevo [end virtual italics] translates to ""Trump is breaking in a new plane" or "Trump is debuting a new plane."

I'd ask Lem if he'd consider providing the English translation when he uses Spanish, but honestly? Looking up stuff/ translating stuff I consider a to be VERY useful tool in the "keep my aging brain excercised and active." So I won't! It's become fun for me, and slows me down in a good way.*

Regards,

Lori (reader_iam)

*Plus, one of my planned "golden years" projects/goals is to learn to speak, read, and write Spanish (in middle and high school in the 1970s I chose French as my language concentration--alas, as far as practicality goes). So I consider this to fit into that.; 7/1/26, 9:14 AM
rcommal said...: I've always wanted to learn Spanish pretty thoroughly. Now that I'm a senior and I live in Florida, I think it also might come in handy when and if I get into caregiver territory in my even older years. It sure would come in handy with many of the cleaners, lawn carers, and handymen etc. in the area, and by that I mean right now.

Regards,

Lori (reader_iam); 7/1/26, 9:17 AM
Aggie said...: @rcommal, GasBuddy.com is your friend. In particular, the
USA National Gas Station Price Heat Map; 7/1/26, 9:17 AM
Iman said...: “You're called Hans, you're 31 years old, and you're coming out of the World Cup match.

Germany just got humiliated by Paraguay (there are more Germans on their team than on yours).

The next day at 6:45 a.m., you're back at work, taxed at 60% to fund the energy transition, gender changes, and social benefits handed out by your government to Eritrean migrants who declare themselves gay just to check the boxes.
This summer, you're spending it under 38 degrees without AC because your ecologist party labeled it a weapon of mass destruction.
At the supermarket, the bratwurst-your favorite sausages—have been replaced by subsidized gray soy KlimaFleisch, paid for by your taxes to save the penguins.

In your open-space office at 27 degrees, you declared yourself "diverse" because that's become the only way to hope for a promotion with affirmative action and DEI.

Hot water costs 18 cents per liter since Russian gas got cut off; you shower in exactly 3 minutes, stopwatch in hand, and your landlady sends you registered letters because your usage exceeds the federal energy threshold. You cry under the lukewarm water.

At 16, you were protesting nuclear power plants, and you went and elected Angela Merkel, who shut them down. Now Russian gas is cut off, your combustion engine industry is tanking, and electricity is a luxury: you're even thinking about burning your IKEA furniture to stay warm this winter.”; 7/1/26, 9:21 AM
Aggie said...: Right now at the local COSTCO, regular is $3.16. If you have a COSTCO Visa card, you get an additional 5% off gas purchases, so it's $3.002.; 7/1/26, 9:24 AM
Leland said...: Aggie, the $3.11 was at an HEB. If you are willing to drive over to Dickinson, TX; they are under $3.; 7/1/26, 9:48 AM
Narr said...: I think we should allow pregnant foreigners into my country only if they agree to an abortion.; 7/1/26, 10:53 AM
Rustygrommet said...: imTay said...
"In Vermont there is a historical site which is the farm of Abe Lincoln's son. it was pretty nice for the time. Even Honest Abe's kids did OK, it seems."

It's Vermont. If you're in Vermont you're not doing OK. In Illinois they grow corn. In Vermont they grow rocks. He didn't wind up in Vermont because he was brilliant.; 7/1/26, 11:45 AM
Rustygrommet said...: I'm here in Tustin CA. and gas runs from Shell at 5.19 to Costco at 4.79.; 7/1/26, 12:45 PM
Rustygrommet said...: One daughter drives a 450 SL Merc. and the other a Prius.; 7/1/26, 12:45 PM
mongo said...: I live in a Maryland suburb of DC. Gas was 3.99 on June 1. Last week it went down to 3.75, but yesterday it was back up to 3.99. I’m sure it is because of the Independence Day holiday and associated travel.; 7/1/26, 5:56 PM