Should Women Vote?

At Heat Street, "Should Women Vote? Vox Day vs. Louise Mensch: ‘Conservative Feminism’."

Vox Day doesn't think women should vote in a representative democracy. Read our feminism debate https://t.co/j0aUsK0HTO

— Heat Street (@heatstreet) May 14, 2016

The Most Important Words Ever Written Are the Ten Commandments (VIDEO)

Following-up, "America, and All That It Stands For, Is In Jeopardy."

Here's Dennis Prager's new book, at Amazon, The Ten Commandments: Still the Best Moral Code.

The most important words ever written are the Ten Commandments. These words changed the world when they were first presented at Mt. Sinai to Israelites, and they are changing it now. They are the foundation stones of Western Civilization.

Given their staggering importance, you would think that all societies, and certainly our educational and religious institutions, would be intent on studying them closely. Sadly, this is not the case. Our schools ignore them and our churches and synagogues take them for granted. But here's a simple test: Who among us can even name all of the Ten Commandments? And even among those who can name them, how many can explain them in a way that makes sense to the modern eye and ear?

If you are a person of faith, this book will strengthen it; if you are agnostic it will force you to rethink your doubts; if you're atheist, it will test your convictions...

More.

America, and All That It Stands For, Is In Jeopardy

From Dennis Prager, at IBD, "A Dark Time In America":

Prager: "Every distinctive value on which America was founded is in jeopardy." https://t.co/NXGIJlvlBY #tcot #tlot

— IBDeditorials (@IBDeditorials) May 14, 2016

We may soon know if Donald Trump will be the Republican presidential candidate. And, barring unforeseeable events, it is certain that Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee. Those are two reasons — of many, unfortunately — why, other than the first years of the Civil War, when the survival of the United States as one country was in jeopardy, there has never been a darker time in American history.

The various major wars — the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I and II, and the Korean and Vietnam wars — were worse in terms of American lives lost.

The Great Depression was worse in economic terms.

There were more riots during the Vietnam War era.

But at no other time has there been as much pessimism — valid pessimism, moreover — about America’s future as there is today.

Among the reasons are:

Every distinctive value on which America was founded is in jeopardy.

According to a Pew Research Center study, more and more young Americans do not believe in freedom of speech for what they deem hate speech. Forty percent of respondents ages 18 to 34 agreed that offensive statements should be outlawed.

According to a series of Harvard University polls, about 47% of Americans ages 18 to 29 believe that food, shelter and health care “are a right that government should provide to those unable to afford them.” That means that nearly half our young believe they have a legitimate claim on the labor and earnings of others for life’s basic necessities.

More than half of 18- to 29-year-old Americans do not support capitalism, the source of the prosperity they enjoy, and the only economic system that has ever lifted mass numbers of people out of poverty.

When young Americans see pictures of the Founding Fathers, they do not see the great men that most Americans have seen throughout American history; they see white males who were affluent (now derisively labeled “privileged”) and owned slaves.

The belief that certain fundamental rights are God-based — a view held by every American founder and nearly all Americans throughout its history — is reviled outside of conservative religious circles, and held by fewer and fewer Americans today.

The view that male and female are distinctive identities — one of the few unquestioned foundational views of every society in history — is being obliterated. Simply saying that one believes (all things being equal) a child does best starting out life with a married father and mother will ensure they’ll be considered a “hater.”

The ideas that America should be a melting pot, or that all Americans should identify as American, are now unutterable in educated company. In fact, many college campuses do not have an American flag on their campus because some students regard it as offensive and representational of imperialism and capitalism.

In addition, virtually every major institution is in decay or disarray...

Still more.

Deal of the Day: Burgess Propane Insect Fogger

At Amazon, Burgess 1443 Propane Insect Fogger for Fast and Effective Mosquito Control in Your Yard.

Also, Fire HD 6 Kids Edition Tablet, 6" HD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB, Blue Kid-Proof Case.

And, Must-Read Kindle Best Sellers.

More, by Bret Stephens, America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder.

Also, from Andrew J. Bacevich, The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism.

Plus, Michael Mandelbaum, Mission Failure: America and the World in the Post-Cold War Era.

BONUS: Dick and Liz Cheney, Exceptional: Why the World Needs a Powerful America.

Hailey Clauson GQ Swimsuit Shoot (VIDEO)

She's pretty much the "It Girl" of the moment, and for good reason.

Watch, at GQ, "Hailey Clauson Shows You What Really Happens on a GQ Swimsuit Shoot."

She's on the cover with Rob Gronkowski.

Maggie Rawlins Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Casting Call 2017 (VIDEO)

Via SI:

Claremont McKenna Professor Jack Pitney Discusses Possible Donald Trump VP Picks (VIDEO)

I used Professor Pitney's textbook for about 5 years, but it was discontinued by the publisher. He's a patriot. I really liked the book, but perhaps its pro-American tilt is out place for our leftist times, especially on college campuses.

In any case, via CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

The Marxist Roots of 'Gender Neutral Restrooms'

From Cristina Laila, "Transgender Bathrooms Are Not About Equality, But About Marxism":

Gender neutral bathrooms have nothing to do with equality, but everything to do with Marxism. We must reject it. Blurring gender lines is the last step for tyranny to accelerate as it quickly erodes our Western values. Women and children have always been protected when fighting for the homeland. If we reach a point where the majority believe that gender is a social construct, then what will the men protect? What will be worth fighting for if not for your family and your future?

Ivanka Trump: My Dad Has 'Elevated' Political Dialogue (VIDEO)

She's such a sweetie.

And by elevated, I suspect she means her dad's put more issues into play, neutralizing the demonic forces of leftist political correctness.

Via Telegraph UK:

Jackie Johnson's Warming Weather Forecast

This weather's just about right. I love it, heh.

Via CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

Wendy's Restaurants to Install Self-Serve Kiosks in Response to Minimum Wage 'Social Justice' Movement

It's the wave of the future.

Wendy's is just on the leading edge.

Thousands of workers will lose their jobs.

At IBD, "Wendy's Serves Up Kiosks as Wages Rise, Hits Fast-Food Group":

Wendy’s (WEN) said that self-service ordering kiosks will be made available across its 6,000-plus restaurants in the second half of the year as minimum wage hikes and a tight labor market push up wages.

It will be up to franchisees whether to deploy the labor-saving technology, but Wendy’s President Todd Penegor did note that some franchise locations have been raising prices to offset wage hikes.

McDonald’s (MCD) has been testing self-service kiosks. But Wendy’s, which has been vocal about embracing labor-saving technology, is launching the biggest potential expansion.

Wendy’s Penegor said company-operated stores, only about 10% of the total, are seeing wage inflation of 5% to 6%, driven both by the minimum wage and some by the need to offer a competitive wage “to access good labor.”

It’s not surprising that some franchisees might face more of a labor-cost squeeze than company restaurants. All 258 Wendy’s restaurants in California, where the minimum wage rose to $10 an hour this year and will gradually rise to $15, are franchise-operated. Likewise, about 75% of 200-plus restaurants in New York are run by franchisees. New York’s fast-food industry wage rose to $10.50 in New York City and $9.75 in the rest of the state at the start of 2016, also on the way to $15.

Wendy’s plans to cut company-owned stores to just 5% of the total.

Still, Penegor said that increased customer counts more than price hikes drove the chain’s 3.6% same-store sales increase in the first quarter.

Although profit exceeded Wall Street estimates, Wendy’s shares dived nearly 9% Wednesday because of weak second-quarter sales.

“We are seeing a bit of a softer overall category in April” relative to the past two quarters, Penegor said on an earnings call, implying more of an industrywide trend than an issue specific to Wendy’s...

More.

Also at the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, "Self-serve kiosks could be coming to a Wendy's near you."

Honeywell HT-900 TurboForce Fan

A best-seller, in time for the summer season, at Amazon, Honeywell HT-900 TurboForce Fan: Aerodynamic TurboForce® design for maximum air movement.

Plus, Quest Nutrition Protein Bar, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, 21g Protein, 2.1oz Bar, 12 Count.

And, KIND Bars, Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt, Gluten Free, 1.4 Ounce Bars, 12 Count.

More, Nature Valley Sweet And Salty Almond Snack Bars, 19.7-Ounce.

Also, DxO ONE 20.2MP Digital Connected Camera for iPhone and iPad.

BONUS: by Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul.

Ta-Nehisi Coates Cancels Purchase of $2.1 Million Brooklyn Brownstone After Storm of Criticism

Well, I'm just all torn up about this, lol.

At Heat Street, "Poverty Expert Ta-Nehisi Coates Bails on Newly-Purchased $2.1 Million Home After Media Attention":

Ta-Nehisi Coates, the award-winning journalist and author specializing in racial justice and black poverty, has cancelled plans to move into the posh Brooklyn brownstone he recently purchased for $2.1 million, citing personal safety concerns amid a storm of unwanted media attention.

Ta-Nehisi Coates, the award-winning journalist and author specializing in racial justice and black poverty, has cancelled plans to move into the posh Brooklyn brownstone he recently purchased for $2.1 million, citing personal safety concerns amid a storm of unwanted media attention.

The New York Post was first to report on the purchase, which was conducted through a limited-liability corporation established by Coates and his wife in an effort to conceal their identity.

Coates has become a prominent thought-leader in part due to the success of his 2015 memoir, “Between the World and Me,” a letter to his son about the history of racial injustice in America. It was one of the most discussed books in the country among university faculty members and New York Times subscribers, and won the National Book Award for non-fiction.

Coates, who used the proceeds from the successful memoir to finance the purchase of the brownstone in the Prospect-Leffert Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn, expressed dismay at having to abandon his dream home...

More.

Following the links takes us to Coates' piece at the Atlantic, "On Homecomings."

He's dealing, quite badly, with fame. Worried about his safety? I expect he's making enough money now to move into a gate-guarded, high-security development. It might not be back home, down in the neighborhood, but at least he won't have to worry about people waiting for him on his stoop. Regular people have bigger problems, which is ironic for a writer who demonizes Americans as irreversibly stained by racism. Some karmic justice there, heh.

Lt. Col. Ralph Peters Slams Obama's Upcoming Visit to Hiroshima (VIDEO)

Following-up from the other day, "Obama to Visit Hiroshima; Talk of Atomic Bomb Apology Stirs Controversy (VIDEO)."

I don't watch Fox Business Channel very much, which made me realize right now that I don't see Ralph Peters on the main Fox News network much anymore. I guess he's been relegated to the business channel after calling the president a "total pussy." Sadly, PC intolerance infects even the so-called conservatives at Rupert Murdoch's crib.

Watch:

Bella Thorne in Los Angeles (PHOTOS)

At Egotastic!, "Bella Thorne Red Hot and Low Cut Filming."

Previous Bella Thorne blogging here.

Dana Loesch Goes Off on Kayleigh McEnany (VIDEO)

I really like Dana, but I'm not happy that the entire conservative movement is at war with one another over Donald Trump's nomination.

It is what it is though. I'm just trying to keep my head above water and my dignity intact.

Here's Dana forthcoming book, at Amazon, Flyover Nation: You Can't Run a Country You've Never Been To.

I don't really know this lady Kayleigh McEnany. I think I saw her one time on one of the cable news programs. But Dana's gotten into it with her, and Ms. McEnany's supporters on Twitter started going after Dana, even defaming her. Dana wrote about it here, "On Zealous Hypocrisy."

More from Katie Pavlich, "Dana Loesch Torches Trump Mouth Piece Kayleigh McEnany."

Also, from Ben Howe, "WOW: Dana Loesch Obliterates CNN Trumpkin Kayleigh McEnany (VIDEO)."

And Leon Wolf, "Let’s Talk About Kayleigh McEnany’s Boobs."

Still more, at Breitbart, "Dana Loesch: I've Seen Firsthand the Horror of Kayleigh McEnany's Condition but I Did Nothing Wrong."

Here's the video that started it all, and it's actually pretty funny:

Increasingly Timely: Dana Loesch's New Book, Flyover Nation: You Can't Run a Country You've Never Been To

With its transgender "dear colleague" letter released today, the Obama administration has upped the stakes in "The New American Civil War" and dissed everyday citizens across the country. The administration's dragged the nation's schools more ferociously into the culture wars than's been seen in quite some time.

Dana Loesch's new book looks absolutely prescient in that respect. I can't wait to read it!

Available June 21st.

At Amazon, Flyover Nation: You Can't Run a Country You've Never Been To.

Deal of the Day: GreenWorks G-MAX 40V Tools

At Amazon, GreenWorks 24252 G-MAX 40V Li-Ion Cordless Variable Speed Sweeper-40V 2 AH Li-Ion Battery Inc., and GreenWorks 20312 DigiPro G-MAX 40V Li-Ion 16-Inch Cordless Chainsaw, (1) 4AH Battery and a Charger Inc.

More, Shop GreenWorks G-MAX 40V Tools.

Also, by Ibram X. Kendi, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America.

And Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.

Plus, from Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me.

BONUS: James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time.

Port Neches-Groves Superintendent Dr. Rodney Cavness Says Obama's Transgender 'Dear Colleague' Letter Is Going in the Shredder — #TNACW

Heh.

The New American Civil War is on!

At KBMT 12 News Beaumont, Texas, "PN-G ISD Superintendent on Obama admin's transgender letter: It's going in the paper shredder":

PORT NECHES - Port Neches-Groves Superintendent Dr. Rodney Cavness on Thursday slammed the Obama administration's expected letter which is set to tell districts to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choosing.

The letter, first reported by the New York Times, will reportedly be delivered to every public school in the country -- including those in Southeast Texas.

The letter reportedly will warn school and district leaders if they do not allow transgender students to use the bathroom for whichever gender they identify, the schools may run the risk of lawsuits or lose funding.

The Times reported the letter would not have the force of law, but it would be signed by officials with the Department of Justice and the Department of Education.

Dr. Cavness did not mince words when telling 12News anchor Kevin Steele:

"I got news for President Barack Obama. He ain't my President and he can't tell me what to do. That letter (to be released to all public schools tomorrow) is going straight to the paper shredder. I have 5 daughters myself and I have 2,500 girls in my protection. Their moms and dads expect me to protect them. And that is what I am going to do. Now I don't want them bullied... but there are accommodations that can be made short of this. He (President Obama) is destroying the very fiber of this country. He is not a leader. He is a failure."

When asked if there was fear about molestation of children at the core of the superintendent's concerns, Cavness said he did not feel that way.

"I would say about molesters -- 99.9% (in the bathroom) certainly aren't."

The subject of transgender students and school bathrooms has become a hot topic in recent days...

OMG LOL! That's what I'm talkin' about, heh!

Here's my previous entry, "Obama Administration to Force Schools to Establish Co-Ed Restrooms and Locker Rooms."

And at Memeorandum.

Donald Trump Disavows Former Butler Who Allegedly Called for Obama to Be Killed

This is, of course, from David Corn, the far-left smear merchant who runs a cottage industry of character assassination against Republican presidential candidates. Who can forget the "47 percent" attack video that was the beginning of the end for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.

At Mother Jones, via Memeorandum, "On Facebook, Trump's Longtime Butler Calls for Obama to Be Killed."

And at the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, "Trump campaign disavows former butler for saying Obama should be killed."

Obama Administration to Force Schools to Establish Co-Ed Restrooms and Locker Rooms

These aren't "gender neutral" accommodations. They're "co-ed," since immutable differences between boys and girls (and men and women) aren't changing. So if a so-called "transgender" (actually "gender dysphoric") individual insists they're the opposite gender to to their birth sex, the administration's going to force school districts across the country to toe the line.

Hey, it's a brave new world out there.

At the New York Times, "U.S. Directs Public Schools to Allow Transgender Access to Restrooms":

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is planning to issue a sweeping directive telling every public school district in the country to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms that match their gender identity.

A letter to school districts will go out Friday, adding to a highly charged debate over transgender rights in the middle of the administration’s legal fight with North Carolina over the issue. The declaration — signed by Justice and Education department officials — will describe what schools should do to ensure that none of their students are discriminated against.

It does not have the force of law, but it contains an implicit threat: Schools that do not abide by the Obama administration’s interpretation of the law could face lawsuits or a loss of federal aid.

The move is certain to draw fresh criticism, particularly from Republicans, that the federal government is wading into local matters and imposing its own values on communities across the country that may not agree. It represents the latest example of the Obama administration using a combination of policies, lawsuits and public statements to change the civil rights landscape for gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people.

After supporting the rights of gay people to marry, allowing them to serve openly in the military and prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating against them, the administration is wading into the battle over bathrooms and siding with transgender people.

“No student should ever have to go through the experience of feeling unwelcome at school or on a college campus,” John B. King Jr., the secretary of the Department of Education, said in a statement. “We must ensure that our young people know that whoever they are or wherever they come from, they have the opportunity to get a great education in an environment free from discrimination, harassment and violence.”

Courts have not settled the question of whether the nation’s sex discrimination laws apply in matters of gender identity. But administration officials, emboldened by a federal appeals court ruling in Virginia last month, think they have the upper hand. This week, the Justice Department and North Carolina sued each other over a state law that restricts access to bathrooms, locker rooms and changing rooms. The letter to school districts had been in the works for months, Justice Department officials said.

“A school may not require transgender students to use facilities inconsistent with their gender identity or to use individual-user facilities when other students are not required to do so,” according to the letter, a copy of which was provided to The New York Times.

A school’s obligation under federal law “to ensure nondiscrimination on the basis of sex requires schools to provide transgender students equal access to educational programs and activities even in circumstances in which other students, parents, or community members raise objections or concerns,” the letter states. “As is consistently recognized in civil rights cases, the desire to accommodate others’ discomfort cannot justify a policy that singles out and disadvantages a particular class of students.”

As soon as a child’s parent or legal guardian asserts a gender identity for the student that “differs from previous representations or records,” the letter says, the child is to be treated accordingly — without any requirement for a medical diagnosis or birth certificate to be produced. It says that schools may — but are not required to — provide other restroom and locker room options to students who seek “additional privacy” for whatever reason...

Well, what a relief!

And it'll be hilarious when at schools across the country students request "additional privacy" in mass, to the extent that they leave the entire locker room to the gender dysphoric students.

We're all fucked up these days.

And oh boy, Republicans are going to have a field day with this in the general election. It's going to be the nationalization of the Houston LBGT referendum clusterfuck.

Via Memeorandum.

ICYMI: Robert J. Gordon, The Rise and Fall of American Growth

Following-up on my previous entry, "Do We Really Need to Save Capitalism?"

Rana Foroohar argues the financial system no longer serves the economic interests of average Americans. See, Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business.

But as I argued, it's the collapse of economic growth, and the collapse of the leftist (previously "liberal") consensus to pursue pro-growth policies (rather than identity politics), that explains increasing inequality and the decline in public support for "capitalism."

I posted on Robert Gordon's new book on Saturday, "Professor Robert J. Gordon, The Rise and Fall of American Growth."

Here's the Amazon link, The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living since the Civil War.

And from the blurb:

In the century after the Civil War, an economic revolution improved the American standard of living in ways previously unimaginable. Electric lighting, indoor plumbing, home appliances, motor vehicles, air travel, air conditioning, and television transformed households and workplaces. With medical advances, life expectancy between 1870 and 1970 grew from forty-five to seventy-two years. Weaving together a vivid narrative, historical anecdotes, and economic analysis, The Rise and Fall of American Growth provides an in-depth account of this momentous era. But has that era of unprecedented growth come to an end?

Gordon challenges the view that economic growth can or will continue unabated, and he demonstrates that the life-altering scale of innovations between 1870 and 1970 can't be repeated. He contends that the nation's productivity growth, which has already slowed to a crawl, will be further held back by the vexing headwinds of rising inequality, stagnating education, an aging population, and the rising debt of college students and the federal government. Gordon warns that the younger generation may be the first in American history that fails to exceed their parents' standard of living, and that rather than depend on the great advances of the past, we must find new solutions to overcome the challenges facing us.

The key is productivity growth. It's been slowing down since the 1970s. Its robust restoration is the key to reviving living standards. I'd like to see more popular discussion of that, in contrast to all the pathetic leftist hand-wringing about "super capitalism" and "financialization," blah, blah.

Do We Really Need to Save Capitalism?

Rana Foroohar seems to think so, at Time, "American Capitalism’s Great Crisis":

This week's @TIME cover: American Capitalism’s Great Crisis https://t.co/fJ3Y5Hxgz2 via @RanaForoohar pic.twitter.com/ttvrFfKkvh

— TIMEPolitics (@TIMEPolitics) May 12, 2016

This explains Bernie and Trump: https://t.co/j9yQZOwbjs

— Rana Foroohar (@RanaForoohar) May 12, 2016

A couple of weeks ago, a poll conducted by the Harvard Institute of Politics found something startling: only 19% of Americans ages 18 to 29 identified themselves as “capitalists.” In the richest and most market-oriented country in the world, only 42% of that group said they “supported capitalism.” The numbers were higher among older people; still, only 26% considered themselves capitalists. A little over half supported the system as a whole.

This represents more than just millennials not minding the label “socialist” or disaffected middle-aged Americans tiring of an anemic recovery. This is a majority of citizens being uncomfortable with the country’s economic foundation—a system that over hundreds of years turned a fledgling society of farmers and prospectors into the most prosperous nation in human history. To be sure, polls measure feelings, not hard market data. But public sentiment reflects day-to-day economic reality. And the data (more on that later) shows Americans have plenty of concrete reasons to question their system.

This crisis of faith has had no more severe expression than the 2016 presidential campaign, which has turned on the questions of who, exactly, the system is working for and against, as well as why eight years and several trillions of dollars of stimulus on from the financial crisis, the economy is still growing so slowly. All the candidates have prescriptions: Sanders talks of breaking up big banks; Trump says hedge funders should pay higher taxes; Clinton wants to strengthen existing financial regulation. In Congress, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan remains committed to less regulation.

All of them are missing the point. America’s economic problems go far beyond rich bankers, too-big-to-fail financial institutions, hedge-fund billionaires, offshore tax avoidance or any particular outrage of the moment. In fact, each of these is symptomatic of a more nefarious condition that threatens, in equal measure, the very well-off and the very poor, the red and the blue. The U.S. system of market capitalism itself is broken. That problem, and what to do about it, is at the center of my book Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business, a three-year research and reporting effort from which this piece is adapted.

To understand how we got here, you have to understand the relationship between capital markets—meaning the financial system—and businesses. From the creation of a unified national bond and banking system in the U.S. in the late 1790s to the early 1970s, finance took individual and corporate savings and funneled them into productive enterprises, creating new jobs, new wealth and, ultimately, economic growth. Of course, there were plenty of blips along the way (most memorably the speculation leading up to the Great Depression, which was later curbed by regulation). But for the most part, finance—which today includes everything from banks and hedge funds to mutual funds, insurance firms, trading houses and such—essentially served business. It was a vital organ but not, for the most part, the central one.

Over the past few decades, finance has turned away from this traditional role. Academic research shows that only a fraction of all the money washing around the financial markets these days actually makes it to Main Street businesses. “The intermediation of household savings for productive investment in the business sector—the textbook description of the financial sector—constitutes only a minor share of the business of banking today,” according to academics Oscar Jorda, Alan Taylor and Moritz Schularick, who’ve studied the issue in detail. By their estimates and others, around 15% of capital coming from financial institutions today is used to fund business investments, whereas it would have been the majority of what banks did earlier in the 20th century.

“The trend varies slightly country by country, but the broad direction is clear,” says Adair Turner, a former British banking regulator and now chairman of the Institute for New Economic Thinking, a think tank backed by George Soros, among others. “Across all advanced economies, and the United States and the U.K. in particular, the role of the capital markets and the banking sector in funding new investment is decreasing.” Most of the money in the system is being used for lending against existing assets such as housing, stocks and bonds.

To get a sense of the size of this shift, consider that the financial sector now represents around 7% of the U.S. economy, up from about 4% in 1980. Despite currently taking around 25% of all corporate profits, it creates a mere 4% of all jobs. Trouble is, research by numerous academics as well as institutions like the Bank for International Settlements and the International Monetary Fund shows that when finance gets that big, it starts to suck the economic air out of the room. In fact, finance starts having this adverse effect when it’s only half the size that it currently is in the U.S. Thanks to these changes, our economy is gradually becoming “a zero-sum game between financial wealth holders and the rest of America,” says former Goldman Sachs banker Wallace Turbeville, who runs a multiyear project on the rise of finance at the New York City—based nonprofit Demos.

It’s not just an American problem, either. Most of the world’s leading market economies are grappling with aspects of the same disease. Globally, free-market capitalism is coming under fire, as countries across Europe question its merits and emerging markets like Brazil, China and Singapore run their own forms of state-directed capitalism. An ideologically broad range of financiers and elite business managers—Warren Buffett, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, Vanguard’s John Bogle, McKinsey’s Dominic Barton, Allianz’s Mohamed El-Erian and others—have started to speak out publicly about the need for a new and more inclusive type of capitalism, one that also helps businesses make better long-term decisions rather than focusing only on the next quarter. The Pope has become a vocal critic of modern market capitalism, lambasting the “idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy” in which “man is reduced to one of his needs alone: consumption.”

During my 23 years in business and economic journalism, I’ve long wondered why our market system doesn’t serve companies, workers and consumers better than it does. For some time now, finance has been thought by most to be at the very top of the economic hierarchy, the most aspirational part of an advanced service economy that graduated from agriculture and manufacturing. But research shows just how the unintended consequences of this misguided belief have endangered the very system America has prided itself on exporting around the world.

America’s economic illness has a name: financialization. It’s an academic term for the trend by which Wall Street and its methods have come to reign supreme in America, permeating not just the financial industry but also much of American business. It includes everything from the growth in size and scope of finance and financial activity in the economy; to the rise of debt-fueled speculation over productive lending; to the ascendancy of shareholder value as the sole model for corporate governance; to the proliferation of risky, selfish thinking in both the private and public sectors; to the increasing political power of financiers and the CEOs they enrich; to the way in which a “markets know best” ideology remains the status quo. Financialization is a big, unfriendly word with broad, disconcerting implications.

University of Michigan professor Gerald Davis, one of the pre-eminent scholars of the trend, likens financialization to a “Copernican revolution” in which business has reoriented its orbit around the financial sector. This revolution is often blamed on bankers. But it was facilitated by shifts in public policy, from both sides of the aisle, and crafted by the government leaders, policymakers and regulators entrusted with keeping markets operating smoothly.

This is: "Economics for Dummy Leftists."

All the sources and experts cited are leftists. They hate capitalism, a term invented by Karl Marx to demonize free market economics.

The trend Faroohar is describing here is simply change. Markets and finance are changing, and innovation and concentration in the finance sector isn't a cause of growing inequality or the public despair over sluggishness.

What's harming the average worker, and preventing more regular people from improving their income and wealth, is stagnating GDP. The economy is growing at 0.5 percent. No wonder the titans of finance are the only ones who're better off. There's no rising tide to lift all boats. The Obama administration's obsessed with the phony campus rape crisis and gender neutral restrooms. Democrats don't care about improving the economic prospects of average Americans. Now that's depressing. And what's more depressing is how economically illiterate all these hacks are, from the so-called financial journalists quick to blame the "system" to the idiot Millennials who wouldn't know a production possibilities frontier if it hit them upside the head.

Keep reading, FWIW.

'American' identity is 'the most blatant microaggression...'

At Campus Reform.

College campuses are the most fervid hotbeds of leftist radicalism. From antiwar ideology, deconstruction, to Israel apartheid (now "anti-Zionism"), America's campuses have long been the breeding grounds of postmodern leftist hatred. Soon enough, the regressive bilge leaks into the mainstream culture.

Just being American is racist nowadays. I'm sure there'll be a "modern family" style television show on racist microaggressions soon enough.

#UVA #student calls ‘American’ identity ‘the most blatant microaggression’: https://t.co/PdeL2DKA9c pic.twitter.com/8fx52Qqq1V

— Campus Reform (@campusreform) May 11, 2016

Finished: Kim R. Holmes, The Closing of the Liberal Mind

I finished The Closing of the Liberal Mind over the weekend.

The book's a quick read, but it's heavyweight in its implications. I'll be keeping my copy next to my bedside for a ready reference, and for periodic review. Especially good are Holmes' theory chapters, on the ideology of classical liberalism, and particularly on postmodern leftism and leftist authoritarianism. I can't recommend these enough, mainly because these chapters represent the best, most concise recent writings on the nature of the contemporary radical left, and the threat leftism poses to the American political and cultural order.

I have two quibbles: One, I was perturbed by Holmes' discussion of Dylann Roof, and especially how he mistakenly characterized Roof as a "white supremacist" who represents the "intolerance and bigotry" of "the right." Holmes writes that the 2015 Charleston attack "shows that a violent strain of racial hatred still exists on the far right in America." As readers may recall, I showed here that Roof isn't on the right. In fact, Roof's an "emo-prog" leftist, and frankly, the photo of Roof burning the American flag should have been enough evidence to figure that out without all of this about the "far right," a discussion which draws on leftist and MSM tropes seeking to demonize conservatives. I'll speak to Holmes about this personally if I meet him, perhaps at a book signing or something.

Two, Holmes provides a powerful explanation of why leftists are not liberals, offering a definition of what we normally refer to as "progressives" as "postmodern leftists." This is really perfect terminology, and easy to use. The problem is that Holmes, after offering these terms, in fact doesn't use them consistently himself. I didn't count, but Holmes used the term "progressive liberals" more than other other combination of terminology, which was frustrating because the whole point of his chapter 2, "The Rise of the Postmodern Left," was to reclaim "liberalism" for the classic meaning of the word as a political orientation favoring limits on government power, free exchange of ideas, free enterprise economics, and tolerance of political and religious differences. I was basically furrowing my brows throughout the book whenever Holmes abandoned his defined terminology and relapsed back into talking about postmodern radical leftists as "progressive liberals."

That's about it. As noted, I particularly enjoyed the book's parsimoniousness. It's largely a pleasure to read, and I had a couple of "aha" moments as well, always a good indicator of scholarly success.

In any case, I definitely recommend the book to my readers. It's a must-have item for your library.

Check it out at Amazon, The Closing of the Liberal Mind: How Groupthink and Intolerance Define the Left.

How Marriage Influences Male Economic Success (VIDEO)

Here's Brad Wilcox, for Prager University.



And check out his study, "For Richer, For Poorer: How Family Structures Economic Success in America."

Here Comes the Anti-Trump Summer of Hate

From the inimitable Zombie, at Pajamas, "Inside the Anti-Trump Circus: Here Comes the Summer of Hate — Protest Outside Donald Trump's Appearance at the California Republican Convention, April 29, 2016."

Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose Hugged by Prime Minister Trudeau After Her Speech on Fort McMurray (VIDEO)

At the CBC, "Fort McMurray wildfire: Justin Trudeau to survey damage on Friday."

And watch, "Ambrose hugged by Trudeau after speech."

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory Defends State's So-Called 'Bathroom Bill' (VIDEO)

Watch, at CNN, "North Carolina governor defends bathroom law."

And at the Charlotte Observer, "Feds enter HB2 case against North Carolina with solid record of victories: But so-called Title VII lawsuits can take years to resolve."

BONUS: From Kelsey Harkness, at the Daily Signal, "51 Families Sue Over Illinois High School’s Transgender Bathroom Policy."

The culture war's really coming to a head. Frankly, the GOP should run on culture issues and turn the left's moral degeneracy into a national referendum. We could see Houston writ large.

Pew Research Center: America's Shrinking Middle Class

At Pew:

Who is "middle income" and "upper income" in 2014? https://t.co/jz76pj9h6y https://t.co/drKOo36oGw

— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) May 12, 2016

And at the Los Angeles Times:

From coast to coast, middle-class communities are shrinking https://t.co/wgdlO2qKj4 pic.twitter.com/Oh3aAzBqpA

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 12, 2016

Well, the Democrats promised hope and change. Folks are a bit tuckered out on the hope amid all this change.

Sheldon Adelson Thinks Donald Trump 'will be good for Israel...'

I think so too.

At the New York Times:

Sheldon Adelson, the casino magnate, says he thinks Donald Trump “will be good for Israel.” https://t.co/5mYHQWskcr pic.twitter.com/ipicOvsCbn

— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) May 6, 2016

Brittny Ward

She's a sweetie!

💋 pic.twitter.com/J0EIoi8h8w

— Brittny Ward (@brittnyward) April 11, 2016

More, "Jenson Button’s latest model Brittny Ward shows off her impressive bodywork: Playboy bunny gets steamy in exclusive Sun photoshoot."

General Michael Hayden: The Terrorist Threat Today vs. September 11 (VIDEO)

Via the American Enterprise Institution:

Jackie Johnson's Morning Clouds, Afternoon Sunshine Forecast

Today was a "typically sunny" day, but it's going to warm up through the weekend.

Via CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

Assignment America: A Look at What Makes Texas Texas

At the New York Times.

Thank goodness some Americans are determined to preserve their heritage and values.

What makes Texas Texas https://t.co/jfY813VjmC pic.twitter.com/iyo61lciLh

— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 7, 2016

Deal of the Day: Up to 50% Off Military and Tactical Boots

At Amazon, Bates Men's Ultra-Lites 8 Inches Tactical Sport Side-Zip Boot.

And more, Military & Tactical Boots.

Also, TaoTronics LED Desk Lamp, Gooseneck Table Lamp 7W, Touch Control, 7 Brightness Levels.

Plus, Save on Kimberly-Clark Kleenex Facial Tissue, White.

Still more, Introducing Amazon Oasis - Reimagined Design. Perfectly Balanced.

Also, Fire Tablet, 7" Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB - Includes Special Offers, Black.

BONUS: Richard Overy, Why the Allies Won.

Obama to Visit Hiroshima; Talk of Atomic Bomb Apology Stirs Controversy (VIDEO)

I swear if Obama utters even the slightest inkling of an apology I think I'll just die.

The White House denied suggestions that O would apologize, but I'm not buying it.

At USA Today, "Obama to visit Hiroshima to promote nuke-free world."

CNN's Sara Murray Reports on Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll (VIDEO)

Following up, "Donald Trump Running Neck-and-Neck with Hillary Clinton in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania."

Medieval Reenactor Brings Down Drone with Spear (VIDEO)

Heh.

This is pretty good.

Donald Trump Running Neck-and-Neck with Hillary Clinton in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania

This is freakin' awesome, heh.

At Quinnipiac, "CLINTON-TRUMP CLOSE IN FLORIDA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA,QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY SWING STATE POLL FINDS."

And hey, the white working class voters the Democrats have consistently demonized? They're not loving Hillary at all:

Florida—Trump wins whites 52%—33%.

Pennsylvania—Trump wins whites 48%-37%.

Ohio—Trump wins whites 49%—32%.

More at Bloomberg:

Clinton-Trump Race Tight in Three Battlegrounds: Quinnipiac Poll https://t.co/qCv6AWsw8r via @bpolitics

— Jennifer S. Carroll (@MrsJSCarroll) May 11, 2016

I'm Going to Vote for Trump Though It Makes Me Want to Projectile Vomit (VIDEO)

Well, at least he's going to hold his nose and do the right thing. I suspect you'll see more and more so-called #NeverTrump folks do this as well. Those who don't in the end are grandstanding bitches.

From Kurt Schlichter, at Town Hall, "I intend to vote for Donald Trump, and just typing those words makes me throw up a little."

Hillary Clinton Crushed in Coal Country of West Virginia

Ouch.

At Instapundit, "CRACKS IN THE FOUNDATION: Clinton Faces Hard Reality Of Unity In Trump Country."

Click through for the Ruby Cramer piece at BuzzFeed.

also, striking scnes of anger at/resistance to HRC & WJC across W.Va. as Clinton promises to unify https://t.co/4ihYfjzpjp

— Ruby Cramer (@rubycramer) May 11, 2016

And extra harsh piling on, from the Hill. The Democrats are going to be nominating a train wreck of a standard-bearer. I love it!

West Va. exit polls show nearly half of Sanders voters would vote Trump in November https://t.co/V2e8mAxss6 pic.twitter.com/icEOju0RrY

— The Hill (@thehill) May 11, 2016

Jackie Johnson's Morning Clouds with Afternoon Sunshine Forecast

I'm forecasting some tight bright yellow dresses, heh.

Here's the lovely Jackie Johnson, via CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

Donald Trump Will Stop the Ongoing Destruction of Our Country

From Bruce Kesler, at Maggie's Farm, "Where does loyalty belong?":

I am from the school of loyalty belonging in God, family, country, in that order. When it comes to voting, my loyalty does not belong to any individual or political party. My vote belongs to me. And, I have an obligation to behave responsibly and sensibly with my vote.

In that vein, whether I am a lifelong Republican or conservative is important, but only in so far as my deeply held beliefs are furthered or protected. Many Republicans or conservatives are disaffected or in pique by the apparent triumph of Donald Trump. However, for me, Trump does not get my vote because I am a Republican or conservative but because the alternatives are far worse in a continuation of the Democrats' ongoing literal destruction of our ethics, our economy, and our national security, while in actuality doing relatively less to upraise the unfortunate than to tie them into being lackeys of the central government instead of their own initiative, compounded by our citizen poor being undercut by uncontrolled inflows of foreign competitors for jobs and public funds. To not vote is to vote for the continuation of the past 8-years of the outright assault on the very fiber of the United States...

Still more.

Heather Mac Donald, The War on Cops

This looks fantastic!

Heather Mac Donald has been absolutely on fire this last couple of years with her commentary and reporting on the insidious "Black Lives Matter" movement. Her new book is destined to be a blockbuster.

Awesome.

It's out June 21st.

Pre-order at Amazon, The War on Cops: How the New Attack on Law and Order Makes Everyone Less Safe.

Hillary Clinton Revives the 'War on Women'

Heh.

The Dems are attacking Donald Trump as a misogynist, so they shouldn't be surprised when husband Bill's manifold sexual predations become inflammatory campaign fodder.

At the New York Times, "Hillary Clinton Says She Won't Respond to Donald Trump's Attacks About Her Husband":

Clinton paid $850,000 to Paula Jones to settle a long-running sexual harassment lawsuit #Trump2016 pic.twitter.com/KjZ3jkK057

— Immigrants☆4☆Trump (@immigrant4trump) May 10, 2016

After Donald J. Trump opened a line of attack on Hillary and Bill Clinton over the former president’s conduct toward women, Mrs. Clinton made clear on Monday that she did not intend to argue with Mr. Trump over the subject.

“I’m going to let him run his campaign however he chooses,” Mrs. Clinton told reporters after a campaign event in Northern Virginia.

In recent days, Mr. Trump, now the presumptive Republican nominee, has invoked Mr. Clinton’s sexual past, describing Mrs. Clinton as an “enabler” and suggesting that she has no credibility to question his own treatment of women.

Asked on Monday if she thought she would at some point have to respond on the subject, Mrs. Clinton said, “I’m answering him on what I think voters care about.” She added that she had “been very clear that a lot of his rhetoric is not only reckless, it’s dangerous.”

“I’m running my campaign,” Mrs. Clinton said. “I’m not running against him. He’s doing a fine job of doing that himself.”

In other words, she's getting off the war on women topic, lest she gets burned.

Relatives of Top Nazi Leaders Had Themselves Sterilized to Prevent Giving Birth to 'Monsters'

Well, this is one of those times where I can't say I disagree.

My god.

Talk about a living hell, 24/7, 365 days a year, you'd never have any relief from being the offspring of the Nazis.

At London's Daily Mail, "Bad blood: Hermann Goering's niece reveals she had herself sterilised rather than risk giving birth to 'a monster' as relatives of infamous Nazis reveal how their family ties have blighted them."

And I'm reading The Order of the Death's Head: The Story of Hitler's SS, so the imagery of evil here is all the more immediate and horrifying.

'Isis' — Muslim Student, Sponsored by CAIR, Breaks Silence on Rancho Cucamonga Yearbook Mishap (VIDEO)

Bare Naked Islam reports, "In CALIPHORNIA, if you think it’s cool to dress like an ISIS jihadi bride for your yearbook photo, this is what happens."

Actually, the yearbook staff made an honest mistake, albeit unfortunate, considering.

According to ABC 7 Los Angeles:

The school district said there was a student at Rancho Cucamonga High School named Isis Phillips, but she transferred earlier this year.

School officials also confirmed Zehlif was not the only person on two pages to have the wrong name under their picture.

"We are, at this point, involved in an investigation on how this could occur," said one spokesperson.

Some students said they think the mistake was being blown out of proportion.

"The yearbook is kind of notoriously known for, you know, mixing up names, making mistakes," said Ethan Espinoza, a student at the school.

But it's an issue that Zehlif takes seriously...

Of course. She's got the CAIR litigation jihadists to shake down the school district and propagandize this case into a wildly inflated instance of "Islamophobia."

More at CBS News 2 Los Angeles, "Muslim Student Wrongly Identified in Yearbook as ‘Isis’ Says She's 'Sad,' 'Embarrassed'."

CAIR "hasn't rule out" taking legal action, naturally.

Jackie Johnson's Tuesday Clearing Forecast

The lovely Jackie Johnson's back for this week's weather reporting.

At CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley Moved to Tears by Fort McMurray Wildfires (VIDEO)

Well, I doubt Ezra Levant and the folks at the Rebel credit the premiere's sincerity here.

Via Telegraph UK:



PREVIOUSLY: "Eco-Freaks Exploit and Demonize Fossil Fuels During Ft. McMurray Wildfires (VIDEO)."

Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman Black Bikinis in Miami (PHOTOS)

At Egotastic!, "Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman Black Bikini Hotties."

Also, at London's Daily Mail, "'It's been a real struggle': Devin Brugman reveals her busty assets were the reason she and Natasha Oakley created an activewear line."

They're hot. Ms. Brugman is spectacular. Man.

FLASHBACK: "'A Bikini A Day' Founder Devin Brugman Blasts Bodacious Bikini in Miami Beach."

The 'Never Trump' Pouters

From David Horowitz, at Big Government, "The conservatives who have declared war on the primary victor are displaying a myopia that could be deadly in November when Donald Trump will lead Republicans against a party that has divided the country, destroyed its borders, empowered its enemies, and put 93 million Americans into dependency on the state":

The ‘Never Trump’ Pouters
Reckless disregard
Insanity instead of putting #AmericaFirst 🔽🔽https://t.co/BxND2fbe4G pic.twitter.com/WgLQqt1OQ9

— Kristin Billitere (@SpecialKMB1969) May 9, 2016

This reckless disregard for consequences is matched only by a blindness to what has made Trump the presumptive nominee. When he entered the Republican primaries a year ago, Trump was given no chance of surviving even the first contest, let alone becoming the Republican nominee. That was the view of all the experts, and especially those experts with the best records of prediction.

Trump — who had never held political office and had no experience in any political job — faced a field of sixteen tested political leaders, including nine governors and five senators from major states. Most of his political opponents were conservatives. During the primaries, several hundred million dollars were spent in negative campaign ads — nastier and more personal than in any Republican primary in memory. At least 60,000 of those ads were aimed at Trump, attacking him as a fraud, a corporate predator, a not-so-closet liberal, an ally of Hillary Clinton, indistinguishable from Barack Obama, an ignoramus, and too crass to be president (Bill Clinton, anyone?).

These negative ads were directed at Republican primary voters, a constituency well to the right of the party. These primary voters are a constituency that may be said to represent the heart of the conservative movement in America and are generally more politically engaged and informed than most Republican voters. Trump won their support. He won by millions of votes — more votes from this conservative heartland than any Republican in primary history. To describe Trump as ignorant — as so many Beltway intellectuals have — is merely to privilege book knowledge over real-world knowledge, not an especially wise way to judge political leaders.

A chorus of detractors has attempted to dismiss Trump’s political victory as representing a mere plurality of primary voters, but how many candidates have won outright majorities among a field of seventeen, or five, or even three? When the Republican primary contest was actually reduced to three, Trump beat the “true conservative,” Ted Cruz, with more than fifty percent of the votes. He did this in blue states and red states, in virtually all precincts and among all Republican demographics. He clinched the nomination by beating Cruz with an outright majority in conservative Indiana.

In opposing the clear choice of the Republican primary electorate, the “Never Trump” crowd is simply displaying their contempt for the most politically active Republican voters. This contempt was dramatically displayed during a CNN segment with Trump’s spokeswoman, Katrina Pierson, and Bill Kristol, the self-appointed guru of a Third Party movement whose only result can be to split the Republican ticket and provide Hillary with her best shot at the presidency.

Pierson urged Kristol to help unify the Party behind its presumptive nominee. Kristol grinned and answered her: “You want leaders to become followers.” Could there be a more arrogant response? By what authority does Bill Kristol regard himself as a leader? Trump has the confidence of millions of highly committed and generally conservative Republican voters. That makes him a leader. Who does Bill Kristol lead except a coterie of inside-the-Beltway foreign policy interventionists, who supported the fiasco in Libya that opened the door to al-Qaeda and ISIS?

I say this as someone who has written three books supporting the intervention in Iraq and who thinks Trump is dead wrong on this issue. However, I also understand that the Bush administration did not defend the war the Democrats sabotaged, allowing its critics to turn it into a bad war in the eyes of the American people. Consequently, Trump’s attack on the intervention is a smart political move that will allow him to win over many Democrat, Independent, and even conservative voters who think Iraq was a mistake and do not appreciate the necessity of that war or the tragedy of the Democrats’ opposition to it. You can’t reverse historical judgments in election year sound bites. Understanding this, instinctively or otherwise, makes Trump politically smarter than his Washington detractors.

Conservatives like Kristol claim to oppose Trump on principles but then turn to Mitt Romney for a Third Party run. This is the same Mitt Romney who, as governor of Massachusetts, was the father of Obamacare but ran against Obamacare in 2012. So much for principles...

Keep reading.

I love David Horowitz.

I'm personally flabbergasted at how puerile and nasty these "Never Trump" pouters have become. They're off-putting, to say the very least.

Eco-Freaks Exploit and Demonize Fossil Fuels During Ft. McMurray Wildfires (VIDEO)

The sick far-left prog Elizabeth Kolbert exemplifies the leftist hatred, at the New Yorker, "Fort McMurray and the Fires of Climate Change."

And see even the mainstream (craven) take at LAT, "Wildfire at Fort McMurray quickly overtakes Canada's environmental debate."

Meanwhile, check out this killer video featuring Holly Nicholas, at the Rebel.

Facts. Those pesky facts leftists hate, lol.

Angela Davis, Freedom Is a Constant Struggle

I met Angela Davis at a book signing in Los Angeles years ago.

My older sister got to know her after attending one of her courses at San Francisco State. This was back in the 1980s. I was still a Democrat. Little did I know just how nasty a leftist Angela Davis is.

I read her autobiography at the time, but was still fawning and doe-eyed. Not so much now.

In any case, I picked up a copy of her book, Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement.

Know your enemies, people. If you wonder why I read these books, even pay for them. I always make it a point to know my enemies, and to have read their works. I'm usually better read on all the collectivist cant than my faculty colleagues at work, to say nothing of the idiot trolls online.

I'll have more later, as always.

Deal of the Day: Eton Rugged Rukus Smartphone-Charging Speaker

Solar powered. Heh, that's pretty cool.

At Amazon, Eton Rugged Rukus The solar-powered, Bluetooth-ready, smartphone-charging speaker.

Also, NeverKink 5/8-Inch by 100-Feet Series 3000 Extra Heavy Duty Garden Hose.

More, from Katie Pavlich, Assault and Flattery: The Truth About the Left and Their War on Women.

And Ann Coulter, Never Trust a Liberal Over 3-Especially a Republican.

Kate Obenshain, Divider-in-Chief: The Fraud of Hope and Change.

From Michelle Malkin, Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies.

BONUS: Jedediah Bila, Outnumbered: Chronicles of a Manhattan Conservative.

Facebook Routinely Censors Conservative Viewpoints

So what else is new?

I already hate Facebook. I use it to post links a couple of times a week, and that's it. Once my old high school classmates found me on the network, and they all turned about to be idiot progressives, that pretty much ruined the experience --- to say nothing of all the data tracking bullshit.

We're pretty much screwed in the social media age.

At Gizmodo, via Memeorandum, "Former Facebook Workers: We Routinely Suppressed Conservative News."

Actually, I saw this headline last night, at RWN, "BREAKING Former Facebook Workers: We Routinely Suppressed Conservative News."

Who Is the Mysterious Spaniard Leaking Game of Thrones Plots?

Heh.

I hate Game of Thrones spoilers!

At Heat Street, "Meet Frikidoctor, the Premiere Game of Thrones Spoiler."

Planned Parenthood Helping Transgender Patients With Sex Changes by Offering Hormone Treatment

I tweeted this story out the other day, from my iPhone.

Planned Parenthood isn't about family planning. It's about fomenting the cultural Marxist revolutionary overthrow of traditional order.

At Blazing Cat Fur.

Obama on Trump: 'This Isn't Entertainment...'

Heh.

From Ace, "Really asshole?"

Ampibia Evo Audio Bluetooth Wireless Shockproof Shower Speaker Radio: Bigger Speaker! Better Sound!

At Amazon, Ampibia Evo Audio Bluetooth Wireless Shockproof Shower Speaker Radio, IP67 Handsfree Portable 5W Speakerphone with Built in Mic, Premium Smooth Black Fully Waterproof Guaranteed!

Paul McCartney, in Interview, Compares Global Warming Skeptics to Holocaust Deniers

There's gotta be some law on celebrities that their brains go to jelly over "global warming" at some point in their careers. And I've been cutting Paul McCartney so much slack, heh.

Via Ed Driscoll, at Instapundit, "THE FOOL ON THE HILL."

Amber Lee's Monday Forecast

It's gonna be a nice day.

Via CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

Pamela Geller Will Support Donald Trump

At the Daily Beast.

Pamela knows Trump will be better than anything the Democrats put up.

White House Press Corps Asks Obama Three Questions About Trump, None About Ben Rhodes.

From Ed Driscoll, at Instapundit, "JUST THINK OF THEM AS DEMOCRAT OPERATIVES WITH BYLINES, AND IT ALL MAKES SENSE."

Also, from Dan Nexon, at Duck of Minerva, "The White House Pushes for its Policies, and Other Surprises from Ben Rhodes."

Postmodern foreign policy.

FWIW, Samuels' appears to be walking a very fine line in the piece. /1

— Daniel Nexon (@dhnexon) May 6, 2016

Here's his inference from the 'grand deception' of focusing on the 2013-2015 round & critics are seizing upon: 2/ pic.twitter.com/HZeUSEoggj

— Daniel Nexon (@dhnexon) May 6, 2016

Here's the *only* supporting evidence he offers from Rhodes — which is not actually from the interview: 3/ pic.twitter.com/CIyRwOEzvC

— Daniel Nexon (@dhnexon) May 6, 2016

These are NOT the same argument. One is about trying to 'end cycles of conflict,' the other is about unravelling US alliances 4/

— Daniel Nexon (@dhnexon) May 6, 2016

This is basically just Samuels offering his own theory and wrapping it in orthogonal statements and evidence 5/

— Daniel Nexon (@dhnexon) May 6, 2016

Sarah Palin Endorses Paul Ryan Challenger Paul Nehlen (VIDEO)

Via Linda Suhler, on Twitter.

And on CNN this morning:



The full interview is here.

Orwell, Politics and the English Language

Everything's Orwellian these day.

Maybe folks might want to get up on the great essayist's writings.

At Amazon, George Orwell, Politics and the English Language and Other Essays.

Also, Why I Write.

BONUS: 1984. (The Erich Fromm afterword in this Signet pocket edition is excellent, reminding us that 1984 isn't just about totalitarian regimes like the Soviet Union under Stalin. It's about us too.)

Hillary Clinton Apologizes to Laid-Off Miner for Comments on Putting 'Coal Companies Out of Business...' (VIDEO)

Here's the full video, at Yahoo, "Hillary Clinton apologizes to laid-off coal miner for comments."

And at WSJ, "Laid-Off Coal Worker Wants Explanation From Hillary Clinton":

WILLIAMSON, W.Va. – When Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton said in March that she would put a lot of coal miners out of business, Bo Copley took it personally.

On Monday, the laid-off coal worker from this struggling Appalachian community came face to face with the former secretary of state and called her to account for her remarks.

“I just want to know how you can say you’re going to put a lot of coal miners out of jobs and then come in here and tell us how you’re going to be our friend,” Mr. Copley said.

During a roundtable discussion in a county that has been ravaged by coal-industry layoffs, Mrs. Clinton sought to make amends for remarks that sparked a furor in Appalachia. In March, she predicted that coal companies would be put out of business during a Clinton administration. She added that those workers should not be forgotten and spoke about her plans to boost the economy in coal country, but her comments landed with a thud here in Appalachia.

On Monday, the former secretary of state told Mr. Copley that she had misspoken. During a campaign stop in West Virginia, Mrs. Clinton said she meant to suggest that the area was on a path to continued job losses, but that she would act to boost the economy in this depressed region. In November, she released a $30 billion plan aimed at revitalizing communities dependent on coal production.

“What I said was totally out of context from what I meant,” Mrs. Clinton said. “It was a misstatement.”

Mr. Copley, who is 39, choked up as he showed Mrs. Clinton a picture of his family and spoke about other coal workers who have lost their livelihood.

“When you make comments like we’re going to put a lot of coal miners out jobs, these are the kind of people that you’re affecting,” he said.

Such an emotional and frank exchange is a rarity on the campaign trail, where candidates speak to friendly crowds and seldom are compelled to answer their detractors. Mrs. Clinton thanked Mr. Copley for raising the issue, saying “it’s important to put it out on the table.”

She added that regardless of whether West Virginia supports her, she would work to help the state, acknowledging that she faces a steep challenge in the Democratic primary there on May 10...

Still more.

Turn Your Desktop Computer or Laptop Into the Ultimate Sound System

At Amazon, AmazonBasics USB Powered Computer Speakers (A100).

Keep English. Vote Ron Unz!

Heh.

He's actually looking a little worse for the wear, but no doubt he's still got the fire down below.

At the San Francisco Chronicle, "Ron Unz’s U.S. Senate race raises concerns of splintered GOP vote":

Republican Ron Unz may have jumped into the high-profile race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, but he’s not drafting the speech he’s planning to deliver on the Senate floor in January.

“I’m an honest person, and I say what I believe,” said Unz, a Palo Alto software developer and entrepreneur who made an unsuccessful GOP primary bid for governor in 1994. “Sure, I could say I’m going to be the next senator, but that wouldn’t be honest.”

A Field Poll earlier this month shows just how tough a road Unz and other Republicans face in the Senate race, where only the top two finishers, regardless of party, advance to the November general election.

Democrat Kamala Harris, the state attorney general, leads the field at 27 percent among likely voters, followed by Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Santa Ana, with 14 percent support. None of the top three Republicans — Unz, Walnut Creek attorney Tom Del Beccaro and Palo Alto mediator Duf Sundheim — had more than 5 percent backing.

Instead of being in it to win it, Unz is using his Senate run to battle a measure on the November ballot that would repeal much of 1998’s Proposition 227, an initiative he sponsored — and bankrolled — that banned bilingual education in California public schools.

Focusing primarily on repeal

Unz isn’t making a secret of his plan to shove aside many of the typical issues of the Senate race to focus on a measure that’s not even on the June 7 primary ballot. His campaign business card, for example, reads, “Keep English. Vote Ron Unz!”

“The overwhelming factor (for his Senate run) was the absurd effort by the Legislature to repeal Prop. 227,” Unz said.

When the Legislature overwhelmingly voted in 2014 for SB1174, which put the repeal on this November’s ballot, Unz first thought about organizing an opposition campaign.

“But I decided the best way to get focus (on the repeal) was to get into a race,” he said. “It gives me a platform.”

Unz took out papers for the Senate race on the Monday before the deadline and returned them two days later on March 16, the last day possible.

“I really had to scramble,” he said.

Unz’s spur-of-the-moment decision blew up the careful plans of the other Republicans in the race, Sundheim admitted.

Still more.