42 of the Best Bums From the World Cup

Well, here's something to boost your entertainment while Team USA plays Portugal.

At Social Hype, "45 Best Soccer Bums" (via Linkiest).

Mayor Bill de Blasio Family Attends Coney Island Mermaid Parade 2014

Well, they really do represent Blue America!

At the New York Post, "Pirate Bill and the de BLUEsios: NYC mayor in Mermaid Parade."

RELATED: At FrontPage Magazine, "Bill de Blasio’s Communist Pals," and "Comrade De Blasio Takes Over."

Sen. Rand Paul Goes All Isolationist on #Iraq

I'd been warming up to Rand Paul these last few years, especially after his foreign policy speech at the Heritage Foundation.

But I'm not so sure now. It doesn't sound like he knows what he's talking about.

Here's the short clip of his Candy Crowley interview below, and the longer version here, "Rand Paul: We armed ISIS' allies in Syria to fight them in Iraq."



He sounds like a leftist.

More from Pat Dollard:

So many Republicans have been conned by lying, libertarian filth like @SenRandPaul into thinking that libertarianism is something it isn't
— Patrick Dollard (@PatDollard) June 22, 2014

WATCH, MORON OF THE CENTURY-@SenRandPaul: Stopping A Terror Attack On The U.S. Is Not 'A Clear-Cut American Interest' http://t.co/ObksspObZZ
— Patrick Dollard (@PatDollard) June 22, 2014

WATCH - @SenRandPaul: Blame Bush For Return Of Al Qaeda Power In Iraq Since Last Year, Not Obama http://t.co/4jjjRDfsjn #teaparty #lnyhbt
— Patrick Dollard (@PatDollard) June 22, 2014

Also at NBC, "Sen. Rand Paul's Full Interview on Meet the Press."

BONUS: From Darleen at Protein Wisdom, "Re: Iraq and The Left’s politics of Shut-uppery."

Poland Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski Blasts Obama Administration: U.S. Alliance is 'Worthless, Harmful...'

Caught on tape, as did Victoria Nuland, expressing how he really feels.

And you gotta love it!

At Time, "Report: Poland’s Foreign Minister Blasts ‘Worthless’ U.S. Relationship."

And also at the Washington Post, "Report: Polish minister says US ties worthless":

WARSAW, Poland — A Polish magazine said Sunday it has obtained recordings of a conversation in which Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski says the country’s strong alliance with the U.S. “isn’t worth anything” and is “even harmful because it creates a false sense of security.”

In a short transcript of the conversation, a person identified as Sikorski by the magazine Wprost tells former finance minister, Jacek Rostowski, that Poles naively believe the U.S. bolsters their security. Using vulgar language, the person argues that such beliefs are nonsense, and that the Polish-U.S. alliance alienates the Russians and Germans. There has been no official confirmation that it is Sikorski who speaks in the conversation.

Wprost last week set off a political storm in Poland with the release of a recording of a conversation between central bank head Marek Belka and Interior Minister Bartlomiej Sienkiewicz. In the recording the two discussed how the bank could help the governing party win re-election in 2015, an apparent violation of the bank’s independence.

That publication has already threatened to bring down the government of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and the new recording is expected to add to the troubles. Although the latest conversation doesn’t reveal any illegal actions, the strong language and opinions would likely put the foreign minister on the defensive if they are confirmed to be true.

And the Guardian UK's got the dishy quotes, "Report: Polish minister says US ties worthless":

A Polish news magazine said on Sunday it had obtained a secret recording of Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, in contention for a senior European Union job, saying that Poland's relationship with the United States was worthless.

The Wprost news magazine said the recording was of a private conversation earlier this year between Sikorski and Jacek Rostowski, a member of parliament with the ruling Civic Platform who until last year was finance minister.

The magazine did not say who recorded the conversation, or how it obtained the recording.

Aides to Sikorski and Rostowski said they had no immediate comment. A government spokeswoman said it was hard to form a view based on a few excerpts of a conversation, but there might be a comment later.

According to a transcript of excerpts of the conversation that was published by Wprost on its Internet site, Sikorski told Rostowski: "You know that the Polish-US alliance isn't worth anything."

"It is downright harmful, because it creates a false sense of security ... Complete bullshit. We'll get in conflict with the Germans, Russians and we'll think that everything is super, because we gave the Americans a blow job. Losers. Complete losers."

PHOTO CREDIT: Wikimedia Commons.

Sunday Cartoons

At Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."



Also at Randy's Roundtable, "Friday Nite Funnies," and Reaganite Republican, "Reaganite's SUNDAY FUNNIES."

More at Legal Insurrection, "Branco Cartoon – Delay of Game," and Theo Spark, "Cartoon Round Up..."

CARTOON CREDIT: William Warren.

Clarissa Ward Latest Update from #Iraq

For CBS News, "Face the Nation:



PREVIOUSLY: "Dozens Dead as #ISIS Takes al-Qaim Crossing in Iraq."

Mother Pleads for Return British Jihadist Reyaad Khan

Well, I'm just all torn up here.

At Sky News, "Jihadist's Mother Pleads For Him to Return Home."



And at London's Daily Mail, "A lethal new class of British jihadi: Second fanatic in ISIS recruitment video went to same Cardiff college as the first and once dreamed of becoming prime minister. Now he says: 'Muslims who don't join us will die a painful death'."

Amid #Illegal Alien Onslaught, Mexican Cartels Boost Drug Smuggling Into U.S.

We're being invaded and the system is overwhelmed.

At the Washington Post, "Wave of Central American migrants strains Border Patrol, reducing number of drug busts":

MCALLEN, Tex. — With the Border Patrol distracted by a surge of Central American migrants crossing into south Texas, Mexican cartels have had an easier time smuggling illegal drugs across the border, according to agents and state officials here.

The arrival of large groups of women and children on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande is pulling agents away from their patrol stations elsewhere along the border, creating gaps in coverage that the traffickers can exploit, according to Chris Cabrera, the Border Patrol union representative here.

The smugglers wait on the southern banks of the Rio Grande as migrant groups as large as 250 wade across at dusk and turn themselves in to the Border Patrol, he said. Then groups of single men proceed to cross under cover of darkness, hoping to slip through.

“After that they send over the dope,” Cabrera said, with U.S. officers too busy to stop it.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) and Gov. Rick Perry (R) have echoed the complaints. In a letter this month to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, Abbott asked for $30 million for law enforcement officers to fill in the gaps because “we have grave concerns that dangerous cartel activity, including narcotics smuggling and human trafficking, will go unchecked because Border Patrol resources are stretched too thin.”

The most recent statistics from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) show that narcotics seizures have fallen across the entire border with Mexico this year, with the drop being larger in Texas than the average.

In Texas, combined seizures of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine fell by 34 percent — from 374,812 to 246,976 kilograms — between Jan. 1 and June 14 compared with the same period last year. Seizures in Arizona and California fell by 26 percent in each state. The decline was greatest in New Mexico — 62 percent — and the overall amount of drugs captured was also far lower than in other states...

Luxembourg's Jean-Claude Juncker to Become European Commission President

I guess he's a big federalist backed by Angela Merkel --- and left-wing parties too.

That oughta get the far-right wing forces fired up, to say nothing of British Prime Minister David Cameron.

At WSJ, "Juncker EU Victory Likely to Alienate U.K. Further: Anti-EU Sentiment Likely to Worsen with Federalist's Selection as Executive Head."

And at Sydney's Morning Herald, "Left-wingers back Juncker for top EU job."

That reminds me. Folks should take another look at Pat Condell's anti-EU video, "The Gathering Storm."

Canadian Woman Takes 'Selfie' Video While Having a Stroke

Oh boy. There but for the grace of God...

At Toronto's National Post, "Self-diagnosis selfie: Stroke video made on smartphone helped doctors treat woman more quickly."

Video, "Woman films 'selfie' video whilst having a stroke, after doctors told her it was stress."

'No New War on Iraq!' Stalinist International ANSWER Protests War in the Middle East

Lovely clown show!

At Live Leak, "Dueling protests at the White House over new Iraq intervention," and at Reuters, "Calls for and against U.S. involvement in Iraq.

And on Twitter:

This is how we do. No new war in Iraq! U.S. out of the Middle East! #antiwar #bringthemhome pic.twitter.com/TGSCfYOzHu

— ANSWER Coalition (@answercoalition) June 21, 2014

Crowd gathering around watching @EugenePuryear and @tighebarry @codepink at @WhiteHouse explaining reasons for war pic.twitter.com/vPAnZdqqbf

— ANSWER Coalition (@answercoalition) June 21, 2014

Our nat'l coordinator Brian Becker breaking down U.S. foreign policy and reasons for war @ #DC demo to say #NoNewWar pic.twitter.com/uoQrc644mK

— ANSWER Coalition (@answercoalition) June 21, 2014

In #DC right now: @VFPNational @codepink #MilitaryFamiliesSpeakOut & community unite to say #NoNewWar in #Iraq pic.twitter.com/DGwQ9mZGh1

— ANSWER Coalition (@answercoalition) June 21, 2014

Money for #jobs & #education not for #war & #occupation! #NoNewWar! We want #peace now! @VFPNational @codepink pic.twitter.com/6KjetWzVRl

— ANSWER Coalition (@answercoalition) June 21, 2014

And taking the way-back machine to FrontPage Magazine in 2002, "What is the A.N.S.W.E.R.?":

The IAC [International Action Center] has been described as a Stalinist organization and one that supports authoritarian regimes and communist dictatorships. Incidentally, both Serbia and Iraq have retained [former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey] Clark as their U.S. counsel. The IAC is affiliated with the Workers’ World Party, which is affiliated with ANSWER. All of these organizations are advocates of Arafat.

More at Discover the Networks.

Dozens Dead as #ISIS Takes al-Qaim Crossing in Iraq

At Long War Journal, "ISIS seizes border crossing in western Anbar." And at Sky News, "Iraq Militants Take Border Post In Bloody Battle."

And Clarissa Ward reports for CBS News "This Morning":



Also at the New York Times, "Sunnis in Iraq Make Some Gains in Fighting in the North and West."

#ISIS Coming to America: 'See You in New York'

At IBD, "Terrorist Group ISIS May Be Coming to America":

Thx 2 Obama, Terrorist Group ISIS May Be Coming 2 America http://t.co/kPYuhTMGKY … … via @IBDinvestors - pic.twitter.com/uVdEn4HHir

— Daniel John Sobieski (@gerfingerpoken) June 21, 2014

As what the feds call "other than Mexicans" and MS-13 gang members stream across our border, just what is keeping the head of ISIS from keeping his promise, "I'll see you in New York"?

We already know how ruthless the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is, so much so that media pundits such as Kirsten Powers, who should know better, insist that even al-Qaida is said to be distancing itself from the group.

You know: the same al-Qaida that slit throats with box cutters and then turned passenger jets filled with fuel into cruise missiles aimed at the World Trade Center.

ISIS is as determined as it is ruthless and has plans that go beyond the mini-caliphate it has established in Iraq and Syria — the caliphate for which President Obama, through his politically motivated troop withdrawal, served as midwife.

This caliphate, as the staging ground for future attacks on infidels worldwide, was also the dream of the precursor of ISIS, al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI), and its leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a dream shared by al-Qaida itself.

ISIS is working on the game plan outlined by al-Qaida's No. 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in an October 2005 letter to the late al-Zarqawi. Zawahiri wrote: "The first stage: Expel the Americans from Iraq. The second stage: Establish an Islamic Authority ... over as much territory as you can spread its power in Iraq ... in order to fill the void stemming from the departure of he Americans. The third stage: Extend the jihad wave to the secular countries neighboring Iraq."

And from there, the world, restoring an Islamic empire that once extended to the gates of Vienna...

More.

'Rape Culture' at Harvard

Professor Harvey Mansfield, at the Weekly Standard, "Feminism and Its Discontents":

The hook-up culture denounced by conservatives is the very same rape culture denounced by feminists. Who wants it? Most college women do not; they ignore hookups and lament the loss of dating. Many men will not turn down the offer of an available woman, but what they really want is a girlfriend. The predatory males are a small minority among men who are the main beneficiaries of the feminist norm. It’s not the fault of men that women want to join them in excess rather than calm them down, for men too are victims of the rape culture. Nor is it the fault of women. Women are so far from wanting hook-ups that they must drink themselves into drunken consent—in order to overcome their natural modesty, one might suggest. Not having a sociable drink but getting blind drunk is today’s preliminary to sex. Beautifully romantic, isn’t it? The anonymous Harvard woman by getting drunk was unfortunately helping to pressure herself into consenting to a very bad experience. But she is right that the pressure comes with the encouragement of the culture. And the culture comes from the dogmas of feminism that made this mess for women and men too.

A great piece.

RTWT.

Judge Jeanine Pirro: What Should We Do About Iraq?

"The told us they were coming for us!"

Ambassador John Bolton's interviewed at the clip, a true patriot.



She followed up straight from last's week's opening, "Judge Jeanine Pirro: 'You Need to Be Worried...'"

The Left's Mindless #Iraq Debate

Something I've been thinking about, covered exceptionally well by James Taranto, at WSJ, "Mindless Iraq Debate."

Robert Spencer Slams Obama's 'Incoherence' on #ISIS and Global Jihad

An interesting Michael Coren interview with Robert Spencer.



And see, "8 Signs That ISIS Will Strike in the U.S. Soon."

Russian Intel's Special War Against #Ukraine

Remember Victoria Nuland's remark about "pretty impressive statecraft."

Yeah, considering, this is quite reasonable.

From John Schindler, at XX Committee, "More Evidence Russian Intelligence is Waging Special War Against Ukraine":

For months it has been obvious to those who wish to see that Russian intelligence stands behind the campaign of espionage, terrorism, propaganda, and covert action (including raising and arming rebel militias), which I have termed Special War, that is being waged by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine. I’ve written about this murky matter several times. After the recent election of Petro Poroshenko as Ukraine’s president, the Kremlin’s efforts to terrorize and coerce its neighbor have only increased, and evidence of Russian intelligence involvement has mounted by the day.

Recently, U.S. officials have confirmed widespread rumors that the shadowy paramilitary boss Igor Girkin (AKA Strelkov), who has been a major figure in the campaign to destabilize Ukraine and serves as the defense minister of the self-proclaimed (and Moscow-backed) “Donetsk People’s Republic” in southeast Ukraine, is actually a Russian military intelligence (GRU) colonel. GRU special operators have been deeply involved in the seizure of Crimea and continuing efforts to terrorize and destabilize eastern Ukraine.

Today, in an interview with the Kyiv newspaper Den, Valentyn Nalyvaychenko, the director of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), elaborated just how large a role Russian intelligence, particularly the powerful Federal Security Service (FSB), is playing in Putin’s effort to destabilize and intimidate Kyiv into submission. Nalyvaychenko explained that the FSB stands behind Russia’s entire anti-Ukraine campaign, choosing the Kremlin’s strategy and operations, and the SBU has detained several Russian intelligence operatives in eastern Ukraine recently, including over ninety “terrorists and saboteurs,” among them thirteen Russian nationals – “mercenaries and professional intelligence officers, agents.” He said that the annexation of Crimea and Russia’s on-going Special War operations in eastern Ukraine were planned long before this spring, with the full collaboration of Ukraine’s previous government.

Although it has been widely known that, during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, the SBU was deeply penetrated by the FSB, with Russian officers actually holding positions inside Ukrainian intelligence, Nalyvaychenko stated that even he did not realize how bad the situation was until recently. There is a major hunt afoot now for pro-Kremlin agents inside the SBU since, the director explained, “from December 2013 until the end of February 2014, three groups of high-ranking FSB officers worked in the SBU. During these months, all modern arms, files, archives, everything that forms a basis for a professional intelligence service, were transferred to Simferopol” in Crimea...

45 of the Most Jaw-Dropping Cleavage Views Ever Seen

At Social Hype (c/o Linkiest).

Remains of Roman Camp Found in Austria

Fascinating.

At the Austrian Times, "Earliest military camp discovered at Carnuntum."

Also at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeology, "The first Romans in Carnuntum."