The Last Diversity Visa Lottery?

The diversity lottery is an abomination.

And seriously? Fourteen million people have puts their names in for it this year? God, what are the odds? Not much better than PowerBall, that's for sure.

At WaPo, "Despite Trump, millions hope to win what could be the last U.S. green card lottery":

Despite Trump, millions hope to win what could be the last U.S. green card lottery https://t.co/82b9tSwUax

— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 1, 2017

On Tuesday, more than 14 million people around the world, including anxious applicants in the Washington area, will begin checking computers and smartphones in one of the strangest rituals of the U.S. immigration system. When the clock strikes noon in the nation’s capital, they will be able to visit a State Department website, enter their names, years of birth and 16-digit identification numbers. Then they will press “submit” to learn whether they have won one of the world’s most coveted contests: the U.S. green card lottery.

Each year, the Diversity Visa Lottery, as it is officially known, provides up to 55,000 randomly selected foreigners — fewer than 1 percent of those who enter the drawing — with permanent residency in the United States.

The current lottery coincides with an intense debate over immigration and comes amid policy changes that have made the country less welcoming to new arrivals. President Trump has cracked down on illegal immigration and pressed forward with plans to build a wall along the border with Mexico. He has issued executive orders targeting foreign workers, refugees and travelers from certain majority-Muslim countries.

But he hasn’t said a word about the green card lottery...

Keep reading.

And ICYMI, see Steven Camarota, at Foreign Affairs, "The Case Against Immigration: Why the United States Should Look Out for Itself."

Jackie Johnson's Continued Warming Forecast

As I was saying, it's paradise weather in SoCal.

Still warm with clear skies through the week, with the slightest chance of some clouds and moisture coming down from the north by Friday.

Here's the lovely Ms. Jackie to start off our weather week blogging, for CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

May Day Protests

Riots broke out in France.

Watch, at RT, "May Day marches and protests in Paris," and Ruptly, "France: Protesters hammer police with Molotov cocktails amid clashes in Paris."

See the New York Times, "From France to Indonesia, Marking May Day With Protests."

Also at CBS News 5 San Francisco, "Latest on #MayDay protests in Bay Area."

And at Berkeleyside, which includes the BAMN photo, "By Any Means Necessary," seen below. (Via Memeorandum.)

‘My students are fearful:’ Berkeley teachers rally for May Day https://t.co/TMwNmvVeAJ

— Berkeleyside (@berkeleyside) May 1, 2017

"How a Group That Defended Affirmative Action Evolved Into an Anti-Trump Force" https://t.co/q79J9axBUi #TrumpMustGo #StopDeportations pic.twitter.com/40ZjQYMKsF

— BAMN (@followbamn) April 25, 2017

The Arrogance of Blue America

From the excellent Joel Kotkin, at the Daily Beast:

The arrogance of blue America https://t.co/oY5RV81AdE pic.twitter.com/4J41gCmSs2

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) May 1, 2017

Trump Will Test Democrats' Tax Patriotism

From Professor Glenn Reynolds, at Instapundit, "MY USA TODAY COLUMN: Trump Will Test Democrats’ Tax Patriotism: President’s plan would make high-tax blue states pay their fair share."

Alvin M. Josephy, Jr., Now That the Buffalo’s Gone

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Alvin M. Josephy, Jr., Now That the Buffalo’s Gone: A Study of Today’s American Indians.

Lindsey Pelas in Tangerine Lingerie on Instagram

Here, and on Twitter too:

😼 pic.twitter.com/WLtJnQMJht

— Lindsey Pelas (@LindseyPelas) April 30, 2017

Demi Rose Rule 5

Seen on Twitter:

🐱 pic.twitter.com/QITvCniCbq

— Demi Rose (@DemiRoseMawby) May 1, 2017

Today's Deals

At Amazon, Today's Deals.

See, Sport-Brella Portable All-Weather and Sun Umbrella. 8-Foot Canopy. Blue.

More, Mountain House Just In Case...Essential Bucket.

Still more, AmazonBasics Apple Certified Lightning to USB Cable - 6 Feet (1.8 Meters) - Black.

And, OPSELL 5 Pack 16GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive Memory Stick Thumb Drives (5 Mixed Colors: Black Blue Green Red Silver).

BONUS: Christopher Hitchens, The Trial of Henry Kissinger.

Trump's First 100 Days at the Riverside Convention Center (VIDEO)

At the Riverside Press-Enterprise, "Why there were cheers for Donald Trump in Riverside":

Why there were cheers for Donald Trump in Riverside https://t.co/mHOLBfWkr0 pic.twitter.com/4DAtKxyXkx

— The Press-Enterprise (@PEcom_news) May 1, 2017

As they gave President Donald Trump high marks for his first 100 days in office, a trio of conservative radio talk show hosts at a Riverside conference Sunday, April 30 urged congressional Republicans to get their act together and pass the president’s agenda, especially repealing Obamacare.

“It’s OK to disagree. It’s fine to be a divided caucus if at the end of the day, you come together and take 75 percent of what you want and call it a win,” Dennis Prager told an audience of more than 800 at the Fourth Annual Unite IE Conservative Conference.

Republicans “generally do not perceive the threat that the left is to our society,” he added. “This is the Achilles’ heel of the Republican Party … If you do understand it, then any victory is a victory.”

The conference, which took place at the Riverside Convention Center, offered a chance for conservatives to gather, network and be inspired in a state that’s been hostile ground for their beliefs.

This year’s conference focused on the first 100 days of the Trump administration, which hit that mark Saturday. Radio host Hugh Hewitt, who served as a panelist for four debates of GOP presidential hopefuls, gave Trump a “solid B,” saying the Republican real estate mogul and reality TV star needs to fill more judgeships.

Another radio personality, Larry Elder, gave Trump an A+, calling the nomination and confirmation of conservative Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch “far and away” the president’s most important accomplishment.

Prager gave Trump an A- and apologized for resisting Trump’s quest for the GOP presidential nomination.

“I am starting to love this man and I thought I would never say that in my life,” Prager said.

Unlike liberals, Trump doesn’t care if America is loved, Prager said, adding: “The recipe for peace on Earth is not for America to be loved, but feared.”

More.

Michael Marrus and Robert Paxton, Vichy France and the Jews

At Amazon, Michael Marrus and Robert Paxton, Vichy France and the Jews: With a New Foreword by Stanley Hoffmann.

UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute Finds U.S. College Freshmen More Politically Polarized Than Ever

Here's the annual survey from the institute, at the UCLA home page, "Survey reveals stark gender gap in political views among college freshmen":

Report by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute also finds difference between men and women in concerns over cost of tuition.

The political divisions that emerged and intensified during the 2016 U.S. presidential election were particularly apparent at colleges and universities: Students protested candidates, registered to vote and debated hot-button issues inside and outside of their classrooms.

According to findings of the Freshman Survey, an annual study of first-year college students administered by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute, political polarization on campuses is the most extreme it has been in the study’s 51-year history. The 2016 report is based on responses from 137,456 full-time, first-year students at 184 U.S. colleges and universities.

Just 42.3 percent of freshmen characterized their political orientation as middle of the road — the lowest figure since the survey began in 1966. Meanwhile, 35.5 percent considered themselves liberal or far left and 22.2 percent said their views are conservative or far right.

The report also reveals the survey’s largest-ever gender gap in terms of political leanings. An all-time high 41.1 percent of women identified themselves as liberal or far left, compared to 28.9 percent of men. Women also were more likely than men to agree that addressing global climate change should be a priority of the federal government (82.4 percent versus 77.6 percent) and to favor stricter gun control laws (75.4 percent versus 58.8 percent).

The survey also pointed to differences in students’ views of their own empathy for others. For example, 86.6 percent of students who called themselves left-of-center said their tolerance of people with different beliefs is “strong” or “somewhat strong,” compared 82.0 percent of centrist students and 68.1 percent of right-of-center students.

“The increased activism among entering college students we found in 2015 seemed to intensify in the months leading up the election, and our 2016 survey points to the diversity and polarity of how college freshmen perceive their place in the current political landscape,” said Kevin Eagan, lead author of the report and managing director of the institute, which is housed in UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. “The gender gap in students’ political beliefs and levels of empathy suggests an opportunity for campuses to facilitate dialogues that bridge differences.”

Keep reading.

Genevieve Morton Soaks Up the Sun (VIDEO)

Via Sports Illustrated Swimsuit:

New Political Reality for France

At Der Spiegel, where the staff there is sweating it, lol.

See, "Macron vs. Le Pen: A New Political Reality for France."

Macron vs. Le Pen: A New Political Reality for France https://t.co/fMLuVVjRSj pic.twitter.com/CSIEbPDLrP

— SPIEGEL English (@SPIEGEL_English) April 24, 2017

Kole Calhoun Breaks Through

He broke through his streak of no extra base-hits, at Arlington today, via LAT below.

But look at this beauty of a throw to home. The man's a machine in right field, and in fact is a Golden Glove winner:

Kole's got a cannon. @Angels pic.twitter.com/cXD5PgcQN1

— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) April 30, 2017

Angels' Kole Calhoun breaks through https://t.co/nnuHJmOqAP

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) May 1, 2017

ICYMI: Jeffrey Ostler, The Lakotas and the Black Hills

At Amazon, Jeffrey Ostler, The Lakotas and the Black Hills: The Struggle for Sacred Ground.

Jennifer Delacruz's Continued Warm Forecast

What a beautiful day today! It was 85 in Lake Forest this afternoon, when I boogied down to El Conejito's for a burrito and cerveza.

When the weather gets like this, I don't want to go to work. It reminds me of the long Santa Barbara summers I had, while preparing for my qualifying exams, lying out by the pool, as if it was paradise.

It's been just wonderful these past few days.

And here's the wonderful Jennifer Delacruz, for ABC News 10 San Diego:

New York Times 'Slammed' with Cancellations Over Bret Stephens Op-Ed

At Twitchy:

ICYMI --> New York Times ‘slammed’ with cancellations as punishment for climate change heresy https://t.co/LB2e6RrocM

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 30, 2017

It was a perfectly reasonable op-ed:

That this quiet, measured Bret Stephens column caused such an uproar is hilarious. https://t.co/luAgIdlTSw

— Charles Murray (@charlesmurray) April 30, 2017

Reminds, if you haven't yet, be sure to pick up your copy of Robert Zubrin's, Merchants of Despair: Radical Environmentalists, Criminal Pseudo-Scientists, and the Fatal Cult of Antihumanism.

#BretStephens pic.twitter.com/EthcpFe6P6

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) May 1, 2017

Kelly Monaco at the Daytime Emmys

The Daytime Emmy Awards show is streaming live right now.

I'm watching baseball, actually, although I just couldn't resist posting this photo of Kelly Monaco.

Wow!

It's gotta be 90 degrees at the show, so certainly this is appropriate evening attire, thank goodness!

Kelly Monaco being interviewed via @soapcentral #DaytimeEmmys #GH pic.twitter.com/ZEpLWJmtHP

— fyeahsoaps (@fyeahsoaps) April 30, 2017

Democrats Turn to Bernie Sanders to Rebuild the Party

So how's that working out? Not too well, if recent controversies are any measure.

Remember last week? Here, "Bernie Sanders Wants Democrats to Focus on Economic Populism, Not Social Justice Cultural Marxism (VIDEO)."

Well, then, check out WaPo, and this David Weigel piece that came out just when Bernie and the DNC chair got embroiled in this populism vs. culture debate.

See, "Democrats turn to Sanders and his star power to rebuild the party":

NEW: Democrats turn to @BernieSanders and his star power to rebuild the party, via @daveweigel https://t.co/43G6Tp93zF

— Ed O'Keefe (@edatpost) April 19, 2017

LOUISVILLE — Earlier this week, before heading downstairs to speak to nearly 3,000 Ken­tuckians, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) reminisced about his 2016 presidential campaign. After he had gained steam, and his rallies had become arena-size events, he was struck by the difference between his crowds and those at Democratic Party fundraisers.

“We’d have a rally with five or ten thousand young people out, a great deal of energy,” Sanders said between bites of a steak sandwich. “Then I’d walk into a room and there’d be a thousand people from the Democratic Party. You were in two different worlds — one full of energy, one full of idealism. And the other, full of good people — I don’t mean to put them down — who are the bedrock of the Democratic Party.”

At that moment, Sanders was on the second day of a week-long, cross-country speaking tour with Democratic National Committee Chairman Thomas Perez. The DNC was picking up half the bill for the 12-seat chartered plane as well as the venues, including the downtown Louisville Palace.

As Sanders spoke, Perez was a block away, meeting with party leaders who — like most Democratic leaders — had backed Hillary Clinton for president. Later that evening, they would take a stage and praise Sanders, who is not a Democrat, for reinvigorating their party. A chairman who defeated Sanders’s preferred candidate to run the DNC was now touring as his opening act.

“Our values are aligned on so many of the critical issues that confront the nation and the Democratic Party,” Perez said in an interview. “When people actually look at the platform of the Democratic Party — they’ll say, ‘We need community college!’ — well, look at the platform. When they say, ‘We need a $15 minimum wage’ — look at the platform.”

The first 24 hours of the tour revealed both the strength and the seams in the strategy. It began in Portland, Maine, on Monday evening, where a crowd wrapped around the State Theatre to see the “Come Together, Fight Back” tour. Maine’s Democratic Party leaders flitted through the crowds with clipboards, encouraging fans of Sanders to sign up.

They had competition. A group of rogue “Berniecrats” had brought clipboards of their own, with petitions encouraging the senator to run for president in 2020 as an independent. When the rally began, a mention of Perez was met with boos audible over mild applause; the loudest heckling came from a man whose T-shirt declared his support for the Green Party.

Once onstage, Perez described his Democratic Party as a vessel for activists, with a platform they could love. It was activists, he said, who stopped the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. It was activists who had passed a ­minimum-wage hike, which Maine’s Republican governor had halted.

“In these first 100 days, the most remarkable thing is not what Donald Trump did — the most remarkable thing is what you did across the county,” Perez said.

The chairman left the stage, and a disembodied announcer introduced Sanders. This time, there were no boos; over 48 minutes, Sanders mentioned Perez’s DNC only once...

More.