J. Kael Weston, The Mirror Test

We're sending more troops to Afghanistan, and President Trump has given Defense Secretary James Mattis authority to set troop levels for that entire deployment.

So, I suppose this is a good time to re-up J. Kael Weston's recent book on the conflict, now out in paperback.

At Amazon, J. Kael Weston, The Mirror Test: America at War in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rage is All the Rage

From Peggy Noonan, at the Wall Street Journal, "A generation of media figures are cratering under the historical pressure of Donald Trump":

NOONAN: Rage All the Rage -- and It's Dangerous... https://t.co/TeZApk0FMB

— DRUDGE REPORT (@DRUDGE_REPORT) June 16, 2017

What we are living through in America is not only a division but a great estrangement. It is between those who support Donald Trump and those who despise him, between left and right, between the two parties, and even to some degree between the bases of those parties and their leaders in Washington. It is between the religious and those who laugh at Your Make Believe Friend, between cultural progressives and those who wish not to have progressive ways imposed upon them. It is between the coasts and the center, between those in flyover country and those who decide what flyover will watch on television next season. It is between “I accept the court’s decision” and “Bake my cake.” We look down on each other, fear each other, increasingly hate each other.

Oh, to have a unifying figure, program or party.

But we don’t, nor is there any immediate prospect. So, as Ben Franklin said, we’ll have to hang together or we’ll surely hang separately. To hang together—to continue as a country—at the very least we have to lower the political temperature. It’s on all of us more than ever to assume good faith, put our views forward with respect, even charity, and refuse to incite.

We’ve been failing. Here is a reason the failure is so dangerous.

In the early 1990s Roger Ailes had a talk show on the America’s Talking network and invited me to talk about a concern I’d been writing about, which was old-fashioned even then: violence on TV and in the movies. Grim and graphic images, repeated depictions of murder and beatings, are bad for our kids and our culture, I argued. Depictions of violence unknowingly encourage it.

But look, Roger said, there’s comedy all over TV and I don’t see people running through the streets breaking into laughter. True, I said, but the problem is that, for a confluence of reasons, our country is increasingly populated by the not fully stable. They aren’t excited by wit, they’re excited by violence—especially unstable young men. They don’t have the built-in barriers and prohibitions that those more firmly planted in the world do. That’s what makes violent images dangerous and destructive. Art is art and censorship is an admission of defeat. Good judgment and a sense of responsibility are the answer.

That’s what we’re doing now, exciting the unstable—not only with images but with words, and on every platform. It’s all too hot and revved up. This week we had a tragedy. If we don’t cool things down, we’ll have more.

And was anyone surprised? Tuesday I talked with an old friend, a figure in journalism who’s a pretty cool character, about the political anger all around us. He spoke of “horrible polarization.” He said there’s “too much hate in D.C.” He mentioned “the beheading, the play in the park” and described them as “dog whistles to any nut who wants to take action.”

“Someone is going to get killed,” he said.

That was 20 hours before the shootings in Alexandria, Va.

The gunman did the crime, he is responsible, it’s fatuous to put the blame on anyone or anything else.

But we all operate within a climate and a culture. The media climate now, in both news and entertainment, is too often of a goading, insinuating resentment, a grinding, agitating anipathy. You don’t need another recitation of the events of just the past month or so. A comic posed with a gruesome bloody facsimile of President Trump’s head. New York’s rightly revered Shakespeare in the Park put on a “Julius Caesar” in which the assassinated leader is made to look like the president. A CNN host—amazingly, of a show on religion—sent out a tweet calling the president a “piece of s—” who is “a stain on the presidency.” An MSNBC anchor wondered, on the air, whether the president wishes to “provoke” a terrorist attack for political gain. Earlier Stephen Colbert, well known as a good man, a gentleman, said of the president, in a rant: “The only thing your mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin’s c— holster.” Those are but five dots in a larger, darker pointillist painting. You can think of more.


Too many in the mainstream media—not all, but too many—don’t even bother to fake fairness and lack of bias anymore, which is bad: Even faked balance is better than none.

Yes, they have reasons...

Jennifer Delacruz to Fill-In for the Rest of the Week

Following-up from last night, "Jennifer Delacruz's Record-Breaking Weather Forecast."

The lovely Ms. Jennifer will be bringing us the weather through the weekend, if I'm reading this tweet correctly.

She's so lovely.

Filling in at the weather center for the rest of the week! Tune in for your heat wave forecast at 7 on @10News #SanDiego #Weather ☀️ pic.twitter.com/tzieyT60rv

— Jennifer Delacruz (@10NewsJen) June 16, 2017

Yoko Ono Will Share Credit for John Lennon's Iconic 'Imagine' (VIDEO)

I had a student last semester claim that John Lennon was one of our "political leaders," or at least "past leader," along with Martin Luther King, Jr., etc., if I remember correctly. That's how deeply the popular leftist culture has burrowed into and infected the youth demographic. They don't know anything. They don't know history going back even to last year, much less the 1960s and '70s. It's out of control.

In any case, from Sarah Hoyt, at Instapundit, "FINALLY! WE CAN STOP BLAMING JOHN ALONE: Yoko Ono gets credit for John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’."

Trump Administration Rescinds DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans)

This is big. Freakin' really big.

More immigration news: The Trump admin just killed DAPA https://t.co/VyPPTzEaLs

— Jon Passantino (@passantino) June 16, 2017

Promise Kept: Trump Admin Rescinds DAPA Amnesty Program https://t.co/RdQR7QVr55 pic.twitter.com/iDjajYnJgx

— The Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 16, 2017

The Trump admin just rescinded DAPA, which would have given legal status to undocumented parents with US children pic.twitter.com/9KzSaLbfAZ

— Marcelo Rochabrún (@mrochabrun) June 16, 2017

Local immigration lawyer says Trump Administration's decision to rescind DAPA will not impact Dreamers: https://t.co/k5D3zfbUU3

— #NBC7 San Diego (@nbcsandiego) June 16, 2017

Jennifer Delacruz's Record-Breaking Weather Forecast

It was hot today in the O.C., but not sure if it was record-breaking (I'll check later, lol).

But parts of San Diego County were just a couple of degrees over the record for this day, and there's some real record heat coming over the next week, especially in the desert areas.

Here's the beautiful Ms. Jennifer, for ABC News 10 San Diego:

Bob Lewis, The Feminist Lie

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Bob Lewis, The Feminist Lie: It Was Never About Equality.

Laura Ingraham: Terms Like 'Resistance' Create a 'Moral Duty to Physically Resist' President Trump (VIDEO)

Watch, at RCP, "Ingraham On GOP Shooting: Terms Like 'Resistance' Create 'Moral Duty to Physically Resist' Trump":

LAURA INGRAHAM: It's a level of viciousness and vitriol that we see on social media but usually that's an anonymous thing. But now people are emboldened and they are saying it in person. They're doing chalk drawings of people and their families on their driveways so they wake up in the morning and they see a chalk drawing.

I think Charles is right. This apocalyptic language we hear on other cable networks, where these are supposedly very respected hosts who get up every morning and say, 'Will be republic survive Donald Trump?' In other words, the resistance is a physical resistance. If you believe your survival is at risk, you have the moral duty to physically resist that. And I think this freak yesterday took it to heart.

The full video from the panel is here, at Fox News' Special Report, "Will calls for unity among lawmakers hold up?"

Glacier National Park, in Montana's Rocky Mountains

So beautiful.

Found at Deborah Feyerick's Twitter feed.

Our most popular pic last week: @GlacierNPS by Daniel Ewert #Montana pic.twitter.com/bga4QpaPdR

— US Dept of Interior (@Interior) June 11, 2017

New York Deli Clerk Suffers Broken Jaw in Avocado Attack (VIDEO)

These thugs were mad about their food order?

These kinds of stories should be getting national coverage, but since the perps are black, it's verboten.

CAUGHT ON CAM: Deli clerk suffers broken jaw after 2 men pummel him with avocados, bananas in NYC deli: https://t.co/IKO6BWjfbQ pic.twitter.com/yoaTuRjuXt

— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) June 14, 2017

WATCH: Angry customers pelt bodega clerk with avocados https://t.co/3NcqAWYwiN pic.twitter.com/tYdQsFREO9

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 16, 2017

Sarah Palin Threatens New York Times with Libel Lawsuit

The full story's at Hot Air, "Palin Should Sue The NYT For Its Editorial Blaming Her For Inciting The Gabby Giffords Shooting; Update: “Sickening”; Update: NYT Corrects; Update: Palin Considers Lawsuit."

But if you were on Twitter last night you would have seen the outrage. NYT's editors blamed the Gabby Giffords shooting on the bogus and debunked meme of the "GOP climate of hate" and the "cross-hairs map" that allegedly put then-Representative Giffords' life in danger.

(1/2) @nytopinion - commonsense suggestion by a journalist, am talking to attorneys this AM and exploring options. BTW, wonder.. pic.twitter.com/jACvxwUBZH

— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) June 15, 2017

(2/2) ...WHY someone would no longer be in public eye? Think constant libel & slander have anything to do with it? 🤔

— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) June 15, 2017

This paragraph in today's NYT editorial on Alexandria shootings is offensively, quasi-Stalinistically wrong: https://t.co/nWhhcHfMso pic.twitter.com/LkJFifUh73

— Jeff B/DDHQ (@EsotericCD) June 15, 2017

Are you fucking kidding me? https://t.co/z9oXkYnm2l

— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) June 15, 2017

Helps to remember the NYT is playing politics when GOP representatives were FUCKING TARGETED FOR ASSASSINATION.

— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) June 15, 2017

We published an editorial last night on the shooting at the G.O.P. men's baseball team practice field in Alexandria.

— NYT Opinion (@nytopinion) June 15, 2017

We got an important fact wrong, incorrectly linking political incitement and the 2011 shooting of Giffords. No link was ever established.

— NYT Opinion (@nytopinion) June 15, 2017

We're sorry about this and we appreciate that our readers called us on the mistake. We've corrected the editorial. https://t.co/t1FZ3iEYQJ pic.twitter.com/k7WW5uJIQO

— NYT Opinion (@nytopinion) June 15, 2017

This Isn't a Gun Issue (VIDEO)

Here's Dana Loesch. She'll be on Tucker's show tonight, which just started. I'll update with that video later:

This isn’t a gun issue, it’s a rhetoric issue. Twice in one month a far leftist decided to express dissent via murderous rampage.

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) June 15, 2017

President Trump: 'We Are Showing the World We Will Not Be Intimidated...' (VIDEO)

Trump's statement before the congressional baseball game, which is now underway:

Trump: “By playing tonight, you are showing the world that we will not be intimidated” by threats to our democracy https://t.co/s8EWMir4LI

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 15, 2017

Today's Deals

At Amazon, Gold Box Deals.

See, especially, Dremel Multi-Tools.

Also, WEIYI 100-Watt Portable Solar Generator Power Station Power Inverter-Gas-free With Outputs AC 110V (Max 150Wh) 2USB-3.5A ,3DC-12V/15A, Charged by Solar/AC. Built-in Li-on Battery Capacity 40800mAh.

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

More, Kirkland Signature Trail Mix 4 Pounds Each (Pack of 2).

Here, G4Free Outdoors Large Pop Up Beach Tent Instant Easy Up Cabana Large 3-4 Person Anti UV Portable Automatic Sun Shelter For Sport Fishing and OuterEQ Instant Tent Camping Tent 3-4 Person.

BONUS: Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy.

Matt Walsh, The Unholy Trinity

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Matt Walsh, The Unholy Trinity: Blocking the Left's Assault on Life, Marriage, and Gender.

Tibby Muldoon Rule 5

Putting up that last post reminded me of the good old days of Rule 5 blogging.

Bob Belvedere used to post some great stuff, at Camp of the Saints, for example, "Rule 5 Saturday: Tibby Muldoon."

Danica Patrick Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (VIDEO)

This reminds me of TrogloPundit, seven years ago! lol.

See, "TrogloPundit's a Danica Patrick Hog!"

Nancy Pelosi Blames GOP for 'Politics of Personal Destruction', Blasting Republicans for 'Criticizing Left-Wing Rhetoric' (VIDEO)

Well, so much for the agreement, comity, and unity among Democrats and Republicans we saw yesterday. (Anyone who knows anything about politics knows it was fake anyway, especially the minority leader's comments.)

So, here you go with thing getting back to normal on Capitol Hill today, at Free Beacon, "Pelosi blames GOP for starting politics of personal destruction in the 1990s," and "Pelosi rips into Republicans for criticizing left-wing rhetoric before shooting: 'How dare they?'"

ICYMI: Camille Paglia, Free Women, Free Men

Following-up, "Camille Paglia: On Trump, Democrats, Transgenderism, and Islamist Terror."

At Amazon, Camille Paglia, Free Women, Free Men: Sex, Gender, Feminism.

Look Who's Outraged by Protests Against Sharia Law

At WND, "U.S. MUSLIMS OUTRAGED BY PROTESTS AGAINST ISLAMIC LAW: Does CAIR Want Shariah to Replace Constitution?"

Um, yes?

#CAIR Islamophobia Watch: Islamophobia and Trumpism are bringing disparate right-wing groups together. https://t.co/wjqRJgpHPg

— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) June 14, 2017

BONUS: At Fouse Squawk, "Act for America 'No Sharia Rally' in San Bernardino."