National Bikini Day

At USA Today, "A brief look at the Bikini: National Bikini Day is July 5th."

BONUS: Flashback, "Smokin' Bikini Model Shendelle Schokman at Cardiff State Beach in Encinitas," and "Shendelle Schokman Bikini Beach Stroll."

North Korea Missile Provokes U.S.

Pfft.

NoKo would be destroyed in seconds of it tried to fight a nuclear war with the U.S.

No, the regime should not get nukes, but let's keep things in perspective.

At USA Today, "Analysis: North Korea missile launch raises the stakes in a big way. What now?":

North Korea’s successful launch of a missile that for the first time could reach the U.S. mainland ratchets up the pressure on President Trump and other world leaders to resolve a growing nuclear crisis with no easy solution.

The test launch came on the Fourth of July, and just three days before a Group of 20 summit convenes in Hamburg, Germany. The timing is almost certainly not coincidental. North Korea uses such occasions to call attention to its provocative acts — and its test elevates the urgency with which Trump and U.S. allies may feel compelled to respond. Hours after the North Korean launch, the Eighth U.S. Army and South Korean military fired surface-to-surface missiles into South Korean waters in a demonstration of capability, the U.S. Army said in a statement.

Trump has repeatedly called on China to rein in its neighbor and close ally. China on Tuesday suggested a compromise: North Korea would stop missile tests if the United States and South Korea scaled back military exercises in the region.

Tuesday evening, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed the intercontinental ballistic missile launch and called it a “new escalation” of the threat. He vowed to bring additional international pressure on the regime.

“The United States seeks only the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the end of threatening actions by North Korea. As we, along with others, have made clear, we will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea,” Tillerson said in a statement. “Global action is required to stop a global threat. Any country that hosts North Korean guest workers, provides any economic or military benefits, or fails to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions is aiding and abetting a dangerous regime. All nations should publicly demonstrate to North Korea that there are consequences to their pursuit of nuclear weapons.”

Trump has said he would be willing to try the diplomatic route, and even agreed to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un face-to-face. Prior diplomatic overtures by two U.S. presidents, Bill Clinton and George W.  Bush, proved failures when the North reneged on the agreements.

North Korea appears intent on developing a nuclear-tipped missile that could hit the United States, saying it needs such a deterrent to prevent a U.S. attack aimed at overthrowing the regime...

More.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, On Death and Dying

Lawrence Meyers cited her in my previous entry.

At Amazon, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, On Death and Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy and Their Own Families.

Why the Left Hates Trump So Much

From Lawrence Meyers, at Town Hall.

On Twitter yesterday, once again I noticed how deeply infected leftists are with Trump Derangement Syndrome.

It's war out there.

Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, Why Nations Fail

At Amazon, Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty.

Backlash Against CNN!

Yesterday CNN published a blackmail threat against the REDDITor who created the CNN smackdown GIF retweeted by President Trump. (See, via Memeorandum [safe link], "How CNN found the Reddit user behind the Trump wrestling GIF.")

The reaction has been furious!

For one thing, I've never seen more intense nor indignant memes on Twitter before this #CNNBlackmail hashtag went viral, my god!

It's brutal!

Even fake news New York Times is on the case, lol. See (safe link), "CNN Story About Source of Trump Wrestling Video Draws Backlash."

And some choice memes on Twitter: here, here, and here.

I'm seriously questioning the financial viability of the network. Jeff Zucker and company better have some deep pockets, man.

Happy 4th of July!

Ms. Jessica's wishing you a happy holiday!

Happy Birthday America 🇺🇸 #ProudToBeAnAmerican pic.twitter.com/CAc7iGa9ZS

— Jessica Simpson (@JessicaSimpson) July 4, 2017

Anthony Summers, The Arrogance of Power

At Amazon, Anthony Summers, The Arrogance of Power: The Secret World of Richard Nixon.

Danielle Gersh's Fabulous Fourth of July Forecast

It's going to be pleasantly mild tomorrow.

We'll be watching fireworks from Heritage Park in Irvine, which is right next to Irvine High School, where the police association holds an annual fireworks show.

Allen Guelzo, Gettysburg

At Amazon, Allen Guelzo, Gettysburg: The Last Invasion.

Sweden Steps Up Deportation

Sweden's stepping back into the real world.

At Foreign Affairs, "Asylum Is Hard to Find: Most of the unaccompanied minors who made it to Sweden have yet to receive their asylum decisions."

Good I say. Good on Sweden. Boot those "unaccompanied minors."

Holiday Bikinis

At Drunken Stepfather:

* "LEA MICHELE STILL IN A BIKINI OF THE DAY."

* "ARIEL WINTER’S CLEAVAGE FOR AMERICA OF THE DAY."

* "CHRISTIN MILIAN STLL TRYING TO BE A KARDASHIAN FOR AMERICA OF THE DAY."

* "CHANEL IMAN MODEL IN A BIKINI ON THE BEACH OF THE DAY."

* "ALESSANDRA AMBROSIO’S BIKINI OF THE DAY."

* "PARIS JACKSON IS SPENDING HER INHERITANCE RIGHT OF THE DAY."

* "HILARY DUFF IN A BIKINI OF THE DAY."

* "PREGNANT REESE WITHERSPOON BATHING SUIT SHOOT OF THE DAY."

BONUS: "BELLA THORNE IN A BATH FOR AMERICA OF THE DAY."

Danielle Gersh's Holiday Weather Forecast

I just love Ms. Danielle, almost as much as Ms. Jennifer Delacruz.

Great weekend weather-casting talent, so no complaints.

From last night, at CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

All-Star Game Results No Longer Tied to Home-Field Advantage in World Series

Hmm.

This is interesting.

I guess statistically, the results of the All-Star Game didn't matter that much to the outcomes of the World Series.

But see USA Today, "With All-Star Game result no longer tied to World Series, there's a new incentive to win." (But watch out for those loud auto-play videos.)

President Trump's Tweets on Mika Brzezinski Were 'Fantastic'! (VIDEO)

It's Ann Coulter.

She's fired up on Stuart Varney's show, on Fox Business:

Shop Today's Deals

At Amazon, Today's Deals. New deals. Every day. Shop our Deal of the Day, Lightning Deals and more daily deals and limited-time sales.

And, EasyGo Cabana -Beach & Sports Cabana keeps you Cool and Comfortable. Easy Set-up and Take Down. Large Shade Area. More Elegant & Classier than Beach Umbrella.

Plus, FIJI Natural Artesian Water, 500mL Bottles (Pack of 24).

More, Mountain House Just In Case...Classic Assortment Bucket.

And, Samsung Gear VR W/Controller - Latest Edition (US Version with Warranty).

Still more, Signature Design by Ashley: Ashley Furniture Signature Design - Mestler Coffee Table - Cocktail Height - Rectangular - Rustic Brown.

Even more, Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-33BM 15.6-Inch Full HD Notebook (Intel Core i3-7100U Processor 7th Generation , 4GB DDR4, 1TB 5400RPM Hard Drive, Intel HD Graphics 620, Windows 10 Home), Obsidian Black.

BONUS: Lonely Planet Portugal (Travel Guide).

Lyle Denniston Retires from SCOTUS Blog

But he's not retiring altogether.

He's joining the the National Constitution Center.

At Politico, "Lyle Denniston, a lion of the Supreme Court beat, leaves SCOTUSblog."


And his farewell blog post, at the SCOTUS Blog, "One journey over, the quest continues":

With my journey with the blog about to conclude, it will probably surprise no one that my quest continues. Retirement still eludes me, because I want it to. Next, I will be expanding my role in covering the Court for Constitution Daily, the blog of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. My editor there, Scott Bomboy, is as imaginative a leader as I have ever had, and the Center has grown in stature and cultural impact with Jeff Rosen in charge. The Court’s press room, thus, has not seen the last of me. I will always be reachable at lylden at aol.com.

And, through the generosity of the leaders and faculty at the University of Baltimore and its Law School, and my friend, the uniquely talented Garrett Epps, I will take on a role as a lecturer and visiting professor. Since my days with The Baltimore Sun, I have never lost my affection for Charm City, and the University is a dynamic presence in its midst.

And, who knows, I may still have a book or two waiting, inside me, to be written...

Matt Yglesias Achieves Peak Dumbassery

How about $150.00 an hour?

Sounds stupid?

Not to Matt Yglesias.

At Instapundit, "OH, I THINK WE’RE NOWHERE NEAR PEAK YGLESIAS: ‘Hitting the crack pipe?’ Matt Yglesias achieves peak dumbassery with this take on minimum wage."

Girls as Young as 9-Years-Old Seeking Vaginal Surgery in Britain

Girls are getting ideas about their private parts from social media and pornography. Pornography! At 9-year-old!

My dad used to have Playboy magazines lying around when was a kid. I remember laughing when I looked at the "boobies." And I don't think I owned a bona fide porno magazine until I was 15-years-old (and lost my virginity a short time thereafter, heh).

So I'm not too pleased about this development, to say the least. But this is the culture today, so degraded.

At the Telegraph U.K., "Vagina surgery ‘sought by girls as young as nine’ because of pornography, doctors reveal" (via Memeorandum).

U.S. Risks Escalation in the Middle East

I'm not that worried about it. I'd say the paleocon obsession with isolationism is bad for American vital interests.

And I'm pleased by Trump's foreign policy approach thus far, as it's not tied down to alt-right dogmas (to the everlasting condemnation of the alt-right idiots).

At the Los Angeles Times, "'The closer we get, the more complex it gets.' White House struggles on strategy as Islamic State nears defeat in Iraq and Syria":

With American-backed ground forces poised to recapture Mosul in Iraq and Raqqah in Syria, Islamic State’s de facto capitals, U.S. commanders are confident they soon will vanquish the militant group from its self-declared caliphate after three years of fighting.

But the White House has yet to define strategy for the next step in the struggle to restore stability in the region, including key decisions about safe zones, reconstruction, nascent governance, easing sectarian tensions and commitment of U.S. troops.

Nor has the Trump administration set policy for how it will confront forces from Iran and Russia, the two outside powers that arguably gained the most in the bitter conflict — and that now are hoping to collect the spoils and expand their influence.

Iran, in particular, is pushing to secure a land corridor from its western border across Iraq and Syria and up to Lebanon, where it supports Hezbollah militants, giving it a far larger foothold in the turbulent region.

“Right now everyone is positioned” for routing Islamic State “without having the rules of the road,” said Michael Yaffe, a former State Department envoy for the Middle East who is now vice president of the Middle East and Africa center at the U.S. Institute of Peace. “That’s a dangerous situation.”

The risk of a broader confrontation was clear in recent weeks when a U.S. F/A-18 shot down a Syrian fighter jet for the first time in the multi-sided six-year war, provoking an angry response from Russia, which supports Syrian President Bashar Assad.

U.S. warplanes also destroyed two Iranian-made drone aircraft, although it’s not clear who was flying them. The Pentagon said all the attacks were in self-defense as the aircraft approached or fired on American forces or U.S.-backed Syrian fighters.

“What I worry about is the muddled mess scenario,” said Ilan Goldenberg, a former senior State Department official who now heads the Middle East program at the nonpartisan Center for a New American Security. “When you start shooting down planes and running into each other, it quickly goes up the escalation ladder.”

The clashes occurred in eastern Syria, where Russian-backed Syrian and Iranian forces are pushing against U.S. special operations forces and U.S.-backed Syrian opposition fighters trying to break Islamic State’s hold on the Euphrates River valley south of Raqqah and into Iraq.

Except for a few towns, Islamic State still controls the remote area, and U.S. officials fear the militants could regroup there and plan future attacks. Many of the group’s leaders and operatives have taken shelter in Dair Alzour province...

Still more.