Super Bowl Today

I'm obviously rooting for the Rams. I can't stand New England, and have loathed the Patriots since the snowy "tuck rule" game of 2001.

In any case, great coverage at the Los Angeles Times.

It's Super Bowl Sunday pic.twitter.com/kkURBifNrI

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) February 3, 2019

Super Bowl LIII: Rams ready to butt heads with Patriots and their G.O.A.T. https://t.co/2P3W29ZUxe pic.twitter.com/3MUxdRTxDh

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) February 3, 2019

Super Bowl LIII by the numbershttps://t.co/lxpSz7aOCx pic.twitter.com/xNlFdvf7UD

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) February 3, 2019

The official @latimessports staff #SuperBowl picks in the @latimes this morning. I got the #LARams 31-28. pic.twitter.com/nP4Gbe8dG4

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) February 3, 2019

Voters Want Political Moderation?

Do they?

Seems like most folks on Twitter, especially leftists, are attacking moderation. Look at the leftist jihad against former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. The attacks have been so bad he's rethinking whether or not he should run. Even his hometown constituency launched huge protests against him. See NYT, "Howard Schultz Draws Protesters in His Hometown, Seattle."

This is an interesting discussion, in any case, at Fox News:

Zeynep Tufekci, Twitter and Tear Gas

At Amazon, Zeynep Tufekci, Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest.

Corey Booker Throws His Hat in the Ring

Isn't this the biggest group of clowns ever to run for the Democratic nomination?

Booker's a farcical grandstanding hack. (*Eye roll.*)

Spotted in the wild pic.twitter.com/73IkSygCXJ

— Rebecca Buck (@RebeccaBuck) February 1, 2019

I want to take a couple minutes and share a few thoughts about why I’m running for president:

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) February 1, 2019

Sen. @CoryBooker: "The cancer, in many ways, in our country right now is a caustic type of politics that wants to pit us against each other and create the delusion of separateness." https://t.co/f8u2wc159S pic.twitter.com/bEcTLVSWrO

— The View (@TheView) February 1, 2019

New Arrests in Southern California Birth Tourism Industry

At LAT, "Travel agents charged with bringing pregnant Chinese women to give birth on U.S. soil":

Travel agents charged with bringing pregnant Chinese women to give birth on U.S. soil https://t.co/DT9YTY2dra pic.twitter.com/kiOttlnLub

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) February 1, 2019

When pregnant Chinese women called You Win USA Vacation Services, they didn’t receive information on visiting Disneyland or the Grand Canyon.

Instead, they sought coveted advice on how to make a very different type of trip — one aimed at giving birth on U.S. soil so their children would be American citizens. You Win USA employees allegedly coached the women on the lies they should write on bogus applications for tourist visas and made sure the women traveled before their bellies swelled too much to conceal.

Fly first to Hawaii to blend in with the hordes of tourists, and list the Trump International Hotel in Honolulu as your destination, the women were told. Then, hop a flight to Los Angeles.

It was a scheme that federal authorities say went on for years. But Thursday, the operator of You Win USA and the owners of another allegedly illicit “birth tourism” company in Southern California were arrested and charged with an array of crimes including immigration fraud, money laundering and identity theft, according to indictments filed in U.S. District Court.

The arrests marked the culmination of a long-running investigation by agents from the Department of Homeland Security and the Internal Revenue Service into three outfits operating for years in Los Angeles, the Inland Empire and Orange County. They charged as much as $100,000 for their clandestine services — a price tag that authorities say Chinese parents-to-be readily paid to make sure their children would be citizens of what You Win USA’s promotional material called the “most attractive nationality.”

“These cases allege a wide array of criminal schemes that sought to defeat our immigration laws — laws that welcome foreign visitors so long as they are truthful about their intentions when entering the country,” U.S. Atty. Nicola Hanna said in a statement. “Statements by the operators of these birthing houses show contempt for the United States, while they were luring clients with the power and prestige of U.S. citizenship for their children.”

Arrested Thursday morning were Dongyuan Li, 41, of Irvine, who was identified in court records as an executive at You Win USA Vacation Services in Irvine; as well as Michael Wei Yueh Liu, 53, of Rancho Cucamonga; and Jing Dong, 42, of Fontana, who authorities said owned and operated a company called USA Happy Baby in San Bernardino.

All three pleaded not guilty in court appearances Thursday afternoon, according to a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office. Li was ordered to be held in custody pending a detention hearing next week. Liu and Dong can be released after they post $250,000 bonds.

Also indicted Thursday was Wen Rui Deng, 65, an American citizen officials accuse of running a Los Angeles agency named Star Baby Care, which authorities believe to have been the largest birth tourism operation in the U.S. She is believed to be living in China, authorities said...

More.

The Fight Over Identity Politics

At Foreign Affairs, a symposium responding to Francis Fukuyama's recent article, "(“Against Identity Politics,” September/October 2018), "E Pluribus Unum? The Fight Over Identity Politics."

E Pluribus Unum? - The Fight Over Identity Politics; https://t.co/r0ZJ1NMZPy via @ForeignAffairs

— Steven J. Gulitti ⚔️🏴‍☠️⚔️ (@SJGulitti) February 1, 2019

Lindsey Pelas Busting Out Like Bananas? Or Melons?

Heh.

At Popoholic:

Lindsey Pelas Busting Out Her Ginormous Super Cleavage Like Bananas! https://t.co/kH8BemDvyb pic.twitter.com/5WsNa02Vhq

— Popoholic (@Popoholic) February 1, 2019

Kimberley Garner Working Out on the Beach (PHOTOS)

She's looking good!

At Taxi Driver, "Kimberley Garner Bikini Bottom Workout on the Beach."

And at Daily Mail, "Kimberley Garner flaunts her sizzling physique in a skimpy blue thong-style bikini as she soaks up the sun in Miami."

Demi Rose in White Swimsuit (PHOTOS)

At Taxi Driver, "Demi Rose in White Swimsuit (SITE NSFW)."

Albert Camus, The Plague

Pick up an old used copy, at Amazon, Albert Camus, The Plague.

Donna Tartt, The Secret History

At Amazon, Donna Tartt, The Secret History.

Extreme Cold Kills Several as Polar Vortex Spreads Into Midwest

This to me is mind-boggling.

I've never experienced anything like this in my entire life, and honestly this is one reason I'm happy to still live in Southern California. (*Shrug.*)

At WaPo:

Deadly polar vortex puts the Midwest in a deep freeze https://t.co/UR9iHyiZsM

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 30, 2019

It’s so cold in Cadillac...even the light posts are shivering! pic.twitter.com/LWGTuSLk60

— @MSPNorthernMI (@mspnorthernmi) January 30, 2019

Russell Blackford, The Tyranny of Opinion

This is supposed to be great.

At Amazon, Russell Blackford, The Tyranny of Opinion: Conformity and the Future of Liberalism.

Stephen Harper, Former Prime Minister of Canada, Explains Why Trump Won (VIDEO)

This is an excellent video.

Harper is so exceptionally well-spoken it's no wonder he was elected prime minister. What a guy, dang!

Excellent discussion of the current populist moment as well.

Harper's new book is available at Amazon, Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption.

And at Prager Univeristy:

Megan Barton Upskirt

At Taxi Driver, "Megan Barton Black Panty Upskirt" (SITE VERY NSFW).

Kristin Cavallari Flash

At Drunken Stepfather, "KRISTIN CAVALLARI PANTY FLASH OF THE DAY."

Season 2!!!! pic.twitter.com/1HIfGZosiW

— Kristin Cavallari (@KristinCav) August 23, 2018

The Jussie Smollett #MAGA Attack Hoax

I've never heard of Jussie Smollett before this week, but as soon as I heard he was allegedly attacked by white suspects screaming "MAGA country," I totally blew it off as joke. And a joke it is.

See Michelle Malkin, "The MAGA-phobic manure-spreaders of media sensationalism":

Here we go again. If you think the manure-spreaders of sensationalism who masquerade as ethical practitioners of journalism learned anything from last week’s MAGA-bashing Covington Catholic High School hoax, I have three words for you:

Ha, ha, ha.

On Tuesday morning, uncorroborated claims by actor Jussie Smollett that he was the victim of a “brutal” hate crime by Trump supporters in Chicago went viral across social media. Entertainment rag TMZ.com first splashed “exclusive” headlines that the “Empire” cast member was “beaten by MAGA backers” in a “homophobic attack” at around 2a.m. in Chicago. If you have no idea what “Empire” is or who Smollett is, join the club. The TV star is apparently a vocal critic of Trump and attacked “45 and all his white hooded cohorts” on Instagram last week.

But I digress.

Within minutes, the gossip site’s squib on the TV star’s alleged victimization trended on Twitter and rocketed up to USA Today, Variety, CBS, CNN, and the New York Times. The Fishwrap of Record breathlessly reported lurid details of two people who “wrapped rope around his neck,” which multiple outlets characterized as a “noose.” A police statement providing incident background stated that “the offenders began to batter the victim with their hands about the face and poured an unknown chemical substance on the victim,” according to Smollett. Multiple websites reported that the substance was bleach.

This is truly horrible, if true. But color me cautious and skeptical. TMZ initially reported that Smollett had exited a Subway chain restaurant near his luxury apartment when accosted by the racist, homophobic assailants, who allegedly recognized him from his work on “Empire.” Allegedly, Smollett received a hate mail with the word “MAGA” on it addressed to him and sent to his studio in Chicago last week. If this was a premeditated “attack,” the FBI should get to the bottom of it.

But oddities and discrepancies abound:

TMZ quoted one of the “MAGA country” attackers who allegedly hurled epithets at Smollett: “Aren’t you that f***ot ‘Empire’ n*****?”

Question: How many racist, homophobic menaces wander around the upscale Streeterville neighborhood of liberal Chicago at 2 a.m. carrying rope and bleach, yelling about “MAGA country?”

Question: How many racist, homophobic menaces have ever heard of “Empire,” could recognize Jussie Smollett, or know or care anything about his sexuality?

Despite TMZ’s claim that Smollett had the “hell beat outta him” and attackers “broke his ribs” plus subjected him to a chemical attack, an ambulance was not called and he instead “self-transported” to the hospital. CWB Chicago, a local public safety watchdog site, reported on police dispatch records documenting that Smollett’s friend “Frank” refused EMS services for Smollett; no mention of bleach was made; “no or minor injury” was observed; and “officers never sent a ‘flash; message with offender descriptions to field units.”

Weird.

Another assertion not included in the CPD’s initial press release on the incident: Any mention of “MAGA supporters” or any mention of the race of the alleged assailants. Police clarified that they had not received any official information backing TMZ reporter Charles Latibeaudiere’s claim, which he attributed to sources close to Smollett, that the alleged attackers shouted, “This is MAGA country.”

Nor had the police corroborated that the attackers were white, since Smollett had told them their faces and hands were both covered. After launching a search for surveillance video and potential witnesses, the police department reported late Tuesday that “thus far we have not found anything to be able to put out a description.”

I was told that public records requests for the incident report may take “weeks” to be approved. I was also told the Chicago police remain in charge of investigating the alleged incident, while the FBI probe of the alleged hate mail remains separate.

CPD’s public information office also told me late Tuesday that when police responded to the 911 call regarding the incident, Smollett gave them no details about where it occurred or what the attackers looked like. None. They were reportedly on scene for an hour with Smollett. When I asked again how the claims about white “MAGA attackers” were disseminated in the press, the PIO replied:

“We have no idea where that came from.”

Minutes after I hung up the phone with her, a local Chicago reporter tweeted that Smollett did mention the “MAGA” angle in a “follow-up, supplemental interview.” Which is it?

Despite all the holes, contradictions, and unanswered questions, the MAGA hate crime narrative has already calcified. (Sound familiar?) By 5pm Eastern on Tuesday, a search for “MAGA” and “Smollett” on Google yielded 3,520,000 results. And TMZ ended its day of social justice pot-stirring with the Rev. Al Sharpton calling for President Trump to “denounce Jussie Smollett’s MAGA attackers” who have yet to be identified.

Classic manufactured “news:” Report on an uncorroborated hate crime. Plant unverified details. Repeatedly blame white male Trump supporters. Stoke Hollywood outrage. Enlist the Godfather of Hate Crime Hoaxes to call on the president to denounce phantom attackers. Reap clicks and publicity. Indict all skeptics as racists and haters. Repeat.

Smears first. Facts later. How much deader can American journalism get?

Also, at Instapundit, "SHIFTING STORIES CLOUD CLAIMS OF ALLEGED HATE CRIME ATTACK TARGETING EMPIRE ACTOR JUSSIE SMOLLETT: Read the whole thing, and whatever your conclusions, remember the 48 Hour Rule," and "WHAT’S THE FREQUENCY, JUSSIE?"

Chicago police say detectives have reviewed hundreds of hours of surveillance footage but haven’t found any yet that shows the alleged attack on “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett. https://t.co/zj2fs1MUyX

— AP Central U.S. (@APCentralRegion) January 30, 2019

Jennifer Delacruz's Midweek Forecast

Well, at least it's not -50 degrees, dang!

Her's the scrumptious Ms. Jennifer, at ABC 10 News San Diego:

Reading Totalitarian Philosophers

I read "totalitarian philosophers" all the time. The trick is to reject totalitarianism yourself. Never fall prey to exiling certain authors because of political correctness. That's what the Nazis did. You might as well be burning books yourself.

In any case, this is interesting, at Quillette, "How Should We Read the Totalitarian Philosophers?"

In contemporary times, how should one read and interpret authors whose work has become associated with totalitarianism? @MattPolProf, a professor of politics, explains: https://t.co/hFIFNeWA78

— Quillette (@Quillette) January 30, 2019

'Vacation'

The nostalgia is killing me!

These women are so hot!

Heard yesterday on K-EARTH 101 FM Los Angeles: