Ernest May, Strange Victory

I'm still plugging along with Nicholas Stargardt, The German War.

Actually I was able to plow through the first couple hundred pages, but this week's been my vacation week, and my repetitive stress injury's getting better. I've been blogging like my old self.

The Stargardt book had a brief section on Nazi Germany's Blitzkrieg invasion of France. Not very long, but the discussion, particularly on early German expectations for a much more difficult campaign, reminded me of Professor Earnest May's classic volume, Strange Victory: Hitler's Conquest of France.

A dramatic narrative-and reinterpretation-of Germany's six-week campaign that swept the Wehrmacht to Paris in spring 1940.

Before the Nazis killed him for his work in the French Resistance, the great historian Marc Bloch wrote a famous short book, Strange Defeat, about the treatment of his nation at the hands of an enemy the French had believed they could easily dispose of. In Strange Victory, the distinguished American historian Ernest R. May asks the opposite question: How was it that Hitler and his generals managed this swift conquest, considering that France and its allies were superior in every measurable dimension and considering the Germans' own skepticism about their chances?

Strange Victory is a riveting narrative of those six crucial weeks in the spring of 1940, weaving together the decisions made by the high commands with the welter of confused responses from exhausted and ill-informed, or ill-advised, officers in the field...

More.

And I'll have more blogging tonight. I think I'll rest my blogging forearms and read for a while.

Deal of the Day: Samsung 65-Inch Smart LED TV [BUMPED]

An amazing deal, at Amazon, Samsung UN65J6300 65-Inch 1080p Smart LED TV (2015 Model).

Plus, Bushnell Tour V3 Jolt Standard Edition Golf Laser Rangefinder.

More, Up to 55% off Wood Outdoor Patio Sets.

Also, out Tuesday, from Kim R. Holmes, The Closing of the Liberal Mind: How Groupthink and Intolerance Define the Left.

And from James Piereson, Shattered Consensus: The Rise and Decline of America's Postwar Political Order.

Still more, James C. Bennett and Michael J. Lotus, America 3.0: Rebooting American Prosperity in the 21st Century — Why America's Greatest Days Are Yet to Come.

BONUS: Out April 19th, from Ryszard Legutko, The Demon in Democracy: Totalitarian Temptations in Free Societies.

Eliza Cummings for Marie Claire Italy

She's nice.

At Egotastic!, "Eliza Cummings Perfection in Marie Claire Italy."

She's on Instagram.

Two More Colleges Hit by Pro-Trump Chalk Messages (VIDEO)

At USA Today, "'Chalking' officially a problem as pro-Trump messages set off new storms":

If three is officially a trend, chalking is now a trendy — and highly controversial — way for Donald Trump fans to show their love.

This week, two schools — the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga — jumped into the chalking fray, joining the headlines made in March at Emory University with pro-Trump messages scrawled on campus grounds.

Following a now-familiar timeline, the chalked messages appeared and the storms followed. At UTC, it hit the student government.

Hailey Puckett, a member of a UTC student government coalition called Empower UTC who chalked “Trump 2016” on April 5, was asked to resign by fellow coalition members.

Empower’s stance did not go over well with some students, who responded along the lines of this tweet. [Here.]

The next day, EMPOWER UTC members Phillip Stubblefield and Mikayla Long posted apologies. Stubblefield noted that his words had been poorly chosen. “I fully support every individual’s First Amendment rights and the senator-elect has every right to support any candidate of her choosing,” he wrote.

Long apologized and noted that “Hailey was asked by EMPOWER to resign from SGA because she disregarded her responsibility as an elected senator to represent the students that elected her. Her statement, ‘Super proud of our art work, but I have a feeling half of UTCs campus is going to hate it’ does not show that she is currently prepared to represent students effectively. That is the sole reason we asked her to resign.”

More.

That's Hailey Puckett at the clip, appearing on the "Kelly File."

Angels, in Last Place in American League West, Are Already 1 1/2 Games Back

During the post-game show last night, host Alex Curry was talking to analyst Jose Mota, and the latter blew off Manager Mike Scoscia's response to the team's season, that "it's still early." Mota argued that frankly every game matters, even in the first weeks of the season, because each loss puts you further behind your rivals. And when September comes all that matters is the win-loss record.

I have to agree. The Angels are already in the basement of the American League West. They can get out easily, but they need to make the move soon.

Here's Jeff Fletcher, at the O.C. Register, "Escobar's miscue adds to Angels' woes":

An Angels Rite of Spring: the "No one is panicking" speech. https://t.co/8JCCajctyz

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) April 10, 2016

ANAHEIM – We now bring you what has become a regular feature of an Angels season. …

After the Angels 4-1 loss to the Texas Rangers on Saturday night, their fourth loss in their first five games, Garrett Richards gave an answer that could have applied to most of the Angels recent Aprils.

“We’re a good club,” Richards said. “I truly believe that. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. I don’t think anybody is panicking in here.”

That’s because, as Richards said, “It’s early in the season. We have a ton of games left to play… We’ve started out slow the last few years, but we’re right in it in the end.”

Sure enough, the Angels have started slowly regularly in recent years, and this seems to fit the mold perfectly. The problem is this team didn’t have quite the high expectations of some of those other clubs that started slowly.

The issue with this team is an offense that may be a little shallow, which has definitely been the case as they’ve scored nine runs in the first five games.

Another issue on Saturday night was the defense, which didn’t figure to be a problem in general but has been a concern – of the analysts, if not the Angels – with third baseman Yunel Escobar.

Richards was sailing along with the Angels best start of the season’s first week, trailing 2-1 when he got Elvis Andrus to hit a routine bouncer to Escobar, who fielded it charging toward the middle of the infield. He was just behind the mound when he nonchalantly flipped the ball to first, except his toss sailed over the head of C.J. Cron. As the ball skipped to the railing, Andrus took second.

Escobar came to the Angels with a reputation as a poor defensive player. The Angels have insisted that Escobar’s tools were better than the defensive metrics gave him credit for.

The Angels have worked with Escobar to alter his release point to make his throws more accurate, but this was not one of those cases. This wasn’t so much a throw as a flip.

“He just stayed open and tried to flip it over there and just threw it a little bit high,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “But when he sets his feet, he’s throwing the ball very well.”

More.

Sunday Cartoons

At Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."



And at Theo's, "Cartoon Roundup..."

Cartoon Credit: Legal Insurrection, "Branco Cartoon – Blind Ambition."

Unbearable Grief in Iraqi Village of Asriya

Now this does seem pretty senseless, but then again, it's not.

Islam is just death. Death all around, wanton, and without remorse.

From Liz Sly, at WaPo, "‘It was a children’s soccer game. Of course he knew he was going to kill children...’":

The suicide bomber who blew up a youth soccer match late last month left barely a dent in the hard, dry earth, and only a faint scorch on a concrete wall nearby.

But he gouged a chasm of grief in the heart of the small community that lost more than two dozen of its sons in a single moment, at 6:15 on the evening of March 25.

A total of 43 people died in the bombing at the game, according to figures provided by the local government. Of those, 29 were boys younger than 17 who had either been participating in the match or watching their friends play.

The bomber also was a teenager, no more than 15 or 16 years old, judging by the picture of him released by the Islamic State, which asserted responsibility for the bombing, and the accounts of those who saw him at the match. The militants’ statement said the target was a gathering of members of the Shiite paramilitary group known as Hashd al-Shaabi, and the local government said two members of a militia were among the adults who died.

Yet that hardly explains the horror of an attack that inevitably would kill children.

The bomber “was a child, and he came to kill children,” said Mohammed al-Juhaishi, one of the sheiks from the area, who lost five relatives in the blast. “It was a children’s soccer game. Of course he knew he was going to kill children.”

For the boys of the impoverished, mixed Sunni-Shiite village of Asriya, 40 miles south of Baghdad in the area the U.S. military called the Triangle of Death, soccer is not a pastime. It is a passion and a purpose, offering the dream of escape from the grim monotony of life in one of Iraq’s more neglected communities.

One such boy was Mohaned Khazaal, age 10, who lived for the sake of Real Madrid, his favorite team, and his idol, the team’s star forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, said his brother, Ahmed, who is 12. Mohaned hoped one day to play for Iraq, and perhaps even
Real Madrid, said Ahmed, who dreamed of playing for Barcelona and often got into fights with his brother over which of the rival teams was better.

They also both played for a local team, which did not qualify for the final of the youth league tournament. But they attended the match nonetheless, along with an older brother, Farouq, 20, and almost all of the other boys living in the soccer-crazed community.

The final took place between a team called Ahli and a team called Salam, which means peace. The venue was a dusty field in the middle of the village, unmarked except for the goal post at either end. Local officials watched from plastic chairs on a small podium erected at one edge of the field. The spectators, most of them boys, stood around the perimeter of the field.

Hardly anyone seemed to notice that one of the boys watching the game was wearing a thick jacket on a warm spring evening while all the other boys were dressed in T-shirts. Anmar al-Janabi, 12, who was standing near the oddly dressed boy, said he did notice, although he did not think to say anything to the adults at the match.

“He was a little tall with long hair, and he looked different. He was wearing a thick jacket, and it was hot,” Anmar recalled. “He spoke to us. He said, ‘It’s a good game, isn’t it?’ ”

When the match ended, the boy in the jacket joined the scramble of boys converging at the podium to watch the awarding of the trophy and the medals, said Anmar, who attended the match with his 13-year-old brother, Bilal, and a group of friends.

“Then he blew himself up, and I felt a fire hit my face,” Anmar said. “And then I ran away.”

More at that top link.

This is one of the most deeply disturbing stories I have ever reported. I knew it was bad but I had no idea how bad. https://t.co/Jgg59jq9Yy

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) April 8, 2016

Just stepping onto the soccer field & seeing this memorial to the boys who died was overwhelming. pic.twitter.com/2Vg7f43UDv

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) April 8, 2016

This was the trophy that was to be given to the winning team when the bomb went off. The team was called Peace pic.twitter.com/rP5u1tKqAt

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) April 8, 2016

Karrar Idani,13, who died in the soccer bomb. His Dad arrived too late to give him the goalie gloves above the photo pic.twitter.com/mCoZwlAHfx

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) April 8, 2016

And this is Mohaned Khazaal, 10, the youngest victim of the soccer bomb. He dreamed of playing for @realmadrid pic.twitter.com/Hu5BipE4Py

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) April 8, 2016

This is Ahmed,12. His brother Mohaned died beside him. He's nicknamed @Neymarjr because he looks like his Barca hero pic.twitter.com/U3RlyetT9g

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) April 8, 2016

This photo of Walid,16, is on the wall of his parents' home. He failed exams because he was always playing soccer pic.twitter.com/sKiqLnEBvz

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) April 8, 2016

This is Abdullah Najah Nouri. I don't know his age. We didn't have time to meet all 29 families of the dead boys pic.twitter.com/y3tQCgQg0Z

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) April 8, 2016

This is Ahmed Khudair al-Shujairi, another of the 29 boys who died in the soccer game suicide bomb in Asriya pic.twitter.com/T9GYWAV9P8

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) April 8, 2016

Crushing story by @LizSly on the soccer game in Iraq where 43 people died in a suicide bombing, including 29 teens https://t.co/NlXdlkJl3S

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) April 8, 2016

Las Vegas Democrat Joe Cervantes, Two-Time Obama Voter, Backs Donald Trump in 2016

Heh.

I'm getting a kick out of this.

At LAT, "'We need an outsider like Trump,' says this two-time Obama voter":

On the vacant, sun-blasted streets southwest of the Strip, Joe Cervantes sees an America on the decline.

Sporting a fedora and a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt as he walks his chow chow, the 67-year-old retired car salesman grumbles when he passes a neighbor’s house with weeds in the rocks. Three cars with no license plates are parked outside.

Asians bought the place in foreclosure and didn’t care who they rented to, he says. Next door to him, he adds, low-income black renters tore up the place so badly the tile floors needed to be replaced. At a house around the corner, he says he’s noticed a Middle Eastern man always outside talking on his cellphone in a foreign language: Cervantes wonders whether he should call the police.

For Cervantes, life in these sand-blown suburbs has come to look like much that has gone wrong with the rest of the country. The homes are cheap and falling apart, he says, because “illegals” did the work and contractors were able to bribe the building inspectors. Foreclosures swept through the neighborhood and he almost lost his own home in the Great Recession because politicians stopped protecting the interests of regular Americans. He blames the same politicians for letting his factory job back in Wisconsin go to Mexico in 1982.

The way Cervantes sees it, the government is a high-stakes card game at which he and most Americans never get a seat. He voted for President Obama but has twice been disappointed. This election, the name he is betting on is emblazoned in gold on the Vegas skyline: Trump.

“The middle class is done in this country. I think we need an outsider like [Donald] Trump to come in and upset the establishment and make them help the middle class,” Cervantes says.

In some ways, Cervantes is like many Americans, of different stripes and widely varying locales, who have found themselves unexpectedly drawn to the real estate tycoon. The retiree lost his factory job to the pitfalls of free trade; he gets angry about illegal immigration; he resents having worked his whole life when others got a free ride.

Conversely, though, Trump's talk about closing the border and keeping out Muslim immigrants doesn't ring true with Cervantes, who is Latino and counts blacks and Arabs among his close friends. He looks forward to one friend’s annual Ramadan feast. And he is disturbed by Trump’s belligerent talk about pummeling protesters. Cervantes won’t swat a spider he finds in his house — he takes them outside — much less a person.

Nevada has always been a state of people who resist easy categorization — people who moved here, in some cases, to escape the categories they were born with elsewhere. As a lot, Nevada Republicans are less religious, less educated and less bound by tradition. They don’t care deeply about issues like abortion or gay marriage. Many own small businesses, often in construction or catering to the gaming industry. They have strong libertarian and anti-establishment streaks, with little tolerance for Washington politics.

Many other Western states have tended to support U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a strong social conservative from Texas. But Republicans here are planting a solid flag that says Trump country...

Heh.

Notice how Cervantes isn't too pleased with Trump's comments on Latinos and Muslism, but is still going to vote for him nevertheless.

Give you an idea just how bad things are in this country, and about the paucity of attractive alternatives in either party. Says a lot.

Keep reading.

No, California's Drought Not Over (VIDEO)

Well, leftists say the drought's not over.

Of course, dams and spillways are so full the state's mandated releasing water. Folsom Lake's water level is 10 feet higher than last month, with more high levels expected with the snow melt.

Still, it's been four years of drought, so apparently we're not out of the woods. CBS Evening News has the video report below.

And at LAT, "Sierra snowpack shows improvement, but not enough to declare California's drought over":

In a symbolic moment in California's slow but steady drought recovery, a state surveyor on Wednesday found several feet of snow in the same Sierra Nevada meadow that was bare and brown just a year ago.

The depth of the snowpack was declared to be just below average, a huge improvement from last year, but still far from enough to declare the drought over.

Around 11 a.m., Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, thrust a long silver tube into Phillips Station’s renewed, robust snowpack and, minutes later, told gathered reporters that there was more than 58 inches of snow on the ground.

That snow held 26 inches of water content, he said, just short of average for the date.

“A big improvement compared to last year,” Gehrke said, “but not what we had hoped for.”

The Phillips Station measurement — which officials said was 97% of average — provides data for just one location and therefore is considered more symbolic than definitive. The results from the station about 90 miles east of Sacramento are not necessarily representative of statewide conditions, officials say.

Water officials prefer to use the electronic readings taken remotely at about 100 stations across the Sierra Nevada for a more accurate assessment. The latest readings, taken Wednesday around 8:30 a.m. showed that the water content held by the state’s snowpack was about 24 inches, or 87% of normal...

Still more.

Plus, more video from KCRA News 3 Sacramento, "Disappointing results from Wednesday’s Sierra snow survey."

Boston Globe Publishes Fake Front Page to Attack Donald Trump

The so-called fake front page is supposedly "satirical," and runs as the first page of the Globe's Sunday editorial section.

Hadas Gold reports, at Politico, "Boston Globe to publish fake front page on Trump presidency" (via Memeorandum). And see PuffHo, "Boston Globe Hammers Trump With Fake Front Page."

There's a pdf of the entire page here, and the Globe's got an editorial smearing Trump, via Memeorandum, "The GOP Must Stop Trump."

It's a rank smear. A classic leftist, politically-correct globalist establishment smear. The Globe selectively highlights Trump's statements, and caricatures the nature of his "movement" as "un-American" (when in fact huge majorities support Trump's proposal on mass deportation, for example, to say nothing of his call to halt Muslim immigration to the U.S.).

The fringe ideologues with "un-American" views aren't folks who favor Donald Trump. It's the collectivist, politically-correct globalists, and the more they demonize The Donald, the more they work to bring about the very things they purportedly reject.

Erin Heatherton Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Sport Illustrated Swimsuit Video 2016

Following-up from yesterday, "Erin Heatherton Quit Victoria's Secret Fashion Show After Being Told to Lose Weight."

She's a little heavier than when she first walked the runway for the VS Fashion Show in 2008 --- and she looks a lot better, much healthier.

Like I said earlier, she's a freakin' dream goddess of a babe.

Via Sports Illustrated:

Amber Lee's Rainy Weekend Forecast

Not too bad, but it's been consistently wet this weekend. And there's flood warnings for burn areas on Sunday.

At CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

Colorado Republican Party Deletes #NeverTrump Tweet

I guess folks in the Colorado GOP are really looking to foment those riots Donald Trump's warned about if he's denied the nomination. I mean, what else explains such utter stupidity?

If something like a third of primary voters have been consistently and implacably Trump supporters, you potentially could have tens of millions of potential Republican voters sit out the general election. Either that, or we could see Trump mount an independent presidential run after all. It's going to be something else, whatever happens.

At Politico:

Colorado GOP deletes #nevertrump tweet, pledges investigation https://t.co/T5OsjTKLzB | Getty pic.twitter.com/azNcT8EnRB

— POLITICO (@politico) April 10, 2016

Excited to see how Trump campaign reacts to what Colorado state party said was unauthorized access to their account pic.twitter.com/bmThY8UXcX

— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) April 10, 2016

Thousands of Protesters March Through London, Call on David Cameron to Resign (VIDEO)

I've always tried to like David Cameron, but I can't stand his Islamo-appeasement. And now with the Panama Papers, I think his reputation with me is pretty much shot.

At the Telegraph UK, "Thousands of protesters march through London calling for David Cameron to resign, in pictures."

Also, "Thousands of protesters storm Downing Street calling on David Cameron to quit amid Panama Papers row":

Thousands of protesters marched on Downing Street on Saturday afternoon, calling on David Cameron to resign over the Panama Papers revelations detailing his tax affairs.

Demonstrators wielded placards which said "he's got to go" amid a heavy police presence in the capital.

In a humiliating apology to the party faithful at a conference in London, the Prime Minister attempted to draw a line under a dreadful week in which he repeatedly failed to clarify his tax affairs.

Mr Cameron also confirmed that “later on” he will publish his tax returns stretching back six years to 2009/10 when he sold shares in his father’s offshore company Blairmore Holdings.

Meanwhile, Lily Allen was among protesters who gathered outside Grand Connaught Rooms, the conference was held...

More.

And see, "Exclusive: David Cameron's 'hypocrisy' on Panama Papers after he ordered all parliamentary candidates to reveal their tax affairs."

Still more, from Janet Daly, "By demonising the super-rich, David Cameron set himself up for a fall."

Deal of the Day: Up to 61% Off GreenWorks 80V Tools [BUMPED]

At Amazon, Save on GreenWorks 80V Tools.

More, Save on Kenneth Cole Dress Shoes.

Also, National Geographic: 12 issues / 12 months, $19.00 (Save 74% off the cover price).

Plus, by Robert Bunting, The Pacific Raincoast: Environment and Culture of an American Eden.

And from Larry Pynn, Last Stands: A Journey Through North America's Vanishing Ancient Rainforests.

BONUS: William C. Davis, The American Frontier: Pioneers, Settlers, and Cowboys 1800–1899.

Erin Heatherton Quit Victoria's Secret Fashion Show After Being Told to Lose Weight

My goodness, the woman's a dream goddess, and she was dissed by Victoria's Secret? And that's after being one of their top angels for years.

At Stuff NZ, "Victoria's Secret Angel Erin Heatherton was 'told to lose weight' for show."

And at the Sun UK, "Model Erin Heatherton leaves contract with Victoria’s Secret after being told she had to lose weight."

Who told Erin Heatherton that she had to “lose weight”? https://t.co/cRSFZ89P52 pic.twitter.com/rda8UqSOhz

— VOGUE.CO.UK (@BritishVogue) April 9, 2016

Steve Miller Slams Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (VIDEO)

At USA Today, "Steve Miller rants at Rock Hall of Fame induction ceremony":

Steve Miller was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Friday night, but apparently he didn't enjoy the experience.

Speaking in the press room after his induction, Miller, 72, insisted, "The whole process needs to be changed ... It doesn't need to be this hard. There's nothing fancy going on out there that requires all of this stuff."

Miller complained about access to the event. "When they told me I was inducted they said 'You have two tickets, one for your wife and one for yourself.' ... What about my band? What about their wives?'"

He made other accusations concerning "legal work," and claimed, "They need to respect the artists they say they're honoring, which they don't."

When a press representative tried to wrap up the session, Miller became frustrated.

"No, we're not going to wrap this up ... Here's what you need to know: This is how close this show came to not happening because of how the artists are being treated right now.." Then he announced, "I'll wrap it up," and walked off...

Still more.

Bernie Sanders Wins Again (VIDEO)

He's won, what, 8 out of the last 9 contests?

At the Hill, via Memeorandum, "Sanders extends win streak with Wyoming victory."

Texas Rangers Hammer Matt Shoemaker

Not the best outing, not by a long-shot.

At LAT, "Matt Shoemaker lets Rangers get out of the gates fast in Angels' 7-3 loss."

Matt Shoemaker lets Rangers get out of the gates fast in Angels' 7-3 loss https://t.co/XBz6UY9ygg

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) April 9, 2016

Kate Moss Honors the Rolling Stones in Her 37th Vogue U.K. Cover

At Fashionista, "MUST READ: KATE MOSS LANDS 37TH 'VOGUE' UK COVER.."

And at Vogue UK, "Kate Moss Covers May Vogue."

More, at Egotastic!, "Kate Moss Sweater Pokies for Vogue UK." (Zoom photo here.):

Back when I was in high school Kate Moss was THE supermodel. It's easy to see why. All these years later, she is still one of the sexiest women on the planet. In this spread for Vogue UK, you can see why. It must have been chilly when they took these pictures because she is nipping for realsies. She exemplifies the thin but slinky sexy silhouette.

Well, she also exemplified heroin-chic fashion druggy-culture, which wasn't cool, but let's just forget about that.

Kate Moss Is The Cover Girl Of Vogue May - https://t.co/kalLdTcoGp pic.twitter.com/qt3YvDkrVk

— POWER 107.9 LA (@POWER1079) April 4, 2016

Suspect in Epic Los Angeles Car Chase Was Trained to Drive by the U.S. Military (VIDEO)

Here's the backstory, "Wild car chase in rain includes 'doughnuts' on the 101, hugs and a TMZ tour bus."

And about the suspect's military training, at LAT, "Wheelman in epic L.A. car chase was trained to drive by the U.S. military":

Herschel Reynolds mesmerized TV viewers with a wild drive through Los Angeles that included skillfully performing doughnuts in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard and a teenage passenger busting out dance moves.

It now appears the 20-year-old can thank the U.S. Marine Corps for helping him hone some of his driving abilities.

The Pentagon confirmed Friday that Reynolds was a trained tactical driver for the Marines before being “prematurely discharged” in January. The U.S. military said Reynolds had served as a motor vehicle operator for the 1st Marine Logistics Group at Camp Pendleton. Reynolds served with the Marines for nearly two years as a private, according to military records.

“Reynold’s premature discharge and rank are indicative of the fact that the character of his service was incongruent with Marine Corps’ expectations and standards,” the Pentagon said.

Identified as the driver, Reynolds both horrified and delighted Angelenos for two hours Thursday during a televised chase that included a close call with a TMZ tour bus and ended with a hero’s welcome in a South L.A. neighborhood – with celebratory high-fives, hugs and selfies with a swelling crowd. Along with a 19-year-old passenger, Isaiah Young, Reynolds peacefully surrendered to sheriff’s deputies, who arrived minutes after he parked the rented Ford Mustang...

More.

And more video, via CBS News 2 Los Angeles, "TMZ Tour Bus Driver Caught Up In Bizarre Chase Speaks Out."

Funding for GOP National Convention Jeopardized Over Establishment Attacks on Donald Trump (VIDEO)

Hey, the GOPe deserves to have the big donors bail out.

If Reince and his cronies would have instead embraced Donald Trump, instead of excoriating him, they wouldn't be in this jam.

At LAT, "With Trump's rise, big donors and companies hesitate to commit money to the GOP convention":

GOP is trying to steal nomination from the winner (Trump) not block an insurgent catching up 2 frontrunner (Sanders) https://t.co/OGIsdbNEYq

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 9, 2016

With Donald Trump locked in a dogfight against much of the rest of the Republican Party, a lot of things are uncertain about the GOP’s convention in Cleveland in July.

Here’s a big one: Who will pay for it?

Four years ago, after Mitt Romney clinched the nomination, his fundraising team pulled in millions from GOP stalwarts to close a gap in money for the convention in Tampa, Fla. Sheldon Adelson, the casino mogul, gave $5 million. Energy billionaire and activist David Koch, Los Angeles media figure Jerry Perenchio and hedge fund billionaires Robert Mercer, Paul Singer and John Paulson each donated $1 million.

But Trump’s improbable success has blown a hole in that model of convention financing. Trump hasn’t built a fundraising network of his own and has spent much of the campaign sneering at rivals for being under the thumb of their big donors.

Some of the party’s big-dollar donors from four years ago, unhappy about the prospect of contributing to a chaotic or brokered convention, are holding onto their money. Blue chip corporations that helped underwrite the 2012 convention, including Microsoft and AT&T, are now facing a pressure campaign to stay away.

“All I can tell is there’s disenchantment with the whole system right now,” said Jay Zeidman, a Republican fundraiser from Houston. With his father, Fred, another big GOP donor, Jay Zeidman supported Jeb Bush and now is backing Sen. Ted Cruz.

“You can’t compare last time with where we are now, because we’re sort of in uncharted territory,” he said.

Trump supporters call concerns about paying for the convention mere hand-wringing by traditional party power brokers who fear being shut out.

“There’s a little heartburn on K Street,” Washington campaign consultant Barry Bennett, who has advised Trump, said, referring to the downtown Washington street that houses many lobbying and law firms. “It’s a lot of people who make their living based on proximity to power, if not access, so they’re threatened.”

The convention won’t be at risk, he said; Trump has enough rich friends to write checks...

More.

'Sesame Street' Unveils Islamic Jihad Muppet: 'Zari'

Oh brother.

And to think I used to let my kids watch "Sesame Street." I thought it was harmless. But then, one of our daycare ladies used to change the channel to Disney, lol.

At Blazing Cat Fur, "‘Sesame Street’ Unveils Hijab-Clad Muppet: ‘Zari’ Is a Feminist from Afghanistan."

Poorest Sections of Los Angeles Blighted with Most Illegal Dumping, Littter, and Decay

To slightly paraphrase Glenn Reynolds, "WHY ARE DEMOCRAT-RUN CITIES SUCH CESSPITS OF OFFICIAL POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLENCE?"

At the Los Angles Times, "Cleanup need urgent on 4% of L.A. streets: New database to guide cleanup efforts":

New data reflects what many have long said: Poorer areas of LA have most trash on streets https://t.co/8dS0Kr43ZD pic.twitter.com/UAn4FlX67p

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) April 9, 2016

A new database measuring garbage on more than 9,100 miles of Los Angeles streets and alleys shows poorer areas of the city see more illegal dumping and litter than affluent ones.

City officials on Friday released details on the far-reaching study, which is designed to help guide the city sanitation bureau to prioritize the grimiest areas and send clean-up crews there.

More than 370 miles of roads and alleys in L.A. — or 4% of all city blocks — were found to be so dirty that they require immediate cleanup, according to the rating system released by the city Friday. An additional 42% of road miles need some form of service.

A little more than half of the dirtiest streets are in Central, East and South L.A. But pockets of filth were found across the city, including east San Fernando Valley, Venice and Wilmington, the analysis found.

Officials aim to clean all the dirtiest locations by 2018, a spokeswoman for LA Sanitation said.

“Prior to this, we had no data to really look [at] to intelligently deploy resources,” said Leo Martinez, who oversees solid resource operations for the bureau. “This has given us an incredible amount of knowledge.”

A Times data analysis last year found that cleanup of illegal dumping in many poor areas of L.A. lagged behind wealthier neighborhoods.

The findings of the database are not surprising for residents in some working-class neighborhoods, who say that dealing with street trash is a frustrating part of everyday life. Some expressed disappointment about the city's inability to clean up streets...

Bill Maher Rips #NeverTrump Lewandowski Outrage: Michelle Fields Clearly Exaggerated (VIDEO)

Heh.

Maher nails it every once in a while. He's equal opportunity in his attacks, and he's funny.

At the Daily Beast, via Memeorandum, "Bill Maher Defends Trump Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski, Rips Michelle Fields."

And watch, via YouTube, "Outrage Over Corey Lewandowski Is Just Stupidity Michelle Fields Clearly Exaggerated."

'Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War'

From Sebastian Gorka, Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War.

Hat-Tip: Free Beacon. Click through for the book excerpt.

Read an excerpt from @Regnery's 'Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War' https://t.co/Odvxf9BOJh pic.twitter.com/nkX6EmIj3P

— Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) April 9, 2016

Danal Loesch: "The Real 'Gunsplainers'" (VIDEO)

This is great!

And don't forget Dana's books, Hands Off My Gun: Defeating the Plot to Disarm America, and Flyover Nation: You Can't Run a Country You've Never Been To.

Today's Jackie Johnson's Forecast

Well, I watched the Angels last night (who lost), and then doodled around, and read for a little bit before crashing.

I missed posting my evening Jackie Johnson post, so here you go. That tight black dress is to die for.

Via CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

Tamara Draut, Sleeping Giant

Hey, just released this week!

At Amazon, Sleeping Giant: How the New Working Class Will Transform America.

Advertising Standards Authority in Britain Deems Gucci Advertisement 'Unhealthily Thin' (VIDEO)

Too thin. Too fat. Is there anywhere near a happy medium in our politically correct culture?

At Toronto's National Post, "British regulator bars ‘irresponsible’ Gucci advertisement showing ‘unhealthily thin’ fashion model."

Well, if their thinness doesn't kill them, their epic geekiness sure will.

I'd rather be an obese rapper, sheesh.

Fred Siegel, The Revolt Against the Masses

At Amazon, The Revolt Against the Masses: How Liberalism Has Undermined the Middle Class.

That's a timely book.

Hat-Tip: Ed Driscoll, who's got a fantastic entry at Instapundit on New York's Kitty Genovese murder-myth-making: "AND NOW YOU KNOW…THE REST OF THE STORY: “Queens Neighborhood Still Haunted by Kitty Genovese’s Murder...”"

Deal of the Day: Yamaha 7.2-Channel AV Receiver w/Bluetooth [BUMPED]

At Amazon, Yamaha TSR-5790BL 7.2-Channel AV Receiver w/4K Ultra HD and Bluetooth (Certified Refurbished).

Also, Save on Dyson Cinetic Vacuums.

And, Best Sellers in Toys & Games.

Still more, $15 Off Select Fire TV Devices.

BONUS: David Brion Davis, The Problem of Slavery in the Age of Emancipation.

Yo, Aaron Goggans, Black-on-Black Violences Surgin' in Chicago — Wake Up, Bro!

Leftism's a disease, so readily illustrated by this Aaron Goggans dude, seen at the previous post, "'Black Lives Matter' Organizer Claims Black-on-Black Crime's a 'Myth' (VIDEO)."

Now, stepping back into reality, at the New York Times, "Violence Surges in Chicago Even as Policing Debate Rages On":

CHICAGO — Late at night this month, the pastor’s phone beeped with a text message from an anguished parishioner. Andre Taylor, the church member’s great-nephew, had been shot and killed.

“Dre had just turned 16,” the message to the pastor, the Rev. Ira Acree, read. “I think that it’s time to call for action and solicit help, have the National Guard to take over and patrol the Chicago streets.”

Four days earlier, he had received another text. A different parishioner’s granddaughter, Daysha Wright, a 21-year-old nursing student, had been shot to death in a car, leaving a 2-year-old son.

At his desk at Greater St. John Bible Church, Mr. Acree said he was bracing for the coming months. “Unless something radical takes place, it’s going to be a blood bath this summer,” he said.

Chicago has long been troubled by violence, but homicides and shootings have risen sharply this year. Violent crime remains below the levels of two decades ago, and criminologists caution against finding trends in only a few months of data. But City Hall, the police and community leaders are alarmed by the surge: As of Friday, 131 people had been killed here in the first months of 2016, an 84 percent rise in homicides from the same period in 2015. There had been 605 shootings, nearly twice as many as at this point last year.

The increase could hardly have come at a more difficult time. The city is at a pivotal moment for law enforcement, mired in a crisis over police conduct and discipline and over distrust of officers, particularly among African-American residents, who make up about one-third of Chicago’s population.

The Justice Department is scrutinizing the patterns and practices of the city’s police force; the mayor on Monday named an interim police superintendent to replace the department’s fired leader; and voters have rejected Cook County’s top prosecutor, defeating her in a primary on March 15. The release in November of a police video that showed a white officer shooting a black teenager, Laquan McDonald, 16 times caused longstanding anger about police conduct to boil over.

And Mayor Rahm Emanuel faces enormous challenges: tamping down a flood of crime while simultaneously repairing frayed relations with the people who live here, as well as addressing low morale among officers.


“Trying to rebuild and do all of that at the same time, when violence is going up, creates all kinds of additional struggles and issues,” said Kim Foxx, who defeated a two-term incumbent in the Democratic primary to be the next Cook County state’s attorney in a race that revolved around the McDonald case.

Weekends and summer nights have often presented the most danger here, but these days shootings feel constant. On March 14, three police officers were shot and wounded in an exchange of gunfire that left a suspect dead. The next day, three people were killed in a single hour. The next, people inside two cars were reported shooting at one another along Lake Shore Drive.

“I’m really tired of it, and tired of worrying,” said Gloria Johnson, 37, who serves food at a restaurant in Austin, a neighborhood where the authorities say violence has been particularly harsh. Like other parts of the West Side, Austin has long wrestled with economic distress, gangs and crime, and Ms. Johnson bears a long scar on her elbow from a bullet fired about a decade ago. “But it seems like this year is just the worst of the worst,” she said.

The police say much of the violence in this city of about 2.7 million people is tied to gangs, which have become disorganized and have splintered into more factions. While shootings along Lake Shore Drive and near a W Hotel not far from Chicago’s Gold Coast have drawn notice, most of those dying are young men on the South and West Sides, the police say...

Keep reading.

The Ferguson effect is considered to be one of the likely factors causing the spike in violence this year.

Not only do the Black Lives Matter ghouls deny black-on-black crime, it's their own movement that's largely responsible for the violent upsurge in Chicago's black community. Just wow. *SMH*

'Black Lives Matter' Organizer Claims Black-on-Black Crime's a 'Myth' (VIDEO)

Hey, whatever version of the "truth" floats your boat.

Facts are hard for despicable leftists, so they resort to postmodernism to subvert reality. Black-on-black crime is a "myth."

Via RWN, "Black Lives Matter Organizer Calls Black-On-Black Crime a ‘Myth’."

Paris Attacks Suspect Mohamed Abrini Arrested in Brussels (VIDEO)

At the BBC, "Paris attacks: Key suspect Abrini arrested in Brussels."



More, at London's Daily Mail, "'Man in White snared': Dramatic footage ‘captures the moment Paris and Brussels terror suspect Mohamed Abrini is arrested by gun-toting anti-terror police’."

Bella Thorne Bikini Beach Photos in Miami

She's so cute.

At London's Daily Mail, "Sibling revelry! Bella Thorne and sister Dani frolic in the surf on bikini break in Miami."

She used to be on Disney Channel's "Shake It Up," but she's becoming quite a beautiful young woman nowadays.

Pope Francis Calls on Catholics to Be More Understanding, Except on Homosexual Marriage (VIDEO)

Well, the Church isn't budging on homosexual nuptials, which they still won't recognize.

At USA Today, "Pope has good news for divorced, but not for gays":

There had been hope among some Catholics that the pontiff might overhaul its position on gay marriage, but the large document that ends with the hand-written signature of “Franciscus” — the pope’s Latin name — made it clear that would not happen. It said there are “absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar … to God’s plan for marriage and family.”

The document also made repeated references to Christian marriage as a “union between a man and a woman.”

Bernie Sanders Disses the Vatican with 'Monumental Discourtesy'

Heh.

Here's Bernie putting the "bro" in "Bernie Bros," lol.

At Bloomberg, "Vatican Academy Criticizes Sanders's ‘Monumental Discourtesy’" (via Memeorandum):

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ plan to attend a Vatican-sponsored conference put him in the middle of a diplomatic row as a senior Vatican official accused the senator of showing “monumental discourtesy” in angling for an invitation that puts a political cast on the gathering.

Sanders, whose foreign policy experience is under attack by competitor Hillary Clinton, said Friday he was “very excited” to have been invited to the conference on economic and social issues hosted by a pontifical academy in Rome on April 15. It will put him at the seat of the Roman Catholic Church four days before the New York primary.

It has also inserted Sanders into a dispute among Vatican officials. The president of the academy said Friday that Sanders didn’t follow proper protocol by failing to contact her office, and that his presence threatens to make the event political. The academy’s chancellor said he arranged the invitation and defended the Vermont senator.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

More.

Donald Trump Is Right About Megyn Kelly

Talk about contrarian. You don't hear this argument much, unless it's at the depths of the Twitter cesspools.

From Ying Ma, at the National Interest:

Trump is right about Megyn Kelly.https://t.co/srL6BT31w1 pic.twitter.com/qzXmihp3uE

— National Interest (@TheNatlInterest) April 6, 2016

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly is overrated and treated him unfairly at the first GOP presidential debate last August. Yet with the exception of Trump’s most die-hard supporters, few on the right agree. This is a sign of Trump’s problems with women (73 percent of them currently have an unfavorable view of him), but it is also a symptom of the GOP’s wussiness to ask tough questions about a popular female anchor, as well as of its failure to challenge the insidiousness of the Left’s prevailing narrative about women.

At issue is conservatism’s decades-old battle against identity politics, in which hostility has been declared toward the grievance industry that gins up phony allegations of racial, ethnic or gender injustice.

On the Fox News Channel, Kelly has exhibited a penchant for kissing up to liberal women, fawning over their feminist agenda, berating conservative men and behaving unprofessionally toward guests. No prominent conservative has ever dared to question the perception that Kelly is an exemplary anchor, or to observe that she spends far too much time peddling a softer, kinder version of feminist dogma.

Trump is the only major national figure on the right who has challenged Kelly’s status as a demigod at Fox News. By declaring unabashedly that Kelly is not very good, Trump has—unwittingly—offered conservatives an opportunity to reflect on the grave disservice that a star on the only major conservative television network often does to conservatism.

As it turns out, Kelly’s not being nearly as good as everyone says is directly intertwined with her being not very conservative.

Keep reading.

BONUS: For the establishment take on Kelly, see Variety's recent hagiography, "How Megyn Kelly Survived Donald Trump."

And at Hot Air, "Megyn Kelly: I haven’t decided if I’m staying at Fox News when my contract is up."

Never Take Advice From Feminists

Heh.

From R.S. McCain, who's back on Twitter as @Not_RSMcCain.

"The demon is a liar. ... The attack is psychological ... and powerful." https://t.co/jgzQDzvCtD @KelKilken pic.twitter.com/ruGYH8mFSM

— FreeStacy (@Not_RSMcCain) April 8, 2016

Do Patients Have a Right to Secretly Record Doctors While They're Under Anesthesia for Surgery?

My first response when I saw this story on Twitter was "Never secretly record your surgery!"

Mainly, you might hear some stuff you might not like. I mean, the doctors and the nurses, etc., are essentially on the job, and they might say some politically incorrect things, if not some things even disrespectful to the patient herself.

In any case, at Althouse, "'Patient secretly recorded doctors as they operated on her. Should she be so distressed by what she heard?'":

I don't know about that.

But it occurred to me: Why aren't we entitled to a recording of what is said around our body when we're under anesthesia? Why should you have to sneak a recording device into your ponytail? You have to be knocked out for the surgery, and all these people have access to your vulnerable body, why shouldn't you have a right to use an artificial device to do what your senses would normally do — monitor what's happening to you? Do the doctors and nurses have an interest in having a private conversation around your body? I'd say you have the greater interest in finding out what's happening to you when you're unconscious. Anyone who wants to make a recording should be able to do it openly. You wouldn't need to take any additional steps to improve the "bedside manner" of doctors and nurses...

Keep reading.

The GOP's New Foreign-Policy Populism

A pretty good read, from Jacob Heilbrunn, at the National Interest.

Cal State Faculty Agree to Tentative Contract

Perhaps the threat of the strike brought about some concessions from the CSU negotiators.

I hope so, because my union's in contract negotiations with my college, and it's time to bring the heat on the administration.

At LAT, "Cal State faculty union postpones planned strike after tentative salary agreement is reached."

If You Walk Mike Trout, You Still Gotta Face Albert Pujols: Angels Beat Rangers, 4-3, with Walk-Off in Bottom of Ninth

It felt like old times last night at Angel Stadium. Lot of smiles (plus plenty of grimaces from Manager Mike Scioscia).

And I still can't see why teams think they're making a good call by walking Mike Trout. Pujols is going to take you to the cleaners on the next at-bat. I said it as soon as Texas pitched wide to Trouty, and then boom, the Pujols walk off. It was almost like clockwork.

At LAT, "Albert Pujols punches first winning ticket for Angels in bottom of ninth."

Angels get first win of season when Albert Pujols delivers walk-off hit against Rangers https://t.co/KPhQets7Zl

— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) April 8, 2016

The Rangers intentionally walk Mike Trout to load the bases and face Albert Pujols, and Pujols delivers walk-off hit. The Angels win, 4-3.

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) April 8, 2016

“I got close to 2,000 RBIs for a reason,” Albert Pujols said. “I know how to stay focused in those situations.”

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) April 8, 2016

Bill Clinton Confronts Black Lives Matter Protesters in Philadelphia (VIDEO)

This is actually a kind of "just wow" moment.

At the Weekly Standard, "Bill Clinton: ‘Black Lives Matter’ Protesters Are Defending Murders and Drug Dealers" (via Memeorandum).

Michelle Goldberg isn't pleased, heh, "Fire Bill Clinton" (at Memeorandum):

I wonder if there’s a part of Bill Clinton that doesn't really want Hillary Clinton to become president, particularly if she has to distance herself from his legacy to do so. How else to explain why one of the world’s most talented and agile politicians is so consistently flat-footed and destructive when advocating on his wife’s behalf? How else to explain his terrible and destined-to-be-viral confrontation Thursday with Black Lives Matter protesters in Philadelphia?

More.

Get Ready for Mother's Day

At Amazon's Mother's Day Shop.

BONUS: From Alison Wolf, The XX Factor: How the Rise of Working Women Has Created a Far Less Equal World.

Greg Louganis and Janet Evans Will Be Featured on Wheaties Boxes Ahead of 2016 Olympics

It's weird how you arrive at things sometimes on the Internet.

The Angels game tonight's on Fox Sports 1 rather than Fox Sports West. Since I love my broadcasters, Victor Rojas and Mark Gubicza, on FSW, I googled around to see if there was a schedule of non-FSW games for the season. I started reading at the first click, however, at the Sporting News, "Angels broadcast thrives with Victor Rojas' attention to detail." And featured at that story was Janet Evans, who Rojas had up in the box to talk about the LA84 Foundation, a youth sports foundation to which Evans joined to promote the group's 2013 summer swim program.

So, not remembering what year Evans first won Olympic gold, I googled further, now to find out that Wheaties just announced that she'd be on the cereal boxes ahead of this summer's Olympics in Rio. What a trip. She's such an all American girl. Frankly, though, it's Louganis who I remember more from 1988, for his miraculous gold medal in Seoul, after hitting his head during the 3-meter springboard preliminaries.

In any case, see the Los Angeles Times, "Olympians Greg Louganis and Janet Evans finally make the Wheaties box."

Welcome four-time gold medalist and world record breaker @janetevans to the Orange Box Club. #WheatiesLegends pic.twitter.com/g6KsusTLy6

— Wheaties (@wheaties) April 5, 2016

ICYMI, Andrea Tantaros, Tied Up in Knots

You can see Ms. Tantaros weekday mornings at 9:00am on the West Coast (12:00pm in D.C. and New York), on "Outnumbered."

She so smart!

Check out her book, Tied Up in Knots: How Getting What We Wanted Made Women Miserable.

Sabine Jemeljanova for Page 3

Well, Sun News hasn't caved to the feminist totalitarians just yet --- thank goodness!

Via Alison Webster on Twitter:

Sublime @you_kiki on www. https://t.co/pC7b8gi7l5 today hmu @charlietoons pic.twitter.com/9VdS9XssEr

— Alison Webster (@alisonvwebster) April 8, 2016

9-Year-Old Reporter Hilde Lysiak Breaks Crime News, Sparks Backlash on Parenting

I don't see what the problem is. We push kids so hard in school, with high school algebra and what not pushed down to K-6, and now folks are upset by a precocious kid who likes to cover the news?

More power to this kid and her mom, who were on "GMA" yesterday.



And see the Washington Post, "9-year-old reporter breaks crime news, posts videos, fires back at critics."

Jackie Johnson's Wet Weather Forecast

Just mild sprinkles in Irvine, but San Diego apparently got some pretty good rain today.

Garth Kemp Does the Weather with Supermodel Coco Rocha

It's pretty good.



More, "Supermodel Coco Rocha Talks About Her New Clothing Line."

She's on Twitter as well.

Today Only: LG 49-Inch 1080p Smart LED TV [BUMPED]

At Amazon, a major buy, LG Electronics 49LF6300 49-Inch 1080p Smart LED TV (2015 Model).

Saving $550.00 on that television, heh.

Spring Event - Organize the Office

At Amazon, Shop - Organize the Office.

Plus, Shop Fashion - Can't Miss Savings on Spring Styles.

Also, save today only, Diamondback Bicycles 2014 Mini Viper Kid's BMX Bike (16-Inch Wheels), One Size, Blue (and other selections).

More, from Dave Weinberger, Too Big to Know: Rethinking Knowledge Now That the Facts Aren't the Facts, Experts Are Everywhere, and the Smartest Person in the Room Is the Room.

And from Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner, Teaching As a Subversive Activity.

BONUS: Charles Krauthammer, Things That Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes and Politics.

The Left Seeks End of Sex-Segregation Everywhere

From Laurie Higgins, at the Illinois Family Institute:

The Left Seeks End of Sex-Segregation Everywhere: https://t.co/KsskfEGXKa #Leftism #LGBTyranny #Privacy #Modesty #tcot #MediaWatch

— IL Family Institute (@ProFamilyIFI) April 7, 2016

A funny thing happened on the way to the following article getting published. After two pieces appeared in the Chicago Tribune mocking and maligning those who believe sex differences matter, I submitted an op-ed in which I express an opposing view. The associate editor of the Chicago Tribune’s Commentary section, Marcia Lythcott sent me this response:

I would love you to offer up an opposing viewpoint but you have submitted a rant. There is no way that this piece would make those on the fence say “Hmmm, that a really interesting viewpoint to consider.” I feel like you are jabbing the opposition in the eyes nonstop. Is it possible for you to do a rewrite, one that is less doctrinaire and reader-friendly? The point is to have as many readers as possible read a piece to the bitter end. I fear that many will stop reading your submission by the third paragraph. No one wants to be screamed at.

Readers can make their own judgments about the professionalism and accuracy of Lythcott’s eye-jabbing response, but before doing so, please take a few minutes to read the two pieces that prompted my op-ed, one by Rex Huppke and one by Mary Sanchez. See if their articles are less eye-jabbing, doctrinaire, ranting, and screaming than mine.

“The Left Seeks End of Sex-Segregation Everywhere”
Written by Laurie Higgins — First published on American Thinker

North Carolina’s attorney general recently announced that he would not fulfill his duty to defend a duly enacted law one of the purposes of which was to preserve the right of communities to require that restrooms correspond to biological sex rather than “gender identity.” Progressives are incensed by this type of legislation, which is proposed by conservatives in response to leftist actions in the service of their subversive beliefs about gender dysphoria. Progressives want any persons who wish they were the opposite sex to have unrestricted access to opposite-sex private areas, including restrooms, locker rooms, showers, dressing rooms and single-sex shelters. In the brave new progressive world, beliefs about the meaningfulness of objective, immutable physical embodiment as male or female must be subordinated to desires to be the opposite sex.

The left seeks to prohibit “discrimination” based on “gender identity” and “gender expression” in all contexts, including those areas that were created for the sole purpose of recognizing and accommodating objective, immutable sex differences. The prohibition of discrimination based on sex and the prohibition of discrimination based on “gender identity” and “gender expression” with regard to facilities in which private activities take place are wholly incompatible. The former permits society in some contexts to accommodate sex differences. The latter forbids society in any context from accommodating real, objective, immutable differences between men and women.

Some progressives dishonestly claim that conservatives are “obsessed” with so-called “bathroom bills,” when in reality it’s gender-dysphoric activists and their ideological allies who are obsessed with radically altering the cultural understanding of sex. They seek to mandate that sex-separated facilities, like restrooms, for private activities no longer correspond to the biological sex of humans but to the subjective feelings of humans about their sex.

Progressives ignore substantive conservative arguments. They recast arguments about the nature and meaning of sexual differentiation as bigotry; flippantly mock potential risks, particularly for girls and women; and wholly ignore the near universal understanding that separate facilities for men and women to engage in private activities exist because objective bodily differences exist and have meaning.

The concern of conservatives is not centrally about gender-dysphoric men assaulting women or girls — though that risk is not nil. The safety concern is, rather, that predators may exploit these policies, pretending to be gender-dysphoric in order to access women’s private facilities.

But even this is not the central concern. The central concern is with the meaning and value of physical embodiment from which feelings of modesty and desires for privacy derive.

In order to justify the injustice and irrationality of policies that force women and men to share private areas with persons of the opposite sex, the left resorts to unsound comparisons of gender dysphoria per se to race per se. Their error rests in the fact that while there are no intrinsic and meaningful differences between people of different races, there are intrinsic, substantive and meaningful differences between males and females, which both those who experience gender dysphoria and those who experience same-sex attraction implicitly acknowledge.

Here are some questions for progressives...

More.

Mia Kang Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Video 2016

Following-up from yesterday, "'Would You Rather: NYC Edition' with Mia Kang (VIDEO)."

A lovely lady.

Kim R. Holmes: How Liberals Lost Their Way (VIDEO)

Kim R. Holmes is a Distinguished Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, and his book's out on April 12th. I'm really looking forward to it.

At Amazon, The Closing of the Liberal Mind: How Groupthink and Intolerance Define the Left.

A former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State and currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, Kim R. Holmes surveys the state of liberalism in America today and finds that it is becoming its opposite—illiberalism—abandoning the precepts of open-mindedness and respect for individual rights, liberties, and the rule of law upon which the country was founded, and becoming instead an intolerant, rigidly dogmatic ideology that abhors dissent and stifles free speech. Tracing the new illiberalism historically to the radical Enlightenment, a movement that rejected the classic liberal ideas of the moderate Enlightenment that were prominent in the American Founding, Holmes argues that today’s liberalism has forsaken its American roots, incorporating instead the authoritarian, anti-clerical, and anti-capitalist prejudices of the radical and largely European Left. The result is a closing of the American liberal mind...

More.

Outrageous! Federal Judge Rules That Christian Cross Has No Place on Los Angeles County Seal

This is ridiculous, a total outrage.

Frankly, the teeny-tiny crosses are almost unnoticeable at the original county seal.

Leftists are once again working to drive even the slightest mention of our religious history from public recognition, and the public memory.

At the Los Angeles Times, "Christian cross has no place on L.A. County seal, judge rules":

In a long-awaited ruling, a federal judge has sided with plaintiffs who argued it was unconstitutional for Los Angeles County supervisors to place a Christian cross on the county seal.

A divided Board of Supervisors voted in 2014 to reinstate the cross on top of a depiction of the San Gabriel Mission, which appears on the seal among other symbols of county history. They were sued by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and a group of religious leaders and scholars, who said placement of the cross on the seal unconstitutionally favored Christianity over other religions.

A decade earlier, the county had removed a cross from the seal — this one shown floating above the Hollywood Bowl — after being threatened with a similar lawsuit. The proponents of reinstating the cross on the seal argued it was needed to make the image of the mission historically and architecturally accurate. When the seal was redesigned in 2004, there was no cross on top of the mission, as it had gone missing during earthquake retrofitting. The cross was later restored atop the building...

Keep reading.

Hateful Anti-Israel Protesters Disrupt Jerusalem Mayor's Speech at San Francisco State University (VIDEO)

Hat-Tip: Legal Insurrection, "San Francisco State: Yet another shout down of Israeli speaker":

We have been documenting a clear shift in tactics by anti-Israel campus activists, led by Students for Justice in Palestine joined by other groups.

The shift is towards disruption of Israeli and pro-Israeli speakers on campus in order to create a hostile campus environment. We have reported on several such recent disruptions, including at UC-Davis, University of Chicago, University of Minnesota Law School, UT-Austin, Kings College (London), U. Windsor, University of South Florida, and anLGBTQ Shabbat Event in Chicago. Even events that are not disrupted are protested, such as the appearance of actor Michael Douglas and human rights hero Natan Sharansky at Brown University.

It happened again yesterday at San Francisco State University, where anti-Israel activists have co-opted student protests over proposed budget cuts. International Business Times reports...

Keep reading (additional video there as well).

They should be prosecuted, like UCI's "Irvine Eleven" back in 2011.

Lindsey Pelas, Stunning Former Playboy Model and Instagram Star, Hits Back at 'Slut-Shamers' (VIDEO)

She's a cool chick.

Previous Lindsey Pelas blogging, "Stunning Blonde Lindsey Pelas Lights Your 4th of July Barbecue," and "Lindsey Pelas Hilarious Bikini Blooper Video at Playboy."

Now at London's Daily Mail, "'It makes me feel good to take a cute picture of myself!' Former Playboy model who often strips down to her lingerie (or nothing at all) on Instagram hits back at 'slut-shamers'."

And watch, "Lindsey Pelas Responds to Slut Shamers."

BONUS: "Lindsey Pelas: Playboy's Amateur Girls (VIDEO)."

Deal of the Day: Up to 84% Off Dragon NaturallySpeaking Software

At Amazon, Dragon NaturallySpeaking Home 13.0, English.

More, Save on Dragon NaturallySpeaking Software.

Also, from Glenn Reynolds, The Education Apocalypse: How It Happened and How to Survive It.

And from Richard Rothstein, Class and Schools: Using Social, Economic, and Educational Reform to Close the Black-White Achievement Gap.

Plus, from Stephan Thernstrom and Abigail Thernstrom, No Excuses: Closing the Racial Gap in Learning.

BONUS: Robert Putnam, Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis.