Irma's Approach Shifts to Gulf Coast (VIDEO)

At WSJ, "Irma’s Approach Shifts to Gulf Coast, Keeps Florida on Edge":

MIAMI — After days of preparation, Hurricane Irma—one of the most powerful storms to cross the Atlantic—is forecast to hit the Florida Keys around daybreak Sunday before continuing on a path that threatens catastrophic flooding along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Deadly storm surges could inundate parts of the state’s southwest coast with up to 15 feet of water, the National Hurricane Center said, and much of the state will see “life-threatening wind impacts” regardless of the hurricane’s exact path.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott hammered home the danger from rising waters Saturday. “There’s a serious threat of significant storm surge flooding along the entire west coast of Florida” he said. “Think about that: 15 feet is devastating and will cover your house.”

The state of 20.6 million people has been readying itself for Irma as the storm barreled into the Caribbean, killing at least 22 people and battering islands with winds in excess of 150 miles per hour. Now Irma is headed for the U.S. mainland as a Category 3 storm that is expected to pick up strength overnight as it moves away from Cuba into warm open water.

Irma would bring a punishing cocktail of destructive winds, major storm surge, torrential rains, possible tornadoes and widespread power outages, said Alan Albanese, senior meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Key West.

“This is a very serious threat, potentially catastrophic,” he said. “A lot of people down here in the Keys have not experienced anything with the potential this system has.”

Florida officials have warned that Irma could be worse than Hurricane Andrew, the Category 5 storm that devastated South Florida 25 years ago. Andrew killed 61 people in the U.S. and caused nearly $48 billion in economic damage in 2017 dollars, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—the costliest storm in U.S. history until Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Parts of Florida were experiencing tropical-storm force winds Saturday evening. “We have been very aggressive in our preparation for this storm and now it’s upon us,” Mr. Scott said. “Every Floridian should take this seriously and be aggressive to protect their family.”

“The storm surge will rush in and it could kill you,” he said.

More than 76,000 electricity customers had lost power by early Saturday evening, mostly in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, a tiny fraction of the state’s total, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. The number is expected to grow.

Hurricane Irma’s westward shift toward the Gulf Coast brought some sense of relief to cities like Miami and Fort Lauderdale but heightened fears of catastrophic flooding on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The hurricane center warns the storm surge could reach 10 to 15 feet above ground from Captiva Island, west of Fort Myers, to the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. That warning is an increase from the 8-to-12-foot range forecast Friday night.

Residents on the state’s west coast quickly shifted plans and bunkered down.

Wrede McCollum, who lives on Pine Island off Florida’s southwest coast, had planned to stay at a friend’s house—despite a mandatory evacuation order—because of reports of log-jammed highways and packed shelters. But after seeing the storm’s projected westward turn, Mr. McCollum and his friends decided to go to a shelter.

“The current track seems headed right for St. James City,” where he lives, he said by text. “Jangling a few nerves here.”

Lisa Tilson, a Boca Raton native, has been through many hurricanes but she worried about this one. She drove to her mother’s house in Sun City Center, a retirement community near Tampa on the Gulf Coast, only to find herself more squarely in Irma’s path. The family rushed to protect the home.

As the storm approached Saturday afternoon, Ms. Tilson planned to stay in one hallway with her daughters, while her mother, her mother’s partner and Ms. Tilson’s 80-year-old aunt stay in another, she said. “That’s where we are going to ride it out,” she said. “I’ve had a weird feeling in my stomach about this storm since I first heard about it.”

More than 6.3 million Florida residents, about 30% of the total, have been told to leave their homes, state officials say. Evacuations have led to long lines at gas stations, fuel shortages, traffic jams and overrun hotel rooms.

More than 70,000 Floridians have taken refuge in more than 385 shelters around the state...

More.

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Irma’s Surge Poses Big Risk to Coast

Oh boy, this one's a doozy.

At WSJ, "Hurricane Irma’s Surge Poses Major Risk to Florida":

The size of this monster...holy hell. pic.twitter.com/naM5tQpXZC

— Alexis In NH (@AlexisinNH) September 9, 2017

Hurricane Irma, the most powerful storm to take aim at Florida in decades, is on a path that presents the worst-case scenario for deadly storm surges and powerful winds when it strikes the state Sunday, threatening millions of homes and businesses.

Irma is a massive storm, covering an area more than double the size of Florida, and generating sustained winds of more than 150 miles an hour. It has already killed more than 20 people after flattening the Caribbean islands of St. Martin and Barbuda as it arced north toward Florida. The hurricane’s impact could reach as far north as Indiana and Illinois, forecasters say, affecting about 50 million people.

Long lines of cars clogged Florida’s highways after authorities and forecasters implored the state’s 20.6 million people to leave low-lying coastal lands expected to be inundated by hurricane-driven seawater.

Storm surges, one of the most deadly threats of Hurricane Irma, are forecast to be 9 feet to 20 feet high, depending on whether the storm hits the peninsula from the Atlantic on the east or the shallower Gulf of Mexico to the west.

“If it comes in from the Gulf side, Tampa Bay could just get hammered and that really is one of the big catastrophic events we have been worried about for some time,” said Kyle Mandli, assistant professor of mathematics at Columbia University.

But Mr. Mandli warns the entire state could remain at risk if the hurricane tracks up the middle of the state and causes storm surges on both coasts, though those would probably not be as high.

With Irma now projected to make landfall in the Florida Keys about daybreak Sunday, weather experts say the flooding could begin hours earlier because surges from a hurricane start to hit land in advance of the storm’s center. The surge peaks as the hurricane eyewall crosses onto land, said Robert Bea, professor emeritus at the University of California’s Center for Catastrophic Risk Management. “We’re talking several hours of surge,” Mr. Bea said.

Storm surges, created when the high wind of a hurricane forces ocean waters onshore, account for half of the deaths and most of the destruction caused by the majority of hurricanes, weather experts say.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez cited a possible life-threatening storm surge when he expanded the county’s evacuation zone on Thursday, now affecting more 650,000 residents.

Much of the estimated $62 billion in U.S. damage from superstorm Sandy in 2012 was caused by the storm surge that slammed the Eastern seaboard, according to an analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey.  Storm surge was cited by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the major cause of the $75 billion in destruction along the Gulf Coast from 2005’s Katrina, which leveled beachfront communities in Mississippi and inundated the city of New Orleans.

On Florida’s coasts, which will face the brunt of the Category 4 hurricane’s destructive force, about 3.5 million residential and commercial properties are at risk of storm-surge damage and almost 8.5 million properties are at risk of wind damage, according to data provider CoreLogic .

The last Florida storm that was the size of Hurricane Irma, which was downgraded to Category 4 from Category 5 on Friday, was Hurricane Andrew in 1992. That storm was originally classified as Category 4 but was reclassified in 2002 to a Category 5.

Catastrophe-modeling firm Karen Clark & Co. said a repeat of Hurricane Andrew on the same path as in 1992 would cause $50 billion in insured losses. The same storm directly hitting Miami today would cause more than $200 billion in losses, the firm said.


Miami, however, is protected by a rapid drop offshore thanks to the continental shelf, which is unlike Florida’s mostly shallow Gulf of Mexico coast. As a result, the surge hitting Miami from a Category 4 storm like Irma is expected to total up to 9 feet, compared with as high as 20 feet if it were to hit more along the Gulf Coast, according to NOAA.

The highest waves are typically centered on the leading right side of the storm, where counterclockwise winds in the Northern Hemisphere push the bulk of a hurricane’s destructive force. The surge waves are made even higher when they travel across shallow coastal waters, said Robert Bohlin, a meteorologist with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu.

Historically, the biggest storm surges in U.S. history have taken place in shallow Gulf waters. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 produced the nation’s highest recorded surge of 27.8 feet at Pass Christian, Miss. At least 1,500 people died in Katrina—many from the surge—and entire beachfront neighborhoods were washed away by the waves, NOAA officials said.

But Irma is forecast to take such an unusual track—essentially up the length of the Sunshine State—that hurricane experts aren’t exactly sure how the surge pattern will play out. If it shifts slightly to the west, much higher surge could inundate parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast, said Columbia’s Mr. Mandli.

“Even a shift of a few kilometers could be the difference between a huge disaster and something more manageable,” Mr. Mandli said.

Damage from a storm surge is considered flooding, which isn’t covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. Flood damage is largely covered by the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program, which provides homeowners up to $250,000 to repair a home and $100,000 for personal possessions.

Homeowners in high-risk flood zones are required by their mortgage providers to buy flood insurance, but consumers outside those areas often forgo the coverage.

Businesses can buy federal flood insurance, which covers up to $500,000 for damage to a building and $500,000 for its contents. Commercial-property insurance for large businesses often includes flood coverage...

Still more.

Genie Bouchard in Turks and Caicos (VIDEO)

Well, this was well before Turks and Caicos got hit by Hurricane Irma, that's for sure.

Nice, in any case.

At Sports Illustrated Swimsuit:

Poll: America's Political Divisions Reach Deep Into Nation's Culture, Economy, and Social Fabric

We're completely divided as a society, something I've studied quite a bit. But it's always interesting to see a new poll that provides more evidence of our polarization.

At WSJ, "Political Divisions in U.S. Are Widening, Long-Lasting, Poll Shows":

Divisions in America reach far beyond Washington into the nation's culture, economy and social fabric, and the polarization began long before the rise of President Donald Trump, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey of social trends has found.

The findings help explain why political divisions are now especially hard to bridge. People who identify with either party increasingly disagree not just on policy; they inhabit separate worlds of differing social and cultural values and even see their economic outlook through a partisan lens.

The wide gulf is visible in an array of issues and attitudes: Democrats are twice as likely to say they never go to church as are Republicans, and they are eight times as likely to favor action on climate change. One-third of Republicans say they support the National Rifle Association, while just 4% of Democrats do. More than three-quarters of Democrats, but less than one-third of Republicans, said they felt comfortable with societal changes that have made the U.S. more diverse.

What is more, Americans' view of the economy, the direction of the nation and the future has even come to be closely aligned with their feelings about the current president, the survey found.

"Our political compass is totally dominating our economic and world views about the country," said GOP pollster Bill McInturff, who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster Fred Yang. "Political polarization is not a new thing. The level under Trump is the logical outcome of a generation-long trend."

The poll found deep splits along geographic and educational lines. Rural Americans and people without a four-year college degree are notably more pessimistic about the economy and more conservative on social issues. Those groups make up an increasingly large share of the GOP.

One measure of how much more polarized the electorate is than a generation ago can be found in views of the president. Eight months into the 1950s presidency of Republican Dwight Eisenhower, 60% of Democrats approved of the job he was doing. That level of cross-party support for a new president remained above 40% until Bill Clinton, when only 20% of Republicans approved of his performance after eight months in 1993. For Barack Obama, Republican support dropped to 16% at this point in his presidency in 2009.

Under Mr. Trump, that trend has continued and intensified. His job-approval rating among Americans overall has remained in recent months at about 40%, but just 8% of Democrats approve of the job he is doing, the survey found. By contrast, 80% of Republicans approve.

Mr. Trump's election has brought a sharp mood swing among Republicans. In August 2014, 88% of Republicans said they weren't confident that life for their children's generation would be better than their own, a gloomy view of a central element of the American dream. Eight months into the Trump presidency, just 46% of Republicans say they lack confidence in their children's future -- a 42-point swing that is more dramatic than improvements in the economy would seem to justify.

The survey found changes over the years in attitudes on cultural and economic issues, such as gun control, immigration and globalization, that were key issues of Mr. Trump's campaign.

Views of gun rights used to be less partisan: Asked if they were concerned that the government would go too far in restricting gun-ownership rights or, alternatively, that the government wouldn't do enough, Republicans in 1995 were about evenly split. Democrats were divided 26% to 67%.

Now, 77% of Republicans say they are concerned the government would go too far, and just 18% worry the government wouldn't do enough. Democratic opinion is the mirror image, 24% to 71%.

Views of immigration have also become more partisan. In an April 2005 poll that asked whether immigration strengthened or weakened the U.S., a plurality of 48% said it weakened the nation, with 41% saying immigration strengthened the country.

Now, a substantial majority of 64% view immigration as strengthening the country, while 28% say it weakens the U.S. The change is due almost entirely to a sharp shift in Democrats' views. In 2005, just 45% of Democrats said the country was strengthened by immigration; now the share is 81%.

Democrats also are now more inclined to see globalization as beneficial, compared with 20 years ago, when both parties had largely similar views of the matter.

Two groups in particular have a relatively pessimistic view of the economy -- rural Americans and those with less education.

Some 43% of rural residents gave a high rating to their local economy's health, compared with 57% of urban dwellers. Among people without a four-year college degree, only 47% viewed the economy in their area as good or excellent, compared with two-thirds of people with a degree.

Both groups have been moving from the Democratic Party to the GOP.

Among people without a four-year college degree, a plurality of 44% identified as Democrats in 2010. Now, only 36% do. Among those who are college graduates, just 36% now identify as Republican, versus 41% in 2010.

While there is broad agreement that the country is riven by division, there is no consensus on why...

Still more.

Harry Turtledove, In the Balance

I haven't started this one yet. I have a couple of other books I'm finishing, but Turtledove's on the top of my "next novels" list.

At Amazon, Harry Turtledove, In the Balance: An Alternate History of the Second World War (Worldwar, Volume 1).

Officials Urge Residents in Florida Keys to Evacuate (VIDEO)

These folks are pretty emphatic: If you don't get out now, we can't help you later. Please leave.

Oh boy, what a nightmare.

Below, at CBS News 4 Miami.

And see the Miami Herald, "‘Unprecedented’ evacuations set as Irma takes direct aim at South Florida."

Natalie Portman in Racy Bedroom Scenes for Dior Campaign

At London's Daily Mail, "Natalie Portman strips off in racy bedroom scenes as she portrays dramatic love story for steamy Dior perfume campaign."

Knocked Him Out with One Punch

Heh.

This is good!

VIDEO:🚨Migrants attack a couple and instantly regret it!

OMG I could watch this a million times!

RT and share the love!🤣 pic.twitter.com/zKtd26Sfrj

— Zak Zale🔹 (@ZakZale) July 27, 2017

Alexis Ren Workout

She's great!

And this is me trying to be serious / wearing Michi bottom and star top @renactive pic.twitter.com/ZwTC4bGjJg

— Alexis Ren (@AlexisRenG) September 1, 2017

The Rotting Soulless Moral Abomination That is Ben Rhodes

Ben Rhodes was Obama's Deputy National Security Adviser.

Seth Mandel excoriates him:

HOLY CRAP. Obama officials hijacked the freaking Holocaust Museum and wrote a "study" absolving Obama for Syria https://t.co/qJm8KjKB93

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) September 6, 2017

There are no words to aptly describe the rotting soulless moral abomination that is Ben Rhodes https://t.co/qJm8KjKB93

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) September 6, 2017

Roots of the Current Campus Madness

At great piece, from an unexpected source, Scientific American, "The Unfortunate Fallout of Campus Postmodernism":

Students are being taught by these postmodern professors that there is no truth, that science and empirical facts are tools of oppression by the white patriarchy, and that nearly everyone in America is racist and bigoted, including their own professors, most of whom are liberals or progressives devoted to fighting these social ills. Of the 58 Evergreen faculty members who signed a statement “in solidarity with students” calling for disciplinary action against Weinstein for “endangering” the community by granting interviews in the national media, I tallied only seven from the sciences. Most specialize in English, literature, the arts, humanities, cultural studies, women's studies, media studies, and “quotidian imperialisms, intermetropolitan geography [and] detournement.” A course called “Fantastic Resistances” was described as a “training dojo for aspiring ‘social justice warriors’” that focuses on “power asymmetries.”

If you teach students to be warriors against all power asymmetries, don't be surprised when they turn on their professors and administrators. This is what happens when you separate facts from values, empiricism from morality, science from the humanities.

RTWT.

Francesca Eastwood

At Maxim:

Actress. Model. Eastwood. https://t.co/6etciRn2TD

— Maxim (@MaximMag) September 8, 2017

Punish Americans for Their Heritage, but Reward 'Dreamers': How #DACA Outrage Exposes the Left

At Breitbart, "By now it is crystal clear: the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was simply a way for President Obama to force his successor to make an unpopular decision."

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President Trump's Bipartisan Path, at Least for Now

At the New York Times (FWIW), "Energized Trump Sees Bipartisan Path, at Least for Now" (at Memeorandum):

This tweet is everything that the political class does not understand about voters. Everything. --> honestly ignore at your peril. https://t.co/oFNCIFnDzE

— SalenaZito (@SalenaZito) September 8, 2017

Agreed. I don't like the deal. I'm glad he made the deal.

— BurghFeeder (@BurghFeeder) September 8, 2017

WASHINGTON — By the time President Trump woke up on Thursday morning, he was feeling upbeat. And as he watched television news reports about his fiscal agreement with Democrats, he felt like telling someone.

He picked up the phone and called the two Democratic congressional leaders, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Representative Nancy Pelosi of California. “The press has been incredible,” he gushed to Ms. Pelosi, according to someone briefed on their call. He was equally effusive with Mr. Schumer, boasting that even Fox News was positive.

A few hours later, Mr. Trump went on TV himself, vowing to turn a one-time spending-and-debt deal brokered out of expediency into a more enduring bipartisan alliance that could transform his presidency. He signaled openness to a Democratic proposal to eliminate the perennial showdowns over the debt ceiling, and he repeated his desire to cut a deal to protect younger illegal immigrants from deportation.

But even as Republicans fumed at being sidelined, many in Washington were skeptical that the moment of comity would last. Although Mr. Trump has at times preached bipartisanship, he has never made it a central part of his governing strategy. While he may have been feeling energized on Thursday by the collaboration, he is a politician driven by the latest expression of approval, given to abrupt shifts in approach and tone. He is a man of the moment, and the moment often does not last.

There are also reasons to doubt whether Democrats would sustain a partnership with Mr. Trump beyond the deal they have cut to keep the government open for three months and paying its debts. The centrifugal forces of partisanship tug from the left as well as the right, and the liberal base has put pressure on Democratic lawmakers not to meet in the middle a president it loathes.

For one day, though, the two sides sought to put months of acrimony behind them. “I think we will have a different relationship than we’ve been watching over the last number of years. I hope so,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House. “I think that’s a great thing for our country. And I think that’s what the people of the United States want to see. They want to see some dialogue. They want to see coming together to an extent.”

Democrats expressed a blend of optimism and caution. “We’ll see,” Mr. Schumer said in an interview. “I think it would be much better for the country and much better for Donald Trump if he was much more in the middle and bipartisan rather than siding with the hard right. I think he got a taste of it yesterday. We’ll see if it continues. I hope it does.”

One area of possible agreement could be a proposal advanced by Mr. Schumer to eliminate the requirement that Congress vote from time to time to raise the debt ceiling, a perennial point of division in Washington, and raise it automatically. “It could be discussed,” Mr. Trump said. “There are a lot of good reasons to do that.”

In a separate interview, Ms. Pelosi said that during their phone call, the president seemed eager to support legislation called the Dream Act preserving President Barack Obama’s program allowing 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the county illegally as minors to stay and work. Mr. Trump canceled the program this week on the grounds that Mr. Obama overstepped his authority, but he called on Congress to authorize it before it phases out in six months.

“He said, ‘I want to sign it. Let’s do it fast. Let’s do it soon,’” Ms. Pelosi said. “And I said, ‘All the better. We don’t want to take six months, and we don’t even want to take three months.’”

She used the opportunity to ask Mr. Trump to post a message on Twitter reassuring those in the program, called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, not to worry about deportation during the six-month wind-down period. “My members had said to me last night, ‘We need more assurance that people are going to leave these dreamers alone,’” she said.

She said she also asked Mr. Trump to make certain that the Department of Homeland Security did not target the young immigrants. “He said, ‘Are they doing that?” she said. “I said, ‘That is what is being reported to me, and I want to make sure that they don’t.’”

Whether this latest round of interaction marks a turning point in Washington, Ms. Pelosi sounded dubious. “Every day is a new day around here,” she said.

Still, Mr. Trump followed through on the Twitter promise. “For all of those (DACA) that are concerned about your status during the 6 month period, you have nothing to worry about — No action!” the president wrote shortly after the phone call.

The message appeared just as Ms. Pelosi was briefing her whips about the call. Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan spotted the tweet on her iPad and read it out loud to surprised Democrats.

'Tiny Dancer'

From yesterday morning's drive time, at the Sound L.A.

Here's Elton John, "Tiny Dancer":

Due to the song lacking a hook, "Tiny Dancer" was initially a non-starter as a single in the US, reaching only #41 on the U.S. pop chart, and was not even released as a single in the UK. The song fared better in Canada, where John had much of his early commercial breakthrough success, peaking at #19. It was also a hit in Australia, peaking at #13. Eventually, the song slowly became one of John's most popular songs even in the territories that initially failed to embrace it, and the full-length version is now a fixture on North American, UK and Australian adult contemporary and rock radio stations.

Time
Pink Floyd
8:29 AM

No One Like You
Scorpions
8:25 AM

Margaritaville
Jimmy Buffett
8:21 AM

Ten Years Gone
Led Zeppelin
8:14 AM

Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Queen
8:12 AM

Jamming
Bob Marley & The Wailers
8:08 AM

Shoot to Thrill
AC/DC
8:03 AM

Time of the Season
The Zombies
8 AM

Walk This Way
Aerosmith
7:55 AM

Fame (2016 Remastered Version)
David Bowie
7:51 AM

Tiny Dancer
Elton John
7:34 AM

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
The Rolling Stones
7:31 AM

Rock the Casbah
The Clash
7:27 AM

Danielle Gersh's Sunny and Mild Forecast

It's been a lot more pleasant heat-wise this week.

Warm but mild.

Here's the lovely Ms. Danielle, for CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

The Cold Civil War

It's Angelo Codevilla, at the Claremont Review:

How to Prevent the Cold Civil War From Becoming Hot. Flashback to Angelo Codevilla's piece from April. https://t.co/U10GVGEOJB

— Nick Short 🇺🇸 (@PoliticalShort) August 13, 2017

President Trump Orders End to #DACA (VIDEO)

If there was any one policy that was likely to turn the "cold civil war" into a hot one, it's gotta be this one.

Literally to the one, leftists from top of the establishment to the bottom of the far-left fever swamps have excoriated the president for his move on restoring law and order on immigration policy.

Things are gonna get hot in the weeks and months ahead. The anger at Trump's election last November 9th will begin to burn again. It's been bad all along, but I'm seeing a new seething hatred. Things are coming to a head.

At WaPo (FWIW), "Trump and Republicans face ‘a defining moment’ on immigration":

President Trump is hurtling toward a crossroads on immigration — his signature campaign issue and a key source of his law-and-order reputation — where each path before him comes with significant political risks.

Trump has temporarily placed the fates of roughly 800,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children in the hands of Congress, buying himself time and shunting responsibility.

Should Congress act, the president will have to choose whether to sign on to a legislative solution granting the “dreamers” legal status — or to let the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, expire, which would impede the ability of beneficiaries to find work and leave them vulnerable to deportation.

The choice cuts to the core of his presidency and could have long-term ramifications for the Republican Party.

“From a Republican Party point of view, this is a defining moment,” Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), co-author of a bipartisan dreamers bill, told reporters Tuesday. As if addressing Trump, Graham added, “You have a chance to show the nation, as the president of all of us, where your heart’s at.”

Trump’s hard-line base, which demands purity and expects results, recoils at DACA as illegal amnesty and will look to him to veto any such legislation. But allies said Trump also is eager to prove that he has the “great heart” he has touted, and he is under pressure from his party’s establishment, the business community and many of his own advisers to find a way to let dreamers stay.

Trump’s 901-word statement on Tuesday explaining his decision zigzagged between those instincts. By the afternoon, when he sat down to a meeting at the White House with congressional leaders, Trump appeared to loosely come down on the side of the dreamers, saying he was confident lawmakers would achieve “the right solution.”

“I have a love for these people and hopefully now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly,” Trump said. “And I can tell you, speaking to members of Congress, they want to be able to do something and do it right. And really, we have no choice.”

On Tuesday night, Trump tweeted that he wanted to “legalize DACA,” another call to action that further muddled where the administration stood and what it would do.

“Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do),” Trump wrote. “If they can’t, I will revisit the issue!”

Trump’s tone sharply contrasted with the harsher approach taken by Attorney General Jeff Sessions hours earlier at a news conference where he did not take questions. The difference highlighted the murkiness of the administration’s position...

Still more.

Jennifer Lawrence Dazzles at the Premiere of 'Mother!'

I guess this movie is something else.

At the Playlist, via WeSmirch, "‘mother!’: Darren Aronofsky’s Scorchingly Brilliant Thriller Is Visceral, Go-For-Broke Madness [Venice Review]."

And at London's Daily Mail, "Jennifer Lawrence dazzles in a semi-sheer floor-length floral gown with co-star Javier Bardem at the premiere of Mother!"

Trump Administration to 'Weaponize' #DACA Data

You just gotta love Trump. I mean, he's more committed to Alinsky than radical Alinskyite leftists, lol.

From Betsy Woodruff, at the far-left Daily Beast, "The Trump Administration Now Has Tons of DACA Data and is Poised to Weaponize It."

Immigration atty told me that bc of DHS statement on ICE and DACA, he is advising DREAMers to avoid police https://t.co/2jrRcwgCjJ

— Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) September 5, 2017

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Still more, Amazon’s Choice – Home - Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-33BM 15.6-Inch FHD Notebook (Intel Core i3-7100U 7th Generation , 4GB DDR4, 1TB 5400RPM HD, Intel HD Graphics 620, Windows 10 Home), Obsidian Black.

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

BONUS: Sinclair Lewis, It Can't Happen Here (Signet Classics).

Guy de la Bédoyère, Praetorian

* BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Guy de la Bédoyère, Praetorian: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Imperial Bodyguard.

Ken Follett, A Column of Fire

*BUMPED.*

It turns out Ken Follett had a blockbuster sensation with the publication of his medieval novel, The Pillars of the Earth (1989). That was followed up by a second volume of a trilogy, World Without End (2007).

So now he's got the third installment coming out on September 12. At Amazon, A Column of Fire.

In 1558, the ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn apart by religious conflict. As power in England shifts precariously between Catholics and Protestants, royalty and commoners clash, testing friendship, loyalty, and love.

Ned Willard wants nothing more than to marry Margery Fitzgerald. But when the lovers find themselves on opposing sides of the religious conflict dividing the country, Ned goes to work for Princess Elizabeth. When she becomes queen, all Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country’s first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions, and invasion plans. Over a turbulent half century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. Elizabeth clings to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents.

The real enemies, then as now, are not the rival religions. The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else—no matter what the cost.

Set during one of the most turbulent and revolutionary times in history, A Column of Fire is one of Follett’s most exciting and ambitious works yet. It will delight longtime fans of the Kingsbridge series and is the perfect introduction for readers new to Ken Follett.

New Edita Vilkevičiūtė Photos

I've posted this babe before, here.

And at Drunken Stepfather, "EDITA VILKEVICIUTE OF THE DAY."

Jennifer Delacruz's Labor Day Forecast

This one wasn't available late last night when I hit the hay. It was hot but not too bad yesterday, quite a bit less hot than Saturday. Shouldn't be too bad today either.

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

Jessica Gomes Body Painting for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (VIDEO)

This one goes way back to 2008.

She's stunning.

California to Phase-Out Fossil Fuels by 2045

I suspect I'll be retired living in Wyoming by this time, God only hopes.

Leftists will destroy this state if it's the last thing they do, and by eliminating fossil fuels, that's precisely what will happen.

At LAT (FWIW), "California's goal: an electricity grid moving only clean energy":

California's goal: an electricity grid moving only clean energy https://t.co/WJaunnRfdw pic.twitter.com/xjEK7rUBlZ

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) August 31, 2017

California lawmakers are considering a future without the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity, a step that would boost the renewable energy industry and expand the scope of the state’s battle against global warming.

If approved at the end of the legislative session next month, the proposal would eventually ensure only clean energy moves through the state’s electricity grid, a goal nearly unmatched anywhere in the world.

It would accelerate the adoption of renewable energy by requiring utilities and other electricity providers to obtain 60% of their power from resources such as the sun and wind by 2030. Then it would task regulators with phasing out fossil fuels for the remaining 40% by 2045.

The goal: Less than three decades from now, no coal or natural gas would be burned when Californians charge their electric cars, run their air conditioners or flip on their lights.

The lofty ambition of the legislation, Senate Bill 100, could come with similarly steep challenges.

New solar plants and wind turbines would need to be built in addition to massive batteries connected to the grid to store energy for when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.

The state would no longer be able to rely on natural gas — which can be turned on and off to match demand — to help balance a complex electricity grid that stretches across deserts, snow-capped mountain ranges, urban sprawl and rural farmland.

“It’s doable,” said Mike O’Boyle, who studies the power sector at Energy Innovation, a think tank in San Francisco. “But because we don’t really have a working example for a 100% renewable system, it’s going to be an ongoing experiment.”

Hawaii became the first state to set such a target two years ago, but California would be trying to achieve the goal at a much larger scale. Germany and France, countries with economies closer in size to California’s, are also working to phase out fossil fuels for electricity.

Compared with the political firestorm over extending the state’s cap-and-trade program earlier this year, the electricity proposal has flown under the radar. It was passed by the state Senate in May and requires approval from the Assembly before it can be sent to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk.

Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), who authored the legislation, said he’s confident the state can pull it off. He compared the speed of renewable energy innovation to the rapid spread of the Internet.

“That’s the type of opportunity we have today, right here in California, with clean energy,” he said.

But utilities and some business groups have concerns.

“We want to help California achieve its bold clean energy goals in a way that is affordable for our customers,” said Lynsey Paulo, a spokeswoman for Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the state’s largest utility. “If it’s not affordable, it’s not sustainable.”

An estimate from nonpartisan legislative analysts shows renewable energy regulations are a relatively costly way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“It’s a more expensive, less flexible approach to reducing emissions,” said Loren Kaye, president of the California Foundation for Commerce and Education, a think tank affiliated with the California Chamber of Commerce.

He said ratepayers will end up covering the cost in their utility bills...

See that?

The once-Golden State's largely unaffordable now. Imagine how it's gonna be in 30 years. The entire state will be made up Bay Area leftist-clones. Working class and regular folks will have bailed to parts yonder, Arizona, Nevada, Texas --- even Wyoming.

Good riddance, I say. What a cluster.

Still more.

Rosemary Rowe, A Pattern of Blood

At Amazon, Rosemary Rowe, A Pattern of Blood (Libertus Mystery Series).

Robert Silverberg, Roma Eterna

At Amazon, Robert Silverberg, Roma Eterna.

Lindsey Davis, The Silver Pigs

At Amazon, Lindsey Davis, The Silver Pigs (Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries).

Lloyd C. Douglas, The Robe

*BUMPED.*

Getting deep into the fictional literature of Ancient Rome.

Lloyd C. Douglas, The Robe.

Harry Turtledove, Give Me Back My Legions!

It's an epic novel of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, just what I've been looking for!

At Amazon, Harry Turtledove, Give Me Back My Legions! A Novel of Ancient Rome.

Burning Man Dies at Burning Man

Really.

At LAT, "Man dies after rushing into Burning Man festival flames."

A Burning Man festivalgoer has died after running into the towering blaze, officials in Nevada say https://t.co/4UCd1UZU9L pic.twitter.com/imblifFqLe

— CNN (@CNN) September 4, 2017

Survey Says: Yes

— Kinda Bored (@lamblock) September 4, 2017

UCLA Scores 35 Unanswered Points to Beat Texas A&M, 45-44

I swear, I'd forgotten about this game and only turned it on after I saw Eric Sondheimer tweet. I thought I'd just check it out, even if UCLA was getting its butt kicked. OMGoodness what misplaced sentiment. That's gotta be one of the most amazing comebacks ever, especially for UCLA. It's just not like the Bruins. They showed some real excellence tonight. Truly amazing. I think folks will be talking about his one for a while. Sheesh.

At LAT, "UCLA completes improbable comeback for a 45-44 victory over Texas A&M":

Any UCLA fan who stays for the entire game at the Rose Bowl will receive a T-shirt, "Loyal UCLA fan." Many sizes available.

— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) September 4, 2017

R-E-M-A-R-K-A-B-L-E comeback. Final: UCLA 45, Texas A&M 44.

— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) September 4, 2017

Diehard fans who stayed got a lot more than a shirt, wow. #UCLA #UCLAvsTAMU #GoBruins #Football #Aggies https://t.co/HDPaCc1dhB

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) September 4, 2017

The seemingly impossible happened Sunday at the Rose Bowl.

UCLA completed a comeback from a 34-point deficit with 35 unanswered points starting late in the third quarter, pulling out a stunning 45-44 victory over Texas A&M in the Bruins’ season opener at the Rose Bowl.

Two plays after UCLA receiver Jordan Lasley dropped a third-down pass at the first-down marker, he pulled in a 10-yard touchdown pass with 43 seconds left, twisting his body in the back of the end zone to make the catch and tie the score.

UCLA’s J.J. Molson then booted the most meaningful extra point of his career through the uprights to nudge the Bruins ahead for the biggest comeback in school history.

The Bruins (1-0) then stopped Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond a yard short short of a first down on fourth and 10 after a lengthy review. After the final snap, several Bruins sprinted over to the student section to celebrate. Their teammates soon followed.

Rosen completed 35 of 59 passes for a career-high 491 yards and four touchdowns, including 292 yards and all four touchdowns in the fourth quarter. He got lucky twice, floating a pass that should have been intercepted but instead went for a 42-yard touchdown to Darren Andrews. He also threw off his back foot with a defender in his face to complete a 16-yard touchdown to Theo Howard.

Caleb Wilson led the UCLA receivers with 15 catches for 203 yards, both career highs.

Trayveon Williams had 203 yards rushing for Texas A&M (0-1), which was held to 58 yards in the fourth quarter.

Jessica Mendoza's GMA Interview

She's in bare feet.

Why are kids being asked to pick ONE sport at such a young age? More injuries financial strain &burnout bc of it. My feature airs today @GMA pic.twitter.com/BsC66bG7iL

— Jessica Mendoza (@jessmendoza) September 1, 2017

@jessmendoza great piece on specialization in kids sports. 1% of high school grads get colleges sports scholarships. 🤔#justplay pic.twitter.com/I5IoZI18aM

— maggie livreri (@MaggieLivreri) September 1, 2017

New Deals. Every Day.

At Amazon, Shop Today's Deals.

More, AmazonBasics Apple Certified Lightning to USB Cable - 6 Feet (1.8 Meters), White.

And, AmazonBasics AA Performance Alkaline Batteries (48 Count) - Packaging May Vary.

Also, LG Electronics 60UJ7700 60-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model).

Still more, LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottle with 2-Stage Integrated Filter Straw for Hiking.

Plus, Ninja Coffee Bar Brewer, Glass Carafe (CF082).

Here, WORX TURBINE 12 Amp Corded Leaf Blower with 110 MPH and 600 CFM Output and Variable Speed Control – WG520.

More here, Black & Decker WM1000 Workmate Workbench.

BONUS: Lawrence W. Reed, ed., Excuse Me, Professor: Challenging the Myths of Progressivism.

Sunday Cartoons

At Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."

Also at Theo's, "Cartoon Round Up..."

Cartoon Credit: A.F. Branco, "Stiletto Gate."

Gabrielle Caunesil Photoshoot

Fantastic woman.

At Editorials Fashion Trends, "GABRIELLE CAUNESIL BY CAMERON MACKIE."

She's also on Instagram (here and here).

Bo Krsmanovic Uncovered for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 (VIDEO)

She's lovely.

Jennifer Delacruz's Continued Heatwave Forecast

Wasn't able to get this posted last night before bedtime.

More super hot and humid weather today. Dangerous conditions, in fact.

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

BlinkOne Coffee Canister

A really cool unit.

At Amazon, BlinkOne Coffee Canister: Airtight Coffee Bean Container Storage with Magnetic Scoop (18 oz).

Also, DARK COSTA RICAN 'TARRAZU' Whole Bean Coffee - 5 LB Bulk Bag - Volcanic Soil - Single Origin Grown - Dark 'French Roasted' - Full & Well-Balanced Smooth Body - Stone Street Coffee.

BONUS: Victor Cha, The Impossible State: North Korea, Past and Future.

Doesn't Kim Jong Un Understand 'Suicidal'?

If Kim wants to play gamesmanship, I think the U.S. should show him who's boss.

At the Asia Times, "North Korea: Doesn’t Kim Jong Un understand ‘suicidal’?":

American officials and commentators often say it will be “suicide” if Kim Jong Un tries something. That something is usually unclear but at the rate Kim is launching missiles he appears to think he’s got plenty of leeway before he does something suicidal.

The North Koreans wouldn’t be the first to miscalculate what suicidal is.

It was suicidal for the Japanese to attack the Americans and British in 1941, in retrospect, at least. But at the time, it seemed like a reasonable idea.

It was suicidal for Hitler to attack Russia, especially when over half the German invasion force’s transport was horse-drawn. But at the time it didn’t seem so.

The United States invading Iraq without a plan for what to do once Baghdad was captured? It might not have been suicidal, but was at least the equivalent of jumping off a three-story building onto an asphalt parking lot, repeatedly.

So consider things from Kim’s perspective as he looks over the last 30 years. No matter what he and his father and grandfather did they’ve never been painfully punished.

At various times, the Americans, Japanese, South Koreans and others have given the Kim’s food, money, oil, and atomic reactors – all in exchange for a promise to talk or behave better. Keeping the promises was optional.

And when the Kim regime has acted out – blowing up the South Korean cabinet in Rangoon, torpedoing a South Korean Navy ship, kidnapping Japanese citizens, launching missiles, building and testing nuclear weapons, poisoning a half-brother in broad daylight in a crowded airport terminal?

Why … nothing much happened.

After the South Korean vessel was sunk the Americans even pressured Seoul to do nothing. And China helpfully insisted at the UN that it was unclear who fired the torpedo.

China – the one country that can economically “turn off” North Korea – has kept the Kim’s afloat, protected them politically, and helped with their nuclear and missile programs.

This continues and includes pressuring South Korea over its THAAD missile defense system and strong-arming South Korean companies operating in China. But it’s not just Beijing.

The Kim regime maintains a gulag that a Korean Solzhenitsyn will someday write about. Yet 164 nations have diplomatic relations with North Korea.

And a number of them accept North Korean “forced” labor and allow the regime’s licit and illicit money making operations to continue.

The United States has had a curious approach towards North Korea. It maintains military forces on the peninsular and is committed to defending South Korea – while often displaying naivety and incompetence on the diplomatic front...

Still more.

And at Politico, "Trump threatens to 'stop all trade' with any country doing business with North Korea."

Hurricane Harvey's a Wake-up for Los Angeles

I mentioned to my wife that we don't get that kind of Texas flooding in Southern California (thank goodness), but I fear a catastrophic earthquake. We're due for a big one, if not "The Big One."

Remember the freeway that pancaked in Oakland during the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989? And the Bay Bridge snapped in half? Plus, all the other devastation? That's my worst fear.

In Los Angeles, we had the 1994 Northridge 'quake. I lived in Santa Barbara at the time and the temblor literally picked up my apartment and smashed it back down. I was already awake, at about 5:00am. All the streetlights and floodlights at the apartment complex went out. Power was out all together until the early afternoon. There were now mobile phones so you weren't checking everything out on your device.

Anyway, here's the Los Angeles Times, "Houston offers a grim vision of Los Angeles after catastrophic earthquake":

For years, scientists have drawn up terrifying scenarios of widespread destruction and chaos that would come to Southern California when a catastrophic earthquake hits.

Their efforts to warn the public may get an unlikely boost from the unprecedented disaster unfolding in Houston, where Tropical Storm Harvey dumped trillions of gallons of rain across Texas and brought America’s fourth-largest city to its knees.

While epic flooding is different from a powerful temblor, both natural disasters fundamentally alter daily life for months or years.

In recent years, officials have drawn up detailed scenarios of what would happen if a huge quake struck this region, part of a larger campaign to better prepare.

The last two big earthquakes to hit Los Angeles — the 1971 Sylmar quake and 1994 Northridge quake — caused destruction and loss of life. But the worst damage was concentrated in relatively small areas and did not fundamentally bring daily life across all of Southern California to a halt.

Experts have long warned that a significantly larger quake will eventually strike and that the toll will be far greater...

More.

Suzy Hansen, Notes on a Foreign Country

Suzy Hansen, Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World.

Paul Lynch, Grace

A review at NYT here.

And at Amazon, Paul Lynch, Grace: A Novel.

Richard V. Reeves, Dream Hoarders

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Richard V. Reeves, Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That Is a Problem, and What to Do about It.

Neil Gaiman, American Gods

At Amazon, Neil Gaiman, American Gods (The Tenth Anniversary Edition: A Novel).

La Tuna Canyon Fire Torches More Than 5,000 Acres (VIDEO)

Well, it's been awful hot out.

It'd be a living hell to be caught in this inferno.

At LAT, "Three homes burned as wildfire torches more than 5,000 acres":

ICYMI: Steven Pressfield, Gates of Fire

*BUMPED.*

My earlier entry is here.

And at Amazon, Steven Pressfield, Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae.

[ADDED: I'm going to start in on this one now, as I just finished The First Man in Rome this morning.]

Today's Deals

*BUMPED.*

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

And, AmazonBasics AA Performance Alkaline Batteries (48 Count) - Packaging May Vary - #1 Best Seller in AA Batteries.

More, PURELL Sanitizing Hand Wipes - Individually Single Wrapped (300 Count).

And, Hershey's 36ct. Plus 1 Bonus Bar (37 Bars Total).

Even more, Mountain House Just In Case...Breakfast Bucket.

And, Liberty Imports Sport Archery Set With Target and Stand.

Here, AmazonBasics Apple Certified Lightning to USB Cable - 6 Feet (1.8 Meters), White.

Plus, Giro Revel Bike Helmet - White/Silver.

Also, LG 60" Super UHD 4K HDR Smart LED TV 2017 Model (60UJ7700) with 2x 6ft High Speed HDMI Cable Black, Transformer Tap USB w/ 6-Outlet Wall Adapter and 2 Ports & Screen Cleaner for LED TVs.

BONUS: Michael Burleigh, Moral Combat: Good and Evil in World War II.

I've Finished The First Man in Rome

I mentioned earlier that it'd probably take two weeks to read the book if I buckled down and plowed through close to 100 pages a day. That wasn't in the cards, but this week I did focus on this one exclusively (except for my teaching prep) and was able to knock it down.

Here's my earlier entry, "Colleen McCullough's 'Masters of Rome' Series."

And see, "Colleen McCullough, The Grass Crown."

And at Amazon, the "Masters of Rome."

Joanna Krupa Flaunts Sensational Legs in Poland

At London's Daily Mail, "Busty Joanna Krupa flaunts her sensational legs in split scarlet mini with sexy tailored blazer following TV appearance in her native Poland."

Clint Romesha, Red Platoon

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Clint Romesha, Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor.

Meanwhile, Back in Afghanistan

See Austin Bay, at Instapundit, and a bunch of links, "IN CASE YOU MISSED THEM: My latest NY Observer essay: After North Korea’s latest missile test, Trump puts “all options on the table”."

And on Afghanistan, "MEANWHILE, BACK IN AFGHANISTAN: The place is a mess. But what the Trump team proposes to do makes a lot more sense than the feckless policies of the feckless Obama. (Another recent Observer essay.)"

Bernard Cornwell, Lords of the North

Bernard Cornwell, Lords of the North (The Saxon Chronicles Series #3).

Bernard Cornwell, The Last Kingdom

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Bernard Cornwell, The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Chronicles Series #1).

Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner (VIDEO)

I love this:

Victor Klemperer, I Will Bear Witness

Victor Klemperer, I Will Bear Witness: A Diary of the Nazi Years, 1933-1941.

Mary Fulbrook, A Concise History of Germany

At Amazon, A Concise History of Germany (Cambridge Concise Histories) , Second Edition.

Amber Lee's Scorching Weather Forecast

It's about 85 degrees in Irvine as this post goes live --- at 10:25pm.

Sheesh.

It used to be like this in Fresno back 1989, when I started out at Fresno State. The only difference was the whole summer was pretty much like this. I don't miss it that much, heh.

In any case, I don't think there's going to be much relief tomorrow. Maybe a couple of degrees. Here's the lovely Ms. Amber with the forecast, for CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

Anna Funder, Stasiland

Anna Funder, Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall.

Wolfram F. Hanrieder, Germany, America, Europe

At Amazon, Wolfram F. Hanrieder, Germany, America, Europe: Forty Years of German Foreign Policy.

Hannah Ferguson for V Magazine

Here, "THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL."

And at Drunken Stepfather, "HANNAH FERGUSON FOR MARIO TESTINO OF THE DAY."

Rupert Darwall, Green Tyranny

Out October 3rd, at Amazon, Rupert Darwall, Green Tyranny: Exposing the Totalitarian Roots of the Climate Industrial Complex.

Peter McPhee, Liberty or Death

*BUMPED.*

Following-up from yesterday eariler, "Lynn Hunt, Politics, Culture, and Class in the French Revolution."

Now here's this book, just out on August 8th, from Peter McPhee, at Amazon, Liberty or Death: The French Revolution.

Angels Acquire Justin Upton and Brandon Phillips

Hey, I can dig it.

I like Cameron Maybin, who was sent to Houston, but if the acquisition of Upton and Phillips helps the Angels make the postseason, it's no problem.

And the front office did some serious business with these acquisitions.

At the Los Angeles Times, "Angels signal they're in it to win it by trading for Justin Upton":

Brandon Phillips and Justin Upton will both be in uniform tonight in Texas. I would like to say, in advance, that I don't make the lineup.

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) September 1, 2017

This is bigger than Yu Darvish.

You might have wondered if the Dodgers were trying their hardest to win the World Series, but you never had to wonder whether they were trying to win. The Dodgers were bound for October, with or without Darvish.

The Angels? Mike Trout, some wings and a prayer.

When the July 31 trade deadline came and the Angels were afloat in the wild-card race, they made one move: dumping one of their most reliable relievers for no good reason, and nothing good in return.

With one bold move on Thursday, the Angels announced they were back.

Back to relevance. Back to winning. Back to a commitment to excellence.

No longer will the Angels allow themselves to be held hostage by the ghost of Josh Hamilton. When they agreed to acquire Justin Upton from the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, they finally removed the“vacancy” sign from left field, three years after they exiled Hamilton to Texas.

They could have had Upton two winters ago, or Yoenis Cespedes, Dexter Fowler, Alex Gordon or Jason Heyward. They passed on them all, trying to pass off Craig Gentry and Daniel Nava as a legitimate major league platoon. They still had to pay Hamilton, after all.

The Angels’ left fielders have hit 27 home runs in the three years of the post-Hamilton era, seven this season. Upton has hit 28 home runs this season, 11 in August.

The Angels’ second basemen had a .589 OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage), the lowest for any American League club at any position, aside from shortstop for the Kansas City Royals (Alcides Escobar). After two years and zero offense there in the post-Howie Kendrick era, the Angels doubled down on this year and traded for Brandon Phillips on Thursday as well.

Trout has drawn 11 walks in his last eight games, and not just because of his plate discipline. For most of the season, no Angels hitters besides Trout and Andrelton Simmons ranked above league average. They rank last in the AL in OPS. Frankly, with their starting pitching in tatters for most of the season, it’s a miracle they are in contention.

But they awoke Thursday — the last day before organizational rosters are frozen for postseason eligibility — and found themselves one game out of the second AL wild-card spot, two games behind the New York Yankees for the top wild-card spot.

The disabled list is clearing. Andrew Heaney and Tyler Skaggs are back in the starting rotation, with ace Garrett Richards expected to follow any day now. C.J. Cron hit two home runs on Tuesday. Albert Pujols hit two home runs on Wednesday.

The players deserved some help, and owner Arte Moreno gave it to them.

Moreno doesn’t come around the ballpark as often as he used to, and he doesn’t have much to say publicly, leaving fans to wonder whether he remains engaged and interested in his team. He takes pride in running the team as a successful business, with no debt. He could sell the team for 10 times what he paid for it.

On Thursday, he showed he still is in it to win it. The Angels’ lone World Series appearance, remember, came the year before he bought the team.

This is the last year of the Hamilton contract. Moreno will pay about $35 million to left fielders this year — $26 million to Hamilton, the rest to Upton and Cameron Maybin.

It isn’t that the Angels’ payroll is taking a huge jump this year. It’s not. The Angels let the Houston Astros take Maybin on a waiver claim, and the $1.5 million the Angels save there will cover much of the $3.7 million Upton is owed for the rest of this season. The Tigers will pay some of that too. And the Angels’ commitment to the 36-year-old Phillips is less than $1 million; he’s a free agent come fall.

No, the plaudits for Moreno come because Upton has four years and $88.5 million left on his contract after this season. He could opt out, but Moreno assumed that risk — and, really, there’s not much to lose here.

The Angels know they get a month of Upton for a few million bucks, without losing either of their two legitimate prospects in the trade. They just might get four more years of a premium power hitter at a market rate.

Upton, who turned 30 last week, has hit at least 25 home runs five years running. They ought to hope he does not opt out. If he does, they won’t get a draft pick.

The Angels cannot dream of getting anywhere near that production of anyone in their farm system by 2020.

That is the last year of Trout’s contract. The Angels don’t have time for a tank job if they want to persuade him to stay. They need to show him they can win, with him, and soon.

And, as of Thursday, they are two big bats closer to doing something they never have done since baseball’s best player joined the Angels in 2011: winning a postseason game.

Myla Dalbesio Leaves Nothing to the Imagination (VIDEO)

At Sports Illustrated Swimsuit:

Bella Thorne Flaunts in a Bikini Top

Yolo.

At Drunken Stepfather, "BELLA THORNE IN A BIKINI TOP OF THE DAY":

Bella Thorne never ending stream of her life because girl is so hooked to fame, attention to herself, being the star of her show, that she runs and directs and stars in like a Mel Gibson movie you can jerk off to, while designed to feed her ego.

🌈🎪🏆 pic.twitter.com/plLEYlbGg7

— bella thorne (@bellathorne) August 27, 2017

Alannah Beirne on the Sidewalk

She's was a finalist for Britain's Next Top Model.

At Taxi Driver, "Alannah Beirne Nipple Slip on the Sidewalk."

Also at Sunday World Magazine and VIP:

Free in today's @sundayworld ... Magazine+ has an exclusive chat with Ireland's @BNTMUK stunner @AlannahBeirne pic.twitter.com/XE6jXWIehX

— SW Magazine+ (@SundayWorldMag) June 25, 2017

‘I was bursting with happiness…’ @AlannahBeirne on making top three on Britain’s Next Top Model. https://t.co/W9kWpmxGE1 pic.twitter.com/HMA6lp4XAK

— VIP Magazine (@VIPmagaz) May 18, 2017

Blistering Heat Continues (VIDEO)

There was an apocalyptic feel last night when I was driving home from work. Temperatures were near 100, but the sky was filled with cumulus storm clouds, while at the same time the acrid smell of smoke told that the heat had brought some fires. You just wanted to be out of it. Man.

Here's more, from Jasmine Viel at CBS News 2 Los Angeles:

President Trump May Drop DACA (VIDEO)

I hate DACA. But will dropping it hurt the GOP?

We'll see.

At LAT, "Speaker Ryan, business groups urge Trump to save DACA program for young immigrants."

A decision's expected over the weekend.

Democrats: The Atheist Anti-American Feminist Gun-Grabber Man-Hating Party

At the Other McCain:

Democrats like Shannon Watts promote the idea that Bible-believing Christians are a greater threat to America than Koran-believing Muslims. Why? Because exit-poll data show that Bible-believing Christians tend to vote Republican, just like a majority of gun owners vote Republican, and most white people vote Republican. If you are a member of any demographic constituency that is aligned with the GOP, Democrats will find a way to demonize you as the epitome of evil, because scapegoating their enemies is what the Democrat Party is all about.

By the way, is anyone surprised that Shannon Watts’ daughter is gay? Aren’t Democrats now basically the anti-heterosexual party? America is still a free country, and you can say what you want, but they can take away my heterosexuality when they pry it from my cold dead hands.

Probably most Americans agree with me, but Democrats hate most Americans. They are fanatically devoted to hating us, and yet can’t seem to understand why we don’t vote for them. Let’s hope they never figure it out, because this is why Hillary Clinton is not president.

Anna Kooiman in South Korea (VIDEO)

I saw her on Twitter this morning.

And here's the video from Fox & Friends: