David Samuels: "Rapid-Onset Political Enlightenment"

The first half of this is very interesting, IMO.

But it's a bit long, and about 3/4 of the way through it gets pretty speculative and I have a hard time following--much less assessing--the argument.

But I've only read it once.

Needless to say, I don't know whether these claims about Obama are true.

Why Is the Trump Admin Relying on the "Criminal Aliens" Excuse?

If you're in the country illegally, you should be kicked out. We don't need any other excuse. We're enforcing the law.

   As I've said for years, the progressive left's position is becoming more and more difficult to distinguish from open borders. They basically flung open the border, and now their position is: you can't send them back. Let them in and don't send them back is, basically an open borders position.

   We might make exceptions for good residents who have been here for decades--but that case has to be made separately. The burden of proof is not on the right for enforcing immigration laws. Enforcing immigration laws gets presumption. We don't have to explain to you why we're deporting illegal aliens. The burden of proof is on the left to prove that we are obligated to allow illegal aliens to stay.

   This is why it concerns me that the administration is basically saying that it's going to deport only criminals (ignoring the fact that illegal entry is a criminal offense) and people consorting with criminals. It's like the left has, again, managed to swing presumption over to its side--as if, again, we needed an excuse for deporting people who entered the country illegally.

   But we don't.

Rich Lowry: Trump's Win in Panema

link

Lee Jussim: "Burn Academia Down?"

Notes from the USC censorship conference.

Gerard Baker: "Pray for Surrender in Trump's Dumb Trade War"

I don't understand anything about this.

Rubio: USAID Will Now Be Aligned With Our National Interest

Which means, inter alia: no more "trans" comic books in Bolivia or wherever.

Excellent.

No more wasting taxpayer dollars on leftist pseudoscience.

"Corporate America Isn't Abandoning DEI, Just Rebranding It"

These clowns are obviously committed to the train wreck that is DEI. So, for all I know, they're bullshitting to keep the bullshit diversity-industrial complex alive. Or, as so many of us predicted, this is, in fact, what businesses--and universities--are doing.

   As I've said, I don't expect the left to give up on the DEI bonanza that easily--it's a cuddly-sounding way to turn organizations to leftist purposes.

   Of course that doesn't mean that we give up--it just means that we have to hunt this madness down wherever it hides, under whatever new names.

   Their argument is pretty weak--though I'm befuddled today from some kind of virus that's kicking my ass. So I could be missing something. But they seem to be arguing that 486 Fortune 500 companies "still have diversity statements or commitments on their websites." That's a measure alright--but not a great one.

   I'll wait for an argument from a more objective source.

The Dumbest Trade War Fallout Begins

I don't understand anything about this.

DNC "Gender" Follies

I can't believe what I just listened to. The DNC Leader interrupted the party election to tell members that not enough non-binary candidates have been elected, so they MUST now vote for one.

"With the results of the previous four elections, our elected officers are currently two… pic.twitter.com/8CelMVzyE6

— George (@BehizyTweets) February 1, 2025

WSJ: The Dumbest Trade War in History

I have no idea what's going on.

link

But it certainly seems really dumb on its face.

Trump Probably Shouldn't Prohibit Pronoun Declarations in Sig Lines

 Look, listing "your" pronouns is idiotic.

That's not how the language works.

And absolutely, pronoun-prompts in Outlook etc. should be turned off.

But I'm not wild about prohibiting such declarations in government emails. 

One might argue that gender ideology has been on the march in part because it made such announcements of acceptance/compliance so common. And I suppose you could see such proclamations as declarations of political/cultural/religious affiliation...kinda like having "Jesus is Lord" or "God is my copilot" in your gov't sig line or bio...

Hm.

Well, maybe that's right.

But I'm not really for it.

More thought needed.

Abigail Shrier: How the Gender Fever Finally Broke

I'm pretty sure this is the craziest thing that's happened in American politics, culture, science, universities...anywhere...in my lifetime.

I still have acquaintances--intelligent people with PhDs--who insist that men can be women.

I also have acquaintances--intelligent people with PhDs--who insist that no one has ever believed it--it's all been politeness kabuki...

Which, as I keep explaining, means that the left has been willing to sexually mutilate children...in order to be polite...

There's simply no way to make sense of this madness.

Carolina 70 - Duke 87

That score makes it seem closer than it was.

30 point game at one point.

Doesn't really matter--Carolina's cooked anyway. They're not going to make the tournament--barring someone else knocking d00k off in the ACC tournament...and then a miracle happening...

The only real questions at this point are:

(1) Will this year's performance harm recruiting?

(2) Is it time for Hubert to go?

Again, I like Hubert...but another year of not making the tournament...not good...

We knew they were going to have a down year, given that J-Wash just can't form the basis of an effective frontcourt. But damn... Just kinda seems that they shouldn't be this bad...

Rationality and Objectivity are Signs of "White Supremacy"

Old news, but we should never let this insanity die.

We should bring this stuff up in every election.

People stupid enough to have fallen for this need to have it carved into their tombstones.