This is an open thread for various news items of the day. Read Only.
Katie Porter Blew It
Katie Porter illustrates perfectly how out of touch with reality the Left has become overall but especially the Democrats, as she says Riley Gaines is only out for likes. What a grotesque misread of the moment. A complete failure of leadership. A disgusting response to someone who was held hostage for three hours by trans activists. I heard that Katie Porter was the future of the Democratic Party and all I can say to that is, well, good luck. You break it, you own it.
Armageddon Time
Los Angeles has “Street Takeover” with a gutted police force unable to stop them. America at the hands of the Democratic Party is destroying itself.
Camille Paglia on Pronouns Six Years Ago
Democrats were so consumed by their Trump pathology they just weren’t watching what was about to completely overtake the party. Paglia has been, I think, canceled by now but this was just brilliant.
Some trans-identified people are pushing back against the crazies it’s just that it will never find its way into the mainstream because the crazies are running the asylum.
Some hope for the future
The Wall Street Journal asked a few college kids to talk about the Trump Indictment. I was so happy to read some of their responses. I guess I always assume the future is bleak but there are still some thinking minds out there. Here are a few examples:
Rafael Arbex-Murut, University of California, Berkeley, information and data science:
“The outcome is a lose-lose for everyone. Even if the indictment fails to produce any results, the precedent has been set. All voters—even moderates who do not support or oppose Trump—will become cynical as law enforcement and politics become intertwined. Corrupt politicians who find themselves in public service will feel emboldened to use the law against their opponents. Skepticism, polarization and radicalization will increase among all Americans at a time when distrust in our institutions already runs high.
The genie has been let out of the bottle with this unfortunate precedent. The silver lining is that we will see who supports democracy and who simply states that they do.”
Jack Harkin, St. John’s University, accounting
“While the indictment of a former president is a serious and sobering moment for our country, the charges brought against Mr. Trump are staggeringly unserious. For this case to even be brought based on the statute of limitations, the alleged falsification of business records must be connected to another crime. There is not one reference to another crime in the indictment that the false business records were used intentionally to conceal, which is the requirement for falsification to be considered a felony under New York state law.
Kyle Lynaugh, University of Chicago, public policy
New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg claimed in a news conference that Mr. Trump violated New York election law and federal campaign contribution limits. The hush-money payments, however, would have been made irrespective of the campaign, as these are nuisance settlements to avoid sullying the reputation of a billionaire businessman with claims of affairs. Since the payment was not made because of the campaign, this should not be considered a campaign expense. Additionally, no campaign funds were used for the payments in question. The U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York refused to pursue charges in this case. The Federal Election Commission rejected the charge that this is a campaign-finance violation. Now it’s time for Judge Juan Merchan to dismiss this case.”
How can a democracy function if we spend years using the full force of the national-security state and criminal-justice system to investigate, find an alleged crime, and then arrest political opponents using a novel legal theory? It can’t.
The vengeful obsession to punish and silence our political opponents in this country will not lead us down a fruitful path. There is a reason that indicting a former president is a line that has never been crossed in our nation’s two-hundred-year history. Unfortunately, the precedent has been set by a partisan district attorney, elected by a constituency that went 90% for Biden, and promised a Trump indictment.
Politics is a game of power, and mutually assured destruction is the only way forward. Republicans will follow suit and use the Democrats’ tactics against them. Americans should expect a new norm and watch as political leaders have charges brought against them regularly. Only once our leaders realize this can be used against them will they hopefully correct course.
A Good Movie, a Good Streaming Series
I hardly ever find good movies to watch anymore. Most of them are mind-mumblingly awful by now, just one lecture after another. I accidentally rented this movie on Amazon for $3.99 not realizing it was French. I probably would have skipped it because I was just too tired to stare at the screen. But I was riveted from the first minute to the last. It’s about a divorced mother of two who is juggling work and home life when the railways go on strike. The acting, directing and editing are all really great.
The Night Agent
This Netflix series is very involving and interesting. It is a wee bit on the “woke” side, meaning everybody gets a certificate such that we leave no marginalized person behind but it’s not THAT bad. There is only one reference to MAGA and that’s when they make fun of “patriots,” but it’s brief. The story follows a story of corruption, a false flag operation that fakes a terrorist attack. The politics of it are murky, but at this point, I will settle for anything that kind of, sort of tells a decent story.
I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday. If you have something to share with readers, please do so here.
Wow those responses seem... reasonable? Maybe every young person isn't a brainwashed woke moron. Here's hoping. :) And thank you for putting together this thread it's great!
Comment on Katie Porter: She totally lied that the J6 dissidents killed policemen. Total lie and one that Democrats keep repeating without being corrected.
Paglia is still my favorite libertarian.
Excellent and wise comments by the college kids. More power to them. I suspect there are a lot more sober and rational college kids than are represented by the screaming, insufferable wokescolds that draw all the attention. I expect the same goes for the transgendered.
No, your argument that suicides and natural death after the fact qualify as being murdered or killed by J6 protesters does not fly. The only person who was intentionally murdered that day was Ashli Babbitt, an unarmed and unthreatening woman.
Over 150 federal and local law enforcement were injured by BLM rioters during their siege of the White House during that awful BLM summer. Why weren't they honored?
There is no evidence that Trump encouraged seditious insurrection. He begged the protesters to let their voices be heard patriotically and peacefully, as is their right.
Tucker Carlson's aired footage convinced a judge to release the "Qanon Shaman" the next week, thereby correcting a miscarriage of justice. Yes, he was guilty of "unauthorized parading", but never was it righteous to hold him without trial for months, nor was it correct to sentence him to over 4 years in prison for a non-violent misdemeanor. The Kavanaugh rioters violated the same law, including breaking down security barriers and fighting with Capitol Police when they rioted for three days during the Senate confirmation hearings, disrupting Congress and causing Kavanaugh and his family to be evacuated to safety. Almost 300 protesters were arrested for this. Only one was prosecuted. The double standard stinks. That is also a primary reason about 100,000 Americans showed up on J6 to throw the bums out.
J6 happened because of unlawful last-minute changes to election rules, voting irregularities, and too many courts refusing to give standing to the voters, including 29 state AGs, to review the evidence including sworn affidavits.
Is Trump delusional? No. He's a serial exaggerator and he's decided to be a politician to win an election against a dithering, serial liar protected by a corrupt state security apparatus and Dept. of Justice. He's playing their game.
You originally responded to my accusation of Katie Porter's lie that J6 protesters killed policeman and implied that the J6 rioters were the cause of the suicides and fatal stroke.
What are you doing reading Substack if you only believe your masters' lies? You think we haven't all been pummeled with these lies enough already? How many fake covid jabs did you get? Still think the ACA is saving middle class families thousands every year and anyone who believes otherwise is a racist? Are there any of their lies you don't believe in? Do you believe Black people can't succeed in America without White people paying for their education, housing, food, and phone?
Uh most people on the left now are religious too and devout. Their definition of hell is exile so I would not posture moral superiority if I were you. You're all up in it.
Is that really your best reply? Not saying anything would have been better. Ignorance always gives itself away, usually through efforts to hide it. If you were really curious and not just someone in way over their head, you would question your own religion, The Ideology of your chosen masters
Thank you for the responses from the WSJ. You're right that they give one hope.
I think there are "subversives" in Hollywood. They make shows like the "Night Agent" which is brave in even suggesting that a terrorist attack might be a false flag. It plants a seed (J6 anyone?--Not that it didn't happen, but you're hard pressed to sort out the acronym agencies' role from what people actually did, making it pretty dang close to a false flag operation, a Reichstag fire if you will).
Anyone else wondering exactly how a 21 year old air national guardsman (not even a full-time soldier, much less an officer) managed to get his hands on those "documents"? It's not even possible really, not if the military is anything remotely resembling competent (yeah, yeah, I know, lots of assumptions there). And why did the FBI need the NYT and the WaPo to find a scapegoat, I mean track down the dangerous traitor [serious face]? One has to almost conclude the documents were deliberately leaked in an operation that could double as an Abbott and Costello routine. So the question is why?
I agree that it’s highly unlikely the military regularly gives that level access to a 21 year old. You barely get out of boot camp at 19 let alone that kind of of information by 21. And all Secret and Top Secret clearances are created equal. I had Secret level when I was in and they never even us where we we going from week to week let alone top level communications. He’ll be memory holed by June and vanished by July.
Katie Porter is a poster child for the stupidity that has made our beloved California a laughingstock to the entire world.
Viewing footage of her utterances causes the listener to lose several I.Q. points at each hearing.
When she and the rest of her cohort of looters has finished emptying the wallets of Californians, they will move on to their next self-interested grift. She exhibits that peculiar combination of stupidity and low cunning that is so characteristic of California's ruling class.
Katie also pulled the ‘ageism card’ against both Piers and Maher during that same segment. Said something like ‘you both sound like old, cranky men’, to subject at hand which Bill pushed back on her hard, saying w/ roll of his eyes “oh so because we’re old we can’t comment?” The tone was like ‘do you know who’s Show you’re on?’ It was a feeble attempt to short circuit the substance of the discussion
She is not only stupid and cunning, she is ideologically possessed.
She ain't no "spring chicken" herownself, and yet she considers herself privileged to declaim, and it sure ain't "pretty privilege" that gives her the right to do so.
Using the inherently fallacious "logic" she employs, her right to pronounce must derive from pure advocacy. She oughta be defenesestrated from the party for ideological impurity, the way the SWP ejected Peter Camejo. His thoughtcrime was that he wanted to achieve bipartisan consensus over environmental issues.
Since I am too chickenshit to write my own Substack I will content myself commentating on yours 🤪😃❤️
On using the state to arrest your political rivals and imprisoning your opposition:
I remember my grandfather telling me what life was like under Stalin, but I didn’t believe him because he was old and crazy and came from a world totally unlike ours here in the USA. Until his death he stupidly kept saying “we were the same as you! We thought it could never happen to us!”....crazy old geezer 🤔😢
On Riley Gains:
A woman is born.
Unlike most pop-culture excuses for feminism these days, I will make certain my daughter will know who she is and what she did.
On pronouns:
I learned English grammar from serious people who took it very seriously. There is little joy in being an English grammar Nazi. It rarely gains friends or influences people…but one benefit is being able to dismiss this recent excuse for poor education without a second thought. These little fascist Orwellian children acting out, have no influence on me or the education of my children. I imagine Camille Paglia felt the same.
On Watchlists:
“The Night Agent” was very good! In the same vein and also very good is “The Terminal List” starring Chris Pratt. At 1st I thought the two stories were related somehow either by author or producer but they are not. Both are excellent and bingeworthy.
Just started getting into “Unstable” a comedy series starring Rob Lowe and his son, John. Very funny quick dialogue, well delivered. But there is something more to this series that interests me. I can’t put my finger on it yet, but odds are it’s Rob Lowe’s character who plays a completely self absorbed but lovable genius.
The Lowes are locals for us here in SB, so maybe I’ll drop in and tell him I’m enjoying the new series! 😂 I’ll let you know when I get out of jail or whatever. I actually did that once, dropped in on TheDude (Jeff Bridges) to talk about a new series he was in and it actually went pretty well, interesting guy.
Ms. Stone: I read your post about pronouns, and thank you for it. It's well-written and you make good points. I am definitely more in the "hardcore" camp, because to me, a dude putting on a dress does not make him a woman. Beginning a process of "transitioning" does not make a person the opposite sex; in fact, DNA science makes it very clear that even the most radical surgeries and drug treatments can never do that. But you do have good points about compromising in order to facilitate dialogue, and those are very valid.
You say you draw the line at men playing sports and children. Both are good lines to draw. But what about an adult dude who is still a fully intact male but has begun hormonal treatments, demanding to use a women's locker room at the gym? Or the woman, still fully intact, demanding we call her a male, let her use the men's restroom, but provide tampons for her in the same restroom? I draw lines at both places, and I think most of society still draws those lines. It's not bigotry, it's common sense (and common courtesy).
If someone goes all the way and chops off what makes them male/female and adds whatever prosthetics are necessary to appear and (mostly) operate as a person of the other gender, then I can address them by whatever pronoun they wish because at that point they are functionally (but never genetically) a person of that gender. But they have to do far more than declare their gender, take pills, and cross-dress.
I'm also curious about your take on the other so-called "genders" out there (I think there are 73 now). There is no science at all to back up more than 2 genders. None. And I think reinforcing this point is the first step back from this abyss of madness that the "transgender" movement has become.
So funny you watched Full Time. My wife and I watched it last week. Really liked it also. Watched Happening last night (also French). The French do a really good job in film capturing the authenticity and rawness of life.
I wish I could watch sub titled films, but my need to multi task has destroyed my ability to entirely focus on the movie, unless I'm at the theater. My eyes spend most of their time on my laptop.
I know I've got a problem, and so does most of society now,
They certainly do. I saw a movie at a French Film Festival in NYC in 2016. It’s a spectacular film called Franz. It depicts the far reaching impacts of war. It’s a must see, imo.
I'm 66 YO, and I no longer like gratuitous violence, except for Peaky Blinders, or gratuitous sex, which is what online porn is for, but I thoroughly reject even a modicum of preaching, let alone gratuitous.
Gratuitous preaching (woke), is the most destructive thing that's ever happened to entertainment. I HATE that Michael Keaton ever opened his mouth, because I can no longer objectively watch him, DeNiro, Moore or any of the other out of touch, virtue signaling idiots in the industry any more.
Night Agent is pretty good. As a conservative, I didn’t find it ‘woke’ but obviously favored ‘Dem party,’ which is often the case in anything produced by Hollywood. I just laugh at their obvious bias knowing it’s ridiculous.
Speaking of good movies, I watched a pretty good one a couple weeks ago: Emily the Criminal. Staring Aubrey Plaza as a woman who is in the financial doldrums, seeing that see has student debt from an unfinished degree, and a couple legal issues in her past. She gets roped into credit card fraud, with her biggest regret that the data might be bad. It shows, not tells, her issues in the manor of a peeling onion, layer by layer. None of the characters do stupid things just to make the plot move, but, rather, act as people with limited knowledge.
Really loved this Substack -- thank you! It was digestible, contained great content and I loved the recommendations as well as the short clips -- it was perfect for Sunday morning reading . ❤️
You always give me glimmers of hope. And just a thought on those hooligans breaking into the quick mart. I have often wondered if it might be a new idea for the police to hand a net, with side anchors, to throw over a large group of looters. With super strong rope. Take them out one by one and arrest them...one by one.
Wishful thinking. In Philly we don’t even arrest half the murderers let alone felony assaults, car jackings and robberies. And even if they are arrested, the Dem DA won’t prosecute. Cops have surrendered.
Excellent collection, Sasha! Even in short-form writing, you manage to articulate what so many of us are thinking, but are unable to express nearly as eloquently, and succinctly.
Katie Porter's candidacy, and likely victory in California's jungle primary (is that really the accurate description anymore? It certainly was when the left was able to take it over and banish the Republicans to irrelevancy, but now that the Democrats have owned the election machinery for decades, now, it seems wrong), and by extension, the state's general election reflects what is likely the most demoralizing development of the past twenty years and that is that the Democrats don't need to have a sense of the electorate, they don't need to be even tangentially in touch with reality. The Democratic nominee (which, in California, is the only one with a chance) will be "elected" regardless of how distant is their orbit. The next Democrat senator from California will be a good foot-soldier marching in lock-step with the leftist agenda, the goal of which is to finish the work begun by HW, continued by Bubba, then W, then the Kenyan Light Bringer in his first two official terms, and now in his third "unofficial" term via his proxy, the dementia-addled Wilhelm, under the control of the cabal of Susan Rice, Valerie Jarrett, and Mike Obama – destroying this nation from the inside.
"America at the hands of the Democratic Party is destroying itself."
No, rather America, at the hands of the Democrat Party, is being destroyed by Democrats.
That IS unexpected hope for the future, if those three are any indication – the key, of course, is that they maintain that moral and rational compass, and are able to displace the high priests and priestesses of the woke religious cult. A tall order, indeed.
"'Now it’s time for Judge Juan Merchan to dismiss this case.'"
Mr. Lynaugh is absolutely correct, but sadly, it won't happen because the fix is in. The left has spent six long years working to get everything aligned to get the indictment issued, to find the right judge, and make sure that the media would fall in line and report as ordered. They are not about to risk all of that effort only for it's hand-picked judge to dismiss it. He undoubtedly has a wife and family, and since they could bully the Chief Justice of SCOTUS into submission, doing so to a federal judge is child's play in comparison.
"Republicans will follow suit and use the Democrats’ tactics against them."
Mr. Lynaugh is not correct, here, however. The Republicans will do no such thing. The Republicans have so little experience in wielding power that when they try, the effort fails so miserably, they are reduced to caricatures. It's too bad Lee Atwater wasted his talents w/ HW, and then left us far too soon – he was the only one who could have given congressional Republicans some useful pointers – but I digress. The Republicans, generally speaking, are far too afraid of not being liked by the media, of being called <insert any 'ist' here>. In fact, this illustrates the dynamic between the Republicans and the media:
The Republicans are Benny without the self-confidence and resolve shown up to this point, and the media are Walter Fielding.
The Republicans don't have the spite, spine, resolve, or intestinal fortitude to give back as maliciously as they receive. The Democrats don't have to worry.
People have already responded to Porter (idiot), Paglia (so not idiot), and other stuff. I wanted to respond to your not finding movies to watch. Go to Netflix and watch The Adam Project with Ryan Reynolds. My wife and I have laughed thru it 4-5 times so far.......
Thank you for this post!!! The movie recommendations and the video clips! Loved both of the women who presented thoughtful clear headed opinions....and they were transgender themselves which gives strength to their opinions. I think most of the crazy trans activists are mostly not trans people. They are just people who like to scream and shut others down for sport. They have no ideas, just emotion. And they don’t have any skin in the game anyway. It reminded me of most of the BLM protests where most of the violent protestors were white people. At least it seemed that way to me based on the video footage I saw. After all that I decided I would listen to thoughtful, well spoken black people about what’s important to them. And there are MANY! So thank you for introducing me to thoughtful well spoken trans women!!!
I live in California. I just realized Porter is running against Barbara Lee (and Adam Schiff, yuck), my local congresswoman whom I’ve always admired and is a person of integrity. She was the only person in Congress to vote against going to war in Iraq. I will for sure be voting for Lee and doing my best to ensure Porter does not win.
It has nothing to do with whether voters like her, or not. Her negatives don't matter. In California, New York state, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington state, where the Democrats own the election machinery, the fix for the Democratic candidate is in. Where any Republican manages to steal a win, all it means is that the Democrat in charge was less than competent, and he/she will be replaced before the next election.
Maybe it isn't all but done, but I'd be willing to wager so.
You left out Arizona. But I don’t even necessarily believe the elections are fixed, more likely it’s because the left dominates the media and education, so the brainwashing is potent.
Thsnks for the show recommendation. There was a time some years ago when I was really into French movies. A Prophet and Rust and Bone from Jacques Audiard and Demonlover and Carlos from Olivier Assayas were incredible. But then they seemed to lose their mojo but I'll have to check those out, maybe they've recaptured it . I've been going back to watch shows before wokeism infected everything. I've been watching Friday Night Lights the TV series. Idk why I never watched it before but it's great. I have been looking for a place to move to get out of Seattle and I know a few people who have moved to West Texas (where Friday Night Lights is set) and they like it. Other friends have moved to Independence Kansas, Little Rock Arkansas, Florida, Albuquerque . Seeing how the people running Seattle and other liberal one party rule cities and States are incapable of seeing clearly and will continue doubling down on failed policies it's going to be tragic but interesting to see these places fall into what's being called e "Doom loop". We are living through interesting times. At some point in the future, provided we survive, historians will look back at this period in history and there will be endless papers and studies examining how the hell it happened. It will be called America's "joke period"
Timing is critical because the wick is burning at both ends, albeit in different directions; in Philly when segregation hit there was a mass exodus out of the city and those that stayed built the parochial school system there that took on nearly all the white students and about 50% of all Philly grade school and high school students. Meanwhile city property value crashed and suburban property value sky rocketed. So some whites were left in what has become one of the most dangerous cities in America. So best wishes in whatever you decide.
Sasha, I enjoy everything you write, but I especially enjoy being able to listen to each piece, as I can listen while accomplishing other tasks simultaneously. Plus, my eyesight is such that it’s difficult for me to read anything without enlarging the print considerably.
She's the only SubStack I read anymore, even though I pay for many. I don't do Twitter or corporate left/right media. I'm so disgusted with us as a Nation right now, I need a break.
Porter also embarrassed herself in the same show regarding the 21 year old Air National Guard classified info leaker, protesting that he was too young to be blamed for his transgression. The Gen Z crowd being defended for a level of immaturity and irresponsibility that has been taught to them by
indulgent so-called adults more concerned about feelings than practicality.
Porter is basically unqualified to be an elected government official, both in temperament, and judgement. Porter owes her election to the quasi-crooked Democrat ballot harvesting machine, where the quality of the candidate is irrelevant.
Thank you for the videos of (1), Piers Morgan solving the trans athlete problem . .”have a third category” . .(2), Camille Paglia telling her common sense truth re preferred pronouns . . and (3), perhaps best of all, Alexis Blake showing the world a real, authentic, T-woman, who you wouldn’t mind having for a next door neighbor or as a co-worker, as long as you had a “family” or individual rest rooms.
Every time I see, or think about Mulvaney, I cringe. His phoney exaggerated female mannerisms are a gender crime. He’s nothing more than a self-serving, high-tech, female impersonator. His before and after pictures make you wonder why he would go through the extensive facial surgery, to include a nose job, and having his jaws & brow bones shaved - just for a few months of fame.
I think the most likely outcome within the next 5 years is two divisions; one for biological men who identify as men, and one for biological men who identify as women. My rationale is that the incentives to identify as a woman are too good for the mediocre male athletes to resist; victimhood, scholarships, money, fame, their own boobs to play with, etc.
I'm no fan of Katie Porter but I didn't think she was that bad. I could at least stomach to listen to her, which I can't say for most of the others on the left that are just nasty like Pelosi, Schumer, Kamala, Newsom, etc. I didn't agree with her but I'll give her credit for not being a complete and utter ass. I guess I should add I didn't watch the video you posted but did see the full Bill Maher espisode she was on, which I'm assuming this was from.
And yes happy to see some reasonable college students agreeing that this indictment of Trump is BS. Thanks for sharing some hope today.
No, the problem is that criminal investigations against a former President are the new alternative to creating a political platform that will get you elected. The Dems haven't got a platform that the country will vote for, so they change election laws and now, try to assassinate their opponents reputations in the courts, regardless of the merit of the charges.
This is a terrifying time in our political history. We're no longer one person one vote.
So much voting now by mail - and votes allowed to be counted if received after Election Day (if postmarked before), means the count can be more gamed/harvested than ever before. For example, are the envelopes with postmark saved/validated to verify vote was submitted in time? I’m not opposed to franchising more citizens, but do that with full sunshine, fairness and transparency. I lost faith in federal elections during last few cycles. I don’t think I’m alone, and I also don’t know how to restore my trust.
When we go to one election day, votes are made at a designated location, absentee voting only under very specific verifiable circumstances and voter ID required. And, vote counting stops the day (or two) after the election. I'm 66, and that's the way it used to be. And during the 60s and 70s, Dems held Congress for the entire two decades, and the President for 12 of the 20 years, so it should be good, eh?
While States can set up their own voting laws, Federal elections should be the same in every State.
At least, that's my legal opinion, and I've stayed at many a Holiday Inn Express.
Th fact that you site the 'popular vote' indicates that we have a very fundamental disagreement on the importance of the electoral college and it's importance to the States. Getting rid of it would basically end States Rights, and we'd all be subject to the whims of the NY/Ca/Il/Mass government philosophies.
So, the rest of your points aren't worth discussing.
Exactly. Eliminating the EC in a republic of federated states would extinguish the fundamental principle of American style governance, that the power of the majority must not trample on the rights of the minority.
Birtha, I think you cited Trump’s popular vote count in the same breath as James Comey, Russia and Electoral College because A) you don’t think he should have been elected and B) you don’t believe in the value of the Electoral College
Factually, the GOP won the House in 2022, thus giving the GOP the purse and a veto over the Senate and the president. They lost a seat in the Senate, but that didn't change things. In fact, the Democrats lost a Senate seat when Sinema left the party. I don't get why Democrats keep thinking they "won" the 2022 mid-terms.
Here's another myth about the 2022 mid-term election debunked:
"Colorado GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert’s victory in an automatic recount helped bring Trump’s overall win record to 199, while 34 of his preferred candidates lost their races, according to an analysis from the NBC News political unit." --- NBC News, 12/14/2022
Maybe in a few races, but it is still a myth that the GOP lost the election. They did well enough. If you want to believe the myth, then you're welcome to it, but it still doesn't fly.
The damage and distrust to and in our electoral system mostly occurred before and during the election. Comey's bizarre conclusion regarding Hillary's emails, the grotesque hoaxes performed by the DNC, her campaign, and their friends in DNC-Media, the suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop revelations, and the last minute and in at least three cases, unconstitutional (aka "illegal") changes to state voting rules just before Election Day, capped off with a cowardly judiciary who refused to even look at evidence of voting "irregularities", culminating in 8 out of 9 federal SC justices denying standing to 29 states in a general election, comprise at least 90% of that damage to trust. That is the real reason why as many as 100,000 fellow Americans showed up to finally, finally kick the bums out.
Wow those responses seem... reasonable? Maybe every young person isn't a brainwashed woke moron. Here's hoping. :) And thank you for putting together this thread it's great!
Comment on Katie Porter: She totally lied that the J6 dissidents killed policemen. Total lie and one that Democrats keep repeating without being corrected.
Paglia is still my favorite libertarian.
Excellent and wise comments by the college kids. More power to them. I suspect there are a lot more sober and rational college kids than are represented by the screaming, insufferable wokescolds that draw all the attention. I expect the same goes for the transgendered.
KATY PORTER comes across like an Irish barmaid - I'm sorry - but my head had placed her in a Brian Friel play 🤪
Hilarious!
No, your argument that suicides and natural death after the fact qualify as being murdered or killed by J6 protesters does not fly. The only person who was intentionally murdered that day was Ashli Babbitt, an unarmed and unthreatening woman.
Over 150 federal and local law enforcement were injured by BLM rioters during their siege of the White House during that awful BLM summer. Why weren't they honored?
There is no evidence that Trump encouraged seditious insurrection. He begged the protesters to let their voices be heard patriotically and peacefully, as is their right.
Tucker Carlson's aired footage convinced a judge to release the "Qanon Shaman" the next week, thereby correcting a miscarriage of justice. Yes, he was guilty of "unauthorized parading", but never was it righteous to hold him without trial for months, nor was it correct to sentence him to over 4 years in prison for a non-violent misdemeanor. The Kavanaugh rioters violated the same law, including breaking down security barriers and fighting with Capitol Police when they rioted for three days during the Senate confirmation hearings, disrupting Congress and causing Kavanaugh and his family to be evacuated to safety. Almost 300 protesters were arrested for this. Only one was prosecuted. The double standard stinks. That is also a primary reason about 100,000 Americans showed up on J6 to throw the bums out.
J6 happened because of unlawful last-minute changes to election rules, voting irregularities, and too many courts refusing to give standing to the voters, including 29 state AGs, to review the evidence including sworn affidavits.
Is Trump delusional? No. He's a serial exaggerator and he's decided to be a politician to win an election against a dithering, serial liar protected by a corrupt state security apparatus and Dept. of Justice. He's playing their game.
You originally responded to my accusation of Katie Porter's lie that J6 protesters killed policeman and implied that the J6 rioters were the cause of the suicides and fatal stroke.
What are you doing reading Substack if you only believe your masters' lies? You think we haven't all been pummeled with these lies enough already? How many fake covid jabs did you get? Still think the ACA is saving middle class families thousands every year and anyone who believes otherwise is a racist? Are there any of their lies you don't believe in? Do you believe Black people can't succeed in America without White people paying for their education, housing, food, and phone?
Uh most people on the left now are religious too and devout. Their definition of hell is exile so I would not posture moral superiority if I were you. You're all up in it.
Is that really your best reply? Not saying anything would have been better. Ignorance always gives itself away, usually through efforts to hide it. If you were really curious and not just someone in way over their head, you would question your own religion, The Ideology of your chosen masters
Thank you for the responses from the WSJ. You're right that they give one hope.
I think there are "subversives" in Hollywood. They make shows like the "Night Agent" which is brave in even suggesting that a terrorist attack might be a false flag. It plants a seed (J6 anyone?--Not that it didn't happen, but you're hard pressed to sort out the acronym agencies' role from what people actually did, making it pretty dang close to a false flag operation, a Reichstag fire if you will).
Anyone else wondering exactly how a 21 year old air national guardsman (not even a full-time soldier, much less an officer) managed to get his hands on those "documents"? It's not even possible really, not if the military is anything remotely resembling competent (yeah, yeah, I know, lots of assumptions there). And why did the FBI need the NYT and the WaPo to find a scapegoat, I mean track down the dangerous traitor [serious face]? One has to almost conclude the documents were deliberately leaked in an operation that could double as an Abbott and Costello routine. So the question is why?
I agree that it’s highly unlikely the military regularly gives that level access to a 21 year old. You barely get out of boot camp at 19 let alone that kind of of information by 21. And all Secret and Top Secret clearances are created equal. I had Secret level when I was in and they never even us where we we going from week to week let alone top level communications. He’ll be memory holed by June and vanished by July.
The answer, I believe, is, because they can.
IC programs?
Katie Porter is a poster child for the stupidity that has made our beloved California a laughingstock to the entire world.
Viewing footage of her utterances causes the listener to lose several I.Q. points at each hearing.
When she and the rest of her cohort of looters has finished emptying the wallets of Californians, they will move on to their next self-interested grift. She exhibits that peculiar combination of stupidity and low cunning that is so characteristic of California's ruling class.
Katie also pulled the ‘ageism card’ against both Piers and Maher during that same segment. Said something like ‘you both sound like old, cranky men’, to subject at hand which Bill pushed back on her hard, saying w/ roll of his eyes “oh so because we’re old we can’t comment?” The tone was like ‘do you know who’s Show you’re on?’ It was a feeble attempt to short circuit the substance of the discussion
She is not only stupid and cunning, she is ideologically possessed.
She ain't no "spring chicken" herownself, and yet she considers herself privileged to declaim, and it sure ain't "pretty privilege" that gives her the right to do so.
Using the inherently fallacious "logic" she employs, her right to pronounce must derive from pure advocacy. She oughta be defenesestrated from the party for ideological impurity, the way the SWP ejected Peter Camejo. His thoughtcrime was that he wanted to achieve bipartisan consensus over environmental issues.
Hi Sasha!
Good wrap up
Since I am too chickenshit to write my own Substack I will content myself commentating on yours 🤪😃❤️
On using the state to arrest your political rivals and imprisoning your opposition:
I remember my grandfather telling me what life was like under Stalin, but I didn’t believe him because he was old and crazy and came from a world totally unlike ours here in the USA. Until his death he stupidly kept saying “we were the same as you! We thought it could never happen to us!”....crazy old geezer 🤔😢
On Riley Gains:
A woman is born.
Unlike most pop-culture excuses for feminism these days, I will make certain my daughter will know who she is and what she did.
On pronouns:
I learned English grammar from serious people who took it very seriously. There is little joy in being an English grammar Nazi. It rarely gains friends or influences people…but one benefit is being able to dismiss this recent excuse for poor education without a second thought. These little fascist Orwellian children acting out, have no influence on me or the education of my children. I imagine Camille Paglia felt the same.
On Watchlists:
“The Night Agent” was very good! In the same vein and also very good is “The Terminal List” starring Chris Pratt. At 1st I thought the two stories were related somehow either by author or producer but they are not. Both are excellent and bingeworthy.
Just started getting into “Unstable” a comedy series starring Rob Lowe and his son, John. Very funny quick dialogue, well delivered. But there is something more to this series that interests me. I can’t put my finger on it yet, but odds are it’s Rob Lowe’s character who plays a completely self absorbed but lovable genius.
The Lowes are locals for us here in SB, so maybe I’ll drop in and tell him I’m enjoying the new series! 😂 I’ll let you know when I get out of jail or whatever. I actually did that once, dropped in on TheDude (Jeff Bridges) to talk about a new series he was in and it actually went pretty well, interesting guy.
You reminded me how much I enjoy some of Paglia's pieces.
She is/was fucking brilliant, and courageous. She's got bigger balls than anyone in any of our three pillars of government.
Ms. Stone: I read your post about pronouns, and thank you for it. It's well-written and you make good points. I am definitely more in the "hardcore" camp, because to me, a dude putting on a dress does not make him a woman. Beginning a process of "transitioning" does not make a person the opposite sex; in fact, DNA science makes it very clear that even the most radical surgeries and drug treatments can never do that. But you do have good points about compromising in order to facilitate dialogue, and those are very valid.
You say you draw the line at men playing sports and children. Both are good lines to draw. But what about an adult dude who is still a fully intact male but has begun hormonal treatments, demanding to use a women's locker room at the gym? Or the woman, still fully intact, demanding we call her a male, let her use the men's restroom, but provide tampons for her in the same restroom? I draw lines at both places, and I think most of society still draws those lines. It's not bigotry, it's common sense (and common courtesy).
If someone goes all the way and chops off what makes them male/female and adds whatever prosthetics are necessary to appear and (mostly) operate as a person of the other gender, then I can address them by whatever pronoun they wish because at that point they are functionally (but never genetically) a person of that gender. But they have to do far more than declare their gender, take pills, and cross-dress.
I'm also curious about your take on the other so-called "genders" out there (I think there are 73 now). There is no science at all to back up more than 2 genders. None. And I think reinforcing this point is the first step back from this abyss of madness that the "transgender" movement has become.
Disagree. Men who hack off their penises are no more women than the voice actors who portrayed Amos and Andy are black.
Paglia is a gem. Forget whether or not The Night Agent leans left or right, the star is one handsome dude.
So funny you watched Full Time. My wife and I watched it last week. Really liked it also. Watched Happening last night (also French). The French do a really good job in film capturing the authenticity and rawness of life.
I wish I could watch sub titled films, but my need to multi task has destroyed my ability to entirely focus on the movie, unless I'm at the theater. My eyes spend most of their time on my laptop.
I know I've got a problem, and so does most of society now,
That's me too but this one sucked me in from minute one and it never allowed me to look away. It was just so riveting.
Maybe a review of it on AwardsDaily would be fun. I plan to rent it this week.
They certainly do. I saw a movie at a French Film Festival in NYC in 2016. It’s a spectacular film called Franz. It depicts the far reaching impacts of war. It’s a must see, imo.
Very good collection of videos to watch and absorb. Thanks
I'm 66 YO, and I no longer like gratuitous violence, except for Peaky Blinders, or gratuitous sex, which is what online porn is for, but I thoroughly reject even a modicum of preaching, let alone gratuitous.
Gratuitous preaching (woke), is the most destructive thing that's ever happened to entertainment. I HATE that Michael Keaton ever opened his mouth, because I can no longer objectively watch him, DeNiro, Moore or any of the other out of touch, virtue signaling idiots in the industry any more.
So, no Night Agent for me.
Night Agent is pretty good. As a conservative, I didn’t find it ‘woke’ but obviously favored ‘Dem party,’ which is often the case in anything produced by Hollywood. I just laugh at their obvious bias knowing it’s ridiculous.
What did Michael Keaton say? I missed it...
Camille Paglia is so fricken awesome...
Speaking of good movies, I watched a pretty good one a couple weeks ago: Emily the Criminal. Staring Aubrey Plaza as a woman who is in the financial doldrums, seeing that see has student debt from an unfinished degree, and a couple legal issues in her past. She gets roped into credit card fraud, with her biggest regret that the data might be bad. It shows, not tells, her issues in the manor of a peeling onion, layer by layer. None of the characters do stupid things just to make the plot move, but, rather, act as people with limited knowledge.
A sold B/B+, and I highly recommend it.
Really loved this Substack -- thank you! It was digestible, contained great content and I loved the recommendations as well as the short clips -- it was perfect for Sunday morning reading . ❤️
Paglia was brutally honest 👏👏👏 so enjoyed watching.
The Night Agent is a pretty good movie. Showed how corrupt our government can be (or how it is).
You always give me glimmers of hope. And just a thought on those hooligans breaking into the quick mart. I have often wondered if it might be a new idea for the police to hand a net, with side anchors, to throw over a large group of looters. With super strong rope. Take them out one by one and arrest them...one by one.
Wishful thinking. In Philly we don’t even arrest half the murderers let alone felony assaults, car jackings and robberies. And even if they are arrested, the Dem DA won’t prosecute. Cops have surrendered.
Excellent collection, Sasha! Even in short-form writing, you manage to articulate what so many of us are thinking, but are unable to express nearly as eloquently, and succinctly.
Katie Porter's candidacy, and likely victory in California's jungle primary (is that really the accurate description anymore? It certainly was when the left was able to take it over and banish the Republicans to irrelevancy, but now that the Democrats have owned the election machinery for decades, now, it seems wrong), and by extension, the state's general election reflects what is likely the most demoralizing development of the past twenty years and that is that the Democrats don't need to have a sense of the electorate, they don't need to be even tangentially in touch with reality. The Democratic nominee (which, in California, is the only one with a chance) will be "elected" regardless of how distant is their orbit. The next Democrat senator from California will be a good foot-soldier marching in lock-step with the leftist agenda, the goal of which is to finish the work begun by HW, continued by Bubba, then W, then the Kenyan Light Bringer in his first two official terms, and now in his third "unofficial" term via his proxy, the dementia-addled Wilhelm, under the control of the cabal of Susan Rice, Valerie Jarrett, and Mike Obama – destroying this nation from the inside.
"America at the hands of the Democratic Party is destroying itself."
No, rather America, at the hands of the Democrat Party, is being destroyed by Democrats.
That IS unexpected hope for the future, if those three are any indication – the key, of course, is that they maintain that moral and rational compass, and are able to displace the high priests and priestesses of the woke religious cult. A tall order, indeed.
"'Now it’s time for Judge Juan Merchan to dismiss this case.'"
Mr. Lynaugh is absolutely correct, but sadly, it won't happen because the fix is in. The left has spent six long years working to get everything aligned to get the indictment issued, to find the right judge, and make sure that the media would fall in line and report as ordered. They are not about to risk all of that effort only for it's hand-picked judge to dismiss it. He undoubtedly has a wife and family, and since they could bully the Chief Justice of SCOTUS into submission, doing so to a federal judge is child's play in comparison.
"Republicans will follow suit and use the Democrats’ tactics against them."
Mr. Lynaugh is not correct, here, however. The Republicans will do no such thing. The Republicans have so little experience in wielding power that when they try, the effort fails so miserably, they are reduced to caricatures. It's too bad Lee Atwater wasted his talents w/ HW, and then left us far too soon – he was the only one who could have given congressional Republicans some useful pointers – but I digress. The Republicans, generally speaking, are far too afraid of not being liked by the media, of being called <insert any 'ist' here>. In fact, this illustrates the dynamic between the Republicans and the media:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LY5dV3xghY
Fast-forward to the 00:02:34 mark.
The Republicans are Benny without the self-confidence and resolve shown up to this point, and the media are Walter Fielding.
The Republicans don't have the spite, spine, resolve, or intestinal fortitude to give back as maliciously as they receive. The Democrats don't have to worry.
Thank YOU!
People have already responded to Porter (idiot), Paglia (so not idiot), and other stuff. I wanted to respond to your not finding movies to watch. Go to Netflix and watch The Adam Project with Ryan Reynolds. My wife and I have laughed thru it 4-5 times so far.......
Has there ever been a worse looking spokeswoman in all the world than Kathy Porter? I dare you. Name one.
Thank you for this post!!! The movie recommendations and the video clips! Loved both of the women who presented thoughtful clear headed opinions....and they were transgender themselves which gives strength to their opinions. I think most of the crazy trans activists are mostly not trans people. They are just people who like to scream and shut others down for sport. They have no ideas, just emotion. And they don’t have any skin in the game anyway. It reminded me of most of the BLM protests where most of the violent protestors were white people. At least it seemed that way to me based on the video footage I saw. After all that I decided I would listen to thoughtful, well spoken black people about what’s important to them. And there are MANY! So thank you for introducing me to thoughtful well spoken trans women!!!
Porter is going to run for governor right? Or is it Senate? Either way I think she’s awful and pray she doesn’t win.
Senate. It's an all-but-done deal.
I live in California. I just realized Porter is running against Barbara Lee (and Adam Schiff, yuck), my local congresswoman whom I’ve always admired and is a person of integrity. She was the only person in Congress to vote against going to war in Iraq. I will for sure be voting for Lee and doing my best to ensure Porter does not win.
Really? All but done? How can people possibly like that woman?
"How can people possibly like that woman?"
It has nothing to do with whether voters like her, or not. Her negatives don't matter. In California, New York state, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington state, where the Democrats own the election machinery, the fix for the Democratic candidate is in. Where any Republican manages to steal a win, all it means is that the Democrat in charge was less than competent, and he/she will be replaced before the next election.
Maybe it isn't all but done, but I'd be willing to wager so.
You left out Arizona. But I don’t even necessarily believe the elections are fixed, more likely it’s because the left dominates the media and education, so the brainwashing is potent.
Thsnks for the show recommendation. There was a time some years ago when I was really into French movies. A Prophet and Rust and Bone from Jacques Audiard and Demonlover and Carlos from Olivier Assayas were incredible. But then they seemed to lose their mojo but I'll have to check those out, maybe they've recaptured it . I've been going back to watch shows before wokeism infected everything. I've been watching Friday Night Lights the TV series. Idk why I never watched it before but it's great. I have been looking for a place to move to get out of Seattle and I know a few people who have moved to West Texas (where Friday Night Lights is set) and they like it. Other friends have moved to Independence Kansas, Little Rock Arkansas, Florida, Albuquerque . Seeing how the people running Seattle and other liberal one party rule cities and States are incapable of seeing clearly and will continue doubling down on failed policies it's going to be tragic but interesting to see these places fall into what's being called e "Doom loop". We are living through interesting times. At some point in the future, provided we survive, historians will look back at this period in history and there will be endless papers and studies examining how the hell it happened. It will be called America's "joke period"
I highly recommend the north Texas, area...I'm not tough enough to live in west Texas...
Timing is critical because the wick is burning at both ends, albeit in different directions; in Philly when segregation hit there was a mass exodus out of the city and those that stayed built the parochial school system there that took on nearly all the white students and about 50% of all Philly grade school and high school students. Meanwhile city property value crashed and suburban property value sky rocketed. So some whites were left in what has become one of the most dangerous cities in America. So best wishes in whatever you decide.
Sasha, I enjoy everything you write, but I especially enjoy being able to listen to each piece, as I can listen while accomplishing other tasks simultaneously. Plus, my eyesight is such that it’s difficult for me to read anything without enlarging the print considerably.
She's the only SubStack I read anymore, even though I pay for many. I don't do Twitter or corporate left/right media. I'm so disgusted with us as a Nation right now, I need a break.
Jon, I couldn’t agree with you more! And, Sasha is clearly my favorite on SubStack.
Porter also embarrassed herself in the same show regarding the 21 year old Air National Guard classified info leaker, protesting that he was too young to be blamed for his transgression. The Gen Z crowd being defended for a level of immaturity and irresponsibility that has been taught to them by
indulgent so-called adults more concerned about feelings than practicality.
Interesting collection of thoughts today. Always worth a read (and watch). I also reviewed the Night Agent with similar thoughts as above.
https://twitter.com/stevecutsdocs/status/1643968435238367235?s=46&t=5QWXTJ1VClrX7haOynBUBQ
Porter is basically unqualified to be an elected government official, both in temperament, and judgement. Porter owes her election to the quasi-crooked Democrat ballot harvesting machine, where the quality of the candidate is irrelevant.
Camille was great - “Are you kidding me?!” <3
Night Agent gets a B-
Best new show is Paramount+’s “Rabbit / Hole”. Each of the (4) episodes to date has gotten better.
More importantly:
Thank you for the videos of (1), Piers Morgan solving the trans athlete problem . .”have a third category” . .(2), Camille Paglia telling her common sense truth re preferred pronouns . . and (3), perhaps best of all, Alexis Blake showing the world a real, authentic, T-woman, who you wouldn’t mind having for a next door neighbor or as a co-worker, as long as you had a “family” or individual rest rooms.
Every time I see, or think about Mulvaney, I cringe. His phoney exaggerated female mannerisms are a gender crime. He’s nothing more than a self-serving, high-tech, female impersonator. His before and after pictures make you wonder why he would go through the extensive facial surgery, to include a nose job, and having his jaws & brow bones shaved - just for a few months of fame.
I think the most likely outcome within the next 5 years is two divisions; one for biological men who identify as men, and one for biological men who identify as women. My rationale is that the incentives to identify as a woman are too good for the mediocre male athletes to resist; victimhood, scholarships, money, fame, their own boobs to play with, etc.
I'm no fan of Katie Porter but I didn't think she was that bad. I could at least stomach to listen to her, which I can't say for most of the others on the left that are just nasty like Pelosi, Schumer, Kamala, Newsom, etc. I didn't agree with her but I'll give her credit for not being a complete and utter ass. I guess I should add I didn't watch the video you posted but did see the full Bill Maher espisode she was on, which I'm assuming this was from.
And yes happy to see some reasonable college students agreeing that this indictment of Trump is BS. Thanks for sharing some hope today.
I was looking for the right description and now thank-you for delivering it.
The same ought to be done in Chicago.
MSM has become weaponized against the people
No, the problem is that criminal investigations against a former President are the new alternative to creating a political platform that will get you elected. The Dems haven't got a platform that the country will vote for, so they change election laws and now, try to assassinate their opponents reputations in the courts, regardless of the merit of the charges.
This is a terrifying time in our political history. We're no longer one person one vote.
BTW, assassinating your opponent's reputation and bending election rules is exactly how Obama entered politics in Illinois.
Agree with you Jon.
So much voting now by mail - and votes allowed to be counted if received after Election Day (if postmarked before), means the count can be more gamed/harvested than ever before. For example, are the envelopes with postmark saved/validated to verify vote was submitted in time? I’m not opposed to franchising more citizens, but do that with full sunshine, fairness and transparency. I lost faith in federal elections during last few cycles. I don’t think I’m alone, and I also don’t know how to restore my trust.
' I also don’t know how to restore my trust.'
When we go to one election day, votes are made at a designated location, absentee voting only under very specific verifiable circumstances and voter ID required. And, vote counting stops the day (or two) after the election. I'm 66, and that's the way it used to be. And during the 60s and 70s, Dems held Congress for the entire two decades, and the President for 12 of the 20 years, so it should be good, eh?
While States can set up their own voting laws, Federal elections should be the same in every State.
At least, that's my legal opinion, and I've stayed at many a Holiday Inn Express.
Th fact that you site the 'popular vote' indicates that we have a very fundamental disagreement on the importance of the electoral college and it's importance to the States. Getting rid of it would basically end States Rights, and we'd all be subject to the whims of the NY/Ca/Il/Mass government philosophies.
So, the rest of your points aren't worth discussing.
Yes. If the Electoral College is ever removed from our Republic, our Republic there ends.
“I think it needs to be eliminated,” hillary clinton said of the Electoral College.
Exactly. Eliminating the EC in a republic of federated states would extinguish the fundamental principle of American style governance, that the power of the majority must not trample on the rights of the minority.
Birtha, I think you cited Trump’s popular vote count in the same breath as James Comey, Russia and Electoral College because A) you don’t think he should have been elected and B) you don’t believe in the value of the Electoral College
Factually, the GOP won the House in 2022, thus giving the GOP the purse and a veto over the Senate and the president. They lost a seat in the Senate, but that didn't change things. In fact, the Democrats lost a Senate seat when Sinema left the party. I don't get why Democrats keep thinking they "won" the 2022 mid-terms.
Here's another myth about the 2022 mid-term election debunked:
"Colorado GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert’s victory in an automatic recount helped bring Trump’s overall win record to 199, while 34 of his preferred candidates lost their races, according to an analysis from the NBC News political unit." --- NBC News, 12/14/2022
IOW: Trump won 89% of the campaigns he endorsed.
Maybe in a few races, but it is still a myth that the GOP lost the election. They did well enough. If you want to believe the myth, then you're welcome to it, but it still doesn't fly.
Birtha, What act of sedition should be Trump’s downfall? Can’t really tell what you refer to?
Trump is not a party to the Dominion civil suit. Do you understand that this is not a criminal case?
Looks like you edited out your reference to the Dominion suit and that Trump better watch out because that's next, to which I refer.
The damage and distrust to and in our electoral system mostly occurred before and during the election. Comey's bizarre conclusion regarding Hillary's emails, the grotesque hoaxes performed by the DNC, her campaign, and their friends in DNC-Media, the suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop revelations, and the last minute and in at least three cases, unconstitutional (aka "illegal") changes to state voting rules just before Election Day, capped off with a cowardly judiciary who refused to even look at evidence of voting "irregularities", culminating in 8 out of 9 federal SC justices denying standing to 29 states in a general election, comprise at least 90% of that damage to trust. That is the real reason why as many as 100,000 fellow Americans showed up to finally, finally kick the bums out.