My well-timed cruise

The week before Thanksgiving, I went on my first vacation since covid: a Disney cruise.  I mention this because of this news just out today: "CDC: Avoid cruise travel regardless of vaccination status."  It looks like I made it just under the wire.

So, just by way of background, I've been nearly losing my mind stuck in my house (or work) since March 2020.  My wife and I made a last-minute reservation which then triggered the following steps just to get on the ship:

1. Upload of a scan of my vaccination card
2. Testament that I didn't have any symptoms
3. Nose swab and test at the dock

It was necessary to wear a mask whenever inside (except for eating), but the masks came off while on deck or at the beach.  As a result, a much needed escape from covid came with a near-constant reminder wrapped around my mouth.  Therefore, it was a mixed bag of a vacation.

The boat we were on typically accommodates 2700 guests; they told us there were only 900 on board.  This meant short lines everywhere.  But it also meant small crowds for some of the entertainment.  We saw the same people at trivia games and the lounges were barren by 11pm.  Disney usually has a whole slate of events but they were either cut back or cancelled.  The character greets were replaced with something they called "Appear and Wave" where you could take a selfie from a respectable six feet.

It was nice to get away for a week but, frankly, I can't see cruising again until covid is far in the rearview mirror.

Achievement unlocked

ABC News: "US shatters COVID case records, as experts predict infection rates will continue to grow."

Funny how these mistakes only go in one direction

Fox News: "The mainstream media's top 10 missteps in 2021 - Media pundits and publications spun on inflation, critical race theory, and more."

This is an actual article somebody wrote

The Week: "'Let's go, Brandon' and the politics of degradation - When did vulgarly insulting people become a form of politics?"

I read this whole POS article shaking my head in disbelief that there are people out there who think disrespect for a President started on January 20th, 2021.  Unbelievable.

Also: let's go Brandon.

Biden does a 180 on executive privilege

Hot Air: "Biden retreats, will shield some Trump January 6 documents".

I think the second reason that Biden’s team is citing is the one that really drove this development. They are citing concerns over executive privilege. Team Biden has never shown anything that would suggest he gives two hoots for Donald Trump’s executive privilege, but it doesn’t require any great stretch of the imagination to guess that he’s quite concerned about his own. This is something that I wrote about at length back in October, advising Joe Biden to “be careful what you wish for.”

Can you imagine the kind of meeting minutes that would come out of a Biden White House?  Most likely it includes a lot of Grandpa yelling.  

Cleanup on aisle 3

Twitchy: "President Biden is back to talking about his federal solution to fight Covid."

Yes, I totally believe that "President Biden" wrote these tweets. 

Extra - NY Post: "Biden’s COVID incompetence, hypocrisy and fact-spinning are only making things worse."  

You're on your own, America

Flashback: "Joe Biden Repeatedly Promised to ‘Take Responsibility Instead of Blaming Others."

Today: "Now he tells us: There's no federal solution to COVID, says Biden."

Then he flew off to Delaware for the weekend.

“Donald Trump still doesn't have a plan to get this virus under control. I do.” pic.twitter.com/QYnuaDuHq9

— The Right To Bear Memes (@grandoldmemes) December 27, 2021

What is worse than stiffing a waitress on her tip?

NY Post: "Zach Wilson gifts NJ diner waitress two tickets to Jets game on Christmas." 

Merry Christmas, everybody

This guy can't do anything right

National Review: "Biden Fails the Christmas Test" - "The White House had a head start on the task of getting Covid tests ready for the holidays, and failed miserably anyway."

When confronted about his terrible response to the predicted and predictable covid spike, Biden laughed then lied. 

Let's go Brandon

Hot Air: "New record on another key inflation measure as consumer spending slows." 

Then he jumped into his 18-wheeler with Corn Pop

Hot Air: "White House "clarification": Biden's story about Manchin admitting "misleading" him was false."

That’s one hell of a “clarification.” The entire point of that fake anecdote was to get Biden off the hook for bungling matters with Manchin, especially after his staff issued that blistering statement on Sunday afternoon. It’s a blame-shifting exercise using a lie to accomplish it by claiming Manchin conceded that he misled people at all — which would truly be amazing for someone who has been crystal clear on his red lines: an honest 10-year accounting for costs, a top line under $2 trillion, and a full pay-for without tax breaks for the wealthy.

This isn't the first time Applesauce Joe has invented a self-serving story out of thin air but at least the previous fabrications were imagined stories from decades ago.  What could possibly be his excuse for this latest false story from recent history?  Seriously, what's wrong with this guy?

Good thing the media decided to retire their lie counter and the nightly covid death count.

Democracy is in danger when we say it is

National Review: "AOC’s Grasp of American Governance Is a ‘Farce’."  It's a problem for the Democratic Party:

Whenever you point out that we’re not living in a democracy and that majoritarian rule is fundamentally un-American, illiberal, and authoritarian, you get lectures about how “democracy” doesn’t mean direct democracy. But what does it mean when historians, politicians, and left-wing leaders make statements such as, “Last time I checked, I didn’t vote for Joe Manchin for president”? Surely they understand that the president isn’t a legislator. Surely they comprehend that every senator is imbued with exactly the same amount of power. Or do they take the view of Bernie Sanders, who already speaks as if he’s living in a one-party state, that 51 senators are a minority if Democrats happen to make up the other 49? 

After all, when Democrats lose a presidential election, progressives demand that we eliminate the Electoral College. When Democrats don’t get their way in the Supreme Court, progressives demand that we pack the courts. When Democrats can’t get the votes to pass their legislation, progressives demand that we end the Senate. “What we really need to do is crack down on the Senate,” AOC said, “which acts like an old boys’ club.” (Isn’t a senator — supposedly acting alone against the wishes of his entire caucus — in a club of one?) Now, maybe progressives are just spinning their wheels in the short term, but they’re also normalizing a kind of radicalism within their ranks that threatens American governance.

I would have thought the Democrats would learn their lesson after exploding the "nuclear option" on judicial nominees, giving us Gorsuch, Barrett, and Kavanaugh.  But no.

Once again, the Babylon Bee is the most reliable news source out there: "In Stunning Blow To Democracy, Legislation Decided By Majority Of Elected Representatives." 

Can't wait for the press conference tomorrow

Applesauce Joe is going to answer questions after his big covid speech tomorrow, right?  Right?

The Dispatch: "Memory Hole: virtually every major health official in the United States has claimed that COVID shots stop the virus - And every single 'public health' pandemic policy is anchored to the idea that COVID shots stop the virus."

So much for that - "Jen Psaki suggests Biden won't answer questions after Tuesday COVID speech."

Remember when the Left loved a "maverick" bucking his party?

Good times.  CNN: "John McCain’s maverick moment." 

What, no love for Maverick Joe?  I guess that's (D)ifferent. 

"This is a no on this legislation"

Senator Joe Manchin on Fox News Sunday just now shot down the Build Back Better boondoggle.

Game over.

Here come all the breaking news stories: "Manchin a ‘no’ vote on Biden’s Build Back Better spending plan."

Politico: "Manchin crushes Biden’s megabill".  After telling the White House "no" for months, they're pissed Manchin didn't call to say it one more time:

Manchin’s rollout on Fox News infuriated Democrats Sunday morning. While the centrist senator’s staff informed White House and Democratic aides about his forthcoming blow to Biden’s agenda, some Democrats were steamed that Manchin himself hadn’t called Biden or Schumer.

"Manchin didn't have the courage to call the White House or Democratic leadership himself ahead of time,” fumed one Democrat familiar with internal conversations.

They simply refused to believe.  At Christmastime, no less!

There's more! - The Corner reports that Manchin had his office call the White House only minutes before his Fox News appearance.  Then when they frantically tried to call him, Joe didn't pick up his phone.  What a legend.

The old "the audio cut out" trick

Red State: "Kamala Harris Explodes in Angry Interview After Aide Unsuccessfully Tries to Shut It Down."

So now it looks like hiding both Applesauce Brain Biden and Kamala from the media is official White House policy.

Certainly not the Joe Biden standard

Hot Air: "What standard should we hold Joe Biden to on COVID deaths?"

Remember this gem?

220,000 deaths.

If you hear nothing else I say tonight, hear this: Anyone who is responsible for that many deaths should not remain President of the United States.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 23, 2020

As somebody noted: every covid death under President Trump was Trump's fault but every death under President Biden is America's fault. 

NewSpeak in the newsroom

National Review: "The Meanings of Words Are Negotiable to the Media If Democrats Contest Them." - "The term “gaslighting” and references to Orwell’s Ministry of Truth get overused in political journalism these days, but this is as vivid an example as you could ask for. Simply by insisting that a longstanding word’s meaning is in dispute, propagandists get the Washington Post to treat the literal dictionary definition of a term as just what “Republicans consider” it to mean."

Republican lexicographers pounce!

The Russian hoaxster himself

Federalist: "During January 6 Hearing, Schiff Doctored Text Messages Between Mark Meadows And Rep. Jim Jordan.  

It's time to beat Big Meat

Twitchy: "Jen Psaki reveals that meat’s gotten so pricey because those sneaky ‘meat conglomerates’ decided to get greedy after Biden took office."

Just after Biden took office and not before.  Plus they conspired with every other major food group.  This is a conspiracy of JFK proportions.

Extra - Ace: "Unexpectedly, Producer Price Index Rises by Nearly 10%, the Fastest Rate in 11 Years." 

Admit it: you thought the crocodile would eat you last

Hot Air: "Sarah Silverman: I can't believe I'm being accused of racism for criticizing Joy Reid." - "I can’t believe she can’t believe it. She’s over 50 and a lifelong leftist. She should be intimately familiar with what happens when you criticize a nonwhite person from the right."

Simpin' ain't easy

Fox News: "NBC's Chuck Todd says some factors for Biden's low polling are 'out of their control' and 'not his fault'."

* Simpin'

Math is hard

In this case: 52>48.  National Review: "Once Again, Bernie Sanders Struggles with the Concept of a Majority." 

Totally not another race hoax

Instapundit on the failed investigation at the University of Massachusetts:

When they don’t produce a culprit, it’s generally because they know who’s behind it and don’t want you to know.

That's my suspicion.  They know exactly who sent these racist emails but reporting that would be embarrassing. 

The case against Jussie Smollett

There's a YouTube channel called JCS - Criminal Psychology that is absolutely fascinating.  They only do about two videos a year but they review the minds of criminals and how police use certain psychological techniques to break down barriers.  They have a new video on Jussie Smollett (which for some reason does not show up on their regular list of videos).  Check it out:

Update: After racking up a million views, this video was put into private mode.  Hmm.

Printing money causes inflation? Who knew!?

Hot Air: "AP: Huh. Maybe we shouldn't spend $5 trillion with this much inflation." 

Biden on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

OMG.

The only reason I tuned in to this show is because I thought Biden would appear in-person without the benefit of off-camera cue cards.  Even with Dr. Jill on the sidelines, it was a train wreck.

This country won't survive three more years with this half-wit.

Brandon wanted to make history

And he has: most inept President ever.  (End of message).

NY Post: "Inflation soars as prices spike 6.8 percent, most in 39 years."  

This is fine

Breitbart: "Joe Biden reads the words 'end of message' off of his notes during Bob Dole eulogy."

Those crafty, tech-savvy, white supremacists

Good news, everybody: the University of Massachusetts has an update on those racist emails sent to black organizations at Umass back in September.  Here's the update: they got nothin'.

As you may recall, on September 27 the Chancellor announced that the university had retained the services of Stroz Friedberg Digital Forensics, a leading national firm in cybersecurity, to conduct the investigation. Stroz Friedberg investigators have been working closely with UMass Police, IT and other campus entities for more than two months, conducting an assessment of the hateful targeting of the UMass community across multiple sources, including dark websites, and leveraging custom tools in an attempt to pinpoint the origin of the emails. The process is painstaking and time consuming, and to date no perpetrator has been identified. The investigators caution that in cases such as the one involving our campus, it is not uncommon for the results of a cyber inquiry to be inconclusive and that it is possible that, despite their exhaustive investigation, they ultimately may be unable to identify the source of the racist emails. The potential challenges investigators cite are many, including the numerous free email accounts offered by providers, privacy rules and encryption software.

It's hard to believe they can't identify the digital signature of these emails that were definitely sent.  Those evil people must have routed them through a Romanian server farm using sophisticated 1024-bit encryption.  We may never know who really sent these emails, darn it.

Totally unrelated story - Legal Insurrection: "Jussie Smollett Held GUILTY On 5 Charges For Faked Hate Crime."  

"Not a joke. True story."

Joey Baby just can't let go of this obviously false story.  NY Post: "‘Joey, baby’: Biden shares false Amtrak tale for 6th time this year."

Definitely not drunk on power

Legal Insurrection: "Fauci Wants You to Check Your Family’s COVID Papers This Christmas - No vaccine? No Christmas for you, Grandma!" 

The credulous media

National Review: "No Sentient Human Thinks Biden’s Press Coverage Is Worse Than Trump’s." 

"They're building an echo chamber" said everyone in unison

This Axios article made me laugh: "Right wing builds its own echo chamber."

Conservatives are aggressively building their own apps, phones, cryptocurrencies and publishing houses in an attempt to circumvent what they see as an increasingly liberal internet and media ecosystem.

I see.  When conservatives complained about media bias, censorship on social media, and willing ignorance of stories critical of Democrats, the Left said "private companies can do what they want, build your own platform!"  And now that they are, it's an entire "conservative ecosystem."  Oh no.

What a maroon

Twitchy: "Jim Acosta’s attempt at smearing McConnell to convince Democrats to end the filibuster backfires."

In short, CNN's top dimwit (after Don Lemon) wondered what Mitch McConnell would do to the legislative filibuster if he ever had control of the Senate.  Which he did, a year ago.

The Biden economy strikes again

Babylon Bee: "Unemployment Rate Among Cuomo Brothers Rises To 100%."  

Well, businesses don't do a lot of hiring around the holidays

Daily Caller: "November Jobs Report Is One Of The Worst Since Biden Took Office."  

If only there were some red flags

I found this story on a Reddit thread about the Oxford, Michigan shooting: "Prosecutor: Michigan school shooting suspect wrote ‘help me’."

I had to read it twice because I could not believe the thorough and complete recklessness of these awful parents.  Then they abandoned their son and went on the run until they realized they were too stupid to last a single day on the lam.

That Y-axis

Twitchy: "DCCC hopes you’ll appreciate the graph they worked so hard on and join them in celebrating Joe Biden lowering gas prices."

Relevant: "How to lie with statistics." 

Update: "Washington Post mocks DCCC's tweet on gas prices: 'might be the worst defense of the Biden administration yet'." 

There he goes again, blaming the black men

Twitchy: "Jussie Smollett’s trial might not be going his way as evidenced by reporter’s thread."