Is Elon After Granny's Social Security Check?

For John, BLUF:  Cynicism about Democratic Party cynical efforts to fight President Trump.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Babylon Bee on Elon Musk

From The Babylon Bee, by The Bee, 10 Februry 2025, 2:22 PM.

Here is the post:

Democrats Uncover Devious Billionaire Plot To Spend Billions Buying Social Media Company To Get President Trump Elected In Order To Access The Treasury Database And Steal Grandma's $695 Social Security Check

It is The Bee.

I think the concerns of Democrats about Mr Elon Musk using his position to steal from taxpayers is a little over the top.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

He's Back

For John, BLUF:  Reporter Raymond Arroyo has been absent from my television screen for a while now, but tonight he was back.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Raymond Arroyo Disappearing Act

From Hot Air, by Columnist Jazz Shaw, 27 March 2024, 5:00 PM.

Here is the lede plus three:

Anyone who watches Fox News on a semi-regular basis is probably familiar with Raymond Arroyo. He's been a Fox contributor since 2017 but particularly in the recent past he was most often seen working alongside Laura Ingraham on The Ingraham Angle. He was typically called on for some comic relief and he worked elements of humor into most of his features. But you may have noticed in recent weeks that he's been nowhere to be seen and the regular segments that he did with Ingraham are no longer showing up. As The Daily Beast put it, he seems to have simply vanished. But why? As it turns out, one of his jokes reportedly went several steps too far and it had to do with Donald Trump, Black voters, and... sneakers.

Fox News pundit Raymond Arroyo has vanished from the network’s airwaves since sparking backlash last month by claiming Black voters would support Donald Trump for president because “they love sneakers.”

A paid on-air contributor with the conservative cable giant since 2017, Arroyo is best known to Fox News viewers for his regular appearances on Laura Ingraham’s nightly program. In addition to his “Seen and Unseen” and “Friday Follies” segments, he has also served as a substitute host of The Ingraham Angle.

His near-daily presence on Ingraham’s program, however, suddenly came to a halt in late February after his on-air claim that Trump’s new sneakers would win him Black votes went viral in the worst way across social media and prompted widespread rebuke.

i was pleased to see Reporter Raymond Arroyo back on the Ingram Angle.  I like his humerous take on the news of the day.

By the way, those Gold Sneakers from Candidate Donald Trump go for $399.  Out of my price range, although the inflation under President Joseph Biden could make them in range if he is elected again.

My opinioin is that Fox News over-reacted.

Hat tip to my Wife for the original article.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Joke

For John, BLUF:  .  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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China has fallen into a psycho-political funk

Here is the sub-headline:

Fragile consumer confidence is just one sign of a malaise that is not merely economic

From The Financial Times, by Reporter James Kynge, 11 August 2023.

Here is the lede plus three:

Sly, Soviet-style jokes are enjoying a subtle revival on Chinese social media platforms.  Their art resides in being too obscure for censors to understand yet clear enough for cynics to chuckle at their mockery.

Some are so esoteric that their satire is confirmed only by the censors’ decision to delete them — echoing the cat-and-mouse dynamic that distinguished dissident humour in the former Soviet Union.  One joke this week monitored by the China Digital Times, a US-based site that covers Chinese affairs, belonged to this genre.

It read:

While out and about on vacation, I stubbed my toe on something. Upon closer inspection, I saw it was a bronze lamp.  It was smudged, so I picked it up and gave it a good wipe — and out popped a genie!  The genie said it could grant me any wish. ‘Is that so?’ I said.  ‘Well then, could you make you-know-who you-know-what?’  No sooner had the words escaped my lips than the genie rushed over, clamped my mouth shut, and asked:  ‘Are we even allowed to say that?’

The author’s account appears to have been shut down after the joke was deleted.

I hope we are not headed down the path of a humorless social credit society.  That would be the end of open capitalism and the economic growth we need to give everyone a chance to achieve their best.  It likely would be the end of open worship of one's God.

Let us, as a society, accept that some people will be wrong, but the advantage to society of free inquiry requires we accept such people as our brothers and sisiters, even if they reject us.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Humor Before the Bar

For John, BLUF:  I am worried that between the Progressives and Corporations, we will kill Free Speech in these United States.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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No joke:  Supreme Court case could take a big bite out of the First Amendment

From The Hill, by Opinion Contributor Jonathan Turley, 26 November 2022, 10:30 AM ET.

Here is the lede plus one:

The court system often is where humor goes to die. For those seeking to use satire or parody of corporations, jokes often run into trademark or other lawsuits and result in a little more than “ha, ha, thump.”

The same bad audience could await the defendant in Jack Daniel’s Properties Inc. v. VIP Products LLC.  The Supreme Court just accepted a case involving a tongue-in-cheek dog chew toy made to resemble a Jack Daniel’s whiskey bottle.  VIP prevailed in defending the toy as protected speech, but the distiller wants the Supreme Court to declare such parodies to be trademark violations.

If the Supreme Court quashes parody the reach of the First Amendment protection of Free Speech, and especially humor, will be severly surtailed.  Which would be bad.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Canada Fears Mass Migration from South of the Border

For John, BLUF:  Keep in mind that this is a humor piece.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Canada to build border wall, demand Twitter pay for it

From Sense of Events Blog, by Writer Donald Sensing, 25 April 2022.

Here is the lede plus two:

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this morning that he will work closely with the Canadian parliament to rush building a wall along the country's border with the United States to halt the mass immigration to Canada of American leftists, journalists, and celebrities fleeing after today's sale of Twitter to Elon Musk.

The prime minister, noting that Canada's immigration web site had crashed in 2016 as American liberals panicked, said that action to stop the Americans' looming, illegal border crossings was urgently needed.

"We cannot accept large numbers of American, left-wing sore losers coming to Canada just because the world's wealthiest man bought their favorite 'free speech for me but not for thee' platform," Prime Minister Trudeau told a chapter meeting of retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  "Anyone caught crossing into Canada without authority will be deported."

Yes, a sarcastic piece, but I can see parts of it happening.

Mr Elon Musk buying out Twitter is a real thing and has caused many people to say absolutely stupid things.  For example, people saying they are worried about news reports being suppressed.  Heavens to Betsey, even The Old Gray Lady has acknowledged that the Twitter suppressed Hunter Biden Laptop story was in fact real enough.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Vaccination Lottery

For John, BLUF:  The Governor of Ohio is offering to put those who get vaccinated against COVID-19 into a weekly lottery for $1 million.  That sounds OK to me.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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DeWine Has Lost His COVID-Loving Mind:  Will Bribe Ohioans to Get Vaccine With Million-Dollar Lottery Prizes, Scholarships for Children

From PJ Media, by Ms Paula Bolyard, 13 May 2021, 5:10 PM ET.

Here is the lede:

On Wednesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that he would be lifting his draconian COVID-19 orders on June 2.  (I would not be surprised if Gov. Goalpost finds a reason to rescind his order to rescind the orders between now and then, but that’s a discussion for another article.)  In addition to opening the state back up (except for nursing homes, where everyone is most likely vaccinated), DeWine announced that he will use federal COVID relief funds to bribe Ohioans to get vaccinated—in a stunt that sounds like it was cooked up in a marketing department at a Vegas casino.

I realize the Governor has taken some heat for his use of a lottery to invite folks to get vaccinated.  I don't fault him.  In fact, I like his use of innovative tools to encourage vaccination, while still allowing those who are firmly against vaccination to remain firm.

At this point we need a sense of humor in our governmental dealings.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Do We Know COVID-19?

For John, BLUF:  The "science" says schools are safe, even for teachers.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Democrats Push To Keep Schools Closed So Kids Will Be Dumb Enough To Accept Socialism

From The Babylon Bee, by UNKNOWN, 20 November 2020.

Here is the lede plus two:

ALBANY, NY—There has been a lot of debate on whether or not to reopen schools.  And while the science is clear that schools are not a big risk for the spread of COVID-19, Democrats have expressed another fear over people going to school: children learning enough that they no longer trust the wisdom of government or believe in socialism.

“People keep talking to me like I’m dumb and I don’t know what I’m doing,” said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.  “It’s because when people learn things they think they know better than me -- me, the governor -- so no more schools.  I’m shutting them down.”

The move has been praised by other Democrats, such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.  “Whenever I talk about my plans to give people lots of free stuff, people always bring up math,” Ocasio-Cortez complained.  “I don’t know what that is, but apparently it’s some crazy right-wing thing you learn at schools that makes you not like socialism.  Maybe people should just stay away from schools.”  Ocasio-Cortez also pointed out that schooling is unnecessary for the future occupation of staying home while the government sends you checks.

It is America's Newspaper of Record.

History says that during the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918 school was one of the safest places for children.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Colin Cut Again

For John, BLUF:  It appears we are not solving problems related to race.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Rioters Decline To Sign Colin Kaepernick

From The Babylon Bee, 29 May 2020.

Here is the lede plus one:

MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Colin Kaepernick arrived at the Minneapolis riots last night, saying he was excited to be a part of the looting and violence.

Kaepernick tried out for the riots by throwing bricks into windows but missed every time.  He was able to rush a Molotov cocktail into a target window and then spike it on the ground, but then he caught fire.  Finally, in a last-ditch effort to get selected for one of the riot squads, he filmed a workout video and sent it to various protester organizations but hadn't heard back as of publishing time.

I appreciate the great and innovative humor here, but at some point we need to address the failure of civil government leadership that led to this rioting.  Not the failure in leadership that led to the death of Mr George Floyd.  The failure in leadership that resulted in thousands being so alienated their only redress was rioting.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

T'Ain't Funny, McGee

For John, BLUF:  The Coronavirus is changing our social interactions in many ways.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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April fools' Day

This is not the year for April Fools' Day jokes.

That said, just before I switched from Amy Goodman and Democracy Now:  The War and Peace Report, she reported that Fox News lawyers are concerned that views may sue for the fact that the Network downplayed the Coronavirus Pandemic.  I thought that was rich, given that it was my impression that the other major networks were the ones downplaying the Pandemic.  Maybe it was an April Fools' Day joke.

The title of this Post comes from a continuing gag line in the radio show Fibber McGee and Molly. Regards  —  Cliff

Coronavirus Source

For John, BLUF:  It is the Babylon Bee, but is it any more wrong than The Washington Post.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Wife's Prayer For Her Husband To Stop Watching Sports All The Time Results In Global Pandemic

From The Babylon Bee, 20 March 2020, with Contribution by Mr Michael Cunningham.

Here is the lede plus two:

MUSKETVILLE, MA—Authorities have been trying to figure out what party is responsible for the coronavirus, and they've finally found the culprit:  local woman Sarah Hutchins, who prayed a few months ago that her husband, Bill, would stop watching sports all the time.

According to experts, the woman's prayer went up to the Lord, who granted it by causing a global pandemic that canceled all sporting events for the near future.

"It's kind of one of those monkey's paw situations," said medical researcher Dr. Grant U. Healey, who must have been referring to The Simpsons.  "Her prayer was granted, but at what cost?"

Since the Media and Woke scolds tell us we can't suggest China as the culprit, this makes as much sense as any.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

President's Popularity Up

For John, BLUF:  I am not sure the Democrats in the House of Representatives know what they are doing.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Trump's Popularity Surges After Nation Learns He May Have Obstructed Congress

From The Babylon Bee, 11 December 2019.

This is, indeed, a very interesting campaign season, and that is no malarkey.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Loser

For John, BLUF:  Hallmark Channel is a sign of the cultural differences in America.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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I Lost My Girlfriend In A Hallmark Movie.  This Is My Story

From The Federalist, by Mr David Marcus, 2 December 2019.>

Here is the lede plus one:

I recently got out of a relationship.  That’s never an easy thing.  In addition, Hallmark decided to make a feel-good holiday movie about it.  Some of you may have seen it — “The Christmas Farmer,” it was called, referring to the guy my ex, Debbie, is apparently engaged to now.

It is what it is, but I don’t feel like I was fairly represented in the movie.  I get it:  I’m a New York City corporate attorney courting the small-town girl, but I thought she wanted to be a part of this world.

Confirming that I am not a Progressive, I was pulling for the Farmer.  Hallmark is my refuge from the Politics of the big cities, and especially our nation's Capitol.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Fragile Society

For John, BLUF:  The evolution of our political culture, our culture as a whole, has depended on free speech and free debate.  I guess the bien-pennant think we have arrived at our destination and now is the time to shut up those who dissent.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Canadian Comedian Ordered to Pay $35,000 over a Joke

From PJ Media! By Mr Matt Margolis, 30 November 2019.

Here is the lede:

Canadian comedian Mike Ward has lost his appeal and has been ordered by a Quebec judge to pay $35,000 because of a joke he told about a disabled boy.

It would appear Mr Ward is a jerk.  On the other hand, if it was the US, one would hope the First Amendment protected Mr Ward's right to be a jerk.

Does he owe the boy and his Mother an apology?  Of course he does, but it is not the job of the Government to make sure it happens.  It is our job, as friends and neighbors, and consumers of humor, to nudge Mr Ward.  Not Force him.  Boycott him.  Ignore him.  Pray for him.  Pray with him.

But, alas, Mr Ward lives in Canada, which has no First Amendment, nor a semblance of one.  Is this the result of Canada's attempts to accommodate Quebec?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Fair is Fair

For John, BLUF:  Consistency is not a common political virtue.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Leftists Demand That All Criticisms Of Trump Cease Until He Stops Getting Death Threats

From The Babylon Bee, 15 April 2018.

Here is the lede plus two:

The left has urged people to stop quoting stupid things Representative Ilhan Omar has said and to stop accurately pointing out that she’s a bigot because Omar has received death threats.  It was revealed, though, that President Donald Trump has also received death threats.

“Yes, it’s hard to believe, since I’m the greatest president ever,” Trump told the press.  “My death would be the worst tragedy this country has ever seen -- I’d expect mass suicides if it happens.”  Still, he confirmed that the Secret Service has intercepted numerous death threats.

If there is one thing the American left is known for, it’s being extremely consistent and never only espousing certain principles in a partisan or self-serving way.  Thus when they heard President Trump had received death threats, they immediately went after those who would criticize the president.

UPDATE:  An alternative view is provided by Mr Jim Treacher at PJ Media.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Hat Ban

For John, BLUF:  Maybe the Good People of Kentucky will decide Representative Yarmuth has served long enough, come 2020.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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‘POISONING YOUNG MINDS’: DEMOCRATIC REP WANTS TO BAN TEENS FROM WEARING MAGA HATS, SAYS HE WAS JOKING

From The Daily Caller, by Education and Politics Reporter, Ms Neetu Chandak, 20 January 2019.

Here is the lede plus three:

House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth called for banning teens from wearing Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats after a video circulated on social media of an encounter between some Kentucky high school boys and an American Indian group after the March for Life rally Friday.

After facing criticism on Twitter, he mentioned it was an “obvious joke.”

“I am calling for a total and complete shutdown of teenagers wearing MAGA hats until we can figure out what is going on,” Yarmuth posted Sunday on Twitter. “They seem to be poisoning young minds.”

Yarmuth, a Democratic representative from Kentucky, also blamed President Donald Trump for the allegedly negative behavior displayed in a separate tweet.

People have lost their minds.  How else to explain this?

And, no, this was not a joke at the time it was uttered.  There is no space for humor left in any space overviewed by the Social Justice Warriors and AntiFa troops.

Would Representative Yarmuth include banning young Baron Trump from wearing a MAGA hat?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Mr Bill Maher Suggests Mr Trump Will Never Go Away

For John, BLUF:  It is a joke, isn' it?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Maher:  Florida Is ‘a Dress Rehearsal’ for Trump Not Leaving Office if He Loses in 2020

This headline is a joke, isn't it?

From Breitbart, by Mr Ian Hanchett, 9 November 2018.

Here is the lede:

On Friday’s broadcast of HBO’s “Real Time,” host Bill Maher argued that President Trump’s involvement in the election controversy in Florida is “a dress rehearsal” for Trump refusing to leave office if he loses in 2020.

Hat tip to the Drudge Report.

Regards  —  Cliff

Can't Take a Joke

For John, BLUF:  I think President Trump and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Rosenstein should appear together on the front steps of the White House, tomorrow, saying "like asking the Russians for Hillary's EMails, this was a joke."  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Rosenstein Suggested He Secretly Record Trump and Discussed 25th Amendment

From WRAL, but of an article from The Old Gray Lady, by NYT Reporters Adam Goldman and Michael S. Schmidt, 21 September 2018.

Here is the lede:

The deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, suggested last year that he secretly record President Donald Trump in the White House to expose the chaos consuming the administration, and he discussed recruiting Cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office for being unfit.

First off, this has been denied by Mr Rosenstein.  Denied. The alternative story, as mentioned this evening by Ms Laura Ingrham (FOX News Source) is that it was said in jest, as a joke.

But, except to beat another news source to the headline, why would The Old Gray Lady publish this kind of thing.  The President (and a lot of Republicans) is complaining about a "Deep State", and Democrats and the Media are denying it, and here comes the Newspaper of Record talking about it.

Maybe it is part of a Democratic Party political action to further disrupt the Confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh.  This would perhaps be in line with Mr Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals.  Or perhaps something out of some old Soviet Playbook, as maskirovka.

Given that this revelation comes from former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who supposedly forwarded it to Mr Robert Mueller, perhaps that is where to look.  Was this just another part of the confusion and deception that involved the Steele Dossier and the FISA Court and mid-level DOJ Officials who felt a disturbance in the force on Election Night 2016?

I like the simple answer, which is The Old Gray Lady playing to the prejudices of its readership, the clerisy, trying to give them hope that someday 2016 will be reversed and cosmic order restored.

Hat tip to the Drudge Report.

Regards  —  Cliff

Brennan Doesn't Do Humor

For John, BLUF:  I remember a mission debrief, back in the late 1960s, where the Flight Lead commented to Number Four, "Screw you if you can't take a joke."  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Joke's on Brennan for failing to find humor in Trump's remark, 'Dilbert' cartoonist says

Here is the sub-headline:

'Dilbert' creator Scott Adams on understanding Trump tweets

From Fox News, by Lukas Mikelionis, 17 August 2018.

Here is the lede plus five:

Imagine a scenario in which a top intelligence officer places the U.S. at risk all because he couldn't discern when the president was joking.  It almost sounds like the plot for a comic strip.

Well, that's exactly what happened in the case of former CIA Director John Brennan, according to Scott Adams, creator of the popular “Dilbert” strip.

In a Twitter message Thursday, Adams slammed Brennan, asserting that the former CIA chief in 2016 didn't realize that President Trump was joking when the then-candidate urged Russia to find Hillary Clinton's missing emails.

The alternative to thinking of Mr Brennan as dumb is to believe he is guilty of sedition.

Your choice.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Pranked

For John, BLUF:  I can see tired and frustrated airline passengers not doing well in this situation, but that is when a sense of humor is most important.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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People Are Understandably Distressed About This Diabolical Airport Power Outlet Prank

From Time Magazine, by Ms Megan McCluskey, 9 August 2018.

Here is the lede plus one:

Basically anyone who has ever been to an airport knows that finding an open power outlet can be one of the most stress-inducing aspects of flying.  So it should come as no surprise that people are freaking out over this power outlet sticker prank.

Thanks to one beleaguered traveler’s commitment to exposing this diabolical trick to the world, a photo of one of the fake sockets has gone viral. “Whoever put up this fake sticker of an open outlet at the airport, you are now my enemy for life,” Twitter user Brandon Ewing captioned a photoset of himself discovering the ruse.

"Basically," if you can't take a joke, life is going to be very hard.

The up side of this is that it might prompt various airport managers to do some rewiring.

As a note, the video at the top of the story has nothing to do with the story.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Don't Believe Everything You Hear

For John, BLUF:  Be careful of Brit newspapers today.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Happy April Fools Day

Lets be careful out there.

Regards  —  Cliff