AND WHAT AN ‘INSTEAD’ IT IS:  Instead of an Article.

THE LEFT COMES WITH EXTRA-JOINTED SHOULDERS SO THEY CAN PAT SELVES ON BACK:  Hilarious: Liberal Comedy Central Cheers Its Diversity.

WHY WOULD THEY GO THERE BUT FOR THIS:  Russia’s been in Venezuela less than two weeks and already it’s threatening to attack Colombia.

SHOCKED, SHOCKED, SHOCKED:  De Blasio ferry program turns out to be a gift to the rich.

WELL, IT WAS A PAYLESS:  Woman buys out entire Payless shoe store to donate to Nebraska flood victims.

I JUST WASHED MY SHOCKED FACE AND CAN’T DO A THING WITH IT:  AOC ran a ‘subsidy scheme’ to fund her campaign, FEC complaint says.

ON FIRE. IN A MINESHAFT FILLED WITH GARBAGE DUMPSTERS ALSO ON FIRE. WITH SNAKES. PERHAPS SNAKES MADE OF FIRE, TOO:  Venezuela is a train wreck…

I DON’T KNOW. DOES THE FBI OPERATE IN SOME OTHER COUNTRY? ONE WITHOUT A FIRST AMENDMENT? BECAUSE IN THIS ONE THEY JUST DON’T HAVE THAT POWER, PERIOD:  Should the FBI “Shut Down” Hate Speech?

PLAY STUPID GAMES, WIN STUPID PRIZES:  Estrada’s revenge.

ADVENTURES IN EDUCATION:  A Nice Derangement of Education.

YEAH. THIS IS MY SHOCKED FACE:  George Soros’ Democracy Integrity Project Was Key Funder Of Steele Dossier.

YAWN:  Far Left Plans March To Get Mueller Report Released.

WE KNOW:  Joe Biden’s Ukraine Problem Is The Real Scandal.

OF COURSE THEY DO – BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN NASA DIDN’T SCREW UP A SIMPLE PR STUNT:  Female NASA astronauts respond to outrage over spacesuit availability.

OKAY, THEN:  New nose job procedure uses electricity instead of surgery.

COCAINE MITCH: McConnell Keeps His Word and Invokes Nuclear Option to Move Obstructed Nominees.

Related: “Today, Senator Schumer reaps what he sowed 16 years ago. I will call it, Miguel Estrada’s revenge.”

SO I’VE BEEN READING CHRISTOPHER TUBBS’ DORSET BOY SERIES for a while, and it’s pretty good. Certainly not Patrick O’Brien, but the books are page turners, and if his protagonist seems implausibly successful today, the Napoleonic Wars were a time when a 13-year-old midshipman could turn a battle. Interestingly, I think these books are better because so many books have been set in that period, providing a rich background already in mind for most people who are likely to read them.

THE ANSWER, OF COURSE, IS THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE TRYING TO SLIP ACROSS THE BORDER FROM THOSE PORTIONS OF THE FAILED STATE TO REACH THE UNITED STATES: What if Mexico Still Included California, Nevada and Texas? It’s not about the dirt, it’s about the government and the culture.

BRITAIN’S DEPLORABLES: Every region of England and Wales happy to leave the EU without a deal – except London.

WEIRD. WHAT HAPPENED? Nordic nations have ‘disturbingly high’ levels of rape despite being gender equality trailblazers, says Amnesty.

THEY TOLD ME IF DONALD TRUMP WERE PRESIDENT, SMARMY OPPORTUNISTS WOULD BE TRYING TO SCORE RELIGIOUS POINTS. AND THEY WERE RIGHT! Pete Buttigieg questions whether Trump believes in God. Actually, aside from smarmy political hypocrisy, Buttigieg here is engaging in one of the most common heresies, the belief that Christianity is based on being nice. From the comments: “This is the very definition of casting the first stone, when you aren’t without sin yourself.” One might also suggest that it is not very humble for the mayor of South Bend, Indiana to think he should be the next President.

Plus: “I’m not reluctant to ask: Is Buttigieg’s commentary humble or arrogant? Does it seem like something that would be said by somebody who believes in God? And would you like to rate everything any politician does or says according to how closely it accords with a belief in God or your understanding of whatever religion the politician professes? I’ll suggest a scale from 1 to 5.”

OPEN THREAD: Talk is cheap. In fact, here it’s pretty much free.

CHANGE: The slow-motion disaster undermining New York’s economy.

SPACE: Scientists seek ways to grow plants for food in space during Mars voyage.

BEFORE WE GET DOLLARS IN, WE NEED TO GET MADURO OUT: Kudlow says working on rescue, restructuring plan for Venezuela.