JUST WHEN BOOMERS THINK MILLENNIALS ARE HOPELESS: Along comes somebody like Emily Kennedy, a remarkable young woman who with her business partner started a Pittsburgh-based firm that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help law enforcement fight human trafficking.

Yes, there are legitimate and growing worries about misapplications of AI, robotics and the Deep State, but this is one example of how digital technology can contribute in a mighty way to getting rid of an evil that is found all over the world.

DOES NORTH KOREA HAVE NUKES IN SATELLITES ABOVE THE US? The answer to that question appears to be the North Koreans may indeed have at least one in a low orbit that would make it ideal for wreaking irrevocable havoc on this country via an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) detonation, according to Daniel Ashman of The Epoch Times.

“Another unusual feature of the North Korean satellites is that they orbit from south to north,” Ashman reports. “Normally, weather satellites go from north to south to help obtain a sun-synchronous orbit—to observe conditions on earth under regular sun conditions—which can be desirable for earth observation satellites. The south-to-north trajectory has military applications though, as it evades America’s early warning radars and national missile defenses.”

Let that last sentence sink in.

BIPARTISAN HOUSE GROUP SEEKS TO ‘CLAW BACK’ NATIONAL EMERGENCY POWERS: Believing as I do that the Founders made the legislative branch the first article in the Constitution for many sound reasons, this bipartisan proposal seems a good move at first glance. But if it is, it probably has little chance of going anywhere in the Pelosi House.

DOS AND DON’TS FOR CPAC: Dustin Siggins surveyed a bunch of folks who have attended more CPACs than they can remember and came away with 13 tips for getting the most out of America’s biggest, oldest and most influential annual political conference.

WHAT AOC, LBJ SHARE WARNS CPAC NOT TO UNDERESTIMATE HER: Yes, she often talks like a lefty loon and maybe she is, but she shares something with the young LBJ that should give the Right pause. UPDATE: And Jameson Campaigne explains why AOC should give the Left pause.

SO, YOU THINK JESUS SURVIVED THE CROSS AND DIED IN INDIA? There’s even a shrine in Kashmir where Jesus allegedly was buried decades after the crucifixion. But cold-case expert detective J. Warner Wallace and Dr. Sean McDowell explain on HillFaith why the water nobody understood for centuries means Jesus really did die on the cross.

MEET THE TESTOSTERONE-FUELED HE-MEN OF WOMEN’S SPORTS: You’ve heard of Maine “where the men are men and the women are, too.” Now, courtesy of The American Spectator’s Melissa McKenzie, meet the new giants of Connecticut’s indoor women’s track and field championship. Then ask yourself, how did America get to this?

SENATE BLUE SLIPS MAY BE NEXT CASUALTY OF DEMS’ RELIGION TESTS: When Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) reversed her prior support last year for a Trump nominee when his strongly traditional Catholic beliefs on marriage were publicized, she may have set in motion a series of events that culminate in the loss of another venerable Senate tradition.

It may not sound like a significant issue but it is, if you care about Article VI, Clause 3 of the Constitution. And Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham almost certainly recognizes the importance of it for his political standing, especially among a fair number of conservatives who in the months since Sen. John McCain’s passing have found a lot to like about him.

FACT FILES ETHICS COMPLAINT AGAINST GILLIBRAND: It’s received virtually no coverage in the Mainstream Media, but the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) has filed a complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

“On February 5th, 2019, Senator Gillibrand posted a political fundraising tweet requesting readers ‘chip in $5 so we can put an end to this’ using a video of her on the House floor during the State of the Union address,” FACT told the committee in a letter earlier this month.

“Presumably Senator Gillibrand is aware of her ethics violation because she later removed the tweet after raising funds in violation of ethics rules, all of which should be returned,” FACT continued.

I have no doubt that, since this matter has now been brought to their attention, The New York Times, Washington Post, et. al. will even today remedy this serious oversight in their 2020 Democratic presidential nomination campaign coverage. Oh, and I will surely see a couple of pigs flying over my backyard tomorrow, too!

GOP STRATEGISTS JUMP ON SANDERS’ MEDIA FIRM WITH LINKS TO SAUDIS: The Vermont socialist regularly blasts the Saudi regime. But his 2016 campaign paid $80 million to a media firm whose principals also do business with a foreign agent with links to the regime. Republican comments are predictable. The absence of Democratic comments as well?

‘MIGHT NEED YOUR HELP ON THE LOW:’ Jussie Smollett wrote those words in a Jan. 25, 2019, text to Abimbola “Abel” Osundairo. He’s likely regretting ever sending that text after being charged today for offenses related to a hate crime hoax. Last Refuge has the prosecutor’s proffer, which is full of detail.

SHARYL ATKISSON ASKS THE RIGHT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DEEP STATE: The former CBS News reporter is suing the government to find out who ordered the intrusion of her computer and other surveillance that appears to bear some disturbing resemblances to the Russia Collusion Scandal.

Writing for The American Thinker, Atkisson asks some highly pertinent questions:

“Who is behind the move to use government surveillance tools against innocent Americans? Do some of these officials still work inside the government? Were some of them the very same officials now implicated in alleged surveillance abuses during Campaign 2016?”

Prediction: The answers to the first question will provide the answers to the second and third. Given what’s already on the record in both the Atkisson case and the Russia Collusion Scandal, one need not be “conspiracy theorist” to see where this is going.

And yes, there is an appeal for financial support in Atkisson’s post. To understand why, read her explanation for why merely printing a brief for the federal court system costs not $20, not $40, but $4,367.70. Justice is not cheap anymore, friends.

THEY’RE BACK! HOUSE DEMS PLANNING EARMARK RESTORATION: You knew they would as soon as they got back in power. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Nita Lowey (D-NY) think bringing back “directed congressional spending” is just a dandy idea. They must have some new bridges to nowhere to fund.

YOU MAY NOT RECALL JOHN THOMPSON BUT DRUG DEALER RAYFUL EDMOND DOES: Thompson coached the Georgetown Hoyas to the NCAA national basketball championship in 1984. Patrick Ewing was Thompson’s star player that illustrious season.

Edmond during the same years was building the cocaine empire in the nation’s capital that eventually landed him in prison. Quin Hillyer reminds us in the Washington Examiner of the one time those two men met and why we should care 35 years later.

TRUMP’S NATIONAL EMERGENCY ORDER TEXT:

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 15, 2019

DECLARING A NATIONAL EMERGENCY CONCERNING THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF THE UNITED STATES – – – – – – – BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION      The current situation at the southern border presents a border security and humanitarian crisis that threatens core national security interests and constitutes a national emergency.  The southern border is a major entry point for criminals, gang members, and illicit narcotics.  The problem of large-scale unlawful migration through the southern border is long-standing, and despite the executive branch’s exercise of existing statutory authorities, the situation has worsened in certain respects in recent years.  In particular, recent years have seen sharp increases in the number of family units entering and seeking entry to the United States and an inability to provide detention space for many of these aliens while their removal proceedings are pending.  If not detained, such aliens are often released into the country and are often difficult to remove from the United States because they fail to appear for hearings, do not comply with orders of removal, or are otherwise difficult to locate.  In response to the directive in my April 4, 2018, memorandum and subsequent requests for support by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense has provided support and resources to the Department of Homeland Security at the southern border.  Because of the gravity of the current emergency situation, it is necessary for the Armed Forces to provide additional support to address the crisis. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 201 and 301 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), hereby declare that a national emergency exists at the southern border of the United States, and that section 12302 of title 10, United States Code, is invoked and made available, according to its terms, to the Secretaries of the military departments concerned, subject to the direction of the Secretary of Defense in the case of the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.  To provide additional authority to the Department of Defense to support the Federal Government’s response to the emergency at the southern border, I hereby declare that this emergency requires use of the Armed Forces and, in accordance with section 301 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1631), that the construction authority provided in section 2808 of title 10, United States Code, is invoked and made available, according to its terms, to the Secretary of Defense and, at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense, to the Secretaries of the military departments.  I hereby direct as follows: Section 1.  The Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of each relevant military department, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, shall order as many units or members of the Ready Reserve to active duty as the Secretary concerned, in the Secretary’s discretion, determines to be appropriate to assist and support the activities of the Secretary of Homeland Security at the southern border. Sec. 2.  The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and, subject to the discretion of the Secretary of Defense, the Secretaries of the military departments, shall take all appropriate actions, consistent with applicable law, to use or support the use of the authorities herein invoked, including, if necessary, the transfer and acceptance of jurisdiction over border lands. Sec. 3.  This proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third. DONALD J. TRUMP ###

WHAT’S THIS, BRADY, PATS WIN BECAUSE HIS WIFE IS A WITCH? I am not making this up. Go here.

CHILD LABOR PRODUCES MUCH OF THE WORLD’S CHOCOLATE: Valentine’s Day may be the day when more chocolate is consumed than on any other, but here’s a fact you may not know: Much of the world’s chocolate supply comes from the Ivory Coast in Africa and child labor is quite common in the industry there.

Both the industry and government there are working to change things for the better and there are some grounds for hope. The Heritage Foundation’s latest Index of Economic Freedom ranks the country as “moderately free” at number 78.

But there’s also this, according to Heritage: “Protection of property rights is fragile, and only 4 percent of land is titled. The judiciary is not independent, and judges are highly susceptible to external interference and bribes.

“Court cases are frequently postponed for years or decades with no clear explanation. Persistent corruption in the judiciary, police, military, customs, contract awards, tax offices, and other government institutions discourages investment.”

Bet you didn’t see that coming!

WHY IS IT THE FRESHMEN ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST IDEAS? Because they still remember life back home in the real world? In any case, freshmen GOP senators Mike Braun of Indiana and Rick Scott of Florida introduced a proposal Tuesday to end tax-funded congressional pensions.

“It’s time for term limits and it’s time to make those in D.C. realize that the era of career politicians is over. Americans should not have to foot the bill for generous salaries and pensions for members of Congress,” Scott said.

Both men promised not to accept tax-funded pensions when they leave Congress, an important both for their credibility and because they believe they have to grand-father all current members of the Senate and House for their proposal to have any chance of becoming law.

With that grand-father clause, things could get real interesting if the guy sitting in the Oval Office takes notice and starts tweeting about Braun-Scott. Go here for more.

VIRGINIA DEMS WILL ONLY RESIGN FOR REAL SCANDAL LIKE WEARING A … As Glenn is wont to say, HEH. These Babylon Bee people are gifted satirists, so enjoy them now while you still can. The PC police will be calling on them soon enough.

HEADING BACK TO THE GOOD OLE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TODAY! If you are reading this post early Saturday morning, I’m on a United Airlines flight heading north to Houston, then to Dulles International Airport outside of the nation’s capital and finally back home in Maryland.

It’s been an amazing week in Puebla, Mexico, for many reasons, but, as great as this 19th annual Friendship Baptist Church (FBC) mission has been, it will be so good to sleep in my own bed tonight.

American generosity and selfless Christian service to others is best displayed when it’s done entirely out of the heart and given with absolutely no strings attached. In case you want to know more about why the 2019 mission was such a success, find out more here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

STAKE YOUR LIFE ON A 1-IN-10-TO-THE-140TH POWER CHANCE OF BEING RIGHT? Calculating probabilities is usually only of interest to certain sorts of mathematicians and insurance industry actuaries.

But what if your life depended on odds so long there isn’t enough room here to display them? That’s the question at the heart of “Origin of Life.” WARNING: This video graphically illustrates the awesome odds against that first protein forming in the soup billions of years ago.

And by the way, I won’t be posting here for the next week. Check out the reason why here. ANOTHER WARNING: There’s a Blues Brothers element to the post, for those of you old enough to remember real comedy. If you’re too young, just ask your parents, or a Baby Boomer friend who, like me, can still (mostly) hear.

LIKE FISH, MEDIA ROTS FROM THE HEAD: David Reaboi writes this in The Federalist today:

“As media companies have found their resources shrink, they found it more profitable to jettison some of the work from highly paid, more experienced reporters and editors in favor of increasingly ideological woke clickbait generated from young staffers, listicles, and fulsome explorations of things like the ‘internet culture’ beat. The importance of agitating for political priorities and enforcing new cultural standards blinded many in the industry to the reality of their failing business model.”

Being a journalist of more than 30 years experience, I may be a bit biased on this topic, but that paragraph is about as succinct a summary as I have yet read of the state of mind in so many corners of the mainstream media. The rest of the post is here and well worth your attention.

IS AOC BECOMING SHORT FOR *SNAFU? Some Democrats are beginning to see major problems presented for their party by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). She comes from the Democratic Socialist of America party (DSA) in the Empire State, though she ran as a Democrat.

The American Thinker’s Rick Moran reports that an audience of DSAers recently chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a slogan associated with the BDS Movement to destroy the State of Israel. In response to that incident and multiple others drawing attention to a growing anti-Semitism in their party, pro-Israel Democrats are organizing a new group to be known as “Democratic Majority for Israel.”

*If you don’t know the meaning of this acronym, just Google it. Or ask a veteran. Then thank him or her for serving the country.

HOW FAR WILL THE DEEP STATE GO TO PROTECT ITS OWN? You won’t know the answer to that question until you know how congressional leaders in both parties, including now-former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, actively protected (or simply looked the other way) former House IT aide Imran Awan and his unvetted network of Pakistani family and friends serving more than 40 House Democrats, including many on the intelligence, armed services and foreign affairs committees.

It’s all detailed in “Obstruction of Justice” by Luke Rosiak of the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF). Am I biased about this book? You bet I am because I was Luke’s editor when he first started covering this unbelievable but true saga and for many months thereafter. This one makes Watergate look like mere child’s play. And after you read it, you will want to call your senators and your congressman and ask them why they aren’t doing something about this national security scandal.

TWO MUST-READS FOR THIS MORNING: First, Peter Hasson of the Daily Caller News Foundation’s Investigative Group has found more and deeper evidence of the degree to which anti-Semitism permeates Rep. Rashida Tliab’s world.

Second: I’m betting you instantly recognize the person to whom The Federalist’s Warren Henry is referring with this observation: “X will shank someone with a shiv and then use it to clean her nails.” Henry says this fact appears to have escaped the notice of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to her electoral peril.