BUT THE SUPREME COURT’S OPINION DOESN’T COUNT WHEN CONSERVATIVES ARE IN THE MAJORITY, I’M TOLD: Who Says You Can Redistrict Mid-Decade? The Supreme Court. “For the overwhelming majority of that two century history, Democrats have been the ones wielding the gerrymander pen, reaping the partisan advantage of lopsided representation. Now that Republicans are finally in a position to do the same, they want to to cry foul.”

KRUISER’S MORNING BRIEFING: Let’s Trade the Vodka for Diet Coke. I Have a Kremlin Hangover. “We all know Democrats have a big guy problem, as in, guys don’t want to vote for them. Unfortunately for them, putting Tim “Jazz Hands” Walz in a flannel shirt didn’t solve that issue. I guess now they’re trying Eric Swalwell in a backwards baseball cap.”

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, UK-STYLE:

Tensions keep rising around migrant hotels in the UK.

In Staffordshire, migrants living in hotels are attacked by a drone operator who is dropping stink bombs and eggs on them from above.

Not arrests have been made pic.twitter.com/vFmGcEtFUS

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) August 17, 2025

From the replies: “Bacon, drop bacon.”

My first thought was, “Waste bacon?” But maybe it wouldn’t be a waste.

COME SEE THE VIOLENCE INHERENT IN THE LEFTISM: Portland Antifa Riot at ICE Facility—Again.

THE NEW SPACE RACE:Trump orders cull of commercial launch regulations.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday directing government agencies to “eliminate or expedite” environmental reviews for commercial launch and reentry licenses, Ars reports. The FAA, part of the Department of Transportation, is responsible for granting the licenses after ensuring launch and reentries don’t endanger the public, comply with environmental laws, and comport with US national interests. The drive toward deregulation will be welcome news for companies like SpaceX, led by onetime Trump ally Elon Musk; SpaceX conducts nearly all of the commercial launches and reentries licensed by the FAA.

Deflecting scrutiny? … The executive order does several things, and not all of them will be as controversial as the potential elimination of environmental reviews. The order includes a clause directing the government to reevaluate, amend, or rescind a slate of launch-safety regulations written during the first Trump administration. The FAA published the new regulations, known as Part 450, in 2020, and they went into effect in 2021, but space companies have complained that they are too cumbersome and have slowed down the license approval process.

Faster, please.

DON’T MESS WITH THE KIDS: Melania’s Message for Putin. “Unfortunately, while thousands of people from both sides have lost so much during the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian children have, perhaps, suffered the most. While the first lady didn’t mention them specifically, Ukraine reported that as of March 2025, Russia had ‘stolen’ nearly 20,000 vulnerable children from the country, many from its orphanages, starting before the actual invasion began. Those are just the ones who are verified. Exact numbers are said to be much higher, with some even speculating them to be around 70,000.”

THAT THING THAT NEVER HAPPENS KEEPS HAPPENING: Kentucky Driver’s License Scam = Registering Illegal Aliens To Vote.

IT’S TIME FOR VICTORIA TAFT’S West Coast, Messed Coast™: Gavin Newsom Falls Hard for Trump Troll, and It’s Glorious. “As President Donald Trump was preparing for his big meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, California Gov. Gavin Newsom was falling hard for what he said was a “sick and pathetic” — and hilarious — Trump troll in L.A. A shocking stat from the mean streets of Portland, Ore.. More reaction to Dog Park Karen. Portland, protesters are so violent that a school has decided to move away from THEM. In Washington, Republicans are out and murders are up.”

CHANGE (IT BACK): How to raise reading scores: ‘We taught the research-based stuff and cut the fluff.’

FLORIDA MAN FRIDAY [VIP]: Why’d It Have to Be Snakes? “Florida Man Friday is back after a one-week hiatus, and this week, we’ll learn why the gender pay gap actually runs the other direction (thank goodness), what a quiet night at Waffle House sounds like, and how New York Man broke pretty much all the laws in one headline. “

BEEGE: There’s No Pinched Sour Face Like Nicole Wallace Pinched Sour Face.

Over the years, major dad and I have come up with a nickname for these chicks who adopt this sort of world-weary, affected, always disgusted mien:

MISS PERPETUALLY PAINED

Dana Bash is one, Brianna Keilar yet another, and MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace is a shining example of the variety.

Where once there was an all-American, kind of attractive girl with brains and potential, there’s now a bitter, hard, shrewish harpy.

How does being a successful progressive do that to you?

Being ugly on the inside eventually shows through.

RAYMOND IBRAHIM: The Arab Siege of Constantinople 718: When Greek Fire — and God’s Wrath — Saved the West.

CDR SALAMANDER: China’s Show of Force in… the Arctic.

When you have the world’s largest navy, you soon realize you can be everywhere, all at once, because you want to.

We all had fun at the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) navy and coast guard’s expense yesterday in Operation Bumper Boats, but now it is time to get back to serious things.

As we discussed six months ago, the PRC is not an Arctic nation. It has, at best, a tertiary concern with the Arctic. Just look at the chart at the top of last week’s post, no PRC coastline to be seen.

That isn’t stopping her.

While we continue to try to figure out a way to catch up in the icebreaker game, the PRC is already there.

They are not doing this for pure research; they are looking at how to leverage every corner of the planet for military and economic gain for themselves.

Read the whole thing — and remember, this is a zero-sum game. Each CCP gain is a loss for the US.

CHANGE (IT BACK): The Era of ‘Defining Deviancy Down’ Is Over.

INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE: Colorado’s Race To The Bottom.

I got to have a great chat recently with Jon Caldara about the Colorado that used to be, but now is.

NICE: ‘Small but Mighty Cohort’: Trump Honors Sons of Liberty.

CUTTING OFF THEIR NOSES TO SPITE THEIR FACES: Allies, in jab at Trump, threaten not to buy F-35s. “The F-35, made by Lockheed Martin, is especially vulnerable to this sort of economic turbulence. Its parts come from more than 100 suppliers around the world, and big overseas orders help keep the price of each jet down. If countries pull out or cut back, costs go up for everyone. The combined price tag for Spain’s and Switzerland’s F-35 orders was about $15 billion for several dozen planes each.”

Spreading the production around globally was supposed to A) keep prices down, and B) keep allies on board through domestic job creation. So I guess we’ll see whether they’ll go through with the threats.

YES. NEXT QUESTION? Does Poor Little Mamdani Really Deserve This Treatment?

SCREW THESE GUYS: Trump’s debanking order could create headaches for banks, sources say.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order requiring banks not to discriminate against clients on political or religious grounds could create uncertainty and administrative headaches for the industry, sources said.

Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing the Treasury Department and bank regulators to ensure lenders do not have policies in place that deny services to customers based on political or religious beliefs, a practice known as “debanking.” Any wrongdoing uncovered could result in fines, disciplinary measures, and even referrals to the Justice Department.

The order came days after Trump accused JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N), opens new tab and Bank of America (BAC.N), opens new tab last week of debanking him, and alleged that lenders discriminate against conservatives. Large banks have denied rejecting clients on political grounds, and instead blamed unclear rules for some of the account closures.

Seriously, screw these guys.

Debanking and other cancellation efforts didn’t become a thing until Big Business lefties — particularly in Too Big to Fail banks that we, the people, had bailed out — felt powerful enough to do whatever the hell they wanted to people they disagreed with.

GOOD LORD: AZ Judge Is Freeing Illegal Alien Kidnapper/Sexual Predator.

I ALREADY THINK IT’S A GREAT IDEA, YOU DON’T HAVE TO KEEP SELLING ME ON IT: Israel’s West Bank settlement plan could ‘bury’ the prospect of a Palestinian state. Here’s why.

KRUISER’S MORNING BRIEFING: Trump Hilariously Manhandles Newsom’s Sad Attempt to Troll Him. “There are people in America who believe that California Governor Gavin Newsom is a tough, competent warrior in the Democrats’ battle against everything that President Donald Trump does. Collectively, these people are known as the mentally insane. Fortunately for America, there aren’t nearly as many of them as Gov. Gav and the Democratic Party elites think.”

A FLASH OF SANITY FROM CALIFORNIA: Local Calif. School Board Bans Trans Athletes From Girls’ Sports.

The Kern County Board of Education voted on Tuesday to adopt a resolution related to Title IX, KBAK/KBFX reported.

Title IX is a federal law that requires equal opportunities for boys and girls in school sports and programs.

Under California law, transgender students can compete in sports that match their gender identity.

“Now, there be it resolved the Kern County Board of Education affirms it is for Title IX and calls on athletic governing bodies to uphold its protections by ensuring fairness in girls’ sports,” trustee Lori Cisneros said.

To be fair, Kern is majority Hispanic, and culturally and politically pretty conservative.

Meanwhile, a bit further north: Washington state elementary school brings in drag performance to stage R-rated Rocky Horror Picture Show for kids.

COMMISSAR MAMDANI, TAKE NOTE: Say Goodnight and Good Luck to Missouri’s City-Owned Grocery Store.

CHANGE?

Police in Paris arrest a rioter 👇

Rioter: “I just said Free Palestine”

Policeman: “Shut the f*ck up. Go to Palestine if you've got the balls” 🤣 pic.twitter.com/IlV4quciQP

— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) August 15, 2025