A fly on a camel's back

 

He's on his way to the UK again because it's one of the few countries that will tolerate him, and look what some citizens have prepared for his triumphant arrival at Windsor Castle.  Nice detail work on the texture of Epstein's suit, huh?  It's harder to distract people who still celebrate the Battle of Hastings and mourn the destruction of a tree that once stood beside Hadrian's Wall.  That's deep history.

What will he discuss with Keir Starmer when not taking tea with the king?  ("I don't really like tea, do you have any Diet Coke?")  Maybe the fact that war has quietly broken out between Russia and NATO with the launching of drones into Poland and now Romania.  No declaration, that's so twentieth century, not even a "special operation," just "another unacceptable breach of an EU member state's sovereignty" and what are you going to do about it?  

Probably no more than Venezuela can do as Trump's uniformed terrorists continue to murder its citizens for the crime of being in boats.  The felon celebrated three more confirmed kills today, careful to take credit ("on my orders"), which should help Hegseth's defense if he ever goes on trial for war crimes.  Trump assured reporters that they were responsible for killing "three hundred million Americans," which explains why farmers can't find help.  "BE WARNED -- IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU."  It sounds like Junior scored a bad batch of happy dust.

Just as Charlie Kirk was killed by "the left," all Palestinians are Hamas, and Israel has entered into the Final Solution with its ground offensive in Gaza City.  Netanyahu is citing the attack to explain why he can't spend as much time at his corruption trial as he would like, which is very convenient.  Trump is spreading the rumor that Hamas is using the surviving Israeli hostages as human shields, so that helps, too.  "Don't let this happen, or ALL 'BETS' ARE OFF," he informed them, leaving them to wonder what the hell he's talking about.  We do that every day.  

In the "nice guys" part of the Middle East, the New York Times reports that the United Arab Emirates got access to AI computer chips and all it cost them was a $2 billion deposit to World Liberty Financial, the crypto scheme run by the Trump and Witkoff families (Steve Witkoff being Trump's special envoy for corruption).  This is how national security, diplomacy and simple greed collide.  It may also explain Trump's unhinged rant about suing the Times because they endorsed Kamala Harris, etc.  

He also paused on his way to the airport to verbally abuse a couple of reporters, just for fun.  An Australian inquired into how much he has enriched himself in public office and was accused of "hurting Australia very much."  "Your leader is coming over to see me.  I'm going to tell him about you.  QUIET!"  Then Jon Karl inquired about Pam Bondi's threat to prosecute "hate speech" and got the response, "She'd probably go after people like you!  Because you treat me so unfairly!  It's hate!  You have a lot of hate in your heart!"  Followed by a rambling tangent about taking money from ABC and how safe Washington is now.  Keep it up, reporters -- the next stroke could be decisive.  

Luigi Mangione -- he killed the insurance executive Brian Thompson last spring -- was back in court, where the judge threw out two charges of first-degree murder and terrorism.  He will be tried for second-degree murder.  Outside the courthouse his fans chanted "Free Luigi!"  Because everybody hates insurance and premiums are expected to rise significantly.  By the way, Thompson's company UnitedHealth says it's under federal investigation.

MAGA is notorious for doing its own research, but it's also notorious for being dumb.  You can ask Michael Mallinson, a retired banker in Toronto who was taking a nap last Wednesday when his phone blew up.  Some asshole calling himself Fox 11 Reno decided he was somehow involved in the Kirk killing and began spreading the rumor online.  Mr. Mallinson's daughter advised him to delete his social media and get ready to duck.  He was called a "savage" and "far left extremist" and reported as having been arrested "at the scene."  Luckily no one in Toronto sent a SWAT team to break down the 77-year-old's door.  Perhaps Pam Bondi would like to look into these examples of "hate speech."  I wouldn't bet on it.

Lindsey Graham on The Show Formerly Known as Meet the Press:  "This is viewed by many people in the MAGA movement, conservatives like myself, as an attack on the movement and not just traditional political violence."  Yesterday was the 62nd anniversary of a milestone in "traditional political violence," the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham and the murder of Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley.  The good old days, eh, Senator?  No white fascists were harmed in the bombing of this church, and it took decades to convict the Klansman who did the bombing.

I'm not sure how the Palestinian artist Samia Halaby is still living in New York City but she has won the Munch award for artistic freedom.  Maybe the ICEstapo are afraid to venture up "the creaky wooden stairs" to her Tribeca studio.  I hope they don't track her down.  For comparing Trump to "a fly on a camel's back" she's clearly a terrorist.