Tuesday, June 23, 2026

EVERYBODY OUTTA THE POOL! 🏊

Trump: "Six people have been arrested, and seven people have been cited, for the damage they did to our Country’s now beautiful Reflecting Pool. The 350 foot gash, made by a very sharp knife or razors, is actually numerous slashes over a very long 350 foot length. It was purposefully and criminally done, and somebody had to work very hard, probably in the dark of night, to create such a condition. Likewise, the small area at the bottom of the Pool was cut and powerfully lifted off the surface leaving very jagged, uneven edges. The large areas of grass are being replaced. In any event, even prior to fixing those areas, the Reflecting Pool is as beautiful as it can be. We will drain some of the water, either immediately before or after the Fourth of July, to do the permanent repair. President DONALD J. TRUMP"
Clearly they were Ninja 🥷 vandals! The worst kind! Armed with razor blades! Attacking at night, when only the POTUS is awake! Not sure what the point is of that. 👆 Obviously fake news. “The Reflecting Pool is as beautiful as it can be.” Didn’t you see those pictures?

But putting your hand in the water is a felony. Or should be.
Thankfully, we now have pictures of the real suspects.
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Sure Enough, It Got Worse

Actually, the deal is worse than the JPCOA, because nobody in this Administration understands what the FUCK they are doing.
On her “Money Power Politics" morning show, [Stephanie] Ruhle, a former Wall Street executive, reported, “We learned the administration will allow Iran to sell their oil for US dollars. Why is this a big deal? It is a decision that upends decades of US policy that was meant to make it harder for them to develop their nuclear program.”

"Well, now it's on,” she pronounced. “It can export oil to the open market and this time be paid in dollars. According to [Wall Street analyst] Steve Ratner, that could bring in as much as 10 billion bucks for Iran in the next 60 days and, granted it is only 60 days. But do we really believe that these negotiations are going to be done by then, or are they going to be extended? I sure think they are. So the administration is giving Iran one of the things that it has desperately wanted for years and years before Iran has delivered on the number one goal the United States had going into the war: ending its nuclear weapons program.”

Introducing her guests, analysts Ron Insana and RiskReversal Advisors executive Dan Nathan, she prompted them with, “I want to talk about who benefits from this move? First, what are like — it blows my mind that we would offer such a concession.”

“Well, yeah, and Stephanie, if there's also an unfreezing of assets, the total somewhere in the neighborhood $12 to 24 billion in round benefits distinctly by this,” Insana replied. And there are some military analysts and others who are concerned that Iran will use this to reconstitute its military force, build more missiles, build more drones and maybe even maintain a certain portion of its nuclear program going forward.”

“So they're the direct beneficiary of this," he continued before adding, “We are not in any way, shape or form.”
Oh, and this:
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“Whoowee, the dam is bust!”

100 judges? This could get interesting.
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I’m Ignoring The 🐂💩

The Mouth of Sauron speaks:
Leavitt: The vandalism is very real. Despite what Tim Walz wants to say. There have actually been six arrests at the Reflecting Pool where, again, these deranged individuals—many of them longtime donors to the Democratic Party, to Barack Obama, to ActBlue—have been vandalizing and desecrating our federal monument, one of the most beautiful monuments in the world: The Reflecting Pool.

And that’s why President Trump is not going to stop with this effort. They’re not only holding those people accountable, but they’re going to fix the pool and continue to make it beautiful after this despicable vandalism, just in time to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday next week.
... and waiting for the charges to be made public.

Talk is cheap. Let’s see this crap in court.

(I really want to see Trump “fix” the reflecting pool by 7/4. That’ll be a hoot! Nobody’s as obsessed with this as he is.)
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Add It To The Bill

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg has informed Congressional appropriators that the Pentagon will require “about $80 billion” in supplemental funds to cover the cost of the Iran War, with President Trump set to meet with defense contractors on Wednesday to urge them to speed up production of depleted missile stockpiles, which would require substantial funding from Congress, according to the latest reporting by FOX News.
And what’s that old adage about “fighting the last war”?
The American pilot of a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle that was shot down over Iran in April, requiring a high-risk rescue mission by special forces, described a shocking sight before ejecting from his aircraft: multiple Iranian drones hovering in the air, moving as one, in a formation that resembled a jellyfish, four sources familiar with the matter have told CNN.

“Multiple drones interconnected and moving as one with smaller drones below the bigger drones like legs,” one of the sources familiar with the pilot’s witness account told CNN. “Real alien sh*t.” Another source said that the pilot described witnessing a “minefield of drones” in the air prior to being downed over Iran. The pilot’s account immediately set off a firestorm of debate that has yet to be resolved within the U.S. Intelligence Community.
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How Things Work

The base concept here is responsibility for how public funds accounted for, and used.

That concept is alien to Donald Trump. It’s not his money, what does he care? (Thanks, John Roberts. No, that case doesn’t strictly apply. But thanks to it, Trump thinks he’s invisible and bulletproof.)
In short, he has no concept how government works. 
OOF: The plaintiffs who unsuccessfully sued trying to stop Trump from renovating the Reflecting Pool have just uncorked a scathing update to the judge

"This is the foreseeable result of defendants’ decision to bypass the consultative process required by law and which must occur before the government can alter our nation’s most sacred spaces"

"It should go without saying, Congress required agencies to consult with experts and public before making changes to historic properties for a reason. The public is now witnessing what happens when, instead, agencies barrel ahead with ill-conceived plans in a hasty manner to meet an arbitrary deadline imposed by the White House"
There is, in other words, a reason government operates the way it does, and much of it has to do with accounting for public funds. A concept as alien to Trump as quantum computing.
The historic preservationists who sued to stop the Reflecting Pool project urge a judge to intervene NOW:

"The project is going to be reopened—and significant work may lie ahead. Should Plaintiffs prevail, there is thus now an opportunity for the Court to require Defendants to undertake the study required by Congress before they perform significant additional work and more damage is done"
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Why We Don’t Need Seasoned Diplomats

A new article in the American magazine The New Yorker sheds new light on the network of actors who have spent the past year and a half working to advance Donald Trump’s ambitions in Greenland.

In addition to confirming information previously reported by Denmark’s Radio (DR) and The New York Times, the magazine story adds considerable detail to the account of American outreach efforts that stretch all the way back to Trump’s first term in office.

Secret White House Group

According to The New Yorker, two of the American men who are now accused of carrying out private “influence operations” in Greenland last year were members of a secret working group within the White House National Security Council during Trump’s first administration.

The men, Tom Dans and Drew Horn, were reportedly part of a group whose primary objective was clear: to undermine the Danish Realm and secure an American takeover of Greenland.

The working group, known as the Greenland Policy Coordination Committee, included representatives from various U.S. government agencies. Tom Dans and Drew Horn represented their respective agencies alongside several other officials, according to journalist Ben Taub, who wrote the article.

Together, they sought to accelerate Greenland’s path toward independence in a direction that would increase the country’s dependence on the United States.

Businessman Drew Horn was one of the group’s leaders.

Denmark and Greenland Were Unaware

In the autumn of 2019, members of this secret group visited Nuuk to discuss Greenland’s natural resources, according to the magazine.

They were part of an official American diplomatic delegation.

However, their underlying agenda was unknown to their Greenlandic hosts.

Since Trump’s return to political prominence, both Tom Dans and Drew Horn have traveled repeatedly to Greenland, attempting to build relationships with politicians, business leaders, and ordinary citizens.

Their activities have been documented by Greenlandic, Danish, and international media.

Throughout this period, neither Denmark nor Greenland was aware of the group, its objectives, or the roles played by Tom Dans and Drew Horn within it, according to the respected American magazine.

Sources told The New Yorker and The New York Times that the two men had long been on the Kingdom’s radar because of their activities in Greenland. However, politically they appear to have been treated as ordinary allies still operating within traditional diplomatic norms rather than as actors pursuing a potentially destabilizing political agenda in Greenland.

The Motorcycle Activist

A third individual highlighted in the article is Chris Cox, founder of the motorcycle group Bikers for Trump, who has also been the subject of reports by other media outlets.

Chris Cox visited Nuuk in March last year, where he allegedly attempted to recruit citizens to a separatist movement, compiled lists of residents’ political views, and gathered historical information that could be used to create divisions within the Danish Realm.

According to The New Yorker, Cox subsequently briefed both the White House and Republican members of Congress about the trip.

The magazine also reports that Drew Horn has briefed members of the Trump administration following his visits to Greenland. Tom Dans has likewise made clear in several media interviews that he maintains close contacts with people inside the White House.

In December 2025, Tom Dans was appointed to lead the U.S. Arctic Research Commission under Trump, while Chris Cox became a member of an advisory committee within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security three months after his trip to Nuuk.

Throughout the article, Boassen appears as a recurring local contact—an informal link between American actors and the segment of Greenlandic society he represents.

Taken together, the article paints a clearer picture of the unusual network of individuals surrounding the dispute over Greenland.

—KNR
Now add the governor of Louisiana:
Happy National Day to all the people across the incredible island of Greenland.

May today serve as a reminder of your rich culture, traditions, and values that define your heritage.

As America inches closer to her 250th Independence Day, we join in the celebration of liberty and opportunity.

Perhaps America’s 251st birthday can be celebrated with the addition of it’s 51st state! 🇺🇸🇬🇱
As a governor, you must surely have a bad taste in your mouth suggesting that another people and country should simply become part of the United States.

Greenland is not a vacant territory waiting to be added as a 51st state. We are a people with our own history, culture, language, and democratic right to determine our own future.

On Greenland’s National Day, a message of respect for Greenlandic self-determination would have been far more appropriate than repeating American expansionist fantasies.

I hope the voters of Louisiana will remember this attitude when the time comes to choose their next governor.

Shame on you.
Become our 51st state because Red Lobster needs the shrimp!🦐 
Denmark hires Air Greenland for Arctic surveillance

Denmark’s defence ministry said Monday Air Greenland had been selected to help the military with transport and surveillance in the strategic Arctic region.

The ministry said Denmark’s parliament had agreed to phase out the use of Challenger passenger jets and enter an agreement with Air Greenland for transport and surveillance in the Arctic.“Two transport and surveillance aircraft will provide a high level of availability and mean strengthened task performance,” the ministry said in a statement. The aircraft would be equipped with additional fuel tanks and sensors “to be used among other things for rescue missions” —“They are in the best position to carry out the task, as Air Greenland is familiar with both the area and the unique climate found in Greenland. –Leasing two aircraft will increase their operational availability, which is crucial to carrying out the mission” says the danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus.

On a visit to Greenland, Bruus also told reporters that Denmark had invested “massively and rearmed massively” in the Arctic.

—Sermitsiaq
We don’t need seasoned diplomats because the U.S. government is an embarrassing pack of idiots. Competent people would just be in the way.
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Monday, June 22, 2026

Oh, Look! 👀 Tesla Is Back In The News

I’ve seen the security camera footage (local news). The car races straight down the driveway. No braking, no slowing down. Blood tests say the driver wasn’t drunk, so odds are he was on his phone. How he thought his car was going down the street (at speed) rather than down a driveway makes you wonder how he ever got a driver’s license, or the money to buy a car? Or somebody gave him their car keys?

It makes you fear for the future of humanity.
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Never Say “Never”

Well.... Even to post this is to give it credence. It doesn’t deserve notice, except as it follows the comment above.👆  

OTOH: Much better response to Ingraham.
When Trump's vanity projects go haywire—like the Reflecting Pool, the ballroom, or the Kennedy Center—he manages to look incompetent and vain at the same time.

His excuses for the Reflecting Pool disaster, including blaming "vandals" for his own failures, are nothing more than lies and conspiratorial nonsense.

And if Trump wants to turn his conspiracy theories into felony cases carrying ten-year prison sentences through his Department of Justice, he'll have to present actual evidence to a grand jury.

Good luck with that.
Precisely. "We are through the looking glass here, people!” But the other choice was a black woman. (Forget “ranked choice.” We need a constitutional amendment to allow for a “none of the above” option for POTUS.)
Trump doesn’t even have it right. Oh, honey! That ship has sailed. And sunk. Oh, honey! Well, all I can say is: Bless your heart.
God DOES have a sense of humor!

There will always be a Larry. Because we all need a sense of humor.
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Wolf! Wolf!! WOLF!!!

A) Pulte would have to go to court to prove it, first. In. All. 50. States.
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.
Art. I, Sec. 4, cl. 1, of that pesky Constitution.

And the constitution doesn’t allow for skipping the election of 435 representatives and 33 (or 34) Senators because the DNI claims there is a terrorist threat. Around every polling station. In. 50. States.

Isn’t that what law enforcement is for, anyway?

B) I can think of at least 936+ people who might join those lawsuits.
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Back To “Executive Time”

... before his policy meeting. (You know somebody explained the Niemoller reference. They probably didn’t try to explain “AMPHIFA.” It would take too long. “Nobody cares.”)
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Because Trump Said So

I’m calling “bullshit.”
The Department of the Interior on Monday said five individuals were arrested in connection to reports of vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

“Five individuals have been arrested for vandalism. Five additional individuals were issued federal citations,” a department spokesperson told The Hill.
Arrests are public records. Why don’t we have names? What are the charges? What are the allegations? Are these minors, and the records are sealed? Or are they imaginary, just meant to appease the mad king?

Either way, this is all you’re gonna get:
The spokesperson said a total of 14 police reports have been filed for vandalism, including the alleged crimes described in President Trump’s recent Truth Social posts.
The article then repeats Trump’s claims, and Pirro’s claims. Nothing more substantive than that.
MacFarlane: Let me tell you about the five arrests. They're not major cases. They are citations. If the DOJ wants to make this a major case and charge these people with felonies, they have to go to a grand jury. And though grand jury deliberations are secretive. In a closed room, you might hear the laughter outside the grand jury room. If they try to bring this case to a DC grand jury, it's not going to fly.

At the reflecting pool, you have a smell that's emanating now that is reminiscent of a high school locker room. You have a police force and National Guard presence that is profound. It's like a jewel heist from the muppet caper is going to happen. You have so many police hanging out there, and it seems to be a misappropriation of resources.
Much more informative. Still waiting to see what the charges are on the five arrests.
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Did The President Make It Through?

Yes, let’s see: Nobody cares. If he moved too fast, the irony would slit his throat.
Reporter: Are the contractors who did the initial work with a reflecting pool, are they to blame for the current condition?

Trump: No, we had vandalism. I think 300 ft slit right through, probably a box cutter or a knife of some kind or we had people lifting up. 5 people are under investigation.
300 foot slit, up from 250. “Box cutters” because he remembers the term from 9/11 (where the airline made it up, so nobody would blame them for shoddy security). Or: “people lifting up,” What, it was already loose?
 
Is this number 5? Or number 6? "They.” Any day now, it’ll be “Antifa.”
Reporter: Are the contractors who did the initial work with a reflecting pool, are they to blame for the current condition?

Trump: No, vandalism.

Reporter: National Guard and police have been all over the mall. How would these vandals have gotten so close to do something like that?

Trump: We didn't have a lot of them then. Who would think that somebody would go into a pool and take a knife and start cutting it..

Reporter: Do you have proof of that?
"We don’ need no steenken’ proof!” Right now it looks like a swamp. That’s why it’s being drained. (Two can play the irony game!) Pretty sure Mother Nature did the algae. And that she’s wanted for questioning. Obama put in a filtration system which, reportedly, Trump took out. Do any of them look like this? Unplugged.
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One Begins To Suspect That National Superpowers Are Overrated

The American public sympathizes with the Russians. We didn’t have a choice in starting our war, either.
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The Magic Of Reflective Surfaces

 Soren Kierkegaard lived in 19th century Copenhagen. A small city at the time, and divided by class. SK was independently wealthy (Daddy left it to him), so he could afford to spend his time writing, publishing his books, and…walking around Copenhagen.

SK loved to walk. Yes, that has a part here.

SK published most of his books under pseudonyms. But he was still known in the educated circles, his books were read, his pseudonymous were not that opaque, he had a reputation for his work. And that reputation eventually brought notoriety he didn’t handle well. 

In SK scholarship it’s called “The Corsair Affair.” The “Corsair” was a magazine. Think “Spy” in NYC. Yup; everything old is new again. And yup; SK is Trump in this analogy. But SK didn’t have small hands; he had uneven trousers. Seriously. He was a bit stooped, and tall, and, as I said, liked to walk the streets of Copenhagen. He was recognizable. He was considered likable. He was, at least, notable. And in the class of Copenhagen he lived in (the one served by servants, living to see and be seen), he was respectable, and respected. (Yes, another Trump analogy. But SK was not Trump.) Mostly for his writing, but also for his sociable, if sometimes odd, personality.

He kicked off the “Corsair affair” by writing exactly two articles for a competing magazine, mocking the editors of the Corsair (the true editors were not publicly identified, because they could be arrested. They hired people to pose as editors, who were arrested. No First Amendment in early 19th century Denmark. And what was considered a criminal offense in the pages of the Corsair, wouldn’t even be noticed today.) In the course of a bit of back and forth between SK and the editors, who responded to his mockery with their own, and he to theirs (the second article), they published some caricatures of SK which emphasized…the uneven length of his trousers.

It’s funny what sticks with the public.

It was the trousers that really hurt. Because the caricatures made people think of the familiar figure in the streets of Copenhagen. And they laughed at him. SK had to finally stop walking through the city, and his tailor even asked him to…change tailors.

Why am I telling you this? Because everything new is old again. The literary class of Copenhagen recognized SK’s literary skills (something I think must get lost in translation. Then again, most of us consider 19th century English novels too wordy. But Kierkegaard can make Proust sound like Hemingway, so…chalk it up to different times.) But they were also eager to see the Magister (he held what we would call a Masters degree, back when those meant something. I have three of them, but nobody calls me “Magister.” Nor should they.) taken down a peg. And it’s arguable that SK started it. So who was trolling who?

Ah, you thought that started with the internet! Hardly. Yes, there are more famous literary feuds. But none quite so insular as Copenhagen in the early 19th century (SK died in 1855. This “affair” was in 1843.) A fine analogue, IOW, for the internet; for social media. For the insular groups who think they are running the world; or at least telling the world what it should be; and think that what they are doing is sui generis and has never been done before. 19th century Denmark had pen and ink and the printing press, which people like SK had access to. And they managed to be gossipy and self-absorbed and bitchy…without electricity. And it all ended up amounting to…? Well, had you heard of it before now?

For a time, the “Corsair Affair” was of vital importance to some of the citizens of Denmark. It could just have well played out on Twitter and BlueSky. And the people reading it would think the whole world was watching. And the people not reading it…

Stephen Colbert wore a tan suit to the opening ceremonies of the Obama Center. I had to explain the joke to the Lovely Wife. The political denizens of the internet only need the photograph. The rest of the world?

It’s SK’s trousers.

they are on Threads fighting to the death over whether or not it is ableist for an author to use the word “scrying" (people might not know the definition!). how beautiful. people staring into their phones and getting so emotional over “scrying.” perhaps there really is magic in reflective surfaces!
Plus ce la change....
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Rolling Down Like Waters

Yeah, about that. Trump’s DOJ is no longer held in highest regard. That dam has burst, and justice is rolling down like waters. My rough guess is that a ten year sentence would be for a felony, and felonies require grand jury indictments. I don’t think they’d get there; or really want to try.

The metaphor, by the way, especially in a desert culture, where it originated, describes something akin to a flash flood, carrying away everything in its path. Washing out the Augean stables, IOW, by washing them away, too .

I can live with it.
ADDING: Trump mouthing off on social media is now all it takes. The media still ignore it, but the courts don’t.
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In A Nutshell

"In fact, he should have made this deal about a week in when it became clear the whole premise of his enterprise was not going to work.” 

It was actually obvious long before that.
And we’ve burned through half our stockpile, and the Pentagon told Congress it needs $80 billion now, to be able to continue normal operations.

And then there’s the oil:
U.S. crude stocks have fallen sharply in recent weeks due to high refining ​and export demand for American oil to fill supply gaps caused by the Iran war. Overall U.S. inventories, including commercial and SPR stocks, have fallen by 79 million to 77.6 million ​barrels, the lowest since 2023, after the war began at the end of ​February.

Inventories at Cushing, the main storage hub for oil in Oklahoma and the pricing point ‌for ⁠U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures, have eased to 21.6 million barrels, near operational lows, raising concerns of supply tightness.
That article is a week old, and reports the SPR at 340.3 million barrels. DOE now says it’s down to 331.2 million barrels. As someone said on Stephanie Ruhle’s show this morning, the SPR is about to scrape bottom. The releases have been suppressing the U.S. cost of oil, but the price has been volatile, reacting every time there’s news about the Strait. Imagine the market reaction to news that the SPR was “empty.”

That’s scared Trump into making a deal, any deal, to get the Strait reopened.
Traffic visible via http://MarineTraffic.com in the Strait of Hormuz shows at least 2 dozen vessels have transited over the last 24 hours, with all but one vessel visible using the Iranian traffic separation scheme. It is highly likely more transits occurred than are shown with vessels turning off their automatic identification system transponder for the transit.
20 million barrels a day on average flow through the Strait when it is not constricted. The average number of tankers daily through the Strait before the war, was 80.  It’s not clear that all 24 ships in the last 24 hours were oil tankers, but it’s still less than 1/3rd of the daily flow the world is used to. And those tankers have a long way to go. If they all were tankers, all carried 1 million barrels each, and all came to America…it would be a little over 1 days consumption of oil for the nation.

That supply chain is not going to rebuild itself rapidly, and the SPR is not going to be refilled anytime soon.

Ain’t no gusher coming to a gas pump near you. Hope you weren’t expecting one.
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Next It’ll Be The Marines

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Sunday, June 21, 2026

Box O’ Wine Is On It!

Well, the DOJ will have to prove the defendant changed the condition of the pool and that change constitutes damage within the meaning of the law.  And then the defendant damaged the pool by…touching the bottom of it?

This is going to get laughed out of court.
Aside from the peroxide?

And back to the question of proof: if chemical analysis indicates the pool has been polluted, it won’t indicate whodunnit. Pirro may consider “more serious charges.” But who does she charge?
 
Doocy: Is Jonathan Karl in trouble?

Pirro: Anyone who is in a position of vandalizing or attempting to vandalize the reflecting pool will face the criminal justice system. There are several citations that have been handed out individuals, and these are cases that will be prosecuted to the full extent
Full extent of the statute establishing fines for dipping your hand in a national park body of water? Or full extent of the misdemeanor statute regarding touching the stuff floating in the national park body of water? Or bringing a camera crew to an open national park body of water?

I do like the idea of “attempting to vandalize.” I’m real interested in what that is. Entering the park with intent to touch water? Carrying a knife that could potentially be used to scratch a surface? Coming to the park with a camera?

This is going to be hilarious.
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🚨BREAKING! 🚨

Park Police are looking for the hand that did this.
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NO TOUCHING!

Whaddya think this is? Lourdes?

We ain’t a bunch o’ damn Frenchies, goddamit!
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🌞

 I just realized this is the day that the days start getting shorter. (Well, in the northern hemisphere.)

Something to look forward to. Despite DST. Which I despise as only a cranky old guy can. A cranky old Boomer! It’s a double tap!

🌅🕶️

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“Real Relief”

Sen. Dave McCormick: "The other thing that's happening in the economy, which is great, is that gas prices are down under $4 in Pennsylvania. I think people understood that we needed to take action against Iran to protect our children. But man, those gas prices hurt working families, and they're seeing real relief."
Gas prices are not down to where they were in January. Let’s hope they continue to go down. But WTI and Brent crude are both trending up again.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright: "The president has been advised all along, despite the media proclamations, that there was enormous risk to energy flows to engage the Iranians on their nuclear program in a military fashion ... he knew he was going to drive up energy prices in the short run. He had the courage to take the action anyway."
To get us back to where we almost were under the JCPOA? (Which included oversight by the IAEA. Word is the IAEA is not welcome in Iran. So: back to where, exactly? Square Zero?

And by the way, the Strait is closed.
According to vessel tracking data from http://MarineTraffic.com, the Strait of Hormuz appears to have effectively closed just before 1700 UTC yesterday, with no transits observed after that time. At approximately 1650 UTC, the tanker 'Starbound Explorer' was turned around in Iranian waters before completing its transit and returned to the Persian Gulf. Around the same time, the container ship 'MSC Qingdao', which was exiting via the U.S. established shipping route through Omani waters, reversed course back toward the Persian Gulf before later turning around again and ultimately exiting the Strait.
Which is sure to affect the price of oil futures.
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Oh, Lindsey! You’re So Butch!

Lindsey Graham: "I spent 4.5 hours with President Trump on Friday. Here's what I think will happen next. If this deal fails, President Trump is gonna take the Strait of Hormuz over by force. We'll charge a fee for all those who go through to pay for the operation ... if Iran contests control of the Strait of Hormuz by the United States we'll obliterate them."
Yeah, right. You and what depleted military stockpile?

The Strait of Hormuz is an international strait within the meaning of Article 37 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which applies to straits “used for international navigation between one part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone and another part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone.” The outbreak of hostilities does not necessarily suspend UNCLOS. While the Strait of Hormuz is bordered by Iran to the north and Oman to the south, it is legally an international strait. Iran does not own the Strait of Hormuz, but it can effectively control maritime movement through the Strait based on its physical proximity. The Strait of Hormuz is legally distinct from the Turkish Straits linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Black Sea—a key waterway in the Russia-Ukraine War. The Turkish Straits are governed by the Montreux Convention, where Turkey has special legal authorities to regulate maritime traffic.

In the Strait of Hormuz, the right of transit passage is afforded to all ships and aircraft that transit the strait, a permissive legal right that “shall not be impeded”—even in times of war. All vessels and aircraft—military and civilian—have the legal prerogative to exercise the right of transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz, provided that these ships and aircraft proceed without delay through the Strait of Hormuz, transit in their normal modes of operation, and refrain from using force against any nation bordering the Strait. Although Israel, Iran, and the United States are not parties to UNCLOS, the transit-passage regime for international straits is widely regarded as customary international law and binding on all States. Iran’s actions to block the strait are contrary to both the letter and spirit of UNCLOS and applicable customary international law.

What are the challenges in transiting the Strait of Hormuz?

Practically, the Strait of Hormuz is the only way to get oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and other goods from the Persian Gulf to international markets. Geographically, the Strait of Hormuz is extraordinarily narrow in parts, with just 20 miles separating Iran from Oman at one point in the Strait. Naval officers and civilian mariners are rightfully wary of running aground—a real concern for heavily-laden oil tankers and merchant vessels. And there are just two narrow corridors within the Strait itself for entering and exiting the Persian Gulf, thus making it exceedingly easy to identify, track, and target any vessel that transits the Strait.

While there are reports of 2,500 U.S. Marines deploying to the region, a successful occupation of the southern tip of Iran bordering the Strait will not by itself immunize shipping from threats. And such an amphibious landing would be incredibly dangerous. Iran has already demonstrated the capacity to launch Shaheed drones — with a range of 1,000 miles — from virtually anywhere in Iran. The drone threat makes it difficult — if not impossible — to guarantee safe passage through the Strait within the foreseeable future.
Just ask Putin about how well he’s protecting Moscow (which is only 470 miles from Kyiv). 

We are not going to invade Iran. We are not going to conquer Iran. This war was over three months ago.

The United States has no authority to take control of the Strait (much less the ability). If Congress authorized it, we would become a rogue nation arrayed against the rest of the world. And let’s be honest: we were just beaten by Iran. Trying to control the Strait would not lower the price of gas, or improve Lindsey’s reelection chances. Although South Carolina shot first, so they might like it…

But the rest of the country wouldn’t.

Although the simplest response is: Trump has been threatening to obliterate Iran for four months. When is he going to do it?
I thought so….
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No Question.

 He walks:

 "The United States Park Police have arrested multiple individuals for vandalizing our Nations magnificent Reflecting Poll," [Trump] wrote, misspelling "Pool."
Oh, yeah? Where are they?
According to The Washington Post, Park Police arrested a single person on Friday: David Hearn, a 67-year-old man from Bethesda and a three-time Olympic canoe slalom athlete, on a misdemeanor charge of destruction of government property.

Hearn's account bears no resemblance to a coordinated assault on a national landmark. He told the Post he had just finished a 52-mile bike ride, including a loop around Hains Point, and swung by the Lincoln Memorial to see the refurbished pool for himself. Noticing a chunk of the new "American flag blue" liner that had partially detached from the bottom, he reached into the water to feel it. Moments later, as he was getting ready to leave, officers put him in handcuffs.

"I didn't vandalize anything," Hearn told the paper. "I didn't destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs."
A reminder that Hearn doesn’t have to tell this story in court. The government has to prove he’s guilty of “destruction of government property.” They’ll need a bit more than “Suspect was seen with his hand in the water.” Hearn’s counsel could simply bring in some YouTube videos about the conditions in the pool to remind the jury about what everybody knows. The government has to prove Hearn did any damage. Hearn doesn’t have to prove he didn’t.

Remember the Subway Sandwich guy?

Hearn’s story also underlines Podhoretz’ point:
Hearn was just another visitor to the park. But he probably arrived after Trump’s first screed about vandalism. That’s another reason the jury is likely to let him go.*

Game, set, match. Call it the Subway Sandwich Guy rule.


*Or a judge. I can’t imagine a judge would be any more sympathetic to the government’s charge than a jury would be.
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It’s Not That I Trust This Source….

...it’s just that I trust the chuckleheads negotiating for the U.S. even less.

And then there’s Trump, shouting at FoxNews and making empty threats again.
MOU ON ITS LAST LEGS: After Iranian President Pezeshkian said Iran won’t give up enrichment, Trump replied: “He better watch his mouth… or we will take over the rest of the country.”

Trump’s threat is a direct violation of the MOU.

Also today: Trump said he told Iranian officials “you won’t even make it back to your fu*king country” if they close the Strait, and floated the US as “Guardian Angel” of Hormuz, taking 20% of the oil.

He also said he’d “blow the sh*t out of them” and take tolls in the Strait.

Then he posted on Truth Social demanding Iran “immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” threatening to hit Iran “very hard again… only harder!!!” if they don’t. 
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I’m Still Wondering…

According to a release from the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the quadrilateral talks between the U.S., Qatar, Pakistan, and Iran have now begun. Per the release, separate technical groups have been formed to coordinate and discuss key facets of the U.S.-Iran MOU and will be working to help both side achieve convergence on key points of contention.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s chief decision-maker Field Marshal Asim Munir have now met with both parties on the sidelines of the quadrilateral talks in Switzerland, with releases and footage showing both Munir and Sharif meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Envoy Jared Kushner, and Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
According to Axios, citing a diplomat with knowledge on the matter, the U.S. delegation, led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, has met with their Iranian counterparts in Switzerland. The meeting was mediated by Qatar. Additionally, Pakistan’s prime minister announced that Iran has agreed to reduce the enrichment levels of highly enriched materials. However, as rightly noted by NTI’s @BrewerEricM , such a framework was “already agreed to in the MOU as the ‘minimum methodology’ to dispose of the material.”
...what the hell did he think Kushner and Witkoff were doing before today? Who did Vance imagine they were talking to? Yeah, about that:
"President Trump told Fox News that the US may take over the strait in the future if they have to and collect tolls. The president described this as the US being the guardian angel of the Strait of Hormuz and the Middle East. He said that would involve the US taking 20% of the oil that passes through the strait."
🏴‍☠️?
Trump threats to occupy Iran: "President Trump tells Fox News he spoke with Iranian officials overnight and said, 'You close the strait and you won't have a country.' He went on to tell these officials, 'You won't even make it back to your f**king country ... we'll take over the rest of the country.'"
Is that why he stopped bombing them three months ago? And agreed to pay them $300 billion?
Fox correspondent: "The president told me he is disappointed Israel can't put Hezbollah away. He went on to say, 'They can't do anything without knocking buildings down' and that he is close to giving it to Syria. He is talking about empowering the Syrian president to actually go into southern Lebanon and fight Hezbollah"
Is that going to be before, or after, he repairs the reflecting pool and punishes everyone responsible for fucking it up? You and what depleted military stockpile? “You’ve been a great crowd! Thanks for coming out! Remember to tip the buffet and try your waitress! G’night everybody!” [🎶 upbeat closing music 🎶]
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49 States Announce Quarantine Of Florida

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A Father’s Day Meditation

The way I truly think of Father’s Day is expressed in a card my daughter gave me one year. Father’s Day, the card explained, is a month after Mother’s Day because, a month later, somebody said: “Hey! Wait a minute!”

That’s not how I ever felt about it when I was the child of my father. But it’s how I’ve thought about it every year since my daughter was born.
Andy Burnham is set to become the United Kingdom’s first Catholic prime minister.

He said he was deeply moved by the life of Pope Francis.

Upon his death, he said Francis “spoke for equality and compassion and for humanity, in a world where we see political leaders target minorities and marginalize people in the search for votes”.
Pope Leo XIV says that the Catholic Church’s teaching on sexual ethics must be less prioritized over “greater, more important issues.”

“We tend to think that when the Church is talking about morality, that the only issue of morality is sexual. And in reality, I believe there are much greater, more important issues, such as justice, equality, freedom of men and women, freedom of religion, that would all take priority before that particular issue.”
When I was practicing law (more accurately, trying to practice law) I worked for a solo practitioner kind enough to hire me. His son was gay, as it turned out. And I was not, then, woke. This is where I started, though, because while I couldn’t quite accept the reality of a gay man, I kept my opinions to myself. But one day he confessed to me it was hard for him when his son told him the truth. And he told me he realized that, with all the problems in the world (we were practicing family law. You really do see the worst of how people treat each other, short of criminal law practice.), why did anyone care about how two people love each other?

Why, indeed?

The metaphor of God as “Father” is a deliberate one, but not, perhaps, in the way we usually think. It is not, for example, essential to the nature of God.

In my first congregation, I had a member who had been subjected to abuse by her father. As an adult, she was in therapy to recover from that. Her struggles were quite serious, and she told me she had problems with calling God “Father,” after that.  And I couldn’t argue with her. I didn’t want to, either.

Father is a responsibility. It is not an honor lightly bestowed, it is not a pedestal in which you balance, it is not a relationship bestowed by biology. Kate Bush said it best in her song about childbirth: “Ooh, it’s hard for the man; now his part is over. Now begins the craft of the father.”

I learned in seminary that “husband” didn’t mean “spouse.” It meant a responsibility: to care, to raise, to be, well, responsible. To husband, as a farmer or rancher takes care of his land, his livestock. To make the best of them, do the best for them. Something that started in Genesis 1, and was displayed over and over again by the examples of the good fathers in the Scriptures (especially in contrast to the bad fathers who are also there).

And that best, now, includes care for people who need our care, not our condemnation or delineation. If we are responsible for others, we have to do the best for them. And that means caring for them, for who they are. Remember the parable of the sheep and the goats? Two of the examples are about providing basic human needs: food, and clothing. But the third is basic, too: community. When you visit the prisoner, you make them a part of the human community. You accept them for who they are, for what they have done. We don’t father communities, but families give communities a stronger, healthier foundation. And you can be a father to people you aren’t related to, by being a person who shares your compassion, your acceptance, and your responsibility as a father, and as a community member. I had more than one example of a father, growing up. I knew good men, and learned from their wise, compassionate examples how to be a father myself.

If God is Father, it doesn’t mean that God is essentially male. It means we should reflect God as we work the craft of the father. And God accepts everyone as they are, the way a good father accepts his children as they are. That can be hard, too. But that’s the craft of the father.

And yes, I think the father is a craft, that the relationship of the mother and child is inaccessibly different; at least to fathers. But the difference is a blessing and a strength, not levels on a hierarchy. The father is not the first of all: the father is the servant of all. 

That’s the only way love is real. And besides, this is a Father’s Day meditation.
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