I See LESS dead people…
Homicides in American Cities dropped in the first three months compared to last year.
Now, murders jumped HUGE during Covid .. So, when you talk about “percentage decrease” its BIG .. But, if you compare to pre-Covid numbers it’s not as impressive. Murders jumped an enormous 30% the first year of Covid (2020-2021) .. which was in part due to Covid.. The lockdowns.. .. and the “Defund the police” thing.. ..
So.. let’s not get TOO excited ..
But, still. Murder going down is GOOD!! So…. GOOD !!!
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ISRAEL: Israel’s military chief said that his country will respond to Iran’s weekend attack, but he did not elaborate on when and how as world leaders urged against retaliation, trying to avoid a spiral of violence in the Middle East.
The Iranian attack on Saturday came in response to a suspected Israeli strike two weeks earlier on an Iranian consular building in the Syrian capital of Damascus that killed two Iranian generals. It marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings on Tuesday, causing the collapse of the iconic spire from the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange as passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. ..HERE ..
Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said it was “touching” to see how many people lent their hand “to save art treasures and iconic images from the burning building.”
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GEORGIA: (The Country that used to be part of the Soviet Union.. Not the state north of Florida) ..
Georgia’s parliament descended into chaos yesterday after the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party’s parliamentary faction was punched in the face while discussing a controversial law on "foreign agents."
Mamuka Mdinaradze, 45, was punched in the face by opposition MP Aleko Elisashvili, 46, while addressing the chamber.
Mdinaradze, who is a driving force behind the legislation, can be seen toppling over as several other MPs join the melee. Footage shows lawmakers on opposing sides leaping up from their desks and trading punches. Protesters later greeted Elisashvili with cheers outside the parliament building.
Imagine if that happened in the US Parliament? AOC trying to throw haymakers at Marjorie Taylor Green? .. HAHAHAHA.. It would be better than what they do in Congress now .. Which is NOTHING….
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Texas: If you’re grumpy about the check you had to write to the IRS yesterday, at least you’re not Mark Cuban. Cuban got into an online spat and admitted he was “happy” to wire the IRS $279,500,000.00 yesterday. He is a Trump hater and says that after serving in the military, paying your fair share of taxes is the most patriotic thing you can do. He was pushed, “Do you pay your fair share”? and he would only answer, “I pay what I owe” .. (Which is exactly what Trump said.. and MOST rich people say)…
That’s a LOT of taxes. Which means he made A LOT of money last year. They argued about the “Trump Tax Cuts” and “Paying your fair share” .. One reply: “You can always just pay MORE, Mark, if you think that’s more “Fair”” (You can.. I checked. The IRS will take donations) ..… also…
With the exception of a brief hiccup due to Covid, the TCJA 2017 Tax cuts have led to MORE revenue from Taxes to the Federal Government EVERY YEAR and are projected to continue. (The RATE is lower.. but MORE companies keep/start businesses in the USA so the overall tax revenue goes UP) … HERE…
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California: Do Black people have ID? .. When asked “on the street” by reporters or Internet people .. The answer is almost always, “YES” .. For some reason, California officials don’t think so.. .. How about “Old People” .. Well, YEAH .. You need ID to drive a car, board a plane, get a drink at a bar .. Why is it such a controversy for Voting?
California state officials are suing the beachside city of Huntington Beach over a voter ID amendment it passed last month. A new rule that was VOTED FOR by the residents .. (Presumably, without having to show ID)
The lawsuit, from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, challenges Huntington Beach’s voter ID law, Measure A, which amends the city’s charter to allow voter ID requirements by 2026.
He argued that state elections already contain "robust voter ID requirements with strong protections to prevent voter fraud." He said the new requirements would disproportionately burden "low-income voters, voters of color, young or elderly voters, and people with disabilities."
Really? HOW?
Getting an ID is not all that hard .. and if the people AGAINST voter ID spent the next year helping people that want an ID get one, then almost EVERYONE in the country would have one..
It seems so simple. One person, one vote. Everyone gets to vote, FOR THEMSELVES. Mail-in ballots if you are incapacitated physically or out of the country for an extended time. .. How is that controversial?
IN DA SWAMP:
Take the Win: President Biden claims he told Israel PM Netanyahu NOT to retaliate against Iran. He says he told Netanyahu that their systems worked, most missiles and rockets were intercepted before getting to Israel and there was little damage .. so.. “take the win”.
Biden is in a tough spot… Lots of supporters and donors want a strong stance in support of Israel .. but the woke left part of his party wants Biden to rebuke Israel for killing civilians and to demand an immediate and complete ceasefire. If Iran sees the USA waffling in their support of Israel it will embolden them.
So.. Tough Spot ..
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TRUMP TRIAL DAY ONE .. Basically… Bickering .. Trump’s attorneys want the Judge to recuse himself because he is a Democrat and his daughter a “certified Trump Hater” works with several democratic politicians like Adam Schiff and Kamala Harris. .. Judge Merchan strengthened his “gag order” telling Trump he cannot mention his daughter or the families of witnesses or of DA Alvin Bragg.
The prosecution wants Trump fined for ignoring the gag order .. and they want to be able to introduce irrelevant things like the “grab ‘em by the p**sy” tape ..
I mean .. theatrics all over the place.. and they just started picking the jury .. How the heck are you gonna pick an unbiased jury in NYC?.. They threw out 50 people straight off the bat for admitting the could not be “impartial” ..
At least they were honest !!!
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GALLUP: For the first time in Gallup polling since 2001, a majority of U.S. adults, 57%, say they would feel better if they got more sleep, while 42% say they get as much sleep as they need. This is nearly a reversal of the figures last measured in 2013, when 56% of Americans got the sleep they needed and 43% did not.
Should we believe that? .. I mean .. I don’t believe MOST “polls” .. But, was there EVER a time in modern history where honest adults said, “Nah, I don’t need more sleep”???
SPORTS:
GOLF: This week is the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head. Normally, this is a week that many top golfers take off after, “The Masters”. So, the PGA Tour made it one of their “elevated events” with big purses and big points .. So, You will see LOTS of big names .. Including Masters Champ Scottie Scheffler (unless his wife goes into labor) and runner-up Ludvig Aberg ..
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NHL: The Islanders beat the Devils and clinch a playoff birth.. The Devils season was injury-ridden and their best player, Jack Hughes, got season ending shoulder surgery last week..
What now? Washington Capitals (89 points), Detroit Red Wings (89), Pittsburgh Penguins (88) and Philadelphia Flyers (87). .. The Capitals play the Flyers in the last game and a win puts them in (they hold tie-break over Detroit.). Caps loss and Detroit win over the Canadians and they can make it ..The max total for the Penguins is 90, but if they finish tied with the Caps and Wings at that total (or at 89, with an OT/SO loss in their final game), they are in thanks to the RW tiebreaker.
Got all that???
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Olympics: The US Women’s Olympic Kit (what they will be wearing) was unveiled and the clothes on the mannequin went viral. They appeared very skimpy. Nike quickly moved to defend the outfits saying “we worked directly with athletes throughout every stage… athlete options and choices were the driving force in all planning” .. Still.. on the mannequin… they looked like lingerie
Paralympian long jumper Jaleen Roberts wrote on Instagram, "This mannequin is standing still and everything’s showing… imagine MID FLIGHT."… Olympic hurdler Queen Harrison joked that the European Wax Center should be the sponsor for the team.
I think the most reasonable comments were made by Gold medal winning pole vaulter Katie Moon… She said, the way it looked on the mannequin as concerning and warranted the response it received.” .. But, (like an adult) she tried it on.. and wrote:
"If this can help put women’s minds at ease a bit…I tried on the same style today and didn’t feel worried about…things…popping out. I think it’s just the mannequin. This felt like the last kit just a slightly higher cut. I know every body is different tho so just my take."
WNBA: Caitlin Clark goes first in the draft, as expected … To the Indiana Fever .. That should bump their ticket sales !!!
CELEBRIDIOTS:
When I say, “Bad”.. I mean.. BAAADDDD
The CNN weekly prime time talk show co-hosted by basketball loudmouth Charles Barkley and Gayle King has been CANCELLED!
“King Charles” got the axe after just half a year on the air. The Weds. night call in show failed to generate more viewers than reruns of the sitcom “Friends” and episodes of “South Park.” ..It was the lowest-rated prime time weeknight series debut for CNN in at least a decade, according to Nielsen.
Stick to Hoops, Chuck!!
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Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer of the Alec Baldwin movie, “Rust” was sentenced to the maximum of 18 months in prison in the killing of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. She was convicted last month on an involuntary manslaughter charge.
Prosecutors claim she was careless and irresponsible. There should have never been live rounds on set… Defense claimed it was “management’s fault” and there were many safety issues that were beyond her control. Also, the primary ammunition supplier was never investigated (Which IS pretty odd. If only blanks were supposed to be delivered and a bullet ended up in a gun, I’d wanna talk to the ammunition supplier.)
So, I dunno. If she was doing her job and someone else put the live round in there.. I feel bad for her .. If she is a lazy Gen-Z “everything is someone else’s fault” type person that didn’t check the blanks.. .. then .. 18 months isn’t enough…
Anyways… Alec is up next !!
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Nina Agdal .. HERE.. announced she is having a baby with her fiance Logan Paul the internet dude … Let’s hope she gets back to looking like this ..HERE.. quickly !!!
Worth noting almost all violent crime is way down. Murder/rape/burgulary/home invasion. In both rural and cities. Only thing up is auto theft.