Why don't we rob stagecoaches anymore?

Whistleblower org says DOGE may have caused 'significant cyber breach' at US labor watchdog

The NLRB, a New Deal-era agency that is tasked with protecting workers' rights to organize and join unions, has for years been a target of America's corporate titans - including Musk - some of whom are now seeking to have the agency's powers declared unconstitutional.

Way too much galloping around.

 Now we just copy the data and walk away.

Elon and his minions are merely the latest in a long line of hackers and crackers, governments and corporations, who've been siphoning off our data for years now.

They know more about you than you do.

Six is not enough!

How many Peeps are made each year?

On average, about 5.5 million are made each day.

That adds up to 2 billion a year — or roughly 6 Peeps for every man, woman and child across the U.S.

Is eight to much to ask? Come on — it's only once a year. 

Strangely…hard to explain…

NBA sees sport's growth lagging behind potential in Europe

Organisers of the Euroleague, the continent's existing premier club competition, balked at the idea of a new league, however, and said the plans for a new European league amounted to a threat that could fragment the sport.

…Europeans seem insufficiently interested in U.S. basketball. 

But we'll take the winter ones, thank you

US government slapping 21 percent tariff on most tomatoes from Mexico

The United States government announced that it plans to slap a nearly 21 percent tariff on most tomatoes coming from Mexico in the summer…

[Emphasis mine.]

“This action will allow U.S. tomato growers to compete fairly in the marketplace,”, the U.S. Commerce Department says. If, however, Mexico or some other country puts a tariff on our products, that's competing unfairly.

See the difference?

This…

Trump officials push immigrant gang message, but sometimes don't back it up in court

After an FBI SWAT team on March 27 raided the home of a 24-year-old Salvadoran man living illegally in Virginia, Attorney General Pam Bondi, standing alongside FBI Director Kash Patel in a morning press conference, alleged the man was one of the top three U.S. leaders of the violent MS-13 street gang and called him a terrorist.

Less than two weeks later, the Justice Department moved to drop the only charge it had brought against him -- illegal possession of a firearm by an alien -- and Bondi said he would face deportation instead.

[And a whole lot more.]

…is a story about a lawless government out of control. 

What a way to start the week. 

Bernie Sanders?

Coachella continues with Weezer, T-Pain and a Bernie Sanders appearance

Bernie Sanders is the only name I recognize in this entire article.

Except maybe Billie Eilish. Maybe.

What do you want to bet…

US State Department says deported Maryland resident 'alive and secure' in El Salvador

"He is alive and secure in that facility. He is detained pursuant to the sovereign, domestic authority of El Salvador."

…what they are freaking out about in DC is what this guy is gonna say if he gets back home.

The very idea that these guys, who tariffed the entire world in order to get them to negotiate, presumably, and threatened to bomb Iran to get them to negotiate can't persuade El Salvadore to put this guy on a plane is ridiculous. 

Also, "terrorism confinement center"?

What if we had a war and no lip balm?

US businesses already seeing impact of Trump tariffs

"We're constantly dealing with the uncertainty of the future and of our future supply chains," said Steve Shriver, the founder and CEO of Eco Lips, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based company that makes organic health and beauty products with ingredients sourced from more than 50 countries and sold in 40,000 stores nationwide. It has annual sales of around $30 million.

 Or concert seats. Or toys — by the way, Christmas might be 125% more expensive this year. 

This is National Security™ we're talking about here.

The Trump nutcracker (no, I'm not kidding)

Germany's iconic nutcrackers threatened by Trump tariffs

The German company Steinbach Volkskunst has created a popular nutcracker doll depicting Donald Trump at his desk in the Oval Office. Priced at $379, the doll's cost may rise due to impending tariffs imposed by the real-life US president, posing a significant challenge for the manufacturer, which sells over 95% of its production in the US.

"Micro" is a relative term

A micromoon will grace the night skies this weekend

“It’s a very subtle difference,” said astrophysicist Alain Brizard from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.

"Humanity’s enduring commitment" meets MAGA

US judge will not curb immigration enforcement in places of worship

U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich in Washington, who was appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term in office, found that the organizations [suing over this practice] likely did not have legal standing to bring the case because the claims that they faced harm were speculative.

 Courtesy of Perplexity AI, here's a little essay on the history of sanctuary.

In summary, sanctuary has evolved from a strictly religious concept into a broader social and political practice rooted in moral convictions about protecting vulnerable individuals. Its history reflects humanity’s enduring commitment to mercy and justice across centuries.

The MAGA Deep State

Cybersecurity industry falls silent as Trump turns ire on SentinelOne

Trump on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of security clearances of SentinelOne executives and employees, part of a campaign to use the might of the U.S. government to crush his political opponents.

The entire security apparatus and the granting of security clearances is no longer solely about protecting necessary secrets (although it is still that), it's also about deciding who is allowed to play the game and who is not. There are a lot of people whose livelihood is entirely based on going where only cleared people are allowed. Who are privy to the secrets of the state. License to make this decision is licence to rule. Absolutely. 

This is the very idea of a Deep State.

Sorry. Just couldn't resist.

 

Is our Treasury intern, Scott Bessent, deranged?

Fired Federal Workers Could Work Factory Jobs Created by Tariffs: Bessent

On the other side, we are shedding excess labor in the federal government and bringing down federal borrowings," Bessent told Tucker Carlson on Friday. "And then on the other side, that will give us the labor we need for the new manufacturing."

What a plan! Kick all those worthless work-at-home deadbeats out of their cushy government jobs and put them to work making microchips. 

What could possibly go wrong?

(Yes.)

Just asking

Think Congress Will Stop Trump’s Tariffs? Think Again.

The Constitution assigns Congress the power “To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises.”

But our Commerce Intern, Howard Lutnick, says “Let Donald Trump run the global economy,” Lutnick instructed. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s been talking about it for 35 years…You’ve got to trust Donald Trump in the White House.”

But I can think of a few other things he's been talking about for 35 years — or more. Would you want him to fix any of them?

Yes, Virginia, "government intelligence" is an oxymoron

Gabbard creates task force to probe intelligence community

The group will be “investigating weaponization, rooting out deep-seeded politicization, exposing unauthorized disclosures of classified intelligence, and declassifying information that serves a public interest.”

 Tulsi, is we know, is a recognized expert in declassifying information.

Things have gone from terrifyingly amusing to…

Musk's DOGE using AI to snoop on U.S. federal workers, sources say

The use of AI and Signal reinforces concerns among cybersecurity experts and government ethicists that DOGE is operating with limited transparency and that billionaire Musk or the Trump administration could use information gathered with AI to further their own interests, or to go after political targets.

…simply outrageous.  

Not to mention illegal, if that matters anymore.

It's not utter confusion, it's…

White House Official Acknowledges ‘Conflicting Narratives’ on Tariffs

…conflicting narratives.

Thanks, White House Official, for clearing that up.

The latest word in fraud-busting

National Weather Service no longer translating products for non-English speakers

Not being able to read urgent weather alerts could be a matter of life or death, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who has worked with NOAA researching how to translate weather and climate information to the public, including the use of artificial intelligence.

 The question of who's commiting fraud on whom remains open.

In the meantime, take care of your neighbors.

Finally, something to worry about

It’s springtime in Germany and people are obsessing about white asparagus

There is no other vegetable that Germans obsess about as much as white asparagus. They can discuss for hours whether it should be eaten with melted butter or Hollandaise sauce, served with smoked ham or schnitzel, or should come with a side of potatoes boiled whole or peeled, cut into slices and fried with bacon and onion.