The Frankish Reich

I guess we'll just go with "disappointingly small"

I get it. I just took a look for a still photo of what I saw on the National Mall cam. Plus: bad weather forecast, the No Kings thing going on, there's lots of explanations. I'm just pointing out that this isn't exactly the Bastille Day America parade Trump had wanted. Probably should've just done it on the Fourth. Maybe Sorority President/Press Sec Levitt will have some "alternative facts." Remember how all this started. It's only an issue because one extraordinarily narcissistic fool made it one 8+ years ago.

Look, just stating a fact here. It is clearly not very crowded. Make of it what you will.

I've been to a couple 4th of July celebrations on the National Mall. Let's just say that the attendance here doesn't compare.

Exactly, but thanks in large part to U.S. and NATO resolve.

I sure hope they don't work in hotels or in the fields. Because, you know, then they're only kinda sorta illegal.

Check the National Mall live cam. Place looks like a Rockies-White Sox game in early April.

Agreed. Which is why I've never understood both of these propositions are not clearly in America's best interests: 1. Iran is run by a theocratic regime committed to the destruction of Israel and the establishment of of new caliphate, such that allowing it to acquire a nuclear weapon is a threat to the region and, in turn, to the United States and global security. 2. Russia is run by a dictator who has openly and repeatedly stated his desire to reconstitute - by any means necessary - the former Russian/Soviet Empire, such that contesting Russian aggression, particularly in Europe, is a threat to NATO, to the United States, and to global security. I see no reasonable argument to the contrary, nor do I see any way to find (1) is true while denying that (2) is true.

Flag Day was fun the way it was. Always right up against the last day of school in Buffalo. We'd have a little flag parade around the school. Innocent. Nonpolitical. I guess we can't just do that anymore.

The silly speculation never ends. My own speculation, which is a lot more boring and true to life: We will find out it was some petty personal grudge thing, an unstable actor, and (sadly) probably ignored warning signs and recent gun purchases despite that.

I'm holed up at home today with people working on the house so I can honestly say that it appears no one - Fox News included - is paying more than the most minimal attention to this Trumped-up Army Celebration. Fox just cut to the Mall - skimpiest "crowd" ever. Poor birthday boy will have to lie about the numbers.

See, I knew the miasma theory was back. https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/06/14/nx-s1-5429732/ancient-miasma-theory-may-help-explain-health-secretary-robert-f-kennedy-jr-s-vaccine-moves

So you Mass Deportation advocates: tell me how this is supposed to work. Stephen Miller (he controls the autopen that is the remnants of Trump's brain) mandates 3,000 deportations a day. Local ICE bosses say, well, then we gotta go where the illegal aliens are rather than waiting for criminals to drop into our lap. Targets worksites: construction, agriculture, hotel maids, whatever. Old school republicans complain: we can't stay in business if you deport our workers! Trump says "I hear you." No more targeting our great hotels or farmers or construction companies. Just get the criminals. Maybe jingoistic vote-for-me things like "mass deportation" don't really translate into governance? Who'd have thunk it?

Exactly.

Oops, it turns out good old fashioned American business need some good old fashioned illegal workers. https://www.wsj.com/us-news/trump-pauses-immigration-arrests-at-farms-hotels-and-restaurants-7a8bc353?mod=hp_lead_pos3

It's all just virtue signaling of one kind or another. Somehow I was born without the gene that makes me want to do this. I've thought the same thing as I go through the exurban southwest and see Trump signs and Trump flags. There are no heathens left there to convert.

Make sure to take a pic of Scott Bessent's house. Charleston is nice, but it is kind of the classic "from extraordinary wealth to abject poverty within one mile" place.

That Kristi Noem gets around!

My guess is that the Trump administration saw a chance to do what many have privately (and publicly) wanted to do for a long time: neutralize any Iran threat. Russia could've made this difficult, but they're a bit preoccupied right now. (Ukraine war surrender monkeys: think about what would've happened if we'd allowed them to overrun Ukraine in a month.) Hezbollah in Lebanon and whatever Iranian proxy in Syria can't get to Israel now. Houthis in Yemen are a pest but nothing more. Other Islamic world opposition muted because of Saudi hatred of Iran. Hence, the green light - explicit or implicit - for Israel to go ahead. Way, way too soon to tell if this is a good idea. But that's why I'm guessing it happened, and why it happened now.

Exactly. Maybe we should've thought of this before inking Cook's rookie deal. Seriously, though, if this is allowed by the CBA, why wouldn't a team do it? And if it is allowed by the CBA, congrats to the Bengals for hiring a lawyer smart enough to figure that out.

So, that's my (B) or (C). Right on cue: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/in-twist-u-s-diplomacy-served-as-cover-for-israeli-surprise-attack-c79b2206?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_4 The headline is a little misleading (remember, in almost all newspapers, the article author doesn't write the headline), but nonetheless the article suggests more of (C).

OK, so which one is it: A. Israel undertook the Iran mission unilaterally, even though the US opposed it (at this time). Israel provided the US only advance notice with the US promising it would not obstruct Israel's actions. B. Israel undertook the Iran mission with US approval, although the US stated it would not provide any support for the operation. C. Israel and the US partially coordinated; the US-Iran negotiations were in good faith, and the US gave Israel its tacit approval for taking unilateral action when Iran refused to sign a deal. D. Israel and the US fully coordinated, with a plan to use negotiations (conducted in bad faith) to delay the inevitable Israeli operation and to provide some diplomatic/legal cover (i.e., to show that all peaceful means of shutting down Iran's nuclear weapons program had failed)

Justice Breyer's brother. A highly regarded judge. This is no weird ass decision coming from a crackpot judge.

10/7/23: Hamas says peace process? Sorry, we'll decide when that happens. 6/12/23: Israel says U.S.-Iran deal? Sorry, we'll decide when that happens.

He's trying to sell a book. And from what I see, not doing that well.