John Kerry weeps

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Israel strikes Iran-backed Houthis after Tehran proxy attacked Jewish state: 'Significance is clear'

NSC spokesperson says US 'not involved' in Yemen strikes, and didn't 'coordinate or assist' Israel with them

I believe that last part about the U.S.’s non-involvement. Entirely predictable and in fact, it was predicted here yesterday.

JERUSALEM - Israel’s air force on Saturday launched surgical strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran-sponsored Houthi terrorist regime in Yemen.

According to an Israel Defense Forces statement, "A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck military targets of the Houthi terrorist regime in the area of the Al Hudaydah Port in Yemen in response to the hundreds of attacks carried out against the State of Israel in recent months."

In a video statement posted on X, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that, "The port we attacked is not an innocent port. It was used for military purposes; it was used as an entry point for deadly weapons supplied to the Houthis by Iran." Netanyahu, who is due to address Congress next week, congratulated the IDF and Air Force for the operation and warned: "I have a message for Israel's enemies: don't misunderstand us. We will protect ourselves in every way, on every front. Anyone who harms us will pay a very heavy price for his aggression."

Netanyahu noted that the port was over 1000 miles away from Israel's borders, saying "It makes it clear to our enemies that there is no place that the long arm of the State of Israel will not reach."

Here’s a sample of what we’re wringing our hands about and threatening to condemn “with very harsh tweets”

July 16: :

Yemen's Houthi rebels use missiles, drones to attack 2 more ships in Red Sea

Houthis have targeted more than 70 ships, sinking 2 of them and killing 4 since November

“This may get serious, John”

A tale of two countries

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Of course, this guy won’t be driving anything at all

Trump vows to kill electric car mandate “on day one”

Donald Trump has vowed to unwind government support for electric cars from “day one” if he regains control of the White House. 

Ahead of November’s presidential election, the Republican nominee said he would scrap rules that will gradually outlaw petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles, while also describing electric car subsidies as an “incredible waste”. 

Mr Trump has previously threatened to gut President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which provides subsidies of $7,500 per electric car, and has been a vocal critic of emission rules designed to phase out combustion engines over the next decade or so.

Speaking at his party’s national convention, he told supporters: “I will end the electric vehicle mandate on day one, thereby saving the US auto industry from complete obliteration which is happening right now and saving US customers thousands and thousands of dollars per car.”

He added: “By the way, I’m all for electric, they have their application, but if someone wants to buy a gasoline-powered car or a hybrid they’re going to be able to do it.

“And we’re going to make that change on day one.”

That’s enough to vote for him right there. Meanwhile, in Britain …

Sir Keir Starmer, whose Labour Party won a huge majority in this month’s general election, pledged to bring the UK ban forward by five years to 2030 after it was previously delayed by Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives. 

No sex, please, we're British

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Globe Theater issues trigger warnings for Shakespeare's plays, citing suicide, violence, sexual content, and "misogynoir references"

(Most readers of this blog are, I’m sure, familiar with the term “Misogynoir”, and doubtless use it in their everyday conversations. I, however, am too bigoted and hateful to have even heard of the word, and to my shame, had to look up its meaning. For the benefit of any other racists and misogynists in the readership, I present Wikipedia’s definition:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Misogynoir is a term referring to the combined force of anti-Black racism and misogyny directed towards black women.[1][2] The term was coined by black feminist writer Moya Bailey in 2008[3] to address misogyny directed toward black transgender[4] and cisgender women[5] in American visual and popular culture.[6] The concept of misogynoir is grounded in the theory of intersectionality, which analyzes how various social identities such as race, gender, class, age, ability, and sexual orientation interrelate in systems of oppression.[7]

Misogynoir, of course, is not to be confused with “Transmisogynoir”, which is explained below:

Trans women of color experience violence at a greater rate than cisgender women of color or white trans women. This transmisogyny towards black people has been characterized as"" 'transmisogynoir'"".[15][11] The term "transmisogynoir" was created to refer to the intersection between transmisogyny and misogynoir, meaning the oppression of black trans women. Transmisogynoir comprises transphobia, misogyny, and anti-blackness. It was coined by Trudy of the womanist blog Gradient Lair.[16]

Here's a fun post from PJ Media's Kevin Downey, Jr.

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This Is Why Your Liberal, Pink-Haired Sister Can't Shake the Stupids

I broke KDJ's Rule #4 of How to Remain Happy: Don't argue with commie dunderbutts on Facebook.

The first Stalinite all but begged me to debate him this week about how "racist" white Americans are and how they refuse to accept their racist notions. I showed him the mother of all truth bombs: FBI graphs showing that, though white people outnumber black folks five to one, black people kill more than twice as many white people as vice versa every year.

Then I educated him on who is behind 85% of anti-Asian violence.

I walloped the man-bunned testicle-hater with a list of the women and girls raped and murdered by illegal immigrants. I informed him that lying to lawful people about who is targeting them is cowardly and dangerous. I invited him to help me warn people — especially women — who are targeting them for violence. He blocked me.

A teeny weeny price cut after an unsuccessful 49-day appeal for buyers

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472 N Maple Road has “improved” its price to $4.295 million from $4.495.

Despite the flowery description of this back-lot property in its listing, 49 days without an acceptable offer in this market indicates a problem larger than what a 4% price cut can cure: if no one has been inspired to offer 96% of a home’s asking price, they are unlikely to be swayed by this size reduction. As a signal that the owner is now willing to listen to an even lower price, this tactic can work, but I might have tried a 10% reduction.

Quintessential gated New England style 3 bed 3.5 bath home, newly updated with luxurious finishes on an expansive 1.14 acre fenced lot close to downtown. Offering 2 large primary suites (1 on 1st floor) each with huge walk-in closets and custom built-ins, this fully renovated home exudes comfort & attention to detail throughout. The open plan layout, expansive rooms, upscale kitchen and white oak floors contribute to the home's elegance. French doors lead to a landscaped lot, adorned with mature trees, creating a serene ambiance. Upgrades include windows, doors, driveway, cedar roof, kitchen, baths, systems, landscaping, fencing & more. A turnkey property perfect for those who value elegance and one floor living &town utilities. Truly remarkable for peaceful luxurious living close to town.

Pending on Hill Road

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34 Hill Road (corner of Stanwich), listed at $2.7 million on May 28th, went to contract in 10 days, and now it’s reported as pending. It was listed as both land and residence, and I’ll be curious to see whether the buyer is a builder or an end-user. 1.24 acres in the RA-1 zone, the house itself is q 1960 typical and looks it, but can a builder pay almost $3 million here and still make money? Stay tuned.

Stamford money pit finally sells — I like the house personally, but someone's buying a project

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684 Westover Road, a 1920 house on six acres that started off on this selling adventure back in August ‘22 at $3 million, has sold for $2.2. Its listing makes no mention of recent renovations, and there’s probably a reason for that: the lack of photographs of the kitchen and baths hints at the problem, and I’m guessing that there’s a fair amount of deferred maintenance here.

It does look like an attractive house, to me, and the setting is appealing, but Stamford real estate values work against it: a buyer will have to put a (whole lot) of money into this project, with little likelihood of getting it back on resale.

Not unexpected news

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A map reveals the major businesses which have left, or have announced they are leaving, San Francisco in recent months. Retailers like Whole Foods, Anthropologie, Old Navy, AmazonGo, Saks Off Fifth and now American Eagle are among those taking part in the mass exodus

San Francisco's dying downtown suffers another hammer blow as Saks Fifth Avenue bans window shoppers from coming inside

Saks Fifth Avenue in Union Square has decided to change its customer experience by moving to 'appointment-only' this summer, according to KRON4.

Locals will have to pre-book appointments at the store located on 384 Post Street from August 28.

“Changing its customers’ experience” — I like that.

Customers can no longer walk in and browse the luxury items, according to a company spokesman. 

It comes as areas in San Francisco have become known for their squalor and misery - so much so that local businesses are unable to recruit staff and residents have felt forced to flee.

The high-end luxury clothing company said it is looking for 'innovative ways to optimize (their) store experience to match luxury consumers' evolving expectations.'

It follows Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Palo Alto and Napa which have already become appointment-only stores in downtown San Francisco. [Someone needs to work on that sentence]

Layoffs are expected to impact Saks Fifth Avenue employees in Union Square, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

… The Saks Fifth Avenue Union Square store offers in-store personal styling, alterations and complementary beauty services.

Customers have been encouraged to book appointments on its website.

'We look forward to serving our San Francisco customers with this new experience,' a spokesman for the company said. 

This was entirely predictable and is entirely due to California’s Democrat-run legislature, with Governor Noisome atop, legalizing crime and homelessness. That’s not a problem for me; I haven’t been in the city since the mid-80s, when it was still a very pleasant city, and I have no intention of ever returning, but with nothing to draw shoppers to the downtown and corporate workers staying safe in their suburban homes and computer commuting, the death spiral appears to be spinning ever faster.

Nothing wrong with Ol' Joe, and Obama's just stopped by the White House to demonstrate that

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what? what are you looking at?

Oops! This was filmed ten years ago, and Joe seems to have lost a step or two, but at least one pundit out there is convinced that the man’s not leaving his sinecure until they pry his cold, dead fingers from the Resolute desk, strap him (and Jill) to a gurney, and wheel him out.

Jim Treacher: “Joe Won’t Go:”

He’s been in Washington since before Twitter. Before CNN. Hell, before Watergate! He was lying to reporters when Obama was still popping his zits in Honolulu.

The old man is a damn barnacle. They’re gonna have to scrape him off, and it might just put a hole in the hull.

Joe Biden doesn’t know much anymore, but he still knows how power works. My money’s on the old bastard giving everybody two middle fingers till they close the casket.

Biden's handlers have conceded the Red Sea and the Suez Canal shipping route to the Iran-backed Houthis — maybe this will force Israel to do the job for us

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We won’t attack these drone launching facilities for fear of upsetting the Iranians, who are totally committed to building no atomic weapons — Obama and John Kerry told us so — but to Biden’s credit, he has approved the firing of 100 of our $2 million rockets and knocked down several of the Houthis’ $2,000 drones. Does that cost discrepancy seem, er, a drain on our already stretched military budget? It does to the Pentagon, but not to the White House: “C’mon, man, each missile costs us no more than forgiving 20 student loans. Missiles don’t vote, but baristas and bar tenders do. No joke.”