They won’t report, lest you decide

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WHEN WAS THIS WOMAN EMBALMED, AND HOW DO THEY KEEP THE CORPSE ANIMATED?

Here’s the exact exchange between ABC’s execrable Martha Raddatz and JD Vance:

Raddatz:

“Senator Vance, I'm gonna stop you because I know exactly what happened,” she claimed. “I'm gonna stop you. The incidents were limited to a handful of apartment conflicts apartment complexes, and the mayor said our dedicated police officers have acted on those concerns. A handful of problems.”

Vance:

Martha, do you hear yourself? ‘Only a handful of apartment complexes in America were taken over by Venezuelan gangs’, and Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris’s open border.

Americans are so fed up with what's going on, and they have every right to be. And I really find this exchange, Martha, sort of interesting because you seem to be more focused with nitpicking everything that Donald Trump has said rather than acknowledging that apartment complexes in the United States of America are being taken over by violent gangs."

I worry so much more about that problem than anything else here. We've got to get American communities in a safe space again. And, unfortunately, when you let people in by the millions, most of whom are unvetted, most of whom you don't know who they really are, you're going to have problems like this. Kamala Harris, 94 executive orders that undid Donald Trump's successful border policies.

We knew this stuff would happen. That's that's bragged about opening the border, and now we have the consequences, and we're living with it. We can do so much better. But, frankly, we're not gonna do better, Martha, unless Donald Trump calls this stuff out. I'm glad that he did.

PJ Media:

Raddatz, clearly uncomfortable with Vance’s pointed critiques, attempted to steer the conversation back, stating that “the mayor did not seem [to think] they were invading the entire city.” 

That’s when Vance landed the final blow, sarcastically quipping, “A few apartment complexes. No big deal.”

Clearly desperate to move on, Raddatz then pivoted to "women and abortion."

That’s what was aired — Here’s how ABC described what happened:

Let’s go to the videotape:

Bonus material: The NYT did no better against Vance, although its readers won’t know that from its reporting

Of course they did

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California Denies Launching Rights to SpaceX Because Musk Supports Trump--Really

David Strom, HotAir:

The Commissars of California are so concerned about enforcing political uniformity that they are denying the military's right to launch from Vandenburg Air Force Base using SpaceX rockets. 

Why? Elon Musk owns Twitter/X, and he is a supporter of Donald Trump. 

When the Biden administration dropped Starlink from its rural broadband subsidy program, they at least came up with an implausible lie to explain their reasoning. The California Coastal Commission, being in Deep Blue California, can openly admit that they just don't like Elon Musk. 

National Security be damned. Musk is an evil Republican. 

SpaceX’s plans to launch more rockets from the California coast were rejected by a state commission this week, with some officials citing Elon Musk’s political posts on X and raising concerns about the billionaire’s labor record at his companies.

The plan to increase the number of rocket blasts into space up to 50 a year was rejected by the California Coastal Commission on Thursday despite assurances from Space Force and Air Force officials that they would increase efforts to monitor the effects that rocket launches have on nearby wildlife.

“This is the California Coastal Commission, which ostensibly is supposed to protect the coastal environment, not protect unions or monitor political opinions.”

Among the issues raised were Musk’s decision to insert himself in the presidential race, his spreading of conspiracy theories, the labor record of his companies and derogatory comments he has made about the transgender community.

“We’re dealing with a company, the head of which has aggressively injected himself into the presidential race,” commission Chair Caryl Hart said.

Military officials argue that launches by SpaceX, a leading contractor at Vandenberg Space Force Base, should be considered a federal activity because all of its launches benefit military objectives, regardless of whether the payloads being carried by the rockets are for the government or for Musk’s private satellite internet company, Starlink.

As such, Space Force officials don’t have to obtain a permit or permission from the California Coastal Commission for rocket launches; they only need to reach an agreement to mitigate the effects.

“Starlink, by the way, has a significant relationship with the US military, carrying quite a bit of data and providing communications in remote areas where high-bandwidth connections are vital. Ask the Ukrainians or the residents of North Carolina how useful Starlink is. Both the civilians in need and the emergency responders--including the National Guard--depend on Starlink.”

Military officials have gone before the commission repeatedly this year to try to significantly increase the number of SpaceX launches, and officials said they plan to once again ask for another increase — for up to 100 annually — by early next year. But Musk’s recent social media posts, and his growing presence and influence in national and global affairs, have become a concern by commission members considering an agreement that would see SpaceX increase its activities in California.

“This company is owned by the richest person in the world with direct control of what could be the most expansive communications system in the planet,” Commissioner Mike Wilson said. “Just last week that person was talking about political retribution.”

Wilson asked how could members of the commission be assured that equipment being launched would benefit U.S. interests if most of it was for the benefit of a private company.

“Elon Musk is hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods and attacking [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] while claiming his desire to help hurricane victims with free Starlink access to the internet,” Commissioner Gretchen Newsom said.

The left is quite literally totalitarian in intent. They want to control every aspect of your life, including what you can say and think, where you live, what you drive, what you eat, and what fuel you use to cook. They will cripple national security and try to ruin a business to control the speech of a business owner. 

The CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION wants to control satellite internet availability FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD based on the political speech of Elon Musk. 

Elon Musk is one of the most important partners of the US military. SpaceX launches the vast majority of mass into space and does so inexpensively. Without SpaceX, the United States would be crippled, nearly denied access to orbit. Yet a bunch of leftist environmentalists is holding America hostage because they don't like Elon. 

(FWIW): Meanwhile, Musk continues to revolutionize rocketry and space exploration, accomplishing what NASA has not been able to despite spending billions and billions (and more billions) on its failed attempts.

Space X successfully catches Falcon Super Heavy rocket booster in ‘Mechazilla arms’

Elon Musk’s SpaceX made an incredible advancement in capability Sunday morning when it launched its Starship rocket — and then managed to catch the Super Heavy booster in the “Mechazilla arms” on the launch pad.

The successful test launch — the fifth for the Starship rocket — included the first test of the ability to catch the 20-story tall reusable booster at the Starbase pad near Brownsville, Texas.

I was going to post some pictures of the Northern Lights I captured in Maine Thursday night, but now I'm ashamed to

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Not my photo! Really!

I can’t imagine how unhappy this poor Lindsey Virginia must be, alone, bitter, with only her cats and a permanent state of indignation and shame to keep her company.

Hell, she probably won’t even allow herself to enjoy pictures of sunsets.

Image property of Chief Lakawanna Wigwam and his squaws

A fraud in deed can leave you in need

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Couple left distraught after peaceful $1m plot of land where they planned to retire was stolen from them

Back when I practiced real estate law in the 80s, clients who were already stretching to afford their purchase often balked at paying an extra premium for homeowner’s title insurance, and wanted to just buy the cheaper “lenders’ insurance required by their bank instead (lenders’ policies are limited to the amount of the loan itself because, shockingly, banks only care about getting their money back, not yours.)

I would caution those recalcitrant buyers that they were making a mistake trying to save a few hundred dollars (1980 prices; certainly higher now) by foregoing their own protection. A fence on the wrong side of the property line can be corrected at small expense, and the lender’s policy will cover that, but what if the entire sales transaction was a fraud, and the happy new home buyer learns that seller still owns the house? Assuming a typical 80/20 mortgage arrangement, the bank can get back its 80%, but the buyer’s left sucking wind on the remainder. Or, worse, raw land is purchased and a house built on it, with a title policy that only covers the lender’s loan for the purchase price of the land itself? It happens, and it’s happening more frequently — here’s some of the story from the opening headline above:

A couple received the shock of a lifetime after discovering their million-dollar retirement plot in Massachusetts had been stolen and sold by scammers right under their noses. 

Dr. Omar Jaraki and his wife, Halla, bought 1.84 acres of undeveloped land worth $1 million in Concord back in 1991 - where they planned to build a family home to enjoy their retirement.  

But when the couple called town hall looking for their annual tax bill in August, they were told that the future retirement plan had been sold for about half its worth. 

According to a fraud lawsuit filed by the couple, a scam artist used a counterfeit driver's license, passport and fake email address of Halla to dupe a local real estate agent and two other experienced real estate attorneys into letting them steal the land in 2023. 

The empty plot was reportedly advertised as 'a great opportunity to build your dream home in the ultra-exclusive, sought after and prestigious Mattison Farm neighborhood. One of the only remaining lots and nestled on a 1.84 acre parcel. Close proximity to Concord & Nashawtuc Country Club'.

An unsuspecting buyer has since done just that, erecting an almost-completed home on the plot that they'll almost certainly lose.  

The scammers priced the plot at $699,900.00, well below its value. 

An unwitting buyer put in an offer of $525,000.00, which was erected - and construction began soon after. 

….

Richard Vetstein, the couple's attorney noted: 'The minute I saw this deed, I knew it was a forgery. You just can tell by looking at it. Just the handwriting, it looks off. There were so many other red flags.

'A quick half a million for a counterfeit driver's license and passport and sending a couple of emails. That's a day's work.'

Officials also noted that the fake South Carolina driver's license of Halla did not look 'anything like a real one' and oddly, the fake United States passport of her had the same photo as the driver's license. 

'That's not possible because license photos are taken at the Department of Motor Vehicles. The woman in the fake ID's looks nothing like Halla Jaraki.

'This is a disaster. It's not only for us but for other people like it's going to happen to them,' the attorney exclaimed. 

The law is on the Jarakis side and they'll almost certainly get their plot back.

It is unclear what will happen to the unfortunate people who paid the scammers believing they were buying it. 

A settlement may also be reached that allows the new buyers - who have not been identified - to stay there, if they can afford the extra outlay.  

'They're definitely going to get their property back. I think the only question is, what do we do about the house? There's kind of two ways to go. They can deed the property back to the owners or there can some sort of financial settlement,' Vetstein said.

According to the lawsuit, which is filed against the 'new' owner and the lawyers involved in the scam, the couple are seeking damages, attorneys’ fees and costs against each of the accused. 

Deed fraud is increasingly becoming a big deal — readers may recall the case of the doctor who discovered a house being built on his land in Fairfield by an innocent party who’d been sucked with a phony. It settled this past July, with the home builder buying the house again, one hopes with insurance money, but such cases are no longer unusual.

The Realtor Association published an article on this subject earlier this year:

…. [A]ny type of home deed, including more traditional warranty deeds, can be forged by increasingly sophisticated criminals, says David Fleck, a real estate fraud attorney based in Southern California.

“Twenty-five years ago, it wasn’t easy to forge documents. Now, literally every computer has the technology to create a believable forgery, and you can buy a fake notary stamp online. So the technology has very quickly gotten ahead of the systems we have in place to prevent this,” warns Fleck.

…

According to Fleck, the only true protection against title theft is through a specific type of policy, offered by any major insurer, known as a Homeowner’s Policy of Title Insurance. (This is not to be confused with the similarly named Owners Policy of Title Insurance.)

Under covered risks, the policy should include language to the effect of “Someone else claims to have rights affecting Your Title because of forgery or impersonation,” according to a policy template provided by the American Land Title Association trade association.

“All title insurance companies, all the big ones, now offer it,” says Fleck. “Some of them don’t even know they do.”

While traditional title insurance policies protect against fraud prior to the purchase of a property, the Homeowner’s policy adds protection for home title theft after you own the property, says Fleck.

“This is important because if you’re a victim of title theft, a quitclaim deed fraud, or any kind of deed fraud, you just make a claim to your title insurance company, and they handle it for you—and that’s it,” he says.

While insurance also can’t prevent deed forgery in the first place, Fleck says, the right policy will eliminate expense and hassle for the homeowner by putting the onus on the insurance company to resolve the phony title claim in court.

For the illiterate readers of this blog, here’s a video you can watch, instead of struggling through reading this post:

Her performance at her Spanish town hall was included in the previous post, but this bit merits a mention on its own

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  • “How are you going to fix the economy? ““I grew up in a (Toronto) middle-class family.”

  • “How are you going to fix health care?” “I grew up in a middle-class family.”

  • “How are you going to fix the middle-class family?” “I can’t.”

    (Okay, I threw in threw in that last one)

Quien es mas macho?

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However, none of the men in the ad are actually regular voters—they are paid actors.

We figured, but keep going:

Moreover, their real-life circumstances differ significantly from the individuals they portray in the ad. Here are their stories:

- Wayland McQueen is a far-left, pro-Antifa comedian and actor who has, until now, found limited success. He does improv gigs at the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles. In a Twitter post from 2022, he explains what white privilege is and tells you why you need to acknowledge your white privilege. As of 2024 he is single.

Single, gosh, that's a shocker.

Ahem.

- Lanre Idewu is an immigrant from Nigeria. He is also an actor who works at the D.C.-based OCTET Productions. He has many intimate pictures with the Obamas and the Bidens. Idewu, who is bisexual, has done gay-for-pay movies and nude solo shoots. In the "Men for Kamala" ad, he says he is “man enough to f-ing braid his daughter’s hair,” but the only problem is that he doesn’t have a daughter. Idewu isn’t braiding anyone’s hair.

Meep.

- Mike Leffingwell, a gay man, also works at the Upright Citizens Brigade, where McQueen works. He is an acting coach, cartoon writer for Netflix and DreamWorks, and an actor in TV commercials. On his public Instagram page, he showcases his participation in his latest project—the "Men for Kamala" ad.

Because of course.

- Winston Carter, the heavyset fellow in the ad who claims to be a mechanic and rancher, lives in Los Angeles signed with Taft Broadcasting Company. He has found limited success in the acting world, mainly as an extra in films and as a character in the low-budget superhero film Spaghettiman.

- Tony Ketcham, the tough, rugged, bearded grandpa in his garage in the "Men for Kamala" ad, is also an actor. He now mainly does low-budget independent films like Car Botz, where he played the role of PePaw. Tony is unmarried in real life. In 2001, he played the extra role of “alcoholic consumer” in the movie Ghost World.

Fake actors, fake voters, fake brains: is there anything real about this woman?

BILL ACKMAN:

Town halls are designed to be unscripted opportunities to hear from the candidates based on spontaneous questions from the audience. Reportedly, in her Univision town hall, the questioners were preselected and the questions were pre-vetted. Now we know that even her answers had the benefit of a teleprompter.

Kamala Harris is never unscripted and we don’t know who is writing the scripts.

A person who reads scripts is an actor. We don’t want an actor for president particularly when we don’t know who is the script writer and who is the director.

Recently when she went off script and gave an answer ‘they’ didn’t like, her answer was edited and changed just like they do in post-production in Hollywood except this was 60 Minutes.

There is, however, a lot of historical footage available about VP Harris before she was the Democratic nominee. Her answers to questions then don’t match the answers she gives now on border security, foreign policy, fracking, gun buybacks, Medicare for all, defunding the police, and more. Then she was ranked the most left-wing senator based on her voting record.

Whom do you believe? Harris unscripted or the Hollywood version written by anonymous handlers designed to get her elected?

To ask the question is to answer it.

Remember when, in addition to her duties as Border Czar, she was appointed Chairman of the National Space Council? Okay, I didn’t either, but she was, and she performed as ably there as she would have at the border, had she visited it.

The National Space Council, originally created by President George H.W. Bush, was revived by President Trump in 2017 to coordinate space-related exploration, commercial exploitation, and security policies.

Harris plans to add climate change, STEM education, and diversity in the space workforce to the group’s agenda, the White House told Politico.

Even in 2021 she was faking it:

Child actors used for Kamala Harris’ bizarre space video

A video meant to sell children on the wonders of space exploration featured Vice President Kamala Harris giving a memorably loopy performance alongside a quintet of child actors who auditioned for their roles, it was revealed Monday.

“All five of them are actors,” Carlo Bernardino, whose 13-year-old son Trevor was one of the youngsters taking part, told the Washington Examiner. “He’s a child actor — he’s been trying to do this type of thing for a while. And so he has a manager and an agent in LA and they send him castings.”

Trevor Bernardino told KSBW that he was asked to submit a monologue about a topic he is passionate about, as well as three questions he wanted to ask a world leader.

The next step was a virtual interview with the producer of the video, the first in a YouTube Originals series called “Get Curious with Vice President Harris,” which is produced by Canada-based Sinking Ship Entertainment.

“Then after that, like a week later my agent called me and was like, ‘Hey Trevor, you booked it,'” the teen recalled.

You snoozed, you loozed

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Ivan Trump’s old place (she unloaded it in 1998 $15 million) at 21 Vista Drive has sold for $31,500,000. It could have been yours for just $29.999 in July ‘23, before its listing expired. This time, Rob Johnson, for the owner, and Joe Barbieri and Leslie McElwreath, buyers, teamed up for a non-MLS sale.

This has been a long time coming: The sellers first tried for $50 million in 2010, raised it to $54 million in 2014 just because they have a sense of humor, and then steadily lowered their price over the ensuing decade until, voila! A savior appeared.

Extensive work was performed during the first couple of years to de-Trump the place: stripping off the gold leaf, removing the painted nudes, and deflocking the master bedroom. All for naught, probably, if brother Gideon’s guess proves accurate, which I think it will: the house will go, its 5.8 acres will remain.

David Rafferty's Mascara Boy squeaks

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hail, columbia

This particular specimen of a privileged, sexually disoriented individual almost certainly poses no physical threat to anyone: a sharp heel of the palm into his nose would doubtless send him squealing back to his dormitory in tears, barely able to sob out his tale of wickedness to his girlfriends, but his hateful threats are still threats. Expel him? Heaven forfend; Columbia subscribes to the Rafferty school of higher education, a philosophy that cherishes all expression, so long as it’s the right (well, left) expression.

Here again is a sample of Greenwich resident David Rafferty’s screed style (there are many to choose from):

David Rafferty: Colleges are businesses. Students upset about protests can take their business elsewhere

…. Which is exactly what scares the deplorables when they see a boy on campus wearing mascara and a Me-Too T-shirt. They can’t, or won’t, see past his looks to see the critical thinker studying economics to better understand how climate change disrupts the supply chain. What the deplorables actually can’t stand is that mascara boy will be smarter and more successful than they will be. Because done properly, higher education makes you better, so of course they have to hate the universities. 

But if you stay, then that’s on you. Anyone currently on a campus where the protests and counter-protests, violence and fear is still front and center, well, you can’t say you didn’t have options.

So shut up and take it, Jew boy — we’re talking human rights here! Power to the people, right on! Or, as Rafferty’s father Jeff once put it, in another context, “acid is groovy; kill the pigs!” (Okay, Dr. MacDonald was probably no relation to Greenwich Rafferty, but he was on my mind just now, and I thought I’d toss him into the mix, just for fun. Whackos belong together.)