"Terminally hip" Starbucks. Updated already

"If you’re unhip like me you had to look up “third place”
In community building, the third place is the social surroundings separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace ("second place"). Examples of third places would be environments such as churches, cafes, clubs, public libraries, or parks. – Wiki"

Rich Terrell

Alveda King: Starbucks Should Stop Funding Planned Parenthood if Serious about Ending Racism. . . "A letter sent to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, and signed by King and other pro-life leaders, said, “If you think this public relations fix means Starbucks is no longer complicit in racism, it’s time to wake up and smell your own coffee.”
. . . ."In her column, King observed to Starbucks the racist roots of Planned Parenthood, beginning with its founder, eugenicist Margaret Sanger." . . .

Updates from the Daily Wire: 

• James Woods Scorches Starbucks. Internet Responds. then there is this one: 
• EXCLUSIVE: A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Starbucks' 'Woke' Racial Bias Training
• How about Jewish customers? 
• Starbucks Excludes Jewish Group From Anti-Bias Training Amid Pressure From Activists
• Starbucks Has Officially Made Enemies Of Jewish Progressive Group

Starbucks: When Your 3rd Place Is Also Your 1st and 2nd Place

. . . "Good luck Starbucks. I hope you enjoy your new 3rd place. Or worse.

Meanwhile, the company's "Third Place Policy" — which would allow anyone to hang out or use the restrooms in its stores, regardless of whether they purchase anything — has already been leading partners and customers to question how Starbucks can continue to function as a business and refrain from becoming a chain of "homeless drop-in centers." – Fox   Hat tip to Doug Ross Journal 

politicalcartoons.com

Marginalizing Melania

Michelle Malkin   Pictured: America's First Lady, Melania Trump

"Need more evidence that there are two Americas? Here: Left-wing hatred of Melania Trump is inversely proportional to flyover admiration for the first lady.

"In just the last month, late-night clown Jimmy Kimmel mocked Trump’s Slovenian accent, CNN contributor April Ryan attacked her as “not culturally American,” former Hillary Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines derided her genteel presence at former President George H.W. Bush’s wife, Barbara’s funeral, and horror writer Stephen King snickered at her hospitalization this week for kidney surgery.

"Yet, while partisans in the political press and entertainment media work hard to stoke division against and resentment of the Trump administration, “Melania” is now among the fastest-growing baby names in the nation, according to recently released Social Security data. And a new poll by anti-Trump CNN released on Monday reported a 10 percent jump in the first lady’s favorability ratings — from 47 percent in January to 57 percent last week.

"That’s nearly 6 in 10 Americans with a positive view of FLOTUS. Uh-oh!

"Imagine how much higher those impressive numbers would be if the same celeb tabloid reporters and TV hosts who slavered over the Obamas in Us magazine and on The View afforded Melania Trump the same courtesies. Imagine if the same couture divas who organized “Runway to Win” Obama campaign fundraisers and published breathless weekly reports on “Michelle Obama’s Best Looks Ever” harnessed their influence to promote Trump’s style and fashion sense." . . .

Harvey Weinstein and The Clinton Protection Racket

Ann Coulter  "Harvey Weinstein's recent perp walk reminds me of another great thing about Trump winning the election: Hillary Clinton isn't president. 

"A New York Times article on Weinstein's court appearance noted how the "ground shifted" last year, finally ending the "code of silence" surrounding powerful men. Why "last year," if this has been going on for decades? 

"The article explained that Weinstein's power was enormous, his connections extensive and his willingness to play dirty without bounds. Did Harvey lose his money and connections "last year"? 

"Nope. But "last year" was the first year of Trump's presidency, or as I like to think of it, the first year of Hillary not being president. Ever. 

"The liberal protection racket for sexual predators was always intimately intertwined with the Clintons. The template used to defend Bill Clinton became a model for all left-wing sexual predators. They all hired the same lawyers and detectives and counted on the same cultural elites to mete out punishment to anyone who stood in the way of their Caligula lifestyles. It was Total War against the original #MeToo movement. 

"Even Teddy Kennedy never plotted revenge on reporters or smeared his sexual conquests as bimbos, trailer park trash and stalkers. That was the Clinton model. 

"Showing how incestuous it was, in 2000 -- two years after Clinton's impeachment -- Weinstein used his publishing company, Talk/Miramax, overseen by Tina Brown, to take revenge on anyone involved in Clinton's impeachment. " . . .

The Fables of the Ant and the Grasshopper

Old version:
The ant worked hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thought the ant was a fool and laughed and danced and played the summer away.
Come winter, the ant was warm and well fed.
The grasshopper had no food or shelter, so he died out in the cold.
Moral of the story: Be responsible for yourself!

Modern version:
The ant worked hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thought the ant was a fool and laughed and danced and played the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper called a press conference and demanded to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others were cold and starving.
CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN, and ABC showed up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
America was stunned by the sharp contrast.
How could this be in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper was allowed to suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appeared on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cried when they sang, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'
Acorn staged a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations filmed the group singing, ‘We shall overcome’.
Jeremiah Wright then had the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid exclaimed in an interview with Larry King the ant had got rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both called for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, the EEOC drafted the Economic Equity and Anti - Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.
The ant was fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home was confiscated by the government Green Czar.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ants food while the government house he was in, which just happened to be the ant's old house, crumbled around him because he did not maintain it.
The ant had disappeared in the snow.
The grasshopper was found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, was taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorized the once peaceful neighborhood.
Moral of the story: Be careful how you vote in 2018.

Hat tip to Robert J. Hope; Sacramento, CA

Why Capitalism Is Morally Superior to Socialism

"Free market capitalism is disfavored by many Americans—and threatened—not because of its failure but, ironically, because of its success."

Walter E. Williams

Several recent polls, plus the popularity of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., demonstrate that young people prefer socialism to free market capitalism.

"That, I believe, is a result of their ignorance and indoctrination during their school years, from kindergarten through college. For the most part, neither they nor many of their teachers and professors know what free market capitalism is.

"Free market capitalism, wherein there is peaceful voluntary exchange, is morally superior to any other economic system. Why? Let’s start with my initial premise.

"All of us own ourselves. I am my private property, and you are yours. Murder, rape, theft, and the initiation of violence are immoral because they violate self-ownership. Similarly, the forcible use of one person to serve the purposes of another person, for any reason, is immoral because it violates self-ownership.

"Tragically, two-thirds to three-quarters of the federal budget can be described as Congress taking the rightful earnings of one American to give to another American—using one American to serve another. Such acts include farm subsidies, business bailouts, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, welfare, and many other programs.

"Free market capitalism is disfavored by many Americans—and threatened—not because of its failure but, ironically, because of its success. Free market capitalism in America has been so successful in eliminating the traditional problems of mankind—such as disease, pestilence, hunger, and gross poverty—that all other human problems appear both unbearable and inexcusable." . . .

Kanye West Name-Checks Obama, Trump in New Song ‘Ye vs the People’

The Wrap

“Make America Great Again had a negative reception. I took it, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction,” rapper sings

. . . "It starts, “I know Obama was Heaven-sent/But ever since Trump won, it proved that I could be president.”

"It also goes on to say, “See that’s the problem with this damn nation/All Blacks gotta be Democrats, man, we ain’t made it off the plantation.” 

"Elsewhere it says, “Make America Great Again had a negative reception/I took it, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction.”

"While West is facing serious backlash for his pro-Trump stance, T.I. posted on Instagram that he is trying to educate his friend about his political views. “Yesterday spent the day wit Kanye,” he wrote. “No doubt. Still optimistic something from our discussion gon stick…I refuse to just give up on him. The Old `Ye too important!!!”

WATCH: RNC's First MS-13 Ad Against Democrats Starring Pelosi. It's Brutal.

Daily Wire

"Democrats' Midterm Message: MS-13 Killers...They're Not So Bad."

"The Democrats knew it was coming, but that can't make it any more pleasant to watch. The Republican National Committee has released its first "Democrats defend the brutal MS-13 gang whose motto is 'Kill, Rape, Control'" ad — and it's appropriately brutal.  

"The MS-13 fiasco began with the media falsely reporting on President Trump's condemnation of the notorious gang as "animals," which the media distorted to be a condemnation of all illegal immigrants, despite the transcripts of the incident clearly showing that was not his intent. Even after the Associated Press and a few other outlets publicly admitted to misreported his comments, several Democratic leaders continued to claim disingenuously that Trump was "dehumanizing" all illegal immigrants.

"The unfortunate star of the ad is none other than Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, whose "spark of divinity" lecture directed at Donald Trump earned instant infamy. Here's the key excerpt from Pelosi's defense of all "undocumented immigrants," which includes murderous MS-13 members:" . . .

WINNER: Most Self-Serving Democrat Response To Trump's 'Animal' Comment

Haven't the Obamas Made Enough Money?

Jeannie DeAngelis  "For a guy who said, “at some point, you’ve made enough money,” and a gal who said, “someone is going to have to give up a piece of their pie so that someone else can have more" the Obamas sure rake in plenty of dough.

"Unless installing an in-ground pool in the yard of an  $8.2-million home located in a fancy Washington, DC neighborhood  is considered spreading the wealth?  Since, leaving the White House the duo seems to be gathering, not “spreading, the wealth.”

"Fresh out of the White House, Michelle and Barack began “leveling their playing field” with a joint book deal in excess of $65-million penned with Penguin Random House.  Let’s face it, $65-million is not a bad payday for people who earn oodles of capital reiterating the same hardscrabble story about impoverished childhoods, suffering racial injustice, and how understanding gender inequity and the plight of poor people is something only they can do.

"The $65-million the Obamas will earn on their books will trickle into the couple’s bank accounts in dribs and drabs, first for Michelle, whose long-awaited memoir is due out in November and is entitled: “Becoming.”

"While the Mrs. is busy showing up angry on book tours, hubby will be pleasantly giving speeches at $400,000 a pop where he can pontificate about community organizing and commiserate with the problems poverty-stricken Americans suffer.  And while payroll is processing Barack's speaking stipend, the former president can continue to bide his time with extemporaneous musings about American prejudice, minority mistreatment, and how Trump-style capitalism is a global blight.

"Just recently, the Obama $65-million+pie expanded, receiving a fresh infusion of cash from internet entertainment company Netflix.  Netflix is perfect for the Obamas because the network’s programming includes liberal topics that cover subjects such as sexual awareness in children and normalizing abortion." . . .

CNN's April Ryan SLAMMED for Tweeting Article About Trump Running CHILD TRAFFICKING RING

Is CNN capable of embarrassment even just a teeny bit?

Socio-Political Journal

CNN contributor April Ryan is being criticized for alerting her 336,000 Twitter followers to a story in The Root* that asks if the Trump administration is involved in child sex-trafficking.

Among those condemning Ryan for the tweet is first lady Melania Trump’s spokeswoman.

“If you’re a journalist w many followers & a @CNNPolitics contributor...is it ok to retweet any headline you want, regardless of if it’s true?” Stephanie Grisham asked on Twitter.

“Remember: 'The core purpose of a journalist is to research, document, write, & present the news in an honest, ethical, & unbiased way.'”

. . . “This is a horrid excuse for journalism,” Carmine Sabia tweeted. “To quasi accuse the president of the United States of running a child trafficking ring is low even for her.”

“ 'Case solved,” Michael Sheridan tweeted. He pointed out that The Root is owned by Univision, whose president and CEO criticized Trump during the presidential campaign." . . .

*Univision Anchor: Trump Wants to Keep America White

. . . Unsurprisingly, soundbites for Gato's report, clearly meant to scare Hispanics into thinking Trump is on track to "Make America White Again," were compliments of an immigration lawyer and Democratic strategist, with no opposing rebuttal given.
Univision's survival depends on Hispanics -- largely those from Mexico -- who rely on Spanish-speaking content. To maintain that status quo, Univision needs to push an us-versus-them narrative. The truth becomes collateral damage." . . .

A President Clinton would have made things much worse

Our Lady of the Perpetual Snit

NY Post

Anyone who has dealt with her knows the “I’m a victim” shtick didn’t start with November 2016, and would not have ended if she had won. She’s been a blamer and finger-pointer her entire public life and would have taken her woe-is-me attitude to the Oval ­Office.

. . . "In economic terms, how much higher would unemployment be? How about the stock market and median family incomes — how much lower would they be?

"Remember, Clinton promised — promised! — to put coal miners out of work. That’s a promise she probably would have kept.

"She wanted to raise taxes instead of cutting them and loosen already lax immigration policies instead of tightening them.

"She was part of President Barack Obama’s team that tried to force Israel to make concessions its leaders believed were dangerous to the Jewish state’s security. It’s a cinch the US Embassy still would be in Tel Aviv instead of Jerusalem and Palestinians would have kept a veto over our policy.

"The Iran deal would be unmolested by a Clinton presidency, leaving the mullahs free to be ever more aggressive in their pursuit of regional power." . . .

‘Kick Me’ No More

National Review

. . . "Indeed, how many of these widely accepted (sometimes downright cherished) assumptions can one man challenge (disrupt) in such a brief period of time? The answer is plenty. He does it by questioning what often goes unquestioned in Washington, D.C. He simply asks “Why?” Why help fund a Shiite crescent in the Middle East? Why send tax dollars to a terrorist-friendly PLO? Why support anti-American programs at the U.N.? Why a “One China” policy? Why placate deadbeat NATO partners? Why pay premium prices for the F-35 and a new Air Force One? Why force nuns to provide birth-control coverage? Why tolerate sanctuary cities and a porous border?

"Similarly, Mr. Trump asks, “Why not?” Why not support nascent democratic movements in Iran? Why not revisit aging trade deals? Why not activate the Congressional Review Act? Why not count everyone in the census? Why not energy independence? Why not move the embassy to Jerusalem? Why not say “Merry Christmas”?" . . .

Obama’s spying scandal is starting to look a lot like Watergate

Michael Barone  “F.B.I. Used Informant to Investigate Russia Ties to Campaign, Not to Spy, as Trump Claims,” read the headline on a lengthy New York Times story May 18. “The Justice Department used a suspected informant to probe whether Trump campaign aides were making improper contacts with Russia in 2016,” read a story in the May 21 edition of the Wall Street Journal.

"So much for those who dismissed charges of Obama administration infiltration of Donald Trump’s campaign as paranoid fantasy. Defenders of the Obama intelligence and law enforcement apparat have had to fall back on the argument that this infiltration was for Trump’s — and the nation’s — own good.

"It’s an argument that evidently didn’t occur to Richard Nixon’s defenders when it became clear that Nixon operatives had burglarized and wiretapped the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters in June 1972." . . .