Hollywood Is Killing Itself: Good

 Derek Hunter

  "I don’t know who the specific people greenlighting movies the public collectively yawns at, but I know the type – you can’t avoid them in politics. They are the uber-leftists who are ready to be offended; bandwagon jumpers who likely haven’t given politics a serious thought in their entire lives, but promote causes because doing so will lead to social status." . . .

"I love movies – there’s nothing like them for escapism and entertainment – but Hollywood is something else entirely. It is an orgy or narcissism and rape; casting couch feminists and private jet environmentalists. The extremely wealthy who set up “charities” named after themselves to filter income through to avoid paying the taxes they advocate should be raised on everyone else. They are largely hypocrites and just plain bad people.

"They are also destroying themselves, which is something worth noting and celebrating.

"Box office numbers and high-profile flops like the Joker sequel (did anyone need or want that?) are some prime examples of just how far down the toilet Hollywood has slipped. People are not interested in what they are selling.

"Then there are the awards. No industry celebrates itself more than Hollywood does. They create award shows, awards in award shows, and new categories to constantly be able to market something as “nominated for this many of that award” before the winner ultimately brags of being a “winner” of those awards.

"Only, those awards don’t mean anything if the movies don’t, and the movies don’t. 

"The reason movies don’t matter anymore is the industry doesn’t know how to make movies people like anymore. When was the last time there was a movie you had to see in theaters that did not involve you having to take a kid to see it? I saw Deadpool and Wolverine in theaters because I wanted to, but that’s about it for non-kid movies for about 3-4 years, if not more." . . .

By "Hollywood", I include "The View", Late-night hosts like Kimmel, Colbert, et.al, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Alyssa Milano, Fonda, Clooney, and so very many more.  But there are conservatives in Hollywood: Conservative Celebrities, some, sadly are no longer with us. TD

So, So, Many Silly Women

 Alicia Colon 

"I am deeply grateful that there are far more wise women than the harpies and low-info hysterics that appear on the View and MSNBC." . . .

"It was a pleasant  surprise to find that there are more, smart, educated women than the supposed number of fools that the mainstream media predicted would turn out to vote for Kamala Harris.

"Those poor souls are now shaving their heads and denying men sex to punish them for voting for the allegedly misogynous Donald  J. Trump. Another group of pathetic females are having themselves sterilized to punish the nonexistent men they believe plan to impregnate them. The TikTok videos of these narcissistic lemmings screaming in anguish after the election and the GOP’s triumph, would be amusing except for the fact that these are people suffering real pain unnecessarily.  All of these women really believe the big lie that women’s rights are in danger. They never were.

"We are living in the 21st Century not Regency England when women did not enjoy the freedoms allowed today. It was so easy for the progressive Democrats to charge that the conservative right was  endangering women’s reproductive rights because this issue has been successfully exploited for years and women haven’t bothered to delve into its substance. What the left  really means is their sacred cash cow, abortion, is being threatened. This is an issue which began with lies that is still fattening the pockets of an amoral, duplicitous political cabal.

"When the Supreme Court destroyed the blatant unconstitutionality of Roe v. Wade, they merely turned the issue of abortion back to the states. Women determined to get rid of their unwanted offspring will find that every blue state will gladly perform that service. New York State just passed an amendment that will allow you to empty your womb up to delivery date if you choose because doggonit, it’s your reproductive right.

"I wish a good reporter would dare to ask one of these hysterical anti-Trump protesters exactly what they mean about their reproductive rights being taken away by the dastardly Republicans." . . .

We can count on Biden granting more pardons to some of the least-deserving people imaginable.

The American Spectator 

"The Constitution doesn’t limit a president’s power to pardon. Only common sense and good judgment do. Biden has neither.

https://rofcbybroc.com/

"The fact that Joe Biden lied, saying he wouldn’t pardon his crackhead son Hunter, and then did exactly that, isn’t the end of the pardons our president will grant or the controversies they will result in. There are forty-two more days Biden will be president, so there’s more damage to be done.

"The presidential power to pardon extends only to federal crimes excepting impeachment. That power is subjected to no check or balance in our system of government. It is the president’s alone.

"As Andy McCarthy has written, wrongful pardons are simply another form of “lawfare,” a term that is loosely defined. It includes abusing the justice system by indicting and trying people who shouldn’t be indicted — such as President-elect Trump — and pardoning undeserving people such as Hunter Biden.

"To be at least a bit fair, Biden was going to pardon his son regardless of what he said. Anyone who was paying attention to the lies Biden has repeated on a wide variety of subjects couldn’t have been surprised. The White House has said that Biden is thinking about pardoning others which means other pardons have already been decided and will be granted before Biden leaves the presidency. Who may be the beneficiaries?

"The Wall Street Journal postulates that Biden could pardon former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Milley and Dr, Anthony Fauci for his role in concealing the origins of COVID (and lying about it to congress) as well as others.

"Gen. Milley was certainly culpable in the debacle that Biden created in withdrawing from Afghanistan, but timidity and stupidity aren’t punishable under criminal law. But his calls to Chinese leaders — during which he allegedly told them that he wouldn’t order a strike on China regardless of a presidential order — are definitely punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Whatever Dr. Fauci may have been guilty of, the statute of limitations — usually two, but not more than five years, under the U.S. Code — has already run out. It’s a rarity for an offense to have a statute of limitations longer than five years." . . .

. . ."The left’s lawfare will continue at least for the entirety of Donald Trump’s second term. Politically-motivated litigation will try to create bars to everything Trump does, from cutting back on Biden’s regulatory spree to reducing the size of the federal bureaucracy." . . .

  Joe Biden pardons Hunter Biden #joebiden #hunterbiden #satire #thealbarryshow #comedy #politics

                  https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9IKT1S-xQlI?feature=share

Biden's Teleprompter Goes Out During Speech; He Immediately Malfunctions 

Biden's teleprompter goes out and he immediately malfunctions: "I lost the electricity here" pic.twitter.com/aMoo10nWPZ

— Jake Schneider (@jacobkschneider) December 10, 2024

Rebottled Jew-Hate: The Boycott of Jewish Genius

 2024 Gatestone Institute 

"Since October 7, a sort of quiet boycott of Israeli researchers has begun, of the kind that has never been seen before. This boycott is reflected in the cancellation of invitations to joint conferences, the rejection of articles for publication, the rejection of grants to Israeli researchers, and more."

. . ."Somewhat covertly, in November 2024, Ayelet Shaked, a former Israeli Minister of Justice, was shockingly denied permission to enter Australia for the purpose of participating in a conference discussing current Middle East events. The conference was hosted by the Australia Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), and intended to be a Jewish community event.

"Colin Rubenstein, executive director of AIJAC, denounced the visa denial, made without a reason being disclosed at the time, by Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. In Rubenstein's view, "The decision to refuse a visa to... Shaked on the grounds that she would vilify Australians and incite discord among the community is a disgraceful act of hostility towards a democratic ally."

"Refusing entry to a Western country of a former Israeli cabinet minister is simply a further incident in a global de-platforming movement against Jewish-Israeli personalities. In January 2022, some 20 cultural acts withdrew in protest against sponsorship by Israel's embassy in Australia of a performance by the Sydney Dance Company, scheduled to be presented at Sydney's cultural festival. The act was based on a work by Tel Aviv's Batsheva Dance Company, and Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, but was vilified due to its Israel-Jewish connection.

"A December 2023 report, by Israel's National Council for Civilian Research and Development, cautioned that an "unofficial boycott is taking place in Western academia." . . .

Nils A. Haug is an author and columnist. A Lawyer by profession, he is member of the International Bar Association, the National Association of Scholars, a faculty member at Intercollegiate Studies Institute, the Academy of Philosophy and Letters. Retired from law, his particular field of interest is political theory and ethics interconnected with current events." . . .

The Biden Trap

 Biden wants to create a disaster that can be blamed on Trump. TD

https://www.terrellaftermath.com/

Biden sets a foreign policy trap for Trump with the looming Ukraine catastrophe.  . . ."As Democrats look ahead to 2028, a matchup perhaps with Vance, they are certainly recalling how the disastrous ending to our Afghanistan involvement marked the turning point in the American public’s perception of Biden’s competence as a president. They would love to turn the tables.

"They will say, “We did everything we could to save Ukraine.” They will trot out the list of all the weapons supplied, they will highlight all the billions provided. “Not our fault,” they will insist. “Trump owns this one. He promised peace, and brought catastrophe instead.” As the Afghanistan example makes clear, while the American people rightly disdain involvement in foreign wars, they also react angrily to any perception of national embarrassment — and they are quick to punish perceived failures.

Avoiding the Trap

"But if failure looms in Ukraine, its most notable author will be Joe Biden. Every dollar of U.S. assistance has come with paralyzing strings attached or has been released and delivered long after it could have achieved decisive results. As one example, the Danes and the Dutch were eager to donate their F-16 fighter jets (fabricated in Belgium, not the U.S.), but the Biden administration dragged its feet about allowing this to go forward.

"Furthermore, as the Trump team takes up the burden of dealing with the mess they’ve been handed in Ukraine, they would do well to point out just how behind handed Biden’s support for Ukraine has been. While the $62 billion might well have been spent on other priorities — hurricane relief comes to mind — it pales beside so much else the Biden administration has spent foolishly. By one estimate Biden has already spent some $620 billion on student debt cancellation, almost precisely ten times the military assistance sent to Ukraine. The Trump team might also point to the billions in military equipment abandoned to the Taliban" . . .

Biden Gave Iran $10 Billion in Sanctions Relief Days After Trump Won Election  

. . ."The sanctions waiver also came just days after the United Nations determined that Iran was able to give the Houthi rebels in Yemen “unprecedented” support after the Biden administration waived $6 billion in sanctions on Iran." . .  .

Daniel Penny’s Acquittal: How the Left’s Focus on Race Ignores the Reality of the Case

Legal Insurrection 

"Perhaps the most strikingly ironic reaction to the verdict came from Jordan Neely’s father, Andre Zachary. His indignation, following years of absence from his son’s life, rang hollow to many observers. Zachary, who was absent during Neely’s upbringing and struggles with homelessness, drug addiction, and mental illness, has now surfaced to file a lawsuit against Daniel Penny, seeking damages “in a sum which exceeds the jurisdictional limits of all lower courts.' ” 

"In May 2023, Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old mentally ill homeless man under the influence of K2, a potent synthetic marijuana, boarded a Manhattan subway car and shouted death threats at passengers. Daniel Penny, a 24-year-old Marine veteran and architecture student, acted swiftly to subdue Neely by placing him in a chokehold. Tragically, Neely later died.

"While Neely’s death was undeniably unfortunate, passengers expressed gratitude for Penny’s decisive action in neutralizing what they perceived as a grave threat. But for the fact that Penny is white and Neely was black, that would have been that.

"The public was shocked two weeks later when New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office charged Penny with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

"At the time, Neely was reportedly on the city’s “Top 50” list—a designation by a task force monitoring individuals deemed of significant concern, as noted by The New York Times.

"It was a case that never should have been brought and on Monday, a Manhattan jury voted to acquit Penny. For many Americans, the verdict symbolized a triumph of justice, restoring faith in the legal system.

"On the political Left, however, the outcome sparked outrage. Predictably, they managed to ignore the threat Neely had posed to the other passengers on that fateful day, and focused solely on the color of Neely’s skin." . . .

UPDATE: Ron DeSantis Invites Daniel Penny to Florida to ‘Get His Life Back’ After Acquittal 

"Speaking with Fox News on Tuesday, Penny said that the City of New York failed to protect the public, which led to Jordan Neely’s death."

Using the Military to Actually Win a War—A Concept America Should Learn from Israel Rather Than Criticize

 Def-Con News  

Further, those brilliant military minds of the western world: [C]laim the collateral damage from the war will allow Hamas to recruit more men, but the Israelis know what really allows terrorists to recruit is leaving them in power.

"America has never successfully liberated and held territory from Islamic terrorists.

"After thousands dead in Afghanistan and Iraq: Both countries are now controlled by Islamic terrorists.

"Hilariously, many top defense officials—current and former—who oversaw both disasters—despite a track record of zero wins—have been criticizing Israel for not following in their footsteps.

"Everyone from former Gen. David Petraeus to current Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown offer the familiar criticisms:

"Israel is not following the COIN or counterinsurgency model.

"Chief Brown argued:

"Not only do you have to actually go in and clear out whatever adversary you are up against, you have to go in, hold the territory and then you’ve got to stabilize it.

"Blind obedience to textbook warfare?

"The problem with this model is that it failed and left a lot of widows and orphans along the way.

"The United States spent over 50 years losing wars, prestige, and young men: 

"[B]y trying to follow the familiar strategy for defeating guerrilla armies through conventional warfare followed by efforts to hold and stabilize the territories. And what exactly do we have to show for it?" . . .  Read more here.

It's over, Obama

 Silvio Canto, Jr. 

. . ." The bad news is that he will give a speech about how the GOP is dividing the country and how we must listen to each other. The good news is that will have the same impact as his efforts to get people to vote for VP Harris."

 "During the last campaign, former President Obama called on African American men to vote for the African American female candidate. It didn't work, and you know the rest of the story.

"The thrill is gone for the 44th president. He will be remembered, and that's good, for being the first African American president. He won't be remembered for much more because he was always an empty suit, a media creation, and don't get me started on ObamaCare.

"What happened? Well, Roger Kimball has a point:

I always found the literary critic Harold Bloom (1930-2019) distinctly curate’s-eggish. You ask, “How is your egg this morning, curate?” “Good in parts,” comes the reply. But Bloom made one observation that stuck with me. Lots of literature, Bloom wrote somewhere, deals with the phenomenon of falling in love. But equally poignant is the story of falling out of love.

Bloom was thinking primarily of personal romance. However, the emotional dialectic he limned works itself out on the larger stage of political life as well. There is a certain mystery about both sides of the process. The public’s enthusiasms are as fickle as they are extravagant. What explains the infatuation with figures like Barack Obama? In retrospect, it is possible to offer more or less plausible explanations. Obama’s race, his smooth, non-confrontational manner, and his ability to dress up radical policy proposals in an emollient jelly of seeming common sense all help explain his political success.

"Yes, glad to see that it's starting to fade.

"Back in 2008, many of us couldn't believe how this empty suit could go through an election without having to answer any questions.  His speeches were like rock concerts with people fainting and everyone obsessed with the "hope and change" chorus. He was given a free pass as a candidate and even worse as president. Obama was protected from the ObamaCare mess that he created and then everyone in the media went silent when he was deporting millions or keeping kids in cages. It was obscene to watch how he was always given the benefit of the doubt." . . .

Reports: Netanyahu 'Humiliated' by Obama Snub | Fox News March 26, 2010

"For a head of government to visit the White House and not pose for photographers is rare. For a key ally to be left to his own devices while the President withdraws to have dinner in private was, until this week, unheard of. Yet that is how Benjamin Netanyahu was treated by President Obama on Tuesday night, according to Israeli reports on a trip viewed in Jerusalem as a humiliation." . . .

Just Two Days After Trump's Win, Biden Unfreezes $10 Billion in Assets for Islamist Iran

 Mike Miller 

 . . ."So here's the salient question: How in the whatever is unfreezing $10 billion in electricity payment for radical Islamists who continue to threaten the entire Middle East — first and foremost, Israel — "in the national security interest of the United States"? Clearly, it is not." . . . 

"Before we get to the unthinkable notion of waiving another $10 billion in frozen assets for the terrorist state of Iran, let's first revisit the obvious. Lame-duck President Joe Biden is an angry, bitter man. 

"After being unceremoniously booted from his ill-fated presidential reelection campaign by his own party, the 82-year-old's bitterness and selfishness were on full display as he appeared to intentionally muck up Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign at every opportunity. 

"Now it appears that Biden and his equally bitter administration are trying to do the same thing to President-elect Donald Trump, which brings us to this unbelievable — yet not, considering what I just wrote — report.

"So yeah, the Biden-Harris administration renewed a controversial sanctions waiver that will allow Iran access to roughly $10 billion in electricity import payments from Iraq, according to a copy of the non-public order transmitted to Congress and reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon. Raise your hand if you're shocked. 

"Electricity import payments are charges for energy that is consumed from a grid. The payments are made through an electricity tariff and are based on the amount of energy imported. Countries import electricity when it is cheaper than generating it domestically. They export electricity when neighboring countries are willing to pay more than the domestic price.

"Here's more, beginning with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who should, in my view, along with Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro, be sent to Trump's (fictional) gulag after the incoming president regains the White House — but I digress (emphasis, mine)." . . .

Alvin Bragg against Trump and "White Man" Marine, Daniel Penny

 “Next year, the Manhattan DA will be up for reelection, with the Democratic primary in June. He deserves a serious challenger,” we argue. “So does New York.” Madeleine Kearns

Can't Let Go: New York's Crusading Anti-Trump AG Letitia James Refuses to Drop Civil Fraud Case  . . ."Letitia James joins Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in the company of “New York’s worst people.” They politicize the justice system and divide the citizenry. This type of lawfare, and people like James, are exactly what voters made very clear in the November elections that they are sick and tired of."  Next comes the usual "hey-hey, ho-ho" schtick

Bragg was not in the courtroom when the verdict was read nor did he argue the case at trial. He directed his underlings to do most of the dirty work.   ..."Assistant district attorney Jillian Shartrand repeatedly referred to Penny as "the white man" in front of the jury in an apparent effort to racially charge the case. At the outset of trial, the prosecution tried to control what witnesses could say about Penny, particularly how they were allowed to characterize him in court. Assistant DA Dafna Yoran said witnesses shouldn't be permitted to praise Penny as a "hero" or "good Samaritan."  Only as "the white man". TD

Daniel Penny’s Innocence—and the Shame of Alvin Bragg   . . ."Bragg’s approach to enforcing the law—or rather, not enforcing it—has been a disaster, as has been true of every city that voted in a so-called progressive prosecutor. As of November 2024, according to the New York Post, there were 27,122 reported felonies, up 16.9 percent from before Bragg took office. Meanwhile, rape has jumped 7.4 percent across Manhattan, robbery 8.9 percent, felony assault 16.8 percent, and grand larceny 29.8 percent. These are crimes that overwhelmingly affect the poorest New Yorkers."

Who cares about BLM? 

. . .Dropping the manslaughter charge at the request of Alvin Bragg and his chipmunks was supposed to render a guilty verdict on the lesser-and-included charge. It failed.  Pressure from BLM and the media also failed." . . .

Eye-Opening Arrest: Luigi Mangione Detained in Nation-Rocking Shooting, Dragging Political Family Into Scandal

Wayne Dupree    "Key Takeways:

• Luigi Mangione was detained for his role in a major shooting, drawing media attention and impacting his cousin, Maryland State Delegate Antonio ‘Nino’ Mangione.
• Media outlets, including Fox News, questioned Nino’s inaction and stressed vigilance within personal circles.
• Luigi’s capture, thanks to an alert McDonald’s customer, raises concerns about its impact on Nino’s political career.

"Authorities detained Luigi Mangione on suspicion of his involvement in the recent nation-shaking shooting, which negatively impacted his family’s reputation, especially that of his cousin, Maryland State Delegate Antonio ‘Nino’ Mangione.

"​​​​​​​This incident has sparked a flurry of media attention, bringing to light the unexpected connection between a high-profile crime and a political figure. As investigators continue to unravel the details of this case, questions mount regarding the dynamics within the Mangione family and how such a significant oversight could occur." . . .

Maryland Del. Mangione related to suspect in health care CEO’s killing

"Antonino D. Mangione (born April 1, 1987) is an American politician from the Republican Party who is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 42A since 2023, and District 42B from 2019 to 2023. He also served as a Baltimore County co-chair for the state's Trump Victory Leadership County team. ^{. . ."}

^{Ladies of "The View" will love this!}  Pictured: Nino Mangione, Luigi’s cousin and a Maryland politician, released the family statement Monday night

Luigi Mangione’s prominent relatives ‘shocked and devastated’ by his murder arrest | The Independent  "Luigi Mangione's family couldn't merely afford medical care. They could afford to donate more than $1 million of their own money to healthcare.

"That’s according to a report Monday from The Baltimore Banner, which chronicles the wealthy family history of the man charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

"Following the news of Mangione’s arrest Monday, his family released a statement saying they were “shocked.”

" 'Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione,” said the family in a statement posted on X by Luigi’s cousin Nino Mangione, a Republican member of the lower house of Maryland’s state legislature. “We only know what we have read in the media.”

"He noted: “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson, and we ask people to pray for all involved.”. . .

Vox Media Drops Taylor Lorenz Amid Backlash Over Controversial Healthcare Comments  

"However, Lorenz’s online behavior has continually attracted scrutiny and criticism, casting a shadow over her professional achievements. Her recent comments on social media regarding the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson have sparked intense debate and backlash."

The ‘Tolerant’ Left Sure Does Like Assassinations

Issues & Insights

 . . ."And who hates America? Oh, right, those on the left."

They all have a manifesto, don't they?

"A manifesto recovered from the alleged shooter of UnitedHeathCare CEO Brian Thompson says that “These parasites had it coming” and “I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done.”

This is music to the ears of many on the left, who cheered when they learned that Thompson had been gunned down and are treating the shooter as some sort of folk hero.

“Social media users have sometimes outright gloated at the killing,” is how The Hill put it, describing it as an expression of “populist rage” and then spending the rest of the article trying to obliquely pin the blame on Donald Trump.

"The Atlantic dismissed the “mockery and disdain” of the cold-blooded murder as an “expression of widespread fury at a broken system.”

"Former Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz reposted an article about how Blue Cross Blue Shield will no longer cover anesthesia for the full length of some surgeries, adding, “And people wonder why we want these executives dead.”

“ 'Saturday Night Live” joked that “it really says something about America that a guy was murdered in cold blood and the two main reactions were, ‘Yeah, well health care stinks!’ And also, ‘Girl, that shooter hot.’ “

"If this reminds you of anything it should. Because the same cast of miscreants cheered the would-be assassin of Donald Trump as well.

"In fact, the only problem they could find was that the shooter’s aim was off.

"The left had effectively been calling for Trump’s assassination for years. Every time they described him as a “threat to democracy,” compared him to Hitler, and said that he had to be “stopped at all costs,” it was a call to action that at least two would-be assassins heard.

"Is this sort of bloodlust confined to the left? Of course not. But if you follow the pundit class, you’d believe that it’s entirely contained on the conservative side of the spectrum.

"The truth is that leftists are far more prone to want to murder their opponents because they’ve been infected by the Marxist-power-struggle virus, which leads them to think that the murder of a political opponent is always justifiable homicide.

"In the case of health care, the left will never be satisfied until the government controls the entire system, soup to nuts, with Sen. Bernie Sanders making decisions about which patients live or die. If that means sacrificing a few health insurance CEOs on the road to this socialist Nirvana, so be it." . . .

"In the midst of this sickness, there were some voices expressing common sense.". . .

MSNBC's race lady Joy Reid: Mad at UnitedHealthcare? Voted for Trump? You voted for U.S. to be run like UnitedHealthcare  Only Joe Biden, in his speeches, cried harder for the killing of Republicans. Since John Wilkes Booth, I'd say. TD