Good morning kids. Hope all members of the Tribe had blessed and beautiful seder nights as the Passover holiday begins, and we head into holy week and culminate on Easter Sunday. As you can see we have a veritable linkapalooza this morning with stories coming over the transom from late Friday through last night, as is to be expected with several major topics still dominating the news.

Of course we have a complete breakdown in civil discourse and political violence becoming the norm. With that, we had this story over the weekend:

Pennsylvania State Police have arrested a Harrisburg man for the arson attack on Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family that sent them fleeing from the governor’s residence on the first night of Passover. Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, is expected to face charges of attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and aggravated assault against an enumerated person, authorities said. Shapiro, who is Jewish, became visibly emotional as he spoke about the 2 a.m. attack on his home as he and his family slept inside. “If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community, who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: we celebrated our faith last night, proudly and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover,” he said.. .

. . . Balmer was allegedly carrying homemade incendiary devices when he snuck into the gated compound that is the official residence of the governor by jumping a fence, according to police.  Investigators believe the attack was “targeted,” but haven’t determined a specific motive, Shapiro said. Police did not release more details on Balmer’s actions.

Could it be that some knuckle-dragging Jew-hater did this merely because Shapiro = Jew. Sadly, of course this is a possibility. Meanwhile, as I reported last week and we discussed on the latest episode of the podcast (linked here, sidebar and at RSS, Spotify and Apple Podcasts)

Shapiro is essentially a Jew in name only given this latest item on his rap sheet:

Jewish Governor Gives $5M Grant to Mosque That Called Jews ‘Vilest People’ Gov. Shapiro promises to defend antisemitic mosque against Trump administration.

And given the Democrats' and Deep State's known ability at faking insurrections and other high crimes and misdemeanors to take out their political enemies, that is anyone who is a fraction of an inch to the right of Boris Yeltsin. You could be forgiven for smelling a rat with this.

It would also not surprise me if the perpetrator is perhaps a recent convert to the so-called religion of peace. And as it turns out, Ramadan was only a week or so ago.

Of course, rainbow flags are the least of what Muslims will ban as their power grows.

Which is why we should all be worried about EPIC City, Texas. I’d never heard of it until just a few weeks ago. Since then, I’ve heard about it again and again. Maybe the word hasn’t gotten to you yet. If not, here you go. EPIC City, according to an April 3  report by Caroline Vandergriff of CBS News, is a proposed “Muslim community” that is a project of the East Plano Islamic Center (hence the name EPIC) in partnership with a real-estate firm called Community Capital Partners. The plan is to construct “a thousand homes, a mosque, apartments, a school and more” on 402 acres in Collin and Hunt counties near the town of Josephine, about an hour northeast of Dallas. Since the initiative was announced last year, the leaders of the Islamic Center have hired Dan Cogdell, a leading Houston lawyer, “to help them navigate multiple state investigations” that were ordered by Governor Greg Abbott. In reaction to Abbott’s criticism of the EPIC City venture, Cogdell told Vandergraff that his clients “aren’t foreign adversaries” but “Texans.” “Americans.” “United States citizens.” And their only goal, he contended, “is to build a community that allows them to live together with people who value family and faith.”

Yes, that’s what they want to do – but it’s not all that they want to do. They want to do Molenbeek and Tower Hamlets and Groruddalen one better. They want the total Muslim experience: no kafirun (infidels) with their uncovered wives and daughters and haram puppy dogs. If you wanted to defend EPIC City, you might point to the way in which the Amish settled Lancaster, Pennsylvania, or the Mormons’ establishment of Utah. But neither the Amish nor the Mormons have a doctrine of jihadist conquest. They aren’t instructed to despise non-believers or throw homosexuals from rooftops. Their sexual politics may be old-fashioned, but they’re light-years more advanced than Islam’s.

But let's erase our borders and let everyone in so they can be free to set fire to sleeping subway riders or commit necrophilia on the subway, maybe commit necrophilia with the burning corpse. But deporting radical jihadist supporting professors and foreign "students" and it's a travesty against the founding principles of "our precious democracy!" Ditto Latin American illegal alien violent criminals.

According to a new Harvard CAPS/Harris poll, almost two-thirds of Americans support the deportation of non-citizen students who show support for ”internationally recognized terrorist groups.” 63 percent want those who “voice support” to be deported; 67% want those who “actively support” terrorists to be deported. The responses differ by party. 84% of Republicans support deportation of such people as Mahmoud Khalil, who “actively supports” Hamas, and 83% of Republicans would support deporting Rumeysa Öztürk, who has “voiced support” for terrorists. But a different picture is painted when we look at the responses of Democrats. The Democrats are morally muddled: some have held onto their wits and seen their way clear to supporting such deportations, but about half of them still think that holders of green cards should be allowed to stay, even if they “actively support” terrorist groups such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. More on this Great Divide can be found here: “Most Americans Agree With Deporting Mahmoud Khalil, Foreign Students Who ‘Support’ Terror Groups, Poll Finds,” by Corey Walker, Algemeiner, April 3, 2025:
. . . In contrast, only 42 percent of Democrats said they endorse deportation for foreign students who voice support for terrorist groups, compared to 58 percent who want them to stay on US spoil. Meanwhile, a slight majority, 51 percent, indicated the government should deport those who “actively support” such extremist organizations, while 49 percent oppose deportation in such circumstances…. What a great and disturbing divide between the parties: while 83% of Republicans would want foreign students to be deported if they voice support for terrorist groups, just about half that number — 42% — of Democrats would deport them for the same behavior; 58% would let them stay. When it comes to foreign students who “actively support” terrorist organizations, only 51% of Democrats would deport them, while 49% would let them stay.

On a whole other front, it's back to the economy, tariffs and China. I and others touched upon the related issue of the national debt and how it relates to all of this and this just hits the nail on the head vis a vis tariffs, DOGE and the attempt to rein in an out of control crazy train bureaucracy. That has been going at warp speed for decades towards plummeting into the Grand Canyon

Regarding the massive debt caused by China's trade surplus, China's strategy is to maintain export-led growth, which aids in generating jobs and enables it, through continued growth, to keep its large population productively engaged (and fed). Since this strategy is dependent on exports, China requires the yuan to continue to have a relatively lower value than the dollar and thus offer cheaper prices.. . . International trading that involves two currencies has a self-correcting mechanism. For example, China, currently running a trade surplus with the U.S., is sending goods to the U.S. and is getting paid in U.S. dollars. There is consequently a huge supply of dollars being held by China, which causes the dollar's value to depreciate against the yuan. This depreciation of the dollar, however, will eventually make U.S. exports cheaper and imports from China more expensive. Gradually, the U.S. will start exporting more and importing less, due to its lower-valued currency. This will ultimately reverse the current trading scenario. This is the self-correcting mechanism occurs in the international trade markets regularly, with little or no intervention from any authority. . .

China wants to keep its exported goods competitively priced in the U.S. market. That cannot happen if the yuan appreciates in value. China thus keeps the yuan's value low compared to the dollar by using the intervention mechanism described above. However, this action leads to a huge pileup of dollars as forex reserves for China.China also manipulates the value of the yuan to keep its value low. China owns the trade deficit amount and expects the U.S. to pay the interest and principal when due (unless the U.S. defaults on its loan payments, which isn't likely). Speaking of loan payment defaults, China is currently in default on its sovereign debt held by American bondholders. "Lest anyone wonder about the age of these bonds, it is irrelevant. What matters is that this is a sovereign obligation."

Kinda tells us who we're up against.

And we just kept on borrowing and spending, for decades now. Someone's going to have to pay the piper.

And lastly, a quick shout-out and thank you for your continued support in hitting our tip jar. It truly is appreciated more than you can know.

ABOVE THE FOLD, BREAKING, NOTEWORTHY
• New York’s Police Department is on the lookout for this sick bum accused of having sex with a dead man’s corpse on a Manhattan subway, reports to the New York Post. (Biden still tests negative for pregnancy - jjs)
  New York Bum Allegedly Has Sex With Corpse on Subway - Now He's On The Loose!
  
• What decades of indoctrinating our youth will get you.
  Pushing Communism in American High Schools

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at 07:30 AM | Comments (374) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Top Story

• Facebook recently announced its new Llama 4 AI platform, with industry-leading scores. They lied. (Neowin)
  
  The test results were from an unreleased experimental version. The actual scores put Llama 4 in 32nd place.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM | Comments (165) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Howdy Hordelings! Hope your Sunday has been a good one. April is almost halfway over. College basketball and college hockey are done. Baseball season is a few weeks old. Stanley Cup playoffs start next weekend (the most wonderful time of the year!). Easter is a week away. Have you gotten your bonnet and your Mary Sue Easter Eggs? There's still time! But for now, sit back and enjoy tonight's ONT.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:00 PM | Comments (371) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Howdy, Y'all! Welcome to the wondrously fabulous Gun Thread! As always, I want to thank all of our regulars for being here week in and week out, and also offer a bigly Gun Thread welcome to any newcomers who may be joining us tonight. Howdy and thank you for stopping by! I hope you find our wacky conversation on the subject of guns 'n shooting both enjoyable and informative. You are always welcome to lurk in the shadows of shame, but I'd like to invite you to jump into the conversation, say howdy, and tell us what kind of shooting you like to do!

Holy Shitballs! How in the ever-loving Hell did it get to be mid-April? Is Spring in full-bloom-springiness where you are? Do pollen allergies keep you from going to the range?

Also, I suppose this is as good a time as any to get my taxes wrapped up. How about you, all done? Getting a refund? Buy ammo!

With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?

Posted by: Weasel at 07:00 PM | Comments (276) | Trackbacks (Suck)

I'll try most things once. But this looks to be at best an oddity that really doesn't deserve the commitment in calories, and at worst an abomination that will rend the fabric of the food universe and cause catastrophic downstream effects.

Besides, I don't really like ketchup that much. Sure, I'll dip fries in it, but I prefer vinegar or mayonnaise. And don't start with the nonsense that ketchup belongs on burgers or -- and this is a horror-show of a thought -- hot dogs!

And why are they orange...is that a sort of Halloween vibe?

What exactly is going on here?

Posted by: CBD at 04:00 PM | Comments (252) | Trackbacks (Suck)

That's Dijon, home of the mustard, the Dukes of Burgundy, and where you can get lots of excellent wine!

But those dukes built the town without realizing that those narrow streets also shielded cell phones from GPS signals. So navigating the maze of streets is an exercise in futility.

Which is okay, because of the aforementioned wine.

So...never mind.

Posted by: CBD at 02:00 PM | Comments (121) | Trackbacks (Suck)

France has double the percentage of Muslims as the UK, and it has more documented violence against Jews. Both countries lost control of their borders a long time ago, and the influx of Muslims and other third worlders has radically altered their demographics, increased violent crime, and has made both countries feel more like Germany circa 1938 than enlightened 21st century Europe.

But France has not had nearly the massive Muslim demonstrations in contravention of existing law, demanding Sharia, destruction of Israel, and implicitly the murder of Jews.

The UK has, and it is getting worse. Every day there seems to be another example of the UK authorities favoring Muslims over all other Englishmen, from turning a blind eye to systematic grooming and rape, most famously in Rotherham, but also in other places, to arresting people for the crime of stating that the murderer of three young girls was undoubtedly a Muslim. He was. She spoke the truth, and for that she is spending more than two years in jail.

This Is Britain: Mother Jailed For 2 Years Because of a Tweet She Deleted After 4 Hours

Unfortunately, Great Britain isn't quite so great anymore and is looking less and less like a family member and more and more like a copy of Communist China, but with a less rational immigration policy.

Child rapists are being excused from responsibility because they come from a savage culture. Tens of thousands march through the streets of London calling for the establishment of a Caliphate while people who criticize that are being tossed in jail. Mothers who fear for their children and speak out find themselves in the dock because, well, we can't offend the Muslims.

Posted by: CBD at 12:00 PM | Comments (194) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Sunday Morning Book Thread! The place where all readers are welcome, regardless of whatever guilty pleasure we feel like reading (guaranteed to revoke your man card--HT: I am the Shadout Mapes). Here is where we can discuss, argue, bicker, quibble, consider, debate, confabulate, converse, and jaw about our latest fancy in reading material. As always, pants are required, unless you are wearing these pants...

So relax, find yourself a warm kitty (or warm puppy--I won't judge) to curl up in your lap, and dive into a new book. What are YOU reading this fine morning?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:00 AM | Comments (182) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Top Story

• President Trump has once again scrambled the plans of the Chinese Communist Party and Democrat prophesiers by temporarily waiving the new 125% tariff on selected goods from that country. (Tech Crunch)
  
  The 20% basic tariff remains in effect, but the new tariff will not be applied to electronic components or devices like phones and laptops.
  
  Everything else gets whacked with a 145% impost which has small businesses in China in a panic. Deliveries already booked and produced are now being refused, and there is simply no substitute market to turn to.
  
  And while it takes time to ramp up a mobile phone production line, products like clothing and homewares are already produced in dozens of countries like India, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Indonesia, who will be only too happy to produce more.
  
  
  

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM | Comments (154) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Welcome to Club ONT! A collaboration of your Sunday through Wednesday ONT Crew - The Disco, The Doggo, and The Dino. The Club welcomes hackers, is open to the pros, and best relates to those that want to enjoy the libations in the clubhouse. It's Masters weekend at Augusta National. Let's find the beverage cart and throw on the most ridiculous pair of golf pants (or knickers) - before Judge Smails shows up.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:00 PM | Comments (316) | Trackbacks (Suck)

The key note speaker at my sister’s 1999 college graduation was Jim Lehrer, then of the PBS News Hour. This was some 26 years ago, but I remember one thing he said vividly. “Just because you are graduating from this prestigious institution [Amherst College] don’t think you are educated,” he counseled.

The year prior, I received a master’s degree from Boston University’s film school where I concentrated in screenwriting. Soon after, I was asked to become an adjunct screenwriting teacher at BU. By 2004, this blossomed into a full-time position. After ten years of teaching (1999-2009), I left academia. I moved into film criticism in 2011 and have been writing reviews since. In 2020, I joined a critics group, and each awards season I am sent hundreds of screeners to vote for ‘best of’ the year in a variety of categories.

For almost three decades, I have not only pursued screenwriting and film review but also published essays and short stories and even have a few novels in the drawer.

The purpose in presenting my bona fides is not to boast but to highlight the many ways which I have been involved in screenwriting, filmmaking, and storytelling (almost always as an outsider). Without this stew of differing viewpoints, I am not sure I would have arrived at the dichotomy of clever and good, and sharing anecdotes from these stages in my journey will illustrate how I arrived at the beliefs I hold today.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 07:30 PM | Comments (617) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. We gave the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies(TM) a spin and it landed on miniatures.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:30 PM | Comments (85) | Trackbacks (Suck)

Good afternoon and welcome to the almost world famous Ace of Spades Pet Thread. Thanks for stopping by. Kick back and enjoy the world of animals.

Would you like a treat?

Posted by: K.T. at 03:30 PM | Comments (46) | Trackbacks (Suck)