But will there be room enough in Florida for their taxpayers once Mamdani refugees flood in from New York?

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Maryland to study slavery reparations after lawmakers override Dem governor's veto

With the veto override, SB 587 will now establish a commission to weigh possible forms of reparations, including official statements of apology, monetary compensation, property tax rebates, child-care support, debt forgiveness and higher education tuition waivers and reimbursements.

Presumably, the grifters pushing for this commission expect to receive great riches and, this being Maryland, they’ll probably get it. But the bill does allow for the legislature to simply mail out a polite letter of apology to all who might feel that their great-great-great-great-great-grandmothers were treated shabbily, and call it a day.

Or, and this would be my preference, they could go all out, and display their deep, deep contrition by gruntling the disgruntled with a firm, hearty handclasp. The oppressed deserve no less.

Peace, love, and fraud in Somaliland East

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who will empty our bed pans? apply our fixodent?

No word whether John Cooper or any of the other Greenwich Invisibles were wheeled up for the event, but a large contingent of the elderly from various diverse locations came into Lewiston, Maine yesterday from to show their support for the Bantus. Billed as a public event, open to all, the reporter for Maine’s sole conservative news service discovered that he was not among the “all”. Wonder what they’re hiding, besides food stamps?

A Rally for Dignity—Until the Maine Wire Arrived

…. As I entered the public park, I was stopped by a person in a yellow vest—”security”—who asked, “Who are you with?” I joked that I came by myself. “No, you are the media. Who are you with?” I answered plainly and proudly: The Maine Wire. As I walked on, I heard the radio call behind me: “A guy from The Maine Wire is here.”

Near the gazebo, another man stepped in front of me and again demanded to know who I was with. He grabbed my press credential, which was hanging from a lanyard around my neck. “Stay here,” he said.

Standing next to Mayor Carl Sheline, I asked a basic question: Was there a permit for the event? “It’s a public park,” the man replied. I agreed. “So, no permit?” I excused myself and walked toward the gazebo.

That’s when a masked man grabbed my arm and told me I couldn’t be there. I explained I was taking photos in a public park and would be done in a moment. He pushed me toward the exit. I moved to the front of the park, spoke with attendees, and continued photographing.

…. After a beautiful rendition of the national anthem was sung by all in attendance, attendees were invited to walk across the street to the former church, now the Agora Grand Event Center, for Somali dance performances, tea, and snacks, a welcome warmth on a cold day.

…. At the door, a smiling volunteer told me, “No press.” I stayed outside, speaking with people in the parking lot, petting dogs, and interviewing Dr. Nirav Shah, the Democratic frontrunner for governor. …. When other media outlets arrived to interview him, I was told press was now being allowed inside.

Escorted Out

I entered with three other news organizations and set up for the speeches. U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner spoke first, delivering the same campaign speech I’ve covered before. As he wrapped up, a hand came down on my shoulder.

“You need to leave.”

Startled, I asked why. “You have to go.” I asked whether all media were being asked to leave or just me. “Just you.”

As I was escorted out, I asked who had made the decision and whether I could speak with them. “Nope. Private event. Get out.” Meanwhile, the other outlets remained.

Speaking of tax dollars

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If it saves the life of just one polar bear …

The RTM — “Go Net Zero!” — has approved a heating-cooling system that will end up costing twice what our local global warmists predict, break down consistently, and, when it fails, will collectively their hands up in the air and bewail the “bad luck” that ruined their dreams. “Who would ever have predicted this? Who could have?”

GREENWICH — Hamilton Avenue School is set to get a new geothermal HVAC system next September, after more than two years of political infighting over the project.

That’s thanks in part to the Representative Town Meeting, which overwhelmingly approved a $5.3 million bond to fund the replacement system at its meeting last week at Central Middle School.

The 142-18 vote to approve the project (and subsequent 149-2 vote to issue a bond to fund it) was achieved with very little dissent among the body, belying the months of partisan conflict in the town surrounding the project.

“Those voting yes felt it was time, after two years of discussion on this topic, to put this issue behind us,” said James Waters, the chairman of the RTM’s Budget Oversight Committee. “They felt it would be even more costly not to approve, in the interim, due to the ongoing monthly cost for the chillers.”

The school’s heating and cooling system failed in the summer of 2023, with Greenwich Public Schools facilities director Dan Watson saying at the time that it had been plagued by issues since at least 2009, and that it “wasn’t installed right, it wasn’t operated right, it wasn’t probably designed right.”

Initially, school district officials requested $3.2 million to replace the broken climate control system with a conventional, gas-burning replacement, but that was blocked by the RTM in December 2023. In the interim, the building has been renting cooling units and using its built-in boiler for heat.

In February of this year, the Board of Education reversed course, approving a $5.25 million geothermal system. But that funding did not make it into the town’s capital budget, after a portion was cut by Republicans on the Board of Estimation and Taxation in April in favor of a gas-burning system, over the vociferous objections of the board’s Democrats. 

But the RTM cut the remaining funding for the system in May, on the grounds that it wanted to follow the BOE’s recommendation for a geothermal system.

Now, they have their wish.

At last week’s meeting, the vast majority of RTM members backed the new solution for the school, which was recommended out of several of the body’s committees with virtually no dissent.

“The vote for (the RTM) Public Works (Committee) was 9-0-0, by unanimous consent, and comments were 'about time, let’s get it done,'” Chairman Cheryl Moss said.

The plans for the new geothermal system, as well as its cost estimates, were drawn up by consulting firm AECOM.

(Only) one voice in the wilderness

One RTM member, Mark Fichtel, District 4, did speak up about the concerns of those opposed to the project, including that there was not a sufficient explanation for the failure of the current geothermal system and that he thought the difference in savings — estimated to be approximately $158,000 over 25 years for geothermal over conventional — were not large enough to justify the risks of a new geothermal system breaking.

“I feel a little bit like Cassandra, who begged the Trojans not to bring the wooden horse into the walls,” Fichtel said. “We’re facing a situation where we’re subject to the sunk cost fallacy, which says that because we’ve invested so much time (in a geothermal system), we have to go forward, regardless of any risks.”

According to the timeline approved by the RTM, the school district will attempt to fill a bid for the contract by February, have work start in April and install the new system by the next school year in September 2026.

From Greenwich Time November 19, 2023:

This geothermal HVAC system is the only one of its kind among all the Greenwich Public School buildings. It was installed during a major renovation of the school following the discovery of mold in the early 2000s. Hamilton Avenue reopened in 2009 after years of repair work.

Geothermal systems move heat from one place to another using electricity, according to the Department of Energy. These systems are more energy efficient than traditional HVAC systems because they move existing heat around as opposed to burning fuel to create it. As a result, these systems are cheaper to operate and they produce fewer carbon emissions.

Watson said he is not opposed to geothermal technology in general during the BET meeting on Nov. 14, but that he is “dead set” against using it at Hamilton Avenue, because the district is not equipped to handle the system.

“Geothermal systems are not easy to properly maintain and operate. In our current staffing configuration and model, we do not have the capacity to provide the oversight and the hands-on needs for a system of this complexity,” Watson wrote in a memo to the BET.

The BET approved the BOE’s $3.2 million request on Monday, and it now heads to the Representative Town Meeting for approval at its Dec. 11 meeting. If approved, GPS would be on schedule to replace the Hamilton Avenue system in summer 2024.

Original estimate was $2.5 million, $3.2 by 2023, and, as of today, $5.25; I detect a trend.

Bonus reading material:

While searching for information on the history of the decision to use a geothermal HVAC system in Hamilton Avenue back in 2004 — I couldn’t find anything — I ran across this fun synopses of the Schools rebuilding odyssey, from the 2003 decision to fund it, to the start of construction, with an expected completion date the beginning of the 2007 school year, to the actual reopening date of February 18, 2009. Spoiler alert: things didn’t go as planned.

Tax dollars and your children’s indoctrination — “Perfect Together”

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For more than two years, the folks at Powerline and a few other conservative Minnesotans exposed and reported on the Somali/Walz/Democrat welfare fraud conspiracy, reports that were ignored and buried by the national media until it had grown too massive, too widespread to hide any more. Now one of the PowerLine lawyers presents another threat to the Republic:

Posted on December 16, 2025 by John Hinderaker

Defund the Public Schools

Most people have no idea how radical most of our public schools are. I think it is safe to say that in any district that is controlled by a teachers’ union–and I believe most are–the schools will be viciously anti-American.

Here in Minnesota, our legislature has enacted an “Ethnic Studies” requirement for all K-12 classrooms. It is a Trojan horse intended to introduce a broad range of leftist indoctrination into the public schools’ curriculum. The video below, just released by American Experiment, is the first in a series of four that expose the extreme curriculum that has been developed by the University of Minnesota to implement the Ethnic Studies requirement. “Defund the police” is the least of it, and these far-left lessons are intended for sixth graders:

Everyone now knows that Tim Walz’s administration has been responsible for the theft of billions of dollars in taxpayer money. Sadly, that isn’t one of its worst faults.

The NEA’s poison isn’t limited to the Land of Hiawatha, of course; it’s a national plague; here;s a report from RedState’s Becky Nobel, also dated December 16th:

The Infuriating Nonsense Teachers Learned at a Recent NEA Conference - 'Neopronouns' and 'Xeopronouns?!'

It has been no secret for quite some time that the American education system is horribly broken. We hear story after story of kids graduating from high school who can't fill out a job application because they can't read or write. It's also no secret that a big part of the problem is large and powerful teachers' unions, who clearly have no interest in teaching children, only lining the pockets of their members and getting Democratic politicians elected who will look the other way so they can continue the taxpayer-funded gravy train. But it's what teachers are focused on at professional conferences that will really make your blood boil.

This is exactly what I'm talking about: Twitchy's editor's post of yesterday now looks as ridiculous as I feel

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Side-by-Side Screenshots Show the Difference Between the Evil Right and Tolerant Left After Someone Dies

Sam J. | 10:20 AM on December 15, 2025

If we had a nickel for every time the Left projected their own thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and BEHAVIORS on the Right, well, we'd have a buttload of nickels. Honestly, someone smarter than us once said that if the Right were truly as evil and dangerous as the Left would have us believe we are, things would be much different and not at all good for the Left.

For example, each side reacts very differently when someone they disagree with politically dies.

When Charlie Kirk was assassinated, people on the Left celebrated. It's true. Even though he was murdered in broad daylight for his beliefs, they cheered. Hell, they're still cheering when they take breaks from harassing his widow.

And now that Rob Reiner and his wife have been killed, we once again see how very different the two sides are.

[The X post she’s referring to has now been taken down - probably because its author realized that his claim to a difference between us and them “was no longer operative”]


Very different responses to the death of people that some have disagreements with… pic.twitter.com/WHttTG18mk

— Caleb Hammer (@sircalebhammer) December 15, 2025

Now, if we're being fair (and we are all about fair), we must admit we are seeing some posts on the Right that are less than complimentary of Reiner, BUT the overall feel is one of sadness and prayer. After Kirk was assassinated, the entire vibe on the Left was one of joy.

At the heart of each party is respect or disrespect for life.

It's as simple as that.

Scott Pinsker has thoughts.

Your PR Primer on How to Behave When Someone Dies Without Being an Insensitive Jerk

Worth reading in its entirety — Pinsker’s good — but for those with short reading attention spans, here are its essentials:

Stripping away the humanity, the PR cost of Trump’s Truth Social post is that it dulled the bright line that (briefly) separated the evil, vampiric celebrations of leftists when Kirk was murdered from the rest of us. So many liberals danced in the streets when Kirk was assassinated — while everyone with a heart recoiled in horror. Had this bright line held, it would’ve become yet another branding distinction between conservatives and liberals: Conservatives don’t celebrate murder; liberals do.

With one Truth Social post, we forfeited a huge hunk of the moral high ground.

I don’t want to overstate it: This, too, will pass. Trump’s post isn’t the end of the world, nor will it be the end of his presidency. Like his 2015 comment about John McCain getting captured, it’ll quickly fade from the frontpage, tossed atop the ash-heap of Trump’s roaring id. Today, it’s the topic du jour; tomorrow, it’ll be yet another example of the president’s plainspoken, say-it-like-it-is, no-punches-pulled persona. 

This is who Trump is. When we voted for Trump we got the whole package — the good, the bad, and the ugly.

His Rob Reiner post was ugly.

Come hell or high water, Trump is gonna be Trump. We know this. (And for the most part, we love this.) The good FAR outweighs the bad and the ugly, and it’s not even close: From securing the border to stopping wars to ending the Iranian nuclear threat to retaining the tax cuts to killing DEI to lowering inflation to resurrecting the U.S. economy, it’s been an extraordinarily successful first year of his second term.

More of that, please!

But for PR purposes, it’d be better if he limited his dancing to that gorgeous new White House ballroom he’s building — and not on the graves of his political enemies.

NoPo bidding war result reported

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23 Silver Beech Road, built in 1953 and last touched by a carpenter in 2003, was listed at $1.550 million and has sold for $1,660,000. No surprise there; the market continues its torrid pace.

What is amusing, to me at least, is the fulsome property description in the listing: created by AI, or the product of the agents’ own fervid imagination, who knows?

Tucked away on a peaceful road surrounded by cul-de-sacs in the award-winning North Mianus School district, this 4-bedroom Riverside gem is a perfect blend of convenience and a tranquil, private retreat. Step into a dramatic entryway with soaring vaulted ceilings and rich natural slate tile, leading to a grand living room anchored by a stately fireplace, which flows effortlessly into a sun-drenched dining room with vaulted ceilings —perfect for everyday living and elegant entertaining. A peaceful family room features full-length windows framing serene views of the expansive, tree-lined backyard. Don't miss the lower-level bonus rooms, ideal for a playroom and home office. Schedule your showing today—this Riverside treasure won't last.

Phew! Take a break, wipe that brow, settle back, and enjoy the remainder of the verbiage, a simple phrase that undercuts and negates everything that was just said:

Agent to Agent Rmrks: Offered ''as is''.

But credit where credit’s due, treasure or not, it did not last, just as promised. So who’s laughing now?

Trump's defenders have taken all the fun out of pretending to being outraged over these things

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“Hey — he said mean things about me — he deserved to die, and so did his wife”

After a day of explaining and justifying Trump’s disgusting statement on the murder of Rob Reiner and his wife — their throats were slit, their bodies slashed to pieces —“my side” has resumed expressing faux-outrage at Democrats more outlandish gaffes. Like this, from TownHall:

Tone Deaf: Did Chuck Schumer Really Say This About the Bondi Terror Attack on Sunday?

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was about to deliver a statement on the terror attack in Australia, where two terrorists opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, leaving15 people dead and 40 wounded.

Yet, he had to comment on the Buffalo Bills beating the New England Patriots 35-31 first. 

“Of course, I’m going to say a few words about the terrible shooting in Australia, okay? First, of course, as I always say, no matter what, go Bills! They beat the Patriots today. It’s a big deal,” he said.  

Remember — it wasn’t that long ago — when oooh, weren’t we all “shocked and dismayed” at Jay Jones being elected Attorney General of Virginia despite his calling political opponent Jay Jones and his wife, Jennifer, “evil” and “breeding little fascists”, and wishing someone would put “two bullets into his head”, that Jennifer could “watch her child die in her arms, to see how parents feel when their children are victims of gun violence”? “How could the voters of Virginia elect such a man?” we demanded, and shook our heads in sorrowful dismay.

And Charlie Kirk — does anyone else remember when conservatives expressed outrage when politicians and celebrities cheered news of his assassination and “explained” that Kirk had brought death upon himself with his hateful comments?

It was all so smugly satisfying to be the good guys, the ones upholding morality and sacred truths. Until yesterday, when the spectacle of “principled conservatives” justifying and excusing Trump’s deranged Truth Social post stripped away the moral ground we claimed to be standing on, and dropped us into the same swamp of moral relativism we’ve accused our opponents of wallowing in. We revealed that our side is just as hateful, just as unprincipled, as the haters on the left: it’s only a matter of who’s being attacked, not the attack itself. So if that’s case, and we can’t do better, then let’s just shut up.

And as for mere moments of idiocy, what, now, does it matter? Schumer looked at two horrible incidents and placed a third, trivial event — the triumph of his local football team — first in priority. Trump saw a brutal, horrific double-murder and made it all about himself, while cheering the deaths: “the country’s better off without him”. Weeell, “That’s just Chuck being Chuck”, just as it’s only “Trump being Trump”. Ya wanna say that Reiner had it coming? That dissin’ the dead is fine, so long as they’re obnoxious people with different political opinions than yours? Fine; say it, brother, feel free, because Reiner was an obnoxious, pompous shit; so is Neil Young, although he’s still annoyingly among us, last I checked. Just don’t claim to be offended when Leftists do the same thing to our guys.

The fun has gone out of this game; hypocrisy will do that.

After just twelve days on the market, this home's price was jacked up, not down

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12 Sawmill Terrace was listed December 3rd at $2.149 million and the owners increased the price today to $2.2 million. I assume that’s because a flood of offers came in and they thought they could encourage higher bids if they raised the floor, but still, it’s a curious tactic, and I might have tried a different approach.

On the other hand, it’s Ed Mortimer’s listing, and he’s got a track record showing that he knows what he’s doing, so, again, we’ll just have to wait to see how this plays out.