Hackwhackers

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

"Scatterbrained Trump"

Jimmy Kimmel started his monologue last night with a scorching reminder of the Malignant Fascist's "selfish, disgraceful, tyrannical, and dangerous act" on January 6, 2021, "proof... that an American President is a un-American as they come." He followed that with more examples of the MF's deranged depravity ("Real Moments in Presidementia"), Epstein files delays, Venezuela, gunning for Greenland, psychopath Stephen "Peewee Goebbels" Miller, the MF's health issues, and more. Wait for the "January 6 Fifth Anniversary Commemorative Plate Set"!!

(Congrats to Kimmel for winning the 2026 Critics Choice Award for best talk show, and for his acceptance speech.)

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Today's Cartoons

(click on images to enlarge)

(Dave Granlund, politicalcartoons.com)

(Nick Anderson, Raw Story)

(Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press)

(Pat Bagley, The Salt Lake Tribune)

(Dale Cummings, caglecartoons.com, Canada)

(Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Canada)

(Patrick Chappatte, La Tribune Dimanche, France)

(Robert Ariail, Spartanburg Herald-Journal, SC)

(John Darkow, Columbia Missourian)

(Ann Telnaes, @anntelnaes)

(Rob Rogers, Tinyview.com)

(Jeff Stahler, gocomics.com)

(Pedro Molina, Tribune Content Agency)

European Leaders' Statement On Trump Threats To Seize Greenland

Joint statement issued today by some of our European NATO allies (click to enlarge):

These countries need to back up these words by posting NATO military on Greenland (with Denmark's and Greenland's approval) unless and until the mad moron Malignant Fascist backs off his unhinged threats to annex it.

If there was ever a gift to Putin and fascist autocrats worldwide, it's this NATO- destroying MF we elected twice in a collective national death wish.

Skeets Of The Day

The slow roll of the Epstein-Trump files release. Must be some VERY bad stuff there --

JUST IN: DOJ says it has finished reviewing *less than 1%* of the Epstein Files for potential release. Only 12,285 documents have been released while more than 2 million remain under review. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 10:14 PM

Seems like every new Epstein files event results in the US bombing or invading someone.
— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 10:08 PM

Never forget (or forgive) what happened 5 years ago today --

Five years ago.

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— Walter Olson (@walterolson.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 10:24 PM

Never forget.

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— The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) January 6, 2026 at 7:54 AM

The American people electing Trump after he staged a coup attempt 5 years ago was a nail in the coffin of our democracy. You can rationalize it all you want - But inflation! But wokeness! - but ultimately it was a societal suicide attempt and probably the dumbest collective voting decision ever made
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) January 6, 2026 at 9:51 AM

The signs are there, and crystal clear --

“for this is a war which we all wage, this time, not for our German people alone, it is a war for all of Europe and with it, in the long run, for all of mankind.” - Adolf Hitler, 1942

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— Nancy Levine Stearns (@nancylevinestearns.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 3:48 PM

Trump just said "all" of Venezuela's oil must be made accessible to US oil companies. Trump wants to emulate Putin's model: Authoritarian, expansionist rulers carving up their regions and distributing the spoils of conquest to friendly oligarchs. 1/ (new piece) newrepublic.com/article/2049...

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— Greg Sargent (@gregsargent.bsky.social) January 6, 2026 at 7:00 AM

Venezuelan grovel girl Machado. Sad. --

They’re extorting a Nobel Prize out of her.

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— Bradley P. Moss (@bradmossesq.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 9:48 PM

This is grotesque.

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— Dana Houle (@danahoule.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 11:19 PM

The priorities of a fascist state --

Not only did taxpayers pay for the U.S. military to conquer Venezuela, but we’ll also be subsidizing the operational costs of Trump’s Big Oil donors stealing their oil. But Republicans cut healthcare and food assistance for millions of Americans because it was “wasteful.”

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— Melanie D’Arrigo (@darrigomelanie.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 9:18 PM

I can't get over how half-baked Miller's rhetoric is. This is supposed to be "they're scared of America," but what he's really saying is "we're bluffing because we think Denmark doesn't care about Greenland or sovereignty." Uh, okay Temu von Clausewitz, real strategic genius move you got there.

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— Max Kennerly (@maxkennerly.bsky.social) January 6, 2026 at 8:23 AM

Moscow's airports closed for three straight days. Slava Ukraini! --

✈️❗️The third day of the "blockade" of Moscow continues. Not a single plane in the sky. Airports are closed. New Year's holidays according to the schedule of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

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— MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 2:07 PM

Bobby Brainworm's assault on children's health continues --

The CDC announced Monday an unprecedented overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule that recommends fewer shots to all children, recommending all children get vaccines for 11 diseases, compared with the 18 previously on the schedule. www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

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— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 4:45 PM

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting dissolves, another victim of the Malignant Fascist --

A sad reminder that Trump’s rancid legacy won’t be for just destroying things overseas.

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— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@mrsbettybowers.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 8:50 PM

Testing, testing, testing..... --

Welcome to America, where the entire world knows our president has had at least three dementia tests that he can remember
— John Fugelsang (@johnfugelsang.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 8:18 PM

A MAGAt Oligarch's Venezuela Payday

The corrupt Malignant Fascist's grab for Venezuela's massive oil deposits, which he pledged to extract for the benefit of U.S. oil companies, is a particular gift to one of his major donors, investor oligarch and supporter of right-wing Israel's policies Paul Singer. From Judd Legum at Popular Information:

"The extraordinary attack, which legal experts said violated U.S. and international law, created a financial windfall for a prominent Trump-supporting billionaire, investor Paul Singer. [snip]
Since Trump was first elected in 2016, Singer has met personally with Trump at least four times. 'Paul just left and he’s given us his total support,' Trump declared after meeting with Singer at the White House in February 2017. 'I want to thank Paul Singer for being here and for coming up to the office. He was a very strong opponent, and now he’s a very strong ally.' In 2016, Singer initially supported Marco Rubio, who is now Trump’s Secretary of State.
In November 2025, Singer acquired Citgo, the U.S.-based subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-run oil company. Singer, through his private investment firm, Elliott Investment Management, bought Citgo for $5.9 billion. The sale to Amber Energy, a subsidiary of Elliott Investment Management, was forced by creditors of Venezuela after the country defaulted on its bond payments.
Citgo owns three major refineries on the Gulf Coast, 43 oil terminals, and a network of over 4,000 independently owned gas stations. By all accounts, Singer acquired these assets at a major discount. Advisors to the court that oversaw the sale valued Citgo at $13 billion, while Venezuelan officials said the assets were worth as much as $18 billion." (our emphasis)

As we watch the likes of Singer looking to profit off of the appropriation of Venezuelan oil reserves, Putin-aligned Trump buddy Steve Witkoff trying to cut business deals with Russian thug Putin at Ukraine's expense, South Afrikaner fascist Elon Musk sucking resources from the Government and more, we're witnessing a smash and grab Government run for and by oligarchs with no regard for the consequences to the lives and wellbeing of the rest of us.

(photo: David A. Grogan / CNBC)

QOTD: "A Gangster For Capitalism"

From the always readable Heather Digby Parton, writing today in Salon.com. Please read the entire article:

"Since 1898, the United States has attempted to overthrow governments in Latin America at least 41 times. The legendary Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler participated in several of those operations, and he grew increasingly disillusioned by how American troops were being sacrificed for imperialism and the interests of big money and the corporatocracy — a ruling class that rarely, if ever, sacrificed its own children.
In his famous 1935 book 'War is a Racket,' Butler described his career without illusion or self-deception: 'I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.'
Trump’s military misadventure in Venezuela fits squarely within that tradition. While he brags, it is others who have to carry out his orders and, far too often, make the ultimate sacrifice.
Despite his certainty, the outcome of Trump’s gambit in Venezuela — and potentially beyond — is very much in doubt. Swagger often dissolves when it encounters reality. The question then becomes, will Trump pivot, or will he instead let himself continue to be possessed and flattered by his own version of MAGA machismo on the international stage?" (our emphasis)

We're betting that the depraved Malignant Fascist (a.k.a. Cadet Bone Spurs) will continue in his narcissistic bubble, strutting and bullying other nations as the gangster goon he's always been, destroying what remains of the international good will and support we once had.

January 6, 2021

We can't let the monsters who tried to overthrow a free and fair election five years ago today, January 6, 2021, be allowed to erase that infamous day from our history and our memories. It's more important than ever, now that those monsters are back in power doing everything they can to undo our democracy.

Please feel free to share.

BONUS: The violent dimbulbs who believed the Malignant Fascist's conspiracies about the election and the "deep state" still have found no peace.

BONUS II: The fascists at the White House are going all- in on historical revision.

BONUS III: This --

The American people electing Trump after he staged a coup attempt 5 years ago was a nail in the coffin of our democracy. You can rationalize it all you want - But inflation! But wokeness! - but ultimately it was a societal suicide attempt and probably the dumbest collective voting decision ever made
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) January 6, 2026 at 9:51 AM

Monday, January 5, 2026

QOTD: Walz Steps Aside

“... In September, I announced that I would run for a historic third term as Minnesota’s Governor. And I have every confidence that, if I gave it my all, I would succeed in that effort.

“But as I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all. Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences.

“So I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work.

“I know this news may come as a surprise. But I’m passing on the race with zero sadness and zero regret. After all, I didn’t run for this job so I could have this job. I ran for this job so I could do this job. Minnesota faces an enormous challenge this year. And I refuse to spend even one minute of 2026 doing anything other than rising to meet the moment. Minnesota has to come first – always.

“That’s what I believe servant leadership demands of me. And as an optimist, I will hold out some hope that my friends on the other side of the aisle will consider what servant leadership demands of them in this moment. We can work together to combat the criminals, rebuild the public’s trust, and make our state stronger. But make no mistake: If Republicans continue down this path of abusing power, smearing entire communities, and running their own fraudulent game at the expense of Minnesotans – we will fight back every step of the way..." -- excerpt of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's statement today, announcing that he's discontinuing his race for a third term as Governor. He was one of our favorite Democrats in the 2024 election cycle. We're sorry to see him go and wish him and his family all the best in the future.

The Nobel Prize And The Venezuelan Clusterf*ck

You may have seen this somewhat surprising comment from the Malignant Fascist on the opposition leader in Venezuela recently:

President Donald Trump said the leader of the Venezuelan opposition doesn't have the "respect" of the country to govern following the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The U.S. led a series of strikes in the South American country early Saturday, eventually capturing Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and taking them to the U.S. to face narco-terrorism charges.
Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado celebrated the operation and capture in a statement, calling it the "hour of freedom."...

A Venezuelan source offers an explainer for the MF's uncharitable comment:

One Venezuelan opposition leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions, said Trump’s remarks were difficult for many in the opposition movement to hear, but “in every transition, you have to swallow some bitter pills.”
This person said the next 48 hours could help clarify whether Rodríguez could usher in a “soft transition” by replacing hard-line ministers or rather continue Maduro’s government with “gringo guardianship.”
Two people close to the White House said the president’s lack of interest in boosting Machado, despite her recent efforts to flatter Trump, stemmed from her decision to accept the Nobel Peace Prize, an award the president has openly coveted.
Although Machado ultimately said she was dedicating the award to Trump, her acceptance of the prize was an “ultimate sin,” said one of the people.
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” this person said. (our emphasis)

Machado has now found out that, with the Malignant Fascist, even a demeaning tonguebath was not enough.

If anyone buys that this narcissistic moron and his clown car of clumsy fascists will make things all work out in Venezuela (and elsewhere else!), they likely also bought into Trump's crypto and Trump's meme coin and couldn't find Iraq and Afghanistan on a map.

(Image: asskisser Machado and asskissee Trump / AFP)

Skeets Of The Day

The Epstein-Trump files coverup / priorities & connections --

Trump is simultaneously protecting his friends in the Epstein files and enriching his friends by invading Venezuela. The two highest priorities of the current administration.
— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 8:35 AM

Trump is trying to distract us from the Epstein files by launching a military invasion from the same golf resort that trafficked children to Epstein.

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— JoJoFromJerz (@jojofromjerz.bsky.social) January 4, 2026 at 10:12 AM

The attack on Venezuela, cont. --

"A country that is ruled by someone who can do anything is not a constitutional democracy under the rule of law. That is why the invasion of Venezuela is so chilling: It is another big step away from being a nation governed under a Constitution based on checks and balances."

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— The Contrarian (@contrariannews.org) January 5, 2026 at 10:26 AM

Venezuela raid enriches MAGA billionaire The ouster of Maduro is a financial windfall for a prominent Trump-supporting billionaire, investor Paul Singer. popular.info/p/venezuela-...

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— robertmcmillan.bsky.social (@robertmcmillan.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 10:35 AM

When Season 1 began with a ketamine freak breaking into government computers I had no idea that Season 2 would be about kidnapping a dictator in Venezuela

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— The Borowitz Report (@borowitzreport.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 10:26 AM

Spot the difference: Iraq vs. Venezuela

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— The Daily Show (@thedailyshow.com) January 5, 2026 at 10:59 AM

Real "America First" --

As of this week, millions of Americans are now paying thousands more for health insurance. If the President and Congressional GOP think Washington has the capacity to "run" Venezuela right now, why won't they fix the insurance cost crisis they've created here at home?
— Pete Buttigieg (@petebuttigieg.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 9:24 AM

The New York Effing Times' normalization of illegal imperialism --

The Overton window is not just an academicky trope. Moving it has consequences. What the #BrokenTimes should position as threats of illegal imperialism it instead normalizes as "hints." After Venezuela, Trump Offers Hints About What Could Be Next www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/u...

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— Jeff (Gutenberg Parenthesis) Jarvis (@jeffjarvis.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 10:40 AM

DUI hire / war criminal Hegseth goes after American hero --

hegseth announcing this after carrying out a historically illegal military operation is enough to make you lose your mind

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— Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 11:08 AM

An administration that pardons insurrectionists and tells members of Congress that it's unacceptable to say soldiers can refuse to obey illegal orders

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— Thor Benson (@thorbenson.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 10:38 AM

Four generations of my family have served our country. Service is in my blood. The President wouldn’t know anything about that.

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— Captain Mark Kelly (@captmarkkelly.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 1:24 PM

Cap'n Cankles makes the collar --

Nicolás Maduro Charged With Felony Oil Possession

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— The Onion (@theonion.com) January 5, 2026 at 2:00 PM

Erasing The History Of January 6

On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Trump-led mob attack on the Capitol, the plaque honoring the sacrifices of the police officers who defended the Capitol during the Trump-led violent insurrection on January 6, 2021, has been removed. From the Associated Press:

"Approaching the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, the official plaque honoring the police who defended democracy that day is nowhere to be found.
It’s not on display at the Capitol, as is required by law. Its whereabouts aren’t publicly known, though it’s believed to be in storage.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has yet to formally unveil the plaque. And the Trump administration’s Department of Justice is seeking to dismiss a police officers’ lawsuit asking that it be displayed as intended. The Architect of the Capitol, which was responsible for obtaining and displaying the plaque, said in light of the federal litigation, it cannot comment.
Determined to preserve the nation’s history, some 100 members of Congress, mostly Democrats, have taken it upon themselves to memorialize the moment. For months, they’ve mounted poster board-style replicas of the Jan. 6 plaque outside their office doors, resulting in a Capitol complex awash with makeshift remembrances.
'On behalf of a grateful Congress, this plaque honors the extraordinary individuals who bravely protected and defended this symbol of democracy on Jan. 6, 2021,' reads the faux bronze stand-in for the real thing. 'Their heroism will never be forgotten.'" (our emphasis)

It's no wonder that the MAGA cult and its leader want any evidence of their everlasting shame to be erased, especially from the crime scene itself. The fact that more than 140 Capitol and Metropolitan Washington police were injured, many severely, with two dying in the aftermath, can't be erased from our civic memory. The vile, anti-American actions of the Malignant Fascist and his cult that day in an attempt to unlawfully overturn the 2020 election results is part of the historical record. The MF pardoned his cultist lawbreakers within hours of taking office last year, demonstrating his effort to erase the shame of that day and reward his most loyal mob members.

Tomorrow's fifth year anniversary should be discussed on every broadcast and front page, but sadly the corporate media has shown their fear of the monstrous autocrat in the Oval Office. For the rest of us, remember that day, and vow deferred justice for the police and the criminals involved.

(photo: Mia McCarthy / Politico)

Today's Tomorrow Cartoon

(click to enlarge)

A look ahead for 2026 produces some horrors from the depraved cult and its master, the demented Malignant Fascist. From Bobby Brainworm's attack on modern medicine, to "Leon" Musk's designs on the human brain, to the fascist regime's designs on other nations' natural resources, it's not farfetched as we would have thought a year ago. Oh, and keep those Big Macs coming for the MF; looking fit and trim, sir!

Please consider supporting Tom's work by going here.

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

The good:

President Donald Trump announced at a press conference on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 that the United States government had successfully captured Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, and would try him domestically for crime related to narco-terrorism against the U.S. Trump also announced that America is “going to run the country, essentially, until such time that we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition” to a new regime. Trump said members of his administration would be working with Venezuela’s new leadership to expand U.S. oil production in the country.
The president quickly ran into a few problems:
Venezuela’s new leader, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, called the U.S. an illegal invader and said she was not working with the Trump administration. She called Maduro the rightful leader and demanded he be released.
Invading a foreign country and kidnapping its president amounts to an act of war, which the president, per the Constitution, needs congressional approval for, but which he did not seek. Political pressure mounted against the president quickly on Saturday. (And presumably, invading Venezuela makes the government less likely to want to work with you on other reforms.)
By a 4:1 ratio, polls show the American people oppose the use of military force for regime change in Venezuela — including the strike that led to Maduro’s capture over the weekend.
Numbers one and two above will be both legal and political problems for Trump going forward. [snip]
Based on the public polling data, it’s clear that Trump’s invasion of, and intent to manage a petro-corporatocracy in, Venezuela is yet another example of him prioritizing the interests of his friends and a narrow coalition of voters over the majority of Americans. Most Americans, by a 25-50 point margin (depending on question wording), oppose war with Venezuela... (our emphasis)

The only good news about the events of the last 72 hours is that Americans aren't buying what the increasing desperate and unhinged Malignant Fascist and his toadies are selling. And when they hear this 👇, even more alarm bells start ringing.

The bad:

Denmark's prime minister has told Donald Trump to "stop the threats" about taking over Greenland.
Mette Frederiksen said "it makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland", adding: "The US has no right to annex any of the three nations in the Danish kingdom".
Her remarks come after Katie Miller - the wife of one of Trump's aides, Stephen Miller - tweeted a map of Greenland in the colours of the American flag alongside the word "SOON".
Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of Greenland becoming an annexed part of the US, citing its strategic location and mineral wealth.
In her statement, posted on the Danish government website, Frederiksen said she was addressing the US "very directly".
She said Denmark - "and thus Greenland" - was a Nato member and covered by the alliance's security guarantee. Denmark already had a defence agreement with the US that gave it access to Greenland, she said, and Denmark had upped its investment in security in the Arctic region.
"I would therefore strongly urge the United States to stop the threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people who have very clearly said that they are not for sale," she said.
Earlier the Danish ambassador to the US responded to the post by Ms Miller - a right-wing podcaster and former aide to Trump during his first term - with a "friendly reminder" that the two countries were allies and saying Denmark expected respect for its territorial integrity...

This is straight out of Putin's playbook into the Malignant Fascist's ear. Get his asset (or in this case, Peewee Goebbels' wife) to threaten a fellow NATO member, proving America to be not only an unreliable ally, but a dangerously unpredictable, imperialistic one. Venezuela, Nigeria, Iran, Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Denmark/Greenland -- all have received threats and/or been attacked in recent weeks by the MF and his regime. It's "gunboat diplomacy" without the diplomacy. It's not "America First," it's "America Worst."

The ugly:

The children of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman are asking President Trump to remove a video he reposted on social media Saturday alleging Gov. Tim Walz is behind their mother's assassination.
Walz responded to the president's Truth Social post, saying it is "dangerous, depraved behavior from the sitting president of the United States."
"In covering for an actual serial killer, he is going to get more innocent people killed. America is better than this," Walz said.
Hortman was shot and killed alongside her husband, Mark, and their dog, Gilbert, on June 14, 2025, inside the family's Brooklyn Park home. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot and wounded in their Champlin home 90 minutes earlier.
Vance Boelter, 58, faces federal charges for the shootings, including two counts of murder. He allegedly dressed as a police officer and managed to evade arrest for nearly 40 hours. According to prosecutors, Boelter had a hit list of lawmakers and other public officials, including staffers at Planned Parenthood. He pleaded not guilty in August.

Mr. Trump first reshared the video that states Boelter made the claim Walz ordered him to kill Hortman in a letter authorities say they found in his vehicle. Then-acting U.S. attorney Joe Thompson called the letter a "delusion" that seemed "designed to conceal his crimes."
The Hortmans' children, Sophie and Colin, on Sunday afternoon asked Mr. Trump to remove the post, saying it promotes a "false narrative."
"The video being shared by the president is another hurdle our family must overcome in grieving the loss of my parents, Mark and Melissa, and their beloved Gilbert," Sophie Hortman said. "I ask President Trump to please consider the pain and sadness we have faced, and to honor the spirit of the holidays we have just spent without our parents by taking down the post on Truth Social."
Colin Hortman also debunked one of the claims made in the video shared by Mr. Trump regarding a vote his mother made shortly before her death to remove undocumented immigrant adults from the state's health care coverage program. Hortman was the sole Democrat to vote for it in the tied House chamber, clearing the way for its passage.

"When I called her after the legislative session ended, I asked why she voted for the bill mentioned in the video shared by President Trump, and she wept. That bill and her vote had nothing to do with fraud. She voted for that bill because it was the only way to avoid a government shutdown," Colin Hortman said. "She had never really voted against her conscience like that. It was emotional and extremely difficult."...

This is despicable even for someone known for being a sociopath without a heart or a conscience. The MF is grasping at every straw to distract from the Epstein-Trump files coverup, which he must understand to be so damaging to him that he's willing to start fires here and across the globe to get a smokescreen going. (The deranged MF was up in the middle of the night posting almost 100 messages on his failing social media platform in an hour. He must feel the walls closing in on him, making him more dangerous than ever.) Sadly, however, Gov. Walz has dropped out of his re-election race, because who could blame him?

____________________

We're reminded of historian and political scientist Robert O. Paxton's definition of fascism:
“Fascism may be defined as a form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy, and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion.”

If there's any space between that definition and what we've seen unfold in America in the past year, we can't see it.

Sunday, January 4, 2026

Across The Universe, Cont. -- Vista Of Stellar Birth

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From NASA/ ESA, December 29, 2025: Today’s ESA/Hubble Picture of the Week highlights another view of a distant stellar birthplace. Captured in a parallel field to a recently released image, this scene reveals a neighbouring region of the N159 star-forming complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud, approximately 160 000 light-years away.

Thick clouds of cold hydrogen gas dominate the scene, forming a complex network of ridges, cavities, and glowing filaments. Embedded within these dense clouds, newly formed stars begin to shine, their intense radiation causing the surrounding hydrogen to glow in deep red tones.

The brightest regions mark the presence of hot, massive young stars whose powerful stellar winds and energetic light reshape their environment. These forces carve out bubble-like structures and hollowed cavities in the gas, clear signatures of stellar feedback in action. Dark clouds in the foreground are lit from behind by new stars. Together, the glowing clouds and sculpted bubbles reveal a dynamic interplay between star formation and the material from which stars are born, capturing the ongoing cycle of creation and transformation within this neighbouring galactic system.

N159 is one of the most massive star-forming clouds in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that is the largest of the small galaxies that orbit the Milky Way. This image shows just a portion of this expansive star-forming complex, as the entire complex stretches over 150 light-years across.

[Image description: A field filled with stars and covered by clouds of gas and dust. In the centre, a thick column of dark black dust blocks light from stars that light it up from behind. More clouds behind those stars are illuminated in pale colours. Complex, layered filaments of red dust lie to the left and right. Blue, white and gold stars in various sizes can be seen around, within and through the colourful layers of dust.]

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Indebetouw