President Bukele of El Salvador says he is responding militarily to the kidnapping of four of his citizens (aviation technicians supporting medical evacuation), with the US backing El Salvador. I don't like forever wars, but I love narrowly targeted operations to solve problems. Haitian gangs are a problem. Eliminating the threat posed by these horrible people may be the best thing to happen to Haiti in a very long time.

Reposting - accidentally deleted. Managing problem relatives is worth talking about: I have few fears and only one superstition. I almost never say my oldest brother’s name. My kids grew up knowing little more than that he existed and that they should call 911, then me, if he ever appeared. They didn’t get the rest until after another brother’s funeral three years ago. They wanted to go. I warned them it would be ugly. Over breakfast I told my daughter to leave her own kids at the hotel and to sit between me and my wife. My oldest asked how much of the caution was just old childhood friction. I said we’d talk after the service. My brother did not disappoint. He recited, from memory, their full names, phone numbers, jobs, addresses, and the appearance of the homes and children of every one of my kids, all in different states. He knew which hotel my daughter was in, no threats, just disquieting. Then his eulogy - soft, never a raised voice or a swear word, still frightening enough that the minister later handed back the honorarium and said he wanted nothing from that service remaining in his church. At lunch my kids asked why I hadn’t warned them with specifics and what he had been like as a child. I have no pleasant memories of him at all. I tried three of the least bad stories. The first began: “For my sixth birthday our parents gave me a kitten. I named her Snowball. She lasted a month.” They stopped me after a few sentences. My wife, who had already heard enough of the stories from my mother, kept naming examples and then catching herself: “Wait, no, not that one either.” My kids understand now why they never knew him or any details. They started referring to him as Uncle Hannibal. He is more than a mindless movie slasher. He is a sharp, experienced sadist who moved from direct harm to mostly getting other people to do bad things to themselves. I am done managing that problem sibling. I will no longer treat his name like a spell.

Stephen Hubbard is on his way home after being held in Russia for four years. Welcome home, Stephen!

NY Times is cheering for Ukraine to harm America and, more important to them, to harm Trump. These globalists prioritize corporate profits and Ukraine's interests over ours - in the hope of gaining political advantage. Trump is not running again. Why not accept irreversible facts on the ground, save lives, and settle for slightly lower war profits? [Link in comments.]

In 1903, a New York Times editorial “Flying Machines Which Do Not Fly” predicted 1–10 million years for men to build a flying machine. 69 days later, the Wright Brothers flew. 123 years later, Elon flew, Jetson's style. Would a sensible person ever trust the NY Times?

Five years ago today (October 21, 2021, the movie Rust), Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger on what he claims he thought was an unloaded revolver and fired a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter, case dismissed because prosecutors and police deliberately withheld evidence. The armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. As they warned in Team America, no one can out-act Alec Baldwin.

You go, Junior! Junior Caminero celebrated his first postseason HR more than most (okay, more than anyone else ever), but he's 23 and grew up in the influencer era. I'm okay with that. I wouldn't overdo it like he did, probably, but my baseball highlight was the time I got walked instead of striking out. I have no idea how this even feels.

A dog attacked and killed a 4 y/o boy in Louisa, VA, on Sunday. Armed Deputies stopped the continuing attack, and the boy was evacuated by helicopter, too late. I love dogs, and I never mentioned the breed, but everyone will guess: For a harmless bite, we guess chihuahua. For a sustained attack, we guess the pit bull family. And, yes, it was an American Bully. Is there anything we should do about this pattern?

I watched Supergirl (2026) as a captive audience for the airline movie - curiosity with no obvious alternative. Milly Alcock as Kara is as close as this comes to a reason anyone might watch it, if they want an unlikable female antihero. Add a thin plot (vulnerable orphan Ruthye seeking revenge and villain poisons Kara's dog) and an unearned ending where Kara goes from a drunk who doesn't care about anyone to a drunk who helps her new sidekick. I finished it hoping to find some gem of creativity to help me in writing my novel, but only found warnings to write well. I'm guessing that given a choice between this movie and a toenail fungus documentary, most men who watched Supergirl will tell you they made the wrong pick.

Modern Times Cafe (Minneapolis) is closing, surprising millions as socialist management fails. How did it happen that "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" fell short in the real world? Again.