Another song by way of social media. Social media isn't too bad if you can avoid the insanity. It can be hard to avoid most days.
This song is "We Rock" by Dio. It is the title song to his compilation video album. It was part of the 1984 version of this album. If I'm reading things correctly (and I'm not sure about that) a shorter version of the album was released in 1983.
HeyJackass! has the stats for the weekend in Chicago. Wrong Place, Wrong Time Weekend
The July 4th weekend in Chicago was surprisingly peaceful. Well, it was peaceful by Chicago standards, though Mother Nature did lend a hand. There is less crime in Chicago during the winter cold, and during thunderstorms.
With the July 4th weekend behind us, we now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
So are these numbers good, or bad?
Final Demonized Tally: 4 killed, 19 wounded
2025 weekend tally: 4 killed, 25 wounded
2024 weekend tally: 11 killed, 29 wounded
It used to be a wonderful city.
Why do you restrict rights from legal adults? Kentucky law allows 18- to 20-year-olds to carry concealed weapons starting Tuesday
A new Kentucky law takes effect Tuesday allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to apply for a provisional concealed carry license for the first time.
House Bill 312 expands concealed carry permits to that age group, but with restrictions. The provisional license is valid only in Kentucky and expires when the holder turns 21. Applicants must also complete required training before receiving the permit.
Click thru for details.
They got approval for a massive number of H-1B visa workers, and laid off Americans. Microsoft approves thousands of H-1B visas while Xbox cuts 1,600 jobs | Fox News
They were approved to hire 2200 H-1B visa workers. And then they did this.
A popular U.S.-based gaming brand owned by Microsoft is facing fury after mass employee layoffs occurred in the wake of the company being approved for thousands of foreign worker visas.
Click thru for the details. (Hat tip to Sarah Hoyt at Instapundit).
The following quote/meme/whatever has been running through my head since I started reading/watching Christopher Nolan's replies/reactions to his trailer going down in flames. "Just consume product, and then get excited for next product."
Director Christopher Nolan isn't used to being on the receiving end of backlash over one of his projects. At least not before the project is released. He has made some bad movies. Not very many people like 2012's The Dark Knight Rises. Some people like Inception, and others don't. But they were all, mostly, highly anticipated before release. Not this time.
Race swaps. Updating for the mythical modern audience. And all the rest. That much is clear from the trailers. And I am almost as sick of Zendaya as I am of Pedro Pascal. (I said almost.)
As I type this, the last trailer for The Odyssey, which was released on the first of July, has 79,000 likes, and 746,000 dislikes. The dislikes are not an exact number, even if I could see more than 3 significant digits, because YouTube removed the exact count to protect people like Nolan. But the internet usually finds a way, and the count returned if you add an extension to your browser.
That ratio, is the reason that Nolan had to speak up, and attempt some damage control. He didn't go about it correctly.
This video is from Andre at Midnight's Edge. Chis Nolan just made ‘The Odyssey’ Backlash Even Worse by Dismissing It
Nolan is tarnishing one of the foundational works of the entirety of Western civilization.
The video is about 14 minutes long.
China apparently has quite a few dams that were built during the 1950s, that are not up to modern standards. Watch: Typhoon Maysak breaks dam wall in China, kills 2 and forces thousands to evacuate
Tropical Storm Maysak, initially brought days of extreme rainfall across the country's southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region. But now, the typhoon has triggered a massive flood that claimed two lives, affecting about 55,000 people in Nanning and forcing around 48,000 of the city's residents to evacuate
The dam was breached on 6 July.
Maysak has triggered multiple reservoir emergencies, increased river levels above warning levels and flooded several villages across Guangxi.
Some info on the dam. Liulan Reservoir: A medium-sized reservoir located in Hengzhou City, Nanning.
The construction of the Liulan Reservoir hub project began in August 1958 and was largely completed by 1960. A hydropower station was added at the dam's toe in 1974. In August 2024, the Nanning Municipal Government Service Bureau issued an approval regarding the implementation plan for the standardized management creation of Liulan Reservoir in Hengzhou City . In 2025, the Liulan Reservoir Irrigation District Continuation and Modernization Renovation Project was also accelerating its progress, with a total estimated investment of 382.53 million yuan for the project.
Translation: They realized that the dam need improvements, and began work. That work was scheduled to be complete in 2027, but they didn't make it.
I can't find the reference now, but I read somewhere that China has a large number of infrastructure projects done in the early days of communist regieme, that were not really engineered. That process continued for a long time. They are now dealing with infrastructure, in some parts of the country, that are not what we would consider safe.
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region is in the south of China, with a coast on the Beibu Gulf (off the South China Sea). It shares a border with Vietnam
NOW: A devastating situation is unfolding as Liulan Reservoir collapses following heavy rainfall from Typhoon Maysak in Hengzhou, Nanning, Guangxi, China. pic.twitter.com/vyuQn5nuyl
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) July 6, 2026
Quite a day in Chicago History. Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park - Chicago History Museum
OK, so the story is from a couple of years ago.
July 2024 marks 45 years since the infamous “Disco Demolition Night” promotional event at a July 12, 1979, Chicago White Sox twilight doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers that erupted into chaos. To encourage attendance, the White Sox hosted WLUP 97.9 rock DJ Steve Dahl, who was known for mocking disco and had been fired from a previous radio job when the station switched from rock to disco. They asked fans to bring a disco record to the ballpark in exchange for 98-cent admission, and those LPs were to be gathered and then blown up in a controlled explosion between games.
It was a great success and a great failure.
The stadium was full of people who didn't care about baseball. When Dahl blew up the records it damaged the field. The WLUP fans invaded the field. The White Sox ended up forfeiting the 2nd game of double header.
Disco, which was already declining in popularity by 1979, went on to influence house music, EDM, Europop, new wave, dance-punk, and hip-hop and has seen revivals in the 21st century.
Hat tip to EBL: Disco Inferno. Click thru for a musical interlude, and a brief video of the night in question.
Justice seems to move slowly in the UK. Evil brothers jailed for killing civil servant in 1984 'for fun' - Yorkshire Live
The court heard how Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, were just 15 and 18 when they indulged on a spree of violent robberies, targeting gay men.
No guns or knives required, only blunt instruments. I suppose the UK will move to outlaw blunt instruments, including rocks, pipes, and bats.
On May 1, 1984, their attacks took an even darker turn when they set upon Anthony Littler, who they bludgeoned to death as he walked home in East Finchley, north London.
Click thru for details, including how they were brought to justice.
Libs of TikTok has the story. Fort Worth Police EXPOSED for Violating 1st Amendment
Americans should be able to trust that Law enforcement agencies will uphold the Constitution.
Three cops are featured in the post. They threatened to ticket and/or arrest preachers for preaching at an event on public property. The threats are clearly against the 1st Amendment.
[Fort Worth PD] then announced that they will provide “refresher training” to their officers on First Amendment protections.
As soon as they did that, they blocked Libs Of TikTok on social media.
Click thru for the details.
This is the StacheD Training video EV Fire in Service Bay: Speedway Ford
Nobody grabbed an extinguisher. I did not see any evidence that anyone tried. And while that might sound counterintuitive, that's exactly what you want to do when you see it's an EV incident.
Once a lithium ion battery is in thermal runaway, you're not putting it out with a handheld extinguisher. And trying to put it out, it's just going to get you injured.
The video is less than 5 minutes, and has some decent coverage of the fire and the aftermath. Plus the StacheD Training commentary.
Wombat-socho starts us off with In The Mailbox: 07.08.26 (Afternoon Edition)
Dana Loesch: Kirk Preliminary Hearing – Day 2
Don Surber: Springtime for Platner ends
EBL - Senator Mitch McConnell's Death Will Not Prevent Him From Finishing His Term
EBL: SCHRÖDINGER’S SENATOR : What is going on with Mitch McConnell? 🤕🙀🤔🤨
AoSHQ: Morning Report 07.09.26
The Right Way - Top of the News
Chinese National Madam Indicted For Running Brothels Out Of Boston Apartments - IOTW Report
Things heat up with Iran - The New Neo
Pixy Misa at Ambient Irony - Daily News Stuff 10 July 2026: Slop Story Edition
OpenAI's Atlas browser on the other hand is not. (Tech Crunch)
Launched in October, the candle that burned half as bright was promptly cancelled.
Political Hat - Quick Takes – Curing Dementia via Death: Bioethicist Approved; New Jersey Approved; Netherlands Just Fine With Killing All the Mentally Ill
Slow starvation is now acceptable medical treatment according to purported “bioethicists”.
New Jersey loves them some “bioethicist” approved slow-motion killin’.
Again from Wombat-socho - In The Mailbox: 07.08.26 (Evening Edition)
Da Tech Guy: Five Fifth of July Thoughts Under the Fedora
Dana Loesch: Politics Break – The Big Bear Bald Eagle Cam, Kirk Preliminary Hearing – Day 3, and Graham Platner is Out
A View from the Beach - Flotsam and Jetsam - Platner Bails Out - Iran War Back On
Maine Democrat Party: How Dare Platner Try to Force Himself on Our Candidate Selection Process! – HotAir
Too Middle School to Check: Team Totenkopf's 'Do You Like Me' Survey
Small Dead Animals - Wednesday On Turtle Island
The Democratic Party’s America: Victor Davis Hanson – Rant to America. A twisted view. Socialism.
Carnival Carney’s Canada: A warehouse flood. Trade your car in for a bike.
Wombat-socho again - In The Mailbox: 07.09.26
Racket News: Graham Platner & The Politics of Accusation
Shark Tank: Poll Shows Jay Collins Gaining On Byron Donalds
5. The swapping out of Rule of Law for Sharia appears to be moving from the Commonwealth to the USA now
On that subject, read RAIR Foundation.
Gates of Vienna - News Feed 7/9/2026
Chicago Lands Crown as Bedbug Capital of the US: Report
Chicago topped the dubious list of US cities with the most bedbug infestations per capita
The Glibertarians - Wednesday Afternoon Sugarlinks – insanity, corruption and decay
Who Could Replace Graham Platner?
Democrats’ brief experiment in letting their hair down and nominating a Senate candidate who makes them feel edgy has all but concluded.
Once again from Wombat-socho - In The Mailbox: 07.10.26
Don Surber: Globalists pit NATO against Trump
Flopping Aces: The Media Crowned Fauci The Pandemic Pope – Then Tulsi Dropped The Files & The Choir Fled The Church
Maggie's Farm - Wednesday morning links
The Women Who Help People Die
The government is pulling student loan money from worthless college degree programs — and it’s about time
J.J. Sefton at Ace of Spades HQ - The Morning Report — 7/ 8 /26
While his wife ditched the celebration to attend an Islamic retreat in Spain.
Mamdani Touted Open Migration for America’s 250th
Doug Ross - Larwyn’s Linx: Platner may wake voters up
• Never left enough - Tom Knighton
• Trump’s Immigration Enforcement Really Is Slashing Violent Crime - John R. Lott Jr.
Anonymous Conservative - News Briefs – 07/10/2026
Over at American Stasi, “Brazilian Parents Sentenced To Prison For Protecting Their Children From Domestic Intelligence.”
Very disturbing rundown of the Peter Stokes hacking case
I leave you with Midweek Memes from Granite Grok, Wednesday Memes … from MaddMedic, Quick Hits Of Wisdom, Knowledge And Snark #3902 from 90 Miles from Tyranny, Midweek Memes from Granite Grok, and Friday's gifs from Wirecutter.
He jumped out of an unmarked car, pulled out a gun, and started chasing a guy down the street. Shooter freed because deputy said ‘police’ only after he was shot
This incident took place in April of last year, but the investigation has been dragging on, and the police have been not releasing the video because of the ongoing investigation. They finally closed the case, because the video apparently shows the officer being an idiot.
The cop was shot by the brother of the guy he was chasing.
The suspect had run out of frame. Also out of view was the suspect’s brother, Ivan Watson, who was a passenger in a car nearby.
So if you saw an armed man chasing your brother, what would you do? No cop car lights and sirens, no uniform, no badge, no screaming, "I'm a cop." What would you do?
The shreriff said, "We're gonna get this young man." Since then his department has refused to release the video
Oh, yeah, there is video. Video the cops didn't want released to the public.
Lafond [the officer] denied firing his weapon in a written statement obtained from the sheriff’s office by Atlanta News First Investigates. APD investigators determined otherwise.
A dozen .40-caliber shell casings were found close to the spot where Watson told investigators he had fired his Glock Model 26 handgun. A single 9-millimeter shell casing was found on the sidewalk next to Lafond’s car.
“Video evidence shows Sheriff Officer Evans [SIC] Lafond not identifying himself as a police officer to Mr. Watson before firing his weapon,” investigators concluded when closing he case in May of last year.
The video was obtained not through Freedom of Information Act request, but because it was released by a source at the sheriff's department. It is worth repeating; it was not officially released.
So he didn't identify himself, he openned fire, and got shot. Then he identified himself. Then he wrote a report saying he did not discharge his firearm.
Is this cops acting badly, or cops acting stupidly? He didn't ID himself. The Sheriff said he was going to "get this guy" before considering the evidence, and they didn't want the public to see the actual video. The officer in question submitted a statement/report that didn't match the video.
If he had been shot in the head, instead of the leg, would it make a difference? Considering that he was unlucky enough to get hit - the guy fired a dozen times and only hit him once - I think he's lucky he didn't get shot in the head or the heart.
In the end, they decided that the guy who shot the non-identifying cop, was acting in defense of his brother and went away.
Politicians in Blue Cities must love crime and criminals. With Chicago’s Streets Awash with Crime, Brandon Johnson Launches Meaningless Gun Violence Office
Instead of dealing with his blood-soaked streets, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is pretending he's "doing something" by launching another do-nothing, bureaucratic office, this one called the "Office of Gun Violence Reduction," staffed with cronies making big salaries.
Stopping crime is not rocket science. It means doing things the Democrats do not want to do in the big cities.
Johnson appointed Emmanuel Andre to head the new venture. Andre is the city's $184,000 a year Deputy Mayor for Community Safety who was appointed to the office in April after Johnson fired the former deputy mayor, Garien Gatewood.
Along with Andre's big salary, this new office will have an even greater budget of a whopping $100 million annually. That sure seems like money that could be invested in Chicago's neighborhoods to improve people's lives, instead of being put into yet another pointless government office.
Click thru for more details.
Another song by way of the Tidal streaming service.
Dead Poets Society is a Rock band out of Boston. The Warning is a band consisting of 3 sisters from Mexico. The collaboration is interesting. It might have a bit too much energy for this early in the morning, but it strikes me more as Rock, and not Metal.
This is "HURT" by Dead Poet Society featuring extra vocals from The Warning. It was released as a single in 2024. It was also included in the 2024 album Fission
Take It Outside by Alice Jones Webb is first with Basecamp Dispatch: Heat Dome and Fairy Wings
It feels like an insult that the weather people decide to clarify just how hot it is with the heat index. It’s not like the thermometers weren’t doing a fine job all by themselves.
William Teach at Pirate's Cove - Will The Odyssey Bomb Or Make Money?
Race swapped Helen and her sister were totally unnecessary, as they are barely mentions in The Odyssey (TO). No one cared about Vanessa Williams playing Calypso in the TV miniseries, because she could act and was hot. What role does Ellen Page play? They’ve left it hanging about being Achilles, who is also a minor character.
The Post Millennial - Never-before-seen footage shown during day 2 of preliminary hearing reveals Tyler Robinson’s movements through UVU campus, DNA links him to crime scene
The defense sought to block the video from being published, saying that they believe it would play a "big role in the trial," and the publication of it in the courtroom "would seriously impact our ability to get a fair trial."
Pixy Misa at Ambient Irony - Daily News Stuff 7 July 2026: Old Lamps For Old Edition
Microsoft has laid off nearly 5000 people, including 1600 from its Xbox division. (Tech Crunch)
On the other hand, that's only 2.1% of the company's staff.
Also given how dire the Xbox situation is, even if they don't all deserve this they had to have known it was coming.
The Price of Liberty - Local governments, even in Wyoming, are evil
It is not individual tyrants that we are fighting against. Not all jack-booted thugs, either. It is a system, and a mindset, the result of “this is the way it is,” and sometimes “I can do better in life if I go along.”
Miguel Gonzalez - The Crap Show up in Maine
I have been ignoring the issues with the Totenkopf Titty Dude because frankly it has been boring and predictable that Democrats would go for the Sexual Perv Nazi dude because he is a Democrat.
Again from William Teach - NICE Shoots, Kills Illegal Trying To Run Them Over In Houston
You know how you don’t get shot by law enforcement? Cooperate. Don’t run. Don’t weaponize your vehicle. Also, don’t be in the US illegally
Meep at STUMP - 2025 U.S. Top Causes of Death by Age Group, Preliminary
As with previous years, I have to wait until July for the external causes of death to become uncensored through the end of the prior year. To keep things simple for this post, I want to focus solely on death counts, not rates.
Impro Guns - DIY Box Tube MAC-11 (Brazil seizure). Click thru for the photo
There are many of these being seized nowadays.
Robert Stacy McCain - The Politics of Unquestioned Assumptions
Oh, but “the movement he built … of working people united to take back power” from whom? Susan Collins — yes, the unspeakable evil of a 73-year-old lady who has usurped the power of Maine’s working people! Do these Democrats hear themselves?
Home Invaders are still getting shot. 1 hospitalized, 1 detained after shooting in west Houston apartment complex, HPD says
According to the Houston Police Department, officers responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex in the 11000 block of Harwin Drive at about 10 a.m. Investigators said that the resident reportedly shot a person who was breaking into the home.
A second person was detained.
No other information was released, but it is enough.
Hat tip to Houston Resident Shoots Suspected Intruder During Sunday Morning Break-In, Police Say - USA Carry
Self-defense is a human right.
Impro Guns has the news. Cheetah-9 SMG
Seized in Victoria Australia from an accused gun maker’s parent’s suburban home.
From Spread The Signal: The Cheetah-9 Hybrid SMG
The Cheetah-9 Hybrid SMG offers a unique telescoping open-bolt system, making it both a challenging and rewarding project for builders. Its design prioritizes functionality with a printed lower receiver compatible with standard 9mm Glock magazines.
The Impro Guns link at the top has the photo of the weapon seized.
Is it any surprise that anti-gun celebrities surround themselves with armed security? And I do mean surround.
This is Colion Noir's video Taylor Swift’s Wedding Shows Who Gun Control Really Applies To
So, Taylor Swift wants fewer guns in your hands. And she's about to get married inside one of the most heavily guarded buildings in America. Over a hundred cops, detectives, a literal fortress of guns, and her wedding just accidentally exposed something about New York that every gun owner in this country needs to see.
The video is about 6 minutes.
From Fox 59 in Indianapolis. IMPD: 4 teens arrested after robbery turns into self-defense shooting
One teenager was shot and his accomplices were arrested after the group of teens allegedly tried to rob a man at Garfield Park in April.
Their intended target was a concealed carry license holder.
So what were you doing when you were 16 or 17 years old?
Due to being juveniles, the names of the suspects are not being released.
Self-defense is a human right, and it appears to be your legal right in Indiana.
