APRIL 13, 2026

Artemis II returned safely to Earth last Friday, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off of the California coast. It was a marvel, as the astronauts flew further than any astronaut had ever flown before in space.

I enjoyed watching the liftoff, the pictures taken in space, and the return to Earth. It is truly an amazing achievement, something that no other country could ever pull off. Only American genius could accomplish this mission.

I remember the first American forays into space. I was fascinated then, and am no less fascinated today. It is mind boggling to think what heights our country has scaled in such a short time.

When my grandmother was born in the early 20th century, she grew up in a house without electricity. Man had yet to accomplish flight. Cars were rare, and roads were rarer. Women could not vote. There was no television, and radio was in a nascent stage. And just in her lifetime, America built a network of highways, refrigerators and gas and electric stoves were common, most households owned an automobile, women voted, jets–not prop planes–crisscrossed the country and the world, television and radio were ubiquitous, and man not only went into space, but landed on the moon. Several times.

Though she did not live to see it, it was not long after my grandmother died that cellular telephones came into common use, and desktop computers were widely available. Today, a single Apple iPhone that can fit into your shirt pocket has more computing power than was onboard the Apollo 11 rocket that went to the moon and back.

Perhaps we as a society have become complacent, even bored, unimpressed by the genius and accomplishments of our fellow man. We may have become so comfortable that we fail to appreciate our advancements, achievements, and just how momentous are these things. I hope not. I hope that parents still encourage their children to marvel at the events happening around them. And I hope that parents are interested and impressed too. We live in a marvelous age. Let us stop and appreciate the moment. Let us live in the moment. Let us not let life pass us by.

Iranian militias attacked U.S. diplomats in Baghdad, Iraq. Why are we negotiating with these people?

Predictably, the Iran/United States peace negotiations collapsed. Iran has no intention in living in peace. Iran never intended to live in peace. Bomb it back into the Stone Age.

“Israel is a curse for humanity.  I hope and pray people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land to get rid of European jews [sic] burn in hell.”

–Pakistan’s Foreign Minister. 

WHO in the Trump Administration thought it was a good idea to have Pakistan host these peace talks? WHO?

United States naval ships are traversing the Straits of Hormuz, clearing the waterway of Iranian mines. Iran is livid that its nonsensical claim of sovereignty over the Straits is being ignored.

China is preparing to send air defense systems to Iran. That would not be a smart move.

“If you make these kinds of, let’s go for the 25th Amendment, and then, you know, then we have, we have a ceasefire, then it’s like, TACO, TACO, TACO. I mean, you know, like, you can’t have it both ways.  I mean, so where we are, it’s like, strange to be gleeful that we still have to accomplish some things and make these kinds of statements.  I mean, you know, I’m old enough to remember we used to root for our military, and we would all agree that Iran is the world’s leading terrorism underwriter.”

–Senator John Fetterman (D. Pa.).

Did you ever think you would see the day when John Fetterman was the most normal and reasonable Democrat elected official?

House of Representatives Democrats are demanding that President Trump submit to a cognitive test by a physician of their choosing, and that the results be released to the public. It is not going to happen.

The Democrats dismissed any notion that China Joe was suffering from declining cognitive abilities. But President Trump? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Representative Eric Swalwell (D. Ca.) continues to be the subject of credible claims of sexual assault and harassment by his former staffers. In addition to the original accuser, 4 more women have come forward with detailed and verifiable complaints of sexual assault. Mr. Swalwell denies–weakly–the allegations. But now, Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D. Ca.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D. N.Y.) have called for him to drop out of the California Governor race. Notably, they are not demanding he resign from Congress.

It also turns out that Mr. Swalwell and his wife used campaign funds to pay his children’s nanny. Who is, it turns out, an illegal alien.

Is it not just amusing that Eric Swalwell, the biggest pusher of releasing the Epstein files because he is convinced that there is evidence that President Trump was an abuser of women, is he, himself, the subject of credible allegations for abusing women? Also, this is the man who declared now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh guilty of rape, before the 1st witness was even sworn. This is just too delicious. It could not happen to a nicer guy.

Representative Maria Salazar (R. Fl.) keeps insisting her DIGNIDAD Act isn’t amnesty; that it merely grants “dignity” to long-term illegal immigrants who play by the new rules she wrote.  HORSE HOCKEY!  Her bill is a backdoor path to citizenship for millions of people who broke our laws to get here.  Congress should kill it outright, and every Republican co-sponsor should pull their name off it and apologize to their constituents.

The United States Board of Immigration Appeals issued a final deportation order for anti-Semitic, Columbia University agitator Mahmoud Khalil. Good-bye!

Commiela said the “might” run for President in 2028. Oh, please. Please do!

Take that “Maryland Man”, illegal alien Kilmar Abrego-Garcia. He is an MS-13 gang member, a wife beater, human trafficker, and goodness knows what else. HE WOULD QUALIFY for a “path to citizenship” under Representative Salazar’s bill. Abrego-Garcia deserves no “dignity”. He deserves deportation to El Salvador.

“They’re going to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country July 4th, but that’s not our celebration.  We were slaves then, and they celebrate signing the Declaration of Independence 1776.  We were not even emancipated until 1863.  So I don’t know what everybody getting ready for a celebration [for].  You know that it seems crazy for me to have on the birthday hat at your birthday party.  That ain’t my party.”

–“Reverend” Al Sharpton, exhibiting his usual racist, demagogic, anti-American stupidity.

Governor Wes Moore (D. Md.) is in a snit because The Baltimore Sun is investigating discrepancies (i.e. lies) in his military record. Governor Moore maintains presidential ambitions, and the truth about his past could sink those ambitions. So Governor Moore is doing what Democrats do; he is attacking the messenger, rather than addressing the substance of the allegations. Governor Moore is accusing the Sun of being a “radical right-wing newspaper”, which is engaged in a “smear job”. Huh. The Baltimore Sun is a “radical right-wing newspaper”? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! If only! There is not a “radical right-wing newspaper” in Maryland. Heck, in Maryland “radical right-wing” Republicans could hold their meetings in a telephone booth (if only there were still telephone booths).

“While America suffers, Chevron profits.”

–Governor Gavin Newsom (D. Ca.), blasting the oil company for making profits while gasoline prices rise at the pump.

Uh, Governor.  Oil companies are supposed to profit.  If they do not, there will be no gasoline to buy at the pump.

There is rampant fraud in California, relating to its social services, for which it receives billions of dollars in federal funding. California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D.) held a press conference wherein he promised to prosecute the fraud, and laid blame for the fraud on . . . President Trump. Sigh. Of course. Orange Man Bad.

Fairfax County, Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano (D.) is a disgrace. He has yet to meet a criminal he did not want to release back into society. Case in point, is the illegal alien who repeatedly sexually assaulted female students in a local public high school. Mr. Descano undercharged the defendant, charging him with simple assault, as opposed to the more serious sexual assault, failed to bring charges applicable to the case, and failed to subpoena witnesses until 1 day before trial. In other words, the Commonwealth’s Attorney–Steve Descano–tanked the trial. He refused to do his job. He is knowingly, purposefully, protecting a criminal illegal alien.

The Fairfax County public school system has more “holidays” than any other public school system in Virginia. Though Fairfax County is overwhelmingly white, most of those holidays are devoted to minority, Third World celebrations. For example, the school system does not take off on Veterans’ Day, but does take off on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a non-existent celebration. Columbus Day is, of course, not recognized. Neither is Good Friday. But Orthodox Good Friday is recognized, as is Easter Monday, which is not an American, but a Canadian holiday. And various days are taken off during April, which is “Arab-American Month”. Because, “. . . diversity is not a weakness, but a strength, one that enriches American society, deepens our collective story, honors our differences, while affirming our unity.” Sigh.

New York City Comrade Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D.) publicly stated he would have the last word on all New York Police Department decisions — not Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Oh, my!

“When my son’s lips turned blue, my wife and I had to pause and ask ourselves: can we afford the ambulance?  No Kansas family should ever have that conversation.”

–Noah Taylor (D.), in a campaign ad for his Congressional race.

Is this guy for real?  Does he think that deliberating over summoning medical help for his son makes him an appealing candidate?  My goodness!

Leftists are at war with their neighbors’ well-maintained, properly manicured lawns. It seems that, according to the perpetually aggrieved, well-maintained, properly manicured lawns are manifestations of “white supremacy”. That is interesting. What if your neighbor is a person of color (colored person?)? This is all so confusing.

In-N-Out burgers are the best for a reason. And it is that reason that In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson issued a statement that In-N-Out will not expand to online ordering, or permit ordering and delivery by Door Dash, Uber Eats, or any other delivery service. Because in person service is part of the In-N-Out experience, and the company will not compromise.

It was also revealed that In-N-Out would not be expanding to the East Coast. I am crushed. Not surprised. But crushed.

I may have to return to California. I do not want to do so. But I may have to. In-N-Out burgers are that good.

Kentucky Fried Chicken is bringing back its Snackers–a fried chicken cutlet on a sesame bun with lettuce and mayonnaise–to its menu. Fans are ecstatic.

“I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy businesses bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world.”

–British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, criticizing President Trump over the conduct of hostilities with Iran.

The rather unimpressive Prime Minister is not able to defend his country from threats from countries, such as Iran. Fine. But is it too much to ask him to be a tad grateful who actually act to protect his citizens?

Congratulations to Rory McIlroy on winning The Masters. It was his second consecutive victory. Well played.

At the halfway point of the tournament, Rory McIlroy held a record 6 shot lead over the rest of the lead. But by the end of the 3rd round, Rory McIlroy was tied for the lead going into Sunday, with several big names right on his heels. It was not that Rory McIlroy squandered his lead so much as the rest of the field caught him. Saturday’s round was a thrilling stretch to watch.

On Sunday, charges were made, and it appeared that McIlroy was doomed. Sam Burns charged, and failed. Cameron Young charged, took command, and then fell behind. He continued to pursue, but failed by just inches, hole by hole. Justin Rose, who finished 2nd last year, looked ready to prevail, but faded to a tie for 3rd. Scottie Scheffler, who started the weekend 12 back, finished strong, losing by a close margin, finishing 2nd. In the end, Rory McIlroy prevailed, finishing the back nine on Sunday in true championship form. It was a great tournament.

Phil Garner, MLB player and manager, has died at age 76. R. I. P.

GFK