December 19, 2025

MAKE AMERICA’S SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL GREAT AGAIN (FOR THE FIRST TIME): Trump Unveils ‘Freedom 250’ for US Semiquincentennial. “According to the Trump administration, the initiative will focus on national events, storytelling, and civic engagement meant to honor the country’s history while looking ahead to what Trump has called the next 250 years of American leadership and opportunity.”

Posted at 4:54 pm by Stephen Green

REAL POLICE-STATE STUFF:

Posted at 4:52 pm by Stephen Green

Flounder (from Animal House) put it best:
“Oh boy is this great!”

Just the News reporting that “Justice Department releases first batch of Epstein files.”

Posted at 4:32 pm by Charles Glasser

KEEP DRIVING DOWN THOSE COSTS: A Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) was launched from the flight deck of littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara while operating in the Persian Gulf. “The ability to deploy effectors like LUCAS without the need for more permanent launch systems, like the Mark 41 vertical launch system (VLS), will allow deployment from a wider range of warships and even auxiliaries, as well as employment from austere locations on land.”

Posted at 3:52 pm by Stephen Green

IT’S FLORIDA MAN FRIDAY [VIP]: The Grinch Who Stole a Needy Family’s Christmas. “It’s time for your much-needed break from the serious news, and this week, we’ll learn how to punish the worst person in the world, where not to take your one-day rental two months after it was due back, and all about South Carolina’s Old Bay smuggling operation.”

Posted at 3:21 pm by Stephen Green

SARAH HOYT’S SHOCKED FACE IS ENJOYING A LITTLE RECOIL THERAPY: Giffords’ Gun Control-Based State Scorecard Grades Doesn’t Hold Up to Closer Examination.

For 15 years, the annual Giffords “Gun Law Scorecard” has been promoted as a definitive ranking of states doing the most to keep their citizens safe from criminal misuse of firearms. Legislators cite these scores during hearings. Activists use them as “proof” of policy successes and media outlets dutifully repeat the grades ad nauseam without a second thought.

For example, while Giffords gives New York an A, that didn’t stop a number of high-profile criminal attacks this year including the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, the shooting of Jets cornerback Kris Boyd, 7 people from being shot on Thanksgiving eve or six shot at a Sweet 16 Party just this week in New York City.

But the scorecards aren’t a measure of crime trends, public safety outcomes, or even the effectiveness of firearm regulations. It’s a grading system built to reward gun control laws on the books and shame states that defend lawful firearm ownership.

Of course.

Posted at 1:48 pm by Stephen Green

CHANGE: Explainer-What will change with the US reclassification of marijuana? “U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order demanding a speedy reclassification of marijuana that would ease federal restrictions on research that could lead to new medical marijuana products. Here is what you need to know.”

Posted at 1:30 pm by Glenn Reynolds

THE DEARTH OF STALIN: Rich Lowry: Bernie Sanders’ poisonously stupid anti-AI crusade would doom America’s future.

Most people welcome economic growth, but Bernie Sanders hates it.

As they say, there’s no accounting for taste.

The Vermont socialist has come out against data centers, the mass computing facilities essential to the development of artificial intelligence.

There are all sorts of NIMBY-type reasons for local residents to oppose data centers near them — they use a lot of energy and water, they’re noisy and unsightly — but Sanders is against them on principle.

If he can stop the creation of new data centers, he can squeeze AI research to a standstill and supposedly save American jobs while giving Congress more time to regulate the new industry.

Perhaps Bernie will be fighting Big Golf as well:

Posted at 1:22 pm by Ed Driscoll