Just One Thing: This is so nuts that it has to be California
You don’t have to be a social conservative to think it’s absolutely freakin’ nuts that the state of California is now covering sex change operations for some illegal aliens. Just to be fair and balanced, there are requirements, like having lived in the state for a decade, for an illegal to be eligible for Medi-Cal, the state’s health care program for low-income people. And the procedures need to be deemed medically necessary. To give a sense of scale, the expansion of health coverage, not just gender stuff, to illegals will cost the state around $3 billion a year. I don’t hate illegal aliens nor do I have any bias against transgender folks. But making taxpayers cover expensive medical care for people who almost certainly pay little or no state income tax is wildly unfair to those who do.
(Just to be clear, Medi-Cal covers "medically necessary" surgery that's part of "gender-affirming care" and Medi-Cal allows participation by illegal aliens. So it's not just a new program to give sex changes to illegals.)
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A Great Read: "The Cicada Protestors" by former NYPD Detective Paul Mauro
The Cicada Protestors - by Paul - The Ops Desk (substack.com)
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Today's Guests
R Emmett Tyrrell, Jr, whose friends call him Bob, is the founder and editor-in-chief of one of the great conservative publications, The American Spectator. He has a new book out that's full of fun and interesting stories about a very interesting life. (Note: I have written for the American Spectator, albeit not very often since becoming a full-time radio host for a decade.)
The American Spectator | USA News and Politics
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Tim Emery is an expert in the real estate "fix and flip" business (and also a show listener). He trains folks here in Colorado on how to find, fix, and sell homes for profit. There's a lot to know. There's also a 3-day conference coming up for people who are thinking of getting into the business or are in it already but want to be even better at it.
Tim's fix-and-flip training company: invest-success.com
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Scott Lincicome is VP for General Economics and Director of the Stiefel Trade Policy Center at the libertarian Cato Institute. We'll discuss the rules that prevent foreign airlines from flying between two American cities, even just as part of a route that the airline might take already to get a plane home. (For example, an Air France plane that goes from Paris to Los Angeles can't take passengers from LA to Chicago on its way back to Paris.) And we'll discuss what it might mean for American travelers if this "cabotage" were allowed.
Scott Lincicome | Cato Institute
How U.S. Air Travel Can Get (a Little Of) Its Groove Back | Cato Institute
Let Foreign Airlines Serve Domestic Routes in the U.S. (reason.com)
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Hey, we found that airplane door/plug!
Other Stuff
Ummmm...we found some loose bolts: United finds loose bolts on Boeing jets grounded after blowout incident (msn.com)
And so did we: Information about Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 - Alaska Airlines News
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A remarkable story involving some of the most expensive art in the world, a billionaire, and charges of fraud against a major auction house:
Dmitry Rybolovlev Takes on Sotheby’s in Manhattan Court Battle – ARTnews.com
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As if Trump needs even more help, now this. (By which I mean, I think Trump supporters are more likely to brave these elements than, say, Haley supporters would be.) Polar vortex threatens to disrupt Iowa caucuses (axios.com)
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"Insurance deserts": Buying Home and Auto Insurance Is Becoming Impossible - WSJ
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For Boulder County foothills and Gilpin County: Why you might see smoke in Boulder this week | FOX31 Denver (kdvr.com)
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What billionaires can do: Montana governor, first lady buy mansion for $4M for governor's residence, will donate it to state (msn.com)
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This has long been a goal of the left, partly intended to drive up union membership. It's utter nonsense and I do wonder why more people don't ask aloud why the federal government has any role at all in this conversation: Biden administration to unveil contractor rule that could upend gig economy | Reuters
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Offered without comment: (0pinion) Rabbi Avraham Mintz: How an Israeli family who lost their home on Oct. 7 found community in Denver – Greeley Tribune
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Bad news for fans of dessert: Soaring sugar costs mean dessert prices may rise 6% in 2024 (nypost.com)
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I get it...and I think it kinda stinks. (And I have Peacock...but still think it kinda stinks.) Fans Rightfully Crush NFL and NBC for Putting AFC Playoff Game Exclusively on Peacock (msn.com)
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Fascinating story for numismatists. (Or counterfeiters.) The Mystery of the Coin That Shouldn’t Exist – DNyuz
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Who actually thought that removing William Penn from a park in PENNsylvania would be a good idea? William Penn Statue Controversy: National Park Service Withdraws Plan to Remove Philadelphia Sculpture | National Review
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It's (plagiarism) war: Bad Medicine. The Great Plagiarism War of 2024. And Israel’s October 7 Lesson. | The Free Press (thefp.com)
(scroll down a bit in that link to find the beginning of the article)
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Another from The Free Press, an interesting take on how the Democratic and Republican Parties have sorta switched roles and how/why so many Americans don't feel that they fit with either anymore: The Great Scramble | The Free Press (thefp.com)
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This could be very important for small-to-mid-size banks in the areas with very high commercial real estate vacancy rates (since those banks tend to have disproportionately high exposure to commercial real estate, whereas the giant "money center" banks tend to dominate residential mortgage lending. Offices Around America Hit a New Vacancy Record - WSJ
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Sounds like a plot for a B-grade movie: Ecuador: State of emergency follows drug boss disappearance – DW – 01/09/2024
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Today's Videos
The smallest kangaroo I've ever seen
Now THAT is a TIDY mouse: Mouse filmed tidying up man's shed every night - BBC News