Just One Thing: The fall of the house of Assad
A regime that’s been in power for over 50 years was just deposed with minimal violence in a week. Former Syrian President Bashar Assad was kept in power by two main sponsor nations, Iran and Russia, both of which are busy right now. Iran’s main terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, was just crushed by Israel, and Hamas has suffered a similar fate. Russia is bogged down in Ukraine. By some estimates, Assad killed over 600,000 of his own people. The equivalent here would be 10 million Americans. Can you imagine? Right now we just don’t know whether these rebels are the Islamist and al Qaeda types they were a decade ago or a more tolerant nationalist force that they claim to be now. The lives of millions of Syrians hang in the balance.
US will fear the vacuum that could replace Assad
The Fall of Assad and What Comes Next in Syria | The Free Press (Subscription may be required)
Trump's statement on the overthrow of Assad: Truth Details | Truth Social
Who is the rebel leader? Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the Syrian insurgency? | AP News
More...fascinating: Who is Abu Mohammad al-Jolani – the rebel leader who will now rule Syria?
The Rule of Hafez and Bashar Assad in Syria | National Review
Useful background: The Fall of the House of Assad
Israel is making moves:
Israel seizes Golan buffer zone after Syrian troops leave posts
Today's Guests
James Pampush is an associate professor at High Point University who has studied and written about the evolution of human and primate faces. He wrote a fascinating piece a few years back (that I just learned about) regarding the burning question, "why are humans the only animals with chins?"
James Pampush, PhD | High Point University
The enduring puzzle of the human chin - PubMed
A Chin-Stroking Mystery: Why Are Humans the Only Animals With Chins? | Smithsonian
Why Do Humans Have Chins? A Scientist Explains The 'Enduring Puzzle' : NPR
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Nader Hashemi returns to the show to help us understand the situation in Syria. Formerly at the University of Denver, Nader now teaches Middle East politics at Georgetown. He's also the Director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
Nader Hashemi: Georgetown University
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Other Stuff
Tom Homan will be running the Trump administration's effort to expel illegal aliens from the United States. They will start with a focus on convicted criminals and those already issued a deportation order. He was on Fox News yesterday and made a point (directed at mayors and governors who support "sanctuary" status for their cities and states) that I hadn't thought of: Homan's statement:
Here's what's going to happen – you release that guy in the community, I'm going to send an entire team to go look for the guy in your community. And what's going to happen? We'll find that guy. And when we find that guy, there's probably going to be others that are not a priority. However, if they're in the country illegally, they'll be arrested, too, because we're not going to tell an immigration officer like this [Biden] administration did, that you're going to turn your back on an illegal immigrant. When you're an immigration officer, you have an oath to uphold, so you are forcing us into community in large numbers where other non-priority aliens will be arrested. That's the exact result you don't want, so let us in the jail. It's safer for everybody.
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Speaking of illegal aliens: Donald Trump says he wants deal for DACA amnesty - Washington Times
(I'm in favor of "amnesty" for "Dreamers" but with a very specific definition: They had to have come here below some age (to be determined) more than some number (to be determined) of years ago and have not committed a serious crime while living here. (I don't care about traffic violations or even a petty offense like small-dollar shoplifting, as long as there isn't a pattern of criminality.)
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I love this article: America Must Free Itself from the Tyranny of the Penny - The New York Times
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This seems like an obvious use for AI but being obvious doesn’t mean it’s not cool and useful because it is.
Google DeepMind predicts weather more accurately than leading system | Science | The Guardian
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Never let them tell you the rich don’t pay their fair share: What the Top 1% Really Pays the IRS - WSJ
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I don’t know if BRT will work but pretty much any urban transportation solution is better than trains. Colorado’s train dreams are shunted aside for a major bus expansion - The Colorado Sun
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That was pretty darned tone-deaf of Anthem to begin with, and in the context of the murder of a health insurance CEO I'm guessing they're even more anxious to backtrack: Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield calls off surgery anesthesia cap
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This is a terrible person who let power go to her head: Colorado Democrats deny Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis committee assignments in 2025 session | News | denvergazette.com
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I like the result though it seems that the reasoning is about race and not about the proper role of police. Traffic stops by Denver police plunge nearly 50% due to new policy
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I have a feeling this topic isn't gonna go well for me: How often do you clean your pillows (not your pillowcase, the pillow itself); do you throw them in the washing machine or hand wash? - Quora
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Sorry, but I just don't get it: Juan Soto's $765M deal with the Mets is the largest in MLB history. Here's who he passed | U.S. & World | denvergazette.com
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Quite a story, even if in a nation Americans almost never think about: Romania Annuls Presidential Election Over Russian Interference Allegations
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Today's Videos
I don't often put current events/news in the videos but this is too remarkable an event not to
Bashar al-Assad's car collection
Very interesting discussion of the firearm (and its operation) used in UnitedHealthCare CEO assassination