Yesterday, Friday, I was tied up in yet another tedious deposition for one of student-loan mogul Cary Katz and phony conservative network CRTV-BlazeTV's multiple duplicative cases against me. So I apologise for not having weighed in on the bloodbath in New Zealand and other matters in the news. We will try to catch up with these grim events in the days ahead, although I should caution that, in a couple of these Katz cases, there's a court hearing scheduled for next week in one of them, and a full trial for another of them the following week.
Eventually, however, yesterday's yawneroo deposition ended, and I made a rare Friday appearance on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" to consider the unexpected appearance in the diverse Democrat presidential field of the Great White Privileged Hope, Beto O'Rourke. Click below to watch:
A week or so back we officially announced the Second Annual Mark Steyn Cruise, following last year's sell-out maiden voyage. On September 4th, we'll be sailing from Vancouver through Alaska's Inside Passage to Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan. Michele Bachmann and others of our merry crew will be returning for this latest foray, but they'll be joined by my boffo Adorable Deplorable stage-show partner Dennis Miller, so it'll be a unique combination of gags'n'glaciers.
We'll attend to all the heavy civilizational-collapse stuff but we'll also kick loose in the evening with elegant dinners, convivial receptions and some late-night laughs and music. We'll do a lot of the things we do at SteynOnline but live and at sea, including Alaskan-themed editions of Tales for Our Time, Steyn's Sunday Poem and Song of the Week. Cabins are going amazingly fast, and, as with most travel accommodations, the prices are more favorable and the range of staterooms more varied the earlier you book.
For those coming from far afield, Cindy, our cruise manager, can help with flight and hotel bookings: If you'd rather speak in person and you're dialing from almost anywhere but Australia (ie, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America), it's 001 (770) 952-1959; if you're calling from North America, it's 1-800-707-1634. Or you can email your query here. As last year's cruisers know, Cindy is super-helpful.
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OK. Here is the plan. Go to the bank with it. For the next year, the Democrats will parade out all their progressive cheerleaders. They will stir up the crowd, and get a ton of free publicity. Then, round about the Democrat Convention time, they will withdraw in favor of a much more moderate, loveable mainstream type candidate like Joe Biden. This is a Trumpian set-up, with fireworks in the lead-in retreating to a more moderate positition in the end game. The Dems have this scripted. The question is, who are the anointed ones for President and VP?
LOL. O'Beta poses for a portrait of him doing the exact Angela Merkel favorite hands triangle sign, while the NZ alleged shooter gets a blanked-out face for his court candid portrait as he's busy hand signs posing for the camera. Why the fogged-out face, as if he didn't selfie live stream his 15 minutes of fame; is he a juvenile or something? (not!)
Was all sort of sympa and grave this week until the NZ media/government instantly demanded banning all guns and... 8-Chan. Well, well, of all the gin joints in the world...
Would mention specifically the other three problems in the available media photos that make the whole NZ thing a 'wait-a-minute', but then the lurkers would pass the word to get removal of the curiosity-spiking pictures, 'too de sweet' as Pepe le Pew would say.
Trump has commented on Beta's flailing hands, which is pretty funny, but I wonder what the official nickname is going to be...can't wait.
How about we just go with "Buffy"!
When this first flashed up on the news here, I think they were saying that there were shootings at 3 different mosques, although I could be mistaken. Anyway, there were shootings at two. Does anybody know how many mosques there are in the city named Christchurch?
Am I the only one who sees the irony there?
Imam Tawhidi, the radical Muslim reformist who advocates a complete rejection of the mainstream ideology - and whose views are not shared by the vast majority of his co-religionists - has long criticised the strategy of "more mosques" in western cities for this reason.
The man is genuinely peaceful, yet has had to contend with social media intimidation by the likes of Linda Sarsour - as well as credible death threats - following the Christchurch attack. It seems to be the same phenomenon as Chelsea Clinton being blamed for the terrorist attack due to her opposition to *all* anti-Semitism.
Beto loves cows? What does this mean for the Green New Deal? Is he pro-bovine flatulence? Does he eat red meat? How will his poem affect his presidency? Stay tuned!
On the horrific NZ masacre. Firstly donations can be given at - https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/christchurch-shooting-victims-fund . Secondly the shooter said "I was a communist, then an anarchist and finally a libertarian before becoming an eco-fascist,". The distance between group identity socialism and ethno-nationalist fascism is very short. That's where the fascism of the 1930s Italy and Germany came from. It's very important for everyone, especially the identitarian left, to understand that.
With all due respect, who has any idea where money goes once through a site that never existed before and won't exist in short order.
I thought my "Beto O'Male" was the best nickname for him but Beto "Buff My Balls" is almost too good to be true.
On the horrific bloodbath in NZ (and rolling AU coverage):
The condemnation of the terrorist attack has been swift, unequivocal and universal...
• There are no media reports to suggest the depraved mass murderer is (merely) a "lone wolf" suffering from "mental illness".
• The hate-filled and supremacist ideology espoused has been taken at face value; there is no "peace" between the lines.
• No one has described the monstrously evil attack as (merely) "an irritant" of city life. (And, hopefully, Pope Francis won't offer his vile *they-brought-it-on-themselves* characterisation of terrorism as "normal".)
... all appropriate in the wake of the heinous, targeted slaughter of 50 people, with as many injured, and a reminder that it's crucial to discuss and expose homicidal beliefs that inspire and justify murder.
Yet - the response to the mosque attacks by right-wing-extremist, Brenton Tarrant, suggests otherwise.
Firstly, given that criticism of Islam (and Islamisation) is said to be the cause of extreme-right *and* jihadist terror, there'll be a lot less of it — whether self-censorship or government enforced. The criminalisation of negative views of a religion (as per the global "blasphemy" laws advocated by the OIC) is now being supported by mainstream journalists and politicians.
Also, condemnation of the massacre and its vile perpetrator, and genuine sympathy for the victims and families, is considered an inadequate response. The New Zealand PM's attire when visiting a refugee centre sent a strong message in that sense.
So the reaction to this horrific terrorist attack is quite different. As an article in front page weekend news enjoined: Now We Are All Muslims.
Can't be long before there's a Beto O'Woke Channel. Meanwhile, what about that Amy Klobuchar! Campaign slogan: "Combing soon to a salad bar near you!"
I guess we know what poem Mark is going to have next on Steyn's Sunday Poem. Although I was a little disappointed in Beto's poem. If only he had borrowed from Stanley Kubrick and ended it with, "my precious bodily fluids" then he might have had something.
Maybe I'm missing something, but I had the idea that Betomax was crushed by VHS years ago.
The Democrats are always searching for the next JFK. In fact, if you look at the real history of John F. Kennedy, he wasn't even the new JFK.
As to Beto, I would paraphrase Tom Selleck's Quiqley Down Under line to Alan Rickman (one of my favorite villians): This ain't Camelot and you ain't JFK.
There must be some focus group information that tells some Democrat politicians that their base is not interested in serious people. Last time around we had Martin O'Malley acting as if playing guitar with his shirt off would really wow the base. Now we have to watch Beto (What does that stand for anyway?) skateboarding and getting his teeth cleaned. To what depths of callow nonsense are sizeable chunks of the electorate descending to. Are we to conclude that millennials think a superpower can actually be governed by romper room in the West Wing.
As Winston Churchill said, "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
Heh. The story goes that the family Spanish-speaking household help called him that when he was a wee lad. (Notice that there are a whole slew of 'Beto's' burrito stands and other such 'Beto's' Mexican-food restaurants. Just a familiar address... As Indians always tell kids to 'Say hello to 'uncle' or 'auntie' (not actually, just friends/aquaintences of the family).
In this attempt implying 'ethnic', it just emphasizes the elite white profile of this guy - grew up with 'the help.' Thinking that he's pandering to the new 16-year-old ignorant of life and con-artists vote. Update the ol' sayin' -- 'as easy as taking candy from a baby,' it'll be 'as easy as harvesting votes from the Middle School.'
Beto is the opposite of Alpho for people with spelling problems.
Tìo Beto, el primo vaca devoto presidente des estados unidos!
Feeling a song comin' on... "Vooolareee"
Have no idea why except that it's a great tune to chante out loud while packing up the protest toilet brush to send to the Irish 'Beto'.
Remember the snotty accusation of 'Who will clean your toilets?' Isn't it the same slick crowd that's promoting O'Rourke? His household staff might need a new brush, dear things. Did his family pay all the social security and taxes for their 'Beto'-talkin' household staff?
Rednecks are origins Scots, aren't they? Zuts alors! Isn't it 'green' weekend for the O-'Rourkes of the world?
Yes, I do think i feel a ditty in the air, something to the tune of "There Lives a Froggy in the Well," but,
"There was a toady in the swamp, "hi ho," says Bobby, with his waving of his arms, ballsy verse and other charms, skating board and spending sprees, planning on more miseries, "hi ho" says, Bobby.
Oh, Mister Toady, rang the bell, "hi-ho," says Bobby, welcomed drugs and aliens o'er, cartel dudes will let you score, weed and meth for one and all, never had we such a ball, "hi ho," says Bobby.
"When you elect me, y'all be free, "hi-ho," says Bobby, my policies might make us sink, but DC's swamp will cease to stink, wind and sun will steal the show, croaks the toad from El Paso, "hi ho," says Bobby.
A+ Fran.
It was a lively little tune and supposed to have about a dozen other animals living in well or in the swampie nearby that all eat each other up, one by one, if I remember correctly, but that album of Irish schoolyard tunes was water damaged by a leak in the upstairs plumbing. I couldn't find the tune on the search engine other than a drum band and it's not the exact melody. Gone forever, I guess, like some things are, Holly.
Start calling him Bevo O'Rourke (for international friends, "Bevo" (a steer) is the mascot of the University of Texas).
Speaking of his nickname, tomorrow for St. Paddy's, everyone will be a little bit Irish, and maybe it'll be the day that "Beto" admits that he is entirely.
For classical scholars, we could try Beta O'Rourke.
Maybe tomorrow he'll also admit to having rolled, smoked and inhaled cow paddies Upyours which was the inspiration for his cow worship poem.
In the intro to your appreciation of Beto's verse, Tucker mentioned e.e. cummings. cummings wrote a poem on relations with cows: the way to hump a cow is not / to get yourself a stool / but draw a line around the spot / and call it beautifool ... to vote for me(all decent mem / and wonens will allows / which if they don't to hell with them) / is hows to hump a cows
Mark: My bride of 51 years & I just signed up for your Alaskan cruise. She's doing it because today is National Quilt Day and the Holland Line has a wonderful well-lit Crow's Nest for quilting. I'm doing it "for centennial reasons" since tomorrow would be Nat King Cole's 100th Birthday. Whatever the reason, t'will be good to ogle Gore's Glaciers birthing before our recalcitrant, unbelieving climate-denying eyes as we enjoy your jousting with Dennis, while making lively table talk with like-minded Steyn-a-holics for a sennight, followed perhaps by some post-prandial serenading with our fellow deplorables who recall the Great American Songbook by heart.
I live in Europe and almost every morning I look via youtube to the latest edition of Tucker Carlson Tonight. I find them always entertaining and it gives alternative viewpoint. But the technical quality of the video's on youtube is very often very poor. Sometimes the video restarts in the middle of video. Sometimes pieces are missing.
Is there no other way to view these entire editions? Why would FOX let Google profit from these video's?
Robert Francis O'Rourke is a bloviating fake. Another pretty face with a script hiding an empty suit; or in his case—all the better to posture—jeans and a blue work shirt.
Given the "annual-ness" of the Steyn at Sea cruise, I assume the timing will always be in the fall so I'll never be able to attend. Would be nice to see Mark Steyn live at some point. Are there any future dates planned for the Adorable Deplorable stage show?
I feel your pain, PK. The little grandson's birthday is early in September. He'll be three and I can't miss that. Although he's going on his first cruise to Alaska this June without me:(
Can't wait for the Access Hollywood tape! "When you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything ... Grab them by the...udder."
Once you go Guernsey, you never go back.
"yawneroo deposition?"--push ups ! (https://1010wcsi.com/fox-politics/ocasio-cortez-does-push-ups-to-pass-time-during-boring-hearing-recess/)
Well, if Beto goes to Washington he'll be in good company with ACO.
They can play "Let's Pretend Socialism Works" on the Capital lawn and preen for the tourists.