It’s an irony that on MLK Day a peaceful young man, who did nothing in the face of a possibly aggressive stranger, is having his life wrecked because of the colour of his skin. But at least we now know who the young man is –

1) Yesterday was supposed to be a day of celebration for my middle brother Alex, who got married last night. Instead my family had to deal with the fallout of my youngest brother #MichaelHodge being falsely accused for standing & smiling in front of an indigenous man with a drum

— Andrew Hodge (@PikePlaceTechie) January 20, 2019

Because for 24 hours, the left wing mob went after a young man who was not there and who isn’t a student at Covington High School. They went after his family, his parents, their addresses were widely circulated, their business was identified, and all along they received horrible, violent threats. Bravo commies, really well done.

In just the last few days the entire press pack has run away with a “bombshell” Buzzfeed story which was so bad even Mueller’s office felt obliged to shoot it down. Then the same press pack whipped up a tsunami of hate against perfectly innocent young men, based on edited footage.

Go on, tell me again why the press has the right to be believed.

Two things that you don’t see much anymore – postcards and travelers cheques.

I loved postcards, still do. I’ve sent some over the past five years. The main reason I rarely send them now is that you rarely see them for sale anymore.

Travelers cheques had a good run, in the days when easily stolen cash was king. You’d buy them in the American Express office. The last time I bought them was when I went to Japan. I bought many more than I needed, cashed them in upon return, never bought new ones. A young person wouldn’t know what a travelers cheque is now.

Credit and debit cards have become widely accepted now, in all but the smallest businesses. I hardly ever spend cash when in London now. I have about £70 in notes now, that I may never spend. Credit cards make everything so easy now.

The UK gummint tried to rob me, though. I had £14 in one pound coins that were no longer good. The Theresa May regime withdrew them from circulation after some date in 2017, and I didn’t hear about it. So I was pretty much stuck with them. But I brought them to London last week, in my little plastic bag, and a kindly woman at Lloyds Bank exchanged them for shiny new coins for me.

Traveling economy on business isn’t living the lifestyles of the rich and famous by any means. But I made it better by taking the day flight from JFK out. You leave early, you arrive late, you minimize the jet lag by adjusting to the local time right way, after going to bed at the local time. I took Virgin Atlantic, still a cheery and pleasant British airline.

I can take taxis anytime i want, but I am a subway geek and took the London Underground into town. It’s an old but good subway system, linked well with the local buses. You can now pay your fare either with an Oyster Card ( London version of NYC’s MetroCard ) or you can pay for the train directly from your phone ( Apple Pay etc ) or contactless credit card.

Britain has a thriving craft beer scene. I had a burger and chips at a restaurant in Shepherd’s Bush owned by the Scottish brewer Brewdog, whose beer is highly recommended.

A busy day of meetings near Lloyd’s, a nice dinner, then up at 630 am to catch the flight back home.

I’m well aware that all is not perfect in London, but if you know of a nicer big city, one more filled with all the good things, please tell me about it.

This speech has a special meaning for me. My Grandfather was on the Police Security Detail for this event and had acquired an 8mm film of it that my whole family watched at Sunday diner the following weekend. It has always stayed with me what King said. I hope you listen to it.

A Princeton professor admits that he was rash. Others might like to do so too.

I apologize to the Covington Catholic boys. What Rod Dreher says of himself goes double for me. I jumped the gun and that was stupid and unjust. It is I, not the boys, who needs to take a lesson from this.

The Catholic Bonfire At The Stake https://t.co/uhYcgiLVWI via @amconmag

— Robert P. George (@McCormickProf) January 20, 2019

Boy, just when you think that you’ve seen it all.

Friday ( I believe ) a mob of visiting white high school kids from Kentucky mocked and intimidated a 64 year old American Indian in the streets of Washington DC.

The students were part of a Catholic school participation in a ” March for Life ” anti abortion protest.

Some broke from that demonstration to and started harassing Nathan Philips, a Vietnam veteran who was there as part of the ” Indigenous People’s March “, performing a Indian song.

One of the young Trumpers here gets in Mr. Philips’ face and stays there. Another does the mock-Indian ” Tomahawk Chop “.

I don’t think that these are evil kids. There is call for them to be expelled from the school. Let’s not do that. They are likely young men in need of guidance, not much more.

It is noted that the president has very recently used the white massacre of Indians at Wounded Knee as a campaign throwaway line, as he has used ” Pochohantas ” as a weapon, as he has disrespected Navaho Code Talkers ( hero communicators who served in WW2 – the enemy could not break the Navaho language ) by using a meeting with them to criticize Elizabeth Warren.

The young men heard the message that Trump was giving well – that Indians should be mocked. They know what those red hats mean.

Let these misguided young men be punished, but not expelled. They can be saved. Show them some proper male role models, men like Nathan Philips.

Two men have been arrested for a car bombing last night in Stroke City. Speculation is that it might have been the “New IRA”.

Police release CCTV footage of explosion outside courthouse on Bishops Street in Derry/Londonderry last night. pic.twitter.com/tqzqBdCZnv

— PSNI DC&S District (@PSNIDCSDistrict) January 20, 2019

Portugal plans special lanes for Britons in airports after Brexit

Portugal plans to open dedicated corridors in its airports so British tourists continue to get fast-track access after Brexit whether the UK leaves with or without a deal, the prime minister, António Costa, has said.

Portugal remembers that we were the closest of allies for many centuries, outside of the EU … You have to admit that it makes sense, and ought to be rolled out in all airports. A lane for EU citizens, a lane for the rest of the world and, on the left (of course), a dedicated lane and a fitting welcome for the quality.

“Many Remainers aren’t so much pro-EU as they are anti-Eurosceptic. It’s an especially pathological form of virtue-signalling.”

– the essential James Delingpole

He’s right, almost. I’d say that no-one is pro-EU. I’ve never met anyone who is pro-EU. Some suffer it, but many Remainers are triangulating their position. It’s a calculated, cultural statement. Being pro-EU is all about not being for the same things as people who I think I dislike will be for.

Remainers, if they stumble into a moment of honesty, will admit that not a single positive argument was made for the EU during the People’s Vote. Not a single one. The best that they could say was that leaving it is a risk, but they had not a positive statement about the EU itself. That’s because there is nothing positive to say for it.

Just thought I’d get that one in.

And with a quick change of sport, a rugby prediction. The group stage of the Heineken Cup (rugby’s equivalent of the Champions League) is as good as done. I can’t see a winner outside of Saracens, Leinster or Racing 92. Those three are out in front as the best club/provincial sides in Europe.

The strength in depth of Irish rugby at the moment is frightening. It’s not that they’re not weak in any position, it’s that every position has a queue of quality players, and every one of them seems to know exactly what to do at every moment. There’s a clarity to their play at all times, and that’s a huge advantage in a game of fine margins.

So I’m calling it now: Ireland will win the Six Nations, which begins in a fortnight, and the World Cup later this year.