TIME TO TOP UP: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp suspends Georgia's gas tax, declares state of emergency.

At least for the next 30 days.

LAWS ARE ONLY FOR LITTLE PEOPLE. Liberal judge cans Riley Gaines lawsuit, claims NCAA doesn't have to follow federal law.

UM ... WHAT? A cult of Anthropic insiders rumored to be worshipping Claude as a God.

As Stephen Green noted, "feeling a lot smarter for never having subscribed to AI", I share that feeling but worry that I'm being 'subscribed to' by the various search engines and other websites I visit....

THE REFEREE TEST: The Biden administration 'restores protections' while the Trump administration makes 'killing wildlife' legal.

AMERICAN GREATNESS: A collective of vidiots? "As Americans increasingly turn from text to video, how do we keep our republic’s foundations alive?"

I'M IN WHOLEHEARTED AGREEMENT: We are so tired of the loudmouth quitters.

ARGENTINA'S PRESIDENT JAVIER MILEI: The United Nations is a 'Useless Organization Whose...Purpose Is to Sustain a Caste of Fatally Arrogant Parasites'.

Substitute 'Democrat Party' for 'United Nations' and the headline above would still be accurate.

FALLING LEAVES 2026 Week 1: It's the last Sunday in September, when I usually start my Falling Leaves series. This year the leaves have been coming down for a couple of weeks, but not in a major way. That seems to be changing, rather suddenly, and the daily temperature swing has suddenly dropped. It must be time.

Our forsythia, usually a bellwether for the Falling Leaves series, obviously hasn't noticed although the trees in the background obviously have. Must be something in the upper air....

Our pond is quiet today. Unusual, since there is usually a bit of pond scum circling the surface from the activity of the fountain which our neighbors (who own the fountain) pulled closer to shore. This picture was taken a bit away from our house to get a clearer view.

Here's our 'normal' view from our back porch. I'm now calling the stairs our 'stairway to heaven' since our grandson, an avid fisherman, spends hours down at the pond whenever he visits.

Here's the usual firepit view. The only difference from the normal summer is that the grass has begun to brown significantly. Otherwise it's summer. We did have most of the property weedeaten earlier in the summer so the normal brush on the ground is gone -- although it's trying to come back.

This is the normal view of the forest across the road taken from our driveway. For some reason the trees along the road there seem to be succumbing to winter's approach faster than usual. I've long suspected that they're dying off and won't be around much longer. As long as they don't fall across the road they'll give more sun to the little roadside garden there....

Our flowers along the side of the barn are still green, but they have stopped flowering in preparation for the winter to come.

Looking south along the fenceline, the plantings are still green, but preparing for winter. Trees have begun to turn brown, but so far haven't dropped leaves yet. The cat (lower left) is Percival, our youngest.

Our house, taken from a bit down the slope to the pond. Still mostly green, with the brush that was weedeaten earlier struggling to make a comeback.

Finally, an alien visitor. We don't see very many but the praying mantis is native to this area. This guy is hanging out on the garbage can to feast on any unwary insects. From his size I'd say he's been pretty successful.

And that's it for this week. See you again next Sunday.

NOT THE BABYLON BEE: Xi Jinping to headline the Democrat midterm convention.

If they have one....

THE UNITED NATIONS [UN] is almost as useless as Democrats are.

It's a tough call, but I'd agree since the Democrats have a more direct impact on my life.

That said, though, I want President Trump to defund the UN and kick them out of the U.S. -- the European Union (Brussels) would be a good home.

MORE PLUMBERS, LESS PHILOSOPHERS: Meet the Anthropic officials who think AI might be justified in going rogue against the humans enslaving it.

WHEN IDIOTS CONTROL THE ASYLUM: Amid crime, homelessness, and budget issues, San Diego confronts the real problem -- Islamophobia.

FIGHT THE POWER: Data Republican strikes again.

Linked from Instapundit.

ADVENTURES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SUPERINTELLIGENCE: "Current models are getting close to PhD-level intelligence. After that, they're expected to achieve the intelligence of someone who decided not to do a PhD."

ILLINOIS GOV. JB PRITZKER'S ANSWERS on the DSA, Hasan Piker, and the Presidency show what chaos Democrats are in.

And he's not running for President.... (heh)

IRAN BURNS ANOTHER PROXY: Houthis nearing panic after Tehran-ordered offensive fails.

This "martyrdom for thee, but not for me" attitude will be noticed throughout the region.

ALIENS AMONG US: Mysterious island seen floating in Canadian lake befor vanishing.

It reminds me of the SF novella in Analog (The Tuvela, September 1969) where the protagonist faced off against the intruders (Tuvela) in a floating island.

BLUE STATES are shutting local police out of 287(g), which authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deputize selected state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration law.

Red States show why that’s a mistake.

IF YOU LIKE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW IDIOCY, read this.

The law is an ass and asses make the law.

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: The elephant in the Canadian room.

RIGHT TO REPAIR: Texas made the right move.

MORE: Stop forcing Americans to flush money at the dealership.

END GAME IF THE DEMOCRATS GET THEIR WAY: You'll own nothing and be happy.

Happy? I think not.

SLOWLY, THEN SUDDENLY: Hollywood has entered the 'suddenly' phase.

THE FART LEFT: "There’s a new wind overtaking the American Left, and it’s an unwelcome and unpleasant one."

Well, they are full of ... something.

THESE PEOPLE ARE SIMPLY NOT CAPABLE OF LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD: Lesbian bar sparks backlash after making masks optional one night a week.

A RETURN OF SOME SANITY? The University of Texas at Austin is eliminating four undergraduate majors focused on race, ethnicity, and gender as part of a broader restructuring of its academic programs.

A tiny step, but a step nontheless.

YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO LAUGH IN PROGRESSIVE AMERICA. The Laughing Cow ditches iconic smile.

HEH: Explaining 'drill, baby, drill.

Linked from this Instapundit post.

WHY I PLAN TO KEEP MY OLD PICKUP: Newer, more complex technology is replacing simpler systems that used to just work.

THE COST of redefining what a woman is.

This post is both laughable and infuriating at the same time. Common sense has been legislated out of existence, and I'm left with pondering the author's final thought of the day: "The big problem with fantasy is that it never survives contact with reality."

WELL, IT'S A PROGRESSIVE STATE: California’s killjoy bureaucracy is crushing the state’s rebel spirit and freedom.

Fun is strictly forbidden.

AMERICA'S NEWS OF RECORD strikes again.

[VIP] KURT SCHLICHTER: Believe them when they tell you they want you dead.

WHERE IS SARAH HOYT'S SHOCKED FACE? Blue states with strong teachers' unions have lower student literacy levels.

THE 9/11 ATTACKS WERE AWFUL, but what the Left is doing to this country is worse, because it’s coming from within.

IMPRIMIS: Why we shouldn't cancel the Supreme Court.

DOES THE NFL'S DOUBLE DIGIT RATINGS DECLINE for opener games show fan fatigue?

No, it shows the NFL's greed has exceed the fans' ablility to pay.

LOOKS LIKE FUN: The theme park at the heart of France’s culture war.

Progressives and muslims think alike about fun -- it's not allowed in their neighborhoods.

LEFTISM IS AN IDEOLOGY designed to let bad people and losers feel better about themselves.

THE DEEP STATE PROTECTS ITS OWN. The Deep State keeps getting caught, and nobody ever pays for it.

The ultimate 'get out of jail free' card....

A NATION UNDER ASSAULT: Memories and takeaways from the GOP midterm convention.

EXCELLENT! White House TV pool to suspend coverage of Trump events.

Now we won't have to waste time watching them cover themselves....

KURT SCHLICHTER: You can fight back against the regime media.

INSTAPUNDIT ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:

Demons in the walls.

In which I ask the machines for criticism.

I'll give the machines some credit; at least their responses are more coherent than the average Democrat.

MINNESOTA DEMOCRAT SENATE CANDIDATE'S VIRAL HIJAB VIDEO takes new turn as woman beside her faces major state investigation.

She'd look better in a burqa....

WELCOME TO THE WORLD: The Principality of Piddington looks inside the Wokester tent. And doesn't like what it sees.

NOW WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT? Nonprofits that received tax dollars unite to oppose rules cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse.

Three guesses. The first two don't count....

A REMINDER to keep your powder dry.

And keep lots of powder.

CYNICAL PUBLIUS: Conspiracy theories that weren't.

Linked from Instapundit.

NO COLLEGE DEGREE? No problem.

'Woke' doesn't sell well; skill does.

LEFT-WING REPUTATION ASSASSINS are targeting Sen. Fetterman and Elon Musk. Here’s why they’ll fail.

U.S. CENSUS: Older people outnumber younger people for the first time in recorded history.

So that's why the world has gone to shit?

PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTS STATES TO RUN WELFARE PROGRAMS — says it would slash fraud by 75 percent.

Make it the states pay for it from their own tax dollars and I'll buy in....

READ THE COMMENTS BEFORE YOU CLICK ON THE LINK: Not all graduate degrees pay off.

I'm retired now, but the comments pretty well match my experience as a (now former) PhD. With respect to STEM-related degrees the BS is pretty much an entry point. I already had some prior technician experience before the BS degree; it helped during the initial job search. The MS degree is useful in pursuit of a particular specialty. Otherwise, no. Doctorate? A vanity degree, economically worthless. I did it just to prove I had the wherewithal to complete it, but economically it was a loss of tens of thousands over my working lifetime.

THEY'RE MOSTLY BLUE: States falling behind in literacy share a striking common thread.

YOUR LATEST MOMENT OF 'DUH' — When it comes to tipping, the bluest areas are the stingiest.

But they're very generous with other peoples' money.

THE END OF THE NFL? The opening game for this season was in Australia.

I seriously doubt that the NFL will ever be worldwide....

EVEN MENTAL HOSPITALS would have trouble with him/her/it. (Click on the embedded links.)

Now please go back into his/her/its bubble and leave the rest of us alone.

UPDATED NATIONAL FIREARMS SURVEY should terrify assault weapons ban fans.

It won't; they'll just double down on stupid.

COLLEGES HAVE BECOME WOKE DAY CARE CENTERS. Here's what George Mason University did after a minor traffic accident on campus.

CLAY TRAVIS (OUTKICK FOUNDER): Data shows Colin Kaepernick’s protest cost black lives.

STILL REMEMBERING: 9-11's 25th anniversary.

It's a beautiful September day outside, and yet a somewhat depressing day given the current state of American politics.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Unleash the Israelis on Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

TRUMPIAN PROGRESS: The lightest federal workforce in American history.

A good start. Now keep up the pressure.

RANDOM THOUGHT: The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

BUSTING ANOTHER MEDIA MYTH: Contrary to legacy media claims, political violence has always been a specialty of the Left, not the Right.

THE WHITE HOUSE responds to Dymocrats (spelling intentional).

1. Dymocrats refuse to condemn Socialism.
2. Every single Dymocrat voted against the largest tax cut in American history.
3. Extreme Liberal Dymocrats voted against holding Iran, the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, accountable.
4. Extreme Liberal Dymocrats voted against the Stop Insider Trading Act.
5. Dymocrats voted against healthcare price transparency.
6. Dymocrats have unanimously blocked commonsense election integrity measures like Voter ID.
7. Dymocrats voted against protecting girls in women’s sports.
8. Dymocrats voted against protecting children from taxpayer-funded transgender treatments.
9. Dymocrats voted against the Laken Riley Act.
10. Dymocrats forced two unprecedented government shutdowns.

Enough said....

RANDOM THOUGHT: Since the Democratic party and its progressive sycophants have shown a propensity to rename/create new names for normal well known/well understood things, I've decided to try renaming myself. From now on, on Shadow's World Democrats will be known as 'Dymocrats'; pronounced 'dim', which they are, and with the 'y' to acknowledge their allegiance to gender issues.

HOTAIR'S SUNDAY SMILES is a bit late this week. To get to the cartoons you'll have to scroll through an opinion piece on [Dr?] Abdul El-Sayed (but it might be worth skimming).

My favorite:

Now go see them all.

ONLY FOR TAXPAYERS: Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a trap.

GOV. GREG ABBOTT PUSHES TEXAS COLLEGES to offer three-year bachelor’s degrees.

Get rid of DEI and the 'feelz' courses and drop it to two years -- with perhaps an extra year allowed for (unfortunately) remedial high school.

RANDOM THOUGHT: Thanks to Democrats we are becoming (have become?) a lawless nation.

ABDUL EL-SAYED deleted this post.

You should read it.

HOW DO PEOPLE LIKE MAMDANI GET ELECTED?

Low voter turnout in primaries, generally in the 10% to 18% range.

Overeducated kids (many still supported by their parents), and municipal union members, who want free stuff from the government and think socialism is chic, come out in droves to the polls to vote for the most radical candidates.

Read it all.

WELCOME TO YOUR CHILDRENS' NEW WORLD: Progressive regression and the new medievalism.

THE BABYLON BEE IS REPORTING NEWS AGAIN: "State Of Massachusetts Declared Incompetent By Reason Of Insanity."

IS IT HYPE? Sam Altman's most serious warning about AI yet.

Hype, no. A warning to be careful of what you wish for, yes.

GOODER AND HARDER, CALIFORNIA: Will the last business out of California please turn off the Greta-approved eco-lights?

JACK DUNPHY: There is none so blind as those who will not see.

KURT SCHLICHTER: The Washington Post embarrasses itself trying to embarrass me.

1+1 = WHATEVER THEY NEED IT TO BE: Democrats can't do simple math.

501(c)(3)s NGOs NEED TO BE REINED IN SHARPLY, or just abolished. I prefer abolished; I doubt that anything that's been sucking the government teat for as long as they have can be effectively reined in.

FEMINISM: The mutation of womanhood.

JACK DUNPHY: The Keyboard Kops weigh in.

SMILES FROM AYN RAND: [Appointed] European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen tells EU citizens 'all your monies are belong to us'.

Hold on to your wallets, Europe, the EU is coming for you.

THE “MOST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS.” Wolf Blitzer’s Trump mail-in voting lie blows up in his face.

"Used To Be" should be inserted into CNN's tagline.

LIBERALS: You can't change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America. Oh? "Just ask any Latinx birthing person.”

HEH: The Socialist mayor of America's largest city is currently less popular than a foreign leader whom much of Mamdani's own political coalition routinely accuses of everything from genocide to war crimes.

CONGRATULATIONS, AND WELCOME TO A THINNING CROWD: Nobody applauds when you fix the garbage disposal.

NANCY PELOSI just threw Hakeem Jeffries under the bus.

Wrong headline; it should have been Hakeem joins Nancy under the bus.

THE SIEGE IS ON. All that's left is the waiting.

But the Left will never wait; their mantra is always "I want it now".

THEY DIDN'T LISTEN THEN: Six hundred forty-nine years ago, a prominent Muslim scholar warned us about Mayor Mamdani's ideas.

And the're still not listening....

WOKESTERS AND DEMOCRATS won't even talk to you.

They don't need to talk since they already know everything....

POWERLINE'S Week in Pictures. There are many good ones this week without the extra advertising. Here's my favorite:

Fortunately PowerLine seems to have given up on its AI 'nudging' in the Week in Pictures so I'm leaving it on my blogroll for now. But unless it gives up 'nudging' entirely, it's goodbye....

TRUMP: Chicago 'will die' without federal intervention.

So let it die. The people of Illinois bought into Pritzker and Johnson; make them fix it.

DRONES WON’T WIN WARS, but they have changed warfare.

Unfortunately, only boots on the ground win wars.

TOO MANY ACADEMICS: Why Higher Education is likely doomed.

WHILE AMERICAN EDUCATION COLLAPSES, Randi Weingarten turns her teachers’ union [AFT - American Federation of Teachers] into a permanent political campaign.

Please explain to me what AFT has to do with teaching....

BEHIND THE SCENES: The Trump administration just found a pressure point that could disrupt Antifa's entire network.

INCOMPETENCE AND BIGOTRY at NASA and Lockheed Martin.

Mostly incompetence, I think. Luckily I retired and left before it really got underway. But then my choices post-Lockheen Martin were worse.

MAYBE: AI dinosaur extinction coming?

In my view the answer is 'probably'. And I'd welcome it.