{"id":106502,"date":"2023-01-15T15:37:48","date_gmt":"2023-01-15T20:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/?p=106502"},"modified":"2023-01-15T15:37:53","modified_gmt":"2023-01-15T20:37:53","slug":"the-daily-gouge-archive-friday-january-13th-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/?p=106502","title":{"rendered":"The Daily Gouge Archive, Friday, January 13th, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>It&#8217;s <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>Friday<\/em><\/span>, January <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>13th<\/em><\/span>, 2023&#8230;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>uh oh<\/em><\/span>!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/CTppBCOW4AEvxhD.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106477\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/CTppBCOW4AEvxhD.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/CTppBCOW4AEvxhD.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/CTppBCOW4AEvxhD-300x233.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Now, here&#8217;s <em>The Gouge<\/em>!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>First up, compare Joe Biden <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>then<\/em><\/span>&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-CjzgWJZmtY?start=42&amp;end=73&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;with Joe Biden <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">now<\/span><\/em>, as shown at our <span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Video of the Day<\/em><\/span>, accessible through link #2 immediately beneath our <em>Quote of the Day<\/em> at the top of the page.\u00a0 Gee, Joe, as long as the garage was <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>locked<\/em><\/span>, guess that makes it <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>okay<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/white-house-wont-say-how-many-people-could-have-accessed-classified-biden-documents-garage\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>Peter Doocy<\/em><\/span><\/a>, Jesse Watters&#8230;\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AyufGVpve3Y?start=511&amp;end=751&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;Tucker Carlson&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oe8XvgJsn60?start=495&amp;end=598&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;poke more than a couple holes in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>that<\/em><\/span> defense:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s the juice: There&#8217;s more to this story than Biden storing classified documents next to his Corvette.\u00a0 Think about it: Were this Obama, we&#8217;d never, ever even heard rumors about him improperly storing classified document.\u00a0 Hells bells, no one could get a copy of his college transcripts.\u00a0 We understand why Biden&#8217;s minions <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>waited until after the mid-terms<\/em><\/span> to release this story, but why tell it now?\u00a0 Why tell it at all?\u00a0 And why tell it in multiple salvos rather than one single broadside?\u00a0 And why are they allowing <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>him<\/em><\/span> to address the issue <em>in public<\/em>&#8230;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>personally<\/em><\/span>?!?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We&#8217;re of the mind it&#8217;s because Biden really doesn&#8217;t have any minions, rather they&#8217;re recycled Obama staffers whose loyalty to Joe is transitory at best.\u00a0 And word may have come down from whomever is pulling his strings it&#8217;s time to start ensuring Biden&#8217;s illegitimate presidency lasts but one-term.\u00a0 Just a thought.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In a related item, the <em>Journal<\/em>&#8216;s Kim Strassel discusses&#8230;\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"css-1hch5ce-StyledHeadline e1ipbpvp0\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/garlands-election-department-biden-classified-documents-trump-corvette-garage-national-secrets-security-11673562711\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Special Counsels and Merrick Garland\u2019s Election Department<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n<h3 class=\"css-mosdo-Dek-Dek e1jnru6p0\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><a style=\"color: #800080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/garlands-election-department-biden-classified-documents-trump-corvette-garage-national-secrets-security-11673562711\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">He\u2019s named investigators for both Biden and Trump. Didn\u2019t he learn anything from 2016<\/span><\/a>?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/77akmm.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106508\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/77akmm.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/77akmm.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/77akmm-300x131.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\" data-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;&#8230;<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>One of former Attorney General\u00a0William Barr\u2019s aspirations was to depoliticize the Justice Department, and one of his acts was a 2020 memo putting new guardrails around launching investigations into politically sensitive individuals or entities. <span style=\"color: #800080;\">No one suggests politicians are above the law.<\/span> But earlier attorneys general were mindful of the risk that political investigations would appear partisan, and the need for a high bar and great discretion. <span style=\"color: #800080;\">Mr. Barr\u2019s memo was a reminder of these principles.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\" data-type=\"paragraph\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Mr. Garland might have followed that example rather than authorize the FBI\u2019s unnecessary and unprecedented August 2022 raid on a Mr. Trump\u2019s home. <span style=\"color: #800080;\">Over\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em class=\"css-i6hrxa-Italic e1i5tkwa0\" data-type=\"emphasis\">documents<\/em><\/span>.<\/span> And documents that the Presidential Records Act outlines <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>only minor penalties for mishandling<\/em><\/span>. <span style=\"color: #800080;\">The department could have continued negotiating with the Trump team or gone to court for an order requiring the proper handling of the material.<\/span> That would have allowed it to handle the Biden situation in a manner that was similarly low-key but also yielded accountability.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\" data-type=\"paragraph\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Mr. Garland instead <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>escalated<\/em><\/span> the Trump situation.<\/span> That again injected the Justice Department in an election cycle, given Mr. Trump soon became a declared candidate for the presidency. <span style=\"color: #800080;\">Rather than be accused of a double standard, Mr. Garland this week delivered a second injection.<\/span> Now he holds in his hot legal hands the fate of anotherleading candidate, Mr. Biden.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\" data-type=\"paragraph\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">The power the department now has over the 2024 election is extraordinary.<\/span> How long will the probes drag on, weighing down the candidates? <span style=\"color: #800080;\">Will one investigation finish sooner than the other, giving one candidate an advantage?<\/span> Will one man be exonerated while the other is indicted? <span style=\"color: #800080;\">How much information will be leaked in each probe, in an attempt at partisan advantage?<\/span> Will the department end up having altered the future of politics by dissuading Mr. Biden to run?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\" data-type=\"paragraph\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>And does <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>anybody<\/em><\/span> think the Justice Department will come out of this <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>without further blemishing its reputation<\/em><\/span>?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\" data-type=\"paragraph\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Of course not. <span style=\"color: #800080;\">Mr. Garland is attempting to insulate the department with his special counsels, to maintain\u2014as he robotically repeated in his announcement\u2014that he is determined to preserve its \u201cindependence and accountability.\u201d<\/span> But nobody in America is going to buy the claim that the attorney general, who answers to Mr. Biden, isn\u2019t deeply involved or that politics isn\u2019t at play.<span style=\"color: #800080;\"> If Mr. Biden is exonerated, half the country will lose its wig.<\/span> If Mr. Trump is exonerated, the other half will. <span style=\"color: #800080;\">Likewise if either man is indicted.<\/span> There is no win here. <span style=\"color: #800080;\">What a mess.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-xbvutc-Paragraph e3t0jlg0\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\" data-type=\"paragraph\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>At some point, a future attorney general will need to summon the backbone to be truly accountable\u2014to make the tough calls himself. <span style=\"color: #800080;\">That would include what seemingly has become the toughest call of all\u2014to step out of the political fray.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>&#8220;<\/p>\n<p><strong>We&#8217;d say Merrick Garland is learning the wisdom of the old adage, when you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas; But Merrick Garland is a lying dog himself.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Daily Gouge<\/em>\u00a0political correspondent Marcus Aurelius reached out to the Attorney General for comment, but his only response was an emphatic&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/POQ3qUy92ik?start=2&amp;end=4&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;over and over&#8230;again and again.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Next,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/news\/biden-administration-considers-banning-gas-stoves-over-health-concerns\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">following up on an earlier entry<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/a>\u00a0detailing Richard Trumpka, Jr.&#8217;s asinine assertion &#8220;products that can&#8217;t be made safe can be banned&#8221;, we learn&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"article-header__title\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/news\/consumer-safety-commission-walks-back-gas-stove-threat-amid-backlash\/?utm_source=email&amp;utm_medium=breaking&amp;utm_campaign=newstrack&amp;utm_term=30219170\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #800080; text-decoration: underline;\">Consumer Safety Commission Walks Back Gas-Stove Threat amid Backlash<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106495\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls.jpg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls-300x274.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8220;<span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission chairman Alexander D. Hoehn-Saric issued a statement Wednesday assuring the public that his agency has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>no intention<\/em><\/span> of\u00a0banning gas stoves\u00a0after a commission official drew the ire of the cooking public by suggesting the appliances might be banned in the near future <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>due to the alleged health threat they pose to Americans<\/em><\/span>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">\u201cOver the past several days, there has been a lot of attention paid to gas stove emissions and to the Consumer Product Safety Commission,\u201d Hoehn-Saric wrote in an\u00a0<a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AriNatter\/status\/1613202217636605953\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-testid=\"standard-link\">official statement<\/a>\u00a0released Wednesday.<\/span> \u201c[T]o be clear, I am <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>not<\/em><\/span> looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>no<\/em><\/span> proceeding to do so.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. had originally told\u00a0<em>Bloomberg News\u00a0<\/em>that fears over air quality caused by gas stoves was creating \u201ca hidden hazard.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>\u201cAny option is on the table products that can\u2019t be made safe can be banned,\u201d Trumka Jr. insisted<\/strong><\/span>&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s the pertinent part we previously overlooked:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8220;<span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>The comments came following Senator Cory Booker (D., N.J.) and Representative Don Beyer (D., Va.) <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>urging CPSC to investigate the issue<\/em><\/span> due to its <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>allegedly disproportionate impact on black, Latino, and low-income households<\/em><\/span>.<\/strong><\/span>&#8220;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Which begs the question of all three of these malignant amigos&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EIFroZYum1s?start=50\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Especially when tens of millions of gourmets and gourmet-wannabes across the nation were guaranteed to respond&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Shannon.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106510\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Shannon.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Shannon.png 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Shannon-300x204.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Guy Benson&#8217;s column on the subject is well worth your time, noting as he does <a href=\"https:\/\/townhall.com\/tipsheet\/guybenson\/2023\/01\/11\/no-the-lefts-creepy-out-of-nowhere-crusade-against-gas-stoves-n2618161\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>the truly head-spinning rapidity with which lefties rallied around the new regulation, which is based on little-to-no actual science, calmly cooing that only future kitchen devices would be impacted by their latest capricious power-grab<\/em><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 Leading the charge was AOC, who, you&#8217;ll not be surprised to learn&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AOC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@AOC<\/a>: \u201congoing exposure to NO2 from gas stoves is linked to reduced cognitive performance\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2026she uses a gas stove <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Y5ko3QcUYe\" class=\"broken_link\">pic.twitter.com\/Y5ko3QcUYe<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 John Hasson (@SonofHas) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SonofHas\/status\/1613157749411708933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" class=\"broken_link\">January 11, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>Hat tip to Speed and the lovely Shannon for the memes.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Meanwhile&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/FmKFfQ9acAIUHQE.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106478\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/FmKFfQ9acAIUHQE.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/FmKFfQ9acAIUHQE.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/FmKFfQ9acAIUHQE-300x295.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>And in <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><em>International News of Note<\/em><\/span>, the <em>Morning Jolt<\/em> relates how&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"article-header__title\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/the-morning-jolt\/china-keeps-lying-as-covid-patients-keep-dying\/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=MJ_230111&amp;utm_term=Jolt-Smart\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">China Keeps Lying as Covid Patients Keep Dying<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n<h3 class=\"article-header__title\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/the-morning-jolt\/china-keeps-lying-as-covid-patients-keep-dying\/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=MJ_230111&amp;utm_term=Jolt-Smart\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;\">China\u2019s Crematoria Are Working 24\/7<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/774dhx.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106483\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/774dhx.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/774dhx.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/774dhx-300x225.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8220;<span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>In China, the incinerators at crematoria are working 24\/7. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Simultaneously, the government says it isn\u2019t seeing any increase in deaths from Covid-19, despite a big increase in the infection rate after ending the \u201czero Covid\u201d policies.<\/span> The Chinese government of Xi Jinping <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>lies about everything<\/em><\/span>, and oftentimes it seems like the more important and consequential the subject, the more shamelessly and brazenly the regime in Beijing will lie.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>The investigative team over at the<em>\u00a0Washington Post\u00a0<\/em>understands how to write a lead paragraph that grabs you, showcasing China\u2019s overwhelmed systems for handling the dead on a human scale:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><p><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong><em>An overwhelmed funeral home in Chengdu, China, stopped offering memorial services, budgeting just two minutes for each family to say goodbye to loved ones before cremation. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">A funeral parlor on the outskirts of Beijing quickly cleared space for a new parking lot.<\/span> Scalpers in Shanghai\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/mp.weixin.qq.com\/s\/WRKh5GGv5SDOGrjVxz2pVQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-testid=\"standard-link\">sold places<\/a><\/span>\u00a0in line at funeral homes for $300 a pop to grieving relatives trying to get cremation slots.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong><em>Still, the Chinese government continues to insist that fewer than 40 people have died in China of covid since Dec. 7, when\u00a0\u201czero covid\u201d restrictions\u00a0aimed at entirely eliminating the virus were suddenly dropped \u2014 and infection numbers exploded.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8230;<\/span><strong>Is the politeness routinely shown by international organizations toward the Chinese government one of the reasons for the regime\u2019s brazenness and shamelessness in lying? <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">When\u2019s the last time any Chinese government official was told, to his face, \u201cNo, that\u2019s a lie, those figures are absolute garbage and we don\u2019t believe them\u201d?<\/span> In other words, has a long, long era of reluctance to confront China enabled the regime\u2019s habitual and systemic dishonesty?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8230;<\/span><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>As for the satellite photos of China\u2019s crematoria, this is not the first time the outside world has seen such images and concluded that Beijing is hiding something.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>Way back at the beginning of the pandemic, people outside of China looked at the government\u2019s official Covid figures and concluded they <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>couldn\u2019t possibly be right<\/em><\/span>. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">The governments of the city of Wuhan and of China as a whole spent the first three to six weeks of the pandemic\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/the-morning-jolt\/chinas-devastating-lies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-testid=\"dynamic-link\">insisting there was no evidence<\/a><\/em><\/span>\u00a0that the virus was spreading from one human to another, despite doctors\u2019 catching it from their patients.<\/span> Perhaps most ominously for the rest of the world, the local and national governments\u2019 \u201cwe have everything under control\u201d message impeded an honest accounting of how deadly the virus was.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">The death toll in Wuhan rose unnervingly rapidly to about 2,400, and then suddenly and inexplicably slowed.<\/span> This was long before the development of vaccines, and at a time when the world\u2019s medical communities were just figuring out how SARS-CoV-2 worked and how to best treat it.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">One of the ways outside observers could tell that the official figures on deaths weren\u2019t true was a sudden surge in the number of death-related actions China was taking.<\/span> As I wrote back\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/the-morning-jolt\/dont-trust-the-chinese-governments-covid-19-timeline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-testid=\"dynamic-link\">in spring of 2020<\/a><\/em><\/span>, the\u00a0official death toll in Wuhan was 2,571\u00a0as of April 7, 2020, \u201cbut\u00a0separate calculations of the number of urns purchased by funeral homes and the cremation capacity\u00a0and use of the cremation ovens put the death toll somewhere between 42,000 and 46,800.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">China\u2019s effort to fool the world found some very credulous Westerners.<\/span> Back in October 2021,\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BeijingPalmer\/status\/1453001954288930826\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" testid=\"standard-link\" class=\"broken_link\">James Palmer of\u00a0Foreign Policy\u00a0magazine called me out<\/a><\/em><\/span>\u00a0for not acknowledging the success of China\u2019s approach: \u201cChina\u2019s *total* covid casualties (officially) are two or three days of American covid deaths right now. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Even allowing for very likely lies and underestimates, they\u2019re a week or two\u2019s worth of American covid deaths.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>Since the start of the pandemic, the<em>\u00a0Economist<\/em>\u00a0has been\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/graphic-detail\/coronavirus-excess-deaths-estimates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" testid=\"standard-link\" class=\"broken_link\">running an ongoing calculation<\/a><\/em><\/span>\u00a0of each country\u2019s \u201cexcess deaths\u201d \u2014 that is, how many deaths the country has experienced above its normal rate before Covid. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">For China, it calculates anywhere from 21,000 to 2.2 million excess deaths.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>China\u2019s not alone in this. <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Russia\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/04\/10\/world\/europe\/covid-russia-death.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" testid=\"standard-link\" class=\"broken_link\">exhibits the same dishonesty and similarly implausible data<\/a><\/em><\/span>: \u201cAt least 300,000 more people died last year during the\u00a0coronavirus pandemic\u00a0than were reported in\u00a0Russia\u2019s\u00a0most widely cited official statistics.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong>Authoritarian regimes <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>run on lies<\/em><\/span>; we do no one any favors when we choose to play along in the name of smoother relations.<\/strong><\/span>&#8220;<\/p>\n<p><strong>It&#8217;s almost as if Xi&#8217;s defenders are being <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>paid<\/em><\/span>&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/138958957_476537750381340_2016499229245235788_n.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106484\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/138958957_476537750381340_2016499229245235788_n.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"564\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/138958957_476537750381340_2016499229245235788_n.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/138958957_476537750381340_2016499229245235788_n-223x300.jpeg 223w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;to shield him from criticism!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Which reminds us, G. Trevor wants the who, why, where, when, how and how much of the miraculous&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Shannon2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106476\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Shannon2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"564\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Shannon2.png 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Shannon2-223x300.png 223w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>&#8230;El Paso transformation. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>Who<\/em><\/span> did it?&#8230;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>why<\/em><\/span> did they do it?&#8230;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>where<\/em><\/span> did they put everyone?&#8230;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>when<\/em><\/span> did they move them?&#8230;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>how<\/em><\/span> were they moved?&#8230;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>how much<\/em><\/span> did it cost?\u00a0 We seem to recall El Paso lacked the resources to cope with the flood of illegals, so, G. Trevor&#8217;s questions stand.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>And if your blood pressure isn&#8217;t high enough,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/migrants-drinking-all-day-having-sex-in-stairs-taxpayer-funded-new-york-hotels-whistleblower\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>this forward from Nick will certainly top it out<\/em><\/span><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Kplx67VHWms\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Party on, Pedro!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Moving on, here&#8217;s a sextet of special selections certain to sate the curiosity of inquiring Conservative minds:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(1). Witness what happens when <a href=\"https:\/\/redstate.com\/brandon_morse\/2023\/01\/11\/viral-video-of-a-man-hosing-down-a-homeless-woman-is-inciting-all-the-wrong-rage-n686881\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>John Q. Citizen decides to do the job his city government should already have done<\/em><\/span><\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Man sprays water on homeless woman who refused to leave the front of his store.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t be mad at him. This is what happens when a city refuses to do anything about the homeless\/drug addiction issue. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/kOp634Gtui\">pic.twitter.com\/kOp634Gtui<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheBrandonMorse\/status\/1613212727593558016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 11, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>We can only imagine this gallery owner&#8217;s frustration with a city siding with drug addicts and psychos against tax-paying citizens.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(2). Speaking of government failing to do its job, i<\/strong><strong>s it tragic or ironic when a drought-stricken state <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/death-toll-from-california-storms-rises-to-14-governor-says-11673370504\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>literally being inundated in water<\/em><\/span><\/a>\u00a0lacks <span style=\"color: #000000;\">any substantial means to store it<\/span>?\u00a0 <em>Best of the Web<\/em> provides further facts on <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"http:\/\/Is it tragic or ironic when a drought-stricken state literally being inundated in water\u00a0lacks any substantial means to store it?\u00a0 Best of the Web provides further details on\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">California floods and the &#8220;Megadrought<\/span><\/a>&#8220;<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(3). <em>FOX News<\/em> records <span style=\"color: #000000;\">the awkward moment ending in uncomfortable silence<\/span> on MSDNC when <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/awkward-moment-msnbc-andrea-mitchell-scolds-colleague-using-pro-life-term\" class=\"broken_link\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Andrea Mitchell scolds a colleague for using the term &#8220;pro-life<\/span><\/em><\/a>&#8220;<\/span>, which runs counter to the <em>AP<\/em>&#8216;s woke language handbook.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/abortion.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106517\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/abortion.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"248\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/abortion.png 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/abortion-300x177.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>We&#8217;re towards the tale end of the major prophets, finishing up Ezekiel.\u00a0 And if there&#8217;s one overarching reason for God&#8217;s judgment against Israel and Judah repeated throughout Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, it&#8217;s the sacrifice of babies on the altar of Molech.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Molech-copy.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106518\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Molech-copy.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"278\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Molech-copy.png 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Molech-copy-300x199.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>Andrea Mitchell and those sharing her slavish devotion to the killing of the unborn worship at the modern-day altar of Molech.\u00a0 And if there are levels in Hell, be certain they&#8217;ll have the warmest seats in the house.\u00a0 Then again, absent the saving grace of Jesus Christ, we&#8217;d be right there with her.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(4).\u00a0<em>Townhall.com<\/em>&#8216;s Rebecca Downs reports Virginia AG Jason Miyares is broadening his investigation into the deliberate delay in notifying students who earned National Merit awards <span style=\"color: #000000;\">by the the principal of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/townhall.com\/tipsheet\/rebeccadowns\/2023\/01\/11\/ag-jason-miyares-extends-investigation-into-all-of-fairfax-county-n2618144\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>to include the entire Fairfax County Public School system<\/em><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>You&#8217;ll recall <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/news\/top-u-s-high-school-deprived-students-of-national-merit-awards-as-part-of-equity-policy\/\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">NRO reporting school leaders<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/a>&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><strong>&#8220;&#8230;<em>waited for about a month to distribute certificates to National Merit commended students and semi-finalists, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">past<\/span> the October 31 deadline for students to note the awards on their applications for early acceptance to select colleges, according to a report in\u00a0City Journal\u00a0and the\u00a0New York Post.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><em><strong>The report by journalist and activist Asra Nomani links the delay of National Merit awards to Thomas Jefferson high\u2019s equity efforts, and its new \u201c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">equal outcomes for every student, without exception<\/span>\u201d strategy. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Most of the students<\/span> who had their award notification delayed <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">were Asian<\/span>, Nomani reported.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><strong><em>According to the report, Thomas Jefferson high\u2019s principal, Ann Bonitaibus, told a concerned parent\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/23466063-national-merit-tjhsst-emails\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-testid=\"standard-link\">in an email<\/a><\/span>\u00a0that the school had <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">received<\/span> the National Merit certificates <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">in mid-October<\/span>, and that she had signed them within 48 hours. But the awards <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">were not distributed<\/span> by homeroom teachers <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">until November 14<\/span>, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">after<\/span> the early application deadline had passed, the report stated. \u201cTeachers dropped the certificates unceremoniously on students\u2019 desks,\u201d Nomani wrote.<\/em>&#8220;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>Here&#8217;s hoping the heads of many educated idiots at the highest levels of the FCPS system roll.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(5). Since we&#8217;re on the subject of educated idiots, Peter Hotez, the MSM&#8217;s favorite COVID doctor&#8230;after Dr. Faux Chi, of course&#8230;<a href=\"https:\/\/townhall.com\/tipsheet\/juliorosas\/2023\/01\/10\/msnbcs-favorite-covid-doctor-chinas-covid-problem-is-too-much-freedom-n2618128\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>claims China&#8217;s surge in WuFlu cases and deaths is the result of too much freedom stemming from unvaccinated\u00a0individuals<\/em><\/span><\/a>, despite over 91% of the Chinese populace being vaccinated.\u00a0 The fact he goes on to compare Ron DeSantis to Xi Jinping in terms of their authoritarianism tells you all you need to know about the good doctor&#8217;s discernment.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(6). Turning from educated idiots to the garden variety, on the occasion of the <a href=\"https:\/\/townhall.com\/tipsheet\/katiepavlich\/2023\/01\/11\/buttigieg-blasted-after-yet-another-travel-crisis-n2618157\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>recent FAA system crash<\/em><\/span><\/a>, Erick Erickson notes the single accomplishment of our gay (only noted because it&#8217;s his only qualification for the job) Secretary of Transportation:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Untitled-2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106458\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Untitled-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"251\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Untitled-2.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Untitled-2-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><b>Mayor Pete&#8217;s continued occupation of a cabinet seat in the Biden clown car begs the question&#8230;<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U0tpjs8zflQ?start=63&amp;end=67&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Which brings us, appropriately enough, to <em>The Lighter Side<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/MC_FAA_Pete_web-800x0.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106512\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/MC_FAA_Pete_web-800x0.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/MC_FAA_Pete_web-800x0.jpeg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/MC_FAA_Pete_web-800x0-300x225.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/faa.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106513\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/faa.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/faa.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/faa-300x194.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sk011123dAPC-800x0.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106470\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sk011123dAPC-800x0.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sk011123dAPC-800x0.jpeg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sk011123dAPC-800x0-300x232.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aa-3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106468\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aa-3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aa-3.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aa-3-300x201.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aaa-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106469\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aaa-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aaa-1.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aaa-1-300x214.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/a-5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106471\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/a-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/a-5.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/a-5-300x179.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/afb011223dAPR-800x0.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106514\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/afb011223dAPR-800x0.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/afb011223dAPR-800x0.jpeg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/afb011223dAPR-800x0-300x214.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Image-1-11-23-at-11.27-AM.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106459\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Image-1-11-23-at-11.27-AM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Image-1-11-23-at-11.27-AM.jpg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Image-1-11-23-at-11.27-AM-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/a-6.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106497\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/a-6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/a-6.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/a-6-259x300.png 259w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Then there&#8217;s these from Balls Cotton&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106460\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls3.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls3-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls1-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106461\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls1-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"235\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls1-1.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls1-1-300x153.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls2-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106462\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls2-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"462\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls2-1.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls2-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Balls2-1-300x300.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;Major Jon&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jon.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106498\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jon.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jon.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jon-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jon-298x300.png 298w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;and Ed Hickey:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hickey.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106509\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hickey.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hickey.jpg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hickey-247x300.jpg 247w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Finally, we&#8217;ll call it a wrap with yet another titillating tale torn from the pages of <span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>The Crime Blotter<\/em><\/span>, courtesy today of a larcenous lawyer:<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"headline-basic headline-basic__article\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a style=\"color: #800000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oregonlive.com\/crime\/2023\/01\/ex-portland-lawyer-sentenced-to-more-than-8-years-in-prison-for-stealing-more-than-38-million-in-clients-money.html\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Ex-Portland lawyer sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for stealing more than $3.8 million in clients\u2019 money<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/snapshot-2023-01-09T174136.868-copy.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106486\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/snapshot-2023-01-09T174136.868-copy.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/snapshot-2023-01-09T174136.868-copy.png 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/snapshot-2023-01-09T174136.868-copy-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"GYCMF5LKSFHRZCVDZSVY5WU76I\" class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8220;&#8230;<span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire M. Fay called Deveny an \u201cunfeeling financial predator\u201d who used lies and manipulation to defraud her clients. <span style=\"color: #008080;\">Many had suffered serious brain and bodily injuries in traffic crashes or other accidents and were awaiting payments from insurance company claims that Deveny had filed on their behalf.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>Instead, Deveny stole the identities of countless clients, forged insurance checks made payable to them and deposited the money to her own bank accounts to cover her and her husband\u2019s lavish lifestyle.<span style=\"color: #008080;\"> \u201cFor 12 long years, she systematically robbed her clients, not with a gun and a mask, but with a pen and a law license,\u201d Fay said.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"6ETQIWDFAZEDVISJ5EZNDSSHHE\" class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>Deveny used her clients\u2019 money to pay for \u201cunbridled and decadent spending\u201d on big game hunting trips to Africa, taxidermy costs for the hunting trophies, guns and ammunition, travel to Las Vegas, Mexico, South Africa and Alaska, cruises and fishing trips, according to Fay. <span style=\"color: #008080;\">Deveny bought more than $220,000 worth of expensive cigars from Broadway Cigars and more than <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>$60,000<\/em><\/span> for stays at the Desert Sun Resort, a Palm Springs <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>luxury nudist resort<\/em><\/span>, Fay said<\/span><\/strong><\/span>&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>The trial judge noted &#8220;<\/strong><strong>part of what contributed to Deveny\u2019s downfall was the emotional and physical abuse she endured from her late husband, who took his own life in 2018&#8243;.\u00a0 While we can&#8217;t speak to any emotional or physical abuse the husband dished out, we&#8217;re relatively certain seeing Deveney naked in broad daylight&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ICVGH7ZHXZGSNN2RIMMJ6KOJ7A.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-106487\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ICVGH7ZHXZGSNN2RIMMJ6KOJ7A.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ICVGH7ZHXZGSNN2RIMMJ6KOJ7A.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/ICVGH7ZHXZGSNN2RIMMJ6KOJ7A-300x225.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;had something to do with his suicide.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Magoo<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em><strong>Video of the Day<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Oh, the garage containing the classified materials was LOCKED. Soooo&#8230;how exactly is that different from the front door to Mar-a-Lago?!?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Il8R4BEhrjo?start=18&amp;end=43&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em>Tales of The Darkside<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tucker explains what happens when a someone&#8217;s only qualification for their job is their perverted sexual preference. SPOILER ALERT: The rest of the country suffers while he flies private! Let&#8217;s not even TALK about AMTRAK!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_Iw-_Y9oKn8\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em>On the Lighter Side<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Welcome to the wacky world of modern healthcare, courtesy of G. Trevor and the collaboration of The Donald, Dr. Faux Chi and Big Pharma.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hZZFnNwdgqQ\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s Friday, January 13th, 2023&#8230;uh oh! Now, here&#8217;s The Gouge! First up, compare Joe Biden then&#8230; &#8230;with Joe Biden now, as shown at our Video of the Day, accessible through link #2 immediately beneath our Quote of the Day at the top of the page.\u00a0 Gee, Joe, as long as the garage was locked, guess [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1988,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1988"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=106502"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":106596,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106502\/revisions\/106596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=106502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=106502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=106502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}